Current Affair MCQ for 2025-05-01

Notes: India recently signed agreements to supply 4.12 lakh tonnes of green hydrogen derivatives to Japan and Singapore. The Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme of India (GHCI) was launched simultaneously to ensure credible and transparent green hydrogen production. GHCI is India’s first certification framework to verify that hydrogen is produced exclusively using renewable energy. This certification ensures hydrogen is recognized as “green.” GHCI was launched by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is the nodal agency for GHCI. It is supported by the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

Notes: India has once again been placed on the ‘priority watch’ list in the Special 301 Report by the United States Trade Representative (USTR). It is an annual review published under the Trade Act of 1974. It identifies countries that do not provide adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) or fair access to US rights holders. The report has been released every year since 1989. It classifies countries as “priority foreign country”, “priority watch list”, or “watch list”. Countries on the priority watch list, like India, have serious IPR issues needing greater US attention.

Notes: The Supreme Court recently dismissed a plea alleging illegal mining in Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh, calling it a frivolous abuse of law and imposed a ₹1 lakh penalty on the petitioner. Bandhavgarh National Park is located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. It lies across the Vindhya hills, known for their forested terrain and wildlife. It was declared a national park in 1968 and became a Tiger Reserve in 1993 under Project Tiger. The park is famous for its Royal Bengal Tigers.

Notes: Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated every year on April 30 to honour the achievements of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, also known as Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). PM-JAY is a government health insurance scheme that offers up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalization care. The scheme targets over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families in India who cannot afford expensive medical treatment. It provides cashless and paperless treatment at any accredited hospital across India. On Ayushman Bharat Diwas, events are held nationwide to spread awareness and celebrate the scheme’s impact. The day also recognises the efforts of frontline workers and healthcare professionals involved in delivering quality services to beneficiaries.

Notes: Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, Ghaziabad issued India’s first Certified Green Municipal Bond, raising ₹150 crore for a Tertiary Sewage Treatment Plant (TSTP). This bond marks a major shift towards sustainable urban infrastructure and financial innovation. The Tertiary Sewage Treatment Plant uses advanced Membrane Filtration Technologies like microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis (RO) to treat wastewater. The plant has a treatment capacity of 40 Million Litres per Day (MLD) and is linked to a 95 km pipeline network. It supplies treated water to over 1,400 industrial units, cutting dependence on freshwater sources.

Notes: According to the 2024 edition of the “Trends in World Military Expenditure” report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India’s military spending was nearly nine times higher than Pakistan’s. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is a Swedish think tank that publishes this annual report analysing global military expenditure. In 2024, global defence spending reached $2.46 trillion, up from $2.24 trillion in 2023. This accounted for 1.9 percent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), compared to 1.6 percent in 2022 and 1.8 percent in 2023. Just five countries – the USA, China, Russia, Germany, and India – accounted for 60 percent of global military expenditure. India was the fifth highest military spender in 2024, spending $86.1 billion, a 1.6 percent rise from 2023 and a 42 percent increase since 2015.

Notes: Scientists from China, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US) recently studied the inner workings of Uturuncu, a “zombie” volcano in Bolivia, and found that there is no immediate risk of eruption. Uturuncu is a stratovolcano located in the Andes Mountains of southwestern Bolivia and is made up mainly of dacitic lava domes and flows. It sits on top of a massive underground magma reservoir called the Altiplano-Puna Magma Body (APMB), which extends under southern Bolivia, northern Chile, and northern Argentina. Uturuncu is called a “zombie” volcano because it shows signs of activity without actual eruptions.

Notes: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) recently took suo moto action against five Delhi restaurants for not refunding mandatory service charges, despite the Delhi High Court’s clear judgment. This step protects consumer rights and stops unfair practices where customers are pressured to pay extra charges while dining. As per law, hotels and restaurants cannot force consumers to pay service charges, nor collect them under any other name. The CCPA was set up under Section 10 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which replaced the earlier 1986 Act. The Act was notified on August 9, 2019, and came into effect on July 20, 2020. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is the nodal ministry responsible for this authority.

Notes: The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kotak Mahindra Bank and launched the ‘Niveshak Shivir’ initiative to boost digital investor awareness and financial literacy in India. The IEPFA was set up in 2016 under the Companies Act, 2013 to manage the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) and safeguard investor interests. It works under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. ‘Niveshak Shivir’ is a joint effort by IEPFA and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to simplify the process of reclaiming unclaimed dividends and shares. These camps will begin in May 2025 in Mumbai and Ahmedabad, targeting areas with high numbers of unclaimed dividend holders. One-stop kiosks will help investors update Know Your Customer (KYC) details, verify claims, and receive instant help for grievances. The aim is to reduce reliance on intermediaries and prevent fraud and misinformation.

Notes: The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare recently released guidelines for establishing Bio-Input Resource Centres (BRCs) to promote natural farming under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF). Bio-Input Resource Centres (BRCs) are cluster-level enterprises that provide farmers with locally prepared natural farming inputs like bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, and organic formulations. BRCs also serve as knowledge hubs to train and support farmers who are transitioning to natural farming practices. The initiative was launched under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF). The objectives of BRCs include ensuring easy access to quality bio-inputs, offering technical support on natural farming methods, and promoting the adoption of natural farming across rural areas.