Current Affair MCQ for 2025-08-14

Notes: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved ₹8,146.21 crore for the 700 Megawatt (MW) Tato-II Hydro Electric Project in Shi Yomi district, Arunachal Pradesh. The Tato-II Hydro Electric Project (THEP) is on the Siyom river near Tato village in West Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh. It is a 700 Megawatt (MW) run-of-river project with a reservoir capacity of 56 million cubic meters. The project has 4 turbines of 175 MW each, generating 2,738.06 million units annually. Arunachal Pradesh will get 12% free power and 1% for the Local Area Development Fund (LADF). It is a joint venture between North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO) and the state government.

Notes: The government recently approved four new semiconductor manufacturing projects in Odisha, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM). India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) is a specialized and independent institution operates under the guidance of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It operates as a business division within the Digital India Corporation. It aims to create a strong semiconductor and display ecosystem, making India a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.

Notes: Scientists recently discovered possible artefacts of the oldest known Wallacean hominids on Sulawesi island, Indonesia. Earlier, Homo erectus in Wallacea were believed to have settled only on Flores and Luzon islands about 1.02 million years ago. They were thought incapable of long-distance sea travel, making the Sulawesi discovery important for migration theories. Archaeologists from Australia and Indonesia found small, chipped tools in Soppeng, South Sulawesi, used for cutting small animals and carving rocks. Wallacea is a region in Eastern Indonesia, including Sulawesi, Lombok, Flores, Timor, and Sumbawa.</p>

Notes: The Minister of State for Jal Shakti recently informed the Lok Sabha about the BHU-NEER Portal. It is a state-of-the-art portal launched in 2024 by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. It aims to regulate groundwater development and management by providing an easy platform for filing No Objection Certificate (NOC) applications for groundwater abstraction. It has a centralized database for groundwater compliance, policies, and sustainable practices. It is meant for industries, infrastructure, and mining projects. It helps enforce guidelines to curb over-extraction and promote sustainable groundwater use.

Notes: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently launched the State Health Regulatory Excellence Index (SHRESTH) virtually. It is India’s first national initiative to benchmark and strengthen state drug regulatory systems using a transparent, data-driven framework. It is proposed by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). It ensures consistent drug safety and quality standards. It has 27 indices for manufacturing states and 23 for primarily distribution states, covering themes like human resources, infrastructure, licensing, surveillance, and responsiveness.