Context: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched a national-level initiative titled ‘Apna Ghar’ in 2025, designed to provide dignified resting facilities for truck drivers across highways in India. About Apna Ghar Initiative: Objectives: Key Features: PIB
71st National Film Awards 2023
Context: The 71st National Film Awards, recognising excellence in Indian cinema for the year 2023, were announced. The honours celebrated both seasoned actors and emerging talent across multiple languages and genres, reflecting the depth and diversity of Indian filmmaking. Top Awards and Major Highlights Best Feature Film Best Actor (Male) (Shared) Best Actor (Female) Best Director Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment Best Film on National, Social and Environmental Issues Debut and Language Films Best Debut Director Best Hindi Film Best Children’s Film Best Animated/Visual Effects/Gaming/Comics Film Best Films in Regional Languages Music and Technical Awards Best Male Playback Singer Best Female Playback Singer Best Music Direction Best Lyrics Best Dialogue Best Choreography Best Action Direction (Stunts) TH
AI in Indian Agriculture
Context: India’s agriculture sector, which supports over 42% of the population and contributes 18.2% to GDP, faces persistent challenges like low yields, high post-harvest losses (up to 15%), and limited access to irrigation, credit, and market linkage. Emerging digital solutions like artificial intelligence (AI) are now being deployed to address these gaps. AI’s Transformative Impact Challenges in Adoption Policy and Structural Reforms Needed India’s Global Position in Agri-Tech BL
Finance Ministry Notifies 0.1% Concessional Government Guarantee Fee for NaBFID
Context: The Ministry of Finance has set a 0.1% concessional guarantee fee for the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) to enable access to low-cost foreign capital for infrastructure development. Key Highlights: About NaBFID BL
MCX Relaunches Cardamom Futures Trading Contracts
Context: The Multi-Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) has reintroduced cardamom futures contracts, initially launching for August, September, and October 2025. The relaunch comes after a regulatory pause initiated in 2021. Key Highlights: Cardamom Futures Contract Specifications Significance of Relaunch This initiative is expected to benefit the entire cardamom value chain, from farmers to global buyers, aligning with broader goals of agricultural market modernization. BS
NPCI Introduces Revised UPI Rules
Context: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has introduced new Unified Payments Interface (UPI) rules, effective from August 1, 2025, to enhance system efficiency, user experience, and fraud prevention. Key Highlights: Balance Enquiry Auto Payment Processing Bank Details Access Transaction Status Updates Recipient Details Before Payment Compliance & Penalties About NPCI TOI
UPI’s ‘Free Payments’ Model Under Strain as ICICI Bank Imposes Charges on Payment Aggregators
Context: ICICI Bank has begun charging payment aggregators (PAs) for processing UPI transactions, raising concerns over the long-term viability of the zero-cost digital payments ecosystem. Key Highlights: TOI
RBI’s MuleHunter Platform to Tackle Bank Frauds Gains Traction
Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is scaling up the deployment of its AI-driven MuleHunter platform across more banks to curb fraud involving mule accounts. Key Highlights: Significance BS
SEBI Plans Major Reforms for Mega IPOs
Context: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is considering regulatory reforms to streamline large Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and improve market efficiency, especially for high-value companies like NSE, Reliance Jio, and Flipkart. Key Highlights: BS
Govt Expands PM SVANidhi Scheme
Context: The Union Government has approved the second phase of the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme with enhanced loan limits and the introduction of UPI-linked credit cards to deepen financial inclusion for urban street vendors. Key Highlights: TOI
