Daily Current Affairs Quiz
12 September, 2025
National Affairs
1. Vultures and Pandemic Preparedness in India
Source: TH
Context:
Vultures, once abundant in India (40+ million in the 1980s), have declined by 95% since the 1990s mainly due to diclofenac (a veterinary drug) use. Their disappearance poses ecological and public health risks, linking biodiversity decline to zoonotic disease spillovers. They are part of the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), connecting migratory ecosystems across 30+ countries.
About Vultures in India
- Species Diversity: India is home to 9 species of vultures, out of which 3 are Critically Endangered:
- White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)
- Indian Vulture (Gyps indicus)
- Slender-billed Vulture (Gyps tenuirostris)
- Role in Ecosystem:
- Vultures are scavengers — they feed on carcasses of dead animals, preventing the spread of diseases.
- They are often called “nature’s cleanup crew” for their crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and public health.
Importance of Vultures for Public Health
- Act as nature’s waste managers by consuming carcasses.
- Prevent spread of deadly pathogens like anthrax, rabies, and botulinum toxin.
- Reduce risk of zoonotic spillovers that could trigger pandemics.
- Provide early surveillance opportunities at carcass sites.
2. Border Wing Home Guards (BWHG)
Source: TH
Context:
Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is considering raising BWHGs along the China border, similar to their deployment on the India-Pakistan border.
Aim: Assist ITBP & Army in intelligence gathering, presence, and local engagement.
About BWHG
- Civilian volunteer force drawn from border populations.
- Functions as an ancillary to Border Guarding Forces and Army during emergencies.
- Authorised in 7 States: Meghalaya, Tripura, Assam, West Bengal, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat.
- Currently operational only in Rajasthan (2,279 active members).
- Role: Perform constable-level duties; enlistment for 3–4 years.
- Funding: 25% training & support borne by Government of India.
3. Great Nicobar Island Project
Source: TH
Context:
The Government of India has approved the Great Nicobar Island Project, a multi-component development plan aimed at boosting India’s strategic and economic presence in the Indian Ocean Region.
Project Overview:
- A mega integrated development project to transform Great Nicobar into a logistics, trade, and defence hub.
- Compliant with environmental safeguards under EIA Notification 2006 and Shompen Policy 2015 to protect ecology and tribal welfare.
Major Components:
- International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT): Capacity of 14.2 million TEU, reducing reliance on Colombo/Singapore and positioning India as a global shipping hub.
- Greenfield International Airport: Enhances connectivity, promotes tourism, and allows rapid troop/supply deployment.
- 450 MVA Gas + Solar Power Plant: Ensures uninterrupted energy supply combining conventional and renewable sources.
- Integrated Township: Spanning 16,610 hectares, providing modern housing and infrastructure.
- Phased Development (2025–2047): Spread over three phases to minimise ecological stress and allow adaptive planning.
4. India Flags Off ‘Samudra Pradakshina’
Source: Indian Expree
Context:
The Defence Minister of India virtually flagged off Samudra Pradakshina from the Gateway of India, Mumbai. This expedition marks India’s first tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing mission, demonstrating women empowerment, maritime skill, and strategic outreach.
About the Expedition:
- India’s first-ever tri-service (Army, Navy, Air Force) all-women circumnavigation.
- Voyage meets World Sailing Speed Record Council norms for a full circumnavigation.
- Follows India’s circumnavigation legacy:
- Capt. Dilip Donde (2009–10) – first solo Indian circumnavigation.
- Cmde. Abhilash Tomy (2012–13) – first Indian non-stop circumnavigation.
- INSV Tarini – Navika Sagar Parikrama (2017–18) & (2024–25).
- Scientific Research:
- Collaborate with National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) on micro-plastics, ocean biodiversity, and marine health.
Key Features:
- Vessel: IASV Triveni, a 50-foot indigenous yacht (Class A) built in Puducherry.
- Route: ~26,000 nautical miles, crosses the Equator twice, rounds Capes Leeuwin, Horn, and Good Hope.
- Crew: 10 women officers, led by Lt Col Anuja Varudkar (Army) & Sqn Ldr Shraddha P Raju (IAF).
- Timeline: September 2025 – May 2026.
5. All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS) & Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households
Source: PIB
Context:
The National Statistical Office (NSO) under Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced that the All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS) and the Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households will be conducted between July 2026 and June 2027. These surveys are part of the 81st round of the National Sample Survey (NSS) and aim to provide comprehensive insights into household finances and agricultural livelihoods.
All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS):
- What it is: India’s flagship survey on household finance, capturing debt, assets, and investments across rural and urban households.
- Origin: Began as All India Rural Credit Survey (1951-52); expanded in 1961-62 to include urban households and investments.
- Conducted by: NSO (MoSPI).
- Objectives:
- Measure household indebtedness and asset ownership.
- Inform national accounts and credit policies.
- Aid RBI, MoSPI, NITI Aayog in financial inclusion and inequality studies.
- Key Features:
- Decadal survey; last conducted in 77th NSS round (2019).
- Covers institutional & non-institutional credit sources.
- Provides disaggregated data by state, sector, income group, and asset class.
- Supports policymaking for financial literacy, credit penetration, and asset creation.
Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households:
- What it is: Nationally representative survey assessing economic well-being of farm households.
- Origin: Launched in 2003, expanded in 2013, strengthened in 2019.
- Conducted by: NSO (MoSPI) in coordination with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW).
- Objectives:
- Assess income, expenditure, and debt of farm households.
- Track livelihood patterns, crop & livestock production, access to government schemes, and crop insurance.
- Support agriculture and rural development policies for inclusive growth.
- Key Features:
- Covers all agricultural households, including landless farmers.
- Collects data on land, livestock, technology adoption, and market access.
- Monitors institutional finance, crop loans, and insurance coverage.
- Used by NITI Aayog, MoA&FW, research bodies, and banks for policy design.
6. PM to Launch ‘Gyan Bharatam’ Portal
Source: TOI
Context:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the International Conference on India’s Manuscript Heritage on Friday and launch the ‘Gyan Bharatam’ portal—a dedicated digital platform for manuscript digitisation, preservation, and public access.
Key Highlights:
- Event Theme: “Reclaiming India’s Knowledge Legacy through Manuscript Heritage.”
- Conference: A three-day event bringing together scholars, conservationists, technologists, and policy experts.
- Objective of Portal:
- Accelerate digitisation of India’s vast manuscript collections.
- Ensure preservation of ancient knowledge resources.
- Provide public access to manuscripts for global knowledge exchange.
- Government Role: The Ministry of Culture is leading the initiative.
7. Capacity of Dams Halved Due to Sedimentation: IISER Report
Source: ET
Context:
A study by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal has revealed that dams and reservoirs across India have lost nearly 50% of their storage capacity due to heavy sedimentation build-up, significantly reducing their effectiveness in flood control, irrigation, and power generation.
Key Highlights of the Study:
- Scope: Examined government records of 300+ large reservoirs with storage capacity exceeding 100 million cubic metres.
- Findings:
- Several dams have already lost more than half of their designated storage.
- By 2050, many more—especially in the Himalayan region, Narmada-Tapi basin, Western Ghats, and Indo-Gangetic Plains—will face severe capacity loss.
- Causes of Sedimentation:
- Agriculture-driven soil erosion
- Deforestation
- Flooding and catchment degradation
Implications:
- Water Security: Reduced storage affects irrigation and drinking water supply.
- Energy Security: Declining hydroelectric power generation.
- Flood & Drought Risks: Lower resilience to extreme weather events.
- Investment Risk: Decades of infrastructure investment could be undone without corrective measures.
Recommended Measures:
- Catchment afforestation and upstream soil conservation
- Construction of check dams and sediment flushing systems
- Regular hydrographic surveys to assess storage capacity loss
- Integrated reservoir sediment management policies
Banking/Finance
1. Nabfid to Submit Infra Financing Report
Source: BS
Context:
National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (Nabfid) will prepare a report on infrastructure financing challenges. To be submitted to the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance within 15 days.
Key Issues Discussed
- Financing Gaps – Shortfall in availability of long-term infra finance.
- Municipal Bonds – Barriers in issuance, low investor appetite.
- Capacity Building – Need to strengthen institutions and skill base for infra financing.
- Data Gaps – Better availability of information on defaults and recoveries required for risk assessment.
About Nabfid
- Established under NABFID Act, 2021 as a Development Finance Institution (DFI).
- Objective: Provide long-term infrastructure financing and develop the bond/loan market.
- Functions as a catalyst for private investment in infra through credit enhancement, guarantees, and innovative financing.
2. RBI to Allow Lenders to Remotely Lock Phones for Defaulted Loans
Source: Mint
Context:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) plans to permit lenders to remotely lock mobile phones purchased on credit if borrowers default, aiming to reduce non-performing assets (NPAs) in small-ticket consumer loans.
Key Proposal:
- Banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) may be allowed to remotely lock or disable mobile phones purchased on credit if the borrower defaults on repayments.
- This mechanism would act as a collateral-like security without physical repossession, helping lenders recover dues efficiently.
What you need to know from exam point of view?
This initiative would fall under RBI’s guidelines for secured lending and asset-backed financing, specifically:
- Master Directions on Fair Practices Code for Lenders – ensuring transparency, borrower consent, and grievance redressal.
- Master Directions on Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) Classification and Provisioning – providing norms for recognition, recovery, and enforcement of small-ticket loans.
- Digital Lending Guidelines 2023 – governing use of technology in lending, including device-based tracking or locking mechanisms, while protecting borrower data and privacy.
- Secured Credit Regulations under the RBI Act, 1934 – allowing secured lending where the collateral can be digitally controlled or monitored.
What are Non-Performing Assets (NPAs)?
A Non-Performing Asset (NPA) is a loan or advance where the borrower has stopped making interest or principal repayments for a specified period, indicating the asset is not generating income for the lender.
Criteria (as per RBI):
- A loan is classified as an NPA if interest or principal remains overdue for more than 90 days.
- Applies to banks, NBFCs, and other lending institutions.
3. NABARD to Launch Centralised Digital Lending Platform for RRBs
Source: BL
Context:
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is developing a centralised digital lending platform for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to strengthen their competitiveness against non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and microfinance institutions (MFIs). This initiative is part of a broader strategy following the One State-One RRB policy, which came into effect on May 1, 2025, consolidating 43 RRBs into 28 banks.
Key Highlights:
- Centralised Digital Credit Infrastructure (CDCI):
- Designed for end-to-end automation of credit processing and management.
- Aims to enhance operational efficiency, transparency, and agility in loan delivery.
- Expected rollout: end of September 2025.
- Will support a range of loan products, including housing loans with first-loss default guarantees and MSME-focused products.
- Strategic Objectives:
- Reposition RRBs as competitive alternatives to NBFCs and MFIs.
- Leverage scale efficiencies and cost rationalisation post-consolidation.
- Support innovation in loan product design for diversified portfolios.
- RRB Overview:
- Established in 1975 under an Ordinance and Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.
- Aimed at developing rural economies and supplementing the Cooperative Credit Structure.
- Shareholding pattern: Government of India 50%, State Government 15%, Sponsoring Bank 35%.
- Network: 28 RRBs, 22,158 branches across 26 states and 3 Union Territories.
- 92% branches in rural or semi-urban areas, highlighting their role in financial inclusion.
Facts To Remember
1. Veteran Congress leader P.P. Thankachan passes away
Kerala’s veteran Congress leader and former Speaker P.P. Thankachan, 87, passed away at a hospital in Ernakulam.
2. C.P. Radhakrishnan to take oath as Vice-President today
C.P. Radhakrishnan will take the oath of office as Vice-President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
3. Pooja ensures third medal for India
Olympian Pooja Rani rallied to edge past Poland’s Emilia Koterska 3-2 in a hard-fought quarterfinal bout to move into the women’s 80kg semifinals and secure a third medal for India at the World boxing championships in Liverpool.
4. Govt Likely to Refocus on Marketing, Credit Support in PM Vishwakarma Scheme
The PM Vishwakarma Scheme, launched by the Ministry of MSME to formalise and support traditional artisans and craftspeople, has already enrolled 3 million beneficiaries, surpassing its target three years ahead of FY28. The government is now shifting focus to the marketing and credit support components for the scheme’s next phase.
5. Public Sector Banks Manthan Summit 2025
Public Sector Banks (PSBs) will hold a two-day Manthan Summit from September 12, 2025, focusing on strategies to transform into globally competitive institutions aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
6. RBI Governor to hold open house for staff to boost functioning
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra has introduced an open house for current and retired employees on improving the central bank’s functioning.
