Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) launched “EmpowHER Biz – Sapno Ki Udaan” in partnership with New Shop under its Award to Reward (ATR) program. The initiative provides mentorship and training in retail management, digital tools, financial literacy, and business development for women entrepreneurs. Fifty women aged 18–35 will be selected through an online application process based on specific criteria. The top 20 participants will receive a 100% waiver on New Shop franchise fees, reducing barriers to owning retail businesses. The program targets women from Delhi NCR, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat.

Notes:
Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) has been selected by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to host South India’s first Infectious Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (IRDL). The lab will focus on research and diagnostics for bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections, enabling quicker and more accurate disease management. This is part of a nationwide initiative to enhance medical research infrastructure in India. The lab will also study antibiotic resistance, fungal infections, and tropical diseases.

Notes:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a regional conference on ‘Drug Trafficking and National Security’ at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. The conference, organized by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), aimed to address drug trafficking and its impact on national security. Amit Shah launched the Drug Disposal Fortnight and inaugurated the new office complex of the Bhopal Zonal Unit of NCB. He also extended the MANAS-2 helpline to all 36 states and Union Territories. The conference focused on tackling drug trafficking in eight northern Indian states and union territories.

Notes:
The 23rd Divya Kala Mela was inaugurated at Akota Stadium, Vadodara, Gujarat, by the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment. The event celebrates the talents and entrepreneurship of Divyangjans (persons with disabilities). The event is organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. It runs from January 9 to 19, 2025. More than 20 states and Union Territories are participating with artisans and entrepreneurs showcasing their work.

Notes:
Fifteen Tamil Nadu fishermen were reportedly detained near Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) for crossing the maritime boundary. Diego Garcia is a coral atoll, the largest and southernmost island in the Chagos Archipelago, central Indian Ocean. It covers 44 sq. km with a V-shaped cay and an open lagoon. The UK leased Diego Garcia to the US in 1966 for a military base, displacing its inhabitants.

Notes:
The Lokpal of India has declared January 16 as “Lokpal Day,” with the first observance on January 16, 2025. The decision was made during a meeting on March 14, 2024. Lokpal Day highlights the establishment of the Lokpal and aims to raise awareness about its role in promoting transparency and accountability in governance.

Notes:
The National Green Tribunal has directed a rejuvenation committee to set a new timeline for the action plan to reduce pollution in the Pavana River. The Pavana River flows in western Maharashtra, crossing Pune and dividing Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. It originates from the Western Ghats. It flows through Dehu, Chinchwad, Pimpri, and Dapodi before joining the Mula River near Pune. It is about 60 km long and feeds into the Bhima River.

Notes:
National Startup Day is celebrated on January 16 to honor the entrepreneurial spirit of startup founders in India. India is the third-largest startup hub with over 99,000 registered firms and a $500 billion ecosystem. The Startup India Scheme, launched in 2016, fostered a supportive environment for startups with financial incentives and simplified procedures. In 2022, PM Modi declared January 16 as National Startup Day.

Notes:
Lunar landers by U.S. and Japanese companies launched together on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, showcasing private sector involvement in space exploration. The mission includes two lunar spacecraft: Blue Ghost by Firefly Aerospace (U.S.) and Resilience by ispace-Europe (Luxembourg, Japan). Blue Ghost carries 10 NASA instruments to study Earth’s magnetosphere, lunar dust, and Moon’s thermal properties while testing advanced navigation and computing. Resilience includes the Tenacious micro rover with a high-definition camera and regolith-scooping technology, exploring Mare Frigoris on the Moon’s far north. The mission promotes technological advances, global collaboration, and cost-effective strategies for future lunar sustainability under NASA’s Artemis program.

Notes:
The Musi River Historic Buildings in Hyderabad and Bhuj Historic Water Systems in Gujarat are listed in the 2025 World Monuments Watch by the New York-based World Monuments Fund (WMF). These sites face risks from climate change and water crises, highlighting the need for advocacy and preservation. WMF emphasizes heritage as a pathway for rejuvenation, sustainability, and resilience amid Hyderabad’s environmental challenges and rapid change.