Current Affairs 20 September 2025

PIB Current Affairs

Prime Minister of Greece – Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Musician Zubeen Garg Passed Away

Zubeen Garg is an Indian musician from Assam who passed away recently. 

He has also song in 40 other languages and dialects, including Bishnupriya Manipuri, Adi, Boro, English, Goalparia, Kannada, Karbi, Malayalam, Marathi, Mising, Nepali, Odia, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Tiwa.

National Workshop on ‘IT Solutions in the Ayush Sector’

The two-day National Workshop on “IT Solutions in the Ayush Sector,” organised under the National Ayush Mission in Kerala.

Key Demonstrations:

• Yoga Portal & Y-Break App
• NAMASTE Portal
• mYoga App (developed with WHO)

Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs)

In continuation, in the second phase, ECI delisted 474 RUPPs on September 18, 2025 based on non-contestation in elections conducted by ECI continuously for 6 years.

• Political Parties (National/State/RUPPs) in the country are registered with the Election Commission India (ECI) under the Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act 1951.
• According to this Act, Association gets symbols, tax exemptions etc. once registered as a political party.
• If such a party does not contest elections consecutively for 6 years the party shall be taken off the list of registered parties.
• Election Commission of India conducting nationwide exercise to identify and delist Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) which have failed to fulfil the condition of contesting even a single election for 6 years continuously, since 2019.
• The ECI takes the final decision on the delisting of any RUPP based on the reports of the CEOs.

India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

The third round of negotiations for the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) concluded successfully on 19th September, 2025, in Queenstown, New Zealand. The India-New ZealandFree Trade Agreement was formally launched on 16 March 2025. India’s bilateral merchandise trade with New Zealand stood at USD 1.3 billion in FY 2024–25, registering a growth of nearly 49 percent over the previous year. 

India re-elected to the Council of Administration and the POC of the Universal Postal Union

India has been re-elected to the Council of Administration (CA) and the Postal Operations Council (POC) of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) during the 28th UPU Congress held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. India has been a member of the UPU since 1876.

Cooperative banks now integrated with Aadhaar-enabled services

34 State Cooperative Banks (StCBs) and 351 District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) now integrate with Aadhar-Enabled Services.

Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Adamya

Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ‘Adamya’, the first ship of the eight in series Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) was commissioned at Paradip Port, Odisha recently. 

The 51 meters FPV has been designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited and 60% indigenously developed ship.

Diamond Jubilee of 1965 War

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh on September 19, 2025 interacted with the brave veterans and the families of the fallen heroes of the 1965 war at an event organised by the Indian Army to commemorate the diamond jubilee of India’s victory over Pakistan sixty years ago.

About Indo-Pak War 1965

• The Indo-Pak War of 1965 was a conflict fought mainly over the disputed territory of Jammu & Kashmir and along parts of the international border
• After the Operation Gibraltar by Pakistan the war was open across the kashmir and western border.
• Battle of Asal Uttar, Battle of Chawinda and Battle of Phillora are the wars during Indo-Pak War 1965.
• Result of the war: Tashkent Declaration signed in January 1966.
• Leaders at the time of war: India Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, and the President of India was Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Pakistan President Mohammad (Ayub) Khan

India’s Sovereign Rating Upgraded to BBB+

India’s Sovereign Rating Upgraded to BBB+ (Stable) by “Rating and Investment Information” a Credit Rating Agency from Japan

HCL and OIL Sign MoU to Explore Critical and Strategic Minerals

Oil India Limited and Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exploring critical and strategic minerals including Copper and associated minerals. Hindustan Copper Limited, a Miniratna PSU under the Ministry of Mines. Oil India, a Maharatna PSU under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.

10th All India Conference of Central Administrative Tribunal

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) held its 10th All India Conference on 20th  September 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The Conference was inaugurated by Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai, Chief Justice of India.

About Central Administrative Tribunal

• Established under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985.
• Related Article: The 42nd Constitutional Amendment inserting Article 323A
• Existence: The Central Administrative Tribunal came into existence on 1st November 1985. 
• Objective: It adjudicates disputes and complaints related to recruitment and service conditions of persons appointed to public services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union, States, and other local authorities under the Government of India. 
• The Tribunal also exercises jurisdiction over employees of 230 Public Sector Undertakings and organisations notified by the Government.
• The Tribunal has its Principal Bench in New Delhi and 18 Outlying Benches across the country. 
• Chairman of Central Administrative Tribunal: normally a retired Chief Justice of a High Court—and comprises 69 Members (35 Judicial, including the Chairman, and 34 Administrative).
• Current Chairman of the Central Administrative Council is Justice Ranjit Vasantrao More

Chirality – Future Optoelectronics

Scientists at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru have discovered how to make high-quality chiral perovskite films.

What is Chirality?

Chirality is a property of an object that is not superimposable on its mirror image (like our right and left hands). This property is found everywhere like in DNA, proteins, and even galaxies.

Why is it important in technology?

Chiral materials interact with light in special ways, such as detecting circularly polarized light (CPL) and controlling the spin of electrons. These are useful in quantum optoelectronics, spintronics, sensors, and advanced computing.

Challenge till now:

Most chiral materials were organic and transported electrical charge poorly. But halide perovskites are excellent conductors and tunable, making them ideal candidates.

Breakthrough:

CeNS scientists figured out the crystallization process of these films. By using vacuum processing and solvent control, they made pure, uniform chiral perovskite films without impurities.

Applications:

• Circularly polarized light (CPL) detectors
• Spintronic devices (spin-based electronics)
• Photonic synapses (for neuromorphic/brain-like computing)

AIIFA Steelex 2025

• Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Prahlad Joshi inaugurated the Steel Mahakumbh.
• The 37th National Conference on Sustainable Steel is also inaugurated.
• The minister appreciated implementation of the PM-KUSUM scheme, popularly known as the “Maharashtra Model”.
• Launch of the Pune Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster.

Surajpur Declared Child Marriage-Free Panchayats

Surajpur district in Chhattisgarh has become a model for child marriage eradication. A total of 75 village panchayats have been officially declared “Child Marriage-Free Panchayats.” This recognition was based on the fact that no case of child marriage was reported in these panchayats over the last two years.

Preventing child marriage has a direct impact on girls’ education, maternal health, and nutrition, reducing risks of early pregnancy, malnutrition, and maternal/infant mortality. 

India’s Manufacturing Revolution: Performance and Policy Report

Index of Industrial Production (IIP) surged to 3.5% Year on Year in July-led by 5.4% Year on Year manufacturing growth. Flagship schemes such as PLI, PM MITRA, National Manufacturing Mission, and Skill India are accelerating capacity building and strengthening India’s manufacturing ecosystem. India’s manufacturing export engine remained strong, with merchandise exports rising 2.52% Year on Year to US$ 184.13 billion in April–August 2025. August 2025 data shows Unemployment Rate (UR) among male easing to a 5-month low level to 5.0%.

• India’s electronics manufacturing sector has seen a sixfold rise in production and an eightfold surge in exports over the past 11 years.
• India’s pharmaceutical industry is a global powerhouse ranking 3rd in the world by volume and 14th in terms of value of production supplying over 50% of global vaccine demand and nearly 40% of generics to the USA.
• India’s automotive industry is a cornerstone of the nation’s manufacturing and economic growth, contributing 7.1% to India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 49% to manufacturing GDP, as per NITI Aayog report.
• As per economic survey 2024-25, India’s textile & apparel industry is among the largest industries globally, contributing around 2.3% to GDP, 13% to industrial production, and 12% to total exports.
• Foreign Direct Investments:
• Total FDI inflows into India over the last eleven years (2014–25) stood at USD 748.78 billion, up 143% compared to USD 308.38 billion received during 2003–14.
• India clocked USD 81.04 billion in gross FDI inflows in FY 2024–25.
• Maharashtra led the FDI leaderboard with 39% of equity inflows, followed by Karnataka (13%) and Delhi (12%) in 2024-25.
• Singapore (30%) remained the top origin, ahead of Mauritius (17%) and the United States (11%).
• The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) rose to 52.2%, while the female WPR climbed to 32%.

Key Initiatives

• The National Manufacturing Mission (NMM), announced in the Union Budget 2025–26
• The National Manufacturing Mission (NMM), announced in the Union Budget 2025–26.
• The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, launched in 2020
• National Logistics Policy Launched in September 2022
• Startup India Launched on January 16, 2016

Read the complete report here.

Hindu Current Affairs

₹57,000 crore drainage master plan to solve flood woes in Delhi

The Union and Delhi governments jointly launched the ₹57,364-crore plan, which is likely to be spread over five-odd years. The Drainage Master Plan will be executed in five phases.

Dhordo – Solar Village

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated Dhordo as a “Solar Village” to the nation. Dhordo, a remote village in Gujarat’s Kutch internationally acclaimed as the ‘Best Tourism Village’ by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

AP Current Affairs

AP Monsoon Assembly Passes Five Key Bills

The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has passed five important Bills on labour reforms, green taxation, and social justice.

• Factories (AP Amendment) Bill, 2025 – Increases permissible daily working hours for workers with regulated rest breaks and safeguards. It also allows night shifts for women with safety and dignity provisions, expanding their employment opportunities.
• AP Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2025 – Reduces the green tax on Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCVs). For vehicles up to 12 years old, the tax is fixed at ₹1,500 annually, and for vehicles over 12 years old, at ₹3,000. This reduces the financial burden on owners while continuing pollution-control measures.
• AP Shops & Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025 – Extends maximum daily working hours from 8 to 10 (weekly cap of 48 hrs remains), introduces quarterly overtime limits, simplifies rest intervals, and allows night-time employment of women under safety norms.
• AP Prevention of Begging (Amendment) Bill, 2025 – Removes discriminatory terms such as ‘leper’, ‘leper asylum’, and ‘lunatic’ from the Act.
• AP State Commission for Scheduled Tribes (Amendment) Bill, 2025 – Removes the upper age limit for Chairman and members, fixing their tenure at two years, extendable by another two.

Social Empowerment and Economic Development Society (SEEDS)

The Social Empowerment and Economic Development Society (SEEDS), a not-for-profit organisation, has intensified its work in Vijayawada West Assembly constituency, focusing on education, skill development, and youth empowerment. Partnering with the Sujana Foundation, SEEDS introduced:

• IoT Innovation Lab, library, and digital classrooms at GNRM High School.
• STEM kits and teacher training to enhance learning.
• Eye-screening for students to support health and education.
• Employability training for graduates at KBN Degree College.

So far, SEEDS has awarded ₹56.7 lakh in scholarships to 34 students.

Andhra Pradesh Launches ‘One State–One Water’ Vision

Andhra Pradesh aimed at a drought-proof State through the adoption of a ‘One State–One Water’ policy. 

Key Highlights:

• Interlinking Rivers: Thousands of TMCs of surplus waters from the Godavari and Krishna rivers flow into the sea every year. By linking rivers, this surplus can be diverted to drought-prone areas, ensuring water security across all regions.
• Major Irrigation Projects:
• Polavaram project to be completed by December 2027.
• Veligonda project to be ready by July 2026.
• Other pending irrigation projects in Rayalaseema and North Andhra to be completed in two years.
• Investment: The government has already spent ₹12,000 crore on irrigation this year and plans to invest ₹60,000 crore over the next five years.
• Polavaram diaphragm wall: ₹1,000 crore is being spent on reconstruction, expected to be ready by December 2025.

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