Current Affairs 22 September 2025

PIB Current Affairs

Malayalam Legendary Actor Mohanlal conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Legendary Actor, Director and Producer Mohanlal will be conferred with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2023. The award will be presented to him at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony on 23rd September, 2025.

About Dadasaheb Phalke Award

• Instituted in 1969 when presented to Devika Rani, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award was introduced by the Government of India to commemorate Dadasaheb Phalke’s contribution to Indian cinema who directed India’s first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra in 1913. 
• The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh.

Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) 3.0

The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, today launched the Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) 3.0 on 20 September 2025. IPRS 3.0 developed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). IPRS 1.0 and IPRS 2.0 were introduced in 2018 and 2021 respectively.

IPRS 3.0 introduces new parameters including sustainability, green infrastructure, logistics connectivity, digitalization, and skill linkages.

Logistics Data Bank (LDB) 2.0

In the launch event of IPRS 3.0, Logistics Data Bank (LDB) 2.0 was also introduced.

LDB 2.0 includes high-seas container tracking, allowing exporters to track containers even after departure from Indian ports across international waters, improving coordination and enhancing credibility in global markets. It also offers multi-modal visibility across road, rail, and sea using container, truck, or trailer numbers, as well as railway FNRs through integration with Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) APIs.

NICDC Logistics Data Services provide two important services: Logistics Data Bank (LDB) and Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP)  to enhance supply chain efficiency. 

SMILE programme

Strengthening Multimodal and Integrated Logistics Ecosystem (SMILE) programme was introduced in 2022 in 8 cities with the collaboration of Asian Development Bank. These cities are Shimla, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Patna, Guwahati, Indore, Bhubaneswar and Visakhapatnam.

The First-ever visit of a Raksha Mantri to the Morocco

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh Morocco on 22 September 2025. This will mark the first-ever visit of a Raksha Mantri to the North African nation.

About Morocco

• Capital: Rabat
• Currency: Moroccan Dirham
• King: Mohammed VI
• Prime minister: Aziz Akhannouch

International Day of Sign Languages – 23 September 2025

India Becomes First Country to Hold Two PMS Exploration Contracts with ISA

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) signed a fresh 15 year contract with International Seabed Authority to explore Polymetallic Sulphides (PMS) in a 10,000 sq km area of the Carlsberg Ridge in the Indian Ocean.

With this new contract, India becomes the first country to have two such contracts with the International Seabed Authority.

Polymetallic Sulphides contain valuable metals such as iron, copper, zinc, silver, gold, and platinum, and are precipitates formed by hot hydrothermal fluids from oceanic crust.

Carlsberg Ridge

Carlsberg Ridge is a mid-oceanic ridge and a divergent plate boundary in the Indian Ocean. It extends from the triple junction of the African, Indian, and Australian plates (Mid-Indian Ridge) northwest to the Gulf of Aden. It separates the Arabian Sea in the northeast from the Somali Basin in the southwest.

Paanch Sutra – Golden 1000 Days

Poshan Maah Campaign in Jharkhand launched an initiative called “Paanch Sutra – Golden 1000 Days” to promote reduction in oil and sugar consumption.

Dweep Diksha Dialogue

The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), India’s only operational Joint Services Command, successfully hosted the third edition of the Dweep Diksha Dialogue on September 19-20, 2025 at Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) Islands. Theme: ‘Evolution of ANC as a Strategic Hub and Beyond.’ Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan

Khadi Mahotsav 2025

KVIC Chairman Manoj Kumar inaugurated Khadi Mahotsav 2025 on 17th September in Varanasi.

Khadi Mahotsav 2025 will be celebrated across the country from 17th September to 23rd October 2025 to promote the message of “Har Ghar Swadeshi, Ghar-Ghar Swadeshi” to every household.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission Head Quarters: Mumbai

Clean Plant Programme

India’s Clean Plant Program (CPP), conceptualized by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank, is an initiative aimed at ensuring healthy, disease-free planting material of key fruit crops.

• The program seeks to enhance farmers’ productivity and profitability, ultimately boosting India’s global competitiveness.
• On 9th August 2024 the Union Cabinet approved the Clean Plant Programme (CPP) proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• The cost of this program is ₹1,765.67 crore.
• 9 Clean Plant Centres are to be established across the country to ensure disease-free, productive planting material. Of these, 3 will be set up in Maharashtra at a cost of ₹300 crore—Pune (grapes), Nagpur (oranges), and Solapur (pomegranates).
• A national-level laboratory is to be set up in Pune.

Hindu Current Affairs

H-1B visa fees increased from $5,000 to $100,000

The U.S. government under President Donald Trump has increased H-1B visa fees to $100,000 (around ₹90 lakh), up from the current $2,000–$5,000. The order comes into effect from September 20.

The US Government says that H-1B workers are “replacing American workers at lower wages,”.

Sinking of container ship MSC Elsa 3 disrupts Ecological System

A scientific investigation by the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE), Ministry of Earth Sciences, confirmed that the sinking of container ship MSC Elsa 3 off the Kerala coast on May 25, 2025, caused serious ecological damage in the south-eastern Arabian Sea.

• The wreck severely impacted water quality, plankton, benthos, fish eggs, larvae, and marine life.
• Persistent oil leakage from fuel compartments was detected, with elevated PAH (Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons) like naphthalene, anthracene, and pyrene.
• Many fish eggs and larvae decayed; benthic organisms showed ecological stress.

Chennai One app

Tamil Nadu is set to launch ‘Chennai One’, a mobile application developed by the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA), to enable seamless travel across Chennai Metro Rail, MTC buses, and suburban trains using a single QR-code ticket.

• This is the first-of-its-kind app in India, integrating three major public transport systems.
• It is based on the study “Journey Planner-cum-Integrated Ticketing in Chennai Metropolitan Area.”
• Covers 6,000+ bus stops, 650 routes, and 3,500 buses of MTC.
• Integrated with the Indian Railways Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) and managed by CRIS.
• Offers commuters the cheapest and fastest routes, even considering private travel aggregators.
• Inspired by global models like London’s Oyster card and Singapore’s EZ Link card.

Uranium Mining Unrest in Meghalaya

The Central Government’s push to mine uranium in Meghalaya without public consultation has sparked strong opposition from local Khasi groups, who have resisted such projects since the 1980s. The controversy intensified after the Union Environment Ministry issued an Office Memorandum (OM) exempting atomic, critical, and strategic mineral mining from public hearings. This move has been criticized as undermining democratic safeguards and tribal rights, especially under the Sixth Schedule protections.

Uranium Reserves in India

• Tummalapalle, Andhra Pradesh
• Singhbhum district, Jharkhand
• Sikar district, Rajasthan

Sources of Uranium includes Monazite Sands (Kerala Coast), Hydrothermal Deposits (Jharkhand and Bihar), Sedimentary Deposits (Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will officially retire its legendary MiG-21 fighter jets

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) will officially retire its legendary MiG-21 fighter jets on September 26, 2025, after nearly six decades of service.
• First inducted in 1963, MiG-21 became India’s first supersonic fighter aircraft.
• The MiG-21 played pivotal roles in the 1965 & 1971 wars, the 1999 Kargil conflict, the 2019 Balakot air strikes, and Operation Sindoor.
• Over 700 MiG-21s of different variants were inducted, many built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

AP Current Affairs

Visakhapatnam City Police get SKOCH Award

Visakhapatnam City police get SKOCH award for establishing the Road Traffic Accident Victim Support Centre. The award was presented to Visakhapatnam city police officials at the 102nd SKOCH Awards ceremony. Its primary objective is to provide immediate support to hit-and-run accident victims or their families until they receive government compensation.

Swarna Naravaripalli Project won Skoch Golden Award

The Swarna Naravaripalli Project won the Skoch Golden Award in its very first year. With 1,600 households powered by solar energy, generating 4.89 million units annually and cutting 1.92 lakh tonnes of carbon emissions, this flagship project won this award.

Andhra Pradesh won the Best State Award under ‘Mera Resham-Mera Abhiman’ Program

Andhra Pradesh has won the Best State Award under the ‘Mera Resham – Mera Abhiman’ programme initiated by the Central Silk Board, Government of India, for effectively creating awareness and implementing development programmes for silk farmers and reelers. 

The award was presented during the 76th Central Silk Board Foundation Day held in Bengaluru.

APSRTC won SKOCH 2025 Award

Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) won the 2025 SKOCH award in recognition of its initiative of issuing digital tickets and for its successful implementation.

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