Current Affairs 29 September 2025

PIB Current Affairs

Two new Ramsar Sites from Bihar

Recently two new Ramsar Sites from Bihar, Gokul Reservoir in Buxar district and Udaipur Lake in West Champaran district were added.

About Ramsar Site

• Ramsar Sites are wetlands of international importance recognized under the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, to promote the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
• As of September 2025, India has 93 Ramsar Sites, covering a total area of 13,60,719 hectares. 
• The highest number of Ramsar sites are located in Tamilnadu.
• Andhra pradesh have one Ramsar site Kolleru Lake till date.

India’s First Integrative Oncology Research and Care Centre

The Ministry of Ayush inaugurated India’s first Integrative Oncology Research and Care Centre (IORCC) in Goa. This first-of-its-kind facility integrates Ayurveda, Yoga, Physiotherapy, Panchakarma, Diet Therapy, and Modern Oncology under one roof to provide holistic cancer rehabilitation.

India’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve Added to UNESCO’s World network of Biosphere Reserves

India’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, located in Himachal Pradesh, has been officially included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves during the 37th Session of UNESCO’s International Coordinating Council. With this inclusion, India now has 13 Biosphere Reserves recognized by UNESCO.

13 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves World Network

1. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve – Uttarakhand
2. Cold Desert Biosphere – Himachal Pradesh
3. Khangchendzonga National Park – Sikkim
4. Nokrek Biosphere Reserve – Meghalaya
5. Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve, West Bengal
6. Simlipal Biosphere Reserve – Odisha
7. Achanakmar–Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve – Chhattisgarh & Madhya Pradesh
8. Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve – Madhya Pradesh
9. Panna Biosphere Reserve – Madhya Pradesh
10. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve – Tamil Nadu, Kerala & Karnataka
11. Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve – Kerala & Tamil Nadu
12. Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve – Tamil Nadu
13. Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve – Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Swachh Shehar Jodi Initiative Launched

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has launched the Swachh Shehar Jodi (SSJ) initiative under the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U). The program establishes a structured mentorship framework connecting 72 mentor cities with around 200 mentee cities to promote knowledge sharing, capacity building, and replication of best practices in sanitation and waste management.

CSIR-AMPRI Develops SODAR System for IMD

On the occasion of CSIR Foundation Day (26 September 2025), the CSIR–Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), Bhopal inaugurated its SODAR (Sound Detection and Ranging) system facility at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi.

Difference between SONAR and SODAR

Feature	SONAR	SODAR
Full Form	Sound Navigation and Ranging	Sound Detection and Ranging
Medium of Use	Used in water	Used in air/atmosphere
Purpose	Detects and locates objects underwater (e.g., submarines, fish, seabed)	Measures atmospheric parameters such as wind speed, turbulence, and temperature
Principle	Uses sound waves reflected from underwater objects	Uses sound waves reflected from temperature variations and turbulence in the atmosphere
Applications	Marine navigation, oceanography, defense	Meteorology, pollution studies, weather forecasting

India Approves 10,000+ New Medical Seats to Strengthen Healthcare Education

On September 24, 2025, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the creation of 10,023 new medical seats with an investment of ₹15,034 crore as part of a nationwide plan to create 75,000 additional medical seats within five years.

India’s medical education infrastructure has grown tremendously — from 387 medical colleges in 2013–14 to 808 in 2025–26, with a 141% increase in MBBS seats and 144% increase in PG seats.

Healthcare Centre Inaugurated in Paatalkot Tribal Valley

Recently, first-ever healthcare centre was inaugurated in the remote Paatalkot valley, Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh. This valley is home to the Gond and Bharia tribes which are categorized as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Indian Ports Act, 2025

• The Indian Ports Act, 2025, passed by Parliament in August 2025, replaces the Indian Ports Act of 1908. 
• The new legislation modernizes the regulatory framework governing India’s ports, aligning it with global maritime standards.
• The Act establishes the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) as a statutory consultative body to coordinate between the Centre and coastal States.
• It mandated global green norms, disaster readiness, and digitalisation of port operations to enhance the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).
• It empowers State Maritime Boards to manage non-major ports, introduces a Dispute Resolution Mechanism, and enforces tariff transparency through online publication.
• The Act ensures environmental protection by aligning Indian ports with global conventions like MARPOL and Ballast Water Management.

Food Grain Storage Systems in India

India has achieved a record foodgrain production of 353.96 million tonnes in 2024-25, supported by the government’s continuous focus on modern storage, logistics, and distribution systems. 

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) and State agencies currently maintain a total covered and CAP storage capacity of 917.83 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) for central pool grains.

As of June 2025, the country also operates 8,815 cold storages with a total capacity of 40.21 million MT, ensuring the preservation of perishable goods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meat.

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

Launched in 2020, the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund provides medium to long-term debt financing for investment in post-harvest management infrastructure such as warehouses, cold storages, grading and packaging units, and logistics facilities. The scheme offers interest subvention and credit guarantee support for loans.

Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) Scheme

The AMI Scheme, part of the Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM), focuses on developing godowns, warehouses, and other marketing facilities across rural India. It provides financial assistance and subsidies for construction and renovation of storage facilities.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY)

PMKSY is a comprehensive program launched in 2017 by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) to build modern infrastructure for the food processing sector. It connects farms to retail by creating a seamless supply chain.

World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in the Cooperative Sector

Approved in May 2023, this scheme aims to create integrated agri-infrastructure at the PACS level, including Godowns, Custom hiring centres, Food processing units, Fair price shops. It converges multiple government schemes like AIF, AMI, SMAM, and PMFME to enhance efficiency.

Hindu CurrentAffairs

Kaziranga Park Reveals Hidden Biodiversity of Insects and Spiders

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, globally renowned for the one-horned rhinoceros, has now revealed a diversity of insects and spiders. A survey conducted by entomologists of the Corbett Foundation in collaboration with Kaziranga’s frontline staff documented 283 species in the woodland habitats of the park — 254 species of insects and 29 species of spiders.

The Ganga River Drying Faster Than in 1,300 Years

A recent study conducted jointly by IIT Gandhinagar and the University of Arizona has revealed that the Ganga River lifeline to more than 600 million people, is drying at a rate unseen in the past 1,300 years.

The primary causes of this alarming trend include:

• Weaker summer monsoons linked to Indian Ocean warming and aerosol pollution
• Groundwater over-extraction, which reduces river baseflow
• Land-use changes affecting natural hydrology

CAG Report on Sate’s Macro-Fiscal Health

A recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the macro-fiscal health of Indian States has revealed a complex picture of the country’s financial landscape.

CAG Report:

• Uttar Pradesh recorded a revenue surplus of ₹37,000 crore, though much of this depends on Union government transfers rather than internal revenue generation.
• Maharashtra generated nearly 70% of its receipts internally, while Arunachal Pradesh managed only 9%, showing stark fiscal inequality.
• States such as Andhra Pradesh and Bihar saw their borrowings triple, pushing their debt-to-GSDP ratios to 35–39%, among the highest in India.
• On the other hand, Odisha reduced its debt to nearly 15% of GSDP, the lowest in India, due to mining royalties and disciplined fiscal management.
• The pandemic worsened fiscal imbalances — revenues shrank while emergency spending spiked, forcing many States to rely on loans, off-budget borrowing, and central assistance.

AstroSat Completes 10 Years in Space Exploration

• AstroSat, India’s first multi-wavelength space observatory, has completed 10 successful years in orbit since its launch on September 28, 2015, by PSLV-C30 from Sriharikota.
• Designed for a mission life of five years, AstroSat continues to deliver valuable astronomical data, marking a major milestone in India’s space science journey.
• It observes celestial objects across multiple wavelengths — from ultraviolet (UV) and visible light to low and high-energy X-rays — helping scientists study black holes, neutron stars, and distant galaxies.

Key payloads aboard AstroSat

• Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT)
• Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC)
• Cadmium–Zinc–Telluride Imager (CZTI)
• Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT)
• Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM)

AstroSat is a collaborative effort between ISRO, IUCAA, TIFR, IIA, RRI, and international partners from Canada and the U.K.

World’s Highest Bridge Opens in China

China has inaugurated the Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge, now officially the world’s highest bridge, standing 625 metres above a river in Guizhou Province. It surpasses the Beipanjiang Bridge (565 metres), also located in Guizhou, which now becomes the second-highest bridge in the world.

Asia Cup 2025

India clinched the Asia Cup 2025 title after defeating Pakistan by five wickets in a final held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. 

• Winner: India
• Runner-up: Pakistan
• Man of the Match (Final): Tilak Varma
• Man of the Series: Kuldeep Yadav

Mithun Manhas Elected as New BCCI President

Former Delhi captain Mithun Manhas has been elected as the 37th President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) during its 94th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Mumbai.

Shailesh Kumar Championship Record at World Para Athletics Championships 2025

Shailesh Kumar made history on the opening day of the World Para Athletics Championships 2025 in New Delhi, clinching the gold medal in the T42 high jump category with a championship record of 1.91 metres.

AP Current Affairs

AP Tourism Homestay Portal

The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh launched the ‘AP Tourism Homestay Portal’ and released the ‘Tourism Policy Operational Guidelines’ aimed at streamlining tourism development through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Andhra Pradesh Government announced that 10,000 homestays will soon be established across key tourist destinations such as Araku, Paderu, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Rayalaseema, as part of Andhra Pradesh’s renewed push to transform its tourism landscape.

Auto Drivers’ Sevalo’ Scheme

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh announced the launch of the ‘Auto Drivers’ Sevalo’ scheme on October 4, 2025.Under the scheme, each auto and cab driver owning a vehicle will receive ₹15,000 annually, benefiting around 2.9 lakh drivers across the State. The programme is expected to cost ₹435 crore per year. 

Other major welfare initiatives:

• NTR Bharosa Pension Scheme: ₹32,143 crore allocated annually to benefit 63.5 lakh people, 59% of whom are women.
• Stree Shakti Scheme: 8.86 crore free bus rides provided to women, costing ₹2,963 crore per year.
• Thalliki Vandanam: Supporting 66.5 lakh students.
• Deepam 2.0: Provides 3 free LPG cylinders to 2.66 crore women annually.
• Annadata Sukhibhava-PM Kisan Scheme: ₹14,000 annual support to 46.86 lakh farmers, along with input subsidies.
• Universal Health Policy: Free treatment up to ₹25 lakh for 1.63 crore poor families.

Andhra Pradesh Assembly Adjourned Sine Die

• The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly was adjourned sine die by Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu, marking the end of the session that spanned eight working days. 
• The term sine die (Latin for “without assigning a day”) means the Assembly has been adjourned indefinitely, with no date fixed for the next sitting.
• The House can only reconvene when a new session is called by the Governor.
• During the session, the Assembly conducted business for 46 hours, with 120 members participating in debates. The House approved 23 Bills, while three Bills were withdrawn by the government. Additionally, 55 starred questions were answered, 71 starred and 3 unstarred questions were placed before the table.

• Increased retired members’ pensions from ₹30,000 to a minimum of ₹50,000 and a maximum of ₹70,000.
• Medical facilities for retired and serving MLAs on par with All India Services (AIS) officers provided.

Araku Coffee Wins “Changemaker of the Year – 2025” Award

Girijan Cooperative Corporation’s (GCC) ‘Araku Valley Coffee’ has won the “Changemaker of the Year Award – 2025” under the Financial Transformation category at the 7th edition of the Business Line Changemakers Awards, held in Mumbai.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Disclaimer: The subheading “Hindu Current Affairs” used in this article refers only to current affairs content sourced from The Hindu Newspaper. This section is provided solely for educational and informational purposes to assist competitive exam aspirants in their preparation. We do not claim ownership of the original reporting, and all credit belongs to The Hindu.