Current Affairs One - Liner : 3rd June 2025

National:

• The Department of Posts (DoP) launched the DHRUVA Policy on May 30, 2025, to establish the National Digital Address DPI. It introduces Address-as-a-Service (AaaS) for standardized geo-coded digital addresses and secure data sharing. The policy builds on DIGIPIN, enhancing e-governance, logistics, financial inclusion, and emergency response.

• Microsoft and Yotta Data Services partnered on May 28, 2025, to accelerate AI adoption in India via Azure AI and Shakti Cloud integration. The collaboration supports IndiaAI, boosting AI model development with GPU-powered infrastructure for faster training and inferencing.
• The Telangana government designated Kawal Tiger Corridor as Kumram Bheem Conservation Reserve on May 30, 2025. Spanning 1,492.88 sq. km, it connects Kawal Tiger Reserve (Telangana) with Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra). Home to tigers, leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears, wolves, hyenas, and 240+ bird species, it strengthens conservation efforts.
• On June 2, 2025, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal met Japan’s Terada Yoshimichi in Oslo, Norway, to boost maritime cooperation. Organized by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (India) and Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism. Discussions covered shipbuilding investments, port digitization, green initiatives, and Smart Islands development.

International:

• Malaysia and the UAE were elected as Presidents of the UN-Habitat General Assembly for 2025–2029 on May 30, 2025, in Nairobi. Malaysia’s Nga Kor Ming and UAE’s Mohammed Ibrahim Al Mansoori will co-chair the leadership. This marks Malaysia’s first ASEAN presidency, focusing on sustainable urban development and multilateral cooperation.

Banking:

• India met its FY25 fiscal deficit target of 4.77% of GDP, lower than the 4.84% revised estimate (RE). The Controller General of Accounts (CGA) released the data on May 30, 2025, confirming a fiscal deficit of ₹15.77 lakh crore. Higher nominal GDP (₹330.68 trillion) and a ₹2.69 trillion dividend from RBI helped ease fiscal pressures. This aligns with India’s goal of reducing the deficit to 4.5% by FY26.

Reports:

• According to the National Statistics Office (NSO)’s Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom (CMS-T) 2025 report, released on May 29, 2025, 51.6% of rural women aged 15+ do not own a mobile phone. In contrast, 80.7% of rural men and 71.8% of urban women have mobile ownership, showing a gender gap. Among mobile owners, 75.6% of rural women and 79.2% of rural men use smartphones.

Important Days:

• The Global Day of Parents is observed on June 1 to honor parents’ dedication and sacrifices. The 2025 theme, "Raising Parents," highlights the need for support in parenting as a learned skill. Established by the United Nations in 2012, it recognizes the central role of families in child development.

Appointments:

• Sidi Ould Tah was elected as the 9th President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) on May 29, 2025. He won 76.18% of the vote at the AfDB Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
• K. Prathapa Reddy was appointed as Chairman of Telangana Grameena Bank (TGB) for a three-year term on May 30, 2025. He previously chaired Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank (APGVB) and has over two decades of experience in SBI.

Obituaries:

• French scientist Étienne-Émile Baulieu, inventor of the abortion pill RU-486 (mifepristone), passed away at 98 on May 30, 2025, in Paris, France. He pioneered safe, non-invasive abortion methods, facing global opposition while advocating for women’s reproductive rights.
• Kannada poet and playwright H.S. Venkatesha Murthy passed away on May 30, 2025, in Bengaluru at 81. He was known for poetry collections like Bagilu, Saugandhika and plays such as Hejjegalu, Agnivarna.
• Sunjoy Monga, Mumbai’s ‘BirdMan’ and veteran naturalist, passed away on May 28, 2025, after battling blood cancer. He founded the Mumbai Bird Race and led conservation efforts, educating thousands through environmental programs.
• Tamil director Vikram Sugumaran, known for Madha Yaanai Koottam, passed away at 47 due to a cardiac arrest on June 2, 2025. He suffered chest pain while traveling by bus from Madurai to Chennai after a script narration.

Questions:

Q.1 Who was elected as the 9th President of the African Development Bank on May 29, 2025?
a) K. Prathapa Reddy
b) Sidi Ould Tah
c) Nga Kor Ming
d) Sarbananda Sonowal

Answer: b) Sidi Ould Tah was elected as the 9th President of the African Development Bank on May 29, 2025, with 76.18% of the vote during the AfDB Annual Meetings in Abidjan.

Q.2 Which two countries were elected as Presidents of the UN-Habitat General Assembly for the term 2025–2029?
a) India and China
b) Kenya and South Africa
c) Malaysia and UAE
d) Indonesia and Saudi Arabia

Answer: c) On May 30, 2025, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were elected as Presidents of the UN-Habitat General Assembly for 2025–2029 during a session held in Nairobi.