Current Affairs One - Liner : 25th July 2025

National:

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the Safai Apnao, Bimaari Bhagao (SABB) 2025 Campaign from 1st–31st July to tackle monsoon-related health hazards. Key actions include drain cleaning, garbage hotspot removal, fogging, and school hygiene awareness.

• On 22 July 2025, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2788 unanimously to promote peaceful settlement of international disputes. It urges countries to use mediation, negotiation, or arbitration under Chapter VI of the UN Charter, and calls for inclusive peace efforts involving civil society, youth, and women.
• On 24 July 2025, Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the National Cooperation Policy 2025 in New Delhi, aiming to build a Viksit Bharat by 2047 through “Sahkar Se Samriddhi”. The policy targets cooperative units in every village, tripling the sector’s GDP share by 2034, and expanding into new areas like tourism, insurance, and green energy.
• Ashok Vaswani (Kotak Mahindra) earned ₹12.95 crore, making him India’s highest-paid bank CEO. Sashidhar Jagdishan (HDFC Bank) became India’s highest-paid banker with ₹12.08 crore + ESOPs worth ₹42.4 crore. SBI Chairman earned just ₹63.87 lakh, showing wide public-private pay gaps.
• On 24 July 2025, a Centre of Excellence on PESA was launched by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, MP Govt., and IGNTU Amarkantak. It aims to boost tribal self-governance under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996. Focus areas include research, documenting indigenous knowledge, and aligning with LSDGs. A compendium, “PESA in Action”, showcases best practices from PESA states.

Banking:

• On 24 July 2025, the Department of Posts (DoP) and NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) signed a pact to enable real-time, secure inward remittances to India using Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU) network across 192 countries, promoting financial inclusion and expanding UPI’s global footprint
• On 23 July 2025, PayPal Holdings Inc. unveiled its new global platform, PayPal World, aimed at streamlining cross-border payments by enabling interoperability between major digital wallets. Key partners include NPCI International Payments Ltd. (NIPL), which operates India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI); Tenpay Global from China; Mercado Pago in Latin America; and Venmo in the U.S.

Economy:

• On 23 July 2025, India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) lowered India’s FY26 GDP growth forecast from 6.6% to 6.3% (a cut of 30 basis points), citing global trade uncertainty, weak private investment, and cautious investor sentiment. However, factors like lower inflation, monetary easing, and a good monsoon may still support growth.
• India achieved 20% ethanol blending with petrol in 2025, five years ahead of the 2030 target. This led to 698 lakh tonnes CO₂ reduction, boosting clean energy and climate goals. Farmers earned ₹1.18 lakh crore, distilleries ₹1.96 lakh crore, and India saved ₹1.36 lakh crore in forex.

MoUs:

• On 23 July 2025, the National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation Ltd. (NUCFDC) signed an MoU with the Institute of Internal Auditors India (IIA India) in Mumbai to strengthen governance and internal audit standards in Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) using globally aligned, risk-based audit frameworks and AI-enhanced tools.
• On 23 July 2025, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in New Delhi. The collaboration aims to support startups recognized under the Startup India initiative, specifically those working in automobile manufacturing and mobility innovation.

Science & Technology:

• NASA launched the TRACERS mission (Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites) on 23rd July 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. It aims to study magnetic reconnection—how solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic shield near the polar cusps. Twin satellites will fly 10 seconds apart, collecting over 3,000 measurements to decode space weather dynamics.

Sports:

• On 25 July 2025, Joe Root became Test cricket’s second-highest run-scorer, overtaking Ricky Ponting with 13,409 runs during the 4th Test vs India at Old Trafford, Manchester. He scored 150 runs, marking his 38th Test century, and now trails only Sachin Tendulkar (15,921 runs). Root also set a record for most Test centuries vs India (12), and holds 104 fifty-plus scores, second only to Tendulkar.
• On 24 July 2025, 16-year-old Riley Powell stunned Pankaj Advani to win the IBSF World 6-Red Snooker Championship in Manama, Bahrain. Powell claimed the title with a 5–4 comeback win, denying Advani his 29th world title on his 40th birthday.

Defence:

• On 23 July 2025, BEML Limited (Bharat Earth Movers Limited) secured a ₹293.81 crore defence order from the Ministry of Defence to supply 150 indigenous HMVs (High Mobility Vehicles) of 6x6 configuration. These vehicles are designed for extreme terrains and will boost India's logistics and defence mobility

Govt. Schemes:

• Krishi Samruddhi Scheme, launched by Maharashtra on 22nd July 2025, promotes sustainable farming with a ₹25,000 crore budget over 5 years. It supports micro-irrigation, soil health, crop diversification, and FPOs. Benefits are transferred via DBT using AgriStack, prioritizing small and marginal farmers. The scheme aims to boost productivity, reduce costs, and empower women in agriculture.

Committees:

• India and China held the 34th Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) meeting on 23rd July 2025 in New Delhi to review border affairs. It was chaired by Gourangalal Das (India) and Hong Liang (China), with officials from foreign, defense, and immigration departments. The aim was to ensure peace and tranquillity along the LAC and advance effective border management.

Appointments:

• Vaishali Nigam Sinha was elected as the President of UNGCNI (United Nations Global Compact Network India) on 23rd July 2025 for the 2025–27 term. She’s the first private sector leader to assume this role, breaking a 20-year pattern of public sector leadership.
• Ajay Seth was appointed as the Chairman of IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) on 24th July 2025 for a term of three years or until he turned 65. He succeeds Debasish Panda, whose tenure ended in March 2025.

Awards & Honours:

• On 25 July 2025, ISRO Chief Dr. V Narayanan received the GP Birla Memorial Award in Hyderabad. He was honoured for pioneering India’s space reforms and missions like Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan, and SPADEX. The award, previously known as the Lifetime Achievement Award, was presented by Nirmala Birla.
• On 24 July 2025, Hindi author Geetanjali Shree won the PEN Translates Award for her short story collection Once Elephants Lived Here, translated by Daisy Rockwell. Presented by English PEN with the SALT Project (University of Chicago), the award recognizes literary excellence and highlights South Asian storytelling.
  

Obituaries:

• Ratan Thiyam, Padma Shri awardee and pioneer of the Theatre of Roots movement, passed away on 23rd July 2025 at age 77 in Imphal, Manipur. He breathed his last at 1:30 am at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) after a prolonged illness.
• Hulk Hogan, legendary WWE wrestler, died on 24 July 2025 at age 71 from cardiac arrest. Famous for Hulkamania, he headlined eight WrestleManias, won six WWE titles, and became a global icon.

Questions:

Q.1 What was India Ratings & Research’s revised GDP growth forecast for FY26?
a) 7.2%
b) 6.8%
c) 6.6%
d) 6.3%

Answer: d) Ind-Ra reduced the GDP forecast from 6.6% to 6.3% on 23 July 2025 due to global uncertainties and weak private investment.

Q.2 Who won the GP Birla Memorial Award for contributions to India’s space missions?
a) Dr. S Somanath
b) Dr. V Narayanan
c) Dr. K Sivan
d) Dr. Radhakrishnan

Answer: b) ISRO’s Dr. V Narayanan was honored for leading projects like Chandrayaan, Gaganyaan, and SPADEX.