Current Affairs One - Liner : 8th October 2025

National:

• On 2 October 2025, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) launched the People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) 2025–26: “Sabki Yojana, Sabka Vikas” Abhiyaan. It began with Special Gram Sabhas to prepare Panchayat Development Plans (PDPs) for Financial Year (FY) 2026–27. Plans are uploaded on e‑GramSwaraj (Electronic Gram Swaraj), Meri Panchayat App, and Panchayat NIRNAY (National Initiative for Rural Infrastructure and Asset Mapping of Panchayats).

• On 5 October 2025, Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, approved the establishment of the NaMo Semiconductor Laboratory at IIT Bhubaneswar, with a project cost of ₹4.95 crore under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme.
• The Mera Hou Chongba Festival, symbolising hill–valley unity, was celebrated in Manipur on 7 October 2025 at Kangla Fort, Imphal. It is observed annually on the 15th lunar day of the Mera month in the Meitei calendar, bringing together tribal chiefs from the hills and valley communities in a grand cultural celebration.
• On 7 Oct 2025, the government announced that over 5.79 lakh loan applications were approved under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Loans worth ₹10,907 crore were sanctioned by Public Sector Banks. The scheme, launched in Feb 2024 with an outlay of ₹75,021 crore, targets 1 crore households. It provides 300 free electricity units/month through rooftop solar adoption.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved four multi-tracking railway projects on 7 Oct 2025 worth ₹24,634 crore. They cover 894 km across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh, benefiting 3,633 villages. Projects include Wardha–Bhusawal (314 km), Gondia–Dongargarh (84 km), Vadodara–Ratlam (259 km), and Itarsi–Bhopal–Bina (237 km).
• On 7 October 2025, Linthoi Chanambam, a 19-year-old judoka from Manipur, created history by winning India’s first-ever medal at the Judo Junior World Championships in Lima, Peru. She clinched the bronze medal in the women’s 63 kg category, defeating Joni Geilen of the Netherlands in the repechage round.

Banking:

• On 6 Oct 2025, Cosmos Co‑operative Bank with Umunthu System Pvt. Ltd. launched the Cosmos Galgal app, India’s first youth‑focused digital banking app from a co‑operative bank. It offers zero‑balance savings accounts with video KYC in under 15 minutes. Key features: TrendZ dashboard, auto‑budgeting, UPI linking, RuPay Platinum card. Supports English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, ensuring inclusivity.
• On 6 Oct 2025, PhonePe and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank (SFB) launched the Wish Credit Card, an FD‑backed RuPay card. It allows applications via the PhonePe app with deposits starting at ₹2,000. Benefits include 3% rewards on recharges/bills, 1% on Scan & Pay & e‑commerce, plus bonus points.
• On 6 October 2025, Razorpay in partnership with YES Bank launched India’s first RBI‑compliant biometric authentication system for online card payments. This replaces OTP‑based verification with facial recognition and fingerprint authentication, aligning with the Reserve Bank of India’s September 2025 guidelines for stronger two‑factor authentication.
• On 6 October 2025, IndusInd International Holdings Ltd (IIHL), Mauritius — the promoter of IndusInd Bank — completed the acquisition of a 100% stake in Sterling Bank, Bahamas. The bank will now be renamed IIHL Bank & Trust Ltd, marking a major step in IIHL’s global expansion strategy in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector.

Economy:

• India’s Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for September 2025 fell to 60.9, down from 62.9 in August 2025. The data was released on 6 October 2025 by S&P Global and Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). The dip reflects slower new orders and weaker export demand, though still in expansion as PMI > 50.

MoUs:

• On 7 Oct 2025, Railway Protection Force (RPF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and Indian Railway Institute of Disaster Management (IRIDM) signed an MoU at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi to strengthen railway disaster response. It establishes an integrated framework for relief operations, SOPs, and Golden Hour rescue protocols. Training modules will be conducted at JRRPFA, NDRF battalions, and IRIDM.

Reports:

• The “Crime in India 2023” report was released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on 29 Sept 2025. It records 6.24 million cases, a 7.2% rise from 2022, with a crime rate of 448.3 per lakh population. The report covers violent crimes, crimes against women & children, cyber and economic offences. Kolkata was ranked the safest city for the 4th year, while Kochi and Delhi had the highest crime rates.

Sports:

• The 2025 Singapore Grand Prix was held at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, Singapore on 5 Oct 2025. George Russell (Mercedes) won the race, with Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 2nd and Lando Norris (McLaren) 3rd. With Norris (P3) and Oscar Piastri (McLaren) P4, McLaren sealed their 10th Constructors’ Championship.

Summits & Conferences:

• The National Conference on Land Administration and Disaster Management was held on 3–4 Oct 2025 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Organised by the Department of Land Resources (MoRD) with the Gujarat Revenue Dept. Focus: Modern, tech-driven, citizen-centric land governance + disaster management integration. It aimed to strengthen transparency, efficiency, and disaster preparedness in land administration.

Committees:

• The 10th NATPOLREX‑X and 27th NOSDCP Meeting were held on 5–6 Oct 2025 off Chennai, Tamil Nadu, by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG). It was chaired by DG Paramesh Sivamani (DG ICG & Chairperson NOSDCP) with 40 foreign observers and 105+ national delegates. The aim was to test India’s oil spill response preparedness and inter‑agency coordination.

Apps & Portals:

• Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis launched the ‘Abhijat Marathi OTT’ platform on 7 October 2025 in Mumbai. It is a free OTT app dedicated exclusively to Marathi films, theatre, music, and cultural content. The aim is to preserve and promote Marathi heritage while giving artists a global digital platform.

Appointments:

• Blackstone on 8 October 2025 appointed Apurva Shah as Managing Director to head its India Credit Division, based in Mumbai. He will report to Mark Glengarry, Head of APAC Private Credit Strategies at Blackstone Credit & Insurance (BXCI). The aim is to expand Blackstone’s private credit business in India, financing growth for Indian companies.
• On 5 October 2025, Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) president Hagrama Mohilary was sworn in as Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in Kokrajhar, Assam. The BPF won 28 of 40 seats, defeating the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL)–Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance.
• RBI has extended Raghavendra Srinivas Bhat’s term as Managing Director and CEO of Karnataka Bank The sixth Global Fintech Fest (GFF) started in Mumbai on 7 October 2025 ,The Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs hosted the second National Conference and Exhibition on Corporate Social Responsibility (NCCSR).

Questions:

Q.1 According to “Crime in India 2023,” which city was ranked the safest for the fourth consecutive year?
a) Delhi
b) Mumbai
c) Kolkata
d) Kochi

Answer: c) NCRB reported 6.24 million cases in 2023, with Kolkata remaining safest, while Kochi and Delhi had the highest crime rates.

Q.2 India’s Services PMI for September 2025 stood at:
a) 50.0
b) 55.5
c) 62.9
d) 60.9

Answer: d) Released on 6 October 2025 by S&P Global and HSBC, it shows continued expansion (PMI > 50) despite a dip from August (62.9) due to slower orders and weaker exports.