Current Affairs Quiz 17th February 2025 Quiz

Exp. Wholesale price inflation eases to 2.31% in January 2025

India’s annual Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation eased to 2.31% in January 2025 from 2.37% in December 2024, according to data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry.

Month-over-month, the WPI declined by 0.45% in January, driven by lower food prices. The index for primary articles fell by 2.01% as food article prices dropped by 3.62%. However, prices of crude petroleum and natural gas (6.34%), non-food articles (0.66%), and minerals (0.22%) increased.

Inflation in the fuel and power category rose by 0.47%, though coal prices remained unchanged from December.

Manufactured products, which account for 64.23% of the index, saw a marginal increase of 0.14%.

The WPI Food Index inflation dropped from 8.89% in December to 7.47% in January.

Recent WPI-based Wholesale inflation in India

• August 2024 – 1.31%
• September 2024 – 1.84%
• October 2024 – 2.36%
• November 2024 – 1.89%
• December 2024 – 2.37%
• January 2025 – 2.31%

Exp. Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated the 24th Divya Kala Mela at Jammu

The 24th Divya Kala Mela commenced at Gulshan Ground, Jammu, with a grand inauguration by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, and Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Virendra Kumar.

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, is organizing the 24th Divya Kala Mela in collaboration with the National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC).

The Divya Kala Mela reflects the Prime Minister’s vision of promoting local artisans and entrepreneurs. The event highlights handmade products, skills, and craftsmanship of Divyang (PwD) entrepreneurs from across India. 

Previous editions have been successfully held in Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Guwahati, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Chennai, Patna, Nagpur, Pune, and other cities.  

Exp. CIL’s subsidiaries ink MoUs with Sri Sathya Sai Health & Education Trust for Life Saving Surgeries under ‘Nanha sa Dil’

On Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day, Central Coalfields Limited (CCL) and Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), subsidiaries of Coal India Ltd (CIL), under the aegis of Ministry of Coal, signed separate Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Sri Sathya Sai Health & Education Trust (SSSHET) to provide life-saving surgeries for children suffering from Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) under the ‘Nanha Sa Dil’ initiative.

These MoUs will yield goodwill equity for Coal India and its subsidiaries in the coming years.

Nanha Sa Dil is a unique CSR initiative by CIL in collaboration with SSSHET, leveraging the trust’s expertise in paediatric cardiac surgeries.

Under this initiative, CCL will screen 45,000 children in Jharkhand, with surgeries planned for 500 children diagnosed with CHD and NCL will conduct 345 grassroots-level screening camps for 17,250 children, referring those in need to a dedicated diagnostic centre at NCL Bina Hospital for Echo analysis and further treatment.

Exp. BSNL achieves ₹262 crore profit in Q3, first profit since 2007

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has announced a ₹262 crore profit for the third quarter of the financial year, its first since 2007.

The company attributed the success to focused efforts on innovation, aggressive network expansion, cost optimisation, and customer-centric service improvements.

Revenue from Mobility, FTTH, and Leased Lines has increased by 15%, 18%, and 14% respectively over Q3 of the previous year. Additionally, BSNL has successfully reduced its finance cost and overall expenditure, leading to a decline in losses by over ₹1,800 crore compared to last year.

Chairman and MD of BSNL – Robert J. Ravi

Exp. RBI supersedes New India Cooperative Bank board; appoints administrator

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has superseded the board of directors of New India Cooperative Bank, and appointed Shreekant, a former chief general manager of State Bank of India (SBI), as the ‘Administrator’ to oversee the bank’s operations.

The RBI clarified that the board’s replacement will remain in effect for a period of 12 months.

In addition, the RBI has established a ‘Committee of Advisors’ to support the administrator in managing the bank’s affairs. The committee members include Ravindra Sapra, former general manager at SBI, and Abhijeet Deshmukh, a chartered accountant.

RBI had imposed restrictions on the Mumbai-based New India Cooperative Bank, barring it from issuing new loans or permitting deposit withdrawals for a period of six months due to ongoing supervisory concerns.

Depositors are eligible for insurance claims up to ₹5 lakh under the deposit insurance scheme. As of March 2024, the bank held deposits exceeding ₹2,400 crore.

Exp. Navi Group appoints new CEOs, Sachin Bansal to serve as executive chairman

Navi Group, a leading tech-driven financial services provider, has appointed Rajiv Naresh and Abhishek Dwivedi as CEOs of Navi Technologies and Navi Finserv, respectively.

Sachin Bansal, co-founder and outgoing CEO of both subsidiaries, will be the Navi Group’s executive chairman.

Bansal will oversee the group’s overarching strategic vision, expansion initiatives, fundraising, mergers and acquisitions and compliance frameworks.

Rajiv Naresh, previously a key member of Navi’s founding team, will effectively spearhead NTL’s non-lending businesses, while Dwivedi, another founding member, will lead the lending vertical.

Both executives bring over six years of leadership experience in the Navi ecosystem.

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector

• Head of Citibank India – K Balasubramanian (replace Ashu Khulla)
• Executive Director of Dhanlaxmi Bank – P. Suriaraj
• MD & CEO of IDBI Bank – Rakesh Sharma
• MD and CEO of Zurich Kotak General Insurance – Alok Kumar Agarwal (Suresh Agarwal).s
• MD and CEO of Indian Bank – Binod Kumar

Exp. Tata Group’s N Chandrasekaran honoured with UK’s Most Excellent OBE honour

Chairman of Tata Group, Natarajan Chandrasekaran has been conferred with The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) in recognition of his contributions to UK-India business relations. 

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions in fields such as the arts, sciences, charitable endeavours, and public service outside of the civil service. 

Natarajan Chandrasekaran has been the chairman of Tata Sons since 2017, having joined its board in October 2016. He also chairs the boards of key Tata Group companies, including Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power, and Air India. 

Recent Award

• Forward Faster Sustainability Award 2025 in the Water Resilience category – NTPC Ltd
• NETPAC Award 2025 – Bad Girl (Tamil film)
• Honorary doctorate by University of Sussex – Noel Tata
• Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 – Late Chaman Arora (for Ik Hor Ashwthama in Dogri).
• BCCI’s Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 – Sachin Tendulkar (31st)
• Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2025 – Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) (In the Institutional Category for its excellent work in Disaster Management)

Exp. Rafi Saab to be face of new ₹100 commemorative coin

To mark birth centenary of legendary playback singer late Mohammed Rafi, Government has decided to issue a commemorative coin with the denomination of ₹100.

Though commemorative coins are considered legal tender, they are not released for general circulation. One can source them from the specified agencies.

According to a notification, shape will be circular with outside diameter of 44 millimeters. The number of serrations will be 200. The metal composition will be a quaternary alloy with a composition of silver (50 per cent), copper (40 per cent), nickel (05 per cent) and zinc (05 per cent).

The face of both the coins will bear the lion capital of Ashoka Pillar in the centre with the legend ‘Satyamev Jayate’ inscribed below, flanked on the left periphery with the word ‘Bharat’ in Devnagri script and on the right periphery with the word ‘India’ in English.

Rafi (born December 24, 1924, Kotla Sultan Singh, near Amritsar, Punjab—died July 31, 1980, Bombay aka Mumbai) was a legendary Indian playback singer who recorded more than 25,000 film songs in a career spanning almost 40 years.  

Exp. RBI imposes penalties on Shriram Finance, Nainital Bank, & Ujjivan Small Finance Bank for regulatory lapses

The Reserve Bank has imposed penalties totalling ₹68.1 lakh on two banks — Nainital Bank and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank — for contravention of regulatory norms.

A penalty of ₹61.40 lakh was imposed on Nainital Bank Ltd for non-compliance with certain directions on ‘Interest Rate on Advances’ and ‘Customer Service in Banks.

Further, RBI imposed a penalty of ₹6.70 lakh on Ujjivan Small Finance Bank for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions.’

RBI also levied a penalty of ₹5.80 lakh on Shriram Finance, a non-banking entity, for non-compliance with certain provisions, including Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines and directions on ‘Data Format for Furnishing of Credit Information to Credit Information Companies.’

Recent Penalties imposed on Banks by RBI

• Equitas Small Finance Bank (Rs 65 lakh) – for deficiencies in regulatory compliances
• India Post Payments Bank (26.70 lakh) – for deficiencies in regulatory compliances.
• Aptus Finance India Pvt Ltd (3.10 lakh ) – for contravention of certain provisions of norms related to non-banking financial company.
• IndusInd Bank (Rs 27.3 lakh) – for non-compliance with norms.
• Manappuram Finance (Rs 20 lakh) – – for non-compliance with norms.
• RBL Bank (Rs 64 lakh) – failure to obtain an annual declaration in Form B from one of its major shareholders within the stipulated time frame of one month.

Exp. Delhi’s Mohalla Clinics to be renamed ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandirs’

 The BJP government plans to rename Delhi’s Mohalla Clinics as ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandirs’ while keeping the existing infrastructure intact.

Despite the name change, the doctors and staff at these clinics will continue providing healthcare services under the new system.

Exp. Ranchi to host the 4th South Asian Senior Athletics Championships

Ranchi will host the 4th South Asian Senior Athletics Championships at the Birsa Munda Athletics Stadium from May 3 to 5, 2025.

 Athletes from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives will compete in the championship.

Ranchi was originally scheduled to host the championships from October 4 to 6 last year, but the event was postponed.

This event marks the return of the championships to India after 17 years, with the last edition held in 2008.

 The first two editions of the South Asian Senior Athletics Championships were held in 1997 and 1998.

Exp. India’s Gulveer Singh breaks 17-year-old National Record in Indoor Men’s 3000 m

India’s Gulveer Singh has etched his name in history by breaking a 17-year-old National Record in the indoor Men’s 3000 metres at the David Hemery Invitational meet in Boston.

Clocking 7 minutes 38.26 seconds, Singh not only clinched the silver medal but also eclipsed the previous national record set by Surendra Singh by 11 seconds.

Romain Legendre, representing Adams State, clinched the gold, while Morgan Beadlescomb bagged the bronze medal.

Gulveer Singh now holds three National Records across multiple categories, the outdoor 5000 metres, the outdoor 10000 metres, and the indoor 3000 metres.

Exp. President Murmu inaugurates Aadi Mahotsav 2025

The Aadi Mahotsav 2025, a grand festival celebrating India’s rich tribal heritage, will be held from February 16-24, 2025, at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi.

Organized by the Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the event will showcase the vibrant culture, heritage, and economic potential of India’s tribal communities.

President of India, Droupadi Murmu, has inaugurated the festival as the Chief Guest. More than 600 tribal artisans, 500 performing artists, and 25 food stalls will participate, representing the diverse traditions of over 30 states and Union Territories.

 The festival aims to empower tribal communities by providing them with an extensive marketplace to promote their products and reach modern consumers.

Secretary of Tribal Affairs – Vibhu Nayar

MD of TRIFED – Ashish Chatterjee

Exp. West Bengal govt. launched “Nadi Bandhan” Scheme

West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, has launched the “Nodi Bandhan” scheme as part of its 2025-26 budget.

 The scheme will help combat natural disasters while creating job opportunities. The budget allocates substantial funds for the Ghatal Masterplan, which focuses on flood prevention in West Midnapore.

The primary objectives of Nodi Bandhan include combating natural disasters, preventing Ganga-Padma River erosion, and enhancing job opportunities.

About West Bengal

• Capital – Kolkata
• Chief Minister – Mamata Banerjee
• Governor – C V Ananda Bose

Recent schemes launched by state governments

• Mobile Operation Theatre (Nagaland) – To provide advanced surgical and healthcare facilities to the remote and rural areas of the state.
• Bana Kaih Scheme (Mizoram) – To provide financial assistance to farmers growing ginger, turmeric, Mizo chilli, and broomsticks
• Mukhyamantri Nagar Unnayan Prakalp (Tripura) – To upgrade the drinking water supply in the state’s 12 cities benefiting around four lakh people.
• Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana (Himachal Pradesh) – to provide financial support to identified socially and economically vulnerable women and parents of disabled children

Exp. Brazil to host BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro in July 2025

Brazil will host the BRICS leaders’ summit in Rio de Janeiro on July 6 and 7, 2025.

Brazil took over the rotating presidency of BRICS on Jan. 1 and is leading working groups to prepare the agenda and topics for the summit, which will bring together heads of state and government.

The decision follows the city’s successful hosting of the G20 Leaders’ Summit last November.

BRICS was established in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2010 as a counterbalance to the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations.

Last year, the bloc expanded by adding Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has also been invited to join. Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Malaysia have formally applied for membership, and several other countries have expressed interest.

Exp. 17 February – Global Tourism Resilience Day

Global Tourism Resilience Day is observed every year on February 17 to promote sustainable and resilient tourism practices worldwide.

The day highlights the importance of preparedness, crisis management, and recovery strategies to support the tourism industry against global challenges like pandemics and climate change.

Established by the United Nations General Assembly in resolution A/RES/77/269, Global Tourism Resilience Day is more than just a celebration, it is a global commitment to strengthening tourism against future shocks.

Exp. Ram temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das passed away

Acharya Satyendra Das, chief priest of Ayodhya Ram temple, passed away at the age of 85

He was given ‘Jal Samadhi’ in the Saryu River in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.

Acharya Satyendra Das had been the chief priest of the Ram temple since before the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992, taking on the role just nine months prior.