Current Affairs Quiz 27th February 2025 Quiz

Exp. Defence Ministry forms high-level panel to speed up Tejas jet deliveries

In a move to address prolonged delays in the delivery of Tejas Mk-1A, India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the Ministry of Defence has formed a high-level committee to examine the cause of delay and suggest measures for faster induction of the fighter jets into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The committee will have five members and will be led by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, the report states, adding that the focus will be on resolving issues that have slowed down the production and delivery of these aircraft.

The development comes days after Air Marshal AP Singh, the Chief of the Indian Air Force, expressed his frustration over the delays and publicly criticised Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

Exp. India to host first-ever conference on women peacekeepers

India is hosting its first-ever conference on women peacekeepers, titled “Women in Peacekeeping: A Global South Perspective,” in New Delhi.

The two-day event is organized by the MEA, Ministry of Defence, and Centre for UN Peacekeeping, with participation from 35 Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) from the Global South.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will deliver the keynote address, while UN representatives Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Christian Saunders will also participate.

The conference will focus on peacekeeping technology, training, and regional collaboration, and the attending women peacekeepers will meet with President Droupadi Murmu.

Exp. RBI allows withdrawal of up to ₹25,000 per depositor of New India Co-operative Bank

Days after imposing several restrictions on New India Co-operative Bank, the RBI relaxed the conditions and permitted customers to withdraw up to ₹25,000 from their deposit accounts with effect from February 27.

On February 13, the Reserve Bank had imposed All Inclusive Directions (AID) on the Mumbai-based cooperative bank, which included a ban on deposit withdrawals, amid supervisory concerns.

Later, the RBI superseded the Board of Directors of New India Cooperative Bank for a period of 12 months. It also appointed Shreekant, former Chief General Manager of State Bank of India (SBI), as Administrator to manage the affairs of the bank during this period. It also appointed a ‘Committee of Advisors’ to assist the Administrator.

Exp. Second ‘India in Bahrain Festival’ draws record crowd

The second edition of the “India in Bahrain Festival” drew more than 2,000 visitors to Dana Mall in Sanabis, showcasing India’s cultural diversity through performances, art, and cuisine.

The event, organized by the Indian Embassy in collaboration with Lulu Hypermarket Bahrain and Dana Mall.

Indian Ambassador to Bahrain, Vinod K. Jacob, inaugurated the festival, which featured performances by 17 Indian community associations presenting classical and folk traditions from various regions of India.

The event, part of the Ministry of External Affairs’ Promotion of Cultural Ties with Diaspora (PCTD) initiative, also included an art exhibition titled ‘India Through My Eyes,’ featuring 42 paintings by 20 artists.

Exp. SECI Inks MoU with MP Government for 200 MW Solar Project and 1,000 MWh BESS Project

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a Navratna CPSU under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), has signed an MoU with the Government of Madhya Pradesh for setting up a 200 MW solar project in Dhar under the CPSU Scheme and a 1,000 MWh battery storage project in the state.

The 200 MW solar project is part of a 500 MW agreement which was executed in 2023 with MP Power Management Company (MPPMCL) for a period of 25 years under which SECI will supply the electricity to the state.  

Exp. 1st International Conference on Carbon Market Prakriti inaugurated

The first International Conference on Carbon Markets-Prakriti was held in New Delhi.

The Conference was organised with the aim of understanding the workings of the Indian carbon market and how to deepen and develop it. It also discussed the latest trends in the global carbon credit market and their dynamic.

The first International Conference on Carbon Markets-Prakriti was organised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).

The International Conference on Carbon Markets-Prakriti was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar.

Exp. 51st Khajuraho Dance Festival 2025

The Khajuraho Dance Festival is a famous cultural event held every year. In 2025, it will take place from February 20 to 26.

Organized by the Department of Culture, Madhya Pradesh, with support from Madhya Pradesh Tourism, this festival has been showcasing India’s classical dances since 1975.

Set against the beautiful Khajuraho Temples, the festival celebrates India’s rich heritage while also encouraging new ideas in traditional dance.

The 51st edition promises an exciting experience with amazing dance performances, heritage tours, craft exhibitions, delicious food, adventure activities, and much more.

Exp. India’s First Wildlife Biobank Inaugurated at Darjeeling Zoo

India has achieved a milestone in wildlife conservation with its first zoo-based biobank at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling, West Bengal.

The biobank has been operational since July 2024. Often called a ‘frozen zoo,’ it focuses on preserving genetic materials from endangered species.

The initiative aims to enhance conservation and research efforts.

Exp. Mopa Airport Wins Prestigious ‘Sarvashrestha Suraksha Puraskar’

Manohar International Airport (GOX), which is developed and operated by GMR God International Airport Ltd. (GGIAL), has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first airport in India to be honoured with the prestigious “Sarvashrestha Suraksha Puraskar (Golden Trophy)” at the National Safety Council of India (NSCI) Safety Awards 2024 in the ‘Service Sector’ category.

This award was presented during a ceremony at The Lalit in Mumbai.

This recognition underscores Manohar International Airport’s outstanding performance in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), its dedication to minimizing workplace injuries, and its implementation of top safety practices.

Recent Award

• Time Magazine’s Women of the Year 2025 – Purnima Devi Barman
• Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE)- Sunil Bharti Mittal
• Memory League World Championship – Vishvaa Rajakumar
• Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) – Natarajan Chandrasekaran (Chairman of Tata Group)
• Forward Faster Sustainability Award 2025 in the Water Resilience category – NTPC Ltd
• NETPAC Award 2025 – Bad Girl (Tamil film)

Exp. Paytm, DPIIT partner to support fintech startups with mentorship & funding

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has partnered with Paytm to promote innovation and support manufacturing and fintech startups in India.

Paytm will provide mentorship, infrastructure, market access, and funding opportunities to help startups scale and innovate.

This initiative aims to equip entrepreneurs with essential resources, enhancing their ability to develop cutting-edge payment and financial technology solutions.

Exp. Microsoft unveils Magma: A new AI model for controlling software and robots

Microsoft Research has introduced a new AI model called Magma, which could mark a big advancement in artificial intelligence for controlling both software interfaces and robotic systems.

Magma combines visual and language processing, allowing it to operate in both the digital and physical world, making it a potentially versatile AI model.

Microsoft claims this makes Magma unique, as it can process data like text, images, and video and act upon it natively, whether navigating software or controlling robots.  

Exp. Operative Kisan Credit Card (KCC) amount crosses ₹10 Lakh Crore benefiting 7.72 Crore Farmers

The amount under operative Kisan Credit Card (KCC) accounts has more than doubled from ₹4.26 lakh crore in March 2014 to ₹10.05 lakh crore in December 2024.

This indicates significant increase in quantum of affordable working capital loans provided to the farmers for agriculture and allied activities.

In 2019, the KCC scheme was extended to cover the working capital requirements of allied activities, viz. Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries. GoI, under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), provides interest subvention of 1.5% to banks for providing short-term agri loans through KCC up to Rs 3 lakh at a concessional interest rate of 7% per annum.

An additional Prompt Repayment Incentive of 3% is provided to farmers on timely repayment of loans, which effectively reduces the rate of interest to 4% for farmers. Loans up to ₹2 lakh are extended on a collateral-free basis, ensuring hassle-free access to credit for small and marginal farmers.

Exp. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran to lead Ratan Tata Endowment Foundation

N Chandrasekaran, Tata Sons chairman, has been appointed as the chairman of the Ratan Tata Endowment Foundation, a Section 8 company set up by the late Ratan Tata for philanthropic purposes.

This foundation, which will focus on new and impactful social initiatives, remains independent of Tata Trusts.

The executors of Ratan Tata’s will appointed Chandrasekaran after seeking an external legal view.

Recent Appointments

• Head of Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) – Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi (extension one year)
• CEO of NITI Aayog – B V R Subrahmanyam (extension one year)
• Managing Partner and Global Head of Wipro Consulting – Amit Kumar
• Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) – Gyanesh Kumar;26th (replace Rajiv Kumar).
• Election Commissioner – Dr. Vivek Joshi (replace Gyanesh Kumar)
• Brand Ambassador of ICC Championship Trophy 2025 –Shikhar Dhawan (India), Shane Watson (Australia), Tim Southee (New Zealand), Sarfaraz Ahmed (Pakistan).

Exp. South Indian Bank launches ‘SIB QUICKPL’, a fully digital personal loan platform

Kochi-based Private lender, South Indian Bank has launched the ‘SIB QUICKPL’, a fully digital personal loan platform for new customers.

This in-house solution enables salaried and self-employed individuals with strong credit profiles to secure unsecured personal loans in 10 minutes.

‘SIB QUICKPL’ has been integrated with the Account Aggregator framework and Income Tax portal for instant verification. No document uploads are required, and the approved loan amount is credited directly to the applicant’s savings account.

Recent Facilities Launched in Banking & Insurance Sector

• IRDAI launched a new payment mechanism called Bima-ASBA (Applications Supported by Blocked Amount).
• Indian Overseas Bank launches Aadhaar-based account opening, API banking services
• IDFC FIRST Bank, Ikonz launch Amitabh Bachchan’s AI avatar
• IDFC FIRST Bank Launches Exclusive Banking Package for Senior Citizens
• L &T Finance introduced Knowledgeable AI (KAI), an AI-powered virtual home loan advisor