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Daily Current Affairs 20th August 2025 Daily GK Update
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National News
South-Central Railway Makes History as Five Key Departments Come Under Women Leadership
- For the first time, South-Central Railway (SCR) has five crucial departments — Operations, Commercial, Finance, Security, and Medical — being led by women officers.
- Key officials include K. Padmaja (Operations), Ity Pandey (Commercial), Aroma Singh Thakur (Security), Dr. Nirmala Narasimhan (Medical), and T. Hema Suneetha (Finance).
- These officers are responsible for vital functions such as train operations, passenger services, revenue growth, security initiatives, and healthcare management across the zone.
Centre Releases ₹36,027 Crore to States under SASCI Scheme; UP Gets Highest Allocation in FY26
- The Centre has released ₹36,027 crore till 11 August 2025 to states and UTs under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure and Investment (SASCI); since its launch in FY21, a total of ₹3.66 lakh crore has been disbursed.
- The scheme incentivises states for reforms in sectors like land-related reforms (rural areas) and industrial growth regulations; in FY25, 22 states availed incentives for both, though none could utilise the incentive linked to urban land reforms.
- SASCI, launched in FY21 with ₹12,000 crore, has become a major policy lever, offering 50-year interest-free loans; allocations have grown to ₹1.5 lakh crore annually in FY25 and FY26.
- In FY26 (till 11 August 2025), the top recipients were Uttar Pradesh (₹6,065.96 crore), followed by Bihar (₹3,136 crore). Rajasthan (₹2,669 crore), Madhya Pradesh (₹2,618 crore) and Maharashtra (₹2,230 crore)
India’s Unemployment Rate at 5.4% in Q1 FY26; Youth Joblessness Rises to 14.6%
- The unemployment rate in India for the April-June period of this financial year was 5.4%, according to the first quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the National Statistics Office (NSO).
- The unemployment rate in rural areas was 4.8%, while in urban areas, it was higher at 6.8%, based on the Current Weekly Status (CWS) for individuals aged 15 and above.
- The youth unemployment rate (15–29 years) was recorded at 14.6%, with female unemployment (16%) higher than male unemployment (14.1%), highlighting stress among first-time entrants in the labour market.
- Current Weekly Status (CWS) Definition: A person is considered unemployed in CWS if they did not work for even one hour during the reference week but were available for or sought work for at least one hour in that week.
Centre Removes 11% Cotton Import Duty Till Sept 30 to Boost Textile Sector and Exports
- The Finance Ministry has removed the 11% duty (Basic Customs Duty + AIDC) on raw cotton imports from 19 August to 30 September 2025, providing temporary relief to the textile and garment industry.
- This exemption is expected to benefit the entire textile value chain — yarn, fabric, garments, and made-ups — while also helping stabilize cotton prices and ensure access to high-quality, contamination-free cotton for global exports.
- The move, long demanded by industry bodies like CITI, aims to make Indian textiles more competitive globally as the country targets $100 billion textile exports by 2030.
- The US remains India’s largest market for textiles; in the first six months of 2024, exports rose 12% to $5.36 billion, while competitors like Vietnam ($8.54B, +19%) and Bangladesh ($4.36B, +24%) also strengthened their positions.
India Post Launches IT 2.0 – Advanced Postal Technology to Drive Digital Transformation Nationwide
- India Post has launched IT 2.0 — Advanced Postal Technology (APT), marking a major step in digital transformation under the vision of PM Narendra Modi and guidance of Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia.
- Developed indigenously by the Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology, the system operates on the government’s MeghRaj 2.0 cloud and is supported by BSNL’s nationwide connectivity.
- APT introduces next-generation features such as a unified interface, QR-code-based payments, OTP-based delivery, and a unique 10-digit alphanumeric DIGIPIN to enhance accuracy and efficiency.
NDA Fields C.P. Radhakrishnan, INDIA Bloc Nominates B. Sudershan Reddy for Vice-Presidential Election
- BJP-led NDA has declared Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election.
- While, INDIA bloc has nominated Former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy as its Vice-Presidential candidate, announced by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Awards
Bibi Fatima SHG from Karnataka Wins UNDP Equator Initiative Award 2025, Only Winner from India
- Bibi Fatima Women’s Self-Help Group (SHG) from Teertha village, Dharwad district, won the prestigious UNDP Equator Initiative Award 2025, also called the Nobel Prize for Biodiversity Conservation.
- It is the only group from India among 10 global winners, with others from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Indonesia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and Tanzania.
- The award, announced on International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, carries a cash prize of $10,000 (approx. ₹8.5 lakh).
- The SHG, chosen under the theme “Women and Youth Leadership for Nature-Based Climate Action”, has also established a community seed bank to provide seeds free of cost to farmers.
Recent Awards
- PEN Translates award – Geetanjali Shree ( for Once Elephants Lived Here)
- GP Birla Memorial Award – Narayanan (ISRO Chairman)
- Best Magic Creator Award at FISM World Championship 2025 – Suhani Shah
- World’s Best Consumer Bank 2025 by Global Finance – State Bank of India
Science
Russia Plans Venera-D Venus Mission Launch by 2036
- Russia has planned the Venera-D mission to Venus between 2034 and 2036, after earlier Soviet Venera probes (1961–1983) captured surface images.
- The mission will have a lander, balloon probe, and an orbital spacecraft, with design work starting in January 2026, led by the Space Research Institute (IKI) and Lavochkin Association.
- The design phase will last two years, and the exact launch date will be finalized afterward, but it will surely happen before 2036.
About Venus
- Venus is the second planet in our solar system, often called Earth’s twin because of its similar size and composition.
- Atmosphere: It has a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide (96.5%) with clouds of sulfuric acid, making it extremely hot and toxic.
- Surface Temperature: Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system, with average surface temperatures around 465°C – hot enough to melt lead.
- Rotation: It rotates very slowly and in the opposite direction to most planets. One day on Venus = 243 Earth days, which is longer than its year (225 Earth days).
- Nickname: Often called the “Morning Star” or “Evening Star”, since it is the brightest natural object in the sky after the Sun and Moon.
NASA plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon
- As part of its Artemis initiative, NASA plans to establish a nuclear reactor on the Moon by 2030, following China’s announcement in April 2025 to construct a lunar nuclear power plant by 2035.
- The goal of NASA’s project is to return humans to the Moon and create a long-term sustainable presence on the lunar surface.
- The Artemis mission — an acronym for Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of Moon’s Interaction with the Sun — is NASA’s second major effort to land astronauts on the Moon.
- Often referred to as NASA’s “back-to-the-Moon” program, the mission is named after Artemis, the Greek goddess of the Moon and twin sister of Apollo.
Sports
Bhavina Patel Creates History: Wins Gold & Silver at ITTF World Para Events, Becomes World No. 1
- Bhavina Patel, Assistant Director at ESIC, Ahmedabad, won Gold Medal in Women’s Singles Class 4–5 at the ITTF World Para Elite event in Spokane, USA.
- Earlier, she secured a Silver Medal in the same category at the ITTF World Para Future event (6–8 August 2025) in Spokane.
- With these achievements, Bhavina Patel has achieved the World No. 1 ranking in Women’s Singles (Class 1–5) para table tennis.
Important day
20 August – World Mosquito Day
- World Mosquito Day is observed every year on 20 August to raise awareness about the diseases caused by mosquitoes and promote measures to prevent them.
- The day commemorates Sir Ronald Ross, who discovered in 1897 that mosquitoes are the carriers of the malaria parasite. His discovery was a milestone in the fight against malaria.
- The day aims to educate people about mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever, and highlights the importance of prevention measures like mosquito nets, repellents, and removing stagnant water.
20 August – Sadbhavna Diwas
- Sadbhavna Diwas (Goodwill Day) is observed every year on 20 August to promote national integration, peace, and harmony across India.
- The day commemorates the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991), who strongly advocated for unity, peace, and communal harmony in the country.
- The day aims to encourage citizens to foster goodwill, national unity, and communal harmony, and highlights the importance of tolerance, brotherhood, and social cohesion.
20 August – Indian Akshay Urja Day
- Indian Akshay Urja Day is observed annually on 20 August to promote awareness about renewable energy sources and sustainable energy practices in India.
- The day marks the importance of alternative energy, including solar, wind, biomass, and small hydro sources, to reduce dependency on conventional fuels and tackle environmental challenges.
- The day aims to educate citizens, industry, and institutions about energy conservation, renewable energy adoption, and innovations in clean energy technologies.
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