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Daily Current Affairs 8th December 2025 Daily GK Update
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National News
Bihar Launches ‘Mukhyamantri Bharat Darshan Yojana’ to Take Secondary Students on Nationwide Educational Tours
- The Bihar government will launch the ‘Mukhyamantri Bharat Darshan Yojana’ to take secondary school students on educational tours across India.
- The scheme expands on the existing ‘Mukhyamantri Bihar Darshan Yojana’, which currently sends primary and middle school students on tours within Bihar.
- Under the new initiative, students will visit major historical sites and research institutions, with possible destinations including the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Charminar, and Agra Fort.
About Bihar
- Capital – Patna
- Chief Minister – Nitish Kumar (10th time)
- Governor – Arif Mohammed Khan
Darjeeling Mandarin Orange Secures GI Tag
- Darjeeling Mandarin Orange has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, recognising its historic sweetness, superior quality, and deep cultural association with the hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
- The GI application was community-driven, initiated by former UBKV professor Tulsi Saran Ghimiray and later transferred to the Darjeeling Organic Farmers Producer Organisation, ensuring that the benefits directly reach local growers.
- Historically producing around 15,000 metric tonnes, the fruit’s cultivation suffered due to pests and viruses in recent years; the new GI status is expected to boost revival, improve market value, and strengthen the livelihoods of local farmers.
India Signs Two-Year MoU with Mastercard to Boost Premium Tourism and Showcase Unique Cultural Experiences
- The Government of India and Mastercard have signed a two-year MoU to enhance India’s image as a premium travel destination for both domestic and international tourists, using Mastercard’s global platforms like the Priceless™ program.
- The collaboration aims to strengthen the tourism ecosystem by involving public and private stakeholders, promoting secure and responsible digital payments, and running joint marketing campaigns targeting diverse traveler groups.
- Starting with Goa, the Priceless™ platform will showcase exclusive experiences from Varanasi and interior regions of Andhra Pradesh, with more destinations to be added to highlight India’s cultural, spiritual, natural, and culinary heritage.
Numaligarh Refinery Granted Navratna Status, Boosting Assam’s Energy and Green Growth Initiatives
- Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) has been granted Navratna status, a major milestone for Assam’s oil and gas sector, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanking PM Narendra Modi and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri for their support.
- The upgrade highlights the Centre’s strong confidence in NRL’s strategic role as it leads major energy and petrochemical projects in the Northeast, including the large-scale NREP refinery expansion and the newly inaugurated bamboo-based 2G bioethanol plant.
- With Navratna status, NRL gains greater financial autonomy and investment flexibility, expected to speed up industrial growth, strengthen Assam’s position as an energy hub, and boost employment and downstream economic activity in the region.
- State-owned explorer Oil India is the promoter of NRI holding 69.63% stake in the refinery, along with the state government of Assam (26%), and Engineers India (4.37%).
India to Conduct 8th Economic Census in 2027 Following Two-Phase Population Census
- The 8th Economic Census in India is scheduled for 2027, to be conducted after the two-phase Population Census (April–September 2026 and February 2027), as stated by Statistics Secretary Saurabh Garg.
- Data from the Economic Census will be used to create the Statistical Business Register (SBR), which will map enterprises across states and track their operational status (active or closed).
- Conducted nationwide by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MOSPI) and the National Statistics Office in collaboration with state Directorates of Economics and Statistics, the Economic Census provides a complete count of all establishments, offering detailed operational and structural data crucial for policymaking.
- The first Economic Census was held in 1977, and the upcoming 2027 Census will coincide with India’s 16th decennial Population Census since the first nationwide census in 1872.
Odisha CM Inaugurates 36th Konark Festival and 15th International Sand Art Festival
- Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi inaugurated the 36th Konark Festival and 15th International Sand Art Festival, beginning five days of cultural celebrations featuring dance, music and creative sand art.
- The festivals, organised by the Tourism Department, Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, and OTDC, aim to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and artistic excellence.
- The inaugural evening featured Odissi performances by Sonali Mohapatra and Nrutya Upasana Pitha, including presentations on Hanuman Chalisa, Saranga Pallavi, and Chari Yuga Devi depicting the power of Maa Durga.
About Odisha
- Capital – Bhubaneswar
- Chief Minister – Mohan Charan Majhi (replace Naveen Patnaik)
- Deputy CM – KV Singhdeo and Pravati Parida
- Governor – Hari Babu Kambhampati
Banking & Financial News
Razorpay Gets RBI Cross-Border Payment Licence, Expands Global Payment Capabilities
- Razorpay receives Payment Aggregator – Cross Border (PA–CB) licence from the RBI, allowing it to facilitate regulated inward and outward cross-border payments for businesses operating in India.
- The licence enables Razorpay to support exporters, SaaS firms, freelancers, D2C brands, and global companies, offering payments in over 130 currencies with a 95% international transaction success rate.
- Razorpay’s platform provides single integration for multiple payment methods (UPI, RuPay, EMIs, netbanking, and 100+ local options), supports India-based pricing and customer service, and positions it among the few Indian fintechs with full-spectrum payment capabilities.
SEBI Launches SWAGAT-FI to Simplify Investment for Low-Risk Foreign Investors in India
- SEBI introduces single-window access for low-risk foreign investors, simplifying participation in the Indian securities market and enhancing India’s appeal as an investment destination.
- The framework, named SWAGAT-FI (Single Window Automatic & Generalised Access for Trusted Foreign Investors), provides unified registration across multiple investment routes and reduces repeated compliance and documentation.
- Eligible low-risk foreign investors include government-owned funds, central banks, sovereign wealth funds, multilateral entities, highly regulated public retail funds, appropriately regulated insurance companies, and pension funds.
- The move is aimed at streamlining investment procedures, lowering administrative hurdles, and making India more attractive for long-term foreign institutional investments.
Vrutti partners with HSBC India to launch ‘FPO Shakti’ financing facility
- Vrutti (Catalyst Platform) has launched the FPO Shakti financing facility to provide stage-based, blended capital support to Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) for timely and suitable credit access.
- The initiative is supported by HSBC India and managed by Friends of Women’s World Banking (FWWB) India, aiming to bridge the persistent credit gap faced by FPOs.
- Although India has 44,000+ registered FPOs, less than one-third can access formal credit due to collateral-heavy lending norms, creating a “missing middle” that hinders rural value chains and limits smallholder farmers’ income growth.
ICICI Lombard & Vastu Housing Finance Partner to Offer Protection Plans for Housing Loan Customers Across 17 States
- ICICI Lombard General Insurance and Vastu Housing Finance have partnered to provide insurance solutions to Vastu’s housing loan customers across 17 States and 340 districts in India
- The collaboration will offer two major products — Income Protect (covering 33 critical illnesses, accidental death, and permanent total disability) and Home Insurance (covering fire, natural disasters, theft, and accidental damage).
- The partnership aims to support peri-urban and rural customers, especially first-generation homeowners and self-employed individuals, with distribution through Vastu’s branches and digital platforms.
Gujarat Fluorochemicals & IFC Partner to Build India’s First Integrated Battery Materials Facility
- Gujarat Fluorochemicals (GFL) has partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is investing $50 million in its subsidiary GFCL EV Products to establish India’s first integrated battery materials facility.
- The investment aims to boost high-value manufacturing, generate employment, and strengthen India’s role in global supply chains, supporting national goals like energy security and transport electrification.
- With a diversified portfolio and strong technological expertise, GFCL EV will accelerate clean-tech adoption, reduce emissions, and help position India as a global hub for advanced battery materials.
RBI Grants ‘In-Principle’ Approval to Fino Payments Bank for Conversion into Small Finance Bank
- RBI has granted ‘in-principle’ approval to Fino Payments Bank for its conversion into a Small Finance Bank (SFB), after assessing its application under the established regulatory guidelines.
- Under RBI’s ‘on tap’ licensing framework, payments banks controlled by residents and having completed five years of operations are eligible to apply for conversion into an SFB.
- The approval follows earlier regulatory decisions where AU SFB received approval to convert into a universal bank, while applications of Jana SFB were returned and Ujjivan SFB’s application remains pending.
- The small finance bank is registered as a public limited company under the Companies Act, (2013). It is licensed under Section 22 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
RBI Announces ₹1 Lakh Crore OMO and $5 Billion Forex Swap to Boost Durable Liquidity
- RBI announced major liquidity infusion through ₹1,00,000 crore OMO purchases and a $5 billion 3-year USD/INR Buy-Sell swap to ensure sufficient durable liquidity in the system.
- RBI also notified a ₹50,000 crore G-Sec purchase on December 11, 2025, with the remaining ₹50,000 crore to be conducted later in the month.
- Governor Sanjay Malhotra clarified that the Dollar-Rupee swap is a liquidity measure, not meant to support the rupee, and stated that the RBI is comfortable with the current exchange rate despite volatility.
- RBI highlighted strong external sector fundamentals, manageable CAD (~1%), robust services exports, strong remittances, and emphasized that India’s economy remains resilient and poised for high growth despite global challenges.
Appointments
Stefan Priesner Appointed as New UN Resident Coordinator in India
- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Stefan Priesner of Austria as the new UN Resident Coordinator in India.
- Priesner brings extensive experience in international development, having served as UN Resident Coordinator in Iran (2021–2025), Malaysia–Brunei–Singapore (2017–2021), and Uzbekistan (2013–2017), along with various senior UNDP roles across Asia and Europe.
- He holds master’s degrees in international relations (Johns Hopkins University) and law (University of Vienna), started his UN career in 1997 in Bhutan, and succeeds Shombi Sharp as the UN Resident Coordinator for India.
Recent Appointments in Foreign
- MD and Chief Knowledge Officer of World Bank Group – Paschal Donohoe
- 12th Director-General of UNESCO – Khaled El‑Enany of Egypt (replaec Audrey Azoulay); first Arab
- Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor – Indian-Origin Ghazala Hashmi (First Muslim and South Asian American)
- First-ever female Archbishop of Canterbury – Dame Sarah Mullally (replaec Justin Welby
- India’s High Commissioner to Ghana – Manish Gupta
Defence
Indian Army Hosts Inno-Yoddha 2025, Shortlists 32 Innovations to Boost Operational Readiness
- The Indian Army organised its annual Idea and Innovation Competition & Seminar, Inno-Yoddha 2025, in New Delhi, with Lt. Gen. Pushpendra Pal Singh felicitating the selected innovators.
- The Ministry of Defence reported a record 89 submissions, of which 32 innovative solutions were selected for further development to enhance operational readiness, logistics, and training.
- Over the past five years, the Army’s innovation ecosystem has achieved significant progress, showcasing a strong culture of soldier-driven technological and strategic advancements.
Important Days
5 December – International Volunteer Day
- International Volunteer Day (IVD) is observed every year on 5 December to recognize and celebrate the efforts of volunteers worldwide.
- Theme 2025 – Every contribution matters
- The day was established by the United Nations (UN) in 1985 to promote volunteerism and encourage people to contribute to community development.
- It highlights the crucial role volunteers play in humanitarian aid, social development, disaster response, environmental protection, and peace-building.
5 December – World Soil Day
- World Soil Day is observed every year on 5 December to raise awareness about the importance of healthy soil and sustainable soil management.
- Theme 2025 – Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities
- The day was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and officially recognized in 2014.
- It highlights major issues like soil degradation, erosion, pollution, declining fertility, and promotes actions to protect soil as a vital natural resource.
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