1. Bengaluru: Students to Help Report Traffic Violations via ASTRaM App
Key Highlights:
- Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) will launch a new feature on the ASTRaM app to report traffic violations near colleges.
- College students will act as ‘Police Marshals’ to report offences like wrong parking, triple riding, and rash driving around campuses.
- Partnership: BTP + Aarohan Foundation, which already works in 100 colleges with 14,000 student marshals.
2. Solar Defence to Manufacture Drones in Nagpur MIHAN-SEZ
Key Highlights:
- Land Allotment: 223 acres allotted to Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL) in MIHAN-SEZ, Nagpur – largest land allotment so far
- Project Focus: Establish state-of-the-art facility to manufacture Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drones
- Investment: ₹12,080 crore in defence sector
- ₹680 crore specifically for MIHAN-SEZ project
3. RBI to Mandate Unique Transaction Identifier (UTI) for OTC Derivatives
Key Highlights:
- Effective From: April 1, 2026
Coverage:
- Rupee interest rate derivatives
- Forward contracts in Government securities
- Foreign currency derivatives
- What is UTI? Unique Transaction Identifier acts as a single reference number for each OTC derivative transaction
4. Satish Shah Passes Away at 73
Key Highlights:
- Famous actor known for comedy roles.
- Born in Mumbai in 1951.
- Studied at St. Xavier’s College and FTII.
- Popular for Ye Jo Hai Zindagi and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro.
- Acted in films like DDLJ and Kal Ho Naa Ho.
- Indian actor, theatre and sitcom icon.
5. Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2024 – India’s Padma-style Science Awards Announced
Key Highlights:
- The Centre announced the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) — a national award for excellence in science, similar to the Padma Awards.
- Total Awards: 24 individual honours + 1 team award.
- Vigyan Ratna (Lifetime Achievement): Awarded to Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, eminent physicist (posthumously).
- Vigyan Shri (8 Scientists): Honouring distinguished contributions in science & technology.
- Vigyan Yuva (Young Scientists under 45): Awarded to multiple young researchers for exceptional work.
- Vigyan Team Award: Given to CSIR Aroma Mission.
6. Maharashtra Cotton Farmers Benefit from PMFBY Insurance
Key Highlights:
- Insurance Claims: ₹3,653 crore paid to cotton farmers in the last 5 years under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
- Purpose: Protects farmers from crop loss due to natural calamities and adverse weather 2024 Claims: ₹758.95 crore
- Cotton Production 2024–25: 92.32 lakh bales (up from 80.45 lakh bales in 2023–24)
7. PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana
Key Highlights:
- Objective: Create 3.5 crore employment opportunities across India
- Focus: Skill development, job creation, and linking trained youth with employment
Integration with Other Platforms:
- Works alongside Skill India Mission and National Career Service (NCS) portal
- Over 7 crore job vacancies shared via NCS for youth
Rozgar Melas:
- Recent events distributed over 11 lakh appointment letters for government jobs
8. SBI Awarded ‘World’s Best Consumer Bank 2025’ & ‘Best Bank in India 2025’
Key Highlights:
- Award Event: Global Finance Award Ceremony, during World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings 2025
- Chairman Statement: Challa Sreenivasulu Setty
- Customers Served: 520 million
- New Customers Daily: 65,000
- Digital Presence: Flagship mobile app serves 100 million users, 10 million daily active users
- Bank Philosophy: “Digital First, Consumer First”
Sample MCQ:
Q. Which Indian bank was named ‘World’s Best Consumer Bank 2025’ by Global Finance?
9. Kochi to Host 53rd IPC Annual Sessions & International Spice Exhibition
Key Highlights:
- Venue: Le Meridien, Kochi
- Organisers: Ministry of Commerce, Spices Board of India, and International Pepper Community (IPC)
- Theme: “Revitalizing Pepper Trade: Innovation, Equity, and Regional Resilience”
Highlights:
- Launch of 53rd IPC ASM ISE
- Announcement of IPC Best Awards 2024
- Key Attendees: Marina N. Anggraini (Executive Director, IPC), P. Hemalatha (Secretary, Spices Board)
10. Subansiri Lower Hydropower Project Begins Test Run
Key Highlights:
- One unit of India’s largest hydropower project (Subansiri Lower) has started its wet commissioning (test run).
- River: Subansiri River (largest tributary of Brahmaputra)
- Project Capacity: 2,000 MW
- Location: Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border
- Implementing Agency: NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation)
- Number of Units: 8 units (250 MW each)
- Project is being developed by NHPC Ltd.
