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Friday, August 22, 2025

Daily GK Update- 22nd Aug, 2025

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Mamata Banerjee Launches ‘Shramshree’ Scheme with ₹5,000 Monthly Aid for Returning Migrants: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee launched the Shramshree Scheme to support migrant workers returning to the state after facing alleged harassment for speaking Bengali in other states, providing ₹5,000 per month for one year or until they find employment.The West Bengal government mandated screening of Bengali films across all cinema halls and multiplex screens, ensuring 365 prime time shows annually, with at least one Bengali film daily between 3 pm and 9 pm.The initiative aims to promote rehabilitation of workers along with cultural preservation of the Bengali language and cinema, reinforcing state identity and support for local talent.Mamata Banerjee Launches ‘Shramshree’ Scheme with ₹5,000 Monthly Aid for Returning Migrants; Bengali Films Made Mandatory in Cinemas.

 

2. DEPwD, Nipman Foundation & YLAC sign MoU to Launch the Breaking Barriers Fellowship: Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Nipman Foundation, and Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) signed an MoU to launch the Breaking Barriers Fellowship, aimed at placing young professionals in DEPwD offices to strengthen policy support and implement the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.The Fellowship objectives include enhancing DEPwD’s capacity through professional support, offering mentorship and government exposure to fellows, and bringing fresh perspectives to advance disability inclusion in policymaking.The collaboration will run for one year (extendable), focusing on merit-based fellow selection, transparency, quarterly reporting, and confidentiality under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, reaffirming commitment to disability empowerment and inclusive governance.

 

3. UIDAI Partners with Starlink for Seamless Aadhaar-Based Customer Verification: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) partnered with Starlink, a private satellite-based internet provider, to enable seamless Aadhaar-based customer verification.The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) highlighted that this collaboration showcases the scalability and reliability of India’s digital infrastructure on a global platform.Aadhaar’s face authentication solution is gaining momentum due to its ease of use, promoting innovation in service delivery while ensuring transparency, accountability, and ease of living/doing business.

 

4. Rapido Fined Rs 10 Lakh By Consumer Protection Authority For Misleading Ads: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on Rapido for misleading advertisements like “Auto in 5 minutes or Get ₹50” and unfair trade practices.Rapido was directed to reimburse customers who did not receive the promised ₹50 compensation under the misleading offer.CCPA found that disclaimers were in tiny, unreadable fonts, and the ₹50 benefit was only in Rapido coins (usable for bike rides within 7 days), violating the 2022 Misleading Advertisements Guidelines.Complaints against Rapido surged to 1,224 cases (Jun 2024–Jul 2025); many remain unresolved despite widespread consumer grievances about overcharging, non-refunds, and service deficiencies.

5. Election Commission appoints two observers for VP election: The Election Commission of India has appointed Sushil Kumar Lohani (Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj) and Anandan (Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance) as observers for the upcoming Vice Presidential Election scheduled on 9th of next month.The election has been necessitated following the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar last month, citing health reasons; this will mark the 17th Vice Presidential election.The Vice President is elected by an Electoral College comprising members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha; NDA has nominated CP Radhakrishnan, while the INDIA bloc has fielded former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy as their candidate.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Dubai Launches ‘One Freezone Passport’ to Ease Business Expansion: Dubai Free Zones Council (DFZC) launched the ‘One Freezone Passport’, enabling companies licensed in one free zone to expand into others without obtaining a new licence; Louis Vuitton became the first corporate member under this scheme.The initiative aims to streamline business expansion and cut regulatory barriers, allowing Louis Vuitton to open a warehouse in Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) while setting up its corporate office at One Za’abeel in the DWTC Free Zone, with the process completed in just five days.Free zones in the UAE offer 100% foreign ownership, tax exemptions, customs benefits, and independent regulations, attracting global businesses in sectors like logistics, healthcare, fintech, media, design, and luxury retail.Authorities clarified that the scheme has limitations — businesses cannot hire or transfer staff into other free zones, sectors like retail are excluded, and virtual/shared office spaces are not permitted, with further regulatory updates expected.

 

2. Saudi Arabia launches Nusuk Umrah digital platform to simplify visa: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has launched the Nusuk Umrah digital service platform, enabling international pilgrims to directly apply for Umrah visas and book services like accommodation, transport, and tours without intermediaries.The online one-stop platform offers customizable Umrah packages provided by authorised service providers, complementing existing channels such as accredited travel agents to ensure a smooth and seamless pilgrimage experience.The initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to expand the number of Muslim pilgrims while enhancing service quality, modernising religious tourism, and improving accessibility through digital technology.

 

3. India’s National Space Legislation Framework: India’s space programme is rapidly advancing with landmark missions like Chandrayaan-3 and the upcoming Gaganyaan. However, alongside technological progress, the nation is focusing on building a robust legal framework for space activities. This legal groundwork is crucial for sustainable, responsible, and secure space exploration and commercialisation. The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 is the foundation of international space law. It declares space the province of all humankind, forbids national appropriation, and holds states responsible for their space activities, including those by private entities. Companion treaties add rules on liability and rights. However, these treaties require national laws for effective implementation. Nations must enact domestic legislation to operationalise international commitments and regulate their space sectors.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Operation Sindoor lessons now part of NCERT syllabus: The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced two new modules on Operation Sindoor — “A Saga of Valour” for Classes 3–8 and “A Mission of Honour and Bravery” for Classes 9–12, highlighting India’s response after the Pahalgam killings and subsequent conflict with Pakistan.

The modules state that the terrorist attack was directly ordered by Pakistan’s political and military leadership, while Pakistan denied involvement; they emphasize India’s decisive policy and intent to safeguard peace.Operation Sindoor was named to honour the sacrifice of soldiers’ wives, and the content recalls major terror attacks like Uri (2016) and Pulwama (2019), while noting the impact of the abrogation of Article 370 on Jammu & Kashmir’s development.

 

2. Iran Conducts “Sustainable Power 1404” Missile Drill in Indian Ocean: Iran conducted “Sustainable Power 1404,” a two-day large-scale missile drill in the northern Indian Ocean and Sea of Oman, deploying warships, air units, missile defence systems, and electronic warfare brigades.The drills showcased Iran’s precision-strike cruise missiles like Nasir and Qadir, with successful launches by the frigate IRIS Sabalan and corvette IRIS Ganaveh, aimed at enhancing combat readiness and deterrence.The exercise comes after the 12-day Iran-Israel conflict in June 2025 and the Casarex 2025 joint drill with Russia, seen as Tehran’s response to Israeli war simulations targeting Iranian nuclear facilities.

 

SPORTS

 

1. Indian team bags third spot in its debut appearance at AI Olympiad: In its first-ever participation at the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI) held in Beijing, India ranked 3rd among 63 countries, ahead of the US (12th) and China (11th).The Indian team of eight high school students bagged 3 Gold, 2 Silver, and 1 Bronze, along with one honourable mention; Russia and Poland secured the top two positions.The students were chosen through a five-stage national programme (India AI Olympiad) organised by ACM India with ACM IKDD, including training camps at IIIT Hyderabad.

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. Lok Sabha Passes Online Gaming Bill 2025: Boosts E-Sports, Bans Harmful Money Gaming: Lok Sabha passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025, which promotes e-sports and online social games while imposing a complete ban on harmful online money gaming services such as Poker, Rummy, and other real money card games.The Bill provides for the establishment of an Online Gaming Authority to ensure coordinated policy support, strategic development, and regulatory oversight of the sector, while also supporting innovation and Indian game developers.The legislation aims to protect youth and vulnerable populations from the negative effects of addictive money gaming, which has led to 32 suicides in the last 31 months, financial frauds, money laundering, and even terror financing.Strict penalties have been introduced for violations: imprisonment up to 3 years and fines up to ₹1 crore, with enhanced punishment for repeat offences — 3–5 years imprisonment and fines up to ₹2 crore.The Bill creates a uniform, national-level legal framework to regulate online gaming, safeguarding citizens from predatory money gaming platforms, while supporting India’s vision of a safe, secure, and innovation-driven Digital India.

 

2. NASA’s Surya AI : NASA launched Surya, an advanced artificial intelligence model designed to transform space weather prediction. Developed alongside IBM and trained on nine years of Solar Dynamics Observatory data, Surya offers early and accurate forecasts of solar flares and eruptions. These solar events can disrupt satellites, power grids, aviation, and GPS systems on Earth. By making Surya open-source, NASA aims to encourage global collaboration to enhance protection against space weather hazards. Space weather originates from solar eruptions such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These release charged particles and magnetic energy that travel through the solar system. When they reach Earth, they can damage satellites, cause power outages, disrupt aviation routes, and endanger astronauts. Predicting these events is vital for safeguarding modern technology and infrastructure.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Kerala Becomes India’s First Fully Digitally Literate State Under Digi Kerala Project: Kerala has become the first fully digitally literate State in India, after the successful completion of the first phase of the Digi Kerala project, covering all local bodies to bridge the digital divide.In a survey of 1.5 crore people from 83.46 lakh families, 21.88 lakh were found digitally illiterate; remarkably, 99.98% (21.87 lakh people) successfully completed digital training and evaluation.The project trained a large number of senior citizens and homemakers, enabling them to use e-services, pay bills online, and interact on social media, showcasing the social commitment of youth volunteers as trainers.Initiated as the Digi Pullampara project in 2021, the initiative was later expanded across Kerala, and is aligned with the K-SMART platform, enabling citizens to apply online for services such as building permits and birth certificates.

 

2. SBI opens Centre of Excellence for MSMEs at its Gurugram Academy: State Bank of India (SBI) has launched its Centre of Excellence (CoE) for MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) at the State Bank Academy (SBA), Gurugram.The Centre has been established to strengthen the MSME ecosystem through capacity building, research, and industry collaboration, thereby contributing to India’s vision of becoming a developed nation, according to a statement by India’s largest bank.The CoE will engage with MSME promoters, startups, industry associations, academia, government, regulators, and banking professionals.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Mohamed Salah makes history with third PFA player of the year award: Liverpool star Mohamed Salah created history by becoming the first player to win the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award three times (2017-18, 2021-22, and 2024-25), with the latest honour presented at the Manchester Opera House.Salah’s 29 goals and 18 assists were instrumental in Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning campaign, cementing his status as one of the greatest players in league history.Other award winners included Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) as PFA Young Player of the Year, Mariona Caldentey (Women’s Super League award), and James Trafford (Burnley, Championship award).

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