Daily GK Update- 23rd Sept, 2025

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. BRO’s Project Vijayak Marks 15th Raising Day in Kargil with ₹1,200 Crore Expansion Plan: Project Vijayak of BRO celebrated its 15th Raising Day at Kargil, Ladakh (21 Sept 2025), marking 15 years of resilience with infrastructure works worth ₹1,200 crore as it steps into its 16th year.

Since its inception in 2010, the Project has built 1,400 km of roads and 80 major bridges, including the record reopening of Zojila Pass in just 31 days in April 2025, boosting connectivity and operational readiness.The celebrations featured Sainik Sammelan, cultural events, prayers, a bike rally to Drass War Memorial, painting competitions, and the inauguration of Vijayak Memorial, honouring both troops and local community ties.Future plans include widening key roads, new tunnels/bridges, geotextile use, slope stabilisation, digital monitoring, and eco-friendly construction, ensuring greater sustainability and high-altitude connectivity.

 

2. Rural Development Ministry Signs MoUs with NIRD&PR and 4 States to Boost DAY-NRLM Interventions: The Ministry of Rural Development signed five MoUs with NIRD&PR, Hyderabad and four SRLMs (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Telangana) to strengthen interventions under DAY-NRLM.The MoU focuses on capacity building, leadership training, multi-thematic resource pool creation, and documenting best practices.It will provide technical and strategic support to strengthen community institutions, enhance livelihoods, and promote digital innovations and FNHW interventions.

 

3. 28th National Conference on e-Governance 2025 Kicks Off in Visakhapatnam: The 28th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) 2025 was held in Visakhapatnam, organised by DARPG and MeitY in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh.The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Viksit Bharat: Civil Service and Digital Transformation’, focusing on innovative digital governance and public service reforms.The two-day event will feature 6 plenary sessions, 6 breakout sessions, and around 70 speakers sharing experiences and best practices across various sub-themes. It will be inaugurated by Dr Jitendra Singh and CM N. Chandrababu Naidu.

 

4. Piyush Goyal Launches IPRS 3.0 to Benchmark Industrial Parks and Boost India’s Industrial Competitiveness: Union Minister Piyush Goyal launched IPRS 3.0 in New Delhi, an upgraded Industrial Park Rating System developed by DPIIT with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to benchmark industrial parks.IPRS 3.0 introduces new parameters such as sustainability, green infrastructure, logistics connectivity, digitalisation, skill linkages, and enhanced tenant feedback to strengthen India’s industrial ecosystem.Industrial parks will be categorised as Leaders, Challengers, and Aspirers based on performance across key indicators, providing investors with transparent information and fostering healthy competition among States and UTs.

The initiative helps States and UTs showcase best-performing parks, identify improvement areas, attract investments, generate employment, and make India a more sustainable, inclusive, and globally competitive investment destination.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Kochi hosts 5th World Teak Conference 2025 on sustainability: Kochi host the 5th World Teak Conference (WTC) at the Grand Hyatt, marking the first time India is hosting the event with 350+ delegates from 40 countries.Themed “Sustainable Development of the Global Teak Sector – Adapting to Future Markets and Environments”, the conference will discuss socioeconomic trends, genetics, silviculture, technology, environment, and trade in the teak industry.The event is jointly organised by KFRI (under KSCSTE), MoEFCC, TEAKNET, and ITTO Japan, with technical support from FAO, IUFRO, and MAFF Japan, serving as a platform for policymakers, researchers, traders, and farmers.

 

2. Trump Unveils ‘Gold Card’ Visa Programme to Attract Wealthy Immigrants, Replacing EB-1 and EB-2 Visas: Trump launches ‘Gold Card’ visa programme aimed at attracting wealthy global individuals, offering US residency in exchange for high payments through “Gold” and “Platinum” cards.The Trump Gold Card costs $1 million and provides residency, while the Platinum Card priced at $5 million allows holders to spend up to 270 days in the US without taxes on foreign income.A corporate scheme allows businesses paying $2 million per employee to secure US residency, with options to transfer access via the “Trump Corporate Gold Card” and annual maintenance fees.The Commerce, State, and Homeland Security Departments must implement the programme within 90 days, including application processes, expedited review, fee structures, and rigorous vetting.The Gold Card is set to replace EB-1 and EB-2 visas, which currently grant permanent residency to individuals with extraordinary abilities, with additional vetting fees of $15,000 for applicants.

 

3. ISLRTC to Celebrate Sign Language Day 2025 in New Delhi: Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), to organise Sign Language Day 2025 programme in New Delhi under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, highlighting the importance of sign language.International Day of Sign Languages is observed on 23rd September by the UN to raise awareness about the role of sign language in realising the human rights of people who are Deaf.

Theme 2025: “No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights”, emphasising equality, inclusion, and dignity for persons who are Deaf.

 

4. 22 September – World Rhino Day: World Rhino Day is observed every year on 22 September to raise awareness about the need to protect the world’s five rhinoceros species.The day highlights the threats of poaching and habitat loss that endanger rhino populations globally.The five species celebrated are White Rhino, Black Rhino, Greater One-horned Rhino, Sumatran Rhino, and Javan Rhino.

 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Coast Guard Commissions Adamya-Class Fast Patrol Vessel: The Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ‘Adamya’ was commissioned at Paradip Port, Odisha on 19 September 2025. It is the first of eight Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited. This milestone marks India’s growing maritime strength and commitment to ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ with over 60% indigenous content. The vessel will operate under the ICG Region (North East) from Paradip, strengthening coastal security and surveillance. ICGS Adamya is 51 metres long and displaces about 320 tons. It is propelled by two 3000 KW diesel engines enabling speeds up to 28 knots. The ship features the first indigenously developed Controllable Pitch Propellers and gearboxes. These provide superior manoeuvrability and operational flexibility. Over 60% of the ship’s components are sourced from Indian manufacturers, showcasing self-reliance in defence shipbuilding.

 

SPORTS

 

1. Anandkumar Velkumar Becomes India’s First Speed Skating World Champion at 2025 Championships in China: Anandkumar Velkumar won gold in the men’s 42km marathon at the 2025 World Speed Skating Championships in China, also securing two golds and a bronze, becoming India’s first-ever speed skating world champion.The 22-year-old athlete began his journey on a cement badminton court near his home, achieving his international breakthrough in 2021 with a silver at the Junior World Championships and a bronze at the World Games.

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. Dhordo Village Becomes Fully Solar-Powered In Gujarat: Dhordo village in Kutch district, Gujarat, has recently become fully solar-powered. Recognised globally by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation as the ‘Best Tourism Village’, Dhordo now joins three other solar villages in Gujarat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to dedicate this achievement on 20 September during the ‘Samudra Se Samriddhi’ event in Bhavnagar. This milestone marks Gujarat’s leadership in sustainable and clean energy. Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, every household in Dhordo has been equipped with solar rooftops. A total of 81 homes now generate their own electricity with a combined capacity of 177 kilowatts. This project aims to produce nearly 2.95 lakh units of electricity annually. It helps reduce electricity bills and provides an additional income source by selling surplus power to the grid.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Piyush Goyal Releases Guidebook on Mapping of 12,167 HSN Codes to Strengthen Trade and Policy Coordination: Union Minister Piyush Goyal released the “Guidebook on Mapping of HSN Codes” in New Delhi, prepared by DPIIT, to facilitate better trade and policymaking.The guidebook allocates 12,167 HSN Codes across 31 Ministries and Departments, helping establish product-level linkages and supporting sectoral growth guided by domain expertise.Mapping HSN codes with respective ministries will simplify business coordination, improve efficiency, reduce compliance burdens, and strengthen India’s position in trade negotiations.

 

2. India and ADB Sign $125 Million Loan to Boost Urban Livability and Climate Resilience in Assam: India and ADB sign $125 million loan agreement to improve urban livability and climate resilience in six district headquarters and Guwahati, Assam, benefiting around 3.6 lakh residents.Key infrastructure investments include six water treatment plants with a combined capacity of 72 million litres per day and 800 km of distribution pipelines across Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Dhubri, Goalpara, Golaghat, and Nalbari.Stormwater management in Guwahati will be enhanced through flood diversion channels, upgraded drainage systems, and a nature-based retention pond to reduce flood discharge and improve groundwater recharge.The project will strengthen urban governance via institutional reforms, capacity building, real-time monitoring systems, and the establishment of the Assam State Institute for Urban Development in collaboration with IIT Guwahati.

 

3. RBI Cancels Datta Finance’s CoR Over Violations in Digital Lending Operations: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the Certificate of Registration (CoR) of New Delhi-based Datta Finance and Trading Pvt. Ltd. for irregularities in its digital lending operations.The NBFC was found violating RBI’s guidelines on outsourcing of financial services and the code of conduct in digital lending.The company had outsourced its core decision-making functions to service providers, which is against RBI norms.

 

4. Bank of Baroda Launches eRUPI P2P Digital Gifting on bob इ Pay UPI App: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has launched eRUPI Person-to-Person (P2P) digital gifting on its bob इ Pay UPI app, becoming the first in the banking industry to offer this feature.Powered by NPCI’s e-RUPI platform, the feature allows customers to send personalised, purpose-specific, prepaid digital vouchers to family, friends, or other beneficiaries, interoperable across all UPI platforms.Vouchers can range from ₹1 to ₹10,000, are non-transferable, and unused vouchers are automatically refunded to the sender; there is no limit on the number of vouchers issued, subject to daily UPI transaction limits.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1.  Legendary Actor Mohanlal to Receive Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2023 for Iconic Contribution to Indian Cinema: Legendary actor Mohanlal to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2023 for his iconic contribution to Indian cinema, as announced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.Mohanlal’s cinematic journey spans multiple languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, inspiring generations with his versatility, talent, and dedication.The actor has previously been honoured with Padma Shri (2001) and Padma Bhushan (2019) and won the Best Feature Film Award as a producer for Vanaprastham.The award will be presented at the 71st National Film Awards ceremony, recognising his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.