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čHãņĐŪStudyWorld

2/18/2025, 2:13:13 AM

The key current affairs updates for India as of **February 18, 2025**, curated from recent developments: --- ### **1. Political and Governance Updates** - **New Chief Election Commissioner Appointed**: Gyanesh Kumar was selected as India’s new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by a committee headed by PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi . - **Deregulation Commission Announced**: PM Modi unveiled plans for a Deregulation Commission to reduce bureaucratic hurdles and boost ease of doing business, aligning with India’s economic transformation goals . - **Karnataka Tops Governance Index**: Karnataka ranked first in the 2024 Local Governance Performance Index, while Uttar Pradesh rose 10 places to 5th, reflecting improved transparency and administrative reforms . --- ### **2. Economic and Policy Developments** - **RBI Cuts Repo Rate**: The Reserve Bank of India reduced the repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25%, the first cut in five years, aiming to stimulate economic activity . - **SEBI Launches RPT Portal**: A new portal for Related Party Transactions (RPT) was introduced to enhance corporate governance transparency . - **Defense Export Milestone**: India finalized a $200 million deal to supply the Akash missile system to the Philippines, boosting defense exports . --- ### **3. Social and Environmental Issues** - **Maha Kumbh Mela Challenges**: Over 54 crore devotees bathed in Prayagraj, but the Central Pollution Control Board flagged high faecal coliform levels in river water. A stampede at New Delhi Railway Station during the event killed 18, prompting ₹10 lakh compensation for victims’ families . - **Extreme Weather Crisis**: A report highlighted India’s vulnerability to extreme weather, with 10% of global deaths and $180 billion in economic losses since 1993 . - **Yamuna Cleanup Initiative**: Delhi LG VK Saxena launched a three-year plan using trash skimmers and dredgers to clean the Yamuna River . --- ### **4. International Relations** - **BRICS Summit in Rio**: Brazil will host the 17th BRICS Summit (July 6–7, 2025), focusing on Global South cooperation and governance reforms . - **India-US Mission 500**: A bilateral initiative to boost trade and investment, announced during PM Modi’s visit to the U.S. . - **Philippines Defense Deal**: The Akash missile export deal strengthens India’s role as a defense supplier . --- ### **5. Legal and Judicial Updates** - **Supreme Court Directives**: The SC ordered retrials for a UP death row convict due to procedural lapses and sought data from high courts on pending bail appeals . - **New India Cooperative Bank Scam**: Two accused in a ₹122 crore fraud case were remanded to police custody until February 21 . --- ### **6. Science, Technology, and Defense** - **F-35 Stealth Jets Considered**: Discussions on acquiring F-35 fighter jets to enhance the Indian Air Force’s capabilities . - **Meta’s Undersea Cable Project**: A 50,000-km cable (Project Waterworth) will improve India-US digital connectivity, aiding economic growth . - **DRDO Success**: Successful flight trials of the Very Short-Range Air Defense (VSHORAD) system . --- ### **7. Banking and Business** - **Axis Bank Funds Ashoka University**: A ₹104 crore grant was pledged for research in neurosciences and physics . - **Campa Cola’s IPL Entry**: Reliance’s Campa Cola secured IPL 2025 co-presenting rights, challenging Coca-Cola’s dominance . --- ### **8. Key Events and Days** - **Global Tourism Resilience Day**: Observed on February 17, emphasizing strategies to sustain tourism amid crises . - **International Childhood Cancer Day**: Highlighted on February 15, advocating for better healthcare access . --- ### **9. Regional Updates** - **Kerala Aadhaar-Linked Vehicle Rule**: Mandatory linking of Aadhaar-registered mobile numbers with vehicle certificates from March 1 . - **Maharashtra Factory Explosion**: Two deaths reported in Nagpur’s Kalmeshwar taluka . --- ### **10. Miscellaneous** - **Deportations from the U.S.**: Over 200 Indian migrants were deported, with reports of harsh treatment (handcuffing and chaining) during transit . - **Controversy Over "India’s Got Latent"**: Legal actions against comedians for alleged offensive remarks, drawing criticism from political and social groups . ---

čHãņĐŪStudyWorld

2/18/2025, 10:13:21 AM

**78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) Winners list** The 78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) took place on February 16, 2025, at the Royal Festival Hall in London, with David Tennant hosting the event. The evening highlighted outstanding achievements in cinema, with "Conclave" and "The Brutalist" each securing four awards. Major Winners: Best Film: "Conclave" Outstanding British Film: "Conclave" Best Director: Brady Corbet for "The Brutalist" Leading Actress: Mikey Madison for "Anora" Leading Actor: Adrien Brody for "The Brutalist" Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña for "Emilia Pérez" Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin for "A Real Pain" Best Film Not in the English Language: "Emilia Pérez" Best Documentary: "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" Best Animated Film: "Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl" Notable Highlights: "Conclave," directed by Edward Berger, dominated with awards for Best Film and Outstanding British Film. Brady Corbet's "The Brutalist" matched "Conclave" with four awards, including Best Director and Leading Actor for Adrien Brody. Mikey Madison's unexpected win for Leading Actress in "Anora" was a standout moment, especially after missing the EE Rising Star Award. Zoe Saldaña's performance in "Emilia Pérez" earned her the Supporting Actress award, which she dedicated to her trans nephew. Kieran Culkin, awarded Supporting Actor for "A Real Pain," was absent due to a family illness; director Jesse Eisenberg accepted on his behalf. "Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl" delighted audiences, winning Best Animated Film and the inaugural Children's and Family Film award.

čHãņĐŪStudyWorld

2/19/2025, 2:40:11 AM

**Wholesale Price Index (WPI)2024**

čHãņĐŪStudyWorld

2/19/2025, 2:43:59 AM

𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙎𝙐𝙈𝙀𝙍 𝙋𝙍𝙄𝘾𝙀 𝙄𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙓 2024

čHãņĐŪStudyWorld

2/26/2025, 3:27:19 AM

AWARDS 2024 In December 2024, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Chairperson of Biocon Group, was conferred the 2024 Jamsetji Tata award by the Indian Society for Quality (ISQ) at ISQ Annual Conference 2024 held in Bengaluru, Karnataka. In December 2024, Union Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), was awarded the Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi National Eminence Award for Public Leadership from the South Indian Education Society (SIES), one of India’s oldest educational societies, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Yash Chopra and Shyam Benegal will receive the Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award at the Jaipur International Film Festival 2025, and who will be honored with a tribute for their cinematic legacy. Aparna Sen, a renowned director, was honored with the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at the West Bengal Film Journalists Association (WBFJA) annual ceremony for her significant contributions to Indian cinema. Tarun Das was recently honored with the Singapore Honorary Citizen Award for strengthening India- Singapore bilateral relations. TV Gopalakrishnan has been honoured with the RK Srikantan Trust Award at the Sankranti Music Festival in Bengaluru. Chandigarh university was honored with the prestigious MAKA Trophy 2024 and had a student, Sanjay Kumar, receive the Arjuna Award for hockey. Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, was honored with the Maharaja Hari Singh Peace and Harmony Award 2024-25. Jasprit Bumrah has been honoured with the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year at the ICC Awards, recognizing his extraordinary 2024 performance. Sachin Tendulkar will be conferred with the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award at the Board's annual gala for 2024. Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana won the BCCI's Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer in 2023-24 in the men's and women's category respectively. Chaman Arora has been awarded the **Sahitya Akademi Award 2024** for his book **Ik Hor Ashwthama** in Dogri literature. Coal India Limited (CIL) has been conferred with the prestigious Golden Peacock CSR Award 2024 at the 19th International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility held in Mumbai. Raj P Narayanam was honored with the 2024 Hurun Industry Achievement Award for Financial Solutions Innovation. NTPC LIMITED, India's largest integrated power utility, has been honoured with Forward Faster Sustainability Award 2025 in the Water Resilience category, in February 2025. N. Chandrasekaran was recently awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for contributions to UK-India business relations. Startek India company won the prestigious Golden Peacock HR Excellence Award for its outstanding HR practices and commitment to employee experience. Dr. Bhagyashree Patil was honored with the Vishalakshi Award 2025 for her contributions to education. Indian shooter Manu Bhaker was honored with the 'BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award 2024', becoming the first Indian woman to win 2 bronze medals in a single edition of the Games at Paris 2024 Olympics. Sunil Bharti Mittal was awarded the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) medal at a special investiture ceremony held at the British High Commissioner's residence in New Delhi.

čHãņĐŪStudyWorld

2/27/2025, 6:03:26 AM

Updated GDP LIST ✨CRISIL (FY26): 6.5% ✨NSO (FY24): 8.2% !! (FY25): 6.4% ✨S&P Global Ratings (FY25): 6.4%, !! 2025-2026(FY26): 6.4% ✨ World Bank (2025-2027): 6.7% ✨ Morgan Stanley (FY25): 6.3% !! 2024- 6.8% ✨ Fitch Ratings (FY25): 6.4% ✨RBI (2023-24): 6.5% !! FY25: 7.2%!! ✨IMF (FY25): 6.5% ! (FY26) or (FY27): 6.5% 🌟India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) {2024-25}= 7.2% !! FY26: 6.6% !! FY24: 6.4%!! 🌟 Moody's (2025): 6.4% !! {2026: 6.5%} 🌟SBI (FY25): 6.3% 🌟 Asian Development Bank (FY25): 6.5% !(FY26): 7.2%! 🌟United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (2024): 6.5% 🌟National Institute of Public Finance and Policy's GDP(FY25): 6.9%- 7.1% 🌟Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)(FY24): 7.8% !! FY25: 6.8% !! 🌟ICRA Ltd. (FY25,Q-1): 6.7% ! Q-2: 6.5% ! Q-3(October -December 2025 FY25): 6.4% 🌟 Goldman Sachs Group Inc (2024): 6.7%, !! 2025- 6.3% !! 🌟Deloitte India (FY25): 6.5% to 6 8% 🌟Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) {FY24}: 8% 🌟FICCI (FY25): 6.4% 🌟Nomura Holdings Inc. (FY25): 6.7% 🌟CareEdge Ratings(FY25): 6.5% 🌟PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI)(FY25): 6.8%

čHãņĐŪStudyWorld

1/30/2025, 2:17:49 AM

**Winners of the Republic Day 2025 tableau awards:** - *Best Tableau from States/UTs:** - - - **First Place:* Uttar Pradesh, for its tableau on the Mahakumbh festival ¹** - **Second Place:* Tripura, for its tableau on "Eternal Reverence: The Worship of 14 Deities during Kharchi Puja"** - **Third Place:* Andhra Pradesh, for its tableau on "Etikoppaka Bommalu - Eco-Friendly Wooden Toys"** - **Best Tableau from Central Ministries/Departments:** - Ministry of Tribal Affairs, for its tableau on "Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh" - **Special Prize:** - Central Public Works Department, for its tableau on "75 years of Constitution of India" - **Best Marching Contingent:** - - Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Contingent, among the three services. - Delhi Police, among CAPFs/other auxiliary forces.

čHãņĐŪStudyWorld

1/23/2025, 4:33:41 AM

**What is the Entity Locker?** An Entity Locker is a secure mechanism or facility used to store and safeguard assets, data, or sensitive information belonging to an organization, individual, or legal entity. The term can apply in various contexts, including physical, digital, and financial domains. Below is a detailed explanation: --- Types of Entity Lockers **1. Physical Entity Locker:** Refers to a secure physical storage unit, such as a vault or safe. Used by organizations to store important documents (e.g., title deeds, legal contracts), valuables, or proprietary assets. Features high-security measures like biometric access, PIN codes, and time-based locks. **2. Digital Entity Locker:** A virtual storage system where entities can store data, digital documents, or credentials securely. Examples include cloud-based digital lockers for government services (e.g., India's DigiLocker), enterprise document management systems, or blockchain-based data vaults. **Features include:** Encrypted data storage. Role-based access control. Version tracking for changes. **3. Banking and Financial Locker:** A facility provided by banks for individuals or organizations to store physical or electronic assets securely. **Features:** Secure physical or online lockers for jewelry, important documents, or cryptocurrency wallets. Controlled access regulated by agreements and authorized users. **4. Blockchain Entity Locker:** In blockchain, an entity locker refers to a digital tool designed to securely store tokens, private keys, or sensitive data associated with blockchain transactions. Typically used in decentralized applications, crypto trading platforms, and secure blockchain networks. --- **Features of Entity Lockers** **1. High Security:** Layers of encryption, access control mechanisms, and multi-factor authentication. Physical security through guards, surveillance, and reinforced materials (for physical lockers). **2. Accessibility:** Cloud-based and accessible through web portals for digital lockers. Physical lockers provide controlled access during defined hours or by special arrangement. **3. Audit Logs:** Tracks who accessed the locker, when, and what changes were made. **4. Interoperability:** Digital entity lockers often integrate with other applications or systems for seamless operation (e.g., integration with enterprise software). **5. Redundancy & Recovery:** Ensures stored data or assets are backed up and recoverable even in the event of accidental deletion, disaster, or loss. --- **Benefits of an Entity Locker** **1. Security:** Ensures data and assets are safe from unauthorized access or theft. **2. Convenience:** Centralized storage that is easily manageable and accessible. **3. Compliance:** Helps organizations meet regulatory standards for data storage and asset security. **4. Peace of Mind:** Reduces worries about potential loss or damage of valuable items or sensitive information. --- **Applications of Entity Lockers** **1. Government Services:** Digital lockers for citizens to store identification documents, licenses, and certificates. Example: DigiLocker in India allows individuals to store Aadhaar, driving licenses, etc. **2. Corporate Sector:** Secure storage of trade secrets, contracts, and confidential data. **3. Banking Sector:** Used by banks to store customer valuables and provide encryption for financial data in online systems. **4. Education:** Safekeeping of certificates, grade sheets, and important records digitally. **5. Healthcare:** To store sensitive patient data, test reports, and other medical records securely. --- **Challenges** **1. Cybersecurity Threats (For Digital Lockers):** Vulnerable to hacking or phishing if poorly managed. **2. Accessibility Issues:** Difficulty in retrieving assets during emergencies, especially with physical lockers. Dependency on specific platforms or technology for digital lockers. **3. Cost:** Setting up and maintaining secure lockers can be expensive for organizations. **4. Regulatory Compliance:** Ensuring the locker meets all legal and data protection laws applicable in the jurisdiction. --- In summary, an Entity Locker acts as a storage solution that prioritizes security, accessibility, and convenience, catering to diverse needs in personal, financial, corporate, and digital contexts.

čHãņĐŪStudyWorld

1/20/2025, 7:30:46 AM

**UPDATED GDP LIST** ✨CRISIL (FY25): 6.7% ✨NSO (FY24): 8.2% !! (FY25): 6.4% ✨S&P Global Ratings (FY25): 6.8%, !! 2026-2027(FY27): 6.5% to 7% ✨ World Bank (2025-2027): 6.7% ✨ Morgan Stanley (FY25): 6.3% !! 2024- 6.8% ✨ Fitch Ratings (FY25): 6.4% ✨RBI (2023-24): 6.5% !! FY25: 7.2%!! ✨IMF (FY25): 6.5% ! (FY26) or (FY27): 6.5% 🌟India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) {2024-25}= 7.2% !! FY26: 6.6% !! FY24: 6.4%!! 🌟 Moody's (2024): 7.1% !! {2025: 6.6%} !! {2026: 6.5%} 🌟SBI (FY25): 6.3% 🌟 Asian Development Bank (FY25): 6.5% !(FY26): 7.2%! 🌟United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (2024): 6.5% 🌟National Institute of Public Finance and Policy's GDP(FY25): 6.9%- 7.1% 🌟Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)(FY24): 7.8% !! FY25: 6.8% !! 🌟ICRA Ltd. (FY25,Q-1): 6.7% ! Q-2: 6.5% 🌟 Goldman Sachs Group Inc (2024): 6.7%, !! 2025- 6.3% !! 🌟SBI GDP (FY25): 7.0% to 7.1% 🌟Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) {FY24}: 8% 🌟FICCI (FY25): 6.4% 🌟Nomura Holdings Inc. (FY25): 6.7% 🌟CareEdge Ratings(FY25): 6.5% 🌟PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI)(FY25): 6.8%