Current Affairs Daily Digest – 1 March 2025

MeitY Launches Aadhaar Good Governance Portal to Enhance Ease of Living
In February 2025, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched the ‘Aadhaar Good Governance portal’ to streamline the approval process for Aadhaar authentication requests.

• This initiative highlights the government’s dedication to improving the quality of life for citizens by increasing access to services, and strengthening the overall citizen-centric approach to service delivery.

Key People:
The Aadhaar Good Governance portal was launched by S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY and in the presence of Bhuvnesh Kumar, Chief executive Officer (CEO) Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Inder Pal Singh Sethi, Director General (DG) of National Informatics Centre (NIC), Manish Bhardwaj, Deputy Director General (DDG) UIDAI, Amod Kumar, DDG UIDAI and other senior officials from MeitY, UIDAI and NIC.
About Aadhaar Good Governance portal:
i.The portal comes into effect, after Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Amendment Rules, 2025, issued under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 was notified in January 2025.

• This amendment was made to improve transparency and inclusivity in decision-making.

ii.The portal will serve as a resource-rich guide, providing a complete Standard operating procedure (SOP) for authentication seekers on how to apply and onboard for Aadhaar authentication.
iii.Face Authentication may also be implemented into private entities’ customer-facing applications (apps), allowing for authentication at anytime and anywhere.
iv.MeitY proposed rules that would allow entities other than Government Ministries and Departments to authenticate Aadhaar, making it more user-friendly.
v.This collaborative strategy aims to promote transparency and inclusivity in the Aadhaar authentication process, hence improving governance and service delivery to all citizens.
Role of Aadhaar:
i.Aadhaar is considered as the most trusted Digital Identity (ID) in the world. Over the last decade, more than a billion Indians trusted Aadhaar by using it to authenticate themselves over 100 billion times.
iii.It will also be useful for service providers to track staff attendance, customer onboarding, Electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) verification, exam registrations, and so on.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Unveils New Maritime Initiatives to Boost India’s Global Trade
On February 27, 2025, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW), launched several initiatives includes One Nation-One Port Process (ONOP), Bharat Global Ports Consortium and MAITRI Application(app), aimed at modernizing India’s maritime infrastructure and enhancing its position in global trade.

• These announcements were made during a stakeholder meeting in Mumbai (Maharashtra) focused on opportunities outlined in the Union Budget 2025-26 for the maritime sector.

i.ONOP: The One Nation-One Port Process (ONOP) was launched to streamline with Immigration, the Port Health Organization (PHO), and Port Authorities, reducing container documentation by 33% (from 143 to 96) and bulk cargo documents by 29% (from 150 to 106), addressing inefficiencies, costs, and operational delays.
ii.Bharat Global Ports Consortium: The consortium launched, is comprised of India Ports Global Limited (IPGL) in Mumbai (Maharashtra), Sagarmala Development Company Limited (SDCL) in New Delhi (Delhi), and India Port Rail & Ropeway Corporation Limited (IPRCL) in New Delhi.
iii.MAITRI App & Digital Integration: The MAITRI Application (App) (Master Application for International Trade and Regulatory Interface) was launched to streamline trade processes, reduce bureaucratic redundancies, and expedite clearances.
About Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW):
Union Minister- Sarbananda Sonowal (Constituency- Dibrugarh, Assam)
Minister of State (MoS)- Shantanu Thakur (Constituency- Bangaon, West Bengal, WB)

MoSPI’s TUS 2024: Women Spent 71 mins a day on ‘work related activities’ in 2024
In February 2025, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 2nd edition all-India Time Use Survey (TUS) conducted during January-December, 2024 by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under MoSPI.

• As per TUS 2024, the amount of time spent by women in ‘employment-related activities’ was 71 minutes per day  in 2024, which is 10 minutes more compared to TUS 2019.
• While, the amount of time spent by men in ‘employment-related activities’ has increased from 263 minutes (in TUS, 2019) to 287 minutes (in TUS, 2024).

i.It showed that 75% of the males and 25% of the females in the age group of 15-59 years, participated in the employment and related activities in a day i.e. 24 hours (hrs) in 2024, as against 70.9% for males and 21.8% for females during 2019.
ii.The amount spent by female participants aged 15-59 years in unpaid domestic service has declined from 315 minutes (in 2024) to 305 minutes during 2019 in those activities; this signifies the shift from unpaid to paid activities.
About Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementaion (MoSPI):
Minister of State (MoS)(Independent Charge, IC)-Rao Inderjit Singh (Constituency- Gurugram, Haryana)

CSE and DTE Release 12th Edition of State of India’s Environment Report 2025In February 2025, The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) based in New Delhi, Delhi and Down To Earth (DTE) Magazine released the 12th edition of  Annual State of India’s Environment Report 2025. The report was launched at the Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2025 held at the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute in Nimli, Rajasthan.

• The report provides an in-depth analysis of key environmental developments and challenges faced by India.
• The report was officially released by Sunita Narain, Director General (DG) of CSE, alongside prominent figures such as India’s G20 (Group of 20) Sherpa Amitabh Kant, former Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and management expert Raj Liberhan.

Key Focus:
i.It examines the impact of climate change on rivers, air pollution, and rising temperatures, highlighting the increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
ii.The report also addresses concerns related to waste management, particularly plastic pollution, and sheds light on the growing crisis of biodiversity loss and environmental degradation.

• A special focus has been placed on the 40th anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, reflecting on its long-term effects.

iii.The report also explores India’s ambitious target of achieving 500 Gigawatt (GW) of Renewable Energy (RE), along with the rising challenges of migration and displacement due to climate change.
Key Findings:
i.The report highlights that human activities have introduced 140,000 new chemicals into the environment. Every year, 220 billion tonnes of chemicals are released, including 65 kilogram (kg) of cancer-causing substances per second.
ii.Globally, 160 million chemicals are known, with 60,000 still poorly understood or regulated. India uses 255,000 tonnes of pesticides annually, raising concerns about their effects on human health and ecosystems.
iii.India experienced 255 days of extreme weather in the first nine months of 2024, surpassing 235 events in 2023 and 241 in 2022. This led to severe damage to agriculture, affecting 3.2 million hectares of farmland, which is 74% more than in 2022.
iv.The year 2024 was the hottest ever recorded, with global temperatures 1.60 degrees Celsius (°C) higher than pre-industrial levels.

AISEF Organised International Spice Conference 2025 in Bengaluru, KarnatakaErnakulam (Kerala)-based All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF) organised International Spice Conference (ISC) 2025 which was held from February 24 to February 27, 2025 at Leela Bhartiya City, Bengaluru in Karnataka.

• The conference aimed at leading conversations on building a resilient and responsible future for the spice sector.
• Theme ISC 2025: ‘Building Trust Beyond Borders: Transparency, Sustainability, Conference’.

i.The conference was inaugurated by Krishna M. Ella, Executive Chairman, Bharat Biotech International Limited.
ii.During ISC 2025, AISEF signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA), to improve collaboration in the international spice trade.
ii.Paresh Shah, Chairman of sub-committee, Scientific Panel on Pesticide Residues, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) informed that a revised Maximum Residue Level (MRL) for spices and culinary herbs is in the offing, which is expected to help enhance market access for Indian exporters.
About All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF):
Chairman- Emmanuel Nambusseril
Headquarters- Ernakulam, Kerala
Established- 1987

India Extends USD 1 Million for Food Fortification Project in Lao PDR
On February 28, 2025, the Government of India (GoI) extended a grant of approximately USD 1 million to the Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) under the India-United Nations (UN) Development Partnership Fund.

• The grant will support the project titled ‘Strengthening Large-scale Food Fortification: The Case of Investing in Rice Fortification.’

Key Points:
i.The project is implemented by the Rome(Italy) based World Food Programme (WFP), aims to strengthen food systems, address long-term nutrition-specific strategies, promote food fortification programs, and increase nutritional diversity and overcome micro-nutrient deficiencies in Lao PDR.

• It aims to solve ongoing malnutrition challenges by fortifying an essential food, rice, which is widely consumed across Lao PDR.

ii.The project’s support is a reflection of India’s longstanding and multifaceted collaboration with the Lao PDR.
iii.The Fund values the principles of South-South cooperation and prioritizes national ownership, sustainability, and the development of local competence.
iv.The GoI has invested USD 150 million to this Fund, which has supported 85 projects across 65 countries.
v.India-UN Development Partnership Fund was established by the GoI in 2017. It supports projects in developing countries that aim to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

RBI Imposed Monetary Penalty on Bombay Mercantile Co-operative Bank Limited and Two Others
In February 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed monetary penalty of Rs 33.30 lakh on Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Bombay Mercantile Co-operative Bank Limited, for violating certain provisions and earning more income from business not allowed under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

• As on March 31, 2023, RBI conducted statutory inspection of the bank with reference to its financial position.
• This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers conferred on RBI under the provisions of Section 47A(1)(c) read with Sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.

i.It has also imposed monetary penalty of Rs 1 lakh each on two other co-operative Banks: Nashik (Maharashtra)-based Business Co-operative Bank Limited and Nashik-based Lasalgaon Merchant Co-operative Bank Limited.
ii.Both these banks were found violating certain provisions and non-adherence with certain directions issued by the RBI on “Income Recognition, Asset Classification, Provisioning and Other Related Matters- Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs)”.

BoB Launches Merchant Loyalty/Cashback Programme to Boost CBDC
On 27 February 2025, Vadodara (Gujarat) based Bank of Baroda (BoB) launched a pilot for a “Merchant Loyalty/Cashback Programme” using programmable Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) for their customers using “bob Merchant App”.

• The project was established under the guidance of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), allows small and medium-sized merchants to design and administer independent loyalty programmes.

i.Merchants banking with BoB and registered on its app can set up cashback offers without further infrastructure costs.
ii.Pharmacies, grocery stores, and local retailers can customize campaigns by adjusting the duration, cashback percentage and expiry date.
iii.Customers who use the digital rupee app to make purchases will receive cashback in the form of programmable CBDC. This offer is currently available only to BoB account members.  The cashback can be redeemed at the same merchant outlet until expiry.
iv.The initiative aims to enhance CBDC usage by making digital payments more appealing to retailers and customers.  It is also supposed to help small businesses stay competitive by increasing customer retention and repeat business.

Japan and India Renewed Bilateral Swap Arrangement of USD 75 Billion
On February 28, 2025, Japan and India renewed their 2nd Amendment and Restatement Agreement of the Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA), maintaining the agreement of up to USD 75 billion. The agreement was signed by the Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Tokyo(Japan) based Bank of Japan (BoJ), acting as the agent for Japan’s Ministry of Finance.

• The arrangement aims to deepen the financial cooperation between Japan and India, complementing other global and regional financial safety nets.

i.The BSA is a two-way financial arrangement where both countries can swap their local currencies in exchange for United States (US) dollars. 
ii.This ensures liquidity support during times of market stress and plays a critical role in strengthening the financial systems of both nations.
iii.The renewed agreement, effective from February 28, 2025, enhances regional and global financial stability, as a long-term strategy to foster economic ties and maintain financial resilience in times of crisis.

SEBI & OBPP Association Launches Bond Central Portal to Boost Retail Investor Participation in Corporate Bonds.
On February 28, 2025, Mumbai(Maharashtra) based Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched ‘Bond Central’ portal, a centralized database portal for corporate bonds to Boost Retail Investor Participation in Corporate Bonds. The portal has been developed by Online Bond Platform Providers Association (OBPP Association), in collaboration with Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) such as the National Stock Exchange (NSE), Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), and Central Depository Services Limited (CDSL)

• This platform is designed to enhance transparency and accessibility in India’s corporate bond market, particularly for retail investors.

i.Bond Central provides comprehensive bond listings, offering a unified view of corporate bonds from various issuers and exchanges.
ii.It enables investors to compare corporate bond prices with Government Securities (G-Secs) and other fixed-income indices.
iii.The platform also offers investor-centric information, including risk assessments, bond documents, and disclosures for effective decision-making.
iv.It also promotes enhanced transparency by standardizing corporate bond data, reducing information asymmetry, and building investor trust.
Note: Following the 327% increase in monthly transactions of corporate bonds and Structured Debt Instruments (SDIs) over the past year, Bond Central aims to support SEBI’s vision of increasing retail participation in India’s corporate bond market.

AWBI Confers “Prani Mitra” & “Jeev Daya” Awards 2025 for Animal Welfare and ProtectionOn 27 February 2025, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) conferred the Prani Mitra and Jeev Daya Award Ceremony, held in New Delhi, Delhi. AWBI was established under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act of 1960 to ensure that animals are not subjected to undue pain or suffering.

• This event aims to recognize outstanding individuals and organizations for their extraordinary contributions to animal welfare and protection.

Key People:
The event was graced by Union Ministers of State, S.P. Singh Baghel and George Kurian, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAHD), and Alka Upadhyaya, Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department (AHD), Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Animal Husbandry Commissioner and Chairman, AWBI along with senior officials of the ministry and representatives from state governments were also attended the occasion.
About Prani Mitra and Jeev Daya Awards:
i.The awards will be presented under two major categories: Prani Mitra Award and Jeev Daya Award.

• The Prani Mitra Award was introduced in 1966 and the Jeev Daya Award in 2001.

ii.The Prani Mitra Award will be presented under five sub-categories, namely Advocacy (Individual), Innovative Idea (Individual), Lifetime Animal Service (Individual), along with two awards each for Animal Welfare Organizations and for Corporate, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), Government Bodies, or Cooperatives.
iii.The Jeev Daya Award will be presented in three sub-categories: Individual, Animal Welfare Organization, and for either Schools, Institutions, Teachers, or Children.
List of Awardees:
Prani Mitra Award:

ii.These books will serve as vital tools for veterinarians, policymakers and field authorities seeking to ensure quick and effective responses for animal welfare.

Tuhin Kanta Pandey Appointed as 11th Chairman of SEBI
On 27 February 2025, Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Finance Secretary and Secretary of Department of Revenue(DoR), Ministry of Finance (MoF), was appointed as the 11th Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved his appointment for an initial term of three years from the date he assumes charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
• He will replace Madhabi Puri Buch, SEBI’s first woman chairperson, whose term ends on 1 March 2025.

About Tuhin Kanta Pandey:
i.Tuhin Kanta Pandey, a 1987-batch Indian Administration Service (IAS) officer from the Odisha cadre.

• He has worked in both state and central governments, handling key responsibilities across various departments.

ii.He was the longest-serving secretary in the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), MoF. He also held charge of the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), MoF, as well as the Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions(MoPP&P).
iii.He also worked at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s (UNIDO) Regional Office for a while.
vi.Additionally, he served as a Joint Secretary in the Planning Commission (now National Institution for Transforming India(NITI) Aayog), Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, and Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce (MoC).
v.On 9 January 2025, he took over as the Secretary of DoR, succeeding Sanjay Malhotra, who moved to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as its governor.
vi.He drafted the Union Budget 2025-26, which included Rs 1 lakh crore in tax reliefs for the middle class.

• He was involved in drafting the new Income Tax Bill, which aimed at replacing the Income Tax Act of 1961, which was 64 years old.

About Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI):
The SEBI was established as a non-statutory body on April 12, 1988. It became a statutory body on January 30, 1992, when the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 came into force.
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Russian Chess Grandmaster Boris Spassky Passed Away
On 27 February 2025, Russian chess grandmaster Boris Spassky passed away at the age of 88 in Moscow, Russia. He was born on 30 January 1937 in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Russia.

• He became the 10th World Chess Champion in 1969 and held the title from 1969-1972.

i.Boris Spassky competed with American Bobby Fischer in 1972, which was a Cold War conflict between East (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR) and West (United States of America, USA).

• He was referred to as the “match of the century” against American Bobby Fischer in 1972.

ii.He represented France in three chess Olympiads in 1984, 1986, and 1988, and played in the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris, France during the 1990s.

Rare Disease Day 2025 – February 29
Rare Disease Day is observed annually across the globe on the last day of February, either 28 or 29 in leap years (the rarest day of the year), to raise awareness for the people impacted by rare diseases and unite individuals from over 100 nations.

• Rare Disease Day 2025, observed on 28 February 2025, marks the observance of 18th Rare Disease Day.
• The 2025 theme of Rare Disease Day, “More than you can imagine; an anthology of rare experiences,” highlights the challenges, resilience, and experiences of people living with rare diseases.

i. Rare Disease Day was introduced in 2008 by the European Organisation for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS)-Rare Diseases Europe and its Council of National Alliances (CNA).

• The first-ever Rare Disease Day occurred in 2008, with events held across 18 countries.

ii.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the classification of a rare disease is based on its epidemiology, with the frequency of such diseases being less than 6.5-10 per 10,000 individuals.
About EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe:
EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe is a non-governmental, Non-Profit Alliance (NPA) consisting of over 1,000 rare disease patient organizations from 74 countries and individuals engaged in Europe’s rare disease community.
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) -Virginie Bros-Facer
Headquarters – Paris, France
Established – 1997

National Science Day 2025 – February 28
National Science Day (NSD) is observed annually on February 28 across India to honor the groundbreaking discovery of the ‘Raman Effect‘ by Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (CV Raman), a pioneering Indian physicist, in 1928. This day serves to highlight the importance of science in everyday life and acknowledges the invaluable contributions of scientists in shaping the progress of India.

• 28th February 2025 marks the observance of the 39th NSD.
• The theme of NSD 2025, “Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat,” highlights the role of young minds in advancing India’s scientific and technological growth, in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, which aims for a developed and self-reliant India.

Background:
i.In 1986, the National Council for Science and Technology Communication (NCSTC) recommended to the Government of India (GoI) that February 28 be designated as NSD.
ii.The first-ever NSD was observed on February 28, 1987.
India’s Key Advancements in S&T:
i.Global Ranking: In 2024, India achieved significant progress in Science and Technology (S&T), ranked 39th in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024, and secured the 6th position in global Intellectual Property (IP) filings, as reported by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
ii.ANRF: Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) under the ANRF Act 2023 aims to boost India’s research and development ecosystem. Key programs under the ANRF include: PM Early Career Research Grant (PMECRG), supporting young researchers, and Electric Vehicle (EV) Mission, focusing on sustainable mobility innovation.
iii.NQM: India has invested Rs.6003.65 crore over 8 years in the National Quantum Mission (NQM), aiming to lead in quantum technologies.
iv.National Supercomputing Mission (NSM): India’s supercomputing infrastructure expanded to 32 PetaFlops in 2024, with a future target of 77 PetaFlops.
v.TDB: The Technology Development Board (TDB) allocated Rs.220.73 crore to support 7 key technological projects, enabling innovation in critical sectors.
vi.INSPIRE: The Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) program continues to foster young scientific talent, with 34,343 INSPIRE Scholars, 3,363 INSPIRE Fellows, and 316 INSPIRE Faculty Fellows receiving support for higher education and research.
About Sir CV Raman: 
i.Sir CV Raman was born on November 7, 1888, in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu (TN) who made significant contributions to science.
ii.In 1917, he was appointed as the first Palit Professor of Physics at the University of Calcutta, informally known as Calcutta University (CU) in Kolkata (West Bengal, WB).

• In 1919, he also served as the Honorary Secretary of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) in Kolkata.

iii.In 1928, he discovered the ‘Raman Effect’, observing that when light passes through a transparent material, a portion of the light changes its wavelength, providing insights into molecular structures.
iv.In 1948, he established the Raman Research Institute (RRI) in Bengaluru and served as its Director until his passing on November 21, 1970.

Zero Discrimination Day 2025 – March 1 The United Nations (UN’s) ‘Zero Discrimination Day’ is observed annually on March 1st across the globe to promote equality, inclusion, peace, and diversity. The day serves to raise awareness about the damaging effects of discrimination and emphasizes the right of every individual to live a fulfilling and dignified life.

• March 01, 2025, marks the observance of the 11th Zero Discrimination Day.
• The theme for Zero Discrimination Day 2025 is “We Stand Together,” highlighting a particular aspect of discrimination.

Background:
i.In 2013, on the occasion of World Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Day(December 1) , UNAIDS launched the Zero Discrimination Campaign, aiming for a global transformation toward equality and inclusion.
ii.This campaign was introduced under the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and ‘UNAIDS Global Advocate for Zero Discrimination’, with the hashtag #zerodiscrimination.

• The first-ever Zero Discrimination Day was observed on March 1, 2014.

Symbol:
The ‘butterfly’ serves as the symbol for Zero Discrimination Day, representing transformation and change.
About UNAIDS:
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS was founded by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and continues to be the only joint program co-sponsored by the UN system.
Executive Director (ED)– Winnie Byanyima
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Founded– 1996

Stay Tuned with Counseling Shortcuts – Current Affairs Daily Digest – 1 March 2025