Daily Current Affairs 2025  

11/09/2025

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CA-11/09/2025

 
Why in news?
On September 11, 2025, Prime Minister paid homage to Acharya Vinoba Bhave, highlighting his role as a spiritual leader, social reformer, and pioneer of the Bhoodan Movement.
 
Acharya Vinoba Bhave was a renowned Indian philosopher, social reformer, and freedom fighter, best known for his leadership of the Bhoodan (land donation) movement and for being a spiritual successor to Mahatma Gandhi.
 
Early Life and Spiritual Inspiration

• Born as Vinayak Narahar Bhave on 11 September 1895 in Maharashtra, Vinoba was deeply influenced by spiritual texts like the Bhagavad Gita, which shaped his philosophical outlook.
• In 1916, inspired by Gandhi’s ideals, he gave up formal education to join Gandhi’s Kochrab Ashram.

Role in Indian Freedom Movement

• Vinoba was closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, participating in various constructive programs including promotion of Khadi, village industries, education, and sanitation.
• Gandhi selected Vinoba as the first Satyagrahi in the Individual Satyagraha campaign of 1940, marking his prominence as a nonviolent protester against British rule.
• He participated in the Civil Disobedience and Quit India Movements, facing multiple arrests during his activism.

Bhoodan and Social Reform

• Vinoba’s most significant contribution was the Bhoodan Movement, started in 1951 at Pochampally, urging landowners to donate land to the landless poor. He walked extensively across India, collecting over 4.2 million acres for redistribution.
• This movement later expanded to Gramdan (village donation) and Jeevandan (life donation), achieving donations from over 1,000 villages.
• He founded Brahma Vidya Mandir in Paunar, to empower women and promote nonviolence.

Philosophical Legacy

• Vinoba advocated for nonviolence, equality, and compassion, emphasizing the unity of science and spirituality for the welfare of all (Sarvodaya).
• He translated the Bhagavad Gita into Marathi as Geetai, and his teachings continue to inspire movements for social justice and harmony.

 
   
Why in news?
The 56th GST Council meeting took place on 3rd and 4th September 2025 in New Delhi, marking a significant move towards the simplification and modernization of India’s GST structure.
 
Key Highlights

• The Council approved a three-tier GST rate structure (5%, 18%, and a new 40% for demerit goods), eliminating the earlier 12% and 28% slabs. This aims to reduce classification disputes and make compliance more straightforward.
• Rate rationalization measures were taken, notably correcting the inverted duty structure for sectors like fertilizers and textiles.
• Essential goods, such as daily-use items, saw either reduced GST or were merged into lower tax slabs to encourage consumption and provide consumer relief.
• A new 40% GST slab was introduced specifically for luxury and sin goods, including high-end vehicles and tobacco products, to increase revenue from these segments.
• The rollout of automated GST refunds and pre-filled GST returns forms part of new reforms to enhance ease of compliance and transparency.
• The GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) is set for sectoral rollout, resolving long-pending litigation and appeals.
• The measures taken are expected to significantly impact industries such as FMCG, automobiles, construction, healthcare, textiles, and MSMEs.
• Changes are to be implemented from 22nd September 2025 (except for the tobacco rate change).

 
   
Why in news?
Samudra Pradakshina is the world's first-ever tri-service all-women sailing circumnavigation expedition. It was flagged off by Defence Minister on September 11, 2025, from the Gateway of India, Mumbai. 

Key details about Samudra Pradakshina:

• The crew consists of 10 women officers from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, led by Lt Col Anuja Varudkar.
• They sail on the indigenously built Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni.
• The expedition lasts about 9 months and covers approximately 26,000 nautical miles.
• It follows an easterly route crossing the Equator twice and rounding three great Capes: Leeuwin, Horn, and Good Hope.
• The expedition includes scientific research in collaboration with the National Institute of Oceanography on microplastics, marine biodiversity, and ocean health.
• It complies with the World Sailing Speed Record Council’s norms for global circumnavigation under sail alone without canals or powered transit.
• The expedition promotes women empowerment, military cooperation, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and strengthens India’s maritime diplomacy.
• This expedition showcases India’s dedication to advancing the role of women in defense and maritime sectors while reinforcing the country’s global maritime presence and scientific research contribution.

 
   
Why in news?
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently signed a $126.42 million loan agreement aimed at promoting sustainable, climate-resilient tourism development in Uttarakhand, specifically focusing on the Tehri Lake region in Tehri Garhwal district.

About Asian Development Bank (ADB)

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional multilateral development bank founded in 1966 with its headquarters in Manila, Philippines.
• It aims to promote social and economic development in Asia and the Pacific by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to its member countries.
• Members: 69 members including 50 from the Asia-Pacific region.
• Funding: Provides both public (sovereign) and private sector financing. It raises capital via bond markets, member contributions, and loan repayments.
• Sectors Supported: Agriculture, education, energy, environment, healthcare, finance, information technology, and infrastructure.
• Development Areas: Works on education, health, transport, energy, finance, climate change, and strives to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Governance: Managed by a Board of Governors (one representative per member country) and a Board of Directors.

Notable member and stakeholders:

• 50 regional members from Asia and the Pacific, including countries such as India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and many others.
• 19 non-regional members from outside Asia-Pacific, including countries from Europe, North America, and elsewhere such as the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Israel (which recently became the 69th member).
• Major shareholders with significant voting rights are Japan and the United States (each holding 15.6%), followed by China (6.4%), India (6.3%), and Australia (5.8%).

Key Aspects of ADB's Engagement with India

• Project Financing: In 2024, ADB committed $4.25 billion for 21 development projects across sectors like transport, energy, water and urban services, finance, agriculture.
• Infrastructure and Urban Development: Projects include highways, railways, ports, and urban environmental management such as water supply, sanitation, sewerage, and solid waste management.
• Industrial Corridors: ADB supports India's industrial corridors, such as the Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor, providing funding and conceptual development planning.
• Climate and Green Growth: ADB focuses on climate resilience and green growth, funding renewable energy projects and coastal protection initiatives.
• Recent Program: The Strengthening Multimodal and Integrated Logistics Ecosystem (SMILE) program aims to reform and improve India's logistics sector with a $350 million policy-based loan, focusing on efficient, low-emission logistics infrastructure and policy frameworks to boost manufacturing competitiveness and supply chain resilience.

 
   
Why in news?
Union Home Minister recently inaugurated the Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) at five additional airports: Lucknow, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Kozhikode (Calicut), and Amritsar, via video conferencing on September 10, 2025. 
 
Key Highlights of(FTI-TTP)

• Purpose: Facilitate international mobility by speeding up immigration clearance, reducing wait times from minutes to seconds.
• Eligibility: Indian nationals and OCI cardholders with valid passports (valid for at least six months at the time of application).
• Registration: Applicants must register online through the official portal (ftittp.mha.gov.in), submit necessary personal details and documents, and provide biometric data (fingerprints, facial images) at Foreigners Regional Registration Offices (FRROs) or at airports.
• Validity: Registration is valid until passport expiry or for five years, whichever is earlier, with an option for renewal.
• Benefits: Significant reduction in immigration wait times, enhanced security through biometric verification, cost-free access, and an improved travel experience by minimizing queues and congestion.
• Use Statistics: About 3 lakh travelers have registered on the portal, with 2.65 lakh having used it during travel so far.

The program aligns with the broader goal of supporting India’s vision for technology-enabled, seamless international travel and improving the country’s stature as a global travel hub while enhancing national security.
 
   
Why in news?
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy announced its vision at the state review meeting on September 11, 2025 stating India’s intensifying efforts to create a fully indigenous solar manufacturing ecosystem by 2028.
 
Key highlights:

• Moving beyond just solar module assembly to manufacturing upstream solar components such as wafers and ingots within India.

• The initiative aims to reduce import dependence, generate jobs, attract investments, and position India as a global clean energy leader.
• India has already installed over 251.5 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity, more than half of the 2030 target.
• The government is promoting schemes like PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, which has benefited nearly two million households, many receiving zero electricity bills, and PM-KUSUM, with more than 1.6 million solar pumps installed, significantly reducing diesel use and CO2 emissions.
• The Rs 24,000 crore Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme has helped build 100 GW of solar module capacity, brought in Rs 50,000 crore in investments, and created over 12,600 direct jobs. The GST cut on renewable energy devices from 12% to 5% aims to accelerate adoption further.
• The government urges states to expedite Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPOs), Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and land allotments, while easing clearances and reducing compliance burdens to boost ease of doing business and investor confidence.

Looking ahead, India targets 1,800 GW renewable capacity by 2047 and 5,000 GW by 2070 to achieve net zero emissions.
 
 
   
Why in news?
The National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released draft concept notes and survey schedules inviting public and expert feedback until September 30, 2025, aiming to enhance the surveys' quality and policy relevance.
 
All India Debt and Investment Survey (AIDIS)

• AIDIS is one of India's most significant surveys on household finance.
• It started as the All India Rural Credit Survey in 1951-52 and expanded to cover debt and investment from 1961-62.
• The survey is conducted roughly every decade; the last round was in 2019.
• It provides critical data on household indebtedness and asset ownership across rural and urban areas.
• The findings help shape national accounts, assess inequality in asset distribution, understand credit markets, and inform policies of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other government bodies.

Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of Agricultural Households

• SAS began in 2003 to assess the economic conditions of farming communities.
• It was expanded in 2013 to cover all agricultural households and strengthened in 2019.
• The survey offers comprehensive insights into household income, expenditure, indebtedness, credit access, land and livestock ownership, crop/livestock production, farming practices, technology use, and access to government schemes like crop insurance.
• Findings are used by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, NITI Aayog, researchers, and financial institutions to design rural and agricultural policies.

Upcoming Survey Schedule

• Both AIDIS and SAS are scheduled to be conducted again from July 2026 to June 2027.
• Draft concept notes and schedules for these surveys are open for public feedback until September 30, 2025.

These surveys are critical for understanding household finance and agricultural livelihoods in India, supporting evidence-based policymaking and socio-economic development.
 

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