📖 Exam Related Current Affairs with Static Gk : 18 January 2025
#English
1) The Uttar Pradesh government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Google Cloud (India) to launch the Uttar Pradesh Open Network for Agriculture (UPONA).
▪️Uttar Pradesh :-
➨Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary
➨Dudhwa National Park
➨National Chambal Sanctuary
➨Govind Vallabh Pant Sagar Lake
➨Kashi Vishwanath Temple
➨Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary
➨Turtle Wildlife Sanctuary
➨Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary
➨Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary
2) P. Jayachandran, popularly known as "Bhava Gayakan," was a renowned playback singer who passed away at the age of 80.
3) Retired Justice B.N. Srikrishna, renowned for chairing India's first data protection law committee, has been named the chair of Equal's advisory board.
4) India’s National Highway network has achieved a remarkable 60% growth over the past decade, expanding from 91,287 km in 2014 to 146,195 km in 2024.
5) Swiggy has launched a standalone app, Snacc, for 10-15 minute food delivery. The Bengaluru-based firm rolled out the app on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
6) Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh announced the establishment of a Regional Meteorological Centre in Jammu to enhance weather forecasting and related services in the region.
➨ Collaborative agreements with institutions such as Jammu University and SKUAST aim to advance research in meteorological sciences.
7) Himachal Pradesh renamed its Institute of Public Administration as Dr Manmohan Singh Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration in honour of the former prime minister's contribution to the development of the state.
▪️ Himachal Pradesh :-
CM :- Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
➠Kinnaura tribe , Lahaule Tribe, Gaddi Tribe and Gujjar Tribe
➠Sankat Mochan Temple.
➠Tara Devi Temple
➠Great Himalayan National Park
➠Pin Valley National Park
➠Simbalbara National Park
➠Inderkilla National Park
8) The 57th Annual Conference of the Indian Water Works Association, themed "Water-360 Degree", began in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
➨ Inaugurated by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the event emphasised the importance of water conservation and management for sustainable development.
9) Kendriya Vidyalaya, IIT Kharagpur was declared the national winner of the 34th National Youth Parliament Awards in which Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stressed on the importance of parliamentary democracy.
10) India's passport ranking has dropped to 85th in the Henley Passport Index 2025, allowing visa-free access to 57 countries. Meanwhile, Singapore reclaimed the top spot and the UAE entered the top 10.
11) India's GDP growth for FY2025-26 projected at 6.8% by Bank of Baroda and 6.6% by the UN. Key drivers include private consumption, GST collections, services PMI, and agricultural growth.
12) The 21st Third Eye Asian Film Festival began in Mumbai, featuring 61 films, including the award-winning Chinese drama The Black Dog.
➨Renowned lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar has been felicitated with the Asian Cinema Culture Award. The Satyajit Rai Memorial Award was given to veteran film journalist Rafiq Baghdadi .
13) Dr Syed Anwar Khursheed, an eminent Indian physician based in Saudi Arabia, was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award in 2025.
14) Shri Vineet Joshi has taken charge as Secretary of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education. Prior to this appointment, Shri Joshi served as the Chief Secretary of Manipur.
15) Telangana police launched an innovative, technology-driven initiative to enhance citizen feedback on police services. The initiative was introduced during a virtual meeting chaired by Director General of Police (DGP) Dr. Jitender.
▪️Telangana :-
➨CM - A Revanth Reddy
➨KBR National Park
➨Amrabad Tiger Reserve
➨Kawal Tiger Reserve
➨ Pakhal Lake And Wildlife Sanctuary
➨Pocharam Dam And Wildlife Sanctuary
➨Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park
16) Former Army chief VK Singh was sworn in as the 25th Governor of Mizoram, succeeding Hari Babu Kambhampati, who was appointed Governor of Odisha.