Daily Current Affairs 27/26 -Jan – 25
1. Decline in India’s Total Fertility Rate –
• The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 has revealed a steep decline in India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) over the decades.
• India’s Fertility Trends: India’s TFR dropped from 6.18 in the 1950s to 1.9 in 2021, below the replacement level of 2.1. By 2100, the TFR in India is projected to fall further to 1.04 (barely one child per woman).
• Regional Variations in India: Southern states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka achieved replacement-level fertility earlier than northern states.
• By 2036, Kerala’s aged population is expected to surpass children (23%). High labor wages, quality of life, and internal migration are expected to bring migrant labor to 60 lakh by 2030 (about one-sixth of the State’s population).
• The demographic shift was driven by high literacy, women’s empowerment, and advances in social and health sectors.
2. National Girl Child Day 2025 –
• National Girl Child Day is observed annually on 24th January aimed at promoting the rights, empowerment, and potential of girls across India.
• Theme: “Empowering Girls for a Bright Future” emphasizes equal opportunities for girls in education, healthcare, and personal growth.
• Beginning: It was started in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to combat critical issues such as child marriage and female foeticide.
• Celebrating 10 Years of BBBP: The 2025 National Girl Child Day celebrations, marking the 10th anniversary of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme, will run from 22nd January to 8th March 2025, concluding on International Women’s Day.
3. CCPA Investigates Ola and Uber Over Alleged Differential Pricing Practices –
• The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued notices to ride-hailing companies Ola and Uber, investigating claims of differential pricing based on users’ mobile operating systems.
• Reports suggest that iPhone users are charged higher fares than Android users for identical rides. Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, has directed the CCPA to probe these allegations, emphasizing the need to protect consumer rights and ensure fair trade practices.
4. Who has Presented Budget The Most Number of Times –
• On February 1, 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will create history by presenting her eighth consecutive Union Budget, making her the first finance minister in India’s parliamentary history to achieve this milestone.
• The upcoming budget for the financial year (FY) 2025-26 will be another significant contribution to the economic framework of the nation. Let us delve into the records, history, and evolution of India’s Union Budgets, highlighting Sitharaman’s record-breaking feat and exploring other notable milestones in the history of India’s financial statements.
5. Jitender Pal Singh Appointed as India’s New Ambassador to Israel –
• On January 24, 2025, the Government of India announced the appointment of Jitender Pal Singh as the next Ambassador to Israel. An Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 2002 batch, Singh is currently serving in the office of the External Affairs Minister and has previously led the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division within the Ministry of External Affairs since 2020.
• Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan (2014-2019): During this tenure, he was instrumental in managing India’s diplomatic relations with Pakistan.
• Posting in Kabul (2008-2012): Singh served in Afghanistan during a period when the Indian embassy faced two major terror attacks, providing him with firsthand experience in crisis management.
MCQ Quiz
Q1. Pangsau Pass, which was seen in news, lies between which two countries ?
a) India and Bhutan
b) China and Nepal
c) India and Myanmar
d) India and Bangladesh
Q2. Which Indian Navy ship conducted the hydrographic survey of Mauritius recently ?
a) INS Viraat
b) INS Sarvekshak
c) INS Kalvari
d) INS Saryu
Q3. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti, also known as ‘Parakram Diwas’ or Courage Day, is celebrated annually on 23 January to honour one of India’s most prominent freedom fighters, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This year marks the _____ birth anniversary of Subhas Chandra Bose.
a) 120th
b) 128th
c) 138th
d) 140th
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the Fiscal Health Index (FHI):
The report is based on data from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
The index was released for the first time in 2019.
Odisha is the worst-performing state in the FHI 2025.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 only
d) 1, 2, and 3
Explanation-
The Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, launched the inaugural issue of NITI Aayog’s report titled “Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025” in New Delhi recently.
About Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025
It is aimed to evolve an understanding of the fiscal health of states in India.
Statement 1 is correct: The report uses data sourced from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) to calculate the Fiscal Health Index.
Coverage: It covers eighteen major states that drive the Indian economy in terms of their contribution to India’s GDP, demography, total public expenditure, revenues, and overall fiscal stability.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The Fiscal Health Index 2025 is the first report of its kind. It was released in January 2025.
Sub Indices: The study identifies five major sub-indices to calculate the composite FHI index and assess states’ fiscal health.
The five major sub-indices are Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilization, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Odisha is the top-performing state in the Fiscal Health Index 2025, with the highest overall index score of 67.8.
Q5. Consider the following statements about Enemy Property in India:
Enemy property refers to assets left behind by individuals who migrated to countries designated as “enemy nations” during times of conflict.
The Enemy Property Act, 1968, allows legal heirs of enemy subjects to inherit the property if they are Indian citizens.
The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017, nullifies inheritance claims even if the legal heirs are Indian citizens.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 and 3 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3
Explanation-
Madhya Pradesh High Court has asked actor Saif Ali Khan to approach the appellate authority against an order of the central government that declared historical properties of the Pataudi family in Bhopal, estimated to be worth Rs 15,000 crore, as “enemy property”.
About Enemy Property in India:
Statement 1 is correct: Enemy property refers to the assets, both movable and immovable, left behind in India by individuals who migrated to countries designated as “enemy nations” during times of conflict.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, properties that are declared as enemy assets remain permanently vested with the Custodian of Enemy Property, with no room for inheritance or transfer.
The law provides the legal framework for the central government to manage and retain control of enemy properties across various states.
Statement 3 is correct: The 2017 Amendment reinforced that enemy property remains with the Custodian, nullifying inheritance claims irrespective of their citizenship, whether Indian or from a non-enemy nation.