Daily Current Affairs and GK | 10 and 11 August 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. World Biofuel Day 2025: 10 August

• World Biofuel Day is commemorated on 10 August every year to spread awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels.
• On this occasion, the government also highlights the efforts made in the biofuel sector.
• It is celebrated in memory of Rudolf Diesel, who created the diesel engine.
• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been celebrating this day since 2015.
• India is the world's third-largest oil consumer.
• India is one of the leading producers of biofuels in the world.
• India has successfully achieved the target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025, five years ahead of the original target set for 2030.
• Biofuels:
  • These are derived from organic sources like plants, crops, and animal waste.
  • It is an alternative to conventional fossil fuels.
  • It plays a key role in reducing carbon emissions.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

2. An additional budget of Rs 1,920 crore approved for PMKSY to boost agri-infrastructure.

• An enhanced budget of ₹6,520 crore, including an additional ₹1,920 crore, has been approved by the Union Cabinet for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY).
• Since its launch in 2017, a total of 1,601 projects have been approved under various components of PMKSY till June 2025.
• Of these, 1,133 projects are now operational/completed, creating processing and preservation capacity of 255.66 lakh metric tonnes (MT) per annum.
• Once fully completed, these projects are expected to attract investment of Rs 21,803.19 crore, benefiting about 50.27 lakh farmers.
• PMKSY, earlier known as SAMPADA, was launched in 2017 to strengthen farm-to-market supply chains.
• The scheme aims to reduce agri-wastage, improve farmer incomes, and support food processing growth.
• It also focuses on job creation, especially in rural India, and enhances export potential.
• Targeted initiatives under PMKSY include cold chain infrastructure, agro-processing clusters, and food testing labs.
• The sector's GVA contribution rose from ₹1.30 lakh crore in 2013–14 to ₹2.24 lakh crore in 2023–24.
• In November 2018, an additional scheme called Operation Greens (OG) was added to PMKSY with a budget of Rs 500 crore.
• It aimed to stabilize prices of tomato, onion, and potato by providing financial assistance for transportation and storage.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

3. Crop insurance worth ₹3,200 crore released by the Centre to 30 lakh farmers.

• On 11 August, a ₹3,200 crore installment of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was released by the Central government.
• This transfer is the first installment of the scheme, with an additional ₹8,000 crore planned to be released later.
• The announcement was made by Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
• A warning was issued to insurance companies that failure to deposit payments on time would result in a 12% interest penalty, to be paid directly to farmers.
• It was stated that the scheme, launched in 2016, has become a boon for disaster-affected farmers by offering protection against crop losses caused by natural calamities.
• Minister Chouhan urged farmers to directly inform him of any complaints related to the scheme so that prompt action could be taken.
• The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana marked its ninth anniversary on 18 February 2025, nearing a decade of service to farmers.
• The scheme aims to stabilize farmers’ income and encourage them to adopt modern agricultural practices by providing insurance coverage against unpredictable hazards.
• In January 2025, the Union Cabinet approved the continuation of the scheme and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme till 2025–26 with a budget of ₹69,515.71 crore.
• Although the scheme is voluntary for farmers, the coverage of non-loanee farmers has increased to 55% of the total coverage under the scheme during 2023-24, indicating voluntary acceptance/popularity of the scheme.

Topic: State News/Jammu & Kashmir

4. The first freight train entered the Kashmir Valley, increasing trade possibilities.

• On 9 August, the first freight train reached the Kashmir Valley, arriving at the newly opened Anantnag Goods Shed from Punjab.
• The train covered nearly 600 kilometres and arrived in less than 18 hours.
• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described the event as a significant step in connecting Kashmir to India’s national freight network.
• Twenty-one wagons of cement were transported in the train, leading to a substantial reduction in transportation costs.
• Fruit traders expressed optimism that the train service would help their produce reach markets across India faster.
• The dependence of the apple industry on the Srinagar–Jammu highway, often closed during winters, is expected to be reduced.
• The freight service will pave the way for making Kashmir more connected and prosperous.

Topic: Sports

5. Ramesh Budihal won a historic bronze medal at the Asian Surfing Championship 2025.

• On 10 August, Ramesh Budihal secured a bronze medal in the men’s open event at the Asian Surfing Championships 2025 in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.
• This marks the first individual medal won by an Indian surfer at the continental championships.
• Budihal scored 12.60 points in the four-man final heat, finishing ahead of Indonesia’s Mega Artana.
• Gold was claimed by Korea’s Kanoa Heejae with 15.17 points, while Indonesia’s Pajar Ariyana took silver with 14.57 points.
• In the semi-finals, Budihal finished second in his heat to secure a spot in the medal round.
• Fellow Indian surfer Kishore Kumar was eliminated after finishing fourth in the semi-finals.
• In the women's open category, Japan's Enri Matsuno and Sumomo Sato won gold and silver respectively, while Thailand's Isabel Higgs won the bronze medal.
• The Mahabalipuram meet also served as the final surfing qualifier for the 2026 Asian Games to be held in Japan.
• This is the first time India hosted the Asian Surfing Championships, which were held from August 3rd to 12th, 2025, in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India.

Topic: Indian Polity

6. The Election Commission delisted 334 non-functional political parties.

• On 9 August, the Election Commission of India delisted 334 Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPPs) for failing to meet eligibility criteria.
• These parties had neither contested a single election in the last six years nor maintained valid registered addresses.
• The action reduced the total number of RUPPs in India from 2,854 to 2,520.
• The delisted parties will no longer be eligible for benefits under Section 29B and Section 29C of the RP Act, 1951.
• They will also lose provisions granted under the Income Tax Act and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
• The ECI clarified that aggrieved parties can file an appeal within 30 days of the order.
• This action is part of the Commission’s ongoing efforts to cleanse the electoral system of inactive entities.
• The process began in June 2025 with verification by Chief Electoral Officers across states and union territories.
• At present, six national parties, 67 state-level parties, and 2,854 RUPPs are registered with the ECI.
• Since 2022, the Election Commission has delisted 284 defaulting and non-compliant RUPPs and declared 253 RUPPs defunct, part of its efforts to clean up the political space occupied by non-functional parties.
• According to EC guidelines, any party that fails to contest elections continuously for six years is subject to removal from the registered list.

Topic: Defence

7. India’s defence manufacturing output increased to an unprecedented ₹1.51 lakh crore in the financial year 2024–25.

• This reflects a substantial 18% rise from the previous year’s total of ₹1.27 lakh crore.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid foundation stone for a ₹1,800 crore BEML Rail Hub in Umaria village, located in Madhya Pradesh’s Raisen district.
• Spanning over 60 hectares, the upcoming facility will serve as a major centre for rail coach production.
• The project is expected to create employment opportunities for more than 5,000 individuals.
• It will produce coaches for India’s Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat, and Metro train services.
• The unit has been named ‘Brahma’, after the creator in Indian tradition.
• This hub will supply coaches for India’s next-generation high-speed trains.

Topic: Personality in News

8. Japanese boxer Hiromasa Urakawa, 28, has died after suffering severe head trauma during a match in Tokyo.

• He collapsed following a knockout in the eighth round of his August 2 fight against Yoji Saito.
• Doctors performed surgery to treat a subdural haematoma, but Urakawa died the next day.
• Subdural haematoma is a condition where blood collects between the skull and brain.
• His death comes shortly after fellow fighter Shigetoshi Kotari also succumbed to brain injuries sustained during the same boxing event.
• Kotari passed away after his fight at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
• In light of these incidents, the Japan Boxing Commission has shortened all Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) title fights from 12 rounds to 10.
• Urakawa is now the third prominent boxer to die in the ring in 2025.
• Irish fighter John Cooney, also aged 28, died in February from an intracranial haemorrhage after a match in Belfast.

Topic: National News

9. Indian Railways has successfully carried out a trial run of ‘Rudrastra’, Asia’s longest freight train.

• Spanning 4.5 kilometers in length, the train journeyed from Ganjkhwaja station in Uttar Pradesh to Garhwa in Jharkhand.
• The 209-kilometer trial run took 5 hours and 10 minutes, maintaining an average speed of 40.5 km/h.
• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared footage of the test and emphasized Rudrastra's role in accelerating and improving freight logistics.
• The train was assembled using three long haul formations, each made up of two standard freight trains.
• Altogether, Rudrastra included 345 wagons, with each empty wagon capable of holding up to 72 tonnes of cargo.
• The setup involved seven locomotives—two at the front and one strategically placed after every set of 59 wagons.
• Each of the three racks had 59 wagons, making the configuration equivalent to five freight trains coupled together.
• This initiative is expected to boost efficiency and reduce both travel time and logistical costs for freight transport.

Topic: Sports

10. Indian boxers Nisha and Muskan clinched gold medals in their respective weight categories at the U19 Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok.

• Nisha dominated the 54kg category with a 4:1 win over China’s Sirui Yang.
• Muskan secured gold in the 57kg division after a close 3:2 victory against Kazakhstan’s Ayazhan Ermek.
• Out of ten Indian female participants, nine returned with medals.
• The medals included two gold, five silver, and two bronze.
• Arti Kumari won silver in the 75kg category. Kritika Wasan earned silver in the 80kg class.
• Parchi Tokas also took silver in the 80+kg division.
• In the men's competition, Rahul Kundu won gold in the 75kg category.
• He defeated Uzbekistan’s Muhammadjon Yakupboevek in a split decision.
• The U19 and U22 Asian Boxing Championships are being held simultaneously in Bangkok.
• India has sent a strong 40-member squad to the championships.
• The team includes 20 boxers in the U19 category and 20 in the U22 category.
• The championship serves as an important platform for India’s next generation of boxing stars.