Daily Current Affairs and GK | 10 September 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. World Physiotherapy Day: 08 September

• World Physiotherapy Day is celebrated each year on 8 September.
• This day is celebrated to honour the contributions of physiotherapists.
• This day is also celebrated to increase awareness about role physiotherapy plays in health and rehabilitation.
• World Physiotherapy Day marks founding of  World Confederation for Physical Therapy in 1951.
• This year, the theme for World Physiotherapy Day is "Healthy Ageing," with a specific focus on preventing frailty and falls.
• Per Henrik Ling is widely known as the "father of physiotherapy".

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

2. Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurates the International Conference on Space 2025.

• On 8 September, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the International Conference on Space 2025, themed “Harnessing Space for Global Progress: Innovation, Policy, and Growth.”
• The minister announced India’s ambitious targets, including a Bharatiya Space Station by 2035 and landing an astronaut on the Moon by 2040.
• The success of Chandrayaan-3, which made India the first nation to land near the lunar south pole, was highlighted.
• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s journey to the International Space Station as the first IAF officer was recalled.
• Upcoming exploration missions to Mars, Venus, asteroids, and the human spaceflight program Gaganyaan were outlined.
• Over 300 startups in areas like launch vehicles, satellites, and ground systems were noted as the backbone of India’s space reforms.
• The value of space technologies in agriculture, health, education, urban development, and governance was emphasized.
• International collaborations such as the NASA–ISRO NISAR mission and Chandrayaan-5 with Japan were cited as examples of global engagement.
• The conference, organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), brought together 500+ delegates from India and abroad, including policymakers, academia, industry leaders, and startups.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

3. NCEL-APEDA signed MoU for cooperatively led agricultural exports.

• On 9 September, an MoU to boost cooperative-led agricultural exports was signed by National Co-operative Exports Limited (NCEL) and Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA).
• It aims to take India's cooperative based agricultural exports to new heights.
• The MoU was signed by Shri Abhishek Deo, Chairman on behalf of APEDA and Shri Anupom Kaushik, Managing Director on behalf of NCEL.
• The MoU aims to align NCEL’s network with APEDA’s facilitation for better farmer income and rural livelihoods.
• It is aligned with the objectives of the newly launched National Cooperation Policy.
• Joint focus areas include training, quality compliance, infrastructure revival, branding, and international market positioning.
• Cooperative societies will gain knowledge on global quality standards, food safety, and documentation.
• APEDA’s support will streamline exports of fruits, vegetables, spices, cereals, processed foods, and animal products.
• The MoU will integrate NCEL’s outreach with APEDA’s infrastructure to strengthen India’s export competitiveness.

Topic: Defence

4. The Indian Armed Forces participated in ZAPAD 2025 in Russia.

• A 65-member contingent of the Indian Armed Forces began its participation in Exercise ZAPAD 2025 in Russia.

• The exercise is being held at the Mulino Training Ground, Nizhniy, from 10 to 16 September 2025.
• The contingent includes 57 Army personnel, 7 Air Force personnel, and 1 Navy officer.
• The Indian Army’s Kumaon Regiment is leading the contingent.
• ZAPAD 2025 is being conducted as a multilateral exercise focused on conventional warfare and counter-terrorism.
• It is featuring company-level joint operations in open terrain.
• Activities include joint planning, tactical drills, and special arms skills.
• The exercise is aiming to enhance interoperability, share tactics, and integrate emerging technologies.
• Participation in Exercise Zapad 2025 will further strengthen defence cooperation and enhance cordiality between India and Russia, thereby reinforcing the spirit of cooperation and mutual trust.

Topic: National Appointments

5. C.P. Radhakrishnan elected the 15th Vice President of India.

• NDA candidate and Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan was elected as the 15th Vice President of India.
• He defeated I.N.D.I.A. bloc candidate and former SC judge B. Sudershan Reddy by 152 votes.
• Out of 781 voters, 767 MPs voted, of which 752 votes were valid and 15 were invalid.
• The election was conducted in a free, fair, and orderly manner.
• The election was held after the resignation of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
• PM Narendra Modi was the first to cast his vote.
• Several Union Ministers and opposition leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Sharad Pawar, voted.
• Radhakrishnan was born in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, and started his career as a student leader.
• He has served as Governor of Jharkhand, Telangana, Puducherry, and Maharashtra.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/Bihar

6. The honorarium of Anganwadi Sevikas and Sahayikas has been increased in Bihar.

• The proposal to increase the honorarium of Anganwadi Sevikas and Sahayikas working at Anganwadi centres under the Integrated Child Development Scheme has been approved by the Bihar state cabinet.
• Anganwadi Sevikas will now receive ₹9,000/month, up from ₹7,000.
• The honorarium of Anganwadi Sahayikas has been increased from ₹4,000 to ₹4,500 per month.
• The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by CM Nitish Kumar.
• The increased honorarium for Anganwadi Sevikas and Sahayikas will be applicable from October 1, 2025.
• The move comes ahead of the state Assembly elections (Oct–Nov 2025).
• It follows other welfare measures announced by the Nitish Kumar government.
• On Aug 29, a financial assistance scheme for women entrepreneurs was announced.
• On Jul 17, up to 125 units of free electricity for consumers was declared.
• Some of the other measures included a three-fold increase in old-age pensions and a 1.5 times hike in the monthly allowance for all panchayat representatives.
• The honorarium for nearly 1.4 lakh Jeevika workers engaged in administrative, training, and self-help group activities was also doubled.

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sectors

7. Over 8,000 biostimulant products lost their temporary approval.

• Only 146 biostimulant products have received formal approval under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO), 1985.
• The central government has brought biostimulants fully under FCO regulation.
• This move aims to ensure quality standards and protect the interests of farmers.
• Earlier, the Indian market had nearly 30,000 biostimulant products.
• Most of these operated without any proper regulatory oversight.
• In February 2021, the government amended the FCO to include Clause 20C.
• This clause introduced clear rules for regulating biostimulants.
• Biostimulants are substances or microorganisms that aid plant growth and development.
• They help improve crop yield, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance.
• Under the FCO, biostimulants are grouped into several categories.
• These include botanical extracts, amino acids, vitamins, humic and fulvic acids, antioxidants, protein hydrolysates, microbial products, anti-transpirants, and live microbes.
• To ease the transition, the government issued provisional (G3) registrations to over 8,000 products.
• These temporary approvals allowed companies to continue production and import.
• They were required to submit data on bioefficacy, chemical composition, and toxicity.
• Initially, the provisional licenses were valid until February 2023.
• Multiple extensions were later granted, with the final deadline set for June 16, 2025.
• The government has now decided not to allow further extensions.
• All temporary registrations have been cancelled beyond the deadline.
• The Department of Agriculture has published a list of the de-registered products on its website.
• Only 146 biostimulant products have completed the full approval process.
• These have been officially notified in the Gazette of India. They are now listed in Schedule VI of the FCO.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

8. On September 9, 2025, Coal India Limited (CIL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC).

• The agreement aims to improve infrastructure and build educational capacity in 76 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS).
• These schools are located in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.
• The MoU was signed in New Delhi. Union Tribal Affairs Minister Shri Jual Oram and Union Coal & Mines Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy were present at the event.
• NSTFDC is a not-for-profit entity under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• The project will benefit around 30,000 tribal students. It will enhance digital education, provide mentorship, and upgrade school infrastructure.
• Currently, there are 479 functional EMRS schools across India.
• These schools offer tribal children quality education, nutrition, healthcare, and overall development.
• EMRS institutions are a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Their goal is to prepare tribal students for higher education and future employment.
• Coal India is supporting this initiative through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.
• CIL has approved ₹10 crore in funding for the project.
• NSTFDC will implement the project in a time-bound manner.
• The initiative reflects a joint effort to bridge educational gaps in tribal communities.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

9. Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav presented the 2025 Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan and Wetland Cities Recognition Awards in New Delhi.

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change hosted the ceremony to honor leading cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
• Eleven cities were recognized for their outstanding performance in improving air quality.
• Among cities with populations above 10 lakh, Indore, Jabalpur, Agra, and Surat were declared top achievers.
• Indore secured the top rank with a perfect score of 200 and received ₹1.5 crore for its environmental efforts.
• The city set a Guinness World Record by planting over 16 lakh trees and operates a fleet of electric and CNG buses.
• Jabalpur claimed the second position with 199 points and was awarded ₹1 crore, credited for its waste-to-energy plant and urban greenery.
• Agra and Surat shared the third spot with 196 points each, earning ₹25 lakh per city.
• In the 3 to 10 lakh population bracket, Amravati topped the list with 200 points, earning ₹75 lakh. Jhansi and Moradabad followed closely with 198.5 points.
• Alwar stood third in the same category with a score of 197.6.
• Among smaller cities (under 3 lakh), Dewas ranked first with 193 points and was awarded ₹37.5 lakh.
• Parwanoo and Angul came second and third respectively.
• Alwar was recognized as a first-time awardee under the survey.
• The ministry introduced new guidelines to expand Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan to the ward level to enhance community involvement.
• The government plans to plant 75 crore trees during the Seva Parv (September 17 to October 2, 2025) as part of the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" campaign.
• Seventy-five urban forests are also planned under the Nagar Van Yojana to boost green cover.
• Indore and Udaipur were honored as Wetland Cities under the Ramsar Convention for their exceptional conservation of urban wetlands.
• India now has 91 Ramsar-recognized wetlands covering 1.36 million hectares, the largest in Asia and third globally.
• The minister praised the expansion of Ramsar sites from 25 in 2014 to 91 in 2025.

Topic: National Appointments

10. Dr. Geetha Vani Rayasam took charge as Director of CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research.

• She emphasized the need for innovative approaches in science communication.
• Dr. Rayasam urged National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research to move beyond traditional frameworks.
• The institute should address current national and global policy needs.
• Under the theme “Connecting the Unconnected,” she envisioned National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research as a benchmark for the Global South and beyond.
• She stressed the importance of linking science communication with Sustainable Development Goals.
• She recommended closer cooperation between National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research’s initiatives like the Science Media Communication Cell (SMCC) and SVASTIK with ministries such as AYUSH and Education.
• She proposed joint projects with global organizations like WHO, World Bank, UN, OECD, IIMs, and industry groups.
• These partnerships aim to expand National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research’s international influence.
• National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research is located at New Delhi.