Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 September 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. World First Aid Day 2025: 13 September

• World First Aid Day is observed every year on the second Saturday in September.

• This year, it is being celebrated on 13 September.
• The theme for World First Aid Day 2025 is "First Aid and Climate Change".
• It is observed to provide first aid training to prevent injuries and saving lives in critical situations.
• World First Aid Day was first observed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in the year 2000.
• The first treatment given to a patient is called first aid.
• Every year many people and animals die due to a lack of timely first aid assistance.
• First Aid plays an important role in saving the life of the victim.

Topic: National News

2. The decisions of the 56th GST Council brought relief to coal producers and consumers.

• Significant changes were made in the taxation structure of the coal sector in the 56th meeting of the GST Council held in New Delhi.

• Earlier, coal attracted 5% GST along with a compensation cess of ₹400 per ton, but now the cess has been removed and GST has been raised to 18%.
• The overall tax on coal grades G6 to G17 has been reduced in the range of ₹13.40 per ton to ₹329.61 per ton.
• For the power sector, the average reduction has been estimated at ₹260 per ton, lowering the cost of power generation by nearly 17 to 18 paise per unit.
• Previously, a flat compensation cess of ₹400 per ton was imposed without considering coal quality, disproportionately burdening low-grade coal.
• For example, the tax burden on G-11 non-coking coal, most of which is produced by Coal India Limited, was around 65.85%, while the tax burden on G2 coal was 35.64%.
• After removal of cess, tax rate on all types of coal has now been rationalised to 39.81%.
• The removal of cess has been expected to support Aatmanirbhar Bharat by reducing dependence on imported coal and leveling the field for domestic producers.
• These reforms have also removed the Inverted Duty Anomaly by increasing the GST rate to 18%.
• Earlier, coal was subject to 5% GST, but input services used by coal companies were subject to a higher GST rate, generally 18%.
• Despite the increase in GST rates from 5% to 18%, the reforms will reduce the overall tax burden on the consumer due to the removal of the GST compensation cess.

Topic: National News

3. Namo Bharat became India's fastest train, connecting Delhi and Meerut in less than an hour.

• The Namo Bharat train has officially become India’s fastest train by operating at 160 km/h on the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).
• Earlier, semi-high-speed trains like Gatimaan Express and Vande Bharat were allowed 160 km/h, but their speed was capped at 130 km/h after a directive in June 2024.
• The present operational stretch covers 55 km from New Ashok Nagar in Delhi to Meerut South in Uttar Pradesh.
• The entire corridor of 82.15 km, with 16 stations from Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi to Modipuram in UP, is expected to be commissioned soon.
• Thirty six-car trainsets run at 15-minute intervals, reaching peak speeds on longer stretches between stations.
• The trains have been designed in Hyderabad and manufactured at Alstom’s Savli factory in Gujarat with modern aerodynamic features and equipped with Automatic Train Protection (ATP), Automatic Train Control (ATC), and Automatic Train Operations (ATO) systems.
• Officials of the NCRTC stated that the train attains maximum speed on station intervals ranging from five to eight kilometres.
• Since the opening of its 17-km priority section on 21 October 2023, more than 1.5 crore passengers have already travelled on Namo Bharat.
• Meerut Metro services are also being trialed on the same tracks to allow seamless switching between regional and metro journeys.
• The Namo Bharat project, a joint venture of the Centre (50%) and the state governments of Delhi, UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan (12.5% each), represents India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System and is set to redefine regional rail travel.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

4. Manmohan Singh posthumously awarded the P.V. Narasimha Rao Prize for Economics.

• The P V Narasimha Rao Memorial Award for Economics has been posthumously awarded to Late Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

• The award recognised his role in India’s economic reforms and his contributions to nation-building.
• It was received in New Delhi by his wife, Mrs. Gursharan Kaur, on his behalf.
• Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former deputy chairman of the erstwhile Planning Commission and distinguished fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, conferred the award.
• The PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Foundation (PVNMF), based in Hyderabad, instituted this award for excellence in economics.

Topic: National Appointments

5. Srinivas Injeti appointed Chairman of the NSE Governing Board.

• The National Stock Exchange of India has appointed Srinivas Injeti as the chairperson of its governing board.
• His appointment was approved by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• Injeti, a retired IAS officer of the 1983 batch, is currently serving as Public Interest Director at NSE.
• He brings more than four decades of experience in financial regulation, governance, and public policy.
• He earlier held the position of Corporate Affairs Secretary and led reforms in insolvency, company law, and governance.
• He was also the founding chairperson of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).
• During his career, he has served as Union Sports Secretary and headed the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority.

Topic: National News

6. The All-India Credit and Investment Survey and the Situation Assessment Survey of Agricultural Households were announced.

• The National Statistical Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has been conducting large-scale household surveys (NSS) on various social and economic subjects.
• These surveys have been conducted regularly since the inception of this office in 1950.
• Among its major surveys, two surveys are extremely important for the country's financial and agricultural sectors.
• These are the All-India Credit and Investment Survey (AIDIS) and the Situational Assessment Survey of Agriculture-based Households (SIS).
• Both these national representative surveys are planned to be conducted in the period from July 2026 to June 2027.
• The AIDIS has its origins in the All-India Rural Credit Survey of 1951-52 and has since been expanded to cover household debt and investment.
• It has been conducted roughly once every decade, most recently in 2019 at the request of the Reserve Bank of India.
• The survey provides vital statistics on indebtedness, asset distribution, and household finance in both rural and urban areas.
• The SAS of Agricultural Households was first launched in 2003 to assess the economic conditions of farming families.
• Its scope was expanded to include all agriculture-based families in the year 2013. It was further broadened in the year 2019 round.
• The survey estimates, among other aspects: household income and expenditure, borrowing burden and availability of credit sources, ownership of land and cattle, crop and livestock yield, agricultural practices and use of technology, and access to government policies and crop insurance.
• Its findings are used by the Ministry of Agriculture, NITI Aayog, financial institutions, and researchers to design rural development policies.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

7. India has organised the Saudi Arabia Jewellery Exposition (SAJEX) 2025 in Jeddah.

• SAJEX 2025 aims to boost trade ties with Saudi Arabia and expand India’s reach into GCC and global markets.
• SAJEX 2025 is being organized by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India (GJEPC).
• SAJEX is supported by India’s Ministry of Commerce, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, and the Consulate General in Jeddah.
• SAJEX 2025 took place from September 11 to 13, 2025. The venue was the Jeddah Superdome.
• Over 200 exhibitors participated. They showcased their products across 250 booths.
• Exhibits included diamond and gemstone jewellery, bridal collections, and lab-grown diamonds.
• India exported $32 billion worth of gems and jewellery in 2024–25.
• India processes more than one billion diamonds every year.
• This accounts for 65% of the global diamond trade by value and 92% by volume.
• Foreign direct investment in India’s gem and jewellery sector rose by 315% in FY 2024–25. This contributed to a national FDI total of $50 billion.
• The World Jewellery Investment Forum held alongside SAJEX. It hosted discussions on trade, investment, retail trends, and transparency in the sector.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

8. India participated in the 4th Coast Guard Global Summit (CGGS) held in Rome, Italy, from September 11 to 12, 2025.

• India used the summit as a platform to strengthen its role in international maritime cooperation.
• A two-member Indian Coast Guard (ICG) delegation represented India at the event.
• The delegation was led by Director General Paramesh Sivamani.
• DG Sivamani delivered a presentation titled ‘Guardians Against the Blaze: ICG’s Tactical Response to Fire Emergencies.’
• The presentation highlighted India’s experience and capabilities in managing fire-related incidents at sea.
• India also announced its plan to bid for the presidency of the 5th Coast Guard Global Summit.
• India proposed to host the next summit in 2027.
• The Rome summit brought together delegates from 115 countries and international maritime organisations.
• Italy and Japan co-chaired the event, showcasing their strong maritime collaboration.
• The theme of the summit centered around a shared identity as ‘Guardians at Sea.’
• The CGGS was originally established in 2017 by the Japan Coast Guard and the Nippon Foundation.
• It has since become a key platform for global maritime dialogue and confidence-building.
• Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attended the summit in person.
• Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addressed the gathering through a virtual message.

Topic: National News

9. AIIMS New Delhi has launched the da Vinci Surgical Robot at its Skills, E-Learning and Telemedicine (SET) Facility.

• This development marks a major step forward in India’s medical training landscape.
• It is the first time a government medical college in India has acquired the da Vinci robotic system for training purposes.
• The installation was made possible through a formal agreement with Intuitive Surgical.
• AIIMS Delhi now becomes the only institution in the country with two robotic systems used exclusively for education and training.
• The institute already houses the Hugo robotic trainer developed by Medtronic.
• The SET Facility offers practical, hands-on robotic surgery training.
• It is open to medical students, residents, nurses, and faculty members.
• The SET Facility includes simulators, robotic trainers, and manikins for guided learning.
• The new da Vinci robot will support surgical skill development across various specialities.
• These include urology, gynaecology, general surgery, surgical oncology, and head and neck surgery.

Topic: International Appointments

10. Sushila Karki has become the first woman to serve as Nepal’s interim Prime Minister.

• She took her oath of office at a ceremony held at Sheetal Niwas, administered by President Ramchandra Paudel.

• Her appointment came after former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned amid pressure from a youth-led nationwide movement.
• This movement, driven by Gen Z activists, called for a neutral leader to guide the country during a transitional period.
• Karki was chosen through an online public vote organized by Gen Z leaders on the Discord platform.
• Her selection received broad backing from both the youth activists and established political groups seeking stability.
• Her responsibilities include restoring peace, overseeing elections, and promoting Nepal’s development.
• Karki is highly regarded for her integrity and independence throughout her judicial career.
• She holds a master’s degree from Banaras Hindu University.
• In July 2016, she became the first female Chief Justice of Nepal.
• During her tenure, she delivered significant judgments, especially in corruption-related cases.
• Her term ended in 2017 following an impeachment motion by the Deuba-led coalition, seen by many as politically motivated.
• The protests in Nepal started in September 2025 after a nationwide ban on multiple social media platforms.