Daily Current Affairs and GK | 30 January 2025

Topic: Sports

1. Ladakh topped Khelo India Winter Games 2025, and the Army retained the Ice Hockey Title.

• The Union Territory of Ladakh continued its dominance at the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025, finishing first with seven medals including four gold.
• The first phase of the Khelo India Winter Games concluded at the NDS Stadium on January 27.
• Leh, the capital of Ladakh, hosted the Games for the second time this year.
• The Ladakh women's ice hockey team defeated ITBP 4-0 to win the gold medal, avenging last year's loss.
• The Indian Army retained its title by defeating ITBP 2-1 in a thrilling men's ice hockey final.
• Tamil Nadu has emerged as an emerging hub for skating talent. Tamil Nadu’s Yashashree clinched gold in the women’s 500m skating event.
• Tamil Nadu finished second with five medals including three gold, while Maharashtra won the most medals (10) but finished third with only two gold.
• The second phase of KIWG 2025 will take place in Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir, from February 22 to 25.

(Source: DD News)

Topic: Sports

2. Skillhub Online Games Federation and Global eSports Federation come together to bring Global eSports Tour 2025 to India.

• On 28 January, the collaboration between the Skillhub Online Games Federation (SOGF) and the Global Esports Federation (GEF) to bring the Global Esports Tour (GET) 2025 to Mumbai was announced.
• This landmark event is the first-ever global e-sports tournament to be held in India, further cementing the country's role as an emerging force in global e-sports.
• The first-ever global esports tournament to be held in Mumbai will see top-level professional esports athletes and teams compete on a world-class stage.
• This initiative is a direct result of the Strategic Framework Agreement signed between SOGF and GEF in October 2024.
• It reflects a long-term commitment to develop e-sports across South Asia, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
• The Global Esports Tour Mumbai will showcase high-stakes competition and also serve as a launchpad for India's esports talent on the international stage.

Topic: International News

3. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan declared 2025 as the Year of Community.

• The 2025 has been declared a year of Community as part of a national initiative aimed at fostering unity and inclusion across society.
• Under the slogan “Hand in Hand,” UAE is committed to building a cohesive and empowered community.
• A series of events will be organized to encourage citizens and residents to engage in community service.
• The UAE is home to over four million Indians, who form a vital part of the diverse population of UAE.
• The foundation of UAE’s strength lies in a united community, where individuals are connected.

Topic: National News

4. Government is aiming to introduce 'One Nation, One Time'.

• Government draft rules for ‘One Nation, One Time’ initiative to standardize time across India.
• The Draft Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2025, has been published for public consultation.
• Its aim is to standardize and mandate the use of Indian Standard Time (IST) across all sectors in India.
• It is being developed in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), with the goal of disseminating IST with millisecond to microsecond accuracy.
• The new rules are expected to transform several critical sectors such as telecommunications, navigation, power grid synchronization, banking, and digital governance.
• The Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2025 will establish a robust regulatory framework for the adoption of IST, encompassing synchronization, time-stamping, and cybersecurity protocols.
• The adoption of IST will strengthen national security by improving the synchronization of critical infrastructure and supporting real-time applications across sectors.
• The draft rules are open for public consultation until February 14.

Topic: Important Days

5. On January 30, the nation commemorated Mahatma Gandhi's 77th death anniversary and Martyr's Day.

• The country commemorates Mahatma Gandhi's life and legacy on January 30 of each year.
• This day is also known as Shaheed Diwas or Martyrs' Day.
• A Sarva-Dharma Prarthana was organised at Gandhi Samadhi, Rajghat, New Delhi, on this occasion.
• He was killed by Nathuram Godse at Birla House in New Delhi on January 30, 1948. 
• Mahatma Gandhi:
  • His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
  • He was born in Porbandar, Gujarat on 2nd October 1869.
  • He founded the Harijan Sevak Sangh in 1932.

Topic: State News/Punjab

6. Punjab State Health Department, Punjab Police, and Alliance India (an NGO) have collaborated to fight drug abuse. 

• The significance of women's participation in the battle against drug abuse was emphasised by State Health and Family Welfare Minister. 
• He underlined the necessity of rehabilitation initiatives to keep young people from developing drug addiction. 
• Special Director General of Punjab Police launched an outreach initiative aimed at women to aid in the war on drugs. 
• According to Special Director General of Punjab Police, women would be empowered to play a significant part in the fight against drug abuse.

Topic: Committees/Commissions/Taskforces

7. Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill approved 14 amendments.

• The JPC approved 14 amendments proposed by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
• The final meeting of JPC to scrutinize the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill concluded on 29th January 2025.
• It rejected 44 changes submitted by Opposition MPs. The panel adopted the amendments by a vote margin of 14 in favour and 11 against.
• Under the new amendments, the state government will appointment an officer to determine whether a property is of Waqf or not.
• Earlier, District Collector had absolute authority regarding this.
• Under the Waqf Act of 1995, this power was vested in survey commissioners and additional commissioners.
• The committee also removed the provision of the “mandatory” inclusion of two non-Muslim members in Waqf Boards.
• It proposed a restructured composition with three members including a scholar.
• The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was referred to the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in August 2024.
• Jagdambika Pal is the chairman of the joint parliamentary committee.

Topic: State News/ Himachal Pradesh

8. Himachal Pradesh Sadhbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme, 2025 has been approved.

• The Himachal Pradesh government has approved the implementation of the Himachal Pradesh Sadhbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme, 2025.
• Under this scheme, cases related to petroleum products up to the financial year 2017-18 will be resolved.
• It aims to reduce the backlog of cases under non-subsumed enactments.
• This scheme aims to resolve about 3,500 cases, with an anticipated revenue realization of Rs 10 crore.
• So far, the state government has introduced three Legacy Cases Resolution Schemes to resolve tax-related cases and disputes.
• The Chief Minister also announced the upgradation of Chadiyar Sub-Tehsil to a Tehsil.

Topic: Sports

9. Official logo and mascot for the 23rd National Para Athletics Championship 2025 have been released in Chennai.

• The 23rd National Para Athletics Championship 2025 is scheduled to take place from February 17 to 20.
• Around 1,700 para-athletes from across the country will participate in the event.
• The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) has played a pivotal role in making this championship a reality.
• Tamil Nadu will host the 23rd National Para Athletics Championship 2025.
• This event will celebrate the power of determination in the world of para-sports.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. SEBI launched the iSPOT Portal for reporting technical glitches.

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched iSPOT Portal for reporting technical issues faced by stock exchanges and other market infrastructure institutions (MIIs).
• It aims to streamline the submission of preliminary and final Root Cause Analysis (RCA) reports and establish a centralized repository for such incidents.
• Earlier, MIIs, including stock exchanges, clearing corporations, and depositories submit reports on technical glitches via a dedicated email ID.
• SEBI has now moved to a structured web-based reporting system.
• MIIs will now submit their preliminary and RCA reports through this portal.
• With the introduction of iSPOT, SEBI aims to increase transparency and efficiency in monitoring technical glitches across market infrastructure institutions.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

11. Uttar Pradesh’s tableau “Mahakumbh 2025” won the Best Tableau, and J&K Rifles won the Best Marching Contingent award.

• The tableau of Uttar Pradesh, with the theme ‘Mahakumbh 2025—Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas' won the best tableau award at the Republic Day parade on January 26, 2025, at Kartavya Path, New Delhi.
• Tripura’s tableau, with the theme ‘Eternal Reverence: The worship of 14 Deities in Tripura—Kharchi Puja,’ secured second place, while Andhra Pradesh’s ‘Etikoppaka Bommalu—Eco-Friendly Wooden Toys’ tableau earned the third prize.
• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, representing ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh,’ received the best tableau award among Central Ministries and Departments.
• In the Marching Contingent category, Jammu and Kashmir Rifles won the best award among services, and the Delhi Police Marching Contingent emerged victorious among CAPFs and other auxiliary forces.
• The Central Public Works Department (75 years of Constitution of India) and ‘Jayati Jai Mamah Bharatam’ Dance Group were conferred with a Special Prize.
• In addition, an online poll was conducted on the MyGov portal from January 26 to 28, 2025, asking citizens to vote for their favourite tableaux and marching contingents as 'Popular Choice Category'.
• In this, Gujarat's 'Swarnim Bharat: Virasat Aur Vikas' tableau won the best tableau award in the popular choice category.
• Uttar Pradesh was the runner-up, and Uttarakhand’s ‘Cultural Heritage and Adventure Sports’ tableau claimed the third position.
• The Signals Contingent was awarded the Best Marching Contingent among Services, while the CRPF Marching Contingent topped the CAPFs and other auxiliary forces category.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

12. ICC CEO Geoff Allardice is set to step down from his position.

• On January 28, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that Geoff Allardice has decided to step down as ICC Chief Executive.
• Allardyce's decision comes amid concerns over Pakistan's readiness to host the Champions Trophy 2025, which begins next month.
• In 2012, Mr. Allardice was appointed as ICC General Manager of Cricket, after joining from Cricket Australia, where he held the role of Cricket Operations Manager.
• In November 2021, he was appointed as the CEO of the ICC, having previously served as acting CEO for eight months.
• The ICC Board will now take the next steps to identify a new Chief Executive Officer.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

13. National Critical Mineral Mission approved by the government with an outlay of Rs. 34,300 crores over seven years.

• The launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) has been approved by the Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Modi, with an expenditure of Rs. 16,300 crore and an expected investment of Rs. 18,000 crores by PSUs, etc.
• This decision has been taken to create a resilient value chain for critical mineral resources required to promote green technologies.
• In line with this vision, the setting up of the Critical Mineral Mission was announced by the finance minister in the Union Budget for 2024-25 on 23rd July 2024.
• The National Critical Mineral Mission will cover all stages of the value chain, including mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recovery of end products.
• It aims to create a fast-track regulatory approval process for mining projects involving critical minerals.
• Additionally, the price for ethanol procurement from sugarcane feedstock has also been approved by the government.
• The sugarcane feedstock includes C-heavy molasses, B-heavy molasses, sugarcane juice, sugar, and sugar syrup.
• The price of 57.97 rupees per litre for C-heavy molasses, 60.73 rupees per litre for B-heavy molasses, and 65.61 rupees per litre for sugarcane juice, sugar, and sugar syrup has been approved by the cabinet.
• Ethanol blending has helped the country's economy, resulting in foreign exchange savings of Rs 1 lakh 13 thousand crores.
• The Ethanol blending program has also benefited farmers, with over Rs. 40,000 crores paid to them in the last ethanol supply year.