CURRENT AFFAIRS
18 July, 2025
1. DELHI TO GET FIRST PLASTIC ROAD USING GEOCELLS TECHNOLOGY BY BPCL & CRRI FOR SUSTAINABLE INFRASTRUCTURE –
• Delhi is set to get its first plastic road, marking a major step forward in sustainable infrastructure.
• Developed by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) and Central Road Research Institute (CRRI).
• It involves construction technique involving 9x9x9 inch box-like cells filled with bitumen mix and plastic.
What is Geocells Technology?
• Geocells are cellular confinement systems that create a three-dimensional structure, resembling a honeycomb, when expanded.
• They are typically made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) or other durable polymers.
• Geocells are designed to confine and stabilize infill materials like soil, gravel, or sand, preventing lateral movement and enhancing overall stability.
How Geocells Work?
• Geocells are expanded on-site and filled with the chosen infill material.
• The confinement of the infill within the cells prevents lateral spreading and movement, leading to increased load-bearing capacity.
2. PM DHAN-DHAANYA KRISHI YOJANA APPROVED FOR 6 YEARS TO BOOST AGRICULTURE IN 100 DISTRICTS –
• The Union Cabinet approved the “Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana” for a period of six years, beginning with 2025–26 to cover 100 districts.
• The PM-DDKY, announced in the Budget earlier this year, aims at increasing agricultural productivity and sustainable practices with an annual outlay of ₹24,000 crore.
• The scheme draws inspiration from NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme.
• The scheme will be implemented through the convergence of 36 existing schemes across 11 Central Departments.
About Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana
• Aim: To uplift 100 districts with low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity, and limited credit access.
Objectives:
• Enhance agricultural productivity.
• Promote crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices.
• Augment post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block levels.
• Improve irrigation infrastructure.
• Facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit.
• It is the first scheme focused exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors.
Implementation Strategy:
• It will also involve State schemes and local partnerships with the private sector.
3. UK LOWERS VOTING AGE TO 16 –
• The UK government has announced a major reform to its electoral system. The voting age will be lowered from 18 to 16 for the next general election, expected in 2029. This change brings UK-wide elections in line with Scotland and Wales, which already allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote.
• Alongside this, the government plans to expand voter ID requirements to include UK-issued bank cards. These reforms aim to modernise democracy, increase participation, and protect electoral integrity.
Lowering the Voting Age
• The government’s decision to reduce the voting age to 16 is democratic shift. It fulfils a Labour Party manifesto promise and aligns voting rights across the UK. This move is expected to boost youth engagement in politics and restore public trust in democratic institutions. It recognises young people as active participants in shaping the nation’s future.
4. TESLA OPENS FIRST INDIA SHOWROOM AT MUMBAI’S BKC –
• Tesla marked a major milestone by opening its first India showroom at Maker Maxity Mall in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). The grand entry of the American electric vehicle (EV) leader signals a transformative moment for India’s automotive and clean mobility landscape, introducing two variants of the Model Y with a starting price of ₹59.89 lakh.
Background
• After years of policy negotiations and anticipation, Tesla’s arrival in India comes as the world’s third-largest automobile market sharpens its focus on sustainable transportation. Despite global challenges, India’s rising EV demand and progressive state policies attracted Tesla’s initial investment, with the Mumbai experience centre chosen for its location in a high-end commercial hub.
Significance
• Tesla’s debut in India is not just a business expansion but a boost to the country’s EV ecosystem. The entry brings global attention to India’s push for clean mobility and strengthens Maharashtra’s role as an EV hub. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis called the showroom launch a market-changing event, highlighting Mumbai’s entrepreneurial spirit and the state’s robust EV policies.
5. INDIAN NAVY SET TO PARTICIPATE IN SIMBEX 2025 –
• The Indian Navy is participating in the 32nd edition of SIMBEX (Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise) in Singapore, continuing a long-standing tradition of maritime cooperation with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). This exercise reflects India’s growing naval engagements in Southeast Asia under its Act East Policy and Vision SAGAR, aligning defence and diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific.
Background
• SIMBEX began in 1994 and is one of India’s longest uninterrupted naval bilateral exercises. Originally named Exercise Lion King, this engagement has evolved into a complex and high-value maritime coordination effort. The partnership emphasizes operational cooperation, technical exchange, maritime domain awareness, and regional security between India and Singapore. It reflects decades of joint work in promoting regional stability and ensuring a safe maritime commons in the Indo-Pacific.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. Which institute has launched YD One, India’s lightest active wheelchair ?
a) IIT Madras
b) IIT Delhi
c) IIT Kanpur
d) IIT Bombay
Q2. Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missile is developed by which country ?
a) Russia
b) United States
c) France
d) India
Q3. Machilipatnam city, that was recently seen in news, is located in which state ?
a) Karnataka
b) Kerala
c) Andhra Pradesh
d) Odisha
Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY):
• The scheme’s primary focus is to exclusively fund the development of post-harvest infrastructure at the national level.
• It aims to enhance agricultural output by addressing yield gaps through the infusion of technology and scientific farming practices.
• A key objective is to promote crop diversification towards climate-resilient and high-value agricultural produce.
How many of the above statements is/are correct ?
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
Explanation-
• Statement 1 is incorrect. The scheme does aim to enhance post-harvest infrastructure, but its focus is specified at the Panchayat/block-level, not the national level. The objective is to build grassroots infrastructure like cold storages to reduce wastage, rather than large-scale national projects.
• Statement 2 is correct. A central goal of the PMDDKY is to boost agricultural productivity in underperforming districts. It explicitly mentions closing “yield gaps using scientific practices and tech infusion” as a method to achieve this. This points to a direct intervention strategy to improve farm output.
• Statement 3 is correct. The scheme recognizes the challenges posed by climate change and market fluctuations. Promoting crop diversification away from monoculture and towards climate-resilient and high-value crops is a stated objective. This strategy aims to improve farm incomes and sustainability simultaneously.
Q5. Which of the following is the most significant reason for preferring splashdown landings for modern crewed space capsules like SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and ISRO’s Gaganyaan ?
a) Water landings allow for the recovery of the spacecraft at a much faster rate.
b) The ocean provides a natural and effective cushion, simplifying the spacecraft’s design by eliminating the need for complex landing legs and retro-propulsion systems.
c) Splashdowns ensure that the heat shield of the spacecraft cools down more rapidly upon contact with water.
d) Ocean landing sites are geographically closer to major space launch centers, reducing logistical overheads.
Explanation-
• Option (a) is incorrect; ocean recovery can be a complex and time-consuming operation involving ships and helicopters, often slower than a runway landing.
• Option (b) is the core reason. Water’s high density and ability to displace makes it an excellent medium for absorbing the kinetic energy of the descending capsule. This inherent cushioning effect means engineers do not need to design, build, and test heavy and complex systems like landing legs (as seen on the Space Shuttle) or precision retro-propulsion for a soft landing on land (as proposed for some future reusable rockets). This simplification reduces the overall mass, cost, and points of potential failure for the capsule, making the entire system safer and more cost-effective.
• Option (c) is a secondary effect but not the primary driver for the design choice. Heat shields are designed to withstand re-entry temperatures regardless of the final landing method.
• Option (d) is incorrect. Landing zones in the ocean can be vast and are chosen for safety and recovery logistics, not necessarily for proximity to launch sites.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
A | B | C | B | B |