Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 2nd March 2025

 National News

 1. Kishan Reddy to Inaugurate 175th Foundation Day Celebrations of Geological Survey of India at Kolkata 

•  The Geological Survey of India (GSI), one of the oldest scientific organizations in the country, is set to celebrate its 175th year of geoscientific legacy. 
•  To mark this historic milestone, Union Minister of Coal & Mines, Shri G Kishan Reddy will inaugurate the Foundation Day celebrations on 4th March 2025 at Central Headquarters, Kolkata. 
•  Established in 1851 by Sir Thomas Oldham, GSI has played a pioneering role in geological mapping, mineral exploration, disaster studies, and geoscientific research, significantly contributing to India’s industrial and economic growth. 
•  During the 175th Foundation Day celebrations on 4th March 2025, GSI will showcase its rich legacy and scientific contributions through a series of engaging events, insightful publications and unveiling of Special Postal Cover, My stamp and two geoscientific mobile apps. 

2. JP Nadda inaugurates 9th National Health Mission Summit in Puri 

•  Union Minister JP Nadda has inaugurated the 9th National Summit on Good and Replicable Practices in the Public Healthcare System in Odisha’s city of Puri. 
• The 2-day summit showcases and documents various best practices and innovations adopted by States and UTs for addressing their public health challenges.

3. Govt allows Aadhaar face authentication in private apps to ease service access 

• The government has introduced a new Aadhaar Governance Portal (http://swik.meity.gov.in) aimed at streamlining the approval process for Aadhaar authentication requests. 
•  Launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the platform follows the recent amendments to the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Rules, 2025, under the Aadhaar Act of 2016. 
•  The new rules are designed to support good governance and improve the delivery of various welfare services and benefits.
•  According to the ministry, the portal is part of ongoing efforts to simplify processes, enhance service delivery, and improve the overall ease of living for citizens. 
• Both government and private entities can now use Aadhaar authentication for public services like innovation, knowledge sharing, and improving access to essential services. This will help citizens access services across sectors such as healthcare, education, e-commerce, and hospitality more easily. Service providers will also benefit from Aadhaar authentication for tasks such as staff attendance, customer onboarding, and e-KYC verification. 
• The portal provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to help entities apply for Aadhaar authentication and onboard seamlessly. Face authentication may also be integrated into customer-facing apps, enabling easy, anytime authentication. 
• Secretary of MeitY – S. Krishnn 
• CEO of UIDAI – Bhuvnesh Kumar 

4. Jahan-e-Khusrau festival marks 25 years 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Sufi music festival Jahan-e-Khusrau on its 25-year journey, highlighting its role in preserving India’s cultural and artistic heritage.
•  Jahan-e-Khusrau, a three-day festival running from February 28 to March 2, brings together artists from across the world to celebrate the legacy of Amir Khusrau.
•  Organized by the Rumi Foundation, the festival was founded by renowned filmmaker and artist Muzaffar Ali in 2001 and has since become a revered annual cultural event. 

5. Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi Honours WWI Indian Soldiers at Neuve-Chapelle Memorial in France 

•  Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi has laid a wreath at the war memorial in Neuve-Chapelle, France, honouring the supreme sacrifice of Indian soldiers who fought during World War I.
•   The memorial stands as a powerful symbol of India’s long-standing commitment to global peace, serving as a poignant tribute to the fallen soldiers and a reminder of their enduring bravery. 
• The Neuve-Chapelle Memorial commemorates the Indian soldiers who fought alongside Allied forces in the First World War, particularly during the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle in 1915.

 

6. Use of ballot paper not in panel's ambit: Law Ministry

•   The question of reverting to ballot papers does not fall within the ambit of the mandate of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the two Bills on simultaneous polls, the Union Law Ministry has stated. 
•  Going back to the ballot paper system was a "suggestion" made by some of the members of the committee, and the Ministry was to respond to it in writing. 
•  While the Ministry's Legislative Department gave elaborate responses to a variety of questions posed to it by the committee, it did not give a direct reply on the suggestion on the ballot paper system. 
•  The Ministry is learnt to have said it was "out of scope of the parliamentary panel to make a suggestion on the use of the ballot paper system, according to sources. 
•  Whether to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) or ballot papers for casting votes is not the subject the panel is examining, they underlined. 
•  Going back to ballot paper system was a 'suggestion' made by some members of the joint parliamentary committee 
•  The committee is mandated to examine the Bills on simultaneous polls of the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill and give its report on whether they are sound enough for the purpose or need changes, the sources said. 
• The government has on multiple occasions told 
• While the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill lays down a legal framework to hold the Lok Sab-ha and Assembly polls to-gether, the Union Territories Laws (Amend-ment) Bill seeks to align the terms of Assemblies of Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir for the purpose of holding joint elections. Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir are the three UTs with Assemblies. 
•  Parliament that it does not favour returning to the ballot paper system and the Supreme Court too has weighed in favour of using EVMs. 
•  The top court recently rejected pleas for reviving paper ballots, holding that suspicions regarding tampering of voting machines were "unfounded". 
• The sources said that while the Ministry answered some of the questions, some others were sent to the Election Commission for a calibrated response. The Ministry has also told the committee that holding simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies is not undemocratic and does not hurt the federal structure. 
•  It is learnt to have asserted that elections were held simultaneously in the past before the cycle was broken for various reasons, including the imposi-tion of President's Rule in some States. 
• Following the adoption of the Constitution, elections to the Lok Sabha and all Assemblies were conducted simultaneously from 1951 to 1967, it noted. 

7. Russian, Ukrainian Ministers may attend Raisina Dialogue in Delhi 

• The showdown between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the White House on Fri-day and events that follow may not directly impact India but they could set the stage for fiery encounters in New Delhi later this month, as the Ministry of External Affairs presents the next edition of the annual Raisina Dialogue. 
•  Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are both invited to the dialogue, or-ganised by the think-tank Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in Delhi. Sources said they were expected to participate, along with senior U.S. officials. 
•  The chief guest at the event from March 17 to 19 will be New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Lux-on, and a number of European Ministers and senior officials, including from Italy, Ireland, the Nether lands, Norway, Slovenia, Lithuania and Estonia.
•   "New Zealand remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine as it defends itself in a war that Russia started. It's mounting the defence of a proud, democratic and sovereign non Rao on X, adding that nation, but also the defence of international law," Mr. Luxon posted on social media on Saturday. "there was no need for him to vent his views on Russia and President Putin" in public.
•   Indian experts, however, reacted to the developments differently, with two former senior Ambassadors criticising Mr. Zelen-skyy for "inviting" the harsh public treatment by the U.S. President. "Zelen-skyy invited it by being argumentative instead of tactfully steering the exchange in a more positive direction," said former In-dian Ambassador to Russia and Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Kanwal Sibal on social media platform X. "Zelenskyy literally asked for it," wrote former Indian Ambassador to the U.S. Nirupama 
•  "At the moment, Ukraine has very few op-tions," said Happymon Ja-cob, founder and director of the Delhi-based Council for Strategic and Defence Research. "The Russian battlefield victories, rapidly declining support from the U.S., and pressure from the Trump administration to negotiate a deal with Russia have put Ukraine on the defensive, and Kyiv may have to agree to terms it may not like, including a ceasefire without future se-curity guarantees," he told The Hindu. He said the open rift between Washington and Kyiv will also remove all pressure on India to "condemn Russia and stand with the West", as well as to join sanctions. 
•  The developments will likely dominate discussions at the Raisina Dialogue as well. 
•  As many as 1,800 speakers and delegates from more than 120 countries have confirmed their attendance thus far. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha is expected, sources said, subject to events following the showdown in Washington. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Mr. Sybiha in Munich earlier this month as well, and said he discussed efforts towards resolving the conflict with Russia, as well as further-ing bilateral cooperation. 
•  Mr. Lavrov has been a regular speaker at the Raisina dialogue, which is seen as New Delhi's attempt to rival the Munich Security Conference and the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore each year. 
• However, after a particularly heated exchange in the March 2023 session, where he berated the hosts of the event for "not doing their homework" over Russia's stance on talks with Ukraine, the Russian Foreign Minister and other senior officials were absent from the event in 2024. 

State News 

8. Mizoram launches Women Entrepreneurship Platform, first in NE 

•  Mizoram chief minister Lalduhoma has launched the Mizoram chapter of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), the first such platform in the Northeast under NITI Aayog. 
• The launch, held during a state workshop on women-led development through entrepreneurship at Mizoram University (MZU) at Tanhril near Aizawl under the initiative of the NITI Aayog state support mission, was attended by NITI Aayog member Dr VK Paul. 
• This initiative aims to strengthen regional support for women entrepreneurs by providing resources, mentorship, and business opportunities. 

About Mizoram

•  Formation – 20 February 1987
•  Capital – Aizawl 
• Chief Minister – Lalduhoma 
•  Governor – General V. K. Singh

 Appointment News 

9. SBI Life appoints Dorababu Daparti as Deputy CEO 

• Dorababu Daparti has been appointed as Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBI Life Insurance Company. 
• This appointment is based on the recommendation of the nomination and remuneration committee
• . Dorababu Daparti is a highly accomplished banking professional with over 29 years of experience in the financial industry. He holds a Master’s degree in Sciences (M.Sc.) and is a Chartered Associate of the Indian Institute of Bankers (CAIIB).
•   Daparti began his career with the State Bank of India (SBI) in 1995 and, has since held various managerial and executive roles within the organization. 
• With extensive expertise in international banking, he has a proven track record of success. Daparti served as the Country Head and CEO of SBIs Maldives operations from September 2021. Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector
•  Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)- Tuhin Kanta Pandey (replace Madhabi Puri Buch) for 3 years 
•  MD and CEO of Kotak Mahindra Prime – Shahrukh Todiwala (replace Vyomesh Kapasi
•  MD & CEO of SBI Cards – Salila Pande (replace Abhijit Chakravorty); effect from 1 April 2025 
• CEO of Standard Chartered India – Prabdev (PD) Singh (replace Zarin Daruwala); effect from 1 April 2025 
•  CEO of Navi Technologies – Rajiv Naresh 
•  CEO of Navi Finserv – Abhishek Dwivedi 

Important day 

10. 27 February – World NGO Day 

• World NGO Day is observed annually on 27th February to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) worldwide. 
• It aims to raise awareness about the role of NGOs in society and encourage people to support and collaborate with them for global development. 
• Theme 2025 – Empowering Grassroots Movements for a Sustainable Future
•  The day was officially recognized in 2010 and was first celebrated by the United Nations, EU, and other international organizations in 2014.