Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 18th July 2025

Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards:

President of India recently conferred Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards at Vigyan Bhagwan, New Delhi hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

• Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 is the world’s largest urban cleanliness survey and a key pillar of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban.
• In total, 78 awards were presented, recognising cities, cantonments, and institutions for their exemplary performance across a range of sanitation parameters.
• Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai have once again secured the top spots in urban sanitation, emerging as the cleanest cities in the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 rankings.
• The three cities were ranked first, second, and third, respectively, in the newly introduced “Super Swachh League,” which recognises sustained excellence in cleanliness. Vijayawada followed closely, securing the fourth position.
• This year’s Swachh Survekshan introduced a simplified and inclusive assessment framework, enabling smaller cities to compete on equal footing with larger counterparts under the principle of “One City, One Award.”
• As a result, 34 cities from various States and Union Territories were declared Promising Swachh Shehars for their notable progress in sanitation and urban cleanliness.
• Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Lucknow were declared the new generation of top clean cities, emerging as India’s leading Swachh Shehars.
• Prayagraj was honoured as the Best Ganga Town, while Secunderabad Cantonment Board was awarded for its strong sanitation efforts.
• Visakhapatnam, Jabalpur, and Gorakhpur received recognition as the Best SafaiMitra Surakshit Shehars for prioritising the safety, dignity, and welfare of sanitation workers.
• A special award was conferred upon the Government of Uttar Pradesh, the Prayagraj Mela Adhikari, and the Municipal Corporation of Prayagraj for successfully managing urban waste during the Mahakumbh, which saw a record footfall of approximately 66 crore people.

Poshan Tracker App:

Anganwadi workers struggle to register beneficiaries on the Poshan Tracker app due to technical glitches and connectivity issues.

• It is a mobile-based application rolled out by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India on 1st March 2021.
• It was developed by the National eGovernance Division.
• It serves as a specialized digital platform for Anganwadi Centers (AWCs), Anganwadi Workers (AWWs), and enrolled beneficiaries, aiming to enhance nutrition service delivery and support the government’s fight against malnutrition.
• The app provides mechanisms for direct data capture, status tracking, and reporting, making it a pivotal tool in the implementation of the Poshan
• Abhiyaan initiative access to Poshan Tracker is limited to designated users, including government-authorized staff and registered beneficiaries.
• It facilitates real-time updates on nutrition indicators covering children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.
• Anganwadi workers can record individual attendance, distribute supplements, and update health parameters directly from the field.
• Government authorities receive timely insights into resource usage, stock availability, and beneficiary outreach, allowing for improved decision-making and prompt intervention.
• Poshan Abhiyaan Initiative is a multi-ministerial initiative launched by the Government of India in March 2018.
• The focus of Abhiyaan is to lay emphasis on the nutritional status of adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children from 0-6 years of age.
• The programme, through the use of technology, convergence, and community involvement with a targeted approach, strives to reduce the level of stunting, undernutrition, anaemia, and low birth weight in children, as also focus on adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers, thus holistically addressing malnutrition.

Chronic Venous Insufficiency:

US President Donald Trump has been recently diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI).

• The CVI occurs when your leg veins struggle to allow the flow of blood back to the heart.
• Under normal conditions, the valves in our veins facilitate the flow of blood towards the heart.
• However, when they don’t work on the optimum level, the blood may flow backwards and accumulate (pool) in your legs.
• The condition may not be a serious health threat, but it can cause pain, swelling, cramps, skin changes, varicose veins, leg ulcers,
• People are more likely to have the condition if/when they are overweight or pregnant or have a family history of the problem.
• People may also experience it if they have ever sustained an injury to their leg, had surgery, or had previous blood clots.
• It affects about 1 in 20 adults. Common among older adults, its risk heightens with age.
• From lifestyle changes to surgery, there are multiple ways to address the issue.
• Regular exercise, leg elevation, and weight management are considered the first steps to treat the condition.
• Medicines that boost blood flow through the vessels and compression therapy, which involves tight stockings or bandages, help a long way.

Reykjanes Peninsula:

A volcano erupted recently in Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula in the southwest, weather authorities said, the ninth eruption to hit the region since the end of 2023.

• Reykjanes is a peninsula in southwest Iceland, characterized by immense lava fields, volcanoes, and heightened geothermal activity.
• It covers an area of 829 sq.km.
• The peninsula is where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rises above sea level, creating a dynamic landscape where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
• Due to this geological setting, the whole peninsula is extremely volcanically active, covered with moss-coated lava fields and cone-shaped mountains.
• Since 2021, the Reykjanes Peninsula has seen a marked increase in volcanic activity, with eruptions occurring frequently.
• There are frequent earthquakes due to the movement of the tectonic plates, but are commonly minor events that can hardly be felt by humans.
• The peninsula is quite sparsely populated, with the exception of the capital area of Reykjavik, which is the largest city on the peninsula.
• It is also the site of the Reykjanes Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark, which showcases the area’s unique geological features, including fissures, lava fields, hot springs, and volcanic craters.
• The Gunnuhver Geothermal Field is among the biggest geothermal fields on the peninsula.

Mount Kilimanjaro : In News

The Defence Secretary formally flagged off mountaineering expeditions to Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro at an event organised in South Block, New Delhi.

• It is Africa’s tallest mountain and the world’s largest free-standing mountain (which means not part of a mountain range).
• It is located in northeastern Tanzania, near the Kenya border.
• It extends approximately east-west for 50 miles (80 km).
• Also called a stratovolcano, Kilimanjaro is made up of three cones: Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira.
• Among these cones is Kibois, the tallest of the three volcanic formations, which is also a dormant volcano, while the other two are extinct volcanoes.
• Uhuru Peak, the highest free-standing peak in Africa, is located on the volcanic cone Kibo.
• Kilimanjaro is also known for its snow-capped peak.
• The mountain has five main vegetation zones, from the lowest to the highest point: Lower slopes, montane forest, heath and moorland, alpine desert, and summit.
• The Kilimanjaro National Park was named a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1987.

Akash Prime Missile:

India achieved a significant milestone by successfully destroying two Aerial High Speed Unmanned targets at high-altitude in Ladakh by Akash Prime.

• It is the upgraded variant of Akash weapon for the high altitude region.
• Akash Prime Missile is a medium-range, surface-to-air missile platform.
• It is designed to protect mobile, semi-mobile and static military installations from a range of aerial threats.
• Its key upgrade is an indigenous Radio Frequency seeker. This allows it to beam out radio signals and home in on targets during the final phase of its flight.
• It is capable of targeting objects at a range of around 25 to 30 kilometers.
• Other key enhancements in Akash Prime ensure more reliable performance under low-temperature environments at higher altitudes.
• Akash Prime is engineered for deployment above 4,500 metres.
• These new additions have been made after receiving feedback from armed forces, for the deployment of the system to provide air defence cover for vital installations and sensitive areas in high-altitude regions.

Ground Penetrating Radar Technology:

A team from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has discovered signs of ancient Buddhist stupas and structural remains buried beneath the soil in Yamuna Nagar district of Haryana by using advanced Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology.

• It is a geophysical method that uses high-frequency electromagnetic pulses to image the subsurface of the Earth or other solid materials.
• It is a non-destructive detection and imaging method which identifies subsurface elements either underground or within a surface such as concrete.
• GPR uses a transmitter antenna to send high-frequency, pulsed, electromagnetic waves (typically from 10 MHz to 1,000 MHz) into the subsurface to acquire information.
• The wave spreads out and travels downward until it hits a buried object or boundary with different electromagnetic properties
• Part of the wave energy is reflected or scattered back to the surface, while part of the energy continues to travel downward.
• The wave is reflected back to the surface to a receiver antenna that records the amplitude of the reflected energy and the arrival time of the wave on a digital storage device
• GPR can detect both metallic and non-metallic objects, giving it a wide range of applications.
• It reveals all types of utilities, including electrical conduit, steam pipes, telecommunications lines, gas & oil lines, water lines, and sewer & storm pipes.

Protostar : Study

A team of researchers at the IIST, Thiruvananthapuram, recently discovered radio emission with a special property known as circular polarisation near a massive young protostar that is still forming about 4,500 light-years from Earth.

• A protostar is an early stage in the star formation
• It is a large mass of gas and dust formed as a result of the contraction of a giant molecular cloud in the interstellar medium.
• As the cloud collapses, gravitational energy is converted into heat, warming the still-forming protostar.
• It may last from 100,000 to 10 million years, depending on the mass of the star.
• It begins with an increase in density in the molecular cloud core and ends with the formation of a pre-main-sequence star.
• Pre-main-sequence stars of similar mass to the Sun are known as T-Tauri stars.
• Once hydrogen fusion ignites in the core of a star, it begins producing energy and becomes a main sequence star.
• Protostars are usually surrounded by dust, which blocks the light that they emit, so they are difficult to observe in the visible spectrum.

Kerala Announces Kathakali and Classical Arts Awards:

The Government of Kerala has announced the State Kathakali Awards, Pallavur Appu Marar Vadya Puraskaram, and Keraleeya Nritta-Natya Puraskaram for 2023, honouring veterans who have contributed immensely to the preservation and promotion of Kerala’s classical performing arts. The awards reflect the state’s commitment to safeguarding its rich cultural heritage.Kerala is renowned for its classical art forms like Kathakali, Koodiyattam, and traditional percussion instruments like Chenda and Maddalam. These awards are instituted by the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi under the Department of Cultural Affairs to recognize outstanding contributions by individuals in preserving these traditions. The awards are presented annually and carry a cash prize, citation, and a plaque.

Maharashtra Unveils Vidarbha’s First Integrated Steel Plant in Gadchiroli:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is set to inaugurate a transformative phase for Vidarbha by laying the foundation for Llyods Metals & Energy Limited’s (LMEL) first integrated steel plant in the region’s Gadchiroli district. This development marks a watershed moment for regional industrialisation and resource-based economic growth.Gadchiroli, part of Maharashtra’s mineral-rich Vidarbha region, has historically lagged in major industrial investments despite abundant high-grade iron ore reserves. LMEL, incorporated in 1977, has expanded steadily from mining into steel manufacturing, choosing Konsari in Gadchiroli as the site for Vidarbha’s inaugural integrated steel facility.

Andre Russell Announces Retirement from International Cricket:

Veteran West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has announced his retirement from international cricket, concluding a distinguished T20 career. His final matches will be the T20Is against Australia on July 20 and 22, 2025, at Sabina Park, Jamaica.Andre Russell, aged 37, debuted in international cricket in 2010. While he played 56 ODIs and 1 Test match, his legacy was built in T20 Internationals, where he featured in 84 matches. He was instrumental in West Indies’ T20 World Cup victories in 2012 and 2016, contributing with both bat and ball.

Ajay Kumar Shrivastava Appointed Director (Engineering & R&D), HAL:

Ajay Kumar Shrivastava has officially assumed the role of Director (Engineering and R&D) at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), one of India’s premier aerospace and defence public sector undertakings. With 37 years of experience in aircraft design and development, Shrivastava’s appointment marks a significant move in advancing indigenous aviation capabilities and innovation.Ajay Shrivastava began his professional journey at HAL in 1988 as a Management Trainee (Technical). Over the decades, he has served in multiple leadership roles including Head of the Aircraft Research & Design Centre (ARDC) and the Transport Aircraft Research & Design Centre (TARDC). Prior to this appointment, he was the Executive Director of ARDC, contributing significantly to India’s aerospace R&D framework.

EximPe Gets RBI Approval for Cross-Border Payment Aggregator License:

EximPe has received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment Aggregator – Cross Border (PA-CB). This move is expected to bolster cross-border digital transactions and e-commerce trade, particularly in the India-Asia corridor. As cross-border payments become more integral to global trade and digital services, such regulatory approvals mark a shift toward enhanced infrastructure and compliance in the digital economy.The PA-CB framework by RBI governs the operation of payment aggregators facilitating cross-border transactions, ensuring secure and regulated movement of funds across international borders. Companies applying for this licence must meet stringent norms around compliance, data security, transaction monitoring, and capital requirements

Maharashtra Grants Agricultural Status to Livestock and Poultry Farming:

The state of Maharashtra has become the first in India to grant agricultural status to livestock and poultry farming. This decision, approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet on July 11, 2025, recognizes the vital role of animal husbandry in the rural economy and aims to bring parity between crop cultivators and livestock farmers. The move is expected to benefit over 37 million livestock farmers, enhancing their access to subsidies, lower tariffs, and institutional credit.