Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 22nd August 2025

Saltwater Crocodile:

The estimated population of saltwater crocodiles, one of the largest reptiles in the world, has increased in the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (SBR) from last year, according to a population survey by the State’s Forest Department.

• Saltwater Crocodile is the largest and heaviest of all living reptiles in the world.
• Scientific Name: Crocodylus porosus
• It is also known as the estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile, or informally as saltie.
• It is an opportunistic hypercarnivorous apex predator.
• It is native to saltwater habitats and brackish wetlands from India’s east coast across Southeast Asia and the Sundaic region to northern Australia and Micronesia.
• The average male is 5 m in length and weighs around 500 kg, while females are significantly smaller, with the average female saltwater crocodile measuring a little under 3 m in length and weighing less than 100 kg.
• Their coloration varies, typically featuring a dark, greenish-brown hue with lighter underbellies, which helps them blend into their aquatic surroundings.
• They have thick, armored skin made of tough scales that protect them from potential threats.
• They are solitary creatures, especially when it comes to adult males.
• They are highly territorial, with large male saltwater crocodiles often controlling extensive stretches of rivers, estuaries, or coastlines.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

Pamba River:

The Central Government recently initiated steps to include the Pampa River under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), a multi-crore initiative aimed at protecting major rivers in the country.

• Pamba River is the third longest river in the state of Kerala after the Periyar River and the Bharathappuzha River.
• Also called the ‘Dakshina Bhageerathi’ or the Ganga of Kerala, the significance of the river is associated with the Sabarimala temple.
• Pilgrims visiting Sabarimala take a dip in the river here before and after trekking the hill.
• Pamba is also called Thriveni Sangam, as it is the meeting point for three rivers-Pamba, Achankovil & Manimala.
• It rises at an altitude of 1650 m in the Pulachimalai Hill on the Peerumedu plateau of the Western Ghats.
• After traversing a distance of 176 km, it joins the Arabian Sea branching into a number of channels.
• The basin extends over an area of 2235 sq.km.
• The entire catchment area lies in Kerala state.
• The basin is bounded on the east by the Western Ghats and on the west by the Arabian Sea.
• The main tributaries of the river are Kakki Ar, Azhuta Ar, Kakkad Ar, Kallar, Manimala, and Achenkovil.

Asian Palm Civet:

In a bizarre incident, Kerala High Court’s Chamber 1 proceedings got disrupted recently due to a foul stench caused by Asian Palm Civet.

• The Asian Palm Civet, also known as the Toddy Cat or Common Palm Civet, is a small, nocturnal mammal that is found throughout South and Southeast Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
• It is a member of the Viverridae family, which also includes other civet and mongoose species.
• Scientific Name: Paradoxurus hermaphroditus
• It has a long, slender body, short legs, and a pointed snout.
• It weighs between 2 to 5 kg (4.4 to 11 lbs) and measures around 53 to 71 cm (21 to 28 inches) in length, including the tail.
• Its fur is brownish-gray with black spots, and it has a white mask-like marking around its eyes.
• It is a nocturnal animal and feeds on a variety of prey, including insects, small mammals, and fruits.
• One of the most distinctive features of Asian palm civets is their ability to digest coffee beans, which makes them an important part of the coffee production process in some countries.
• They are also known for their strong sense of smell and excellent climbing skills, allowing them to easily climb trees and forage for food.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

Vihar Lake:

In the wake of heavy rains in Mumbai over the last few days, Vihar Lake, one of the key sources of potable water for the metropolis, started overflowing.

• It is a man-made reservoir located near Vihar village on the Mithi River within the grounds of the Borivali National Park, which is also known as Sanjay Gandhi National Park, in North Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The lake was built from 1856 to 1860 by the British government to overcome the drinking water woes of the people of southern Mumbai.
• It gets its water from the Powai-Kanheri hill ranges in the catchment area.
• It is the largest lake in Mumbai in the Salsette group of islands.
• It is bordered between the Tulsi Lake and the Powai Lake.
• It partly meets the drinking water needs of the South Mumbai region.
• It supplies 3% of the Mumbai city’s water requirement, after filtration at Bhandup, where the large water filtration plant is located.

Nominations to UT Assemblies:

The Union Home Ministry asserts that the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) can nominate five members to the Legislative Assembly without the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019 (amended 2023) provides for 90 elected members and allows the LG to nominate up to five members.

• Under Article 80, the President can nominate 12 members having special knowledge in literature, science, art, and social service, on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers.
• Nominated members enjoy most privileges of elected MPs, such as participating in debates, and introducing bills, but cannot vote in presidential elections.
• They can vote for the Vice President.
• They are also not required to declare assets and liabilities under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
• Nominated members have six months from taking their seat to join a political party; joining after this period leads to disqualification.
• Under Article 171, nearly one-sixth of members in a State Legislative Council are nominated by the Governor, based on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
• Earlier, the Constitution allowed the President (Article 331) to nominate two Anglo-Indian members to the Lok Sabha and Governors (Article 333) to nominate one Anglo-Indian member to State Legislative Assemblies.
• Both provisions were abolished by the 104th Constitutional Amendment in 2020.

Thattekad Bird Sanctuary:

A comprehensive faunal survey at the Thettekad Bird Sanctuary, Ernakulam, Kerala, has added nine species records to its official biodiversity checklist.

• Thattekad Bird Sanctuary is the first bird sanctuary in Kerala, located on the banks of Periyar River.
• Thattekad bird sanctuary is also known as Dr. Salim Ali bird sanctuary, named after Dr Salim Ali, the best known ornithologist in India.
• The sanctuary, which spreads across the foot of western Ghats , was notified in 1983.
• It consists of Tropical Evergreen Forests, Tropical Semi-evergreen forests, Moist Deciduous
• It consists of natural habitats which includes Periyar river, lagoons and marshes formed by Bhootattankettu dam reservoir, tropical semi & evergreen forests of the western Ghats.
• Major peaks in the sanctuary are Thoppimudi and Nyayapillimudi.

Bharatiya Antariksh Station:

The Indian government is planning to establish a fully operational Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2035 and launch an Indian crewed mission to the Moon by 2040, ahead of the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

• Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) Planned similar to the International Space Station (ISS), BAS will orbit 400–450 km above Earth and support scientific research.
• It will consist of 5 modules built in phases, with the Base Module scheduled for 2028 and the station becoming fully operational by 2035.
• It Elevate India’s global space stature, enable microgravity research and international collaborations in biotechnology and materials science.
• It Support long-duration human space missions, enhance Earth observation for disaster monitoring, and strengthen the space economy while inspiring STEM talent
• International Space Station (ISS)
• The ISS is the largest habitable satellite in LEO, serves as a global space laboratory for research and cooperation.

Lipulekh Pass: In News

India has rejected Nepal’s objections to the resumption of India-China border trade through the Lipulekh Pass, asserting that Nepal’s claims are not grounded in historical facts.

• Nepal claims the Lipulekh as part of its territory according to its constitution.
• India reaffirmed that border trade through Lipulekh Pass began in 1954 and had been ongoing for decades before disruptions due to Covid-19.
• Lipulekh Pass is a high-altitude mountain pass in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, near the trijunction of India, Nepal, and China, linking Uttarakhand with Tibet.
• It serves as a gateway to the higher Himalayas and is historically significant as an ancient trade route connecting the Indian subcontinent with the Tibetan plateau.
• Lipulekh was the first Indian border post opened for trade with China in 1992, followed by Shipki La in Himachal Pradesh (1994) and Nathu La in Sikkim (2006).
• The Old Lipulekh Pass, situated in the Vyas Valley of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand holds immense religious importance as part of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

18th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO 2025):

Rayansh Gupta from Ludhiana won 1 Gold and 1 Silver medal at the 18th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO 2025) in Jining, China.

18th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO 2025) is An annual global competition in earth sciences for high-school students. Tests knowledge in geology, meteorology, oceanography, astronomy, and environmental sciences through individual and team events. Promotes scientific temper, research skills, and international cooperation. Held in: Jining, China (2025).

India’s Performance:

• India won 7 medals + 1 special award.
• Winners:
  • Rayansh Gupta: 1 Gold, 1 Silver & Special GYM Reporter Award.
  • Bains Charuvrat: 2 Silver, 1 Bronze.
  • Apam Nidhi Pandey: 1 Silver.
  • Pryanshi Ghanghas: 1 Bronze.

The 130th Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025:

The 130th Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha and referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

• It is a Bill seeking to amend Article 75 (Union Ministers), Article 164 (State Ministers), and Article 239AA (NCT of Delhi).
• It Also proposes amendments in the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 and the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.
• Objective:
  • To ensure that Ministers holding high constitutional offices remain beyond suspicion.
  • To protect constitutional morality, good governance, and public trust.
  • To prevent misuse of office by Ministers under custody for serious criminal charges.

Key Features of the Bill:

• If a Minister (including PM/CM) is arrested and detained for 30 consecutive days for an offence punishable with 5 years or more, they must vacate office.
• Removal shall be effected by the President (at Centre), Governor (in States), or Lieutenant Governor (in UTs), based on procedure.
• The PM must advise the President to remove such a Minister by the 31st day.
• If not, the Minister automatically ceases to hold office from the following day.
• The provision does not bar reappointment of the Minister after release from custody.
• Similar provisions proposed for State Cabinets and Union Territories through amendments in corresponding laws.
• Ministers facing serious charges may thwart constitutional morality and erode public faith in governance.
• Aim is to keep executive positions free from “any ray of suspicion”.

Machine Readable Electoral Rolls in India:

The Opposition have demanded machine-readable electoral rolls from the Election Commission (EC), arguing that searchable formats are vital to detect duplicate or fraudulent entries.

• Machine-Readable Electoral Rolls is Rolls provided in text-searchable format (text-PDF or Excel/CSV) instead of image-only PDF.
• Allows computers to index, search, and analyse voter data quickly.
• Working Mechanism : Image PDF = Cannot be searched digitally; only human scrutiny works.
• Text PDF/CSV = Enables computer-based matching, duplicate detection, and large-scale verification.
• OCR (Optical Character Recognition) = Converts scanned image PDFs into machine-readable text, but this is costly and resource-intensive (millions of pages nationwide).
• Electoral Rolls is An electoral roll is the official list of citizens eligible to vote in a constituency. Prepared and updated under the supervision of the Election Commission of India (ECI) through district-level officials. Updated regularly to include new voters, remove deceased or shifted individuals, and correct errors. Publicly available through the EC’s website in the form of PDFs split into hundreds of constituency “parts.”

India’s Democracy and the Migrant Citizen Crisis:

Nearly 3.5 million voters (4.4% of Bihar’s electorate), mostly migrants, have been deleted from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), raising concerns of systemic migrant disenfranchisement ahead of elections.Migrant Disfranchisement refers to the exclusion of migrant workers from exercising their right to vote either in their home states or at their destination states.Migrants often fall into a “political limbo”: not registered at destination, and deleted at origin due to absence during verification.

Mercator Projection Map:

The African Union (AU) has endorsed a global campaign to replace the Mercator projection map with one that depicts Africa’s true size. Mercator Projection Map it is A cylindrical map projection, introduced in 1569. Designed for navigation allows sailors to follow a straight line of constant compass bearing.Developed by: Gerardus Mercator (1512–1594), Flemish mathematician and cartographer.

At least 50 people were killed and 60 abducted in Nigeria after gunmen attacked a mosque:

At least 50 people were killed and 60 abducted after gunmen attacked a mosque and homes in Katsina state, northwest Nigeria during dawn prayers. Nigeria is Situated on the western coast of Africa. Capital: Abuja (since 1991). Neighbouring Nations: Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean) and Niger River and its tributary Benue River form the main drainage system. Niger Delta is one of the world’s largest wetlands.

EPFO records highest-ever payroll addition in June 2025:

The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) recorded its highest-ever monthly net payroll addition of 21.89 lakh members in June 2025. This is the largest monthly increase since EPFO began releasing formal payroll data in April 2018. The surge is attributed to a rise in employment opportunities, increased awareness of social security benefits, and the organisation’s focused outreach initiatives.The data reflects a 9.14% increase in net payroll additions over May 2025 and a 13.46% growth compared to June 2024, indicating strong year-on-year momentum in formal job creation.

West Bengal Launches ‘Shramshree’ Scheme:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched the Shramshree Scheme, a first-of-its-kind state welfare initiative aimed at supporting Bengali migrant workers returning home after facing alleged linguistic discrimination and harassment in other states. The scheme offers ₹5,000 monthly aid for up to one year or until the worker secures a new job within the state.

Objectives of the Shramshree Scheme
To bring back Bengali migrant workers who are working in other states and facing linguistic or regional discrimination.
To rehabilitate them with monthly financial aid, job opportunities, and entrepreneurship support.
To provide skill development training that enables long-term employment or self-employment within West Bengal.

Mohamed Salah becomes the first player to win the PFA Player of the Year award three times:

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has made footballing history by becoming the first player ever to win the PFA Player of the Year award three times. Announced on Tuesday, this latest accolade adds to Salah’s remarkable season, during which he also secured the Premier League Golden Boot, Playmaker award, and Player of the Season a historic treble no player had previously achieved in a single campaign.

International Day of Remembrance 2025:

The world observes the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, now in its eighth year. This solemn day offers an opportunity to remember the innocent lives lost to acts of terrorism, honor the resilience of survivors, and renew our collective commitment to peace, justice, and solidarity. This year’s theme, “United by Hope: Collective Action for Victims of Terrorism,” underscores the power of unity in supporting those affected and in building a future where such violence is never repeated.