1. What is the total outlay for the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) as announced in the Union Budget 2025-26?
a) Rs. 18,000 crores
b) Rs. 20,000 crores
c) Rs. 24,000 crores
d) Rs. 28,000 crores
e) Rs. 30,000 crores
Answer: c) Rs. 24,000 crores
2. How many districts are targeted under the PMDDKY for agricultural transformation?
a) 50
b) 75
c) 100
d) 125
e) 150
Answer: c) 100
3. What is the primary inspiration for the PMDDKY?
a) Swachh Bharat Mission
b) Digital India Programme
c) National Rural Livelihood Mission
d) NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme
e) Make in India Initiative
Answer: d) NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme
4. Who chairs the District Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (DDKY) Samiti?
a) State Agriculture Minister
b) District Collector or Gram Panchayat
c) NITI Aayog Representative
d) Local MLA
e) Block Development Officer
Answer: b) District Collector or Gram Panchayat
5. How many Central schemes are converged under the PMDDKY across 11 Ministries?
a) 24
b) 30
c) 36
d) 42
e) 48
Answer: c) 36
Bima Sakhi Yojana
6. Which organization signed an MoU with the Department of Rural Development to promote Bima Sakhi Yojana?
a) State Bank of India
b) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
c) Life Insurance Corporation of India
d) Reserve Bank of India
e) India Post Payments Bank
Answer: c) Life Insurance Corporation of India
7. What is the minimum educational qualification required for women to participate in the Bima Sakhi Yojana?
a) Class 8
b) Class 10
c) Class 12
d) Graduate
e) Post-Graduate
Answer: b) Class 10
8. What is the stipend amount provided to Bima Sakhi participants in the third year?
a) Rs. 4,000
b) Rs. 5,000
c) Rs. 6,000
d) Rs. 7,000
e) Rs. 8,000
Answer: b) Rs. 5,000
9. What is the annual target for each Bima Sakhi to earn a commission?
a) Insure 12 individuals
b) Insure 18 individuals
c) Insure 24 individuals
d) Insure 30 individuals
e) Insure 36 individuals
Answer: c) Insure 24 individuals
10. Where was the National Conclave on Financial Inclusion, “Anubhuti”, held in 2025?
a) New Delhi
b) Mumbai
c) Goa
d) Hyderabad
e) Bengaluru
Answer: c) Goa
Palm Oil & NMEO-OP
11. Which country was the largest importer of germinated palm oil seeds from Malaysia in 2024?
a) India
b) China
c) Indonesia
d) Thailand
e) Vietnam
Answer: a) India
12. What percentage of Malaysia’s total palm oil exports did India account for in 2024?
a) 15.5%
b) 17.9%
c) 20.3%
d) 22.7%
e) 25.1%
Answer: b) 17.9%
13. What is the target area for palm oil cultivation in India under the NMEO-OP by 2025-26?
a) 500,000 hectares
b) 750,000 hectares
c) 1 million hectares
d) 1.25 million hectares
e) 1.5 million hectares
Answer: c) 1 million hectares
14. Under which ministry was the National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) launched?
a) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
b) Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
c) Ministry of Rural Development
d) Ministry of Environment
e) Ministry of Food Processing Industries
Answer: b) Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Advanced Cyber Skill Centre
15. Who inaugurated the Advanced Cyber Skill Centre in Mumbai in July 2025?
a) Amit Shah
b) Piyush Goyal
c) Rajnath Singh
d) Nirmala Sitharaman
e) Nitin Gadkari
Answer: b) Piyush Goyal
16. How many candidates is the Advanced Cyber Skill Centre designed to train annually?
a) 500
b) 750
c) 1,000
d) 1,250
e) 1,500
Answer: c) 1,000
17. Which program includes the ‘Cyber Vaahini’ initiative for women engineering graduates?
a) Digital India
b) Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
c) Skill India Mission
d) Startup India
e) Stand-Up India
Answer: b) Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
18. Which organization established the Advanced Cyber Skill Centre in Mumbai?
a) National Informatics Centre
b) Data Security Council of India
c) Confederation of Indian Industry
d) Kyndryl Foundation
e) NASSCOM
Answer: b) Data Security Council of India
Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) Consolidation
19. How many Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) were reduced to by May 1, 2025, under the ‘One State-One RRB’ policy?
a) 28
b) 36
c) 43
d) 56
e) 82
Answer: a) 28
20. What is the shareholding pattern of RRBs among the Central Government, sponsoring bank, and State Government?
a) 50:30:20
b) 50:35:15
c) 60:25:15
d) 40:40:20
e) 55:30:15
Answer: b) 50:35:15
21. In which year was the first phase of RRB amalgamation initiated?
a) 2000
b) 2005
c) 2010
d) 2012
e) 2015
Answer: b) 2005
22. How many RRBs were there after the second phase of amalgamation (2012-14)?
a) 43
b) 56
c) 82
d) 196
e) 28
Answer: b) 56
GST Taxpayers Report
23. Which state has the highest percentage of active GST taxpayers in India as per the SBI Research Report?
a) Maharashtra
b) Uttar Pradesh
c) Gujarat
d) Tamil Nadu
e) Karnataka
Answer: b) Uttar Pradesh
24. What percentage of active GST taxpayers do the top five states account for, according to the SBI Research Report?
a) 40%
b) 45%
c) 50%
d) 55%
e) 60%
Answer: c) 50%
25. What is the approximate gross GST collection in FY25 as per the SBI Research Report?
a) Rs. 11.4 lakh crore
b) Rs. 15.2 lakh crore
c) Rs. 18.5 lakh crore
d) Rs. 22.1 lakh crore
e) Rs. 25.6 lakh crore
Answer: d) Rs. 22.1 lakh crore
Handloom Awards 2024
26. How many awardees will be honored during the 11th National Handloom Day celebrations in 2025?
a) 15
b) 19
c) 24
d) 30
e) 35
Answer: c) 24
27. What is the monetary prize for the Sant Kabir Handloom Award?
a) Rs. 1.5 lakh
b) Rs. 2 lakh
c) Rs. 3.5 lakh
d) Rs. 4 lakh
e) Rs. 5 lakh
Answer: c) Rs. 3.5 lakh
28. Under which program are the Handloom Awards given?
a) National Rural Livelihood Mission
b) National Handloom Development Programme
c) Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana
d) Digital India Programme
e) Make in India Initiative
Answer: b) National Handloom Development Programme
Meri Panchayat App
29. Which ministry/ministries launched the ‘Meri Panchayat’ app in 2023?
a) Ministry of Rural Development
b) Ministry of Panchayati Raj
c) Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
d) Both b and c
e) Ministry of Home Affairs
Answer: d) Both b and c
30. How many Indian languages does the ‘Meri Panchayat’ app support?
a) 8
b) 10
c) 12
d) 15
e) 18
Answer: c) 12
31. What is the primary purpose of the ‘Meri Panchayat’ app?
a) To promote agricultural schemes
b) To provide real-time access to panchayat budgets and development plans
c) To train cybersecurity professionals
d) To facilitate mining tourism
e) To connect diaspora communities
Answer: b) To provide real-time access to panchayat budgets and development plans
Vice President Resignation
32. Who resigned as the Vice President of India on July 21, 2025?
a) Droupadi Murmu
b) Jagdeep Dhankar
c) Harivansh Narayan Singh
d) R. Venkataraman
e) V.V. Giri
Answer: b) Jagdeep Dhankar
33. Within how many days must a new Vice President be elected after Jagdeep Dhankar’s resignation?
a) 30 days
b) 60 days
c) 90 days
d) 120 days
e) 150 days
Answer: b) 60 days
34. Who will discharge the duties of the Vice President until a new one is elected?
a) President of India
b) Prime Minister
c) Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha
d) Speaker of Lok Sabha
e) Chief Justice of India
Answer: c) Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha
Atal Innovation Mission
35. Who assumed charge as the Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission in July 2025?
a) Chintan Vaishnav
b) Deepak Bagla
c) B.V.R. Subrahmanyam
d) Stephane Deblaise
e) Francois Provost
Answer: b) Deepak Bagla
36. What is the allocated budget for AIM 2.0 until March 31, 2028?
a) Rs. 1,500 crores
b) Rs. 2,000 crores
c) Rs. 2,750 crores
d) Rs. 3,000 crores
e) Rs. 3,500 crores
Answer: c) Rs. 2,750 crores
Apache Helicopters
37. How many AH-64E Apache helicopters were delivered to the Indian Army in July 2025?
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5
e) 6
Answer: b) 3
38. Where will the AH-64E Apache helicopters be deployed?
a) Hindon Air Force Station
b) Mumbai
c) Nagtalao near Jodhpur
d) New Delhi
e) Bengaluru
Answer: c) Nagtalao near Jodhpur
39. What is the combat range of the AH-64E Apache helicopter?
a) 300 km
b) 400 km
c) 480 km
d) 600 km
e) 750 km
Answer: c) 480 km
AdFalciVax Malaria Vaccine
40. Which organization invited Expressions of Interest for the production of AdFalciVax?
a) World Health Organization
b) National Institute of Immunology
c) Indian Council of Medical Research
d) Department of Biotechnology
e) Serum Institute of India
Answer: c) Indian Council of Medical Research
41. Which stages of Plasmodium falciparum does AdFalciVax target?
a) Blood and liver stages
b) Mosquito and blood stages
c) Liver and mosquito-transmission stages
d) All three stages
e) Blood and sexual stages
Answer: c) Liver and mosquito-transmission stages
Allographa effusosoredica (Lichen)
42. Where was the new lichen species Allographa effusosoredica discovered?
a) Himalayan Region
b) Western Ghats
c) Eastern Ghats
d) Andaman Islands
e) Deccan Plateau
Answer: b) Western Ghats
43. What is the total number of Allographa species documented in India?
a) 22
b) 35
c) 53
d) 75
e) 100
Answer: c) 53
Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025
44. Who won the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025?
a) Magnus Carlsen
b) Hans Moke Niemann
c) Levon Aronian
d) Arjun Erigaisi
e) R. Praggnanandhaa
Answer: c) Levon Aronian
45. What was the prize money for the 6th position in the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour 2025?
a) USD 20,000
b) USD 30,000
c) USD 40,000
d) USD 100,000
e) USD 140,000
Answer: c) USD 40,000
V.S. Achuthanandan
46. At what age did V.S. Achuthanandan pass away?
a) 95
b) 98
c) 100
d) 101
e) 103
Answer: d) 101
47. How many times was V.S. Achuthanandan elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly?
a) 5
b) 6
c) 7
d) 8
e) 9
Answer: c) 7
Important Days
48. What is the date of Pi Approximation Day?
a) July 20
b) July 21
c) July 22
d) July 23
e) July 24
Answer: c) July 22
49. What is the theme of World Brain Day 2025?
a) Brain Health and Wellness
b) Neurological Awareness
c) Brain Health for All Ages
d) Mental Health Matters
e) Cognitive Development
Answer: c) Brain Health for All Ages
50. What does the saffron band in India’s Tricolour Flag represent?
a) Peace and truth
b) Faith and fertility
c) Courage, sacrifice, and renunciation
d) Progress and righteousness
e) Unity and diversity
Answer: c) Courage, sacrifice, and renunciation
Jharkhand Mining Tourism
51. Which state launched India’s first mining tourism initiative?
a) Chhattisgarh
b) Jharkhand
c) Odisha
d) Madhya Pradesh
e) Rajasthan
Answer: b) Jharkhand
52. Which company signed an MoU with Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation for mining tourism?
a) Coal India Limited
b) Steel Authority of India Limited
c) Central Coalfields Limited
d) National Mineral Development Corporation
e) Hindustan Copper Limited
Answer: c) Central Coalfields Limited
Mizo DiasporaHub
53. Who launched the ‘Mizo DiasporaHub’ portal in Mizoram?
a) Hemant Soren
b) Lalduhoma
c) Piyush Goyal
d) Rajiv Ranjan Singh
e) Giriraj Singh
Answer: b) Lalduhoma
54. What is one of the key features of the Mizo DiasporaHub portal?
a) Online banking services
b) Job search engine
c) AI-enabled automatic translation services
d) E-commerce platform
e) Virtual tourism guide
Answer: c) AI-enabled automatic translation services
Current Affairs Today: 23 July 2025
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
- PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana: In July 2025, the Union Cabinet approved the ‘Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)’ with an outlay of Rs. 24,000 crores over six years. The scheme aims to boost agriculture in 100 districts across India by converging 36 Central schemes from 11 Ministries. This initiative is inspired by NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme but focuses exclusively on the agricultural sector.
- LIC and DoRD MoU: The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and the Department of Rural Development (DoRD) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote the ‘Bima Sakhi Yojana’ in rural areas. This scheme, launched by LIC, aims to empower women aged 18-70 with training and a stipend to sell insurance policies.
- India Becomes Largest Importer of Malaysian Palm Oil Seeds: According to the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), India has emerged as the largest importer of germinated palm oil seeds from Malaysia in 2024. This is a direct result of India’s National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP), which aims to increase domestic palm oil cultivation and reduce reliance on imports.
- DSCI Advanced Cyber Skill Centre Inaugurated: Union Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated the Advanced Cyber Skill Centre established by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) in Mumbai. The center, supported by the Kyndryl Foundation, aims to train approximately 1,000 candidates annually, with a special focus on empowering women in cybersecurity.
- RRB Consolidation Drive: The Government of India’s consolidation drive has reduced the number of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) from 196 to just 28 under the ‘One State-One RRB’ policy. This initiative, implemented in four phases since 2005-06, aims to improve the operational viability and service delivery of RRBs.
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
- Handloom Awards 2024: The Ministry of Textiles (MoT) announced the Sant Kabir Handloom Award and National Handloom Awards for 2024 to recognize excellence in the handloom sector. A total of 24 awardees will be honored by President Droupadi Murmu on the 11th National Handloom Day.
- ‘Meri Panchayat’ App Wins WSIS Champion Award: The ‘Meri Panchayat’ mobile application, a digital governance initiative by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), won the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Prizes 2025 Champion Award for its excellence in digital governance.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
- Jagdeep Dhankar Resigns as Vice President: Jagdeep Dhankar has resigned from the post of Vice President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, citing health grounds. He is the third Vice President in India’s history to step down before completing a full term. As per Article 91 of the Constitution, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh Narayan Singh, will discharge the duties of the Chairman until a new Vice President is elected. A new election must be held within 60 days.
- Deepak Bagla Appointed as Mission Director of AIM: Deepak Bagla, former CEO and MD of Invest India, has been appointed as the new Mission Director of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) at NITI Aayog.
- Stephane Deblaise Appointed CEO of Renault Group India: Stephane Deblaise has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Renault Group India, effective September 1, 2025.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
- Indian Army Receives AH-64E Apache Helicopters: The Indian Army received the first batch of three AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from the United States, which will be deployed at the 451 Army Aviation squadron in Rajasthan. This marks the first time the Army Aviation Corps has acquired these advanced helicopters, which are designed for high-intensity warfare.
- ICMR Invites EoI for Malaria Vaccine: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) for the commercial production of “AdFalciVax,” India’s first indigenous malaria vaccine candidate. Developed by ICMR-RMRC and ICMR-NIMR in collaboration with DBT-NII, this recombinant chimeric vaccine targets multiple stages of the malaria parasite.
- New Lichen Species Discovered in Western Ghats: Scientists from the MACS-Agharkar Research Institute and Savitribai Phule Pune University have discovered a new lichen species, Allographa effusosoredica, in the Western Ghats. This is the 53rd Allographa species found in India and the first to be confirmed using DNA sequencing.
SPORTS
- Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025: American Grandmaster Levon Aronian won the Las Vegas Freestyle Chess Grand Slam 2025, defeating Hans Moke Niemann in the final. Indian GMs Arjun Erigaisi and R. Praggnanandhaa finished in 6th and 7th position, respectively. Praggnanandhaa notably defeated Magnus Carlsen twice during the tournament.
OBITUARY
- V.S. Achuthanandan Passes Away: Veteran communist leader and former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has passed away at the age of 101. He was the oldest person to hold the CM’s post in Kerala, taking office at the age of 82.
IMPORTANT DAYS
- Pi Approximation Day: Observed annually on July 22, Pi Approximation Day celebrates the mathematical constant Pi (π). The date, written as 22/7, approximates the value of pi.
- World Brain Day: Celebrated annually on July 22, World Brain Day raises awareness about the importance of brain health and neurological disorders. The theme for 2025 is “Brain Health for All Ages.”
- National Flag Adoption Day: Annually observed on July 22, National Flag Adoption Day commemorates the adoption of the Tricolour Flag by the Constituent Assembly of India in 1947.
STATE NEWS
- Jharkhand Launches Mining Tourism: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched India’s first mining tourism initiative in collaboration with Central Coalfields Limited (CCL). The project aims to turn the state’s rich mining heritage into a tourist attraction, with tours beginning at the Urimari Open Cast Coal Mines.
- Mizoram Launches ‘Mizo DiasporaHub’ Portal: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma launched the ‘Mizo DiasporaHub,’ a digital platform designed to connect Mizo communities residing globally. The portal will strengthen communication among welfare associations and offer support to community members abroad.