Daily Current Affairs – 28-12-2025
National News
Saleem Ahmad Appointed Chairman and Managing Director of RVNL
Saleem Ahmad has assumed charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna Central Government Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways. Prior to this appointment, he served as Director (Projects) at NBCC (India) Limited. A Civil Engineer with 33 years of experience, he has earlier worked as Executive Director (Civil) with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and with the Mumbai Port Trust. His professional experience includes execution of large infrastructure projects, with expertise in bridges, tunnels, residential and commercial buildings, and contributions to sustainable infrastructure and urban mobility, including last-mile connectivity solutions during his tenure at DMRC.
Centre Approves Dulhasti Stage-2 Hydropower Project in Jammu and Kashmir
A panel under the Union Ministry of Environment has approved the 260-MW Dulhasti Stage-2 hydropower project on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, during the 45th meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee on Hydel Projects held earlier this month. The run-of-the-river project, estimated to cost over ₹3,200 crore, clears the way for floating construction tenders and comes after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (1960) with Pakistan with effect from April 23, 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack. The committee noted that the project parameters were planned in line with the Indus Waters Treaty, under which Pakistan earlier had rights over the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, while India had rights over the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, though the treaty is currently in abeyance. Dulhasti Stage-2 is an extension of the 390-MW Dulhasti Stage-1 project, which has been operational since 2007 under the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC), and involves diverting water from Stage-1 through a 3,685-metre-long and 8.5-metre-diameter tunnel to create a horseshoe-shaped pondage. The total land requirement is 60.3 hectares, including 8.27 hectares of private land from two villages in Kishtwar.
BIS Introduces New Standard for Bomb Disposal Systems
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has introduced a new exclusive quality standard for bomb disposal systems in New Delhi on December 27, along with the release of detailed guidelines for defusing bombs. The initiative was announced by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, stating that the standard is meant for voluntary adoption by procurement agencies, manufacturing units, and testing centres. The new standard was developed because existing international bomb disposal standards involve high operational restrictions, creating the need for a separate Indian standard aligned to international norms but tailored to Indian conditions. The standard covers systems used by the Indian Army, Central Armed Forces, and State Police, which face threats from unexploded bombs and hand grenades, and applies to three bomb disposal systems—Bomb Blanket, Basket, and Inhibitor—to ensure uniform quality in systems manufactured by government and private agencies.
‘Kavach’ Automatic Train Protection on Mumbai–Delhi–Kolkata Route by 2026
The Ministry of Railways has set a target to implement the ‘Kavach’ Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system on the Mumbai–Delhi–Kolkata railway corridor by 2026, as confirmed on December 27 in New Delhi. Kavach, a national ATP system, is designed to enhance railway safety by preventing head-on collisions on the same track and providing protection during signal passing, with installations across train coaches, railway stations, telecommunication towers, and railway tracks. The Ministry had earlier announced on August 7, 2024 that the system would be completed by March 2025, later extending the deadline to December 2025; due to incomplete work, the timeline has now been revised to 2026. As of now, 25% of the route has been completed, and most equipment has been installed on the remaining 75% of the corridor.
5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries Held in New Delhi
The 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries was held in New Delhi on December 27, chaired by Narendra Modi. The three-day conference, which began on December 26 and will continue until December 28, focused on key administrative and governance-related themes, including national administration and reforms, Atmanirbhar Bharat, use of technology for efficient agricultural produce distribution and marketing with emphasis on farmers and the agriculture sector, digital databases, and the goal of achieving a future free from Left-Wing Extremism.
New Hydroelectric Project on Chenab River Gets Green Panel Approval
The Central Government’s environmental impact committee under the Union Ministry of Environment has approved a new hydroelectric project on the Chenab River, which flows from India to Pakistan, during its 45th meeting held in December 2025. The existing 390 MW Dulhasti Stage-1 Hydroelectric Project has been operational since 2007, and the newly approved Dulhasti Stage-2 Project will add an additional 260 MW of power generation capacity at an estimated cost of ₹3,200 crore. For this project, water will be diverted from the first-stage project through a separate tunnel of 3,685 metres length and 8.5 metres width, and about 60.3 hectares of land will be required. Following the approval, the tendering process is expected to begin soon. The development comes in the context of the Indus Waters Treaty (1960), signed between India and Pakistan with World Bank mediation, under which Pakistan has rights over the waters of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers, while India has rights over the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers, and after India announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty in April 2025 following a terrorist incident in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Economy News
IRDAI Imposes ₹1 Crore Penalty on Reliance General Insurance
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has imposed a ₹1 crore penalty on Reliance General Insurance for violations related to outsourcing of activities, payment of commissions, and corporate governance guidelines, as reported from Hyderabad. One key violation involved engaging an individual agent of another insurer for advertising and publishing services without adequate transparency or justification. In its decision covering four charges, IRDAI found that certain payments effectively amounted to overriding commissions and were disguised as market awareness programmes, advertising activities, and customer awareness initiatives to bypass regulations. The violations were identified during a remote inspection conducted in 2021, which revealed breaches of provisions of the Insurance Act, 1938.
Zepto Files IPO Papers with SEBI to Raise ₹11,000 Crore
Quick commerce unicorn Zepto has filed preliminary IPO documents with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to raise ₹11,000 crore through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) using the confidential filing route. The company is targeting a stock market listing next year, which could make it one of the youngest startups to debut on Indian stock exchanges. If the IPO is completed, Zepto will join other listed quick-commerce and food-delivery companies such as Zomato and Swiggy, which are already listed on Indian exchanges.
Sports News
Ben Duckett Reaches 3,000 Test Runs Milestone
Ben Duckett, the England opening batsman, completed 3,000 runs in Test cricket on Saturday during the second day of the Boxing Day Test. The 31-year-old left-handed batter reached this milestone in the second innings, where he scored 34 runs. With this achievement, he now has 3,005 Test runs from 42 matches at an average of 40.05, including six centuries and 16 half-centuries, marking an important milestone in the longest format of cricket.
FIDE World Chess Rankings: Chennai’s Ryanika Sivaram Ranks 9th
Six-year-old Ryanika Sivaram from Chennai secured the 9th position in the FIDE world chess rankings on December 27, with a rating of 1,429 points, marking a significant achievement in international chess. She also ranked 2nd among Indian players and became the youngest player from Tamil Nadu to feature in the FIDE rankings. A felicitation ceremony was held in her honour, attended by Sundararajan Kidambi, acknowledging her achievement.
National Shooting Championship: Gold for Tilottoma Sen
At the National Shooting Championship, held at the State Shooting Academy in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, on December 27, Karnataka shooter Tilottoma Sen won the gold medal in the women’s 50 m rifle 3 positions (3P) event with a score of 466.9 points. Vidya Vinod of Kerala secured the silver with 462.9 points, while Ayonika Paul of Railways won the bronze with 451.8 points. In the junior women’s 50 m rifle 3P event, Rituparna Sasish of the Army won gold with 458.6 points, Nischal of Haryana took silver with 458.1 points, and Ajuksha of Karnataka claimed bronze with 447.6 points. In the senior team category, Rajasthan won gold with 1751 points, Madhya Pradesh secured silver with 1750 points, and Haryana finished with bronze, while in the junior team category, Karnataka finished first, followed by Madhya Pradesh in second and Maharashtra in third place.
International News
Indian Consulate in Toronto Sets Up One-Stop Help Centre for Women
The Consulate-General of India in Toronto has established a one-stop help centre for women to provide dedicated assistance to Indian women in distress, along with the launch of a 24×7 helpline. The centre is aimed at supporting Indian passport-holder women facing issues such as domestic violence, abuse, family conflict, abandonment, exploitation, and legal challenges, and will offer coordinated and beneficiary-centred assistance by linking affected women with timely and appropriate support services, as officially announced by the Indian mission.
Tamil Nadu News
Tamil Nadu to Celebrate Annual Thirukkural Week from 2026
The Tamil Nadu Government has approved the celebration of Thirukkural Week every year starting from January 2026, as per a Government Order issued on December 27 by Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam. The festival will be organised annually in the month of January for six days based on the theme “One Day – One Theme”, and will be conducted in districts selected on a rotational basis by the Director of Tamil Development. On the seventh day, a Thirukkural Awareness Rally will be held across all districts of Tamil Nadu with the approval of the respective District Collectors, coordinated by officials of the Tamil Development Department. A total allocation of ₹80 lakh has been sanctioned for the event, covering prizes, valuation expenses, and miscellaneous costs. The Director of Tamil Development has been permitted to conduct selected events through the School Education Department, Department of Learning, Culture and Knowledge, and the Higher Education Department, and V.P. Jayaseelan, Joint Commissioner, Health Department, Greater Chennai Corporation, and Director, Tamil Development Directorate, has been appointed as the Special Officer to oversee and monitor the implementation of the festival.
States’ News
Assam: Over 10 Lakh Voters Removed from Electoral Roll
Following a special revision of the electoral roll in Assam, conducted from November 22 to December 20, the Election Commission of India released the draft electoral roll on December 27, according to which 10.56 lakh voters were removed from the list. As per the draft, Assam has a total of 2,51,09,754 electors, excluding “D-voters” (doubtful voters). Among the removed names, 4,78,992 voters were identified as deceased, 5,23,680 voters had shifted from their registered addresses, and 53,619 names were found in multiple locations. In addition, 93,021 individuals were classified as doubtful voters due to insufficient proof of citizenship, resulting in the suspension of their voting rights. After the publication of the draft roll, voters can submit claims and objections until January 22, and the final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on February 10.