Daily Current Affairs – 25-05-2026

States’ News

West Bengal Free Bus Travel Scheme for Women from June 1

The State Government of West Bengal has announced that a free bus travel scheme for women will be implemented from June 1 across the state. According to the Transport Department, women will be allowed to travel free of cost in all state government buses, including both short-distance and long-distance services, and the scheme aims to improve women’s mobility. For availing the benefit, women will be issued a smart card containing their name and photograph, which can be used for free travel anywhere in the state. Applications for the smart card must be submitted to the local BDO (Block Development Officer) or SDO (Sub-Divisional Officer). Documents such as Aadhaar card, Voter ID, and Ayushman Bharat Health Card are required for applying. Until the smart card is issued, women are permitted to travel free by showing any one valid identity document as temporary proof.

Karnataka Announces 60% Increase in Minimum Wages

The **Karnataka government has notified a 60% increase in minimum wages for workers in the unorganised sector. As per the revised rates, workers in Bengaluru will receive a minimum monthly wage of ₹23,376, while skilled workers will be eligible for ₹31,114. The revision has been implemented under the Labour Department and is stated to align with Supreme Court guidelines, according to Labour Minister Santhosh Lad. The government has also brought all 81 scheduled employments under a single wage notification for the first time, replacing the earlier classification into four sectors. The revised notification follows the draft issued on April 11, 2025, and includes a ₹1,030 variable dearness allowance for two years. Karnataka becomes the third state, after Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, to notify revised minimum wages in recent months.

J&K Leads in Cold-Water Fisheries Under PMMSY

Cold-water fisheries have emerged as a key component of India’s Blue Economy, with Jammu and Kashmir leading production, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, while north-eastern states also contribute significantly. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), more than 25% of total scheme funds have been allocated specifically for cold-water fisheries development. This sector operates in high-altitude regions with snow-fed rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs, where temperatures range from 5°C to 25°C, dissolved oxygen is above 6 mg/L, and pH ranges from 6.5 to 8.0. India has identified over 278 cold-water fish species, including rainbow trout, golden mahseer, and snow trout, cultivated using specialised infrastructure. The total fish production of India reached 1,977,500 metric tonnes (2024–25), with cold-water fish production at around 7,000 MT, including trout production of about 6,000 MT. In trout production, Jammu and Kashmir (3,010 MT) ranks first, followed by Himachal Pradesh (1,673 MT) and Uttarakhand (710 MT). Under PMMSY (2020–2026), about ₹5,638.76 crore has been sanctioned for cold-water states.

Sports News

Novak Djokovic Creates Record in Grand Slam Tennis

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic has created a record by participating in his 82nd Grand Slam tennis tournament held in Paris. In the men’s singles first round match, he competed against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. With this participation, he became the first player in tennis history to compete in 82 Grand Slam tournaments, surpassing the previous record held by Roger Federer and Feliciano Lopez, who had participated in 81 Grand Slam tournaments each. Novak Djokovic has also won 24 Grand Slam titles in his career, marking a significant achievement in tennis history.

India Wins 3 Golds at Asian U23 Wrestling Championship

At the Asian U23 Wrestling Championship held in Da Nang, Vietnam (May 24), Indian wrestlers secured multiple medals including 3 gold medals. In the women’s 68 kg category, Mansi Lather won the gold medal by defeating Uzbekistan’s Firuza with a score of 14-1. In the women’s 76 kg final, Kajal won gold by defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Sonbek Kivo with a score of 10-0. In the men’s 63 kg category, Sumit secured gold by defeating Uzbekistan’s Ozodbek with a score of 12-2. Additionally, Sweety and Neha won silver medals, while Ahilya won a bronze medal.

Pranati Nayak Wins Silver at FIG World Challenge Cup 2026 in Tashkent

Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak won the silver medal in the women’s vault event at the 2026 FIG World Challenge Cup held in Tashkent. The 31-year-old gymnast from Odisha scored an average of 13.025 points, with individual vault scores of 12.950 and 12.700 in the final. The gold medal was won by Vietnam’s Thi Quynh Nhu Nguyen with 13.375 points, while Uzbekistan’s Shakhinabonu Yusufova secured the bronze medal with 12.950 points. Another Indian gymnast Pratisha Samantha finished in sixth place with 12.850 points. Pranati Nayak trains at the Odisha AM/NS India Gymnastics High Performance Centre, Bhubaneswar.

Karnataka Cricketer S.L. Akshay Passes Away at 39

Former Karnataka fast bowler S.L. Akshay passed away at the age of 39 due to a heart attack in Bengaluru while participating in a KSCA third division match at SLS Kreedangana, playing for Sapphire CC, where he left the field after bowling four overs and was declared brought dead after being taken to a nearby hospital. He was born in Shivamogga and made his senior Karnataka debut in the 2010 Vijay Hazare Trophy against Hyderabad in Chennai, and played 6 First-Class matches, 3 List A matches, and 9 T20 matches for Karnataka. His career-best List A performance was 4 wickets for 50 runs against Hyderabad, and his last First-Class appearance came in 2012 Ranji Trophy against Haryana in Hubballi. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) stated that he represented Karnataka at the First-Class level and continued his involvement with cricket after retirement.

Aryaveer Dewan Wins Asian U-19 Squash Championship

Aryaveer Dewan won the 33rd Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships held in Panzhihua, China, and became the fourth Indian to win the Asian Boys U-19 title. In the final, he defeated South Korea’s Jonghyeok Lee with a score of 11-2, 11-7, 11-9, securing the championship. India finished the tournament with 1 gold, 3 silver, and 4 bronze medals, where Shiven Agarwal (boys U-17), Anika Dubey (girls U-17), and Amarya Bajaj (boys U-13) won silver medals in their respective categories.

Rohit Rajpal Named Chef de Mission for Commonwealth Games

Rohit Rajpal, the Davis Cup captain, has been appointed as India’s Chef de Mission for the Commonwealth Games (CWG) to be held in Glasgow, according to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) sources. Ravi Bengani has been appointed as the Deputy Chef de Mission, while Vandana Rao and Rahul Swami will serve as general team managers accompanying the Indian contingent. The Games are scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 2.

National News

Centre Reorganises GFCC Under CWC for Flood Management Reform

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has initiated administrative and institutional reforms ahead of the 2026 monsoon with the objective of achieving zero casualties and minimal property damage during floods. As part of this restructuring, the Chairman of the Ganga Flood Control Commission (GFCC), headquartered in Patna, will be transferred as Member (Floods) to the Central Water Commission (CWC) in New Delhi, working under the CWC Chairman, who holds the rank of Secretary to the Government of India. Along with this, the GFCC Member (Planning) will be shifted as Chief Engineer (Flood Appraisal) in the CWC. The restructuring marks a transition from a reactive flood relief approach to a preventive and proactive disaster management system. The restructured framework will prepare master plans for river basins, excluding the Northeastern Region managed by the Brahmaputra Board, and will also undertake studies on river morphology and sedimentation for improved flood management. Floods in India affect about 7.3 million hectares annually causing economic losses of around ₹18,000 crore, while flood management remains primarily a state subject with central technical and financial assistance.

International News

China Launches Shenzhou 23 Mission to Tiangong Space Station

Shenzhou 23 was launched by China from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern China with three astronauts to the Tiangong Space Station, including one astronaut planned for a one-year stay in space. The crew includes commander Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan, and Lai Ka-ying (Li Jiaying), who becomes the first astronaut from Hong Kong to participate in a space mission. The mission is aimed at conducting multiple scientific and application-related experiments in space. It is also intended to replace the Shenzhou 21 crew, who have been stationed at the space station for more than 200 days, as part of an in-orbit rotation. The launch is linked to China’s broader plan to achieve a crewed lunar landing by 2030.

India Issues Advisory Amid Ebola Outbreak in Central Africa

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory urging Indian citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan following the spread of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus in Central Africa. Ebola is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever with high mortality, and no approved vaccine or specific treatment is available for this strain. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 17 May, followed by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declaring a continental emergency. Although no cases have been reported in India, enhanced surveillance measures are being implemented at international airports and transport hubs. The virus spreads from infected animals such as bats and monkeys to humans through contact with blood or bodily fluids, and strict screening and isolation protocols are being strengthened to prevent cross-border transmission.

Economy News

RBI Dividend Surge as Risk Buffer Cut to 6.5%

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) central board has approved a record surplus transfer of ₹2.87 lakh crore to the central government for the financial year 2025–26, marking a significant dividend payout. The higher transfer is linked to the reduction of the Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB) from 7.5% to 6.5% of the RBI’s balance sheet, which expanded by 20.6% to ₹91.97 lakh crore. The RBI stated that if the CRB had remained at 7.5%, the dividend to the government would have been lower by around ₹92,000 crore, reducing the payout to about ₹1.95 lakh crore. The CRB reduction lowers allocations to the RBI’s contingency fund and increases surplus transfer to the government. The dividend now forms around 8% of government revenue receipts, compared to 5% a decade ago, reflecting its growing importance. This is the first reduction in CRB after three consecutive years of increases.