Daily Current Affairs: 22 February 2025

Current affairs of 22 February 2025: India-Pakistan Flag Meeting at Poonch Amid LoC Tensions; India’s Foreign Policy: Jaishankar Talks on China, Bangladesh, Gaza; Critical Minerals Push: NCMM, Auctions and Mine Tailings, and 7 more topics. Key facts for every exam, with a quiz.

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In this issue: 10 topics

National Affairs

DTH and Broadcasting Reforms: Lower Authorisation Fee Proposed

Banking & Finance

RBI Project Financing Norms: Provisioning Row Explained
RBI Bond Forwards: New G-Sec Derivative Rules
RBI’s Three-Year USD-INR Buy/Sell Swap Auction

Economy

Critical Minerals Push: NCMM, Auctions and Mine Tailings
PLFS Urban Youth Unemployment: State-Wise Rise

International Affairs

India’s Foreign Policy: Jaishankar Talks on China, Bangladesh, Gaza

Agriculture & Rural

PHDCCI Report: Foodgrain Output Less Tied to Monsoon
Urban Farming: Methods, Benefits and Role of Business

Defence & Security

India-Pakistan Flag Meeting at Poonch Amid LoC Tensions

National Affairs

Polity & Governance

1. DTH and Broadcasting Reforms: Lower Authorisation Fee Proposed

DTH authorisation fee to fall from 8% of AGR to 3%, with planned elimination by FY 2026-27.
Set-top boxes are to be made interoperable.
A unified authorisation framework under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 replaces traditional licensing.
Radio fee unified at 4% of AGR across all cities.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

2. RBI Project Financing Norms: Provisioning Row Explained

The draft project financing framework was issued in May 2023 for uniform prudential rules across banks, NBFCs and financial institutions.
It proposed 5% provisioning during construction, falling to 2.5% and then 1% for projects with steady cash flows.
Governor Sanjay Malhotra said all suggestions are under consideration and major changes will be phased in.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

3. RBI Bond Forwards: New G-Sec Derivative Rules

RBI's bond forward rules for G-secs apply from 2 May 2025.
Bond forwards are rupee interest rate derivatives for hedging.
Banks and pension and insurance funds stand to gain.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Economy

4. RBI’s Three-Year USD-INR Buy/Sell Swap Auction

RBI scheduled a long-term USD-INR buy/sell swap with a 3-year tenor to inject durable rupee liquidity.
It is a multiple-price auction; only Authorized Dealer Category I banks can take part.
It was the second swap in a month, after a six-month one on 31 January.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Economy

5. Critical Minerals Push: NCMM, Auctions and Mine Tailings

India plans more critical mineral auctions under the National Critical Mineral Mission; 24 blocks have been auctioned so far.
Mine waste and tailings will be treated as a source of lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earths.
Of 49 EMR blocks, 24 remain unauctioned because exploration data is scarce.
Public-sector investment of ₹18,000 crore is proposed for the domestic supply chain.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Economy

6. PLFS Urban Youth Unemployment: State-Wise Rise

Urban youth unemployment rose in four states and two UTs between the compared quarters, per PLFS data.
Jammu and Kashmir recorded the highest rate at 35.3%, up from 29.8%.
The ILO says 83% of India's unemployed are youth; educated job seekers rose from 35.2% (2000) to 65.7% (2022).

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

International Affairs

International Relations

7. India’s Foreign Policy: Jaishankar Talks on China, Bangladesh, Gaza

Jaishankar met China's Wang Yi on the G20 sidelines in Johannesburg.
India prefers BIMSTEC over SAARC, which has been stalled since 2016.
India backs a two-state solution for Israel-Palestine.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Agriculture & Rural

Agriculture & Rural Development

8. PHDCCI Report: Foodgrain Output Less Tied to Monsoon

PHDCCI report: rainfall and foodgrain output show only a moderately positive correlation in 2012-13 to 2022-23.
Prices, electricity use, fertilizer availability and irrigation coverage influence output more than rain.
PM-KISAN's 19th instalment of ₹22,000 crore was set for 24 February in Bihar, reaching 98 million farmers.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Agriculture & Rural Development

9. Urban Farming: Methods, Benefits and Role of Business

Urban farming grows food on rooftops, balconies and idle plots, cutting reliance on long supply chains.
Hydroponics uses nutrient-rich water; vertical farming stacks crops indoors; aquaponics pairs fish with plants.
Benefits include green spaces, community bonding, jobs and lower transport emissions.
Investment is needed in hydroponics, smart irrigation and urban green initiatives.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Defence & Security

International Relations

10. India-Pakistan Flag Meeting at Poonch Amid LoC Tensions

A brigade commander level flag meeting was held at Chakkan Da Bagh, Poonch, to ease LoC tensions.
No joint statement was issued and details were not disclosed.
J&K CM Omar Abdullah welcomed the meeting and urged de-escalation.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

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Daily Current Affairs: 22 February 2025

In this issue: 10 topics

National Affairs

1. DTH and Broadcasting Reforms: Lower Authorisation Fee Proposed

Banking & Finance

2. RBI Project Financing Norms: Provisioning Row Explained

3. RBI Bond Forwards: New G-Sec Derivative Rules

4. RBI’s Three-Year USD-INR Buy/Sell Swap Auction

Economy

5. Critical Minerals Push: NCMM, Auctions and Mine Tailings

6. PLFS Urban Youth Unemployment: State-Wise Rise

International Affairs

7. India’s Foreign Policy: Jaishankar Talks on China, Bangladesh, Gaza

Agriculture & Rural

8. PHDCCI Report: Foodgrain Output Less Tied to Monsoon

9. Urban Farming: Methods, Benefits and Role of Business

Defence & Security

10. India-Pakistan Flag Meeting at Poonch Amid LoC Tensions

Test yourself