Current Affairs - September 4, 2025 Current Affairs

Chhattisgarh, formed in 2000, has transformed into one of India’s major power hubs by expanding its electricity capacity from 1,400 MW to 30,000 MW in just 25 years. With ₹3 lakh crore of new investment commitments, the state is poised to double this capacity to nearly 60,000 MW in the coming years, supported by both thermal and renewable energy projects. The inauguration of a new 1,320 MW power plant, the construction of a joint headquarters in Nava Raipur for power companies, and outreach to global investors underline its growth trajectory. Solar power initiatives under schemes like PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana are furthering the state’s commitment to sustainability while ensuring energy security and economic development.

Maharashtra has approved significant amendments to its labour laws, increasing the maximum daily working hours for private sector employees. Under the Factories Act, the limit has been extended from 9 to 12 hours with mandatory rest breaks after 6 hours, while the overtime cap has been raised from 115 to 144 hours per quarter. Similarly, under the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments Act, daily working hours have been raised from 9 to 10, with an overtime cap of 144 hours per quarter. These changes are designed to attract investment, create jobs, and strengthen worker rights, with safeguards such as double overtime pay and written consent for extended hours. The reforms align Maharashtra with other states that have already modernised their labour frameworks.

Meghalaya has introduced its Autumn Calendar 2025 as part of a cultural and tourism initiative designed to showcase the state’s rich traditions, natural beauty, and growing role as a global cultural hub. The calendar includes major attractions such as the internationally recognised Cherry Blossom Festival, grassroots music projects that empower local artists, international kayaking competitions, motorsport events, and literary dialogues. These activities not only promote Meghalaya as a vibrant tourism destination but also stimulate the local economy by creating income opportunities in hospitality, handicrafts, and services. By blending culture, sports, and sustainability, the Autumn Calendar strengthens the state’s identity and enhances global exposure.

IIT Madras has once again topped the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, maintaining its position as India’s leading educational institution for the seventh consecutive year. Released by the Ministry of Education, the 10th edition of NIRF rankings assessed institutions across 17 categories, including engineering, law, medicine, management, agriculture, and sustainable development. IIT Madras stood out not only in the overall category but also in engineering, innovation, and sustainable development, showcasing its consistent excellence in teaching, research, and innovation. This recognition strengthens its global reputation and aligns with India’s vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047” by promoting world class education and research.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced a new intraday monitoring framework with the objective of ensuring greater market stability and reducing systemic risks. Under this framework, net intraday positions in equity index derivatives are capped at ₹5,000 crore, replacing the earlier end-of-day cap of ₹1,500 crore. The gross intraday exposure limit of ₹10,000 crore per entity remains unchanged. Exchanges are instructed to take multiple random snapshots during trading hours, including peak sessions, to monitor compliance. This framework officially comes into effect on October 1, 2025, marking a significant regulatory shift in market risk management.

India has entered into a landmark Joint Credit Mechanism (JCM) agreement with Japan under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. This collaboration aims to enhance carbon trading, promote green investment, and accelerate sustainable innovation. The partnership is strategically important as it comes amid challenges like U.S. tariffs on Indian goods and China’s restrictions on rare earth exports. Japan’s role provides India with an alternative pathway to strengthen clean energy development and manufacturing. Additionally, the JCM facilitates bilateral carbon credit trading, technology transfer, and capacity building, helping India progress toward its Net Zero 2070 target while positioning both nations as leaders in sustainable climate action ahead of COP30.

IIT Jodhpur has taken a leading role in advancing artificial intelligence for India’s linguistic and cultural landscape. Through its Vision, Language and Learning Group (VL2G), led by Prof. Anand Mishra, the institute has developed open source APIs capable of recognizing and translating scene text in 13 Indian languages, improving multilingual navigation, accessibility, and real time translation. Beyond language, IIT Jodhpur collaborates with IGNCA and TIH-iHUB Drishti to restore and digitise ancient manuscripts, safeguarding India’s cultural heritage. Additionally, with Accenture Labs, it is building advanced video AI systems for skill assessment, workplace safety, and healthcare. This pioneering work strengthens India’s digital future and supports the India@2047 vision of inclusive innovation.

The World Boxing Championships is scheduled to commence in Liverpool, United Kingdom, marking the first edition under the newly formed governing body, World Boxing. This tournament is notable for bringing both men and women together in the same championship structure. India, coming off a strong 2023 performance with four women’s gold medals in Delhi and three men’s bronzes in Tashkent, is fielding a balanced team. Star boxers like Nikhat Zareen in the 51kg category and Lovlina Borgohain in the 75kg category will headline India’s campaign. Hosting the championships in Liverpool underscores the city’s growing profile in international sporting events.

Kerala has become the first state to carry out a large scale eradication of the invasive plant species Senna spectabilis, clearing 383 acres in Wayanad. Originally introduced in the 1980s for its bright yellow flowers, this species from South America rapidly turned invasive, forming dense thickets that damage soil quality, block the growth of native plants, and reduce food availability for wildlife. While its spread has been reported in states such as Andhra Pradesh, Goa, and Maharashtra, Kerala’s proactive step sets an example for biodiversity conservation. Experts emphasise that early action is essential to protect the fragile ecosystems of the Western Ghats.

The GST Council has undertaken a major reform by reducing the number of slabs from four to two, fixing them at 5% and 18%. In addition, a new 40% slab has been introduced for sin goods such as tobacco, liquor, sugary drinks, and luxury items to discourage their consumption and increase revenue. Essential goods, along with healthcare and education related items, will now become more affordable under the 5% slab, while most durable goods will attract 18%. Coal has been shifted into the 18% category, making it costlier. This restructuring aims to simplify compliance, reduce confusion, ease consumer budgets, and boost demand across sectors.

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of 26 judges to the Allahabad High Court, which is currently struggling with a record number of vacancies. Out of a sanctioned strength of 160 judges, only 84 are in position, leaving 76 seats vacant—nearly half the court’s capacity. The fresh recommendations consist of 14 judicial officers and 12 advocates, including two senior women lawyers, Garima Parshad and Swarupama Chaturvedi. This move represents one of the largest single batches of recommendations for any High Court in recent years. By strengthening the Allahabad High Court, the initiative aims to reduce case backlogs, improve efficiency, and ensure faster delivery of justice while also promoting greater gender diversity in the judiciary.