National News
NAKSHA Programme Transforms Urban Land Records in India
- The NAKSHA Programme, launched under the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), aims to modernise urban land governance by using geospatial mapping, GNSS, and Web-GIS technologies to create transparent, accurate, and accessible urban land records.
- A recent National Training-cum-Workshop hosted by LBSNAA trained District Magistrates and Collectors for its nationwide rollout.
- The initiative supports the vision of ‘One Nation, One Land Record’ by digitally mapping land parcels and clarifying ownership details, aiding in dispute resolution, urban planning, and property tax calculation.
e-NAM Adds 9 New Commodities, Expands Coverage to 247
- The Government of India has expanded the e-NAM platform by adding 9 new commodities, raising the total tradable agricultural commodities to 247.
- This move aims to provide farmers and traders with a more transparent, competitive digital marketplace that connects markets nationwide.
- The new commodities include Green Tea, Mustard Oil, Lavender Oil, Virgin Olive Oil, Broken Rice, among others.
- The Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) developed tradable parameters for these commodities to ensure prices reflect the true quality of produce, enhancing farmers’ bargaining power and reducing middlemen dependence.
State News
Odisha to Launch “Gyana Yagnya Mandap” Digital Library at Puri
- The Odisha government will set up a digital library named Gyana Yagnya Mandap at the site of the old Raghunandan Library in Puri to preserve rare records of the Jagannath Temple, including the Madala Panji, ritual documents, and palm-leaf manuscripts.
- The initiative, announced by Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, will also feature a research centre, offering digital access to devotees and researchers, aiming to safeguard the timeless heritage of the temple, as supported by SJTA chief Arabinda Padhee.
PM Modi Inaugurates ₹19,650 Cr Navi Mumbai Airport
- PM Modi inaugurated the ₹19,650 crore Navi Mumbai International Airport, set to begin commercial operations by December 2025, making Mumbai one of the few cities with multiple international airports.
- The lotus-shaped airport aims to boost trade, tourism, exports, and support farmers and fishermen.
- This milestone, along with the launch of Mumbai Metro Line 3 Phase 2B, Mumbai One App, and the STEP training program, underscores India’s rapid growth in aviation, connectivity, and technology under the UDAAN Yojana and the push for self-reliance.
Nitin Gadkari Inaugurates India’s First Electric Truck Battery Swapping Station
- Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated India’s first electric truck battery swapping and charging station in Sonipat, marking a major step toward clean logistics.
- He emphasized efforts to reduce pollution by using stubble for biofuels and bio-bitumen in road construction and promoting ethanol from corn.
- Gadkari highlighted India’s aim to cut logistics costs and shift to pollution-free EV transport, with battery prices dropping 50-60%.
PM Launches Mumbai One App for Seamless Public Transport
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Mumbai One mobile app, India’s first integrated common mobility platform, allowing commuters in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region to book a single QR-based digital ticket for travel across Metro, Monorail, buses, and local trains. The app integrates 11 public transport operators, supports cashless and contactless transactions, features a multimodal journey planner, and is hosted on a MeitY-compliant Google Cloud Platform. Developed by MMRDA, it aims to promote One Nation, One Mobility, offering a seamless travel experience without extra user charges.
International News
12,000‑Year‑Old Pillar Carved with Human Face Unearthed in Türkiye
- A 12,000-year-old T-shaped pillar featuring a carved human face has been unearthed for the first time at the Karahantepe archaeological site in southeastern Türkiye, as part of the Stone Hills Project, which explores early Neolithic life and belief systems.
- Announced by Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the discovery showcases the earliest known example of Neolithic self-representation, with deep-set eyes, sharp contours, and a block-shaped nose.
- Unlike previous pillars bearing symbolic arms and hands, this newly found pillar adds a human face, revealing advanced artistic expression and evolving spiritual thought in early settled societies.
California Declares Diwali a State Holiday
- California has officially declared Diwali a state holiday, becoming the third US state after Pennsylvania and Connecticut to do so.
- Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill, introduced by Assembly member Ash Kalra, granting paid time off to state employees and allowing schools to observe the festival.
- This move is celebrated as a significant recognition of the contributions of Indian Americans to California’s economy, government, and society.
Banking News
RBI Launches Retail Sandbox for Digital Currency
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a retail sandbox for its central bank digital currency (CBDC), enabling fintech firms to develop and test solutions for the ongoing pilot.
- This initiative follows the commencement of the e-rupee pilot on December 1, 2022, which has already garnered approximately 7 million users in India.
- The RBI is collaborating with banks on the project. Digital tokenisation makes transactions faster, cheaper, and safer, using technologies like blockchain and distributed ledger technology.
Appointments News
Blackstone Appoints Apurva Shah to Lead India Credit Division
- Global investment major Blackstone has appointed Apurva Shah to head its newly launched credit division in India, marking a major step in expanding its private credit business in the country.
- Shah joins as Managing Director, based in Mumbai, and will lead Blackstone Credit & Insurance’s (BXCI) private credit origination efforts.
- This move reinforces Blackstone’s focus on building a market-leading credit platform in the Asia Pacific region.
- With over 26 years of experience in leveraged finance, securitizations, M&A advisory, and capital markets, Shah brings strong expertise from firms like Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, and DSP Merrill Lynch.
Awards News
László Krasznahorkai Wins the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature for His Visionary Oeuvre
- Hungarian author László Krasznahorkai has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Literature for his visionary and apocalyptic prose, celebrating the enduring power of art.
- This honor highlights his literary genius and cements his place on the global literary stage.
Agreements News
NCB and RRU Sign MoU to Strengthen Research and Training on Drug Crimes
- The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in research, training, technology development, and capacity building related to narcotics control and cyber-enabled drug crimes.
- The partnership focuses on areas such as darknet narcotics markets, cryptocurrency tracing, and cyber-threat intelligence.
- They also plan to establish a Centre of Excellence in Cybercrime Investigation and Drug Intelligence to foster innovation.
Summits & Conferences News
India to Host 8th International Solar Alliance Assembly In Delhi
- India will host the 8th International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly from October 27–30 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, bringing together 124 member countries and over 40 ministers to advance global cooperation on solar energy adoption.
- Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, highlighted India’s achievements as the 3rd largest solar producer and the 2nd largest renewable energy market globally.
PM Modi Inaugurates 9th India Mobile Congress 2025
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the ninth edition of the India Mobile Congress 2025, Asia’s largest telecom, media, and technology event at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.
- Addressing the gathering, Mr Modi said that the country’s success in the telecom sector reflects the strength of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. He said the country, which once faced difficulties with 2G, now has 5G coverage in nearly every district.
Science & Technology News
IBM, Anthropic Partner to Advance Secure Enterprise AI Development
- IBM and Anthropic have announced a strategic partnership to integrate Claude, Anthropic’s advanced large language model (LLM), into IBM’s enterprise software tools, starting with a new AI-first Integrated Development Environment (IDE).
- This collaboration aims to enhance productivity, security, and governance in enterprise software development, with early tests showing 45% productivity gains among IBM developers.
- Key features include application modernization, intelligent code generation, security-first development, and end-to-end orchestration.
Google Expands Opal AI App Builder to 15 Countries
- Google has expanded its AI-powered app builder, Opal, to 15 new countries, including India, Japan, Brazil, South Korea, and Canada.
- Initially launched in the U.S. in July, Opal enables users to build web-based mini applications by simply describing their ideas in natural language, making no-code development accessible to both technical and non-technical users.
- The tool includes a visual editor, workflow debugging, and faster performance, allowing for rapid prototyping and sharing of apps.
- As part of Google Labs, Opal reflects Google’s vision of democratizing app development through AI, joining the ranks of other no-code platforms like Canva and Replit.
Amit Shah Switches to Zoho Mail, Backs Swadeshi Tech
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah has switched to India’s homegrown email service, Zoho Mail, as part of the government’s push for swadeshi technology and Atmanirbhar Bharat digital self-reliance.
- Shah’s formal sign-off—“Thank you for your kind attention to this matter”—caught online attention for its Trump-style tone.
- Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu praised the move as a proud moment for India’s tech ecosystem.
- This follows similar switches by other ministers and ministries, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign platforms like Microsoft and Google amid rising trade tensions with the US.
Current Affairs Today | 9 Oct Current Affairs 2025 | Daily Current Affairs By Ashish Gautam
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