DAILY GK 3 DEC 2025
1.
TELECOM-BASED SAFETY ALERTS ACROSS NHS
·
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Reliance
Jio Infocomm Limited, for the deployment of telecom-based safety alerts across National
Highways (NHs) in the country.
·
As per the MoU, the new system will send advance warnings to travellers through mobile alerts as they approach risk-prone areas like: accident stretches, fog-affected regions,
among others.
·
The system will be integrated with the digital platforms of NHAI like: Rajmargyatra mobile application (app) and emergency helpline number 1033.
·
Initial focus on risk
zones with real-time alerts at NHAI offices, later expanding coverage through other
telecom providers.
2.
BHARAT TAXI IN DELHI AND GUJARAT
·
The Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited,
a Multi-State Cooperative registered under the Multi-State Cooperative
Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002, began the soft launch of
the ‘Bharat Taxi’ ride-hailing service in New Delhi and Gujarat.
·
The soft launch marks the
start of beta consumer trials for
India’s first driver-owned national mobility cooperative.
·
The Bharat Taxi app is
available on Google Play for beta trials, integrates multi-modal travel including Delhi Metro connectivity, and
offers features such as transparent fares, real-time tracking, multilingual
support, and 24/7 assistance.
·
The service is
connected to Delhi Metro, allowing users to book rides conveniently through
a single platform.
·
Over 51,000 drivers across
cars, autos, and bikes have registered for the beta phase, operating under
a zero-commission model that lets them retain 100% of their fare earnings.
·
Aims to include
two-wheelers, auto-rickshaws, taxis, and cabs on a single platform.
·
The Bharat Taxi app
is managed by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited and is
promoted as the world’s first national
mobility cooperative fully owned by drivers, with no government involvement.
·
Bharat Taxi is an
initiative developed under the Ministry of Cooperation and the National
e-Governance Division (NeGD) under the Digital
India Corporation(DIC).
·
Authorised Capital is Rs.300 crore.
3.
PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE RENAMED TO ‘SEVA TEERTH’
·
The Government of India (GoI) renamed the
news Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) complex as ‘SevaTeerth’ to
highlight its focus on service-oriented,
citizen-centric governance.
·
Following a directive
from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the official residences of Governors and Lieutenant Governors (Raj
Bhavan/Raj Niwas) were redesignated as Lok Bhavan and Lok Niwas respectively.
·
The new complex is part of the Central Vista Redevelopment
Project and was previously known as the ‘Executive Enclave’.
·
Besides the PMO, the
complex will house the offices of the Cabinet Secretariat, National
Security Council Secretariat, and India House (a venue for high-level talks).
·
The following states, Andhra Pradesh (AP), Karnataka, Kerala,
Tamil Nadu (TN), Sikkim, Telangana, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Mizoram,
West Bengal (WB), Uttar Pradesh (UT), Tripura, Odisha, Haryana, Rajasthan,
Nagaland, and Jharkhand, have officially renamed Raj Bhavan as Lok Bhavan.
·
The Union Territories (UTs) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh have similarly renamed Raj
Niwas as Lok Niwas.
4.
INDIA’S FIRST HIGH-CAPACITY WATER-POSITIVE AIRPORT
·
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL)
announced that Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, India’s
first high-capacity airport handling
over 40 million passengers, has been certified as Water-Positive by
the Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII)- Triveni Water Institute.
·
The accomplishment was
officially acknowledged at the Water
Innovation Summit 2025, under the National Institution for Transforming
India(NITI) Aayog–CII Water Neutrality framework,
in New Delhi.
·
A water-positive
facility returns more water to the environment than the total amount it withdraws for its operations.
5.
5 NEW PRODUCTS FROM TN RECEIVES GI TAG
·
5 new products from Tamil Nadu (TN) including: Woraiyur
cotton sari, Kavindapadi nattusakkarai (jaggery
powder), Namakkalmakkalpathirangal (soapstone
cookware), the traditional Thooyamalli rice variety, and Ambasamudramchoppusaman (wooden
toys) received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
·
With this recognition, TN’s total GI-tagged products rise to 74, making
it the second-highest state in India for
GI-certified items, after Uttar Pradesh(UP).
6. 100-DAY INTENSIVE
AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FOR A CHILD MARRIAGE FREE BHARAT
·
Spell 1, from 27 November
to 31 December 2025, under which awareness activities, including debates, essay
competitions, interactive sessions and pledge ceremonies will be conducted in
schools, colleges, and universities.
·
Spell 2, from
1 to 31 January 2026, MoWCD will engage with faith leaders, community
influencers and marriage service providers to amplify messages on child rights,
safety and empowerment.
·
Spell 3, from 1 February
to 8 March 2026, the campaign will focus on mobilisation of Gram Panchayats and
Municipal Wards to pass resolutions declaring their jurisdictions child
marriage free.
·
The campaign is implemented in coordination with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW),
Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), and Ministry
of Education (MoE).
7.
UN WORLD POPULATION PROSPECTS 2025
·
The Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), released
the “World Urbanization Prospects 2025”, highlighting a dramatic increase in the number of
megacities (urban areas with over 10 million (mn) inhabitants).
·
Jakarta(Indonesia) has
become the world’s most populous city with 41.9
million residents, while Dhaka(Bangladesh) and Tokyo(Japan), rank
second and third with 36.6 million
and 33.4 million inhabitants, respectively.
·
New Delhi, India, ranks fourth among the world’s most
populous cities, with a population of 30.2 million.
·
The WUP 2025 is the 22nd edition
of the series.
·
It provides annual
population estimates for the period 1950–2025
and projections up to 2050.
·
The
minimum population threshold for cities
has been lowered from 300,000 to 50,000 inhabitants,
resulting in an increase in the number of cities analyzed to over 12,000.
·
Methodology: For the first time, the 2025 edition
of the World Urbanization Prospects presents population estimates and
projections for three “Degree of Urbanization” categories:
cities, towns and rural areas.
·
Shanghai(China), ranks fifth with 29.6 million residents, while
Guangzhou(China), is sixth with 27.6
million.
·
Cairo(Egypt),
the only non-Asian city in the top ten,
is seventh with 25.56 million,
followed by Manila(Philippines), with 24.7 million.
·
Kolkata (West Bengal, WB),
and Seoul, South Korea, both have
populations of 22.5 million, ranking
ninth and tenth, respectively.
·
The world is becoming
increasingly urban, with cities now accommodating 45% of the global
population of 8.2 billion, more than double the share in 1950.
·
The number of megacities, cities with populations of 10 million or more,
has quadrupled, rising from 8 in 1975 to 33 in 2025, with
9 of the 10 most populous cities located in Asia, and is projected to
reach 37 by 2050.
8.
ASIA POWER INDEX 2025
·
Australian think tank, Lowy
Institute released the 7th edition of Asia
Power Index.
·
As per 2025 rankings, India
secured the 3rd position in Asia region, with overall power score of 40 out
of 100, surpassing the threshold for classification as a ‘Major
Power’ status.
·
Last year, India was ranked among the ‘Middle Powers’.
·
USA (1st) and China (2nd) retained their position as the
only ‘Superpowers’ in Asia, with an overall score of
80.4 points and 73.7 points, respectively.
·
This latest edition of Asia
Power Index assesses the power of 27 countries and territories across Asia.
·
The index has classified countries into 4 main power categories based on their overall score: Superpowers (more
than equal to 70 points); Major Powers (more than
equal to 40 points); Middle Powers (more than equal
to 10); and Minor Powers (less than 10 points).
·
Middle Power Countries: Japan (4th), Russia (5th),
Australia (6th), South Korea (7th), Singapore (8th), Indonesia (9th), Malaysia
(10th).
·
Minor Powers: Papua New Guinea (27th) ranked lowest in the index with an
overall score of 4.6 points; followed by Timor-Leste (ranked at 26th spot, 4.8
points); Nepal (ranked at 25th spot).
9.
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS WORD OF THE YEAR 2025
·
Oxford University Press (OUP) announced
the word “Rage Bait” as the Word of the
Year 2025.
·
The usage of the term “Rage Bait” has tripled in 2025, reflecting its growing presence in social
media to increase outrage and polarize conversations.
·
Rage Bait is defined as an
online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating,
provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or
engagement with a particular web page or social-media content.
·
Meaning: It denotes
an online content designed to cause anger or outrage to generate engagement
such as likes, comments, shares, in social media. It differs from clickbait
which raises curiosity.
10.
OPERATION SAGAR BANDHU
·
The Government of India(GoI) has
launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to provide
Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief
(HADR) to Sri Lanka following widespread rains,
floods, strong winds, and landslides caused
by Cyclone Ditwah.
·
The name Ditwah, proposed by Yemen after
Socotra’s scenic Detwah Lagoon, was
added to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (UN ESCAP) Panel’s list by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
