Daily Current Affairs- 5th August 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 5th August 2025

ICRISAT Launches AI-Powered Climate Advisory to Support Small Farmers

In the News: The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi‑Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), in partnership with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and supported under India’s Monsoon Mission III, officially launched the AI‑powered Context‑Specific Agromet Advisory Services for Climate‑Resilient Agriculture at Scale, aimed at equipping smallholder farmers with hyper‑local, personalized climate and weather advisories.

Key Points:

• Initiative Launch: The project was unveiled during a two-day inception workshop at ICRISAT’s Hyderabad headquarters on July 29–30, 2025.Objective & Support: Under Monsoon Mission III, this initiative aims to deliver hyper‑local actionable weather and climate insights via AI/ML to support decision‑making such as sowing, irrigation, pest control, etc.
•  Core Technology – iSAT: Central to the project is the upgraded Intelligent Systems Advisory Tool (iSAT)—originally piloted during Monsoon Mission II—which now incorporates AI-enhanced crop models, real-time IMD forecasts, soil and socio‑economic inputs to generate personalized advisories.
• Delivery Channels: Advisories will reach farmers via a user-friendly digital ecosystem—an AI‑powered WhatsApp bot (in regional languages), plus IVRS, mobile apps, and village resource centers to bridge the last‑mile digital divide.
•  Pilot Implementation: The pilot rollout will begin in Maharashtra, using ICAR’s Agro‑Meteorological Field Units (AMFUs) to serve small land‑holding farmers; findings will inform scale‑up across India and potentially in the Global South.
•  Consortium of Partners: The initiative brings together ICRISAT, ICAR‑CRIDA, ILRI, IITM, IMD, IIT Ropar, CSIO, and IISc under a multi‑institutional consortium to develop the advisory system.

FIFA and AIFF Launch India’s First FIFA Talent Academy for Girls

In the News: India’s first FIFA Talent Academy for girls was officially launched in Hyderabad—a collaboration between the All India Football Federation (AIFF), FIFA, and the Government of Telangana—under FIFA’s global Talent Development Scheme (TDS) .

Key Points:

• Landmark Launch: The academy—India's first residential FIFA Talent Academy for girls—was inaugurated during the first Telangana Sports Conclave at Hyderabad International Convention Centre, following the MoU signing between AIFF and the Telangana government on August 2–3, 2025.
• Program Capacity and Structure: It will accommodate 60 elite players—30 girls (U16) and 30 boys (U14)—with 10 players from Telangana in each group. Despite being co‑located, this is India’s first girls-only FIFA Talent Academy.
• Location & Facilities: Based at the Gachibowli Stadium Complex, Hyderabad, the academy offers year‑long high-performance training, residential housing, schooling, medical care, nutrition plans, and mental wellness support
• Funding Model: The initiative costs approximately ₹7.23 crore annually—with FIFA funding ₹65 lakh (covering the head coach’s salary and stay), AIFF funding ~₹61 lakh for support staff, and the Telangana government covering ₹5.97 crore per year.Governance & Oversight: The AIFF will lead on operations, scouting, training curriculum, and alignment with FIFA. The Sports Authority of Telangana will handle infrastructure, logistics, education, and player welfare.
• Strategic Impact: The academy symbolizes a shift toward equitable talent development, especially empowering young girls. AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey called it "a defining moment" for inclusive football in India. The goal includes nurturing players for India's U17 men's and women's FIFA World Cup aspirations and aligning with AIFF’s Vision 2047 and Telangana’s Sports Policy 2025.
• Global Alignment: As part of FIFA’s Talent Development Scheme, this academy is one of the few globally dedicated to girls, reinforcing India’s commitment to structured grassroots growth in women’s football.

PM Modi’s ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ Sets Guinness World Record with 3.53 Crore Registrations

In the News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship initiative Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) 2025, hosted on the MyGov platform, earned the Guinness World Record for the “Most people registered on a Citizen Engagement Platform in one month”—with a staggering 3.53 crore valid registrations during the eighth edition of the programme.

Key Points:

• Record Achievement: PPC 2025 recorded 3.53 crore valid registrations on MyGov within a single month, setting a new Guinness World Record.
• Official Recognition Ceremony: The Guinness World Record certificate was formally presented in New Delhi on August 4, 2025, in the presence of Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jitin Prasada, MyGov CEO Nand Kumarum, Secretary Sanjay Kumar, and other senior officials, with adjudication by Rishi Nath of Guinness World Records.
• Mass Viewership: The 8th edition of PPC reached over 21 crore viewers across all media platforms in 2025, underlining its broad appeal and engagement.
• Purpose & Format: Since its inception in 2018, PPC has been a unique engagement platform led by PM Modi, where he interacts directly with students, parents, and teachers to address academic stress, time management, digital distractions, mindfulness, and emotional resilience in alignment with NEP 2020.
• Leadership Commentary: Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted how PPC refashions exam-related anxiety into a positive, holistic learning festival, and described the record as proof of India’s collective commitment to inclusive education and Viksit Bharat vision.Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the strong public trust in PPC as a platform of well-being and stress-free learning.Jitin Prasada lauded MyGov for enabling digital participation and participatory governance at scale.

NITI Aayog Launches Report on Unlocking a $200 Billion Opportunity in Electric Vehicles

In the News: NITI Aayog officially unveiled its flagship report titled “Unlocking a $200 Billion Opportunity: Electric Vehicles in India” at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The launch was led by Rajiv Gauba (Member, NITI Aayog) in the presence of B.V.R. Subrahmanyam (CEO, NITI Aayog), Kamran Rizvi (Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries), O.P. Agarwal (Distinguished Fellow, NITI Aayog) and Sudhendu Sinha (Programme Director – E‑Mobility).

Key Points:

• Scope & Timing: The report was launched on August 4, 2025, serving as a strategic blueprint to accelerate India’s EV transition .
• Market Growth Snapshot: EV sales in India jumped from 50,000 in 2016 to 2.08 million in 2024, while global sales soared from 918,000 to 18.78 million over the same period. India's EV penetration rose from about 20% of the global average in 2020 to over 40% by 2024, reaching approximately 7.6% of total vehicle sales in 2024.
• Target & Vision: India aims to achieve a 30% share of EVs in total vehicle sales by 2030, unlocking a potential $200 billion EV market.
• Blueprint Highlights:
  • A call for a time-bound National EV Policy with clear targets and implementation timelines, supported by mandates and disincentives alongside existing incentives.
  • Focus on high‑impact segments such as electric buses, trucks, two‑ and three‑wheelers, and urban freight to maximize emissions reductions and cost-effectiveness.
  • Proposals for blended finance mechanisms to lower capital costs for commercial EVs, coupled with priority sector lending facilitations.
  • Advocation for firm Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandates, gradually reducing incentives for internal combustion engine vehicles, especially in urban zones.
  • Infrastructure planning centered on hotspot-based charging networks in urban centers, freight corridors, and logistic hubs; includes lowering GST on public charging services.
  • Emphasis on enhancing R&D in battery tech, domestic manufacturing and introducing battery passports for life‑cycle tracking, resale and recycling

India Becomes World’s 5th Biggest Aviation Market

In the News: India emerged as the world’s fifth-largest aviation market in 2024, carrying approximately 241 million passengers, marking an 11.1% growth over 2023. During the same period, the Mumbai–Delhi air route ranked as the 7th busiest flight corridor globally, according to the World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Key Points:

• Market Position: India handled roughly 241 million air passengers in 2024—both domestic and international traffic combined—surpassing Japan to secure the 5th spot globally, driven by robust growth year-on-year of 11.1% compared to around 205 million for Japan in the same period.
• Growth Rate: Passenger traffic rose significantly, reaching 241 million in 2024, up from 211 million in 2023, marking an 11.1% increase year-on-year.
• Top Route: The Mumbai–Delhi route was identified as the 7th busiest air route in the world in 2024, with an estimated 5.9 million passengers flying between the two cities.

• Global Rankings Context: In 2024, the aviation market rankings were:

1. United States (~876 million passengers)
2. China (~741 million)
3. United Kingdom (~261 million)
4. Spain (~241 million)
5. India (~241 million)

Hong Kong Rolls Out Stablecoin Regulations to Lead Global Digital Finance

In the News: Hong Kong officially enacted its Stablecoins Ordinance (Cap. 656), instituting a rigorous regulatory framework that mandates full reserve backing, selective licensing, and stringent AML/CFT compliance, signaling its ambitions to lead in global digital finance.

Key Points:

• Regulatory Launch: The Stablecoins Ordinance, passed in May 2025, went into effect on August 1, 2025, empowering the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to license and supervise fiat‑referenced stablecoin issuers.
• Full Reserve Mandate: Issuers must maintain 100% high-quality fiat reserves, segregate customer and issuer funds, support rapid redemption, undergo audits, and uphold robust governance and risk frameworks, including HK$25 million (≈US$3.2M) minimum capital.
• Selective Licensing Approach: HKMA plans to grant only 3–4 licences initially in early 2026, favoring large, well-capitalized firms. As of launch, no licences have yet been issued.
• Application Timelines: Institutions are invited to express interest by August 31, 2025, with finalized licence applications due by September 30, 2025. Interested applicants may receive preliminary regulatory feedback during this period.
• Market Participants & Interest: Major firms like Ant Group (Ant International), JD.com’s JD Chain, Standard Chartered, and Circle Technology are preparing applications, focusing on USD‑, HKD‑, and offshore RMB‑pegged stablecoins.