Daily Current Affairs- 8th August 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 8th August 2025

PM’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ Programme Earns Over Rs.34 Crore Since 2014: Government

In the News: On August 8, 2025, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting informed the Rajya Sabha that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has generated Rs.34.13 crore in revenue since its launch in 2014.

Key Points

• Revenue Since Inception: Total receipts from the programme stand at ₹34.13 crore, as per a written reply by Minister of State L. Murugan in the Upper House.
• Cost Structure: The show is produced by Akashvani using existing in-house resources, with the government stating there is no additional expenditure incurred for production.
• Platforms & Reach: Episodes are carried across All India Radio (Akashvani), Doordarshan, and digital/social media channels, giving the programme multi-platform distribution.
• Revenue Sources: Media briefings attribute earnings to advertisements, sponsorships and allied streams tied to the broadcast and its syndication.
• Start Date & Frequency: ‘Mann Ki Baat’ debuted on October 3, 2014 and is aired monthly, featuring messages and stories the PM shares with listeners.

‘Bharat’ Taxi: Cooperatives Launch Rs.300-Crore Ride-Hailing Platform to Rival Ola and Uber

In the News: India’s cooperative sector is set to challenge ride-hailing giants with the upcoming launch of ‘Bharat’, a cooperative-backed taxi service backed by an authorised capital of ₹300 crore. The new platform, led by a consortium of eight major cooperatives, plans a pan-India rollout by the end of 2025, with its app expected to launch by December. Initial operations will commence across four states with over 200 drivers already onboarded.

Key Points:

• Cooperative Consortium: Organized under the Multi-State Sahakari Taxi Cooperative Ltd, the initiative brings together eight cooperatives—including NCDC, IFFCO, GCMMF, Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd, NABARD, NDDB, NCEL—operating independently without government stake.
• Driver Base & Geographic Spread: Over 200 drivers have joined from Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, with the service looking to scale across additional regions.
• App & Tech Strategy: A tender has been floated to onboard a tech partner for app development, with the launch scheduled for December 2025. A technology consultant and IIM‑Bangalore are assisting in shaping the marketing strategy for a unified, pan‑India app interface.
• Business Model & Goals: The cooperative ride-hailing model seeks to:
  • Ensure better earnings for drivers
  • Provide safe, affordable, and high-quality rides for passengers
  • Leverage a cooperative pricing model with growing membership.
• Strategic Timing: The initiative stems from policy signals by Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, who had earlier indicated a push toward cooperative-led enterprises by 2025.

M.S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace: Honouring Food Security & Climate Justice

In the News: On August 7, 2025, at the M.S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference held at ICAR Pusa, New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Global M.S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace, established in memory of the “Father of India’s Green Revolution.” In the same event, he presented the first-ever award to Professor Ademola A. Adenle of Nigeria, recognising his outstanding contributions to combating hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture in developing nations.

Key Points:

• Institution of the Award: The award was created by the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in collaboration with The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), aimed at recognising exemplary efforts from individuals in developing countries in advancing food security, climate justice, and sustainable peace.
• First Recipient: Professor Adenle of Nigeria, serving as Senior Special Adviser on Agricultural Innovation in Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture, was conferred the inaugural award for his leadership in agricultural innovation, hunger eradication, rural empowerment, and climate resilience, especially among vulnerable communities.
• Philosophical Underpinning: PM Modi emphasized that “food is life,” quoting verses from the Upanishads to underscore the profound link between food security and global peace. He stated that a crisis in food inevitably leads to a crisis of life, breed unrest—and thus the award is both philosophically significant and practically urgent.
• Broader Context: The award was launched during a larger international conference commemorating Dr. M.S. Swaminathan’s centenary, with themes rooted in Evergreen Revolution and Bio‑happiness—his visionary ideas promoting sustainable, inclusive agriculture and biodiversity conservation.

Thailand and Cambodia Finalize Ceasefire Details, Pledge to Maintain Troop Levels

In the News: On August 7, 2025, Thailand and Cambodia concluded an Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) meeting in Kuala Lumpur and agreed on the implementation terms of the July 28 ceasefire. The joint statement freezes troop positions at 24:00 local time on July 28 and opens the door for ASEAN monitoring to help the truce hold.

Key Points

• Troop Freeze (No Movements): Both sides will maintain current deployments exactly as they stood at 24:00, July 28, 2025; no patrols or movements toward the other side’s positions are permitted.
• No Reinforcement: The parties will not increase forces anywhere along the border, recognizing that reinforcements would heighten tensions.
• No Provocations / Fortifications: Each side will avoid actions that could escalate tensions, including entering the other’s airspace/territory and building or enhancing military infrastructure beyond its own side.
• Protection of Civilians: The ceasefire covers all weapons and prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian objects; both sides reaffirm compliance with international law.
• Captured Soldiers & IHL: Parties must ensure humane treatment of captives and commit to immediate release and repatriation after active hostilities cease, in line with Geneva Convention (Art. 118) and ICRC Rule 128(A). (Context: 18 Cambodian soldiers remain a sticking point.)
• Monitoring Mechanism: A formal ASEAN observer team led by Malaysia will verify compliance. Interim observer teams (ASEAN defence attachés) will operate separately in each country and will not cross the border until the full mission deploys.
• De-escalation & Information Discipline: Both sides agreed to consult quickly at local level to prevent flare-ups and to refrain from spreading false information that could inflame tensions.
• Follow-up Timelines: The Regional Border Committee (RBC) will meet within two weeks; the next GBC session is due within one month, with regular direct lines kept open between ministers and defense chiefs.
• Conflict Context: The truce followed five days of intense fighting in late July, involving artillery and airstrikes, causing at least 43 deaths and 300,000+ displaced on both sides.

Azerbaijan and Armenia Sign Historic Peace Deal at White House Summit

In the News: On August 8, 2025, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement at the White House, hosted by President Donald Trump. The deal includes the creation of a new transit corridor, dubbed the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), linking Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave via Armenia—granting the U.S. exclusive development rights.

Key Points:

• End of Decades-Long Conflict: The agreement seeks to normalize relations, enhance economic cooperation, and put an end to nearly four decades of hostilities—particularly over Nagorno-Karabakh. (Reuters, Wikipedia)
• Strategic Transit Corridor—TRIPP: The Zangezur corridor (around 27 miles / ~43 km) will connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan enclave through Armenian territory. U.S. granted exclusive development rights for 99 years, with potential infrastructure including road, rail, pipelines, fiber optics, and electricity.
• Shift in Geopolitics: The deal significantly diminishes Russian influence in the South Caucasus region and positions the U.S. as a principal mediator. The longstanding OSCE Minsk Group is effectively sidelined. (Reuters, Washington Post, Reuters)
• Mixed Reactions: Support from Turkey, which sees boosted regional connectivity and trade potential. (Reuters) Concern and opposition from Iran, which warned of security risks and described the corridor as a geopolitical provocation, even issuing vivid criticism.

AU Small Finance Bank Makes History: First SFB to Get RBI Nod for Universal Bank Status

In the News: On August 7, 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted in-principle approval to AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) to transition into a universal bank, marking the first such approval in nearly a decade. This opens the way for the bank to offer a full spectrum of banking services.

Key Points:

• Historic Milestone: AU SFB is the first small finance bank (SFB) in India to receive in-principle permission to become a universal bank, a status not granted since Bandhan Bank in 2015.
• Expanded Capabilities: Transitioning to a universal bank allows AU to issue larger loans, serve more customers, and create subsidiaries, breaking free of limitations under the SFB structure.
• Robust Performance Metrics: For the quarter ending June 30, AU SFB posted a 16% year-on-year rise in net profit to ₹581 crore, alongside a gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio of 2.47%.
• Regulatory Preconditions: The RBI approval is conditional. The bank’s promoter, Sanjay Agarwal, must transfer his 22% equity stake into a separate Non‑Operative Financial Holding Company (NOFHC) within 18 months to comply with corporate governance norms.
• Shift of Headquarters: As part of the transition plans, AU SFB will relocate its corporate office from Jaipur to Mumbai.

India Lost 18 Times More Forest Than It Gained Between 2015–2019

In the News: A recent study—conducted by IIT Bombay in collaboration with SASTRA Deemed University—revealed that between 2015 and 2019, India lost 18 square kilometres of forest for every 1 square kilometre gained.

Key Points:

• Gross Loss vs Gain: The study shows a gross forest loss of 1,032.89 sq km compared to a forest gain of just 56.3 sq km during the 2015–2019 period.
• Nationwide Decline: Every state in India recorded a net decrease in forest cover over this period.
• Major Contributors:
  • Gains occurred predominantly in fragmented patches (islets) across Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Rajasthan.
  • Losses were most severe in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, together accounting for nearly 50% of the total forest loss.
• Fragmentation Concern: More than half of the newly added forest areas were highly fragmented islets, lacking structural connectivity, which is crucial for ecological health.
• Methodology vs FSI: The study used Copernicus Global Land Service (CGLS) data with stricter thresholds (15% canopy; 100 m resolution), as opposed to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), which uses a 10% canopy threshold and coarser imagery (23.5 m resolution). This difference may explain why official reports sometimes show forest cover increases, while the study reveals degradation in ecological quality.
• Connectivity Mapping: The researchers proposed a framework using remote sensing and open‑source tools to monitor and analyze forest connectivity at both state and national levels.