23 February, 2026
GK Update
Wed 17 Dec, 2025
National News
Filmfare OTT Awards – 6th Edition

- The sixth edition of the Filmfare OTT Awards was held in Mumbai.
- The ceremony honored web series and films released on OTT platforms between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025.
Key Winners (Series) :
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‘ASPIRE’ Scheme

- The Government of India is implementing the ASPIRE (A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industries and Entrepreneurship) scheme to promote entrepreneurship and livelihoods in rural areas. The scheme aims to empower rural youth and women by supporting skill development, incubation centres (Livelihood Business Incubators – LBIs), and micro-enterprises, enabling them to generate employment and become economically self-reliant.
Relevant Facts:
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Inauguration of the Param Vir Gallery

- On the occasion of Vijay Diwas, President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Param Vir Gallery at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on 16 December 2025.
Related Facts:
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Nuclear Energy (Sustainable Use and Advancement) Bill, 2025

- The Minister of State for Atomic Energy, Dr. Jitendra Singh, introduced the Nuclear Energy (Sustainable Use and Advancement) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha.
- The objective of the Bill is to promote the development and use of nuclear energy and ionizing radiation for nuclear power generation.
Related Facts:
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Indian Film Homebound

- The Indian film Homebound has been nominated for the Best Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards.
- Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, the film is among the 15 films shortlisted in this category.
- The winner will be announced on 15 March.
VB-G-RAM-G Bill

- The Viksit Bharat–Employment and Livelihood Mission–Rural (VB-G-RAM-G) Bill, a new rural employment law set to replace MGNREGA, was introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Bill guarantees 125 days of paid employment per year to rural households.
MGNREGA vs VB-G-RAM-G (Key Differences) :
| Feature | MGNREGA (Old) | VB-G-RAM-G (New) |
| Guaranteed workdays | 100 days | 125 days |
| Primary objective | Unskilled manual labour | Skill development + creation of productive assets |
| Approach | Demand-based relief | Livelihood generation aligned with the Viksit Bharat vision |
| Technology | Limited digital use |
AI- and data-analytics–based monitoring
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State News
Unveiling of Playback Singer SP Balasubrahmanyam’s Statue in Hyderabad

- A statue of the legendary playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam (SPB) was unveiled at the government cultural complex, Ravindra Bharati, in Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana.
Related Details:
Features of the statue:
Playback singer S.P. Balasubrahmanyam (SPB):
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Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

- The Delhi government has announced a compensation of ₹10,000 for construction workers affected by the implementation of GRAP-3 (Graded Response Action Plan).
- This assistance will be provided only to registered and verified workers who remained unemployed for 16 days due to pollution control measures.
International news
Five Key Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) Signed Between India and Jordan

- During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, India and Jordan signed five major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
- These cover culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure, and Petra-Ellora twinning.
- Both countries have set a target to double bilateral trade from the current $2.8 billion to $5 billion over the next five years.
Related Details:
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70 Years of Diplomatic Relations Between India and Oman

- India and Oman are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations, which were established in 1955.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Oman on 17–18 December 2025 marks this historic milestone, highlighting centuries-old cultural and trade ties between the two nations.
Oman:
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118th National Day of Bhutan

- Bhutan celebrated its 118th National Day on 17 December 2025.
- The day commemorates the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck, the founder of the Wangchuck dynasty in 1907, which symbolizes the foundation of modern Bhutan.
Bhutan:
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Awards and honors
‘Great Honor of Ethiopia’ Award

- Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Ethiopia’s highest civilian honor, the “Great Honor of Ethiopia.”
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