Top Current Affairs of the day for 19th August 2025

1. Streamlined Ports Law Helps India Sail Ahead. India’s Parliament passed the Indian Ports Bill, 2025 to replace the colonial-era 1908 Act. It aims to consolidate port laws, improve ease of doing business, and boost port infrastructure planning. It sets up State Maritime Boards to manage non-major ports and a Maritime State Development Council for coordinated planning. The Bill also mandates pollution control, safety norms, and transparent tariffs—paving the way for modern, sustainable ports.
2. PM-VBRY Portal Launched to Boost Youth Employment and Job Creation. The government launched the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) portal on August 18, 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced this major employment initiative during his Independence Day address. The scheme incentivises first-time formal employees with up to ₹15,000, released in two instalments. Employers receive up to ₹3,000 per month per new employee for creating fresh job opportunities. The scheme covers jobs created between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027. It has a budget outlay of nearly ₹1 lakh crore to generate 3.5 crore jobs. Employers can register online at www.pmvbry.epfindia.gov.in or www.pmvbry.labour.gov.in through a one-time process. This scheme enhances formal employment, reduces joblessness, and supports India’s vision of becoming a developed economy by 2047.
3. EC Publishes Names of 65 Lakh Voters Deleted in Bihar Revision. The Election Commission published names of 65 lakh people removed from Bihar’s draft voter list. This followed a Supreme Court directive demanding booth-wise disclosure with reasons. The deletions include voters marked as Absentee, Shifted, or Dead (ASD). The revised list reduced Bihar’s voter count from roughly 7.9 crore to 7.24 crore. Deleted names are publicly accessible online and displayed at local polling stations. The EC urged affected individuals to file objections promptly, within the 15-day window allowed.
4. Electronics Exports Surge 47%, Mobile Manufacturing Hits 99% Local. India’s electronics exports grew 47 percent year-on-year in Q1 FY 2025-26 to reach US $12.4 billion, says Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal . He credited the ‘Make in India’ initiative, noting that electronics output soared from $31 billion to $133 billion over the last decade . Mobile manufacturing saw a dramatic rise too: from just two units in 2014, India now hosts 300+ facilities, and 99.2 percent of mobiles sold domestically are made within India . Aspirants should remember this as a key case of economic growth driven by policy, exports, and import substitution.
5. DXB Unveils AI Corridor for Border-Free Travel. Dubai International Airport now offers an AI-powered passenger corridor that lets travelers clear immigration in seconds. The system processes multiple passengers simultaneously without requiring passports or IDs. The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs developed the corridor under “Travel Without Borders.” This innovation improves speed, enhances security, and boosts passenger convenience. DXB strengthens its position as the world’s busiest international travel hub and smart travel frontrunner.
6. India’s Kapil Bainsla wins gold in 10m air pistol Men’s junior event at Asian Shooting Championship in Kazakhstan.