Top Current Affairs of the day for 20th August 2025

 

1. Kota-Bundi Greenfield Airport Gets Cabinet Approval. The Union Cabinet approved the Greenfield Airport at Kota-Bundi in Rajasthan. The Airports Authority of India will build it at a cost of ₹1,507 crore. Rajasthan has transferred 440.06 hectares of land free to AAI. The airport will feature a 3,200 m × 45 m runway and a 20,000 sqm terminal. It will handle two million passengers per year.
2. CCEA Approves ₹8,307 Cr Odisha Capital Region Ring Road. The Union Cabinet approved a six-lane, access-controlled ring road in Odisha. The road spans 110.875 km and costs ₹8,307.74 crore. It follows the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) contract model. The bypass will bypass Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Khordha, easing congestion. It will integrate with multiple NHs, state highway, ports, airport, logistics, and railway nodes. It will generate about 74.43 lakh direct and 93.04 lakh indirect person-days of employment.
3. Parliament Passes MMDR Amendment Bill, 2025. The Rajya Sabha approved the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025 today. The Lok Sabha had already passed it earlier. The bill amends the MMDR Act, 1957 to promote transparency and mining efficiency. It widens the National Mineral Exploration Trust’s scope to include offshore and overseas development and renames it as the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust. It also allows addition of critical minerals to existing leases without extra payment, and removes the 50% sale cap on captive mine output.
4. Lok Sabha Clears Bill to Establish IIM Guwahati. The Lok Sabha passed the IIM (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to establish IIM Guwahati in Assam. The institute will be India’s 22nd IIM and second in the Northeast after Shillong. The Bill allocates ₹550–555 crore as a corpus fund over five years. IIM Guwahati will begin this year in a temporary campus and be mentored by IIM Ahmedabad.
5. PM Modi Honors “Architect of Modern Tripura” on Birth Anniversary. Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur on his 117th birth anniversary. He praised the Maharaja’s visionary work in education, infrastructure, and tribal welfare. The Maharaja transformed Tripura by building roads, promoting modern agriculture and designing urban infrastructure. He established key institutions and an airport that now bears his name. The state observed the anniversary with cultural events and public gatherings in honor of his legacy.
6.  India Clears ₹62,000 Crore Deal for 97 Tejas Mk-1A Jets. The Union Cabinet cleared a ₹62,000 crore deal for 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will produce the jets under the Make in India initiative. This order boosts India’s defence self-reliance and modernises the IAF fleet.
7. AI Powers Discovery of Two New Antibiotics Against Superbugs. Scientists at MIT used AI to design two novel antibiotics that kill drug-resistant gonorrhoea and MRSA. They screened over 36 million compounds in silico to identify structurally unique candidates. Tests in labs and mice showed strong antibacterial effects, clearing MRSA skin infections. These compounds use new mechanisms to disrupt bacterial membranes and avoid existing resistance. Researchers consider this a potential “second golden age” in antibiotic discovery. The drugs still need refinement and clinical trials before human use. Antimicrobial resistance already kills over one million people each year globally.
8.  Suryakumar Yadav Named India Captain for Asia Cup 2025. The BCCI announced Suryakumar Yadav as captain of India’s 15-member Asia Cup 2025 T20 squad. Shubman Gill joins as vice-captain after returning from Test duties. The tournament runs from September 9 to 28 in the UAE. The squad balances experience and form, featuring Bumrah.
9. Rashmika Sahgal Wins Gold in Junior Women’s Air Pistol at Asian Shooting Championship. Rashmika Sahgal won gold in junior women’s 10 m air pistol at the 16th Asian Shooting Championship in Shymkent. She secured India’s third individual gold of the competition on Day 2. This medal marked her first international success in shooting. Indian shooter Manu Bhaker also claimed bronze in the same event. The championship highlights India’s rising strength in global shooting competitions.