Current affairs 02 March 2025

India Lags in 9 of 16 SDGs: State of States Report 2025.

• 36 Indian states and UTs have achieved at least half of the target in only 4 of the 15 SDGs.
• These are SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).
• 16 states and UTs, including UP, Gujarat, West Bengal, MP and Rajasthan, have met less than half of the target in 30-43% of SDG indicators

India to Launch Mineral Exploration License Auction in March 2025.

• The mines ministry will launch the first tranche of exploration license auctions in March 2025.
• Since 2024, 335 mineral blocks have been auctioned, with 106 successfully allocated, including first-time auctions in Telangana, Bihar, and Arunachal Pradesh.
• A State Mining Index, evaluating states on regulatory and sustainability parameters, will be introduced in 2025.

Sarbananda Sonowal Unveils "One Nation-One Port".

• Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal launched the One Nation-One Port Process (ONOP) to standardize port operations and enhance efficiency.
• Sagar Ankalan - LPPI Index for FY 2023-24 was introduced to improve port performance and global trade competitiveness.
• Bharat Global Ports Consortium and MAITRI were launched to boost India's maritime trade and ease regulatory processes.

Centre Proposes Lower Tax Share for States from 2026.

• The Union government plans to reduce states' tax share from 41% to at least 40%, aiming to ease federal fiscal strain.
• The proposal, to be reviewed by the Finance Commission, may spark tensions as states rely heavily on these funds for social infrastructure.
• The Centre may also tie federal grants to states meeting specific fiscal conditions, discouraging cash handouts and debt waivers.

Intuitive Machines’ Lunar Lander "Athena" Heads to Moon.

• Intuitive Machines launched Athena, its second lunar lander, aiming for a March 6 landing near the moon’s south pole with NASA-backed experiments.
• The drone Grace will explore a shadowed crater, searching for frozen water, which could aid future lunar exploration.
• NASA paid $62 million for the mission, with additional payloads including Lunar Trailblazer and an asteroid-chasing spacecraft.