28th MAY 2025 ENGLISH TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF TNPSC SHOUTERS
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin released the book "Kalaignar Pena" written by Professor T. Rajagopalan
- Chief Minister M.K. Stalin released the book "Kalaignar Pena" written by Professor T. Rajagopalan at a function held at the Secretariat on Wednesday. The author, Professor Rajagopalan, hails from Tiruvarur district, is a classmate of Murasoli Selvam and a colleague of Dravidar Sama Munnetra Kazhagam.
- The event was attended by Hindu Religious and Endowments Minister P.K. Sekhar Babu, Member of Parliament S. Jagadrakshakan, Member of Legislative Assembly Annieyur Siva, Hindu Religious and Endowments Advisory Committee Member Suki Sivam, and Nallathambi of Karpagam Bookstore.
- The growth rate of India's Industrial Production (IIP) for the month of April 2025 is 2.7 percent. This was 3.0 per cent in March 2025. The growth rates of the three sectors - mining, manufacturing and electricity - were (-)0.2 per cent, 3.4 per cent and 1.1 per cent respectively in April 2025.
- The IIP's flash estimates are 152.0 as against 148.0 in April 2024. The industrial production indices for mining, manufacturing and electricity sectors are 130.6, 149.5 and 214.4 respectively in April 2025.
- The top three positive contributors in April 2025 are - “Manufacture of basic metals” (4.9%), “Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers” (15.4%) and “Manufacture of machinery and equipment etc.” (17.0%).
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the increase in Minimum Support Price for 14 Kharif crops for the marketing season 2025-26.
- To ensure remunerative prices to farmers for their produce, the Union Government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Kharif crops for the marketing season 2025-26.
- The maximum absolute MSP increase over the previous year has been recommended for wild sesame seed (Rs. 820 per quintal), ragi (Rs. 596 per quintal), cotton (Rs. 589 per quintal), and sesame (Rs. 579 per quintal).
- Cost includes all the expenses incurred such as hired human labour, bullock/machine labour, rent paid for leased land, cost of using material inputs like seeds, fertilizers, irrigation charges, depreciation on implements and farm buildings, interest on working capital, diesel/electricity for running pump sets, miscellaneous expenses and imputed value of family labour.
- The cost data for paddy (Grade A), maize (Maldhandi) and cotton (long grain) are not compiled separately The increase in MSP for Kharif crops for the 2025-26 marketing season is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement to fix MSP at least 1.5 times the All India Average Cost of Production.
- It is estimated that the expected profit margin for farmers over their cost of production is much higher for paddy (63%), followed by maize (59%), dal (59%) and urad (53%). For the remaining crops, the profit margin for farmers over their cost of production is estimated to be 50%.
- The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved construction of a 108.134 km. four-laning highway between Padvel and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh at a cost of Rs. 3653.10 crore.
- The Podwell-Nellore corridor will connect three important corridors namely Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor, Hyderabad-Bangalore Industrial Corridor and Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor. This will have a positive impact on the country's freight transport performance index.
- The project will generate 20 lakh man-days of direct employment and 23 lakh man-days of indirect employment. Additional employment will also be generated due to increased economic activity in the areas covered by this corridor.
- In order to improve rail capacity, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today approved two multi-track projects on Indian Railways to ensure seamless and fast movement of passengers and goods.
- These include Ratlam-Nagda 3rd and 4th lines and Vartha-Balarsha 4th line. The total estimated cost of these projects is Rs. 3,399 crore (approx.) and will be completed by 2029-30.
- These projects are an outcome of the Pradhan Mantri Vikas Shakti Yojana for multi-modal transport made possible through integrated planning. They will also facilitate seamless movement of people, goods and services.
- The two projects, covering four districts in the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, will increase the existing infrastructure of Indian Railways by about 176 km. The proposed multi-modal transport project will improve transport facilities in about 784 villages with a population of about 19.74 lakh.
- The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today approved continuation of the interest subsidy related aspects under the Modified Interest Subsidy Scheme for the financial year 2025-26. It also approved the arrangements for allocating necessary funds.
- The Modified Interest Subsidy Scheme is a scheme of the Central Government aimed at ensuring access to short-term credit at low interest rates to farmers through Agricultural Credit Cards.
- Under this scheme, farmers have availed short-term loans of up to Rs. 3 lakh at a subsidised interest rate of 7% through Agricultural Credit Cards and an interest subsidy of 1.5% was also provided to eligible lending institutions.
- Additionally, farmers who repay their loans promptly are eligible for a prompt repayment incentive of up to 3%, reducing the interest rate on loans availed through Agricultural Credit Card to 4%.
- For loans availed exclusively for animal husbandry or fishing, an interest benefit of up to Rs. 2 lakh is applicable.
