State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 02 Jun 2025

Miss World 2025

Why in News? 

Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand was crowned Miss World 2025 during the grand finale of the 72nd Miss World pageant held at the HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad, Telangana on 31st May 2025. 

Key Points 

• About:  
  • It was a month-long celebration featuring 108 contestants from around the globe, including historical tours, cultural showcases, and advocacy campaigns led by the participants. 
  • The event was hosted by Miss World 2016 Stephanie Del Valle and Indian TV personality Sachiin Kumbhar. 
• Format:  
  • Contestants advanced through several fast-track events, including the Head to Head Challenge, Top Model, Beauty with a Purpose, Talent, Sports, and Multimedia competitions. 
  • From the initial pool of 108 entrants, the competition was gradually narrowed down to the Top 40 quarterfinalists, then the Top 10 contestants from each continental group, followed by the Top 5, Top 2, and finally, one crowned winner. 
• Winner: 
  • Opal Suchata Chuangsri, representing Thailand, won the Miss World 2025 crown.  
    • She was crowned by Krystyna Pyszková, (Czech Republic) Miss World 2024. 
  • Ethiopia's Hasset Dereje emerged as the first runner-up and Maja Klajda from Poland won the second runner-up title. 
• Continental Queens: Winners were selected from each continent through a rapid-fire round: 
  • Miss Martinique – Americas and Caribbean 
  • Miss Ethiopia – Africa 
  • Miss Poland – Europe 
  • Miss Thailand – Asia and Oceania 
• Other Highlights: 
  • Miss Indonesia Monica Kezia Sembiring won the Beauty with a Purpose Round for her project “Pipeline for Lifeline,” aimed at improving access to clean water and sanitation. 
  • Actor Sonu Sood was honored with the Miss World Humanitarian Award, presented by Rana Daggubati. 
• India’s Participation: 
  • Nandini Gupta, Miss India 2025, secured a place as one of the four continental winners at the 72nd Miss World by excelling in the Top Model Challenge segment but was eliminated after reaching the Top 20. 

Ghatampur Thermal Power Project

Why in News? 

The Prime Minister, on 30th May 2025, dedicated Unit-1 of the Ghatampur Thermal Power Project in Kanpur (U.P.) to the nation, marking a significant milestone in India’s energy sector. 

Key Points 

• About the Project: 
  • The Ghatampur Thermal Power Project has a total installed capacity of 1,980 MW, comprising three supercritical units of 660 MW each. 
    • The remaining two units are scheduled to be commissioned by the financial year 2025–26. 
  • It is being implemented by Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited (NUPPL), a joint venture between NLC India Limited and Uttar Pradesh Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL). 
  • The total project cost is estimated at ₹21,780.94 crore. 
• Power Allocation: 
  • A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) has been signed to allocate 1,487.28 MW (75.12%) of the generated power to Uttar Pradesh and the remaining 492.72 MW (24.88%) is earmarked for Assam. 
• Environmental Safeguards: 
  • The plant is equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. 
  • Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD) systems have been installed to control sulphur dioxide (SOx) emissions. 
  • The project will have a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system to ensure no water is discharged from the plant.