13th October, 2026

1. World Bank Backs Kerala’s Carbon Credit Cell Proposal Under Rs 2,365 Crore KERA Project
2. Chhattisgarh Signs MoU with Singapore’s ITE Education Services for Skill Development
3. NCRTC Signs MoU with IGNCA to Promote Art, Culture and Heritage at Namo Bharat Stations
4. The ePlane Company Signs MoU with Noida International Airport to Develop eVTOL Infrastructure
5. UNDP and Generali Central Launch ‘Insurance Innovation Challenge’ to Boost MSME resilience
6. Federal Bank Launches ‘Verto Premium Savings Account’ for Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs
7. Dixon Tech and Gemtek Signs JV Agreement to Manufacture Telecom Products in India
8. ReNew signs MoU with Maharashtra for Rs.70,000 crore Green Data Centre Park in MMR
9. World Bank Mobilises $112 Billion in Private Capital as Developing Countries Face Debt Pressures
10. Sunil Bharti Mittal to Receive France’s Highest Civilian Honour, Legion of Honour
11. Ayodhya Ram Temple Receives FSSAI’s ‘Eat Right Place of Worship’ Certification
12. Tukaram Mundhe Appointed Secretary of Committee to Overhaul Maharashtra PSC
13. World Arthritis Day 2026 – October 12
14. Prakash Rajpurohit Appointed Deputy Election Commissioner: Tenure Until April 2030
15. India to host first BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi
16. President Murmu appoints Governors in six states
17. High-level committee to address sugarcane farmers’ grievances in Maharashtra and Karnataka
18. NHRC celebrates its 33rd Foundation Day (12 October); Chairperson highlights need to strengthen human rights protection
19. Indian Army and FCI sign MoU in New Delhi
20. Himachal gets country’s first High-Altitude Health Research Centre to study effect of extreme conditions
21. Veteran Marathi actress and Lavani artist Madhu Kambikar passes away
22. Lakshadweep achieves total literacy, says Administrator Praful Patel
23. Northeast Bankers’ Conclave to boost credit access for entrepreneurs, MSMEs and farmers: Jyotiraditya M. Scindia
24. Mongolia thanks India for unwavering support for its first-ever oil refinery

National News

India Hosts First-Ever BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ Meeting

• What: India is hosting the first-ever Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Home Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi to discuss shared security concerns.
• Tell me more:
  • BIMSTEC is a regional organisation of seven countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
  • The Bangkok Declaration established the grouping on June 6, 1997, initially as Bangladesh-India-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation (BIST-EC).
  • Myanmar joined on December 22, 1997, while Nepal and Bhutan joined in 2004.
  • BIMSTEC cooperation covers agriculture and food security, blue economy, connectivity, culture, disaster management, energy, environment and climate change, fiscal and monetary policy, health, human resource development, fisheries and livestock, and people-to-people relations.

NHRC Marks 33rd Foundation Day with Water Conference

• What: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) celebrated its 33rd Foundation Day at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. NHRC was set up on October 12, 1993.
• Tell me more:
  • Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant attended as the Chief Guest, while NHRC Chairperson Justice V Ramasubramanian addressed the function.
  • NHRC held a National Conference on the theme ‘Water as the Elixir of Life: Advancing Human Dignity through the Right to Water’.
  • NHRC also launched the NHRC, India mobile application and moved towards digitising its records to make the Commission more accessible.

State News

Keralam and World Bank Plan Carbon Credits for Farmers

• What: The Keralam government and the World Bank are working on a carbon credit programme that would reward farmers for adopting sustainable farming practices, with a dedicated “carbon cell” proposed in the Agriculture Department to implement it.
• Tell me more:
  • The programme is part of the Kerala Climate Resilient Agri-Value Chain Modernisation (KERA) Project, which aims to address climate change, fragmented markets, and inefficient supply chains affecting small farmers.
  • Farmers could earn additional income by adopting sustainable farming practices, while the wider project aims to improve how agricultural produce reaches markets.

Chhattisgarh Signs Skill MoU, Gets Investment in Singapore

• What: Chhattisgarh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore-based ITE Education Services for skill development and received a fresh ₹350 crore investment proposal in agro and food processing, during Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s visit to Singapore.
• Tell me more:
  • The total foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals received during Sai’s four-day visit, held from October 3 to 6 for the Singapore-India Network for Growth (SING) Forum 2026, have risen to ₹43,600 crore.
  • Chhattisgarh plans to draw on the experience of ITE colleges, where companies such as Cisco, BYD, and Singapore Airlines work on curriculum, training, and equipment, to strengthen its skill development ecosystem.
  • Singapore-based Valency International Pte Ltd, which operates in 22 countries, plans an integrated agro and food processing and export hub in the state, processing cashew, sesame, pulses, and groundnut.

ReNew Signs MoU for Maharashtra’s Green Data Centre Park

• What: ReNew Wind Energy Private Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government to develop a ₹70,000 crore integrated green data centre park with a planned capacity of 750 megawatts (MW).
• Tell me more:
  • The park will span locations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), including Panvel, Khalapur, Taloja and Bhokharpada in Navi Mumbai. Operations are expected to begin in 2028. The park must use at least 51% green power to run its operations.
  • The project marks ReNew’s entry into the data centre sector and supports Maharashtra’s ambition to become a US$1 trillion economy by 2030, focusing on data centres, semiconductors and clean energy.
  • A data centre park is a large area that houses multiple data centres—buildings filled with powerful computers and storage systems that store, process and manage digital information.

Ram Temple Gets Highest FSSAI Food Safety Rating

• What: The Ram temple in Ayodhya received the highest ‘Ati Vishisht’ rating under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) ‘Eat Right Place of Worship’ initiative for safe prasad.
• Tell me more:
  • Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra scored 103 out of 114 points under the BHOG (Blissful Hygienic Offering to God) programme.
    • Institutions scoring 100–114 get ‘Ati Vishisht’, 91–99 get ‘Santoshjanak’ (satisfactory), 77–90 need a fresh audit after improvements, and below 77 must reapply.
  • Five other Ayodhya places of worship, including Hanumangarhi, Kanak Bhawan, a Jain temple and Devkali temple, also received BHOG certification.
  • BHOG, part of FSSAI’s wider ‘Eat Right’ initiative for safe and nutritious food, ensures safe preparation, storage and distribution of prasad at crowded places of worship.
  • FSSAI Chief Executive Officer – Rajit Punhani

Maharashtra Forms Committee to Recommend MPSC Reforms

• The Maharashtra government formed a committee headed by former Bombay High Court judge Dilip Bhosale to recommend reforms in the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe as secretary.

Centre Forms Joint Panel for Sugarcane Farmers’ Grievances

• What: The Centre decided to set up a high-level joint committee to address grievances of sugarcane farmers from Maharashtra and Karnataka after nearly three-hour talks in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • Maharashtra and Karnataka are the second and third-largest cane-producing states in India, after Uttar Pradesh.
  • The committee will study harvest timing, sugar recovery measurement, lab testing and weighing accuracy, then suggest a fair, scientific system so sugar mills cannot violate farmers’ rights in the future.
  • As sugar mills begin the 2026–27 crushing season on October 1, farmers are demanding higher support prices due to rising production costs and an increase in the minimum selling price of sugar from ₹31 to ₹50 per kg.
  • The Centre fixed the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane, the legal minimum price mills must pay farmers, at ₹365 per quintal for 2026-27 (October–September) at a basic recovery of 10.25%.

Lakshadweep Declared Fully Literate Union Territory under ULLAS

• Administrator Praful Patel declared Lakshadweep a 100% literate Union Territory at a function in Kavaratti, under ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, a Centrally sponsored scheme.

North East Bankers’ Conclave 3.0 in Mizoram

• The North East Bankers’ Conclave 3.0 is a banking-sector conference aimed at strengthening the Northeast’s economic development by improving access to bank credit for entrepreneurs, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and farmers.
• Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia will inaugurate the conclave at Mizoram University and deliver the keynote address.

International News

World Bank Group Hits Record Private Capital Mobilization in FY26

• What: The World Bank Group (WBG) mobilized a record $112 billion in private capital in Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26), more than tripling from $35 billion in FY22, and issued record guarantees.
• Tell me more:
  • WBG’s own financing and the capital it mobilized together took total financing in developing economies to well over $200 billion in FY26.
  • Private Capital Mobilized (PCM) for lower-middle-income countries rose from $14 billion to $37 billion, while upper-middle-income countries saw growth from $12 billion to $50 billion.
  • PCM in Africa grew nearly 150%, from about $9 billion to $22 billion, while low-income countries maintained about $3 billion.
  • The WBG issued over $25 billion in guarantees, meeting its 2030 target of $20 billion guarantees annually four years early, driven by the WBG Guarantee Platform (created in 2024), offering clients and investors single-point access to WBG guarantee products.
  • WBG President Ajay Banga said capital must create jobs and opportunities, highlighting a WBG’s jobs strategy which is focused on three drivers: infrastructure, business-friendly regulations and private-sector growth while removing investment barriers.
  • WBG directed 55% of total FY26 financing to five job-rich sectors: infrastructure and energy, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and value-added manufacturing.
  • Private investment is also reaching lower-income economies, where regional and local investors increasingly add to global capital in financing businesses and creating jobs.
  • Through its originate-to-distribute (O2D) work, WBG packages and distributes investments to institutional investors at a larger scale, linking long-term capital with developing economies.

Banking and Economy

UNDP and Generali Launch Insurance Innovation Challenge for MSMEs in India

• What: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Generali Central launched the Insurance Innovation Challenge to identify and expand affordable insurance solutions that protect India’s micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) against financial losses and business disruptions.
• Tell me more:
  • India has over 73 million MSMEs, contributing around 30% of GDP, 44% of exports and employing 60% of the workforce, according to SIDBI, 2025. However, climate shocks, supply-chain disruptions, workplace risks and personal emergencies threaten their stability.
  • The challenge seeks insurance solutions for health emergencies, business disruptions and asset losses. India-registered insurers, insurtechs, technology providers and social enterprises are eligible to apply.
  • Up to three winning solutions will receive grants of up to USD 40,000 each to develop or expand their models. Applications close on November 20, 2026, and organisers expect to announce winners in February 2027.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • The challenge builds on the UNDP–Generali partnership established in 2022 to strengthen the financial resilience of vulnerable communities, MSMEs and global value chains against climate-related and other risks.
  • The partnership operates through UNDP’s Insurance and Risk Finance Facility (IRFF), which develops research, tools and innovative insurance solutions to strengthen financial resilience against risks.

Federal Bank Launches Premium Savings Account ‘Verto’

• What: Federal Bank launched Verto, a premium savings account for eligible resident individuals, offering cashback, insurance coverage, airport lounge access and other lifestyle and banking benefits.
• Tell me more:
  • Eligibility depends on balance-based, salary-based or relationship-based criteria.

Dixon Technologies and Gemtek Form Telecom Manufacturing Joint Venture

• What: Dixon Technologies India Ltd entered into a joint venture agreement with Gemtek Technology Co (Taiwan) to manufacture optical transceivers and other telecom products in India, targeting growing demand from data centres, artificial intelligence and high-speed communication networks.
• Tell me more:
  • The joint venture will operate through Dixon Electroconnect Pvt Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dixon Technologies. Dixon will hold a 60% stake, while Gemtek will own the remaining 40%.
  • The joint venture’s board will have five directors. Dixon will nominate three directors, including the Chairman, while Gemtek will nominate two. The transaction is expected to be completed by February.

Mongolian President Reviews India-Backed Oil Refinery Project

• What: Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh visited the oil refinery construction site at Altanshiree Soum in Dornogobi Province and thanked India for support to the project.
• Tell me more:
  • India approved a Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 1 billion for infrastructure development in Mongolia during the 2015 visit of Modi to Mongolia.
  • The Government of Mongolia will use this Line of Credit (LOC) to build its first-ever oil refinery in Dornogobi Province, with a capacity of 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), enabling domestic refined fuel production.

Science and Technology

Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda Lays Foundation for ICMR Centre at Keylong

• What: Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda laid the foundation stone of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research at Keylong, Himachal Pradesh.
• Tell me more:
  • The Centre will study high-altitude health impacts on tribal communities and Armed Forces personnel, researching acclimatisation, maternal health, nutrition and disease patterns to strengthen healthcare across Himalayan and border regions.

Awards

Sunil Bharti Mittal Receives France’s Highest Civilian Honour

• What: French President Emmanuel Macron named Bharti Enterprises founder and chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal a Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest civilian award, for strengthening India–France economic ties.
• Tell me more:
  • Napoleon Bonaparte set up the Legion of Honour in 1802 to recognise exceptional service in business, public life, culture and science.
  • Mittal received the Padma Bhushan, one of India’s highest civilian awards, in 2007.
  • In 2024, King Charles III made Mittal the first Indian citizen to receive an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE).

Important Days

World Arthritis Day 2026 – October 12

• The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) has set the theme “Achieve Your Dreams” for World Arthritis Day 2026.

Memorandum of Understanding

NCRTC and IGNCA Sign MoU for Culture at Namo Bharat Stations

• What: The National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) to bring art, culture, and heritage closer to people through Namo Bharat stations.
• Tell me more:
  • Namo Bharat service is India’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), a rapid rail service connecting Delhi with Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Modinagar and Meerut. It has a design speed of 180 km/h.
  • Namo Bharat stations are stops where passengers board and exit rapid rail trains, and under the MoU, these stations will also host exhibitions, workshops and literary events to showcase Indian art, culture and heritage.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • The first Namo Bharat train was flagged off the Meerut Metro and Namo Bharat Train at Shatabdi Nagar Namo Bharat Station in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh in February 2026.
  • Meerut Metro operates between Meerut South and Modipuram on Namo Bharat’s infrastructure. India’s fastest metro system, it reaches 120 km/h and covers the route in 30 minutes.

ePlane Company, Noida Airport Sign Air Mobility MoU

• What: The ePlane Company (Ubifly Technologies Private Limited) signed an MoU with Noida International Airport to develop infrastructure and operational frameworks for advanced air mobility, including electric air taxis and emergency air ambulance services.
• Tell me more:
  • ePlane will develop infrastructure for e200X electric air taxis, enabling airport transfers, city commutes and emergency air ambulance services.

Indian Army, FCI Sign MoU for Launching Bharat Rice Initiative for Indian Army

• What: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Bharat Rice initiative for the Indian Army, which signed a five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Food Corporation of India (FCI) on military logistics.
• Tell me more:
  • Under the MoU, the Army can use FCI warehouses, manpower and handling equipment during operational emergencies for extra storage, rapid mobilisation and forward positioning of supplies.
  • Launched in February 2024 under the Bharat Brand to provide subsidised rice to consumers, Bharat Rice will now reach Army supply depots directly, mainly serving troops in remote areas of Ladakh and the North East.
  • National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) will supply the rice, custom-milled to defence specifications with strict quality checks.

Appointments

Prakash Rajpurohit Named Deputy Election Commissioner

• What: The Centre appointed IAS officer Prakash Rajpurohit as Deputy Election Commissioner till April 8, 2030.
• Tell me more:
  • Rajneesh Kumar Tomar becomes the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Highways Logistics Management Ltd.
  • Nishtha Tiwari becomes the CEO of the Development and Welfare Board for Denotified Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities under the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.

President Murmu Appoints Governors in Six States

Miscellaneous

Marathi Actress Madhu Kambikar Passes Away at 72

• Veteran Marathi actress and Lavani artiste Madhu Kambikar passed away in Pune, leaving behind significant contributions to Marathi folk theatre and cinema through her Kathak and Lavani training and performances in films such as Shapit, Ek Hota Vidushak, Zapatlela and Yeshwant.

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