29th January 2026

1. Department of Posts partners with SSL to facilitate access to capital markets
2. NITI Aayog collaborates with NIIT Foundation to enhance digital literacy in aspirational blocks
3. Adani Defence signs an MoU with Brazil-based Embraer for cooperation in aircraft manufacturing
4. GAIL partners with K Line and JM Baxi to acquire an equity stake in an LNG ship-owning company
5. Microsoft unveils its second-generation in-house AI chip, ‘Maia 200’
6. International Day of Clean Energy observed to promote sustainable energy transitions
7. Assam launches the Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat scheme for tea garden workers
8. Indian Newspaper Day highlights the continuing relevance and influence of print media
9. Comparison of UGC anti-discrimination regulations under the 2012 rules and the revised 2026 framework
10. Kerala officially adopts Bacillus subtilis as the state microbe
11. Gujarat announces ₹1,250 crore support for girls’ education under the Namo Laxmi Scheme
12. International Data Privacy Day highlights India’s efforts to protect personal data

National News

1. Department of Posts partners with Stock Holding Services Limited to expand capital market access

• What:
  • The Department of Posts (DoP), Ministry of Communications signed an agreement with Stock Holding Services Limited (SSL) in New Delhi.
• Why:
  • To expand citizen access to regulated capital market services using India Post’s nationwide network, especially in rural and remote areas.
• Tell me more:
  • Citizens can use digital onboarding links and QR codes at official platforms and selected post offices to access demat accounts, trading, mutual funds, IPOs, and investor education programmes by SSL.

2. NITI Aayog partners with NIIT Foundation for digital and financial inclusion in Aspirational Blocks

• What:
  • National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) partnered with NIIT Foundation to achieve 100% digital literacy, financial inclusion, and employability coverage in selected Aspirational Blocks.
• Tell me more:
  • The partnership targets block-level coverage of about 1.2 lakh beneficiaries with at least 40% women participation.
  • The programme focuses on digital literacy, financial inclusion, employability, and community-based learning, implemented by NIIT Foundation through trained mobilisers and trainers, while building capacity of community facilitators, self-help group leaders, and peer educators for long-term sustainability.

Source: ET

State News

1. Assam launches Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat Scheme for tea garden workers

• What:
  • Assam Chief Minister launched the Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat Scheme to provide one-time financial assistance to tea garden workers across Assam.
• Tell me more:
  • Over ₹300 crore will be given as ₹5,000 each to over six lakh tea garden workers across 836 gardens in 27 districts and 73 constituencies, supporting tea tribes and indigenous communities while marking 200 years of Assam’s tea industry.
  • Mobile creches and toilets were launched for worker welfare, budget support was ensured, ₹5,000 assistance will reach 6,03,927 tea workers, and 2,000 more Doomdooma beneficiaries were added under the Orunodoi Scheme.

2. Kerala declares Bacillus subtilis as India’s first State Microbe

• What:
  • Kerala declared Bacillus subtilis as its State Microbe, becoming the first Indian State to officially name a state microbe.
• Tell me more:
  • Bacillus subtilis is a beneficial bacterium found in nature, fermented foods, and the human gut, and the Centre of Excellence in Microbiome will study such microorganisms and apply research outcomes, supported by partnerships with Kerala Startup Mission and Amrita School of Biotechnology.
  • Centre of Excellence in Microbiome functions under Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE).
  • The centre works in collaboration with Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC).

Source: TH

3. Gujarat launches Namo Laxmi Yojana to support girls’ education

• What:
  • The Education Department, Government of Gujarat, launched the Namo Laxmi Yojana to encourage girls to complete schooling from Class 9 to Class 12.
• Tell me more:
  • The scheme supports continued education of girls studying in government, aided, and private schools across Gujarat.
  • The initiative provides direct financial support to reduce dropouts at the secondary and higher secondary levels.
  • Each eligible girl will receive financial assistance for completing Class 9, Class 10, Class 11, and Class 12.
  • The total financial support under the scheme amounts to ₹50,000 after completion of Class 12.

Source: GOV GOV

Banking and Economy

1. GAIL partners with global firms for equity participation in LNG shipping

• What:
  • Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) signed a term sheet with Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K LINE) and J M Baxi Marine Services for equity participation in a Singapore-based ship-owning company.
• Tell me more:
  • This means GAIL has made plans to use special gas ships for a long time starting from 2027, with one ship currently being built in South Korea.
  • GAIL will invest money through its own company based in GIFT City, after getting government approval.
  • By investing, GAIL will partly own two gas ships along with Japanese companies.
  • Separately, GAIL has also booked another gas ship named GAIL BHUWAN for long-term use with a Japanese shipping partner.

2. Microsoft launches second-generation artificial intelligence chip ‘Maia’

• What:
  • Microsoft launched the second-generation Maia 200 artificial intelligence chip with new software tools to support developers, as major cloud companies increasingly design in-house chips to compete with Nvidia in artificial intelligence computing.
• Tell me more:
  • Maia 200 becomes operational in a Microsoft data centre in Iowa, with another planned in Arizona.
  • The chip is manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company using 3-nanometre technology.
  • Microsoft will offer Triton software, developed with support from OpenAI, to perform functions similar to Nvidia’s Cuda platform.

Source: ET

Science and Technology

1. IIT Guwahati develops model to predict future glacial lake locations

• What:
  • Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati developed a predictive framework to identify where new glacial lakes may form in the Eastern Himalayas, supporting hazard management and water-resource planning as glacier melting increases flood risks.
• Tell me more:
  • Glacial lakes form when meltwater collects in natural depressions, and the new framework uses climate data, land features, satellite images, and elevation models, with Bayesian Neural Network proving most accurate, to identify 492 high-risk locations needing monitoring.

Source: IITG

Important Days

1. International Day of Clean Energy – January 26

• UN Focus – Clean energy: for all… and for our planet

Source: UN

2. Indian Newspaper Day – January 28

• India’s Newspaper Day is celebrated every year on 28 January to commemorate the launch of the country’s first newspaper in 1780. “Hicky’s Bengal Gazette, also known as the Calcutta General Advertiser, was the name of the first weekly publication.
• Augustus Hicky, a James Irishman, is also known as the “father of the Indian press”.

Source: HT

3. International Data Privacy Day – January 28

• The day is also known as Data Protection Day, which was designated in 2006 by the Council of Europe to commemorate the signing of Convention 108- the world’s first legally binding international treaty on data protection.

Source: NOA

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Embraer and Adani Defence sign MOU to set up India’s first commercial aircraft assembly line

• What:
  • Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer signed a memorandum of understanding with Adani Defence & Aerospace to establish a commercial aircraft final assembly line in India.
• Tell me more:
  • This will be India’s first commercial aircraft final assembly line and will support aircraft manufacturing, supply chain, aftermarket services, and pilot training.
  • Embraer operates final assembly lines in Brazil and the United States for commercial, business, and defence aircraft.

Source: BS

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