01st October, 2026

1. Union Minister Bhupender Yadav Launches India’s First PRAMAAN Forest Certification
2. Ministry of MSME & MoSPI Sign MoU to Strengthen Statistical Business Register
3. DRDO and CSIR-CGCRI Collaborate to Develop Indigenous Lightweight Bulletproof Glass for Armoured Vehicles
4. Air Ayodhya Receives NOC from Ministry of Civil Aviation to Connect UP under UDAN
5. 5 new sites added to India’s UNESCO Tentative List for World Heritage Sites
6. WHO-UNICEF Report: 50 Million Indian Children with No Access to Sanitation Service, the highest number Globally
7. JNPA Partners with IFC for India’s First Blue Financing for Shore Power Infrastructure
8. Apple Launched Apple Pay in India with Axis Bank-issued Visa, Mastercard credit cards
9. Bank of India Launches User-Level Programmable CBDC with Auto-Issuance
10. Former TV Anchor Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma Crowned King of Tooro Kingdom in Uganda
11. International Day for Universal Access to Information 2026 – September 28
12. International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 2026 – September 29
13. Rohit Sharma Reaches 12,000 ODI Runs and 200 Sixes in One Country
14. ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise AIME-2026 Begins in Philippines
15. Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) for Delhi: ₹1,789.52 Crore Project Approved
16. List of Double Centuries in ODI Cricket: Players Who Scored 200 Runs in ODI Match
17. Green Energy Corridor Phase-III Approved: ₹1.86 Lakh Crore Plan to Evacuate 135 GW Renewable Energy
18. UPSC Completes 100 Years: From Public Service Commission in 1926 to Constitutional Body
19. Shubman Gill Hits Fastest ODI Double Century, Scores 223 Against West Indies
20. Who Is Smit Machchhar? Indian-Origin Pilot at Centre of Flydubai FZ1073 Incident
21. Gujarat Restructures Porbandar Forest Division to Develop Barda as Second Home for Lions
22. Jharkhand’s Traditional Musical Instrument Mandar Gets GI Tag
23. UN Adopts First Declaration on Sea-Level Rise and Continuity of Island Statehood
24. Union Environment Minister honours India’s Environmental Champions at 4th Eco Warrior Awards 2026

National News

India Launches First PRAMAAN Forest Certificates

• What: Union Minister Bhupender Yadav handed over India’s first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS), marking the transition of the framework from policy to field-level implementation.
• Tell me more:
  • The certificates were presented to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) for plantations over 33,000 hectares, and to a bamboo farmer associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency (OBDA).
  • PRAMAAN helps Indian producers meet global regulatory requirements, including deforestation-free timber sourcing norms adopted by major international markets.
  • Forest Management certification under PRAMAAN is based on the National Working Plan Code (NWPC) 2023, with certification bodies accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB).
  • The scheme aims to create income opportunities for rural and tribal communities, smallholder farmers, and forest-dependent communities, including Women Self-Help Groups.

India Adds Five Sites to UNESCO Tentative List

• What: Five new sites and serial transnational proposals have been added to India’s UNESCO Tentative List, increasing India’s total count of sites on the list to 78.
• Tell me more:
  • The new additions include Bagh Cave Paintings, Group of Temples of the Chambal Valley, Udaigiri Caves, and Ginnorgarh Fort, all in Madhya Pradesh.
  • The fifth addition, Sites of Satyagraha, is a serial transnational proposal connecting India and South Africa, portraying the evolution of Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha movement.
  • The Satyagraha nomination includes nine components: two in South Africa, including Pietermaritzburg station, and seven in India, including Sabarmati Ashram and Sevagram Ashram.
  • A site must first be recognised on the UNESCO Tentative List before being considered for the World Heritage tag.

Cabinet Approves ₹1.86 Lakh Crore Green Corridor Scheme

• What: The Union Cabinet approved the ₹1.86 lakh crore Green Energy Corridor Phase-III scheme to build transmission infrastructure for evacuation of up to 135 GW of renewable power and deploy 50 GWh of battery storage.
• Tell me more:
  • The scheme, targeted for completion by FY 2032-33, allocates ₹1,36,378 crore for intra-state transmission systems and ₹50,000 crore for Battery Energy Storage Systems.
  • The Centre will provide financial assistance of ₹54,082 crore to offset intra-state transmission charges and limit the impact on electricity costs.
  • India is targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, with the scheme contributing to a longer-term target of 900 GW by 2035.
  • Under the scheme, new transmission projects will be awarded through tariff-based competitive bidding, while existing networks will be upgraded on a cost-plus basis.

UPSC Begins Centenary Celebrations ‘Manthan’ in Delhi

• What: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) commenced its two-day centenary celebrations, titled “Manthan”, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, marking 100 years since the institution’s establishment on October 1, 1926.
• Tell me more:
  • UPSC Chairman Dr. Ajay Kumar outlined the Commission’s vision through three guiding principles: Trust, Transparency, and Technology, while preserving core constitutional values.
  • The Commission introduced AI-based facial authentication at scale for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination on May 24, 2026, covering approximately 5.50 lakh candidates.
  • The constitutional framework governing Public Service Commissions is contained in Part XIV of the Constitution, under Articles 315 to 323.

State News

Air Ayodhya Gets NOC for Regional Airline

• What: Megamax Aviation Private Limited received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Civil Aviation for Air Ayodhya, its proposed regional airline under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN.
• Tell me more:
  • Air Ayodhya will now begin the certification process with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for its Air Operator Certificate (AOC).

Cabinet Approves Intelligent Traffic System for Delhi

• What: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved implementation of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) Project by Delhi Police at an estimated cost of ₹1,789.52 crore, inclusive of taxes.
• Tell me more:
  • The project will cover 42 traffic corridors and 71 lakh active registered vehicles in three phases over 24 months, covering 1,092 Adaptive Traffic Control System and 1,029 enforcement locations across Delhi.
  • It will enable real-time traffic data, adaptive signals, automated enforcement, and integrated command-and-control systems, including green corridors for emergency vehicles.
  • Delhi Police will implement the project through a Master System Integrator, with C-DAC providing technical support as Project Management Consultant.

Gujarat Restructures Forest Division for Lion Habitat

• What: Gujarat government has restructured the Porbandar forest division to strengthen forest management and develop Barda area as a “second home” for Asiatic lions, following their natural return after 143 years.
• Tell me more:
  • As per a census conducted in May this year, Gujarat’s Asiatic lion population increased to 891, up from 674 in the June 2020 census.
  • The restructuring creates new range-beats, assigns area responsibilities and appoints two Assistant Conservators of Forests (ACFs), increasing Porbandar forest division’s range forests to seven under Junagadh wildlife circle.
  • Porbandar and Ranavav ranges have been separated for better forest conservation and patrolling.

Jharkhand’s Mandar Instrument Gets GI Tag

• What: The traditional mandar, a percussion instrument central to Jharkhand’s tribal culture, has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the Geographical Indication Registry, Chennai.
• Tell me more:
  • The GI application was filed by Raidih Mandar Producer Company Ltd, a collective of artisans from Jarjatta village in Gumla, with state government support.
  • The application highlighted the mandar’s distinctive design, use of local red soil, indigenous raw materials, and unique production methods.

International News

UN General Assembly Adopts First Declaration on Sea Level Rise

• What: United Nations General Assembly adopted first declaration on sea level rise during the 81st session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, with member states including US agreeing that island nations do not automatically lose statehood if territory becomes submerged due to rising seas.
• Tell me more:
  • Declaration affirms physical disappearance of territory or coastline changes from sea level rise do not automatically result in loss of statehood, supporting stability of maritime zones established under UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) despite coastal changes.
  • Global mean sea level rose by 5.9 millimetres in 2024 reaching record high due to exceptional ocean warming; sea levels remained close to record in 2025 following sharp increase between 2023 and 2024, with rate expected to increase through 2050.
  • Around 770 million people live less than five metres above high-tide line globally; declaration calls for stronger early warning systems, coastal protection, adaptation finance, and nature-based measures including protection of mangroves, kelp forests and seagrass meadows.
  • UN warned up to 1.2 billion people could be displaced by 2050 without urgent adaptation measures; risks facing coastal cities and communities could increase tenfold by 2100 without significant efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to rising seas.
  • Declaration follows July 2025 advisory opinion by International Court of Justice (ICJ) stating country would not necessarily lose statehood if traditional elements of statehood ceased to exist; Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) adopted related declarations in 2021 and 2024.

Banking and Economy

JNPA Partners with IFC for India’s First Blue Financing for Shore Power Infrastructure

• What: Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) secured a $70 million blue financing arrangement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to enable cleaner ship operations through shore power.
• Tell me more:
  • Under this system, vessels at berth will connect to shore-supplied electricity instead of running diesel generators, cutting carbon emissions by 63% and air pollution by up to 90%.
  • The ₹650 crore project will be implemented in two phases over two to three years, starting with one container terminal, and is expected to create over 400 jobs.
  • The initiative is India’s first blue-financing framework for the maritime sector, and the first labelled blue financing for port infrastructure in the Asia-Pacific region.
  • JNPA said the project will make it the first port in Asia with this shore power facility, targeted for completion by January 2028.

Apple Pay Launches in India After 12 Years

• What: Apple debuted its payment service, Apple Pay, in India, 12 years after its US launch, with Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards available on the platform initially.
• Tell me more:
  • Apple Pay enables contactless payments through Apple devices using tokenised card details and biometric or passcode authentication. It launched on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with Axis Bank as the sole issuing bank.

Bank of India Launches Programmable Digital Rupee

• What: Bank of India has launched user-level programmable digital rupee functionality and auto-issuance capability on its Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) platform, developed by Montran India.
• Tell me more:
  • The feature allows account holders to schedule automatic transfers of digital rupees (e₹) to a beneficiary’s CBDC wallet at a fixed amount and frequency.
  • It also restricts how recipients can spend the funds, with purpose-based controls like restricting spending to categories such as tuition and meals.
  • The capability complies with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) guidelines, while RBI expands digital rupee pilots to welfare disbursement and cross-border payments.

Reports and Indices

WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) Report

• What: WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report states nearly one-fifth of children globally without sanitation services in schools are in India, with 50 million of 244 million such children, making India highest among all countries in 2025.
• Tell me more:
  • India recorded 14% reduction in number of schools with no sanitation service during assessed period, yet 50 million Indian children lacked sanitation service at school in 2025, followed by Nigeria (34 million), Ethiopia (26 million), Democratic Republic of Congo (11 million) and Indonesia (8 million).
  • Around 20 million Indian children had no hygiene service at schools, while 12 million lacked drinking-water services; insufficient recent data meant JMP could not generate hygiene coverage estimates for India and Central/Southern Asia beyond 2024.
  • India ranks among 28 of 62 countries on track to achieve universal basic drinking-water coverage in schools by 2030, with basic drinking-water coverage increasing by more than 4% annually during assessed period.
  • World not on track to achieve universal access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in schools by 2030; achieving universal coverage requires fourfold increase in drinking water progress, fivefold in sanitation and fourfold in hygiene.
  • Current trajectories show 84% schools will have basic water, 81% basic sanitation and 79% basic hygiene services by 2030; 10% schools will still have no water service, 7% no sanitation service and 12% no hygiene service at end of SDG period.

Defence News

DRDO Develops Indigenous Bulletproof Glass for Vehicles

• What: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has partnered with CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI) for a ₹50 crore project to develop indigenous lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles.
• Tell me more:
  • Lighter bulletproof glass reduces vehicle weight, improving mobility, fuel efficiency, and payload capacity for armoured vehicles, while still providing strong multi-shot ballistic protection against rifle fire.

India, ASEAN Begin Second AIME-2026 Exercise

• What: The Second Edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2026) commenced at Subic Bay, Philippines, with the participation of Indian Naval Ships Sahyadri and Kulish, along with maritime forces from ASEAN Member States.
• Tell me more:
  • The exercise, themed “Anchored in Trust, United at Sea”, aims to enhance mutual understanding, cooperation, and interoperability between India and ASEAN maritime forces.
  • The exercise is being conducted as part of India’s Act East Policy and the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.

Awards

Union Minister Yadav Presides Over 4th Eco Warrior Awards And Conclave

• What: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav presided over 4th Eco Warrior Awards and Eco Warrior Conclave organised by Indian Forest Service Association (IFSA) and Indian Masterminds in New Delhi to recognise outstanding contributions to forest, wildlife and environmental conservation.
• Tell me more:
  • Lifetime Achievement Award presented to Shri Brij Kishore Singh, 1976-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of Karnataka cadre, for decades-long contribution to forest and wildlife conservation including combating sandalwood smuggling and activities of brigand Veerappan.
  • Awards recognised forest officers across eight categories including Protected Area Management, Wildlife Protection and Conservation, Environment Conservation, Community Connect, Best Use of Technology, Special Jury Award, Special Projects and Lifetime Achievement with two winners selected in each individual award category from over 80 nominations.
  • Special Projects Award recognised Project Elephant and Great Indian Bustard conservation project in Rajasthan for significant contributions to species and habitat conservation during the ceremony.
  • Eco Warrior Conclave featured three panel discussions on AI and Technology for Conservation and Natural Resources Management, Role of Corporates in Forest Management, and Sustainable Development and Environmental Ethics alongside wildlife photography exhibition by civil servants.

Important Days

International Day for Universal Access to Information 2026 – September 28

• 2026 Theme – Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The role of access to Information in addressing Information Disorder
• The global conference marking the Day takes place on 28 September 2026, organized by UNESCO in collaboration with the Government of Sierra Leone.

International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW) – September 29

• Theme: “Transformative Potential of Reducing Food Loss and Waste”
• This day was adoped in 2019. The 7th edition of this day was observed in 2026.

Sports

Rohit Sharma Crosses 12,000 ODI Runs

• What: Rohit Sharma became the third Indian to score 12,000 runs in men’s One Day Internationals (ODIs), joining Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli in this elite club.
• Tell me more:
  • Rohit reached the milestone in his 282nd innings, becoming the third-fastest overall, behind teammate Kohli who achieved it in 242 innings.
  • He scored his 35th ODI century, finishing with 101 off 75 balls, as part of a 255-run stand with captain Shubman Gill against West Indies.
  • Rohit holds the record for the highest individual score in ODIs, with 264 runs scored against Sri Lanka in November 2014.
  • He is also the only player to have scored a double century more than once in ODI cricket, achieving this three times.

Shubman Gill Smashes Fastest ODI Double Century

• What: India skipper Shubman Gill scored his second One Day International (ODI) double century, reaching 200 runs in just 117 deliveries against West Indies in Guwahati, the fastest ODI 200 in history.
• Tell me more:
  • Gill became the second player after Rohit Sharma to score multiple 200-run innings in ODI cricket, with 24 fours and seven sixes in this knock.
  • His century came in 62 balls, the fastest by an Indian captain, breaking the record previously set by Rohit Sharma in October 2023.
  • This was Gill’s third consecutive century in ODIs played in India, behind only Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers for most consecutive centuries.
  • West Indies had earlier posted 405 for seven, their highest-ever ODI total, with centuries from John Campbell, Shai Hope, and Amir Jangoo.

Memorandum of Understanding

MSME Ministry, MoSPI Sign MoU on Data Sharing

• What: The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the Statistical Business Register (SBR).
• Tell me more:
  • The MoU establishes a framework for sharing unit-level data from the Udyam Registration ecosystem of the Ministry of MSME with MoSPI through Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
  • The Statistical Business Register is a centralised, updated database of registered businesses and economic units, recording their key details and relationships to improve business data coverage, consistency, and statistical reliability.
  • The data sharing is expected to improve the coverage, consistency, and reliability of business information used for statistical purposes.

Appointments

New King Crowned in Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom

• What: Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a former television news anchor, was crowned the 13th monarch of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom’s Batooro people, succeeding King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who died last month.
• Tell me more:
  • Oyo, who became king at age three in 1995 and was known as the world’s youngest reigning monarch, died of cancer at 34.

Miscellaneous

Smit Machchhar: Indian-Origin Pilot at Centre of Flydubai FZ1073 Incident

• Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar fought off a savage attack by his copilot, helping prevent an apparent hijack of a Flydubai plane heading to Tel Aviv with over 170 people on board.

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