Tuesday, 15 September 2026 · IST · Bihar + National · 9 items · 2 MCQs
Bihar leads the day: a swelling Ganga-Kosi-Gandak system has left nearly 49 lakh people affected in 15 districts, while the State Cabinet cleared the ₹23,698-crore Fourth Agriculture Road-map and a new Sports Policy. Nationally, SEBI widened the T+0 settlement cycle to the top 500 stocks, August GST touched ₹2.32 lakh crore, and India took charge of the International Solar Alliance.
Today at a glance — things to remember
Bihar floods hit 49 lakh people across 15 districts; Ganga, Kosi, Gandak above danger mark.
Ganga at Sultanganj flowing 1.71 m above its danger level.
A prolonged monsoon surge has pushed the Ganga, Kosi, Budhi Gandak, Punpun, Bagmati and Ghaghara above the danger mark, flooding north and south Bihar simultaneously.
Key facts
About 49 lakh (4.9 million) people affected across 15 districts including Patna, Bhagalpur, Saran, Vaishali, Katihar & Araria.
Ganga at Sultanganj flowing at 36.21 m, i.e. 1.71 m above the danger level.
September rainfall 111.7 mm, about 13% above normal.
Relief: 1,260 community kitchens, 13 relief camps, 10 NDRF + 27 SDRF teams deployed.
Way forward
Strengthen embankment monitoring, desilting of the Kosi and the long-pending Kosi-Mechi inter-linking for lasting flood moderation.
Concept
Kosi = 'Sorrow of Bihar', rises in Nepal/Tibet; danger level is the gauge stage at which flooding of the surrounding area begins; NDRF raised under the DM Act, 2005.
Horizontal bar chart of Bihar rivers flowing above their danger level, Ganga highest at +1.71 m. — StudyForGS
Mains GS-II (Bihar economy, agriculture, state schemes); Prelims (state budget outlays, GI crops).
Context
The State Cabinet approved 24 proposals, headlined by the Fourth Agriculture Road-map and a job-linked Sports Policy, to lift farm incomes and sporting talent.
Key facts
4th Agriculture Road-map outlay: ₹23,698 crore.
₹9,748 crore for irrigation under PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).
₹198 crore to Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour; 22,000 Anganwadi posts to be filled.
Sports Policy 2026 offers 'Win a Medal, Get a Job' to state and national medallists.
Way forward
Push GI crops (Mithila makhana, Shahi litchi, Jardalu mango, Katarni rice) and food-processing clusters to double farm value-addition.
Concept
Agriculture Road-map = Bihar's flagship multi-year farm-planning framework since 2008; makhana got a dedicated Makhana Board; PMKSY targets 'Har Khet Ko Pani'.
Pillar schematic of Bihar's 4th Agriculture Road-map: Rs 23,698 crore total with irrigation, university, Anganwadi and GI outlays. — StudyForGS
Fresh central funding of ₹628.32 crore will speed up construction of Patna Metro's two priority corridors, days after the Malahi Pakri extension was thrown open.
Key facts
Funding boost: ₹628.32 crore for the Priority + full corridors.
Patna Metro runs on two lines (Blue & Red), first stretch operational since 2025.
New Malahi Pakri station extension commissioned in 2026.
Aims to cut congestion in Patna, Bihar's largest urban agglomeration.
Way forward
Time-bound completion and last-mile e-bus feeder links to make the metro viable for daily commuters.
Concept
Metro rail is funded on a 50:50 SPV model between the Centre and the State; Patna Metro is executed via a dedicated PMRC company.
4. Samrat Choudhary at helm as State reviews 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan'
Mains GS-II (state executive, Governor-CM relations); Prelims (office of CM, outreach schemes).
Context
Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary reviewed preparations for the 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan', a doorstep-governance and grievance-redress outreach across districts.
Key facts
Samrat Choudhary (BJP) is Bihar CM since April 2026.
Seva Sankalp Abhiyan = time-bound delivery of welfare & certificate services at the doorstep.
Focus on saturation of Centre-State schemes down to the block level.
Complements the Bihar Lok Shikayat Nivaran Adhikar Act, 2015 (RTPS).
Way forward
Link the drive with digital service-plus so beneficiaries can track applications in real time.
Concept
The CM heads the State Council of Ministers (Art. 163-164); the Governor is the constitutional head; RTPS guarantees time-bound public services.
5. SEBI extends T+0 same-day settlement to the top 500 stocks
ECONOMYBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (Indian Economy & Capital Markets)
A leading multilateral development bank revised India's FY2026-27 GDP growth forecast upward to 7.4%, citing strong investment and services.
Key facts
India FY27 GDP growth projected at 7.4% (revised upward).
India remains the fastest-growing major economy.
ADB HQ Manila; India is a founding member (1966).
Robust growth supports jobs and capex in lagging States.
Way forward
Convert growth into manufacturing & MSME jobs, especially in the eastern 'aspirational' belt.
Concept
GDP = market value of all final goods/services in a year; multilateral forecasts guide investor sentiment and policy.
Bar chart of India FY27 GDP growth forecasts by agencies, ADB highest at 7.4%, with an August GST note. — StudyForGS
Data point of the day
14.9%
Bihar GSDP growth (Economic Survey 2025-26) Bihar's economy expanded 14.9% in 2024-25 (current prices) — faster than India's 12.0%. GSDP reached about ₹9.92 lakh crore; per-capita income rose to ₹76,490. Services lead at 54.8% of GSDP, industry 26.8%, agriculture 18.3%.
Prelims rapid-fire
Kosi river is called the 'Sorrow of Bihar'; it originates in Nepal/Tibet.
Bihar Agricultural University is located at Sabour (Bhagalpur).
ISA headquarters: Gurugram; founded with France at CoP-21, 2015.
T+0 means trade and settlement on the same day; India moved to T+1 in 2023.
GST Council is a constitutional body under Article 279A.
Engineer's Day (15 Sep) marks the birth anniversary of M. Visvesvaraya.
Practice MCQs — BPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to the International Solar Alliance (ISA), consider the following:
1. It was jointly launched by India and France.
2. Its headquarters is located in Gurugram, Haryana.
3. It is an intergovernmental treaty-based organisation.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D ISA was launched by India & France at CoP-21 (2015), is headquartered at Gurugram, and is a treaty-based intergovernmental body. Hence all three are correct.
Q2. Consider the following pairs (river : location where it flows above danger level in Bihar):
1. Ganga - Sultanganj
2. Budhi Gandak - Khagaria
3. Punpun - Sripalpur
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Only one
Only two
All three
None
Show answer
Answer: C During the September 2026 floods the Ganga (Sultanganj), Budhi Gandak (Khagaria) and Punpun (Sripalpur) were all reported above their danger levels. All three pairs are correct.
Mains practice question
Q. Recurrent floods in north Bihar are as much a problem of river management and inter-State/international water-sharing as of rainfall. Discuss, with reference to the Kosi and Gandak systems, the structural and institutional measures needed for long-term flood moderation. (15 marks, 250 words)
