Monday, 5 October 2026 · IST · Bihar + National · 11 items · 2 MCQs
The first train crossed the new 1.9 km double-line rail bridge at Mokama parallel to Rajendra Setu on 5 October 2026, while the state cabinet's Green Hydrogen Policy 2026 and 2,585 MW agri-feeder solarisation headline Bihar's energy push amid floods on the Ganga, Kosi and Budhi Gandak. Nationally, the RBI MPC began its 5-7 October meeting with the repo rate at 5.25%, Swiss President Guy Parmelin arrived on a state visit marking one year of India-EFTA TEPA, and India closed the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with 85 medals.
Today at a glance — things to remember
Mokama new double-line Ganga rail bridge (1.9 km, 17 steel spans) opened; Mahananda Express first to cross.
Rajendra Setu (Mokama-Simaria) - Bihar's first rail-cum-road Ganga bridge, opened 1959 by Jawaharlal Nehru.
Bihar Green Hydrogen Policy 2026: 1 lakh tonnes/yr by 2031, 1 GW electrolysers; nodal agency BREDA.
Solar plants on 2,554 agricultural feeders (2,585 MW, ₹2,761.55 crore) approved by Bihar cabinet.
VAT on ATF cut from 1% to 0% at Regional Connectivity Scheme airports in Bihar.
Budhi Gandak at Khagaria 115 cm above danger mark; Ganga above danger from Patna to Bhagalpur.
Ghatora wetland (Bihpur, Bhagalpur) - proposal for Ramsar recognition being prepared.
Patna Zoo holds 165 gharials - largest zoo population worldwide; release planned in Gandak.
GS-II: Bihar economy - transport infrastructure & regional connectivity; Prelims: Bihar geography - Ganga bridges.
Context
In the early hours of 5 October 2026, the Mahananda Express became the first train to cross the new double-line rail bridge over the Ganga at Mokama, ending the single-line bottleneck of the 1959-built Rajendra Setu between north and south Bihar.
Key facts
Main bridge 1.9 km long with 17 steel spans; whole project stretch 15.5 km (incl. 3.6 km viaduct, 8 minor bridges, 2 ROBs).
Built about 50 m towards the Patna side of Rajendra Setu; reported cost about ₹2,400 crore.
Design speed 140 km/h; trains to run at about 90 km/h initially; capacity up to 2.5 times.
Cleared after inspection by the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Eastern Circle); new electronic interlocking and automatic signalling installed.
Foundation laid in 2016; formal inauguration by the Prime Minister is awaited.
Way forward
Fast-track doubling of feeder sections (Barauni-Mokama) and run more festive specials for Chhath traffic; convert freed capacity into freight corridors for north Bihar.
Concept
Rajendra Setu (Mokama-Simaria, Begusarai) - Bihar's first rail-cum-road bridge over the Ganga, opened 1959 by PM Jawaharlal Nehru. Other Ganga bridges: Mahatma Gandhi Setu (Patna-Hajipur, 5.75 km, 1982), Vikramshila Setu (Bhagalpur), Digha-Sonpur and Munger rail-road bridges.
Stat-tile row on the new Mokama rail bridge: 1.9 km main bridge, 17 steel spans, 15.5 km project, 140 km/h design speed, about Rs 2,400 crore cost, 2.5 times capacity. — StudyForGS
2. Bihar cabinet clears Green Hydrogen Policy 2026 and 2,585 MW solarisation of farm feeders
BIHARBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (Bihar Economy, Energy & S&T)
Syllabus linkage
GS-II: Bihar economy - energy & industrial policy; role of science & technology (clean energy). Prelims: state schemes, agencies.
Context
The state cabinet chaired by CM Samrat Choudhary on 30 September 2026 approved 30 proposals, led by the Bihar Green Hydrogen Policy 2026 and solar plants for all remaining agricultural feeders - a twin push for clean power and cheaper irrigation.
Key facts
Policy targets by 2031: 1 lakh tonnes/yr green hydrogen/ammonia, 1 GW electrolyser and 2.5 GW renewable capacity.
Expected investment ₹16,000 crore and about 12,000 jobs; nodal agency BREDA.
Solar plants on 2,554 agricultural feeders - 2,585 MW at ₹2,761.55 crore (₹2,714.25 cr subsidy + ₹47.30 cr incentive to gram panchayats).
VAT on ATF cut from 1% to 0% at Regional Connectivity Scheme (UDAN) airports.
₹62 crore for 30 water cannons and 86 Vajra riot-control vehicles; ₹351.85 crore for electrifying 21,644 households in Kaimur-Rohtas.
Way forward
Pair hydrogen hubs with solar-rich south Bihar and water-secure sites; build skilled workforce via ITIs; ensure feeder solar cuts DISCOM losses and farm diesel use.
Concept
Green hydrogen = H2 from electrolysis of water using renewable power (grey = from natural gas). National Green Hydrogen Mission (Jan 2023, ₹19,744 crore) targets 5 MMT by 2030. Feeder-level solarisation mirrors PM-KUSUM Component C.
Flow diagram of Bihar's clean-energy decisions: Green Hydrogen Policy 2026 targets for 2031 (1 lakh tonnes, 1 GW electrolyser, 2.5 GW renewables, Rs 16,000 crore, 12,000 jobs) and feeder solarisation (2,554 feeders, 2,585 MW, Rs 2,761.55 crore). — StudyForGS
3. Flood watch: Ganga above danger mark from Patna to Bhagalpur; Budhi Gandak 115 cm over
GS-II: Geography of Bihar - river systems, floods; Prelims: rivers, gauging stations, tributaries of the Ganga.
Context
State water-resources data on 4 October 2026 showed the Ganga, Gandak, Ghaghra, Budhi Gandak, Bagmati, Adhwara and Kosi above danger levels at several points, though most stations forecast a fall by Monday.
Key facts
Budhi Gandak (Khagaria): 115 cm above danger - the highest; Kahalgaon (Ganga): 91 cm and still rising.
Ganga at Gandhi Ghat 85 cm, Hathidah 83 cm, Digha 14 cm, Bhagalpur 2 cm above danger; Munger 8 cm below.
Ghaghra (Darauli, Siwan) 59 cm, Gandak (Dumariaghat, Gopalganj) 48 cm, Kosi (Baltara) 34 cm, Son (Maner) 27 cm above danger.
A police officer in Saran was suspended after a video showed him brandishing a pistol at a crowd during flood relief.
Way forward
Shift from embankment-only approach to basin-scale management - Indo-Nepal storage dams, Kosi-Mechi link, flood-plain zoning and real-time forecasting.
Concept
About 73% of Bihar's area is flood-prone. North-bank tributaries of the Ganga: Ghaghra, Gandak, Budhi Gandak, Bagmati, Kosi, Mahananda; south-bank: Son, Punpun, Kiul. Kosi = 'Sorrow of Bihar'.
Horizontal bar chart of Bihar river gauging stations above danger mark on 4 October 2026, led by Budhi Gandak at Khagaria (115 cm), Kahalgaon (91 cm), Gandhi Ghat (85 cm) and Hathidah (83 cm). — StudyForGS
4. Ghatora wetland enters Ramsar process; Patna Zoo's 165 gharials to repopulate the Gandak
During Wildlife Week (2-8 October), the Bhagalpur administration ordered a proposal seeking Ramsar status for Ghatora wetland, while Patna Zoo reported the world's largest captive gharial population.
Key facts
Ghatora wetland lies in Bihpur block, Bhagalpur; proposal to carry technical data and GIS maps prepared with the Bihar State Wetland Committee.
Framework: Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.
Bihar's Ramsar sites include Kanwar Jheel (Begusarai, first - 2020), Nagi & Nakti (Jamui), Gokul Jalashay (Buxar) and Udaipur Jheel (W. Champaran).
Patna Zoo: 165 gharials - 14 adults (4 male, 10 female) and 151 juveniles; batch to be released in the Gandak at Valmiki Tiger Reserve.
Way forward
Notify wetland boundaries, curb encroachment and fishing pressure; monitor released gharials with tagging and involve riverine communities.
Concept
Ramsar Convention - signed 1971 at Ramsar, Iran; India joined 1982 (first sites Chilika & Keoladeo). Gharial - Critically Endangered (IUCN), Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act; key habitats Chambal and Gandak.
5. Connectivity push: Rs 1,720-cr Bhagalpur-Hansdiha four-lane, expressway land acquisition in Kishanganj, Patna Water Metro
GS-II: Bihar economy - roads, waterways, urban transport; Prelims: national waterways, expressways passing through Bihar.
Context
A cluster of approvals this week targets eastern and north-eastern Bihar - a Bihar-Jharkhand four-lane, land acquisition for the Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway, new Ganga-side roads and a river-based Water Metro for Patna.
Key facts
Bhagalpur-Hansdiha (to Bhaljor, Jharkhand border): 67 km, ₹1,720 crore in two phases (₹857 cr + ₹863 cr); links Bhagalpur-Banka.
Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway: 72.5 km in Kishanganj (Thakurganj, Terhagach circles); notification under Section 3A, NH Act 1956.
219 km Ganga-side roads by BSRDC: Ambika Path (56 km), Vishwamitra Path (90 km), Narayani Path (73 km).
Patna Water Metro on NW-1: ₹1,200 crore, terminals at Kangan Ghat & Pehalwan Ghat by IWAI; target before 2029.
Way forward
Time-bound land acquisition with fair compensation, multimodal integration (rail-road-river) and logistics parks along the Seemanchal corridor.
Concept
NW-1 = Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly, Prayagraj-Haldia (about 1,620 km), India's longest national waterway, declared in 1986. Section 3A of the NH Act = declaration of intention to acquire land.
Mind-map of Bihar's connectivity push: Mokama rail bridge, Bhagalpur-Hansdiha four-lane, Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway in Kishanganj, 219 km Ganga-side roads, and Patna Water Metro on NW-1. — StudyForGS
6. Bihar universities get 7 apprenticeship-embedded four-year degrees; panel on 7th pay scale for teachers
GS-II: Bihar economy - human resource development, education policy; role of the Governor as Chancellor.
Context
With the Governor's approval of revised ordinances (effective 30 September 2026), state universities can run seven job-linked four-year UG programmes; separately, the Education Department is forming a committee on the 7th pay scale for teachers.
Key facts
New courses: BA Content & Creative Writing; BCom in BFSI, E-Commerce, HR Operations, Retail Operations; BSc Healthcare Management; BSc (Hons) Electronics.
Governed by the Bihar State Universities Act, 1976 and Patna University Act, 1976; needs Academic Council, Syndicate and Senate approval plus tripartite MoUs.
Teachers' panel to assess the financial burden of the 7th pay scale; transfer, promotion and mutual-transfer windows under review (Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari).
Way forward
Tie up with industry clusters for paid apprenticeships, train faculty, and settle teacher grievances quickly to protect classroom time.
Concept
NEP 2020 introduced the four-year UG with multiple entry-exit; Apprenticeship-Embedded Degree Programmes (AEDP) blend classroom with on-the-job training. The Governor is ex-officio Chancellor of Bihar's state universities.
7. RBI's Monetary Policy Committee begins 5-7 October review; markets brace for a 25 bp hike
The six-member MPC started its meeting on 5 October; the decision is due on 7 October. Retail inflation has stayed above the 4% target for three months, and most economists expect the first hike of this cycle.
Key facts
Repo rate 5.25% - unchanged for the last four reviews; a 25 bp hike would take it to 5.50%.
CPI inflation (Aug 2026) 4.82%; WPI (Aug) 9.92%.
Pressures: costlier food & energy, higher crude, a US Fed hike (Sept 2026) and about 6% rupee depreciation in 2026.
RBI Governor: Sanjay Malhotra.
Way forward
Calibrated tightening with supply-side action on food (buffer stock releases, import duty tweaks) to anchor expectations without hurting growth.
Concept
MPC (Sec 45ZB, RBI Act 1934, amended 2016): 6 members - 3 from RBI + 3 Centre-nominated; Governor has a casting vote. Target: CPI 4% ± 2%. Corridor: SDF = repo - 25 bp, MSF = repo + 25 bp.
8. Swiss President Guy Parmelin on state visit as India-EFTA TEPA turns one
IRBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (International Relations & Trade)
President Guy Parmelin received a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 5 October and held talks with PM Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House; the 2nd India-EFTA Prosperity Summit follows on 7 October.
Key facts
Visit: 5-7 October 2026; Switzerland is India's largest trade & investment partner within EFTA.
TEPA signed 10 March 2024; entered into force 1 October 2025.
EFTA commitment: $100 billion investment over 15 years and 1 million direct jobs in India.
Operationalise the investment desk, ease skilled mobility and channel Swiss tech into precision manufacturing, pharma and vocational training.
Concept
EFTA (1960, Stockholm Convention): Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein. TEPA is India's first FTA carrying a binding-style investment and jobs commitment.
9. Centre pushes domestic rare-earth magnet capacity to cut 80-90% dependence on one supplier
SCI-TECHBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (Role of S&T, Industry)
Syllabus linkage
GS-II: role and impact of science & technology; critical minerals and strategic manufacturing; Prelims: rare earth elements.
Context
On 5 October, Shaktikanta Das, Principal Secretary-2 to the PM, said almost 80-90% of rare-earth magnet supply originates in China, and that India is scaling up domestic magnet capacity after export curbs since October 2025.
Key facts
Uses: EV motors, wind turbines, electronics, drones and defence systems.
Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (Nov 2025): ₹7,280 crore, target 6,000 tonnes/yr.
Complements the National Critical Mineral Mission (2025) and IREL's monazite-based supply.
China tightened rare-earth export controls in October 2025.
Way forward
Build the full chain - mining, separation, metal/alloy, magnet - plus recycling of e-waste magnets and partnerships with trusted suppliers.
Concept
Rare earth elements = 17 elements (15 lanthanides + scandium + yttrium). NdFeB (neodymium-iron-boron) is the strongest permanent magnet. India's main source: monazite in coastal placer sands.
10. PM-SETU completes one year: 850 ITIs identified for hub-and-spoke upgrade
GS-II: Indian economy - human resource development, employment; Prelims: central schemes and their funding pattern.
Context
Launched on 4 October 2025, PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs) aims to turn 1,000 government ITIs into industry-run skilling clusters.
Key facts
Outlay ₹60,000 crore: Centre ₹30,000 cr, States ₹20,000 cr, Industry ₹10,000 cr.
Model: 200 hub + 800 spoke ITIs; year one identified 850 (172 hubs, 678 spokes).
14 clusters approved in 8 states + 1 UT (₹3,446 crore); 32 new-age courses (AI, EVs, semiconductors, robotics).
Partnerships with Singapore, France, Australia and a joint declaration with Germany.
Way forward
Bihar should fast-track its cluster approvals and align ITI trades with new hubs - green hydrogen, solar, food processing and logistics.
Concept
ITIs run craftsmen training under the Directorate General of Training (MSDE). Hub-and-spoke = one well-equipped hub mentors about 4 spokes, sharing labs, trainers and industry links.
Donut chart of PM-SETU's Rs 60,000 crore outlay: Centre Rs 30,000 crore (50%), States Rs 20,000 crore (33%), Industry Rs 10,000 crore (17%). — StudyForGS
11. Asian Games 2026: India signs off fourth with 85 medals; cricket, hockey, kabaddi golds swept
SOCIETYBPSC: Prelims (Sports & Awards)
Syllabus linkage
Prelims: sports events, venues, records and firsts.
Context
The 20th Asian Games at Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (19 Sept-4 Oct 2026) closed on 4 October; India's tally was its second-best after the record at Hangzhou.
Gold in men's & women's cricket, hockey and kabaddi; women's hockey gold beat China 1-0.
Firsts: Kumkum Mohod - first individual women's recurve gold; Pranavi Sharath Urs - first Indian woman to win individual golf gold.
Record haul remains 107 medals (28 gold) at Hangzhou 2022.
Way forward
Build on team-sport dominance and widen the base in athletics, swimming and shooting ahead of Commonwealth and Olympic cycles.
Concept
Asian Games are run by the Olympic Council of Asia; the first edition was held in New Delhi, 1951. Next hosts: Doha 2030, Riyadh 2034.
Bar chart comparing India's Asian Games medals: Hangzhou 2022 with 107 medals (28 gold) and Aichi-Nagoya 2026 with 85 medals (21 gold, 27 silver, 37 bronze). — StudyForGS
Data point of the day
₹2.04 lakh crore
Gross GST collection - September 2026 Up 14.7% year-on-year (₹2,03,521 crore) - the third straight month above ₹2 lakh crore. Net GST ₹1.77 lakh crore (+18.1%); H1 FY 2026-27 gross ₹12.46 lakh crore (+11.6%). IGST ₹1,20,396 cr, SGST ₹45,363 cr, CGST ₹37,762 cr.
Prelims rapid-fire
World Teachers' Day - 5 October (observed since 1994).
Wildlife Week in India - 2-8 October.
Mahatma Gandhi Setu (Patna-Hajipur) - 5.75 km, opened 1982.
Bihar cabinet cleared ₹3,516 crore for Vishnupad Temple (Gaya) development on 15 Sept 2026.
Valmiki Tiger Reserve (West Champaran) - Bihar's first tiger reserve, on the Gandak.
Next Asian Games: Doha 2030; first Asian Games: New Delhi 1951.
Practice MCQs — BPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to Rajendra Setu and the new Mokama rail bridge, consider the following statements: 1. Rajendra Setu connects Mokama with Simaria in Begusarai district. 2. Rajendra Setu was opened in 1959 by Jawaharlal Nehru. 3. The new bridge is a single-line road bridge built downstream of Bhagalpur. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1 only
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The new structure is a 1.9 km double-line rail bridge at Mokama, about 50 m from Rajendra Setu - not a road bridge near Bhagalpur.
Q2. Under the Bihar Green Hydrogen Policy 2026 approved on 30 September 2026, the annual green hydrogen/ammonia production target for 2031 is:
50,000 tonnes
1 lakh tonnes
5 lakh tonnes
5 million tonnes
Show answer
Answer: B The policy targets 1 lakh tonnes (0.1 MMT) per year by 2031 with 1 GW electrolysers; 5 MMT by 2030 is the national mission target.
Mains practice question
Q. Floods in north Bihar are an annual disaster rooted in geography and aggravated by an embankment-centric approach. Examine the causes and suggest an integrated flood-management strategy for the state. (BPSC Mains GS-II, 38 marks)
Hint / approach
Intro: 73% area flood-prone; Himalayan rivers - Kosi, Gandak, Budhi Gandak, Bagmati (use today's gauge data). Causes: heavy silt, shifting courses, Nepal catchment, embankment breaches, drainage congestion. Strategy: Indo-Nepal storage dams, Kosi-Mechi link, flood-plain zoning, early warning, flood-resilient agriculture (makhana, fisheries), community preparedness. Conclude with 'living with floods'.
📌 One-line revision: Mokama bridge 1.9 km | Green H2 1 lakh t by 2031 | Feeder solar 2,585 MW | Repo 5.25%, CPI 4.82% | GST ₹2.04 lakh cr | TEPA $100 bn | Asian Games 85 medals
