Monday, 2 November 2026 · IST · Bihar + National · 10 items · 2 MCQs
Bihar opened kharif paddy procurement through 2,385 PACS and vyapar mandals at the new MSP of ₹2,441/qtl, while the CM ordered a crop-damage survey after Cyclone Arnab's rain. An anti-defection challenge against two newly elected independent MLCs puts the Tenth Schedule in focus. Nationally, gross GST rose 22.9% to ₹2,31,290 crore in October and India joins the Ibero-American Conference as an Associate Observer.
Today at a glance — things to remember
Bihar paddy procurement 2026-27 began 1 Nov in 19 North Bihar districts; South Bihar from 15 Nov.
Paddy MSP 2026-27: ₹2,441 (common) and ₹2,461 (Grade-A) per quintal.
Cyclone Arnab rain: Simri (Buxar) 87.6 mm highest; CM orders crop-damage survey.
Disqualification sought against independent MLCs Bansidhar Brajwasi and Rahul Raj under the Tenth Schedule.
Bihar spends about ₹23,000 crore/yr on power subsidy; CM urges well-off to give up 125 free units.
JP Ganga Path extension: Digha-Sherpur-Bihta, 35.65 km; Patna-Koilwar in about 30 min.
Northern bullet-train corridor Delhi-Guwahati via Siliguri (~1,500 km); Patna a named station.
October GST: gross ₹2,31,290 crore (+22.9%), net ₹2,03,356 crore (+25.6%).
DAC in-principle nod to Project-18A destroyers: >₹75,000 crore, >10,000 tonnes.
India joins Ibero-American Conference as Associate Observer; Madrid summit 4-5 Nov.
Detailed notes
1. Bihar opens kharif paddy procurement at new MSP through 2,385 PACS
Paddy procurement for Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27 began on 1 November in 19 districts of North Bihar. The Cooperative Department has notified 2,385 PACS and vyapar mandals as purchase centres; South Bihar procurement is being readied from 15 November.
Key facts
MSP 2026-27: ₹2,441/qtl (common), up ₹72; ₹2,461/qtl (Grade-A) - approved by the Union Cabinet on 13 May 2026.
2,385 PACS + vyapar mandals are purchase centres; Cooperation Minister Ram Kripal Yadav promised a transparent process with accountability for lapses.
The State has sought a higher procurement target of 50 lakh MT (against 35 lakh MT).
Two-phase start: North Bihar - 1 Nov; South Bihar - 15 Nov (later harvest).
Way forward
Timely DBT payment, moisture-testing at every PACS and enough milling/storage capacity are needed so that small farmers do not sell below MSP to traders.
Concept
MSP is recommended by CACP and approved by the CCEA. PACS form the base tier of the 3-tier short-term cooperative credit structure (PACS - DCCB - StCB). Bihar follows Decentralised Procurement (DCP) - the State buys, mills and distributes rice under the PDS.
Flowchart of Bihar paddy procurement: farmer registration, sale at 2,385 PACS and vyapar mandals at MSP ₹2,441, DBT payment, milling and PDS distribution, with North Bihar starting 1 Nov and South Bihar 15 Nov. — StudyForGS
2. Cyclone Arnab rain hits crops; CM orders damage survey
Two days of unseasonal rain from the weakening Cyclonic Storm Arnab damaged standing paddy, sugarcane, potato and vegetables in parts of Bihar. On 1 November, all districts were placed in the green zone; CM Samrat Choudhary ordered a survey of crop loss and prompt compensation.
Key facts
Highest 24-hr rainfall: Simri (Buxar) 87.6 mm, Chakki (Buxar) 76.4 mm, Raghunathpur (Siwan) 76.2 mm, Kesath (Buxar) 72.4 mm.
Highest maximum on 31 Oct: Kaimur 32.7°C; Patna max near 31°C, min near 22°C.
Residual effect of the cyclone may last till 4 November; normal weather thereafter.
Officials to identify affected farmers and ensure prompt compensation; festive markets also slowed.
Way forward
Fast-track input-subsidy payment via DBT, use satellite/drone-based crop assessment and widen enrolment in the zero-premium Bihar Rajya Fasal Sahayata Yojana.
Concept
Bay of Bengal cyclones are named from the list of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (13 member countries, list of 169 names adopted in 2020). Under SDRF norms, input subsidy is given when crop loss is 33% or more.
Map of Bihar districts highlighting Buxar and Siwan, which recorded the heaviest Cyclone Arnab rainfall (Simri 87.6 mm, Chakki 76.4 mm, Raghunathpur 76.2 mm, Kesath 72.4 mm), with the Ganga, Son, Gandak and Kosi rivers and a side panel of rainfall figures. — StudyForGS
3. Anti-defection plea against two independent MLCs who 'joined' BJP
Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav sought disqualification of two independent MLCs elected in the recent biennial Council polls - Bansidhar Brajwasi (Tirhut Graduates) and Rahul Raj (Saran Teachers) - after they announced joining the BJP within a week of election. The BJP says they are only 'extending support'.
Key facts
Para 2(2), Tenth Schedule: an independent member who joins a party after election is disqualified.
Para 6(1): the Chairman of the Legislative Council decides disqualification questions.
Article 191(2): a member disqualified under the Tenth Schedule ceases to be a member of the State Legislature.
Of the 8 seats polled, BJP and JD(U) contested 4 each; BJP won 2, JD(U) 1.
Way forward
Time-bound decisions by presiding officers (SC has suggested 3 months) and a clear test of 'joining' vs 'supporting' would curb post-poll switching.
Concept
The Tenth Schedule was added by the 52nd Amendment (1985); the 91st Amendment (2003) deleted the 'split' exception, keeping only merger (2/3). Kihoto Hollohan (1992) made the Speaker/Chairman's decision subject to judicial review. Under Art. 171, 1/12 of Council members each come from graduates' and teachers' constituencies.
Mind-map of the Tenth Schedule showing grounds of disqualification for party members, independents and nominated members, the merger exception, the deciding authority and key amendments and judgments. — StudyForGS
4. CM urges well-off to give up 125 free power units; ₹23,000 cr subsidy
BIHARBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (Bihar Economy & Public Finance)
Syllabus linkage
Mains GS-II: Bihar's fiscal position, subsidies, education schemes. Prelims: state schemes and figures.
Context
Speaking at the Pataliputra National Youth Parliament 2.0 in Patna, CM Samrat Choudhary asked affluent households and income-tax payers to voluntarily give up the 125 units of free electricity, now available to all categories, so the money can fund development.
Key facts
State spends about ₹23,000 crore a year on power subsidy - about ₹8,000-10,000 per family.
Student Credit Card: up to ₹4 lakh for higher education; about ₹18,000 crore spent annually (as stated).
700 model schools - Saraswati Vidya Niketan - across 534 blocks, enrolling about 3.5 lakh children.
Vidyarthi Sathi App connects students to a teacher for doubt-solving, reportedly within one minute.
Way forward
A voluntary 'give-it-up' option, better targeting of subsidies and cutting AT&C losses of DISCOMs can free fiscal space for capital spending.
Concept
The 'Give It Up' campaign (2015) for LPG subsidy is the national precedent. Subsidies are committed revenue expenditure; States must also respect FRBM deficit limits (fiscal deficit target 3% of GSDP).
Row of stat tiles showing Bihar's ₹23,000 crore yearly power subsidy, 125 free units, ₹4 lakh Student Credit Card, 700 Saraswati Vidya Niketan model schools across 534 blocks and 3.5 lakh enrolled children. — StudyForGS
5. JP Ganga Path to be extended 35.65 km from Digha to Bihta
Mains GS-II: Bihar infrastructure & urban development. Prelims: bridges on Ganga and Son, Patna geography.
Context
The Road Construction Department has proposed the Digha-Sherpur-Bihta corridor, an elevated road along the Ganga and Son banks up to the Koilwar Bridge approach, on the design of the existing Digha-Didarganj JP Ganga Path.
Key facts
Length 35.65 km; will link with the Sherpur-Dighwara Ganga Bridge and Digha JP Setu.
An 11-km Maner-Pareb stretch to be widened to four lanes and integrated.
Patna-Koilwar travel in about 30 minutes, saving about 1.5 hours.
Alternative entry for UP-origin traffic to Patna, Saran and Vaishali; connects four districts.
Way forward
Flood-safe design on the Ganga-Son floodplain, a fixed cost and timeline, and integration with Patna Metro and the ring road will decide its value.
Concept
Koilwar Bridge (Abdul Bari Setu) over the Son (opened 1862) links Patna and Bhojpur. Digha-Sonpur JP Setu is a rail-road bridge over the Ganga. The Son joins the Ganga near Maner.
6. Delhi-Guwahati bullet-train corridor approved; Patna on route
BIHARBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (Infrastructure & Role of S&T)
Syllabus linkage
Mains GS-II: infrastructure, regional development of Bihar, role of technology. Prelims: high-speed rail facts.
Context
PM Narendra Modi approved the Northern Bullet Train Corridor from Delhi to Guwahati via Siliguri, announced by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in Varanasi while flagging off the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper.
Key facts
Length about 1,500 km across UP, Bihar, West Bengal and into Assam.
Delhi-Siliguri journey to fall from about 20 hours to about 6 hours.
Patna is the only Bihar station named; fares promised 'well below airfares'.
Way forward
Bihar should push for added stops (e.g., in North Bihar), early land acquisition and station-area development to capture growth gains.
Concept
India's first high-speed line is the Mumbai-Ahmedabad (MAHSR, ~508 km) built with Japanese Shinkansen technology by NHSRCL. The Siliguri Corridor ('Chicken's Neck') links the Northeast with the rest of India.
Schematic of the Delhi-Guwahati bullet-train corridor (about 1,500 km) listing the ten announced stations with Patna highlighted as Bihar's station, and the Delhi-Siliguri time falling from 20 hours to 6 hours. — StudyForGS
Official data released on 1 November show gross GST of ₹2,31,290 crore in October 2026, the second-highest monthly collection, driven by festive demand and a sharp rise in import revenue.
Key facts
Gross GST ₹2,31,290 crore (+22.9%) vs ₹1,88,125 crore in Oct 2025.
Refunds ₹27,934 crore (+6.5%); net GST ₹2,03,356 crore (+25.6%).
Apr-Oct FY27: gross ₹14,77,569 crore (+13.2%), net ₹12,69,486 crore (+12.6%).
Way forward
Consumption-led States like Bihar gain from destination-based GST; better compliance and a stable rate structure can sustain the trend.
Concept
GST came via the 101st Amendment (2016) and began on 1 July 2017. Art. 246A - concurrent power to levy GST; Art. 269A - IGST on inter-State supply; Art. 279A - GST Council. GST is a destination-based tax.
Grouped bar chart comparing October 2025 and October 2026 GST: gross, domestic, imports, refunds and net collections in Rs crore, with growth percentages. — StudyForGS
DEFENCEBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (Role of Science & Technology)
Syllabus linkage
Mains GS-II: role of S&T in defence and self-reliance. Prelims: DAC, AoN, warship classes.
Context
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, gave in-principle approval to Project-18A, a new class of large stealth guided-missile destroyers designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau.
Key facts
Estimated cost more than ₹75,000 crore.
Displacement above 10,000 tonnes - far larger than the Visakhapatnam class (~7,400 t).
Builder to be chosen by competitive bidding; delivery 5-10 years after contract.
82% of DAC-cleared proposals are reserved for domestic industry.
Way forward
Faster shipyard capacity, indigenous radars, engines and BrahMos integration will decide whether timelines hold in the Indian Ocean Region.
Concept
AoN (Acceptance of Necessity) by the DAC is the first step of capital acquisition under DAP 2020. Earlier destroyer lines: P-15A Kolkata and P-15B Visakhapatnam classes, built at Mazagon Dock.
9. India joins Ibero-American Conference as Associate Observer
IRBPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (International Relations)
Syllabus linkage
Mains GS-II: India and the world - Latin America outreach. Prelims: groupings, members, venues.
Context
MoS External Affairs Pabitra Margherita visits Spain (3-5 Nov) for the 30th Ibero-American Summit in Madrid (4-5 Nov), where India takes part for the first time as an Associate Observer.
Key facts
Grouping has 22 members: 19 Latin American + Spain, Portugal, Andorra.
Angola, India and Turkey admitted as new Associate Observers on 24 Sept in New York.
Conference now has 12 Associate Observers and 20 Consultative Observers.
Visit marks the India-Spain Dual Year of Culture, Tourism and AI.
Way forward
Use the platform for critical minerals (lithium), pharma and digital public infrastructure ties with Latin America.
Concept
The Ibero-American Conference began with the 1991 Guadalajara (Mexico) summit; its secretariat SEGIB is in Madrid. 'Ibero' refers to the Iberian Peninsula (Spanish/Portuguese-speaking world).
World map highlighting the 22 Ibero-American Conference members in Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, Madrid as the summit venue, and India, Angola and Turkey as new Associate Observers. — StudyForGS
10. Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper flagged off
Mains GS-II: role of indigenous technology in transport. Prelims: Vande Bharat facts, ICF, Kavach.
Context
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw flagged off the 16-coach Bengaluru-Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper on 1 November, a day after the Varanasi-New Delhi sleeper service; regular runs begin 2-3 November.
Key facts
16 coaches; regular services from 2 and 3 November in opposite directions.
Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper flagged off on 31 October in Varanasi.
Sleeper version extends semi-high-speed comfort to overnight long-distance routes.
First Vande Bharat (chair car) ran New Delhi-Varanasi in 2019.
Way forward
A Vande Bharat Sleeper for Patna-Delhi and other Bihar routes, with Kavach on all trunk lines, would serve Bihar's large migrant traffic.
Concept
Vande Bharat trains are self-propelled EMU train-sets designed at ICF Chennai under Make in India. Kavach is the indigenous Automatic Train Protection system developed by RDSO.
Data point of the day
₹2,31,290 crore
Gross GST collection, October 2026 Up 22.9% year-on-year; import revenue grew 42.2% and net GST 25.6% to ₹2,03,356 crore (official data, 1 Nov 2026).
Prelims rapid-fire
Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit took over as the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on 31 Oct 2026, succeeding AP Singh.
Bihar land registry: all 141 registry offices paperless since 17 Aug 2026; Nalanda offices average about 110 digital deeds a day.
Pataliputra Sports Complex (Kankarbagh, Patna) gets Bihar's first World Athletics Class-1 400 m, 8-lane EPDM track.
Indigenous 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (Kalpakkam) has achieved first criticality.
IDBI Bank employees' unions hold a two-day nationwide hunger strike on 2-3 Nov against the bank's privatisation.
Practice MCQs — BPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, consider the following statements: 1. An independent member who joins a political party after election is disqualified. 2. A nominated member may join a political party within six months of taking his seat. 3. The Tenth Schedule was inserted by the 91st Constitutional Amendment. 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 reflect Para 2(2) and Para 2(3). The Tenth Schedule was inserted by the 52nd Amendment (1985); the 91st (2003) only removed the split exception.
Q2. The Koilwar Bridge (Abdul Bari Setu), which the proposed JP Ganga Path extension will connect to, is built over which river?
Gandak
Son
Punpun
Kosi
Show answer
Answer: B The Koilwar Bridge spans the Son between Patna and Bhojpur districts; it opened in 1862.
Mains practice question
Q. Decentralised paddy procurement through PACS is meant to ensure MSP for Bihar's small farmers. Examine its achievements and the challenges that remain. (BPSC Mains GS-II, ~38 marks)
Hint / approach
Intro: DCP model, 2,385 PACS, MSP ₹2,441. Body: reach to small farmers, DBT, PDS link vs. low target (35 vs 50 lakh MT sought), milling and storage gaps, moisture norms, payment delays, weather shocks (Cyclone Arnab). Way forward: FPO-PACS link, more godowns, e-procurement. Conclude with farm-income angle.
📌 One-line revision: Paddy MSP ₹2,441 via 2,385 PACS | Tenth Schedule Para 2(2) for independents | GST ₹2,31,290 cr (+22.9%) | Project-18A >10,000 t | India = Ibero-American Associate Observer.
