Saturday, 19 September 2026 · IST · Madhya Pradesh + National · 10 items · 2 MCQs
Madhya Pradesh dominates today's brief: the Mohan Yadav Cabinet cleared a ₹42,490 crore development-and-welfare package, Project Cheetah completed four years with the cheetah 'Dheera' shifted from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar, and the Ladli Behna Yojana's 40th installment credited ₹1,500 to about 1.25 crore women. Nationally, retail inflation rose to 4.82%, India topped the 2026 Global Business Climate Survey, and NHAI-NPCI unveiled OneTag FASTag portability.
Today at a glance — things to remember
MP Cabinet clears ₹42,490 cr development package
Project Cheetah turns 4; population now 52
Cheetah 'Dheera' moved Kuno → Gandhi Sagar
Ladli Behna 40th installment: ₹1,500 paid
Soybean MSP raised to ₹5,708/quintal
Retail inflation (CPI) at 4.82% in August
India ranked #1 in Global Business Climate Survey
OneTag enables FASTag bank portability
Matsya-6000 tested to 5,270 m depth
Ujjain gears up for Simhastha 2028
Detailed notes
1. MP Cabinet clears ₹42,490 crore development & welfare package
MPPSC Prelims (MP polity & flagship schemes) + Mains GS-II — state governance, welfare delivery, public finance.
Context
The Mohan Yadav-led state Cabinet approved development and welfare proposals worth over ₹42,490 crore, spanning education, irrigation, transport and horticulture.
Key facts
Samagra Shiksha continued to 2030-31 with ₹36,006.22 crore (pre-primary to Class 12).
MPPSC Prelims (MP wildlife, national parks) + Mains GS-III — biodiversity & species conservation.
Context
On 17 Sept 2026 India marked four years of Project Cheetah; South African female 'Dheera' was relocated from Kuno to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary to seed a second population.
Key facts
Launched 17 Sept 2022 at Kuno NP (Sheopur) — world's first inter-continental big-cat reintroduction.
Population now 52 (49 at Kuno, 3 at Gandhi Sagar); 32 cubs born in India.
Sourced from Namibia (8, 2022), South Africa (12, 2023), Botswana (9, 2026).
MP is India's only 'Cheetah State'; cheetah is IUCN 'Vulnerable', CITES Appendix I.
Way forward
Grow prey base and build a metapopulation across Kuno, Gandhi Sagar & Nauradehi to cut single-site risk.
Concept
Cheetah = fastest land animal; declared extinct in India in 1952; reintroduced under IUCN guidelines.
Vertical timeline of Project Cheetah from 2022 to the 4-year mark in 2026. — StudyForGS
3. Ladli Behna Yojana: 40th installment credits ₹1,500 to 1.25 crore women
Borders the Straits of Florida, Caribbean Sea & Gulf of Mexico.
A unitary socialist republic facing chronic fuel shortages.
Way forward
Diversify to renewables and modernise the grid to end recurring blackouts.
Concept
A grid collapse is a cascading supply-demand failure; small island grids are especially vulnerable.
Data point of the day
4.82%
CPI retail inflation (August 2026) Retail inflation rose for the 10th straight month in August 2026, staying above the RBI's 4% target but within the 2-6% tolerance band. RBI's FY27 forecast is ~4.6%. Food and services prices were the key drivers.
Prelims rapid-fire
Project Cheetah completed 4 years (launched 17 Sep 2022 at Kuno, MP).
India's CPI inflation = 4.82% in August 2026 (10th straight monthly rise).
MP's Ladli Behna 40th installment: ₹1,500 to ~1.25 cr women.
Soybean MSP for 2026-27 = ₹5,708/quintal; MP is India's top producer.
Matsya-6000 submersible tested to 5,270 m (Deep Ocean Mission).
Simhastha Kumbh at Ujjain (Kshipra) recurs every 12 years; next in 2028.
Practice MCQs — MPPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to Project Cheetah, consider the following statements: 1) It was launched at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. 2) The first cheetahs were brought from Namibia and South Africa. 3) The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. Which of the above are correct?
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D All three are correct. Kuno (MP) hosted the launch on 17 Sep 2022; the first cheetahs came from Namibia (2022) and South Africa (2023); India declared the cheetah extinct in 1952.
Q2. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops is recommended by which of the following bodies?
NITI Aayog
Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)
Reserve Bank of India
Food Corporation of India
Show answer
Answer: B MSP is recommended by the CACP (under the Ministry of Agriculture) and approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. FCI is the procurement/storage agency.
Mains practice question
Q. 'Madhya Pradesh has emerged as India's laboratory for both wildlife conservation and welfare delivery.' Examine with reference to Project Cheetah and the state's flagship welfare schemes.
Hint / approach
Link the Tiger/Leopard/Cheetah-state status and the Kuno-Gandhi Sagar metapopulation with DBT-based schemes like Ladli Behna; discuss the ecology-economy-equity balance and fiscal sustainability.
