Friday, 25 September 2026 · IST · Madhya Pradesh + National · 10 items · 2 MCQs
Madhya Pradesh dominated the day: the state flagged off the Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Seva, restarting public bus transport after 21 years, while the Cabinet cleared a sports complex in every Assembly seat and a big irrigation-power package, and Project Cheetah completed four years with a new release at Gandhi Sagar. Nationally, Make in India marked 12 years (cumulative FDI USD 843 billion) and India concluded a Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand, effective 20 October 2026.
Today at a glance — things to remember
MP revives public buses: 'Sugam Parivahan Seva' - 351 buses, after 21 yrs
MP Cabinet: sports complex in every Assembly seat (₹960 cr)
Project Cheetah turns 4; female 'CCB2' released at Gandhi Sagar
Ladli Behna 40th instalment: ₹1,835 cr to 1.25 cr women
MP readies Rabi wheat procurement at about ₹2,600/quintal
Make in India @ 12: cumulative FDI USD 843 billion (2014-26)
India-New Zealand FTA to enter into force on 20 Oct 2026
SC Collegium makes 12 additional High Court judges permanent
24th Exercise Varuna: INS Trishul arrives at Toulon, France
India commissions largest 7 GW solar cell plant (Andhra Pradesh)
Detailed notes
1. MP restarts public bus service after 21 years: 'Sugam Parivahan Seva'
Prelims - MP current affairs & state schemes; Mains GS-II governance/service delivery, GS-III transport infrastructure.
Context
On 25 September 2026, Madhya Pradesh launched the Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Seva, reviving public bus transport after 21 years. CM Mohan Yadav and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari flagged off the first fleet.
Key facts
351 buses in the first phase; target about 1,000 by March 2027 and 15,000 by 2030-31.
Network of 150 city, 450 intercity and 436 interstate routes.
Fitted with CCTV, GPS, panic buttons and real-time monitoring; includes e-buses.
Run by private operators under government oversight; part of Seva Sankalp Abhiyan (17 Sep-17 Oct).
Way forward
Reliable rural-urban connectivity can widen access to markets, health and education; success hinges on route viability and safety compliance.
Concept
Road transport is largely a State subject; the state road transport corporation was wound up in 2005. The model mirrors PPP-based transport revival.
Bar charts of MP's bus-fleet target (351 now, 1,000 by March 2027, 15,000 by 2030-31) and route split (150 city, 450 intercity, 436 interstate). — StudyForGS
2. MP Cabinet clears sports complex in every seat, power & irrigation push
September 2026 marks four years of India's cheetah reintroduction - the world's first intercontinental big-cat translocation - begun at Kuno National Park.
Key facts
About 52 cheetahs on official record across Kuno and the new site.
Female cheetah 'CCB2' released at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary (Neemuch) on 20 September 2026.
Cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952; animals sourced from Namibia & South Africa.
Next proposed home: Nauradehi Sanctuary; MP is the only cheetah-bearing state.
Way forward
A second free-ranging population reduces single-site risk; long-term success needs an adequate prey base and coexistence with local communities.
Concept
MP is the 'Tiger State' (highest tiger count) with the largest forest cover; Kuno lies in the Chambal region.
Fact schematic of Project Cheetah at four years: about 52 cheetahs, two homes (Kuno and Gandhi Sagar), extinct in India in 1952, and CCB2 released on 20 September. — StudyForGS
4. Ladli Behna: ₹1,835 crore released in 40th monthly instalment
MP - a leading wheat producer and the top soybean state - is preparing Rabi 2026-27 wheat procurement, offering MSP plus a state bonus.
Key facts
Wheat procurement price set around ₹2,600/quintal (MSP plus state bonus).
MP is the 'Soybean State' and a major producer of Sharbati wheat and gram/pulses.
Procurement anchored by MSP and DBT payments to registered farmers.
The Narmada valley and Malwa plateau are the state's grain bowls.
Way forward
A bonus incentivises production but strains fiscal space; crop diversification can ease dependence on MSP-backed wheat.
Concept
MSP is recommended by the CACP; Sharbati wheat of the Sehore-Vidisha belt holds a GI tag.
Static-pointer tiles: MP as Tiger State (about 785 tigers), Soybean State, largest forest cover, only cheetah state, highest leopards, and Sharbati wheat (GI-tagged). — StudyForGS
6. Make in India turns 12: FDI, PLI and exports scale new highs
Launched on 25 September 2014, Make in India completed 12 years. PM Modi and Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted manufacturing gains.
Key facts
Cumulative FDI 2014-26: USD 843 billion; FY26 record inflow of USD 94.53 billion.
PLI schemes drew ₹2.40 lakh crore investment and ₹15.2 lakh crore exports; 14.6 lakh jobs.
ONDC crossed 470+ crore orders; focus sectors include electronics, pharma and autos.
Push for greenfield industrial smart cities under the NICDP.
Way forward
Deepening component manufacturing and R&D is vital to move from assembly to genuine value creation.
Concept
PLI ties incentives to incremental output/sales; FDI enters via the automatic or government route.
Bar chart of Make in India PLI impact (₹2.40 lakh cr investment, ₹15.2 lakh cr exports, ₹23.8 lakh cr production) with cumulative FDI USD 843 bn. — StudyForGS
7. India-New Zealand FTA to enter into force on 20 October 2026
IRMPPSC: Prelims + Mains GS-II (International Relations)
Syllabus linkage
Prelims - trade agreements; Mains GS-II IR and GS-III external sector.
Context
India and New Zealand concluded a Free Trade Agreement set to take effect 20 October 2026, deepening Indo-Pacific economic ties.
Key facts
India secures 100% duty-free access for its exports.
Target to double bilateral trade to about ₹35,000 crore within 5 years.
Expected to aid dairy, agriculture, pharma and services linkages.
Adds to India's widening FTA network (UAE, Australia, EFTA, UK).
Way forward
Sensitive dairy segments need calibrated safeguards; easier services mobility is a key Indian ask.
Concept
An FTA cuts tariffs on 'substantially all trade' under WTO Article XXIV.
Mind-map of the India-New Zealand FTA: in force 20 Oct 2026, 100% duty-free access, double trade to ₹35,000 cr within 5 years. — StudyForGS
8. SC Collegium confirms 12 additional High Court judges as permanent
Prelims - renewable energy; Mains GS-III energy security & manufacturing.
Context
A 7 GW N-type TOPCon solar cell facility was commissioned at Naidupeta, Andhra Pradesh - India's largest - boosting domestic solar manufacturing.
Key facts
Lifts the operator's capacity to 10.6 GW; capex about ₹3,293 crore.
Cuts import dependence, aiding the 500 GW non-fossil target for 2030.
TOPCon cells offer higher efficiency than standard PERC technology.
Supports PM Surya Ghar and domestic-content norms (ALMM).
Way forward
Scaling wafer and polysilicon making is the next step to a full domestic solar value chain.
Concept
MP hosts the Rewa and Agar solar parks; India targets 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030.
Data point of the day
Cumulative FDI into India, FY2014-15 to FY2025-26
USD 843 billion Marking 12 years of Make in India, with a record annual inflow of USD 94.53 billion in FY2025-26 and 14.6 lakh jobs created under PLI schemes.
Prelims rapid-fire
Nomadic Elephant: 18th India-Mongolia joint exercise began at Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand).
ZT Lalrithangi of Mizoram named in the FAO's '100 Women in Agrifood Systems' list.
Maruti Suzuki opened its first green-hydrogen electrolyser plant at Manesar (24 Sep).
Asian Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya): India's women's cricket team won gold, beating Sri Lanka by 147 runs.
Defence Ministry signed a ₹810.79 cr deal for 160 SAT-SAAW smart anti-airfield weapons.
Great Indian Bustard recorded breeding under a new drive; wild population under 150.
Practice MCQs — MPPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to Project Cheetah, consider the following statements: (1) Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952. (2) Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary is the second reintroduction site in Madhya Pradesh. (3) The cheetahs were sourced only from Australia. Which of the above are correct?
1 and 2 only
1 and 3 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A Cheetahs were brought from Namibia and South Africa, not Australia; hence statements 1 and 2 are correct while 3 is wrong.
Q2. The 'Mukhyamantri Sugam Parivahan Seva', launched in September 2026, is associated with which state?
Rajasthan
Madhya Pradesh
Chhattisgarh
Uttar Pradesh
Show answer
Answer: B It is Madhya Pradesh's revived public bus service, flagged off on 25 September 2026 after a 21-year gap.
Mains practice question
Q. 'Reviving public bus transport and building grassroots sports infrastructure reflect a shift toward service-delivery-led governance in Madhya Pradesh.' Discuss with recent examples. (250 words)
Hint / approach
Cover Sugam Parivahan Seva (351 buses, revival after 21 years), the constituency-level sports complexes, and DBT welfare such as Ladli Behna; link them to accessibility, employment and inclusive growth, and note fiscal-sustainability concerns.
📌 One-line revision: Sugam Parivahan (351 buses, after 21 yrs) - MP Cabinet: sports complex in every seat (₹960 cr) - Project Cheetah 4 yrs, CCB2 at Gandhi Sagar - Ladli Behna 40th (₹1,835 cr) - Make in India @12 (FDI USD 843 bn) - India-NZ FTA in force 20 Oct.
