2 Nov – 8 Nov 202626 Oct – 1 Nov 202619 Oct – 25 Oct 202612 Oct – 18 Oct 20265 Oct – 11 Oct 202628 Sep – 4 Oct 202621 Sep – 27 Sep 202614 Sep – 20 Sep 20267 Sep – 13 Sep 202631 Aug – 6 Sep 2026
Weekly at a glance
- Mon 5 Oct — Ladli Behna aid rises to ₹1,500/month; Kuno cheetahs head to the open wild in phases; RBI MPC & Nobel-2026 week begin
- Tue 6 Oct — Cheetahs move to Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve on 7 Oct; Ladli Behna aid to rise to Rs 1,500; Nobel Medicine 2026 for optogenetics
- Wed 7 Oct — MP opens its 3rd cheetah home at Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve; RBI hikes repo to 5.50%; MPPSC to go twice-yearly from 2027.
- Thu 8 Oct — RBI hikes repo rate to 5.50%; CM Yadav courts investors in Mumbai for GIS 2027; 5 cheetah cubs born at Kuno take India's count to 60
- Fri 9 Oct — MPPSC goes twice-a-year as MP declares 'Youth Year 2027'; India's cheetahs reach 57 with Gandhi Sagar as 2nd home; 57th GST Council clears business reforms.
All topics — key facts for revision
5 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →MADHYA PRADESH Ladli Behna aid raised to ₹1,500 a month
- Monthly aid now ₹1,500, up from ₹1,250 (began at ₹1,000).
- Around 1.27 crore women beneficiaries across the state.
- Each instalment costs the exchequer about ₹2,148 crore.
- Paid by Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to bank accounts.
- More than 39 instalments disbursed since launch in 2023.
ENVIRONMENT Kuno cheetahs set for phased release into open wild
- Phased release into unfenced wild begins from late October.
- Kuno National Park (Sheopur) is India's first intercontinental cheetah site under Project Cheetah (since 2022).
- India-born cubs have boosted the population; fresh international translocations are being negotiated.
- Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary is being readied as a second home.
- MP is India's Tiger State and Leopard State, with the largest forest cover.
ECONOMY MP deepens investment push; intent tops ₹26.6 lakh crore
- Cumulative investment proposals of about ₹26.6 lakh crore under the GIS pipeline.
- Thrust sectors: renewable energy, mining & cement, manufacturing, urban/infra, IT & services.
- Regional Industry Conclaves held across divisions to spread industry beyond big cities.
- State offers capital subsidy, land and power incentives to anchor investors.
- Aim: convert intent into on-ground projects and jobs.
MADHYA PRADESH Soybean State backs farmers: MSP, bonus and Bhavantar
- Rabi wheat procurement price set at ₹2,625/quintal (MSP plus state bonus).
- MP is India's leading soybean producer — the 'Soybean State'.
- Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana extended to paddy growers to cover price gaps.
- Sharbati wheat of the Narmada belt is a prized GI-linked variety.
- Record registrations under MSP procurement portals.
SOCIETY Ujjain gears up for Simhastha Kumbh 2028
- Infrastructure build-out planned at around ₹25,000 crore.
- Authorities anticipate an enormous footfall of devotees over the mela period.
- Held on the banks of the Kshipra river at Ujjain, once every 12 years.
- Anchored by the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, a major Shaiva pilgrimage site.
- Focus on sanitation, river rejuvenation, transport and crowd safety.
ECONOMY RBI Monetary Policy review underway (5–7 October)
- Repo rate stands at 5.25%; decision due 7 October.
- RBI's FY27 real GDP growth projection around 6.7%.
- MPC has six members; inflation target 4% (±2%).
- Composite PMI near 56.5, signalling continued expansion.
- Forex reserves in the $747 billion range.
SCI-TECH 2026 Nobel Prize week opens with Medicine
- Medicine announced 5 Oct (3:00 pm IST); Physics 6 Oct; Chemistry 7 Oct.
- Literature 8 Oct; Peace 9 Oct; Economic Sciences 12 Oct.
- Instituted under the will of Alfred Nobel; first awarded 1901.
- Medicine, Physics, Chemistry & Literature chosen by Swedish institutions.
- The Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway.
ECONOMY Export schemes RoDTEP & RoSCTL extended to 31 Dec 2026
- RoDTEP and RoSCTL extended up to 31 December 2026.
- RoDTEP refunds embedded duties and taxes not otherwise rebated.
- RoSCTL supports the apparel and made-ups (textile) sector.
- Aim: keep exports WTO-compliant and price-competitive.
- FY27 goods-plus-services exports targeted near $1 trillion.
SOCIETY India finish Asian Games 2026 fourth with 85 medals
- Total 85 medals — 21 gold, 27 silver, 37 bronze; 4th overall.
- Second-best Asian Games haul ever (after 106 in 2023).
- Men's & women's hockey both struck gold (historic double).
- Cricket (men & women) and kabaddi (men & women) won gold.
- China topped the table with 169 golds.
POLITY GST Council to weigh 'GST 2.0' compliance reforms
- Agenda: simpler registration, easier e-commerce cross-state operations.
- GST Council is a constitutional body under Article 279A.
- Chaired by the Union Finance Minister with state FMs.
- Decisions by a three-fourths weighted majority.
- Goal: cut low-value tax disputes and compliance burden.
SCI-TECH PRIP 'New Discovery Track' boosts pharma research
- Funding up to ₹50 crore per project.
- Applicants provide 25% co-funding.
- First call approved 41 projects worth about ₹1,600 crore.
- PRIP = Promotion of Research & Innovation in Pharma MedTech.
- Aims to cut import dependence and build an R&D ecosystem.
6 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →MADHYA PRADESH Cheetahs to roar at Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve
- The reserve spans about 2,340 sq km - MP's largest tiger reserve, with grasslands suited to cheetahs.
- A 439-hectare soft-release enclosure with five compartments and power fencing will house them first.
- The Cheetah Steering Committee cleared shifting four cheetahs to Nauradehi.
- Project Cheetah began at Kuno in September 2022; MP is India's only cheetah-bearing state (~57 cheetahs).
MADHYA PRADESH Ladli Behna aid set to rise to Rs 1,500 after Diwali
- Reaches about 1.27 crore women through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
- Launched in 2023; eligible women aged 21-60.
- The stated long-term target is Rs 3,000 per month.
- It is MP's largest women's cash-transfer scheme.
ENVIRONMENT MP deepens its big-cat network - now 9 tiger reserves
- MP has 9 tiger reserves and is both the Tiger State and the Leopard State.
- Corridor work spans the Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna and Pench landscapes.
- Four cheetah cubs were born at Kuno in April 2026 - the first wild litter to an Indian-born female.
- A new Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Sanctuary (258.64 sq km) and a Tapti conservation reserve are planned.
POLITY MP Cabinet clears Rs 10,630 crore development package
- 12 major roads: a Rs 4,600 crore loan guarantee; the Seoni-Balaghat 4-lane (91.64 km) at Rs 3,960 crore.
- 19 welfare schemes for weaker sections: Rs 1,740 crore (2026-31).
- Dhanvantari Health University, Ujjain - 244 new posts.
- A state cyber-security operations centre: Rs 80 crore.
ECONOMY MP sharpens its investment push ahead of GIS-2027
- The Ujjain regional conclave drew proposals worth about Rs 30,402 crore.
- An 8-region conclave model spreads industry beyond the big cities.
- Vision: a Rs 2,486 lakh crore GSDP by 2047-48.
- Thrust areas: Rewa solar, pumped hydro, startups and logistics.
ECONOMY MP farm economy: wheat procured near Rs 2,625 a quintal
- MP is the Soybean State - India's leading soybean producer.
- It is a top producer of wheat (including the Sharbati GI), gram and pulses.
- The Narmada valley anchors much of the state's irrigated farming.
- Record wheat procurement underscores MP's grain-bowl role.
POLITY SC seeks the EC's reply on Form 6 voter-roll changes
- Form 6 is the voter-registration form under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960.
- The changes were made without adequate parliamentary consultation.
- They are linked to concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of rolls.
- The case highlights the judiciary-executive boundary on electoral administration.
SCI-TECH Nobel Prize in Medicine 2026 goes to optogenetics
- It uses light-sensitive proteins (opsins) sourced from algae and bacteria.
- It enables causal study of brain circuits, not just correlation.
- Applications: Parkinson's, memory and fear circuits, and vision restoration.
- It is a model of cross-disciplinary basic research.
IR India and Switzerland deepen defence and nuclear ties
- EFTA comprises Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
- The TEPA targets $100 billion of investment over 15 years (around 1 million jobs).
- Focus areas: precision engineering, dual-use technology and nuclear power.
- It diversifies India's civil-nuclear and defence partners.
ENVIRONMENT SC declines to stay the Great Nicobar mega project
- Concerns include coral reefs, leatherback turtle nesting and a fragile island ecology.
- The rights of the Shompen and Nicobarese tribes are at stake.
- Questions remain on Forest Rights Act compliance.
- Strategic value does not bypass environmental due process.
ECONOMY SEBI eases its new derivative settlement rules
- The original tightening aimed to curb retail speculation in index options.
- The settlement changes created operational mismatches.
- Industry consultation revealed unintended effects.
- It reflects a regulatory agility-versus-stability trade-off.
7 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →MADHYA PRADESH MP Opens Third Cheetah Home: Tholo & CCB-3 Released at Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve
- Veerangana Durgavati (Nauradehi) is MP's largest tiger reserve at 2,339 sq km across Sagar, Damoh & Narsinghpur; notified a tiger reserve in September 2023.
- Cheetahs were settled in ~439-hectare soft-release bomas (enclosures) before wild release.
- India's cheetah population reached 60 by 5 October 2026, of which 41 were born on Indian soil; 54 remain at Kuno and 4 at Gandhi Sagar.
- MP now hosts 3 cheetah sites, Kuno, Gandhi Sagar WLS and Veerangana Durgavati, cementing its tags 'Tiger State' and 'Cheetah State'.
- The release is aimed at boosting Bundelkhand wildlife tourism and local livelihoods.
MADHYA PRADESH CM Youth Conclave 2026: MPPSC to Be Held Twice a Year from 2027, Big Youth-Jobs Push
- MPPSC exam to be conducted twice a year from 2027 to widen aspirant opportunities.
- Free competitive-exam coaching through government colleges statewide.
- Research stipend raised Rs 16,000 to Rs 25,000/month; a Rs 5 crore innovation fund announced.
- 12 new medical colleges and 12 skill-focused universities; Rs 5 lakh subsidy for young entrepreneurs; an 'AI City' planned in Bhopal.
- A stadium in every assembly constituency; sports made a 2027 priority after recent Asian Games medals.
MADHYA PRADESH Ladli Behna Payout Continues at Rs 1,500/Month via Direct Benefit Transfer
- Monthly cash support stepped up from Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,500 per beneficiary.
- Paid through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) straight into women's bank accounts, cutting leakage.
- Targets roughly 1.2 crore+ women, among India's largest state cash-transfer programmes.
- Sits in a cluster with Ladli Laxmi Yojana and subsidised cooking-gas cylinders for women.
MADHYA PRADESH Madhya Pradesh Travel Mart 2026 Opens in Bhopal (7-10 Oct), Showcasing Tiger & Heritage Tourism
- Pitches MP's 'Tiger State' wildlife, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Panna & Satpura, plus new cheetah tourism.
- Showcases UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Khajuraho, Sanchi Stupa and Bhimbetka rock shelters.
- Promotes spiritual tourism, especially Ujjain's Mahakal Lok, ahead of Simhastha 2028.
- FAM (familiarisation) tours route buyers via Bhopal-Pachmarhi-Bhimbetka-Sanchi and Gwalior.
MADHYA PRADESH Kharif Procurement: Soybean MSP at Rs 5,708/Quintal; MP the 'Soybean State' Gears Up
- Soybean (yellow) MSP 2026-27 = Rs 5,708/quintal, up Rs 380 (+7.1%) from Rs 5,328.
- MP leads India in soybean output, which is why it is called the 'Soybean State'.
- MSP procurement in MP is scheduled to begin around 25 October 2026 at designated centres.
- MP is also a top producer of wheat (incl. Sharbati) and gram/pulses; the Narmada valley is its agri heartland.
MADHYA PRADESH Simhastha 2028: MP Fast-Tracks Ujjain Kumbh Infrastructure with AI-Led Crowd Management
- Simhastha (Ujjain Kumbh) is held every 12 years on the banks of the Shipra (Kshipra) river.
- Ujjain is one of the four Kumbh cities (with Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik) and home to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga / Mahakal Lok.
- State is clearing road, ghat, sanitation and crowd-tech projects; AI tools planned for safety and flow.
- Positioned as a global spiritual-tourism showcase for MP.
ECONOMY RBI Hikes Repo Rate to 5.50%, Shifts to 'Calibrated Tightening'
- Repo rate raised 5.25% to 5.50% (+25 bps), by a unanimous vote.
- SDF at 5.25%, MSF and Bank Rate at 5.75%; stance now 'calibrated tightening'.
- Governor Sanjay Malhotra: near-term rate cuts are 'off the table'.
- FY27 real GDP growth projected at 7.1%; CPI inflation at 5.2%.
- RBI to set up a technical consultative committee for financial markets.
IR India-EFTA TEPA Turns One; India-Switzerland Deepen Trade and Mobility Ties
- EFTA = Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland (non-EU bloc).
- TEPA targets USD 100 billion investment over 15 years and about 1 million direct jobs in India.
- India-EFTA trade was about USD 24.4 billion in 2024-25, of which Switzerland was ~USD 23.3 billion.
- A Young Professionals pact allows about 300 a year, expandable to 500.
DEFENCE India Launches First Indigenous Fleet Support Ship 'INS Surya' at Visakhapatnam
- First of 5 Fleet Support Ships under a Rs 19,000-crore contract; 82% indigenous content.
- Carries about 20,000 tonnes of diesel and 2,500 tonnes of aviation fuel for at-sea replenishment.
- Replaces the ageing INS Deepak and INS Shakti, extending fleet endurance.
- Advances the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' push in warship-building.
SCI-TECH National Supercomputing Mission Crosses 40 Systems, 68 Petaflops with Indigenous PARAM Rudra
- NSM target is 50 systems / 123+ petaflops; 40 deployed so far at 68 PF.
- Indigenous 'Rudra' servers, interconnect, cooling and software stack.
- PARAM Rudra systems installed in Pune, Delhi and Kolkata.
- Supports 16,000+ researchers across 400+ institutions; over 1.5 crore compute jobs run.
SCI-TECH India's First 3D-Printed Rural Homes Pilot Launched Under PMAY-G
- 177 houses to be 3D-printed (100 at Burripalem, 77 at Pothuru) in about 6 months.
- Project outlay Rs 13.93 crore, with faster builds than conventional masonry.
- PMAY-G standard assistance is about Rs 1.2-1.3 lakh per house.
- Showcases construction-tech for mass affordable housing.
8 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →MADHYA PRADESH CM Yadav's Mumbai roadshow builds momentum for Global Investors Summit 2027
- Focus sectors: pharma, medical devices, auto components, electronics, textiles, chemicals, energy tech; a pharma round-table was held.
- Flagship offers showcased: Asia's first telecom manufacturing zone (Gwalior), a renewable-energy equipment zone at Babai-Mohsa (Narmadapuram), PM MITRA textile park, Dhar and a medical devices park, Ujjain.
- Investment proposals of over ₹5,500 crore already received for the Gwalior telecom zone; bhoomi pujan on 12 October 2026.
- Incentive pitched: land at ₹1 per sq ft in notified manufacturing zones and parks, plus subsidies.
MADHYA PRADESH Project Cheetah milestone: five cubs at Kuno lift India's count to 60
- Of the 60 cheetahs, 41 are India-born; the rest were translocated.
- The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952; Project Cheetah began in September 2022 with translocation from Namibia (later South Africa).
- Kuno National Park lies in the Chambal region; Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is the planned second cheetah home.
- MP is already India's 'Tiger State' with the highest tiger numbers and the largest forest cover by area.
MADHYA PRADESH Ladli Behna Yojana: 40th monthly instalment transfers ₹1,835 crore
- ₹1,835 crore transferred to 1.25 crore (1,25,10,150) eligible women.
- Each eligible woman receives ₹1,500 per month; the amount rose from ₹1,000 (2023) to ₹1,250 and then ₹1,500.
- Cumulative transfers have crossed ₹65,000 crore since June 2023.
- FY 2026-27 budget provision for the scheme is about ₹23,882 crore.
MADHYA PRADESH Mandla: ₹36 crore tendu patta bonus for 9 lakh forest-produce collectors
- ₹36.17 crore bonus distributed to 9,04,126 tendu leaf collectors.
- An additional ₹26.57 crore in timber dividend paid to members of 84 forest committees.
- Covered divisions include Mandla, Dindori, Jabalpur, Seoni and Balaghat.
- MP has India's largest tribal population; tendu leaf (bidi leaf) is a key minor forest produce.
MADHYA PRADESH MP targets 100+ lakh hectares of irrigation in five years
- Target: raise irrigated area to over 100 lakh hectares in five years.
- Push for the Karwani Lift Irrigation Project and 10 hours of daytime power for farmers.
- State to undertake welfare and development works worth about ₹1 lakh crore this year.
- MP is the 'Soybean State' and a leading wheat (incl. Sharbati), gram and pulses producer; rivers: Narmada, Chambal, Betwa, Tapti, Son.
MADHYA PRADESH Simhastha 2028: ₹491 crore of fresh projects cleared for Ujjain region
- 17 new projects worth ₹491.66 crore approved; about 148 ongoing projects worth ₹16,910 crore under way.
- Includes ₹160 crore redevelopment of the Omkareshwar temple complex and phased Shipra ghat works.
- Simhastha (Ujjain Kumbh) is held roughly every 12 years; Ujjain hosts the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga.
- Other MP heritage: Khajuraho, Sanchi, Bhimbetka (all UNESCO sites).
POLITY Supreme Court sets aside 50 Punjab municipal wards; orders fresh polls
- Wards affected: 28 in Patiala and 22 in Moga; the original polls were held in December 2024.
- Commission found damaged nomination papers and threats to candidates.
- Bench led by CJI Surya Kant; a monitoring committee under a retired High Court judge to be set up.
- Upholds the sanctity of free and fair local-body elections.
ECONOMY Union Cabinet approves ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund
- Aims to give growth equity, not just debt, to promising SMEs.
- Small enterprise: investment up to ₹25 cr, turnover up to ₹100 cr.
- Medium enterprise: investment up to ₹125 cr, turnover up to ₹500 cr.
- Addresses the 'missing middle' financing gap in Indian manufacturing.
ECONOMY Cabinet clears Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA)
- ITLA to handle integrated planning, project appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment.
- Complements PM GatiShakti and the National Logistics Policy (2022).
- To support a National Transport Master Plan.
- Targets India's high logistics cost (aiming to cut it towards global levels).
SCI-TECH Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 awarded for asymmetric synthesis
- Recognises advances in making single-'handed' (chiral) molecules.
- Crucial for pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, where one mirror-image form may be active.
- Awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
- Soai reaction is famed for asymmetric autocatalysis.
ENVIRONMENT WWF Living Planet Report 2026: 73% average decline in wildlife
- Based on 35,803 population trends across 5,790 species.
- Freshwater populations fell about 85% on average.
- Latin America saw the steepest regional decline.
- The 73% figure is an index-based average, not a count of animals lost.
9 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →MADHYA PRADESH MP to hold MPPSC exam TWICE a year; 2027 declared 'Youth Year'
- MPPSC to hold a special exam + the annual exam = 2 exams/year from 2027 (MP claims a national first)
- 12 new general universities, 12 medical colleges & 12 skill universities announced
- Research fellowship raised ₹16,000 → ₹25,000/month + ₹1 crore research fund
- ₹5 crore startup idea fund; AI & advanced-computing labs in all govt colleges
- 1 lakh+ youth under Kaushal Unnayan; Gaon ki Beti & Pratibha Kiran extended to PG
MADHYA PRADESH Ladli Behna Yojana extended to 2030 with ₹1.14 lakh crore outlay
- ₹1.14 lakh crore outlay approved (continued to 2030)
- ~1.27 crore women beneficiaries; ₹1,500/month via DBT
- Eligible age band 23–60 years
- Complements Ladli Laxmi, Gaon ki Beti & Pratibha Kiran
ENVIRONMENT India's cheetahs reach 57; Gandhi Sagar emerges as 2nd home
- 57 cheetahs in India; Kuno NP ~54 (17 free-ranging + 37 in soft bomas)
- Gandhi Sagar WS (Mandsaur) now holds 3 cheetahs
- 9 cheetahs (6F/3M) arrived from Botswana in Feb 2026
- World's first intercontinental big-cat translocation (since Sept 2022)
MADHYA PRADESH MP, the 'Soybean State', backs farmers with MSP + Bhavantar
- MP produces ~45% of India's soybean (largest producer)
- Record wheat procurement at MSP (₹2,625/quintal incl. bonus)
- Sharbati wheat & Chinnor rice carry GI tags
- Bhavantar pays the gap between MSP & market price
SOCIETY Bonus for 21 lakh tendu-patta collectors; tribal welfare push
- Bonus for ~21 lakh tendu-patta collectors
- ₹460 crore+ development works for Mandla district
- MP has India's largest tribal (ST) population
- PESA implemented via MP PESA Rules 2022; tendu = key MFP
ENVIRONMENT MP stays India's 'Tiger State' with the largest forest cover
- 785 tigers (2022) – highest of any state; also No.1 in leopards
- ~77,700 sq km forest cover – largest in India
- 9 tiger reserves incl. Veerangana Durgavati (2023)
- Reserves: Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, Panna, Satpura, Sanjay-Dubri
ECONOMY 57th GST Council clears business process reforms
- Faster ITC refunds for the inverted duty structure
- GST Council = Art. 279A (101st Amendment, 2016), chaired by Union FM
- Decisions need 3/4 weighted votes (Centre 1/3, States 2/3)
- Recommendations are persuasive, not binding (Mohit Minerals, 2022)
ECONOMY RBI holds repo rate at 5.5%; inflation view eased
- Repo rate held at 5.5%
- Flexible inflation target 4% ±2% (CPI), under Sec 45ZA, RBI Act
- MPC = 6 members (3 RBI + 3 government-nominated)
- 'Failure' = CPI outside 2–6% for 3 straight quarters (Sec 45ZN)
REPORT FAO Food Price Index climbs to 136 – a near-4-year high
- Index 136 (2014–16 = 100)
- Vegetable-oil sub-index at 198.6
- Five sub-indices: cereals, veg oils, dairy, meat, sugar
- FAO headquartered in Rome; signals imported food-inflation pressure
ENVIRONMENT Living Planet Report 2026: 73% wildlife decline since 1970
- Living Planet Index: 73% average decline in monitored vertebrate populations (1970–2022)
- Based on 35,803 populations of 5,790 species
- Freshwater populations fell 85%
- Published biennially by WWF with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL)
DEFENCE Indian Coast Guard conducts SAREX-2026 off Paradip
- SAREX-2026 = 12th National Maritime SAR Exercise
- ICG constituted under the Coast Guard Act, 1978 (Ministry of Defence)
- Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres: Mumbai, Chennai, Port Blair
- Tests multi-agency search-and-rescue readiness
Prelims rapid-fire — 30 facts
| World Teachers' Day is observed on 5 October. |
| National Wildlife Week runs 2–8 October (70th edition). |
| RBI repo rate currently stands at 5.25%. |
| MP's Rabi wheat procurement price: ₹2,625/quintal. |
| Kuno National Park lies in Sheopur district, MP. |
| India won 21 gold among 85 medals at Asian Games 2026. |
| MP's third cheetah home is the Veerangana Durgavati (Nauradehi) Tiger Reserve (~2,340 sq km). |
| Project Cheetah began at Kuno National Park (Sheopur) in September 2022. |
| Ladli Behna aid is set to rise Rs 1,250 to Rs 1,500 after Diwali 2026 (target Rs 3,000). |
| Nobel Medicine 2026: optogenetics - controlling neurons with light. |
| India-EFTA TEPA: $100 bn over 15 years; EFTA = Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein. |
| Form 6 (voter registration) is prescribed under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. |
| India's cheetah count: 60 (41 India-born) as of 5 October 2026. |
| Veerangana Durgavati (Nauradehi) is MP's largest tiger reserve, 2,339 sq km. |
| Policy rates: Repo 5.50%, SDF 5.25%, MSF & Bank Rate 5.75%. |
| EFTA members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland. |
| INS Surya built at Hindustan Shipyard, Visakhapatnam; 82% indigenous. |
| MP research stipend raised from Rs 16,000 to Rs 25,000 per month. |
| Project Cheetah began Sept 2022; cheetah declared extinct in India in 1952; count now 60. |
| RBI corridor: Repo 5.50%, SDF 5.25%, MSF/Bank rate 5.75%, CRR 3%. |
| Kuno National Park is in MP's Chambal region; Gandhi Sagar is the second cheetah site. |
| Ladli Behna: ₹1,500/month to 1.25 crore women; 40 instalments since June 2023. |
| MP superlatives: Tiger State, Soybean State, largest forest cover by area. |
| Nobel Chemistry 2026: Kagan & Soai — asymmetric synthesis / chirality. |
| Gandhi Sagar WS is in which MP district? → Mandsaur |
| FAO Food Price Index base period? → 2014–16 = 100 |
| GST Council is under which Article? → Art. 279A |
| MP's research fellowship raised to? → ₹25,000/month |
| Botswana cheetahs reached Kuno in? → February 2026 |
| RBI's flexible inflation target band? → 4% ± 2% (CPI) |
Data points of the period
₹2,625 / quintal
MP Rabi wheat procurement price
MSP plus state bonus for Rabi 2026-27 — part of why MP posts record MSP procurement as a top wheat state.
MSP plus state bonus for Rabi 2026-27 — part of why MP posts record MSP procurement as a top wheat state.
Rs 1,835 crore
Ladli Behna - 40th instalment outlay
Transferred to about 1.27 crore women across MP in a single monthly instalment (Sep 2026) - a measure of the scheme's fiscal weight.
Transferred to about 1.27 crore women across MP in a single monthly instalment (Sep 2026) - a measure of the scheme's fiscal weight.
5.50%
RBI Repo Rate
Hiked +25 bps on 7 Oct 2026; stance now 'calibrated tightening'. FY27 projections: real GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%.
Hiked +25 bps on 7 Oct 2026; stance now 'calibrated tightening'. FY27 projections: real GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2%.
5.50%
RBI Repo Rate (after +25 bps hike, 7 Oct 2026)
First rate hike of the cycle; stance shifted to calibrated tightening. FY27 projections: GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2% (core 4.4%). SDF 5.25%, MSF/Bank rate 5.75%, CRR 3%. Trigger: CPI rose to 4.8% (Aug) and crude averaged $116/bbl (Sept).
First rate hike of the cycle; stance shifted to calibrated tightening. FY27 projections: GDP 7.1%, CPI 5.2% (core 4.4%). SDF 5.25%, MSF/Bank rate 5.75%, CRR 3%. Trigger: CPI rose to 4.8% (Aug) and crude averaged $116/bbl (Sept).
~45%
MP's share of India's soybean output
Madhya Pradesh is India's largest soybean producer – the 'Soybean State' – aided by its black-cotton soil and the Narmada valley.
Madhya Pradesh is India's largest soybean producer – the 'Soybean State' – aided by its black-cotton soil and the Narmada valley.
10 practice MCQs — MPPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to the Ladli Behna Yojana of Madhya Pradesh, consider the following: 1. The monthly benefit has been raised to ₹1,500. 2. Payments are made through Direct Benefit Transfer. 3. It is a scheme for senior citizens only. Which of the statements is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
The monthly aid steps up to ₹1,500 and is paid by DBT to women beneficiaries, not senior citizens; hence 1 and 2 only.
The monthly aid steps up to ₹1,500 and is paid by DBT to women beneficiaries, not senior citizens; hence 1 and 2 only.
Q2. Project Cheetah, often in the news, is primarily associated with which national park?
- Kanha National Park
- Kuno National Park
- Bandhavgarh National Park
- Panna National Park
Show answer
Answer: B
Project Cheetah reintroduced cheetahs at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district, Madhya Pradesh, from 2022; Gandhi Sagar is being readied as a second site.
Project Cheetah reintroduced cheetahs at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district, Madhya Pradesh, from 2022; Gandhi Sagar is being readied as a second site.
Q3. With reference to Project Cheetah, consider these statements: (1) Cheetahs were reintroduced in India at Kuno National Park in 2022. (2) Madhya Pradesh is currently the only Indian state with a cheetah population. (3) Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve is MP's third cheetah habitat. Which of the statements 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 hosted the 2022 reintroduction, MP is the only cheetah-bearing state, and Veerangana Durgavati is the third home after Kuno and Gandhi Sagar.
All three are correct: Kuno hosted the 2022 reintroduction, MP is the only cheetah-bearing state, and Veerangana Durgavati is the third home after Kuno and Gandhi Sagar.
Q4. The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) targets an investment of ____ in India over 15 years.
- $50 billion
- $100 billion
- $150 billion
- $200 billion
Show answer
Answer: B
TEPA commits EFTA to about $100 billion of investment over 15 years, with a target of around 1 million jobs. EFTA members are Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
TEPA commits EFTA to about $100 billion of investment over 15 years, with a target of around 1 million jobs. EFTA members are Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Q5. With reference to Project Cheetah, consider the following statements: (1) Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve is the third cheetah habitat in Madhya Pradesh. (2) The reserve was earlier known as Nauradehi. (3) The two cheetahs released on 7 October 2026 were translocated from Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary. Which of the statements are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong, the cheetahs (Tholo and CCB-3) were translocated from Kuno National Park, not Gandhi Sagar.
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong, the cheetahs (Tholo and CCB-3) were translocated from Kuno National Park, not Gandhi Sagar.
Q6. Which of the following about the RBI Monetary Policy decision of October 2026 is/are correct? (1) The repo rate was raised to 5.50%. (2) The policy stance was changed to 'calibrated tightening'. (3) The Monetary Policy Committee has six members.
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
All three are correct. The repo rate was raised 25 bps to 5.50%, the stance moved to 'calibrated tightening', and the MPC has six members (three from the RBI and three appointed by the Government).
All three are correct. The repo rate was raised 25 bps to 5.50%, the stance moved to 'calibrated tightening', and the MPC has six members (three from the RBI and three appointed by the Government).
Q7. With reference to Project Cheetah, consider the following statements: 1. Cheetahs were reintroduced at Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. 2. The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. 3. The first translocated cheetahs were brought from Australia. 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: A
Cheetahs were brought from Namibia (and later South Africa), not Australia, so statement 3 is wrong. Statements 1 and 2 are correct.
Cheetahs were brought from Namibia (and later South Africa), not Australia, so statement 3 is wrong. Statements 1 and 2 are correct.
Q8. Consider the following about the RBI's monetary policy: 1. A 'calibrated tightening' stance generally rules out rate cuts in the near term. 2. The repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends to commercial banks against government securities. Which of the statements is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: C
Both are correct. Under calibrated tightening the RBI moves rates up or holds, not cuts; the repo rate is the overnight lending rate against G-secs.
Both are correct. Under calibrated tightening the RBI moves rates up or holds, not cuts; the repo rate is the overnight lending rate against G-secs.
Q9. With reference to Project Cheetah, consider the following: 1. Gandhi Sagar WS, the second cheetah site, is in Rajasthan. 2. Cheetahs were brought from Botswana in 2026. 3. Kuno National Park is in Madhya Pradesh. 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: B
Gandhi Sagar WS is in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh (not Rajasthan). Botswana cheetahs arrived Feb 2026; Kuno NP is in MP (Sheopur). Hence 2 and 3 only.
Gandhi Sagar WS is in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh (not Rajasthan). Botswana cheetahs arrived Feb 2026; Kuno NP is in MP (Sheopur). Hence 2 and 3 only.
Q10. With reference to the GST Council, consider the following: 1. It is established under Article 279A. 2. It is chaired by the RBI Governor. 3. Its recommendations are binding on states. Which is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
Show answer
Answer: A
It is a constitutional body under Art. 279A (correct). It is chaired by the Union Finance Minister, not the RBI Governor, and its recommendations are persuasive, not binding (Mohit Minerals, 2022).
It is a constitutional body under Art. 279A (correct). It is chaired by the Union Finance Minister, not the RBI Governor, and its recommendations are persuasive, not binding (Mohit Minerals, 2022).
Mains practice questions
- Madhya Pradesh has positioned itself as India's 'Tiger State' and the home of Project Cheetah. Examine the ecological and economic significance of such wildlife reintroduction and conservation programmes for the state. (250 words)
- Madhya Pradesh is emerging as the hub of India's big-cat conservation. Discuss the state's tiger and cheetah initiatives and the challenges of building a viable cheetah metapopulation. (GS-III, ~250 words)
- Madhya Pradesh is emerging as India's wildlife-tourism capital. Examine how initiatives such as Project Cheetah and the state's tiger reserves can be leveraged for inclusive local development while ensuring ecological balance. (250 words, 15 marks)
- Madhya Pradesh's bid to become a leading investment destination rests on dedicated industrial zones and parks. Discuss the opportunities and challenges, with reference to the Global Investors Summit 2027.
- Madhya Pradesh has leveraged its natural endowments to become India's 'Tiger State' and 'Soybean State'. Discuss how conservation and agriculture together shape the state's development model.
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