Weekly at a glance
- Mon 21 Sep — Kuno cheetahs rise to 56 with 4 new cubs; MP Cabinet clears Rs 42,490 crore; 40th Ladli Behna instalment paid
All topics — key facts for revision
21 September 2026
Full notes with diagrams →MADHYA PRADESH Kuno cheetah tally hits 56 as India-born KGP12 births four cubs
- Kuno National Park lies in Sheopur district, MP; the 56 cheetahs comprise 53 at Kuno and 3 at Gandhi Sagar sanctuary.
- 36 of the 56 are India-born; Project Cheetah was launched on 17 September 2022 with 8 Namibian cheetahs; the animal was declared extinct in India in 1952.
- MP is the only 'Cheetah State' and also the 'Tiger State' with the country's largest forest cover by area.
- The cheetah is the world's fastest land animal, rated Vulnerable on the IUCN list; commercial trade is barred under CITES.
MADHYA PRADESH MP Cabinet clears Rs 42,490 crore for schools, irrigation and welfare
- Rs 36,006 crore for Samagra Shiksha (2026-27 to 2030-31); Rs 1,167 crore for 11 transport schemes; Rs 491 crore for horticulture and food processing.
- Irrigation: Chitawad project, Ujjain (Rs 1,846 cr, 65,000 ha on the Kshipra); Gaund, Singrauli (Rs 750 cr, 34,500 ha); Chanderi, Ashoknagar.
- Rs 2,220 crore interest-free loan to MARKFED for foodgrain credit repayment by 30 September 2026.
SOCIETY 40th Ladli Behna instalment: Rs 1,500 reaches over 1.25 crore women
- 1,25,22,542 women received Rs 1,500; the monthly outgo is roughly Rs 1,835 crore.
- August 2026 paid Rs 1,750 owing to a one-off Rs 250 Raksha Bandhan shagun; September reverts to the regular Rs 1,500.
- Launched in 2023, the scheme aims at women's economic self-reliance through direct cash transfer.
MADHYA PRADESH MP fast-tracks Simhastha-2028 works at Ujjain
- Simhastha-2028 is scheduled from 27 March to 27 May 2028; the 2026-27 Budget earmarked about Rs 2,000 crore for it.
- Ujjain hosts the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga and the Mahakal Lok corridor; the Simhastha recurs every 12 years.
- Works span roads, ghats, sanitation and a dedicated flower cluster for the crores of expected pilgrims.
MADHYA PRADESH Soybean and wheat anchor MP's MSP crop basket
- Soybean MSP 2026-27: Rs 5,708/quintal; MP is India's largest soybean producer, the 'Soybean State'.
- Gram (chana) Rs 5,875, wheat Rs 2,585, paddy Rs 2,441 per quintal; MP's Sharbati wheat carries a GI tag.
- MP procured close to 85 lakh MT of wheat at MSP in Rabi 2025-26; the 2026-27 state wheat price is Rs 2,600/quintal with bonus.
ECONOMY EPFO wage ceiling raised to Rs 25,000
- The EPS pension-contribution cap rises from Rs 1,250 to Rs 2,080.
- A higher ceiling brings more workers under mandatory PF and pension; the ceiling was last revised in 2014.
- EPFO functions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
REPORT Delhi tops the India Electric Mobility Index 2025
- Scores (of 100): Delhi 84, Maharashtra 78, Karnataka 73.
- The index assessed 36 States and UTs across 16 indicators.
- It rewards charging infrastructure, EV sales share and supportive policy.
ECONOMY GIFT City climbs to 37th in Global Financial Centres Index
- The top four are New York, London, Hong Kong and Singapore; 139 centres were ranked on 144 indicators.
- GIFT City hosts India's only IFSC, regulated by the IFSCA.
DEFENCE DRDO to field a 30 kW anti-drone laser weapon
- Final trials were completed in August 2025; an industry partner is to be selected within six months.
- Laser DEWs offer a very low cost-per-shot against low-cost drone swarms.
SCI-TECH Semicon Mission 2.0 gets Rs 1.27 lakh crore push
- Investor interest of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore has already been received.
- The five-year goal is automotive, power and appliance chips designed and manufactured in India.
IR US law clears up to 100% tariffs on Russian-oil buyers
- Russia made up over 51% of India's oil imports (July 2026); the US absorbs about 20% of India's goods exports.
- The tariff stacks on existing US duties on Indian goods.
Prelims rapid-fire — 6 facts
| Project Cheetah launch — 17 Sep 2022 at Kuno NP, Sheopur (MP) |
| MP's cheetah homes — Kuno (53) and Gandhi Sagar (3) — 56 total |
| Samagra Shiksha — Integrated school-education scheme, pre-primary to Class 12 |
| Sewa Divas (17 Sep) — EPFO wage ceiling raised to Rs 25,000 |
| IEMI 2025 topper — Delhi (score 84) — NITI Aayog + WRI India |
| Soybean MSP 2026-27 — Rs 5,708/quintal — MP is the 'Soybean State' |
Data points of the period
~85 lakh MT
MP wheat procurement at MSP (Rabi 2025-26)
Madhya Pradesh — the wheat bowl and India's 'Soybean State' — procured close to 85 lakh metric tonnes of wheat at MSP. The state's Rabi 2026-27 wheat price is set at Rs 2,600 per quintal (including bonus), while the Soybean MSP 2026-27 is Rs 5,708 per quintal.
Madhya Pradesh — the wheat bowl and India's 'Soybean State' — procured close to 85 lakh metric tonnes of wheat at MSP. The state's Rabi 2026-27 wheat price is set at Rs 2,600 per quintal (including bonus), while the Soybean MSP 2026-27 is Rs 5,708 per quintal.
2 practice MCQs — MPPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to Project Cheetah, consider the following statements: 1. It was launched at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district. 2. The first cheetahs were brought from Namibia. 3. Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary is the second cheetah site in Madhya Pradesh. 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. Project Cheetah began on 17 September 2022 at Kuno (Sheopur) with 8 Namibian cheetahs, and Gandhi Sagar sanctuary is the second cheetah home in MP.
All three are correct. Project Cheetah began on 17 September 2022 at Kuno (Sheopur) with 8 Namibian cheetahs, and Gandhi Sagar sanctuary is the second cheetah home in MP.
Q2. The Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana is associated with which state, and what is its regular monthly amount as of September 2026?
- Rajasthan; Rs 1,000
- Madhya Pradesh; Rs 1,500
- Madhya Pradesh; Rs 1,250
- Maharashtra; Rs 1,500
Show answer
Answer: B
It is a Madhya Pradesh scheme paying Rs 1,500 per month via DBT; the 40th instalment was released on 13 September 2026.
It is a Madhya Pradesh scheme paying Rs 1,500 per month via DBT; the 40th instalment was released on 13 September 2026.
Mains practice questions
- Project Cheetah has been described as both a conservation milestone and an ecological experiment. Critically examine its progress in Madhya Pradesh and the challenges that lie ahead. (250 words)
Preparing for Madhya Pradesh PSC (MPPSC)?
Read the daily edition every day at 3 PM, practise free MPPSC GK MCQs and track your syllabus micro-topic by micro-topic.