UKPSC Current Affairs 29 October 2026 — Uttarakhand

The two-day third session of the Uttarakhand Assembly at Bhararisain (Gairsain) ended sine die after passing a ₹7,844.18 crore supplementary budget, which takes the 2026-27 budget to ₹1,19,547.39 crore, along with nine Bills including a new fire-safety law and a minority-education amendment. Kedarnath received fresh snow ahead of its 11 November closing, while the Union Cabinet approved the PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (₹7,395.55 crore) and the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (₹10,000 crore); India and Mexico also launched PTA talks.

Today at a glance — things to remember

Uttarakhand supplementary budget ₹7,844.18 cr; capex share 53.1%.
State budget 2026-27 now ₹1,19,547.39 cr (was ₹1,11,703.21 cr).
Local bodies' share in state tax raised 10.5% → 12.5% (6th SFC).
New Fire Services & Emergency Services Bill, 2026 replaces 2016 Act.
CM laid/inaugurated 12 projects (₹231.91 cr) at Gairsain.
Kedarnath: 18.53 lakh pilgrims; kapat close 11 Nov (Bhai Dooj).
PM-VGSY: ₹7,395.55 cr for 2.55 lakh Panchayats (2026-31).
CMPS: ₹10,000 cr; container output to 7.5 lakh TEU.
India-Mexico sign ToR for PTA in Mexico City.
NVS-03 on GSLV-F18 on 30 Oct to restore NavIC.

Detailed notes

1. Gairsain session passes ₹7,844.18 crore supplementary budget; capex gets the lion's share

UTTARAKHANDUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (Geography & Economy — Uttarakhand)

Syllabus linkage	Uttarakhand economy, state finances & budgeting; Prelims: Gairsain = summer capital, State Finance Commission (Art. 243-I/243-Y).
Context	The Assembly's two-day session at Bhararisain (Gairsain) passed the supplementary demands on 28 October amid Opposition protests and was adjourned sine die.
Key facts	Supplementary: ₹7,844.18 cr = revenue ₹3,679.86 cr + capital ₹4,164.32 cr. Total 2026-27 budget: ₹1,11,703.21 cr → ₹1,19,547.39 cr. Local bodies' share in state taxes: 10.5% → 12.5% (6th SFC); ₹721 cr to ULBs/PRIs. Farmers: ₹1,100 cr paddy-wheat procurement; ₹290 cr for Divya Kumbh; ₹122 cr Gairsain water dam. Supplementary size up 5.8x since Dec 2021; capex share 13.7% → 53.1%.
Way forward	Shift towards capital spending must be matched by timely utilisation and debt discipline under the amended FRBM law.
Concept	Supplementary grant (Art. 205): sought when sanctioned funds fall short in a year; passed via a fresh Appropriation Bill (Art. 204).

Grouped bar chart comparing Uttarakhand supplementary budget in December 2021 and October 2026 by revenue and capital expenditure, with capex share rising from 13.7% to 53.1%. — StudyForGS

2. Nine Bills cleared: new fire-safety law, minority-education curbs, Jan Vishwas decriminalisation

UTTARAKHANDUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (Polity & Governance — Uttarakhand)

Syllabus linkage	State legislature & law-making; ease of doing business; disaster safety; Prelims: voice vote, ordinance (Art. 213).
Context	Along with the budget, nine Bills were passed by voice vote; two ordinances were also tabled.
Key facts	Fire Services & Emergency Services Bill, 2026 replaces the 2016 Act; fire NOC mandatory (e.g. hotels/homestays/schools ≥9 m or >500 sq m). Fire-safety lapses: sealing, fine of ₹10/sq m or up to 1.5x equipment cost; deaths → action under BNS. Minority Education (Amendment) Bill: unauthorised religious teaching → sealing, fine up to ₹5 lakh, receiver, FIR. Jan Vishwas (Second) Bill: jail terms cut, fines raised (e.g. Fisheries Act 3 yrs → 2 months). Others: Irrigation & Drainage, FRBM, GST, Private Universities, Civil Laws amendments.
Way forward	Bills passed without debate weaken scrutiny; committee referral and pre-legislative consultation can improve quality.
Concept	Jan Vishwas approach = decriminalising minor offences (jail → monetary penalty) to cut compliance burden; Centre's first Act came in 2023.

Mind-map of the nine Bills passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly at Gairsain grouped into finance, governance, safety and education themes. — StudyForGS

3. ₹231.91 crore for Chamoli: Ramganga drinking-water dam and Karnaprayag land-subsidence works

UTTARAKHANDUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (Geography & Economy — Uttarakhand)

Syllabus linkage	Hill-area development, disaster risk reduction; Prelims: Ramganga origin (Dudhatoli), Karnaprayag = Alaknanda-Pindar confluence.
Context	On 28 October, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami laid foundation stones for 6 and inaugurated 6 projects at Gairsain in Chamoli district.
Key facts	Total 12 projects ₹231.91 cr: foundation ₹197.87 cr, inaugurated ₹34.04 cr. Ramganga river dam for Gairsain drinking water: ₹122.69 cr. Land-subsidence protection, Bahuguna Nagar (Karnaprayag): ₹50.19 cr. Also: Govt Polytechnic Gairsain (₹12.17 cr), fire unit and police station buildings.
Way forward	Subsidence-prone towns (Joshimath, Karnaprayag) need carrying-capacity studies, drainage plans and strict building bylaws.
Concept	Land subsidence = gradual sinking of ground due to loose moraine/debris slopes, poor drainage, toe-cutting and load; Joshimath (2023) is the key case.

Schematic district map of Uttarakhand showing Garhwal and Kumaon divisions with markers at Gairsain, Karnaprayag, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Mana Pass-Auli, Gunji and Udham Singh Nagar. — StudyForGS

4. Fresh snow at Kedarnath; season count crosses 18.53 lakh ahead of 11 November closing

UTTARAKHANDUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (History & Culture — Uttarakhand)

Syllabus linkage	Pilgrimage tourism & crowd management; Prelims: winter seats — Kedarnath → Omkareshwar, Ukhimath; Yamunotri → Kharsali.
Context	Kedarnath woke to fresh snowfall on 29 October with rain in lower Rudraprayag; 8,376 devotees had darshan on 28 October.
Key facts	Kedarnath season total: 18,53,032 pilgrims. Kedarnath & Yamunotri portals close on 11 November (Bhai Dooj). Char Dham crossed 56.18 lakh by 7 Oct, beating 2023 record (~52 lakh). Yatra began 19 April 2026; Yamunotri had season's first snow on 25 Oct.
Way forward	Promote winter Char Dham (seat) yatra to spread footfall and protect fragile high-altitude ecology.
Concept	Kedarnath is one of 12 Jyotirlingas and first of the Panch Kedar, on the Mandakini river in Rudraprayag district.

Stat-tile row: Kedarnath 18.53 lakh pilgrims, Char Dham 56.18 lakh record, closing 11 November, yatra start 19 April 2026, winter seats Ukhimath and Kharsali. — StudyForGS

5. Cyclone Arnab's remnant effect: yellow alert for thunderstorm and lightning on 30 October

UTTARAKHANDUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (Geography & Disaster Management)

Syllabus linkage	Climatology, cyclones & western disturbances, disaster management; Prelims: IMD colour codes, USDMA.
Context	After landfall in Andhra Pradesh, Cyclone Arnab (Bay of Bengal) is expected to bring light rain to Uttarakhand during 29-31 October.
Key facts	IMD yellow alert for 30 Oct: thunderstorm, lightning, strong winds. Udham Singh Nagar: max 27-31°C, min 13-14°C (G.B. Pant Univ., Pantnagar). Light rain/snow forecast in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh. Farmers advised to store harvested paddy under cover.
Way forward	Integrate impact-based forecasts with yatra advisories and farm extension through district EOCs.
Concept	IMD colour codes: Green (no action) → Yellow (be updated) → Orange (be prepared) → Red (take action).

Flowchart of the weather-alert chain from IMD forecast to State EOC, district administration, yatra and farmer advisories, with IMD colour codes. — StudyForGS

6. 100-mile Himalayan Ultra Run from Mana Pass to Auli announced for May 2027

UTTARAKHANDUKPSC: Prelims (Uttarakhand — Tourism & Sports)

Syllabus linkage	Adventure tourism, border-village development (Vibrant Villages), anti-palayan livelihood; Prelims: passes & places.
Context	At the Adi Kailash Parikrama Run 2.0 in Gunji (Pithoragarh), the CM announced a ~160 km endurance ultra run.
Key facts	Route: Mana Pass (~5,600 m) → Badrinath → Joshimath → Auli. Planned for first week of May 2027. Aim: livelihoods for homestays, guides, transporters in border areas. First Adi Kailash run (2025) drew 700+ runners.
Way forward	High-altitude events need acclimatisation protocols, medical cover and waste management.
Concept	Mana Pass (Chamoli) links India with Tibet; Mana is called the 'first village of India'.

7. Cabinet approves PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (₹7,395.55 crore) for Panchayat governance

POLITYUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (Polity & Governance)

Syllabus linkage	Local self-government, 73rd Amendment, e-governance; Prelims: eGramSwaraj, AuditOnline, GPDP.
Context	On 28 October, the Union Cabinet approved PM-VGSY as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for 2026-27 to 2030-31, aligned with the 16th Finance Commission period.
Key facts	Outlay ₹7,395.55 cr: Centre ₹4,869.48 cr, States ₹2,526.07 cr. Covers 2.55 lakh Panchayats & traditional local bodies; ~32 lakh representatives trained. GPDPs on eGramSwaraj; 2.55 lakh online audit plans via AuditOnline. Multilingual PANCHAM platform (17 languages); 16th FC grants to RLBs ~₹4.35 lakh cr.
Way forward	Strengthen own-source revenue and functional devolution of the 29 subjects (Eleventh Schedule).
Concept	73rd Amendment (1992) added Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule; Uttarakhand has a three-tier PRI system.

Four-pillar diagram of PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana: GPDP planning, awareness campaigns, capacity building, and online audit, with outlay split. — StudyForGS

8. ₹10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme to build domestic capacity

ECONOMYUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (Indian Economy)

Syllabus linkage	Industrial policy, logistics, Atmanirbhar Bharat; Prelims: TEU, MoPSW, Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
Context	The Union Cabinet approved CMPS under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for FY28-FY40 (3 years set-up + 10 years production support).
Key facts	₹8,891 cr operational assistance; ₹859 cr interest subvention (3%); ₹150 cr testing. Capacity: ~70,000 TEU → 7.5 lakh TEU; domestic content 70% → 90%. Port container handling: 24 mn TEU (2024) → 175 mn TEU by 2047. ~3,000 direct and 50,000+ indirect jobs.
Way forward	Pair subsidies with steel supply chains and port-land access to compete on cost globally.
Concept	TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) = standard measure of container capacity; one 40-ft box = 2 TEU.

Donut chart of the ₹10,000 crore CMPS outlay: operational assistance ₹8,891 crore, interest subvention ₹859 crore, testing ₹150 crore, administration ₹100 crore. — StudyForGS

9. India and Mexico sign Terms of Reference to launch Preferential Trade Agreement talks

IRUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (International Relations)

Syllabus linkage	India's trade agreements and Latin America outreach; Prelims: PTA vs FTA vs CEPA.
Context	Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal and Mexico's Undersecretary for Foreign Trade signed the ToR in Mexico City on 28 October.
Key facts	India's exports to Mexico: $5.73 bn (FY26); autos largest at $1.92 bn. Mexico's new tariff regime imposes up to 50% on many Indian goods. Focus: autos, textiles, footwear, plastics, steel, chemicals, toys.
Way forward	Early harvest on autos and pharma can shield exporters while the PTA is negotiated.
Concept	PTA cuts tariffs on a limited list of goods; an FTA eliminates duties on substantially all trade.

10. Rajnath Singh-Hegseth review 10-year India-US defence framework at Cebu

DEFENCEUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (International Relations & Security)

Syllabus linkage	India-US ties, Indo-Pacific security; Prelims: foundational pacts — LEMOA, COMCASA, BECA.
Context	On the sidelines of the ASEAN defence ministers' meeting with dialogue partners in Cebu, Philippines, the two ministers met on 28 October.
Key facts	Marked 1st anniversary of the 10-year framework (signed Oct 2025). Rajnath urged zero tolerance for terror-sponsoring states. India raised concern over US support for Pakistan's F-16 fleet. Pacts: LEMOA (2016), COMCASA (2018), BECA (2020).
Way forward	Deepen co-production (engines, drones) while hedging through strategic autonomy.
Concept	Major Defence Partner status was conferred on India by the US in 2016.

11. ISRO to launch NVS-03 on GSLV-F18 on 30 October to restore NavIC services

SCI-TECHUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (Science & Technology)

Syllabus linkage	Space technology, satellite navigation; Prelims: NavIC/IRNSS, GTO vs GEO, L1/L5/S bands.
Context	GSLV-F18 (20th GSLV flight) will lift off from the Second Launch Pad, Sriharikota at 11:51 pm on 30 October.
Key facts	NVS-03 ~2,250 kg; indigenous atomic clock; adds L1 to L5/S signals. GTO: perigee 170 km, apogee 37,023 km. Coverage: India + ~1,500 km beyond borders. NVS-02 (Jan 2025) stuck after a valve failure in orbit-raising.
Way forward	Restore a robust 7+ satellite constellation and push NavIC chips into phones and vehicles.
Concept	NavIC = India's regional navigation system; needs at least 4 working satellites for standalone positioning.

12. NPPA cuts MRP of 543 anti-cancer brands; new prices effective 9 November

HEALTHUKPSC: Prelims + Mains (Social Justice & Health)

Syllabus linkage	Health policy, drug pricing, Universal Health Coverage; Prelims: NPPA (1997), DPCO 2013, trade margin.
Context	Following trade-margin rationalisation on 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs (17 Oct), the regulator released revised MRPs on 28 October.
Key facts	543 brands revised; effective 9 November 2026. Trade margin capped at 30%; cuts up to ~70% on many drugs. Example: one injectable vial ₹14,235 → ₹2,432 (~83% cut). No change for single-source (patented) medicines.
Way forward	Monitor availability after cuts and expand Jan Aushadhi and cancer day-care centres in districts.
Concept	Trade margin = difference between price to distributor and MRP; NPPA uses Para 19, DPCO 2013 in public interest.

Data point of the day

₹1,19,547.39 crore

Uttarakhand budget 2026-27 after supplementary (₹ crore)
Up ₹7,844.18 cr from the ₹1,11,703.21 cr passed in March; 53.1% of the supplementary is capital expenditure.

Prelims rapid-fire

Uttarakhand Speaker: Ritu Khanduri Bhushan — first woman Speaker of the state.

State declared a holiday for women employees on Karva Chauth (29 Oct).

Union Cabinet: 3% DA/DR hike from 1 July 2026; ~1.17 crore beneficiaries.

SC: 'Digital arrest is digital dacoity' — offenders to be dealt with sternly.

High-level team to probe death of a 19-month-old cheetah at Kuno NP (MP).

Estimate: India needs $220 bn for green-power transition by FY30.

Practice MCQs — UKPSC Prelims pattern

Q1. With reference to the Uttarakhand supplementary budget passed in October 2026, consider the following statements: 1. The total supplementary outlay is ₹7,844.18 crore. 2. Revenue expenditure forms more than half of the supplementary outlay. 3. The local bodies' share in state tax revenue has been raised to 12.5%. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1 only
1 and 3 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3

Show answer

Answer: B
Capital expenditure (₹4,164.32 cr, 53.1%) exceeds revenue (₹3,679.86 cr), so statement 2 is wrong; the share rose 10.5% → 12.5% on the 6th SFC's advice.

Q2. The winter seat (gaddi sthal) of Lord Kedarnath, where worship continues after the shrine closes, is located at:

Joshimath
Kharsali
Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath
Mukhba

Show answer

Answer: C
Kedarnath → Ukhimath; Badrinath → Pandukeshwar/Joshimath; Yamunotri → Kharsali; Gangotri → Mukhba.

Mains practice question

Q. Land subsidence in Himalayan towns such as Joshimath and Karnaprayag is as much a governance failure as a geological hazard. Discuss with reference to Uttarakhand and suggest measures. (200 words)

Hint / approach

Geology (moraine slopes, seismic Zone IV/V) + human drivers (unplanned construction, drainage, tunnelling); cite ₹50.19 cr Bahuguna Nagar works; suggest carrying-capacity studies, bylaws, early-warning and community relocation plans.

📌 One-line revision: Gairsain session: ₹7,844.18 cr supplementary + 9 Bills; Kedarnath closes 11 Nov; PM-VGSY ₹7,395.55 cr; CMPS ₹10,000 cr; NVS-03 on 30 Oct.

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UKPSC Current Affairs — 29 October 2026