Monthly at a glance
- Thu 1 Oct — Vasundhara Tal gets Uttarakhand's first GLOF early-warning system; Census 2027 reference date for snow-bound Uttarakhand; UPSC turns 100 and Rabi MSP 2027-28 announced
- Fri 2 Oct — Uttarakhand clears 76 MW battery storage; High Court orders Mussoorie carrying-capacity plan; Centre approves ₹1.86 lakh crore Green Energy Corridor-III
- Mon 5 Oct — Dhami Cabinet's Banbasa decisions (₹200-crore skill scheme, 3% fiscal-deficit cap), Rajya Sabha poll for Uttarakhand on 16 Oct and RBI's MPC meet lead today's digest
- Tue 6 Oct — Dhami cabinet's ₹200-crore skill scheme & fiscal reset; India–UAE 'Mountain Guardian' begins at Chaubatia; three new Supreme Court judges sworn in to a 37-judge bench
- Wed 7 Oct — Char Dham Yatra sets all-time record of 56.18 lakh pilgrims; M4.9 quake jolts Chamoli; Cabinet clears Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority and ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund
- Thu 8 Oct — Uttarakhand's post-SIR roll at 71.59 lakh, Banbasa cabinet clears 24 proposals; RBI hikes repo to 5.50%
- Fri 9 Oct — Uttarakhand tests earthquake early-warning sirens statewide; Banbasa Cabinet caps fiscal deficit at 3% of GSDP; RBI hikes repo rate to 5.50%
- Mon 12 Oct — Dhami Cabinet meets in Haridwar; twin Himalayan tremors hit Uttarkashi & Chamoli; Char Dham Yatra sets a 56.89-lakh record
- Tue 13 Oct — Dhami Cabinet at Haridwar notifies Floodplain Zoning Rules 2026; Char Dham Yatra sets all-time record; CPI inflation climbs to 5.54%
- Wed 14 Oct — Dhal Singh Bisen named Uttarakhand Governor; Cabinet clears Floodplain Zoning Rules; WPI inflation jumps to 11.39%
- Fri 16 Oct — Dr Dhal Singh Bisen named Uttarakhand's 9th Governor; Gairsain session from 27 Oct with ~₹5,000 cr supplementary budget; SC rules converts can't claim BC quota
- Mon 19 Oct — Dr Dhal Singh Bisen sworn in as Uttarakhand Governor; DM-led committees to tackle human-wildlife conflict; ₹24,000 crore more investment set for grounding
- Tue 20 Oct — Dhal Singh Bisen sworn in as Uttarakhand's 9th Governor; Char Dham Yatra heads into winter closure after record footfall; India–New Zealand FTA comes into force today
- Wed 21 Oct — New Governor Dhal Singh Bisen takes charge in Uttarakhand; CM announces 1,600 police posts on Police Commemoration Day; India-US-UAE trilateral and India-NZ FTA in force
- Thu 22 Oct — Char Dham footfall crosses 60 lakh as shrines set winter closure; CM doubles police-station budget; core sector hits 7.9% new-series high
- Fri 23 Oct — Uttarakhand Cabinet notifies UCC (Amendment) Rules 2026 and clears 25 proposals; Char Dham Yatra crosses a record 60 lakh pilgrims; India–Poland set to double trade by 2030
- Mon 26 Oct — Bhararisain (Gairsain) Assembly session opens tomorrow with ~₹5,000-cr supplementary budget; CM announces Mana Pass–Auli 100-mile ultra run; Centre rushes RAF to Arunachal over Siang dam protests
- Tue 27 Oct — Gairsain session opens with ₹7,412-crore supplementary budget; DAC clears ₹2.12 lakh crore defence buys; Cyclone Arnab nears Andhra coast
- Wed 28 Oct — Uttarakhand's ₹7,844 crore supplementary budget at Gairsain, new Fire & Emergency Services Bill, Cyclone Arnab hits Andhra coast
- Thu 29 Oct — Gairsain session passes ₹7,844 crore supplementary budget and 9 Bills; Kedarnath gets first snow as 18.5 lakh pilgrims log season; Cabinet clears PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana and ₹10,000 crore container scheme
- Fri 30 Oct — Uttarakhand passes ₹7,844 cr supplementary budget & 10 Bills at Gairsain; snowfall and orange alert in the hills as Char Dham closing dates near; Centre clears DA hike and ₹10,000 cr container scheme
All topics — key facts for revision
1 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Uttarakhand begins installing its first glacial-lake early-warning system at Vasundhara Tal, Chamoli
- Sensors track water level, weather, snow depth, sub-surface temperature, ground movement and water flow; data travels via satellite due to poor mobile connectivity.
- Partners: CSIR-CBRI Roorkee, USDMA, the National GLOF Risk Mitigation Programme, SDRF, NDRF and ITBP.
- Uttarakhand has 344 glacial lakes (2023 assessment), of which 13 are high-risk; Vasundhara Tal is one of them.
- A lesson from the 2013 Kedarnath and 2021 Chamoli (Rishiganga) disasters, both linked to glacial/high-altitude hazards.
UTTARAKHAND Census 2027: Snow-bound Uttarakhand's population count frozen at 00:00 hrs, 1 October 2026; revisional round begins
- Self-enumeration window in these areas: 17–31 August 2026; enumeration: 1–30 September 2026.
- For the rest of India, the reference date is 00:00 hrs, 1 March 2027.
- India's 16th Census (8th since Independence) and the first digital census, with caste enumeration included.
- Notified by the MHA under the Census Act, 1948; Phase-I (Houselisting) began on 1 April 2026.
UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026 hits record 53.23 lakh pilgrims; Gangotri sees highest-ever footfall despite Chirbasa landslide
- Badrinath 18.10 lakh, Kedarnath 15.57 lakh, Gangotri 8.41 lakh (all-time high), Yamunotri 7.5 lakh.
- Hemkund Sahib: 3,52,765 devotees, the first time in several years above 3 lakh.
- Joint rescue by SDRF, NDRF and DDRF; pilgrims shifted to Gaurikund.
- District Magistrates empowered to suspend or regulate the yatra based on local weather and route conditions.
UTTARAKHAND Haridwar Kumbh 2027: Major works near completion; 32-sector, AI-enabled crowd plan for up to 20 crore devotees
- Expected footfall: up to 20 crore devotees over 90–100 days.
- Mela area split into 32 sectors for crowd control, entry-exit, security and disaster management.
- AI-based real-time alerts on crowd and traffic pressure; an integrated control room.
- Special arrangements for women and persons with disabilities; coordination with Akharas; Ganga cleanliness built in.
UTTARAKHAND Dehradun & Haridwar among 50 model cities under PRAGATI-50; Chief Secretary orders real-time monitoring of all STPs
- PRAGATI-50 runs under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 toward Garbage Free Cities; progress tracked via KPIs and reviews every two months.
- Add-ons: Swachh Bharat Test Bed & Innovation Centre at Durgapur (with CSIR-CMERI) and 13 startups onboarded via IIT Kanpur.
- Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board to monitor STPs of large commercial and group-housing complexes.
- DMs to review the 25-point programme monthly; data on Pirul collection and community income to be compiled.
UTTARAKHAND Rajya Sabha polls on 16 October: Uttarakhand's lone vacancy as Naresh Bansal's term ends; BJP finalising nominee
- Uttarakhand has 3 Rajya Sabha and 5 Lok Sabha seats; its 70-member Assembly forms the electoral college.
- Members are elected by elected MLAs through proportional representation by single transferable vote (STV).
- Open ballot for RS polls was introduced in 2003 by amending the RP Act, 1951.
- Term is 6 years; about one-third of members retire every 2 years (Art. 83(1)).
POLITY UPSC turns 100: PM releases commemorative coin, stamp and '100 Landmark Judgements' book at Bharat Mandapam
- Public Service Commission set up on 1 October 1926 on the Lee Commission (1924) recommendation; first Chairman Sir Ross Barker.
- Became the Federal PSC under the GoI Act, 1935; renamed UPSC on 26 January 1950.
- Releases: commemorative coin, postage stamp and the book '100 Landmark Judgements – Shaping the Policies of UPSC and PSCs in India'.
- 'Shatabdi Samaroh – Manthan' on 30 September discussed civil-service evolution and administrative innovation.
ECONOMY Rabi MSP 2027-28: Safflower up ₹675, mustard ₹413, lentil ₹390; wheat raised by just ₹25 to ₹2,610 per quintal
- New MSP (₹/qtl): Wheat 2,610, Barley 2,286, Gram 5,958, Lentil 7,390, Rapeseed-Mustard 6,613, Safflower 7,215.
- Margin over cost: wheat 106%, mustard 96%, lentil 92%, gram 59%, barley 58%, safflower 50%.
- Wheat production cost cited at ₹1,264/qtl, so MSP is more than double the cost.
- Wheat hike only ₹25 versus ₹160 last year — a nudge towards diversification into oilseeds and pulses.
ENVIRONMENT Cabinet clears ₹1.86 lakh crore Green Energy Corridor Phase-III to evacuate 135 GW renewables, with 50 GWh battery storage
- Central financial assistance: ₹54,082 crore (about 29%) to offset transmission charges.
- ₹1,36,378 crore for intra-state lines and substations; ₹50,000 crore for 50 GWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
- New projects via Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB), upgrades on cost-plus; implemented by State Transmission Utilities.
- Supports the goal of 900 GW non-fossil capacity by 2035.
POLITY Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 2026 comes into force today, replacing the colonial-era 1891 law
- Technology-neutral: recognises records in physical, electronic, digital, virtual and cloud forms.
- Digital records cannot be rejected solely for format; safeguards for authenticity, integrity and cyber-security.
- Certification via First & Second Schedules with manual, digital or electronic signatures as per the IT Act, 2000.
- Courts must record 'special cause' in writing before summoning bank officials where the bank is not a party.
REPORT WHO–UNICEF report: School drinking-water coverage in India jumps to 97%, but 5 crore children still lack school sanitation
- Schools with basic drinking water: 55% (2015) → 97% (2025), a 42-percentage-point jump.
- Basic sanitation coverage is 81%; about 5 crore (50 million) Indian children attend schools without sanitation services, the highest globally.
- India lacks 2025 data on handwashing facilities with soap and water.
- Report urges focus on usability and maintenance of toilets, not just construction.
2 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND UERC clears four mega battery-storage projects (76 MW/190 MWh) for Uttarakhand grid
- Sites: Dhakrani (Dehradun) 30 MW, Pathri (Haridwar) 16 MW, Khatima (Udham Singh Nagar) 15 MW, Tiloth (Uttarkashi) 15 MW.
- Approved tariffs of about ₹2.70–2.80 lakh per MW per month — reported lower than similar projects in Delhi and Punjab.
- Central Viability Gap Funding (VGF) of ₹18 lakh per MWh, paid in 3 instalments from the Power System Development Fund (PSDF).
- Batteries will feed the grid in the evening peak (6–9 PM), cutting costly power-exchange purchases and grid-failure risk.
- Developers: Patanjali Renewable Energy Pvt Ltd (3 projects) and Army Infotek Ltd (Tiloth).
UTTARAKHAND High Court gives State 9 months to frame Mussoorie carrying-capacity plan
- PIL flagged unregulated construction, tree felling, traffic jams, water scarcity and sanitation stress.
- Tourist arrivals rose from about 8.5 lakh (2000) to about 30 lakh (2019) while parking and civic capacity lagged.
- Plan must factor in earlier National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions; petitioners may submit data to the Chief Secretary.
- Bench also asked the Tehri DM to act on safety at Tapovan Ganga ghats — orders within 8 weeks.
UTTARAKHAND Snowfall shuts Gangotri National Park treks; 260 brought back safely from Bhagirathi-II and Gaumukh routes
- Routes hit: Gangotri–Gaumukh–Tapovan, Kedartal, Kalindi trek; reopening only after safety checks.
- 67 airlifted (28–29 Sept) to Harsil helipad; 193 walked down with rescuers; incl. 9 climbers of the Bhagirathi-II expedition.
- Agencies: district administration, NDRF, ITBP (35th Bn), Mountain Rescue Team, Forest Dept — acting on an IMD orange alert.
- Monsoon withdrawing from most of Uttarakhand by 3 October, as per the state Met Centre.
UTTARAKHAND Rampur Tiraha firing anniversary: State pays homage to statehood martyrs
- Night of 1–2 Oct 1994: police fired on agitators heading to a Delhi rally at Rampur Tiraha, Muzaffarnagar (UP); several were killed.
- Preceded by the Khatima firing (1 Sept 1994) and Mussoorie firing (2 Sept 1994).
- Uttaranchal formed on 9 Nov 2000 as India's 27th state (UP Reorganisation Act, 2000); renamed Uttarakhand from 1 Jan 2007.
- Uttarakhand Kranti Dal (UKD), formed in 1979, led the political demand.
ENVIRONMENT Wildlife Week 2026 opens at FRI: ₹51,000 each for 18 citizens who braved wild-animal attacks
- A zoo at Haldwani (Nainital district) announced as a manifesto commitment.
- Officials told to develop at least one new tourism site per district without harming natural beauty.
- Ex-gratia for death in wildlife attacks was raised from ₹6 lakh to ₹10 lakh (Cabinet, Nov 2025) with free treatment for the injured.
- 2025 toll: bears — 5 deaths, 69 injured; leopards — 12 deaths, 88 injured.
SOCIETY ₹147 crore in monthly pensions to 9.93 lakh beneficiaries; free civil services coaching for divyang youth
- Schemes cited: Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana (elderly welfare) and Deendayal Matri-Pitri Tirthatan Yojana (free pilgrimage).
- 23 senior citizens honoured, incl. Garhwali folk singer Padma Shri Madhuri Barthwal.
- Parents & Senior Citizens Maintenance Act, 2007 to be enforced; old-age homes strengthened in all districts.
- Next: State Cabinet meets at Banbasa (Champawat) on 4 Oct; tablets for Class 10 & 12 students of govt inter colleges likely on the agenda.
ENVIRONMENT Cabinet clears ₹1.86 lakh crore Green Energy Corridor Phase-III to integrate 135 GW renewables
- Split: ₹1,36,378 crore for intra-state transmission (InSTS) + ₹50,000 crore for 50 GWh of battery storage.
- Central support of ₹54,082 crore (~29%) to ease intra-state transmission charges.
- State Transmission Utilities (STUs) lead; new projects via competitive bidding, upgrades on cost-plus.
- Targets intermittency, grid congestion and curtailment of solar/wind at peak hours.
ECONOMY Rabi MSP 2027-28: oilseeds and pulses get the biggest hikes; wheat up just ₹25 to ₹2,610
- Safflower +₹675 → ₹7,215/qtl (highest); rapeseed-mustard +₹413 → ₹6,613.
- Lentil +₹390 → ₹7,390; barley +₹136 → ₹2,286; gram +₹83 → ₹5,958.
- Wheat +₹25 only → ₹2,610/qtl, yet the highest margin over cost at 106%.
- Other margins over cost: mustard 96%, lentil 92%, gram 59%, barley 58%, safflower 50%.
ECONOMY RBI MPC meets 5–7 October; first rate hike since 2023 on the table as CPI hits 4.82%
- CPI inflation 4.82% (August) — above the 4% target for the third straight month; WPI 9.92%.
- Pressures: high crude prices, geopolitical tension, rupee down about 6% vs the dollar in 2026, tightening by the US Fed and Bank of Japan.
- Repo unchanged at 5.25% for four reviews after 125 bps of cuts in 2025.
- A hike would be the first since February 2023.
SOCIETY Nation marks Gandhi's 157th and Shastri's 122nd birth anniversary
- 2 October is also the UN International Day of Non-Violence (UNGA resolution, 2007).
- Swachh Bharat Mission was launched on 2 Oct 2014; swachhata drives and shramdaan held across states.
- Gandhi born 1869, Porbandar; Shastri born 1904, Mughalsarai — gave the slogan 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan' (1965).
- In 1929 Gandhi stayed at Kausani (Bageshwar), wrote his introduction to Anasakti Yoga and called it the 'Switzerland of India'.
IR India–Canada eye ~$70 billion trade in five years; Putin praises Modi's Ukraine peace ideas
- 5th round of CEPA talks opens in Ottawa; 4 rounds done; both sides target a deal by end-2026.
- Focus areas: LNG, critical minerals (EV battery inputs), aerospace, investment and research.
- India's stand on Ukraine: 'on the side of peace' — dialogue and diplomacy, no bloc alignment.
- The USA holds the G20 presidency in 2026.
SPORTS Asian Games 2026: India's women's recurve archers win maiden team gold, beat South Korea 5-3
- India beat China 5-1 in the semi-final to reach its first women's recurve team final.
- Decisive moment: a score correction in set four (an 8 upgraded to a 9) sealed 54 points for India.
- 20th Asian Games: 19 Sept–4 Oct 2026, Aichi & Nagoya, Japan; India sent 496 athletes in 36 sports.
- India's flag-bearers: Manu Bhaker and Pawan Sehrawat.
5 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Dhami Cabinet meets at Banbasa near Nepal border: ₹200-crore skill scheme for students, easier private-university norms
- CM Higher Education Skill Enhancement Scheme 2026: ₹200 crore over 5 years; skill/diploma courses for about 1.19 lakh college students.
- Private universities: minimum built-up area set at 2,500 sq m in hills and 20,000 sq m in plains; the ₹5-crore guarantee fund condition removed.
- ₹66.29 crore released to the Seeds & Tarai Development Corporation for Pantnagar greenfield airport expansion.
- PAN verification added to property registration; new Sub-Registrar office at Narendranagar (Tehri) for 133 revenue villages.
- New Director General post for Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries; ministers were presented the Farra–Chhantoli bamboo shield of the Bagwal tradition.
ECONOMY Fiscal discipline: Uttarakhand caps fiscal deficit at 3% and debt at 30% of GSDP till 2030-31
- Annual fiscal deficit ceiling: 3% of GSDP for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
- Maximum outstanding debt: 30% of GSDP up to 2030-31.
- Escape clause for natural disasters — vital for a disaster-prone Himalayan State.
- Sixth State Finance Commission report approved for devolution to local bodies for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
HEALTH Hill-first health push: bigger stipend hike for doctors in Uttarakhand's hill medical colleges
- Senior Resident (hills): ₹90,000 → ₹1,10,000 (+₹20,000); plains ₹84,000 → ₹1,05,000.
- Junior Resident / Demonstrator (hills): ₹76,000 → ₹85,000; plains ₹71,000 → ₹80,000.
- A ₹5,000 hill differential is kept at every level to draw doctors to the mountains.
UTTARAKHAND Colonial law out: Uttarakhand Irrigation & Drainage Bill 2026 to replace the 1873 Canal Act; forest-clearance unit set up
- New Bill replaces a 153-year-old colonial law on canals, water rates and drainage.
- Project Management Unit with 6 technical posts plus nodal officers to speed up forest-land transfer cases.
- Chief Conservators of Kumaon and Garhwal made heads of department in place of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve director, for quicker emergency response.
- Lalkuan (Nainital) lessees get transferable landholder rights; Class-4 land regularisation in Jaunsar-Bawar at 2004 circle rates.
POLITY Rajya Sabha poll on 16 October: BJP names Dinesh Arya for Uttarakhand's seat
- Nominations close 6 Oct; scrutiny 7 Oct; withdrawal 9 Oct; poll & counting 16 Oct (9 am–4 pm).
- The 12 seats: 10 Uttar Pradesh, 1 Uttarakhand, 1 West Bengal (bye-election).
- Uttarakhand has 3 Rajya Sabha and 5 Lok Sabha seats; Assembly strength 70.
- BJP's Assembly majority makes it comfortably placed to retain the seat.
UTTARAKHAND Gangotri Himalaya snow-trap: 67 climbers heli-rescued at ~20,000 ft; Gaumukh–Tapovan and Kedartal treks shut
- 67 mountaineers airlifted by 4 UCADA helicopters from Oden's Col, Kalindi Pass, Satopanth, Jogin-I and Vasukital — called the first successful heli-rescue at ~20,000 ft.
- ITBP, SDRF and the Forest Department ran ground operations; 121 trekkers on the Gaumukh–Tapovan route were brought back earlier.
- Trek ban ordered on 1 October by the Gangotri National Park administration; reopening only after a safety assessment.
ECONOMY RBI's MPC begins 3-day meet today; first rate hike since Feb 2023 in focus as CPI rises to 4.82%
- Current repo rate 5.25%, stance neutral (unchanged in August 2026).
- CPI inflation rose to 4.82% in August 2026 from 4.45% in July; food inflation 5.95%.
- Highest State inflation in August: Telangana 6.27%; the CPI series now uses base year 2024.
- A hike would be the first since February 2023.
IR First international cargo voyage from Dibrugarh since Independence: 540 t of Assam methanol sails to Bangladesh via NW-2
- 540 tonnes of methanol in 27 containers (20 t each).
- Route: ~908 km on National Waterway-2 (Brahmaputra), then the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route; journey ~10 days.
- First cargo from Dibrugarh to a foreign port since Independence; run with the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
ENVIRONMENT Two captive-bred Great Indian Bustards released into the wild at Desert National Park, Jaisalmer
- Captive stock: 97 birds at the Sam and Ramdevra centres — 40 from wild-collected eggs, 57 captive-bred.
- 11 birds earmarked for release; 24 chicks (2025) and 29 chicks (2026) produced.
- 'Jumpstart' approach (captive eggs placed in wild nests) yielded 8 chicks — 6 in Rajasthan, 2 in Gujarat.
- About 200 sq km of fenced grassland enclosures; technical support from the Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun).
SCI-TECH India demonstrates its first 5.56-km free-space quantum key distribution link in Gujarat
- Secure key rate 230–260 bits/s; Quantum Bit Error Rate below 5%.
- Keys integrated with BISAG-N's 'Vedic Kavach' post-quantum cryptography platform — a dual-layer security design.
- Free-space links are a stepping stone to satellite-based QKD.
REPORT Asian Games 2026 close: India 4th with 85 medals (21 gold) at Aichi–Nagoya
- India edged Uzbekistan (also 21 gold) on silver count (27 vs 25).
- Top three: China (169 gold, 341 total), Japan (83 gold), South Korea (39 gold).
- Firsts: Kumkum Anil Mohod — women's individual recurve archery gold; Pranavi Urs — women's golf gold.
- India won both men's and women's golds in hockey and cricket.
6 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Dhami Cabinet at Banbasa: ₹200-cr Skill Scheme, New Fiscal Targets, 1873 Irrigation Law Repealed
- CM Higher Education Skills Enhancement Scheme 2026: ₹200 crore over 5 years, ~1.19 lakh students (skill diplomas).
- Fiscal responsibility targets revised: 3% annual fiscal deficit, 30% debt ceiling up to 2031.
- 1873 irrigation law repealed; new Uttarakhand Irrigation and Drainage Bill, 2026.
- ₹66.29 crore to Tarai Development Corporation for Pantnagar Airport expansion; 92% of asset-monetisation proceeds to return to parent agencies.
- Private university norms eased (land 10 acres → 20,000 sq m); poultry-feed subsidy via DBT; Sub-Registrar office at Narendranagar.
DEFENCE India–UAE Exercise 'Mountain Guardian 2026' Opens at Chaubatia
- 92 personnel in all, equal strength from both sides; includes women officers in specialist roles.
- India: a Bhairav Battalion; UAE: a Mountain Infantry Battalion.
- Drills: joint planning, firing, surveillance, drone employment, rock-climbing and integrated field exercise.
- Aim: interoperability for operations in high-altitude terrain with restricted mobility.
UTTARAKHAND Western Disturbance After Monsoon Exit: Yellow Alert in 8 Districts, Snow on High Peaks
- Yellow alert: Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Almora, Nainital, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar.
- Gusty winds 30–40 km/h; snowfall likely above 4,200 m.
- Mangti nullah landslide (night of 1–2 Oct, Dharchula, Pithoragarh) stranded 350+ Adi Kailash pilgrims.
- Disaster Management Dept on 24×7 alert in Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Uttarkashi for the Yatra.
UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Crosses 53 Lakh Pilgrims; 20-Event Tourism Calendar for Year-Round Travel
- Badrinath 18.10 lakh (record), Kedarnath 15.57 lakh, Gangotri 8.41 lakh (highest ever), Yamunotri 7.5 lakh.
- Hemkund Sahib: 3,52,765 devotees; last year's corresponding total ~46 lakh.
- Calendar: 20 events, ₹21.35 crore; new — Himalayan Car Rally (19–21 Nov), ATOAI convention at Kausani (13–16 Dec).
- Weddings in Uttarakhand Conclave at Ramnagar (15–20 Dec); winter carnivals at Munsiyari, Auli, Dayara (Feb 2027).
ENVIRONMENT Wildlife Week 2026: Compensation Hiked to ₹10 Lakh, Corbett–Rajaji Tiger Shift Phase 2
- Ex-gratia for death in wildlife attack: ₹6 lakh → ₹10 lakh; injury treatment borne by the state.
- 18 persons who showed courage in conflict situations got ₹51,000 each.
- Phase 2 of tiger translocation from Corbett to Rajaji; Special Tiger Protection Force for both reserves.
- CM Young Eco-Entrepreneur scheme (target 1 lakh youth); snow-leopard tourism; GEP valuation of water & forests.
UTTARAKHAND 332 Recruits Get Appointment Letters; Resident Doctors' Stipend Raised to Over ₹1 Lakh
- 35,000+ government appointments in the last 5 years (CM's statement).
- Senior & junior resident stipend raised from ~₹75,000 to over ₹1 lakh per month.
- Wellness push built on yoga, Ayurveda and Himalayan medicinal herbs.
- Seva Sankalp Abhiyan for community service, launched on the PM's birthday (17 Sep).
POLITY Three High Court Chief Justices Elevated; Supreme Court Now at 37 of 38
- Justice D.K. Upadhyaya (CJ, Delhi HC); Justice Sunita Agarwal (CJ, Gujarat HC); Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh (CJ, Telangana HC).
- Acting CJs named under Art. 223: N.W. Sambre (Delhi), M.R. Pathak (Gujarat), P. Sam Koshy (Telangana).
- Same day, SC: an elector on the roll cannot be deleted without notice, except a dead voter.
- SC refused to suspend the CEC ex parte, but issued notice on pleas against ECI decisions.
IR India–Switzerland Sign 5 Agreements During President Parmelin's State Visit
- Pacts: Migration & Mobility Partnership, Young Professionals exchange, transport technologies, DST–Swiss National Science Foundation LoI, innovation & tech transfer.
- TEPA with EFTA in force since Oct 2025: $100 bn investment and 1 million direct jobs over 15 years.
- New areas flagged: defence production, military exchanges and nuclear energy.
ECONOMY RBI MPC Meets 5–7 Oct; Analysts Split on First Hike Since 2023
- A market poll: 35 of 61 economists expect a 25 bps hike to 5.50% — first since Feb 2023.
- 2025 easing cycle cut rates by a cumulative 125 bps; stance neutral since August.
- CPI (Aug 2026, base 2024): 4.82%; food 5.95%; rural 5.23% vs urban 4.31%.
- GST Council also meets on 7 Oct (process reforms).
SCI-TECH Nobel Prize in Medicine 2026 for Light-Gated Ion Channels & Optogenetics
- Karl Deisseroth (Stanford, USA), Peter Hegemann (Humboldt Univ., Berlin), Georg Nagel (Univ. of Würzburg).
- Channelrhodopsins from green algae open ion channels when hit by blue light.
- Inserted into neurons, they switch cells on/off in milliseconds; key 2005 study.
- Uses: brain-circuit mapping, vision restoration in retinitis pigmentosa.
ENVIRONMENT Great Nicobar Project: SC Declines Centre's Plea, Asks Calcutta HC to Decide Promptly
- ₹81,000 crore project: transshipment port, township, power plant, dual-use airport.
- PIL alleges FRA 2006 violations — rights not settled before forest diversion.
- Affected: Nicobarese and Shompen (a PVTG).
- Galathea Bay: nesting site of leatherback turtles; coral reefs at risk.
7 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026 breaks all-time record: 56.18 lakh pilgrims
- New record: 56.18 lakh pilgrims vs 56.13 lakh in 2023.
- Yamunotri crossed 6.68 lakh pilgrims for the first time this season (23 Aug figure).
- Four Dhams: Yamunotri & Gangotri (Uttarkashi), Kedarnath (Rudraprayag), Badrinath (Chamoli).
- Registration-based crowd management and digital monitoring under the state's 2026 Yatra action plan.
- Portals close for winter after Vijayadashami-announced dates; deities shift to winter seats.
UTTARAKHAND M4.9 earthquake jolts Chamoli; tremors felt up to Delhi-NCR
- Magnitude 4.9 as per the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) under MoES.
- Shallow focus (13 km) — such quakes are felt widely even at moderate magnitude.
- No casualty or major damage was reported.
- Tremors also felt in Himachal, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and western UP.
- Chamoli lies close to the Main Central Thrust (MCT) — a major Himalayan fault.
UTTARAKHAND Dhami Cabinet meets at Banbasa: ₹200 crore skill scheme among 24 decisions
- CM Higher Education Skill Enhancement Scheme-2026: ₹200 crore over 5 years; ~1.19 lakh students of govt & private universities/colleges.
- Private universities: ₹5 crore guarantee fund removed; minimum land now 20,000 sq m (earlier 10 acres).
- ₹66 crore special package for Tarai Development Corporation Ltd.
- Land regularisation in Lalkuan (Nainital) and Jaunsar-Bawar (Dehradun) extended by 1 year at 2004 circle rate.
- New sub-registrar office at Narendra Nagar (Tehri) for 133 revenue villages; new DG post for Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Fisheries.
UTTARAKHAND Vishwanath-Shakti Temple Corridor announced for Uttarkashi
- Corridor to link the Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Shakti temple of Uttarkashi.
- CM also flagged off a Seva Jyoti Kalash Yatra.
- CM claimed about 44% reverse migration in the state.
- Uttarkashi lies on the Bhagirathi; known as the 'Kashi of the North'.
ENVIRONMENT Early snowfall blankets Devtal near Mana Pass; yellow alert in 8 districts
- Yellow alert: Almora, Nainital, Champawat, Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar.
- Nainital recorded max 19°C and min 14°C.
- Mana Pass links Chamoli with Tibet; Mana is the 'First Indian Village'.
- Early snow raises risk for late-season Badrinath & Hemkund pilgrims.
ENVIRONMENT Corbett-to-Rajaji tiger translocation enters phase 2 as Wildlife Week ends
- Phase 2: 5 tigers (1 male, 4 females) to Rajaji's western zone; phase 1 went to the eastern zone.
- Total translocated after phase 2: 10 tigers.
- Tigers to be radio-collared and soft-released after 3-4 days in enclosures; 3 months of tracking.
- Selection prioritises tigers near villages to cut conflict risk.
- Corbett Festival held 6-8 October at Ramnagar.
ECONOMY Cabinet approves Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA)
- Covers 8 domains: roads, railways, ports, civil aviation, inland waterways, coastal shipping, urban mobility, logistics.
- Will prepare a National Transport Master Plan with a 10+ year horizon.
- Technical appraisal & monitoring of central projects costing ₹500 crore or more.
- National Transport Data Repository (NTDR) using GSTN e-way bills, FASTag, Vahan, GPS.
- India ranked 38th of 139 in the World Bank LPI 2023.
ECONOMY ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund cleared for direct equity in SMEs
- To be structured as an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) under SEBI rules.
- Targets the 'missing middle' — firms between startups and bank-dependent MSMEs.
- Majority focus on manufacturing SMEs in Tier-II/III industrial clusters.
- Uses: capacity expansion, technology, exports, global value chain integration.
- MSME limits (from 1 April 2025): Medium = investment ₹125 crore, turnover ₹500 crore.
IR Swiss President's State Visit: 5 outcomes; TEPA turns one
- Migration & Mobility Partnership: multiple-entry visas up to 5 years.
- Young Professionals Scheme: 300 persons/year per country, extendable to 500.
- MoUs on transport technologies (EVs, ropeways), research (DST–SNSF) and tech transfer.
- TEPA: EFTA pledged USD 100 billion investment and 1 million direct jobs in 15 years.
- Bilateral trade USD 24.4 billion (2024-25).
DEFENCE Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit named next Chief of the Air Staff
- Will be the 29th Chief of the Air Staff; tenure till 31 December 2028.
- Commissioned in the fighter stream on 6 December 1986; NDA alumnus.
- Over 3,500 flying hours on Mirage-2000, MiG, Jaguar, Tejas and others.
- Took part in operations including Op Safed Sagar, Op Rakshak and Op Sindoor.
DEFENCE First indigenous Fleet Support Ship 'Surya' launched at Visakhapatnam
- Five-ship programme worth about ₹19,000 crore; keel of FSS-5 also laid.
- Displacement about 43,500 tonnes; about 82% indigenous content.
- Can carry fuel, water, ammunition for replenishment at sea; has a helicopter deck.
- Launched 18 months after steel-cutting; HSL can now build ships up to 45,000 DWT.
8 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Uttarakhand's Final Electoral Roll after SIR: 71.59 Lakh Electors; Enrolment Drive Begins
- Electors fell from 79.61 lakh (SIR start, 8 June 2026) to 71.59 lakh — a net drop of ~8 lakh; over 17 lakh gross deletions reported across the revision cycle.
- Deletions under ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Dead, Duplicate) were highest in the plains — Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar.
- Final roll: 37,37,701 men, 34,21,036 women; 72,656 voters aged 18–19 and 1,22,892 aged 80+.
- 12,543 polling stations; qualifying date 1 July 2026; draft roll 14 July.
- BLOs go door-to-door; eligible persons can file Form 6 for new enrolment.
UTTARAKHAND Dhami Cabinet at Banbasa Clears 24 Proposals: ₹200-cr Skill Scheme, New Irrigation Law
- Higher Education Skill Enhancement Scheme-2026: ₹200 crore over 5 years for ~1.19 lakh students.
- Uttarakhand Irrigation and Drainage Bill, 2026 to replace the colonial Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873.
- Private universities: minimum land now 20,000 sq m; the ₹5-crore guarantee-fund condition dropped.
- New Sub-Registrar office at Narendra Nagar (Tehri) for 133 revenue villages; a DG-level post to coordinate Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries.
- Interviews scrapped for some Group C posts (e.g., Deputy Jailor).
DEFENCE India–UAE 'Mountain Guardian 2026' Underway at Chaubatia
- 92 personnel in equal strength — India from a Bhairav Battalion, UAE from a Mountain Infantry Battalion.
- Focus: mountain warfare, drone operations, surveillance grids, rock-climbing and integrated field drills.
- Women officers and combatants from both armies take part in specialist roles.
- Chaubatia is near Ranikhet (Almora), home of the Kumaon Regiment Centre.
ENVIRONMENT Post-Monsoon Western Disturbance: Yellow Alert, First Snow on High Peaks
- Yellow alert in 8 districts — Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Almora, Nainital, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar; winds 30–40 km/h.
- Snow possible at 4,200 m+; Hemkund Sahib (Chamoli, ~4,630 m) turned white.
- Thunder-clouds forecast on Rudraprayag–Joshimath and Joshimath–Badrinath–Hemkund routes; debris and road-block risk.
- Kedarnath season runs from 22 Apr to 11 Nov 2026; helicopter services pause in poor visibility.
ENVIRONMENT Maiden Corbett Literature Festival Concludes as Wildlife Week Ends
- Three days (6–8 Oct) of sessions, photo exhibitions and nature walks.
- Themes: forest communities, wildlife rescue, frontline staff (mahouts, ghasis), responsible tourism, Garhwali-Kumaoni folk music.
- Forest Minister Subodh Uniyal: conservation must go hand in hand with better local livelihoods.
- Corbett NP — India's first national park (1936, as Hailey NP); Project Tiger launched here in 1973.
UTTARAKHAND CM Announces Vishwanath–Shakti Temple Corridor in Uttarkashi
- Corridor to upgrade pilgrim facilities on the Gangotri route; cost and timeline yet to be notified.
- CM claimed 44% reverse migration in the state and cited the Lakhpati Didi scheme.
- The Shakti temple houses a giant ancient trishul with inscriptions; Uttarkashi on the Bhagirathi is called the 'Kashi of the North'.
ECONOMY RBI Raises Repo Rate to 5.50% — First Hike Since February 2023
- SDF 5.25%, MSF/Bank Rate 5.75% (corridor of ±25 bps).
- FY27 projections: GDP 7.1%, CPI inflation 5.2% (Q3 6.0%, Q4 5.7%).
- Governor Sanjay Malhotra: the next move can only be a hike or a pause.
- Risks: weak monsoon and strong El Niño for rabi; India imports 85%+ of its crude.
ECONOMY Cabinet: ₹10,000-cr SME Growth Fund & Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority
- SGF invests equity via an Alternative Investment Fund; majority for manufacturing SMEs, incl. Tier-II/III clusters.
- ITLA: apex SPV for a 10-year+ National Transport Master Plan across road, rail, ports, aviation, waterways and urban mobility.
- Technical appraisal of central projects ≥ ₹500 crore plus post-implementation impact assessment.
- National Transport Data Repository using e-way bill, FASTag, Vahan, GPS data.
- MSME limits: small — investment ≤ ₹25 cr, turnover ≤ ₹100 cr; medium — ≤ ₹125 cr / ₹500 cr.
POLITY 57th GST Council Meets Today: Process Reforms, Arrest Powers on the Table
- Agenda: simpler registration, returns and refunds; faster input tax credit (ITC) flow.
- Reported proposals: decriminalising GST offences and curbing arrest powers of GST officers — several states have reservations.
- Dispute-resolution reforms and easier compliance for e-commerce suppliers.
- The 56th meeting (Sept 2025) approved the two-slab GST 2.0 — 5% and 18%, plus 40% on demerit goods.
SCI-TECH Chemistry Nobel 2026: Mirror-Image Molecules — Kagan & Soai
- Kagan (1986): a catalyst of low enantiomeric purity can still give a highly pure product — the non-linear effect.
- Soai reaction (1995): a chiral product catalyses its own formation, amplifying a tiny imbalance to >99.5% of one hand.
- Offers clues to the origin of homochirality in life (L-amino acids, D-sugars).
- Earlier asymmetric-catalysis Nobels: 2001 (Knowles, Noyori, Sharpless), 2021 (List, MacMillan).
ENVIRONMENT Project Cheetah Gets a Third MP Home: Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve
- Cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952.
- Project Cheetah began on 17 Sept 2022 at Kuno with 8 Namibian cheetahs; 12 came from South Africa in 2023.
- Gandhi Sagar WLS received cheetahs in April 2025.
- VDTR, notified in 2023, is MP's 7th tiger reserve, formed from Nauradehi and Durgavati sanctuaries.
DEFENCE IAF Day at 94: Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit Named Next Air Chief
- Succeeds Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh; tenure up to 31 Dec 2028.
- Commissioned in the fighter stream in Dec 1986; 3,500+ flying hours.
- IAF raised on 8 Oct 1932 as an auxiliary of the RAF; prefix 'Royal' dropped in 1950.
- Motto 'Nabhah Sprisham Deeptam' — from the Bhagavad Gita.
9 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Uttarakhand tests earthquake early-warning sirens statewide; M 4.9 quake had jolted Chamoli
- Network: 112 sirens and 169 sensors installed; plan to double both at 5–10 km spacing (proposal with IIT Roorkee).
- Bhudev app sends a vibrating, beeping alert — keep it updated with location access on.
- EEW exploits the gap between fast P-waves and destructive S-waves, giving seconds of lead time.
- Chamoli epicentre ~50 km south of Joshimath, depth 13 km; no casualties reported.
- Disaster Management Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman: the siren test is not a real alert — no panic.
UTTARAKHAND Banbasa Cabinet: fiscal deficit capped at 3% of GSDP; new Irrigation Bill to replace 1873 canal law
- Uttarakhand FRBM (Amendment) Bill, 2026: fiscal deficit cap 3% of GSDP (2026–31); cumulative debt ceiling 30% of GSDP (2026-27 to 2030-31); relaxation for disasters and security emergencies.
- Uttarakhand Irrigation and Drainage Bill, 2026 to replace the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873.
- Sixth State Finance Commission report on PRIs and ULBs to be tabled in the next Assembly session.
- Public agencies to keep 92% of proceeds from asset monetisation (Investment & Infrastructure Act amended).
- Poultry-feed subsidy moves from e-Rupee (CBDC) to DBT in Aadhaar-seeded accounts.
UTTARAKHAND ₹200 crore skill scheme for 1.19 lakh students; land rights, PAN checks and university norms revised
- Outlay ≈₹200 crore over 5 years; ~1.19 lakh students of government and private universities and affiliated colleges.
- Mandatory PAN verification in property sale and purchase to curb fake PAN use.
- Private university norms: minimum built-up area 2,500 sq m (hills) and 20,000 sq m (plains).
- Bhumidhari (ownership) rights for eligible Class-3/4 lessees; transferable rights in Lalkuan (Nainital); Class-4 land in Jaunsar-Bawar regularised at 2004 circle rates for one year.
- New Sub-Registrar office at Narendranagar (Tehri) for 133 revenue villages; ₹66.29 crore for Pantnagar greenfield airport expansion.
POLITY Rajya Sabha: BJP's Dinesh Arya set for unopposed win from Uttarakhand
- Uttarakhand has 3 Rajya Sabha and 5 Lok Sabha seats.
- Assembly strength 70: BJP 47, Congress 20, BSP 1, Independents 2.
- RS members are elected by elected MLAs through STV (single transferable vote) with an open ballot.
- If candidates equal vacancies, the Returning Officer declares them elected (Sec. 53(2), RP Act, 1951).
UTTARAKHAND Uttarkashi: CM announces Vishwanath–Shakti Temple Corridor
- Uttarkashi, on the Bhagirathi, is called the "Kashi of the North"; gateway to Gangotri and Yamunotri.
- The Shakti Temple houses a giant ancient metal trishul (trident) bearing an inscription.
- CM flagged off the Seva Jyoti Kalash Yatra and cited Lakhpati Didi for SHG women's incomes.
- CM claimed 44% reverse migration — the state's marker of progress against palayan.
ECONOMY RBI hikes repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50% — first hike in over three years
- First hike since Feb 2023 (to 6.5%); follows 125 bps of cuts in 2025.
- FY27 projections: real GDP 7.1%; CPI 5.2% (up from 5.0%) — Q3 6.0%, Q4 5.7%.
- Risks: re-escalating West Asia conflict, volatile crude, weak monsoon / El Niño hurting rabi.
- Governor: next move can only be a hike or pause; retail CPI was 4.82% in Aug 2026 (base 2024=100).
SCI-TECH Nobel Prizes 2026: optogenetics, cosmic neutrinos, mirror-image chemistry and Anne Carson
- Medicine: Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann, Georg Nagel — light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.
- Physics: Francis Halzen — IceCube Neutrino Observatory (South Pole) and high-energy cosmic neutrinos.
- Chemistry: Henri B. Kagan and Kenso Soai — non-linear effects and asymmetric autocatalysis.
- Literature: Canadian poet-classicist Anne Carson (*Autobiography of Red*, *Nox*).
IR Jaishankar's Africa outreach: Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire and Ethiopia (6–10 Oct)
- Ghana: met President John Dramani Mahama; MoUs ZSI–University of Ghana and ICAR–CSIR-Crops Research Institute.
- India–Ghana ties are a Comprehensive Partnership (upgraded during the PM's 2025 visit).
- Côte d'Ivoire: talks with Defence Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara on anti-terrorism and training.
- Outreach to the African Union (HQ Addis Ababa; G20 member since 2023 under India's presidency) and ECOWAS.
SCI-TECH 10th India Mobile Congress opens on theme 'Scale Without Boundaries'
- 1.5 lakh+ attendees from 100+ countries; 500+ exhibitors; 600 startups.
- Nine anchor sectors incl. 5G/6G, AI networks, semiconductors, satellite (non-terrestrial) networks, quantum communication.
- Indigenous chip for Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) — live TV on phones without SIM or data.
- Alongside: NCCDFI 2026 cyber-security conference by NIELIT (9–10 Oct).
SOCIETY World Post Day (9 Oct) opens National Postal Week
- Marks the founding of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in Bern, 1874; day declared at the 1969 Tokyo Congress.
- India joined the UPU on 1 July 1876; PIN code introduced on 15 Aug 1972.
- Showcase: N-Gen Post Offices, Jan Sewa Connect Post Offices, Dak Sewa and Dak Mitra apps.
- India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) launched 2018; runs alongside Special Campaign 6.0 (2–31 Oct).
12 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Dhami Cabinet meets in Haridwar under 'Cabinet in every district' model; Assembly session due before 30 Oct
- Agenda: proposals of health, housing & urban development; a possible separate cadre for specialist doctors.
- Session must be convened before 30 Oct — Art 174 bars a gap of over six months between sessions.
- Gairsain (Chamoli) is being considered as venue for a session around 21-24 Oct.
- Banbasa meet (4 Oct) cleared 24 proposals, incl. FRBM (Amendment) Bill 2026 (fiscal-deficit cap 3% of GSDP) and CM Higher Education Skill Enhancement Scheme-2026 (₹200 crore, ~1.19 lakh students).
UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026 sets all-time record of 56.89 lakh pilgrims; Hemkund Sahib closes for winter
- Shrine-wise: Badrinath 19.14 lakh, Kedarnath 16.79 lakh, Gangotri 9.10 lakh, Yamunotri 8.10 lakh.
- Snowfall at Kedarnath on 11 Oct; the yatra was halted for about 3 hours and then resumed.
- Badrinath's closing date is customarily fixed on Vijayadashami (20 Oct 2026).
- Hemkund Sahib (~4,600 m) opened on 23 May 2026; it lies near the Valley of Flowers (UNESCO site).
UTTARAKHAND Twin tremors in four days: M4.2 at Uttarkashi after M4.9 in Chamoli put Himalayan seismic risk in focus
- Both recorded by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- Shallow-focus quakes (< 70 km) cause stronger surface shaking.
- Past big events: Uttarkashi 1991 (M6.8) and Chamoli 1999 (M6.6).
- BIS revised zonation (IS 1893: 2025) puts the Himalayan arc in the new highest-hazard Zone VI.
- Uttarakhand SDRF (raised 2013) was congratulated by the CM on its ISO 9001:2015 certification.
UTTARAKHAND Western Disturbance brings early snow: rain-snow advisory for hill districts till 17 Oct
- Snow already reported at Kedarnath and Hemkund on 10-11 Oct.
- 14 Oct: light-to-moderate rain likely in all districts; snow in high reaches.
- 16-17 Oct: rain/snow likely in Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh.
- Cold to intensify in the hills; plains to get relief from humidity.
UTTARAKHAND CM sanctions ~₹81 crore: ₹61.42 crore for Kumbh 2027 works plus rural roads, gools and heritage sites
- ₹9.94 crore for 20 km of internal rural roads in Tanakpur & Banbasa (Champawat).
- ₹3.30 crore for the Saneh drinking-water scheme (tube well + lifting reservoir), Kotdwar.
- ₹44.13 lakh for a field irrigation channel (gool) at Tauk Bhaura, Pithoragarh.
- Heritage: Kanvashram (Pauri) — statue of Emperor Bharat; Bhaunadevi Shaktipeeth (Almora); Guru Gorakhnath fairground (Pithoragarh).
SOCIETY Day of the Girl Child: smartphones for 149 meritorious girls; women's 30% horizontal quota highlighted
- International Day of the Girl Child: 11 October, declared by the UNGA in 2011, first observed in 2012.
- Uttarakhand gives 30% horizontal reservation to domiciled women in state services (law of 2022).
- Also on 11 Oct: 15 PMAY housing projects near completion; 12,856 families to get homes.
IR Katchatheevu: India tells SC it won't reopen 1974/1976 maritime pacts; Sri Lanka welcomes assurance
- The 1974 pact fixed the boundary in the Palk Strait, placing Katchatheevu (~285 acres) on Sri Lanka's side.
- The 1976 pact covered the Gulf of Mannar & Bay of Bengal; fishing rights were curtailed.
- Fishermen's concerns to be handled via diplomatic channels; next hearing in Feb 2027.
- The island's annual St Anthony's church festival draws Indian pilgrims.
DEFENCE Defence roundup: INDRA-2026 with Russia from 13 Oct, Tarang Shakti-2026 concludes, NGOPV 'Shreyas' launched
- INDRA: India–Russia naval exercise with harbour + sea phases; linked to the MAHASAGAR vision.
- Tarang Shakti-2026 is the 2nd edition (1st in 2024), 26 Sep–12 Oct, with partner F-35s, Rafales, F-16s.
- NGOPV class: 11 ships — 7 at Goa Shipyard, 4 at GRSE; about 3,000 t.
- INS Sahyadri is an indigenous Shivalik-class (Project-17) stealth frigate.
POLITY Supreme Court special sitting: no detention of peaceful protesters except by procedure established by law
- Peaceful protesters not to be detained except under the procedure established by law.
- Normal Metro & rail services and internet to be restored; curbs only if justified under Art 19(2).
- Assemblies allowed outside areas under Sec 163 BNSS orders; lawyers and journalists not to be obstructed.
- Notice to the Centre on a contempt plea; habeas corpus petitions listed for 13 Oct.
SCI-TECH TRISHNA: ISRO–CNES thermal-infrared satellite in advanced stage, launch due in 12-16 months
- Joint mission of ISRO and France's space agency CNES; the 3rd joint Earth-observation satellite.
- Measures land-surface temperature and evapotranspiration at high resolution (~57 m).
- Uses: crop water stress, irrigation planning, urban heat islands, snow and glaciers.
- Took about a decade from concept to realisation.
REPORT IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings open in Bangkok (12-18 Oct); World Economic Outlook due
- Host theme: 'Thailand's New Horizons: Empowering People, Building Resilience'.
- Development Committee on 15 Oct; IMFC plenary on 17 Oct.
- The IMF's flagship World Economic Outlook is scheduled for release on 13 Oct.
- Meetings are held in Washington DC two years out of three; every third year in a member country.
ECONOMY PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana completes one year: 100 districts, 36 schemes converged
- Cabinet approval on 16 July 2025 for 6 years from 2025-26; outlay ₹24,000 crore a year.
- Converges 36 schemes of 11 ministries/departments, plus state and private-sector schemes.
- District selection: low productivity, low cropping intensity, low credit disbursement.
- Targets 1.7 crore farmers: crop diversification, irrigation, storage and credit.
13 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Cabinet notifies Uttarakhand Floodplain Zoning Rules 2026
- Rules give procedures & standards for the Uttarakhand Flood Plain Zoning Act, 2012 — the State calls itself the first to enact such a law.
- Aim: curb unauthorised construction & encroachment, keep natural flood flow, protect lives & critical infrastructure.
- About 697.6 km of riverine stretches already finally notified — incl. Alaknanda 197.35 km, Bhagirathi 133.35 km, Mandakini 76.9 km.
- Zones are based on the magnitude of floods of the last 25 to 100 years; studies done for 1,175.54 km across 18 river basins.
UTTARAKHAND Haridwar Cabinet: ex-Agniveer rules, Child Bravery Award & two new Bills
- Ex-Agniveer Horizontal Reservation Rules 2026 for direct recruitment to Group C uniformed posts, with recruitment relaxations (builds on the 10% horizontal quota of 2025).
- New CM State Child Bravery Award scheme approved.
- Bills for the Assembly: Uttarakhand Fire & Emergency Services Bill 2026 and the 2nd Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill 2026 (decriminalising minor offences).
- 92% of proceeds from disinvestment/monetisation of assets to go to the owning public agency; society for Madan Mohan Malaviya Oriental Research Institute, Rishikul (Haridwar).
UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026 crosses 56 lakh — an all-time record
- Badrinath 19.14 lakh (Chamoli, Alaknanda) and Kedarnath 16.79 lakh (Rudraprayag, Mandakini) lead.
- Gangotri 9.10 lakh (Uttarkashi, Bhagirathi), Yamunotri 8.10 lakh (Uttarkashi, Yamuna).
- Badrinath closing date is customarily fixed on Vijayadashami; Kedarnath & Yamunotri close around Bhai Dooj.
- Ropeways approved for Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib to ease trek congestion.
UTTARAKHAND Haridwar Kumbh 2027 gets official logo, website and anthem
- Logo shows Maa Ganga, Har Ki Pauri, the Dhanush bridge, trishul & damru, and the Mansa Devi & Chandi Devi hills.
- Design by Madhu Sharma (Vikasnagar), chosen from 13 shortlisted entries; anthem by Haridwar singer Raghav Raja.
- On 11 Oct, ₹61.42 crore was sanctioned for 18 Kumbh infrastructure works.
- Kumbh is on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list (2017).
UTTARAKHAND CM seeks Centre's nod for 315 PMGSY roads to link 610 habitations
- 315 road proposals sent to the Centre to connect 610 habitations.
- Union Minister assured early action on approvals.
- Separately, ₹9.94 crore was sanctioned for 20 km of internal roads in Tanakpur & Banbasa (Champawat).
DEFENCE Mountain Guardian 2026: India-UAE drill at Chaubatia
- 92 personnel: 46 Indian Army (incl. a Bhairav Battalion) + 46 UAE Land Forces.
- Drills: joint planning, drone operations, surveillance grids, firing, integrated field exercise.
- Women officers of both armies in specialist roles.
- Other India-UAE exercise: Desert Cyclone (desert terrain).
ECONOMY Economics Nobel 2026 to Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford
- Hall (Stanford): consumption follows a random walk; hand-to-mouth households spend income as it comes.
- Woodford (Columbia): expected future rates drive inflation; Interest and Prices (2003) underpins New Keynesian models & forward guidance.
- Prize: 12 million SEK; instituted 1968, first given 1969.
- Indian-origin laureates: Amartya Sen (1998), Abhijit Banerjee (2019).
POLITY SC: price caps must go beyond cancer drugs
- Bench flagged mark-ups up to 1,000% — “broad daylight dacoity”.
- Made-in-India stent of about ₹5,000 sold for over ₹25,000.
- NLEM 2022 lists 384 medicines; non-scheduled MRP may rise max 10% a year.
- Para 19 of DPCO lets government fix prices in extraordinary cases.
REPORT Living Planet Index 2026: 73% average fall in wildlife
- Covers 35,803 vertebrate populations; compiled with the Zoological Society of London.
- It is a weighted geometric mean — not the share of animals lost.
- Steepest falls: Latin America-Caribbean 95%, Africa 80%; Asia 49%.
- 50% of populations declining, 43% increasing, 7% stable.
POLITY Jantar Mantar de-notified as Delhi's protest site
- Old rules: apply 10 days ahead; cap of 1,000 people.
- Art. 19(3) permits reasonable restrictions on assembly.
- Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (2018): earmarked sites allowed, no blanket ban.
- Sec. 163, BNSS 2023 = prohibitory orders (old Sec. 144 CrPC).
HEALTH JOSH Teams launched to speed up TB elimination
- Each team: 5 volunteers + 5 cadets, led by a Class-I officer.
- 6,347 squads; Phase 1 in 55 districts of 11 States/UTs.
- 67,933 panchayats recognised TB Mukt in 2026.
- Ni-kshay Poshan: ₹1,000/month (raised from ₹500 in 2024).
14 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Dhal Singh Bisen appointed new Governor of Uttarakhand
- Succeeds Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd), who took oath on 15 September 2021 and served over five years.
- Same reshuffle: Sudha Yadav (Karnataka), Braj Mohan Ram (Odisha), Dushyant Gautam (Sikkim).
- CM Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed him, citing his long political experience.
- New Governor will summon/prorogue sessions and assent to Bills - first test: the 27 Oct Gairsain session.
ENVIRONMENT Cabinet clears Uttarakhand Floodplain Zoning Rules, 2026
- 697.60 km of river stretches notified finally; longest: Alaknanda (197.35 km), Ganga (142 km), Bhagirathi (133.35 km).
- Studies done for 1,175.54 km across 18 river basins; Sharda/Kali (244 km) and Nayar (180 km) under study.
- Same Cabinet: Uttarakhand Fire & Emergency Services Bill, 2026 (on Centre's Model Fire Service Bill, 2019) and Second Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
- Agniveer recruitment rules for Group 'C' uniformed posts; 92% of asset-monetisation proceeds to the respective agencies.
POLITY ECI reviews preparedness for 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly elections
- Day 1: workshop on First Level Checking (FLC) of EVMs for DEOs and EVM nodal officers.
- Day 2: DMs/District Election Officers and police presented plans on force deployment and law & order.
- 21 agencies briefed the Commission - paramilitary forces, Excise, GST, Transport, Forest, AAI, Customs.
- ECI expressed satisfaction; officials told to follow the prescribed election plan.
UTTARAKHAND Assembly to meet at Bhararisain (Gairsain) from 27 October; ~₹5,000 crore supplementary budget likely
- Supplementary budget of about ₹5,000 crore for 2026-27 (last year: ₹5,315 crore).
- Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan: Secretariat ready for the Gairsain sitting.
- Likely Bills: Fire & Emergency Services Bill, Jan Vishwas II, Uttarakhand Irrigation & Drainage Bill, 2026 (to replace the Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873).
- Unspent departmental funds may be redirected to other development schemes.
UTTARAKHAND Unseasonal rain & hail damage 8,372 ha of kharif crops; hill orchards hit
- Udham Singh Nagar ~7,730 ha (paddy, sugarcane - Bajpur, Gadarpur); Haridwar ~600.1 ha (paddy - Bahadrabad).
- Two plains districts = ~99.5% of affected area; other districts 42.2 ha.
- Horticulture: Almora 15-70% (Chaukhutia, Lamgara), Champawat >33%, Tehri (Ghansali) ~30%, Pauri ~30%.
- Agri Minister Ganesh Joshi: aid as per central norms (cited ₹17,000/ha) plus State top-up; joint survey with Revenue dept.
SOCIETY Haridwar Kumbh Mela 2027: official logo, website and anthem unveiled
- Logo designed by Madhu Sharma of Jagjeetpur, Haridwar - picked from entries by youth and students of the State.
- Theme song written, sung and composed by Haridwar singer Raghav Raja.
- Logo motifs: Maa Ganga, Har Ki Pauri, Dhanush Bridge, Shiva statue, trishul & damru, Mansa Devi & Chandi Devi hills.
- Aim: global branding, digital information for pilgrims and safe, well-managed arrangements.
ECONOMY Inflation spikes: WPI 11.39% and CPI 5.54% in September 2026
- WPI: fuel & power 25.85%, manufactured products 9.76%, primary articles 8.67%, food index 8.66%.
- CPI food (CFPI) 7.74%; rural 6.08% vs urban 4.88%; onion +108.09%.
- Crude petroleum & natural gas WPI at 57.32%; basic metals 16.96%.
- Highest CPI States: Tamil Nadu 6.81%, Odisha 6.70%, MP 6.68%.
ECONOMY IMF WEO (Oct 2026) raises India's FY27 growth forecast to 7%
- India FY27: 7% (+60 bps from 6.4% in July); FY28: 7%; FY26 estimate 7.8%.
- World growth: 3.1% (2026), 3.4% (2027); China 4.5% (2026).
- India retail inflation projected at 5% (FY27), easing to 4.4% (FY28).
- UNCTAD Trade & Development Report 2026: India 7.3% in 2026 - fastest-growing large economy; world 2.6%.
DEFENCE INS Mangrol, third Mahe-class anti-submarine shallow water craft, commissioned
- About 80% indigenous content; built to DNV classification rules.
- Fit: Abhay hull-mounted sonar, lightweight torpedoes, indigenous ASW rocket launcher, Maareech torpedo decoy.
- Three diesel engines + waterjet propulsion for shallow-water manoeuvrability; also mine-laying.
- Named after Mangrol (Junagadh, Gujarat); earlier INS Mangrol (M85) minesweeper retired in 2004.
IR India hosts first BIMSTEC Home Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi
- Members (7): Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka (South Asia) + Myanmar, Thailand (South-East Asia).
- Agenda: terrorism, transnational organised crime, narcotics, trafficking, illicit financial flows, cyber threats.
- Grouping: ~1.7 billion people (22% of world) and GDP of ~USD 5 trillion.
REPORT Nobel Economics 2026 to Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford
- Prize money SEK 12 million, shared equally.
- Hall (b. 1943): Stanford / Hoover Institution; Woodford (b. 1955): Columbia University.
- Woodford's 'Interest and Prices' (2003) shaped New Keynesian models and inflation targeting / forward guidance.
16 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Dr Dhal Singh Bisen named Uttarakhand's 9th Governor; likely to assume charge on 19 October
- Succeeds Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd.), Governor since 15 Sept 2021; Bisen becomes the state's 9th Governor.
- 4-time MLA in Madhya Pradesh; MP Cabinet Minister 2003–05 (forests, transport, mines); 17th Lok Sabha MP from Balaghat; an Ayurvedic practitioner.
- Same reshuffle: Kerala – O.P. Mathur, Tamil Nadu – R.V. Arlekar, Sikkim – Dushyant Gautam, Odisha – Braj Mohan Ram, Karnataka – Dr Sudha Yadav.
- First Governor of Uttarakhand: Surjit Singh Barnala (2000).
UTTARAKHAND Third session of Fifth Assembly at Gairsain (Bhararisain) from 27 October; ~₹5,000 crore supplementary budget
- Haridwar cabinet (12 Oct) cleared tabling of the Second Uttarakhand Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Uttarakhand Fire and Emergency Services Bill, 2026.
- Last year's supplementary budget (FY 2025-26): ₹5,315 crore.
- Gairsain was declared the summer capital in 2020; sessions alternate between Dehradun and Gairsain.
- CM Pushkar Singh Dhami unveiled the logo, website and theme song of Haridwar Kumbh 2027 (logo: Har Ki Pauri, Mansa Devi & Chandi Devi hills).
UTTARAKHAND Cabinet approves Uttarakhand Floodplain Zoning Rules, 2026 to curb construction along rivers
- Rules set procedures, standards and operational frameworks for land use and development in flood-prone areas.
- Aim: stop unauthorised construction & encroachment near rivers, keep natural river flow, protect lives and critical infrastructure.
- Recurring disasters — e.g., the Dharali (Uttarkashi) flash flood, Aug 2025 — exposed riverbed construction risk.
- Same meeting: 215 posts under Swajal / State Water & Sanitation Mission continued.
UTTARAKHAND Haridwar cabinet: new recruitment rules for ex-Agniveers in uniformed posts; CM State Child Bravery Award approved
- New rules for recruiting ex-Agniveers to uniformed Group 'C' posts; 10% horizontal reservation for them already exists.
- Chief Minister's State Child Bravery Award scheme approved.
- In-principle nod to a society for the Madan Mohan Malaviya Oriental Research Institute.
- Amendment to the schedule of the Uttarakhand Investment & Infrastructure Development Act; road-width relaxation for an affordable housing project in Haridwar.
UTTARAKHAND CM sanctions ₹124.21 crore for free textbooks, plus funds for hill roads and Haldwani sports complex
- ₹52.21 crore — free textbooks for Class 9–12 in government & aided schools (General, OBC, SC, ST).
- ₹72 crore — textbooks & teaching material under Elementary Education this FY.
- ₹4.15 crore — 5-km tiled road in Dineshpur (Udham Singh Nagar); ₹80 lakh CC road in Bhautadri GP, Kanalichhina (Pithoragarh).
- ₹9.35 crore — Integrated Sports Infrastructure Project, Indira Gandhi International Sports Complex, Gaulapar (Haldwani); ₹1 crore released.
UTTARAKHAND Rain, snow above 3,500 m chill Uttarakhand; Char Dham Yatra 2026 at a record 56.18 lakh pilgrims
- Light–moderate rain likely in Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Almora, Champawat, US Nagar, Bageshwar, Nainital, Pithoragarh; Mussoorie got 8.1 mm.
- Kedarnath helicopter services were halted on 15 October.
- Char Dham footfall crossed an all-time record 56.18 lakh by 7 October 2026.
- Winter seats: Ukhimath (Kedarnath), Jyotirmath/Pandukeshwar (Badrinath), Mukhba (Gangotri), Kharsali (Yamunotri).
POLITY ECI orders Special Summary Revision in 17 States/UTs incl. poll-bound Uttarakhand; final rolls on 4 January 2027
- Unlike the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), SSR needs no citizenship documents and no house-to-house enumeration.
- Transparency: readable-PDF rolls for parties; a BLA filing >30 Form-7 objections triggers ERO/AERO cross-verification.
- No transfer of DEO/ERO/AERO officials without ECI approval during the revision.
POLITY SC: a Hindu who converts to Islam cannot claim the Backward Class Muslim quota on pre-conversion backwardness
- A convert from the Hindu social order cannot claim Art. 16(4) benefit merely on pre-conversion social backwardness.
- The G.O. let converts from BC, MBC, Denotified Communities & SC claim status in 7 notified BC Muslim sects (e.g., Muslim Lebbai).
- Para 3, Constitution (SC) Order 1950: SC status only for those professing Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism.
POLITY SC issues notice to Centre on lifelong immunity for the CEC and Election Commissioners
- Sec. 16 bars civil/criminal proceedings against CEC/ECs for official acts — even after they demit office.
- Broader than Art. 361 protection for President & Governors; no such blanket shield for judges, CAG, Lokpal, PSCs.
- Clause was added by amendment at the Rajya Sabha stage; the 1991 Act had no such provision.
IR India's UNSC 2028–29 bid faces a rare contested Asia-Pacific race as Tajikistan enters the fray
- Needs a two-thirds majority — about 129 of 193 votes.
- India won 187/191 votes in 2010 and 184/192 in 2020; rivals Kazakhstan and Afghanistan earlier withdrew.
- Trend: first-time candidate Kyrgyzstan reportedly beat the Philippines this year.
ENVIRONMENT Ramsar sites rise to 103: Chandigarh's Sukhna Wetland and UP's Sauj Jheel added
- Sukhna: at the Shivalik foothills; Site No. 2602; stopover on the Central Asian Flyway.
- Sauj Jheel: part of the Saman Wetland Complex, an Important Bird Area.
- Glaw Lake (Arunachal Pradesh) became the 101st site in Aug 2026.
- Uttarakhand's only site: Asan Conservation Reserve (Dehradun, 2020) at the Asan–Yamuna confluence.
ECONOMY Russia, UAE and US supplied a record 66.85% of India's crude imports in August
- Russia ~44% (84.8 lakh t), down from 51% in July; UAE 17.4%; US 5.1%.
- US crude cost $810.6/t vs all-source average $640/t.
- Commerce Minister: the first tranche of the India–US trade deal is finalised, pending legal vetting.
19 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Dr Dhal Singh Bisen takes oath as Uttarakhand's new Governor
- Succeeds Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd); part of a reshuffle naming Governors for Karnataka, Odisha, Sikkim too.
- Former Balaghat (MP) Lok Sabha MP (17th LS, 2019–24); 4-time MLA; MP Cabinet Minister (2003–05: forests, transport, mines).
- An Ayurvedic practitioner by profession.
- Priorities stated: education, health, agriculture, tourism, environment, employment.
ENVIRONMENT District committees under DMs to curb human-wildlife conflict
- Nodal DFO = member-secretary; members from police, agriculture, horticulture, education, animal husbandry, energy, UREDA + 2 gram pradhans of sensitive areas.
- Tasks: village-level hotspot mapping, QRTs, e-surveillance, early-warning systems, a mitigation cell in every division; meet at least once in 3 months.
- Jan–Sep 2026: 55 deaths, 407 injuries; 29 deaths by leopard/tiger (17 by leopards).
- Injuries: monkeys/langurs 154, snakes 102, leopards 75, bears 40.
ECONOMY ₹24,000 crore more investment readied for grounding in Uttarakhand
- GIS-2023 (Dehradun): MoUs worth ₹3.56 lakh crore; ₹1.01 lakh crore+ already grounded (~28%).
- Heavy industry concentrated in Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar and parts of Nainital.
- 'Nivesh Mitra' facilitators appointed; data on single-window portals.
- Policy aim: balance ecology & economy while maximising employment.
UTTARAKHAND Rudranath closes for winter as record Char Dham season winds down
- Rudranath (~3,600 m) — Shiva worshipped as 'mukh' (face); reopened on 18 May 2026.
- Panch Kedar: Kedarnath → Madhyamaheshwar → Tungnath → Rudranath → Kalpeshwar (Kalpeshwar open all year).
- Badrinath closing date is traditionally fixed on Vijayadashami; Kedarnath closes on Bhai Dooj.
- Winter seats: Kedarnath — Omkareshwar, Ukhimath; Badrinath — Pandukeshwar/Jyotirmath.
SOCIETY Jaunsar-Bawar's 'Gagli war': a Dussehra of atonement, not Ravana dahan
- Legend of two girls, Rani and Munni, who died in a well; villagers seek to lift the resulting curse, on the advice of a mali (attendant) of deity Mahasu.
- Straw effigies are immersed in a well at Kyani Danda; then a ~1-hour fight with arbi (colocasia) stalks & leaves.
- No winner, no loser; ends in embraces and folk dances — Harul, Tandi, Raso, Jhenta.
- Linked locally to the Painta festival.
ENVIRONMENT India's Ramsar sites reach 103 with Sukhna Lake and Sauj Jheel
- Sukhna: artificial lake (1958) at the Shivalik foothills; bird habitat, groundwater recharge.
- Sauj Jheel: Kishni tehsil, Mainpuri; Ganga floodplain wetland; an Important Bird Area.
- UP now has 14 sites — second only to Tamil Nadu.
- Uttarakhand's only Ramsar site: Asan Conservation Reserve (Dehradun, 2020).
IR India to accede to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement
- SIOFA signed in Rome, 7 July 2006; in force June 2012; 10 existing parties incl. Australia, China, Japan, Korea.
- Covers non-highly-migratory high-seas stocks — fish, molluscs, crustaceans.
- Indian vessels may target squid, toothfish, alfonsino.
- Gives India a vote in conservation & quota decisions.
ECONOMY Principal Purpose Test now part of India–Mauritius tax treaty
- Protocol signed March 2024, Port Louis; in force 10 Aug 2026; notified under Sec. 159(1), Income Tax Act, 2025.
- PPT = new Article 27B: benefits denied if obtaining them was one of the principal purposes.
- 2016 Protocol grandfathering (investments before 1 April 2017) not expressly repealed.
- Mauritius has long been among India's top FDI sources.
REPORT WTO lifts 2026 world merchandise trade growth forecast to 3.9%
- AI-related goods drove 47% of merchandise trade growth in H1 2026; AI investment up 67% y-o-y.
- 2027 merchandise trade forecast: 4.1%; services trade 3.3% in 2026.
- World GDP: 2.6% (2026), 2.9% (2027).
- Middle-East tensions flagged as a downside risk.
DEFENCE INS Samarthak: Navy commissions first indigenous Multi-Purpose Vessel
- Built by L&T, Kattupalli (Tamil Nadu); ~107 m long; >75% indigenous content.
- First of four MPVs; an auxiliary platform, not a frontline warship.
- Roles: weapon/sensor trials, towing, surveillance, training, unmanned systems, HADR.
- Boosts Aatmanirbhar Bharat in shipbuilding.
REPORT Female labour force participation jumps in rural India, urban lags
- Rural: 33.0% → 45.9%; Urban: 23.3% → 27.7%.
- Biggest gains: Arunachal Pradesh; declines in Lakshadweep.
- Uttarakhand: urban gains above national average, rural gains below.
- Rise partly reflects unpaid self-employment in agriculture.
20 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Dr Dhal Singh Bisen sworn in as Uttarakhand's 9th Governor
- Bisen (b. 1952) was a 4-term MLA in Madhya Pradesh and Lok Sabha MP, Balaghat (2019–24).
- He chaired the 4th State Finance Commission of MP (2011–13).
- Uttarakhand's 1st Governor: Surjit Singh Barnala (2000); first woman: Margaret Alva (2009).
- Raj Bhavans are now styled ‘Lok Bhavan’.
UTTARAKHAND Assembly to meet at Bhararisain (Gairsain) from 27 Oct; Kumbh 2027 logo unveiled
- Gairsain was declared the summer capital in March 2020; Dehradun remains the (interim) capital.
- Kumbh logo shows Maa Ganga, Har Ki Pauri, Dhanush bridge, Mansa Devi & Chandi Devi hills.
- Haridwar Kumbh is held every 12 years; Ardh Kumbh every 6 years.
- Kumbh Mela is on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list (2017).
UTTARAKHAND Haridwar: 17 elephants under watch, 6 to get radio collars ahead of Kumbh
- Uttarakhand's elephant count: 2,026 (2020 census), up from 1,839 (2017).
- Elephants mainly in the Terai–Shivalik belt, incl. the Rajaji–Corbett corridor.
- A collared herd leader acts as a proxy for the whole herd.
- Proposal for collaring was sent to MoEFCC for approval.
UTTARAKHAND Adventure tourism: 141 youth trained as paragliding pilots
- Target: 100 hours of flight time with practical tandem training.
- Final test: a 35 km cross-country flight.
- Qualifiers get a Commercial Tandem Pilot Licence.
- Operations allowed only at sites cleared by a technical committee.
UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra: record 56.89 lakh pilgrims, winter closure calendar set
- Shrine-wise: Badrinath 19.14 lakh, Kedarnath 16.79 lakh, Gangotri 9.10 lakh, Yamunotri 8.10 lakh.
- Closures: Gangotri 10 Nov, Yamunotri 11 Nov (Bhai Dooj), Tungnath 6 Nov, Madhyamaheshwar 16 Nov.
- Winter seats: Kedarnath → Ukhimath (Omkareshwar); Gangotri → Mukhba; Yamunotri → Kharsali.
- Tungnath doli goes to Makku Math; Badrinath to Pandukeshwar/Jyotirmath.
UTTARAKHAND Medical Education University, Selaqui: ₹20.55 crore projects; super-speciality hospital proposed
- Foundation: admin block, amphitheatre, Nakshatra Vatika (₹20.21 cr); inaugurated: gate & dental hospital (₹34 lakh).
- State has 5 govt medical colleges, 2 under construction, 9 nursing colleges, 3 nursing schools.
- ₹351 crore AIIMS satellite centre coming up at Kichha (Udham Singh Nagar); cancer institute at Haldwani.
IR India–New Zealand FTA comes into force on Vijayadashami
- India liberalises about 70% of its lines; dairy, sugar, edible oils kept out.
- Apples, kiwifruit, Manuka honey via tariff-rate quotas & minimum import prices — shields Uttarakhand/HP growers.
- 5,000 temporary employment visas; 1,000 working-holiday visas a year.
- NZ to facilitate $20 billion investment; FY25 goods trade US$1.3 bn.
POLITY SC: Internet access is a fundamental right of children too
- Right flows from Art. 19(1)(a) and Art. 21; relies on Anuradha Bhasin (2020).
- Centre to build a national hash & URL database, each entry verified by 3 human analysts.
- Platforms: act within 2 hours on flagged cases; weekly removal reports.
- A default ‘child mode’; universal age-gating rejected on privacy grounds.
ENVIRONMENT Ramsar network reaches 103 with Sukhna and Sauj Jheel
- Uttar Pradesh now has 14 sites, second only to Tamil Nadu.
- Uttarakhand's only Ramsar site: Asan Conservation Reserve (Dehradun), 2020.
- Ramsar Convention: 1971, Ramsar (Iran); India joined in 1982.
- India's first sites: Chilika (Odisha) & Keoladeo (Rajasthan), 1981.
DEFENCE INS Samarthak: Navy's first indigenous multi-purpose vessel commissioned
- About 107 m long; over 75% indigenous content.
- Roles: weapon & sensor trials, surveillance, towing, training, HADR.
- An auxiliary platform, not a frontline warship.
21 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →POLITY Dr Dhal Singh Bisen sworn in as Uttarakhand's 9th Governor
- Oath administered by Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari of the Uttarakhand High Court
- Bisen: former Balaghat (MP) Lok Sabha MP (17th LS, 2019-24); four-time MLA in Madhya Pradesh
- Was MP Cabinet Minister (2003-05) for forests, transport and mines; an Ayurvedic practitioner
- He is the 9th Governor of Uttarakhand (first: Surjit Singh Barnala, 2000)
UTTARAKHAND Police Commemoration Day: 1,600 police posts, station funds doubled
- Recruitment to 1,600 vacant posts across police wings
- Annual police-station expense fund raised from ₹4 crore to ₹8 crore
- Modern investigation kits for IOs; review of staff strength at each thana
- Police transit hostel in Dehradun; upgrade of Police Modern School and Police Hospital
UTTARAKHAND Gairsain session on 27-28 Oct; fiscal-deficit cap of 3% of GSDP
- 426 questions received from 31 MLAs; Speaker: Ritu Khanduri Bhushan
- Cabinet (at Banbasa, Champawat — first-ever there) cleared Fiscal Responsibility (Amendment) Bill, 2026
- Fiscal deficit ≤ 3% of GSDP and debt ≤ 30% of GSDP for 2026-27 to 2030-31; relaxation for disasters
- Sixth State Finance Commission report to be tabled; Irrigation & Water Drainage Bill, 2026 to replace the 1873 canal Act
UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026 sets record with 59.08 lakh pilgrims
- As of 28 Sep: Badrinath 18.10 lakh, Kedarnath 15.57 lakh, Gangotri 8.41 lakh (its highest ever), Yamunotri 7.5 lakh
- Tentative closing: Gangotri 10 Nov, Kedarnath & Yamunotri 11 Nov, Badrinath 13 Nov
- Winter seats: Kedarnath — Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath; Badrinath — Narsingh Temple, Joshimath
- Gangotri — Mukhba; Yamunotri — Kharsali
ENVIRONMENT Western disturbance alert and pre-hibernation bear movement in hills
- 23 Oct: light rain in Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli (Garhwal) and Pithoragarh (Kumaon)
- Pilgrims and trekkers advised to check forecasts — roads to shrines may be affected
- Bears move toward settlements in Sep-Nov (and again in Feb) to build fat reserves before hibernation
- Measures: camera traps, patrols, awareness, and clearing garbage dumps near villages (Chamoli, Uttarkashi)
UTTARAKHAND ₹1.01 lakh crore of GIS investment grounded; film policy push
- Global Investors Summit, Dec 2023 (Dehradun): MoUs of about ₹3.56 lakh crore
- Grounding after three groundbreaking ceremonies; 'Nivesh Mitras' assist investors
- About 70% of the state's area is forest — a constraint on land for industry
- Uttarakhand Film Policy-2024: single-window shooting permits and financial grants
IR India-US-UAE trilateral in Mumbai; trade deal 'close'
- Agenda: energy, connectivity and regional developments; bilateral talks on trade, technology and defence
- Rubio called India a 'refining superpower'; discussed processing Venezuelan oil at Jamnagar
- US tariff on most Indian goods cut from 50% to 18% under the February framework
- Jaishankar stressed zero tolerance for terrorism
IR Rajnath at SCO Dushanbe: dismantle the terror ecosystem
- Urged members to dismantle the terrorism ecosystem; no double standards
- India to host the first SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum by end-2026
- Backed a 2026-2030 action plan on multilateral trade and economic cooperation
ECONOMY India-New Zealand FTA comes into force
- Duty-free access for 100% of Indian exports to New Zealand
- Expected US$20 billion investment into India over 15 years
- Gains for textiles, leather, engineering goods, pharma; NZ gains in wood, wool, sheep meat
- Import quotas for apples and kiwifruit — relevant for Uttarakhand and Himachal orchardists
SCI-TECH China curbs export of tunnel-boring machines from 18 Nov
- Covers earth-pressure-balance, slurry-shield and rock TBMs plus cutterheads and main drives
- Not a blanket ban — other destinations need registration and an export certificate
- Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line (125 km): 16 main tunnels (105 km)
- First Himalayan use of a TBM on the ~14.6-km T-8 (Devprayag-Janasu) tunnel, now through
REPORT Global Hunger Index 2026: India ranked 100th of 122
- Child wasting 19.0% (up from 16.9%) — highest in South Asia
- Child stunting 29.3% — fell from 'very high' to 'high' for the first time
- Undernourishment 9.8% (from 10.5%); child mortality 2.7%
- Ranks better than Pakistan; behind Bangladesh
22 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026 crosses 60 lakh pilgrims; winter closure dates fixed
- Badrinath 20,70,500; Kedarnath 17,65,520; Yamunotri 9,45,572; Gangotri 8,38,422; Hemkund Sahib 3,90,696.
- Closure: Gangotri 10 Nov (12:05 pm); Kedarnath & Yamunotri 11 Nov (Bhai Dooj); Badrinath 16 Nov.
- Winter seats: Kedarnath → Ukhimath (Omkareshwar); Badrinath → Pandukeshwar/Jyotirmath; Gangotri → Mukhba; Yamunotri → Kharsali.
- Opening dates 2026: Yamunotri & Gangotri 19 Apr, Kedarnath 22 Apr, Badrinath 23 Apr.
UTTARAKHAND Police Commemoration Day: CM announces 1,600 police posts, doubles thana budget
- Recruitment for about 1,600 vacant posts; annual police-station operational budget raised from ₹4 crore to ₹8 crore.
- Quick Response Teams at every police station for women's safety; 24x7 help desk at AIIMS Rishikesh.
- State Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under construction at about ₹32 crore.
- 206 Uttarakhand police personnel have died on duty since statehood; 154 died nationwide in the past year.
UTTARAKHAND ASI resumes excavation at Kashipur's Govishan mound, linked to Dronasagar
- Xuanzang (7th century CE) described Govishan; Alexander Cunningham identified it with Kashipur.
- Earlier digs in 1939-40, 1965-66, 1970-71; the Bhim-Gaja temple complex shows three phases (earliest possibly Gupta).
- Finds include Painted Grey Ware (PGW) and Kushan, Gupta and medieval pottery, plus brick and circular structures.
- Local tradition links Drona Sagar lake to Dronacharya; the ASI notes such links alone do not prove historicity.
UTTARAKHAND Assembly's third session at Bhararisain from 27 Oct; Haridwar Kumbh 2027 logo unveiled
- The Cabinet has cleared the Second Uttarakhand Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Uttarakhand Fire and Emergency Services Bill, 2026 for tabling.
- The fire Bill is modelled on the Centre's Model Fire Service Bill, 2019.
- Logo imagery: Maa Ganga, Har Ki Pauri, Dhanush Bridge, trident-damru, and the Mansa Devi & Chandi Devi hills.
- The opposition plans a Vidhan Sabha gherao at Gairsain on 26 Oct during its 'Nyay Yatra'.
ENVIRONMENT Upper Ganga Canal shut for 20 days; waste surfaces at Haridwar ghats
- The canal headworks at Bhimgoda barrage, Haridwar, are managed by Uttar Pradesh, a legacy issue since the state's creation in 2000.
- Pilgrims are bathing with vessels, as the dip at Har Ki Pauri is not possible.
- Normal discharge will be restored after the 20-day maintenance drive, around Dhanteras.
- The exposed waste raises questions on the impact of Namami Gange spending in the upper Ganga stretch.
UTTARAKHAND Hill weather alert: snow above 3,500 m, rain in four districts; floodplain rules in focus
- The 2026 Rules operationalise the 2012 Act: they regulate land use near rivers, curb encroachment and keep flood paths open.
- Only about four states have enacted floodplain-zoning laws, based on the CWC's Model Bill (1975).
- The four alert districts host Gangotri-Yamunotri (Uttarkashi), Kedarnath (Rudraprayag), Badrinath (Chamoli) and the Adi Kailash route (Pithoragarh).
- Early snowfall raises the risk of road blockades and hypothermia on high-altitude yatra routes.
ECONOMY Core sector grows 7.9% in September — highest in the new 2022-23 series
- Iron ore +18.4%, electricity +11.4%, coal +10.7%, refinery +10.3%, cement +9.8%, steel +4.9%.
- Contractions: crude oil -1.4%, natural gas -4.6%, fertilizers -11.7%.
- August revised to 5.9% (from 4.8%); April-September cumulative growth 5.1%.
- The new series (base 2022-23, from July 2026) adds iron ore as the 9th industry; electricity has the top weight at 30.9%.
IR Modi-Tusk talks: India and Poland push the Strategic Partnership
- Ties were raised to a Strategic Partnership during Modi's Warsaw visit (Aug 2024).
- Trade goal: from about US$6 bn to US$10 bn; focus on defence, technology and space.
- Agenda included the India-Poland Business Forum, followed by a Bengaluru visit on 23 Oct.
- The Russia-Ukraine war and the India-EU FTA also featured in the talks.
IR India-New Zealand FTA in force from 20 Oct; customs e-origin data pact signed
- 100% of Indian exports get duty-free access to New Zealand.
- Expected US$20 bn investment into India; bilateral trade target to be doubled in 4-5 years.
- E-origin exchange cuts paperwork and certificate-of-origin fraud.
- Sensitive farm and dairy lines were protected on the Indian side.
ENVIRONMENT India plans 1% Sustainable Aviation Fuel blending for international flights from 2027
- Blending path: 1% (2027) → 2% (2028) → 5% (2030).
- IOC Panipat co-processes used cooking oil and is building an alcohol-to-jet unit (about 30,000 t/yr).
- CORSIA (ICAO, 2016): voluntary phases 2021-26, mandatory 2027-35; baseline 85% of 2019 emissions.
- Indian airlines face an estimated offset liability of about 5 Mt CO₂ per year.
POLITY SC: converts to non-Hindu faiths cannot claim BC quota solely on pre-conversion status
- Art. 16(4) benefits cannot rest solely on pre-conversion caste; the 'source of social backwardness' must be tested afresh.
- Under the Constitution (SC) Order, 1950, SC status is limited to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists.
- Reconversion to Hinduism needs independent, fact-specific verification.
- Private religious bodies cannot decide statutory entitlements.
DEFENCE Army Commanders' Conference: Defence Minister to release new Land Warfare Doctrine
- Release of the annual UN Journal, and honours for Indian UN peacekeepers.
- Awards for Green Military Stations and Aviation Flight Safety.
- The CDS, the Navy Chief and the MeitY Secretary will address the conference.
- The previous Land Warfare Doctrine was issued in 2018.
23 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Cabinet notifies UCC (Amendment) Rules, 2026; clears 25 proposals ahead of Gairsain session
- New rules remove implementation difficulties and clerical errors in registration of marriage, divorce, live-in relationships and succession.
- Earlier amendment (Ordinance, Jan 2026, Article 213): identity misrepresentation = ground for annulment; Registrar issues a termination certificate for live-ins; delays auto-escalate to Registrar / Registrar General.
- Uttarakhand GST (Amendment) Bill approved for introduction, in line with central GST changes.
- One-time settlement scheme for about 3,600 pending stamp-duty cases.
- Business Advisory Committee meets 24 Oct; Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan.
UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026 crosses a record 60 lakh pilgrims; portals to close from 10 November
- Opened: Gangotri & Yamunotri 19 Apr (Akshaya Tritiya), Kedarnath 22 Apr, Badrinath 24 Apr.
- Expected closing: Gangotri 10 Nov, Kedarnath & Yamunotri 11 Nov (Bhai Dooj), Badrinath ~13 Nov (tentative).
- Biometric/online registration is mandatory for every pilgrim.
- Kanwar Yatra 2026 drew nearly 5 crore pilgrims (state figure).
SOCIETY Social-justice push: SC/ST free-coaching cap raised to ₹8 lakh; 'Ekal Nari Samman Yojana'; relief for divyang students
- Free coaching for SC/ST students: family income limit raised from ₹2 lakh to ₹8 lakh.
- Maintenance grant renamed Mukhyamantri Ekal Nari Samman Yojana (single women).
- 5% relaxation in pass marks for divyang students in Uttarakhand Board exams — 28% is now a pass.
- All 13 DIETs restructured; sanctioned posts per DIET cut from 48 to 44.
- State Human Rights Commission report (2019–22) approved: 16,388 cases, 15,075 disposed (~92%).
UTTARAKHAND Uttarakhand Adventure Tourism Corporation approved; 'One District, One Sport' gets 14 head coaches
- New state PSU: Uttarakhand Adventure Tourism Corporation Ltd to plan, regulate and market adventure tourism.
- One District, One Sport: 14 head coaches on 3-year contracts at a fixed ₹1.45 lakh/month.
- Free travel in Uttarakhand Transport Corporation buses for athletes with state/national awards.
- PWD: second-phase works (slope cutting, retaining walls, culverts, drains) approved in a single stage.
- PM POSHAN: land for centralised kitchens in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar.
SOCIETY 'Drug-Free Uttarakhand' walkathon flagged off in Dehradun — 'Nashe ko Na, Zindagi ko Haan'
- Organised by the ONGC Officers Association; Cabinet Minister Khajan Das attended.
- Slogan: 'Nashe ko Na, Zindagi ko Haan' (No to drugs, yes to life).
- Strategy: enforcement against peddlers + awareness + de-addiction & treatment + rehabilitation.
- Promote sports, yoga and exercise; involve parents, teachers, workplaces and NGOs.
UTTARAKHAND Police Commemoration Day: 1,600 posts to be filled; police-station budget doubled to ₹8 crore
- About 1,600 vacant posts across police units to be filled soon.
- Annual police-station operational budget raised from ₹4 crore to ₹8 crore.
- State Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under construction (~₹32 crore).
- 206 Uttarakhand Police personnel have died on duty since statehood (DGP Deepam Seth); 154 nationwide in the past year.
- 24x7 police help desk at AIIMS Rishikesh; quick response teams for women's safety at every police station.
IR India–Poland: Tusk visit sets goal to double trade by 2030; Defence Industry Dialogue launched
- Bilateral trade ~US$6 billion; target: double by 2030.
- New Defence Industry Dialogue and counter-terrorism dialogue; mid-term review of Action Plan 2024–28 endorsed.
- Poland to join CDRI; invited to ISA, Global Biofuels Alliance and IPOI.
- Poland backs India's UNSC non-permanent seat (2028–29).
ENVIRONMENT AgriVoltaics World Conference 2026 in New Delhi — 'One land, two harvests'
- Theme: 'Powering the Global South'; 1,200+ delegates.
- Agrivoltaics = solar PV + crops on the same land (elevated, inter-row, greenhouse, aquavoltaic).
- ~47.5 Mha cropland technically suitable (~30% of cropland); elevated systems cost 25–30% more.
- Reported (site-specific) gains: yield +10–20%, water use ~30% lower.
SCI-TECH ISRO to launch NVS-03 on GSLV Mk II on 30 October to restore NavIC
- Only 3 NavIC satellites working now: IRNSS-1B, IRNSS-1I, NVS-01.
- NVS-02 (Jan 2025) failed to reach orbit — a pyro valve did not fire.
- NVS-03: ~2,250 kg, I-2K bus, ~3 kW, rubidium atomic clocks, geosynchronous orbit.
- L1 band suits common smartphone chips; encrypted Restricted Service for the armed forces.
HEALTH CDSCO flags 330 'Not of Standard Quality' drug samples in September; one spurious
- Split: 42 from Central Drugs Laboratories + 288 from State Drugs Testing Laboratories.
- August: 220 NSQ (29 central + 191 state) → September up 50%.
- Spurious drug made by unauthorised makers using another firm's brand name; under investigation.
- NSQ applies only to the tested batch; lists are published monthly.
DEFENCE Navy in two oceans: SIMBEX-2026 at Visakhapatnam, IBSAMAR IX off South Africa
- SIMBEX began in 1994 as 'Exercise Lion King'; India: INS Nilgiri (Project 17A), INS Kamorta (Project 28); Singapore: RSS Supreme.
- Sea phase in the Bay of Bengal (24–26 Oct): anti-submarine, anti-surface and anti-air drills.
- IBSAMAR IX: India fielded INS Tarkash (Talwar-class frigate); series began 2008.
- IBSA formed by the Brasilia Declaration, 6 June 2003; IBSA Fund (2004).
26 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Bhararisain (Gairsain) Assembly Session Opens 27 Oct; ~₹5,000-cr Supplementary Budget Expected
- 31 MLAs have submitted 426 questions — roads, drinking water, health, education, employment.
- Supplementary budget of about ₹5,000 crore for FY 2026-27 reported (₹5,315 crore in 2025-26).
- Uttarakhand GST (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 (promulgated 3 Sept) to come as a Bill — aligns with CGST Act, 2017 changes.
- State Human Rights Commission report (2019–22): 16,388 cases, 15,075 disposed — to be laid in the House.
- Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan — Uttarakhand's first woman Speaker.
UTTARAKHAND Cabinet Notifies UCC Amendment Rules 2026; SC/ST Free-Coaching Income Cap Raised to ₹8 Lakh
- Civil Code (Amendment) Rules, Uttarakhand, 2026 to implement the UCC, Uttarakhand (Amendment) Act, 2026; they fix implementation hurdles and clerical errors.
- Free coaching for SC/ST students: family income limit ₹2 lakh → ₹8 lakh.
- Students with disabilities: 5% relaxation — pass at 28% in Uttarakhand Board exams.
- One District, One Sport: 14 head coaches (13 districts + Directorate), 3-year contract, ₹1.45 lakh/month.
- Maintenance grant renamed Mukhyamantri Ekal Nari Samman Yojana; new Uttarakhand Adventure Tourism Corporation Ltd.; OTS for ~3,600 stamp-duty cases.
UTTARAKHAND Adi Kailash Run 2.0 Ends at Gunji; CM Announces 100-Mile Mana Pass–Auli Ultra Run for May 2027
- 100 Miles Himalayan Endurance Ultra Run — first week of May 2027, from Mana Pass (~5,600 m) via Badrinath–Joshimath to Auli (Chamoli).
- Open to Indian and foreign runners; previous edition drew 700+ runners.
- Support from Army, ITBP and SSB in the border belt.
- Goals: adventure tourism, jobs for local youth, checking migration from border villages.
- Linked to Vibrant Villages Programme — border villages as the "first villages", not the "last".
UTTARAKHAND CM Reviews Amritpur Bypass to Ease Tourist Jams on Kumaon Circuit
- Kainchi Dham recorded 45,000+ pilgrims in a single day during the 2–4 Oct long weekend (usual: 20,000–25,000).
- Sanctioned: ₹1.75 crore (Phase I) + ₹4.69 crore (Phase II); work 15% complete.
- Rising footfall at Nainital, Ranikhet, Kausani, Almora, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh.
- Kumaon Divisional Commissioner Deepak Rawat presented progress.
SCI-TECH 21st Uttarakhand State Science & Technology Congress Opens in Dehradun
- About 1,000 scientists, researchers and policymakers; 260+ papers in 13 technical divisions.
- Brainstorming on STI Policy 2026 — "Developed India, Empowered Uttarakhand 2047".
- UCOST DG Prof. Durgesh Pant introduced Vigyan Setu to link science with society.
- Exhibition by 60+ institutes and start-ups; 2nd Science & Technology Premier League; chief guest S&T Minister Pradeep Batra.
SOCIETY Recruitment Freeze Lifted in Aided Non-Government Secondary Schools
- Only sanctioned vacant posts formally revived/restored by the competent authority can be filled.
- Teaching posts to be aligned with student enrolment.
- Some management committees had approached the High Court; many schools ran with very few teachers.
- Announced by School Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat; rules-based, transparent selection ordered.
DEFENCE Operation Trident: NCB-led Strike on Drug–Hawala Network in the Northeast
- Raids at 38 locations in Assam, Mizoram and Manipur; 18 arrests.
- ₹100 crore+ hawala trail; 1,424 bank accounts frozen; assets of ₹17.82 crore attached; 500 detonators and ₹12 lakh cash seized.
- ED flagged a counter codenamed "Nuniang": 2,947 transfers worth ₹175.03 crore (2024–June 2026).
- Home Minister Amit Shah set 31 Dec 2029 as target to wipe out drug networks.
ECONOMY PM Opens RBI's ₹169-crore Data Centre & Cybersecurity Training Institute in Odisha
- Cost ₹169 crore; campus 18.55 acres; foundation stone laid by Governor Shaktikanta Das on 22 March 2023.
- Will host mission-critical payment and settlement systems; second such facility after Navi Mumbai.
- Site chosen for low seismic risk and distance from high-risk border areas.
- Present: FM Nirmala Sitharaman, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi.
ENVIRONMENT Centre Rushes RAF to Arunachal as Siang Dam Protests Turn Violent
- Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) — proposed 11,200 MW, India's largest planned hydro project; developer NHPC.
- Local communities (mainly Adi) fear displacement, submergence and ecological damage.
- Centre's rationale: buffer storage against China's mega-dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo.
- RAF airlifted from Navi Mumbai on an IAF aircraft.
DEFENCE Swavlamban 2026: Navy's 5th Innovation & Indigenisation Seminar Begins
- 5th edition; series began in 2022 (~800 participants); 100+ stalls this year.
- Focus: maritime surveillance, counter-UAS, AI, quantum, NBCD defence; highlights include quantum positioning and high-power microwave weapons.
- iDEX: 4,000+ proposals; AoN ₹3,500 cr+; contracts ₹1,900 cr+.
- Navy: 42 platforms on order; AoN for 78 more + 120 Fast Interceptor Craft (~₹2.41 lakh crore).
POLITY Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 (26 Oct–1 Nov): 'Probity for Prosperity'
- Theme: "Probity for Prosperity" (Satyanishtha se Samriddhi).
- Held in the week of Sardar Patel's birth anniversary (31 Oct, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas).
- Campaign focus: pending complaints, cyber hygiene, transparent buying on GeM, contract management.
27 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Gairsain Session Opens: ₹7,412-cr Supplementary Budget, 8 Bills
- 8 Bills listed; ordinances to be laid incl. Uttarakhand GST (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 and Minority Education (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026.
- Sixth State Finance Commission report tabled with action-taken report (Art. 243-I & 243-Y).
- State Human Rights Commission report 2019-22: 16,388 cases, 15,075 disposed.
- 445 questions from 31 MLAs; House paid tribute to ex-CM B.C. Khanduri.
UTTARAKHAND Cabinet Amends UCC Rules; Clears Adventure Tourism Corporation
- UCC rules amended to remove implementation difficulties and clerical errors.
- New Uttarakhand Adventure Tourism Corporation Ltd. for adventure & eco-tourism.
- Stamp-duty One-Time Settlement scheme for ~3,600 pending cases.
- PWD second-phase works (slope cutting, retaining walls, culverts) now approved in a single stage.
- All 13 DIETs restructured — posts per institute cut from 48 to 44.
UTTARAKHAND Rudraprayag Bypass: Bridge + Tunnel Link Kedarnath & Badrinath Highways
- 200 m bridge over the Alaknanda + 900.30 m tunnel; route ~1.18 km.
- Cost ~₹156 crore, built under the Char Dham road project.
- Directly links NH-107 (Kedarnath route) with NH-07 (Badrinath route).
- CM also reviewed slope stabilisation on the Rudraprayag–Gaurikund highway.
UTTARAKHAND Pahadi Produce Goes Global: Chakrata Rajma, Turmeric to Canada & UAE
- Also in demand: Munsiyari rajma, red rice, pahadi dals, handloom.
- House of Himalayas has sold ₹6 crore+ of local products so far.
- Led by the Rural Development Department; gains to farmers & women SHGs.
- Chakrata lies in the Jaunsar-Bawar region of Dehradun district.
ENVIRONMENT Mann Ki Baat Hails Revival of Tehri's Heval River
- Falling flows had dried nearby naulas/dharas (natural springs).
- Methods: rainwater retention, groundwater recharge, mass plantation.
- Outcome: a 'new lease of life' for the river; dozens of springs revived.
- Joint campaign of administration + villagers — a Jan Bhagidari model.
SOCIETY Social-Sector Push: Free Coaching Income Cap Raised to ₹8 Lakh
- Maintenance grant scheme renamed Mukhyamantri Ekal Nari Samman Yojana.
- Students with disabilities in UBSE exams pass at 28% (5% relaxation).
- One District, One Sport: 14 head coaches, 3-year contract, ₹1.45 lakh/month.
- Free roadways bus travel for award-winning athletes; land for PM Poshan kitchens in Haridwar & Udham Singh Nagar.
DEFENCE DAC Clears ₹2.12-Lakh-Crore Proposals; 82% from Indian Industry
- Army: self-propelled tracked guns, VSHORADS, long-range kamikaze drones, counter-drone systems for tanks.
- Navy: Active Offboard Decoy System against anti-ship missiles.
- IAF: utility & Light Multi-Role Helicopters, air defence, mobile X-band Doppler weather radars.
- ~82% of value to come from Indian industry.
ECONOMY Centre to Bring Public Debt Down to 50% of GDP by 2030: FM
- Debt-to-GDP replaced fiscal deficit as the primary fiscal anchor from Budget 2025-26.
- Target: Central debt at 50 ± 1% of GDP by 31 March 2031.
- A group of ministers has worked on price stability since 2014.
- Lower debt frees space now taken by interest payments — the Centre's largest spending item.
ENVIRONMENT Very Severe Cyclone 'Arnab' to Hit Andhra Coast on 28 Oct
- Winds 115–125 km/h, gusting 140 km/h; storm surge 1.0–1.5 m.
- NCMC, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, reviewed preparedness on 26 Oct.
- NDRF/SDRF on standby; fishing ban; rain in Odisha, Telangana, Chhattisgarh.
- Name 'Arnab' (meaning 'ocean') was contributed by Bangladesh.
IR India–US Trade Pact Being 'Fine-Tuned', Most Talks Over: Goyal
- Framework for the first phase was announced in February 2026.
- Mission 500: bilateral trade of US$ 500 billion by 2030.
- The US is among India's largest trading partners and top export market.
- India seeks to protect sensitive sectors such as agriculture & dairy.
IR India Hosts 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi
- Four themes: Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, Sustainability; incl. legislative oversight of AI.
- With China: shared responsibility for peace and tranquillity along the border.
- With Iran: Chabahar Port cooperation; with UAE: Digital Sansad, AI.
- India holds the BRICS chair in 2026.
HEALTH NMC Withdraws 2023 Medical-Education Standards Regulations
- Withdrawn rules had penalties up to ₹1 crore for institutions, ₹5 lakh for false declarations.
- NMC: minimum standards and statutory enforcement remain in force.
- Critics see weaker deterrence; NMC says it removes overlapping procedures.
28 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND ₹7,844.18 crore Supplementary Budget tabled at Gairsain; State budget crosses ₹1.19 lakh crore
- Budget rises from ₹1,11,703.21 cr to ₹1,19,547.39 cr; Capital ₹4,164.32 cr vs Revenue ₹3,679.86 cr
- Local bodies' share of state tax revenue raised from 10.5% to 12.5% per the 6th State Finance Commission; ₹721 cr for rural & urban local bodies
- Biggest head: ₹1,100 cr for paddy-wheat procurement; Jal Jeevan Mission ₹300 cr; Divya Kumbh Mela ₹290 cr; Nanda Raj Jat Yatra ₹20 cr
- Joshimath (land subsidence) ₹48 cr; new State Data Centre ₹40 cr; Gairsain water-supply dam ₹122 cr
UTTARAKHAND Gairsain session: 9 Bills incl. Irrigation & Drainage Bill and FRBM cap; UCC-linked Civil Law amendment
- Irrigation & Drainage Bill, 2026 to replace the colonial Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873
- FRBM (Amendment) Bill: fiscal deficit ≤3% of GSDP and debt ≤30% of GSDP for 2026-27 to 2030-31
- Civil Law (Amendment) Bill + cabinet-approved Civil Code (Amendment) Rules, 2026 align the UCC framework
- Others: Jan Vishwas (2nd Amdt), Investment & Infrastructure (Amdt), GST (Amdt), Private Universities (2nd Amdt)
UTTARAKHAND New Fire & Emergency Services Bill, 2026: mandatory Fire NOC, instant sealing of unsafe buildings
- Fire NOC mandatory: residential ≥12 m or ≥500 m²; hotels/homestays/schools ≥9 m; hospitals ≥1,000 m²; warehouses >250 m²
- Fire department may evacuate and seal a building on serious violation
- Fine of ₹10 per m² or up to 1.5× the cost of required safety equipment
- Death/serious injury due to negligence → action under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS); false fire reports punishable
UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026 sets record with 60 lakh+ darshans; winter closure from 10 Nov
- Badrinath ~20.71 lakh, Kedarnath ~17.66 lakh, Yamunotri ~9.46 lakh, Gangotri ~8.38 lakh, Hemkund ~3.91 lakh
- Closing: Gangotri 10 Nov (12:05 PM); Kedarnath & Yamunotri 11 Nov; Badrinath 16 Nov (9:37 PM)
- Rudranath (Chaturth Kedar) already closed for winter
- CM: new master plans for Kedarnath & Badrinath; Manaskhand corridor progressing
UTTARAKHAND CM's roadmap at Gairsain: 30+ policies, Rishikesh–Karnaprayag rail ~80% complete
- ₹10,000 cr+ invested in infrastructure in the last 3 years
- Rishikesh–Karnaprayag rail line about 80% complete
- Work on Char Dham all-weather road and Kedarnath & Hemkund connectivity projects; Sharda, Golju, Haridwar–Ganga corridors
- Separately, CM launched 67 schemes worth ₹284 cr in Pithoragarh
UTTARAKHAND Adi Kailash Ultra Run 2.0 held in Dharchula's high Himalaya to boost border tourism
- Organised by the district administration with Army, ITBP, SSB and BRO support
- Medical, hydration points and help desk at Chhiyalekh; route via Gunji
- Cabinet (22 Oct) cleared the new Uttarakhand Adventure Tourism Corporation Ltd
- Promotes winter/shoulder-season tourism in Vyas, Darma valleys
ENVIRONMENT Very Severe Cyclonic Storm 'Arnab' makes landfall near Narsapur on Andhra coast
- Sustained winds up to 135 km/h, gusting to 150 km/h
- Heavy rain in Kakinada, Konaseema, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, West Godavari
- Sea-water inundation in Kakinada; no casualties reported in early updates
- Yanam is part of the UT of Puducherry, enclaved in Andhra Pradesh
SCI-TECH PM inaugurates ESTIC 2026; push to take research 'beyond laboratories'
- 5,000+ delegates; 12 thematic domains incl. quantum, generative AI, semiconductors, Deep Ocean Mission
- Focus on the ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund and ANRF to move deep-tech up technology-readiness levels
- Startups grew from ~400 (2014) to 2.3 lakh+ (as stated by MoS Jitendra Singh)
- Plenaries by Nobel laureates Joachim Frank (cryo-EM) and Richard J. Roberts (split genes)
POLITY SC: Multiple life sentences in a single trial cannot run consecutively
- Relied on the Constitution Bench ruling in Muthuramalingam v. State (2016)
- Trial court (2013) had ordered the two life terms to run consecutively; HC had upheld it
- Fines, default sentences and set-off (s. 428 CrPC) left intact
- Life imprisonment means imprisonment for the remainder of natural life (unless remitted)
IR Liechtenstein's first-ever State Visit to India; leaders hail India–EFTA TEPA
- First state visit from Liechtenstein to India
- Focus: trade-investment, innovation, S&T, skills, financial services
- Both back reform of multilateral institutions incl. the UN
- TEPA with EFTA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland) in force since 1 Oct 2025 — $100 bn investment, 10 lakh jobs pledge over 15 years
ECONOMY CMVR amended for E85 & E100: regulatory path opens for flex-fuel vehicles
- Applies only to vehicles designed and certified for these fuels; E20-compatible ≠ E85-ready
- E20 reached in 2025, ~5 years ahead of the 2030 target; E10 in June 2022
- Ethanol has ~one-third less energy per litre than petrol → lower mileage
- India imports >85% of its crude oil; PM JI-VAN Yojana (2019) backs 2G ethanol
29 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Gairsain session passes ₹7,844.18 crore supplementary budget; capex gets the lion's share
- 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%.
UTTARAKHAND Nine Bills cleared: new fire-safety law, minority-education curbs, Jan Vishwas decriminalisation
- 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.
UTTARAKHAND ₹231.91 crore for Chamoli: Ramganga drinking-water dam and Karnaprayag land-subsidence works
- 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.
UTTARAKHAND Fresh snow at Kedarnath; season count crosses 18.53 lakh ahead of 11 November closing
- 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.
UTTARAKHAND Cyclone Arnab's remnant effect: yellow alert for thunderstorm and lightning on 30 October
- 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.
UTTARAKHAND 100-mile Himalayan Ultra Run from Mana Pass to Auli announced for May 2027
- 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.
POLITY Cabinet approves PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (₹7,395.55 crore) for Panchayat governance
- 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.
ECONOMY ₹10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme to build domestic capacity
- ₹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.
IR India and Mexico sign Terms of Reference to launch Preferential Trade Agreement talks
- 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.
DEFENCE Rajnath Singh-Hegseth review 10-year India-US defence framework at Cebu
- 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).
SCI-TECH ISRO to launch NVS-03 on GSLV-F18 on 30 October to restore NavIC services
- 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.
HEALTH NPPA cuts MRP of 543 anti-cancer brands; new prices effective 9 November
- 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.
30 October 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Gairsain session passes ₹7,844.18 cr supplementary budget — capex takes 53%
- Total ₹7,844.18 cr: capital ₹4,164.32 cr (53.1%) + revenue ₹3,679.86 cr.
- FY 2026-27 budget rises from ₹1,11,703.21 cr to ₹1,19,547.39 cr.
- Big heads: foodgrain procurement ₹1,100 cr, local bodies ₹721 cr (tax share 10.5% → 12.5%), SASCI ₹500 cr.
- Priorities named: Kumbh 2027, the Gairsain drinking-water dam, Ayushman, pensions, digital learning, medical & nursing colleges, a sports university.
UTTARAKHAND Ten Bills cleared: fire services law, Jan Vishwas, civil-law and GST amendments
- Bills: Appropriation (Supplementary), Irrigation & Drainage, FRBM (Amdt.), Investment & Infrastructure Dev. (Amdt.), Jan Vishwas (2nd Amdt.).
- Also: Minority Education (Amdt.), Higher Education (Amdt.), Civil Law (Amdt.), Fire & Emergency Services, GST (Amdt.).
- The GST (Amdt.) Bill replaces an ordinance promulgated on 3 Sept 2026.
- On 22 Oct the Cabinet had notified the Civil Code (Amendment) Rules, Uttarakhand, 2026 under the amended UCC.
UTTARAKHAND Snow at Kedarnath & Gangotri, orange alert in 5 districts before Char Dham closing
- Orange alert: Nainital, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Chamoli (thunderstorm/hail).
- Closing: Kedarnath 11 Nov 8:30 AM and Yamunotri 11 Nov 10:28 AM (Bhai Dooj); Badrinath 16 Nov 9:37 PM.
- Record season: about 56.9 lakh pilgrims by 7 Oct (incl. Hemkund Sahib), above the 2023 record of 56.13 lakh.
- Emergency helpline: 112.
UTTARAKHAND 'Lekhak Gaon' International Festival ends; two literary villages planned
- Two 'Sahitya Grams' planned, with homes, modern libraries, seminar halls and study spaces for writers.
- Released: the magazine 'Dharti ka Swarg Uttarakhand' and the booklet 'Devbhoomi ka Kavya Pushp'.
- Union MoS Ajay Tamta attended; the CM recalled Atal Bihari Vajpayee, under whom the state was formed.
UTTARAKHAND State Cabinet: UCC rules amended, free-coaching income limit raised to ₹8 lakh
- Civil Code (Amendment) Rules, 2026 fix practical and clerical issues in UCC implementation.
- Free coaching for SC/ST students: income limit raised from ₹2 lakh to ₹8 lakh.
- New Uttarakhand Adventure Tourism Corporation Ltd.; maintenance-grant scheme renamed 'Mukhyamantri Ekal Nari Samman Yojana'.
- One District, One Sport: 14 head coaches; OTS for about 3,600 stamp cases.
UTTARAKHAND Virasat Abhiyan: 10,404 inheritance-mutation cases registered, 4,943 resolved
- Total 10,404 cases; 4,943 resolved (about 47.5%).
- Section 34: 9,244 registered, 3,835 resolved.
- Section 33A: 1,160 registered, 1,108 resolved.
- CM ordered regular reviews so people don't need repeated office visits.
ENVIRONMENT Very Severe Cyclone 'Arnab' crosses Andhra coast; 1.8 lakh evacuated
- At landfall: Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, 125–135 km/h, gusts 150 km/h.
- Name given by Bangladesh (from the 2020 WMO/ESCAP list).
- 1.8 lakh+ evacuated; Visakhapatnam 315 mm rain; Koraput (Odisha) 188 mm.
IR India and Mexico launch Preferential Trade Agreement talks
- FY26 trade $7.83 bn: exports $5.73 bn, imports $2.11 bn; India's surplus about $3.62 bn.
- Top items: automobiles (~$1.92 bn) from India; crude oil from Mexico.
- Talks cover market access, rules of origin, SPS/TBT, trade remedies and dispute settlement.
ECONOMY Union Cabinet: DA to 63%, ₹10,000 cr container scheme, ₹1,856.67 cr sports-goods scheme
- DA/DR 60% → 63% from 1 July 2026: 48.54 lakh employees and 68.71 lakh pensioners; cost ₹10,016.10 cr/yr.
- CMPS ₹10,000 cr (FY28–FY40): capacity 70,000 → 7.5 lakh TEU; 3% interest subvention; domestic content 70% → 90%.
- CMPS nodal ministry: Ports, Shipping & Waterways; about 3,000 direct and 50,000+ indirect jobs.
- Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme ₹1,856.67 cr (FY27–FY34): up to 4 zones of 300+ acres; 20% anchor capex support.
POLITY Supreme Court: banks must compensate digital-arrest fraud victims if due diligence fails
- 21,928 digital-arrest complaints involving ₹647+ cr in Jan–Aug 2026 (government data).
- Banks should compensate customers for losses caused by due-diligence failures; colluding officials to be prosecuted.
- Court will examine RBI KYC amendments, expected by 30 Nov 2026.
- Stronger checks on large withdrawals by senior citizens; the compensation framework is not final yet.
SCI-TECH 'Punah Bharan' app launched to map groundwater recharge zones
- Developed by BISAG-N (Gandhinagar) with the National Water Mission.
- Over-exploited groundwater units: Punjab 75.16%, Haryana 61.54%, Delhi 41.18%.
- Supports Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain and village-level recharge planning.
IR 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi adopts Joint Declaration
- Theme: 'Fostering Parliaments for People-Centric Development'.
- China chairs BRICS in 2027 and will host the 13th forum.
- The 11th forum was held in Brasília (June 2025).
Prelims rapid-fire — 126 facts
| 1 October: International Day of Older Persons — UNGA resolution 45/106 (1990); first observed in 1991. |
| 1 October is also National Voluntary Blood Donation Day in India (since 1975). |
| Hemkund Sahib (Chamoli) lies at about 4,632 m near Lokpal lake; footfall in 2026: 3,52,765. |
| Asian Games 2026 (Aichi-Nagoya): India's women's compound archery team won gold beating China 238-234. |
| UKPSC headquarters: Haridwar; constituted under Article 315 after the state's formation on 9 November 2000. |
| Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology is in Dehradun; it works under the Department of Science & Technology. |
| Uttarakhand State Election Commissioner Sushil Kumar called on the Governor at Lok Bhavan, Dehradun (1 Oct). |
| Dehradun Warriors won Uttarakhand Premier League Season 3, beating Haridwar in the final (1 Oct). |
| Haridwar Kumbh 2027: Mela Officer Sonika and IG Yogendra Rawat briefed the Governor on preparations incl. AI-based crowd management (30 Sept). |
| Monsoon withdrawal line: Gurdaspur–Chandigarh–Muzaffarnagar–Aligarh; Uttarakhand largely monsoon-free by 3 Oct. |
| Seva Sankalp Abhiyan in Uttarakhand runs 17 Sept–17 Oct 2026 with 11 programmes linked to Viksit Bharat 2047. |
| 5th Kautilya Economic Conclave opens in New Delhi on 3 Oct. |
| Mussoorie carrying capacity: Uttarakhand High Court (1 Oct) gave the Chief Secretary 9 months to frame a carrying-capacity-based plan; tourists rose from ~8.5 lakh (2000) to ~30 lakh (2019). |
| State Finance Commission: Uttarakhand's Sixth SFC report covers 2026-27 to 2030-31; SFCs are mandated by Art. 243-I and 243-Y. |
| Bagwal fair: Held at Devidhura (Champawat) on Raksha Bandhan; Farra–Chhantoli is its bamboo shield. |
| Pantnagar Airport: ₹66.29 crore released for greenfield expansion in Udham Singh Nagar district. |
| NW-2: Brahmaputra, Sadiya–Dhubri, 891 km; Dibrugarh's Bogibeel terminal lies on it. |
| Next Asian Games: Doha, Qatar (2030), then Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (2034). |
| Agniveer rally at Bengal Engineer Group & Centre, Roorkee: 5–23 Oct 2026, run by ARO Lansdowne for Garhwal & Kumaon districts. |
| Global Innovation Index 2026 (WIPO, 1 Oct): India 38th; 1st in ICT services exports. |
| Corbett Festival opens 6 Oct; Corbett = India's first national park (1936, Hailey NP). |
| Hemkund Sahib (Chamoli, ~4,632 m): 3,52,765 devotees this season. |
| Pantnagar Airport (Udham Singh Nagar) expansion gets ₹66.29 crore. |
| Nobel Chemistry 7 Oct, Literature 8 Oct, Peace 9 Oct, Economics 12 Oct. |
| Mussoorie Sharadotsav revived after 12 years, with 40 cultural teams. |
| Banbasa (Champawat) lies on the Sharda/Mahakali river at the India–Nepal border. |
| National Supercomputing Mission: 40 of 50 systems, 68 petaflops deployed (launched 2015). |
| India's first WASH social bond: NABKISAN raised ₹180 crore at 8.10%. |
| First 3D-printed PMAY-G houses: 177 units in Guntur (Andhra Pradesh). |
| HAL Koraput delivered its 2,000th aero-engine. |
| Kumaon Regiment Centre — Ranikhet (Almora); nearby Chaubatia hosts the Army's Foreign Training Node. |
| Banbasa barrage — on the Sharda (Mahakali), India–Nepal border, Champawat district. |
| Hemkund Sahib — ~4,630 m, Chamoli; trek via Ghangaria, near the Valley of Flowers. |
| Uttarakhand Doppler radars — Mukteshwar, Surkanda Devi, Lansdowne. |
| Repo / SDF / MSF — 5.50% / 5.25% / 5.75% (from 7 Oct 2026). |
| GST Council — Art. 279A, inserted by the 101st Amendment, 2016. |
| Cabinet's first meeting in Champawat district: Banbasa (NHPC guest house), 4 Oct |
| Chamoli quake, 6 Oct (NCS): M 4.9, depth 13 km, ~50 km S of Joshimath |
| Law replaced by new Irrigation & Drainage Bill: Northern India Canal and Drainage Act, 1873 |
| RBI repo rate / stance: 5.50% / "calibrated tightening"; FY27 CPI 5.2% |
| IMC 2026 theme (10th edition): "Scale Without Boundaries", Yashobhoomi |
| Nobel Chemistry 2026: Henri B. Kagan & Kenso Soai — asymmetric autocatalysis |
| Kunjapuri (Tehri) nine-day tourism-development fair opened by the CM; Kunjapuri is a Siddhpeeth near Narendra Nagar. |
| District Planning Committee elections in all districts except Haridwar on 16 Oct — DPCs flow from Art 243ZD (74th Amendment). |
| BRICS Traditional & Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games opened in Ahmedabad on 12 Oct under India's BRICS chairship (non-competitive). |
| NHRC foundation day — set up on 12 Oct 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. |
| Mizoram to count refugees separately in Census 2027: 38,213 registered, incl. 29,575 from Myanmar. |
| Pakistan declared an emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Arts 232 & 234 of its Constitution — compare India's Art 356. |
| Uttarakhand SDRF certification — ISO 9001:2015 |
| Venue of 12 Oct UK Cabinet meeting — Haridwar |
| New UK award scheme for children — CM State Child Bravery Award |
| First fully literate UT under ULLAS (2024) — Ladakh; now Lakshadweep joins |
| ISRO-CNES thermal imaging satellite — TRISHNA (launch in 12-16 months) |
| 13 October observed as — Intl. Day for Disaster Risk Reduction |
| Brihattar Bharat: IGNCA's international conference (14-16 Oct, New Delhi) on India's global cultural links; marks centenary of Greater India Society (1926). |
| Skill Scheme (UK): CM Higher Education Skill Enhancement Scheme-2026 - ~1.19 lakh students, ~₹200 crore over 5 years (Banbasa Cabinet, 4 Oct). |
| Irrigation Bill (UK): Uttarakhand Irrigation & Drainage Bill, 2026 to replace the 1873 Northern India Canal and Drainage Act. |
| PMDDKY: PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana completes 1 year (launched 11 Oct 2025); 100 districts, ₹24,000 crore/yr. |
| KONKAN-26: India-UK naval exercise off Plymouth (UK), 8-15 Oct 2026, with INS Trishul. |
| Legion of Honour: Sunil Bharti Mittal named Knight of France's Legion of Honour (announced 12 Oct). |
| Uttarakhand's 9th Governor — Dr Dhal Singh Bisen — former MP, Balaghat (MP) |
| Assembly session venue — Bhararisain, Gairsain (Chamoli) — from 27 Oct 2026 |
| Haridwar Kumbh 2027 — Logo, website & theme song launched by CM Dhami |
| New Ramsar sites (103) — Sukhna (Chandigarh), Sauj Jheel (Mainpuri, UP) |
| Defence deals — ₹4,106 crore — IAF communication satellite + Navy torpedoes |
| Unemployment (NSO, Sept) — Overall rate steady at about 5%; urban joblessness up marginally |
| Bhagirathi Bisht (Chamoli, Uttarakhand) won bronze at the Delhi Half Marathon (18 Oct). |
| Uttarakhand Cabinet (Banbasa, 4 Oct): CM Higher Education Skill Enhancement Scheme-2026 — ₹200 crore, ~1.19 lakh students. |
| Census (Amendment) Rules, 2026: private-sector employees & teachers can now be enumerators (amends Rule 3, Census Rules 1990). |
| BIS Silver Refinery Scheme launched on World Standards Day (14 Oct); hallmark purities 999.9 / 999.5 / 999.0. |
| T. M. Balakrishnan Nair (Director, INCOIS) elected Chair of IOCINDIO (UNESCO-IOC, Indian Ocean). |
| Aditya-L1 (VELC) + ESA's Proba-3 (ASPIICS) jointly studied coronal mass ejections near the Sun. |
| Khet Bachao Abhiyan (22–30 Oct) — 2,375 programmes in Uttarakhand; target 1.20 lakh farmers |
| Vasundhara Tal (Chamoli) — Uttarakhand's first glacial-lake early-warning system; 13 of 344 lakes high-risk |
| Tungnath (3rd Kedar) — Closes 6 Nov; winter seat Makku Math |
| Census (Amendment) Rules, 2026 — Private employees & teachers can be appointed enumerators |
| India–Mauritius DTAA — Amended with a Principal Purpose Test; pre-1 Apr 2017 investments protected |
| WTO trade outlook — 2026 goods-trade growth raised to 3.9% (from 1.9%), led by AI investment |
| Police Commemoration Day: 21 Oct — Hot Springs (Ladakh) ambush, 1959; 10 CRPF martyrs |
| Azad Hind Government: Proclaimed by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Singapore, 21 Oct 1943 |
| Kedarnath winter seat: Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath (Rudraprayag) |
| ISRO LME-1100: 1,100 kN methane-fuelled engine; hot-fire qualification targeted mid-2027 |
| INS Samarthak: Commissioned at Karwar on 16 Oct 2026 |
| Polish PM visit: Donald Tusk in India 21-23 Oct; Strategic Partnership since Aug 2024 |
| Virasat Arts & Heritage Festival (31st) — 5 days from 23 Oct, Dehradun; organised by REACH |
| Gangotri winter seat — Mukhba village (Harsil valley), Uttarkashi |
| Hemkund Sahib 2026 footfall — 3,90,696; lake at about 4,632 m, Chamoli |
| Upper Ganga Canal — Opened 1854; engineer Proby Cautley; headworks at Haridwar |
| IBSAMAR IX (2026) — India-Brazil-S. Africa naval exercise, Simon's Town; India sent INS Tarkash |
| RBI MPC minutes (63rd meeting) — Repo 5.50%; stance calibrated tightening; 2 external members dissented on stance |
| UNESCO Tentative List (20 Oct): Baratang karst–mud-volcano complex, Andaman Subduction Volcanoes (Barren & Narcondam) and Sirpur (Chhattisgarh) added. |
| Rupee fell 44 paise to 94.82/US$ on 22 Oct; Brent near US$112 on West Asia tensions. |
| Uttarakhand Assembly session at Bhararisain (Gairsain) from 27 Oct; Speaker Ritu Khanduri Bhushan. |
| India's fish production: 197.75 lakh tonnes (2024–25), inland share 151.60 lakh tonnes. |
| 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum at Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi on 26–27 Oct. |
| Sheetal Devi won two golds in compound archery at the Asian Para Games, Aichi-Nagoya. |
| India at Asian Para Games 2026 (Aichi–Nagoya, Japan): record 114 medals (30 G, 35 S, 49 B), 4th in table. |
| Mona Agarwal set a world record (357.5) in women's 50m rifle 3P SH1; Sumit Antil led a javelin podium sweep. |
| 26 Oct 1947: Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession — 79th J&K Accession Day today. |
| Uttarakhand formed on 9 Nov 2000 as India's 27th state; Assembly is unicameral with 70 seats. |
| Om Parvat & Adi Kailash — Vyas valley, Pithoragarh; base village Gunji, near Lipulekh Pass. |
| Tehri Dam on the Bhagirathi — 260.5 m, India's tallest dam. |
| Free-coaching income cap (Uttarakhand): ₹2 lakh → ₹8 lakh |
| UBSE pass mark, students with disabilities: 28% (5% relaxation) |
| 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum: New Delhi, 26–27 Oct 2026 |
| NMC replaced MCI on: 25 Sep 2020 |
| Uttarakhand Budget 2026-27: ₹1,11,703 cr; FD 3.7% of GSDP |
| India–US BTA first-phase framework: Feb 2026; Mission $500 bn by 2030 |
| 61st CIML meeting (governing body of OIML, est. 1955, HQ Paris) hosted in New Delhi, 26–28 Oct — first time in India |
| 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum held at Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi (26–27 Oct); theme: Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development |
| Lula da Silva won Brazil's presidential runoff (25 Oct) — a historic fourth term |
| Uttarakhand Cabinet (22 Oct): free-coaching family-income limit for SC/ST students raised ₹2 lakh → ₹8 lakh |
| Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: 1.55 crore+ recharge structures; merged with Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain from 1 June 2026 |
| Uttarakhand Board: 5% passing-marks relaxation for students with disabilities (pass at 28%) |
| 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. |
| Badrinath winter worship moves to Narsingh Temple, Jyotirmath (Chamoli). |
| Mukhyamantri Ekal Nari Samman Yojana is the new name of Uttarakhand's maintenance-grant scheme. |
| Ophiorrhiza shidiensis and O. pemae — new plant species (family Rubiaceae) from Changlang, Arunachal Pradesh. |
| Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 4.0 — a 60-day health ministry drive in higher-education institutions. |
| Kolamarka (Gadchiroli) to be a wildlife sanctuary — home of the Asiatic wild water buffalo. |
| National Unity Day (31 Oct) marks the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. |
Data points of the period
₹2.03 lakh crore (+14.7% YoY)
Gross GST collection, September 2026
Net GST after refunds rose 18.1% to ₹1.76 lakh crore; imports surged 26% to ₹65,525 crore and domestic GST grew 10.1% to ₹1.38 lakh crore. April–September gross: ₹12.46 lakh crore (+11.6%). State-wise domestic data show Uttarakhand at ₹1,277 crore, down 23% from ₹1,665 crore, while Assam (+88%) and UP (+18%) led growth.
Net GST after refunds rose 18.1% to ₹1.76 lakh crore; imports surged 26% to ₹65,525 crore and domestic GST grew 10.1% to ₹1.38 lakh crore. April–September gross: ₹12.46 lakh crore (+11.6%). State-wise domestic data show Uttarakhand at ₹1,277 crore, down 23% from ₹1,665 crore, while Assam (+88%) and UP (+18%) led growth.
₹2.04 lakh crore (+14.7% YoY)
Gross GST collection — September 2026
Gross ₹2,04,050 crore vs ₹1,77,279 crore in Sept 2025. Domestic ₹1.38 lakh crore (+10.1%), imports ₹65,525 crore (+25.9%); refunds ₹27,001 crore; net ₹1.77 lakh crore (+18.1%). H1 FY27 gross ₹12.46 lakh crore (+11.6%). GST came into force on 1 July 2017 (101st Amendment); GST Council under Article 279A.
Gross ₹2,04,050 crore vs ₹1,77,279 crore in Sept 2025. Domestic ₹1.38 lakh crore (+10.1%), imports ₹65,525 crore (+25.9%); refunds ₹27,001 crore; net ₹1.77 lakh crore (+18.1%). H1 FY27 gross ₹12.46 lakh crore (+11.6%). GST came into force on 1 July 2017 (101st Amendment); GST Council under Article 279A.
3% of GSDP
Uttarakhand's new fiscal-deficit ceiling (amended FRBM targets, 2026-27 to 2030-31)
Outstanding-debt ceiling fixed at 30% of GSDP up to 2030-31, with an escape clause for natural disasters; approved by the State Cabinet at Banbasa on 4 Oct 2026.
Outstanding-debt ceiling fixed at 30% of GSDP up to 2030-31, with an escape clause for natural disasters; approved by the State Cabinet at Banbasa on 4 Oct 2026.
₹2,03,521 crore (+14.7% YoY)
Gross GST collection, September 2026
Third straight month above ₹2 lakh crore; IGST ₹1,20,396 cr, SGST ₹45,363 cr, CGST ₹37,762 cr; net GST ₹1,76,520 cr (+18.1%); H1 FY27 total ₹12,46,278 cr (+11.6%). Why it matters: buoyant GST boosts the SGST share and central devolution that hill states like Uttarakhand rely on.
Third straight month above ₹2 lakh crore; IGST ₹1,20,396 cr, SGST ₹45,363 cr, CGST ₹37,762 cr; net GST ₹1,76,520 cr (+18.1%); H1 FY27 total ₹12,46,278 cr (+11.6%). Why it matters: buoyant GST boosts the SGST share and central devolution that hill states like Uttarakhand rely on.
50.09 crore
eSanjeevani teleconsultations (cumulative)
India's national telemedicine platform, built by C-DAC, crossed 50 crore consultations — 57.14% by women, via 1.42 lakh+ Ayushman Arogya Mandir spokes and 19,473 hubs across 36 States/UTs; it won Gold at the National Awards for e-Governance 2026.
India's national telemedicine platform, built by C-DAC, crossed 50 crore consultations — 57.14% by women, via 1.42 lakh+ Ayushman Arogya Mandir spokes and 19,473 hubs across 36 States/UTs; it won Gold at the National Awards for e-Governance 2026.
71,58,949
Electors in Uttarakhand's final post-SIR roll (3 Oct 2026)
Down ~8 lakh from 79.61 lakh at SIR start; women 34.21 lakh (~915 per 1,000 men); 12,543 polling stations.
Down ~8 lakh from 79.61 lakh at SIR start; women 34.21 lakh (~915 per 1,000 men); 12,543 polling stations.
29,000+ units | 1.27 lakh jobs
Uttarakhand MSME push — new units set up and jobs created
Shared by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami at the 7th Uttarakhand Industrial Summit & Expo-2026 in Haridwar (8 Oct). Backed by a single-window system (206+ services, 26 departments), Nivesh Mitra, a ₹200 crore startup venture fund, Ek Janpad Do Utpad, and a 1,002-acre integrated manufacturing cluster at Khurpia (Udham Singh Nagar). The state is a 'Top Achiever' in the Business Reform Action Plan and ranked first in its category in the Export Preparedness Index 2024.
Shared by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami at the 7th Uttarakhand Industrial Summit & Expo-2026 in Haridwar (8 Oct). Backed by a single-window system (206+ services, 26 departments), Nivesh Mitra, a ₹200 crore startup venture fund, Ek Janpad Do Utpad, and a 1,002-acre integrated manufacturing cluster at Khurpia (Udham Singh Nagar). The state is a 'Top Achiever' in the Business Reform Action Plan and ranked first in its category in the Export Preparedness Index 2024.
56.89 lakh
Char Dham Yatra 2026 footfall (till 7 Oct)
All-time record, ahead of 56.13 lakh (2023); Badrinath leads with 19.14 lakh, followed by Kedarnath (16.79 lakh). Tourism is a key driver of Uttarakhand's tertiary-sector-led GSDP — and of pressure on fragile Himalayan routes.
All-time record, ahead of 56.13 lakh (2023); Badrinath leads with 19.14 lakh, followed by Kedarnath (16.79 lakh). Tourism is a key driver of Uttarakhand's tertiary-sector-led GSDP — and of pressure on fragile Himalayan routes.
5.54%
CPI retail inflation, September 2026
Up from 4.83% in August — highest in the new CPI series; food 7.74%, rural 6.08%, urban 4.88%, onion 108.09%. Came days after the RBI MPC raised the repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50% (stance: calibrated tightening).
Up from 4.83% in August — highest in the new CPI series; food 7.74%, rural 6.08%, urban 4.88%, onion 108.09%. Came days after the RBI MPC raised the repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50% (stance: calibrated tightening).
11.39%
WPI Inflation, September 2026
Up from 9.92% in August; fuel & power at 25.85% drove the jump. April-September cumulative WPI inflation: 9.85%.
Up from 9.92% in August; fuel & power at 25.85% drove the jump. April-September cumulative WPI inflation: 9.85%.
$44.40 bn (+23.04% YoY)
India's merchandise exports, September 2026
Imports $74.61 bn; merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $30.21 bn (from $33 bn). Overall (goods + services) exports $80.75 bn (+10.99%); Jul–Sep 2026 overall exports $242.6 bn — highest ever for a Q2. Electronics +70.44%, petroleum products +31.9%.
Imports $74.61 bn; merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $30.21 bn (from $33 bn). Overall (goods + services) exports $80.75 bn (+10.99%); Jul–Sep 2026 overall exports $242.6 bn — highest ever for a Q2. Electronics +70.44%, petroleum products +31.9%.
₹1.01 lakh crore of ₹3.56 lakh crore (~28%)
Uttarakhand GIS-2023: MoUs grounded so far
State Industries Department figures (18–19 Oct 2026): another ₹24,000 crore is lined up for the 4th ground-breaking ceremony; if grounded, the total would rise to about ₹1.25 lakh crore (~35%).
State Industries Department figures (18–19 Oct 2026): another ₹24,000 crore is lined up for the 4th ground-breaking ceremony; if grounded, the total would rise to about ₹1.25 lakh crore (~35%).
5.54%
CPI inflation, September 2026 (base 2024=100)
All-India headline inflation rose from 4.83% (Aug) to 5.54% (Sep); food inflation jumped to 7.74%. Rural 6.08% vs urban 4.88%. Uttarakhand: 5.47% (rural 5.95%, urban 4.63%). Highest item inflation: onion 108.09%. RBI's target band is 4% ±2%.
All-India headline inflation rose from 4.83% (Aug) to 5.54% (Sep); food inflation jumped to 7.74%. Rural 6.08% vs urban 4.88%. Uttarakhand: 5.47% (rural 5.95%, urban 4.63%). Highest item inflation: onion 108.09%. RBI's target band is 4% ±2%.
5.54%
CPI (retail) inflation, September 2026
Up from 4.83% in August (base 2024=100); food inflation 7.74%, rural 6.08% vs urban 4.88%. The RBI raised the repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50% on 7 Oct and shifted to 'calibrated tightening'; FY27 CPI projection 5.2%, GDP 7.1%. Target: 4% ± 2%.
Up from 4.83% in August (base 2024=100); food inflation 7.74%, rural 6.08% vs urban 4.88%. The RBI raised the repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50% on 7 Oct and shifted to 'calibrated tightening'; FY27 CPI projection 5.2%, GDP 7.1%. Target: 4% ± 2%.
7.9%
Index of Core Industries — September 2026 (y-o-y growth)
Highest since the new 2022-23 base series began; 9 industries incl. iron ore; weight leader electricity 30.9%; Apr-Sep cumulative 5.1%.
Highest since the new 2022-23 base series began; 9 industries incl. iron ore; weight leader electricity 30.9%; Apr-Sep cumulative 5.1%.
308.03 GW (>55%)
India's non-fossil power capacity
Out of about 560 GW installed — the 2030 NDC goal of 50% non-fossil capacity is already crossed; next target 500 GW by 2030 (Panchamrit). Hill States like Uttarakhand get 50% central aid under PM-KUSUM.
Out of about 560 GW installed — the 2030 NDC goal of 50% non-fossil capacity is already crossed; next target 500 GW by 2030 (Panchamrit). Hill States like Uttarakhand get 50% central aid under PM-KUSUM.
56.89 lakh
Char Dham Yatra 2026 — record pilgrim season
Footfall up to 7 Oct 2026 (state tourism data) crossed the 2023 record of 56.13 lakh. Shrine-wise: Badrinath 19.14 lakh, Kedarnath 16.79 lakh, Gangotri 9.10 lakh, Yamunotri 8.10 lakh. Portals close for winter in the Diwali week.
Footfall up to 7 Oct 2026 (state tourism data) crossed the 2023 record of 56.13 lakh. Shrine-wise: Badrinath 19.14 lakh, Kedarnath 16.79 lakh, Gangotri 9.10 lakh, Yamunotri 8.10 lakh. Portals close for winter in the Diwali week.
₹7,412 crore
Uttarakhand supplementary demands, 2026-27
≈ 6.6% of the ₹1,11,703-crore State Budget 2026-27. Budget basics: revenue receipts ₹67,526 cr (central transfers 53%), own tax revenue ₹25,913 cr, fiscal deficit 3.7% of GSDP, GSDP ₹4.28 lakh cr, liabilities 28.5% of GSDP.
≈ 6.6% of the ₹1,11,703-crore State Budget 2026-27. Budget basics: revenue receipts ₹67,526 cr (central transfers 53%), own tax revenue ₹25,913 cr, fiscal deficit 3.7% of GSDP, GSDP ₹4.28 lakh cr, liabilities 28.5% of GSDP.
₹1,19,547.39 crore
Uttarakhand Budget 2026-27 after supplementary demands
Up from ₹1,11,703.21 cr (+₹7,844.18 cr, ~7%); capital share of the supplementary outlay 53% (₹4,164.32 cr).
Up from ₹1,11,703.21 cr (+₹7,844.18 cr, ~7%); capital share of the supplementary outlay 53% (₹4,164.32 cr).
₹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.
Up ₹7,844.18 cr from the ₹1,11,703.21 cr passed in March; 53.1% of the supplementary is capital expenditure.
53.1%
Capital-expenditure share of Uttarakhand's supplementary budget
₹4,164.32 cr of ₹7,844.18 cr (Oct 2026), up from 13.7% (₹184.88 cr of ₹1,353.80 cr) in Dec 2021. The supplementary size grew about 5.8 times and capex about 22.5 times in five years.
₹4,164.32 cr of ₹7,844.18 cr (Oct 2026), up from 13.7% (₹184.88 cr of ₹1,353.80 cr) in Dec 2021. The supplementary size grew about 5.8 times and capex about 22.5 times in five years.
42 practice MCQs — UKPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to Census 2027, consider the following statements: 1. For the snow-bound areas of Uttarakhand, the reference date is 00:00 hours of 1 October 2026. 2. 'Census' is a subject in the Concurrent List. 3. The Census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948. 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
Statement 2 is wrong: Census is in the Union List (Entry 69). Statements 1 and 3 are correct — the snow-bound reference date is 1 October 2026 and the exercise is notified under the Census Act, 1948.
Statement 2 is wrong: Census is in the Union List (Entry 69). Statements 1 and 3 are correct — the snow-bound reference date is 1 October 2026 and the exercise is notified under the Census Act, 1948.
Q2. Which one of the following pairs of a Char Dham shrine and its district is NOT correctly matched?
- Kedarnath – Rudraprayag
- Badrinath – Chamoli
- Gangotri – Tehri Garhwal
- Yamunotri – Uttarkashi
Show answer
Answer: C
Gangotri lies in Uttarkashi district, like Yamunotri. Kedarnath is in Rudraprayag and Badrinath in Chamoli. In 2026, Gangotri recorded its highest-ever footfall of 8.41 lakh.
Gangotri lies in Uttarkashi district, like Yamunotri. Kedarnath is in Rudraprayag and Badrinath in Chamoli. In 2026, Gangotri recorded its highest-ever footfall of 8.41 lakh.
Q3. Arrange the following events of the Uttarakhand statehood movement in chronological order: 1. Mussoorie firing 2. Formation of Uttarakhand Kranti Dal 3. Rampur Tiraha firing 4. Khatima firing
- 2-4-1-3
- 4-1-2-3
- 2-1-4-3
- 4-2-1-3
Show answer
Answer: A
UKD (1979) → Khatima (1 Sept 1994) → Mussoorie (2 Sept 1994) → Rampur Tiraha (2 Oct 1994).
UKD (1979) → Khatima (1 Sept 1994) → Mussoorie (2 Sept 1994) → Rampur Tiraha (2 Oct 1994).
Q4. Consider the following statements about Minimum Support Price (MSP): 1. The Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) is a statutory body. 2. MSP is announced for 22 mandated crops. 3. For RMS 2027-28, wheat received the highest absolute MSP increase. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
CACP is an attached office (not statutory). Wheat got the smallest hike (₹25); safflower got the highest (₹675).
CACP is an attached office (not statutory). Wheat got the smallest hike (₹25); safflower got the highest (₹675).
Q5. With reference to the Uttarakhand Cabinet meeting held on 4 October 2026, consider the following statements: 1. It was held at Banbasa in Champawat district. 2. The amended FRBM targets cap the State's fiscal deficit at 3% of GSDP till 2030-31. 3. The Chief Minister Higher Education Skill Enhancement Scheme has an outlay of ₹500 crore. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: b
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The skill scheme's outlay is ₹200 crore over 5 years (about 1.19 lakh students), not ₹500 crore.
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. The skill scheme's outlay is ₹200 crore over 5 years (about 1.19 lakh students), not ₹500 crore.
Q6. Consider the following pairs (Protected area — State): 1. Gangotri National Park — Uttarakhand 2. Desert National Park — Gujarat 3. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve — Uttarakhand. How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
Show answer
Answer: b
Desert National Park is in Jaisalmer–Barmer, Rajasthan, where the GIBs were released on 4 Oct 2026. Pairs 1 and 3 are correct.
Desert National Park is in Jaisalmer–Barmer, Rajasthan, where the GIBs were released on 4 Oct 2026. Pairs 1 and 3 are correct.
Q7. With reference to Exercise 'Mountain Guardian 2026', consider the following statements: 1. It is a bilateral exercise between India and the UAE. 2. It is being held at Chaubatia in Pithoragarh district. 3. The Indian contingent is drawn from a Bhairav Battalion. 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
Chaubatia is near Ranikhet in Almora district, not Pithoragarh; the exercise is India–UAE with a Bhairav Battalion.
Chaubatia is near Ranikhet in Almora district, not Pithoragarh; the exercise is India–UAE with a Bhairav Battalion.
Q8. Consider the following statements: 1. Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President under Article 124(2). 2. An acting Chief Justice of a High Court is appointed under Article 223. 3. The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court, including the CJI, is 34. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
Sanctioned strength now stands at 38 (working 37 after the 5 Oct notification); Articles 124(2) and 223 are correctly matched.
Sanctioned strength now stands at 38 (working 37 after the 5 Oct notification); Articles 124(2) and 223 are correctly matched.
Q9. With reference to tiger conservation in Uttarakhand, consider the following statements: 1. Project Tiger was launched in 1973 at Corbett National Park. 2. Rajaji was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2015. 3. The second phase of Corbett-to-Rajaji translocation shifts tigers to Rajaji's eastern zone. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Phase 2 sends 5 tigers to Rajaji's western zone; phase 1 went to the eastern zone.
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Phase 2 sends 5 tigers to Rajaji's western zone; phase 1 went to the eastern zone.
Q10. Which one of the following is NOT a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), with which India's TEPA came into force in 2025?
- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Austria
- Norway
Show answer
Answer: C
EFTA has four members: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Austria left EFTA when it joined the EU in 1995.
EFTA has four members: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Austria left EFTA when it joined the EU in 1995.
Q11. Consider the following statements about Jim Corbett National Park: 1. It was India's first national park, established in 1936 as Hailey National Park. 2. Project Tiger was launched here in 1973. 3. The Ramganga river flows through the park. Which of the statements given above is/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: Corbett was set up in 1936 as Hailey NP, Project Tiger began here in 1973, and the Ramganga flows through it.
All three are correct: Corbett was set up in 1936 as Hailey NP, Project Tiger began here in 1973, and the Ramganga flows through it.
Q12. Chaubatia, the venue of the India–UAE exercise 'Mountain Guardian 2026', is located in which district of Uttarakhand?
- Pithoragarh
- Almora
- Bageshwar
- Nainital
Show answer
Answer: b
Chaubatia lies near Ranikhet in Almora district — known for the Kumaon Regiment Centre and government apple orchards.
Chaubatia lies near Ranikhet in Almora district — known for the Kumaon Regiment Centre and government apple orchards.
Q13. With reference to the Uttarakhand Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (Amendment) Bill, 2026, consider the following statements: 1. It caps the annual fiscal deficit at 3% of GSDP for 2026–31. 2. It sets a cumulative debt ceiling of 30% of GSDP. 3. It allows no relaxation of the limits under any circumstances. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: b
The Bill caps the fiscal deficit at 3% of GSDP and debt at 30% of GSDP, but permits relaxation for disasters and security emergencies, so statement 3 is wrong.
The Bill caps the fiscal deficit at 3% of GSDP and debt at 30% of GSDP, but permits relaxation for disasters and security emergencies, so statement 3 is wrong.
Q14. The 'Bhudev' mobile application, recently in news in Uttarakhand, is related to:
- Digitisation of land records
- Earthquake early warning
- Char Dham Yatra registration
- Forest fire alerts
Show answer
Answer: b
Bhudev, developed with IIT Roorkee for USDMA, delivers earthquake early-warning alerts; it carried today's test alert alongside 112 sirens.
Bhudev, developed with IIT Roorkee for USDMA, delivers earthquake early-warning alerts; it carried today's test alert alongside 112 sirens.
Q15. With reference to recent seismic activity in Uttarakhand, consider the following statements: 1. The 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake was of higher magnitude than the 1999 Chamoli earthquake. 2. The revised seismic zonation code (IS 1893: 2025) places the Himalayan arc in Zone VI. 3. The Uttarkashi earthquake of 10 October 2026 was a deep-focus earthquake (focal depth over 300 km). Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Uttarkashi 1991 was M6.8 vs Chamoli 1999 M6.6; IS 1893: 2025 created Zone VI for the Himalayan arc. The 10 Oct quake was shallow (11 km), so statement 3 is wrong.
Uttarkashi 1991 was M6.8 vs Chamoli 1999 M6.6; IS 1893: 2025 created Zone VI for the Himalayan arc. The 10 Oct quake was shallow (11 km), so statement 3 is wrong.
Q16. Katchatheevu, recently in the news, is located in which of the following water bodies, and under which agreement was it recognised as part of Sri Lanka?
- Gulf of Mannar — 1964 agreement
- Palk Strait — 1974 agreement
- Gulf of Kutch — 1976 agreement
- Lakshadweep Sea — 1986 agreement
Show answer
Answer: B
The 1974 India–Sri Lanka agreement demarcated the boundary in the Palk Strait, placing Katchatheevu on Sri Lanka's side; the 1976 pact covered the Gulf of Mannar and Bay of Bengal.
The 1974 India–Sri Lanka agreement demarcated the boundary in the Palk Strait, placing Katchatheevu on Sri Lanka's side; the 1976 pact covered the Gulf of Mannar and Bay of Bengal.
Q17. Consider the following statements about Exercise Mountain Guardian 2026: 1. It is a joint military exercise between India and the UAE. 2. It is being held at the Foreign Training Node, Chaubatia, Uttarakhand. 3. It is the first edition of the exercise. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Mountain Guardian 2026 (5-18 Oct) is the 3rd edition of the India-UAE exercise, held at Chaubatia (Almora). Statement 3 is wrong.
Mountain Guardian 2026 (5-18 Oct) is the 3rd edition of the India-UAE exercise, held at Chaubatia (Almora). Statement 3 is wrong.
Q18. With reference to floodplain zoning in Uttarakhand, consider the following statements: 1. The Uttarakhand Flood Plain Zoning Act was enacted in 2012. 2. The Mandakini stretch from Kedarnath to Rudraprayag has been notified. 3. The Floodplain Zoning Rules 2026 have been framed under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. 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
The Rules 2026 operationalise the State's own Flood Plain Zoning Act, 2012, not the DM Act 2005. The Mandakini (Kedarnath-Rudraprayag, 76.9 km) stretch is notified.
The Rules 2026 operationalise the State's own Flood Plain Zoning Act, 2012, not the DM Act 2005. The Mandakini (Kedarnath-Rudraprayag, 76.9 km) stretch is notified.
Q19. Consider the following statements regarding floodplain zoning in Uttarakhand: 1. The State enacted a Flood Plain Zoning Act in 2012. 2. The Floodplain Zoning Rules, 2026 were approved by the State Cabinet at Haridwar. 3. Among notified stretches, the Alaknanda has the longest demarcated length. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
All correct: Act of 2012; Rules approved on 12 Oct 2026 at Haridwar; Alaknanda 197.35 km is the longest of the 697.60 km notified.
All correct: Act of 2012; Rules approved on 12 Oct 2026 at Haridwar; Alaknanda 197.35 km is the longest of the 697.60 km notified.
Q20. With reference to the Governor of a State in India, consider the following statements: 1. The oath of office is administered by the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court. 2. The Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President. 3. A person must be a resident of the State to be appointed its Governor. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Art 159 (oath by CJ of HC) and Art 156 (pleasure of President) are correct; residency is not required - by convention, an outsider is usually appointed.
Art 159 (oath by CJ of HC) and Art 156 (pleasure of President) are correct; residency is not required - by convention, an outsider is usually appointed.
Q21. With reference to the office of the Governor, consider the following statements: 1. The Governor is appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal. 2. A person must have completed 30 years of age to be appointed Governor. 3. The Supreme Court has held that the Governor's office is not an employment under the Government of India. 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
Art. 155 – appointment by warrant; Art. 157 requires 35 years, so statement 2 is wrong; Hargovind Pant (1979) held it is an independent constitutional office.
Art. 155 – appointment by warrant; Art. 157 requires 35 years, so statement 2 is wrong; Hargovind Pant (1979) held it is an independent constitutional office.
Q22. Consider the following pairs (Dham — Winter seat): 1. Kedarnath — Ukhimath 2. Badrinath — Jyotirmath (Pandukeshwar) 3. Gangotri — Kharsali Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Gangotri's winter seat is Mukhba; Kharsali is the winter seat of Yamunotri.
Gangotri's winter seat is Mukhba; Kharsali is the winter seat of Yamunotri.
Q23. With reference to the Governor of a State, consider the following statements: 1. The oath of office is administered by the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court. 2. A person must have completed 35 years of age to be appointed Governor. 3. The Governor can be removed only by impeachment for violation of the Constitution. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: a
Art. 159 (oath by HC Chief Justice) and Art. 157 (35 years) are correct. There is no impeachment for a Governor — he holds office during the pleasure of the President (Art. 156).
Art. 159 (oath by HC Chief Justice) and Art. 157 (35 years) are correct. There is no impeachment for a Governor — he holds office during the pleasure of the President (Art. 156).
Q24. Gopinath Temple at Gopeshwar serves as the winter seat of which of the following Panch Kedar shrines?
- Tungnath
- Rudranath
- Madhyamaheshwar
- Kalpeshwar
Show answer
Answer: b
Rudranath (4th Kedar, face of Shiva) is worshipped at Gopinath Temple, Gopeshwar in winter. Tungnath — Makkumath; Madhyamaheshwar — Ukhimath; Kalpeshwar stays open all year.
Rudranath (4th Kedar, face of Shiva) is worshipped at Gopinath Temple, Gopeshwar in winter. Tungnath — Makkumath; Madhyamaheshwar — Ukhimath; Kalpeshwar stays open all year.
Q25. With reference to the Governor of a State, consider the following statements: 1. The Governor is appointed by the President by warrant under hand and seal. 2. A person must have completed 30 years of age to be appointed Governor. 3. The oath of the Governor is administered by the Chief Justice of the High Court of that State. 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
Art. 155 — appointment by warrant; Art. 157 — minimum age is 35, not 30; Art. 159 — oath by the Chief Justice of the High Court. Dr Dhal Singh Bisen took oath as Uttarakhand's 9th Governor on 19 Oct 2026.
Art. 155 — appointment by warrant; Art. 157 — minimum age is 35, not 30; Art. 159 — oath by the Chief Justice of the High Court. Dr Dhal Singh Bisen took oath as Uttarakhand's 9th Governor on 19 Oct 2026.
Q26. Which one of the following pairs of a Himalayan shrine and its winter seat is NOT correctly matched?
- Kedarnath — Ukhimath
- Gangotri — Mukhba
- Yamunotri — Kharsali
- Badrinath — Makku Math
Show answer
Answer: D
Makku Math is the winter seat of Tungnath (closes 6 Nov). Badrinath's winter worship is at Pandukeshwar/Jyotirmath.
Makku Math is the winter seat of Tungnath (closes 6 Nov). Badrinath's winter worship is at Pandukeshwar/Jyotirmath.
Q27. With reference to the Governor of a State, consider the following statements: 1. The Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President. 2. The oath of office of the Governor is administered by the President. 3. A person must have completed 35 years of age to be appointed Governor. 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
Art 156 (President's pleasure) and Art 157 (35 years) are correct. Under Art 159 the oath is administered by the Chief Justice of the High Court, not the President — as when Dr Dhal Singh Bisen took oath on 19 Oct 2026.
Art 156 (President's pleasure) and Art 157 (35 years) are correct. Under Art 159 the oath is administered by the Chief Justice of the High Court, not the President — as when Dr Dhal Singh Bisen took oath on 19 Oct 2026.
Q28. Which one of the following correctly matches a Char Dham shrine with its winter seat?
- Kedarnath — Narsingh Temple, Joshimath
- Badrinath — Omkareshwar Temple, Ukhimath
- Gangotri — Mukhba
- Yamunotri — Pandukeshwar
Show answer
Answer: C
Gangotri — Mukhba; Kedarnath — Omkareshwar, Ukhimath; Badrinath — Narsingh Temple, Joshimath; Yamunotri — Kharsali. Portals close for winter in mid-November 2026.
Gangotri — Mukhba; Kedarnath — Omkareshwar, Ukhimath; Badrinath — Narsingh Temple, Joshimath; Yamunotri — Kharsali. Portals close for winter in mid-November 2026.
Q29. With reference to the Char Dham shrines of Uttarakhand, consider the following pairs (shrine : winter seat): 1. Kedarnath : Ukhimath 2. Gangotri : Kharsali 3. Badrinath : Pandukeshwar/Jyotirmath How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
Show answer
Answer: B
Pairs 1 and 3 are correct. Gangotri's winter seat is Mukhba; Kharsali is the winter seat of Yamunotri.
Pairs 1 and 3 are correct. Gangotri's winter seat is Mukhba; Kharsali is the winter seat of Yamunotri.
Q30. Consider the following statements about the Index of Core Industries (ICI): 1. It is released by the National Statistics Office (MoSPI). 2. In its 2022-23 base series, iron ore has been added as a new industry. 3. Electricity carries the highest weight in the new series. 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: B
The ICI is released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT (Commerce & Industry), not the NSO, which releases the IIP. Iron ore is the new 9th industry, and electricity (30.9%) carries the top weight.
The ICI is released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT (Commerce & Industry), not the NSO, which releases the IIP. Iron ore is the new 9th industry, and electricity (30.9%) carries the top weight.
Q31. With reference to the Uniform Civil Code of Uttarakhand, consider the following statements: 1. It came into force on 27 January 2025. 2. Scheduled Tribes of the State are exempt from its application. 3. Registration of live-in relationships under it is optional. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
The UCC took effect on 27 Jan 2025 and exempts Scheduled Tribes; registration of live-in relationships is mandatory, with penalties for non-registration, so statement 3 is wrong.
The UCC took effect on 27 Jan 2025 and exempts Scheduled Tribes; registration of live-in relationships is mandatory, with penalties for non-registration, so statement 3 is wrong.
Q32. Which one of the following pairs of a Char Dham shrine and its winter seat is NOT correctly matched?
- Kedarnath — Ukhimath
- Badrinath — Joshimath (Pandukeshwar)
- Gangotri — Mukhba
- Yamunotri — Guptkashi
Show answer
Answer: D
Yamunotri's deity moves to Kharsali in winter; Guptkashi is in Rudraprayag on the Kedarnath route. Kedarnath → Ukhimath (Omkareshwar temple), Gangotri → Mukhba.
Yamunotri's deity moves to Kharsali in winter; Guptkashi is in Rudraprayag on the Kedarnath route. Kedarnath → Ukhimath (Omkareshwar temple), Gangotri → Mukhba.
Q33. Consider the following statements about Gairsain (Bhararisain): 1. It lies in Chamoli district. 2. It was declared the summer capital of Uttarakhand in 2020. 3. The Uttarakhand Legislature is bicameral. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: b
Gairsain is in Chamoli and was declared summer capital in 2020; Uttarakhand has a unicameral legislature of 70 members.
Gairsain is in Chamoli and was declared summer capital in 2020; Uttarakhand has a unicameral legislature of 70 members.
Q34. Mana Pass, the starting point of the proposed 100-mile Himalayan ultra run (May 2027), lies on Uttarakhand's border with:
- Nepal
- Himachal Pradesh
- Tibet (China)
- Uttar Pradesh
Show answer
Answer: c
Mana Pass in Chamoli district is on the India–Tibet (China) border, beyond Badrinath and Mana village.
Mana Pass in Chamoli district is on the India–Tibet (China) border, beyond Badrinath and Mana village.
Q35. With reference to Gairsain, consider the following statements: 1. It was declared the summer capital of Uttarakhand in 2020. 2. It lies in Chamoli district. 3. The Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly is bicameral. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: b
Gairsain (Bhararisain) in Chamoli was declared summer capital in March 2020. The Uttarakhand legislature is unicameral (70 seats), so statement 3 is wrong.
Gairsain (Bhararisain) in Chamoli was declared summer capital in March 2020. The Uttarakhand legislature is unicameral (70 seats), so statement 3 is wrong.
Q36. With reference to Cyclone 'Arnab', consider the following statements: 1. The name was contributed by Bangladesh. 2. Names for North Indian Ocean cyclones are drawn from a list of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones. 3. IMD New Delhi is the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre for the region. 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: d
All three are correct: 'Arnab' (ocean) is Bangladesh's name; the list (169 names, 2020) is kept by the WMO/ESCAP PTC; IMD New Delhi is the RSMC.
All three are correct: 'Arnab' (ocean) is Bangladesh's name; the list (169 names, 2020) is kept by the WMO/ESCAP PTC; IMD New Delhi is the RSMC.
Q37. With reference to Uttarakhand's Supplementary Budget 2026-27, consider the following statements: 1. It was presented at Bhararisain (Gairsain). 2. It raises the state's annual budget to over ₹1.19 lakh crore. 3. Revenue expenditure forms the larger part of the supplementary outlay. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
Capital expenditure (₹4,164.32 cr) exceeds revenue expenditure (₹3,679.86 cr), so statement 3 is wrong; the budget rose to ₹1,19,547.39 cr.
Capital expenditure (₹4,164.32 cr) exceeds revenue expenditure (₹3,679.86 cr), so statement 3 is wrong; the budget rose to ₹1,19,547.39 cr.
Q38. Consider the following pairs (Shrine : Winter seat): 1. Kedarnath : Ukhimath 2. Badrinath : Mukhba 3. Gangotri : Kharsali. How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
- Only one
- Only two
- All three
- None
Show answer
Answer: A
Only Kedarnath–Ukhimath is correct. Badrinath's winter seat is Pandukeshwar/Joshimath; Gangotri's is Mukhba; Kharsali is Yamunotri's.
Only Kedarnath–Ukhimath is correct. Badrinath's winter seat is Pandukeshwar/Joshimath; Gangotri's is Mukhba; Kharsali is Yamunotri's.
Q39. 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.
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.
Q40. 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.
Kedarnath → Ukhimath; Badrinath → Pandukeshwar/Joshimath; Yamunotri → Kharsali; Gangotri → Mukhba.
Q41. Match the Char Dham shrine with its winter seat and choose the correct option: 1. Badrinath – Jyotirmath; 2. Kedarnath – Ukhimath; 3. Yamunotri – Mukhba; 4. Gangotri – Kharsali.
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3 only
- 3 and 4 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
Answer: A
Badrinath → Narsingh Temple, Jyotirmath and Kedarnath → Omkareshwar, Ukhimath are correct. Yamunotri's winter seat is Kharsali and Gangotri's is Mukhba, so pairs 3 and 4 are swapped.
Badrinath → Narsingh Temple, Jyotirmath and Kedarnath → Omkareshwar, Ukhimath are correct. Yamunotri's winter seat is Kharsali and Gangotri's is Mukhba, so pairs 3 and 4 are swapped.
Q42. Consider these statements about the supplementary budget passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly in October 2026: 1. Its total was ₹7,844.18 crore. 2. Revenue expenditure was larger than capital expenditure. 3. It was passed at Bhararisain (Gairsain). Which are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
The total was ₹7,844.18 cr and it was passed at Bhararisain (Gairsain) on 28 Oct. Capital expenditure (₹4,164.32 cr) was larger than revenue (₹3,679.86 cr), so statement 2 is wrong.
The total was ₹7,844.18 cr and it was passed at Bhararisain (Gairsain) on 28 Oct. Capital expenditure (₹4,164.32 cr) was larger than revenue (₹3,679.86 cr), so statement 2 is wrong.
Mains practice questions
- Glacial lakes are emerging as a major disaster risk in the Uttarakhand Himalaya. Discuss the causes of GLOF risk in the state and evaluate the role of early-warning systems in disaster risk reduction. (150 words, 10 marks)
- Over-tourism is straining Uttarakhand's hill towns. Discuss the need for carrying-capacity-based tourism regulation, citing recent judicial interventions, and suggest a framework for Mussoorie. (125 words, 8 marks)
- Out-migration ('palayan') from Uttarakhand's hill districts is closely linked to gaps in health care, higher education and livelihoods. Evaluate how recent State measures — higher stipends for hill-posted doctors, skill schemes for college students and district-level Cabinet meetings — can address this challenge. (150 words)
- Record Char Dham footfall is coinciding with sharper weather extremes in the Uttarakhand Himalaya. Examine the challenges this poses and suggest a framework for sustainable pilgrimage management. (125 words)
- The record footfall of the Char Dham Yatra and recurring seismic and weather shocks in the Garhwal Himalaya call for a 'carrying-capacity first' pilgrimage policy. Discuss with reference to Uttarakhand. (200 words)
- Post-monsoon western disturbances and a long pilgrimage season heighten disaster risk along Uttarakhand's Char Dham routes. Discuss the challenges and suggest a risk-informed framework for yatra management. (250 words)
- Uttarakhand lies in one of India's most seismically active belts. Discuss the role of earthquake early-warning systems in disaster risk reduction and suggest measures to make hill settlements earthquake-resilient. (250 words)
- Record pilgrim inflows and repeated tremors in 2026 highlight the tension between religious tourism and Himalayan fragility in Uttarakhand. Discuss a carrying-capacity based framework for managing the Char Dham Yatra. (UKPSC GS, 200 words)
- “Floodplain zoning is a low-cost but under-used tool of disaster risk reduction in the Himalaya.” Discuss in the context of Uttarakhand's Floodplain Zoning Rules 2026. (125 words / 8 marks)
- Unseasonal rain and hailstorms in October 2026 damaged over 8,000 hectares of kharif crops and hill orchards in Uttarakhand. Examine the vulnerability of the State's agriculture and horticulture to climate extremes and suggest a resilience strategy. (200 words)
- Floodplain zoning is a cost-effective non-structural tool for reducing flood losses in Himalayan states. Examine in the context of the Uttarakhand Floodplain Zoning Rules, 2026. (150 words, 10 marks)
- Human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand has become as much a governance challenge as an ecological one. Examine its causes and evaluate the newly ordered district-level committee approach. (250 words)
- Record footfall in the Char Dham Yatra is both an economic opportunity and an ecological risk for Uttarakhand. Discuss, and suggest a carrying-capacity based model for pilgrimage management. (UKPSC Mains, 200 words)
- The Char Dham Yatra has crossed a record 59 lakh pilgrims in 2026. Discuss the economic benefits and ecological risks of rising pilgrim numbers, and suggest a sustainable pilgrimage-management model for Uttarakhand. (250 words)
- The record Char Dham footfall of 2026 is both an economic opportunity and an ecological risk for Uttarakhand. Discuss, and suggest a framework for sustainable pilgrimage management in the Himalaya. (UKPSC Mains, 200 words)
- Record pilgrim footfall in the Char Dham Yatra is both an economic opportunity and an ecological risk for Uttarakhand. Discuss measures for sustainable pilgrimage management in the Himalayan State. (UKPSC Mains, 200 words)
- Pilgrimage and adventure tourism are both a lifeline and a stressor for Uttarakhand's hill economy. Discuss with reference to border-area tourism and carrying capacity. (UKPSC Mains, 125 words)
- Gairsain has been declared Uttarakhand's summer capital, yet Assembly sessions there remain short. Examine its significance for balanced hill-area development and suggest measures to make it a functional administrative centre. (150 words)
- The rapid growth of homestays and high-rise buildings in Uttarakhand's hill towns has raised fire-safety risks. Examine the key provisions of the Uttarakhand Fire and Emergency Services Bill, 2026 and suggest measures for its effective enforcement in hill areas. (150 words)
- 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)
- Record Char Dham footfall brings income to the hills but also puts stress on fragile Himalayan slopes. Discuss how Uttarakhand can balance pilgrimage tourism with disaster safety. (125 words)
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