Weekly at a glance
- Mon 21 Sep — Char Dham phase-1 hits record 50.56 lakh; Uttarakhand HC clears Haldwani shift; UCC & homestay reforms advance
All topics — key facts for revision
21 September 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026: phase-1 sets record, second phase underway
- Phase-1 footfall: 50.56 lakh pilgrims (as of 14 Sept); total registrations: 66.08 lakh.
- Shrine-wise: Badrinath 17.37 L, Kedarnath 14.99 L, Gangotri 7.90 L, Yamunotri 7.08 L, Hemkund Sahib 3.23 L.
- The four dhams: Yamunotri (Yamuna, Uttarkashi), Gangotri (Bhagirathi, Uttarkashi), Kedarnath (Mandakini, Rudraprayag), Badrinath (Alaknanda, Chamoli).
- Second phase began 15 September 2026; mandatory online registration continues for crowd control.
POLITY Uttarakhand HC clears path to shift from Nainital to Haldwani
- Bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Pankaj Purohit dismissed the challenge (early Sept 2026).
- Nainital cited for 'acute lack of space and inadequate infrastructure', high living costs and poor connectivity for litigants.
- Full court (19 June) approved shifting to ~73 hectares of forest land in the Tarai-Central Forest Division near Rudrapur.
- Site is ~10 km from the elephant corridor; forest de-reservation and statutory clearances still pending.
UTTARAKHAND Homestay policy powers 'reverse palayan' in the hills
- 537 beneficiaries received ₹79.28 crore subsidy over four years.
- Over 5,000 homestays now operate statewide; ~6,500 migrants returned, ~22% taking up homestays.
- Subsidy: 50% (max ₹15 lakh) in hills, 25% (max ₹7.5 lakh) in plains; only Uttarakhand natives eligible.
- A Trekking Traction Centre Homestay sub-scheme aided 258 applicants under 'My Plan, My Government'.
POLITY Uttarakhand UCC: first-mover reform completes rollout
- UCC came into force 27 January 2026; Uttarakhand is the first state to implement one post-Independence.
- Common rules on marriage, divorce, succession and inheritance; polygamy and halala barred; equal inheritance for daughters.
- Live-in relationships require mandatory registration; a dedicated UCC portal handles filings.
- Scheduled Tribes are exempted; rooted in Article 44 (DPSP) directive for a uniform civil code.
ENVIRONMENT Gross Environment Product: Uttarakhand values its nature
- Uttarakhand launched India's first GEP to value ecological wealth alongside economic output.
- GEP measures four services: air, water, soil and forest.
- Aligns with the state's push on eco-sensitive zones, green bonuses and Himalayan resilience.
- Complements Green GDP accounting and the demand for a Green Bonus for Himalayan states.
ECONOMY Retail inflation climbs to 4.82%, repo held at 5.25%
- CPI August 2026: 4.82%, up from 4.45% in July; food inflation 5.95%.
- Repo rate: 5.25% (neutral stance); positive real policy rate.
- Credit growth 19.1% vs deposit growth 17.8%; credit-deposit ratio 80.3%.
- GDP growth 7.8%; inflation stays within the RBI 4% (+/-2%) band.
IR US law authorises 100% tariff on buyers of Russian oil
- Law authorises 100% tariffs on importers of Russian oil, atop existing duties.
- US takes ~20% of India's goods exports; Russia supplied 51%+ of India's oil imports (July 2026).
- Requires a written waiver justification to the US Congress.
- Sharpens India's energy-security vs market-access trade-off.
SCI-TECH Semiconductor Mission Phase 2: ₹1.27 lakh crore push
- Government commitment: ₹1.27 lakh crore under Phase 2; ~₹1 lakh crore investor interest received.
- Widens scope to design, fabrication, equipment and materials (from assembly/testing).
- Five-year goal: chips for automobiles, power systems and appliances.
- Advances Atmanirbhar Bharat and cuts import dependence in electronics.
REPORT NITI Aayog Electric Mobility Index 2025: Delhi tops
- Delhi 1st (score 84, up from 77); Maharashtra 2nd (78), Karnataka 3rd (73).
- Covers 36 states/UTs across 16 indicators.
- Signals accelerating EV adoption and charging-infra rollout.
- Feeds India's net-zero-by-2070 and clean-mobility goals.
SOCIETY EPFO wage ceiling raised to ₹25,000 a month
- Wage ceiling raised from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000/month, effective 17 September 2026.
- EPS pension contribution capped correspondingly (~₹2,080).
- Expands retirement-savings coverage for more formal workers.
- Administered by EPFO under the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
ECONOMY GIFT City jumps to 37th in Global Financial Centres Index
- GIFT City rose to 37th (from 46th) in GFCI 40.
- New York topped, followed by London and Hong Kong.
- GIFT City hosts India's first IFSC, regulated by IFSCA.
- Boosts India's ambition as a global fintech and bullion gateway.
Prelims rapid-fire — 6 facts
| GOBARdhan: Compressed Biogas (CBG) priced at ₹2,110/MMBTU (₹98/kg), with ₹10/kg support for 10 years. |
| Karnataka gave Tulu additional official-language status in Dakshina Kannada & Udupi; ₹82 lakh/yr for translation. |
| NPCI: UPI transactions above ₹2,000 to attract 0.4% MDR from 15 Oct 2026; below ₹2,000 stay free. |
| Arthur M. Bueche Award 2026 went to Indian-American Sethuraman Panchanathan - a first for an Indian-origin scientist. |
| Registration of Births & Deaths (Amendment) Act 2026 effective 1 Oct 2026; digital birth certificate as single document. |
| Swachhata Hi Seva 2026: 17 Sept-2 Oct, theme 'Swachhata Mein Sahbhag; Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat'. |
Data points of the period
50.56 lakh pilgrims
Char Dham Yatra 2026 - Phase 1
Highest-ever first-phase footfall; total registrations touched 66.08 lakh, with the yatra reopening for its second phase on 15 September 2026.
Highest-ever first-phase footfall; total registrations touched 66.08 lakh, with the yatra reopening for its second phase on 15 September 2026.
2 practice MCQs — UKPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. With reference to the Char Dham Yatra, consider the following shrine-river pairs: 1. Kedarnath - Mandakini 2. Badrinath - Alaknanda 3. Yamunotri - Bhagirathi. Which of the pairs is/are correctly matched?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
Kedarnath lies on the Mandakini and Badrinath on the Alaknanda. Yamunotri is the source area of the Yamuna, not the Bhagirathi (which is linked to Gangotri). Hence 1 and 2 only.
Kedarnath lies on the Mandakini and Badrinath on the Alaknanda. Yamunotri is the source area of the Yamuna, not the Bhagirathi (which is linked to Gangotri). Hence 1 and 2 only.
Q2. The 'Gross Environment Product (GEP)', recently in news, was launched first by which Indian state, and it primarily values which of the following?
- Sikkim; only forest cover
- Uttarakhand; air, water, soil and forest services
- Himachal Pradesh; hydropower output
- Kerala; coastal ecosystems only
Show answer
Answer: B
Uttarakhand launched India's first GEP, valuing four ecosystem services - air, water, soil and forest - as a green counterpart to GDP.
Uttarakhand launched India's first GEP, valuing four ecosystem services - air, water, soil and forest - as a green counterpart to GDP.
Mains practice questions
- Uttarakhand's homestay policy is being projected as a tool against 'palayan' (out-migration). Examine how tourism-led livelihood models can address hill-region migration, and the risks they must guard against.
Preparing for Uttarakhand PCS (UKPSC)?
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