Weekly at a glance
- Sat 5 Sep — Uttarakhand's ₹147 cr pension push & record 15.12 lakh Char Dham footfall; India's Q1 GDP at 7.8% and the 26th SCO Summit lead the day.
- Sun 6 Sep — Uttarakhand's ₹147-crore one-click pension DBT, CM Yuva Bhavishya Nirman Yojana for free exam coaching, and India's direct-tax buoyancy staying above 1 for a third year.
All topics — key facts for revision
5 September 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Uttarakhand transfers ₹147 crore pension to 9.91 lakh people
- ₹147.05 crore transferred in one instalment
- 9,91,914 (9.91 lakh) beneficiaries covered
- 8 categories: old-age, widow, disability, farmer, deserted-women, dwarf, Teelu Rauteli & maintenance allowance
- 5,605 new pensions sanctioned in Aug 2026
- State share ₹140.11 cr; Centre ₹6.94 cr (NSAP: 2.14 lakh)
POLITY Uttarakhand tightens UCC rules on marriage & live-in registration
- Marriage registration compulsory within 60 days
- Uniform marriage age: 21 (men) / 18 (women)
- Live-in relationships must be registered with the Sub-Registrar
- Non-registration: up to ₹25,000 fine and/or 3 months jail
- Triple talaq not recognised; equal inheritance for all
UTTARAKHAND Char Dham Yatra 2026 hits record 15.12 lakh pilgrims; crowd caps enforced
- 15.12 lakh pilgrims in first 30 days (opened 19 Apr 2026)
- Kedarnath 5.5L, Badrinath 3.5L, Yamunotri 3L, Gangotri 3L
- Peak footfall 70,000-80,000/day
- Mandatory registration; mobile ban inside Kedarnath temple
- Managed by the BKTC temple committee
UTTARAKHAND CM hands appointment letters to 101 officers; flags 34,000 jobs in 5 years
- 101 officers: 88 Livestock Extension Officers + 13 Sugarcane Supervisors
- 34,000+ government jobs in five years (merit-based)
- Sugarcane farmers paid ₹5/quintal more than in UP
- Schemes: Aanchal Amrit, Ghasyari Kalyan, Rajya Pashudhan Mission
- Strict anti-copying law for recruitment
ENVIRONMENT Uttarakhand deepens Gross Environment Product to value Himalayan ecology
- GEP = 'Green GDP' valuing air, water, soil & forest services
- About 71% of the state is under forest cover
- Complements GDP; supports payment for ecosystem services
- Aligns with the GEP index and eco-sensitive-zone protection
IR 26th SCO Summit in Bishkek adopts declaration; bloc marks 25 years
- 10 full members; ~25% of global GDP, ~40% of world population
- English added as a 3rd official language (with Russian, Chinese)
- 'SCO Plus' dialogue format launched
- India stressed 'zero double standards on terrorism'
- Pakistan to chair SCO for 2026-27
ECONOMY India's Q1 GDP grows 7.8% on revised 2022-23 base year
- Real GDP +7.8%; nominal GDP +10.3% (Apr-Jun)
- Base year revised 2011-12 → 2022-23 (from 27 Feb 2026)
- Debate over the manufacturing GVA gap flagged
POLITY Supreme Court: Bar Council cannot discipline law students
- BCI power under the Advocates Act, 1961 is limited to enrolled advocates
- Students' Article 19 free-speech rights protected (NALSAR case)
- Universities remain the disciplinary authority for students
DEFENCE India releases first 10-year defence-diplomacy framework 'RAKSHA'
- Released by the Defence Minister on 3 Sep 2026
- India's first 10-year defence-diplomacy framework
- Four pillars: Strategic Partnerships, Capacity Building, Indigenous Exports, Maritime Security
SCI-TECH Government launches 'BIO-NIVESH' to fund biotech start-ups
- Launched by the Dept of Biotechnology via BIRAC
- Inaugural edition: 20 start-ups, ~50 investors
- Supports the ₹20 lakh crore bioeconomy target by 2030
HEALTH Panel flags 40 crore Indians in health-cover 'missing middle'
- ~40 crore Indians (>25%) lack coverage - out of PM-JAY, too poor for private
- Private sector: 60%+ inpatient, 70%+ outpatient care
- Public health spend 1.43% of GDP (target 2.5%)
- Private childbirth ₹37,630 vs public ₹2,299
6 September 2026
Full notes with diagrams →UTTARAKHAND Uttarakhand transfers ₹147 crore pension to 9.91 lakh via one-click DBT
- ₹147.05 crore released via one-click DBT on 4 September 2026
- 9,91,914 beneficiaries — 2,14,711 under NSAP + 7,77,203 under state schemes
- Funding split: State ₹140.11 crore, Centre ₹6.94 crore
- Covers old-age, widow, disability, farmer, deserted-women, Teelu Rauteli and dwarf pensions
- 5,605 new pensions sanctioned in August 2026
UTTARAKHAND CM Yuva Bhavishya Nirman Yojana-2026: free online coaching for youth
- Free online coaching for UPSC/PSC, CDS, SSC, banking and railways, and entrance tests (CAT, GATE, NET)
- Eligibility: students in state universities and government / government-aided colleges
- Targets economically weaker youth unable to afford private coaching
- Focus on remote and hill districts to bridge the access gap
- Complements the state's new Yuva Aayog (youth commission)
ENVIRONMENT Char Dham monsoon watch: response chain on alert as Garhwal rivers swell
- IMD rain alerts prompt temporary halts to the Char Dham Yatra on affected stretches
- SDRF and NDRF kept on standby; DDMAs coordinate district-level response
- Key hazards: landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts and GLOF risk
- Pilgrims advised to follow official advisories and route status before travel
- Rivers of the Alaknanda-Bhagirathi (Ganga) system swell rapidly in the catchment
UTTARAKHAND Udyamshala scheme powers rural entrepreneurship; women lead the way
- Over 13,000 entrepreneurs trained under Udyamshala
- More than 8,000 women among the beneficiaries
- A dedicated marketing centre planned in Dehradun
- Village-level chaupals used for grassroots outreach
- Aims to curb distress migration ('palayan') by creating local livelihoods
ENVIRONMENT Himalayan ecology & GEP: Uttarakhand's green-accounting focus
- GEP = value of ecosystem services from air, water, soil and forests
- Uttarakhand is the first Indian state to adopt Gross Environment Product accounting
- Concept associated with environmentalist Anil Prakash Joshi
- Complements demands for a Green Bonus for Himalayan states
- Links to eco-sensitive zones, carrying capacity and GLOF-risk management
POLITY One year of the Uniform Civil Code; Amendment Ordinance 2026 in force
- Uttarakhand is the first state to implement a Uniform Civil Code (enforced 2024)
- UCC (Amendment) Ordinance 2026 in force from January 2026
- Covers common rules on marriage, divorce, succession and live-in relationships
- Mandatory registration of marriages and live-in relationships
- Scheduled Tribes are exempted from the Code
ECONOMY India's direct-tax buoyancy stays above 1 for a third year (1.39)
- Direct-tax buoyancy at 1.39 for 2024-25
- Buoyancy has stayed above 1 for three consecutive years
- Buoyancy > 1 means tax revenue grows faster than GDP
- Reflects better compliance, digitisation and formalisation
- Direct taxes include income tax and corporate tax
POLITY Eight new High Court Chief Justices notified; new LG for A&N Islands
- Eight new High Court Chief Justices appointed, approved by President Droupadi Murmu
- Sanjay K. Agrawal is the 44th Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court
- Dinesh Sharma appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- HC Chief Justices are appointed under Article 217 on collegium recommendation
- The Collegium is headed by the Chief Justice of India
IR India backs UN 'Correct the Map'; Nov 27 named Child Marriage Elimination Day
- India voted for the 'Correct the Map' resolution on map distortions
- Common projections (e.g. Mercator) exaggerate high-latitude landmasses
- UNGA designated 27 November as the day to eliminate child marriage
- Resolution adopted on 4 September 2026
- India also announced it will host the BRICS Chief Justices' Forum in New Delhi
DEFENCE Adani Defence signs five-year AK-203 ammunition supply deal
- Five-year deal to supply 7.62x39 mm ammunition for AK-203 rifles
- Partner: Indo-Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd (IRRPL), the AK-203 joint venture
- AK-203 rifles are made at the Korwa (Amethi), Uttar Pradesh plant
- Supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat and defence-export goals
- Reduces import dependence for small-arms ammunition
SOCIETY Assam's Ahom-era Rangpur-Sivasagar ensemble enters UNESCO tentative list
- Rangpur-Sivasagar Historical Ensemble (Assam) added to UNESCO's Tentative List
- Linked to the Ahom dynasty, which ruled Assam for about 600 years
- Follows the earlier inscription of the Moidams (Ahom burial mounds) as a World Heritage Site
- Highlights Tai-Ahom architecture and statecraft
- The Tentative List is a mandatory first step toward World Heritage nomination
Prelims rapid-fire — 12 facts
| First state to implement a UCC → Uttarakhand (Act 2024) |
| SCO's newest official language → English |
| RBI repo rate → 5.25%; Governor → Sanjay Malhotra |
| India's first Gross Environment Product (Green GDP) → Uttarakhand |
| New GDP base year → 2022-23 (from 2011-12) |
| Teachers' Day honours → Dr S. Radhakrishnan (Bharat Ratna 1954) |
| Teelu Rauteli — legendary Garhwali woman warrior commemorated by a state pension/award. |
| GLOF stands for Glacial Lake Outburst Flood, a key Himalayan hazard. |
| GEP (Gross Environment Product) — Uttarakhand is the first Indian state to adopt it. |
| Article 44 (DPSP) directs the State to secure a Uniform Civil Code. |
| Tax buoyancy > 1 means tax revenue grows faster than GDP. |
| AK-203 rifles are manufactured at Korwa, Amethi (UP) by the India-Russia JV IRRPL. |
Data points of the period
₹1.11 lakh cr
Uttarakhand Budget 2026-27 (GYAN model)
Theme GYAN = Garib, Yuva, Annadata, Nari. Gender budget ₹19,692 cr; Kumbh infra ₹1,027 cr; food security ₹1,300 cr; road development ₹400 cr; tourism ₹100 cr.
Theme GYAN = Garib, Yuva, Annadata, Nari. Gender budget ₹19,692 cr; Kumbh infra ₹1,027 cr; food security ₹1,300 cr; road development ₹400 cr; tourism ₹100 cr.
₹147.05 crore / 9,91,914 beneficiaries
Data Point of the Day — Social Security Reach
Uttarakhand's single-day, one-click DBT pension release (Sep 2026): State share ₹140.11 cr + Centre share ₹6.94 cr, covering NSAP and eight state pension categories.
Uttarakhand's single-day, one-click DBT pension release (Sep 2026): State share ₹140.11 cr + Centre share ₹6.94 cr, covering NSAP and eight state pension categories.
4 practice MCQs — UKPSC Prelims pattern
Q1. Which one of the following is NOT one of the four shrines of the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand?
- Badrinath
- Kedarnath
- Vaishno Devi
- Gangotri
Show answer
Answer: C
The Char Dham of Uttarakhand comprises Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Vaishno Devi is in Jammu & Kashmir.
The Char Dham of Uttarakhand comprises Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. Vaishno Devi is in Jammu & Kashmir.
Q2. With reference to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), consider: (1) India became a full member in 2017. (2) English was recently added as an official language. (3) Its headquarters is in Moscow. Which are correct?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: A
India joined as a full member in 2017 and English was added as an official language; however, the SCO headquarters (Secretariat) is in Beijing, not Moscow.
India joined as a full member in 2017 and English was added as an official language; however, the SCO headquarters (Secretariat) is in Beijing, not Moscow.
Q3. With reference to the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), consider the following statements: 1. It is a fully state-funded scheme. 2. It gives concrete shape to Article 41 of the Constitution. 3. It includes old-age, widow and disability pension components. 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
NSAP is a Centre-sponsored scheme (not fully state-funded), so statement 1 is wrong. It operationalises Article 41 (DPSP) and includes old-age, widow and disability pensions, so 2 and 3 are correct.
NSAP is a Centre-sponsored scheme (not fully state-funded), so statement 1 is wrong. It operationalises Article 41 (DPSP) and includes old-age, widow and disability pensions, so 2 and 3 are correct.
Q4. Consider the following with reference to disaster management in Uttarakhand: 1. The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) is chaired by the Chief Minister. 2. GLOF refers to flooding caused by the sudden release of water from a glacial lake. 3. The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) is headed by the District Magistrate. 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
Under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the SDMA is chaired by the CM and the DDMA by the DM/Collector; GLOF is a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood. All three statements are correct.
Under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the SDMA is chaired by the CM and the DDMA by the DM/Collector; GLOF is a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood. All three statements are correct.
Mains practice questions
- Record pilgrim footfall on the Char Dham route poses growing challenges for disaster management and Himalayan ecology in Uttarakhand. Examine and suggest a sustainable pilgrimage-tourism framework. (250 words)
- Direct benefit transfer (DBT) has transformed the delivery of social-security pensions in hill states like Uttarakhand. Discuss its benefits and the challenges that remain in ensuring last-mile delivery. (250 words)
Preparing for Uttarakhand PCS (UKPSC)?
Read the daily edition every day at 3 PM, practise free Static GK MCQs and track your syllabus micro-topic by micro-topic.