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Weekly compilation · Uttar Pradesh PSC (UPPCS)

UPPSC Weekly Current Affairs 26 Oct – 1 Nov 2026

5 daily editions · 51 topics · 10 MCQs · Uttar Pradesh + National · updates daily till Sunday

2 Nov – 8 Nov 202626 Oct – 1 Nov 202619 Oct – 25 Oct 202612 Oct – 18 Oct 20265 Oct – 11 Oct 202628 Sep – 4 Oct 202621 Sep – 27 Sep 202614 Sep – 20 Sep 20267 Sep – 13 Sep 202631 Aug – 6 Sep 2026

Weekly at a glance

All topics — key facts for revision

UP-CULTURE Valmiki Jayanti: CM unveils 48 projects worth ₹411 crore at Bithoor, Kanpur Nagar
  • 48 projects worth over ₹411 crore in the Bilhaur and Bithoor Assembly constituencies of Kanpur Nagar — a mix of inaugurations and foundation stones; certificates given to welfare-scheme beneficiaries.
  • Bithoor (on the Ganga) is traditionally regarded as Valmiki's ashram, where Sita is believed to have lived and Luv-Kush were born.
  • UP declared 26 October a public holiday for Valmiki Jayanti — schools and government offices closed, banks open.
  • The holiday was among 15 public holidays cancelled in 2017 and was later restored after demands from the Valmiki community.
UP-ECONOMY UP GCC Innovation Summit 2026 opens in Lucknow; state targets 500+ GCCs by 2031
  • About 15 MoUs and 5 Letters of Comfort for investors expected; around 13 academic MoUs with IIT Kanpur, IIT (BHU) and IIIT Lucknow.
  • UP already hosts 200+ GCCs (BFSI, semiconductors, engineering, healthcare); target 500+ by 2031.
  • Main hubs Noida–Greater Noida; expansion planned to Lucknow, Kanpur and Varanasi.
  • UP GCC Policy 2024: capital subsidy up to 25%, land subsidy 30–50%, operational subsidy 20%, interest subsidy 5%, plus payroll and R&D support.
UP-AGRI Paddy procurement in eastern UP from 1 November at MSP ₹2,441 per quintal
  • Western UP: 12 Oct 2026 – 15 Feb 2027; Eastern UP: 1 Nov 2026 – 28 Feb 2027.
  • MSP: Common ₹2,441/quintal, Grade-A ₹2,461/quintal.
  • Phased timing reflects later harvest in the eastern (Purvanchal) belt.
UP-INFRA PM in Varanasi (25 Oct): women-led garment unit and IAF's 'Wings over Ganges' at Namo Ghat
  • New garment facility described as predominantly women-led, serving a global customer base.
  • 'Wings over Ganges' marked the IAF's 94th anniversary (IAF founded 8 Oct 1932); organised by Central Air Command, HQ Prayagraj (Bamrauli).
  • About 100 aircraft — 52 fighters, 32 helicopters, 15 transport, 1 heritage — from 12 bases, incl. Rafale, Su-30MKI, Tejas and LCH Prachand.
  • Surya Kiran (9 Hawk Mk 132) and Sarang (ALH Dhruv) teams performed; meat/fish sale barred within 30 km to cut bird-strike risk.
UP-INFRA Four link expressways worth ~₹29,000 crore planned to connect Jewar airport and industrial hubs
  • Jewar Link: Noida International Airport (Jewar) ↔ Ganga Expressway via Bulandshahr.
  • Farrukhabad Link: 91 km, joining Ganga and Agra–Lucknow Expressways via the Kannauj Expressway near Kudrail (Etawah).
  • Jhansi Link: serves Bundelkhand — the BIDA area and the UP Defence Industrial Corridor.
  • Purvanchal Link: connects the Agra–Lucknow and Purvanchal Expressways; total outlay ~₹29,000 crore.
UP-GOVERNANCE OTS scheme in all 762 urban bodies gives ₹116.43 crore relief on house, water and sewer tax
  • Covers 762 ULBs: 17 municipal corporations, 200 municipal councils, 545 nagar panchayats.
  • 1,71,166 applications; 1,33,589 approved, 34,801 under process.
  • Dues of ₹312.94 crore; ₹72.96 crore recovered; relief of ₹116.43 crore (avg. ~₹8,715 each).
  • Dues payable in up to 3 instalments; residential applications dominate (1,42,274).
UP-CULTURE 10th Ayodhya Deepotsav on 5–7 November: 33 lakh diyas along Ram Ki Paidi and Saryu riverfront
  • 10th edition, 5–7 November 2026, at Ram Ki Paidi and the Saryu riverfront.
  • 33 lakh diyas, 65 lakh wicks, 55,000 litres of oil and 150 kg camphor.
  • About 34,000 volunteers (largely students) for lighting and crowd management.
UP-SCHEME UP Cabinet clears Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Manufacturing Policy-2026
  • Feedstock: rice husk, wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse, municipal waste, non-edible oilseeds; routes incl. pyrolysis, gasification, Alcohol-to-Jet.
  • Units: Large ₹200–500 cr, Mega ₹500–1,500 cr, Ultra-mega >₹1,500 cr.
  • Incentives: stamp-duty relief, net SGST reimbursement, interest subsidy, 100% electricity-duty exemption for 10 years, front-end land subsidy.
  • Nodal agency UPNEDA; policy valid for 5 years.
NATIONAL Mann Ki Baat (139th episode): Khadi & village industries turnover crosses ₹1.87 lakh crore
  • KVI turnover >₹1.87 lakh crore (2025-26); employment >2.04 crore people.
  • Sales >₹28 crore on Gandhi Jayanti alone; KVIC target ₹2.51 lakh crore.
  • Linked to Vocal for Local — relevant to UP's ODOP products.
ECONOMY PM opens RBI's ₹169-crore Greenfield Data Centre and Cybersecurity Training Institute near Bhubaneswar
  • Located at Info Valley-II, Khordha (Odisha); 18.55-acre campus; cost ₹169 crore.
  • Acts as critical backup to RBI's primary data centre at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.
  • Site chosen away from seismic fault lines and border zones; foundation laid 22 March 2023.
UP-ECONOMY Lucknow hosts GCC Innovation Summit 2026; white paper on AI in GCCs released
  • White paper 'The True Economics of AI Adoption in GCCs' released – drafted by HCLTech and IIT Kanpur under a deep-tech collaboration; summit organised with Invest UP.
  • UP GCC Policy 2024: capital subsidy up to 25%, opex, payroll and land incentives; state aims for 500+ GCCs by 2031 in Noida, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Prayagraj and Gorakhpur.
  • LG Electronics to invest ₹634 crore in an Eco Solutions GCC (500+ jobs, operational by end-2026); HCLTech opened an AI-powered GCC Centre of Excellence in Lucknow.
UP-DISASTER Cyclone 'Arnab': UP on alert for heavy rain and strong winds from 28 to 31 October
  • 28 Oct (yellow alert): winds 30–40 km/h in Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Bhadohi, Ghazipur, Ballia.
  • 29 Oct (orange alert): heavy rain, 40–50 km/h winds in Chitrakoot, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Pratapgarh, Rae Bareli, Amethi, Sultanpur.
  • 30 Oct: heavy rain in Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur and parts of Purvanchal, Awadh and the Terai; day temperature may fall 5–8°C.
  • Landfall expected near Yanam (between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam) by 28 Oct forenoon with winds of 115–125 km/h; official alerts via the Sachet app.
UP-POLITY Counting today for 11 Legislative Council seats from graduates' and teachers' constituencies
  • Graduates' seats: Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Allahabad–Jhansi; Teachers' seats: Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Bareilly–Moradabad, Gorakhpur–Faizabad.
  • Overall turnout about 55%; highest in Gorakhpur–Faizabad Teachers (79.01%), lowest in Lucknow Graduates (38.02%).
  • Only registered graduates and teachers vote – by single transferable vote (preferential ballot).
  • UP Vidhan Parishad has 100 members; one-twelfth each are elected by graduates and by teachers (Article 171).
UP-INFRA CM unveils 48 projects worth ₹411 crore at Bithoor (Kanpur) on Valmiki Jayanti
  • Projects span the Bilhaur and Bithoor Assembly constituencies; certificates were handed to welfare-scheme beneficiaries.
  • Event held at Bithoor, revered as Maharishi Valmiki's tapobhumi (place of penance) on the Ganga.
  • Valmiki Jayanti falls on Ashwin Purnima; UP declared 26 Oct a public holiday – the holiday was among 15 cancelled in 2017 and later restored.
UP-CULTURE Ayodhya's 10th Deepotsav to light 30 lakh diyas on 56 Saryu ghats
  • Target: 30 lakh diyas on 56 ghats of the Saryu (about 33 lakh ordered to cover breakage); a fresh world-record attempt.
  • Deepotsav began in 2017 with 1.71 lakh diyas; 2025 lit 26,17,215 diyas.
  • About 35,000 volunteers, coordinated by Dr Rammanohar Lohia Avadh University with the district administration.
UP-ENVIRONMENT Sauj Jheel (Mainpuri) becomes India's 103rd Ramsar site; UP now has 14
  • Sauj Jheel = Ramsar Site No. 2603 – a shallow floodplain lake in the Ganga basin, ecologically linked to the nearby Saman Bird Sanctuary.
  • Mainpuri is now the only UP district with two Ramsar sites.
  • State tally: Tamil Nadu 20, Uttar Pradesh 14; India is 1st in Asia, 3rd in the world (after UK, Mexico).
UP-SCHEME UP AI Mission and ₹1,725-crore Skill Zone scheme approved
  • UP-AIM: an independent society under the IT & Electronics Dept – 100+ AI use cases, help for 100 AI startups, AI training for 5 lakh youth, AI centres in all 75 districts, a GPU-based UP AI Stack.
  • Skill Zone scheme: ₹1,725 crore over 3 years, 9 zones on a hub-and-spoke model covering all districts.
  • First-phase centres: Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Jhansi – with hostels, placement cells and possible viability gap funding.
UP-POLICY UP's Sustainable Aviation Fuel Policy-2026 to turn farm waste into jet fuel
  • Feedstock: rice husk, wheat straw, sugarcane bagasse, municipal waste, non-edible oilseeds; routes – pyrolysis, gasification, Alcohol-to-Jet.
  • Units: Large ₹200–500 cr, Mega ₹500–1,500 cr, Ultra-mega >₹1,500 cr.
  • Incentives: 100% electricity-duty exemption for up to 10 years, net SGST reimbursement, stamp-duty and land-use charge relief, interest subsidy.
  • Nodal agency: UPNEDA; policy valid 5 years.
NATIONAL DAC clears ₹2.12 lakh crore defence buys; 82% from Indian industry
  • Army: Light Multi Role Helicopters, VSHORADS, counter-drone systems, long-range kamikaze drones, self-propelled tracked guns.
  • Navy: Active Offboard Decoy Systems; IAF: special utility helicopters, mobile X-band Doppler weather radars.
  • About 82% of the value to be sourced from Indian industry.
ECONOMY Centre notifies E100 (pure ethanol) as fuel for flex-fuel vehicles
  • Applies only to vehicles designed by manufacturers for E85/E100 – ordinary E20 vehicles are unaffected.
  • Gross vehicle weight threshold in the relevant emission norms raised from 3,000 kg to 3,500 kg.
  • Aim: cut crude imports and vehicular emissions.
UP-GOVERNANCE Yogi Cabinet clears 22 proposals: cyber shield, robotics park, cashless care
  • UP Cyber Security Operations Centre (UP-CSOC) to be set up through C3iHub, IIT Kanpur; PRAGATI Robotics Park approved to promote robotics & AI.
  • Cashless medical treatment extended to non-teaching staff of aided/unaided secondary & Sanskrit schools and Basic Education staff (with dependants).
  • Master developer selection for PM MITRA Mega Textile Park (~1,000 acres, Lucknow–Hardoi); 7 AMRUT 2.0 water/sewerage projects for Lucknow & Varanasi.
  • Free land: 9.524 ha to Sainik School, Mainpuri; warehouses in Jhansi & Lalitpur; UP Inland Vessels Rules, 2026 and a State Livestock Mission cleared.
  • 0.5% stamp duty on share value fixed for registering company mergers/demergers.
UP-POLITY MLC polls: BJP sweeps Meerut, SP holds Varanasi Teachers
  • BJP won Meerut Graduates (Dinesh Kumar Goyal), Meerut Teachers (Shrichand Sharma) and Bareilly-Moradabad Teachers (Dr Hari Singh Dhillon, margin 17,676).
  • SP retained Varanasi Teachers (Lal Bihari Yadav); results of remaining seats were being finalised at compilation.
  • Graduates' seats: Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Allahabad-Jhansi; Teachers': Lucknow, Varanasi, Agra, Meerut, Bareilly-Moradabad, Gorakhpur-Faizabad.
  • UP Council has 100 members: 38 by MLAs, 36 by local bodies, 8 graduates, 8 teachers, 10 nominated by the Governor.
  • MLC term is 6 years; one-third retire every 2 years — the Council is a permanent House.
UP-CULTURE Mati Kala Mahotsav 2026 opens in Lucknow today
  • Runs 28 Oct – 7 Nov 2026; organised by the Uttar Pradesh Mati Kala Board (Khadi & Village Industries Dept.).
  • Theme: 'Mitti se Sanskriti, Sanskriti se Samriddhi'.
  • Inaugurated by Khadi & Village Industries Minister Rakesh Sachan; artisans from many districts display clay products ahead of Diwali.
  • Aims to create markets for potters (Prajapati community) and revive eco-friendly earthenware.
UP-INFRA Four link expressways (~322 km) get the go-ahead
  • Jewar Link (~74 km): connects Noida International Airport with the Yamuna & Ganga Expressways.
  • Jhansi Link (~106 km): links the new industrial city BIDA (Jhansi) with the Bundelkhand Expressway (Jalaun).
  • Farrukhabad Link (~91 km, ~₹7,489 cr): Agra–Lucknow Expressway (near Etawah) to Ganga Expressway (near Hardoi).
  • Agra-Lucknow ↔ Purvanchal Link (~51 km, ~₹4,776 cr) joins the two existing expressways.
  • Total contract value ~₹17,542 crore for ~322 km.
UP-ECONOMY Pre-Diwali wage boost: VDA revised for 74 employments
  • Basis: average All-India CPI of 431 points (Jan–Jun 2026) against a base of 400.
  • Monthly increase ranges from ₹174.25 to ₹238.39 depending on district class and skill.
  • Highest slab: skilled worker in Gautam Buddh Nagar & Ghaziabad — ₹17,106.39/month; unskilled in other districts — ₹12,530.25.
  • Daily wage = monthly wage ÷ 26; workers already paid more keep their higher wage.
UP-GOVERNANCE Six months in the village to vote in Panchayat polls
  • A person must have lived continuously in the village for at least 6 months before roll preparation to be enrolled.
  • Proof via Aadhaar, electricity or telephone bill plus a declaration of intent to reside.
  • Standardises Section 9(3) and replaces the ambiguous 'residing in a manner' clause; follows earlier High Court directions.
  • Applies uniformly to all Gram Panchayats; rolls are prepared under Art. 243K (State Election Commission).
UP-GOVERNANCE UP tops Mission Karmayogi implementation
  • Ranking: 1. Uttar Pradesh, 2. Rajasthan, 3. Jammu & Kashmir.
  • 19.23 lakh registered users on iGOT Karmayogi, over 99% active; 350+ training institutions under the Unnati initiative.
  • Category A: Home Dept 1st, Basic & Secondary Education 2nd — each with >1 crore courses; Category B: Higher Education 1st.
  • Unnati Capability Index and a National Curriculum Design Framework were launched.
UP-ECONOMY UP eyes 500+ Global Capability Centres by 2031
  • Noida–Greater Noida to anchor the push; Lucknow promoted as a new technology destination.
  • Policy incentives: capital subsidy up to 25%, operational subsidy up to 20%, land subsidy 30–50%.
  • Linked to a proposed UP AI Mission and DeepTech hubs.
  • India has 2,100+ GCCs employing ~23.6 lakh professionals.
NATIONAL Army releases revised Land Warfare Doctrine
  • Replaces the December 2018 Land Warfare Doctrine.
  • Adds drones, AI, precision warfare and multi-domain operations to the Army's fighting concept.
POLITY President assents to Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority Bill
  • Covers 6 eastern districts: Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak, Shamator.
  • 62-member body: 40 elected (one-third for women), 20 ex-officio MLAs (non-voting), 2 nominated by Governor.
  • Handles 46 subjects with an executive council of up to 9 members.
NATIONAL 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum opens in New Delhi
  • Theme: 'Strengthening Parliaments for People-Centric Development'.
  • Four pillars: resilience, innovation, cooperation, sustainability.
UP-GOVERNANCE UP's new recruitment policy: provisional joining before character verification
  • Candidates selected for general posts get a provisional appointment letter before verification is complete; covers direct recruitment in departments, corporations, councils, autonomous bodies, panchayats and local bodies.
  • Sensitive/security posts still need detailed verification before appointment; district police and the local intelligence unit must report within 30 days.
  • Police check covers the home district and any district of stay for over 1 year in the last 5 years, using existing records (no physical presence needed).
  • Serious offences (e.g. murder, rape, paper leaks, cheating gangs, cyber fraud) or violence aimed at regime change bar a candidate; an FIR alone or a political opinion is not a ground; false information means cancellation of appointment.
UP-INFRA CM's connectivity scorecard: 10 expressways, 17 airports, metro in 7 cities
  • 10 expressways now operational in UP (state's claim: about one and a half before 2017).
  • 12 domestic + 5 international airports — the state says this is the highest number of international airports in India.
  • Metro rail in 7 cities, up from none before 2017 (Lucknow, Kanpur and Agra among them).
  • Stated benefits: wider markets for farmers, job and education access for youth, time saving and tourism growth.
UP-ECONOMY UP Rise 2026 in Ayodhya and the investment push towards a $1 trillion economy
  • UP Rise 2026 is built on the 'Aatmanirbhar UP' vision; 1,000+ students took part, 20+ ideas pitched, 15 shortlisted.
  • Winner: an organic-farming startup team from Kushinagar (₹25,000 prize); runner-up: an eco-friendly portable cremation unit cutting wood use by up to 30%.
  • Programme to run in 30 colleges across 25 cities; schemes showcased include Mukhyamantri Udyami Yojana, UP Startup Fund, Abhyudaya Yojana and the Free Tablet scheme.
  • CM reiterated the mantra 'Reform, Perform and Transform' and the goal of a $1 trillion state economy.
UP-ECONOMY GCC Innovation Summit, Lucknow: UP targets 1,000 Global Capability Centres
  • UP GCC Policy 2024 targets 1,000+ new GCCs and 5 lakh jobs, including in tier-2 and tier-3 cities (Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur).
  • State reports a land bank of 75,000+ acres for investors.
  • A new ₹634 crore GCC investment in Eco Solutions announced; an AI-powered GCC Centre of Excellence launched at a Lucknow IT campus.
  • India hosts 2,100+ GCCs employing 23 lakh+ professionals.
UP-INFRA Cabinet clears four link expressways: ~322 km at ₹17,542 crore
  • Jewar Link (~74 km): Noida International Airport (Jewar) to the Ganga Expressway.
  • Jhansi Link (~106 km): links the new industrial city BIDA (Jhansi) with the Bundelkhand Expressway in Jalaun.
  • Farrukhabad Link (~91 km) joins the Ganga and Agra–Lucknow Expressways; Agra–Lucknow to Purvanchal Link (~51 km) connects the two expressways near Lucknow.
  • Total ~322 km / ₹17,542 crore; built in EPC mode in ~3 years with 5 years of maintenance by contractors.
UP-GOVERNANCE Same Cabinet: UP Cyber Security Operations Centre, Robotics Park, cashless care for school staff
  • UP-CSOC (Cyber Security Operations Centre) to be set up through C3iHub, IIT Kanpur; a Pragati Robotics Park approved to promote robotics and AI.
  • Cashless medical treatment extended to non-teaching staff of aided/unaided secondary and Sanskrit schools, Basic Education staff and Samagra Shiksha personnel with dependants.
  • 9.524 ha transferred free to the Sainik Schools Society for Sainik School, Mainpuri; free land for warehouses in Jhansi and Lalitpur.
  • 845 residential units (533 Type-3, 312 Type-4) for High Court officials at Devghat Jhalwa, Prayagraj; UP Inland Vessels Rules, 2026 promulgated; AMRUT 2.0 projects for Lucknow and Varanasi.
UP-SCHEME PMAY-Gramin regional workshop in Lucknow reviews next-phase reforms
  • Target: 4.95 crore rural houses by March 2029 (2.95 crore in Phase I, 2016-17 to 2023-24 + 2 crore for 2024-25 to 2028-29).
  • Proposed reforms: cluster-based housing, rural mason training, Centres of Excellence and a credit framework for rural housing.
  • Unit assistance ₹1.20 lakh (plains) / ₹1.30 lakh (hilly & difficult areas); minimum house size 25 sq m.
  • Beneficiaries from SECC 2011 verified by Gram Sabha; 60% of targets for SC/ST; tracked on AwaasSoft and funds via SNA-SPARSH; Centre:State share 60:40 (90:10 for NE/Himalayan States).
UP-CULTURE 10th Ayodhya Deepotsav on 7 November: 33 lakh diyas and 2,100 drones
  • About 33 lakh (3.3 million) diyas planned at Ram Ki Paidi and the Saryu ghats — aiming at a new record.
  • 2,100 indigenous drones show with 3D projection; 2,147 participants in the Saryu Aarti; green fireworks near Gonda bridge.
  • About 35,000 volunteers; ~1,000 artists from UP and 12 other states; cultural troupes from 12 countries and international Ramlilas.
  • Three phases: Shobha Yatra from Saket Mahavidyalaya → Ram Katha Park (Bharat Milap, Rajyabhishek) → Saryu Aarti and lamp lighting.
NATIONAL Union Cabinet: DA raised to 63%; PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana approved
  • DA/DR: 60% → 63% from 1 July 2026; ~48 lakh employees and ~68 lakh pensioners; cost ₹10,016 crore a year.
  • PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana: ₹7,395.55 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31 (co-terminus with the 16th Finance Commission); Centre ₹4,869.48 cr, States ₹2,526.07 cr.
  • Covers 2.55 lakh panchayats and traditional local bodies, ~32 lakh elected representatives; annual GPDPs on eGramSwaraj, audits via AuditOnline, own-source revenue push.
  • Also cleared: a ₹10,000 crore container manufacturing promotion scheme.
ECONOMY Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme (₹1,856.67 crore) — a boost for Meerut
  • Outlay ₹1,856.67 crore; period 2026 to 2033-34.
  • Cluster-based Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones (SGMZs) via convergence with the BHAVYA scheme and NICDC industrial parks; turnover-linked support for producers.
  • ₹105 crore for certification by international sports federations; Centres of Excellence and R&D convergence with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation.
  • UP angle: Meerut sports goods is the district's ODOP product and one of India's two biggest sports-goods hubs (with Jalandhar).
UP-GOVERNANCE UP rewrites character-verification rules: provisional joining before police report
  • Selected candidates for general posts get a provisional appointment letter before verification is complete.
  • For sensitive posts, verification stays mandatory before joining; district police and local intelligence must report within 30 days.
  • Verification covers the home district and any district where the candidate lived over 1 year in the past 5 years; based on records, no physical presence needed.
  • Disqualification for serious offences (murder, rape, paper leaks, cheating gangs, cyber fraud) and for involvement in violent activity aimed at changing the government; an FIR alone does not disqualify.
  • Applies to direct recruitment in departments, corporations, councils, autonomous bodies, panchayats and local bodies; concealing facts cancels appointment.
UTTAR PRADESH CM's development scorecard: women's work participation and connectivity
  • Women's workforce participation in UP stated at about 13% in 2017 and 36% now (CM's figures; measure not specified).
  • Expressways: from about 1.5 before 2017 to 10 operational now.
  • Airports: 12 domestic and 5 international airports now operational.
  • Metro rail now runs in 7 cities of UP, up from none earlier.
  • Credits 'zero tolerance' policing for safer night-time business and higher female participation.
UP-INFRA UP Cabinet clears four link expressways worth about ₹17,542 crore
  • Four projects: Farrukhabad Link, Agra–Lucknow to Purvanchal Link, Jhansi Link and Jewar Link expressways.
  • Estimated total cost about ₹17,542.06 crore; built in packages under the EPC model by UPEIDA.
  • Agra–Lucknow–Purvanchal link improves east–west travel; Jewar link ties the Noida International Airport area to the grid.
  • Same meeting: 22 proposals cleared in all.
UP-SCHEME UP's first State Livestock Mission approved with five sub-missions
  • Five sub-missions: entrepreneurship & startups, breed development, innovation & digital livestock, fodder & feed, and research & globalisation.
  • Grants of ₹40,000 for one improved cow and ₹80,000 for two; support for goat, sheep, pig and poultry, incl. 100 chicks for needy families.
  • Grants go by DBT after milestones and committee approval; PPP encouraged.
  • UP has India's largest livestock population and ranks first in milk production.
UP-ECONOMY Textile push: PM MITRA Park master developer picked; ₹150-crore garment plant opens in Varanasi
  • PM MITRA Mega Textile Park on the Lucknow–Hardoi border: 1,000 acres, estimated cost ₹1,947 crore.
  • Central aid 30%, up to ₹500 crore; SPV equity UP 51% : Centre 49%; preferred bidder for master developer selected.
  • In Varanasi, PM inaugurated a ₹150 crore garment plant, the company's first major unit in Purvanchal, with about 1,000 jobs mainly for women.
  • Theme of the event: 'Apna Hunar, Apni Pehchan' (Your Skill, Your Identity).
UP-GOVERNANCE Cyber security centre, robotics park and cashless care for school staff
  • UP-CSOC (Cyber Security Operations Centre) to be set up through C3iHub of IIT Kanpur.
  • PRAGATI Robotics Park approved to promote robotics and AI.
  • Cashless medical treatment extended to non-teaching staff of secondary, Sanskrit, basic and Samagra Shiksha institutions and their dependants.
  • 845 residences (533 Type-3, 312 Type-4) for High Court officials at Devghat Jhalwa, Prayagraj; seven AMRUT 2.0 water and sewer projects for Lucknow and Varanasi.
UP-SCHEME Lucknow hosts PMAY-G regional workshop on next-phase reforms
  • Target of 4.95 crore rural houses by March 2029 (2.95 crore + 2 crore additional).
  • Proposed reforms: cluster-based housing, rural mason training, Centres of Excellence and a rural housing credit framework.
  • Unit assistance ₹1.20 lakh (plains), ₹1.30 lakh (hilly/difficult); minimum size 25 sq m.
  • Funding 60:40 (90:10 for NE/Himalayan states); tracking via AwaasSoft and SNA-SPARSH.
NATIONAL PM-KISAN 24th instalment released today; Rabi MSP for wheat at ₹2,610
  • Over ₹18,690 crore to more than 9.34 crore farmers via DBT.
  • PM-KISAN gives ₹6,000 a year in three instalments; UP has one of the largest beneficiary bases.
  • MSP for Rabi 2027-28: wheat ₹2,610 per quintal; safflower saw the largest absolute rise (+₹675).
NATIONAL Union Cabinet: PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana, DA hike and container scheme
  • PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana: ₹7,395.55 crore (2026-27 to 2030-31) for over 2.55 lakh panchayats.
  • DA/DR raised from 60% to 63% from 1 July 2026; annual cost ₹10,016.10 crore.
  • Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme: ₹10,000 crore, aiming at 7.5 lakh TEUs capacity.
  • Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme: ₹1,856.67 crore (2026-27 to 2033-34).
ECONOMY Finance Ministry nowcasts Q2 FY27 GDP growth at 7.35%
  • Q2 FY27 GDP nowcast 7.35%; FY27 forecasts: IMF 7.0%, World Bank, OECD and RBI 7.1%.
  • Forex reserves cover 10.3 months of imports.
  • Risks: West Asia crisis, crude prices, a strengthening El Niño affecting Rabi sowing.

Prelims rapid-fire — 30 facts

AYUSH stipend: Doubled ₹7,500 → ₹15,000/month for 1,714 BAMS/BUMS/BHMS interns (Cabinet, 9 Oct)
Ex-Agniveers: 20% reservation in police, forest, prison & transport recruitment; upper age 25 → 28
E-buses: 1,725 AC e-buses for 18 cities on gross-cost contract (12 yrs); 743 already run in 15 corporations
Valmiki Jayanti: Ashwin Purnima; UP public holiday on 26 Oct (restored after 2017 cancellation)
IAF Day: 8 October (founded 1932); 2026 = 94th anniversary; Central Air Command HQ: Prayagraj
RBI data centres: Primary: Kharghar (Navi Mumbai); new backup: Khordha, Odisha
Bhadohi district to be renamed Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi (UP Cabinet, Oct 2026).
Valmiki Jayanti (26 Oct) – public holiday in UP; Valmiki's tapobhumi is Bithoor (Kanpur Nagar).
Cyclone 'Arnab' – name given by Bangladesh, means 'ocean'; landfall near Yanam.
UP Interest Waiver Scheme-2026 – 3 months; waives interest/penalty on tax dues up to 31 Dec 2025 under 6 laws incl. UP VAT Act, 2008.
UP Data Centre Policy 2026 – targets 2 GW capacity and ₹2 lakh crore investment; extra incentives for Bundelkhand & Purvanchal.
Deepotsav 2025 record – 26,17,215 diyas; coordinated by Dr Rammanohar Lohia Avadh University.
Wings over Ganges: IAF's 94th anniversary aerial display at Namo Ghat, Varanasi (25 Oct) with the Surya Kiran team.
PM inaugurated a garment manufacturing unit at Mirzamurad, Varanasi — focused on women's employment.
Ayodhya's 10th Deepotsav: 5–7 Nov 2026, target 33 lakh diyas on Ram ki Paidi & Saryu ghats.
Shram Samvad (Lucknow, 26–27 Oct): Centre-UP programme on the 4 Labour Codes (merging 29 central laws).
845 housing units (533 Type-3 + 312 Type-4) at Devghat Jhalwa, Prayagraj for Allahabad High Court officers.
Cabinet passed UP Inland Vessels Rules, 2026 for inland water transport.
Bhadohi district renamed 'Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi' by the state Cabinet (October 2026).
UP AI Mission (UP-AIM): AI centres in all 75 districts, 5 lakh youth to be trained, support for 100 AI startups.
UP Sustainable Aviation Fuel Policy-2026: nodal agency UPNEDA; up to 10 years of electricity-duty exemption.
Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana: ₹1 lakh per couple (₹64,000 to the bride's account); 2026-27 target 72,540 couples.
28 new Bachpan Day Care Centres approved for children (3–7 yrs) with disabilities; 25 already running.
PM inaugurated a ₹150 crore garment plant in Varanasi — theme 'Apna Hunar, Apni Pehchan'.
Renaming: Bhadohi district renamed Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi (Cabinet, 9 Oct 2026)
Sports: Suhas L.Y. (UP sports secretary) won bronze in men's singles SL4 para-badminton at the Asian Para Games 2026
Defence: 9.524 ha in Mainpuri transferred free for Sainik School Mainpuri
Tech: UP AI Mission (UP-AIM): AI centres in all 75 districts, training for 5 lakh youth
Green fuel: SAF Policy-2026: UPNEDA is nodal agency; up to 10 years of electricity-duty exemption
Days: Rashtriya Ekta Diwas on 31 Oct marks the 151st birth anniversary of Sardar Patel

Data points of the period

500+ by 2031
UP GCC target
up from 200+ GCCs operating today
103
India's Ramsar sites
Tamil Nadu leads with 20; Uttar Pradesh is second with 14 after Sauj Jheel (Mainpuri).
₹17,106.39 / month
Highest UP minimum wage slab
Skilled worker, Gautam Buddh Nagar & Ghaziabad, from 1 Oct 2026 (+₹238.39)
~322 km | ₹17,542 crore
Link expressways cleared by UP Cabinet
Four UPEIDA link expressways in EPC mode, ~3-year build
₹17,542.06 crore
Link expressway outlay
Four link expressways approved by the UP Cabinet on 27 Oct 2026, EPC model, by UPEIDA

10 practice MCQs — UPPSC Prelims pattern

Q1. With reference to Bithoor, recently in news, consider the following statements: 1. It lies on the bank of the Ganga in Kanpur Nagar district. 2. It is traditionally associated with the ashram of Maharishi Valmiki. 3. It was a centre of Nana Saheb during the Revolt of 1857. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: d
All three are correct: Bithoor (Kanpur Nagar, on the Ganga) is revered as Valmiki's tapobhumi and was the seat of Nana Saheb Peshwa in 1857.

Q2. Consider the following statements about urban local bodies in Uttar Pradesh: 1. The state has 17 municipal corporations. 2. Nagar panchayats are the most numerous category of urban local bodies. 3. Urban local bodies derive constitutional status from the 73rd Constitutional Amendment. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: b
UP has 17 municipal corporations, 200 municipal councils and 545 nagar panchayats (762 in all). ULBs got constitutional status from the 74th, not the 73rd, Amendment.

Q3. Sauj Jheel, recently designated as India's 103rd Ramsar site, is located in which district of Uttar Pradesh?

  1. Etawah
  2. Mainpuri
  3. Agra
  4. Unnao
Show answer
Answer: B
Sauj Jheel (Ramsar Site No. 2603) is in Mainpuri, which also has Saman Bird Sanctuary – making it the only UP district with two Ramsar sites.

Q4. With reference to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, consider the following statements: 1. One-twelfth of its members are elected by teachers' constituencies. 2. Electors of a teachers' constituency must have taught for at least three years in institutions not lower than secondary school. 3. It has 100 members. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: D
All three are correct: Article 171(3)(c) provides for teachers' seats (one-twelfth) with the three-year teaching condition, and the UP Vidhan Parishad has 100 members.

Q5. With reference to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, consider the following statements: 1. It has 100 members. 2. One-twelfth of its members are elected by graduates of at least three years' standing. 3. One-third of its members retire every second year. 4. Teachers' constituency electors must teach in institutions not lower than secondary school. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 2 and 3 only
  3. 1, 3 and 4 only
  4. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer
Answer: d
All are correct under Art. 171 and the UP composition (100 members: 38+36+8+8+10). The Council is permanent; one-third retire every 2 years.

Q6. The 'Jhansi Link Expressway' recently approved by the UP Cabinet is meant to connect the BIDA industrial area with which expressway?

  1. Yamuna Expressway
  2. Bundelkhand Expressway
  3. Ganga Expressway
  4. Purvanchal Expressway
Show answer
Answer: b
The ~106 km Jhansi Link connects BIDA (Jhansi) with the Bundelkhand Expressway in Jalaun district.

Q7. The Jewar Link Expressway approved by the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet in October 2026 will connect Noida International Airport with which expressway?

  1. Bundelkhand Expressway
  2. Ganga Expressway
  3. Purvanchal Expressway
  4. Gorakhpur Link Expressway
Show answer
Answer: B
The ~74 km Jewar Link connects Noida International Airport (Jewar) to the Ganga Expressway; the ~106 km Jhansi Link connects BIDA with the Bundelkhand Expressway.

Q8. Consider the following statements about the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana: 1. Its period is co-terminus with the Sixteenth Finance Commission. 2. It is a Central Sector Scheme fully funded by the Centre. 3. It supports preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plans on the eGramSwaraj portal. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
It runs 2026-27 to 2030-31 (16th FC period) and is centrally sponsored (Centre ₹4,869.48 cr + States ₹2,526.07 cr), so statement 2 is wrong.

Q9. With reference to the UP Cabinet decisions of 27 October 2026, consider the following: 1. Four link expressways will be built on the EPC model by UPEIDA. 2. The PM MITRA Park is on the Lucknow–Kanpur border. 3. UP-CSOC will be set up through IIT Kanpur's C3iHub. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. 1 and 2 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3
Show answer
Answer: B
The PM MITRA Park is on the Lucknow–Hardoi border (1,000 acres), so statement 2 is wrong.

Q10. Under the PM MITRA Park scheme, the shareholding of the Special Purpose Vehicle for the Uttar Pradesh park is:

  1. Centre 51% : State 49%
  2. State 51% : Centre 49%
  3. Centre 100%
  4. State 74% : Private 26%
Show answer
Answer: B
SPV PM MITRA Park Uttar Pradesh Ltd: UP 51%, Centre 49%.

Mains practice questions

  1. Global Capability Centres can drive Uttar Pradesh's shift towards a services-led $1 trillion economy. Discuss the opportunities and challenges with reference to the UP GCC Policy 2024. (GS-VI, 125 words)
  2. Global Capability Centres can make Uttar Pradesh's tier-2 and tier-3 cities new engines of services-led growth. Discuss the opportunities and the constraints. (UPPSC GS-VI, 125 words)
  3. Expressway-led growth is central to Uttar Pradesh's development strategy. Examine how link expressways and industrial corridors can reduce regional disparities among Western UP, Bundelkhand and Purvanchal. (UPPSC GS-VI, 200 words)
  4. "Expressways can be Uttar Pradesh's tool to bridge regional disparities." In the light of the new link expressways, examine how connectivity can integrate Bundelkhand and Purvanchal with the state's growth centres. (GS-VI, 125 words)
  5. “Speed of recruitment and integrity of recruitment must go together.” Discuss in the light of Uttar Pradesh’s new character-verification policy. (125 words)

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