Rural Development Ministry notifies 375 works under VB-G RAM G.

Dated: 09 October 2026

The Ministry of Rural Development notified 375 permissible works under the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, on October 6, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The new schedule is 41% larger than the earlier framework of 266 works.
2.  Water Security has the highest share with 128 works; Core Rural Infrastructure has 111 works.
3.  Livelihood Infrastructure has 98 works and the new Disaster Preparedness pillar has 38 works.
4.  Agriculture and allied sectors receive 181 works, while Nari Shakti and Yuva Shakti receive 36 each.
5.  Projects are selected through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans approved by Gram Sabhas.

Additional Information:
1.  The Rural Development Ministry became a separate ministry in 1980 and implements MGNREGA.
2.  The Act links rural wage employment with durable assets and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

Cabinet approves Rs.10,000 crore SME Growth Fund.

Dated: 09 October 2026

The Union Cabinet approved a Rs.10,000 crore commitment for the SME Growth Fund on October 6, 2026 to provide direct growth equity to Small and Medium Enterprises.

Key Highlights:
1.  The fund aims to turn high-potential SMEs into global champion enterprises.
2.  Most allocation targets manufacturing SMEs, especially in Tier II and Tier III industrial clusters.
3.  The government commitment will flow through an Alternative Investment Fund under the SGF framework.
4.  Coverage includes manufacturing, services, technology, innovation and strategic value chains.
5.  It addresses the shortage of long-term risk capital for expansion, technology adoption and global growth.

Additional Information:
1.  AIFs are regulated by SEBI under the SEBI Alternative Investment Funds Regulations, 2012.
2.  The initiative supports entrepreneurship and domestic capital markets under Viksit Bharat 2047.

India wins four gold medals at 19th IOAA in Hanoi.

Dated: 09 October 2026

India won four gold and one silver medal at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics held in Hanoi, Vietnam from September 25 to October 5, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  India finished joint 3rd with Vietnam; Iran and South Korea led with five gold medals each.
2.  Pranjal Dixit, Sumant Gupta, Akshat Srivastava and Arnav Sehrawat won gold.
3.  Harshil Amitkumar Patel won the silver medal.
4.  The edition included 307 students from 64 countries and awarded 51 gold medals.
5.  Evaluation comprised Theory 50%, Observation 25% and Data Analysis 25%.

Additional Information:
1.  For the first time, all 24 Indian participants across five senior Olympiads won gold or silver in one year.
2.  TIFR was founded in 1945 by Homi J. Bhabha and is headquartered in Mumbai.

IIT Ropar launches AVNI app for agricultural education.

Dated: 09 October 2026

IIT Ropar launched the AVNI-Grow with Nature digital learning platform on October 6, 2026 to teach children about plants, crops and basic agriculture.

Key Highlights:
1.  ANNAM.AI at IIT Ropar developed the bilingual Hindi-English app under Dr. Mukesh Saini.
2.  AI identifies crops, fruits, vegetables, spices, cereals and millets.
3.  Audio lessons, a Nature Book, Nature Gallery and Crop Compare tool support young learners.
4.  Daily challenges encourage direct observation and regular engagement.
5.  The platform is free, ad-free and privacy-focused for minors.

Additional Information:
1.  IIT Ropar was established in 2008 in Rupnagar, Punjab.
2.  ANNAM.AI is a Centre of Excellence in AI for Digital Agriculture.

SEBI launches Project Jagrook for financial literacy.

Dated: 09 October 2026

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched SEBI’s Project Jagrook and the Samajh Se Investing Simple campaign at Panjab University, Chandigarh on October 5, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  Project Jagrook combines physical and digital routes for financial literacy and fraud prevention.
2.  Partners include NISM, BSE, NSE, MCX, CDSL, NSDL and AMFI.
3.  World Investor Week ran October 5-11 under the theme Samajh Se Investing Simple.
4.  The MUST initiative trains faculty and senior students as Partner Trainers with AIU support.
5.  SEBI also launched a verified WhatsApp channel through 1800 22 7575 and opened its Chandigarh office.

Additional Information:
1.  SEBI became a statutory body on April 12, 1992 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
2.  IOSCO was established in 1983, is based in Madrid and coordinates World Investor Week.

Arunachal Pradesh to host 14th International Tourism Mart in Tawang.

Dated: 09 October 2026

Arunachal Pradesh will host the 14th International Tourism Mart in Tawang from October 27 to November 1, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The Tourism Ministry and Arunachal Pradesh Government will jointly organise the event.
2.  Delegates from about 20 countries, including buyers and media, are expected.
3.  Tawang will host it again after 13 years; it last hosted the mart in 2013.
4.  The annual platform showcases the tourism potential of India’s North Eastern Region.
5.  It connects tourism businesses, tour operators and government agencies with the global travel industry.

Additional Information:
1.  Tawang is known for Tawang Monastery, Sela Pass, Nuranang Falls and Monpa culture.
2.  The flagship Tourism Ministry event rotates among the eight North Eastern States.

Delhi launches cashless medical facility for 50,000 DJB pensioners.

Dated: 09 October 2026

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched a cashless medical facility for more than 50,000 Delhi Jal Board pensioners and their families on October 6, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  The service operates under the Delhi Government’s Seva Sankalp Abhiyan.
2.  A single-window system covers treatments and medical tests.
3.  Beneficiaries need not pay upfront or seek later reimbursement.
4.  It covers retired employees and pension-receiving family members.
5.  Water Minister Parvesh Verma and DJB Vice Chairman Satish Upadhyay attended the launch.

Additional Information:
1.  DJB is a statutory body under the Delhi Jal Board Act, 1998.
2.  It manages potable-water production and distribution and sewage disposal in Delhi.

India and Switzerland sign five pacts on trade and investment.

Dated: 09 October 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swiss President Guy Parmelin signed five agreements at Hyderabad House, New Delhi on October 5, 2026 to expand trade, investment and infrastructure cooperation.

Key Highlights:
1.  A Migration and Mobility Partnership and a young professionals exchange scheme were established.
2.  A transport technology, mobility systems and infrastructure cooperation pact was signed.
3.  Under India-EFTA TEPA, the target is $100 billion investment and 1 million direct jobs over 15 years.
4.  Cooperation covers the Varanasi ropeway, Jewar Airport and railway tunnelling in hilly areas.
5.  Multiple-entry visas may be valid up to five years; the youth scheme begins with 300 places per country.

Additional Information:
1.  EFTA comprises Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway and is headquartered in Geneva.
2.  Switzerland’s capital is Bern and its currency is the Swiss Franc.

Francis Halzen wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Dated: 09 October 2026

Belgian-American particle physicist Francis Halzen received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics on October 6, 2026 for discovering high-energy neutrinos of astrophysical origin.

Key Highlights:
1.  He was recognised for decisive contributions to the IceCube Neutrino Observatory.
2.  The research uses high-energy neutrinos to improve understanding of the universe.
3.  The prize carries 12 million Swedish crowns, approximately $1.2 million.
4.  The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences selects Physics laureates.
5.  The medal and diploma are presented in Stockholm on December 10.

Additional Information:
1.  Nobel Prizes were created by Alfred Nobel’s 1895 will and first awarded in 1901.
2.  IceCube is a cubic-kilometre detector within clear Antarctic ice at the South Pole.

MoD signs Rs.661.50 crore BrahMos contract for Indian Navy.

Dated: 09 October 2026

The Ministry of Defence signed a Rs.661.50 crore contract with BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited on October 6, 2026 for BrahMos Fire Control Systems and launchers for Indian Navy ships.

Key Highlights:
1.  Procurement is under the Buy Indian-IDDM category.
2.  The contract requires at least 68% indigenous content and supports Indian MSMEs.
3.  It will generate employment over three years.
4.  BrahMos is the Navy’s principal Surface-to-Surface Missile system for maritime strike.
5.  It targets land and sea objectives at extended range with supersonic speed and high accuracy.

Additional Information:
1.  BrahMos Aerospace is an India-Russia joint venture between DRDO and NPOM.
2.  The missile is named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.

Adani Power and Bhutan DGPC sign 770 MW hydropower pact.

Dated: 09 October 2026

Adani Power and Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation signed an agreement on October 6, 2026 to develop the 770 MW Chamkharchhu-I Hydroelectric Project.

Key Highlights:
1.  The project is on the Chamkharchhu River in Zhemgang district, Bhutan.
2.  Adani Power and DGPC will hold 49:51 equity.
3.  It follows the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer model with a 30-year concession.
4.  Construction is scheduled for the first half of 2027 and commissioning within six years.
5.  It forms part of a 5,000 MW Adani-Bhutan hydropower partnership.

Additional Information:
1.  DGPC is owned by Druk Holding and Investments and is headquartered in Thimphu.
2.  Chamkharchhu-I follows the 570 MW Wangchhu project pact signed in September 2025.

IISc maps 9,389 reactions to improve CO2-to-fuel conversion.

Dated: 09 October 2026

IISc researchers developed a computational framework on October 7, 2026 that maps 9,389 chemical reactions to optimise conversion of carbon dioxide into fuels such as methanol.

Key Highlights:
1.  The model combines quantum simulations, machine learning and automated mapping on a copper catalyst.
2.  It expands the conventional network from 152 to 9,389 elementary reactions and tracks 105 species.
3.  The expanded network predicts a 40-fold rise in carbon dioxide conversion efficiency.
4.  Methanol and carbon monoxide were identified as main products rather than formic acid.
5.  It found direct transfer of molecular hydrogen to intermediates without first splitting into atoms.

Additional Information:
1.  HPCL’s Green R&D Centre and Singapore A*STAR validated experimental findings.
2.  IISc was established in 1909 and is headquartered in Bengaluru.

Bharat Forge secures Pratt and Whitney Canada engine contract.

Dated: 09 October 2026

Bharat Forge secured a long-term contract from Pratt and Whitney Canada on October 5, 2026 to supply mission-critical aerospace engine components.

Key Highlights:
1.  The parts are intended for high-performance aerospace engines.
2.  Production will occur at Bharat Forge’s dedicated aerospace facility in India.
3.  The agreement strengthens Indian aerospace manufacturing capability and global engine supply chains.
4.  Amit Kalyani is Bharat Forge’s Vice-Chairman and Joint Managing Director.
5.  Pratt and Whitney Canada supports global aircraft-engine programmes.

Additional Information:
1.  Bharat Forge was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Pune.
2.  Pratt and Whitney Canada is a business unit of US-based RTX Corporation.

Odisha launches India’s first MICE incentive portal.

Dated: 09 October 2026

The Odisha Government launched India’s first dedicated MICE incentive portal on October 5, 2026 to attract business tourism and simplify incentive applications.

Key Highlights:
1.  Deputy Chief Minister and Tourism Minister Pravati Parida unveiled it at Odisha Travel Bazaar 2026.
2.  The portal markets destinations for corporate conventions and processes financial-incentive applications.
3.  MICE stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions.
4.  It also supports destination weddings, sports events and cultural heritage ventures.
5.  Experiential tourism includes regional cuisine tours and local cultural activities.

Additional Information:
1.  Bhubaneswar is known as the Temple City and is an Eastern India events hub.
2.  Odisha is the first Indian state with a dedicated digital portal for the MICE segment.

Union Cabinet honours PM Modi for 25 years of leadership.

Dated: 09 October 2026

The Union Cabinet passed a resolution on October 6, 2026 congratulating Narendra Modi on completing 25 continuous years as a head of government.

Key Highlights:
1.  The resolution cited SWAGAT, which received the UN Public Service Award in 2010, and the PRAGATI platform.
2.  It noted 60 crore Jan Dhan accounts, over 4 crore houses and 3.5 crore Lakhpati Didis.
3.  It recorded Rs.4 lakh crore direct transfers to farmers under PM-KISAN.
4.  Security milestones included the 2016 surgical strikes, 2019 Balakot strikes and 2025 Operation Sindoor.
5.  It cited Article 370 removal, OROP, CDS creation, Chandrayaan-3 and expansion of UPI.

Additional Information:
1.  Modi is India’s 14th Prime Minister and earlier served three consecutive terms as Gujarat Chief Minister.
2.  His government set the national objective of achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047.

World Cerebral Palsy Day observed on October 6.

Dated: 09 October 2026

World Cerebral Palsy Day was observed on October 6, 2026 to promote awareness, rights and inclusion for about 1.8 crore people living with the condition worldwide.

Key Highlights:
1.  The 2026 theme was Unique and United.
2.  The theme combines recognition of individual experience with collective action for accessibility and equality.
3.  Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood motor disability.
4.  It affects movement and posture throughout life but does not progressively worsen.
5.  It results from injury to the developing brain during pregnancy or soon after birth.

Additional Information:
1.  World Cerebral Palsy Day began in 2012 through the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.
2.  The condition is a static encephalopathy; its brain injury does not spread or deteriorate.

British author Jeffrey Archer passes away at 86.

Dated: 09 October 2026

Celebrated British author and former politician Jeffrey Archer died at the age of 86 on October 5, 2026.

Key Highlights:
1.  He served as a British lawmaker and senior party official under Margaret Thatcher.
2.  His 1979 novel Kane and Abel brought him international fame.
3.  His books sold about 275 million copies worldwide.
4.  His final novel Adam and Eve was published posthumously on October 6, 2026.
5.  Dame Mary Archer is a British scientist and former chair of the UK Science Museum.

Additional Information:
1.  Kane and Abel remained his best-known and one of the world’s top-selling fiction titles.
2.  Margaret Thatcher served as UK Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.

19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention to be held in Kolkata.

Dated: 09 October 2026

The 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention will be held in Kolkata, West Bengal from January 7 to 9, 2027.

Key Highlights:
1.  The External Affairs Ministry and West Bengal Government will organise it jointly.
2.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the convention.
3.  President Droupadi Murmu will present Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards and chair the closing session.
4.  A Youth PBD will engage young diaspora leaders and entrepreneurs.
5.  The convention has been held biennially since the format changed in 2015.

Additional Information:
1.  The 18th PBD was held in Bhubaneswar from January 8-10, 2025.
2.  PBD marks Mahatma Gandhi’s return from South Africa on January 9, 1915 and was first held in 2003.