Daily Current Affairs Quiz | NABARD Grade A & RBI Grade B | Economy, Banking & Agriculture
Daily Current Affairs for NABARD Grade A and RBI Grade B 2026 covering the most important developments in Indian Economy, Banking, RBI, Agriculture, Rural Development, Government Schemes, Financial Markets, Reports & Indices, International Relations, Environment and Science & Technology.
NABARD Current Affairs
Agriculture Current Affairs in News
1. SKM Opposes NCDC (Amendment) Act as Attack on States’ Rights
Source: The Hindu
Context: The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) called the NCDC (Amendment) Act, 2026 an “onslaught” on the federal rights of States. The Bill was passed by Parliament on 12 August, amending the NCDC Act of 1962.
Cooperative Society
A cooperative society is a group of people who voluntarily come together to meet a common economic or social need by jointly owning and managing an organisation.
Cooperation is a State subject.
- Entry 32, State List — cooperative societies
- Entry 43, Union List — only multi-state cooperative societies
So the Centre can legislate on cooperatives that cross state borders. It cannot ordinarily legislate on cooperatives operating within one state.
National Co-operative Development Corporation (NCDC) Amendment Act, 2026
The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2026 amends the NCDC Act, 1962 to expand NCDC’s role in financing and supporting the cooperative sector. The President gave assent to the Act on 14 August 2026.
Why was it amended?
- Earlier, NCDC mainly supported cooperative programmes through cooperative societies.
- The amendment changes this to a broader focus on “co-operative development”.
- This allows NCDC to work with other entities involved in developing cooperatives, helping reduce procedural delays and improve access to finance.
Key provisions
- Direct loans and grants: NCDC can now provide loans and grants directly to cooperative societies and entities engaged in cooperative development, subject to security requirements.
- Share capital: With Central Government approval, NCDC can participate in the share capital of cooperative societies and eligible entities.
- Broader funding: NCDC can provide funds for activities involving agricultural produce, foodstuffs, livestock, poultry feed, industrial goods, notified commodities and services.
- Expanded food coverage: The definition of eligible food products now includes processed food and other edible products.
- Wider craft coverage: The definition of handicrafts/crafts is expanded beyond only those located in rural areas.
- Credit information: NCDC can collect or share credit information with the Central Government, RBI, banks and notified financial institutions.
- Incidental powers: NCDC can undertake activities necessary for effectively performing its functions.
2. Floating Solar in India and PM Surya Sarovar Yojana
Source: Indian Express
Context: The Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY) with an outlay of ₹5,070 crore, to deploy 5,000 MW of Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) projects integrated with 10,000 MWh of battery energy storage across India’s reservoirs and inland water bodies.
What Is Floating Solar?
- Floating solar — also called Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) — involves mounting solar panels on buoyant platforms anchored to the bed or banks of freshwater bodies: dams, reservoirs, lakes and industrial water ponds.
- Electricity is transmitted onshore through underwater cables.
- Its core appeal: a land-neutral renewable option that avoids land acquisition disputes while conserving water through reduced evaporation.
Advantages
- Land conservation: Avoids large-scale agricultural/forest land diversion and land acquisition issues.
- Higher efficiency: Water cooling can improve solar output by around 5–15%.
- Lower evaporation: Panel shading reduces water loss from reservoirs.
- Hydro-solar integration: Uses existing transmission lines, substations and grid infrastructure.
- Controls algae: Reduced sunlight can limit algal growth and improve water quality.
About PM Surya Sarovar Yojana
- PM Surya Sarovar Yojana refers to the government’s initiative to promote floating solar power plants on reservoirs and water bodies.
- Approval/Launch:31 July 2026 — approved by the Union Cabinet.
- Ministry:Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
- Outlay and target: ₹5,070 crore for 5,000 MW, from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31
Main objective
- Generate clean solar electricity without requiring large areas of land.
- Make productive use of reservoirs, dams and other water bodies.
- Reduce water evaporation through shading.
- Support India’s renewable-energy and clean-energy targets.
3. India’s First Soil Texture Map Developed by NBSS&LUP
Source: News on Air
Context: The National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP), a premier institute under ICAR, announced India’s first Soil Texture Map during its 50th Foundation Day in Nagpur, Maharashtra. The map, released in July 2026, provides hectare-level soil information to support crop planning, irrigation management and land-use decisions.
What is Soil Texture?
- Soil texture means the proportion of sand, silt and clay present in soil.
- It affects:
- Water-holding capacity
- Drainage
- Aeration
- Crop suitability
How was it developed?
- Combines field soil data, remote sensing, satellite imagery and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
- AI helps estimate soil properties for areas where direct soil sampling is not available.
Key Applications
- Crop planning: Helps identify suitable crops for different soils.
- Irrigation management: Supports better water-use planning.
- Precision agriculture: Enables field-specific farm decisions.
- Land-use planning: Helps assess land according to its soil characteristics.
About NBSS&LUP
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Nagpur, Maharashtra |
| Parent body | ICAR |
| Director | Dr. N.G. Patil |
| Occasion | 50th Foundation Day |
4. Regenerative Agriculture
Source: PIB
Context: Regenerative agriculture is gaining policy attention in India, as declining soil health, water stress and climate variability threaten long-term agricultural productivity.
What Is Regenerative Agriculture?
- A holistic farming approach that places soil health and biodiversity at its core.
- The crucial distinction: unlike conventional sustainability models that aim only to maintain existing conditions, regenerative agriculture actively works to restore, rebuild and improve the ecological health of the land over time.
- Aim: rebuild soil fertility, improve water retention, enhance biodiversity, and strengthen natural agro-ecosystems — making farming resilient against climate stress while ensuring long-term productivity and secure farmer livelihoods.
How It Works — Four Methods
1. On-farm biological formulations
Replaces synthetic fertilisers and chemical pesticides with farm-derived bio-inputs:
- Beejamrut — seed treatment
- Jeevamrut — liquid microbial culture
- GhanJeevamrut — solid form of the same
- Neemastra — neem-based pest control
- Dashparni — a ten-leaf botanical extract for pest management
Purpose: restore beneficial soil microbial activity.
2. Soil armour through mulching and green manuring
Uses cover cropping, green manuring and organic residue mulching to:
- Shield topsoil from erosion
- Lock in soil moisture
- Build organic matter
- Cycle nutrients
3. Multi-tier ecosystem diversification
- Integrates crops with livestock, agroforestry, horticulture, fisheries and apiculture — building multi-source farm revenue and protection against single-crop failure.
4. Precision water management
- Micro-irrigation — drip and sprinkler systems — applying water directly to root zones, maximising water-use efficiency while preventing nutrient leaching and runoff.
Key Features
- Minimum tillage: Less ploughing protects soil structure and useful microorganisms.
- Year-round soil cover: Mulch and cover crops protect soil and retain moisture.
- Crop-livestock integration: Animal dung and urine are used as natural farm inputs.
- Less chemical use: Natural and botanical methods are used for pest control.
5. Fertiliser Subsidy: 58.04% of FY27 Budget Used
- ₹99,128.70 crore spent by 19 August 2026.
- 58.04% of the fertiliser subsidy budget already used.
- Rise in global urea prices, linked to the West Asia conflict, increased subsidy needs.
6. Government Tightens E20 Petrol Quality Rules
- Government may make OMCs responsible for maintaining fuel-quality standards.
- E20 petrol must have less than 3 ppm chloride contamination.
- Aim is to protect vehicle components and improve fuel quality.
- E20 = 20% ethanol + 80% petrol.
Reports / Articles in News
1. ILO-NCAER Report
Source: Business Standard
Context: A joint policy brief by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) finds that women remain significantly underrepresented in India’s platform economy — despite India having virtually closed the gender gap in basic bank account ownership.
Key finding
- India’s platform economy is growing rapidly, but women remain underrepresented.
- Platform workers increased from 7.7 million (2020) to 12 million (2024–25) and may reach 23.5 million by 2029–30.
- Women make up less than 1% of two-wheeler delivery drivers in urban India.
| Indicator | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Bank account ownership (2014) | 43% | 62% |
| Bank account ownership (2024) | 89% | 88% |
| Can conduct online banking transactions | 25.2% | 47.1% |
| Lack capital needed to enter platform work | 52% | 40% |
| Share of outstanding individual bank credit (March 2023) | 22.9% | — |
Rural women able to conduct online banking: 17.1%
Key point: The bank-account gap has nearly closed, but women still face a large digital skills and access-to-credit gap.
RBI Current Affairs
Banking and Finance
1. SEBI Unveils IT Resilience Index for Market Infrastructure Institutions
Source: TH
Context: SEBI introduced an Information Technology Resilience Index (ITRI) for market infrastructure institutions (MIIs) including stock exchanges and depositories — to strengthen the resilience of their IT systems.
What Are Market Infrastructure Institutions?
MIIs are the institutions on which the entire securities market runs:
- Stock exchanges — NSE, BSE
- Depositories — NSDL, CDSL
- Clearing corporations
The Nine Parameters
The index will assess MIIs across nine parameters:
- Availability
- Security
- Integrity
- Governance
- Reliability and monitoring
- Business continuity
- Modularity and flexibility
- Scalability
- Other relevant factors
The Early Warning System
MIIs will be required to develop an Early Warning System (EWS) to:
- Detect deterioration in ITRI parameters that could lead to performance issues, system slowness or other disruptions
- Take remedial measures
2. Government Appoints Three Part-Time Directors to RBI Board
- Annie George Mathew, Janmejaya Kumar Sinha and Syed Akbaruddin appointed.
- They will serve for a 4-year term from 24 August 2026.
- Appointment made under Section 8(1)(c) of RBI Act, 1934.
- RBI Governor: Sanjay Malhotra.
3. VinFast India and Federal Bank Sign MoU
- MoU signed to provide dealer inventory financing.
- Helps VinFast dealers manage working capital and vehicle inventory.
- Supports expansion of VinFast’s EV dealership network in India.
- Federal Bank headquarters: Aluva, Kerala.
4. PNB Launches Special Credit Cards for Indian Army
- PNB signed an MoU with the Indian Army.
- PNB LUXURA Metal for officers and PNB Parakram for JCOs and other ranks.
- Benefits include CSD cashback, airport lounge access and zero forex markup.
- PNB is headquartered in New Delhi.
RBI and NABARD Current Affairs
1. Exercise Udara Shakti 2026
Source: News on Air
Context: The Indian Air Force concluded its participation in Exercise Udara Shakti 2026 in Malaysia, following its deployment at Exercise Pitch Black 2026 in Australia.
What Is Exercise Udara Shakti?
- A biennial bilateral tactical air combat exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).
- Host country: Malaysia
- Aim: strengthen defence cooperation, tactical interoperability, joint air-combat capabilities and operational flexibility across the Indo-Pacific.
2. Nationwide Cloud and AI Skilling Initiative
Source: News on Air
Context: The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Cultus Education, with support from Amazon Web Services (AWS), launched a nationwide Cloud and AI skilling initiative.
What It Is
- A 100 per cent online digital workforce development programme designed to bridge the technical divide in non-metropolitan regions.
- The pathway: from self-paced digital literacy → instructor-led technical coursework → globally recognised AWS certifications → employer interview linkages.
- Aim: provide underserved youth in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns with industry-ready technical skills, credentials and direct access to technology jobs.
3. India Hosts BRICS ICT Track in Pune
- Held in Pune, Maharashtra, from 17–21 August 2026.
- Theme: “Innovate, Cooperate and Transform (ICT) for a Resilient Future.”
- India and Brazil signed an MoU on AI, 5G/6G, Open RAN, IoT and D2D.
- Major events included the BRICS Digital Forum and 12th Communications Ministers Meeting.
4. BRICS Tourism Meeting Held in Jaipur
- India hosted the 2nd BRICS Tourism Working Group Meeting.
- Jaipur Declaration was adopted.
- Focus on AI, sustainable tourism, skills and seamless travel.
- Tourism cooperation among BRICS countries was strengthened.
5. BRICS Environment Ministers Meet in New Delhi
- 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting held in New Delhi.
- Chaired by Bhupender Yadav.
- Meeting adopted a Joint Ministerial Statement.
- Four environmental compendiums were also launched.
6. Maharashtra and Germany’s Hesse Sign MoU
- Maharashtra and Hesse, Germany signed an MoU for cooperation.
- Focus areas: investment, industry, innovation, skills and employment.
- Cooperation also covers AI, IT, healthcare, automobiles and financial services.
- A Joint Working Group will be formed within 90 days.
Social Issue in News
1. BRICS Youth Summit Held in Gandhinagar
- Held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on 19–20 August 2026.
- Friends of MY Bharat digital initiative was launched.
- Connects Indian-origin youth abroad with Indian youth programmes.
- Focus on volunteering, nation-building and youth cooperation.
2. Five African Countries End Polio Type-2 Outbreaks
- WHO confirmed closure of outbreaks in Burundi, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Congo and Uganda.
- Progress achieved through stronger vaccination and surveillance.
- Laboratory systems and community participation were also improved.
- Important milestone towards global polio eradication.
3. IIMA Healthcare Summit Focuses on AI in Healthcare
- 3rd IIMA Healthcare Summit 2026 held on “Advancing AI in Healthcare.”
- Focus on AI-driven drug discovery, treatment and disease surveillance.
- AI Centres of Excellence established at AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh and AIIMS Rishikesh.
- Aim is to move India from “Pharmacy of the World” to “Laboratory of the World.”
4. SAVE America Act Seeks Stricter U.S. Voting Rules
- Proposed U.S. law aimed at strengthening voter eligibility requirements.
- Requires proof of citizenship for voter registration.
- Proposes photo ID requirements for voting.
- Focus: improving the integrity of federal elections.
Misc GA in News
1. Indian Navy Receives Mahe-Class Vessel Mangrol
- Mangrol is the third ASW-SWC of the Mahe class.
- Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
- Has more than 80% indigenous content.
- Used for anti-submarine warfare and coastal surveillance.
2. DRDO Transfers Two Defence Technologies to Indian Industry
- NSTL signed two LAToT agreements in August 2026.
- Mohini Submarine Fired Decoy transferred to Bharat Dynamics Limited.
- LM2500 Gas Turbine technology transferred to Vertex Engineering Systems.
- Aim: strengthen indigenous defence manufacturing.
3. China Develops Hypersonic Air-to-Air Weapon Capability
- China has developed hypersonic weapons capable of launching air-to-air missiles.
- Designed to threaten high-value aircraft such as tankers and command aircraft.
- It strengthens China’s long-range military capabilities.
- Highlights growing importance of hypersonic weapons in modern warfare.
4. National Space Day Observed on 23 August
- Observed every year on 23 August.
- Marks the success of Chandrayaan-3’s Moon landing.
- 2026 Theme: “Towards Viksit Bharat: Innovating, Collaborating and Aspiring to Global Space Leadership.”
- First observed in 2024.
5. Sophie Adenot Becomes First French Woman to Walk in Space
- ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot became the first French woman to perform a spacewalk.
- She worked outside the International Space Station (ISS).
- Spacewalk lasted 6 hours 23 minutes.
- She became the second European woman to perform a spacewalk after Samantha Cristoforetti.
6. Alex Lanier and An Se-young Win 2026 BWF World Championships
- Alex Lanier of France won the men’s singles title.
- An Se-young of South Korea won the women’s singles title.
- Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won India’s bronze in women’s doubles.
- India hosted the championship in New Delhi.
7. East Bengal Wins 135th Durand Cup 2026
- East Bengal FC defeated Mohun Bagan Super Giant 4–1.
- Edmund Lalrindika scored a hat-trick.
- East Bengal won the title after a 22-year gap.
- Victory took East Bengal to a record-equalling 17 Durand Cup titles.
8. Pranesh M Wins Kanizsa Open 2026
- Indian Grandmaster Pranesh M won the Kanizsa Open 2026 in Hungary.
- Finished with 7 points from 9 rounds.
- Won the title on superior tiebreak.
- His FIDE rating reached around 2673.
9. Ashutosh Parida Selected for 47th Sarala Puraskar
- Odia poet Ashutosh Parida selected for the 47th Sarala Puraskar.
- Award given for poetry collection ‘Bishwas De Pruthwi’.
- Award carries ₹7 lakh, citation and copper plaque.
- Award ceremony scheduled in Bhubaneswar on 25 October 2026.
