Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 01&02 November, 2026

Context of the News

Eight grama panchayats in Kerala’s Kasaragod district are preparing to restore traditional Surangam underground water tunnels, to strengthen groundwater conservation, rainwater harvesting and drought resilience.

What Is a Surangam?

• An indigenous underground water-harvesting system
• Found mainly in Kasaragod district, Kerala
• It consists of horizontal tunnels dug into laterite hills
• These collect groundwater that seeps naturally through the rock

How Does It Work?

The tunnels

• Narrow, horizontal passages cut into laterite hills
• They intercept seeping groundwater and guide it to collection points
• No pumping is involved

Gravity does the work

• The passages slope gently downward
• Water flows out on its own
• No electricity, pumps or complex equipment needed

The seasonal cycle

• During the monsoon, rainwater soaks into the laterite
• This recharges underground reserves
• Those reserves then feed the surangams through the dry summer

Important Facts for Exams

• Surangam — horizontal tunnels dug into laterite hills, found in Kasaragod district, Kerala
• Eight grama panchayats are restoring them
• Works by gravity, with no pumps or electricity
• Recharged by the monsoon; supplies water through the dry summer
• It is also found in parts of Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, where it is called thurangam or suranga
• The system resembles the qanat of Iran and the karez of Afghanistan and Balochistan — all are gravity-fed underground water tunnels
• Other traditional Indian water systems: johad (Rajasthan), kuhl (Himachal), zing (Ladakh), ahar-pyne (Bihar), eri (Tamil Nadu), bamboo drip irrigation (Meghalaya), khadin (Rajasthan) and baolis or stepwells
• India is the world’s largest user of groundwater

• Scientists at the National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi, discovered a protein called CNGC13, which helps plants transmit warning signals when insects attack their leaves.
• When an insect feeds on one leaf, the plant sends an alarm signal to other leaves, helping them prepare their defence.
• Earlier, Glutamate Receptor-Like Channels (GLRs) were considered important in transmitting such signals. The new study identifies CNGC13 as another protein involved in this process.
• CNGC13 is mainly found in the xylem and phloem, the plant tissues that transport water and food. It allows calcium to enter cells as the alarm signal moves through the plant.

• India’s unemployment rate declined from 6.1% in 2017–18 to 3.2% in 2023–24, while female workforce participation also increased.
• However, the quality of employment remains important. The concept of decent work, defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO), focuses on fair income, workplace rights, social security and dignity.
• The study used Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data for 2017–18 and 2023–24 to develop a multidimensional Decent Work Index (DWI).
• The index considered three dimensions: employment status, employment opportunity and social security, across agriculture, manufacturing, construction, wholesale and retail, and transport.

• In October 2026, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) notified key Goods and Services Tax (GST) amendments under the Finance Act, 2026, effective from 1 November 2026.
• Post-Supply Discounts: Amended Section 15(3)(b) allows post-supply discounts to be excluded from the value of supply if the supplier issues a credit note and the recipient reverses the corresponding Input Tax Credit (ITC). Prior agreement and strict invoice-wise linkage are no longer required.
• Provisional Refunds: Amended Section 54(6) extends provisional refunds to eligible claims under the inverted duty structure. Businesses can receive 90% of eligible refunds within seven days, subject to conditions.
• Export Refunds: Amended Section 54(14) removes the minimum ₹1,000 refund restriction for tax paid on goods exported out of India, benefiting small exporters.

• In October 2026, the Ministry of Finance constituted a High-Level Committee on Banking for Viksit Bharat, chaired by Suresh N. Patel, former Central Vigilance Commissioner.
• The committee will function for six months and review India’s banking sector to recommend structural, institutional, regulatory and legislative reforms.
• Its objective is to make the banking system globally competitive, financially inclusive and resilient in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
• Members include Shirish Chandra Murmu, RBI Deputy Governor; Padmaja Chunduru, former MD and CEO of Indian Bank; and N. S. Vishwanathan, former RBI Deputy Governor. The Joint Secretary (Banking), Department of Financial Services, will serve as Member Secretary.

• In October 2026, Upstox Securities Private Limited received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to operate as an Online Bond Platform Provider (OBPP).
• The approval allows Upstox to offer corporate bonds directly to investors through its platform, without relying on third-party partnerships.
• Investments in corporate bonds on the platform start from ₹1,000, with indicative returns ranging from 8% to 16%.
• The initial offerings are expected to include bonds rated between AAA and BBB-, subject to availability.

Context of the News

Buddhist relics of Indian origin will be placed in most of the 108 jangchub chortens being built along a 12 km stretch of the Mau Chhu River in Gelephu, Bhutan.

What Is Project 108?

• Bhutan will build 108 stupas at the same time
• They are called jangchub chortens, which means stupas of enlightenment
• The work marks the start of the Gelephu Mindfulness City
• King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk wants this city to be a business hub built around spiritual life
• Gelephu is about 240 km from the capital Thimphu. It touches Assam’s Chirang district

What Does a Jangchub Chorten Mean?

• It marks the moment the Buddha gained enlightenment
• It stands for wisdom winning over ignorance
• Once the rituals are done, the stupa is treated as equal to the living Buddha

Key Terms

• Stupa / chorten: A dome-shaped Buddhist structure, usually holding relics
• Relic: A small sacred remain of the Buddha or a holy person
• Zung: The sacred items placed inside a stupa
• Thangka: A Buddhist painting made on cloth or silk
• Dharani: A rolled paper with mantras written on it
• Mala: A prayer string with 108 beads
• Kangyur: The collection of Buddha’s teachings in Tibetan Buddhism
• Vajrayana: The form of Buddhism followed in Bhutan, Tibet and Ladakh
• Drukpa Kagyu: Bhutan’s main Buddhist school

Context of the News

ISRO launched the NVS-03 satellite on 30 October 2026. It weighs 2,250 kg. The rocket used was GSLV-F18, and it took off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

What Is NVS-03?

• The third satellite in India’s second-generation navigation fleet
• The series is called NVS
• It supports India’s own navigation system, NavIC
• NavIC was earlier known as IRNSS

What Will It Do?

• It gives position, navigation and timing services
• This means it tells you where you are, which way to go, and the exact time
• It covers the whole of India
• It also covers an area up to 1,500 km beyond India’s borders

Where Was It Placed?

• First into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit
• This is a temporary oval-shaped orbit
• The satellite will later raise itself into its final round orbit

Important Facts for Exams

• NVS-03 launched on 30 October 2026 by GSLV-F18 from Sriharikota
• Weight 2,250 kg; mission life 12 years
• It is the third satellite in the second-generation NVS series
• Carries an Indian-made rubidium atomic clock
• The full system has seven satellites — three geostationary and four geosynchronous
• The plan is for five second-generation satellites, NVS-01 to NVS-05
• India started this project after the 1999 Kargil war, when it was refused GPS data

Context of the News

A glacial lake outburst flood at Shintaphu Lake in northwestern Bhutan caused sudden flash floods along the Mo Chhu and Sankosh river systems. India’s Central Water Commission and district administrations issued flash-flood warnings in border districts of West Bengal and Assam.

What Is a GLOF?

• A sudden, high-speed release of water from a glacial lake
• The lake is held back by unstable natural barriers — moraines (loose rock and sediment), ice, or bedrock
• When that barrier gives way, the water escapes all at once

Important Facts for Exams

• GLOF at Shintaphu Lake, northwestern Bhutan; affected the Mo Chhu and Sankosh rivers
• Warnings issued by the Central Water Commission and districts in West Bengal and Assam
• The Sankosh is called the Puna Tsang Chhu in Bhutan. It joins the Brahmaputra in Assam
• Major Indian GLOF events: Chorabari Lake, Kedarnath (2013) and South Lhonak Lake, Sikkim (October 2023), which destroyed the Teesta-III dam at Chungthang

Context of the News

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Ministry of Education and UNESCO signed an MoU to introduce the Sports Values in Every Classroom Toolkit.

What Is It?

• A joint educational initiative by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Ministry of Education and UNESCO
• It brings clean sport values into school education
• Through classroom activities and digital learning resources

What Is the Aim?

• Build integrity, fairness, respect and ethical sporting behaviour among students
• Connect classroom education with sports participation
• Strengthen India’s grassroots sporting culture

• The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) celebrated its 74th Foundation Day in New Delhi in November 2026.
• EPFO was established in 1952 and has developed into one of India’s major social security institutions.
• It provides social security through provident fund, pension and insurance-related benefits to eligible employees.

• Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala received its first import container on 31 October 2026, marking the beginning of direct import operations.
• The container arrived aboard MSC Sabrina III from Ningbo, China.
• The development marks an important step in expanding the port’s international cargo-handling operations.

• The government has given in-principle approval to the Indian Navy’s next-generation destroyer programme, Project 18A, with an estimated cost of around ₹80,000 crore.
• The programme involves building advanced stealth guided-missile destroyers equipped with modern weapons, sensors and technologies.
• The ships will be designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and are expected to have nearly 75% indigenous content. Both Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and private companies can participate.
• Delivery is expected to begin five to ten years after the signing of contracts.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the second edition of the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2026) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• The event was held from 27 to 29 October 2026 under the theme “Creative Minds, Catalyzing Science, Empowering Technologies.”
• It was organised by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, in partnership with CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology.
• The conclave covered 12 thematic areas, including Artificial Intelligence, biotechnology, quantum communication, agricultural technology, advanced materials, healthcare, energy, climate science and ocean research.

• Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth inaugurated VISV-2026 (Vision, Innovation, Synergy, Values) at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
• The event was organised by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in partnership with the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS).
• Its theme was “Showcasing Defence Capabilities, Strengthening Global Partnerships.” It aimed to promote indigenous defence technologies, self-reliance and international cooperation.
• A foreign-language compendium of DRDO products in Arabic, Spanish and French was released to introduce India’s indigenous defence technologies to international partners.

About CENJOWS:

• The Centre for Joint Warfare Studies is a tri-service defence think tank established on 27 August 2007.
• It works under the Ministry of Defence and is headquartered in New Delhi.

• In October 2026, the Ministry of Labour and Employment notified the constitution of two National Social Security Boards under the Code on Social Security, 2020.
• The two boards are for unorganised workers and gig and platform workers. Their purpose is to strengthen social security planning and welfare monitoring.
• Both boards have a three-year tenure and are chaired by Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, with Labour Secretary Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar as Vice-Chairperson.
• The boards are required to meet at least three times a year.

• India is hosting the BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise in Sri Vijaya Puram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• The exercise aims to strengthen maritime security cooperation among BIMSTEC member countries.
• It was announced as an initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 6th BIMSTEC Summit in Thailand.
• The exercise is scheduled to continue until 3 November 2026.

• Indian Naval Ship INS Trishul made a port call at Souda Bay, Greece, during its deployment to the Mediterranean Sea.
• The visit included activities aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Hellenic Navy.
• INS Trishul also concluded a port call at Civitavecchia, Italy, as part of the same deployment.
• These port calls support naval engagement and cooperation with Mediterranean countries.

• Air Marshal Mehtab Singh Deswal assumed charge as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Air Force’s Eastern Air Command.
• He was commissioned into the flying branch of the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot on 14 June 1989.

• National Unity Day, also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, is observed every year on 31 October to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• In 2026, India celebrated his 151st birth anniversary at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.
• The day was first observed in 2014, following its declaration by the Government of India.
• Sardar Patel, popularly known as the Iron Man of India, played a major role in integrating more than 560 princely states into the Indian Union.

• Born on 31 October 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat.
• India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.
• Played a major role in the political integration of princely states after independence.
• Also known as the Bismarck of India for his role in national integration.

• 30 October 2026 marked the 117th birth anniversary of Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha, popularly known as the Father of India’s Nuclear Programme.
• He was born on 30 October 1909 in Bombay, now Mumbai.
• He was a renowned nuclear physicist and institution-builder who laid the foundation for India’s atomic energy programme.
• He completed his doctoral research in 1935 under physicist Ralph H. Fowler at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge.

• Venezuela is a country located in the northern part of South America.
• Capital: Caracas.
• Bordering countries: Colombia, Brazil and Guyana.
• It has access to the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

• Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar stated that around 2,500 acres of alternative land, including forest land, had been identified to facilitate the Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.
• The project is proposed by Karnataka on the Cauvery River, near Kanakapura in Bengaluru South district.
• It aims to store around 66 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water and support drinking water supply to Bengaluru and neighbouring areas.
• The project is also expected to generate 400 megawatts (MW) of electricity and benefit irrigation in parts of the Cauvery basin.

• India will host the CGIAR Science and Partnership Week in New Delhi from 12 to 17 April 2027.
• The event will be held at Yashobhoomi and will bring together researchers and partners.
• It aims to promote science, innovation and partnerships to address challenges related to food, land and water systems.

• Nongmaithem Nandakumar Singh, an engineer from Prasar Bharati, won the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award 2026.
• The award recognised his contributions to broadcast technology and innovation.
• His innovations include DDPlayout, indigenous automated playout software used by multiple Doordarshan Kendras, and DDSlowMo, a cost-effective slow-motion replay system used in national-level sporting events.
• The award was received on his behalf by Mihir Kumar Jha, Under Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

• Writer Methil Radhakrishnan was selected for the 34th Ezhuthachan Award, Kerala’s highest literary honour.
• The award recognises his contribution to literature.
• The announcement was made by Kerala’s Cultural Affairs Minister P. C. Vishnunadh.

• On 30 October 2026, the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) appointed Jatin Kumar Nayak as its Chairman and Managing Director (CMD).
• His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet through an order issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• He succeeds Dr. Bijay Kumar Mohanty, who was holding the additional charge of CMD.
• Nayak has over three decades of experience in the power sector, mining and metals. He previously served as Executive Director (Finance) at REC Limited.

• Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia was appointed as the next Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force, effective 1 November 2026.
• He succeeds Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, who became the 29th Chief of the Air Staff on 31 October 2026.
• Walia was commissioned into the Indian Air Force’s fighter stream on 11 June 1988 and is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy.
• He has flown MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, Jaguar and Su-30MKI aircraft and received the Vayu Sena Medal (2008) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (2018).

• World Vegan Day is observed every year on 1 November to promote veganism, animal welfare and the benefits of a vegan lifestyle.
• The day was established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, then Chair of The Vegan Society, to mark the organisation’s 50th anniversary.
• The first World Vegan Day was observed on 1 November 1994.
• The term “vegan” was coined by Donald Watson in November 1944. It was formed from the first three and last two letters of the word “vegetarian”.

• National Unity Day commemorates the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
• The 2026 observance marked his 151st birth anniversary.
• The first National Unity Day was observed in 2014.
• The main celebrations took place at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat.