Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 02 October, 2026

Context
The Union Environment Minister launched implementation guidelines for the National Coastal Mission 2.0 (NCM 2.0) — a Central Sector Scheme with an outlay of ₹767 crore for 2025-26 to 2030-31, across nine coastal States and four Union Territories.

What It Is

• A Central Sector Scheme establishing an integrated ecological governance and marine spatial planning framework
• Subsuming NCM 1.0 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
• To protect fragile coastal ecosystems and scale up nature-positive economic activities
• Administered directly by the MoEFCC

Aim

• Protect coastal and marine ecosystems
• Strengthen climate resilience
• Reduce marine pollution
• Sustainably harness India’s Blue Economy toward Viksit Bharat @2047

The Five Thematic Pillars

• Blue Economy growth
• Coastal risk reduction
• Climate adaptation and mitigation
• Capacity building
• Effective project management

Important Facts for Exams

• NCM 2.0 — ₹767 crore, 2025-26 to 2030-31; 9 coastal States and 4 UTs; administered by MoEFCC
• ICZM — Integrated Coastal Zone Management; the ICZM Project has been World Bank-supported since 2010
• CRZ Notification, 2019 governs coastal regulation; zones CRZ-I to IV
• NCSCM — National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management, Chennai, the technical arm
• Blue carbon — carbon stored by mangroves, seagrass and salt marshes; the Indian Sundarbans stores about 24 million tonnes
• India has a coastline of about 7,500 km; 40 per cent of mangroves lost over the past century
• Green Climate Fund — the largest climate fund under the UNFCCC, established 2010

• Air Ayodhya, operated by Megamax Aviation, received a NOC from the Ministry of Civil Aviation to operate under RCS-UDAN.
• It aims to connect Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, pilgrimage centres and tourism hubs in Uttar Pradesh.
• Operations are planned with Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft, later expanding to larger aircraft.
• The airline plans to build a 50-aircraft fleet by 2036.

• WHO and UNICEF released Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools 2015–25 under the JMP-WASH programme.
• Around 50 million Indian children lacked access to sanitation services at school in 2025, the highest number globally.
• Globally, 244 million children lacked school sanitation services.
• About 20 million Indian children also lacked hygiene services at school.

• UIDAI launched five initiatives at Aadhaar Samvaad in Kolkata on 29 September 2026, marking the 17th Aadhaar Day.
• Initiatives include Face Authentication for ePDS, SWIK Portal 2.0, Sub-AUA/Sub-KUA (LITE) Framework, New Token Management System and a revamped UIDAI website.
• Aadhaar Day commemorates the issuance of the first Aadhaar number on 29 September 2010.

• MoMSME and MoSPI signed an MoU to strengthen the Statistical Business Register (SBR).
• Udyam Registration data will be shared with MoSPI through APIs.
• The data will help improve the coverage, consistency and reliability of business statistics.
• SBR is a regularly updated database of businesses and economic units used for statistical purposes.

• DRDO and CSIR-CGCRI are developing lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles.
• The ₹50-crore, four-year project uses glass-ceramic technology and nanocrystals.
• The project aims for multi-shot protection against AK-47-class threats.
• Initial trials successfully stopped TAR rounds at around 695 m/s.

• Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority partnered with IFC for India’s first blue financing for shore power infrastructure.
• The financing is worth USD 70 million (about ₹672 crore) through a 10-year ECB loan.
• Shore Power Supply (SPS) allows ships at berth to use electricity from the grid instead of diesel engines.
• The project will help reduce fuel consumption and port-related emissions.

• Apple Pay was launched in India with Axis Bank-issued Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
• Transactions use tokenisation and can be authenticated through Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode.
• The initial rollout covers sectors such as food and beverages, travel, fashion and lifestyle.
• The initial service supports cards but not UPI or RuPay cards.

• Bank of India launched user-level programmable CBDC with auto-issuance.
• Users can schedule recurring Digital Rupee (e₹) payments with fixed amounts and frequencies.
• Users can also specify the purpose for which the recipient can use the funds.
• Applications include allowances, education expenses and other recurring purpose-bound payments.

Context
The Union Cabinet approved the Green Energy Corridor Phase-III (GEC-III) scheme with an outlay of ₹1,86,405 crore.

What It Is

• A flagship central infrastructure scheme to expand and modernise state-level transmission grids (InSTS)
• Renewable Energy Evacuation: The scheme will enable evacuation of up to 135 GW of renewable energy across States/UTs.
• Battery Energy Storage: 50 GWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) will be deployed to improve grid flexibility.
• Total Outlay:₹1,86,405 crore
  • ₹1,36,378 crore – Intra-State Transmission Systems
  • ₹50,000 crore – 50 GWh BESS
• Central Financial Support:₹54,082 crore
  • This will help reduce intra-state transmission charges, ultimately keeping electricity costs lower.
• Target: The projects are planned for completion by FY 2032-33.
• Non-Fossil Energy Target: GEC-III will support India’s goal of 900 GW installed non-fossil fuel capacity by 2035.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)

Important Facts for Exams

• Green Energy Corridor (GEC): Transmission network designed to integrate and evacuate electricity generated from renewable energy sources.
• Intra-State Transmission System (InSTS): Transmission network used to transfer electricity within a State.
• BESS: Battery-based system that stores electricity and supplies it when required.
• TBCB: A competitive bidding system where transmission projects are awarded to the bidder offering the required service at the most competitive tariff.
• BOOM: Build-Own-Operate-Maintain model in which a private transmission provider builds, owns, operates and maintains the infrastructure.
• Brownfield Project: Expansion, upgrading or strengthening of an existing infrastructure/network.
• Non-Fossil Capacity: Power capacity based on sources such as solar, wind, hydro and nuclear, rather than fossil fuels.

Context
The second edition of AIME commenced at Subic Bay, Philippines — with INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish deployed alongside naval assets from ASEAN member states.

Key Details

• A multilateral joint naval exercise between the Indian Navy and ASEAN maritime forces
• The second edition, after the inaugural edition hosted by Singapore in May 2023
• Host: the Philippines, at Subic Bay, Zambales, opening into the South China Sea / West Philippine Sea

Context
The NCERT incorporated the Sengol into its newly released Class 9 Social Science textbook, citing it as a historic symbol marking the transfer of power to Jawaharlal Nehru on the eve of Independence in 1947.

What It Is

• A ceremonial gold-plated silver sceptre rooted in ancient Tamil statecraft
• Historically presented at the coronation of monarchs, as an emblem of righteous rulership, judicial impartiality and adherence to dharma

Historical Background

• Chola legacy — the tradition originated over a millennium ago under the Imperial Cholas, where the high priest or royal guru handed the sceptre to a newly crowned sovereign, symbolising that temporal authority is subordinate to ethical law
• 1947 — commissioned by the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam, a centuries-old non-Brahmin Saivite mutt in Tamil Nadu, and crafted by Madras jewellers Vummidi Bangaru Chetty; the five-foot sceptre was presented to Jawaharlal Nehru in August 1947
• Modern installation — preserved for decades at the Allahabad Museum, consecrated by pontiffs of Tamil Nadu Adheenams, and installed beside the Lok Sabha Speaker’s chair in the new Parliament building in May 2023

• Observed on 27 September 2026, the last Sunday of September.
• It promotes rights, inclusion, education and communication access for deaf people.
• The World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) was established in 1951.
• It is observed during the International Week of Deaf People.

• Observed on 28 September to promote the right to access information.
• 2026 theme: “Upholding Information Integrity in the Digital Age: The role of access to Information in addressing Information Disorder.”
• UNESCO adopted the observance in 2015, while the UN General Assembly formally recognised it in 2019.

• Observed on 29 September to highlight the need to reduce food loss and waste (FLW).
• 2026 theme: “Transformative Potential of Reducing Food Loss and Waste.”
• The UN General Assembly established the day in 2019.
• The first observance was held on 29 September 2020.

• The 65th National Exhibition of Art showcased 6,175 artworks by 2,495 artists.
• The Lalit Kala Akademi announced 20 awards across visual art forms.
• Major categories included painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking and mixed media.
• The exhibition was held at Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi.

• Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma was crowned the 13th King (Omukama) of Tooro Kingdom, Uganda.
• He succeeded the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
• He was selected by a 21-member Babiito clan committee.
• He adopted the regnal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I.