Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 04&05 October, 2026

• A three-year-old tigress (T138) was released into Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, starting a phased tiger reintroduction programme.
• The tigress was translocated from Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar.
• Three more tigers are planned to be released over the next two months.
• The aim is to establish a viable and self-sustaining tiger population in Buxa.

• ICAR and FCI signed an MoU to develop safer and more sustainable alternatives to chemical fumigation for wheat and rice storage.
• Phase-I has an approved outlay of ₹3.28 crore and will be implemented by ICAR-CIPHET.
• Technologies being tested include nitrogen, carbon dioxide and combined CO₂-phosphine fumigation.
• The programme aims to reduce worker, environmental and ecological risks associated with conventional fumigation.

• ICAR and Food Corporation of India (FCI) signed an MoU to develop alternative fumigation technologies for wheat and rice storage.
• The two-year Phase-I will be implemented by ICAR-CIPHET, Ludhiana.
• It seeks alternatives to aluminium phosphide and malathion, whose repeated use has contributed to pest resistance and health risks.
• Pest resistance in key Indian states has reached 72–100%, increasing fumigation costs and risks to workers and the environment.

• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) observed its 23rd Foundation Day.
• The focus was on strengthening Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS).
• ABS ensures that benefits arising from the use of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge reach local communities.

Context
The PFRDA launched NPS Swasthya on 1 October 2026, observed as NPS Diwas — pairing a dedicated investment corpus with a super top-up health insurance policy. Axis Pension Fund is so far the only pension fund manager to launch the scheme.

How It Works

• Pairs a dedicated investment corpus with a super top-up health insurance policy
• Aims to help individuals prepare for health contingencies without disrupting long-term retirement savings
• A family floater covering the subscriber’s spouse and children — parents are excluded
• Sum insured: ₹1 lakh to ₹30 lakh
• The first-year premium is paid upfront; from the second year, renewal premiums can be funded from the NPS Swasthya balance

Important Facts for Exams

• NPS Swasthya launched 1 October 2026 (NPS Diwas) by PFRDA; first offered by Axis Pension Fund
• Sum insured ₹1 lakh to ₹30 lakh; family floater excluding parents; 12-month pre-existing disease waiting period; renewal only to age 85
• Withdrawal: up to 25 per cent of own contributions, no waiting period or frequency limit
• Deductibles: ₹10,000 / ₹50,000 / ₹1 lakh / ₹3 lakh for covers of ₹1 lakh / ₹5 lakh / ₹10 lakh / ₹30 lakh
• NPS Vatsalya — for minors; Atal Pension Yojana — for the unorganised sector

• The Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 2026 came into force on 1 October 2026.
• It replaces the Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 1891.
• The new law provides a modern framework for using banking records as evidence, including records maintained electronically.
• It received Presidential assent on 13 August 2026.

• Bank of Baroda (BoB) received PFRDA approval to become a Pension Fund Sponsor through its subsidiary BoB Pension Fund Management Company.
• SBI was the first PSU bank to enter the pension fund segment in 2008.
• BoB has an 80.10% stake in its pension fund subsidiary, while Baroda BNP Asset Management Company holds 19.90%.
• BoB has also integrated Tatkal NPS with the BHIM App for digital NPS onboarding.

• Anup Bagchi was appointed MD & CEO of HDFC Bank for three years, subject to RBI approval.
• He becomes the first external candidate to lead HDFC Bank.
• He previously served as MD & CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance and held senior positions at ICICI Bank and ICICI Securities.
• He has more than 30 years of experience in banking and financial services.

Context
India recorded 3,832 new child leprosy cases in 2025-26, including 37 with Grade-2 disability at diagnosis — 91.6 per cent above the National Leprosy Eradication Programme’s target of 2,000 cases.

The National Figures (2025-26)

India’s Global Position

Per the WHO’s latest global update, for 2025:

• The three together account for 78.3 per cent of all new cases globally
• India also reported the world’s largest number of new child cases — 3,832
• India’s data covers April 2025 to March 2026, though presented in the WHO’s 2025 table

High-Burden States

Districts with prevalence above one per 10,000:

• Chhattisgarh — 23 districts
• Jharkhand — 21
• Maharashtra — 18
• Odisha — 18
• Madhya Pradesh — 10

About Leprosy

• Also called Hansen’s disease
• A chronic bacterial infection, caused mainly by Mycobacterium leprae
• Primarily affects the skin and peripheral nerves
• Transmitted mainly through prolonged, close contact with an untreated person
• Curable with multidrug therapy (MDT)

Context
Heritage activists, including the Kakatiya Heritage Trust, are demanding withdrawal of the proposed PVNR opencast coal mine at Venkatapur, Mulugu district, Telangana — contending it threatens the UNESCO-inscribed Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple and the adjacent Ramappa Lake.

About the Ramappa Temple

• Formally the Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple, at Palampet, Mulugu district, Telangana
• Built in 1213 CE under the Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva, by his general Recharla Rudra
• Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 — India’s 39th at the time
• The only temple in India named after its sculptor, Ramappa
• Dedicated to Lord Shiva as Rudreshwara

Context
Details emerged on the operationalisation of the ₹84,084-crore Samudra Manthan (National Offshore Exploration Scheme) — expanding India’s hydrocarbon exploration into deep and ultra-deep offshore frontier waters.

What It Is

• A Central Sector initiative of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
• Outlay ₹84,084 crore till FY2030-31
• Targeting deep and ultra-deep offshore basins

Aim

• De-risk and accelerate offshore exploration
• Add over 600 MMTOE of recoverable reserves
• Raise domestic production to 80 MMTOE annually
• Reduce crude oil import dependence

Context
The Haryana Government planned an IoT-based waste management system for high-footfall pilgrimage sites, religious places, fairs and festivals.

What It Is

• A technology-driven solid waste management system
• Combining IoT-enabled smart bins, four-stream segregation, geo-tagging and real-time monitoring

Aim

• Ensure scientific waste segregation, collection and disposal
• Prevent littering and improve cleanliness, particularly during periods of high visitor footfall

Key Features

• IoT-enabled smart bins — sensor-equipped bins providing real-time fill-level data and automatically opening lids, enabling timely collection
• Four-stream segregation — dedicated waste stations with covered storage facilities
• 500-metre clean zone — no open waste collection points permitted within a 500-metre buffer, covering approach roads, parking areas and vendor zones
• Waste audits and geo-tagging — a minimum seven-day waste audit to assess generation; littering hotspots geo-tagged for targeted intervention

Context
The Department of Commerce extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme up to 31 December 2026.

What It Is

• A WTO-compliant export promotion and tax neutrality scheme
• Refunding previously un-rebated Central, State and local levies, taxes and duties borne on exported goods
• Including prior-stage cumulative indirect taxes on inputs and transport
• Came into effect on 1 January 2021, replacing the WTO-disputed Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS)

Who Runs It

• Notified by: the DGFT, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• Administered and implemented by: the CBIC, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance

Aim

• Neutralise embedded domestic taxes on outbound goods
• Eliminate cost disabilities for domestic producers
• Prevent the export of domestic taxes
• Enhance the cost competitiveness of Indian merchandise globally

• The CCEA approved higher MSPs for all mandated Rabi crops for the 2027–28 Marketing Season.
• The increase aims to provide remunerative prices to farmers and encourage production of key Rabi crops.
• Major crops covered include wheat, barley, gram, lentil, rapeseed-mustard, safflower and toria.
• Wheat MSP was increased by ₹25 to ₹2,610 per quintal.

• The Ministry of Finance projected India’s real GDP growth at 7.3% in Q2 FY27.
• India recorded 7.8% growth in Q1 FY27.
• Growth is supported by domestic consumption, investment, bank credit, infrastructure activity and services.
• Total exports were nearly US$400 billion during the first five months of FY27, keeping India on track for strong annual exports.

• DBN signed an agreement with Maharashtra, MDIL, BSNL and MahaIT to implement the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP).
• The Centre has approved ₹10,520 crore for the programme in Maharashtra.
• It will cover 28,237 Gram Panchayats and provide connectivity to 15,799 villages on demand.
• The programme aims to improve rural broadband and last-mile digital connectivity.

• The Department of Pharmaceuticals launched a New Discovery Track under the PRIP Scheme.
• It aims to provide early-stage funding for New Chemical Entities (NCEs), New Biological Entities (NBEs), complex generics, biosimilars and medical devices.
• Projects require 25% co-funding and can receive support through different funding stages.
• The PRIP Scheme was launched in 2023 with an outlay of ₹5,000 crore to strengthen pharmaceutical research and innovation.

• NRIDA signed an MoU with IIM Kolkata for a four-year longitudinal impact assessment of rural roads under PMGSY-IV and PM-JANMAN.
• The study covers 10 States/UTs, 50 districts, 150 blocks, 250 roads and around 5,000 households.
• It will assess changes in mobility, livelihoods, accessibility and access to essential services.
• The study includes baseline, transition and endline surveys.

• Pranavi Urs became the first Indian woman golfer to win an Asian Games gold medal.
• She won the individual women’s golf event by maintaining a one-stroke lead in the final round.
• She also contributed to India’s team silver medal.

• Indian archer Kumkum Mohod won gold in the recurve event at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
• Her victory was part of India’s strong performance in archery, boxing and wrestling.
• The achievement added to India’s medal tally on Day 14 of the Games.

• 2 October 2026 marked the 157th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Indian missions across the world observed the day.
• The observances highlighted Gandhi’s message of truth, peace and non-violence.

• Digital India BHASHINI Division and CAG launched CAG-BHASHINI Anuvaad.
• It uses AI-based multilingual translation for official documents and audit reports.
• The system focuses on context-aware translation, consistent terminology and data sovereignty.
• BHASHINI, launched in 2022, supports multiple Indian and international languages for digital public services.

• India participated in the 70th International Whaling Commission meeting (IWC-70) in Hobart, Australia, held from 28 September to 2 October 2026.
• The meeting adopted the Hobart Declaration by consensus.
• India called for science-based cetacean conservation, better data and stronger international cooperation.
• India protects cetaceans through the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, Marine Protected Areas and Project Dolphin.

• IISc Bengaluru was the highest-ranked Indian institution, placed 254th globally.
• University of Oxford retained the 1st position for the 11th consecutive year.
• The USA was the most represented country with 168 universities, followed by India with 143.
• Rankings consider teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry.

• SpaceX launched 130 payloads aboard its Falcon 9 rocket under the Transporter-18 rideshare mission.
• The mission included Google’s Project Suncatcher satellite experiment.
• The project aims to study the operation of AI chips in space and support future orbital data centres.
• The payloads were deployed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

• Indian defence startup Flying Wedge Defence & Aerospace (FWDA) partnered with Portugal’s Keydef.
• The partnership will manufacture Kaal Bhairava autonomous UAVs and YAMA swarm interceptor drones in Portugal.
• The initial investment is €6 million.
• The companies will also pursue NATO certification to expand global market access.

• Observed annually on 1 October to highlight the rights, dignity, health and contributions of older persons.
• 2026 Theme: “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.”
• The UN officially designated the day through UNGA Resolution 45/106 in 1990.
• The first observance was held on 1 October 1991.

• Observed on 1 October to recognise coffee farmers, workers and communities and promote a sustainable coffee sector.
• 2026 Theme: “Celebrating Coffee, Honouring the People Behind Every Cup.”
• 2026 marked the first official UNGA-recognised observance of International Coffee Day.
• The day highlights coffee’s role in livelihoods, sustainable agriculture and international trade.

• Observed annually on 1 October to promote awareness of the ethical, environmental and health aspects of vegetarianism.
• Established by the North American Vegetarian Society (NAVS) in 1977.
• The International Vegetarian Union endorsed it in 1978.
• It marks the beginning of Vegetarian Awareness Month.

• The Defence Accounts Department (DAD) launched three major initiatives to improve digital financial management in defence.
• SAKSHAM was integrated with the Indian Army Financial Information System (IAFIS) for real-time financial data exchange.
• The Treasury Single Account (TSA) was operationalised through PRISM, integrated with RBI’s e-Kuber.
• The revamped National Compilation System (NCS) will improve defence expenditure monitoring and budget reporting.