Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 13 October, 2026

Context of the News

The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) announced a nationwide All-India Sarus Crane Survey — to estimate the population baseline, map breeding and roosting strongholds, and assess collision threats to India’s tallest flying bird.

What Is It?

• The world’s tallest flying bird
• India’s only resident breeding crane species
• In Indian culture, an enduring symbol of marital fidelity and lifelong companionship
• State Bird of Uttar Pradesh
• IUCN: Vulnerable

Important Facts for Exams

• Sarus Crane (Antigone antigone) — the world’s tallest flying bird, up to 1.5 m tall, wingspan 2.4 m
• IUCN: Vulnerable; Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; CITES Appendix II
• State Bird of Uttar Pradesh; India’s only resident breeding crane
• Survey announced by the BNHS — founded 1883, headquartered at Mumbai
• India holds the largest global population, concentrated in Uttar Pradesh, especially the Etawah-Mainpuri belt; also in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra
• Electrocution on power lines is the leading cause of death — the same threat facing the Great Indian Bustard
• The main habitat is farmland, so protection depends on wetland conservation outside protected areas
• Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar Site

• The World Bank backed Kerala’s proposal to establish a Carbon Credit Cell under the Department of Agriculture as part of the ₹2,365 crore Kerala Climate Resilient Agri-Value Chain Modernisation (KERA) Project.
• The initiative aims to promote climate-friendly farming, increase carbon sequestration and provide additional income opportunities for farmers.
• KERA is a five-year project covering 2024–2029, focused on climate-resilient agriculture and stronger agricultural value chains.

• The Nagaland State Rural Livelihoods Mission partnered with BRAC International to launch SAY-SOBLOK, a three-year initiative targeting 4,000 extremely vulnerable households.
• The initiative operates under Samaveshi Aajeevika Yojana (SAY) and the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
• Support includes livelihood development, financial inclusion, household coaching and access to government benefits, with priority for women-led families and persons with disabilities.

• A study published in Science Advances examined wild agile frogs (Rana dalmatina) in Hungary.
• Sex reversal occurs when an animal develops reproductive traits that differ from its genetically determined sex.
• The study found that climate change-related sex reversal can create reproductive disadvantages and increase the risk of extinction.

• Lakshadweep was declared a fully literate Union Territory under the ULLAS–Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.
• A survey identified 1,113 adult non-literate people across the islands, who received literacy and numeracy training.
• The learners successfully passed the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test.

Context of the News

SEBI issued a circular introducing a mandatory colour-coded Credit Risk-o-Meter, to help investors assess the credit risk of debt securities.

What Is It?

• A visual, colour-coded indicator showing how risky a debt security is
• Based on mapping existing credit ratings to simple risk levels

How Does It Work?

• SEBI’s existing credit ratings, from AAA to D, are mapped to six risk levels
• Ranging from “Lowest Credit Risk” to “High to Very High Risk of Default”
• Each level has its own colour

Where Must It Be Displayed?

• Offer documents
• Abridged prospectuses
• Private placement memoranda
• All advertisements by issuers and Online Bond Platform Providers (OBPPs)
• The web and mobile platforms of OBPPs

Which Instruments Are Covered?

• Non-Convertible Securities (NCS)
• Commercial Papers (CPs)
• Securitised Debt Instruments (SDIs)
• Security Receipts (SRs)
• Structured Debt and Market-Linked Debentures (MLDs)

Key Terms

• Credit risk: The risk that the borrower will fail to repay
• Credit rating: An agency’s assessment of that risk, from AAA (safest) down to D (default)
• NCD / NCS: Non-Convertible Debenture or Security — a bond that cannot be converted into shares
• Commercial Paper: A short-term unsecured borrowing instrument used by companies
• MLD: Market-Linked Debenture — a bond whose return depends on the performance of a market index
• Private placement: Selling securities to a selected group rather than the public
• OBPP: Online Bond Platform Provider — a SEBI-registered platform selling bonds to retail investors

• Federal Bank launched Verto, a premium savings account designed for young professionals, entrepreneurs and salaried executives.
• The account offers benefits such as up to ₹35 lakh in complimentary insurance coverage, 5% cashback on selected debit card spending and domestic airport lounge access.
• Other benefits include locker rent concessions, outward remittance facilities and personalised spending insights.

Context of the News

American economists Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford were awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences — for providing an empirical formula to help governments frame stabilisation policy, incorporating household demand behaviour and firms’ supply behaviour.

Who Are the Winners?

What Is Stabilisation Policy?

Measures taken by the government and central bank to reduce major swings in growth, inflation and employment.

• Fiscal policy — the government changes spending and taxes. Example: raising infrastructure spending during a slowdown to create jobs
• Monetary policy — the central bank changes interest rates to influence borrowing, spending and inflation. Example: cutting rates to encourage investment

The idea originates with John Maynard Keynes, whose work gained importance during the Great Depression (1929-1939). He argued that government intervention may be needed when private spending is too weak.

Context of the News

The World Bank’s October 2026 Poverty and Equity Brief projects India’s poverty rate at the $4.2-a-day threshold to fall from 14.2 per cent in 2026 to 12.1 per cent by 2028 — though the pace of reduction is expected to moderate.

Key Highlights

Decline in Poverty in India

• Poverty rate: Projected to decline from 14.2% in 2026 to 12.1% by 2028.
• Lower-middle-income poverty: Fell from 57.7% in 2011 to 16.1% in 2023, lifting an estimated 496 million people out of poverty.
• Extreme poverty: Declined from 27.1% in 2011 to 2.6% in 2023.
• Higher poverty threshold: Around 80% of India’s population remained below the upper-middle-income poverty line of $8.30 per person per day in 2023.

World Bank Poverty Lines

Factors Behind Poverty Reduction

• Rising Consumption: Improved household spending on essential goods and services.
• Employment Growth: Around 134 million additional people employed between 2017 and 2023.
• Welfare Support: Food subsidies and social transfers support low-income households.
• E-commerce Growth: Online shopping and quick-commerce services create jobs.

Rural–Urban Poverty Gap

• BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, raised India’s economic growth forecast for FY2026–27 to 7.5%, from its earlier estimate of 6.8%.
• Strong economic momentum and continued investment in artificial intelligence are expected to support growth.
• Higher crude oil prices and possible disruptions caused by El Niño are key downside risks.

• India’s retail inflation increased to 5.5% in September, compared with 4.8% in the previous month.
• Inflation in food and beverages rose to 7.4%, up from 5.7% in the previous month.
• Higher food and fuel prices contributed to the increase in inflation.

• The India–European Free Trade Association Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) came into force on 1 October 2026, according to the provided news.
• EFTA consists of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein; these countries are not members of the European Union.
• The agreement includes trade cooperation and commitments related to investment and job creation.

• ReNew Wind Energy Private Limited and the Maharashtra government signed an MoU to develop a proposed green data centre park in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
• The project is planned with a capacity of 750 megawatts (MW), with operations expected to begin in 2028.
• The project aims to source 51% of its operational electricity from green energy and generate more than 7,000 jobs.

• UNICEF India appointed cricketer Smriti Mandhana as a celebrity advocate on 11 October 2026, marking the International Day of the Girl.
• She will promote gender equality and advocate for the rights and opportunities of girls.
• The appointment aims to increase awareness of issues affecting girls and encourage equal opportunities.

• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Generali Central Insurance launched an insurance innovation challenge to strengthen the resilience of India’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• The challenge seeks insurance products and distribution models that protect businesses against health-related events, business interruptions and asset losses.
• Up to three winners can receive grants of USD 40,000 each. The application deadline is 20 November 2026.

• World Mental Health Day is observed annually on 10 October to raise awareness about mental health and encourage support for mental well-being.
• The 2026 theme provided in the notes is “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change”.
• The day was initiated in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health, and the World Health Organization has led the global campaign since 2013.

• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) celebrated its 33rd Foundation Day on 12 October 2026, highlighting the need to strengthen human rights protection.
• The NHRC was established on 12 October 1993.
• Its work includes promoting and protecting human rights amid emerging social, technological and global challenges.

• Putul Sonowal from Assam won India’s first-ever bronze medal at the World Bowls Champion of Champions 2026.
• The championship was held in Barham, New South Wales, Australia.
• Lawn bowls is a precision sport in which players roll biased balls towards a smaller target ball called the jack.

• CERVAVAC, India’s indigenous quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, received prequalification from the World Health Organization.
• It was developed by the Serum Institute of India and is designed to protect against HPV types 16 and 18, which are associated with cervical cancer, and types 6 and 11, which cause most genital warts.
• WHO prequalification indicates that the vaccine has met international standards for quality, safety and efficacy.

• Indian Naval Ship INS Sahyadri arrived in Vladivostok, Russia, to participate in the India–Russia naval exercise INDRA-2026 from 13 to 18 October 2026.
• The bilateral exercise involves the Indian Navy and the Russian Federation Navy.
• It aims to improve operational coordination, tactical interoperability and mutual understanding between the two navies.

• The Indian Army and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi.
• The agreement relates to cooperation between the Army and FCI, which plays an important role in foodgrain procurement, storage and distribution.
• The initiative was announced alongside the government’s emphasis on self-reliance and modernisation.

• The Indian Army launched Bharat Rice for defence personnel in New Delhi on 12 October 2026.
• The launch was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
• The initiative focuses on providing affordable rice to defence personnel.

• French President Emmanuel Macron named Sunil Bharti Mittal a Chevalier (Knight) of the National Order of the Legion of Honour on 12 October 2026.
• The honour recognises his contributions to business and India–France relations.

• Indian shooter Udhayveer Sidhu won gold in the men’s 10-metre air pistol event at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Cairo, Egypt.
• The competition took place on 11 October 2026.

• Aditya Mehta won the men’s snooker gold medal at the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships 2026 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• He defeated fellow Indian player Dhvaj Haria 3–0 in the final.

• Historian M.R. Raghava Varier was selected for the 2026 Prof. M.G.S. Narayanan Memorial Award.
• The award was jointly instituted by the Kerala History Congress and the Calicut Heritage Forum.

• The Chhattisgarh government signed an MoU with Singapore-based Institute of Technical Education Services to strengthen technical and vocational education.
• The agreement was signed during Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s visit to Singapore for the Singapore–India Network for Growth Forum 2026.
• The state also received investment proposals worth ₹43,600 crore and an invitation for a proposed ₹350 crore agro-processing and export hub.

• The National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation signed an MoU with Pahle India Foundation on 8 October 2026.
• The agreement aims to strengthen cooperation in official statistics, research, data analysis and capacity building.
• Pahle India Foundation is a New Delhi-based organisation established in 2013.

• The National Capital Region Transport Corporation signed an MoU with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts to promote Indian art, culture and heritage at Namo Bharat stations.
• Activities will include art exhibitions, heritage displays, literary events, lectures and workshops.
• The partnership aims to bring cultural programmes into public transport spaces and reach a wider audience.

• The University Grants Commission granted a Letter of Intent to the University of Colorado Denver to establish a degree-granting campus in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• The proposed campus is expected to welcome its first batch in August 2027.
• Planned academic fields include business, computing, engineering and analytics, in line with the internationalisation goals of the National Education Policy 2020.

• The ePlane Company signed an MoU with Noida International Airport on 8 October 2026 to develop infrastructure and operating procedures for electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
• The partnership will focus on vertiports, charging stations, safety procedures and airspace integration.
• Potential applications include urban air travel, airport-to-airport transport and emergency air ambulance services.

• The Swedish Academy awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature to Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson.
• She was recognised for her experimental literary works and creative engagement with classical traditions.
• She will receive a prize of 12 million Swedish kronor.

• South African jurist of Indian origin Navanethem “Navi” Pillay was named the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
• She is known for her work in international law and human rights, including serving as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
• The Nobel Peace Prize is traditionally presented in Oslo, Norway, on 10 December.

• National Postal Week 2026 is observed from 9 to 15 October by the Department of Posts under the Ministry of Communications.
• The observance highlights the role of postal services in financial inclusion, digital services and socioeconomic development.
• World Post Day is observed on 9 October to mark the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874.

• Delhi Police de-notified Jantar Mantar as a designated protest site and identified three alternative venues.
• The alternatives are Ramlila Ground, Burari Ground and CBD Ground in East Delhi.
• The decision concerns the designated locations for public protests and demonstrations in the national capital.