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 Affair
1. PM-MKSSY and India’s Fisheries Sector
Source: PIB
Context: The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, celebrated the 80th Independence Day in New Delhi in the presence of fishers and fish farmers from across the country — in line with the national themes of “150 Years of Vande Mataram” and “Yuva Shakti for Viksit Bharat@2047”.
India’s Position in Global Fisheries
| Indicator | India’s position |
|---|---|
| Fish production | Second-largest in the world — 8% of global output |
| Aquaculture production | Second |
| Shrimp production and export | First |
| Capture fisheries | Among the largest producers |
Government Investment Since 2015
- Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)
- About: PMMSY is the flagship scheme of the Government of India for the comprehensive development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
- Launched: September 2020
- Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
- Implementing Department: Department of Fisheries
- Blue Revolution Scheme
- Focus: Overall development of fisheries and aquaculture.
- Aim: Increase fish production, improve infrastructure, employment and fisher livelihoods.
- Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF)
- Focus: Fisheries infrastructure.
- Provides concessional finance for projects such as fishing harbours, cold chains, fish markets and aquaculture infrastructure.
- Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY)
- A sub-scheme of PMMSY.
- Focus: Formalising the fisheries sector, improving access to institutional finance, insurance, value-chain efficiency and quality management.
- Targets fishers, fish farmers, fish vendors, micro and small fisheries enterprises and other stakeholders.
2. Fog Harvesting: How Morocco Collects Water from Mist
Source: TOI
Context: A fog-harvesting network on Mount Boutmezguida in southwestern Morocco supplies piped water to local homes in the Aït Baamrane region.
What is Fog Harvesting?
- A water-collection method that uses mesh nets to capture tiny water droplets from fog and channel them into storage or piping systems.
- It is also called cloud or mist water collection, and is used in arid and semi-arid regions.
- How it works in simple terms: fog is water already suspended in the air as microscopic droplets. When fog passes through a fine mesh, the droplets collect on the threads, merge into larger drops, and run down into a collecting gutter below. No energy is needed — the wind does the work of pushing fog through the net, and gravity does the rest.
The Technology Used
- The project uses black polymer mesh nets and CloudFisher technology.
- CloudFisher nets are three-dimensional and food-safe, developed along with WaterFoundation and Aqualonis. They can withstand mountain winds of up to 120 km per hour, and work without electricity.
- That wind strength is the important part. Earlier fog nets often tore in strong mountain winds, so durability — not collection ability — was the real problem the technology had to solve.
Why It Matters
- It creates water where rain does not fall. In regions bordering deserts, annual rainfall may be negligible while fog is frequent. Fog harvesting converts an existing atmospheric resource into usable water without drilling, damming or pumping.
- Zero energy, low maintenance. No electricity, no moving parts, no fuel. That makes it viable in remote settlements far from a grid.
- It reduces the burden on women. In such regions, water collection is overwhelmingly women’s work, often involving hours of walking. Piped supply returns that time — which is also why a women-led organisation built the project.
- Relevance for India: fog harvesting has been trialled in parts of the Western Ghats, the Nilgiris and the Himalayan foothills, where orographic fog is common. It remains a niche supplement, not a substitute for rainwater harvesting or watershed development, but it belongs in the same family of decentralised, low-energy water solutions.
Important Facts for Exams
- Fog harvesting is also called cloud or mist water collection in arid and semi-arid regions
- Gravity-fed water systems move water without pumps when the source is at a higher elevation
- The Amazigh are an indigenous people of North Africa, including Morocco
- The Anti-Atlas Mountains form part of the mountain system in southern Morocco
3. Defence Ministry Notifies 6th Positive Indigenisation List
- The Department of Defence Production (DDP) notified the 6th Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) on 18 August 2026.
- The list contains 405 defence items.
- These items will be progressively sourced from domestic manufacturers.
- The initiative supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat and greater self-reliance in defence production.
Schemes in News
1. Government Approves Incentive Scheme for Domestic PNG Connections
- The government approved an Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Domestic PNG Connections.
- The scheme aims to expand access to clean, safe and affordable piped cooking gas.
- It will promote the use of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) among households across India.
- The scheme will be effective from 1 September 2026.
2. Digital Bharat Nidhi Signs Agreement with Chhattisgarh
- Digital Bharat Nidhi, under the Department of Telecommunications, signed an agreement with the Chhattisgarh Government for digitisation of Gram Panchayats and villages.
- The agreement involves Chhattisgarh State BharatNet Infrastructure Limited, BSNL and Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society.
- The project will support implementation of the Amended BharatNet programme.
3. New Rail Connectivity in Gwalior-Chambal Region
- A 56-km gauge-converted rail section connecting Kailaras–Sabalgarh–Birpur in Madhya Pradesh was inaugurated on 18 August 2026.
- The Gwalior–Kailaras MEMU service has been extended up to Birpur.
- The project will improve rail connectivity and transportation in the Gwalior-Chambal region.
4. VB-G RAM G Replaces MGNREGA
- Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) replaced MGNREGA.
- Key milestones:
- Bill passed: December 2025
- Replacement announced: 1 April 2026
- Draft Rules: 22 May 2026
- Final Rules: End of June 2026
- The source highlights a sharp decline in employment generation under the new rural employment framework.
Social Issue in News
1. RSSDI Rural Outreach Digital Portal and VISHWAS Video Library Launched
Source: PIB
Context: Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh virtually launched the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI) Rural Outreach Digital Portal and the VISHWAS Diabetes Awareness Video Library.
Key Details
Diabetes prevention as a national priority. The Minister called for making diabetes prevention and preventive healthcare a national priority, and emphasised a community-led, technology-enabled and data-driven approach to tackle diabetes in rural and underserved areas.
What the digital portal will do:
- Standardised platform for beneficiary registration
- Systematic treatment documentation
- Follow-up
- Programme monitoring
- Generation of anonymised real-world data for public health planning and research
RSSDI Rural Outreach Programme
A community-driven initiative focused on awareness, early diagnosis, treatment, follow-up and prevention of diabetes in rural India, through village adoption by RSSDI members.
About RSSDI
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1972 |
| Status | Asia’s largest professional medical organisation for diabetes researchers and healthcare providers |
| Headquarters | Jaipur, Rajasthan |
RBI Current Affairs
Banking and Finance
1. SEBI Launches Two Cybersecurity Portals and NISM RegTech Lab
Source: BS
Context: Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Chairman of SEBI, launched two new web portals — ‘SEBI Incident Reporting’ and ‘Cyber Suraksha’ — to strengthen cybersecurity and information sharing across the securities market ecosystem.
The Two Portals
| Portal | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SEBI Incident Reporting | A new version of SEBI’s incident reporting portal, making cyber-incident reporting more structured, timely and actionable |
| Cyber Suraksha | A central hub for sharing cybersecurity information — cybersecurity knowledge, vulnerability warnings, policy measures and incident insights |
The Incident Reporting portal is aligned with the Financial Stability Board (FSB)’s Format for Incident Reporting Exchange (FIRE), ensuring smooth exchange of cross-border incident reporting.
NISM RegTech Lab
- The SEBI Chairman also inaugurated the RegTech Lab at the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM), Patalganga campus, Mumbai.
- Purpose: promote technology-enabled and practical learning in regulatory compliance and securities-market regulation.
Background
- SEBI is the regulator of India’s securities markets, established under the SEBI Act, 1992, headquartered in Mumbai.
- NISM is a public trust established by SEBI in 2006 for education, training and research in securities markets.
- SEBI’s Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Framework (CSCRF) governs cybersecurity requirements for regulated entities.
- The Financial Stability Board is an international body monitoring the global financial system, hosted by the BIS at Basel.
Practice MCQs
Q1. With reference to the portals launched by SEBI, consider the following statements:
a. The two portals launched were ‘SEBI Incident Reporting’ and ‘Cyber Suraksha’.
b. The Incident Reporting portal is aligned with the Financial Stability Board’s Format for Incident Reporting Exchange.
c. Cyber Suraksha will serve as a central hub for cybersecurity knowledge, vulnerability warnings, policy measures and incident insights.
d. They were launched at SEBI’s Symposium on Cyber Defence in Mumbai.
How many of the above statements are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
Q2. Consider the following statements:
a. The SEBI Chairman inaugurated a RegTech Lab at the National Institute of Securities Markets, Patalganga.
b. The RegTech Lab aims to promote technology-enabled learning in regulatory compliance and securities-market regulation.
c. The National Institute of Securities Markets was established by SEBI.
d. The Financial Stability Board is an agency of the Securities and Exchange Board of India.
How many of the above statements are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None
Answer Key
- (d) — All four correct. The FSB’s FIRE format is the detail most likely to be tested.
- (c) — a, b, c correct. Statement d is wrong: the Financial Stability Board is an international body monitoring the global financial system, hosted by the Bank for International Settlements at Basel. It has no connection to SEBI’s institutional structure.
2. Currency in Circulation Rises Despite Digital Payments Growth
Source: ET
Context: Despite the declining share of cash in individual transactions amid growing adoption of digital payments, currency in circulation (CIC) continues to grow at double-digit rates. Shirish Chandra Murmu, Deputy Governor, RBI, said this combination is making future cash demand harder to predict and is complicating the RBI’s planning for cash production and distribution capacity.
What is Currency in Circulation?
Currency in Circulation (CIC) is the total value of banknotes and coins in the economy — held by the public, in ATMs and in bank vaults outside the RBI. It is a component of reserve money (M0), the RBI’s own liability, and the base on which broader money supply measures are built.
Reserve Money (M0)
- Reserve Money (M0) is also called High-Powered Money or Monetary Base.
- It is the base of the money supply in the economy and is largely controlled by the RBI.
Components of M0
M0 mainly includes:
- Currency in circulation (CIC) — currency notes and coins held by the public.
- Bankers’ deposits with RBI — reserves that commercial banks maintain with the RBI.
- Other deposits with RBI — deposits of institutions such as certain financial institutions and foreign central banks.
3. CCI Approves Tata Steel’s Stake Purchase in TM International Logistics
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved Tata Steel’s acquisition of an additional 23% stake in TM International Logistics Ltd.
- The approval was given on 18 August 2026.
- The acquisition will further increase Tata Steel’s stake in the logistics company.
4. PM CARES Fund Balance Rises to ₹8,452 Crore
- The PM CARES Fund balance rose to ₹8,452 crore.
- It is a public charitable trust established in 2020.
- The fund is used for emergency relief and disaster-related assistance.
- The figure is based on the fund’s audited financial statements for FY 2023–24.
RBI and NABARD Current Affairs
1. Maharashtra Makes Snakebite a Notifiable Disease
- Maharashtra declared snakebite a notifiable disease on 18 August 2026.
- Government and private hospitals, medical colleges and other healthcare facilities will have to report snakebite cases.
- The move aims to improve data collection, monitoring and treatment of snakebite cases.
2. NTA Introduces Four-Tier Question Paper Checks
- The National Testing Agency (NTA) introduced a four-tier question paper checking system.
- The system aims to strengthen question-paper security and quality control.
- NTA also removed 600 experts from its panels as part of the process.
- The announcement was made on 18 August 2026 in New Delhi.
3. QpiAI Opens Quantum Processing Unit Facility in Bengaluru
- Bengaluru-based QpiAI inaugurated an 8-inch Quantum Processing Unit (QPU) manufacturing facility.
- The facility is located in Jakkur, Bengaluru.
- It represents the second phase of QpiAI’s quantum technology development.
- The facility aims to strengthen India’s capabilities in quantum computing hardware.
4. LandSpace Lands Zhuque-3 Booster
- China-based private space company LandSpace successfully landed the first-stage booster of its Zhuque-3 Y2 rocket.
- The 66-metre rocket was launched on 19 August 2026.
- The vertical landing marks an important step towards reusable launch vehicle technology.
- The mission also deployed the Honghu-3 commercial satellites.
5. SEMICON India 2026 to Be Held in New Delhi
- SEMICON India 2026 will be held from 17–19 September 2026.
- Venue: Yashobhoomi (India International Convention & Expo Centre), Dwarka, New Delhi.
- The event will focus on India’s semiconductor and electronics manufacturing ecosystem.
6. Karnataka Plans Expansion of Tumakuru Industrial Node
- Karnataka has earmarked 1,736 acres for the Tumakuru Node of the Bengaluru-Chennai Industrial Corridor.
- The project targets around ₹7,000 crore investment.
- It is expected to generate more than 88,000 jobs.
- The expansion aims to strengthen industrial development and manufacturing in the region.
7. NHAI Extends Digital FASTag Local Pass to 121 Toll Plazas
- NHAI expanded its digital FASTag Local Pass facility to 121 toll plazas across India.
- The facility is aimed at providing easier toll access to local residents.
- Eligible residents can use the digital system instead of relying on physical passes.
