Current Affairs Quiz - August 2026

Notes:
Arunachal Pradesh government has launched the e-Bhavishya Pension Sanction and Tracking System. It is a paperless digital platform developed to streamline pension processing for government employees. The system has been developed for the Department of Audit & Pension. The platform digitises the entire pension sanction process. It aims to reduce paperwork, minimise delays and errors, and ensure timely retirement benefits. It also enables real-time tracking and monitoring of pension cases, improving transparency and efficiency.

Notes:
Cholanaikkan is one of Asia’s last surviving cave-dwelling indigenous tribes. The tribe lives in the Karulai Reserve Forest and Vadakkekotta Hills in Malappuram district, Kerala. Tribe members recently came out of the forest to receive government documents at a special camp (Adalat) organised by the district administration. They were provided health cards, caste certificates, ration cards, and bank accounts. The Cholanaikkans mainly depend on collecting forest produce for their livelihood and rarely leave the forest.

Notes:
Aadi Perukku is a traditional festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu on the 18th day of the Tamil month of Aadi. The festival is dedicated to Goddess Amman and celebrates the importance of water for agriculture and prosperity. Devotees offer prayers on riverbanks and near water bodies, especially along the Cauvery River. Major celebrations take place in Tiruchirappalli (Tiruchi) and Dharmapuri.

Notes:
Varsha Ashok Aglawe has been appointed as the 54th Director General of the Geological Survey of India (GSI). She assumed charge on 31 July 2026 and became the first woman to lead GSI. She joined the Geological Survey of India (GSI) in 1992 after an initial stint at the Indian Bureau of Mines. Before becoming Director General, she served as the Additional Director General and Head of the Eastern Region, Kolkata. She has over three decades of experience in the field of geosciences and has contributed significantly to geological research and administration.

Notes:
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme was officially launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 February 2019 in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. It is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% funding by the Government of India. Under PM-KISAN, eligible landholding farmer families receive ₹6,000 per year as income support. The amount is transferred in three equal instalments of ₹2,000 each through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to farmers and support agricultural livelihoods. The continuation of PM-KISAN was approved for five years from 2026–27 to 2030–31.

Notes:
Harshita Jakhar became the first Indian woman to participate in the Tour de France Femmes. The 19-year-old cyclist hails from Rajasthan. She was selected by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as part of an international development team. The Tour de France Femmes 2026 began on 1 August in Lausanne, Switzerland, and will conclude on 9 August in Nice, France. Harshita led a group of cyclists from Afghanistan, Algeria, Chile, Ethiopia, Namibia, and Uganda during the ceremonial start of Stage 2. The Tour de France Femmes is the women’s multi-stage cycling race in the UCI Women’s World Tour.

Notes:
International Clouded Leopard Day is observed annually on 4 August. The day was established in 2018 to raise awareness about the conservation of clouded leopards. The clouded leopard is found in South and Southeast Asia. There are two species: Mainland Clouded Leopard and Sunda Clouded Leopard. Fewer than 10,000 mature individuals remain in the wild, and the species is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

Notes:
IIT Patna developed a hybrid magneto-rheometer. The project was supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The device tests magnetorheological (MR) fluids under compression and shear. MR fluids change viscosity when exposed to a magnetic field. The technology can improve brakes, clutches, dampers, actuators, and medical devices.

Notes:
ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (ICAR-NIHSAD), Bhopal has developed India’s first indigenous live attenuated African Swine Fever (ASF) vaccine. The vaccine is based on the MA-104 cell line. It was field-validated with the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD). It is recommended for healthy pigs above 8 weeks of age. African Swine Fever (ASF) is a viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs. It is caused by the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV). ASF was first detected in India in 2020. There is no effective treatment for ASF.

Notes:
PM-PRANAM stands for PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth. It was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 28 June 2023. The scheme is implemented from 2023–24 to 2025–26. It promotes balanced fertilizer use and reduces dependence on chemical fertilizers. States reducing fertilizer use receive 50% of the fertilizer subsidy saved as an incentive. 95% of the incentive goes to the State/UT, while 5% is retained by the Central Government. The information was provided by Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.