India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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A major leak of hazardous oleum gas occurred at a chemical unit in Palghar district, Maharashtra, which forced authorities to evacuate more than 2,600 residents from nearby areas as a precautionary measure. The incident highlighted the potential dangers associated with handling highly corrosive industrial chemicals. Oleum, also known as fuming sulfuric acid, is a highly corrosive chemical solution formed by dissolving sulfur trioxide (SO₃) in sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄). It is widely used in industrial chemical processes.

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BharatNet Project recently helped expand optical fibre networks, 5G services, and digital public infrastructure to over 2.15 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) in India. It is a Government of India project aimed at providing broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats in rural areas. The objective is to provide open broadband access to telecom service providers such as mobile operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), cable television operators, and content providers. This supports services like e-health, e-education, and e-governance in rural and remote regions.

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The AMRUT Mitra Mahotsav was organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs at Bharat Mandapam to celebrate the role of women AMRUT Mitras from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in improving urban water services. The event was chaired by Manohar Lal Khattar, with participation of over 1,000 women and 300 officials from 30 States and Union Territories. AMRUT Mitras are women SHG members working under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation 2.0 to support water quality testing, billing and collection, community mobilization, faecal sludge management (FSM), and operation and maintenance (O&M) of water infrastructure.

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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved Minimum Support Price (MSP) funding to the Cotton Corporation of India for the cotton season 2023–24. The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) was established on 31 July 1970 and functions as a Public Sector Undertaking under the Companies Act, 1956. It operates under the administrative control of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched Nivesh Mitra 3.0, a digital platform to simplify and improve investor experience. More than 85 Letters of Comfort (LoCs), Eligibility Certificates (ECs) and ₹2,781 crore subsidies were distributed to support investments. Nivesh Mitra 3.0 features an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based chatbot for instant help and real-time SMS alerts for application tracking. It includes a Dynamic Combined Application Form (CAF) enabling single-window clearance from multiple departments. This reduces the need to visit different offices, saving time and effort for investors.

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The Government of India has established the Nirbhaya Fund to support initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety and security of women. The fund is demand-driven, providing financial assistance to Ministries, Departments, States, and Union Territories for implementing safety-related projects. It supports key initiatives such as Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112), Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC), and the Safe City Project in major cities like Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, and Mumbai. The fund also finances the establishment of Women Help Desks in police stations and Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs). It supports strengthening of DNA analysis, cyber forensic, and related facilities in State Forensic Science Laboratories.

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National Assessment and Accreditation Council has not granted fresh accreditation to any university or college in the current academic year, raising concerns about the accreditation process. NAAC was established in 1994 as an autonomous institution under the University Grants Commission. Its primary objective is to assess and enhance the quality of higher education institutions (HEIs) through a structured accreditation process. It evaluates institutions such as colleges, universities, and other recognised bodies to determine their overall quality status.

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Puducherry deployed a humanoid robot named Nila for the first time during Assembly elections at VOC Government School on 8 April 2026. Nila is an event-based interactive humanoid robot developed by Robo Mirror. The purpose is to create a high-tech, voter-friendly environment and attract young and first-time voters. It was dressed in a traditional saree, welcomed voters with flowers, and guided them inside the polling booth.

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Recent clashes in Rayagada district have brought focus to the Sijimali bauxite mine project. Sijimali is a high-grade bauxite reserve spread over 1,500 hectares across Rayagada and Kalahandi district in the Eastern Ghats, Odisha. It contains about 311 million tonnes of bauxite ore, making it a significant mineral resource. The project was allocated to Vedanta Limited through a government auction in 2023. It has received conditional Stage-I forest clearance from the Central Government. The issue highlights tensions between development projects and tribal/environmental concerns.

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Telangana has been declared Naxal-free after the surrender of 42 cadres of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). The announcement was made by Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) B. Shivadhar Reddy, stating that the Telangana State Committee has been dismantled. Among those who surrendered was PLGA (People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army) commander Sodi Malla. Surrendered cadres handed over 36 firearms, including AK-47 rifles, Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), grenades, and large quantities of ammunition. Additional recoveries include 1,007 live rounds of ammunition and 800 grams of gold.