India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Tuman village in Chawasi area of Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh, received its first motorable road after 78 years. The 2.7-kilometre road was constructed from Shakeld to Tuman by the Public Works Department (PWD). The village was earlier cut off from basic transport facilities for decades. A trial run of a Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus was successfully conducted on the new road.

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The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched the PANKHUDI Portal on 8 January 2026. It is an integrated Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and partnership facilitation digital platform. PANKHUDI brings together government, citizens, Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), and corporates. It supports sectors like nutrition, health, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), child protection, and women empowerment. It strengthens Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0, Mission Vatsalya, and Mission Shakti.

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The National Dam Safety Authority issued a show-cause notice to the Narmada Valley Development Authority over safety issues at Bargi Dam. Bargi Dam is a major multipurpose project used for irrigation, drinking water supply, and hydroelectric power generation. It is built on the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh. Among about 30 major dam projects on the Narmada River, it is one of the earliest completed dams. The dam was developed under the Narmada Valley Development Project to support regional water and energy needs.

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Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), Government of India, organized India’s first National Capacity Building Programme for Tribal Healers on 16–17 January 2026 in Hyderabad, Telangana. Programme aims to formally recognize, capacitate, and integrate tribal and indigenous healers into India’s public health system. A key highlight of the programme was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ICMR–Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC), Bhubaneswar, to establish the Bharat Tribal Health Observatory (B-THO) under Project DRISTI.

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The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) campaign completed 11 years since its launch in 2015. It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Sambal vertical of Mission Shakti. It is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Ministry of Education, later joined by Ministries of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Minority Affairs. National Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) rose from 918 (2014–15) to 930 (2023–24); institutional deliveries increased from 61% to 97.3% in the same period.

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The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, is organizing a National Award Ceremony for Model Youth Gram Sabha winners. Model Youth Gram Sabha is a simulated Gram Sabha forum for school students inspired by the Model United Nations (UN). It aims to strengthen Janbhagidari (people’s participation) and participatory local governance among youth. Model Youth Gram Sabha is an initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

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Karnataka leads India’s Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) startup ecosystem with 39% share, as per Economic Survey 2025–26. India’s GenAI startups rose threefold from 240 in first half of 2024 to 890 in first half of 2025. The sector attracted 76.4 million US dollars Year-To-Date (YTD) funding across 18 rounds. Deep technology funding grew by 78% in Calendar Year (CY) 2024. Karnataka supports innovation with 43 State Public Universities, the highest in India. The state is driving India’s shift from back-office services to an Artificial Intelligence front office.

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The Supreme Court directed the Centre to set up a tribunal for the long-pending Pennaiyar River water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Tamil Nadu filed the case in 2018 against Karnataka’s construction of check dams and diversion works. Tamil Nadu argued that water in an inter-state river is a national asset and cannot be claimed exclusively by any state. Pennaiyar River, also called South Pennar, Dakshina Pinakini, Thenpennai, or Ponnaiyar, flows through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

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Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Shri Durgadas Uikey informed the Lok Sabha about a proposal from the Odisha government. The proposal seeks inclusion of the Jhodia community in the Scheduled Tribes (STs) list of Odisha as a synonym of Paroja at Serial Number 55. The proposal was not supported by the Office of the Registrar General of India (ORGI) and has been sent back to the State Government. The Jhodia community is an indigenous group mainly living in Rayagada and Koraput districts of Odisha. Inclusion of a community in the ST list requires a proposal from the State along with an ethnographic report.

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Delhi Police launched Operation Shastra to take action against individuals posting photos with weapons and using abusive language on social media. The operation targets people who attempt to create fear and intimidation through online platforms, according to Joint Commissioner SK Jain (Southern Range). The drive involved more than 500 police teams and more than 2,000 police personnel. Action was taken after monitoring more than 6,000 social media profiles. A total of 61 First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered during the operation. So far, 83 accused persons have been apprehended, highlighting the success of Operation Shastra.