India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has been linked to the National Population Register (NPR) to strengthen intelligence gathering and speed up criminal investigations. NATGRID is a real-time intelligence and data-access platform developed after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks (2008) to enable seamless information-sharing among security and enforcement agencies. It functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and consolidates over 20 categories of civil and commercial data, including bank transactions, telecom usage, passport and immigration records, tax IDs, police FIRs (CCTNS), and other e-governance sources.

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Recently, around 60 people were injured when a loco train carrying workers hit a goods train inside the Pipalkoti tunnel of the Vishnugad–Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project. The Vishnugad–Pipalkoti Hydroelectric Project (VPHEP) is a run-of-river hydropower project on the Alaknanda River, a major tributary of the Ganga River, in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. The project will generate about 1,665 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually. It is developed by THDC India Limited, a joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Uttar Pradesh, with World Bank funding.

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Kerala launched the International Spice Routes Heritage Network to promote cultural tourism and research. The initiative leverages Kerala’s historic role in maritime spice trade to drive economic and tourism growth. The platform supports collaborative research, heritage conservation, archaeology, documentation, and museum development. The project aims to reconnect ancient trade routes, revive historical memories, and foster cross-border partnerships. Muziris and Kochi’s historical ports are highlighted as centres of global exchange of spices, ideas, and culture.

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Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant inaugurated India’s first fully paperless district judiciary in Kalpetta, Wayanad, Kerala, on 6 January. All courts in Kalpetta district now operate entirely digitally, with electronic filings, digital scrutiny, and instant access through the District Court Case Management System (DCMS) developed in-house by Kerala High Court. The system improves access to justice, reduces litigation costs, removes geographical barriers, and enhances transparency and trust. AI-based tools help judges generate summaries, retrieve case details, annotate documents, and mark statutory provisions.

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The Ministry of Textiles launched the District-Led Textiles Transformation initiative at the National Textile Ministers Conference in Guwahati. It is a strategic programme to promote inclusive and sustainable growth in India’s textile sector. The aim is to develop 100 high-potential districts as Global Export Champions and transform 100 Aspirational Districts into self-reliant textile hubs. Districts are classified based on export performance, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises ecosystem, and workforce availability.

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The Bembla Irrigation Project is located in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra in the drought-prone Vidarbha region. It is a multipurpose irrigation project under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP). The project involves a dam on the Bembla River, a tributary of the Wardha River, near Babhulgaon. It aims to create irrigation potential for about 52,543 hectares benefiting over 100 villages. By early 2026, more than 95% canal and distribution works were completed with micro-irrigation focus.

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India has officially submitted the nomination dossier for Meghalaya’s living root bridges for the 2026–27 UNESCO World Heritage evaluation cycle. Meghalaya is home to the Living Root Bridges. They are primarily located in the East Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts. Living Root Bridges, locally called Jingkieng Jri, are handcrafted pedestrian bridges formed by training the aerial roots of the Indian rubber tree (Ficus elastica) across streams and rivers.

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Eight members of Karnataka’s Hakki Pikki tribal community are stranded in Central Africa after their visas expired during travel for selling herbal products. Hakki Pikki is a major tribal community of Karnataka with a population of 11,892 as per the Census 2011. In Kannada, “Hakki” means bird and “Pikki” means to catch, reflecting their traditional bird-catching occupation. They believe they descended from Ranapratap Singh and have a Kshatriya or warrior origin, migrating south after Mughal conflicts. They are officially recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India.

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Operation Kiya is a joint counter-terrorism operation launched by Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. It is currently in news due to an intense encounter in the forested Basantgarh area of Udhampur. The operation aims to track, contain, and eliminate infiltrated terrorists while protecting civilian areas. It also seeks to prevent terrorist movement across districts and infiltration corridors. The operation is carried out by the Army’s White Knight Corps, Counter Insurgency Force (Delta), Jammu and Kashmir Police, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). It uses a cordon-and-search strategy to trap terrorists in forests and hilly terrain.

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The Delhi High Court ruled that “safe harbour” protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 does not exempt intermediaries from participating in the Sahyog portal. Section 79 provides immunity to digital intermediaries for third-party content if they act only as neutral hosts. The Sahyog portal is an initiative of the Ministry of Home Affairs to strengthen cybercrime prevention and enforcement. It aims to support prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrime. The portal automates sending of legal notices to intermediaries under the IT Act, 2000.