India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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Dhamtari district became the first in India to launch online tax collection through the SAMARTH Panchayat portal. The initiative was rolled out at Sankara Gram Panchayat in Nagri block, Chhattisgarh. A resident successfully paid property tax using a Unified Payments Interface (UPI)–linked online gateway. The system allows rural citizens to pay taxes from home, reducing arrears and easing administration. It will cover nearly 400 gram panchayats in the district. Sankara became India’s first gram panchayat with end-to-end digital tax payment.

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India’s first Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Advocate Training and Research Centre was inaugurated at Taloja, Navi Mumbai. The centre has been established by the Maharashtra and Goa Bar Council. It aims to strengthen the legal profession by bridging the gap between legal education and courtroom practice. The academy will focus on advocate training, legal research, and practical skill development. The initiative is seen as a landmark step for improving professional standards in law.

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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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Union Minister of State V. Somanna launched the coffee table book “Karnataka Bharat Gaurav Train: Journey of a Thousand Shrines” at Rail Bhawan on 23 February 2026. The book highlights the Karnataka Bharat Gaurav Train as a major cultural and spiritual tourism initiative of Indian Railways. The initiative was conceptualised by Dr. Anup Dayanand, Indian Railway Traffic Service (Retired). The Karnataka Bharat Gaurav Train is a flagship pilgrimage tourism initiative launched under the Bharat Gaurav Policy of Indian Railways. The initiative transforms Indian Railways from being only a transport provider into a promoter of tourism, culture and spiritual connectivity.

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The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences achieved recognition from Guinness World Records for the most viewers of an Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare lesson live stream on YouTube. NBEMS is an autonomous body functioning under the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The record was achieved through a nationwide online training programme on Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare. The programme was specially designed for registered medical practitioners across India to promote digital skills in healthcare.

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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched distribution of land pattas under Mission Basundhara 3.0 for over one lakh indigenous landless families and public institutions. The programme was inaugurated at Deuri Beel, Dhemaji district with digital pattas and allotment letters handed to beneficiaries. Mission Basundhara 1.0 resolved conversion and record correction issues for 5.82 lakh families. Mission Basundhara 2.0 granted land rights to indigenous people on government land, benefiting 2.29 lakh families from SC, ST, and OBC communities. Mission Basundhara 4.0 and 5.0 will address remaining land issues, reclassification and settlement of non-tribal forest villagers.

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Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the fifth edition of the herSTART programme for women entrepreneurs at Gujarat University. The university’s convention centre was named Vidyagauri Nilkanth Sabhapuram in honor of Vidyagauri Nilkanth, the first Gujarati woman graduate. The state government is committed to women-led development, following the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The herSTART programme, run by the Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council, provides incubation, mentorship, and market access support to women-led startups.

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Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal laid the foundation stones for four riverine lighthouses along the Brahmaputra River, the first such lighthouses on an inland waterway in India. The lighthouses will be constructed at Bogibeel, Pandu, Silghat, and Biswanath Ghat along National Waterway-2, with a total investment of ₹84 crore. The project aims to strengthen inland waterways as a sustainable, cost-efficient transport mode, reducing carbon emissions compared to road transport.

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The Union Government approved a ₹117.54 crore project to renovate the Bascule Bridge at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port. A Bascule Bridge is a movable bridge that lifts upward to allow ships and boats to pass; it is also called a lifting bridge or drawbridge. It works using a counterweight system that balances the movable part of the bridge called the span or leaf. The counterweight is usually heavier than the leaf, making lifting easier and reducing energy use. Bridges may have single or double leaves, and rarely triple or quadruple sections. Cables, chains, and pulleys create mechanical advantage, reducing the force needed to raise or lower the bridge.

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Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) launched its first structured Bug Bounty Programme to strengthen Aadhaar system security. The programme invites cybersecurity experts and ethical hackers to identify vulnerabilities in key UIDAI platforms, including the UIDAI official website, myAadhaar portal, and Secure QR Code application. A panel of 20 experienced researchers has been selected to examine systems for Critical, High, Medium, and Low risk vulnerabilities. UIDAI already uses security audits, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and continuous monitoring, and the Bug Bounty adds an independent layer of protection.