India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

Notes:
Lucknow has emerged as India’s No. 1 rooftop solar city, surpassing Surat in solar panel installations. Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, Lucknow crossed 88,000 rooftop solar installations by April 2026 and later exceeded 1,02,603 cumulative installations. In May 2026 alone, Lucknow added 9,667 new solar systems. On 31 May 2026, the city installed 333 solar units in a single day, the highest in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh added 64,742 rooftop solar installations in May 2026, accounting for over 20% of India’s monthly total. Around 3.5 lakh homes in Uttar Pradesh now have rooftop solar systems.

Notes:
Recently, the Centre facilitated a consensus among six states—Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan—for the implementation of the Kishau Multipurpose Dam Project. The project is proposed on the Tons River, the largest tributary of the Yamuna River, along the Uttarakhand–Himachal Pradesh border. It is a multipurpose project aimed at hydropower generation, irrigation, water supply, and improving environmental flows in the Yamuna. Under the agreement, the Central Government will bear 90% of the water component cost, while the remaining 10% will be shared by the six beneficiary states.

Notes:
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority recently facilitated the first commercial sea shipment of premium Banganapalle mangoes from India to Singapore. Banganapalle mango is one of India’s most popular mango varieties, cultivated mainly in Andhra Pradesh. It is also known as Beneshan, Baneshan, Benishan, Chappatai, and Safeda. The variety is famous for its golden-yellow colour, fibreless pulp, rich sweetness, and pleasant aroma, making it highly sought after in international markets. Banganapalle mango received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2017.

Notes:
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled the first export-import shipping container manufactured in India for A.P. Moller-Maersk at Dadri, Uttar Pradesh. A.P. Moller-Maersk placed an additional order for 1,000 India-made shipping containers with the DCM Shriram Group. The initiative supports the visions of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India, and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. It aligns with the ₹10,000 crore Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme (CMPS) to promote domestic container manufacturing.

Notes:
Recently, Sirsa Kinnow received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, becoming Haryana’s first fruit to receive GI recognition. It is a variety of Kinnow grown in Sirsa district, Haryana. Kinnow is a hybrid citrus fruit developed by crossing ‘King’ (Citrus nobilis) and ‘Willow Leaf’ mandarin (Citrus deliciosa). It is known for its sweet-sour taste, high juice content, and richness in Vitamin C, calcium, and potassium.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh secured the highest number of Geographical Indication (GI) registrations during 2025–26, successfully adding 26 new GI tags. West Bengal followed closely with 24 registrations. This contributed to a nationwide total of 125 newly registered GIs for that period. GI recognition enhances legal protection, market value, exports, and livelihoods of local artisans and farmers.

Notes:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has allowed the import of drugs through Navi Mumbai Airport, Maharashtra. The approval was granted by amending Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945 under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. With this amendment, Navi Mumbai Airport has been added to the list of designated airports permitted for the import of drugs. The total number of authorised ports of entry (road, rail, sea, and air) for drug imports has increased to 42. The initiative aims to strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain, improve logistics, facilitate smoother movement of medicines, and promote Ease of Doing Business while ensuring regulatory oversight.

Notes:
According to recent report, Gujarat ranks 1st in India in total installed renewable energy capacity with 50.386 GW. The state also ranks 1st in installed wind power capacity with 15,850.56 MW and 1st in rooftop solar installations, with over 13 lakh installations generating 7,408.10 MW. Gujarat is 2nd in installed solar power capacity with 32,302.7 MW. India aims to achieve 50% electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030 and Net Zero emissions by 2070. The Khavda Renewable Energy Park in Kutch, Gujarat, planned with a capacity of 37.35 GW, is the world’s largest renewable energy park.

Notes:
The Indian Council of Medical Research under its flagship i-DRONE initiative demonstrated that drone-assisted transport of TB sputum samples improves access to diagnosis in remote areas. The study was conducted in Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana, in collaboration with AIIMS Bibinagar under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). It involved 840 participants and compared conventional sample transport with a drone-enabled model. The median turnaround time for TB diagnosis reduced from 15 days to 5 days. The initiative improves access to diagnostics in remote areas and enables earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Notes:
Kerala has deployed ANNAM.AI AI-powered smart weather stations to promote climate-smart farming. The initiative is being implemented under the Kerala Government’s 100-day Action Plan. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar is the implementing institution. The objective is to provide farmers with accurate real-time weather information, improve farm-level decision-making, reduce input costs, and strengthen agricultural resilience. ANNAM.AI uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate data-driven weather advisories for farmers.