India Current Affairs [Nation & States] MCQs

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The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced India’s first wildlife-safe road on National Highway 45 (NH-45) in Madhya Pradesh. The initiative aims to reduce animal-vehicle collisions and balance road development with wildlife conservation in the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary. The wildlife-safe section covers a 2 km ghat portion of an 11.96 km highway project passing through the tiger reserve.

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Gujarat has been officially reinstated as a tiger-bearing state for the All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) 2026 after over 30 years. This follows confirmed photographic evidence of a nearly four-year-old tiger in Ratanmahal Sanctuary, Dahod district. The tiger has stayed in the area for about 10 months, showing stable habitation, not temporary movement. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has ordered conservation measures in Ratanmahal. A camera-trap census will be conducted along the Gujarat–Madhya Pradesh border. The tiger will be tagged and monitored using stripe-pattern software during the census. Gujarat was last surveyed in 1989 and removed from the tiger map in 1992 due to no sightings.

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Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the ‘Green to Gold’ initiative to promote industrial hemp. The initiative aims to make Himachal self-reliant by 2027 and turn hemp into a valuable industrial and medicinal resource. Hemp grows in Kullu, Mandi, and Chamba, and has applications in pharmaceuticals, textiles, paper, cosmetics, biofuels, and eco-friendly construction. It requires 50% less water than traditional crops and grows in marginal soils, helping farmers facing wildlife damage. The ‘Hemp-Hub’ vision aims to make Himachal a centre for hemp-based products like hempcrete, textiles, and Ayurvedic medicines.

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Assam became the first Indian state to constitute its 8th State Pay Commission before the 7th Pay Commission ends on 1 January 2026. The decision was announced by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Former Chief Secretary Subhas Das has been appointed as the head of the new Pay Commission. The move comes even before the Union Government’s 8th Central Pay Commission has started work. The 8th Pay Commission will revise salaries, allowances, and pensions of state government employees. Early constitution shows Assam’s intent to speed up the pay revision process. State employees and pensioners may get quicker clarity on future pay and pension benefits.

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The National Statistics Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, released Know Your Survey: A User Guide to the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE). It is the first user guide specifically designed to engage data users and explain ASUSE processes in a transparent, simple, and user-friendly way. ASUSE provides official statistics on India’s unincorporated non-agricultural sector, crucial for employment, livelihoods, economic output, and value chains. The guide explains survey concepts, coverage, methodology, data collection, processing, validation, estimation, and quality assurance frameworks.

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SAMPANN (System for Accounting and Management of Pension) is an online pension management system for Department of Telecommunications (DoT) pensioners. It provides a single platform for processing, sanctioning, and disbursing pensions directly to bank accounts. Important pension documents like Gratuity Payment Orders, Pension Certificates/ePPOs, Pension Commutation Payment Orders, and Form 16 are now available via DigiLocker. DigiLocker integration allows pensioners to securely access, store, and retrieve official documents anytime, supporting paperless governance and long-term digital preservation.

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Uttar Pradesh government inaugurated the first Braille library in the state exclusively for visually impaired students at Dr Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University (DSMNRU), Lucknow. The library is located on the first floor of Swami Vivekananda Central Library and aligns with CM Yogi Adityanath’s vision of “education for all.” The library has over 4,000 Braille books covering 54 undergraduate and postgraduate courses, all printed by the university’s own Braille press.

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The Home and Cooperation Minister launched the National IED Data Management System (NIDMS) to strengthen counter-Improvised Explosive Device (IED) security and internal security systems. It is a national digital platform developed by the National Bomb Data Centre of the National Security Guard (NSG). The system enables systematic collection and analysis of data related to Improvised Explosive Devices to improve terrorist incident investigations. It works as a two-way online platform for the National Investigation Agency, Anti-Terrorism Squads, state police, and Central Armed Police Forces.

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The Ministry of Power will present tableau titled Prakash Ganga: Powering an Aatmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat at the Republic Day Parade, showcasing India’s power sector transformation. The theme symbolises the continuous flow of electricity across the interconnected national grid and India’s journey to clean energy leadership. A robotic Smart Meter, wind turbines, and rooftop solar highlight digitalisation, smart power management, and prosumer households. The tableau reaffirms commitment to reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity for an Aatmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat.

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The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) recently conducted a high-altitude rescue and road restoration operation under Project Sampark. The operation took place at Chatergala Pass. It is located at 10,500 ft in the Bhaderwah–Chatergala axis of Jammu region, Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Chatergala Pass is a high mountain pass connecting Bani in Kathua district to Bhaderwah in Doda district. It lies in the Chamba-Doda ranges of the greater Himalayas.