7 October 2026
Chief Minister V D Satheesan said in a Facebook post that Kerala has reached an understanding with NTPC after talks in New Delhi.
Kerala will get up to 300 MW from NTPC's Sinnar project in Maharashtra at ₹5.18 per unit.
A battery energy storage system of 2,000 MWh is planned at Kayamkulam, where NTPC already has a plant site.
Storage of 160 MWh in all is to come up at Pothencode and Sreekandapuram, to be finished by March 2027.
A 27 MW solar project is also planned at Kayamkulam.
KSEB, NTPC and NTPC Green Energy Limited are to sign a memorandum of understanding for the Kayamkulam project, and a long-term power purchase agreement from the Ramagundam plant is under discussion.
Power from Sinnar project:
up to 300 MW
Rate:
₹5.18 per unit
Battery storage at Kayamkulam:
2,000 MWh
Storage at Pothencode and Sreekandapuram:
160 MWh, by March 2027
Solar project at Kayamkulam:
27 MW
Why it matters for exams: Power purchase rates, storage capacity and the agencies involved are standard Kerala economy and infrastructure questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
BESS Battery Energy Storage System — A bank of batteries that stores electricity when it is cheap or surplus and releases it when demand peaks.
PPA Power Purchase Agreement — A long-term contract fixing how much power a utility buys from a generator and at what rate.
6 October 2026
KSRTC told the Kerala State Senior Citizens Commission on 6 October 2026 that it will create a facility within the existing online registration system for its buses to reserve seats for senior citizens. Managing Director Dr Pramoj Shankar gave the assurance at a meeting between KSRTC and the Commission on age-friendly travel. KSRTC authorities said they would also examine lowering the height of bus door steps and shifting the seats reserved for the elderly from above the tyre to other positions. Commission member Amaravila Ramakrishnan, Secretary G Vinod and Registrar Sharada T R took part. The Information and Public Relations Department issued the release as P.N.X. 4177/2026.
KSRTC Managing Director:
Dr Pramoj Shankar
Release number:
P.N.X. 4177/2026
Why it matters for exams: Kerala PSC asks about KSRTC's administrative structure and about welfare measures for senior citizens.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
KSRTC Kerala State Road Transport Corporation — The State-owned bus corporation that runs public road transport in Kerala.
Senior Citizens Commission Kerala State Senior Citizens Commission — A State body that takes up the welfare and grievances of elderly people in Kerala.
6 October 2026
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob said on 6 October 2026 that SUPPLYCO has been given conditional special permission to contract rice mills that did not finish milling within the time allowed in the previous season. SUPPLYCO had recommended this to the Food Department so that paddy procurement for the 2026 kharif season can begin on time. Kerala has asked the Centre to extend the deadline for milling 2025-26 kharif paddy from 31 July to 31 October 2026. For the 2025-26 rabi season the Centre already allows milling up to 31 January 2027. SUPPLYCO officers must verify the stock at each mill before signing a contract, and mill owners must file affidavits on the previous season's balance, on completing milling in time and on delivering the rice. Separate accounts must be kept for each season's stock, milling and distribution without mixing them. The release was issued as P.N.X. 4174/2026.
Kharif milling extension sought to:
31 October 2026
Rabi milling deadline allowed by the Centre:
31 January 2027
Release number:
P.N.X. 4174/2026
Why it matters for exams: Paddy procurement, SUPPLYCO's role and the kharif-rabi calendar are standard Kerala PSC and UPSC agriculture questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SUPPLYCO Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation — The State corporation that procures paddy and sells subsidised essential goods in Kerala.
Kharif Kharif season — The monsoon cropping season, sown with the rains and harvested after them.
Rabi Rabi season — The winter cropping season that follows the kharif season.
Milling Paddy milling — Hulling procured paddy into rice before it goes into public distribution.
6 October 2026
Food and Civil Supplies Minister Anoop Jacob wrote to Union Minister of State for Petroleum Suresh Gopi on 6 October 2026 asking that Kerala's quarterly kerosene allocation be raised to 9,564 kilolitres from the present 4,068 kilolitres. The letter says the cut in the central quota has caused a severe shortage, the allocation for the October-December quarter having fallen to 4,068 kilolitres from 5,676 kilolitres. At present yellow card holders get one litre a quarter while pink, blue and white card holders get half a litre, and the State says it has no option but to raise the half-litre entitlement to one litre. The letter adds that coastal, hilly and remote areas depend heavily on subsidised kerosene, that limits on LPG distribution have pushed up kerosene demand, and that traditional fishing boats need kerosene in proportion to engine capacity. The release was issued as P.N.X. 4175/2026.
Quarterly quota sought:
9,564 kilolitres
Present quarterly quota:
4,068 kilolitres
Previous quarterly allocation:
5,676 kilolitres
Why it matters for exams: Centre-State allocation of subsidised fuel and the ration card colour categories are frequently examined.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kilolitre Kilolitre — A volume of one thousand litres, the unit in which fuel quotas are fixed.
Yellow card Yellow ration card — The ration card issued in Kerala to the poorest households under the Antyodaya category.
6 October 2026
At a high-level review of the Health Department on 6 October 2026, Health and Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan said the distribution of life-saving drugs, lifestyle disease medicines and antibiotics in government hospitals has been streamlined. Steps have been taken to ensure that medicines bought through KMSCL move in full from district stores to health centres. The meeting was told that several cancer, heart disease and mental illness medicines will be fully available shortly and that institutions are meanwhile using local purchase, and KMSCL said Factor 9 would be delivered within two days of a requirement. The minister asked district-level medicine monitoring committees to track stock at every institution and act before shortages arise, and asked for coordination with other departments and local bodies against dengue and rat fever. He also sought a review of extending 24-hour specialist services to more institutions and monitoring of 108 ambulance operations. Health Principal Secretary Dr Sharmila Mary Joseph, National Health Mission Director Dr Renu Raj, Health Services Director Dr V Meenakshi and Medical Education Director Dr K V Vishwanathan attended.
Factor 9 supply time promised:
Within two days
Health and Devaswom Minister:
K Muraleedharan
Why it matters for exams: KMSCL, the National Health Mission and Kerala's district health machinery recur in Kerala PSC health questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
KMSCL Kerala Medical Services Corporation Limited — The State agency that buys and supplies medicines and equipment to government health institutions in Kerala.
Factor 9 Coagulation factor IX — A clotting protein given to people with haemophilia B to stop bleeding.
Rat fever Leptospirosis — A bacterial disease spread through water contaminated by the urine of rats and other animals.
6 October 2026
Justice G Girish ordered the investigation transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation in Balan P K v State of Kerala, WP(C) 25341/2012, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 555.
Rifle Man Subash Chandra Bose P of the Third Battalion, Tripura State Rifles, went missing on 4 April 2012 while travelling by train from Kerala to Guwahati after his leave.
His father had seen him off at Ernakulam railway station; the jawan telephoned from Visakhapatnam saying he was unwell and never reached his posting.
The cases registered by the Railway Police Station, Ernakulam, and the Visakhapatnam Government Railway Police were handed to the CBI after 14 years without a result.
The court directed the police chiefs of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to transmit all investigation records to the CBI officer assigned the case.
The judgment said the peaceful sleep of the civilian is at the cost of the sleepless nights, vigilance and sacrifice of the soldier, and that society owes a responsibility to stand by the soldier.
Case:
WP(C) 25341/2012
Citation:
2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 555
Date of disappearance:
4 April 2012
Years without result:
14
Why it matters for exams: Transfer of an investigation to the CBI by a High Court under its writ jurisdiction is a recurring polity and judiciary question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
WP(C) Writ Petition (Civil) — A petition to a High Court under Article 226 asking it to enforce a right or correct an authority's inaction.
1 October 2026
A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar closed a long-pending petition about jaggery used for prasadam at Sabarimala.
The case is S J R Kumar v The Travancore Devaswom Board and Ors, WP(C) 25645/2021, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 541.
The jaggery supplied in 2019 by Vardhan Agro Processing Limited carried a halal certification mark, JUH/HRC/437/2018, obtained for the company's exports to West Asia.
Analysis by the Food Safety Officer found the jaggery within acceptable limits for moisture and total sugar, with no substance unfit for preparing prasadam.
The court said the Board ought to have exercised greater care so that the jaggery supplied did not bear symbols, markings or declarations that could give rise to an apprehension of conflict with the religious customs and practices followed at the temple.
The Board was directed to include conditions in future e-tender documents ensuring that materials for nivedyam and prasadam meet both quality standards and temple custom.
Case:
WP(C) 25645/2021
Citation:
2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 541
Supplier:
Vardhan Agro Processing Limited
Halal certificate number:
JUH/HRC/437/2018
Why it matters for exams: The Travancore Devaswom Board, Sabarimala and the High Court's Devaswom Bench are standing Kerala PSC topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Nivedyam Nivedyam — Food offered to the deity in a temple, later distributed as prasadam.
Devaswom Bench Devaswom Bench of the Kerala High Court — A special bench of the Kerala High Court that hears matters about temples administered by the Devaswom Boards.
6 October 2026
The Government of Kerala announced that the Ashtamudi Water Gate Music Festival will be held at the Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Complex in Kollam from 7 to 11 October 2026.
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Cinema P C Vishnunath will inaugurate the festival, Minister Bindu Krishna will preside and Minister Shibu Baby John will be the chief guest.
The concept of the festival is musical ecology and water, linking water and human life with culture and music.
Performances begin at 7 pm each day and include Manganiyar Seduction from Rajasthan, Araka Vyooham - The Percussion Band, Hamsi and Band, Shanka Tribe and Indian Ocean.
The Kerala State Film Academy will screen films on musicians, musical traditions and the relation between music and society from 2 pm to 4 pm every day.
Dates:
7 to 11 October 2026
Venue:
Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Complex, Kollam
Theme:
Musical ecology and water
Film screenings:
2 pm to 4 pm daily, by the Kerala State Film Academy
Why it matters for exams: State-run cultural festivals, their venues and the ministers in charge are asked in Kerala PSC general awareness.
Kerala PSC
6 October 2026
The Kerala Council for Historical Research has extended the last date for applications to the internship under its online Digital Archive Project to 9 October.
Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree or a postgraduate degree in History or in Malayalam.
Detailed biodata is to be sent to kchrdkp@gmail.com with the subject line given in the notice, or through the Google form link in the notice.
The announcement was issued by the Information and Public Relations Department as release P.N.X. 4172/2026 on 6 October 2026.
New last date:
9 October
Eligibility:
Degree or postgraduate degree in History or Malayalam
Release number:
P.N.X. 4172/2026
Why it matters for exams: KCHR is an autonomous research institution of the Kerala government and its programmes appear in state-level awareness questions.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
KCHR Kerala Council for Historical Research — An autonomous institution of the Kerala government for research in history and social sciences.
6 October 2026
The Kerala Forest Research Institute at Peechi in Thrissur district will hold an interview on 8 October 2026 at 10 in the morning.
The vacancy is for a Project Fellow and supporting staff on a research project of one year.
Candidates have been asked to see www.kfri.res.in for further details.
The notice was issued by the Information and Public Relations Department as release P.N.X. 4173/2026 on 6 October 2026.
Interview date:
8 October 2026, 10 am
Project duration:
One year
Release number:
P.N.X. 4173/2026
Why it matters for exams: KFRI is one of the research institutions under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment and is asked about by name.
Kerala PSC
6 October 2026
Minister for Forests, Wildlife and Skill Development Shibu Baby John inaugurated the Kollam district level launch of the 'Nirmalam Puthuyuga Shuchitwa Keralam' programme on 6 October 2026.
The function was held on the grounds of Fatima Mata National College in Kollam, and Mayor A K Hafeez took part.
The programme aims to take waste management forward, to make local self government institutions zero waste, and to build habits of cleanliness through public participation.
Segregation of waste at source is one of the stated methods of the campaign.
Programme:
Nirmalam Puthuyuga Shuchitwa Keralam
District launch:
Kollam, 6 October 2026
Goal:
Zero waste local self government institutions
Why it matters for exams: Kerala's sanitation campaigns and the zero waste target for local bodies are frequently asked in state current affairs.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
Source segregation Segregation of waste at source — Separating biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste at the house or establishment where it is generated.
6 October 2026
Minister for Forests, Wildlife and Skill Development Shibu Baby John said the State Planning Board should approve a special package to revive the cashew sector in Kollam.
About two lakh women workers were employed in the cashew industry of the district.
The package sought covers a special development package for the cashew region, value added products in the mineral sand industry, and equity participation to create work for the workers.
Minister Bindu Krishna presided over the meeting at the Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Complex in Kollam on 6 October 2026.
State Planning Board Vice Chairman K M Chandrasekhar, MLAs B B Gopakumar and M M Naseer, Mayor A K Hafeez and District Collector Annie Julia Thomas took part.
Women workers in the cashew industry:
about two lakh
Body asked to approve the package:
State Planning Board
Venue:
Sree Narayana Guru Cultural Complex, Kollam
Why it matters for exams: The cashew industry of Kollam, its women workforce and the State Planning Board's role in sectoral packages are standard Kerala economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Equity participation Equity participation — Holding a share in the capital of an enterprise, so that the holder shares in its ownership.