Background
Lakshadweep's push for a ₹519 crore fisheries investment and a 50,000 tonne tuna target runs through the central schemes listed by its own Department of Fisheries.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana the department lists 81 projects, of which 24 are completed and 57 ongoing, with another 18 Fish Aggregating Devices planned.
Chetlat and Minicoy have been selected under the Climate Resilient Coastal Fishing Village Scheme.
A seaweed cluster project has in-principle approval for a hatchery and a seed bank, and 10 self-help groups across the nine inhabited islands are running demonstrations.
The Minicoy tuna canning factory has been outsourced to private entrepreneurs.
1,607 Kisan Credit Cards worth 16.5 crore have been issued to support micro-enterprises such as fish pickle and fish powder.
Seven new fisheries cooperatives were added to three existing ones, so every inhabited island now has a registered cooperative.
PMMSY projects:
81 (24 completed, 57 ongoing)
Climate Resilient Coastal Fishing Villages:
Chetlat and Minicoy
Kisan Credit Cards issued:
1,607 worth 16.5 crore
Seaweed self-help groups:
10 across nine inhabited islands
Why it matters for exams: The Climate Resilient Coastal Fishing Village Scheme and the use of Kisan Credit Cards for fisheries micro-enterprise are both newer scheme details that examiners like.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
KCC Kisan Credit Card — A short-term credit instrument for farmers and, since its extension, for fishers and animal rearers.
Background
Lakshadweep's five-year plan to raise tuna output to 50,000 tonnes a year rests on the fishery described on the Union Territory's own Department of Fisheries page.
The Department of Fisheries was set up in 1959, and tuna is the primary fishery resource of the islands.
Pole-and-line tuna fishing, which the department says exists only in Lakshadweep within India, is the main method.
Output rose from about 500 tonnes in the 1950s to 16,891 metric tonnes in 2024-25.
Anchored Fish Aggregating Devices in selected territorial waters attract fish, save fuel, cut scouting time and improve safety.
Approval has been granted to procure 10 deep-sea fishing vessels, and 32 fish collection vessels from other States may buy directly from local fishermen.
The department lists 8 ice plants of 60 MT capacity, 3 cold storages of 15 MT and 300 insulated ice boxes of 150 litres each.
Department of Fisheries set up:
1959
Production in 2024-25:
16,891 metric tonnes
Production in the 1950s:
about 500 tonnes
Ice plants:
8, of 60 MT capacity
Why it matters for exams: 'Pole-and-line fishing is practised in which Indian territory?' is a classic one-line question, and the 1959 founding year and the FAD idea are both askable.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
FAD Fish Aggregating Device — A floating structure anchored at sea that gathers fish around it, so boats need not search for shoals.
16 October 2026
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority facilitated the export of 1.755 metric tonnes of organic Palmyra jaggery powder from Tamil Nadu to Bulgaria.
The consignment was flagged off on 15 October 2026 and travels from Gobichettipalayam in Erode district to Varna in Bulgaria by sea through Chennai port.
The product is made from palmyra palm blossom nectar and is certified under the National Programme for Organic Production and European Union standards.
The exporter is Wellbeing Foods of Erode, working with Chetty Exports Private Limited of Chennai, and the importer is Sow Life Limited of Bulgaria.
The supply chain covers 137 acres of organic cultivation.
APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev flagged off the consignment, with APEDA Secretary Saswati Bose present.
Quantity exported:
1.755 metric tonnes
Destination:
Varna, Bulgaria
Organic area covered:
137 acres
Why it matters for exams: APEDA and the National Programme for Organic Production are frequently asked, and first-time export consignments are used to test knowledge of which body certifies organic produce.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
APEDA Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority — A body under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry that promotes the export of scheduled agricultural and processed food products.
NPOP National Programme for Organic Production — India's official standard and certification system for organic farming and organic exports.
16 October 2026
Scientists at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, have reconstructed 4,600 years of climate and environmental history.
They studied Karela Lake at Hulas Khera near Lucknow, an oxbow lake on the Central Ganga Plain.
The methods used were accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating, carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis, grain-size analysis, end-member modelling and palynology.
Four major environmental phases were identified, linked to the 4.2 kiloyear arid event, the Roman Warm Period and the Little Ice Age.
The study finds that fluctuations in the Indian summer monsoon shaped lake hydrology, sediment transport, vegetation, microbial activity and early farming adaptation.
It concludes that small oxbow lakes on the Central Ganga Plain are highly sensitive natural archives, and it was published in the Journal of Asian Earth Sciences.
Period reconstructed:
4,600 years
Site:
Karela Lake, Hulas Khera, near Lucknow
Environmental phases identified:
4
Journal:
Journal of Asian Earth Sciences
Why it matters for exams: The 4.2 kiloyear arid event and the Little Ice Age are named climate events in the syllabus, and this shows how an Indian institute dates them from lake sediments.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Oxbow lake Oxbow lake — A curved lake formed when a meander of a river is cut off from the main channel.
Palynology Palynology — The study of pollen and spores preserved in sediments, used to reconstruct past vegetation.
BSIP Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences — A Lucknow-based autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology that studies ancient life and climate.
16 October 2026
The Department of Consumer Affairs said about 440 metric tonnes of buffer onion is expected to reach Agartala in Tripura by 18 October 2026, the first Kanda Express consignment to that city.
Over 2,800 metric tonnes of buffer onion has been sent to the Northeast so far, using two Kanda Express rakes of 840 metric tonnes and 452 metric tonnes and 44 trucks carrying 1,513.46 metric tonnes.
Seven of Tripura's eight districts are expected to get better market access: Dhalai, South Tripura, Khowai, Unakoti, West Tripura, Gomati and Sepahijala.
The all-India average mandi price fell from about Rs 3,600 per quintal in September to about Rs 3,300 per quintal in October as the new kharif harvest arrived.
Retail onion prices dropped by Rs 1 to Rs 13 a kilogram in 211 cities over two weeks, and the average retail price in Assam is now Rs 54.30 a kilogram against an all-India average of Rs 53.07.
Buffer stock release from the Price Stabilisation Fund will continue based on market conditions.
Consignment to Agartala:
about 440 metric tonnes
Sent to the Northeast so far:
over 2,800 metric tonnes
All-India average mandi price, October:
about Rs 3,300 per quintal
All-India average retail price:
Rs 53.07 per kg
Why it matters for exams: The Price Stabilisation Fund and buffer stocking of onion and pulses are standard economy questions, and the Kanda Express shows how physical logistics is used to cool prices.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
Price Stabilisation Fund Price Stabilisation Fund — A central fund used to buy and release buffer stocks of items such as onion and pulses to keep prices steady.
Mandi Regulated agricultural market — A notified wholesale market where farmers sell produce, and whose prices are used as a benchmark.
16 October 2026
The Department of Fisheries has approved the project 'Development of Smart and Integrated Fishing Harbour at Mayabunder', proposed by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, at a cost of Rs 199.24 crore.
The project gets 100 per cent Central Financial Assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
The harbour will provide safe landing and berthing for 430 fishing vessels.
It is designed for annual fish landings of 9,900 tonnes.
It is being built under the Blue Port Initiative, with IoT-enabled systems, energy-efficient systems and digital traceability.
The Department expects it to create jobs, raise stakeholder incomes and help combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing.
Approved cost:
Rs 199.24 crore
Vessels accommodated:
430
Annual fish landings:
9,900 tonnes
Why it matters for exams: PMMSY and the Blue Port Initiative are regularly asked in fisheries and economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
PMMSY Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana — The central scheme for developing fisheries infrastructure and incomes.
IUU fishing Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing — Fishing outside the rules, which traceability systems are meant to curb.
16 October 2026
A new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification report finds acute malnutrition and hunger in Afghanistan at the highest levels ever recorded.
15.9 million people face acute food insecurity, with 3.4 million in emergency phase four conditions, which precedes famine.
More than 32 per cent of the population is in crisis-level phase three or above for the August to October period.
From November to April, during the winter lean season, nearly 19.2 million people are projected to be in phase three or above, including five million in emergency conditions.
4.04 million children under the age of five are projected to need treatment for acute malnutrition between January and December 2027.
The World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization called for urgent funding; WFP country director John Aylieff said there is still a window to act but it is closing fast.
People in acute food insecurity:
15.9 million
People in emergency phase four:
3.4 million
Projected phase three or above, November to April:
19.2 million
Why it matters for exams: The five IPC phases and the figures for the worst-hit countries are asked in reports and indices sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IPC Integrated Food Security Phase Classification — A five-phase scale used worldwide to classify the severity of food insecurity.
16 October 2026
Mahila Kisan Diwas 2026 was celebrated at the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The theme was Role of Women Farmers in Building Developed Agriculture and a Developed India.
Secretary of the Department, Atish Chandra, presided and spoke of women's contribution to food security, rural livelihoods, natural resource management and agricultural development.
A compilation titled Women Farmers of India: Journey from Challenges to Success was released at the event.
Outstanding women farmers were felicitated for their achievements in agriculture and rural entrepreneurship.
The day was also marked across States and Union Territories and at Extension Education Institutes, SAMETIs and MANAGE, with emphasis on women farmers from tribal regions.
Venue:
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi
Theme:
Role of Women Farmers in Building Developed Agriculture and a Developed India
Book released:
Women Farmers of India: Journey from Challenges to Success
Why it matters for exams: Observance days, their themes and the organising department are common one-mark questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
MANAGE National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management — A Hyderabad-based institute of the Agriculture Ministry that trains extension managers.
Background
The Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2006 under criterion (v). The property has five components: Falaj Al Jeela, Falaj Muyasser, Falaj Daris, Falaj Malki and Falaj Khatmein. They represent more than 3,000 aflaj still in use in Oman, and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre says the aflaj still provide 30 to 50 per cent of the country's water use. Water is drawn from groundwater, springs or surface sources and moved by gravity alone through underground and surface channels, with aqueducts and siphons to cross wadi beds. The systems are classified by water source into the Daoudi, Ghaili and Aini types. Shares of water are allotted on a time basis and measured by a sundial, and the flow is directed through sluices.
Inscribed:
2006, criterion (v)
Components:
5 aflaj
Aflaj still in use:
more than 3,000
Share of water use:
30-50%
Why it matters for exams: Traditional water-harvesting systems and their UNESCO recognition are a recurring environment and culture question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Falaj Falaj (plural aflaj) — An Omani gravity-fed channel that carries water from a source to fields and houses.
Wadi Wadi — A valley or stream bed that carries water only after rain.
16 October 2026
The Central Government has approved India's accession to the Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA). India has been a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party since 2022, with a limited say in the Scientific Committee and the Compliance Committee; as a Contracting Party it gains full participation and access to stock assessments. Indian-flagged vessels will be able to carry out authorised fishing of squid, toothfish, alfonsino and other non-migratory stocks in the SIOFA area. India will also take part in the High Seas Boarding and Inspection Scheme adopted by SIOFA. The release notes that the high seas make up about 65% of the global ocean and that Indian fishing vessels at present operate mostly within 60-80 nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone.
Share of the global ocean that is high seas:
about 65%
Year India became a Cooperating Non-Contracting Party:
2022
Present operating range of Indian fishing vessels:
60-80 nautical miles
Why it matters for exams: Accession to a regional fisheries management organisation links India's blue economy push to international law of the sea, a standard question area.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SIOFA Southern Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement — A regional agreement that manages non-migratory fish stocks in the southern Indian Ocean high seas.
IUU fishing Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing — Fishing that breaks rules or goes unrecorded, which regional bodies try to curb.
Background
Kerala presents its State honours for letters and the arts this month, so it is worth being exact about a Kerala ritual the world has already recorded as living heritage.
Mudiyettu is a ritual theatre and dance drama of Kerala, inscribed for India on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
It retells a myth about a battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika: the sage Narada asks Shiva to restrain Darika, who cannot be defeated by mortals, and Shiva decrees that Kali will kill him.
It is a community ritual in which the entire village participates, performed after the summer harvest, with villagers gathering at the temple early in the morning on a set day.
The performers fast and pray to purify themselves, then draw a large image of Kali, the kalam, on the temple floor with coloured powders, and the goddess's spirit is invoked.
It is performed yearly in Bhagavati Kavus, the goddess's temples, in villages along the Chalakkudy Puzha, the Periyar and the Moovattupuzha rivers.
Each caste takes part through mutual cooperation, which builds a shared identity and bonds within the community.
Elders and senior performers pass the tradition on by bringing younger people in as apprentices during performances, transmitting the community's values, ethics, moral codes and aesthetic norms.
Country of inscription:
India
Myth enacted:
The battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika
Season:
After the summer harvest
Venue:
Bhagavati Kavus, the goddess's temples
Rivers along which it is performed:
Chalakkudy Puzha, Periyar and Moovattupuzha
Floor drawing:
Kalam, a large image of Kali in coloured powders
Why it matters for exams: Kerala's second element on the intangible heritage list, its kalam and the rivers it belongs to are exactly what a culture question asks.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kalam Floor drawing in coloured powders — The large image of the goddess drawn on the temple floor before the performance.
Bhagavati Kavu Grove temple of the goddess — The village shrine of the goddess where Mudiyettu is staged each year.
Background
As the State reworks its housing scheme for fishing families and presses the Centre on deaths at sea, the district that runs two fishing harbours is worth knowing.
Kollam, the erstwhile Quilon, is a southern district of Kerala about 70 km north of Thiruvananthapuram, with the Arabian sea on the west and Tamil Nadu on the east.
Its district area is 2491 sq km and its district population 25,84,118, which makes it one of the more densely peopled districts of India.
Administratively it is composed of two revenue divisions, Kollam and Punalur, with three taluks each under them, and the headquarters is at Kollam City.
The heart land of the district is veined by the Ashtamudi lake, a massive multi-branched water body, which with the Kollam canal gives Kollam a place of prominence in the waterway systems of the country.
Its eastern side carries a considerably large forest cover with eco-tourism projects such as Shenduruni, Thenmala and Palaruvi, and the annual rainfall is 270 cms.
Kollam has been the centre of the cashew industry in Kerala from the time of the Portuguese in the 16th century, and with hundreds of working cashew factories it continues to be the largest processed cashew exporter in India.
Neendakara and Thangasseri are its two fishing harbours and ports, and the Thangasseri light house, the St. Thomas Fort and cemetery built by the Portuguese, Thevally Palace and Cheenakkottaram mark its colonial past.
Former name:
Quilon
District area:
2491 Sq.Km.
District population:
25,84,118
Revenue divisions:
Kollam and Punalur, with three taluks each
Annual rainfall:
270 Cms.
Fishing harbours and ports:
Neendakara and Thangasseri
Why it matters for exams: Kollam's revenue divisions, the Ashtamudi lake and its rank in the cashew trade are the facts Kerala PSC asks about this district.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
Revenue division Group of taluks under a Deputy Collector — An administrative layer between the district and the taluk in Kerala's revenue system.
Background
Work on the Kalladi-Anakkampoyil tunnel road that would open this district towards Kozhikode has stayed suspended for three months after a landslide at Kalladi, so the district it serves is worth knowing.
Wayanad came into existence on 1 November 1980 as the 12th District of Kerala, made up of the Mananthavady, Sulthanbathery and Vythiri taluks.
It was carved out from the then Kozhikode and Kannur districts.
The name Wayanad is derived from Vayal Nadu, which means the land of paddy fields.
It is a plateau between 700 and 2100 metres above mean sea level, in the Western Ghats on the eastern portion of north Kerala, bordering Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
About 885.92 square kilometres of the district is under forest, and its culture is mainly tribal oriented.
The district administration calls it perhaps one of the biggest foreign exchange earners of the State, with its production of cash crops like pepper, cardamom, coffee, tea, spices and other condiments.
Formed:
1 November 1980, as the 12th District of Kerala
Taluks at formation:
Mananthavady, Sulthanbathery and Vythiri
Carved out from:
The then Kozhikode and Kannur districts
Elevation:
700 to 2100 metres above mean sea level
Area under forest:
About 885.92 sq km
Why it matters for exams: District formation order, parent districts and taluks are among the most reliably asked Kerala PSC facts.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
Taluk Revenue subdivision of a district — The administrative unit between a district and a village in Kerala's revenue system.
Background
Palakkad, the district where the Sreekrishnapuram case now before the Kerala High Court arose, is one of the fourteen districts of Kerala and has no coastal line. The district opens the State to the rest of the country through the Palakkad Gap, a break in the Western Ghats with a width of 32 to 40 kilometres. Palakkad is one of the main granaries of Kerala and its economy is primarily agricultural. Its geographical position, historical background, educational status and tourism sites give the district a distinct character within the State.
Districts in Kerala:
14
Width of the Palakkad Gap:
32 to 40 km
Coastline:
None
Mainstay of the economy:
Agriculture
Why it matters for exams: The Palakkad Gap, the district's landlocked position and its role as a granary are repeatedly asked in Kerala PSC geography papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Palakkad Gap Palghat Gap — A natural break in the Western Ghats that forms the main land route between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
15 October 2026
The Kerala government told the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday, 15 October 2026, that Forest department action in Chinnakkanal, Idukki district, was restricted to dismantling unauthorised and illegal fencing. Forest Minister Shibu Baby John and Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar set out the government's position. The Opposition CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front had moved an adjournment motion to discuss hardships faced by farmers and residents of localities including Chinnakkanal, Panthalikkalam and Shanthampara. The motion concerned an order issued by the Idukki District Collector on 23 September 2026 authorising the removal of fences, walls and other structures put up by them. The LDF staged a walkout after the motion was denied.
District:
Idukki
Collector's order dated:
23 September 2026
Localities named:
Chinnakkanal, Panthalikkalam, Shanthampara
Ministers who replied:
Shibu Baby John and A.P. Anil Kumar
Why it matters for exams: Forest land disputes in Idukki, the District Collector's powers and Assembly adjournment motions are all live Kerala PSC topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
District Collector Head of district revenue administration — The senior-most revenue officer of a district, who issues orders on land and public order matters.
15 October 2026
Intensifying fighting in Yemen has cut off life-saving assistance to 800,000 people, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday, 14 October 2026.
Shifting frontlines, blocked roads and growing insecurity are severely restricting access to the city of Taiz and other conflict zones.
WFP and partners cannot access more than 600,000 people in Taiz who depend on humanitarian assistance, including more than 200,000 women and children.
In Taiz governorate, 10 out of 16 districts are already classified at emergency levels of food insecurity.
More than 18 million people in Yemen face acute food insecurity, and 2.2 million children under five are acutely malnourished, including 500,000 with severe acute malnutrition.
Recent WFP monitoring in accessible areas found nearly 75 per cent of households unable to meet their basic food needs, a record for the year.
WFP says it requires $268 million to sustain operations through 2027.
People now out of reach nationwide:
800,000
Unreachable in Taiz:
More than 600,000
Facing acute food insecurity:
More than 18 million
WFP requirement through 2027:
$268 million
Why it matters for exams: Food security figures from WFP are among the most frequently asked facts about Yemen, and the funding requirement is a typical data question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
WFP World Food Programme — The United Nations agency that delivers food assistance in emergencies.
Severe acute malnutrition SAM — The most life-threatening form of acute malnutrition in young children.
15 October 2026
The Changthang visioning report, titled 'Vision from the Highlands: Building a Shared Future for Rangelands, Wildlife and Communities', was released at Leh on 8 October 2026.
Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra took part in the launch, held at The Grand Dragon, Leh.
The launch marked a milestone in the engagement of WWF-India's Western Himalayas Conservation Programme with Changthang.
The visioning process drew in pastoral representatives, Gobas, women's and youth groups, community leaders and local institutions.
Those present included Palga Rinpoche, Tashi Gyalson, former Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, and Konchok Stanzin, former Executive Councillor from Chushul.
Ravi Singh, Secretary General and Chief Executive of WWF-India, Jamshyd N. Godrej, Trustee, and Dr Sejal Worah, Programme Director, attended for WWF-India.
The University of Ladakh, the G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, the Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust, Himotthan and NABARD were among the organisations named.
Changthang is the high plateau of eastern Ladakh whose rangelands support the pashmina goat herds.
Report title:
Vision from the Highlands: Building a Shared Future for Rangelands, Wildlife and Communities
Released at:
Leh, 8 October 2026
Conservation programme:
WWF-India's Western Himalayas Conservation Programme
Why it matters for exams: Rangeland conservation with herders as participants is a live theme in environment papers, and the report's title and partners are checkable facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Rangeland Rangeland — Open grazing land that supports livestock and wild herbivores rather than crops.
NABARD National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development — The apex development bank for agriculture and rural India.
15 October 2026
Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil, flagged off a consignment of 20 metric tonnes of sea buckthorn pulp to Delhi on 12 October 2026.
It was the final consignment of the season from the Rabbani Agri Processing Unit at Sankoo, which works with Well with India Private Limited of Delhi.
Mohamed Hassan, co-founder of the processing unit, and Executive Councillor Altaf Hussain were present.
At the Ladakh Advisory Council meeting of 13 October 2026, sea buckthorn production in the union territory was put at 2,200 tonnes this year.
A processing plant is coming up in Nubra, and a Sea Buckthorn Conclave was held earlier in the year.
Sea buckthorn is a thorny shrub of the cold desert whose berries are used in juices and health products.
Consignment:
20 metric tonnes of pulp
Processing unit:
Rabbani Agri Processing Unit, Sankoo
Production this year:
2,200 tonnes
New plant coming up at:
Nubra
Why it matters for exams: Sea buckthorn is the signature cold desert crop of Ladakh and the processing figures show how a hill council is building a value chain.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Sea buckthorn Sea buckthorn — A hardy thorny shrub of cold deserts whose orange berries are rich in vitamin C.
15 October 2026
A 25 per cent subsidy has been extended to pashmina wool growers in Ladakh, as reported at the first meeting of the Ladakh Advisory Council on 13 October 2026.
The union territory has set a target of a pashmina goat population of 4 lakh by next year.
The stated purpose is to support the Changpa herders.
Pashmina development was one of the subjects the Advisory Council took up, alongside agricultural sustainability and local employment.
Pashmina is the fine undercoat of goats reared on the high Changthang plateau of eastern Ladakh.
The Changpa are the nomadic pastoralists of Changthang who rear these goats.
Subsidy to growers:
25 per cent
Goat population target:
4 lakh by next year
Community supported:
Changpa herders
Why it matters for exams: Pashmina, the Changpa and Changthang form a standard cluster in questions on pastoralism and geographical indications.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Changpa Changpa — The nomadic herders of the Changthang plateau in eastern Ladakh.
Pashmina Pashmina — The fine soft underfleece of high-altitude goats, woven into shawls.
15 October 2026
Project Him Sarovar, one of the five Ladakh projects listed for dedication on 15 October 2026 in the Prime Minister's Office announcement of 14 October 2026, covers 40 water bodies across 40 villages.
The water bodies are built under Mission Amrit Sarovar.
They are meant to store water during periods of abundance for use in the sowing season, supporting irrigation and long-term water security.
At the Ladakh Advisory Council meeting on 13 October 2026, the project was described as creating storage ponds to harness glacial and snowmelt runoff.
Long-term water security was the first subject the Council took up.
Ladakh is a cold desert, and its cultivation depends on meltwater channelled through village canals.
Water bodies:
40
Villages covered:
40
Parent mission:
Mission Amrit Sarovar
Why it matters for exams: Mission Amrit Sarovar is a central scheme whose local application in a cold desert makes a good linking question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Cold desert Cold desert — A region with very little rainfall but very low temperatures, as in Ladakh.
Runoff Runoff — Water that flows over the surface instead of soaking in.