6 October 2026
The Assam Cabinet approved the Assam Sustainable Wetland and Integrated Fisheries Transformation (SWIFT) Project at a total cost of ₹796.88 crore.
It includes an Asian Development Bank loan of ₹637.504 crore and a state contribution of ₹159.376 crore.
The project will restore at least 102 derelict community beels, the floodplain wetlands of Assam.
ADB's own project page records approval of a US$71.90 million loan on 12 December 2025.
Its aim is to raise the income of beel fishermen through better management and diversified livelihoods.
Total cost:
₹796.88 crore
ADB loan:
₹637.504 crore
State contribution:
₹159.376 crore
Beels to be restored:
at least 102
Why it matters for exams: Wetlands, externally aided projects and fisheries policy are common in environment and economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Beel Floodplain wetland — A beel is a floodplain wetland in Assam that supports fisheries.
ADB Asian Development Bank — A multilateral development bank financing projects in Asia.
6 October 2026
The Ministry of Rural Development has notified the Schedule of Permissible Works under the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, known as VB-G RAM G.
The Schedule lists 375 works, a 41 per cent expansion over the 266 works under the previous framework.
The works are grouped under four pillars: Water Security (128), Core Rural Infrastructure (111), Livelihood-related Infrastructure (98) and Special Works for Extreme Weather Events and Disaster Preparedness (38).
The disaster pillar is a dedicated category for the first time in the rural works framework.
Livelihood-related works now make up 26 per cent of the total, against 1.1 per cent earlier.
Every work will originate in the Viksit Gram Panchayat Plan approved by the Gram Sabha and be tracked through the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack.
Permissible works:
375
Earlier framework:
266 works
Water Security works:
128
Livelihood share:
26 per cent
Why it matters for exams: Rural employment legislation and scheme design are core polity and rural-development topics for UPSC and PSC papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
VB-G RAM G Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) — The 2025 Act under which the new schedule of rural works is notified.
Gram Sabha Village assembly — The body of all voters in a village that approves the works plan.
6 October 2026
Chief Minister V D Satheesan inaugurated the distribution of 'She Scooters' on Monday, 5 October 2026, as part of the Government's 100-day action programme.
The scheme gives women from fishing communities an electric scooter for selling fish; the Fisheries Department had invited applications with a subsidy of ₹1 lakh towards the scooter, with the balance to be met by the beneficiary through a bank loan.
Applicants must not own a two-wheeler, must live permanently in a fishing village, be members of the Fishermen's Welfare Fund Board and have sold fish for at least two years; the minimum education is Class 10.
The age limit is 45 for fisherwomen and 50 for SAF entrepreneurs.
The scheme runs through the Society for Assistance to Fisherwomen (SAF), and was announced in the State Budget with a pilot for 100 women.
Subsidy per scooter:
₹1 lakh
Balance cost:
Bank loan by the beneficiary
Implementing society:
SAF (Society for Assistance to Fisherwomen)
Pilot size:
100 women
Age limit:
45 years (fisherwomen), 50 years (SAF entrepreneurs)
Why it matters for exams: New State welfare schemes for fisherfolk, with their eligibility rules and implementing agencies, are likely Kerala PSC questions.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
SAF Society for Assistance to Fisherwomen — A society under the Fisheries Department that supports livelihood activities of fisherwomen.
Subsidy Subsidy — A part of the cost paid by the Government so that the buyer pays less.
6 October 2026
Supplyco's Managing Director has been permitted to release ₹1,62,51,235 as State Incentive Bonus for 25,75,473 kg of paddy procured together from the Rani and Chithira kayal fields in Alappuzha district.
Food Minister Anoop Jacob said the amount was released urgently on the direction of Chief Minister V D Satheesan.
Kerala pays a State Incentive Bonus of ₹6.31 per kg to farmers, over and above the Central minimum support price.
The Centre had asked the State to stop the extra bonus, but Kerala's stand is to keep paying it.
The fields, Rani (467 acres) and Chithira (469 acres), are farmed together under a contract with the District Collector since 2014, so the money goes in the Collector's name.
Bonus sanctioned:
₹1,62,51,235
Paddy procured:
25,75,473 kg
Bonus rate:
₹6.31 per kg
Why it matters for exams: Paddy procurement, Supplyco and the State Incentive Bonus over the MSP are recurring Kerala agriculture topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
5 October 2026
The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has deployed Flying Squads in 34 districts of Punjab and Haryana for 1 October to 30 November 2026.
The deployment covers 18 districts in Punjab and 16 in Haryana during the paddy harvesting season.
The squads will assess ground conditions and coordinate with farmers, the Parali Protection Force, district authorities and State Pollution Control Boards.
The situation will be reported daily to the CAQM Cell at SAS Nagar.
Districts covered:
34
Punjab / Haryana:
18 / 16
Period:
1 Oct – 30 Nov 2026
Why it matters for exams: Air-quality governance and stubble-burning control are recurring environment questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
CAQM Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas — The statutory commission that coordinates air-pollution control in the NCR and nearby areas.
CPCB Central Pollution Control Board — The national body that monitors and sets standards for pollution.
5 October 2026
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan launched Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 works at Kothapalli in the Proddatur Assembly constituency of Kadapa district on 5 October 2026.
The estimated cost is ₹30,156 crore, to extend drinking water to another 27 lakh rural households.
The works include 13,075 overhead water tanks, expansion of supply to 24,601 habitations and a 77,243-km pipeline extension.
The project will strengthen supply to a total of 61.60 lakh tap connections, ultimately benefiting 3.3 crore people.
Of nearly 95 lakh rural households in the State, around 62 lakh already have household tap connections.
Estimated cost:
₹30,156 crore
Additional rural households:
27 lakh
Overhead water tanks:
13,075
Pipeline extension:
77,243 km
Total tap connections:
61.60 lakh
Why it matters for exams: Jal Jeevan Mission is the Centre's rural tap-water scheme; state-level rollouts and their outlays are a common polity and rural-development question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
JJM Jal Jeevan Mission — The Centre's mission, started in 2019, to give every rural household a tap water connection.
Background
The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act is one of the four documents from which the Central Government's commitments to the newly created State of Andhra Pradesh flow, and under section 90 the Act declares the Polavaram Irrigation Project as a National Project. The Ministry of Finance records that the Polavaram Project is on the river Godavari near Ramayyapeta village of Polavaram mandal, about 42 km upstream of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in the State of Andhra Pradesh. It envisages construction of a dam and canal system to create an ultimate irrigation potential of 2,91,000 ha (7.2 lakh acres), generation of 960 MW of hydro power, drinking water supply to a population of 28.50 lakh in 540 villages, and diversion of 80 TMC of water to the Krishna river basin. Separately, under section 93 of the Act the institutions and infrastructure to be developed in the State are outlined in the Thirteenth Schedule, and the Act also provides for a developmental package for the backward areas of the State and for incentives in particular for the Rayalaseema and north coastal regions.
River:
river Godavari
Nearest village and mandal:
Ramayyapeta, Polavaram mandal
Distance upstream of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage:
42 km upstream
Ultimate irrigation potential:
2,91,000 ha (7.2 lakh acres)
Hydro power:
960 MW
Diversion to the Krishna basin:
80 TMC
Why it matters for exams: Polavaram's statutory status as a National Project, its river, and the 80 TMC diversion to the Krishna basin are among the most frequently examined facts about Andhra Pradesh's water resources.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
TMC thousand million cubic feet — A unit used in India for large volumes of stored or diverted water.
Mandal — The administrative unit below the district in Andhra Pradesh, equivalent to a taluk.
National Project — A status under which the Centre takes on a large share of an irrigation project's cost.
Background
The oceanic birds generally found in Lakshadweep are Tharathasi (Sterna fuscata) and Karifetu (Anous solidus). They are generally found in one of the uninhabited islands known as PITTI, and this island has been declared as a bird sanctuary.
Coconut, Thenga (Cacos nucifera) is the only crop of economic importance in Lakshadweep, and it is grown in varieties such as Laccadive micro, Laccadive ordinary and green dwarf.
Two different varieties of sea grass are seen adjacent to the beaches, Thalassia hemprichin and Cymodocea isoetifolia; they prevent sea erosion and the movement of the beach sediments.
Banana, Colocassia (Colocassia antiquarum), drumstick (Moringa Oleifera), bread fruit (Artocarpus incisa) and wild almond (Terminalia Catappa) are grown extensively, while shrub jungle plants such as Kanni, Punna, Chavok (Casurina equisetifolia) and Cheerani (Thespesia Populnea) are unevenly grown throughout the islands.
Among molluscan forms the money cowrie (cypraea monita) is found in abundance in the shallow lagoons and reefs, and among crabs the hermit crab is the most common.
Colourful coral fish found in plenty include parrot fish (Callyedon sordidus), butterfly fish (Chaetodon auriga) and surgeon fish (Acanthurus lineotus).
Uninhabited island declared a bird sanctuary:
PITTI
Only crop of economic importance:
Coconut, Thenga (Cacos nucifera)
Oceanic birds generally found:
Tharathasi (Sterna fuscata) and Karifetu (Anous solidus)
Sea grasses adjacent to the beaches:
Thalassia hemprichin and Cymodocea isoetifolia
Why it matters for exams: Two facts here are asked again and again: that an uninhabited island of Lakshadweep is a bird sanctuary, and that coconut is the territory's single crop of economic importance, which is why coir and copra dominate its industry.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Sea grass Sea grass — A flowering plant that grows in shallow seawater and holds the sea bed and the beach in place.
Money cowrie Money cowrie (cypraea monita) — A small sea snail whose shell was once used as currency across the Indian Ocean.
Sea erosion Sea erosion — The wearing away of a shoreline by waves and currents.
Background
The district is in the news as the Kerala government has invited tenders for infrastructure development at the Palakkad Smart City, the Integrated Manufacturing Cluster being developed in the Puthussery Central and Kannambra areas as part of the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor; the first-phase package is estimated at Rs. 1,100 crore and is targeted for completion within four years, and implementation is coordinated by the Kerala Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Ltd (KICDC), a special purpose vehicle formed jointly by the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust and the Government of Kerala with equal equity participation. Palakkad 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 with a width of 32 to 40 Kms. The present Palakkad district, as an administrative unit, was formed on the first of January 1957. The district is one of the main granaries of Kerala and its economy is primarily agricultural, and it is also the land of Palmyrahs. It consists of 2 revenue divisions, 6 taluks and 157 revenue Villages, with 13 block panchayats and 88 village panchayats, and the District headquarters is at Palakkad Town.
Formed as an administrative unit on:
the first of January 1957
Width of the Palakkad Gap:
32 to 40 Kms
Local bodies:
13 block panchayats and 88 village panchayats
Revenue divisions, taluks and villages:
2 revenue divisions, 6 taluks and 157 revenue Villages
District headquarters:
Palakkad Town
Why it matters for exams: The Palakkad Gap, the district's formation date and its 'granary of Kerala' tag are recurring one-mark questions, and the industrial corridor project makes the district current.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Integrated Manufacturing Cluster IMC — A planned industrial area with its own roads, power, water and effluent systems built before factories arrive.
Special purpose vehicle SPV — A company formed only to carry out one project.
Background
The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, notified the development of a tuna cluster in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
The islands have an exclusive economic zone of about 6.0 lakh square kilometres.
Estimated tuna and tuna-like resources in that zone are put at 60,000 metric tonnes.
The cluster is meant to generate economies of scale, raise incomes and bring organised growth through investor partnerships, training and infrastructure for fish landing, processing and export.
Government investment in the fisheries sector since 2015 is given as ₹38,572 crores.
Exclusive economic zone:
About 6.0 lakh sq km
Tuna and tuna-like resources:
60,000 metric tons
Scheme:
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana
Investment in fisheries since 2015:
₹38,572 crores
Why it matters for exams: Fisheries clusters, the exclusive economic zone and PMMSY link a Union Territory's economy to a central scheme that Kerala candidates also study.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PMMSY Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana — The central scheme for development of the fisheries sector, covering production, infrastructure and exports.
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone — The sea area up to 200 nautical miles from the baseline where a coastal state has rights over living and non-living resources.
4 October 2026
The Ministry of Textiles announced on 4 October 2026 that Reform Utsav 2026 will be held at Hyderabad, Telangana, on 6 October 2026, organised through the Cotton Corporation of India Ltd.
The reforms to be showcased centre on empowering cotton farmers, improving transparency and strengthening India's cotton value chain.
The Kapas Kisan digital platform allows farmer registration, slot booking, procurement communication and Aadhaar-enabled payments.
Contamination control and digital traceability work is being taken up under Kasturi Cotton Bharat.
The High-Density Planting System is the productivity-oriented intervention named to address the productivity gap in Indian cotton.
The same showcase will also cover the Central Silk Board's sericulture work - silk germplasm conservation, silkworm rearing, cocoon production, reeling, weaving and dyeing demonstrations, Silk Mark, host-plant and moth parks - alongside the cotton reforms.
Government officials, Telangana representatives, policymakers, farmers and industry stakeholders are to take part.
Event:
Reform Utsav 2026
Venue and date:
Hyderabad, Telangana, 6 October 2026
Organiser:
Ministry of Textiles through Cotton Corporation of India Ltd.
Digital platform:
Kapas Kisan
Why it matters for exams: Kasturi Cotton Bharat and the Cotton Corporation of India recur in agriculture and textiles questions, and a new digital procurement platform is fresh material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
CCI Cotton Corporation of India Ltd. — A public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Textiles that undertakes price support purchase of cotton from growers.
Kasturi Cotton Bharat Kasturi Cotton Bharat — India's branding and traceability programme for certified Indian cotton.
Background
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Its goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO has 194 members, made up of 193 countries and the European Union, and works in over 130 countries worldwide.
Members:
194
Countries among them:
193
Countries of operation:
over 130
Why it matters for exams: Specialized-agency membership details, including the EU as a member organisation, are asked in PSC and UPSC papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization — UN specialized agency leading efforts against hunger.
Background
The Census of India records 4,84,839 Scheduled Tribe persons in Kerala, about 1.45 per cent of the population.
The State has 36 recognised Scheduled Tribe communities, including Paniyan, Kurichyan, Kuruman, Kattunayakan, Adiyan, Irular, Muthuvan, Malayarayan, Ullatan and Kadar.
Wayanad has the largest ST population, followed by Idukki and Palakkad.
The Government of Kerala State Profile page gives these figures.
Scheduled Tribe population:
4,84,839
Share of population:
1.45 per cent
Recognised ST communities:
36
District with most STs:
Wayanad
Why it matters for exams: Tribal demography and district-wise distribution are regular Kerala PSC questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
4 October 2026
The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) Rajasthan Unit, under the Ministry of Finance, held awareness programmes in opium cultivation areas.
The programmes marked National Anti-Drug Addiction Day and the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
At the University of Kota, a session was held under Operation Yuva Raksha, with Deputy Narcotics Commissioner Naresh Bundel as Chief Guest.
Programmes for opium cultivators were also held by the district offices at Kota, Jhalawar, Bhilwara and Chittorgarh.
Participants took the 'Oath for an Addiction-Free India' and pledged to spread awareness in their communities.
Campaign under which Kota University session held:
Operation Yuva Raksha
Why it matters for exams: Agencies under the Finance Ministry and anti-drug campaigns are routine governance and general-awareness questions.
Kerala PSCSSC
In plain words
CBN Central Bureau of Narcotics — A Finance Ministry agency that works in the field of narcotics control, including opium cultivation areas.
Background
Kollam, earlier Quilon, covers 2491 sq. km and is flanked by the Arabian Sea on the west and Tamil Nadu on the east.
Its heartland is veined by the Ashtamudi lake, a massive multi-branched water body dotted with islands, and the Kollam canal cuts through the city.
The district has been the centre of the cashew industry in Kerala since the Portuguese in the 16th century and is still the largest processed cashew exporter in India.
Neendakara and Thangasseri are its two fishing harbours and ports.
The district has 11 constituencies and an annual rainfall of 270 cm.
Area:
2491 sq. km
Constituencies:
11
Annual rainfall:
270 cm
Why it matters for exams: District profiles, lakes and the cashew industry are staple Kerala PSC topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Codex Alimentarius is a collection of internationally adopted food standards and related texts presented in a uniform manner. It is drawn up under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. These food standards and related texts aim at protecting consumers' health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade. Since its foundation in 1963, the Codex system has evolved in an open, transparent and inclusive way. While being recommendations for voluntary application by members, Codex standards serve in many cases as a basis for national legislation. The reference made to Codex food safety standards in the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures means that Codex has far reaching implications for resolving trade disputes. The Codex Alimentarius Commission has 189 Codex Members, made up of 188 Member Countries and 1 Member Organization, which is the European Union. Membership of the Commission is open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of FAO and WHO which are interested in international food standards.
Year the Codex system was founded:
1963
Programme under which it is drawn up:
Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme
Legal standing of a Codex standard:
recommendations for voluntary application
Codex Members:
189
Member countries:
188
The single member organization:
The European Union
Why it matters for exams: The joint FAO and WHO parentage of Codex, its voluntary standards and the link to the WTO's sanitary agreement are frequent questions on food safety institutions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Codex Alimentarius Codex Alimentarius — The collection of internationally adopted food standards and related texts drawn up under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
SPS Agreement Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures — The World Trade Organization agreement on food safety and animal and plant health measures, which refers to Codex food safety standards.
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — The United Nations agency for food and agriculture, which runs the food standards programme jointly with the World Health Organization.
3 October 2026
The Kerala Government has given in-principle administrative sanction for phase one of a new fishing harbour at Vizhinjam.
The plan has a 235-metre breakwater at the entrance to the existing Vizhinjam harbour and a 500-metre L-shaped fishery berth.
The work will be carried out by Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd, the operator of the Vizhinjam international seaport.
Phase one includes dredging, lighting and road connectivity.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan said the harbour will help fishermen safely dock their boats and load and unload fish.
The Week reports that the Central Water and Power Research Station's wave-model studies shaped the revised design.
Breakwater:
235 metres
Fishery berth:
500 metres, L-shaped
Executing company:
Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd
Sanction:
In-principle, phase one
Why it matters for exams: Vizhinjam is Kerala's flagship port; its fishing-harbour commitment ties port development to coastal livelihoods.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Breakwater Breakwater — A barrier built in the sea to shelter a harbour from waves.
CWPRS Central Water and Power Research Station — The agency whose physical wave-model studies shaped the revised harbour design, per The Week.
3 October 2026
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah addressed the Gaupalak Sammelan at Dussehra Maidan, Bhopal, on 3 October 2026 and inaugurated a State-level exhibition on the New Criminal Laws.
He said India is the world's largest milk-producing country and per capita milk availability has risen from about 307 grams to 485 grams a day, a rise of about 58%.
Under White Revolution 2.0, 75,000 new cooperative dairies will be established and 46,000 existing dairies strengthened.
The Madhya Pradesh Government has set a target to raise daily milk procurement from 12 lakh kg to 52 lakh kg, and gave in-principle approval for 50 acres of land for breed improvement of cattle and buffaloes.
He said cooperatives help livestock rearers get remunerative prices by cutting out intermediaries and sharing the gains of processing and value addition.
New cooperative dairies (White Revolution 2.0):
75,000
Existing dairies to be strengthened:
46,000
Per capita milk availability:
307 g to 485 g a day
Madhya Pradesh daily procurement target:
12 lakh kg to 52 lakh kg
Why it matters for exams: Dairy cooperatives, the Ministry of Cooperation and the new criminal laws are all regular exam areas.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Hook: Vembanad, the backwater that dominates Alappuzha, was in this archive's backwater and river profile.
Alappuzha is called the Venice of the East, a name attributed to Lord Curzon.
It has an 82 km contiguous coastline and 80% of the district lies in the coastal region.
Water bodies make up 13% of the district, and it is the only district in Kerala with no high land and forest area.
Kuttanad, the rice bowl of Kerala, lies below sea level.
The Pamba, Manimala and Achenkovil rivers form a delta region near Vembanad lake.
Coastline:
82 km contiguous
Coastal share of district:
80%
Water bodies:
13% of the district
Kuttanad:
Rice bowl of Kerala, below sea level
Why it matters for exams: Kuttanad and Alappuzha's unique geography are frequently asked in Kerala PSC and geography papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kuttanad — The low-lying paddy region of Alappuzha that lies below sea level.
Background
Hook: KSEB's peak-hour power purchase and the talk of power cuts keep Idukki's hydro projects in focus.
Idukki was created on 26 January 1972 and lies in the Western Ghats.
The district administration says it is geographically known for mountainous hills and dense forests.
More than half of the district is covered by forests, and it has the lowest population density in Kerala.
It is the second largest district in area and is known as the spice garden of Kerala.
About 66% of the State's power needs come from the hydroelectric projects in Idukki.
Rank by area:
Second largest district
Hydro share of State power:
About 66%
Nickname:
Spice garden of Kerala
Why it matters for exams: District profile facts such as nicknames, rank by area and power share are staple Kerala PSC questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Western Ghats Mountain range along India's west coast — The mountain chain that runs along Kerala's eastern edge.