13 October 2026
The PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2021, has completed five years, the Commerce Ministry said on 13 October 2026. The digital platform has integrated more than 1,800 data layers and covers 58 Central Ministries and Departments and all 36 States and Union Territories. The Network Planning Group has evaluated 421 infrastructure projects worth approximately ₹20.23 lakh crore. The platform was developed indigenously by BISAG-N. The release says the government has decided to set up an Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority (ITLA) for research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment in transport and logistics.
Data layers integrated:
more than 1,800
Central Ministries and Departments:
58
Projects evaluated:
421, worth about ₹20.23 lakh crore
Developed by:
BISAG-N
Why it matters for exams: GatiShakti, its institutional set-up and its coverage figures are common in infrastructure and economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
BISAG-N Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics — The institute that built the GatiShakti platform.
ITLA Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority — A body the government has decided to set up for research, planning and monitoring in transport and logistics.
13 October 2026
The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation has stepped up its drive for the Amnesty Scheme, 2026, which regularises the exempt status of Provident Fund trusts with retrospective effect. The amnesty provisions form part of the Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 2026, notified on 29 June 2026. The window runs for six months from notification and closes on 28 December 2026. It is open to PF trusts recognised under the Income Tax Act, 1961 that lack a formal exemption order under Section 17 of the EPF and MP Act, 1952 or Section 143 of the Code on Social Security, 2020. Operational guidelines were issued in a circular dated 11 July 2026.
Scheme notified:
29 June 2026
Circular with guidelines:
11 July 2026
Window:
6 months
Closing date:
28 December 2026
Why it matters for exams: Social-security law, EPFO and the Code on Social Security, 2020 are recurring topics in economy, labour and bank-exam current affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
EPFO Employees' Provident Fund Organisation — The body that administers provident fund schemes under the Labour Ministry.
13 October 2026
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet cleared an integrated city bus terminal with commercial facilities at the P-4 parking area of Vrindavan Yojana, Lucknow, on 9 October 2026.
The total cost is Rs 265 crore: Rs 60 crore for the bus terminal and Rs 205 crore for commercial facilities, excluding land.
It will come up on about 7.06 acres under the DBFOT (design, build, finance, operate and transfer) model through the Directorate of Urban Transport.
The developer must maintain the terminal for 35 years and the commercial infrastructure for 90 years, and hands the terminal over to the Directorate free of cost after construction while continuing to operate it.
The terminal will add capacity for electric buses; 116 e-buses now run from the Dubagga depot and 300 more are being deployed.
Total cost:
Rs 265 crore
Bus terminal:
Rs 60 crore
Commercial facilities:
Rs 205 crore
Area:
about 7.06 acres
Maintenance terms:
35 years (terminal); 90 years (commercial)
Why it matters for exams: Public-private partnership models such as DBFOT and urban transport projects are asked in economy and governance papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DBFOT Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer — A PPP model in which a private developer builds, funds and runs an asset before handing it over.
PPP Public-Private Partnership — A project delivered jointly by the government and a private firm.
13 October 2026
The IMF published its twice-yearly World Economic Outlook in Bangkok on Tuesday 13 October 2026, as the IMF and World Bank annual meetings opened.
It revised 2026 global growth up to 3.1 per cent from 3 per cent in its previous outlook.
It forecasts the Middle East and Central Asia to shrink 0.3 per cent in 2026, against growth of 1.9 per cent projected in April, citing disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Kuwait, Iraq and Qatar face the deepest contractions: 16.7, 16 and 15.6 per cent.
It puts US growth at 2.3 per cent and China at 4.5 per cent.
Emergency oil stocks are low, and the IMF warns that without rebuilding buffers the global economy could soon test the limits of resilience.
2026 global growth:
3.1 per cent (up from 3 per cent)
Middle East and Central Asia, 2026:
-0.3 per cent
Venue of release:
Bangkok
Why it matters for exams: The IMF's World Economic Outlook figures and the Annual Meetings are staple economy and reports questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
World Economic Outlook IMF's biannual forecast report — It projects growth and inflation for the world and for individual countries.
Strait of Hormuz Waterway between the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf — In peacetime it carries about one-fifth of global oil supplies.
13 October 2026
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel on 12 October 2026.
It goes to Robert E. Hall of Stanford University and Michael Woodford of Columbia University, "for microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation".
Their models are built on how households and businesses, looking ahead, decide on saving and prices.
The Academy says such models let governments and central banks time fiscal and monetary measures to reduce the economy's peaks and troughs.
The work answered doubts raised in the 1970s oil crises, when Keynesian models seemed to fail.
The prize amount is 12 million Swedish kronor, shared equally.
Laureates:
Robert E. Hall (Stanford), Michael Woodford (Columbia)
Announced:
12 October 2026
Prize amount:
12 million Swedish kronor, shared equally
Why it matters for exams: The economics prize and the ideas behind stabilisation policy are frequent questions in economy and current affairs papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Stabilisation policy Fiscal and monetary policy used to smooth economic cycles — Government and central-bank measures that cut rates or raise spending in a slump and do the opposite in a boom.
Sveriges Riksbank Central bank of Sweden — The bank that funds this prize, which is not one of the original five Nobel prizes.
13 October 2026
Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr P. K. Mishra delivered the keynote at the inaugural session of the Conference of State Planning, Finance and IT Secretaries in New Delhi.
The conference was organised by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
He said a strong statistical system is essential for evidence-based policymaking and Viksit Bharat @ 2047.
He cited the new National Accounts Series with 2022-23 as the base year, with updated Consumer Price Index and Index of Industrial Production series.
He called statistics an instrument of cooperative federalism and said granular State, district and local data would be increasingly necessary.
He said AI and satellite imagery offer significant opportunities to improve official statistics, but that speed cannot come at the cost of accuracy.
Organiser:
MoSPI
Base year of new National Accounts Series:
2022-23
Why it matters for exams: The base-year revision of national accounts, CPI and IIP, and MoSPI's role are frequent economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MoSPI Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation — The Union ministry responsible for official statistics such as GDP, CPI and IIP.
Base year Base year — The reference year against which an index or series is measured.
13 October 2026
The 21st Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) concluded in Mumbai, chaired by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
It was the first meeting after the Council was recognised as a statutory consultative body under the Indian Ports Act, 2025, notified on 15 May 2026.
The Council was originally constituted in 1997.
It resolved that One Nation One Port Process reforms and integration with the Maritime Single Window (Sagar Setu) be implemented across all ports by March 2027.
States and Union Territories were told to notify subordinate rules under Section 77 of the Act within three months.
Two credit risk insurance products for shipbuilders were introduced under the National Shipbuilding Mission.
The Shipbuilding Project Credit Risk Insurance Policy for export projects was developed by ECGC Ltd., and the Business Credit Shield Policy-Shipbuilders for domestic projects by The New India Assurance Co. Ltd.
Council first constituted:
1997
Indian Ports Act, 2025 notified:
15 May 2026
Deadline for ONOP and Sagar Setu integration:
March 2027
Why it matters for exams: Port governance, shipbuilding policy and the Indian Ports Act, 2025 are topics in economy and infrastructure sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
MSDC Maritime State Development Council — The forum of the Centre and coastal States for coordinating port and maritime policy.
ONOP One Nation One Port Process — Reforms to standardise documentation and processes across all ports.
ECGC Export Credit Guarantee Corporation — The state-owned export credit insurer.
13 October 2026
Amnesty provisions were introduced as a transitional measure in the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) Scheme 2026, notified on 29 June 2026.
They allow one-time regularisation of exempt status of PF Trusts recognised under the Income Tax Act, 1961 but lacking a formal exemption order.
The missing order is one under section 17 of the EPF&MP Act, 1952 or section 143 of the Code on Social Security, 2020.
The window is open for six months and expires on 28 December 2026.
Benefits include waiver of the minimum employee headcount, corpus size and 3-year compliance rules, with flexibility to comply as exempt or unexempt afterwards.
Operational guidelines were issued in a circular of 11 July 2026.
Scheme notified:
29 June 2026
Amnesty window ends:
28 December 2026
Window length:
6 months
Why it matters for exams: Labour and social security law, and the Code on Social Security 2020, are staple topics for economy and governance papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
EPFO Employees' Provident Fund Organisation — The statutory body that administers provident fund schemes for workers.
Exempt establishment Exempt establishment — An employer allowed to run its own PF Trust instead of depositing with EPFO.
CoSS Code on Social Security, 2020 — The labour code that consolidates social security laws including provident fund.
13 October 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on 13 October 2026 with Karel Havlíček, 1st Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.
They reviewed the entire spectrum of defence industrial cooperation between the two countries.
Both sides agreed to expand cooperation, including under the India-Czech Joint Defence Committee, to promote Make-in-India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
They welcomed the successful establishment of various joint ventures.
Mr Havlíček is on a four-day visit to India and will visit industries in Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Visiting leader:
Karel Havlíček
Forum:
India-Czech Joint Defence Committee
Length of visit:
Four days
Why it matters for exams: Bilateral defence engagements and the bodies that anchor them, such as joint committees, are asked in international-relations and defence sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Joint Defence Committee India-Czech Joint Defence Committee — The bilateral forum that oversees defence cooperation between the two countries.
13 October 2026
Indian Railways loaded 135.35 million tonnes of freight in September 2026, against 127.52 million tonnes in September 2025.
This is a growth of 6.14 per cent over the corresponding month last year.
Food grain loading grew by 25 per cent, clinker by 20 per cent, domestic container by 10 per cent and coal by 9 per cent.
Coal rakes supplied to power houses averaged 443 per day, against 397 per day in September 2025, a rise of 11.6 per cent.
Freight revenue rose by ₹1,266 crore, or 9.3 per cent, over September 2025.
Cumulative loading in April-September 2026 was 833.7 million tonnes, up 4.1 per cent.
September 2026 freight loading:
135.35 million tonnes
Growth:
6.14%
April-September 2026 loading:
833.7 million tonnes
Why it matters for exams: Monthly freight data from the Ministry of Railways is a regular source of economy and infrastructure questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Clinker Cement clinker — The intermediate product ground with gypsum to make cement.
13 October 2026
The PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, launched in October 2021, completes five years.
Its geospatial digital platform was developed indigenously by BISAG-N, the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics.
The platform integrates more than 1,800 data layers, covering 58 Central Ministries/Departments and all 36 States/Union Territories.
The Network Planning Group evaluated over 400 infrastructure projects worth approximately ₹20.23 lakh crore.
The PM GatiShakti Public platform, through the Unified Geospatial Interface, was launched in September 2025.
The Government has decided to set up an Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority (ITLA) for long-term transport planning.
Data layers integrated:
more than 1,800
Projects evaluated by NPG:
over 400, worth approximately ₹20.23 lakh crore
Developer:
BISAG-N
Why it matters for exams: GatiShakti is a flagship infrastructure planning framework; its developer, scale and the new logistics authority are likely recall questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
BISAG-N Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics — The institute that built the PM GatiShakti geospatial platform.
NPG Network Planning Group — The body that evaluates infrastructure projects on PM GatiShakti principles.
ITLA Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority — The authority the Government has decided to set up (also approved by the Union Cabinet) to strengthen research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment in transport and logistics.
13 October 2026
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in New Delhi on 13 October 2026, the forum's debut in India.
He presented the idea of 'Power to Empower', saying the true value of power lies in its purpose.
He said startups have grown from a few hundred in 2014 to over 2.5 lakh, with over 45 percent led by women.
He cited the open-source CoWIN platform as an example of India sharing digital capability with partner countries.
He said India surpassed its target of 40 percent non-fossil installed electricity capacity in November 2021, nine years ahead of schedule.
He said India supplied vaccines to over 100 countries during the pandemic.
Theme of address:
Power to Empower
Startups:
over 2.5 lakh
Non-fossil capacity target met:
November 2021
Why it matters for exams: Questions on digital public infrastructure, the startup ecosystem and India's non-fossil capacity target are common in current affairs papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
CoWIN COVID Vaccine Intelligence Network — India's open-source platform used to run COVID-19 vaccination.
JAM Trinity Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile — The link of bank accounts, Aadhaar identity and mobile numbers used for direct benefit transfers.
13 October 2026
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan told the Assembly the government is considering extending the term of the current Pay Revision Commission.
The commission was formed in February 2026, shortly before the Assembly election; its terms of reference were finalised in March.
The previous commission's term expired in July 2024.
The CM put dearness allowance (DA) arrears left by the previous government at Rs 21,670 crore and dearness relief (DR) arrears at Rs 14,387 crore.
The government is examining whether interim relief will be granted until the next pay revision.
DA arrears:
Rs 21,670 crore
DR arrears:
Rs 14,387 crore
Commission formed:
February 2026
Previous term expired:
July 2024
Why it matters for exams: Pay commissions, DA and DR are core Kerala government service and economy topics.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DA Dearness allowance — Allowance paid to employees to offset a rise in the cost of living.
DR Dearness relief — The equivalent of DA paid to pensioners.
Interim relief Interim relief — A temporary payment made until the pay revision is implemented.
Background
Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline, also known as Petroline, carries crude oil from the Eastern Province across the country to Yanbu on the Red Sea. Britannica records that Petroline was completed in 1981 from Al-Jubayl on the Persian Gulf to Yanbu, shortening the distance to Europe and avoiding navigation through the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. The Express Tribune describes it as about 1,200 km long, running from Abqaiq to Yanbu and lying entirely within Saudi territory. It is operated by Aramco, the state energy company. Saudi Arabia's Energy Minister said in October 2026 that the line began under King Fahd in the early 1980s and was expanded to 5 million barrels per day after directives issued in the 1990s; The Express Tribune puts its current maximum capacity at about 7 million barrels per day. The pipeline is in the news because Saudi Arabia now plans to raise its capacity to about 10 million barrels per day.
Western terminal:
Yanbu, Red Sea
Completed (Britannica):
1981
Length (Express Tribune):
about 1,200 km
Operator:
Aramco
Why it matters for exams: Pipelines that bypass chokepoints, and the ports at each end, are a favourite geography and energy-security question.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
India and Saudi Arabia established diplomatic relations in 1947, according to the Embassy of India in Riyadh. King Abdullah's visit to India in January 2006 produced the Delhi Declaration, and the Riyadh Declaration of 2010, during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit, raised ties to a Strategic Partnership. The Strategic Partnership Council Agreement was signed during Prime Minister Modi's Riyadh visit on 28–29 October 2019. Bilateral trade stood at USD 41.07 billion in FY 2025-26, with Indian exports of USD 10.28 billion and imports of USD 30.79 billion. Saudi Arabia is India's 5th largest trading partner, and India is Saudi Arabia's 2nd largest. About 2.74 million Indians live in the Kingdom, and India's annual Haj quota is 175,025. The safety of this community is in focus after the October 2026 attacks on Riyadh's airport, in which an Indian national died.
Diplomatic relations:
1947
Bilateral trade FY 2025-26:
USD 41.07 billion
Indian community:
about 2.74 million
Annual Haj quota:
175,025
Why it matters for exams: The milestones of India–Saudi ties (Delhi Declaration, Riyadh Declaration, Strategic Partnership Council) and trade and diaspora figures are standard exam material.
Kerala PSCUPSC
12 October 2026
Saudi Aramco President and CEO Amin Nasser told the WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh on Monday, 12 October 2026, that replenishing oil stocks could take approximately two years. He said Aramco is exploring additional crude oil export routes and expanding its storage outside the Kingdom. Nasser said disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on the region's energy infrastructure had revealed how interconnected the global supply chain is. He said the disruptions were adding pressure on crude and refined product markets, particularly diesel. Aramco aims to raise its sales gas by about 80 percent by 2030 compared with 2021 levels. Asharq Al-Awsat said more than 90% of the materials used in restoration work over the past eight months were sourced locally.
Time to replenish oil stocks:
approximately two years
Sales gas target:
about 80 percent by 2030 over 2021
Aramco CEO:
Amin Nasser
Why it matters for exams: Saudi Aramco is the state oil company of the world's largest crude exporter; its plans shape oil supply and prices for importers such as India.
Kerala PSCUPSC
12 October 2026
Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said on 12 October 2026, at the 25th WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, that Saudi Arabia plans to raise the capacity of its East-West Pipeline to about 10 million barrels per day. Gulf News and Asharq Al-Awsat said the target is to be reached within two to three years. The pipeline carries crude from the Eastern Province to export terminals at Yanbu on the Red Sea, an alternative to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The minister said the pipeline began under the late King Fahd in the early 1980s and was expanded to 5 million barrels per day following directives issued in the 1990s. Plans include upgrading pumping stations, transmission pipelines and associated gas infrastructure. He spoke in a ministerial session with OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais, who said OPEC estimates about $18 trillion in oil and gas investment is needed through 2050.
Target capacity:
about 10 million barrels per day
Timeline:
two to three years
Earlier expansion:
5 million barrels per day
Red Sea terminal:
Yanbu
Why it matters for exams: Routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz, such as the East-West Pipeline to Yanbu, are a key part of energy security questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
12 October 2026
The 25th WPC Energy Congress was inaugurated in Riyadh on Monday, 12 October 2026, the first time Saudi Arabia has hosted it in the event's more than 90-year history. Its theme is "Pathways to an Energy Future for All", and it runs from 11 to 15 October at the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center. It is the centrepiece of Riyadh Energy Week, which also includes an International Energy Forum ministerial meeting. Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman told delegates that "the word fear in the Saudi dictionary does not exist" and called Riyadh "the capital of energy security". He said Saudi Aramco had reached a 70% local content rate. The congress went ahead despite the missile and drone attacks on Riyadh; Arab News said Riyadh expected more than 25,000 attendees.
Edition:
25th WPC Energy Congress
Dates:
11–15 October 2026
Theme:
Pathways to an Energy Future for All
Aramco local content (minister):
70%
Why it matters for exams: Global energy conferences, their host cities and themes are standard current-affairs questions, and Saudi Arabia is the world's leading oil exporter.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
WPC Energy World Petroleum Council Energy — The global body that organises the World Petroleum Congress, now called the WPC Energy Congress.
12 October 2026
Construction of Portugal's Lisbon–Porto high-speed line began on Monday, 12 October 2026, with the first section from Porto-Campanhã to Oiã in the Aveiro district. The section has 71 kilometres of high-speed track and includes a new road-rail bridge over the Douro River and a new Vila Nova de Gaia-Santo Ovídio station. Once the line is complete, the trip between the two cities will take 1 hour and 15 minutes. The section costs around €2 billion and is a public-private partnership whose concession contract was signed on 29 July 2025. It is backed by €875 million from the European Investment Bank and €480 million from the Connecting Europe Facility. The government projects a Lisbon–Madrid journey of about three hours by 2034.
First section length:
71 km
Lisbon–Porto travel time:
1 hour 15 minutes
EIB financing:
€875 million
CEF funding:
€480 million
Why it matters for exams: Major cross-border infrastructure in Europe and EU funding instruments such as the EIB and CEF appear in economy and geography questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
EIB European Investment Bank — The lending institution of the European Union, based in Luxembourg.
CEF Connecting Europe Facility — An EU fund for transport, energy and digital links across member states.
12 October 2026
The Research, Development and Innovation Fund (RDIF) announced its first cohort of 19 Second Level Fund Managers (SLFMs). The Empowered Group of Secretaries, meeting on October 08, 2026, approved 14 Alternative Investment Funds and 5 Focused Research Organisations. The total RDIF commitment to them is ₹7,131 crore. The ₹1 lakh crore RDI Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister in November 2025. The Fund is managed by an Independent Business Unit housed within the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) under the Department of Science and Technology. The fund managers will channel capital to enterprises working at Technology Readiness Level 4 and above.
Second Level Fund Managers approved:
19
Total RDIF commitment:
₹7,131 crore
Scheme size:
₹1 lakh crore
Why it matters for exams: The RDI Fund is India's main financing tool for private-sector research and is linked to the ANRF, both frequent topics in science and economy papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ANRF Anusandhan National Research Foundation — The national body that funds and steers research in India and houses the RDI Fund's business unit.
TRL Technology Readiness Level — A 1-to-9 scale of how close a technology is to real-world use.