Current Affairs Test — October 02, 2026

ICAR and FCI Partnership: The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) signed an MoU to research alternative fumigation technologies (such as nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide) for safe and sustainable grain storage, addressing high pest resistance and occupational hazards of traditional chemicals https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317785.

GOBARdhan Scheme Launch: Union Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri launched the GOBARdhan Central Sector Scheme with an outlay of ₹23,731 crore (FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36) to scale up Compressed Biogas (CBG) production nearly 10-fold to 5 MMSCMD, backed by a fixed pricing framework of ₹2,110 per MMBtu and capital assistance up to ₹2 crore per TPD https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317937.

Sugar Stock Regulations: The government revised sugar stock holding limits to 1,000 quintals (with a 15-day holding period cap) effective October 15, 2026, to curb hoarding and ensure stable prices during the festive season https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317497.

Amended BharatNet Program in Maharashtra: An agreement involving Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) under DoT allocated ₹10,520 crore to connect 28,237 Gram Panchayats and 15,799 villages on demand via MahaNet Digital Infrastructure Limited (MDIL) https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317906.

Tamil Nadu's First MLFF Tolling: NHAI deployed Tamil Nadu's first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrierless tolling system at Paranur Toll Plaza (NH-179B) using ANPR and FASTag integration https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317639.

Exempted FASTags Revision: Revised guidelines for Divyangjan/PwD exempted FASTags link validity directly to disability percentage (5 years for 70-100% disability; 3 years for 40-70%) https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317700.

5th Kautilya Economic Conclave (KEC 2026): Scheduled in New Delhi from October 3 to 5, 2026, under the theme “Resilience in an Age of Flux”, convening over 180 global experts and policymakers https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317567.

NSO CAPEX Survey 2026: The National Statistical Office launched its third forward-looking private corporate sector CAPEX survey for October–December 2026 to track investment intents, robotics allocation, and green energy investments https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317606.

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC): Marking its 10th anniversary, IBBI noted robust credit discipline enhancements, with over 4,400 Insolvency Professionals registered under the ecosystem https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317998.

UPSC Centenary Celebrations: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in the 100-year celebrations of the UPSC at Bharat Mandapam, highlighting core touchstones of Nation First and Citizen First, alongside noting an increase in female candidate participation to over 30 percent https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317531.

NMMSS Scholarship Deadline Extension: The Ministry of Education extended the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme application deadline to October 31, 2026, providing eligible students ₹12,000 per annum https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317657.

PM E-DRIVE Scheme Progress: Extended until March 2028 with an outlay of ₹11,900 crore, supporting 28.30 lakh EVs and allocating 14,000 e-buses across Indian cities https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317890.

HQ IDS Silver Jubilee: Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff celebrated 25 years of jointness and integration ('Tri-Service Day') focused on future readiness across cyber, space, and AI domains https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317807.

Offshore Mineral Exploration: The Ministry of Mines launched the auction of two offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea (Sewell Rise-01 and West Sewell Ridge-01 covering 1,632 sq km) for polymetallic crusts and critical minerals https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317680.

Exercise Varuna 2026: INS Trishul participated in the 24th edition of the India-France bilateral maritime exercise off Toulon, enhancing interoperability https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2317552.