CA-02/04/2026

• Utkala Dibasa, or Odisha Day, marks the formation of Odisha as a separate province on April 1, 1936.

• Odisha government launched expanded "Odia Pakhya" (April 1-14), a fortnight of events promoting language, heritage, cuisine, and traditions across 30 districts.
• Key highlights include Heritage Run, Blood Donation Drive, folk arts day, and digital participation via Odiapakhya.com app for quizzes and content sharing.

• Odisha (then Orissa) was formed on April 1, 1936, by bifurcating the Bihar and Orissa Province and adding districts from Madras Presidency, making it India's first linguistically organized state.
• The movement began in the late 19th century with Utkal Sammilani (1903) led by Madhusudan Das, who advocated for Odia language-based unity amid fragmentation under British rule.
• Freedom fighters and public protests demanded separation to preserve Odia culture, language, and identity, culminating after decades of struggle.

• Celebrates Odia cultural pride, language, literature, music (like Odissi), and spiritual heritage, including sites like Jagannath Temple.
• Honors leaders' contributions and reflects on Odisha's progress in unity, development, and contributions to India.
• Symbolizes linguistic identity and resistance against historical erasure under Mughal, Maratha, and British divisions.

• Features cultural programs like Odissi/Sambalpuri dances, parades (jhankis), fireworks in Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, speeches, and school events.
• 2026 Odia Pakhya schedule: April 1 (Odisha Day), April 2 (Khadi Chuan), April 3 (traditional attire), up to April 14 (Odia New Year) with themed drives like cleanliness and book campaigns.
• Institutions like NIT Rourkela and global events (dance performances) joined, emphasizing youth and heritage preservation.

• Establishment of Rare Earth Corridors: In the Union Budget 2026, the government announced the creation of dedicated Rare Earth Corridors in Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu to promote the mining, processing, and manufacturing of these minerals.
• Strategic Push in Andhra Pradesh: Andhra Pradesh, which holds about 25% of India's BSM deposits, has launched a major initiative to tap into titanium and rare earth elements to counter international market dominance.
• New Regulatory Framework: The Offshore Areas Mineral (Prevention of Illegal Mining and Transportation) Rules, 2026 came into force in February 2026. These rules mandate real-time vessel tracking and digital permits to curb illegal extraction.
• Private Sector Engagement: Recent discussions and amendments (like the MMDR Amendment Act 2023) are opening pathways for private participation in the exploration of critical minerals previously restricted to government entities. 

• The Seven Minerals: BSM refers to a group of seven heavy minerals: Ilmenite, Rutile, Leucoxene, Zircon, Sillimanite, Garnet, and Monazite.
• Atomic Importance: Minerals like Monazite are classified as "atomic minerals" because they contain thorium and uranium. Consequently, their mining is strictly regulated by the Department of Atomic Energy.
• Industrial Applications:
  • Titanium: Extracted from Ilmenite and Rutile; used in aerospace, medical implants, and pigments.
  • Zircon: Used in ceramics, refractories, and jewellery.
  • Garnet: Used as an abrasive for water-jet cutting and sandblasting.
  • Sillimanite: Essential for high-temperature glass and ceramic manufacturing.
• Resource Distribution: India possesses the world's third-largest reserves of BSM (roughly 13%). Major deposits are found along the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
• Environmental Concerns: Unregulated mining causes severe coastal erosion, destroys local fisheries, and threatens wildlife habitats, such as nesting grounds for turtles.
• Market Regulation: To prevent illegal exports, all BSM exports must be canalized through IREL (India) Limited. 

• Registered under Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002; acts as umbrella for cooperatives in organic sector.
• Union Cabinet approved formation on January 11, 2023; launched by Amit Shah on November 7, 2023, with logo, website, and brochure.
• Headquarters: 8th Floor, Tower I, World Trade Centre, Narauji Nagar, New Delhi (some sources note Anand, Gujarat link via NDDB).

• Chief promoter: National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
• Other promoters: GCMMF (Amul), NAFED, NCCF, NCDC.
• Over 11,000 cooperatives as members; open to FPOs, apex bodies, scientific community.

• Aggregate, certify, produce, test, procure, store, process, brand, package, market organic products of cooperatives for domestic/international markets.
• Provide finance, training, capacity building, technical guidance to organic producers.
• Create knowledge repository, R&D in organic farming; pass high prices to farmers via cooperatives for small/marginal holders (80% of India's farmers).

• "Bharat Organics" brand: 28-29 products (essentials) available in Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru stores, e-commerce; partnerships like Mother Dairy for distribution.
• State MoUs: 22 states/UTs; Uttarakhand for market access, production boost.
• Supports natural farming movement, export platform, standardization for global recognition.

• Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS): This is the umbrella scheme under which Agro-Met units operate to provide weather-based bulletins to farmers.
• Types of Units:
  • Agrometeorological Field Units (AMFUs): Larger units located at State Agricultural Universities and ICAR institutes, typically covering 4–5 districts each.
  • District Agro-Meteorology Units (DAMUs): Smaller units established at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to provide highly localized, block-level advisories.
• Core Function: These units prepare bi-weekly bulletins (every Tuesday and Friday) in local languages. They advise farmers on:
  • Sowing & Harvesting: Best times based on rainfall and temperature forecasts.
  • Irrigation: Scheduling based on soil moisture and predicted dry spells.
  • Pest Management: Preventive measures against diseases that thrive in specific weather conditions.
• Economic Impact: Studies by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) showed that farmers following these advisories saw an average income increase of ₹12,500 per household per annum.
• Digital Dissemination: Information is shared through platforms like the Meghdoot App, Mausam App, and the Kisan Portal.
• Panchayat-level Forecasting: A recent 2026 expansion includes the launch of weather forecasts for nearly all Gram Panchayats in India via the e-GramSwaraj and Mausamgram platforms. 

• Monitoring Capability: The current network can detect and locate any earthquake of magnitude 3.0 and above occurring anywhere in India.
• Real-Time Data Streaming: All stations are linked via VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) telemetry systems, allowing seismic data to stream in real-time to the headquarters in New Delhi.
• State-of-the-Art Equipment: Stations are equipped with Broadband Seismographs (BBS) for weak motion and Strong Motion Accelerographs (SMA) for high-intensity shaking.
• Seismic Microzonation: This program assesses local ground-shaking characteristics to help build earthquake-resilient infrastructure. Studies are complete for cities like Delhi, Kolkata, and Bengaluru, with work currently in advanced stages for Patna, Lucknow, and Amritsar.
• Information Dissemination: Earthquake parameters (location, depth, and magnitude) are typically estimated within 5–10 minutes of an event and shared via the BhooKamp Mobile App and the NCS website.
• Funding: Maintenance and augmentation of the network are supported under the PRITHVI scheme of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• Nodal Agency: The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) is the primary government body responsible for maintaining this network and conducting seismological research.

• Leaner Structure: The new Act is approximately 24% shorter than its predecessor, reducing sections from 819 to 536 and chapters from 47 to 23.
• "Tax Year" Concept: It replaces the dual, often confusing terms of "Previous Year" and "Assessment Year" with a single, unified "Tax Year" (April 1 to March 31).
• Simplified Language: Archaic legal jargon has been replaced with plain English; for example, "notwithstanding" is now "irrespective".
• Digital-First Approach:
  • Virtual Digital Space: For the first time, "Virtual Digital Space" (email, social media, cloud servers) is legally defined to allow authorities to investigate digital tax evasion.
  • Faceless Administration: The Act grants general powers to the government to frame new schemes for fully faceless and automated tax administration.
• Consolidated Provisions: Related rules are now grouped logically. All Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) provisions, previously scattered, are now consolidated under Section 393.
• Enhanced Benefits for Individuals:
  • Standard Deduction: Increased to ₹75,000 for salaried individuals under the new regime.
  • Senior Citizens: The TDS threshold for interest income for seniors has been doubled from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh.
• Stricter NRI Compliance: Tightened reporting for foreign assets, though interest from NRE accounts remains tax-free.
• Extended Deadlines: The time limit for filing Updated Returns (ITR-U) has been extended from 2 years to 4 years.

• The committee was headed by Shri R.S. Mooshahary, a retired IPS officer and former Governor of Meghalaya. 

• Objective: It was constituted to review and "distil" the vast number of recommendations made by previous bodies (like the National Police Commission, Ribeiro Committee, and Padmanabhaiah Committee) into a manageable, actionable list.
• The "49 Recommendations": The committee famously shortlisted 49 key recommendations that it believed would have the most immediate impact on police performance and accountability.

• New Police Act: Replacing the archaic Police Act of 1861 with a modern legislative framework.
• Insulation from Politics: Protecting the police machinery from "extraneous" political interference.
• Professional Standards: Improving performance in both urban and rural policing systems.
• Service Conditions: Addressing issues related to recruitment, training, career progression, and housing for personnel.
• Public Interface: Tackling public complaints regarding the non-registration of crimes (FIRs) and arbitrary arrests.

• Implementation Status: Since "Police" is a State subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, the Union Government can only issue advisories; the actual implementation varies significantly from state to state.
• Monitoring: The MHA Police Modernisation Division maintains a Section-wise Implementation Tracker to monitor how many of the 49 points have been adopted by each State/UT.

• Period & Chair: The XVFC, chaired by N.K. Singh, covered a six-year award period from 2020–21 to 2025–26.
• Vertical Devolution (41%): The Commission recommended that 41% of the divisible pool of central taxes be shared with states. This was a 1% adjustment from the previous commission to account for the newly formed Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

• Income Distance (45%): Largest weight, favouring states with lower per capita income.
• Population (15%) and Area (15%).
• Demographic Performance (12.5%): Rewarding states with lower fertility rates.
• Forest & Ecology (10%) and Tax/Fiscal Effort (2.5%).

• Untied Grants: Can be used for any local-level felt needs (excluding salaries).
• Tied Grants: Specifically restricted to sanitation (ODF status) and drinking water supply.
• Health Focus: Recommended that states increase health spending to over 8% of their budgets and proposed an All-India Medical and Health Service.
• Defence Fund: Suggested creating a non-lapsable Modernisation Fund for Defence and Internal Security (MFDIS) with a corpus of approximately ₹2.4 lakh crore.
• Fiscal Roadmap: Aimed to bring the central fiscal deficit down to 4% of GDP and state deficits to 3% of GSDP by the end of 2025–26.

• Current Reach: Out of approximately 2.69 lakh total Gram Panchayats, over 2.18 lakh are currently service-ready.
• Funding: Approximately ₹22,001.30 crore has been disbursed for the BharatNet Project over the last five financial years (2020-21 to 2024-25).
• Technical Upgrades: The Amended BharatNet Program is shifting from a linear network to a ring topology to ensure 100% redundancy and minimize service disruptions.

• FTTH Connections: Over 14.27 lakh Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connections have been commissioned as of February 2026.
• Wi-Fi Hotspots: More than 4.09 lakh hotspots have been installed to provide public internet access in rural areas.

• eGramSwaraj: A simplified accounting and planning application for Panchayats.
• Meri Panchayat App: Allows 95 crore rural residents to track local budgets and development plans in real-time.
• Panchayat NIRNAY: A portal for digitizing and monitoring Gram Sabha meetings and decisions.
• Cost Reduction: Data costs in India have plummeted from ₹269 per GB in 2014 to approximately ₹8–10 per GB in 2025-26, supporting high rural adoption.
• 2030 Targets: Under the National Broadband Mission 2.0, the government aims for 90% broadband connectivity to anchor institutions (schools, anganwadis, and panchayat offices) by 2030.

• Unified Ecosystem: SIDH integrates over 7,000 training providers, 68,000+ employers, and multiple central and state government schemes (like PMKVY 4.0 and PM Vishwakarma) into one interface.
• Core Pillars: The hub is built on a three-layered framework:
  • Trust Layer: Provides digitally verifiable and portable credentials.
  • Finance Layer: Enables direct payments for rewards, scholarships, and DBT.
  • Discovery Layer: Facilitates job matching, internships, and entrepreneurship opportunities.
• AI-Enabled Features: The 2.0 evolution focuses on AI-powered career mapping, personalized course recommendations, and real-time labour market intelligence.
• Mobile-First & Multilingual: Designed for deep rural penetration, the platform is available in more than 21 Indian languages and features a mobile-first interface for ease of access.
• Key Integrations: The hub is seamlessly linked with other national platforms including Aadhaar (for eKYC), eShram (for unorganised workers), Digi Locker, and UPI.
• Course Catalog: It hosts over 4,900 courses, ranging from traditional trades to high-tech modules like Generative AI, Machine Learning, and Big Data Analytics.
• Digital CVs: Every registered candidate receives a QR-code-enabled personalized digital CV, ensuring that their skills and certifications are instantly verifiable by potential employers.

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