UPSC Current Affairs 26 April 2026

• The app is a core component of the SMILE (Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme. 

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE).
• Target Groups: Transgender persons and persons engaged in the act of begging.
• Financial Outlay: ₹390 crore allocated for the period 2021–2026.
• Comprehensive Rehabilitation: Focuses on a three-stage process: Identification/Rescue, Rehabilitation (shelter, medical, counselling), and Reintegration (skill development).
• SMILE-75 Initiative: A subset of the scheme focusing on 75 Municipal Corporations to make them beggary-free. 

• Real-Time Data Collection: Field officials can capture survey data digitally on the spot, including demographics and health status.
• Detailed Profiling: Captures critical info like disability status, family background, and the root causes of vulnerability.
• Hotspot Identification: Helps municipal authorities map "begging hotspots" in cities to target interventions effectively.
• Performance Tracking: Allows district authorities to track the "reintegration rate" of individuals into mainstream society.
• Digital Transparency: Replaces fragmented reporting with a centralized national database to ensure accountability. 

• Eradicate Dependency: Shift individuals from street begging to self-employment via vocational training.
• Holistic Care: Provide access to healthcare through schemes like PM-JAY (Ayushman Bharat) and education for children.
• National Standards: Implement uniform guidelines for shelter homes, ensuring they are humane rather than "prison-like".
• Evidence-Based Policy: Use the app's data analytics to allocate budgets and resources based on actual, live numbers in cities. 

• Launch Date: Initially launched on August 15, 2020, in 272 vulnerable districts.
• Expansion: On August 15, 2023, the campaign was expanded to cover all districts across India.
• Impact to Date: Over 26 crore people have been sensitized, including 9.5 crore youths and 6.47 crore women.
• Core Objective: To create a drug-free India by mobilizing youth, educational institutions, and community groups. 

• Citizen Interface: For the first time, the app is accessible to the general public, allowing them to take e-pledges and access awareness materials.
• De-addiction Centre Locator: A "Nearest De-addiction Centre" feature helps users find treatment facilities quickly via geo-location.
• Grant-in-Aid (GIA) Monitoring: Institutions receiving government funds are now onboarded with role-based access for real-time reporting of their activities.
• 'Anudan' Tracking: A transparent dashboard allows the Ministry, States, and institutions to track the status of grants and fund utilisation.
• Nasha Mukti Mitr Management: A simplified system to onboard and manage Master Volunteers who lead awareness efforts at the grassroots level.
• Helpline Integration: Direct access to the National De-addiction Helpline and the MANAS (Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) platform. 

• Enhanced Transparency: Using digital tools to ensure every rupee of government funding is accounted for.

• Evidence-Based Governance: Collecting real-time data to identify trends in substance abuse and allocate resources accordingly.
• Reducing Stigma: By making information and helplines easily accessible to the public, the government aims to normalize seeking help for addiction.

• Population: One of India’s largest tribal communities, with over 11 million members (2011 Census).
• Geographic Spread: Primarily inhabit the Gondwana region (Central India), covering Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Language: They traditionally speak Gondi, a Dravidian language related to Telugu, though many now use regional languages like Hindi or Marathi.
• Social Structure: They are divided into four main sub-tribes: Raj Gonds, Madia Gonds, Dhurve Gonds, and Khatulwar Gonds. 

• Gond Art: Famous for intricate paintings made of dots and lines. These works often depict nature, mythology, and daily life. Traditionally, they decorated the walls of their homes with these motifs to bring "good luck."
• Festivals: Major celebrations include Keslapur Jathra, Madai, and Dussehra (where some lineages worship Ravana as an ancestor-king).
• Belief System: Most practice Koyapunem (The Way of Nature), worshipping a supreme deity called Baradeo along with village and clan deities (Persa Pen).
• Food: Their staple diet revolves around two types of millets: Kodo and Kutki. 

• Gond Kingdoms: Between the 13th and 19th centuries, they ruled powerful kingdoms like Garha-Mandla, Deogarh, and Chanda.
• Rani Durgavati: The most famous Gond warrior-queen, she is celebrated for her heroic resistance against the Mughal Emperor Akbar in 1564.
• Freedom Struggle: The tribe has a long history of rebellion, notably the Bastar Rebellion (1910) and leaders like Komaram Bheem, who coined the famous slogan "Jal, Jangal, Jameen" (Water, Forest, Land). 

• Peaceful Purposes: Signatories commit to conducting all activities exclusively for peaceful purposes.
• Transparency: Nations must publicly describe their policies and space exploration plans to avoid conflict.
• Interoperability: Promoting common technical standards for space hardware to allow different nations to work together safely.
• Emergency Assistance: A commitment to render all possible help to astronauts or personnel in distress.
• Registration of Objects: Ensuring all space objects are properly registered to manage orbital traffic and safety.
• Open Data Sharing: Scientific results and data must be shared publicly for the benefit of all humanity.
• Heritage Protection: Commitment to preserving historically significant sites, such as the Apollo landing sites.
• Space Resources: Affirms that the extraction and utilization of resources (like water or minerals) are permitted and do not constitute national appropriation.
• Deconfliction (Safety Zones): Use of "safety zones" to prevent harmful interference between different nations' operations.
• Orbital Debris: Commitment to mitigating space junk and ensuring the safe disposal of spacecraft at the end of their lives. 

• Technological Access: Improves India's access to advanced space technologies and expert training from NASA.
• Joint Missions: Facilitated the NASA-ISRO joint mission to the International Space Station (ISS), expected to launch in mid-2025.
• Lunar Exploration: Supports India's ambitious Space Vision 2047, including the Chandrayaan series and the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program.
• Private Sector Growth: Opens new doors for Indian private space companies to participate in the global space economy. 

• Non-Binding: The Accords are a political commitment, not a legally binding treaty, which raises questions about enforcement.
• Geopolitical Divide: Notable space powers like Russia and China have not signed, viewing the framework as too U.S.-centric. They are pursuing their own rival project, the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS).
• Resource Controversy: Some critics argue that allowing resource extraction sets a "first come, first served" precedent that could conflict with international law.

• Geography: A large, landlocked West African nation, twice the size of France, mostly covered by the Sahara Desert.
• Economy: One of Africa's top producers of gold and salt. Recently, a "Special Mining Brigade" was launched (March 2026) to curb illegal gold smuggling.
• Demographics: Population of approximately 23.3 million, with nearly half the population under the age of 15.
• Regional Ties: Mali recently left ECOWAS (January 2026) and formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) with Niger and Burkina Faso to distance itself from Western influence. 

• Unlikely Alliance: In a major shift, jihadist fighters (JNIM) and northern separatist rebels (FLA) appear to have coordinated their recent strikes against the state.
• Russian Involvement: After the withdrawal of French and UN forces, Mali is primarily supported by the Russian Africa Corps (formerly Wagner Group), who were forced to withdraw from Kidal during the latest offensive.
• Junta Rule: Mali has been under military rule since coups in 2020 and 2021. In July 2025, leader Assimi Goïta was granted a five-year presidential mandate without elections.
• Fuel Blockade: Since September 2025, JNIM has imposed a crippling fuel blockade on southern cities, including Bamako, causing widespread blackouts and economic paralysis. 

• Terrorism Hub: Ranked as one of the countries most affected by terrorism globally, with a surge in kidnappings of foreign nationals (Chinese, Indian, and Emirati) in late 2025.
• Human Rights: State forces and Russian allies have faced allegations of atrocities, particularly against the ethnic Fulani community.
• Civic Crackdown: The junta has dissolved all political parties and restricted media access, including the permanent suspension of several international news outlets.

• Self-Enumeration Portal: For the first time, citizens can fill in their own details online via a secure portal or mobile app before an enumerator visits.
• Mobile-Based Data Collection: Approximately 31 lakh enumerators are using smartphones and tablets equipped with a dedicated "Census App" that works offline in remote areas.
• 16 Languages: Both the self-enumeration portal and the enumerator app are available in 16 major Indian languages.
• Geo-Tagging: Every building in the country is being geo-tagged using satellite imagery to ensure zero duplication and complete geographic coverage.
• Unique ID (SE ID): Upon self-enumeration, citizens receive a unique ID to show to visiting officials, making the verification process near-instant. 

• Phase I: House Listing & Housing Census (April–September 2026)
  • Focuses on housing conditions, assets (smartphones, cars, internet), and basic amenities (water, electricity).
  • Includes 33 specific questions ranging from building materials to the types of cereals consumed.
• Phase II: Population Enumeration (February 2027)
  • Captures detailed demographic, socio-economic, and cultural data.
  • Caste data will be recorded during this phase across all communities.
  • National Reference Date: March 1, 2027 (midnight). 

• Faster Results: Digital entry eliminates manual scanning delays; the government expects to release final data by late 2027 or 2028 instead of years later.
• Policy Planning: Crucial for the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats and implementing the 33% Women’s Reservation Bill, which is linked to new census data.
• Data Integrity: The app has built-in validation checks to catch unrealistic data entries (e.g., incorrect age or household size) in real-time.
• No Documents Required: The government has clarified that no documents like Aadhaar or Voter ID are required for participation to ensure maximum inclusion. 

• Total Length: Approximately 594 km, making it one of the longest expressways in India.
• Start & End Points: Starts at Bijauli village (Meerut) and ends at Judapur Dandu village (Prayagraj).
• Districts Covered: Connects 12 districts: Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Budaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh, and Prayagraj.
• Lane Configuration: Initially 6 lanes (expandable to 8 lanes).
• Design Speed: Engineered for a top speed of 120 kmph. 

• Air Strip: Includes a 3.5 km emergency landing strip in Shahjahanpur for Indian Air Force fighter jets.
• Environmental Focus: Plans to plant over 18 lakh trees along the route and use fly ash in construction to reduce environmental impact.
• Connectivity: Links Western UP to Eastern UP, effectively connecting the NH-19 (Delhi-Kolkata) and the Agra-Lucknow Expressway.
• Public Amenities: Features 9 public convenience centres, 7 fuel stations, and multiple interchanges for local traffic. 

• Travel Time Reduction: Expected to cut travel time between Meerut and Prayagraj from 12+ hours to about 6.5 hours.
• Agricultural Growth: Will act as a "Greenfield" corridor, allowing farmers from the fertile plains of the Ganga to transport perishable goods to Delhi and NCR markets much faster.
• Employment: Estimated to generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs through the planned Industrial Way and food processing parks along the corridor.
• Logistics Hub: Positioned to become a backbone for the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan in North India. 

• Implementing Agency: Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA).
• Estimated Cost: Approximately ₹36,230 crore.
• Concessionaires: The project is divided into four groups, with Adani Enterprises and IRB Infrastructure handling the construction.

• Standard Transaction Limit: Recurring payments up to ₹15,000 can be processed automatically without a One-Time Password (OTP) or Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA).
• Higher Limit for Essentials: For specific financial commitments—insurance premiums, mutual fund SIPs, and credit card bill payments—the AFA-free limit is raised to ₹1,00,000.
• One-Time Setup: AFA (OTP) is mandatory only for the first transaction and the initial registration of the e-mandate.
• Modification & Withdrawal: Any change to the validity or amount, or the complete cancellation of a mandate, requires AFA validation to ensure the customer’s consent. 

• Pre-Debit Alerts: Banks/issuers must send a notification (SMS/Email) at least 24 hours before any money is deducted. This must include the merchant’s name, amount, and date.
• Post-Debit Notifications: A confirmation message must be sent after the debit, now including mandatory grievance redressal details.
• Zero Charges: The RBI has strictly prohibited banks and payment providers from charging customers any fees for setting up or using the e-mandate facility.
• Opt-Out Facility: Users must have the option to skip a specific transaction or withdraw the entire mandate at any time through the issuer's platform.
• Liability: Standard RBI rules on limiting customer liability for unauthorised electronic transactions now explicitly apply to all e-mandates. 

• FASTag & NCMC: Automatic balance replenishments for FASTag and the National Common Mobility Card are exempt from the 24-hour pre-debit notification requirement, as these are triggered immediately by low balances. 

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