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Current Affairs — Monday, 31 August 2026
33 items
Tamil Nadu
- CM Vijay extends Free Breakfast Scheme to Middle School students
— The TVK-led Tamil Nadu government announced expansion of the existing free breakfast programme (originally launched under the previous DMK government) to cover middle school students, broadening its reach across the state. (Welfare scheme; GS Paper II — State government schemes) - Tamil Nadu invokes Supreme Court over Cauvery water backlog
— Tamil Nadu urged the Supreme Court to direct Karnataka to release an accumulated backlog of 17.604 TMC ft of Cauvery water, stating that CWRC and CWMA failed to account for the backlog; the court is scheduled to hear the matter on August 31. (Inter-state river dispute; Article 262; Cauvery Water Management Authority) - HR&CE Department installs mobile phone deposit centres at major temples
— The department set up deposit centres at Arunachaleswarar and Sri Lakshminarasimhar temples; devotees found with phones inside will be fined and phones confiscated. (State religious administration; HR&CE Act) - Congress threatens to quit Vijay Cabinet over PM candidacy row
— Tamil Nadu Minister S. Rajesh Kumar warned Congress would exit the TVK-led coalition if Rahul Gandhi is not accepted as the PM candidate, amid rising pressure from TVK functionaries to project CM Vijay for the top post. (Coalition politics; GS Paper II — Indian polity) - AIADMK to protest in Alanganallur over TVK MLA's remarks on jallikattu
— AIADMK announced an agitation on September 3 at Alanganallur, condemning a TVK MLA's comments on the traditional bull-taming sport. (TN cultural-political affairs) - MDMK's Vaiko urges CM Vijay to reject PM SHRI three-language scheme
— MDMK chief Vaiko asked CM Vijay to decline the Centre's PM SHRI scheme, calling it an instrument of Hindi imposition; the issue links to Tamil Nadu's long-standing opposition to the three-language formula. (Language policy; NEP 2020; GS Paper II)
India — National
- PM Modi conferred Uzbekistan's 'Oliy Darajali Do'stlik' Order
— On August 30, 2026, PM Modi received Uzbekistan's highest state honour, taking his tally of international awards to 36; he is also attending the Shanghai summit today and is set to hold talks with Putin, with a likely meeting with Xi Jinping. (India's foreign relations; GS Paper II) - 403 Indian nationals cross into Nepal from China
— 403 Indians entered Nepal via the China border; a forensics team from India has begun work on DNA samples, likely linked to cross-border trafficking or missing persons cases. (India-China-Nepal relations; border security) - India recommits to concluding FTA with Chile within 2026
— Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal met Chile's Vice-Minister Paula Estévez Weinstein in Santiago; both sides committed to concluding the bilateral trade deal this year. (India's trade diplomacy; GS Paper II — International relations) - Polymer banknote bidders must certify no animal tallow, China-Pakistan firewall
— Bidders for India's proposed polymer currency notes must certify absence of animal tallow and demonstrate supply-chain firewalls against China and Pakistan. (Currency policy; RBI; national security considerations) - Rahul Gandhi booked in Haldwani following Kharge 'purification' row
— A day after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge called for an FIR, Rahul Gandhi was booked in Haldwani in connection with the controversy. (Constitutional rights; political affairs) - Shimla-Kalka toy train hit by landslip; 400+ passengers rescued
— A hill slip disrupted the UNESCO-heritage Shimla-Kalka toy train service, with over 400 passengers evacuated safely. (Heritage railways; disaster management) - Kashmir to host its first international film festival
— The festival will feature 135 films from 41 countries, positioning Jammu & Kashmir as a cultural and tourism destination. (Art & culture; J&K development)
Economy & Finance
- IIP growth slows to 6.7% in July 2026
— The Index of Industrial Production grew 6.7% in July 2026, the second-best performance since December 2025, driven by manufacturing and electricity sectors, though economists flagged sluggish rural consumption. (Key economic indicator; GS Paper III) - FPIs invest ₹30,919 crore in August — second consecutive month of buying
— Foreign Portfolio Investors turned net buyers for the second straight month, following ₹20,200 crore inflow in July, reversing four months of heavy selling. (Capital markets; FPI trends; GS Paper III) - Government appoints three new members to RBI Central Board
— The Centre named three additional members to the RBI's Central Board of Directors, expanding its supervisory composition. (RBI governance; RBI Act; GS Paper III) - RBI forex swap window draws $72.85 billion inflows till August 21
— The RBI's foreign exchange swap facility attracted $72.85 billion in inflows, signalling strong liquidity management and investor confidence. (Monetary policy tools; forex reserves; GS Paper III) - Central government capex surges 66% in June; subsidy bill also rises
— Capital expenditure jumped 66% year-on-year in June 2026, reflecting front-loaded infrastructure spending, even as the subsidy bill recorded a simultaneous increase. (Union Budget; fiscal policy; GS Paper III)
Science & Technology
- ISRO collaborates on study capturing early warning signs of solar flares
— A new study, with ISRO's collaboration, found that repeated small-scale energy releases progressively destabilise magnetic fields in active solar regions, potentially enabling advance warning before large solar flares. (Space science; ISRO; GS Paper III) - mRNA tumour vaccines show promise in melanoma trial
— Clinical trial results for mRNA-based cancer vaccines in melanoma patients have been described as exciting, with researchers suggesting this could be the "next great leap" in cancer treatment if results hold across multiple cancer types. (Biotechnology; health breakthroughs; GS Paper III) - Nancy Grace Roman Telescope — NASA's next-generation space observatory
— The Roman Telescope, a follow-on to Hubble (1990) and James Webb (2021), is designed to expand on their discoveries with wider-field capabilities; it is relevant as a landmark in space exploration. (Space technology; GS Paper III)
Environment
- Nepal flash floods death toll rises to 788; India, China, South Korea join rescue
— Flash floods in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region killed 788, with 2,500+ still missing; experts from India, China, and South Korea joined Nepal Army rescue operations; the UN climate chief highlighted the disaster as evidence of Himalayan fragility. (Climate disaster; India-Nepal relations; GS Paper I — Geography) - State of India's Environment 2026 Report flags rising climate risks and pollution monitoring gaps
— The annual report highlights escalating wildlife conflicts, climate vulnerabilities, and inadequate pollution monitoring infrastructure across India. (Environment policy; GS Paper III) - Rare Neelakurinji-like bloom observed in Kudremukh Hills, Western Ghats
— A rare blue-violet flower resembling Neelakurinji has bloomed along trekking trails in Kudremukh, Chikkamagaluru district — a phenomenon that adds ecological significance to the UNESCO-recognised Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot. (Biodiversity; Western Ghats; GS Paper III)
Sports
- Germany win record-equalling fourth Men's Hockey World Cup
— Germany defeated Spain by a single goal to claim their fourth Hockey World Cup title, equalling Pakistan's all-time record for most Men's Hockey World Cup wins. (International hockey; important stat for exams) - England beat Pakistan by 194 runs to win Test series
— Pacer Ollie Robinson was the standout performer, taking 4/24 in the second innings (16 wickets across the two-Test series); England's pace attack is being hailed ahead of the home Ashes against Australia. (International cricket; ICC World Test Championship context) - India in must-win position in ICC World Test Championship
— Following recent results, India must win their remaining WTC matches to qualify for the final, raising the stakes for upcoming Test fixtures. (ICC WTC; GS — Sports current affairs)
Appointments & Awards
- Padma Vibhushan announced for former SC Justice K.T. Thomas
— Retired Supreme Court Justice K.T. Thomas, known for judgments that often contradicted the government's position, has been named for the Padma Vibhushan. (National awards; judiciary) - Padma award for former CJI J.S. Khehar
— Former Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar — whose decisions frequently went against government views — has been recognised with a Padma award. (National honours; Supreme Court; GS Paper II) - FM Nirmala Sitharaman meets bankers on Gen Z banking and deposit mobilisation
— The Finance Minister held discussions with bank heads focusing on designing banking products for younger demographics and strategies to boost deposit mobilisation. (Banking sector; financial inclusion; GS Paper III)
International
- PM Modi at Shanghai summit; bilateral talks with Putin, likely meeting with Xi
— PM Modi is attending the Shanghai-format multilateral summit on August 31, with confirmed talks with Russian President Putin and a likely meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping — a significant diplomatic engagement. (India's foreign policy; SCO/Shanghai framework; GS Paper II) - Pakistan's Dar and Munir arrive in Türkiye for first Makkah Defence Pact meeting
— Under the Makkah defence agreement, an attack on one signatory is treated as an attack on all; the inaugural meeting amid West Asia tensions has strategic implications for India's neighbourhood. (Regional security; India's neighbourhood policy; GS Paper II) - U.S. strikes Iranian rocket launchers on Strait of Hormuz
— U.S. forces targeted Iranian rocket launchers on the Strait of Hormuz in the first military action in about a month, escalating West Asia tensions with potential impact on India's energy imports and shipping. (Strait of Hormuz; India's energy security; GS Paper II)
- Quick Revision:
- 🏑 Germany won the Men's Hockey World Cup for a record-equalling 4th time (equals Pakistan), defeating Spain by 1 goal.
- 📈 IIP growth = 6.7% in July 2026; FPI inflow in August = ₹30,919 crore (second consecutive month of net buying).
- 🏅 PM Modi received Uzbekistan's 'Oliy Darajali Do'stlik' Order on August 30, 2026 — his 36th international honour.