All daily digests
Daily DigestArchive
Current Affairs — Saturday, 19 September 2026
33 items
Tamil Nadu
- CM Vijay raises health insurance coverage from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh
— The TVK government has quintupled the coverage limit under the state health insurance scheme, significantly expanding financial protection for beneficiaries. (GS: State welfare schemes, social security) - TN government to extend Free Breakfast Scheme to middle school students
— The scheme, originally launched for primary school students under the previous government, will now cover middle school students under CM Vijay's administration. (GS: Education/welfare schemes, Tamil Nadu) - Udhayanidhi welcomes TN's decision on Navodaya schools, seeks special Assembly session
— The Deputy CM called for a special session to formally reiterate Tamil Nadu's opposition to Navodaya Vidyalaya schools, which are seen as conflicting with the state's two-language policy. (GS: Centre-State relations, education policy) - MDMK's Vaiko urges CM Vijay to reject PM SHRI 3-language scheme
— MDMK chief demanded Tamil Nadu refuse the PM SHRI scheme, terming it "Hindi imposition"; the state government reiterated its two-language policy remains unchanged. (GS: Language policy, federalism) - Tiger that killed two people in O'Valley, Gudalur captured after 29-day search
— The male tiger has been transported to Vandalur Zoo, Chennai, where it will remain in captivity for the rest of its life. (GS: Wildlife management, human-animal conflict) - British-era railway stations at Vellore Cantonment, Tiruvannamalai, Arakkonam, Vaniyambadi get lifts on bridges
— The infrastructure upgrade improves accessibility at historic stations for differently-abled and elderly commuters. (GS: Railway infrastructure, accessibility)
India — National
- India rejects Pakistan's allegations over Arabian Sea ship collision
— MEA confirmed INS Kolkata was on routine deployment in the north Arabian Sea on September 15 when a Pakistani vessel approached in an "unacceptable manner"; India denied any wrongdoing. (GS: India-Pakistan relations, maritime security) - HAL hands over two LCA trainer aircraft and four Dhruv NG helicopters
— Two Light Combat Aircraft (trainer variant) were delivered to the Indian Air Force; four Dhruv Next Generation helicopters were handed over to Pawan Hans Limited, marking their civil aviation induction. (GS: Defence manufacturing, Make in India) - Jhiram Valley Maoist attack case declared 'rarest of rare' by court
— The September 16 verdict found the conspiracy was finalised at a South Regional Unified Command meeting of CPI (Maoist); the case involved a major 2013 attack on Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh. (GS: Internal security, judiciary) - Every police station in Bihar to have a Child Help Desk from October 2
— The initiative aims to curb crimes against children and provide a dedicated, child-friendly space in each police station across Bihar. (GS: Child protection, governance) - Mamata Banerjee moves Supreme Court against ECI's freeze on Trinamool Congress symbol
— The petition argued the Election Commission relied on statements of rebel legislators facing disqualification under the Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law). (GS: Election Commission, Tenth Schedule, anti-defection law) - I&B Ministry notifies new film certification guidelines for CBFC
— Updated guidelines revise the certification process for films; relevant to media regulation and freedom of expression debates. (GS: Media regulation, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting) - Cabinet approves eight multitracking projects to decongest railway lines
— The projects aim to add parallel tracks on heavily used corridors, improving freight and passenger capacity. (GS: Railway infrastructure, Cabinet decisions)
Economy & Finance
- Net direct tax collection rises 13% to ₹12.12 lakh crore till September 17
— CBDT data showed refund issuance also jumped 29.19% to over ₹2.20 lakh crore, reflecting robust tax buoyancy in FY27. (GS: Taxation, CBDT, fiscal policy) - RBI may deliver two rate hikes by CY 2026, say analysts
— Elevated inflation risks, strong liquidity, and a potential global tightening cycle are driving expectations of a shift to a more restrictive monetary stance ahead of RBI's October meeting. (GS: Monetary policy, RBI) - MDR on UPI payments above ₹2,000 to take effect from October 15
— A 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate will apply to person-to-merchant UPI transactions above ₹2,000, capped at ₹300 for ₹75,000 transactions; cost borne by merchants, not consumers. (GS: Payment systems, RBI, digital payments) - BEML secures ₹5,400 crore order for Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project
— The order marks a major milestone for India's first high-speed rail corridor and for the public-sector defence and rail manufacturer. (GS: Infrastructure, Make in India, high-speed rail) - Industrial production rises 6.7% in July, maintaining strong FY27 start
— The IIP growth signals continued economic momentum in the current financial year. (GS: Economy, Index of Industrial Production) - NMDC targets Net Zero operational emissions by 2047
— The state-owned iron ore miner has outlined a three-phase roadmap: short-term (FY2026–30), medium-term (FY2030–40), and long-term (FY2040–47). (GS: PSU, climate targets, environment)
Science & Technology
- NASA discovers new 'once-in-a-century' Moon crater dubbed 'McGetchin'
— The crater measures 730 feet (222 metres) wide and is believed to have formed in spring 2024 from a comet or asteroid impact, detected via NASA orbital scans. (GS: Space science, NASA) - New wild cat species 'Tilcayo' identified in Bolivia — first in over a century
— Genetic analysis shows the Tilcayo lineage separated from other tiger cats approximately 1.4 million years ago; the discovery is significant for biodiversity science. (GS: Biodiversity, species discovery) - India's biotechnology ecosystem flagged as a key pillar of future growth
— Experts highlight the need to strengthen biotech infrastructure to improve healthcare access, reduce import dependence, and build domestic manufacturing capability. (GS: Science & Technology policy, healthcare)
Environment
- State of India's Environment 2026 Report highlights rising climate risks, wildlife conflicts, and pollution monitoring gaps
— The CSE-DTE report raises alarms about increasing human-wildlife conflict, inadequate air and water quality monitoring, and escalating climate vulnerabilities across India. (GS: Environment, CSE report, climate change) - A milestone at Kuno: Cheetah born to South African female now has four cubs of its own
— The development marks a significant step in India's Cheetah Reintroduction Project at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. (GS: Wildlife conservation, Project Cheetah, Kuno National Park)
Sports
- Asian Games 2026 begin on September 19 in Japan (20th edition)
— India aims to match or better its record haul from the Hangzhou 2022 Games, where it won 107 medals; a 100-medal target is anticipated from a smaller contingent. (GS: Sports, Asian Games) - Quimcy Dsouza closes in on historic Teqball medal for India at Asian Games 2026
— She enters the semifinals against Indonesia; a win would give India its first-ever medal in Teqball, a sport combining football and table tennis. (GS: Sports, Asian Games 2026) - Davis Cup: India trail Korea 0-2 as Nagal and Suresh squander early leads
— India must win all three remaining matches to advance to the knockout stage — a feat achieved only twice before (2010 vs Brazil, 2018 vs China). (GS: Sports, tennis)
Appointments & Awards
- Justice M. Fathima Beevi conferred with Padma Bhushan
— The first female judge of the Supreme Court of India has been awarded the Padma Bhushan, recognising her landmark contribution to Indian judiciary. (GS: Awards, judiciary, women achievers) - Justice K.T. Thomas awarded Padma Vibhushan
— The former Supreme Court judge, known for decisions that often contradicted government positions, has been honoured with India's second-highest civilian award. (GS: Awards, judiciary) - Government appoints three more members to RBI Central Board
— The appointments strengthen the governance structure of the Reserve Bank of India's apex decision-making body. (GS: RBI, appointments)
International
- Trump signs Russia sanctions bill — India among potential targets
— The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 authorises tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, with India explicitly covered, raising energy import concerns. (GS: India-US relations, sanctions, energy security) - U.S. and Denmark reach deal on Greenland; to be signed at UNGA
— The agreement, to be formalised by three governments next week during the UN General Assembly, still requires parliamentary approval from Denmark and Greenland. (GS: International relations, geopolitics) - North Korea declares nuclear status 'irreversible' after IAEA rebuke
— Kim Yo Jong stated in state media that IAEA's "double standards" are undermining the international nuclear non-proliferation system, signalling no rollback of Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. (GS: International organisations, nuclear non-proliferation, IAEA)
- Quick Revision:
- 🔹 CM Vijay (Tamil Nadu) raised health insurance coverage from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh under the state scheme.
- 🔹 Net direct tax collection grew 13% to ₹12.12 lakh crore till September 17 (FY27), as per CBDT.
- 🔹 Asian Games 2026 — 20th edition, hosted in Japan, began September 19; Quimcy Dsouza in Teqball semifinals for India's potential first-ever medal in the sport.