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Daily DigestArchive
Current Affairs — Sunday, 1 November 2026
34 items
Tamil Nadu
- TN Government raises DA for employees from 60% to 63%
— All 16 lakh state government employees, teachers, pensioners, and family pensioners will benefit from the Dearness Allowance hike; significant welfare measure by CM Vijay's TVK government. - CM Vijay reviews expanded free bus scheme for women
— The current government is broadening the free bus travel scheme for women, a flagship welfare initiative; signals continuity and expansion of the earlier DMK-era scheme. - TN Assembly: Health insurance coverage hiked from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh
— The state government announced a fivefold increase in CM health insurance coverage for beneficiaries, with a new health insurance scheme for the elderly also set to launch. - Free Breakfast Scheme to be extended to middle school students
— The TVK government plans to expand the free breakfast scheme (originally launched by the previous DMK government for primary school students) to middle school students statewide. - KMUT beneficiaries above 60 to be moved to pension scheme; aid hiked to ₹1,500
— The state government announced a restructuring of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT) monthly assistance, with elderly beneficiaries transitioned to the pension scheme. - AIADMK marks 55th formation day; Palaniswami attacks TVK government
— AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, at a meeting in Maraimalai Nagar, alleged 'administrative incompetence' in the TVK regime and claimed credit for schemes like the marriage assistance scheme.
India — National
- INDIA Bloc holds mega rally against CEC Gyanesh Kumar over electoral roll deletions
— Opposition alliance staged a 'public impeachment' event in Delhi, with voters alleging mass deletion of names from electoral rolls; raises constitutional questions around Election Commission independence (Article 324). - J&K L-G Manoj Sinha on UT Foundation Day: "We established peace, not bought it"
— On the seventh anniversary of J&K's reorganisation as a Union Territory (November 1, 2019), L-G Sinha highlighted the transformation after the abrogation of Article 370 — end of terror, separatism, and stone-pelting. - Andhra Pradesh local body polls in 92 urban bodies; 8 municipalities went unanimous
— Elections held in Municipalities and Nagar Panchayats across AP; eight bodies including Proddatur and Rayachoti had unanimous results. Relevant for Polity/Local Self-Government. - Madras HC Advocates Association challenges 1965 Union Cabinet decision to retain English in courts
— The Association challenged the Cabinet decision to continue English as the official language of the Supreme Court and all High Courts, citing RTI-revealed details; relevant for Official Languages (Articles 343–351) and three-language policy. - Varanasi–New Delhi Vande Bharat Sleeper train to begin regular service from Monday
— The new Vande Bharat Sleeper variant will commence its first regular passenger service on this route, marking a milestone in Indian Railways' upgraded rolling stock programme. - Manipur: 3 Kuki-Zo men killed in exchange of fire with unidentified militants
— Ethnic violence continues in Manipur; Meiteis and Nagas also held a rally in Imphal demanding abrogation of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) truce pact with Kuki militant groups. - Northeast tourism push: New permit rules to attract foreign visitors
— The government revised permit requirements for Protected/Restricted Areas in the Northeast to ease access for foreign tourists, boosting India's tourism and connectivity goals in the region.
Economy & Finance
- U.S. Fed holds interest rates steady at 3.75–4.00%; FOMC votes 10-2
— The Federal Open Market Committee kept rates unchanged citing need for more inflation data; a stronger dollar outlook is expected to pressure emerging markets including India, affecting FPI flows and the rupee. - Petrol export duty cut to nil; diesel export levy raised to ₹11.5/litre
— The government's fortnightly review raised diesel export duty from ₹8.5 to ₹11.5 per litre and ATF duty to ₹11/litre from ₹10.5, as diesel exports touched 700 kilo-litres; Ministry of Finance/Petroleum. - Extreme poverty in India halved to 2.6% in 2023 from previous year — World Bank
— According to World Bank data, the share of India's population living in extreme poverty (under $2.15/day PPP) dropped sharply; a key data point for GS Paper III and social welfare discussions. - Coal India profit jumps 57% on higher offtake and prices
— Despite a 20% rise in input material costs, Coal India posted strong quarterly earnings; relevant for PSU performance and India's energy security. - CBIC mandates scrapping of GST arrests ahead of legal amendments; issues 8 reform circulars
— The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs directed officers to immediately cease certain GST arrest practices and issued comprehensive reform guidelines; significant for GST administration.
Science & Technology
- ISRO successfully launches NVS-03 navigation satellite; NavIC restored to four-satellite operational status
— Launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota on October 30, 2026, NVS-03 restores India's NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) system to standalone operational capability; key for indigenous navigation and defence. - India's first private fusion power company Pranos Fusion to firm up tokamak design by 2027
— Bengaluru-based startup Pranos Fusion is designing India's first privately built tokamak (nuclear fusion reactor); design finalisation expected in 2027, marking a milestone in clean energy R&D. - Gaganyaan parachute system explained
— ISRO's human spaceflight mission Gaganyaan uses a multi-stage parachute system for crew module re-entry; relevant for upcoming Gaganyaan mission GK.
Environment
- Cyclone Arnab hits Andhra Pradesh coast; Andhra now bracing for a second cyclone
— Cyclone Arnab made landfall on the AP coast this week; authorities evacuated residents and deployed NDRF teams. AP is now preparing for another imminent cyclonic system, raising concerns about the increasing frequency of Bay of Bengal cyclones. - Haryana bans firecrackers in NCR districts ahead of Diwali; green crackers permitted elsewhere
— In view of deteriorating air quality in the National Capital Region, Haryana imposed a complete firecracker ban in NCR districts and restricted usage to certified green crackers in other parts of the state.
Sports
- PV Sindhu wins final against Anmol in straight games
— India's ace shuttler PV Sindhu defeated compatriot Anmol in a straight-game final; their only previous meeting was at the 2024 Syed Modi India International, which Sindhu had also won. - Simon Harmer takes 10-wicket match haul (10/120) as South Africa wins Test series
— South Africa spinner Simon Harmer claimed his first-ever 10-wicket haul in Tests (second innings: 6/16 in 21.1 overs), powering South Africa to a series win. - India leads New Zealand 3-1 in ODI/T20I series; final match pending
— India holds an unassailable lead in the five-match series; questions over playing XI composition (Sooryavanshi, Kuldeep) for the final game. - Brighton beat Manchester City; Chelsea defeat 10-man Manchester United
— Brighton claimed their first-ever away win against Man City (18th attempt), moving into title contention; Chelsea beat a 10-man Manchester United in the Premier League.
Appointments & Awards
- Justice Fathima Beevi, India's first female Supreme Court Judge, passes away
— Justice M. Fathima Beevi, appointed to the Supreme Court of India in 1989, was a landmark figure in India's judicial history; her passing is significant for GS Paper II (Judiciary). - Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari takes oath as Chief Justice of Madras High Court
— The swearing-in ceremony marks a new head for one of India's oldest and most prominent High Courts; relevant for Judiciary/Appointments. - Padma Vibhushan awarded to former SC Justice K.T. Thomas
— Justice K.T. Thomas, known for his judgments including opinions related to the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has been conferred the Padma Vibhushan; top civilian honour (second highest). - Former CJI J.S. Khehar recognised with Padma award; noted for judgments often countering government positions
— Justice J.S. Khehar, who served as the 44th Chief Justice of India, is being felicitated with a Padma award; important for Judiciary GK.
International
- At G20 Foreign Ministers' Meet, Jaishankar raises energy crisis, flags sanctions and attacks
— External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar used the G20 platform to highlight India's concerns on global energy security and the impact of unilateral sanctions; relevant for India's foreign policy and multilateral diplomacy. - Quad focuses on reliable supply chains and critical minerals — Marco Rubio
— U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Quad grouping (India, US, Australia, Japan) is working to secure critical mineral supply chains; significant for India's Indo-Pacific strategy and GS Paper II (IR). - U.S. Secretary Rubio says U.S. yet to decide on new Iran strikes amid Iran supreme leader's warnings
— Iran's supreme leader warned the US and Israel against new attacks following threats after elections; signals continuing West Asia tensions that affect India's energy imports and diaspora.
- Quick Revision:
- 🔹 ISRO NVS-03 launched October 30, 2026 from Sriharikota — restores NavIC to 4-satellite standalone operational status
- 🔹 Justice Fathima Beevi (India's first woman Supreme Court judge, appointed 1989) passed away; Justice Sushrut Dharmadhikari sworn in as Madras HC Chief Justice
- 🔹 Tamil Nadu CM health insurance coverage hiked fivefold — from ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh; DA for TN employees raised from 60% to 63% benefiting 16 lakh employees