Friday, 21 August 2026 Current Affairs, GK Notes & MCQ Quiz
The edition examines deemed distribution licences for hyperscale data centres, India’s fiscal outlook and South Korea’s plastic recycling system. It also covers CARA reforms, Gaganyaan’s thermal protection system, food advertising rules, Vande Mataram, China’s Zhuque-3 reusable vehicle and piracy in the Gulf of Aden.
Topics in this edition
- The Centre’s Fiscal Outlook for FY 2026–27 (own page)
- South Korea’s Plastic Waste Management System (own page)
- CARA Reviews Adoption Regulations, 2022 (own page)
- Thermal Protection System of the Gaganyaan Crew Module (own page)
- FSSAI Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018 (own page)
- Debate over the First Two Stanzas of Vande Mataram (own page)
- China’s Zhuque-3 Y2 Reusable Launch Vehicle (own page)
- Renewed Somali Piracy in the Gulf of Aden (own page)
Current affairs
The Centre’s Fiscal Outlook for FY 2026–27
An assessment by C. Rangarajan and D.K. Srivastava indicated that strong non-tax revenues and front-loaded capital expenditure could keep the fiscal deficit near the 4.6% target. Slower tax growth, rising subsidies, crude oil volatility, reduced state devolution and rupee depreciation remain major fiscal risks.
Quick highlights
- The fiscal deficit target for FY 2026–27 is 4.6% of GDP, while the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected at 55.8%.
- Gross tax revenue grew by 3.7% in Q1, with GST contracting by 11% and personal income tax increasing by 6.8%.
- Union excise duty collections contracted by 22.4% following duty cuts intended to cushion high crude prices.
- Major subsidies increased by 37.4% in Q1 and could exceed the full-year estimate by about ₹50,000 crore.
- Central capital expenditure grew by 23.7% in Q1.
- The RBI dividend helped realize 77% of budgeted non-tax dividend receipts within the first three months.
Context
The fiscal outlook assesses whether the Union government can maintain fiscal consolidation while funding subsidies and public investment. The assessment highlighted strong non-tax revenue and capital expenditure alongside tax, geopolitical and commodity-related pressures.
Key Facts
Nominal GDP growth was projected at 12.5%–13%, compared with the budgeted 10.04%, supported by about 7% real growth and 5%–5.5% implicit price deflator inflation. Tax devolution to states contracted by 19.5% in Q1, while Sixteenth Finance Commission grants were budgeted to fall by ₹23,556 crore.
Significance
Higher nominal GDP can improve fiscal ratios, while front-loaded capital expenditure can support industrial output and crowd in private investment. Strong RBI dividends and other non-tax receipts provide a temporary cushion against tax shortfalls and subsidy pressures.
Challenges / Way Forward
Risks include the lagged impact of tax-rate rationalization, West Asian instability, high crude costs, rupee depreciation and shrinkage of the divisible pool through cesses. Suggested measures include GST base expansion, calibrated restoration of fuel excise duties, sustained public capex, predictable transfers to states and commodity or currency hedging.
Exam Angle
Revise fiscal deficit, public debt, gross tax revenue, divisible pool, cesses, tax devolution, subsidies, capital expenditure and the relationship between nominal GDP growth and fiscal consolidation.
Remember this
- FY 2026–27 fiscal deficit target: 4.6% of GDP.
- Projected debt-to-GDP ratio: 55.8%.
- Q1 gross tax revenue growth: 3.7%.
- Q1 GST contraction: 11%.
- Q1 major subsidy growth: 37.4%.
- Q1 central capital expenditure growth: 23.7%.
- The HSNS Cess took effect on February 1, 2026.
- Windfall taxes on petrol, diesel and ATF exports were raised from August 3, 2026.
South Korea’s Plastic Waste Management System
Research found that only 16.4% of South Korea’s sorted household plastic in 2021 returned as recycled plastic, despite official recycling figures of about 73%. The gap largely reflected the inclusion of thermal recovery, such as burning plastic for fuel, within earlier recycling statistics.
Quick highlights
- South Korea follows an Extended Producer Responsibility system for packaging waste.
- Only 16.4% of sorted household plastic in 2021 was recycled back into plastic.
- Thermal recovery was historically counted as recycling, raising reported rates above 70%.
- South Korea generated 7.8 million tonnes of household and commercial plastic waste in 2024.
- Per-capita plastic waste was 103.9 kg in 2022, the second-highest level in the OECD.
- Material and thermal recycling have been reported separately since December 2024.
Context
South Korea’s recycling record came under scrutiny after researchers distinguished genuine material recycling from incineration and other forms of thermal recovery. The findings exposed a substantial gap between officially reported recycling and the quantity converted into recycled plastic.
Key Facts
Manufacturers and importers finance waste management through an EPR framework. Mandatory recycling rates vary by material and include about 79% for colourless PET bottles and 90% for containers, trays, films and sheets. Through KORA, around 80%–90% of producer contributions reach municipalities, collectors, sorting facilities and recyclers.
Significance
Separating material recycling from energy recovery improves transparency and makes waste-management performance more comparable. The system also illustrates how producer accountability can finance collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure.
Challenges / Way Forward
The key challenges are high plastic consumption, low actual material recovery and statistical inflation caused by counting incineration as recycling. South Korea is reviewing recycling definitions and its EPR framework, including materials with persistently low recovery rates.
Exam Angle
Use the case to study Extended Producer Responsibility, circular economy, plastic pollution, municipal waste management, producer accountability and the distinction between material recycling and thermal recovery.
Remember this
- Actual material recycling of sorted household plastic in 2021: 16.4%.
- Earlier official recycling figure: about 73%.
- Plastic waste generated in 2024: 7.8 million tonnes.
- Per-capita plastic waste in 2022: 103.9 kg.
- EPR makes producers financially responsible for post-consumer waste.
- KORA is the Korea Resource Circulation Service Agency.
- Separate reporting of material and thermal recycling began in December 2024.
- A formal EPR review began in May 2026.
Thermal Protection System of the Gaganyaan Crew Module
Gaganyaan’s Thermal Protection System is an external shielding layer designed to protect the crew module from extreme aerodynamic heating during hypersonic atmospheric re-entry. Its ablative materials absorb heat, form an insulating char layer and release gases that reduce convective heat transfer.
Quick highlights
- More than 99% of re-entry kinetic energy is converted into intense shock-layer heating.
- Gaganyaan’s TPS is about 30–35 mm thick and is designed to keep structural temperatures below 150°C.
- Ablative materials undergo endothermic decomposition and shed heated mass.
- The char layer insulates the material beneath the exposed surface.
- Outgassing helps push the hot plasma boundary away from the capsule.
- The design draws on technologies validated through SRE and LVM3/CARE.
Context
As ISRO prepared the uncrewed flight-test sequence for Gaganyaan, aerospace experts explained the crew module’s Thermal Protection System and its role during high-speed atmospheric re-entry.
Key Facts
The shield faces temperatures reaching about 1,800°C but is only 30–35 mm thick, keeping the underlying structure below about 150°C. The forward shield uses high-density carbon phenolic tiles, while the side and afterbody panels use medium-density silica phenolic or other ablative tiles.
Significance
TPS protects the crew, habitable environment and aluminum-alloy or CFRP structural frame during rapid deceleration. Its passive and autonomous operation is essential because atmospheric descent cannot be aborted and heating changes too rapidly for manual intervention.
Challenges / Way Forward
The system must tolerate peak heat flux, stagnation pressure, turbulent wake heating and possible impact damage while minimizing mass. Gaganyaan uses a robust single-use ablative composite instead of fragile reusable ceramic radiative tiles.
Exam Angle
Focus on ablative versus radiative thermal protection, pyrolysis, char formation, outgassing, hypersonic re-entry and the technological lineage from the Space Capsule Recovery Experiment and CARE mission.
Remember this
- Peak re-entry temperature cited for Gaganyaan: about 1,800°C.
- TPS thickness: approximately 30–35 mm.
- Target structural temperature: below 150°C.
- The nose shield uses high-density carbon phenolic material.
- Side panels use medium-density silica phenolic or ablative tiles.
- Pyrolysis is an endothermic decomposition process.
- CARE stands for Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment.
- CARE was flown with LVM3 in 2014.
FSSAI Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018
The Maharashtra FDA issued notices to actors over Vimal Elaichi endorsements, alleging surrogate advertising of prohibited pan masala. The FSSAI regulations require truthful and scientifically supported food advertising while prohibiting misleading claims, surrogate promotion and unauthorized disease-treatment claims.
Quick highlights
- The regulations were notified by FSSAI under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
- Food advertisements must be clear, truthful, unambiguous and scientifically meaningful.
- Foods cannot be advertised as preventing, treating or curing diseases.
- Nutrition and health claims require scientific substantiation.
- Novel reduction-of-disease-risk claims require prior FSSAI approval.
- FSSAI can stop deceptive advertising and order a corrective advertisement within 30 days.
Context
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration issued notices concerning endorsements of Vimal Elaichi, alleging that the advertisements functioned as surrogate promotions for prohibited pan masala.
Key Facts
The regulations were framed under Section 92 read with Sections 23 and 24 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. They apply to Food Business Operators, advertisers and marketers and regulate nutritional, comparative and health claims.
Significance
The framework protects consumers from deceptive marketing and ensures that health or nutrition claims are supported by validated methods and evidence. It also prevents the FSSAI logo from being used as a badge implying product superiority.
Challenges / Way Forward
Surrogate advertising, celebrity endorsements and brand extensions can obscure the product actually being promoted. Strong monitoring, scientific scrutiny of claims, prompt corrective advertisements and enforcement of penalties are necessary.
Exam Angle
Revise FSSAI’s statutory basis, truthful advertising principles, disease-cure prohibitions, prior approval for novel claims, corrective advertisements and liability for misleading commercial communication.
Remember this
- The parent law is the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
- The regulations were notified under Section 92 read with Sections 23 and 24.
- Disease prevention, treatment and cure claims for food are prohibited.
- Claims must be scientifically substantiated.
- Prior approval is required for novel reduction-of-disease-risk claims.
- The FSSAI logo cannot be used to imply product superiority.
- Corrective advertisements may be ordered within 30 days in the same medium.
- Section 53 of the FSS Act covers penalties for misleading advertisements.
Debate over the First Two Stanzas of Vande Mataram
The Congress Working Committee reaffirmed its decision to sing only the first two stanzas of Vande Mataram at party functions, citing its 1937 resolution. The historical distinction reflects the universal natural imagery of the opening stanzas and the religious and militant imagery present in later portions.
Quick highlights
- Vande Mataram was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875.
- It was incorporated into the novel Anandamath in 1882.
- Rabindranath Tagore sang it at the 1896 Indian National Congress session.
- It became a rallying cry during the Swadeshi Movement of 1905–1908.
- The song has six stanzas, but the 1937 Congress decision preferred the first two.
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad addressed its national status in the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950.
Context
The Congress Working Committee reaffirmed that only the first two stanzas would be sung at party functions. It relied on the party’s 1937 position, which sought to preserve the song’s national role while addressing concerns about later religious imagery.
Key Facts
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed the Sanskritized Bengali song in 1875 and later included it in Anandamath, published in 1882. The novel is set against the background of the Sanyasi Rebellion. Tagore publicly sang the song at the 1896 Congress session.
Significance
Vande Mataram played a major role in the freedom struggle and became a slogan against the Partition of Bengal during the Swadeshi Movement. On January 24, 1950, Constituent Assembly President Dr. Rajendra Prasad stated that it would be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana.
Challenges / Way Forward
The first two stanzas praise the motherland through natural imagery, while later stanzas personify it through Hindu theological and militant imagery. Tagore advised Subhas Chandra Bose and Jawaharlal Nehru that the opening portion had universal appeal and could be separated from the symbolism of the later verses.
Exam Angle
Prepare the composition date, author, Anandamath connection, Sanyasi Rebellion setting, Tagore’s 1896 rendition, Swadeshi role, 1937 Congress decision and the January 24, 1950 Constituent Assembly declaration.
Remember this
- Author: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
- Year of composition: 1875.
- Included in Anandamath in 1882.
- Publicly sung by Rabindranath Tagore at the 1896 Congress session.
- Prominent during the Swadeshi Movement of 1905–1908.
- The song contains six stanzas.
- The 1937 Congress position preferred the first two stanzas.
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad made the Constituent Assembly declaration on January 24, 1950.
China’s Zhuque-3 Y2 Reusable Launch Vehicle
China’s Zhuque-3 Y2 is presented as a reusable launch vehicle and a science-and-technology prelims topic. The supplied extract does not provide mission dates, developer details, technical specifications or test results.
Quick highlights
- Zhuque-3 is associated with China.
- The image supplied with the page identifies the vehicle as Zhuque-3 Y2.
- It is described as a reusable launch vehicle.
- No additional mission or performance details are available in the supplied scrape.
Context
The daily current-affairs page lists China’s Zhuque-3 reusable rocket among its science-and-technology prelims topics.
Key Facts
The supplied material identifies the system as the Zhuque-3 Y2 reusable launch vehicle of China. It provides no further information about the developer, propulsion system, payload capacity, test date or mission outcome.
Significance
Its inclusion highlights reusable launch vehicles as an important area of space-technology revision and international technological competition.
Challenges / Way Forward
No vehicle-specific technological challenges or future programme details are provided in the supplied scrape.
Exam Angle
Remember the core country-technology association: Zhuque-3 is a Chinese reusable launch vehicle. Avoid attributing technical specifications not contained in the source.
Remember this
- Name: Zhuque-3.
- Variant or image label: Y2.
- Country association: China.
- Technology type: reusable launch vehicle.
Renewed Somali Piracy in the Gulf of Aden
The page highlights renewed Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and its implications for global maritime trade. The issue is relevant to international relations, geography and maritime security because piracy threatens the safety and reliability of commercial shipping.
Quick highlights
- The current-affairs page reports renewed Somali piracy.
- The affected maritime area identified is the Gulf of Aden.
- The issue has implications for global maritime trade.
- No incident-specific dates, vessels or anti-piracy operations are detailed in the supplied extract.
Context
The Gulf of Aden section focuses on a renewed threat from Somali piracy and the consequences of maritime insecurity for global commercial shipping.
Key Facts
The supplied extract identifies the Gulf of Aden, Somali piracy and global maritime trade as the central elements of the issue. It does not provide details about individual attacks, vessels or security operations.
Significance
Piracy can undermine the safety and predictability of commercial navigation, making maritime security an important component of international trade and regional cooperation.
Challenges / Way Forward
The principal challenge is protecting commercial vessels from piracy while maintaining reliable maritime trade. The supplied extract does not specify operation-level responses or policy recommendations.
Exam Angle
Study the issue under maritime security, piracy, global trade routes, international cooperation and map-based identification of the Gulf of Aden.
Remember this
- The maritime region identified is the Gulf of Aden.
- The security threat identified is renewed piracy.
- The piracy is associated with Somalia.
- The stated impact concerns global maritime trade.
General knowledge
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