Friday, 28 August 2026 Current Affairs, GK Notes & MCQ Quiz

12 Years of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)

India’s National Mission for Financial Inclusion has reached over 59 crore accounts since its 2014 launch. The scheme has successfully bridged the gender gap with over 55% of accounts held by women.

Quick highlights

• Total accounts reached 59.09 crore by August 2026.
• Rural and semi-urban areas account for nearly 78% of the total accounts.
• Total deposits in PMJDY accounts exceed ₹3.17 lakh crore.
• Indigenous RuPay debit cards issued to over 41 crore holders.
• RBI Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) improved from 53.9 (2018) to 67.0 (2026).

Context

PMJDY has completed 12 years, transforming India's subsidy delivery architecture via the JAM (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) trinity.

Key Features

Universal zero-balance accounts, RuPay cards with ₹2 lakh accidental cover, and an emergency overdraft (OD) facility up to ₹10,000. It serves as the onboarding rail for Jan Suraksha schemes and collateral-free MUDRA loans.

Challenges

Issues include account dormancy, low awareness of the overdraft facility, and cybersecurity risks for first-time rural users. Bank Mitras face connectivity and liquidity bottlenecks in remote areas.

Exam Angle

UPSC GS Paper II and III: Financial inclusion, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and inclusive growth. Prelims: Features of RuPay card, OD limit, and FI-Index components.

Remember this

• Launch Year: 2014.
• Zero Balance: Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) accounts.
• Accidental Insurance: ₹2 lakh (for accounts after Aug 2018).
• Overdraft: Up to ₹10,000 per household.
• FI-Index: Managed by RBI.
• JAM Trinity: Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile.

India’s HADR Response to Nepal Floods

India has dispatched nearly 50 tonnes of relief material to Nepal following devastating flash floods near the Tibet border. The assistance reinforces India's role as a first responder under its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.

Quick highlights

• Initial tranche of 10 tonnes followed by a 37.5-tonne military transport shipment.
• Supplies include medicines, hygiene kits, solar lamps, and temporary shelters.
• Response triggered by catastrophic floods that killed over 170 people in Nepal.
• Demonstrates India's capacity as a regional first responder for HADR.

Context

Following devastating flash floods in Nepal's border region with Tibet, PM Narendra Modi assured all possible humanitarian assistance to Nepal's PM Balendra Shah.

Significance

Nepal is an integral partner in India's immediate neighborhood. Rapid HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) strengthens trust and reinforces horizontal solidarity during climate-induced crises in the high Himalayas.

Exam Angle

Relevant for GS Paper II: India-Nepal relations and Neighborhood First Policy. GS Paper III: Transboundary disaster management.

Remember this

• HADR: Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.
• Nepal PM: Balendra Shah.
• Nepal is considered part of India's 'Extended Neighborhood' and 'Immediate Neighborhood'.
• India acts as the first responder in the IOR and Himalayan region.

The DAANVEER Initiative: Digitalizing Panchayats

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has launched DAANVEER, a computer-crowdsourcing initiative to bridge the rural digital divide. It allows donors to purchase standardized desktops via the ONDC network for verified Gram Panchayats.

Quick highlights

• Direct donation of standardized hardware to state-verified Gram Panchayats.
• Integration of 'Meri Panchayat App' with ONDC’s 'DigiHaat'.
• Supports Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) funding.
• Transparent real-time tracking from payment to physical delivery.
• Generates verifiable Certificates of Appreciation for donors.

Context

The Ministry seeks to augment IT infrastructure at the grassroots level by engaging citizens, CSR entities, and the Indian diaspora.

Significance

It equips local bodies for e-governance, land records management, and citizen services, creating a transparent channel for urban migrants and NRIs to support their native villages.

Exam Angle

GS Paper II: Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), e-governance, and digital divide. Prelims: ONDC network and RGSA components.

Remember this

• DAANVEER: Computer Crowdsourcing Initiative.
• Ministry: Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• App: Meri Panchayat App.
• Platform: DigiHaat (ONDC network).
• Recipient: Verified Gram Panchayats.

INS Samarthak: India’s First Indigenous MPV

The Indian Navy has received Samarthak, a 3,750-tonne Multi-Purpose Vessel built by L&T. It serves as a versatile platform for weapon trials, maritime surveillance, and humanitarian relief in the Indian Ocean Region.

Quick highlights

• Built by L&T at Kattupalli shipyard, Tamil Nadu.
• Dedicated testbed for DRDO's next-gen radars and sensors.
• Capable of deploying and recovering UAVs, USVs, and UUVs.
• Fitted for pollution control, oceanic towing, and HADR missions.
• Displaces approx. 3,750 tonnes.

Context

Samarthak is the lead ship of a new class of Multi-Purpose Vessels designed to handle auxiliary tasks, freeing frontline warships for combat duties.

Significance

The vessel boasts over 75% indigenous content, showcasing India's private sector capacity in shipbuilding under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' mission.

Exam Angle

GS Paper III: Indigenization of technology and security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. Prelims: L&T Kattupalli, MPV role, and indigenous content percentage.

Remember this

• Vessel Class: Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV).
• Name: Samarthak (The Proponent).
• Builder: Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
• Indigenous content: >75%.
• Displacement: 3,750 tonnes.

Implementation Push for DPDP Act, 2023

The Centre has directed ministries and states to prepare time-bound plans for the implementation of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act. The act establishes a privacy-by-design framework for all government and private data fiduciaries.

Quick highlights

• SARAL approach: Simple, Accessible, Rational, and Actionable.
• Establishes the Data Protection Board of India (DPBI) as the adjudicator.
• Mandates consent-centric processing with specific exceptions for legitimate uses.
• Strict penalties: Up to ₹250 crore for failing to prevent data breaches.
• Prohibits targeted advertising and behavioral tracking of children.

Context

In its first major compliance push, the Centre has directed all Data Fiduciaries to audit data and strengthen cybersecurity.

Key Rights

Individuals (Data Principals) gain the right to access summaries, seek erasure, and nominate representatives. It balances rights with civic duties (e.g., providing false info is penalized).

Significance

It gives statutory effect to the 2017 Puttaswamy judgment and allows cross-border data transfers unless specifically restricted, supporting India's digital economy.

Exam Angle

GS Paper II: Fundamental Rights, Judiciary (Puttaswamy), and e-governance. Prelims: DPBI, TDSAT role, and penalty amounts.

Remember this

• Act: Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
• Framework: SARAL approach.
• Adjudicator: Data Protection Board of India.
• Appellate Body: TDSAT.
• Max Penalty: ₹250 crore.
• Puttaswamy Judgment (2017): Right to Privacy is a Fundamental Right.

Discovery of Ammannia telanganensis

A new species of freshwater flowering plant, Ammannia telanganensis, has been discovered in Telangana. It is an annual semi-aquatic herb found in the Amrabad Tiger Reserve and Rangareddy district.

Quick highlights

• Belongs to the Lythraceae (loosestrife) family.
• Features distinct magenta petals and cerebriform (brain-like) seed coats.
• Endemic to Telangana (Rangareddy and Nagarkurnool districts).
• Found in Amrabad Tiger Reserve.
• Status: Designated as Data Deficient (DD) but meets Endangered criteria locally.

Context

Described in the journal Phytotaxa, this discovery clarifies long-standing taxonomic anomalies regarding historical Hyderabad specimens.

Key Characteristics

It is distinguished by its pedunculate inflorescence (stalked flower clusters) and specialized leaf morphology adapted to fluctuating water levels in shallow riparian habitats.

Exam Angle

GS Paper III: Biodiversity and species in news. Prelims: Lythraceae family, Amrabad Tiger Reserve location, and IUCN status.

Remember this

• Species Name: Ammannia telanganensis.
• Family: Lythraceae.
• Region: Telangana (Amrabad Tiger Reserve).
• Seed Coat: Cerebriform pattern.
• IUCN Status: Data Deficient (DD).
• Habitat: Seasonal streams and marshy margins.

Geography of Nepal and Transboundary Rivers

Nepal’s diverse geography ranges from the high Himalayas to the low-lying Terai. The country is the source of major transboundary rivers that feed into India's Ganga system.

Quick highlights

• Three major river systems: Kosi, Gandaki (Narayani), and Karnali.
• Home to 8 of the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 meters.
• Transboundary rivers are critical for irrigation and hydropower in India.
• Geographical zones: Himal, Pahad (Hills), and Terai (Plains).

Hydrological Connection

Nepal's rivers are perennial, fed by both snowmelt and monsoon rains. The Kosi is known as the 'Sorrow of Bihar' due to frequent course changes and flooding.

Transboundary Importance

Rivers like the Gandaki and Kosi enter India, where they are subject to various bilateral treaties for water sharing and hydroelectric cooperation.

Remember this

• Highest Peak: Mount Everest (Sagarmatha).
• Major Rivers: Kosi, Gandaki, Karnali.
• Terai: Lowland region along the border with India.
• Valleys: Kathmandu and Pokhara are the largest.
• Rivers feed into the Ganga River in India.