Daily Current Affairs — 30 September 2026
· 22 min read · TS Police Hub (Anvil Edtech)
Five new sites, including Udaigiri and Bagh caves and the Sites of Satyagraha, take India's UNESCO Tentative List to 78; Jharkhand's Mandar drum gets a GI tag; Amit Shah calls for a 10-year PRAHAAR counter-terrorism roadmap and launches an Extradition Portal; India hosts the 11th BIMSTEC counter-terrorism working group; DRDO and CSIR-CGCRI team up on lightweight bulletproof glass; India's first PRAMAAN forest certificates are issued; COFO 28 and IWC70 meet; a Livestock Insurance Portal and Delhi's Udyog Mitra portal are launched; Kolkata will host India Energy Week 2027; Kerala builds an AI dengue early-warning system; an SC task force releases student mental-health findings; a WHO–UNICEF report flags school sanitation; the Telangana CM opens the Karimnagar Collectorate and lays foundations for ₹345.78 crore of works in Sircilla; Morocco gets its first woman Prime Minister.
1. Art, Culture & Heritage
Five New Sites Take India's UNESCO Tentative List to 78
Why in news: On 29 September 2026, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced that five more Indian properties have been added to UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List. India's Tentative List now has 78 entries. Four of the five are in Madhya Pradesh; the fifth is a joint nomination with South Africa.
A Tentative List is a country's list of sites it plans to nominate for the World Heritage List. A site cannot be nominated unless it is first on this list. So today's additions are the first step, not the final inscription.
The five new additions| Site | Where | Why it matters |
|---|
| Bagh Cave Paintings | Dhar district, MP (on the Baghni river) | Buddhist rock-cut caves with wall paintings, often compared with Ajanta |
| Udaigiri Caves | Vidisha district, MP | About 20 Gupta-era rock-cut caves (late 4th–early 5th century CE) |
| Group of Temples of the Chambal Valley | Morena district, MP | Bateshwar, Padavali and Kakanmath temple groups |
| Ginnorgarh Fort | Inside Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary, MP | Hill-fort capital of the Gond rulers |
| The Sites of Satyagraha | India and South Africa | Serial transnational nomination on the birth of the non-violent movement |
Key facts
- How the count grew: 69 in September 2025 (after seven natural sites were added) → 73 after a batch reported in early September 2026 → 78 now.
- Madhya Pradesh: With four new entries, Madhya Pradesh's share of India's Tentative List rose from 15 to 19.
- Sites of Satyagraha: Links the places where Gandhiji's Satyagraha began and grew. The South African part includes the Phoenix Settlement near Durban and Pietermaritzburg railway station, where he was thrown off a train in 1893.
- Udaigiri highlight: Famous for the large carving of Varaha (the boar incarnation of Vishnu) lifting the Earth goddess — a masterpiece of Gupta art.
- Ginnorgarh link: Associated with the Gond queen Rani Kamlapati; Bhopal's Habibganj railway station was renamed Rani Kamlapati station in 2021.
Jharkhand's 'Mandar' Drum Gets a GI Tag
Why in news: The Mandar, a traditional folk drum of Jharkhand, has received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai (reported 29–30 September 2026). The application was filed in 2021 by the Raidih Mandar Producer Company Ltd of Gumla district.
Key facts
- What it is: A double-headed drum with a red-clay body, slightly bulging in the middle, with leather on both ends of different sizes.
- Where it is made: Jarjatta village, Raidih block, Gumla district — about 22 families have kept the craft alive for four generations.
- When it is played: At festivals such as Sarhul and Karam, at harvest time and in rituals, by tribal and non-tribal communities alike.
2. Internal Security & Defence
PRAHAAR Conference: A 10-Year Counter-Terrorism Roadmap
Why in news: On 28 September 2026, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the conference 'PRAHAAR – CT Policy and Strategy' in New Delhi, organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). He called for a strong counter-terrorism mechanism for the next 10 years, based on continuous study of every terror incident.
PRAHAAR is India's first National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy, released by the MHA on 23 February 2026. Each letter of the word stands for one of its seven pillars.
The seven pillars of PRAHAAR| Letter | Pillar |
|---|
| P | Prevention of terror attacks |
| R | Responses that are swift and proportionate |
| A | Aggregating internal capacities (whole-of-government) |
| H | Human rights and rule-of-law based processes |
| A | Attenuating conditions that enable terrorism, including radicalisation |
| A | Aligning and shaping international counter-terrorism efforts |
| R | Recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach |
Key facts
- Automated response: Shah asked for an 'automated response mechanism' at every level, right down to the police station, so that action follows an incident with zero delay.
- Extradition Portal: An Extradition Portal was launched the same day. Shah said 288 fugitives were brought back to India from 36 countries between 2019 and 2026.
- Who attended: The Union Home Secretary, the Foreign Secretary, chiefs of central armed police forces, DGPs of 15 States and the heads of the Anti-Terrorism Squads (ATS) of all States and UTs.
India Hosts the 11th BIMSTEC Working Group on Counter-Terrorism
Why in news: The 11th meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime was held in New Delhi on 28–29 September 2026. It was chaired by Dr Suhel Ajaz Khan, Additional Secretary (Counter Terrorism), Ministry of External Affairs. All seven member countries took part.
Key facts
- Areas reviewed: Reports of sub-groups on human trafficking, narcotics and precursor chemicals, anti-money laundering and terror financing, legal and law-enforcement issues, and countering radicalisation.
- New threats: Members also discussed traditional and emerging non-traditional security threats in the Bay of Bengal region.
DRDO and CSIR-CGCRI to Build Lightweight Bulletproof Glass
Why in news: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the CSIR–Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), Kolkata, have taken up a ₹50 crore, four-year project to develop lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles (widely reported on 28–29 September 2026).
Key facts
- Technology: A transparent glass-ceramic armour made by nano-crystallisation, aiming to be 30–50% lighter and thinner than imported bulletproof glass.
- Protection target: To stop repeated AK-47 fire from 100 metres, meeting BIS protection Levels V and VI.
- DRDO labs: Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh, and Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL), Ambernath (Maharashtra).
3. Environment & Ecology
India's First PRAMAAN Forest Certificates Issued
Why in news: On 29 September 2026 in New Delhi, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav handed over India's first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS). They went to the Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) and to Govind Mohapatra, a bamboo farmer from Odisha.
Certification tells buyers that timber or bamboo came from forests and farms that are managed sustainably and legally. This helps Indian exporters meet rules such as the European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Key facts
- Full form: PRAMAAN = Programme for Recognition and Accreditation of sustainable Management practices for Agroforestry And Natural forestry resources.
- The scheme: IFWCS was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in December 2023 and is run by the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal. Certifying bodies are accredited by NABCB.
- Three certificates: Forest Management, Trees Outside Forests, and Chain of Custody (tracking wood from source to product).
- APFDC: Certified for about 33,000 hectares of eucalyptus plantations, mainly around Satyavedu, Kavali, Nellore and Naidupeta and in Prakasam and Krishna districts; the wood mostly goes to the paper industry.
COFO 28: India Showcases Forest Restoration in Rome
Why in news: The 28th session of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO 28) is being held at the Food and Agriculture Organization headquarters in Rome from 28 September to 2 October 2026. India used it to showcase its forest and landscape restoration work.
Key facts
- About COFO: FAO's top forestry body; it meets every two years. The 10th World Forest Week runs alongside COFO 28.
- India's forest cover: Forest and tree cover together is about 82.74 million hectares — 25.17% of India's geographical area (India State of Forest Report 2023).
- Bonn Challenge: India has pledged to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030; about 21.76 million hectares has been restored so far.
- Other programmes shown: Aravalli Green Wall, MISHTI (mangroves), the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' tree-planting campaign and India's network of Ramsar wetlands.
IWC70: India Reaffirms Its Commitment to Whale Conservation
Why in news: The 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC70) is being held in Hobart, Tasmania (Australia), with the main plenary from 28 September to 2 October 2026. In its opening statement, India's Environment Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to protecting whales and other cetaceans.
Key facts
- India's stand: Cooperation among range countries, better scientific data on whale numbers, movement and breeding, and involving coastal communities.
- Protection in India: India has been an IWC member since 1981. Whales and dolphins get the highest protection under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972. Project Dolphin also covers the Arabian Sea humpback whale.
4. Economy, Agriculture & Energy
Livestock Insurance Portal Launched
Why in news: On 28 September 2026 in New Delhi, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) launched the Livestock Insurance Portal. It is a single digital platform for issuing policies, settling claims, monitoring and reporting, run by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
The portal works in Hindi, English and 11 regional languages. Livestock insurance is part of the National Livestock Mission (Sub-Mission on Research and Development, Livestock Insurance, Extension and Innovation).
Who pays the premium| Payer | Share |
|---|
| Farmer (all categories, all areas) | 15% (earlier 20–50%) |
| Government — remaining 85% | Centre:State 60:40 (general States), 90:10 (Himalayan and North-Eastern States), 100% Centre (UTs) |
Key facts
- Coverage cap: Raised from 5 to 10 cattle units per household (5 cattle units for pigs and rabbits). One cattle unit = 10 small animals such as sheep, goats, pigs or rabbits.
- Telangana link: Telangana launched its own insurance scheme for sheep and goats at Karimnagar a few days earlier (covered on 28 September).
Delhi Launches the 'Udyog Mitra' Single-Window Portal
Why in news: On 28 September 2026, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the Delhi Udyog Mitra Portal at the Delhi Secretariat. It is a single-window portal for traders, MSMEs, start-ups and investors, linked to the National Single Window System (NSWS).
Key facts
- Services: Over 50 services from 15 departments now, with a target of more than 100 services across 21 departments. About 8 lakh traders are expected to benefit.
- Why it matters: Single-window systems cut paperwork and delays — part of 'ease of doing business'. Lower costs of moving goods matter too: a DPIIT–NCAER study (September 2025) put India's logistics cost at 7.97% of GDP for 2023–24, far below the older estimate of 13–14%.
Kolkata to Host India Energy Week 2027
Why in news: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has announced that India Energy Week (IEW) 2027 will be held in Kolkata from 28 to 31 January 2027. It will be the fifth edition and the first in eastern India.
Key facts
- Organiser: Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI), under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Venue: New Town Convention Centre, Kolkata.
- Theme: 'Unlocking Innovation. Securing Energy. Shaping Tomorrow.'
- History: The first IEW was held in Bengaluru in 2023; the 2026 edition was in Goa.
5. Health, Education & Social Issues
Kerala Develops an AI-Based Dengue Early-Warning System
Why in news: Scientists at the Institute of Advanced Virology (IAV), Thonnakkal (Thiruvananthapuram), Kerala, have developed a Dengue Early Warning System (DEWS) that uses machine learning to forecast dengue risk for each district, every week (reported 29 September 2026).
Key facts
- Inputs: Dengue case numbers from Kerala's State Surveillance Unit, plus rainfall, temperature and humidity data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
- Output: Each district is rated very high, high, moderate or low risk, so health teams can act before an outbreak. About 60% of Kerala's dengue cases occur in June–September.
- Dengue vaccine: On 21 July 2026, India's drug regulator CDSCO approved Qdenga (Takeda, Japan) — India's first dengue vaccine — for ages 4 to 60, given as two doses three months apart.
SC Task Force Releases Preliminary Findings on Student Mental Health
Why in news: The National Task Force (NTF) on the mental health of students in higher education, set up by the Supreme Court in March 2025 and headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, shared preliminary findings of its national survey (reported 29 September 2026). Officials called the figures 'preliminary and tentative'. The final report is due by 31 October 2026.
Key facts
- Survey size: Responses from more than 2.43 lakh students; about 67% of respondents were from SC, ST and OBC groups.
- Distress: 15% said they felt very overwhelmed or distressed in the previous six months; 9% had suicidal thoughts often or very often in the past year.
- Campus support: About 34% felt like outsiders on campus to some degree, and 32% said their institution has no counselling service.
WHO–UNICEF Report: 5 Crore Indian Children Lack Sanitation at School
Why in news: The WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) report 'Progress on Drinking Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Schools 2015–2025', released in September 2026, says 244 million (24.4 crore) children worldwide had no sanitation service at school in 2025. India had the largest number — 50 million (5 crore), nearly one in five.
Key facts
- Other countries: After India come Nigeria (3.4 crore), Ethiopia (2.6 crore), DR Congo (1.1 crore) and Indonesia (80 lakh).
- India's other gaps: About 1.2 crore children lack a drinking-water service and about 2 crore lack a hygiene (handwashing) service at school. India did reduce the number of schools with no sanitation service by 14%.
- Global goal: The world is not on track to give every school basic water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030 (Sustainable Development Goal 6).
6. Telangana Focus
CM Opens Karimnagar's New Integrated Collectorate
Why in news: On 30 September 2026, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy inaugurated the new Integrated District Offices Complex (IDOC), or Collectorate, in Karimnagar and unveiled a Telangana Thalli statue on its premises. He asked government employees to make sure welfare schemes reach people at the grassroots.
Key facts
- What an IDOC is: One building that houses the offices of the Collector and the main district departments, so that citizens get most government services in one place.
- Telangana Thalli: The mother-goddess figure that represents Telangana. The present design of the statue was unveiled at the Telangana Secretariat on 9 December 2024.
₹345.78 Crore Works for Rajanna Sircilla District
Why in news: On his first official visit to Rajanna Sircilla district on 30 September 2026, CM Revanth Reddy laid foundation stones for development works worth ₹345.78 crore. He said Sircilla's weavers have earned global recognition for their skill.
Key facts
- Young India schools: Young India Integrated Residential Schools at Sircilla and Vemulawada — ₹200 crore, for about 2,600 students from Class 5 to Intermediate.
- Vemulawada temple: Development works worth ₹99.40 crore (26 projects) at the Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple, Vemulawada.
- Other works announced: An e-Nethanna Bazar to sell handloom and powerloom products, an Indira Mahila Shakti Bhavan, a women's police station at Vemulawada and traffic police stations.
7. International Affairs
Morocco Gets Its First Woman Prime Minister
Why in news: On 29 September 2026, King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Zahra El Mansouri as Morocco's first woman Prime Minister. Her party, the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), won the most seats — 97 of 395 — in the 23 September election but fell short of a majority, so she must form a coalition government.
Key facts
- Background: A lawyer, she was Minister of Housing in the outgoing government and earlier the first woman Mayor of Marrakesh.
- Predecessor: She succeeds Aziz Akhannouch, Prime Minister since October 2021.
8. Quick Revision — One-Liners
Practice questions with answers
The Udaigiri Caves, added to India's UNESCO Tentative List in September 2026, are located in which district of Madhya Pradesh?
- Dhar
- Vidisha
- Morena
- Sehore
Answer: (B) Vidisha
Explanation: The Udaigiri Caves — about 20 Gupta-era rock-cut caves famous for the Varaha panel — are in Vidisha district. The Bagh caves are in Dhar district, and the Chambal Valley temples (Bateshwar) are in Morena district.
With reference to PRAHAAR, consider the following statements:
- It is India's first National Counter-Terrorism Policy and Strategy, released in February 2026.
- The letter 'H' in PRAHAAR stands for human rights and rule-of-law based processes.
- It was released by the Ministry of External Affairs.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (C) 1 and 2 only
Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong: PRAHAAR was released by the Ministry of Home Affairs on 23 February 2026. Its seven pillars are Prevention, Response, Aggregating internal capacities, Human rights and rule of law, Attenuating conditions for terrorism, Aligning international efforts, and Recovery and resilience.
Match the initiative in the news with the institution linked to it:
| List I | List II |
|---|
| A. PRAMAAN forest certificates | 1. Institute of Advanced Virology, Kerala |
| B. India Energy Week 2027 | 2. CSIR-CGCRI, Kolkata |
| C. Dengue Early Warning System | 3. IIFM, Bhopal |
| D. Lightweight bulletproof glass | 4. FIPI |
- A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
- A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
- A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
- A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
Answer: (D) A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
Explanation: PRAMAAN certificates are issued under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme run by IIFM Bhopal; India Energy Week is organised by the Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI); the Dengue Early Warning System was built by the Institute of Advanced Virology, Kerala; and the bulletproof glass project is with CSIR-CGCRI, Kolkata. Hence A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2.
Consider the Assertion (A) and Reason (R):
Assertion (A): Being added to the Tentative List does not by itself make a site a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Reason (R): A site on the Tentative List must still be formally nominated and then inscribed by the World Heritage Committee.
- Both A and R are true, and R explains A
- Both A and R are true, but R does not explain A
- A is true, R is false
- A is false, R is true
Answer: (A) Both A and R are true, and R explains A
Explanation: Both are true and R explains A. The Tentative List is only a country's list of sites it plans to nominate. Each site still needs a full nomination dossier and a decision by the World Heritage Committee. For example, Sarnath was inscribed at the Committee's 48th session in Busan in July 2026.
Under the livestock insurance component of the National Livestock Mission, what share of the premium does a farmer now pay?
- 5%
- 10%
- 15%
- 20%
Answer: (C) 15%
Explanation: The farmer pays 15% of the premium in all categories and areas (earlier 20–50%). The remaining 85% is shared by the Centre and States — 60:40 in general States, 90:10 in Himalayan and North-Eastern States, and fully by the Centre in UTs. The Livestock Insurance Portal was launched on 28 September 2026.
India Energy Week 2027, the first edition to be held in eastern India, will take place in:
- Goa
- Bengaluru
- Bhubaneswar
- Kolkata
Answer: (D) Kolkata
Explanation: IEW 2027 will be held in Kolkata from 28 to 31 January 2027, organised by FIPI under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. The first IEW was in Bengaluru (2023), and the 2026 edition was in Goa.
With reference to the WHO/UNICEF JMP report on water, sanitation and hygiene in schools (2015–2025), consider the following statements:
- India had the largest number of children with no sanitation service at school.
- About 24.4 crore children worldwide had no sanitation service at school in 2025.
- The world is on track to give every school basic sanitation by 2030.
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (A) 1 and 2 only
Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct: 24.4 crore children worldwide, of whom India accounts for about 5 crore — the highest of any country. Statement 3 is wrong: the report says the world is not on track for universal basic water, sanitation and hygiene in schools by 2030.
Who was appointed Morocco's first woman Prime Minister in September 2026?
- Najla Bouden
- Fatima Zahra El Mansouri
- Aziz Akhannouch
- Nadia Fettah
Answer: (B) Fatima Zahra El Mansouri
Explanation: King Mohammed VI appointed Fatima Zahra El Mansouri of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) on 29 September 2026. She succeeds Aziz Akhannouch. Najla Bouden was Tunisia's first woman Prime Minister.
The Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple, for which development works worth ₹99.40 crore were taken up on 30 September 2026, is located at:
- Vemulawada
- Bhadrachalam
- Yadagirigutta
- Basara
Answer: (A) Vemulawada
Explanation: The Sri Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple, a famous Shiva temple known as 'Dakshina Kashi', is at Vemulawada in Rajanna Sircilla district. Bhadrachalam is known for Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy, Yadagirigutta for Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, and Basara for Goddess Gnana Saraswati.
According to FAO's Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025, what is India's rank in the world by total forest area?
- 3rd
- 7th
- 9th
- 10th
Answer: (C) 9th
Explanation: FRA 2025 ranks India 9th in total forest area (up from 10th in the previous assessment) and 3rd in annual net gain in forest area. India showcased its restoration work at COFO 28 in Rome (28 Sep–2 Oct 2026).