The Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh is all set to welcome new arrivals of blackbuck after over 50 years
These animals will be brought from Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary in the state where the translocation process over the last few years has proven to be a success.
About Blackbuck:
Scientific name: Antilope cervicapra
These are medium sized antilope native to India and Nepal. The male antilopes have distinct spiral horns and a dark or black coat, while female antilopes are tawny. These are diurnal animals and grazes in the open grasslands.
They are found in open grasslands, semi-deserts and scrub lands across north and peninsular India.
Blackbuck is the State animal of Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.
Conservation Status:
IUCN: Least Concern
WPA 1972: Schedule I
CITES: Appendix III
Note: Bishnoi Community of Rajasthan traditionally conserve the blackbucks.
Chromium poisoning in UP’s Ganga adjacent districts
About Chromium poisoning:
Chromium is a heavy metal found in two oxidized states:
- Trivalent Chromium: a stable, non toxic and essential nutrient for human glucose and lipid metabolism.
- Hexavalent Chromium: it’s a highly toxic and mobile carcinogenic as declared by WHO.
Sources of chromium poisoning:
- Anthropogenic activities: through industrial wastes from leather factories, electroplating, steel industries, and textile dyeing. Also the mining activities to extract chromium mineral from the ores.
- Natural leakages: from volcanic dust and leaching from rocks.
Hotspots of chromium poisoning in India: Sukinda Valley in Odisha, has 97% of India’s chromium reserves, Ranipet in Tamil Nadu, Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Impacts on health: it causes ulcers on skin, dermatitis, lung cancer, respiratory irritations, and while ingesting can led to organ failure and death.
Note: Bureau of Indian Standard has set the permissible limit for chromium in water at 50 micro grams per litre.
Noel Tata, Neville file caveats amid Tata Trusts dispute
About Caveats: Its an formal precautionary notice given to court by an individual to ensure that no judgement to be passed in a matter without giving them a prior notice or an opportunity of being heard.
It is governed under the rules of Section 148A of the Code of Civil Procedure 1908. Its purpose is to prevent ex-parte or one sided orders and to protect the rights of caveator. The validity of Caveat is 90 days from the date of filing. It is only applicable in the civil cases.
The court’s duty is that to serve a notice to caveator before granting any interim relief to the applicant.
During World Health Summit in Berlin on 12 October 2026, launched the 5 years strategy for WHO Hub for Pandemic & Epidemic Intelligence
Its target is to detect and understand emerging health threats within 24 hours by 2030.
WHO Hub for Pandemic & Epidemic Intelligence was established in 2021 in Berlin, Germany. It is supported by Germany Govt to fill the gap in global surveillance post COVID19.
5 Pillars:
- Open sources intelligence for epidemic through AI in real time by scanning public data
- Genomic sequencing for rapid test and vaccine development via International Pathogen Surveillance Network.
- It will implement One Health Approach by integrating human-animal and environment.
- Secure data sharing through responsible AI.
- Using data science and modeling network to make models.
Wholesale Price Index inflation rises to 11.39% in September this year
It is published by Office of the Economic Adviser, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Sector-wise breakdown:
Fuel and Power: highest rise in inflation at 25.85% driven by mineral oils and coal.
Manufactured products: highest weightage in WPI, reached a high of 9.76%.
Primary articles: includes food, crude petroleum, and non-food items, it rose to 8.67%.
Base year for WPI: 2011-2012.
Note: WPI does not capture services inflation.
Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana: BHAVYA Scheme
It is under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry and implemented by National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC).
The target is to raise manufacturing sector’s contribution to 25% of India’s GDP by 2035.
Time Period: 6 years from FY2026-27 to FY2031-32.
Budget outlay: Rs. 33,660 Crore.
It aims to create 100 plug and play industrial parks across the country.
Note: Plug and Play ecosystem will offer pre-approved land, ready built factory sheds, testing infrastructure, and to minimize regulatory and land acquisition delays.
Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026
6th Bharaiv Battalion of Assam Regiment of Indian Army won the Gold Medal at Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2026.
It was held in Wales, United Kingdom from 2-12 October 2026.
Indian troops competed against more than 100 international teams.
This is also referred as Olympic of Military Patrolling. This is organized by 160th Infantry Welsh Brigade of the British Army, instituted in 1960s in the Cambrian Mountains in Wales.
It’s a mission based assessment to test operational readiness, leadership, tactical navigation, and endurance while carrying heavy combat loads over hostile terrain.
UT of Lakshadweep achieved 100% literacy under the ULLAS Scheme
About ULLAS or Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram:
It’s a centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Education.
Time Period: 2022-23 to 2026-27.
It is aligned with National Education Policy 2020 and targets the non-literates of age above 15 years of age, who are missing from school.
This is driven by volunteerism or Kartvaya Bodh and digital tools that is ULLAS App and DIKSHA App.
5 Pillars of Scheme:
- Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
- Critical life skills like digital, financial, legal, healthcare, and disaster management
- From school education
- Vocational skills for livelihoods
- Lifelong learning that continues
Note: State or UT achieves full literacy status upon reaching 95% literacy among individuals aged 15 and above. Learners have to clear the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT).
Other states and UTs who achieved this are Ladakh, Chandigarh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Jammu & Kashmir.
