UPSC current affairs · Friday

Current Affairs, 27 March 2026

10 issues picked from 96 PIB releases · about 2 minutes each · written by UPSC Grade, each fact checked against its PIB release or by a second model

How to readRead “Why in news” and “What it is” for every issue. Open For Prelims or For Mains for the exam you’re preparing for, then Test yourself at the foot of each card. Half the news questions in Prelims are answered from background, not the news itself.

In 60 seconds

WTO 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14). MC14 opens in Yaounde; India backs Member-driven WTO reform based on consensus, non-discrimination and equity.
Excise Duty Cut on Petrol and Diesel (2026). Excise cut of Rs 10/litre eases OMC losses; pump prices unchanged; diesel export levy added.
Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act and Clinical Establishments Act, 2010. Bill 2026 amends 784 provisions in 79 Central Acts, decriminalising 717 minor offences.
LaQshya (Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative). 1244 labour rooms and 917 maternity OTs are LaQshya-certified; certification needs 70% scores.
PM MITRA Parks. Seven PM MITRA textile park sites finalised; Rs 63,177 crore investment interest received.
Jal Jeevan Mission and Jal Arpan. Meghalaya signs reform-linked MoU under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, the twelfth State to do so.
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual Report. PLFS 2025 shows stable participation, lower unemployment, and a shift to calendar-year, larger-sample design.
PLI Scheme. PLI ACC scheme: 40 of 50 GWh awarded; demand still mostly met by imports.
Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (PoSH) Act, 2013. Government restates PoSH Act duties and Mission Shakti support for women's workplace safety.
Television Rating Policy, 2026. MIB notifies TV Rating Policy 2026: lower net worth, more independence, bigger samples, dual audits.

International relations

WTO 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14)

GS2 International organisationsGS3 TradePrelims and Mains

Why in news: The WTO's 14th Ministerial Conference opened in Yaounde, Cameroon, on 26 March 2026. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal called for WTO reform that is Member-driven, inclusive and keeps development at its core.
What it is: The Ministerial Conference is the WTO's highest decision-making body. It brings together trade ministers of all members and meets at least once every two years. MC14 was hosted by Cameroon, and the WTO works by consensus, so one member can block a decision.

Venue and date: MC14 was held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and closed on March 30, 2026.
Fisheries subsidies: Ministers agreed to keep negotiating, aiming to give recommendations to MC-15 on comprehensive disciplines under Article 12 of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.
IFD Agreement: India did not agree to bring the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement into the WTO as an Annex 4 (plurilateral) agreement.
E-commerce moratorium: No consensus was reached on extending the moratorium on customs duties on electronic transmissions. The General Council in Geneva will take it up next.
Decision-making: The WTO takes decisions by consensus, and the Ministerial Conference meets at least once every two years.
Phase II focus: The Ministerial Decision sets the course of Phase II negotiations on fisheries subsidies relating to overcapacity and overfishing.
India's priorities: India sought a 25-year transition period for developing countries, stronger disciplines on distant-water fleets, a permanent carve-out for small-scale fishers, and per capita subsidy intensity as the basis.
Principles invoked: India grounded its stance in SDG 14.6, S&DT, CBDR-RC and the Polluter Pays Principle.
Status of the Conference: The Ministerial Conference is the WTO's highest decision-making body and meets at least once every two years.
Fisheries Subsidies Agreement: The opening session marked the entry into force of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on 15 September 2025.
India's position on reform: India wants reform to be transparent, inclusive and Member-driven, keeping development at the core and upholding non-discrimination, consensus-based decision making and equity.
Ministerial Conference: It is the topmost decision-making body of the WTO, meeting at least once every two years. The General Council acts for it between sessions.
WTO: The WTO was established on 1 January 1995 and is headquartered in Geneva. It replaced GATT.
Dates and venue: MC14 is to be held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from 26 to 29 March 2026.
Chair: Cameroon's Trade Minister, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, chairs the conference.
Agenda: Items include WTO reform, the E-Commerce Work Programme and Moratorium, Investment Facilitation for Development, fisheries subsidies, and agriculture and development.
India's asks: India wants a permanent solution on public stockholding, effective S&DT, and a restored binding dispute settlement mechanism.
Legal basis: The WTO was set up by the Marrakesh Agreement (1994), in force from 1 January 1995, with headquarters in Geneva.

Don’t confuse with Ministerial Conference vs General Council: The Ministerial Conference is the top body and meets at least every two years. The General Council acts between sessions and will now take up the e-commerce moratorium.

Don’t confuse with Annex 4 (plurilateral) vs multilateral agreements: Plurilateral agreements in Annex 4 bind only members that accept them. Multilateral agreements bind all members.

Don’t confuse with Phase I vs Phase II: Phase I of the fisheries subsidies work covered the 2022 Agreement's core disciplines (e.g. on IUU fishing). Phase II deals with the remaining issues such as overcapacity and overfishing.

Don’t confuse with WTO vs GATT: GATT (1947) was a treaty with no institution. The WTO (1995) is a permanent organisation covering goods, services and intellectual property.

International bodies and relations: the largest group of news questions in Prelims (61 since 2013), often about background, members and location. In Mains, 27 news-triggered questions, mostly on India's interests.

Why it matters

India used MC14 to press its core positions: public stockholding, the special safeguard mechanism, cotton, and consensus-based decisions.
Outcomes on fisheries and e-commerce shape India's livelihood interests and digital trade policy.
Phase II rules will shape how India can support its fishers and its marine resources.
India's stand voices a wider developing-country demand for fair, equity-based trade rules.
MC14 is a forum to shape WTO reform, where India can defend development priorities and consensus-based decisions.
The meeting allows India to hold bilateral talks on FTAs such as those with Chile, Peru, the EU and New Zealand.
MC14 shows whether multilateral trade rules can be reformed amid rising protectionism and bilateral deals.
Outcomes on public stockholding and fisheries subsidies bear on India's farmers, food security and fishers.

Problems

The dispute settlement system remains dysfunctional, and reform talks are in an impasse.
Consensus rules let one member block deals, while plurilateral deals add fragmentation.
Balancing livelihood support for small fishers with curbs on overfishing.
Bridging gaps between big industrial fishing nations and developing countries on transition periods and S&DT.
Consensus decision-making is slow, and members differ on reform, so outcomes are hard to reach.
Developing countries fear reform could weaken special and differential treatment and policy space.
Consensus-based decisions let a few members block outcomes, and the Appellate Body remains non-functional.
Developed and developing members differ on S&DT, the digital trade moratorium and plurilateral agreements like IFD.

Way forward

Restart WTO reform on a time-bound basis with milestones, through member-driven processes.
Give small-scale fishers in developing countries fair treatment in subsidy disciplines, and settle the public stockholding issue permanently.
Secure a permanent carve-out for artisanal fishers with disciplines aimed at distant-water fleets.
Strengthen domestic conservation steps such as seasonal fishing bans and better data on stocks.
Pursue reform through an inclusive, Member-driven process that keeps development central.
Keep consensus and non-discrimination while restoring a functioning dispute settlement system.
Pursue WTO reform that keeps non-discrimination, S&DT and a binding two-tier dispute settlement.
Seek a permanent PSH solution while keeping policy space for digital trade, and align FTAs with WTO rules.

Put in your answer

India's fishing ban: India cited its 61-day annual fishing ban as proof of conservation.

Fishers supported: India said fisheries support more than 9 million fishermen, mostly small and traditional.

S&DT stand: India said special and differential treatment must not be diluted in the name of reform.

India's subsidy figure: India cited about USD 15 per fisher family a year, against tens of thousands elsewhere, to argue its subsidies are low.

Livelihood base: The fisheries sector supports more than 9 million fisher families, mainly small and artisanal.

SDG 14.6: The SDG target on prohibiting harmful fisheries subsidies is the basis of the WTO talks.

Fisheries Subsidies Agreement: The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies entered into force on 15 September 2025, an example of a concluded WTO multilateral outcome.

India's reform principles: India urged reform that is transparent, inclusive and Member-driven, keeping development at its core.

India's FTA push: India has concluded FTAs with the UK and Oman and is negotiating with New Zealand and the EU.

PSH and MSP link: India argues a permanent PSH solution is critical because many farmers are low-income and depend on the MSP system.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 17

Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.

1.The WTO Ministerial Conference meets at least once every two years.
2.India supported incorporating the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement into the WTO as an Annex 4 agreement.
3.Annex 4 of the WTO Agreement covers plurilateral agreements, which bind only the members that accept them.
4.MC14 was hosted by a country in South Asia.
5.The Ministerial Conference is the topmost decision-making body of the WTO.
6.The Ministerial Conference of the WTO meets at least once every five years.
7.The WTO is headquartered in Geneva.
8.The 14th Ministerial Conference was held in Yaounde, Cameroon.
9.The Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies entered into force on 15 September 2025.
10.The WTO was established in 1985 as the successor to the GATT.
11.Decisions in the WTO Ministerial Conference are normally taken by majority vote.
12.The Ministerial Conference is the highest decision-making body of the WTO.
13.MC14 is being hosted by Cameroon in Yaoundé.
14.The WTO was established by the Marrakesh Agreement, and its headquarters is in Geneva.
15.At the WTO, the General Council, not the Ministerial Conference, is the top decision-making body.
16.India has asked that distant water fishing nations reduce their fishing capacities progressively.
17.India has concluded Free Trade Agreements with the United Kingdom and the European Union in the recent period.

Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 27 Mar, 08:11 IST · Release 286935

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Economy

Excise Duty Cut on Petrol and Diesel (2026)

GS3 Economy: taxation and energyGS2 West Asia crisis impactPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 27 March 2026 the Government cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre with immediate effect. Pump prices stay unchanged, and an export levy on diesel was introduced.
What it is: Excise duty is a central tax levied on the production of goods, here on petrol and diesel. When crude prices rise but retail prices are held, oil marketing companies sell below cost and bear under-recoveries. The government can cut excise to share the burden, as it did after the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Size of cut: Excise duty was cut by Rs 10 per litre on both petrol and diesel, effective immediately.
Retail prices: The cut is not passed on to consumers. It reduces OMC under-recoveries instead.
OMC losses: The OMCs are Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum. Their combined daily under-recovery is about Rs 2,400 crore.
Diesel export levy: A new export levy on diesel is meant to keep refinery output for domestic demand first.

Don’t confuse with Excise duty vs VAT: Excise on fuel is a central levy on manufacture; VAT is a state levy on sale. A central excise cut does not change state VAT directly.

Don’t confuse with Under-recovery vs subsidy: Under-recovery is an OMC's notional loss from selling below cost. A subsidy is a payment by the government.

Economy terms and data: 42 Prelims questions since 2013, rising in recent years; they test what a term or instrument means. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, 27 Mar, 14:36 IST · Release 286960

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Law and statutory body

Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act and Clinical Establishments Act, 2010

GS2 Governance, laws and regulationGS3 Ease of doing businessPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 27 March 2026, MoS Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. It replaces the 2025 Bill, which was withdrawn after a Select Committee report.
What it is: The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 regulates weights, measures and packaged commodities to protect consumers and ensure fair trade. It requires registration, model approval and standard units, and penalises violations. The Jan Vishwas approach amends many Central Acts together to decriminalise or soften minor, procedural offences and promote ease of doing business.

Mechanism: A Legal Metrology Officer can issue an Improvement Notice that names the deficiency and gives reasonable time to rectify it.
Legal route: The notice was brought in through the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, which amends the Legal Metrology Act, 2009.
Who it covers: It applies to manufacturers, importers, packers, dealers, repairers, traders, MSMEs and other regulated entities.
Limits: Fraud, repeated violations and tampering still face strict action, and the notice covers only specified first-time procedural lapses.
Failure to comply: Not complying with the notice, or repeating the lapse, still attracts action under the Act.
Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Section 29: The penalty of up to ₹1 lakh for using a Government Analyst's report in advertising a drug or cosmetic has been omitted.
Section 28A: Violations of procedural duties, such as keeping records and submitting information, now attract administrative penalties.
Low-risk cosmetics: Minor quality lapses and labelling errors in low-risk cosmetics fall under an administrative penalty framework. Spurious or adulterated cosmetics still face strict penal provisions.
Adjudication and appeal: Provisions for Adjudicating Authorities and an Appeal Mechanism have been introduced to dispose of such cases.
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: Interfering with seized items now carries up to three months' imprisonment instead of six.
Obstructing a Food Safety Officer: This offence is omitted from the FSS Act because the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita already covers it.
Notification date: The amendments under the Clinical Establishments Act were notified on 22 June 2026.
Scope of the Jan Vishwas Act, 2026: It covers 79 Central Acts run by 23 Ministries and Departments.
Health sector share: 35 provisions across five Acts of the Health Ministry were amended.
Fine to penalty: In Sections 40, 43 and 46, 'fine' is replaced by 'penalty', shifting from criminal prosecution to administrative adjudication.
Adjudicating authority: The Section 41 adjudicating authority is strengthened and now covers proceedings under Sections 40, 43 and 44.
Basis of reform: The notification implements recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Regulatory Reforms.
Scale of amendment: 784 provisions in 79 Central Acts, administered by 23 Ministries, are amended.
Split of changes: 717 provisions are decriminalised for ease of doing business and 67 are amended for ease of living.
Earlier law: The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 was the first such law, amending 42 Central Acts.
Scale of the 2026 Bill: It amends 784 provisions of 79 Central Acts run by 23 Ministries.
Jan Vishwas Act, 2023: The first law in this series decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts.

Don’t confuse with Improvement Notice vs penalty: The notice is a chance to correct a first-time procedural lapse before penal proceedings begin. It is not a waiver of the offence for repeat or fraudulent acts.

Don’t confuse with Legal Metrology Act, 2009 vs Consumer Protection Act, 2019: The first regulates standards of weights, measures and packaged goods. The second gives consumers remedies for defective goods, deficient services and unfair trade practices.

Don’t confuse with Decriminalisation vs. legalisation: Jan Vishwas replaces jail or court fines with administrative penalties for minor lapses. The acts are still violations. Serious offences stay criminal.

Don’t confuse with Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 vs. Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006: The first governs the quality and sale of drugs and cosmetics. The second governs food safety and standards. Both were amended here.

Don’t confuse with Jan Vishwas Act 2023 vs 2026: The 2023 Act was the first round of decriminalisation; the 2026 Act is a later amendment covering 79 Central Acts.

Don’t confuse with Fine vs penalty: A fine is imposed by a court after criminal prosecution; a penalty here is imposed by an adjudicating authority after a hearing.

Don’t confuse with Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 vs Bill 2025 vs Bill 2026: 2023 Act: 183 provisions, 42 Acts. 2025 Bill: 355 provisions, 16 Acts, withdrawn. 2026 Bill: 784 provisions, 79 Acts.

Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.

Why it matters

Reduces compliance burden and litigation for honest businesses, especially MSMEs, supporting ease of doing business.
Lets enforcement officers focus on deliberate and repeat violations that harm consumers.
Reduces the compliance burden and the fear of prosecution for businesses, supporting ease of doing business.
Separates technical lapses from serious public health offences, so enforcement is proportionate and courts are less burdened.
Decriminalising procedural lapses eases doing business and reduces fear of prosecution for clinics and hospitals.
Administrative adjudication with hearing and appeal reduces court burden and litigation.
Reduces compliance burden and fear of prosecution for businesses and citizens.
Supports trust-based governance and proportionate regulation.
Frees courts and enforcement from minor cases, so they can focus on serious offences.
Replaces jail terms for minor defaults with penalties, easing compliance and the business climate.
Reduces litigation load on courts through adjudication and appeal mechanisms.
Supports proportionate, trust-based regulation.

Problems

Officers' discretion in deciding what is a genuine first-time lapse may cause inconsistency or misuse.
Weaker deterrence could let some traders treat violations as costless until noticed.
Administrative penalties may weaken deterrence if adjudicators are weak or penalties are low.
Adjudicating authorities and appeal bodies need capacity and independence to avoid delays and arbitrariness.
Weaker deterrence may hurt patient safety if penalties are too low or poorly enforced.
Adjudicating authorities need capacity, independence and uniform implementation across States, many of which have not adopted the Act.
Weaker deterrence where minor offences affect public safety, health or the environment.
Penalties may be too low or poorly enforced, and states must amend their own laws too.
Omnibus amendments across many Acts get limited scrutiny.
Weaker penalties may reduce deterrence where offences affect safety, health or environment.
Adjudicating Officers and Appellate Authorities need capacity and independence to avoid delays.
Amending 79 Acts in one Bill may limit detailed scrutiny of each change.

Way forward

Set clear rules and timelines for issuing notices, and keep a record to detect repeat offenders.
Publish data on notices issued and complied with, and keep consumer complaint channels strong.
Set up and staff adjudication and appeal bodies quickly, with published orders for transparency.
Keep strict criminal penalties for spurious, adulterated and unsafe products, and monitor outcomes.
Build adjudication capacity and publish penalty orders for transparency.
Monitor outcomes on patient safety and quality, and review penalty levels periodically.
Keep criminal liability for offences that cause real harm; use graded penalties.
Extend reforms to State laws and review the Acts the Select Committee flagged.
Build strong adjudication and appeal mechanisms for penalties.
Keep criminal liability for offences that cause harm or are repeated, and graduate penalties by risk.
Staff and train adjudicating and appellate bodies and set time limits.
Review state laws too, since many compliance burdens arise there.

Put in your answer

Trust-based governance: The Department describes the reform as part of 'Minimum Government, Maximum Governance', shifting from punishment to facilitation without dropping enforcement.

Proportionate enforcement example: Minor cosmetic labelling errors get administrative penalties, while spurious or adulterated cosmetics stay criminal. This shows the trust-based yet safeguarded approach.

Avoiding duplication: Obstructing a Food Safety Officer was dropped from the FSS Act because the BNS already covers it.

Principle: Trust-based governance: replace criminal penalties for procedural lapses with proportionate administrative penalties, while preserving oversight.

Due process safeguards: The amendments provide hearing, penalty recovery and an appeal framework.

Jan Vishwas Act, 2023: It decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts, the base for the current reform.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 11

Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.

1.The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 amends provisions in 79 Central Acts administered by 23 Ministries and Departments.
2.Section 44 of the Clinical Establishments Act has been amended to provide graded and proportionate penalties for contraventions by companies.
3.The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026 was published in the Official Gazette on 22 June 2026.
4.Of the provisions amended, 717 have been decriminalised to promote Ease of Doing Business.
5.The Bill was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha in August 2025.
6.The Select Committee on the Bill was chaired by Tejasvi Surya.
7.The Jan Vishwas approach generally replaces imprisonment for minor offences with monetary penalties in several cases.
8.The Select Committee recommended decriminalisation in 62 additional Central Acts.
9.The Bill's amended Acts are administered by a single Ministry.
10.The Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts.
11.The 2025 Jan Vishwas Bill was passed by Parliament and the 2026 Bill is a separate follow-up law.

Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, 27 Mar, 18:38 IST · Release 287029

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Scheme

LaQshya (Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative)

GS2 Health schemesPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 27 March 2026, the Health Ministry told the Lok Sabha that 1244 labour rooms and 917 maternity OTs in public facilities were LaQshya-certified as on February 2026.
What it is: LaQshya is a Health Ministry quality improvement initiative for labour rooms and maternity operation theatres in public hospitals. It aims to cut maternal and newborn deaths and improve respectful care during childbirth. It was launched in 2017 and works under the National Health Mission.

Certified so far: As on February 2026, 1244 labour rooms and 917 maternity OTs are certified.
Assessment size: The assessment covers over 200 measurable elements across 70 Standards, grouped into eight areas of concern.
Pass criteria: A facility needs an overall score of at least 70% for both LR and MOT, and at least 70% in each area of concern.
Assessors: Certified facilities are evaluated by independent assessors.
Support channel: The Centre supports states through the National Health Mission, in line with IPHS 2022.

Don’t confuse with LaQshya vs Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN): LaQshya certifies the quality of labour rooms and maternity OTs. SUMAN is a separate scheme assuring free, respectful maternity and newborn care entitlements.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, 27 Mar, 14:14 IST · Release 286954

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Scheme

PM MITRA Parks

GS3 Industry: textilesPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 27 March 2026, the Textiles Minister told the Rajya Sabha that sites for all 7 PM MITRA Parks are finalised, with Rs 63,177 crore of investment interest received so far.

Sites: Seven parks: Virudhnagar (Tamil Nadu), Warangal (Telangana), Navsari (Gujarat), Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Dhar (Madhya Pradesh), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) and Amravati (Maharashtra).
Investment interest: Investment interest of Rs 63,177 crore has been received across the 7 parks so far.
Monitoring: The scheme is reviewed by the Project Approval Committee, the Park Monitoring Committee and SPVs for Brownfield and Greenfield parks.
Related mission: NTTM: National Technical Textiles Mission was launched in 2020 with an outlay of Rs 1,480 crore.
Vision: PM MITRA follows the '5F' vision: Farm, Fibre, Factory, Fashion, Foreign.

Don’t confuse with PM MITRA vs PLI for textiles: PM MITRA builds integrated park infrastructure; PLI gives incentives on incremental sales of MMF and technical textiles.

Don’t confuse with RoSCTL vs RoDTEP: Both rebate embedded taxes on exports; RoSCTL was for apparel and made-ups, RoDTEP covers other products and rebates taxes not refunded under other schemes.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Ministry of Textiles, 27 Mar, 14:44 IST · Release 286963

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Scheme

Jal Jeevan Mission and Jal Arpan

GS2 Welfare schemesGS3 Rural water supplyPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 27 March 2026, Meghalaya became the 12th State to sign a Reform-Linked MoU with the Centre under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, which the Union Cabinet approved on 10 March 2026.
What it is: Jal Jeevan Mission is the Centre's flagship scheme, run by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, to give every rural household a tap water connection. Jal Arpan is a reform under it: the formal handover of completed water supply schemes to Gram Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees for operation and maintenance.

Jal Arpan: Formal handover of completed rural water supply schemes to Gram Panchayats and VWSCs, after a prescribed trial run period.
Coverage: More than 15.96 crore rural households, over 82% of rural households, have tap connections.
Jal Arpan module: Developed by the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation; keeps a digital record of scheme handover.
Sujalam Bharat: Geotagging of water supply assets and sources under JJM 2.0 to build a digital inventory.
Launch: Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in August 2019 with the target of tap water to all rural households by 2024.
Summit dates and venue: The first Departmental Summit is on 1-2 September 2026 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi.
Purpose of the summit model: It is a new platform to strengthen cooperative federalism through Centre-State collaboration. It is the first of a series of such summits.
Four thematic pillars: Timely implementation of water infrastructure projects, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari-Catch the Rain, source sustainability of drinking water, and operation and maintenance of rural water supply under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.
Who attends: Political leaders and senior officials from the Union and State Governments take part.
Outcome presentation: States will present outcomes and action plans to the Prime Minister in the valedictory session.
Nodal ministry: Jal Jeevan Mission is implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
JJM 2.0 approval: JJM 2.0 was approved on 10 March 2026. Its strategy centres on source sustainability, groundwater recharge and greywater management.
Water security in the VB-G RAM G Act: The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 names water security as one of its four thematic focus areas.
SBM(G) 2.0 focus: SBM(G) 2.0 focuses on scientific management of solid and liquid waste.
Planning vehicle: Convergence is to be done through Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans, aligned with Village Action Plans under JJM 2.0 and SBM-G 2.0.
Geo-tagging and tools: Works must be registered and geo-tagged on the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack. States are to use tools such as Yuktdhara, water budgeting and hydrogeological assessments.
Institutional step: The officer in charge of Rural Water Supply or the Public Health Engineering Department is to join the State-level Steering Committee under the Act.
Launch and aim: Launched on 15 August 2019 to give every rural household a functional tap connection on a regular, long-term basis.
Service standard: The Mission targets 55 litres per capita per day of water meeting the BIS 10500 standard, at affordable service charges.
Har Ghar Jal certification: 188 districts, 1,090 blocks, 1.01 lakh Gram Panchayats and 2.04 lakh villages are certified Har Ghar Jal.
Extension: The Union Government has extended the Mission till December 2028.
Signatories: MoUs were signed with four States (Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland) and one UT (Puducherry).
Model mandated: The MoU requires a Gram Panchayat-led, service-based and community-centred model of rural water governance.
JJM 2.0 priorities: Focus is on sustaining infrastructure, tap functionality, water quality, source sustainability, O&M, community ownership and regular monitoring.
Institutions: Collectors are to hold regular District Water and Sanitation Mission meetings, which help prepare Village Action Plans and certify Panchayats as capable institutions.
Conditions before fund release: States must sign the MoU, get schemes validated against the Sujalam Bharat GIS-linked Asset Registry, certify compliance with CPHEEO design norms, and reconcile expenditure financially.
Jal Utsav: A three-tier annual community campaign: Jal Mahotsav nationally, Rajya Jal Utsav or Nadi Utsav in States, and Lok Jal Utsav at Gram Panchayat level.
MoU count: Meghalaya is the twelfth State to sign a Reform-Linked MoU under JJM 2.0.
Cabinet approval: JJM 2.0 was approved by the Union Cabinet on 10 March 2026.
Extended deadline: The original deadline of May 2024 has been extended to December 2028.
Outlay: The Cabinet approved an additional outlay of ₹1.51 lakh crore for the Mission.
Local role: Gram Panchayats and VWSCs are to manage and operate in-village water supply systems; District Water Sanitation Missions prepare village action plans and issue panchayat certifications.
Implementing ministry: JJM is implemented by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Jal Mahotsav 2026: A 15-day nationwide campaign from 8 March (International Women's Day) to 22 March (World Water Day), with Jal Arpan of assets to Gram Panchayats.
Key reform areas: Assured service delivery with defined performance standards, clear accountability at State, district and Gram Panchayat levels, and long-term sustainability through source protection.
Implementing body: JJM is implemented by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, jointly with States.
New end date: The Mission is extended up to December 2028 with a higher financial outlay.
MoU model: The MoU mandates a Gram Panchayat-led, service-based, community-centred model of rural water governance.
Implementing department: The Mission is run by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, through the National Jal Jeevan Mission.
Original launch: JJM was launched in 2019 with the aim of tap water to every rural household by 2024.
Funding pattern: JJM is a centrally sponsored scheme; the Centre-State share is 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States, 50:50 for other States.
Start and aim: Running since August 2019, JJM aims at assured tap water to every rural household in partnership with States.
Extended phase: The extended phase focuses on infrastructure quality and O&M through Jan Bhagidhari, with separate MoUs signed with States/UTs.
Functionality assessment 2024: An independent third-party assessment found 76% of household tap connections functional, judged on quantity, quality and regularity.
Federal division: Drinking water is a state subject; States handle planning, approval, implementation and O&M, and the Centre gives technical and financial help.
Reform areas in MoU: The reform-linked MoU covers 11 structural reform areas, including institutional architecture, service utility framework, water quality governance and source sustainability.
Jal Arpan condition: A key MoU condition is that completed piped schemes be handed over to Gram Panchayats/VWSCs and the community through Jal Arpan.
Decision Support System: The MoU provides for the DSS platform, developed by DDWS, as a digital planning tool at district and GP levels for source sustainability, integrated with Sujalam Bharat and national water datasets.
Mission extension: JJM has been extended till December 2028 with an enhanced outlay.
Reform areas: The MoU covers 11 structural reform areas, such as service utility framework, water quality governance and source sustainability.
Sujal Gaon ID: A scheme-based unique digital identifier for mapping rural piped water supply assets. 1.64 lakh IDs are created across 31 States/UTs, linked to 67,000 Sujalam Bharat IDs.
Conditions for central funds: Central funds depend on four requirements: signing the MoU, creating Sujal Gaon IDs, timely financial reconciliation, and notifying State O&M policies.
Funding modes: Upfront payment, reimbursement and Viability Gap Funding (for annuity-based PPP models in BWSs). No central help for retrofitting schemes.
Har Ghar Jal declaration: A Gram Panchayat can declare itself Har Ghar Jal only after the State has set up adequate in-village operation and maintenance mechanisms.
Target and MoUs: All 19.36 crore rural households are to get tap connections by December 2028, with separate MoUs with States/UTs.
Water quality standard: BIS:10500 is the benchmark for water supplied under JJM; arsenic and fluoride affected habitations get priority.
Quality monitoring funds: States/UTs can use up to 2% of their annual JJM allocation for water quality monitoring and surveillance.
Nal Jal Mitra: Nal Jal Mitra Programme, run with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, trains villagers as scheme operators and for minor repairs.
Implementing agency: The scheme is run by the Ministry of Jal Shakti through its Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

Don’t confuse with Jal Jeevan Mission vs Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT): JJM targets rural household tap connections; AMRUT covers urban water supply and sewerage.

Don’t confuse with Jal Jeevan Mission vs Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen): JJM is for drinking water supply; SBM-G is for sanitation. Both run under the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

Don’t confuse with Jal Arpan vs Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Jal Arpan hands over completed water supply schemes to local bodies for operation and maintenance. Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari is a community-participation drive on water conservation and rainwater harvesting.

Don’t confuse with JJM vs SBM(G): JJM provides tap water to rural homes. SBM(G) deals with rural sanitation and waste management. Both are run by DDWS.

Don’t confuse with Jal Arpan vs JJM: Jal Arpan is only the handover of completed schemes for operation and maintenance. JJM is the whole mission.

Don’t confuse with Jal Jeevan Mission vs Jal Jal Shakti Abhiyan: JJM provides household tap connections in rural areas. Jal Shakti Abhiyan is a water conservation and rainwater harvesting campaign.

Don’t confuse with JJM vs Swajaldhara/NRDWP: Earlier programmes such as Swajaldhara and NRDWP focused on habitation-level coverage; JJM targets household tap service delivery.

Don’t confuse with Jal Arpan vs Jal Sankalp: Jal Arpan is the formal handover of water assets to Gram Panchayats. Jal Sankalp is Arunachal Pradesh's gap-funding effort for source sustainability.

Don’t confuse with Jal Arpan vs Jal Utsav: Jal Arpan is the commissioning and formal handover of schemes to Gram Panchayats and VWSCs. Jal Utsav is an annual community campaign for maintenance and review.

Don’t confuse with Sujalam Bharat vs Meri Panchayat: Sujalam Bharat is the digital asset and service-area mapping framework. Meri Panchayat is the application that reflects citizen feedback from Jal Seva Aankalan.

Don’t confuse with Jal Jeevan Mission vs Jal Sanchay: JJM provides tap water to rural homes; Jal Sanchay is the water conservation push that supports source sustainability.

Don’t confuse with Jal Jeevan Mission vs AMRUT: JJM covers rural households; AMRUT focuses on urban water supply and sewerage.

Don’t confuse with Jal Arpan vs Jal Mahotsav: Jal Arpan is the handover of water assets to local bodies; Jal Mahotsav is a community campaign during which such handovers were held.

Don’t confuse with Jal Jeevan Mission vs Jal Shakti Abhiyan: JJM is a tap connection scheme; Jal Shakti Abhiyan is a water conservation campaign.

Don’t confuse with Jal Shakti Abhiyan vs Jal Jeevan Mission: Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain is a water conservation campaign for source sustainability; JJM is the tap connection scheme.

Don’t confuse with Jal Seva Aankalan vs Jal Arpan: Jal Seva Aankalan records service delivery responses at GP level. Jal Arpan is the handover of schemes.

Don’t confuse with Sujal Gaon ID vs Sujalam Bharat ID: Sujal Gaon ID identifies a scheme. Each Sujalam Bharat ID combines a scheme's infrastructure ID and service area ID, and Sujalam Bharat is the wider national digital architecture.

Don’t confuse with Jal Jeevan Mission vs Jal Arpan: JJM is the overall scheme for rural tap connections; Jal Arpan is a reform under it for handing over completed schemes to GPs/VWSCs.

Don’t confuse with JJM vs Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin): JJM provides piped drinking water; SBM (Gramin) is the sanitation programme, with which JJM converges for grey-water reuse.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

Why it matters

Handing schemes to Gram Panchayats and VWSCs builds community ownership and supports the 73rd Amendment's local self-governance.
Geotagging and digital records improve monitoring and planning of rural water assets.
Institutionalises Centre-State dialogue on water, a State subject, supporting cooperative federalism.
Focus on operation and maintenance and source sustainability addresses the gap between creating tap connections and delivering reliable water.
Joint planning of water, sanitation and livelihood works can cut duplication and make better use of funds.
Source sustainability and groundwater recharge work can make tap water services last.
Reduces women's and girls' time spent fetching water, aiding health, education and livelihoods.
Moves rural water policy from creating assets to delivering a regular service.
Moves the mission from asset creation to reliable, accountable service delivery.
Strengthens decentralised governance by giving Gram Panchayats and VWSCs charge of O&M.
Linking funds to MoUs, validation and reconciliation brings accountability and performance-based release.
Focus on O&M and community ownership aims at lasting service, not just connections.
Shifts focus from building pipelines to sustainable service delivery.
Strengthens decentralisation by giving Gram Panchayats and VWSCs charge of operation and maintenance.
Shifts focus from building pipes to reliable, safe water, which supports health, hygiene and women's time savings.
Reform-linked MoUs bind States to accountability, strengthening cooperative federalism.
Shifts focus from creating pipelines to assured, regular, quality service.
Strengthens Panchayats and community ownership in water management, advancing decentralisation.
Tap water at home reduces the time women spend fetching water and lowers waterborne disease.
Cuts across health, gender and rural development goals, and supports SDG 6.
Shifts focus from building taps to assured service delivery, quality and long-term sustainability.
Gram Panchayat-led management gives local bodies ownership of water assets.
Shifts the Mission from creating tap connections to assured, lasting service delivery.
Gives Gram Panchayats and communities ownership of rural water systems.
Digital IDs enable source-to-tap tracking, real-time monitoring and transparency.
Conditional, milestone-based funding ties central money to State reforms and long-term service delivery.
Shifts focus from building pipes to reliable service delivery, aiming at assured 24x7 rural supply.
Reduces women's drudgery and improves health, with women and girls the main beneficiaries.
Tap water at home cuts the drudgery of fetching water, which falls mostly on women.
Safe supply in arsenic and fluoride areas reduces waterborne disease and health costs.
Community ownership through GPs and VWSCs builds local self-government.

Problems

Gram Panchayats may lack technical skills and funds to run and maintain schemes.
Source sustainability and water quality (contamination) remain concerns even after tap connections.
Water is a State subject, so outcomes depend on State follow-through; summit commitments are not binding.
Weak source sustainability, groundwater depletion and thin local capacity for operation and maintenance can leave connections without water.
Several departments and levels of government must coordinate, and capacity at Gram Panchayat level is uneven.
Source depletion and poor operation and maintenance can undercut tap connections.
Sustaining sources and keeping schemes functional after tap connections are installed.
Ensuring water quality and community capacity to operate and maintain systems.
Difficult terrain, forest clearances and NoCs delay pipelines (Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh).
Source sustainability and lack of perennial sources, as in Tamil Nadu, threaten tap functionality.
Water is a State subject, so success depends on State accountability and capacity.
Sustaining source and O&M after handover to Gram Panchayats and VWSCs is difficult.
Operation and maintenance of in-village systems needs funds and capacity at village level.
Quality, accountability and source sustainability must be ensured.
Sustaining O&M depends on user charges and local capacity, which vary across villages (₹40 to ₹100 per household in the villages featured).
Source sustainability and water quality remain at risk without groundwater recharge and regular testing.
Panchayats need funds, skills and the power to levy user charges for operation and maintenance.
Source sustainability, water quality and corruption in works threaten long-term functionality.
Functionality lags coverage: only 76% of connections were functional in 2024, with quality and regularity gaps.
Scarce sources, geogenic contamination, difficult terrain, limited technical capacity and rising costs slow delivery.
Local bodies may lack technical skills and funds to run and maintain schemes.
Source sustainability and water quality (arsenic, fluoride) need continuous monitoring.
Weak capacity and finances of Gram Panchayats to run and maintain schemes.
Source sustainability and water quality, especially in water-scarce and varied hydro-geological areas.
Water is a State subject, so delivery depends on State capacity and accountability; delays have arisen from technical shortcomings.
Oversized or non-compliant works raise costs, and States must bear that expenditure.
Sustaining operation and maintenance and source sustainability after handover, with weak Gram Panchayat finances and capacity.
Last-mile coverage of the remaining households and ensuring water quality and State-wise delivery.
Water source sustainability and groundwater depletion threaten long-term supply.
Reported connections may not mean regular, quality-assured supply; functionality must be checked.
Weak capacity of Gram Panchayats for operation, maintenance and tariff collection; Central outlay is almost used up.

Way forward

Train and fund VWSCs, with user charges for operation and maintenance.
Strengthen source recharge and regular quality testing, with women-led surveillance.
Set time-bound, monitored targets for agreed action points, with digital monitoring and regular review.
Strengthen Gram Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees with funds, training and tariff support for asset management.
Build Gram Panchayat capacity for planning, water budgeting and asset upkeep.
Use geo-tagged data to monitor assets and check that convergent works are completed.
Strengthen source sustainability through groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting.
Build Gram Panchayat and VWSC capacity, with regular water quality testing and surveillance.
Notify State O&M policies and certify Panchayats as capable institutions.
Invest in spring rejuvenation, rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and community water quality monitoring.
Build Gram Panchayat and VWSC capacity for O&M and tariff or financing arrangements.
Use Sujalam Bharat data and Jal Seva Aankalan feedback to monitor and fix service gaps.
Link JJM with MGNREGA and conservation works to strengthen water sources.
Enforce accountability measures in the MoUs and build local capacity.
Ensure Gram Panchayats and VWSCs are trained and funded to run schemes, with defined performance standards.
Link supply with source protection, rainwater harvesting, grey water reuse and aquifer recharge, backed by technology-based monitoring.
Build Panchayat capacity and allow user charges with support for poor households.
Strengthen source recharge, quality testing and third-party audit of assets.
Shift to O&M and sustainability through community ownership (Jan Bhagidhari, Jal Arpan) and State MoUs.
Strengthen source sustainability, monitoring through IoT sensors and dashboards, and local skills such as Nal Jal Mitra.
Build GP capacity and skilling, and ensure sound operational and financial models such as user charges.
Use digital tools like DSS and citizen feedback to track service delivery and source health.
Train and fund GPs and VWSCs, and set up service utility arrangements.
Use digital tools like the DSS and citizen feedback to track quality and sources.
Strengthen Gram Panchayat-led O&M, source sustainability and recharge, and community oversight.
Enforce technical specifications, financial reconciliation and quality checks through the State MoUs.
Strengthen GPs and VWSCs with training, tariff or user-charge systems and funds for upkeep.
Use digital mapping and monitoring for accountability, and converge with groundwater recharge and source-sustainability programmes.
Strengthen source recharge by converging with watershed, MGNREGA-type and Finance Commission funds.
Train and pay local operators such as Nal Jal Mitras and enforce independent quality testing with public data.
Secure enhanced funding for extension to 2028 and link it to service-delivery outcomes.

Put in your answer

JJM coverage: Over 15.96 crore rural households (82%+) have tap connections.

Geotagging: 2,691 water supply assets, including around 700 sources, were geotagged on the day.

Departmental Summit as cooperative federalism example: A new Centre-State platform where States present action plans to the Prime Minister, for answers on cooperative federalism and governance.

Community-led water governance: Discussions cover asset management and strengthening community-led water governance, useful for answers on decentralised service delivery.

Convergence tools: Geo-tagging on the Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack and geospatial planning tools such as Yuktdhara are named for convergent planning.

Local planning example: Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans are the unit for integrated planning of water security.

Community role: Gram Panchayats, VWSCs and Self-Help Groups are meant to manage and sustain rural water supply assets.

Reform-linked MoUs: Use as an example of cooperative federalism tied to governance reforms and community ownership.

Arunachal catchment law: Arunachal Pradesh has an Act for protection and management of drinking water catchment areas, with community participation.

Compliance-linked release: ₹1,561.53 crore went to five States, the first performance-based, compliance-linked release.

Extended timeline: JJM deadline extended from May 2024 to December 2028.

Meghalaya example: Meghalaya, once among the lowest in rural tap coverage, reached 83.59% coverage.

Community-managed example: Tepla village in Ambala collects ₹40 per household per month as user charges for operation and maintenance.

Reform-linked MoU: Centre-State MoUs tie JJM 2.0 to Panchayat-led O&M reforms, an example of cooperative federalism.

Jan Bhagidari: The MoU seeks stronger community participation (Jan Bhagidari) for sustainable operation and maintenance of rural water supply.

Functionality gap: The 2024 assessment found 76% of tap connections functional on quantity, quality and regularity.

Health benefit claim: The Minister cited a WHO study that universal household tap water could prevent close to 4 lakh diarrhoeal deaths annually.

Reform-linked federal model: The MoU ties Centre-State cooperation to 11 structural reforms, an example of conditional cooperative federalism.

Community model: The MoU mandates a Gram Panchayat-led, service-based, community-centred model of rural water governance.

Cooperative federalism example: State-specific MoUs with conditional, milestone-based central funding show how the Centre links funds to reforms.

WHO health estimate: WHO estimated 5.5 crore hours saved daily for women and 400,000 diarrhoeal deaths prevented.

Jal Arpan handbook: A 15-day trial run with GP and VWSC members precedes handover of schemes, supported by dashboards and Jal Seva Ankalan.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 56

Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.

1.Jal Arpan involves the formal handover of completed rural water supply schemes to Gram Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees.
2.The Jal Arpan digital module was developed by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
3.Under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0, Sujalam Bharat is used for geotagging of rural water supply assets.
4.Water quality testing demonstrations during Jal Arpan used Field Test Kits.
5.Jal Jeevan Mission is implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development.
6.Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in 2014 to provide tap water to every rural household.
7.The Jal Arpan module now provides Har Ghar Jal certificates only in Hindi and English.
8.Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in August 2019 and is implemented by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
9.JJM 2.0 shifts the mission from an infrastructure-centric approach to a service delivery model.
10.Under JJM 2.0, States can receive funds without signing any MoU, as long as the schemes are completed.
11.Schemes are validated against the Sujalam Bharat GIS-linked Asset Registry before funds are released to States.
12.Jal Utsav is organised in three tiers, with Lok Jal Utsav held at the State level.
13.Meghalaya is the twelfth State to sign a Reform-Linked MoU under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0.
14.Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2026.
15.The Cabinet has approved an additional outlay of ₹1.51 lakh crore for the Mission.
16.Under the reform-linked MoU, District Water Sanitation Missions are headed by the State Water Resources Secretary.
17.Jal Jeevan Mission is implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti through its Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
18.Jal Jeevan Mission has been extended till December 2028 with the approval of the Cabinet.
19.Jal Mahotsav 2026 was a 15-day campaign running from International Women's Day to World Water Day.
20.JJM 2.0 aims to move from a service-delivery approach to an infrastructure-creation approach.
21.The Guidelines say source sustainability is secondary to service delivery, so convergence on water conservation is optional.
22.The Union Cabinet approved Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 on 10 March 2026.
23.Under JJM 2.0 the Mission period has been extended up to December 2028.
24.The reform-linked MoU mandates a Gram Panchayat-led, service-based model of rural water governance.
25.Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in 2019.
26.The MoUs under JJM 2.0 were signed with Gujarat, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Goa.
27.Jal Jeevan Mission has been implemented since August 2019 by the Centre in partnership with States.
28.At the start of the Mission, about half of rural households had tap water connections.
29.Under JJM, responsibility for operation and maintenance of drinking water schemes lies with the State/UT governments.
30.The functionality assessment of tap connections under JJM is carried out by an independent third-party agency selected on standard statistical sampling.
31.The 2024 Functionality Assessment judged tap connections functional on quantity, quality and regularity, and found about 76% functional.
32.Jal Jeevan Mission is administered by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
33.Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 was approved by the Union Cabinet on 10 March 2026.
34.The reform-linked MoU signed by Uttar Pradesh covers 11 key structural reform areas.
35.Under the MoU, completed piped water schemes are to be handed over to Gram Panchayats or Village Water and Sanitation Committees through the Jal Arpan process.
36.The Decision Support System platform under the MoU was developed by the NITI Aayog for planning at district and GP levels.
37.Jal Utsav is a two-tier annual campaign held only at the national and State levels.
38.Jal Jeevan Mission has been extended till December 2028 with an enhanced outlay.
39.Under the MoU, completed piped water supply schemes are to be handed over to Gram Panchayats and VWSCs through the Jal Arpan process.
40.The Decision Support System platform was developed by the Ministry of Rural Development.
41.Jal Utsav includes Lok Jal Utsav at the Gram Panchayat level.
42.Jal Jeevan Mission is implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti through the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
43.Jal Seva Aankalan is a Union-level audit carried out by the Ministry, with results published on the Jal Shakti portal.
44.The Jal Jeevan Mission has been extended up to December 2028 under JJM 2.0.
45.A Gram Panchayat may declare itself 'Har Ghar Jal' as soon as pipelines are laid, without any check on maintenance arrangements.
46.The central assistance approved for JJM has been raised from Rs 2.08 lakh crore to Rs 3.59 lakh crore.
47.Jal Utsav is a biennial event led by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti to inaugurate new schemes.
48.In 2019, about 17 per cent of rural households had tap water connections, the baseline for JJM.
49.Jal Jeevan Mission is implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
50.Jal Jeevan Mission was launched in August 2019 to provide potable water to every rural household.
51.Under JJM, Gram Panchayats and Village Water and Sanitation Committees plan, implement, operate and maintain in-village water supply systems.
52.Under JJM, the benchmark for quality of piped water is the standard set by the World Health Organization.
53.States and UTs may use up to 2% of their annual JJM allocation for water quality monitoring and surveillance.
54.Under Jal Arpan, the handbook on community-managed piped water systems mandates a 15-day trial run involving GPs and VWSC members before handover.
55.Since drinking water is a Union subject, the Centre alone funds and builds JJM schemes.
56.Community water purification plants under JJM are meant as an interim measure in arsenic and fluoride affected habitations until compliant piped schemes are commissioned.

Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Jal Shakti, 27 Mar, 15:42 IST · Release 286983

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Report or index

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual Report

GS3 Economy: employmentGS2 StatisticsPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 27 March 2026, MoSPI released the PLFS Annual Report for 2025, the first based on the January–December calendar year and a revamped sample design.
What it is: The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) is run by the National Statistics Office under MoSPI. It gives estimates of labour force participation, worker population ratio and unemployment rate for rural and urban India, in usual status and current weekly status.

Survey period shift: From 2025 the PLFS reporting cycle moved from July–June to January–December, in line with international practice.

Don’t confuse with Usual status vs CWS: Usual status looks back 365 days (ps+ss); CWS looks back 7 days.

Don’t confuse with LFPR vs WPR: LFPR counts working, seeking or available for work; WPR counts only employed persons.

Reports and indices: 14 Prelims questions since 2013; they test who publishes a report and what it measures.

Test yourself

Source: PIB, Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, 27 Mar, 16:00 IST · Release 286981

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Scheme

PLI Scheme: National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage

GS3 Industry and energy storagePrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 27 March 2026, the Minister of State for Heavy Industries told the Rajya Sabha that 40 GWh of the 50 GWh PLI ACC capacity is awarded to four firms, and that domestic demand is still met mostly by imports.
What it is: The National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage is a Production Linked Incentive scheme run by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. It gives incentives to firms that set up large-scale ACC manufacturing in India. ACCs are new-generation devices that store electrical energy as electrochemical or chemical energy and convert it back to electricity when needed.

Approval and outlay: The scheme was approved in May 2021 with a total outlay of ₹18,100 crore.
Target capacity: The scheme aims to build 50 GWh of domestic ACC manufacturing capacity.
Capacity awarded: Of the 50 GWh, 40 GWh has been awarded to four beneficiary firms.
Aim: The scheme seeks to cut dependence on imported ACCs and build a globally competitive manufacturing ecosystem.
Technology: Beneficiary firms report using in-house developed ACC technology.
Administering ministry: The scheme is administered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Implementation challenges: Firms face limited technology, a skilled manpower gap, dependence on imported critical equipment and no upstream components such as CAM, AAM and electrolyte.
National Critical Mineral Mission: Run by the Ministry of Mines, approved on 29 Jan 2025, to secure the critical mineral value chain from exploration to recovery from end-of-life products.
Outlay and capacity: Approved in May 2021 with an outlay of ₹18,100 crore to build 50 GWh of domestic ACC capacity.
Incentive basis: Incentive depends on the subsidy per kWh quoted by the firm and the percentage of value addition achieved on actual sales.
Value addition targets: At least 25% value addition within 2 years at Mother Unit level, rising to 60% within 5 years of the appointed date.
Technology neutrality: The scheme is technology agnostic, and superior technologies get higher incentives. R&D spending counts towards investment criteria.

Don’t confuse with PLI ACC vs FAME / PM E-DRIVE: PLI ACC subsidises battery cell manufacturing. FAME and PM E-DRIVE support electric vehicle demand and adoption.

Don’t confuse with PLI ACC vs PLI-Auto: PLI ACC supports making battery cells; PLI-Auto supports automobiles and auto components. Both are run by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.

Don’t confuse with PM E-DRIVE vs PLI ACC: PM E-DRIVE promotes EV adoption through demand-side support; PLI ACC is a supply-side manufacturing incentive.

Don’t confuse with PLI ACC vs FAME/PM E-DRIVE: PLI ACC subsidises domestic battery cell manufacturing; FAME and PM E-DRIVE support demand for electric vehicles.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

Test yourself

True or false?

1 of 16

Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.

1.The PLI scheme for ACC battery storage is administered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
2.The scheme has a total outlay of ₹18,100 crore.
3.The entire targeted capacity under the scheme has been awarded to beneficiary firms.
4.The scheme was approved in May 2021.
5.The scheme aims to reduce India's dependence on imported ACCs.
6.Domestic demand for ACCs is now largely met by domestic production under the scheme.
7.The PLI scheme on National Programme on ACC Battery Storage is administered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
8.The scheme aims to establish 50 GWh of domestic ACC manufacturing capacity with an outlay of ₹18,100 crore.
9.The capacity awarded under the scheme can be used only for electric vehicle batteries.
10.The Ministry of Mines' recycling incentive scheme accepts Lithium Ion Battery scrap as eligible feedstock.
11.The PLI ACC scheme is administered by the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
12.The scheme targets 50 GWh of domestic ACC manufacturing capacity.
13.Incentive under the scheme depends on the subsidy per kWh quoted by the firm and the value addition achieved on actual sales.
14.Beneficiary firms must reach 60% value addition within 2 years of the appointed date.
15.The scheme favours a single prescribed battery chemistry and gives equal incentive to all technologies.
16.Under Round-2, the scheme period is seven years from the appointed date, including a two-year gestation period.

Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, 27 Mar, 16:10 IST · Release 286988

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Law and statutory body

Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (PoSH) Act, 2013

GS2 Women-related lawsPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 27 March 2026, the Women and Child Development Ministry told Lok Sabha how the PoSH Act, 2013 protects women at work, alongside Mission Shakti initiatives.
What it is: The PoSH Act, 2013 is the central law against sexual harassment of women at work. It requires employers to set up complaint committees and sets out a process for inquiry and redressal. It built on the Vishaka guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court in 1997.

Coverage: The Act covers all women, whatever their age, employment status or type of work, in public or private and organised or unorganised sectors.
Internal Committee: Every employer must set up an Internal Committee where the workplace has more than ten employees.
Local Committee: The appropriate government sets up a Local Committee in every district. It hears complaints from small establishments or complaints against the employer.
SHe-Box: The SHe-Box portal is a central platform to file and track workplace sexual harassment complaints under the Act.
Origin: The Act followed the Supreme Court's 1997 Vishaka v. State of Rajasthan judgment, which issued guidelines on workplace harassment.
Launches on 14 Feb 2026: Four items were launched: SHe-Box logo, PoSH Voluntary Compliance Checklist, SHe-Box integration with Mission Shakti App, and Karmayogi Bharat PoSH training link.
Reach of SHe-Box: The Minister said over 1.48 lakh institutions are registered on the portal and more than 60,000 Internal Committees function actively.
Informal sector gap: The Secretary noted women's labour force participation at 42 per cent and over 80 per cent of women in the informal sector, so coverage must widen.
Committee structure: The Act requires an Internal Committee at workplaces with 10 or more employees and a Local Committee in each district for other cases such as the informal sector.
Penalty: A first violation attracts a fine of Rs 50,000. Repeat violations attract double the fine and possible licence cancellation or non-renewal.
Nodal ministry and SHe-Box: The Ministry of Women and Child Development is the nodal ministry. It launched the SHe-Box portal on 29 August 2024 as a single-window complaint platform.

Don’t confuse with Internal Committee vs Local Committee: The Internal Committee is set up by the employer. The Local Committee is set up by the district-level appropriate government for small units or complaints against the employer.

Don’t confuse with PoSH Act vs Mission Shakti: PoSH is a law on workplace harassment. Mission Shakti is a Ministry scheme for women's safety and empowerment, including One Stop Centres and helplines.

Don’t confuse with Vishaka guidelines vs PoSH Act: Vishaka (1997) was judicial guidance. The PoSH Act (2013) is a statute.

Why it matters

Gives statutory protection to women in both organised and unorganised work, going beyond the court-made Vishaka guidelines.
Makes employers accountable for a safe workplace and for awareness programmes.
A statutory complaint route and a digital portal make redressal more accessible and traceable.
Safe workplaces support women's labour force participation and economic empowerment.
Gives statutory backing to the rights to equality, dignity and practising a profession under Articles 14, 15, 19(1)(g) and 21.
Covers women in all sectors, including domestic workers and the unorganised sector, which supports women's workforce participation.

Problems

Many small and unorganised workplaces have no committee, and awareness of the Act is low.
Fear of retaliation and stigma discourage women from filing complaints.
Over 80 per cent of women work in the informal sector, where committees and awareness are weak.
Many workplaces have not set up committees or registered, so compliance remains uneven.
Many workplaces have not constituted ICs, and Local Committees are not set up in every district, which led to Supreme Court directions.
Underreporting and fear of retaliation, and the lack of national data before SHe-Box, weaken monitoring.

Way forward

Ensure Internal and Local Committees exist and function, with regular monitoring and public data on cases.
Train committee members and spread awareness, using the SHe-Box portal for tracking complaints.
Strengthen Local Committees and awareness at district level, especially for informal workers.
Use SHe-Box registration, training and compliance checklists to monitor and enforce committee formation.
Ensure ICs and LCs are constituted everywhere, with regular training of members and awareness drives.
Use SHe-Box data for monitoring, with nodal officers keeping committee details and annual reports updated.

Put in your answer

SHe-Box portal: A central platform to file and track workplace harassment complaints under the PoSH Act.

Vishaka judgment, 1997: The Supreme Court's guidelines on workplace sexual harassment that preceded the 2013 Act.

Vishaka guidelines, 1997: The Supreme Court laid down guidelines on workplace sexual harassment, which the 2013 Act later codified.

SHe-Box scale: Over 1.5 lakh workplaces onboarded and Local Committees active in every district, according to the Secretary.

Companies Act disclosure: Constitution of the IC is now a mandatory disclosure under the Companies Act, 2013.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: A lasting law on the syllabus with Internal and Local Committee provisions; the release is a routine reply, so no fresh question is likely.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Women and Child Development, 27 Mar, 12:12 IST · Release 286944

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Law and statutory body

Television Rating Policy, 2026

GS2 Governance and regulation of mediaPrelims and Mains

Why in news: On 27 March 2026, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting notified the TV Rating Policy 2026. It sets rules for registering, auditing and overseeing TV rating agencies and replaces the 2014 guidelines.
What it is: The Television Rating Policy, 2026 is the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting's framework for registering and regulating agencies that measure TV audiences. It sets rules on ownership, board independence, audits and penalties so that ratings are credible. It replaces the Guidelines for TV Rating Agencies in India of 16 January 2014.

Replaces: The policy replaces the 2014 Guidelines for TV Rating Agencies, dated 16 January 2014.
Net worth: The minimum net worth criterion falls from Rs 20 crore to Rs 5 crore, easing entry for new agencies.
Sample size: Metered homes rise from 50,000 to 80,000. Establishment surveys are to be held every three years.
Independence safeguards: At least 33% of an agency's board must be independent directors. Cross-holding limits apply and consultancy or advisory work that may cause conflict of interest is barred.
Registration: Any entity in the TV ratings business must register under the new policy. No entity is registered yet, and there is no cap on the number of agencies.
Board independence: At least half of an agency's board must be independent directors with no ties to broadcasters or advertisers. Agencies cannot take consultancy roles that create conflicts.
Dual audit: Quarterly internal audits and annual independent external audits are mandatory. The Ministry will form an Audit & Oversight Team for field inspections.
Landing page: Landing page viewership is not counted in ratings and may be used only as a marketing tool.

Don’t confuse with Rating policy vs. Cable TV Act: The rating policy is an executive framework for rating agencies. The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 governs cable operators and programme content.

Don’t confuse with TV Rating Policy 2026 vs 2014 Guidelines: The 2026 policy replaced the 16 January 2014 guidelines. Do not treat the 2014 net worth of Rs 20 crore as the current norm.

Don’t confuse with Rating agency vs distribution platform: Rating agencies need registration. DTH or OTT platforms may publish their own viewership data without registration or permission.

No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: A new policy on the syllabus (net worth cut to Rs 5 crore, 80,000 metered homes), but regulatory detail is rarely asked; no question likely.

Source: PIB, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, 27 Mar, 18:37 IST · Release 287028

Issue page →

Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.

Quick facts

The first Khelo India Tribal Games run 25 March to 3 April 2026 in Chhattisgarh, India's first national multi-sport event for tribal athletes.
India holds the BRICS Chairship for 2026; the first BRICS Youth Coordination Meeting was held virtually on 25 March 2026.
Balendra Shah was sworn in as Prime Minister of Nepal in March 2026.
Japan committed an ODA loan of JPY 275.858 billion (about Rs 16,420 crore) for four projects in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Punjab, including Bengaluru Metro Phase 3 and Mumbai Metro Line 11.
Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti took charge as Chairperson of the National Commission for Backward Classes on 18 March 2026.
MIB issued accessibility guidelines on 6 Feb 2026 requiring OTT platforms to give captioning or sign language and audio description on new content.
On 27 March 2026 the Defence Acquisition Council granted Acceptance of Necessity for proposals worth about Rs 2.38 lakh crore, including the S-400 system and Medium Transport Aircraft.
Bhashini Samudaye, a platform for building multilingual AI resources, has onboarded over 10,000 contributors.

Source: PIB, 27 Mar

What we left out: 78 of 96 releases

Same issue as another release (7)
Ceremonies and greetings (2)
Festivals and events (1)
Parliament replies, general summary (2)
Already on file (13)
Courtesy meetings (3)
Ceremonies and speeches (2)
Ceremonies and campaigns (2)
Routine scheme replies (13)
Routine data replies (12)
Features without a decision (1)
Lab research without wider use (2)
Routine contracts (1)
Internal reviews (1)
Routine MoUs (2)
Rankings of institutions (1)
Webinars and events (1)
Visit schedules (1)
Ship visits (2)
Speeches without a decision (2)
Training programmes (1)
Company milestones (1)
Routine calendars (2)
Events and publications (1)
Routine election notices (1)
Other releases (1)

Practise the day’s news

In UPSC’s formats, inside each issue. The answer and why come after you choose.

1WTO 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14)MCQ · 17 true or false · Mains
2Excise Duty Cut on Petrol and Diesel (2026)MCQ · 7 true or false · Mains
3Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act and Clinical Establishments Act, 2010MCQ · 11 true or false · Mains
4LaQshya (Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative)MCQ · 7 true or false
5PM MITRA ParksMCQ · 5 true or false
6Jal Jeevan Mission and Jal ArpanMCQ · 56 true or false · Mains
7Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual ReportMCQ · 6 true or false
8PLI SchemeMCQ · 16 true or false · Mains

Mains question of the day

15 marks · 250 words

The 14th WTO Ministerial Conference opened in Yaounde, Cameroon, in March 2026, where India called for WTO reform that is transparent, inclusive and Member-driven, with development at its core. Examine the key issues in WTO reform and discuss how they affect India's trade and development interests. Suggest the steps India should take.

From: WTO 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14)

Write and get it marked

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Practice · 8 Mains question