Current Affairs, 30 April 2026

Scope of ban

The ban covers money games of chance, skill or a mix. Advertising, promotion and facilitation are also barred.

Online Gaming Authority of India

It is an attached office of MeitY, headquartered in Delhi, chaired by the Additional Secretary, MeitY. It has Joint Secretary level members from Home, Finance, I&B, Youth Affairs and Sports, and Law.

Determination of a game

Classification is to be completed, as far as practicable, within 90 days. It can start by the Authority's suo motu action, a provider's application or Central Government notification.

Enabling power

Section 19 of the Act lets the Centre make rules. MeitY is the nodal ministry.

Structure of the Rules

The Rules have 6 Parts and 26 Rules.

Determination timeline

Determination of whether a game is an online money game should be completed within 90 days where practicable (Rule 10).

Registration validity

The Certificate of Registration carries a unique number and is valid for up to 10 years.

Appeals

A user can appeal to the Authority within 30 days. A second appeal lies to the Secretary, MeitY, as Appellate Authority.

Don’t confuse with Online money games vs online social games: Money games involve financial stakes and are banned. Social games are casual, mostly skill-based and permitted.

Don’t confuse with Authority vs Appellate Authority: The Authority (chaired by Additional Secretary, MeitY) hears the first appeal. The Appellate Authority (Secretary, MeitY) hears the second.

Don’t confuse with Online money game vs online social game: Money games involve stakes or expected monetary winnings and are prohibited. Social games and e-sports are permitted, and e-sports must be registered.

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.

1. 2026Mains GS3 · Q9Fake news threats to internal security; 2021 IT Intermediary Rules amendments.
2. 2025Mains GS2 · Q18Child rights challenges in digital era; policies and Commission measures.
3. 2021Mains GS3 · Q9How emerging technologies and globalisation aid money laundering, and measures to tackle it.
4. 2020Mains GS4 · Q4Distinguish between laws and rules, and discuss the role of ethics in them.
5. 2018Prelims Q20Which committee scrutinises whether delegated rules are properly exercised by the Executive?

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

FY 2026-27 target

₹18,907 crore is earmarked for 26,474 km of rural roads under PMGSY and related initiatives.

RCPLWEA

The Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas was reviewed along with PMGSY because of its strategic importance in LWE districts.

PM-JANMAN and PVTGs

States were told to finish remaining unconnected habitations under PMGSY-I and PM-JANMAN, with attention to PVTG habitations.

e-MARG

e-MARG is the Electronic Maintenance of Rural Roads platform. It allows real-time monitoring of maintenance, performance assessment and payment tracking.

Implementing agencies

State Rural Roads Development Agencies implement the scheme. NRIDA is the national agency coordinating it with States and the Ministry.

Launch

PMGSY was launched in December 2000 as a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Rural Development.

Event

The silver jubilee of PMGSY and the national launch of PMGSY-IV will be held on 10 May at Bhairunda, Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh.

PM-JANMAN roads

Over 384 km of road projects under PM-JANMAN will be approved, benefiting 168 backward habitations.

Nature of scheme

PMGSY is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development, launched in December 2000.

Implementation

States implement it through State Rural Roads Development Agencies, with technical support from NRIDA.

Odisha PMGSY-IV package

827 road projects covering 1,701.84 km will be taken up at a cost of Rs 1,698.04 crore.

Habitations covered

898 habitations will get all-weather road connectivity for the first time.

Odisha's progress so far

Under PMGSY components, 17,963 roads (74,725 km) and 707 bridges are sanctioned in Odisha; 17,760 roads (71,742 km) and 658 bridges are completed.

Nodal ministry and launch year

PMGSY is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development, launched in December 2000.

Extension

PMGSY-III is continued beyond March 2025 up to March 2028.

Focus of PMGSY-III

It consolidates Through Routes and Major Rural Links connecting habitations to GrAMs, Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals.

Outlay

The outlay is revised to Rs 83,977 crore from Rs 80,250 crore.

Bridges in hilly areas

Bridges in hilly areas get more time, till March 2029.

Long Span Bridges

161 Long Span Bridges costing Rs 961 crore on alignments of sanctioned roads may be sanctioned and tendered.

Launch and agency

PMGSY was launched in December 2000 under the Ministry of Rural Development; NRIDA gives technical support.

Don’t confuse with PMGSY vs RCPLWEA: PMGSY is the general rural roads scheme. RCPLWEA is a separate project for roads in Left Wing Extremism affected areas.

Don’t confuse with NRIDA vs SRRDA: NRIDA is the national agency supporting the scheme. SRRDAs are State-level agencies that execute it.

Don’t confuse with PMGSY vs PM-JANMAN: PMGSY gives rural road connectivity; PM-JANMAN is a separate mission for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, with roads as one component.

Don’t confuse with PMGSY vs Bharatmala: PMGSY covers rural roads under the Rural Development Ministry; Bharatmala deals with national highways under the Road Transport Ministry.

Don’t confuse with PMGSY vs PMAY-G: PMGSY gives road connectivity to habitations. PMAY-G gives pucca houses to rural poor households. Both are Rural Development Ministry 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.

1. 2013Mains GS2 · Q14Comment on PURA's basis in establishing connectivity to provide urban amenities in rural areas.
2. 2013Mains GS2 · Q12Critically evaluate restructuring of centrally sponsored schemes to give States flexibility.
3. 2022Mains GS2 · Q6Discuss how Gati-Shakti needs government and private coordination to achieve connectivity goals.
4. 2001Prelims Q56Which listed schemes, including Gram Sadak Yojana, were announced in the year 2000?
5. 2020Prelims Q78Which materials are preferred for environmentally sustainable, low-carbon rural road construction?

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Constitutional source

Article 324 gives ECI superintendence, direction and control of elections. The observers were appointed under it.

Statutory source

Section 20B of the RP Act, 1951 is the provision for observers, cited with Article 324.

Status of observers

During the period, observers are deemed on deputation to the Commission and work under its superintendence and control.

Police Observers' limit

Police Observers watch security around counting centres but can never enter the counting hall on counting day.

Mobile phone rule

Only the Counting Observer and the Returning Officer may carry a mobile phone inside the counting hall.

New module

A QR code-based Photo Identity Card module has been added on ECINET to stop unauthorised entry into counting centres.

Three-tier check

The first two tiers check cards issued by the Returning Officer manually. The third, innermost tier near the counting hall needs a successful QR scan.

Who is covered

Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, counting staff, technical personnel, candidates, election agents and counting agents, among others.

Media access

Media persons enter on ECI authority letters, and a Media Center is set up near each counting hall.

Constitutional basis

Article 324 vests superintendence, direction and control of elections in the Election Commission.

Don’t confuse with Article 324 vs Article 243K/243ZA: Article 324 covers elections to Parliament, State Legislatures and President/Vice-President. Articles 243K and 243ZA cover panchayat and municipal elections, run by State Election Commissions.

Don’t confuse with Counting Observer vs Micro-Observer: Counting Observers oversee counting for the constituency. Micro-Observers sit at counting tables and note results independently for cross-checking.

Don’t confuse with Returning Officer vs Observer: The Returning Officer conducts the election in a constituency and issues the cards. Observers are appointed by the Commission under Section 20B of the RP Act, 1951 to oversee the process.

Don’t confuse with Election Commission vs State Election Commission: The ECI under Article 324 handles Parliament, State Legislature, President and Vice-President elections. State Election Commissions handle panchayat and municipal polls.

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.

1. 2022Mains GS2 · Q15Discuss the Election Commission's role in light of Model Code of Conduct evolution.
2. 2026Mains GS2 · Q4Is voting a fundamental right; can ECI examine voter citizenship during roll revision?
3. 2018Mains GS2 · Q1What challenges does the ECI face in ensuring trustworthy elections amid EVM controversy?
4. 2017Prelims Q90Which statements about Election Commission composition, election scheduling, and party disputes are correct?
5. 2012Prelims Q7Which statements on UT representation, Chief Election Commissioner's role, and Parliament are correct?
6. 2006Prelims Q50Which commission was set up under a definite constitutional Article provision?

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Outlay and parent mission

The scheme has an outlay of ₹1,500 crore and sits under the National Critical Mineral Mission.

Feedstock covered

It targets recovery of critical minerals from lithium-ion batteries, e-waste and industrial scrap.

Project Management Agency

Proposals were evaluated by the PMA, the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre.

Approving body

The Executive Committee approved 58 eligible entities: 20 on 30.03.2026 and 38 on 29.04.2026.

Pledged capacity and investment

The eligible firms have pledged about 850 KTPA capacity and about ₹5,000 crore investment.

Application window

Applications were open from 2 October 2025 to 1 April 2026.

Don’t confuse with Eligibility vs incentive: Approval as eligible only allows participation. Financial support is considered at the next stage, after capacity is built and production starts.

Don’t confuse with National Critical Mineral Mission vs this scheme: The Mission is the wider programme. This ₹1,500 crore recycling scheme is one component under it.

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.

1. 2026Prelims Q95Which statements on rare earth elements and critical minerals are correct, including NCMM
2. 2025Mains GS3 · Q17Why mining is an environmental hazard and what remedial measures are needed
3. 2026Mains GS3 · Q17Challenges and policy framework of solid waste management; Delhi and Indore cases
4. 2025Prelims Q6Which statements on India's critical minerals, MSP membership, and MMDR amendment are correct

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Acquisition target

NARCL aims to acquire stressed debt worth ₹2 lakh crore.

Recoveries

Total recoveries are ₹6,345 crore, over 48% of acquisition cost. Recoveries have been made in 23 accounts.

Fully resolved accounts

Three accounts are fully resolved, with recoveries of 148%, 115% and 183% of acquisition cost.

Origin

NARCL was announced in the Union Budget 2021-22. It works with a companion body, the India Debt Resolution Company Limited (IDRCL), which handles the resolution work.

Don’t confuse with NARCL vs IDRCL: NARCL acquires the stressed loans from banks. IDRCL is the service company that manages and resolves them.

Don’t confuse with NARCL vs private ARCs: Private ARCs are registered under the SARFAESI Act and are run by private owners. NARCL is the government-backed ARC, in which public sector banks hold the majority stake.

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.

1. 2023Prelims Q21Whether InvITs are recognised as borrowers under the SARFAESI Act, 2002, which governs asset reconstruction

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Go-live date

The Favara-UPI integration went live on 30 July 2026.

Currency conversion

Transfers start in Maldivian Rufiyaa and are credited in Indian Rupees through UPI.

Participating banks

Two Maldivian banks, Bank of Maldives and Maldives Islamic Bank, joined in the first phase. Only person-to-person transfers are covered at first.

Agency behind the link

The agreement was signed between NIPL and the MMA in July 2025.

Next phase

Later phases will add QR-based merchant payments and other digital payment services.

NIPL parent

NIPL is the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

Link launched

India and Nepal launched a P2P cross-border remittance mechanism on 6 June 2026.

Systems linked

India's UPI is directly linked to Nepal's National Payments Interface (NPI). Transfers run through mobile banking apps and digital wallets.

Implementing bodies

NIPL, the international arm of NPCI, worked with Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL) on the technical integration.

UPI reach

The release lists nine countries where UPI is accepted: Singapore, UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.

NPCI

NPCI runs UPI. It was set up as an umbrella body for retail payment systems in India, with guidance from the RBI and the Indian Banks' Association.

Launch and operator

UPI was launched on 11 April 2016 by NPCI, under the regulatory oversight of the RBI.

FY2026 scale

Annual volume rose from 2 crore transactions in FY2016-17 to over 24,162 crore in FY2025-26, about a 12,000-fold rise.

Global share

The IMF recognised UPI as the world's largest real-time payment system by volume, with about 49% of global real-time transactions.

Bank participation

Banks live on UPI grew from 44 in FY2016-17 to 703 by FY2025-26.

Don’t confuse with NPCI vs NIPL: NPCI runs UPI inside India. NIPL is its subsidiary that takes UPI abroad and signs cross-border links.

Don’t confuse with Inward link vs outward acceptance: Favara-UPI lets Maldives residents send money to India. UPI acceptance abroad lets Indian travellers pay in other countries. They are different directions of use.

Don’t confuse with NIPL vs NPCI: NPCI runs domestic retail payment systems like UPI. NIPL is its subsidiary that takes them abroad.

Don’t confuse with NPI vs NCHL: NPI is Nepal's payments interface. NCHL is the Nepali clearing house that worked on the link with NIPL.

Don’t confuse with UPI vs NPCI: NPCI is the organisation that runs UPI and other retail payment systems. UPI is one payment system run by it.

Don’t confuse with NPCI vs RBI: RBI regulates payment systems. NPCI operates UPI under that oversight.

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.

1. 2024Mains GS2 · Q20Discuss Maldives' geopolitical importance for India, including trade and maritime security.
2. 2026Mains GS3 · Q1Define Digital Rupee and explain working and progress of CBDC
3. 2026Mains GS3 · Q2Financial inclusion as part of social and economic inclusion; RBI Financial Inclusion Index usefulness
4. 2018Prelims Q28Whether BHIM app allows transfers to UPI accounts and its authentication factors
5. 2017Prelims Q43Likely consequence of implementing Unified Payments Interface (UPI)
6. 2026Prelims Q90Which statement about UPI versus Digital Rupee settlement is incorrect

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Notification

Notification No. 15/2026–27 dated April 30, 2026 revises the RoDTEP schedules.

Appendices covered

Appendix 4R covers DTA exports; Appendix 4RE covers exports by Advance Authorisation, EOU and SEZ units.

Scale of change

194 tariff lines changed: 142 new 8-digit lines added, 50 deleted, 2 had descriptions modified.

Nature of change

The change is a technical alignment, not a change in the scheme's design.

RoSCTL extension

Extended for apparel and made-ups exports up to 30 Sept 2026 or until a scheme for the 16th Finance Commission cycle is approved, whichever is earlier.

RoSCTL start

Operational since 7 March 2019; it rebates embedded State and Central taxes and levies not covered under any other scheme.

Principle

Based on zero-rating of exports, i.e. remission of unrefunded taxes embedded in exported products.

RoDTEP coverage

RoDTEP continued from 1 April to 30 September 2026. It covers textile products not under RoSCTL, including those outside Chapters 61, 62 and 63 of ITC (HS).

WTO compatibility

RoDTEP replaced the MEIS scheme, which was found non-compliant with WTO rules, from January 2021.

Don’t confuse with RoDTEP vs RoSCTL: RoDTEP refunds embedded duties and taxes on exported products generally. RoSCTL covers State and Central taxes embedded in apparel and made-ups.

Don’t confuse with RoDTEP vs Duty Drawback: Duty Drawback refunds customs and central excise duties paid on inputs. RoDTEP refunds other embedded taxes not refunded elsewhere.

Don’t confuse with RoSCTL vs RoDTEP: RoSCTL covers apparel and made-ups (Chapters 61-63) and includes State and Central levies. RoDTEP covers other products and refunds embedded duties and taxes not refunded elsewhere.

Don’t confuse with RoDTEP vs MEIS: MEIS gave reward duty credit scrips as a percentage of export value and was withdrawn; RoDTEP refunds embedded taxes and is WTO-compatible.

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.

1. 2015Mains GS3 · Q10SEZ issues: taxation, governing laws and administration hindering export success.
2. 2026Mains GS3 · Q14Agricultural subsidy types in India; WTO Agriculture Agreement issues.
3. 2023Mains GS3 · Q14Farm subsidies in India and WTO issues with them.
4. 2019Mains GS3 · Q1Indirect taxes subsumed in GST and its revenue implications
5. 2013Mains GS3 · Q10Rationale for introducing GST and reasons for its delayed rollout

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Platform and owner

The system works through the Integrated Alert System based on CAP, implemented by NDMA.

Warning agencies

Five Warning Generating Agencies are linked: IMD, CWC, INCOIS, DGRE and FSI. They are integrated with the SDMAs of all States/UTs.

Who issues alerts

The warning agencies and SDMAs issue and authorise alerts. The CAP platform only disseminates them through cell broadcast.

Geo-targeting and language

Alerts are geo-targeted and translated into the State language of the target population by the SDMAs.

Coverage

Alerts reach all mobile networks and handsets in the targeted area, including remote and vulnerable areas.

Developer

CBS was developed by C-DOT under the Department of Telecommunications, with NDMA and MHA.

Platform link

CBS is integrated with the CAP-based SACHET platform for standardised alert dissemination.

Geo-targeting

Alerts can be targeted at single cell towers or clusters, and scaled to larger areas.

Reach and user control

It covers all mobile users in the area, including roamers, and users cannot disable the alerts.

Network support

It works across 2G to 5G networks.

International demonstration

C-DOT has demonstrated it in Mauritius, Cambodia, El Salvador and Sri Lanka, in line with the UN Early Warnings for All initiative.

Who built it

C-DOT, the R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications, built SACHET and is developing the indigenous Cell Broadcast system.

Standard used

SACHET is based on the Common Alerting Protocol, as recommended by the International Telecommunication Union.

Scale

Over 134 billion SMS alerts have been sent in more than 19 Indian languages.

How Cell Broadcast works

Alerts go to all mobile devices in a defined area at the same time, giving near real-time delivery.

Use cases

Cell Broadcast is meant for time-critical events such as tsunamis, earthquakes, lightning, gas leaks and chemical hazards.

Don’t confuse with Cell broadcast vs SMS: SMS goes to listed numbers one by one and can be delayed by congestion. Cell broadcast reaches all handsets in a cell tower area at once.

Don’t confuse with NDMA vs warning agencies: NDMA runs the alert platform. IMD, CWC, INCOIS, DGRE and FSI generate the warnings.

Don’t confuse with CAP vs SACHET: CAP is a standard alert format. SACHET is the Indian platform built on it.

Don’t confuse with NDMA vs C-DOT: NDMA operationalizes SACHET and the alerting agencies issue warnings. C-DOT builds the technology.

Science and technology: 57 Prelims questions since 2013; most test the concept behind the news, not the news itself. In Mains, 12 news-triggered questions.

1. 2020Mains GS3 · Q18Recent Indian disaster management measures shifting from reactive to proactive approach
2. 2022Mains GS1 · Q5Meaning of colour-coded weather warnings for cyclone-prone areas by IMD
3. 2017Mains GS3 · Q18Tsunami causes, effects, and NDMA 2010 preparedness mechanisms to reduce risk
4. 2016Mains GS3 · Q16NDMA guideline measures to mitigate Uttarakhand cloudburst impacts

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.