Current affairs relevant to GS3.
The Centre has approved the Urban Flood Risk Management Programme in two phases under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund, MHA told Lok Sabha on 11 August 2026. Phase I covers seven metros at ₹3075.65 crore. Phase II covers 11 cities, including Lucknow and Kanpur, at ₹2444.42 crore. States implement the projects.
11 Aug 2026
Production of Kalanamak rice in Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh, rose more than five times between 2018 and 2025, the Agriculture Ministry told Lok Sabha on 11 August 2026. Its price rose from ₹40 a kg in 2018 to ₹150 a kg in 2026, and growers rose from 2915 to 23000. Two new dwarf varieties yield 4.5 tonnes a hectare.
11 Aug 2026
On World Lion Day, 10 August 2026, the Environment Minister said the Asiatic lion population rose from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025. Project Lion, announced on 15 August 2020, has seen the lion range grow from about 30,000 sq km in 2020 to nearly 35,000 sq km. Gir in Gujarat is the only home of wild Asiatic lions.
10 Aug 2026
The PLFS quarterly bulletin for April-June 2026, released on 10 August, shows overall labour force participation at 54.6 per cent, down from 55.5 per cent in January-March. Urban unemployment was steady at 6.7 per cent, while rural unemployment rose to 4.8 per cent. Regular salaried jobs rose, and about 56.6 crore people aged 15 and above were employed.
10 Aug 2026
Scientists, with ARIES Nainital as a key participant, found an unusually thick ozone layer about 21 to 23 km above the North Bay of Bengal during the NetRAD-ASMA campaign. It lasted over a day, by day and night. The study, in AGU's Earth and Space Science, links it to ozone-rich air being carried in, then sinking and compressing.
10 Aug 2026
The National Biodiversity Authority released close to ₹3.79 crore as Access and Benefit Sharing to 33 State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils, ICAR-NBPGR and a Hisar bovine semen station, MoEFCC said on 9 August 2026. The money came from firms that used vegetable and oilseed genetic resources, and from Sri Lanka for Sahiwal semen.
9 Aug 2026
India crossed 300 GW of non-fossil installed power capacity on 31 July 2026, MNRE said on 9 August. That is over 60 per cent of the 500 GW target for 2030. Solar leads with 164.59 GW, followed by wind and hydro. Non-fossil sources now make up over 54 per cent of total installed capacity of about 552 GW.
9 Aug 2026
The Indian Navy-US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Exercise 2026 runs at Southern Naval Command, Kochi, from 10 to 14 August 2026, the Defence Ministry said. It is the eighth edition. The two navies have held joint salvage and EOD exercises since 2005. Divers and bomb-disposal teams train together.
9 Aug 2026
On 8 August 2026 the Finance Ministry said UPI users will not pay any transaction charge and person-to-person transfers stay free. A Bill to amend Section 10A of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 only enables a merchant charge (MDR). If one comes, it will be nominal, threshold-based and on a limited set of merchant payments.
8 Aug 2026
On 8 August 2026 the Petroleum Ministry said oil marketing companies ran extra nationwide tests on E20 petrol after media reports of moisture and up to 500 ppm chloride. Refinery petrol showed 1 ppm or less, distillery ethanol under 3 ppm, and retail samples 0 to 3 ppm. Only four outlets showed high chloride; their supply was suspended.
8 Aug 2026