Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The Ministry of Coal is organizing Special Campaign 6 from October 2 to October 31, 2026, focusing on e-waste disposal, scrap management, workplace modernization, and record optimization across administrative offices and Public Sector Undertakings. Ahead of the campaign, preparatory reviews, awareness activities such as Nukkad Natak by WCL, and target identification have commenced. As of September 24, 2026, the Ministry has identified targets including 1,462 sites for cleaning, 1.21 crore square feet of area to be cleared, 10,713 metric tons of scrap for disposal, 10,189 physical files to review, and 75,382 e-files to review.

The National Institute of Sowa Rigpa (NISR), Leh, celebrated the 11th Ayurveda Day on September 23, 2026, at its New Academic Building in Saboo Thang, Leh. Held under the theme “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow” and chaired by NISR Director Dr Padma Gurmet, the event brought together participants, scholars, practitioners, and stakeholders from Ladakh and various Himalayan regions including Lahaul, Dharamsala, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. The programme featured expert presentations emphasizing Ayurveda and other traditional healthcare practices, the preservation of Himalayan traditional knowledge systems, and NISR’s ongoing efforts to promote traditional medicine and strengthen academic engagement.

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, is preparing for Special Campaign 6.0, scheduled from 2nd to 31st October 2026. Launched by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG), the campaign aims to institutionalize Swachhata, minimize pendency, digitize records, free up office space, and responsibly dispose of e-waste across government offices. DEPwD has established institutional mechanisms, including nominating Nodal Officers, following previous successes in Special Campaign 5.0.

Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) organized various community-centric activities across its areas under Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 and Special Campaign 6 to promote cleanliness, environmental protection, responsible waste management, and public participation (Jan Bhagidari). Activities included a friendly Kabaddi match in the Pathakhera Area combining sports with messages on cleanliness, a 'Waste to Wealth' awareness programme at Kendriya Vidyalaya in the Chandrapur Area focusing on waste segregation and recycling, and Rangoli competitions in Parasia Block villages of the Pench Area conveying messages on a clean and plastic-free environment.

Union Minister for Education Shri Pralhad Joshi is set to inaugurate the Seva First Innovation Challenge at IISc Bengaluru. The initiative aims to encourage young people from five southern states and three union territories—spanning schools, ITIs, polytechnics, colleges, and universities—to identify community problems and develop implementable solutions. Structured across Junior, Technical, and Open levels, the Challenge focuses on five national themes: Clean and Sustainable Bharat, Prosperous Farmers, Prosperous Bharat, Healthy and Inclusive Bharat, Educated and Skilled Bharat, and Secure Bharat. Registrations are scheduled from September 25 to October 24, 2026, culminating in a National Finale in New Delhi in December 2026. The event is organised jointly by the Union Education Ministry, AICTE, and UGC, with IISc Bengaluru as the nodal institute.

Smt Akalya from Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu, overcame employment challenges after completing her diploma by establishing a home-based flour mill (atta chakki). Financial assistance of Rs. 1,80,000 was provided under the Term Loan Scheme of the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) through Tamil Nadu Grama Bank on January 20, 2025, at a 6% annual interest rate. This affordable finance and timely support enabled her to become self-employed, earn a livelihood, and support her family comfortably.

The Ministry of Textiles organized mass cleanliness drives, green initiatives, and community campaigns under the Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2026 campaign. Various bodies and institutions under the Ministry—including the Cotton Corporation of India Ltd., National Jute Board, Textiles Committee, Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Ltd., National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), and The Jute Corporation of India Limited (JCI)—undertook activities such as clean desk and campus drives, the 'Kabad Se Jugaad' initiative for scrap disposal, the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' plantation drive, Swachhata pledges, cloth donation campaigns, 'Say No to Plastic' campaigns, and a 'Zero Waste Sports Competition' to promote sanitation, waste management, and environmental awareness.

Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, addressed the valedictory function of a three-day national workshop in Leh on the scope and challenges of Sowa Rigpa post-recognition. Organized by the National Institute of Sowa Rigpa (NISR), the event brought together experts, scholars, and practitioners from the Himalayan region to discuss institutional development, education, research, healthcare practices, and standardisation. The workshop was part of National Ayurveda Day celebrations and highlighted the potential of Sowa Rigpa in traditional medicine, followed by a field visit to the Trans-Himalayan Herbal Garden at Phey.

The Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), along with their network of institutes, are undertaking cleanliness, sanitation, and environmental awareness initiatives under the Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign. Focusing particularly on school children and local communities, the initiatives promote public participation and environmentally responsible practices. Activities include exposure visits organized by ICAR-ATARI Guwahati to Krishi Vigyan Kendra in North Sikkim to teach students about cleanliness and vermicomposting, as well as cleanliness drives organized by KVK Ri Bhoi in Meghalaya involving employees and local residents.

Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) is observing the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign from September 17 to October 2, 2026, across its headquarters and operational areas. The initiative features cleanliness drives, awareness programs, student engagement, and community initiatives aimed at promoting responsible waste management, environmental awareness, and sustainable practices. Key activities include administering the Swachhata Pledge, flagging off the Swachhta Rath, organizing an exposure visit for students to a material recovery facility, and holding elocution and debate competitions at educational institutions to encourage youth participation in sustainable development.

As part of the nationwide Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 Campaign, the Legislative Department under the Ministry of Law and Justice organized an E-Waste Workshop on 23rd September 2026 at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi. Led by Joint Secretary and Legislative Counsel Shri G. Panmei, the session featured discussions on the lifecycle of office electronic devices, the challenges of electronic waste, and the hazards of disposing of them in regular waste bins. Participants were urged to ensure proper segregation, safe collection, and recycling of obsolete electronics through authorized channels to promote resource recovery and reduce environmental pollution.

A 22-year-old individual from Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh, successfully transitioned from addiction and unemployment to securing private employment through treatment, counseling, and rehabilitation support received at the Nivedita Kalyan Samiti Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCA), supported by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. Facing health concerns, financial hardship, and negative peer influences, the individual underwent medical treatment, daily doctor monitoring, medication, yoga, meditation, and individual, group, and family counseling starting April 29, 2025. This sustained support improved his emotional well-being, confidence, and anger management, ultimately enabling him to build an independent life.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has proposed a draft amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011, aimed at preventing the misleading representation of non-milk-derived analogue products as 'Paneer'. The proposed amendment requires products licensed under the 'Analogue in Dairy Context' category to discontinue using the term 'Paneer' in their nomenclature, labeling, or marketing. The draft regulation is intended to ensure accurate product presentation and help consumers make informed choices. FSSAI has invited public and stakeholder objections and suggestions within a 60-day period following the notification's availability in the Official Gazette.

The 11th Ayurveda Day 2026 was observed nationwide through various public awareness, community outreach, academic, and wellness activities organized by Ayush institutions under the theme “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow.” Different centers—including institutes in Jhansi, Mumbai, Gangtok, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Itanagar, Gwalior, Shillong, Pune, and New Delhi—conducted events such as yoga camps, medicinal plant and raw drug exhibitions, Ayush Aahar cooking and food festivals, health camps, webinars on research and innovation, cleanliness drives, and academic lectures for students and professionals to highlight Ayurveda's role in contemporary healthcare, disease prevention, and holistic well-being.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment has raised the statutory wage ceiling for mandatory coverage under the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month, effective September 17, 2026. Published in the Gazette of India under the Code on Social Security, 2020, this revision expands coverage to include workers earning between ₹15,000 and ₹25,000 per month. Employers must make matching contributions against the revised ceiling. To assist businesses with the additional financial burden, incentives up to ₹3,000 per month are available under the PMVBRY scheme for up to two years for non-manufacturing and four years for manufacturing units. Following this, the EPFO Regional Office in Goa issued guidelines for local establishments to update compliance systems, enroll newly covered workers, file ECRs, and seed KYC details.

The PIB backgrounder highlights the adoption of a 'whole-of-industry' approach to drive India's electronics and semiconductor sector ambitions. Discussed during SEMICON India 2026 and moderated by the CEO of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), industry leaders emphasized that future growth requires deep cross-sectoral collaboration across semiconductors, manufacturing, components, materials, design, packaging, and end-use applications under a 'Silicon to Systems' vision. SEMICON India 2026 featured over 600 exhibitors and 56 MoUs/announcements. Furthermore, government support via Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes and the Semicon India programme has resulted in 12 approved semiconductor projects, with five commercial semiconductor units operational as of September 2026.

The Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL) organized a webinar on the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (AFS), following India's ratification of the agreement on July 20, 2026. The discussions focused on the legal framework, policy prospects, implementation challenges, transparency requirements, and ongoing negotiations regarding overcapacity and overfishing. Experts addressed the importance of reliable fisheries data, institutional coordination, special and differential treatment (S&DT), and the protection of livelihoods and food security for small-scale and artisanal fisheries. The event highlighted domestic institutional preparedness and the use of tools like the IISD self-assessment toolkit.

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the BRICS Heads of Tax Authorities Meeting in New Delhi, marking the culmination of India’s BRICS Chairship of the tax cooperation track. The meeting brought together representatives from ten BRICS member countries, including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. Key outcomes of India's Chairship included the formal establishment of two India-led Working Groups on International Taxation and Transfer Pricing, and on Revenue Statistics, the institutionalisation of the BRICS Young Tax Professionals Capacity Building Programme as an annual event, the launch of the BRICS Tax Cross-Learning Lab, the approval of the BRICS Tax Support Network Terms of Reference, and the adoption of the BRICS Tax Progress Report 2026. China was welcomed as the incoming Chair for 2027.

The 'Bharat Taxi' service, based on the cooperative model principle 'Driver is the Owner', has been launched in Uttar Pradesh, expanding to Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Kanpur, and Prayagraj along with Lucknow. Union Minister of State for Cooperation Shri Murlidhar Mohol stated that the initiative aims to make drivers stakeholders in their own service without conventional aggregator commissions. During the launch event, alongside state dignitaries, several portals and applications—including the 'Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana' portal, Urvarak Setu mobile app, and UPCDC mobile app—were introduced, and Memoranda of Understanding were exchanged between Bharat Taxi and entities like the Airport Authority, Lucknow Metro Rail, and Lucknow Police.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released the findings of the Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) during July 2025 to June 2026 under the NSS 80th round, titled 'Domestic Tourism in India'. The survey captures details on domestic overnight and same-day trips, including trip duration, mode of transport, stay types, and expenses. Key findings indicate that 'pilgrimage & religious' purposes formed the highest share of overnight trips over the last 365 days, whereas 'social' purposes dominated 30-day overnight trips. Uttar Pradesh accounted for the highest share of main destination visitor-trips. Furthermore, health and medical trips recorded the highest average expenditure for overnight travel, while shopping dominated same-day trip expenditures.