PM-KISAN
Central income-support scheme paying ₹6,000 a year to landholding farmer families in three instalments.
Verified references:Wikipedia
On UPSC.wiki
Current affairsEl Niño 2026 OND Forecast: India's Rabi Crops, Wheat, and Winter Agriculture at RiskThe World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and India Meteorological Department (IMD) have confirmed that El Niño conditions are intensifying and forecast to peak during the October–December (OND) 2026 quarter, with sea surface temperature anomalies in the Niño 3.4 region reaching approximately +3.6°C. This raises significant risks for India's Rabi crop season — particularly wheat, chickpea, mustard, and lentils — through reduced winter rainfall in northwest India and above-normal temperatures. Current affairsPM Jan Dhan Yojana Turns 12: 59.09 Crore Accounts, ₹3.17 Lakh Crore Deposits — India's Financial Inclusion TransformationThe Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), launched on 28 August 2014, completed 12 years on 28 August 2026 with 59.09 crore active accounts, ₹3.17 lakh crore in deposits, and 78% accounts in rural/semi-urban areas — marking India's most transformative financial inclusion programme that has brought banking access to 55 crore previously unbanked citizens. Current affairsMission Samriddh Gaon: Shivraj Singh Chouhan's Convergence Model for Poverty-Free, Employment-Rich VillagesUnion Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched Mission Samriddh Gaon to develop "poverty-free, employment-rich villages" through the convergence of multiple government schemes, with pilot projects in two Madhya Pradesh blocks — Budni (Sehore district) and Khategaon (Dewas district) — to be scaled nationally upon success. Current affairsNBSS&LUP Releases India's First Digital Soil Texture Map at 1-Hectare Resolution: Precision Agriculture Gets a FoundationThe National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP), an ICAR institute headquartered in Nagpur, released India's first digital soil texture map at 1-hectare resolution on 16 July 2026 — coinciding with NBSS&LUP's 50th Foundation Day and ICAR's 97th Foundation Day. The map, available on the Bhoomi Geoportal, uses AI-based analysis of field studies, remote sensing, and satellite imagery to enable farm-level soil characterisation — a critical input for precision agriculture, irrigation planning, and crop-suitability assessment across India. Current affairsUPI Completes 10 Years: From 21 Banks in 2016 to the World's Largest Real-Time Payments PlatformThe Unified Payments Interface (UPI) completes ten years in August 2026, marking its evolution from a pilot with 21 banks in April 2016 to the world's largest real-time payments platform — processing 2,366 crore transactions worth ₹29+ lakh crore per month, accounting for 85% of India's digital payments and approximately 49% of global real-time transactions, with active acceptance in 9 countries. Current affairsCensus 2027: 40 Questions, First Caste Count Since 1931, and NPR Link — Complete UPSC GuideIndia's 16th Census, scheduled for 2027, was formally notified by Registrar General Mritunjay Kumar Narayan. Its questionnaire carries 40 questions — 14 new or modified from 2011 — including individual caste (jati) enumeration for the first time since 1931, linkage to Aadhaar and NPR, and a first-ever self-enumeration portal in 16 languages. The House Listing phase began April 1, 2026; Population Enumeration is slated for February 2027. Current affairsIndia Launches First-Ever Guide to Grasslands and Open Natural Ecosystems at UNCCD COP17, UlaanbaatarIndia launched its first-ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) at the 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on August 17, 2026 — a landmark step recognising the ecological, carbon, and livelihood significance of India's long-neglected non-forest ecosystems.
In previous-year questions
- Mission Samriddh Gaon, launched in August 2026, is built on the principle of "convergence" of rural development schemes. Which of the following best describes what "convergence" means in this context?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, a key component of Mission Samriddh Gaon's convergence basket, mandates that what percentage of MGNREGS work must be in agriculture and allied activities (including water conservation, farm ponds and afforestation)?UPSC · Current Affairs
- India's 'Rudhra' assistive technology device (James Dyson Award 2026) specifically targets STEM education accessibility for visually impaired students. Which of the following Indian government initiatives has most directly focused on science and innovation for social benefit in the context of disability and underserved communities?UPSC · Current Affairs