Daily Current Affairs · Last published 1 October 2026
UPSC Prelims Current Affairs: 1 October 2026
AFSPA is extended for six months in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, CAFE-III fuel efficiency norms are notified, and the 2026 monsoon ends with its worst deficit since 2015.
Centre extends AFSPA for six months in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh
The Ministry of Home Affairs on 25 September 2026 extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 for six months from 1 October 2026 in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. In Manipur, the entire state remains a disturbed area except the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five valley districts, continuing a declaration that has applied in some form since 1981. In Nagaland the Act covers nine districts and 21 police stations in five other districts, while in Arunachal Pradesh it continues in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts and parts of Namsai district bordering Assam.
Government notifies CAFE-III fuel efficiency norms for passenger vehicles
The government notified the third phase of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE-III) norms for passenger vehicles on 30 September 2026, to apply from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2032. The norms seek a fuel consumption improvement of over 16 percent, tightening the fleet average benchmark from 3.996 litres per 100 km in 2027-28 to 3.3273 litres per 100 km in 2031-32, and raise the reference vehicle weight used to set targets from 1,082 kg to 1,229 kg. Battery electric, range extended, plug-in hybrid and flex-fuel vehicles get volume based super credits, and manufacturers can trade or carry forward compliance credits through the Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
Southwest monsoon 2026 ends with 13 percent rainfall deficit, worst since 2015
The India Meteorological Department said on 30 September 2026 that the southwest monsoon ended the season with all India cumulative rainfall at 87 percent of the long period average, the lowest since 2015 and the fourth lowest since 2001. Cumulative rainfall between June and September was around 759.4 mm against a normal of about 868.6 mm, with the southern and eastern parts of the country worst affected under the influence of El Nino at 76 percent and 74 percent of normal respectively. Reservoir levels in southern India stood at 50 percent of live storage capacity as of 24 September against a national figure of 79 percent, and the IMD forecast below normal rainfall for October as well, with El Nino expected to peak in November.
Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 2026 comes into force, replacing the 1891 law
The Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 2026, which received presidential assent in August 2026, came into force from 1 October 2026 under a Finance Ministry notification dated 10 September, replacing the Bankers' Books Evidence Act of 1891. The new law takes a technology neutral approach, recognising banking records kept in physical, electronic, digital, virtual and cloud based forms, including backup and disaster recovery sites, and introduces a two track certification framework for physical and electronic records. It also requires courts to record a special cause in writing before summoning bank officials in cases where the bank is not a party, and allows the Centre to extend the framework to other financial sector entities.
Cabinet raises MSP for all six Rabi crops for the 2027-28 marketing season
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved higher Minimum Support Prices for all six mandated Rabi crops for the 2027-28 marketing season on 30 September 2026. Safflower received the highest absolute increase at Rs 675 per quintal, taking its MSP to Rs 7,215, followed by rapeseed and mustard at Rs 413 to Rs 6,613 and lentil at Rs 390 to Rs 7,390, while wheat received the smallest increase of Rs 25 per quintal, taking its MSP to Rs 2,610. The government said the new prices keep MSP at least 1.5 times the all India weighted average cost of production, with the margin over cost ranging from 50 percent for safflower to 106 percent for wheat.
Cabinet approves Rs 1.86 lakh crore Green Energy Corridor Phase III scheme
The Union Cabinet approved the Green Energy Corridor Phase III scheme on 30 September 2026 to strengthen intra-state transmission systems for evacuating up to 135 gigawatts of renewable energy across states and union territories. The scheme also provides for 50 gigawatt hours of Battery Energy Storage Systems to address intermittency and peak hour demand, at a total outlay of Rs 1,86,405 crore, including Rs 54,082 crore in central financial support. The government said the scheme will support its target of 900 gigawatts of installed non fossil capacity by 2035, with greenfield transmission projects built through competitive bidding and brownfield upgrades funded on a cost plus basis.
Ministry of Mines launches India's first offshore mineral block auction in the Andaman Sea
The Ministry of Mines launched the auction of two offshore mineral blocks in the Andaman Sea on 1 October 2026, under the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002 and the Offshore Areas Mineral (Auction) Rules, 2024. The blocks, covering a combined 1,632 square kilometres near Great Nicobar Island, will be offered for a composite licence covering both exploration and mining of polymetallic nodules and crusts containing cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese. This follows an amendment notified on 24 September 2026 that lowered the minimum number of technically qualified bidders needed for a first attempt auction from three to two, after the country's first such auction was cancelled in December 2025 for lack of bidder interest.
Supreme Court rules out a total ban on firecrackers, favours a time bound approach for Diwali
The Supreme Court on 30 September 2026 said it would neither impose a total ban on firecrackers nor allow unrestricted use through the day ahead of Diwali, with a bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale indicating it would instead permit selected firecrackers within specified time windows. The bench said it was inclined to allow joint firecrackers, known as larri, subject to safeguards, and gave the Additional Solicitor General time until 15 October to submit a Central Pollution Control Board report on barium based firecrackers before deciding which categories can be used. The case traces back to 2015, when the Court first began regulating firecracker manufacture, sale and use in Delhi NCR because of severe air quality during the festive season.
DRDO and CSIR-CGCRI to develop lightweight indigenous bulletproof glass
The Defence Research and Development Organisation has partnered with CSIR's Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute in Kolkata on a four year, Rs 50 crore project to develop indigenous lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles, reported on 28 September 2026. The glass ceramic material, which disperses nanometre sized crystals in an engineered glass matrix, aims to cut the weight and thickness of transparent armour by 30 to 50 percent compared with imported options while still giving multi-shot ballistic protection. In initial trials at DRDO's Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory in Chandigarh, the material stopped rounds from a Trichy Assault Rifle fired from 10 metres, with multi-shot testing still to follow before any transition to large-scale manufacturing with an industry partner.