• 03 Jan 2026

Bareilly Airport Tops UP in AAI Survey

Why in News?

Bareilly Airport secured the top position in Uttar Pradesh and 7th rank nationally in the Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) Customer Satisfaction Survey.

Key Points

• Survey Authority: Conducted by the Airports Authority of India (AAI).
• AAI Customer Satisfaction Survey: It is a biannual assessment of passenger satisfaction at Indian airports to rank and improve airport services.
• State Rank: 1st in Uttar Pradesh for customer satisfaction.
• National Rank: 7th rank out of 62 airports surveyed.
  • The top national rank was jointly secured by Raja Bhoj Airport (Bhopal) and Khajuraho Airport.
• Assessment Parameters: Over 30 indicators including check-in efficiency, security processing, cleanliness, signage, staff behaviour, and passenger convenience.
• Significance: Reflects the success of the UDAN scheme in improving regional connectivity, airport services, and passenger facilities.

Kota‑Hadoti Travel Mart 2026

Why in News?

The first-ever Kota‑Hadoti Travel Mart 2026 was inaugurated at Chambal River Front, Kota to promote tourism in the Hadoti region.

Key Points

• Organizers: Organized by the Hotel Federation of Rajasthan (HFR) in association with Rajasthan Tourism and supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
• Inauguration: The event was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
• Objective: The Travel Mart aims to showcase the tourism potential of the Hadoti region — including attractions like wildlife sanctuaries, Chambal River experiences, forts, and cultural heritage — to national tourism industry players.
• Scope of Hadoti: The mart focuses on the four districts of the Hadoti region: Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar, and Baran.
• Tourism Push: The event reinforced efforts to promote Hadoti tourism through an MoU between the Rajasthan Tourism Department and the Hotel Federation.

Guwahati to Host National Textiles Ministers’ Conference 2026

Why in News?

The Ministry of Textiles will hold the National Textiles Ministers’ Conference 2026 in Guwahati, Assam to develop a coordinated national strategy for strengthening India’s textiles sector.

Key Points

• Theme: The theme of the conference is India’s Textiles: Weaving Growth, Heritage & Innovation.
• Objective: To bring together Union and State Ministers to formulate a coordinated national strategy for making India a global textiles manufacturing hub.
• Vision: To align state and central policies to achieve the national target of a $350 billion textile market and $100 billion in exports by 2030.
• Focus Areas: Infrastructure, investment, exports, R&D and.promotion of traditional handloom and handicrafts.
• Technical Textiles: Enhancing the production of high-tech fabrics used in healthcare, defense, and infrastructure under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM).
• Sustainability & ESG: Developing a "Circular Economy" roadmap for the textile industry to meet global environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.
• Fiber Security: Strategies to boost the production of Kasturi Cotton and silk varieties like Muga and Eri.
• The "North-East Focus":Choosing Guwahati highlights the government's Act East Policy.

Maharashtra Field Meet on FRA Digitisation

Why in News?

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) conducted a field engagement meeting in Nashik, Maharashtra to advance the digitisation and effective monitoring of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.

Key Points

• Objective: To support the design of an AI powered FRA Atlas and WebGIS based Decision Support System (DSS) for integrated monitoring of Individual Forest Rights (IFR), Community Rights (CR), and Community Forest Resource (CFR) rights.
  • Smart India Hackathon Link: The meeting followed the Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2025 engagement where student teams worked on software solutions for FRA digitisation challenges.
• Smart India Hackathon is a nationwide initiative to provide students with a platform to solve some of the pressing problems we face in our daily lives, and thus inculcate a culture of product innovation and a mindset of problem-solving.
• Demonstration: The Maharashtra FRA Portal was showcased, highlighting its functioning, field use, and successful issuance of FRA titles.
• Strategic Goal: The initiative aligns with the Viksit Bharat vision, leveraging technology for transparent, data-driven governance to "undo historical injustice".

2,000-Year-Old Buddhist Site discovered in J&K

Why in News?

A 2,000 year old Buddhist archaeological site from the Kushan period has been discovered in Zehanpora village, Baramulla district of Jammu & Kashmir.

Key Points

• Findings: Excavations revealed Buddhist stupas, monastic structures, and other artifacts, indicating the presence of an important ancient Buddhist settlement.
• Historical Significance: The discovery highlights Kashmir’s role as a center of ancient cultural, trade, and spiritual exchange, particularly in Buddhism.
• Government Reaction: Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the discovery as a “proud moment” for India’s heritage.
• Tourism & Research: The site has the potential to boost archaeological research and cultural tourism in the region.
• Archaeological Oversight: Excavations are being conducted under the guidance of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

NHRC Takes Cognizance of Contaminated Water Deaths in Indore

Why in News?

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident in which seven people died and over 40 were hospitalized due to contaminated drinking water in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Key Points

• Cause of Contamination: The main drinking water pipeline passes beneath a public toilet, and due to leakage, sewage mixed with the drinking water. 
  • Several other water distribution lines were found broken, leading to contaminated water reaching households.
• NHRC Action: The NHRC has observed serious human rights violations and has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh. 
• Report Submission: The NHRC has directed the Chief Secretary to submit a detailed report within two weeks.
• Observation: The Commission noted that the authorities failed to act despite several days of complaints from residents about foul-smelling water, representing a gross violation of the Right to Life and Health.