• 03 Feb 2026

Odisha CM Launches ‘Samikshya’ Portal

Why in News? 

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has launched the ‘Samikshya’ portal, a real-time digital platform. 

Key Points 

• Objective: To monitor the implementation of development projects funded by State Finance Commission (SFC) and Central Finance Commission (CFC) grants across local bodies.  
  • Aim: The portal aims to enhance transparency, accountability and timely execution of development works by providing updated data on project status. 
• Coverage: Projects such as roads, drinking water supply, sanitation, street lighting, parks and other public utilities in both rural and urban local bodies. 
  • Public access: The portal is accessible to citizens, elected representatives and officials, enabling public tracking of development works and fostering participatory governance. 
• SFC Report: It also marked the submission of the 6^th State Finance Commission (SFC) report to the Chief Minister. 
  • Focuses on strengthening the financial base of local bodies through predictable and formula-based devolution.  
• Governance Impact: Samikshya is expected to improve fund utilisation, reduce delays and cost overruns, and strengthen local governance and service delivery. 
• Digital Governance Step: The initiative aligns with Odisha’s broader push towards digital transformation and transparent administration.

Read More: Finance Commission, State Finance Commission,  Local governance 

Uttarakhand Conferred ‘Best State for Promotion of Aviation Ecosystem

Why in News? 

Uttarakhand has been conferred the “Best State for Promotion of Aviation Ecosystem” award at Wings India 2026. 

Key Points 

• Event: Wings India 2026, a premier aviation conference and exhibition held at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad. 
• Award: Uttarakhand received the “Best State for Promotion of Aviation Ecosystem” award, recognising its proactive policies and initiatives to develop aviation infrastructure and connectivity. 
  • The award reflects Uttarakhand’s transition from a difficult‑to‑access Himalayan region to one increasingly connected by air services, enhancing tourism, disaster management and public services. 
• Policy Initiatives: Uttarakhand has expanded air connectivity under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme and developed heliports and airstrips. 
  • Improved civil aviation has boosted tourism, heli‑tourism and Char Dham Yatra accessibility, while aiding emergency medical services and disaster response in mountainous terrain. 
• National Recognition: The award was presented by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, underscoring Uttarakhand’s national role in aviation development. 

Read More:  Wings India 2026, UDAN ,  Char Dham Yatra 

New Flowering Plant Hoya nagaensis Discovered in Nagaland

Why in News? 

Researchers from Nagaland University have discovered a new species of flowering plant in the high‑altitude of Nagaland. 

Key Points 

• Scientific name: Hoya nagaensis  
  • Documented during systematic botanical surveys in under‑explored forests. 
• Discovery: Kavünhou Community Reserved Forest, Phek district, Nagaland. 
  • The discovery underscores the importance of community‑protected forests in preserving rare and endemic species, as these forests remain largely untouched and biologically rich. 
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered. 
• Biodiversity Hotspot: Nagaland’s high‑altitude forests are part of the Eastern Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. 
• Research Significance: The discovery contributes valuable data to India’s botanical records and global plant science, encouraging further ecological and conservation studies in the region. 

Read More: IUCN ,  Shifting cultivation, Biodiversity Hotspot 

New Assam Legislative Assembly Building in Dibrugarh

Why in News? 

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah, laid the foundation stone of the new Assam Legislative Assembly building at Dibrugarh. 

Key Points 

• Location: The new Legislative Assembly complex will be constructed at Dibrugarh. 
  • It is being developed as Assam’s second capital to promote administrative decentralisation. 
  • The new Assembly complex will improve legislative accessibility and strengthen people-centric governance in the eastern and upper districts of Assam. 
• Project Cost: The Assembly building and associated infrastructure projects involve an estimated investment of ₹1,715 crore. 
  • The event also marked the foundation stone laying and inauguration of other development projects across Assam. 
• Administrative Significance: Establishing a legislative complex in Upper Assam aims to strengthen governance outreach and improve regional balance in administration. 
• Northeast Development Focus: The initiative reflects the Centre’s emphasis on infrastructure development and political stability in the Northeastern region. 

Read More: Legislative Assembly, Northeast Development 

IIT Kanpur Map the Sun’s Hidden Interior Using 30 Years of Satellite Data

Why in News? 

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur have created the first three-dimensional map of the Sun’s hidden interior magnetic field by assimilating 30 years of satellite observations into an advanced computational model, enhancing understanding of solar dynamics. 

Key Points 

• Achievement: The IIT Kanpur research team has developed a 3D dynamo model that assimilates three decades of solar magnetic field observations to map the Sun’s internal magnetic structure. 
  • The study was led by Soumyadeep Chatterjee from the Department of Physics at IIT Kanpur. 
• Data Source: The model uses long-term data collected by satellites such as NASA’s SOHO and SDO, which have detailed the Sun’s surface magnetic fields over decades. 
  • Solar Dynamo Mapping: The research focuses on the solar dynamo, the deep-interior process responsible for generating the Sun’s magnetic field, which drives sunspots, solar flares and coronal mass ejections. 
  • 3D Model Insights: By fusing observational data with advanced computation, the model reveals how large-scale magnetic patterns evolve over time and enables estimation of the magnitude, structure and evolution of internal magnetic fields. 
• Space Weather Relevance: Mapping the Sun’s hidden magnetic field improves the ability to predict solar cycles and space-weather events, which can disrupt satellites, power grids, GPS and communication systems on Earth.  
  • The model helps to estimate the peak strength of upcoming solar cycles, which is critical for safeguarding technological infrastructure. 
• Big Data: The study exemplifies how big observational datasets combined with computational modelling can unlock previously inaccessible scientific insights.

SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory): 

• Joint mission of NASA and ESA. 
• Launched in 1995. 
• Placed at Lagrange Point L1 between the Earth and the Sun. 
• Studies the Sun’s interior, surface, corona, solar wind and CMEs. 

SDO (Solar Dynamics Observatory): 

• Mission of NASA. 
• Launched in 2010 under the Living With a Star (LWS) program. 
• Orbits the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit.

Read More:  Sunspots, Solar flares and coronal mass 

39th Surajkund International Crafts Mela 2026 in Haryana

Why in News? 

The 39th Surajkund International Crafts Mela 2026 has commenced at Surajkund in Faridabad, Haryana. 

Key Points 

• Edition: This is the 39th edition of the Surajkund International Crafts Mela, organised annually since 1987. 
• Inauguration: The event was inaugurated by the Vice President of India, C. P. Radhakrishnan, in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini. 
  • Theme: The theme for the 2026 edition is “Local to Global – Atmanirbhar Bharat”, focusing on promoting indigenous crafts on global platforms. 
• Theme States: Uttar Pradesh and Meghalaya are designated as the theme states, showcasing their unique crafts, traditions and cuisines.  
• Partner Country: The Partner Country for the 2026 mela is Egypt. 
• Cultural Events: Includes folk dances, music performances and cultural programmes representing India’s diverse traditions. 
  • Showcases handicrafts, handlooms, folk art, traditional paintings, metalwork, pottery, woodcraft and regional cuisines. 
• Significance: The mela provides a major platform for economic empowerment of artisans, preservation of traditional crafts, and promotion of cultural tourism.

Read More: 38th Surajkund International Crafts Mela 2025, Atmanirbhar Bharat 

SBI unveils CHAKRA Centre for financing sunrise sectors

Why in News? 

The State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a dedicated Centre of Excellence (CoE) named ‘CHAKRA’ to support financing of sunrise sectors and marks a strategic push by the country’s largest lender to channel capital into next-generation industries.  

Key Points: 

• Aim: This initiative aims to catalyse capital expenditure of over ₹100 lakh crore by 2030 in critical future-ready industries. 
• Vision:It will support project appraisal, evidence-based policy engagement, white papers and industry roundtables to inform investors and policymakers. 
• Eight Focused "Sunrise" Sectors: The CoE specifically targets sectors essential for the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision:  
  • Green Energy: Renewable Energy, Green Hydrogen & Ammonia, and Decarbonisation. 
  • Technology & Infrastructure: Semiconductors, Data Centre Infrastructure, and Smart Infrastructure. 
  • Future Mobility: Electric Mobility (E-mobility) and Advanced Cell Chemistry (ACC)/Battery Storage. 
• Risk Management: Unlike a typical think tank, CHAKRA is a "hands-on execution platform" designed to build specific risk models for emerging technologies to avoid misaligned or premature investments. 
• Global Partnerships: SBI has signed MoUs with 21 domestic and global financial institutions, including Japanese banks MUFG and SMBC, to enable joint project appraisal and co-financing. 

Read More: Sunrise sectors, Advanced Cell Chemistry (ACC), State Bank of India (SBI), Viksit Bharat 2047 

India’s First Mega Shipbuilding Cluster in Tamil Nadu

Why in News?

In a landmark move to position India as a global maritime hub, the National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park, Tamil Nadu (NSHIP, TN) has been established as the country's first Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) dedicated to developing a mega shipbuilding cluster. 

Key Points: 

• Joint Venture: The SPV is a 50:50 partnership between the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOCPA)—a major port under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways—and the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT). 
• Strategic Location: The cluster will be developed at Thoothukudi (Tuticorin), leveraging its strategic proximity to international shipping lanes.  
• Project Specifications:The greenfield cluster will span approximately 2,000 acres, featuring a 2 km waterfront. 
  • 1,000 acres are earmarked specifically for shipyards. 
  • 1,000 acres will host ancillary industries, marine equipment manufacturing, and common social infrastructure. 
• Capacity Goal: The cluster is designed to house shipyards with a total capacity of roughly 1.2 million Gross Tonnage (GT) per annum. 
• Economic multiplier: The project is expected to generate employment for over 55,000 people and attract massive global investments. 
• Global Competitiveness: Helps India aim for higher share in global shipbuilding by developing a plug-and-play industrial hub.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Addresses 10th ‘Mising Youth Festival’

Why in News? 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the 10th Mising Youth Festival in Dhemaji, Assam, organised by the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (All Mising Students’ Union), marking a significant outreach to the tribal communities of the Northeast.

Key Points: 

• Mising Community:The Mising (or Miri) are an ethnic group belonging to the Tibeto-Burman stock, primarily residing in the floodplains of the Brahmaputra river in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. 
  • Stilt Houses: They are famous for their 'Sang-Ghar' (stilt houses), which protect them during the annual Brahmaputra floods. 
  • Festivals: Their major festival is Ali-Aye-Ligang, a spring festival marking the beginning of the sowing season. 
• Language: They speak the Mising language, which belongs to the Tani branch of the Sino-Tibetan family. 
• Cultural Ties: The visit is viewed as a strategic move to strengthen the Centre-Tribal tie-up in the Northeast.  
• Strategic Significance:Dhemaji, being a remote border district, has seen a massive push in infrastructure and border security under the Vibrant Villages Programme, which the Minister reviewed during his trip. 

Read More: Vibrant Villages Programme, Brahmaputra river 

Sunetra Pawar Becomes Maharashtra’s First Woman Deputy Chief Minister

Why in News? 

Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 31 January 2026, becoming the first woman to hold this post in the state’s history.  

Key Points: 

• Article 163 & 164: The Governor appoints the Chief Minister and, on their advice, other ministers. While the post of "Deputy CM" is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, it carries the rank of a Cabinet Minister. 
• Appointment: Her appointment came just three days after the death of her husband, Ajit Pawar, who served as Deputy Chief Minister until his sudden demise in a plane crash. 
• Political Background: Sunetra Pawar is a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and previously served as a Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) representing Maharashtra.  
• Portfolios Assigned: After taking oath, she was entrusted with three key ministerial departments in the Maharashtra government i.e State Excise Duty, Sports and Youth and Minorities Development  
• Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Despite Maharashtra's progressive history, it had never appointed a woman to the Deputy CM post until her appointment. 

Read More: Rajya Sabha