• 13 Jan 2026

Uttarakhand Police Tops ICJS 2.0 National Ranking

Why in News? 

The Uttarakhand Police secured the first position nationwide in the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) 2.0 rankings. 

Key Points 

• National ICJS Score: Uttarakhand Police topped the ICJS 2.0 ranking with a score of 93.46. 
• Implementing Agency: National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs releases ICJS dashboard reports. 
• Digital Justice System Integration: ICJS 2.0 is a digital platform aiming to unify criminal justice processes under the “One Data, One Entry” principle. 
• Objectives: To make investigations transparent, time-bound, and evidence-based. 
  • Reflecting excellence in integrating digital systems across police, courts, prosecution, prisons, and forensics. 
• Leadership in Modern Policing: Early integration of ICJS modules by Uttarakhand reflects strong technological capacity and coordinated district-level implementation. 
• SDRF’s Role at Mahakumbh: A 112-member Uttarakhand SDRF team deployed during Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025 was lauded for water rescue, first aid, crowd management, and assistance to missing pilgrims in sensitive zones. 
• Recognition: The Uttar Pradesh Government awarded medals and commendation certificates to SDRF officers and personnel.

Read More: Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System,  National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025 

Indian Navy to Establish Naval Base in Bay of Bengal

Why in News? 

The Indian Navy will establish a new naval base at Haldia in West Bengal to strengthen its presence in the Bay of Bengal. 

Key Points 

• Objective: The new naval base at Haldia aims to boost maritime security and strengthen the Indian Navy’s presence in the Bay of Bengal region. 
• Focus: The move is driven by 
  • Increasing Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean Region. 
  • Changing security dynamics involving Bangladesh and Pakistan. 
• Use of Existing Infrastructure: The base will leverage the existing Haldia dock complex. 
• Deployment of Fast Vessels: The facility is expected to host Fast Interceptor Crafts (FICs) and New Water Jet Fast Attack Crafts (NWJFACs) for quick-response and coastal defence missions. 
• Strategic Advantage: Direct access to the Bay of Bengal, reducing dependence on the Hooghly river route and improving response time.

Read More: Maritime Security,  Indian Ocean Region 

Gujarat CM Launches ‘Asha Van’ Mobile Unit for Cancer Detection

Why in News? 

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated a mobile ‘Asha Van’ in Gandhinagar to provide early detection of cancer.  

Key Points 

• Facility: The Asha Van is a mobile diagnostic unit equipped with  
  • Enhanced Visual Assessment (EVA)‑Pro diagnostics, a mammography machine, and  
  • Tele‑consultation services for expert guidance. 
• Types of Cancers Screened: It enables on-site screening for multiple cancers including lung, oral, blood, cervical, pancreatic, liver, breast, and prostate cancers using ultra-modern equipment. 
• Support to Public Health Goal: The initiative supports the Prime Minister’s vision of “Health and Wellness for All” by improving early diagnosis and treatment outcomes. 
• Handing Over to Red Cross: The Asha Van was handed over to the Bhavnagar branch of the Indian Red Cross Society. 
• Focus on Rural Reach: The initiative brings advanced cancer screening to villages and remote areas, reducing barriers of distance and limited healthcare access.

Read More: Cancer,  Red Cross 

4th Session of WPL 2026 Inauguration in Navi Mumbai

Why in News? 

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 began at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. 

Key Points 

• Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026:The 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) is the fourth season of India’s premier women’s T20 franchise cricket tournament organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). 
  • Mascot: The official mascot for the Women’s Premier League is Shakti. 
  • Total Team: Five 
  • Most expensive player: Deepti Sharma – ₹3.20 crore (UP Warriorz). 
  • Format: Franchise-based T20 league. 
  • Opening Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI). 
• Significance of WPL: It aims to promote women’s cricket, talent identification, and professional opportunities for female cricketers. 
• Strategic Importance: Hosting at Navi Mumbai highlights Maharashtra’s growing role as a hub for major sporting events. 
• Broader Impact:Strengthens grassroots and elite women’s cricket ecosystem. 
  • Enhances visibility, sponsorship, and fan engagement for women’s sports in India.

Read more: BCCI 

Maheshwari Global Convention and Expo 2026 in Rajasthan

Why in News? 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the Maheshwari Global Convention and Expo 2026 held at Jodhpur, Rajasthan. 

Key Points 

• Organiser: Maheshwari community 
• Maheshwari Community: The Maheshwari community has historically contributed to the freedom struggle, trade, industry, and job creation, strengthening the national economy. 
  • Tradition with Modernity: The community demonstrates that tradition and progress can coexist through manufacturing, skill development, entrepreneurship, and adoption of modern technology. 
• Self-Reliance Message: Emphasis was laid on Atmanirbhar Bharat, encouraging use of Swadeshi products and promotion of Indian languages (Swabhasha). 
• Social Unity: Strong and organised communities help in nation-building and social unity. 
• India’s Global Economic Rise: India has moved from the 11th to the 4th largest economy and is on track to become the 3rd largest economy. 

Read More:  Atmanirbhar Bharat 

APEDA Regional Office in Chhattisgarh

Why in News? 

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) inaugurated its regional office in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. 

Key Points 

• Event: The inauguration took place during the 2nd India International Rice Summit organised in Chhattisgarh.  
• Objective: To boost export promotion of agri and processed food products. 
• Focus on Export Potential: Chhattisgarh has strong export potential in premium non-basmati rice, GI-tagged Jeeraphool and Nagri Dubraj rice, fruits and vegetables, and minor forest produce like mahua and tamarind.  
• Support: The new office will provide export registration, advisory support, market intelligence, certification help, and export facilitation to farmers, producer organisations, cooperatives, and exporters.  
• Global Outreach: APEDA’s presence aims to integrate Chhattisgarh’s farmers with global markets and expand exports, including recent shipments like fortified rice kernels to Costa Rica and Papua New Guinea. 
• Relevance: This development is significant for India’s agricultural export strategy, enhancing regional export infrastructure and market accessibility. 

Read More: APEDA,  India’s agricultural export strategy, GI-tag,  Fortified rice 

Supercomputer Param Shakti launched at IIT Madras

Why in News?

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) inaugurated the PARAM SHAKTI supercomputer at IIT Madras.

Key Points:

• Capacity: A 3.1 Petaflop system, capable of performing over 3.1 quadrillion calculations per second.
• Indigenous Tech: Built under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) using C-DAC’s RUDRA server series and an indigenous software stack (based on AlmaLinux).
• Applications: Targeted at research in climate modeling, aerospace engineering, drug discovery, and advanced manufacturing. 
• NSM Milestone: This marks the 37th supercomputer installed across Indian academic institutions.
• Efficiency: Features a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.2 to 1.4, making it highly energy-efficient.
• Top Peer: While PARAM SHAKTI is powerful, India's fastest remains AIRAWAT-PSAI (13.17 PF) at C-DAC Pune.

Read More:National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), C-DAC

NFRA-KSCAA Outreach Programme in Bengaluru

Why in News?

The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) and the Karnataka State Chartered Accountants Association (KSCAA) jointly organised an outreach programme in Bengaluru

Key Points:

• National Outreach: Event was part of NFRA’s nationwide outreach aimed at enhancing financial reporting and audit quality across the country.
• Theme: "Creating a Better Financial Reporting Ecosystem".
• Objective: To enhance audit quality and competency of Indian audit firms, particularly Small and Medium Audit Practitioners (SMPs), to make them globally competitive.
• Topics: Discussions focused on Audit Strategy Documentation, Audit Sampling, and Risk of Material Misstatements (ROMM). 
• Mandate: NFRA is the independent regulator for auditing standards in India, established under Section 132 of the Companies Act, 2013.

Read more: Companies Act, 2013

Akasa Air Joins IATA as Fifth Indian Member

Why in News?

Recently, Akasa Air officially became a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Key Points:

• Prerequisite: The airline successfully passed the mandatory IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) in December 2025,a strict, internationally recognized safety and operational benchmark for airlines.
• Peer Group: Akasa joins Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, and SpiceJet as the only Indian IATA members.
• Benefits: Membership enables global credibility, participation in digital transformation, and future interline/codeshare arrangements. 
• Scale: Since its 2022 launch, Akasa has served over 23 million passengers with a fleet of 31 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
• IATA Reach: Represents ~360 airlines accounting for 80% of global air traffic.
• Economic Impact: Aviation in India supports 7.7 million jobs and contributes ~$53.6 billion to the GDP. 

Read more:International Air Transport Association (IATA). 

1720 MW Kamala Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh

Why in News?

The 1720 MW Kamala Project on the Kamala River (a tributary of the Subansiri) is a significant step toward making Arunachal Pradesh India's "Power House."

Key Points:

• Capacity: 1720 MW, aimed at providing clean, renewable energy to the national grid.
• Project Nature: A storage-cum-run-of-the-river project designed to harness the high hydroelectric potential of the Brahmaputra basin.
• Strategic Goal: Part of the Union Government’s vision to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
• River Basin: The project is located in the Kamle district.
• Northeast Grid: This project, alongside the Subansiri Lower Project, is crucial for regional infrastructure and meeting North India's peak power demands.
• Environmental Clearance: Like all major Himalayan projects, it is subject to strict monitoring for seismic safety and local ecological impact.

Read More: Subansiri Lower Project,Brahmputra basin