State PCS - Rajasthan (RAS)

• 12 Feb 2026

Rajasthan Budget 2026-27

Why in News? 

The Rajasthan Government presented the State Budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the Legislative Assembly, outlining fiscal consolidation, enhanced capital expenditure, agricultural strengthening, infrastructure expansion, and social sector prioritisation while adhering to FRBM norms. 

• Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Divya Kumari presented the Budget for the financial year 2026–27. 

Key Points: 

• Budget Size: Total budget outlay of approximately ₹6.11 lakh crore for 2026‑27.  
• Fiscal Position (₹Lakh): 
  • Estimated revenue receipts:.32574013 
  • Estimated revenue expenditure: 35005407 
  • Capital Receipts: 28543386 
  • Capital Expenditure: 26090222 
  • Revenue deficit: 2431393 
  • Fiscal deficit: 7949252 (around 3.69% of GSDP).  
  • Primary deficit: 3581730 
  • Budget Surplus: 21770 
  • Market Borrowings: 2765278 
  • Ways & Means Advance: 17000000 
  • Total Receipts: 61117400 
  • Total Expenditure: 61095630 
• Sector Wise Total Expenditure (₹Lakh): 
  • Education, Sports, Art & Culture: 6898947 
  • Medical, Health & Family Welfare: 3252630 
  • Agriculture and Allied Activities: 1829068 
  • Rural Development: 3359821 
  • Industries and Minerals: 141006 
  • Science, Technology and Environment: 4506 
• Education & Innovation: 
  • Launch of VIBRANT programme for mentoring, incubation and entrepreneurship support in colleges. 
  • Raj‑PAHAL programme for nomadic/migrant family children, including “School on Wheels” and temporary education camps. 
  • 400 schools to be upgraded into CM‑RISE (Rajasthan Innovative School of Excellence) with a dedicated outlay. 
• Youth and Skill Development: 
  • DREAM programme to benefit about 50,000 students. 
  • Training of 1,000 youth in foreign languages (English, Japanese, French, German, Korean) to improve global employability. 
• Farmer & Climate Initiatives: 
  • Carbon Credit Pilot Project to incentivize climate‑positive practices for farmers. 
  • Digital Agriculture Mission (Raj‑AIMS) with AI and satellite support. 
  • Mission Raj GIFT to boost geographical indication tagging and market access. 
• Health Sector Enhancements: 
  • RAJ‑SURAKSHA, a system for emergency response (accidents, childbirth, heart attacks). 
  • Raj‑MAMTA mental health programme, with a Centre of Excellence at SMS Medical College, Jaipur. 
  • Major upgrades in IPD facilities, including a 500‑bed tower at JK Lon Hospital and a 200‑bed paediatric IPD with neonatal ICU at RUHS. 
• Women Empowerment & Livelihood Support: 
  • Rural Women BPOs to be established at the district level with ₹100 crore outlay. 
  • Mukhyamantri Lakhpati Didi Yojana loan limit increased from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh. 
  • Mukhyamantri Nari Shakti Udyam Protsahan Yojana loan limit increased up to ₹1 crore for women and self‑help groups. 
• Tourism Development: 
  • Development of an ultra‑luxury Special Tourism Zone in Khuri, Jaisalmer. 
  • Tourist facility centre at Kuldhara. 
  • A comprehensive Thar Cultural Circuit connecting key heritage zones. 
  • Establishment of a war museum in Jhunjhunu. 
• Senior Citizen & Social Schemes: 
  • Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Scheme: air travel for 6,000 and AC train travel for 50,000 to pilgrimage sites.  
• IT & Cyber Security: 
  • New IT policy and establishment of a Rajasthan Cyber Crime Control Centre targeted at curbing cybercrime. 
• Employee Welfare: 
  • A high‑level committee to review government employee demands including implementation of the Eighth Pay Commission report. 
• Water & Irrigation Projects: 
  • Major allocation of ₹32,000 crore for the Yamuna water project in the Shekhawati region. 
• Wildlife & Environment: 
  • Launch of PRITHWI (Project for Resilient and Integrated Terrestrial Habitats and Wildlife Valorization Initiative) with an outlay of about ₹1,500 crore for habitat development, conflict mitigation and eco‑tourism. 
• Public Testing Agency: Formation of the Rajasthan State Testing Agency (RSTA) on the lines of the National Testing Agency to enhance transparency in competitive examinations. 
• Action Plan for Vision 2047: The budget is positioned as an action plan to realize the Viksit Rajasthan 2047 strategy, including a projection of per capita income exceeding ₹2 lakh. 

IIT Madras ₹600 Crore Venture Capital Fund for Deep-Tech Startups

Why in News? 

The IIT Madras Research Park has launched a ₹600 crore deep-tech venture capital fund aimed at nurturing early-stage and technology-intensive startups across India’s deep-tech ecosystem. 

Key Points: 

• Fund: The IIT Madras Research Park (IITMRP), in collaboration with Unicorn India Ventures, announced the establishment of a ₹600 crore deep-tech venture capital fund called IITM Unicorn Frontier Fund I. 
  • The fund includes an additional ₹400 crore ‘greenshoe option’, bringing potential total deployment capacity to ₹1,000 crore for investment in deep-tech startups.  
  • The fund targets early-stage deep-tech companies with technologies such as AI, semiconductors, defence tech, robotics, and frontier research. 
• Strategic Vision: It emphasizes technology sovereignty, reducing reliance on imported technologies by supporting ventures building globally competitive solutions from India.  
• Innovation Support: The fund aims to provide patient capital, recognizing that deep-tech startups often require longer gestation periods due to intensive R&D, prototyping, and regulatory challenges. 
• Impact: The initiative is expected to strengthen India’s deep-tech startup ecosystem by enabling growth of intellectual property-led ventures and fostering collaboration between research institutions and industry. 
• IITMRP: It is one of India’s prominent university-based research parks, designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry by incubating startups and hosting R&D entities within its facility.  

Read More:  India’s deep-tech ecosystem, AI, semiconductors,  Intellectual property 

Gujarat Exchanges LoI with Starlink for High-Speed Internet Connectivity

Why in News?

The Government of Gujarat signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk's SpaceX, to expand high-speed satellite internet connectivity across the state. 

Key Points: 

• Signatories: The document was exchanged in Gandhinagar between State Industries Commissioner P. Swaroop and Starlink India Head Prabhakar Jayakumar, in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi. 
• Target Areas: The initiative specifically focuses on remote, border, tribal, and underserved regions where traditional telecom infrastructure is limited or difficult to deploy. 
• Priority Districts: Special emphasis is placed on "Aspirational Districts" such as Narmada and Dahod. 
• Pilot Project Scope: The initial phase aims to connect key public infrastructure, including: 
  • Education: State schools for smart classrooms. 
  • Healthcare: Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and telemedicine services. 
  • Security: Coastal police outposts and highway safety systems. 
  • Public Services: Common Service Centres (CSCs) and e-Governance hubs. 
  • Logistics & Environment: Ports, GIDC industrial parks, and wildlife sanctuaries.  
• Joint Working Group: A collaborative team comprising representatives from the Gujarat government and Starlink will be established to oversee the pilot assessments and coordinate implementation. 
• Regulatory Standing: While Starlink has been issued an LoI, final commercial rollout remains subject to licensing and security requirements from India's central authorities (DoT/IN-SPACe).  
• Significance: This strategic move is part of Gujarat’s Digital Connectivity Mission aimed at bridging the digital divide where terrestrial telecom networks are weak or unviable due to geography or cost. 

India to Establish Two New Telescopes in Ladakh

Why in News?

In the Union Budget 2026-27, the Indian government approved a major expansion of its ground-based astronomy infrastructure in Ladakh, including the establishment of two new mega-telescopes and the upgrade of an existing facility.

Key Points: 

• New Telescope Projects: Establish the National Large Solar Telescope and the National Large Optical–Near Infrared Telescope. 
• National Large Solar Telescope (NLST): To observe the Sun’s surface and atmosphere with high resolution. 
  • Location: Near Pangong Tso lake, Ladakh. 
  • Scientific Focus: Solar magnetic fields, flares, coronal mass ejections and space-weather phenomena. 
• Significance: Once completed, NLST will be India’s third ground-based solar observatory, complementing existing facilities such as the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (Tamil Nadu) and Udaipur Solar Observatory (Rajasthan), and augmenting data from India’s Aditya-L1 space observatory. 
• National Large Optical–Near Infrared Telescope (NLOT): A deep-space optical and near-infrared telescope for cutting-edge cosmic research. 
  • Scientific Applications: Studies of exoplanets, stellar and galactic evolution, cosmology, supernovae and distant galaxies. 
• Significance: With its large collecting area and high altitude site, NLOT will be among the most powerful optical telescopes in the region for deep-space observation. 
• Upgradation of Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT):The HCT will be upgraded to a telescope with a 3.7-metre segmented primary mirror, improving its sensitivity and wavelength coverage into optical-infrared regimes. 
  • Scientific Impact: The enhanced HCT will allow deeper observations and complement both international observatories and the new telescopes being built under this programme. 
• Why Ladakh?: Ladakh, located at high altitude with clear, dry skies and low atmospheric disturbance, has been identified as an optimal site for astronomical observations, and is already home to several important optical and high-energy astronomy facilities. 

Himachal Pradesh CM Launches ‘Padhai with AI’ App

Why in News? 

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the ‘Padhai with AI’ digital learning initiative in Bilaspur district. 

Key Points: 

• Objective: The initiative aims to provide a fully digital learning environment with continuous academic counselling, ensuring access to quality study materials and guidance for students preparing for competitive exams. 
  • The initiative is specifically designed for students who are preparing for various competitive examinations and require technology-assisted learning support.  
• Vision: CM emphasised that education is a transformative force that broadens thinking and shapes the future of society, and the state government is committed to strengthening education through innovation and equal opportunities.  
  • The initiative is supported by NTPC, which aids in delivering modern, technology-based and quality educational facilities to students through the platform. 
• Equal Access: The platform is intended to ensure equal access to quality education irrespective of students’ geographical or socio-economic background by leveraging AI-based technology. 
• Significance: This initiative reflects a broader push by the state government to integrate artificial intelligence into public education delivery. 
  • Aiming to address educational disparities and enhance learning outcomes for students in rural and semi-urban areas. 

Read More: AI, NTPC 

Amaravati Quantum Valley Launched under National Quantum Mission

Why in News? 

Union Minister Jitendra Singh laid the foundation stone of the Amaravati Quantum Centre in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, as a part of India’s ambitious National Quantum Mission. 

Key Points: 

• National Quantum Mission: India’s National Quantum Mission has an allocation of about ₹6,000 crore and spans 43 institutions across 17 states and 2 Union Territories. 
  • Organised under four core areas: Quantum Computing, Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing and Metrology, and Quantum Materials and Devices. 
• Nodal Ministry: Department of Science & Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology. 
• Vision: Development of intermediate-scale quantum computers in the range of 50–1,000 physical qubits using different technology platforms (superconducting and photonic). 
  • Objective: Establishment of satellite-based secure quantum communication and ground-based quantum networks. 
  • Applications: High-precision timing, navigation, imaging, and detection for defence and space applications. 
• Amaravati Quantum Valley: Envisioned as a dedicated quantum innovation cluster, integrating research institutions, industry, startups, and talent development ecosystems. 
  • Collaboration with global technology companies such as IBM and Indian IT major TCS for quantum cloud access and innovation centres. 
• Strategic Relevance: Quantum technology is considered a critical and emerging technology (CET) globally, with implications for national security and encryption systems. 

Read More: National Quantum Mission, Quantum Computing, Superconducting,  critical and emerging technology (CET)