Current Affairs 14 October 2026

Lakshadweep Declared 100% Literate Union Territory under ULLAS Programme

Lakshadweep was declared 100% literate on 11 October 2026 under the ULLAS–Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram. Lakshadweep Administrator Praful Patel made the declaration after completing adult literacy assessments across the islands.

The achievement was reported under ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society), also known as the New India Literacy Programme, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Education. The programme targets non-literate individuals aged 15 years and above and aims to promote foundational literacy, numeracy and lifelong learning.

The ULLAS programme is being implemented for 2022–23 to 2026–27, with a national target of educating 5 crore non-literate individuals. Its major components include foundational literacy and numeracy, critical life skills, basic education, vocational skills and continuing education.

National SARAS Mela 2026 Organised in Vijayawada

The Ministry of Rural Development, in collaboration with the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP), Andhra Pradesh, organised the National SARAS Mela 2026 at Punnami Ghat, Vijayawada, from 13 to 31 October 2026. According to the Ministry’s announcement on 12 October, this marked the first time the National SARAS Mela was brought outside the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).

The event was organised in alignment with the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the government’s target of creating 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by 2029. A Lakhpati Didi is a woman SHG member whose household earns a sustainable annual income of at least ₹1 lakh through livelihood activities. The Mela also promoted the eSARAS digital platform, which helps rural women entrepreneurs reach wider markets.

Srisailam Dam Project Enters World Book of Records for Engineering Excellence

The Srisailam Dam Project, located on the Krishna River along the Andhra Pradesh–Telangana border, earned recognition in the World Book of Records for its remarkable engineering features and structural resilience. According to M. Venugopal Reddy, Superintending Engineer of the Srisailam Project, it became the first project in India to receive this distinction.

Construction of the Srisailam Dam began in 1960 and was completed in 1980. The project serves two major purposes: irrigation and hydroelectric power generation. It is an important multipurpose river valley project, supporting agricultural water requirements and electricity generation in the Telugu States.

The recognition highlighted the dam’s engineering design and durability. One of its notable features is its massive crest gates, each measuring 60 feet × 55 feet. Crest gates regulate the release of reservoir water, particularly during periods of heavy inflow, and play an important role in dam safety and flood management.

The Srisailam Dam is situated near Srisailam in the Nallamala Hills, with the reservoir extending across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is a major hydroelectric and irrigation infrastructure project in the Krishna River basin.

‘Venkatadri’ App for Tirumala Pilgrims

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu virtually launched the ‘Venkatadri’ mobile application on 12 October 2026, to help pilgrims access essential facilities and services at Tirumala. The application was developed by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to improve navigation, accessibility and assistance for devotees visiting the hill shrine.

₹6,200-Crore Investment Agreements for Godavari Region at CII Partnership Summit

The Andhra Pradesh government signed investment agreements worth ₹6,200 crore on 12 October 2026, for industrial and infrastructure projects in the Godavari region. The agreements were signed at a regional conference of the 31st Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit in Kakinada.

Among the major proposed investments, the Hyderabad-based Nexon-Geochem Group plans to establish a rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing plant with an investment of ₹1,250 crore and an annual production capacity of 600 tonnes. The magnets are intended for use in electric vehicles (EVs). Rare earth permanent magnets are important components of electric motors, wind turbines and several advanced technologies.

The SAF One Energy Group plans to establish an aviation fuel facility near the Kakinada anchorage port. Additionally, the Ministry of Earth Sciences will establish a branch of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) to provide tsunami warnings and advisories to marine fishing communities.

India’s Retail Inflation Rises to Nearly Two-Year High of 5.5% in September 2026

India’s retail inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), increased to 5.5% in September 2026, compared with 4.8% in August 2026, according to official data released on 12 October 2026. This was the highest retail inflation rate since October 2024. The increase was primarily driven by rising food, fuel and transport costs.

IBSAMAR Exercise 2026

The Indian Navy’s frontline guided-missile stealth frigate, INS Tarkash, was deployed to South Africa to participate in the ninth edition of the India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime Exercise (IBSAMAR IX) 2026. The trilateral naval exercise brought together the navies of India, Brazil and South Africa to strengthen maritime cooperation, operational coordination and interoperability.

IBSAMAR was conducted under the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) framework, a trilateral cooperation mechanism involving the three countries. The maritime exercise was first held in 2008 and was organised biennially. It provided a platform for joint training, professional interactions and the exchange of operational best practices among the participating navies.

Indian Army Launches ‘Bharat Rice’ Initiative

The Indian Army launched the ‘Bharat Rice’ initiative on 12 October 2026 in New Delhi, in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi. The initiative aimed to provide superior-quality rice to Army personnel, particularly those stationed in remote and strategically important areas such as Ladakh and the North-East.

The rice will be milled to prescribed defence specifications and supplied through NAFED during Financial Year 2026-27. It will undergo requisite quality-control checks and will be free from foreign matter and admixtures, with minimal broken, damaged, and discoloured grains.

The Indian Army and the Food Corporation of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen military logistics during operational emergencies.

Nobel Prize in Economics 2026

American economists Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford were awarded the 2026 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for their contributions to understanding how household consumption, business pricing decisions and economic policies interact.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the award on 12 October 2026, recognising their work on the “microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation”. Their research helped economists develop models explaining how the decisions of individual households and firms influence economic fluctuations and how governments and central banks can respond through fiscal and monetary policies.

President Droupadi Murmu Appoints New Governors in Six States

• Constitutional provision: Article 155, appointment of Governors by the President.
• Article 156: Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President; the normal term is five years.
• Article 157: Qualifications for appointment as Governor.
• Article 158: Conditions of the Governor’s office.
• Article 153: Provides for a Governor for each State; the same person may serve as Governor of two or more States.

Mount Mukut

Mount Mukut (Mukut Parbat) is a high-altitude Himalayan peak located in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand. It forms part of the Garhwal Himalayas, in the Zaskar Range near Mount Kamet. The mountain is known for its crown-like appearance, from which it derives its name Mukut, meaning crown. Mount Mukut came into the news in October 2026 after a 17-member Indian Coast Guard (ICG) mountaineering team successfully scaled the peak on 7 October 2026.

Q1. IBSAMAR is a trilateral maritime exercise conducted among the navies of which of the following countries?
A. India, Brazil and South Africa
B. India, Bangladesh and Srilanka
C. India, Brazil and Australia
D. India, Indonesia and South Africa

Q2. Mount Mukut, which was recently scaled by a 17-member Indian Coast Guard mountaineering team in October 2026, is located in which Indian State?
A. Himachal Pradesh
B. Sikkim
C. Uttarakhand
D. Arunachal Pradesh

Q3. ‘Bharat Rice’, launched in October 2026, is an initiative of which of the following organisations?
A. Indian Air Force
B. Indian Navy
C. Indian Army
D. Border Security Force

Q4. In which city was the National SARAS Mela 2026 organised for the first time outside the Delhi-NCR region?
A. Visakhapatnam
B. Hyderabad
C. Vijayawada
D. Tirupati

Q5. According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released in October 2026, what was India’s retail inflation rate in September 2026?
A. 4.83%
B. 5.54%
C. 6.08%
D. 7.74%

Q6. According to the October 2026 news report, which two American economists were awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for establishing the microeconomic foundations of macroeconomic stabilisation?
A. Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford
B. Joel Mokyr and Peter Howitt
C. Ben Bernanke and Douglas Diamond
D. Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson

Q7. Which Union Territory was declared 100% literate under the ULLAS–Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram in October 2026?
A. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
B. Lakshadweep
C. Puducherry
D. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

Q8. Which dam project in India recently earned recognition in the World Book of Records for its remarkable engineering features and structural resilience?
A. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam Project
B. Srisailam Dam Project
C. Sardar Sarovar Dam Project
D. Tungabhadra Dam Project

Q9. Who was appointed as the new Governor of Karnataka in October 2026?
A. Sudha Yadav
B. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar
C. Om Prakash Mathur
D. Dushyant Gautam

Q10. Which of the following mobile applications was launched by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in October 2026 to help pilgrims locate essential facilities at Tirumala using Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
A. Govinda App
B. My TTD App
C. Venkatadri App
D. Tirumala Darshan App

Q11. How much investment did the Andhra Pradesh government secure through agreements signed for projects in the Godavari region at the 31st CII Partnership Summit in October 2026?
A. ₹4,200 crore
B. ₹5,500 crore
C. ₹6,200 crore
D. ₹7,500 crore

Q12. Which of the following companies plans to establish a rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh with an investment of ₹1,250 crore?
A. Hindustan Rare Earths Limited
B. Nexon-Geochem Group
C. SAF One Energy Group
D. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited