GK One-Liners

What: International Labour Day, observed every year on 1 May, was celebrated in 2026 with the theme ‘Ensuring a Healthy Psychosocial Working Environment’. It is organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The day was first celebrated globally on 1 May 1890; India held its first Labour Day in Chennai in 1923.

How: The ILO, a United Nations specialised agency founded in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles, sets international labour standards and promotes decent work worldwide. Member states observe the day as a national holiday; in India it is a central and state government holiday marking workers’ rights movements. The annual theme guides global advocacy, policy dialogues, and employer-employee conventions.

Why: Labour Day facts — ILO founding year, HQ, India’s first celebration city — are perennial one-liners in SSC, Railways, and UPSC Prelims. The 2026 theme on psychosocial workplace environments also connects to mental health in labour policy, a growing mains essay angle.

What: Mission SAKSHAM (Sahkari Bank Kshamta Nirman) is a capacity-building initiative launched by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to strengthen Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs). The programme has trained approximately 1.40 lakh participants across UCBs spread throughout the country. RBI is headquartered in Mumbai and was established on 1 April 1935.

How: The mission targets directors, senior management, and operational staff of UCBs through structured training modules covering governance, risk management, regulatory compliance, and technology adoption. UCBs are a critical segment of India’s cooperative banking ecosystem, catering to low- and middle-income urban borrowers, but have historically struggled with governance lapses — a problem SAKSHAM directly addresses.

Why: RBI-launched schemes for co-operative banking reform appear in UPSC Economy and Banking Awareness sections. Knowing the full form, target beneficiaries, and RBI’s regulatory jurisdiction over UCBs (under the Banking Regulation Act amendment of 2020) is essential for Banking exams like IBPS PO, SBI PO, and RBI Grade B.

What: E-PRAAPTI stands for Employees Provident Fund Aadhaar-Based Access Portal for Tracking Inoperative Accounts. Launched by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment (Union Minister: Mansukh Mandaviya), it enables workers to trace and reactivate dormant Provident Fund (PF) accounts — even without a Universal Account Number (UAN).

How: The portal uses Aadhaar-based authentication to link a beneficiary’s identity to old, unclaimed PF balances sitting in inoperative accounts. Once verified, claimants can transfer or withdraw their funds. This digitises a process that previously required physical paperwork or employer intervention, significantly reducing the burden on field offices.

Why: EPFO digital portals and schemes are high-frequency questions in SSC CGL, CHSL, and Insurance exams. E-PRAAPTI’s UAN-free Aadhaar access is a distinguishing feature examiners often test. It also connects to the broader Digital India and Jan Dhan ecosystem — useful for UPSC Mains GS-II governance answers.

What: Maharashtra’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy 2026, approved by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, targets an investment of over Rs 10,000 crore and the creation of 1.5 lakh jobs by 2031. The policy envisions setting up 5 AI Innovation Cities, a pool of 2,000 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), and a Rs 500 crore dedicated AI startup fund.

How: The policy operates through a public-private partnership model, leveraging Maharashtra’s existing IT ecosystem (Mumbai/Pune tech hubs) to attract global AI companies and build domestic startups. GPU infrastructure and AI Innovation Cities will provide compute access and co-working/incubation facilities to researchers and entrepreneurs. The startup fund will provide early-stage capital to AI-first ventures registered in the state.

Why: State-level AI policies are increasingly tested in UPSC GS-III (Technology), MPSC (Maharashtra Public Service Commission), and Banking Awareness for IT-sector questions. The specific figures — Rs 10,000 crore, 1.5 lakh jobs, 5 cities, 2,000 GPUs — are typical MCQ fodder. This also complements the national AI Mission announced by the Centre.

What: The Ganga Expressway is a 594 km, six-lane (expandable to eight lanes) greenfield corridor in Uttar Pradesh, connecting Meerut to Prayagraj at a cost of Rs 36,230 crore. It passes through 12 districts and was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A standout feature is a 3.5 km emergency airstrip at Shahjahanpur for defence aircraft landings.

How: Built under the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), the expressway reduces travel time between western and eastern Uttar Pradesh significantly, boosting connectivity to industrial clusters, agricultural markets, and pilgrimage centres. The dual-use airstrip (civilian emergency + military) reflects India’s strategy of embedding defence utility into civil infrastructure projects.

Why: Infrastructure mega-projects — length, cost, route, unique features — are standard questions in SSC, UPSC Prelims, and state PCS exams. The dual-use airstrip concept, seen also on the Purvanchal and Bundelkhand Expressways, is a recurring theme in defence-infrastructure crossover questions. Uttar Pradesh’s expressway network is the largest in India, a fact frequently tested.

What: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated 12 new Global Geoparks in 2026, bringing the total to 241 sites across 51 countries, covering over 882,000 sq km. Tunisia became the first country ever to receive a UNESCO Global Geopark designation. The UNESCO Director-General is Khaled El-Anany, and UNESCO’s headquarters are in Paris, France.

How: The UNESCO Global Geoparks Programme, established in 2015, recognises areas of outstanding geological heritage managed with a holistic approach combining conservation, education, and sustainable tourism. Designated geopark status is granted for four years and subject to revalidation. Member sites form a global network where best practices in geoscience communication and local economic development are shared.

Why: UNESCO-related facts — programme names, founding years, DG names, and milestone designations — are high-frequency questions across UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, and state PCS exams. Tunisia’s historic first designation is a likely MCQ anchor for 2026. The total count (241 sites, 51 countries) and the programme’s 2015 establishment year are specific data points worth memorising.