🇮🇳 National News
India has formally submitted Meghalaya’s living root bridges to UNESCO for consideration as a World Heritage Site. Known locally as Jingkieng Jri or Lyu Chrai, these structures are found across the southern slopes of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
The bridges are crafted by indigenous Khasi and Jaintia tribes using the aerial roots of the Ficus elastica (rubber fig tree). These bioengineered marvels take 15 to 30 years to develop and can span from 15 feet to 250 feet.
The construction involves inosculation (root joining) guided through hollowed Areca catechu trunks over a bamboo scaffold. Once mature, these bridges last for several centuries, showcasing sustainable engineering by local communities.
A rare blood-red auroral phenomenon was recorded by the all-sky camera at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Ladakh’s Hanle region.
The Hanle Dark Sky Reserve, located at 4,500 metres altitude in the Changthang region, is India’s first International Dark Sky Reserve. Notified in December 2022 by the Ladakh administration, it offers Bortle-1 dark skies (the darkest category).
Managed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) under the Department of Science and Technology, it is part of the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. The reserve promotes astro-tourism and aims to curb light pollution while supporting local livelihoods.
The Central Government, along with Tamil Nadu, has established National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park (NSHIP), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), in Thoothukudi.
NSHIP is a joint venture between V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority and the State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT), with each holding a 50% stake. It is the first SPV formed under the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS), part of the Rs 69,725 crore maritime package announced in October 2025.
The greenfield cluster will span approximately 2,000 acres with a 2 km waterfront, targeting 0.5 million gross tonnes capacity within 10 years. The scheme aims to boost India’s domestic shipbuilding capacity to 4.5 million Gross Tonnage annually by 2047.
The Paathara practice (also called Khoni), an ancestral method of underground grain storage, is rapidly declining in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. Traditionally observed by farmers along the banks of the Mahendratanaya River in the Uddanam region, near the Andhra Pradesh–Odisha border.
The rectangular pit is plastered with straw and clay and sealed with a layer of cow dung, protecting stored paddy from rodents, contamination, and theft. Paatharas were traditionally built in front of thatched houses and symbolised a thriving joint family system.
Lack of space, declining awareness, and changes in rural architecture have contributed to its decline.
Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited (APL) has signed an MoU with Deendayal Port Authority to establish a 150 Tonnes Per Day e-Methanol plant at Kandla Port, Gujarat. The project involves a capital investment of over Rs 1,200 crore.
E-Methanol (Electro-Methanol) is produced using green hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide powered by renewable electricity. The fuel will serve shipping and industrial sectors, supplying vessels along the Singapore–Rotterdam corridor.
The initiative aligns with India’s green shipping goals, Methanol Economy, and National Green Hydrogen Mission.
The Indian Army has signed an agreement with USA’s defence technology firm Shield AI for procuring V-BAT VTOL drones.
V-BAT is a Group-3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft system featuring a ducted-fan design. Powered by a heavy-fuel engine, V-BAT offers over 12 hours of endurance for surveillance in difficult terrain.
The agreement includes Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software for mission-specific applications. JSW Defence has started construction of a manufacturing unit near Hyderabad with a USD 90 million investment.
Indian Railways successfully completed a 100-metre-long steel bridge over the underground metro tunnel in Ahmedabad for the bullet train project. This marks the 13th steel bridge completed in Gujarat out of 17 approved for the project.
The bridge weighs 1,098 metric tonnes and was fabricated in Wardha, Maharashtra. It is constructed using nearly 45,186 TTHS bolts with C5-category protective coating for durability.
The structure is equipped with elastomeric bearings ensuring enhanced passenger safety and long service life.
Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal presented the state budget for FY 2026-27 at approximately Rs 2.40 lakh crore, up 25% from the previous year.
Fiscal deficit estimated at 3.40% and revenue deficit at 2.12% of GSDP for FY27. A dedicated Elderly Budget introduced with Rs 30 crore for retirement homes subsidies.
- Rs 14,500 crore – Allocated for social security pensioners and new community programmes
- Rs 3,720 crore – Allocated for ‘Sthree Suraksha Scheme’ providing Rs 1,000 monthly to women aged 35-60
- Assured Pension Scheme (APS) – Announced to replace NPS for eligible employees
- 12th Pay Revision Commission – Formation announced
The Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) has signed an MoU with FICCI Ladies Organisation to establish a Women Entrepreneurs’ Industrial Park. The MoU was signed by Industries Minister T.G. Bharath and FICCI-FLO National President Poonam Sharma in Amaravati.
The 30-acre park will be established under the AP Policy for Private Industrial Parks (2024–29). The facility will exclusively cater to women entrepreneurs who are FICCI-FLO members.
The initiative aligns with the state’s ‘One Family, One Entrepreneur’ vision and complements plans for 175 MSME parks across all constituencies.
💼 Business & Economy
The Government of India has notified Coking Coal as a critical and strategic mineral under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. Also known as metallurgical coal, it is essential for blast furnace steel production and industrial manufacturing.
India possesses an estimated 37.37 billion tonnes of coking coal resources, primarily in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh. Despite domestic reserves, nearly 95% of coking coal for the steel sector is currently imported.
Imports increased from 51.20 million tonnes (2020-21) to 57.8 million tonnes (2024-25). The move aims to reduce foreign exchange outgo and strengthen the domestic steel supply chain.
The Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation has operationalised PAIMANA (Project Assessment, Infrastructure Monitoring & Analytics for Nation-building).
The web-based portal monitors Central Sector Infrastructure Projects worth Rs 150 crore and above, replacing the earlier OCMS-2006 system. PAIMANA integrates with DPIIT’s Investment Information Gateway via APIs, automating about 60% of project updates.
The system operates on the ‘One Data, One Entry’ principle, reducing manual entry and ensuring consistent data. Developed in consultation with over 20 Central Ministries including DEA and DPIIT.
Slice Small Finance Bank launched three innovative financial products, creating India’s first UPI-centric digital banking ecosystem.
- Digital Savings Account – Linked to 100% of RBI’s Repo rate with daily interest calculation and no minimum balance requirement
- UPI Credit Card – Enables scan-and-pay at any UPI merchant using an approved credit limit, offering up to 3% cashback
- Digital Fixed Deposits – Interest rates up to 7.25% per annum with DICGC insurance up to Rs 5 lakh
In July 2025, Slice had opened India’s first UPI-powered physical bank branch in Bengaluru.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has reconstituted its Reinsurance Advisory Committee for a three-year tenure. A.V. Girija Kumar, former CMD of Oriental Insurance Company Limited, has been appointed as Chairman.
The reconstitution was done under Section 101B of the Insurance Act, 1938.
Praveen Vashishta (former CEO, Howden Insurance), Roopam Asthana (former CEO, Liberty General Insurance), and T.L. Alamelu (former Whole-Time Member, IRDAI). Aruna Bowrampet, Deputy General Manager (Reinsurance), IRDAI, appointed as Secretary.
Fintech startup Paysharp has received the Payment Aggregator–Physical (PA-P) licence from RBI. The company had earlier received the Payment Aggregator-Online (PA-O) license in August 2024.
Paysharp is now authorised to offer end-to-end payment acceptance across online and offline channels from a single regulated platform. Established in 2019 in Chennai, Paysharp uses a flat-fee pricing model for merchants.
Its clients include government entities, NBFCs, SMBs, and e-commerce merchants.
Punjab and Sind Bank has received RBI approval to open a branch at the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in GIFT City, Gandhinagar.
The branch will operate under the IFSC framework designed for cross-border financial services. The bank aims to strengthen foreign currency lending, expand trade finance, and provide enhanced international banking services.
GIFT City is India’s flagship international financial hub enabling offshore and cross-border transactions.
👔 Appointments
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has appointed Kota Ravi as its new Chairman and Managing Director. He succeeds Dr. D.K. Sunil, who will retire in April 2026.
Ravi brings over three decades of experience in aviation, manufacturing, and aerospace programme management. He previously served as Executive Director (Corporate Planning) and ED & GM of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Division.
He helped establish infrastructure for producing up to 16 Tejas aircraft per year and supported delivery of the first twin-seater variant.
📅 Important Days
Martyrs’ Day, also known as Sarvodaya Day or Shaheed Diwas, is observed on January 30 to honour national martyrs. The day commemorates the 78th death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, assassinated on this day in 1948 by Nathuram Godse at Birla House, New Delhi.
Martyrs’ Day was officially declared in 1949 to honour his legacy and the sacrifices of freedom fighters. A Sarva-Dharma Prarthana (multi-faith prayer) was held at Gandhi Samadhi, Rajghat, New Delhi to commemorate the day.
In 1930, Gandhi was named TIME Magazine’s ‘Man of the Year’, the only Indian to receive this honour to date.
World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day is observed annually on January 30 to raise awareness about the impact of NTDs on vulnerable populations. The 2026 theme is ‘Unite. Act. Eliminate’, highlighting collective action required to eradicate these diseases.
NTDs are a group of 21 communicable diseases affecting over one billion people worldwide, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. January 30, 2026 marks the 7th observance of WNTDD, first designated by WHO in 2021.
The WHO aims to eliminate at least one NTD in 100 countries by 2030 under its NTD Roadmap (2021–2030). As of January 2026, 58 countries have successfully eliminated at least one NTD.
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