UPSC Current Affairs 29th August 2026

GS Paper I, II & III (Culture, Polity, Health, Agriculture, Economy, and Infrastructure)

1. National Sports Day 2026: Honouring the ‘Hockey Wizard’

Context: Every year, National Sports Day is celebrated across India on August 29 to commemorate the birth anniversary of the legendary Indian hockey player, Major Dhyan Chand.

• Historical Significance: Major Dhyan Chand, affectionately known as the ‘Hockey Wizard’ and ‘The Magician’, was the central figure in India’s first hat-trick of Olympic gold medals, cementing India’s dominance in world hockey. Born Dhyan Singh on August 29, 1905, in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh, he scored more than 400 goals during an illustrious career that continued until 1948.
• Inception and Observance: The annual observance of National Sports Day was officially established in 2012. The day highlights the broader importance of sports, physical activity, and fitness in everyday life while celebrating the achievements of India’s leading sportspersons.
• National Sports Awards: The occasion is traditionally associated with the presentation of India’s major sporting honours by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan. These include the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (the country’s highest sporting honour, formerly known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna), the Arjuna Award, the Dronacharya Award, and the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.
• Government Interventions: The government leverages this day to promote grassroots athletic engagement through initiatives like the Khelo India programme (launched in its present form in 2017-18) and the Fit India Movement (launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on National Sports Day in 2019).

2. Massive Surge in PMFBY Enrolments for Kharif 2026

Context: The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), launched on February 18, 2016, to protect farmers from localized calamities, pests, and adverse weather, has witnessed a massive surge in enrolments for the 2026–27 cycle.

• Enrollment Statistics: As of August 27, 2026, PMFBY insured 241.38 lakh farmers covering 278.12 lakh hectares for the Kharif 2026 season, reflecting the continued scale of crop insurance coverage. The enrollment numbers indicated an early-season spike where 16.22 lakh farmers were enrolled by August 28, representing a 108% increase over the Kharif 2025 season.
• State-Level Growth: Several states recorded substantial growth in their insured farmer populations: Rajasthan saw a 19% increase (from 30.59 lakh to 36.45 lakh), Madhya Pradesh registered a 12% increase (growing to 26.80 lakh), and Chhattisgarh saw a 9% rise (to 15.75 lakh).
• Rejoining of Major States: The confidence of State Governments in the scheme has grown systematically, evidenced by the return of major agricultural states that had previously opted out or launched non-insurance relief schemes:
  • Andhra Pradesh rejoined the scheme from Kharif 2022.
  • Jharkhand returned from Kharif 2024.
  • West Bengal rejoined from Kharif 2026.
  • Bihar has decided to return to the national fold and implement PMFBY starting from the Rabi 2026–27 season.
• Budgetary Support: The Government has allocated ₹12,200 crore for PMFBY in the Union Budget 2026–27, reinforcing its commitment to crop insurance, stabilizing farmer incomes, and promoting climate-resilient agriculture.

3. FSSAI Prohibits Sale of Compounded Hing from Major Brands

Context: On August 29, 2026, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) formally issued a Prohibition of Sale order for Compounded Hing (Asafoetida) manufactured by two prominent spice brands: M/s Everest Food Products Private Limited and M/s Laljee Godhoo and Company (LG Brand Unit).

• Trigger and Action: The regulatory action was initiated following a consumer complaint regarding the quality of a specific brand’s Compounded Hing. In response, the FSSAI launched comprehensive market surveillance covering major brands and conducted legal sampling directly from the centrally licensed units located in Mumbai.
• Findings: The FSSAI observed that multiple batches of Compounded Hing from these units were non-compliant with established quality standards.
• Regulatory Framework: Under the FSS (Food Products Standards and Additives) Regulations, 2011, Compounded Hing is categorized as an admissible food category. It is legally constituted by blending Raw Hing, Gum Arabic, starches, and flours. The Prohibition of Sale order acts to protect consumer interests and ensure uncompromising food safety.

4. Taxation and Other Laws Act 2026 Amendment

Context: The government has implemented the Taxation and Other Laws Act, 2026 Amendment to streamline tax obligations for global financial entities and boost investments in state instruments.

• Income Tax Exemptions: A critical provision of the Bill exempts Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) from paying income tax on specific sovereign financial activities.
• Covered Transactions: The tax exemption specifically applies to interest earned on investments in government securities, as well as capital gains arising from the sale, exchange, or transfer of such securities.
• Strategic Objective: The broader amendments seek to attract foreign capital, promote domestic electronics manufacturing, facilitate the use of Indian data centres by foreign cloud companies, and modify the legal frameworks that govern charges on specified digital payment modes.

5. Cabinet Approves Semicon 2.0 Policy

Context: The Union Cabinet has approved “Semicon 2.0,” fulfilling the government’s commitment to advancing India’s technological and manufacturing sovereignty.

• Objective: The updated policy framework shifts the focus from basic semiconductor assembly to the development of deep tech, fabrication (fab) facilities, and advanced integrated circuit (IC) design ecosystems within the country.
• Economic Impact: By developing localized supply chains, the policy is anticipated to massively accelerate the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, drastically reduce electronic import bills, and secure critical hardware components required for defense, automotive, and consumer electronics sectors.

6. Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY)

Context: In a major boost to decentralized renewable energy, the Cabinet approved the ‘Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY)’.

• Core Approach: PM-SSY is designed for the deployment of decentralized floating solar photovoltaic (PV) systems across the nation’s reservoirs, lakes, and other static water bodies.
• Dual Benefits: This strategy circumvents traditional land acquisition bottlenecks associated with large-scale solar parks. Additionally, the floating panels significantly reduce water evaporation from reservoirs, creating a synergistic effect between water conservation and renewable power generation.

7. Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana: New Chemical Parks Scheme

Context: To fortify the manufacturing sector, the Cabinet has approved the scheme of Chemical Parks under the overarching “Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana”.

• Mandate: The policy outlines the establishment of highly specialized, world-class chemical manufacturing clusters. These parks will be equipped with common effluent treatment plants (CETPs), advanced hazard management protocols, and dedicated logistics infrastructure.
• Significance: By promoting cluster-based development, the scheme ensures stringent environmental compliance while enhancing the global competitiveness of the Indian chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical sectors.

8. GOBARdhan India’s National Unified Scheme

Context: To standardize organic waste management and clean energy production, the Cabinet approved the National Unified Scheme for Comprehensive GOBARdhan (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan).

• Integration: The policy centralizes and integrates various fragmented waste-to-wealth and biogas programs into a single, cohesive national framework.
• Outcomes: It systematically addresses rural sanitation challenges by converting cattle dung and solid agricultural waste into Compressed Biogas (CBG) and organic manure. This not only bolsters rural hygiene but directly supplements farmers’ non-farm income streams.

9. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) and Water-Smart Farming

Context: A recent PIB notification underscored the continuous efforts to transform Indian agriculture through extensive water efficiency measures under the “Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)” initiative.

• Focus Area: The central thrust of the scheme relies on propagating micro-irrigation technologies, specifically drip and sprinkler irrigation systems.
• Objective: The initiative aims to dramatically elevate water use efficiency at the farm level. By delivering water directly to the root zones, the scheme significantly reduces water stress in groundwater-depleted regions, curtails fertilizer wastage through fertigation, and optimizes crop yields.

10. Major Infrastructure Push: Railways and Highways

Context: In August 2026, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved five key infrastructure projects worth ₹13,041 crore spanning five states.

• Railway Multitracking: The approved projects include four vital multi-tracking railway projects with an estimated cost of ₹9,450 crore. These tracks are planned across multiple districts to decongest heavily utilized freight and passenger routes.
• Highway Development: Infrastructure upgrades include the critical 4-Laning of National Highway (NH-22) in Bihar, and the construction of a new 4-lane highway from Baihata Chariali in Assam. These projects aim to drastically reduce logistical bottlenecks and improve regional connectivity.

Prelims Specific Facts & Pointers

• Major Dhyan Chand: Born on August 29, 1905, in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh. He is revered as the ‘Hockey Wizard’ and was central to India’s first hat-trick of Olympic gold medals, scoring over 400 goals in his career.
• Compounded Hing Legal Definition: Under the FSS (Food Products Standards and Additives) Regulations, 2011, Compounded Hing is an admissible category constituted by a blend of Raw Hing, Gum Arabic, starches, and flours.
• Tax Exemptions for BIS: The Taxation and Other Laws Act, 2026 Amendment exempts the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) and Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) from paying income tax on interest and capital gains derived from Indian government securities.
• PMFBY Allocations & Re-entries: The Union Budget 2026–27 allocates ₹12,200 crore to PMFBY. Bihar is the most recent state deciding to implement PMFBY starting from the Rabi 2026–27 season, joining Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, which had rejoined in prior seasons.
• Fit India Movement Launch: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Fit India Movement on National Sports Day in 2019.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Mantra: Emphasized recently in official communications, his famous doctrine is “Educate, Agitate, and Organise,” which advocates acquiring knowledge and questioning injustice.