UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 22-09-2026

One Liners 22-09-2026

Social Issues

Biovigilance Programme

The Government of India approved the Biovigilance Programme of India in September 2026.

• Objective – To monitor and prevent adverse events associated with medicines and biological products used in organ and tissue transplants.
• Lead Agency – The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) leads the monitoring, reporting, and assessment of adverse events.
• Scope – Covers biological products and medicines given to both organ/tissue donors and recipients.
• Launch Context – Announced by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Patel, during the 6th National Pharmacovigilance Week.
• Integration with Existing Frameworks – Complements the existing Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) for drugs and the Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI) for medical devices.
• Together, these three systems create a comprehensive safety net across medicines, devices, and transplant procedures.

International Relations and Issues

Nomadic Elephant 2026

The 18th edition of the India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise Nomadic Elephant 2026 commenced on September 21, 2026, at the Foreign Training Node in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand.

• Dates – Scheduled from 21 September to 03 October 2026.
• Participants – 45 personnel each from the Indian Army and the Mongolian Armed Forces.
• Type – Annual platoon-level joint military exercise conducted alternately in India and Mongolia (the previous edition was held in Ulaanbaatar in 2025).
• Objective – Enhance joint military capabilities for Counter-Insurgency Operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrains under a United Nations mandate.

Economy

Asia’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone

Asia’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) is being established in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India.

• Total Investment – Approximately Rs.5,500 crore committed through investor proposals.
• Participation – 24 global and domestic companies have initiated the application process to set up units.
• Testing Infrastructure – Linked with a Common Testing Lab package of roughly Rs.500 crore.
• Manufacturing Focus & Impact
• Products – Designed to manufacture mobile phones, fiber optic cables, antennas, rotors, satellite gear, and semiconductor components.
• Employment – Projected to create more than 18,000 direct job opportunities.
• Goal – Reduce import reliance for critical telecom parts and strengthen domestic production for 5G and 6G technologies.

Environment

World Water Monitoring Day

World Water Monitoring Day was observed on September 18, 2026, marking its 24th annual event to raise global awareness about water quality and encourage community testing of local water resources.

• Date – September 18 annually (shifted from October 18 in 2007 to maximize global participation before freezing temperatures).
• Founded – Established in 2003 by America's Clean Water Foundation (ACWF).
• Current Coordination – Managed globally as part of the EarthEcho Water Challenge by EarthEcho International.
• Core Objectives & Parameters
• Education – Teaches communities how to perform basic safety inspections of water bodies using low-cost testing kits.
• Key Indicators – Tracks basic water parameters including:
  • Water temperature
  • Acidity / pH levels
  • Clarity / turbidity
  • Dissolved oxygen (DO)
• Significance – Highlights that billions of people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water, emphasizing local stewardship to protect freshwater ecosystems.

India’s Largest Solar Cell Facility

Premier Energies has commissioned India’s largest solar cell manufacturing facility, a 7 GW plant located in Naidupeta, Andhra Pradesh.

• Location – Naidupeta, Andhra Pradesh
• Area – 101 acres (about 40 hectares)
• Investment – Rs.3,293 crore
• Production Capacity – 7 GW annual capacity, producing roughly 88,000 solar cells per hour
• Technology – N-type TOPCon G12R solar cells, targeting an average efficiency of about 25.8% after full stabilization
• Automation – Utilizes artificial intelligence, digital systems for predictive performance analysis, and fully automated material handling.
• With this new plant, Premier Energies has raised its total solar cell manufacturing capacity to 10.6 GW, making it the largest solar cell manufacturer in the country.
• The facility has initiated trial runs with commercial output expected following ramp-up and stabilization.

WWF Global Conservation Conference

The WWF Global Conservation Conference opened on September 21, 2026, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, with a focus on global biodiversity protection and human-wildlife coexistence.

• Participants – The event, which brought together delegates and leaders from more than 100 countries.
• Key Highlights and Themes

• Core Theme – Global action on conservation through community involvement and sustainable coexistence with local populations.

• India's Conservation Milestones Shared:

• • Protected areas expanded from ~750 to over 1,000 over the past decade.

• • Tiger reserves increased from 47 to 58.

• • Elephant reserves increased from 30 to 33.

• • Ramsar wetland sites grew from 24 to 101.

Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026 campaign

The fifth edition of Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar, under which coastal clean-up activities were conducted at 231 locations across 13 States and Union Territories.

• About the campaign – The Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar 2026 campaign is a nationwide coastal cleanup initiative.
• Led by – The Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, and coordinated by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR).
• Overview & 2026 Highlights
• Fifth Edition – Ran from September 12 to 19, 2026, culminating on International Coastal Cleanup Day.
• Scale – Conducted cleanup activities across 231 locations in 13 coastal states and union territories.
• Participation – Engaged over 15 lakh (1.5 million) people who took the Ocean Conservation Pledge.
• Local Drives – Featured active community efforts, such as over 300 volunteers removing 2.4 tonnes of waste at Palavakkam Beach in Chennai.
• Digital Integration – Introduced new infrastructure including the Sagar Prahari mobile app, dedicated pledge portals, and the Ocean Olympiad for student environmental literacy.

Science

Advanced Radar Research Centre

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is establishing an Advanced Radar Research Centre at Chandrapur near Guwahati in Assam, under its Network for Space Object Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) programme.

• Location – Chandrapur (former thermal power station site), near Guwahati, Assam.
• Land Area – Approximately 67 to 70 acres (around 200 bighas) allotted by the Assam government.
• Initiative – Part of Project NETRA (Space Situational Awareness - SSA).
• Key Leadership – Foundation stone laid by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and ISRO officials.
• Core Objectives & Functions
• Space Surveillance – Designed to track objects in orbit as small as 10 cm within a range of 2,000 km, protecting critical national space assets and active satellites from space debris and collision hazards.
• All-Weather Tracking – Enhances tracking capabilities regardless of cloud cover or darkness, complementing optical telescope networks like the one in Hanle, Ladakh.
• Atmospheric & Cloud Research – Will incorporate specialized radar systems for cloud and weather research to improve scientific understanding of regional atmospheric and meteorological phenomena.

Security

3rd National Conference of ANTF Heads

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the 3rd National Conference of Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Heads in New Delhi.

• The two-day conference is organised by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
• Heads of ANTFs from 36 States and Union Territories are participating.
• Theme – “United Resolve, Shared Responsibility”
• The conference focuses on coordinated efforts among the Centre, States and UTs to combat drug trafficking and abuse.
• Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–29) – Discussions will review the progress of targets assigned to State and UT ANTFs under the newly released Vision Document on Narcotics Control (2026–29).
• Emphasis is on translating national objectives into actionable strategies at the State and UT levels.
• Major Launches & Initiatives
  • Launched the new NCB website.
  • Released four Television Commercials (TVCs) to raise awareness about drug abuse.
• Three-Pronged Drug Control Approach
  • Supply Reduction – disrupting drug trafficking and illicit supply chains.
  • Demand Reduction – preventing drug use through awareness, education and rehabilitation.
  • Harm Reduction – reducing the health and social consequences associated with drug abuse.
• Significance
• Strengthens Centre–State coordination in drug-law enforcement.
• Focuses on protecting youth from drug abuse.
• Promotes a coordinated and mission-oriented approach to building a drug-free India.
• The Union Government links effective narcotics control with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

Miscellaneous

International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace was observed globally on Monday, September 21, 2026.

• 2026 Theme & Focus
• Official Theme – Invest in Peace - For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.
• Core Message – Honoring everyday architects of peace, local action, and building lasting stability from the ground up.
• Key Details
• Establishment – Declared in 1981 by a unanimous United Nations resolution.
• Observance – Dedicated to non-violence, global ceasefires, and a 24-hour cessation of hostilities.
• Status – It is a global observance and awareness day, not an official public or federal holiday.