• Chairmanship: This three-day conference (January 14-16, 2026) is being chaired by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Om Birla.
• Participants: 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers from 42 Commonwealth countries and 4 semi-autonomous parliaments are participating.

Key Themes:

• The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in parliamentary proceedings
• The impact of social media on parliamentarians
• The role of Speakers in strengthening democratic institutions
• Enhancing citizen participation beyond voting
• India has previously hosted this prestigious conference in 1971, 1986, and 2010.

• Eligibility: All minor children under the age of 18 years
• Guardian: Parents or legal guardians can open an account on behalf of the child.
• Minimum Investment: An account can now be opened with a minimum annual contribution of just ₹250 (previously the limit was ₹1,000). There is no maximum investment limit.
• Maximum Investment: There is no upper limit on the investment.
• Account Operation: The account will be operated by the guardian until the child turns 18 years old.

• Name: This mobile ATM unit has been named 'TGB on Wheels'.
• Inauguration: This innovative initiative was launched on July 21, 2023, by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during her visit to Tripura. Three such vans are successfully operational as of January 2026.
• Feature: This van is entirely powered by solar energy, enabling it to provide uninterrupted ATM and basic banking services even in remote areas with limited electricity access.
• Recognition: The bank has been awarded the prestigious SKOCH Silver Award (in the Best Innovative Practices category) for this innovation.
• Collaboration: This project has received active support from NABARD.

Tripura:

• Capital: Agartala
• Official Languages: Bengali and Kokborok
• Surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides and bordered by Assam and Mizoram in the northeast.
• Cuisine: 'Machh Bhat' (fish and rice)
• Major Festivals: Kharchi Puja, Garia Puja, and Neermahal Water Festival

• Historic Achievement: Bamanwas Kankar, a panchayat comprising seven dhanis (hamlets), has become the first panchayat in Rajasthan to completely adopt chemical-free agriculture and livestock farming.
• Inspiration:The shift was driven by declining soil health, falling groundwater levels, and health issues caused by chemical inputs, with women farmers playing a leading role in adopting organic practices.
• Certification:COFED provided technical and market support, enabling the panchayat to receive official organic certification.
• Pledge:Farmers have taken a formal pledge to completely abstain from the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• Model Initiative: This initiative serves as a replicable model for sustainable agriculture and rural development in India.

• Supreme Commander: The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army.
• Chief of the Army Staff (COAS): General Upendra Dwivedi is the 30th Chief of the Army Staff of India (tenure began on 30 June 2024).
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Motto: “Seva Paramo Dharma” (Service Before Self)

Command Structure :

• Northern Command: Udhampur (Jammu & Kashmir)
• Western Command: Chandimandir (Haryana)
• Eastern Command: Kolkata (West Bengal)
• Southern Command: Pune (Maharashtra)
• Central Command: Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)
• South Western Command: Jaipur (Rajasthan)
• Training Command (ARTRAC): Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)

Wholesale Inflation so far in FY 2025-26:

• April: 0.85%
• May: 0.39%
• June: −0.13%
• July: −0.58%
• August: 0.52%
• September: 0.13%
• October: −1.21% (Lowest)
• November: −0.32%
• December: 0.83% (Highest in 8 months)

Retail Inflation so far in FY 2025-26:

• April: 3.16%
• May: 2.82%
• June: 2.10%
• July: 1.61%
• August: 2.07%
• September: 1.44%
• October: 0.25%
• November: 0.71%
• December: 1.33%

• Temperature Rise: In 2025, the global average surface temperature was about 1.44°C (±0.13°C) higher than the pre-industrial level (1850–1900 average).
• Top Three Warmest Years: The last three years—2023, 2024, and 2025—are the three warmest years on record, with 2024 being the warmest.
• Multiple Datasets: WMO analyzed eight international datasets; six datasets ranked 2025 as the third warmest year, while two datasets ranked it as the second warmest.
• La Niña Influence: Both the beginning and end of 2025 were influenced by La Niña, which generally has a cooling effect; however, accumulated greenhouse gases kept global temperatures unusually high.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO):

• Established: 1950
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Nature: Specialized Agency of the United Nations
• World Meteorological Day: 23 March

1. Top Rankings

• States are categorized based on their geographical and economic structure:

Large States:

• Maharashtra: Ranked first with a score of 68.01
• Tamil Nadu: Ranked second (Score: 64.41)
• Gujarat: Ranked third (Score: 64.02)
• Uttar Pradesh: Ranked fourth; it is ranked first among landlocked states.
• Andhra Pradesh: Ranked fifth
• Small States, North-Eastern States and Union Territories (UTs):
• Uttarakhand: Ranked first in this category (Score: 52.07)
• Jammu and Kashmir: Ranked second
• Nagaland: Ranked third

2. Four Pillars of Assessment

• EPI 2024 is based on 4 main pillars, 13 sub-pillars, and 70 indicators:
• Policy: State's export strategy and ecosystem (20% weightage)
• Business Ecosystem: Capacity to attract investment and ease of doing business (40% weightage)
• Export Infrastructure: Connectivity and logistics facilities (20% weightage)
• Export Performance: Actual export outcomes and diversification (20% weightage) 3. New Features of EPI 2024
• New Dimensions: This year's index incorporates new aspects such as macroeconomic stability, cost competitiveness, human capital, access to finance, and the MSME ecosystem.
• Focus on Districts: Greater emphasis has been placed on 'districts' as the fundamental unit of export competitiveness to connect local capabilities with global value chains.
• Classification: States have been classified into 'Leaders', 'Challengers', and 'Aspirers' based on their performance.

3. Key Findings:

• Dominance of Coastal States: Coastal states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat continue to lead in export preparedness.
• Uttar Pradesh's Surge: Uttar Pradesh has improved its ranking from 7th in 2022 to 4th in 2024, reflecting the success of its policies and schemes like 'One District-One Product' (ODOP).
• Regional Imbalances: Regions like Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Lakshadweep still fall in the 'Aspirer' category, indicating the need for infrastructure and policy reforms in these areas.

• For FY 2025-26: It has been increased to 7.2% (a significant increase of 0.9% from the June estimate of 6.3%)
• For FY 2026-27: The growth rate is projected to be 6.5%
• For FY 2027-28: It is expected to increase again to 6.6%
• Key Drivers of Growth:
• Strong Domestic Demand: Robust growth in private consumption
• Tax Reforms: Positive impact of tax reforms implemented in previous years
• Improved Rural Income: Increased real income in rural areas has boosted demand
• Resilient Exports: Despite global uncertainties, India's service and merchandise exports remain strong
• Comparative Estimates:
• World Bank: 7.2%
• NSO (National Statistical Office): 7.4%
• RBI (Reserve Bank of India): 7.3%

• This award was given for her project "Equal Partners, Lasting Peace," which promotes gender equality and women's participation under the UNMISS mission in South Sudan.
• United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres declared her the winner in the Gender category.
• Major Swati, a resident of Bengaluru, strengthened a gender-sensitive approach in peacekeeping missions, which stood out among nominations from all UN missions.

United Nations (UN):

• Established: October 24, 1945
• Headquarters: New York, United States
• United Nations Day: October 24
• First Secretary-General: Trygve Lie (Norway)

• Awarding organization: World Kung Fu Association
• Reason: Pawan Kalyan is a black belt holder in Karate and has been practicing martial arts for a long time.

• Cadre and Batch: He is a 1994 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre.
• Tenure: His tenure will be until August 31, 2028, which is his date of superannuation.
• Previous Post: He was currently serving as Special DG in the NIA and was also holding the additional charge of Director General since the former Director General Sadanand Vasant Date returned to his Maharashtra cadre.

Other Important Appointments (2026):

• Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor: He has been appointed as the new Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
• Praveen Kumar: He has been appointed as the new Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF).

• This festival marks the beginning of "Uttarayan," when the sun begins its northward journey.
• The most prominent and exciting event during Pongal is Jallikattu, a bull-taming sport. It is primarily held on the day of 'Mattu Pongal'.
• Festival Days:
• Bogi Pongal (January 14): Burning of old belongings and cleaning of homes
• Surya Pongal/Thai Pongal (January 15): Offering of rice and milk to the Sun God
• Mattu Pongal (January 16): Worship of cattle, especially bulls
• Kanum Pongal (January 17): Visiting family and relatives and social gatherings