Current Affairs Today 17th and 18th October 2026 Daily GK Update

Daily Current Affairs 17th and 18th October 2026 Daily GK Update

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National News

Govt forms Ramesh Chand-led panel to examine sugarcane farmers’ demands

• Amid soaring sugar prices and unrest among farmers over falling yields, the central government constituted a high-powered committee under former NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand to examine sugarcane farmers’ demands, including higher remunerative returns, revision of the minimum selling price (MSP) of sugar and concerns over deductions in the weight of mechanically harvested cane.
• The committee was formed following a meeting between representatives of sugarcane farmers from Karnataka and Maharashtra and the Union ministers for agriculture and farmers welfare and consumer affairs, food and public distribution.
• The panel will examine demands for higher returns to sugarcane farmers, taking into account cultivation costs and other relevant factors. It will also review the demand for revising the ex-mill minimum selling price of sugar in light of production costs, market realisations and the financial viability of sugar mills.

Asiatic lions return to Gujarat’s Barda Wildlife Sanctuary after 144 years

• For more than a century, Gir Forest has been synonymous with Asiatic lions in India. But another forest in Gujarat is emerging as an important habitat for the endangered big cats. Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, where lions had disappeared for nearly 144 years, is now home to 17 Asiatic lions.
• A study published in the journal PLOS One has found that Barda offers suitable habitat, adequate prey and environmental conditions that could support a lion population over the long term.
• The findings strengthen the case for developing the sanctuary as a second home for Asiatic lions beyond Gir, helping reduce the risks associated with concentrating the population in one main landscape.

PM GatiShakti National Master Plan Completes 5 Years of Implementation

• The PM GatiShakti National Master Plan completed five years of implementation on October 13, 2026, after being launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 13, 2021.
• Digital Integration & Engines: The GIS platform links 58 Central Ministries, 36 States/UTs, and thousands of data layers to synchronize the seven core infrastructure engines (roads, railways, ports, waterways, airports, mass transit, and logistics).
• Project Evaluation & Governance: The Network Planning Group (NPG) has assessed 421 infrastructure projects worth ₹20.23 lakh crore, while the newly approved Integrated Transport and Logistics Authority (ITLA) guides long-term planning for major initiatives.
• Local Expansion: Coordinated planning extends to local levels via the PM GatiShakti Public Platform, Knowledge Management Systems, and District Master Plans.

About PM Gatishakti

• The PM GatiShakti National Master Plan is a digital GIS-based platform launched by the Government of India on October 13, 2021, to integrate multimodal infrastructure planning and lower logistics costs.
• Seven Engines of Growth: The plan is driven by Railways, Roads, Ports, Waterways, Airports, Mass Transport, and Logistics Infrastructure.
• Developed by the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N), the platform merges over 1,400+ geospatial data layers from central ministries and state governments

LIC launches three new insurance plans for retirement income, health and cancer cover

• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) will launch three new insurance plans on October 19, 2026, offering financial protection against health risks, cancer and retirement-related needs. The products are LIC’s New Jeevan Dhara-II (Plan 892), LIC’s Health Shield (Plan 907) and LIC’s New Cancer Cover (Plan 908).
• New Jeevan Dhara-II (Plan 892): A savings deferred annuity plan providing guaranteed, lifelong retirement income after a deferment period of 1 to 15 years. It offers single or joint-life options, regular or single premiums, and a top-up facility during the deferment phase. Entry age ranges from 18 to a maximum vesting age of 65–70 years.
• Health Shield (Plan 907): A pure risk benefit family health plan offering fixed daily hospital cash benefits alongside lump-sum payouts for major surgeries and critical illnesses. It features a fixed 15-year policy and premium term, no-claim coverage enhancements, and dependent premium waivers in case of the principal insured’s demise.
• New Cancer Cover (Plan 908): A pure risk health benefit providing specialized financial support for cancer diagnoses. It pays 25% of the sum assured for early-stage and 100% for major-stage diagnoses without deducting prior early-stage payouts, plus an additional monthly income benefit of 1% for 10 years upon major diagnosis.

India’s Ramsar Sites Reach 103 With Sukhna & Sauj Jheel

• India expanded its network of internationally recognized wetlands to 103 sites following the official designation of Sukhna Wetland in Chandigarh and Sauj Jheel in Uttar Pradesh.
• Sukhna Wetland (Foothills of the Shivalik Range, Chandigarh):Serves as a vital wintering ground for migratory waterfowl traveling along the Central Asian Flyway. The wetland acts as a natural carbon sink, regulates local microclimates, and prevents urban flooding across Chandigarh.
• Sauj Jheel (Mainpuri District, Uttar Pradesh): Forms a critical freshwater sanctuary within the Indo-Gangetic plain. It supports thriving populations of vulnerable bird species, including the Sarus Crane (Antigone antigone), while aiding groundwater recharge and supporting local agricultural ecosystems.

About Ramsar Site

• A Ramsar site is a wetland designated as internationally important under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971.
• The treaty establishes a global framework for national action and international cooperation to conserve wetlands and promote the “wise use” of their natural resources.

Banking & Financial

India’s Net Direct Tax Collections Rise 13.21% to ₹13.38 Lakh Crore in FY 2026–27

• India’s net direct tax collections registered a growth of 13.21%, reaching ₹13.38 lakh crore as on October 14, 2026, compared to ₹11.82 lakh crore during the corresponding period of FY 2025–26, according to the latest direct tax collection data.
• Gross direct tax collections increased by 14.89% to ₹16.03 lakh crore, against ₹13.95 lakh crore in the previous year, reflecting strong revenue mobilization from corporate tax, non-corporate tax and Securities Transaction Tax (STT).

Key Tax Collection Breakdown

The financial data highlights a significant growth trajectory across both gross collections and individual tax components compared to the previous fiscal year:

Fitch unit raises India FY27 growth forecast to 7.5%

• BMI has raised India’s economic growth forecast for 2026-27 to 7.5% from the previous estimate of 6.8%. The agency cites strong growth momentum and ongoing investment in artificial intelligence as key factors. However, risks from rising oil prices and potential El Nino disruptions could negatively impact growth.
• Additionally, the forecast for 2027-28 has been adjusted down to 6.3%, reflecting concerns for household consumption.

India’s FY27 GDP Projections by Organization

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI): 6.7%
• ICRA: 6.7%
• World Bank: 7.1%
• Asian Development Bank (ADB): 7%
• International Monetary Fund (IMF): 7%
• Moody’s: 7%
• India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra): 6.8%
• Standard & Poor’s(S&P):7%
• World Economic Forum (WEF): 6.7%
• Finch:7.5%
• OECD:7.1%
• UNCTAD: 7.3%

Sports

Vishvajit More Wins Historic Silver at U-23 World Wrestling Championships

• Indian wrestler Vishvajit Ramchandra More has secured a historic silver medal at the U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, becoming the first Indian wrestler to reach a Greco-Roman final and win silver in the discipline at this competition.
• More competed in the men’s 55 kg category and narrowly missed the gold medal after losing 12–13 to Georgia’s Koba Karumidze in a closely contested final. The result marks an important milestone for India’s Greco-Roman wrestling programme, which has traditionally faced a challenging path at the international level.

Obituary

NCC Founder and Padma Shri Awardee Dr. A.V.S. Raju Passed Away at 89

• Alluri Venkata Satyanarayana Raju (Dr. A.V.S. Raju), founder and Chairman Emeritus of NCC Limited and a Padma Shri awardee, passed away on October 13, 2026, at the age of 89 in Hyderabad.
• He started his business career in 1956 and founded Nagarjuna Construction Company (NCC) Limited in 1978, turning it into a major public infrastructure and construction conglomerate in India.
• The Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri in 2010 for his contributions to trade and industry.
• He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Builders’ Association of India in 2006 and an honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) from Acharya Nagarjuna University in 2008.

Important Days

14 October : World Standards Day

• World Standards Day is observed every year on 14 October to recognise the importance of international standards in everyday life, trade and development.
• It pays tribute to the thousands of experts who create the voluntary technical agreements published as International Standards. The day is jointly organised by the IEC, ISO and ITU, who choose a fresh theme each year.
• Standards help make products, services and systems safe, reliable and compatible across countries, which supports global trade and technological progress.
• Theme 2026: “Shared vision for a better world: Spotlight on SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy.”

15 October: World Students’ Day

• World Students’ Day is celebrated annually on 15 October to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the 11th President of India and a renowned scientist and teacher.
• He Promoting quality education, scientific curiosity, youth empowerment, and student-driven innovation.

17 October : International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

• The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, observed annually on 17 October, recognizes that ending poverty is inseparable from protecting human rights, human dignity and peace.
• Housing insecurity is not simply a question of shelter. Unsafe, unaffordable, overcrowded or insecure housing can reinforce poverty and exclusion, and undermine the enjoyment of other human rights.
• 2026–2028 theme “United for Peace and Human Rights,” the 2026 observance focuses on “Safe Homes for All,”