Current Affairs Questions with Answers

The Central Government has appointed former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath as a part-time non-official director on the RBI Central Board, while Anand Mahindra has been reappointed. Both appointments are effective for four years starting August 20, 2026, and the RBI Central Board is constituted under the RBI Act, 1934. Q#4. Approximately how many housing units have been planned under MPD-2047?

The objective of the Master Plan for Delhi-2047 (MPD-2047) is to transform Delhi into an inclusive, sustainable, climate-resilient, and globally competitive city. The plan places special emphasis on housing, land pooling, TOD-based transport, Yamuna floodplain restoration, net-zero development, heritage conservation, and the development of Narela and Dwarka.

Odia poet Ashutosh Parida was honored with the Sarala Puraskar 2026 for his poetry collection 'Vishwas De Prithvi'. Guru Durga Charan Ranbir and Damodar Behera will be honored with the Ila-Bansidhar Panda Kala Samman 2026 for their lifelong contribution to the arts.

Young Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi has made a mark in world swimming by winning the bronze medal in the 4×200m freestyle relay at the World Aquatics Championships. The 20th Asian Games will be held in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026.

Madras Day is celebrated every year on August 22 to commemorate the founding and historical development of the city of Chennai. On August 22, 1639, Francis Day acquired the land where Fort St. George was established, while the name of Madras was changed to Chennai in 1996.

In Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI), foreign investors invest in Indian shares, bonds, and other financial securities, whereas Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) relates to long-term investment in businesses and projects. FPI enhances liquidity in the Indian capital market but is volatile, whereas FDI contributes to capital formation, employment, manufacturing, technology transfer, and long-term economic growth.

US President Donald Trump cited India's electoral system and the participation of 646 million (64.6 crore) voters as an example in support of voter identification and strict registration rules. The SAVE America Act is a proposed US bill aimed at tightening citizenship and identity verification, whereas in India, the Election Commission of India manages the EPIC system for voter identification.

According to the joint Hunger Hotspots Report 2026 by the FAO and WFP, there is a high risk of acute food insecurity and starvation in 13 countries and territories during the period from June to November 2026. The report identifies conflict, climate change, displacement, economic instability, rising food prices, and limited humanitarian aid as the primary causes of the food crisis.

The 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting will be held on August 20, 2026, in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, under the chairmanship of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. Constituted under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, Zonal Councils strengthen cooperative federalism and "Team India" through Centre-State and inter-state coordination.

Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the CCEA approved the four-laning of the 82.578 km Muzaffarpur–Sonbarsa stretch of NH-22 in Bihar at a cost of ₹3,590.73 crore. This project will be developed under the HAM model and will strengthen connectivity to the India-Nepal border, the Bagmati River bridge, agricultural logistics, industries, and the Bhithamore Land Port.

In December 2018, the historic Ross Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands—which served as a major administrative center during British rule—was renamed Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island. As part of this same renaming initiative, Havelock Island was renamed Swaraj Dweep and Neil Island was renamed Shaheed Dweep.

The 65th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament 2026 kicked off on August 18, 2026, at the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi, with Air Marshal S. Shivakumar as the chief guest and Lavpreet Singh as the guest of honour. A total of 108 teams across three age categories are participating in the tournament; in the opening match, Meghalaya defeated Chandigarh in the Under-17 Junior Girls' category.

World Senior Citizens' Day is observed annually on August 21 to honor the contributions of senior citizens and to raise awareness regarding their rights, health, and social security. In India, the welfare of the elderly is linked to social justice and the concept of a welfare state, and Article 41 of the Constitution pertains to public assistance in old age.

Lakshmanan Meyyappan set a Guinness World Record as the world's youngest male Chartered Accountant in Dubai at the age of 16 years and 141 days. Having obtained ACCA and CFA Charter qualifications, he currently works as a Senior Research Analyst at Century Financial, Dubai.

H1N1 or Swine Flu is an Influenza A virus; it belongs to the *Orthomyxoviridae* family and affects the respiratory system. By August 12, 2026, 1,449 cases had been recorded in Delhi; disease surveillance, timely diagnosis, infection control, and regularly updated vaccines are crucial for prevention.

The Tamil Nadu government has announced 365 days of maternity leave for female government employees upon the birth of a third child. This decision will promote women's empowerment, maternal and child health, female workforce participation, and gender equality in the workplace.

The Maharashtra government has declared snakebite a notifiable disease effective from August 18, 2026, making the reporting of suspected and confirmed cases as well as deaths mandatory. This will facilitate better surveillance through HMIS and IDSP, prompt treatment within the 60-minute ‘golden hour,’ and the availability of anti-snake venom (ASV) in remote areas.

The objective of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is to promote social security and inclusive development by providing affordable and permanent housing to eligible families. PMAY-G is implemented for homeless families in rural areas, while PMAY-U is implemented to provide affordable housing to EWS, LIG, and other eligible families in urban areas.

Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister's Youth Self-Employment Scheme encourages educated unemployed youth towards self-employment and entrepreneurship. It includes provisions for loans of up to ₹25 lakh for the manufacturing sector and up to ₹10 lakh for the service sector, along with margin money assistance of up to 25%.

210 Indian peacekeepers serving under UNMISS in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, were awarded the United Nations Medal for their outstanding services. With the deployment of 1,775 Indian military personnel to UNMISS, India was the largest troop contributor to this mission.

Indian Renewable Energy Day is observed annually on August 20th with the aim of raising awareness about renewable energy and promoting energy security and sustainable development. India is implementing initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, the National Green Hydrogen Mission, and the PM-Surya Ghar Yojana to promote solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and green hydrogen energy.