Daily Current Affairs MCQs: 29 September 2026

Answer: (a) Don’t Miss a Beat

1. World Heart Day is observed every year on 29 September to promote awareness of cardiovascular diseases and their prevention.
2. The theme for World Heart Day 2026 was “Don’t Miss a Beat.”
3. The observance is supported by the World Heart Federation and the World Health Organization.
4. Major risk factors include tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity.
5. Warning signs may include chest discomfort, breathlessness, fatigue, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, fainting and swelling.
6. SEAHEARTS supports cardiovascular disease prevention efforts across the WHO South-East Asia Region.

Answer: (b) Rekha Gupta

1. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the Delhi Udyog Mitra Portal on 28 September 2026.
2. The portal provides single-window access to licences, clearances, no-objection certificates and other business services.
3. At launch, it offered more than 50 services from over 15 departments and boards.
4. The government plans to expand the platform to more than 100 services across 21 departments.
5. Its features include Single Sign-On, a Common Application Form, Know Your Approvals, tracking and grievance redressal.
6. The portal integrates with the National Single Window System to connect Delhi and central approval processes.

Answer: (c) Five years

1. The Delhi government and Indian Council for Cultural Relations signed a five-year MoU for cultural and academic cooperation.
2. The agreement will create international opportunities for Delhi-based artists in performing arts, literature, sculpture, textiles and handicrafts.
3. Artists will receive opportunities to participate in the ICCR Horizon Series and international festivals.
4. A directory of Delhi artists will be shared with ICCR to facilitate international engagement.
5. The agreement also covers foreign artists, scholars and cultural groups participating in events held in Delhi.
6. A joint committee will prepare annual plans and oversee implementation, and the MoU may be extended for another five years.

Answer: (d) Kolkata

1. Kolkata will host the fifth edition of India Energy Week from 28 to 31 January 2027.
2. This will be the first time the major international energy event is organised in eastern India.
3. The event will be held at the New Town Convention Centre under the patronage of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
4. Its theme is “Unlocking Innovation. Securing Energy. Shaping Tomorrow.”
5. More than 75,000 energy professionals and 700 international exhibitors are expected to participate.
6. Discussions will cover hydrogen, biofuels, LNG, renewables, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, sustainable aviation fuel and net-zero technologies.

Answer: (a) ₹3,075

1. FASTag Annual Pass issuance in India crossed one crore after its launch on 15 August 2025.
2. The pass is available to eligible non-commercial vehicles with valid FASTags for ₹3,075.
3. It remains valid for one year or 200 toll-plaza entries, whichever occurs first.
4. The facility covers around 1,150 fee plazas on National Highways and National Expressways.
5. The pass is activated electronically on the existing FASTag through the Rajmargyatra app, so no separate physical pass is required.
6. The milestone reflects wider adoption of electronic toll collection and annual toll-payment facilities.

Answer: (b) Just Rights for Children Alliance

1. On 28 September 2026, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to examine statutory rules for social media access by children below 18 years.
2. Chief Justice Surya Kant headed the bench with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
3. The Just Rights for Children Alliance filed the petition.
4. It seeks parental or guardian consent for minors opening accounts and safeguards against grooming, abuse, cyberbullying and privacy violations.
5. The Centre will examine the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and relevant Information Technology laws.
6. The government will assess whether current legal provisions are sufficient or whether additional rules are required.

Answer: (c) Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme

1. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav presented the first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme.
2. The Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation received certification for plantations covering 33,000 hectares.
3. Bamboo farmer Govind Mohapatra, associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency, also received certification.
4. PRAMAAN was launched in December 2023 to promote sustainable forest management and traceability of certified products.
5. The Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal, serves as the scheme’s operating agency.
6. Certification covers Forest Management, Trees Outside Forests Management and Chain of Custody.

Answer: (d) 600 million tonnes

1. India is preparing a new National Steel Policy that will provide a long-term roadmap for the sector up to 2047.
2. The proposed policy targets 600 million tonnes of steelmaking capacity by 2047, compared with about 220 million tonnes in March 2026.
3. It is expected to replace the National Steel Policy 2017.
4. Priorities include specialty steel, premium steel, import substitution, raw-material security and decarbonisation.
5. Average emission intensity is proposed to fall from 2.54 tonnes to 1.54 tonnes of carbon dioxide per tonne of crude steel by 2047.
6. The draft will be released in the public domain for stakeholder consultation before finalisation.

Answer: (a) 25.17%

1. India presented its forest and landscape restoration initiatives at the 28th Session of the Committee on Forestry in Rome.
2. India reported 82.74 million hectares of forest and tree cover, representing 25.17% of its geographical area.
3. Under the Bonn Challenge, India restored 21.76 million hectares during 2011–2020 against its 26-million-hectare pledge for 2030.
4. India reported creating a carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent by 2021.
5. The country targets an additional carbon sink of 3.5–4 billion tonnes by 2035.
6. India also highlighted the Aravalli Green Wall and MISHTI mangrove-restoration initiatives.

Answer: (b) Milwaukee

1. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will visit the United States from 29 September to 5 October 2026.
2. He will participate in the G20 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Milwaukee on 30 September and 1 October.
3. India will support a rules-based, open, transparent and inclusive multilateral trading system centred on the World Trade Organization.
4. Discussions will cover the India-US Bilateral Trade Agreement, including market access, digital trade and supply-chain resilience.
5. Goyal will meet American businesses, investors and startups in Milwaukee, Chicago and New York.
6. The visit will also promote Indian investment and manufacturing opportunities.

Answer: (c) 26

1. SpaceX Starship reached orbit for the first time during its 14th full-scale test flight on 28 September 2026.
2. The vehicle launched from Starbase, Texas, and successfully deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites.
3. An engine issue caused SpaceX to shorten the planned mission.
4. Instead of completing about six orbits over nearly ten hours, Starship returned after around three hours.
5. The spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.
6. Starship combines the Super Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft for satellite launches, human spaceflight, and lunar and deep-space missions.

Answer: (d) Institute of Advanced Virology

1. Scientists at Kerala’s Institute of Advanced Virology developed a Dengue Early Warning System using machine learning and disease surveillance.
2. The system analyses six years of data from March 2020 to February 2026.
3. It produces weekly district-level forecasts using dengue cases, rainfall, temperature and average humidity.
4. Risk is classified into very high, high, moderate and low categories.
5. A preliminary evaluation using March–July 2026 data showed a positive correlation between predicted and reported trends.
6. The system can support mosquito surveillance, laboratory preparedness, healthcare planning and public communication.

Answer: (a) Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve

1. The Indian Peafowl, scientifically known as Pavo cristatus, was recorded for the first time in Assam’s Orang National Park and Tiger Reserve.
2. Photographic evidence was captured on 28 September 2026 by Nejib Ahmed and Chandan Saikia.
3. Earlier sightings had been reported near the Rowmari and Hazaribagh Anti-Poaching Camps.
4. Assam Environment and Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah acknowledged the finding.
5. Orang is popularly called “Mini Kaziranga” and includes grasslands, wetlands and riverine ecosystems.
6. Authorities will monitor the bird’s distribution, habitat preferences and long-term presence.

Answer: (b) Nausena Bhawan, New Delhi

1. The Indian Navy will conduct its second biannual Commanders’ Conference 2026 from 29 September to 1 October.
2. The three-day conference will be held at Nausena Bhawan in New Delhi.
3. Senior naval leaders, including Operational and Area Commanders, will review preparedness and maritime-security priorities.
4. Discussions will cover maritime interests, energy security and Operation Urja Suraksha.
5. The Raksha Mantri will address the commanders, while the CDS and Army Chief will discuss tri-services integration.
6. Other focus areas include artificial intelligence, Big Data, autonomous systems, cyber operations, logistics, training and self-reliance.

Answer: (c) Neeru Dhanda

1. Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda won gold in the women’s individual trap event at the 2026 Asian Games.
2. She scored 26 points in the eight-shooter final, ahead of China’s Sun Yunong and Kuwait’s Hajar Abdulmalik.
3. Dhanda had earlier topped the qualification round.
4. She also won silver in the women’s trap team event with Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer.
5. Her individual title became India’s fifth gold medal of the Games.
6. India’s overall tally reached 47 medals: 5 gold, 21 silver and 21 bronze.

Answer: (d) 11 years

1. Eleven-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan, an Indian-origin chess player representing England, fulfilled the Woman Grandmaster title requirements.
2. She secured her third and final WGM norm at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
3. Playing on England’s first board, she scored 8 points from 11 rounds, including six wins.
4. She surpassed the previous age record linked to Kateryna Lagno, who achieved the WGM title at 12.
5. Bodhana also secured her second International Master norm at the Olympiad.
6. Born and raised in London with family roots in Trichy, she began playing chess during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Answer: (a) 85.72 metres

1. India won two medals in the men’s javelin throw at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.
2. Yashvir Singh won silver with a personal-best throw of 85.72 metres.
3. Rohit Yadav claimed bronze with a throw of 84.35 metres.
4. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage won gold with 88.55 metres.
5. Yashvir achieved his best mark on his final attempt after earlier throws of 83.56m, 82.99m and 82.42m.
6. India achieved the double podium without Neeraj Chopra, the Asian Games champion in 2018 and 2022.

Answer: (b) 328

1. Neeru Dhanda, Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer won silver in the women’s trap team event.
2. The Indian team scored 328 points in the 125-shot qualification competition.
3. China won gold with 346 points, while Kuwait secured bronze with 325 points.
4. The event took place at the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery.
5. Dhanda also reached the individual final after finishing joint-top in qualification with 118 points.
6. The medal raised India’s shooting tally to 13 and its overall tally to 46 medals at that stage.

Answer: (c) PT Usha

1. Vithya Ramraj won bronze in the women’s 400m hurdles at the 2026 Asian Games.
2. She clocked a personal-best 54.75 seconds and broke PT Usha’s 42-year-old national record of 55.42 seconds.
3. UAE’s Mariam Kareem won gold in 54.31 seconds and Kazakhstan’s Adelina Zems took silver in 54.58 seconds.
4. India’s Anu Raghavan finished fifth with a personal best of 55.88 seconds.
5. The bronze was Vithya’s second medal after India’s mixed 4x400m relay silver.
6. She had previously equalled PT Usha’s record at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Answer: (d) Protect & Restore Nature

1. Bhutan was named one of 15 finalists for The Earthshot Prize 2026 in the Protect & Restore Nature category.
2. Nearly 70% of Bhutan is forested, while its Constitution requires at least 60% forest cover.
3. The Restore Bhutan initiative, launched in 2025, aims to restore 50,000 hectares by 2030.
4. Its work includes forest restoration, agroforestry, fire management and community conservation.
5. Bhutan’s Himalayan forests and watersheds support freshwater systems serving about 1.6 billion people downstream in South Asia.
6. The five Earthshot Prize winners will be announced in Mumbai on 17 November 2026.