Current Affairs - National

Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh is set to host Asia’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ), with an estimated investment of ₹5,500 crore and the potential to create more than 18,000 direct jobs. The proposed zone is expected to accommodate around 24–25 telecom manufacturing units producing various equipment and devices. The first phase will cover approximately 170 acres across SADA and the IT Park. The project also includes a proposed Common Testing Lab costing ₹500 crore. Improved road, rail and air connectivity, along with a strong technical education base, are expected to support the development of the telecom manufacturing cluster in Gwalior.

The Delhi Government has doubled the monthly incentive for ASHA workers from Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000. The increase was approved by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to recognise the important role played by ASHA workers in the primary healthcare system. Delhi has 6,725 ASHA workers, with each worker serving approximately 2,000 people or 400 families. The revised incentive is intended to improve their morale and support their contribution to healthcare delivery. The initiative also aims to strengthen primary healthcare services and promote women’s economic empowerment by providing better financial support to ASHA workers.

Six states Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand—signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Centre for the Kishau Dam project on September 15, 2026. The ₹15,624-crore multipurpose project is proposed on the Tons River, a tributary of the Yamuna, along the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border. The project was delayed for nearly eight years due to inter-state coordination and financial-sharing issues. Once completed, the 660 MW project is expected to provide irrigation, drinking and industrial water, electricity generation and increased flow to the Yamuna.

The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project achieved its 41st tunnel breakthrough on September 11, 2026, with the completion of the 10.847-km-long Escape Tunnel-1. The project is being developed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) under the Ministry of Railways at a total cost of ₹37,000 crore. Escape Tunnel-1 is the second-longest tunnel in the project. By September 2026, overall project progress had reached 78%, while tunnel excavation was 97% complete. The 125-km railway line includes 16 main tunnels and 12 escape tunnels and is targeted for completion by December 2029.

Southern Railway achieved 100% electrification of its 5,068-km broad gauge network, marking a significant milestone in Indian Railways’ electrification programme. The final stretch was the 71-km Pattukkottai-Karaikkudi section in Tamil Nadu, where electrification was completed and inspected in September 2026. The entire broad gauge network of the zone now operates using 25 kV AC electric traction, eliminating the need to switch between diesel and electric locomotives. Full electrification is expected to improve operational efficiency, reduce delays, enable faster train movement, increase locomotive utilisation, and lower carbon emissions. The milestone also represents nearly 95 years of railway electrification history, which began in 1931.