Current Affairs - State

Chhattisgarh secured the first position in the third edition of the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari (JSJB) and Catch the Rain initiatives conducted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The state recorded 79,775 water conservation structures, of which 77,719 were successfully completed. Five districts—Surajpur, Mahasamund, Balod, Balodabazar-Bhatapara, and Kabirdham—also featured among the national top 10 districts for water conservation. The initiatives focus on constructing low-cost groundwater recharge and storage structures, reviving defunct borewells, and encouraging community participation in water management. JSJB was launched in September 2024 using a community-partnership model involving Panchayats and local institutions.

Goa received the President’s Colour for its police force in recognition of eight decades of dedicated service, bravery, and professionalism. Union Home Minister Amit Shah conferred the honour on Goa Police in Panaji on September 7, 2026. The Goa Police has adopted several technology-enabled policing measures, including an AI-powered call agent for the 1930 cyber fraud helpline and an improved 112 emergency response system. Its conviction rate increased significantly from 23% to 53% within a year. The force has also made substantial progress in implementing the new criminal laws and is expected to contribute to the Nasha Mukt Bharat 2029 initiative.

Gujarat will host the 72nd National Film Awards ceremony on September 22, 2026. The event is scheduled to take place at Ekta Nagar in Narmada district, near the iconic Statue of Unity, where President Droupadi Murmu will present the awards. The ceremony marks a significant departure from the long-standing tradition of holding the National Film Awards in New Delhi. A temporary venue featuring a German aluminum dome structure is being prepared for around 1,000 winners, dignitaries, and officials. The awards recognise films released during 2024, with major honours including Best Feature Film for Article 370 and Best Actress for Yami Gautam.

Tripura’s NPOP-certified ethnic rice was exported to Austria and the Netherlands with the support of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) on September 2, 2026. The shipment consisted of 18 metric tonnes of specialty rice varieties, including Aromatic Kali Khasa, Aromatic Harinarayan, Biron, and Maimi Hanga rice. The initiative is expected to help local farmers and producers achieve up to 40% higher price realisation compared with the domestic market. The export was supported by the Tripura State Organic Farming Development Agency and NABARD, helping connect Farmer Producer Companies with international markets.

Punjab launched the ‘Pehchaan’ portal on September 2, 2026, to enable the digital identification of unidentified and unclaimed bodies kept in government mortuaries. It became the first state in India to introduce a dedicated digital portal for this purpose. The system requires detailed records, including facial photographs, permanent marks, and physical descriptions, to be uploaded within 48 hours of postmortem. Built on the NIC-developed MedLEaPR software, the portal is integrated with CCTNS to cross-match missing-person records. It operates across all 23 districts and 346 government hospitals in Punjab, helping police and forensic agencies identify deceased persons more efficiently.