Current Affairs - State

West Bengal approved the implementation strategy for the Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana (PMCSPY) with a special assistance package of ₹313.3 crore to improve the lives of tea garden workers and their families. The scheme focuses on enhancing education, healthcare, and worker welfare infrastructure in the tea-growing regions of North Bengal. It is expected to benefit more than three lakh tea plantation workers. The funds have been allocated for educational improvements, strengthening healthcare facilities, and constructing worker rest sheds, ensuring comprehensive social and economic development in the tea garden communities.

Punjab opened the online application process for the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC) students for the 2026–27 academic session. The scheme is managed by the Punjab Department of Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities and aims to provide financial assistance for higher education to students from economically weaker SC families. Applications are processed through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP) to ensure transparency and direct benefit transfer. The initiative also includes awareness camps and inter-departmental coordination to improve access to educational opportunities and encourage local career development.

Bihar is home to the world's oldest accurately dated banyan tree, located in Munger and estimated to be around 700 years old. Scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, determined its age using radiocarbon dating of wood samples analysed through Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. The research confirmed that the tree predates nearby historical structures and is a surviving remnant of an ancient natural forest. The findings, published in the international journal Quaternary Research, represent a significant achievement in botanical and environmental research, as banyan trees lack annual growth rings, making age determination particularly challenging.

The GI tags were awarded to three traditional products from West Bengal—Chandannagar’s Jalbhara Sandesh, Janai’s Manohara, and Balagarh’s traditional wooden boats. These products are deeply connected with the cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and culinary traditions of the Hooghly district. A GI tag provides legal protection to products that have unique qualities or a reputation linked to a specific geographical region. This recognition helps preserve traditional knowledge, prevents counterfeiting, enhances market value, creates export opportunities, and supports the livelihoods of local artisans and producers while promoting the state's rich cultural identity.

Odisha approved the Deep Sea Fishing Mission with an estimated outlay of ₹2,295.45 crore for implementation over the period 2026–2036. The mission aims to increase annual marine fish production by 2 lakh metric tonnes, raise marine exports to ₹5,000 crore per year by 2036, and generate more than 50,000 employment opportunities. A dedicated Blue Economy Hub (B-Hub) will serve as the central knowledge, innovation, and coordination centre for the mission. The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, also approved the Mukhyamantri Poshan Yojana to strengthen nutrition support for secondary school students.