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20 January 2026 Current Affairs

Jan 20, 2026

Blocking of Illegal Betting & Gambling Websites

  • 242 illegal betting/gambling links blocked (Jan 2026)

  • Reflects strengthened cyber governance , digital law enforcement, and protection against financial fraud & money laundering.

  • Relevant for IT Act, online gaming regulation, cyber security questions.

Supreme Court on Unreserved Category Seats

  • SC ruled General (unreserved) seats are open to all candidates purely on merit , irrespective of caste/category.

  • Reinforces constitutional principle of equality (Article 14 & 16) and merit-based recruitment.

  • High relevance for Polity & Constitutional interpretation .

Infrastructure, Transport & Connectivity

Kaziranga Elevated Corridor (Assam)

  • ?6,957 crore project laid by PM Modi.

  • Balances infrastructure development with wildlife conservation (eco-sensitive zones).

  • Important for environment–development trade-off , sustainable infrastructure.

India’s First Sleeper Vande Bharat

  • Flagged off from Malda (West Bengal) .

  • Marks next phase of railway modernisation , long-distance semi-high-speed travel.

Culture, Literature & Heritage

NAMO Book Fest (New Delhi)

  • First-ever national literary initiative of its kind.

  • Supports reading culture, publishing ecosystem, intellectual engagement .

Spituk Gustor Festival (Ladakh)

  • First monastic festival of the year at Spituk Monastery .

  • Reflects Himalayan Buddhist traditions & intangible cultural heritage .

Land, Tribal Affairs & Rural Governance

Jamma Bane Land Reform – Karnataka

  • Amendment to land revenue law for forest-linked land documentation issues in Kodagu.

  • Important for agrarian history, colonial land tenures, forest rights .

PESA Rules Notified by Jharkhand

  • Implemented 25 years after PESA Act, 1996 .

  • Strengthens tribal self-governance in Fifth Schedule areas .

  • Highly relevant for Tribal administration, decentralisation & constitutional safeguards .

Digital, Telecom & International Cooperation

India–Germany JDI on Telecom

  • Focus on 5G/6G, digital infrastructure, trusted connectivity .

  • Shows convergence of technology diplomacy & strategic partnerships .

ASEAN–India Digital Ministers’ Meeting

  • Hosted by Vietnam (virtual).

  • Theme: “Adaptive ASEAN: From Connectivity to Connected Intelligence.”

  • Relevant for Act East Policy, digital public infrastructure cooperation .

Banking, Finance & Regulation

RB-Integrated Ombudsman Scheme (RB-IOS) 2026

  • Unified grievance redressal for banks & financial institutions.

  • Enhances consumer protection & regulatory efficiency .

Draft NBFC & ARC Capital Norms

  • Clarifies Owned Fund / Tier-1 Capital calculation.

  • Ensures compliance with credit & investment concentration limits .

Reopening Licensing Window for UCBs

  • RBI proposed reopening after 22 years (last closed in 2004) .

  • Indicates renewed confidence in co-operative banking reforms .

Piramal Finance – USD 350 Million DFI Funding

  • First multilateral borrowing by PFL.

  • Signals global institutional confidence in India’s NBFC sector .

Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare

Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) Continued

  • For short-term crop & allied loans via Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) .

  • Key for agricultural credit affordability & farm income stability .

Blue Economy & Fisheries

India–Israel Cooperation in Fisheries

  • Joint Ministerial Declaration of Intent.

  • Focus on aquaculture technology, marine productivity, food security .

India’s First Open-Sea Marine Fish Farming

  • Launched in Andaman Sea (North Bay) .

  • Strategic for Blue Economy, coastal livelihoods & sustainable fisheries .

Defence, Research & Strategic Outreach

INS Sagardhwani – Sagar Maitri (SM-5)

  • Oceanographic research vessel under DRDO-NPOL .

  • Enhances marine scientific diplomacy & naval research collaboration .

ASEAN ADMM-Plus EWG on Counter Terrorism

  • Hosted in New

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