Current Affairs, 28 October 2026: DA hike, cheaper cancer drugs, 6.7% factory growth and every verified update

Every item below is taken from the official releases of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India, dated 28 October 2026 — 65 stories from 66 releases (one story combines two releases on the same Cabinet decision). Each headline opens the full story on Bharat Darshan Times with the complete official text, photos, data tables and a link to the original release.

Who this is for: students preparing for UPSC, state PSC, SSC, banking and other exams, and every reader who wants the day’s government news without the noise.

Top 10 points for exams

1. Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief raised by 3 percentage points to 63% of basic pay/pension, effective 1 July 2026; cost ₹10,016.10 crore a year; covers 48.54 lakh employees and 68.71 lakh pensioners.
2. NPPA revised the MRP of 543 brands of anti-cancer medicines, effective 9 November 2026.
3. Index of Industrial Production grew 6.7% in September 2026 (Quick Estimate, base 2022-23=100); manufacturing +7.6%, electricity +11.2%, mining −6.2%.
4. Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme: ₹10,000 crore, FY 2027-28 to 2039-40; capacity to grow from about 70,000 TEUs to 7.5 lakh TEUs a year.
5. Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana: ₹7,395.55 crore (Centre ₹4,869.48 crore, states ₹2,526.07 crore), 2026-27 to 2030-31, about 2.55 lakh panchayats.
6. Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme: ₹1,856.67 crore, 2026-27 to 2033-34, with Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones.
7. 13th ADMM-Plus (ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus) held in Cebu, Philippines; Rajnath Singh met the defence ministers of the US, Japan, South Korea and Singapore.
8. India and Mexico signed the Terms of Reference to launch negotiations on a Preferential Trade Agreement.
9. Cheetah KNG22 of Kuno National Park died on 27 October of firearm pellet injuries; NTCA–WCCB team deputed.
10. Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 entered Guinness World Records as the largest innovation solution competition, with 2,87,967 project submissions.

Key numbers of the day

Figure	What it is
63%	New DA/DR rate (from 60%), effective 1 July 2026
₹10,016.10 cr	Annual cost of the DA/DR increase
543	Anti-cancer medicine brands with revised MRP (from 9 Nov)
6.7%	IIP growth, September 2026
7.5 lakh TEUs	Target container-making capacity a year
₹7,395.55 cr	PM Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana outlay
₹1,856.67 cr	Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme outlay
₹1,000 cr	PMEGP margin-money subsidy; 11,333 new micro enterprises
0.30%	GeM transaction charge after reform
₹100 cr	New minimum turnover for Part 2 of the Textiles PLI
308 GW	India’s installed non-fossil capacity (MNRE)
54th	PRAGATI meeting chaired by the PM
2,87,967	Viksit Bharat Buildathon submissions (Guinness record)
14th	Edition of the International Tourism Mart, Tawang
57th	IFFI, Panaji, Goa, 20–28 November 2026

Cabinet decisions

• DA hiked 3% to 63%: 48.5 lakh central employees and 68.7 lakh pensioners to benefit — The Cabinet approved the increase with effect from 1 July 2026. It will cost the exchequer ₹10,016.10 crore a year.
• Cabinet approves ₹7,396-crore scheme to strengthen 2.55 lakh panchayats — The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana runs from 2026-27 to 2030-31 and will train about 32 lakh elected representatives.
• ₹10,000-crore scheme to make shipping containers in India at ten times today’s capacity — The Cabinet approved the Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme; capacity is to rise from about 70,000 TEUs a year to 7.5 lakh TEUs.
• ₹1,857-crore Khelo India scheme to build a sports goods manufacturing hub — The Cabinet approved dedicated Sports Goods Manufacturing Zones and support for investment, technology and exports until 2033-34.

Economy, business and industry

• Factory output grows 6.7% in September; manufacturing up 7.6% — Electricity grew 11.2% while mining shrank 6.2%, according to the Quick Estimate of the Index of Industrial Production.
• ₹1,000-crore PMEGP subsidy to support 11,333 new micro enterprises — The margin-money release enables bank credit of ₹3,260 crore and over 1.02 lakh jobs, the MSME Ministry says.
• GeM cuts transaction charge to 0.30% and raises exemption threshold to ₹10 lakh — Reforms highlighted at GeM Samvad 2026 aim to make government procurement easier for micro and small enterprises.
• Textile PLI scheme reopens on 1 November; turnover bar halved to ₹100 crore — Applications for Round 4 will be accepted until 31 December 2026, and the tenure is extended to 2033-34 for new applicants.
• PM to open Bharat Renewable Energy Summit on 2 November; over 130 countries expected — The summit and expo run from 2 to 5 November at Bharat Mandapam; India has 308 GW of non-fossil capacity, the MNRE says.
• Thoothukudi mega shipyard: Sonowal meets HD Hyundai chairman in Seoul — A joint working group will steer the project, with a detailed project report expected within six months.
• RINL land e-auction in Visakhapatnam rescheduled — The National Land Monetization Corporation issued Corrigenda 6 and 7 revising the auction schedule.
• Workshop on revising the base year of state industrial production indices begins — The three-day MoSPI training in Thiruvananthapuram runs from 28 to 30 October.
• SECL earns ₹26.17 crore from scrap and cleans 47 lakh sq ft under Special Campaign 6 — South Eastern Coalfields disposed of 4,602 tonnes of scrap across 226 sites in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
• Petroleum Ministry earns ₹49.46 crore from scrap and frees 3.42 lakh sq ft — The ministry and its public-sector companies are carrying out Special Campaign 6.
• Corporate Affairs Ministry resolves 316 of 330 pending grievances in Special Campaign 6.0 — The cleanliness drive also earned ₹10,50,520 from e-waste management and recycling.

International relations and defence

• Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth review 10-year defence framework — The meeting in Cebu covered operational readiness, technology sharing and defence-industrial integration.
• Rajnath Singh meets Japan’s defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi in Cebu — The ministers welcomed progress in defence cooperation since August and stressed a free, open and peaceful Indo-Pacific.
• Rajnath Singh and South Korea’s defence minister discuss co-developing military technology — The two ministers met on the margins of the 13th ADMM-Plus in Cebu, Philippines, and discussed regional security in the Indo-Pacific.
• India and Singapore review defence ties on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus — Rajnath Singh met Singapore’s Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing in Cebu and reaffirmed India’s support for ASEAN centrality.
• INS Sahyadri reaches Busan for India–South Korea naval exercise — The indigenously built stealth frigate arrived at Busan Naval Harbour on 26 October for the IN-RoKN bilateral exercise.
• India and Mexico launch talks on a preferential trade agreement — Both sides signed the Terms of Reference that set the scope, method and roadmap for the negotiations.
• Piyush Goyal meets Liechtenstein’s Hereditary Prince on investment under India–EFTA pact — The talks focused on economic engagement and investment opportunities under the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement.
• Vice-President meets European Parliament foreign affairs committee delegation — C. P. Radhakrishnan told the AFET delegation, led by David McAllister, that India–EU relations have made remarkable progress.
• India releases four biodiversity publications at CBD COP-17 in Armenia — Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav called for turning global biodiversity commitments into action, finance and cooperation.
• India leads delegation to Singapore International Energy Week — Minister of State Shripad Naik held bilateral meetings with Singapore, Bhutan, IRENA and the IEA on the sidelines.

Governance and Parliament

• PM reviews ₹16,000-crore projects across 31 states at 54th PRAGATI meeting — Railway stations, PM Ekta Malls and bulk drug parks were on the agenda; Chief Secretaries were asked to review schemes with District Magistrates every month.
• Disagree with respect, says Lok Sabha Speaker, recalling Sant Kabir — Om Birla called for restraint in speech and ethical conduct, saying Kabir’s teachings remain relevant six centuries on.
• Social Justice Secretary reviews welfare schemes in Assam — The review covered drug demand reduction, Scheduled Caste development, senior citizens and sanitation workers’ safety.
• ₹77.98 crore released to 755 projects for senior citizens under Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana — The grant covers the quarter ending 30 September 2026.
• NHRC issues advisory to protect the rights of women prisoners and their children — The National Human Rights Commission set out measures for states and prison authorities.
• PM shares Sanskrit verse on protecting nature — The subhashitam says a ruler who safeguards nature prospers, and nature in turn fulfils every need.
• Book on the revival of India’s cultural identity launched with ASI and IGNCA — Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said India’s knowledge traditions are the foundation of its civilisational continuity.

Health and medicines

• Cancer drugs get cheaper: NPPA revises MRP of 543 brands from 9 November — One brand of Anastrozole 1 mg drops from ₹695.76 to ₹73 for 10 tablets; the list will be updated as more companies submit revised prices.
• Tobacco-Free Youth Campaign 4.0 launched to protect young people from addiction — Minister of State Prataprao Jadhav administered the “Say No to Tobacco” pledge at RML Hospital, New Delhi.
• 2,040 folios of 30 Telugu Ayurveda manuscripts transcribed at Hyderabad workshop — The three-day workshop at the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage trained scholars to decipher and edit old medical texts.
• From addiction to recovery: a Karimnagar graduate’s journey through rehabilitation — A case study from the Social Justice Ministry on Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts.
• Department of Pharmaceuticals holds 14,700 cleanliness drives under Special Campaign 6.0 — The department also focused on e-waste management and better use of office space.

Science, technology and telecom

• PM opens ESTIC 2026: “Viksit Bharat will be built on scientific research” — The Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave is being held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 27 to 29 October.
• Government to link startups with industry, says Jitendra Singh at ESTIC — The ESTIC exhibition features 50 deep-tech startups, 13 departmental stalls and 10 departmental technologies.
• AI-native 6G and quantum-safe networks in focus at DoT session at ESTIC — C-DOT and BSNL showcased indigenous telecom technology; Sanchar Saathi was also presented.
• TRAI tests mobile network quality in Gonda, Bahraich, Shravasti and Balrampur — Findings of the September 2026 independent drive test, including highway routes, are published for consumers.
• Jal Shakti launches Punah Bharan app to plan groundwater recharge — Developed by BISAG-N with the National Water Mission, the app helps identify sites for recharge structures.

Education, skills and youth

• Viksit Bharat Buildathon enters Guinness World Records with 2,87,967 entries — Minister of State Jayant Chaudhary felicitated 10 national-level winning teams in New Delhi.
• Skill Ministry asks public-sector companies to step up apprenticeships — The national review of CPSEs at Kaushal Bhawan focused on outcomes and inclusion.
• National Overseas Scholarship takes a Scheduled Caste student to Brown University — A case study from the Social Justice Ministry on financial support for higher education abroad.
• JNU to award degrees for Indian Culinary Institute’s BBA and MBA courses — The Ministry of Tourism institute signed an MoU with Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Sports

• Sports and Education ministries sign MoU with UNESCO to teach clean sport in schools — Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said sporting excellence and sporting integrity must go hand in hand.

Agriculture, rural development and water

• Khet Bachao Abhiyan: scientists meet farmers in Delhi’s villages on rabi crop care — The nationwide campaign runs from 22 October to 30 November 2026 and covers balanced fertiliser use and sustainable practices.
• Sujal Gram Samvad: panchayats urged to own and maintain rural water systems — The 12th multilingual dialogue focused on operation and maintenance and on keeping water sources sustainable.

Environment and wildlife

• Kuno cheetah dies of gunshot pellet wounds; Centre sends high-level team — Five firearm pellets were removed from the 19-month-old male cheetah KNG22, which was found injured outside the national park on 25 October.
• 45 live reptiles hidden in food packets seized at Trichy airport; two arrested — The passengers had arrived from Bangkok via Colombo; the sedated reptiles were found in their baggage.

Crime, smuggling and enforcement

• DRI seizes 55,000 e-cigarettes worth over ₹13.5 crore at Kolkata port — The consignments were found in two Nepal-bound transshipment containers on 24 October.

Corruption and vigilance

• Vigilance Awareness Week: lecture on preventing corruption in government — The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment hosted an expert talk on preventive vigilance, transparency and accountability.

Human stories from welfare schemes

• From the streets to self-reliance: how the SMILE scheme helped a homeless woman rebuild her life — A case study from the Social Justice Ministry on rehabilitation and livelihood support.

Swachhata and Special Campaign 6

• Coal India’s MCL stages street plays on safe e-waste disposal — The nukkad natak at Mahanadi Coalfields’ headquarters was part of Special Campaign 6.
• Heavy Industries Ministry reports Swachhata Hi Seva and Special Campaign 6 activities — The ministry, its CPSEs and autonomous bodies took part in the 17 September–17 October cleanliness campaign.
• Renewable Energy Ministry identifies 5,337 obsolete e-waste items for disposal — The drive is part of Special Campaign 6 to clear pending matters and manage waste responsibly.
• Legislative Department holds best-practices workshop under Special Campaign 6 — The workshop in Kartavya Bhawan-II promoted effective administrative and record-management practices.

Tourism, culture and cinema

• Tawang hosts International Tourism Mart for the Northeast from 29 to 31 October — Over 200 domestic and international buyers and sellers are expected at the 14th edition.
• IFFI 2026 media accreditation deadline extended to 4 November — The 57th International Film Festival of India will be held in Panaji, Goa, from 20 to 28 November 2026.

Explainers: read these for exams

• Explained: the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme — What the ₹1,856.67-crore scheme funds, how the manufacturing zones will work, and who can apply.
• Explained: Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana — How the ₹7,395.55-crore scheme aims to strengthen governance in Gram Panchayats.
• Explained: how the ₹10,000-crore container manufacturing scheme works — Why India imports almost all its containers today, and what the new scheme will change.
• Explained: India’s new-age space technologies — A government backgrounder on India’s space programme and the road to self-reliance.
• Explained: green hydrogen and India’s national mission — What green hydrogen is, why it matters for industry and climate, and what India has done so far.

Watch

• Cabinet briefing, 28 October 2026: DA hike, panchayat scheme, container and sports goods schemes — Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
• DA raised by 3% for central government employees and pensioners — DD News
• Discussion: what the Union Cabinet decided on 28 October 2026 — NEWS ON AIR OFFICIAL
• PM Modi inaugurates the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave 2026 — Narendra Modi
• ESTIC 2026 opens at Bharat Mandapam: PM stresses science and technology — DD News
• Rajnath Singh meets US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in the Philippines — DD News

Practice questions

1. From which date is the latest Dearness Allowance increase effective?

(a) 1 January 2026 · (b) 1 April 2026 · (c) 1 July 2026 · (d) 1 October 2026

2. What is the revised DA rate after the 28 October 2026 Cabinet decision?

(a) 58% · (b) 60% · (c) 63% · (d) 66%

3. How many brands of anti-cancer medicines did NPPA list with revised MRPs?

(a) 345 · (b) 453 · (c) 543 · (d) 634

4. What was India’s IIP growth for September 2026 (Quick Estimate)?

(a) 5.2% · (b) 6.7% · (c) 7.6% · (d) 8.0%

5. Where was the 13th ADMM-Plus held?

(a) Manila · (b) Cebu · (c) Jakarta · (d) Kuala Lumpur

6. The Container Manufacturing Promotion Scheme aims to raise annual capacity to about:

(a) 70,000 TEUs · (b) 2.5 lakh TEUs · (c) 7.5 lakh TEUs · (d) 75 lakh TEUs

7. The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana is co-terminus with which Finance Commission period?

(a) Fourteenth · (b) Fifteenth · (c) Sixteenth · (d) Seventeenth

8. India launched Preferential Trade Agreement negotiations with which country on 28 October 2026?

(a) Brazil · (b) Mexico · (c) Chile · (d) Peru

9. CBD COP-17 is being held in:

(a) Baku · (b) Yerevan · (c) Tbilisi · (d) Astana

10. INS Sahyadri arrived at which port for the India–RoK Navy bilateral exercise?

(a) Incheon · (b) Busan · (c) Yokosuka · (d) Manila

11. The cheetah that died of pellet injuries belonged to which national park?

(a) Gandhi Sagar · (b) Kuno · (c) Panna · (d) Bandhavgarh

12. What is the outlay of the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme?

(a) ₹856.67 crore · (b) ₹1,856.67 crore · (c) ₹2,856.67 crore · (d) ₹10,000 crore

13. The 14th International Tourism Mart for the North Eastern Region is being held at:

(a) Shillong · (b) Gangtok · (c) Tawang · (d) Kohima

14. The minimum turnover for Part 2 of the Textiles PLI scheme has been reduced to:

(a) ₹50 crore · (b) ₹100 crore · (c) ₹150 crore · (d) ₹200 crore

15. The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 entered Guinness World Records with how many submissions?

(a) 1,87,967 · (b) 2,87,967 · (c) 3,87,967 · (d) 4,87,967

Answers

1. (c) 1 July 2026 · 2. (c) 63% · 3. (c) 543 · 4. (b) 6.7% · 5. (b) Cebu · 6. (c) 7.5 lakh TEUs · 7. (c) Sixteenth · 8. (b) Mexico · 9. (b) Yerevan · 10. (b) Busan · 11. (b) Kuno · 12. (b) ₹1,856.67 crore · 13. (c) Tawang · 14. (b) ₹100 crore · 15. (b) 2,87,967

---

What this page does not include: events and claims that are not in an official release. Corruption cases, court matters and other news will appear here only after they are verified against primary sources.

Source: Press Information Bureau — All Releases, 28 October 2026.