PIB Current Affairs 17 September 2026

Important DaysMediumquizQuiz

World Patient Safety Day 2026 observed on safe care for noncommunicable diseases

•World Patient Safety Day 2026 was observed on 17 September with the WHO theme 'Safe care for noncommunicable diseases' and the slogan 'Safe care for life!'.
•Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda addressed the national event at ABVIMS & Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi, where the hospital's Quality & Safety Handbook was released.
•He put Ayushman Bharat coverage at about 11.5 crore beneficiaries treated for around Rs 1.6 lakh crore, Jan Aushadhi savings at about Rs 45,000 crore, and NQAS-certified government facilities at 60,000 against a target of about 2 lakh.

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AppointmentsLowquizQuiz

Centre appoints two Members to Governing Body of DWBDNC for DNT communities

•The Department of Social Justice & Empowerment has appointed Narayan Dewasi and Swaroop Singh Banjara as Members of the Governing Body of the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC).
•Their tenure is three years from the date of joining or until further orders, whichever is earlier; Swaroop Singh Banjara assumed charge on 17 September 2026.
•DWBDNC, constituted on 21 February 2019 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, carries the welfare and socio-economic development mandate for DNT communities and implements the SEED scheme.

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Schemes & CommitteesLowquizQuiz

Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 launched by MoHUA and Drinking Water and Sanitation Department

•The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation jointly launched Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 with a plantation drive under 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' at Children's Park, India Gate, New Delhi.
•The campaign carries the theme 'Swachhata Mein Sahbhag; Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat' and runs to 2 October, on five pillars from Cleanliness Target Units to Swachhata se Samriddhi.
•On 2 October, Special Gram Sabhas in rural areas and Special Council Meetings in urban areas will review the campaign's outcomes and assess villages' ODF Plus (Model) status.

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Agreements & MoUsMediumquizQuiz

New Zealand Parliament passes law to give effect to India-New Zealand FTA

•The Parliament of New Zealand passed legislation on 16 September 2026 to give effect to the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, signed in New Delhi on 27 April 2026.
•The Agreement gives duty-free access to 100 per cent of Indian exports to New Zealand from the date it enters into force, and preferential access in India for New Zealand wood, wool, sheep meat and leather raw hides.
•It also provides for facilitating USD 20 billion of investment into India, along with services, investment and professional, student and youth mobility pathways.

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Schemes & CommitteesLowquizQuiz

100 Weeks Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan opens with nationwide Rashtriya Sankalp Samaroh

•The Department of Youth Affairs will open the 100 Weeks Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan on 18 September 2026 with the Rashtriya Sankalp Samaroh, a nationwide youth pledge and signature campaign.
•It is delivered through Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) and the National Service Scheme: 300 NSS institutions from 18 September, and 485 MY Bharat units on 20 September.
•The parent Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan, launched on 2 August 2026, is built on four pillars - Prevent, Protect, Recover and Lead.

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EconomyLowquizQuiz

India's Textile Exports Rise 16.1% to Rs 29,776 Crore in August 2026

•India's textile exports rose 16.1% year-on-year in August 2026 to Rs 29,776 crore, against Rs 25,656 crore in August 2025.
•Cumulative textile exports during April-August 2026 reached Rs 1.43 lakh crore, a growth of 10.3% over the same period a year earlier.
•Growth was broad-based, with handicrafts excluding handmade carpets up 41.4% in the month and cotton yarn, fabrics, made-ups and handloom up 24.1%.

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EconomyMediumquizQuiz

Coal Ministry Launches 16th Commercial Coal Mine Auction Round, Signs Six CMDPAs

•The Ministry of Coal launched the 16th round of commercial coal mine auctions in New Delhi on 17 September 2026, offering 25 coal blocks across nine coal-bearing states.
•Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements were handed to the successful bidders of six mines auctioned in earlier rounds, together holding about 1,504 million tonnes of geological reserves.
•Since the sector was opened to commercial mining in 2020, 147 coal mines have been auctioned, with cumulative expected annual revenue of over Rs 47,500 crore.

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EconomyLowquizQuiz

NHAI Puts 'OneTag' FASTag Portability on the Rajmargyatra App

•'OneTag', a FASTag portability service, is now available on NHAI's Rajmargyatra app, letting users change their FASTag issuer bank without replacing the physical tag on the vehicle.
•The FASTag ID linked to the vehicle registration number stays unchanged after porting; the old issuer closes the wallet and refunds the balance after applicable adjustments.
•An interoperable FASTag carries a six-month cooling period before it can be ported again.

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Schemes & CommitteesLowquizQuiz

Fourth Instalment of West Bengal's Annapurna Yojana Released to About 1.5 Crore Women

•The Prime Minister addressed the release of an instalment under West Bengal's Annapurna Yojana via video conferencing on 17 September 2026.
•The fourth instalment of Rs 3,000 is reaching the bank accounts of approximately 1.5 crore women in the state.
•The address also referred to more than 50 lakh newly identified poor families in West Bengal being brought under PM Awas Yojana, and to the rollout of PM Vishwakarma Yojana in the state.

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Science & TechMediumquizQuiz

India Commissions Its 51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Odisha

•India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar was inaugurated virtually at Sambalpur, Odisha by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh, in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
•The network has grown from 14 radars in 2014 to 51, and about 40 more are planned under Mission Mausam, which would take the total to roughly 81.
•Odisha now has three Doppler Weather Radars - Gopalpur, Paradip and Sambalpur - with more announced for Balasore, Puri and Bhubaneswar.

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EnvironmentHighquizQuiz

India's First Soil Carbon Payments Reach 2,550 Farmers in Punjab and Haryana

•India's agricultural carbon market has reached the farm: more than 2,500 smallholders in Punjab and Haryana are receiving over Rs 2.9 crore in digital payments for adopting regenerative farming practices.
•The Direct Benefit Transfer to 2,550 farmers was initiated at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana by Dr M. L. Jat, Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director General, ICAR.
•The payments come under 'Aadi', a Grow Indigo farmer carbon programme launched in 2019 with technical guidance from ICAR, which rewards Direct Seeded Rice, reduced tillage and crop residue management practised between 2019 and 2022.

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Summits & ConferencesMediumquizQuiz

India at G20 Energy Ministerial in Houston: Clean Cooking, Permitting, Critical Minerals

•Union Minister for Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Manohar Lal led the Indian delegation to the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial Meeting at Houston, USA from 14 to 16 September 2026, under the U.S. G20 Presidency.
•The meeting worked across three pillars: Energy Security and Affordable Baseload; Permitting and Regulatory Efficiency; and Critical Minerals and Resilient Supply Chains.
•Outcomes included the G20 Statement on Advancing Clean Cooking Access, a Permitting and Regulatory Efficiency Symposium, the G20 Water Reuse Initiative and the G20 Critical Minerals Meeting Communique.

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Polity & GovernanceLowquizQuiz

Draft Rules Propose Mandatory CCTV at Chemists Selling Schedule H, H1 and X Drugs

•The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has proposed amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945 through Draft Gazette Notification G.S.R. 791(E) dated 8 September 2026.
•The amendment would make CCTV surveillance mandatory at medical stores, to curb unauthorised sale of Schedule H, H1 and X drugs without valid prescriptions.
•The proposal was deliberated by the Drugs Consultative Committee and recommended for approval by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board; objections and suggestions have been invited from the public.

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Polity & GovernanceMediumquizQuiz

Health Ministry Advisory Confines Stem Cell Therapy to Approved Indications

•The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued an advisory dated 16 September 2026 to all States and Union Territories that have adopted the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010.
•It follows the Supreme Court judgment of 30 January 2026 in Yash Charitable Trust and Others v. Union of India and Others, W.P. (C) No. 369 of 2022, reported as 2026 INSC 96.
•Stem cell therapy may be offered as standard care only for disease conditions and indications on the list approved by the Ministry.

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Schemes & CommitteesMediumquizQuiz

PMKKKY at Ten: Rs 1 Lakh Crore Sanctioned Through District Mineral Foundations

•A PIB Backgrounder reviews the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana, launched on 17 September 2015 to route a share of mining royalty into the welfare of mining-affected districts.
•The scheme is implemented by District Mineral Foundations, non-profit trusts created by the 2015 amendment to the MMDR Act, 1957, and now set up in 656 districts across 23 States.
•Lease holders contribute 10 per cent of royalty for leases granted on or after 12 January 2015 and 30 per cent for those granted earlier.

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EconomyMediumquizQuiz

ECMS Outlay Raised to Rs 40,000 Crore; 106 Projects Approved Across 15 States

•A PIB Backgrounder sets out the status of the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme, notified on 8 April 2025 to move India from electronics assembly to component manufacturing.
•The Union Budget 2026-27 raised the scheme's outlay from Rs 22,919 crore to Rs 40,000 crore.
•As of August 2026, 106 projects covering 30 product categories across 15 States have been approved, with investment of Rs 69,548 crore and production already running at 38 plants.

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Science & TechHighquizQuiz

Semicon 2.0 Unveiled at SEMICON India 2026: Six Pillars, Rs 1,27,500 Crore

•The Prime Minister inaugurated the fifth edition of SEMICON India at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi on 17 September 2026, themed 'Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem' and running to 19 September.
•Semicon 2.0, approved by the Union Cabinet on 15 July 2026 with an outlay of Rs 1,27,500 crore, widens the mission from fabs and packaging to six pillars covering design, equipment and materials, advanced packaging, applied R&D and talent.
•Investment commitments of about Rs 1 lakh crore have been received and close to 1 lakh jobs are expected across the ecosystem over the next two to three years.

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Current Affairs Pulse

PIB Current Affairs — 17 September 2026

World Patient Safety Day 2026 observed on safe care for noncommunicable diseases

Centre appoints two Members to Governing Body of DWBDNC for DNT communities

Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 launched by MoHUA and Drinking Water and Sanitation Department

New Zealand Parliament passes law to give effect to India-New Zealand FTA

100 Weeks Nasha Mukt Yuva Abhiyan opens with nationwide Rashtriya Sankalp Samaroh

India's Textile Exports Rise 16.1% to Rs 29,776 Crore in August 2026

Coal Ministry Launches 16th Commercial Coal Mine Auction Round, Signs Six CMDPAs

NHAI Puts 'OneTag' FASTag Portability on the Rajmargyatra App

Fourth Instalment of West Bengal's Annapurna Yojana Released to About 1.5 Crore Women

India Commissions Its 51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Odisha

India's First Soil Carbon Payments Reach 2,550 Farmers in Punjab and Haryana

India at G20 Energy Ministerial in Houston: Clean Cooking, Permitting, Critical Minerals

Draft Rules Propose Mandatory CCTV at Chemists Selling Schedule H, H1 and X Drugs

Health Ministry Advisory Confines Stem Cell Therapy to Approved Indications

PMKKKY at Ten: Rs 1 Lakh Crore Sanctioned Through District Mineral Foundations

ECMS Outlay Raised to Rs 40,000 Crore; 106 Projects Approved Across 15 States

Semicon 2.0 Unveiled at SEMICON India 2026: Six Pillars, Rs 1,27,500 Crore