National Affairs

1. Delhi announces staggered office timings to curb pollution
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced staggered working hours for government and MCD offices to tackle rising air pollution during winter. The move aims to reduce vehicular congestion and improve air quality in the national capital.

2. Karnataka introduces paid menstrual leave policy
Karnataka became the first Indian state to approve 12 days of paid menstrual leave annually for women employees. The initiative promotes gender equality, workplace inclusivity, and health-conscious labour policies.

National Updates

• India’s Clean Energy Leadership: India has become the third-largest country globally in clean industrial project pipeline, after China and the United States.

• Financial Inclusion Milestone: Deposits under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) crossed ?2.75 lakh crore as of October 22, 2025.

• Public Sector Banks’ Record Profit: PSBs, led by SBI, reported a record ?49,456 crore profit in Q2 FY26, up 9% YoY.

National Affairs

1. India ranks 3rd globally in clean industrial project pipeline — after China and the USA — showing rapid progress in renewable and green manufacturing sectors.

2. PM Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) deposits have crossed Rs2.75 lakh crore (as of Oct 22, 2025), reinforcing India’s financial inclusion success.

3. Public Sector Banks (PSBs) posted a record Rs49,456 crore profit in Q2 FY26, a 9% YoY rise, led by SBI.

4. RBI amendments: Exporters can now retain foreign currency earnings in IFSC accounts for up to 3 months.

1. National Affairs

• Green Hydrogen-2025 Conference: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will host the International Conference on Green Hydrogen-2025 in New Delhi to strengthen India’s green hydrogen ecosystem.

• Humanitarian Aid to Caribbean Nations: India dispatched 20 tonnes each of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) materials to Jamaica and Cuba after Hurricane Melissa.

• First Fortified Rice Export: India exported its first-ever consignment of Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK) to Costa Rica, marking a milestone in nutrition-based agricultural exports.

• Project Cheetah Update: India will receive eight new cheetahs from Botswana by the third week of December 2025 as part of efforts to re-establish the species extinct since 1952.

• NaBFID Expansion: The Government of India will reposition the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) as a global financial institution, reflecting a major policy shift.

• Export Incentive Review Committee: A new panel chaired by Neeraj Kumar Gupta (former Secretary, DIPAM) has been set up to review rates under RoDTEP and RoSCTL schemes.

• Insurance Penalty: IRDAI imposed a ?1 crore fine on Liberty General Insurance for regulatory violations.

• Credit Card Innovation: Scapia and Federal Bank launched an add-on credit card feature enabling primary cardholders to share credit limits with family members aged 18 and above.

National Affairs

• RBI Meeting: 619th Central Board meeting of the Reserve Bank of India held in Udaipur, chaired by Governor Sanjay Malhotra.

• SBI: Launched annual employee excellence award ‘SBI STAR’ (Staff Talent Acknowledgement & Recognition).

• Bank of Baroda: Paused plan to divest majority stake in Nainital Bank Limited; to focus on strengthening the bank.

• Digital Economy Milestone: UPI transactions hit a record ₹27.28 lakh crore (value) and 20.7 billion (volume) in October 2025 – NPCI data.

• NIPL-Razorpay Partnership: NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) partnered with Razorpay Curlec to enable UPI payments in Malaysia.

• Trade Policy Update: India to resume import approvals from China and other nations, ending a 5-year freeze since 2020.