31st January, 2026 Current Affairs (Daily GK Update)

Current Affairs on 31 January 2026 highlighted advances in transport safety, social justice, global finance, sustainability, and grassroots development. Indian Railways set a record by commissioning 472.3 km of Kavach 4.0 in a single day, boosting rail safety. The Supreme Court declared menstrual health a fundamental right, mandating nationwide school infrastructure reforms. The World Bank pledged USD 8–10 billion annually to India, while new Ramsar sites, rural schemes, cultural festivals, and major film awards reflected inclusive growth, environmental stewardship, and socio-cultural progress.

National News

How Did Indian Railways Achieve Its Biggest One Day Kavach 4.0 Safety Milestone?

• Indian Railways achieved a record safety milestone by commissioning 472.3 km of Kavach 4.0 in a single day across Western, Northern, and East Central Railways, taking total Kavach coverage beyond 1,300 km.
• The rollout covered Vadodara–Virar (344 km), Tuglakabad–Palwal (35 km), and Manpur–Sarmatanr (93.3 km), surpassing the previous record and strengthening safety on high-density corridors like Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Howrah.
• Kavach 4.0, India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection system, prevents signal passing at danger and overspeeding using GPS, radio communication, and real-time processing, and is certified to the highest global safety standards (SIL-4), marking a major step toward a smarter and safer rail network.

Why Has the Supreme Court Declared Menstrual Health a Fundamental Right?

• The Supreme Court of India has ruled that menstrual health is an integral part of the right to life and dignity under Article 21.d
• Drecting all States and Union Territories to ensure free sanitary pads, separate gender-segregated toilets with water, privacy, and safe disposal facilities in every government and private school within three months.
• Holding that lack of menstrual hygiene infrastructure causes humiliation, exclusion, and school dropouts among girls, the Court mandated oxo-biodegradable pads, MHM corners for emergencies, strict accountability for non-compliance, and integration of menstrual and reproductive health education into school curricula.

Why Has the World Bank Pledged USD 8-10 Billion Annually to India?

• The World Bank Group has committed USD 8-10 billion annually to India for the next five years under a new Country Partnership Framework (CPF), aimed at accelerating India’s growth and supporting its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
• The CPF provides a strategic roadmap for financial support, technical assistance, and global expertise, aligned with India’s Viksit Bharat vision, focusing on institution-building, knowledge sharing, and sustainable development.

Why Is SAIL Being Certified Third Time a ‘Great Place to Work’ Again?

• Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) was recognised as a Great Place to Work for the third consecutive year, with the certification valid from February 2026 to February 2027.
• Awarded by the globally reputed Great Place to Work Institute, the recognition is based on employee feedback and trust metrics, where SAIL recorded a notable improvement in its Trust Index score, reflecting higher confidence in leadership, fairness, and workplace culture.
• For a Maharatna PSU, this achievement highlights SAIL’s sustained focus on employee trust, transparency, and professional growth, marking a shift toward more employee-centric and modern public sector governance.

Why Are Patna Bird Sanctuary and Chhari-Dhand Added to Ramsar Important Wetlands?

• India has added two new wetlands to the global list of protected ecosystems with the designation of Patna Bird Sanctuary in Etah, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhari-Dhand in Kutch, Gujarat, as Ramsar sites, taking the country’s total to 98.
• Recognised under the Ramsar Convention (1971), these wetlands are ecologically significant biodiversity hotspots Patna Bird Sanctuary is a key freshwater habitat for migratory birds in the Gangetic plains, while Chhari-Dhand is a rare seasonal saline wetland supporting rich wildlife in the arid Kutch region.

State News

Why Did Ladakh’s Sky Turn Blood-Red? Was It Beauty or a Space Warning for Earth?

• In mid-January 2026, Ladakh’s Hanle region witnessed a rare blood-red sky, caused not by normal auroras but by an intense geomagnetic storm triggered by a powerful solar flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) during the ongoing solar maximum.
• Charged solar particles interacted with Earth’s magnetic field, exciting high-altitude oxygen atoms and producing red auroral light an unusual sight at India’s low latitude.
• The event highlighted serious risks to satellites, GPS systems, communication networks, and power grids, underlining the growing importance of space weather monitoring and India’s Aditya-L1 mission, which plays a critical role in providing early warnings of solar storms.

How Will the Mukhyamantri Gramotthan Yojana Transform Gujarat’s Villages?

• Gujarat has launched the Mukhyamantri Gramotthan Yojana (MGY) to strengthen village-level governance and rural infrastructure, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel laying foundation stones for 2,666 new panchayat offices across the state.
• With an outlay of ₹663 crore, the scheme aims to bring government services closer to villagers by modernising panchayat offices, improving access to welfare schemes, and making villages self-reliant.
• MGY focuses on providing urban-like facilities in rural areas such as better roads, water supply, sanitation, solar lighting, e-gram centres, and community halls to reduce rural-urban migration, ease pressure on cities, and promote balanced, inclusive development rooted in the Gandhian vision of Gram Swaraj.

Why Is a Small Nagaland Village Celebrating Oranges?

• The 5th Rüsoma Orange Festival began on 30 January 2026 at Rusoma village, near Kohima, Nagaland, highlighting community-led rural development through horticulture.
• Celebrated under the theme “Abundance of Rüsoma”, the festival promotes the village’s high-quality oranges, supports farmer incomes, and encourages rural entrepreneurship by connecting growers directly with consumers.
• Featuring cultural performances, local food stalls, and sales of fresh oranges, saplings, and value-added products, the event showcases how sustainable farming, local branding, and cultural preservation can strengthen livelihoods and reduce rural-to-urban migration.

Awards News

Who Are the Winners of Tamil Nadu State Film Awards 2016-2022?

• The Tamil Nadu government announced the State Film Awards for 2016–2022, celebrating a socially conscious and artistically transformative phase of Tamil cinema.
• Films like Gargi (2022) and Jai Bhim (2021) won Best Film (First Prize) for their powerful engagement with justice, gender, and caste realities, with Sai Pallavi also earning Best Actress for Gargi.
• Acting honours went to impactful performances such as Dhanush for Vada Chennai and Vikram Prabhu for Taanakkaran, alongside winners like Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara, Jyothika, and Keerthy Suresh.
• Directors Lokesh Kanagaraj (Maanagaram) and Gautham Ramachandran (Gargi), and composers A R Rahman and Santhosh Narayanan, were also recognised, underscoring Tamil cinema’s bold storytelling, social relevance, and artistic depth.

What Is the Pechora Missile System and Why Has India Digitised It?

• Indian Air Force’s Pechora surface-to-air missile system, inducted in the 1970s, was successfully fully digitised through an indigenous upgrade, significantly enhancing its performance and extending its service life.
• Modernised by Alpha Design Technologies under a ₹591.3 crore contract, the upgrade replaced outdated analogue components with indigenous digital subsystems such as thermal imaging fire control units, software-defined radios, and improved detection systems.

Summits & Conferences News

Where Will the 6th National Crop Nutrition Summit Be Held in 2026?

• India’s growing focus on soil health, micronutrients, and sustainable agriculture will take centre stage at the National Crop Nutrition Summit to be held in Mumbai in early February 2026.
• Organised by the Indian Micro-Fertilizers Manufacturers Association at the NSE complex, Bandra Kurla Complex, the sixth edition of the summit will be held under the theme “Converge, Collaborate & Co-create.”

Science & Technology News

What is ISRO Confirms Gaganyaan Mission Timeline For Launch?

• India’s Gaganyaan mission, led by ISRO, is entering its most critical phase, with the country’s first human spaceflight scheduled for 2027, as confirmed by ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan.
• Before astronauts fly, ISRO will conduct three uncrewed test missions, starting with G1 in March 2026, which is nearly 90% complete and has already undergone over 8,000 ground and structural tests.
• The G1 mission will carry Vyommitra, a humanoid robot designed to test life-support systems, crew module conditions, re-entry behaviour, and recovery operations.

Has a Spanish Scientist Really Found a Cure for Pancreatic Cancer?

• Spanish researchers have reported a major breakthrough in pancreatic cancer research after a triple-drug therapy completely eliminated aggressive pancreatic tumours in laboratory mice with no relapse.
• Led by scientist Mariano Barbacid at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, the study showed that simultaneously blocking multiple cancer survival pathways prevented tumour cells from adapting or resisting treatment, a key reason pancreatic cancer is so deadly.
• While the results showed durable tumour clearance with minimal side effects in mice an exceptionally rare outcome for this cancer scientists caution that extensive human trials are still needed before it can be considered a cure.

Sports News

53 Years Later, History Falls: How Djokovic Rewrote Australian Open Records at 38

• Novak Djokovic delivered a vintage performance at the Australian Open 2026, defeating world number two Jannik Sinner in a gripping five-set semifinal to reach the final and break a 53-year-old record.
• At 38, Djokovic became the oldest man in the Open Era to reach an Australian Open final, surpassing Ken Rosewall’s 1972 mark.
• The four-hour-plus battle (3–6, 6–3, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4) showcased his endurance, mental toughness, and adaptability against a younger rival, underlining his extraordinary longevity as he chases an 11th Australian Open title and a record 25th Grand Slam.

Who Is Elena Rybakina, the Australian Open 2026 Women’s Singles Champion?

• Elena Rybakina claimed the Australian Open 2026 women’s singles title with a gritty three-set win over World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, prevailing 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 in a thrilling final.
• After taking the first set and dropping the second, Rybakina showed remarkable composure in the decider, rallying from 0–3 down to break Sabalenka twice and seize control with her powerful serve and clean groundstrokes.

Important Days News

What Is The Real Story Behind International Zebra Day?

• International Zebra Day is observed every year on 31 January to raise awareness about the unique black-and-white striped zebra and the threats it faces in the wild, including habitat loss, poaching, and population decline.
• The day highlights the conservation needs of all three zebra species plains zebra, mountain zebra, and the endangered Grevy’s zebra and promotes actions to protect grassland ecosystems.
• Celebrated through awareness campaigns, educational programs, and social media outreach, the day emphasizes that saving zebras contributes to preserving biodiversity and sustaining ecological balance.

31 January 2026 | Current Affairs Today | Daily Current Affairs | By Ashish Gautam