📰 PIB Notes for UPSC – 24 June 2026
Daily PIB Current Affairs | UPSC & SSC Exam Preparation
Today's PIB Notes for UPSC covers 6 key topics —
Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026, 52nd PRAGATI Meeting,
BRICS Side Event on Clean Coal Technologies, APEDA BHARATI Programme,
NHAI Action on NH Encroachments, and Index of Services Production (ISP).
✅ Tap any option to instantly see the answer! Facts verified from PIB sources.
✅ Tap any option to instantly see the answer! Facts verified from PIB sources.
NITI Aayog – AIM
🌱 Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026 – 6 Sustainability Startups Win
📝 Key Notes
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
❓ MCQ Practice
- 8th edition of Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026.
- Co-led by UNDP India + Citi Foundation; partnership with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM); implemented by T-Hub Foundation.
- Event held at T-Hub, Hyderabad.
- Received 350+ applications from youth-led startups across 28 states.
- 50 startups enrolled in National Springboard Programme (3-month virtual capacity building).
- 3 Thematic Areas:
- Sustainable Textiles & Fashion.
- Circular Economy Innovations.
- Sustainable Food Systems & Water Conservation.
- Top 20 attended Regional Immersion Bootcamp (15-19 June 2026, Hyderabad).
- 3 Winners (₹3,50,000 each seed grant): NavaPrayoga Labs LLP (Grassip), UnBubble, Ecorenowa Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
- 3 Runners-Up (₹2,20,000 each): Eco Cushion, Vasudeva Innovations, WomenasticCO.
- 40%+ of selected ventures are women-led.
- Aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- India has ~65% population under age 35 (youth dividend).
350+
Applications Received
28
States Covered
40%+
Women-Led Ventures
₹3.5 L
Winner Seed Grant
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
- Youth Co:Lab: Co-created in 2017 by UNDP & Citi Foundation; for Asia-Pacific region SDG implementation.
- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): Flagship initiative of NITI Aayog; includes SETU (Self-Employment and Talent Utilisation).
- UNDP: Operates in 170+ countries & territories; HQ New York; established 1965.
- T-Hub: Located in Hyderabad; one of the world's large startup hubs.
- SDGs: 17 Sustainable Development Goals; adopted by UN in 2015; target year 2030.
- Circular Economy: Model of production/consumption involving sharing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, recycling materials as long as possible.
❓ MCQ Practice
Q. The Youth Co:Lab initiative was co-created in 2017 by UNDP in partnership with which organisation?
Youth Co:Lab was co-created in 2017 by UNDP and Citi Foundation to empower youth in the Asia-Pacific region for SDG implementation. In India, it is partnered with Atal Innovation Mission (NITI Aayog) and implemented by T-Hub Foundation.
Prime Minister's Office
📊 PM Chairs 52nd PRAGATI Meeting – ₹30,000 Cr Infrastructure Projects Reviewed
📝 Key Notes
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
❓ MCQ Practice
- PM Narendra Modi chaired 52nd PRAGATI Meeting at Seva Teerth.
- PRAGATI = Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation — ICT-enabled multi-modal platform.
- Integrates Central & State Government efforts.
- Reviewed 4 infrastructure projects worth ~₹30,000 crore:
- Road sector.
- Power sector.
- Industrial Corridor.
- Metro Rail sector.
- Across 4 States.
- Key directives:
- Use PM GatiShakti National Master Plan for efficient planning.
- Timely updation of project, utility & infrastructure data on portal.
- Resolve pending issues in mission-mode.
- Reviewed TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan:
- Leverage AI & digital technologies.
- Engage NCC cadets + MY Bharat volunteers for awareness/follow-up.
- Reviewed Cyber Crime & Digital Arrest grievances:
- Coordinated, sensitive, time-bound handling.
- Clear ownership across law enforcement, banks, digital platforms.
- States to enable e-Zero FIR mechanism for cyber fraud cases.
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
- PRAGATI: Launched 25 March 2015; monthly meeting (4th Wednesday).
- PM GatiShakti National Master Plan: Launched 13 October 2021; ₹100 lakh crore plan for integrated infrastructure.
- TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan: Launched 2022; aims to eliminate TB by 2025 (5 years ahead of SDG target of 2030).
- India = highest TB burden country globally as per WHO.
- NCC: National Cadet Corps; under MoD; tri-services (Army, Navy, Air Force).
- MY Bharat = Mera Yuva Bharat; tech-driven youth platform; under MoYAS.
- Digital Arrest: New form of cyber fraud where scammers impersonate officials, threaten arrest, and extort money.
- e-Zero FIR: Enables online registration of FIR in cyber-fraud cases regardless of jurisdiction.
❓ MCQ Practice
Q. PRAGATI, the ICT-enabled monitoring platform chaired by the PM, was launched in which year?
PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) was launched on 25 March 2015 by PM Modi. It is an ICT-enabled, multi-modal platform integrating efforts of Central & State Governments. Meetings are held monthly (4th Wednesday).
Ministry of Coal
⚫ BRICS Side Event on Clean Coal Technologies – Focus on Coal Gasification
📝 Key Notes
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
❓ MCQ Practice
- Ministry of Coal organised BRICS Side Event on Clean Coal Technologies focusing on Coal Gasification.
- BRICS delegation from Russia, Ethiopia, UAE.
- Keynote by Shri Sanoj Kumar Jha, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal.
- India's Target: Gasify 100 million tonnes of coal by 2030.
- Coal gasification converts coal into syngas (mainly H₂ + CO).
- Syngas usable for: ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, synthetic fuels, DRI (Directly Reduced Iron), other value-added products.
- Reduces import dependence; promotes efficient utilisation of domestic coal.
- Participating organisations:
- BHEL: Coal gasification technology.
- Jindal Steel Limited (JSL) & Greta Energy: Coal gasification projects.
- Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL): Kasta Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) Pilot Project.
- Coal India Limited (CIL): Coal linkage provisions & gasification projects.
- Topics: Technology, project economics, geological challenges, high-ash Indian coal utilisation.
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
- BRICS: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa + new members (UAE, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia from 2024).
- Coal Gasification: Cleaner than direct combustion; produces syngas; reduces emissions.
- Syngas = Synthesis Gas = mixture of CO + H₂ (sometimes CO₂).
- UCG = Underground Coal Gasification — gasifies coal in-situ without mining.
- CIL: Coal India Ltd; Maharatna PSU; HQ Kolkata; world's largest coal mining company.
- BHEL: Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd; Maharatna PSU; HQ New Delhi.
- India's coal reserves: 4th largest globally (~319 billion tonnes); high-ash content typical.
- National Coal Gasification Mission: Targets 100 MT gasification by 2030.
❓ MCQ Practice
Q. India's target for coal gasification by 2030, as reiterated at the BRICS event, is:
India aims to gasify 100 million tonnes (MT) of coal by 2030 under the National Coal Gasification Mission. Coal gasification converts coal into syngas (CO + H₂) which can produce ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, synthetic fuels and DRI — reducing import dependence.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
🌾 APEDA Concludes First Cohort of BHARATI Programme | 100 Startups, 22 States
📝 Key Notes
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
❓ MCQ Practice
- APEDA concluded First Cohort of BHARATI Programme.
- BHARATI = Bharat's Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Innovation.
- Flagship export enablement & acceleration programme.
- India's Target: USD 50 billion exports of APEDA-scheduled products by 2030.
- First Cohort Statistics:
- 100 startups from 22 States + 2 UTs.
- Selected from 700+ applications.
- 68 agri-food product startups + 26 export-enabling tech providers + 6 SPS/traceability innovators.
- Age range: 17 to 75 years!
- 120-hour structured export-focused acceleration programme.
- Top 8 BHARATI startups participated at Gulfood 2026 in Dubai; held 100+ B2B meetings.
- Chairman APEDA: Shri Abhishek Dev, IAS.
- Notable Export Achievements within 3 months:
- ~37 MT of GI-tagged Jardalu mangoes to Dubai.
- First sea shipment of millet-based functional foods to Auckland, New Zealand.
- MP startup signed MoU with UAE supermarket chain.
- ~5 MT mangoes to Singapore.
- ~850 kg GI-tagged fig juice + jamun juice to US & UK.
- 40 MT organic products (incl. GI-tagged Indrayani rice) to UAE & EU.
- Kerala startup: millet products to Oman.
100
Startups Selected
700+
Applications Received
22+2
States + UTs Covered
$50 Bn
Export Target by 2030
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
- APEDA = Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority; under Ministry of Commerce & Industry; est. by APEDA Act, 1985.
- Jardalu Mango: GI-tagged variety; native to Bhagalpur, Bihar.
- Indrayani Rice: GI-tagged native rice variety from Maharashtra.
- FPO = Farmer Producer Organisation; collective entity of farmers.
- SPS = Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (under WTO Agreement).
- Gulfood: World's largest annual food & beverage trade exhibition held in Dubai.
- India's agricultural exports: ~$50 billion (2024-25); rice, spices, marine products = top categories.
❓ MCQ Practice
Q. The GI-tagged Jardalu mango variety, exported by BHARATI startups, is native to which state?
The Jardalu mango is a GI-tagged variety native to Bhagalpur, Bihar. Approximately 37 MT was exported to Dubai under the BHARATI Programme. APEDA targets USD 50 billion exports by 2030.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
🛣️ NHAI Intensifies Action Against Encroachments & Unauthorized Parking on NHs
📝 Key Notes
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
❓ MCQ Practice
- NHAI intensifies action against unauthorized parking & encroachments on National Highways.
- In compliance with directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court.
- NHAI identified 595 critical locations of unauthorized parking (with lat/long details) across states.
- Acting under provisions of Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002.
- Coordinating with State Governments, district administrations, enforcement agencies.
- Establishing District Highway Safety Task Forces + nominating nodal officers.
- ATMS (Advanced Traffic Management System) Audit:
- Traffic Monitoring Cameras.
- Video Incident Detection Systems.
- Variable Speed Detection Systems.
- Variable Message Signboards.
- Emergency Call Boxes.
- Deployment of ambulances + recovery vehicles + enhanced patrolling.
- ATMS alerts integration with enforcement agencies.
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
- NHAI = National Highways Authority of India; constituted under NHAI Act 1988; operational since 1995; under MoRTH.
- India's National Highway Network: ~1.46 lakh km (3rd largest globally after USA & China).
- Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002: Governs land protection and traffic on NHs.
- MoRTH = Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
- Bharatmala Pariyojana: Flagship NH development scheme; launched 2017.
- FASTag: Electronic toll collection system; mandatory since 2021.
- India's road accidents: Highest globally; ~1.5+ lakh deaths/year (as per MoRTH reports).
❓ MCQ Practice
Q. NHAI's action against highway encroachments is undertaken under provisions of which Act?
NHAI's action against encroachments is under the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002. NHAI was constituted under NHAI Act 1988 and became operational in 1995. India's NH network is the 3rd largest globally.
Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation
📈 Index of Services Production (ISP) – New Macro Indicator | Trial Launch July 2026
📝 Key Notes
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
❓ MCQ Practice
- MoSPI preparing to launch Index of Services Production (ISP) in July 2026.
- Counterpart of IIP (Index of Industrial Production) — for services sector.
- Monthly release; covers formal services sector only.
- Base Year: 2024-25.
- Trial monthly indices for 2025-26 + April 2026 to be released on 14 July 2026.
- Regular releases on 29th of every month with ~60 days lag.
- Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) formed May 2025, chaired by Ms. Debjani Ghosh, distinguished fellow, NITI Aayog.
- Services sector: Contributes 50%+ of Gross Value Added since 2013-14.
- Sectors Covered:
- Wholesale & Retail Trade, Transport, Banking, Insurance.
- Telecommunications, Hotels & Restaurants, Real Estate.
- Professional/Scientific/Technical services, Arts, Entertainment.
- Health & Education to be added later (via ASISSE).
- 3 Data Sources:
- Administrative/Secondary data: Air Transport, Railway, Banking, Insurance.
- GST data: Wholesale/Retail Trade, Telecom, Real Estate, IT, etc.
- ASISSE: Health & Education (excl. Government).
- Excluded Sub-sectors: Public Administration & Defence, Central Bank activities, Personal services, Government-provided health/education, Gambling/betting.
- Uses fixed-weight Laspeyres volume index.
- Weights based on sectoral GVA contributions.
- Deflators: WPI (wholesale), sector-specific CPI, CPI Non-Food.
- SAC = Service Accounting Code (under GST, based on UN CPC).
⭐ Prelims Extra Points
- MoSPI = Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation; formed 1999.
- IIP: Index of Industrial Production; base year 2011-12; 3 sectors (Mining, Manufacturing, Electricity).
- ASISSE = Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises.
- GST Data Source: GSTR 1 returns — outward supplies (taxable value of sales).
- NIC = National Industrial Classification.
- SPPI = Service Producer Price Index (used internationally as deflator).
- CPI = Consumer Price Index; new base 2024.
- Laspeyres Index: Price index using base-period quantities as weights.
- GVA = Gross Value Added; output minus intermediate consumption.
- Services sector = largest contributor to India's GDP.
❓ MCQ Practice
Q. The proposed base year for the new Index of Services Production (ISP) is:
The proposed base year for Index of Services Production (ISP) is 2024-25, aligned with the new CPI base year of 2024. ISP is the services-sector counterpart of IIP (base 2011-12), released by MoSPI. Trial indices launch on 14 July 2026.
PIB Notes for UPSC 24 June 2026
PIB Notes for UPSC 24 June 2026 covers six important topics relevant for UPSC Prelims and Mains preparation. Major highlights include the Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026, the 52nd PRAGATI Meeting chaired by the Prime Minister, the BRICS Side Event on Clean Coal Technologies, APEDA's BHARATI Programme, NHAI's action against encroachments on National Highways and the Index of Services Production (ISP).
These topics are important from the perspectives of Governance, Economy, Infrastructure, Innovation, Energy Security, International Cooperation and Public Administration. Aspirants should focus on both factual details and policy implications.
Important PIB Topics Covered Today
- Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Challenge 2026
- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and Startup Ecosystem
- 52nd PRAGATI Meeting and Project Monitoring
- BRICS Side Event on Clean Coal Technologies
- APEDA BHARATI Programme for Export Promotion
- NHAI Action Against National Highway Encroachments
- Index of Services Production (ISP)
- Infrastructure Governance and Project Delivery
- Innovation and Sustainable Development Goals
- Energy Transition and Clean Technology Initiatives
Why Are These PIB Topics Important for UPSC?
Youth Co:Lab and Atal Innovation Mission are important for understanding India's innovation ecosystem and startup development. PRAGATI remains a significant governance mechanism for monitoring infrastructure and welfare projects. Clean Coal Technologies are relevant for energy security and climate commitments, while APEDA initiatives support agricultural exports and economic growth.
The Index of Services Production is increasingly important for measuring economic performance and understanding India's service-sector-driven growth model.
Exam Relevance
- GS Paper II – Governance and Public Administration
- GS Paper III – Economy, Infrastructure and Energy
- Science & Technology and Innovation
- Current Affairs for UPSC Prelims
- Essay Preparation
- UPSC Interview Preparation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Youth Co:Lab?
Youth Co:Lab is a regional initiative that promotes youth-led innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development solutions.
What is PRAGATI?
PRAGATI is a technology-based governance platform used by the Prime Minister to review and monitor major infrastructure and public welfare projects.
What are Clean Coal Technologies?
These are technologies designed to improve coal-use efficiency and reduce environmental impacts from coal-based energy generation.
What is APEDA's BHARATI Programme?
It is an initiative aimed at enhancing agricultural exports, market access and export capacity building.
What is the Index of Services Production (ISP)?
ISP is an economic indicator used to measure the performance and growth of the services sector in an economy.
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