PIB & RBI Official
Daily Current Affairs Digest & PIB Summary – 5 November 2026
🎯 Target Exams: UPSC CSE, State PCS, RRB NTPC/JE/Section Controller, BPSC, SSC CGL, IBPS PO, Teaching
📌 Sources: PIB Delhi, MNRE, SECI, RBI Bulletins, Bihar Labor & Skill Dept
📌 High-Yield Exam Index Today
- UPSC & State PCS (GS-3 Energy & Environment): Operationalization of SIGHT Programme (Mode 1 & Mode 2) under National Green Hydrogen Mission.
- Railways & Tech (RRB NTPC / JE / Section Controller): Track Management System 2.0 (TMS) & Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD) Real-Time Monitoring.
- BPSC State Special (Bihar Civil Services / TRE): Saat Nischay-2 (Yuva Shakti) – Center of Excellence Setup across 149 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
- Banking & SSC (IBPS / RBI / SSC CGL): RBI Directive on Universal Interoperability of Central Bank Digital Currency (e-₹) with Merchant UPI QR Codes.
1. National Green Hydrogen Mission: SIGHT Programme Financial Incentives
Context: Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) notified the list of successful bidders under Tranche-II of the SIGHT (Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition) Programme, allocating Production-Linked Financial Incentives for electrolyser manufacturing and green hydrogen production.
🔍 PIB Fact File: Structure of the SIGHT Sub-Component Scheme
| Component | Financial Outlay | Core Target & Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Component I: Electrolyser Manufacturing | ₹4,440 Crore | Incentivizes setting up 3,000 MW/year domestic electrolyser manufacturing capacity (based on specific energy consumption & local value addition). |
| Component II: Green Hydrogen Production | ₹13,050 Crore | Direct incentive provided per kg of Green Hydrogen produced starting at ₹50/kg in Year-1, tapering to ₹30/kg in Year-3. |
Key Exam Takeaways:
- Implementing Agency: Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
- Strategic Goal: Reduces green hydrogen production costs below $1.5/kg by 2030, establishing India as a global export hub for green ammonia.
2. Track Management System (TMS 2.0): Automated Rail Flaw Detection
Context: Indian Railways upgraded its nationwide Track Management System (TMS 2.0), integrating real-time telemetry from Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD) vehicles to prevent rail fractures on 130–160 km/h corridors.
⚙️ Technical Notes for RRB NTPC, JE & Section Controller
- Self-Propelled USFD Rail Cars: Inspects internal rail micro-cracks at speeds up to 40 km/h using multi-angle ultrasonic transducers without stopping regular train traffic.
- Automated Caution Order Generation: Detected rail flaws automatically generate temporary speed restriction (TSR) alerts on Section Control consoles.
- Interface with Kavach 4.0: TSR limits logged into TMS 2.0 are wirelessly transmitted to Loco-Kavach units via trackside radio towers.
3. Bihar Saat Nischay-2: Modernization of 149 ITIs as Centers of Excellence
Context: The Labour Resources Department, Government of Bihar, completed Phase-2 of upgrading government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) into Centers of Excellence (CoE) in partnership with Tata Technologies under the ‘Bihar ke Yuva – Aage Badhein’ mission.
🎯 High-Yield Points for BPSC Prelims & Mains
- Saat Nischay-2 Nodal Target: Covered under Nischay-1 (Yuva Shakti – Bihar ki Pragati) with a total modernization investment of ₹4,606 Crore.
- Advanced Trades Introduced: Robotics, Industrial Automation, EV Maintenance, 3D Printing, Internet of Things (IoT), and CNC Machining.
- Regional Training Hubs: Major regional centers established in Patna, Begusarai, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, and Darbhanga.
4. RBI Directive: Full Digital Rupee (e-₹) Interoperability with UPI Merchant QR Codes
Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandated that all commercial banks operating CBDC retail wallets (e-₹-R) enable universal interoperability allowing users to scan any standard UPI QR code to make e-Rupee payments.
- Seamless Merchant Adoption: Eliminates the requirement for merchants to maintain separate digital rupee QR codes; transactions settle directly in the merchant’s bank account or digital rupee wallet.
- Offline & Contactless Enhancements: Enables tap-and-pay transactions using NFC (Near Field Communication) on smartphones in low-network coverage areas.
📝 Target Practice Questions
Q1. Which public sector enterprise is the implementing agency for allocating financial incentives under the SIGHT programme of the National Green Hydrogen Mission?
(a) NTPC Limited (b) Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)
(c) Power Grid Corporation (d) Indian Oil Corporation
View Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: (b) Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)
Explanation: SECI is the nodal implementing agency designated by the MNRE for issuing tenders and executing the SIGHT incentive scheme under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Q2. Under Bihar’s ‘Saat Nischay-2’ scheme, which corporate partner has collaborated with the State Government to modernize 149 ITIs into Centers of Excellence?
(a) Reliance Industries (b) Tata Technologies (c) Larsen & Toubro (d) Infosys
View Answer & Explanation
Correct Answer: (b) Tata Technologies
Explanation: The Government of Bihar partnered with Tata Technologies to upgrade 149 government ITIs into state-of-the-art Centers of Excellence under Saat Nischay-2.
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