Daily Current Affairs – 01-02-2026

National News

Sujetra Pawar Becomes Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister

Sujetra Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on January 31 in Mumbai, becoming the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra at the age of 62. She is the wife of Ajit Pawar, who earlier served as Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister of Maharashtra in the government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Following Ajit Pawar’s death, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) confirmed its continuation in the ruling BJP–Shiv Sena alliance. On the same day, an official announcement was issued from the Pune District Collector’s Office regarding the merger between the Nationalist Congress Party and the Republican Party of India (Revolutionary) led by Ajit Pawar, along with details related to the appointment of a new state president and executive committee member of the NCP.

Additional Excise Duty on Tobacco Products from February 1

The Central Government of India implemented an additional excise duty on tobacco products including cigarettes, pan masala, and gutka with effect from February 1, 2025, as announced in New Delhi on January 31. This duty increase follows the tax framework introduced along with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on July 1, 2017. From February 1, the Central Excise Duty on cigarettes and pan masala has been increased. Under the Central Excise Duty Amendment Act, 2025, the earlier per kilogram excise duty on pan masala and gutka has been replaced with a new national slab, where the per unit tax has been revised from ₹2025 to ₹340, and for certain categories, the rates have been fixed at ₹3.40, ₹5.40, and ₹8.50.

Odisha Cabinet Approves ₹17,250-Crore Manufacturing Complex

The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, approved a proposal for an integrated automotive, aerospace and defence equipment-component manufacturing complex with an investment of ₹17,250 crore, proposed by the Kalyani Group in Dhenkanal district, as announced from Bhubaneswar. The project will be developed over more than 1,100 acres at Gajamara and will include a speciality steel unit by Kalyani Steel, a super alloy project by Saaraloha Advanced Materials Private Limited, and an industrial component casting and forging unit by Bharat Forge. The project is expected to generate over 4,800 direct jobs and about 5,500 indirect jobs during construction and initial operations, with total employment projected to exceed 20,000 as vendor parks and ancillary ecosystems expand, and it aims to strengthen Odisha’s capacity in strategic materials such as titanium and speciality steel while reducing dependence on imports of critical components and advanced materials.

Modi Unveils Renamed Airport and Inaugurates Terminal in Punjab

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Punjab on Sunday, during which he unveiled the renaming of Adampur Airport in Jalandhar district as ‘Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Airport’ and inaugurated the terminal building at Halwara Airport in Ludhiana. The renaming was done to mark the 649th birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas, a saint and social reformer. During the visit, the Prime Minister also went to Dera Sach Khand Ballan at Ballan village and met Sant Niranjan Dass, who was recently named for the Padma Shri. The Halwara Airport terminal is intended to improve aviation infrastructure in Punjab by connecting Ludhiana and its surrounding industrial and agricultural regions, and Halwara also hosts an Indian Air Force station.

Sports News

Elena Rybakina Wins Australian Open Women’s Singles Title

Elena Rybakina won the Australian Open Women’s Singles title by defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the final held at Melbourne on January 31. The final match lasted 1 hour and 58 minutes, with Rybakina winning in three sets 6–4, 3–6, 6–4. This victory marked the first Australian Open title for 26-year-old Elena Rybakina. She had earlier won the Wimbledon Championship in 2022.

Indonesia Wins Gold at Track Asia Cup 2026

At the Track Asia Cup 2026, Indonesia won the gold medal, while Uzbekistan secured silver and the N.T. Pureshing team won bronze, in the event held at Velavetti near Vandalur, Chennai, on January 31. The competition was conducted under the aegis of the Asian Cycling Confederation, the Cycling Federation of India, the Tamil Nadu Cycling Association, and N.T. Pureshing. In the Men’s Elite 4 km event, the Indonesian team won gold, while the N.T. Pureshing men’s team comprising Natarajan, Karthikeyan, Shenbakiyan, Shenak Ali, and Nagarajan secured bronze. In the Women’s Elite category, India’s Pal Priyasha won gold and Keerthi Rangasamy won silver, while in the Junior Cycling category, Kazakhstan’s Stylemies Goa and N.T. Pureshing’s Kathir won silver medals. In the Women’s Junior 200-metre event, Shibu Sudhitha won gold and Soman won silver.

International News

Rising Salaries in Tier-2 Cities in India

A recent study released by Groundald highlighted a major change in India’s job market, showing a significant rise in salaries for senior-level professionals in Tier-2 cities during the financial year 2025–26, as reported from New Delhi on January 31. According to the report, Tier-2 cities such as Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, Surat, Jaipur, and Indore have emerged as high-growth centres, with average annual salaries for senior professionals reaching levels comparable to Tier-1 metropolitan cities like Chennai and Mumbai. The average annual salary in Tier-1 cities stands at ₹32.40 lakh, while in Tier-2 cities it has increased to ₹28.38 lakh, with some Tier-2 cities offering metro-level pay. Sector-wise, the Information Technology (IT) sector continues to offer the highest salaries, with senior professionals earning an average of ₹35.66 lakh, and high demand seen for roles in software development, data engineering, and platform management, along with skills in Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, and cyber security. The report also noted that mid-level professionals earn up to ₹17.27 lakh, while entry-level officers earn up to ₹16 lakh on average.