Daily Current Affairs - 09-09-2026

National News

President Assigns Additional Charge of J&K Lt. Governor

President Droupadi Murmu assigned Vinai Kumar Saxena, Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, the additional responsibility of discharging the functions of the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir during the absence or leave of Manoj Sinha, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. The additional charge was assigned ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati as the new Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

PAC Flags Non-Transfer of Cess Collections

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) flagged the failure to transfer ₹9,222 crore collected through various cesses and levies to designated reserve funds during 2024–25. The finding was recorded in Paragraph 3.3.1 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Report No. 6 of 2026, which stated that the amount had not been transferred to four designated reserve funds. The issue had earlier been highlighted in the PAC’s 69th Report, tabled in August 2023, which recommended scientific assessment of the amount and duration of cess collections, periodic review of their objectives, and regular transfer of cess proceeds to the designated reserve funds. The PAC Chairperson K.C. Venugopal reiterated that cess collections should be utilised only for the specific purposes for which they are imposed. The Public Accounts Committee is an important Parliamentary Committee that examines government expenditure and audit reports submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).

CAG Audit on Chennai Smart City Mission

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) conducted a Performance Audit on the Implementation of the Smart Cities Mission in Tamil Nadu covering the period from April 2016 to March 2024, and the report was tabled in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on September 8, 2026. In Chennai, out of 48 projects worth ₹1,366.25 crore originally planned under the mission, eight projects worth ₹279.03 crore were not implemented, including the proposed Street Light Monitoring System and Intelligent Traffic Management System under the Pan-city initiative. Chennai also implemented 20 unplanned projects worth ₹189.66 crore without citizen consultation. The audit found that 13 projects involving ₹76.32 crore were implemented outside the approved Area Based Development (ABD) area. Further, ₹16.23 crore was diverted from administrative and office expense funds of Chennai Smart City Limited (SCL), the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) established for implementing the Smart Cities Mission in Chennai. The audit also noted that Chennai SCL had only ₹10 lakh paid-up capital against the prescribed ₹200 crore. Required statutory approvals were not obtained for projects including the biogas plant, Kannammapettai Crematorium modernisation, and Villivakkam Tank/Suspension Bridge restoration.

Review of Law Course Duration: Supreme Court Calls for Expert Committee

The Supreme Court of India on September 8, 2026, heard a petition seeking a review of the duration and syllabus of LLB and LLM courses. The petition was filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, seeking the constitution of an expert committee or Legal Education Commission comprising educationists, legal experts, retired judges, advocates and professors to review legal education. The petition referred to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and sought a review of undergraduate and postgraduate law programmes and their syllabi. The matter was heard by a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana.

International News

India and UN ‘Correct the Map’ Resolution

India voted in favour of the “Correct the Map” Resolution, which was passed at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on September 4, 2026, supporting the principle of equal-area cartographic representation. The resolution aims to address distortions in commonly used world maps that inaccurately represent the relative size of continents, particularly affecting the depiction of Africa and other equatorial regions. India clarified that its support was limited to the underlying principle of equal-area representation and did not amount to endorsement of any specific map. India also raised concerns regarding anomalies in a world map released by UN Geospatial on July 1, 2026, particularly over the depiction of Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin, where traditional cartographic markers indicating Indian and Chinese claim lines were not clearly shown. India reiterated that its sovereign territory, including the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, must be depicted according to India’s official map. The Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir was shown separately in the UN map. Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, stated that India had taken up the map-related anomalies with the concerned authorities.

India-Japan Defence Cooperation

Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi visited India in August 2026, leading to further expansion of India-Japan defence cooperation. The two countries agreed to strengthen Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and information-sharing mechanisms across the Indo-Pacific region. They also discussed cooperation in naval shipbuilding, joint ship design, ship repair facilities and the use of Indian manufacturing capabilities under the Make in India initiative. A key defence technology project is the proposed transfer and co-development of Japan’s UNICORN integrated communications antenna system, for which a Memorandum of Understanding involving Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) was signed in November 2024. The cooperation also includes deeper engagement between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Japan’s Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA). Japan’s fighter aircraft are participating for the first time in the Veer Guardian Exercise, being held in India from September 9 to 22, 2026. The two countries have also agreed to increase the complexity of bilateral military exercises, integrate unmanned systems and explore short-notice exercises. Before visiting New Delhi, Shinjiro Koizumi visited the Western Naval Command in Mumbai and INS Chennai. The defence cooperation follows the India-Japan Annual Summit held in July 2026, which expanded cooperation in economic security, critical technologies and resilient supply chains

India-Sri Lanka Defence Cooperation: Rajnath Singh’s Visit to Sri Lanka

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Sri Lanka on a three-day official visit beginning September 8, 2026, marking the first visit by an Indian Defence Minister to Sri Lanka in 38 years. During the visit, he was scheduled to meet Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, the Defence Secretary and the chiefs of the Sri Lankan tri-services to discuss bilateral defence cooperation, maritime security in the Indian Ocean, air security cooperation and the India-Sri Lanka fishermen issue. Coinciding with the visit, Indian Navy warship INS Udaygiri arrived at Colombo Port, with plans for technical and information-sharing training for Sri Lankan Navy personnel and a joint exercise between Indian and Sri Lankan naval personnel. The Defence Industrial Corridor in Tamil Nadu was also highlighted in the context of indigenous defence production and employment generation.

Tamil Nadu News

Tamil Nadu State Finances 2024-25

According to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) report titled “State Finances for the year 2024-25”, tabled in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Tamil Nadu’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) grew by 15.98% in 2024-25, compared with 13.34% in 2023-24. The State’s total outstanding debt stood at ₹8.53 lakh crore, while the Debt-to-GSDP ratio was 27.38%, remaining within the 28.90% target prescribed under the 15th Finance Commission recommendations and the Tamil Nadu Fiscal Responsibility Act. Tamil Nadu contributed 9.43% to India’s national GDP in 2024-25 and continued to record a per capita income higher than the national average. The State’s revenue deficit increased from ₹45,121 crore in 2023-24 to ₹45,840 crore in 2024-25, despite the 15th Finance Commission's projection of achieving a revenue surplus. The State’s committed expenditure, comprising salaries, wages, pensions and interest payments, amounted to ₹1,76,676 crore, accounting for 53.75% of revenue expenditure and 62.47% of revenue receipts. About 21% of revenue receipts were utilised for interest payments. State subsidies accounted for 16% of total revenue expenditure, increasing by ₹14,854 crore or 39.35% over the previous year, mainly due to the Magalir Urimai Thogai Scheme and subsidies provided to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) for electricity supplied to agricultural pump sets.

Salt Reduction Campaign in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Ma. Subramanian announced that a Salt Reduction Campaign will soon be launched in Tamil Nadu to address the high prevalence of hypertension and reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. Approximately 1.80 crore people in Tamil Nadu are estimated to be living with hypertension. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that daily salt consumption should be less than 5 grams per person, whereas the average daily consumption in Tamil Nadu is estimated at 7–8 grams. The State government plans to formulate a State-level Salt Reduction Strategy, including a state-wide urine sample survey to estimate current salt consumption levels. Salt reduction measures will be introduced in government-run canteens and kitchens, and a pilot project will be undertaken to promote low-sodium substitute salt. Awareness programmes will also be conducted through social workers for persons with hypertension and across the State regarding hidden salt content in foods such as pickles, papads and dried fish.

Tirukkural Multilingual App Launched

The Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) launched the ‘Tirukkural Multilingual’ application on September 9, 2026, to make the Tirukkural accessible across Indian languages. The application was launched at the Thiruvalluvar Auditorium of the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, Perumbakkam, Chennai, by Basavaraja Kodagunti, Director of the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Karnataka. The app integrates Tirukkural translations published in 22 languages on a single digital platform, enabling users to compare the same couplet in Tamil and other Indian languages. It provides research and learning resources for all 1,330 couplets of Tirukkural, including Tamil commentary, English prose translation, grammatical explanations and prosodic structure. Palm-leaf manuscript references relating to couplets in the first 100 chapters are also included. The application has been designed for smartphone use, works without an internet connection and is available free of cost without advertisements. R. Chandrasekaran, Director of the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, and R. Bhuvaneswari, Registrar, participated in the launch event.

Gokuldas Commission on Kallakurichi Illicit Liquor Tragedy

The one-man Commission of Inquiry headed by retired Justice Gokuldas investigated the Kallakurichi illicit liquor tragedy, in which 70 people died after consuming methanol-mixed illicit liquor on June 19 and 20, 2024. The Commission’s report, tabled in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, identified the negligence and failure of officials to perform their duties as a major factor behind the incident. The Commission recommended strict enforcement of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act and continued regulation of methanol (methyl alcohol) to prevent its misuse in illicit liquor production. It also recommended departmental action against police and Prohibition Enforcement Wing officials who failed in their duties. Based on the Commission’s report, the Tamil Nadu Government issued a Government Order (G.O.), signed by Chief Secretary Shiv Das Meena, directing the concerned departments to initiate further action. The Commission recommended departmental action against Sub-Inspectors of Police, Inspectors, Deputy Superintendents of Police and Prohibition Enforcement Wing officials who served in Kallakurichi, Sankarapuram, Kachirayapalayam and Tirukkoyilur areas.

Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department Made a Separate Department

The Tamil Nadu Government has created the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department as a separate department and appointed V. Rajaraman IAS as its Secretary. V. Rajaraman IAS, who is serving as the Secretary of the Tamil Development and Information Department, will hold full additional charge as Secretary of the HR&CE Department. The Commissionerate of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments will also be brought under the newly created department. Previously, Kumaragurubaran IAS served as Secretary of the Commercial Taxes, Registration and Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Departments.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Windergy India 2026 Conference

Windergy India 2026, India’s wind energy trade fair and conference, will be held at the Chennai Trade Centre from October 7 to 9, 2026. The conference is being organised with the support of the Union Ministry of Power and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). Tamil Nadu continues to be a major hub for wind energy equipment manufacturing and spare parts production. India’s annual wind turbine manufacturing capacity has increased to 24 gigawatts (GW), while wind energy equipment exports crossed ₹12,000 crore in 2025-26. Tamil Nadu also has significant potential for the repowering of old wind turbines, with 7.4 GW of the country’s 25.4 GW of old wind power capacity requiring upgradation located in the State. The repowering programme is expected to create investment opportunities worth approximately ₹1.4 lakh crore to ₹1.5 lakh crore. The conference is expected to attract over 20,000 visitors from more than 30 countries, along with over 400 delegates and 350 exhibitors. Saravanan Manikkam, Vice-President of the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association, highlighted the importance of increasing domestic production of high-value wind energy components such as gearboxes and specialised bearings.