September 1, 2026 - Current Affairs

One Clock For India: Govt Mandates IST For Official & Commercial Use

Context

Recently, the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, making IST the sole official time reference for India.

Legal Metrology Act, 2009

It is the principal legislation governing standards of weights and measures and matters connected with their use in India.

It came into force in 2011, replacing the earlier Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976 and Standards of Weights and Measures (Enforcement) Act, 1985.

India’s GDP Growth Overshot Expectations Amid Global Uncertainties

Context

India recorded 7.8% real GDP growth in Q1 (April–June) of 2026-27, exceeding the RBI’s 7% estimate, highlighting the economy’s resilience despite global uncertainties.

Factors Driving Economic Growth

Manufacturing and Services Growth: Manufacturing grew by 9.2%, compared with 8.3% in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Services expanded by 10%, up from 8% a year earlier.

Agriculture remained relatively subdued at 3.6%, compared with 4.4% a year ago. However, the strong performance of manufacturing and services compensated for the moderation in agriculture.

Problem of Food Adultration in India

Context

Maharashtra’s Food and Drug Administration is leading an aggressive crackdown on food adulteration, highlighting the growing food safety concerns and need for stricter enforcement in India.

Food Adulteration

It is a process by which substances are either intentionally added to food items or food gets contaminated due to negligence or poor handling practices.

Adulterants could be harmful chemicals or harmless fillers, which can be added at any stage of the production process. For instance, the dilution of milk by farmers or the mixing of edible oil with mineral oil are examples of food adulteration.

Semicon 2.0

Context

The government notified the Semicon 2.0 scheme with an outlay of Rs 1.27 lakh crore to boost the chip manufacturing ecosystem in the country.

India Semiconductor Mission 1.0

India Semiconductor Mission 1.0 is a flagship programme launched in 2021 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to develop a comprehensive semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem in India.

The Mission is supported by an incentive framework of ₹76,000 crore, offering fiscal support of up to 50 percent for silicon fabs, compound semiconductor facilities, assembly and testing units, and chip design.

N-E Models of Waste Management

Context

The Majuli (Assam) and Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh) models of waste management demonstrated how community participation, decentralised systems and locally adapted financing models can improve waste management.

About Majuli and Tawang Rural Waste Management Models

Majuli Model:

Central Material Collection Facilities (CMCFs) were established across most panchayats, along with village-level collection facilities.

Decentralised sorting: Non-biodegradable waste is segregated before being sent to scrap dealers and recyclers.

News In Short 01-09-2026

Context

As rising temperatures and shifting regional precipitation patterns reduce the stability of the Himalayan glaciers, some of them could evolve into “hanging glaciers".

Hanging Glaciers

Hanging Glaciers are the ice masses perched on steep slopes that can detach and trigger massive avalanches.

As per a recent study there are as many as 219 hanging glaciers in the Alaknanda basin of the Garhwal Himalayas.