UPSC Daily Current Affairs for 31 October 2026

India’s Poverty Decline Is Among the Fastest Globally

Context

A World Bank report titled India Poverty and Equity Brief: October 2026, India has achieved one of the fastest poverty declines in the world.

India’s Progress in Poverty Reduction

Decline in extreme poverty: The proportion of the population living below the international extreme poverty line of $3 per person per day (measured in 2021 purchasing power parity) declined from 27.1% in 2011 to 2.6% in 2023.

Poverty measured against the Lower Middle-Income Country poverty line of $4.20 per person per day declined from 57.7% to 16.1% between 2011 and 2023, lifting an estimated 496 million people out of poverty.

New Research in Rajasthan Connects Tribal Astronomy with Indian Knowledge System

Context

Researchers from IIT Jodhpur have documented the astronomical knowledge of tribal communities in western Rajasthan and explored its connection with the Indian Knowledge System (IKS).

About Tribal Astronomy

It refers to the indigenous knowledge of celestial bodies, stars, planets, seasons and natural cycles developed by tribal communities through observation over the generations.

Tribal communities interpret celestial objects through cultural beliefs, folklore and ecological knowledge.

Oil Spill off the UAE Coast Affects Desalination Plants

Context

An oil spill off the United Arab Emirates has raised concerns over the risk of environmental contamination and questions about the potential impact on desalination plants.

What are Desalination plants?

Desalination plants convert seawater into fresh drinking water by removing salt and other minerals.

The most widely used method is a process called Reverse osmosis, which pushes seawater through ultra-fine membranes that filter out salt.

Cloud Ecosystem in India

Context

Growing digital adoption in India is driving demand for reliable data infrastructure, making cloud computing central to storing data and supporting digital services.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing enables users to access computing resources, including data storage, servers, software and processing capabilities, over the internet.

Instead of purchasing and maintaining their own servers, organisations can use these resources as needed.

News In Brief 31-10-2026

In News

Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology (TNSDA) has unearthed bronze alloy idols of Lord Nataraja and Goddess Sivagami, along with their respective pedestals, during the ongoing excavations at Nagapattinam.

Cholas

They were a dominant power in peninsular India in the 10th and 13th centuries, under rulers like Rajaraja I, Rajendra I and Rajadhiraja I, who expanded their authority by military victories in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia.