Daily Current Affairs – 23 January 2026 for Government Exams
The Daily Current Affairs for 23 January 2026 covers major Cabinet decisions, RBI guidelines, international indices, important MoUs, appointments, and state initiatives relevant for UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railways, Defence, and State PSC exams. This compilation focuses on facts, figures, schemes, reports, and exam-relevant highlights for effective revision.
📖 Introduction
Current Affairs play a decisive role in all major government and competitive exams. The Daily Current Affairs – 23 January 2026 focuses on crucial national policies, banking regulations, international reports, appointments, and state-level initiatives that are frequently asked in UPSC IAS, SSC CGL, IBPS PO/Clerk, RBI Grade B, RRB NTPC, Defence & State PSC exams.
Staying updated through structured daily notes helps aspirants build strong General Awareness and Current Affairs command.
📰 Explanation / Main Content
🇮🇳 NATIONAL AFFAIRS
1. Cabinet Approves Continuation of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) till 2030–31
Why in News?
The Union Cabinet approved the continuation of Atal Pension Yojana (APY) up to FY 2030–31.
About Atal Pension Yojana (APY)
- Launched: 9 May 2015
- Implemented From: 1 June 2015
- Administered By: Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)
- Target Group: Unorganised sector workers
- Entry Age: 18–40 years
- Guaranteed Pension: ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 per month after 60 years
Key Highlights
- Subscribers (Jan 2026): 8.66 crore
- Public Sector Banks contribution: ~70.44%
- Regional Rural Banks contribution: ~19.80%
- Government support for:
- Promotional & awareness activities
- Gap funding for sustainability
2. Cabinet Approves ₹5,000 Crore Equity Infusion to SIDBI
Objective: Strengthen credit flow to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Key Details
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Infusion | ₹5,000 crore |
| Implementing Ministry | Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance |
| Tranches | 3 (FY26–FY28) |
| CMD of SIDBI | Manoj Mittal |
| Headquarters | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh |
| Established | 1990 |
Impact
- Credit support to MSMEs
- Employment generation
- Maintenance of Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR)
- Promotion of collateral-free digital lending
3. 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference (AIPOC 2026)
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Venue | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh |
| Dates | 19–21 January 2026 |
| Theme | “Strong Legislature – Prosperous Nation” |
| Host Count | 4th time for UP |
Key Resolutions
- Viksit Bharat 2047
- Minimum 30 legislative sittings/year
- Use of technology in legislatures
- National Legislative Index
- Capacity building of MPs & MLAs
4. NITI Aayog Releases Reports on Green Transition
Sectors Covered: Cement, Aluminium, MSMEs
Goal: Net Zero Emissions by 2070
Highlights
- Cement sector emissions reduction from 0.63 to 0.09–0.13 tCO₂/tonne
- Aluminium sector shift to:
- Renewable Energy (2030)
- Nuclear power (2030–2040)
- CCUS beyond 2040
- MSMEs encouraged to adopt:
- Energy-efficient equipment
- Green electricity
- Alternative fuels
5. GeM and WTC Mumbai Sign MoU
Purpose: Boost MSME participation in public procurement
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Entities | Government e-Marketplace & WTC Mumbai |
| Focus Areas | AI, sustainability, green procurement |
| Impact | Atmanirbhar Bharat & Viksit Bharat 2047 |
6. DIBD & Survey of India MoU for Toponymic Data Digitisation
- Target: 16 lakh Indian place names
- Technology Used: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NLP)
- Policy Alignment: National Geospatial Policy 2022
- Platform: BHASHINI (BHASHa INterface for India)
7. CGCA Links SAMPANN with UMANG
Beneficiaries: ~4 lakh DoT pensioners
Benefits:
- Access to PPO
- Life Certificate validity
- Reduced physical visits
🌍 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
India Ranks 6th in Asia Manufacturing Index 2026
| Rank | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | China |
| 2 | Malaysia |
| 3 | Vietnam |
| 6 | India |
Publisher: Dezan Shira & Associates (Hong Kong)
WEF Global Risks Report 2026
Top Global Risk (Short Term): Geoeconomic confrontation
Long-Term Risk: Extreme weather events
India-Specific Risk: Cyber insecurity
🏦 BANKING & FINANCE
RBI Guidelines on Interest Subvention under Niryat Protsahan
- Target: MSME exporters
- Credit Type: Pre & Post-shipment
- Requirement: IEC & Udyam Registration
- Applicable Banks: SCBs, UCBs, StCBs, AIFIs
RBI Notifies New FEMA Rules (Effective Oct 1, 2026)
| Provision | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Export realisation | 15 months |
| INR exports | 18 months |
| Reporting via | PRAVAAH portal |
RBI Grants PA-CB Approval to Payoneer India
- Enables cross-border inward & outward payments
- Benefits MSMEs & startups
NPCI Approves ZET as TPAP
- Enables UPI payments via RuPay Credit Cards
- Partner banks: RBL Bank
- Platform: ZET UPI
👔 APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
- Deepinder Goyal resigns as CEO of Eternal Ltd
- Albinder Dhindsa to take over from Feb 1, 2026
- Ganesh Lakshminarayanan appointed MD & CEO of Tata Communications
🏛️ STATE NEWS
Odisha–Meghalaya MoU on ECCED
- Focus on nutrition, early learning, caregiving
- Knowledge sharing & capacity building
Assam Announces ‘Atal Vichal Agragami Assam Scheme’
| Beneficiary | Amount |
|---|---|
| Research Scholars | ₹25,000/month |
| Divyang Scholars | ₹40,000/month |
📌 One-Liner Revision Points
- APY extended till FY 2030–31
- SIDBI to receive ₹5,000 crore equity support
- 86th AIPOC held in Lucknow
- NITI Aayog released 3 green transition reports
- GeM & WTC Mumbai signed MSME MoU
- India ranked 6th in AMI 2026
- WEF flagged geoeconomic confrontation as top risk
- RBI issued new FEMA rules for exports
- Payoneer got PA-CB approval
- ZET approved as UPI TPAP
- Deepinder Goyal resigned as Eternal CEO
- Assam launched research scholar support scheme
