Current Affairs — 4 November 2026

Cabinet approves ₹14,500 crore Viability Gap Funding for 92 GWh of grid-scale energy storage

• The Union Cabinet approved a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme of ₹14,500 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
• Target: 92 GWh of new storage, made up of 60 GWh pumped storage, 30 GWh battery energy storage (BESS) and 2 GWh from other technologies.
• Expected investment is about ₹97,600 crore. Battery storage projects need at least 40% domestic content.

Revise: Government schemesBanking history of India

₹2,814 crore Capex Support Scheme to set up lithium and nickel processing plants

• The Cabinet approved the Capex Support Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Processing with an outlay of ₹2,814 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
• It gives a 30% capital subsidy for four plants: two lithium plants (at least 30 kilotonnes each) and two nickel plants (at least 50 kilotonnes each).
• Support is capped at ₹500 crore per lithium beneficiary and ₹900 crore per nickel beneficiary.

Revise: Government schemes

VISTAR: ₹4,371.10 crore scheme to modernise India's statistical system

• The Cabinet approved VISTAR, the Viksit Bharat Initiative for Statistical Transformation, Analytics & Research, with ₹4,371.10 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31.
• It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) with three components, including Support for Statistical Strengthening for States and the Economic Census.
• It plans 59 surveys in the period (up from 43 major surveys earlier), the 8th Economic Census and a new Headline Index of Services Production.

Revise: Government schemes

Fast Track Special Courts scheme extended to March 2031; courts to rise from 779 to 850

• The Cabinet approved continuing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031.
• Outlay ₹3,788.04 crore: Centre ₹2,353.15 crore from the Nirbhaya Fund and States/UTs ₹1,434.89 crore.
• Functional courts will rise from 779 to 850, including exclusive POCSO courts (399 of the present 779). The courts have disposed of 4,02,457 rape and POCSO cases.

Revise: Government schemes

TRAI launches 'Network Anubhav' dashboard to map mobile and broadband quality

• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) launched Network Anubhav, a geospatial dashboard showing network test results on an interactive map.
• It uses data from TRAI's MySpeed and MyCall apps and independent drive tests, and shows download and upload speeds by operator and technology.
• It reports P50 (median) speed, P80 for mobile broadband and P90 for fixed broadband for a chosen area.

Cabinet approves two-year extension for Agniveers, opening a path to regular service

• As before, up to 25% of each Agniveer batch will be enrolled as regular soldiers on merit after four years.
• The remaining 75% can now take an additional two-year engagement, subject to their willingness; it comes with higher pay and an enhanced Seva Nidhi package.
• After the extension, willing Agniveers can be enrolled into the regular forces, subject to selection criteria. CDS Gen N. S. Raja Subramani briefed the media.

Revise: Government schemes

India beat New Zealand by five wickets in the first ODI at Auckland

• India won the first ODI at Eden Park, Auckland, by five wickets under the DLS method, chasing a revised target of 143.
• Virat Kohli scored 74; Anshul Kamboj was Player of the Match.
• India lead the series 1-0.