DAILY GK 24-25 OCT 2026
1.
ONGC CHAIRMAN· The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, approved the appointment of Sunil Kumar, Executive Director (ED) of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), as its next Chairman for a combined tenure of three years.
· He will succeed Arun Kumar Singh.
2. AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE OF UN IIMSAM FOR INDIA
· Office of the Verma Family and Inter-Governmental Institution for the Use of Micro-Algae Spirulina Against Malnutrition (IIMSAM) announced the appointment of Anca-Maria Verma as Ambassador-At-Large of IIMSAM for India for a 5-year term.
· Anca-Maria Verma is a Romanian-born entrepreneur, former model and philanthropist based in India.
3. PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL
· Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the incumbent President of Brazil and the leader of the Workers’ Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores – PT), was re-elected for a fourth non-consecutive presidential term, defeating Flávio Bolsonaro of the Liberal Party (PL).
· Lula da Silva won the presidential run-off with 51.79% of the vote, securing over 51.49 million votes, while Flávio Bolsonaro received 48.21%.
· Lula became Brazil’s first President elected to four terms and is set to be sworn in on 5 January 2027, becoming the oldest President to assume office since the country’s return to democracy in 1989.
4. FICCI PRESIDENT-ELECT
· The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) appointed Vijay Sankar, Chairman of The Sanmar Group, as its President-Elect for 2026–27.
· He will succeed Anant Goenka as President after the conclusion of FICCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Annual Convention, in New Delhi.
5. DG OF ITBP
· The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) assigned Sanjay Singhal, Director General (DG) of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), the additional charge of DG of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
· Meanwhile, Air Marshal Vikram Gaur became the first Indian Air Force (IAF) officer appointed as Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
6. POLISH PM DONALD TUSK’S VISIT TO INDIA
· Donald Franciszek Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland, undertook a 3-day official visit to India.
· India and Poland agreed to double bilateral trade (USD 6 billion) by 2030, establish a Defence Industry Dialogue, initiate counter-terrorism talks, launch a Startup Bridge and tech hackathons, while Poland joined the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
· Polish PM Donald Tusk announced that Poland–India Partnership Day will be observed annually on 30 March, commemorating the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1954.
7. FRONTIER NAGALAND TERRITORIAL AUTHORITY BILL 2026
· President of India Droupadi Murmu gave assent to the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Bill 2026, to promote decentralised governance, inclusive growth and self-governance in Eastern Nagaland.
· The bill proposes to establish FNTA, granting legislative, executive and financial autonomy to six eastern districts of Nagaland, Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak and Shamator.
· FNTA will comprise 62 members, including 40 directly elected members, who will normally serve five-year terms.
· Ex-officio Members: 20 elected Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) from 6 eastern districts as ex-officio members with no voting rights.
· Nominated: The remaining 2 members will be nominated by the Governor from recognised unrepresented or under represented tribes.
· Women Representation: of the directly elected seats, 1/3rd will be reserved for women.
· Executive Authority: The executive authority will be exercised by an Executive Council comprising up to nine members, chaired by a Chief Executive Member (CEM).
8. INDIA’S FIRST FULLY ORGANIC UT
· Vinai Kumar Saxena, Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Ladakh, declared Ladakh India’s first 100% Organic Union Territory (UT), recognising efforts to promote chemical-free agriculture, protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
· In July 2026, the Ladakh’s LG ordered a complete ban on the procurement, distribution, sale, marketing, and use of chemical and synthetic fertilizers for farming across the UT.
9. MORTH ALLOWS E100 ETHANOL FUEL IN VEHICLES
· The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) amended the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR), 1989, allowing the use of ethanol-based fuels that contain up to 100% ethanol (E100) in vehicles designed for flexible fuel.
· As per the official notification, E100 and E85 (fuel containing up to 85% ethanol) can only be used in vehicles designed by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) as Flex-fuel Vehicles (FFVs).
· MoRTH has clarified that the owners of the existing vehicles are not required to switch to E85 or modify their vehicles either at present or in the future.
· It has further clarified that the new rule of E85 or E100 is not applicable to the vehicles compatible with lower blends (such as E10 and E20).
· The amended rules have raised the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) threshold for light petrol and diesel vehicles from the existing 3,000 kilogram (kg) to 3,500 kg.
10. ANNUAL TOLL PASS FOR RESIDENTS WITHIN 20 KM OF FEE PLAZAS
· The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), introduced a Concessional Local Pass for eligible non-commercial vehicle owners residing within 20 kilometre(km) of a National Highway (NH) fee plaza, with annual fees of Rs. 1,500 for plazas outside municipal or local town limits and Rs. 3,000 for plazas within these limits.
· Eligible residents can choose between the existing monthly pass and the new annual Concessional Local Pass.
· The existing monthly pass costs Rs. 360, amounting to Rs. 4,320 annually.
· The pass is valid only for the specific fee plaza and cannot be transferred to another plaza.
