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As Project Cheetah completes 4 years, big cat population in India rises to 52
Project Cheetah, India's ambitious intercontinental cheetah translocation program, completes four years with the population rising to 52, including 32 cubs born in India. The project, which began with the introduction of cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa to [Kuno National Park], has expanded to include [Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary], focusing on establishing a viable meta-population and adapting the species to Indian open forest conditions.
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Must ReadDigital gold may come under RBI, Sebi oversight; physical backing proposed
The Finance Ministry is considering regulating the digital gold sector, aiming to classify it as a security under the [Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956]. This move, which comes after warnings from [SEBI] about the unregulated nature of these products, proposes bringing the $3 billion industry under the joint oversight of the [Reserve Bank of India] (RBI) and [SEBI], potentially mandating physical gold backing to protect investors and prevent money laundering.
Read on Economic TimesDive Into Study Notes![Illustration about Health & Public Health: The [Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA)] has urged the [Department of Pharmaceuticals] and the [National Pha](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-09-18%2Ffda-chief-tukaram-flags-huge-price-gaps-in-medical-devices-seeks-centres-intervention-bebbe483.png&w=1200&q=75)
Must ReadFDA chief Tukaram flags huge price gaps in medical devices, seeks Centre’s intervention
The [Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA)] has urged the [Department of Pharmaceuticals] and the [National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)] to intervene and regulate the massive price margins on medical devices and consumables. Highlighting markups as high as 2,841% on basic items like IV sets, the FDA Commissioner identified a structural regulatory gap where many medical devices fall outside the price capping mechanism of the [Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), 2013], leading to exploitation of vulnerable patients.
Must ReadDenmark inaugurates CO2 storage facility in North Sea
Energy group INEOS has inaugurated the Greensand Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project, storing carbon dioxide beneath an old oil platform in the North Sea off the coast of Denmark. This marks the European Union's first full-scale CO2 storage site, aiming to help decarbonize difficult industries like cement and steel.
Read on The HinduDive Into Study Notes![Illustration about Polity & Governance: The [Ministry of Information and Broadcasting] has notified revised film certification guidelines for the [Central Board](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-09-18%2Fcbfcs-new-film-certification-guidelines-statutory-warning-for-scenes-on-drug-use-5ee73b61.png&w=1200&q=75)
Must ReadCBFC’s new film certification guidelines: Statutory warning for scenes on drug use
The [Ministry of Information and Broadcasting] has notified revised film certification guidelines for the [Central Board of Film Certification] (CBFC). The updated rules mandate specific statutory warnings for scenes depicting drug use, revise age-based classifications, and strengthen directives against glorifying violence, degrading women, or showing child abuse.
![Illustration about Taxation & GST: The [Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)] issued a notification amending the [Income-tax Rules, 1962], removing arrest](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-09-18%2Fcbdt-removes-arrest-and-imprisonment-as-prescribed-route-for-tax-recovery-47c5ed6b.png&w=1200&q=75)
Must ReadCBDT removes arrest and imprisonment as prescribed route for tax recovery
The [Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)] issued a notification amending the [Income-tax Rules, 1962], removing arrest and imprisonment as prescribed methods for tax recovery. The new approach prioritizes property-based recovery through attachment and sale.
Read on Economic TimesDive Into Study Notes![Illustration about Economy: The [National Payments Corporation of India] (NPCI) has announced a complex new structure for Merchant Discount Rate (MD](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstorage.googleapis.com%2Fprepdose-article-images%2Fdaily-read%2F2026-09-18%2Fcomplex-priorities-on-upi-transactions-mdr-charges-50a47993.png&w=1200&q=75)
ImportantComplex priorities: On UPI transactions, MDR charges
The [National Payments Corporation of India] (NPCI) has announced a complex new structure for Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges on [Unified Payments Interface] (UPI) transactions. Starting October 15, 2026, an MDR will be applied to UPI payments of ₹2,000 or more made at merchants, but with various exemptions and flat rates based on merchant size and sector.
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Must ReadWhat does the latest revision to the EPFO wage ceiling entail? | Explained
The Union Cabinet has approved a long-pending proposal to raise the mandatory wage ceiling for coverage under the [Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO)] from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month. This decision, the first revision since 2014, is expected to bring an additional 51 lakh workers under the formal social security net, including access to pension and insurance benefits.
Must ReadEAC-PM member Sanjeev Sanyal suggests ending population control policies amid falling fertility
A working paper titled 'The Ghost of Population Past,' co-authored by Sanjeev Sanyal, a member of the [Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister] (EAC-PM), advocates for ending India's population control policies due to falling fertility rates. The paper highlights that India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has dropped to 1.9 (below the replacement level of 2.1) and suggests repealing incentives linked to sterilization and two-child norms to avoid falling into a 'low-fertility trap' like some developed nations.
Must ReadA war room for India in an age of sanctions
The article highlights the growing challenge of **economic coercion** and **secondary sanctions** faced by India due to geopolitical actions by countries like the US and Iran. The author advocates for the creation of an 'Economic Security and Sanctions Office' under the Cabinet Secretariat to serve as a 'war room' to coordinate India's response across various ministries, emphasizing that India's deep integration into global financial systems makes it vulnerable to such pressures.
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