Kerala PSC Current Affairs — 24 April 2026

Daily current affairs for Kerala PSC aspirants. Today’s edition: Kerala state disaster response, State Human Rights Commission order, IMD weather, Union Cabinet clean-fuel and employment moves, a landmark Supreme Court judgment on foreign-decree enforcement, and key international developments.

Kerala News

1. Thrissur Fireworks Blast — Judicial Inquiry Ordered

Kerala Cabinet declared the Thrissur fireworks explosion a State Disaster
Judicial inquiry instituted under Justice CN Ramachandran Nair (retired judge)
Compensation package: ₹14 lakh to each deceased victim’s next of kin, broken down as:
- ₹4 lakh from SDRF (State Disaster Response Fund — central+state 75:25 funding; Kerala is a “General category” state)
- ₹10 lakh from CMDRF (Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund — a Kerala state-specific corpus maintained by the CMO)
PSC relevance: SDRF / NDRF distinction, disaster management governance, Kerala state commissions
The Disaster Management Act, 2005 gives both Union and State governments overlapping authority on declaring and managing disasters

2. Kerala SHRC — Swimming Pool Access Ruling

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) ruled that an Iranian student at University of Kerala (Karyavattom campus) has the legal right to use the campus swimming pool
SHRC directed authorities to grant access without obstruction and is investigating allegations of racial abuse and the mishandling of her initial complaint
PSC relevance:
- SHRC is constituted under Section 21 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993
- Composition: a Chairperson (usually a retired HC Chief Justice) + up to 2 members
- Current Kerala SHRC Chairperson: verify on shrc.kerala.gov.in before exam

3. IMD Heat-Wave Orange Alert — Three Kerala Districts

India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued Orange Alert for Kollam, Thrissur, Palakkad on 23-24 April 2026 — heatwave in isolated locations
Colour-code system (remember for PSC GK):
- Green — no warning
- Yellow — be updated
- Orange — be prepared
- Red — take action
Kerala heatwave criterion: Maximum temperature ≥ 37°C (coastal) / 40°C (interior) AND departure from normal ≥ 4.5°C

National News

4. Cabinet Clears Ethanol Blending with Aviation Turbine Fuel (SAF)

Union Cabinet approved ethanol blending with Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) under the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) initiative
Aim: reduce India’s crude oil import dependence, cut aviation-sector emissions
Complements the existing Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme (India achieved 20% ethanol blending in petrol (E20) ahead of the 2025 target)
Nodal ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
PSC angle: National Policy on Biofuels 2018 (amended 2022), India’s Net Zero by 2070 commitment (announced at COP26 Glasgow, 2021)

5. PM Internship Scheme — Stipend Hiked to ₹9,000

Government expanded the Pradhan Mantri Internship Scheme (originally announced in Union Budget 2024-25)
Monthly stipend raised to ₹9,000 (from the earlier ₹5,000)
Target: 1 crore youth internship opportunities in top Indian companies over 5 years
Nodal ministry: Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA)
Eligibility: Indian youth aged 21-24 not in full-time employment or full-time education
PSC angle: employment-linked schemes, Budget 2024-25 rollout tracking

6. Cabinet Extends PMGSY-III till 2028

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Phase III extended till FY 2027-28
Approved outlay: ₹83,977 crore
PMGSY launched on 25 December 2000 (Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birthday — Good Governance Day)
Nodal ministry: Ministry of Rural Development
PMGSY Phase I (2000) → Phase II (2013) → Phase III (2019) → Phase IV (under planning)

7. Supreme Court — Foreign Judgment Enforceability (Messer Griesheim Case)

On 21 April 2026, a Supreme Court bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe held:
- A judgment from an English Court given under summary proceedings (without fully deciding triable issues) is not enforceable under Section 44A of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC)
- Reason: it falls foul of the exceptions in Section 13 CPC (which says a foreign judgment is conclusive UNLESS one of six grounds applies — e.g., not on the merits, contrary to natural justice)
Case: Messer Griesheim GmbH (Air Liquide Deutschland GmbH) v. Goyal MG Gases Pvt Ltd
PSC angle: polity/law — CPC, private international law basics

8. Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool — ₹12,980 Cr Guarantee

Earlier this week, Union Cabinet approved creation of Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool with a sovereign guarantee of ₹12,980 crore
Objective: provide continuous maritime insurance for Indian shipping, particularly during sanctions-driven underwriting disruptions
PSC angle: Maritime India Vision 2030, Sagarmala Programme linkages

International News

9. Iran Imposes Transit Tolls on Strait of Hormuz Shipping

Iran began collecting transit tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz — expected revenue up to US$ 20 million/day from oil tankers alone
Strait of Hormuz basics (high-frequency PSC GK):
- Connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and onward to the Arabian Sea
- Separates Iran (north) from Oman’s Musandam exclave (south)
- ~20-21% of global petroleum liquids (roughly 17-18 million barrels/day) transit the strait
India impact: ~60% of India’s crude imports pass through the strait; INR and crude prices sensitive

10. Laureus World Sports Awards 2026 — Madrid

Laureus World Sports Awards 2026 held in Madrid, Spain
Sportsman of the Year: Carlos Alcaraz (Tennis, Spain)
Sportswoman of the Year: Aryna Sabalenka (Tennis, Belarus)
Laureus Awards instituted in 2000 by the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation; often called the “Oscars of Sports”

Daily MCQs (10 Questions)

Q1. Under the Thrissur blast compensation package, what is the split between SDRF and CMDRF for each deceased victim?

a) ₹7 L SDRF + ₹7 L CMDRF b) ₹10 L SDRF + ₹4 L CMDRF c) ₹4 L SDRF + ₹10 L CMDRF d) ₹14 L CMDRF only

Answer: c Explanation: Cabinet approved ₹4 lakh from SDRF and ₹10 lakh from CMDRF, total ₹14 lakh.

Q2. The State Human Rights Commission is constituted under which section of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993?

a) Section 3 b) Section 12 c) Section 21 d) Section 31

Answer: c Explanation: Section 21 of the PHRA, 1993 empowers state governments to constitute a State Human Rights Commission.

Q3. IMD’s “Orange” weather alert signifies:

a) No warning b) Be updated c) Be prepared d) Take action

Answer: c Explanation: The IMD colour code: Green (no warning), Yellow (be updated), Orange (be prepared), Red (take action).

Q4. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blending, recently cleared by Cabinet, is being done with which fuel?

a) Diesel b) Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) c) CNG d) LPG

Answer: b Explanation: The Cabinet approved ethanol blending with ATF under the SAF initiative.

Q5. The PM Internship Scheme (expanded in 2026) is administered by which ministry?

a) Ministry of Labour and Employment b) Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship c) Ministry of Corporate Affairs d) Ministry of Education

Answer: c Explanation: The PM Internship Scheme is under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, as interns are placed in Indian companies.

Q6. Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was launched on which date, in whose memory is the date also observed as Good Governance Day?

a) 2 October 1999 — Mahatma Gandhi b) 25 December 2000 — Atal Bihari Vajpayee c) 15 August 2001 — Jawaharlal Nehru d) 26 January 2000 — BR Ambedkar

Answer: b Explanation: PMGSY was launched on 25 December 2000, the birth anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, now observed as Good Governance Day.

Q7. Section 44A of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 deals with:

a) Contempt of court b) Execution of decrees passed by Courts in reciprocating territories c) Set-aside of ex parte decrees d) Temporary injunctions

Answer: b Explanation: Section 44A CPC allows decrees of superior courts in reciprocating territories (e.g., UK, Singapore) to be executed in India as if Indian decrees.

Q8. The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to which body of water?

a) Red Sea b) Arabian Sea directly c) Gulf of Oman d) Mediterranean Sea

Answer: c Explanation: The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, which then opens into the Arabian Sea.

Q9. Who won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award 2026?

a) Jannik Sinner b) Novak Djokovic c) Carlos Alcaraz d) Rafael Nadal

Answer: c Explanation: Carlos Alcaraz (Spain, tennis) won Laureus Sportsman of the Year 2026 at the Madrid ceremony.

Q10. The Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool approved by the Cabinet carries a sovereign guarantee of:

a) ₹5,000 crore b) ₹9,500 crore c) ₹12,980 crore d) ₹25,000 crore

Answer: c Explanation: The Cabinet approved a sovereign guarantee of ₹12,980 crore to back the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool, ensuring continuity of maritime insurance cover.

Sources: PIB releases, Onmanorama, The Hindu, SC of India judgment (Messer Griesheim GmbH v. Goyal MG Gases), IMD bulletins, Laureus.com. Two-source verification applied to all numeric data.

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