Kerala PSC Current Affairs Brief — 18 September 2026

The day’s news spans environmental incidents, judicial directives, fiscal challenges in Kerala and key political, welfare and technology developments at the national level.

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Kerala News

1. Elephant attack in Idukki

• The incident occurred at 9:30 p.m. on the road between Ayyanpara and Kampani estate near Pethotty in Idukki district.
• The victim was a migrant worker who was attacked by a wild elephant.

PSC relevance: Environment and Ecology / Wildlife Management

2. Kerala High Court orders railway infrastructure shift

• The Kerala High Court ordered the Indian Railways to shift its electrical infrastructure at Pachalam following a public interest litigation.
• The direction was issued to address public safety and land use concerns raised by the petitioners.

PSC relevance: Judicial System / Public Administration

3. Pending MGNREGA material costs for Panchayats

• Panchayats in Kerala have not yet received material cost reimbursements for MGNREGA for the previous financial year, amounting to over ₹500 crore.
• The pending amount hampers rural development projects and affects local governance.

PSC relevance: Rural Development, MGNREGA, Finance

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National News

4. Bombay HC seeks Maharashtra reply on Tipu portrait plea

• The Bombay High Court has asked the Maharashtra government to respond to a plea filed by the Malegaon Deputy Mayor regarding the removal of a Tipu Sultan portrait from her office.
• The plea was filed by Nilesh Kakade, the Leader of the Opposition Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) party in the Malegaon Municipal Corporation.

PSC relevance: Judicial System / Heritage Conservation

5. West Bengal joins PM birthday celebrations and launches scheme

• West Bengal’s government observed PM Narendra Modi’s birthday as “Annapurna Divas” and unveiled a life‑size statue of the Prime Minister at a BJP office in Kolkata.
• The state also launched the PM Vishwakarma Scheme, marking the first time West Bengal joined this central welfare initiative.

PSC relevance: Central Schemes, Welfare Programs

6. Finance Minister meets Nepal counterpart on flood recovery

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with Nepal’s Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Wagle to discuss flood recovery measures and strengthen bilateral economic ties.
• The discussions also covered initiatives to improve connectivity for enhanced trade and people‑to‑people exchanges between India and Nepal.

PSC relevance: International Relations, Bilateral Cooperation

7. Satya Niketan building collapse case: Kiran Bedi seeks intervention

• Former prison director Kiran Bedi approached the Delhi High Court seeking to intervene in the Satya Niketan building collapse case.
• The Centre opposed her intervention, arguing that the matter does not require her involvement.

PSC relevance: Judicial System / Public Interest Litigation

8. Uttar Pradesh test of BJP’s hegemony after 2024 elections

• The 2024 elections saw the BJP lose ground in Uttar Pradesh, prompting analysis of the party’s future dominance in the state.
• Political observers note that the changing electoral landscape could affect the BJP’s hegemony in upcoming polls.

PSC relevance: Political Science, Electoral Studies

9. Semicon India 2026: India positioned as trustworthy chipmaking hub

• At Semicon India 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted India’s role as a “trustworthy” chip‑making destination amid the weaponisation of supply chains.
• He emphasized that India’s electronics manufacturing attractiveness benefits the global community.

PSC relevance: Science & Technology, Electronics Manufacturing, Economy

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10 MCQs

Q1. At what time did the elephant attack on the migrant worker occur in Idukki?

Options: A. 7:45 a.m. B. 9:30 p.m. C. 6:00 p.m. D. 11:15 a.m.

Answer: B

Explanation: The incident occurred at 9:30 p.m. as stated in the Kerala news bullet.

Q2. Which locations were mentioned as the site of the elephant attack?

Options: A. Near Alappuzha B. Between Ayyanpara and Kampani estate near Pethotty C. On the Periyar River bank D. In the Western Ghats near Munnar

Answer: B

Explanation: The attack happened on the road between Ayyanpara and Kampani estate near Pethotty.

Q3. What specific infrastructure did the Kerala High Court order to be shifted?

Options: A. Shift railway tracks at Ernakulam B. Shift electrical infrastructure at Pachalam C. Close a highway in Kozhikode D. Relocate a bus depot in Thrissur

Answer: B

Explanation: The court directed the shift of electrical infrastructure at Pachalam.

Q4. What is the estimated amount of pending MGNREGA material costs owed to Kerala Panchayats?

Options: A. ₹200 crore B. ₹350 crore C. Over ₹500 crore D. ₹800 crore

Answer: C

Explanation: The pending material costs total over ₹500 crore.

Q5. What did the Bombay High Court ask the Maharashtra government to respond to?

Options: A. Removal of a Mahatma Gandhi statue B. Plea about Tipu Sultan portrait removal C. Enforcement of a fireworks ban D. Approval of a new municipal tax

Answer: B

Explanation: The HC sought a reply on the Tipu Sultan portrait removal plea.

Q6. Who filed the plea concerning the Tipu Sultan portrait in Malegaon?

Options: A. Nilesh Kakade B. Rahul Gandhi C. Arvind Kejriwal D. Mamata Banerjee

Answer: A

Explanation: The plea was filed by Nilesh Kakade, the opposition leader.

Q7. How did West Bengal observe Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday?

Options: A. “Vijay Diwas” B. “Annapurna Divas” C. “Swami Vivekananda Day” D. “National Unity Day”

Answer: B

Explanation: The state marked the day as “Annapurna Divas”.

Q8. Which central welfare scheme did West Bengal launch during the PM’s birthday celebrations?

Options: A. PM Jan Dhan Yojana B. PM Vishwakarma Scheme C. PM Awas Yojana D. PM Kisan Samman Nidhi

Answer: B

Explanation: West Bengal launched the PM Vishwakarma Scheme.

Q9. Which Indian minister met Nepal’s Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Wagle to discuss flood recovery?

Options: A. Nirmala Sitharaman B. Piyush Goyal C. S. Jaishankar D. Amit Shah

Answer: A

Explanation: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held the meeting.

Q10. During Semicon India 2026, Prime Minister Modi highlighted India’s chip‑making role amid what global issue?

Options: A. Global warming B. Weaponisation of supply chains C. Trade wars D. Currency fluctuations

Answer: B

Explanation: Modi referred to the weaponisation of supply chains.

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Quick Recap

#	Topic	One-line
1	Elephant Attack	Migrant worker killed by wild elephant in Idukki at 9:30 p.m.
2	HC Railway Order	Kerala High Court orders shift of electrical infrastructure at Pachalam.
3	MGNREGA Payments	Panchayats await over ₹500 crore of pending MGNREGA material costs.
4	Tipu Portrait Case	Bombay HC seeks Maharashtra reply on Malegaon Deputy Mayor’s Tipu portrait plea.
5	West Bengal PM Birthday	State observes Annapurna Divas, unveils PM statue, launches Vishwakarma Scheme.
6	India‑Nepal Finance Talks	Finance Minister Sitharaman meets Nepal’s Wagle on flood recovery and connectivity.
7	Satya Niketan Case	Kiran Bedi seeks Delhi HC intervention; Centre opposes.
8	UP BJP Hegemony Test	2024 elections show BJP losing ground in Uttar Pradesh, raising hegemony doubts.
9	Semicon India 2026	PM Modi promotes India as trustworthy chip‑making hub amid supply‑chain weaponisation.

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Sources: The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB. Compiled via RSS feeds and verified at time of publication.