Current affairs — 6 November 2026

Prelims pointers

• The ninth tranche of mineral-block auctions offers 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks.
• The third tranche of exploration-licence auctions covers 11 blocks.
• The mineral-block auction includes deposits of graphite, vanadium, gallium, titanium, rare earth elements and tungsten.
• Exploration licences are granted through competitive bidding for reconnaissance and prospecting activities.
• The first eight mineral-block tranches offered 100 unique blocks, of which 64 were successfully auctioned.

Prelims pointers

• The restoration plan covers the damaged Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages of the Kaleshwaram project.
• The target is to begin restoration in December after securing final approvals by the end of November.
• The NDSA advised keeping the gates of the structurally defective Annaram and Sundilla barrages open.
• By October, 16.71 tmc ft was lifted through Devadula and 8.10 tmc ft through Sitarama, totalling 24.81 tmc ft.
• The approximately ₹4,193-crore proposal assigns defect-rectification costs to construction agencies and additional-work expenditure to the government.

Prelims pointers

• Odisha deployed 16 police platoons and set up three border checkpoints, but several Kotia residents crossed into Andhra Pradesh during the local polls.
• Andhra Pradesh set up a polling booth for residents of Kotia at Sariki, within Andhra Pradesh's State boundary.
• The jurisdictional dispute surfaced in 1955 when Andhra Pradesh officials attempted to collect land revenue from the villages.
• Some Kotia villagers participated in elections in both States in 1954 and 1967; Odisha moved the Supreme Court over the dispute in 1968.
• On March 30, 2006, the Supreme Court disposed of the original suit under the proviso to Article 131 and directed maintenance of the status quo.

Prelims pointers

• The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013 and Rules restrict manual cleaning practices.
• Since 2013, the law has distinguished hazardous sewer and septic-tank cleaning from manual scavenging.
• In Dr. Balram Singh (2023), the Supreme Court strengthened requirements under Safai Karamchari Andolan (2014).
• The strengthened requirements raised compensation for sewer-cleaning deaths to ₹30 lakh per worker.
• The National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem scheme is centred on urban local bodies.

Prelims pointers

• The two-day Marang Buru Dhoromgad Mahasammelan was held at Pirtand in Jharkhand’s Giridih district.
• Marang Buru Bachao Sangharsh Morcha organised the conference, which focused on Santhal religious tradition.
• The article describes Sarna followers as nature worshippers who revere trees, mountains and forest protection.
• Hemant Soren has sought recognition of a separate Sarna religious code for tribal communities.
• Jharkhand’s Phulo-Jhano Ashirwad Yojana seeks to curb production and sale of Hadiya and illicit liquor.

Prelims pointers

• The UN General Assembly designated November 6 as the relevant international day on November 5, 2001.
• The observance is called the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.
• The International Law Commission adopted 27 draft PERAC principles in 2022.
• The UN General Assembly formally noted the PERAC draft principles on December 7, 2022.
• The first PERAC principle applies the framework before, during and after armed conflict, including occupation.

Prelims pointers

• Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah in Kathmandu on November 5, 2026.
• Misri held detailed partnership talks with Nepali Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai.
• The bilateral agenda included hydropower, physical connectivity, border management, energy and people-to-people ties.
• Digital connectivity and artificial intelligence were identified as new areas in India-Nepal engagement.
• Nepali leaders thanked India for humanitarian and technical assistance after the Bhotekoshi floods.