Weekly Current Affairs Roundup: 18-24 August 2026

Five developments from this week worth holding on to, followed by a short self-check.

• Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme notified (21 Aug): the Ministry of Electronics and IT notified a ₹62,500 crore scheme to expand domestic mobile-phone manufacturing — relevant to GS-III (industrial policy, Make in India, electronics manufacturing).
• UP maternity leave policy (22 Aug): the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved a policy giving female state-government employees 180 days of paid maternity leave, available twice during their service — relevant to GS-II (social welfare policy, gender-sensitive governance) and to State PCS aspirants specifically.
• Public Examinations Amendment Bill: Parliament considered stronger anti-paper-leak provisions, including fast-track courts and dedicated task forces — see this week's Daily Quiz for the detail.
• Supreme Court gender-sensitive judgment guidelines: the Court issued fresh guidance for judges emphasising survivor dignity, trauma-informed language, and the removal of patriarchal phrasing from judgments — relevant to GS-II (judiciary, gender justice).
• Urban waste projection: new estimates suggest urban India's waste generation could roughly triple by 2047, with only about a quarter of it currently processed scientifically — relevant to GS-III (environment, urbanisation) and to essay-paper framing on sustainable urban growth.

1. Which ministry notified the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme, and roughly what is its outlay?
   Answer: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology; about ₹62,500 crore.
2. How many days of paid maternity leave did Uttar Pradesh approve for its female state employees, and how many times can it be availed?
   Answer: 180 days, available twice during a career.
3. What proportion of urban India's waste is currently estimated to be scientifically processed?
   Answer: Roughly 22-25%, with the rest landfilled or dumped.