DRDO developed SWaDeS (Sea Water Desalination System), a portable desalination system to supply drinking water to soldiers in remote and water-scarce areas. Built by the Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, it can run in manual or engine-driven mode and purifies seawater and saline inland water into potable water for coastal regions, high-altitude areas and isolated military posts.
On January 9, 2026, comprehensive updates regarding the highly impactful Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (Kalaignar Women's Rights Grant Scheme) were prominently highlighted by the Tamil Nadu government. This flagship welfare initiative systematically targets women heads of households, providing them with an unencumbered financial assistance of Rs 1,000 every single month.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah opened an Integrated Command and Control Centre in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The centre brings surveillance, communication and coordination for the islands' security and administrative agencies under one roof. This matters for a strategically located island chain near key sea lanes in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.
The Telangana Assembly passed the Telangana Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which replaces an earlier ordinance. Under a 1994 law, people with more than two children could not contest local body polls. The Bill removes that two-child rule, so any eligible citizen can contest Panchayat Raj elections. Panchayat Raj Minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka introduced it.
The Tamil Nadu Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with UN Women in Chennai to strengthen women's welfare, gender equality and inclusive development, focusing on gender-responsive governance, planning and budgeting aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. UN Women will provide technical support, involving the Social Welfare and Women's Rights, Home, and Rural Development departments.
On 5 January 2026, in Sivaganga, the Tamil Nadu government began handing out free laptops under the 'Ulagam Ungal Kaiyil' scheme. The plan covers 20 lakh students in phases, with 10 lakh in the first phase. It includes students in government and government-aided colleges, and eligible private-college students admitted under the 7.5% quota or welfare schemes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote an article, 'Somnath: 1,000 years of unbroken faith', marking a thousand years since Mahmud of Ghazni attacked the Somnath Temple in 1026 CE. The temple is at Prabhas Patan near Veraval in Gujarat and is regarded as the first of the 12 Jyotirlingas. It was destroyed and rebuilt many times.
The Centre announced a regional office of the National Turmeric Board and an accredited turmeric testing lab in Erode, a major turmeric market in Tamil Nadu. The Board is based in Nizamabad, Telangana, and comes under the Commerce Ministry. ICAR will run the Erode lab and work on high-curcumin varieties.
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