Welcome to the Ujiyari Bihar Current Affairs notes for 26 August 2026, prepared for BPSC and other State PCS aspirants. CM Samrat Choudhary flagged off 4,700 two-wheelers under the ‘Police Didi’ campaign at Gyan Bhavan, Patna, and launched the Mukhyamantri Balika PhD Fellowship and the ‘Bihar Ki Beti Startup Challenge’. A sudden flood in the Gandak’s Nepal catchment put Gandak-basin districts on high alert, with all 36 gates of the Valmikinagar barrage opened. Each item below carries a Prelims fact set and a Mains angle, followed by five practice MCQs.

1. CM Flags Off 4,700 Two-Wheelers for the ‘Police Didi’ Campaign

Why in News: CM Samrat Choudhary flagged off 4,700 scooters and motorcycles for women police personnel under the ‘Police Didi’ campaign, also branded the Abhaya Brigade, at Gyan Bhavan, Patna, on 26 August 2026.

What happened: The fleet comprises roughly 2,700 scooties and over 2,000 motorcycles. These personnel will patrol and be deployed around schools, colleges, markets and major roads to secure girls and women. Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav and senior officials were present. The CM said Dial-112 response time has been brought under 10 minutes, with a target of 5 to 7 minutes.

Bihar Relevance:

  • Prelims: 4,700 two-wheelers, about 2,700 scooties and 2,000+ motorcycles; scheme ‘Police Didi’ / Abhaya Brigade; venue Gyan Bhavan, Patna.
  • Prelims: Dial-112 is the Emergency Response Support System number; target response time 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Mains: Gendered policing as a visibility-based deterrence strategy, and whether vehicle-and-deployment inputs translate into measurable declines in crimes against women (GS2 governance, GS1 women’s issues).

2. Mukhyamantri Balika PhD Fellowship and ‘Bihar Ki Beti Startup Challenge’ Launched

Why in News: At the same Gyan Bhavan event on 26 August 2026, the CM launched the Mukhyamantri Balika PhD Fellowship and the ‘Bihar Ki Beti Startup Challenge’.

What happened: Under the fellowship, about 1,000 women research scholars will receive Rs 10,000 per month for four years to pursue doctoral study and research, amounting to roughly Rs 4.8 lakh per scholar. The startup challenge offers 2,100 women entrepreneurs financial assistance ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh for innovative ventures. The CM said 43 lakh Jeevika Didis have already crossed the Lakhpati Didi threshold of Rs 1 lakh annual income, and set a target of connecting one crore women to employment within three years.

Bihar Relevance:

  • Prelims: PhD fellowship Rs 10,000 per month for 4 years to about 1,000 women scholars; startup challenge 2,100 beneficiaries at Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh.
  • Prelims: 43 lakh Lakhpati Didis under JEEViKA, the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society, which operates under the DAY-NRLM framework.
  • Mains: Fellowship-plus-seed-capital design as a route for converting self-help-group income gains into higher-education and entrepreneurship outcomes for women (GS2 education and welfare, GS3 inclusive growth).

3. Free BSRTC Bus Travel for Women Announced; First Women’s University Proposed

Why in News: From the same platform on 26 August 2026, the CM announced free bus travel for women on more than 1,000 Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) buses, and said Bihar will get its first women’s university.

What happened: The free-travel window runs from the morning of 27 August until 10 p.m. on 28 August, tied to Raksha Bandhan, and covers both intra-city and inter-district routes. The proposed women’s university is to be run entirely by women, from the student body up to the Vice-Chancellor. Note that both the free-travel window and the university are announcements: the travel period falls after the edition date, and the university has not been established.

Bihar Relevance:

  • Prelims: Operator BSRTC; over 1,000 buses; free window 27 August morning to 28 August 10 p.m.; Raksha Bandhan 2026 falls on 28 August.
  • Mains: Fare-free public transport for women as a mobility-and-workforce-participation intervention, and its fiscal sustainability for a loss-making state transport corporation (GS2 welfare, GS3 infrastructure).

4. High Alert on the Gandak After Nepal Flash Floods

Why in News: A sudden flood in the Gandak’s upper catchment in Nepal put Bihar’s Gandak-basin districts on high alert on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, with a surge of up to about three metres anticipated.

What happened: By Wednesday afternoon roughly 86,000 cusecs was being discharged from the Valmikinagar barrage, all 36 gates were opened, and by 4 p.m. discharge had risen to about 1.5 lakh cusecs, with initial estimates of up to 2.5 lakh cusecs passing through. East Champaran district administration declared high alert in four blocks, namely Areraj, Paharpur, Sangrampur and Kesaria, and cancelled the leave of block- and circle-level officers and technical staff. NDRF and SDRF teams were kept on standby, and seven districts including West Champaran, Vaishali and Begusarai were alerted. The Ganga was simultaneously rising at Patna, Lakhisarai, Munger and Bhagalpur.

Bihar Relevance:

  • Prelims: Valmikinagar barrage on the Gandak, in West Champaran, has 36 gates; discharge about 86,000 cusecs rising to about 1.5 lakh cusecs on 26 August.
  • Prelims: The Gandak rises in Nepal as the Narayani or Sapt Gandaki and joins the Ganga at Hajipur, Vaishali district. On 25 August the Ganga at Barhara (Bhojpur) ran 43 cm above the danger mark.
  • Mains: Transboundary flood management on Nepal-origin rivers and the limits of barrage-centric control in the absence of real-time upstream data sharing (GS3 disaster management, GS2 India-Nepal relations).

5. Rajgir Nature Safari Footfall Doubles; State Eco-Tourism Up 36 Per Cent

Why in News: Figures from Bihar’s Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department, reported on 26 August 2026, show visitors to the Rajgir Nature Safari rising from 1.59 lakh in 2022-23 to about 3 lakh in 2024-25.

What happened: Statewide eco-tourism footfall grew from 55.20 lakh to 74.90 lakh over the same period, a 36 per cent rise. Karamchat Dam in Kaimur went from 46,000 to 1.49 lakh visitors and Bhimbandh in Munger from 35,000 to 85,000. Attractions driving growth include a glass skywalk, zipline, sky cycling, a suspension bridge, archery and rifle shooting. The department has identified 276 new eco-tourism sites, comprising 29 large reservoirs and 247 ponds, lakes and wetlands, for development through public-private partnership with 30-year leases.

Bihar Relevance:

  • Prelims: Rajgir Nature Safari 1.59 lakh (2022-23) to about 3 lakh (2024-25); state eco-tourism 55.20 lakh to 74.90 lakh, a 36 per cent rise.
  • Prelims: 276 new sites identified, comprising 29 reservoirs and 247 water bodies, on 30-year PPP leases; Rajgir is in Nalanda district and was the ancient capital of Magadha.
  • Mains: Eco-tourism as a revenue-and-livelihood route for a low-industrialisation state, weighed against carrying-capacity risks at forest and wetland sites (GS3 environment and economy).

6. CM Addresses the ‘Tulsi ke Ram’ Programme in Patna

Why in News: CM Samrat Choudhary addressed the ‘Tulsi ke Ram’ cultural programme in Patna on 26 August 2026.

What happened: The CM said Bihar’s history is one of a golden era and Sanatan culture, and credited Tulsidas and the Ram tradition in Bihar’s cultural life. He invoked Chanakya, saying that about 2,500 years ago the idea of an Akhand Bharat was conceived from Magadh. Note that the claim about Magadh’s extent is the Chief Minister’s statement and is reported here as such.

Bihar Relevance:

  • Prelims: Goswami Tulsidas, author of the Ramcharitmanas, is traditionally associated with Rajapur and with Bihar’s Buxar through the Tulsi Ashram tradition.
  • Prelims: Magadha was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas, with capitals at Rajgriha and later Pataliputra; Chanakya is associated with the rise of Chandragupta Maurya.
  • Mains: Use of cultural-heritage framing in state political messaging and its role in tourism-circuit building (GS1 art and culture).

Practice MCQs

1. The ‘Police Didi’ campaign, under which 4,700 two-wheelers were flagged off on 26 August 2026, is also branded as which of the following?

a) Shakti Dal b) Abhaya Brigade c) Nari Suraksha Bal d) Mahila Raksha Vahini

Answer: b Explanation: The campaign is also branded the Abhaya Brigade. It comprises roughly 2,700 scooties and over 2,000 motorcycles for women police personnel deployed around schools, colleges, markets and major roads.

2. Under the Mukhyamantri Balika PhD Fellowship, what monthly assistance will women research scholars receive?

a) Rs 5,000 for three years b) Rs 25,000 for two years c) Rs 15,000 for five years d) Rs 10,000 for four years

Answer: d Explanation: About 1,000 women research scholars will receive Rs 10,000 per month for four years, amounting to roughly Rs 4.8 lakh per scholar. The parallel ‘Bihar Ki Beti Startup Challenge’ offers 2,100 women entrepreneurs between Rs 50,000 and Rs 2 lakh.

3. The Valmikinagar barrage, all of whose gates were opened on 26 August 2026, is located on which river?

a) Gandak b) Kosi c) Bagmati d) Son

Answer: a Explanation: The Valmikinagar barrage in West Champaran district lies on the Gandak, which rises in Nepal as the Narayani or Sapt Gandaki and joins the Ganga at Hajipur. All 36 gates were opened as discharge rose to about 1.5 lakh cusecs.

4. Statewide eco-tourism footfall in Bihar rose from 55.20 lakh to 74.90 lakh between 2022-23 and 2024-25. This represents an increase of approximately what percentage?

a) 12 per cent b) 52 per cent c) 36 per cent d) 24 per cent

Answer: c Explanation: The rise from 55.20 lakh to 74.90 lakh represents an increase of about 36 per cent. Over the same period, the Rajgir Nature Safari roughly doubled from 1.59 lakh to about 3 lakh visitors.

5. Rajgir, site of the Nature Safari, served as the ancient capital of which Mahajanapada?

a) Vajji b) Anga c) Kosala d) Magadha

Answer: d Explanation: Rajgir, in present-day Nalanda district, was known as Rajgriha and was the early capital of Magadha before the capital shifted to Pataliputra. Magadha was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas.