Welcome to the Ujiyari Rajasthan Current Affairs notes for 12 September 2026, prepared for the RPSC RAS Prelims and Mains and other Rajasthan government examinations. The day sits between the two-phase Urban Local Body poll and the count: the Rajasthan State Election Commission has scheduled counting for all 309 ULBs on 14 September 2026 from 8 a.m., with the last-mile logistics of strong-room security, counting halls and micro-observers now in place. In parallel, the Industrial Park Promotion Policy 2026 cleared under Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has moved to implementation, with the RajNivesh single-window portal now processing park-development proposals through four ownership models. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) placed several districts under a yellow alert for a fresh rain spell from 11 to 13 September, with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30 to 40 km per hour across eastern Rajasthan. The Union Cabinet-approved Jaipur Metro Phase 2 (41 km, Rs 13,037.66 crore) is proceeding through RMRCL, and the PKC-ERCP (Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal - Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project) work is on the ground. Each item carries a Prelims fact set and a Mains angle, followed by five practice MCQs.

1. Counting for all 309 Rajasthan ULBs on 14 September: State Election Commission Ready

Why in News: The Rajasthan State Election Commission (SEC) confirmed that counting for all 309 Urban Local Bodies across the state will be held on Monday, 14 September 2026, from 8 a.m., at designated counting centres in each district. Counting halls, strong-room security, videography and micro-observer deployment were finalised through 12 September. The two-phase election was conducted on 9 September (Phase 1, 162 ULBs) and 11 September (Phase 2, 147 ULBs).

Phase-wise turnout snapshot. The Commission reported that the final turnout for Phase 1 was 76.41 per cent across 162 ULBs, with Arnod Municipality (Pratapgarh) recording that phase’s highest turnout at 91.98 per cent. In Phase 2 on 11 September, Neemrana recorded the highest turnout at 88.56 per cent and the Bhilwara Municipal Corporation the lowest at 63.84 per cent, its lowest in 26 years against 67.13 per cent in 2021. Also in Phase 2, the Jaipur Nagar Nigam (both Heritage and Greater under the SEC’s ward delimitation) recorded around 62.88 per cent turnout. The Commission’s cycle-wide target was 86 per cent.

Where the count sits constitutionally. ULB elections in Rajasthan are conducted under Article 243ZA of the Constitution (which places the superintendence, direction and control of ULB elections with the State Election Commission), read with Part IX-A (Articles 243P to 243ZG) and the Twelfth Schedule listing 18 subjects for urban local governance. The state legislation is the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009. Rajasthan elects its urban chairpersons indirectly: voters elect ward councillors, who then elect the Mayor (corporations), Sabhapati (councils) or Adhyaksh (municipalities). For the 2026 cycle that election is scheduled for 21 September 2026, with the deputy posts filled the following day.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: Counting for all 309 Rajasthan ULBs is on 14 September 2026 from 8 a.m.; Phase 1 was on 9 September (162 ULBs), Phase 2 on 11 September (147 ULBs).
  • Prelims: Phase 1 turnout: 76.41 per cent, highest Arnod Municipality (Pratapgarh) at 91.98 per cent. Phase 2: highest Neemrana at 88.56 per cent, lowest Bhilwara Municipal Corporation at 63.84 per cent.
  • Prelims: Jaipur Nagar Nigam recorded around 62.88 per cent turnout on 11 September; the SEC’s cycle target was 86 per cent.
  • Prelims: ULB polls are conducted by the Rajasthan State Election Commission under Article 243ZA; the governing legislation is the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009.
  • Prelims: Statewide composition: 309 ULBs (10 corporations, 47 councils, 252 municipalities); Rajasthan elects chairpersons directly across all three classes.
  • Mains: The State Election Commission as a constitutional body distinct from the ECI; direct versus indirect election of urban chairpersons; the challenge of raising sustained urban turnout above the mofussil-urban gradient (GS2 constitutional bodies, local governance).

2. Industrial Park Promotion Policy 2026: Four Models, Single-Window Clearance

Why in News: The Industrial Park Promotion Policy 2026, issued in April 2026 under Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, is the standing framework for private industrial-park development in the state, with proposals routed through the RajNivesh single-window portal under four ownership models. A park must cover a minimum of 50 acres and host at least 10 units; capital subsidy runs up to 20 per cent, capped at Rs 40 crore for parks above 250 acres, with green incentives up to Rs 12.5 crore. The policy positions the state as a future-ready industrial destination through world-class industrial parks.

How the policy is structured. The policy provides for park development through four ownership and development models: fully private development, hybrid land-sharing arrangements between the private developer and the state, public-private partnership (PPP) mode, and government-anchored models. Incentives include exemption from electricity duty on renewable-power use, concessions on stamp duty and land conversion charges, and single-window clearance through the RajNivesh portal. The state guarantees core infrastructure (water, power, roads) on a shared-cost basis.

Why parks and not just plots. The park model tries to solve two chronic gaps: land aggregation (small plots do not attract anchor investors) and compliance friction (park operators can wrap statutory clearances into a single interface). It aligns with Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat and complements the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit framework as an on-the-ground delivery instrument.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: The Rajasthan Industrial Park Promotion Policy 2026 was cleared under CM Bhajanlal Sharma; it provides for park development in four models: fully private, hybrid land-sharing, PPP and government-anchored.
  • Prelims: Incentives include exemption from electricity duty on renewable-power use, concessions on stamp duty and land conversion charges, and single-window clearance via the RajNivesh portal.
  • Prelims: The state guarantees core infrastructure (water, power, roads) on a shared-cost basis.
  • Prelims: The policy sits within the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat framework and complements the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit delivery pipeline.
  • Prelims: RIICO (Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation) is the state’s primary industrial infrastructure agency.
  • Mains: Industrial park policy as a state-level competitiveness instrument; the trade-off between speed-of-clearance and environmental due diligence; states’ role in India’s manufacturing push (GS3 economy, GS2 governance).

3. IMD Yellow Alert: Fresh Rain Spell from 11 to 13 September Across Eastern Rajasthan

Why in News: The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert on 11 September 2026 for Alwar, Baran, Bharatpur, Dausa, Deeg, Dholpur, Jhalawar, Karauli, Khairthal-Tijara, Kota, Kotputli-Behror and Sawai Madhopur, that is, the eastern Rajasthan and Hadoti belt, with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30 to 40 km per hour. IMD forecast rainfall activity to increase across the Jaipur, Bharatpur, Kota, Ajmer and Udaipur divisions between 12 and 16 September.

What was driving the spell. The revival was attributed to a westward-moving low-pressure area over central India feeding into the late-monsoon trough over Rajasthan, combined with a cyclonic circulation over the eastern plains. Districts in the eastern and southern belts (Jhalawar, Baran, Kota, Bundi, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Banswara) were expected to receive the heaviest rainfall.

Withdrawal calendar. The Southwest Monsoon normally begins withdrawal from western Rajasthan around 17 September, and completes withdrawal from the state by the first week of October. Late-September rainfall in Rajasthan carries a rabi-side benefit (soil moisture for wheat, gram, mustard) but also creates late-flooding risks in the Chambal-Banas-Kalisindh system.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: IMD issued a yellow alert on 11 September 2026 for Alwar, Baran, Bharatpur, Dausa, Deeg, Dholpur, Jhalawar, Karauli, Khairthal-Tijara, Kota, Kotputli-Behror and Sawai Madhopur, with gusty winds of 30 to 40 km per hour.
  • Prelims: The driver was a westward-moving low-pressure area over central India, feeding into the late-monsoon trough and a cyclonic circulation.
  • Prelims: The Southwest Monsoon begins withdrawal from western Rajasthan around 17 September, completing by the first week of October.
  • Prelims: Rajasthan’s rainfall gradient: under 200 mm in Jaisalmer and Barmer to 700-1,000 mm in Jhalawar and Baran; state average around 530 mm.
  • Prelims: The Aravalli range acts as a drainage divide separating Luni-drainage (west, into the Rann of Kutch) from Chambal-Banas-Mahi drainage (east/south).
  • Mains: The Aravalli as a climatological and drainage divide; late-monsoon rainfall as a rabi opportunity and a flash-flood risk in the Chambal ravines; changing intensity distribution of Indian monsoon rainfall (GS1 geography, GS3 disaster management).

4. Jaipur Metro Phase 2 Under Implementation: 41 Km Corridor, Rs 13,037.66 Crore

Why in News: Jaipur Metro Phase 2, approved by the Union Cabinet in April 2026, is a 41 km North-South corridor from Prahladpura to Todi Mod with 36 stations, at a total project cost of Rs 13,037.66 crore. It is being executed by the Rajasthan Metro Rail Corporation Limited (RMRCL), a 50:50 joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Rajasthan, and is targeted for completion by September 2031.

Where the corridor connects. Phase 2 is designed to link major activity nodes including the Sitapura Industrial Area, VKIA (Vishwakarma Industrial Area), Jaipur International Airport (Sanganer), Tonk Road, SMS Hospital and Stadium, Ambabari and Vidhyadhar Nagar. It will interchange with the existing Phase 1 Pink Line (Mansarovar to Badi Chaupar), giving the city its first full-corridor metro network.

Implementation architecture. RMRCL is a 50:50 joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Rajasthan. Financing typically combines equity from the two governments, subordinate debt for land and taxes, and multilateral loan components. The stated objectives are congestion reduction, lower vehicular emissions and improved mobility for residents, workers and tourists.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: Jaipur Metro Phase 2 is a 41 km, 36-station North-South corridor from Prahladpura to Todi Mod, at Rs 13,037.66 crore, approved by the Union Cabinet in April 2026.
  • Prelims: The project is implemented by the Rajasthan Metro Rail Corporation Limited (RMRCL), a 50:50 joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Rajasthan; targeted completion September 2031.
  • Prelims: Nodes served include Sitapura Industrial Area, VKIA, Jaipur Airport, Tonk Road, SMS Hospital and Stadium, Ambabari and Vidhyadhar Nagar.
  • Prelims: The corridor will interchange with the existing Phase 1 Pink Line (Mansarovar to Badi Chaupar).
  • Prelims: Jaipur has two municipal corporations post-2019 bifurcation: Jaipur Heritage and Jaipur Greater.
  • Mains: Metro rail as an urban-transport instrument in tier-2 state capitals; 50:50 joint-venture financing between the Centre and the state; integrating industrial-node connectivity into public-transport planning (GS3 infrastructure, GS2 governance).

5. PKC-ERCP on the Ground: Water Security for 21 Rajasthan Districts

Why in News: The Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal - Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (PKC-ERCP), taken up as a river-linking project under the National Perspective Plan following the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and the Union Government in January 2024, is under implementation through the eastern Rajasthan belt, with land acquisition and canal alignment in progress. The project is designed to deliver drinking and irrigation water to 21 districts of Rajasthan, including Jaipur, Tonk, Ajmer, Dausa, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Baran, Kota, Bundi and adjoining areas.

How the project works. PKC-ERCP links the Parbati, Kalisindh and Chambal rivers with the earlier-planned Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) framework. The core idea is to transfer surplus monsoon flows from the Chambal sub-basin to water-deficit eastern Rajasthan through a network of feeder canals, barrages and lift-and-storage infrastructure. It is an inter-state project between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, following an MoU signed at the Centre’s mediation.

Why it matters strategically. Eastern Rajasthan hosts the state’s densest population belt but has among its most acute water-availability constraints; the project is expected to underwrite drinking-water security for approximately 3.45 crore people and provide irrigation to a substantial cropped area, alongside sustaining the Ranthambore-Sawai Madhopur and Keoladeo (Bharatpur) ecological complexes.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: PKC-ERCP links the Parbati, Kalisindh and Chambal rivers with the earlier-planned Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP); covers 21 eastern Rajasthan districts.
  • Prelims: Districts covered include Jaipur, Tonk, Ajmer, Dausa, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Baran, Kota and Bundi.
  • Prelims: The project is an inter-state project between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, following an MoU under Centre’s mediation.
  • Prelims: The first phase was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in December 2024; drinking-water security target is approximately 3.45 crore people.
  • Prelims: The Chambal originates from the Janapav Hills in the Mhow area of MP and is the largest tributary of the Yamuna; the Banas is the largest Chambal tributary lying entirely in Rajasthan.
  • Mains: Inter-state river-linking as a water-security instrument; the balance between agricultural and drinking-water demand in the Chambal sub-basin; ecological impacts on Ranthambore and Keoladeo of altered river regimes (GS3 water resources, GS3 environment).

Practice MCQs

1. Counting for the Rajasthan Urban Local Body elections is scheduled for which date, and how are the phases distributed?

a) 14 September 2026 from 8 a.m., for all 309 ULBs; Phase 1 on 9 September covered 162 ULBs and Phase 2 on 11 September covered 147 ULBs including the six corporations of Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Pali b) 15 September 2026, only for the four corporations of Bharatpur, Alwar, Bikaner and Bhilwara c) 30 September 2026, in a single national simultaneous count with parliamentary by-polls d) 20 September 2026, only for panchayats and not for urban bodies

Answer: a

Explanation: The Rajasthan State Election Commission scheduled counting for all 309 Urban Local Bodies on 14 September 2026 from 8 a.m., at designated counting centres in each district. Phase 1 on 9 September 2026 covered 162 ULBs across 39 districts, with a final turnout of 76.41 per cent and Arnod Municipality (Pratapgarh) recording that phase’s highest turnout at 91.98 per cent. Phase 2 on 11 September covered 147 ULBs, with Neemrana highest at 88.56 per cent and the Bhilwara Municipal Corporation lowest at 63.84 per cent, and included including the six municipal corporations of Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Kota, Udaipur and Pali, with the Jaipur Nagar Nigam recording around 62.88 per cent turnout. The Commission’s cycle target was 86 per cent. Statewide, Rajasthan has 309 ULBs, conducted under Article 243ZA of the Constitution and the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009.

2. The Rajasthan Industrial Park Promotion Policy 2026, under implementation in September 2026, is correctly described by which of the following?

a) A policy limited to only public-sector industrial parks operated by RIICO, with no private participation b) A policy providing four development models (fully private, hybrid land-sharing, PPP, government-anchored), single-window clearance via the RajNivesh portal, and incentives including exemption from electricity duty on renewable-power use and concessions on stamp duty c) A central policy of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade uniformly applied across all states d) A one-time investment auction for park-development rights capped at Rs 50 crore per developer

Answer: b

Explanation: The Rajasthan Industrial Park Promotion Policy 2026, cleared under Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, provides for the development of industrial parks through four ownership and development models: fully private development, hybrid land-sharing arrangements, public-private partnership (PPP) mode and government-anchored models. Incentives include exemption from electricity duty on renewable-power use, concessions on stamp duty and land conversion charges, and single-window clearance through the RajNivesh portal. The state government guarantees core infrastructure (water, power, roads) on a shared-cost basis. The policy is aligned with Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat and complements the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit as an on-the-ground delivery instrument. RIICO (Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation) is the state’s primary industrial infrastructure agency, but the 2026 policy explicitly opens park development to private and hybrid models.

3. Jaipur Metro Phase 2, whose pre-construction work advanced through September 2026, is correctly described by which of the following?

a) A 15 km East-West corridor with 10 stations at Rs 3,000 crore, entirely funded by the Rajasthan government b) A 41 km North-South corridor with 36 stations from Prahladpura to Todi Mod at Rs 13,037.66 crore, implemented by RMRCL (a 50:50 JV of the Centre and Rajasthan), targeted for completion by September 2031 c) A monorail loop of 8 km connecting only the Amer Fort and Jaipur Junction d) A tram service revived along the walled city under the Smart Cities Mission at Rs 500 crore

Answer: b

Explanation: Jaipur Metro Phase 2 is a 41 km North-South corridor from Prahladpura to Todi Mod, comprising 36 stations, at a total project cost of Rs 13,037.66 crore. The Union Cabinet approved the project in April 2026, and it is targeted for completion by September 2031. The corridor is designed to link major activity nodes including the Sitapura Industrial Area, VKIA, Jaipur International Airport (Sanganer), Tonk Road, SMS Hospital and Stadium, Ambabari and Vidhyadhar Nagar, and will interchange with the existing Phase 1 Pink Line (Mansarovar to Badi Chaupar). Implementation is by the Rajasthan Metro Rail Corporation Limited (RMRCL), a 50:50 joint venture of the Government of India and the Government of Rajasthan. Jaipur has two municipal corporations post-2019 bifurcation: Jaipur Heritage and Jaipur Greater.

4. Regarding the fresh monsoon spell over Rajasthan through 11 to 13 September 2026, which of the following is correct?

a) IMD issued a red alert for the desert districts of Jaisalmer and Barmer with 250 mm rainfall in 24 hours b) IMD issued a yellow alert on 11 September for Alwar, Dholpur, Bharatpur, Kota, Baran, Jhalawar and neighbouring eastern districts, with thunderstorms and gusty winds of 30 to 40 km per hour, driven by a westward-moving low-pressure area over central India c) IMD lifted all rainfall alerts as the monsoon had fully withdrawn from Rajasthan by 5 September 2026 d) The rainfall was attributed to a western disturbance moving in from the Mediterranean, unusual for the season

Answer: b

Explanation: The India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert on 11 September 2026 for Alwar, Baran, Bharatpur, Dausa, Deeg, Dholpur, Jhalawar, Karauli, Khairthal-Tijara, Kota, Kotputli-Behror and Sawai Madhopur, that is, the eastern Rajasthan and Hadoti belt, with thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30 to 40 km per hour. IMD forecast increased rainfall across the Jaipur, Bharatpur, Kota, Ajmer and Udaipur divisions between 12 and 16 September. The revival was attributed to a westward-moving low-pressure area over central India feeding into the late-monsoon trough over Rajasthan, combined with a cyclonic circulation over the eastern plains. The Southwest Monsoon typically begins withdrawal from western Rajasthan around 17 September and completes by the first week of October. Western disturbances are winter-season Mediterranean-origin systems, not monsoon-season features, so option (d) is incorrect.

5. The Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal - Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (PKC-ERCP), on the ground through September 2026, is correctly described by which of the following?

a) A hydro-electric project on the Mahi river solely for power generation in southern Rajasthan b) A drinking-water project confined to the desert districts of Barmer and Jaisalmer c) An inter-state project between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, linking the Parbati, Kalisindh and Chambal rivers with the ERCP framework, delivering drinking and irrigation water to 21 eastern Rajasthan districts; the first phase was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in December 2024 d) A canal from the Indira Gandhi Nahar directly to Ranthambore, unconnected to the Chambal

Answer: c

Explanation: The Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal - Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (PKC-ERCP) links the Parbati, Kalisindh and Chambal rivers with the earlier Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) framework. It is an inter-state project between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, following a memorandum of understanding under the Centre’s mediation. The first phase was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in December 2024. The project is designed to deliver drinking and irrigation water to 21 eastern Rajasthan districts, including Jaipur, Tonk, Ajmer, Dausa, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Baran, Kota and Bundi, with a drinking-water security target of approximately 3.45 crore people. The Chambal originates from the Janapav Hills in the Mhow area of Madhya Pradesh, is the largest tributary of the Yamuna, and its largest tributary lying entirely in Rajasthan is the Banas. The Indira Gandhi Nahar (Rajasthan Canal) draws from the Sutlej-Beas system at Harike, serving western Rajasthan, and is not connected to the Chambal.