Daily Current Affairs

On March 1, 2026, PM Narendra Modi visited Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for development projects worth over Rs 7,100 crore, focused on regional connectivity and public welfare.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare) announced two landmark agricultural legislative reforms at Mussoorie, Uttarakhand on March 1, 2026.

• New Seed Act 2026: Mandatory registration for all seed companies; seed packets will carry unique QR codes for traceability; fines raised to a maximum of Rs 30 lakh with possible imprisonment for deliberate offences
• Revised Pesticide Act 2026: Replaces the Insecticides Act, 1968; modernises India’s pesticide regulation to align with global safety standards and protect farmers from substandard products

NITI Aayog and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed the Record of Discussions (RoD) for Phase II of the Japan–India Cooperative Actions towards SDGs, targeting Aspirational Districts and Blocks across India.

• Signed by: Rohit Kumar (Additional Secretary & Mission Director, Aspirational Districts Programme, NITI Aayog) and Takeuchi Takuro (Chief Representative, JICA India)
• Framework: Implemented under the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP)
• Objective: Strengthen India–Japan SDG collaboration; enhance institutional capacity and improve governance at district and block levels through evidence-based planning and stronger monitoring

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power marked its 25th Foundation Day at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on March 1, 2026.

• Chief Guest: Union Minister Manohar Lal (Ministry of Power & MoHUA); energy efficiency described as India’s ‘First Fuel’ by Secretary Pankaj Agarwal
• BEE@25 Logo released to commemorate the silver jubilee
• RCO Portal (www.rco.beeindia.gov.in) launched — strengthens compliance monitoring of Renewable Consumption Obligations
• BEE Star Label Mobile App launched (in collaboration with CLASP) — consumers can scan QR codes on star-rated appliances to verify authentic energy performance data

The Survey of India (SoI) — under the Department of Science and Technology — signed a five-year MoU with Kerala Digital University (KDU) to collaborate on geospatial research and digital innovation.

• Key Areas: R&D in mapping and spatial data sciences; training programmes; internships; joint projects leveraging Geoinformatics, AI, and Machine Learning (ML)
• Aligned with national geospatial priorities

S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY, launched India’s first indigenously developed 30 kW Wide Band Gap (WBG)-based Integrated Drive System (IDS) for electric vehicles at IIT Madras, Chennai.

• Developers: C-DAC Thiruvananthapuram in collaboration with IIT Madras and Lucas TVS
• Programme: Under the National Mission on Power Electronics Technology (NaMPET)
• Technology: Integrates electric motor and inverter into a single compact unit using Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET power modules — delivers higher efficiency and thermal stability
• Impact: Reduces EV powertrain import dependency; supports PLI scheme; opens MSME opportunities in power electronics

Ashish Shelar (Minister of IT & Cultural Affairs, Maharashtra) launched ‘Saksham Skill Census’ — India’s first AI-powered skill census — at RD National College, Bandra West, Mumbai.

• Target Group: Youth aged 18–40 years in the H-West ward; estimated to cover 55,000 households
• Methodology: Sapio Analytics conducting AI-based door-to-door surveys using GIS mapping and hyperlocal region segmentation to assess educational qualifications, skill interests, and training needs
• Goal: Train 15,000 candidates by 2027 to improve employability in the formal economy

Finland President Alexander Stubb arrived in New Delhi on March 4, 2026 for his first official State Visit to India in his current capacity, accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, officials, and business leaders.

• Received by MoS for External Affairs V.K. (Kirti Vardhan) Singh with a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour
• Will attend the 11th Raisina Dialogue (March 5–7) as Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker — organised by ORF with Ministry of External Affairs
• Bilateral talks with PM Modi; meetings with President Droupadi Murmu, VP C.P. Radhakrishnan, and EAM S. Jaishankar
• Mumbai visit to meet Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat and CM Devendra Fadnavis, plus business leaders

India INX Global Access IFSC Limited (India INX GA), a subsidiary of India International Exchange, partnered with HSBC IFSC Banking Unit (HSBC IBU) to expand structured access to global investment products for Indian investors through GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

• Connects Indian investors with global debt securities, bonds, and structured financial products listed through India’s IFSC
• India INX is a subsidiary of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) — operates India’s first international stock exchange at GIFT City

The University of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum formally returned a 16th-century bronze idol of Saint Thirumankai Alvar to India in a handover ceremony at India House, London. The idol will be restored to the Shri Soundararaja Perumal Temple in Thadikombu, Tamil Nadu — its place of origin.

• The museum had acquired the idol at a Sotheby’s auction in 1967; research revealed it was likely stolen from the Tamil Nadu temple in the early 1960s and replaced with a fake
• Highlights India’s sustained efforts under ‘Mission Mode’ for cultural heritage restitution

The 79th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA 2026) were held on February 22, 2026 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London, hosted by Alan Cumming.

National Safety Day is observed on March 4 every year — the Foundation Day of the National Safety Council of India (NSC). The 2026 observance marks the 55th year of the campaign.

• 2026 Theme: ‘Engage, Educate & Empower People to Enhance Safety’
• NSC established by the Ministry of Labour & Employment on 4 March 1966 as an autonomous body to promote workplace safety, occupational health, and accident prevention
• National Safety Week: March 4–10 — features workshops, safety drills, awareness campaigns, and industrial training programmes

World Obesity Day is observed on March 4 every year, led by the World Obesity Federation, to raise awareness about the global obesity crisis and advocate for science-based solutions.

• 2026 Theme: ‘8 Billion Reasons to Act on Obesity’ — highlighting that every person on Earth is affected by health, economic, and social consequences of obesity
• India ranks second globally (after China) in the number of overweight and obese children
• By 2040, India may have approximately 56 million obese/overweight children (World Obesity Atlas)
• Key risk factors: ultra-processed food, sedentary lifestyles, urbanisation, inadequate physical education
• Obesity increases risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease

Holi 2026 (Dhulandi/Rangwali Holi) is celebrated on March 4, following Holika Dahan on March 3 — the bonfire ritual symbolising the victory of good over evil.

• Rooted in the Narada Purana and Vishnu Purana; central mythology: legend of Prahlada and Holika
• Also celebrates the divine love of Radha and Krishna
• Follows the Hindu lunar calendar (Phalgun Purnima); marks the arrival of Vasant Ritu (spring)

K.P. Unnikrishnan, former Union Minister and veteran Congress leader, passed away at the age of 89 in Kozhikode, Kerala on March 3, 2026, while undergoing treatment for age-related ailments.

• Born: September 20, 1936; educated at Madras Christian College
• Began career as a journalist; entered politics via the Socialist Party and Praja Socialist Party
• Elected to the Lok Sabha six consecutive times from Vadakara (1971, 1977, 1980, 1984, 1989, 1991)
• Served as Union Minister for Telecommunications, Shipping, and Surface Transport in the V.P. Singh Cabinet (1989–90)
• Played a key role in the evacuation of Indians during the Gulf War crisis
• Close associate of V.K. Krishna Menon and early confidant of Indira Gandhi; later became a strong critic of the Emergency (1975)