🇮🇳 National News
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced his resignation as CM and filed his Rajya Sabha nomination on March 5, 2026, fulfilling his long-held wish to serve in all four legislative forums.
- Filed with: Assembly Secretary Khyati Singh, Patna; witnessed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President Nitin Nabin, and Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha
- Political record: Nitish Kumar, aged 75, has led Bihar for over two decades across 10 terms (since 2005); sworn in for a record 10th term on November 20, 2025
- Historic distinction: Rajya Sabha membership would make him one of very few leaders to serve in all four legislative bodies — Bihar Assembly, Bihar Legislative Council, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha
- Rajya Sabha polls: 5 seats in Bihar going to polls on March 16; JDU can win two independently; nomination scrutiny scheduled March 6, 2026
Bihar is likely to get its first BJP Chief Minister — it is the only major Hindi heartland state where BJP has not held the CM post. Probable contenders: Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha; also Giriraj Singh and Nityanand Rai discussed.
President Droupadi Murmu effected a sweeping gubernatorial reshuffle across 9 states and Union Territories, triggered by the resignation of West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on March 5, 2026 after 3.5 years in office.
| State/UT | New Governor/LG | Note |
|---|---|---|
| West Bengal | RN Ravi (Ravindra Narayana Ravi) | Shifted from Tamil Nadu; retired IPS, ex-Deputy NSA |
| Tamil Nadu (interim) | Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar | Kerala Governor holds additional charge |
| Delhi (LG) | Taranjit Singh Sandhu | Former Indian Ambassador to USA (2020–24) & Sri Lanka (2017–20); 35-yr IFS veteran |
| Ladakh (LG) | VK Saxena | Shifted from Delhi LG |
| Himachal Pradesh | Kavinder Gupta | Shifted from Ladakh LG |
| Bihar | Lt Gen (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain | Decorated army veteran, former GOC 15 Corps in Kashmir |
The reshuffle covers Maharashtra, Telangana, and Nagaland as well. Changes came weeks before West Bengal polls, sparking political controversy. Mamata Banerjee criticised the Centre for not consulting the sitting CM before appointing the new Governor.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah soft-launched four digital tools and unveiled mascots ‘Pragati’ (female) and ‘Vikas’ (male) for India’s Census-2027 in New Delhi.
Census-2027 will be the first fully digital Census in India’s history and the 16th Census of India since 1872. India’s last Census was conducted in 2011; the 2021 Census was delayed due to COVID-19.
- Mascots: Pragati (female) & Vikas (male) — representing equal participation aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047
- Houselisting Block Creator (HLBC) Web App
- House Listing Officer (HLO) Mobile App
- Self-Enumeration (SE) Portal — citizens can self-enumerate online for the first time
- Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS) Portal
- Developed by: Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under MeitY
An IAF Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet lost radar contact after take-off from Air Force Station Jorhat, Assam, on the night of March 5–6, 2026. Search and Rescue operations were launched immediately.
- Location of search: Karbi Anglong district, Assam — dense hilly forested terrain
- Agencies deployed: IAF, Army, NDRF, and state authorities
- No distress call received before contact was lost
The Su-30MKI is India’s frontline multirole combat aircraft, inducted since 2002; manufactured by HAL under licence from Russia’s Sukhoi. Over 250 aircraft are in service. Jorhat AFS is a key IAF base in Northeast India.
The Centre accepted the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission chaired by Dr. Arvind Panagariya (former NITI Aayog VC), covering the award period April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031.
| Parameter | Decision |
|---|---|
| States’ share (vertical devolution) | 41% of divisible pool (retained) |
| New horizontal formula criterion | 10% weight for GDP contribution (replaces tax effort) |
| Total Grants-in-Aid (5 years) | Rs 9.47 lakh crore |
| Local body grants | Rs 8 lakh crore |
| Disaster management grants | Rs 2.04 lakh crore |
| Centre fiscal deficit target (2030-31) | 3.5% of GDP |
| State fiscal deficit cap | 3% of GSDP |
Key members: Ajay Narayan Jha, Annie George Mathew, Dr. Niranjan Rajadhyaksha. States demanded a share increase to 50% but Commission retained 41%. Cesses and surcharges now form nearly 20% of Gross Tax Revenue — not shared with states. Southern states face a ‘demographic penalty’ under population-based criteria.
Janaushadhi Saptah 2026 is being observed from March 1–7, culminating in the 8th Janaushadhi Diwas on March 7, organised by PMBI (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India) under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilisers.
- Scheme: Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) — generic medicines at 50–90% lower prices than branded equivalents
- 2026 Theme: ‘Jan Aushadhi — Sasti bhi, Bharosemand bhi, Sehat ki baat, Bachat ke saath’
- Network: Over 18,000 PMBJKs operational; target 25,000 by March 31, 2027
- Savings: Scheme has saved an estimated Rs 28,000 crore in medicine expenditure for citizens since launch
Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan (also Minister of Forest & Environment) launched Project HANUMAN on World Wildlife Day, March 3, 2026.
HANUMAN = Healing and Nurturing Units for Monitoring, Aid and Nursing of Wildlife
- Fleet: 100 GPS-enabled vehicles — 93 Rapid Response & Rescue Vehicles + 7 Wildlife Ambulances
- Treatment Centres: 4 Wildlife Rescue & Treatment Centres at Visakhapatnam, Rajamahendravaram, Tirupati, and Bairluty
- Compensation (death): Increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh
- Compensation (injury): Up to Rs 2 lakh; livestock loss at market value
💼 Business & Economy
SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) deployed an in-house AI system named ‘Sudarshan’ to monitor misleading financial content online, facilitating the removal of over 1.20 lakh (120,000) misleading social media posts by unregistered finfluencers.
- Capability: Scans large volumes of audio, video, and text across digital platforms — detects unregistered advisory activity and misleading investment claims
- Platforms targeted: YouTube, Instagram, Telegram
- Name significance: ‘Sudarshan’ — named after the discus weapon of Lord Vishnu
SEBI was established in 1988 as a statutory body under the SEBI Act, 1992. ‘Sudarshan’ represents SEBI’s first major AI deployment for digital monitoring.
Motilal Oswal Home Finance Limited (MOHFL) signed a deal with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) worth USD 100 million INR-equivalent debt.
- Focus: Affordable housing loans to women borrowers in Tier-2, Tier-3 cities and emerging towns
- Green allocation: ~10% of proceeds earmarked for green-certified residential housing
DEG (German development finance institution) and Citibank N.A. provided a combined USD 76 million (~Rs 630 crore) to Shriram Finance via External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs).
- DEG portion: USD 46 million (EUR 40 million) loan
- Citi portion: Rs 260 crore; Citi also acted as Lead Arranger and Coordinator
- Target beneficiaries: MSMEs, women borrowers, Electric Vehicles (EVs), and customers in underserved areas via Shriram Finance’s pan-India network
🌐 International News
A UN Secretary-General report titled ‘Ensuring and Strengthening Access to Justice for All Women and Girls’ (March 2026) revealed stark global legal inequalities ahead of International Women’s Day (March 8).
| Finding | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Women’s legal rights vs men | Only 64% in nearly 70% of countries surveyed |
| Countries where rape not defined by consent | 54% of countries |
| Countries allowing forced child marriage | Nearly 3 out of 4 countries |
| Countries without equal pay laws | 44% of countries |
Released during the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations. Linked to UN SDG Goal 5 on Gender Equality. No country in the world has yet achieved full legal equality between women and men.
The World Health Organization (WHO) verified that Chile has become the first country in the Americas to achieve WHO’s leprosy elimination threshold — fewer than 1 case per 10,000 population.
- Disease: Leprosy (Hansen’s disease) — caused by Mycobacterium leprae; curable with Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT) since 1981; affects skin, peripheral nerves, eyes
- Global burden: ~200,000 new cases reported annually — primarily from India, Brazil, Indonesia, and Ethiopia
India accounts for over 50% of global leprosy cases. The National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) has been running since 1983. India eliminated leprosy at the national level in December 2005, though sub-national burden remains.
The Ashmolean Museum (University of Oxford) formally handed over a 16th-century bronze idol of Saint Tirumankai Alvar to India at the High Commission of India in London.
- Origin: Sri Soundararaja Perumal Temple, Thadikombu, Tamil Nadu; last photographed in temple in 1957
- Ashmolean acquisition: Purchased at a Sotheby’s auction in 1967; provenance questioned after research in 2019
- Return approved: University of Oxford Council (March 2024); Charity Commission for England & Wales approved transfer
- Handover attended by: Ashmolean Director Xa Sturgis and Head of Eastern Art Prof. Mallica Kumbera Landrus
Tirumankai Alvar is the 12th of the 12 Alvar saints (Vaishnava poet-saints of Tamil Nadu), lived c. 8th century CE. Key roles in establishing provenance: Tamil Nadu Idol Wing, ASI, and Institut Français de Pondicherry.
👔 Appointments
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved the reappointment of Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi as Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
- Tenure: Contract basis for 1 year w.e.f. March 1, 2026 (or till regular appointment, whichever is earlier)
- Background: First appointed as DCGI on February 23, 2023; this is his second extension
The DCGI heads the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare — India’s apex body that regulates drugs, cosmetics, and medical devices.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved Central Bank of India (CBI) to acquire additional equity in two insurance joint ventures with Generali.
| JV Company | Previous Stake | Additional Stake | New Stake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generali Central Insurance Co. Ltd (GCICL) | ~24.91% | 1.09% | 26% |
| Generali Central Life Insurance Co. Ltd (GCLICL) | ~25.18% | 0.82% | 26% |
The additional stake was previously held by Future Corporate Resources Pvt Ltd (FCRPL) under insolvency proceedings.
🔬 Science & Technology
On World Wildlife Day (March 3, 2026), the Indian Army’s Fire and Fury Corps (14 Corps) and the Forest, Ecology & Environment Department, UT Ladakh signed an MoU for wildlife conservation under the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) programme.
- Joint body: Snow Leopard Conservation Cell (SLCC) to be established for monitoring, coordination, and research
- Key species: Snow Leopard, Himalayan Wolf, Bharal (Blue Sheep), Ibex, Himalayan Marmot, Black-necked Crane
- Army role: Eco-friendly practices — waste management, afforestation, water conservation alongside border duties
The GSLEP programme involves 12 snow leopard range countries under the Bishkek Declaration. Snow Leopard is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List (~4,000–6,500 individuals in the wild). Ladakh hosts approximately 200+ snow leopards — one of the highest densities globally. India’s Project Snow Leopard was launched in 2009.
Pondicherry University (PU) and the Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment signed an MoU to advance accessibility and inclusion for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in higher education.
- Activities: Joint research, internships, academic exchanges, capacity building, and conferences on disability rights and policy
- PU initiatives: Free education & fee waivers for PwD students; HEPSN unit; PG Diploma in Disability Rehabilitation; UPSC coaching
📅 Important Days
- Theme 2026: ‘8 Billion Reasons to Act on Obesity’
- Established: 2015 by World Obesity Federation (WOF); first observed October 11, 2015; shifted to March 4 since 2020
- 2026 observance: 12th World Obesity Day
- India data: ~41 million children in India affected by overweight/obesity (World Obesity Atlas 2026 — Childhood Edition); projected to rise sharply by 2040
- Theme 2026: ‘Engage, Educate & Empower People to Enhance Safety’
- Declared by: National Safety Council (NSC) in 1972; first observed March 4, 1972
- National Safety Week: Observed March 4–10 annually
- Focus: Workplace accident prevention, safety culture, industrial health
- Theme 2026: ‘Smart Engineering for Sustainable Future through Innovation and Digitalization’
- Declared: UNESCO proclaimed March 4 as World Engineering Day at its 40th General Conference (November 2019); first observed March 4, 2020
- 2026 observance: 7th World Engineering Day; main congress held in Jakarta, Indonesia (March 3–5, 2026)
- Organised by: World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) in partnership with UNESCO
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