Governance
Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI)
The PAI baseline report for FY 2022β23 was released by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to track Gram Panchayat-level progress on UN SDGs. Gujarat topped the list with 346 Front Runner Gram Panchayats, followed by Telangana (270).
Digital Governance
BharatPe X β Online Payment Aggregator
Resilient Payments Private Limited (BharatPe’s subsidiary) received final RBI authorisation as an Online Payment Aggregator. The platform launches as BharatPe X, focused on Tier 2 and Tier 3 city merchants. As of April 2025, 41 online payment aggregators have been authorised by RBI.
Skills & Education
India Skills Accelerator β MSDE & WEF
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and World Economic Forum (WEF) co-launched the India Skills Accelerator in April 2025. It targets the skill gap reported by 65% of Indian organisations, with a focus on AI, robotics, cybersecurity, and cloud computing.
Climate & Science
Himalayan Climate Research Centre at Nathatop
India’s first Himalayan High Altitude Atmospheric and Climate Research Centre was inaugurated at Nathatop (2,250 m), Udhampur district, J&K. It is the world’s second such facility and will study aerosols, cloud microphysics, and weather patterns of the North-Western Himalayas.
Economy
ADB’s India GDP Forecast β FY26
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) revised India’s FY26 GDP growth estimate down from 7.0% to 6.7% in its April 2025 Asian Development Outlook (ADO) report, citing US tariff risks. FY27 growth is projected at 6.8%, with inflation easing to 4.3% in FY26.
Gender & Development
Niveshak Didi β Financial Literacy Initiative
IEPFA (Ministry of Corporate Affairs) and India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) launched Phase 2 of Niveshak Didi. Phase 2 targets 4,000+ literacy camps and training of ~40,000 women postal workers as financial educators. Phase 1 had already reached 55,000+ participants.
Infrastructure
Zirakpur Bypass β Cabinet Approval
The Union Cabinet approved a 19.2 km, six-lane access-controlled Zirakpur Bypass on April 9, 2025, connecting NH-7 (ZirakpurβPatiala) to NH-5 (ZirakpurβParwanoo). The project aims to ease chronic congestion in the PunjabβHaryana border region.
Business & Economy
IOC Petrochemical Complex at Paradip
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) signed an MoU at the Odisha Investors’ Meet to establish a Rs 61,077 crore petrochemical complex at Paradip β IOC’s largest single-location investment. The complex will include a dual-feed cracker and units for Phenol, Polypropylene, and Isopropyl Alcohol.
Health & AYUSH
World Homeopathy Day β April 10
World Homeopathy Day is observed on April 10 to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, founder of homeopathy. 2025 marks his 270th birth anniversary. The CCRH under Ministry of AYUSH has been commemorating the day since 2016.
History & Polity
Khuldabad to be Renamed Ratnapur
The Maharashtra government announced the renaming of Khuldabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district) to its pre-Mughal name Ratnapur. Khuldabad is the burial site of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and also holds tombs of Azam Shah and Asaf Jah I, founder of the Hyderabad Nizam dynasty.