Daily Current Affairs

The Union government launched a nationwide social media campaign titled ‘Say No To Proxy Sarpanch’ to address the practice of ‘Sarpanch Pati’, where husbands or male relatives of elected women sarpanches exercise official authority on their behalf. The campaign was announced by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) in March 2026, timed to coincide with International Women’s Day.

• Sarpanch Pati refers to male relatives who take decisions and perform official duties in place of elected women representatives in Panchayati Raj institutions, undermining women’s constitutional mandate through reservation.
• An advisory committee constituted by MoPR recommended strict penalties for proven proxy leadership cases and proposed confidential helplines and women’s watchdog committees to protect whistleblowers.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah soft-launched four digital tools and unveiled the official mascots ‘Pragati’ (female enumerator) and ‘Vikas’ (male enumerator) for India’s Census 2027 in New Delhi on March 5, 2026. India’s 16th census since Independence — and the first to be fully digital — carries an estimated outlay of ₹11,718 crore. The Census was formally notified via Gazette notification in June 2025.

• Phase 1 (Houselisting & Housing Census): April 1 – September 30, 2026 (all states/UTs). Snowbound areas (Ladakh, J&K, HP, Uttarakhand): September 2026.
• Phase 2 (Population Enumeration): February 2027 for most states. Reference date: March 1, 2027.
• Caste data will be included for the first time since 1931.

The EPFO Central Board of Trustees (CBT), at its 239th meeting chaired by Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, approved a pilot project for automatic settlement of inoperative EPF accounts with unclaimed balances of ₹1,000 or less, eliminating the need for fresh claims or documentation.

• Funds will be directly credited to Aadhaar-seeded and EPFO-linked bank accounts.
• Around 41% of inoperative accounts have been inactive for 5–10 years; 22% for more than 20 years.
• Subject to pilot success, auto-settlement will be extended to accounts with higher balances.
• CBT also approved EPF Scheme 2026, EPS 2026, and EDLI Scheme 2026, aligning with the Code on Social Security, 2020.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis — holding the finance portfolio since the death of Ajit Pawar in January 2026 — presented Maharashtra’s state budget for FY 2026-27 on March 6, 2026 in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Nagpur. Total outlay: ₹7,69,467 crore. Fadnavis became the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra to present a budget.

• Farm Loan Waiver: Crop loan waiver up to ₹2 lakh for farmers with arrears up to September 2025; ₹50,000 incentive for regular loan repayers.
• Women Schemes: Ladki Bahin Yojana (₹1,500/month) to continue; 25 lakh more ‘Lakhpati Didis’ targeted for FY27.
• Agriculture Tech: ‘MahaVistar-AI’ platform — native-language advisory on weather, pests, and markets to 30+ lakh farmers.
• Infrastructure: Sewri-Worli Connector (Sept 2026), Metro Line 8 (₹22,862 cr), Bandra-Versova Sea Link (2028), 4th Mumbai Port at Vadhavan, river-linking worth ₹1 lakh+ crore.
• Budget dedicated to late Ajit Pawar; FY 2026-27 declared ‘Year of Social Equality and Harmony’.

Chief Minister K. Siddaramaiah presented his 17th state budget worth ₹4,48,004 crore for FY 2026-27 in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, Bengaluru, in March 2026. The budget focuses on technology-driven growth, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability.

Mangaluru International Airport was named the winner of the 2025 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award by Airports Council International (ACI) in the Global Arrivals category, marking its second consecutive year receiving this recognition. The awards ceremony will be held in Istanbul on September 2, 2026.

• The Arrivals category evaluates immigration efficiency, baggage delivery speed, cleanliness, ambiance, wayfinding, and comfort based on independent passenger feedback surveys.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) issued the official notification for biennial elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats, with polling scheduled for March 16, 2026. The seats are being vacated as the terms of several members of parliament are expiring in April 2026.

• 233 members are elected by state and UT legislators through single transferable vote proportional representation (per Articles 80 and the Fourth Schedule); 12 are nominated by the President.
• A total of 72 Rajya Sabha seats are being filled in the 2026 six-year electoral cycle (March to November 2026).

The State Bank of India (SBI) launched a USD 500 million syndicated social term loan facility in March 2026 to boost women’s economic empowerment. This is the world’s largest gender-themed loan facility launched by any Indian Financial Institution, marking a landmark ESG financing milestone for SBI.

• Focus Areas: MSMEs, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), and women-focused livelihood initiatives.
• MUFG acts as Mandated Lead Arranger, Underwriter, Bookrunner, and sole loan coordinator.
• A greenshoe option (oversubscription option) is available, allowing additional amounts to be raised if demand exceeds the base facility.

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a Navratna Defence PSU under the Ministry of Defence, signed an MoU with SASMOS HET Technologies Limited in March 2026 to enhance India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities and boost export potential of defence systems. The agreement was signed in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the SASMOS Aerospace SEZ, Bengaluru.

• SASMOS showcased an installation-ready subsystem for a naval radar communication network, developed and qualified within six months.
• The MoU aims to enhance indigenous defence manufacturing and boost export potential of defence systems.

On March 6, 2026, the Indian Army announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, currently GOC-in-C of Southern Command (HQ: Pune), as the next Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS). He will succeed Lt Gen P. P. Singh and take charge from April 1, 2026.

• Previously commanded the XXI Strike Corps (21 Corps) based in Mathura, UP.
• VCOAS is the second-highest position in the Indian Army — oversees operational readiness, modernisation, strategic planning, and inter-command coordination.

Deepak Gupta officially assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of GAIL (India) Limited on March 1, 2026, succeeding Sandeep Kumar Gupta who retired on February 28, 2026. GAIL is India’s largest natural gas transmission and marketing company and a Maharatna PSU under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

• A mechanical engineer from Delhi College of Engineering with 35+ years of experience.
• GAIL is India’s largest natural gas transmission and marketing company.

Researchers at the University of Waterloo, Canada unveiled an innovative photocatalytic method in March 2026 to convert plastic waste into acetic acid — the primary component of vinegar — using only sunlight, without any external heat or electricity.

• Acetic acid is a high-value industrial chemical used in food preservation, textiles, and pharmaceuticals.
• The breakthrough represents a sustainable upcycling alternative to plastic incineration or landfill disposal, addressing both plastic pollution and resource efficiency.