01st April 2026

1. Utkal Divas 2026 Odisha: Formation Day History, Significance, and Events
2. AP Science City Signs 5-Year MoU with CSIR-NIScPR to Boost Science Outreach
3. Dr. Thomas Pucadyil Appointed Director of BRIC-NCCS Pune
4. India Pharma 2026 Conference: Advancing Life Sciences and Research in India
5. Former Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi Passes Away at 67
6. PM Modi Inaugurates Samrat Samprati Museum on Mahavir Jayanti
7. India’s GDP Growth May Slow to 6.5% in FY27, Warns ICRA
8. CCRAS Signs MoU with Anuvadini AI to Translate Ayurveda Research into 13 Languages
9. DGCA and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya Signed MoU to Train Youth in Aviation
10. MoD & BEL Sign Rs 1,950 Crore Contract for Mountain Radars for IAF
11. MoF Keeps Interest Rates on Small Savings Schemes Unchanged for Q1FY27
12. RBI Imposes Rs 31.80 Lakh Penalty on Airtel Payments Bank
13. GRSE Kolkata Delivered Three Frontline Warships, Dunagiri, Sanshodhak and Agray to IN
14. Punjab CM-led Cabinet Approves Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana
15. PM Modi Launches Kaynes Semiconductor Plant in Gujarat – A Big Boost for India’s Chip Industry

National News

9th India Pharma Conference 2026 to be Held in New Delhi on April 13-14

• What: Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers will organise India Pharma 2026 with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) on April 13-14, 2026 in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • Theme of Conference: ‘Discover in India: Leapfrogging Life-Sciences Innovation’

Samrat Samprati Museum Inaugurated in Gandhinagar

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Samrat Samprati Museum at Koba village in Gandhinagar on Mahavir Jayanti, establishing a cultural institution dedicated to Jain heritage, non-violence, and preservation of historical artefacts.
• Tell me more:
  • The museum is located at Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra and focuses on Jain philosophy of truth, compassion, and non-violence.
  • The museum is named after Samrat Samprati, grandson of Ashoka, who promoted Jainism and non-violence.

State News

Utkal Divas Marks Odisha Foundation Day on April 1

• What: Utkal Divas marks the formation of Odisha as a separate state on April 1, 1936, when Odisha became a separate province from the Bihar and Orissa Province under British rule based on linguistic identity.
• Tell me more:
  • Odisha became the first state in India formed on a linguistic basis.

Andhra Pradesh Signs MoU with CSIR-NIScPR for Science Promotion

• Science City of Andhra Pradesh (SCAP) signed an MoU with CSIR–National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR–NIScPR), New Delhi, to strengthen science communication and support evidence-based policymaking.

Punjab Launches Women Financial Support Scheme

• What: Punjab Cabinet approved Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna to provide monthly financial assistance of ₹1000 to women and ₹1500 to Scheduled Caste women, covering over 97% of women.
• Tell me more:
  • The government allocated ₹9,300 crore in the Budget for financial year 2026-27 for implementation.
  • The scheme transfers money directly into bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer system to eligible women aged 18 years or above with voter registration and Aadhaar linked to Punjab. It also allows multiple women in a family to receive benefits.

PM Inaugurates the Kaynes Semicon Plant at Sanand, Gujarat

• What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Kaynes Technology semiconductor plant in Sanand, Gujarat.
• Tell me more:
  • India launched India Semiconductor Mission in 2021 to build semiconductor design and manufacturing capacity. India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 (announced in the Budget 2026-27) focuses on domestic production of semiconductor equipment and materials.
  • The mission includes 10 projects worth over ₹1,60,000 crore across six states.
  • India developed Dhruv 64 microprocessor for 5G infrastructure, automotive electronics, and industrial automation.
  • The government targets training over 85,000 semiconductor design professionals and supports startups through Chips to Startup programme.
  • India’s semiconductor market stands at about $50 billion and is expected to cross $100 billion by decade end.

Banking and Economy

MoF Keeps Interest Rates on Small Savings Schemes Unchanged for Q1FY27

• Under the Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme, the account may be opened by one of the guardians in the name of a girl child till she attains the age of 10 years with minimum deposit of ₹250 and maximum ₹1,50,000 in a financial year.
  • Money deposited in the Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme can be subtracted from total income before calculating tax, which reduces taxable income and lowers the amount of tax to be paid under Section 80C of Income-Tax Act.

RBI Imposes Penalty on Airtel Payments Bank

• What: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a ₹31.80 lakh penalty on Airtel Payments Bank Limited under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
• Tell me more:
  • The penalty was imposed because the bank did not show some customer complaints in its official annual financial report for the year 2024–25, even though rules require full disclosure of such information.
  • RBI conducted Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE 2025) based on financial position as on March 31, 2025.

GDP Forecasts

ICRA Projects India Growth Slowdown

• What: Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency (ICRA) estimated India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to slow to 6.5% in 2026-27 from 7.6% due to high energy prices and supply concerns linked to the West Asia conflict.
• Tell me more:
  • ICRA expects current account deficit to widen to 1.7% of GDP in FY27 from 1% in FY26 as West Asia conflict raises global energy prices, increases import costs for crude oil and gas, and raises overall import costs.
  • ICRA expects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to rise with upward risks in 2026-27.

Defence News

Defence Ministry Signs BEL Radar Deal

• What: Ministry of Defence signed a ₹1,950 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to procure two mountain radars with infrastructure for Indian Air Force.
• Tell me more:
  • Mountain radars detect aircraft and threats in difficult terrain, improve surveillance and early warning, strengthen air defence response, and reduce foreign dependence because India designs and manufactures these systems domestically.
  • Electronics and Radar Development Establishment of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed and developed the radar system and transferred the technology to BEL for manufacturing.
  • DRDO routinely transfers radar, electronic warfare, and avionics technologies to both public sector undertakings and private firms.

Indian Navy Inducts Three Indigenous Vessels

• What: Indian Navy inducted INS Dunagiri, INS Sanshodhak, and INS Agray, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
• Tell me more:
  • INS Dunagiri is a Project 17A stealth frigate with about 75% indigenous content. It can fight enemies in air, sea, and underwater using advanced weapons and systems.
    • It is designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.
    • It is named after the former INS Dunagiri, a Leander-class frigate commissioned in 1977 that served for about 33 years.
  • INS Sanshodhak is a survey vessel with over 80% indigenous content that studies the sea by mapping the seabed and collecting ocean data using advanced tools to improve safe navigation and supports both military and civilian activities.
  • INS Agray is an anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft with over 80% indigenous content that finds and attacks enemy submarines in coastal and shallow waters.

Memorandum of Understanding

CCRAS Signs MoU with Anuvadini AI for Ayurveda Access

• What: Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush signed an MoU with Anuvadini Artificial Intelligence (AI) of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to translate Ayurveda research into regional languages.
• Tell me more:
  • The agreement enables translation of CCRAS research outputs and educational materials into 13 regional languages including Hindi to expand public access.
  • CEO of Anuvadini AI – Dr. Buddha Chandrasekhar
  • About CCRAS:
    • Director General – Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya
    • HQ – New Delhi
    • Total – 30 institutes across 25 states
    • Function – conducts scientific research in Ayurveda sciences

Gati Shakti University Signs MoU with DGCA

• What: Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to train Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) and meet workforce needs of India’s rapidly growing aviation sector.
• Tell me more:
  • India has orders for 1700 aircraft and requires 10,000 to 12,000 additional pilots in the next decade.
  • The Cabinet approved Rs 28,000 crore for the UDAN scheme to boost regional connectivity and helicopter operations.

Appointments

Dr Thomas Pucadyil Appointed NCCS Director

• What: Dr Thomas Pucadyil became Director of Biotechnology Research Innovation Council-National Centre for Cell Science (BRIC-NCCS), Pune.
• Tell me more:
  • Dr Thomas Pucadyil serves as Professor in the Department of Biology at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune and received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology in 2018.
  • About NCCS:
    • National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) operates at Savitribai Phule Pune University campus and maintains a National Cell Repository supplying animal cell lines and hosts the National Centre for Microbial Research (funded by Department of Biotechnology).
    • NCCS maintains the third-largest microbial collection in the world.

Miscellaneous

Former Suriname President Chandrikapersad Santokhi Dies

• What: Former President of Suriname Chandrikapersad Santokhi (Indian-origin), who served from 2020 to 2025. He earned the nickname “The Sheriff” for actions against drug trafficking and crime.
• Tell me more:
  • Current President: Jennifer Geerlings-Simons

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