06th March 2026

1. Pondicherry University Signs MoU with CCPD to Advance Disability Rights and Inclusion
2. MOHFL Signs USD 100 Million NCD Deal with ADB to Boost Affordable Housing in India
3. German DEG & Citi Provide USD 76 Million Funding to Shriram Finance
4. ACC Re-appoints Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi as Drugs Controller General of India
5. CCI Approves Central Bank of India’s Stake Hike in Generali Insurance Joint Ventures
6. World Day of Fight Against Sexual Exploitation 2026
7. World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development 2026
8. From Assam Hills to London: GI-Tagged Karbi Anglong Ginger Makes Global Debut
9. Deadly Cassava Virus Threatens Africa’s Food Security: Scientists Warn of Rapid Spread
10. Top 10 Richest People in the World 2026: Elon Musk Dominates With $841 Billion Fortune
11. Maharashtra Enables Offline e-Crop Registration for Farmers
12. Hatti Risala Festival Celebrates 138 Years of Tradition in Maharashtra
13. Maharashtra Economy to Grow 7.9% in 2025-26: What the State Economic Survey Reveals
14. Maharashtra Records Slowest GSDP Growth Among India’s Big Four State Economies
15. Bihar to Upgrade 54 Colleges as Centres of Excellence Under Saat Nischay-3
16. Montana Unveils Its First Mahatma Gandhi Bust at Mike Mansfield Center
17. Finn Allen Creates History With Fastest T20 World Cup Century
18. UP Government Signs Rs.200 crore MoU with Germany’s RAILONE GmbH to Boost Rail Infrastructure
19. Gujarat Unveils STI Policy 2026-31 with ₹1,000 Crore Innovation Fund
20. Deepak Gupta Takes Over as Chairman & Managing Director of GAIL
21. India Welcomes 9 Cheetahs from Botswana to Kuno National Park
22. Scotland Legalises Water Cremation: First UK Nation to Approve Alkaline Hydrolysis
23. Gujarat Launches herSTART 5.0
24. International Women’s Day 2026
25. India to Build First Riverine Lighthouses on Brahmaputra River
26. India Becomes First Team to Reach Four Men’s T20 World Cup Finals
27. Home Minister Amit Shah Launches ‘Pragati’ and ‘Vikas’ Mascots for Census-2027
28. President Murmu Appoints 9 New Governors and Lieutenant Governors in India
29. List Of Outcomes Of Finland President Visit to India & Special Partnership Announced

National News

Foundation Stones Laid for India’s First Inland River Lighthouses on Brahmaputra

• What: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal laid foundation stones for four river lighthouses on the Brahmaputra River to improve safe navigation and support cargo and passenger movement on National Waterway-2.
• Tell me more:
  • This is the first time when India will build lighthouses on an inland river to help boats and cargo vessels travel safely, especially at night. Earlier, lighthouses in India were mainly built on sea coasts to guide ships.
  • The project is implemented by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). Both organisations work under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
  • The lighthouses will be built at Bogibeel, Pandu, Silghat and Biswanath Ghat.
  • National Waterway-2 connects Dhubri to Sadiya in Assam.

Government Unveils Digital Platforms and Mascots for Census 2027

• What: Union Home Minister Amit Shah soft-launched four digital platforms and unveiled mascots “Pragati” and “Vikas” for Census 2027, marking India’s first fully digital census exercise to improve nationwide data collection and monitoring.
• Tell me more:
  • The digital tools were developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
  • The mascots represent a female enumerator named Pragati and a male enumerator named Vikas. They symbolise equal participation of men and women in India’s development journey.
  • This is the first time households can submit census data online in India.
  • The Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS) Portal provides real-time monitoring of census activities. The CMMS dashboard tracks progress at sub-district, district and state levels.

List of Outcomes of Finland President Alexander Stubb’s Visit to India

State News

Maharashtra New Initiatives and Developments

• The Maharashtra government introduced an offline photo upload facility in the e-crop sowing registration system to help farmers record crop photographs even without internet connectivity.
• The Hatti Risala procession is a traditional cultural procession held every year in Jalna, Maharashtra, on Dhulivandan (the day after Holi); in 2026, it celebrated its 138th year.
• Maharashtra Economic Survey 2025–26 projected the state’s economic growth to rise to 7.9% in 2025–26 from 7.3% in 2024–25, driven by stronger industrial and services sectors despite a decline in agriculture.
  • Maharashtra ranked fifth in India in per capita income in 2024–25.
  • Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat ranked above Maharashtra in per capita income.
• Maharashtra remained India’s largest state economy with a projected Gross State Domestic Product of over ₹42 lakh crore in 2024–25, but recorded the slowest growth among the four largest state economies.
• Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat are considered major drivers of India’s economic growth. Karnataka recorded the fastest growth among the four states.

Bihar Government to Develop 54 Institutions as Centres of Excellence under Saat Nischay–3

• What: Bihar Higher Education Department selected 54 colleges and institutions to be developed as Centres of Excellence under the Nitish Kumar government’s Saat Nischay–3 programme to strengthen higher education in the state.
• Tell me more:
  • The initiative aims to improve academic standards in higher education institutions across Bihar.

Uttar Pradesh Signs MoU with RAILONE GmbH for Rail Infrastructure Investment

• The Uttar Pradesh government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with German railway infrastructure company RAILONE GmbH for an investment of ₹200 crore to strengthen modern rail infrastructure and improve connectivity in the state.
• It aims to bring advanced railway technology and expertise to Uttar Pradesh, helping build modern rail infrastructure, improve transport connectivity, strengthen the transport network, and support faster industrial development in the state.

Gujarat Launches Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2026–31

• What: Gujarat government launched the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy 2026–31 at the Gujarat Semiconnect Conference in Gandhinagar to promote indigenous research, strengthen innovation ecosystems and reduce import dependence in advanced technology sectors.
• Tell me more:
  • The new policy will replace the earlier Science, Technology and Innovation policy launched in 2018.
  • A ₹1,000 crore Swadeshi Anusandhan Fund has been created under the STI Policy 2026-31 to support research.
  • Gujarat Rajya Research and Innovation Clusters (GRRIC) will connect institutions and industries to share resources and work together. The first GRRIC cluster has started in the Gandhinagar–Ahmedabad region.
    • More clusters will be created in Vadodara–Surat and Rajkot–Bhavnagar–Junagadh–Jamnagar regions.
  • A single online Gujarat Research and Development (R&D) portal will support research activities.
  • The state plans to increase R&D spending from 0.65% to 1% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).

Nine Cheetahs from Botswana Released into Quarantine at Kuno National Park

• What: Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav released nine cheetahs brought from Botswana into quarantine enclosures at Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
• Tell me more:
  • The step strengthens Project Cheetah and supports global efforts to conserve cheetahs by establishing a secure population outside their traditional African range.
  • India currently has 48 cheetahs, including 28 cubs born in the country.

Gujarat University Launches Fifth Edition of herSTART to Support Women-Led Startups

• What: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the fifth edition of the herSTART programme at Gujarat University in Ahmedabad to promote women-led startups and strengthen women-led development through entrepreneurship and innovation.
• Tell me more:
  • The herSTART programme is organised by the Gujarat University Startup and Entrepreneurship Council (GUSEC).
  • In addition, the Gujarat University Convention Centre was named Vidyagauri Nilkanth Sabhapuram. Vidyagauri Nilkanth was the first female graduate from Gujarat.
  • A newly built Research Park at Gujarat University was also inaugurated.
  • The state budget allocated ₹45 crore for the Student Startup and Innovation Policy 2.0.
  • Sanand and Dholera are being developed as semiconductor hubs.

International News

Bust of Mahatma Gandhi Unveiled at University of Montana in the United States

• What: A bust of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled at the Mike Mansfield Centre of the University of Montana in Missoula, United States, highlighting the relevance of Gandhi’s nonviolence ideals and strengthening cultural ties between India and the United States.
• Tell me more:
  • The bust was unveiled by Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta.
  • India established its Consulate in Seattle in November 2023, strengthening ties with the region.
  • The statue unveiled in Montana is the fourth Gandhi statue installed in the US Pacific Northwest under the Seattle Consulate’s jurisdiction.

Scotland Legalises Water Cremation Using Alkaline Hydrolysis

• What: Scotland became the first country in the United Kingdom to legalise water cremation, also called alkaline hydrolysis, offering an environmentally friendly third option for handling human remains besides traditional burial and cremation.
• Tell me more:
  • The process is already used in countries such as the Republic of Ireland and the United States.
  • A mixture of potassium hydroxide is used for dissolving the body.
  • They are considered to be “green cremations”.

Banking and Economy

Motilal Oswal Home Finance Signs USD 100 Million Agreement with Asian Development Bank for Women Housing Loans and Green Housing

• What: Motilal Oswal Home Finance signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank to raise USD 100 million through non-convertible debentures to expand affordable housing loans for women and support green-certified housing construction.
• Tell me more:
  • 10% of the money will support construction of houses that follow approved eco-friendly building standards.

DEG and Citi Provide USD 76 Million Co-Financing to Shriram Finance

• What: German development finance institution DEG and Citi announced a USD 76-million co-financing package for Shriram Finance Limited.
• Tell me more:
  • The loan will help Shriram Finance Limited give loans to people who often do not get easy credit, such as small businesses, women borrowers, electric vehicle buyers, small farmers, and people in rural or underserved areas, to support financial inclusion and rural development in India.
  • This is the second collaboration between DEG and Citi after supporting CreditAccess Grameen in 2024.

Competition Commission of India Approves Central Bank of India’s Additional Shareholding in Generali Central Insurance Ventures

• Competition Commission of India allowed Central Bank of India to buy more shares in Generali Central Life Insurance and Generali Central Insurance, helping the bank grow its role in life and general insurance services.
• Tell me more:
  • Central Bank of India acquired 25.18% stake in Generali Central Life Insurance and 24.91% stake in Generali Central Insurance in June last year.

Reports and Indices

Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List

• What: A Forbes report stated that Elon Musk’s wealth increased by $64 billion in one month, taking his total fortune above $800 billion and widening the gap with other billionaires.
• Tell me more:
  • Larry Page (Google co-founder) ranks second with a net worth of $250.5 billion.

Agriculture and Rural Development

GI-Tagged Karbi Anglong Ginger from Assam Exported to London

• What: Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the first export of 1.2 metric tons of Geographical Indication-certified Karbi Anglong ginger from Assam to London, helping promote India’s GI-tagged agricultural products in global markets
• Tell me more:
  • The export was facilitated by APEDA under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in collaboration with the Assam State Agriculture Department.
  • Karbi Anglong ginger received Geographical Indication status in 2015.

Cassava Brown Streak Disease Threatens Cassava Crop in Africa

• What: Cassava Brown Streak Disease is spreading in parts of Africa and damaging cassava crops, a major staple food.
• Tell me more:
  • The disease can cause root rot and total crop loss, threatening food supply and income for millions of people who depend on cassava.
  • Resistant varieties are being tested in Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Malawi, Cameroon and Zambia.
  • Cassava Brown Streak Disease spreads mainly through the whitefly Bemisia tabaci.

Important Days

World Day of Fight Against Sexual Exploitation – March 4

World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development – March 4

International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 – March 8

• The IWD 2026 theme is ‘Give To Gain’.
• The United Nations theme for 2026, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”.
• The United Nations (UN) officially recognised International Women’s Day in 1975, and in 1977 it designated March 8 as a day to promote women’s rights and global peace.

Sports

Finn Allen Creates History With Fastest T20 World Cup Century

• New Zealand cricketer Finn Allen created history by scoring the fastest century in T20 World Cup history. He made 100 runs in just 33 balls, which is faster than the previous record of 47 balls by Chris Gayle.
• So, his century is now the fastest ever in a T20 World Cup.

India Becomes First Team to Reach Four Men’s T20 World Cup Finals

• India reached the final of the T20 World Cup again after beating England in the semifinal.
• Because of this, India has now played in the T20 World Cup final four times, which no other team has done before.
• India had earlier reached the finals in 2007, 2014, and 2024, and now again.

Memorandum of Understanding

Pondicherry University signs MoU to promote disability inclusion

• What: Pondicherry University signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Office of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
• Why: to help people with disabilities by improving accessibility and inclusion through research, internships, academic exchanges, and conferences, while giving students practical learning opportunities in disability-related work.
• Tell me more:
  • Office of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities functions under Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Appointments

Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi Reappointed as Drugs Controller (India)

• What: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the reappointment of Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi as Drugs Controller (India) at Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation on a contractual basis for one year from 1 March 2026.
• Tell me more:
  • The Drugs Controller (India) heads the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation.
  • The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is the central drug authority responsible for carrying out functions assigned to the Central Government under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

Deepak Gupta Assumes Charge as Chairman and Managing Director of GAIL (India) Limited

• Deepak Gupta assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director of GAIL (India) Limited, India’s largest gas transmission and marketing company.

President Murmu Appoints 9 New Governors and Lieutenant Governors in India

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