Daily Current Affairs and GK | 1 and 2 March 2026

Topic: State News/ Tamil Nadu

1. PM Narendra Modi visited Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on March 1.

• He launched and laid foundation stones for projects worth over ₹7,100 crore.
• He arriveed in Chennai on the night of February 28 after visits to Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• On March 1, he unveiled projects worth more than ₹2,700 crore in Puducherry.
• The Puducherry projects focus on infrastructure development, urban services, industrial growth, education, healthcare, and sustainability.
• Electric buses were launched under the PM e-Bus Seva scheme.
• The projects also include an Integrated Command and Control Centre under the Smart City Mission and housing for economically weaker sections under the City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) initiative.
• New academic and healthcare facilities were inaugurated at NIT Karaikal, JIPMER, and Pondicherry University.
• A 750-acre industrial estate at Karasur–Sedarapet was dedicated to the nation.
• Foundation stones were laid for rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
• Later, he reached Madurai. Projects worth over ₹4,400 crore were inaugurated and foundation stones laid there.
• He performed darshan and pooja at the Arulmigu Subramaniyaswamy Temple in Tirupparankundram.
• Foundation stones were laid for four-laning of the Marakkanam–Puducherry section of NH 332A and Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram section of NH 87.
• Eight railway stations in Tamil Nadu will be redeveloped and inaugurated under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

Topic: Miscellaneous

2. Pakyong Airport renamed after Freedom Fighter Trilochan Pokhrel.

• Pakyong Airport in Sikkim will be renamed after freedom fighter Trilochan Pokhrel, as announced by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang.
• The decision was declared during the 31st Foundation Day celebration of the Akhil Sikkim Khas Chettri Bahun Kalyan Sangh at Rangpo.
• The renaming has been proposed in honour of Pokhrel, who is regarded as Sikkim’s first independence activist.
• His participation in the Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement and Quit India Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi was highlighted.
• The airport, which serves as Sikkim’s only airport, was inaugurated in September 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The contribution of the Khas, Chettri and Bahun community to Sikkim’s social fabric was acknowledged during the event.
• The Chief Minister emphasised Sikkim’s tradition of harmony in diversity and mutual respect among communities.
• During the programme, social worker Kipu Tshering Lepcha was conferred with the Sikkim Gaurav Samman award in appreciation of his service.

Topic: Sports

3. The first Ever Ranji Trophy title won by Jammu and Kashmir.

• The 2025–26 Ranji Trophy title was won for the first time by Jammu and Kashmir after defeating a Karnataka cricket team side in the final.
• A historic turnaround was witnessed as India’s premier first-class domestic title was secured by a team that had often not been considered serious contenders in its 67-year Ranji history.
• The victory was achieved through a stellar bowling performance by Auqib Nabi and centuries from Shubham Pundir and Qamran Iqbal in the two innings.
• The triumph marked only the 47th win in their 346th Ranji match since their debut in 1960.
• Jammu and Kashmir posted a massive 584 in the first innings at Hubballi, supported by Pundir’s 121.
• In the second innings, 342 for 4 was declared by Jammu and Kashmir, with Iqbal remaining unbeaten on 160 and Sahil Lotra scoring 101 in a 197-run partnership.
• Throughout the season, only one defeat was suffered by Jammu and Kashmir, which came against Mumbai in Srinagar.
• Jammu and Kashmir's Shubham Pundir was named Player of the Match for his crucial century of 121 against Karnataka.
• Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Aaqib Nabi was named Player of the Series for taking 60 wickets in 10 matches.

Topic: State News/Delhi

4. ‘Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana’ launched to strengthen financial security for Girls in Delhi.

• O 2 March, the ambitious ‘Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana’ was launched by President Droupadi Murmu at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
• The scheme was introduced as a major initiative to enhance financial security for girls belonging to economically weaker families in the national capital.
• The existing Ladli Scheme was expanded and restructured into the new ‘Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana’ in view of rising educational expenses and changing socio-economic needs.
• The programme titled ‘Sashakt Nari, Samriddh Delhi’ was organised by the Department of Women and Child Development as a landmark step toward ensuring higher education and long-term financial stability for girls.
• Under the previous structure, ₹11,000 was deposited in the case of institutional births and ₹10,000 for home births, along with ₹5,000 at key educational milestones until Class XII.
• Under the revised scheme, a total of ₹56,000 will now be deposited in stages in the name of the girl child, and with accrued interest, the maturity value is expected to exceed ₹1 lakh by the age of 21.
• The accumulated amount will be transferred directly to the beneficiary’s Aadhaar-linked bank account upon fulfilment of prescribed educational conditions.
• The funds will be managed by SBI Life Insurance Company Limited and invested under the SBI Life Dhanrashi Sadhan plan to ensure transparency and security.
• Eligibility has been restricted to families with an annual income not exceeding ₹1.20 lakh, residing in Delhi for at least three years, with benefits limited to two living girl children per family.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

5. Nine Cheetahs from Botswana released at Kuno National Park.

• Nine cheetahs translocated from Botswana were released into enclosures at Kuno National Park under India’s cheetah reintroduction programme.
• The release was carried out by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav. This is the third batch of African cheetahs brought to India.
• With the arrival of six females and three males, the total cheetah population in India was increased to 48.
• The intercontinental translocation was described as the first of its kind in the world for the species.
• The cheetahs had earlier been officially donated during President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to Botswana and were quarantined at Mokolodi Nature Reserve before transfer.
• They were airlifted by the Indian Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster aircraft to Gwalior and subsequently transported to Kuno by helicopters.
• A mandatory quarantine of at least one month has been planned in special enclosures, with tracking collars fitted for continuous monitoring.
• Special teams comprising veterinarians and trained staff have been deployed to assess their health and adaptation to local conditions.
• Since the launch of Project Cheetah, 21 cheetahs have died due to various causes, although nine litters have been recorded at Kuno since September 2022.
• Apart from the cheetahs at Kuno, three translocated adults are currently housed at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.

Topic: Defence

6. Three Successive Flight Trials of VSHORADS Successfully conducted by DRDO.

• Three successive flight trials of the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) were successfully conducted by the DRDO from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, Odisha.
• The trials were undertaken to revalidate the missile system’s capability to neutralise high-speed aerial threats at varying speeds, ranges and altitudes.
• During the tests, high-speed targets simulating enemy aircraft were intercepted and destroyed by the missiles under diverse threat scenarios.
• All engagement parameters were successfully met, demonstrating performance at extreme operational points.
• Flight data was captured through telemetry and electro-optical tracking systems to confirm the system’s effectiveness.
• The trials validated VSHORADS’ ability to counter a wide spectrum of aerial threats.
• VSHORADS is a man-portable air defence system designed and developed indigenously by Research Center Imarat in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Development cum Production Partners.
• The missile system has the capability to meet the needs of all three branches of the Armed Forces, viz. Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the Armed Forces and industry partners for the achievement.
• The consecutive success of the trials was described as a significant milestone in strengthening India’s air defence capabilities.
• The system is expected to be inducted into the armed forces in the near future following the successful validation.

Topic: Indian Economy

7. India's gross GST collections reached ₹1.83 lakh crore in February 2026.

• This represents an increase of 8.1% compared to the same month last year.
• Total GST revenue for FY26 reached ₹20.27 lakh crore as of February 28. This total figure represents an increase of 8.3% year-on-year.
• Refunds issued in February amounted to ₹22,595 crore. Refund payments were 10.2% higher than a year ago.
• Net GST revenue after refunds stood at ₹1.61 lakh crore for February. Gross domestic GST revenue stood at ₹1.36 lakh crore.
• GST revenue from imports was ₹47,837 crore. Import-related collections grew by 17.2% year-on-year.
• Net cess revenue declined to ₹5,063 crore. This was significantly lower than the ₹13,481 crore recorded in February last year.
• Maharashtra contributed the highest pre-settlement GST amount with ₹10,286 crore. Karnataka and Gujarat were the next major contributors.
• Several states recorded positive post-settlement SGST growth. These were Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and others.
• Some states reported negative post-settlement SGST growth. These included West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
• West Bengal, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra recorded growth lower than the national average of 8%.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. Uttar Pradesh has set a new Guinness World Record by planting over 2.51 lakh trees in Varanasi in one hour.

• In Uttar Pradesh, a massive tree-planting drive was carried out in Varanasi.
• During this event, 251,446 trees were planted within one hour.
• This achievement set a new Guinness World Record. The previous record was set in China in 2018.
• It was achieved by the Henan Provincial Committee and Henan Shifanghe Greening Engineering Company.
• They planted 153,981 trees in one hour.
• The entire process in Varanasi was monitored by drone cameras. An advanced digital counting system was used for accurate verification.
• The Urban Forest was divided into 60 distinct sectors.
• Each sector is named after a famous ghat in Kashi.
• These include Dashashwamedh Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, and Kedar Ghat.
• Over 4,000 trees have been planted in each sector.
• A total of 27 native plant species were included in the drive. These include woody varieties, fruit trees, and medicinal plants.

Topic: State News/ Madhya Pradesh

9. The Madhya Pradesh government will organize its first Agriculture Cabinet meeting.

• The meeting will be held in the tribal district of Barwani.
• This initiative is part of the Farmer Welfare Year 2026 initiative.
• This program focuses on strengthening support for farmers, from cultivation to market linkages.
• Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will chair the cabinet session.
• A total of 17 departments will participate in the meeting.
• These include the Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Cooperative, and Industry departments.
• The Chief Minister described this initiative as a "Holi gift" for farmers.
• He said that this year is dedicated to improving the well-being of farmers.
• He further stated that the government will support reforms and innovations to make farmers more self-reliant.

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sectors

10. India remains the world's largest milk producer.

• It contributes approximately 25% to global milk production.
• Over the past decade, the milk sector has grown at approximately six percent annually.
• Milk production is projected to increase from 146 million tonnes in 2014-15 to over 247 million tonnes in 2024-25.
• This represents an increase of over 69.4 percent.
• Per capita milk availability stood at 485 grams per day in 2024-25.
• This is significantly higher than the global average of 328 grams per day.
• The growth of allied sectors such as livestock, dairy, poultry, and fisheries has supported agricultural progress.
• These sectors contribute significantly to the gross value added of agriculture.
• They also provide an important source of rural employment.