Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 March 2026

Topic: Indian Polity

1. The Supreme Court of India approved passive euthanasia for the first time.

• The case involved a patient who had been in a coma for more than 12 years.
• The court granted permission to remove artificial life-support systems.
• Passive euthanasia means allowing a patient to die by withholding life-sustaining treatment.
• The patient, Harish Rana, was a resident of Ghaziabad. He was a student at Punjab University.
• In 2013, he fell from the fourth floor of his paying-guest accommodation.
• Since then, he has been in a persistent vegetative state.
• The bench comprised of J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan.
• They directed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, to admit him to palliative care.
• The court emphasized that the removal of treatment must be carefully planned.
• It emphasized that the patient's dignity must be maintained throughout the process.
• This decision is based on the 2018 Common Cause v. Union of India decision. That decision recognized passive euthanasia as a fundamental right.
• It also recognized the right to die with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
• In 2023, a five-judge Constitution bench amended these guidelines.
• The amended guidelines made it easier to approve passive euthanasia for terminally ill patients.

Topic: International News

2. A delegation from Germany visited the NITI Aayog in New Delhi to learn about India's flagship government initiatives.

• These initiatives include the Aspirational Districts Programme and the Aspirational Blocks Programme.
• These programs aim to accelerate development at the district and block levels.
• They also aim to improve service delivery in local areas.
• The session was chaired by Rohit Kumar, Additional Secretary and Mission Director of the program.
• He briefed the delegation on the design of the initiatives and how they are implemented.
• He also discussed the impact achieved by these initiatives.
• These programs follow the principles of convergence, collaboration, and competition.
• They also operate within a framework of funds, functions, and functionaries.
• This framework ensures coordinated action between the central government, states, and local administrations.
• These initiatives focus on sectors such as health, education, and agriculture.
• These also target financial inclusion and basic infrastructure.
• The German delegation, led by Stefan Treger, commended the progress made under these initiatives.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

3. The 22^nd Installment of PM-Kisan Scheme released providing ₹18,640 crore to farmers.

• On 13 March, the 22nd installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a programme organised in Guwahati, Assam.
• Through this installment, direct financial assistance amounting to ₹18,640 crore will be transferred to the bank accounts of 9.32 crore farmers across the country through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
• The upcoming transfer was announced by Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while addressing journalists in New Delhi.
• Under the PM-Kisan scheme, more than ₹4,09,000 crore has already been distributed directly to farmers so far, providing substantial financial support to the agricultural community.
• The minister stated that over 2.15 crore women farmers are also among the beneficiaries of the scheme, strengthening women’s participation in agriculture.
• According to studies, direct financial support under PM-Kisan has increased agricultural investment and reduced farmers’ dependence on private moneylenders, thereby strengthening the rural economy.
• The minister highlighted that India has emerged as the world’s largest producer of rice with about 150 million tonnes of production, surpassing China in this sector.
• The country’s total food grain production has increased from 252 million tonnes in 2014 to around 357 million tonnes at present, reflecting strong growth in agricultural output.
• Fruit and vegetable production has also increased significantly from 277 million tonnes to around 369 million tonnes, demonstrating expansion in the horticulture sector.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

4. An MoU signed to build India’s First Integrated Life-Cycle Support Model for persons with hearing impairment.

• An MoU has been signed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities with civil society organisations and technology leaders in New Delhi.
• The partnership has been established to develop India’s first integrated life-cycle support model for persons with hearing impairment.
• Through this collaboration, comprehensive support systems will be created to assist individuals with hearing impairment from early childhood intervention to education, skilling, employment and social inclusion.
• The MoU has been signed with organisations including Gopala Krishnan Foundation for the Deaf, Blee Tech Innovations Private Limited, Training and Educational Centre for Hearing Impaired, and the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre.
• The initiative has been designed to bring together expertise from civil society institutions and technology partners to strengthen accessibility and empowerment mechanisms.
• According to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the collaboration aims to create systemic change that expands opportunities and improves quality of life for persons with hearing impairment.
• Efforts will also be directed towards strengthening dignity, independence and social participation of individuals with hearing disabilities across the country.
• The partnership will focus on awareness generation regarding hearing impairment and the need for inclusive support systems in society.
• Special emphasis will be placed on expanding accessibility solutions and promoting the development and adoption of assistive technologies.
• The initiative will also prioritise early identification of hearing impairment and improved educational support to ensure better learning outcomes for affected individuals.

Topic: Sports

5. Shubman Gill honoured as BCCI Cricketer of the Year.

• India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill is set to be named the BCCI Cricketer of the Year at the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s annual awards ceremony to be held in New Delhi.
• The recognition is expected to be announced during the BCCI’s annual awards event scheduled to take place on Sunday.
• The award is being conferred in recognition of Gill’s outstanding performances across multiple formats of international cricket during the year.
• During the season, 983 runs were scored by Gill in Test cricket, highlighting his consistency and dominance in the longest format.
• In One Day Internationals, 490 runs were added to his tally, including 188 runs during India’s title-winning Champions Trophy campaign.
• Across formats, a total of 1,764 runs were accumulated by Gill at an average of about 49, reflecting a strong overall performance.
• At the same awards ceremony, former India head coach Rahul Dravid is set to receive the Col C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award for his immense contribution to Indian cricket.
• The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is set to be named the Best Association in domestic cricket.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

6. C-DOT’s AI-Based FraudPro recognised as Global Finalist at Mobile World Congress 2026.

• Global recognition has been received by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) for its indigenous AI-driven fraud detection solution named ‘FraudPro’ at the Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.
• The solution has been selected among the top finalists at the prestigious Global Mobile (GLOMO) Awards in the category of Best Network Security and Fraud Prevention.
• The achievement has been announced during the Mobile World Congress 2026, one of the world’s largest global platforms for the telecommunications industry.
• FraudPro has been designed and developed by C-DOT as an advanced Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning-based platform to detect identity-related fraud in telecom networks.
• The system uses AI and ML technologies for large-scale image deduplication, forged document detection and re-verification of subscriber identities.
• Through these technologies, fraudulent mobile connections within telecom networks can be identified and prevented at an early stage.
• The platform has been deployed by the Department of Telecommunications in India as part of the Digital Intelligence Platform and the Sanchar Saathi portal.
• With the rapid expansion of digital connectivity worldwide, identity-based telecom fraud has emerged as a major challenge for governments and telecom operators.
• Recognition at the Global Mobile Awards has been considered one of the highest honours in the global telecom sector for technological innovation and security solutions.
• The global acknowledgement of FraudPro highlights India’s growing capability to develop advanced indigenous telecom technologies under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Topic: State News/ Assam

7. PM Narendra Modi commenced a two-day official visit to Assam on March 13.

• During this visit, he will launch and inaugurate development projects worth over ₹47,800 crore in Assam.
• The Prime Minister arrived in Kokrajhar, where he performed the Bhoomi Pujan and laid the foundation stones for several development works.
• He launched projects worth approximately ₹4,570 crore in Kokrajhar.
• He will lay the foundation stone for the road infrastructure initiative 'Assam Mala 3.0'.
• The Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for a Railway Periodic Overhauling Workshop in Kokrajhar.
• Three new train services will be flagged off. These include the Kamakhya-Charlapalli Amrit Bharat Express, the Guwahati-New Jalpaiguri Express, and the Narangi-Agartala Express.
• In Guwahati, the PM will inaugurate several projects and dedicate them to the nation. These projects are valued at approximately ₹19,680 crore.
• On the second day of the visit, he will travel to Silchar. In Silchar, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for projects worth approximately ₹23,550 crore.

Topic: Space and IT

8. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed a major ground test of the CE20 cryogenic engine.

• This test demonstrated that the engine is capable of generating higher thrust.
• This enhancement could potentially improve the performance of the LVM3 launch vehicle.
• Conducted on March 10, this trial was a 'sea-level hot test' carried out at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
• During the test, the engine operated continuously for 165 seconds, generating approximately 22 tons of thrust.
• The CE20 engine powers the upper stage of the LVM3 rocket. The upper stage is critical for missions carrying heavy payloads.
• This engine has been 'human-rated' for the upcoming Gaganyaan mission.
• ISRO stated that the objective of this high-thrust test is to enhance the rocket's payload capacity.
• This improvement will prove beneficial for future satellite missions and will also support India's space exploration projects.

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sectors

9. India has facilitated the export of 25 metric tonnes of Joha Rice of Assam.

• Assam’s GI-tagged Joha Rice has been shipped to the United Kingdom and Italy.
• The shipment was enabled by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.
• Joha Rice is known for its high nutritional value. It also has a unique heritage.
• The rice received Geographical Indication (GI) status in 2017.
• This export reflects government efforts to expand India’s agricultural exports.
• It is part of a push to open new international markets.
• The initiative also aims to provide better income opportunities for farmers in Assam.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

10. Union Minister of Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, took part in the 12th Asian and Pacific Regional Conference.

• This conference was organized in New Delhi by the All India Prosecutors Association.
• During the conference, the Minister held discussions with legal experts.
• He also met with prosecutors and other distinguished participants.
• The primary theme of the discussions was judicial reform.
• Strengthening the prosecution mechanism was another key topic of discussion.
• The Minister emphasized the government's efforts to promote innovation within the judicial sector.
• Technology is being utilized to enhance transparency within the justice system.
• Institutional reforms are also being implemented to improve accessibility.
• Continuous measures are being undertaken to ensure the speedy delivery of justice.
• The government's objective is to make the justice system effective and accessible to all citizens.