Daily Current Affairs and GK | 24 March 2026

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

1. The Ministry of Jal Shakti organized the 'World Water Day conclave 2026' in New Delhi on March 23.

• Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, participated in the inaugural session of this conclave.
• The conclave focused on the theme "Industry for Water."
• It provided a national platform for dialogue, innovation, and collaboration regarding sustainable water management.
• By bringing together policymakers, industry stalwarts, academicians, startups, MSMEs, and young innovators, it offered an opportunity to develop solutions that are technology-driven and scalable.
• More than 700 delegates from various sectors participated in this event.
• The winners of the 'Jal Shakti Hackathon' were felicitated during this event.
• These awards highlight impactful innovations undertaken in the water sector.
• The conclave was organized to observe 'World Water Day.'
• World Water Day is observed annually on March 22.
• The United Nations General Assembly officially designated this day.
• This day has been observed every year since 1993.
• It raises awareness about the billions of people who lack access to safe water.
• World Water Day 2026 focused on the theme "Water and Gender" under the slogan "Where Water Flows, Equality Grows".

Topic: Summits/Conference/Meetings

2. Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 concluded with roadmap for future-ready power sector.

• On 24 March, the maiden edition of the Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 has been concluded with a comprehensive roadmap for building a resilient and future-ready power sector.
• It has been highlighted that the summit witnessed strong global participation from policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators across the energy ecosystem.
• The event recorded participation from over 35,000 attendees, more than 200 companies, and over 300 speakers across multiple sessions.
• It has been emphasised that India is progressing towards achieving 500 gigawatts of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, with more than 50 percent already achieved.
• The importance of strengthening DISCOMs through reforms such as smart metering and cost-reflective tariffs has been underlined.
• Rapid growth in renewable energy, especially solar power, has been highlighted as a key trend shaping the sector’s future.
• Electricity demand is expected to rise significantly by 2030 due to emerging sectors like AI-based data centres and electric mobility.
• The need for expanding transmission infrastructure and increasing investments has been stressed to support future demand.
• The summit discussions covered themes such as green hydrogen, artificial intelligence in power systems, energy storage, and nuclear energy.
• The conclusion of the summit has reinforced India’s position as a key player in the global clean energy transition while ensuring affordability, reliability, and sustainability.

Topic: Indian Polity

3. The New Income Tax Rules 2026 notified to strengthen compliance and transparency in taxation system.

• The Income Tax Rules, 2026 have been notified by the Government and will come into effect from the 1st of April to strengthen compliance mechanisms.
• It has been stated that stricter disclosures will be ensured while tax procedures will be simplified through a reduction in the number of rules.
• A major overhaul of procedural and compliance systems under direct taxation has been introduced through these new rules.
• The rules have been framed to implement provisions of the Income-tax Act, 2025 by replacing older procedural structures with updated systems.
• It has been mandated that companies will maintain share registers, hold general meetings, and distribute dividends only within India to ensure stronger domestic control.
• Stock exchanges will now be required to maintain audit trails for seven years, prevent deletion of records, and submit monthly reports on modified transactions.
• Additional powers have been granted to tax authorities for cross-border taxation, allowing estimation of non-resident income using global profit ratios or reasonable methods.
• Clear guidelines have been introduced for complex cases such as debenture conversions, cross-border restructuring, and income disclosure schemes.
• A structured framework for zero-coupon bonds has been established with requirements such as prior approvals, investment-grade ratings, and defined fund usage timelines.

Topic: National Appointments

4. Jose Joseph Kattoor appointed as non-executive part-time Chairman of South Indian Bank.

• Jose Joseph Kattoor has been appointed as the Non-Executive Part-Time Chairman of South Indian Bank for a tenure of three years with effect from March 23, 2026.
• It has been stated that his appointment has been made following approval from the Reserve Bank of India.
• He has succeeded V J Kurian, who completed his tenure as Chairman of the bank prior to this appointment.
• Kattoor has been serving as an Independent Director on the Board of the bank since July 18, 2024.
• In his new role, he will work closely with the Board and senior management to strengthen governance standards within the bank.
• He brings over three decades of experience from the Reserve Bank of India, where he served from 1991 until his retirement in 2023.
• During his tenure at RBI, he held the position of Executive Director and handled key departments such as Enforcement and Corporate Strategy.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

5. India hosted 12th Steering Committee Meeting of GlobE Network to Strengthen Anti-Corruption Cooperation.

• The 12th Steering Committee Meeting of the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) has been hosted by India in New Delhi.
• It has been emphasised that asset recovery is being recognised as a key measure of enforcement success under the anti-corruption framework of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.
• The role of enforcement agencies in tracing, confiscating, and restituting proceeds of crime has been highlighted during the discussions.
• It has been noted that corruption is increasingly transnational and technology-driven, requiring stronger international cooperation mechanisms.
• The Central Bureau of Investigation has been identified as the primary agency for anti-corruption investigation and prosecution in India.
• The Enforcement Directorate has been tasked with handling cases related to money laundering and recovery of illicit assets.
• It has been reported that assets worth around 5.6 billion US dollars have been restituted by the Enforcement Directorate in recent years.
• The GlobE Network has been described as a platform enabling real-time and secure information exchange among member countries.
• The meeting has brought together representatives from fifteen member nations to discuss strategic direction and operational priorities.

Topic: Important Days

6. World Meteorological Day 2026: 23 March

• Every year, 23 March is observed as the World Meteorological Day.
• World Meteorological Day is to commemorate the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950.
• The theme for World Meteorological Day 2026 is “Observing today, protecting tomorrow”.
• The themes selected for World Meteorological Day reflect contemporary issues related to weather, climate, or water.
• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is responsible for promoting international cooperation in atmospheric science, climatology, hydrology and geophysics.
• WMO started its operations as an intergovernmental organization within the UN system.

Topic: Indian Economy

7. The Index of Eight Core Industries grew by 2.3% year-on-year in February.

• This marks a slowdown compared to the 4.7% growth recorded in January.
• Cement production rose by 9.3% compared to the previous year.
• This was the fastest-growing sector among the core industries.
• Steel production increased by 7.2% compared to the previous year.
• Fertilizer production grew by 3.4% on an annual basis.
• Coal production recorded a year-on-year growth of 2.3%.
• Electricity generation saw a marginal increase of 0.5%.
• Crude oil production declined by 5.2% compared to the previous year.
• Natural gas production also fell by approximately 5% on an annual basis.
• A marginal decline was observed in petroleum refinery products.
• Together, these eight core industries account for more than 40% of the Index of Industrial Production.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

8. Ashwini Vaishnaw launched the National AI Skilling Initiative in New Delhi.

• He also introduced My WAVES, an in-built TV tuner, and an advanced Electronic Program Guide.
• He said the government is promoting wider access to technology.
• This has improved the television viewing experience in India.
• He noted that quality entertainment is now more accessible to households.
• Traditional set-top boxes are no longer widely needed.
• Modern televisions now include built-in TV tuners.
• This change was made possible through collaboration.
• Prasar Bharati played a key role in this effort. Doordarshan also contributed to the initiative.
• Television manufacturers supported the development. The effort was carried out under the Free Dish program.
• The new system reduces costs for consumers. It also makes access to content easier.
• My WAVES provides a platform for content creators. Doordarshan’s Creators’ Corner also supports creators.
• National AI Skilling Initiative has been launched in partnership with Google and YouTube to train 15,000 youth in Artificial Intelligence.

Topic: Important Days

9. World Tuberculosis Day: 24 March

• World Tuberculosis Day is observed on 24th March every year.
• World Tuberculosis Day is observed to raise awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of Tuberculosis and to step up efforts to end the global epidemic.
• World Tuberculosis Day is observed to commemorate the anniversary of Dr. Robert Koch’s discovery of the TB bacteria in 1882.
• The theme of this year's World Tuberculosis Day is  “Yes! We Can End TB.”
• This theme provides an opportunity to reflect on ongoing efforts and encourage stronger commitment at local, national and international levels to end TB.

Topic: Sports

10. Kipa Mero from Arunachal Pradesh won the gold medal in the women's Javelin Throw (F12 category) at the 24th National Para Athletics Championship 2026.

• This championship was held in Bhubaneswar. During the competition, she broke her own previous national record.
• Techi Meta won the silver medal in the women's 400m T13 category.
• In Squash, Anahat Singh retained the women's singles title at the Indian Open. This tournament was held in Mumbai.
• She defeated Egypt's Hana Moataz in the final with a score of 3-1.
• In the same competition, Abhay Singh won the men's singles title. He defeated his compatriot, Veer Chotrani, in the final.
• The match concluded with a 3-0 victory in straight games.