Daily Current Affairs and GK | 26 March 2026

Topic: State News/ Gujarat

1. The Gujarat Legislative Assembly approved the 'Gujarat Uniform Civil Code, 2026' by a majority vote.

• Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel introduced this bill in the Assembly.
• The bill was tabled one week after a state-appointed panel gave its final report on the implementation of the UCC.
• This legislation proposes a uniform legal framework for matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships.
• With this move, Gujarat has become the second state to adopt such legislation.
• Uttarakhand was the first state to pass a similar law in 2024.
• This law will apply to residents of Gujarat, even if they are residing outside the state.
• Certain groups, including Scheduled Tribes, have been exempted from its purview.
• Its aim is to establish a uniform legal framework. The bill makes the registration of live-in relationships mandatory.
• It also outlines the procedures for the termination of such relationships. Under its provisions, this law prohibits bigamy.
• It stipulates that no individual may remarry while their spouse is still alive.
• A marriage shall be legally valid only if both individuals are unmarried at the time of the marriage.

Topic: State News/Uttar Pradesh

2. The 'Nivesh Mitra 3.0’ Digital Platform launched to enhance the investor experience in Uttar Pradesh.

• On 24 March, the ‘Nivesh Mitra 3.0’ digital platform has been launched by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to simplify and improve the investor experience in Uttar Pradesh.
• Additionally, he gave a new direction to industrial development by unveiling the ‘UP Private Business Park Development Scheme-2025’ and the ‘Plug-and-Play Industrial Sheds Scheme’.
• During this program, the Chief Minister distributed over 85 'Letters of Comfort' (LoCs), 'Eligibility Certificates' (ECs), and subsidies worth ₹2,781 crore—a major step towards translating investment proposals into reality on the ground.
• An AI-based chatbot has been integrated into the Nivesh Mitra 3.0 to provide instant assistance to investors.
• Real-time SMS alerts have been enabled to keep applicants informed about the progress of their applications at every stage.
• A Dynamic Combined Application Form has been introduced to allow approvals from multiple departments through a single interface.
• The need to visit multiple offices has been eliminated, thereby saving time and effort for investors.
• On this occasion, he stated that the state government has implemented several significant reforms to streamline investment processes within the state.
• This includes a 25% reduction in departmental procedures, a 15% reduction in documentation, and a reduction of approximately 20% in other procedural steps.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

3. PRISM-SG Portal launched to digitise and accelerate approval processes for road over bridges.

• The PRISM-SG Portal has been launched to enhance efficiency, transparency, and coordination in infrastructure development related to Road Over Bridges.
• PRISM-SG stands for Portal for Rail-Road Inspection & Stages Management – Steel Girders. 
• The portal has been developed to digitise approval and inspection processes associated with the construction of Road Over Bridges and railway bridges.
• Key components such as Quality Assurance Plan, Welding Procedure Specification Sheet, and fabrication stage inspections have been integrated into the system.
• End-to-end online processes including document submission, scrutiny, query resolution, approvals, and inspection scheduling have been enabled through the portal.
• Earlier, approvals related to QAP, WPSS, and inspections were largely handled through offline modes, leading to delays and limited tracking.
• The portal has been designed to bring together stakeholders such as Road Owning Departments, Indian Railways, contractors, fabricators, and inspection agencies.
• A complete audit trail along with real-time monitoring capabilities has been incorporated to ensure accountability and transparency.
• The approval and inspection timeline is expected to be reduced from nearly 12 months to about 3 to 4 months through this digital intervention.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

4. An MoU signed to enable multilingual pension services through BHASHINI Platform.

• A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed to enable multilingual access in pension services through integration with the BHASHINI platform.
• The collaboration has been established between the Digital India BHASHINI Division and the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority.
• The initiative has been designed to strengthen multilingual digital capabilities across the pension services ecosystem.
• Translation APIs, multilingual AI models, and voice-enabled technologies have been planned to be integrated into PFRDA systems.
• Multilingual access across all 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution has been targeted under this framework.
• Language barriers in pension communication are expected to be reduced, thereby improving accessibility for diverse population groups.
• The initiative is aimed at enhancing financial inclusion, especially for first-time savers and individuals outside formal pension systems.
• Linguistic datasets will be enriched through structured contributions to improve the performance of AI-based language systems.
• The collaboration reinforces the role of BHASHINI as a national language digital infrastructure supporting governance and financial services.
• The pension ecosystem is expected to become more inclusive, accessible, and citizen-centric through multilingual enablement.
• BHASHa Interface for India (BHASHINI) is an AI-powered language technology initiative under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India.
• It enables multilingual AI capabilities spanning over 36 text, 23 voice, and 35 international languages, bridging the gap between literacy and language.

Topic: Indian Economy

5. India’s Economic growth projected to remain resilient at 7.1% in FY27.

• India’s economic growth has been projected to remain resilient at 7.1% in the financial year 2026-27 despite global geopolitical tensions.
• The outlook has been supported by strong domestic demand, stable export performance, and gradual recovery in private investment.
• India has been identified as one of the fastest-growing major economies in the Asia-Pacific region.
• Growth across the Asia-Pacific region, excluding China, is expected to improve to around 4.5% in 2026.
• Domestic economic activity and performance in technology-related sectors have been recognised as key growth drivers.
• Inflation has been projected to moderate to approximately 4.3%, remaining within a manageable range.
• Global volatility in energy prices has been noted, but its impact on inflation is expected to remain controlled.

Topic: Reports and Indices

6. Pakistan ranked first on Global Terrorism Index amid rising terrorism deaths.

• Pakistan has been ranked first on the Global Terrorism Index following an increase in terrorism-related fatalities.
• A rise of 6% in deaths has been recorded, marking the highest level since 2013.
• A total of 1,139 deaths and 1,045 terrorism incidents have been reported in 2025.
• The country has experienced the sixth consecutive year of increasing terrorism-related fatalities.
• A significant surge in hostage-taking incidents has been observed, with victims rising sharply from 101 to 655.
• The increase in hostage incidents has been largely attributed to the Jaffar Express attack involving 442 hostages.
• Security challenges have been intensified due to strained relations with neighbouring countries, particularly Afghanistan.
• Regions such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan have accounted for the majority of attacks and fatalities.
• Pakistan has been grouped among five countries contributing to nearly 70% of global terrorism deaths.
• The ranking reflects a continuing deterioration in internal security and stability within the country.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

7. India has approved a revised climate plan for the 2031–2035 period under global agreements.

• The country aims to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 47% by 2035. This reduction is measured against 2005 levels.
• India has already surpassed the 52% mark for non-fossil fuel electricity capacity as early as the beginning of 2026. This target was achieved ahead of schedule.
• The new target is to increase the share of non-fossil fuel capacity to 60% by 2035.
• The government has extended the revised UDAN scheme for a period of ten years, spanning from 2026–27 to 2035–36.
• The total budget for this scheme is ₹28,840 crore. Its objective is to develop 100 airports by upgrading unserved or underserved airstrips.
• The Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration and Tracking (IVFRT) scheme has been extended for a period of five years, from April 2026 to March 2031.
• An outlay of ₹1,800 crore has been allocated for this scheme. IVFRT integrates processes related to immigration and visas.

Topic: Reports and Indices

8. A recent international survey has named Prime Minister Narendra Modi the world's most popular leader.

• He received an approval rating of 68%. This survey was conducted by 'Morning Consult,' a data analytics firm based in the United States.
• The survey was conducted between March 2 and March 8. In it, he ranked significantly ahead of other global leaders.
• Swiss President Guy Parmelin secured the second position, with an approval rating of 62%.
• South Korean President Lee Jae-myung also received a rating of 62%, tying for the second spot.
• The leader of the Czech Republic followed them with a rating of 57%, while the leader of Argentina held an approval rating of 56%.
• US President Donald Trump received a rating of 39% and failed to make it into the top ten.
• British Prime Minister Keir Starmer received a rating of 24%, while French President Emmanuel Macron received 17%.
• This survey utilized a seven-day moving average and reflects the opinions of adults across various countries. It compares the popularity of leaders from around the world.
• These results come at a pivotal moment in Modi's career, marking a major milestone in his journey of public service.
• He is one of India's longest-serving leaders. His tenure encompasses the time he spent as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, as well as his years as Prime Minister.

Topic: International News

9. Vietnam and Russia have signed an agreement to construct a nuclear power plant in Vietnam.

• This move signals Vietnam's return to nuclear energy planning. This project is named Ninh Thuan 1.
• Vietnam had cancelled similar nuclear projects in 2016. Those previous plans were abandoned due to rising costs.
• Safety concerns were also a reason for the cancellations.
• This new agreement was reached during a visit to Moscow.
• Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
• Both leaders described the project as symbolic. They linked it to the strong ties between their respective countries.
• The plan involves the construction of two nuclear reactors. These reactors will be designed by Russia.
• Their total capacity will be approximately 2,400 megawatts. The design is based on an existing Russian plant.
• The two countries also discussed other areas of cooperation. These include oil and gas.
• They also spoke about technology partnerships. Infrastructure development was another topic of discussion.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

10. Rituparna Sengupta was honored with the 'Women Empowerment Award' in the field of Art and Culture in the United Kingdom.

• This honor was conferred at the 'House of Commons,' the principal and elected lower house of the UK Parliament.
• This awards ceremony was part of the celebrations held to mark 'International Women's Day.'
• The award was presented by Seema Malhotra and Virendra Sharma.
• The event was organized by 'GloWomen CiC.'
• The program highlighted the achievements of women from various professional fields.
• She was specifically honored for her contributions to the fields of art and culture.