Daily Current Affairs and GK | 6 March 2026

Topic: Indian Economy

1. India's Index of Industrial Production (IIP) recorded a year-on-year growth of 4.8% in January.

• This growth rate was lower than the 7.8% growth recorded in December last year.
• The slowdown in industrial output was primarily due to weak performance in the manufacturing sector.
• Manufacturing output increased by 4.8% in January.
• In December, manufacturing had grown at a much higher rate of 8.1%.
• Meanwhile, growth in the mining sector also slowed.
• Mining output increased by 4.3% year-on-year in January.
• In comparison, this sector had grown by 6.8% in December.
• Growth in electricity production also declined.
• Electricity production increased by 5.1% in January.
• In December, electricity production grew at a growth rate of 6.3%.
• These figures are taken from the quick estimate of the Index of Industrial Production.
• Data shows that all three major industrial segments recorded slower growth in January compared to the previous month.

Topic: International News

2. The UK government has launched a public consultation on banning social media use for those under 16.

• The purpose of the consultation is to gather public opinion before making a final decision.
• Parents are being encouraged to share their views on the proposal.
• Guardians have also been invited to provide feedback. Young people are also being included in the consultation process.
• This proposal reflects growing concerns about teenagers' online activity.
• The United Kingdom will join several European countries considering similar bans.
• Many countries are considering stricter regulations on children's use of social media platforms.
• In December, Australia imposed significant restrictions on teenagers' social media access.
• Australia became the first country to impose significant limits on young people's social media use.
• European governments are rapidly debating similar approaches.
• There are concerns about how such bans would be practically implemented.
• France is close to adopting a law restricting children's social media use.
• The proposed French law would restrict access for children under 15. French lawmakers have already approved the bill.
• Spain has announced plans to block young users from some social media platforms.
• Greece is also considering measures to keep teenagers away from these platforms.
• These restrictions primarily target platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

3. Raisina Dialogue 2026 inaugurated by PM Modi in New Delhi.

• On 5 March, the 11th edition of the Raisina Dialogue 2026 inaugurated in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The 11th edition of the Raisina Dialogue is being held from 5-7 March, 2026.
• The inaugural session attended by the President of Finland, Dr. Alexander Stubb, who joined as the Chief Guest.
• The Raisina Dialogue is recognised as India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, where the most challenging issues facing the international community are discussed.
• Participation in the conference witnessed from representatives of around 110 countries, including Ministers, former Heads of State and Heads of Government, Members of Parliament, Military Commanders and industry leaders.
• The theme for the Raisina Dialogue 2026 was “Saṁskāra – Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement.”
• Over the course of three days, global decision-makers and thought leaders will engage with one another through discussions organised in several formats.
• These discussions is being conducted across six thematic pillars, addressing important global political and economic issues.
• Among the major themes included are
  • Contested Frontiers: Power, Polarity, and Periphery;
  • Repairing the Commons: New Groups, New Guardians, New Avenues;
  • White Whale: The Pursuit of Agenda 2030;
  • The Eleventh Hour: Climate, Conflict, and the Cost of Delay;
  • Tomorrowland: Towards a Tech-topia;
  • Trade in the Time of Tariffs: Recovery, Resilience, Reinvention

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. India’s Women-Focused Banking Program hailed by the United Nations as a Global Model.

• India’s banking program for women has been praised by the United Nations as a global model for financial inclusion and empowerment of women and girls.
• It has been highlighted that banking services have been extended to more than 290 million women through this program.
• According to UN Women’s Director of Policy, Sandra Hendriks, India’s initiative has demonstrated a transformative pathway for empowering women economically.
• The system of providing digital identification to the entire population of women and girls has been cited as an important model for other countries.
• It has also been emphasised that the simplification of requirements for opening digital bank accounts has enabled wider financial participation of women across India.       
• The success of this initiative has largely been driven by the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, which is currently in its 12th year of implementation.
• Women now hold about 56% of the total accounts opened under the programme, demonstrating strong participation.

Topic: Sports

5. The logo of World’s First Franchise-Based “Cycling League of India” unveiled.

• On 5 March, the logo of the Cycling League of India, the world’s first franchise-based road cycling league, has been unveiled by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya.
• The initiative has been described as a transformative step for the development of cycling as a professional sport in India.
• According to the Sports Minister, the introduction of this league represents a defining and watershed moment in Indian sports.
• Through the league, a professional sporting ecosystem will be created to nurture talent, attract global attention and strengthen India’s sports culture.
• The upcoming competition will feature eight city or region-based franchises, each consisting of ten cyclists.
• Every team will include two international riders and two junior cyclists, ensuring global competitiveness and the development of young Indian talent.
• The competitions will be organised in three structured phases, culminating in a grand finale.
• Several race formats such as criterium races, team time trials and mass start events will be included to ensure strategic competition and spectator excitement.
• The initiative builds upon the recent resurgence of professional cycling in India, including the success of the Pune Grand Tour, recognised as the world’s largest UCI 2.2 stage race.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. Digital tools soft-launched and mascots unveiled for Census 2027.

• On 5 March, four digital tools have been soft-launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi for the upcoming Census 2027.
• During the event, the mascots “Pragati” and “Vikas” were also formally unveiled, symbolising women and men participating equally in the census exercise.
• The digital tools introduced include the House Listing Block Creator Web Application, the HLO Mobile Application, the Self-Enumeration Portal, and the Census Management and Monitoring System Portal.
• These advanced digital platforms have been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) to facilitate enumeration operations across the country.
• The Government of India had earlier notified its intention to conduct Census 2027 through a Gazette Notification issued on 16 June last year, thereby formally commencing the process.
• The Census-2027 will be conducted in two phases, and it is the world’s largest census exercise.
• For the first time, the entire census process will be conducted digitally, marking a major technological shift in data collection.
• Citizens will also be provided with the option of Self-Enumeration, allowing them to submit information through digital platforms.
• Data will be collected through secure mobile applications during door-to-door visits, ensuring complete coverage across the country.
• To conduct the exercise efficiently, more than 30 lakh enumerators, supervisors and census officials will be engaged nationwide.

Topic: National Appointments

7. President Draupadi Murmu approved several new appointments of Governors and Lieutenant Governors in various states and union territories of India.

• Shiv Pratap Shukla has been transferred from the post of Governor of Himachal Pradesh. He will now serve as the Governor of Telangana.
• Jishnu Dev Varma has been transferred from the post of Governor of Telangana. He has been appointed Governor of Maharashtra.
• Former Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, Nand Kishore Yadav, has been appointed Governor of Nagaland.
• Retired Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain has been appointed Governor of Bihar.
• R.N. Ravi, who was serving as the Governor of Tamil Nadu, has now been appointed Governor of West Bengal.
• Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, currently the Governor of Kerala, has been given the additional responsibility of the Governor of Tamil Nadu.
• The resignation of C.V. Anand Bose, who was serving as the Governor of West Bengal, has been accepted.
• Kavinder Gupta, who was the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, has now been appointed Governor of Himachal Pradesh.
• Vinay Kumar Saxena, who serves as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, has been appointed the new Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
• Former diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. Kriti K. Karanth has become the first Indian to receive a major conservation award in the United Kingdom.

• She is the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Wildlife Studies.
• The award was given by the Royal Geographical Society, based in London.
• She was chosen as the joint winner of the 2026 Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize.
• The other winner is Professor Alexander Antonelli, Executive Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London.
• Kriti K. Karanth is a conservation scientist from Bengaluru. Her work has helped improve understanding of global ecosystems.
• She has also contributed to the conservation of biodiversity in various regions. Her efforts focus on inclusive conservation strategies.
• Both winners will be presented with their awards at a ceremony organized by the Royal Geographical Society on April 13th.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

9. NITI Aayog and UNICEF India have signed a Statement of Intent.

• This agreement focuses on improving nutrition and health outcomes.
• It targets aspirational districts and aspirational blocks in India.
• Rohit Kumar is Additional Secretary of NITI Aayog. He also serves as Mission Director of the organization.
• He emphasized the importance of partnerships with organizations like UNICEF India.
• Such collaborations can help address major health and nutrition challenges.
• This initiative aims to strengthen last-mile delivery of essential services.
• This will benefit people in remote and high-priority areas.
• UNICEF India will provide technical expertise for this program.
• It will also help connect with businesses and public sector enterprises. Industry associations will also participate in this initiative.

Topic: State News/ Odisha

10. Union Home Minister Amit Shah dedicated a sulphuric acid plant in Odisha to the nation.

• This facility was built by the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited.
• The plant is located at the company's Paradip unit.
• Amit Shah also attended a cooperative-sector program in Bhubaneswar.
• The event took place at the IDCO Exhibition Ground.
• During the program, Odisha's State Cooperative Policy was released.
• An MoU was signed to establish a school under the Tribhuvan Cooperative University.
• Another MoU focused on restarting the Badamba Sugar Industries.
• Amit Shah dedicated 1,567 Common Service Centers.
• These centers are run by Primary Agricultural Credit Societies and Large Area Multipurpose Societies.
• Infrastructure projects for 141 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies were virtually inaugurated.
• A direct-to-consumer portal of National Cooperative Organics Limited was digitally launched.
• An AI-based multilingual learning platform called Savidya was also launched. A total of 69 projects worth approximately ₹1,159 crore were inaugurated.
• Foundations were laid for 130 projects worth over ₹2,116 crore.