NATIONAL NEWS

Indian Railways Completed Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal to Dadri

Indian Railways successfully completed the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC), marking a major milestone in India’s railway infrastructure development.

The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor spans 1,506 kilometres from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal (Maharashtra) to Dadri.

The corridor has been executed by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) under the Ministry of Railways.

The final milestone was achieved on 31 March 2026 with successful trial runs on the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal–New Saphale section, confirming full operational readiness of the corridor.

The corridor is a high-capacity double-line electrified freight corridor, designed specifically for heavy and long freight trains.

The Western Dedicated Freight Corridor is expected to: Double freight carrying capacity, Enable faster freight movement across western India, Reduce transportation time and logistics costs, Improve port connectivity, especially with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal and Enhance efficiency of supply chains

The Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC), another major freight corridor project, has a length of 1,337 kilometres and runs from Ludhiana (Punjab) to Sonnagar, and is already completed and operational.

In the Union Budget 2026–27, Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Finance, announced a new proposed freight corridor from Dankuni (West Bengal) to Surat (Gujarat).

                                                 

BANKING

Axis Bank Introduces Mobile Number Update Facility Using Aadhaar Face Authentication

Axis Bank has launched a digital mobile number update facility on its mobile banking app using Aadhaar Face Authentication.

The feature allows customers to update their registered mobile numbers anytime and anywhere through a secure three-step authentication process.

The system uses facial recognition technology by matching a live image of the customer with the Aadhaar database records maintained by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI).

The solution enables self-service mobile number updates, complementing traditional branch-based support services.

The Aadhaar Face Authentication system ensures secure verification by validating identity through real-time facial matching.

As an additional security measure, Axis Bank has introduced a safeguard where mobile banking transaction limits are reset to default for 24 hours after a mobile number update.

This ensures enhanced customer data security and fraud prevention during the re-registration process on the Axis Mobile App.   

BoB Achieves ₹30 Lakh Crore Global Business Milestone for First Time

Bank of Baroda (BoB) crossed the ₹30 lakh crore global business milestone (deposits + advances) for the first time, reaching ₹30.78 lakh crore in March 2026.

BoB recorded a 13.93% year-on-year (YoY) growth in global business during Q4 FY26.

Global deposits grew by 12% YoY to ₹16.48 lakh crore, while global advances increased by 16.23% YoY to ₹14.30 lakh crore.

Domestic deposits increased by 12.83% YoY to ₹14.01 lakh crore as of March-end 2026.

Domestic advances rose by 14.56% YoY to ₹11.69 lakh crore at March-end 2026.

Domestic retail advances recorded a 17.93% YoY growth, reaching ₹3.02 lakh crore as of March-end 2026.

The growth in BoB’s global business reflects strong performance across deposits and advances, both domestic and international.

RBI Imposes ₹10.30 Lakh Penalty on Exclusive Capital Limited

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a monetary penalty of ₹10.30 lakh on Exclusive Capital Limited.

The penalty was imposed for non-compliance with RBI directions related to leverage ratio, filing of supervisory returns, and submission of balance sheet.

Action was taken under the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, specifically Sections 58G(1)(b) and 58B(5)(aa).

The company was found to have breached the permissible leverage ratio limit, violating RBI regulatory norms.

It also failed to submit supervisory returns on time, as required under RBI guidelines.

Additionally, the company did not furnish its balance sheet within the stipulated period, leading to regulatory action.

The penalty followed offsite analysis, correspondence, and a show-cause notice, after which RBI confirmed the violations.

RBI clarified that the action is based on regulatory compliance deficiencies and does not comment on the validity of transactions or agreements of the company.

The penalty is without prejudice to any further action that may be initiated by RBI in future against the company.

 

FINANCE

RBI Data Shows Current Account And Savings Account Ratio Declines

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reported that the Current Account and Savings Account (CASA) ratio declined to a 2-year low of 37.9% in the December 2025 quarter, compared to 40.1% in December 2023.

CASA (Current Account Savings Account) ratio represents the proportion of low-cost deposits (current + savings accounts) in a bank’s total deposits.

The decline was mainly due to a fall in savings account deposits, whose share dropped by 210 basis points to 28.9%.

Depositors are shifting towards higher-yielding investment options such as equities, Mutual Funds (MFs), and gold, indicating a slowdown in deposit mobilisation.

Total bank deposits grew by 10% Year-on-Year (YoY) to ₹239.8 lakh crore.

Savings deposits increased by 8% YoY to ₹69.4 lakh crore, while current account deposits grew by 10% YoY to ₹21.4 lakh crore.

Certificates of Deposit (CD) issuances reached a record ₹15.5 lakh crore in FY26, showing a 17% YoY growth.

Banks are increasingly relying on market borrowings (CDs) to support credit growth, amid declining CASA share.

 

DEFENCE

INS Trikand Reaches Dar-Es-Salaam During Deployment In South West Indian Ocean Region

INS Trikand, a frontline guided missile frigate of the Indian Navy, arrived at Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania as part of its deployment in the South West Indian Ocean Region.

The visit aims to strengthen maritime cooperation and enhance bilateral ties between India and Tanzania.

Engagements include professional interactions and joint training exercises with the Tanzania Navy to improve interoperability and operational coordination.

The visit also features social and community engagements such as friendly sports events, yoga sessions, and a cultural evening onboard to promote people-to-people connections.

Critical stores transported from India will be handed over during the port call, supporting logistical cooperation.

Captain Sachin Kulkarni, Commanding Officer of INS Trikand, will meet senior officials of the Tanzania People’s Defence Forces and Government of Tanzania.

The port visit aligns with India’s vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), promoting regional maritime security and cooperation.z

                                                                                                                                                                         

AWARDS & PRIZES

Chetak Screen Awards 2026 Honoured Excellence in Indian Cinema

The Chetak Screen Awards 2026 celebrated outstanding achievements in Indian cinema at a grand ceremony held in New Delhi.

The film Dhurandhar emerged as the biggest winner of the night, winning 14 awards across major performance and technical categories.

The Best Film award was won by Homebound, which was also nominated for the Academy Awards 2026, highlighting its strong storytelling and global recognition.

Ranveer Singh won the Best Actor (Male) award for Dhurandhar.

Yami Gautam won the Best Actor (Female) award for Haq.

Aditya Dhar won the Best Director award for Dhurandhar.

Akshaye Khanna won the Best Supporting Actor (Male) award for Dhurandhar.

Shalini Vatsa won the Best Supporting Actor (Female) award for Homebound.

Ahaan Panday won the Breakthrough Actor (Male) award for Saiyaara.

Aneet Padda won the Breakthrough Actor (Female) award for Saiyaara.

Shazia Iqbal won the Breakthrough Director award for Dhadak 2.

Vikash Nowlakha won the Best Cinematography award for Dhurandhar.

Shivkumar V. Panicker won the Best Editing award for Dhurandhar.

Saini S. Johray won the Best Production Design award for Dhurandhar.

Bishwadeep Chatterjee won the Best Sound Design award for Dhurandhar.

Dhurandhar also won the Best Special Effects (Visual Effects) award.

Homebound won the Best Story and Screenplay award.

Aditya Dhar won the Best Dialogue award for Dhurandhar.

The Best Song award was won by the title track of Saiyaara.

Gulzar won the Best Lyrics award for Gustaakh Ishq.

Faheem Abdullah won the Best Playback Singer (Male) award for Saiyaara.

Shreya Ghoshal won the Best Playback Singer (Female) award for Saiyaara.

Shashwat Sachdev won the Best Background Score award for Dhurandhar.

Shararat won the Best Choreography award for Dhurandhar.

Chhaava and Dhurandhar jointly received the Best Costume Design award.

Dhurandhar also won awards for Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Action.

Haq received the Best Film for Gender Sensitivity award.

In the Over The Top platform category, Stolen won the Best Over The Top Film award.

Abhishek Banerjee won the Best Over The Top Actor (Male) award for Stolen.

Sanya Malhotra won the Best Over The Top Actor (Female) award for Mrs.

Karan Tejpal won the Best Over The Top Director award for Stolen, which also received the Best Over The Top Script award.

The performance of Dhurandhar across acting and technical categories highlighted its excellence in both cinematic storytelling and production quality, while Homebound’s Best Film award reflected the importance of strong narrative depth and audience connection.

 

MoUs & Agreements

EaseMyTrip Partners with National Skill Development Corporation and Sanatan AI

Easy Trip Planners Limited (EaseMyTrip) has entered into a strategic collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Sanatan AI, and the Bhagva platform to launch an entrepreneurship initiative in India’s spiritual services sector.

The initiative is titled “1 Panchayat – 1 Pandit – SANATANAI Shop on Wheels by EMT”, aimed at promoting local spiritual entrepreneurship.

It plans to deploy EV-based mobile service units across up to 2 lakh Panchayats over a period of five years.

These units will function as mobile spiritual commerce hubs, providing services such as pooja bookings, pooja samagri supply, virtual darshan, religious events (kathas and jagrans), and pilgrimage travel planning.

The initiative targets Pandits, Pujaris, and Sanskrit-trained youth, enabling them to become certified micro-entrepreneurs.

It promotes skill development, structured training, and standardised service delivery to integrate traditional service providers into the formal economy.

Financial support for eligible participants will be provided through a Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY)-linked framework, encouraging self-employment and entrepreneurship.

EaseMyTrip will integrate religious and pilgrimage travel services into the ecosystem and expand its presence in the religious tourism sector through a decentralised franchise model.

The initiative reflects a broader effort to combine technology, spirituality, and entrepreneurship for rural economic development.

 

SPORTS

Indian Athletics Series 2026

Murali Sreeshankar won the men’s long jump event at the Indian Athletics Series 2026, registering a jump of 8.15 metres.

The event was held at Kanteerava Stadium, where he was the only athlet e to cross the 8-metre mark.

This performance marked his season-best effort and strong comeback after knee surgery in 2024.

The injury had forced him to miss the Paris Olympics 2024, making this victory a significant milestone in his return to top-level competition.

After returning from injury, he also participated in the World Athletics Championships 2025, where he struggled to reach peak form.

His previous best jump last season was 8.13 metres, slightly lower than his current performance of 8.15 metres, indicating improving form and consistency.

In the men’s long jump competition:

Murali Sreeshankar secured first place with 8.15 metres

Sunny Kumar finished second with 7.90 metres

Purushotham finished third with 7.87 metres

His winning jump came in the fourth attempt, demonstrating strong control and competitive consistency.

In the women’s long jump competition:

Ancy Sojan won first place with 6.54 metres

Shaili Singh secured second place with 6.52 metres

Moumita Mondal finished third with 6.37 metres

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) 2026 was observed globally on 6 April 2026 to highlight the role of sport in promoting peace, inclusion, equality, and sustainable development.

The theme for 2026 is “Sport: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers”, emphasising sport as a powerful tool for unity, inclusion, and global cooperation.

The day was declared by the United Nations (UN) in 2013 and has been observed annually since 2014.

The observance of 6 April commemorates the opening of the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece in 1896, symbolising sport’s long-standing role in promoting global unity.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) plays a key role in promoting sport as a tool for social transformation through its Olympism365 strategy, which supports over 550 social impact programmes across 189 countries, benefiting millions of people worldwide.

A major sporting highlight of 2026 is the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, scheduled to be held from 31 October to 13 November 2026 in Dakar, Senegal.

The Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games will be the first Olympic event hosted in Africa, aimed at enhancing youth engagement and promoting regional development through sport.