NATIONAL NEWS

Government Suspends Television Rating Points for TV News Channels for Four Weeks

The Government of India directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council to suspend Television Rating Points (TRP) reporting for TV news channels for four weeks.

The directive was issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 7 March 2026 amid concerns about coverage of the Israel–Iran conflict in West Asia.

The decision aims to prevent sensational reporting and reduce panic among viewers, particularly those with family or personal connections in conflict-affected regions.

Authorities observed that intense competition for higher TRP ratings was encouraging sensational or exaggerated news coverage by some television channels.

The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) is India’s official body responsible for measuring television viewership data and calculating TRP ratings.

BARC was established in 2010 to collect and analyze television audience measurement data across India.

TRP ratings help broadcasters and advertisers understand programme popularity, audience reach, viewer engagement and advertising revenue allocation.

The government invoked Clause 24.2 of the policy guidelines governing BARC operations, which requires the organization to comply with directives issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Under this provision, BARC has been instructed to withhold publication of TRP ratings for TV news channels for four weeks or until further instructions.

A similar step was taken in 2020, when the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting suspended TRP ratings for several weeks following allegations of TRP data manipulation investigated by the Mumbai Police.

The earlier suspension aimed to restore transparency and credibility in India’s television audience measurement system.

Karnataka Proposes Social Media Ban for Children Under 16 in Budget 2026

The Government of Karnataka proposed a ban on social media usage for children below 16 years in the Karnataka Budget 2026–27.

The proposal was announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with the aim of protecting children from harmful online content, digital addiction and excessive screen exposure.

If implemented, Karnataka would become the first Indian state to introduce a restriction on social media access for children under 16 years.

The government stated that the measure is intended to reduce the negative effects of excessive mobile and social media usage among children and teenagers.

The social media ban for children under 16 is currently a policy proposal, and the state government has not yet finalized mechanisms for age verification or enforcement across social media platforms.

The proposal comes amid growing global concerns about digital addiction, harmful content exposure and targeted advertising affecting young users.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh is also considering restrictions on social media usage for children, following the announcement by Karnataka.

The Andhra Pradesh government plans to introduce a programme within 90 days to implement such restrictions.

Authorities are also considering regulated or monitored access for teenagers aged 13 to 16 instead of a complete ban.

At the national level, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that several countries are examining age-based restrictions on social media usage.

India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 includes provisions related to children’s data protection and parental consent for digital services.

Government e‑Marketplace Celebrates Seven Years of SWAYATT Initiative

The SWAYATT Initiative on the Government e‑Marketplace (GeM) completed seven years, marking a major milestone in promoting inclusive public procurement in India.

The SWAYATT Initiative (Startups, Women and Youth Advantage Through e-Transactions) was launched on 19 February 2019 to support startups, women entrepreneurs, youth, Self Help Groups (SHGs), and micro and small enterprises by enabling their participation in government procurement markets.

The initiative aims to democratize public procurement, improve market access, and create greater business opportunities for emerging enterprises.

The seven-year celebration brought together policymakers, entrepreneurs and ecosystem partners to highlight how digital procurement technology is transforming the public procurement system in India.

Entrepreneurs shared experiences on how the SWAYATT Initiative helped them connect with government buyers and expand their businesses through the GeM platform.

The initiative focuses on addressing three key challenges faced by emerging businesses: limited market access, limited financial opportunities, and lack of value addition in procurement systems.

By using the GeM digital procurement platform, enterprises can directly participate in government procurement with greater transparency and reduced entry barriers.

Women-led enterprises have recorded strong growth under the SWAYATT Initiative.

The cumulative order value for women entrepreneurs on GeM increased from ₹1,265.62 crore in FY2018-19 to ₹83,323 crore in FY2025-26.

During the same period, the order volume increased from 1,01,530 orders to 44,48,894 orders, reflecting the growing participation of women-led enterprises in public procurement.

Startups have also significantly benefited from the initiative by gaining direct access to government procurement opportunities.

The cumulative order value for startups increased from ₹497.24 crore in FY2018-19 to ₹54,005.8 crore in FY2025-26.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

WHO Confirms Chile as First Country in the Americas to Eliminate Leprosy

The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), verified that Chile has eliminated leprosy as a public health problem.

This makes Chile the 1st country in the Americas and the 2nd country globally (after Jordan) to achieve this public health milestone.

Chile becomes the 61st country globally and the 6th country in the Americas to eliminate at least one Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) under global disease control efforts.

This achievement supports PAHO’s Disease Elimination Initiative, which targets the elimination of over 30 communicable diseases by 2030.

According to WHO criteria, leprosy elimination is defined as a prevalence rate below 1 case per 10,000 population.

Under the WHO Global Leprosy Strategy 2021–2030, transmission elimination requires zero locally acquired cases for 3 consecutive years and no cases among children for 5 years.

The milestone reflects global progress in public health disease control, early diagnosis, and infectious disease prevention programmes.

Mobile World Congress 2026 Concludes in Barcelona

The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, the world’s largest mobile and technology event, was held from March 2–5, 2026 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain.

MWC 2026 brought together global telecom leaders, technology companies, and policymakers.

The theme of MWC 2026 was “The IQ Era”, highlighting the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with advanced connectivity to enable smarter networks, digital innovation, and societal transformation.

The event was organised by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA).

India’s participation at MWC 2026 was led by Union Minister Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, Ministry of Communications, representing India at the GSMA Ministerial Programme and MWC Main Stage

Indian telecom innovators participated under the coordination of the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) with support from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India (GoI).

Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia launched the TJ1600-D3 Hyper-scalable Data Center Interconnect (DCI) Platform by Bengaluru-based Tejas Networks Limited at MWC 2026

 

BANKING

Yes Bank Introduces ‘YES Essence’ Salary Account

Yes Bank launched a specialised salary account named “YES Essence Women’s Salary Account” aimed at supporting the financial and lifestyle needs of working women ahead of International Women’s Day (March 8).

The account provides a comprehensive suite of services including financial protection, preventive healthcare benefits, lifestyle privileges, and wealth-creation opportunities on a single banking platform.

Key benefits for eligible account holders include a free locker facility for the first year, ₹5 lakh complimentary top-up health insurance for one year, and an annual preventive health check-up.

The account also offers a complimentary Elegance Debit Card with 5% cashback up to ₹6,000 per year on select spending categories.

Eligibility criteria: The applicant must be an Indian female resident, minimum 18 years of age, and must be the primary account holder of the salary account.

The initiative aims to promote women’s financial empowerment and inclusive banking services through customised banking products for working women.

SBI General Insurance Launches “Chuniye Bharosa, Apno Sa” Campaign

SBI General Insurance Company Limited, a leading general insurance provider in India, launched an integrated brand campaign titled “Chuniye Bharosa, Apno Sa”, focusing on health insurance and family financial protection.

The campaign positions the insurer as a trusted family protector providing reliable financial security solutions for customers.

The company appointed Pankaj Tripathi as its Brand Ambassador to strengthen brand visibility and customer engagement.

The campaign aims to improve brand recall, build customer trust, and reinforce SBI General Insurance’s image as a dependable insurance service provider.

A promotional film was released featuring Pankaj Tripathi portraying family care values through everyday thoughtful actions, highlighting the importance of health insurance protection.

The campaign will be promoted across multiple media platforms, including Print, Television (TV), OTT platforms, and Social Media

Generali Central Insurance Launches ‘Happy Women’s Pay’ Campaign

Generali Central Insurance Company Limited, a joint venture between Assicurazioni Generali (Generali Group) and Central Bank of India, launched the “Happy Women’s Pay” campaign to promote gender pay equality.

The campaign was launched to mark International Women’s Day, emphasising equal pay and workplace gender equity as core organisational values.

The initiative highlights that gender equality in pay should be implemented as a policy-level commitment, not just a social aspiration.

The campaign film was created by TBWA\Lintas (Mullen Lintas), featuring 18 women employees sharing stories and slam poetry about gender pay disparity.

The campaign contrasts traditional Women’s Day celebrations (flowers and greetings) with the more important issue of pay parity and workplace equality.

The campaign reinforces that equal pay is a fundamental workplace right, supporting inclusive corporate culture and women empowerment in employment.

The initiative reflects growing global corporate efforts to promote ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) social responsibility and gender-balanced workforce policies.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Prime Minister of Nepal

Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen Shah, is set to become the Prime Minister of Nepal after his party’s landslide electoral victory.

His party, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), secured a major election victory in the first general election after the 2025 Gen Z youth protests.

The RSP is expected to defeat former Prime Minister P. Sharma Oli, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist).

Early counting trends showed RSP leading in 100+ constituencies, surpassing the Nepali Congress in seat count.

At 35 years of age, Balen Shah represents a new generation of political leadership emerging from youth-led political movements.

Before entering politics, he gained popularity in 2013 as a rap artist, releasing songs criticising corruption and political elite systems.

The RSP was formed in 2022 and has rapidly emerged as a strong youth-backed political movement in Nepal’s political landscape.

Balen Shah defeated K. P. Sharma Oli in Jhapa-5 constituency by about 50,000 votes, securing 68,348 votes against Oli’s 18,734 votes.

The election result reflects changing youth political preferences and the rise of non-traditional political leadership in Nepal.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Women’s Day

International Women's Day is observed globally on 8 March every year to recognize the historical, cultural, social and political achievements of women.

International Women’s Day 2026 was celebrated worldwide on 8 March 2026 with the theme “Rights. Justice. Action For ALL Women and Girls.”

The day is an official holiday in several countries and is marked through events, campaigns and discussions promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.

In 1869, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton founded the National Woman Suffrage Association in the United States to advocate for women’s voting rights and gender equality.

In 1910, Clara Zetkin proposed the idea of an international day dedicated to women at the International Socialist Women's Conference 1910.

The first International Women’s Day was celebrated in 1911 in several countries to promote women’s rights and equality.

In 1965, the women’s liberation movement gained momentum, advocating reforms related to politics, employment, family rights and gender equality.

During the 2000s, the growth of the internet and digital communication helped unify global feminist movements, strengthening campaigns for women’s rights and social equality worldwide.