Sunday, Jan 04
Daily current affairs for 4 January 2026 with exam-focused key facts, connected news context, and revision notes for UPSC, SSC, banking and government exams.
Today at a glance
Key Updates:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the re-appointment of Ratan Kumar Kesh as executive director of Bandhan Bank Limited. The re-appointment is effective from March 31, 2026, for an additional three-year term.
Abdolnasser Hemmati has been appointed as the new governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI). He succeeds Mohammad Reza Farzin, who resigned as the rial plunged to a record low against the US dollar.
Canara Bank (CB) launches Canara ai1Pe, a unified UPI app enabling instant payments, shared expenses via UPI Delegate, spend analytics, UPI Lite, and rewards. The app allows users to link bank accounts from any bank for…
Ajai Kumar Shukla has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PNB Housing Finance for five years starting December 18. He succeeds Girish Kousgi, who was seen as a key driver of the company’s…
Key Updates:
The central board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved a proposal to transition to a risk-based pricing system for deposit insurance. The new model replaces the uniform premium currently charged to banks under…
World Savings Day is marked every year on October 31. The theme for this year is 'This is not a savings account'.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Sanjay Malhotra announces a 25 basis points reduction in the repo rate to 5.25%. The standing deposit facility rate now stands at 5.0%, and the marginal standing facility and bank…
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sliced the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25 per cent on December 5. The cumulative reduction in the repo rate this calendar year is 125-basis-point.
Key Updates:
The new simplified Income Tax Act, 2025 will come into effect from April 1, replacing the over six-decade-old Income Tax Act, 1961. No income tax will be payable on income of Rs 12 lakh a year under the new income tax…
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) launched a NUDGE campaign to alert taxpayers who claimed wrongful deductions related to unrecognised political parties or charitable institutions. Over 15 lakh revised Income Tax…
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) formally launched the second NUDGE initiative, expanding its data-driven and non-intrusive reporting campaign focused on offshore asset disclosures. The Income Tax Department will…
The government has constituted a committee to review the rates of tax refund under the export schemes – Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) and Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies…
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
Key Updates:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recorded the gross non-performing asset (GNPA) ratio of scheduled commercial banks at multi-year lows of 2.3% in March 2025 and 2.2% in September 2025. The net non-performing asset (NNPA)…
Gross non-performing assets (GNPAs) have fallen to a decadal low of 2.1%. The ratio of special mention accounts overdue by 61-90 days (SMA-2) declined to 0.8% as of end-September 2025.
The Government of India has rolled out a Credit Assessment Model (CAM) aimed at transforming loan appraisal for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). CAM leverages digitally sourced, verifiable data from across…
Commercial, co-operative and other financial institutions expanded balance sheets, though at a marginally slower pace than the previous year. Aggregate deposits and bank credit grew at a double-digit rate during 2024-25.
Key Updates:
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) notified the operational guidelines for the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS) and the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) to strengthen domestic…
Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) provided a Rs 9,821 crore loan to the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL). The rupee-denominated term loan is intended to refinance foreign currency debt…
Bank of Baroda and SIDBI Sign MoU to Boost Credit Access for MSMEs and Startups Across India. Partnership aims to enhance joint financing, streamline digital working capital, and expand global opportunities for small…
[Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)]
Key Updates:
Total Expense Ratio shall now be the sum of BER, brokerage, regulatory levies and statutory levies. Base expense ratio limits for equity-oriented schemes and other than equity oriented schemes under various AUM slabs…
Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) granted IPO approval to seven companies: Yashoda Healthcare Services, Fusion CX, Orient Cables, Turtlemint Fintech Solutions, RSB Retail India, SFC Environmental…
Master Capital Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Master Trust, has received in-principle approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to sponsor a mutual fund. India’s mutual fund industry assets…
Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) introduced the SWAGAT-FI framework for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) and Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCIs) through two separate notifications dated December 1.…
Key Updates:
Droupadi Murmu became the second head of state to sail in a submarine. She undertook the sea sortie from Karwar Harbour in Karnataka.
Department of Social Justice & Empowerment signed MoUs with Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram and University of Patanjali under NMBA. NMBA launched on 15th August 2020 in 272 vulnerable districts and now covers…
President Droupadi Murmu visited Jamshedpur and Adityapur to attend the centenary year programme of the discovery of Ol Chiki script at Disom Jaher, Karandih. She delivered a speech on the concluding day of the week-long…
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, addressed the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly. The address was delivered at Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
Key Updates:
The government is considering a revamp of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The revamp proposes to increase the number of guaranteed employment days for eligible rural households from…
Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has crossed 8.34 crore enrolments. Women constitute 48% of the total subscribers.
Ministry of Minority Affairs is implementing the scheme. "According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs" Focuses on socio-economic empowerment of six notified minority communities through skill development, support for…
Atal Bihari Vajpayee served three terms as Prime Minister. He served a full term from 1999 to 2004.
Key Updates:
The Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, consolidated 26 Regional Rural Banks across 11 states/UTs under the 'One State One RRB' principle effective May 1, 2025. A new common logo introduced for the 28…
The Maharashtra government has replaced its four-decade-old agriculture department emblem. The old emblem, in use since 1987, featured a farmer carrying a plough.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) unveiled a new logo for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to signify a single and unified brand identity. On the principle of 'One State One RRB', the Department of Financial Services (DFS), MoF…
Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister, addressed the valedictory ceremony of the 100th Common Foundation Course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie. He urged young civil servants to…
Key Updates:
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) notified amendments to the PFRDA Exits and Withdrawals Regulations, 2015, applicable to the National Pension System (NPS). The permissible lump-sum withdrawal…
The Delhi government has abolished the provision of mandatory renewal of registration every 21 years for establishments. This change is implemented under the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954.
Key Updates:
Sebi requires the Compliance Officer of Manager of an AIF to obtain certification from the National Institute of Securities Market by passing the NISM Series-III-C: Securities Intermediaries Compliance (Fund)…
ICAI has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Army Purchase Organisation (APO), Directorate General of Supply and Transport (DGST), Indian Army to enable real-time verification of Unique Document…
Infibeam Avenues' subsidiary, IA Fintech IFSC, has secured in-principle approval from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to operate as a Payment Service Provider (PSP) within Gujarat…
BSE and Department of Posts sign MoU to enable distribution of mutual fund products through India Post’s network. Selected DoP employees will be trained and onboarded as certified mutual fund distributors via BSE StAR MF…
Key Updates:
PM Shri Tourism Helicopter Service was launched in Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, along with Union Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, flagged off the service.
The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and the Small Industries Development Bank of India Venture Capital Ltd (SVCL) signed a contribution agreement. The agreement is to operationalise a…
ISRO is developing a third launch pad at the Shriharikota spaceport and is currently identifying the right vendors for the project. The new launch pad is required to handle bigger launch vehicles needed for satellites…
Prime Minister will inaugurate Indian space startup Skyroot’s Infinity Campus on 27th November at 11 AM via video conferencing. He will also unveil Skyroot’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I, with capability to launch…
Key Updates:
Portal Name: e-Jagriti digital consumer grievance redressal platform, Consumer Affairs Ministry, Government of India Objective: Provide seamless global access and improve resolution efficiency for consumer complaints…
NIRDC, an autonomous not-for-profit institution under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), launched InDApp. InDApp is designed as a single-window system to accelerate access to government…
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, launched digital initiatives aimed at modernizing warehousing operations, improving supply chain efficiency and enhancing transparency…
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched the revamped digital platform e-Swathu 2.0. e-Swathu 2.0 is expected to generate up to Rs 2,000 crore revenue by regularising 95 lakh properties in gram panchayats across…
[Odisha]
Key Updates:
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Monday successfully conducted the maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR 120) at the Integrated Test Range in Odisha's Chandipur. The…
India tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile called K-4, which is designed to hit targets 3,500-km away, from the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday. The solid-fuelled K-4 can…
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully completed user evaluation trials of the next-generation Akash (Akash-NG) missile system, paving the way for its induction into the Indian Armed…
The Southern Command of the Indian Army successfully carried out a long range precision launch of the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile from a test range in the Bay of Bengal. The launch was executed in a coordinated…
Key Updates:
Harmanpreet Kaur is Captain of the World Cup-winning Indian Women's Cricket Team. Priya Agarwal Hebbar is Non-Executive Director of Vedanta Ltd and Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Ltd.
Armand Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were crowned world athletes of the year at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco. Sweden's Duplantis set four new pole vault world records in 2025, becoming the first human…
Rohit Sharma was named the brand ambassador of the 2026 T20 Men’s World Cup. The announcement was made in Mumbai.
Abhishek Sharma had a record-breaking performance at the 2025 DP World Asia Cup. Abhishek Sharma was propelled to the No. 1 spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20I Batter Rankings.
[Bulgaria]
Key Updates:
Bulgaria becomes the 21st of 27 EU members to adopt the euro, raising the euro-using population to 350 million. The lev retires after being pegged to the Deutschmark and later the euro since 1997.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, the interim President of Syria, introduced the country's new banknotes at a ceremony in Damascus to replace political imagery with agricultural symbols. Abdul Qader Hosriya, the Governor of the Central…
Western nations agonized for years over how they might use Russian central bank assets deposited abroad to support Ukraine’s military and rebuild its shattered economy. Many European officials were skeptical, concerned…
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa will be the chief guests at India’s Republic Day celebrations on January 26. Their visit will coincide with the India–EU…