Daily Current Affairs: 22 March 2026

T.N. Natarajan appointed Director (Commercial) of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).

[Steel Authority of India Limited]

Key Updates:

• T.N. Natarajan assumed the post of Director (Commercial) on the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) board effective 19 March 2026.
• He was nominated by the Government of India and the appointment was approved by SAIL’s board.
• Before this elevation, Natarajan served as Chief General Manager in SAIL.
• He joined SAIL in 1993 as a Management Trainee at Bhilai Steel Plant and has over 32 years of experience in production, logistics, and sales.
• His prior roles include postings in the Central Marketing Organisation at Bengaluru, Chennai, and Trichy, and most recently as Regional Manager (Western Region).
• He led the establishment of SAIL’s first Ready-to-Use TMT service centre at Kalamboli.

Krishna Kumar Thakur takes charge as Director (Personnel) of NMDC Limited (NMDC)

[National Mineral Development Corporation]

Key Updates:

• Krishna Kumar Thakur, a 1998 batch Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS) officer, assumed the role of Director (Personnel) at NMDC Limited (NMDC) on Thursday.
• He previously served as the Director (Human Resources) at Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), where he implemented organisational restructuring and multi-skilling initiatives.
• During his career in Indian Railways, he managed human resource functions in the Solapur, Bhopal, and Mumbai divisions.
• As the Chairman of the Railway Recruitment Cell (RRC) of Western Railway, he led the recruitment of approximately 12,000 employees.
• He has served as the Head of Human Resources at Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) and worked on an international train operations project in Saudi Arabia with RITES Limited (RITES).
• He is an alumnus of Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) in Human Resources from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

UNESCO establishes World Poetry Day on 21 March.

Key Updates:

• UNESCO officially established World Poetry Day in 1999 during its 30th General Conference in Paris.
• World Poetry Day is observed every year on 21 March.
• The day aims to promote poetry as a meaningful cultural practice and to support linguistic diversity worldwide.
• Some countries previously celebrated poetry on 15 October, the birthday of Roman poet Virgil.

Income Tax Act 2025 and Budget 2026 revise tax slabs and rebate for individuals and HUFs.

Key Updates:

• Income Tax Act 2025 sets new regime tax slabs: up to ₹3,00,000 nil, ₹3,00,001–₹6,00,000 5%, ₹6,00,001–₹9,00,000 10%, ₹9,00,001–₹12,00,000 15%, ₹12,00,001–₹15,00,000 20%, above ₹15,00,000 30%.
• Budget 2026 enhances rebate under Section 87A so taxpayers with income up to ₹7,00,000 have zero tax liability.
• New regime now allows salaried individuals a standard deduction of ₹50,000.
• Allowed deductions in new regime include standard deduction, employer’s contribution to NPS, and family pension deduction.
• Disallowed deductions in new regime cover Section 80C instruments, HRA, LTA, and home-loan interest for self-occupied property.

Government of India (GoI) Reports Core Sector Growth Eases to 2.3% in February

Key Updates:

• India's core sector growth slowed to a three-month low of 2.3% year-on-year in February, down from 4.7% in January.
• The eight core industries account for 40.27% of the total weight in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
• Cement recorded the strongest expansion among the eight industries at 9.3%, while steel production grew by 7.2%.
• Electricity generation growth dropped to a three-month low of 0.5%, and coal output eased to 2.3%.
• Output in energy-related industries contracted, with crude oil declining by 5.2%, natural gas by 5%, and refinery products by 1%.
• Fertilisers output fell to a five-month low of 3.4% during the month of February.
• Overall core sector growth for the financial year FY26 (up to February) stood at 2.9%, compared to 4.4% in the corresponding period of the previous year.
• India's industrial output growth, measured by the IIP, slowed to a three-month low of 4.8% in January from 8% in December.

Central Electricity Authority (CEA) projects 70% non-fossil fuel share in India’s installed capacity by 2035-36

Key Updates:

• Central Electricity Authority (CEA) report released on 19 March 2026 at Bharat Electricity Summit projects India’s installed power generation capacity at 1,121 GW by 2035-36.
• Non-fossil fuel sources are projected to contribute 786 GW, accounting for 70% of total installed capacity.
• Solar sector is projected to contribute 509 GW, coal 315 GW, wind 155 GW, large hydro 77 GW, nuclear 22 GW, gas 20 GW, biomass 16 GW, and small hydro 6 GW.
• As of 31 January 2026, India’s installed capacity stood at 520.5 GW with 52% from non-fossil sources.
• During FY 2025-26 (till 31 January 2026), 52.5 GW capacity was added, including 43 GW from renewable energy.
• Peak electricity demand is projected to grow at 5.58% CAGR to reach 459 GW by 2035-36.
• Total electricity requirement is projected to grow at 6.41% annually to 3,365 billion units by 2035-36.
• Energy storage capacity of 174 GW / 888 GWh is envisaged, including 80 GW / 321 GWh of battery energy storage systems and 94 GW / 567 GWh of pumped storage projects.

Tamil Nadu leads India’s textile exports with $7,997.17 million in 2024-25, says NIRYAT data.

[Tamil Nadu]

Key Updates:

• Tamil Nadu exported textiles worth $7,997.17 million in 2024-25, accounting for 21.84% of India’s total textile exports.
• India’s overall textile exports stood at $36,610 million during 2024-25.
• Gujarat ranked second with textile exports of $5,646.01 million, followed by Maharashtra at $3,831.28 million.
• Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal occupied the next positions in the export rankings.
• Tamil Nadu’s textile exports rose from $6,193.39 million in 2020-21 to $7,997.17 million in 2024-25, an increase of $1,803.78 million (≈29%).

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) launches India’s first 24×7 LPG ATM in Gurugram

[Haryana]

Key Updates:

• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has installed India’s first 24×7 LPG ATM at Sector 33, Sohna, Gurugram.
• The automated vending system exchanges empty cylinders for filled composite cylinders in 2-3 minutes.
• The machine stores around 10 cylinders and alerts nearby agencies when stock falls.
• Composite cylinders weigh roughly 15 kg compared to 31 kg for conventional metal cylinders.

Indiramma Family Life Insurance Scheme to Provide ₹5 Lakh Cover

[Telangana]

Key Updates:

• The Telangana government announced the Indiramma Family Life Insurance Scheme to provide a life insurance cover of ₹5 lakh to every family in the state.
• The scheme is scheduled to come into force from 2 June 2026 and will cover 1 crore 15 lakh families regardless of their economic background.
• The state government will introduce digital health cards for the citizens of Telangana to provide quality healthcare services.
• The health department budget has been increased by 10.3 per cent to ₹13,679 crore for the 2026-27 financial year from ₹12,393 crore in 2025-26.
• The Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad (TVVP) will be transformed from a grant-in-aid institution into a full-fledged government secondary healthcare department.
• The government sanctioned retirement benefits of ₹2 lakh for Anganwadi teachers and ₹1 lakh for helpers upon voluntary retirement at the age of 60 years.
• An amount of ₹3,662.81 crore has been allocated to the Director of Medical Education, while ₹1,844.04 crore is earmarked for the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare.
• The budget for public health services under the Director of Public Health and Family Welfare is set at ₹1,183.56 crore to cover primary healthcare and disease control programmes.

Krishi Sakhi Initiative Launched to Empower Women Farmers

Key Updates:

• The Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited (AIC) launched the Krishi Sakhi initiative on 18 March to empower women farmers and promote inclusive growth.
• The initiative aligns with the United Nations (UN) recognition of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
• AIC aims to encourage women's participation in agriculture and crop insurance through structured activities at its Head Office and Regional Offices.
• The programme includes awareness campaigns on sanitation and hygiene in rural areas specifically targeting women farmers and rural households.
• The state-owned insurer will publish related articles and interviews to recognise and engage women farmers across the country.

United Nations observes International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on 21 March

Key Updates:

• The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed on 21 March each year.
• The date commemorates the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa when police killed 69 peaceful demonstrators protesting apartheid pass laws.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed this day as an international observance in 1966.
• In 1979 UNGA decided that a week of solidarity with peoples struggling against racism and racial discrimination should be organized annually starting on 21 March.
• The observance led to the creation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).

Nowruz 2026 observed in Iran amid fourth week of Iran-Israel-US war

Key Updates:

• Nowruz, the Persian New Year rooted in Zoroastrianism, marks the spring equinox and was celebrated on 21 March 2026.
• United Nations (UN) recognises 21 March as International Nowruz Day and UNESCO lists Nowruz as intangible cultural heritage.
• The Haft-Seen table displays seven items beginning with Persian letter 'S': sabzeh, seeb, serkeh, samanu, senjed, sekkeh, seer.
• Chaharshanbe Suri, a fire-jumping purification rite, is observed on the eve of Nowruz.
• In 2026 the Iran-Israel-US war entered its fourth week, killing thousands including civilians and wrecking infrastructure.
• Nowruz 2026 coincided with the closing days of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, adding complexity to state and private observances.

World Trade Organization forecasts global trade growth to slow to 1.4-1.9% in 2026 amid Middle East conflict risks

[World Trade Organization]

Key Updates:

• World Trade Organization (WTO) forecasts global merchandise trade growth to slow to 1.9% in 2026 from 4.6% in 2025.
• If crude oil and liquefied natural gas prices remain high throughout 2026 due to the Middle East conflict, global trade in goods could slow further to 1.4%.
• A prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran would choke one-third of fertilizer urea imports, hitting major producers like India, Thailand, Brazil.
• Trade in AI-enabling goods accounted for 42% of global trade growth in 2025 and increased by 21.9% year-on-year to $4.18 trillion.
• Asia will lead merchandise import growth in 2026 with imports up 3.3% and exports up 3.5%, followed by Africa with 3.2% imports and 1.2% exports.
• Around 72% of world trade is being conducted on a Most-Favoured-Nation basis, down from about 80% at the start of last year.

Lancet Study Links Climate Change to Rising Physical Inactivity and Premature Deaths by 2050

Key Updates:

• A study titled Effects of climate change on physical inactivity: a panel data study across 156 countries from 2000 to 2022 was published in The Lancet Global Health.
• The research estimates that climate-driven physical inactivity could lead to 0.47 to 0.70 million additional premature deaths annually by 2050.
• Economic productivity losses due to heat-induced sedentary lifestyles are projected to reach up to $3.68 billion by 2050.
• The study found that every additional month with an average temperature exceeding 27.8 degrees Celsius increases global physical inactivity by 1.44 percentage points.
• In low- and middle-income countries, the increase in inactivity due to temperatures above the 27.8 degrees Celsius threshold is higher at 1.85 percentage points.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends adults aged 18 to 64 perform 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week.
• Global data from 2022 indicates that 31 percent of adults already fail to meet the WHO physical activity recommendations.
• By 2050, global physical inactivity is projected to rise by 1 to 1.75 percentage points due to heat alone under various emission scenarios.
• The study identifies Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific, and the Eastern Mediterranean as the primary hotspots for climate-driven inactivity.
• In India, the mortality rate specifically linked to physical inactivity is projected to reach approximately 10.62 deaths per 100,000 population by 2050.
• Proposed policy interventions include increasing urban green spaces, developing cooling infrastructure, and adjusting work or school schedules to avoid peak heat hours.

World Day for Glaciers 2026: Leaders push for urgent action as global ice loss accelerates

Key Updates:

• 21 March 2026 is observed as the World Day for Glaciers, concluding a 12-month international campaign to strengthen glacier protection policies.
• Glaciers store 70% of the planet’s freshwater and supply seasonal meltwater to billions of people.
• Germany’s last four glaciers lost over 25% of their area between 2024 and 2026, according to geographer Wilfried Hagg and glaciologist Christoph Mayer.
• Scientists stress that stabilising global temperatures below 1.5°C is crucial to slow ice loss.
• Himalayan nations and Arctic communities are advocating for climate financing to mitigate flooding risks and preserve freshwater systems.

International Day of Forests 2026 observed with theme Forests and Economies

Key Updates:

• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared March 21 as the International Day of Forests in 2012 to raise awareness about the importance of forest ecosystems.
• The theme for the International Day of Forests 2026 is Forests and Economies, focusing on the role of forests in supporting livelihoods and driving economic prosperity.
• According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than 1.6 billion people globally depend on forests for subsistence, income, or employment.
• The forest sector provides at least 13 million formal jobs and approximately 45 to 50 million jobs in informal and small-scale forest-based enterprises.
• Mukurthi National Park, which comprises grasslands and the Shola ecosystem, is considered the heart of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in India.
• Forests contribute to a sustainable bioeconomy by offering nature-based alternatives to carbon-intensive materials and protecting watersheds.
• The 2026 observance aims to place forests at the centre of resilient and long-term economic planning across sectors.

Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh (CUUP) launches Centre of Excellence in Smart Healthcare

Key Updates:

• Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh (CUUP) inaugurated the Centre of Excellence in Smart Healthcare at its Unnao campus.
• The centre is powered by 168 GB GPU memory using NVIDIA Blackwell Architecture.
• CUUP will train 1.5 lakh Uttar Pradesh youth in responsible AI use within five years through its AI Ethics Training Program launched with upGrad.
• The CoE will assist five AI startups in the next two years.
• Short-term goals include research collaboration with hospitals, validation of models, research projects and publications.
• Focus areas include medical imaging and diagnostics for X-rays, MRIs and CT scans, predictive analytics, precision medicine and large healthcare datasets.
• CUUP hosted a national symposium on 'AI in Governance: Policy, Practice and People-Centric Transformation' with panel discussions on AI use cases in government and roadmap for AI-enabled governance.

World Water Day 2026: Water and Gender

Key Updates:

• World Water Day 2026 is observed on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
• The official theme for 2026 is 'Water and Gender' with the campaign slogan 'Where water flows, equality grows'.
• World Water Day was first observed on Monday, March 22, 1993, following United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/47/193 adopted on December 22, 1992.
• UN-Water is the coordinating body for World Water Day, with UNICEF and UN Women as the 2026 campaign co-leads.
• The UN World Water Development Report 2026, titled 'Water for all people: Equal rights and opportunities', was launched on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
• 2.2 billion people — approximately 27% of the global population — lack access to safely managed drinking water.
• Women and girls spend an estimated 200 million hours per day collectively collecting water.
• Women hold fewer than 20% of leadership roles in the water sector across most regions.
• WASH stands for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene.
• SDG 6 calls for universal access to safe and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation for all by 2030.

World Puppetry Day celebrated on March 21

Key Updates:

• World Puppetry Day is celebrated on March 21 every year.
• The idea for the day was proposed by Iranian puppet theatre artist Javad Zolfaghari during the 18th Congress of the Union Internationale de la Marionnette (UNIMA) in 2000.
• UNIMA approved March 21 as the official date at its council meeting in Atlanta in 2002.
• The first official World Puppetry Day took place on March 21, 2003.
• UNIMA, founded in Prague in 1929, is the world’s oldest international theatre organisation.

Martial artist and actor Chuck Norris passes away at age 86

Key Updates:

• Chuck Norris, born Carlos Ray Norris on 10 March 1940, was a six-time undefeated World Professional Middleweight Karate champion.
• He served in the United States Air Force (USAF) during the Korean War, where he began practicing martial arts.
• He founded a Korean-based American hard style of karate known as Chun Kuk Do and the United Fighting Arts Federation (UFAF).
• The UFAF has awarded more than 3,300 Chuck Norris System black belts worldwide.
• He made his film debut in 1968 and starred alongside Bruce Lee in the 1972 film The Way of the Dragon.
• He played the title role in the television series Walker, Texas Ranger, which aired on the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) for eight years.
• In 2010, he was named an honorary Texas Ranger by then-Governor Rick Perry and was later named an honorary Texan by the Texas Senate.

Eid Al-Fitr 2026 expected around March 20

Key Updates:

• Eid Al-Fitr 2026 is expected to be celebrated around March 20, 2026, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon that marks the beginning of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar.
• The first Eid Al-Fitr celebration is believed to have taken place in 624 AD and is associated with the Prophet Muhammad after the Battle of Badr.
• Saudi Arabia announced a four-day holiday for private and non-profit sectors for Eid Al-Fitr 2026.

Forbes World’s Billionaires List released on March 12, 2026

Key Updates:

• The 40th annual edition of the Forbes World’s Billionaires list was released on March 12, 2026, identifying a record 3,428 billionaires globally.
• Elon Musk retained the top spot with a fortune of $839 billion, becoming the first individual to cross the $800 billion wealth mark.
• The total wealth controlled by billionaires worldwide increased to $20.1 trillion in 2026 from $16.1 trillion in 2025.
• The United States (US) leads the global billionaire count with 989 individuals, followed by China with 539 and India with 229.
• Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries (RIL) remains the richest person in India and Asia, while Savitri Jindal of the OP Jindal Group is the wealthiest woman in India.
• The top five richest individuals globally are Elon Musk, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg.
• A total of 20 individuals now possess fortunes exceeding $100 billion, an increase from 15 individuals recorded in 2025.
• New additions to the list include Greg Abel, the future Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Berkshire Hathaway, and tennis legend Roger Federer.
• India’s 10 wealthiest individuals hold a combined fortune of approximately $368 billion, accounting for over one-third of the total wealth of Indian billionaires.
• The 2026 rankings included 20 Indian women billionaires, with Savitri Jindal leading the group.

N Chandrasekaran conferred honorary knighthood by UK

[United Kingdom]

Key Updates:

• N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Group, was awarded the honorary knighthood of Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) by the British government.
• The honour was conferred at a ceremony held at the residence of British High Commissioner Lindy Cameron, who presented it on behalf of King Charles III.
• Tata Group operates 19 subsidiaries in the UK across automotive, steel, technology, and consumer goods sectors and employs over 70,000 people there.
• Chandrasekaran credited the honour to his colleagues and highlighted Tata Group’s investments in JLR’s all-electric transition, advanced manufacturing, green steel, and innovation initiatives.

International Day of La Francophonie and French Language Day observed on 20 March

[France]

Key Updates:

• International Day of La Francophonie and French Language Day is observed on 20 March.
• French brings together hundreds of millions of people around the world.
• At the United Nations (UN), French is part of everyday life, shaping debates and work on the ground.