Daily Current Affairs 9 April 2026
West Bengal Voter List Revision: 91 Lakh Names Deleted
Why in News: The Election Commission of India (ECI) concluded a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, resulting in the removal of approximately 91 lakh names from the electoral rolls.
- Key Facts:
- Initially, 63 lakh names were removed, followed by an additional 27 lakh.
- This represents a 12% reduction in the total electorate compared to 2021.
- Major deletions occurred in Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, and Malda districts.
- Static GK Integration:
- Constitutional Body: Election Commission of India (Article 324).
- Universal Adult Suffrage: Article 326.
- Current CEC: Gyanesh Kumar (as of April 2026).
- One-liner Revision Fact: The ECI deleted 91 lakh names from the West Bengal voter list in a 2026 pre-election cleanup.
Stage One Forest Clearance for Puri International Airport
Why in News: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) granted Stage One Forest Clearance for the Sri Jagannath International Airport in Puri, Odisha.
- Key Facts:
- The project involves the diversion of 27 hectares of forest land.
- Stage One Clearance is an “in-principle” approval under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
- Mandatory requirements include Compensatory Afforestation and payment of Net Present Value (NPV).
- Static GK Integration:
- Forest Conservation Act: Enacted in 1980 to control deforestation.
- NPV: A monetary value paid by the user for the loss of ecosystem services due to forest diversion.
- One-liner Revision Fact: The Puri International Airport project received preliminary forest clearance for 27 hectares of land.
U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Agreement
Why in News: A historic ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran was brokered by Pakistan, effective early April 2026.
- Key Facts:
- The agreement aims to ensure “unimpeded” trade flow through the Strait of Hormuz.
- India welcomed the de-escalation, emphasizing “dialogue and diplomacy.”
- Controversy remains as the U.S. warned of 50% tariffs on countries supplying weapons to Iran despite the truce.
- Static GK Integration:
- Strait of Hormuz: A strategic waterway connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman; roughly 25-30% of global oil consumption passes through here.
- One-liner Revision Fact: Pakistan successfully brokered a U.S.-Iran ceasefire in April 2026 to stabilize West Asian trade.
50% Tariff Warning by U.S. President
Why in News: President Donald Trump announced a policy to impose 50% tariffs on any nation supplying weapons to Iran.
- Key Facts:
- The move is intended to maintain the pressure of the “Maximum Pressure” campaign despite the ceasefire.
- This has significant implications for global trade and diplomatic relations with major arms exporters.
RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Meeting Highlights
Why in News: The RBI Governor, Sanjay Malhotra, announced the outcomes of the first MPC meeting for the FY 2026-27.
- Key Facts:
- Repo Rate: Kept unchanged at 5.25%.
- Inflation Target: Remains focused on the 4% target.
- CAD Projection: Developments in West Asia are expected to widen the Current Account Deficit (CAD) due to supply chain disruptions.
- Static GK Integration:
- MPC: A 6-member committee (3 from RBI, 3 from Govt) established under the RBI Act, 1934.
- Repo Rate: The rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks.
- One-liner Revision Fact: RBI maintained the repo rate at 5.25% in the April 2026 policy review.
Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE)
Why in News: The National Statistical Office (NSO) is conducting the ASISSE survey to capture the performance of the services sector.
- Key Facts:
- The survey focuses on formal sector enterprises to provide data for GDP estimation.
- It covers sectors like IT, Hospitality, and Professional services.
- Static GK Integration:
- NSO: Functions under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- One-liner Revision Fact: The ASISSE survey by NSO aims to provide a data-driven snapshot of India’s growing services sector.
Mission Mitra: Gaganyaan High-Altitude Training
Why in News: ISRO launched Mission Mitra (Mapping of Interoperable Trades and Response Assessment) to train Gaganyatris in Leh-Ladakh.
- Key Facts:
- The high-altitude terrain of Ladakh mimics extreme environmental conditions for space missions.
- The training focuses on survival, team coordination, and mental resilience.
- Static GK Integration:
- Gaganyaan: India’s first human spaceflight mission aiming to send a 3-member crew to an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission.
- One-liner Revision Fact: Mission Mitra is the high-altitude training phase for India’s Gaganyaan astronauts in Ladakh.
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) Attains Criticality
Why in News: India’s first indigenously developed PFBR at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, has attained criticality.
- Key Facts:
- Capacity: 500 MWe.
- It marks the beginning of the second stage of India’s three-stage nuclear power program.
- It uses Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel.
- Static GK Integration:
- Stage 2: Uses Plutonium-239 to breed more fuel from Uranium-238.
- One-liner Revision Fact: The 500 MWe PFBR in Kalpakkam attained criticality, a milestone for India’s nuclear energy independence.
Indian Army’s Unmanned Systems Roadmap
Why in News: Lt. Gen. Rahul R. Singh unveiled the “Technology Roadmap for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Loitering Munitions.”
- Key Facts:
- The blueprint focuses on indigenous development of “Kamikaze” drones and MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) UAVs.
- The objective is to integrate AI-driven surveillance and precision strike capabilities.
- One-liner Revision Fact: The Indian Army released a strategic roadmap for the mass induction of drones and loitering munitions.
Naval Propulsion Deal with Kongsberg Maritime
Why in News: The Norwegian firm Kongsberg Maritime secured a record deal to provide 18 waterjets for the Indian Navy’s Next-Generation Missile Vessels (NGMV).
- Key Facts:
- This is the largest waterjet order in the company’s history.
- NGMVs are designed for high-speed littoral warfare and coastal defense.
Kozhikode-Wayanad Tunnel Project Environmental Concerns
Why in News: Environmentalists raised concerns over the 7 km tunnel project connecting Kozhikode and Wayanad, citing the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committee reports.
- Key Facts:
- The region is prone to landslides (as seen in 2024).
- The project involves tunneling through the fragile Western Ghats.
- Static GK Integration:
- Gadgil Committee (2011): Recommended 64% of Western Ghats as Ecologically Sensitive Area (ESA).
- Kasturirangan Committee (2013): Recommended only 37% of the area as ESA.
Key Appointments
Santhosh Viswanathan: Appointed as Vice-President and MD for Intel Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region.
Tejveer Singh (IAS): Appointed as a key official in Punjab’s technical education sector; Nivedita Shukla Verma (IAS) took charge as Secretary, DARPG.
Menaka Guruswamy: Noted for being India’s first openly queer Member of Parliament (elected from West Bengal).
Awards & Achievements
- Payal Nag: The world’s first quadruple amputee archer won gold in her senior international debut, defeating Sheetal Devi.
- Divya Singh: Became the first Indian woman to reach a specified peak in the Mount Everest range (Mount It).
Poshan Pakhwada 2026 (9th – 23rd April)
Why in News: The Ministry of Women and Child Development announced the 8th edition of Poshan Pakhwada.
- Theme: “Maximizing Brain Development in the First Six Years of Life.”
- Objective: To improve nutritional outcomes and promote play-based education.
- Static GK: Mission Poshan 2.0 is an integrated nutrition support program.