Current Affairs 03 April 2026

Rural India Embraces Digital: eGramSwaraj Tops ₹3 Lakh Crores in Online Payments.

• Ministry of Panchayati Raj achieves ₹3 lakh crores in digital payments via eGramSwaraj.
• 2.6 lakh PRIs onboarded; 1.6 crore vendors registered.
• SabhaSaar AI tool now supports 23 Indian languages for Gram Sabha documentation.
• FY 2025–26: ₹53,342 crores transferred digitally; 2.55 lakh Panchayats uploaded development plans.
• Awards: Technology Sabha Excellence Award 2026 (AI) and ET GovTech Silver Award 2026.

CBIC announces one-time relief for SEZ units selling to Domestic Tariff Area.

• CBIC introduces one-time relief for SEZ units selling in the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA).
• Relief period: 1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027.
• Eligibility: SEZ units in production by 31 March 2025; goods with ≥20% value addition; DTA sales capped at 30% of top export value.
• Concessional duty rates applied on existing customs duties.
• Faceless, automated processing ensures transparency and ease of doing business.

"Bhavasagara" becomes India’s official National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna.

• Bhavasagara Referral Centre designated as India’s National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna.
• Managed by Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology under Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• Houses 3,500+ deep-sea specimens with DNA documentation.
• Acts as official custodian for new deep-sea species in Indian waters.
• Supports Blue Economy, biodiversity research, and deep-sea taxonomy expertise.

Ministry of Defence fully utilizes its capital budget for FY 2025–26.

• Ministry of Defence fully utilized ₹1.86 Lakh Crore capital budget for FY 2025–26.
• Supports domestic defense industry and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
• Funds used for advanced weaponry, aircraft, warships, surveillance systems, and border infrastructure.
• Reflects efficient procurement and financial execution.

Census 2027 in India begins with housing phase, the largest administrative operation worldwide.

• Census 2027 in India officially began with the Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO) phase from 1 April 2026.
• HLO Objective: List all buildings, houses, and household amenities to create a base for population enumeration.
• Ensures no household is missed during the population count.
• Recognized as the world’s largest administrative and statistical exercise.
• Data use: Supports policy-making, resource allocation, and social welfare planning.