Current Affairs 09 April 2026

The UAE TDRA Unveils the World’s 1st U6GHz Network.

• Spectrum: 6425–7125 MHz band (Golden Spectrum).
• Performance: 10Gbps downlink, 1Gbps uplink for AI and low-latency services.
• Authority: Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
• Timeline:
• 2024: U6GHz band allocated.
• 2025: 10Gbps speed achieved in tests.
• 2026: Commercial rollout begins.
• Partners: Huawei, Nokia, GSMA, du, and e&.

India Secures 3rd Position in Renewable Energy Rankings.

• Total Non-Fossil Capacity: 283.46 GW (as of March 31, 2026).
• Global Ranking: 3rd, behind China and the US.
• Capacity Added: 55.3 GW in FY 2025–26.
• Energy Breakdown:
• Solar: 150.26 GW
• Wind: 56.09 GW
• Hydro (Large + Small): 56.58 GW
• Bio-energy: 11.75 GW
• Renewable Generation: Met 51.5% of national demand on peak day (July 2025).
• Target Achieved: 50% of installed power capacity from non-fossil sources, five years ahead of 2030 target.
• 2030 Goal: 500 GW of non-fossil capacity.

CREA Declares Gurugram as India’s Most Polluted City.

• PM2.5 Level: 116 µg/m³ monthly average.
• National Rankings: Gurugram 1st, followed by Bahadurgarh and Faridabad.
• Haryana: Four of the top 10 polluted cities, including Manesar.
• Annual Data: Ghaziabad most polluted in 2025-26.
• NCAP Progress: Dehradun saw 75% reduction in PM10; Delhi 17% reduction.
• Air Quality Standards: 9 out of 24 cities in Haryana exceeded NAAQS.

Nitin Gadkari Unveils the NHAI Arogya Van Initiative.

• Nodal Agency: NHAI, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• Phase I: 17 land parcels (62.8 hectares) to plant 67,000+ medicinal trees.
• States Covered: Includes Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi NCR, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and others.
• Species: 36 medicinal tree species like Neem, Amla, and Jamun.
• Future Expansion: 188 hectares identified for upcoming plantation.

Bank of Baroda Unveils the bob SAMVAD AI Platform.

• Launch: Inaugurated in Mumbai by M. Nagaraju, DFS Secretary.
• Language Support: 22 languages, voice-to-text and text-to-speech features.
• Initial Rollout: 250 branches in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra.
• Tech: AI-based speech and language technologies for low-latency communication.
• Leadership: Debadatta Chand, MD & CEO.