Current Affairs Quiz - April 2026

Notes:
SAMPANN (System for Accounting and Management of Pension) is a digital pension platform being adopted by Goa Government and Cochin Port Authority to modernize pension disbursement. It is a flagship initiative of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), launched in 2018. It is managed by the Office of the Controller General of Communication Accounts (CGCA). It enables end-to-end pension processing including sanction, authorization, and payment on a single platform. It ensures direct bank transfer of pensions without intermediaries, improving transparency.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest monthly rooftop solar installations (52,729) under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, marking the best performance since the scheme’s launch. The state has over 4.48 lakh cumulative installations and ranks third nationally, with potential to move to second place. A record 3,188 installations were achieved in a single day (March 31, 2026). Total installed capacity reached 1,524.61 megawatts (MW), generating 68–70 lakh units of electricity daily. Subsidies worth ₹4,000 crore (including ₹2,985 crore from the Centre) have been disbursed. Households consuming up to 300 units/month are getting near-zero electricity bills, while others see 30–70% savings.

Notes:
Police rescued 16 Indian Softshell turtles from illegal wildlife trade in Jharcha, Greater Noida, highlighting ongoing trafficking concerns. The Indian softshell turtle is a freshwater turtle species native to South Asia. They are found in rivers, canals, ponds, and freshwater systems. They are distributed across major river basins like Indus, Ganga, and Mahanadi. They occurs in multiple Indian states (e.g., Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal) and also in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan.

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Registrations have been opened for institution-led exposure tours under Yuva Sangam Phase VI across paired regions. Yuva Sangam is a youth exchange programme that connects young people from different parts of India to promote national integration. It targets youth aged 18–30 years, including students, National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) members, and young professionals. The programme is anchored by the Ministry of Education and implemented through Higher Education Institutions. It was launched under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB) initiative to strengthen unity in diversity.

Notes:
The 7th National Sub-Junior (Under-17) Boxing Championship has started in Nagpur from 4 April. The event was inaugurated by Nitin Gadkari. The week-long tournament has attracted around 600 young boxers from across India, reflecting its growing importance in the national sports calendar. It also serves as a selection platform, where top performers will be chosen for the Indian Under-17 squad. Selected players will represent India at the Asian Boxing Championship to be held in Tashkent later this year.

Notes:
The Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare has been conducting Digital Life Certificate (DLC) Campaigns since November 2022 to promote digital submission of life certificates and improve ease of living for pensioners. DLC Campaign 4.0 (Nov 1–30, 2025) was launched in New Delhi and became the largest-ever pensioners’ welfare campaign in India. The campaign followed a saturation approach, organizing 75,000 camps across 2,000 cities/districts, supported by 1,400 nodal officers and 1.8 lakh postmen/Dak Sevaks for doorstep services.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India has launched a pilot Benchmark Issuance Strategy (BIS) to streamline state government borrowings starting from FY 2026–27. The strategy will be implemented across nine states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh. Under this strategy, states will issue State Development Loans in predefined benchmark tenor buckets based on a pre-announced borrowing calendar. The BIS aims to bring greater structure, predictability, and standardisation to state borrowings in the debt market.

Notes:
Recently, a rare Indian giant flying squirrel was spotted in Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve, indicating rich biodiversity and possible range extension. The reserve is located in Chhattisgarh and was formed by combining the Udanti and Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuaries. Its river system is dominated by the Mahanadi River, along with tributaries like Udanti, Sitanadi, Indravati, and Pairi. It forms a critical forest corridor connecting to Indravati Tiger Reserve, aiding wildlife movement.

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The Pentagon’s Project Maven AI program was launched by the United States in 2017. The program was launched by the United States in 2017. It uses machine learning and computer vision to automatically detect objects, movements, and patterns, reducing the need for manual analysis. The programme helps in real-time identification and tracking of targets, improving the speed and accuracy of military operations.

Notes:
Government e Marketplace (GeM) is India’s national public procurement portal, launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. GeM has achieved a cumulative Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of ₹18.4 lakh crore, including crossing ₹5 lakh crore GMV in FY 2025–26. It facilitates procurement of goods and services for Central Government, State Government Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Units (PSUs), and affiliated organizations. GeM is fully digital, cashless, and system-driven, offering end-to-end solutions with AI-powered tools and a multilingual Learning Management System (LMS).