Current Affairs - March 2, 2026 Current Affairs

Tamil Nadu has set up its first Dark Sky Park at Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest in the Kolli Hills of Namakkal district. The initiative focuses on preserving the natural darkness of the night sky by reducing light pollution, thereby creating ideal conditions for astronomical observation. It also aims to promote astrotourism, educate visitors about celestial bodies such as constellations and planets, and raise awareness about the adverse effects of artificial lighting. Additionally, the project encourages sustainable eco-tourism that supports local tribal communities while ensuring the protection of the surrounding forest ecosystem.

Sri Lanka is the country whose DFCC Bank issued the first-ever Blue Bond that was dually listed on the NSE International Exchange at GIFT City. The LKR 3 billion bond was initially listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange before being admitted to trading under GIFT City’s offshore regulatory framework. Blue bonds are a specialised subset of green bonds that channel investments into ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries, marine ecosystem protection, and water security projects. The dual listing enhances global investor participation and strengthens the country’s presence in sustainable and innovative financial markets.

Sanand is the city where Micron Semiconductor Technology India Pvt Ltd established its first Assembly, Test, Mark & Pack (ATMP) facility in India. The plant was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and marks the beginning of commercial production of made-in-India semiconductor memory modules. With an investment exceeding ₹22,500 crore, the project is a major milestone under the India Semiconductor Mission. The facility includes around 500,000 square feet of cleanroom space and is designed to process imported DRAM and NAND wafers into finished memory products, strengthening India’s role in the global semiconductor value chain.

Assam is the state where the new blind groundwater fish species ‘Gitchak nakana’ was discovered in Goalpara district. This remarkable finding marks the first recorded instance of a groundwater-dwelling fish from Northeast India and the broader Eastern Himalayan region. The tiny, translucent red fish measures about 2 cm in length and exhibits classic subterranean adaptations such as complete blindness, lack of pigmentation, and absence of a skull roof. Found in underground aquifers rather than caves, the discovery highlights the rich yet fragile biodiversity of the Brahmaputra Valley and underscores the need for groundwater conservation.

Bhubaneswar hosted the two-day National Conference on Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), organised by the Department of School Education & Literacy under the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Government of Odisha. The conference focused on enhancing the reliability, real-time accuracy, and strategic use of UDISE+, which serves as India’s flagship education data platform. Discussions centred on strengthening data integrity, resolving implementation challenges faced by states and union territories, and expanding the system into an AI-compliant decision support framework to enable evidence-based policymaking and effective implementation of Samagra Shiksha and NEP 2020 initiatives.

Jammu & Kashmir secured its first-ever Ranji Trophy title in the 2025–26 season, marking a historic achievement after 67 years of participation in India’s premier domestic first-class cricket tournament. The team defeated Karnataka in the final held at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium in Hubballi. This victory is regarded as a transformative milestone for cricket in the Union Territory, symbolising resilience, consistent talent development, and competitive growth. The Ranji Trophy, organized annually by the BCCI since 1934–35, features teams from states and union territories across India, making this triumph especially significant.

Varanasi achieved a historic milestone by planting 2,51,446 saplings within a single hour, surpassing the previous record held by China for eight years. The large-scale plantation drive was conducted on 350 bighas of land in Domari village along the banks of the Ganga. Around 20,000 participants took part in the synchronised effort, which was officially verified by a Guinness World Records judge. The area has been structured into 60 sectors named after prominent Kashi ghats, creating a symbolic urban forest using the Miyawaki method to promote rapid ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation.

Gnani.ai collaborated with Razorpay to introduce an innovative agentic AI collections platform that enables customers to complete UPI payments during live calls without disconnecting or switching to external links. The platform combines Gnani.ai’s advanced AI systems, capable of handling over 10 million calls daily, with Razorpay’s Model Context Protocol (MCP) server to create a seamless, real-time payment interface. This deployment represents one of India’s first production-level uses of autonomous AI agents executing financial transactions, significantly enhancing operational efficiency for enterprises in sectors such as BFSI, telecom, utilities, and e-commerce.

The USD 300 million financing agreement was structured to expand affordable housing loans, particularly targeting women borrowers from economically weaker and lower-middle-income groups. Out of the total amount, USD 150 million was provided directly by the Asian Development Bank, while the remaining USD 150 million was raised through parallel loans from institutions such as MUFG, Emirates NBD, Sampath Bank, and Hatton National Bank. The Asian Development Bank also served as the mandated lead arranger and bookrunner for the entire package, highlighting its key role in promoting financial inclusion, women’s empowerment, and sustainable urban development in India.

Maharashtra is the state where GAIL (India) Limited has approved a ₹1,736 crore investment for a greenfield wind power project. This initiative represents the company’s largest single renewable energy investment so far and reflects its strategic transition toward becoming an integrated energy player. The proposed wind farm is expected to have a capacity of around 300–350 MW, with construction likely to begin in 2026–27 and commercial operations targeted for 2028–29. The project supports GAIL’s goal of achieving nearly 2 GW of renewable capacity by 2030 and contributes to India’s broader non-fossil fuel energy ambitions.

Bandhan Bank is the institution in which SBI Mutual Fund has been permitted by the Reserve Bank of India to acquire up to a 9.99% stake. The approval allows SBI Mutual Fund to become one of the largest non-promoter shareholders in the bank, signalling strong institutional confidence in its performance and future prospects. The investment reflects optimism regarding improvements in asset quality, expansion of its retail franchise, and overall growth strategy. This development is expected to strengthen the bank’s shareholding structure, improve investor sentiment, and support its long-term capital-raising and expansion initiatives.