Daily Current Affairs April 18 & 19

Dear Champions, as you all know that a lot of competitive exams have been notified consequently. Candidates have to prepare themselves according to the level of competition and expectation of the Recruitment board. Regarding that one of the most important topic is Daily Current Affairs April 18 & 19. Current Affairs in the form of contemporary events of national & international play a crucial role in almost every competitive exams like Banking, Insurance, SSC, UPSC, TNPSC, Railway etc.

Current affairs are the most dynamic yet scoring among all sections and need to be prepared from the right source. Here, we cafunsta team, providing Daily GK Updates, Current Affairs Questions, and Monthly current affairs pdf.

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April 18 & 19 | Daily Current Affairs 2026

Important Days – Daily Current Affairs April 18 & 19

1. World Heritage Day 2026 is observed with which theme?
A) Heritage for Peace and Tourism
B) Emergency Response for Living Heritage in Contexts of Conflicts and Disasters
C) Digital Preservation of Ancient Monuments
D) Protecting Natural Parks through Innovation
E) Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Development
Answer: B) Emergency Response for Living Heritage in Contexts of Conflicts and Disasters.

Event and Location:

• Event: World Heritage Day 2026, also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites, was observed to promote the protection of cultural and natural heritage.
• Location: Global observance under UNESCO and ICOMOS.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The observance highlights the need to protect monuments, cultural sites, and living heritage threatened by conflicts, disasters, and displacement.
• Objectives: It aims to promote emergency response, documentation, and safeguarding of cultural traditions, practices, and heritage assets for future generations.

Important Terms Explained:

• World Heritage Day: An annual observance held on 18 April to raise awareness about protecting cultural and natural heritage across the world.
• UNESCO: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization that maintains the World Heritage List and supports global heritage conservation.
• ICOMOS: The International Council on Monuments and Sites, which advises on cultural heritage conservation and proposes annual themes for this observance.
• Living heritage: Cultural practices such as traditions, rituals, art forms, and community knowledge systems that are actively preserved by people.
• World Heritage Convention: A 1972 international convention aimed at identifying and protecting sites of Outstanding Universal Value.
• Outstanding Universal Value: The exceptional cultural or natural importance of a site that makes it significant for all humanity.

Tabular Summary:

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2. What is the theme of World Liver Day 2026?
A) Healthy Liver Healthy Nation
B) Solid Habits, Strong Liver
C) Liver Care for All
D) Beat Hepatitis, Save Lives
E) Fit Body, Healthy Liver
Answer: B) Solid Habits, Strong Liver.

Event and Location:

• Event: World Liver Day 2026 was observed to raise awareness about liver health and promote preventive care.
• Location: Global observance.
• Date: 19 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The observance highlights the importance of liver health, promotes awareness about liver diseases such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and liver cancer, and encourages preventive healthcare through lifestyle improvement and early diagnosis.
• Objectives: It aims to motivate people to adopt healthy daily habits, reduce the burden of liver diseases, support early screening, and improve understanding of the liver’s vital role in digestion, metabolism, and detoxification.

Important Terms Explained:

• World Liver Day: An annual global observance held on 19 April to spread awareness about liver health and preventive care.
• Liver: The largest internal organ in the human body that performs more than 500 essential functions, including detoxification, metabolism, nutrient processing, and bile production.
• Detoxification: The biological process through which the liver filters harmful substances from the blood and converts them into safer forms for elimination.
• MASLD: Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease is a liver disorder linked to obesity, unhealthy diet, and metabolic problems, and it was previously referred to as fatty liver disease in the article.
• Cirrhosis: A serious liver condition in which healthy liver tissue is gradually replaced by scar tissue, affecting normal liver function.
• Liver function tests: Medical tests used to assess the health and performance of the liver and help detect disorders at an early stage.

Tabular Summary:

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Sports – Daily Current Affairs April 18 & 19

3. Where was the inaugural Boulders Classic 2026 won by Shubhankar Sharma held?
A) Bengaluru
B) Hyderabad
C) Kolkata
D) Jamshedpur
E) Gurugram
Answer: B) Hyderabad.

Event and Location:

• Event: Shubhankar Sharma won the inaugural Boulders Classic 2026 on his return to domestic golf competition.
• Location: Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club, Hyderabad, India.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The event marked Shubhankar Sharma’s return to domestic golf after December 2021, where he competed in and won the inaugural Boulders Classic 2026 on the PGTI circuit.
• Objectives: The tournament aimed to strengthen the domestic golf calendar, provide a competitive platform for top Indian golfers, and showcase high-level professional golf in India.

Important Terms Explained:

• Boulders Classic 2026: A newly introduced domestic golf tournament on the Indian golf calendar held at Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club in Hyderabad.
• DP World Tour: A leading international professional golf tour on which Shubhankar Sharma is identified in the article as a two-time winner.
• PGTI: The Professional Golf Tour of India is the main professional golf tour in India that conducts domestic tournaments for Indian golfers.
• Course record: The best score ever recorded on a golf course in a competitive round, which Shubhankar Sharma equalled in the third round according to the article.

Tabular Summary:

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4. Where was the inaugural Women’s T20I Challenge Trophy 2026 launched by the ICC?
A) Nepal
B) Italy
C) Rwanda
D) USA
E) Vanuatu
Answer: C) Rwanda.

Event and Location:

• Event: The International Cricket Council launched the inaugural Women’s T20I Challenge Trophy 2026 for emerging women’s cricket nations.
• Location: Kigali, Rwanda, with matches at Gahanga Cricket Stadium.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The tournament was launched as a five-nation women’s T20I competition featuring Rwanda, Italy, Nepal, USA, and Vanuatu in a double round-robin format running until 2 May 2026.
• Objectives: It aims to strengthen women’s cricket in associate nations, provide international exposure to emerging teams, and build a structured pathway to higher-level global tournaments.

Important Terms Explained:

• International Cricket Council: The global governing body for cricket that organises international tournaments and promotes the development of the sport worldwide.
• Women’s T20I Challenge Trophy 2026: A newly launched ICC women’s tournament for emerging cricket nations to gain international match experience in the Twenty20 International format.
• T20I: Twenty20 International is a limited-overs cricket format in which each team plays 20 overs in an officially recognised international match.
• Double round-robin: A tournament format in which each team plays every other team twice.
• Associate nations: ICC member countries that do not have full-member status but participate in international cricket development and competition structures.

Tabular Summary:

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Ranking – Daily Current Affairs April 18 & 19

5. According to the latest billionaire rankings mentioned in the article, who became Asia’s richest person by overtaking Mukesh Ambani?
A) Elon Musk
B) Bernard Arnault
C) Gautam Adani
D) Jeff Bezos
E) Jensen Huang
Answer: C) Gautam Adani.

Event and Location:

• Event: Gautam Adani overtook Mukesh Ambani to become Asia’s richest person according to the latest billionaire rankings.
• Location: Asia, with relevance to India and the global billionaire list.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The report highlights a major shift in Asia’s billionaire rankings, with Gautam Adani’s net worth rising to 92.6 billion US dollars and surpassing Mukesh Ambani’s 90.8 billion US dollars.
• Objectives: It reflects changes in wealth rankings driven by stock market movements, sectoral growth in infrastructure and renewable energy, and investor interest in India’s expanding economy.

Important Terms Explained:

• Bloomberg Billionaires Index: A global ranking that tracks the net worth of the world’s richest individuals based on market and financial data.
• Net worth: The total value of a person’s assets minus liabilities, used to estimate personal wealth.
• Adani Group: An Indian business conglomerate with listed companies across ports, logistics, renewable energy, airports, infrastructure, coal, and natural resources.
• Reliance Industries: Mukesh Ambani’s flagship company with major interests in telecom, retail, and energy.
• Renewable energy: Energy generated from naturally replenishing sources such as solar and wind, which has become a major growth sector in India.

Tabular Summary:

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Awards – Daily Current Affairs April 18 & 19

6. Who won the Miss Sake India 2026 title at the event held in Mumbai?
A) Akansha Shrivastava
B) Priyanka Sarkar
C) Sakshi Khari
D) Nishita Yogesh Antarkar
E) Mika Eoka
Answer: D) Nishita Yogesh Antarkar.

Event and Location:

• Event: Nishita Yogesh Antarkar won the Miss Sake India 2026 title at an event promoting Indo-Japanese cultural ties.
• Location: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
• Date: 17 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The event, organised by Hirohama India Pvt. Ltd., selected Miss Sake India 2026 as a cultural ambassador to promote Japanese sake culture and foster cross-cultural engagement in India.
• Objectives: It aims to strengthen India-Japan cultural relations, promote awareness of Japanese sake traditions, encourage cultural dialogue, and build people-to-people connections between the two countries.

Important Terms Explained:

• Miss Sake India: A cultural platform in India that promotes Japanese sake traditions and selects representatives to act as cultural ambassadors.
• Hirohama India Pvt. Ltd.: The organising company that conducted the Miss Sake India 2026 event in Mumbai.
• Japanese sake: A traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice and often associated with Japanese culinary and cultural heritage.
• Cultural ambassador: A representative chosen to promote cultural understanding, traditions, and goodwill between communities or countries.
• Indo-Japanese cultural ties: The growing cultural relationship between India and Japan through shared events, exchanges, and collaborative initiatives.

Tabular Summary:

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International Affairs – Daily Current Affairs April 18 & 19

7. Which habitat feature was identified as crucial for the survival of the Night Parrot in the article?
A) Mangrove forests
B) Mature spinifex grass
C) Alpine meadows
D) Wetland reeds
E) Coral island shrubs
Answer: B) Mature spinifex grass.

Event and Location:

• Event: Night Parrot sighting was confirmed through recent research, marking a major breakthrough in species conservation in Australia.
• Location: Ngururrpa Country, Australia.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The research confirmed the presence of the night parrot by combining modern technology such as audio recorders, camera traps, and satellite imagery with Indigenous knowledge to study its habitat, threats, and survival conditions.
• Objectives: The study aims to improve conservation planning for the species by identifying its habitat needs, understanding threats such as wildfires and feral cats, and protecting surviving populations in Australia’s arid interior.

Important Terms Explained:

• Night Parrot: A rare, nocturnal bird native to Australia’s arid interior that has long been considered one of the world’s most elusive bird species.
• Ngururrpa Country: The region in Australia where researchers and Indigenous rangers carried out field studies between 2020 and 2023 to confirm the bird’s presence.
• Spinifex grass: A dense desert grass, especially bull spinifex, that provides shelter, protection, and concealment for the night parrot.
• Camera traps: Motion-activated cameras used by researchers to record wildlife presence and movement without disturbing the species.
• Satellite imagery: Images of the Earth captured from satellites that help researchers study habitat patterns and environmental changes.
• Feral cats: Non-domesticated cats living in the wild that pose a major predatory threat to vulnerable bird species such as the night parrot.

Tabular Summary:

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8. The Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative was jointly launched by which two leaders?
A) Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron
B) Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron
C) Keir Starmer and Olaf Scholz
D) Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron
E) Giorgia Meloni and Keir Starmer
Answer: A) Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron.

Event and Location:

• Event: Strait of Hormuz Maritime Freedom of Navigation Initiative was launched to secure a critical global shipping route amid rising Middle East tensions.
• Location: Strait of Hormuz and the wider Middle East region, with participation from around 40 countries including India.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The initiative was jointly launched by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron through a virtual meeting to strengthen international cooperation for maritime security, protect commercial shipping, and ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Objectives: It aims to preserve freedom of navigation, secure global energy supply chains, prevent disruption of trade routes, and reduce the economic risks arising from instability in the Middle East.

Important Terms Explained:

• Freedom of navigation: The principle that ships of all countries should be able to move through international waterways without unlawful interference.
• Strait of Hormuz: A strategically important maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf to global sea routes through which a major share of the world’s oil and gas shipments passes.
• Commercial shipping: The movement of goods and commodities by sea through cargo vessels operating on international trade routes.
• Blockade: A restriction imposed to prevent the movement of ships, goods, or supplies through a route, port, or region.
• Supply chain disruption: Interruption in the movement of goods, fuel, or raw materials that can affect prices, trade, and economic stability.

Tabular Summary:

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9. The Philippines joined which US-led initiative to strengthen supply chains for semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals?
A) Blue Dot Network
B) Pax Silica
C) Indo-Pacific Grid Initiative
D) Mineral Security Compact
E) Silicon Trade Corridor
Answer: B) Pax Silica.

Event and Location:

• Event: The Philippines joined the US-led Pax Silica initiative to strengthen global supply chains for semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and critical minerals.
• Location: Philippines, with the proposed industrial hub in Luzon.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The initiative seeks to build secure and resilient technology supply chains across the ecosystem from mineral extraction to chip manufacturing and data infrastructure, with the Philippines becoming part of the partnership and a 4,000-acre industrial hub planned in Luzon.
• Objectives: The move aims to reduce dependence on concentrated supply sources, strengthen trusted supply chain networks, promote semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, and improve resilience in critical technology sectors.

Important Terms Explained:

• Pax Silica: A US-led strategic initiative aimed at building secure and resilient supply chains for semiconductors, artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and related technology infrastructure.
• Semiconductors: Materials used to manufacture electronic chips that are essential for devices such as computers, smartphones, vehicles, and industrial systems.
• Critical minerals: Strategically important minerals such as nickel, cobalt, and copper that are required for electronics, batteries, and advanced manufacturing.
• Luzon Economic Corridor: A key manufacturing and logistics region in the Philippines where the planned 4,000-acre industrial hub will be developed.
• Friend-shoring: A supply chain strategy in which production and sourcing are shifted to trusted partner countries to reduce disruption risks and improve resilience.

Tabular Summary:

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Schemes – Daily Current Affairs April 18 & 19

10. Under the Startup India initiative, how many startups were recognized in FY 2025–26 according to the article?
A) Over 25,200
B) Over 35,200
C) Over 45,200
D) Over 55,200
E) Over 65,200
Answer: D) Over 55,200.

Event and Location:

• Event: India recognised more than 55,200 startups in FY 2025–26, the highest ever in a single year under the Startup India initiative.
• Location: India.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The government reported record startup recognition in FY 2025–26 under Startup India, alongside continued support through funding, seed support, and credit guarantee mechanisms.
• Objectives: The initiative aims to promote innovation, simplify regulations, attract investment, support entrepreneurship, generate employment, and strengthen India’s startup ecosystem across sectors and regions.

Important Terms Explained:

• Startup India: A flagship Government of India initiative launched on 16 January 2016 to build a strong ecosystem for innovation, entrepreneurship, and startup growth.
• Fund of Funds for Startups: A funding support mechanism under Startup India through which capital is routed to Alternative Investment Funds for investment in startups.
• Alternative Investment Funds: Privately pooled investment vehicles that invest in sectors such as startups, infrastructure, and other non-traditional asset classes.
• Startup India Seed Fund Scheme: A scheme that provides early-stage financial support to startups through selected incubators for proof of concept, prototype development, and market entry.
• Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups: A scheme designed to improve startup access to loans by providing credit guarantees to eligible lenders.
• Incubator: An institution that supports startups through mentoring, infrastructure, networking, and early-stage assistance.

Tabular Summary:

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11. The RELIEF Scheme expanded by India amid West Asia tensions is implemented through which institution?
A) NABARD
B) EXIM Bank
C) ECGC
D) SIDBI
E) SEBI
Answer: C) ECGC.

Event and Location:

• Event: India expanded the RELIEF Scheme under the Export Promotion Mission to support exporters facing higher logistics and insurance costs due to West Asia tensions.
• Location: India, with coverage extended to affected export routes in West Asia and North Africa, including Egypt and Jordan.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The government expanded the RELIEF Scheme, launched on 19 March 2026, to provide financial and logistical support to exporters through insurance assistance, export credit facilitation, and reimbursement of higher freight and insurance costs for past and future shipments.
• Objectives: The scheme aims to reduce the financial burden on exporters, especially MSMEs, ensure smoother export operations in conflict-affected regions, and widen participation by clarifying eligibility for exporters taking a fresh ECGC Whole Turnover Policy after 16 March 2026.

Important Terms Explained:

• RELIEF: Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation is a time-bound support scheme launched to help Indian exporters manage disruption-related logistics and insurance costs in conflict-affected regions.
• Export Promotion Mission: A government initiative framework under which support measures are provided to strengthen India’s export performance and assist exporters during disruptions.
• ECGC: The Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India is the nodal agency that provides export credit insurance and implements support mechanisms for exporters.
• MSMEs: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises are business entities that often need targeted support in accessing credit, managing risks, and sustaining exports.
• Whole Turnover Policy: An ECGC insurance policy that covers a seller’s entire eligible export turnover, helping reduce credit and shipment-related risk.

Tabular Summary:

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12. What is the main objective of the AICTE-VAANI 3.0 scheme launched by AICTE?
A) To promote sports education in colleges
B) To strengthen the use of Indian languages in higher education and research
C) To provide foreign scholarships to engineering students
D) To establish new private universities
E) To replace all technical courses with online learning
Answer: B) To strengthen the use of Indian languages in higher education and research.

Event and Location:

• Event: All India Council for Technical Education launched the third edition of the AICTE-VAANI scheme to promote Indian languages in technical education and research.
• Location: India.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The scheme supports conferences, seminars, and workshops in Indian languages, encourages research and publication in regional languages, and enables AICTE-approved institutions to apply through the dedicated online portal.
• Objectives: The initiative aims to reduce language barriers in higher education, improve conceptual understanding in mother tongues, promote inclusive learning, and expand access to technical knowledge for students from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Important Terms Explained:

• AICTE: The All India Council for Technical Education is the national statutory body responsible for planning and coordinating technical education in India.
• AICTE-VAANI: Vibrant Advocacy for Advancement and Nurturing of Indian Languages is a scheme designed to promote the use of Indian languages in technical education, research, and academic discourse.
• Mother tongue: The first language learned by a person, which often supports better understanding and communication in education.
• AICTE-ATAL portal: The online platform through which AICTE-approved institutions can apply under the VAANI 3.0 scheme.
• Technical education: Education related to engineering, technology, applied sciences, and skill-based professional disciplines.
• Multilingual academic environment: An education system in which teaching, learning, and academic activities are supported in multiple languages.

Tabular Summary:

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National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs April 18 & 19

13. Which two languages were granted official state language status by Meghalaya alongside English in April 2026?
A) Khasi and Garo
B) Bodo and Assamese
C) Mizo and Khasi
D) Garo and Kokborok
E) Khasi and Manipuri
Answer: A) Khasi and Garo.

Event and Location:

• Event: Meghalaya Official Languages Ordinance, 2026 granted official state language status to Khasi and Garo alongside English.
• Location: Meghalaya, India.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The Meghalaya State Cabinet approved the ordinance to recognize Khasi and Garo as official state languages for use in government communication, administration, and legislative functioning, while English will continue as the linking language.
• Objectives: The decision aims to preserve indigenous identity, improve governance accessibility, strengthen cultural recognition of major tribal communities, and support the demand for inclusion of Khasi and Garo in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Important Terms Explained:

• Khasi: A major indigenous language spoken by the Khasi tribal community of Meghalaya and now recognized as an official state language under the new ordinance.
• Garo: A major tribal language of Meghalaya spoken by the Garo community and granted official language status by the state government.
• Meghalaya Official Languages Ordinance, 2026: The legal measure approved by the state cabinet to revise Meghalaya’s language policy and provide official recognition to Khasi and Garo alongside English.
• Eighth Schedule: A schedule of the Constitution of India that currently recognizes 22 languages and provides support for their development, promotion, and use in official examinations.
• Article 345: A constitutional provision that allows a state legislature to adopt one or more languages in use in the state or Hindi for official purposes of the state.
• Article 347: A constitutional provision under which the President may direct official recognition of a language in a state or any part of it if there is sufficient demand.

Tabular Summary:

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14. The Punjab Assembly unanimously passed which bill in April 2026 to provide stricter punishment for acts of sacrilege?
A) Punjab Religious Protection Bill 2026
B) Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026
C) Punjab Public Order Amendment Bill 2026
D) Guru Granth Protection Ordinance 2026
E) Punjab Faith Security Bill 2026
Answer: B) Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

Event and Location:

• Event: The Punjab Assembly unanimously passed the Anti-Sacrilege Bill 2026, officially titled the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and sent it to the Governor for assent.
• Location: Punjab, India.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The bill proposes stricter punishment for acts of sacrilege, especially those involving the Guru Granth Sahib, including life imprisonment, a fine of up to ₹25 lakh, and a stronger legal framework through amendment of the 2008 Act.
• Objectives: The measure aims to strengthen legal protection for religious sentiments, address concerns that existing provisions are inadequate, and establish a stricter mechanism to deal with sacrilege-related offences in Punjab.

Important Terms Explained:

• Anti-Sacrilege Bill 2026: The legislation passed by the Punjab Assembly to impose stricter penalties for acts of sacrilege and enhance legal protection for sacred religious texts.
• Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026: The official title of the bill that seeks to amend the 2008 law relating to respect and protection of the Guru Granth Sahib.
• Guru Granth Sahib: The central sacred scripture of Sikhism, held in the highest reverence by Sikhs.
• Sacrilege: The act of showing disrespect to, damaging, or desecrating something regarded as sacred, including religious texts, symbols, or places.
• Assent: The formal approval given by the Governor to a bill passed by a state legislature, after which it becomes law.
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: The criminal law framework referred to in the article as being insufficiently strict for dealing with sacrilege-related offences.

Tabular Summary:

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15. Which organisation became the first water utility in India to receive the ISO 50001:2018 certification for energy management?
A) DJB
B) BWSSB
C) BIS
D) CPCB
E) BMTC
Answer: B) BWSSB.

Event and Location:

• Event: Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board became the first water utility in India to receive the ISO 50001:2018 certification for energy management.
• Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
• Date: 14 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The certification recognises BWSSB’s energy management practices across key operational facilities, including bulk water supply pumping stations and headquarters operations, in line with international energy efficiency standards.
• Objectives: The achievement aims to promote efficient energy use, reduce operational costs, lower carbon footprint, and strengthen sustainable urban infrastructure management in a rapidly growing city.

Important Terms Explained:

• Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board: The statutory water utility responsible for water supply and sewerage services in Bengaluru.
• ISO 50001: 2018: An international standard for energy management systems that helps organisations improve energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and enhance sustainability.
• Bureau Veritas: An international certification agency that issued the ISO 50001:2018 certification to BWSSB.
• Energy management: The systematic process of monitoring, controlling, and improving energy performance in an organisation’s operations.
• Bulk water supply pumping stations: High-capacity facilities used for pumping and supplying water to urban areas, often involving significant energy consumption.
• Bureau of Indian Standards: India’s national standards body that had earlier certified BWSSB’s piped drinking water supply management system according to the article.

Tabular Summary:

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16. The Vikram Sodhi Centre of Excellence launched by IIT Kharagpur is focused on which area?
A) AI-enabled geological and mining systems
B) Quantum communication networks
C) Agricultural drone manufacturing
D) Space propulsion testing
E) Marine biodiversity mapping
Answer: A) AI-enabled geological and mining systems.

Event and Location:

• Event: Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur launched the Vikram Sodhi Centre of Excellence for AI-enabled geological and mining systems.
• Location: IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal, India.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The newly established centre will undertake research by integrating geological sciences, mining engineering, and artificial intelligence to develop mining-specific digital systems across the mining value chain.
• Objectives: The initiative aims to improve resource utilisation, strengthen data-driven decision-making, support efficient mining operations, and promote environmentally sustainable and responsible mining practices in India.

Important Terms Explained:

• Vikram Sodhi Centre of Excellence: A new research centre established at IIT Kharagpur for developing AI-based solutions for geological and mining systems.
• Artificial intelligence: A branch of computer science that enables machines and software to perform tasks requiring data analysis, prediction, automation, and decision support.
• Mining value chain: The complete sequence of mining activities, including mineral exploration, mine planning, extraction, processing, and maintenance.
• Predictive maintenance: A technology-driven approach that uses data and analytics to predict equipment failures before they occur.
• ESG analytics: Environmental, Social, and Governance analytics used to assess sustainability, responsible operations, and institutional accountability.

Tabular Summary:

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17. Which railway depot became India’s first water neutral railway depot according to the article?
A) Tughlakabad Coaching Depot
B) Kankaria Coaching Depot
C) Santragachi Coaching Depot
D) Shakur Basti Depot
E) Tambaram Coaching Depot
Answer: B) Kankaria Coaching Depot.

Event and Location:

• Event: Ahmedabad’s Kankaria Coaching Depot became India’s first water neutral railway depot through large-scale water treatment and reuse practices.
• Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
• Date: 18 April 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The depot achieved water neutrality by treating and reusing wastewater generated during railway operations such as coach washing and maintenance through a multi-stage purification system.
• Objectives: The initiative aims to reduce dependence on freshwater, conserve water resources, lower wastewater discharge, improve environmental compliance, and align railway operations with sustainability goals.

Important Terms Explained:

• Water neutral: A condition in which an establishment treats and reuses as much water as it consumes, thereby balancing its water use.
• Phytoremediation: A nature-based wastewater treatment method in which plants are used to absorb pollutants and help purify contaminated water.
• Wastewater management: The process of collecting, treating, and reusing or safely disposing of used water generated from operational activities.
• UV disinfection: A water treatment process that uses ultraviolet light to kill or deactivate harmful microorganisms before reuse.
• Carbon filtration: A filtration method that uses activated carbon to remove impurities, odour, and contaminants from water.

Tabular Summary:

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Over All Review

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