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Daily Current Affairs 21st April 2026 Daily GK Update
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National News
PNGRB Approves IOCL’s 425 km Kochi–Thoothukudi Gas Pipeline to Boost Southern India Energy Network
- The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has authorised Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) to develop the Kochi-Kanyakumari-Thoothukudi Natural Gas Pipeline (KTPL) to enhance gas infrastructure in southern India.
- The 425 km long pipeline will originate from the Kochi LNG Terminal in Kerala and extend to Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, with a capacity of 6.84 MMSCMD.
MEITY Forms TPEC to Strengthen AI Governance, Includes Experts B. Ravindran & Rajat Moona
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has constituted a Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC) to support the functioning of the AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG).
- The TPEC will be chaired by the MeitY Secretary and includes experts like B. Ravindran and Rajat Moona as members.
PM Modi to Inaugurate 594-km Ganga Expressway Linking Meerut to Prayagraj
- PM Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Ganga Expressway on April 29 in Hardoi.
- The 594-km-long expressway will run from Meerut (Bijoli village) to Prayagraj (Judapur Dandu village), connecting the western and eastern parts of the state.
- The project will pass through 12 districts—including Hapur, Bulandshahr, Amroha, Sambhal, Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Unnao, Raebareli and Pratapgarh—linking around 519 villages.
Cabinet Led by Narendra Modi Extends Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana–III Till 2028
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Narendra Modi, has approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana–III till March 2028 beyond its earlier deadline of March 2025.
- The total outlay of PMGSY-III has been increased from ₹80,250 crore to ₹83,977 crore to support continued rural road development.
- The Cabinet extended timelines: roads and bridges in plain areas and roads in hilly areas till March 2028, and bridges in hilly areas till March 2029; also allowed pending works (sanctioned before March 31, 2025) to be tendered/awarded.
- PMGSY was launched in phases—Phase I in 2000, Phase II in 2013, and Phase III in 2019—to enhance rural connectivity across India.
AICTE Launches 3rd Edition of VAANI Scheme to Promote Indian Languages in Technical Education
- All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) launched the 3rd edition of AICTE-VAANI (Vibrant Advocacy for Advancement and Nurturing of Indian Languages) to promote Indian languages in technical education and bridge the language gap.
- The scheme focuses on research, learning, and knowledge dissemination in regional languages, with annual funding of ₹24 crore to support around 200 conferences, seminars, and workshops.
- Institutions can receive up to ₹2 lakh per event in 22 Indian languages, covering 16 emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technology, Cybersecurity, Hydrogen Energy, Space & Defence, and Agrotech.
Meghalaya Grants Full Official Status to Khasi and Garo, Replaces 2005 Language Act
- The Government of Meghalaya approved the Meghalaya Official Languages Ordinance, 2026, granting Khasi and Garo full official language status alongside English.
- The ordinance repeals the Meghalaya State Language Act, 2005, under which Khasi and Garo earlier had only associate official language status.
About Meghalaya
- Capital – Shillong
- Chief Minister – Conrad Kongkal Sangma
- Governor – H. Vijayashankar
Kankaria Coaching Depot Becomes India’s First Water-Neutral Railway Depot
- Kankaria Coaching Depot has become India’s first “water-neutral” railway depot, aligning railway operations with sustainability goals.
- The depot achieves water neutrality by treating and reusing water equal to its consumption, saving about 1.60 lakh litres daily and reducing dependence on fresh water.
Appointment News
Ajit Agarkar Reappointed as Selection Committee Chairman
- Ajit Agarkar will continue as Chairman of the Senior Selection Committee, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India has extended his contract for one more year.
- The extension decision is aimed at ensuring continuity in team selection with a focus on preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan Appoints K. S. Somashekhar
- P. Radhakrishnan has appointed K. S. Somashekhar as Secretary in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
- The Rajya Sabha Secretariat is the administrative body that assists in the smooth functioning of the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of India’s Parliament.
Awards News
Kerala’s N. Alim Yusuf Wins WWF National Award for AI App ‘NeophyteID’ at ECHO Summit 2026
- Alim Yusuf from Kerala won the WWF National Award at the National ECHO Youth Innovation Summit 2026 for developing the AI-based mobile app “NeophyteID” to detect invasive plant species.
- The award was presented by World Wide Fund for Nature, and he received a ₹1.5 lakh seed grant to further develop and scale the project.
- The app can identify around 100 invasive plant species in Kerala and was developed at Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences.
Recent Awards
- Harvard South Asian Association’s Person of the Year 2026 – Sayani Gupta
- Lifetime Achievement Award at IFFD 2026 – Tamil Actor Nandamuri Balakrishna
- 35th Saraswati Samman for 2025 – Bengali Novelist Ramkumar Mukhopadhyay (for Hara Parbati Katha no
- 60th Jnanpith Award for 2025– Renowned Tamil poet and lyricist R. Vairamuthu (for Kallikkaattu Ithihasam)
- BRICS CCI Women Empowerment Trailblazer Award 2026 – Kalpana Soren
Science and Tech News
ISRO SAC and ATREE Sign MoU to Advance Sustainable Land Management and Grassland Mapping in India
- The Space Applications Centre and the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment signed an MoU to strengthen collaboration in research, data sharing, and knowledge exchange for sustainable land management.
- The partnership will focus on mapping India’s grasslands and open natural ecosystems, assessing restoration impacts on degraded lands, and improving methods for estimating above- and below-ground carbon.
- The initiative aligns with India’s goal of achieving Land Degradation Neutrality by 2030 and supports progress toward multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Defence News
Indian Navy Releases INMSS-2026 at Naval Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi
- The first edition of the biannual Naval Commanders’ Conference 2026 was held at Nausena Bhawan in New Delhi, bringing together senior leadership of the Indian Navy.
- During the conference, the Indian Navy Maritime Security Strategy (INMSS-2026) was officially released to strengthen maritime security framework and operational preparedness.
Indian Army Flags Off “Samudra Sahas” Blue-Water Sailing Expedition from Mumbai to Mark Artillery Bicentenary
- The Indian Army flagged off its first blue-water sailing expedition “Samudra Sahas” from Marve, Mumbai, as part of the bicentenary celebrations of the Regiment of Artillery.
- The 520 nautical mile expedition along the Konkan coast will be conducted in four legs from Mumbai to Vijaydurg, Goa and back, using 21-foot Seabird class sailing boats, sailing about 7 nautical miles offshore.
Important Days
20 April – UN Chinese Language Day
- UN Chinese Language Day is observed annually on 20 April by the United Nations to promote multilingualism and cultural diversity.
- The day honours the Chinese language and its historical significance as one of the six official languages of the UN.
- The United Nations has six official languages: Arabic,
- Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
21 April – World Creativity and Innovation Day
- World Creativity and Innovation Day is observed every year on 21 April to promote the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.
- Theme 2026 – Harnessing Creativity for Global Progress
- The day highlights the importance of creative thinking in solving global challenges such as poverty, climate change, and sustainable development.
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