Current Affairs 19 March 2026

All adoptive mothers now get 12 weeks of paid maternity leave

The Supreme Court of India has ruled that all adoptive mothers are entitled to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, regardless of the child’s age at adoption.

Key Highlights:

• The Court declared maternity leave as a basic human right
• Struck down restrictive provisions under the Code of Social Security 2020
• Earlier rule allowed leave only if the adopted child was below 3 months
• Court termed this provision unconstitutional and discriminatory

Ugadi and Other Regional New Year Festivals in India

Small Hydro Power Development Scheme

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the Small Hydro Power Development Scheme for the period FY 2026–27 to FY 2030–31.

Key Highlights:

• Total Outlay: ₹2,584.60 crore
• Target Capacity: ~1500 MW
• Project Size: 1 MW to 25 MW (Small Hydro Projects)

Financial Assistance:

• For North Eastern & Border Areas:
  • ₹3.6 crore/MW or 30% of project cost
  • Max ₹30 crore per project
• For Other States:
  • ₹2.4 crore/MW or 20% of project cost
  • Max ₹20 crore per project

Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA)

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana (BHAVYA) with an allocation of ₹33,660 crore to develop 100 plug-and-play industrial parks across India.

Key Highlights:

• Objective: Develop world-class industrial infrastructure and boost manufacturing
• Industrial Park Size: 100 to 1000 acres
• Implementation: In partnership with States and private sector

Financial Support:

• Up to ₹1 crore per acre for:
  • Core infrastructure (roads, utilities, drainage, ICT systems)
  • Value-added infrastructure (factory sheds, warehouses, labs)
  • Social infrastructure (worker housing)
• Additional 25% support for external infrastructure

Special Features:

• Plug-and-play model: Ready land, approvals, and infrastructure
• Single-window clearances for ease of doing business
• Aligned with PM GatiShakti for multimodal connectivity
• Focus on green energy and sustainability

Institutional Framework:

• Implemented under National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation
• Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Space Debris Management Initiatives

India is strengthening its space debris management efforts to ensure the long-term sustainability of outer space activities.

Key Highlights:

• As of March 2026, India has 129 trackable space debris objects in orbit:
  • Defunct satellites in LEO (23) and GEO (26)
  • Rocket bodies: PSLV (40), GSLV (4), LVM3 (3)
  • Debris from PSLV-C3 breakup (33)
• India releases annual report:
  • Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR)

Major Initiatives:

• Debris Free Space Mission (DFSM) – 2024
  • Target: Zero debris creation by 2030
  • Includes fuel planning for safe de-orbiting
• NETRA Project (NEtwork for space object TRacking and Analysis)
  • Cost: ₹509.01 crore
  • SSA (Space Situational Awareness) control centre operational
  • Tracks debris and predicts collisions
• IS4OM (ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Space Operations):
  • Established in 2022
  • Supports debris mitigation and startups

RISA Timeless Tribal

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched a premium tribal brand RISA Timeless Tribal on 18 March 2026 at New Delhi to promote tribal crafts and livelihoods. This brand is inspired by “RISA”, a traditional handwoven stole of Tripura. This will be implemented through TRIFED.

Objective:

• Promote tribal weaves, embroidery, and handicrafts
• Create a premium global brand identity
• Ensure fair profit-sharing for tribal artisans

The first phase of the RISA launch features a curated selection of some of India’s most iconic weaves and crafts.

Ministry of Statistics released SDG Report on “Planet and Prosperity”

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation released two thematic SDG Bulletins “Planet in Focus” and “Delivering Prosperity at Scale” on 18 March 2026 in Patna, Bihar.

Key Highlights:

• Based on SDG National Indicator Framework (NIF) Progress Report 2025
• Aligned with 5 pillars of SDGs:
  • People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, Partnerships

Planet in Focus (Environmental Sustainability):

• Covers SDGs:
  • SDG 6 (Clean Water)
  • SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption)
  • SDG 13 (Climate Action)
  • SDG 14 (Life Below Water)
  • SDG 15 (Life on Land)
• Major Achievements:
  • 100% Open Defecation Free (ODF) status
  • 97.2% schools with separate toilets for girls
  • Waste recycling units increased to 3,036
  • Progress in disaster risk reduction (Sendai Framework)

Prosperity Report (Economic Growth):

• Covers SDGs:
  • SDG 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
• Key Indicators:
  • Renewable energy share: 16% → 22%
  • India: 4th largest wind energy producer
  • Carbon intensity reduced significantly
  • 100% household electrification achieved
  • 99% mobile network coverage
  • Tourism contributes 2.6% to GDP

Disclaimer: This article is prepared for competitive exam preparation using publicly available information.