Prelims Current Affairs includes International Dance Day 2026, Petersberg Climate Dialogue , Uae Exits Opec Amid Iran War Oil Shock, India’s Iip Growth Slips To 4.1% In March 2026, Rbi Launches Mission Saksham For Cooperative Banks, Apeda To Set Up Basmati Training Centre In Pilibhit, China’s Zero-Carbon Coal Fuel Cell Breakthrough & Kangra’s First Himira ‘She Haat’ Opens At Chamunda

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY 2026

Current Context: International Dance Day 2026 will be celebrated on 29 April 2026 around the world, highlighting dance as a powerful form of expression, culture, and communication.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY

• Observed on:Birth anniversary of Jean-Georges Noverre (father of modern dance theatre)
• Organized by:International Theatre Institute (with support from UNESCO)
• Established:1982 by International Theatre Institute
• Significance:
  • Promotes dance as universal language of expression
  • Encourages creativity, cultural exchange, and emotional well-being
  • Makes dance more accessible and recognized within educational systems worldwide

ENVIRONMENT

2. PETERSBERG CLIMATE DIALOGUE

Current Context: The 17th Petersberg Climate Dialogue recently convened in Berlin as a critical precursor to COP31, focusing on implementing the Paris Agreement amid a global energy crisis.

ABOUT PETERSBERG CLIMATE DIALOGUE

• Type:High-level annual international forum for informal political discussions on climate action
• Established:2010 by German government (launched following COP15 Copenhagen)
• 17th Edition Venue:Berlin
• Organized by:Germany alongside COP31 Presidency of Türkiye and COP31 Presidency of Negotiations Australia
• Key Features:
  • Informal setting allowing candid dialogue to resolve deadlocks
  • Focus on electrification in clean energy agenda (mobility and heating)
  • Emphasis on geopolitical resilience through renewable energy transition
  • Involves International Energy Agency (IEA) and civil society
• Significance:First major climate ministerial of the year, sets tone for COP31 summit in Antalya, Türkiye

INTERNATIONAL

3. UAE EXITS OPEC AMID IRAN WAR OIL SHOCK

Current Context: The United Arab Emirates has announced that it will leave OPEC and OPEC+ from May 1, 2026, marking a major shift in global energy politics.

ABOUT THE DECISION

• Effective Date:May 1, 2026
• Reason:Long-term strategic and economic vision, prioritising national interests
• UAE Energy Minister:Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei
• UAE Production Capacity:Nearly 4.8 million barrels per day
• Background:UAE joined OPEC first through Abu Dhabi in 1967, later as sovereign state in 1971
  • OPEC Headquarters:Vienna, Austria
  • OPEC Founded:1960
• Strait of Hormuz:Handles nearly one-fifth of global crude oil and LNG supplies; lies between Iran and Oman

ECONOMY

4. INDIA’S IIP GROWTH SLIPS TO 4.1% IN MARCH 2026

Current Context: India’s industrial output growth eased to 4.1% in March 2026, marking a five-month low, according to the National Statistics Office.

ABOUT IIP PERFORMANCE

• IIP Growth (March 2026):1% (lowest since October 2025)
• Previous Month (February 2026):1% (revised slightly down)
• March 2025 Growth:9%
• Sector-wise Performance (March 2026):

• Annual Performance (FY 2025-26):1% (nearly unchanged from 4% in 2024-25)
• IIP:Index of Industrial Production tracks performance of manufacturing, mining, and electricity sectors

 ECONOMY

5. RBI LAUNCHES MISSION SAKSHAM FOR COOPERATIVE BANKS

Current Context: The Reserve Bank of India has launched Mission SAKSHAM, a nationwide capacity-building programme for Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) to improve governance, resilience, and professional standards.

ABOUT MISSION SAKSHAM

• Target:Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs)
• Participants:Nearly 1.40 lakh participants across India
• Meaning of SAKSHAM:“Capable” in Hindi
• Target Audience:
  • Board members, senior management
  • Risk officers, compliance officials, audit heads
  • IT staff and employees in key operational areas
• Training Delivery:Classroom sessions + e-learning modules (in regional languages where possible)
• RBI Established:April 1, 1935, under RBI Act, 1934

AGRICULTURE

6. APEDA TO SET UP BASMATI TRAINING CENTRE IN PILIBHIT

Current Context: APEDA will establish a basmati and organic training centre along with a demonstration farm in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh.

ABOUT THE CENTRE

• Location:Tanda Bijesi village, Pilibhit district, Uttar Pradesh
• Land:7 acres at government agriculture farm
• Investment:Approximately ₹15 crore
• Execution by:Public Works Department
• Completion Timeline:Within one year
• Facilities:
  • Seed unit, auditorium, museum displaying 45 notified basmati rice varieties
  • NABL-accredited laboratory (DNA testing, pesticide residues, heavy metals)
• Technology:AI-based satellite survey for crop mapping, variety identification, production estimates
• Under:Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF) – second such centre in UP after Meerut
• Training Target (BEDF):More than 50,000 farmers by end of 2025-26 across seven basmati-producing states
• APEDA Established:1986 under APEDA Act

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

7. CHINA’S ZERO-CARBON COAL FUEL CELL BREAKTHROUGH

Current Context: Chinese researchers have developed a new technology called the Zero-Carbon-Emission Direct Coal Fuel Cell (ZC-DCFC), which can convert coal directly into electricity without burning it.

ABOUT ZC-DCFC TECHNOLOGY

• Developed by:Scientists at Shenzhen University
• Type:Zero-Carbon-Emission Direct Coal Fuel Cell
• How it works:
  • Uses electrochemical oxidation instead of combustion
  • Coal fed into anode chamber; purified carbon reacts through oxide membrane
  • Directly converts chemical energy into electrical energy
  • Theoretical efficiency nearly double that of conventional coal-fired plants
• Carbon Capture:Produces highly pure CO₂ collected directly; can be converted into syngas or sodium bicarbonate
• Challenges:Expensive materials, long-term durability uncertain; may take decades for commercial use

HIMACHAL NEWS

8. KANGRA’S FIRST HIMIRA ‘SHE HAAT’ OPENS AT CHAMUNDA

Current Context: Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa inaugurated the first “HimIra ‘She Haat’-cum-Skill Upgradation Centre” of Kangra near the Chamunda Devi Temple to strengthen women-led entrepreneurship and rural livelihoods.

ABOUT THE CENTRE

• Location:Near Chamunda Devi Temple, Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh
• Type:First of its kind in Kangra district
• Facilities Included:
  • Ethnic restaurant with fully equipped kitchen and seating area
  • Rural haat for selling handicrafts and organic farm produce (by women from cluster-level federations)
  • Dedicated workshop space
  • Four-room guest house
  • Landscaped green areas
  • Children’s park
  • Parking capacity for more than 30 vehicles
• Key Features:
  • Traditional cuisine prepared by local women using fresh vegetables, milk, homemade ghee, spices from their own farms
  • Products under Mission Dhanvantri incorporated into food preparation
  • Profit-sharing model: Profits shared among staff at end of each month after deducting operational costs
• Products to be sold:Chamomile tea, herbal blends, aloe vera, black tulsi, other value-added products
• Skill Development Activities:
  • Bamboo artisan:Vijay Kumar (workshops for children)
  • Kangra painting artist:Poonam (training sessions in art)
  • Future Plans:Construction of a ghat near the site for devotees to take a holy dip
  • Support Framework:Women associated with cluster-level federations and self-help groups under National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)

Download Pdf | Study Material | Downloads | Daily Quiz  | FREE Youtube Videos