Daily Current Affairs 15 April 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 213-km-long Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor, built at a cost of over ₹12,000 crore. The six-lane access-controlled highway connects Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, reducing travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over 6 hours to 2.5 hours.

The project features the longest elevated wildlife corridor in Asia, spanning 12 km through the Rajaji National Park. The corridor ensures the unhindered movement of wildlife, including elephants and leopards.

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has designated two more institutions as national repositories under Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (BD Act). The initiative aims to enhance the conservation and systematic documentation of biological resources.

The new repositories include the Referral Centre Bhavasagara at the Centre for Marine Living Resources and Ecology (CMLRE) in Kochi (Kerala) and the MACS Collection of Microorganisms and National Fungal Culture Collection at the Agharkar Research Institute (ARI) in Pune (Maharashtra). With the additions, the total count of the national network of repositories has increased to 20.

Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary has launched a campaign to establish the Skills Outcomes Fund (SOF) with an outlay of ₹530 crore. The SOF is designed as a scalable model for outcomes-based financing (OBF) to link vocational training with sustainable job placement.

It utilizes a blended finance model, combining resources from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) with capital from private and philanthropic partners. The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) is the nodal implementing agency for the project.

The campaign builds on the success of the Skill Impact Bond launched in 2021, which trained over 34,000 youth (74% of whom were women) and achieved a 76% job placement rate with a 62% retention rate.

According to a report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of India for FY27 is revised to 6.5% from the 6.4% growth rate estimated in the January outlook.

CSB Bank Ltd, one of the oldest private sector banks in India, has launched its first dedicated retail savings product named “SMART SAVE ACCOUNT”.

The move aims to strengthen the liquidity of the bank and expand the retail banking portfolio of CSB through automated and customer-centric solutions.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has formed a sub-committee of the Insurance Advisory Committee (IAC) to examine the current state of private health insurance in India.

The initiative aims to improve consumer experience and increase the reach of health insurance by building trust among policyholders.

The sub-committee is tasked with reviewing critical parameters, providing advice, and overseeing digital transformation.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has approved PPFAS Asset Management Company (AMC) to act as a sponsor for a pension fund under the National Pension System (NPS).

PPFAS AMC, a subsidiary of Parag Parikh Financial Advisory Services Limited, will set up a separate pension fund company to invest in Equities (EQ), Government Securities (G-Secs), and Corporate Bonds (CBs). Currently, there are 10 AMCs authorized to function as fund managers under the NPS framework.

It is to be noted that the NPS was launched in 2004 for government employees and was extended to all citizens in 2009, allowing individuals to choose and switch between various fund managers.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has inaugurated a new structure assembly line for the Prachand Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) at its helicopter factory in Tumakuru, Karnataka. The facility features a dedicated LCH Structure Assembly Line and an Automated Storage & Retrieval System (ASRS).

It is to be noted that the Tumakuru facility currently has a production capacity of 30 helicopters per year, with plans to scale it up to 100 units annually. This expansion will help in the execution of a ₹62,700 crore contract for 156 additional LCHs, including 90 for the Indian Army and 66 for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The Aluminium Extrusion Manufacturers Association of India (ALEMAI) has launched the ‘Aluminium Bharat’ initiative in New Delhi to boost domestic manufacturing and sustainable industrial growth.

The initiative, unveiled by Union Minister of State Jitin Prasada, aims to position India as a global leader in aluminium production and exports. As part of the initiative, ALEMAI will host ‘Aluminium Bharat 2026’, which will be the first comprehensive exhibition of India dedicated to the entire aluminium value chain.

Meta Platforms Inc. has launched a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) model titled “Muse Spark”, marking the first release from its superintelligence team under the “Avocado” series.

Initially available on Meta AI platforms, the AI model is scheduled to replace Llama-based chatbots on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and smart glasses.

Nitish Kumar has resigned as the Chief Minister of Bihar, concluding a tenure of two decades in the politics of the state.

He is set to move to a national role in the Rajya Sabha. Samrat Choudhary, the leader of the BJP legislature party, is designated to serve as the next CM of Bihar.

The Indian Express Group has organized the Chetak Screen Awards 2026 in Mumbai, marking the resumption of the event after a gap of 7 years. The ceremony honoured excellence in Indian cinema and Over-the-Top (OTT) content released during the 2025 calendar year.

The spy thriller “Dhurandhar” was the most successful production, winning 14 awards from 24 nominations. Aditya Dhar was named the Best Director for the film, while Ranveer Singh won the Best Actor (Male) award and Akshaye Khanna won the Best Supporting Actor (Male) award.

It is to be noted that “Homebound”, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, won the Best Film award. Shalini Vatsa won the Best Supporting Actor (Female) award for the performance in the film, and Yami Gautam Dhar won the Best Actor (Female) award for the role in the film “Haq”.