Daily Current Affairs 29 April 2026

Union Minister Piyush Goyal has launched “Bharat Taxi”, the first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform of India, in Mumbai. The initiative aims to increase the earnings and welfare of auto rickshaw and cab drivers by offering zero commission and no subscription charges.

The platform provides a free insurance cover of ₹5 lakh and access to loans from the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA). It was established by 8 national-level cooperative institutions in 2025 and was officially launched in 2026. It currently facilitates more than 25,000 rides per day.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), in consultation with the Department of Higher Education (DoHE) under the Ministry of Education (MoE), has expanded the eligibility criteria for the pilot phase of the ‘Prime Minister Internship Scheme’ (PMIS) to include final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students.

The age limit for PMIS is revised to 18-25 years (from the previous 21-24 years), while maintaining all other conditions. The Government of India (GoI) has increased the monthly stipend to ₹9,000 for the one-year internship, with 90% of the funding provided by the government. Additionally, interns will receive financial assistance of ₹6,000, disbursed in two installments.

Punjab National Bank (PNB) has partnered with the fintech firm Kiwi to launch a co-branded RuPay credit card named “PNB Kiwi Credit Card” integrated with the UPI. The initiative aims to expand digital credit access and strengthen the digital payments ecosystem in India.

BharatGen Technology Foundation has signed a 5-year MoU with L&T Semiconductor Technologies (LTSCT) and L&T-Vyoma, subsidiaries of Larsen & Toubro (L&T), to develop the first end-to-end sovereign AI compute platform in India.

The partnership aims to establish a completely indigenous AI ecosystem to reduce dependency on international supply chains and imported hardware, thereby fostering domestic technological self-reliance.

The Centre for Maritime Economy and Connectivity (CMEC), functioning under the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), has signed an MoU with the University of Delhi to strengthen maritime education and research through joint initiatives.

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan has conducted the first-ever bilateral visit to Sri Lanka. He met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya to review bilateral initiatives and the progress of development projects supported by India.

Both nations signed multiple MoUs to strengthen cooperation in healthcare and regional development. The visit marked the completion of Phase III of the Indian Housing Project (covering 4,000 houses). Sri Lanka has formally joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to enhance regional conservation efforts.

According to a study titled “Spotlight on the Top 25 Methane Plumes in 2025: Landfills” released by the University of California, the Jawahar Nagar Landfill (Hyderabad) is ranked 4th globally with an estimated methane emission rate of 5.9 tonnes per hour.

The Kanjurmarg Landfill (Mumbai) is ranked 12th globally among the top methane-emitting sites identified in the report.

India has submitted its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for the 2031-2035 period to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is to be noted that the previous NDCs were submitted in 2015 (pertaining to 2025) and 2022 (pertaining to 2030).

The revised climate targets commit to a minimum 47% reduction in the emission intensity of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the 2005 baseline by 2035. India also aims to achieve 60% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2035.

Additionally, the government has pledged to create an additional carbon sink of 3.5 to 4 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through expanded forest and tree cover by 2035, compared to the 2005 baseline levels.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has officially withdrawn from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the OPEC+ alliance. This move has caused significant disruption to global oil production groups and weakened the geopolitical influence of Saudi Arabia.

Jio Financial Services Ltd (JFSL) has signed a binding agreement with the Germany-based Allianz Group to form a 50:50 primary insurance Joint Venture (JV) in India.

The partnership aims to combine the digital distribution capabilities of JFSL with the global underwriting expertise of Allianz to enhance market reach. The JV will initially focus on providing general and health insurance solutions to both individual and commercial segments.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has laid the foundation stone for a new ₹75 crore state-of-the-art building at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru. The 7-story structure will have a total constructed area of 1 lakh sq feet.

It is to be noted that the Union Budget 2026 announced the development of 4 world-class astronomical projects by the IIA, including the National Large Solar Telescope and the National Large Optical-Infrared Telescope.

The Meghalaya government has launched the ‘Chief Minister’s Incentive for Success in Prelims and Innovative Rewards for Excellence’ (CM-INSPIRE) scheme for Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) aspirants.

The initiative aims to reduce the preparation costs of candidates and enhance the representation of the state in civil services.

The Government of India (GoI) has appointed Dr Ashok Lahiri, a veteran economist and former Chief Economic Advisor (CEA), as the Vice-Chairman of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog). He succeeds Suman Bery.

Dr Gobardhan Das, an eminent scientist and the Director of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, has also been appointed as a full-time member of the NITI Aayog.

General Manoj Mukund Naravane (Retd), the 28th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), has released a book titled “The Curious and the Classified: Unearthing Military Myths and Mysteries”.

The book, published by Rupa Publications, investigates various military myths and historical mysteries.

Gopalrao Patil, a former Member of Parliament (MP) in the Rajya Sabha and a distinguished paediatrician, passed away at the age of 94. He was widely known by the epithet ‘Devmanus’ (Godly man).

National Fire Service Day: Day – April 14; Theme 2026 – “Safe School, Safe Hospital & Fire Safety Aware Society – Together for Fire Prevention”; Commemorating – Explosion of a Dock in the Bombay Port in 1944 which killed 66 firemen during rescue operation

World Quantum Day: Day – April 14; Observed since – 2022; Symbolising – 4.14 (April 14), which is the value of Planck’s constant