Daily Current Affairs 14 April 2026

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh has announced the establishment of a Seismological Observatory in Kishtwar and a Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) in Doda, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).

The DWR will facilitate precise, real-time weather monitoring to enhance early warning and disaster management under the ‘Mission Mausam’ initiative. The Seismological Observatory will strengthen the national seismic monitoring network of India for better earthquake detection and disaster risk mitigation in the region.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has reviewed the progress and roadmap of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).

The ANRF is developing an AI-based platform named ‘SARAL AI’ to convert complex research publications into simplified content across various Indian languages.

The ANRF will launch ‘MAHA’ Leapfrog Demonstrators, a mission mode program designed to deliver the impact of science for societal innovation.

It has also deployed Nodal Officers in 250 institutions to facilitate research and promote mission-driven innovation.

The Government of India has notified the “Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0” (Startup India FoF 2.0) with a total corpus of ₹10,000 crore to mobilise venture and growth capital for the domestic startup ecosystem.

This initiative is the successor to the “Fund of Funds for Startups” (FFS 1.0) launched in 2016 under the “Startup India Action Plan” to address funding gaps and catalyse domestic capital. The Startup India FoF 2.0 will facilitate commitments to eligible Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) across the 16th and 17th Finance Commission cycles.

Punjab National Bank (PNB) has signed an MoU with the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) to enhance credit availability for sellers registered on the platform.

Bajaj Alternate Investment Management (Bajaj Alts), the alternative investment arm of Bajaj Finserv, has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch Portfolio Management Services (PMS).

This licence allows the firm to expand its operations beyond its existing Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) business into the actively managed listed equities space.

National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has signed a non-binding MoU with the France-based Electricite de France (EDF) to collaborate on developing new nuclear power projects in India. This partnership marks a strategic shift for NTPC, the largest thermal power producer in India, to diversify its energy portfolio. The company aims to achieve a nuclear capacity of 30 GW by 2047.

The Technology Development Board (TDB) has signed an agreement with the Gurugram-based Casey Aviation Pvt Ltd for the “Boost Electric Jump Take-Off (BE-JTO)” project. The TDB has sanctioned a conditional grant for this project under the “India–UK Collaborative Research & Development (R&D) Programme for Industrial Sustainability”, in partnership with the UK-based ARC Aerosystems Ltd.

The project aims to develop an advanced hybrid propulsion-based Jump Take-Off (JTO) system to enhance the operational capabilities of unmanned and light aircraft platforms.

Additionally, the initiative aims to establish one of the first propulsion testing facilities in North India.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh released the study report titled “Market for Textiles and Clothing: National Household Survey 2024” in New Delhi. The report states that the domestic demand for textiles in India recorded a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.3%, increasing from ₹4.89 lakh crore in 2010 to ₹14.95 lakh crore in 2024.

Household demand for textiles rose from ₹4.18 lakh crore in 2010 to ₹8.77 lakh crore in 2024. The per capita demand for textiles increased at a CAGR of 7.8%, growing from ₹2,119 in 2010 to ₹6,066 in 2024.

Amul has become the first Indian Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company to cross the turnover milestone of ₹1 lakh crore in the FY26.

The dairy cooperative recorded a year-on-year growth of 11%, with its turnover rising from ₹90,000 crore in the previous fiscal year.

Puducherry election authorities have deployed a saree-clad humanoid robot named ‘Nila’ at the VOC Government School polling booth during the Assembly elections.

The initiative aims to create a high-tech and welcoming environment for voters, specifically to attract youth and first-time voters.

Nadir Godrej will retire as the Chairman of Godrej Industries Ltd and assume the role of Chairman Emeritus.

Pirojsha Godrej, the current Chairperson Designate of the Godrej Industries Group, will succeed him as the Chairperson of the Godrej Industries Group and Godrej Industries Ltd., effective August 14.

The National Assembly of Vietnam has unanimously elected To Lam as the state president for the 2026–2031 tenure. It is to be noted that he also serves as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV).