LEGAL NEWS

Parliament Passes CAPF (General Administration) Bill 2026 and Amaravati Capital Law

• The Parliament of India has approved the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026.

• The Lok Sabha passed the Bill by voice vote, while the Rajya Sabha had already cleared it earlier.

• The law introduces new provisions regarding appointments to senior posts in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

• It mandates that 50% of Inspector General (IG) level posts will be filled through deputation.

• It further provides that at least 67% of Additional Director General (ADG) posts will also be filled through deputation.

• All posts of Special Director General (SDG) and Director General (DG) will be filled entirely through deputation.

• Parliament has also passed the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2026, through voice vote in both Houses.

• This amendment grants statutory recognition to Amaravati as the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India–Tajikistan Hold 5th Foreign Office Consultations in Dushanbe

• India and Tajikistan conducted the 5th round of Foreign Office Consultations in Dushanbe.

• The talks were co-chaired by Ambassador Sibi George (Secretary-West) and Idibek Kalandar (Deputy Foreign Minister of Tajikistan).

• Both sides reviewed the overall progress of bilateral relations across multiple sectors.

• Key discussions covered political ties along with defence and security cooperation.

• Cooperation in trade, economy, and cultural exchanges was also assessed.

• Matters related to education and consular issues were included in the consultations.

• Both countries explored stronger engagement through multilateral platforms.

• They exchanged views on major regional and global developments, while Sibi George also met Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin and interacted with the Indian community in Dushanbe, appreciating their role in strengthening bilateral relations.

NATIONAL NEWS

India Post to Be Developed as Global Logistics Powerhouse by 2030

• Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that India Post is being rapidly modernised to become a major global logistics player by 2030.

• The statement was made on 2 April in New Delhi during the release of a commemorative stamp.

• The stamp was issued to mark 75 years of the Postal Training Centre, Saharanpur.

• The day was described as historic, and the training centre was praised for promoting values like service, efficiency, accuracy, and the motto “Nation First, Service First.”

• Over the past 75 years, the centre has trained nearly 2.5 lakh postal employees.

• Around 30,000 trainees are trained every year at the Saharanpur centre.

• The institution was described as a platform that transforms ordinary staff into committed “Karma Yogis” dedicated to national service.

• During the same event, an agreement was signed between the Government of Goa and the Cochin Port Authority to onboard onto the SAMPANN pension platform, which enables digital processing and direct pension disbursement into bank accounts.

NCERT Granted ‘Deemed to be University’ Status by Ministry of Education

• The Ministry of Education has granted NCERT the status of a “Deemed to be University” under a special category.

• This decision was taken based on the recommendations of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

• The approval was given after the Ministry examined an online application submitted by NCERT.

• The application was assessed by an expert committee formed by the UGC.

• Following the approval, NCERT has been directed to start advanced academic initiatives.

• These include launching research programmes, PhD courses, and other new academic courses.

• NCERT was established in 1961 as an autonomous body under the Government of India.

• Its key role is to support Central and State governments in improving school education through research, coordination, and publication of textbooks and learning materials.

AWARDS

Odisha Police Receives ‘President’s Police Colours’ (Nishaan)

• President Droupadi Murmu has approved the ‘President’s Police Colours’ award for the Odisha Police.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs informed the Odisha Chief Secretary about this decision on 30 March.

• Odisha DGP Y.B. Khurana stated that this prestigious honour is conferred only once.

• He credited the achievement to the collective dedication and hard work of the Odisha Police force.

• The award is also known as ‘Nishaan’ and is considered the highest honour for any police force in India.

• It is given for exceptional service, gallantry, professionalism, and long-term dedication.

• The honour is represented through a special flag, which is worn on the left sleeve of the uniform.

• Eligibility requires that the police unit or armed force must have completed at least 25 years of distinguished service.

ECONOMY NEWS

Record Coal Production Achieved from Captive and Commercial Mines in FY 2025–26

• India recorded a coal production of 210.46 million tonnes from captive and commercial mines in FY 2025–26.

• This reflects a strong year-on-year growth of 10.22% in coal output.

• Coal dispatches also increased to 204.61 million tonnes, showing a growth of 7.35% compared to the previous year.

• The rise in production and dispatch was supported by improved operational efficiency, logistics management, and capacity expansion.

• Sustained growth has strengthened the sector’s ability to meet rising domestic energy demand.

• During the year, 12 captive and commercial coal blocks were operationalised through Mine Opening Permissions.

• This added an additional annual production capacity of over 86 million tonnes, expanding the mining base.

• The progress aligns with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, supported by policy reforms and faster approvals to reduce coal import dependence.