IMPORTANT DAYS

National Safety Day – 4 March

• National Safety Day is observed every year on 4 March to promote workplace safety and accident prevention.

• The day was first celebrated in 1972 on the foundation day of the National Safety Council of India.

• India is observing the 55th National Safety Week, highlighting awareness about safety practices in industries.

• The 2026 theme is “Engage, Educate, and Empower People to Enhance Safety.”

• The National Safety Day Campaign is organised annually by the NSC, which marks its foundation day on 4 March 1966.

• The National Safety Council was established by the Ministry of Labour and Employment as a self-financing, non-government organisation.

• In 2000, the NSC was registered as a public trust under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950.

• The council is headquartered in Navi Mumbai and works to promote safety, health and environmental awareness.

176th Foundation Day of Geological Survey of India

• The Geological Survey of India celebrated its 176th Foundation Day on 4 March 2026.

• The occasion highlighted the organisation’s long-standing role in India’s geological and scientific development.

• The commemorative programme was organised in Hyderabad.

• Vijay V. Mughal appreciated the institution’s contributions to mineral exploration and geoscience research.

• Former Director General M. Sridhar spoke about the organisation’s historical evolution and achievements.

• The GSI is regarded as the second oldest geological institution in the world.

• It continues to play an important role in geoscientific research and natural resource development in India.

• Established in 1851, the organisation functions under the Ministry of Mines and is headquartered in Kolkata.

NATIONAL NEWS

Government Targets Reduction of Logistics Cost to 10% by 2030

• Pralhad Joshi stated that India aims to reduce logistics costs to 10% by 2030 to support national development.

• The statement was made during the 70th Foundation Day celebration of Central Warehousing Corporation in New Delhi.

• He highlighted that the warehousing and logistics sector plays a crucial role in India’s economic growth.

• The Indian warehousing market is expected to grow at around 15% annually.

• The sector’s market value is projected to reach about US$35 billion by 2027.

• Growth is largely driven by the rapid expansion of e-commerce and organised retail.

• The minister appreciated the contribution of CWC in strengthening India’s logistics ecosystem.

• Currently, CWC operates 953 warehouses with a storage capacity of about 16.1 million metric tonnes.

PM Narendra Modi Becomes Most Followed World Leader on Social Media

• Narendra Modi has crossed 30 million subscribers on YouTube, becoming the most followed world leader on the platform.

• Former Jair Bolsonaro ranks second with over 6 million subscribers.

• Modi has over seven times more YouTube subscribers than Donald Trump.

• On Instagram, Modi has also become the most followed world leader with about 100 million followers.

• He is the first world leader and politician to reach the 100 million follower milestone on Instagram.

• His Instagram following is more than double that of Donald Trump, who has around 43.2 million followers.

• The next five most-followed world leaders combined still have fewer followers than Modi alone.

• Among Indian leaders, Yogi Adityanath ranks second with about 16.1 million Instagram followers.

AWARDS

Indian Women’s Cricket Team Nominated for Laureus World Team of the Year 2026

• The India women's national cricket team has been nominated for the Laureus World Team of the Year Award in 2026.

• The nomination was confirmed by Laureus World Sports Academy.

• This marks the first time a women’s cricket team has been nominated in this prestigious category.

• The recognition follows their historic victory in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025.

• During the tournament, the team achieved the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history in the semi-final against Australia women's national cricket team.

• The team is led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

• Other nominees include teams such as the England women's national football team, Paris Saint-Germain, and McLaren Formula One Team.

• Indian sportspersons previously nominated in Laureus categories include Vinesh Phogat, Neeraj Chopra, and Rishabh Pant.

SPORTS

Logo of Cycling League of India Unveiled

• The logo of the Cycling League of India was unveiled on 5 March by Mansukh Mandaviya.

• The league is described as the world’s first franchise-based road cycling league, marking a major step for professional cycling in India.

• The initiative aims to build a professional ecosystem, nurture cycling talent and attract global sporting attention.

• The competition will feature eight city or region-based franchises, with ten cyclists in each team.

• Every team will include two international riders and two junior cyclists to encourage global participation and youth development.

• The tournament will be organised in three structured phases leading to a grand finale.

• Multiple race formats such as criterium races, team time trials, and mass start events will be part of the league.

• The initiative follows the growing popularity of professional cycling events like the Pune Grand Tour, recognised as one of the largest UCI 2.2 stage races.

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

Digital Tools and Mascots Unveiled for Census 2027

• Amit Shah soft-launched four digital tools in New Delhi on 5 March for the upcoming Census 2027.

• The mascots “Pragati” and “Vikas” were unveiled, representing equal participation of women and men in the census process.

• The digital platforms introduced include House Listing Block Creator Web Application, HLO Mobile App, Self-Enumeration Portal, and Census Management & Monitoring System Portal.

• These tools have been developed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing to support nationwide enumeration.

• The Government had earlier announced the census through a Gazette Notification on 16 June, formally initiating preparations.

• Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases and is considered the largest population enumeration exercise in the world.

• For the first time, the entire census process will be carried out digitally, marking a major shift in data collection methods.

• Citizens will also have the Self-Enumeration option, while over 30 lakh enumerators and officials will conduct door-to-door data collection using secure mobile applications.

Biometric Update Drive Conducted for Aadhaar in Schools

• The Unique Identification Authority of India carried out biometric update activities in over 1.03 lakh schools across India.

• The initiative helped around 12 million students complete their mandatory biometric updates linked to Aadhaar.

• The campaign targeted school children who are required to update their biometrics after a certain age.

• Information about the initiative was shared by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

• Biometric updates were conducted directly on school campuses, making the process easier for students.

• This system eliminated the need for children to visit Aadhaar enrolment centres.

• About 4,000 biometric devices are currently being used to carry out these updates on a large scale.

• The mission-mode biometric update campaign was launched by UIDAI in September last year, specifically focusing on school students.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

Raisina Dialogue 2026 Inaugurated in New Delhi

• The 11th edition of Raisina Dialogue> 2026 was inaugurated on 5 March in New Delhi by Narendra Modi.

• The dialogue is being held from 5–7 March 2026 as India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics.

• Alexander Stubb attended the inaugural session as the Chief Guest.

• The event witnessed participation from representatives of about 110 countries, including ministers, former heads of state, parliamentarians, military leaders and industry experts.

• The theme for 2026 is “Saṁskāra – Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement.”

• Global leaders and policy experts are engaging in multiple discussion formats over three days.

• Deliberations are organised across six thematic pillars addressing major global political and economic challenges.

• Key discussion themes include global power dynamics, climate challenges, technological transformation, international trade, and progress toward Agenda 2030.