Daily Current Affairs: 15 April, 2026
Q1. The Government of India has notified the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) with a corpus of ₹10,000 crore. Over which specific fiscal periods or cycles are the commitments to eligible Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) intended to be spread?
(a) 14th and 15th Finance Commission cycles
(b) 15th and 16th Finance Commission cycles
(c) 16th and 17th Finance Commission cycles
(d) 17th and 18th Finance Commission cycles
(e) Annually over the next ten consecutive union budgets
Answer: c
Solution:
- The Government of India has notified the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) with a total corpus of ₹10,000 crore.
- The fund aims to mobilize venture and growth capital for strengthening India’s startup ecosystem.
- FoF 2.0 builds upon the success of the earlier Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS 1.0) launched in 2016 under the Startup India Action Plan.
- The corpus of ₹10,000 crore will be committed to eligible Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) over the 16th and 17th Finance Commission cycles.
- The investments will focus on priority areas such as deep-tech startups, early-stage ventures supported by smaller AIFs, technology-driven manufacturing startups, and other innovative enterprises.
- The scheme follows a structured selection process for AIFs through a Venture Capital Investment Committee (VCIC) comprising experienced members from the startup ecosystem.
- It includes robust monitoring and oversight mechanisms, along with the formation of an Empowered Committee (EC) to supervise implementation and performance.
- The scheme also provides for co-investment opportunities by the government and institutional investors under a well-defined governance framework.
- The operational guidelines and composition of VCIC will be issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
Q2. The e-SafeHER initiative is anchored under which specific programme of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)?
(a) Digital India Bhashini
(b) Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA)
(c) Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA)
(d) Cyber Surakshit Bharat
(e) National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS)
Answer: b
Solution:
- On 13 April 2026, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, Hyderabad, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in collaboration with Reliance Foundation, launched the e-SafeHER programme.
- e-SafeHER is a cybersecurity awareness training initiative aimed at empowering one million women in rural India to safely and confidently participate in the digital ecosystem.
- The initiative is implemented under MeitY’s Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) programme, with C-DAC Hyderabad developing training content and materials.
- Reliance Foundation will facilitate outreach and dissemination across rural areas, particularly through women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
- The programme focuses on strengthening last-mile cybersecurity awareness, especially among women increasingly using digital platforms for financial transactions, livelihoods, and essential services.
Q3. Recently, in April, 2026, The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently launched a mobile application to streamline clinical workflows. Which premier research body in India was responsible for the development of this application?
(a) AIIMS Delhi
(b) National Health Authority (NHA)
(c) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
(d) Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC)
(e) Medical Council of India (MCI)
Answer: c
Solution:
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched a dedicated mobile application to strengthen primary healthcare delivery and enhance digital health services.
- The application is designed to support Community Health Officers (CHOs) by streamlining their clinical workflow across the country.
- It has been developed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
- The app functions as a comprehensive clinical decision-support and job-aid tool for CHOs working at Sub-Centre Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (SC-AAMs).
- It is aligned with the 12 service packages under Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC).
- The application provides structured clinical workflows, acting as quick-reference checklists for managing outpatient cases.
Q4. According to official data released in April 2026, India’s retail inflation witnessed a slight increase compared to the previous month while remaining within the central bank’s tolerance band. What was India’s retail inflation rate in March 2026?
(a) 3.11%
(b) 3.21%
(c) 3.6%
(d) 3.4%
(e) 3.87%
Answer: d
Solution:
- Retail inflation in India increased to 4% in March 2026, up from 3.21% in February 2026.
- The data was released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
- Rural inflation rose to 63%, while urban inflation increased to 3.11%.
- The food inflation rate, based on the All India Consumer Food Price Index, stood at 87% in March 2026, compared to 3.47% in February 2026.
- Despite global volatility in energy markets, particularly due to developments in West Asia, inflation in India remained relatively stable.
Q5. In April 2026, the Indian Army undertook its first-ever blue-water sailing expedition as part of a significant regimental milestone celebration. What is the name of this expedition?
(a) Samudra Vijay
(b) Samudra Sahas
(c) Sagar Shakti
(d) Blue Horizon
(e) Ocean Quest
Answer: b
Solution:
- The Indian Army flagged off its first blue-water sailing expedition, “Samudra Sahas”, on 13 April 2026.
- The expedition commenced from Marve, located in Mumbai.
- The initiative is part of the bicentenary celebrations of the Regiment of Artillery.
- The expedition will cover approximately 520 nautical miles along the Konkan coast.
- The route includes sailing from Mumbai to Vijaydurg and Goa, and back, in four stages.
- The team is using 21-foot Seabird class sailing boats for the expedition.
- Participants will sail around 7 nautical miles offshore, navigating diverse wind and sea conditions.
Q6. In a significant initiative to enhance public access to scientific knowledge, an AI-based platform named SARAL AI is being developed to convert complex research publications into simplified social media content across multiple Indian languages. Which organization is developing the SARAL AI platform?
(a) NITI Aayog
(b) ISRO
(c) Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)
(d) CSIR
(e) DRDO
Answer: c
Solution:
- In April, 2026, Jitendra Singh announced that the Anusandhan National Research Foundation is developing an AI-based platform named SARAL AI.
- The platform aims to convert complex research and technological content into simplified formats for wider public understanding.
- SARAL AI will transform research publications into easy-to-understand social media content, including podcasts and short videos.
- The content will be made available in 18 Indian languages, ensuring broader accessibility across diverse regions.
- The initiative seeks to promote science communication and knowledge dissemination among the general public.
Q7. In 2026, Puthandu is observed on April 14th. By what other name is this traditional Tamil New Year festival commonly referred to in the state of Tamil Nadu?
(a) Pongal
(c) Karthigai Deepam
(d) Onam
(d) Baisakhi
(e) Varusha Pirappu
Answer: e
Solution:
- Narendra Modi extended his best wishes on the occasion of Puthandu.
- Puthandu, also known as the Tamil New Year, marks the beginning of the Tamil calendar and is celebrated with great joy, especially in Tamil Nadu.
- The festival is also referred to as Varusha Pirappu and is observed on the first day of the Tamil month Chithirai.
- In 2026, Puthandu is celebrated on 14 April, with the Sankranti moment occurring at 9:39 AM.
- The festival has ancient origins rooted in Tamil culture and astronomy.
- It follows the solar calendar, marking the transition of the Sun into the zodiac sign Aries (Mesha), which signifies the beginning of a new year in several Indian traditions.
Q8. In April 2026, the prominent fintech firm Cashfree Payments announced a top-level executive appointment. Who has been named the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company?
(a) Akash Tripathi
(b) Sameer Gandhi
(c) Reeju Datta
(d) Akash Sinha
(e) Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Answer: b
Solution:
- In April 2026, Cashfree Payments appointed Sameer Gandhi as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
- Sameer Gandhi brings over two decades of experience from global financial institutions.
- His appointment is expected to strengthen the company’s financial strategy, governance, and growth trajectory.


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