Daily Current Affairs Quiz 16th March 2026 Check Important Questions Here

Practice Current Affairs Quiz to stay updated with national, international, economic, and banking news. This quiz is based on the previous day’s current affairs and is designed to boost your exam readiness, improve speed and accuracy, strengthen memory, and build confidence for competitive exams and interviews.

Q1. The Government of India has expanded the inland water transport network by declaring a new national waterway along an important river in northern India. Which river has been declared National Waterway-98 (NW-98)?

(a) Beas River
(b) Ravi River
(c) Sutlej River
(d) Chenab River
(e) Jhelum River

Answer: c

Solution:

• The Sutlej River has been declared National Waterway-98 (NW-98).
• The waterway stretch runs from the bridge at Sunni in Himachal Pradesh to the Harike Barrage in Punjab.
• The declared waterway also passes through the Rupnagar District.
• A feasibility study of National Waterway-98 is currently underway to evaluate its navigability and potential for inland water transport.
• The study report is expected to be submitted by May 2026.

Q2. Agrinnovate India Limited, which functions as the commercial arm of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), plays a key role in commercializing agricultural technologies and innovations developed by research institutions in India. In which year was Agrinnovate India Limited established?

(a) 2008

(b) 2009

(c) 2010

(d) 2011

(e) 2012

Answer: d

Solution:

• Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was presented with a dividend of ₹3,39,97,362 for the financial year 2024–25 by Agrinnovate India Limited in New Delhi.
• The dividend distribution was made in accordance with the guidelines of the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).
• Agrinnovate India Limited, established in 2011, functions as the commercial arm of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• The organisation operates under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), which is part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India.
• The main objective of Agrinnovate India Ltd. is to commercialise agricultural research, technologies, and innovations, enabling their practical use for the benefit of farmers, startups, and entrepreneurs.

Q3. India’s digital infrastructure has witnessed rapid growth in recent years, with data centre capacity expanding significantly to support cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital services. What was the approximate total data centre capacity in India by 2025?

(a) 750 MW

(b) 1000 MW

(c) 1200 MW

(d) 2000 MW

(e) 1500 MW

Answer: e

Solution:

• The data centre industry in India has been witnessing steady growth, with the total data centre capacity increasing from about 375 MW in 2020 to around 1,500 MW by 2025.
• To support the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country, around 38,231 GPUs have been onboarded through 14 empanelled service providers and data centres under the AI compute capacity framework.
• These GPU resources are being made available to startups, researchers, academic institutions, and other eligible users at a subsidised average rate of about ₹65 per hour, which is roughly one-third of the global average cost.
• The major data centre hubs in India are located in cities such as Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Noida, and Jamnagar.
• The government is actively addressing the infrastructure requirements of the data centre ecosystem, including the availability of reliable electricity and water resources.

Q4. The International Day of Action for Rivers focuses on protecting river ecosystems and the communities dependent on them. What is the theme for the International Day of Action for Rivers 2026?

(a) Rivers for Sustainable Development
(b) Water for All
(c) Protect Rivers, Protect People
(d) Save Rivers, Save Earth
(e) Rivers for Climate Action

Answer: c

Solution:

• The International Day of Action for Rivers (IDAR) is observed every year on 14 March to raise awareness about the importance of river systems and the need to protect them.
• The day was established during the First International Meeting of People Affected by Dams, held in March 1997 in Curitiba, Brazil.
• During this meeting, representatives from 20 countries adopted the International Day of Action Against Dams and For Rivers, Water, and Life.
• It was decided that the observance would take place on 14 March, inspired by Brazil’s Day of Action Against Large Dams.
• The day highlights the importance of protecting rivers, water resources, and the rights of communities affected by dam projects.
• The theme for International Day of Action for Rivers 2026 is “Protect Rivers, Protect People.”

Q5. In In a major initiative to strengthen rural digital service ecosystems, the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Initiative was launched with the inauguration of a Samriddhi Kendra in Umri village in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh. The initiative is being implemented by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in partnership with which non-profit organization for field operations and community mobilisation?

(a) Pratham Education Foundation

(b) Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF)

(c) Sulabh International

(d) NASSCOM Foundation

(e) Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Answer: b

Solution:

• Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, inaugurated the Samriddhi Kendra, an Integrated Phygital (Physical + Digital) Service Centre, at Umri village in Guna district, Madhya Pradesh, on 14 March 2026.
• The centre has been launched under the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Initiative of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• The Umri centre is part of a broader pilot project that also includes Narakoduru village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh and Chaurawala village in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh.
• These pilot locations represent different demographic profiles, with each Samriddhi Kendra designed to serve several surrounding villages within a 5 km radius.
• The initiative is being implemented by the Department of Telecommunications with support from the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), which acts as the field operations and community mobilisation partner.
• The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot aims to provide valuable insights into how integrated service delivery models can be developed using BharatNet connectivity.
• The project is expected to become a replicable model for strengthening rural digital service ecosystems, combining digital connectivity, service delivery platforms, and community participation.