Daily Current Affairs Quiz 8th April, 2026

Q: In April 2026, which IAS officer assumed charge as Secretary of the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers?

In April 2026, Tejveer Singh assumed charge as Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC).

Daily Current Affairs: 9 April, 2026

Q1. In April 2026, which IAS officer assumed charge as Secretary of the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers?

(a) Rajiv Gauba

(b) Tejveer Singh

(d) Amitabh Kant

(e) Anurag Jain

Answer: b

Solution:

In April 2026, Tejveer Singh assumed charge as Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC).
He is an IAS officer of the 1994 batch (Punjab cadre).
The Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals functions under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

Q2. The second edition of the report “From Borrowers to Builders: Women and India’s Evolving Credit Market”, released in April 2026 under the aegis of the NITI Aayog, provides key insights into women’s participation in India’s credit ecosystem. Which of the following organizations developed this report?

(a) Reserve Bank of India and NABARD

(b) TransUnion CIBIL and MicroSave Consulting

(d) SEBI and IRDAI

(e) Ministry of Finance and SIDBI

Answer: b

Solution:

The CEO of NITI Aayog released the second edition of the report “From Borrowers to Builders: Women and India’s Evolving Credit Market” on 7 April 2026 in New Delhi.
The report was prepared under the aegis of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP), with contributions from TransUnion CIBIL and MicroSave Consulting.

Key Findings of the Report:

Women borrowers in India currently hold a credit portfolio of ₹76 lakh crore, accounting for 26% of total system credit.
Women’s credit exposure has increased 4.8 times since 2017, reflecting a shift from access-led inclusion to progression-led participation in the formal credit ecosystem.
Between December 2017 and December 2025:
- The number of credit-active women borrowers grew at a CAGR of 9%
- Credit penetration among women increased from 19% to 36%
Total outstanding credit to women rose significantly from ₹16 lakh crore in 2017 to ₹76 lakh crore in 2025.
With nearly 45 crore credit-eligible women, there remains substantial potential for further expansion.

Sectoral Trends:

Growth has been particularly strong in commercial credit, where:
- Credit to women business borrowers grew at a CAGR of 31% (2022–2025)
- This compares with 17% growth in overall commercial credit
There is a gradual shift among microfinance borrowers:
- Around 19% of active MFI borrowers now also hold individual retail or commercial loans

Geographical and Product Trends:

The geographical spread of women’s credit is expanding, with northern states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh showing notable growth alongside southern and western regions.
Personal loans and gold loans remain the most commonly accessed credit products.

Q3. Mission MITRA, launched in April 2026, is an initiative aimed at studying human performance under extreme conditions similar to space. Which organization launched this mission?

(a) DRDO

(b) NASA

(d) ISRO

(e) IN-SPACe

Answer: d

Solution:

In April 2026, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched Mission MITRA in Ladakh to assess the mental and physical endurance of astronauts.
Mission MITRA (Mapping of Interoperable Traits and Response Assessment) is a first-of-its-kind team behavioural study developed by ISRO in collaboration with the IAF–Institute of Aerospace Medicine.
The primary objective of the mission is to examine the physiological, psychological, and operational dynamics of astronauts (Gaganyatris) and ground teams working in extreme high-altitude conditions.
The mission is being conducted in Leh, located in Ladakh, which provides a challenging environment with low oxygen levels, extreme cold, and isolation.
These conditions closely simulate space-like environments, making Ladakh an ideal terrestrial analogue for space missions.
The mission focuses on understanding human behaviour, performance, and team dynamics under stressful and isolated conditions similar to spaceflight.

Q4. In the latest bi-monthly monetary policy announced in April 2026 by the Reserve Bank of India, the Monetary Policy Committee decided to keep key policy rates unchanged to balance growth and inflation. In this context, what is the current Bank Rate?

(a) 5.00%

(b) 5.25%

(d) 5.75%

(e) 6.00%

Answer: c

Solution:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25% in its first bi-monthly monetary policy of FY 2026–27.
Sanjay Malhotra, Governor of RBI, announced on 8 April 2026 that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously decided to maintain the policy rate with a neutral stance.
Key Policy Rate:
- The Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate remains at 5.00%
- The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate remain at 5.50%
The bi-monthly MPC meeting commenced earlier in the week under the chairmanship of the RBI Governor.
The MPC has projected GDP growth at 7.6% for the previous financial year.
For the current financial year, GDP growth is estimated at 6.9%.
The RBI has projected Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 4.6% for the current fiscal year.

Q5. Indian shooters Palak Gulia and Mukesh Nelavalli recently created a new junior world record at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol in April 2026. In which event did they win the gold medal?

(a) 10m air rifle mixed team

(b) 25m pistol event

(d) 50m rifle prone

(e) Skeet mixed team

Answer: c

Solution:

Indian shooters Palak Gulia and Mukesh Nelavalli won the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup Rifle / Pistol Granada 2026 on 7 April 2026.
The Indian duo set a new junior world record with a total score of 487.7 points in the final.
They surpassed the previous record of 481.3 points, which was held by Uzbekistan’s Nigina Saidkulova and Mukhammad Kamalov at the Asian Shooting Championships held in New Delhi earlier in 2026.
Individually, Palak Gulia scored 243.0 points, while Mukesh Nelavalli scored 244.7 points.
This achievement marks Mukesh Nelavalli’s first-ever medal at the ISSF World Cup level.

Q6. Regarding the financial structure of the Kalai-II Hydro Electric Project, which specific amount has been sanctioned by the Government of India as Central Financial Assistance (CFA) specifically to cover the equity share of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh?

(a) ₹599.88 crore

(b) ₹14,105.83 crore

(d) ₹4,852.95 crore

(e) ₹750.00 crore

Answer: e

Solution:

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Narendra Modi, has approved an investment of ₹14,105.83 crore for the construction of the Kalai-II Hydro Electric Project (HEP).
The project will be developed on the Lohit River in Anjaw District, Arunachal Pradesh, with an estimated completion period of 78 months.
The Kalai-II project will have an installed capacity of 1200 MW (6 × 190 MW and 1 × 60 MW) and is expected to generate around 4852.95 million units (MU) of electricity annually.
As the first hydroelectric project in the Lohit Basin, it will strengthen the state’s power supply, support peak demand management, and contribute to balancing the national power grid.
The project will be implemented through a joint venture between THDC India Limited and the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Government of India will provide ₹599.88 crore as budgetary support for enabling infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and transmission lines, along with ₹750 crore as Central Financial Assistance towards the state’s equity share.
The state will receive 12% free power and an additional 1% allocated to the Local Area Development Fund (LADF).