Current Affairs – March 22, 2026

{GS1 – Geo} Local Winds in India

Context (TOI): A nor’wester in Odisha, causing deaths and damage, highlights the intense, localised impact of local winds on weather, disasters, and livelihoods.

About Local Winds

Meaning: It is winds that blow over short distances and are influenced by local geographical features such as mountains, valleys, coastlines, and deserts.
Characteristics: They are temporary, predictable, and region-specific, formed due to differences in temperature and air pressure within a small area.

Factors Responsible for Local Winds

Differential Heating: Unequal heating of land and water creates pressure differences that drive winds. E.g., a sea breeze forms when cooler air moves from the sea to the land during the day.
Pressure Gradient: Air moves from high-pressure to low-pressure areas, determining wind flow. E.g., a land breeze occurs at night as air moves from cooler land to warmer sea.
Relief Features: Mountains and valleys influence wind direction and movement. E.g., Valley breeze flows uphill during the day in hilly regions.
Surface Characteristics: Land cover, like deserts, forests, and cities, affects heating and wind patterns. E.g., urban heat islands generate localised winds in cities such as Delhi.
Seasonal Changes: Seasonal temperature variations create region-specific winds. E.g, Loo blows as a hot, dry wind in North India during summer.

Formation of Local Winds

Temperature differences: Unequal heating creates pressure differences and local winds. E.g., Sea breeze–land breeze, Loo, Mango showers.
Topographic influence: Mountains and slopes modify airflow, producing upslope and downslope winds. E.g., Valley breeze, mountain breeze, Foehn-type winds, katabatic winds.
Urban effects: Cities act as heat islands and generate local air circulation. E.g., Local winds over Delhi and Mumbai.
Vegetation influence: Forested and cooled surfaces cause cold air drainage and local wind flow. E.g., Forest-valley winds in the Western Ghats and Himalayan valleys.

Anabatic: Upslope wind caused by daytime heating, where warm air rises along mountain slopes.
Katabatic: Downslope wind formed by cooled air flowing down mountains or valleys, usually at night.

Impact of Local Winds

Local winds significantly influence regional weather, shaping both beneficial conditions and adverse impacts on human life and livelihoods.

Positive Impacts

Climate Moderation: Local winds regulate temperature and provide relief from extreme heat. E.g., Sea breeze cools coastal cities like Mumbai.
Agricultural Benefits: They support crop growth, ripening, and seasonal cycles. E.g., Mango showers in Kerala aid mango ripening.
Rainfall Support: Help in bringing rainfall and maintaining local water cycles. E.g., Nor’westers bring pre-monsoon rains in eastern India.

Negative Impacts

Health Hazards: Extreme winds can adversely affect human health. E.g., Loo causes heatstroke and dehydration in North India.
Disaster Damage: Strong winds can damage life, property, and infrastructure. E.g., Aandhi leads to dust storms and destruction in northwestern India.
Agricultural Loss: Violent winds and storms can destroy crops. E.g., Nor’westers can damage standing crops in eastern India.

Local Winds in India

Loo: Hot, dry, dust-laden summer wind over north and north-western plains; causes heatwaves, heatstroke, and crop desiccation.
Mango Showers: Pre-monsoon convectional rain in south India; helps mango ripening and signals the approaching South-West Monsoon.
Nor’westers (Kal Baisakhi): Violent pre-monsoon thunderstorms in eastern India; bring hail, lightning, temporary relief, and crop damage.
Sea Breeze / Land Breeze: Coastal diurnal winds caused by differential heating of land and sea; moderate coastal temperatures.
Aandhi: Strong pre-monsoon dust storms in north-western India; reduce visibility and disrupt health and transport.
Foehn-like Winds: Warm, dry downslope winds on the leeward side of the Himalayas; raise temperature and accelerate snowmelt.
Katabatic Winds: Cold, dense downslope night winds in Himalayan regions; influence frost and local microclimate.

{GS1 – IS} India’s Demographic Transition

Context (TH): India is transitioning from a youthful, fast-growing population to an ageing, urbanised society, presenting both challenges and demographic opportunities by 2051.

Demographic Transition in India

Slower Growth: Population to rise from 1,355.8 million (2021) to 1,590.1 million (2051) at 0.5% annual growth, slowing expansion.
Falling Child Population: Pre-primary (0–4 years) numbers drop from 113.5 million (2021) to 8.6 million (2051), affecting school demand.
Education Shift: Government schools fall from 11.07 lakh (2014–15) to 10.18 lakh (2023–24); private schools rise from 2.88 lakh to 3.31 lakh.
Ageing Society: Elderly (60+) increase from 130.5 million (9.6%) to 325.3 million (20.5%), straining healthcare and social security.
Workforce Trends: Working-age population peaks at 1,009 million (65.5%) in 2041, then declines to 998.1 million (62.8%) in 2051, limiting the demographic dividend.

Opportunities for India

Education Reform: Shrinking pre-primary population from 113.5 million to 8.6 million (mid-century) improves teacher-student ratios and school resource use.
Healthcare Efficiency: Falling birth rates lower maternity care demand, enabling better resource allocation and quality in maternal health.
Gender Dividend: Declining working-age population after 2041 can be balanced by higher female workforce participation to boost productivity.
Silver Economy: Elderly population rising to 20.5% by 2051 offers opportunities in geriatric care and senior-focused services.

Implications of India’s Demographic Transition

Schooling Impact: Pre-primary population (0–4 years) to drop to 8.6 million by 2050, reducing demand for government schools.
Private Education: Growing preference for private schools (rose from 2.88 lakh to 3.31 lakh) reflects shifting education demand and quality expectations.
Workforce Decline: Working-age population peaks at 1,009 million (65.5%) in 2041, then declines to 998.1 million (62.8%) by 2051, shrinking the demographic dividend.
Policy Challenges: Median age rises to 40 years (2051), requiring reforms in healthcare, pensions, education, and skill development.

Key Challenges

Falling Child Population: Pre-primary population drops to 8.6 million, reducing school demand and affecting education planning.
Skill Gap: Youth lack skills and education to use India’s demographic advantage effectively.
Resource Pressure: Declining fertility and ageing require restructuring healthcare and social support systems.

Way Forward: Demographic Strategy

Education Upgrade: Strengthen skills and vocational training. E.g., PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana trained 1.64 crore youth.
Gender Inclusion: Boost women’s workforce participation, shown in rising roles in IT and healthcare sectors.
Geriatric Support: Expand elderly healthcare and pensions. E.g., Kerala’s senior care programs.
Silver Economy: Promote senior entrepreneurship and employment, inspired by Japan’s elder entrepreneurship initiatives.

{GS2 – Governance} AI-Powered Tax Governance in India

Context (TH): India is employing AI and data analytics to address its low tax-to-GDP ratio (16.36% between 2001 and 2022), and tax evasion losses (4.3% of revenue).

Key Initiatives for AI in Tax Governance

Project Insight: This platform, launched by the Income Tax Department in 2017, builds taxpayer profiles to detect high-risk evasion and boost compliance.
NUDGE Strategy: CBDT issues targeted, non-intrusive reminders (SMS or email) to promote voluntary correction of inaccurate filings.
ADVAIT Platform: CBIC’s analytics platform that tracks transactions, supply chains, and trade flows to detect fraudulent Input Tax Credit (ITC) claims.
Faceless Assessment: CBDT employs AI to automatically allocate cases across the country, minimising regional bias and human intervention.

Key Achievements of AI-Driven Tax Governance

Revenue Gains: AI-driven NUDGE campaigns generated over ₹11,000 crore revenue, prompting disclosures of foreign assets and virtual digital incomes.
Operational Efficiency: Automated processing has decreased operational delays and shortened refund timelines significantly.
Evasion Detection: AI models uncovered ₹70,000 crore in concealed restaurant sales through advanced data analysis.
GST Fraud Detection: AI systems detected about ₹8.86 lakh crore in GST evasion and Input Tax Credit (ITC) fraud during FY 2020–21 to FY 2024–25.

Key Challenges and Associated Risks

Governance Gaps: Opaque AI models and the absence of an ombudsperson limit transparency, making it difficult to contest automated risk assessments.
False Positives: AI systems can misread legitimate financial complexity as evasion, creating unnecessary compliance burdens for honest taxpayers.
Infrastructure Gaps: Integration with legacy systems challenges adoption for small businesses and rural users with limited digital literacy.
Algorithmic Bias: Models trained on past enforcement patterns may perpetuate socio-economic or regional biases in taxpayer scrutiny.
Cybersecurity Threats: Centralised taxpayer databases heighten the risk of data breaches and large–scale cyberattacks.

Way Forward

Institutional Oversight: Establish an AI Tax Ombudsperson to resolve disputes and ensure fair hearings.
AI Transparency: Mandate human-readable explanations for AI-generated risk flags for transparency and legal defensibility of automated assessments.
Algorithmic Audits: Mandate regular independent audits to identify bias and require authorities to keep AI decision logs for judicial review.
Privacy Safeguards: Ensure that algorithms’ tax data practices comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.

{GS2 – IR} Scientific Collaborations in BRICS

Context (TH): BRICS has emerged as a significant platform for scientific collaboration, advancing coordinated research and innovation among major emerging economies.

Evolution of Scientific Collaboration in BRICS

Strategic Birth: Brasilia MoU (2015) transitioned BRICS science cooperation from informal discussions to a formal institutional framework.
Funding Launch: STI Framework Programme (2016) introduced the virtual pot model and funded the first multilateral R&D grants among member states.
Commercial Pivot: Hangzhou Action Plan (2017) moved BRICS cooperation beyond academic research toward market-ready innovation and cross-border technology transfer.
Resource Pooling: Remote Sensing Agreement (2021) allowed BRICS members to use common scientific infrastructure (joint satellite constellation) for the first time.
Health Integration: Vaccine R&D Centre (2022) brought health security into BRICS cooperation by establishing a shared platform for pandemic preparedness.
Frontier Governance: Rio AI Declaration (2025) placed Artificial Intelligence at the core of BRICS cooperation to shape global standards in emerging technologies.

Virtual Pot: Each country funds its own researchers within a joint project rather than contributing to a centralised repository.
Eligibility: A research proposal must include partners from at least three BRICS member countries to qualify under the STI Framework Programme.

Key Scientific Initiatives under BRICS

Initiative / Platform	Domain	Core Function
iBRICS Network	Innovation & Startups	Connects science parks, incubators, and innovation hubs to provide soft-landing support for startups across BRICS markets.
Technology Transfer Centre	Commercialisation & IP	Supports patent navigation and cross-border commercialisation of intellectual property for startups and labs.
Institute of Future Networks	Telecommunications & ICT	Develops common standards for 5G, 6G, and industrial IoT technologies.
Energy Research Cooperation Platform	Sustainable Energy	Conducts joint research on hydrogen, smart grids, and renewable energy transition.
TB Research Network	Public Health	Aligns clinical protocols and diagnostics to combat tuberculosis and infectious diseases.
Astronomy Working Group	Fundamental Science	Integrates telescope data for joint deep-space observation and astrophysical mapping.
BRICS Network University	Higher Education	Enables joint research and academic exchanges across 11 thematic groups spanning energy, ICT, health, and ecology.
Young Scientist Forum	Human Capital	Connects researchers under 40 to address shared regional challenges.

Challenges in BRICS Scientific Collaboration

R&D Asymmetry: China’s dominant R&D expenditure creates uneven project leadership and structural financial dependency.
Institutional Fragmentation: The absence of a permanent central secretariat weakens long-term strategic planning and administrative coordination
Funding Disparity: The ‘virtual pot’ model exposes projects to domestic economic volatility, allowing funding disruptions in one member to stall multilateral initiatives.
Language Barriers: Limited shared scientific language beyond English hinders peer collaboration and the standardisation of technical documentation.
Valley of Death: Low commercialisation rates prevent the conversion of joint laboratory research into market-ready technological products

{GS3 – Envi} Blur over India’s Carbon Credit Plan

Context (TH): The ₹20,000 crore carbon credit programme announced in Union Budget 2026 has led to confusion over whether the scheme targets industrial decarbonisation or agricultural carbon markets.

Focus on Industrial Decarbonisation

The programme is based on the CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage) roadmap, which focuses on reducing emissions from hard-to-abate sectors such as power, steel, cement, refineries, & chemicals.
Exclusion of Agriculture: Agriculture is explicitly excluded from the CCUS because its emissions are biologically generated (methane & nitrous oxide), and unsuitable for point-source capture technologies.
CCUS & CDR: The policy distinguishes between CCUS (prevents new industrial emissions) & Carbon Dioxide Removal, where agriculture contributes through soil carbon sequestration & agroforestry.
Policy Gap: While India has a clear strategy for industrial decarbonisation, it lacks a structured national framework for carbon farming.

Carbon Capture, Utilisation & Storage (CCUS)

CCUS involves capturing CO₂ emissions from industrial sources and either utilising them or storing them underground to prevent atmospheric release.
It is mainly applied in hard-to-abate sectors like power, steel, cement, refineries, and chemicals and helps in reducing industrial emissions and is crucial for achieving net-zero climate targets.
The process includes three stages; capture (from flue gases), utilisation (industrial use), and storage (geological formations).

Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) refers to processes that remove CO₂ from the atmosphere and store it for long periods to reduce global warming.
It includes methods like afforestation, soil carbon sequestration, biochar, & direct air capture technologies.

Way Forward for India’s Climate Strategy

Adopt a dual approach (“smokestack and soil”) by simultaneously promoting industrial decarbonisation and agricultural carbon sequestration through carbon farming.
Strengthen policy and regulatory framework by creating clear guidelines, carbon pricing mechanisms, and long-term storage liability norms.
Develop a dedicated carbon farming framework to enable farmers to participate in carbon markets and generate additional income through sustainable practices.
Promote investment, innovation, and public–private partnerships in both clean technologies and nature-based solutions to accelerate climate action.

{GS3 – Infra} Rising Power Demand in India

Context (IE): AI, data centres, & EVs are expected to increase India’s peak power demand by additional 30 GW in the next 5–6 years.

India’s peak power demand reached around 250 GW in FY25, reflecting rising electricity consumption.
Future Projection: India’s peak power demand is expected to rise to ~459 GW by FY36, reflecting rapid economic and digital growth.
Capacity Expansion: India’s installed power capacity is projected to grow to ~1,121 GW by FY36, with a major share from non-fossil fuel sources.

Peak demand

Peak demand is the maximum electricity load recorded at a specific moment during a day or given period; occurs for a brief period, often during high usage times.
It is crucial for power generation and grid planning to ensure uninterrupted supply.
Influenced by factors such as weather, economic activity, urbanisation, & technologies like AI & EVs.

Role of AI & Data Centres in Power Demand

AI systems & data centres require continuous, high-intensity computing, leading to significant electricity consumption.
Growth of digital economy, cloud services, AI applications, and data storage is accelerating the expansion of data centres, increasing power demand.

Challenges in Meeting India’s Rising Power Demand

Infrastructure Gaps: Need for massive expansion in generation, transmission, and distribution networks to meet future demand.
High Investment Requirement: Energy transition and capacity expansion demand ~$2.2 trillion investment, posing financing challenges.
Grid Stability Issues: Managing fluctuating demand and integrating variable renewable energy creates frequency and reliability challenges.
Dependence on Thermal Power: Despite RE growth, thermal power remains essential for baseload, complicating clean energy transition.
Global Climate Pressure: Mechanisms like Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) challenge carbon-intensive industries, requiring cleaner energy adoption.

CBAM is a policy tool of EU that imposes a carbon price on imports based on their emissions, ensuring foreign producers face similar climate costs as domestic ones preventing “carbon leakage.”

Role of Renewable Energy

Cost Competitiveness: Renewable energy (RE) is emerging as the most viable option to reduce long-term power costs, improving affordability for consumers and industries.
Manufacturing Boost: Clean and affordable RE is crucial for enhancing the global competitiveness of Indian manufacturing, especially amid rising exports.
Climate Compliance: Adoption of RE helps industries meet low/zero-emission standards, essential to tackle global regulations like CBAM.
Energy Transition Driver: RE is at the core of India’s energy transition, supporting the shift from fossil fuels to sustainable energy systems.
Capacity Expansion Focus: A major share of future installed capacity (~786 GW by FY36) is expected from non-fossil fuel sources.

Schemes & Initiatives to Promote Energy Infrastructure in India

Integrated Power Development Scheme: Focuses on strengthening urban power distribution networks, reducing losses, and improving reliability.
Green Energy Corridor (GEC): Develops transmission infrastructure for renewable energy, enabling evacuation from RE-rich states.
National Smart Grid Mission: Promotes smart grid technologies, digital monitoring, and efficient electricity management.
PM-KUSUM: Supports solar pumps and decentralised solar plants, reducing grid burden and promoting clean energy.
PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana: Launched in February 2024; targets rooftop solar installations in 1 crore households by FY 2026–27.
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) for Solar Modules: Encourages domestic manufacturing of solar PV modules, strengthening energy self-reliance.
Small Hydro Power Development Scheme: Supports small hydro projects, especially in hilly and North-Eastern regions for clean energy expansion.

{GS3 – Infra} Government Raises FASTag Pass Fee and Enforces Toll Compliance

Context (HT | NOA): National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has increased the FASTag Annual Pass fee from ₹3,000 to ₹3,075 for FY 2026–27.

Toll Enforcement: Government also notified the National Highways Fee Rules, 2026, creating a structured e-notice system to recover unpaid user fees.
- It mandates integration of National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) with the VAHAN database for seamless vehicle identification and enforcement.

About FASTag Annual Pass

FASTag Annual Pass, introduced in 2025, is a prepaid toll facility providing seamless, faster, and cost-effective travel for frequent highway users.
The pass is non-transferable and valid for one year or 200 toll crossings, whichever comes first.
Nodal Agency: NHAI and Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) operate the pass under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
Scope: The pass is valid only for private non-commercial vehicles. It does not cover state highways, private expressways, or municipal toll plazas.

FASTag

It was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) program.
It utilises Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to automatically deduct toll charges as vehicles pass through toll plazas without stopping.

Read More > One Vehicle, One FASTag

{Prelims – Eco} Government Amends Rules for Captive Generating Plants

Context (TH): Ministry of Power clarified ownership norms for captive power-generating plants through the Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2026.

The revised rules specify that ownership includes holding companies, subsidiaries, and co-subsidiaries.

About Captive Power Generating Plants

A captive power generation plant is an electricity production facility established by an entity mainly for its own consumption.
Criteria: Captive users must hold a minimum of 26% ownership and consume at least 51% of the total electricity generated annually.
Significance: They lower supply risks and electricity cost volatility for energy-intensive sectors such as steel, aluminium, cement, and data centres.

{Prelims – Festivals} Mizoram’s Chapchar Kut festival

Context (NOA): Mizoram recently celebrated the Chapchar Kut festival in Aizawl.

Chapchar Kut is Mizoram’s biggest spring festival and is widely known as the Mizo ‘festival of joy’.
It is celebrated every year in March to mark the completion of jungle clearing for Jhum cultivation.
History & Revival: The festival began in the 15^th century, declined under colonial influence, and was revived in 1973 as a secular celebration.
Cultural Dance: Festivities prominently feature the Cheraw dance, a traditional bamboo dance performed in vibrant ethnic attire.
Traditional Attire: Participants wear colourful, handwoven costumes and headgear, with men in traditional wrap-arounds (Puan), and women in Mizo skirts.

{Prelims – In News} Purple Fest 2026

Context (PIB): Rashtrapati Bhavan hosted Purple Fest 2026 to celebrate the talent, achievements, and aspirations of Divyangjan.

Organising Body: Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, organised it.
Symbolism: The colour purple represents dignity and independence in global disability rights movement.
Significance: It highlighted India’s rights-based approach to Divyangjan empowerment, recognising them as equal partners in the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

{Prelims – Infra} Government Directive to Airlines on Free of Charge Seat Allocation

Context (TH): Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) instructed airlines to keep at least 60% of seats free from seat selection charges.

Key Directives: Airlines must seat passengers under the same Passenger Name Record (PNR) together and have transparent policies for sports equipment, instruments, and pets.
Rights Enforcement: It also mandated strict adherence to passenger rights regulations during delays, cancellations, and denied boarding.
Significance: The directive strengthens consumer protection by reducing hidden charges and making essential airline services more transparent and accessible.

DGCA, under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is the main regulator overseeing aviation safety and air regulations. It operates as a statutory body under Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024.