Daily Current Affairs- 14th March 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 14th March 2026

Health Ministry Grants Lifetime Validity to FSSAI Licences, Ends Dual Licensing for Street Food Vendors

In the News:  The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved a set of major regulatory and procedural reforms under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) aimed at improving ease of doing business while maintaining strong food safety standards. The reforms — finalised after consultations with states, union territories, and industry stakeholders — are in line with the recommendations of the high-level committee on non-financial regulatory reforms constituted by NITI Aayog. Key changes include perpetual validity of FSSAI registrations, revised turnover thresholds, and automatic FSSAI registration for street food vendors.

Key Points:

• Background: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare approved major FSSAI regulatory reforms after detailed consultations with states, UTs, and industry stakeholders. The reforms align with NITI Aayog's high-level committee on non-financial regulatory reforms.
• Perpetual Validity of Licences: The most significant reform introduces perpetual validity for all FSSAI registrations and licences, eliminating the need for periodic renewals. This reduces compliance costs, paperwork, and repeated interactions with licensing authorities for food business operators.
• Regulatory Focus Shift: With renewal burdens removed, FSSAI and regulatory agencies can now focus more on monitoring, enforcement, and capacity-building activities rather than administrative processing.
• Revised Turnover Thresholds (from 1 April 2026): Businesses with annual turnover up to Rs 1.5 crore will only need basic registration (earlier limit: Rs 12 lakh). Turnover up to Rs 50 crore falls under state licensing; above Rs 50 crore requires central licensing.
• About FSSAI: FSSAI is India's apex food regulatory body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. It is responsible for setting food safety standards, licensing food businesses, and enforcing food safety regulations across India.
• Ease of Doing Business: These reforms are part of India's broader push to improve ease of doing business by reducing regulatory burden, cutting compliance costs, and simplifying licensing processes across sectors.
• Street Vendors Act, 2014: The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, provides for regulation of street vending and protection of vendors' livelihoods. Its linkage with FSSAI registration under the new reforms reduces duplication across regulatory frameworks.

Fiscal Health Index 2026

In the News:  Recently, NITI Aayog released the second edition of the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2026 for Financial Year 2023-24. The index evaluates the fiscal performance of Indian states across five pillars and, for the first time, expands coverage to include 10 North-Eastern and Himalayan states in addition to the 18 General Category States. The report gains significance amid global public debt surging to approximately USD 102 trillion in 2024.

Key Points:

• About FHI: The Fiscal Health Index is a comprehensive framework developed by NITI Aayog to assess and compare the fiscal performance of Indian states. It uses CAG-verified data to guide reforms, enable peer benchmarking, and encourage evidence-based policymaking.
• Five Pillars: The index evaluates states on: (1) Quality of Expenditure, (2) Revenue Mobilisation, (3) Fiscal Prudence, (4) Debt Index, and (5) Debt Sustainability — retained from the first edition.
• Expanded Coverage: The second edition expands from 18 General Category States to also include 10 NE and Himalayan states, ranked separately with refined sub-indicators reflecting geographic remoteness, sparse population, limited own-revenue capacity, and heavy dependence on Union transfers.
• Achievers — General Category: Odisha, Goa, and Jharkhand are top performers — characterised by own-tax shares above 60%, capital outlay ~4-5% of GSDP, fiscal deficits below 3% of GSDP, and debt levels under 25% of GSDP.
• Front-Runners: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka maintain low debt levels and sustainable fiscal patterns.
• Performers: Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan. Bihar improved from Aspirational to Performer; Karnataka and Telangana slipped from Front-Runner to Performer.
• NE & Himalayan Rankings: Achievers: Arunachal Pradesh (1st — fiscal surpluses, strong expenditure quality), Uttarakhand. Performers: Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura. Aspirational: Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland — debt at 40-50% of GSDP.

As Centre revokes Sonam Wangchuk's NSA detention, a look at why Ladakh is seeking Sixth Schedule protections

In the News:  The Union government has revoked the detention of activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA), nearly six months after his arrest on 26 September 2025, in connection with violent protests in Leh in which four people were killed. The development has renewed focus on Ladakh's long-standing demand for Sixth Schedule protections, statehood, and greater democratic representation — a demand that intensified following the bifurcation of Jammu & Kashmir in 2019.

Key Points:

• NSA Detention Revoked: The Centre revoked the NSA detention of activist Sonam Wangchuk nearly six months after his arrest on 26 September 2025, when he was held responsible for instigating the violent Leh protests on 24 September in which four people were killed and 50 were injured.
• Ladakh's Grievances: With no legislature, the people of Ladakh lost democratic representation, autonomous council powers, and access to J&K's recruitment boards. Administration shifted entirely to bureaucrats, making governance feel even more distant than Srinagar.
• Demand for Sixth Schedule: Over 90% of Ladakh's population belongs to Scheduled Tribes. The Sixth Schedule under Article 244 of the Constitution provides for Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in tribal-majority areas, offering powers over land, forest, water, agriculture, health, and local policing.
• Existing Hill Councils: Ladakh has two Hill Councils — LAHDC Leh and LAHDC Kargil — but neither is under the Sixth Schedule. Their powers are limited to collection of local taxes (e.g., parking fees) and use of centrally vested land.
• ADCs Under Sixth Schedule: Currently 10 ADCs exist — all in the Northeast: 3 each in Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram, and 1 in Tripura. No region outside the Northeast has ever been included in the Sixth Schedule.
• About Sonam Wangchuk: An engineer and innovator awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2018), Wangchuk inspired the character played by Aamir Khan in the 2009 film 3 Idiots. He has consistently demanded Scheduled Area status for Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, calling it a BJP election promise from 2019.
• Key Protests Timeline: Student protests (2019) → Hunger strike in Leh (March 2024, 21 days) → Delhi Chalo Padyatra (September 2024) with demands for statehood, Sixth Schedule, public service commission, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil.
• Constitutional Hurdle: The Centre has maintained that the Sixth Schedule applies to the Northeast under the Constitution, while tribal areas in the rest of India are covered by the Fifth Schedule. However, the government can bring a constitutional amendment Bill if it chooses to extend the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh.

Homebound Becomes Only Indian Film Shortlisted for Best International Feature Film at Oscars 2026

In the News:  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced the shortlist for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Academy Awards (Oscars 2026). India's official entry, Homebound — directed by Neeraj Ghaywan — became the only Indian film among the 15 shortlisted titles. However, the film did not advance to the final five nominations announced on 22 January 2026. The award ceremony was held on 15 March 2026 at the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles.

Key Points:

• Shortlisted Film: Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, was India's official submission and the only Indian film to make the shortlist of 15 films for the Best International Feature Film category at the 98th Oscars.
• Shortlist Announcement: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced the shortlist on 16 December 2025, selecting 15 films from entries submitted by countries across the world.
• About the Film: Homebound tells the story of two friends from rural India aspiring to become police officers in search of dignity and social acceptance. It premiered at major international festivals including Cannes and received strong critical acclaim.
• Cast: The film features Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa in lead roles.
• Did Not Make Final Nominations: Despite being shortlisted, Homebound did not advance to the final five nominees when nominations were announced on 22 January 2026, continuing the pattern of Indian films struggling to secure final-round nominations.
• About the Oscars: The Academy Awards, presented annually by AMPAS, recognise excellence in filmmaking. The Best International Feature Film category receives entries from 80+ countries, with only five films reaching the final nomination stage.
• Reasons for Not Advancing: Experts cited limited US theatrical visibility, a smaller North American release footprint, and insufficient Oscar campaign expenditure as key factors — all of which affect how widely Academy voters engage with international films.
• Oscar Campaigns: Securing a nomination requires extensive and expensive promotional campaigns including screenings, advertising, and networking events for Academy members — an area where Indian films often lag behind major US and European studios.
• Indian Representation: Despite no Indian feature film nomination, Indian-American filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir received two nominations in documentary categories at Oscars 2026, reflecting broader Indian talent on the global stage.

US Launches Section 301 Probe into India

In the News: The United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched the first Section 301 investigation under the Trump administration, targeting 16 economies including India and China, over concerns of structural excess manufacturing capacity. On 12 March 2026, the USTR launched a second Section 301 probe covering 60 economies over alleged forced labour practices in global supply chains. Both investigations could lead to fresh tariffs on India after May 2026.

Key Points:

• Section 301 — First Probe (11 March 2026): The USTR launched its first Section 301 investigation targeting 16 economies, including India and China, examining whether industrial policies have created structural excess manufacturing capacity that harms US industries.
• Section 301 — Second Probe (12 March 2026): A second Section 301 investigation was launched covering 60 economies, including India and China, to determine whether their failure to ban goods produced with forced labour is unreasonable or discriminatory and burdens US commerce.
• What is Section 301: Part of the Trade Act of 1974, Section 301 empowers the USTR to investigate foreign trade practices that violate trade agreements or unfairly restrict US commerce, and to impose tariffs or other trade restrictions as remedies.
• India's Trade Surplus: India recorded a $58 billion goods trade surplus with the US in 2025, with global surpluses also noted in textiles, healthcare products, construction materials, and automobiles.
• Sectors Under Scrutiny: The USTR has flagged India's solar modules, petrochemicals, steel, textiles, electronics, and garments. India's solar module manufacturing capacity is nearly three times its domestic demand, raising export-driven surplus concerns.
• Forced Labour Risk for India: India prohibits forced labour under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976, but Indian exporters — especially in solar panels, electronics, and garments — rely on Chinese intermediate inputs that may be linked to forced labour in China's Xinjiang region.
• China Supply Chain Risk: Xinjiang produces about 20% of the world's cotton and polysilicon used in solar panels. Chinese-origin inputs used in Indian exports to the US could draw scrutiny under the forced labour probe.
• Trade Deal Impact: The investigation comes amid ongoing India-US trade deal negotiations. India has indicated talks will resume once there is clarity on US tariff policies.

ISRO Carries Out Successful Ground Test of CE20 Cryogenic Engine

In the News: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a sea-level hot test of its CE20 cryogenic engine at the ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The engine operated for 165 seconds and generated approximately 22 tonnes of thrust, demonstrating higher thrust capability aimed at enhancing the payload performance of India's LVM3 heavy-lift rocket.

Key Points:

• Successful Test: ISRO conducted a successful sea-level hot test of the CE20 cryogenic engine on 10 March 2026 at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.
• Test Parameters: The engine operated continuously for 165 seconds and generated approximately 22 tonnes of thrust during the test.
• Higher Thrust Capability: The test demonstrated enhanced thrust capability compared to earlier configurations, validating improved engine performance.
• About CE20 Engine: CE20 is an indigenously developed cryogenic engine by ISRO that uses liquid hydrogen (LH2) as fuel and liquid oxygen (LOX) as oxidiser.
• Role in LVM3: The CE20 engine powers the upper (cryogenic) stage of India's heaviest operational rocket, the LVM3 (Launch Vehicle Mark 3), formerly known as GSLV Mk III.
• Human-Rated Engine: The CE20 engine has been human-rated, meaning it meets the stringent safety and reliability standards required for carrying astronauts — critical for the Gaganyaan mission.
• Gaganyaan Mission: Gaganyaan is India's first crewed spaceflight programme; LVM3 with the CE20 upper stage is the designated launch vehicle for sending Indian astronauts to space.
• Enhanced Payload Capacity: Higher thrust from the CE20 directly improves LVM3's ability to carry heavier satellites and payloads to orbit, reducing dependence on foreign launchers.

International Mathematics Day 2026 Theme: Mathematics and Hope

In the News: International Mathematics Day is observed globally under the theme "Mathematics and Hope." Proclaimed by UNESCO and coordinated by the International Mathematical Union (IMU), the day has been celebrated since 2020 through competitions, exhibitions, and public events that highlight the role of mathematics in solving real-world challenges.

Key Points:

• Day & Date: International Mathematics Day is observed every year on 14 March, coinciding with Pi Day (3.14).
• Proclamation: The day was proclaimed by UNESCO and has been globally celebrated since 2020.
• Coordination: It is coordinated by the International Mathematical Union (IMU) with support from UNESCO and partner institutions.
• Celebrations: Schools, universities, and scientific organisations mark the day through competitions, creative activities, exhibitions, and public events.
• Purpose: The day raises awareness about the importance of mathematics in engineering, data science, finance, medicine, and technology.
• Student Outreach: It encourages students to view mathematics as a powerful tool for solving real-world problems, not just a theoretical subject.
• Theme 2026: "Mathematics and Hope" reflects the idea that mathematics is a universal human achievement that connects cultures and transcends language and geography.
• Global Challenges: The theme highlights mathematics as a tool to address climate change, disease modelling, and technological innovation.
• Mathematical Thinking: The theme emphasises how logical reasoning and collaboration can inspire optimism and solutions to complex global problems.