20 March 2026 Current Affairs UPSC-SSC-Banking level

Daily Current Affairs One-Liners – 20 March 

• The Supreme Court of India invalidated age-based restrictions on maternity leave for adoptive mothers, reinforcing equality in parental benefits.

• Scientists at Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati developed a MXene-based material capable of hydrogen generation and seawater desalination, supporting clean energy and water solutions.

• India Tourism Development Corporation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, launched the Tribal Homestay Capacity Building Programme 2026 to promote sustainable tribal tourism.

• The Union Cabinet approved the BHAVYA (Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana) to establish 100 plug-and-play industrial parks aimed at boosting manufacturing and industrial growth.

• The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 to regulate unlawful religious conversions.

• The Transgender Rights Amendment Bill 2026 was introduced in Parliament to update provisions of the 2019 law and strengthen recognition of gender identity.

• Historian William Dalrymple received the Mark Lynton History Prize 2026 for his book The Golden Road .

• FIFA partnered with YouTube to introduce innovative digital streaming formats for the FIFA World Cup 2026 .

• The Hurun Global Rich List 2026 reported over 4,020 billionaires worldwide , including 578 new entrants.

• The Reserve Bank of India received the ‘Initiative of the Year’ award at the Central Banking Awards for launching the “.bank.in” domain initiative.

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India proposed revised nomination norms for demat accounts and mutual fund folios to simplify compliance.

• The Reserve Bank of India settled FEMA violations involving Metrocorp Infrastructure Limited, concluding enforcement proceedings.

• Fintech platform Scapia introduced ‘Scapia Pay’ , enabling UPI payments with rewards through RuPay credit cards.

• India’s total exports (goods and services combined) reached USD 790.86 billion (April–February FY26) , reflecting steady trade growth.

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reiterated the government’s goal of achieving universal health insurance coverage by 2033 .

• NPCI International Payments Limited expanded UPI acceptance in Sri Lanka , enhancing cross-border digital payment connectivity.

• SBI Securities launched ‘Women’s Mode’ on its app to encourage female participation in investment markets.

• The Reserve Bank of India updated its capital adequacy guidelines to strengthen risk management for Counterparty Credit Risk (CCR) exposures.

• NPCI BHIM Services Limited appointed Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the brand ambassador for the BHIM App.

• Atanu Chakraborty stepped down as part-time chairman and independent director of HDFC Bank.

• Argentina formally initiated withdrawal