Daily Current Affairs – 29-01-2026

National News

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Dies in Plane Crash

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar (66) died in a plane crash on January 28 when the small aircraft ‘Victorjet 46’ he was travelling in lost control and crashed while landing at Baramati Airport, Pune district. The aircraft had departed from Pune at 8:10 AM, disappeared from radar at 8:45 AM, and crashed at 8:50 AM on the runway, catching fire. A total of five persons were on board—Ajit Pawar, two pilots, one flight attendant, and one personal security officer—and all were killed. The aircraft was completely burnt, and the bodies were recovered in a charred condition; Ajit Pawar was identified by his wristwatch. The incident occurred while he was travelling to Baramati, his constituency, for campaigning related to upcoming local body elections. Preliminary investigation indicated a possible technical snag, and heavy fog conditions in Baramati were also reported at the time of landing. No distress call was received from the pilot. The black box was recovered, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) initiated an investigation. The final rites were scheduled with full state honours at Baramati on January 29.

Change in NAAC Accreditation System for Higher Education Institutions

The Director of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), G. Kannabiran, announced that a change in the accreditation system for higher education institutions will be implemented soon. This information was shared during the 40th convocation ceremony of Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, which was presided over by the Chancellor and Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi. At the event, 690 doctoral degrees and 90 university-level rank medals were awarded. It was stated that the National Education Policy (NEP) has brought fundamental changes to the higher education system, and that mandatory basic accreditation for higher education institutions is under consideration. Currently, about 75% of colleges and 55% of universities in India have not undergone any accreditation process.

Karnataka Constitutes Gig Workers’ Welfare Development Board

The Karnataka Platform-Based Gig Workers Welfare Development Board has been constituted by the Government of Karnataka through a notification issued in 2025 to implement welfare measures for platform-based gig workers. The Board has been formed under the 2025 Act, with the Labour Minister of Karnataka serving as ex-officio President, senior officials from the Labour Department, Information Technology Department, and Commercial Taxes Department as ex-officio members, and the Chief Executive Officer as Member Secretary. Both gig workers and aggregator platforms are required to register with the Board, and aggregators have been given 45 days to complete registration and submit details of all gig workers engaged through their platforms. Each registered gig worker will be issued a unique identification number to enable the disbursement of social security benefits. The welfare fund will consist of a welfare fee collected from aggregators, contributions from gig workers, and grants from the State and Union governments, and the State has decided to levy a welfare fee of 1% to 1.5%, with a cap, on aggregator platforms.

Hindalco Expands Aluminium Smelting Capacity in Odisha

Hindalco Industries announced a ₹210 billion ($2.29 billion) project to expand its aluminium smelter in Odisha as part of a broader capacity enhancement plan aimed at reducing reliance on imports. The company also commissioned a ₹45 billion flat rolled products (FRP) and battery-grade aluminium foil manufacturing facility. Aluminium products produced through these facilities are critical raw materials for lithium-ion batteries, which are used in electric vehicles (EVs) and clean energy storage.

Embraer–Adani MoU for Aircraft Manufacturing in India

Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Adani Aerospace and Defence in New Delhi to explore aircraft manufacturing in India, including the establishment of a potential final assembly line, along with an aviation ecosystem covering maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and pilot training. The partnership aims to set up India’s first final assembly line for a commercial aircraft, followed by a phased increase in indigenisation, in line with India’s regional transport aircraft (RTA) objectives. No timelines or locations for the proposed facilities have been announced. The initiative aligns with the growing need for a domestic regional aviation ecosystem, especially in the context of connectivity schemes such as UDAN, which link tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

Uttarakhand Approves Green Hydrogen Policy 2026

The Uttarakhand Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, approved the Uttarakhand Green Hydrogen Policy 2026 to develop a green hydrogen ecosystem by leveraging the State’s hydropower potential, in alignment with the National Green Hydrogen Mission 2023 and India’s net-zero commitments. The Cabinet also approved the transfer of the Chinyalisaur airstrip (Uttarkashi) and the Gauchar airstrip (Chamoli) to the Ministry of Defence for development as Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) for joint civil and military operations. For environmental conservation, the State cleared groundwater extraction charges for non-agricultural and commercial users, while agriculture and government drinking water supplies remain exempt, with charges varying by zone classification. To expedite infrastructure projects, a mutual agreement-based land acquisition mechanism was approved to reduce litigation under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The Cabinet also sanctioned a one-time inter-district transfer policy for eligible staff under the Medical, Health and Family Welfare Department after five years of service, approved sub-leasing of 1,354.14 acres at Prag Farm, Udham Singh Nagar, to SIDCUL, and cleared the Uttarakhand Tribal Welfare Gazetted Officers Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025, creating four District Tribal Welfare Officer posts in Dehradun, Chamoli, Udham Singh Nagar, and Pithoragarh.

Tamil Nadu News

Indo-International Education Summit Held in Chennai

The Indo-International Education Summit commenced in Chennai with the participation of 1000 delegates from 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia. The two-day summit is jointly organized by the Tamil Nadu government’s TIDCO, the National Indian Students and Alumni Union UK (NISAU), and the University of East Anglia, and is being held at Kalaivanar Arangam. Representatives from 400 universities, along with academicians and industry representatives, are taking part, and stalls of foreign universities have been set up. The valedictory session is scheduled to be attended by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, and Higher Education Minister Kovi. Chezhian.

Four New Projects Inaugurated at Chennai Port

The Union Shipping Secretary Vijay Kumar inaugurated four new projects at the Chennai Port, which is the third-largest port in India. The port has the capacity to accommodate 24 ships and is currently undergoing several development works. During his visit, the Union Shipping Secretary reviewed the operations, financial performance, and development plans of the port. The newly inaugurated projects include the Andaman and Nicobar Passenger Terminal and a Vessel Traffic Monitoring System, with a total project cost of ₹54.27 crore. The inauguration took place in the presence of Chennai Port Authority Chairman S. Viswanathan and other officials.

High-Level Committee to Improve Farmer Producer Organisations in Tamil Nadu

The Union Ministry of Agriculture announced the formation of a high-level committee to study the operations of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) in Tamil Nadu and the challenges faced by them, and to recommend corrective measures. The committee has been directed to submit its final report within two months. The decision was taken following a recent visit by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture, to Erode district, where consultations were held with farmers and stakeholders on operational issues, technical problems, and marketing challenges faced by FPOs.

TNWESAFE Project and HPV Vaccination Programme Launched in Tamil Nadu

At the Tamil Nadu Global Women Summit 2026 held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the Tamil Nadu Women Employment and Safety (TNWESAFE) Project and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programme. The TNWESAFE Project is a five-year programme with a total outlay of ₹5,000 crore, including a World Bank loan of ₹1,185 crore, and is aimed at promoting sustainable and inclusive economic development through interventions focused on women’s employment, safety, and empowerment. The HPV vaccination programme is intended to benefit 3,38,649 girls above 14 years of age, and will initially be implemented in Ariyalur, Dharmapuri, Perambalur, and Tiruvannamalai districts, covering 30,209 girls in these districts. On the same occasion, the Chief Minister also released the Tamil Nadu Cancer Care Mission document, outlining measures to reduce cancer mortality over the next five years.

TNPDCL Improves Rank in National Power Discom Ratings

Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) climbed three positions to rank 39th among 54 power distribution companies in the country in the 14th Annual Integrated Rating and Ranking released by the Union Ministry of Power in January. For 2024–25, TNPDCL received a B-grade with a score of 43.92, compared to its earlier 42nd rank among 52 discoms. During 2024–25, TNPDCL reported a total revenue of ₹1.48 lakh crore, sold 96,803 million units (MUs) of electricity, and recorded a profit after tax of ₹2,073 crore. Billing efficiency remained around 90% over the last three financial years, while collection efficiency improved to 98.58% in 2024–25. Despite this progress, TNPDCL was among eight utilities that received ‘red card’ metrics from auditors and continues to face financial challenges, including annual interest payments of nearly ₹17,000 crore and pending dues of about ₹3,000 crore from government departments, along with high power procurement costs of ₹75,960 crore during 2024–25.

Sports News

ICC T20 Rankings Update – January

The International Cricket Council (ICC) released the latest T20 International rankings in Dubai, in which Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav climbed five places to secure the 7th position among batsmen. Abhishek Sharma continued to hold the 1st rank, while Tilak Varma retained the 3rd position. Ishan Kishan re-entered the rankings at 64th place, Shivam Dube moved up to 58th, and Rinku Singh reached 68th position. Among other international players, Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran ranked 13th, Rahmanullah Gurbaz stood at 15th, and Darwish Rasooli reached 87th place. South Africa’s Aiden Markram advanced to the 20th position, while West Indies’ Brandon King and New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips were ranked 35th and 44th respectively. In the ICC T20 bowlers’ rankings, India’s Jasprit Bumrah moved up to 13th place, Ravi Bishnoi climbed to 19th, and Varun Chakaravarthy continued to hold the 1st position.

International News

India–European Union Free Trade Agreement Finalised

After nearly two decades of negotiations, India and the European Union (EU) finalised a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in New Delhi. Under this agreement, the EU will reduce or eliminate tariffs on 99.5% of Indian exports to its 27 member countries, while India will grant tariff concessions on 97.5% of imports from the EU. The FTA talks were first launched in 2007 and were resumed in 2022 after several pauses. According to the Union Ministry of Commerce, India has secured tariff reductions across 97% of tariff lines, covering 99.5% of trade value, with 90.7% of Indian exports receiving zero-duty access from the first day of implementation, and 2.9% phased out over three to five years. Sensitive sectors were excluded, with India protecting its agricultural and dairy sectors, while the EU retaining tariffs on products such as beef, sugar, rice, chicken meat, milk powder, honey, bananas, soft wheat, garlic, and ethanol. The agreement is India’s largest-ever FTA, and its implementation is expected after legal scrutiny, translation, and ratification by the European Parliament, with entry into force targeted within 2026.

U.S. Proposal to Raise Tariffs on South Korean Goods

U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to increase tariffs on South Korean goods from 15% to 25%, covering products such as automobiles, lumber, and pharmaceuticals. Following this announcement, the South Korean government held emergency talks in Seoul. South Korea stated that it had not received prior official intimation about the proposed tariff hike. The matter arises despite a trade and security agreement concluded between the United States and South Korea, which was finalised in October after a meeting between Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. South Korea indicated that tariff hikes would take effect only after administrative procedures such as publication in the Federal Register, and confirmed that Trade and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan would travel to Washington to hold discussions with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.