Daily Current Affairs – 04-03-2026

Tamil Nadu News

Rs. 2,000 Credited to 37.79 Lakh Social Security Scheme Beneficiaries in Tamil Nadu

Under the Tamil Nadu Government’s Social Security Schemes, a special financial assistance of ₹2,000 along with the March pension has been credited to the bank accounts of 37.79 lakh beneficiaries receiving Old Age Pension, Disability Pension, Widow Pension, and assistance for elderly Transgenders. The announcement was made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on March 3 in Chennai. In addition, the government is providing Fishing Ban Period Assistance of ₹8,000 per family to 1,62,900 fishermen families for the period April to June. Further, to support agriculture in the Nilgiris district, ₹8.53 crore has been allocated as a support price of ₹2 per kg for green tea leaves procured through 15 Cooperative Tea Factories, benefiting 14,870 tea farmers.

International News

Sports Medicine Department Inaugurated at Omandurar Government Multispeciality Hospital

The Sports Medicine Department was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on March 3 in Chennai at the Omandurar Government Multispeciality Hospital. The Tamil Nadu Government established the Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy (Keyhole Joint Surgery) Centre at a cost of ₹9 crore to provide specialized treatment for sports-related injuries of athletes. Earlier, a Robotic Surgery Centre was started at the same hospital three years ago at a cost of ₹34.60 crore. The event was attended by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ma. Subramanian, Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary P. Senthilkumar, Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department Secretary Satyabrata Sahoo, Director of Medical Education and Research Dr. Suganthi Rajakumari, Omandurar Government Multispeciality Hospital Director Dr. R. Mani, Kilpauk Government Medical College Hospital Dean Dr. Kavitha, and Chennai Government Stanley Medical College Hospital Dean Dr. Aravind.

Closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Impact on Indian Ships

Due to the Iran–US–Israel conflict, the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea passage connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, has been closed, affecting maritime traffic. A strait is a narrow natural water channel that connects two larger water bodies and separates two land masses. The Strait of Hormuz, located between Iran and Oman, is the only sea route linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, and it is one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints for global oil transport, with over 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passing through it. Because of the closure, 37 Indian-flagged ships carrying 1,109 sailors have been stranded in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and some of these ships were transporting crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Indian ports while others were carrying petroleum products from Gulf countries. The situation is being monitored by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reviewed the situation in New Delhi, after which monitoring was intensified and a Rapid Response Team was formed to assist Indian sailors and their families.

National News

Defence Ministry Signs Agreement with HAL for Advanced Light Helicopters

The Union Ministry of Defence signed an agreement on March 3 in New Delhi with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to procure 6 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Mk-III at a cost of ₹2,901 crore for the Indian Coast Guard. The twin-engine ALH Mk-III helicopters will be used for coastal security operations, maritime assistance to ships at sea, protection of fishermen, artificial islands, and the marine environment. In addition, the Ministry of Defence signed another agreement worth ₹2,182 crore with Russia’s JSC Rosoboronexport for the procurement of surface-to-air missiles and missile launching systems to be deployed on Indian Navy warships.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Crosses 3 Crore Followers on YouTube

The number of followers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the YouTube platform crossed 3 crore on March 3, making him the most-followed international political leader on YouTube. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro ranks next in follower count, while the number of followers of PM Modi is significantly higher compared to Donald Trump, the President of the United States. In India, PM Narendra Modi has around three times more followers than Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Earlier, Narendra Modi also achieved a milestone on Instagram, where his followers crossed 10 crore, and he joined the platform in 2014.

Economy News

IAEA Confirms Damage to Iran’s Natanz Nuclear Facility

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations nuclear watchdog, confirmed on March 3 in Vienna that parts of Iran’s Natanz Nuclear Facility, located in central Iran, were damaged in an airstrike carried out by the United States and Israel. The damage occurred to the entrance buildings leading to the underground section of the nuclear reactor, while the main internal components of the nuclear reactor remained unaffected. The IAEA inspection also confirmed that there was no risk of nuclear radiation leakage from the facility.

States’ News

World Beach Volleyball Tournament Begins in Bhubaneswar

The World Beach Volleyball Tournament is being held in Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, from March 4 to March 8. The tournament is organized by KIIT University (Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology) and competitions are conducted in both men’s and women’s categories. A total of 82 teams from 52 countries are participating in the event, and the matches are conducted based on league and knockout formats. The matches are taking place at the Dutee Chand Athletics Stadium located inside the KIIT University campus. The opening ceremony is attended by International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) President Fabio Azevedo and KIIT University Chancellor Achyuta Samanta. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar for the next three years.

Sports News

Indian Women’s Cricket Team Nominated for 2026 Laureus Award

The Indian Women’s Cricket Team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, has been nominated for the 2026 Laureus Awards in the World Team of the Year category, considered one of the highest honours in international sports. The nomination was announced in Madrid, Spain, following India’s victory in the ICC 50-over Women’s Cricket World Cup held last year, where the team won the championship title for the first time. With this nomination, the Indian Women’s Cricket Team became the first women’s cricket team to be nominated in the Laureus Best Team category. Other teams nominated in this category include the England Women’s Football Team, the European Ryder Cup Team, Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, and the McLaren Formula 1 Team. The winner of the award will be announced on April 20 in Madrid.

University of Western Australia to Open First Campus in Chennai

The University of Western Australia (UWA) is set to open its first overseas campus in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, marking a significant step in the Australian university’s international expansion. The campus is being established at DLF Cybercity in Porur, Chennai, in a 50,000 square feet leased facility, and is expected to become operational within two weeks. According to UWA Vice-Chancellor Amit Chakma, admissions will begin after the campus becomes operational. The university plans to start academic activities by September, with classrooms expected to be ready by August, and aims to enroll 2,000 to 5,000 students in the first year. Faculty members will be recruited locally according to University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, and student exchange programmes will be introduced between the Chennai campus and UWA headquarters in Perth, Australia. The Tamil Nadu Government has also held discussions with Industries Minister TRB Rajaa regarding the establishment of a larger campus in the future and its integration with the proposed Knowledge City project developed by Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO).

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin Inaugurates Mudhalvar Padaipagams and Other Projects in Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated several development projects in Chennai on March 3, implemented by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) at a total cost of about ₹41.8 crore. The projects include 11 ‘Mudhalvar Padaipagam’ buildings constructed at a cost of ₹33.85 crore, including a 7,874 sq ft air-conditioned facility at Ashok Nagar, while other centres are located at Otteri (Subbarayan Street), Jamalia, Mangalapuram, Pullianthope, Bakthavachalam Park in Pattalam, and Chennai Middle School in Kondithope. The Chief Minister also inaugurated a new ration shop at Raja Street in Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zone, built using GCC capital funds at a cost of ₹34.07 lakh, which is expected to benefit 2,311 families. Additionally, he opened an indoor sports stadium at Loco Scheme First Street in Thiru-Vi-Ka Nagar zone constructed under the Singara Chennai 2.0 scheme and GCC capital funds at a cost of ₹2.97 crore, covering 22,560 sq ft, and also inaugurated a middle school building at Kapilar Street constructed at a cost of ₹7.64 crore.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Dan Bailey Appointed President of Jio Platforms to Lead Global Business

Jio Platforms Limited (JPL), the digital arm of Reliance Industries, announced the appointment of Dan Bailey as President of Jio Platforms to lead the company’s international business initiatives. Based in London, Dan Bailey will report to Akash Ambani, the Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited. According to JPL, Dan Bailey has more than 35 years of experience in consulting and investment banking and has held senior leadership roles at Schroders/Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, and HSBC, and most recently served as Chairman of Deutsche Bank’s TMT (Technology, Media and Telecommunications) practice. He will also become a member of the Executive Committee of Jio Platforms Limited.

StartupTN and TNWESafe Launch EmpowHer 1.0 Entrepreneurship Bootcamp

StartupTN, the Tamil Nadu Government’s nodal agency for start-ups, and the Tamil Nadu Women Employment and Safety (TNWESafe) project, a government initiative for women empowerment, jointly launched EmpowHer 1.0, a two-day entrepreneurship bootcamp in Chennai. The programme trained 160 women entrepreneurs from Chennai and nearby towns to help transform their ideas into structured business ventures through workshops and seminars. During the event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to establish a Campus Circle at Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai. The bootcamp was inaugurated by Asha Ajith, Project Director of TNWESafe, in the presence of Sivarajah Ramanathan, Managing Director and CEO of StartupTN and industry leaders.

Important Days

March 4 – National Safety Day (India)

1. National Safety Day is observed every year on March 4 in India to promote workplace safety, health, and environmental protection across industries.

2. The day marks the foundation day of the National Safety Council (NSC), which was established on 4 March 1966 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India.

3. The National Safety Council (NSC) is a non-profit organization that works to create awareness about industrial safety, road safety, and occupational health.

4. The observance begins National Safety Week, which is celebrated from March 4 to March 10 every year.

5. The main objective is to reduce industrial accidents, promote safe working practices, and spread safety awareness among workers and the public.

6. Various awareness programmes, safety campaigns, training sessions, and seminars are organized by industries, institutions, and government organizations across the country.