Current Affairs Today — April 12, 2026

Asha Bhosle Passes Away at 92

🗞️ Why in News Legendary Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle died on April 12, 2026, in Mumbai at age 92. She is survived by a musical legacy spanning over seven decades, 11,000+ recorded songs in 20+ Indian languages, and multiple lifetime honours.

Key Facts

• Born: September 8, 1933 | Died: April 12, 2026
• Sister of Lata Mangeshkar (daughter of Master Dinanath Mangeshkar)
• Guinness World Record: Most recorded artist — over 11,000 solo, duet, and chorus-backed songs (recognised 2011)
• Dadasaheb Phalke Award: 2000 | Padma Vibhushan: 2008

📌 Facts Corner

Asha Bhosle (1933–2026): Born September 8, 1933 | Sister: Lata Mangeshkar | Career: 70+ years | Songs: 11,000+ in 20+ languages | Dadasaheb Phalke Award: 2000 | Padma Vibhushan: 2008 | GS1: Persons & Awards

CCEA Approves Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project (1,200 MW)

🗞️ Why in News The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the ₹14,105.83 crore Kalai-II run-of-river hydroelectric project on the Lohit River in Anjaw District, Arunachal Pradesh — the first hydro project in the Lohit Basin.

Key Facts

• Cost: ₹14,105.83 crore | Capacity: 1,200 MW (6×190 MW + 1×60 MW)
• Annual generation: 4,852.95 million units
• Implementing agency: THDC India Limited (NTPC subsidiary, 74.5% stake) + Government of Arunachal Pradesh
• Location: Lohit River, Anjaw District, Arunachal Pradesh
• Jobs: ~1,700 direct; 50% reserved for project-affected families

📌 Facts Corner

Kalai-II HEP: ₹14,105.83 crore | 1,200 MW | Lohit River, Anjaw District, Arunachal Pradesh | Annual generation: 4,852.95 MU | JV: THDC India Ltd (NTPC subsidiary) + Arunachal Pradesh govt | First hydro project in Lohit Basin | GS3: Economy, Geography

Punatsangchhu-I Hydropower Project Resumes (Bhutan)

🗞️ Why in News Construction on Bhutan’s 1,200 MW Punatsangchhu-I Hydroelectric Project resumed on April 10, 2026, after a seven-year halt triggered by a 2019 slope failure. India’s Power Minister Manohar Lal attended the concrete-pouring ceremony.

Key Facts

• Capacity: 1,200 MW (six 200 MW turbines)
• Halted: 2019 (slope failure/geological challenges) | Resumed: April 10, 2026
• Dam: 130 m height, 239 m length | Location: Punatsangchhu River, ~80 km east of Thimphu
• India’s funding: 40% grant + 60% loan at 10% annual interest
• All surplus power exported to India
• Physical completion: ~88%; Financial completion: ~93%

📌 Facts Corner

Punatsangchhu-I: 1,200 MW | Six 200 MW underground turbines | Dam: 130 m height, 239 m length | Halted: 2019 slope failure | Resumed: April 10, 2026 | India funds: 40% grant + 60% loan @ 10% p.a. | Power exported to India | GS2: India-Bhutan Relations

West Bengal Electoral Rolls — SIR Controversy

🗞️ Why in News The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise removed approximately 91 lakh voters from West Bengal’s electoral rolls. The Supreme Court intervened, deploying judicial officers to oversee adjudication of disputed deletions ahead of Assembly elections.

Key Facts

• WB electorate: 7.66 crore (pre-SIR) → 6.77 crore (post-SIR) — ~91 lakh removed
• SC: Deployed judicial officers from West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand; set up 19 appellate tribunals
• Controversy: Disproportionate deletions alleged in Muslim-majority districts (Murshidabad, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur)
• West Bengal elections: Voting — April 23 & 29 | Counting — May 4, 2026

📌 Facts Corner

WB SIR: Electorate reduced by ~91 lakh (7.66 cr → 6.77 cr) | SC: deployed judicial officers; 19 appellate tribunals | Election dates: April 23 & 29 | Counting: May 4, 2026 | National SIR: removed 6.08 crore across 9 states + 3 UTs | GS2: Polity & Governance

CAPF (General Administration) Act, 2026 — Gazetted

🗞️ Why in News The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026 was gazetted after receiving Presidential assent in April 2026 — India’s first unified administrative statute for all five Central Armed Police Forces.

Key Facts

• Forces covered: BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, SSB
• Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs
• Important: The Act is an umbrella administrative law — it adds a unified layer for service administration (recruitment, promotion, deputation). Individual force Acts (BSF Act 1968, CRPF Act 1949, etc.) remain in force
• Harmonises service conditions and disciplinary procedures across all CAPFs

📌 Facts Corner

CAPF Act 2026: Covers BSF + CRPF + CISF + ITBP + SSB | Under MHA | Gazetted: April 2026 | Does NOT replace individual force Acts — umbrella admin law only | BSF Act 1968, CRPF Act 1949, CISF Act 1969, ITBP Act 1992, SSB Act 2007 remain in force | GS2: Polity, Security & Defence

Windfall Tax Hiked on Diesel and ATF

🗞️ Why in News The government raised the windfall tax on diesel exports to ₹55.5/litre (from ₹21.5/litre) and on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to ₹42/litre (from ₹29.5/litre), following crude price spikes driven by the West Asia conflict.

Key Facts

• Windfall tax on diesel: ₹21.5/litre → ₹55.5/litre
• Windfall tax on ATF: ₹29.5/litre → ₹42/litre
• First introduced: July 1, 2022 (Russia-Ukraine war oil spike) | Scrapped: December 2024 | Reinstated: March 2026
• Defined: A levy on unexpectedly high profits earned by industries (oil, gas, mining) due to external shocks
• Revised fortnightly via gazette notification

📌 Facts Corner

Windfall Tax (April 2026): Diesel: ₹55.5/litre | ATF: ₹42/litre | First introduced: July 1, 2022 | Scrapped: December 2024 | Reinstated: March 2026 | Definition: Levy on windfall profits of oil/gas companies during price shocks | GS3: Economy

RBI MPC Holds Repo Rate at 5.25%

🗞️ Why in News The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee kept the repo rate unchanged at 5.25% with a neutral stance — the first MPC meeting of FY 2026–27.

Key Facts

• Repo rate: 5.25% (unchanged) | Stance: Neutral
• RBI Governor: Sanjay Malhotra
• GDP growth projection (FY27): 6.9% (RBI internal estimate)
• Rationale: West Asia conflict raising energy costs; external uncertainty elevated
• World Bank FY27 forecast for India: 6.6% (revised down from 7.2%)

📌 Facts Corner

RBI MPC (April 2026): Repo rate: 5.25% | Stance: Neutral | RBI Governor: Sanjay Malhotra | GDP growth (FY27): RBI → 6.9%; World Bank → 6.6% (revised down from 7.2%) | India’s FY26 actual: ~7.4% | GS3: Economy

Jaishankar Visits UAE — Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

🗞️ Why in News External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited UAE on April 11–12, 2026, to review the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership amid the West Asia energy crisis.

Key Facts

• Bilateral trade: ~$83 billion (2023–24) | UAE: India’s 3rd-largest trade partner
• India’s diaspora in UAE: ~3.5 million
• Partnership elevated: 2017 | Upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic: 2022
• ADIA (Abu Dhabi Investment Authority) is a major investor in Indian infrastructure and RE

📌 Facts Corner

India-UAE: Trade ~$83 billion (India’s 3rd-largest partner) | Diaspora: ~3.5 million | Partnership: Comprehensive Strategic (upgraded 2022) | ADIA: key investor in Indian infra/RE | GS2: International Relations

Indus River Dolphin — Conservation in India

🗞️ Why in News Conservation reserves and citizen science programmes in Punjab are working to protect the Indus River dolphin’s only Indian population in the Beas River.

Key Facts

• Scientific name: Platanista gangetica minor (Indus River dolphin)
• IUCN status: Endangered
• Protected: Schedule I, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
• India population: 18–35 individuals in Beas River (above Harike Barrage, Punjab) — India’s only population
• Global population: ~2,000, primarily in Indus River, Pakistan
• Unique traits: Functionally blind (no eye lenses); navigates by echolocation; swims on its side

📌 Facts Corner

Indus River Dolphin: Platanista gangetica minor | IUCN: Endangered | WPA 1972: Schedule I | India: 18–35 individuals, Beas River, Punjab | Global: ~2,000 (primarily Indus, Pakistan) | Functionally blind; echolocation; side-swimming | Beas Conservation Reserve: key protected stretch | GS3: Environment

Lanjia Saora — PVTG of Odisha

🗞️ Why in News The Lanjia Saora, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) of Odisha, face pressures of cultural change as younger members engage with formal education.

Key Facts

• Classification: PVTG | Primary state: Odisha
• Language: Sora (Munda family) | Script: Sorang Sompeng (indigenous tribal script)
• Ethnicity: Proto-Australoid
• India has 75 PVTGs across 18 states and 1 UT
• Ministry of Tribal Affairs: Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission

📌 Facts Corner

Lanjia Saora: PVTG | Odisha | Language: Sora (Munda) | Script: Sorang Sompeng | India’s PVTGs: 75 across 18 states + 1 UT | Ministry: Tribal Affairs | Scheme: PM PVTG Development Mission | GS1: History, Art & Culture

Tiger Global Tax — GAAR Upheld by Supreme Court

🗞️ Why in News India’s Supreme Court upheld the Income Tax Department’s power to deny tax treaty benefits to Tiger Global Management under GAAR (General Anti-Avoidance Rules), reinforcing the substance-over-form doctrine.

Key Facts

• Entity: Tiger Global Management (US-based investment firm)
• Doctrine: Substance-over-form; GAAR applicable
• GAAR in India: Effective April 1, 2017 (Income Tax Act)
• Implication: Offshore fund structures routed through Mauritius/Singapore face scrutiny if lacking commercial substance

📌 Facts Corner

GAAR (India): Effective April 1, 2017 | Doctrine: substance-over-form | Tiger Global ruling: treaty benefits denied if structure lacks commercial substance | Applies to: Mauritius/Singapore routed structures | GS3: Economy

UPSC Relevance — Today’s Edition

📌 Combined Facts Corner — April 12, 2026

Asha Bhosle (1933–2026): Dadasaheb Phalke: 2000 | Padma Vibhushan: 2008 | 11,000+ songs

Kalai-II HEP: ₹14,105.83 cr | 1,200 MW | Lohit River, Anjaw District, Arunachal | THDC (NTPC sub) + Arunachal Pradesh govt

Punatsangchhu-I (Bhutan): 1,200 MW | Dam: 130m×239m | Halted 2019 → resumed April 10, 2026 | India: 40% grant + 60% loan @ 10%

WB SIR: 91 lakh removed (7.66 cr → 6.77 cr) | SC: 19 tribunals | Elections: April 23 & 29 | Counting: May 4

CAPF Act 2026: BSF+CRPF+CISF+ITBP+SSB | Umbrella admin law — individual Acts remain | MHA

Windfall Tax: Diesel ₹55.5/litre | ATF ₹42/litre | First introduced July 1, 2022 | Scrapped Dec 2024 | Reinstated March 2026

RBI MPC: Repo rate 5.25% | Neutral | FY27 GDP: RBI 6.9% / World Bank 6.6%

Indus Dolphin: Platanista gangetica minor | IUCN: Endangered | WPA Sch I | Beas River: 18–35 individuals