Current Affairs Today — April 23, 2026

Today’s Top Stories

1. Shekha Jheel Becomes India’s 99th Ramsar Wetland

Shekha Jheel Bird Sanctuary in Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh has been designated as a Ramsar site — India’s 99th — under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. The freshwater monsoonal wetland is a critical habitat for migratory birds and supports local agrarian livelihoods. India is now among the top countries globally by number of Ramsar sites, with a total wetland area of over 13 lakh hectares under Ramsar protection.

Key Facts:

• Location: Aligarh district, Uttar Pradesh
• Type: Freshwater monsoonal wetland
• India’s total Ramsar sites: 99
• Ramsar Convention headquarters: Gland, Switzerland

2. Global Fertiliser Crisis Threatens India’s Kharif Season

Geopolitical disruptions — including West Asia conflict and Strait of Hormuz threats — have caused global fertiliser prices to nearly double. Urea prices spiked from $508/tonne to $935-959/tonne; DAP from $680-720 to $865-925/tonne. India’s kharif urea requirement is 19.4 million tonnes against available supply of only 5.5 million tonnes. Farmers are being advised to shift to alternative inputs including TSP, MAP, and biostimulants to bridge the gap.

Key Facts:

• Urea requirement (kharif): 19.4 MT; available: 5.5 MT
• Urea price: $508 → $935-959/tonne
• DAP price: $680-720 → $865-925/tonne
• Alternatives: Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP)

3. Supreme Court Examines Pre-Primary Education Rights

Chief Justice Surya Kant’s bench issued notices on a PIL seeking extension of the Right to Education (RTE) Act to cover children aged 3-6 years, currently outside Article 21A’s scope (which covers ages 6-14). The court proposed forming an expert committee with NCERT to study nationwide implementation. This aligns with NEP 2020’s emphasis on early childhood care and education (ECCE) as foundational to learning outcomes.

Key Facts:

• Current Article 21A coverage: ages 6-14
• Proposed expansion: ages 3-6
• Relevant law: Right to Education Act 2009
• NEP 2020: Integrates ECCE into foundational stage (ages 3-8)
• Body proposed: Expert committee with NCERT involvement

4. CERC Proposes Market Coupling for Power Exchanges

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) proposed market coupling regulations to aggregate bids across all power exchanges — India Energy Exchange (IEX), Power Exchange India Ltd (PXIL), and HPX — and determine a single uniform market clearing price. Grid India will act as the Market Coupling Operator. The short-term electricity market has grown from 65.90 BU (2009-10) to 238.35 BU (2024-25). Currently IEX dominates with 90%+ of the Day-Ahead Market.

Key Facts:

• Regulator: CERC (Central Electricity Regulatory Commission)
• Market Coupling Operator: Grid India
• Short-term market growth: 65.90 BU (FY10) → 238.35 BU (FY25)
• IEX Day-Ahead Market share: 90%+
• Initial markets covered: Day-Ahead and Real-Time

5. New Plant Species Stauranthera aureoglossa Discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

Scientists identified a previously unknown plant species, Stauranthera aureoglossa, in the mid-elevation evergreen forests of Arunachal Pradesh. The perennial herb features distinctive bell-shaped bluish-purple flowers with a yellow tongue-like marking — aureoglossa meaning “golden tongue.” The discovery underscores the biodiversity richness of India’s Northeast, which lies within the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.

Key Facts:

• Species: Stauranthera aureoglossa (family: Gesneriaceae)
• Location: Mid-elevation evergreen forests, Arunachal Pradesh
• Meaning: “Golden tongue” (Latin)
• Biodiversity hotspot: Indo-Burma
• Type: Perennial herb

6. Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) Notified

The government notified the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules 2026, establishing the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI) — a 6-member regulatory body effective May 1, 2026. The framework prohibits money/gambling games while providing a structured environment for esports development. India has 568 million online gamers and an esports market valued at $1-1.5 billion.

Key Facts:

• Regulatory body: Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI)
• Effective: May 1, 2026
• India’s gaming users: 568 million
• Projected market size (2028): $8.6 billion
• Esports market value: $1-1.5 billion
• Money games: Prohibited under new rules

7. INS Nireekshak Deployed for DIVEX 2026 with Sri Lanka

The Indian Navy’s INS Nireekshak — a diving support vessel — was deployed to Colombo for the India-Sri Lanka Diving Exercise (DIVEX 2026), underscoring maritime security cooperation under India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy. The deployment also included India’s BHISM (Bharatiya Health Stack for Management) medical cube for humanitarian assistance capability demonstration. DIVEX is a bilateral exercise focused on diving and salvage operations.

Key Facts:

• Ship: INS Nireekshak (diving support and salvage vessel)
• Exercise: DIVEX 2026 (India-Sri Lanka bilateral)
• Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Policy: Neighbourhood First
• Additional capability: BHISM medical cube deployment
• Focus: Diving, salvage, humanitarian assistance

Quick Bites

• 4th DefSpace Symposium 2026 held at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi (April 23-24) — focus on defence-space industry integration
• TDIP Scheme: DoT announced revised Technology Development and Investment Promotion Scheme — ₹203 crore allocation for 2026-31, focus on global telecom standardisation
• Truck Mounted Attenuators (TMA): Ministry of Road Transport introduced crash-absorbing safety devices for highway work zones to protect workers

Facts Corner