Daily Current Affairs April 3, 2026 PDF | News Analysis

Multi-Hazard Early Warning Decision Support System (MHEW-DSS)

Introduction and Background:

Developed by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this advanced digital platform was launched in January 2024 under ‘Mission Mausam’. It integrates and analyzes various weather hazards such as cyclones, floods, and heatwaves in one place to issue rapid warnings.

Important Statistics (For Competitive Exams):

• Forecast Accuracy: Accuracy of weather predictions has increased by 30%.
• Time Efficiency: The time taken to prepare a forecast has been reduced from 6 hours to 3 hours (a 50% reduction).
• Lead Time: The lead time for weather forecasting has been extended from 5 days to 7 days.
• Economic Savings: Approximately ₹250 crore saved due to automation and indigenous technology.
• Evacuation Costs: Due to precise predictions, disaster evacuation costs have dropped to one-third compared to 1999 levels.

Key Applications:

• Mausamgram: A portal providing hyper-local forecasts. It offers 10-day advance information for 6.2 lakh villages and 1.5 lakh PIN codes across the country.
• WAFES: A GIS-based system that simplifies weather analysis.
• SACHET & Mausam App: Digital tools used to deliver warnings directly to the public.

Technical Features:

• Automation: 90% of weather data collection and quality checks are now automated.
• Impact-Based Forecasting: This system does not just predict the weather; it also assesses its potential impact on sectors like agriculture, health, and transport.

Major Awards:

• National Award for e-Governance 2025.
• UNDRR Sasakawa Award 2025: Awarded to IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra for excellence in disaster management.
• Economic Times GovTech Award 2026.

Benefits:

• Agriculture: Reports indicate that the income of farmers following Agromet advisories has increased by 52.5%.
• Environment: The digital system saves 23.4 tons of paper annually, reducing $CO_2$ emissions by 2.57 tons.
• International Cooperation: India provides warnings through this system to 10 neighboring countries in South Asia (including Oman, Thailand, Sri Lanka, etc.).

Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA)

Launch and Objective:

• Launch Date: October 2, 2024 (Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi).
• Nodal Ministry: Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Objective: To bridge infrastructure gaps in tribal villages and improve health, education, and livelihood opportunities.
• Coverage: The scheme applies to 63,843 villages across 2,911 blocks in 549 districts within 30 States/Union Territories.

Important Statistics:

• Total Budget: ₹79,156 crore (For a five-year period: 2024-25 to 2028-29).
• Funding Ratio: Central share: ₹56,333 crore; State share: ₹22,823 crore.
• Implementation: 25 types of interventions will be implemented through 17 ministries.

Primary Sectors and Ministerial Roles:

• Rural Development: Aim to construct 20 lakh houses under PMAY-G in tribal areas (7.6 lakh houses completed as of March 2026).
• Jal Shakti: Achieving drinking water saturation in all tribal villages through the Jal Jeevan Mission.
• Education: Construction of 1,000 hostels (under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan).
• Health: 1,000 Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) for tribal regions.
• Telecom: Internet access for 5,252 villages (under USOF).
• Skill Development: Establishment of skilling centers in 30 tribal districts.

Special Initiatives by Ministry of Tribal Affairs:

• Sickle Cell Disease (SCD): Establishment of a ‘Center of Competence’ for SCD prevention and counseling across 15 states.
• Marketing: Setting up Tribal Multi-Purpose Marketing Centers (TMMC) for tribal products.
• Forest Rights Act (FRA): Establishment of 433 FRA cells in 20 states for the implementation of forest rights.
• Ashram Schools: Infrastructure improvement of tribal residential schools and hostels.

Institutional Framework (Implementation):

• National Level: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs acts as the coordinator. A dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU) has been established for this purpose.
• State/District Level: The district administration ensures service delivery by coordinating between various departments.

Current Progress (As of March 2026):

• Electrification: Electricity provided to 59,812 households and government institutions.
• Anganwadis: 875 Anganwadi centers sanctioned, with 657 currently operational.
• Mobile Health: 154 Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) have been made available.
• Roads: Sanctioning of 2,411.25 km of roads under PMGSY.

Artemis II Mission – Key Highlights

• Mission Type: This is a ‘Crewed Lunar Flyby’ mission. The astronauts will not land on the lunar surface; they will travel around the far side of the Moon and return to Earth.
• Launch Date: April 1, 2026 (Wednesday evening, US Time).
• Rocket: SLS (Space Launch System) – It stands as tall as a 32-story building (approximately 322 feet).
• Spacecraft: Orion Capsule.
• Fuel: The rocket utilizes approximately 2.6 million liters of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

Crew Members

Four astronauts are participating in this mission, each representing a historic milestone:

1. Reid Wiseman: Commander (USA).
2. Victor Glover: Pilot; the first person of color on a lunar mission.
3. Christina Koch: Mission Specialist; the first woman on a lunar mission.
4. Jeremy Hansen: Mission Specialist; the first non-American (from Canada) to go to the Moon.

Mission Specialities & Records

• Distance: The mission will travel approximately 6,400 km beyond the far side of the Moon. Covering a total distance of over 400,000 km from Earth, it is set to become the farthest human spaceflight mission in history, surpassing the record held by Apollo 13.
• Duration: It will take approximately 10 days from launch until the spacecraft splashes down in the Pacific Ocean.
• Objective: To test the technology and life support systems required for Artemis III (the mission intended to land humans on the Moon), currently planned for 2028.
• Historical Context: This marks the first time humans have entered lunar orbit since Apollo 17 in 1972, ending a hiatus of over 50 years.

World Autism Awareness Day – 2026

Observed annually on April 2, World Autism Awareness Day aims to foster global understanding and acceptance of people with autism.

Background and Significance

• Commencement: The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on December 18, 2007, to designate this day.
• First Observance: It has been observed globally every year since April 2, 2008.
• Objective: To respect the rights of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and raise awareness to improve their quality of life.

What is Autism?

• It is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects how a person perceives and socializes with others.
• It primarily impacts social interaction, communication, and behavioral patterns.
• It is not a “disease” but a variation in brain function. It is typically identified in early childhood, usually before the age of three.

World Autism Awareness Day – 2026 Highlights

• 2026 Theme: The United Nations selects a specific theme each year. For 2026, the focus is on “Empowering Autistic Voices,” emphasizing the importance of providing a platform for autistic individuals to share their experiences and lead self-advocacy.
• Official Color: Blue is the primary color used for awareness. The global campaign is famously known as “Light It Up Blue.”
• Symbols: The Puzzle Piece (representing the complexity of the spectrum) and the Infinity Symbol (♾️) (representing neurodiversity and the infinite possibilities within the community) are commonly used as symbols for autism awareness.