• Oath-taking: Governor Syed Ata Hasnain administered the oath of office and secrecy to him at Lok Bhawan in Patna.
• Resignation: This change occurred following Nitish Kumar's resignation from the post of Chief Minister on April 14, 2026, and his subsequent election to the Rajya Sabha.
• Deputy Chief Ministers: In the new government, Vijay Kumar Choudhary and Bijendra Prasad Yadav of the JD(U) have taken the oath as Deputy Chief Ministers.
• Political Background: Samrat Choudhary hails from Lakhanpur village in Munger district and currently represents the Tarapur Assembly constituency. He has previously served as the Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister of Bihar.

• Northern Latitude: 29° to 38° N
• Eastern Longitude: 60° to 75° E
• Hindu Kush mountain range located in the central region
• Highest Peak: Noshaq
• Connects South Asia, Central Asia, and West Asia
• Major Rivers: Amu Darya, Kabul River, Hari Rud River, Helmand River
• Capital: Kabul
• Currency: Afghani (AFN)
• Government System: Interim Taliban Administration
• Main Languages: Pashto, Dari
• International Borders: Pakistan (Durand Line), Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, China (Wakhan Corridor border)

• According to the US Customs and Border Protection agency, it has developed a system named CAPE, which will process refunds—including interest—in a single electronic payment.
• To date, more than 56,000 importers have registered to claim refunds totaling approximately US$ 127 billion.
• This system will be rolled out in a phased manner. A manual process may still be required to process refunds amounting to approximately US$ 2.9 billion.

• Tenure: She will officially assume her duties in July 2026.
• Successor to: She will succeed the current Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart.
• She began her military career in the Army Reserve in 1987.
• She belongs to the 'Corps of Signals'.
• She has led military operations in challenging regions such as Afghanistan and the Middle East.
• Prior to becoming the Chief of Army, she served in the position of 'Chief of Joint Capabilities'.
• Other Appointments: As part of this major reshuffle, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond has been appointed as the new Chief of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

• This marks the highest level since January 2023 and represents an increase for the fifth consecutive month.
• Driven by rising prices of food items and cooking fuel: Fuel & Power: Inflation in this sector stood at 1.05%, marking a significant recovery from the contraction (-3.78%) recorded in the previous month. A massive monthly increase of 36.16% was recorded in the prices of crude oil and natural gas.
• Manufactured Products: Inflation in this category rose to 3.39% from 2.92% in February, primarily driven by the rising costs of textiles, chemicals, and basic metals.
• Primary Articles: Inflation in this group nearly doubled to 6.36% (from 3.27% in February), signaling firming prices of raw materials.
• Food Inflation: The WPI Food Index remained stable at 1.85%.

Wholesale Price Index (WPI):

• It measures the average change in the prices of commodities at the wholesale level in India.
• It is a key inflation indicator that tracks supply-side prices across the manufacturing, trade, and construction sectors. Publication: It is released on a monthly basis by the Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA), which is part of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Composition of the WPI Basket: It comprises commodities falling under three major groups: Primary Articles, Fuel and Power, and Manufactured Products.
• Proposed Changes: The government has constituted a Working Group to revise the base year of the WPI from 2011-12 to 2022-23; this group is chaired by NITI Aayog Member, Prof. Ramesh Chand.
• Effective Base Year: In the latest report released by the Government of India's Office of the Economic Adviser (OEA) (as of March 2026), the year 2011-12 (= 100) continues to be utilized as the base year.

• He stated that India performed well in 2025, with the growth rate estimated to stand at 7.6 percent.
• In 2026, it is projected to be approximately 6.5 percent.
• He cautioned that inflation could rise to around 4.7 percent in 2026 due to an increase in global energy prices and the rising cost of food items.

International Monetary Fund (IMF):

• A leading global financial institution.
• Established: During the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference.
• It formally began operations in 1945.
• Headquarters: Washington D.C., USA.
• Member Countries: 191 (Newest member: Liechtenstein, joined on October 21, 2024).
• Managing Director (MD): Kristalina Georgieva.
• India's Status: India is a founding member of the IMF (December 27, 1945).

Key Functions and Objectives:

• Monetary Cooperation: To promote monetary cooperation at the global level and ensure exchange rate stability.
• Financial Assistance: To provide loans to member countries facing Balance of Payments (BoP) crises.
• Surveillance: To monitor the economic policies of countries and global economic developments.
• Capacity Building: To provide technical assistance and training to member countries for the modernization of their economic institutions.

• Architecture: The temple is constructed in the traditional Dravidian style.
• Construction Cost: This grand memorial was built at an approximate cost of ₹80 crore.
• Religious Significance: The site is associated with the Nath Sampradaya, a tradition centered on the worship of Lord Shiva and the practice of Yoga.
• Location of the Memorial: The temple has been built on the very spot where Dr. Balagangadharanatha Mahaswamiji used to meditate; a statue of his has also been installed there.
• Book Launch: Together with former Prime Minister Shri H.D. Deve Gowda, the Prime Minister released a book titled "Saundarya Lahari and Shiva Mahima Stotram."
• Spiritual Visits: Following the inauguration, the Prime Minister offered prayers at the Jwala Peetha (where Guru Gorakhnath is believed to have performed penance) and at the Sri Kalabhairava Temple.
• 9 Principles for a Developed India: In his address, PM Modi referred to the nine guiding principles of the Adichunchanagiri Matha and called upon the people to work towards fulfilling the resolve of a 'Developed India by 2047' (Viksit Bharat 2047).

• Participating Teams: A total of 12 teams will participate in the tournament this time—the highest number to date.
• Total Matches: A total of 33 matches will be played over a period of 24 days.
• Format: The teams have been divided into two groups of six teams each.
• Group 1: Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands.
• Group 2: England, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland, and Scotland.
• International Cricket Council (ICC):
• Established: June 15, 1909 (as the Imperial Cricket Conference).
• Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was relocated from Lord's (London) to Dubai in 2005.
• Membership: Currently comprises 108 member nations (12 Full Members and 96 Associate Members).
• Chairman: Jay Shah (serving since December 1, 2024).
• Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Sanjog Gupta (serving since July 7, 2025).

• It became a 'Part C' State on January 26, 1950, following the implementation of the Constitution of India. Subsequently, on November 1, 1956, it was designated as a Union Territory, and in 1966, its territory was expanded to include the hilly regions of Punjab.
• On January 25, 1971, it attained full statehood and became the 18th state of India under the Himachal Pradesh Act, 1970.
• Borders: Himachal Pradesh shares its borders with the Indian Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, as well as with the states of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttarakhand.
• Internationally, it shares a border with China.