April 20, 2026 - Current Affairs

High-Value Crop Diversification in India

In Context

Union Budget 2026-27 introduced a crop-specific, regionally differentiated strategy to accelerate diversification into high-value crops across India's coastal, North Eastern, and Himalayan regions.

What Are High-Value Crops (HVCs)?

HVCs refer to horticultural produce like fruits, vegetables, flowers, spices, and medicinal and aromatic plants that generate significantly higher net returns per unit of land compared to traditional staples like wheat and rice.

Leadership Gap Amid Rising Female Labour Force Participation

Context

Women’s participation in India’s economy has improved in recent years, but their representation in leadership roles remains severely limited.

Status of Female Labour Force Participation

India’s Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) increased from 33.9% in 2022 to about 40% in 2025, indicating gradual improvement.

However, this level remains below the global average of 49% and significantly behind emerging economies such as Brazil (53%) and Vietnam (69%).

The World Bank has highlighted that sustaining nearly 8% annual growth is essential for India to become a developed economy by 2047, which is unlikely without higher female workforce participation.

India–Sri Lanka Relations: India’s VP’s Visit

Context

India’s Vice-President announced a policy shift regarding the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card, alongside discussions on bilateral cooperation, economic assistance, and the fishermen issue during his visit to Sri Lanka.

Key Highlights of Vice-President’s Visit to Sri Lanka

OCI Extension & Diaspora Engagement: Eligibility extended up to the 6th generation of Indian-origin Tamils.

Diaspora as a ‘Bridge’: It boosts diaspora diplomacy and cultural ties, enhances access to education, employment, and mobility in India.

River Basin Management Scheme

In News

The Government of India has approved the continuation of the River Basin Management (RBM) Scheme for the 16th Finance Commission period spanning 2026–27 to 2030–31 with financial outlay of ₹2,183 crore.

What Is the River Basin Management Scheme?

The RBM Scheme is a Central Sector initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti designed to shift India's water governance from fragmented, project-level interventions to a holistic, basin-level approach.

Rather than treating rivers, tributaries, lakes, and groundwater in isolation, the scheme recognises an entire river basin as a single interconnected hydrological unit.

Gene Drives Transforming Malaria Control

Context

Gene drive technology is emerging as a novel approach to genetically modify mosquitoes to prevent the transmission of Malaria.

Global burden of Malaria

According to the World malaria report, there were 282 million cases of malaria in 2024, with an estimated number of malaria deaths standing at 610 000.

The WHO African Region is home to about 95% of all malaria cases and deaths. Children under 5 years of age accounted for about 76% of all malaria deaths in the Region.

News In Short 20-04-2026

In News

The Vishwa Sutra collection debuted at the 61st Femina Miss India in Bhubaneswar.

About

Vishwa Sutra is a designer handloom collection jointly developed by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) under the Ministry of Textiles, and the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).

It pairs 30 state-specific Indian weaves with the cultural aesthetics of 30 nations positioning traditional handlooms within a modern, global design language.