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Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 3rd Jun 2026

Kumari Sonali

Today’s Current Affairs: 3rd jun 2026 for UPSC IAS exams, State PSC exams, SSC CGL, State SSC, RRB, Railways, Banking Exam & IBPS, etc

Karnala Fort : In News

Over 60 hectares has been recently deforested off the Karnala Fort under Bhadbhuvan village, Uran, without prior permission of the Union govt.

  • Karnala Fort, also called Funnel Hill, is a historic hill fort located in Raigad District in Maharashtra.
  • Standing inside the Karnala Bird Sanctuary, it offers stunning views of the Sahyadris.
  • The fort overlooks the historic Bor Pass, a key trade route connecting Konkan to Maharashtra’s interior.
  • The fort was likely constructed before 1400, under the Devagiri Yadavs (1248–1318) and the Tughlaq rulers (1318–1347); Karnala was the capital of the north Konkan districts of their respective empires.
  • Its strategic location made it a coveted possession for various rulers over the centuries.
  • Controlled at various times by the Yadavas, Tughlaqs, Gujarat Sultanate, Nizam Shahis of Ahmednagar, Portuguese, Marathas, Mughals, Peshwas, and finally the British East India Company
  • The fort’s significance grew during its role in Maratha history, when it became a crucial outpost for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in his quest to establish a Maratha empire.
  • It actually consists of two forts, one at a higher level and the other lower.
  • At the centre of the higher level is a 125-feet-high basalt pillar. It is also called Pandu’s tower.
  • This structure was used as a watchtower when the fort was occupied; however now it is in a ruined condition.
  • There is a temple dedicated to the goddess Bhavani located at the bottom of the fort.

Halma Tradition:

In Borpada village in Madhya Pradesh’s Jhabua district, residents revived the Bhil tradition of Halma to clean and restore a public well.

  • Halma is an old collective tradition practiced by the Bhil tribal community of Madhya Pradesh.
  • Its direct meaning is: to work together without wages or contract, sustained by mutual obligation and belonging.
  • At its heart, Halma represents a profound tradition of voluntary collective labour.
  • The roots of this tradition reach back to an era when these communities had neither large resources, nor government support, nor a marketplace.
  • When an individual or family faces a significant task, be it constructing a home, repairing agricultural embankments, restoring a water body, or organizing a major communal event, they invoke Halma.
  • In response, scores, sometimes hundreds, of community members assemble, bringing their own tools, food, and labour, and work collectively until the task is accomplished.
  • There is no formal leader and no grand announcement. There is only work, done side by side.
  • No monetary compensation is expected. Participation arises not from obligation enforced by external authority but from ethical commitment, ancestral values, and the assurance that when needed, the favor will be returned.
  • In recent years, Halma has been revitalized to address common challenges such as:
    • Restoration of traditional water bodies
    • Afforestation of barren hills
    • Construction of contour trenches for rainwater conservation
    • Revitalization of biodiversity and soil health

What is a Bolide?

The explosions and the boom sounds heard by the residents of Boston recently could be the result of “a rather significant bolide/meteor entering the atmosphere.”

  • A bolide is a type of large, exceptionally bright meteor that often explodes in the upper atmosphere, producing a bright flash of light and occasionally fragmented meteorites reaching the ground.
  • Bolides are distinguished from regular meteors by their greater brightness and more dramatic visual effects.
  • Bolides can also produce loud booms.
  • Bolides are more common than many people realize, with several occurring each year, though most go unnoticed or happen over remote areas.
  • Studying bolides can provide valuable information about the composition and structure of meteoroids, as well as insights into the processes that occur during atmospheric entry.
  • A  space rock that has not entered the Earth’s atmosphere is usually referred to as a meteoroid or asteroid.
  • Once in the Earth’s atmosphere, the rock traveling at very high velocities encounters friction from the atmosphere, resulting in a fireball that is then referred to as a meteor.
  • Meteors that reach the ground are then called meteorites.

Yellow-Throated Marten:

Kaziranga National Park recently recorded its first sighting of the yellow-throated marten, highlighting Assam’s conservation success

  • The yellow-throated marten, also known as the kharza, is a marten species found in forested regions throughout Southern and Eastern Asia.
  • A marten is a slender-bodied mammal belonging to the weasel family (Mustelidae), which also includes otters, badgers, ferrets, and wolverines.
  • Scientific Name: Martes flavigula
  • Their range extends throughout the Himalayas, as far south as Indonesia, and as far north as the Korean Peninsula and the Chinese-Russian border.
  • They occupy a variety of habitats. They live in coniferous and broad-leaved forests, montane forests, tropical dry and moist forests.
  • They are also found in shrublands, lowland swamps, and treeless mountains.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Isobutanol:

The Indian government is likely to introduce a mandate permitting blending isobutanol with diesel by the end of this year.

  • Isobutanol is also called isobutyl alcohol, is an alcohol with the chemical formula C₄H₁₀O and one of the four isomers of butanol.
  • Properties of Isobutanol:
    • It is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic odor.
    • It is only moderately soluble in water.
    • It is very flammable and has a flash point that is only slightly above normal room temperatures.
    • Its vapors are heavier than air and can spread unnoticed along the ground.
    • It can be made from ethanol using fermentation processes.
    • It is used as a solvent in the flavor, fragrance, pharmaceutical, and pesticide industries and as a chemical manufacturing ingredient for products such as lacquer, paint strippers, paint primer, and craft paints.
    • It is an approved food additive and is also naturally occurring in some foods and many alcoholic beverages.
    • Isobutanol may also be used as a biofuel because, like ethanol, it can be manufactured from plants.
    • It possesses some favorable properties that make it an attractive fuel for internal combustion engines.
    • Isobutanol is less corrosive than ethanol and is much less hygroscopic, which enables it to be transported using the existing fuel infrastructure.

Eurozone Inflation:

Eurozone inflation climbs to 3.2 per cent in May, with energy and services prices driving renewed price pressures across the currency bloc.

  • The eurozone, officially known as the euro area, is a geographic and economic region that consists of countries in the European Union (EU) that have adopted the euro (€) as their national currency
  • As of January 2026, the eurozone consists of 21 countries in the
  • These are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.
  • Latest member: Bulgaria (2026)
  • Not all EU nations participate in the eurozone; some opt to use their own currency and maintain their financial independence.
  • EU members not using the euro: Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Sweden
  • The European Central Bank (ECB) exercises the sole power to set the monetary policy for the Eurozone countries.
  • The ECB exercises the sole authority to decide the printing and minting of euro notes and coins. It also decides the interest rate for the Eurozone.
  • The ECBs is headed by a president and a board, comprising the heads of the central banks of the participating nations.
  • The Eurozone has mechanisms for support during periods of economic instability.
  • The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) was created to provide financial assistance through rescue loans under specific conditions.
  • In order to join the euro area, EU member states are required to fulfil so-called ‘convergence criteria’ which consists of price stability, sound public finances, the durability of convergence, and exchange rate stability.
  • These binding economic and legal conditions were agreed upon in the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 and are also known as ‘Maastricht criteria’.
  • All EU member states, except Denmark, are required to adopt the euro and join the euro area once they are ready to fulfill them.
  • The Treaty does not specify a particular timetable for joining the euro area but leaves it to member states to develop their own strategies for meeting the condition for euro adoption.
  • The European Commission and the ECB jointly decide whether the conditions are met for euro area candidate countries to adopt the euro.

Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve:

The Supreme Court has ordered the immediate removal of encroachers and demolition of illegal structures across the ecologically sensitive Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve landscape in South India.

  • It is located in the southern part of the Western Ghats spanning the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
  • It was established as Biosphere Reserve in 2001 and added into the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves list in 2016.
  • It includes protected areas namely
    • Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary
    • Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary
    • Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary
    • Kalakkad MundanthuraiT iger Reserve
  • It comprises of tropical wet evergreen forests, moist deciduous forests, montane rain forests and Shola.
  • It is home to many species of higher plants including about many that are endemic.
  • It includes the Asian elephant, tiger and Nilgiri Tahr and birds like Great Indian hornbill.
  • It is home to the Kanikaran—one of the oldest surviving tribes in the world.

Mission Senehjori:

The Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) together with the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam launched Mission “Senehjori” – Assam Muga Silk USP.

  • It is a comprehensive cluster-based initiative aimed at transforming Assam’s unique Muga silk sector into a globally competitive, high-value luxury textile ecosystem.
  • It seeks to strengthen the entire Muga silk value chain from host-plant cultivation and silkworm seed production to reeling, weaving, branding, export promotion, digital traceability and tourism.
  • It is anchored by the MDoNER in convergence with the Government of Assam, Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles and other Central Ministries/ organizations.
  • Key Features of Mission Senehjori:
    • Cluster Based Approach: It adopts a cluster-based approach covering major Muga silk producing districts of Assam.
    • Infrastructure& Institutional Support: It envisages strengthening host plant ecology, establishing modern reeling infrastructure, promoting Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), creating Common Facility Centres (CFCs).
    • Branding: It enforces GI authentication and building global market access under the unified brand identity “Senehjori”.
    • Convergence Model: It has been conceptualised on the principle of “whole-of-government” approach, with convergence across Central Ministries, the Government of Assam, technical institutions and private-sector partners.

Prime Minister Research Chair Scheme:

The Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, invites applications for the Prime Minister Research Chair (PMRC) Scheme 2026.

  • Prime Minister Research Chair Scheme is a flagship national initiative aims to attract accomplished Indian origin researchers and professionals from leading global institutions and industries with outstanding achievements in research, innovation, and technology.
  • It seeks to connect global Indian talent with premier government higher education institutions, national laboratories and research centres across the country.
  • Features of Prime Minister Research Chair Scheme:
    • It will focus on 13 priority sectors namely:
    • Artificial intelligence, Quantum computing, Semiconductors, Energy and climate change, cybersecurity, Healthcare and medical technology, Biotechnology, Advanced materials, space and defence, Next-generation communications, Manufacturing, Agriculture and food technologies, Blue economy, and atomic energy.
    • It is anchored on three core pillars: Lead Institutions, Host Institutions, and PMRC Fellows to ensure research projects are aligned with national priorities and deliver measurable outcomes.
    • Selection Process: Fellows will be selected through a rigorous process overseen by an Empowered Committee chaired by the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India.
    • PMRC Fellows will receive fellowship and research grant support, access to laboratories and research infrastructure and opportunities to work with leading government institutions in India.
    • It offers three categories of engagement namely Young Research Fellows for early career researchers, Senior Research Fellows for experienced researchers, and Research Chairs for globally accomplished research leaders.
    • Eligible Fellows include accomplished Indian origin researchers, scientists, and professionals, including Indian Nationals working abroad, OCI cardholders, and Persons of Indian Origin.

India’s Semiconductor Vision for 2035:

NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub (FTH) released the report, “Future of India’s Semiconductor Industry”, outlining India’s Semiconductor Vision 2035 and a strategic roadmap to transform the country into a globally indispensable semiconductor nation.

  • It arrives at a critical juncture with the Union Budget 2026 announcing ISM 2.0 (India Semiconductor Mission 2.0), signalling a decisive shift from ecosystem initiation to ecosystem deepening.
  • India’s Semiconductor Vision 2035 aims to build a USD 120–150 billion semiconductor value chain, achieve greater self-reliance, emerge as a global leader in chip design, OSAT, and advanced packaging, and become a key supplier of SiC and GaN materials.
  • To achieve this vision, India will leverage its 5P Strategy (Pioneering, Policy & Investment, Production, People, and Partnership) while addressing challenges related to technology, talent, capital, and infrastructure, and focusing on opportunities such as AI chip design, advanced packaging, compound semiconductors, and quantum technologies.
  • India’s Semiconductor Vision for 2035: India aims to build a USD 120–150 billion semiconductor value chain by 2035, anchored in three pillars:
  • Strategic Self-sufficiency: Dominate mature and compound semiconductor nodes and selectively pursue advanced nodes.
  • Ecosystem Strength: Emerge as a global leader in chip design, Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT), and advanced packaging.
    Global Indispensability: Become a trusted supplier of wide-bandgap materials (Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) chips) that global supply chains cannot do without.
  • Key Quantified Targets by 2035: Capture 10–13% of the global semiconductor chip market.
    Become a top-3 global destination for OSAT and advanced packaging.
  • Achieve chip self-sufficiency of 35–50% of domestic demand (up from 15–25% by 2030).
  • Retain 55–70% of value in every chip consumed in India (through design, packaging, or materials).
  • Create 100+ advanced IPs in AI, quantum, and High-performance computing (HPC) chip design.
  • Export chips for affordable 5G/6G phones, edge CPUs, microcontrollers, and sensors to 50+ nations.
  • Become the top global supplier of wide-bandgap materials (SiC and GaN).

India’s 1st Blue Bond:

Sagarmala Finance Corporation announced plans to issue India’s first blue bond to diversify its funding sources and finance maritime and coastal infrastructure projects.

  • A blue bond is a debt instrument used to raise funds specifically for projects linked to oceans, seas, coasts, rivers and other water-based ecosystems.
  • It is generally targeted at investors interested in environmentally focused and sustainable finance instruments.
  • The funds will be used for lending towards the development of maritime and coastal infrastructure, including ports, port connectivity, shipbuilding, inland waterways and coastal road networks.
  • Blue Bond vs Green Bond: A green bond is generally used to fund broader climate and environmental projects, while a blue bond specifically focuses on ocean, marine and water-related sustainable projects.
  • Seychelles issued the world’s first sovereign blue bond in 2018, while Belize used a debt-for-ocean swap in 2021 to support marine conservation.
  • India’s long coastline, large fishing communities, port network and climate-vulnerable coastal regions make blue bonds important for financing sustainable blue economy projects.
  • India’s blue economy includes fisheries, shipping, offshore energy and coastal tourism, contributing about 4% to GDP and supporting around 4 million livelihoods.
  • Blue bonds can help India attract global sustainable finance, reduce pressure on budgetary resources, support coastal communities and balance maritime infrastructure growth with marine conservation.
  • Sagarmala Finance Corporation is a state-owned maritime-focused lender established in 2016 under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
  • It received a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) licence in June 2025.