NATIONAL & STATE NEWS

EPFO Launches E-PRAAPTI for Dormant PF Accounts

• EPFO, under Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, rolled out E-PRAAPTI, a digital platform to trace and reactivate inoperative provident fund accounts.
• Aims to reunite subscribers or their nominees with unclaimed PF balances lying dormant for years.
• Part of a broader EPFO digitisation push to improve service delivery for over six crore subscribers.
• Complements existing efforts like the UMANG app and EPFO's e-nomination facility to widen digital access to retirement savings.

Maharashtra Artificial Intelligence Policy 2026

• Approved under CM Devendra Fadnavis, the policy targets ₹10,000 crore in investment and 1.5 lakh new jobs by 2031.
• Seeks to position Maharashtra as a leading AI innovation and adoption hub in India.
• Focuses on AI infrastructure, skilling, start-up incentives and responsible-AI governance frameworks.
• Follows similar state-level AI push seen in Telangana and Karnataka, reflecting competitive federalism in tech policy.

Bengaluru Police AI-Powered Namma 112

• Bengaluru Police added an AI-driven multilingual feature to its Namma 112 emergency helpline — a first for any Indian police force.
• Enables callers to report emergencies in multiple regional languages with faster AI-assisted triage.
• Reduces response time by auto-routing calls to the nearest patrol unit based on real-time geolocation data.

Ganga Expressway Inaugurated

• PM Modi inaugurated the 594-km, six-lane greenfield Ganga Expressway linking Meerut and Prayagraj.
• Expected to cut travel time drastically between western and eastern Uttar Pradesh and boost regional connectivity.
• One of the longest expressways in India, built under the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA).

Panchayat Advancement Index 2.0 Report

• Released by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on National Panchayati Raj Day (24 April) to assess grassroots governance performance.
• Evaluates panchayats on themes like poverty-free villages, healthy villages, and good governance.
• Version 2.0 builds on the original PAI framework by adding more granular local-development indicators.

West Bengal Records Highest-Ever Voter Turnout

• West Bengal recorded a post-Independence high of 92.47% voter turnout in the latest Assembly elections.
• Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the state's first BJP Chief Minister following the polls (see Appointments section).
• High turnout was attributed to intense multi-party campaigning and improved Election Commission outreach.

Karnataka's Digital Grievance System for Gig Workers

• Karnataka launched India's first digital grievance-redressal system dedicated to gig-economy workers.
• Aims to give app-based delivery and ride-hailing workers a formal channel to resolve payment and welfare disputes.
• Builds on the state's earlier Gig Workers Welfare Act, among the first such legislation in India.

India Deploys Aarogya Maitri Healthcare Unit in Jamaica

• India's portable Aarogya Maitri healthcare infrastructure was deployed in Jamaica under the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief framework.
• Reflects India's growing role in health diplomacy with Caribbean nations.
• Aarogya Maitri kits were originally developed to provide rapid-deployable trauma care during disasters and conflicts.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026

• This year's Yatra will be conducted via the Lipulekh and Nathu La passes.
• Coordinated by the Ministry of External Affairs with support from Uttarakhand and Sikkim state governments.
• The Yatra had earlier been suspended for several years due to border tensions before resuming through diplomatic channels.

Citizenship Amendment Rules 2026

• Streamlines the earlier Citizenship Rules of 2009 to simplify citizenship-related processes.
• Part of ongoing efforts to modernise citizenship registration and verification procedures.
• Introduces clearer digital-documentation pathways for applicants under the Citizenship Act, 1955.

BRICS MENA Deputy Foreign Ministers' Meeting

• India chaired a BRICS meeting on the Middle East and North Africa in New Delhi under Dr Neena Malhotra.
• Discussed regional stability, trade cooperation and diplomatic coordination among BRICS members.
• Comes as BRICS expands its diplomatic footprint beyond core economic issues into geopolitical mediation.

'Women and Men in India 2025' Report

• Sex ratio at birth improved to 917 for the 2021–23 period, signalling gradual progress in gender balance.
• The report compiles gender-disaggregated statistics across health, education, employment and governance indicators.
• Published annually by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) as a key gender-data benchmark.

Tamil Nadu Overtakes Gujarat in Marine Fish Production

• Tamil Nadu became India's top marine-fish-producing state in 2025, displacing longtime leader Gujarat.
• Reflects growth in Tamil Nadu's coastal fisheries infrastructure and deep-sea fishing capacity.
• India remains the world's third-largest fish producer and second-largest aquaculture producer overall.

India's First Barrier-less Tolling System

• A Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system was launched at Chorayasi Toll Plaza on NH-48.
• Uses GPS/RFID-based technology to charge tolls without vehicles stopping, cutting congestion at toll points.
• Expected to be scaled nationally as a successor to the current FASTag-based toll-collection system.

India on US Special 301 Priority Watch List

• The US Trade Representative's Special 301 Report 2026 again placed India on its Priority Watch List over IP-protection concerns.
• India has consistently contested such classifications, citing its balanced and TRIPS-compliant IP regime.
• India has featured on this list nearly every year since the report's inception, reflecting long-standing India-US IP friction.

Guinness Record for Underwater National Flag

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands set a Guinness World Record for the largest underwater national flag, measuring 60x40 metres.
• Organised by Navy divers to mark a national event and promote marine tourism.
• Highlights the islands' coral-reef diving ecosystem as a growing adventure-tourism destination.

Sikkim Becomes India's First Fully Paperless Judiciary

• Announced by the Chief Justice of India, Sikkim achieved 100% digitisation of court records and case filings.
• A milestone for e-Courts implementation and judicial efficiency in a small hill state.
• Sikkim is also India's first fully organic farming state, reflecting a broader pattern of pioneering governance reforms.

Karnataka's Centre of Excellence for Space Technology

• Karnataka launched India's first state-led Centre of Excellence for Space Technology in Bengaluru.
• Aims to nurture private space start-ups and deepen collaboration with ISRO's ecosystem.
• Bengaluru already hosts ISRO's headquarters and a dense cluster of private space-tech companies.

Indigenous Cell Broadcast Alert System

• Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched a Cell Broadcast System for emergency alerts, developed indigenously by C-DOT.
• Enables mass, location-specific SMS-like alerts for disasters without needing prior app downloads.
• Complements the Sachet app-based alert system run by the National Disaster Management Authority.

'Padma Doree' Craft Initiative

• Combines Eri silk from Northeast India with Chanderi weaving techniques of Madhya Pradesh in a single product line.
• Promotes cross-regional artisan collaboration and diversified livelihoods for weavers.
• Part of the Ministry of Textiles' broader push to popularise GI-tagged regional crafts under a single national brand.

Jharkhand's First Dedicated Pearl-Farming Cluster

• Hazaribag district is being developed as India's first dedicated pearl-farming cluster.
• Expected to create new income opportunities for small and marginal farmers through freshwater pearl cultivation.
• India currently imports most cultured pearls; this cluster aims to reduce that dependence.

Fire Safety Week 2026

• Observed from 4–10 May 2026 under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to promote hospital and public fire safety.
• Included mock drills, safety audits and awareness campaigns across healthcare facilities.
• Comes in the wake of several hospital fire incidents in past years that prompted stricter safety-audit norms.

South Coast Railway Zone Operational

• India's newest railway zone, headquartered at Visakhapatnam, became operational from 1 June 2026.
• Aims to improve administrative efficiency and rail connectivity across Andhra Pradesh's coastal belt.
• Indian Railways currently operates through a network of zones, each headed by a General Manager.

NCERT's PRASHAST 2.0 Screening Tool

• A revamped tool for early identification of disabilities in schoolchildren, capable of screening 21 types of disabilities.
• Supports inclusive education by helping schools flag children needing early intervention.
• Aligned with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, which recognises 21 categories of disability.

Supreme Court Judge Strength Increased

• The Union Cabinet approved raising the Supreme Court's sanctioned judge strength (excluding the CJI) from 33 to 37.
• The move, anchored in Article 124 of the Constitution, aims to speed up case disposal amid rising pendency.
• The Supreme Court's sanctioned strength has been revised upward several times since 1950, when it began with just 8 judges.

Vadinar Ship Repair Facility Approved

• Cabinet cleared a roughly ₹1,570 crore ship-repair facility at Vadinar, Gujarat.
• Strengthens India's maritime repair capacity and reduces dependence on foreign yards.
• Part of the Maritime India Vision 2030 aimed at boosting domestic shipbuilding and repair infrastructure.

New Semiconductor Projects Under India Semiconductor Mission

• Two new projects worth over ₹3,936 crore were approved under the India Semiconductor Mission, to be set up in Gujarat.
• Part of India's broader push to build a domestic chip-manufacturing ecosystem.
• The India Semiconductor Mission was launched in 2021 with an outlay of about ₹76,000 crore.

First International Big Cat Alliance Summit

• India will host the first IBCA Summit in New Delhi in June 2026.
• IBCA, headquartered in India, was launched in 2023 to protect seven big cat species globally.
• The seven species covered are tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah.

Legal Status Proposed for Vandage Mataram

• A proposal seeks legal protection for Vande Mataram equal to that given to the National Anthem.
• The song, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875, played a key role in India's freedom movement.
• It was adopted as the National Song (distinct from the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana) by the Constituent Assembly in 1950.

India–EU EV Battery Recycling Initiative

• India and the EU launched a ₹169 crore joint initiative to boost electric-vehicle battery recycling capacity.
• Supports circular-economy goals as EV adoption accelerates in India.
• Complements India's Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, which mandate extended producer responsibility.

JANANI Digital Health Platform

• Launched by the Health Ministry to provide continuous digital healthcare tracking from pregnancy through early childhood.
• Aims to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality through better data-driven monitoring.
• Integrates with the existing Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission's health-record ecosystem.

West Bengal's Annapurna Bhandaar Scheme

• Replaces the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, offering ₹3,000 monthly cash aid to eligible women.
• Announced by the newly formed BJP government under CM Suvendu Adhikari.
• Part of a broader trend of direct cash-transfer welfare schemes for women adopted across several Indian states.

Jute Crop Information System (JCIS)

• Led by the National Jute Board with ISRO collaboration to monitor jute crop health via satellite data.
• Aims to improve yield forecasting and support jute farmers, mainly in eastern India.
• West Bengal accounts for the bulk of India's jute production, followed by Bihar and Assam.

Revised Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)

• In effect since January 2025, now provides monthly and quarterly employment data instead of only annual figures.
• Gives policymakers more timely insight into India's evolving labour market.
• PLFS was first launched in 2017 by the National Statistical Office, replacing the earlier quinquennial employment surveys.

Judicial Infrastructure Advisory Committee

• Announced by CJI Surya Kant and headed by Justice Aravind Kumar to modernise court infrastructure nationwide.
• Will recommend upgrades to digitisation, courtroom facilities and case-management systems.
• Comes amid long-standing concerns over inadequate courtroom infrastructure at the district-court level.

Customs Duty on Gold and Silver Raised

• Duty increased from 6% to 15% to help protect India's forex reserves amid rising import bills.
• Reflects concern over the widening trade deficit driven by bullion imports.
• India is among the world's largest gold importers, with demand driven by jewellery and investment purposes.

Ahmedabad–Dholera Semi High-Speed Rail

• Approved at ₹20,667 crore, it will be India's first such corridor built entirely with indigenous technology.
• Aims to connect the upcoming Dholera Special Investment Region with Ahmedabad efficiently.
• Dholera SIR is being developed as one of India's flagship greenfield industrial smart cities.

₹37,500 Crore Coal Gasification Scheme

• Targets gasification of about 75 million tonnes of coal and lignite to reduce import dependence on natural gas and chemicals.
• Supports India's clean-coal and Atmanirbhar Bharat energy goals.
• India holds the world's fifth-largest coal reserves and remains heavily dependent on coal for power generation.

PM Internship Scheme 2026

• Aims to provide internship opportunities to one crore youth over five years with leading companies.
• Intended to bridge the gap between formal education and employable skills.
• Interns receive a monthly stipend co-funded by the government and participating companies under the CSR framework.

Sugar Export Ban Extended

• India extended its sugar export ban until 30 September 2026 to safeguard domestic supply and price stability.
• Comes amid concerns about erratic monsoon impact on sugarcane output.
• India is typically among the world's top two sugar producers and exporters alongside Brazil.

$1 Trillion Export Target

• India has set an ambitious $1 trillion export target for the current financial year.
• Part of a broader push to double India's share in global trade by the end of the decade.
• Includes both merchandise and services exports, with IT services being a major contributor to the latter.

Assam Cabinet Approves Draft Uniform Civil Code Bill

• Approved under CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, following Uttarakhand and Gujarat in moving towards a UCC.
• Assam becomes the third state to advance such legislation.
• UCC aims to replace religion-based personal laws with a common set of civil laws for all citizens, as envisaged under Article 44.

Uber's First India Data Centre with Adani Group

• Uber partnered with the Adani Group to establish its first data centre in India.
• Reflects growing foreign-tech investment in India's data-centre infrastructure.
• India's data-centre capacity has been expanding rapidly, driven by data-localisation rules and rising cloud/AI demand.

Maize Overtakes Sugarcane in Ethanol Feedstock

• Maize has emerged as the top feedstock for India's ethanol blending programme, surpassing sugarcane-based sources.
• Signals diversification of ethanol production away from sugar-linked crops.
• India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme targets 20% ethanol blending, achieved ahead of schedule in some regions.

10th Indian Ocean Dialogue

• India hosted the 10th edition in New Delhi; the inaugural edition was held in Kerala in 2014.
• A key platform for discussing maritime security and cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.
• Organised jointly by India's Ministry of External Affairs and a strategic-affairs think tank.

Middle East-India Deep-water Pipeline (MEIDP)

• A proposed ₹40,000 crore pipeline to connect Gujarat with Oman for enhanced energy security.
• Part of India's strategy to diversify and secure long-term energy supply routes.
• Oman is a longstanding energy partner of India, with existing LNG supply agreements between the two countries.

Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision Phase III

• Covers 16 states and 3 Union Territories to update and clean up electoral rolls.
• Aims to improve accuracy of voter lists ahead of upcoming elections.
• SIR exercises involve door-to-door verification by Booth Level Officers to remove duplicate or ineligible entries.

India Chairs Common Criteria Development Board (2026–28)

• India assumed the chair of this global cybersecurity-evaluation standards body for a two-year term.
• Reflects India's growing influence in international cybersecurity governance.
• The Common Criteria framework is used worldwide to certify IT product security under a mutually recognised standard.

Mizoram Ginger Mission

• A ₹189.79 crore Centre-backed mission to boost ginger cultivation and exports from Mizoram.
• Aims to make the state a major hub for high-quality ginger production.
• India is the world's largest producer of ginger, though a significant share still comes from unorganised smallholder farms.

PRAGATI Review Meeting (51st Edition)

• PM Modi chaired the 51st meeting of the PRAGATI ICT platform to review pending infrastructure projects.
• PRAGATI enables real-time monitoring and grievance redressal directly by the PMO.
• Stands for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation; launched in 2015 to cut through bureaucratic delays.

Mission Queen Pineapple

• A ₹236 crore mission to boost the GI-tagged Queen pineapple variety of Tripura.
• Aims to expand exports and value-addition for the state's signature crop.
• Tripura's Queen pineapple received its Geographical Indication (GI) tag for its distinct sweetness and aroma.

National Health Accounts Estimates 2022-23

• The 10th edition of this report tracks healthcare spending patterns across public and private sectors.
• Used to guide health-financing policy and monitor out-of-pocket expenditure trends.
• India's out-of-pocket health expenditure remains relatively high compared to countries with universal health coverage.

Assam Passes Uniform Civil Code Bill

• Assam became the third state, after Uttarakhand and Gujarat, to pass a UCC Bill.
• Follows growing momentum among BJP-ruled states for uniform personal-law legislation.
• Uttarakhand was the first state post-Independence to actually implement a UCC, in early 2024.

SkyCast Aviation Weather Monitoring System

• Inaugurated at IGI Airport under the Mission Mausam programme to improve real-time flight-weather forecasting.
• Aims to reduce weather-related flight delays and improve aviation safety.
• Mission Mausam is a Ministry of Earth Sciences programme aimed at making India 'weather-ready and climate-smart'.

SARTHAK-PDS Scheme Approved

• CCEA approved this ₹25,530 crore scheme to strengthen the Public Distribution System's technology backbone.
• Focuses on better ration delivery tracking and reducing leakages.
• Builds on the existing One Nation One Ration Card system that enables portability of ration entitlements nationwide.

Chhattisgarh's Adarsh Shahar Samriddhi Yojana

• Allocated ₹200 crore in the 2026-27 state budget for urban infrastructure upgrades.
• Aims to develop model towns with improved civic amenities across Chhattisgarh.
• Chhattisgarh's capital is Raipur; the state was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000.

Rajasthan's First Semiconductor Cluster

• Rajasthan launched its first Semiconductor and Electronics Manufacturing Cluster at Bhiwadi.
• Part of the state's push to attract high-tech manufacturing investment.
• Bhiwadi, near the Delhi-NCR periphery, is already a significant industrial hub in the National Capital Region.

NHAI's Project Saksham

• Implemented with the Vertis Foundation to provide skill development and employment for rural women.
• Focuses on road-safety, toll operations and allied livelihood training.
• NHAI, under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, is responsible for India's National Highway network.

Kimberley Process Intersessional Meeting 2026

• India concluded this meeting in Mumbai to ensure transparency in the global diamond trade.
• The Kimberley Process aims to curb trade in conflict diamonds worldwide.
• India is one of the world's largest diamond-cutting and polishing centres, based mainly in Surat, Gujarat.

SC Judge Strength Raised via Ordinance

• President Droupadi Murmu approved raising Supreme Court judge strength (including CJI) from 34 to 38 through an ordinance.
• Aimed at tackling rising case pendency in the apex court.
• Ordinances allow the government to legislate when Parliament is not in session, subject to later parliamentary approval.

Andhra Pradesh's New Population Policy

• Offers a ₹40,000 cash incentive for the birth of a third child, aimed at addressing demographic concerns.
• Reflects growing debate in southern states over declining fertility rates.
• Southern states worry that falling fertility could reduce their Lok Sabha seat share after future delimitation exercises.

Sikkim to Implement Anand Marriage Act, 1909

• Will allow registration of Sikh marriages in the state from 1 June 2026.
• Extends a century-old central law's benefits to Sikkim's Sikh community.
• The Anand Marriage Act was originally enacted in colonial-era British India to formally recognise Sikh marriage customs.

Ministry of Education's Adolescent Reintegration Pilot

• Targets reintegrating over 2 crore out-of-school adolescents aged 14–18 into the education system.
• Focuses on flexible learning pathways and vocational bridging courses.
• Aligned with the National Education Policy 2020's emphasis on universal access and reducing dropout rates.

CBI Launches AI Helpbot 'Abhay'

• Unveiled by Justice Surya Kant, it helps citizens verify the authenticity of CBI notices to curb fraud.
• Part of a broader push to use AI for public-facing law-enforcement services.
• Comes amid a rise in cyber-fraud cases where scamsters impersonate CBI or police officials over phone calls.

Tripura Completes All Priority Areas of National Reform Programme

• Became the first state to complete all 51 priority areas across both phases of a key reform initiative.
• Reflects strong administrative follow-through on structural governance reforms.
• Such reform-linked programmes typically tie central financial incentives to states' completion of governance milestones.

Coffees of Nagaland Mission

• A ₹175 crore mission launched by Jyotiraditya Scindia to develop Nagaland as a premium specialty-coffee destination.
• Aims to diversify livelihoods for hill farmers through high-value cash crops.
• Northeast India's hill terrain and climate are increasingly seen as suited to speciality Arabica coffee cultivation.

First Satellite-Tagged Ganges Softshell Turtle Released

• Released into the Brahmaputra at Kaziranga National Park, Assam, to study migration and habitat use.
• Supports conservation efforts for this vulnerable freshwater turtle species.
• Kaziranga is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famed for hosting the majority of the world's one-horned rhinoceroses.

Uttarakhand's Rishikesh-Neelkanth Ropeway

• A planned ₹450 crore ropeway will connect Rishikesh to the Neelkanth Mahadev Temple.
• Expected to ease pilgrim traffic and boost religious tourism infrastructure.
• Uttarakhand has invested heavily in ropeway infrastructure to improve access to hill shrines like Kedarnath as well.

Maharashtra Tops Central Infrastructure Projects

• Maharashtra ranks first nationally with 215 Central Government infrastructure projects worth about ₹5.5 trillion.
• Reflects the state's continued draw for large-scale public investment.
• Maharashtra is India's largest state economy by GSDP and hosts the country's financial capital, Mumbai.

West Bengal Approves 7th Pay Commission

• State government cleared implementation of the 7th Pay Commission for employees and pensioners.
• Expected to have a significant fiscal impact on the state budget.
• Pay Commissions are periodically constituted to revise salary and pension structures for government employees.

India Chairs IAEA Regional Cooperative Agreement 2026

• India assumed chairmanship of this IAEA-linked cooperative framework for peaceful nuclear technology use.
• The IAEA, headquartered in Vienna, was founded in 1957.
• India is a long-standing IAEA member despite not being a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

68th Governing Body Meeting, Asian Productivity Organization

• Hosted by India at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, focusing on regional productivity and innovation strategies.
• APO is an intergovernmental body promoting productivity growth across Asia-Pacific member economies.

Arunachal Kiwi Mission

• Launched with a ₹167 crore outlay to boost kiwi production and export from Arunachal Pradesh.
• Aims to make the state a major kiwi hub in the Northeast.
• Arunachal Pradesh's high-altitude climate is well suited to kiwi cultivation, similar to that of New Zealand.

Kerala Gets Cabinet-Level AI Portfolio

• Kerala became the first Indian state to create a dedicated Cabinet-level Artificial Intelligence department.
• Signals growing state-level institutional focus on AI governance and adoption.
• Kerala already has a strong IT-services base centred around Technopark, Thiruvananthapuram.

JEEVAN App and SHATAYU Dashboard for Senior Citizens

• Launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to improve elderly-care service delivery.
• Provides digital tools for tracking welfare-scheme benefits for senior citizens.
• India's elderly population is projected to more than double by 2050, driving increased focus on senior-care policy.

Delhi's Ration Card Income Limit Revision

• Delhi plans to raise the annual income eligibility limit for ration cards from ₹1.2 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh.
• Expected to widen the beneficiary base for subsidised food grain distribution.
• Ration cards under the National Food Security Act entitle eligible households to subsidised food grains monthly.

Chenab River Hydropower Projects

• India approved ₹2,600 crore worth of hydropower projects on the Chenab, to be implemented by NHPC.
• Aims to boost clean energy generation capacity in Jammu & Kashmir.
• The Chenab is one of the five rivers of Punjab governed under the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.

Project Cheetah Population Update

• India's cheetah population under Project Cheetah has reached 53, including 33 cubs born in India.
• Cheetahs were declared extinct in India in 1952 due to hunting and habitat loss.
• Project Cheetah, launched in 2022, reintroduced African cheetahs to Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.

Proposed High-Powered Demography Mission

• Announced by Amit Shah during the Rustamji Memorial Lecture to tackle illegal immigration.
• Aims to strengthen border-area demographic monitoring and documentation.
• The Rustamji Memorial Lecture is named after K.F. Rustamji, the first Director General of the Border Security Force.

UMMID Programme Phase-II

• Launched by Dr Jitendra Singh under the Department of Biotechnology to tackle rare genetic disorders.
• Focuses on early screening, diagnosis and management of inherited conditions.
• UMMID stands for Unique Methods of Management and treatment of Inherited Disorders.

26th Central Zonal Council Meeting

• Chaired by Amit Shah in Bastar to discuss inter-state coordination among central Indian states.
• Zonal Councils were set up under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 to foster cooperative federalism.

BHAVYA Scheme for Industrial Parks

• A ₹33,660 crore scheme to develop 100 world-class industrial parks across India.
• Aims to boost manufacturing competitiveness and ease-of-doing-business at scale.
• Complements existing schemes like PM Gati Shakti and the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme.

Yoga Mahotsav 2026 at Khajuraho

• Organised by the Ministry of Ayush ahead of International Day of Yoga (21 June).
• Aims to popularise yoga as both a wellness practice and cultural heritage asset.
• Khajuraho is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its medieval temple architecture.

World's Largest Single-Location Battery Storage

• Adani Green Energy commissioned a 3.37 GWh Battery Energy Storage System at Khavda, Gujarat.
• Described as the world's largest single-location BESS deployment, supporting renewable-energy grid stability.
• Khavda in Kutch also hosts the world's largest renewable-energy park, combining solar and wind capacity.

North East Regional Cooperative Reform Conference

• Held in Aizawl, Mizoram, under the 'Sahkar se Samriddhi' vision to strengthen cooperatives in the region.
• Aims to boost financial inclusion and rural livelihoods through cooperative institutions.
• Part of the Ministry of Cooperation's broader push to revitalise India's cooperative sector nationwide.

Census 2027 QR-Code ID Cards

• India introduced QR-code-enabled identity cards for enumerators ahead of Census 2027.
• Roughly 30 lakh enumerators are expected to be deployed nationwide for the exercise.
• India's decennial Census was delayed from its usual 2021 schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Odisha Tops PMAY-Urban 2.0 House Completions

• Odisha maintained the top position in house completions under PMAY-Urban 2.0 from March 2025 to March 2026.
• Reflects strong implementation capacity in the state's urban housing programme.
• PMAY-Urban aims to provide 'Housing for All' in urban areas through subsidised and affordable housing schemes.

Maharashtra's Compressed Biogas Policy 2026

• Allocated ₹500 crore in financial support for FY 2026-27 to boost compressed biogas production.
• Supports India's broader push towards cleaner transport fuels and waste-to-energy solutions.
• Compressed biogas (CBG) is produced from agricultural residue, cattle dung and municipal waste.

Jharkhand Achieves Zero Primary Dropout Rate

• Dropout rate fell to zero in 2024-25, down sharply from 6.41% in 2014-15.
• Credited to sustained enrolment drives and mid-day meal and scholarship interventions.
• Jharkhand has historically faced higher dropout rates due to tribal-belt poverty and migration patterns.

India Retains Position as World's Second-Largest Crude Steel Producer

• India has held this rank since 2018, reflecting sustained growth in domestic steel capacity.
• Steel output continues to be driven by infrastructure and construction demand.
• China remains by far the world's largest steel producer, accounting for over half of global output.

India Aircraft Leasing and Financing Summit 2.0

• Held at GIFT City, Gandhinagar, to promote India as a global aircraft-leasing hub.
• Aims to reduce dependence on foreign leasing jurisdictions for Indian airlines.
• Indian carriers currently lease most of their fleet from overseas jurisdictions like Ireland.

Supreme Court Ruling on Section 498A IPC

• A key Supreme Court ruling revisited safeguards under Section 498A, introduced in 1983 to protect married women from cruelty.
• Balances protection for women with safeguards against misuse of the provision.
• Section 498A has long been debated for its dual role in protecting victims while sometimes being subject to misuse allegations.

PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Park (PM MITRA), Warangal

• Inaugurated by PM Modi during his Karnataka-Telangana visit.
• Aims to create integrated textile value chains and generate large-scale employment.
• Seven PM MITRA parks are being developed across India under this scheme, each with plug-and-play infrastructure.

Sehat Mission for Agriculture-Nutrition-Health Integration

• A joint ICAR-ICMR initiative linking agricultural practices with nutrition and healthcare outcomes.
• Seeks a holistic approach to tackling malnutrition through better crop and diet planning.
• Reflects a growing policy recognition that food-system design directly affects public-health outcomes.

Viksit Bharat Rural Employment Act (Replacing MGNREGA)

• MGNREGA, 2005 will be repealed and replaced by the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 from 1 July 2026.
• Guarantees 125 days of wage employment per eligible rural household annually, up from the earlier 100 days.
• MGNREGA, enacted in 2005, was one of the world's largest rural employment guarantee programmes for nearly two decades.

Supreme Court's AI Chatbot 'Su-Sahayak'

• Launched to help modernise judicial processes and assist litigants with basic case-related queries.
• Part of the judiciary's broader digital-transformation push.
• Complements the e-Courts Mission Mode Project, which has digitised case records across most Indian courts.