International
International Labour Day 2026 — ILO Theme
Observed 1 May 2026. ILO theme: ‘Ensuring a Healthy Psychosocial Working Environment’. ILO founded 1919 under Treaty of Versailles; HQ: Geneva, Switzerland. First celebrated globally: 1 May 1890. India’s first celebration: Chennai, 1923. USA/Canada: Labour Day falls on first Monday of September.
Technology
Maharashtra AI Policy 2026 — Key Targets
Approved by Maharashtra Cabinet under CM Devendra Fadnavis. Targets: Rs 10,000 crore investment and 1.5 lakh jobs by 2031. Key features: 5 AI Innovation Cities, Rs 500 crore AI startup fund, 12 AI incubators, 20% MSME subsidy, 2 lakh professionals trained. Platform: ‘Maha Artificial Intelligence Tools Hub’. Governor: C.P. Radhakrishnan.
Monetary Policy
RBI Mission SAKSHAM — Co-operative Bank Reform
Full form: Sahkari Bank Kshamta Nirman (Cooperative Bank Capacity Building). Launched by RBI to strengthen Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs). Targets 1.40 lakh participants — Board Members, Risk, Compliance, Audit & IT heads. Content in regional languages. RBI est. 1 April 1935; HQ: Mumbai; Governor: Sanjay Malhotra.
Digital Governance
E-PRAAPTI — EPFO’s Dormant PF Account Portal
Full form: Employees Provident Fund Aadhaar-Based Access Portal for Tracking Inoperative Accounts. Launched by EPFO under Ministry of Labour & Employment (Minister: Mansukh Mandaviya). Key feature: traces & reactivates dormant PF accounts without UAN via Aadhaar authentication. EPFO est. 1952; HQ: New Delhi. FY26: settled 83.1 million claims.
Infrastructure
Ganga Expressway — India’s Longest Expressway
Inaugurated by PM Modi in Hardoi, UP. Length: 594 km (6-lane, expandable to 8); Cost: Rs 36,230 crore. Route: Meerut to Prayagraj via 12 districts. Travel time: reduced to ~6 hours. Unique feature: 3.5 km emergency airstrip at Shahjahanpur. Connects to Agra–Lucknow, Jewar Link, and Farrukhabad Link Expressways. UP CM: Yogi Adityanath.
Environment
UNESCO Global Geoparks — Tunisia’s Historic First
UNESCO designated 12 new Global Geoparks, total now 241 sites across 51 countries covering 882,000+ sq km. Tunisia became a Geopark nation for the first time. Programme established 2015; ‘bottom-up’ approach; status granted for 4 years (then revalidation). New geoparks also in China, France, Greece, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Portugal, Russia, Uruguay. UNESCO DG: Khaled El-Anany.
Technology
Google Cloud India AI Hub — Visakhapatnam
Located at Tarluvada, Visakhapatnam, AP. Value: USD 15 billion (Rs 1.35 lakh crore) — India’s largest single FDI project. Managed by Google subsidiary Raiden Infotech India Pvt Ltd with AdaniConneX and Nxtra by Airtel. Capacity: 1 Gigawatt. Foundation stone laid by Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and AP CM N. Chandrababu Naidu. AP capital: Amaravati.
Governance
West Bengal Assembly Elections — Record Turnout
WB recorded highest-ever turnout since Independence: 92.47% (two phases). Phase 1: 93.19%; Phase 2: 91.66%. Previous record: 84.72% (2011). Female turnout: 92.28%; Male: 91.07%. Total electorate: 6.81 crore; 294 constituencies; 85,377 polling stations. CEC: Gyanesh Kumar. WB CM: Mamata Banerjee; Governor: R.N. Ravi.
Defence
BHEL-NSTL GT-IRSS Technology Transfer
BHEL signed LAToT with DRDO’s NSTL for the Gas Turbine-Infrared Suppression System (GT-IRSS). GT-IRSS reduces ships’ infrared signature by cooling exhaust gases — enhances naval stealth. Used in LM2500 gas turbines. NSTL based in Visakhapatnam; specialises in naval weapons, torpedoes & mines. BHEL: Founded 1956; CMD: K S Murthy; GoI stake: 63.17%. Aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Geopolitics
UAE Exits OPEC & OPEC+ — Global Oil Impact
UAE announced exit from OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 2026. Reason: production quotas limited ADNOC’s (Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) capacity utilisation (~5 million barrels/day). UAE joined OPEC in 1967; currently 3rd largest OPEC producer after Saudi Arabia and Iraq (~12% of OPEC output). Exit may weaken OPEC’s price influence. UAE President: Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Currency: AED.