Gender & Development
International Day of Families 2026 — Theme & Background
Observed 15 May every year. 2026 theme: ‘Families, Inequalities and Child Wellbeing’. Coordinated by UN DESA / DISD (Division for Inclusive Social Development). Proclaimed via UNGA Resolution A/RES/47/237 (1993); first observed 15 May 1994. Symbol: green circle with red heart under a roof — represents home and family.
Economy
Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Scheme — Rs 37,500 Crore
Union Cabinet approved scheme with total outlay of Rs 37,500 crore, structured on the National Coal Gasification Mission (NCGM, 2021). Incentive caps: Rs 5,000 crore/project; Rs 9,000 crore/single product; Rs 12,000 crore/single entity group. Coal linkage tenure extended to 30 years (NRS framework). Aims to reduce dependence on LNG, urea, and methanol imports.
International
India’s First Mega Greenfield Shipyard — Thoothukudi
MoPSW tripartite MoU with HD KSOE (South Korea), NSHIP-TN, and SMFCL for shipyard at Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. Proposed capacity: 2.5 MGT/year — over half of India’s 4.5 MGT target under Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV 2047). MoU signed during ROK President Lee Jae Myung’s State Visit (April 2026) under India-ROK framework ‘VOYAGES’.
Governance
N. Rangasamy — Fifth Term as CM of Puducherry
Sworn in on 13 May 2026 for a fifth term — first in UT’s history to serve as CM five times. Oath administered by LG Kuniyil Kailashnathan at Lok Nivas, Puducherry. Party: AINRC (All India N.R. Congress). NDA secured 18/33 seats. Voter turnout: 89.87% — highest ever in Puducherry Assembly elections. Cabinet: Malladi Krishna Rao (AINRC) and A. Namassivayam (BJP).
Business & Economy
LEADS 2025 Report — Logistics Rankings
7th edition released by Union Minister Piyush Goyal at LEAPS Awards 2025, organised by DPIIT. New four-tier system: Exemplars (top), High Performers, Accelerators, Growth-Seekers. Exemplars: Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Mizoram, Delhi. Growth-Seekers: West Bengal, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar. Previous system had three tiers (Achievers, Fast Movers, Aspirers).
Technology
MeitY’s IP Catalyst — Bridging R&D and Industry
Launched by MeitY at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Implemented by C-DAC, Pune. Platform URL: https://cipie.in. Objective: bridge publicly funded R&D and industry adoption; enable collaboration among MeitY organisations, startups, MSMEs, academia, and industry. Acts as a unified gateway for IP and technology commercialisation support services.
Business & Economy
Akash Ambani — First MD of Jio Platforms Limited
Appointed first MD of Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) for a five-year term, effective 9 April 2026. Eldest son of Mukesh Ambani (CMD, RIL). Also Chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL) since June 2022; Director on RRVL board; co-owner of Mumbai Indians (5-time IPL champion). Featured in TIME100 Next 2022.
Agriculture
MSP for Kharif Crops 2026-27
CCEA (chaired by PM Modi) approved MSP for 14 Kharif Crops for 2026-27. Common paddy MSP: increased by Rs 72 to Rs 2,441/quintal; Grade A paddy: Rs 2,461/quintal. Highest absolute increases: Sunflower seeds (+Rs 622), Cotton (+Rs 557), Sesamum (+Rs 500). MSP provides assured income to farmers and encourages agricultural production.
International
GIFT City — India’s First IFSC
Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) located in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. India’s first operational smart city and IFSC. Regulated by IFSCA. CTBC Bank (Taiwan) opened a branch — first Taiwanese bank in GIFT City (May 2026). CTBC has 30+ years in India (branches in New Delhi and Chennai). Modelled on global hubs like Singapore and Dubai.
Environment
ZSI — New Spider Species & Whip Scorpion Revision
Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered Psechrus ntu and Psechrus phenshunyu in Nagaland (family Psechridae). Named after Ntu and Phenshunyu villages. Psechrus himalayanus also recorded for first time in the region. First comprehensive taxonomic revision of Indian Whip Scorpions (‘Thelyphonids’) in over 100 years. Whip Scorpions: non-venomous arachnids, acetic acid-like defensive spray. Published in Zootaxa.