Daily Current Affairs

In May 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched the JANANI platform — Journey of Antenatal, Natal and Neonatal Integrated Care — during the 10th National Summit on Innovation and Inclusivity held in Chandigarh.

• Purpose: Upgraded version of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) portal; creates a Longitudinal Digital Record System (LDRS) for women across all reproductive stages.
• Coverage: End-to-end tracking across antenatal care, institutional deliveries, postnatal & newborn care, family planning, and home-based child healthcare.
• Key features: QR-enabled digital MCH (Mother and Child Health) cards; automated alerts for high-risk pregnancies; Aadhaar-based OTP authentication; real-time dashboards; pan-India search for migratory populations.
• Integrations: U-WIN (Universal Immunisation Web-enabled Network), POSHAN (PM’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment), ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account).

In May 2026, Union Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya (MoL&E + MYAS) launched the Nationwide Annual Health Check-Up Initiative at ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Basaidarapur, New Delhi.

• Eligibility: Free annual health check-ups for workers aged above 40 years at ESIC hospitals across India.
• Framework: Implemented under the four New Labour Codes to strengthen workers’ welfare and social security coverage.
• Focus: Early disease detection, preventive healthcare, and timely medical support; treatment and medicines via ESIC facilities.
• ESIC: Employees’ State Insurance Corporation; under Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoL&E); DG: Ashok Kumar Singh.

In May 2026, CSIR-CRRI (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Central Road Research Institute) in collaboration with BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited) developed ‘Phoenix Geocell’ — India’s first technical textile geocell made entirely from end-of-life mixed plastic waste.

• Technology: 3D honeycomb-like structure from processed mixed plastic waste; filled with soil/gravel/sand to improve structural integrity, road durability, and soil stability.
• Applications: Road construction, weak soil stabilisation, slope protection.
• Pilot project: DND-Faridabad-KMP Expressway (NH-148NA), 11 July 2025; supported by NHAI.
• Recognition: Entered in both India Book of Records and Asia Book of Records; ceremony at CSIR-CRRI Auditorium, New Delhi.
• BPCL: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited; Maharatna PSU under Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.

In May 2026, IndiaAI (under MeitY) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) signed an MoU to build a unified and interoperable AI ecosystem for healthcare.

• Objective: Combine IndiaAI’s technological infrastructure with ICMR’s biomedical expertise and health datasets.
• IndiaAI role: Provide compute infrastructure, dataset platforms, and ecosystem-building support.
• ICMR role: Contribute biomedical expertise and curated healthcare datasets under the MIDAS (Medical Information Data for AI Solutions) framework.
• AIKosh platform: Will share anonymised and ethics-approved health datasets, AI models, and toolkits for researchers, startups, and innovators.
• IndiaAI: Under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

In May 2026, CSIR-NIScPR (National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research) under MoS&T signed an MoU with RIS (Research and Information System for Developing Countries) under MEA, in New Delhi.

• Aim: Strengthen collaboration in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy research and science diplomacy.
• Focus areas: Global South working groups; joint publications; science policy, communication, diplomacy, traditional knowledge; workshops and training.
• Global engagement: Enhance India’s presence in global S&T governance and South-South cooperation.
• Signed in presence of: Prof. Sachin Kumar Sharma (DG, RIS) and Dr Geeta Vani Rayasam (Director, CSIR-NIScPR).

In May 2026, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) officially notified the empowerment of the Principal Bench of the GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT), New Delhi, as the National Appellate Authority for Advance Rulings (NAAAR), effective 1 April 2026.

• Mandate: Resolve disputes involving divergent advance rulings across States and UTs under Section 101B of the CGST Act, 2017.
• Notified under: Sub-section (1A) of Section 101A, CGST Act 2017; on GST Council recommendations.
• Presiding Officer: President of the GSTAT; Tribunal constituted under Section 109, CGST Act, 2017.
• Composition: President + 1 judicial member + 2 technical members (one central, one state government).

In May 2026, BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) organised the 35th Plenary and Working Group meetings of ISO TC 20/SC 14 — ‘Space Systems and Operations’ — for the first time in India, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi (4–8 May 2026).

• Participation: 131 international delegates from 13 countries; National Standards Bodies, ISRO, Space Industry, and Academia.
• BIS: Bureau of Indian Standards; National Standards Body of India; under Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), MoCAF&PD.
• ISO TC 20/SC 14: Develops international standards for space systems covering design, production, launch, operations, and space-based services.
• Significance: Highlights India’s growing role in the global space sector; supported by ISRO achievements and IN-SPACe reforms.

In May 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed monetary penalties totalling Rs 33.60 lakh on YES Bank Limited and Hinduja Housing Finance Limited for regulatory lapses.

• Inspection basis: Statutory inspection with reference to financial position as of 31 March 2025.
• RBI clarification: Penalties do not affect the validity of transactions or agreements with customers.

In May 2026, the National Assembly of Bulgaria formally elected Rumen Radev (Progressive Bulgaria party) as Prime Minister with a majority of 124 out of 240 votes in Sofia.

• Context: Bulgaria’s 8th parliamentary election in 5 years; follows collapse of PM Rosen Zhelyazkov’s government (December 2025).
• Background: Major General; Commander, Bulgarian Air Force 2014–2016; President of Bulgaria from 2017 (re-elected 2021); resigned January 2026 — first Bulgarian head of state to resign to contest parliamentary elections (April 2026).
• International awards: Order of Merit (Italy, 2024); Order of Prince Henry (Portugal, 2022); Order of the Redeemer (Greece, 2017).

On 8 May 2026, Laura Virginia Fernández Delgado (age 39) was sworn in as the 50th President of Costa Rica at the National Stadium, San José, for a 4-year term (2026–2030), succeeding Rodrigo Chaves Robles.

• Party: Right-wing Sovereign People’s Party (PPSO); won 31 of 57 seats in February 2026 elections.
• Significance: 2nd woman to hold the office — after Laura Chinchilla Miranda (2010–2014).
• Background: Former Minister of National Planning & Economic Policy (2022–2025); Minister of the Presidency (2024–2025).

The United Nations observes the Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War annually on 8–9 May to honour all victims of WWII (1939–1945) and promote global peace.