Current Affairs 03 May 2026

National Affairs

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches PMGSY-IV in Odisha

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), launched the 4th phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV) in Odisha, marking a major push for rural connectivity.

The scheme was launched at a special event in Rayagada district, Odisha, with an outlay of ₹1,700 crore, in the presence of Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister (CM) of Odisha.

Districts Covered: Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Khordha, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, and Sambalpur.

MoSPI Releases 'Women and Men in India 2025' Report: Key Education, Employment & Health Trends

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoS&PI) released the 27th edition of its publication titled 'Women and Men in India 2025: Selected Indicators and Data' at the National Deliberative Summit on "Data for Development" at Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Metadata Inclusion: Metadata for 50 key indicators included to improve clarity on concepts, definitions, sources, and methodology.

Key Findings:

MHA Notifies Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026; Introduces e-OCI & New Compliance Norms

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, introducing key changes to the existing Citizenship Rules, 2009. The new rules came into force on April 30, 2026, following publication in the official gazette.

Key Changes:

• Dual Passport: Minor children cannot hold both Indian and foreign passports simultaneously, ensuring compliance with India's single citizenship policy.
• Digital OCI: Introduction of e-OCI along with digital records, allowing issuance of physical or electronic OCI cards and maintaining a central database.
• Online Process: The entire OCI application process — registration, renunciation, and acknowledgements — will be conducted online through the official portal.
• Renunciation: OCI card surrender must be filed electronically, after which acknowledgement is issued and the applicant's name is removed from the records.

Ministry of Mines Approves 58 Companies under ₹1,500 Crore Critical Mineral Recycling Incentive Scheme

The Ministry of Mines (MoM) approved 58 companies as eligible participants under the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Critical Mineral Recycling (IS-PCMR), a key initiative under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) with a total outlay of ₹1,500 crore.

The scheme aims to reduce import dependence while strengthening clean energy and advanced manufacturing sectors by building domestic recycling capacity for lithium-ion batteries, e-waste, and industrial scrap.

Evaluation: By Project Management Agency (PMA) at Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur, Maharashtra, and approved by the Executive Committee (EC) — 20 entities cleared on March 30, 2026 and 38 on April 29, 2026.

C-ART Observatory Established at Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, AP

Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), inaugurated the Open-Field Observatory of the Coastal Atmospheric Research Testbed (C-ART), a coastal weather research facility established by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), at Andhra University (AU), Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP), on 1 May 2026.

The observatory was developed at an estimated cost of ₹180 crore under Mission Mausam.

Aim: Strengthen observational networks, enhance numerical weather prediction, and improve early warning systems for cyclones and extreme weather along India's east coast.

Infrastructure: Open-field meteorological observatory equipped with remote sensing and in-situ systems, eddy covariance tower, and advanced observational instruments.

Location Significance: The first such testbed on India's east coast and a cyclone-prone Bay of Bengal region, complementing existing facilities at:

TN Overtakes Gujarat as Top Marine Fish Producer in 2025: CMFRI Data

The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) released its 'ICAR-CMFRI Annual Report 2025', stating that Tamil Nadu (TN) became India's top marine fish producer in 2025 with 6.85 lakh tonnes, surpassing Gujarat, whose output declined by 15% to 6.43 lakh tonnes from 2024.

India's total marine fish production increased by 3% to 35.7 lakh tonnes in 2025.

Top 5 States:

Top Species: Indian mackerel remained the most landed marine resource at 0.27 million tonnes, followed by cephalopods (0.25 million tonnes) and oil sardine (0.25 million tonnes).

Resources Performance: Indian oil sardine emerged as the top resource at 0.16 million tonnes, rising 13% to a decade high; threadfin breams and cephalopods recorded increases of 27% and 16% respectively.

Market Value: Marine fish landings generated an estimated ₹69,254 crore at landing centres and ₹97,702 crore at the retail level.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Launches India's First Barrier-less Tolling System in Gujarat

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), launched India's first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system at the Chorayasi Toll Plaza on the Surat–Bharuch section of National Highway (NH)-48 in Gujarat.

Technology: Enables barrier-free tolling using integrated technologies:

• ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) with AI analytics
• RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)-based Electronic Toll Collection (FASTag)

Benefits: Toll charges automatically deducted from linked accounts, enabling contactless, seamless transactions while reducing fuel use, emissions, and travel time.

Impact: Supports India's push for digital infrastructure and smart mobility, aiming to build a more efficient, user-friendly road transport system nationwide.

Sikkim Becomes India's First Paperless Judiciary State

Sikkim became the first state in India to have a fully paperless judiciary. The announcement was made by Justice Surya Kant, Chief Justice of India (CJI), during the "Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education" held at Chintan Bhawan in Gangtok, Sikkim, marking the state's 50 years of statehood.

e-Courts System: A paperless judiciary refers to the transition from physical records to a fully digital court system, including:

• e-Filing (electronic filing)
• Digital Case Management (DCM)
• Virtual Hearings via video conferencing (VC)
• e-Seva Kendras (eSK) to assist users with limited digital literacy

Digital Processes: Court processes digitised with electronic summons via SMS and email through National Service and Tracking of Electronic Processes (NSTEP); hybrid virtual hearings enable remote participation and improved accessibility.

Impact: Improves access to justice in remote and hilly areas while reducing administrative costs and environmental impact.

DPIIT Signs MoU with Chamber India to Strengthen India's Startup Ecosystem

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chamber India to bolster the Indian startup ecosystem and foster innovation-led growth.

Objectives: Strengthen engagement between startups, corporates, investors, and global stakeholders while enabling international linkages and cross-border collaboration.

Focus: Support startups through initiatives aligned with national programmes; promote entrepreneurship across key sectors like skilling, healthcare, agriculture, and emerging technologies.

Benefits: DPIIT-recognised startups will receive 50% concessional membership with Chamber India, enabling access to export support, IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) advisory, business matchmaking, and global networking opportunities.

Initiatives: Chamber India will establish 5 incubation and startup support centres across India, focusing on Aspirational Districts, Northeastern states, and emerging regions.

International Affairs

USTR Special 301 Report 2026: Retains India on Priority Watch List; Vietnam Named Priority Foreign Country

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) released its 38th annual 2026 Special 301 Report, classifying countries into Priority Foreign Country (PFC), Priority Watch List, and Watch List.

India was placed on the Priority Watch List alongside 5 countries, while Vietnam was designated as a Priority Foreign Country (PFC) — the highest scrutiny category and first in 13 years, potentially triggering a Section 301 investigation.

Classifications:

Key Changes:

• Argentina and Mexico moved to Watch List due to improvements
• Bulgaria removed
• EU added over concerns related to Geographical Indications (GI) and pharmaceutical legislation
• Ukraine's review suspended due to the ongoing war

Section 301: Under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, USTR may initiate an investigation within 30 days against Vietnam, leading to consultations to resolve trade issues.

Banking & Finance

NBBL & Juspay Launch Switch and SDK for Banking Connect to Upgrade Net Banking

NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL), a subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), partnered with fintech firm Juspay Technologies Private Limited to launch a unified switch and software development kit (SDK) for its Banking Connect platform across India.

Overview: Banking Connect is an interoperable platform that standardizes net banking workflows, enabling banks and payment aggregators to move beyond fragmented legacy integrations while strengthening digital payment infrastructure.

Features: Unified integration layer with central routing, structured data delivery, and standardized workflows — enhancing security, improving customer experience, enabling faster onboarding, and supporting reliable, scalable innovation.

Technology: Utilizes SDK to support interoperability, scalability, and open architecture for ecosystem innovation.

IPPB Launches Zero-Balance SHG Savings Account to Empower Women-Led Self Help Groups

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), under the Department of Posts (DoP), Ministry of Communications, launched a dedicated Self Help Group (SHG) Savings Account across India to advance financial inclusion and empower women-led micro-enterprises across rural India.

Key Features:

Services: Supports SHG-led livelihoods across various micro-enterprises; exclusions include mobile banking, nomination, standing instructions, POSA linkage, bill payments, and virtual debit card services.

Linkage: Aligned with National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) under MoRD and supported by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

Appointments & Resignations

Vishvajit Sahay Assumes Charge as Secretary of MoD

Vishvajit Sahay, a 1990 batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), assumed charge as Secretary (Defence Finance), Ministry of Defence (MoD). He succeeds Rasika Chaube, who retired from the position.

Science & Technology

MDL Delivers Sixth Project-17A Stealth Frigate 'Mahendragiri' to Indian Navy

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), a Navratna Defence Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), delivered the advanced stealth frigate 'Mahendragiri (Y-12654)' under Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) to the Indian Navy (IN).

The Acceptance Document was signed at MDL, Mumbai (Maharashtra), by Capt Jagmohan (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of MDL, and Rear Admiral Gautam Marwaha, Chief Staff Officer (Technical), Eastern Naval Command.

Induction: The sixth ship delivered under Project 17A and the fourth frigate built by MDL — marking the completion of all Project 17A warships constructed at MDL.

Ships Already Delivered Under Project 17A:

Naming: Named after the Mahendragiri mountain peak in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha.

Design: Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team Mumbai. With this, WDB has achieved the milestone of designing and delivering its 100th vessel.

Sports

Jharkhand's Swimmer Ishank Singh Sets World Record for Youngest & Fastest Palk Strait Crossing

Seven-year-old Ishank Singh from Ranchi, Jharkhand, set a world record by swimming about 29 km across the Palk Strait from Talaimannar (Sri Lanka) to Dhanushkodi (Tamil Nadu, TN) in 9 hours 50 minutes, becoming the youngest and fastest swimmer on this route.

Features: The swim involved a highly challenging route between TN (India) and Jaffna (Sri Lanka), known for strong currents, high waves, and unpredictable weather, connecting the Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mannar.

Record: Recognised by the Universal Records Forum (URF) as the Youngest and Fastest Palk Strait Swimmer, surpassing the previous record set by Jay Jashwanth (10 hours 30 minutes) in 2019.

Significance: Demonstrates exceptional youth endurance, highlights emerging sports talent, and underscores the role of structured training in achieving high-level physical feats.

Important Days at a Glance

State News

Mizoram Launches 'Khuarel' App to Boost Real-time Disaster Response

The Mizoram government launched the 'Khuarel' mobile application (app), a disaster incident and reporting management system, to enable real-time disaster response and coordination across the state.

It was unveiled in Aizawl (Mizoram) by Lalnilawma, Minister of Disaster Management and Rehabilitation (DM&R), making Mizoram one of the first Northeastern states to adopt such a digital disaster management solution.

Development: Developed by the Mizoram State e-Governance Society for the disaster-prone regions of Mizoram.

Purpose: Enables quick communication and information sharing between the public, the DM&R Department, and the State & District Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA & DDMA) during disasters, while ensuring systematic recording of disaster-related data.

Features:

• Offline mode for connectivity-challenged areas
• Supports both Mizo and English interfaces
• Database of nearby hospitals, relief camps, and emergency contacts
• Ensures faster response even in remote areas

Current Affairs 03 May 2026