Daily Current Affairs 21 May 2026

The Union Cabinet has approved a new Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects with a total outlay of ₹37,500 crore. The initiative, structured under the National Coal Gasification Mission launched in 2021, aims to boost clean energy production and reduce reliance on imports of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), urea, and methanol.

The scheme provides financial incentives of up to 20% of the cost of plant and machinery, disbursed in 4 equal installments linked to project milestones. the coal linkage tenure has been extended to a maximum of 30 years under the ‘Production of Syngas leading to Coal Gasification’ sub-sector in the Non-Regulated Sector (NRS) linkage auction framework.

The centre has capped the financial incentive at ₹5,000 crore for any single project, ₹9,000 crore for any single product (excluding Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) and urea), and ₹12,000 crore for any single entity group across all projects.

PM Narendra Modi participated in the Somnath Amrut Mahotsav at the Somnath Temple in Gir Somnath, Gujarat. He released a commemorative stamp and a ₹75 coin to mark 1,000 years of faith at Somnath and 75 years of the reconstruction of the temple after Independence.

PM Modi also inaugurated the Sardardham Hostel in Vadodara, Gujarat, built at a cost of ₹150 crore. He launched the Sardar Dham Education Support Yojana with an outlay of ₹500 crore to provide financial assistance, mentorship, and academic guidance to economically weaker students.

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has unveiled the Unified Bharat e Charge (UBC) platform, a national unified electric vehicle (EV) charging platform, during the ‘National Conference on Enabling Nationwide EV Charging Infrastructure’ held in Bengaluru.

The platform is being developed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) with technical support from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). He also approved the installation of 1,243 EV charging stations in Karnataka with a financial outlay of ₹123.26 crore.

Union Minister JP Nadda and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan have launched the ‘SEHAT Mission’ (Science Excellence for Health through Agricultural Transformation) in New Delhi. The mission is jointly launched by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW).

The initiative aims to connect agriculture, nutrition, and public health through scientific collaboration to build a framework for ‘Healthy Food, Healthy Farms and a Healthy India’.

ICICI Bank, in partnership with Visa, has launched India’s first USD-denominated debit card for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) customers.

The card was introduced through the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) Banking Unit (IBU) located at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The card is built on the Visa Infinite platform, which is the highest tier in the Visa network.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has introduced a new post-retirement framework under the National Pension System (NPS) to provide subscribers with flexible periodic payout options. The regulator has launched Retirement Income Schemes (RIS) to facilitate flexible payouts during the decumulation phase while supporting corpus appreciation.

Currently, NPS subscribers can withdraw 60% of their corpus tax free at retirement, while the remaining 40% must be used to purchase an annuity. Additionally, PFRDA has extended the maximum age for maintaining NPS accounts from 75 years to 85 years for both government and non-government subscribers.

Russia has successfully test-fired the RS-28 Sarmat Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northern Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin termed the newly launched Sarmat as the world’s most powerful missile system. The missile, designated as ‘Satan II’ by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), is set to replace 40 Soviet-built R-36M2 Voyevoda missiles.

The Indian Army and the Indian Navy have signed a Memorandum of Association (MoA) on Affiliation in New Delhi. The agreement aims to strengthen inter-service cooperation, operational cohesion, and jointness among the armed forces.

It seeks to institutionalise structured professional exchanges, operational familiarisation, joint activities, and coordinated multi-domain operations between the two services.

The inaugural edition of the multilateral military exercise named ‘Partnership of Regional Armies for Growth and Transformation in the Indian Ocean Region (PRAGATI) 2026’ commenced at the Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya.

A total of 12 friendly foreign nations are participating in the exercise alongside India. These include Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka from the immediate neighbourhood; Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and the Maldives and Seychelles from the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has constituted the parliamentary Committee on Empowerment of Women for the 2026–27 session, effective from April 21, 2026, with Dr. Daggubati Purandeswari appointed as the Chairperson.

The committee comprises 30 members, with 20 nominated by the Speaker from the Lok Sabha and 10 nominated by the Chairman from the Rajya Sabha. The tenure of the JPC does not exceed one year, and it is reconstituted annually.

Actor Ishaan Khatter has been conferred with an honorary membership of the 45 Cavalry Regiment of the Indian Armoured Corps. The honour is in recognition of his portrayal of Captain Balram Mehta in the film ‘Pippa’ and for demonstrating respect towards the ethos and legacy of the regiment.

The film ‘Pippa’, directed by Raja Krishna Menon and produced by RSVP Movies and Roy Kapur Films, is based on the book “The Burning Chaffees” authored by Balram Singh Mehta.

The Asian Weightlifting Championships (AWC) 2026 was held at the Mahatma Mandir Convention & Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Organised by the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF), this event marked the 54th edition of the men’s tournament and the 35th edition of the women’s tournament.

China topped the medal tally with 41 medals (including 21 gold), followed by North Korea with 30 medals and Chinese Taipei with 13 medals. India secured a total of 10 medals, comprising 1 silver and 9 bronze. Gyaneshwari Yadav won a silver medal in the women’s 53kg snatch event and a bronze medal in the overall category.

The book “Taiwan Travelogue”, written by Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-zi and translated by Lin King, has won the International Booker Prize 2026. It is the first book originally written in Mandarin Chinese to win this prestigious award.

The prize carries a cash reward of £50,000, which is split equally between the author and the translator. The story revolves around Aoyama Chizuko, a Japanese novelist who embarks on a culinary exploration of the island during a government-sponsored tour instead of performing her official duties.

Other books shortlisted for the prize include “The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran” by Shida Bazyar, “She Who Remains” by Rene Karabash, “The Director” by Daniel Kehlmann, “On Earth As It Is Beneath” by Ana Paula Maia, and “The Witch” by Marie NDiaye.

Major General Bhuvan Chandra Khanduri (Retd), a senior BJP leader and former CM of Uttarakhand, passed away at the age of 91. He was a veteran of the 1962 Indo-China War and the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak Wars and was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM). He also represented the Garhwal Lok Sabha constituency multiple times, including during the 16th Lok Sabha.

Sudhangshu Seal, a veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) leader, passed away at the age of 81.

He served as an MLA from the Jorabagan constituency between 2001 and 2004. He was elected as an MP from the Kolkata North West constituency in 2004 after defeating Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay.