Monthly current affairs for May 2026

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has partnered with Airtel Payments Bank to launch co-branded RuPay ‘On-The-Go’ National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) to facilitate seamless digital payments and integrated metro travel across various transit systems in India.

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has signed an MoU with the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) to enhance the detection of mule accounts and to mitigate cyber financial frauds using AI based technologies. It is to be noted that the RBIH is a subsidiary of the RBI.

According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Quarterly Bulletin for Q4 FY26 (January to March 2026) released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the urban unemployment rate (UR) for persons aged 15 and above decreased to 6.6%, compared to 6.7% in the previous quarter.

The aggregate Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for persons aged 15 and above is estimated at 55.5%. In rural regions, the LFPR for the 15+ age group stood at 58.2%, compared to 58.4% in the October-December 2025 period. The urban LFPR for the same demographic was reported at 50.2% in Q4 FY26, representing a decrease from the 50.4% observed in the prior quarter.

Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has signed an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh government to implement the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP) through a state-led model.

The Government of India has allocated ₹2,432 crore for the implementation of the programme in the state, which will be managed by the AP State Fibernet Ltd (APBIL). The objective of the ABP is to upgrade and expand the BharatNet infrastructure to provide reliable, future-ready broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) and villages on a demand basis.

The Karnataka government has implemented an “Alcohol-in-Beverage” (AIB)-based excise duty structure and revised the liquor rates. It is the first instance of such a taxation model being implemented in India, following the 2026-27 Budget announcement. The State Excise Department aims to rationalize liquor pricing to make beverages more affordable for consumers.

The Punjab government has launched the ‘Meri Rasoi Yojna’ (My Kitchen Scheme) in Sangrur district to provide free food kits to 40 lakh economically weaker families. The initiative is implemented as per the provisions of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013.

Each food kit contains 2 kg of moong-chana dal, 2 kg of sugar, 1 kg of iodised salt, 200 g of turmeric, and 1 litre of mustard oil. The beneficiary families will receive these kits on a quarterly basis (once every three months).

Dr Harvansh Chawla has been appointed as the Chairman of the BRISEC Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BRISEC CCI). He previously served as the Chairman of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BRICS CCI).

It is to be noted that the BRISEC CCI was established in 2026 and is recognized by NITI Aayog.

R Mukundan has been elected as the President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the 2026-27 term. He succeeds Rajiv Memani.

It is to be noted that the newly constituted National Council of the CII has also appointed Suchitra Ella as the President-Designate and Shashwat Goenka as the Vice President for the same term.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched the ‘Intellectual Property (IP) Catalyst’ initiative and its dedicated digital platform (https://cipie.in). The launch took place during the national conference ‘From Patent to Product: Accelerating IP Commercialization in Electronics & Information Technology (IT)’ held at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi.

The initiative is implemented by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) with the support of MeitY. It is to be noted that the CIPIE platform serves as a unified online gateway for Intellectual Property and technology commercialization support services.

PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated and dedicated infrastructure, rail, and healthcare projects worth ₹9,400 crore in Hyderabad. He inaugurated the first functional Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park of India in Warangal. The Malkapur Terminal Project of the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and the Sindhu Hospital in Hyderabad were also dedicated to the nation during the visit.

AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) has launched a new portfolio of four credit cards named AU Ananta, AU Laksya, AU Tejas, and AU Prathama to cater to diverse income and lifestyle segments in Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities.

The credit card suite introduces an industry-first feature of providing complimentary airport lounge access for flight bookings made via the AU Rewardz platform.

The RBI has removed the requirement of prior approval for non bank entities to establish tie-up arrangements for outward remittance services through banks in India. This is part of an operating framework issued by the RBI to facilitate such services through Authorised Dealer (AD) Category I banks.

DY Patil International University (DYPIU) in Akurdi, Pune (Maharashtra) has signed an MoU with the French software corporation Dassault Systèmes to establish an advanced Digital Engineering and Digital Manufacturing Experience Centre on the campus of the university.

India and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized United Nations (UN) agency, have launched an 8-year Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP) for the 2026–2033 period.

The initiative, announced during the ‘IFAD–India Partnership for Rural Prosperity’ event at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, aims to strengthen the rural economy of India and promote inclusive, climate-resilient development.

Additionally, IFAD and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) have signed a strategic partnership agreement to strengthen rural finance systems and support innovation in the agriculture and allied sectors.

The Union Government has signed reform-linked MoUs with the Union Territory (UT) of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the State of West Bengal under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0.

The agreements mark a strategic transition in the national focus from initial infrastructure creation towards ensuring long-term sustainability, service delivery, and local accountability.

Yoweri Museveni, belonging to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, has sworn in as the President of Uganda for the seventh term.

The Indian Army has inducted two indigenous combat systems named the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Munition (ULPGM) and the AGNIKAA VTOL-1 (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) First-Person View (FPV) Kamikaze Drone. These were procured from Adani Defence & Aerospace Limited under the Emergency Procurement-6 (EP-6).

The induction followed successful high-altitude and Electronic Warfare (EW) trials conducted in the presence of officials from the Western Command of the IA. The ULPGM, co-developed by the DRDO and Adani Defence & Aerospace Ltd, is the first indigenous loitering munition of India, while the AGNIKAA VTOL-1 is the first FPV kamikaze drone of India in its category.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has inaugurated the Bhimmandali Eco Heritage Site in the Naktideul Block of Sambalpur district, Odisha. The centre has sanctioned over ₹8.3 crore for the project.

He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for 304 projects, including a new Nursing College at the Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital with an investment of ₹580 crore. The Panchayati Raj Samikshya portal was also launched to enhance transparency and accountability in rural governance systems.

Saurabh Vijay has been appointed as the CEO of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). He succeeds Bhuvnesh Kumar.

Mal Anderson, an Australian tennis legend and former World No. 2, passed away at the age of 91. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2000 and was a recipient of the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1972.