Current Affairs - National

On June 02, 2026, the Ministry of Jal Shakti signed reform-linked MoUs with five States and Union Territories—Arunachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Nagaland, and Puducherry—to strengthen sustainable rural water governance under Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0. The agreements promote a Gram Panchayat-led and community-centred approach to rural water supply and long-term operation and maintenance. They also support initiatives such as Sujal Gaon ID creation, Village Action Plans, Jal Arpan Diwas, greywater management, rainwater harvesting, and community participation through Village Water & Sanitation Committees. The mission's implementation period has also been extended until December 2028 to achieve its remaining objectives.

The Tobacco-Free Educational Institutions (ToFEI) App was launched by the Union Health Secretary to strengthen the implementation of tobacco-control regulations in educational institutions across India. The application is designed to monitor compliance with rules that prohibit the sale of tobacco products within 100 yards of schools and colleges. Initially introduced as a pilot project in Rajasthan, Meghalaya, and Maharashtra, the app is intended for nationwide rollout. Alongside the app, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for tobacco sample collection was also launched to ensure scientific accuracy and support legal enforcement. The initiative aligns with broader efforts to reduce tobacco use and protect youth from nicotine addiction.

The Ministry of Railways unveiled the first visual design of India’s inaugural bullet train for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor on May 18, 2026. The 508-kilometre project is India’s first bullet train initiative and is being developed using Japanese Shinkansen technology. Once operational, the corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad from over seven hours to nearly two hours. The project includes advanced infrastructure such as undersea tunnels beneath Thane Creek and high-speed train sets being developed under the Make in India initiative. The rail corridor is considered a major milestone in India’s modernization of transportation infrastructure.

Chandigarh University secured government research grants worth ₹1.16 crore from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) in May 2026. The funding supports two important research projects related to agriculture and healthcare. One project focuses on improving mustard and Brassica crop yields through beneficial soil microbes to reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers. The second project aims at early detection of diabetic kidney disease using advanced metagenomic and bioinformatic analysis of gut microbiota. These initiatives highlight the growing importance of interdisciplinary scientific research in addressing agricultural sustainability and public health challenges in India.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) conducted India’s first-ever seizure of the psychotropic drug Captagon under Operation RAGEPILL. Announced on May 16, 2026, the operation led to the recovery of 227.7 kg of Captagon tablets and powder valued at approximately ₹182 crore in the illegal market. The drugs were seized from locations in New Delhi and Mundra, Gujarat, where they were concealed in machinery and imported cargo from Syria. Captagon, commonly known as the “Jihadi Drug,” contains substances such as Fenetylline and Amphetamine. The operation exposed an international trafficking network attempting to use India as a transit hub for smuggling narcotics to Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia.