Current Affairs - State

The National e-Governance Division (NeGD) felicitated five states for their successful integration of DigiLocker with citizen services during the National Consultative Workshop on Strengthening Cybersecurity Frameworks for State Data held on May 11, 2026. The recognised states included Karnataka, Gujarat, Keralam, Nagaland, and Rajasthan for their achievements in digital governance and service integration. DigiLocker, launched under the Digital India programme in 2015, enables citizens to securely access and store digital documents online. NeGD, functioning under the Digital India Corporation, plays an important role in promoting e-governance and digital public infrastructure across India.

The Assam cabinet approved the draft Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in May 2026, with plans to introduce it in the state legislative assembly on May 26, 2026. The proposed law aims to regulate civil matters such as marriage, divorce, live-in relationships, and compulsory marriage registration through a common legal framework. Tribal communities in Assam are exempted from the bill to preserve their traditional customs and cultural practices. The bill aligns structurally with UCC models of states like Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Goa. Article 44 of the Indian Constitution mentions the Uniform Civil Code as a Directive Principle of State Policy.

Punjab launched the Meri Rasoi Yojna on May 09, 2026, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The scheme aims to provide free nutritional kitchen kits every three months to nearly 40 lakh economically weaker families in the state. The kits include essential items such as mustard oil, pulses, sugar, salt, and turmeric to support household food security. Alongside this, the state also initiated the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna to provide monthly financial assistance to eligible women. Punjab is popularly known as the “Land of Five Rivers” and has a unicameral legislature with 117 assembly constituencies.

The Bhimmandali Eco Heritage Site was inaugurated in Sambalpur, Odisha, by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on May 10, 2026. Located within the Naktideul Forest Range, the site is historically significant for its ancient rock paintings and stone inscriptions dating back more than 20,000 years. It served as a human shelter from the Old Stone Age to the Neolithic period. The site also has mythological importance linked to Bhima from the Mahabharata and features a cave dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati as Gupteswar. Odisha, formed on April 1, 1936, celebrates its foundation day annually as Utkal Divas.

The Annapurna Bhandaar scheme was announced in West Bengal on May 11, 2026, by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The scheme aims to provide direct financial support of ₹3,000 per month to eligible women through bank transfers. It replaces the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, which offered lower financial assistance to women from the general and SC/ST categories. Along with financial aid, the state government also introduced free travel for women on state-run buses. The initiative reflects the government’s focus on women’s welfare, social security, and economic empowerment while integrating several central government schemes within the state.