MAY06,2026 CURRENT AFFAIRS
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ANEEL Fuel: Driving Sustainable Power Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) successfully completed high-burnup irradiation testing for its patented ''ANEEL'' fuel at the Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor. ANEEL (Advanced Nuclear Energy for Enriched Life) Fuel » It is a unique blend of thorium and a small amount of enriched uranium (High Assay Low Enriched Uranium). o The fuel is named to honour Dr. Anil Kakodkar, one of India’s foremost nuclear scientists. » Significance of ANEEL Fuel: o Significant reductions in nuclear waste o Enhancing India’s energy security using domestically available thorium o Saves money by safely generating more power from current reactors while reducing their day-to-day running costs. |
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Bhitarkanika: Home of Saltwater Crocodiles A study revealed presence of microplastics and toxic heavy metals across sampled sites in Odisha’s Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS). » Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 millimetres. Bhitarkanika WLS » Location: Kendrapara district, Odisha. » Geography: Formed by the estuarine delta of the Brahmani, Baitarani, and Mahanadi rivers. » Ecosystem: India’s second-largest mangrove ecosystem, second only to the Sundarbans in West Bengal. » Designations: National Park and Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. » Key Fauna: Saltwater Crocodiles, rare white (albino) crocodiles etc. o Gahirmatha Beach is largest known rookery (Arribada) for Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. |
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Cabinet Clears ECLGS 5.0 ECLGS was initially was announced as part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package in 2020 to help businesses including MSMEs to meet their operational liabilities and resume businesses in view of the distress caused by the COVID-19 crisis. » The scheme provides Member Lending Institutions (MLIs), 100 percent guarantee against any losses suffered by them due to non-repayment of the ECLGS funding by borrowers. » The scheme is under the operational domain of the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance. » National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd (NCGTC) has been set up as a company to manage and provide guarantees to these loans. Key Features of the ECLGS 5.0 » Aim: Provide credit guarantee coverage to MLIs by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) for the amount in default under the additional credit facility extended to the eligible borrowers to tide over any short-term liquidity mismatches in view of West Asia Crisis. » Eligible borrowers:MSMEs and non-MSMEs with existing working capital limits and scheduled passenger airlines having outstanding credit facilities, as of March 31, 2026, provided their accounts are standard. » Guarantee coverage: 100% for MSMEs and 90% for non-MSMEs as well as airline sector. » Tenor of Loan: 5 years (including moratorium of 1 year) for MSMEs/Non-MSMEs and 7 years (including moratorium of 2 years) for airline sector. |
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Cabinet Nod: Cotton Productivity Mission Aligning with the government''s "5F" vision (Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign), the mission aims to make India''s textile sector globally competitive and self-sufficient. The Mission » Aim: Improve Cotton Productivity to address stagnation in yields, quality concerns, and supply bottlenecks etc. » Total Period:2026-27 to 2030-31 (₹5,659.22 crore outlay) » Joint Implementation: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Textiles. » Targets: To increase lint productivity from 440 kg/ha to 755 kg/ha and boost total production from 297 lakh bales to 498 lakh bales by 2030-31. » Coverage: Initially 140 districts in 14 cotton-producing states Key Features: o Technology Development: Create high-yielding, climate-resilient, and pest-resistant seeds; advanced crop protection technologies. o Modern Cultivation: Upscale advanced practices like High-Density Planting (HDPS), Closer Spacing, and Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton. o Branding & Traceability: Position Indian cotton as a premium, sustainable global product through the Kasturi Cotton Bharat initiative. o Digital Empowerment: Integrate local mandis digitally for transparent price discovery and direct market access. o Fibre Diversification: Expand India’s textile base by integrating sustainable natural fibres (e.g., flax, bamboo, banana, sisal, ramie) to meet evolving global demands. |
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Caracal: The Elusive Wildcat Rare caracals (locally called padang) spotted in Thar Desert near India-Pakistan border. » According to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), only around 50 caracals remain in India. Caracal (Caracal caracal) » Characteristics: Secretive, nocturnal animal known for its quickness and ability to catch flying birds. » Habitat: Dry savannah and woodland areas, scrubland, rugged mountainous regions, deserts. » Distribution: Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, arid areas of Pakistan and India (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh). » Threat: Habitat loss, fragmentation, and retaliatory killings etc. » Conservation Status: Least concern (IUCN); Schedule I (WPA, 1972). » Conservation Efforts: Caracal listed as critically endangered species under Species recovery program. |
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EAC-PM Working Paper: Rethinking Care The paper calls for a paradigm shift, treating care as a foundational social and economic infrastructure rather than private household responsibility. Care Economy (Or Purple Economy) » It encompasses activities (paid or unpaid) essential for the well-being of children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities (PwDs). » GDP Contribution: Unpaid domestic and care work (largely by women), is valued at ~15–17% of India’s GDP. Recommendations by EAC-PM » Innovative Financing o Parivar Seva Kosh/Family Care Fund: For community-driven care infrastructure and services. o Carepreneur Fund: For concessional finance for entrepreneurs in the sector. o LeveragePPPs: E.g. World Bank funded Tamil Nadu’s Women Employment and Safety Programme to provide childcare for working women. » Care Workforce: Skill Gap assessment, standardised training and certifications etc. » Policy Reforms o Gender-neutral childcare leaves: Phased reforms from extending paternity leave to private sector to gender-balanced parental leave. o Urban Planning Integration: Recognising care facilities as essential social infrastructure. o Strengthening Maternity benefits: E.g. Sikkim’s monthly financial assistance for mothers in private sector. o Others: Support formation of Care Cooperatives; Co-location of childcare within government schools; Quality Assurance Mechanisms etc. Need for Development of a Formal Care Economy » Economic Opportunity: Investing 2% of GDP can create 11 million jobs (majorly for women). o E.g. India needs 31-38 million formal care workers by 2050. » Gender Imbalance: Women spend ~289 minutes daily on unpaid domestic work, against ~88 minutes by men limiting their access to education and employment (time poverty). » Demographic Transition and Ageing: By 2050, elderly population will reach 21% from 10%, while children will form 18% (from 24%). » Weakening Traditional Support: Due to urbanisation and nuclear families, requiring additional care infrastructure. » Informal Workforce: Care workers like ASHA and Anganwadi workers, face high caseloads, limited social security, and honorariums instead of fixed wages.
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Ecocide: Law for Planetary Protection Activists called for inclusion of Ecocide as one of the international crimes under the Rome Statute that governs International Criminal Court. » Currently, Rome Statute recognises 4 crimes: genocide; crimes against humanity; war crimes; aggression. » About Ecocide » It refers to harms caused to environment by human actions, usually on a major industrial scale or affecting a huge area. o It was coined in 1970 by Prof Arthur W Galston to describe Agent Orange’s (Herbicide) use in the Vietnam War. » After Vietnam, many countries codified it in its domestic laws. |
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EGRs: A New Era in Gold Trading National Stock Exchange of India launched EGRs, to formalise India’s gold market. » The Bombay Stock Exchange was the first exchange in India to launch EGRs in 2022. EGRs » They are dematerialised securities that represent ownership of physical gold, which is stored in SEBI’s accredited vaults and held electronically through depositories. o Each EGR is fully backed by physical gold with assured quality and can be traded on exchange, integrating gold into financial system. o They can be redeemed anytime in exchange of gold, unlike Gold ETF (cash settlement). » Regulated by: Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) » Asset Class: Securities under the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act (SCRA), 1956 » Market Participants: Retail Investor, Jewellers, Bullion Traders, etc. |
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India Semiconductor Mission: Strategic Tech Push ecently Cabinet approved two more semiconductor manufacturing units under ISM. » It includes country’s first commercial Mini/Micro-LED display facility based on GaN (Gallium Nitride) Technology in Dholera, Gujrat. » GaN, a semiconductor, is a core material for blue/green micro-LEDs and is better suited for high power and high-frequency applications. ISM » Launched: In 2021 with an aim to build a strong semiconductor and display ecosystem, positioning India as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design. » Ministry: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Four Sub-Schemes: o Semiconductor Fab Scheme o Display Fab Scheme o Compound semiconductor and ATMP scheme o Design Linked Incentive Scheme
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MARS: Tracking Methane Emissions MARS will now cover coal mines and waste facilities after analysis identified Kanjurmarg landfill, Mumbai among the world’s top 3 methane emitting sites. » Until now, MARS focused on oil and gas facilities in countries that are part of UNEP’s Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0. MARS » It is first public global satellite detection and notification system providing data on very large methane emissions (super-emitters) around the world. » Nodal Agency: United Nations Environment Programme’s International Methane Emissions Observatory. » Launched at: COP27 climate summit, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt (2022). » Assists implementation of Global Methane Pledge, which aims to cut global methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. |
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Migration in Focus: WMR 2026 Key Highlights » Global Migration: ~304 million people were living outside their country of birth in 2024, accounting for 3.7% of the global population, up from 2.9% in 1990. » Top Corridors: Mexico-US (1st), Afghanistan-Iran (2nd), Syria-Turkiye (3rd), Russia-Ukraine (4th), India-UAE (5th) and India-US (6th). » Migration driving development: Remittances reached an estimated $905 billion globally in 2024, including $685 billion to low- and middle-income countries » India related: o Indian migrants in UAE were over 3 million while Indians in US were around 3.2 million (second-largest after Mexicans). o India had a higher share of female immigrants than male immigrants. o Male Emigration from India: Largely due to labour migration to Gulf etc. |
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Pulitzer Prize: Legacy of Truth and Art Two Indian journalists Anand RK and Suparna Sharma, won the Pulitzer Prize for their work in Illustrated Reporting and Commentary category for exposing cybercrime in India. Pulitzer Prize » What is it: Prize in journalism, literature and music composition, recognising excellence in reporting and storytelling. » It is the highest journalism awards in the US, awarded annually in 23 categories. » Administered by: Columbia University » Established:1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, an Hungarian-American newspaper publisher. |
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SC Judges Flag PIL Misuse The judge observed that PILs, originally meant to advance social justice and improve access to justice, are increasingly being misused as private, publicity, political and even paisa interest litigations. Public Interest Litigation » Definition: It refers to the litigations, filed by a party without any locus standi (i.e., the party who is not aggrieved), to protect the general public interest. » Origin: PIL concept began in the late Nineteenth Century in the United States, with the landmark Gideon''s case forming its foundation. o Efforts of Justice P N Bhagwati and Justice V R Krishna Iyer were instrumental in initialization of PILs in India. o In India, first reported instance of PIL is when Justice Bhagwati ordered release of 70 undertrial prisoners in Hussainara Khatoon Case, 1979. » The Supreme Court and the High Courts have the right to admit PILs under Articles 32 and 226, respectively. Challenges » Misuse of PIL: PIL has often been used for publicity purposes, personal gains, vendetta politics, thus weakening public trust. » Burden on Judiciary: PIL cases are often prioritised over ordinary pending cases, increasing pressure on courts and delaying other matters. » Judicial Overreach Concerns: PIL has faced criticism for the judiciary overstepping its jurisdiction and facing difficulties in ensuring implementation of its orders. » Others: Frivolous Litigation, Abuse of liberal locus standi etc |
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Union Cabinet Clears SC Judges Amendment Thebill seeks to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 to increase the judge strength of the Supreme Court from present 33 to 37 (excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI)). » Article 124 of the Constitution of India provides for the establishment of the Supreme Court and empowers Parliament to determine the number of judges over time. o Parliament enacted The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 to fix the number of judges of SC at 10 (excluding the CJI). o SC’s strength was then subsequently increased by amendments in 1977, 1986, 2008 and 2019. » Once the amended law comes into force, the Supreme Court Collegium would recommend judges to the government for appointment to the top court. o Chief Justice of India (CJI), in consultation with collegium members, initiates the proposal for appointment of judges in Supreme Court. o Collegium’s recommendations are sent to Union Law Minister, who submits them to the Prime Minister, who in turn advises President to formally appoint the judges. » Significance: Additional judges will help in faster disposal of cases, timely delivery of justice, and reducing pendency of cases. o Presently, Supreme Court has total 92,926 pending cases. |
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Vadinar: Crude Oil Terminal of India Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the development of a state of the art Ship Repair Facility at Vadinar, Gujarat. » This project will be jointly implemented by Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). » It will be developed as a brownfield facility. » Reason for Selecting Vadinar: Natural deep draft, proximity to major ports, global connectivity. » Significance: Enables domestic repair of large vessels up to 300 metres, improves port turnaround times on the West Coast. |