Current Affairs 11 May 2026

Measles Outbreak in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is battling its deadliest measles outbreak in decades, putting severe pressure on the public health system.

According to government data, more than 50,000 confirmed and suspected cases have been reported since March 15, with over 336 child deaths. Most infections have occurred among children aged six months to five years.

To contain the spread, authorities launched an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign on April 5 with support from the World Health Organisation and UNICEF. Nearly 17 million children have been vaccinated so far.

Rwanda invites India to participate in NEISA 2026

High Commissioner of Rwanda to India Jacqueline Mukangira invited India to participate in the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NEISA 2026). The summit will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, from May 18 to 21, 2026, at the Kigali Convention Centre.

Karnataka proposes ‘Wisdom Valley’ in Bengaluru Airport City

Karnataka has proposed the establishment of Wisdom Valley, a world-class Knowledge City at Bengaluru Airport City near Kempegowda International Airport.

The project has been proposed by the Karnataka State Policy and Planning Commission with an estimated investment of ₹15,500 crore. It will be developed in phased stages over 463 acres.

Wisdom Valley aims to create an integrated ecosystem for education, research, innovation, and sustainable urban development. The proposed development will include a business park, a global innovation hub, an education and health district, a convention centre, and a concert arena.

Prime Minister’s Visit to Karnataka and Telangana

Narendra Modi visited Karnataka and Telangana on 10 May 2026. In Bengaluru, the Prime Minister participated in the 45th anniversary celebrations of The Art of Living and inaugurated the Dhyan Mandir at the Art of Living International Centre. In Hyderabad, he laid the foundation stone, inaugurated, and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth around ₹9,400 crore.

Key projects include:

• PM MITRA Park at Warangal — India’s first fully functional PM MITRA Park, developed at an estimated cost of ₹1,700 crore under the Government’s 5F vision: Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
• Zaheerabad Industrial Area, Sangareddy — to be developed under the Hyderabad–Nagpur Industrial Corridor at a cost of over ₹2,350 crore across 3,245 acres.
• Four-laning of National Highway-167 from Gudebellur to Mahabubnagar on the Hyderabad–Panaji Economic Corridor, costing over ₹3,175 crore.

First-ever export of ODOP honey from Assam’s Baksa to the USA

The APEDA facilitated the first-ever export of One District One Product (ODOP) honey from Baksa district in Assam to the United States on 9 May 2026. The export consignment comprised 20 metric tons of honey and was shipped by M/s Salt Range Foods Pvt. Ltd. from the North Eastern Region.

Baksa, an aspirational district in Assam, is one of the major honey-producing districts in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). Honey from the district is known for its natural purity, floral diversity, high nutritional value, and near-organic characteristics.

Under the ODOP initiative, Baksa honey has been identified as a district-specific product with strong potential for value addition, livelihood generation, and export growth.

Three Jan Suraksha Schemes complete 11 years

The Government of India’s three major social security schemes, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), and Atal Pension Yojana (APY), marked their 11th anniversary on 9 May 2026.

These schemes were launched on 9 May 2015 to provide affordable insurance and pension coverage, especially to poor and vulnerable sections of society.

Key highlights

• PMJJBY provides life insurance cover of ₹2 lakh for death due to any cause. As of 29 April 2026, cumulative enrolments crossed 27.43 crore and claims worth ₹21,512.50 crore were settled.
• PMSBY provides accidental death and disability cover of up to ₹2 lakh. As of 29 April 2026, cumulative enrolments crossed 58.09 crore, with 1,84,662 claims amounting to ₹3,667.52 crore settled.
• APY provides a guaranteed monthly pension after the age of 60 years, ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000. As of 30 April 2026, more than 9.04 crore individuals had enrolled.

The government noted that digital initiatives such as the Jan Suraksha Portal have simplified enrolment and claim settlement, improving access to social security benefits across the country.

Governor’s Role in a Hung Assembly

The restored 4K version of Amma Ariyan, directed by John Abraham, will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16. The Film Heritage Foundation carried out the restoration. It is the only Indian feature film selected for world premiere at Cannes this year.

• In a hung Assembly, the Governor acts under Article 164 of the Constitution to appoint the Chief Minister and facilitate the formation of a stable government.
• In the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) emerged as the single largest party, but Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar initially sought proof of majority support before inviting C. Joseph Vijay to form the government.
• The Governor asked for physical letters of support from at least 118 MLAs in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. According to the Sarkaria Commission (1988), the order of preference in a hung Assembly is:
  1. Pre-poll alliance with majority
  2. Single largest party able to demonstrate majority
  3. Post-poll alliance with majority
• The Supreme Court, in the S.R. Bommai (1994) judgment, held that the floor of the House is the most objective place to test majority, not the Governor’s personal discretion.
• C. Joseph Vijay met the Governor on May 9, 2026, staked claim to form the government, and is scheduled to take oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Indian Coast Guard commissions ICGS Achal

The Indian Coast Guard commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Achal on 9 May 2026 at Goa Shipyard Limited. ICGS Achal is the latest vessel in the new-generation Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessel series.

The name “Achal” means “firm”, symbolising the Indian Coast Guard’s steadfast commitment to safeguarding national maritime interests, protecting life at sea, and securing India’s maritime frontiers.

Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan was appointed Chief of the Naval Staff

The Government of India has appointed Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan as the new Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS).

Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani appointed Chief of Defence Staff

The Government of India has appointed Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani (Retd) as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

India’s first orbital data centre satellite ‘Pathfinder’ to launch in 2026

Pixxel has partnered with Sarvam to launch India’s first orbital data centre satellite, named Pathfinder. The 200-kg class satellite is scheduled to be launched in the end of 2026. It will carry data-centre-class GPUs along with Pixxel’s hyperspectral imaging camera.

An orbital data centre is a satellite-based computing system that can train and run AI models in space, instead of only sending raw data back to Earth. This allows data to be processed in orbit and only final insights or conclusions to be transmitted to ground stations.

The Pathfinder mission will test whether ground-grade computing hardware can operate reliably in low Earth orbit despite challenges such as heat dissipation, radiation exposure, and power storage.

National Panchayat Awards 2025 announced

The National Panchayat Awards were announced by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 9 May 2026. A total of 42 Panchayats from 17 States and Union Territories have been selected. The award ceremony will be held on 3 June 2026 in New Delhi.

Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP) — Top 3 States

1. Karnataka — 6 awards
2. Andhra Pradesh — 5 awards (joint second)
3. Odisha — 5 awards (joint second)

Andhra Pradesh’s notable performance

Andhra Pradesh secured 5 awards, jointly the second-highest in the country along with Odisha.

Important winners from Andhra Pradesh include

• Srungavaram — 1st rank in Panchayat with Good Governance
• Bokkasam Palem — 1st rank in Women-Friendly Panchayat
• Chemmullapalli — 2nd rank in Poverty-Free & Enhanced Livelihoods Panchayat
• Kuppam — 3rd rank in Best Block Panchayat
• Gundamala — 3rd rank in Self-Sufficient Infrastructure

National Panchayat Awards 2025 Winners List

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV launched

• Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched PMGSY-IV (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana-IV) on 10 May 2026 from Bhairunda, during the silver jubilee celebrations marking 25 years of PMGSY.
• Madhya Pradesh received approval for 973 roads covering 2,117.52 km under PMGSY-IV at an estimated cost of ₹1,763.08 crore.
• These projects are expected to benefit 987 habitations across the State and strengthen rural connectivity.
• Under PM-JANMAN, road projects covering 384.34 km worth ₹261.81 crore were also approved, benefiting 168 habitations.
• Under PMAY-G (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Gramin), a mother sanction of ₹2,055 crore was handed over to the State government.
• In the category of highest road length completed under PMGSY over the last 25 years, Madhya Pradesh ranked first with 90,766 km, followed by Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

Amma Ariyan to premiere at Cannes Film Festival

The restored 4K version of Amma Ariyan, directed by John Abraham, will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 16. The Film Heritage Foundation carried out the restoration. It is the only Indian feature film selected for world premiere at Cannes this year.

Amma Ariyan is regarded as a landmark independent Malayalam film. It was produced through public contributions by the Odessa Film Collective, which raised funds through street plays and film screenings.

Suvendu Adhikari becomes first BJP Chief Minister of West Bengal

Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of West Bengal from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 10 May 2026. The oath-taking coincided with the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. Mr. Adhikari is the ninth Chief Minister of West Bengal and will head the 18th Legislative Assembly.