Current Affairs 12 May 2026

Vijay sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

C. Joseph Vijay, president of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Sunday. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office and secrecy.

Nine Cabinet members were sworn in along with him. The Ministry is expected to be expanded after the floor test scheduled on or before May 13, and it may evolve into the State’s first coalition government.

Product Perfection Clusters (PPCs)

Andhra Pradesh has initiated the development of Product Perfection Clusters (PPCs) to transform locally manufactured products into globally recognised brands. The clusters will be developed in the economic regions of Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, and Tirupati.

The PPC initiative aims to help industries, especially Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), meet international quality standards.

• Products identified under the initiative: Gold jewellery ornaments, Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), cashew kernels, and solid rocket propellants.
• Pharmaceutical sector: Tenofovir Alafenamide API manufacturing units of Hetero Drugs and Laurus Labs located at Jawaharlal Nehru Pharma City.
• Electronics sector: Inverter AC and compressor manufacturing units of Daikin, LG, Lloyd, and Blue Star at Sri City.
• Strategic industrial projects: Composite solid rocket propellant and medium-calibre ammunition facility of Premier Explosives at Sriharikota.
• Semiconductor manufacturing: Semiconductor unit of ASIP Technologies in Tirupati.
• Regional export strengths: Araku Coffee, over 3,000 agri and tobacco leaf processing units in Guntur, Madhavamala wood craft units near Tirupati, and Chimakurthy Black Galaxy granite.

Key objective: These products and clusters have been identified for their strong potential to scale up to international standards and gain global brand recognition.

Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025

The Government of India on 11 May 2026 notified the implementation of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, which will be rolled out nationwide from 1 July 2026. With the coming into force of the new Act, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA) will stand repealed from the same date.

For the financial year 2026–27, the Central Government has allocated ₹95,692.31 crore, the highest-ever Budget Estimate allocation for a rural employment programme.

National Technology Day – 11 May

India observed National Technology Day on May 11, 2026. The day marks 28 years of the Pokhran-II nuclear tests, also known as Operation Shakti, conducted in 1998 at Pokhran.

National Technology Day commemorates India’s scientific and technological achievements and recognises the country’s journey from becoming a nuclear-capable nation to emerging as a global leader in artificial intelligence, digital technology, and space exploration.

National Technology Day 2026 theme: “Responsible Innovation for Inclusive Growth.”

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta launches two books on courtroom humour

Tushar Mehta, the Solicitor-General of India, recently launched two books based on humour and unusual experiences in courtrooms.

The two books are:

• The Lawful and The Awful
• The Bench, The Bar and The Bizarre