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Daily DigestArchive
Current Affairs — Sunday, 31 May 2026
34 items
Tamil Nadu
- CM Vijay's flagship welfare schemes face cost scrutiny
— Analysis highlights financial implications of CM C. Joseph Vijay's bold policy announcements including liquor shop closures, free electricity, and 8 gm gold for women under the Girl Child Protection Scheme. (GS: State finances, welfare schemes) - Mettur Dam unlikely to open for irrigation on June 12
— A senior TN government official confirmed storage levels are below 50%, raising concern for the delta farming season; June 12 is the traditional opening date for Cauvery irrigation. (GS: River water management, agriculture) - Madras High Court bans use of former CMs' photos in government scheme advertisements
— The HC order prevents use of former Chief Ministers' images in TN government welfare scheme promotions; the Supreme Court is set to hear TN's plea on the matter. (GS: Judiciary, scheme governance) - TN State Education Policy released amid NEP row
— The previous Stalin-era government released a State Education Policy as an alternative framework to the Centre's National Education Policy (NEP 2020), signalling continued state–Centre friction. (GS: Education policy, federalism) - TNGCTA condemns appointment of IAS officer as Director of Collegiate Education
— The Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers Association protested the current government's decision to place an IAS officer in a position traditionally held by academics. (GS: Appointments, higher education administration) - Madras HC: Undertrial prisoners entitled to treatment at private hospitals of choice
— A division bench of Justices G.R. Swaminathan and V. Lakshminarayanan permitted an undertrial to seek private hospital treatment for 10 weeks, reinforcing Article 21 rights. (GS: Fundamental Rights, Art. 21, prison reforms)
India — National
- Army Chief: Armed forces preparing well for Operation Sindoor 2.0 if required
— The Army Chief stated that Indian armed forces remain in a state of operational readiness for a potential follow-up to Operation Sindoor, signalling continued high military alert. (GS: Defence, India-Pakistan) - India signs BrahMos missile supply deal with Vietnam
— Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed India has signed an agreement to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Vietnam, marking a significant defence export milestone. (GS: Defence exports, India-Vietnam relations) - Rajnath Singh: Naval might confined Pakistan to its ports
— Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that India's naval dominance during recent hostilities prevented Pakistani naval deployment, underlining maritime superiority. (GS: Defence, India-Pakistan) - Amit Shah directs DMs to strictly monitor demographic changes in border districts
— Home Minister Amit Shah instructed District Magistrates to monitor and report population shifts in border areas, citing national security concerns. (GS: Internal security, border management) - Pune hooch tragedy death toll rises to 22; 22 officials suspended
— The illicit liquor deaths in Pune prompted suspension of 3 Pune police officers, 6 Pimpri Chinchwad police, and 13 state excise department officials. (GS: Excise policy, disaster management) - Building collapses near Saket Metro Station, Delhi; 8 rescued, more feared trapped
— A building collapsed onto an adjacent tin-shed canteen in South Delhi, with children and others feared trapped under debris. (GS: Urban safety, disaster response) - Thousands of Rajasthan farmers halt trains over wheat procurement dispute
— Farmers stalled train services demanding resolution of grievances related to wheat procurement prices and processes under the MSP regime. (GS: Agriculture, MSP, farmer protests)
Economy & Finance
- India's Balance of Payments records $30.8 billion deficit in FY2025-26
— RBI data shows total outflows exceeded inflows by $30.8 billion — a six-fold increase over the previous year — raising concerns about dollar outflows from India. (GS: Balance of Payments, external sector) - Gross FDI into India hits record $95 billion in FY26; net inflows only $7.7 billion
— While gross FDI reached a record high, high repatriation and disinvestment pulled net FDI down to just $7.7 billion, indicating a widening gap. (GS: FDI, investment climate) - RBI holds repo rate; projects GDP growth at 6.9% for FY27
— The Reserve Bank of India maintained its repo rate while moderating its growth forecast to 6.9% for FY2026-27, citing West Asia conflict risks. (GS: Monetary policy, RBI) - Counterfeit currency detections rise 5.7% in FY26; ₹200 and ₹500 notes lead
— RBI data reveals counterfeit ₹20 notes jumped 47.4% to 373 pieces; ₹200 and ₹500 denominations account for the most fake currency detected. (GS: RBI Annual Report, currency) - Financial institutions report 10,000+ fraud cases worth ₹48,000 crore in FY26
— RBI data shows fraud amounts in banking have increased even as the number of cases in public and private sector banks declined, pointing to larger-value frauds. (GS: Banking regulation, RBI) - Government asks oil companies to build 30-day LPG reserves amid Hormuz supply risk
— The Centre directed oil PSUs to maintain a 30-day LPG strategic reserve as the West Asia conflict threatens Strait of Hormuz supply routes. (GS: Energy security, strategic reserves)
Science & Technology
- Genome India Project: Sequencing 10,000 Indian human genomes for personalised medicine
— The Centre-backed Genome India Project aims to map genetic variants specific to the Indian population, enabling customised therapies and population-level health insights. (GS: Biotechnology, health policy) - CCMB scientists identify rare MC1R gene variant behind red hair in Indian girl
— Researchers at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, found that the MC1R gene (melanocortin 1 receptor) is responsible for rare red hair pigmentation in an Indian child. (GS: Science, genetics) - Delhi High Court rules on trademark use in Google keyword advertising
— Justice Mini Pushkarna assessed whether purchasing a competitor's registered trademark as a Google Ads keyword constitutes infringement — a first-of-its-kind ruling in India. (GS: Intellectual Property Rights, IT law)
Environment
- Budget 2026-27 sees 10% cut in air quality management outlay; pollution control funding also dips
— The Union Budget reduced allocations for air quality management and pollution control, drawing criticism amid rising AQI levels in Indian cities. (GS: Environment policy, Budget) - State of India's Environment 2026 Report flags rising climate risks, wildlife conflicts, and pollution monitoring gaps
— The annual report highlights accelerating climate vulnerabilities, increasing human-wildlife conflict incidents, and inadequate pollution tracking infrastructure across states. (GS: Environment, wildlife, climate change) - Man killed in wild elephant attack in Kil Kotagiri, Tamil Nadu
— A human-wildlife conflict incident in Kil Kotagiri, TN underscores the continuing challenge of elephant corridor management in the Nilgiris region. (GS: Wildlife, human-animal conflict)
Sports
- Satwik-Chirag upset world champion Korean pair, enter Singapore Open final
— Indian badminton pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty beat the world champion Korean duo to reach the Singapore Open men's doubles final. (GS: Sports achievements) - PSG wins back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles, beats Arsenal in shootout
— Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal 4-3 in a penalty shootout to claim their second successive Champions League title; Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhaes missed the decisive spot kick. (GS: International sports) - India wins three gold on Day 3, holds second spot in medal table
— Nikhil Chandrashekar (3000m steeplechase), Basant (high jump), and Shahnavaz Khan (long jump) took India's gold medal tally to seven in the ongoing athletics championship. (GS: Sports, Indian athletes) - England beat India by 26 runs in Women's T20I to level series 1-1
— England all-rounder Kemp scored an unbeaten 39 off 13 balls and took 2/15, dismissing Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, to level the three-match Women's T20I series. (GS: Cricket)
Appointments & Awards
- Padma Vibhushan conferred on Justice K.T. Thomas
— Retired Supreme Court judge K.T. Thomas, known for landmark judgments including the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has been awarded the Padma Vibhushan. (GS: Padma Awards, judiciary) - Padma award for former CJI J.S. Khehar
— Former Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar, whose rulings frequently went against the government's position, has been recognised with a Padma award. (GS: Padma Awards, Supreme Court)
International
- India's BrahMos deal with Vietnam signals growing defence export footprint
— The confirmed BrahMos missile supply agreement with Vietnam strengthens India's strategic presence in South-East Asia and marks a major milestone in the 'Make in India' defence exports push. (GS: India-Vietnam, defence diplomacy) - Drone strikes turbine building at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant; IAEA alarmed
— IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi expressed serious concern over the attack on Europe's largest nuclear plant, warning that "attacking nuclear sites is like playing with fire." (GS: Nuclear security, international organisations) - US Defence Secretary Hegseth: India a 'critical anchor' for Indo-Pacific balance of power
— Speaking in Singapore, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described India as a critical anchor in maintaining the Indo-Pacific balance against Chinese hegemony, affirming India's strategic importance. (GS: India-US relations, Indo-Pacific)
- Quick Revision:
- 🔑 India–Vietnam BrahMos deal confirmed by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh — India's first major missile export to South-East Asia
- 🔑 India's BoP deficit stood at $30.8 billion in FY2025-26 — a 6x increase over the previous year (RBI data)
- 🔑 Mettur Dam storage below 50% as of May 31, 2026 — traditional June 12 opening for Cauvery irrigation likely to be delayed