Daily Current Affairs- 24th May 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 24th May 2026

Ayushman Bharat set to make Bengal entry

In the News:  West Bengal is set to launch Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana from July 2026, marking the entry of the Centre’s flagship health assurance scheme into the state. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the move after a virtual meeting with Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda. Existing beneficiaries of the state’s Swasthya Sathi scheme are expected to be incorporated into the Ayushman Bharat framework.

Key Pointers:

• Ayushman Bharat Rollout in Bengal: West Bengal will start implementing Ayushman Bharat from July 2026. This is important because the state had earlier relied on its own health insurance scheme, Swasthya Sathi. For exams, link this with Centre-State cooperation in health policy.
• Integration with Swasthya Sathi: Around six crore people covered under Swasthya Sathi are expected to receive Ayushman Bharat benefits. The exact operational model may involve phased integration while existing state health benefits continue. This is relevant for questions on welfare scheme convergence and public health administration.
• About PM-JAY: Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary hospitalisation. Treatment is provided through empanelled public and private hospitals. For prelims, remember that the National Health Authority is the apex body for implementing PM-JAY.
• Hospital Onboarding: More than 300 private hospitals and clinical establishments joined onboarding workshops linked to Ayushman Bharat’s digital health ecosystem.
  The process includes registration under the Health Facility Registry and Healthcare Professionals Registry. This connects the scheme with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and digital health infrastructure.
• Centre’s Push for Health Schemes: The Centre has urged West Bengal to fast-track PM-JAY along with HPV vaccination and TB elimination programmes. This shows that the rollout is part of a wider public health coordination effort. For exams, connect this with National Health Mission, preventive healthcare and disease elimination targets.
• Ayushman Arogya Mandir Link: Health and wellness centres in Bengal are also being rebranded as Ayushman Arogya Mandir under NHM-linked norms. These centres focus on primary healthcare, immunisation, screenings and maternal health services. For exams, distinguish PM-JAY hospital insurance from Ayushman Arogya Mandir primary care services.

What did SC say about bail under UAPA

In the News: The Supreme Court recently revisited the law on bail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, while granting bail in Syed Iftikhar Andrabi v. NIA, Jammu. The Court said that “bail is the rule and jail is the exception” applies even under UAPA, because personal liberty flows from Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution. A later Bench also referred the broader conflict on UAPA bail and prolonged incarceration to a larger Bench for authoritative clarity.

Key Pointers:

• Core Supreme Court View: The Court held that UAPA’s strict bail provision cannot completely override constitutional liberty. It stated that the bail principle is not merely a CrPC slogan, but a constitutional principle linked with Articles 21 and 22.

• Section 43D(5) of UAPA: Section 43D(5) restricts bail when the court finds reasonable grounds to believe that accusations are prima facie true. For exams, remember that this makes UAPA bail stricter than ordinary criminal bail, especially in terror-related cases.
• Article 21 and Speedy Trial: The Court reaffirmed that prolonged detention without timely trial can violate Article 21. It relied on the K.A. Najeeb principle, under which constitutional courts may grant bail if trial delay makes continued custody oppressive.
• Facts of the Andrabi Case: Syed Iftikhar Andrabi had been in custody for more than five years and eleven months. The Court noted that more than 350 prosecution witnesses were still to be examined, making early conclusion of trial highly unlikely.
• Bail Is Not Automatic: The Court did not say that every UAPA accused must get bail merely because time has passed. A later order clarified that courts must examine the nature of allegations, role of accused, witness risk, delay and national security concerns.
• Larger Bench Reference: Because different Supreme Court Benches have interpreted UAPA bail principles differently, the issue has been placed before the Chief Justice for a larger Bench.
  For exams, connect this with judicial discipline, precedent, coordinate Benches and binding value of larger Bench judgments.

What Russia’s growing dependence on China means for India’s security

In the News:  Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China again highlighted Moscow’s deepening dependence on Beijing in trade, energy, technology and diplomacy. Russia-China ties have grown stronger after Western sanctions linked to the Ukraine war, making China a major economic and strategic lifeline for Russia. For India, this is important because Russia remains a key defence and energy partner, while China remains India’s main security challenge along the northern border.

Key Pointers:

• Russia Becoming China’s Junior Partner: Russia’s growing dependence on China may reduce Moscow’s strategic autonomy. For India, this matters because Russia may find it harder to remain neutral during India-China tensions.This can affect India’s traditional balancing strategy in Eurasia and the Indo-Pacific.
• Defence Supply Chain Concerns: India still uses a large inventory of Russian-origin defence platforms, including aircraft, tanks, missiles and submarines. SIPRI data shows Russia remains India’s largest arms supplier, though its share has fallen sharply in recent years. For exams, link this with defence diversification, indigenisation and supply-chain resilience.
• Impact on India-China Border Security: If Russia becomes more dependent on Beijing, India may get less diplomatic support from Moscow during crises along the LAC.
  This is important because Russia earlier had space to engage both India and China separately.  A Russia tilted towards China could narrow India’s options in continental security.
• Energy and Economic Dependence: China has become a major buyer of Russian oil and gas after Western sanctions on Moscow. Reuters reported that Russia-China energy ties have expanded significantly through oil, gas and LNG trade. For India, this matters because energy geopolitics affects crude prices, sanctions risks and India’s Russian oil imports.
• Technology and Military Cooperation: Russia is increasingly looking to China for high-tech goods, electronics and AI-related hardware due to Western restrictions. This may gradually increase China’s leverage over Russian defence and technology sectors. For exams, connect this with strategic technologies, dual-use exports and military modernisation.
• Pressure on India’s Multi-Alignment: India has traditionally balanced close ties with Russia, strategic cooperation with the US, and competition with China. A tighter Russia-China axis complicates this approach by reducing India’s room for manoeuvre. This makes strategic autonomy, Quad cooperation and defence partnerships with France, Israel and the US more important.

Jharia coal fires may burn hotter, emit more greenhouse gases

In the News:  A recent study published in Communications Earth & Environment has found that the underground coal fires in Jharia Coalfield, Jharkhand, may be burning much hotter and emitting far more greenhouse gases than earlier estimated. The study says collapse structures in East Jharia can act as vents for heat and gases, making these fires important for climate and disaster-risk studies. For exams, this topic is relevant for environment, mining hazards, climate change, fugitive emissions and rehabilitation policy.

Key Pointers:

• About Jharia Coalfield: Jharia Coalfield is located in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand and is one of India’s major coking coal regions. It is important for India’s steel sector because coking coal is used in blast furnaces.For exams, connect Jharia with coal mining, Damodar Valley, land subsidence and industrial pollution.

• Higher Temperature and Emissions: The study estimated that some collapse structures may support temperatures up to 4,000°C. It also estimated emissions of more than 700 megatonnes of CO₂-equivalent, nearly twice the UK’s reported territorial emissions in 2023. This makes Jharia important for questions on greenhouse gases and climate accounting.
• Fugitive Emissions Concern: Emissions from coal fires are called fugitive emissions because they are uncontrolled and difficult to monitor. Such emissions may include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane and other combustion gases. For exams, link this with India’s greenhouse gas inventory, climate commitments and environmental monitoring.
• Policy and Rehabilitation Link: Jharia is also linked with land subsidence, unsafe settlements, toxic gases and displacement of affected families. The Union Cabinet approved a Revised Jharia Master Plan in June 2025 to address fire, subsidence and rehabilitation issues. For mains, connect this with disaster management, sustainable mining and just rehabilitation of mining-affected communities.

Gurindervir Singh Becomes Fastest Indian Sprinter with Historic 10.09-Second 100m Run

In the News:  Gurindervir Singh became the fastest Indian sprinter ever after clocking 10.09 seconds in the men’s 100m at the 29th National Senior Athletics Federation Competition in Ranchi on 23 May 2026. The performance gave him the national record and the men’s 100m title. It is important for exams as it connects Indian athletics, national records, Commonwealth Games qualification and sports achievements by armed forces personnel.

Key Points:

• Historic 100m Record: Gurindervir Singh clocked 10.09 seconds in the men’s 100m final at Ranchi.
  This made him the fastest Indian ever in the 100m sprint. He also became the first Indian man to go below the 10.10-second mark in the event.
• Event and Venue: The record was set at the National Senior Athletics Federation Competition held at Birsa Munda Stadium, Morabadi, Ranchi. The competition was scheduled from 22 May to 25 May 2026. This makes the venue and event important for sports current affairs questions.
• Record Progression: Gurindervir had earlier clocked 10.17 seconds in the semifinal.
  Animesh Kujur also ran 10.15 seconds in another semifinal, before Gurindervir reclaimed the record with 10.09 seconds in the final. This showed a rapid improvement in India’s men’s sprinting standards.
• Commonwealth Games Qualification: His 10.09-second timing also achieved the Glasgow Commonwealth Games qualification mark of 10.16 seconds. He also bettered the meet record of 10.18 seconds set by Animesh Kujur in 2025. For exams, this links the achievement with India’s preparation for major international athletics events.