Current Affairs for May 7, 2026

Mission for Cotton Productivity: The central government allocated ₹6,559 crore for a 5-year mission (FY 2026-27 to 2030-31) to boost cotton production and branding under the "Kasturi Cotton Bharat" initiative.

SC Judges' Strength Increased: The Union Cabinet approved increasing the number of Supreme Court judges from 34 (33+1) to 38 (37+1) to address the backlog of nearly 92,000 pending cases.

Top Railway Performance (TDA): The Southern Railway Zone (HQ: Chennai) recorded the best-ever performance in Traction Distribution Assets for 2025-26, reducing asset failures by 77%.

World Athletics Day (May 7): Observed globally with the 2026 theme: "Sports Building Bridges: Breaking Barriers". It was first started by the IAAF (now World Athletics) in 1996.

Startup Kadapa Inिशिएटिव (AP): The Andhra Pradesh government launched a dedicated startup hub in the Kadapa district to provide a "plug-and-play" workspace for young entrepreneurs and freelancers.

ECLGS 5.0 Launched: The government approved the 5th phase of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme with an outlay of ₹18,000 crore to provide liquidity support to MSMEs and the airline sector.

Major Railway Multi-tracking Projects: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved three major projects worth ₹23,437 crore, adding 901 km of new tracks across 19 districts in states like MP, UP, and Rajasthan.

Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Conference: Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan inaugurated this conference in New Delhi, focusing on the integration of human-machine technology in future warfare.

Jannik Sinner’s Historic Win: Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner became the first player to win five ATP Masters 1000 titles in just six months after winning the Madrid Open 2026.

Vande Mataram Insult Law: The central government approved an amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, to make the insult of Vande Mataram (National Song) a punishable offense.