Daily Current Affairs – 05-02-2026

National News

Yumnam Khemchand Sworn in as Manipur Chief Minister; President’s Rule Revoked

Yumnam Khemchand Singh, from the Rajya Mesur Siyuksham, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Manipur. Nemcha Kipgen, from the Ruki Siyuksham, and N. W. Co. Aguino, from the Naga Siyuksham, took the oath as Deputy Chief Ministers. The President's Rule in the state was revoked. For more than two years, violence had been ongoing in Manipur due to clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities, resulting in about 260 deaths and thousands losing their homes. Following the violence, Brijan Singh, the BJP Chief Minister, resigned on February 9, leading to the imposition of President's Rule, which was due to expire on February 12. A meeting of BJP MLAs in Delhi selected Yumnam Khemchand Singh as the leader of the Manipur BJP Legislature Party. He was then sworn in as Chief Minister on February 4. The oath ceremony took place at Hum Num Palace in the capital, Imphal, with N. W. Co. Aguino and Nemcha Kipgen taking the oath as Deputy Chief Ministers. The state Governor Aguino Palas congratulated Khemchand. C. Kawkosing Aguino, from the National People’s Party, was appointed as Minister. Nemcha Kipgen was sworn in remotely from Delhi. Following the swearing-in, Yumnam Khemchand Singh emphasized the need to restore peace in the state, acknowledging that 36 groups had been threatening the state for years.

28 Lakh Houses Benefit from Prime Minister Solar Power Scheme

It was reported in the Lok Sabha that over 28 lakh houses have benefited from the Prime Minister Solar Power Scheme and that financial assistance of ₹16,000 crore has been provided. The Central Government is implementing various initiatives to increase power generation while minimizing environmental impact, with the solar power generation scheme being a key focus. Under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (Prime Minister Solar Power Scheme), users who install solar panels on their homes are provided significant subsidies. Although the initial installation cost is high, the reduction in electricity bills over time makes the scheme highly profitable. Additionally, it helps reduce environmental pollution. The scheme has been widely accepted, and since its launch in 2024, solar panels have been installed at 22,65,521 locations across the country. A total of 28,24,518 houses have benefited, with ₹16,061 crore allocated for this initiative. The scheme aims to generate 1 lakh crore units of electricity by installing panels in 1 crore houses and reducing carbon emissions by 72 crore tonnes.

UPI Transactions: Achieves Record, Exceeds ₹230 Lakh Crore in Current Fiscal Year

India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has set a new record by achieving transactions valued at ₹230 lakh crore in the first 9 months of the current 2025-26 financial year. In comparison, the value of UPI transactions in the 2022-23 financial year was ₹139 lakh crore. This rapid growth has been recognized as a major milestone for India's digital economy. UPI is also operational in 8 countries outside India, including France, Mauritius, Nepal, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the United Arab Emirates. UPI accounts for 49 percent of global retail payment transactions, making it the world's largest retail instant payment system, as acknowledged by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Karnataka Adopts Resolution for Restoration of MGNREGA

A resolution tabled by the Karnataka government in the Legislative Assembly to oppose the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, and replace it with the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G Act, 2025) was passed on Wednesday, despite a walkout by BJP and JD(S) members. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tabled the resolution on Tuesday, with two days allocated for its debate. However, BJP and JD(S) members staged an overnight dharna demanding the resignation of the Excise Minister over corruption allegations, which continued through the legislature session on Wednesday. Amid continuous protests, the Speaker allowed a debate on the resolution. Before the vote, Leader of Opposition R. Ashok opposed the resolution, and the Opposition members walked out. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated that despite having enough opportunities to discuss and defend the new law, the Opposition failed to do so. The resolution was passed by a voice vote. Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge argued that the new law was “anti-federal” for increasing the expenditure of state governments without consultation, which he referred to as “economic terrorism.” He also noted that even NDA allies like Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had raised concerns about increasing the State’s share from 10% to 40%.

Cooperative Cab Service ‘Bharat Taxi’ Launches Today

Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah will launch India's first cooperative-based ride-hailing platform, 'Bharat Taxi', on Thursday. The initiative aims to transform the mobility sector by placing drivers, referred to as sarathis (charioteers), at the center of ownership, operations, and value creation, freeing them from exploitative models used by aggregators. The platform seeks to provide a more sustainable and equitable model for drivers. During the event, the top six performing sarathis will be recognized for their contributions. Each of the honored drivers will receive a personal accident insurance cover of ₹5 lakh and a family health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh. This highlights Bharat Taxi's commitment to driver welfare and long-term social security. Additionally, nine MoUs will be exchanged with key public and private stakeholders. Bharat Taxi aims to expand across all States and cities in India over the next two years.

Tamil Nadu News

’Naan Kanavu - Naan Ethirkalam’ Scheme

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launched the 'Naan Kanavu - Naan Ethirkalam' scheme aimed at gathering the dreams of the youth and families across Tamil Nadu. The scheme includes creating a portal through the Department of Youth Welfare and Sports Development to register the dreams of the younger generation. Based on the data collected, welfare schemes for youth will be formulated to help realize their dreams. The initiative is part of a larger goal to provide welfare schemes tailored to youth aspirations. The scheme also saw the completion of 10,000 camps in both urban and rural areas across the state. In these camps, 1 lakh volunteers assisted around 38.5 lakh people, with 38.44 lakh people having their applications processed. During the camps, 30 lakh applications were received for Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai, with 15.90 lakh women receiving financial assistance. M.K. Stalin also presented pension orders for the Social Security Scheme to 1,82,967 applicants who registered through e-Seva centers. With this, the total number of beneficiaries of the scheme in Tamil Nadu has increased to 35.43 lakh. The scheme has received a financial allocation of ₹5,295 crore for the current year.

20 MW Solar Power Generation on Government Office Rooftops to Begin Soon

The Green Energy Corporation announced the commencement of a project to generate 20 megawatts (MW) of power through solar energy on the rooftops of government office buildings in Tamil Nadu. This initiative aims to resolve the issue of pending electricity bills across various government departments. The Green Energy Corporation is installing solar power generation systems on the rooftops of Corporation, Municipality, Collectorate, Government Hospitals, Government Colleges, and Government Schools. The project, approved last year, has completed its tendering process, and work is underway to install the solar facilities. Initially, the installation will take place in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu districts. The awarded companies are tasked with setting up the required infrastructure and maintaining it for 25 years. The project cost for generating 1 MW is estimated to be ₹6 crore. The generated electricity will be utilized by the electricity board, and payment will be made based on usage. Priority is being given to hospital buildings due to their need for 24-hour power and high traffic.

International News

Prime Minister Modi to Visit Malaysia on Feb 7

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Malaysia on February 7 and 8. This marks his third visit to Malaysia since assuming office as Prime Minister. During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on several key issues, including bilateral trade, investment, energy, maritime security, financial technology, health, education, culture, and tourism. He is also scheduled to meet with Malaysian industrialists, prominent business leaders, and members of the Indian diaspora. Additionally, the 10th India-Malaysia Chief Executive Officers (CEO) Forum will be held during his visit. Approximately 29 lakh people of Indian origin live in Malaysia, which ranks third globally for the largest population of Indian diaspora.

Washington Post Cuts One-Third Staff, Shutters Key Desks

The Washington Post announced that one-third of its staff across all departments, including the newsroom, is being laid off. The newspaper began implementing large-scale cutbacks on Wednesday, which included shutting down its sports department and reducing the number of journalists stationed overseas. These changes were announced by executive editor Matt Murray during a Zoom meeting with staff. Employees in the newsroom were informed via emails with subject lines indicating whether their roles had been eliminated. The total number of layoffs was not disclosed during the meeting. In addition, the books department will be closed, and the Washington-area news department and editing staff will be restructured. The Post Reports podcast will be suspended. While acknowledging that these cuts would be a shock to the organization, Matt Murray emphasized that the goal was to create a Washington Post that can grow and thrive again

Sports News

Esha Singh Wins Double Gold; India Bags 6 Medals on Day One

India won 6 medals on the first day of the Asian Shooting Championship. Esha Singh won gold in both the individual and team categories. In the 10-meter Air Pistol Women's individual final, she scored 239.8 points, clinching first place and the gold medal. Rhythm Sangwan (235.4 points) and Leena Chauhan (217.7 points) secured the silver and bronze medals, respectively. In the team event, the Indian team consisting of Esha Singh, Surabhi Rathore, and Manu Bhaker won gold with a score of 1,726 points. Vietnam (1,713 points) and Chinese Taipei (1,711 points) followed in second and third positions, respectively. In the 10-meter Air Pistol Men's individual event, Samrat Rana won the bronze medal with 220.3 points, while Vladimir Svechnikov (242 points) from Uzbekistan won gold and Sushal Ranasinghe (241 points) from Sri Lanka took silver. In the men's team event, the Indian team, comprising Samrat Rana, Jadhav Som, and Varun Desai, secured silver with 1,732.52 points, while Uzbekistan won gold with 1,732.58 points and Shanghai took bronze with 1,731 points. In the junior category, Idit Sauron Kasliwal won the gold medal in the 10-meter Air Pistol Junior Men's event with 240.9 points. The Indian junior team, consisting of Sauron, Chirag, and Priyanka Nesavan, secured gold in the team event with 1,735 points.

Mirabai Sets Three New National Records

Mirabai Chanu set three new National records by lifting a total of 205 kg to win the women's 48kg title on the opening day of the National Weightlifting Championships held at Modinagar on Wednesday. The 31-year-old Mirabai, who switched to the 48kg category after the reorganization of weight classes last year, matched her personal best from the 2021 Asian Championships, where she had achieved the same total in the 49kg category. In the elite 48kg women's category, Mirabai lifted 89 kg in snatch, 116 kg in clean and jerk, for a total of 205 kg. Other notable performances included Vani Puri from Punjab in the junior category, lifting 174 kg, and Pungni Tara from SSCB in the youth category, lifting a total of 158 kg.