Current Affairs 30 May 2026

India’s 3rd Advance Estimates Peg Foodgrain Production at a Record 376.56 Million Tonnes.

• Record Foodgrain Production: Estimated at 376.56 million tonnes, up 5.3% (18.8 million tonnes) from 2024–25.
• Rice: 154.02 million tonnes (record).
• Wheat: 120.66 million tonnes.
• Maize: 55.09 million tonnes (record).
• Oilseeds: 43.06 million tonnes (record outputs in rapeseed & mustard and groundnut).
• Sugarcane: 500.06 million tonnes (record).
• ICAR released 339 crop varieties in 2025–26.
• Breeder seed production: 109,370 quintals.

Odisha Inks Semiconductor Substrate Agreement with Intel and 3DGS.

• Odisha signed an MoU with Intel and 3DGS to introduce semiconductor substrate manufacturing technology in India.
• ₹2,000 crore investment for a facility in Bhubaneswar.
• Will establish India’s first advanced 3D chip packaging unit.
• Focuses on Heterogeneous Integration Packaging Solutions.
• Marks the development of India’s first 3D glass substrate packaging facility.
• Implemented under the Semicon India Programme.

India’s Total Fertility Rate Declines to 1.9, Says SRS Statistical Report 2024.

• India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) declined to 1.9, below the replacement level of 2.1.
• Rural TFR: 2.1; Urban TFR: 1.5.
• Highest TFR: Bihar (2.9), followed by Uttar Pradesh (2.6).
• Lowest TFR: Delhi (1.2); Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal (1.3 each).
• National TFR declined from 5.2 (1971) to 1.9 (2024).
• 95.4% of deliveries in 2024 were institutional deliveries.
• Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Average number of children born to a woman during her reproductive years (15–49 years).

Russia to Construct Kazakhstan’s 1st Nuclear Power Plant.

• Russia and Kazakhstan signed a $16.5 billion agreement to build Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant.
• Rosatom will be the lead builder of the project.
• The plant will be located in Ulken, on the shores of Lake Balkhash.
• It will feature two VVER-1200 reactors.
• Construction will begin in 2027, with the first reactor expected by 2034.
• Russia will provide export credit financing for the project.
• Kazakhstan also plans a second nuclear power plant, with CNNC (China) selected as the lead builder.

IIT Madras Develops Low-Cost Hydrogel for Treating Fibrosis.

• IIT Madras developed a patented injectable hydrogel for treating fibrosis.
• Made from silk cocoons and seaweed.
• Biodegradable and biocompatible, converts from liquid to gel at body temperature.
• Aims to reduce treatment cost from USD 2,000–3,000 to around USD 300.
• Targets fibrosis-related diseases in lungs, liver, kidney, and muscles.
• Also shows potential for treating sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss).
• Research led by IIT Madras scientists in collaboration with UC San Diego Health.
• Addresses diseases linked to nearly 45% of global deaths.