7th MAY CURRENT AFFAIRS

1. JANANI Digital Platform

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the JANANI Platform (Journey of Antenatal, Natal and Neonatal Integrated Care) to strengthen maternal and child health services through a unified digital system.

The platform tracks care across pregnancy, childbirth, postnatal services, newborn care, and early childhood health, ensuring continuous monitoring from antenatal to young child stages.

It is designed to improve coordination between healthcare workers such as ASHAs, ANMs, and hospitals by maintaining integrated digital health records and enabling early detection of medical risks.

This initiative aligns with India’s broader digital health push under programs like the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission to improve accessibility, continuity, and quality of healthcare services.

Central & State Government Schemes

1.Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY): A safe motherhood intervention providing a cash incentive (approx. ₹600–₹700) specifically to encourage institutional delivery in government hospitals.

2. Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA): Provides free, high-quality antenatal check-ups on the 9th of every month at designated government health facilities.

3. Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK): Entitles all pregnant women to completely free delivery, including C-sections, drugs, diagnostics, blood, and transport to/from the facility

4.Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme:

This is Tamil Nadu's flagship program, which incorporates the central government's Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) to provide a total benefit of ₹18,000 for the first two deliveries.

Financial Assistance: ₹14,000 in cash, typically distributed in three installments:₹4,000 in the 4th month of pregnancy.₹4,000 after delivery.₹6,000 four months after delivery.Nutrition Kits: Two kits worth ₹4,000

2. Delhi Tops India in Road Accident Deaths

The national capital had the highest number of deaths due to road accidents among 19 metropolitan cities across the country in 2024, recording 1,658 fatalities in 2,000 cases, according to a National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report released on Wednesday.

Among the 19 metropolitan cities – with population more than two million – tracked by the NCRB, Delhi recorded the highest number of such deaths at a crime rate of seven per lakh population.

Among other metropolitan cities, Bengaluru reported 877 such cases, while Chennai recorded 533. Jaipur reported 799 cases and the highest crime rate of 26.0 per lakh population among the 19 cities

3. Delhi to host Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship 2026 at Thyagaraj Stadium

Delhi will host the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship 2026 at Thyagaraj Stadium from July 27 to August 2, with participation expected from over 35 countries.

Organised jointly by the Delhi government and the Table Tennis Federation of India, the event will feature multiple categories and finals on August 2, showcasing international competition and sportsmanship.

Countries including England, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa, and others are expected to compete, highlighting the tournament’s global reach within the Commonwealth sporting community.

The event also aligns with Delhi’s broader push to strengthen sports infrastructure and promote international events as part of its long-term sports development vision

4. India's First Pearl Farming Cluster

Hazaribag is set to be developed as the country's first and only pearl (moti) cluster, with the fisheries department stepping up efforts to transform the district into a model hub for pearl farming and allied activities.

It is under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). The cluster has received an investment of ₹22 crore under a joint initiative of the Central government and the Jharkhand government.

Pearl Farming Cluster in India

A pearl farming cluster is a geographically defined area where pearl cultivation, training, processing, and market linkage are developed together.

Hazaribag was officially notified as the Pearl Cluster on 30 August 2024 by the Department of Fisheries, Government of India. The initiative began as a pilot project in 2019-20 under a state plan in Jharkhand

The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) has recorded production of 1.02 lakh pearls from Hazaribag district alone.

Jharkhand has also reported more than 800 trained pearl growers across the State as of February 2026

INDIA

5th largest exporter of pearls globally.

7th largest importer of pearls in the world.

5. India to Host International Big Cat Alliance

India to host International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Summit, on 1st – 2nd June, 2026, in New Delhi

The IBCA, an inter-governmental international organisation headquartered in India, has been established for the conservation of seven big cats - Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma.

The Summit, guided by the theme ‘Save Big Cats, Save Humanity, Save Ecosystem’, would bring together over 400 conservationists, policymakers, scientists etc

India launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) in 2023

The logo reflects harmony, balance and interconnected ecosystems. The logo features the seven big cat species at its core, symbolising unity and shared responsibility and is encircled by a lotus-inspired design representing the five elements of nature.