May 7, 2026 - Current Affairs

Cabinet approves Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0

May 7, 2026

The Union Cabinet has approved the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0 to provide financial support to businesses amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia. The scheme is intended to support MSMEs, airlines, and other eligible sectors through economic chaos and global disruption during the pilot phase. ECLGS 5.0 will enable the government to offer lending institutions credit guarantee coverage through the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) for additional credit support. The scheme aims to infuse a fresh credit disbursement of ₹255,000 crore into the economy, of which ₹5,000 crore is allocated to airlines, to boost economic stability and business continuity in India.

Key Benefits of Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-backed Union Cabinet has sanctioned the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) 5.0.
The main objective of the scheme is to outline a line of credit facility in case of need to those businesses impacted by the current crisis in West Asia.
The ECLGS 5.0 will provide credit guarantee coverage by National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC).
The government will be paying a 100% guarantee to the MSMEs under the scheme.
Credit guarantee coverage will be 90% for non-MSMEs and also the airline sector.
The scheme will support companies as they experience liquidity mismatches due to shocks to global supply chains.
Its total targeted additional credit flow is higher at ₹255,000 crore.
Allocation of this total is done specifically for the airline sector at ₹5,000 crore.
Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) could provide further credit assistance to eligible borrowers.
This is designed to keep the businesses running and avoid any economic disruptions.
The government is hoping the scheme will provide some safeguards for jobs in different sectors.
The Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0 is the biggest benefactor to MSMEs.
Also, to welcome, it is the time of massive relief to the airline industry due to increased difficulties in operations.
The scheme will support businesses to keep the supply chain running steadily when there is international uncertainty.
All such loans that are extended after ECLGS 5.0 will be supported by a government-backed guarantee.
The initiative is a part of the government’s plan to boost economic resilience in times of global crises.
The scheme of credit guarantees for businesses in distress was introduced initially during the COVID pandemic.
The government’s policy to provide timely financial assistance to the affected industries has been continued with ECLGS 5.0.
The trading of the trading receipts will be used for its liquidity needs and will provide financial peace of mind to businesses, official information said.
Experts believe the initiative would assist the stabilisation of MSMEs and airlines, as well as other sectors affected by geopolitical tensions and uncertainties going on in the economy.

Malcolm Adiseshiah Award 2026

Conclusion – Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme 5.0

ECLG 5.0 is a crucial measure designed to assist companies facing the impact of the global economic crisis and liquidity issues. The scheme will ensure the subsisting of the operations of MSMEs/airlines/other eligible sectors, the preservation of employment opportunities and financial stability as supported by the government with credit guarantee facilities. The scheme is part of the government’s efforts to make the economy less reliant on wages in rocky times. By providing additional credit support and making manoeuvring around the loan process easier, ECLGS 5.0 should help to enhance and preserve business confidence, support supply chains, and help with the overall expansion of the Indian economy.

Cabinet Approves Increase in Supreme Court Judge Strength to 37

May 7, 2026

The Supreme Court of India has now been recommended to be raised from 33 to 37 (excluding the Chief Justice of India) by the Union Cabinet. The government is going ahead with the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026 to be introduced in Parliament for this purpose. The order is based on the idea of streamlining the functions of the top court and expeditious delivery of justice by disposing of pending cases quickly. The official government release said that the introduction of judges will enhance the Supreme Court’s efficiency and contribute towards consolidating the justice delivery system in the country. The salary and facilities expenses will be financed from the consolidated fund of India.

Key Reasons Behind Increasing Supreme Court Judge Strength

The Union Cabinet gave its nod to the duo for a hike of 4 in the strength of the Supreme Court from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.
It happened under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi.
The government will introduce the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Parliament for this change.
The amendment is aimed at changing the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
The net effect of the amendment on the number of members in the Supreme Court will be 25; after all, 3 more judges will be added at the same time the 20 will be removed.
The main aim of improving the strength of the judiciary is to provide time-bound delivery of justice and enhance the operational efficiency of the judiciary.
This would be expected to have a positive impact on the current pendency and backlog at the Supreme Judicial Court.
The Supreme Court will have more judges, so it will be more efficient and effective,” the official information said.
In accordance with clause (1) of article 124 of the Constitution of India, Parliament can assign the strength of the Supreme Court by law.
The Supreme Court, when it was founded, was composed of seven Justices, with one Chief Justice.
The number of Supreme Court judges has been enlarged several times over the years in amendment acts.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1960, added 3 judges (to make 10).
In 1977, the judge strength was further increased from 13 to 17 judges.
The number of judges was increased to 25 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986.
The number of judges was raised from 25 to 30 in 2008.
Since then, the number of judges has increased from 30 to 33 in 2019, the last significant step.
The additional judges’ salaries, staff assistance, and properties will be paid from the Consolidated Fund of India.
The decision is expected to fortify the judicial system and create access to justice in India in a timely fashion, as per the legal experts.
This initiative is a part of the government’s efforts to upgrade and upscale the operations of the judiciary.
The new judges will also enhance the grinding of important constitutional and civil cases in the Supreme Court so far.

Polity Important Questions on the Supreme Court

Exam Name	Year	Question	Options	Answer
UPSC Prelims	2014	Who appoints the judges of the Supreme Court of India?	A) Prime Minister B) President of India C) Parliament D) Chief Justice of India	President of India
SSC CGL	2020	Which Article of the Constitution deals with the Supreme Court of India?	A) Article 32 B) Article 124 C) Article 226 D) Article 356	Article 124
SSC CHSL	2018	What is the retirement age of a Supreme Court judge in India?	A) 60 Years B) 62 Years C) 65 Years D) 70 Years	65 Years
Railway NTPC	2019	Which is the highest judicial body in India?	A) High Court B) District Court C) Supreme Court D) Parliament	Supreme Court
State PCS	2021	Under which Article can citizens directly approach the Supreme Court for Fundamental Rights?	A) Article 19 B) Article 21 C) Article 32 D) Article 226	Article 32
SSC CPO	2022	Who administers the oath to the Chief Justice of India?	A) Prime Minister B) President of India C) Vice President D) Law Minister	President of India
UPSC Polity	2017	Which institution is known as the Guardian of the Constitution in India?	A) Parliament B) Supreme Court C) Election Commission D) Comptroller and Auditor General	Supreme Court
State Judiciary Exam	2020	The power to increase the number of Supreme Court judges lies with:	A) Supreme Court B) Parliament C) President D) Law Commission	Parliament
SSC GD	2021	In which year was the Supreme Court of India established?	A) 1947 B) 1949 C) 1950 D) 1952	1950
UPSC Prelims	2019	The Supreme Court of India functions under which part of the Constitution?	A) Part III B) Part IV C) Part V D) Part VI	Part V

UDGAM Portal Update

Conclusion – Supreme Court of India Judges’ Strength Raised from 33 to 37

The expansion of the Supreme Court’s bench from 33 to 37 judges is a positive move towards enhancing the efficiency of the judicial system in India. The decision is aimed at curbing pendency of cases, speedy delivery of justice and enabling the functioning of the apex court. The Supreme Court will be handling more of the constitutional, civil, and criminal matters with the increased number of judges in the Supreme Court. It also indicates the government’s efforts to provide citizens across the nation with quick justice through the development of judicial infrastructure.

Union Cabinet Approves Mission for Cotton Productivity in India

May 7, 2026

Mission for Cotton Productivity in India approved with an outlay of ₹5,659.22 crore for the 2026–27 to 2030–31 period by the Union Cabinet. The mission is to tackle cotton productivity and quality decline, along with issues concerning the cotton farmers in the country. Implementing this programme, the government aims to encourage sustainable production, improving the original quality of cotton and modern agricultural techniques and cotton high-yielding and disease-resistant varieties. The mission meshes with the Government of India’s 5F vision: Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign. It is expected that it will boost farmer income, enhance the textile industry and, in turn, boost the export of cotton and help India become cotton-independent by 2030–31.

Key Highlights of Union Cabinet Approves Mission for Cotton Productivity

The Union Cabinet gave its approval to the Mission for Cotton Productivity 2026-27, which is Rs 5,659.22 crore and to be implemented for 5 years from 2026-27 to ’30-’31.
The mission was launched to address issues of bottlenecks, lack of growth and quality issues with the cotton sector in India.
The initiative aims at improving the productivity of cotton and boosting the competitiveness of the Indian textile industry in the world.
The government has targeted 498 lakh bales of cotton, bringing in scientific and technological practices till 2031.
The productivity of lint is targeted to reach 440 to 755 kg/ha by 2031.
This is a huge project for cotton farmers, with around 32 lakh farmers expected to benefit nationwide.
It will help promote high-yielding, climate-resilient, and pest-resistant cotton seed varieties to enhance the mission.
The advancement of the technologies for crop production will be done through Krishi Vigyan Kendra, state agricultural universities and the state governments.
This programme will be implemented in a phase in the first place in 140 districts of 14 main cotton-producing states in India.
There are also expected to be enhanced around 2,000 ginning and processing factories.
Kasturi Cotton Bharat will be the platform to promote quality improvement, traceability & certification from the government.
The mission also includes lowering the amount of cotton contamination and trash content to less than 2 per cent.
Sustainable and natural fibres, including flax, bamboo, banana, ramie, sisal, and milkweed, will also be encouraged.
This initiative will be implemented jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare & Ministry of Textiles.
Research and activities of implementation will be supported by various institutions such as ICAR, CSIR and state agricultural universities.
Training of farmers, raising awareness and modernisation of agriculture will be key to enhancing productivity.
The mission aligns with 5F vision of the Government – Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign.
The officials are confident that the programme will prove to be a positive change in the quality of cotton, boost Indian cotton exports, create a stronger textile sector, and make India self-reliant through cotton cultivation by 2030-31.

Why Does India Need the Mission for Cotton Productivity?

The Mission for Cotton Productivity should be implemented in India to solve various problems related to falling cotton yields, pest attacks, climate change, and quality defects in the cotton industry. India has one of the world’s largest cotton cultivation areas, but cotton production in India is still far less than the average level of the world. The textile sector is using imported superior quality cotton, particularly the Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton, on which it also relies heavily. The mission will seek to boost productivity by introducing high-yield and climate-resistant seeds, modern farming techniques, effective pest control, and greater uptake of technology, the official government data reads. The initiative will also boost the textile value chain, farmer income, minimise dependency on imports, and boost India’s global competitiveness in the textile market.

Previous Year Questions and Answers on Cotton

Question	Options	Answer
Which soil is most suitable for cotton cultivation in India?	A) Alluvial Soil B) Black Soil C) Laterite Soil D) Red Soil	Black Soil
Which state is the largest producer of cotton in India?	A) Punjab B) Maharashtra C) Gujarat D) Haryana	Gujarat
Cotton is primarily which type of crop?	A) Beverage Crop B) Fibre Crop C) Plantation Crop D) Pulse Crop	Fibre Crop
Which process separates cotton fibres from seeds?	A) Harvesting B) Ginning C) Threshing D) Winnowing	Ginning
Cotton is mainly grown during which season in India?	A) Rabi B) Kharif C) Zaid D) Winter	Kharif
Which climatic condition is ideal for cotton cultivation?	A) Cold and Wet Climate B) Moderate Temperature with Heavy Snowfall C) High Temperature with Moderate Rainfall D) Extremely Dry Climate	High Temperature with Moderate Rainfall
Which soil is also known as Black Cotton Soil?	A) Regur Soil B) Laterite Soil C) Peaty Soil D) Red Soil	Regur Soil
Which pest is commonly associated with damage to cotton crops?	A) Locust B) Bollworm C) Aphid D) Whitefly	Bollworm
Which region of India is famous for cotton cultivation?	A) Indo-Gangetic Plain B) Deccan Plateau C) Himalayan Region D) North-East Hills	Deccan Plateau
Which of the following is an important cash crop of India?	A) Wheat B) Rice C) Cotton D) Gram	Cotton

Vande Mataram Insult to Become Punishable Offence

Conclusion – Mission for Cotton Productivity

The cotton productivity mission is expected to take cotton production to greater heights, uplift the cotton producer’s income, and boost the cotton industry in India. Highly productive and quality seeds, farming methods, and sustainable agricultural practices are some of the ways the mission seeks to address these low-productivity and poor-quality problems with cotton. It is expected to give a big boost to the Indian textile industry and to make India independent of imports. The project will also empower cotton farmers with decades of life span by providing technology-driven and climate-smart farming practices for a sustainable future.