Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The Government e‑Marketplace (GeM) will mark ten years of operation on 9 August 2026, having facilitated a cumulative Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of over ₹20 lakh crore through 3.78 crore orders. Annual GMV rose from ₹422 crore in FY 2016‑17 to over ₹5 lakh crore in FY 2024‑25 and FY 2025‑26, with ₹1,47,888 crore recorded in the first four months of FY 2026‑27. MSEs contributed ₹9.07 lakh crore (45.6 % of GMV); women‑led MSEs fulfilled ₹99,147 crore of orders. An IIT‑Delhi study estimated net social savings of ₹1.76 lakh crore. Transaction charges were cut to 0.30 %, 97 % of orders now attract no fee, and AI/ML tools are deployed to detect cartelisation.

The Government has approved the National Mission on Edible Oils–Oil Palm (NMEO‑OP) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a total outlay of Rs 11,040 crore (GoI share Rs 8,844 crore) for 2021‑22 to 2025‑26, aiming to bring 6.5 lakh hectares under oil‑palm cultivation. The Mission is being implemented in 15 states and has so far brought 2.73 lakh hectares under cultivation, with Rs 1,447.21 crore released to states. For 2026‑27, Annual Action Plans worth Rs 1,143.9 crore have been approved. The scheme includes assistance for planting material, irrigation, machinery, seed‑nurseries, processing infrastructure and a price‑assurance Viability Gap Payment. A related mission on oilseeds (NMEO‑OS) was launched in October 2024 to boost domestic oilseed production.

The National Mission on Edible Oils‑Oilseeds (NMEO‑OS), approved on 3 Oct 2024, seeks to raise primary oilseed output from 39 Mt (2022‑23) to 69.7 Mt by 2030‑31. It operates through >600 value‑chain clusters managed by FPOs and cooperatives, providing free high‑quality seeds, training, and post‑harvest infrastructure such as oil mills. In 2025‑26, 13.52 lakh ha received free seeds and production rose to 430.59 lakh t. The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, launched on 11 Oct 2025, aims to increase pulse output from 242 lakh t to 350 lakh t by 2030‑31, with interventions including seed distribution, technology demonstrations, and assured procurement under PM‑AASHA. Pulse production grew to 274.09 lakh t in 2025‑26, while imports fell from 72.56 lakh t (2024‑25) to 59.64 lakh t (2025‑26).

The 12th Session of the India‑Russia Working Group on Modernisation & Industrial Cooperation was held on 7 August 2026 at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi. Co‑chaired by Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia (Secretary, DPIIT) and H.E. Mr Alexey Gruzdev (Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, Russia), the meeting reviewed progress since the 11th session and examined cooperation across sub‑groups covering modern industrialisation, science & technology, aerospace, railway infrastructure, mineral fertilizers, rare‑earth and critical minerals, power engineering, aluminium, and mining equipment. New areas such as Vande Bharat train project, UAVs, 3‑D printing, Russian SJ‑100 aircraft, carbon‑fibre technologies, lithium mining and titanium were discussed. The co‑chairs signed the session protocol, reaffirming the strategic India‑Russia partnership, with about 60 delegates attending.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reports that the Government is pursuing multiple measures to curb Out‑of‑Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) on healthcare. Central schemes such as the National Health Mission (NHM), Ayushman Bharat‑Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM‑JAY), Pradhan Mantri‑Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM‑ABHIM) and Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) are being implemented. Under NHM, 1.87 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been operationalised to provide comprehensive primary care. The National Free Drugs and Free Diagnostics Service Initiatives supply essential medicines and diagnostics across health‑facility tiers. AB PM‑JAY offers ₹5 lakh annual cover to over 12 crore vulnerable families and, via the Vay Vandana Card, extends coverage to 6 crore senior citizens (70 years+) belonging to 4.5 crore families.

India chaired the 16th BRICS Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Jaipur, issuing a Chair’s Statement and Outcome Document with four annexes. The meeting highlighted India’s push to safeguard farmers, secure food and livelihood security, and preserve Special and Differential Treatment for developing countries within the WTO framework. Delegates adopted the Jaipur Consensus and Guiding Principles for MSME credit assessment to address a US$2.5 trillion trade‑finance gap, and approved work‑plans on Global Value Chains and digitally delivered services. The meeting also advanced the finalisation of the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership 2030, covering trade, services, digital economy, and sustainable development.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reports that the number of medical colleges has risen by 118.6%, from 387 before 2014 to 846 now, while MBBS seats have grown 172.4% (51,348 to 1,39,864) and PG seats 176.9% (31,185 to 86,360). To augment infrastructure, the Government approved a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for 157 new colleges, and CSS upgrades for existing colleges adding 4,977 MBBS seats (cost Rs 5,972.20 Cr) and 8,058 PG seats in two phases (cost Rs 1,498.43 Cr + Rs 4,478.25 Cr). Phase‑III CSS aims to add 5,000 PG and 5,023 MBBS seats by 2028‑29. Under PMSSY, 75 super‑specialty block projects were sanctioned, 71 completed. Additionally, 22 new AIIMS were approved, with undergraduate courses started in 19.

On August 8 2026, President Droupadi Murmu presided over the 12th National Handloom Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan, presented the Sant Kabir Handloom Awards and the National Handloom Awards 2025, and released four commemorative stamps. She highlighted handloom’s role in employment (over 35 lakh workers, including 25 lakh women), women’s empowerment, and cultural heritage, and linked the sector to the Swadeshi movement (observed as National Handloom Day since 2015). The President emphasized integrating modern technology, digital solutions and e‑commerce to boost market access and sustain growth, and noted government measures such as Design Resource Centres and Weavers’ Service Centres to support youth entrepreneurs, designers and startups.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, through the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), concluded the BRICS WAVES Bazaar 2026 in Mumbai. Over 900 delegates from 20 BRICS and partner countries participated, facilitating more than 275 B2B meetings among producers, studios, broadcasters, film commissions, AVGC, government representatives, investors and technology firms. The event resulted in several Letters of Intent, MoUs and co‑production announcements, notably NFDC’s LoI with Brazil’s RioFilme, archival cooperation with Russia’s Gosfilmofond, and multiple bilateral film projects involving India, Brazil, Portugal, Russia, Czech Republic, South Korea and the UAE. These outcomes aim to strengthen creative‑economy ties, cultural exchange and long‑term collaboration across the BRICS ecosystem.

India and Sri Lanka met in New Delhi on 7 August 2026, led by Union Power Minister Shri Manohar Lal and Sri Lankan Energy Minister Shri Anura Karunathilake. The ministers reviewed ongoing bilateral initiatives such as the proposed India‑Sri Lanka HVDC interconnection and the Sampur Solar Power Project, and discussed expanding cross‑border electricity trade, renewable‑energy deployment, transmission infrastructure and capacity‑building. India shared its experience in transmission system development through the Tariff‑Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) public‑private partnership model. Both sides reaffirmed commitment to deepen power‑sector cooperation for sustainable development and regional energy security.

The Ministry of Rural Development reports that under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana‑Gramin (PMAY‑G), 32.47 lakh houses were sanctioned and 26.57 lakh houses completed in FY 2025‑26, bringing total sanctioned houses to 3.91 crore and completed houses to 3.12 crore against a national target of 4.18 crore. About 79 lakh sanctioned houses remain under construction. The scheme emphasizes beneficiary‑led construction, climate‑responsive designs, and provision of basic amenities such as piped water, electricity and LPG. Up to 5 % of targets are reserved for disaster‑affected families, and at least 60 % of national targets are earmarked for SC/ST households.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has highlighted Mission Shakti, a centrally‑sponsored scheme with two verticals – ‘Sambal’ for women’s safety and security and ‘Samarthya’ for empowerment. Under Sambal, One Stop Centres (OSCs) provide medical, legal, shelter and counselling services; 991 OSCs were operational nationwide up to 30 June 2026, assisting over 15.20 lakh women, with 63 OSCs in Madhya Pradesh serving 1.65 lakh women. The Women Helpline (181) has aided more than 1.04 crore women nationally, including 3.83 lakh from Madhya Pradesh. Integration of OSCs with the helpline and other emergency services (ERSS‑112, Child Helpline 1098) aims to ensure coordinated, timely support. The scheme’s implementation is monitored by the Programme Approval Board and a real‑time Mission Shakti Dashboard.

The Ministry of AYUSH monitors the implementation of the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) in Tamil Nadu through activity‑wise physical/financial reporting, field visits, regional review meetings and one‑to‑one state reviews, complemented by a mid‑term evaluation by NITI Aayog. Tamil Nadu reports 94 co‑located AYUSH units in rural districts, 40 in rural coastal districts and 16 in urban coastal districts. In the last year, 1,11,02,499 beneficiaries accessed AYUSH services, of which 3,47,112 women received maternal‑child health, anaemia, adolescent, menopause and wellness services under the Magaperu Sanjeevi Scheme. Additionally, 1,31,160 women benefited from antenatal/post‑natal yoga and naturopathy programmes. A total of 650 AYUSH Health & Wellness Centres (now Ayushman Arogya Mandir) are operationalised under NAM.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways reports that the average turnaround time of major Indian ports fell from 52.87 hours in 2021‑22 to 48.84 hours in 2025‑26. Annexure I provides port‑wise figures for the last five years, showing, for example, Jawaharlal Nehru Port’s turnaround time ranging between 26 and 27.43 hours. The World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2025 ranks Jawaharlal Nehru Port 22nd, close to Singapore (21st) and Shanghai (23rd) and ahead of Rotterdam (333rd). To further improve efficiency, the government has undertaken construction of new berths, mechanisation, modernisation, optimisation of existing infrastructure and introduced the One Nation One Port (ONOP) process. These details were given by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has signed MoUs/operational frameworks with Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCI) to maintain navigable depths on National Waterways 1 (Ganga‑Bhagirathi‑Hooghly), 2 (Brahmaputra) and 16 (Barak). On NW‑1, 17 contract dredgers and 7 departmental dredgers are deployed; on NW‑2 and NW‑16, 5 and 2 dredgers respectively are engaged. Dredging on NW‑1 is phased from Tribeni to Varanasi, with a Least Available Depth of 3.0 m (Tribeni‑Barh) and 2.5 m (Barh‑Varanasi). Over 42.68 lakh m³ of sediment has been removed under quantity‑based contracts, of which 22.81 lakh m³ pertains to Bihar. The strategy relies on hydrographic surveys, performance‑based contracts and river‑conservancy measures, and contracts are for three years with a possible two‑year extension.

The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, together with the National e‑Governance Division (NeGD), held a stakeholder engagement session with Companies’ Nodal Officers to demonstrate the Integrated IEPFA Portal 2.0. The session showcased new digital features – KYC integration, pre‑filled Form IEPF‑5, entitlement search, a three‑step e‑Verification Report (EVR) workflow and provisions for Rule 7(3) delay fees – and outlined the rollout timeline (UAT in August 2026, training in September, pilot in October, launch in November 2026). Participants suggested enhancements such as Aadhaar eKYC address validation, bulk DSC/eSign, and automated fraud alerts, which were forwarded to the NeGD team for consideration.

The Ministry of AYUSH monitors the implementation of the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) in tribal and rural areas, although public health is a State subject. Monitoring mechanisms include periodic collection of physical and financial data from States/UTs, field visits by central teams, regional review meetings chaired by the Minister/Secretary, one‑to‑one State reviews, and a mid‑term evaluation by NITI Aayog through a third‑party. Under NAM, States can propose the establishment of 50/30/10‑bed integrated AYUSH hospitals and new dispensaries, with funding routed via the State Annual Action Plan. The annexure lists allocations and expenditures for various AYUSH schemes from 2023‑24 to 2025‑26, e.g., National AYUSH Mission allocated Rs 1,200 crore (BE) in 2023‑24, with actual spend of Rs 869.30 crore in 2025‑26.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) conducted three intelligence‑driven operations along India’s North‑Eastern frontier, seizing 15 kg of methamphetamine tablets, about 11 metric tonnes of foreign‑origin poppy seeds and 10 metric tonnes of foreign‑origin areca nuts smuggled from Myanmar. The methamphetamine was intercepted in an ambulance near Aizawl, the poppy seeds were recovered from a godown in Badarpur, Assam, and the areca nuts were seized from a train at Rangia Railway Station. All contraband were confiscated under the NDPS Act, 1985 or the Customs Act, 1962, and three persons were arrested. The poppy seeds were valued at roughly Rs 1.67 crore and the areca nuts at Rs 1 crore, underscoring revenue loss and the challenge of illicit cross‑border trade.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways reports that the Government has launched several policy and promotional measures for the Inland Water Transport (IWT) sector, including the National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulation 2025, the Jalvahak scheme and extension of tonnage‑tax benefits, alongside development of multi‑modal and inter‑modal terminals, jetties and fairway maintenance. Annexure‑I lists 27 projects on National Waterway‑1 covering multimodal terminals, community jetties, ship‑repair facilities, river‑cruise terminals, freight villages, quick‑pontoon mechanisms and fairway development in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, with costs ranging from ₹2.60 crore to ₹76220 crore. Annexure‑II and III detail completed and ongoing projects in the North‑Eastern Region and other waterways, including high‑level jetties, cargo‑cum‑tourist terminals, and concrete pontoon terminals across Assam, Tripura, Goa, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Odisha, Kerala and West Bengal.

The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, chaired the 2nd Governing Body Meeting of the National Institute of Sowa‑Rigpa (NISR) in New Delhi. He outlined a roadmap to strengthen Sowa‑Rigpa through scientific research, establishment of an independent research council, promotion of international standards, and expansion beyond the Indian Himalayan Region. The Minister emphasized digitising and translating hundreds of Bhoti manuscripts, conserving rare medicinal plants, and fostering bio‑prospecting and agroforestry with Himalayan communities. The Ministry reaffirmed support for NISR’s role in education, clinical services, research, and capacity building, and congratulated Director Dr Padma Gurmet on receiving the Padma Shri in 2026.