Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The Civil Aviation Ministry, led by Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, awarded Letters of Intent for 11 new Flying Training Organisations (FTOs) at seven Airports Authority of India airports. The addition raises India’s annual pilot‑training capacity by about 750 cadets, taking the total to 41 FTOs operating from 63 bases. The minister highlighted a rise in Commercial Pilot Licences from 1,347 in 2024 to 1,652 in 2025 and noted that Indian airlines have 1,640 aircraft on order, with ~500 to be inducted in five years. Policy reforms cited include liberalising FTO policy, abolishing airport royalties, rationalising land rentals, digitising CPL examinations, and launching an FTO IFR Slot Booking app. The address also stressed safety and progress in indigenous trainer aircraft (HANSA‑3 NG).

The Ministry of Cooperation reports that medicines sold through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) operating as Jan Aushadhi Kendras (JAKs) rose from Rs 1.44 crore in FY 2023‑24 to Rs 9.94 crore in FY 2025‑26. The number of such JAKs increased to a cumulative 836 by FY 2025‑26. To prioritize PACS‑JAKs in aspirational districts, remote rural areas, North‑Eastern states, Himalayan regions and islands, a one‑time grant of ₹2 lakh for IT infrastructure and furniture is provided, also extended to women, SC/ST, Divyangjan and ex‑servicemen. Owners receive incentives of 20 % of monthly purchases (capped at ₹20 000) and a 30 % trade margin, enabling an average annual income of over ₹35 000. Additionally, sanitary napkins are supplied at ₹1 per pad for women.

The Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh), told the Rajya Sabha that the Government is executing focused initiatives under flagship schemes – National Livestock Mission (NLM), Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF), Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) and Livestock Health & Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) – to boost livestock development, dairy productivity and animal health. In Assam, subsidies of ₹4.98 crore for 50 livestock projects (including 23 pig farms) and interest subvention of ₹1.44 crore for eight projects have been released. Additional allocations include ₹41.67 crore for bovine genetic improvement (RGM), ₹124.29 crore for disease control (LHDCP) and ₹7.74 crore for various livestock activities (NLM) for 2024‑25 and 2025‑26. A ₹1.80 crore Pig Semen Collection and Processing Laboratory has been sanctioned, and 9,92,863 classical swine fever vaccinations were administered free of cost. Milk productivity rose from 1,648 kg/animal (2014‑15) to 2,251 kg (2024‑25), with national milk output increasing 70 % to 248 million tonnes. Under NLM, ₹1,152.40 crore has been released for fodder seed production, yielding 1.6 lakh tonnes of quality seed, while AHIDF supported 174 animal‑feed plants with ₹3,602.47 crore. The National Dairy Development Board set up 100 Fodder‑Plus Farmer Producer Organisations, and the government provides 100 % central assistance for Foot‑and‑Mouth Disease and Brucellosis vaccinations.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 364 metric tonnes of dry dates worth about Rs 3 crore at Kandla Port after uncovering that the consignment, declared as UAE‑origin, was actually sourced from Pakistan. The goods were routed via Dubai to conceal the prohibited Pakistan origin, violating the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023 amendment (DGFT Notification No. 06/2025‑26) which bans direct or indirect import of Pakistan‑origin items from 02‑05‑2025. The operation follows a recent DRI interception of 14 MT of Pakistan‑origin Guggul resin misdeclared as Somali‑origin at Tuticorin. Both seizures were executed under the Customs Act, 1962, highlighting DRI’s role in curbing illicit trans‑national trade and enforcing import bans.

The Ministry of Finance released the monthly review of accounts for the Government of India up to June 2026 (FY 2026‑27). Up to June, the Union has received ₹10,49,243 crore, representing 28.7 % of the budget estimate for total receipts, of which ₹6,36,576 crore is tax revenue (net to Centre), ₹3,77,664 crore non‑tax revenue and ₹35,003 crore non‑debt capital receipts. Devolution to states amounted to ₹2,63,336 crore, ₹63,605 crore lower than the previous year. Total expenditure stood at ₹13,57,076 crore (25.4 % of the BE), with ₹10,16,818 crore on the revenue account and ₹3,40,258 crore on the capital account. Interest payments were ₹3,46,414 crore and major subsidies ₹1,14,812 crore.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting reports that the Cinematograph (Amendment) Act, 2023 introduced Section 7(1B)(ii), enabling the Government, under Section 79(3) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to act against intermediaries hosting pirated films. Under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, intermediaries must remove unlawful content upon notice from the Government or a court. The Ministry, through the Joint Secretary (Films), has issued takedown notices and established a mechanism to receive complaints from copyright holders, resulting in the disabling of 7,393 URLs—including 1,263 websites and 4,996 Telegram channels—used for film piracy. The information was provided by the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Dr. L. Murugan, in response to a Lok Sabha question.

The Government has approved the Scheme for Modernization of Forensic Capacities, allocating ₹496.66 crore to provide Mobile Forensic Vans (MFVs) to all districts and State Forensic Science Laboratories. The MFVs are fitted with equipment for crime‑scene documentation, photography/videography, collection of biological and trace evidence, fingerprint development, preliminary physical‑evidence examination, secure preservation of exhibits and digital documentation. To date, 619 MFVs have been allocated to various States. Operational costs, including manpower recruitment, will be borne by the respective State/UT. The scheme was disclosed by Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar in a written reply to a Rajya Sabha question.

On 29 July 2026, ICAR‑Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) North Goa, under the ICAR‑Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI), conducted a live vermicompost demonstration at Guirim, Bardez. Agricultural Scientist Mr Rahul Kumar explained the full process – from selecting organic material and maintaining moisture to earthworm‑mediated decomposition and harvesting quality vermicompost. The session targeted 24 participants – local farmers and students of St. Anthony High School – to promote cost‑effective, eco‑friendly nutrient management, improve soil health and reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers.

The Government of India has operationalised an Inventory‑based Cross‑border E‑Commerce Export Framework under the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 through Notification No. 27/2026‑27 and Public Notice No. 25/2026‑27 dated 5 August 2026. The framework allows eligible e‑commerce entities to conduct export‑only inventory operations via a registered Exporter‑on‑Record (EOR), which purchases goods from Indian Sellers‑on‑Record (SORs) against confirmed overseas orders and handles export documentation, customs, destination‑country compliance, and logistics. Safeguards include procurement only against confirmed orders, segregation of export inventory in a digital repository, prohibition of domestic diversion, timely payments to sellers, and mandatory annual compliance certification. The policy aims to expand global market access for Indian manufacturers, artisans and MSMEs while ensuring transparency and regulatory oversight.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a consultation paper proposing amendments to ‘The Standards of Quality of Service of Access (Wireline and Wireless) and Broadband (Wireline and Wireless) Service Regulations, 2024’. The original regulations were notified on 2 August 2024 and came into force on 1 October 2024, establishing technology‑agnostic performance standards, strengthened reporting and greater consumer transparency. Based on implementation experience, stakeholder feedback and evolving technology, TRAI seeks comments (by 26 August 2026) and counter‑comments (by 7 September 2026) on the draft ‘First Amendment’ Regulations, available on www.trai.gov.in. Queries can be directed to Shri Tejpal Singh, Advisor (QoS‑I).

The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) links all 17,762 police stations in India as of 01‑06‑2026, enabling near‑real‑time collection, updating and analysis of crime data. It computerises police processes such as FIRs, investigations and court disposals, and allows search of national/state crime‑criminal databases. The system facilitates data sharing among police, central investigative agencies, courts, prisons, forensic labs and prosecution bodies, enhancing justice delivery. At the national level, citizens can access services like missing‑person search, vehicle NOC generation, offender information and nearest police‑station location via the Digital Police Portal and Central Citizen Services Portal. Additionally, nine mandated citizen services are offered through state police portals, including complaint filing, FIR copies, arrest details, and various verification requests.

The SVAMITVA Scheme, administered by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, aims to furnish a Record of Rights (RoR) for owners of rural inhabited (abadi) land. The scheme employs drone surveys and Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) technology to produce high‑accuracy GIS maps that demarcate property boundaries, thereby reducing disputes. As of the latest update, drone mapping has been completed in 3.30 lakh villages and 11,147 loans worth Rs 1,713 crore have been disbursed on the basis of SVAMITVA property cards. The generated spatial data are shared with states and integrated into the Gram Manchitra portal, enabling Gram Panchayats to plan and monitor development projects using detailed village‑level geospatial information.

The Ministry of Railways reports that out of the FY 2026‑27 budget grant of ₹2.93 lakh crore, ₹1.14 lakh crore has been spent by July 2026, i.e., about 39 %. Safety spending has risen from ₹39,200 crore in 2013‑14 to ₹1.20,389 crore in 2026‑27. The indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection system ‘Kavach’ version 4.0 has been commissioned on 2,633 route km covering Delhi‑Mumbai and Delhi‑Howrah corridors, with ₹3,875 crore utilized up to June 2026. Infrastructure projects total 514 (new lines, gauge conversion, doubling) covering 40,000 km and costing roughly ₹8.31 lakh crore. Approximately six lakh railway employees are trained annually through centralized institutes and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences’ India Meteorological Department (IMD) assessed the 2026 El Niño impact on the Southwest Monsoon, issuing a below‑normal rainfall forecast of 92% of the Long Period Average (LPA) in its First Stage Long‑Range Forecast (13 April 2026) and revising it to 90% LPA in the Second Stage forecast, with model errors of ±5% and ±4% respectively. Historically, El Niño events have weakened the Indian monsoon, especially September rains. IMD provides daily rainfall updates, monthly El Niño updates, and district‑level data, and participates in meetings with the PMO, MHA and MoAFW. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology is collaborating with agriculture and dam‑management departments on impact assessments, while the Ministry has not issued district‑wise risk guidelines for 2026. The information was supplied by MoES Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh in a Lok Sabha reply.

The Ministry of Cooperation approved the Centrally Sponsored Project for computerisation of functional Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) on 29‑06‑2022, expanding the target from 63,000 to 79,630 PACS with a revised outlay of ₹2,925.39 crore. Karnataka has 5,894 sanctioned PACS, and central assistance to the state over FY 2023‑24 to 2025‑26 totals ₹27.58 crore. Under related schemes, the Ministry released ₹27.58 crore for hardware and data digitisation, ₹1.30 crore for registrar office computerisation, and ₹1.28 crore for ARDB computerisation. A pilot Decentralised Grain Storage Programme was launched at PACS Ekamba (Bidar) with a ₹150.15 lakh sanction and refinance assistance of ₹112.57 lakh. NABARD has onboarded 13 of 21 District Central Cooperative Banks onto a Core Banking Solution, and the Cooperative Development Fund reimbursed ₹244.19 lakh for training in FY 2025‑26. The National Cooperative Development Corporation has disbursed ₹5,74,090.48 crore nationwide, of which ₹3,96,763 crore was for cooperative development in the last five years.

The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs informed the Rajya Sabha that TRIFED is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (PMJVM) in Tripura, covering retail marketing, MSP for minor forest produce (MFP), infrastructure, Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK) activities and R&D. In Tripura, 470 tribal artisans/suppliers representing 2,957 families have been empanelled. TRIFED has sanctioned 87 VDVKs (30 under PM‑JANMAN and 57 under PMJVM), of which 80 are operational and have sold value‑added products worth Rs 113.85 lakh. The Ministry has notified MSP rates for 87 MFPs applicable across all states, including Tripura.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs briefed the Rajya Sabha on four ST scholarship schemes – Post‑Matric, National Scholarship (Top Class), National Fellowship (NFST) and National Overseas Scholarship. The Post‑Matric scheme is centrally sponsored and administered by states/UTs, with scholarship disbursed via DBT; the Ministry does not hold data on pending dues to colleges. The National Scholarship (Top Class) is a central‑sector scheme; Annexure‑I lists pending dues to students (mainly Aadhaar‑bank linking issues) and to institutions (tuition/ admission fees) for academic years 2021‑22 to 2025‑26, with specific amounts and numbers of colleges affected. NFST and NOS have no pending claims reported. The Ministry monitors pending payments and pursues PFMS compliance for timely releases.

The Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Shri Durgadas Uikey, informed the Rajya Sabha that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) on 15 Nov 2023 and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DA JGUA) on 2 Oct 2024. An orientation programme on MoTA schemes, including PM JANMAN and DA JGUA, was conducted for State Government officers. For the current financial year, MoTA projects worth Rs 12,574.70 lakhs were approved in West Bengal under DA JGUA. Three PVTGs—Birhor, Lodha and Toto—have been identified in West Bengal, with 495 habitations, 19,991 households and 68,720 population recorded. Progress tables show limited sanctioning and completion of housing, roads, AWCs, and electrification under various ministries as of 30 Jun 2026, and financial releases for VDVKs amounting to Rs 13.9 lakhs (sanctioned) and Rs 6.95 lakhs (released). The state has surveyed 18,173 PVTG households and awaits further action based on the data.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs reported on the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM‑JANMAN) and related tribal development programmes in Odisha as of 30 June 2026. Data collection via the PM Gati Shakti mobile app identified 73,092 PVTG households (312,654 individuals). Financial progress shows that out of an approved ₹44.4 cr for Multi‑Purpose Centres (MPCs), ₹12.68 cr was released in 2023‑24 and ₹23.92 cr in 2024‑25, with further releases in subsequent years. Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) received ₹178.4 cr sanctioned, of which ₹88.91 cr was released in 2023‑24 and ₹84.55 cr sanctioned for 2025‑26 with ₹42.27 cr released. Annex I details district‑wise infrastructure such as houses, roads, and habitations covered; Annex II provides progress on health, education, electrification, and other schemes, including 1,11,370 houses sanctioned under PMAY‑G and 107 MMUs operational under NRHM‑MMU.

The Ministry of Labour & Employment’s National Career Service (NCS) portal, a digital one‑stop platform for job seekers and employers, has registered over 6.64 crore jobseekers (2.89 crore active as of 15 July 2026) and mobilised more than 10.05 crore vacancies (17.68 lakh active). The portal, now cloud‑based with AI‑driven job matching, skill‑gap analysis and multilingual support, is linked to major government schemes and private partners. Over 40 MoUs have been signed with firms such as Swiggy, Zomato and Amazon. The government has approved 407 Model Career Centres, upgrading 370 employment exchanges to deliver career services locally.