Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C‑DOT), the telecom R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications, organised the Annual IP Awards Ceremony 2026 at its Delhi campus. The event honoured 64 researchers, engineers and domain experts and recognised 47 patents, 3 copyrights and 8 research papers generated by the Delhi campus. A separate ceremony at the Bengaluru campus honoured 78 innovators, acknowledging 36 patents, 18 copyrights, 9 trademarks and 3 research papers. Officials said the awards underscore C‑DOT’s role in building indigenous, secure and future‑ready telecom technologies and contribute to India’s vision of technological self‑reliance and digital transformation.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a revamped Khelo India Scheme and an enhanced Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) with a combined outlay of Rs 36,441 crore for 2026‑27 to 2030‑31, about eight times the previous allocation. The scheme creates an integrated sports ecosystem comprising National Centres of Excellence, Khelo India Centres of Excellence, SAI Training Centres, Khelo India Accredited Academies, Khelo India Centres and Youth Sports Companies of the Armed Forces. New school‑level initiatives – Khelo India Feeder Schools and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas – aim to embed sports in mainstream education. It expands athlete development pathways, adds the Emerging Khelo India Athletes category, and emphasizes women athletes, para‑athletes, indigenous sports, and sports‑based community development. The ANSF component will fund coaching, sports science, equipment, international exposure and cooperation with Global South countries.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM‑KISAN) Scheme for the financial years 2026‑27 to 2030‑31 with a total outlay of Rs 3.15 lakh crore. The scheme, launched in February 2019, provides Rs 6,000 per eligible farmer family each year in three DBT instalments. To date, more than Rs 4.47 lakh crore has been transferred to 9.49 crore farmers across 23 instalments, including Rs 1.71 lakh crore during the COVID‑19 pandemic. Independent evaluations report that over 92 % of beneficiaries used the funds for agricultural investment and about 85 % saw income improvement and reduced reliance on informal credit. Between 2020‑21 and 2025‑26, food‑grain area, productivity and total production grew by roughly 9.65 %, 10.53 % and 21.18 % respectively.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched the ‘Poshan Tracker’ digital application under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. The ICT‑based tool enables real‑time monitoring of services at Anganwadi Centres, with all states and UTs—including Gujarat—given login credentials to view dashboards showing functional AWCs, children and mothers covered. The mission also provides supplementary nutrition (hot cooked meals and take‑home rations) to children, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls as per Schedule‑II of the National Food Security Act, 2013, and supplies growth‑monitoring devices and smartphones to frontline workers. Monthly reviews are conducted by District Nutrition Committees chaired by the District Magistrate/Collector and a State‑level Steering Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary.

The Ministry of Ayush and IndiaAI (MeitY) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote AI‑driven innovation in the Ayush sector. The MoU, signed by Dr. Kavita Jain (Joint Secretary, Ayush) and Shri Sudeep Srivastava (COO, IndiaAI, Joint Secretary, MeitY), aims to integrate AI across research, medicinal‑plant studies, drug administration and capacity‑building. Under the agreement, Ayush will onboard the AIKosh platform to share eligible health‑research artefacts such as datasets, metadata, AI models and toolkits. The partnership also provides subsidised access to GPU‑based high‑performance computing infrastructure, facilitating advanced AI research and applications in traditional medicine.

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) is documenting traditional practices through its Tribal Health Care Research Programme and Medico Ethno‑Botanical Survey, while also conducting awareness lectures on Ayurveda‑based lifestyle practices. A Memorandum of Agreement between the Ministry of AYUSH and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), signed on 11 May 2023, aims to foster integrative health research and strengthen research capacity. Under this collaboration, a community‑based, three‑arm randomised controlled trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of Punarnavadi Mandura (alone and with Drakshavaleha) versus iron‑folic acid for moderate iron‑deficiency anaemia in non‑pregnant women. The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) operates a 200‑bed tertiary‑care hospital with an ICU, integrating modern specialists and establishing an integrated cancer clinic, while the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) now offers beneficiaries the choice of AYUSH or allopathic treatment.

The Ministry of AYUSH, through its IEC Scheme, promotes Unani medicine and observes Unani Day each February. The Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) runs 21 clinical institutes, reaching about 47 lakh people in five years via mobile research, school health and healthcare services. The 79th NSSO round (July 2022–June 2023) surveyed 1,81,298 households, finding awareness of AYUSH systems at 94.8 % (rural) and 96 % (urban), with 46.3 % rural and 52.9 % urban residents using AYUSH treatments in the past year. The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has issued multiple regulations (2022‑2024) and introduced competency‑based curricula, credit frameworks, and technology‑enabled teaching for Unani undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, alongside a detailed list of recognised institutions and their intake capacities.

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the first‑ever air shipment of one metric tonne of Karnataka’s Neelam and Totapuri mangoes to the Maldives on 30 July 2026. The consignment, sourced from farmers of Prakruthimaya Farmers Producer Company Ltd. (Kolar, Karnataka) and exported by woman entrepreneur Ashwini A of Ahalya Devi Ventures, marks a new export avenue for late‑season mango varieties. Farmers associated with the FPC reported over 50 % higher returns compared with conventional market channels, underscoring the income‑boosting potential of direct global market linkages and the role of Farmer Producer Companies in agri‑export.

The Ministry of Science & Technology clarified that media reports alleging conflict of interest in the disbursement of funds under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme by the Technology Development Board (TDB) are misleading. It stated that TDB has a comprehensive Conflict of Interest policy that has been applied without any complaint. Prior to the first Investment Committee meeting, TDB issued Pre‑Investment Guidelines/Standard Operating Procedures that require members with a potential conflict to disclose and recuse themselves. All funding decisions were made on merit, with no conflicted members involved. Independent external assessments validated the merit‑based selection: 15 of the 22 projects in the first cohort were chosen by expert panels of the Ministry of Education and later showcased at the Bharat Innovate Event in France. The government reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, integrity and meritocracy in supporting research and innovation.

Union Minister Smt. Annpurna Devi, in a post on X on 30 July 2026, urged citizens to download the Mission Shakti App, which the Ministry of Women and Child Development says provides quick access to a range of helpline services for women and children on a single platform. The app aggregates services such as Women Helpline 181, Emergency Service 112, Poshan and PMMVY Helpline 1515, National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930, Legal Aid (NALSA) 15100, Tele‑MANAS 14416 and Child Helpline 1098. The minister appealed for widespread download and sharing of the app’s information with families and acquaintances.

The IRDAI’s Master Circular on Health Insurance Business (dated 29‑05‑2024) mandates insurers to offer products covering all systems of medicine, including AYUSH, with board‑approved underwriting policies to ensure AYUSH treatments are treated on par with other systems. In 2026, the Ministry of AYUSH revised benchmark rates for AYUSH insurance coverage, standardising treatment packages and operational guidelines. It conducted five sensitisation programmes for general insurers and AYUSH stakeholders at major AYUSH institutes across the country. An MoU signed between the Ministry (via AIIA) and the General Insurance Council aims to empanel government AYUSH hospitals with insurers, and a Project Management Unit at AIIA has been set up to support empanelment, grievance redressal and implementation of AYUSH health insurance initiatives.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development will observe World Breastfeeding Week 2026 from 1 – 7 August nationwide. The week‑long campaign aims to raise awareness among families, communities and healthcare providers about early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour after birth (the ‘Golden Hour’), exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and continued breastfeeding up to two years alongside appropriate complementary feeding. The Ministry highlights the health benefits for infants—survival, growth and cognitive development—and for mothers, including postpartum recovery and reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancers, type‑2 diabetes and postpartum depression. It urges mothers to seek support from ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and other health professionals.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) conducted a workshop at its New Delhi headquarters to train empanelled audit firms on Digital Addressable Systems (DAS) audits, attended by 81 participants in person and 52 online. The workshop highlighted recent amendments to the Interconnection Regulation and audit Manual effective 1 April 2026, which set clear audit timelines (audit reports due by 30 September), shift audits to a financial‑year basis, and allow broadcasters to deputise representatives and seek clarifications. It also made annual audit at the distributor’s cost optional for distributors with fewer than 30,000 subscribers, while permitting broadcasters to audit them at their own cost. The session aimed to improve audit quality, transparency and compliance across the television broadcasting distribution ecosystem.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has issued an amendment to Direction No. 98, extending the implementation timeline for the revised particulate matter (PM) emission standard of 50 mg/Nm³ for industries across Delhi‑NCR to 01 Oct 2026. The amendment follows recommendations from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and industry representations, acknowledging practical challenges in procuring and installing Air Pollution Control Devices (APCDs). All other provisions of the original direction dated 20 Feb 2026 remain unchanged, aiming to ensure uniform compliance while maintaining the objective of reducing industrial emissions and improving ambient air quality.

On 30 July 2026, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Mumbai Branch conducted a search‑and‑seizure operation at M/s Won Enterprises/VHH Communication, Vashi Railway Station, Navi Mumbai. BIS officials seized 12 electronic items – power banks (Realme, Mi), wireless headsets (Luno) and earbuds (Boat, Realme) – that bore invalid BIS Registration Numbers, violating the BIS Act 2016. The inspection found one product marked with another’s registration number and several variants outside the scope of their BIS registrations. Pursuant to Sections 17 and 29 of the Act, BIS will file a criminal complaint; offences carry up to two years’ imprisonment and fines of at least ₹2 lakh (first) and ₹5 lakh (subsequent), or up to ten times the goods’ value. BIS urges consumers to verify BIS certification via the BIS Care App or official portal.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi received a telephone call from UK Prime Minister H.E. Andy Burnham on 31 July 2026. Modi congratulated Burnham on assuming office and the two leaders discussed ways to strengthen the India‑UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, agreeing to deepen cooperation in technology, innovation, defence, security, clean energy, education and people‑to‑people ties, in line with the India‑UK Vision 2035. They welcomed the recent entry into force of the India‑UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and exchanged views on regional and global issues, committing to stay in touch.

On 31 July 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over a building collapse in Thane, Maharashtra, and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families. He announced ex‑gratia assistance from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF): Rs 2 lakh for the next‑of‑kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for each injured person. The announcement was posted on the Prime Minister’s Office X account, reiterating the same figures and expressing wishes for speedy recovery of the injured.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Mumbai, organised an Inter‑Media Publicity and Coordination Committee (IMPCC) workshop titled “Fact Checking: Countering Misinformation and Strengthening Government Communication” at the NFDC Complex, Mumbai on 31 July 2026. Chaired by Ms Smita Vats Sharma, Director General, West Zone, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the event brought together representatives from about 25 central ministries, departments, PSUs and other organisations. The programme included technical sessions on fact‑checking tools and the role of PIB Fact Check, a feedback session highlighting the need for a central repository and AI‑driven verification, and a concluding address linking the workshop to the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign. The workshop aimed to build crisis‑communication capacity and promote inter‑agency collaboration to curb misinformation.

The Union Cabinet approved the Central Sector Scheme ‘Mission Mausam’ in 2024 to make India a “Weather‑ready and Climate‑smart” nation, covering Assam. The mission seeks to improve weather and climate prediction accuracy by upgrading observation networks, high‑resolution numerical models, high‑performance computing and last‑mile dissemination of early warnings. Under this framework, the Central Water Commission (CWC) of the Ministry of Jal Shakti is tasked to issue short‑range flood forecasts (up to 24 hours) for Assam, operating 32 flood‑forecast stations on the Brahmaputra and Barak basins. CWC has developed AI/ML‑based models for 12 Level‑Forecast stations, eight of which lie in the Brahmaputra basin. Weather services in Assam are delivered through 8 Regional Meteorological Centres and 25 Meteorological Centres, notably the RMC Guwahati and MC Gangtok, supported by an extensive observatory network. The information was provided by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in a Rajya Sabha written reply.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change reports that under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), City Specific Clean Air Action Plans have been prepared for 130 cities targeting sources such as dust, vehicular emissions, waste burning and construction activities. State Action Plans address industrial pollution by promoting approved and cleaner fuels (CNG/PNG/CBG) and clean technologies. According to Urban Local Bodies, 11,108 industries in NCAP cities have shifted to cleaner fuels like natural gas, LPG and biogas. A grant of ₹16,423.55 crore was allocated to these cities (FY 2019‑20 to 2025‑26), with 70.5 % (₹11,575.54 crore) reported as utilized. Monitoring is done by CPCB, SPCBs and district‑level committees. In FY 2025‑26, 108 cities reduced PM10 levels (72 > 20 % reduction, 26 > 40 %); 14 cities met national standards. In calendar year 2025, 73 cities reduced PM2.5 (17 > 20 % reduction).