Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The Union Minister for Communications and Development of North‑Eastern Region, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, together with Meghalaya’s Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, launched “Mission Golden Spice – Integrated Lakadong Turmeric Value Chain Enhancement Project”, a ₹175.45 crore, five‑year (2025‑2030) initiative. Anchored by MDoNER and the North Eastern Council, the mission aligns schemes of Agriculture, Food Processing, Commerce, APEDA, Spices Board, ICAR, MeitY, NABARD and others to create an integrated organic turmeric processing and curcumin extraction ecosystem. It seeks to address post‑harvest losses, cold‑chain gaps, processing capacity, branding and GI monetisation, aiming to raise farmer remuneration from ₹30‑40 kg⁻¹ to about ₹80 kg⁻¹ and expand cultivated area from ~2,500 ha to ~7,500 ha.

The Land Port Management System (VINIMAY) has been operationalised at ten Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) across six states – Tripura (Agartala, Srimantapur), Assam (Darranga, Sutarkandi), Uttar Pradesh (Rupaidiha), Bihar (Raxaul, Jogbani), West Bengal (Petrapole), Meghalaya (Dawki) and Punjab (Attari). The system is digitally linked with the Unified Logistics Platform (ULIP), ICEGATE, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the GST system, aiming to manage operations at existing and future ICPs. The development was highlighted by Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written Lok Sabha reply.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare outlined multiple measures to strengthen India’s seed sector. Through the National Agricultural Research and Education System (NARES), 3,236 field crop varieties were released between 2014‑2025, of which 2,996 are climate‑resilient (including 587 extreme‑climate‑tolerant types). The PPV&FR Authority expedited registration of 10,802 varieties, with 5,689 registered in 2023‑26. Institutional capacity includes 229 Seed Hubs, 384 Breeder Seed Production Centres, and 178 Seed Testing Laboratories. The SATHI portal enables digital traceability of seed production and distribution. International trade has been simplified via DGFT digital platforms, and 1,317 licensing agreements were executed with private firms, promoting PPPs in seed multiplication and distribution.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has completed a comprehensive review of the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act, repealing them and enacting three new statutes – the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (2023), Bharatiya Nagarika Suraksha Sanhita (2023) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (2023). The new laws prescribe specific time‑limits for key stages – e.g., preliminary enquiry (14 days), further investigation (90 days), document supply (14 days), case commitment (90 days), discharge applications (60 days), framing charges (60 days), judgment (45 days) and mercy petitions (30 days to the Governor, 60 days to the President). They also mandate fast‑track investigations for offences against women and children, limit adjournments to two, and introduce e‑Sakshya, e‑Summon and Nyaya‑Shruti (VC) for digital evidence handling and virtual court appearances. The Minister of State, Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar, conveyed these details in a Lok Sabha reply.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reports that under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non‑Communicable Diseases (NP‑NCD) 770 District NCD Clinics, 524 Day Care Cancer Centres (DCCCs) and 6,410 NCD clinics at Community Health Centres have been established nationwide. The Ayushman Bharat‑Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB‑PMJAY) provides cash‑less coverage for 1,961 procedures across 27 specialties, including oncology. Population‑based screening for oral, breast and cervical cancers is being conducted for persons aged 30 years and above. Under the Strengthening of Tertiary Care Cancer Facilities Scheme, 19 State Cancer Institutes and 20 Tertiary Care Cancer Centres have been approved. Tata Memorial Centre has set up six new hospitals, and cancer treatment facilities have been extended to all 22 new AIIMS, as well as to the National Cancer Institute, Jhajjar and the second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata.

The National Cooperation Policy (NCP) 2025 outlines a roadmap for the cooperative sector’s development and establishes two monitoring bodies – a National Steering Committee chaired by the Union Minister of Cooperation and a Policy Implementation and Monitoring Committee chaired by the Union Cooperation Secretary. The Policy Implementation and Monitoring Committee met on 09 June 2026 and reported that 152 Ministry‑of‑Cooperation initiatives are underway and that States/UTs should frame their own cooperation policies in line with NCP 2025. The National Cooperative Database (NCD) records 1,12,895 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) – 1,07,457 functional – and 10,225 new multipurpose PACS (M‑PACS) registered as of 15 July 2026. A computerisation project now covers 79,630 PACS with an increased outlay of ₹2,925.39 crore, bringing 63,707 PACS onto a common ERP platform. The NCD provides single‑point access to data on over 8.5 lakh cooperatives across 30 sectors, supporting policy formulation and implementation.

On 21 July 2026, President Droupadi Murmu addressed the Assembly of North Macedonia in Skopje, highlighting India’s view of the country as a strategic pillar in a stable, multipolar world. She stressed that parliamentary diplomacy and interactions between legislators build institutional trust beyond political cycles, urging young MPs to exchange best practices. The President announced India’s intent to scale bilateral and regional engagement, citing emerging trade and investment opportunities as Southeast Europe becomes a dynamic growth corridor. She also referenced India’s recent law reserving one‑third seats for women in Parliament and State legislatures, underscoring a commitment to inclusive democratic institutions.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is monitoring the monsoon and potential El Niño impacts on agriculture in coordination with IMD, ICAR, CRIDA, CWC, CGWB, MNCFC, DFPD, DoF and State Governments. District Agriculture Contingency Plans for 14 states (342 districts) have been updated, and ICAR has held interface meetings and issued SOPs for KVKs. Emphasis is placed on crop diversification, short‑duration and drought‑tolerant varieties, balanced fertiliser use, water‑conservation, micro‑irrigation and other climate‑resilient practices, with advisories to sow maize, bajra and moong instead of tur, soybean and cotton. Maharashtra has been allocated ₹5,718 crore under SDRF for 2026‑27 (₹4,288.50 crore central share, ₹1,429.50 crore state share) and further allocations up to 2030‑31. Ongoing schemes such as PM‑KISAN, PM‑Fasal Bima Yojana, PDMC, and Viksit Bharat‑VB GRam G are being leveraged for drought mitigation.

The 3rd Advance Estimates show Maharashtra’s sugarcane production rising from 1,099.70 lakh tonnes in 2024‑25 to 1,316.49 lakh tonnes in 2025‑26, with cultivated area increasing from 11.67 to 13.72 lakh hectares and yield improving marginally from 94,230 kg/ha to 95,963 kg/ha. Integrated Pest Management centres in Nagpur and Nashik monitored red‑rot disease, finding infestations above the Economic Threshold Level on only 34 ha of 4,295 ha (2024‑25) and 5 ha of 1,450 ha (2025‑26). About 99.6 % of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) payments were disbursed to growers, and the central FRP was raised to Rs 365 per quintal for 2026‑27. Maharashtra has 210 operational sugar mills, an average sugar recovery of 11.26 %, and a Rs 415.02 lakh allocation for the NFNSM‑Sugarcane programme in 2026‑27. The state also benefits from 36 sugarcane‑specific drought‑tolerant varieties released by ICAR.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, through ICAR’s All India Network Programme on Natural Farming (2020‑21), is studying natural farming across 16 states with 20 centres, 11 State Agricultural Universities, 8 ICAR institutes and one deemed university. Field trials report yield gains of 5 % over organic farming, improved soil organic carbon (0.90 % → 1.15 %) and higher microbial diversity. NITI Aayog’s assessment notes that 91.2 % of adopters see higher productivity and 90.1 % report reduced input costs. Under the scheme, an output‑based incentive of ₹4,000 per acre per year is offered for two years (up to one acre per farmer) to support natural‑farming practices and related inputs.

The National Cooperation Policy (NCP) 2025, launched on 24 July 2025 by the Home & Cooperation Minister, outlines a 10‑year roadmap for the cooperative sector with six strategic pillars, 16 objectives and 83 recommendations. It seeks to bring 50 crore people under cooperatives and triple the sector’s contribution to the Indian economy. The policy emphasises inclusion of Dalits, Adivasis and women, notably through a ‘White Revolution 2.0’ targeting a 50 % rise in milk procurement (from 660 LKgPD in 2023‑24 to 1,007 LKgPD by 2028‑29) and the establishment of new primary agriculture credit societies, dairy and fishery cooperatives. As of 15 June 2026, 38,138 new PACS, dairy and fishery societies have been registered, including 25,282 dairy cooperatives across 31 states/UTs.

On 21 July 2026, President Droupadi Murmu delivered the inaugural address at the India‑North Macedonia Business Forum in Skopje, marking the first visit by an Indian President to North Macedonia. She highlighted that bilateral trade, though growing, is only a fraction of its potential and urged a shift from trade to a genuine economic partnership. The President identified priority sectors for investment – digital innovation and AI, pharmaceuticals, agro‑processing, and green‑energy – and invited North Macedonia to join initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Disaster‑Resilient Infrastructure and the World Audio‑Visual and Entertainment Summit. She called for chambers, investment agencies and businesses to forge linkages, promote technology transfer, joint ventures and long‑term value creation.

India’s 8th WTO Trade Policy Review (TPR) was held in Geneva on 21‑23 July 2026, led by Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agarwal. The Secretary highlighted an average annual growth of nearly 8 percent and record exports of USD 863.1 billion in 2025‑26, reaffirming India’s commitment to a transparent, rules‑based, inclusive multilateral trading system. The review underscored reforms such as GST, digital customs, logistics modernisation, Digital Public Infrastructure, AI‑driven initiatives, and the Aatmanirbhar Bharat programme, as well as India’s acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies. Sixty‑five WTO members participated, noting India’s trade‑facilitation achievements and seeking clarifications on various policy measures.

The Ministry of Home Affairs outlined recent measures to curb illicit narcotics trafficking. Key actions include active enforcement by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Drug Law Enforcement Agencies and State Police under the NDPS Act, 1985, and the release of a 2026‑2029 Vision Document on Narcotics Control. A four‑tier Narco‑Coordination Centre (NCORD) and a Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) chaired by the DG‑NCB have been instituted for better coordination and monitoring of major drug cases. Capacity‑building efforts involve workshops, training with the US‑DEA, and expansion of NCB’s regional, zonal and field offices, increasing posts by 568 and establishing a dedicated Directorate of Prosecution.

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is an umbrella scheme comprising three components: the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) and Har Khet Ko Pani (HKKP) implemented by the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and the Watershed Development Component (WDC) implemented by the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development. Central assistance is provided to states for creating irrigation potential, command‑area development and on‑farm activities. Projects are executed by state governments through competitive tendering, allowing private contractors as per state procurement rules, but the scheme contains no specific provision for private‑sector investment. Capacity‑building and training on efficient water management are undertaken by states/UTs, yet consolidated data on farmers and field‑level workers trained is not maintained centrally. The information was provided by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Ramnath Thakur, in a Lok Sabha written reply.

The Ministry of Textiles is implementing the "Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT)" scheme under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) since 2023. To date, 31 start‑ups have been approved with a total outlay of Rs 15.40 crore, of which Rs 13.65 crore is funded by the Government of India. Each start‑up can receive up to Rs 50 lakh. The approved projects span advanced functional textiles, smart graphene‑based fabrics, energy‑harvesting and shape‑memory wearables, high‑performance composites for automotive, construction and defence, as well as sustainable bio‑based and medical textile innovations. State‑wise, the highest number of start‑ups are in Maharashtra (7) and Delhi (5).

The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, is implementing a Central Sector Scheme for the conservation, development and sustainable management of medicinal plants across India. Under the scheme, activities such as IEC programmes, forward‑and‑backward supply‑chain linkages, in‑situ and ex‑situ conservation, livelihood linkages with forest‑related committees, research & development, and promotion/marketing of medicinal plants are being supported. NMPB’s Regional‑cum‑Facilitation Centres provide quality planting material and conduct GAP/GFCP training. From FY 2021‑22 to 2025‑26, 152 IEC projects received Rs 1,186.91 lakh (Rs 948.54 lakh released). Additionally, 15 forest‑area projects received Rs 3,363.24 lakh, 57 R&D projects were funded, and 12 integrated‑component supply‑chain projects were sanctioned during FY 2023‑24 to 2025‑26.

The Ministry of Textiles is implementing the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) under the Handloom Weavers’ Welfare component of the National Handloom Development Programme. These insurance schemes are offered on an annual basis (1 June–31 May) to eligible handloom weavers/workers across India, including Andhra Pradesh. Since 2021‑22 the schemes have been executed through State/UT governments, with targets set based on indicative eligible numbers and funds released accordingly. The release details show cumulative enrolments of 202 393 beneficiaries (2025‑26) and total funds of ₹ 335 crore released up to FY 2025‑26. Awareness is created via Weavers Service Centres, handloom helplines, and awareness camps, and an independent agency has evaluated the schemes’ impact.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched a nationwide HPV vaccination programme on 28 February 2026 targeting about 1.2 crore girls aged 14 across all 36 States and Union Territories. By 15 July 2026, 5,210,302 girls had received the vaccine free of cost at government health facilities such as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, PHCs, CHCs, SDHs/DHs and GMCs. Training of medical and paramedical staff was completed nationwide, and vaccination coverage is recorded on the U‑WIN digital portal. Awareness activities using IEC materials aim to overcome hesitancy, especially in rural, tribal and urban‑slum areas. The Union Government’s cervical‑cancer strategy also includes screening, early diagnosis at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and treatment via Day Care Cancer Centres.

The Government has introduced a Digital market access and quality assurance framework for AYUSH products. An AYUSH vertical has been set up in the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to enforce safety and quality, and CDSCO issues WHO Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product to compliant AYUSH drugs. The Quality Council of India runs a Quality Certifications Scheme granting Ayush Standard and Ayush Premium marks after third‑party evaluation. The Ministry of AYUSH implements the Ayush Oushadhi Gunavatta Evam Uttpadan Samvardhan Yojana (AOGUSY) to support manufacturers, upgrade pharmacies and testing labs, and operate a three‑tier pharmacovigilance network. The Ayush Quality Mark (AQM) is awarded through the Ayush Export Promotion Council after verification of GMP, WHO‑GMP and other certifications, aiming to boost global competitiveness. The Central Consumer Protection Authority has advised e‑commerce platforms to require a valid prescription for certain AYUSH drugs, and the Ayush Suraksha Portal enables real‑time reporting of misleading ads and adverse reactions.