Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) reviewed the Special Campaign for Removal of Legacy Dust across all 12 Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) zones. The review, chaired by CAQM Member Secretary Shri Tarun Kumar Pithode, urged that the campaign continue as a sustained, phased exercise with periodic repetition, continuous monitoring and regular maintenance. It highlighted actions taken such as mechanised road sweeping, manual cleaning, water sprinkling and removal of dust, and noted challenges including limited use of Mechanical Road Sweeping Machines on narrow roads, water‑overflow re‑deposition, lack of end‑to‑end paving and persistent littering. The Commission called for intensified IEC activities, capacity‑building for sanitation workers, and prioritisation of road paving and greening to curb dust generation.

The ICAR‑Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR‑CMFRI) reports that trawl‑based landings did not show a palpable decline during 2021‑2025 and that 91.1% of the 135 marine fish stocks evaluated in India’s EEZ were deemed sustainable (Marine Fish Stock Status of India, 2022). Fisheries is a state subject; each coastal state enacts a Marine Fishing Regulation Act (MFRA) governing activities up to 12 nautical miles, including zoning, mesh‑size, gear rules, seasonal bans, size limits, and bans on destructive practices such as paired/bull trawling and artificial lights. The central Department of Fisheries implements the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), promoting Turtle Excluder Devices, sea ranching, artificial reefs, deep‑sea vessels, open‑sea cage culture and seaweed farming to protect traditional fishers’ livelihoods. ICAR‑CMFRI conducts long‑term monitoring using FAO‑recommended stratified multistage random sampling, generating time‑series data from over 1,300 landing centres along India’s 11,000 km coastline and running programmes on marine biodiversity, benthic health, trophic interactions and bottom‑trawl impacts. The information was provided by Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) in Lok Sabha.

The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying reiterated the Government’s commitment to boost dairy and livestock sectors through continued investments in processing infrastructure, fodder availability and market access. It announced implementation of two key schemes – the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD) and the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) – including a 3,000‑litre bulk milk cooler in Bhind (M.P.) and collection infrastructure at 48 dairy cooperative societies. Under the National Livestock Mission, 1.62 lakh tonnes of fodder seeds have been produced, 204 feed‑fodder units approved, and 100 fodder‑centric FPOs set up across 19 states. Delhi’s milk demand, estimated at 111 LLPD in 2019, is projected to reach 173.5 LLPD by 2030, currently met by existing suppliers. The sector’s output has risen markedly, with milk production climbing from 146.31 Mt (2014‑15) to 248.87 Mt (2024‑25) and egg production from 78.48 bn to 149.11 bn.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, met with Members of Parliament from Assam on 28 July 2026 and discussed the prevailing flood situation across the state. He stated that the Centre is working closely with the Assam Government to assist those affected and prayed for the safety and well‑being of all people. The meeting and the Prime Minister’s remarks were posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Madanapalle Municipality in Andhra Pradesh, under the Swachh Bharat Mission‑Urban 2.0, is pursuing a ‘Zero Waste City’ vision by instituting systematic source segregation of its approx. 62 tonnes per day (TPD) of municipal solid waste into biodegradable, non‑biodegradable and up‑cycling streams. Wet waste is composted via windrow (≈15.5 TPD) and vermi‑composting (≈3 TPD), yielding 4.65 tonnes and 1.20 tonnes of compost daily respectively, which are used for parks and gardening. Dry waste is split at the doorstep into recyclable and non‑recyclable fractions; recyclables go to a Material Recovery Facility, while non‑recyclables are co‑processed in cement factories, generating revenue and improving calorific value. Legacy waste of 36,512 metric tonnes has been remediated through bio‑mining, reclaiming 9.40 acres, with 5 acres converted to green spaces, and waste‑to‑art initiatives have been created for public awareness.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs reports that 33 of the 37 State/UT Legislatures have signed MoUs to implement the National e‑Vidhan Application (NeVA). Twenty‑one legislative houses have been converted into digital legislatures under the project, while the two Houses of Parliament remain outside its scope. NeVA enables electronic processing of house business, cuts paper usage, speeds up document handling, and yields cost savings in printing, handling and storage. A mid‑term evaluation by NITI Aayog notes reduced paper usage, improved legislative workflows, better coordination with government departments and real‑time public access to documents. Capacity‑building through NeVA Seva Kendras, migration to the secure NIC MeghRaj 2.0 cloud, and integration with BHASHINI for text‑to‑text translation further enhance security and linguistic accessibility.

The Ministry of Education, referencing NEP 2020, announced in the Union Budget 2026‑27 the creation of five University Townships near major industrial and logistic corridors, with a stakeholder consultation underway. A High‑Powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ Standing Committee comprising senior officials and industry leaders has been constituted to advise on service‑sector employment. CBSE has incorporated Artificial Intelligence and Computational Thinking into its curriculum to produce AI‑literate learners by 2030. The budget also earmarks AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges, supported by the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, Mumbai. The details were provided by Minister of State for Education Dr Sukanta Majumdar in a Lok Sabha reply.

The Government of Gujarat’s proposed Kalpasar Project aims to create a large coastal freshwater reservoir by constructing a dam across the Gulf of Khambhat, which is expected to boost freshwater availability and alleviate water scarcity in Saurashtra. The project includes a highway‑cum‑rail corridor that would cut the Bhavnagar‑Surat travel distance by about 179 km, improving regional connectivity. The Detailed Project Report is being finalised with Indo‑Dutch technical cooperation to incorporate best practices in coastal engineering, hydraulic modelling, salinity management and climate resilience. Additionally, around 2,470 MW of hybrid renewable energy is planned on reclaimed land to power freshwater pumping for irrigation. The information was provided by Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary in a Rajya Sabha reply.

India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) outlines three quantitative targets – reduction in GDP emissions intensity, increase in non‑fossil fuel share of installed power capacity, and creation of an additional carbon sink. By 2022, emissions intensity fell 37.38% from 2005 levels, short of the 45% target for 2030. The share of non‑fossil installed capacity crossed 50% in June 2025 and stood at 54.18% by June 2026, achieving the 2030 goal five years early. An additional carbon sink of 2.44 billion t CO₂e was created (2005‑2022) against a 2.5‑3.0 billion t target. For 2035, the NDC targets are enhanced to a 47% emissions‑intensity reduction, 60% non‑fossil capacity, and a 3.5‑4.0 billion t carbon sink. Monitoring is done by the PM’s Council on Climate Change, Executive Committee on Climate Change and Apex Committee for Implementation of the Paris Agreement, with reporting through Biennial Transparency Reports under the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Pawan Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, co‑founders of Skyroot Aerospace, on 27 July 2026. During the interaction, the Prime Minister highlighted the success of the Vikram‑1 launch vehicle, noting it featured prominently in their discussion. He praised the founders’ energy, ambition and positivity, describing them as reflective of the vibrant private space ecosystem, and extended best wishes to the entire Skyroot team. The meeting was shared by the Prime Minister on X, underscoring governmental encouragement of indigenous private space initiatives.

The MyGov platform, launched by the Government of India, has registered 6,32,16,167 citizens as of 10 July 2026, with 4,48,10,119 joining in the preceding five years. Over the last five years it hosted 180 discussions, 15 polls and 56 surveys, drawing participation from 7,77,068, 30,39,127 and 3,57,431 citizens respectively. Recent consultations have covered the National Education Policy‑2020, Digital Personal Data Protection Bill‑2022, Union Budget, Aadhaar authentication reforms and other policy drafts. Impact assessments in 2017 and 2025 found MyGov expanded public participation; consequently, the platform added multilingual support in 12 languages, a mobile app, enhanced digital outreach and periodic usability upgrades. Citizen feedback is forwarded to the respective ministries for consideration, though final policy decisions remain with those ministries.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Mumbai Branch Office held a hybrid Manak Manthan on 24 July 2026 to seek stakeholder input on two draft Indian Standards – ‘Plastic Containers for Microwave Use – Specification’ and ‘Plastic Feeding & Drinking Containers, Accessories & Cutleries for Infants – Specification’. The technical session was led by Scientist‑E/Director Shri Mahendar Singh Jakhar, who explained the quality, safety and performance provisions. Representatives from manufacturing firms, industry bodies, testing labs and other stakeholders participated both offline and online, offering observations and recommendations. The event aimed to incorporate stakeholder feedback into the standardisation process, reinforcing BIS’s objective of developing robust, relevant Indian Standards through participatory consultation.

The Ministry of Education’s press release outlines the nutritional standards under the PM POSHAN Scheme for government and aided schools. Primary‑class children must receive 450 kcal and 12 g protein per day, while upper‑primary children must receive 700 kcal and 20 g protein. Corresponding food‑grain, pulse, vegetable, oil and salt allocations are specified (100 g + 20 g + 50 g + 5 g for primary; 150 g + 30 g + 75 g + 7.5 g for upper‑primary). States/UTs implement the scheme, may customize menus with locally grown items, and receive a 5 % flexi component of the recurring budget for School Nutrition Gardens. NITI AAYOG’s 2025‑26 evaluation, cited by the Minister of State for Education, found a positive impact on child nutrition and learning outcomes.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change reports that the National Disaster Management Plan lists heat waves among 17 major hazards and assigns responsibilities to central ministries, state disaster authorities, district authorities and local bodies. The National Disaster Management Authority’s Guidelines (2016, revised 2019) enable heat‑prone states and UTs to prepare State, District and City Heat Action Plans, conduct vulnerability assessments for groups such as the elderly, children, outdoor workers and urban poor, and recommend urban heat‑mitigation measures like increasing green cover, cool roofs and preserving water bodies. Under schemes such as AMRUT, AMRUT 2.0, SSASCI, Nagar Van Yojana and community initiatives like Women SHGs under AMRUT Mitra and ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, tree‑plantation drives are being undertaken to enhance urban greening and climate resilience.

The Kosi–Mechi Intra‑State Link Project has been placed under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayi Yojana – Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY‑AIBP) with a balance cost of Rs 6,143.22 crore, of which Rs 3,652.56 crore is central assistance. The project, slated for completion by March 2029, includes remodeling of the Eastern Kosi Main Canal (KM 0.00‑41.30) at a contract value of Rs 2,639.80 crore and has achieved 8.5 % physical progress. India is in regular dialogue with Nepal on dam construction for flood control, with the Joint Project Office (JPO‑SKSKI) preparing DPRs for the Sapta‑Kosi and Sun‑Kosi Kamla Diversion multipurpose projects, where various surveys have been completed. No Indo‑Nepal Joint Committee meeting occurred in 2025‑26, and Rs 206.77 crore of central assistance has been released to Bihar under the Flood Management and Border Areas Programme over the last three years. No proposal for a permanent Kosi‑Gandak basin authority is under consideration.

In his Mann Ki Baat address on 26 July 2026, the Prime Minister commemorated Kargil Vijay Diwas, highlighted the ‘Shaurya Vijay Yatra’ motorcycle rally from the National War Memorial to the Kargil War Memorial, and announced recent defence milestones – induction of INS Mahendragiri (over 75 % indigenous content), successful DRDO tests of the Pinaka long‑range guided rocket and Kusha missile, and a defence‑technology agreement with Indonesia on BrahMos and Astra missiles. He also detailed the ‘Catch The Rain’ water‑conservation drive, the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ massive tree‑planting campaign, and achievements in space (Vikram‑1 private‑sector rocket), science Olympiads, and indigenous products such as Kashmir’s ‘Vagu’ mat and herbal tea by a women’s SHG.

The Ministry of Jal Shakti’s #CatchTheRain campaign highlights Rajnandgaon district’s Mission Jal Raksha, a science‑driven, community‑led water‑conservation programme. Using GIS, remote sensing, aquifer mapping and DEM‑based ridge‑to‑valley planning, the district identified sites for groundwater recharge, converting over 500 defunct borewells into recharge shafts and installing more than 600 injection wells with 1,700+ mini percolation tanks. More than 60,000 water‑conservation structures have been built across 662 villages, and over 2,500 water bodies have been geo‑tagged. The initiative created about 5.1 million person‑days of employment and raised groundwater levels by roughly 2.04 m, enhancing irrigation and drinking‑water security.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh, speaking at the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas ceremony in New Delhi, described India’s 1947 Partition as “the greatest blunder of history” and asserted that the retrieval of Pakistan‑occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK) is the sole remaining issue between India and Pakistan. He linked the Kargil conflict to the legacy of Partition, highlighted India’s shift from a reactive to a proactive defence posture under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and cited developments such as expanded indigenous defence production, infrastructure projects in Jammu & Kashmir, and the establishment of new AIIMS institutions as evidence of growing self‑reliance and peace‑development synergy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Indian lifter Rishikanta Singh Chanambam for securing a Silver Medal and achieving his personal best at the Commonwealth Games 2026. In a statement and a post on X, the PM highlighted the athlete’s determination and outstanding performance, saying it brought immense joy to the nation and urging him to continue scaling greater heights and inspiring young athletes.

The Union Government has postponed the Karnataka Government’s request to place the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State) Act, 2022 in the Constitution’s Ninth Schedule. The Act, passed by the Karnataka Legislature, earmarks 56 % reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. Since the Act is currently under challenge before the Karnataka High Court and is sub‑judice, the Ministry of Law and Justice, through Union Minister Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal’s written reply to the Lok Sabha, deemed inclusion in the Ninth Schedule inappropriate at present.