Official releases, distilled into exam-ready intelligence.

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 Ministry of AYUSH, through the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), is implementing the Central Sector Scheme for Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants across India, with a focus on Ladakh’s high‑altitude species such as seabuckthorn, rhodiola, artemisia and aconitum. The scheme supports infrastructure for quality planting material, IEC activities, post‑harvest management, marketing, and quality testing. NMPB has launched the “e‑CHARAK” mobile app and web portal to promote and market medicinal plants, providing fortnightly prices from 25 herbal markets, including Ladakh. The State Medicinal Plant Board, UT Ladakh, conducts training, seminars and buyer‑seller meets, while a Centre of Excellence for seabuckthorn has been established at Nimoo, Leh with Rs 789.33 lakh funding, technical support from DRDO‑DIHAR, and facilities for research, demonstration, and capacity‑building. Over the last five years, the Ministry has released Rs 705.11 lakh for Ladakh projects, of which Rs 534.24 lakh has been utilized.

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 Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched the ‘Poshan Tracker’ digital application under Mission Poshan 2.0 to monitor nutrition indicators and identify stunting, wasting and under‑weight among children under five. Two lakh Anganwadi Centres in government buildings are being upgraded to Saksham Anganwadis equipped with LED screens, water‑filtration systems, Poshan Vatika, ECCE material and BaLA paintings. Supplementary nutrition – hot cooked meals and take‑home rations – is provided to children (6 months‑6 years), pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls as per Schedule‑II of the National Food Security Act, with extra rations for severely acute malnourished children. A joint protocol for managing child malnutrition has been released, and frontline workers are supplied with smartphones, data recharge, and growth‑monitoring devices for regular beneficiary monitoring.

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, in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism, is promoting Ayush‑based medical and wellness tourism through a National Strategy and a dedicated Ayush Visa introduced on 27 July 2023. Two Medical Value Travel Summits have been held (Mumbai, 30 Sept 2024; Chennai, 26 May 2025) to strengthen India’s position in this sector. Kerala hosts several research institutes under CCRH, CCRAS, CCRUM, and CCRS, conducting projects on medicinal plants, Panchakarma, and clinical validation of traditional medicines. Under the National Ayush Mission, Kerala receives recurring and non‑recurring grants for medicines, infrastructure, and human resources. Central sector schemes such as the Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants and Ayurswasthya Yojana have funded research projects and Centres of Excellence in the state.

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 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 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.

The Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) has undertaken several infrastructure projects over the last two years, including development and modernization of the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (Rs 192 cr and Rs 303 cr respectively), shore protection at Jawahar Dweep (Rs 80.4 cr), Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina (Rs 470 cr), construction of a third chemical berth (Rs 161 cr), SCADA/PLC automation at the Marine Oil Terminal (Rs 25.84 cr), and augmentation of firefighting facilities (Rs 52.69 cr). Green‑port initiatives comprise 1.4 MW operational rooftop solar, a 3 MW solar project under RESCO, bio‑fuel blending with BPCL, induction of green tugs, development of an LNG facility, afforestation, mangrove park creation, and conversion from LPG to PNG for domestic use. These details were provided by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in a Lok Sabha reply.

On 7 August 2026, President Droupadi Murmu presided over the 12th National Handloom Day at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, conferring 3 Sant Kabir Handloom Awards and 19 National Handloom Awards for 2025. She highlighted handloom’s role in employment, women’s empowerment and cultural diversity, and stressed that appropriate use of new technologies and digital market solutions are essential for the sector’s sustainable development. Four commemorative postage stamps on Indian handloom weaves were released, and a publication on ‘Earth. Root. Thread – Aal Dyed Handloom Textiles of Central India’ was launched. The event underscored government commitment to policy support, skill development and market promotion for handloom artisans.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has expanded the "Source from India" service on the Trade Connect ePlatform to include DPIIT‑recognised start‑ups. Effective 6 August 2026, eligible start‑ups can create dedicated digital microsites marked with a unique "Start‑up Badge" for visibility to overseas buyers. A special onboarding provision allows start‑ups with a valid Import Export Code (IEC) not listed in the Denied Entity List to join even if they do not meet the usual export performance criteria, subject to DGFT IEC database verification. The move aims to boost innovation‑led exports, diversify India’s export basket and position the country as a global hub for entrepreneurship.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reports that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has expanded food safety enforcement through a network of 259 NABL‑accredited laboratories, 24 referral labs and 305 mobile testing units. Under the SoFTeL scheme, 47 State Food Testing Laboratories have been upgraded with advanced analytical equipment. FSSAI also conducts regular reviews of Food Safety Officers’ performance and vacancies via Central Advisory Committee and Inter‑State Zonal Council meetings. Consumer‑awareness initiatives such as the “#NoToAdulteration” and “#HarLabelKuchKahtaHai” campaigns, the DART book and the Food Safety Magic Box aim to educate the public on detecting adulteration.

The Rajya Sabha’s Department‑related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice presented its 165th report on 7 August 2026, focusing on creating and developing institutional mechanisms for the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) ecosystem. The report reviews the performance of the India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC) and Delhi International Arbitration Centre (DIAC), recommends expanding arbitrator panels, improving infrastructure, enhancing outreach, and instituting regular performance reviews. It highlights the Mediation Act, 2023, urging mandatory pre‑institution mediation, faster establishment of the Mediation Council of India, and stronger monitoring. The Committee also suggests reforms for Lok Adalats and strengthening NALSA to improve access to justice.

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.

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 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 Scan and Register service, part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, has crossed 25 crore OPD registrations since its launch in October 2022. It operates in 30,800 healthcare facilities across 36 states and Union Territories, covering 24,323 public and 6,481 private centres. On average, nearly 4 lakh patients use the QR‑code based service daily, cutting registration waiting times and enhancing operational efficiency. Bihar leads with over 7.30 crore transactions, while AIIMS New Delhi records the highest government‑facility registrations at 54.29 lakh. The milestone underscores expanding citizen trust and the growing adoption of ABHA‑enabled digital health solutions.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, invoking the Policy Guidelines for Community Radio Stations (CRS), has urged Chief Secretaries and Disaster Management Departments to promote new CRS in flood‑prone, coastal and other disaster‑vulnerable areas. The central‑sector scheme “Supporting Community Radio Movement in India”, continued for 2026‑27 to 2030‑31 with a ₹50 crore outlay, aims to strengthen CRS by funding equipment such as UPS, generators and solar systems. An Emergency Grant of ₹11.50 lakh is available to operational CRS affected by floods, earthquakes, lightning or similar natural disasters. The Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting communicated this in response to a Rajya Sabha question.