PIB Current Affairs 30 July 2026

Schemes & CommitteesLowquizQuiz

PM Vishwakarma: 24.29 Lakh Artisans Trained; IIM Mumbai Evaluation Finds 93% Income Gains

•PM Vishwakarma (launched 17 September 2023, ₹13,000 crore outlay for FY2023-24 to FY2027-28) covers 18 traditional trades including carpenters, goldsmiths, potters, tailors and fishing-net makers; 24.29 lakh beneficiaries have received basic skill training as on date.
•A concurrent evaluation by IIM Mumbai, covering 11,591 beneficiaries across all States/UTs, found 93% reported moderate to significant income increase after training.
•Registered artisans (after 3-level verification) get skill upgradation, collateral-free credit support, modern toolkits, digital transaction incentives and marketing support, plus onboarding on the Udyam Assist Platform for priority-sector-lending eligibility.

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Banking & FinanceMediumquizQuiz

PIB: BMIP Launches Sovereign-Backed P&I Cover; War Risk Premiums Down 35-40%

•The Department of Financial Services (DFS) launched India's first sovereign-backed Protection & Indemnity (P&I) insurance product under the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMIP), designed by New India Assurance, offering an indemnity limit of up to US$1.5 billion for third-party liabilities (crew/cargo, pollution, wreck removal).
•BMIP has operated since 12 May 2026 under a ₹12,980 crore sovereign guarantee; war-risk premium rates have fallen 35-40% from their West Asia-conflict peak, and 1,608 Cargo/Hull War Risk policies had been issued as on 29 July 2026.
•The initiative supports Atmanirbhar Bharat by building domestic underwriting capacity and reducing dependence on foreign maritime insurance markets.

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SBM(G) Phase II: ODF Plus Categorisation and 34 States/UTs Digital Monitoring

•SBM(G) Phase II (2020-21 to 2026-27) defines three ODF Plus categories — Aspiring (SWM OR LWM), Rising (both SWM AND LWM), and Model (both, plus visual cleanliness and IEC display) — as villages progress from basic Open Defecation Free status.
•Original SBM(G) (2 October 2014 to 2 October 2019) built over 10 crore individual household latrines, raising rural sanitation coverage from 39% to 100%, with all villages declaring ODF status by 2019.
•Digital monitoring uses the SBM-G Portal/Dashboard plus the mSBM (IHHL geo-tagging) and SBM2.0 (SLWM asset geo-tagging) mobile apps across 34 States/UTs; up to 5% of project funds may go to IEC/capacity-building (2% Centre, 3% State/District).

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Water Quality Management Under Jal Jeevan Mission: BIS:10500 Standard and WQMIS Portal

•Under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), BIS:10500 is the adopted benchmark standard for piped drinking-water quality; States/UTs are advised to prioritise habitations affected by chemical contaminants (arsenic/fluoride) and install Community Water Purification Plants (CWPPs, 8-10 litres/person/day) as an interim measure.
•An online JJM-Water Quality Management Information System (WQMIS) portal tracks sample collection, testing, reporting and surveillance, with State-wise data publicly available.
•A 'Concise Handbook for Monitoring Water Quality of Piped Drinking Water Supply' was released in December 2024, and a Handbook on Drinking Water Treatment Technologies in March 2023, to guide States on testing protocols and treatment options.

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Schemes & CommitteesMediumquizQuiz

Atal Bhujal Yojana: QCI Impact Study Finds Groundwater Improvement in 180 of 229 Blocks

•An impact assessment by the Quality Council of India (QCI) found Atal Bhujal Yojana — a pilot, community-led groundwater management scheme run 1 April 2020 to 15 October 2025 across 8,203 water-stressed Gram Panchayats in 229 blocks/80 districts of 7 States — improved community awareness, women's participation and willingness to conserve groundwater.
•180 of the 229 covered blocks showed improved groundwater levels in the 2023-25 assessment; over 1.28 lakh Gram Panchayat-level trainings were conducted, with a minimum 33% women's participation mandated in decision-making.
•Atal Bhujal Yojana was implemented in Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh (NOT Chhattisgarh); the government has called it a replicable pilot model for other States.

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Schemes & CommitteesMediumquizQuiz

PMKSY (Food Processing) Benefits 37.76 Lakh Farmers; PLISFPI Incentives Cross ₹3,271 Crore

•Three Lok Sabha replies give a consolidated PMKSY (food processing) picture: 1,735 projects approved, 1,256 completed (as on 30.06.2026), creating 294.21 LMT/annum processing capacity, 9.16 lakh jobs and benefiting 37.76 lakh farmers.
•PLISFPI (Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry, outlay ₹10,900 crore for FY2021-22 to FY2026-27) has disbursed ₹3,271.44 crore in incentives to 163 applications from 127 companies (69 MSMEs) across 212 locations in 22 States; PLI-supported product sales rose from ₹58,758 crore (FY2019-20) to ₹1,08,854 crore (FY2025-26).
•PMFME gives FPOs a 35% credit-linked subsidy (up to ₹10 lakh) and up to 50% branding/marketing support; the discontinued Mega Food Park component (41 parks approved, 25 operational) benefited ~86,881 farmers before its 1 April 2021 discontinuation.

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Science & TechLowquizQuiz

ARIES-Led Study Finds Sun's Upper Atmosphere Rotates Faster Than Its Surface

•A study by ARIES (Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital — an autonomous DST institute), with USO-PRL and Ahmednagar College, found the Sun's atmosphere rotates FASTER than its visible surface, and rotation speed increases with height — contrary to the angular-momentum-conservation pattern seen in Earth's atmosphere.
•Using the Nobeyama Radioheliograph (Japan) and a '2D image-correlation method', researchers also found rotation speed slightly decreases when solar activity (sunspot count) is stronger.
•The findings, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics Letters, will help refine models of solar activity and space weather affecting satellites, communication, navigation and power infrastructure on Earth.

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Science & TechHighquizQuiz

Government's Deepfake Legal Framework and CERT-In's AI-Threat Countermeasures

•A Lok Sabha reply lays out India's deepfake legal architecture: IT Act 2000 provisions (identity theft S.66C, impersonation S.66D, obscene content S.67/67A, blocking orders S.69A), BNS 2023 (public mischief S.353, organised cybercrime S.111), and IT Rules 2021 obligating intermediaries to prevent deepfake/impersonation content.
•A 10 February 2026 IT Rules amendment mandates clear labelling/traceable metadata for AI-generated content and slashes takedown timelines — from 36 hours to 3 hours for unlawful content on valid intimation, and to as little as 2 hours for sensitive categories like non-consensual intimate imagery.
•13 Responsible AI projects approved for deepfake detection (e.g. 'Saakshya' by IIT Jodhpur & IIT Madras) under the IndiaAI Mission's Safe & Trusted AI pillar; CERT-In ran 10 AI-threat cyber exercises (June-July 2026, 1,470 participants from 345 organisations) and ISEA awareness workshops reached 11.37 lakh+ people via 6,650 sessions.

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Science & TechMediumquizQuiz

India's Semiconductor Talent Pipeline: 68,000 Skilled, 175 Chip Designs Taped Out, Semicon 2.0 Approved

•A Lok Sabha reply details India's multi-pronged semiconductor talent pipeline under the Semicon India Programme: over 1 lakh engineers trained (NIELIT Calicut's SMART Lab), ~68,000 persons trained in chip design and 175 chip designs taped out from SCL Mohali under the Chips to Startup (C2S) programme.
•MoUs signed with Purdue University, Arizona State University, IBM and NAMTECH (targeting 5,000 professionals over 5 years) to build design, R&D and manufacturing skills; a Lam Research partnership targets 60,000 trained manpower in ATMP/advanced packaging over 10 years.
•The Union Cabinet approved 'Semicon 2.0' on 15 July 2026 with an outlay of ₹1.275 lakh crore, adding dedicated pillars for advanced-technology R&D and talent development.

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Schemes & CommitteesHighquizQuiz

PMMSY Fisheries Infrastructure: Harbours, Aquaparks, Women's Blue Economy Push

•Four Rajya Sabha replies together detail PMMSY's fisheries-infrastructure push: ₹20,750 crore total outlay (2020-21 onwards, Centre-State cost-sharing usually 60:40); of 1,547 notified Fish Landing Centres nationally, 423 have been covered under infrastructure development so far.
•ISRO has indigenously developed the Vessel Communication and Support System (VCSS, ₹364 crore) with the 'Nabhmitra' app, to be rolled out to 1 lakh marine fishing vessels for safety, SOS alerts, geo-fencing and cyclone warnings.
•12 Integrated Aquaparks approved nationally (₹713.80 crore total) as end-to-end fisheries value-chain hubs; women beneficiaries get enhanced 60% government financial assistance (vs 40% for general category) for fisheries activities including deep-sea vessel acquisition, seaweed cultivation and value addition.

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Schemes & CommitteesLowquizQuiz

DAJGUA Implementation: PM GatiShakti Monitoring and State-wise Beneficiary Data

•DAJGUA implementation is monitored through Inter-Ministerial coordination meetings, a dedicated Project Management Unit (PMU), and a technology-enabled real-time tracking system on the PM GatiShakti Portal.
•The Adi KarmaYogi Abhiyan drives community engagement in DAJGUA implementation.
•A Himachal Pradesh-specific reply shows Chamba district's ITDP Bharmour (30 villages) and ITDP Pangi (48 villages) selected under DAJGUA, with ₹551.11 lakh and ₹851.00 lakh approved respectively; district-level fund release began only in 2025-26 (₹708.44 lakh) with further release in 2026-27 (₹381.88 lakh).

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Schemes & CommitteesMediumquizQuiz

EMRS Network: 728 Schools Sanctioned, 508 Functional — Institutional Reforms Detailed

•Three Lok Sabha replies confirm EMRS status: 728 schools sanctioned nationally, 508 functional, 249 under various construction stages (as on 30 June 2026); 43 new EMRSs were inaugurated in 2025-26.
•EMRSs are established in tribal-dominated blocks with over 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (Census 2011 criteria); West Bengal's Bundwan block (Purulia) is currently the only block meeting fresh-establishment criteria there, while EMRS Kalimpong operates from an alternate building pending its permanent structure.
•Institutional reforms include NESTS (National Education Society for Tribal Students) as the autonomous policy/monitoring body, State EMRS Societies, District-level EMRS Committees, a centralised EMRS Staff Selection Examination (ESSE), and 284 smart classrooms nationally; 9,111 teaching/non-teaching staff recruited with another 7,267 examined for recruitment.

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Schemes & CommitteesMediumquizQuiz

PM-JANMAN Progress: PVTG Development Across 18 States and 1 UT

•Three Lok Sabha replies confirm PM-JANMAN's core parameters and give State-level progress snapshots (as on 30 June 2026), including for Kerala and Odisha — Odisha alone has 73,092 PVTG households (population 312,654) mapped under the mission's habitation-level data exercise.
•PM-JANMAN was launched by the Prime Minister on 15 November 2023 for the socio-economic development of 75 PVTG communities across 18 States and 1 Union Territory, delivered through 11 interventions across 9 line Ministries.
•Progress is tracked via a habitation-level data-collection exercise using the PM Gati Shakti mobile application, and monitored through a national Project Monitoring Unit alongside periodic State-level reviews.

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Development Framework for ITDA/ITDP Areas: Article 275(1) Grants and Convergence Approach

•A Lok Sabha statement details how ITDAs/ITDPs (Integrated Tribal Development Agencies/Projects) function as field-level convergence institutions channelling multiple central schemes — Article 275(1) grants, Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY), PM-JANMAN, DAJGUA, EMRS, scholarships and livelihood programmes — into tribal areas.
•Funds are released State-wise and scheme-wise (not per individual ITDA/ITDP) based on approved proposals, fund availability and utilisation certificates.
•A National Conclave on Strengthening ITDAs/ITDPs (3 June 2026) flagged the need for stronger staffing, integrated planning, reliable data systems and greater functional/financial empowerment of these agencies.

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DefenceLowquizQuiz

PIB: Raksha Mantri Felicitates IASV Triveni Crew for First All-Women Tri-Services Circumnavigation

•Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh felicitated nine women officers of the Army, Navy and Air Force who completed 'Samudra Pradakshina' — the first-ever all-women Tri-services circumnavigation — aboard the Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni: a 314-day, ~25,500 nautical-mile voyage across four oceans.
•The expedition met all internationally recognised circumnavigation criteria: crossing all longitude meridians, the Equator twice, the International Date Line, and rounding the Three Great Capes (Leeuwin, Horn, Good Hope) — earning the crew membership in the 'Cape Horners' fraternity.
•Flagged off 11 September 2025 and flagged-in 22 July 2026 (Mumbai), felicitated in New Delhi on 30 July 2026.

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Ranks & ReportsLowquizQuiz

PIB: India Climbs to 57th in Competere Foundation's Market Distortions Performance Index

•India rose 25 places, from 82nd to 57th, in the Competere Foundation's Market Distortions Performance Index, per the report 'India's Next Growth Frontier', assessing reform progress from 2010 to 2023.
•The report credits reforms including GST, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), regulatory-environment improvements and trade-facilitation modernisation, evaluated across three pillars — property rights protection, domestic competition and international competition.
•The report was launched at a discussion organised by the Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL), IIFT New Delhi, with the Competere Foundation, at the India Habitat Centre.

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EnvironmentHighquizQuiz

Environmental Clearances in Protected Areas and NCAP Air-Quality Compliance: MoEFCC Replies

•Infrastructure projects touching Tiger Reserves or other Protected Areas must clear a dual-track process: Environmental Clearance (EC) under the EIA Notification, 2006, from the Expert Appraisal Committee (Category A, Centre) or SEAC (Category B, State), AND Wildlife Clearance under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, via the State Chief Wildlife Warden and the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SCNBWL) — 20 such projects were cleared in FY2024-25 and 2025-26.
•The PARIVESH portal's new Decision Support System (DSS) is a GIS-enabled tool for automated proximity analysis of projects against Protected Areas, Eco-Sensitive Zones, forests and wetlands.
•Under NCAP, City-Specific Clean Air Action Plans cover 130 cities; ₹16,423.55 crore has been sanctioned (2019-20 to 2025-26) of which ₹11,575.54 crore (70.5%) is utilised; 108 cities showed PM10 reductions in 2025-26 vs 2017-18, and 14 cities now meet National Ambient Air Quality Standards (up from 6 in 2017-18).

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Science & TechMediumquizQuiz

Nuclear Technology in Medicine and Agriculture; Tata Memorial Centre's Cancer-Care Expansion

•Two Rajya Sabha replies cover DAE's peaceful nuclear applications: BARC-produced radioisotopes/radiopharmaceuticals (supplied via BRIT) for cancer diagnosis/therapy — including 177Lu-PSMA-617 for prostate cancer and the '90Y-BhabhaSphere' for liver cancer — and 72 radiation-bred crop varieties released for commercial cultivation since inception.
•42 food irradiation facilities are commissioned nationally; radiation processing extends shelf life and helps meet export phytosanitary norms, with new incentives under PMKSY's Integrated Cold Chain component from 2024-25.
•Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), under DAE, has commissioned three new Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospitals (Chandigarh 2022, Visakhapatnam 2023, Muzaffarpur 2025) in the last five years, with three more under construction (Mumbai Platinum Jubilee Block, Khopoli ICTREC, Bhubaneswar).

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Science & TechHighquizQuiz

India's Roadmap to 100 GW Nuclear Power by 2047: Reactor Fleet and SMR Plans

•Three Rajya Sabha replies detail India's roadmap to 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047 (announced under the Nuclear Energy Mission, Union Budget 2025-26): present capacity of 8.78 GW to reach ~22 GW by 2031-32, NPCIL's share rising to ~54 GW by 2047, with the balance 46 GW from other PSEs, private sector and joint ventures.
•The strategy combines indigenous 700 MWe PHWRs and imported large reactors at greenfield sites with Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for brownfield use — BARC has designed the 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200, ₹5,960 crore), the 55 MWe SMR-55 (twin-unit, ₹7,000 crore) and a hydrogen-capable High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor, targeting at least 5 indigenous SMRs operational by 2033.
•24 reactors are currently in commercial operation (8,780 MW); 10 more reactors are under construction (including Kudankulam-3&4&5&6 and the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor) and 10 in pre-project activities, all under continuous safety oversight by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB, constituted 1983).

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Polity & GovernanceLowquizQuiz

UPSC, SSC Recruitment Reforms Cut Cycle Times; 3.61 Lakh SSC Recommendations in 4 Years

•DoPT reply details recruitment reforms at UPSC and SSC: interviews for Group C and Group B (Non-Gazetted) posts dropped since 1 January 2016; SSC's recruitment cycle cut from 15-18 months to 6-8 months, UPSC's from over 15 months to about 13 months.
•SSC introduced Computer-Based Examinations, an 'e-Dossier' system, a Sliding Mechanism Framework for vacancy utilisation, and published answer keys with an objection process; UPSC introduced a Modular Online Application Portal, AI-based attempt verification and face authentication.
•SSC recommended about 3.61 lakh candidates over 2022-23 to 2025-26; several lakh appointment letters have been distributed via National Rozgar Melas held since October 2022.

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Gaganyaan and Bharatiya Antariksh Station Progress; Dept of Space Budget Trend

•Two Rajya Sabha replies together cover the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) — India's planned five-module indigenous space station targeted for 2035, with the first module BAS-01 approved in October 2024 for launch by 2028 — and the Department of Space's budget trend since 2021.
•Gaganyaan precursor missions TV-D1, IADT-01 and IADT-02 are complete, with the first uncrewed mission (G1) in advanced preparation; docking-system and refuelling-mechanism concept demonstrations have succeeded.
•Department of Space's budget has stayed roughly flat in nominal terms (₹13,949 crore in 2021-22 to ₹13,416 crore in 2025-26) even as its share of the Union Budget and of GDP has declined; ISRO passed 100 launches from Sriharikota and demonstrated autonomous docking via SPADEX (India the 4th country to do so).

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EconomyMediumquizQuiz

India's R&D Expenditure (GERD) Crosses ₹2.44 Lakh Crore in 2023-24: Parliament Data

•Per DST's Research & Development Statistics 2025-26, India's Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD) rose from ₹1,32,567 crore in 2019-20 to ₹2,44,767.81 crore in 2023-24, and GERD as a share of GDP rose from 0.66% to 0.84% over the same period.
•Private-sector R&D spend nearly tripled in the period (₹44,753.54 crore to ₹1,26,906.60 crore) and, for the first time in the data shown, edged past government-sector R&D spend (₹1,26,906.60 crore vs ₹1,17,861.21 crore) in 2023-24.
•India's Global Innovation Index (GII) rank, assessed by NITI Aayog, improved from 46th (2021) to 38th (2025); India ranks as the top performer in Central & South Asia and among lower-middle-income countries.

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National Quantum Mission: T-Hub Manpower and 86 Partner Institutions

•A Rajya Sabha reply details progress under the National Quantum Mission (NQM): 86 institutions engaged across four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) — quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing & metrology, and quantum materials & devices — supporting research, technology development and human-resource development.
•The T-Hubs run JRF/SRF/Post-Doctoral fellowship schemes, including the Quantum Computing T-Hub's 'QC-Bridge' and the Quantum Sensing & Metrology T-Hub's 'PARIMANA' fellowship programmes.
•DST has signed a Letter of Intent with Japan for international quantum-technology cooperation under NQM.

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CSIR's Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Technology Initiatives: Parliament Reply

•Rajya Sabha reply details CSIR's healthcare/pharma technology pipeline across its constituent laboratories — CDRI (Lucknow), IMTECH, IGIB, IICT — spanning drug discovery, diagnostics, genomics and gene-editing therapeutics.
•Flagship outcomes include BIRSA-101 (India's first indigenous CRISPR gene-editing therapy, for Sickle Cell Disease, licensed to Serum Institute of India) and FELUDA (a CRISPR-based COVID-19 diagnostic licensed to Tata Sons, later forming the basis of Tata MD CHECK).
•CSIR runs population-genomics programmes IndiGen and GenomeIndia (targeting 10,000 Indian genomes), and rare-disease genomics networks GUaRDIAN and GOMED, alongside a dedicated technology-transfer and licensing ecosystem for industry/MSME/startup partners.

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Polity & GovernanceMediumquizQuiz

PIB: Public Examinations Amendment Bill 2026 — Punishments Doubled, Fast Track Courts Detailed

•The Rajya Sabha passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote, extending the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 (introduced Jan 2024, enacted Feb 2024, in force June 2024) — India's first comprehensive law of its kind against exam malpractice, covering UPSC, SSC, RRBs, IBPS and NTA-conducted exams.
•Punishments were sharply enhanced: individual unfair-means offences from 3-5 years to 5-10 years imprisonment (fine ₹10 lakh → ₹50 lakh); service-provider fines from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore and debarment from 4 to 8 years; organised-crime offences from 5-10 years to 7-10 years imprisonment (fine ₹1 crore → ₹10 crore).
•The Bill establishes Special Fast Track Courts (investigation within 2 months, trial within 3 months of chargesheet) — 6 already operational — plus Special Public Prosecutors and provision for Special Task Force/Central agency investigation; separately, 35 of 46 expert-committee recommendations (biometric/AI authentication, signal jammers, NTA restructuring) are already implemented.

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EconomyMediumquizQuiz

PIB: Inside India's First Telecom Manufacturing Zone — SPV Structure, Incentives and Anchor Investors

•DoT and the Government of Madhya Pradesh signed an MoU for India's first integrated Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) — a 350-acre plug-and-play cluster in Gwalior — via an SPV with 51% Madhya Pradesh equity and 49% DoT equity; the Centre funds 100% of Phase-I core infrastructure (₹493 crore).
•Madhya Pradesh is providing ~170 acres of land free of cost (combined value ~₹596 crore) plus fiscal incentives: 50% capital subsidy (capped ₹200 crore), employment assistance of ₹5,000/month/employee for 5 years, and a 50% export freight subsidy.
•Initial commitments stand at ~₹3,500-5,000 crore (Phase-I) against a projected ₹12,000-15,000 crore total investment and ~14,000 direct jobs; anchor investors include Dixon Technologies, HFCL, Tejas Networks, VVDN and Syrma SGS, with synergies planned with ISM, ECMS and the Telecom Technology Development Fund.

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DefenceLowquizQuiz

PIB: INS Nipun, India's Second Indigenous Diving Support Vessel, Delivered at ~75% Indigenous Content

•'Nipun', India's SECOND indigenous Diving Support Vessel (DSV), built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (a Ministry of Defence PSU, Visakhapatnam), was delivered to the Indian Navy on 30 July 2026 at Visakhapatnam, built to Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) classification rules.
•The vessel is capable of Deep Sea Saturation Diving, carries Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for salvage/diver monitoring, and will serve as the Mother Ship for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) for submarine-emergency personnel evacuation.
•Nipun's delivery achieved nearly 75% indigenous content, following the first-of-class DSV 'Nistar' (delivered 2025) — both part of the Navy's push for indigenous deep-sea rescue/salvage capability under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

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Polity & GovernanceLowquizQuiz

Jal Shakti Minister Chairs Chhattisgarh-Odisha Talks on Mahanadi Water Dispute

•Union Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Paatil chaired a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh (Vishnu Deo Sai) and Odisha (Mohan Charan Majhi) to pursue an amicable settlement of the Mahanadi Water Dispute, alongside CWC officials.
•The Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) was constituted 12 March 2018 under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, following Odisha's request; an expanded Technical Committee (chaired by the CWC Chairman, with both States' representatives) held its first meeting on 29 July 2026.
•The Minister cited recent successes in resolving inter-State water disputes — the Yamuna Water Project Agreement, the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal Award implementation, and consensus on the Modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (MPKC) Link Project — as evidence such disputes can be resolved through cooperative federalism.

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Science & TechMediumquizQuiz

Government Rebuts E20 Misconceptions with Manufacturer Data on 2.84 Crore Serviced Vehicles

•The government rebutted circulating claims that E20 damages engines and that pre-2023 vehicles cannot run on it, citing OEM service data: a leading manufacturer serviced 2.84 crore vehicles in FY2025-26 (including 1.5 crore not originally E20-certified) with no reported E20-linked corrosion, abnormal wear or component-life reduction.
•Ethanol blending rose from ~1.53% (2013-14) to 20% by 2025-26 (Nov-June), reaching the National Policy on Biofuels' 20% target five years ahead of its original 2030 deadline (advanced to 2025-26 via the 2022 amendment).
•On 4 July 2026, senior executives from Toyota Kirloskar, Maruti Suzuki, Hero MotoCorp, Hyundai, TVS Motor Company and Bajaj Auto jointly reaffirmed confidence in E20 at a joint press conference with three Union Ministries; any mileage reduction on older E10-designed vehicles is limited to ~3-5%.

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Schemes & CommitteesMediumquizQuiz

SC/OBC Central Scholarship Schemes: 25.85 Lakh SC Students Benefited in Tamil Nadu Over 3 Years

•Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarship Schemes together benefited over 25.85 lakh Scheduled Caste students in Tamil Nadu over 2023-24 to 2025-26, with Central assistance exceeding ₹3,080 crore.
•PM-YASASVI (for OBC/EBC/DNT students) and the OBC-specific Free Coaching Scheme run through Dr. Ambedkar Centres of Excellence (DACE) in 19 empanelled Central Universities (100 seats each) complement the SC-focused schemes; Top Class Education assistance for schools rose from ₹1.88 crore (2023-24) to ₹30.62 crore (2025-26) in Tamil Nadu alone.
•PM-AJAY's Adarsh Gram component released ₹18,606.69 lakh (2023-24) and ₹22,325.63 lakh (2024-25) to Tamil Nadu; NAMASTE has validated 6,891 sewer/septic-tank workers and 34,854 waste pickers in the State, distributing matching PPE kits.

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Ranks & ReportsMediumquizQuiz

NCRB Data: SC/ST Atrocities Act Cases Peak at 53,372 in 2023; Convictions Hit 5-Year High in 2024

•NCRB's 'Crime in India' data (placed before Rajya Sabha) shows cases registered against Scheduled Castes under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 rose from 45,995 (2020) to a five-year peak of 53,372 (2023), before easing to 48,669 (2024).
•Convictions and persons convicted both hit five-year highs in 2024: 5,192 convictions and 10,839 persons convicted — the latter more than double the 2020 figure of 4,855.
•Cases pending trial rose every year across the period, reaching 2,87,694 by 2024 — also a five-year high, reflecting a growing case backlog even as conviction numbers improved.

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Science & TechHighquizQuiz

Ocean Observation Network and Climate Monitoring: MoES Parliament Replies

•Four Rajya Sabha replies from the Ministry of Earth Sciences (30 July 2026) together detail India's ocean-observation network (19 subsurface moorings, 302 Argo floats since 2014, tsunami buoys and tide gauges under INCOIS), the Mission Mausam-driven modernisation of weather forecasting, Brahmaputra flood-forecasting infrastructure, and the 2026 El Nino outlook.
•Wave-forecast accuracy has improved about 43% since 2014, and INCOIS's coastal forecast system now reaches roughly 70% accuracy; tsunami advisories are issued within the international 10-minute benchmark.
•Under Mission Mausam, the Bharat Forecasting System (BharatFS) delivers 6 km-resolution forecasts down to Gram Panchayat clusters, accessible via e-Gramswaraj, Meri Panchayat and Mausamgram.

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Polity & GovernanceMediumquizQuiz

PIB Backgrounder: Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill 2026

•The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 amends Section 3 of the 1971 Act to extend to the National Song, Vande Mataram, the same legal protection currently given only to the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
•It becomes an offence to intentionally prevent the singing of Vande Mataram, or to disturb an assembly singing it — punishable, as under the existing Section 3, with imprisonment up to three years, a fine, or both (minimum one year for repeat offences under Section 3A).
•The Bill's Statement of Objects cites Constituent Assembly President Dr Rajendra Prasad's 24 January 1950 statement that Vande Mataram should be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana.

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PIB Backgrounder: Jan Aushadhi Nutraceuticals Basket Under PMBJP

•PIB Backgrounder details a Jan Aushadhi Nutraceuticals basket under PMBJP — protein bars, protein powders, women-specific, diabetes-care and renal-care formulations and malt-based 'Poshan' foods sold at controlled prices (e.g. Women Protein Boost, 250g, ₹204.66).
•The basket extends PMBJP's affordable-medicines mandate into preventive nutrition, sold through the Jan Aushadhi Kendra network under the tagline 'Quality Healthcare and Nutrition for All'.
•It is manufactured to prescribed quality standards and priced as an alternative to branded nutrition supplements.

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Current Affairs Pulse

PIB Current Affairs — 30 July 2026

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PIB Backgrounder: Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill 2026

PIB Backgrounder: Jan Aushadhi Nutraceuticals Basket Under PMBJP