NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Union Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy launches NIRMAN Portal: Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G Kishan Reddy has launched a portal “Noble Initiative for Rewarding Mains Aspirants of National Civil Services Examination (NIRMAN)” in New Delhi. In alignment with the vision “Mission Karmayogi” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this is a unique CSR scheme by Coal India Limited for meritorious youth of its operating districts who have qualified the Preliminary round of UPSC examination (for Civil Services & Forest Service) in 2024. The scheme is aimed towards providing support of Rs 1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh) to the Preliminary examination qualified candidates with annual family income less than 8 lakhs and belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, female or third gender; who are permanent residents of any of the 39 operational districts of CIL.
2. Maharashtra CM extends Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana age limit to 65 Years: Chief Minister of Maharashtra Eknath Shinde has raised the upper age limit to 65 years for the “Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin” scheme, under which women will get Rs 1,500 per month. The state government had set the upper age limit at 61 for benefits to be available to women under the scheme.
3. Smart Cities Mission extended till March 2025: The Centre has extended the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) under the Union Urban Development Ministry till March 31, 2025. Under the SCM, launched in June 2015, 100 cities were chosen through a competition to be developed as smart cities. The mission envisions developing areas within selected cities in the country as model areas based on an area development plan, which is expected to have a rub-off effect on other parts of the city and nearby cities and towns. More than 8,000 multi-sectoral projects are being developed by the 100 cities amounting to around ₹1.6 lakh crore under the SCM.
4. Sujata Saunik appointed Maharashtra’s first Woman Chief Secretary: Sujata Saunik, a 1987 batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, has been appointed as the first woman Chief Secretary (CS) of Maharashtra. The appointment of Sujata Saunik comes after the retirement of Nitin Kareer, who had served as the CS of Maharashtra since January 2024. Saunik will serve a one-year term, retiring in June 2025. She becomes the 45th CS of Maharashtra since the state’s establishment in 1960. Before this role, she held positions including Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department and ACS in the General Administration Department.
5. B.N. Gangadhar appointed as Chairperson of the National Medical Commission: Dr BN Gangadhar has been appointed as the Chairperson of the National Medical Commission (NMC) while appointing Dr Sanjay Behari as president of Medical Assessment and Rating Board. Dr Gangadhar, former director of NIMHANS, was also the president of the autonomous Medical Assessment and Rating Board. Dr Behari is the director of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India to host UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in New Delhi: India will host 46th session of UNESCO World Heritage Committee session at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from July 21-31. The 45th session of the committee was held at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. The event will be attended by over 2,500 delegates from State Parties, advisory bodies, senior diplomats, heritage experts, scholars, and researchers from 195 countries. The session is being organized by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 21.
2. Dick Schoof elected as new PM of Netherlands: Dick Schoof, former head of the Dutch intelligence agency and counterterrorism office, is sworn in as the new Prime Minister of the Netherlands by King Willem-Alexander. The Netherlands has a new Prime Minister for the first time in 14 years. The new government was sworn in seven months after the far-right Party for Freedom won the largest share of seats in the elections. First non-party-aligned PM since World War II.
3. 4 July – Jackfruit Day: Jackfruit Day is celebrated on 4 July every year. The tropical fruit is a popular meat substitute for those who are trying to follow a plant-based diet. It is high in vitamins and antioxidants, making it a great addition to any diet. The fruit has a spiky outer skin and is native to parts of South and South-East Asia. It is mostly produced in Asia, but attempts were made to grow it in Hawaii before 1888. The word “jackfruit” is thought to have been derived from the Portuguese “jaca,” which can also be translated to “chakka.” The word was used in a book written by Portuguese naturalist and scholar Garcia da Orta in 1563.
4. 4 July – US Independence Day: The US celebrates Independence Day on July 4 every year, which is a national holiday commemorating the country’s declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776. On this day, Americans together honour bravery and remember the sacrifices made by the founding fathers of the United States, who fought for the principles of liberty, equality and self-governance.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Rajinder Khanna appointed as Additional NSA; TV Ravichandran named Deputy NSA: Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA) Rajinder Khanna was appointed as the additional NSA. While Intelligence Bureau special director TV Ravichandran was named deputy NSA. This marks the first time the post of additional NSA has been filled, despite its longstanding existence. Khanna, a 1978-batch IPS officer from the Odisha cadre, served as the chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) from December 2014 to December 2016. He was appointed deputy NSA in January 2018, overseeing the Technology and Intelligence section. Ravichandran’s appointment as deputy NSA comes as he replaces Vikram Mistry, who was named foreign secretary last month.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Russia approves schedule for creation of Russian Orbital Station by 2033: Russia has approved the schedule for the creation of a Russian orbital station by 2033. The scientific and energy modules will be launched first in 2027, and three other core modules, namely the universal nodal, gateway, and base modules, will be launched by 2030. and two other target modules are scheduled to be launched by 2033. A total of 608.9 billion rubles has been allocated to finance the project. The creation of the Russian orbital station would ensure the continuity of Russia’s space programme and address issues of national security and scientific and technological development. Roscosmos, Russian Federal Space Agency, which was formed in 1992.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. GoI and ADB sign $170 million loan to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response: The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $170 million policy-based loan to consolidate and strengthen India’s health system preparedness and response capacity to future pandemics. The programme builds on ADBs partnership with the Government of India to strengthen its health system and adopt transformative solutions. The programme will be anchored in major government’s plans and initiatives including the National Health Policy 2017; Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), the National One Health Mission, and the government’s efforts to strengthen human resources for health (HRH).
2. ICICI Lombard launches AI-powered health insurance plan ‘Elevate’: ICICI Lombard, a leading private general insurer in India, has launched its revolutionary health insurance product, ‘Elevate’. Powered with AI, the first-of-its-kind health product is loaded with cutting-edge features and add-ons, offering personalized solutions to meet the needs of dynamic lifestyles, unforeseen medical emergencies and medical inflation. Elevate is designed to accommodate the rapidly evolving ecosystem and offers personalized, customer-centric plans that prioritize comprehensive coverage and flexibility.
3. Bajaj Housing Finance launches Sambhav Home Loans for first-time home buyers: Bajaj Housing Finance has launched ‘Sambhav Home Loans’ targeting first time home buyers with affordable income criteria. The income norm for first-time homebuyers, under this new product, starts from Rs. 10,000 per month, with loan amounts as low as Rs. 10 lakhs, hence making this an accessible option for prospective borrowers across a wide range of income groups. Both salaried and self-employed applicants from a range of employment types including from the informal sector are eligible for finance as part of this product. Borrowers will have attractive interest rates with affordable EMIs and the option to choose a repayment tenor of up to 20 years.
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