NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Bihar Launches ‘Mukhya Mantri Pratigya’ Scheme to
Support Youth Internships: The Bihar
government has launched the ‘Mukhya Mantri Pratigya’ scheme to
provide financial assistance to youths for internships lasting 3 to 12 months
after clearing their class 12 board exams, aiming to boost employability and
industry readiness.Under the scheme, youths aged 18-28 will receive monthly
stipends based on their qualification: ₹4,000 for those who passed Class 12,
₹5,000 for ITI diploma holders, and ₹6,000 for graduates and
postgraduates.Those doing internships outside their home district will get an
additional ₹2,000 per month, while those interning outside the state will
receive an extra ₹5,000 per month for up to three months; the payments will be
directly credited to their bank accounts.Additionally, the cabinet approved the
Mukhya Mantri Kalakar Pension Yojana, granting ₹3,000 per month pension to artists
who have dedicated at least 10 years to traditional classical visual and
performing arts, to help preserve Bihar’s cultural heritage.
2. NIPCCD Renamed as Savitribai Phule National Institute,
New Ranchi Centre to Boost Women and Child Development in Eastern India: The National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child
Development (NIPCCD) has been officially renamed the Savitribai Phule
National Institute of Women and Child Development, highlighting its commitment
to focused support for women and children’s development across India.A new
Regional Centre will open in Ranchi, Jharkhand, to address specialized training
and research needs for key programs like Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya, and
Mission Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0, specifically for states in the
eastern region—Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal.The new Regional
Centre will also offer the Advance Diploma in Child Guidance and Counselling
and will facilitate better accessibility for frontline functionaries in these
states. It is estimated that over seven lakh functionaries operate under the
Ministry’s missions across the four states, spread across 115 districts.
3. Gujarat CM Launches Jan Suraksha Santrupti Abhiyan to
Expand Welfare Benefits Nationwide:
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the Jan Suraksha
Santrupti Abhiyan in Gandhinagar.The campaign will run from July 1 to September
30, aiming to identify eligible citizens who have not yet received benefits
from key government welfare schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima
Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, and Jan Dhan
Yojana.Activities under the campaign include updating KYC details for Jan Dhan
accounts, opening new accounts, and raising awareness about digital fraud to
improve financial security and inclusion for citizens.
4. UPI Hits 18.40 Billion Transactions in June: India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) recorded 40 billion
transactions worth ₹24.04-lakh crore in June, showing a 32% yearly
increase in transaction volume and a 20% rise in value, with an average of 613
million transactions worth ₹80,131 crore happening daily.Despite a slight
decrease from May’s 18.68 billion transactions totaling ₹25.14-lakh crore,
experts believe this indicates UPI reaching a critical scale rather than a
slowdown in adoption.The next phase of UPI’s growth is expected to come from
innovative use cases like embedded credit, B2B payments, IoT-enabled
transactions, and expanding its reach in both global and rural markets, which
will require stakeholders to modernize infrastructure and operations
5. Centre Extends FSIB Chairperson and Members’ Tenure by
One Year Till June 2026: The Centre has extended
the tenure of the FSIB chairperson and members by one year, allowing them
to serve until 30 June 2026; the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
approved this decision.Bhanu Pratap Sharma will continue as FSIB
chairperson, with part-time members from banking and insurance sectors
like Animesh Chauhan, Deepak Singhal, Shailendra Bhandari, Usha Sangwan, A V
Girija Kumar, and Sujay Banarji also receiving extensions.Originally
established as the Banks Board Bureau (BBB) and restructured as FSIB in 2022,
the bureau acts as the headhunting agency for top appointments in state-run
banks and financial institutions, recommending names for whole-time directors
and non-executive chairpersons to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
6. Rajendra Prasad Goyal gets additional charge as NHPC
CMD: Rajendra Prasad Goyal, Director (Finance) at NHPC Limited, has been
given the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of
NHPC from July 1, 2025.Goyal, a member of the Institute of Cost Accountants of
India and M.Com from the University of Rajasthan, has over 36 years of
experience in NHPC, with expertise in financial, contractual, and regulatory
aspects of hydropower projects.The position became vacant after Raj Kumar
Chaudhary retired on June 30, 2025, while the Public Enterprises Selection
Board (PESB) has already recommended Bhupender Gupta, Director (Technical) at
THDC India Ltd, as the next CMD of NHPC.
7. Kesavan Ramachandran Appointed as RBI Executive
Director: Kesavan Ramachandran has been appointed
as Executive Director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from July 1,
2025, and will head the Department of Regulation (Prudential Regulation
Division).With over three decades of experience at RBI, he previously served as
Principal Chief General Manager in the Risk Monitoring Department and was also
a board member of Canara Bank and one of the boards of ICAI.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Ancient Egyptian Genome Sheds Light on
Early Civilisation: Recent
advancements in genetic research have led to the sequencing of the oldest known
DNA from ancient Egypt. This genome belonged to an individual who lived
approximately 4,500 to 4,800 years ago during Egypt’s Old Kingdom. The findings
were published in July 2025, denoting the importance of genetic studies in
understanding ancient populations. The ancient remains were found in a ceramic
pot within a rock-cut tomb at Nuwayrat, a site located 265 km south of Cairo.
The individual was a genetically male adult who lived between the ages of 44 to
64. His burial suggests a relatively high socioeconomic status, despite
evidence of a physically demanding life. The genetic data indicates historical
cultural exchanges between ancient Egypt and the Eastern Fertile Crescent.
These interactions likely influenced practices in agriculture, trade, and
possibly the development of writing systems. The findings suggest a complex web
of migration and cultural exchange over thousands of years.
2. Gaden Phodrang Trust: The 14th Dalai Lama
recently reaffirmed the continuation of the Dalai Lama institution. He stated
that the Gaden Phodrang Trust will have sole authority in recognising future
reincarnations. This announcement comes as he approaches his 90th birthday,
ensuring the tradition of the Dalai
Lama will persist. The
Dalai Lama’s previous statements also support this continuation, indicating
that the next reincarnation will be recognised by the Gaden Phodrang Trust. The
Gaden Phodrang Trust is a registered body in India. It was established in 2011
and operates from the Dalai Lama’s office in Dharamshala. The trust’s primary
responsibility is to oversee the recognition of the next Dalai Lama. It is
managed by Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, a senior monk closely associated with the
Dalai Lama. The trust ensures adherence to Tibetan Buddhist traditions in the
recognition process.
3. ASEAN-India Cruise Dialogue: The inaugural ASEAN-India
Cruise Dialogue took place in Chennai, in 2025. This event marks step towards
enhancing maritime cooperation between India and ASEAN member nations. The
dialogue aims to improve cruise connectivity and promote sustainable tourism across
the Indo-Pacific region. It was attended by delegates from all ASEAN nations,
including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam, among others. The event is
hosted aboard the MV Empress at Chennai Port and will continue in Mamallapuram,
a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The primary objective is to strengthen maritime
cooperation among ASEAN nations and India. The dialogue
seeks to enhance cruise connectivity and promote sustainable tourism. It aims
to develop an integrated cruise network linking Indian ports with ASEAN
destinations. The dialogue also focuses on regulatory alignment and the
identification of cruise routes that connect cultural and commercial centers.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. DRDO Tests Indigenous Communication
Systems: In recent
developments, the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has
successfully conducted field trials of two advanced communication systems. The
Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL) in Dehradun executed these
trials in Joshimath, Uttarakhand. This initiative signifies a strong commitment
to indigenous technologies that boost national security. The two systems tested
are the Software Defined Radio (SDR) Manpack and the Compact Transhorizon
Communication System (CTCS). Both systems are designed to improve communication
capabilities in challenging environments. The SDR Manpack allows for secure
communication across various frequency bands, while the CTCS ensures high data
rate connectivity in remote areas lacking civil communication infrastructure.
The primary aim of the trials was to validate the performance of the SDR and
CTCS under real-world conditions. This involved testing in diverse terrains and
operational environments. The focus was on meeting user-defined operational
benchmarks established by various security agencies.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. CEA and IIT Roorkee Join Hands to Boost Research and
Skill Development in Energy Sector: The Central
Electricity Authority (CEA) and IIT Roorkee signed an MoU to
collaborate on research, capacity building, and knowledge sharing in the
electricity and energy sector.Under the agreement, CEA personnel will gain
access to IIT Roorkee’s short-term projects and online courses to enhance their
technical skills, while both institutions will conduct joint studies on
critical energy issues like electricity planning, hydropower, and renewable
energy integration.Key areas of cooperation include clean energy transition,
flexibility in power systems, distributed generation, and interdisciplinary
research on decarbonisation, water neutrality, energy efficiency, and just
transition frameworks.
2. Lanthanum-Doped Silver Niobate: Recent advancements in
energy storage technology have attracted global attention. Researchers from
Bengaluru and Aligarh Muslim University have developed a new energy storage
material. This innovation improves the performance of supercapacitors. Supercapacitors are essential for powering modern devices. They
offer rapid energy storage and release. However, their energy capacity has
often been limited compared to batteries. The breakthrough involves silver
niobate, a lead-free and eco-friendly material. Supercapacitors are devices
that store energy electrostatically. They charge and discharge rapidly. This
makes them ideal for applications in mobile devices and electric vehicles. They
provide a bridge between traditional capacitors and batteries. While they
charge faster than batteries, their energy density has historically been lower.
Enhancing their capacity without sacrificing speed is crucial for technological
progress.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Saraswat Bank Seeks RBI Nod to Acquire New India
Cooperative Bank: Saraswat
Cooperative Bank has sought RBI approval to acquire New India Cooperative Bank Ltd;
if approved, Saraswat will take over all liabilities and assets, offering
relief to thousands of depositors affected by the RBI-imposed moratorium on New
India from February 13. Currently, each New India depositor is limited to
withdrawing ₹25,000.Depositors’ interest component will be fully protected,
according to Gautam Thakur, chairman of Saraswat Cooperative Bank. New India
Cooperative currently holds deposits worth ₹2,397.8 crore and advances of
₹1,162 crore.
2. SBI inaugurates specialised trade finance hubs at
Kolkata and Hyderabad: SBI inaugurated
‘Global Trade Finance Centres’ in
Kolkata and Hyderabad to strengthen trade finance services and
enhance the efficiency of inland trade and import-export transactions.These
specialized hubs, staffed by over 800 skilled professionals, will enable faster
processing, better turnaround times, and a significantly improved customer
experience for businesses.
3. CCI Approves Viggo Investment’s Acquisition of 2.143%
Stake in Groww Parent Billionbrains Garage Ventures: The Competition Commission
of India (CCI) has approved Viggo Investment Pte. Ltd.’s proposed acquisition of a 2.143%
shareholding in Billionbrains Garage Ventures Limited, which
operates the online investment platform “Groww.”The deal involves a Deed of
Adherence and Share Subscription Agreement signed on April 28, 2025, allowing
Viggo Investment (a GIC group subsidiary) to invest in Groww, expanding its
presence in India’s financial technology sector.Groww, through its affiliates,
not only offers online stock and mutual fund investment services but is also
engaged in software design, customization, and development, along with
providing consultancy services and marketing of licensed software.
4. CCI Approves Coromandel International’s Acquisition of
Equity Shares in Agrochemical Firm NACL Industries: The Competition
Commission of India (CCI) has approved Coromandel International Limited’s proposed acquisition of certain equity
shares in NACL Industries Limited, strengthening its presence in the
agrochemical sector.Coromandel International Limited, a public listed company,
operates across the farming value chain with key businesses in crop nutrition,
crop protection, active ingredients, and retail services for farmers.NACL
Industries, also a public listed company, specializes in agrochemicals,
offering a wide range of crop protection products such as insecticides,
fungicides, herbicides, plant growth regulators, and active ingredients.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. PM Modi conferred Ghana’s highest honour for distinguished statesmanship: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the “Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana” by President John Mahama, Ghana’s highest civilian honour, in recognition of his influential leadership and contributions on the global stage.The Order of the Star of Ghana is a prestigious national award given to individuals who significantly contribute to Ghana’s interests or strengthen its international relations; the insignia includes a seven-pointed star medal with a ribbon in Ghana’s national colors.
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