NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. South-Central Railway
Makes History as Five Key Departments Come Under Women Leadership: For
the first time, South-Central
Railway (SCR) has five
crucial departments — Operations, Commercial, Finance, Security,
and Medical — being led by women
officers.Key officials include K. Padmaja (Operations), Ity Pandey
(Commercial), Aroma Singh Thakur (Security), Dr. Nirmala Narasimhan (Medical),
and T. Hema Suneetha (Finance).These officers are responsible for vital
functions such as train operations, passenger services, revenue growth,
security initiatives, and healthcare management across the zone.
2. Centre Releases ₹36,027
Crore to States under SASCI Scheme; UP Gets Highest Allocation in FY26: The Centre has released ₹36,027 crore till 11
August 2025 to states and UTs
under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Expenditure and
Investment (SASCI); since its launch in FY21, a total of ₹3.66 lakh
crore has been disbursed.The scheme incentivises states for reforms in sectors
like land-related reforms (rural areas) and industrial growth regulations; in
FY25, 22 states availed incentives for both, though none could utilise the
incentive linked to urban land reforms.SASCI, launched in FY21 with ₹12,000
crore, has become a major policy lever, offering 50-year interest-free loans;
allocations have grown to ₹1.5 lakh crore annually in FY25 and FY26.In FY26
(till 11 August 2025), the top
recipients were Uttar Pradesh (₹6,065.96 crore), followed by Bihar
(₹3,136 crore). Rajasthan (₹2,669 crore), Madhya Pradesh (₹2,618 crore) and
Maharashtra (₹2,230 crore)
3. India’s
Unemployment Rate at 5.4% in Q1 FY26; Youth Joblessness Rises to 14.6%: The unemployment rate in India for the April-June period of this financial year was
5.4%, according to the first quarterly Periodic Labour Force Survey
(PLFS) released by the National Statistics Office (NSO).The unemployment rate
in rural areas was 4.8%, while in urban areas, it was higher at 6.8%, based on
the Current Weekly Status (CWS) for individuals aged 15 and above.The youth
unemployment rate (15–29 years) was recorded at 14.6%, with female unemployment
(16%) higher than male unemployment (14.1%), highlighting stress among
first-time entrants in the labour market.Current Weekly Status (CWS)
Definition: A person is considered unemployed in CWS if they did not work for
even one hour during the reference week but were available for or sought work
for at least one hour in that week.
4. Centre Removes 11% Cotton
Import Duty Till Sept 30 to Boost Textile Sector and Exports: The
Finance Ministry has removed the 11% duty (Basic Customs Duty + AIDC) on raw
cotton imports from 19 August to 30 September 2025, providing temporary relief
to the textile and garment industry.This exemption is expected to benefit the
entire textile value chain — yarn, fabric, garments, and made-ups — while also
helping stabilize cotton prices and ensure access to high-quality,
contamination-free cotton for global exports.The move, long demanded by
industry bodies like CITI, aims to make Indian textiles more competitive
globally as the country targets $100 billion textile exports by 2030.The US
remains India’s largest market for textiles; in the first six months of 2024,
exports rose 12% to $5.36 billion, while competitors like Vietnam ($8.54B,
+19%) and Bangladesh ($4.36B, +24%) also strengthened their positions.
5. NDA Fields C.P.
Radhakrishnan, INDIA Bloc Nominates B. Sudershan Reddy for Vice-Presidential
Election: BJP-led
NDA has declared Maharashtra
Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election.While, INDIA bloc has nominated Former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy
as its Vice-Presidential candidate, announced by Congress President
Mallikarjun Kharge.
6. 20 August – Sadbhavna
Diwas: Sadbhavna Diwas (Goodwill Day) is
observed every year on 20 August to
promote national integration, peace, and harmony across India.The day commemorates the birth anniversary of
former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991),
who strongly advocated for unity, peace, and communal harmony in the country.
The
day aims to encourage citizens to foster goodwill, national unity, and communal
harmony, and highlights the importance of tolerance, brotherhood, and social
cohesion.
7. 20 August – Indian Akshay
Urja Day: Indian
Akshay Urja Day is observed annually on 20 August to promote awareness about renewable
energy sources and sustainable energy practices in India.The day marks the
importance of alternative energy, including solar, wind, biomass, and small
hydro sources, to reduce dependency on conventional fuels and tackle
environmental challenges. The day aims to educate citizens, industry, and
institutions about energy conservation, renewable energy adoption, and
innovations in clean energy technologies.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. 20 August – World Mosquito
Day: World Mosquito Day is
observed every year on 20 August to
raise awareness about the diseases caused by mosquitoes and promote measures to
prevent them.The day commemorates Sir Ronald Ross, who discovered in 1897 that
mosquitoes are the carriers of the malaria parasite. His discovery was a
milestone in the fight against malaria.The day aims to educate people about
mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow
fever, and highlights the importance of prevention measures like mosquito nets,
repellents, and removing stagnant water.
2. India-US-Russia Relations Post 2025 Alaska
Summit : The August 2025 Alaska
Summit between United States President Donald Trump and Russian President
Vladimir Putin marked moment in global diplomacy. However, its impact on
India’s foreign policy and bilateral ties with the US and Russia remains
complex and uncertain. India’s strategic interests faced challenges as the
summit failed to produce clear outcomes beneficial to New Delhi. The
Trump-Putin meeting showed warmth but no major policy shifts. India hoped the
summit would ease US pressure over its ties with Russia. Expectations included
rollback of US secondary sanctions on India’s Russian oil imports and
resumption of stalled India-US trade talks. These hopes were dashed as US
maintained a tough stance, with Trump’s senior advisor, Peter Navarro,
affirming punitive tariffs aimed at India.
3. India’s Role in Global Food Security
Progress 2025: The world is
witnessing a positive shift in the fight against hunger. The latest data shows
a decline in global undernourishment from 688 million in 2023 to 673 million in
2024. India has been a key player in this progress. Its efforts in food security and nutrition have helped reduce
hunger amid pandemic challenges. This article explores India’s strategies and
challenges in transforming food systems to ensure nutrition and sustainability.
Global hunger rates peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic. The recent decline
marks the first fall since 2018 but still remains above pre-pandemic levels.
About 8.2% of the world’s population is undernourished in 2024. This
improvement is a sign of recovery but also marks ongoing challenges in food
access and affordability. India’s undernourishment rate dropped from 14.3% in
2020–22 to 12% in 2022–24. This means 30 million fewer people face hunger. The
reduction is given India’s large population and pandemic disruptions. These
gains reflect focused policy actions and improved service delivery systems.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield: South Korea and the
United States commenced their annual large-scale joint military exercise, Ulchi
Freedom Shield. This 11-day drill involves 21,000 troops, including 18,000
South Koreans. It aims to enhance preparedness against threats from nuclear-armed
North Korea. The exercise comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean
Peninsula and ahead of a planned summit between South Korea’s President Lee Jae
Myung and US President Donald Trump. Ulchi Freedom Shield is designed to
improve joint operational readiness. It focuses on computer-simulated command
post exercises and field training. The drills prepare forces to counter
nuclear, missile, drone, and other unconventional attacks. The allies describe
the exercise as defensive rather than offensive. North Korea strongly opposes
the drills. It views them as rehearsals for invasion and a threat to its
sovereignty. Pyongyang has vowed to respond to any provocation beyond the
military boundary line. North Korean officials link the exercises to increased
military confrontation and continue weapons testing to advance their nuclear
programme.
SPORTS
1. Bhavina Patel Creates
History: Wins Gold & Silver at ITTF World Para Events, Becomes World No. 1: Bhavina Patel,
Assistant Director at ESIC, Ahmedabad, won Gold Medal in Women’s Singles Class 4–5 at the ITTF World Para Elite
event in Spokane, USA.Earlier, she secured a Silver Medal in the
same category at the ITTF World Para Future event (6–8 August 2025) in
Spokane.With these achievements, Bhavina Patel has achieved the World No. 1
ranking in Women’s Singles (Class 1–5) para table tennis.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. India Post Launches IT 2.0
– Advanced Postal Technology to Drive Digital Transformation Nationwide: India Post has launched IT 2.0 — Advanced Postal Technology (APT), marking
a major step in digital transformation under the vision of PM Narendra Modi and
guidance of Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia.Developed
indigenously by the Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology, the system
operates on the government’s MeghRaj 2.0 cloud and is supported by BSNL’s
nationwide connectivity.APT introduces next-generation features such as a
unified interface, QR-code-based payments, OTP-based delivery, and a unique
10-digit alphanumeric DIGIPIN to enhance accuracy and efficiency.
2. Russia Plans Venera-D
Venus Mission Launch by 2036: Russia has planned the Venera-D mission to Venus between 2034 and 2036, after earlier Soviet Venera probes
(1961–1983) captured surface images.The mission will have a lander, balloon
probe, and an orbital spacecraft, with design work starting in January 2026,
led by the Space Research Institute (IKI) and Lavochkin Association.The design
phase will last two years, and the exact launch date will be finalized
afterward, but it will surely happen before 2036.
3. NASA plans to build a
nuclear reactor on the moon: As part of its Artemis
initiative, NASA plans to establish a nuclear reactor on the Moon by
2030, following China’s announcement in April 2025 to construct a
lunar nuclear power plant by 2035.The goal of NASA’s project is to return
humans to the Moon and create a long-term sustainable presence on the lunar
surface.The Artemis mission — an acronym for Acceleration, Reconnection,
Turbulence, and Electrodynamics of Moon’s Interaction with the Sun — is NASA’s
second major effort to land astronauts on the Moon.Often referred to as NASA’s
“back-to-the-Moon” program, the mission is named after Artemis, the Greek
goddess of the Moon and twin sister of Apollo.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Jan Vishwas Bill 2025: The Government of India
introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 in the Lok
Sabha. This Bill proposes amendments to 355 provisions across 16 Central Acts.
Its primary objective is to ease the applicability of laws by decriminalising
288 minor offences and amending 67 provisions to promote ease of living. The Bill builds on the Jan Vishwas
Act, 2023, which decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts. The Bill has
been referred to a Select Committee for detailed examination. The Jan Vishwas
Bill, 2025 is part of the Government’s ongoing effort to simplify laws and
reduce regulatory burdens. The 2023 Act was the first consolidated legislation
aimed at decriminalising minor offences to encourage trust-based governance.
The 2025 Bill extends this effort by targeting more provisions and introducing
proportionate penalties. The Government emphasises ‘Minimum Government Maximum
Governance’ to improve ease of doing business and ease of living.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Bibi Fatima SHG from Karnataka Wins UNDP Equator Initiative Award 2025, Only Winner from India: Bibi Fatima Women’s Self-Help Group (SHG) from Teertha village, Dharwad district, won the prestigious UNDP Equator Initiative Award 2025, also called the Nobel Prize for Biodiversity Conservation.It is the only group from India among 10 global winners, with others from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Indonesia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and Tanzania.The award, announced on International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, carries a cash prize of $10,000 (approx. ₹8.5 lakh). The SHG, chosen under the theme “Women and Youth Leadership for Nature-Based Climate Action”, has also established a community seed bank to provide seeds free of cost to farmers.
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