NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Girish Bharadwaj, Bridge Man of India, Dies: Girish Bharadwaj, a Padma Shri awardee known as the “Bridge Man of India”, died at the age of 76 on 7 July 2026 in a private hospital in Sullia in Dakshina Kannada district, Karnataka. He was a mechanical engineering graduate from PES College of Engineering in Mandya and had been receiving treatment for a heart-related ailment at KVG Hospital. Girish Bharadwaj spent more than three decades building low-cost suspension bridges in India. He constructed more than 140 bridges, mainly in remote villages of Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Odisha. His bridge designs connected rural settlements with schools, hospitals, markets and government services. He built his first bridge in 1989 across the Payaswini river at Arambur in Dakshina Kannada.
2. Gujarat Builds First Air-Filled Rubber Dams: Gujarat is constructing its first two air-filled rubber dams across the Heran River in Chhota Udepur district and the Ambika River in Tapi district. The projects use South Korean technology and are designed for water storage, irrigation, and flood management. The Rajvasana Rubber Dam is 75% complete as of 6 July 2026 and is expected to be commissioned by September 2027. It is designed to irrigate 3,420 hectares of farmland across 25 villages. The Pathakwadi Rubber Dam is about 90% complete and is designed to provide assured irrigation to about 650 hectares of agricultural land in Pathakwadi and nearby villages. An air-filled rubber dam is a flexible hydraulic structure made of a rubber bladder anchored across a river or canal. The bladder is inflated with air or water to raise the water level and deflated during high flows to allow water and silt to pass.
3. Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Approves Renaming of Jalalabad to Parshurampuri: The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the renaming of Jalalabad town in Shahjahanpur district as Parshurampuri on 6 July 2026. The decision also applies to the municipal body, which will be known as Parshurampuri Nagar Palika Parishad. Renaming of towns and cities in India is processed through the State Government, the Union Government, and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The change of a place name often requires administrative approval for records, maps, postal use, and municipal notifications. The local municipal council passed resolutions supporting the name change in 2018 and 2023. The Uttar Pradesh government received the proposal on 24 April 2025 and sought the Centre’s permission on 27 June 2025. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a no objection on 19 August 2025.
4. FSSAI Issues Notices Over Misleading Paneer and Labelling Claims: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued notices on 6 July 2026 to Heritage Foods Limited, Dia Foods, and Cipzer Nutraceuticals for alleged misleading claims and labelling violations. The authority functions under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and regulates food safety, advertising claims, and product labelling in India. Heritage Foods Limited received a notice for its product “Heritage Fresh Paneer”. The claim “Fresh Paneer” was found to be inconsistent with the conditions prescribed under Schedule V for the use of the term “Fresh”. The authority also objected to the use of the term “Healthy” in the trademark or name “Healthy Happiness” under Regulation 8(3) of the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018.
5. Centre Appoints New Chiefs of BPR&D, NCRB and SVPNPA: The Central government appointed new heads for the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) on 6 July 2026. The appointments were approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), which is chaired by the Prime Minister of India. Amit Garg, a 1993-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, has been appointed Director of the NCRB. The post of Director at NCRB has been temporarily upgraded to the rank of Director General on a personal basis for this appointment. He will serve until 31 October 2027, or until further orders. Alok Kumar Mittal, a 1993-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Haryana cadre, has been appointed Director General of BPR&D. His tenure will continue from the date of assuming charge until 30 June 2029, or until further orders.
6. Punjab Launches Post-Matric Scholarship for SC Students: Punjab launched the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme for Scheduled Caste students for the 2026-27 academic session. The application process began on 1 July 2026 through the National Scholarship Portal, and eligible students can apply until 15 November 2026. The Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme is a centrally assisted scholarship programme for students from Scheduled Caste communities. It covers post-matric and post-secondary studies in recognised institutions and uses the National Scholarship Portal for online submission. An applicant must be a domicile of Punjab, belong to the Scheduled Caste category, study in a recognised post-matric course, and have an annual family income below ₹2,50,000. The scheme provides full tuition fee reimbursement and a monthly maintenance allowance of up to ₹1,200 for hostellers.
7. Lt Gen (Retd.) Madan Mohan Lakhera Dies: Lt Gen (Retd.) Madan Mohan Lakhera, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC, former Governor of Mizoram and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, passed away at the age of 88 in Dehradun. For his exceptional service to the nation, he was honoured with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM). He also played key roles during Operation Blue Star (1984) and in restoring peace during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Kanpur. After retiring from the Army, he served as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry (2004), held additional charge as Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and served as Governor of Mizoram from July 2006 to September 2011.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. PM Modi Receives Indonesia’s Bintang Adipurna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Indonesia’s highest civilian honour, Bintang Adipurna, on 7 July 2026 at Istana Merdeka, the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto presented the award during Modi’s official state visit to Indonesia from 6 to 8 July 2026. Bintang Adipurna is also known as the Star of the Republic of Indonesia, First Class. Indonesia instituted the order in 1959, and it is the country’s highest order of merit. The honour is awarded to individuals for extraordinary service to the unity, continuity, and prosperity of Indonesia. It belongs to the Indonesian system of state decorations and ranks above other civilian awards in the national order structure. A state visit is the highest form of official foreign visit by a head of government or head of state. It usually includes ceremonial reception, bilateral meetings, and formal exchanges of honours.
2. Two-Thousand-Year-Old Indian Gold Rings Found in Thailand: Thailand’s Fine Arts Department announced the discovery of two Indian gold rings, each about 2,000 years old, at the Don Yai Thong archaeological site in Phetchaburi province in western Thailand. One ring carries an inscription in ancient Brahmi script, and the other ring is plain. Don Yai Thong is located about 130 kilometres south-west of Bangkok. The site was identified in 2026 after local residents found fragments of ancient bronze drums in a rice field. Excavations at the site are continuing, and the work is linked to human skeletal remains found with the rings. The inscription on the ring reads “pusarakhitasa”, which is translated as “the one protected by Pushya”. Brahmi is one of the earliest writing systems used in the Indian subcontinent, and it is associated with inscriptions from the Mauryan and post-Mauryan periods. Pushya is an auspicious nakshatra, or lunar mansion, in Indian astronomy.
3. Arunachal Pradesh Launches Emergency Helicopter Flood Relief: Arunachal Pradesh launched emergency helicopter operations on 4 July 2026 to airlift food and medical supplies to flood-hit villages in Lower Siang district. The operation used a state-owned Skyone Airways Mi-172 helicopter to move relief materials from Pasighat Advanced Landing Ground in East Siang district to Koyu helipad in Lower Siang district. The helicopter departed Naharlagun at 8 AM on 4 July 2026 and reached Koyu helipad within an hour. A total of 11.5 metric tonnes of Public Distribution System rice was airlifted to villages in Koyu Circle, and four patients were evacuated from Koyu to Pasighat on the same day. Villages such as Rotte, Rame, Loglu, Lipin, Mane, Tene, Sipu, Kakki, Kadu, Rina, Sido, and Korang in Lower Siang district were cut off by flash floods and landslides. Collapsed bridges and road blockades disrupted surface transport in the district.
4. CWGC Recognises 9,909 Indian World War I Soldiers: On 6 July 2026, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission recognised 9,909 previously uncommemorated British Indian Army servicemen from World War I. The revision is the largest change to the CWGC casualty database in more than 80 years. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation that maintains war graves and memorials for Commonwealth war dead. It was established in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission and later adopted its present name. The British Indian Army recruited men from the Indian subcontinent during World War I, and about 1.4 million men served in its ranks. Many of the newly recognised names belonged to Punjabis from undivided Punjab, which was a major recruiting region for the army. Volunteers from the UK-based Punjab Heritage Association identified the names after digitising and analysing handwritten village registers preserved at the Lahore Museum in present-day Pakistan. The registers contained local records that linked individual soldiers to their villages and family names.
5. 6 July – World Zoonoses Day: World Zoonoses Day is observed every year on 6 July to raise awareness about zoonotic diseases—diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans. The day commemorates Louis Pasteur’s successful administration of the first rabies vaccine on 6 July 1885, marking a milestone in medical science. The observance promotes disease surveillance, vaccination, hygiene, and the One Health approach to prevent and control zoonotic diseases such as rabies, avian influenza, and COVID-19.
6. 6 July – World Rural Development Day: World Rural Development Day is observed every year on 6 July to highlight the importance of rural development in achieving sustainable economic growth and improving the quality of life in rural communities. The day promotes inclusive development, focusing on better agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure, employment, and poverty reduction in rural areas.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Indonesia to Import Indian Astra Missiles : Indonesia decided on 7 July 2026 to import India’s indigenous Astra Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (BVRAAM). The decision was taken during bilateral talks in Jakarta between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. Astra is an Indian BVRAAM developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). BVRAAMs are air-to-air missiles designed to engage aerial targets beyond visual range, and they are used by fighter aircraft for long-range interception. The Astra Mk1 is the first operational variant of the missile family, and the Astra Mk2 has a validated range of 160 km. The missile family is part of India’s indigenous guided weapons programme, and it is designed for integration with Indian combat aircraft.
2. INS Mahendragiri to Join Indian Navy on July 11: INS Mahendragiri (F38) is the sixth indigenous stealth frigate of the Indian Navy and is scheduled for commissioning on 11 July 2026 at Visakhapatnam. The warship will join the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command after delivery to the Navy on 30 April 2026. INS Mahendragiri belongs to Project 17A, also called the Nilgiri-class programme, which covers advanced stealth frigates for the Indian Navy. The class follows the earlier Project 17 Shivalik-class frigates and includes improved stealth, automation, and combat systems. The Warship Design Bureau of the Indian Navy designed the frigate, and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai built it. The ship has more than 75% indigenous content, which includes major systems, equipment, and platform integration developed in India.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Uttar Pradesh Approves Startup Policy 2026: Uttar Pradesh cabinet approved the Startup Policy 2026 on 6 July 2026. The policy provides seed funding support, incubator assistance, prototype grants, cloud service reimbursement, and special provisions for selected social groups and regions. Eligible startups can receive seed funding of up to Rs 15 lakh. Projects of strategic importance can receive support of up to Rs 50 lakh. The policy creates a Rs 1,000-crore Startup Fund for early-stage capital support. Selected startups can receive a monthly sustenance allowance of Rs 20,000 for two years. The policy also doubles prototype grants to Rs 10 lakh and provides annual cloud service reimbursement of up to Rs 2 lakh. The policy aims to expand the startup ecosystem in Uttar Pradesh and to support innovation-led economic activity. It sets a target linked to the State’s contribution to a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
2. Uttar Pradesh Approves Data Centre Policy 2026: The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the Data Centre Policy, 2026, on 6 July 2026 in Lucknow. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The policy replaces the Data Centre Policy, 2021, which expired on 27 January 2026. Data centres are facilities that store, process, and distribute digital data through servers, storage systems, and network equipment. The 2026 policy focuses on AI-ready and green data centres, with emphasis on GPU-based infrastructure, energy efficiency, and sustainable operations. It targets more than 2 gigawatts of additional data centre capacity in the state. The policy targets investments of over Rs 2 lakh crore. It includes capital subsidies, interest subsidies, concessions on land, stamp duty, electricity charges, and infrastructure support. It also provides special incentives for Tier-3 and Tier-4 data centres, AI Compute Booster incentives, and Green and Sustainable Operations incentives.
3. Scientists Discover Earth-Like Exoplanet GJ 3378b: GJ 3378b is an exoplanet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 3378, which lies about 25 light-years from the Solar System in the northern constellation Camelopardalis. The planet was first identified in 2024 and later re-analysed by astronomers at the University of California, Irvine, with revised measurements published on 1 July 2026. The revised mass of GJ 3378b is about 2.3 times the mass of Earth, compared with an earlier estimate of about 5.26 to 5.3 Earth masses. Its orbital period is 21.45 days, compared with an earlier estimate of 25 days, and this orbit places it within the star’s habitable zone. The habitable zone is the region around a star where liquid water can exist on a planet’s surface if the planet has a suitable atmosphere. GJ 3378b receives about 90% of the radiation that Earth receives from the Sun, which places it near the inner part of the star’s habitable zone.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IIT Bombay & SBI Life Establish ‘Bharat AI & Cyber Innovation Hub for Insurance’: IIT Bombay and SBI Life Insurance have partnered to establish the ‘Bharat AI & Cyber Innovation Hub for Insurance’ to develop indigenous Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity solutions for India’s insurance sector. The hub aims to build AI-powered cyber defence systems that are designed, developed, and owned in India, supporting the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and strengthening digital security in insurance.
2. RBI Imposes ₹66 Lakh Penalty on Bank of Baroda and GIC Housing Finance for KYC Violations: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a ₹63.6 lakh penalty on Bank of Baroda (BoB) for non-compliance with certain provisions of the Fair Practices Code for Lenders and Know Your Customer (KYC) norms. The RBI also levied a ₹3.1 lakh penalty on GIC Housing Finance Ltd for non-compliance with certain provisions of the KYC guidelines.
No comments:
Post a Comment