NITI Aayog Launched a 10-year Roadmap Targets USD 691 bn Bioeconomy by 2035
In July 2026, the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) launched the “Roadmap for Building India as a Leading Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035” at the National Media Centre, New Delhi, Delhi.
- Developed: The newly released roadmap was developed by NITI Frontier Tech Hub (NITI-FTH) in consultation with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) which works under MoST; Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE), industry, academia and other stakeholders.
- Key Target: To scale India’s Bioeconomy to USD 691 billion (by 2035) and USD 2.6 trillion (by 2047); generate over 30 million high-value jobs; and position the country among the world’s top 3 biotechnology powers.
- Creation of New Institutions: It also proposes to create several new institutions like: an Empowered Committee on National BioMissions-
1. A BioIP and Innovation Evaluation Agency to help value biotechnology intellectual property and accelerate commercialisation.
2. A National BioData Council to oversee biological and health data governance.
3. A BioEconomy Investment and Policy Forum to align government and private investment.
L-G VK Saxena Commissions India’s First 2 Geothermal Wells in Ladakh
VK Saxena, Lieutenant Governor (Lt Gov) of Ladakh, commissioned India’s first and deepest two 1,000 metre(m) geothermal wells at Puga Valley in Ladakh, executed by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) Energy Centre.
- These two geothermal wells are critical to the successful implementation of a 1 Megawatt (MW) Pilot Geothermal Power Plant at Puga Valley, located at an altitude of over 14,000 feet above sea level, which will be India’s first demonstration-scale geothermal power project.
- Evaluation: Pilot projects evaluate drilling, fluid behavior, thermal profiles, and energy conversion mechanisms before full-scale deployment.
- Impact: The successful completion of the two wells would facilitate critical reservoir evaluation, power plant planning, and the eventual commercial development of geothermal resources in Ladakh.
- At 400m depth, the wells reached a maximum temperature of 135°C (degrees Celsius).
MoHUA Approves Rs 2,719.80 Crore for 6 Urban Development Projects in Ahmedabad Under UCF
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) approved projects worth Rs 2,719.80 crore under Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) for six transformative urban development initiatives in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Funding Pattern: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will receive 25% (Rs 679.95 crore) each from the Central Government and the Government of Gujarat, while the remaining 50% (Rs 1,359.90 crore) will be mobilised through municipal bonds, loans, or Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models.
EPFO Launches VISHWAS, 2026 for Settlement of Penalty-Related Disputes
The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoL&E), launched’ VISHWAS 2026’, a one-time dispute resolution scheme for amicable settlement of damages and penalty-related disputes under section 14B of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and Section 128 of the Code on Social Security, 2020.
About VISHWAS Scheme:
Applicability: VISHWAS, 2026 was notified through G.S.R. 525(E) on 29 June 2026 under the EPF Scheme, 2026 and will remain operational for six months from the date of notification.
Coverage: The scheme covers cases where penalty/damages orders are under judicial challenge and final orders with pending or partial recovery, including Revenue Recovery Certificates (RRC) cases.
- It also covers cases where notices have been issued but final orders are pending and cases where penalty/damages notices are yet to be issued.
Implementation: EPFO has established VISHWAS Cells for smooth implementation.
CGPDTM Signs MoU With CSIR-NIScPR To Join National Knowledge Resource Consortium
In July 2026, the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM) and the CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research)-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enable CGPDTM’s participation in the National Knowledge Resource Consortium (NKRC).
- The MoU was formally signed by Prof. (Dr.) Unnat P. Pandit, CGPDTM, and Dr. Geeta Vani Rayasam, Director, CSIR-NIScPR at Saraswati Hall, Bouddhik Sampada Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
NIELIT to Establish Two CoE’s for Semiconductor Skilling in Ahmedabad and Guwahati In July 2026, The National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT) announced that it will establish two Centres of Excellence (CoEs) in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) and Guwahati (Assam) to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem through specialised skill development.
The initiative supports the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0, which was approved with an outlay of Rs. 1.28 lakh crore, and aims to create a skilled workforce in semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging technologies.
RBI’s FI Index Rises to 70 in FY26; Issues Final Prudential Norms on SNFAIn July 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the composite data on the Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) for the financial year 2025-26 (FY26), which increased to 70 in March 2026 from 67 in March 2025.
The RBI also issued new “Prudential Norms on Specified Non Financial Asset (SNFA) acquired by Regulated Entities“, tightening norms governing the resolution of distressed loans. The new framework will come into effect from October 1, 2026.
72nd National Film Award for the Year 2024: ‘Article 370’ Named Best Feature Film award
Best Feature Film: Article 370, directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, was named as the Best Feature Film award for 2024. In addition, the film won two more awards in “Best Actress” and “Best Music Direction” categories.
Best Actor: Renowned Malayalam Actor Mammootty and Actor Kartik Aaryan were jointly named as the Best Actor in Leading for their acclaimed performance in Bramayugam (Malayalam film) andHindi sports drama Chandu Champion, respectively.
- With this honour, Mammootty won his 4th National Film Award after Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha and Mathilukkal (1989), Ponthan Mada and Vidheyan (1994) and Dr. Ambedkar (1999).
- The actors will share the Rajat Kamal (Silver Lotus award) and the cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs.
Best Actress: This year, renowned actress Yami Gautam bagged the “Best Actress” for the Hindi film (Article 370), marking her career 1st-ever National Film Award. She will be honoured with a silver lotus award and a cash prize of Rs. 2 lakhs.
Best Direction: Rajkumar Periyasamy won the National Award for Best Direction for Tamil film “Amaran”.
Best Popular Film: Mythological sci-fi action film, Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin, bagged the award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
Best Debut Film of Director: Famous Actor Randeep Hooda won the Award for Best Debut Film of a Director for film Swatantrya Veer Savarkar (Hindi), biographical drama focused on the life of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar (VD) Savarkar.
MoR Appoints Rahul Himalian as Additional CMD of IRCTC
In July 2026, the Ministry of Railways (MoR) appointed Rahul Himalian, Director (Tourism & Marketing), Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC), as the additional Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of IRCTC following the resignation of Sanjay Kumar Jain.
- His appointment as additional CMD of IRCTC will take effect from 20 July 2026, while he will continue to hold the post of Director (Tourism & Marketing), IRCTC.
New Damselfly Species ‘Lestes paloti’ Discovered in Kerala’s Western Ghats
In July 2026, a team of Indian odonatologists discovered a new species of spreadwing damselfly ‘Lestes paloti’ from the Western Ghats in Kerala, which belongs to Lestidae family under the order Odonata.
- The discovery has been published in the International Journal of Odonatology, an internationally reputed peer-reviewed journal dedicated to research on dragonflies and damselflies.
- Naming: The species was named in honour of Dr. Muhamed Jafer Palot of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kozhikode, recognising his extensive contributions to Indian odonatology and documentation of Western Ghats fauna.
Japan Open 2026: India’s PV Sindhu Wins Women’s Singles Title; France’s Christo Popov Claims Men’s Singles
The 2026 Japan Open (officially known as the Daihatsu Japan Open 2026), the 43rd edition of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 750 tournament held at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, from 14 to 19 July 2026.
2026 Winners:
Women’s Singles: Pusarla Venkata (PV) Sindhu, India’s two-time Olympic medallist, won her maiden Japan Open women’s singles title by defeating Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi 21-17, 21-17 in the final.
Men’s Singles: France’s Christo Popov claimed the Japan Open 2026 Men’s Singles title with a 21-11, 21-19 victory over Japan’s Koki Watanabe.
Men’s Doubles: Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Shohibul Fikri (Indonesia) defeated Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae (South Korea).
Women’s Doubles: Kim Hye-jeong and Kong Hee-yong (South Korea) defeated Jia Yifan and Zhang Shuxian (China).
Mixed Doubles: Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping (China) defeated Tang Chun Man and Tse Ying Suet (Hong Kong).
Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Unveils ‘Peacko’ As Official Mascot For BWF World Championships 2026
On 18 July 2026, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) along with Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Badminton Association of India (BAI) president-cum- Chief Minister(CM) of Assam, unveiled the official mascot ‘Peacko’ and launched the championship anthem for the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships 2026, in New Delhi, Delhi.
About Mascot:
Mascot: The official mascot ‘Peacko’, inspired by the Indian Peafowl, and the championship anthem featuring India’s 16-member contingent were unveiled to showcase the spirit and unity of Indian badminton.
Anthem: The official anthem featuring India’s 16-member World Championships contingent, including PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda, Gayatri Gopichand, and Treesa Jolly, was launched to showcase the energy, ambition, and unity of Indian badminton.
Tournament: The 30th edition of the BWF World Championships scheduled to be held from 17–23 August 2026 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, featuring 400+ shuttlers from over 50 countries.
About BAI: Established in 1934 and headquartered in New Delhi, the BAI is the national governing body for badminton in India, responsible for promoting and regulating the sport.
World Chess Day 2026 – July 20
The United Nations (UN) observes World Chess Day (International Chess Day) annually on 20 July to celebrate chess as one of the world’s oldest intellectual games and its role in promoting education, peace, inclusion, and global cooperation.
- The day also marks the founding of FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs / International Chess Federation) on 20 July 1924 in Paris, France.
- 2026 Theme: “Celebrate, create and make a difference”
AP Signs MoU with UN-Habitat to Promote Sustainable Urban Development
In July 2026, the Government of Andhra Pradesh (AP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) to establish a long-term partnership for promoting sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient urban development in the state.
- The partnership aims to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Urban Affairs in Amaravati.
Uttar Pradesh Launches Kaushal Setu and Kaushal Sarathi Portals for Skill Development
In July 2026, the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Government launched the Kaushal Setu and Kaushal Sarathi portals to modernise the state’s skill development ecosystem and improve access to training opportunities.
- The portals were launched during the state-level celebrations of World Youth Skills Day 2026(July 15) at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow, UP.
- About Digital Initiatives:
- Kaushal Setu: This will serve as the official digital portal of Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission (UPSDM), where training partners can register and apply online.
- Kaushal Sarathi: The platform provides digital guides to training centers, available courses and training partners available in the UP state.
- It provides district-wise details of training centres, courses, and Training partners.