PM-VBRY Completes 1 year, 72 lakh First-Time Workers Formalised
On 1st August 2026, the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) completed one year of implementation, with more than 72 lakh first-time employees joining the formal workforce since its launch in August 2025.
About Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (PM-VBRY):
Implementation & Outlay: PM-VBRY is being implemented from 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2027 with a total financial outlay of Rs. 99,446 crore.
- It is implemented by the Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoL&E) through the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
Two Parts: It consists of 2 parts:
- Employees focused: Provides financial assistance to first-time employees entering the formal workforce.
- Employer Focused: Provides incentives to establishments/employers that create additional employment.
Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh Designated as India’s 101st Ramsar Site
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) officially designated Glaw Lake in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh (AR) as India’s 101st Ramsar Site, recognizing it as a Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar List) under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 1971.
- With this designation, AR received its first Ramsar Site.
PM Modi launched 100-week long ‘Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat Sankalp Abhiyan’
Key Activities: The newly launched campaign will feature dedicated activities spanning art, culture, sports, and meditation to continually engage new participants.
GoI-led Initiatives: Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA): It is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE), launched in August 2020 under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR).
DoP Releases Commemorative Postage Stamp to Mark Birth Centenary of Padma Vibhushan Satish Gujral
Department of Posts (DoP) or India Post, under the Ministry of Communications, released a Rs.5 commemorative postage stamp marking the birth centenary (100th) of Padma Vibhushan Satish Gujral at Bikaner House, New Delhi, Delhi.
- The stamp was unveiled by Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Ministry of Communications, to honour his outstanding contribution to Indian art, architecture and culture.
IAF Conducts Exercise ‘ROTOR CLAP-III’ in Rajasthan to Enhance Counter-Drone Combat Capability
The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted 3rd edition of Exercise ROTOR CLAP-III, a Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (Counter-UAS) exercise, at the Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, on 1-2 August 2026, to validate helicopter-based operational concepts against emerging drone threats through live missile and rocket firing.
- The exercise involved major attack, transport and utility helicopters to strengthen India’s counter-drone operational preparedness.
BEL and Esri India Sign MoU to Develop GIS and GeoAI Solutions for Defence Sector
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and Esri India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop advanced Geographic Information System (GIS), Location Intelligence and Geospatial Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) solutions for India’s defence sector.
Environmental Performance Index 2026: Estonia Topped Ranking; India Ranked 176th
Yale University released the latest edition of Environmental Performance Index (EPI 2026),in which India ranked 176th out of 177 countries, making it the second-lowest ranked nation, with an overall score of 22.46, below the regional average of 31.81.
- Overall India has improved its performance marginally by +7.47 points in the last 10 years.
- Estonia retained the top spot with an overall score of 74.79; followed by Luxembourg (74.24) and the United Kingdom (UK) (71.51), ranked at 2nd and 3rd positions, respectively.
Pacific Island Country of Nauru Renamed as Republic of Naoero
In August 2026, the Pacific Island country of Nauru officially changed its name to the Republic of Naoero to reflect its traditional identity, national language and cultural heritage.
- The name change also aims to strengthen national pride and preserve the indigenous heritage, language and identity of the island nation.
HDFC Bank launches ‘Max for Seniors’ and ‘Max for Her’ savings accounts
HDFC Bank Limited, India’s largest private sector bank, launched two new savings accounts variants, “Max for Seniors” and “Max for Her”, designed to offer customised benefits to senior citizens and women, respectively.
- Both these newly launched savings accounts provide a wide range of benefits, including cyber protection, an Auto Sweep Facility to earn higher returns on any surplus savings and various other lifestyle privileges.
ASSOCHAM Signs MoUs with Business France and IACCIA to Boost Global Trade Cooperation
Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Business France and the India & Arab Countries Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (IACCIA) to strengthen trade, investment, technology collaboration and business opportunities between India, France and Arab countries.
A S Rajeev assumed Charge as Acting Central Vigilance Commissioner
A S Rajeev, serving as Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), assumed charge as the Acting Central Vigilance Commissioner with effect from 3 August 2026.
- He succeeded Praveen Kumar Srivastava, a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, who assumed charge as the Central Vigilance Commissioner on 29 May 2023 and completed his tenure on 2 August 2026.
RBI Appoints Monisha Chakraborty as ED to Oversee Forex and Financial Markets Regulation
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Monisha Chakraborty as an Executive Director (ED) with effect from 3rd August 2026.
- She will oversee the Foreign Exchange Department (FED) and the Financial Markets Regulation Department (FMRD).
ZSI Completed India’s 1st Catalogue of Lepidoptera: India Hosts 13,703 species of lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)
In August 2026, scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) successfully completed India’s 1st detailed Catalogue of Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths), providing an updated taxonomic inventory of Indian Lepidoptera which include both butterflies and moths.
- The catalogue, prepared by the ZSI under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), has been compiled across 22 volumes.
- And, the final volume of the catalogue was authored by ZSI taxonomists Dr. Rahul Joshi and Dr. Navneet Singh, published in the peer-reviewed international journal “Zootaxa”.
Anahat Singh Becomes First Indian to Win World Junior Squash Championships
18-year-old Anahat Singh became the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championships 2026 women’s singles title, defeating Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem 3-0 with scores of 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 in the final at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada, from 20-31 July 2026 ending Egypt’s 15-year dominance since 2011.
- Anahat Singh’s historic victory surpassed Joshna Chinappa’s runner-up finish in 2005 as India’s best-ever result at the World Junior Squash Championships.
Prashant Agrawal’s Book “Bringing the Cheetah Back to India” Released
The book titled “Bringing the Cheetah Back to India: How Diplomacy Made Conservation’s Big Mission Possible”, authored by Prashant Agrawal, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of the 1998 batch (Madhya Pradesh(MP) cadre), was released.
- Published by Hachette India, the book chronicles the journey of India’s ambitious initiative for the reintroduction and conservation of cheetahs.
National Bone and Joint Day 2026 – August 4
National Bone and Joint Day is observed annually across India on 4 August to raise awareness about musculoskeletal health, preventive orthopaedics, and the importance of maintaining healthy bones and joints.
Visakhapatnam, Moscow Sign MoC for Smart Urban Transport
In August 2026, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), Andhra Pradesh(AP), and the Government of Moscow, Russia signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to strengthen collaboration in smart mobility, sustainable urban transport, digital innovation and technology transfer for developing a modern urban transportation system in Visakhapatnam.
- The MoC was signed during the 5th International Transport Summit in Moscow by Ketan Garg, Commissioner, GVMC and Maksim Liksutov, Deputy Mayor of Moscow.