• Inauguration: By Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant
• Organizer: Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority (RSLSA)
• Venue: Jaipur, Rajasthan
• Duration: July 31 to August 2, 2026 (3-day conference)
• Participation: Judges, legal experts, mediators, and representatives from Commonwealth nations
• Conference Theme: “Peace, Mediation, and the Rule of Law”

• Total Outlay: ₹5,070 crore
• Target Capacity: Installation of 5,000 MW (5 GW) of Floating Solar PV projects
• Energy Storage Capacity (ESS): Mandatory addition of an Energy Storage System (ESS) of 10,000 MWh with a minimum storage capacity of 2 hours
• Tenure: Projects will be sanctioned from the financial year 2026-27 to 2030-31, while the disbursement of financial assistance will continue until 2032-33
• Ministry: This is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
• Estimated Total Investment: Expected to attract private/public investment worth ₹28,500 crore

Central Financial Assistance (CFA):

• Financial assistance of ₹1 crore per MW will be provided upon successful commissioning of the project.
• Assistance of up to ₹50 lakh per project for feasibility studies.
• Potential Capacity (NISE Report): According to the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), a floating solar energy potential of approximately 102.18 GWp is available in India's water bodies.

Environmental and Economic Impact:

• Reduction in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by approximately 10 million tonnes annually.
• Creation of approximately 16,000 to 17,000 direct/indirect employment opportunities.
• Better utilization of water bodies and reservoirs, addressing the issue of land scarcity.

• Financial Outlay: A total of ₹3,15,000 crore has been approved for the extension over the next 5 years (2026-31).
• Progress to Date: Since the scheme's inception, an amount exceeding ₹4.47 lakh crore has been transferred directly to farmers' accounts across 23 installments.
• Women Empowerment: Under this scheme, women farmers have received over ₹1.06 lakh crore, representing approximately one-fourth of the total beneficiaries.
• Extended Period: Financial years 2026-27 to 2030-31 (5 years).

PM-KISAN Yojana:

• Launch: The scheme was launched in February 2019 (it became effective from December 1, 2018).
• Nature: It is a Central Sector Scheme 100% funded by the Central Government.
• Benefits: Under this scheme, eligible landholding farmer families receive financial assistance of ₹6,000 per year.
• Disbursement: This amount is transferred directly to bank accounts in three equal installments of ₹2,000 every four months.
• Implementing Ministry: It is administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Identification of Beneficiaries: The responsibility for identifying eligible farmer families rests entirely with the State and Union Territory governments.

• Total Budget: ₹84,084 crore
• Implementation Period: Financial years 2026-27 to 2030-31
• Concerned Ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
• Scheme Type: Central Sector Scheme (100% funded by the Centre)
• Objective: To explore and boost the production of hydrocarbon reserves (crude oil and natural gas) hidden within India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and deep/ultra-deep sea areas.

Key Components and Targets of the Scheme:

• Seismic Data Acquisition (₹28,534 crore): Generating accurate maps and data regarding oil and gas reserves beneath the seabed using modern technologies.
• Deepwater Exploration Drilling (₹43,200 crore): Providing financial support for drilling approximately 60 exploratory wells.
• Common Infrastructure Development (₹10,000 crore): Developing shared facilities such as integrated jetties, pipelines, and bunkers for offshore production and evacuation.
• Manufacturing and Service Zone (₹2,000 crore): Establishing 'Integrated Oil and Gas Manufacturing and Services Zones' to promote domestic manufacturing ('Make in India') of equipment related to the oil and gas sector.
• Reserve Accretion Target: Increasing hydrocarbon reserves by more than 600 Million Metric Tonnes of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE).
• Annual Production Growth: Aiming to increase domestic production from 62 MMTOE to 80 MMTOE per annum.

• Total Outlay: ₹36,441 crore (for the next 5 years)
• Expanded Khelo India Scheme: ₹29,054 crore
• Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF): ₹7,387 crore
• Tenure: Financial Years 2026-27 to 2030-31
• Increase: This outlay is approximately eight times higher than the previous Khelo India budget.
• Concerned Ministry: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports

Key Features and New Initiatives of the Scheme:

• E-KIA (Emerging Khelo India Athletes): A new category added to expand the scope of Khelo India athletes tenfold.
• KIFS (Khelo India Feeder Schools): New schools to be established for identifying sports talent at the grassroots (school) level.
• KIUV (Khelo India Utkrisht Vidyalaya/Centre of Excellence Schools): Schools to be identified for providing advanced training to talented students.
• NCAB (National Coach Accreditation Board): A new board to be constituted to standardize the level and qualifications of sports coaches in the country.
• New Athlete Category (E-KIA): The 'Emerging Khelo India Athletes' category has been introduced, which will expand the athlete base by approximately ten times.
• Policy Alignment: The scheme has been integrated with the 'Khelo Bharat Policy 2025' and the 'National Education Policy (NEP) 2020'. Long-term goal: Preparing for the 2030 Commonwealth Games (CWG) and strengthening India's bid to host the Olympic/Paralympic Games in the future.

• Asmita Dey (Women's -48 kg category): Asmita Dey, a 23-year-old from Tripura, won India's first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in judo by defeating Canada's Heidi Quach 2-1 in the final. With this, she became the first judoka from the country to win gold at these Games.
• Harsh Singh (Men's -60 kg category): Just 30 minutes after Asmita's victory, 23-year-old Harsh Singh from Delhi secured the country's second gold medal by defeating Australia's Joshua Katz 10-0 (Waza-ari) in the men's final. He became the first Indian male judoka to win a gold medal.
• Yamini Maurya (Women's -57 kg category): On the same day, India's Yamini Maurya delivered an impressive performance in the women's category and secured a silver medal.

• Co-chairs: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri (representing India) and his counterpart, Foreign Secretary Pema Choden (representing Bhutan).
• Context: Development assistance under Bhutan's 13th Five-Year Plan (2024–2029).
• India's Committed Contribution: The Government of India has pledged financial assistance totaling ₹10,000 crore for Bhutan's 13th Five-Year Plan.
• 12 New Development Projects: During the meeting, 12 new projects worth ₹332 crore—covering infrastructure, health, agriculture, urban amenities, and disaster management—were approved.

Bhutan:

• Capital: Thimphu (also the country's largest city).
• Official Language: Dzongkha.
• Currency: Ngultrum.
• National Flag: Features a 'Thunder Dragon'; the yellow color symbolizes the King's power, while the saffron-orange color represents Buddhism.
• System: Bhutan is a democratic constitutional monarchy.
• Head of State: King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (5th Druk Gyalpo).
• Head of Government: Prime Minister (currently Dasho Tshering Tobgay).
• Parliament: Known as the *Tshogdu*.
• Borders: Bordered by China to the north and India (Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh) to the south, east, and west.
• Carbon Negative: Bhutan is one of the few carbon-negative countries in the world; it absorbs significantly more carbon dioxide than it emits. Forest cover: More than 70% of the country's land is covered by forests.
• Highest peak: Gangkhar Puensum (7,570 meters), considered the world's highest 'unclimbed' mountain.

• Launched by: General Dhiraj Seth (on behalf of the Army's top leadership)
• Product: Indigenously developed XWG diesel
• Technical Development: Developed by Indian defence research bodies in collaboration with domestic public sector refineries, specifically tailored to the Indian Army's requirements.
• Usage: For combat vehicles, tanks, artillery, and military vehicles deployed in high-altitude and sub-zero border regions such as Ladakh, Siachen, and the Northeast.

Key Features and Benefits of XWG Diesel:

• Flow at Extremely Low Temperatures (Low Pour Point): Ordinary diesel freezes or suffers from wax crystallization—which blocks fuel lines—in extreme cold (around -40°C to -50°C). XWG diesel remains in a liquid state even at these temperatures.
• Engine Performance and Reliability: Military vehicle engines start instantly even in sub-zero temperatures, ensuring uninterrupted combat operational readiness under extreme conditions.
• Reduced Import Dependency: Previously, there was a reliance on foreign sources for such specialized fuels or additives. Indigenous XWG diesel represents a significant step towards the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) and 'Make in India' initiatives.

• Position: 14th Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) of India.
• Tenure: 1 May 1988 to 30 June 1990.
• Demise: Passed away in New Delhi at the age of 96.
• Historic Military Background: General V.N. Sharma was the younger brother of Major Somnath Sharma, India's first recipient of the Param Vir Chakra (PVC).
• Major Somnath Sharma was posthumously awarded India's highest military honour, the 'Param Vir Chakra', for unparalleled valour during the 1947 Battle of Badgam.

Military Career and Achievements:

• 16th Light Cavalry: He was commissioned into the 16th Light Cavalry (Armoured Corps) in 1948.

Major Military Operations:

• 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak Wars: He played an active role in both conflicts.
• Operation Pawan (Sri Lanka): The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) operation in Sri Lanka concluded during his tenure as Army Chief.
• Operation Meghdoot (Siachen): He played a pivotal role in strengthening the Indian Army's hold on the Siachen Glacier.
• Distinguished Civil and Military Honours: He was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) for his outstanding service.

• Launch Date: July 30, 2026
• Partner Institutions: Maldives Monetary Authority and India's NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), in collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Currency Transfer Process: Senders can initiate payments in Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) or US Dollars (USD), which will be instantly credited to the beneficiary's bank account in India in Indian Rupees (INR).
• Initial Banks: Bank of Maldives and Maldives Islamic Bank.
• Permitted Remittances: Family care, medical treatment, educational expenses, personal gift transfers, etc.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI):

• Launch: April 11, 2016, by the then RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan.
• Developer: National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• Regulatory Body: Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Objective: To facilitate instant, secure, and integrated banking transactions on mobile platforms.
• Transaction Types: Person-to-Person (P2P) and Person-to-Merchant (P2M).
• Nature of Transactions: 24×7 instant money transfer (interbank transfer), QR code-based payments.
• Key Feature: Payments made using only a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) or mobile number.
• Popular Apps Linked to UPI: PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, BHIM, Amazon Pay, etc.
• BHIM App: A government app based on UPI, developed by NPCI (Launched: December 30, 2016).
• Major Countries Accepting UPI: Currently, UPI services are live in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, Mauritius, and Qatar.

• Innocenti Declaration: This week commemorates the 'Innocenti Declaration' signed in 1990, which aimed to protect and support breastfeeding.
• Inception: It was officially launched in 1992.
• Coordinating Organizations: It is jointly organized by WABA (World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action), the World Health Organization (WHO), and UNICEF.

Key Objectives and Significance:

• Infant Health and Nutrition: Providing the newborn with breast milk (colostrum—the first thick, yellow milk)—often referred to as the infant's first natural vaccine—within the first hour of birth.
• Exclusive Breastfeeding: Breastfeeding the infant exclusively for the first six months of life (water, honey, or external milk are strictly prohibited).
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): This campaign directly contributes to achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger and improved nutrition) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
• Maternal Health: It reduces the risk of breast cancer and postpartum depression in mothers.

• Issuing Bodies: This index is jointly released by the Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy, Columbia University (CIESIN), and the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions.
• Evaluation Framework: A total of 177 countries are included in the index. They are evaluated based on 47 indicators, categorized into 12 thematic areas.

3 Key Policy Objectives:

• Environmental Health
• Ecosystem Vitality
• Climate Change

Top 5 Countries:

• Estonia, Score: 74.79 (Rank 1)
• Luxembourg
• United Kingdom (UK)
• Finland
• Netherlands

Bottom Countries:

• 176th Place: India, Score: 22.46 (Second from the bottom)
• 177th Place: Laos (Last place)
• Global Status: India was the second-worst performing country in the world. India ranked 180th in 2022 and 176th in 2024. Weak areas: India's performance was most disappointing in the areas of air quality and biodiversity, where it ranked 174th.
• Better areas: India performed relatively better in climate change (ranked 130th) and waste management and sanitation (ranked 141st).
• Status in South Asia: India ranks 7th among the eight South Asian countries.
• Challenges: Rapid urbanization, industrial growth, and heavy reliance on fossil fuels are driving up per capita emissions, making it difficult to strike a balance between development and the environment.