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Daily DigestArchive
Current Affairs — Wednesday, 1 July 2026
37 items
Tamil Nadu
- TN CM Vijay extends Free Breakfast Scheme to Middle School students
— The TVK government has expanded the erstwhile DMK-era scheme (originally covering primary school students) to middle school students, signalling welfare policy continuity; relevant for TN state schemes GS. - TN government to continue Free Bus Pass Scheme for students
— CM Vijay confirms the student free bus pass scheme will be maintained, reinforcing welfare commitments in the new administration's early policy signals. - TN to move KMUT beneficiaries above 60 to pension scheme; monthly aid hiked to ₹1,500
— Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai (KMUT) beneficiaries above age 60 will be transferred to the pension scheme with enhanced assistance, a significant social security policy shift. - TN CM Vijay adopts Two-Language Policy; no change from long-held state position
— State minister confirms TVK government will follow Tamil Nadu's established two-language policy (Tamil + English), rejecting NEP's three-language formula; key for education policy debates. - SpiceJet suspends flight services from Chennai Airport
— The airline has halted operations on routes including Delhi, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad from Chennai; services expected to resume by October 2026, affecting regional connectivity. - G. Venkataraman appointed new Director of Fire and Rescue Services, Tamil Nadu
— Key state-level appointment relevant for TN administrative services aspirants.
India — National
- Monsoon Session of Parliament likely from July 20
— The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) is yet to finalise the date; Monsoon Session is a critical legislative period for pending bills and budget discussions. - INDIA bloc writes to CJI alleging 'biased conduct' of Election Commission
— Letter signed by 23 parties including DMK and AAP; Jairam Ramesh led the initiative; raises constitutional questions about EC's independence under Article 324. - CBI arrests IAS officer in Haryana government funds misappropriation case
— CBI has filed charge-sheets against 17 accused including bank officials of IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank; highlights anti-corruption enforcement under Prevention of Corruption Act. - Supreme Court: Even the 'wicked' have the right to a lawyer
— Court cited Article 22(1) of the Constitution (right to legal counsel for arrested persons) in the context of Ayodhya Bar Association's boycott of certain cases; significant constitutional law point. - Rajnath Singh accused of misleading Parliament on soldier deaths
— Congress leader K.C. Venugopal demands privilege proceedings against the Defence Minister; raises parliamentary accountability issues. - Amarnath Yatra 2026 to operate under stricter security protocols
— New security measures implemented for pilgrims amid ongoing regional tensions; relevant for internal security GS Paper III. - IMD warns of below-normal rainfall in July after June deficit
— India Meteorological Department projects continued below-normal monsoon in July, raising concerns for kharif crop sowing and rural economy.
Economy & Finance
- Export duty on diesel and ATF reduced; petrol duty increased effective July 1
— Government revised windfall tax/export duties on petroleum products for the fortnightly cycle; significant for energy sector and fiscal management. - Goldman Sachs raises India GDP growth forecast
— Upward revision signals improving confidence in India's economic trajectory; relevant for economy GS Paper III. - Net remittances from West Asia to India rose 70% in April 2026 despite war
— Finance Ministry attributes resilience to labour market stability; remittances are a key component of India's Balance of Payments (BoP). - India's current account surplus narrows to $7.1 billion in Q4 amid rising gold imports
— Rising gold import bill and foreign investor outflows weighed on the current account; critical BoP indicator for economy questions. - Finance Ministry extends customs duty exemption on petrochemical imports by 15 more days
— Smooth transition measure for affected sectors as the India-Pakistan conflict situation normalises; relevant for trade policy. - New IIP Series: April industrial growth at 4.9% vs 3.2% in March
— Index of Industrial Production shows acceleration; however, RBI bulletin flags data doubts about the revised IIP dataset methodology.
Science & Technology
- SIPRI: India has 12 'operationally deployed' nuclear warheads
— Assessment indicates maturation of India's second-strike capability; analysts clarify this does not represent a shift from India's 'No First Use' (NFU) doctrine; key for India's nuclear policy. - ICEYE signs MoU with Chennai's Agnikul Cosmos for sovereign SAR satellite mission
— ICEYE (world leader in Synthetic Aperture Radar intelligence) selects Agnikul Cosmos as launch partner; boosts India's private space sector and Earth observation capabilities. - NASA mission to rescue space telescope Swift
— Without intervention, the Swift telescope (key for gamma-ray burst detection) is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere; demonstrates orbital debris and satellite life-cycle issues. - CMC (Vellore) signs MoU to establish Centralised Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) facility
— Advances genomic research and diagnostic capability in Tamil Nadu; relevant for health technology policy.
Environment
- Giant African Snails invade school campuses in Tirunavaya, Kerala
— Lissachatina fulica, an invasive species listed among world's worst invasive species, poses public health risks (can carry rat lungworm); highlights biosecurity concerns. - Elephant breaks through elephant-proof wall in Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala
— Human-wildlife conflict incident highlights limitations of current mitigation infrastructure; relevant for wildlife management policy. - RBI Monthly Bulletin: Monsoon shortfall could weigh on growth and inflation
— Below-normal rainfall risks driving food inflation higher and dampening rural demand; critical macro-environment linkage.
Sports
- FIFA World Cup 2026: France beat Sweden 3-0; Mbappé scores twice
— Kylian Mbappé's brace takes his World Cup finals tally to 18, equalling Lionel Messi on the all-time list; France advance to the Round of 16. - FIFA World Cup 2026: Mexico vs Ecuador match delayed by storm in Mexico City
— Weather disruption to a key Group Stage match; tournament being co-hosted by USA, Mexico, and Canada. - England vs India 1st T20I preview
— India's assistant coach comments on Vaibhav Suryavanshi's readiness; series begins on English soil, relevant for cricket current affairs. - Serena Williams loses at Wimbledon 2026 in first singles match in four years
— The 23-time Grand Slam champion continues in doubles alongside Venus Williams; marks significant sports comeback moment.
Appointments & Awards
- Justice K.T. Thomas (retired Supreme Court judge) conferred Padma Vibhushan
— Former SC judge, known for his role in landmark judgments, receives India's second-highest civilian honour; important for awards GS. - Justice M. Fathima Beevi conferred Padma Bhushan
— India's first female Supreme Court judge receives India's third-highest civilian honour; historically significant — she was appointed to the SC in 1989. - G. Venkataraman appointed Director, Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services
— Key Tamil Nadu administrative appointment relevant for state-level exam aspirants.
International
- PM Modi calls Iran President Pezeshkian; stresses freedom of navigation in Strait of Hormuz
— PM also extended invitation to Iran for BRICS Summit in India; Hormuz is critical for India's energy imports (West Asia oil transit route). - Congo Ebola outbreak: Confirmed cases rise to 1,333 across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu
— Ongoing outbreak in eastern DRC provinces is one of the largest Ebola surges in recent years; public health emergency with implications for global disease surveillance. - Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 1,943
— Rescue operations slowing dramatically; major humanitarian crisis in South America with India having a diaspora connection in the region. - US-India trade deal in 'final steps': US envoy Sergio Gor
— US Ambassador to India cites Trump-Modi personal equation as a driving factor; deal has faced delays over India's Russian oil purchases and legal challenges in Washington.
- Quick Revision:
- 🔑 Justice M. Fathima Beevi — India's first female Supreme Court judge (1989), now conferred Padma Bhushan 2026; Justice K.T. Thomas receives Padma Vibhushan.
- 🔑 India's current account surplus narrowed to $7.1 billion in Q4; West Asia remittances to India rose 70% in April 2026 despite ongoing conflict.
- 🔑 Agnikul Cosmos (Chennai) chosen by Finland's ICEYE as launch partner for a sovereign SAR satellite mission — significant private space sector milestone; SIPRI counts 12 operationally deployed Indian nuclear warheads as of 2026.