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Daily DigestArchive
Current Affairs — Thursday, 2 July 2026
36 items
Tamil Nadu
- CM Vijay extends Free Breakfast Scheme to Middle School students
— The TVK government announced expansion of the existing scheme (launched under the previous DMK government) to cover middle school students, broadening its reach across Tamil Nadu. (Welfare/Education policy — GS Paper II) - TNEA 2026 rank list released; counselling for general category from July 20
— Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions rank list is out, with cut-off marks dropping this year and 52 students achieving perfect scores; general category counselling begins July 20. (State education policy) - TASMAC bars shut across Tamil Nadu after licence expiry
— Bars attached to TASMAC outlets across the state downed shutters following licence expiration; a TASMAC source estimates potential revenue loss of ₹400 crore per month. (State revenue/excise policy) - CM Vijay government to move KMUT beneficiaries above 60 to pension scheme, hike aid to ₹1,500
— Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam beneficiaries aged above 60 will be shifted to a pension scheme with assistance hiked to ₹1,500. (Social welfare scheme) - All Tamil Nadu Housing Board services to shift online
— The government announced complete digitisation of Housing Board services, improving ease of access for citizens. (e-Governance — GS Paper II) - TN government reaffirms two-language policy; no change under TVK
— A senior minister confirmed the Vijay government will continue Tamil Nadu's long-standing two-language policy (Tamil + English), distancing from the National Education Policy's three-language formula. (Language policy — GS Paper II)
India — National
- General Dhiraj Seth takes over as Army Chief, unveils 'VIJAY' roadmap
— General Dhiraj Seth assumed charge as Chief of Army Staff and presented the strategic 'VIJAY' roadmap outlining the Army's operational and modernisation priorities. (Defence — key appointment) - Major reshuffle in military leadership — Army Vice-Chief, IAF Vice-Chief, CISC and Army Commanders
— Lt. Gen. Sandeep Jain assumed charge as Vice-Chief of Army Staff; Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit became IAF Vice-Chief, among other senior leadership changes. (Defence appointments) - Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri gets one-year service extension
— The Centre granted a one-year extension to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, underscoring continuity in India's foreign policy apparatus. (Polity/Foreign Affairs) - India asks Pakistan to expedite release and repatriation of 188 fishermen and prisoners
— The Ministry of External Affairs formally requested Pakistan to fast-track the release of 188 Indian fishermen and prisoners held in Pakistani custody. (India-Pakistan relations — GS Paper II) - Centre asks WhatsApp to not launch username feature in India
— The Indian government directed Meta-owned WhatsApp to hold back its username feature rollout in India, citing data privacy and traceability concerns. (IT policy/Data Privacy) - Rajasthan CID arrests Maharashtra man for funding ISI-linked espionage network
— A Maharashtra resident was arrested for allegedly channelling funds to a network linked to Pakistan's ISI, highlighting cross-border espionage threats. (Internal security) - Two Bangladeshi nationals detained at Guwahati airport with forged Aadhaar cards
— Security personnel detained the duo carrying forged identity documents, raising concerns about document fraud and illegal immigration at border states. (Internal security/NRC context)
Economy & Finance
- GST completes 9 years; June 2026 revenues up 14% but domestic sales lag
— GST revenue grew 14% year-on-year in June 2026, but experts flagged rising import dependence, unresolved ITC issues, and inverted duty structure as ongoing challenges. (Taxation — GS Paper III; GST introduced July 1, 2017) - Manufacturing PMI slows to 54.2 in June — second-lowest in four years
— India's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index fell to 54.2 in June 2026, with new orders and output declining, particularly in the capital goods sector (above 50 still indicates expansion). (Economy indicators) - Goldman Sachs hikes India's GDP growth forecast
— The US investment bank revised upward its GDP growth projection for India, citing resilient domestic demand and improved macroeconomic indicators. (Economy) - ATF price cut by ₹5/litre to ₹110 in Delhi on softer global crude prices
— Aviation Turbine Fuel price reduction will benefit the civil aviation sector; Brent crude was trading around $78.53/barrel. (Fuel pricing/Aviation) - India's current account surplus narrows to $7.1 billion in Q4 amid rising gold imports
— Rising gold import bills and foreign investor outflows compressed the current account surplus in the January–March 2026 quarter. (Balance of Payments — GS Paper III)
Science & Technology
- NASA robot mission to rescue space telescope Swift
— NASA is planning a robotic intervention mission to save the Swift space telescope, which is expected to re-enter and burn up in Earth's atmosphere without corrective action. (Space science) - Scientists use low-cost technology to probe altermagnetism in ruthenium dioxide
— Researchers used budget instrumentation to investigate whether ruthenium dioxide (RuO₂) possesses altermagnetism — a rare, unconventional magnetic property — advancing materials science research. (Science & Technology) - Census fieldwork under way in Ernakulam — boundary mapping and building numbering begins
— Enumerators have begun the first phase of Census 2026 fieldwork in Ernakulam district, Kerala, with household data collection to follow in the next phase. (Census — GS Paper I/II) - Chhattisgarh: AI system detects inflated police salaries spanning 3 years
— An AI-based audit tool flagged systematic salary inflation in Chhattisgarh's police department, demonstrating AI's utility in public financial management. (Governance/AI application)
Environment
- RBI Monthly Bulletin warns monsoon shortfall could weigh on growth and inflation
— The RBI flagged that any significant monsoon deficit could adversely impact agricultural output, food prices, and India's overall growth trajectory for FY2026-27. (Climate-economy linkage — GS Paper III) - India's green transformation — 12 years of environmental progress toward Viksit Bharat
— Government sources highlighted milestones in renewable energy, afforestation, and pollution control over the past decade as part of India's sustainability roadmap. (Environment policy)
Sports
- ENG vs IND 1st T20I abandoned due to rain; Shreyas and Abhishek hit fifties, India post 189/7
— The first T20I in England was washed out; India had scored 189/7 with Shreyas Iyer and Abhishek Sharma hitting half-centuries; the second T20I is on July 4 in Manchester. (Cricket) - FIFA World Cup 2026 — Belgium beat Senegal 3-2 in dramatic extra time
— Belgium staged a stunning comeback, with Youri Tielemans converting a penalty in the 125th minute to advance; Senegal became the fourth African side eliminated in a narrow defeat in the knockout stage. (FIFA World Cup 2026) - USA lead Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-0 in FIFA World Cup Round of 32
— The host nation USA were leading at half-time in their Round of 32 clash; USA have historically only one knockout-stage win in World Cup history. (FIFA World Cup 2026) - Coco Gauff survives tiebreak against Sierra to stay in Wimbledon 2026
— American tennis star Gauff advanced at Wimbledon, where she has never gone beyond the fourth round — the only Grand Slam title eluding her. (Tennis/Wimbledon)
Appointments & Awards
- General Dhiraj Seth appointed new Chief of Army Staff
— Gen. Dhiraj Seth took charge as the new Army Chief, succeeding the previous incumbent, and unveiled the 'VIJAY' strategic roadmap. (Defence appointment) - Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit becomes IAF Vice-Chief; Lt. Gen. Sandeep Jain is new Army Vice-Chief
— Both senior officers assumed their new positions as part of a major restructuring of the armed forces' top leadership. (Defence appointments) - Vice Admiral K. Srinivas conferred Ati Vishisht Seva Medal by President
— The President of India awarded Vice Admiral K. Srinivas the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service to the nation. (Defence honours) - Justice M. Fathima Beevi conferred Padma Bhushan
— Justice Fathima Beevi, the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India, was conferred the Padma Bhushan, recognising her landmark contributions to the judiciary. (Awards — important first) - Retired SC Justice K.T. Thomas conferred Padma Vibhushan
— Justice K.T. Thomas, known for his notable judgments including on the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, was awarded the Padma Vibhushan. (Awards)
International
- US-Iran talks in Doha — Trump says relations 'very good'; communication channel to be established
— US-Iran diplomatic negotiations in Doha made progress, with both sides agreeing to establish a formal communication channel; discussions covered Iran's frozen assets and nuclear-related issues. (India's strategic interest — West Asia energy security) - Iran to use frozen funds in Qatar to purchase essential goods
— Iran's Foreign Ministry confirmed it will independently decide on using released frozen assets, signalling partial easing of financial sanctions pressure. (Geopolitics — West Asia) - India-Pakistan: India demands repatriation of 188 fishermen and prisoners
— India's formal diplomatic request to Pakistan for the release of 188 fishermen/prisoners underscores the humanitarian and bilateral dimensions of India-Pakistan relations. (Foreign policy — GS Paper II)
- Quick Revision:
- 🔑 General Dhiraj Seth is the new Chief of Army Staff; his strategic roadmap is called 'VIJAY'
- 🔑 Justice M. Fathima Beevi (first woman SC judge) awarded Padma Bhushan; Justice K.T. Thomas awarded Padma Vibhushan
- 🔑 GST completes 9 years (July 1, 2017 → July 1, 2026); June 2026 GST revenue grew 14% YoY; Manufacturing PMI fell to 54.2 in June 2026 (second-lowest in 4 years)