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Daily DigestArchive
Current Affairs — Wednesday, 8 July 2026
35 items
Tamil Nadu
- CM Vijay announces cooperative crop loan waiver up to ₹50,000
— The Tamil Nadu government under CM C. Joseph Vijay has announced waiver of cooperative crop loans up to ₹50,000, providing direct relief to farmers across the state. (Relevant for: State welfare schemes, Agriculture policy) - Tamil Nadu to move KMUT beneficiaries above 60 to pension scheme, hike aid to ₹1,500
— Beneficiaries of the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT) aged above 60 will be transitioned to the pension scheme with enhanced monthly assistance of ₹1,500. (Relevant for: Women welfare schemes, Social security) - CM Vijay takes a cue from DMK on National Education Policy
— The TVK government is reported to be continuing the previous DMK government's stance of opposition/selective implementation of NEP, maintaining the state's two-language policy with no changes planned. (Relevant for: Education policy, State vs Centre relations) - Deemed university status to three medical institutions triggers controversy
— Union Minister Annamalai expressed shock over granting deemed university status to three medical institutions and urged the TVK government to conduct a probe. (Relevant for: Higher education regulation, UGC/MCI norms) - Election petitions against CM Vijay: Madras HC issues notices
— Justice V. Lakshminarayanan issued notices on petitions filed by DMK's R.D. Shekar and S. Inigo Irudayaraj alleging CM Vijay "blackmailed" children by appealing to them during elections in Perambur and Tiruchi East constituencies. (Relevant for: Election law, Representation of the People Act) - VB-GRAMG controversy puts Vijay government in a spot
— A controversy has emerged over the VB-GRAMG (Village-Based Gram Rajya Mitra Groups) sparking political debate around the new Tamil Nadu government's administrative approach. (Relevant for: TN state politics, rural governance)
India — National
- NCERT revises Class 8 Social Science textbook, drops judiciary chapter content
— The revised textbook removes references to judicial backlog and two major court verdicts from the chapter on judiciary, continuing NCERT's ongoing curriculum revision exercise. (Relevant for: Education policy, NCERT reforms, GS Paper II) - PMO monitors El Niño impact and monsoon preparedness
— The Prime Minister's Office is actively tracking El Niño developments and coordinating preparedness measures given potential impact on agriculture and rural economy. (Relevant for: Disaster management, Agriculture, GS Paper III) - Record 1.3 lakh pilgrims visit Amarnath shrine in 5 days
— The Amarnath Yatra 2026 has seen a record 1.3 lakh pilgrims visit in just five days, with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha emphasising improved amenities. (Relevant for: J&K administration, Religious tourism) - National Conference leaders meet civil society, demand Statehood restoration for J&K
— NC leaders passed a resolution terming the delay in restoring J&K's statehood as "inordinate" and calling the Centre's "appropriate time" phrase a "vague and timeless expression." (Relevant for: Article 3, J&K Reorganisation Act, Constitutional provisions) - Ram Temple SIT report: Staff stole cash, security protocols not enforced
— An SIT report on Ayodhya Ram Temple donations found CCTV footage showing counting staff concealing currency; the SIT identified procedural flaws and ordered a re-audit of accounts. (Relevant for: Law enforcement, Public institution accountability) - Four beneficiary states sign pact on Narmada outstanding dues
— A significant inter-state agreement was signed resolving pending financial dues related to the Narmada river project among the four basin states. (Relevant for: Inter-state water disputes, River tribunals) - EAM Jaishankar meets Bahrain's Deputy PM Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa
— External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held bilateral talks with Bahrain's Deputy PM, continuing India's diplomatic outreach in the Gulf region. (Relevant for: India's foreign policy, Gulf relations)
Economy & Finance
- Goldman Sachs hikes India's GDP growth forecast
— Goldman Sachs has revised upward its GDP growth projection for India, reflecting improved macroeconomic fundamentals. (Relevant for: GDP forecasts, Economic indicators) - RBI Monthly Bulletin warns monsoon shortfall could weigh on growth and inflation
— The RBI's bulletin flagged that a below-normal monsoon due to El Niño could adversely affect food prices and the overall growth outlook. (Relevant for: RBI policy, Inflation management, GS Paper III) - NSE targets ₹30,000 crore IPO launch in September
— The National Stock Exchange plans an entirely OFS-based IPO of 14.89 crore equity shares, with existing shareholders divesting nearly 6% equity. (Relevant for: Capital markets, SEBI, Stock exchanges) - FPI investment in Indian bonds reaches ₹55,518 crore in June 2026
— Foreign Portfolio Investor inflows under the general limit for debt securities, covering corporate bonds and government securities, hit ₹55,518 crore in June 2026. (Relevant for: Capital account, FPI regulations, RBI) - India's current account surplus narrows to $7.1 billion in Q4
— The current account surplus declined amid a rising gold import bill and foreign investor outflows, signalling pressure on the external balance. (Relevant for: Balance of Payments, External sector, GS Paper III) - FM Sitharaman: Middle-class consumption powering India's economic growth
— Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, speaking at a panel in France, highlighted the expanding middle class as the primary driver of India's domestic demand and growth story. (Relevant for: Economic policy, Consumption trends)
Science & Technology
- Mission Drishti, world's first OptoSAR satellite by a private Indian company, loses communication after solar storm
— Launched on 3 May 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg, California, Mission Drishti lost communication following a solar storm — marking a significant setback for India's private space sector. (Relevant for: ISRO ecosystem, Private space companies, Space technology) - U.S. cyber agency CISA uses Anthropic's Mythos AI to audit government code
— The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's Attack Surface Evaluation team is using Anthropic's Mythos model to scan government software for vulnerabilities. (Relevant for: AI in governance, Cybersecurity) - Centre issues notice to Meta over Instagram disabling content/ads related to CSEAM
— The Union government issued a notice to Meta for allegedly disabling advertisements and content that help report or flag Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on Instagram. (Relevant for: IT Act, Child protection, Social media regulation)
Environment
- Union Environment Minister inaugurates 18 Namo Oxygen Parks in Delhi
— The Union and Delhi Governments jointly launched major green initiatives including 18 Namo Oxygen Parks in Delhi on World Environment Day 2026, aiming to improve urban air quality. (Relevant for: Urban environment, Green initiatives, Environment Ministry) - El Niño threatens India's agricultural output, rural income, and inflation
— An RBI bulletin and PMO-level monitoring highlight three-way economic damage from a poor monsoon: reduced agricultural output, lower rural income, and inflationary pressure on food prices. (Relevant for: Climate-economy linkage, Agriculture, GS Paper III) - 13 deer found dead in a well in Madhya Pradesh
— Authorities cordoned off the area and launched an inquiry into the deaths of 13 deer found in a well in Madhya Pradesh, raising wildlife protection concerns. (Relevant for: Wildlife Protection Act, Forest governance)
Sports
- Switzerland reach first FIFA World Cup quarter-final since 1954, beat Colombia on penalties
— Switzerland edged Colombia in a penalty shootout in the Round of 16; they will next face Argentina, who defeated Egypt. (Relevant for: FIFA World Cup 2026) - Cristiano Ronaldo bids farewell to World Cup without a title
— Ronaldo confirmed his World Cup exit with a "clear conscience," retiring from the tournament without a final appearance; Portugal's best run was a semifinal in 2006. (Relevant for: Sports GK, FIFA World Cup) - Indian shot putter Vidhi fails dope test, ruled out of Asian U23 Championships
— Vidhi, who won gold at the 2025 senior Federation Cup with a throw of 16.10m, tested positive in an out-of-competition sample collected in May 2026. (Relevant for: NADA, Anti-doping, Athletics) - VVS Laxman to oversee India's Zimbabwe tour and Asian Games campaign
— NCA chief VVS Laxman will manage a second-string Indian team for the Zimbabwe tour as well as India's Asian Games cricket campaign. (Relevant for: BCCI, Sports administration)
Appointments & Awards
- Justice M. Fathima Beevi — India's first female Supreme Court judge — conferred Padma Bhushan
— Justice Fathima Beevi, who made history as the first woman judge of the Supreme Court of India, received the Padma Bhushan from President Droupadi Murmu. (Relevant for: Padma Awards, Supreme Court history, Women firsts) - Former SC judge Justice K.T. Thomas conferred Padma Vibhushan
— Justice K.T. Thomas, known for landmark judgments, received India's second-highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan, from the President. (Relevant for: Padma Awards, Judiciary) - Bhagat Singh Koshyari receives Padma Bhushan from President Murmu
— Former Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari was conferred the Padma Bhushan by President Droupadi Murmu. (Relevant for: Padma Awards, Governors)
International
- U.S. strikes Iran after Hormuz tanker attacks; Tehran threatens retaliation
— U.S. Central Command launched "powerful" strikes on Iran following Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz; Iran's Foreign Ministry threatened retaliation, escalating the West Asia conflict. (Relevant for: West Asia geopolitics, Oil prices, India's energy security) - U.S. charges Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar in Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing in Canada (2023)
— A U.S. federal indictment charged Lawrence Bishnoi gang members including Goldy Brar for the 2023 murder of Khalistani figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a killing that had earlier strained India-Canada relations. (Relevant for: India-Canada relations, Organised crime, Bilateral diplomacy) - PM Modi in Jakarta: "1.4 billion aspirations in motion"
— Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing an event in Jakarta, highlighted India's development trajectory, reinforcing India-ASEAN engagement. (Relevant for: India-ASEAN relations, Foreign policy)
- Quick Revision:
- 🔹 Mission Drishti — world's first OptoSAR satellite from a private Indian company, launched 3 May 2026 on SpaceX Falcon 9; lost communication due to solar storm
- 🔹 Justice M. Fathima Beevi — India's first female Supreme Court judge, conferred Padma Bhushan by President Murmu in 2026
- 🔹 NSE IPO — ₹30,000 crore, entirely an Offer for Sale (OFS) of 14.89 crore shares (~6% equity), targeted for September 2026