Daily Bulletin

The government is leveraging the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) to manage urban flooding, according to a Rajya Sabha reply by Minister of State Shri Tokhan Sahu. Under AMRUT 1.0, States and UTs have undertaken 838 storm water drainage projects worth ₹3,022.39 crore. Furthermore, under AMRUT 2.0, States have initiated 2,951 water body rejuvenation projects valued at ₹6,003.34 crore, covering approximately 1.21 lakh acres.

The Ministry of Law and Justice, in collaboration with the Bar Council of India (BCI), has released the Draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2026, for public and stakeholder consultation. The BCI has invited comments and suggestions on the draft bill until July 31, 2026, as part of a transparent legislative process to align the legal profession's framework with contemporary needs.

The government has strengthened the legal and operational framework for digital security with the notification of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. To combat cybercrime, the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal and a national helpline '1930' have been established. These measures are complemented by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which uses AI/ML models and the Comprehensive UPI Information Security Framework (CUISF) 2025 to secure digital transactions.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament began on a tumultuous note on July 20, 2026, with both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha being adjourned for the day. The proceedings were disrupted by an uproar from Opposition parties over several issues, including the NEET paper leak case.

The Madhya Pradesh government has introduced the Uniform Civil Code Bill, 2026, in the state legislative assembly. This legislative move aims to establish a common set of laws governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance for all citizens in the state. The bill will now be subject to debate and voting in the assembly.

The judicial inquiry report into the 1993 Kolkata Police firing incident was formally tabled in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. This procedural step brings the findings into the public domain for legislative scrutiny and debate, addressing long-standing issues of accountability.

The Supreme Court of India has permitted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to oversee the probe into alleged irregularities in donation collection for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Observing that there was a "prima facie case of commission of an offence," the apex court cautioned against politicising the issue and directed that the investigation proceed to its logical conclusion.

The Calcutta High Court has denied Trinamool Congress leader Shri Abhishek Banerjee permission to travel abroad for medical treatment. A bench led by Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya rejected the plea, instead directing that he undergo a medical examination at the state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

National Conference leader Shri Omar Abdullah joined protests in Delhi to demand the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. The former Chief Minister stated that despite being prevented from holding a separate peaceful protest, his party's struggle to reverse the 2019 reorganisation of the state has now begun.

Trinamool Congress MP Shri Derek O'Brien has requested Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to convene an all-party meeting ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The meeting is sought to discuss the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and the Delimitation Bill, amid concerns over adherence to parliamentary procedures.

The Supreme Court of India is set to direct the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to implement a nationwide 'opt-out' option for the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID system. This directive follows a Union government-accepted Orissa High Court judgment, ensuring students and guardians can choose not to participate.

The Union Government has introduced a bill in Parliament to increase the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court of India judges from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India. The legislation, which replaces a May 2026 ordinance, aims to enhance judicial capacity and address the high pendency of cases.

The Supreme Court of India has stayed a High Court order that had granted 'Pinjra Tod' activist Devangana Kalita access to case-related documents. Ms. Kalita is facing charges in connection with an alleged conspiracy to create unrest in northeast Delhi in 2020.

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah is set to introduce a bill in the Rajya Sabha to amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. The proposed amendment aims to update the law penalising disrespect towards national symbols like the National Flag and the Constitution.

The Supreme Court of India has stayed proceedings before the Allahabad High Court in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) concerning an alleged custodial death from 2009 in Uttar Pradesh. The apex court's intervention came after the High Court made critical observations about the roles of the judiciary and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the case, which involves the death of a physically disabled man.

The Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA) has initiated stringent action against chronic lease rental defaulters to recover outstanding dues estimated at around ₹3,500 crore. This recovery drive aims to secure public resources for key infrastructure projects planned along Mumbai’s Eastern Waterfront under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, including a new marina and cruise facilities.

The Ministry of Coal held a Pre-Application Conference for its ₹37,500 Crore Scheme for Promotion of Surface Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects. Approved in May 2026, the scheme aims to produce high-value products like synthetic natural gas and methanol to reduce import dependence. The government anticipates the scheme will catalyse investments of around ₹2.5–3 lakh crore and create approximately 50,000 jobs.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has released a new series for the Index of Core Industries (ICI), revising the base year to 2022-23 from 2011-12 and including Iron Ore as the ninth core industry. According to the new series, the combined output of these sectors grew by 5.0% in June 2026, with cumulative growth for the first quarter (April-June 2026) standing at 3.6%.

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform has onboarded 55.49 crore users as of June 2026, according to a written reply in the Lok Sabha by the Ministry of Finance. Data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) shows that UPI transactions recorded a volume of 24,161.69 crore and a total value of ₹314.23 lakh crore during the financial year 2025-26.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is fostering innovation in the financial sector through a dual approach of promoting innovation and ensuring governance. The RBI introduced an enabling framework for a Regulatory Sandbox in 2019, allowing fintech firms to test new products in a controlled environment. To enhance industry self-governance, it also issued a framework for establishing Self-Regulatory Organisations in the FinTech Sector (SRO-FT) in May 2024.

The Reserve Bank of India has absorbed net liquidity amounting to ₹70,888 crore from the banking system. This monetary operation is part of the central bank's ongoing measures to manage surplus liquidity within the financial system to ensure monetary and price stability.

The Union Government informed the Rajya Sabha that no widespread issues have been reported from the use of E20 fuel, which is petrol blended with 20% ethanol. In a written reply, the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas affirmed that the Ethanol Blending Programme was implemented through a scientifically validated, phased process.

Ahead of the Parliament session, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi stated that the Indian economy is advancing with a growth rate of 7.7%. He called for a productive session and collective effort to maintain the nation's economic momentum.

The Bombay Textile Research Association (BTRA) and the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) signed an MoU to establish India's first Carbon Fibre Technology Demonstration Plant. The 120 tonnes per annum (TPA) facility, to be located at the PM MITRA Park in Amravati, will function as a National Centre for Carbon Fibre Technology. This project aims to reduce import dependency on the advanced material, crucial for aerospace and defence, strengthening the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has enhanced its RajmargYatra mobile application with two new features for commuter convenience. A digital ‘Local Pass’ allows residents within a 20 km radius of select toll plazas to digitally purchase monthly passes, while the ‘MargMitra’ Help Centre offers a single-window interface for information and grievance redressal in 22 Indian languages.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), in collaboration with the National Institute of Urban Affairs, conducted a national interaction with 75 cities implementing the Shallow Aquifer Management (SAM) programme under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). As part of the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign, the event showcased successful groundwater recharge interventions, with cities like Korba planning to revive 95 defunct borewells and Nagpur committing to 100 new recharge structures to enhance urban water security.

To mitigate the Urban Heat Island effect, 23 states, 195 districts, and 64 cities have prepared Heat Action Plans (HAPs), Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal informed the Rajya Sabha. The ministry has also launched a pilot programme, "Building Heat Resilient Cities," for scientific assessment in 12 cities, including Bengaluru and Bhopal. This initiative aims to identify heat-vulnerable areas and recommend city-specific measures like urban greening and passive cooling.

The Gujarat Forest Department has launched a search operation in Ahmedabad's Ghuma area after a leopard was sighted inside a residential housing society, confirmed by CCTV footage. The incident highlights the increasing instances of human-wildlife conflict in urban peripheries.

Families affected by the Ken-Betwa Link Project in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district have launched a protest named the ‘Chita Andolan’. The demonstration highlights ongoing opposition to the project, which is the first initiative under the National Perspective Plan for interlinking rivers, due to concerns about its local impact.

Torrential rainfall in Nagaland on July 20, 2026, triggered severe landslides in Mon town, with nine individuals feared dead. According to the district administration, the landslides destroyed at least 45 houses, highlighting the devastating impact of the extreme weather.

India's 8th Trade Policy Review is scheduled at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on July 21 and 23, 2026, with the official delegation led by Commerce Secretary Shri Rajesh Agarwal. The review covers the period from January 2021 to December 2025, during which India's total exports of merchandise and services reached an all-time high of US$ 863.1 billion in 2025–26. WTO members have submitted over 900 questions, indicating significant interest in India's economic reforms.

India officially became the 123rd member to ratify the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies on July 20, 2026, after depositing its Instrument of Acceptance. This multilateral deal, the first by the WTO with an environmental sustainability objective, prohibits government support for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the exploitation of overfished stocks. The agreement notably excludes aquaculture and inland fisheries, protecting a significant portion of India's seafood export sector.

President Smt Droupadi Murmu addressed the India-Moldova Business Forum in Chișinău, inviting Moldovan companies to explore trade and investment opportunities in India. Highlighting India's progress towards its 'Viksit Bharat 2047' vision, she identified digital technologies, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture as key sectors for potential collaboration between the two nations.

India's UPI payment system has expanded its global footprint, with Person-to-Merchant (P2M) services now live in nine countries, including Bhutan, Singapore, UAE, France, and Sri Lanka. Additionally, Person-to-Person (P2P) remittance facilities have been established with Singapore, Greece, and most recently with Nepal and Cambodia in June 2026, to facilitate seamless cross-border transactions.

A high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates, led by Minister of Economy and Tourism H.E. Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, met with Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla and Commerce Minister Shri Piyush Goyal in New Delhi. The discussions focused on enhancing parliamentary cooperation and advancing the bilateral economic partnership by exploring new avenues for trade and investment.

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated as Iran and the United States exchanged military strikes for the ninth consecutive day, centered around the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Recent U.S. military actions reportedly targeted the town of Khormoj in southwestern Iran, continuing the direct confrontations between the two nations.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have announced the imposition of a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, an action they claim is in retaliation for a blockade on Yemen and a recent attack on Sanaa International Airport. This development threatens to further escalate the regional conflict and disrupt maritime activities.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has strongly condemned a Russian missile attack in Ukraine's Odesa region that resulted in the death of four Indian nationals aboard a vessel. The MEA expressed deep concern over the attack, which occurred in a critical maritime export corridor, highlighting the risks to civilians in the ongoing conflict.

India has asserted that the Indus Waters Treaty cannot function in its present form due to Pakistan's continued support for terrorism. The government dismissed Pakistan's narrative of India intending to cut off water supplies, linking the viability of the 1960 treaty directly to the issue of cross-border terrorism.

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India) has formally urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to suspend commercial flights to conflict-affected areas in West Asia. Citing escalating risks to flight crews and passengers, the association called for a preemptive safety intervention.

Pakistani politician Fazal-ur-Rehman, President of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, has publicly claimed that the Pakistan Army refused to accept the bodies of its soldiers during the 1999 Kargil War. This statement from a prominent Pakistani figure supports India's long-held position that Pakistan's regular troops were involved in the conflict, which Islamabad had denied.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U) has been extended until September 30, 2026, to complete sanctioned houses, with 99.07 lakh homes delivered out of a total of 127.68 lakh sanctioned as of July 13, 2026. Additionally, the government has launched PMAY-U 2.0 from September 1, 2024, which aims to support an additional one crore eligible urban beneficiaries over the next five years.

Over 31.78 crore unorganised workers have been registered on the e-Shram portal as of July 14, 2026, which now functions as a 'One-Stop-Solution' for accessing social security benefits. The portal has been integrated with fifteen central schemes, with significant enrolments seen in Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) (15.10 crore) and One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) (24.46 crore) for registered workers.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has successfully rehabilitated over 10,200 persons engaged in begging under its Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE) scheme. Currently operational in 216 cities, the scheme aims to create a 'Bhiksha Vritti Mukt Bharat' and is set to expand to 295 cities, with a target of rehabilitating a total of 35,000 individuals by the financial year 2030-31.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report alleging that girl students at a government school in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, were beaten and forced to remove their clothes by teachers searching for lost money. Citing a serious violation of human rights, the Commission has issued a notice to the Rajasthan Chief Secretary, demanding a detailed report within two weeks.

A 'Chalo Sansad' march in New Delhi, organised by student groups against alleged examination irregularities, led to significant disruptions and a strong police response, including a lathi-charge and detentions at Jantar Mantar. Amid the protests, which saw a temporary internet shutdown, a delegation met with Union Minister Shri J.P. Nadda to demand the resignation of the Education Minister and compensation of ₹1 crore for affected families. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was hospitalised during a hunger strike, vowed to continue his fast in support of the movement.

Recent remarks by Uttar Pradesh Governor Smt. Anandiben Patel concerning abandoned children have ignited a statewide debate on women's safety and social policy. The discussion has brought renewed focus to related issues such as sexual assault, the need for sex education in schools, and the accountability of political leadership in addressing these challenges.

An official probe has been initiated in Rajasthan following a series of maternal deaths, with the latest incident involving a woman in Jodhpur who died from post-childbirth complications. The event has heightened concerns over maternal mortality rates in the region, as several other women are also receiving treatment for similar complications.

Academics have raised concerns over the expansion of the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), which is slated to become the mandatory qualification for teachers post-2030. Critics argue the programme is being scaled up without a proper curriculum framework, potentially compromising educational standards.

Approximately 200 contractual employees at the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) have reportedly not been paid their salaries for the last four months. The prolonged delay has caused severe financial distress for the affected staff.

The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) successfully thwarted the illegal trafficking of 120 million Tramadol Hydrochloride tablets, weighing 30 metric tons, under Operation Vajra. The consignment, seized from a Delhi warehouse between July 10 and 20, 2026, was allegedly being diverted to Libya under the guise of an export to Guinea-Bissau. Three key conspirators were arrested from Bengaluru and Kochi under the NDPS Act, 1985, preventing the synthetic opioid from reaching conflict zones.

In a targeted attack in Manipur's Imphal East district, unidentified assailants entered a residence in Keirao Wangkhem Mamang Leikai, shooting and killing a male resident and injuring his wife. The incident underscores the persistent security challenges and violence against civilians in the region.

The Indian Army has been deployed for rescue operations in Assam following a significant deterioration in the flood situation, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) on standby. The state has issued flood alerts for several districts, including Sivasagar, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh, as heavy rains continue.

National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval has been selected as the recipient of the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award for 2026. The award ceremony is scheduled to be held in Pune on August 1, 2026, which marks the 106th death anniversary of freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak.