Govt Initiatives Current Affairs July 2026

Maharashtra became the first state in India to qualify for release of the second installment under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) after meeting the fund-utilisation benchmark set by the Centre. The decision came in a review chaired by Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. RKVY is a centrally sponsored scheme (launched 2007) that gives states flexibility and autonomy to plan and execute agriculture and allied-sector development based on local needs.

In July 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) permitted the manufacture and agricultural use of Anhydrous Ammonia fertilizer under Clause 20A of the Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985, for a three-year period. The fertilizer, with a minimum nitrogen content of 82%, is intended to improve fertilizer-use efficiency and reduce India's dependence on imported urea. India produces nearly 300 lakh tonnes of urea annually but still imports around 100 lakh tonnes. Separately, a 150 TPD Green Urea pilot plant is being developed at Pudimadaka, Andhra Pradesh by NETRA (the R&D arm of NTPC), integrating carbon capture with water electrolysis.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) permitted the manufacture and agricultural use of Anhydrous Ammonia fertilizer under Clause 20A of the Fertiliser (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed) (Control) Order, 1985, for a three-year period. The fertilizer must have a minimum nitrogen content of 82%, making it a highly concentrated nitrogen source that can reduce India's dependence on imported urea. India produces nearly 300 lakh tonnes (LT) of urea annually but imports about 100 LT to meet demand. Separately, a 150 TPD Green Urea pilot plant will be set up at Pudimadaka, Andhra Pradesh by NETRA (NTPC's research arm), integrating Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCUS) with water electrolysis.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh), Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), launched the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme, the SAMARTH Panchayat Portal, and released Model Own Source of Revenue (OSR) Rules in New Delhi. The initiatives aim to strengthen the financial autonomy, digital governance and revenue-generation capacity of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), in line with Viksit Bharat @2047. The Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme helps Gram and Block Panchayats convert local assets into revenue-generating projects; the SAMARTH Portal is India's first unified digital platform for end-to-end management of Panchayat OSR; and the Model OSR Rules give states an advisory framework to collect property tax, user charges and fees.

Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) under DoT, the Government of Gujarat, Gujarat Fibre Grid Network Limited (GFGNL) and BSNL signed an addendum for the Amended BharatNet Programme (ABP) in Gujarat under the State-led model, with a total outlay of ₹5,629 crore. GFGNL will implement across 14,287 Gram Panchayats, providing over 5 lakh rural home fibre connections and extending connectivity to 3,895 villages on demand.

Uttarakhand has become India's sixth fully literate State, after Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Gurmit Singh approved the declaration on 8 July 2026 under the ULLAS - New India Literacy Programme (Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram) and NEP 2020. The state's literacy rate now stands at over 98%, above the 95% threshold required for 'fully literate' status. Uttarakhand joins Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. ULLAS targets adults aged 15 and above who missed formal schooling, with proficiency measured through the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT). Chief Minister: Pushkar Singh Dhami. A State or UT achieving 95% literacy is declared 'fully literate' under ULLAS.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) granted in-principle approval for a Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster in Porbandar and a Ship Repair Facility at Vadinar, both in Gujarat, under the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS). The cluster will come up on nearly 2,000 acres at Kuchhadi (Porbandar) with an annual capacity of 1.2–1.5 million gross tonnage. The ₹1,570-crore Vadinar repair facility — jointly developed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) and Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) — will handle vessels up to 300 metres long. Both align with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

In July 2026, the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Air India in New Delhi to promote India as a preferred global tourism destination under the Incredible India brand. The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. Valid for two years, it provides for co-branded global marketing campaigns across digital, social media and inflight platforms, and expands 'Incredible India' branding across Air India's customer touchpoints. The partnership also includes joint promotions with tour operators and travel-trade partners to boost inbound tourism and position India as a global travel and transit hub.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by PM Modi, on 24 July 2026 approved the 3rd and 4th lines of the Ballari-Guntakal section spanning Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh at a cost of Rs 1,264 crore. The project adds about 46 km to the rail network, covers 3 districts, and improves connectivity to about 99 villages (population ~7 lakh). It is expected to boost freight capacity by 16.22 MTPA (iron ore, coal), cut oil imports by ~1.32 crore litres, and lower CO2 emissions by ~6.67 crore kg. It is planned under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) approved projects worth Rs 2,719.80 crore under the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) for six initiatives in Ahmedabad, Gujarat — sewerage network rehabilitation (West and East Ahmedabad), an Intelligent Water Management System, a 125 TPD Integrated Sludge Management Facility, and an Intelligent Traffic Management plus Automatic Fare Collection System. Funding: 25% each from the Centre and Gujarat (Rs 679.95 crore each), and 50% via municipal bonds, loans or PPP.

NITI Aayog launched the 'Roadmap for Building India as a Leading Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035' in July 2026 at the National Media Centre, New Delhi. It was formally released by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, in the presence of Prof. Gobardhan Das (Member, NITI Aayog) and Nidhi Chhibber (CEO, NITI Aayog). Developed by: the NITI Frontier Tech Hub (NITI-FTH) in consultation with the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Association of Biotechnology Led Enterprises (ABLE), industry and academia. Key targets: Scale India's bioeconomy to USD 691 billion by 2035 and USD 2.6 trillion by 2047; generate over 30 million high-value jobs; and place India among the world's top 3 biotechnology powers. India's bioeconomy was valued at about USD 195.3 billion in 2025. Six National BioMissions are recommended: GeneIndia, AgriBio 2.0, BioX Foundry, One Health Grid, Marine Biotechnology and BioPharmaNext — covering advanced therapeutics, climate-resilient agriculture, synthetic biology, pandemic preparedness, marine biotech and next-generation biopharmaceuticals. Key proposal: a Rs 50,000 crore BioEconomy Growth Fund for 2026-2035, carved out of the existing Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) framework, to bridge the 'valley of death' between proof-of-concept research and commercial-scale manufacturing. New institutions proposed: an Empowered Committee on National BioMissions, a National BioData Council, a BioEconomy Investment and Policy Forum, and a BioIP and Innovation Evaluation Agency.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw implemented 8 more structural reforms under the Reform Express initiative at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi, taking the total to 17. The programme targets 52 reforms in 52 weeks. The new reforms (Reforms 10-17) cover fly-ash transportation, the container sector, fertilizer transport, artisan skilling, construction methods, wagon-design approval, petroleum products, and foodgrains/flour/pulses transport, modernising freight, logistics and ease of doing business.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (Ministry of Railways) implemented 8 more structural reforms under the 'Reform Express' initiative at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi, taking the total to 17. The reforms are part of the Ministry's target of 52 reforms in 52 weeks to boost efficiency, innovation and the railway ecosystem. The new reforms (Reform 10 to Reform 17) cover fly-ash transportation, the container sector, fertilizer and petroleum-products transportation, foodgrains/flour/pulses movement, construction reforms, wagon-design approval policy, and skilling of artisans in railway projects.

Lakhanpur in Kathua district, Jammu & Kashmir was selected among the first towns in India for a Street Food Hub under the PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) initiative of MoHUA, announced by Union MoS (IC) Dr. Jitendra Singh. Each approved hub gets ₹4 crore in three instalments (30%–50%–20%) plus a ₹25 lakh incentive for ULBs with a notified Street Vending Plan. The initiative targets up to 50 hubs nationwide with support from MoHUA, the Ministry of Tourism and FSSAI.

Union Housing & Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced on Sunday, 12 July 2026 that the Central Vista redevelopment area in New Delhi will now be referred to as the 'Kartavya Bhawan Complex' or 'Kartavya Bhawan Area', and that the name 'Central Vista' should no longer be used in official documents. Speaking at the CPWD (Central Public Works Department) Foundation Day, he said the precinct - comprising the Kartavya Bhawans, Kartavya Marg and future government buildings - reflects India's own identity over its colonial past. The area houses the Common Central Secretariat (CCS) of 10 buildings meant to consolidate central ministries, of which three are operational. Rajpath was renamed Kartavya Path in 2022, and the new PMO complex is named Seva Teerth. Just as the Viceroy's House became Rashtrapati Bhawan, the administrative district now carries an Indian identity.

In July 2026, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, announced the formation of a Task Force to support India's toy sector, targeting a 5% share of the global toy market by 2032. The announcement came at the stakeholder meet 'Team Up for Toys' organised by the DPIIT. The Task Force will focus on six areas - integrating the toy industry with global value chains, strengthening domestic manufacturing, addressing value-chain bottlenecks, skilling and employment, promoting design and innovation, and improving ease of doing business. A Toy Sector Playbook was also launched. India's toy ecosystem now includes 21,000+ MSMEs, 770+ DPIIT-recognised startups, 50 toy clusters and 1,800+ BIS licensees.

On 15 July 2026, the Union Cabinet approved the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) under MeitY, with a Rs 62,500 crore outlay, under the Make in India initiative. It runs for 5 years (FY27-FY31) and succeeds the PLI-LSEM scheme (Production Linked Incentive for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing), which concluded on 31 March 2026. Manufacturers get sales-linked incentives of 2.25%-5%, plus up to 1.5% extra for higher domestic sourcing and an additional 3% for Indian brands investing in design/R&D. Targets: Rs 39 lakh crore cumulative production, Rs 15 lakh crore exports and about 60,000 direct jobs.

The Union Cabinet approved the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) under MeitY with a budgetary outlay of Rs 62,500 crore. Approved under the Make in India initiative, it aims to strengthen domestic mobile-phone manufacturing, raise value addition, boost exports and improve India's global competitiveness in electronics. MPMS will run for 5 years (FY2026-27 to FY2030-31) and succeeds the PLI Scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing (PLI-LSEM), which concluded on 31 March 2026. Eligible manufacturers get sales-linked incentives of 2.25% to 5%, with an extra up to 1.5% for higher domestic sourcing and an additional 3% for Indian brands investing in design/R&D. Targets: Rs 39 lakh crore cumulative mobile production, Rs 15 lakh crore exports, and around 60,000 direct jobs.

The 3rd edition of Bharat Tex, India's largest global textile trade fair, is held from 14–17 July 2026 at Bharat Mandapam (Pragati Maidan), New Delhi, incorporating the 75th India International Garment Fair. The expo features 1,600+ exhibitors across 1.6 million sq ft, buyers from 160 countries, over 7,000 buyers and about 1.3 lakh trade visitors, plus 100+ knowledge sessions with 350+ speakers. It covers the complete textile value chain and is expected to facilitate nearly 4,000 B2B meetings and 30+ MoUs.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, on 24 July 2026 approved the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana Rasayan (BHAVYA - Rasayan) scheme to establish three dedicated Chemical Parks with an outlay of Rs 3,030 crore. Of this, Rs 3,000 crore funds common infrastructure and basic utilities while Rs 30 crore is for administration. The scheme runs five years, FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. The Centre gives a grant of up to Rs 1,000 crore per park, subject to a minimum Rs 500 crore contribution by the concerned State Government. Each park needs a minimum contiguous 8 sq km (about 2,000 acres) of encumbrance-free land and offers plug-and-play infrastructure. Each park could attract Rs 20,000-50,000 crore of downstream investment.

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, launched VISHWAS 2026, a one-time dispute-resolution scheme for amicable settlement of damages and penalty-related disputes under Section 14B of the EPF & MP Act, 1952 and Section 128 of the Code on Social Security, 2020. Notified via G.S.R. 525(E) on 29 June 2026, it stays operational for six months. EPFO has set up dedicated VISHWAS Cells for implementation.

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, launched 'VISHWAS 2026' in July 2026 — a one-time dispute resolution scheme for the amicable settlement of damages and penalty-related disputes. Legal basis: The scheme covers disputes under Section 14B of the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 and Section 128 of the Code on Social Security, 2020. Notification: VISHWAS 2026 was notified through G.S.R. 525(E) on 29 June 2026 under the EPF Scheme, 2026, and will remain operational for six months from the date of notification. Coverage: cases where penalty or damages orders are under judicial challenge; final orders with pending or partial recovery, including Revenue Recovery Certificate (RRC) cases; cases where notices have been issued but final orders are pending; and cases where penalty/damages notices are yet to be issued. Implementation: EPFO has set up dedicated VISHWAS Cells for smooth implementation of the scheme.

On 7 July 2026, the government approved the pan-India roll-out of the ₹60,000-crore PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs) scheme across 200 ITI clusters, while clearing strategic investment plans worth ₹1,237.58 crore for ITI upgradation in Odisha (₹240.21 crore), Gujarat (₹240.18 crore) and Telangana (₹757.19 crore). The decision came at the 4th National Steering Committee meeting chaired by Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Anchor industry partners: Jindal Naveen Avasar Ltd (Odisha), ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (Gujarat) and Apollo Medskills (Telangana). PM-SETU modernises the ITI ecosystem through hub-and-spoke industry clusters, upgraded infrastructure and future-ready curricula, run through industry-government SPVs.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta announced an ₹8,300-crore programme with World Bank support to accelerate National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) goals in the capital.