📰 Current Affairs
📅 08 Aug 2026, 06:16 AM
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Daily Current Affairs 29 July
DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS
29 JULY 2026
Comprehensive, exam-oriented daily compilation featuring analysis of key national and international developments.
Polity, Governance & Social Issues
Rural Development
29 July 2026
Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh Launches 'Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme' & 'SAMARTH Portal'
- Atmanirbhar Panchayat: Designed to help Gram and Block Panchayats convert local assets into sustainable, revenue-generating projects (targeting 350 projects over four years).
- SAMARTH Portal: A unified national digital platform to manage the complete lifecycle of Own Source of Revenue (OSR) for Panchayats, currently active in states like Chhattisgarh.
- Gold e-Governance Award: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj won the Gold Award under the National Awards for e-Governance 2026 for its Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI).
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
NABARD: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, established on **July 12, 1982** via the B. Sivaraman Committee recommendation, is a key institutional funding partner.
Judiciary & Reforms
29 July 2026
Jaipur to Host Commonwealth Peace Mediation Conference 2026
- Rule of Law Theme: Focused on "Peace Mediation and the Rule of Law," seeking to establish mediation as an efficient alternative to traditional litigation, aligned with UN SDG 16.
- Joint Aegis: Organised jointly by RSLSA, Commonwealth Lawyers Association, Supreme Court Bar Association, and Nivaran (Mediators of SC).
- Jaipur Declaration: Expected to adopt the "Jaipur Peace Mediation Declaration-2026" as a road map for mediation and conflict resolution across Commonwealth nations.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
RSLSA: Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority was established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, **1987**, to provide free and competent legal services to weaker sections.
Welfare Schemes
29 July 2026
Himachal Pradesh Launches 'Chief Minister's Fishermen Honor Fund Scheme'
- Closed Season Support: The "Mukhya Mantri Machhuara Samman Nidhi Yojana" aims to provide financial aid to active reservoir fishermen during the annual fishing ban period.
- Financial Assistance: Registered cooperative society fishermen holding valid fishing licences will receive an annual honorarium of **Rs. 3,500** via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
- Target Scope: Benefits approximately **3,700 fishermen families** annually across state reservoirs, including Gobind Sagar, Pong Dam, and Kol Dam.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Reservoirs of HP: Gobind Sagar (formed by the Bhakra Dam on the Sutlej River) and Pong Dam (on the Beas River) are major reservoir fisheries sites in Himachal Pradesh.
Economy, Industry & Transport
Fintech
29 July 2026
Punjab National Bank Partners with AP Government to Establish India's First Bank-Led Quantum Finance Hub
- Deep Tech Partnership: Punjab National Bank (PNB) has signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to set up India's first bank-led quantum finance hub.
- Amaravati Valley: Located at the Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV) to drive security and computational innovations in deep tech financial infrastructures.
- Cyber & Fraud Focus: The hub will focus on building secure quantum-cryptography solutions, cybersecurity systems, and proactive fraud-detection algorithms.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Andhra Pradesh Capital: Amaravati is the capital city of Andhra Pradesh. The state government launched the Quantum Mission to establish it as a tech valley.
Aviation
29 July 2026
Air India Launches 'Easy Connect' Hub Service from Amritsar to 27 Global Destinations
- Global Network: Connects Amritsar airport passengers directly to **27 international destinations** across North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, and West Asia.
- Seamless Transit: Offers complete through-check-in and source-level immigration clearance at Amritsar, bypassing re-check terminal hurdles at Delhi hub.
- Digital Identity: Enrolment in the **DigiYatra** application remains mandatory for Indian nationals to utilize this premium hub-and-spoke transit system.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport: Located in Amritsar, Punjab, it is named after the fourth Sikh Guru, who founded the holy city of Amritsar.
Maritime Industry
29 July 2026
Gujarat Announces New 'Shipbuilding and Repair Policy 2026' to Establish Leading Hub
- Investment Focus: Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the policy to attract **Rs. 27,000 crore** in investments and scale capacity to 5 million DWT by 2047.
- Kuchhadi Greenfield Cluster: Focuses on building a world-class mega greenfield shipbuilding cluster at **Kuchhadi in Porbandar district**.
- Integrated Parks (IMSPs): Offers capital assistance up to Rs. 150 crore and single-window clearance systems to attract global shipbuilders.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB): Established in **1982**, GMB is India's first state maritime board, overseeing minor ports and maritime trade guidelines.
International Relations & Heritage
Global Inscriptions
29 July 2026
UNESCO World Heritage Committee Inscribes Six Sites on the Danger List
- Emergency Procedure: Three sites added simultaneously to World Heritage and Danger lists due to armed conflicts: Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape (South Sudan), Mount Amel Castles (Lebanon), and Sebastia (Palestine).
- Conservation Concerns: Three existing sites added due to development threats: Ancient City of Taurica Chersonese (Ukraine/Crimea), Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (Suriname), and Tyre (Lebanon).
- Busan Session: Decisions taken during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage: Adopted by UNESCO in **1972** to preserve properties of outstanding universal value.
Appointments
29 July 2026
UN General Assembly Renews Volker Türk's Term as High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Second Term: The UN General Assembly voted to extend Volker Türk's mandate as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for another four-year term (2026-2030).
- Voting Details: Approved with 144 votes in favor, 10 against, and 13 abstentions, overcoming procedural delays proposed by member nations.
- Core Mission: Leads the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) in advocating for human rights and coordinating UN rights monitoring mechanisms.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
OHCHR: Established in **1993** following the World Conference on Human Rights. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
Heritage & Cinema
29 July 2026
57th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2026 to be Hosted in Goa
- Festival Scope: Asia's oldest and most significant film festival, the 57th IFFI, is scheduled to take place in Goa from November 20 to 28, 2026.
- Key Figures: Renowned Bollywood director Ashutosh Gowariker has been appointed as the Festival Director for the 2026 edition.
- Spain Dual Year: Spain has been selected as the official Guest Country, aligning with the Spain-India Dual Year 2026 celebrations.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Organizing Bodies: The festival is organized by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) in collaboration with the Government of Goa and the Entertainment Society of Goa.
Science, Technology & Environment
Nuclear Fusion
29 July 2026
China Completes Testing of the World's Largest Toroidal Field Superconducting Fusion Magnet
- Toroidal-Field Magnet: China successfully completed testing of a massive 582-tonne TF superconducting magnet, designed to confine nuclear fusion plasma.
- Extreme Power: Rated at 6.5 Tesla, the magnet stores 3x the energy of ITER components and operates at -269°C to sustain temperatures of 100 million°C.
- Hefei Lab: The test was conducted at the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) in Hefei.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Nuclear Fusion: Nuclear fusion replicates the energy process of the sun by fusing hydrogen isotopes (Deuterium and Tritium) to form helium, releasing massive energy.
Space Science
29 July 2026
NASA Unveils PRAXIS Mission to Explore Planetary Rings of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
- PRAXIS Concept: Selected for Phase I funding under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) 2026 program to directly sample planetary ring particles.
- Grazing Strategy: The spacecraft will hover just outside the ring plane and deploy an AI-driven flexible boom to sample millimeter-to-centimeter scale particles.
- JPL Leadership: Led by Dr. B. Marco Quadrelli at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to perform in-situ analysis of ring chemical structures.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL): Established in **1936** and located in Pasadena, California, JPL is a federally funded R&D center managed by Caltech for NASA.
Public Health
29 July 2026
Uganda Declared Ebola-Free Following Successful 42-Day Monitoring Period
- Ebola-Free Declaration: The Ministry of Health of Uganda officially declared the end of the Bundibugyo virus Ebola outbreak after no new cases emerged for 42 days.
- Outbreak Containment: The nation recorded 20 confirmed cases and 2 deaths, successfully managing contacts with no community transmissions.
- Cross-Border Source: The outbreak was traced to an importation event from the neighboring Ituri province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Ebola Virus: First discovered in **1976** near the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads through human-to-human contact.
Environment
29 July 2026
World Nature Conservation Day 2026 Observed Globally on July 28
- Nature Advocacy: Celebrated on **July 28** annually to raise awareness about the protection of natural resources, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
- Themes 2026: Prominently featured the theme **"Protecting Nature for a Sustainable Future"** to address ecosystem degradation, deforestation, and climate impact.
- Eco Stewardship: Highlights active efforts in resource conservation, waste reduction, and the protection of endangered habitats globally.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature, established in **1948** and headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, is the global authority on environmental conservation status.
Wildlife Conservation
29 July 2026
International Tiger Day Observed Globally on July 29 with Focus on Coexistence
- Annual Observance: International Tiger Day (also known as Global Tiger Day) was celebrated globally on **July 29** to promote tiger habitat protection.
- Theme 2026: The official focus for 2026 is **"Coexistence in action: Scaling solutions for people and tigers"**, highlighting community-led conservation programs.
- St. Petersburg Declaration: Commemorates the 2010 St. Petersburg Tiger Summit, where range countries committed to doubling wild tiger populations (TX2 target).
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Project Tiger: India launched Project Tiger on **April 1, 1973**, from Jim Corbett National Park. As of 2026, India is home to over 75% of the world's wild tiger population.
Sports
Cricket Records
29 July 2026
Justin Greaves Becomes First Bowler to Bowl Five Consecutive Wicket-Maidens in Test Cricket
- Historic Spell: West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves took a wicket in five consecutive maiden overs during the 1st Test match against Pakistan.
- Record Broken: Surpassed the previous record of four consecutive wicket-maidens set by England's Stuart Broad against South Africa in 2016.
- Incredible Figures: Greaves finished with career-best figures of 5/27, triggering a collapse that bowled Pakistan out for 282.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
Brian Lara Academy: Located in Tarouba, Trinidad, this stadium was inaugurated in **2017** and is named after legendary batsman Brian Lara.
Shooting
29 July 2026
Esha Singh Wins Gold Medal at ISSF World Cup 2026 in China
- Gold Medal Performance: Promising Indian shooter Esha Singh won the gold medal in the women's 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026 in Hangzhou, China.
- Final Standing: Finished in the top spot with an impressive score of 40 hits, defeating China's Zhang Yueyue who secured silver with 37 hits.
- Double Podium: India's Manu Bhaker secured the bronze medal with 28 hits, marking a major double podium milestone for the Indian shooting contingent.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
ISSF: The International Shooting Sport Federation, founded in **1907**, is the governing body of international shooting sport, headquartered in Munich, Germany.
Table Tennis
29 July 2026
22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship Commences in New Delhi
- Championship Kick-off: The 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship officially began at the Thyagraj Stadium in New Delhi, hosting teams from over 25 nations.
- Double Team Gold: India achieved a historic feat with both the men's and women's teams winning the gold medals, defeating Malaysia in both finals.
- Thyagraj Stadium: The multi-purpose stadium hosted the games from July 27 to August 2, 2026.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
TTFI: The Table Tennis Federation of India, founded in **1926**, is the governing body for table tennis in India and is a founder member of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF).
Football Retirement
29 July 2026
Argentina Defender Nicolás Otamendi Announces International Football Retirement
- La Albiceleste Farewell: Veteran 38-year-old defender Nicolás Otamendi has retired from international football after a legendary 17-year career with Argentina.
- World Cup Final Match: His final game was the 2026 World Cup final, where Argentina finished as runners-up to Spain (1-0).
- Trophy Records: Earned 139 caps, winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, two Copa América titles (2021, 2024), and the 2022 Finalissima.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
FIFA World Cup 2026: Jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It was the first edition featuring an expanded format of 48 teams.
Awards, Honours & Appointments
Cinema Honors
29 July 2026
Pankaj Tripathi to Be Honored with 'Artist of Distinction' Award at IFFM 2026
- Artist of Distinction: National Award-winning actor Pankaj Tripathi is set to be honored for his exceptional contributions to Indian cinema and digital streaming platforms.
- Awards Ceremony: The presentation will take place on **August 13, 2026** at the Palais Theatre during the 2026 Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.
- Milestone Attending: Marks the actor's first-ever personal attendance at the Melbourne festival to receive the honor.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
IFFM: Indian Film Festival of Melbourne was founded in **2010** and is backed by the State Government of Victoria, Australia.
Appointments
29 July 2026
Lata Gupta Appointed as Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson
- DCW Chairperson: BJP leader and former municipal councillor Lata Gupta has been officially appointed as the Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women.
- Two-Year Vacancy: Ends a vacancy of more than two years that began after former chief Swati Maliwal resigned from the post in January 2024.
- Commission Members: The Delhi government also appointed five new members, including Shyam Bala, Malti Verma, Lata Sodhi, Sanrika Sharma Jha, and Renu Bhalla.
STATIC GK & EXAM FACTS
DCW: The Delhi Commission for Women is a statutory body constituted in **1994** under the Delhi Commission for Women Act, 1994, to protect the rights of women in the National Capital Territory.
⚡ ONE-LINER QUICK REVISION POINTERS (29 JULY 2026)
- Atmanirbhar Panchayat: Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched this scheme targeting 350 local revenue-generating projects over four years.
- SAMARTH Portal: A newly launched national unified portal to facilitate the lifecycle of Own Source of Revenue (OSR) for Panchayats.
- Commonwealth Peace Mediation: CPMC 2026 inaugurated in Jaipur, Rajasthan, focusing on peace mediation frameworks.
- Himachal Fishermen Scheme: Mukhyamantri Machhuara Samman Nidhi Yojana launched, providing Rs. 3,500 annual honorarium.
- PNB Quantum Finance: PNB signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to establish India's first bank-led quantum finance hub.
- Air India Easy Connect: Newly launched Amritsar hub-and-spoke international passenger transit program connecting 27 global destinations.
- UNESCO Danger List: 6 sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in Busan, including South Sudan's Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape.
- Volker Türk: Reappointed as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for a second 4-year term (2026-2030).
- China Fusion Magnet: Successfully completed testing of a massive 582-tonne toroidal-field superconducting fusion magnet in Hefei.
- NASA PRAXIS Mission: Concept selected for Phase I funding to directly sample Saturn's planetary ring particles using an AI-guided boom.
- Uganda Ebola-Free: WHO and Ministry of Health officially declared Uganda Ebola-free after a 42-day case-free window.
- World Nature Conservation Day: Celebrated globally on July 28 under the theme 'Protecting Nature for a Sustainable Future'.
- International Tiger Day: Celebrated globally on July 29 under the theme 'Coexistence in action: Scaling solutions for people and tigers'.
- Justin Greaves: West Indies bowler registered the world record of bowling five consecutive wicket-maiden overs in Test cricket.
- Esha Singh: Won the gold medal in the women's 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup 2026 held in Hangzhou, China.
- Commonwealth Table Tennis: The 22nd edition commenced at Thyagraj Stadium in New Delhi with teams from over 25 countries.
- Nicolas Otamendi: Argentine defender announced his retirement from international football after 139 caps and 17 years of career.
- Pankaj Tripathi: Selected to receive the 'Artist of Distinction' award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2026.
- Lata Gupta: Appointed as the Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).
- 57th IFFI: The 57th edition of the International Film Festival of India will be hosted in Goa from November 20 to 28, 2026.
Appendix: Indian States & UTs Reference Table (Latest 2026)
| State / UT Name | Capital | Governor / Lt. Governor / Administrator | Chief Minister |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati | Justice (Retd.) S. Abdul Nazeer | N. Chandrababu Naidu |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar | Lt. General Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik | Pema Khandu |
| Assam | Dispur | Gulab Chand Kataria | Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma |
| Bihar | Patna | Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar | Nitish Kumar |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur | Biswabhusan Harichandan | Vishnu Deo Sai |
| Goa | Panaji | P. S. Sreedharan Pillai | Pramod Sawant |
| Gujarat | Gandhinagar | Acharya Devvrat | Bhupendra Patel |
| Haryana | Chandigarh | Bandaru Dattatreya | Nayab Singh Saini |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla | Shiv Pratap Shukla | Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu |
| Jharkhand | Ranchi | C. P. Radhakrishnan | Hemant Soren |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru | Thaawarchand Gehlot | Siddaramaiah |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | Arif Mohammad Khan | Pinarayi Vijayan |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | Mangubhai C. Patel | Dr. Mohan Yadav |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai | Ramesh Bais | Eknath Shinde |
| Manipur | Imphal | Anusuiya Uikey | N. Biren Singh |
| Meghalaya | Shillong | Phagu Chauhan | Conrad Sangma |
| Mizoram | Aizawl | Dr. Kambhampati Hari Babu | Lalduhoma |
| Nagaland | Kohima | La. Ganesan | Neiphiu Rio |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar | Raghubar Das | Mohan Charan Majhi |
| Punjab | Chandigarh | Banwarilal Purohit | Bhagwant Mann |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur | Kalraj Mishra | Bhajan Lal Sharma |
| Sikkim | Gangtok | Lakshman Prasad Acharya | Prem Singh Tamang |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai | R. N. Ravi | M. K. Stalin |
| Telangana | Hyderabad | C. P. Radhakrishnan (Addl. Charge) | A. Revanth Reddy |
| Tripura | Agartala | Indrasena Reddy Nallu | Dr. Manik Saha |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow | Anandiben Patel | Yogi Adityanath |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun | Lt. General Gurmit Singh | Pushkar Singh Dhami |
| West Bengal | Kolkata | Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose | Mamata Banerjee |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands (UT) | Port Blair | Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi (Lt. Governor) | - |
| Chandigarh (UT) | Chandigarh | Banwarilal Purohit (Administrator) | - |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu (UT) | Daman | Praful Patel (Administrator) | - |
| Delhi (NCT) | New Delhi | Vinai Kumar Saxena (Lt. Governor) | Atishi |
| Jammu and Kashmir (UT) | Srinagar/Jammu | Manoj Sinha (Lt. Governor) | - |
| Lakshadweep (UT) | Kavaratti | Praful Patel (Administrator) | - |
| Puducherry (UT) | Puducherry | C. P. Radharmakrishnan (Addl. Lt. Governor) | N. Rangasamy |
| Ladakh (UT) | Leh | Brigadier (Retd.) Dr. B. D. Mishra (Lt. Governor) | - |