Daily Current Affairs Quiz
03&04 August , 2026
National Affairs
1. Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026
Source: News on Air
Context
The Lok Sabha passed the Bill on 3 August 2026 by voice vote, without debate, amid Opposition protests over the Jantar Mantar police action and the alleged chadhawa chori at the Ram Temple. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced it; a statutory resolution disapproving the Ordinance was rejected. The Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026 and Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026 were introduced the same day.
What the Bill Does
- Amends Section 2, Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
- Judges excluding the CJI: 33 → 37; total including CJI: 34 → 38.
- Replaces the Ordinance of 16 May 2026; carries a saving clause validating actions taken under it.
- No constitutional amendment needed — Article 124(1) leaves the strength to ordinary law.
Rationale — Pendency
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Pending cases (1 Jan 2026) | 92,101 |
| Instituted in 2025 | 75,410 |
| Disposed in 2025 | 65,615 |
Also intended to let the CJI constitute Constitution Benches regularly.
Strength Progression (incl. CJI)
1950: 8 → 1956: 11 → 1960: 14 → 1977: 18 → 1986: 26 → 2009: 31 → 2019: 34 → 2026: 38
Key Constitutional Points
- 124(1) — strength alterable by Parliament by ordinary law.
- 124(3) — HC judge 5 yrs / HC advocate 10 yrs / distinguished jurist (never used).
- Retirement age 65; appointments via the Collegium (Second and Third Judges Cases); NJAC struck down in 2015.
- Article 123 — President’s ordinance power; lapses six weeks after reassembly; D.C. Wadhwa (1987) barred re-promulgation. Article 213 is the Governor’s equivalent.
2. MSME Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026
Source: The Hindu
Context
The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill, amid Opposition demands for an apology from Home Minister Amit Shah over the police action against protesting students. The Upper House functioned only 19 minutes in the morning and was adjourned soon after passage. Opposition members did not participate in the debate; amendments moved by INDIA bloc members Ajay Maken, John Brittas, V. Sivadasan and A.A. Rahim were defeated by voice vote. The Lok Sabha passed it on 7 August 2026, completing parliamentary approval.
Key Provisions
- Registration
- MSME registration becomes voluntary. The Centre will establish a free digital registration platform, giving statutory backing to the Udyam Registration Portal.
- Classification
- MSMEs will be classified using investment and turnover criteria. Thresholds can be revised by notification without amending the Act.
- Delayed Payments
- Central PSEs must settle MSME procurement invoices through TReDS.
- New Section 22A requires notified entities to disclose MSME invoices routed through TReDS.
- States can establish multiple MSEFCs, with faster online dispute resolution and arbitration.
- Decriminalisation
- Criminal fines replaced with graded civil penalties. Penalties may increase by 10% every three years.
- Development Commissioner becomes the adjudicating officer; appeals must be filed within 30 days and disposed of within 60 days.
New Enforcement Provisions
- Section 18(6) — Online Dispute Resolution: empowers the Central Government to establish an ODR mechanism for mediation and arbitration through audio-video and other electronic means, removing the cost and travel barrier that deters small suppliers from pursuing claims.
- Section 18A — Recovery as arrears of land revenue: mediated settlement agreements and arbitral awards may be recovered through the District Collector, Deputy Commissioner or any other authority notified by the State Government. Such awards constitute a legally enforceable debt capable of recognition under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
- Sections 20–21 substituted: States may establish additional Facilitation Councils and have greater flexibility in deciding MSEFC composition, to speed up disposal.
- Section 22A: notified Central and State Public Sector Enterprises and other notified entities must disclose details of MSME invoices routed through TReDS.
3. Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY)
Source: PIB
Context
The Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY) on 31 July 2026 with an outlay of ₹5,070 crore, to promote floating solar projects with battery storage across reservoirs, dams and other inland water bodies.
What It Is
A national renewable energy Central Sector Scheme promoting floating solar power generation co-located with energy storage. It optimises water surfaces — reservoirs, dams, lakes, irrigation tanks and industrial ponds — to generate clean energy while preventing land-use conflicts.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nodal Ministry | Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) |
| Implementing Agency | Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) |
| Total outlay | ₹5,070 crore |
Aim: to expand India’s floating solar capacity from about 700 MW to 5,700 MW, by adding 5,000 MW coupled with 10,000 MWh of storage — mitigating land acquisition bottlenecks, reducing evaporation losses, and enhancing grid reliability.
Key Features
- Capacity target: 5,000 MW of Floating Solar Photovoltaic (FSPV) projects across all States and UTs between FY 2026-27 and FY 2030-31.
- Mandatory co-located energy storage: Energy Storage Systems with a minimum 2-hour duration, totalling 10,000 MWh, to supply power during peak demand hours and reduce renewable energy curtailment.
- Central Financial Assistance: ₹1 crore per MW, released post-commissioning, to bridge the roughly 25% higher capital cost of floating platforms compared with ground-mounted solar.
- Project de-risking grants: up to ₹50 lakh per project for initial technical feasibility studies — bathymetry and hydrography surveys, solar yield calculations, and aquatic ecological impact assessments.
- Aatmanirbhar manufacturing push: indigenous manufacturing across the value chain — floatation platforms, anchoring and mooring systems, PV modules and storage batteries.
- Expected investment: about ₹28,500 crore; CO₂ reduction of roughly 10 million tonnes annually; 16,000–17,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
4. The Revamped Khelo India Scheme
Source: PIB
Context
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, approved an expanded and revamped Khelo India Scheme on 31 July 2026, along with an enhanced Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) scheme. Announced by I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Government described it as the country’s most ambitious sports development programme since Independence.
What It Is
The central flagship initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, designed to revive India’s sports culture at the grassroots, identify athletic talent, construct modern sports infrastructure, and establish a structured pathway to national and international excellence.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original launch | 2016–17, extensively restructured in 2017–18, by merging the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan, Urban Sports Infrastructure Scheme and National Sports Talent Search System |
| Revamped period | FY 2026–27 to FY 2030–31 |
| Combined outlay | ₹36,441 crore — nearly eight times the previous cycle |
| Ministry | Youth Affairs and Sports |
Aim: aligned with the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 and NEP 2020, it integrates sports with education, expands the talent pool, builds high-performance ecosystems, and supports India’s Commonwealth Games and Olympic hosting ambitions.
Key Features
- Massive athlete pool expansion: introduces the Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIAs) category alongside existing Khelo India Athletes (KIAs), expanding the structured development ecosystem nearly ten-fold under professional coaching and scientific support.
- School-level integration: two new initiatives — Khelo India Feeder Schools (KIFS) and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas (KIUV) — to embed physical education into mainstream school curricula and enable early talent identification.
- Integrated nationwide training ecosystem: a seamless tier of National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), Khelo India State Centres of Excellence (KISCEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), and Youth Sports Companies (YSCs) operated by the Armed Forces.
- National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB): to standardise coaching qualifications, enforce high-performance benchmarks and upscale sports science support personnel.
- Unified digital sports platform: integrating athlete databases, talent assessments and funding trails; alongside expansion of the Fit India Movement into remote, border and marginalised communities.
5. Exercise ROTOR CLAP III
Source: Times of India
Context
The Indian Air Force concluded its week-long counter-drone exercise, ROTOR CLAP III, on Sunday, 2 August 2026, at the Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan.
What It Is
The third edition of a specialised rotary-wing (helicopter) counter-drone operational exercise conducted by the IAF, built around the theme “Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (Counter-UAS)” — testing and refining rotary-wing responses to drone threats.
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Host force | Indian Air Force |
| Location | Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan (Western Desert Sector) |
| Participation | Exclusively Indian — multiple helicopter units and rotary-wing platforms from across the IAF |
| Theme | Counter-UAS |
Aim: to validate new operational concepts, test Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs), and enhance combat preparedness of the IAF’s rotary-wing fleet against emerging, low-altitude unmanned aerial system threats in realistic desert combat conditions.
6. Project SARATHI
Source: PIB
Context
Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda chaired a high-level review meeting in New Delhi on 1 August 2026 to assess a nationwide expansion framework for Project SARATHI across central government hospitals and medical institutions.
What It Is
Project SARATHI — Students’ Alliance for Responsible Action to Transform Healthcare Institutes — is a youth-led, volunteer-driven patient assistance initiative. It deploys trained student volunteers across public hospitals to provide non-clinical navigation, guidance and mobility assistance, humanising hospital environments and easing non-medical loads on clinical staff.
Aim: to improve patient experience in high-volume public hospitals through compassionate non-clinical support, while constructively engaging youth in civic duty, community service and healthcare empathy.
Related Framework
- MY Bharat (Mera Yuva Bharat) — an autonomous body launched on 31 October 2023 under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports as a technology-driven youth development platform; the National Youth Corps pays volunteers a monthly honorarium.
- National Service Scheme (NSS), 1969 — the older student volunteering programme under the same ministry.
- ABHA — a 14-digit health account number under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (2021), implemented by the National Health Authority.
- PGIMER Chandigarh — an Institute of National Importance established in 1962, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Banking/Finance
1. Favara–UPI Cross-Border Payment Corridor
Source: TH
Context
The Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) launched the Favara–UPI Cross-Border Payment Corridor, which went live on 30 July 2026, enabling real-time remittances from the Maldives to India.
What It Is
A real-time cross-border payment corridor integrating the Maldives’ Favara Instant Payment System with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), enabling seamless person-to-person (P2P) fund transfers.
Aim: to facilitate secure, instant and low-cost cross-border digital payments, strengthen bilateral financial connectivity, and deepen economic cooperation.
Key Features
- Real-time P2P transfers: individuals in the Maldives send funds instantly, with transactions initiated in Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) and credited in Indian Rupees (INR) to UPI-enabled bank accounts in India.
- Initial banking partners: Bank of Maldives Plc and Maldives Islamic Bank Plc, through their existing mobile banking applications — no additional payment platform is required.
- Permitted remittance categories: family-maintenance remittances under both foreign inward and outward remittance provisions, and gift-related remittances permitted under the Maldives’ foreign outward remittance framework.
- Institutional collaboration: the MMA, RBI, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and participating financial institutions.
- Origin: builds on an agreement signed between NIPL and the MMA in July 2025; full operational readiness was reached after an accelerated 10-day implementation covering system testing, certification, institutional onboarding and live transaction validation.
- Future expansion: upcoming phases will introduce QR-based merchant payments and additional cross-border digital payment services.
UPI is now accepted in nine countries — Cambodia, Singapore, the UAE, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Bhutan, Qatar and Sri Lanka — enabling Indian travellers to pay abroad through UPI.
2. Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026
Source: Business Standard
Context
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Bill in the Lok Sabha on 4 August 2026; it was passed on 6 August 2026 by voice vote without discussion, amid Opposition protests over the 20 July police action. It awaits Rajya Sabha approval. The Bill repeals and replaces the Income-tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026 (promulgated 5 June 2026) and amends three statutes: the Income-tax Act, 2025, the Finance Act, 2026, and the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
Key Provisions
| Area | Provision |
|---|---|
| Government securities | FIIs and the Bank for International Settlements exempt from tax on interest income and capital gains from G-secs, subject to prescribed reporting; applies to income arising on or after 1 April 2026 (carried over from the Ordinance) |
| Rough diamond trade | Exemption until 31 March 2041 on income from sale of rough diamonds in notified special zones, for eligible foreign companies — diamond mining companies, sightholders, brokers, aggregators, and tender or auction entities |
| Electronics manufacturing | Exemption for foreign companies on income from storage and sale of components held in customs bonded warehouses and supplied to contract manufacturers of specified electronic goods |
| Offshore investment funds | Safe harbour conditions eased for eligible investment funds and eligible fund managers, reducing tax uncertainty for fund managers operating from India |
| Business trusts (REITs / InvITs) | Removes the restriction that denied exemption on dividends received by unit holders where the SPV had opted for the concessional (new) tax regime |
| Digital payments | Amends Section 10A of the PSS Act, 2007 — removes references to the Income-tax Act and empowers the Central Government to notify electronic payment modes on which banks and payment system providers cannot levy charges |
Agriculture
1. India’s Gene-Edited Rice Varieties
Source: PIB
Context:
One of India’s two gene-edited rice varieties, Pusa DST Rice 1, is set to be planted in the coming rabi season for seed multiplication, with transplanting around November 2026. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is expected to sign an MoU this month with US-based Corteva, which holds the licence for CRISPR-Cas9 technology.
About Gene-Edited Rice in India
What It Is?
- Genome editing (CRISPR-Cas) works like a molecular scalpel, allowing scientists to precisely cut and rewrite sections of a plant’s DNA to develop traits such as higher yield, climate resilience or disease resistance — without introducing foreign genes.
- On 4 May 2025, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that ICAR scientists had, for the first time anywhere, developed two rice varieties using gene-editing technology.
Developing Institutions: ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, and ICAR–Indian Institute of Rice Research (IIRR), Hyderabad.
Aim: To develop climate-resilient, high-yielding rice varieties tolerant to drought, salinity and alkalinity, compressing varietal development from 8–10 years to 3–5, and to move India’s genome-editing capability from laboratory research to farmers’ fields.
The Two Varieties
| Pusa DST Rice 1 | DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) | |
|---|---|---|
| Developed by | ICAR–IARI, New Delhi | ICAR–IIRR, Hyderabad |
| Tool used | CRISPR-Cas9 (licence held by Corteva) | CRISPR-Cas12a (patent held by MIT/Broad Institute) |
| Parent variety | MTU1010 | Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204) |
| Gene edited | SDN-1 mutant of the Drought and Salt Tolerance (DST) gene | Cytokinin oxidase gene (Gn1a) |
| Trait gained | Tolerance to drought, salinity and alkalinity | Higher yield, earlier maturity, drought tolerance |
Key Features
- Seed multiplication ready: IARI already holds about 2 tonnes of Pusa DST Rice 1 seed, sufficient to begin multiplication in the coming rabi season.
- Field-tested: validated in multilocation field trials during 2023 and 2024.
Facts To Remember
1. Ankur and Yashaswini Win Commonwealth Table Tennis Titles
Ankur Bhattacharjee and Yashaswini Ghorpade won the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively at the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships in New Delhi, as India secured four of the five gold medals, including the women’s doubles and mixed doubles crowns.
2. Odisha Seeks UNESCO Tag for Puri Rath Yatra
The Odisha Government has sought UNESCO recognition for the Rath Yatra of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri by seeking its nomination to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, highlighting the festival’s cultural and religious significance.
3. Justice M.S. Liberhan Passes Away at 87
Justice Manmohan Singh Liberhan, who headed the commission that investigated the circumstances surrounding the demolition of the Babri Mosque at Ayodhya, passed away at the age of 87 in Chandigarh.
4. Cabinet Approves Expanded Khelo India Scheme with ₹36,441 Crore Outlay
The Union Cabinet approved the expanded Khelo India Scheme and enhanced Assistance to National Sports Federations with a combined outlay of ₹36,441 crore for 2026–27 to 2030–31, introducing initiatives such as Khelo India Feeder Schools, Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas and Emerging Khelo India Athletes.
5. Cabinet Approves ₹84,084 Crore Samudra Manthan Scheme
The Union Cabinet approved the ₹84,084 crore Samudra Manthan–National Offshore Exploration Scheme to boost offshore oil and gas exploration, strengthen India’s energy security, reduce import dependence and increase domestic oil and gas production.
6. Cabinet Approves ₹5,070 Crore PM-SSY for Floating Solar Projects
The Union Cabinet approved ₹5,070 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana for developing 5,000 MW of floating solar capacity with energy storage systems, aiming to strengthen renewable energy generation and grid reliability.
7. Cabinet Extends PM-KISAN Scheme for Five Years
The Union Cabinet approved continuation of the PM-KISAN scheme for 2026–27 to 2030–31 with an outlay of ₹3.15 lakh crore, continuing annual financial assistance of ₹6,000 to eligible farmer families through three equal DBT instalments.
8. India Launches Sovereign-Backed P&I Insurance Product under BMIP
The Department of Financial Services launched India’s first sovereign-backed Protection & Indemnity insurance product under the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool, providing third-party liability coverage of up to USD 1.5 billion for Indian shipping against maritime and war-related risks.
9. AYUSH Ministry and IndiaAI Sign MoU for AI-Driven Traditional Medicine
The Ministry of AYUSH and IndiaAI signed an MoU to promote AI-driven innovation in traditional medicine by enabling access to health research datasets, AI infrastructure and computing resources, while supporting research, digital health and capacity building.
10. UNESCO Adds Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath to World Heritage List
The 48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in Busan, South Korea, inscribed 25 new sites, including the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh, taking the total number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to 1,273 across 173 countries.
11. India-Maldives Launch Favara-UPI Cross-Border Payment Corridor
The Maldives Monetary Authority operationalised the integration of its Favara instant payment system with India’s UPI, enabling real-time cross-border transfers and strengthening digital payment connectivity between India and the Maldives.
12. Varsha Ashok Aglawe Becomes First Woman Director General of GSI
Varsha Ashok Aglawe assumed charge as the 54th Director General of the Geological Survey of India, becoming the first woman to head the organisation in its 176-year history, with focus areas including critical minerals, mineral security and offshore exploration.
13. Former COAS General Vishwa Nath Sharma Passes Away
Former Chief of Army Staff General Vishwa Nath Sharma passed away at the age of 91 in New Delhi, having served as the 14th Chief of Army Staff from May 1988 to June 1990 and receiving the AVSM and PVSM.
14. Franco Baresi Passes Away at 66
Italian football legend and former AC Milan captain Franco Baresi passed away at the age of 66 in Milan, having spent his entire club career with AC Milan and won six Serie A titles and three European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles.
15. Kailash Chandra Pant Passes Away at 90
Renowned Hindi writer and 2026 Padma Shri awardee Kailash Chandra Pant passed away at the age of 90 in Bhopal, having made significant contributions to Hindi literature, journalism and cultural activities.
16. World FinTech Day Observed on August 1
World FinTech Day was observed on August 1 to highlight the growing role of financial technology in modernising financial services, expanding financial inclusion and transforming the global financial industry.
17. World Wide Web Day Observed on August 1
World Wide Web Day was observed on August 1 to commemorate the development of the World Wide Web by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, who developed the first web server and browser in 1990 and launched the world’s first website in 1991.
18. Tamil Nadu Signs Four MoUs for GCCs and Foreign University Campus
The Tamil Nadu Government signed four MoUs to establish Global Capability Centres, R&D facilities and the University of Western Australia’s India campus in Chennai, with the projects expected to attract significant investments and generate nearly 2,920 employment opportunities.
