Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 29 July, 2026

Context

NASA selected an early-stage mission concept called PRAXIS for its NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) 2026 Phase I funding.

• PRAXIS = Planetary Rings Autonomous EXploration with In-situ Sampling.
• It is a spacecraft concept developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) under Dr B. Marco Quadrelli.
• It would be the first mission to physically sample planetary ring particles, rather than observe them remotely.

What It Is

• Integrates bio-inspired robotics, real-time artificial intelligence and lightweight sampling mechanisms to interact directly with planetary rings.
• Aim: answer high-priority questions from the Planetary Science Decadal Survey — how planetary rings originate, how they dynamically evolve, and what ring particles are composed of.

Mission Timeline and Status

• Phase I (current, 2026): NIAC funding for feasibility studies, numerical simulations and system design evaluations.
• Phase II (potential): construction and testing of a physical prototype.
• Operational horizon: a concept-stage study; actual flight implementation targeted for future deep-space timelines.

About NIAC

• The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts programme funds early-stage, visionary, high-risk aerospace concepts that could transform future missions.
• Phase I: ~9 months of feasibility study; Phase II: ~2 years of maturation; Phase III: strategic development toward mission readiness.
• Most concepts never fly; the programme’s value lies in de-risking radical ideas cheaply.

India Angle

• India’s planetary programme — Chandrayaan-3 (2023), Aditya-L1, and the planned Shukrayaan (Venus) and Mangalyaan-2 — increasingly requires onboard autonomy for the same reason: communication delay.
• Chandrayaan-3’s autonomous hazard detection and avoidance during landing is a comparable capability.

Context

ONGC commenced drilling its first deepwater exploratory well, MN-DW18-1-H-D, in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin on 25 July 2026. It was virtually spudded from New Delhi by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. It marks the start of India’s deepwater programme under the Samudra Manthan Mission (National Deep Water Exploration Mission).

Part A — The Mahanadi River

What It Is

• “Mahanadi” means “Great River” in Sanskrit — one of the major peninsular river systems of east-central India.
• Renowned for its large silt-depositing capacity and extensive deltaic network along the Bay of Bengal.
• It is the largest river of Odisha.

Origin and Course

• Origin: rises in the Sihawa hill range, Dhamtari district, Chhattisgarh.
• Flows northward draining the eastern Chhattisgarh plain.
• Turns eastward into Odisha.
• Pierces the Eastern Ghats through a forested gorge — the Satkosia Gorge, itself a Tiger Reserve.
• Empties into the Bay of Bengal at False Point, near Paradip.
• States covered: Chhattisgarh and Odisha; the basin extends into small portions of Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

Tributaries

Part B — The Offshore Basin and Samudra Manthan

Why the Basin Is Hydrocarbon-Rich

• The river’s historical discharge deposited thick sedimentary layers offshore — the essential precondition for hydrocarbon formation.
• The Mahanadi Basin is one of India’s Category II/III sedimentary basins moving toward proven commercial production.

The Samudra Manthan Mission

• Follows PM Narendra Modi’s Independence Day address of 15 August 2025, calling for exploration of India’s untapped offshore reserves.
• The Government has opened nearly one million sq km of previously restricted offshore areas for exploration.

ONGC’s Institutional Response

• Launched the Deepwater Exploration Mission Centre (DeepX) in Mumbai on 5 January 2026.
• DeepX integrates geoscientific expertise, advanced interpretation, specialised training and global collaboration under a “One Company, One Data” philosophy.
• Builds on ONGC’s Utkal and Konark discoveries in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin.
• MN-DW18-1-H-D is the first of four planned deepwater wells in the basin.

Context

Chhattisgarh has launched the DWEEPTI Yojana — Decentralised Women Empowerment on Energy and Policy for Transformative Inclusion. It makes Chhattisgarh the first Indian state to adopt a women-led distributed renewable energy policy. It integrates women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) into the distributed solar ecosystem as installers, managers and entrepreneurs.

What It Is

• An initiative of the Chhattisgarh Panchayat and Rural Development Department.
• Developed in collaboration with Transform Rural India (TRI) under the Green Economy Transition Mission.
• Enables SHG women to install, manage and promote rooftop solar systems.

Aim

• Promote women-led clean energy entrepreneurship.
• Expand decentralised renewable energy adoption.
• Create sustainable livelihood opportunities.
• Support rural energy self-reliance.

Key Features

• Solar Didi Cadre
  • SHG women are trained as Solar Didis to work as solar vendors, technicians, installers, managers, and entrepreneurs, making them active participants in the rural solar value chain.
• Integration with PM Surya Ghar Yojana
  • Cluster Level Federations (CLFs) are registered as authorised vendors under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, enabling direct access to subsidy-linked rooftop solar projects.
• Affordable Financing
  • SHG members receive flexible loans for rooftop solar installations, leveraging the SHG–Bank Linkage Programme to overcome high upfront costs.
• Statewide Expansion
  • After a successful pilot in Kabirdham district, the initiative will be expanded across all districts of Chhattisgarh.

About PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana

• Launched in February 2024 with an outlay of about ₹75,021 crore.
• Targets 1 crore households with rooftop solar, providing up to 300 units of free electricity per month.
• Central Financial Assistance: 60% of system cost up to 2 kW, and 40% of additional cost for 2–3 kW, capped at 3 kW.
• Implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), with a National Portal for applications and vendor selection.

Practice MCQs

Q1. With reference to the DWEEPTI Yojana, consider the following statements:

1. It has been launched by Chhattisgarh, making it the first Indian state to adopt a women-led distributed renewable energy policy.
2. It trains Self-Help Group members as “Solar Didis” to work as solar vendors, technicians, installers and entrepreneurs.
3. Cluster Level Federations are registered as authorised vendors under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
4. It was piloted in the Bastar district before statewide expansion.

How many of the above statements are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

Q2. With reference to related schemes and concepts, consider the following statements:

1. The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana provides for up to 300 units of free electricity per month to participating households.
2. The Lakhpati Didi initiative aims to enable Self-Help Group women to earn an annual household income of at least ₹1 lakh.
3. In the rural livelihoods architecture, Cluster Level Federations are formed above Village Organisations, which are formed above Self-Help Groups.
4. Distributed renewable energy refers to large, centralised generation plants connected to the interstate transmission system.

How many of the above statements are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four (e) None

Answer Key

1. (c) — Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because the scheme was piloted in Kabirdham district, not Bastar.
2. (c) — Statements 1, 2, 3 are correct; Statement 4 is wrong because distributed renewable energy refers to small-scale generation at or near the point of consumption, such as rooftop solar and mini-grids — the opposite of large centralised plants.

Context

The BIMCO–ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026 ranks India the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers, with a 12.16% share of the global seafaring workforce, behind only the Philippines. India contributes 311,936 maritime professionals, up from fifth place with just 5.2% in 2015. A seafarer is a person who works on or travels regularly by sea, such as a sailor, mariner, or crew member.

The Report

• Published jointly by BIMCO (Baltic and International Maritime Council) and the ICS (International Chamber of Shipping).
• Released every five years and regarded by the global maritime industry as the most authoritative assessment of seafarer supply and demand.

The Numbers at a Glance

India’s Climb

• India has overtaken China; its share has more than doubled in a decade.
• Ranked ahead of China, the Russian Federation and Indonesia.

Mission 20 Per Cent

• Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal: the government is pursuing “Mission 20%” — raising India’s share from 12.16% to 20%.
• “Mission 20% is our next national milestone.”
• Aligned with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

Maharashtra became the first state to qualify for the second installment under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) after utilising over 75% of the first installment funds. The Government of India had released ₹335 crore, of which nearly ₹260 crore has been utilised. The state will now receive the second installment of ₹335 crore. RKVY is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) that supports state-specific agricultural development.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) celebrated its 20th Foundation Day on 27 July 2026 at Prithvi Bhawan, New Delhi. It launched 13 IMD Centres of Excellence, IMD NOVA, the WINGS app, the National Doppler Weather Radar Reflectivity Mosaic, and the Strong Motion Atlas of India. The ministry also upgraded the Thiruvananthapuram Cyclone Warning Centre into an Area Cyclone Warning Centre (ACWC). These initiatives strengthen weather forecasting, seismology, and ocean science.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) launched the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme, SAMARTH Panchayat Portal, and Model Own Source Revenue (OSR) Rules. The programme helps Panchayats generate sustainable local revenue and achieve financial self-reliance. SAMARTH is India’s first unified digital platform for Panchayat revenue management. The initiative supports stronger governance under Viksit Bharat @2047.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) announced the use of the Producer Price Index (PPI) as the GDP deflator in place of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) wherever applicable. The revised GDP series adopts 2022–23 as the base year and follows the double deflation method. The new methodology improves the accuracy of real GDP estimates. It will be implemented from the April–June quarter of 2026–27.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced a Task Force to help India achieve a 5% share of the global toy market by 2032. The initiative focuses on manufacturing, innovation, exports, skill development, and global value chains. A Toy Sector Playbook was also launched for MSMEs, startups, and manufacturers. India currently has over 21,000 MSMEs, 770+ startups, 50 toy clusters, and 1,800+ BIS licensees.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare approved the agricultural use of Anhydrous Ammonia fertilizer for three years under the Fertiliser Control Order, 1985. The fertilizer contains a minimum of 82% nitrogen, improving fertilizer-use efficiency. The decision aims to reduce India’s dependence on imported urea. A 150 TPD Green Urea pilot plant will also be developed by NETRA in Andhra Pradesh.

The Ministry of Tourism signed a two-year MoU with Air India to promote the Incredible India brand globally. The partnership includes digital campaigns, inflight promotions, roadshows, and tourism exhibitions. It also supports collaborations with travel trade partners and tour operators. The initiative aims to increase inbound tourism and position India as a global travel hub.

The Government of India approved the RBI’s proposal to conduct field trials of one billion polymer notes each in ₹10 and ₹20 denominations. The trials will evaluate durability, security features, and public acceptance under different conditions. Polymer notes will serve as an additional option and will not immediately replace paper notes. The proposal was made under Section 25 of the RBI Act, 1934.

Axis Finance launched Drishti, an in-house Business Rules Engine (BRE) for retail and MSME lending. The platform automates credit assessment using analytics, underwriting workflows, and statistical scorecards. It has been deployed for Personal Loans, Business Loans, Loan Against Property, and Home Loans. The platform improves lending speed, consistency, and risk management.

OmniCard launched India’s first Flexi Benefits Basket on the UPI platform for tax-efficient employee benefits. The digital wallet supports spending across meals, fuel, telecom, books, gadgets, and other eligible categories. It can be used at nearly 60 million UPI merchants using Merchant Category Code (MCC) controls. The platform is built on an RBI-licensed Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI).

Edelweiss Mutual Fund launched the Edelweiss Nifty REITs & Realty Index Fund, India’s first REIT-focused passive index fund. The fund tracks the Nifty REITs & Realty Total Return Index (TRI) with around 60% allocation to REITs and 40% to real estate companies. The launch follows SEBI’s reclassification of REITs as equity instruments from 1 January 2026. The fund offers diversified exposure to India’s listed real estate sector.

NASA proposed the PRAXIS mission under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) 2026 programme. The AI-powered mission aims to directly collect and analyse particles from Saturn’s rings for the first time. It will study the origin, age, and evolution of planetary ring systems. The technology could also support future missions to Uranus, Neptune, and other ring-bearing bodies.

India observed the 88th CRPF Foundation Day on 27 July 2026, marking the establishment of the force in 1939. It was originally formed as the Crown Representative’s Police and renamed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in 1949. The day honours the force’s contribution to internal security, disaster response, and counter-insurgency. CRPF is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).

World Hepatitis Day was observed on 28 July 2026 with the theme “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down.” The day promotes awareness, prevention, and treatment of viral hepatitis to achieve elimination by 2030. It commemorates the birth anniversary of Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg, who discovered the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). The observance was officially recognised by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in 2010.