Daily Current Affairs

Himachal Pradesh has launched India’s first Aadhaar-based Face Authentication system for Public Distribution System (PDS) ration services.

The initiative, rolled out in July 2025, allows beneficiaries to authenticate identity through smartphone camera-based facial recognition, eliminating the need for OTP or fingerprint verification.

Developed by the Department of Digital Technologies and Governance (DDTG) with support from Gokul Butail.

Kasaragod district has earned the Fisheries Department Excellence Award 2025 for exemplary work under the Popular Fish Farming Project.

The award highlights the district’s effective promotion of aquaculture, growth in inland fish production, and farmer engagement.

Individual Honors:

• Ravi P.P. (Padanna) – Second place in Best Backwater Fish Seed Production Farmer category
• Sea Pearl Aquafarm (Kumbala) – Third place for Innovative Fish Farming Practices

District Collector K. Inbasekar commended Deputy Director K.A. Labib for strategic leadership.

The Punjab government introduced the Chief Minister Health Scheme, providing free cashless medical coverage of up to ₹10 lakh per family annually.

Key Details:

• Approximately 65 lakh families (around 3 crore individuals) will benefit
• Includes government employees, farmers, and vulnerable groups
• Beneficiaries of Ayushman Bharat receive an additional ₹5 lakh, totaling ₹10 lakh
• Digital health cards for cashless treatment in government and private hospitals

Implementation: Begins on October 2, 2025, covering over 2,000 medical conditions, including heart disease and cancer.

The Bihar government, led by Nitish Kumar, has sanctioned 35% job reservation in state government posts for women domiciled in Bihar.

Earlier applicable to all women, this quota now exclusively benefits native women, while candidates from other states will be treated as general category applicants.

The change, introduced through a General Administration Department proposal, is the first domicile-based women’s reservation policy in the state.

Additionally: The state approved the formation of a Bihar Youth Commission comprising a chairman, two vice-presidents, and seven members, all below 45 years.

DRDO concluded user trials of the Extended Range Anti-Submarine Rocket (ERASR) from INS Kavaratti between June 23 and July 7, 2025.

A total of 17 rockets were tested under realistic operational conditions.

Key Features:

• Twin-rocket motor system
• Electronic time fuze
• High precision for submarine detection and elimination

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded DRDO, the Indian Navy, and industry partners for strengthening India’s indigenous defense capabilities.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the UP Agritech Innovation Hub at SVPUAT, Meerut, on July 9, 2025.

Features:

• IoT-enabled sensors
• Automated irrigation systems
• Real-time data analytics for modern agriculture

This initiative is part of the Centre of Excellence on AI in Agriculture, with IIT Ropar as the lead tech partner.

An MoU was signed for ₹75 lakh funding to support research and academic collaboration. The event showcased 20 agritech startups and progressive farmers adopting advanced techniques.

Apple has appointed Sabih Khan as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO), succeeding Jeff Williams, who will retire later this year.

Khan, a company veteran since 1995, previously served as Senior Vice President of Operations, bringing nearly 30 years of experience.

His appointment comes amid U.S. pressure to shift iPhone production from China to the U.S.

Education: Dual bachelor’s degrees from Tufts University and a master’s from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Responsibilities: Supply chain strategy, manufacturing coordination, and sustainability initiatives.

PM Modi has set a new target of $20 billion in bilateral trade with Brazil by 2030, up from the current $12.2 billion.

Key Measures:

• Expansion of the Mercosur Preferential Trade Agreement to widen market access
• Integration of India’s UPI digital payment system in Brazil
• Boosting Indian pharmaceutical exports and exploring pharma manufacturing hubs in Brazil

Three MoUs signed: Intelligence sharing, biofuel collaboration, and renewable energy technology.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva presented Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, the country’s highest civilian award.

This distinction marks Modi’s 26th international recognition or award from a foreign nation since May 2014.

The accolade acknowledges Modi’s significant contribution to enhancing India-Brazil relations in diplomatic, economic, and cultural spheres through forums like BRICS and G20.

The European Union’s finance ministers have granted final approval for Bulgaria to adopt the euro as its official currency on January 1, 2026.

Bulgaria will become the 21st eurozone member, replacing its national currency, the lev, with the euro at a fixed exchange rate of 1.95583 lev per euro.

Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov hailed this as a historic milestone, despite the country undergoing political turmoil with seven elections in three years.

Key EU leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen and Christine Lagarde, applauded Bulgaria’s inclusion for contributing to economic stability.

The decision comes amid public unease over inflation and ongoing protests in Sofia calling for the retention of the lev.

ISRO completed two hot tests of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System (SMPS) on July 3, 2025, at Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu.

Test Details:

• 30-second short-duration trial
• 100-second extended-duration trial

System Components:

• 5 Liquid Apogee Motors (440N thrust each)
• 16 Reaction Control System thrusters (100N thrust each)

HCLSoftware rolled out Domino 14.5, integrated with Domino IQ, a sovereign AI solution ensuring data privacy and national control.

The system is tailored for governments and regulated industries, enabling AI deployment without reliance on global cloud services.

Executive VP Richard Jefts highlighted the importance of digital sovereignty in securing sensitive information.

The launch aligns with HCLTech’s collaboration with OpenAI to promote enterprise AI adoption while safeguarding data sovereignty.

Senior Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Charupara Ravi passed away at 77 in a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

Political Career:

• Political journey began at 18
• Served as chairman of the party’s parliamentary board
• Former Yuvajanatha youth wing president during the Janata Party era in 1977
• Contested Kerala Assembly elections from Aryanad (1980), Neyyattinkara (1996), and Nemom (2011)

Remembered for simplicity, accessibility, and active participation in protests and public movements.

Renowned Afghan cricket umpire Bismillah Jan Shinwari passed away at 41 after a brief illness.

Career Highlights:

• Member of the ICC International Panel
• Officiated 25 ODIs and 21 T20Is since debuting in 2017
• Made international debut during an Afghanistan vs. Ireland ODI in Sharjah

Praised for accuracy, calm demeanor, and mentorship of aspiring umpires.

Vatsala, Asia’s oldest known elephant, died at Panna Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh, on July 8, 2025, at an estimated age of 100 years.

She was regarded as the matriarch of the elephant herd, nurturing calves like a grandmother figure.

Journey: Originally from Kerala, she was relocated to Narmadapuram, later settling in Panna Reserve.

In her final days, she suffered from blindness and restricted mobility, receiving specialized care, including a soft diet.