Daily Current Affairs – 26 July 2026

Introduction

The CareerUdaya Daily Current Affairs – 26 July 2026 edition brings APSC, ADRE, Assam Police, Assam TET, SSC, Banking and Railway aspirants a concise revision set based on verified developments available by 26 July. The strongest examination hooks are the inscription of Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath as India’s 45th UNESCO World Heritage property, the launch of DISHA 2.0 for technology-enabled access to justice, SVEP rural-enterprise outcomes under DAY-NRLM, completed facts from the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026, DRDO’s maiden flight-test of Kusha long-range surface-to-air missile, nationwide implementation data for the new criminal laws with an Assam training hook, official steel-sector Q1 FY 2026–27 numbers, the cooperative Bharat Taxi model, WINDS/YES-TECH in crop insurance, and Digital Farmer ID progress with Northeast drone-training relevance. Attempt the linked Daily Current Affairs Quiz – 26 July 2026 and explore more editions on the Current Affairs Hub.

Culture & Heritage — Sarnath Joins UNESCO World Heritage List

On 25 July 2026, the Ministry of Culture announced that India’s 2025–26 nomination, “Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath”, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List at the 48th Session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, South Korea. It became India’s 45th World Heritage property. The serial property has two component parts: Chaukhandi Stupa and the Archaeological Remains of Sarnath, including Dhamekh Stupa, Dharmrajika Stupa, Mulagandhakuti Vihara and the Ashokan Pillar.

Sarnath, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is associated with Gautama Buddha’s first sermon, the Dharmachakra Pravartana, and the beginning of the Buddhist sangha. The site was nominated under UNESCO criteria (iii) and (vi). India now ranks sixth globally and second in the Asia-Pacific region by number of World Heritage properties. For exams, remember: site, State, session venue, criteria, India’s 45th property, and ASI as the nodal agency.

Justice & Governance — DISHA 2.0

On 25 July 2026, the Ministry of Law and Justice detailed DISHA 2.0 — Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice — as a Central Sector Scheme with an approved outlay of ₹255 crore for 2026–31. DISHA 2.0 aims to expand citizen-friendly legal-service platforms through technology. Its four components are Tele-Law: Reaching the Unreached, Nyaya Bandhu pro-bono legal services, the Legal Literacy and Legal Awareness Programme, and VIDHI-Sanjeevani.

Tele-Law provides free pre-litigation advice through mobile app, video/teleconferencing at Common Service Centres and toll-free number 14454. Nyaya Bandhu links volunteer advocates with marginalised beneficiaries covered under Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987. VIDHI-Sanjeevani will operate as a central integrated dashboard, with planned outreach of 50 lakh beneficiaries. The Nyaya Setu AI chatbot, launched on 29 March 2026, supports voice/text interactions in 22 Indian languages. Exam hooks: full form, scheme type, outlay, period, four components and Tele-Law 14454.

Rural Development — Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme

The Start-up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) backgrounder released on 25 July 2026 stated that, by 30 June 2026, SVEP had supported 4.32 lakh rural enterprises. About 86% of entrepreneurs belonged to SC, ST, Minority and OBC communities, making the programme important for social-inclusion questions. SVEP is a 2016 sub-scheme of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

SVEP supports Self Help Groups (SHGs) and their family members in setting up non-farm rural enterprises through training, finance, mentoring, CRP-EPs, bank linkages and Mudra convergence. For exams, pair SVEP with DAY-NRLM, non-farm rural entrepreneurship, SHGs, the 4.32 lakh enterprise figure and the 86% inclusion statistic.

Border Governance & Youth — Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026

On 25 July 2026, the PMO release on the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026 gave completed programme details useful for exams. The programme was organised in two phases from 4 June to 30 June 2026, covering 74 vibrant villages across Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. More than 400 youth participants, representing every State and Union Territory, were selected through a nationwide online quiz competition with participation from more than three lakh youth.

The programme is implemented through MY Bharat and reflects the policy framing of treating border villages as the first villages of the nation. Participants lived with local communities and undertook Swachhta drives, awareness campaigns on government schemes, youth gatherings, cultural exchange, tree plantation, Mini Model Panchayat simulations, interactions with artisans and visits to institutions of strategic importance. Use this as a border-governance and youth-engagement item: MY Bharat, 74 villages, three frontier regions and the completed June 2026 exposure programme.

Defence — Kusha Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile

On 23 July 2026, DRDO successfully conducted the maiden flight-test of Kusha, a Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM), from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. The test used an electronic target simulating a high-speed, high-altitude aerial threat and the missile system successfully intercepted it.

The Kusha system is designed to neutralise aerial threats such as fighter jets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and large enemy aircraft. Its missiles, radars, command-and-control centre and other elements have been developed by DRDO laboratories and industry partners. For defence prelims: Kusha = LRSAM, DRDO, APJ Abdul Kalam Island, maiden test and air-defence threat categories.

Polity & Assam — New Criminal Laws Implementation

In a 25 July 2026 Lok Sabha-linked release, the Ministry of Law and Justice restated implementation details for the three new criminal laws: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA). They came into force across India on 1 July 2024. Police and Public Order remain State List subjects, so States/UTs handle investigation, prosecution and law-and-order implementation while the Centre supports infrastructure through programmes such as ICJS 2.0, forensic-capacity schemes and Nirbhaya Fund projects.

The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) has trained 83,740 officers and stakeholders since 2024 across the five pillars of the criminal justice system. The release also gave an Assam-specific implementation hook: in Assam, available and trained counts were reported as 54,474 police personnel, 941 prison officers, 302 prosecutors, 459 judicial officers and 111 forensic experts. From the latest Crime in India 2024 data cited in the reply, Assam recorded 37 organised-crime cases, nine petty organised-crime cases and one crime by terrorists. For APSC, retain the three law names, enforcement date, BPR&D training role and Assam capacity-building numbers.

Economy & Industry — Steel Sector Q1 FY 2026–27

The Ministry of Steel release dated 24 July 2026 reported that India’s steel sector maintained growth momentum in Q1 FY 2026–27. In June 2026, crude steel production was 14.1 million tonnes (Mt), up 4.5% year-on-year; finished steel production was 13.5 Mt, up 3.8%; and finished steel consumption was 14.2 Mt, up 7.5%. For April–June 2026, crude steel production was 42.1 Mt, finished steel production 40.6 Mt, and finished steel consumption 41.6 Mt.

India’s crude steelmaking capacity stood at about 222 MTPA as of June 2026, moving toward the National Steel Policy target of 300 MTPA by 2030. India was a net importer of finished steel by quantity during April–June 2026. Imports were led by China, while exports were led by the UAE in the official top-country snapshot. Under the Green Steel Initiative, 97 producers across 15 States had received Green Steel Certificates. Economy questions may test production vs consumption, net-importer status, 222 MTPA capacity and the 300 MTPA target.

Cooperation & Mobility — Bharat Taxi

On 23 July 2026, the Ministry of Cooperation reported the launch of Bharat Taxi service in Maharashtra by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at Navi Mumbai International Airport, after launches in Delhi and Gujarat. Bharat Taxi is a cooperative mobility model linked to the Sahakar Se Samriddhi vision and the Ministry of Cooperation’s push to extend cooperative structures beyond traditional rural sectors.

The model treats taxi Sarathis as members, owners and shareholders of the cooperative institution. It promises no surge pricing, no hidden charges, fixed service fees, transparent fares and profit-sharing. The release placed the launch in the broader cooperative ecosystem: over 8.60 lakh cooperative societies nationwide, nearly 2.5 lakh in Maharashtra, about 40,000 new cooperative societies formed, and PACS computerisation at nearly ₹3,000 crore. For exams, Bharat Taxi shows cooperative-sector diversification into platform mobility.

Agriculture & Weather Data — WINDS and YES-TECH

In a 24 July 2026 Rajya Sabha reply, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare explained the Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS). WINDS is meant to build a national network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARGs) for hyperlocal weather data used in crop insurance, agriculture advisories and disaster-risk resilience. Seven States/UTs had adopted it: Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. As on date, 16,843 sites were approved, civil work was completed at 1,188 sites, and 892 AWS/ARGs had been installed.

The same reply connected weather data with PMFBY technology use. YES-TECH — Yield Estimation System based on Technology — has been implemented from Kharif 2023 for paddy and wheat and from Kharif 2024 for soybean, with 30% weightage to YES-TECH-derived yield. For 2025–26, it covered 12 States across 344 districts. Exam focus: WINDS = AWS/ARG weather network; YES-TECH = technology-based yield estimation; Assam is among the adopting States/UTs.

Digital Agriculture & Assam — Farmer IDs and Drone Training

Another 24 July 2026 Agriculture Ministry reply reported that, as of 20 July 2026, more than 10.18 crore Farmer IDs had been created to streamline subsidy transfers and technical advisories. Farmer IDs support integration with schemes and services such as PM-Kisan, PMFBY, MSP-based procurement, credit delivery, input distribution and disaster relief. Assam’s state-wise figure in the release was 13,35,174 Farmer IDs.

The reply also listed crop-insurance technology and drone capacity-building. Satellite imagery is used for YES-TECH, smarter CCE sampling, dispute resolution and rapid crop-damage assessment through the Krishi Decision Support System (DSS). Under SMAM, Kisan Drone assistance includes small and marginal farmers of the North Eastern States. The Farm Machinery Training & Testing Institute at Biswanath Chariali, Assam, with Budni and Hisar, is a DGCA-approved RPTO; the institutes had trained 155 drone pilots. For Assam/Northeast exams, link Farmer IDs, PMFBY technology and drone-training infrastructure.

Revision Notes

For quick revision of the 26 July edition: Sarnath became India’s 45th UNESCO World Heritage property at the 48th WHC in Busan; remember Chaukhandi Stupa, Dhamekh/Dharmrajika remains, Buddha’s first sermon and ASI. DISHA 2.0 is a ₹255 crore Central Sector Scheme for 2026–31 with Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu, LLLAP and VIDHI-Sanjeevani; Tele-Law number 14454; Nyaya Setu supports 22 languages. SVEP under DAY-NRLM supported 4.32 lakh rural enterprises; 86% beneficiaries from SC/ST/Minority/OBC groups. Viksit Vibrant Village Programme 2026 covered 74 border villages in Ladakh, HP and Uttarakhand with 400+ youth. Kusha LRSAM: DRDO, APJ Abdul Kalam Island, maiden test against high-speed/high-altitude target. New criminal laws: BNS, BNSS, BSA in force from 1 July 2024; BPR&D trained 83,740; Assam training counts are complete for police/prison/prosecutors/judicial/forensic categories. Steel Q1: crude steel 42.1 Mt, capacity 222 MTPA, target 300 MTPA by 2030, net finished-steel importer. Bharat Taxi: cooperative platform mobility, Maharashtra after Delhi/Gujarat, Sarathis as owners/shareholders. WINDS uses AWS/ARGs for hyperlocal weather data and includes Assam among adopting States/UTs; YES-TECH supports PMFBY yield estimation. Farmer IDs crossed 10.18 crore, with Assam at 13,35,174, while Biswanath Chariali is a DGCA-approved drone-training institute location. Practise these facts in the Daily Current Affairs Quiz – 26 July 2026, attempt more mock tests, revise study materials, and prepare for State examinations through the APSC Hub.

Exam Snapshot Table

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Sarnath’s UNESCO inscription important for exams?

Sarnath became India’s 45th UNESCO World Heritage property on 25 July 2026 at the 48th World Heritage Committee session in Busan. It is linked to Buddha’s first sermon and includes Chaukhandi Stupa plus the archaeological remains of Sarnath.

What is DISHA 2.0?

DISHA 2.0 is a ₹255 crore Central Sector Scheme for 2026–31 to expand access to justice through Tele-Law, Nyaya Bandhu, legal literacy and VIDHI-Sanjeevani. Tele-Law uses number 14454, CSCs and digital platforms for pre-litigation legal advice.

What is the Assam hook in the 26 July edition?

The new-criminal-laws implementation update includes Assam-specific capacity-building figures: all reported police personnel, prison officers, prosecutors, judicial officers and forensic experts in the listed categories were shown as trained.

What is Kusha?

Kusha is a DRDO-developed Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile system. Its maiden successful test on 23 July 2026 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island intercepted a simulated high-speed, high-altitude aerial threat.

Is there a quiz based on this article?

Yes. The Daily Current Affairs Quiz – 26 July 2026 contains 10 exam-focused MCQs drawn from this edition, with answers and explanations.

Which examinations is this edition useful for?

It is designed for APSC, ADRE, Assam Police, Assam TET, SSC, Banking and Railway aspirants who need concise, verified daily revision.