Current Context: Recently, the Central government decided to form a high-level technical committee within a week to address inter‑state disputes over the Polavaram–Banakacherla Link Project, as well as other water-sharing issues involving Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

 About the Project:

• Location: Connects the Polavaram Dam on the Godavari River to the Banakacherla Regulator in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh.
• Objective: Divert around 200 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of surplus Godavari floodwater annually to drought-prone regions like Rayalaseema via Krishna river basins.

 Issue in Dispute:

• Telangana’s concern: Opposes link fearing it violates water-sharing agreements and could affect its water security.
• Environmental review: Expert Appraisal Committee rejected the project’s draft ToR, asking Andhra Pradesh to first consult the Central Water Commission.

Legal & Administrative Mechanism:

• Statutes invoked:
  • Inter‑State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 – allows the Centre to set up water tribunals.
  • River Boards Act, 1956 – enables state-level river management boards.
  • Constitutional backing: Article 262 bars courts from intervening in tribunal matters.
  • Centre’s action: Decided to set up Godavari River Management Board (Hyderabad) and Krishna River Management Board (Amaravati) by July 21.

Current Context: President Droupadi Murmu presented Swachh Survekshan 2024–25 awards, marking the 9th edition of India’s largest urban cleanliness survey .

 ABOUT SWACHH SURVEKSHAN

• Launched: 2016 under Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Aim: Promote cleanliness through citizen engagement, city benchmarking, and competition.
• New Format: Five population categories – Very Small, Small, Medium, Big, and Million‑Plus cities.
• Theme 2024–25: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” (3R).

 Relevant Data

• Super Swachh League: Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai recognized for consistent top performance.
• Top 3 in Million‑Plus: Ahmedabad, Bhopal, and Lucknow named as new ‘Clean Cities’.
• Lucknow: Achieved 3rd place with 12,001/12,500 score; 100% door‑to‑door collection, 97% segregation, 7‑star “Garbage‑Free City” rating.
• Small Town Spotlight: Belha (Chhattisgarh) named India’s cleanest small town (<20,000 pop.) Jamshedpur and Bundu also featured prominently.

 SPECIAL CATEGORY AWARDS

• Best Ganga Town: Prayagraj
• Best Cantonment Board: Secunderabad
• Safai Mitra Surakshit Shehar: Visakhapatnam, Jabalpur, Gorakhpur recognised for worker safety.
• Mahakumbh Management: Special award for waste handling during 2025 pilgrimage in Prayagraj.

 STATE‑LEVEL & INNOVATIONS

• Promising Clean Cities: 34 cities across States/Union Territories honoured under “One City, One Award”.
• New Initiatives:
  • Swachh City Partnership – each top city mentors one underperforming peer.
  • Accelerated Dumpsite Remediation – one-year mission from August 15, 2025, to clean legacy waste.

CURRENT CONTEXT: Ajay Kumar Shrivastava became the new Director of Engineering and Research & Development at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

ABOUT HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS LIMITED:

• Organisation Profile: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is a major public sector defence company in India, working in aircraft and aerospace technology.

BACKGROUND OF AJAY SHRIVASTAVA:

• Career Journey: Joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in 1988 as a Management Trainee (Technical).
• Leadership Roles: Led the Aircraft Research and Design Centre and the Transport Aircraft Research and Design Centre.
• Previous Role: Served as Executive Director of the Aircraft Research and Design Centre.

CURRENT CONTEXT: The Punjab Government introduced the Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill, 2025 in response to rising incidents of religious sacrilege and growing public concern.

ABOUT THE BILL:

• Purpose of the Bill: To protect religious harmony by making sacrilege of holy scriptures a criminal offence.
• Reason for Introduction: Punjab has seen several incidents of disrespect to holy books, disturbing communal peace and unity.

Definition of Offence:

• Meaning of Sacrilege: Acts like tearing, burning, damaging, defacing, or destroying sacred scriptures.
• Coverage: Even damaging a part or extract of the scripture is considered sacrilege under this law.

SCRIPTURES PROTECTED UNDER THE BILL:

• Holy Texts Covered:
  • Sri Guru Granth Sahib and its extracts (like Pothis and Gutka Sahib)
  • Srimad Bhagavad Gita
  • Quran Sharif
  • Holy Bible
• Inclusive Approach: The Bill ensures protection for all major religions followed in Punjab.

 PENALTIES AND PUNISHMENTS:

• Main Punishment: Minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment.
• Fine Amount: Between ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh for sacrilege.
• Attempt or Abetment: Jail term of 3 to 5 years and fine up to ₹3 lakh.

Strict Enforcement: Offences will be tried in Sessions Court and are non-bailable.

CURRENT CONTEXT: Union Cabinet approved the Prime Minister Dhan‑Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, a six-year mission to uplift agriculture in 100 districts.

ABOUT THE SCHEME:

• Objective: Boost farmer income by improving crop productivity, irrigation, storage, diversification, and credit access.
• Budget: Allocated ₹24,000 crore per year from 2025‑26, running for six years.
• Coverage: Targets 100 districts selected for low productivity, cropping intensity, and credit flow; at least one district per state/UT.
• Implementation Model: Converges 36 schemes across 11 ministries, with local PPP involvement.
• Governance Structure:
  • National, State, and District-level committees will oversee planning and execution.
  • District Dhan-Dhaanya Samiti, led by the District Collector and progressive farmers, will prepare tailored plans.
• Monitoring & Evaluation:
  • Performance tracked via 117 key indicators on a monthly digital dashboard.
  • NITI Aayog and Central Nodal Officers will review progress periodically.

SIGNIFICANCE:

• Aims to replicate the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme in agriculture.
• Expected to benefit around 7 crore farmers, create local jobs, and boost rural livelihoods.
• Intended to improve national agricultural performance and help achieve Atmanirbhar Bharat

CURRENT CONTEXT: Recently, a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck near Tanimbar Islands in the Banda Sea, off the coast of Indonesia.

ABOUT TANIMBAR ISLANDS:

• Location: Situated in Maluku province of Indonesia, between the Banda Sea and Arafura Sea.
• Geography: Group of about 30 islands; largest island is Yamdena, featuring forested hills and swampy lowlands.
• Seismic Vulnerability: Lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

CURRENT CONTEXT: The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has launched the Prime Minister Professorships to promote advanced research.

ABOUT PM PROFESSORSHIPS:

• Launched By: ANRF under the Ministry of Science and Technology
• Objective: Use expertise of senior scientists in higher education and research.
• Eligibility:
  • Retired scientists
  • Overseas Indians (NRIs, Persons of Indian Origin, Overseas Citizens of India)
• Host Institutions: State universities designated under PAIR (Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research) – Category A
• Support Provided:
  • ₹30 lakh annual fellowship
  • ₹24 lakh research grant
  • ₹1 lakh overhead
  • Tenure: 5 years
• Significance: Strengthens mentorship and innovation ecosystem in Indian academia

CURRENT CONTEXT: The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways inaugurated the 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave.

 ABOUT BIMSTEC:

• Full Form: Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
• Established: 1997 (Bangkok Declaration)
• Members (7): Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand
• Headquarters: Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Purpose: Regional cooperation in trade, transport, tourism, and connectivity

ABOUT PORTS CONCLAVE:

• Event: 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave
• Focus:
• Boost port-led development
• Promote cooperation in blue economy
• Strengthen maritime and logistics connectivity

❖ Significance: Enhances regional integration between South and Southeast Asia

CURRENT CONTEXT: United Nations released its 10th edition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Report, warning that progress towards 35% of the SDG targets has either stalled or reversed.

ABOUT THE SDG REPORT 2025:

• Global Status: Out of 17 Sustainable Development Goals, 14 have measurable data, and 35% of targets under these goals have shown stagnation or regression.
• Most Affected Goals:
  • Goal 2 – Zero Hunger
  • Goal 4 – Quality Education
  • Goal 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Goal 10 – Reduced Inequalities For these five goals, 50–57% of targets have deteriorated.
• Other Goals with Setbacks:
  • Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
  • Goal 14 – Life Below Water
  • Goal 15 – Life on Land
  • Goal 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions These goals have 40–42% of targets off-track.

KEY FINDINGS 2025:

• Goal 1 (No Poverty):9% of the population still lives in extreme poverty.
• Goal 2 (Zero Hunger): Nearly 1 in 11 people globally faced hunger in 2023.
• Goal 4 (Quality Education):
  • 110 million more children joined school since 2015
  • 272 million still out of school (2023)
• Goal 5 (Gender Equality): Women hold <33% of managerial positions.
• Goal 8 (Decent Work):
  • Unemployment fell to 5.0% in 2024 (record low)
  • 58% of global workforce still in informal sector
• Goal 10 (Reduced Inequality): Inequalities remain wide, especially in access to housing, health and education.
• Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities):
  • ~3 billion people can’t afford decent housing
  • 12 billion live in slums or informal settlements
• Goal 13 (Climate Action):
  • 2024 was the hottest year on record (1.55°C above pre-industrial levels)
• Goal 16 (Peace & Justice):
  • 50,000 people died in conflict in 2024
  • 2 million forcibly displaced globally

Observed On: 18 July every year (Mandela’s birthday)

• Purpose: Promotes peace, freedom, and equality through voluntary community service.
• Recognised by: United Nations since 2009