Daily Current Affairs (29 -Jun -26)

Daily Current Affairs (29-Jun-26)

1. India Approves First Offshore Airport in Maharashtra  –

• India’s first offshore airport has been approved for preparation of a Detailed Project Report in Maharashtra. The proposed site is near Kore beach in Palghar district, and the project is planned as the third international airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. 

Project Location and Planning

• The proposed airport site is near Kore beach in Palghar district, Maharashtra. A pre-feasibility report has classified the project as feasible, and the Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation is overseeing the proposal.

Capacity and Design Features

• The airport is planned with two parallel runways. The design capacity is up to 90 million passengers annually and about 3 million metric tonnes of cargo each year.

2. UPI to Become Operational in Seychelles –

• The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is targeted to become operational in Seychelles by the end of 2026. India and Seychelles signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for UPI implementation during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Seychelles, which concluded on 29 June 2026. 

Unified Payments Interface

• UPI is an instant digital payment system developed in India for bank-to-bank transfers through mobile applications. The system is operated by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the regulatory framework of the Reserve Bank of India.

India-Seychelles Payment Agreement

• The UPI MoU was signed between NPCI and the Central Bank of Seychelles. The agreement covers the technical and institutional steps needed for UPI acceptance in Seychelles and is intended to support cashless transactions for Indian tourists.

3. Anaemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan Guidelines Released –

• The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister released the operational guidelines for the Anaemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan in New Delhi on 29 June 2026. The revised framework uses the name Anaemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan and replaces the earlier Anaemia Mukt Bharat programme structure. 

Anaemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

• Anaemia Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan is a public health programme for prevention, detection, and management of anaemia in priority population groups. Anaemia is a condition marked by low haemoglobin concentration in blood and is commonly linked with iron deficiency, folate deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, chronic disease, and parasitic infections.

7x7x7 Strategy

• The updated operational design adopts a 7x7x7 strategy in place of the earlier 6x6x6 framework. The strategy includes seven beneficiary groups, seven interventions, and seven institutional mechanisms for service delivery and monitoring.
• Low birth weight infants aged 0-6 months have been added as a seventh beneficiary group.
• Eating Right has been added as a seventh intervention.
• Regular intake of iron-rich and diversified diets forms part of the dietary intervention package.
• The programme uses a life-cycle approach for anaemia prevention across maternal and child health groups.

4. Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) System –

• India’s indigenous Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system has received Final Operational Clearance (FOC), marking its readiness for full operational use by the Indian Air Force (IAF). 
• About: Netra is India’s 1st indigenously developed airborne surveillance and battle-management system, developed by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Global Capability: India is the 5th country, after the United States, Russia, Israel and China, to develop an indigenous AEW&C capability, strengthening its defence technology base and self-reliance.
• Aircraft Platform:The system is integrated on the Brazilian Embraer EMB-145I aircraft platform and functions as an “eye in the sky” by detecting, tracking, identifying and monitoring airborne as well as maritime targets.
• Key Capabilities: Netra is equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, mission computer, secure communication networks, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Communication Support Measures (CSM) and self-protection systems.

5. Rakhigarhi Skeletons Transferred for Scientific Research –

• Human skeletal remains from Rakhigarhi, a major Harappan archaeological site in Haryana, have been formally handed over by the Archaeological Survey of India to the Anthropological Survey of India, a national research institute under the Union Ministry of Culture, for detailed scientific study. 
• Transfer: The handover was carried out under a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions. Three complete skeletons and related skeletal fragments have been shifted to the Anthropological Survey of India’s Kolkata laboratory.
• About:Rakhigarhi, spread across about 550 hectares, is considered one of the largest known settlements of the Harappan Civilisation, also referred to as the Indus Valley Civilisation or Indus-Saraswati Civilisation.
• Evidence: Excavations at the site have revealed planned settlements, drainage systems, craft production centres, trade networks, and burial grounds, indicating continuous habitation from the Early Harappan to the Mature Harappan periods.
• Burials: Mound Number 7 at Rakhigarhi has been identified as a major burial area, from where 56 human skeletons were recovered, including the remains of a woman dated to around 4,600 years ago.
• Ancestry: Deoxyribonucleic Acid analysis of the Rakhigarhi woman indicated the absence of the Steppe Pastoralist genetic component, contributing to debates on Aryan or Indo-Aryan migration into India.

MCQ Quiz

Q1.What is the primary objective of the PM-RAHAT Scheme ?

1. a) Rural housing
2. b) Road accident victim treatment
3. c) Health insurance for senior citizens
4. d) Disaster relief

Q2. Lonar Lake, that was recently seen in news, is located in which state ?

1. a) Kerala
2. b) Karnataka
3. c) Gujarat
4. d) Maharashtra

Q3. The Kiru Hydroelectric Power Project is being developed on which river ?

1. a) Beas
2. b) Jhelum
3. c) Chenab
4. d) Ravi

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding China’s non-fossil energy target:

1. China has announced a target of generating 50% of its electricity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030.
2. Non-fossil energy sources include nuclear, hydropower, solar, and wind energy.
3. Under the Paris Agreement, countries are required to adopt identical renewable energy targets.

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

1. a) 1 and 2 only
2. b) 2 and 3 only
3. c) 1 and 3 only
4. d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation-

• China has announced its goal of generating 50% of its electricity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030. The target includes electricity generated from nuclear power, hydropower, wind energy, and solar energy, reflecting China’s efforts to reduce dependence on coal and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
• However, the Paris Agreement does not prescribe identical renewable energy targets for all countries. Instead, each country submits its own Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) based on national circumstances.

Q5. Consider the following statements regarding the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 2010:

• It is implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• The Act prohibits election candidates, journalists, and government servants from receiving foreign contributions.
• Interest accrued on foreign contributions deposited in a bank is not considered a foreign contribution under the Act.
• The registration granted under the FCRA is valid for a period of five years.

Which of the statements given above are correct ?

1. a) 1 and 2 only
2. b) 1,2 and 4 only
3. c) 1, 2 and 3 only
4. d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct: The FCRA is enacted by Parliament and administered by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Its primary objective is to ensure that foreign contributions do not adversely affect India’s sovereignty, internal security, or public interest.
• Statement 2 is correct: To prevent foreign interference in Indian politics and governance, the FCRA prohibits specific individuals and groups from accepting foreign contributions. These include election candidates, journalists, media companies, judges, government servants, political parties, and politicians.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: According to the FCRA framework, the interest accrued on foreign contributions deposited in a bank account is legally treated as a “foreign contribution.” Therefore, it must be accounted for and utilized in the same manner as the principal foreign funds.
• Statement 4 is correct: Under the FCRA, NGOs and associations intending to receive foreign funds must obtain registration or prior permission. This registration is initially valid for a period of five years and is subject to renewal based on compliance with all regulatory norms.