NATIONAL NEWS

Union Government Tightens Regulation of High-Alcohol Medicinal Preparations

• The Union Health Ministry amended the Drugs Rules, 1945 on 10 July 2026 to strengthen regulation of medicinal products containing high concentrations of ethyl alcohol.

• Certain alcohol-based medicinal formulations have been removed from the Schedule K exemption and will now require proper licensing for manufacture and sale.

• Preparations containing more than 12% v/v ethyl alcohol in quantities above 30 ml will be subject to stricter regulatory control.

• These products have been placed under Schedule H1, making their sale permissible only on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner.

• Pharmacies must maintain detailed records of the sale and dispensing of such medicines to improve monitoring and prevent misuse.

• The revised norms are consistent with existing limits for traditional medicines, allowing up to 16% alcohol in Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani medicines and up to 12% in Homoeopathic medicines.

• The amendment was introduced after several States reported the misuse of highly alcoholic medicinal preparations, some containing 80–90% v/v ethyl alcohol, for intoxication.

• The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 continues to govern the import, manufacture, distribution and sale of drugs, while the amended provisions will become effective six months after Gazette notification (around January 2027).

STATE NEWS

Tamil Nadu Tops India in Higher Education Gross Enrollment Ratio

• Tamil Nadu recorded a Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) of 52.3% in higher education during 2023–24, the highest among all Indian States according to the latest AISHE report.

• Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) measures the percentage of students enrolled in higher education compared with the total population in the 18–23 years age group.

• The State’s GER was significantly higher than the national average of 30%, reflecting greater participation in higher education.

• Tamil Nadu has shown steady progress in higher education enrolment, with GER increasing from 47.0% (2021–22) to 49.1% (2022–23) and 52.3% (2023–24).

• Female participation remained higher than male participation, with a female GER of 53.1% compared to a male GER of 51.6% in 2023–24.

• During the academic year, nearly 35.8 lakh out of 68.4 lakh individuals in the 18–23 years age group were enrolled in higher education across the State.

• Tamil Nadu had 2,18,656 faculty members, accounting for 12.6% of the country's total higher education teaching workforce.

• The All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) serves as the Union Government’s annual database for assessing access, enrolment, faculty strength, and overall progress in higher education across States and Union Territories.

Pink Saheli Smart Card to Become Mandatory for Free Bus Travel in Delhi

• The Pink Saheli Smart Card is a digital travel card introduced for women and transgender residents of Delhi to avail free travel on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses.

• From 1 August 2026, the Smart Card will be compulsory for free bus travel, while pink paper tickets will remain valid only until 31 July 2026.

• The scheme was launched on 2 March 2026 by President Droupadi Murmu and is integrated with the One Nation, One Card initiative through the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) platform.

• The card enables digital verification and tracking of free bus journeys, replacing the existing paper-ticket system.

• Eligible beneficiaries include women and transgender persons aged 12 years and above who are residents of Delhi.

• Applicants must possess a Delhi Aadhaar card along with an Aadhaar-linked mobile number, and cards are issued through designated enrolment centres across the city.

• By 18 May 2026, over 8.40 lakh Smart Cards had been issued through 73 registration centres, reflecting large-scale implementation of the scheme.

• The Delhi Government has earmarked ₹450 crore in the 2026–27 Budget to support the free bus travel programme and its digital integration, while passengers without a valid Smart Card will need to purchase regular tickets from 1 August 2026.

Uttar Pradesh Launches Chief Minister Teacher Cashless Medical Scheme

• The Uttar Pradesh Government launched the Chief Minister Teacher Cashless Medical Scheme (Mukhyamantri Shikshak Cashless Chikitsa Yojana) in Varanasi on 8 July 2026.

• The scheme provides cashless medical treatment of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for teaching and non-teaching staff and their eligible dependents.

• Around 12–15 lakh beneficiaries from government, aided, and grant-in-aid schools under the Basic and Secondary Education Department are covered.

• The scheme also extends benefits to Shiksha Mitras, instructors, cooks, and employees of Kasturba Gandhi Girls Schools, with treatment available at government and empanelled private hospitals.

• The State Government will bear the entire insurance premium, estimated at ₹447 crore annually, with an average cost of about ₹3,000 per teacher each year.

• Implementation of the scheme will be managed by SACHIS (State Agency for Comprehensive Health and Integrated Services) and is modelled on the Ayushman Bharat health insurance framework.

• An MoU with the State Bank of India (SBI) provides additional social security benefits, including group life insurance, personal accident insurance, and disability cover for nearly 10 lakh teachers and contractual employees.

• During the launch, cashless medical cards were distributed to selected beneficiaries, and the State also announced life insurance coverage of up to ₹1 crore for teachers, Shiksha Mitras, and instructors, with the premium fully funded by the government.

AWARDS

Samriddh Gram Project Wins WSIS Prizes 2026 Global Award

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) received the Global Winner award in the WSIS Prizes 2026 under the Enabling Environment category on 9 July 2026 in Geneva.

• The Samriddh Gram Integrated Phygital Services Project combines physical service centres with digital connectivity to improve access to essential services in rural areas.

• The initiative establishes Samriddhi Kendras as one-stop community hubs offering services such as telemedicine, education, skill development, smart agriculture, e-governance, financial inclusion, e-commerce, and public safety.

• The project is built on BharatNet, India's nationwide rural broadband network, to ensure reliable last-mile digital connectivity in villages.

• Each Samriddhi Kendra is designed to serve several nearby villages within a 5-kilometre radius, with pilot projects implemented in Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.

• The WSIS Prizes, administered by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), recognise innovative projects that promote digital inclusion and strengthen the information society.

• The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), headquartered in Geneva, is a United Nations specialised agency for information and communication technologies and has been functioning as a UN agency since 1947.

• The initiative follows a community participation model, with support from the Digital Empowerment Foundation, to enhance rural digital transformation through accessible and measurable public service delivery.

RANKING AND INDEX

New Delhi Ranked 120th in Global Liveability Index 2026

• New Delhi secured the 120th position among 173 cities in the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2026, released on 8 July 2026.

• The city obtained an overall score of 48.1, based on an assessment of 30 indicators grouped under five key categories.

• The index evaluates cities on stability, healthcare, culture & environment, education, and infrastructure to measure overall quality of urban life.

• Among Delhi’s category-wise scores, education (66.7) and infrastructure (58.9) recorded the highest performance, while healthcare (41.7) and culture & environment (35.4) scored comparatively lower.

• Among Indian cities included in the ranking, Mumbai stood at 121st, Chennai at 123rd, and Bengaluru at 127th, with New Delhi leading the group.

• Copenhagen (Denmark) retained its position as the world’s most liveable city for the second consecutive year in the 2026 rankings.

• The Global Liveability Index, published annually by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), serves as an international benchmark for comparing living conditions across major cities.

• Factors such as air pollution, traffic congestion, housing challenges, and pressure on urban infrastructure and public services continue to affect the liveability rankings of many Indian cities.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

28th Meeting of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Society Held in Coimbatore

• The 28th meeting of the reconstituted Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Society was held on 9 July 2026 at the Central Academy for State Forest Service (CaSFOS), Coimbatore.

• Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, President of the WII Society, chaired the meeting in his capacity as the Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

• The meeting marked the first session of the newly reconstituted Society, which has been constituted for a three-year tenure following the expiry of the previous body in April 2026.

• The Wildlife Institute of India (WII), headquartered in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, functions as an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

• Members reviewed strategies to align the institute’s research, training, and policy support with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.

• Key focus areas identified for the coming years include human-wildlife conflict mitigation, technology-enabled wildlife management, and capacity building in the conservation sector.

• Dr. G.S. Bhardwaj, Director of WII and Member-Secretary of the Society, presented the institute’s achievements, while MP Atul Garg and Gujarat Forest and Environment Minister Pravin Mali also participated in the meeting.

• The Society approved a three-year scientific roadmap to strengthen wildlife research, biodiversity conservation, technical support, and professional training for wildlife management across India.

Switzerland to Host Global AI Summit 2027 in Geneva

• Switzerland will host the Global AI Summit in Geneva on 21–22 June 2027, bringing together governments, international organisations, industry, academia, and civil society.

• The summit will focus on strengthening global AI governance through discussions on responsible, safe, trustworthy, and human-centred artificial intelligence.

• It aims to promote international cooperation for developing effective frameworks that support innovation while ensuring public welfare and sustainable progress.

• The announcement was made during the AI for Good Global Summit held in Geneva on 8 July 2026, where Federal Councillor Albert Rosti confirmed Switzerland’s hosting role.

• The event will build on previous AI summits organised at Bletchley Park (2023), Seoul (2024), Paris (2025), and New Delhi (2026).

• The United Arab Emirates has been selected to host the Global AI Summit 2028, continuing the international dialogue on AI governance.

• A "Call for Issues" will be launched in autumn 2026 to gather suggestions from stakeholders and shape the agenda for the 2027 summit.

• Geneva, home to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and several international organisations, continues to serve as a key global centre for diplomacy, technology governance, and multilateral cooperation.