1 August 2026 — Current Affairs Quiz

Explanation

The Union Cabinet approved 'Samudra Manthan', the National Offshore Exploration Scheme, on 31 July 2026. It is a Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas with an outlay of Rs 84,084 crore, to be implemented up to FY 2030-31. It covers seismic data acquisition, deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploratory drilling and an integrated oil and gas manufacturing zone. Reserve accretion of over 600 MMTOE is expected. The idea came from the PM's Independence Day 2025 address.

Explanation

On 31 July 2026 the Union Cabinet approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY) of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy with an outlay of Rs 5,070 crore. It targets 5,000 MW of Floating Solar Photovoltaic capacity with co-located Energy Storage Systems of 10,000 MWh (two hours). Central Financial Assistance is Rs 1 crore per MW plus up to Rs 50 lakh for feasibility studies. Projects will be sanctioned from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. Present floating solar capacity is about 700 MW.

Explanation

On 31 July 2026 the Union Cabinet approved the revamped Khelo India Scheme along with Assistance to National Sports Federations, with a combined outlay of Rs 36,441 crore for 2026-27 to 2030-31. Khelo India gets Rs 29,054 crore and the federations Rs 7,387 crore. The new Emerging Khelo India Athletes category will expand the athlete pool nearly ten-fold. Khelo India Feeder Schools and Utkrishta Vidyalayas were also introduced. The outlay is about eight times the previous scheme.

Explanation

On 31 July 2026 the Union Cabinet approved continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme from 2026-27 to 2030-31 with a total outlay of Rs 3.15 lakh crore (Rs 3,15,614 crore). Launched in February 2019, it gives eligible landholding farmer families Rs 6,000 a year in three equal instalments through DBT. Over Rs 4.47 lakh crore has been transferred in 23 instalments so far, including Rs 1.06 lakh crore to women farmers.

Explanation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh on 1 August 2026. The greenfield airport was developed by GMR Visakhapatnam International Airport Limited. Phase one capacity is 6 million passengers a year, with a master plan for 40 million. It has a 3,800-metre Code 4E runway. The airport is named after freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.

Explanation

The Department of Telecommunications and the Madhya Pradesh government signed an MoU in New Delhi on 30 July 2026 to set up India's first Telecom Manufacturing Zone, Phase-I, at Gwalior. It will come up on about 350 acres on a plug-and-play model. Phase one expects Rs 2,000 crore of investment and over 4,500 jobs, with Rs 10,000 crore targeted in the next stage. Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav attended.

Explanation

The Indian Navy launched Machilipatnam (BY 529) at Cochin Shipyard Limited on 29 July 2026. It is the seventh of eight Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft. These vessels handle underwater surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, low intensity maritime operations and mine warfare, with indigenous content above 80 per cent. The ship is named after the historic port city in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh. INS Mahe, the lead ship, was commissioned in November 2025.