Union Minister for Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviewed the progress of Watershed Development Component (WDC-PMKSY) of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana and called upon the States to ensure speedy implementation of projects and clear and measurable outcomes at the grassroot level.
Under the WDC-PMKSY 2.0 scheme, 1,220 projects covering an area of 52.93 lakh hectares have been sanctioned so far. The total sanctioned cost of these projects is Rs.12,404 crore, with Rs.8,134 crore being the central share. Out of the central share, Rs.6,955.75 (85%) crore has been released.
Under the programme, 1.24 lakh water harvesting structures have been constructed and rejuvenated. These include check dams, nullahs, percolation tanks, village/farm ponds, bunds, trenches, reservoirs and other rainwater harvesting and ground water recharge structures.
These efforts have resulted in protective irrigation in an additional area of 3.08 lakh hectares, helping farmers in rainfed areas to save crops in the event of deficient rainfall or drought. So far, 28.50 lakh farmers have been benefitted from the programme.
Thailand is tightening its visa-free entry rules from September 15, 2026, cutting the maximum visa-exempt stay for Indian tourists from 60 days to 30 days. However, Indian passport holders will continue to enjoy visa-free entry for tourism, unlike an earlier proposal that would have moved Indians to a paid Visa on Arrival arrangement.
The revised rules were published in Thailand's Royal Gazette on August 31 and will take effect 15 days later, on September 15. The new framework replaces the 60-day visa-exemption scheme that had covered 93 countries and territories since 2024.
Under the new framework, 60 countries and territories, including India, will qualify for visa-exempt tourist entry for up to 30 days. Indian passport holders will be eligible for the new 30-day visa exemption for tourism once the revised scheme takes effect. Indians who want to stay for longer than 30 days can apply for the appropriate Thai e-Visa.
ICICI Bank has mobilised about $17.88 billion under the Reserve Bank of India's foreign currency non-resident deposits scheme through August 31. The bank said loans provided by international branches and subsidiaries against such deposits stood at $9 billion.
The lender has also issued $3.63 billion in guarantees to other banks for loans backed by the deposits In June, the Reserve Bank of India introduced a set of foreign exchange measures, including concessional swap facilities aimed at boosting overseas borrowing by state-run firms and attracting foreign currency non-resident deposits.
The RBI's foreign exchange forward position climbed to an all-time high of $136.7 billion in July, fueled by a surge in overseas deposits following the central bank's measures to attract dollar inflows and support the rupee.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Suman Ray as executive director (ED) with effect from September 1, 2026.As executive director, Ray will look after the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) and the Premises Department. Prior to being promoted as ED, Ray was serving as regional director for Maharashtra.
As a career central banker, Ray has more than three decades of experience at the RBI, having worked in several areas, including currency management, financial inclusion, payment and settlement systems, consumer education and protection, and human resources. Ray has also served as secretary to the Western Area Local Board.
Vietnamese electric vehicle maker VinFast is stepping up its localisation push in India, engaging with more than 300 domestic suppliers as it prepares to develop India-specific models with significantly higher local content.The move marks the next phase of VinFast’s manufacturing strategy in India.
Its existing models will continue to be assembled from completely knocked-down (CKD) kits at its Thoothukudi plant, while upcoming models are expected to have substantially higher local content.VinFast has also received investment approval for Phase 2 of its Thoothukudi plant expansion.
The second phase is part of a $500 million investment plan and includes new production facilities for electric buses and two-wheelers. Its existing plant has an initial annual capacity of 50,000 electric vehicles and is being expanded to 150,000 units.
Inflows through the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) concessional swap facility reached $136.4 billion by August 31, with banks mobilising $127.2 billion in foreign currency non-resident (bank), or FCNR(B), deposits — far exceeding late market expectations of $90-100 billion.
The FCNR(B) window closed on August 31, while facilities for external commercial borrowings (ECBs) and overseas foreign currency borrowings (OFCBs) will remain open until December 31, 2026. Banks have so far raised $5.3 billion through OFCBs and $3.9 billion through ECBs.
The Indian Air Force has achieved a significant breakthrough in indigenous precision-strike capability with the successful drop trial of the indigenously designed and developed Long Range Glide Bomb (LRGB), Khagantak-243.The achievement marks a major milestone for both the IAF and Indian defence industry.
The trial is expected to provide a major boost to the development of long-range air-to-ground precision weapons by Indian industry. Long-range glide bombs are designed to enable combat aircraft to engage targets from stand-off distances, allowing platforms to strike enemy targets while remaining outside the reach of certain air defence systems.
Aero India, Asia’s largest air show and among the world’s premier aerospace and defence exhibitions, will return for its 16th edition at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, in Bengaluru from February 8 to 12, 2027.A major attraction of the event will be aerial displays by the Indian Air Force and participating international flying teams,
offering visitors an opportunity to witness advanced aviation platforms and capabilities in action.It is being organised by by the Department of Defence Production will bring together leading global aerospace and defence companies, policymakers, technology experts, innovators, industry representatives and military personnel on a common platform.
Tata Elxsi, the design and technology services arm of the Tata Group, has partnered with Bengaluru-based advanced air mobility company Sarla Aviation to develop an air taxi capable of carrying six passengers and a pilot.Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Tata Elxsi will contribute its engineering expertise to Sarla Aviation’s Shunya platform,
supporting avionics, flight-control systems, software integration, testing, verification and validation, as well as certification activities. Sarla Aviation will lead the aircraft’s overall design and development, along with type certification.The partnership will also explore opportunities in sensor-fusion-based navigation software,
and structural design, and airworthiness testing.
Designed for flight operations exceeding 300 km, Shunya combines vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability with the efficiency of fixed-wing cruise flight. This enables runway-independent operations while enhancing overall propulsion efficiency.
Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) has upgraded India’s Long-Term Foreign Currency and Local Currency Issuer Ratings by one notch from ‘BBB+’ to ‘A-’, while maintaining the Stable Outlook. JCR has also raised India’s country ceiling by one notch to ‘A’.
The upgrade reflects India’s solid economic growth, the effectiveness of economic policies in strengthening the foundations for growth, and the improved soundness of the financial system.In a statement, JCR noted that the Indian economy has maintained a high growth rate, supported by robust private consumption and public investment.
The agency also highlighted the Indian Government’s continued implementation of policies, including the development of digital public infrastructure and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, which have strengthened India’s economic foundations.
The agency also recognised the improvement in the quality of fiscal expenditure,
particularly infrastructure investment. JCR noted that the Central Government’s fiscal deficit declined from 4.7 percent in Financial Year 25 to 4.4 percent in Financial Year 26, while capital expenditure remained high.
To identify unidentified and unclaimed deceased persons kept in government mortuaries across the state, Punjab has launched a digital public identification portal, “Pehchaan”.
This is the first of its kind portal in the country,
which will help relatives living in India and abroad to identify their near and dear ones who have lost their lives in accidents or otherwise.Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh while launching the portal informed that under the ‘Pehchaan’ initiative, facial photographs, permanent identification marks, including tattoos,
birthmarks, and deformities, and detailed physical descriptions of every unidentified, unclaimed deceased person will be uploaded to the portal within 48 hours of postmortem at any government mortuary in Punjab.
All 23 districts and 346 government hospitals in the state are connected with the portal, which is publicly accessible and free of charge.
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has added Gollala Gudi in Palampet in Mulugu district of Telangana to sites of national importance. This takes the number of sites under the ASI to 10. The temple, that is close to the Unesco World Heritage Site of Ramappa temple, can also be dated to the same period of Kakatiyas and has similar architecture and
and material.The temple has the similar architectural style like Ramappa and is built with stones without any binding mortar.Once a monument is declared a site of national importance it is protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards (TNNAA) 2024, recognising four individuals for their outstanding achievements in adventure activities.
The awards cover four categories – Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure and Lifetime Achievement.
The 2024 awards will be presented by the President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan along with the National Sports Awards 2025.The awardees selected for the TNNAA 2024 are Baljeet Kaur and Skalzang Rigzin in the Land Adventure category, Rimo Saha for Water Adventure and Shiv Prasad Chamoli for Lifetime Achievement.
Each awardee will receive a statuette, certificate and a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.
The selections were made on the recommendations of the National Selection Committee, which scrutinised the nominations and evaluated the achievements of the candidates before recommending them for the national honour.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust appointed Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (Retd.) as its first Chief Executive Officer, as it moved to strengthen its administrative structure amid recent allegations of theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
The appointment was announced after a meeting of the Trust was held at the Maniram Das Chawani in Ayodhya, where the trustees also filled three vacant positions on the Board.Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra (Retd.) served in the Indian Air Force for 31 years, holding positions across different departments and gaining extensive leadership experience.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken away the hosting rights of the inaugural edition of the Women’s Champions Trophy to be held in 2027 from Sri Lanka due to government interference in the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket. According to a report, Sri Lanka was set to host the first-ever edition of the women’s tournament,
featuring six teams, including the hosts. But the decision could impact their participation as well. The report added that the ICC is likely to decide on the venue of the tournament in its next board meeting, with the move to strip Sri Lanka from hosting the competition set to make a financial impact on the board.
The change of venue is also likely to see the Sri Lanka Women’s team possibly missing out on participating, as the tournament was set to host top five teams along with the host nation.
The 2026 Ramon Magsaysay Awards, often called Asia's Nobel Prize, have been awarded to Tommy Koh (Singapore), Bo Kyi (Myanmar), and Runa Khan (Bangladesh) for their outstanding contributions to diplomacy, human rights, and humanitarian service.
The awards ceremony will be held on 15 November 2026 in Manila, Philippines.
