01st August 2025

1. CCEA Approves Four Multi-Tracking Projects Worth Rs 11,169 Crore Across Six States
2. ICAI Signed MoUs with NSE IX & IVCA to Promote Global Investment Education
3. Google to Build a 1-GW Data Centre Worth USD 6 Billion in Visakhapatnam, AP
4. RIL Ranked at 88th Spot in Fortune Global 500 List for 2025; Walmart topped the list for 12th Consecutive Year
5. Australia’s First Indigenous Rocket ‘Eris’ Launch Fails after 14 Seconds into Flight
6. Biathlon Olympic champion of Germany Laura Dahlmeier died in a climbing accident age of 31
7. Ashok Chopra’s Book “The Man Who Became Cinema: Dilip Kumar” was Released
8. World Ranger Day 2025 – July 31
9. Punjab State Govt Lifts Ban on Heritage Sports
10. Veteran Actor KPAC Rajendran Passes Away at 74
11. Meet The New Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre
12. World Wide Web Day 2025 (August 1)
13. World Lung Cancer Day 2025 – August 1
14. National Mountain Climbing Day 2025
15. World Breastfeeding Week 2025
16. Commodore Varghese Mathew Takes Charge as Naval Officer-in-Charge, Kerala
17. Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh to Take Charge as the Next Vice Chief of Army Staff

National News

1. Cabinet Approves Rs 11,169 Crore Multi-Tracking Rail Projects

• What:
  • The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved four multi-tracking railway projects in six states worth about Rs 11,169 crore to be completed by 2028-29.
• Why:
  • To increase rail network capacity and improve transportation of key commodities like coal, cement, containers, agriculture products, and petroleum.
• Tell me more:
  • The projects will add around 574 km to the Indian Railways network.
  • These upgrades aim to increase freight capacity by 95.91 million tonnes per annum.
  • Projects include Itarsi-Nagpur 4th line, Aurangabad-Parbhani doubling, Aluabari Road-New Jalpaiguri 3rd and 4th lines, and Dangoaposi-Jaroli 3rd and 4th lines.
  • Increased rail line capacity will boost operational efficiency and service reliability.
  • The projects cover Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand.
  • Completion target for all projects is by the financial year 2028-29.

Source: ET

State News

1. Google to Invest $6 Billion in Visakhapatnam Data Centre

• What:
  • A major data centre by Google will be established in Visakhapatnam with an investment of $6 billion, and TCS and Cognizant will start operations there soon.
• Why:
  • To boost IT and electronics infrastructure and attract large investments to Visakhapatnam, enhancing the state’s economic growth.
• Tell me more:
  • The data centre will have 1GW capacity along with supporting power infrastructure.
  • TCS will begin operations in Visakhapatnam in September, followed by Cognizant in October.
  • Andhra Pradesh attracted Rs 45,000 crore investment from the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC).
  • The government claims the state’s brand image was boosted by the Chief Minister’s recent visit to Singapore.

Source: IE

2. Punjab Lifts Ban on Heritage Animal Races

• Punjab government has lifted the ban on bullock cart, dog, horse, and pigeon races to revive the state’s heritage sports.
• To bring back traditional animal sports that reflect Punjab’s culture and are conducted without cruelty.
• The ban on these traditional games was in place since 1997 and has now been removed after recent legislation.

Source: ETV

International News

1. Australia’s First Domestic Eris Rocket Crashes After Launch

• What:
  • Australia’s first domestically built Eris rocket launched by Gilmour Space Technologies crashed 14 seconds after takeoff near Bowen, Queensland.
• Why:
  • The launch aimed to test Australia’s capability to build and launch an orbital vehicle to carry small satellites into space.
• Tell me more:
  • The Eris rocket was designed to carry small satellites into orbit.
  • Gilmour Space Technologies recently received AU$5 million federal government funding to support Eris development, following a previous AU$52 million funding agreement from 2023.

Source: HT

Reports and Indices

1. Reliance Retains Top Indian Spot on 2025 Fortune Global 500

• What:
  • Reliance Industries remains the highest-ranked Indian company on the 2025 Fortune Global 500 list, ranked 88th globally.
• Why:
  • The Fortune Global 500 ranks companies by total revenues for fiscal years ending by March 31, 2025.
• Tell me more:
  • Reliance improved from rank 155 in 2021 to 88 in 2025 despite a slight drop from 86 in 2024.
  • Reliance is the only Indian private sector firm with a 22-year presence on the Fortune Global 500 list.
  • Nine Indian companies appear on the 2025 list, including LIC (95), SBI (163), HDFC Bank (258), IOC (127), ONGC (181), Tata Motors (283), BPCL (285), and ICICI Bank (464).
  • Walmart ranks first globally, followed by Amazon, with three Chinese companies and Saudi Aramco also in the top 10.

Source: BS

Important Days

1. World Ranger Day 2025 – July 31

• What:
  • On World Ranger Day 2025, CITES MIKE Programme released a film showcasing the efforts of Mole National Park rangers in wildlife conservation.
• Why:
  • To highlight and honor the vital role of rangers in protecting wildlife and strengthening conservation in West and Central Africa.
• Tell me more:
  • The film “Guardians of Giants” shows the daily life and dedication of rangers at Mole, Ghana’s largest wildlife refuge and home to West African elephants.
  • The MIKES+ Project funded by the EU has enhanced ranger capacity through training, new equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure like solar-powered boreholes.
  • Ranger empowerment has improved patrol coverage, enforcement against wildlife crime, and welfare conditions.
  • Mole National Park is an example of data-driven enforcement and ranger support successfully conserving endangered species in complex ecosystems.
  • The MIKES+ Project supports conservation across key sites in West and Central Africa.

Source: CITES

2. World Wide Web Day 2025 – August 1

3. World Lung Cancer Day 2025 – August 1

• Theme: Breaking Barriers: Championing Early Detection and Equal Care

Source: TOI

4. National Mountain Climbing Day 2025 – August 1

5. World Breastfeeding Week 2025 – August 1 to 7

• Theme: Invest in breastfeeding, invest in the future
• The week is observed every 1st to 7th August to mark the 1990 Innocenti Declaration, a global commitment to protect and promote breastfeeding.
• World breastfeeding week began in 1992, launched by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) in partnership with WHO and UNICEF. It was created to raise awareness and build support for breastfeeding across health systems and communities.
• In India, the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) announced the theme and slogan for World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) 2025 – ‘Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems’.
• According to the National Family Health Survey (2021), 88.6% of women gave birth in hospitals, but only 41.6% were able to start breastfeeding within an hour of birth.

Source: BS WHO

Memorandum of Understanding

1. ICAI Sets Tax Audit Limit and Launches New Initiatives

• What:
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) announced mandatory tax audit limits effective April 2026 and launched initiatives including MoUs with IVCA and NSE, plus an international dispute resolution centre.
• Why:
  • To enforce audit limits to avoid concentration of audits with few partners and to strengthen alternative capital markets, member education, and dispute resolution.
• Tell me more:
  • Tax audit limit guidelines mandate a maximum of 60 audits per partner annually, with firm limits based on combined partner quotas.
  • ICAI partnered with Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) and NSE’s arm to standardize financial reporting and promote capital market knowledge.
  • The International ADR Centre launched by ICAI will offer structured arbitration, mediation, and negotiation services globally.
  • ICAI started a certification program in the US and plans one in the UK from August.
  • MoUs with IVCA and NSE have validity periods of five years and two years respectively from August 1.

Source: ET

Appointments

1. A. Rajarajan Appointed New Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre

• Senior ISRO scientist A. Rajarajan will become the new director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) starting August 1, succeeding S. Unnikrishnan Nair.
• Rajarajan was previously director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota (SDSC-SHAR).

Source: TH

2. Commodore Varghese Mathew Takes Charge as Naval Officer-in-Charge Kerala

• Commodore Varghese Mathew assumed charge as the Naval Officer-in-Charge, Kerala.
• The position of Naval Officer-in-Charge, Kerala, is crucial for managing naval affairs in the region.

Source: TH

3. Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh to Become Vice Chief of Army Staff

• Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh will take charge as the next Vice Chief of the Army Staff on August 1, succeeding Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani.

Source: ET

Miscellaneous

1. German Biathlon Champion Laura Dahlmeier Dies in Pakistan Climbing Accident

• German biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier died after being struck by falling rocks while climbing Laila Peak in northern Pakistan.
• Dahlmeier was awarded the Silver Laurel Leaf, Germany’s highest sports honor, after her 2018 Olympic gold.
• The Karakoram Mountains region, where Laila Peak is located, attracts many climbers yearly but is challenging and dangerous.

Source: ALJ

2. Ashok Chopra’s Book “The Man Who Became Cinema: Dilip Kumar” was Released

• “The Man Who Became Cinema: Dilip Kumar – A Deep Dive into the Legendary Actor’s Iconic Performances and Cinematic Legacy” book has been authored by Ashok Chopra.

Source: TH

3. Veteran Malayali Actor KPAC Rajendran Passes Away at 74

• KPAC Rajendran, widely known as Padavalam Kuttanpillai from the Malayalam sitcom Uppum Mulakum, has died.

Source: TOI

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