Current Affairs - National

Jaipur secured the 6th position globally in the Happy City Index 2026, making it the only Indian city to feature in the world's top 10 happiest cities. The city earned this recognition for its high quality of life, effective governance, rich cultural heritage, strong tourism sector, and continuous urban development. Improvements in infrastructure, public services, smart city initiatives, sustainability, and citizen engagement have further enhanced the living standards of residents. Jaipur's successful balance between preserving its historical identity and embracing modern development played a key role in achieving this prestigious global ranking.

Four states Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra—signed the Narmada Project Payment Pact to settle long-pending financial issues related to the implementation of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT) Award. The agreement covers cost-sharing for the Sardar Sarovar and Indira Sagar projects, including rehabilitation expenses, compensation for submerged land, construction costs, interest on borrowings, and settlement of outstanding dues. The pact represents an important step toward cooperative federalism, improved inter-state coordination, and efficient management of the Narmada River basin and its major water resource projects.

Kamarajar Port became India's second major port to achieve an 18-metre operational draft after the successful completion of the ₹440 crore Capital Dredging Phase VI project. The upgraded infrastructure allows the port to handle fully laden Capesize vessels carrying up to 1,70,000 DWT, significantly improving cargo handling efficiency. The project included deepening approach channels, entrance channels, berths, and navigational areas, transforming the port into a Cape Compliant Port. This achievement is expected to reduce logistics costs, improve turnaround time, enhance India's global maritime competitiveness, and strengthen the country's export-import (EXIM) trade.

India was ranked 125th out of 197 countries in the Global Passport Index 2026. Although the country's overall score improved to 45.1, its highest in the past five years, it slipped one place from the previous year's ranking due to stronger improvements made by other countries. The index evaluates passports using three key factors: enhanced mobility, quality of living, and investment opportunities. India showed progress in quality of life and investment potential, but limited visa-free travel access to major destinations affected its mobility score, preventing a higher overall ranking despite the improved performance.

UIDAI has introduced a new digital service that allows Aadhaar holders to update their Email ID directly through the official Aadhaar App without visiting an Aadhaar Seva Kendra. The service became available on July 1, 2026, and is offered free of charge for six months. This initiative aims to make Aadhaar services more accessible, convenient, and citizen-friendly by enabling users to update their details from anywhere. The feature received a strong response, with over 2.5 lakh email updates completed within the first two days, reflecting the growing adoption of digital government services.