Daily Bulletin

Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, released a compendium in New Delhi titled “51 Stories of Panchayats Bringing Change for Good Governance”. This collection presents 51 case studies of successful public grievance redressal at the grassroots level through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS). According to Shri Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the initiative aims to showcase how effective grievance resolution strengthens citizen-centric governance and public trust in local institutions.

The Union Cabinet has approved a revised policy for awarding waterfront and associated land to Port Dependent Industries in Major Ports, updating the Captive Policy of 2016. The new framework, announced by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, allows for the renewal of concession agreements for up to 30 years without a fresh tender. It also introduces a Right of First Refusal (RoFR) for existing concessionaires during capacity expansion bids, aiming to enhance investor confidence and streamline infrastructure development.

The Government e Marketplace (GeM), the national online portal for public procurement, has commenced its 10th Foundation Day celebrations on July 31, 2026. The launch event, addressed by GeM CEO Mihir Kumar, featured the unveiling of a commemorative logo. The 10-day celebrations will include stakeholder engagement initiatives such as a Buyer Meet and a Seller Roundtable, highlighting a decade of promoting transparency and efficiency in government procurement.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has amended its audit framework for the Digital Addressable Systems (DAS) ecosystem, effective from April 1, 2026. Key changes include shifting the audit period from a calendar to a financial year basis, with a new deadline of September 30th for distributors to submit reports. To enhance transparency, broadcasters can now depute representatives during audits and, if unsatisfied with the report, can conduct their own audit with TRAI's approval.

The Government is strengthening tourism infrastructure through several flagship schemes to create integrated destination ecosystems. Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, 76 projects worth over ₹5,295.24 crore have been sanctioned, while its successor, Swadesh Darshan 2.0, has sanctioned 53 projects worth ₹2,207.08 crore. Additionally, the PRASHAD scheme has sanctioned 54 projects with an outlay of over ₹1,726.24 crore to develop pilgrimage and heritage sites.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Mumbai, organised an Inter-Media Publicity and Coordination Committee (IMPCC) workshop on 'Fact Checking: Countering Misinformation and Strengthening Government Communication'. Chaired by Ms. Smita Vats Sharma, Director General, West Zone, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, the workshop was attended by representatives from 25 Central Government organisations. The event focused on enhancing the capacity of government communication professionals to identify and debunk false information using various tools and techniques, including the PIB Fact Check unit.

To promote ease of doing business in the broadcasting sector, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has made the annual audit optional for Distribution Platform Operators (DPOs) with fewer than 30,000 subscribers. This change is part of the amended Interconnection Regulations effective from April 1, 2026. However, broadcasters retain the right to get such smaller DPOs audited at their own expense to ensure compliance and transparency.

The Ministry of Rural Development has implemented the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act, 2025, with effect from July 1, 2026. As stated by Minister of State for Rural Development Shri Kamlesh Paswan, the scheme provides a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work. A budget of ₹95,692.31 crore has been allocated for the scheme for the period from July 2026 to March 2027, with an initial instalment of ₹25,844.97 crore already sanctioned to States and Union Territories.