Daily Current Affairs- 21st July 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 21st July 2026

India’s First AI-Powered Bird Sanctuary Announced

In the News:  The Maharashtra government has approved a ₹45-crore Eco-Nature Park at the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary near the Bhandup Pumping Station in Mumbai. The project will contain what is being described as India’s first artificial intelligence-based bird detection and monitoring centre. The sanctuary itself is not new; the AI-enabled conservation and visitor facility is the new component.

Key Points:

• Project Area and Funding: The Eco-Nature Park will be developed over approximately 20.09 hectares along the Thane Creek shoreline. Only about 0.35 hectares will be used for tourism infrastructure to minimise disturbance to the wetland, mangroves and bird habitats. The ₹45-crore allocation will come from the District Planning Committee fund.
• AI-Based Monitoring: The proposed centre will use artificial intelligence to identify bird species, record their movements and monitor migration patterns in real time. It is expected to maintain digital biodiversity records and reduce exclusive dependence on manual bird counts conducted by field personnel. Monitoring facilities are planned along a 1.5-km stretch.
• Visitor Facilities: The project will include a 2.16-km mangrove nature trail, elevated viewing decks, birdwatching towers, a butterfly garden and a nature interpretation centre. A jetty, lecture hall and low-impact visitor facilities are also proposed to support environmental education, research and regulated eco-tourism.
• Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary: The sanctuary was notified in 2015 and covers approximately 16.90 square kilometres. It contains about 896 hectares of mangrove cover and supports more than 200 species of resident and migratory birds. Lesser flamingos arrive in large numbers during the migratory season.
• Ramsar Recognition: Thane Creek is listed as Ramsar Site No. 2490 and has an official Ramsar designation date of 13 April, 2022. Ramsar sites are wetlands recognised as being of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971.

Centre Announces 50% Quota for Ex-Agniveers in CAPFs

In the News: The Ministry of Home Affairs announced that 50% of vacancies in specified entry-level posts in the Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles will be reserved for former Agniveers. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai provided the information in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on July 21, 2026.

Key Points:

• Posts Covered: The reservation applies to the recruitment of Constable (General Duty) in the CAPFs and Rifleman in the Assam Rifles. A separate recruitment category called “Ex-Agniveer” has been created for eligible candidates who complete their period of service under the Agnipath scheme.
• Reservation and Age Relaxation: Ex-Agniveers will receive reservation in 50% of the vacancies notified for the specified posts. They will receive a three-year relaxation in the prescribed upper age limit. Candidates belonging to the first batch of Ex-Agniveers will receive a five-year relaxation beyond the prescribed upper age limit.
• Exemption from Recruitment Tests: Eligible former Agniveers will be exempted from the Physical Standards Test, Physical Efficiency Test and written examination. Their military training and service experience will consequently be recognised during recruitment to the designated CAPF and Assam Rifles posts.
• Dedicated Coordination Wing: The Ministry of Home Affairs has established a dedicated Ex-Agniveer Wing to coordinate the progression and recruitment of former Agniveers. No candidate had entered the recruitment process under the new arrangement when the announcement was made because the first Agniveer batch had not completed its four-year engagement.
• Agnipath Scheme: The Union Cabinet approved the Agnipath scheme on June 14, 2022, for recruitment below the officer rank in the Army, Navy and Air Force. Agniveers serve for four years, after which up to 25% of each batch may be enrolled in the regular armed forces cadre. The CAPF reservation concerns post-service employment and is separate from military retention.

Index of Core Industries with Base Year 2022-23

In the News: The Office of the Economic Adviser under DPIIT released the revised Index of Core Industries on July 20, 2026, with 2022–23 as the new base year. It replaces the earlier series based on 2011–12. The first release under the revised series showed core-sector production growing by 5% in June 2026.

Key Points:

• Compiling Authority: The Index of Core Industries is compiled monthly by the Office of the Economic Adviser in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. DPIIT functions under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The provisional index is normally released on the twentieth day of the following month.
• Nine Core Industries: Iron ore has been added as the ninth core industry because of its extensive use in industrial production. The revised basket consists of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement, electricity and iron ore. The earlier series contained eight industries.
• Revised Sectoral Weights: Electricity has the highest weight at 30.932%, followed by refinery products at 22.572% and steel at 17.584%. The weights of crude oil, coal, iron ore, cement, natural gas and fertilisers are 7.430%, 5.596%, 4.905%, 4.410%, 3.841% and 2.731%, respectively.
• Methodological Changes: Gross production data will now be used for the steel index instead of net production data. Only raw coal has been retained, while washed coal and coal middlings have been removed to prevent double counting. The revised weights have been derived from the corresponding items in the IIP 2022–23 series.
• June 2026 Performance: The overall index grew by 5% in June 2026, compared with 3.2% in May. Iron ore recorded the highest growth at 43.9%, while electricity and cement each grew by 9.8%. Natural gas, crude oil, refinery products and fertilisers registered negative growth, while April–June cumulative growth stood at 3.6%.

France Bans Social Media for Children Under 15

In the News: The French Parliament approved legislation on July 2026, prohibiting children below the age of 15 from accessing major social media platforms. The measure is intended to come into force from September, 2026. It forms part of France’s effort to protect minors from cyberbullying, addictive digital behaviour and harmful online content.

Key Points:

• Age Restriction: Children below 15 will not be permitted to create or operate accounts on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook. Educational, scientific and certain public-interest digital services may remain outside the prohibition.
• Age-Verification System: Social media companies will have to introduce reliable age-verification mechanisms approved by France’s data-protection authority. Platforms will also be required to deactivate existing accounts belonging to users below the prescribed age within four months.
• Mobile Phones in Schools: The legislation also extends restrictions on mobile-phone use to high schools. France had earlier prohibited mobile phones in primary and middle schools, making the new measure part of a broader policy on children’s digital exposure.
• Legal and Regulatory Position: The law may be examined by France’s Constitutional Council before its full implementation. Its enforcement provisions must also remain compatible with the European Union’s Digital Services Act and data-protection rules.
• International Context: France has become one of the first European countries to adopt a nationwide statutory social media age limit. Australia had earlier introduced a broader restriction preventing children below 16 from holding accounts on major social media platforms.

James Gray to Receive Locarno Film Festival’s Honorary Career Pardo Award

In the News: American filmmaker James Gray will receive the Pardo alla Carriera at the 79th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. The award ceremony is scheduled to be held at Piazza Grande on August 9, 2026. The honour recognises Gray’s contribution to contemporary cinema and his distinctive body of work.

Key Points:

• Official Award Title: The honour is officially known as the Pardo alla Carriera, or Career Leopard, and is presented in association with Ascona-Locarno Tourism. It recognises film personalities whose creative contributions have influenced cinema and the collective imagination.
• Locarno Film Festival: The festival was established in 1946 and is held annually in Locarno, Switzerland. Its highest competitive honour is the Golden Leopard, awarded to the best film in the festival’s international competition.
• James Gray’s New Film: Following the award ceremony, Gray will present his 2026 film Paper Tiger. The film features Adam Driver, Miles Teller and Scarlett Johansson in prominent roles.
• Festival Retrospective: The tribute will include screenings of selected films from Gray’s career, including We Own the Night and Two Lovers. The filmmaker will also participate in a public conversation about his work and cinematic influences.
• Previous Recipients: Earlier recipients of the career honour include Costa-Gavras, Tsai Ming-liang, Shah Rukh Khan and Jackie Chan. Shah Rukh Khan received the award in 2024, while Jackie Chan was honoured in 2025.

Commonwealth Games, 2026

In the News: India has announced its contingent for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, scheduled in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, 2026. Official releases initially listed 124 competitors, while a later Indian Olympic Association communication referred to a 126-member team. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and boxer Lovlina Borgohain have been selected to lead India during the opening ceremony.

Key Points:

• Glasgow 2026: The event will be the 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games. Glasgow is hosting the competition for the second time after the 2014 Games, with events being conducted across four principal venues.
• Contingent Strength: A Press Information Bureau release listed 126 athletes, 78 men and 48 women, within a 191-member. Some reports described it as a 120-member contingent, while a subsequent IOA release used the figure of 126 for the overall Indian team.
• Ceremonial Leaders: Olympic medallists Mirabai Chanu and Lovlina Borgohain have been named India’s flag and baton bearers for the opening ceremony on July 23. Chanu competes in weightlifting, while Borgohain represents India in boxing.
• Sports and Para Sports: India will participate in disciplines including athletics, boxing, weightlifting, judo, gymnastics, cycling, lawn bowls and swimming. The contingent also includes athletes in para athletics, para swimming, para powerlifting, para cycling and wheelchair basketball.
• Team Officials and Ceremonial Kit: Tennis administrator Rohit Rajpal has been appointed Chef de Mission, with Ravi Bengani serving as Deputy Chef de Mission. India’s ceremonial apparel includes a jute-viscose fabric developed through collaboration among the National Jute Board, NIFT New Delhi and Gloster Jute Mills.

Birth Anniversary of Mangal Pandey

In the News: India observed the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Mangal Pandey on July 19, 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to him and recalled his courage and role in challenging British authority. Mangal Pandey is remembered as one of the earliest figures associated with the Revolt of 1857.

Key Points:

• Birth and Early Life: Mangal Pandey was born on July 19, 1827, in Nagwa village in present-day Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh. He later joined the military establishment of the British East India Company.
• Military Service: He served as a sepoy in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry regiment of the East India Company’s Bengal Army. His actions at Barrackpore became an important immediate precursor to the wider uprising of 1857.
• Barrackpore Incident: On March 29, 1857, Mangal Pandey attacked British officers at the Barrackpore military cantonment near Kolkata. He was arrested after the incident and subsequently tried by a military court.
• Cartridge Controversy: Discontent among Indian soldiers intensified over the introduction of Enfield rifle cartridges, which were believed to be greased with cow and pig fat. Soldiers had to bite open the cartridges, offending the religious beliefs of both Hindu and Muslim sepoys.
• Execution and Legacy: Mangal Pandey was executed at Barrackpore on April 8, 1857, shortly before the revolt began at Meerut on May 10. The Government of India issued a commemorative postage stamp in his honour in 1984.