Current Affairs 23 July 2026

Africa Overtakes Asia as the Global Centre of Hunger

Africa has, for the first time, become the continent with the largest number of undernourished people, according to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report. The report stated that the “centre of gravity of hunger” has shifted from Asia to Africa.

Around 309 million people in Africa faced hunger in 2025, compared with approximately 292 million in Asia. Nearly one in five Africans was undernourished, reflecting the continuing impact of conflicts, climate shocks, poverty, inequality, and weak food-distribution systems.

Globally, hunger declined for the third consecutive year. An estimated 645 million people, or 7.8% of the world’s population, experienced hunger in 2025, compared with 659 million in 2024. However, regional progress remained highly unequal.

President Droupadi Murmu Unveils Mahatma Gandhi’s Bust in Skopje

President Droupadi Murmu, along with North Macedonia’s President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Museum of the City of Skopje on 22 July 2026. The ceremony formed part of President Murmu’s State visit to North Macedonia.

Andhra Pradesh Signs MoU with UAE Food Cluster

The Andhra Pradesh government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE Food Cluster to develop an integrated food-processing ecosystem in the State. The agreement was signed between the Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) and the UAE Food Cluster at the State Secretariat in Amaravati.

The partnership aims to attract investments from UAE-based companies, strengthen food processing and promote exports of Andhra Pradesh’s agricultural and horticultural products. It will focus on building an integrated value chain covering processing, value addition, international trade and access to global markets.

The collaboration is expected to support processing units for crops such as mango, banana, and cocoa. It emerged from discussions held during the World Economic Forum meeting at Davos earlier in 2026.

As the first investment under the initiative, Dubai-based Floor Masters International announced an investment of ₹100 crore to establish a food-processing unit at Gangadhara Nellore in Chittoor district. The facility is expected to manufacture processed food products for domestic and export markets.

The project is expected to improve value addition, export linkages, and market opportunities for farmers. It may also strengthen Chittoor district’s position as an important food-processing centre in Andhra Pradesh.

AP Released White Paper on the Irrigation Sector

The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a master plan to complete 36 priority irrigation projects by December 2028 with an estimated expenditure of ₹35,555 crore. Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu unveiled the plan while releasing a White Paper on the State’s irrigation sector at the Secretariat in Amaravati. The government has introduced an Irrigation Action Calendar to fix timelines and accelerate project execution.

Key Points for Exams:

• Number of priority irrigation projects: 36
• Target for completion: December 2028
• Estimated investment: ₹35,555 crore
• White Paper released by: Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu
• Implementation mechanism: Irrigation Action Calendar
• Polavaram is a national irrigation project under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
• Veligonda Project primarily benefits drought- and fluoride-affected areas of Prakasam district.
• Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi is a major irrigation project serving Rayalaseema.
• Eleven priority irrigation schemes in North Andhra have been given a two-year target.

Languages in the Eighth Schedule

The Union Government has stated that there are no fixed criteria for including a language in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey informed the Rajya Sabha that demands have been received periodically for the inclusion of several languages, including Gor Boli.

The government explained that languages and dialects continuously evolve under the influence of social, cultural, economic and political developments. Consequently, establishing uniform criteria to determine which languages should receive constitutional recognition is difficult.

Earlier attempts to formulate such criteria through the Pahwa Committee of 1996 and the Sitakant Mohapatra Committee of 2003 remained inconclusive. The Ministry of Home Affairs has maintained that requests must therefore be considered by taking public sentiments and other relevant factors into account.

Key Points for Exams:

• Language in news: Gor Boli (also known as Banjari, Lambadi, or Lamani)
• Ministry responsible for considering inclusion requests: Ministry of Home Affairs
• Number of languages presently listed in the Eighth Schedule: 22
• Number of languages originally included: 14
• No fixed criteria currently exist for adding a language.
• The Pahwa Committee was constituted in 1996.
• The Sitakant Mohapatra Committee was constituted in 2003.
• Sindhi was added through the 21st Constitutional Amendment.
• Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali were added through the 71st Constitutional Amendment.
• Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were added through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment.
• The Eighth Schedule is associated with Articles 344 and 351 of the Constitution.
• English is not included in the Eighth Schedule.

India Releases Spectrum Roadmap for 6G Services

The Department of Telecommunications has released a Spectrum Roadmap for 6G Services, outlining how India will identify, manage, and allocate radio-frequency spectrum for the expansion of 5G and the future introduction of 6G networks. The roadmap covers ten years from 2025 to 2035.

The plan divides spectrum allocation into three phases: short-term from 2025–26, medium-term from 2027–30, and long-term from 2031–35. It seeks to provide telecom service providers with adequate spectrum while promoting indigenous research, manufacturing, regulatory sandboxes, and 6G testbeds for startups and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.

In the short term, the government has identified 400 MHz of mid-band spectrum in the 6425–6725 MHz and 7025–7125 MHz ranges. It is also considering 3,000 MHz in the 37–40 GHz millimetre-wave band for high-speed and low-latency communication.

During 2027–30, another 367 MHz of mid-band spectrum and 1,000 MHz in the 42.5–43.5 GHz band are planned. For 2031–35, the 66–71 GHz band and several sub-terahertz bands will be studied for future 6G applications such as holographic communication, tactile internet, and integrated communication-and-sensing systems.

The roadmap is aligned with the International Telecommunication Union’s IMT-2030 framework and the World Radiocommunication Conferences of 2027 and 2031. India expects 6G services to become available around 2030, offering speeds of up to 1 terabit per second and sub-millisecond latency.

Key Points for Exams:

• Document: Spectrum Roadmap for 6G Services
• Ministry: Ministry of Communications
• Roadmap period: 2025–2035
• Short-term phase: 2025–26
• Medium-term phase: 2027–30
• Long-term phase: 2031–35
• Official international name for 6G: IMT-2030
• Expected availability of 6G: Around 2030
• Short-term mid-band spectrum identified: 400 MHz
• Long-term 66–71 GHz spectrum identified: 5,000 MHz

White-Bellied Heron Threatened by Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project

The proposed 1,200-MW Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project on the Lohit River in Arunachal Pradesh has raised serious conservation concerns because the river basin is a key habitat of the White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis), one of the world’s rarest birds. The Forest Advisory Committee has granted in-principle forest clearance to the project, which would require the diversion of about 869 hectares of forest and the felling of more than 33,000 trees.

India is estimated to have only six to nine White-bellied Herons, distributed mainly along the Noa-Dehing, Lahm, and Lohit rivers. The Lahm–Lohit river system is believed to support a major share of India’s surviving population.

Key Points for Exams:

• Species: White-bellied Heron
• Scientific name: Ardea insignis
• IUCN status: Critically Endangered

Indian Navy Commissions INS Malvan

The Indian Navy commissioned INS Malvan, the second indigenously designed and built Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at Karwar on 22 July 2026. INS Malvan is the second of eight Mahe-class ASW-SWCs being constructed by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi.

AAROH — Annual Report on Mine Closure

The Ministry of Coal released AAROH — Annual Report on Mine Closure, India’s first comprehensive report documenting scientific mine-closure and repurposing practices. The report was released in New Delhi by Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy on 22 July 2026.

Prepared by the Coal Controller Organisation, AAROH documents the transformation of 42 scientifically closed coal mines. It covers land reclamation, ecological restoration, sustainable post-mining land use, and community-oriented development. Each mine profile includes details of closure measures, before-and-after images, and QR code-linked documentary videos.

The Ministry also signed an implementation agreement with Germany’s Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) for technical cooperation on mines scheduled for closure.

Q1. Dubai-based Floor Masters International announced an investment of ₹100 crore to establish a food-processing unit in which district of Andhra Pradesh?
A. Guntur
B. Chittoor
C. Anantapur
D. East Godavari

Q2. The critically endangered White-bellied Heron, recently in the news over the proposed Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project, is mainly threatened in the basin of which river?
A. Lohit River
B. Narmada River
C. Mahanadi River
D. Periyar River

Q3. According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2026 report, which continent has the largest number of people facing hunger?
A. Asia
B. Africa
C. South America
D. Europe

Q4. By which year does the Andhra Pradesh government plan to complete 36 priority irrigation projects?
A. 2026
B. 2027
C. 2028
D. 2030

Q5. President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the Museum of the City of Skopje in which country?
A. Serbia
B. North Macedonia
C. Bulgaria
D. Albania

Q6. What is AAROH, released by the Ministry of Coal in July 2026?
A. Annual Report on Mine Closure
B. Assessment of Renewable Resources and Open-cast Habitats
C. Annual Review of Hydrocarbon Operations
D. Action Agenda for Rehabilitation of Old Habitations

Q7. What is the official international name used for sixth-generation mobile communication technology?
A. IMT-2020
B. IMT-2025
C. IMT-2030
D. IMT-2040

Q8. INS Malvan, commissioned by the Indian Navy in July 2026, belongs to which class of warships?
A. Nilgiri class
B. Mahe class
C. Kalvari class
D. Kamorta class

Q9. What are the fixed criteria for including a language in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India?
A. The language must be spoken by at least one crore people
B. The language must have its own script
C. The language must be recognised by at least five States
D. No fixed criteria have been prescribed