Top mots important current affairs 08.07.2026 APPSC DSC

 Based news, here is a topic-by-topic and point-by-point breakdown of the current affairs for June 8, 2026:

1. Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY Implementation in West Bengal

• Expansion: West Bengal has become the 36th state or union territory to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
• Timeline: The scheme will be officially implemented in the state starting July 1, 2026.
• Agreement: The West Bengal government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Health Authority (NHA) in New Delhi.
• Context: This follows West Bengal's recent entry as the 33rd legislature to join the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) for paperless governance.
• Scheme Background:
  • It is recognized as the world's largest health insurance scheme.
  • Launched on September 23, 2018, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ranchi, Jharkhand.
  • It is a centrally sponsored scheme, meaning funding is shared between the central government and the states/UTs.
• Benefits & Coverage:
  • Provides ₹5 lakh health insurance coverage per family per year (not per individual).
  • Covers expenses for secondary and tertiary healthcare hospitalization.
  • Offers cashless treatment at identified government and private hospitals nationwide.
  • Features nationwide portability, allowing beneficiaries to receive treatment at recognized hospitals across the country.
• Administration:
  • The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the nodal ministry.
  • The National Health Authority (NHA) serves as the implementing nodal agency.
  • Beneficiaries are identified using the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data.
  • The scheme target is over 12 crore eligible families.
  • It now covers senior citizens aged 70 years and above.
• Merger: It previously merged the National Health Protection Scheme and the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (launched in 2008).

2. Yuva Shakti Bharosa Card Scheme (West Bengal)

• Purpose: A new initiative launched by the West Bengal government to support educated unemployed youth.
• Financial Aid: Eligible youth will receive ₹3,000 per month in financial assistance.
• Eligibility: Targets individuals aged between 21 and 40 years who are currently unemployed.
• Political Context: This was a "poll promise" by the ruling party. It effectively doubles the assistance provided by the previous "Yuvashree" scheme, which offered ₹1,500 per month.

3. Sustainable Development Agreement (Himachal Pradesh)

• Partnership: The Himachal Pradesh government signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• Goals: To promote sustainable development and build climate-resilient infrastructure within the state.
• UNDP Context: Established in 1965 with headquarters in New York, the organization focuses on poverty elimination and developmental activities.
• Sustainable Development Context: Global targets include 17 SDGs and 169 targets to be achieved by 2030. The term was famously highlighted in the Brundtland Report (1987) following the commission's establishment in 1983.

4. Nirmal Sagar Initiative & INCOIS

• Launch: INCOIS launched the Nirmal Sagar program on June 8, 2026, to coincide with World Oceans Day.
• Objective: To control marine pollution, reduce waste, and identify the specific sources of marine litter.
• Timeline: The program is scheduled to start in 2027 and continue thereafter.
• Focus Area: Primarily targets the Indian Ocean region.
• Complementary Mission: This initiative supports the existing Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar mission launched in 2022.
• INCOIS Details:
  • Full Form: Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services.
  • Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana, operating under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
  • Director: TM Balakrishnan Nair.
  • Technological Context: In February 2026, INCOIS launched "Tarang," a high-performance computing system designed to provide real-time tsunami alerts in the Indian Ocean.

5. India’s 7th Regional Meteorological Centre

• Location: Established in Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir.
• Inauguration: Launched on June 5 (World Environment Day) by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences.
• Services: Provides weather forecasts, climate services, flood alerts, and avalanche warnings.
• Coverage: The center will serve the regions of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Himachal Pradesh.

6. Defense Manufacturing in Andhra Pradesh

• Project: A manufacturing plant for missiles and suicide drones is being established in Duttalur, Nellore district.
• Developer: Hyderabad-based startup Ananth Technologies.
• Investment: Approximately ₹1,000 crore.
• Land & Infrastructure: The AP government identified 300 acres for the project, which will be completed in two phases.
• Facility Type: It is an Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) facility.
• Employment: Expected to create jobs for 750 people.
• Suicide Drones: Also known as loitering munitions or Kamikaze drones, these unmanned systems carry a payload and explode upon attacking a target. The term "Kamikaze" originated from Japanese pilots during World War II.

7. Discovery of New Marine Species

• Name: Portatrochammina bharatensis.
• Classification: A new species of Foraminifera, which is a single-celled marine organism.
• Discovery Site: Found in the Jaitapur Creek along the Konkan coast in Maharashtra.
• Researchers: Discovered by scientists from the Agharkar Research Institute in Pune.
• Significance: These types of organisms are estimated to have lived in the oceans for 500 million years.

8. First Government BT Cotton Variety (Andhra Pradesh)

• Variety Name: Lang BG2-208 (also referred to as Aditya BG2).
• Institution: Released by Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU) in Guntur, AP.
• Regional Milestone: This is the first BT cotton seed released under government leadership in South India.
• Key Benefits:
  • Designed to be resistant to the Bollworm pest.
  • Offers high productivity and high-quality yields.
  • Reusability: Unlike private hybrid seeds, which are typically one-time use, farmers can reuse these seeds for subsequent crops.
  • Cost: Priced lower than private market alternatives.
• Technology: Uses BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) technology, a soil bacterium, to genetically modify the crop for pest resistance.
• Leadership: The research team was led by Dr. Chapara Rani.

9. India AI Mission Leadership

• Appointment: Saurabh Vijay has taken additional charge as the CEO of the India AI Mission.
• Existing Role: He is currently the CEO of UIDAI (Aadhaar).
• Background: He is a 1998-batch IAS officer.
• Mission Details: Launched on March 7, 2024, by the Ministry of Electronics with a budget of approximately ₹10,372 crore to develop AI in India.

10. French Open 2026 (Men's Singles)

• Winner: Alexander Zverev (Germany).
• Final: He defeated Flavio Cobolli (Italy) to win the title.
• Achievement: This marks Zverev's first Grand Slam title.
• Tournament Context: Known as Roland Garros, it is played annually on red clay in Paris, France.

11. Under-18 Asia Cup 2026 (Hockey)

• Location: Hosted in Kakamigahara, Japan.
• Men's Division: India won the gold medal by defeating Japan 4-1 in the final.
• Women's Division: China won the title after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final.
• Indian Women's Team: Secured the Bronze medal.

12. Important Days

• World Oceans Day (June 8): Established by the UN in 2008 to raise awareness about protecting ocean biodiversity and coral reefs.
• 2026 Theme: "Re-imagine Beyond the World we Know: A New Relationship with our Ocean".
• World Environment Day (June 5): The date on which India's 7th Regional Meteorological Centre was launched.

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