RBI Transfers Record ₹2.86 Lakh Cr Surplus, VB-G RAM G Replaces MGNREGS, India-Cyprus Strategic Partnership

VB-GRAM G Act Replaces MGNREGA: 68% Drop in Employment, SC Flags Right to Work

The Union government replaced MGNREGA with the VB-GRAM G Act in December 2025, leading to a 68% fall in rural employment. The Supreme Court has raised the question whether the 'Right to Work' should be treated as a fundamental right under Article 21. This news is critical for understanding the constitutional status of socio-economic rights, the doctrine of non-retrogression, and the fiscal federalism debate around Centrally Sponsored Schemes.

Mecca Defence Pact, RDI Fund Conflict, Gig Worker Regulations: UPSC Key Aug 8

The UPSC Key covers three major stories: the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement (Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan) creating a trilateral mutual-defence framework; the RDI Fund controversy where 62% of Rs 2,192 crore soft loans went to firms linked to selection panel members; and Maharashtra's proposed regulations for food delivery platforms requiring EV fleet and 2% fare contribution to driver welfare fund. Also includes forest fire monitoring, Pakistan media curbs, corporate investment trends, AI cybersecurity risks, and solar PLI for polysilicon. Essential for UPSC current affairs across multiple GS papers.

VB-G RAM G Scheme: Karnataka Person-Days Fall 70% in July, 805 GPs with Nil Expenditure

The new VB-G RAM G scheme, which replaced MGNREGA from July 1, 2026, has seen a drastic drop in employment generation in Karnataka - only 17.98 lakh person-days in July 2026 vs 61.48 lakh in July 2025 under MGNREGA. Implementation delays, lack of clarity, and procedural hurdles are blamed. This is critical for understanding rural employment policy shifts.

Centre Mandates 60:40 Centre-State Funding Split for VB-G RAM-G Rural Employment Scheme

The Centre has shifted the funding pattern of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (now VB-G RAM-G) from 100% central funding to a 60:40 Centre-State split (90:10 for Himalayan/Northeast states). This marks a major fiscal federalism change, with states allocating full 40% despite political opposition. Essential for Prelims (ratio, scheme name) and Mains (fiscal federalism, rural wage floor).

VB-G RAM G Reports 49.94% YoY Decline in Rural Employment Generation in July 2026

The government replaced the two-decade-old MGNREGS with the new VB-G RAM G scheme from July 1, 2026. First-month data shows a sharp 49.94% year-on-year drop in person-days (7.67 crore) and a 51.45% fall in households availing work (68.94 lakh). This decline, the lowest in five years, raises concerns about rural demand and the fallback for agricultural labourers during an erratic monsoon.

ISRO Launches EOS-05: India's First Geo-Imaging Satellite in Geosynchronous Orbit; SC Invokes Article 142 to Quash CJP Protest Cases

A day of high exam relevance: ISRO successfully launched EOS-05, India’s first dedicated geo-imaging satellite in geosynchronous orbit, breaking a failure streak. The Supreme Court used its extraordinary power under Article 142 to close cases linked to CJP protests, raising important constitutional questions. Other key updates include OpenAI’s new autonomous AI model, Manipur’s NRC-first demand for Census deferral, mistrust in GDP data, and Tata Chemicals’ Kenya dispute.

Parliamentary Panel Flags DDU-GKY Employment Gap; 18.38 Lakh Trained, 11.94 Lakh Placed

A parliamentary committee has found that many candidates trained under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) are not securing jobs or are underpaid, and fund utilization across major rural skilling schemes is poor. This highlights systemic skill-employment mismatch and the need for robust placement tracking and post-placement support.

MCA Data Reveals Only 9 Women CEOs, 25 MDs in India's Top 500 Listed Companies

Ministry of Corporate Affairs data tabled in Lok Sabha reveals severe underrepresentation of women in top corporate leadership: only 9 CEOs and 25 MDs among India's 500 largest listed companies. This directly impacts the UPSC/state PSC themes of women empowerment, corporate governance, and the effectiveness of legal mandates under the Companies Act, 2013.