Stay
informed and ahead in your exam preparation with today’s comprehensive Daily
GK Update from 16th July 2025. From major state
developments to international breakthroughs, this in-depth
roundup covers everything you need to know for UPSC, SSC, Banking, and
other competitive exams.
📘 Table of Contents
- 🏗️ State News
- 🌐 International News
- 🏦 Banking & Economy
- 🏅 Awards & Honours
- 👔 Appointments
- 📊 Ranks & Reports
- 🚜 Schemes & Policies
- 🔬 Science & Technology
- 🕊️ Obituaries
- 📚 Quick Revision Facts
- 🔗 Sources with SEO Descriptions
🏗️ State News
🚢 Historic Machilipatnam
Port Set for Revival by 2026
- The Machilipatnam Greenfield Port in Andhra
Pradesh is progressing rapidly with 48% construction
completed.
- Built by MEIL, the ₹5,155 crore port is expected to
begin operations by the end of 2026.
- Initially delayed since 2007, the project is back on track under
the Machilipatnam Port Development Corporation Ltd.
- It aims to handle 36 million tonnes of cargo annually and
accommodate large international vessels.
- Associated investments include dry ports, freight corridors,
and better local infrastructure.
- Locals anticipate higher land value and more
employment opportunities.
🪔 Meghalaya’s Sacred
Behdeinkhlam Festival Celebrated
- The Behdeinkhlam Festival was vibrantly observed
in Jowai, Meghalaya.
- Celebrated by the Pnars (Jaintia tribe), the festival
includes rituals for health and harvest.
- Key elements: Symbud Khnong (ritual poles), food offerings,
traditional dances, and the game Dad-lawakor.
- Themes included drug awareness, climate change, and
cultural unity.
- It helps preserve the indigenous Niamtre faith and
brings the community together.
⛴️ Goa Launches India’s First
RoRo Ferry on Mandovi River
- CM Pramod Sawant inaugurated
a RoRo ferry service between Chorao and Ribandar.
- Two ferries—Gangotri and Dwarka—built
by Vijai Marine Shipyards reduce travel to 12–13
minutes.
- Fully equipped with AC cabins, vehicle lanes, emergency
kits, these ferries aim to boost tourism and local
connectivity.
- Notably, the project incurred zero cost to the state
government.
🌉 India’s Second Longest
Cable-Stayed Bridge Opened in Shivamogga
- Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 2.44
km Sigandur Bridge in Karnataka, built at ₹470
crore.
- The bridge restores connectivity across the Sharavathi
backwaters—lost due to Linganamakki dam.
- Named after Goddess Chowdeshwari Devi, it links Sagara
and Marakutika.
- Gadkari also mentioned ₹5 lakh crore worth of new highway
projects for Karnataka.
🐠 India’s First Aqua Tech
Park Inaugurated in Assam
- CM Himanta Biswa Sarma launched
the Aqua Tech Park in Sonapur, Assam.
- Created by Kolong Kopili NGO with support
from NABARD, ICAR-CIFA, the park features:
- Biofloc technology
- Aquaponics
- Ornamental fish breeding
- Assam has doubled fish production since 2019 and is now India’s
fourth-largest fish producer.
- The state launched 10 new fishery clusters worth
₹8 crore to further empower farmers.
📝 Himachal’s ‘My Deed’
Digital Land Registration System Rolled Out
- CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched
the ‘My Deed’ NGDRS pilot project across 10
tehsils in 10 districts.
- Enables digital, presence-less, and cashless land
registration.
- Citizens need only one tehsil visit to complete
documentation.
- Includes innovations like:
- New Jamabandi format in Hindi
- e-Roznamcha Vakyati (digital
diary)
- Kaarguzari (online
attendance records)
🌐 International News
💉 South Asia Achieves Record
Child Immunisation in 2024
- According to UNICEF and WHO, South Asia reached 92%
DTP3 vaccine coverage in 2024.
- Zero-dose children dropped by 27%,
while measles cases declined by 39%.
- India and Nepal led
the progress; Bangladesh and Sri Lanka expanded HPV
vaccines.
- Despite progress, 2.9 million children remain
under-vaccinated, highlighting the need for continued efforts.
🏦 Banking & Economy
💸 UPI-PayNow Cross-Border
Remittance Now Includes 19 Banks
- NPCI International expanded
the UPI-PayNow linkage to 13 more Indian banks,
now totaling 19.
- Aimed at improving real-time remittances between India
and Singapore.
- Especially beneficial for students, migrant workers,
and NRIs.
- The initiative is backed by the RBI and Monetary Authority
of Singapore.
🏅 Awards & Honours
🎖️ President Murmu Presents
Kalinga Ratna Award 2024 to Dharmendra Pradhan
- President Droupadi Murmu conferred
the Kalinga Ratna Award to Union Education
Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
- The ceremony was held in Cuttack, Odisha,
celebrating 600 years of Adikabi Sarala Das.
- Organized by Sarala Sahitya Sansad, the event
promoted linguistic and cultural unity.
👔 Appointments
👨💼 Sanjay Kaul Appointed CEO of GIFT City, Gandhinagar
- Sanjay Kaul (IAS 2001 batch) appointed MD
& CEO of GIFT City, Gandhinagar.
- On three-year deputation, currently serving in
the Union Ministry of Culture.
- Succeeds Tapan Ray, as confirmed by Gujarat
General Administration Department.
🧵 Sabyasachi Couture Names
Manish Chopra as New CEO
- Luxury fashion brand Sabyasachi Couture, majority-owned
by Aditya Birla Fashion, appointed Manish Chopra as
CEO.
- Chopra brings experience from Shein India and Meta.
- This move supports international expansion plans and
market revival.
📊 Ranks & Reports
🎓 Delhi Tops as World’s Most
Affordable Student City – QS Rankings 2026
- Delhi ranked #1 in affordability in QS
Best Student Cities 2026.
- Other Indian cities ranked:
- Mumbai – 98th
- Delhi – 104th
- Bengaluru – 108th
- Chennai – 128th
- Reflects improvements in academic quality, cost of living,
and employability.
- In line with National Education Policy 2020.
🚜 Schemes & Policies
🌾 Cabinet Approves PM
Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (2024–31)
- A 6-year agriculture development plan targeting 100
low-performing districts.
- Annual budget: ₹24,000 crore; managed by NITI Aayog.
- Key focus areas:
- Crop diversification
- Irrigation and storage
- Access to credit
- Integrates 36 schemes from 11 ministries and
benefits 1.7 crore farmers.
🔬 Science & Technology
🐝 China Unveils Lightest
Mind-Control Device for Bees
- Scientists at Beijing Institute of Technology developed
a 74 mg controller to guide bees.
- Uses three micro-needles inserted into the bee’s
brain to control movements.
- Can assist in:
- Military operations
- Search & rescue
- Urban surveillance
- Challenges include battery life, but upgrades are in
progress.
🛰️ Israel Launches Advanced
Satellite Dror-1
- Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) launched Dror-1,
a 4.5-ton communication satellite.
- Deployed via SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape
Canaveral on July 13, 2025.
- Equipped with large antennas, solar panels, and
designed for 15 years of service.
- Enhances secure, national communication systems and
supports technological self-reliance.
🕊️ Obituaries
📜 Acclaimed Queer Poet
Andrea Gibson Passes Away at 49
- Andrea Gibson,
known for powerful poetry on gender identity, love, and cancer,
passed away on July 14, 2025.
- Former Poet Laureate of Colorado and star of
Sundance-winning documentary “Come See Me in the Good Light.”
- Gibson was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021.
- Remembered for their honesty, strength, and cultural impact.
📚 Quick Revision Bullet Points (Memory Hack for
Exams)
- ✅ Machilipatnam Port revival to complete by 2026 (₹5,155 crore).
- ✅ Goa starts first RoRo ferry on Mandovi River.
- ✅ Behdeinkhlam Festival celebrated in Meghalaya.
- ✅ India’s second-longest cable-stayed bridge inaugurated in
Karnataka.
- ✅ Aqua Tech Park launched in Assam – First in India.
- ✅ Himachal launches NGDRS ‘My Deed’ project.
- ✅ South Asia hits record 92% immunisation.
- ✅ UPI-PayNow adds 13 more banks.
- ✅ Dharmendra Pradhan receives Kalinga Ratna Award.
- ✅ Sanjay Kaul becomes GIFT City CEO.
- ✅ Manish Chopra named CEO of Sabyasachi Couture.
- ✅ Delhi ranked most affordable student city – QS 2026.
- ✅ PM Dhan-Dhaanya Yojana launched for farmers.
- ✅ China develops bee mind-control device.
- ✅ Israel launches Dror-1 communication satellite.
- ✅ Poet Andrea Gibson dies at 49.
