Daily PIB Summary for 1ˢᵗ July 2026

1. Hul Diwas

Syllabus Mapping→ GS1 – Modern Indian History; Freedom Struggle

• Prime Minister paid tribute on Hul Diwas (30 June), commemorating the beginning of the Santhal Hul (1855–56) and honouring tribal freedom fighters such as Sidhu-Kanhu, Chand-Bhairav, Phulo-Jhano, and countless others who resisted British colonial rule.
• The Santhal Hul (1855–56) was a major tribal uprising against British colonial administration, exploitative zamindars and moneylenders (mahajans). It is regarded as India’s first organised tribal war against colonial oppression, preceding the Revolt of 1857 by two years.
• The movement was led by Sidhu Murmu and Kanhu Murmu, with significant contributions from Chand Murmu, Bhairav Murmu, Phulo Murmu and Jhano Murmu. The rebellion reportedly brought together 32 castes and communities, reflecting exceptional social solidarity.
• The immediate roots lay in the Damin-i-Koh settlement (1832) in the Rajmahal Hills, where displaced Santhals were settled. Over time, exploitative revenue policies, land alienation, usurious moneylending, and the kamioti/harwahi (bonded labour) system pushed the community towards revolt.
• The uprising formally began on 30 June 1855 at Bhognadih village (present-day Sahibganj district, Jharkhand), where thousands of Santhals pledged to overthrow colonial exploitation.
• The rebellion prompted important legislative safeguards for tribal land rights, including:
• Santhal Parganas Tenancy (SPT) Act, 1876 – prohibits transfer of Adivasi land to non-Adivasis in the Santhal Pargana region.
• Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act, 1908 – restricts transfer of tribal land; transfers are permitted only under specified conditions, generally within the same community/area and with the approval of the Deputy Commissioner (Collector).
• ‘Hul’ in the Santhali language means “Revolution” or “Uprising.”
• The Santhals are among the largest Scheduled Tribes in India, mainly inhabiting Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Assam.
• Santhali is included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution (92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003), and its script is Ol Chiki, developed by Pandit Raghunath Murmu.

2. GCC Conclave on Innovation 2026

Syllabus Mapping → GS3 – Science & Technology; Indigenization

• Atal Innovation Mission and Software Technology Parks of India convened the GCC Conclave on Innovation 2026 in Bengaluru to deepen collaboration between Global Capability Centres, startups, incubators and India’s innovation ecosystem.
• The conclave focused on mentorship, pilots, market access, startup-industry partnerships and scale-up pathways.
• The conclave aimed to create stronger linkages between India’s innovation ecosystem and GCCs.
• India’s GCC ecosystem has over 2,100 centres generating nearly USD 100 billion in revenue.
• AIM has built an innovation pipeline through 10,000+ Atal Tinkering Labs and 100+ incubators.
• The Atal Acceleration Centres for Scale-up of Startups (AACESS) initiative is a major upcoming industrial accelerator program launched by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in collaboration with STPI.
• Announced at the GCC Conclave on Innovation 2026, the initiative is explicitly designed to serve as a critical bridge between India’s mature Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and growth-stage startups.
• AACESS works like a corporate matchmaking program that turns startups into suppliers for giant global companies.

3. Thermal Signatures of Solar Storms

Syllabus Mapping → GS3 – Awareness in Space Technology

• Indian astrophysicists have studied the thermal behaviour of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections over 29 years across three solar cycles.
• ICMEs are massive blasts of magnetised plasma released from the Sun’s outer atmosphere.When directed toward Earth, they interact with our planet’s magnetosphere to trigger geomagnetic storms.
• They carry billions of tons of coronal material, consisting primarily of electrons and protons embedded in a strong helical magnetic field.
• When Earth-directed, ICMEs can cause geomagnetic storms affecting satellites, GPS, radio communications, aviation routes and power grids. The current solar cycle, Cycle 25, peaked in 2025.
• The findings show that many solar storms remain thermodynamically active near Earth and that their thermal state can help improve space-weather forecasting

4. Khet Bachao Abhiyan

Syllabus Mapping → GS3 – Major Crops & Agricultural Inputs

• The Union Agriculture Minister participated in the concluding ceremony of Khet Bachao Abhiyan in Haryana and announced that the campaign will evolve into a long-term national mission.
• The Save the Farm Campaign (officially known as Khet Bachao Abhiyan) is a nationwide initiative running from June 1 to June 30, 2026. Spearheaded by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, it promotes sustainable agriculture, balanced fertilizer use, and provides practical farm-level advisories for the Kharif sowing season.
• The initiative centers on the theme of “Save the Soil, Save Farming, Save Farmers” by prioritizing: Soil Health Management, Natural Farming, Water & Climate Resilience, Scheme Linkage.

5. FCRA 2.0 Portal

Syllabus Mapping → GS2 – Role of NGOS and challenges, Government Policies & Interventions

• FCRA 2.0 aims to simplify compliance under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act and strengthen monitoring and enforcement. It digitises key processes related to applications, renewals, annual returns and related services.
• The portal is hosted on MeghRaj, the National Government Cloud.
• The FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to amend the FCRA 2010, which governs the acceptance and utilisation of foreign funds by individuals, NGOs, and organisations to ensure transparency and national security.
• Key Provisions
• Designated Authority for Assets to take over, manage, or dispose of assets created out of foreign funds by NGOs whose FCRA registration has been suspended, cancelled, or not renewed, addressing a previously existing legal gap.
• These could then be transferred or sold, with proceeds directed to the Consolidated Fund of India.
• Under the Act, certain persons are prohibited to accept foreign contribution. These include persons such as election candidates, political parties, judges, legislators, and news publishers. The prohibition also extends to associations or companies engaged in production or broadcast of news or current affairs programmes.
• The Bill expands this category to prohibit any “person” engaged in these activities.
• Appeals against Authority’s orders can be made to District Judge within 90 days.
• Expanded Definition of “Key Functionary”: The definition now includes directors, partners, trustees, karta of Hindu Undivided Family (HUF), office-bearers of societies/trusts/trade unions, and any person with control over management, making them personally liable for offences unless they prove lack of knowledge or due diligence.
• The central government may exempt certain persons from the provisions regarding vesting of foreign contribution and assets if necessary or expedient in public interest.
• Reduces imprisonment from up to 5 years to up to 1 year. Requires prior government approval before initiating investigation.