Daily PIB Summary for 27ᵗʰ July 2026

1 . Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath – UNESCO World Heritage Site

GS I: Indian Heritage & Culture • Buddhism • UNESCO World Heritage Sites

• At the 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held at Busan, Republic of Korea, the Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming India’s 45th World Heritage Property.
• It is the site where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon (Dharmachakra Pravartana – Turning of the Wheel of Dharma) after attaining enlightenment and established the first Buddhist Sangha.
• The inscribed serial property comprises:
• Chaukhandi Stupa
• Archaeological Remains of Sarnath, including:
  • Dhamekh Stupa
  • Dharmarajika Stupa
  • Mulagandhakuti Vihara
  • Ashokan Pillar
• The site preserves a continuous cultural sequence from the Pre-Mauryan period (5th–4th century BCE) to the 12th century CE.
• The Ashokan Lion Capital, discovered at Sarnath, was adopted as the National Emblem of India, while the Dharma Chakra from Sarnath is represented on the National Flag.
• Sarnath Site Museum (1904), established by the ASI, is regarded as India’s oldest site museum and houses the original Lion Capital.
• Sarnath was inscribed under:
• Criterion (iii): Exceptional testimony to the living Buddhist tradition and pilgrimage.
• Criterion (vi): Direct association with the Buddha’s First Sermon and the establishment of the Buddhist Sangha.
• Four Principal Buddhist Pilgrimage Sites

2. Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS)

GS III: Agriculture • Disaster Management • Science & Technology

• It is an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare under the Digital Agriculture Mission to improve access to hyper-local weather information for agriculture.
• The system aims to establish a dense network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) and Automatic Rain Gauges (ARGs) across the country for real-time weather observations.
• WINDS supports:
  • Weather-based crop advisories.
  • Crop planning and farm-level decision-making.
  • Risk assessment for agriculture.
  • Improved implementation of weather-index and crop insurance programmes.
• The generated weather data will support schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) by improving the quality and availability of weather information.
• The initiative is implemented in coordination with States and Union Territories for installation, operation and maintenance of weather infrastructure.
• YES-TECH (Yield Estimation System based on Technology)
  • Implemented from Kharif 2023 for technology-based crop yield estimation.
  • Objective: Improve accuracy and transparency in crop loss assessment.
  • Initially launched for Paddy & Wheat but extended to Soybean from Kharif 2024.
• Digital Initiatives under PMFBY
• • National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP): Single digital platform for enrolment, subsidy management, claim processing and direct benefit transfer.
  • Digiclaim Module: Integrates NCIP, PFMS, and insurance companies’ accounting systems for transparent and faster claim settlement.
  • CCE-Agri App: Digital capture and upload of Crop Cutting Experiment (CCE) data on NCIP.
  • CLAP (Crop Loss Assessment App): Mobile application for assessment of localized calamities and post-harvest losses.
  • Mandatory for all States/UTs under PMFBY.

3. BHAVYA Rasayan Scheme (Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana Rasayan)

GS III: Industrial Policy • Chemical Industry • Infrastructure • Manufacturing

• The Union Cabinet (24 July 2026) approved the BHAVYA Rasayan Scheme (Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana Rasayan) for establishing three dedicated Chemical Parks across the country.
• BHAVYA Rasayan is a Central Sector Scheme of the Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
• Objective: Establish three dedicated Chemical Parks with plug-and-play infrastructure to promote globally competitive and environmentally sustainable chemical manufacturing.
• Implementation Period: FY 2026–27 to FY 2030–31 (5 years).
• Parks will be selected through the Challenge Route.
• Each Chemical Park must have a minimum contiguous area of 8 sq. km. (2,000 acres) of encumbrance-free land.
• Develops the entire chemical value chain including: Upstream industries + Downstream industries + Ancillary industries

4. RAMP (Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance) Scheme

GS III: MSMEs • Industrial Development • Inclusive Growth

• RAMP (Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance) is a World Bank-supported Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Ministry of MSME.
• Implementation Period: FY 2022–23 to FY 2026–27 (5 years).
• Total Financial Outlay: ₹6,062.45 crore
  • ₹3,750 crore (USD 500 million) – World Bank loan.
  • ₹2,312.45 crore – Government of India contribution.
• Objectives:
  • Strengthen institutions and governance for MSMEs.
  • Improve Centre–State collaboration.
  • Enhance market access, credit access and technology upgradation.
  • Address delayed payments.
  • Promote greening and women-owned MSMEs
• Strategic Investment Plans (SIPs):
  • Prepared by States/UTs as roadmaps for MSME development.
  • RAMP provides grants for implementation of approved SIP projects.
  • The programme follows a Programme-for-Results (PforR) approach with Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs) agreed with the World Bank.

5. Research, Development & Innovation (RDI) Fund under ANRF

GS III: Science & Technology • Research & Innovation • Institutional Framework

• The RDI Fund was approved by the Union Cabinet on 1 July 2025 and launched by the Prime Minister on 3 November 2025.
• It has a corpus of ₹1 lakh crore to promote research, development and innovation in strategic and sunrise sectors.
• The Department of Science & Technology (DST) is the nodal ministry for implementation.
• The Scheme is operationalised through a Special Purpose Fund (SPF) under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) using a two-tier funding mechanism.
• Technology Development Board (TDB) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) have been identified as Second-Level Fund Managers (SLFMs) under the RDI Fund.
• The Fund supports eligible technology entities working at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and above.
• Financial support is limited to 50% of the assessed project cost; the remaining funding is to be mobilised by the project proponent through own or commercial sources.
• Priority sectors include:
  • Energy security & climate action
  • Quantum computing, robotics & space
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Biotechnology & biomanufacturing
  • Pharmaceuticals & medical devices
  • Digital economy & digital agriculture.