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Daily Current Affairs 19 August 2026

14 News

National

The Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has signed an agreement with the Chhattisgarh government, Chhattisgarh State BharatNet Infrastructure Ltd (CSBIL), BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd), and Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society (CHiPS) to implement the 'Amended BharatNet Program' in Chhattisgarh.

A financial support of Rs 3,942 crore has been approved for the rollout of the program in the state.

Economy

According to a report by India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast of India for FY27 is upgraded to 6.8%, from the 6.7% estimated in May 2026.

The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation is projected at 8.5% in FY27 from 0.4% in FY26. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation is estimated to average 4.9% in FY27, with retail inflation expected to peak at 5.9% in Q3FY27 before moderating to 5% in Q4FY27.

Banking

Agreements

JSW Neo Energy Ltd (JSWNEL), a subsidiary of JSW Energy, has signed an agreement with the Druk Green Power Corporation Ltd (DGPC) of Bhutan to jointly develop the 920 Megawatt (MW) Punatsangchhu-III Hydroelectric Project.

The project is located on the Punatsangchhu River in the Wangdue Phodrang District of Bhutan.

The development will be executed through a Joint Venture (JV) company on a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) basis.

Under the agreement, DGPC will hold a 51% stake in the JV, while JSWNEL will hold the remaining 49% stake.

The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) under the Ministry of AYUSH has renewed its MoU with the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) to strengthen the scientific standardisation of medicinal plants under the ‘One Herb, One Standard’ initiative.

The MoU, originally signed in 2022, has been extended for 3 years to establish uniform quality standards for medicinal plants.

Reports

The NITI Aayog has released the third report under its Services Thematic series, titled “India’s Services Sector: Insights on Regulatory Regime in Professional Services”.

According to the report, professional services account for 25% (nearly one-fourth) of the total services exports of India. The report proposes a four-pronged strategy to enhance the sector, which includes harnessing emerging trends, elevating professional services in the wider value chain, adopting global best practices, and promoting continuous professional development.

Defence

Kawa UAV Pvt Ltd (Hoverit) has successfully conducted the maiden flight of the first indigenous jet-powered loitering munition of India, named ‘Divyastra Mk3’. The test flight was carried out at the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

The munition was developed with an indigenous jet engine by DG Propulsion, achieving this milestone within 1 year of the initiation of the programme.

The Indian Navy has launched 'Shruti' (Yard 3037), which is the second of four Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (NGOPVs) being constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd in Kolkata.

It is to be noted that the Ministry of Defence signed a contract valued at ₹9,781 crore for the NGOPV project, under which four vessels are assigned to be built by GRSE.

State

The West Bengal government has launched the Ayushman Bharat - PM Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) along with the 'Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana' to expand healthcare coverage.

It is to be noted that AB-PMJAY is a centrally sponsored health assurance scheme launched in 2018 under the Ayushman Bharat (AB) initiative. The scheme provides a health cover of up to ₹5 lakh per family per annum for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to eligible families.

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