Current Affairs 31 July 2026

Assam Achieves 1st International Dairy Export with Purabi Ice Cream.

• Assam exported its first international consignment of Purabi Ice Cream to Bhutan.
• Shipment included 5,627 litres of Made-in-Assam dairy products.
• Manufactured by WAMUL and exported by NEDFL.
• Target markets: Thimphu, Paro, Phuentsholing, and Wangdue in Bhutan.
• APEDA supported export documentation, compliance, and market access.
• Products include cups, family packs, cones, and gallon packs.

India Clears Anhydrous Ammonia for Agricultural Applications.

• India approved Anhydrous Ammonia as a fertilizer for three years under existing rules.
• India becomes the 4th country after USA, Canada, and Australia to use ammonia directly in farming.
• Contains 82% Nitrogen, higher than urea’s 46% nitrogen content.
• Approved under Fertiliser Control Order, 1985 (Clause 20A).
• Tested through 13 ICAR institutions with pilot trials in Rabi 2025-26.
• Green ammonia plant (1,200 TPD) may require ₹13,000–15,000 crore investment.

India Emerges as World’s 2nd-Largest Supplier of Seafarers.

• India becomes the world’s second-largest supplier of seafarers with a 12.2% global share.
• Philippines ranks first in global seafarer supply.
• India’s share in the maritime workforce has doubled in five years.
• India provides 1.4 lakh+ officers (13.4% global share).
• Around 1.7 lakh Indian ratings serve on merchant vessels.
• Findings are from the BIMCO-ICS Seafarer Workforce Report 2026.

OmniCard Introduces New UPI Feature for Customizable Employee Benefits.

• OmniCard (Eroute Technologies) launched India’s first Flexi Benefits Basket on UPI.
• Provides an employee-controlled wallet for tax-efficient spending.
• Covers benefits like meal, fuel, telecom, books, and gadgets via UPI.
• Works across 60 million+ UPI merchants with digital KYC and card support.
• Based on Income-tax Rules, 2026 with higher tax-free benefit limits.
• Offers up to ₹2 lakh+ potential tax-free benefits per employee.
• Operates under RBI PPI license with spending controls and HR/payroll integrations.

Edelweiss MF Launches First Index Fund Tracking REITs in India.

• Edelweiss Mutual Fund launches India’s first REIT-focused passive index fund.
• Edelweiss Nifty REITs & Realty Index Fund opens for subscription from August 5–19, 2026.
• Tracks the Nifty REITs & Realty Total Return Index.
• Portfolio mix: 60% REITs and 40% realty stocks.
• Includes a 15% cap per security to reduce concentration risk.
• Minimum investment: ₹100.