📰 Daily Current Affairs

📅 20 August 2026 • ✅ 20/8/2026, 4:00:21 pm

1. National Medical Commission proposes single licence for doctors to practise across India

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed a registration system under which a medical practitioner, once registered with a State Medical Council and allotted a Unique Identification (UID) number in the National Medical Register, would be eligible to practise across India without obtaining fresh registration or a licence in another State. The proposal is part of the draft Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment) Regulations, 2026.

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2. Satyendar Jain and five others sent to two weeks' judicial custody in tender case

A Delhi court remanded former Water Minister and senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain, former Delhi Jal Board CEO Udit Prakash Rai and three others in 14-day judicial custody in connection with an alleged corruption case linked to the award of tenders for sewage treatment plant (STP) projects. The court also sought the ACB's response to a bail application filed by Mr. Jain.

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3. Cabinet clears four railway multitracking projects worth Rs 9,450 crore

The Union Cabinet has approved four railway multitracking projects with a combined value of Rs 9,450 crore to enhance railway infrastructure and connectivity across India, marking a significant boost to the country's rail network expansion efforts.

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4. Bangladesh to hold presidential election on August 20, 2026

Bangladesh will hold its presidential election with lawmakers set to choose between the ruling BNP stalwart Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 11-party Opposition alliance candidate Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed. The voting will take place for the first time in a presidential election after a gap of 35 years.

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5. Government approves Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Domestic PNG Connections

The Government of India approved the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Domestic Piped Natural Gas (PNG) Connections, effective from 1 September 2026, to accelerate the expansion of household PNG connections and promote access to clean, safe, and affordable cooking fuel across the country.

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6. MeitY approves 31 more projects worth Rs 7,877 crore under Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) approved 31 more proposals worth Rs 7,877 crore under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS). With this, the total number of sanctioned projects under ECMS has reached 106, covering 30 products across 15 states.

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7. India's unemployment rate drops to 5.1% in July 2026, says PLFS data

The National Statistics Office (NSO) released the Monthly Bulletin of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) for July 2026, reporting that India's unemployment rate declined to 5.1% from 5.5% in June 2026, marking improvement in the labour market conditions.

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8. Ministry of Defence notifies 6th Positive Indigenisation List featuring 405 strategic items

The Ministry of Defence through the Department of Defence Production notified the 6th Positive Indigenisation List comprising 405 defence items, including 389 items of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and 16 items of the Indian Coast Guard, covering critical components, spares, and raw materials to boost indigenous defence manufacturing under Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

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9. India's total exports increased 13.31% to USD 80.14 billion in July 2026

As per the Ministry of Commerce and Industry data, India's overall exports (including both merchandise and services) increased from USD 70.72 billion in July 2025 to USD 80.14 billion in July 2026, marking a 13.31% Year-on-Year increase, reflecting robust performance in the country's external trade.

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10. Amit Shah arrives in Chennai to chair 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Chennai to chair the 31st Southern Zonal Council meeting, an important forum for facilitating coordination and cooperation between the Centre and Southern states on various developmental, administrative, and security issues.

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