Welcome to the Rajasthan Current Affairs edition for 03 July 2026, prepared for RPSC Prelims and Mains aspirants. Today’s roundup covers the completion of 18 years of tiger reintroduction at Sariska and the Centre’s new tiger management roadmap released at Alwar, the Jaipur Metro Phase-2 project and the Pachpadra refinery in Barmer set for a Prime Ministerial launch, the notification of Ramgarh Vishdhari as the state’s fourth tiger reserve, the National e-Governance Awards presented in Jaipur, and the monsoon over Rajasthan. Each item carries background, RPSC relevance and a Prelims fact table.
1. Sariska Marks 18 Years of Tiger Reintroduction, National Roadmap Released
Why in News: On 28 June 2026, marking 18 years of tiger reintroduction at the Sariska Tiger Reserve, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav inaugurated a national workshop at Alwar and released the Road Map on Active Management of Tigers in India along with a booklet on tiger reintroduction and recovery.
Background: Sariska, in Alwar district, lost all its tigers to poaching by 2005 and became the site of the world’s first successful scientific reintroduction of tigers into a landscape where the species had gone locally extinct. The programme began on 28 June 2008 with the arrival of tiger ST-1 from Ranthambore, and the reserve now supports around 56 tigers. The new roadmap shifts focus from merely counting tigers to reviving struggling reserves and enabling natural tiger movement across landscapes. This connects to Rajasthan wildlife conservation and forest administration.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims Sariska Tiger Reserve, ST-1, NTCA, Road Map on Active Management of Tigers. Mains GS3 species reintroduction, conservation and habitat management.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Milestone | 18 years of tiger reintroduction at Sariska |
| Reserve location | Alwar district, Rajasthan |
| First relocated tiger | ST-1 from Ranthambore, 28 June 2008 |
| Current tiger count | Around 56 |
| Workshop venue | Alwar |
| Documents released | Road Map on Active Management of Tigers; reintroduction booklet |
| Union Minister | Bhupender Yadav |
2. Jaipur Metro Phase-2 Set for Prime Ministerial Foundation Stone
Why in News: On 2 to 3 July 2026, CM Bhajan Lal Sharma announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would lay the foundation stone for the Jaipur Metro Phase-2 project, worth over Rs 13,037 crore, during a visit to Rajasthan on 4 July.
Background: The Phase-2 project adds a 41 km North-South corridor with 36 stations, running from Prahladpura to Todi Mod and connecting the Sitapura Industrial Area, VKIA, Jaipur International Airport, SMS Hospital, the railway station, Ambabari and Vidyadhar Nagar. It aims to expand mass rapid transit in a fast-growing capital, ease road congestion and link industrial hubs to the city core. This connects to Rajasthan urban infrastructure and public transport.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims Jaipur Metro Phase-2, North-South corridor. Mains GS3 urban infrastructure, mass transit and sustainable mobility.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | Jaipur Metro Phase-2 |
| Investment | Over Rs 13,037 crore |
| Corridor | Prahladpura to Todi Mod (North-South) |
| Length and stations | About 41 km, 36 stations |
| Foundation by | PM Narendra Modi, 4 July 2026 |
| Key links | Sitapura, VKIA, airport, railway station |
3. Pachpadra Refinery in Barmer Set for Inauguration
Why in News: On 3 July 2026, it was confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate Rajasthan’s first refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Pachpadra in Barmer district on 4 July, a project built at an investment of more than Rs 79,450 crore.
Background: The complex is run by HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL), a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited and the Government of Rajasthan. India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex, it has a crude processing capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum and is expected to meet around 9 to 10 percent of the country’s fuel demand while boosting industry and jobs in western Rajasthan. This connects to Rajasthan industrial development and energy security.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims HRRL, Pachpadra, refinery capacity in MMTPA. Mains GS3 energy security, industrialisation and regional development.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | Rajasthan Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex |
| Location | Pachpadra, Barmer district |
| Investment | Over Rs 79,450 crore |
| Operator | HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd (HRRL) |
| Capacity | 9 MMTPA crude processing |
| Share of fuel demand | About 9 to 10 percent of India |
4. Ramgarh Vishdhari Confirmed as Rajasthan’s Fourth Tiger Reserve
Why in News: Reaffirmed in the tiger conservation discussions of late June 2026, the Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Bundi district stands as Rajasthan’s fourth tiger reserve, part of the state’s expanding tiger landscape flagged in the new national roadmap.
Background: Ramgarh Vishdhari, in Bundi district, was notified as Rajasthan’s fourth tiger reserve in 2021 by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, forming a vital corridor between the Ranthambore and Mukundara Hills tiger reserves for natural tiger dispersal. Rajasthan now has five tiger reserves in all: Ranthambore, Sariska, Mukundara Hills, Ramgarh Vishdhari, and the Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve (notified in 2023 as India’s 54th). Strengthening such corridors is central to the roadmap’s goal of connected, self-sustaining tiger populations. This connects to Rajasthan biodiversity and protected-area management.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims Ramgarh Vishdhari, Ranthambore, Mukundara Hills, tiger corridors. Mains GS3 protected areas, wildlife corridors and conservation.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Reserve | Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve |
| Location | Bundi district |
| Status | Fourth tiger reserve of Rajasthan |
| Corridor role | Links Ranthambore and Mukundara Hills |
| Notifying body | MoEFCC |
| Rajasthan tiger reserves | Ranthambore, Sariska, Mukundara Hills, Ramgarh Vishdhari, Dholpur-Karauli (5 in all) |
5. National e-Governance Awards Presented in Jaipur
Why in News: On 2 July 2026, the National e-Governance Awards 2026 were presented at Jaipur, with Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh as chief guest, recognising the best digital governance initiatives from across the country.
Background: Jaipur hosted the event where Gold, Silver and a Special Jury Award were conferred across categories, from AI-driven services to gram panchayat-level digital delivery. The awards are administered through the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). For Rajasthan, hosting the awards showcases its own digital service platforms and administrative reforms. This connects to Rajasthan e-governance and citizen service delivery.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims National e-Governance Awards, DARPG. Mains GS2 e-governance, transparency and citizen-centric administration.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Event | National e-Governance Awards 2026 |
| Date | 2 July 2026 |
| Host city | Jaipur |
| Chief guest | Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh |
| Administering body | DARPG |
| Award categories | Gold, Silver, Special Jury |
6. Southwest Monsoon Advances Across Rajasthan
Why in News: Around 2 to 3 July 2026, the India Meteorological Department reported the further advance of the southwest monsoon over Rajasthan, with rain and thunderstorm activity across eastern and southern districts and alerts in several areas.
Background: Rajasthan is India’s largest state by area and includes the arid Thar desert in the west, making the monsoon crucial for kharif crops such as bajra, moong and guar, and for replenishing groundwater in water-scarce regions like Shekhawati. The IMD Jaipur centre issues district bulletins on rain and lightning, while a well-spread monsoon eases the state’s chronic water stress. This connects to Rajasthan geography, agriculture and water security.
RPSC Relevance: Prelims southwest monsoon, Thar desert, IMD. Mains GS1 monsoon and arid geography; GS3 water security and rain-fed farming.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Phenomenon | Southwest monsoon advance over Rajasthan |
| Forecasting body | India Meteorological Department (IMD) |
| Key kharif crops | Bajra, moong, guar |
| Arid zone | Thar desert (western Rajasthan) |
| Water-scarce belt | Shekhawati |
| IMD state centre | Jaipur |
RPSC Practice MCQs
Q1. The Sariska Tiger Reserve, which marked 18 years of tiger reintroduction in 2026, is located in which district of Rajasthan?
- (a) Bundi
- (b) Sawai Madhopur
- (c) Alwar
- (d) Kota
Answer: (c) Sariska lies in Alwar district. Tiger reintroduction began on 28 June 2008 with tiger ST-1 relocated from Ranthambore.
Q2. The Road Map on Active Management of Tigers in India, released in 2026, primarily emphasises which shift?
- (a) Increasing zoo populations
- (b) Moving from counting tigers to reviving struggling reserves and enabling movement
- (c) Banning all tourism in reserves
- (d) Replacing tigers with leopards in weak reserves
Answer: (b) The roadmap shifts focus from merely counting tigers to reviving struggling reserves and enabling natural movement across landscapes.
Q3. The Pachpadra refinery-cum-petrochemical complex set for inauguration is located in which district of Rajasthan?
- (a) Jodhpur
- (b) Barmer
- (c) Bikaner
- (d) Nagaur
Answer: (b) The complex is at Pachpadra in Barmer district, run by HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL) with a capacity of 9 MMTPA.
Q4. Ramgarh Vishdhari, Rajasthan’s fourth tiger reserve, acts as a corridor between which two reserves?
- (a) Sariska and Ranthambore
- (b) Ranthambore and Mukundara Hills
- (c) Sariska and Mukundara Hills
- (d) Ranthambore and Kuno
Answer: (b) Ramgarh Vishdhari, in Bundi district, links the Ranthambore and Mukundara Hills tiger reserves, aiding natural tiger dispersal.
Q5. Which of the following is the state bird of Rajasthan?
- (a) Chinkara
- (b) Godawan (Great Indian Bustard)
- (c) Sarus Crane
- (d) Indian Peacock
Answer: (b) The Godawan or Great Indian Bustard is the state bird of Rajasthan, while the Chinkara is the state animal.
