Welcome to the Rajasthan Current Affairs edition for 13 July 2026, prepared for RPSC RAS Prelims and Mains aspirants. Today’s roundup covers the Chief Minister’s zero-tolerance directive on crime and law and order, the launch of India’s first advanced Petrobot robotics research centre at Jaipur under Rising Rajasthan, the announcement of a committee to review pay scales and promotions ahead of the 8th Pay Commission, the monsoon break with dust storm alerts in western districts, and new RGHS guidelines that ease OPD diagnostic test approvals. Each item carries background, Rajasthan relevance and a Prelims fact table.
1. CM Orders Zero-Tolerance Action on Crime, Fixes Accountability
Why in News: On 13 July 2026, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma directed the police to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to crime and made it clear that Range Inspectors General (IGs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) will be directly answerable for law and order in their jurisdictions.
Background: Chairing a high-level review meeting at his residence, the Chief Minister told officers to move beyond routine arrests and dismantle entire networks behind organised crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime and illegal arms smuggling. He directed the attachment, seizure and demolition of illegally acquired properties of drug traffickers, ordered special campaigns against the illegal arms supply chain in districts with a high number of Arms Act cases, and asked for stronger cyber patrolling and specialised cyber cells. He sought explanations from officers over recent criminal incidents in Alwar, Sri Ganganagar and Bharatpur. Policing and law and order are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule, which places the responsibility squarely on the state government. This connects to Rajasthan internal security, police reforms and governance.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims State subject of police, Arms Act, cyber patrolling, districts of Alwar and Bharatpur. Mains GS3 internal security, organised crime and cybercrime; GS2 governance and accountability.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Directive | Zero-tolerance on crime |
| Accountability fixed on | Range IGs and SPs |
| Focus areas | Organised crime, drugs, cybercrime, arms |
| Action on traffickers | Attachment and demolition of illegal property |
| Districts flagged | Alwar, Sri Ganganagar, Bharatpur |
| Constitutional basis | Police as a State subject |
2. Jaipur Gets India’s First Advanced Petrobot Robotics Research Centre
Why in News: On 12 July 2026, India’s first advanced Petrobot Robotics Research and Development Centre was inaugurated in Jaipur by Minister of State for Home Affairs Jawahar Singh Bedham, under the Rising Rajasthan initiative.
Background: The centre will develop autonomous and automated robots capable of performing dangerous tasks in hazardous industrial settings such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, power generation and steel. Petrobot had signed a Memorandum of Understanding under the Rising Rajasthan platform, committing an investment of about 10 to 12 crore rupees and around 50 jobs, and the company said its robotic solutions had already been deployed at the Pachpadra refinery in Balotra district to identify and fix technical issues. Rising Rajasthan is the state’s investment summit brand under which it has signed large investment commitments across sectors. This connects to Rajasthan industrial safety, technology adoption and investment promotion.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims Petrobot Robotics R&D Centre, Rising Rajasthan, Pachpadra refinery, Balotra. Mains GS3 science and technology, industrial safety and economy; GS2 investment policy.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Facility | Petrobot Robotics R&D Centre, Jaipur |
| Claim | India’s first advanced centre of its kind |
| Inaugurated by | MoS Home Jawahar Singh Bedham |
| Platform | Rising Rajasthan |
| Investment | About 10 to 12 crore rupees |
| Deployment | Pachpadra refinery, Balotra |
3. State Announces Committee to Review Pay Scales ahead of 8th Pay Commission
Why in News: On 13 July 2026, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced that a high-level committee will be set up to study the pay scales and pay matrix of state employees, keeping in view the recommendations of the 8th Pay Commission.
Background: The committee will examine issues of pay scales and promotions for state government employees and pensioners and prepare the ground for adopting the 8th Central Pay Commission’s recommendations in Rajasthan. The recommendations are technically applicable from 1 January 2026, but actual implementation is expected in early 2027 once the reports are finalised and cleared by the cabinet, after which employees and pensioners would receive arrears from 1 January 2026 as a lump sum. States usually adopt central pay commission awards with their own modifications through such committees. This connects to Rajasthan public finance, employee welfare and administration.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims 8th Pay Commission, pay matrix, state pay committee, arrears from 1 January 2026. Mains GS3 state finances and expenditure; GS2 civil services and governance.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Announcement | Committee on pay scales and promotions |
| Reference | 8th Pay Commission |
| Applicable from | 1 January 2026 |
| Likely implementation | Early 2027 |
| Benefit | Arrears as lump sum |
| Covered | Employees and pensioners |
4. Monsoon Takes a Break, Dust Storm Alert for Western Rajasthan
Why in News: Around 13 July 2026, the southwest monsoon took a temporary break over Rajasthan, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing dust storm and strong wind alerts for western districts and forecasting a return of rain from 16 July.
Background: During the lull, dry weather and dust storms were expected over western Rajasthan, with light rainfall likely on 14 and 15 July in Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Churu, before the monsoon revived from around 16 July. Rajasthan is India’s largest state by area and its western half lies in the arid Thar desert zone, which makes the state highly dependent on the southwest monsoon for both farming and drinking water. A monsoon break during the sowing season can stress the kharif crop, while dust storms affect visibility and power lines. This connects to Rajasthan geography, monsoon and agriculture.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims IMD, southwest monsoon, Thar desert districts, monsoon break. Mains GS1 climate and geography; GS3 agriculture and disaster management.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Condition | Monsoon break |
| Agency | India Meteorological Department |
| Alerts | Dust storm and strong winds in the west |
| Districts | Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Churu |
| Rain to resume | Around 16 July |
| Dependence | Southwest monsoon |
5. New RGHS Guidelines Ease OPD Diagnostic Test Approvals
Why in News: On 13 July 2026, new guidelines for the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) came into effect, allowing routine OPD diagnostic tests costing up to 2,000 rupees to be done without prior approval from the RGHS portal.
Background: The guidelines were issued by the Rajasthan State Health Assurance Agency (RSHAA) and apply to all OPD routine investigation requests submitted on or after 13 July 2026. Tests costing more than 2,000 rupees will still need pre-authorisation through the RGHS portal, while emergency cases are exempted from prior approval, with hospitals uploading the clinical records and justification afterwards. RGHS is the state’s cashless health scheme that covers serving government employees, pensioners and their dependents at empanelled hospitals and diagnostic centres. The change is meant to make the approval process faster, more transparent and more convenient for patients and to cut delays in getting basic tests done. This connects to Rajasthan health governance, employee welfare and service delivery.
Rajasthan Relevance: Prelims RGHS, RSHAA, OPD pre-authorisation, 2,000 rupees threshold. Mains GS2 health governance, welfare and service delivery; GS3 public expenditure on health.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS) |
| Issuing body | Rajasthan State Health Assurance Agency (RSHAA) |
| Effective from | 13 July 2026 |
| No prior approval | OPD tests up to 2,000 rupees |
| Pre-authorisation needed | Tests above 2,000 rupees |
| Emergency cases | Exempted, records uploaded later |
RPSC Practice MCQs
Q1. In the July 2026 law and order review, the Rajasthan Chief Minister held which officers directly accountable for crime control?
- (a) Range IGs and SPs
- (b) District Collectors
- (c) Divisional Commissioners
- (d) Gram Panchayat Sarpanches
Answer: (a) The Chief Minister made Range Inspectors General (IGs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) directly answerable for law and order in their jurisdictions.
Q2. India’s first advanced Petrobot robotics research centre inaugurated in July 2026 is located in which city?
- (a) Jaipur
- (b) Jodhpur
- (c) Kota
- (d) Udaipur
Answer: (a) The centre was inaugurated in Jaipur under the Rising Rajasthan initiative, with its robots already deployed at the Pachpadra refinery.
Q3. The committee announced by the Rajasthan government in July 2026 will review pay scales with reference to which pay commission?
- (a) 8th Pay Commission
- (b) 6th Pay Commission
- (c) 7th Pay Commission
- (d) 5th Pay Commission
Answer: (a) The high-level committee will study pay scales and promotions of state employees in view of the 8th Pay Commission recommendations.
Q4. During the July 2026 monsoon break, the IMD issued dust storm alerts mainly for which region of Rajasthan?
- (a) Western districts such as Bikaner and Sri Ganganagar
- (b) Southern districts such as Banswara and Dungarpur
- (c) The Hadauti region
- (d) The Mewar region
Answer: (a) Dust storm and strong wind alerts were issued for western districts including Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Churu, with rain expected to resume around 16 July.
Q5. Under the new RGHS guidelines effective 13 July 2026, OPD diagnostic tests up to which amount can be done without prior approval?
- (a) 2,000 rupees
- (b) 5,000 rupees
- (c) 10,000 rupees
- (d) 1,000 rupees
Answer: (a) Routine OPD tests costing up to 2,000 rupees no longer need prior approval from the RGHS portal, while tests above that amount require pre-authorisation.
