Welcome to the Ujiyari Rajasthan daily current affairs digest for 21 July 2026, curated for RPSC RAS, RSMSSB and other State PCS aspirants. Today’s edition covers a large habitat and wildlife valorisation project, two heritage and culture-tourism initiatives from the Shekhawati and Thar regions, the government’s move to enact a dedicated heritage protection law, and the induction of medal-winning athletes into government service. Each item is broken down into background, Rajasthan relevance and a Prelims fact table, followed by a Fact File and five practice MCQs to lock in the concepts.
1. PRITHWI Wildlife Habitat and Valorisation Project
Why in News: Rajasthan’s PRITHWI initiative, a project for resilient and integrated terrestrial habitats and wildlife valorisation, was in focus in mid-July 2026 as the forest and wildlife department advanced habitat-development and human-wildlife conflict mitigation works under it.
Background: PRITHWI (Project for Resilient and Integrated Terrestrial Habitats and Wildlife Valorisation Initiative) is a large state conservation programme with an outlay of about Rs 1,500 crore covering habitat improvement, corridor and grassland restoration, conflict mitigation and eco-tourism development. Rajasthan hosts a distinctive dry-zone biodiversity across the Aravallis, the Thar desert and its wetlands, making integrated habitat management critical as land-use pressure rises. The project ties conservation outcomes to community benefit through regulated eco-tourism and livelihood linkages. This connects to the national policy direction of financing biodiversity through valorisation, ecosystem services and landscape-level planning rather than isolated protected-area management.
Rajasthan Relevance:
- Prelims: PRITHWI is a Rajasthan terrestrial habitat and wildlife valorisation project with an outlay of roughly Rs 1,500 crore covering habitat, conflict mitigation and eco-tourism.
- Mains: Discuss how landscape-level habitat financing and eco-tourism valorisation can reconcile conservation with rural livelihoods in Rajasthan’s arid and semi-arid zones.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project | PRITHWI (terrestrial habitats and wildlife valorisation) |
| Approximate outlay | About Rs 1,500 crore |
| Core components | Habitat development, conflict mitigation, eco-tourism |
| Ecological zones | Aravalli, Thar desert, wetlands |
| Implementing arm | Forest and Wildlife Department, Rajasthan |
| Policy idea | Financing conservation through valorisation |
2. Shekhawati Haveli Conservation Scheme
Why in News: The Shekhawati Haveli Conservation Scheme remained under active implementation in July 2026, with the government pushing restoration of the region’s frescoed havelis across Jhunjhunu, Churu and Sikar districts.
Background: The Shekhawati region is famous for its ornately painted havelis, mansions built by Marwari merchant families and covered in vibrant fresco murals, forming one of the largest open-air concentrations of wall painting in the world. Many of these structures had deteriorated due to neglect, weathering and migration of owning families. The state scheme, with an allocation of about Rs 200 crore over two years, funds structural repair, fresco restoration and adaptive reuse to revive heritage tourism and craft-based local economies. This connects to the broader challenge of conserving privately owned built heritage while generating sustainable tourism income for small towns.
Rajasthan Relevance:
- Prelims: The Shekhawati Haveli Conservation Scheme, with about Rs 200 crore over two years, covers Jhunjhunu, Churu and Sikar.
- Mains: Assess the model of publicly funded conservation of privately owned heritage havelis as a driver of small-town tourism and craft revival in Rajasthan.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Shekhawati Haveli Conservation Scheme |
| Allocation | About Rs 200 crore over two years |
| Districts covered | Jhunjhunu, Churu, Sikar |
| Heritage feature | Fresco-painted merchant havelis |
| Region | Shekhawati (northeastern Rajasthan) |
| Objective | Restoration and heritage tourism revival |
3. Thar Cultural Circuit for Desert Heritage Tourism
Why in News: The proposed Thar Cultural Circuit gained attention in July 2026 as the tourism department worked to link western Rajasthan’s desert heritage destinations into a single cohesive trail.
Background: The Thar Cultural Circuit is a planned tourism corridor connecting Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Barmer and Jalore to package the desert region’s forts, folk-music traditions, handicrafts and cuisine as an integrated experience. Western Rajasthan holds strong potential for cultural and experiential tourism but has suffered from fragmented, single-destination promotion. By stitching these centres into a circuit, the government aims to extend tourist stay duration, spread footfall beyond a few flagship forts and channel revenue to interior districts and rural artisans. This connects to the strategy of circuit-based, thematic tourism development that spreads economic gains across a region rather than concentrating them in one city.
Rajasthan Relevance:
- Prelims: The Thar Cultural Circuit links Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Barmer and Jalore as a desert heritage trail.
- Mains: Examine circuit-based thematic tourism as a tool to distribute tourism revenue and preserve intangible cultural heritage in western Rajasthan.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initiative | Thar Cultural Circuit |
| Cities linked | Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Barmer, Jalore |
| Region | Thar desert, western Rajasthan |
| Theme | Desert forts, folk music, crafts, cuisine |
| Approach | Circuit-based thematic tourism |
| Goal | Longer stays and wider revenue spread |
4. Move to Enact a Heritage Structures Protection Law
Why in News: In July 2026, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma signalled that Rajasthan will soon bring a dedicated law to protect heritage structures, stating that conservation must be balanced with development.
Background: Rajasthan’s dense stock of forts, palaces, stepwells, temples and havelis faces threats from encroachment, unregulated construction, insensitive renovation and neglect. Existing protection is spread across central and state monument frameworks that leave many privately held or locally significant structures inadequately covered. A dedicated heritage protection law is intended to create clearer classification, regulation of alterations, and incentives or penalties to safeguard built heritage while still permitting planned development around it. This connects to the constitutional duty under Article 49 to protect monuments of artistic or historic interest and the fundamental duty under Article 51A(f) to value and preserve the composite culture.
Rajasthan Relevance:
- Prelims: The proposed Rajasthan heritage protection law aims to safeguard heritage structures while balancing conservation with development.
- Mains: Discuss the need for a state heritage protection law in Rajasthan and how it can reconcile conservation duties with urban development pressures.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Proposal | Dedicated heritage structures protection law |
| Announced by | CM Bhajan Lal Sharma |
| Core principle | Balance conservation with development |
| Constitutional link | Article 49 (protection of monuments) |
| Duty link | Article 51A(f) (preserve composite culture) |
| Coverage aim | Forts, havelis, stepwells and heritage sites |
5. Induction of Medal-Winning Athletes into Government Service
Why in News: In July 2026, Rajasthan advanced the induction of around 50 medal-winning athletes into government service, recognising sporting achievement with public employment.
Background: Rajasthan operates an out-of-turn appointment framework under which sportspersons who win medals at recognised national and international competitions are inducted directly into state government posts. The latest batch of about 50 athletes is being placed across departments, providing financial security and encouraging young players to pursue competitive sport. Such schemes serve as a retention and motivation tool in a state that has been strengthening its sports ecosystem through academies, playfields and district-level competitions. This connects to the wider policy question of how governments can institutionalise incentives for sporting excellence and convert athletic success into stable careers.
Rajasthan Relevance:
- Prelims: Rajasthan inducts medal-winning sportspersons into government service through out-of-turn appointment, with a recent batch of about 50 athletes.
- Mains: Evaluate out-of-turn government employment for medal-winning athletes as an instrument to build a sustainable sports ecosystem in Rajasthan.
| Prelims Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Measure | Induction of athletes into government service |
| Recent batch size | About 50 medal-winning athletes |
| Mechanism | Out-of-turn appointment for sportspersons |
| Eligibility basis | Medals at recognised competitions |
| Objective | Financial security and sports promotion |
| State | Rajasthan |
Practice MCQs
Q1. Rajasthan’s move in July 2026 to induct medal-winning athletes directly into government service is primarily aimed at:
- (a) Reducing the state wage bill
- (b) Rewarding and supporting sportspersons and encouraging sport
- (c) Privatising state sports bodies
- (d) Ending government recruitment exams
Answer: (b) The policy of inducting medal-winning athletes into government service rewards sporting achievement, provides financial and career security to sportspersons, and encourages young people in Rajasthan to take up competitive sport.
Q2. The PRITHWI project in Rajasthan is chiefly concerned with which sector?
- (a) Solar power generation
- (b) Terrestrial wildlife habitat and conservation
- (c) Digital governance
- (d) Highway construction
Answer: (b) PRITHWI, the Project for Resilient and Integrated Terrestrial Habitats and Wildlife Valorisation Initiative, focuses on habitat development, human-wildlife conflict mitigation and eco-tourism, with an outlay of about Rs 1,500 crore.
Q3. The Shekhawati Haveli Conservation Scheme covers which group of districts?
- (a) Kota, Bundi and Baran
- (b) Jaisalmer, Barmer and Jalore
- (c) Jhunjhunu, Churu and Sikar
- (d) Udaipur, Rajsamand and Dungarpur
Answer: (c) The scheme targets the frescoed merchant havelis of the Shekhawati region, spread across Jhunjhunu, Churu and Sikar, with an allocation of about Rs 200 crore over two years.
Q4. The proposed Thar Cultural Circuit connects which of the following sets of destinations?
- (a) Jaipur, Ajmer and Pushkar
- (b) Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Barmer and Jalore
- (c) Mount Abu, Udaipur and Chittorgarh
- (d) Alwar, Bharatpur and Dholpur
Answer: (b) The Thar Cultural Circuit is a desert heritage trail linking Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Barmer and Jalore to promote circuit-based cultural tourism in western Rajasthan.
Q5. The Chief Minister’s proposal for a heritage protection law in Rajasthan most directly relates to which constitutional provision on protecting monuments?
- (a) Article 21
- (b) Article 49
- (c) Article 324
- (d) Article 356
Answer: (b) Article 49 places an obligation on the State to protect monuments and places of artistic or historic interest, complemented by the fundamental duty under Article 51A(f) to preserve the country’s composite culture.
