We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 29 July 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

GoI funded 10 Broad Gauge Locomotives handed over to Bangladesh by Indian Railways in a virtual ceremony

i.On July 27, 2020, Indian Railways handed over the specifically modified 10 railway broad gauge locomotives to Bangladesh, which will help in handling the increasing volume of passenger and freight train operations in Bangladesh.
ii.All locomotives can attain speed of up to 120 km per hour and have residual life of 28 years or more.
iii.The locomotives were flagged off virtually to Bangladesh by External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Railway Minister PiyushVedprakash Goyal. From Bangladesh, the online ceremony was attended by Minister of Railway Md Nurul Islam Sujan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abul Kalam Abdul Momen.
About Bangladesh:
Capital– Dhaka
Currency– Bangladeshi taka
President– Mohammad Abdul Hamid

PM Modi Launched High Throughput COVID-19 Testing Facilities at Kolkata, Mumbai & Noida

On 27th July 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched three high throughput COVID-19 testing facilities at Kolkata, Mumbai and Noida to increase the test capacity by 10000 tests per day in each city.
About ICMR:
Director-General– Prof. Balram Bhargava.
Headquarters– New Delhi

Govt released guidelines for 4 schemes to boost domestic manufacturing of bulk drugs & medical devices Parks

i.On July 27, 2020, In order to boost domestic manufacturing of bulk drugs and medical devices parks in India, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Devaragunda Venkappa Sadananda Gowda launched guidelines for four schemes of Department of Pharmaceuticals (under ministry of chemical & fertilizers), two each for Bulk Drugs and Medical Devices parks, on the lines of making India Atma Nirbhar (self-reliant) in pharma sector.

Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks: Rs. 3,000 cr outlay to create 3 drug parks
Scheme Promotion of Medical Devices Parks: Rs 400 cr outlay for 4 Medical Device Parks
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Promoting Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices: Outlay Rs. 3,420 cr
PLI scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of KSMs, DIs, & APIs in India: Outlay Rs 6,490 cr

ii.Participants at launch event: Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya , Minister of State-MoS (Independent Charge) for Shipping and MoS for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Amitabh Kant, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Niti Ayog, Dr P D Waghela, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals.

Central Govt. with World Bank decides to convert ravines of Chambal region into arable land

i.On 26th July 2020, Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare announced that the Central Government in collaboration with the World Bank has decided to convert the area of ravines in the region of Gwalior-Chambal belt of Madhya Pradesh into cultivable land.
ii.The decision was made through a virtual meeting with Adarsh Kumar, representative of the World Bank.
About World Bank:
President– David Robert Malpass
Headquarters– Washington, D.C., United States
Motto– Working for a World Free of Poverty
About Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare:
Union Minister– Narendra Singh Tomar

India’s GDP boosts to 2.5% by AI : Report by ICRIER, Google & NASSCOM

According to The report titled, ’Implications of AI on the Indian Economy’ by National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) along with the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and Google stated that:
A unit increase(measured as the ratio of AI to total sales) in Artificial Intelligence(AI) intensity can result in a 2.5% increase in India’s Gross Domestic Product(GDP) in the immediate term.
About Nasscom:
Headquarters– New Delhi, India
President– Debjani Gosh.
About ICRIER
Headquarters– New Delhi, India
Chairperson, Board of Governors – Isher Judge Ahluwalia
Director and Chief Executive– Rajat Kathuria

India to set up Solar Power Plant in Sri Lanka

Under the aegis of International Solar Alliance(ISA) NTPC Ltd, Largest power generation utility of India plans to establish solar power plants in Sri Lanka as a part of the strategy to exhibit the presence of India in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) amid China’s attempt to attract nations into the “Belt and Road” initiative.
About International Solar Alliance(ISA):
Director General– Upendra Tripathy
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana
About NTPC Ltd:
Chairman & Managing Director– Gurdeep Singh
Headquarters– New Delhi

GAIL and CCSL signs MoU to partner in Compressed BioGas projects in India

On 23rd July 2020, GAIL(India) limited and Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the project development opportunities in the Compressed Biogas(CBG) value chain in India.
Santanu Roy, Executive Director (Business Development) of GAIL and Aniruddha Sharma, CEO of CCSL signed the MoU
Objective of the MoU:
The MoU between the two organisations aims to build a closer strategic partnership by jointly working on the CBG projects in India.
Features of MoU:
i.CCSL will build 4 CBG plants with their funding, technology and expertise based on 10 year CBG off-take agreements with GAIL or its associated companies, as the off-taker in line with the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative of Indian Government.
ii.Upon the completion of the initial plants the partnership will be advanced with the intention of developing 100 CBG plants in India.
iii.The partnership promotes the technological advancements in the production of CBG from organic waste.
Benefits:
i.The CBG projects will support India’s future energy access, efficiency, sustainability and security.
ii.The cleaner green fuel transition will help in reducing the crude imports of the country.
About GAIL (India) Ltd:
Chairman & Managing Director– Manoj Jain
Head Office– New Delhi
About Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL):
CEO– Aniruddha Sharma
Headquarters- London, United Kingdom

Home Minister Amit Shah Distributed 100 Electric Potters Wheels to Artisans of Gujarat

On 24th July 2020, Under the ‘Kumhar Sashaktikaran Yojana’ of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) Union Home Minister Amit Shah distributed 100 electric potters wheels to 100 trained artisans of Gujarat in a programme at the Gandhinagar constituency through video conferencing from New Delhi.
Key Points:
i.The electric potters wheels were distributed to empower and support the marginalised potters community and to boost the atma nirbhar initiative of India.
ii.By incorporating technology to increase and improve the productivity this scheme will support to strengthen the potters community and this will also support to revive the traditional art of pottery.
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC):
The KVIC have trained around 100 potters from around 14 villages and distributed around 100 electric potters wheels and 10 blunger machines.
The average income of the potters under the scheme has increased to Rs. 12,000 per month from Rs.3000 per month.
About Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA):
Union Minister– Amit Shah
Ministers of State– Gangapuram Kishan Reddy & Nityanand Rai
Recent Related News:
i.The Integrated Risk Insurance Brokers Limited(IRIBL), announced ‘Mee Annapurna’ for farmers’ welfare across Maharashtra.
ii.Tripura govt launches Mukhyamantri Matru Pushti Uphaar Scheme to Provide Nutrition Kits to Pregnant and Lactating Women.

BANKING & FINANCE

IRCTC and SBI Card launched a Co-branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform

i.Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited(IRCTC) and SBI Card launched a co-branded contactless credit card, IRCTC -SBI Platinum Card on RuPay Platform to reward the frequent railway(train) travellers.
ii.The card is equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology by which users can facilitate their transactions at the point of sale(POS) machines by Tap and Pay Option. This enables consumers to transact safely and securely online.
About IRCTC:
Headquarters– New Delhi, India
Chairman & Managing Director– Mahendra Pratap Mall
About SBI Card:
Headquarters– Gurgaon, Haryana.
Managing Director(MD) and Chief executive Officer(CEO)– Hardayal Prasad(will retire on July 31, 2020) Ashwini Kumar Tewari to take charge from August 1, 2020.

Bharti AXA General Insurance Launched Crop Insurance Campaign, ‘Bohot Zaroori Hai’ for Farmers

i.Bharti AXA General Insurance has launched its crop insurance campaign,’Bohot Zaroori Hai’ for farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka to encourage them about their yield protection and financial security.
ii.It aims to create awareness to farming communities about the relevance and significance of crop insurance, which can alleviate rural distress caused by crop failure or damage.
iii.Bharti AXA General Insurance had received Rs 800 crore worth crop insurance mandate from the governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka to insure their farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
About Bharti AXA General Insurance
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director– Sanjeev Srinivasan

SBI provided USD 16.20 million liquidity support for local businesses in Maldives as COVID-relief

i.On the occasion of Independence Day of the Maldives on July 26, 2020, the largest Indian public sector bank, State Bank of India (SBI) provided liquidity support of USD 16.20 million as a COVID-relief for the Government of Maldives to overcome liquidity shortage.
ii.The fund will support economic relief measures by utilizing it for local businesses and defers loan repayment for over 200 retail accounts.
iii.The growing relationship between both nations is premised upon the ‘India First’ policy of Maldives and ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy of India.
About Maldives:
Capital– Male
Currency– Maldivian rufiyaa
President– Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
About SBI:
Formed– July 1955 as SBI
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chairman– Rajnish Kumar
Digital banking platform– Yono
Tagline– The Banker to Every Indian

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Indian oil and France’s Total formed 50:50 JV to make superior quality bitumen

Indian Oil Corporation(IOC) has formed an equal(50:50) Joint Venture(JV) with France’s Total S.A. to manufacture and market high-quality innovative bitumen derivatives and superior quality products like polymer-modified bitumen, crumb rubber modified bitumen among others for the growing road-building industry in India.
Key Info

The JV will commence by taking over an existing plant of Total at Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
After which it will invest Rs 226 crore to set up 6 new plants at locations in northern, eastern and southern India with cost-effective logistics solutions

About the new JV
i.The JV will combine the R&D and marketing strengths of both IOC and Total S.A.
ii.It will cater to B2B customers involved in road infrastructure development and explore possibilities to other South Asian markets.
Note– The 2 companies have already established a LPG and fuel additives business
relationship in India.
About Total S.A.
Headquarters– Paris, France
Chairman & Chief Executing Officer (CEO)– Patrick Pouyanné
About IOC:
Headquarters– New Delhi, India
Chairman– Shrikant Madhav Vaidya

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Ram Vilas Paswan launched ‘BIS-Care’ App to Check the Authenticity of ISI and Hallmark Quality Certified Products

i.Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan launched the Bureau of Indian Standard’s Mobile App, ‘BIS-Care’, by which consumers can check the authenticity of the ISI and hallmarked products and also lodge complaints using this app.
ii.In addition to this, he also launched 3 portals of e-BIS: standardisation, conformity assessment and training Portals on www.manakonline.in for consumers.
About BIS
Headquarters– New Delhi, India
Director General– Pramod Kumar Tiwari

July 29, 2020 No Comments

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 28 July 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

today current affairs, 28th july 2020 current affairs for upsc, upsc current affairs analysis, daily current affairs for upsc

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

India-European Union Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation renewed for next five years (2020-2025)

i.On July 25, 2020, India and European Union (EU) exchanged Note Verbale to renew its Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation for the next five years (2020-2025) which expired on May 17, 2020. It was initially inked on 23 November 2001 and renewed two times in past in 2007 and 2015.
ii.This renewal is on the lines of the decision taken by both nations during the virtual 15th India-EU Summit which was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from India’s side.
iii.This extension of agreement will further collaborate in research and innovations based on the principles of mutual benefit and reciprocity and also acknowledge 20 years of cooperation.
About European Union (EU):
The Union currently counts 27 EU countries. The United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union on 31 January 2020.
European Parliament president – David-Maria Sassoli
Headquarter– Brussels, Belgium

TRIFED Signed Tripartite MoU with IIT Delhi and Vijnana Bharati Under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan of MHRD

i.On 24th July 2020, The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs(MoTA) signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology(IIT) – Delhi and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA), a Swadeshi Science Movement under the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan(UBA), a flagship programme under the Ministry of Human Resource Development(MHRD).
ii.The partnership aims to increase the opportunities for better livelihood and income generation for the tribal communities.
About TRIFED:
Managing Director– Pravir Krishna
Head Office– New Delhi
Works under– Ministry of Tribal Affairs
About Ministry of Tribal Affairs:
Union Minister– Arjun Munda
Minister of State– Renuka Singh Saruta

INDIA-UK’s 14th Joint Economic and Trade Committee meeting 2020 held virtually

i.On July 24, 2020, the 14th Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) 2020 was held virtually for the first time amid COVID-19 between India and United Kingdom (UK), which was co-chaired by Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Vedprakash Goyal and UK Secretary of State for International Trade, Elizabeth Mary Truss.
ii.Both nations have affirmed their shared commitment towards Free Trade Agreement (FTA). In this regard, the two sides will engage in early harvest schemes or limited trade agreements in a staged manner as steps towards FTA.
iii.It should be noted that the Early Harvest Programme basically consists of those projects which are to be implemented within a short timeline.
About United Kingdom (UK):
Capital– London
Currency– Pound sterling
Prime Minister– Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson

Indian Air Force Commanders Conference: 22nd – 24th July 2020

On 22nd July 2020, Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of Defence inaugurated the Air Force Commanders Conference(AFCC) at the Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan), New Delhi. The conference chaired by Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria was conducted from 22nd July 2020 to 24th July 2020.
The theme of the conference was “IAF in the Next Decade”.
Key People:
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Karambir Singh and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General MM Naravane
AFCC discussions:
i.The current operational scenario and deployment were reviewed and discussed in the conference.
ii.The action plan for operational capability enhancement of the Indian Air force for the next 10 years was also discussed.
iii.A Thorough review on the Indian Air Force’s transformation roadmap for the next 10 years was done following the discussion on the current situation.
iv.The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) reviewed the stats and issues related to all the commands and the branches at the headquarters.
About Indian Air Force(IAF):
Chief of Air Staff(CAS)– Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria
About Ministry of Defence:
Union Minister– Rajnath Singh
Minister of State– Shripad Yesso Naik

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Harsh Vardhan Participated Virtually in the SCO Health Minister’s Digital Meet chaired by Mikhail Murashko

On July 24, 2020 Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan participated digitally in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Health Minister’s Digital Meet at Nirman Bhawan, Delhi. The meeting was chaired by Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Health of the Russian Federation.

The key topic discussed in the meet was about the ongoing COVID crisis.

About SCO:
Headquarters– Beijing, China
Secretary-General- Vladimir Norov

22 million children from South Asia missed out on early childhood education due to COVID-19: UNICEF

In accordance with the new research titled “Childcare in a global crisis: The impact of COVID-19 on work and family life” by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), 22 million children from South Asian countries, including India, have missed out on early childhood education in their pre-school year due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic closure. This report was produced by UNICEF’s Office of Research – Innocenti.

In the South Asia region, UNICEF covered Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for the research.
At least 40 million children worldwide, of which nearly 22 million are from South Asia, have missed out on early childhood education in their critical pre-school year

Prolonged school closure and limited access to distant learning have deprived children of their universal right to education.

Key Point:
-Childcare and early childhood education builds a foundation upon which every aspect of children’s development relies. The pandemic is putting that foundation under serious threat.
-Lockdown has left many parents struggling to balance childcare and paid employment, with a disproportionate burden placed on women who, on average, spend more than three times longer on care and housework than men.
-The research recommended social protection systems including cash transfers that reach families working in non-formal employment.
-Governments and employers must play their part to help ensure proper childcare and access to education.
About UNICEF:
Headquarters– New York, United States of America (USA)
Executive Director– Henrietta Holsman Fore

BANKING & FINANCE

Bank of Maharashtra joined hands with Uniken for Omni-channel security

i.The state-owned Bank of Maharashtra has joined hands with Uniken, a pioneer in the field of digital security in India to secure its Internet banking channels on mobile, card, call centres and ATMs, among others, against cyber fraud.
ii.In this regard, the bank will use Uniken’s REL-ID technology for Omni-channel security for its online banking app MahaSecure .
About Bank of Maharashtra:
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– A S Rajeev
Headquarter– Pune, Maharashtra
Tagline– One Family One Bank (Ek Parivar Ek Bank)
About Uniken:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Bimal Gandhi
Headquarter– Chatham, New Jersey, United States (US)

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Harsh Vardhan launched “Mausam” App for Weather Forecasts

On 27th July 2020, in the event of celebration of 14th Foundation day of the Ministry of Earth Sciences(MoES), Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Earth Sciences launched the mobile app “Mausam” designed and developed by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
About Ministry of Earth Sciences:
Union Minister– Dr. Harsh Vardhan

China launched new high-resolution mapping satellite Ziyuan-III 03 from Shanxi

i.On July 25, 2020, China sent a new high-resolution mapping satellite namely “Ziyuan III 03”, developed by the China Academy of Space Technology, into space through Long March-4B carrier rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the Northern Province of Shanxi, China.
ii.It was the 341st flight mission by the Long March rocket series.
iii.Along with high-resolution mapping satellite, there were two small satellites used for dark matter detection and commercial data acquisition were also sent which were developed by the Shanghai ASES Spaceflight Technology Co. Ltd.
About China:
Capital– Beijing
Currency– Renminbi
President– Xi Jinping

SPORTS

Haryana to host the 4th edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2021

i.The Minister of State of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju and Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar announced that Haryana will host the 4th edition of Khelo India Youth Games(KIYG) in 2021 through video conference.
ii.The Games will be held in Panchkula in Haryana.
iii.Star Sports will be the Official Broadcast Partner like the previous year.
iv.The games will take place after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
About Haryana:
Capital- Chandigarh.
Governor– Satyadeo Narayan Arya.

July 28, 2020 No Comments

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 25 July 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

today current affairs, 25th july 2020 current affairs, daily current affairs, current affairs analysis for upsc

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Prakash Javadekar virtually launched piloting of National Transit Pass System (NTPS); undertaken in MP & Telangana

i.On July 23, 2020, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Keshav Javadekar virtually launched the piloting of the National Transit Pass System (NTPS) from Indira Paryavaran Bhawan in New Delhi, as another step towards Digital India Movement.
ii.The pilot project will be functional in Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Telangana, and by this Diwali it will be operational in pan India.
iii.NTPS will replace manual paper-based transit system by online transit system enabling ease of movement of timber, bamboo and other minor forest produce.
About Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC):
Prakash Keshav Javadekar Constituency– Maharashtra
Minister of State (MoS)– Babul Supriyo

Union Home Minister Launches Tree Plantation Campaign-2020 “Vriksharopan Abhiyan” of the Coal Ministry

On 23 July, The Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched ‘Vriksharopan Abhiyan’ the tree plantation campaign of the Coal Ministry in the presence of Shri Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs.

The campaign was conducted virtually at more than 130 locations in around 38 districts of 10 coal/lignite bearing States.
6 lakh seedlings have been planted across 600 acres.
Amit Shah led foundation stones for six eco parks and tourism sites during the ‘Tree Plantation Campaign’ through video-conferencing.

The Navy’s largest Solar plant was inaugurated at the INA, Ezhimala

On July 22, 2020, the Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawal, Flag Officer Commanding-in-chief, Southern Naval Command (SNC), virtually employed the 3 MegaWatt (MW) largest Solar Power Plant at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala.
The project is a part of the Indian Government’s initiative of National Solar Mission, to achieve 100 GigaWatt (GW) of solar Power by 2022.
-2 MegaWatt Solar Power Plant Inaugurated at Naval Station Karanja, Uran
Indian Navy Vice Admiral, Flag Officer Commanding – in – Chief of Western Naval Command, Ajith Kumar virtually inaugurated the first 2 MegaWatt Solar Capacity Solar Power Plant.
The Power Plant was set up at the Western Naval Station, Karanja in Maharashtra’s Uran.
Indian Naval Academy
Motto – Shaping Future Naval Leadership
Commandant – Vice Admiral Mr. Dinesh K Tripathi, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM), Nau Sena Medal (NM)
Deputy Commandant – Rear Admiral Mr. Tarun Saobiy, Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM)
Location – Ezhimala, Kannur, Kerala, India
About KELTRON
Type – A State owned electronic enterprise.
Headquarters – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Chairman (current) – Shri N. Narayanamoorthy (1st March 2019)

India’s maternal mortality ratio declined to 113 in 2016-18: Registrar General’s Sample Registration System (SRS)

i.In accordance with the “Special Bulletin on Maternal Mortality in India 2016-18”, released by the Office of the Registrar General’s Sample Registration System (SRS), the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in India has declined to 113 in 2016-18 from 122 in 2015-17 and 130 in 2014-2016 andd almost 100 deaths lesser than in the period of 2007-2009.
ii.States have been categorized into three groups namely, Empowered Action Group (EAG) States, Southern States and Other States during the survey.
iii.The southern States registered a lower MMR — Andhra Pradesh (65), Telangana (63), Karnataka (92), Kerala (43) and Tamil Nadu (60) as compared to states of Assam & EAG.
iv.In the category of other status Punjab has a maximum MMR of 129.
About Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India (ORGI):
The Office of the Registrar General, India works under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Registrar General & Census Commissioner– Dr. Vivek Joshi

Rs 8767 crore Approved for 81 projects under Special Window for Affordable and Mid Income Housing Investment Fund I

i.Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman informed that so far Rs 8767 crore has been approved for 81 projects under Special Window for Affordable and Mid Income Housing (SWAMIH) Investment Fund I.
ii.The approved projects will enable the completion of almost 60,000 homes across India.
iii.The announcement was made when the performance of SWAMIH was reviewed with Secretaries of Ministries of Finance and senior management team of the State Bank of India, SBI Capital Markets Limited and SBICAPS Ventures Limited (SVL).

APSEZ Becomes the 1st Indian Port and 7th Port Globally to Sign Up for the Science-Based Targets initiative

i.Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) becomes the 1st Indian port and 7th Port globally to sign up for the Science-Based Targets initiative(SBTi).
ii.By signing the commitment letter to SBTi, APSEZ is committed to set science-based emissions reduction targets(across their entire value chain) that keep global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
iii.APSEZ has also signed a commitment as a supporter to the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD).
About APSEZ:
Head Office– Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Chief Executive Officer and Whole Time Director of APSEZ– Karan Adani
About TCFD:
Chairman– Michael R. Bloomberg

India-EU, looking to develop the bio-tech to treat sewage water to the crops

The IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to develop a biotechnology based water treatment system for the purification of the river Ganga and Godavari water.
The project is funded by the Indian Ministry of science & technology, Department of biotechnology with the European Union.
Specific Goal: To develop a low cost advanced bio-oxidation system for polluted water.
About IIT (BHU)
Motto – Sanskara Education
Director – Prof. Pramod Kumar Jain
Location – Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

HRD Ministry Conducts First Ever Ind-SAT Test 2020 Under its Study in India Programme

The Human Resource Ministry conducted the first ever Indian Scholastic Assessment (Ind-SAT) Test 2020 under study in India Programme on July 22, 2020. The exam was conducted in the proctored Internet mode by the National Testing Agency.

Ind-SAT exam is for admissions and granting scholarships in selective Indian universities for foreign students
Nearly five thousand candidates from Nepal, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sri-Lanka, Kenya, Zambia, Indonesia and Mauritius appeared for the exam
The students will be shortlisted according to their marks scored for allocation of scholarships for both Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses under study in India Programme.

‘Study in India’ programme: The Primary objective is to target foreign students by branding India as an attractive education destination.
About Human Resource Ministry:
Union Minister: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’
Minister of State: Sanjay Dhotre

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

‘COVID-19 Law Lab’ Initiative launched to provide legal information worldwide

i.The World Health Organization (WHO) along with other key bodies had launched COVID-19 Law Lab(www.COVIDLawLab.org).
ii.It is a database of laws that countries had implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
iii.The lab is a joint project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), WHO, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University.
About WHO:
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
Director-General– Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

BANKING & FINANCE

ADB and GCF join hands towards ‘green recovery’ on the impacts of COVID-19 disease

On July 22, 2020, The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) agreed to partner toward the “Green Recovery”
This is to help hands for the people who are facing the harsh economic impact due to COVID-19 pandemic.
They agreed to strengthen collaboration on non-sovereign operations while ensuring GCF’s processes are as flexible as possible to foster at-scale financing.
About ADB
Headquarters– Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. Philippines
Membership – 68 countries
President – Masatsugu Asakawa
About GCF
Headquarters – Songdo International Business District, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea
Executive Director – Mr. Yannick Glemarec

World’s largest 1st Global Fintech Fest held virtually; UPI AutoPay, RuPay commercial card & OCEN protocol launched

i.The 1st edition of two days long (July 22-23, 2020) world’s largest Global Fintech Fest (GFF) was held virtually, which was organized by Payments Council of India (PCI) and Fintech Convergence Council (FCC) at National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the theme “Fintech : With and Beyond COVID”. The aim of the fest was to bring together the global FinTech and Banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector.
ii.In order to ease online recurring payments in India, NPCI introduced a Unified Payments Interface (UPI) AutoPay.
iii.NPCI also launched RuPay commercial card named SBM EnKash RuPay Business Card in partnership with State Bank of Mauritius (SBM) India, EnKash, YAP (API- Application Programing Interface provider) and RuPay for young entrepreneurs and small business owners.
iv.The founding architect of Aadhaar and co-founder and non-executive chairman of Infosys Ltd, Nandan Nilekani launched a new credit protocol infrastructure called the ‘Open Credit Enablement Network (OCEN) protocol, which has been developed by Indian Software Product Industry RoundTable (iSpirit),
About Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI):
President– Dr. Subho Ray
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
About National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI):
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Dilip Asbe
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra

RBI Releases Report of Committee For Analysis of QR Code headed by Prof. Deepak B Phatak

i.On July 22, 2020, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) publicized the “Report of the Committee for Analysis of QR (Quick Response) Code” under the chairmanship of Prof. Deepak B. Phatak on its website for comments / suggestions of various industry players.
ii.The committee has recommended phasing out of proprietary, closed loop QR codes as it requires customers to manage separate apps. Instead RBI must encourage the use of interoperable QR codes such as the Bharat QR and UPI QR to enable faster on-boarding of all types of merchants for digital payments.
iii.Government / RBI should allow a controlled interchange instead of zero Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on QR code / UPI / RuPay Debit card transactions,
iv.Tax incentives should be provided to merchants who accept payments through electronic mode.
v.For consumers also, the government should provide incentive schemes to ensure popularity of QR code transactions.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Formation– 1 April 1935
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, one is yet to be appointed).

Amazon Pay partnered with Acko General Insurance Ltd to offer auto insurance in India

i.Amazon Pay, the payments arm of Amazon India has partnered with Acko General Insurance Ltd to offer auto insurance for two and four-wheelers in India, a 100% paperless insurance plan.
ii.Customers can avail this auto insurance from Amazon Pay page, Amazon app or mobile website and can get a quote for their car or bike’s insurance by providing basic details.
iii.The customers can get claims with one-hour pick-up, three-day assured claim servicing, and one-year repair warranty in select cities. It can be bought within 2 minutes.
About Amazon:
Headquarters– Washington, United States
Founder & CEO– Jeff Bezos
About Acko General Insurance Ltd
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO– Varun Dua

ICICI Lombard in partnership with PhonePe launched Hospital Daily cash benefit

i.ICICI Lombard in partnership with PhonePe has launched Hospital Daily cash benefit under its Group Safeguard Insurance policy, a sachet-based group insurance product.
ii.It is a customized hospitalisation policy that allows PhonePe users to get an assured amount if they are hospitalised due to injury or illnesses(including COVID-19).
iii.The hospital bills are not required for the claim, a discharge certificate will be sufficient in most cases for the claim processing.
About PhonePe:
HeadQuarter– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Chief Executive Officer(CEO)– Sameer Nigam
About ICICI Lombard:
HeadQuarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Managing director(MD) & CEO– Bhargav Dasgupta

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Nitin Jairam Gadkari Launches Mentoring Platform ‘RestartIndia’ to Support MSME Sector

On 23dr July 2020, Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise(MoMSME), launched www.restartindia.com, a mentoring platform.It was initiated jointly by Muthoot Fincorp and INKtalks to support the MSME sector to restart the business across the nation.
The RestartIndia platform provides global management information and expertise to the common people and connects them to the experts and professionals from various fields, that are in line with the self-dependent India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) project.
About Muthoot Fincorp Ltd:
Managing Director– Thomas John Muthoot
Head Office– Trivandrum, Kerala
About Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise(MoMSME)
Union Minister– Nitin Jairam Gadkari (constituency – Nagpur,Maharashtra)

Space startup Digantara selected for SID incubation program by IISc

i.A Space start up namely Digantara Research and Technology (DRT) which has developed India’s first in-orbit space debris monitoring and tracking system that works on LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology has been selected by SID (Society for Innovation and Development) incubation program at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore.
ii.In this regard, the startup has received a grant of Rs 25 lakhs which will be used to develop space debris monitoring systems and the company’s expansion.
About Digantara Research and Technology (DRT):
It is founded by Anirudh Sharma and Rahul Rawat.
Headquarter– Kotdwara, Uttarakhand

July 25, 2020 No Comments

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 24 July 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

today current affairs, 24 july 2020 current affairs, daily current affairs, current affairs for upsc

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

PM Narendra Modi Laid Foundation Stone for Manipur Water Supply Project

On 23rd July 2020, through video conferencing Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India laid the foundation stone of the Manipur Water Supply Project, under the Jal Jeevan Mission designed to provide Freshwater Household Tap connections(FHTCs) to the remaining households in the Greater Imphal Planning area, 25 towns and 16 districts of Manipur.
About Manipur:
Governor– Najma Akbar Ali Heptulla
Chief Minister– N Biren Singh
Capital– Imphal

PM Modi addressed virtual India Ideas Summit 2020; India-US negotiating UAV co-development programme

i.On July 22, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address at the two days long (July 21-22) virtual India Ideas Summit 2020 which was hosted by US-India Business Council (USIBC) under the theme “Building a Better Future”.
ii.The year 2020 marked the 45th anniversary of the formation of the Council.
iii.The US and India are negotiating a co-development programme for the air-launched unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), between US Air Force research labs, Indian Air Force (IAF), India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and an Indian start-up company.

Kakrapar Atomic Power Project’s Unit 3 in Gujarat: India’s First 700 MWe unit to Achieve Criticality

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited(NPCIL) announced that, Unit-3 of Kakrapar Atomic Power Project(KAPP-3), India’s First 700 MWe (megawatt electric) and indigenously developed Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor(PHWR) in Surat, Gujarat achieved its first criticality – initiation of controlled and sustained nuclear fission reaction on 22nd July 2020(Wednesday).
About Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited(NPCIL):
Chairman & Managing Director– Satish Kumar Sharma
Head Office– Mumbai, Maharashtra

India to Have 60% Renewable Energy by 2030: R K Singh at Webinar On Energy Transition

Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State(MoS)(IC) Power and New & Renewable Energy stated that India will have around 60% of the installed capacity of the electricity generation from renewable resources by 2030, in the webinar on Energy Transition at the second pre-event hosted by The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2021 in collaboration with Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) India on 21st July 2020.
About Ministry of Power and Ministry of New & Renewable Energy(MNRE):
Minister of state (IC)– Raj Kumar Singh
About TERI – The Energy and Resources Institute:
Director General– Dr Ajay Mathur
Headquarters– New Delhi

Jitendra Singh Launched Restructured Scheme for PM’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration 2020 and Web Portal Virtually

i.Jitendra Singh,Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office(PMO), Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space launched the restructured scheme for PM’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration 2020 and the web portal (www.pmawards.gov.in) through video conference.
ii.Purpose of restructuring– To recognize the performance of the District Collectors with regard to outcome indicators, economic development, peoples’ participation and redressal of public grievances.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India, Maldives signed contract for development of Geydoshu Mas Plant in Maldives’ Maradhoo and Hulhudhoo

i.On July 22, 2020, India and Maldives inked an agreement to set up Geydoshu Mas Plant (Neighborhood Fish Processing Plants) at two islands in the Addu city of Maldives namely Maradhoo and Hulhudhoo.
ii.The Contract signing ceremony was held in Addu City, which attended virtually Maldives’ Foreign Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed, High Commissioner of India to the Maldives Sunjay Sudir, along with other members of Maldives’ Ministry of Foreign affairs.
iii.This agreement is first in the series of “Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects through local bodies” in Maldives at a total cost of $5.5 million.
About Maldives:
Capital– Male
Currency– Maldivian rufiyaa

Turkmenistan became 25th country with Observer Status in World Trade Organization

i.On July 22, 2020, Turkmenistan became the 25th country who was granted observer status in the World Trade Organization (WTO) enabling the nation to establish permanent residence at WTO headquarter in Geneva, Switzerland and monitor it’s proceedings.
ii.Turkmenistan also became the last former Soviet republic to establish formal ties with the trade body.
iii.This observer status was granted during the 5th virtual session of WTO General Council which was held from WTO headquarters and attended by representatives of its member-states.
About World Trade Organization (WTO):
Director-General– Roberto Carvalho de Azevedo (Retire on August 31, 2020)
Members– 164 countries and 25 Observer nations

Nicaragua becomes the 87th Country to sing the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement

i.On 23rd July 2020, The Republic of Nicaragua became the 87th country to sign the International Solar Alliance(ISA) Framework Agreement, an initiative to promote sustainable energy, led by India.
ii.H. E. Jaime Hermida Castillo, Permanent Representative to the UN of the Republic of Nicaragua, signed the Agreement at the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, New York.
About International Solar Alliance(ISA):
Director General– Upendra Tripathy
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana
About Republic of Nicaragua:
President– Daniel Ortega
Capital– Managua
Currency– Nicaraguan Cordoba Oro (NIO)

Ravi Shankar Prasad Represented India in the G20 Digital Economy Ministers Virtual Meeting Hosted by Saudi Arabia

On 22nd July 2020, The Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology represented India in the virtual meeting of the G20 Digital Economy Minister under the presidency Saudi Arabia.
About G20 or Group of Twenty:
Members– Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), and European Union (EU).
Spain is a permanent guest invitee to the G20 meetings.
Chairman– Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Current Presidency– Saudi Arabia

BANKING & FINANCE

Airtel Payments Bank Partnered with NSDC to Skill Rural Youth for Financial Services Sector Jobs

i.Airtel Payments Bank Ltd has partnered with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to train and skill the youth in rural India.
ii.This will enable them to find employment opportunities and become entrepreneurs in the financial services sector.
iii.The knowledge and training imparted to youth is to render financial and banking services more accessible to rural and semi-urban India.
About Airtel Payments Bank:
Headquarters– New Delhi, India
Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)– Anubrata Biswas
About NSDC:
Headquarters– New Delhi, India
MD & CEO- Manish Kumar

Bank of Baroda Launched ‘Insta Click Savings Account’, 100% Paperless Digital Self-Assisted Online Savings Account

i.India’s third-largest public sector bank, Bank of Baroda(BoB) launched ‘Insta Click Savings Account’, a 100% paperless digital self-assisted online savings account.
ii.It can be activated in real-time i.e; the customer can transact using the Baroda M Connect Plus application with the MPIN received on the mobile number.
iii.It also offers an option to subscribe to a wide range of digital channels like mobile banking, Internet banking, UPI (unified payments interface), and debit card.
About BoB:
Headquarters- Vadodara, Gujarat
MD and CEO– Sanjiv Chadha
Non-Executive Chairman- Hasmukh Adhia

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

India’s GDP to contract by 6% in FY21: DBS

i.As per the report of DBS(Formerly, Development Bank of Singapore), Singaporean brokerage, India’s Gross domestic Product(GDP) will contract by 6%(-6%) in FY21 as the economy is yet to stabilise the COVID -19 infection curve and the due to the caseload in the economically key states.
ii.This will affect the economy badly. In its earlier forecast, the brokerage had forecasted the growth as -4.8%.

CBDT launched revised Form 26AS; Details of Specified Financial Transactions included

i.In order to enhance the flow of information between taxpayers and tax authorities, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has launched a revised auto-generated Form 26AS namely “Annual Information Statement (AIS)” from this assessment year of 2020-2021 w.e.f. June 1.
ii.The key difference between the new and old form is that the former will also reflect the details of “specified financial transactions (SFT)” i.e. all high-value transactions of individuals, companies, partnership firms, etc. which are filed with the tax department under Section 285BA of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
iii.The SFTs are included in the Part E of the improved Form 26AS.
About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT):
CBDT, a part of the Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance works as the policy making body for the Income Tax department.
Chairperson– Pramod Chandra Mody
Headquarter– New Delhi

RIL becomes the 1st Indian company to reach Market Cap of Rs 13 lakh crore; Becomes 48th largest company in market cap globally

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) becomes the 1st Indian company to reach Market Capitalisation (m-cap) of Rs 13 lakh crore. It becomes the world’s 48th largest company by m-cap, ahead of Abbott Labs, Oracle, Chevron and Unilever. It also crossed the stock price of Rs 2000 for the 1st time.

Globally, Saudi Aramco is the company with the highest market cap of $1.7 trillion, followed by Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet.
Reliance is the 10th highest m-cap company in Asia. China’s Alibaba Group is ranked 7th globally.
The United States listed Reliance Jio among the companies that are becoming “Clean Telcos”(who reject doing business with tools of the Chinese Communist Party’s surveillance state, like Huawei)

Key Info:
i.RIL is India’s most valuable listed company, the second-placed TCS has a market capitalisation of Rs 8.2 lakh crore, followed by HDFC Bank at Rs 6.2 lakh crore.
ii.It has added Rs 10 lakh crore to its m-cap in the last six years , of which Rs 4 lakh crore were added in the last 10 months,
iii.It’s m-cap had crossed USD 150 billion on June 19, 2020. In total, RIL has added USD 25 billion in market valuation within a month.
Highlights
i.The aggregate m-cap of RIL stands at Rs 13.17 lakh crore or USD 176.4 billion.
ii.RIL’s partly paid-up shares listed separately have a m-cap of Rs 46,702.88 crore.
iii.RIL’s partly paid-up shares crossed the Rs 1,100 level for the first time.
About RIL
Headquarters– Mumbai,Maharashtra
CEO– Mukesh Ambani
Recent Related News:
i.Pune-based Mylab becomes the 1st Indian firm to make diagnostic test kits for coronavirus.
ii.Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), becomes 1st company to begin the supply of BS-VI fuel across country.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

CCI Approved Acquisition of Krishnapatnam Port Company Limited by Adani Ports and SEZ Limited

The Competition Commission of India(CCI) has approved the acquisition of Krishnapatnam Port Company Limited(KPCL) by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited(APSEZ). The proposed combination envisages acquisition of equity shareholding and full management control of KPCL by APSEZ
Key Info
i.APSEZ is a customer-facing integrated port infrastructure services provider. Currently it is present across 10 domestic ports in six maritime states of Gujarat, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. It manages the logistics chain
ii.KPCL is a developer and operator of the deep water port at Krishnapatnam, Andhra Pradesh in accordance with the concession agreement on Build-Operate-Share-Transfer basis with the Government of Andhra Pradesh for a period of thirty years.
Note– APSEZ informed that it will acquire 75% stake for a total consideration of Rs 13,572 crore from the CVR Group in January 2020. The balance stake will be held by the CVR Group.
About KPCL:
Headquarters– Nellore, Andhra Pradesh
Group Chairman– C.Visweswara Rao
Managing Director– C.Sasidhar
About APSEZ
Head Office– Ahmedabad, Gujarat
CEO– Karan Adani
Recent Related News:
i.CCI approved BP Global’s proposed 49% acquisition of Reliance BP Mobility Limited.
ii.CCI approved proposed acquisition of 100% shares and control of Tech Data Corporation by Tiger Midco LLC.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China Launches Tianwen-1: China’s First Rover Mission to Mars

i.On 23rd July 2020, The Tianwen-1, China’s first fully homegrown Mars Mission, was launched in a Long March 5 Rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan Island at 12:41 a.m. EDT (0441 GMT).
ii.The Tianwen-1 is carrying the duo of an orbiter and a lander or rover; this combination of craft was never launched towards mars.
About China:
President– Xi Jinping
Capital– Beijing
Currency– Renminbi

SPORTS

ISL becomes 1st league in South Asia and 7th in Asia to join the World Leagues Forum

The Hero Indian Super League (ISL) joins the World Leagues Forum (WLF), the association of Professional football leagues. It is the first league from South Asia and seventh in Asia to join the WLF.
The Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga are also part of the association of Professional football leagues and also the most supported leagues by the people.
Highlights:
i.In 2014, when ISL begun, India has been raising its standard to achieve world class standard, claimed by The Founder and chairperson of Football Sports Development limited (FSDL), Mrs. Nita Ambani
ii.Jerome Perlemuter, the General Secretary of the World Leagues Forum welcomed the joining of ISL to WLF.
About WLF:
Chairman – Enrique Bonilla (LIGA MX)
General Secretary – Jerome Perlemuter (from April 2017)
Members – 42 members.
About ISL:
First season began 12 October 2014.
Co-promoters – Reliance, Star India and supported by the All India Football Federation (AIFF)

July 24, 2020 No Comments

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 23 July 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

today current affairs, 23rd july 2020 current affairs, daily current affairs for upsc

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Indian Air Force Commanders’ Conference

The Air Force Commanders’ Conference (AFCC) was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh on 22 Jul 20 at Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan). Chief of the Air Staff,Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria welcomed the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri and other senior officials from the MoD.

In his address to the Air Force Commanders, Raksha Mantri appreciated the proactive response by the IAF in bolstering its operational capabilities over the past few months. He stated that the professional manner in which IAF conducted the air strikes in Balakot as well as rapid deployment of IAF assets at forward locations in response to the prevailing situation in Eastern Ladakh has sent a strong message to the adversaries. Raksha Mantri said that the nation’s resolve to defend its sovereignty stands firm on the faith its people have in the capability of its Armed Forces. He alluded to the ongoing efforts for de-escalation on LAC and urged the IAF to stand ready to handle any eventuality.

He praised the stellar contribution by IAF in supporting the nation’s response to COVID-19 pandemic and the role played during several HADR missions. He highlighted the need to achieve self-reliance in defence production and noted that the theme chosen for this AFCC – ‘IAF in the Next Decade’ - was very apt for enhancing efforts towards indigenisation in the days to come. He lauded the progress made towards enhancing synergy and integration within the three services since the appointment of CDS and creation of DMA.

The Raksha Mantri concluded by acknowledging IAF’s role in adapting to changes in technology and adopting emerging capabilities in Nano Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber and Space domains. He assured the commanders that all requirements of the Armed Forces, whether financial or otherwise, would be fulfilled.

The CAS in his address to the Commanders stated that the IAF was well prepared to counter short term as well as strategic threats and the units were evenly poised to counter any aggressive action by the adversary. He noted that the response by all Commands in ensuring deployment and readiness of forces was prompt and laudable. He emphasized on the need to focus on the ability to handle situations at a short notice for ensuring a robust response.

During the three day conference, commanders will review the current operational scenario and deployments before deliberating on building the IAF capabilities in the next decade to tackle all emerging threats.

Union Home Minister to launch Vriksharopan Abhiyan

Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah will launch Vriksharopan Abhiyan in the presence of Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary affairs, Shri Pralhad Joshi in New Delhi tomorrow. During the launch event, Union Home Minister will inaugurate and lay the Foundation stone of 6 Ecoparks/ Tourism sites. The event will take place through Video Conferencing across more than 130 locations spread in 38 Districts of 10 coal/lignite bearing States.

Vriksharopan Abhiyan will be organized by Ministry of Coal involving all Coal/Lignite PSUs tomorrow during which large scale plantation would be carried out in mines, colonies, offices and other suitable areas of Coal/Lignite PSUs and seedlings will be distributed in the nearby areas for promoting plantation by the society.

The eco-parks/tourism sites would provide avenues for recreation, adventure, water sport, bird watching etc. for the people residing in nearby areas and may also be integrated to form part of tourism circuit. These sites are being planned to generate revenue for self-sustenance and create employment potential for local people.

Going Green is the key thrust area of coal sector involving maximization of green cover through ecological reclamation of mined out areas and overburden dumps, plantation in and around mines and avenue plantationat suitable places.Ministry’s Going Green initiative will kick start through active participation of coal/lignite PSUs as well as private miners. This year, three coal/lignite PSUs i.e. Coal India Limited( CIL), NLC India Limited ( NLCIL) and Singareni Collieries Company Ltd ( SCCL) have set an ambitious target to cover 1789 Ha of area in and around the coalfields under bio-reclamation/plantation (1626 Ha), creation of grass land (70 Ha), Hi-tech Cultivation (90 Ha) and Bamboo Plantation (3 Ha).

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India & S.African Customs Union revived initiative for Preferential Trade Agreement via virtual meet

A virtual meeting between India and Southern African Customs Union (SACU), consisting of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, have been revived to achieve a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and to discuss its various aspects.

The Indian side was led by Srikar Reddy, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce while SACU was led by Amb. Steve Katjiuanjo, Executive Director, Ministry of Industrialization,Trade and SME (small and medium enterprises) Development of Namibia.

Key Points:
-In 2019-20, trade between India and Africa as a whole stood at $ 66.7 billion, of which the India-SACU trade was $ 10.9 billion which can expanded further.
-Imports from South Africa to India include gold, steam coal, copper ores & concentrates, phosphoric acid, manganese ore, aluminium ingots & other minerals.
-Exports from India to South Africa include vehicles and components thereof, transport equipment, drugs and pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, footwear, dyes and intermediates, chemicals, textiles, rice, gems and jewellery, etc.
About Southern African Customs Union (SACU):
It is a customs union among five countries of Southern Africa
Headquarter– Windhoek, Namibia
Executive Secretary– Paulina Mbala Elago
Recent Related News:
On May 11, 2020, A team of astronomers from the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the (US) National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), the University of Pretoria, and Rhodes University(Both in South Africa), have used the MeerKAT telescope to solve a longstanding puzzle in ‘X’-shaped radio galaxies.

India, Maldives inked agreement for establishment of ‘Emergency Medical Services’ in Male

i.On July 20, 2020, the Government of India (GoI) has signed an agreement with Ministry of Health of Maldives for the establishment of ‘Emergency Medical Services Unit’ at Baa Atoll Dharavandhoo Hospital in latter’s capital Male.
ii.The project would cost MVR (Maldivian rufiyaa) 8.5 million (Rs 4,14,58,782) out of which MVR 7.5 million (Rs 3,65,85,223) is grant from India. It will be constructed by LF Construction Pvt Ltd of Maldives.
iii.The agreement signing ceremony was held at Maldives’ Ministry of Health which was attended by Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen, Foreign Secretary Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed, High Commissioner of India to the Maldives Sunjay Sudir, and other officials from the Government, and the High Commission of India in Male.
About Maldives:
President– Ibrahim Mohamed Solih

India ranked among 10 worst countries for working people: ITUC Global Rights Index 2020

i.In accordance with the 7th edition of “International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Global Rights Index 2020-The World’s Worst Countries for Workers”, India became the new entrant in the 10 worst countries for working people in the world, with a rating of 5 that states “No guarantee of rights”. The index ranked 144 countries on the basis of respect for workers’ rights.
ii.The other countries among the worst ten are- Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, , Kazakhstan, Philippines, Turkey and Zimbabwe along with Egypt & Honduras being other two new entrants apart from India.
iii.On the region front, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the worst region with 4.44 rating followed by Asia-Pacific with 4.09 in the world for working people for seven years (2014-2020).
About International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC):
General Secretary– Sharan Leslie Burrow
President– Ayuba Philibus Wabba
Headquarter– Brussels, Belgium

The ITUC affiliates in India are the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of India (CFTUI), the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) and the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA).

Pakistan and China signed an Agreement for 700 MW Azad Pattan Hydel Power Project in PoK

On 7th July 2020, Pakistan and Gezhouba Group Company Limited of China signed an Engineer Procurement and Contract EPC agreement for the 700 MW Azad Pattan Hydel Power Project on Jhelum River in the Sudhnoti District of Pakistan occupied Kashmir(PoK).
Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan witnessed the signing in a ceremony in Islamabad.
About Pakistan:
Prime Minister– Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi
President– Dr. Arif Alvi
Capital– Islamabad
Currency– Pakistani Rupee

BANKING & FINANCE

LIC-UBI announced corporate agency pact

Union Bank of India (UBI), after its amalgamation with Corporation Bank and Andhra Bank, has announced a corporate agency agreement with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to distribute latter’s policies.

As per the pact, UBI can act as a financial supermarket by offering LIC products of term insurance, pension, plan, children plan, ULIPs, and endowment schemes to its account holders, whereby they can select products according to their choice.

About Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC):
Chairman– MR Kumar
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Virtual Assistant– LIC Mitra
About Union Bank of India (UBI):
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Rajkiran Rai G.
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Virtual Assistant– UVA
Tagline– Good People to Bank with
Recent Related News:
On May 26, 2020, Vakrangee Limited (VL), a technology company based in Mumbai (Maharashtra), has entered into the Corporate Agency (Registration Code CA0249) partnership with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to distribute latter’s micro insurance products in unserved and underserved areas through its Nextgen Vakrangee Kendra network spread across India.

FamPay launched India’s 1st numberless card, Famcard

i.FamPay, India’s first Neobank for teenagers, in partnership with IDFC First Bank launched India’s 1st numberless card, FamCard. FamPay with National Payments Corporation of India(NPCI) developed this card.
ii.This card is accepted across the RuPay payment network of merchants. It is similar to a debit card which enables teenagers to transact in a cashless manner.
iii.Teenagers can use the card independently without the intervention of the parents.
About FamPay:
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Founders– Kush Taneja & Sambhav Jain
About NPCI:
Registered Office– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Non Executive Chairman– Biswamohan Mahapatra
MD & CEO– Dilip Asbe

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

India’s GDP to contract by 6.1% in FY21: Nomura

i.As per the report of Nomura Holdings, Inc, a japanese brokerage firm, India’s Gross domestic Product(GDP) is likely to contract by 6.1%(-6.1%) as economic activity continues to be weak due to COVID-19 pandemic.
ii.India’s economy to contract by 15.2% in the June quarter. For the rest of this fiscal year, GDP will never be positive.
iii.It estimated contractions of 5.6% in the September quarter, 2.8% for the December quarter and 1.4% in the March quarter.
About Nomura Holdings, Inc:
Headquarters– Tokyo, Japan
President and Group CEO– Kentaro Okuda

India’s HIL supplied 20.60 MT of DDT 75 % WP to South Africa for malaria control

i.On July 21, 2020, HIL (formerly Hindustan Insecticides Limited), a PSU under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has supplied 20.60 Metric tonne of DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) 75 % Wettable powder (WP) to South Africa for their Malaria control program in three province adjoining Mozambique.
ii.It is to be noted that HIL is the sole manufacturer of DDT globally.
iii.It has recently exported 25 MT of Malathion Technical 95% to Iran under Government-to-Government initiative for the Locust Control Programme and also exported Agrochemical-fungicide (32 MT) to Latin American region.
About HIL:
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)– Dr. SP Mohanty
Headquarter– New Delhi
About South Africa:
Capitals– Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
Currency– South African rand
President– Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Kannan C S Warrier of IFGTB, receives 2019 National Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research in Forestry from ICFRE

i.Kannan CS Warrier, Senior Principal Scientist (Scientist F) at the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB) received the 2019 National Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research in Forestry from the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
ii.He received the National award for releasing three productive clones of Casuarina equisetifolia, first of its kind in India that are suitable for salt affected (sodic) soils.
About Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE):
Director General– Arun Singh Rawat(appointed after the repatriation of the previous DG SC Gairola to his parent cadre of Maharashtra on March 16, 2020)
Location– Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg won 1st edition Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity

i.A 17 years old climate activist from Sweden namely Greta Tintin Eleonora Ernman Thunberg became the first recipient of the inaugural (1st edition) Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, awarded by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
ii.The award in the amount 1 million euro ($1.15 million) recognized her ability to mobilize younger generations for the cause of climate change.
iii.The entire prize amount would be donated by Greta Thunberg to the project and organisations who are working to help people on the front lines affected by the climate crisis and ecological crisis.
About Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
President– Isabel Mota
Headquarter– Lisbon, Portugal

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DRDO Test Fires ‘Made in India’ Anti Tank guided Nag Missile named “Dhruvastra”

On 15th and 16th July 2020, The Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) conducted the flight trials of the HELINA (Helicopter-launched Nag Missile) anti-tank guided missile named “Dhruvastra” without Helicopter at the Interim Test Range in Balasore, Odisha.
The flight trials were conducted in direct and top attack mode.
About DRDO:
Chairman– Dr G. Satheesh Reddy
Headquarters– New Delhi

Indian Army Gets DRDO’s Bharat – World’s Most Agile and Lightest Drone for Accurate Surveillance Along China Border

i.Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provides the drone named “Bharat” – indigenously developed by the Chandigarh based laboratory of DRDO, to the Indian Army to monitor the high altitude areas and mountain terrains along the line of actual control in the Easter Ladakh (China Border).
ii.The Bharat series drones are listed among World’s most agile and lightest surveillance drones
About DRDO:
Chairman– Dr G. Satheesh Reddy
Headquarters– New Delhi
About Indian Army:
Chief of Army Staff– General Manoj Mukund Naravane

Russia for the 1st Time Successfully Conducted Flight Tests of the MGTD-20 Gas Turbine Engine made by 3D-printing

i.The Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects in the Defense Industry informed that Russia for the first time conducted a successful flight test of the MGTD-20 gas turbine engine made by 3D-printing.
ii.The flight tests were held at Kazalbash aviation center in Tatarstan. The production of the aircraft is scheduled on 2021-2022.
Russia’s new Mi-8AMTSh-VN attack helicopter being flight tested
The Russian Helicopters manufacturing company(part of Rostec corporation) informed that Russia’s new Mi-8AMTSh-VN attack transport helicopter is being tested.
About Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects in the Defense Industry
Headquarters– Moscow, Russia
CEO & Chairman of the Board– Grigoriev Andrey Ivanovich
About Russian Helicopters
Headquarters– Moscow, Russia
Director General– Andrey Boginsky

July 23, 2020 No Comments