Today Current Affairs - 23 July 2020 Current Affairs
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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”
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
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
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
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