Today's Current Affairs 27th July 2023

NATIONAL

World Design Organisation inks MoU with BBMP to develop the infrastructure of Bengaluru

• As part of the ‘Brand Bengaluru’ initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who also holds charge of the city, on Monday the State government signed an agreement with Canada-based World Design Organization (WDO) for suggestions for the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to build the city.
• Shivakumar said that 200 engineers from the WDO will be in the city to study and give suggestions on the city infrastructure including roads, flyovers, footpaths, junctions, and other infrastructure.
• Earlier, Mr. Shivakumar had launched a ‘Brand Bengaluru’ campaign and also an online portal to invite suggestions on the city’s development by the public.

PM lays foundation stone and dedicates to nation various development projects in Sikar, Rajasthan

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation various development projects in Sikar, Rajasthan today.
• The projects include dedicating to the nation more than 1.25 lakh PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSKs), launching Urea Gold - a new variety of Urea coated with Sulphur, onboarding 1600 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), releasing 14th installment amount of about Rs 17,000 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) to 8.5 crore beneficiaries, inaugurating 5 new medical colleges at Chittorgarh, Dholpur, Sirohi, Sikar and,
• Sri Ganganagar, laying the foundation stone for 7 medical colleges at Baran, Bundi, Karauli, Jhunjhunu, Sawai Madhopur, Jaisalmer and Tonk, and inaugurating 6 Eklavya Model Residential Schools located in districts of Udaipur, Banswara, Partapgarh and Dungarpur and Kendriya Vidyalaya Tivri, Jodhpur.

PM Modi to inaugurate Gujarat's first Greenfield International Airport

• Prime minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the Hirasar Greenfield International Airport, Gujarat's first Greenfield Airport to the nation on Thursday during his two-day visit to Rajasthan and Gujarat from July 27-28
• Along with the airport, PM Modi will dedicate a number of key projects worth over ₹860 crore including packages 8 and 9 of the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Yojana.
• According to the press statement by the prime minister's office (PMO), the new airport, spanning across 2,500 acres, is envisioned to be a transportation hub for people traveling abroad from the state.
• Salient features of the Rajkot International Airport:
• The Hirasar Greenfield Airport, located at around 30 km from Rajkot, spans over 2500 acres and has been developed at a cost of ₹1,405 crore.
• The airport boasts a well-designed 3040 m (3.04 km) long and 45-meter-wide runway, capable of accommodating 14 planes simultaneously.

Amit Shah to launch cultural initiative ‘Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar in New Delhi

• Union home minister and minister of cooperation Amit Shah will launch ‘Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar’ as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on 27 July,
• It is a pan-India initiative of the Ministry of Culture under National Mission on Cultural Mapping. Shah will officially launch the virtual platform during a grand projection mapping show at the Qutub Minar. The virtual platform https://mgmd.gov.in will connect people with villages of India.

Ladakh's Kargil gets first women police station

• The first-ever women police station has started functioning here in the Union Territory of Ladakh, it a significant step towards empowering women and ensuring their safety.
• Additional Director General of Police, Ladakh, S D Singh Jamwal inaugurated the police station, which will specifically deal with crimes against women,
• The station will operate round the clock to ensure immediate assistance and support for women in need. Additionally, it will act as a resource centre, providing guidance and counselling services for women facing challenging situations,
• After inaugurating the police station, Jamwal emphasised the importance of women's empowerment and their active participation in the law enforcement.

SCIENCE & TEHNOLOGY

World's largest private satellite Jupiter-3 set to launch

• Elon Musk-led SpaceX will launch the world's largest private satellite to space on Thursday. The satellite will lift-off aboard the company's Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A in Florida.
• This marks the seventh launch for SpaceX's triple-booster rocket, Falcon Heavy, which first made headlines with its debut in 2018.
• The launch is scheduled for 8:34â€ïam IST on July 27. In a departure from usual practice, SpaceX will expend its core booster in the Atlantic Ocean following the first-stage separation, rather than attempting a drone-ship landing at sea.

SPORTS

India finish 2nd on medals tally at ISSF World Junior Championship in South Korea

• India finished 2nd on the medals tally at the recently concluded ISSF Junior Shooting World Championships 2023 in Changwon, South Korea. Indian shooters bagged 17 medals, which include 6 Gold, 6 Silver, and 5 Bronze.
• The championships saw 90 Indian shooters vie for medals in pistol, rifle, and shotgun competitions in the under-21 age category. The majority of the medalists were Khelo India athletes. Seven Indians managed to bag more than one medal. Abhinav Shaw and Kamaljeet won two golds each. Sainyam won three medals — gold in the 10m air pistol women, and a bronze each in the 10m air pistol mixed team and women’s team events.

 APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Bihar government appoints Ashwamedh Devi as Chairperson of State Women Commission

• Bihar government has appointed Ashwamedh Devi as the Chairperson of the State Women Commission. She is a former JD(U) MP from Samastipur parliamentary constituency. The state government has also appointed new members to the State Women Commission. Academician Professor Geeta Yadav, Prabhavathi Manjhi, Dr. Sujata Sumbrui, Rabia Khatoon, Sunita Kushwaha, Shweta Biswas & Sulochana Devi has been also appointed to the panel. The reconstitution of the State Women Commission was pending for a long time.

Tata Steel reappoints TV Narendran as MD and CEO for 5 years

• T V Narendran has been reappointed as the Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Tata Steel for a term of five years, starting from September 19, 2023, which will last until September 18, 2028. This decision was made based on the recommendation of the ‘Nomination and Remuneration Committee‘.
• As the CEO and MD of Tata Steel, Narendran is responsible for overseeing the company’s both organic and inorganic growth. With a remarkable experience spanning 34 years in the Mining and Metals industry, he has held various significant positions, including being on the Board of Tata Steel Limited, serving as Chairman of Tata Steel Europe and Tata Steel Long Products Ltd., and acting as Chairman of the Board of Governors of XLRI Jamshedpur.
• Narendran also holds the positions of Chairman at Tata Steel Europe, the Supervisory Board of Tata Steel Nederland BV, Tata Steel Long Products Limited, and Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Shankari Chandran wins Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023

• Ten years ago, Sri Lankan-origin Australian writer Shankari Chandran faced difficulty in getting her debut book published. The reason: publishers thought her novel wasn’t “Australian” enough to be successful in their local market. And now, Chandran has been announced as the winner of the 2023 Literary Award for her novel ‘Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens’.
• Chandran’s award-winning novel ‘Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens’ is a story about family, memories, community, race. It is an intergenerational epic that highlights Australia’s difficult and complex equation with multiculturalism and the traumas of post-colonialism. It also highlights how our stories shape the people that we are today. This is Chandran’s third novel.
• About: Miles Franklin Literary Award - The Miles Franklin Literary Award is an annual prize given to “a novel which is of the highest literary merit and presents Australian life in any of its phases”. This year’s judges for the award included: Richard Neville- State Library of NSW Mitchell librarian and Chair; author Bernadette Brennan; translator Mridula Nath Chakraborty; critic James Ley; and poet Elfie Shiosaki.

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

Union Bank of India partners with IBM for holistic digital transformation

• In a groundbreaking move towards a customer-centric banking experience, Union Bank of India has joined forces with IBM India Pvt Ltd to embark on a comprehensive digital transformation. This strategic partnership signifies a significant milestone in the evolution of the bank and promises to revolutionize the way customers interact with their financial services.
• The primary objective of this collaboration is to establish a state-of-the-art Digital Business Platform that caters to the ever-evolving needs of modern-day banking. By embracing the power of cutting-edge technology, Union Bank of India aims to provide its customers with seamless and efficient banking experiences. This forward-thinking approach focuses on three key elements: omni-channel experiences, data-driven hyper-personalization, and a comprehensive financial services superstore.