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Important Current Affairs 21st July 2020

National

Consumer Protection Act, 2019 Comes into Force from 20 July 2020

• The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 has come into force from July 20, 2020, as the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan stated that the new law will empower the consumers.

• The new law will protect the rights of the consumers through its notified rules and provisions like consumer disputes redressal commissions, consumer protection councils, product liability, mediation, and punishment for the manufacture or sale of products that contain adulterant goods.

Salient Features of Consumer Protection Act 2019

•  Establishment of Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers.

• Establishment of Consumer Protection Councils

• Simplified Dispute Resolution Process

• Ease of approaching Consumer Commissions

• Filing from place of residence/work

• Videoconferencing for hearing

• No fee for filing cases upto Rs. 5 lakh

• Alternate Dispute Resolution mechanism of Mediation

• Introduction to the concept of Product Liability

• A manufacturer or product service provider or product seller to be responsible to compensate for injury or damage caused by defective product or deficiency in services

• Rules on e-commerce and direct selling

• Penalty for adulteration of products/spurious goods

AIIMS Delhi begins registration for conducting human trials of COVAXIN

• AIIMS Delhi has begun the registration process for conducting human trials of the indigenously developed Chinese virus vaccine- COVAXIN

• AIIMS-Delhi is one of the 12 institutes chosen by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) to conduct phase I and phase II human trials of COVAXIN. The phase I human trials is likely to involve around 375 volunteers, among whom about 100 would be from AIIMs.

Indian direct selling industry records USD 2.477 bn sales in 2019, ranked 15th globally

• In accordance with the report of “The Global Direct Selling – 2019 Retail Sales” by the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA), India was ranked 15th in global direct selling industry with sales of USD 2.477 billion in 2019.

• This has shown a growth of 12.1% in comparison to the 19th rank in 2018. The ranking has been topped by the United States (US) which contributed 20% of the global direct selling industry with sales of USD 35.21 billion, followed by China with 13% contribution at 2nd rank, and Korea and Germany with 10% contribution each at 3rd position.

• In terms of the number of direct sellers, India has been ranked at 6th position, proving employment to 57.50 lakh people.In Asia Pacific region, India was ranked 4th which has been topped by Australia and followed by China and Hong Kong at 2nd and 3rd rank.

Awards

Morissana Kouyate and Marianna Vardinoyanniswins 2020 Nelson Mandela Prize

• Guinean doctor Morissana Kouyate and Marianna Vardinoyannis of Greece are the winners of the 2020 Nelson Mandela Prize. The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande has made the announcement of the winners of the award which recognizes persons who dedicate their lives to the service of humanity.

• The Nelson Mandela Prize, which is awarded every five years and recognizes those who dedicate their lives to the service of humanity, by promoting the purposes and principles of the United Nations, while honouring Nelson Mandela’s life, and legacy of reconciliation, political transition, and social transformation. The Mandela Prize was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in June 2014.

Obituary

MP Governor Lalji Tandon passes away

• Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon passed away. He was undergoing treatment since June 11 and passed away after a prolonged illness.

• Due to MP Governor Lalji Tondon illness and his subsequent hospitalization, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has been given additional charge of Madhya Pradesh as well as interim Governor.

Sports

Ballon d'Or 2020 cancelled for first-ever time

• Ballon d'Or will not be awarded this year due to lack of sufficient fair conditions amid C-19, announced France Football on July 20, 2020.

• France Football released an official statement, which read that the Ballon d'Or France Football will not be awarded in 2020 for the first time in its history due to lack of sufficient fair conditions under exceptional circumstances and exceptional provisions.

ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2020 postponed

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) officially confirmed on July 20, 2020 that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held Australia 2020 has been postponed due to the ongoing C-19. The T20 World Cup is now likely to be held in October 2021.

• The ICC also decided to postpone two other ICC Men's events to support the current rescheduling, including Men's T20 World Cup 2022 and World Cup 2023.

Appointments and Resignations

SBI Cards Appoints Ashwini Tewari as new MD, CEO

• SBI Cards and Payment Services has appointed Ashwini Kumar Tewari as its new Managing Director and chief executive officer. The new appointment will be valid for two years and his appointment will come into effect from August 1, 2020.

• He was nominated by parent State Bank of India for the position.

Books and Authors

“The Endgame”- Authored by S Hussain Zaidi

• Veteran Crime and Terror writer S Hussain Zaidi has penned a new novel titled “The Endgame” which talks of politics, betrayal and unimaginable terror.

• The book explores the challenges that the security of a country faces from within and without at the same time.“The Endgame” has been published by HarperCollins India.

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