NATIONAL

Rajasthan Government launched ‘Mission Niryatak Bano’ campaign to promote aspiring exporters in the state

•The Rajasthan government’s industries department and the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) have launched the ‘Mission Niryatak Bano’ campaign to promote aspiring exporters in the state. The campaign is aimed at registering and handholding the local traders willing to expand their business to foreign countries, in six steps. This shall cover assistance from training, securing necessary documentation, registration in Rajasthan Export Promotion Council and even support in exports and trade operations.

•The state government in consideration of the challenges of small businesses had waived off the need for several state-level clearances for the initial three years of upcoming businesses. The exporter assistance campaign shall be another step in helping the local business develop understanding towards the procedures and increase their business.

SPORTS

Rs 1756 cr allocatedunder Khelo India Programme

•The Union Government said, it is promoting sports in 13 states which includes Left Wing Extremism (LWE) areas, Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern states.

•Replying to supplementaries in the Lok Sabha, Youth Affairs and Sports minister Anurag Thakur said under the Khelo India programme, 1,756 crore rupees has been allocated and 272 sports infrastructure projects are in the pipeline. Across the country, 360 Khelo India Centres have been developed and 24 Centres of Excellence have been identified.

•The Minister informed the house, Sports Ministry accepts the proposal for hosting international sports tournaments and events. Mr Thakur said, this time India’s contingent to Tokyo Olympics is largest ever squad in the history.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Noopur Chaturvedi is the new CEO of Bharat BillPay

•Bharat Bill Payment System has appointed former PayU and Airtel Payments Bank executive Noopur Chaturvedi as its new chief executive officer. Chaturvedi, prior to this appointment, was the country head for small and medium businesses at PayU. In a career spanning nearly two decades, she has worked with Airtel Payments Bank, Samsung, ING Vysya Bank and Citibank in various senior roles.

•Bharat BillPay is an interoperable and integrated bill payment system for online as well as agent-based settlement of recurring bills. On April 1 this year, NPCI transferred all its BBPS mandates to a newly set up subsidiary called the NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL), effectively hiving off its automated billing business. Founded in 2013.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle will get prestigious Maharashtra Bhushan award 2021

•The Maharashtra Bhushan Selection Committee chaired by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has unanimously selected legendary playback singer Asha Bhosle for the prestigious award. Asha Bhosle is best known for her playback singing in Hindi cinema, although she has a wider repertoire. Bhosle’s career started in 1943 and has spanned over seven decades. She has done playback singing for over a thousand movies.

•Asha Bhosle was officially acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most recorded artist in music history. The Government of India honoured her with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008. Bhosle is the sister of playback singer Lata Mangeshkar and belongs to the prominent Mangeshkar family.

Graphic artist Anand Radhakrishnan won the prestigious Will Eisner Comic Industry Award

•Graphic artist Anand Radhakrishnan has won the prestigious Will Eisner Comic Industry Award, considered the Oscars equivalent of the comics world. The Eisner Awards are given out annually and the award won by Radhakrishnan “Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)” recognises the creator of a graphic novel’s art and images.

•Radhakrishnan shares the award with UK-based colourist John Pearson. They won for their work on UK-based author Ram V’s 145-page graphic novel Blue In Green, published in October 2020 by Image Comics.

•The Eisner Awards were founded in 1988 by American comics editor Dave Olbrich, in response to the discontinuation of the popular Kirby Awards for comics in 1987. The Eisners are named in honour of the pioneering writer and artist Will Eisner. The awards are announced each year at the San Diego Comic-Con.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

India’s three biggest private lenders, HDFC Bank, ICICI and Axis pick up stake in blockchain start-up

•Three of India’s biggest private lenders – ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank have taken stakes in the blockchain financial technology firm IBBIC Pvt Ltd. HDFC Bank and Axis Bank invested Rs.5 lakh each for the shares. ICICI Bank also said it has subscribed to 49,000 fully paid-up equity shares of face value Rs.10 each of IBBIC constituting 5.44 per cent of the issued and paid-up share capital. It paid Rs.4.9 lakh for the shares.

•IBBIC was incorporated on May 25 this year as a financial technology company with the objective of providing a platform for exploring, building, and implementing distributed ledger technology (DLT) solutions for the Indian financial services sector. About 15 banks have come together to set up IBBIC, with an aim to expand the use of blockchain applications in financial sector transactions.

Prime Minister of India launched Academic Bank of Credit and Artificial Intelligence programme

•Prime Minister Modi has launched multiple educational initiatives including the Academic Bank of Credit that will provide multiple entries and exit options for students in Higher education. Academic Bank of Credit is envisaged as a digital bank that holds the credit earned by a student in any course.

•Academic Bank of Credit is a major instrument for facilitating multidisciplinary and holistic education and multiple entry and exit in higher education. Academic Bank of Credit and the Artificial Intelligence programme to make the youth future-oriented and open the way for an AI-driven economy.

Central government’s fiscal deficit touches 18.2% of annual target at the end of June

•The central government’s fiscal deficit stood at Rs 2.74 lakh crore or 18.2 per cent of the full year’s Budget estimate at the end of June, according to data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA). The fiscal deficit at the end of June 2020 was 83.2 per cent of the Budget Estimates (BE) of 2020-21.

•The fiscal deficit or the gap between expenditure and revenue for 2020-21 was 9.3 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), better than 9.5 per cent projected in the revised estimates in the Budget in February.

•As per CGA data, the government received Rs 5.47 lakh crore (27.7 per cent of corresponding BE 2021-22 of total receipts) up to June 2021. The amount comprises Rs 4.12 lakh crore of tax revenues, Rs 1.27 lakh crore of non-tax revenues and Rs 7,402 crore of non-debt capital receipts. The receipts were 6.8 per cent of BE at the end of June 2020. Out of the total revenue expenditure, Rs 1.84 lakh crore was for interest payments and about Rs 1 lakh crore was on account of major subsidies.

INTERNATIONAL

Maldives’ Abdulla Shahid won the Presidency of the 76th UNGA, Maldives will hold the office of President at the UNGA

•FM of Maldives Abdulla Shahid won the Presidency of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). This is for the first time in the history of the United Nations (UN), Maldives will hold the office of President at the UNGA. Abdulla Shahid’s victory at the UNGA Presidential election is a “proud accomplishment” and “a step forward in elevating the country’s stature on the global stage”.

•Maldives’ decision to join the UN in 1965, immediately after its independence, sparked a debate on how a “microstate”, could possibly contribute to the organisation. Over the years, Maldives has cleared all the doubts by raising its voice on issues of concern and playing a prominent role in the UN as well as in the other multilateral organisations including the Commonwealth.

NATIONAL

36th edition of CORPAT between India and Indonesia is being held on 30 and 31 July 2021

•The 36th edition of CORPAT between India and Indonesia is being held on 30 and 31 July 2021, in the Indian Ocean region. The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Saryu, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel and Indonesian Naval Ship KRI Bung Tomo is undertaking coordinated patrol (CORPAT).

•Besides this, Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both nations are also participating. The exercise is being conducted as a ‘non-contact, at sea only’ exercise in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. India and Indonesia have been conducting the Coordinated Patrols along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2002 twice a year.

•The basic aim of CORPAT is to keep the Indian Ocean Region safe and secure for commercial shipping, international trade and conduct of legitimate maritime activities. CORPATs help build understanding and interoperability between navies and facilitate the institution of measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy.

14 Tiger Reserves of India get (CA|TS) Recognition on the occasion of International Tiger Day

•From India, 14 tiger reserves have received the accreditation of the Global Conservation Assured Tiger Standards (CA|TS), on the occasion of International Tiger Day on July 29, 2021.

•The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) recognized the ‘BaghRakshaks’ for their efforts in protecting Tigers and forests. The NTCA’s quarterly newsletter STRIPES was also released during the event.

Intel launched ‘AI For All’ initiative in collaboration with Central Board of Secondary Education

•Intel in collaboration with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Ministry of Education, announced the launch of the AI For All initiative with the purpose of creating a basic understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) for everyone in India.

•Based on Intel’s AI For Citizens program, AI For All is a 4-hour, self-paced learning program that demystifies AI in an inclusive manner. It is as applicable to a student, a stay at home parent as it is to a professional in any field or even a senior citizen. The program aims to introduce AI to 1 million citizens in its first year. Partnerships and Initiatives at Intel.

SPORTS

Vantika Agarwal Won the national women online chess title with the score of 9.5 points

•Vantika Agarwal has won the National Women Online Chess title. She scored 9.5 points from 11 rounds. Arpita Mukherjee of West Bengal took the second spot and Tamil Nadu’s Sreeja Seshadri secured the third spot in the competition.

•In the absence of over-the-board events due to the ongoing pandemic, the All India Chess Federation has decided to consider the performance of this online event for the selection of players for the Asian individual championship and other events.

OBITUARY

Former England Cricketer Mike Hendrick passed away

•Former England and Derbyshire bowler, Mike Hendrick has passed away. He played a major role in two of England’s Ashes-series victories and took 87 wickets in 30 Tests for his country between 1974 and 1981.

•Hendrick, who took 770 wickets in 267 first-class matches and 35 wickets in 22 ODIs, was also the first professional coach of Ireland.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Ranger Day 2021: 31st July

•World Ranger Day is observed every year on 31 July to commemorate the Rangers killed or injured while on duty and to celebrate the work that Rangers do to protect the world’s natural and cultural heritage. World Ranger Day offers a chance to support their vital work, which ranges from environmental campaigning to education. The day is also an opportunity to pay tribute to rangers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

•A Ranger is a person tasked with preserving and protecting parklands and natural protected areas. A Ranger typically refers to a forest ranger or a park ranger. It was on this day in 1992 that International Ranger Federation (IRF) was founded. World Ranger Day was created by the International Ranger Federation and was first held in 2007.

International Day of Friendship 2021: 30th July

•International Day of Friendship is observed globally on 30th July. This day is celebrated to mark the importance of friends and friendship in life. The day also advocates the role that friendship plays in promoting peace in several cultures across the world.

•In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Friendship Day with an aim to forge a strong bond of friendship of people of various countries irrespective of race, colour, gender, religion, etc. The International Day of Friendship is an initiative that follows on the proposal made by UNESCO defining the Culture of Peace as a set of values, attitudes and behaviours that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing their root causes with a view to solving problems. It was then adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1997.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

RBI cancelled licence of Madgaum Urban Co-operative Bank limited Margao

•The Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the licence of Madgaum Urban Co-operative Bank Limited, Margao, Goa, as the bank with its current financial position would be unable to pay its present depositors in full. According to the RBI, as per the data submitted by the bank, about 99 per cent of the depositors will receive full amounts of their deposits from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC). The bank ceases to carry on banking business with effect from the close of business on July 29, 2021.

•The Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Goa, has also been requested to issue an order for winding up the bank and appoint a liquidator for the bank. On liquidation, every depositor would be entitled to receive deposit insurance claim amount of his/her deposits up to a monetary ceiling of Rs. five lakh from the DICGC subject to the provisions of the DICGC Act, 1961. With the cancellation of licence and commencement of liquidation proceedings, the process of paying the depositors of the bank as per the DICGC Act, 1961 will be set in motion.

INTERNATIONAL

Vaidehi Dongre crowned Miss India USA 2021

•Vaidehi Dongre, a 25-year-old girl from Michigan, has been crowned Miss India USA 2021 at the beauty pageant. Arshi Lalani from Georgia was declared the first runner up and North Carolina’s Mira Kasari was declared the second runner up. Dongre, who has majored in international studies, won the ‘Miss Talented’ title in the pageant for giving a flawless performance of Indian classical dance from Kathak.

•Former Miss World Diana Hayden was the chief guest and chief judge for the pageant. There were 61 contestants from 30 states participating in three different pageants – Miss India USA, Mrs India USA and Miss Teen India USA. The winners of all three categories get complimentary tickets to travel to Mumbai, India to take part in worldwide pageants.

NATIONAL

Indian chillies, Bhoot Jolokia from Nagaland exported to London

•A consignment of ‘Raja Mircha’, also referred to as King Chilli or Bhoot Jolokia, from Nagaland, has been exported to London for the first time.

•Naga king chilli is constantly on the top five in the list of the world’s hottest chillies based on the Scoville Heat Units. It got a GI tag in 2008. It was declared the hottest chilli pepper in the world by Guinness World Records in 2007.

Kerala police launched ‘Pink Protection’ project

•The Kerala Police launched a new initiative called the Pink Protection project for the protection of women in public, private and digital spaces. The Pink Protection project aims to prevent dowry-related issues, cyber-bullying & humiliation in public places. It has 10 components, one of which is activating the existing Pink Police Patrol system, named Pink Janamaithri Beat.

•They will collect information from panchayat members, neighbours and other locals and hand it over to the Station House Officers for further action.

•The Pink Beat system, in which specially trained women police officers have been deployed, will be present at Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private buses and in front of schools, colleges and other public places including bus stops.

•Pink control rooms have been set up in all 14 districts to coordinate the activities.

Test Kit “COVIHOME” developed by IIT Hyderabad

•India’s first Rapid electronic C-19 RNA Test kit that allows self-testing at home called ‘COVIHOME’ has been developed by a research group at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. The kit has been validated by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and can be used to check for C-19 trace at the comfort of home.

•This test kit can produce results within 30 minutes for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

•The major benefit of this testing kit is that it does not require RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction), an expert human resource, and a BSL 2 lab facility for the extraction of RNA, so it has the potential for one to take the test at home without expert supervision.

Government announced 27% reservation for OBCs

•The centre has announced 27% reservation for OBCs and a 10% quota for students from the economically weaker sections (EWS) for undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses under the All-India Quota (AIQ) scheme. Under the AIQ scheme, 15% of seats at the UG level and 50% seats at the PG level are kept domicile free in government medical and dental colleges against which students from other states to are offered admission while the rest of the seats are kept only for students from within the state.

•This will immensely help thousands of our youth every year get better opportunities and create a new paradigm of social justice in our country. A statement by the government said that the decision would benefit nearly 1500 OBC students in MBBS and 2500 OBC students in PG while it will also impact around 550 EWS students in MBBS and around 1000 EWS students in PG medicine.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Colliers appointed Ramesh Nair as New CEO for India

•Property consultant Colliers has appointed Ramesh Nair as the chief executive officer (CEO) for India and managing director, market development, for Asia. Nair’s experience and leadership skills will be particularly relevant to its clients in the region and around the world as they seek opportunities in the post-C-19 economy.

•Nair joined Colliers from JLL India, where he held the position of CEO & country head, leading over 12,000 people. Based in Mumbai, Ramesh will partner with Sankey Prasad, chairman & managing director of Colliers in India, to lead the business.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons 2021: 30th  July

•United Nations observes 30 July every year as World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. In 2013, the General Assembly designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights.

•The 2021 theme for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is Victims’ Voices Lead the Way. This year’s theme puts victims of human trafficking at the centre of the campaign and will highlight the importance of listening to and learning from survivors of human trafficking.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

BIAL signs a deal with IBM for ‘Airport in a Box’

•Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), has signed a ten-year partnership with the company IBM to set up the ‘Airport in a Box’ platform. The partnership is designed to help Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) improve its productivity, automate its information technology services, increase operational flexibility to handle future growth in passenger traffic and reduce costs.

•The airport operator chose IBM Global Business Services, IBM hybrid cloud capabilities and Kyndryl, the new, independent company that will be created following the separation of IBM’s Managed Infrastructure Services business, to design and implement a next-generation architecture with a dynamic delivery model. The new platform will enable it to improve employee productivity, upgrade utilisation of IT assets, reduce costs through streamlined inventory control and improve incident management.

INTERNATIONAL

Brazil’s site received UNESCO World Heritage status

•The Sitio Burle Marx site, a landscape garden in Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro has been added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites. The garden features more than 3,500 species of plants native to Rio and is considered a laboratory for botanical and landscape experimentation.

•The site has been named after Burle Marx, a Brazilian landscape architect whose designs of parks and gardens made him world-famous. The Sitio Burle Marx site was his home until 1985.

NATIONAL

Government will set up center for animation, visual effects, gaming

•The Union Government has decided to set up a National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics for creating a world-class talent pool in India to cater to the Indian as well as a global industry. It will be set up in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said this in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

•In order to support skilled manpower in the animation and VFX sector, Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and Film and Television Institute of India run courses on Animation and VFX. The Minister also informed that India has also audio-visual co-production treaties with 15 countries.

Madhya Pradesh government made ‘Devaranya’ scheme

•In order to promote AYUSH in Madhya Pradesh and to link it with employment, the government has made the ‘Devaranya’ scheme. The scheme has been made to provide employment to the people living in the tribal areas of the state. A complete value chain for the production of AYUSH medicines will be developed in the state through Devarnya Yojana. Self-help groups will also play an important role in this work.

•In this, Agriculture Producer Organization, AYUSH Department, Forest Department, Rural Development Department, Horticulture Department, Tourism Department, Agriculture Department, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Department, Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion Department and Tribal Affairs Department will work together in mission mode. For this, medicinal plants should be cultivated in the beautiful plains of the villages.  AYUSH and tourism will be brought together.

Puri becomes India’s first city to provide quality drinking tap water on 24 hour basis

•Puri has become the first city in India where people can avail high-quality drinking water directly from the tap on a 24-hour basis. It has enabled the people of Puri to collect quality drinking water directly from the tap. Henceforth, people need not have to store or filter drinking water.

•The project would benefit 2.5 lakh citizens of Puri and 2 crore tourists who visit the tourist place every year. They need not have to move around with water bottles. Puri would no more be burdened with 400 metric tonnes of plastic waste. Water fountains have been developed at 400 locations in Puri.

Indore selected for International Clean Air Catalyst Programme

•The Indore city of Madhya Pradesh, or the cleanest city of India, has become the only city from the country to be selected for International Clean Air Catalyst Programme. The project will be operated for a period of five years to purify the air in the city with the cooperation of Indore Municipal Corporation and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board. Under the project, USAID and partners will work with local communities to better understand local pollution sources and identify, test, accelerate, and scale solutions for cleaner, healthier air.

•Clean Air Catalyst is a new flagship programme launched by The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and a global consortium of organisations, led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to combat air pollution in low and middle-income countries by accelerating clean air solutions.

SPORTS

Momiji Nishiya youngest gold medal winners in Olympic

•Japan’s Momiji Nishiya became one of the youngest individual Olympic champions in history when she won the inaugural women’s skateboarding gold at the age of 13 years and 330 days. Rayssa Leal (13 years and 203 days) of Brazil won silver and Funa Nakayama (16 years) of Japan clinched the bronze.

•The youngest gold medalist was Team USA’s Marjorie Gestring at the 1936 games in Berlin. Gestring, only 13 years and 268 days old at the time, won gold in the women’s diving competition.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

(BSF)’s (DG) Rakesh Asthana appointed as Delhi Police Commissioner

•Border Security Force (BSF) Director General (DG), Rakesh Asthana has been appointed as the Delhi Police Commissioner, with immediate effect. His appointment comes just three days before his superannuation on July 31, 2021. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has extended Asthana’s service initially for a period of one year beyond the date of his superannuation or until further order, whichever is earlier.

•Asthana, a 1984-batch IPS officer, had earlier served as the Special Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation. He was the Narcotics Control Bureau chief when actor Rhea Chakraborty was arrested in a drugs case in Mumbai. During his stint in the CBI in 2018,  Ashtana was engaged in an unsavoury spat with the then CBI Director Alok Verma. Both the officers were removed from the central probe agency and Asthana was subsequently cleared of the charges.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Tiger Day 2021: 29th  July

•Global Tiger Day or International Tiger Day is observed on 29th July every year to raise awareness about the declining population of wild cats and making efforts to conserve them. The goal of the day is to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and to raise public awareness and support for tiger conservation issues. This year marks the 11th International Tiger Day.

•The theme/Slogan for the 2021 International Tiger Day celebration is “Their Survival is in our hands”.

•The Global Tiger Day came into being during the signing of the Saint Petersburg declaration by 13 tiger range countries in 2010 in Russia. The governments of these tiger range countries had resolved to encourage the conservation, protecting natural habitats and double the number of tigers by 2022. Poaching and the illegal trade of tiger body parts like bone, the skin has posed the biggest threat to wild tigers. The demand for tiger body parts has increased the poaching and trafficking of wild cats.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Reserve Bank of India is working plans digital currency pilots soon

•The Reserve Bank of India is currently working on a phased implementation strategy for its own digital currency, Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), and will launch it in the wholesale and retail segments soon. India is already a leader in digital payments, but cash remains dominant for small-value transactions. RBI is currently examining the scope of CBDCs, the underlying technology, the validation mechanism, distribution architecture and degree of anonymity etc.

•The primary idea for the RBI is to protect consumers from the appalling level of volatility seen in some or many of the virtual currencies that have no sovereign backing. Though the phased rollout of digital currency augurs well for India, it will come with its own challenges.

•Digital currencies are gaining more and more traction by the day, and there are countries that have launched or are going to be launching digital currencies, including Ecuador, Tunisia, Senegal, Sweden, Estonia, China, Russia, Japan, Venezuela, and Israel.

INTERNATIONAL

Uzbekistan Will be host the ‘Central-South Asia conference 2021

•Uzbekistan has hosted a high-level International Conference titled “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities” at Tashkent. The conference was an initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It was attended by President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani, Ministers from Central Asian, West Asian and South Asian countries, including Minister of External Affairs of India Dr. S. Jaishankar. Delegates from over 40 countries and about 30 international organizations, and heads of think tanks participated in the conference.

•Ashraf Ghani underlined the historical proximity of two regions and the importance of strengthening it on the basis of mutual trust and interests.

•President Mirziyoyev said the world has entered an era of global geopolitical transformations and that the ‘revival of mutual ties between Central and South Asia, where about two billion people live today, is becoming an ever more demanding and objective process’.

NATIONAL

Chief minister of Assam H.B. Sarma lays the foundation stone of bamboo industrial park

•The chief minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma has laid the foundation stone of a bamboo industrial park at Manderdisa Village, Dima Hasao. The project will be implemented with Rs 50 crore from the DoNER ministry. The project, once completed, would usher in a new era in the economy of the region and create vast employment opportunities for the local youth.

•Bamboo produced in Dima Hasao were earlier mostly exported to paper mills, however, with the completion of the park new avenues would open to use bamboo for the production of tiles, incense stick, ceiling etc., which would bring more economic benefit to the people.

Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated Greater Sohra Water Supply Scheme

•Union Home Minister, Amit Shah along with chief minister Conrad K. Sangma inaugurated the much-awaited Greater Sohra Water Supply Scheme at Sohra in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. The Greater Sohra Water Supply Scheme was conceptualised by the Meghalaya government and an amount of Rs. 24.08 cr was sanctioned by the DoNER ministry in 2019 under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS). He also planted tree saplings in Sohra as part of the Sohra Afforestation Project of the Assam Rifles.

•This is a first of its kind initiative of the Government of Meghalaya to bring together the Ministry of Home Affairs, Defence officials, and village communities for a novel and humanitarian purpose in the field of Natural Resource Management in a very important and ecologically fragile landscape.

Indian Naval Ship Talwar participated in Exercise Cutlass Express 2021

•Indian Naval Ship Talwar is participating in Exercise Cutlass Express 2021, being conducted from 26 July 2021 to 06 August 2021 along the East Coast of Africa. The exercise is an annual maritime exercise conducted to promote national and regional maritime security in East Africa and the Western Indian Ocean.

•The exercise focuses on East Africa’s coastal regions and is designed to assess and improve combined maritime law enforcement capacity, promote national and regional security and increase interoperability between the regional navies.

•As part of the exercise, the Indian Navy, together with other partners, shall undertake the training of contingents from various participating countries in various fields across the spectrum of maritime security operations.

Dholavira inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List

•A Harappan-era metropolis, Dholavira in Gujarat has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Now Gujarat has three world heritage sites, Champaner near Pavagadh, Rani ki Vav in Patan and the historic city of Ahmedabad. Dholavira is now the 40th treasure in India to be given.

•The ongoing 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has already given India a new world heritage site in the form of the Rudreswara/ Ramappa Temple in Telangana, which dates back to the 13th century. This session of the World Heritage Committee is being chaired from Fuzhou in China.

SPORTS

Japan’s Yuto Horigome has won the first-ever skateboarding

•Japan’s Yuto Horigome has won the first-ever skateboarding competition at the Olympic Games, taking gold in men’s street event at the Ariake Urban Sport in Tokyo. Yuto overcame a shaky start to pocket the gold with 37.18 points. Kelvin Hoefler of Brazil won silver in the men’s street skating competition, while Jagger Eaton of the United States clinched the bronze.

•Skateboarding’s inclusion into the Olympics marks a turning point for the sport, which has its roots in youth street culture and has influenced everything from art to fashion.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Basavaraj Bommai will be the new Chief Minister of Karnataka

•The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) legislature party has unanimously elected Lingayat MLA Basavaraj S Bommai as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka. The 61-year-old will succeed BS Yediyurappa, who resigned on July 26, 2021.

•He will be sworn in as the 23rd Chief Minister of Karnataka on July 28, 2021. Prior to this, Basavaraj Bommai was the Home Minister in the BSY government. He is a two-time MLC and three-time MLA from Shiggaon in the Haveri district.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Nature Conservation Day 2021: 28th  July

•World Nature Conservation Day is observed on 28th July every year. The main objective of celebrating this day is to raise awareness about protecting nature and adopting best practices for conserving our natural resources.

•The Earth is supplied a limited amount of properties that we all rely upon each day like water, air, soil and trees.

World Hepatitis Day celebrated 2021: 28th  July

•World Health Organization is observed on 28th July every year as “World Hepatitis Day”. This day is celebrated to enhance awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that causes a range of health problems, including liver cancer. This year theme of World Hepatitis Day 2021 is ‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait’.

•The date of 28 July was chosen because it is the birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who discovered the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus. There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus – A, B, C, D and E. Together, hepatitis B and C are the most common cause of death, with 1.3 million lives lost each year.

NATIONAL

WTO: India Entered Top 10 Agricultural Produce Exporters in 2019

•India has entered the top ten list of agricultural produce exporters in 2019 with a significant share within the export of rice, soya beans, cotton and meat, according to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) report on trends in world agricultural trade in recent 25 years. In 2019, India ranked ninth with a share of 3.1% in global agricultural exports. Earlier this place was New Zealand.

•While the US, which topped the list in 1995 (22.2%), was overtaken by the European Union in 2019 (16.1%). Brazil maintained its ranking as the third-largest exporter, increasing its share from 4.8% in 1995 to 7.8% in 2019. China climbed from the sixth spot in 1995 (4%) to fourth in 2019 (5.4%).

SPORTS

Priya Malik wins Gold at World Cadet Wrestling Championship 2021

•Indian Wrestler Priya Malik has won a Gold Medal at the 2021 World Cadet Wrestling Championship in Budapest, Hungary.

•She defeated Kseniya Patapovich 5-0 in the summit clash of women’s 73kg weight category to win the yellow medal. The Indian team bagged as many as 13 medals, including 5 Golds at the Championship, to make the country proud.

Para shuttler Pramod Bhagat named Differently abled Sportsman of the Year 2019

•World No. 1 para shuttler Pramod Bhagat was named Differently Abled Sportsman of the Year at Indian Sports Honour for 2019. The delay in the announcement was due to the C-19 pandemic. Indian Sports Honours are awards given annually by the RPSG Group in association with the Virat Kohli Foundation to outstanding sports personalities of India. The awards were founded in 2017.

•Bhagat, who won two gold medals and a bronze at the Dubai Para-Badminton Tournament this year, will be participating in singles and mixed doubles events at the Paralympics which opens in Tokyo from August 24.

OBITUARY

Veteran Actress Jayanthi passed away

•The well-known southern actor Jayanthi, has passed away due to age-related ailments. She started her acting career in 1963 and had starred in over 500 films that span across five languages including Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi.

•She was fondly known as ‘Abhinaya Sharadhe’ meaning the ‘Goddess of acting’, in the Kannada film industry. She won several awards including the Karnataka State Film Awards seven times and the Filmfare Awards twice.

Bangladesh’s legendary folk singer Fakir Alamgir passed away due to C-19

•Bangladesh’s legendary folk singer, Fakir Alamgir has passed away due to complications from C-19. He was born on February 21, 1950, in Faridpur, Alamgir began his music career in 1966. The singer was a key member of cultural organisations ‘Kranti Shilpi Gosthi’ and ‘Gana Shilpi Gosthi’ and played an important role during Bangladesh’s 1969 uprising. During Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War, Alamgir joined the ‘Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra’ and performed frequently to inspire freedom fighters.

•Some of his popular songs include “O Sokhina Gesos Kina”, “Shantahar”, “Nelson Mandela”, “Naam Tar Chhilo John Henry”, “Banglar Comrade Bondhu”, among others. He also founded the cultural organization ‘Wrishiz Shilpi Gosthi’ in 1976, and also served as the president of Gono Sangeet Shamanya Parishad (GSSP). Alamgir was conferred with the Ekushey Padak, the country’s second-highest civilian award, in 1999.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Lulu Group’s chairman Yusuffali will be vice-chairman of Abu Dhabi CCI’s

•Lulu Group chairman, M A Yusuff Ali has been appointed as the Vice-Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI). Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi & Dy. Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces issued a resolution to form a new Board of Directors for Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI).

•HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently had honoured Yusuffali with the ‘Abu Dhabi Award 2021’, the highest civilian honour for his almost 5-decade long contributions in the fields of economic development & philanthropy.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa Resigns

•Karnataka Chief Minister, BS Yediyurappa has announced his resignation from the top post on July 26, 2021, when his government completed two years in the state, after being elected to power in 2019.

•The 78-year-old Yediyurappa, often called by his initials BSY, served as the 19th Chief Minister of Karnataka. He had served as the chief minister of Karnataka for four terms and was the only chief minister to do so in Karnataka history.

IMPORTANT DAYS

CRPF observed 83rd  Raising Day 2021 on 27th July

•The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), observed its 83rd Raising Day on 27 July 2021. CRPF is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force, under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

•Its headquarter is located in New Delhi. It came into existence as the Crown Representative’s Police on 27 July 1939. After Indian Independence, it became the Central Reserve Police Force on the enactment of the CRPF Act on 28 December 1949.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

Central Reserve Police Force signs an MoU with C-DAC 

•The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has signed an MoU with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing C-DAC to train the manpower of the force in advanced technologies and undertake joint projects. The MoU aims at augmenting the technical capabilities of CRPF by training its manpower in advanced areas like the Internet of Things (IoT), Cybersecurity, AI, etc.

•The agreement will also provide the expertise of C-DAC in the form of a Technology Partner and Knowledge Partner in developing various ICT solutions of CRPF. The MoU will go a long way in providing CRPF personnel with customised advanced courses aligned to the needs of the field and practical applications.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

HDFC Ltd got a loan of $250 million from International Finance Corporation (IFC)

•HDFC Ltd has got a loan of $250 million from International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank Group, to be used by India’s largest housing finance company for green housing. Green housing is regarded as a luxury market in the country but has climate benefits. Its partnership with HDFC would help change perceptions about the market. At least 25 per cent of the funding is for green affordable housing.

•IFC’s $250 million loans to HDFC Ltd will support its moves to grow its affordable housing and emerging green affordable housing portfolio by improving access to such housing for people on lower incomes.

•Aligned with the government of India’s goal to provide ‘Housing for All,’ the funding will also help generate jobs,”. Green affordable housing can help India on its path to deliver on its commitments under the Paris Agreement, to reduce a third of its carbon emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels.

INTERNATIONAL

UK reported new cases of ‘Norovirus’ infection

•The United Kingdom is now reporting an outbreak of norovirus. Public Health England (PHE) recently issued a warning regarding Norovirus. England has recorded 154 cases of norovirus in the country. An increase in norovirus cases in educational settings has been reported. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), norovirus is very contagious that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. People suffering from norovirus disease can shed billions of virus particles. And to make people sick only a few of them is required.

•Person can contract this virus by coming in direct contact with an infected person. This virus can also be contracted by consuming contaminated water and food and also touching contaminated surfaces with one’s hands and then putting them in the mouth unwashed.

Sweden joined International Solar Alliance(ISA)

•Sweden has ratified the framework agreement for the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and is now a member of the global platform, which is an initiative of India aimed at promoting renewable energy and sustainable development. Sweden hopes to bring its expertise and its experience in renewable energy and clean energy technologies to discussions in the ISA to contribute to meeting the challenges related to climate change.

•In April 2018, Prime Minister Modi visited Stockholm during which both sides agreed to further deepen innovation partnership for a sustainable future. The ISA has been conceived as an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform to increase the availability of solar energy technologies to enhance energy security and sustainable development.

NATIONAL

Home Minister Amit Shah launched Various schemes in Assam

•Union Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of Tamulpur Medical College and Hospital and distributed cheque of 1 lakh rupees each to the next of the kin of 100 selected C-19 victims under the State Government’s ‘Prarthana Achoni’ at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra.

•Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, State Health Minister Keshab Mahanta and Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) Chief Promod Boro were present on this occasion.

•Speaking at the event of Assam Government’s Healthcare and Welfare Schemes launch, Mr Shah said that Central Government is committed to fullfil all the promises made at Bodo Accord within a very short period.

Rudreswara Temple of Telangana inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage List

•The Kakatiya Rudreswara Temple, (also known as the Ramappa Temple) at Palampet, Mulugu district, near Warangal in Telangana has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, during the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. With this latest induction, there are 39th World Heritage Sites located in India.

•The Rudreswara temple was constructed in 1213 AD during the reign of the Kakatiya Empire.

•The iconic 13th-century temple is also known as Ramappa temple, named after its architect, Ramappa

•The Rudreswara temple was the only nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage site tag for the year 2019 by the Indian government.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL resign as MD

•Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL Technologies Ltd, and its chief strategy officer has tendered his resignation as managing director, as well as a director, on completing 76 years of age. Nadar will, however, continue to guide the company in the capacity of chairman emeritus and strategic adviser to the board for five years. Vijayakumar, president and chief executive officer, has been appointed as the managing director for five years.

•The Noida-based IT services company posted a net profit of ₹3,214 crores for the June quarter, up nearly 10% annually. It is slightly below consensus Bloomberg estimates of ₹3,255.5 crores.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Kargil Vijay Diwas 2021 :26th  July

•Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26 since the year 1999, to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil conflict. This year nation is celebrating the 22 years of victory in the Kargil war. It was in 1999 that a high altitude mountain war broke out along the peaks of Kargil near the Line of Control, the de-facto border that divides Kashmir between the two nations.

•The Kargil War was fought between May-July of 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC) in which India got the victory.

•The Kargil war was fought for more than 60 days, ended on 26 July.

•The operation was launched by the Indian Army twice in Indian history. The first Operation Vijay was launched in 1961 that led to the capture of Goa, Anjediva islands and Daman and Diu.

•The operation White Sea was also launched during the Kargil war, 1999. During the operation, the Indian Air Force jointly acted with Indian Army to flush out regular and irregular troops of the Pakistani army.

World Drowning Prevention Day 2021: 25th July

•World Drowning Prevention Day, declared through the April 2021 UN General Assembly Resolution “Global drowning prevention”, is held annually on 25 July.

•This global advocacy event serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and to offer life-saving solutions to prevent it.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book ‘An Ordinary Life: Portrait of an Indian Generation’ by Former election commissioner Ashok Lavasa

•Former election commissioner Ashok Lavasa has come out with a book titled “An Ordinary Life: Portrait of an Indian Generation.”

•In this book, Ashok Lavasa narrates about his father, Udai Singh, and his own experience on how his father’s principles served as a moral compass in his life, and can in ours too. Ashok Lavasa resigned as election commissioner in 2020 to become vice-president of the Asian Development Bank.

NATIONAL

IIT-Kanpur launched technology innovation hub

•Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K) has launched the first technology innovation hub to find cybersecurity solutions for anti-drones technologies, intrusion detection systems, block-chain and cyber-physical systems. The presence of cutting-edge technology in cybersecurity is accompanied by an increasing need to protect digital assets and deploy solutions for the common public as well as government and industry.

•IIT Kanpur’s C3i hub will focus on safeguarding cyberspace including critical infrastructure.” The government is promoting Make-in India cybersecurity solutions to counter rising threats from neighbouring countries, particularly China.

Two cities of Madhya Pradesh, Orchha and Gwalior selected by UNESCO

•Madhya Pradesh, the cities of Orchha and Gwalior have been selected by UNESCO under its ‘Historic Urban Landscape Project.’ This project was started in the year 2011. UNESCO’s Historic Urban Landscape project for the cities of Orchha and Gwalior was launched through video conferencing by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

•Six cities of South Asia, including the Indian cities of Varanasi and Ajmer, are already involved in this project. Gwalior and Orchha have been included as the 7th and 8th cities of South Asia.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged in the Indian Army’s skiing expedition

•Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has flagged in the Indian Army’s skiing expedition that was conducted in the Himalayan mountain ranges between March 10 and July 6. The expedition, called ARMEX-21, was flagged off at Karakoram Pass in Ladakh on March 10 and culminated at Malari in Uttarakhand on July 6 covering 1,660 km in 119 days.

•The ARMEX-21 was conducted in the mountain ranges of the Himalayan region to promote the adventure activity in the country and the Indian Army,” it stated. During the expedition, the team travelled through several passes at a height of 5,000-6,500 meters and through glaciers, valleys and rivers.

SPORTS

Mirabai Chanu wins Silver in weightlifting Women’s 49kg category

•Mirabai Chanu won the silver medal and became the first Indian to win an Olympic medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games in the Women’s 49kg category. China’s Zhihui Hou won the gold medal in the women’s 49-kg weightlifting at the Tokyo Olympics, lifting a total of 210 kg, while Indonesia’s Windy Cantika Aisah won the bronze medal.

•Chanu managed to lift a total of 202 kg in the women’s 49kg category to become the second Indian weightlifter after Karnam Malleswari to win an Olympic medal. A new Olympic record was registered by Mirabai Chanu with a successful lift of 115kg in clean and jerk.

Indian Olympic Association roped in Adani Group as sponsor for Tokyo Olympics

•Indian Olympic Association has roped in Adani Group as a sponsor for the Indian contingent at the ongoing Tokyo Games. Indian Olympic Association secretary general Rajiv Mehta, who is in Tokyo, announced the development.

•The IOA had earlier entered into sponsorship deals with various private entities, including dairy giant Amul, mobile gaming platform MPL Sports Foundation, JSW Sports among others. IOA had inked the deals after dropping Chinese sportswear brand Li Ning as the Indian team’s official kit sponsor for the Tokyo Olympics and stating that the country’s athletes will wear unbranded apparel during the Games.

N. B. Devi named AIFF ‘Women’s Footballer of the Year’ 2020-21

•Indian Women’s National Team Forward, Ngangom Bala Devi has been named as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Women’s Footballer of the Year 2020-21. Bala currently plays for Rangers Women’s FC in Scotland. She made her debut for the team in February 2020 and created history as she scored her first competitive goal for the side in December last year. She is the first Indian woman footballer to sign a professional contract with an overseas club in Europe.

•Bala was a part of the Manipur U19 team that took part in the Under-19 Women’s Championship in Assam in 2002, where she was declared the best player. She has also represented the Manipur Senior Women’s Football Team in the India women’s football championship.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Rashmi R. Das appointed to UN Tax Committee

•The joint secretary of the Finance Ministry, Rasmi Ranjan Das has been appointed to the UN tax committee as a member for the term period 2021 to 2025. Das is among the tax experts from around the world who has been appointed as a member of the UN tax committee. She is Joint Secretary – (FT&TR-I), Central Board of Direct Taxes, Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.

•Formally known as the UN Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, this committee helps the countries’ efforts to advance stronger and forward-looking tax policies which are adapted to suit the realities of a digitalised economy, globalised trade and investment and the ever-worsening environmental degradation.

•It assists countries in their efforts to prevent double or multiple taxations as well as non-taxation, broaden their tax base, strengthen their tax administrations, and curb international tax evasion and avoidance.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

RBI allowed loans up to Rs 5 cr to other banks’ directors

•Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has overhauled rules for extending loans to directors of other banks and relatives of directors. As per the amendments, the central bank has allowed banks to extend personal loans up to ₹5 crores to directors of other banks and directors’ relatives other than spouses without board approval. The earlier limit for such loans was ₹25 lakh.

•The regulations apply to directors, including the Chairman/Managing Director, of other banks, any firm in which they are interested as a partner or guarantor, or any company in which they hold substantial interest or is interested as a director or as a guarantor. Personal loans refer to loans given to individuals and consist of consumer credit, education loans, loans given for the creation or enhancement of immovable assets like houses, and loans given for investment in financial assets, such as shares, debentures, etc.

INTERNATIONAL

World’s first 3D-printed steel bridge opened in Netherlands

•The world’s first 3D-printed steel bridge was opened to the public in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It was developed by MX3D, a Dutch robotics company, in collaboration with a consortium of experts, and represents a major milestone for 3D-printing technology. After four years of development, the bridge was unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. It was installed over one of the oldest canals in Amsterdam’s city centre – the Oudezijds Achterburgwal.

•The 12-metre-long steel structure will be a ‘living laboratory’ that will capture and transmit data on its health in real-time to show how it changes over its lifespan.

•The length of the bridge is nearly 40 feet. It is a 6-ton stainless steel structure.

•The smart sensor network was designed and installed by a team from The Alan Turing Institute.

•The sensors attached to the structure will gather data on air quality, temperature, strain, displacement and vibration.

NATIONAL

Delhi Cabinet Nod For Ex Gratia Of Rs 1 Cr

•The Delhi Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal to pay Rs 1 crore compensation each to the families of six IAF, Delhi Police and civil defence personnel who died in the line of duty.

•The Delhi government said it stands with the families of all paramilitary, army, police and civil defence personnel residing in the city.

•"The Kejriwal government will give a 'Samman Rashi' of Rs 1 crore each to the families of six bravehearts of Delhi who lost their lives in the line of duty. The decision was taken in the meeting of the Delhi Cabinet regarding the grant of the ex gratia to the families.

India has scored 90.32 per cent in the 2021 UN Global Survey

•India has scored 90.32 per cent in the 2021 UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation. India’s score was 78.49 per cent in 2019. The overall score of India is found to be greater than many OECD countries including France, UK, Canada, Norway, Finland. India is the best-performing country when compared to the South and South-West Asia region (63.12%) and the Asia Pacific region (65.85%). The overall score of India is even greater than the average score of the EU.

•Transparency: 100% in 2021 (93.33% in 2019),

•Formalities: 95.83% in 2021 (87.5% in 2019),

•The survey is conducted by the United Nation’s Economic and Social Commission for the Asia Pacific (UNESCAP) every two years since 2015 to help countries benchmark and reduce the time and cost of trading across borders, as well as helps businesses in their investment decisions.

SPORTS

Olympics-Weightlifting-Papua New Guinea's Toua becomes first 5-time woman Olympian lifter

•When women’s weightlifting was introduced as an Olympic sport in 2000, Papua New Guinea’s then 16-year-old Loa Dika Toua became the first-ever female Olympian lifter. On Saturday in Tokyo, the now 37-year-old athlete did it for the fifth time.

•“This would have been my sixth, but in 2016 Rio Olympics I pulled out from the team to give my spot to my sister. Unfortunately due to financial constraints of the country, we couldn’t send our team there.”

OBITUARY

Renown Carnatic Classical Violinist S. R. Bhaskaran passed away

•Noted Carnatic Classical Violinist ‘Kalaimaamani’ Sikkil Shri R Bhaskaran passed away. He started learning the Violin at the age of 11 from Thiruvarur Shri Subba Iyer and later trained under Mayuram Shri Govindarajan Pillai. He was an ‘A” Grade Artist of AIR and has served for nearly 2 decades in Chennai radio Station from 1976 to 1994.

•Bhaskaran has served as an Executive Committee member of the Thiruvaiyaru Thyaga Brahma Festival for more than 2 decades. During his close to 5 decades of Musical Career, Bhaskaran has been bestowed with many laurels, Awards & Honours.

India’s oldest student Bhageerathi Amma passed away

•Bhageerathi Amma, the oldest woman in India to take the equivalency exams, has passed away due to age-related ailments. She was 107-years-old. Amma, who hailed from the Kollam district of Kerala, decided to continue her education at the age of 105.

•Amma had quit formal education in class three, when she was 9 years old. The centenarian was felicitated with the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar by the central government for her exceptional contribution towards women’s empowerment.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Aaykar Diwas (Income Tax Day) 2021: 24th July 

•The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) observed the 161st Income Tax Day (also known as Aaykar Diwas) on 24 July 2021. In India, the Income Tax Day is celebrated every year on July 24, as it was on 24 July 1980 that Income Tax was introduced for the first time in India by Sir James Wilson.

•The purpose of this tax was to compensate for the losses incurred by the British regime during the first war of independence against British Rule in 1857. July 24 was first celebrated as Income Tax day in 2010.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

11th Mekong-Ganga Cooperation meeting held

•While addressing the 11th Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting, S Jaishankar India’s External Affairs Minister has called for a “collective and collaborative” response to effectively deal with the ongoing C-19 pandemic, saying that national boundaries are not respected by this virus.

•India considers the Mekong region of great importance and hence seeks a multi-dimensional engagement with Mekong countries.

•India wants to identify newer areas of cooperation and doing so will broaden the partnership of the countries.

•Addressing the meeting, S Jaishankar has said that India wants to promote better connectivity in this region through economic, digital and people-to-people connectivity.

IPC and WHO sign an MoU

•The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) on Thursday signed an agreement to work together to foster diversity and equity through global initiatives promoting health and sport for everybody, everywhere.

•The two partners will collaborate to improve global access to quality rehabilitation and assistive technology as part of universal health coverage; and mitigate existing inequalities in relation to access to these life-changing services - a prerequisite for equal opportunities and participation in sports for persons with disabilities, including for Paralympians and Para athletes.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Max Bupa Health Insurance rebrands itself as Niva Bupa Health Insurance

•The standalone health insurer Max Bupa Health Insurance has rebranded itself as ‘Niva Bupa Health Insurance. This development comes after the company’s promoter, Max India, which owned 51 per cent of the insurer sold its stake to True North in February 2019 for Rs 510 crore.

•With the entry of private equity firm True North, it was decided that the use of the “Max” brand will be phased out over a period of two years and replaced with a suitable name, to create a new brand identity. Niva Bupa targets to become a Rs 2,500 crore company by FY 2021-22.

INTERNATIONAL

UN’s cultural agency UNESCO removes Liverpool from world heritage list

•The UN’s cultural agency UNESCO has voted narrowly to remove Liverpool’s waterfront from its list of world heritage sites, citing concerns about overdevelopment, including plans for a new football stadium. At committee talks chaired by China, 13 delegates voted in favour of the proposal and five against, just one more than the two-thirds majority required to delete a site from the global list.

•Those against delisting Liverpool included Australia, whose own listing for the Great Barrier Reef is threatened in this year’s UNESCO deliberations. Others opposing included Brazil, Hungary and Nigeria, arguing any step should be deferred a year to give the UK and Liverpool authorities more time.

G20 Environment Ministers’ Meeting 2021 hosted by Italy

•The G20 Environment Ministers’ Meeting 2021 is one of the ministerial meetings organized as part of the G20 Leaders Summit 2021, which will be hosted by Italy in October 2021. The 2021 G20, under the Italian Presidency, will focus on three broad, interconnected pillars of action: People, Planet, Prosperity. Within these pillars, the G20 aims to take the lead in ensuring a swift international response to the COVID-19 pandemic – able to provide equitable, worldwide access to diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines – while building up resilience to future health-related shocks.

•India was represented by a delegation led by Hon’ble Union Environment Minister, Bhupender Yadav and include Minister of State, Ashwini Kumar Choubey and senior officers of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

NATIONAL

Para Shooter of Madhya Pradesh’s Rubina Francis wind gold in 10-metre air pistol para-event

•Madhya Pradesh shooter, Rubina Francis has set a world record at the ongoing Para Sport Cup in Peru. She has won gold in the 10-metre air pistol para-event for women. Scoring 238.1 points, she went past the world record of Aysegul Pehlivanlar of Turkey. This win also secured her the quota for India at the Tokyo Summer Paralympics 2020.

•Over the years, she has earned more than 15 medals from national and international events. Presently, Rubina is training under the guidance of Jaspal Rana, former shooter and coach of the Junior Indian Pistol Shooting Team.

SPORTS

Senior India’s defender Sandesh Jhingan named AIFF men’s Footballer of the Year 2020-21

•Senior India defender, Sandesh Jhingan was named the AIFF men’s Footballer of the Year 2020-21 season. It is the first time that the towering central defender has received the AIFF Player of the Year award, having won the Emerging Player of the Year Award in 2014.

•Jhingan made his senior national team debut in 2015 in Guwahati and has since gone on to make 40 appearances for the Blue Tigers, scoring four goals.

•He was part of the Indian sides that lifted the Intercontinental Cup in 2018 and played out a memorable draw at the home of the Asian champions Qatar in 2019.

•Jhingan has captained the senior team on five occasions, the most recent being the international friendly against Oman in Dubai in March. He was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award last year.

OBITUARY

Co-founder of National Institute of Design, Gira Sarabhai passed away

•Gira Sarabhai co-founder of the National Institute of Design has passed away. The pioneer of design education in the nation has played a vital part in establishing several other institutions and also made remarkable contributions in the field of art and architecture.

•Sarabhai was the daughter of industrialist Ambalal Sarabhai & sister of Dr Vikram Sarabhai. She also established the Calico Museum of Textiles. She was trained at the famous Taliesin West Studio in Arizona with noted architect and designer Frank Lloyd Wright.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Broadcasting Day 2021 : 23rd  July

•National Broadcasting Day is observed on 23rd July every year, to celebrate the radio, which has been an important part of people’s life in India, both as an easy medium of entertainment along with the news. On this day in 1927, the first-ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station under the Indian Broadcasting Company.

•The first radio broadcast was made on July 23, 1927, from Bombay Station. The station was then owned by a private company called the Indian Broadcasting Company.

•The Government took over the broadcasting on April 1, 1930, and renamed it as Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS).

•It was initially on an experimental basis. Later it permanently came under government control in 1932.

•On 8th of June, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio. Currently, AIR is one of the largest public broadcasting organisations in the world.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

Dvara E-Dairy partners with IFFCO Tokio General Insurance

•Dvara E-Dairy Solutions, a portfolio company of Dvara Holdings has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) led digital tag ‘Surabhi e-Tag’ to identify cattle based on muzzle identity. This will be used for cattle insurance products offered in partnership with IFFCO Tokio General Insurance.

•Muzzle images of the cattle are collected through the Surabhi mobile application and stored in hi-resolution images as a unique digital identity.

•The artificial intelligence-driven mobile application of Dvara E-Dairy captures muzzle images with the mobile phone, compares the cattle’s unique digital identity stored in a secured cloud server and retrieves the results in less than 60 seconds.

•Conventional methods like polyurethane ear tags (PU ear tags) can be easily tampered with and are prone to duplication and fraud.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book ‘Palleku Pattabhishekam’ is released by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu

•Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu has released a book titled ‘Palleku Pattabhishekam’ authored by former MP Yalamanchili Sivaji.

•This book is based on rural India and agriculture. The Vice President said that villages and agriculture are intrinsically connected and we must address their issues holistically to bring ‘Gram Swarajya’ to our villages.

Book ‘Bank With A Soul: Equitas’ authored by Dr. C K Garyali

•Former RBI Governor, Duvvuri Subbarao has unveiled a book ‘Bank With A Soul: Equitas’ authored by Dr. C K Garyali.

•Dr. Garyali is a founder trustee of EDIT (Equitas Development Initiative Trust) and the book chronicles the journey of Equitas and EDIT in transforming the lives of women with frequent social reform initiatives helping them set up micro-enterprises.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

U GRO Capital & BOB in tie-up

•U GRO Capital, a non-bank financier, and state-owned Bank of Baroda have partnered for co-lending to the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector. Under the co-lending programme Pratham, Bank of Baroda and U GRO will together disburse loans worth Rs 1,000 crore to MSMEs. The aim is to dispense the entire amount by the end of this financial year. The loan amount ranges from Rs.50 lakh to Rs.2.5 crores to be offered at an interest rate starting from 8% with a maximum tenure of 120 months.

•The programme is accessible to MSMEs across U GRO’s over 200 channel touchpoints around nine locations in Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.