Top Current Affairs 29th July 2021 at Freshers Wisdom

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Top Current Affairs

Scholarship program for ryots announced

• Newly appointed Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on 28 July 2021 announced a scholarship program for farmer’s children.
• It aims to encourage higher education among farmers’ children and see to it that they are not deprived of education.
• He also announced for increment in pension for senior citizens, widows, and disabled, under social security schemes.​

52,391 entities recognized as start-ups

• As many as 52,391 entities were recognized as start-ups by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
• There are 53 unicorns currently in India, with a tentative valuation of Rs 1.4 lakh crore.
• Over 5.7 lakh jobs have been reported by more than 50,000 start-ups.
• during the past three financial years, 22,099 firms have been placed DEL (denied entity list).​

Saffron exports increase to $1.72mn

• The country’s saffron exports have increased to USD 1.72 million during 2020-21.
• In 2018-19, the exports were aggregated at USD 0.95 million.
• The major export destinations for Indian saffron are the USA, UAE, UK, and Australia.
• Saffron is mainly produced in India in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
•  More than one-third of the production is from the Pulwama district.​

‘Raja Mircha’ from Nagaland exported to London

• A consignment of ‘Raja Mircha’ also referred to as king chilli from Nagaland was exported to London via Guwahati by air for the first time, on 28 July 2021.
• The consignment of King Chilli is also considered the world’s hottest based on the Scoville Heat Units (SHUs).
• The chilli from Nagaland is also referred to as Bhoot Jolokia and Ghost pepper.
• It got GI certification in 2008.

Juvenile Justice Amendment Bill 2021 passed

• Parliament has passed the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill 2021.
• The Bill seeks to amend the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
• The amendments include authorizing District Magistrate including Additional District Magistrate to issue adoption orders to ensure speedy disposal of cases and enhance accountability.

Cabinet clears amendment to DICGC Bill

• The Union Cabinet has cleared the amendment to the Deposit Insurance Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) Bill 2021.
• It would provide account holders an amount of up to Rs 5 lakh within 90 days of bank failure.
• The DICGC Bill insures all bank deposits and covers all commercial banks.
• Even foreign bank branches in India are covered under it.

The US announces $25 million aid to support India

• The United States has announced USD 25 million assistance to support COVID-19 vaccination efforts across India.
• The funding will contribute to saving lives by strengthening vaccine supply chain logistics, addressing misinformation, vaccine hesitancy, and helping to train more health care workers.
• US has contributed more than 200 million dollars worth of COVID19 assistance to India.

Chankillo gets UNESCO world heritage status

• The 2,300-year-old archaeological ruin Chankillo, which is the oldest solar observatory in the Americas, has been awarded UNESCO world heritage status.
• Chankillo, which lies in a desert valley in northern Peru, was one of 13 new global sites added to the list of cultural monuments.
• It features 13 stone towers, which were built in 250 to 200 BC, to function as a calendar.

Performance-based challenge fund recommended

• The 15th Finance Commission, in its report submitted to the government, has recommended a performance-based challenge fund of ₹ 8,000 crores to states for incubation of new cities.
• The amount available for each proposed new city is ₹ 1,000 crore and a state can have only one new city under the proposed scheme.
• Thus, a maximum of eight states can avail this grant for eight new cities.

Rajasthan launches ‘Niryatak Bano’ mission

• Rajasthan government’s Industries Department and the apex industrial development body, the Rajasthan Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO), have launched a campaign.
• The campaign “Mission Niryatak Bano” is planned in six steps to register and handhold the local traders willing to expand their business to foreign countries.

Parliament passes a bill

• The Parliament has passed the National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Bill, 2021.
• With the passing of this bill, two educational institutes, National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) Kundali (Haryana) and Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT) Thanjabur became Institutions of National Importance (INI).

India’s 1st rapid electronic Covid test kit

• India’s first Rapid electronic Covid-19 RNA Test kit called ‘COVIHOME’ has been developed by a research group at IIT Hyderabad.
• It has been validated by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and can be used to check for Covid-19 trace at the comfort of home with no harm, in about 20 minutes.
• The result is calculated using an algorithm in the mobile app.

Nigeria to launch a cryptocurrency, “e-naira”

• Nigeria plans to launch its own cryptocurrency, called the “e-naira”, in October 2021.
• Nigeria barred its banks and financial institutions from dealing in or facilitating transactions in cryptocurrencies in February 2021.
• “e-naira” would operate as a wallet against which customers can hold existing funds in their bank account.

Exercise Cutlass Express 2021 being held

• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Talwar is participating in Exercise Cutlass Express 2021, which commenced on July 26, 2021, along the East Coast of Africa.
• The exercise will conclude on August 6, 2021.
• The exercise is an annual maritime exercise conducted to promote national and regional maritime security in East Africa and the Western Indian Ocean.

International Tiger Day: 29 July

• International Tiger Day is observed on 29th July of every year.
• The day is also called Global Tiger Day.
• This day is celebrated every year to raise awareness for tiger conservation.
• The International Tiger Day was initially founded at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit in 2010.
• Over 97% of wild tigers had disappeared in the last century, with only around 3,000 left alive.

KVIC and BSF plant bamboo saplings

• In the first of its kind efforts to develop green cover in the Indian deserts of Rajasthan, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) planted 1000 bamboo saplings at Tanot village in Jaisalmer.
• This was done in collaboration with the Border Security Force (BSF).
• The bamboo plantation is a part of KVIC’s Project BOLD (Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought).

IAF inducts 2nd squadron of Rafale aircraft

• The Indian Air Force formally inducted the Rafale aircraft into its 101 Squadron of the Eastern Air Command at the Hasimara Air Force Station in West Bengal on 28 July 2021.
• The 101 Squadron is the second IAF squadron to be equipped with the Rafale fighter jets.
• In September 2020, the Rafale aircraft were inducted into the 17 “Golden Arrows” Squadron.

Revenue village status to 4,000 hamlets

• The Odisha government has initiated a process to accord revenue village status to 4,000 hamlets across the state.
• It will ensure that all the people avail the benefits of welfare schemes.
• As per the new guidelines, the hamlet to be declared as a new revenue village is to be located more than half a kilometre from the mother revenue village with a population of 250 or more.

RBI imposes monetary penalty on Axis Bank

• The RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 5 crore on Axis Bank for non-compliance with certain provisions.
• The penalty is a violation of certain provisions issued by RBI on ‘Strengthening the Controls of Payment Ecosystem between Sponsor Banks and SCBs/UCBs as a Corporate Customer’ dated May 9, 2019, ‘Cyber Security Framework in Banks’ dated June 2, 2016, etc.

Mumbai loses top-100 spot in QS Ranking

• Mumbai and Bengaluru are out of the global top-100 list and are currently ranking at 106 and 110, respectively in the latest edition of the QS Best Student Cities Ranking.
• While Mumbai lost 29 places, Bengaluru fell by 21 places in the ninth edition of the rankings brought out by global higher education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds.
• QS ranks cities with a population of at least 250,000.

Momiji Nishiya wins gold in skateboarding

• Japan’s Momiji Nishiya has become one of the youngest individual Olympic champions in history.
• 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.
• It was the first gold medal of the sport in the Olympics.

Indore selected for Clean Air Catalyst Program

• Indore has become the only Indian city to be selected for the Clean Air Catalyst Programme, an initiative by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
• With the cooperation of Indore Municipal Corporation and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the project will be in operation for five years to purify the air of the city.
• Indore is also known as the cleanest city in India.

First-ever 3-day free medical camp in Zanskar

• All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS) organized a first-ever 3-day free medical camp in the remote Zanskar region in Ladakh.
• Asoka Mission organized the camp from 24-28 July 2021 at the Community Health centre in Padum of Zanskar.
• Over 1500 patients, including 450 by orthopaedics and 120 by gynaecology, were screened in the OPD during the camp.

J&K Mission Youth launches a scheme

• The J&K government has established a special initiative for the first time for the youth of the union territory.
• The initiative called ”Mission Youth” will benefit more than 50,000 youngsters in different streams.
• Female students wanting to pursue post-graduate courses will be helped with around INR 100,000 worth of scholarships and many skill development courses have also been introduced.

Pashudhan Vyapar Mela inaugurated in J&K

• J&K Principal Secretary, Animal and Sheep Husbandry, Navin Kumar Choudhary inaugurated 2-day Vishal Pashudhan Vyapar Mela on 28 July 2021.
• It is being organized at Sports Stadium, Hiranagar in the Kathua district.
• It is the first of its kind where the sale and purchase of multiple breeds of cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and other animals are being provisioned.

Model Hepatitis B Treatment Centres launched

• On the occasion of World Hepatitis Day 2021, Manipur CM N. Biren Singh launched Model Hepatitis B Treatment Centres at two hospitals in Manipur.
• The centres are opened at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science (JNIMS) and Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). 
• The treatment of Hepatitis B and its medicines would be made available free of cost at these centres.

Golfer Diksha Dagar qualifies for Olympics

• Indian golfer Diksha Dagar has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics 2020 after South Africa’s Paula Reto withdrew.
• Austria also decided not to make a reallocation for their golfer Sarah Schober.
• International Golf Federation has reallocated that vacant spot to Diksha Dagar.
• Apart from Dagar, Aditi Ashok will also represent India in women’s golf at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

1st batch of supplementary demands approved

• The Lok Sabha has approved the first batch of supplementary demands.
• The government is now authorized to spend an additional ₹ 23,675 crore, including ₹ 17,000 crores for the health ministry, in the current financial year (2021-22).
• Approval for ₹ 2,050 crores for the Ministry of Civil Aviation was sought, which includes ₹ 1,872 crores towards loans.

Multipurpose device COVID BEEP developed

• A multipurpose device COVID BEEP has been developed indigenously by ECIL and ESIC Hyderabad.
• It will monitor oxygen rate, body temperature, and heart rate.
• With the help of the Red Cross Society, 500 COVID BEEP have been provided to the hospitals.
• The cost-effective monitoring system has also an inbuilt GPS facility.
• The government has received 10,000 potential orders for the device.

ODF Plus Manuals launched

• Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat released the ODF Plus Manuals under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase – 2 in New Delhi on 28 July 2021.
• The manuals pertain to key components of ODF Plus – greywater management, plastic waste management, faecal sludge management, and biodegradable waste management.
• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has developed the manuals.

Limited Liability Partnership, Amendment Bill

• Union Cabinet has cleared the Limited Liability Partnership, Amendment Bill, 2021.
• A lot of changes are being made in the Companies Act, decriminalizing many sections and improving the Ease of Doing Business for companies.
• As per the amendment, the number of compoundable offenses will be reduced from 22 to seven.

PM Modi launches multiple key initiatives

• PM Modi launched multiple key initiatives in the education sector on 29 July 2021 to mark the first anniversary of the National Education Policy, NEP 2020.
• He launched the Academic Bank of Credit that will provide multiple entry and exit options for students in Higher education, 1st Year Engineering Programmes in Regional Languages, and Guidelines for Internationalization of Higher Education.

Railways announce special cash awards

• The railways has announced special cash awards for its athletes and officials participating in the Tokyo Olympics.
• This includes Rs 3 crore for a gold medal winner, 2 crore rupees for a silver medalist, and 1 crore rupees for a bronze medalist.
• 25 athletes, 5 coaches, and a physiotherapist from the Railway Sports Promotion Board are representing the Indian contingent in the Tokyo Olympics. 

SC/ST atrocities cases increased by 11.46%

• The number of cases related to atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities increased by 11.46 percent in 2019 from 2018.
• According to the National Crime Records Bureau data, a total of 49,608 such cases were registered in 2019.
• The atrocity cases against SC/STs in the year 2018 decreased approximately by 11.15 percent from the year 2017.

Goa govt ties up with Jio Embibe

• The Goa government has signed an MoU with edu-tech platform Jio Embibe for adaptive learning based on Artificial Intelligence for students.
• The govt has also signed an MoU with Eduisfun Technologies for giving gamified digital learning app called STEPapp to make learning of Maths and Science interesting for the benefit of students of class VI to XII.​

“Future of Connectivity in India” report

• The US-India CEO Forum launched a report titled the Future of Connectivity in India, at a virtual event hosted by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) on 28 July 2021.
• The report lays out the path that India’s mobility business needs to traverse in a rapidly digitized and inter-connected world.
• The report recommended for accelerating connectivity initiatives in India.​

Molecules for oil extraction developed

• A group of researchers at IIT-Kharagpur has indigenously developed large synthetic molecules that can help in the extraction of oil or gas from underground wells.
• These synthetic molecule products are being manufactured in India for the first time at a cost-effective price for the international oil and gas industry.
• Earlier India was not a part of the global supply chain for the product.​

Over 6 lakh cybersecurity incidents reported

• Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has reported over 6.07 lakh cybersecurity incidents in the country during the first half of 2021.
• CERT-In is mandated to track and monitor cybersecurity incidents in India.
• The government has formulated a draft National Cyber Security Strategy 2021 to address the issues of security of national cyberspace.​

‘Dug Dug’ to debut at Toronto Film Fest

• Nithin Lukose’s feature film ”Paka” and Ritwik Pareek’s ”Dug Dug” are the two Indian films to have been selected for the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.
• Paka presents a tale of a river that swells with the blood of two feuding families and a young couple that tries to overcome this hatred with their love.
• Dug Dug is proclaimed as a musically infectious satire.​

CropIn partners with Unyiha Associates

• AI-led agritech firm CropIn has partnered with food processing company Unyiha Associates for the digital transformation of the agricultural ecosystem in Tanzania and the east African region.
• CropIn will offer a comprehensive solution aiming at the complete digitization of the Tanzanian agriculture ecosystem value chain to ensure transparency and financial self-sufficiency in the ecosystem.​