For the very purpose of getting you ready for the challenge that is Current Affairs In India, we are covering the 2019 July current affairs including politics current affair, current affair news, science current affairs, general knowledge current affair, current government affair and international current affairs. Only studying India's current affairs or political current affairs is not sufficient as you have to cover international events and current affairs along with the Indian current affairs, as well as those in the field of science and sports.

Current Affairs July 07 to July 13

• Bharatmala Project: It relates to HighWay construction. Bharatmala Project is the second largest highways construction project in the country since NHDP, under which almost 50,000 km of highway roads were targeted across the country. Bharatmala will look to improve connectivity particularly on economic corridors, border areas and far flung areas with an aim of quicker movement of cargo and boosting exports.The Government of India recently approved Phase-I of Bharatmala Pariyojana with financial outlay of Rs 5,35,000 crore to develop 24,800 km Highways along with 10,000 km residual NHDP stretches over a period of five years.
• 15th July 2019: It is the day on which commemorating World Youth Skills Day and celebrating 4th Anniversary of the Skill India Mission, the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship announced launch of “Kaushal Yuva Samwaad” (A Youth Dialogue). Kaushal Yuva Samwaad is aimed at creating an open dialogue with the youth across all skill training centres to hear their views, ideas, opportunities and recommendations which could help the Ministry in scaling the existing programs and improve overall efficiency of its projects. Kaushal Yuva Samwaad is being organized across all Skill India training centres, namely, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKK), Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), Polytechnics, Institutes under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), Jan Shikshan Sansthans, DDU-GKY Centres and other fee-based training centres across the country.
• The Union Budget 2019 Highlights related to Rural India are: Electricity and clean cooking facility to all willing rural families by 2022. A robust fisheries management framework through Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) to be established by the Department of Fisheries. Target of connecting the eligible and feasible habitations advanced from 2022 to 2019 with 97% of such habitations already being provided with all weather connectivity. 1,25,000 kilometers of road length to be upgraded over the next five years under PMGSY III. Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industry and Entrepreneurship’ (ASPIRE) consolidated. 10,000 new Farmer Producer Organizations to be formed, to ensure economies of scale for farmers. Zero Budget Farming in which few states’ farmers are already being trained to be replicated in other states. Jal Jeevan Mission to achieve Har Ghar Jal (piped water supply) to all rural households by 2024. Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) fund can be used Jal Shakti Abhiyan. Universal Obligation Fund under a PPP arrangement to be utilized for speeding up Bharat-Net.
• Central Welfare Database of citizens: It will be created by merging different data maintained by separate Ministries and departments — which can be tapped for enhancing ease of living for citizens, particularly the poor. Governments can create data as a public good within the legal framework of data privacy. Care must also be taken not to impose the “elite’s preference of privacy on the poor, who care for a better quality of living the most.” Private sector may be granted access to select database for a fee. The datasets talked about include administrative data such as birth and death records, pensions, tax records, marriage records; survey data such as census data, national sample survey data; transactions data such as e-national agriculture market data, UPI data, institutional data and public hospital data on patients. The governments already has a rich repository of administrative, survey, institutional and transactions data about citizens, but these data were scattered across numerous government bodies. Merging these distinct datasets would generate multiple benefits with the applications being limitless. The government could utilise the information embedded in these distinct datasets to enhance ease of living for citizens, enable truly evidence-based policy, improve targeting in welfare schemes, uncover unmet needs, integrate fragmented markets, bring greater accountability in public services and generate greater citizen participation in governance, etc.
• Water: Is the commodity for which the Finance Minister recently promised a blueprint this year for developing “water grids” on the line of power grids in the country to push the government’s ‘One Nation, One Grid’ concept. National Grid is the high-voltage electric power transmission network in mainland India, connecting power stations and major substations and ensuring that electricity generated anywhere in mainland India can be used to satisfy demand elsewhere.
• 12:The number of members will be there in the government-appointed Board of Governors (BoG) which will monitor the medical education of India after the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019. It will replace the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Second Ordinance, 2019. The bill will safeguard transparency, accountability, and quality in the governance of medical education in the country. The Bill supersedes the Medical Council of India (MCI) for a period of 2 years with effect from September 26, 2018 and vests its powers in a government-appointed Board of Governors (BoG), which would have 12 members instead of 7.
• Building Team India with Jan Bhagidari: Minimum Government Maximum Governance. Achieving green Mother Earth and Blue Skies through a pollution-free India. Making Digital India reach every sector of the economy. Launching Gaganyan, Chandrayan, other Space and Satellite programmes. Building physical and social infrastructure. These are the major points of the 10-point Vision for the decade as per the Union Budget 2019-20.
• Major points of the 10-point Vision for the decade as per the Union Budget 2019-20:Water, water management, clean rivers. Blue Economy.Self-sufficiency and export of food-grains, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables. Achieving a healthy society via Ayushman Bharat, well-nourished women & children, safety of citizens. Emphasis on MSMEs, Start-ups, defence manufacturing, automobiles, electronics, fabs and batteries, and medical devices under Make in India. These are the major points of the 10-point Vision for the decade as per the Union Budget 2019-20.
• Achievements during 2014-19 as per the Union Budget 2019:1 trillion dollar added to Indian economy over last 5 years (compared to over 55 years taken to reach the first trillion dollar).India is now the 6th largest economy in the world, compared to 11th largest five years ago. Indian economy is globally the 3rd largest in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP).Strident commitment to fiscal discipline and a rejuvenated Centre-State dynamic provided during 2014-19.Structural reforms in indirect taxation, bankruptcy and real estate carried out. Average amount spent on food security per year almost doubled during 2014-19 compared to 2009-14.Patents issued more than trebled in 2017-18 as against the number in 2014.
• Steps for Women Empowerment announced in the Union Budget 2019:Women SHG interest subvention program proposed to be expanded to all districts; Overdraft of Rs. 5,000 to be allowed for every verified women SHG member having a Jan Dhan Bank Account; One woman per SHG to be eligible for a loan up to Rs. 1 lakh under MUDRA Scheme.

• EPCA: It stands for the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority was constituted with the objective of ‘protecting and improving’ the quality of the environment and ‘controlling environmental pollution’ in the National Capital Region. The EPCA also assists the apex court in various environment-related matters in the region. EPCA is Supreme Court mandated body tasked with taking various measures to tackle air pollution in the National Capital Region. It was notified in 1998 by Environment Ministry under Environment Protection Act, 1986. Besides the chairman, the EPCA has 14 members, some of whom are the environment secretary of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT), chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council, transport commissioner of the NCT, the commissioners of various municipal corporations of Delhi and professors at IIT Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University.

• National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF):It currently manages three funds each with its distinctive investment mandate. The funds are registered as Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).The three funds are: Master Fund: The Master Fund is an infrastructure fund with the objective of primarily investing in operating assets in the core infrastructure sectors such as roads, ports, airports, power etc. Fund of Funds: Fund of Funds anchor and/or invest in funds managed by fund managers who have good track records in infrastructure and associated sectors in India. Some of the sectors of focus include Green Infrastructure, Mid-Income & Affordable Housing, Infrastructure services and allied sectors.Strategic Investment Fund: Strategic Investment Fund is registered as an Alternative Investment Fund II under SEBI in India. The objective of “Strategic Fund” is to invest largely in equity and equity-linked instruments. The Strategic Fund will focus on green field and brown field investments in the core infrastructure sectors.
• 58:It is the Turnover Ratio of India in 2018 according to the World Bank, which was a 43 per cent drop from 101 recorded in 2004. A turnover ratio represents the amount of assets or liabilities that a company replaces in relation to its sales. The concept is useful for determining the efficiency with which a business utilizes its assets. In most cases, a high asset turnover ratio is considered good, since it implies that receivables are collected quickly, fixed assets are heavily utilized, and little excess inventory is kept on hand. This implies a minimal need for invested funds, and therefore a high return on investment. Conversely, a low liability turnover ratio (usually in relation to accounts payable) is considered good, since it implies that a company is taking the longest possible amount of time in which to pay its suppliers, and so has use of its cash for a longer period of time.
• ECGC: It is a premier export credit agency of the Government of India to provide Export Credit Insurance Services to facilitate exports from the country. The ECGC offers credit insurance schemes to exporters to protect them against losses due to non-payment of export dues by overseas buyers due to political and / or commercial risks. It functions under the administrative control of Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and is managed by a Board of Directors comprising representatives of the Government, Reserve Bank of India, banking, and insurance and exporting community.
• NEVF: It stands for North East Venture Fund is the first dedicated venture capital fund for the North Eastern Region. It has been set up by North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Limited (NEDFi) in association with Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (M-DoNER). The objective is to contribute to the entrepreneurship development of the NER and achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns through long term capital appreciation by way of investments in privately negotiated equity/ equity related investments. The investment under this schemer ranges from Rs. 25 lakh to Rs.10 crore per venture, which is long term in nature with investment horizon of 4-5 years.
• Finance Bill:It means a Bill ordinarily introduced every year to give effect to the financial proposals of the Government of India for the next following financial year and includes a Bill to give effect to supplementary financial proposals for any period. The Finance Bill is introduced immediately after the presentation of the Budget. The introduction of the Bill cannot be opposed. The Appropriation Bills and Finance Bills may be introduced without prior circulation of copies to members. The Finance Bill usually contains a declaration under the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act, 1931, by which the declared provisions of the Bill relating to imposition or increase in duties of customs or excise come into force immediately on the expiry of the day on which the Bill is introduced. In view of such provisions and the provision of Act of 1931, the Finance Bill has to be passed by Parliament and assented to by the President before the expiry of the seventy-fifth day after the day on which it was introduced. As the Finance Bill contains taxation proposals, it is considered and passed by the Lok Sabha only after the Demands for Grants have been voted and the total expenditure is known. The scope of discussion on the Finance Bill is vast and members can discuss any action of the Government of India. The whole administration comes under review. The procedure in respect of Finance Bill is the same as in the case of other Money Bills.
• Wages Bill: Are the one whose new version of Code was recently cleared by the Union Cabinet. It seeks to define the norms for fixing minimum wages that will be applicable to workers of organised and unorganised sectors, except government employees and MGNREGA workers. The Code on Wages will amalgamate the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976. The code on wages is one of the four codes that would subsume 44 labour laws with certain amendments to improve the ease of doing business and attract investment for spurring growth. The four codes will deal with wages, social security, industrial safety and welfare, and industrial relations.
• MSP: It is the minimum price set by the Government at which farmers can expect to sell their produce for the season. When market prices fall below the announced MSPs, procurement agencies step in to procure the crop and ‘support’ the prices. The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs announces MSP for various crops at the beginning of each sowing season based on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The CACP takes into account demand and supply, the cost of production and price trends in the market among other things when fixing MSPs. MSPs ensure that farmers get a minimum price for their produce in adverse markets. MSPs have also been used as a tool by the Government to incentivise farmers to grow crops that are in short supply.
• RBI: It stands for Reserve Bank of India(RBI) will now be given power to takes over as the regulator of Housing Finance Firms(HFFs) instead of NHB(National Housing Bank) as announced on July 5, 2019 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The government will also provide a one-time six-month partial guarantee to state-run banks for the acquisition of up to 1 trillion rupees ($14.6 billion) of highly-rated assets from NBFCs (Non-Banking Financial Company). The financial crisis emerged from Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFC) and Reliance Capital Ltd led to this decision for giving fresh fund. The cash crunch at such firms could weaken the financial system and economy given their large lending role and ties with banks, mutual funds, and insurers. The RBI has also proposed plans to tighten NBFCs’ asset-liability management and liquidity coverage ratios and resisted demands from within the industry to provide a separate liquidity window for NBFCs.
• Financial Statements: The Medium Term Fiscal Policy Statement, The Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement,The Macro Economic Framework Statement are the three statements under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003 which are laid on the Table of Lok Sabha after the presentation of Union Budget. No discussion on Budget takes place on the day it is presented to the House. Budgets are discussed in two stages—the General Discussion followed by detailed discussion and voting on the demands for grants.

• March 2020:It is the month by which the highways of Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra will become India’s first highway corridors to get charging stations for electric vehicles. The total distance of the corridors on Yamuna Expressway (between Delhi and Agra) and National Highway 48 (between Delhi and Jaipur) will be 500 km and 18 charging stations will be set up near toll plazas on both these highways routes to charge & change batteries.The e-corridor was first proposed under the Ease of Doing Business Programme of the Advance Services for Social and Administrative Reforms (ASSAR), a private firm backed by the central government. The government expects 25 % of the total vehicles on roads will be e-vehicles by 2030.
• NSIL:It stands for New Space India Limited is a Public Sector Enterprise incorporated as a new commercial arm of Department of Space to tap the benefits of the Research & Development carried out by ISRO. The Company will spearhead commercialization of various space products including production of launch vehicles, transfer to technologies and marketing of space products.
• IBM India Private Limited: It is the company with which Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) for undertaking a pilot study to utilise Artificial Intelligence (AI) and weather technology solutions in agriculture in selected pilot districts. The pilot study will be undertaken in 3 districts of Bhopal, Rajkot and Nanded in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra respectively.

• Christine Lagarde: The first woman head of the Washington-based body, International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been nominated to become the first woman to lead the ECB (European Central Bank). EU (European Union) leaders nominated France’s Christine Lagarde as president of the ECB in a meeting in Brussels, Belgium. She would succeed current ECB president Mario Draghi (Italy), whose term ends on October 31. Lagarde was born on 1 January 1956 in Paris, France. She has served eight years as head of the IMF since 2011 and four as French finance minister- the first woman to hold the role in any G7 country.
• France: The country which has announced its decision to impose green tax on plane tickets from 2020.The new measure is expected to bring in some €182 million a year which will be invested in greener transport infrastructures, notably rail. It will only be applied on outgoing flights and not those flying into the country.
• WFP: It stands for The World Food Programme is the food assistance branch of the United Nations and the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. The WFP strives to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, with the ultimate goal in mind of eliminating the need for food aid itself. It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and part of its Executive Committee. Born in 1961, WFP pursues a vision of the world in which every man, woman and child has access at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. The WFP is governed by an Executive Board which consists of representatives from member states. The WFP operations are funded by voluntary donations from world governments, corporations and private donors. WFP food aid is also directed to fight micronutrient deficiencies, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, and combat disease, including HIV and AIDS.
• 6th July: This day was recently celebrated as United Nations International Day of Cooperatives. It is celebrated annually on the first Saturday of July and this year it was observed on July 6, 2019. Its aim is to create awareness of cooperatives and promote international solidarity, economic efficiency, equality, and world peace. The theme for 2019 is “Coops 4 decent work”. It was the 25th United Nations International Day of Cooperatives and the 96th International Cooperative day. It was celebrated for the first time in July 1923 by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA). On December 16, 1992, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed to celebrate the first Saturday of July 1995 to be International Day of Cooperatives, marking the centenary of the establishment of the International Cooperative Alliance, which was founded in London in August 1895.
• Alibaba Cloud: The cloud computing arm of Alibaba will work with WFP to develop digital “World Hunger Map”. The map will help to monitor global hunger and operations to end scourge by 2030 which is one of UN’s key Sustainable Development goals. It also aims to boost efficiency of interventions and shorten emergency response times.
• Asia:The continent which accounts for 60% of the global population, recorded the lowest rate of homicide in 2017 with only 2.3 killings per 1,00,000 people as per the Global Study on Homicide 2019 has been published by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Americas had the highest homicide rate. About 4,64,000 people across the world were victims of homicidal violence in 2017, an increase from 395,542 in 1992. The number of homicides in 2017 far surpassed the 89,000 killed in armed conflicts in the same period. The global homicide rate, measured as the victims of homicide per 1,00,000 people, declined from 7.2 in 1992, to 6.1 in 2017. Established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention, UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime.
• Dragonfly:It is the name unmanned nuclear-powered drone which NASA plans to launch as early as 2026 to search for life on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Dragonfly aims to search for signs of microbial alien life on Saturn’s moon Titan, while navigating its earth-like gravity and aerodynamics in the process. The mission will succeed NASA’s Cassini probe, which ended its 13-year mission orbiting Saturn in September 2017 by diving into Saturn’s atmosphere. Dragonfly mission is a part of NASA’s New Frontiers program, which includes a series of space exploration missions, which are being conducted with the purpose of researching several of the Solar System bodies, including the dwarf planet Pluto. The New Frontiers programme also includes Pluto probe New Horizons, Jupiter probe Juno and OSIRIS-Rex asteroid mission. The Dragonfly mission replaces a previously discontinued concept project called Titan Saturn System Mission (TSSM), which required a balloon probe to circumnavigate Titan.
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ): It is the principal judicial body of the UN. Established in 1946 to replace the Permanent Court of International Justice, the ICJ mainly operates under the statute of its predecessor, which is included in the UN Charter. It has two primary functions: to settle legal disputes submitted by States in accordance with established international laws, and to act as an advisory board on issues submitted to it by authorized international organizations. The International Court of Justice is composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms of office by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. These organs vote simultaneously but separately. In order to be elected, a candidate must receive an absolute majority of the votes in both bodies. In order to ensure a measure of continuity, one third of the Court is elected every three years. Judges are eligible for re-election. The 15 judges of the Court are distributed as per the regions: Three from Africa, Two from Latin America and Caribbean, Three from Asia, Five from Western Europe and other states,Two from Eastern Europe.
• MACN: Which stands for Maritime Anti-Corruption Network is a global business network of over 110 companies working to tackle corruption in the maritime industry. It was established by a small group of committed maritime companies. The campaign aims to reduce and (in the long term) eliminate integrity issues and bottlenecks to trade during operations in Indian ports, is a collective action of MACN, the Government of India, international organizations, and local industry stakeholders. The main activities of the campaign include implementation of integrity training for port officials and the establishment of clear escalation and reporting processes.

• 18 states:It is the number of states in which the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing World Bank assisted National Dairy Plan – I to support milk cooperatives and milk producer companies along with breeding improvement initiative. National Dairy Plan Phase I (NDP I) is a Central Sector Scheme. Funding will be through a line of credit from the International Development Association (IDA), which along with the share of the Government of India will flow from DADF to NDDB and in turn to eligible End Implementing Agencies (EIAs). NDP I will focus on 18 major milk producing states namely Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh which together account for over 90% of the country’s milk production. End Implementation Agencies (EIAs) would be State Cooperative Dairy Federations; District Cooperative Milk Producers Unions; Cooperative form of enterprises such as Producer Companies; State Livestock Development Boards; Central Cattle Breeding Farms (CCBF), Central Frozen Semen Production and Training Institute (CFSP&TI), Regional Stations for Forage Production and Demonstration (RSFP&D); Registered Societies/ Trusts (NGOs); Section 25 Companies, subsidiaries of statutory bodies, ICAR Institutes and Veterinary/ Dairy Institutes/Universities that meet the eligibility criteria for each activity as may be decided by the National Steering Committee (NSC).
• MKSP:It stands for Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana is a programme exclusively for women farmers which is being implemented by the Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development in line with the provisions of National Policy for Farmers (NPF) (2007). Funding support to the tune of up to 60% (90% for North Eastern States) for such projects is provided by the Government of India. The “Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana” (MKSP), a sub component of the Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-NRLM (DAY-NRLM) seeks to improve the present status of women in Agriculture, and to enhance the opportunities available to empower her.MKSP recognizes the identity of “Mahila” as “Kisan” and strives to build the capacity of women in the domain of agro-ecologically sustainable practices.The focus of MKSP is on capacitating smallholders to adopt sustainable climate resilient agro-ecology and eventually create a pool of skilled community professionals. Its objective is to strengthen smallholder agriculture through promotion of sustainable agriculture practices such as Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture (CMSA), Non Pesticide Management (NPM), Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), Pashu-Sakhi model for doorstep animal care services, Sustainable regeneration and harvesting of Non-Timber Forest Produce.
• Plan Bee:It is an amplifying system imitating the buzz of a swarm of honey bees to keep wild elephants away from railway tracks. It is a unique strategy adopted by Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).It has earned the best innovation award in Indian Railways for the 2018-19 fiscal.
• PAHAL:This scheme is related to LPG connections. Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh (PaHaL) scheme aims to reduce diversion and eliminate duplicate or bogus LPG connections.Under PaHaL, LPG cylinders are sold at market rates and entitled consumers get the subsidy directly into their bank accounts. The estimated savings/benefits of Rs. 59,599 crore upto March, 2019 under ‘PAHAL’ scheme.
• 5 years:It is the period after which a heterosexual married couple who have been childless for five years of their marriage can contract a close relative as a surrogate as the recently introduced Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 that aims to prohibit commercial surrogacy in India. The Bill proposes to regulate surrogacy in India by establishing a National Surrogacy Board at the central level and state surrogacy boards and appropriate authorities in the state and Union Territories. The purpose of the Bill is to ensure effective regulation of surrogacy, prohibit commercial surrogacy, and allow ethical surrogacy. While commercial surrogacy will be prohibited, including sale and purchase of human embryos and gametes, ethical surrogacy for needy couples will be allowed on fulfilment of stipulated conditions.
• Utkarsha 2022:It is a three- year road map for medium term objective to be achieved for improving regulation, supervision of RBI. It was recently finalised by the RBI. This medium-term strategy is in line with Global central banks’ plan to strengthen regulatory and supervisory mechanism.
• The 2019 “State of the Education Report for India: Children with Disabilities”: It has been released by the UNESCO. The report highlights accomplishments and challenges with regards to the right to education of children with disabilities (CWDs). Key highlights of the report: There are 78,64,636 children with disability in India constituting 1.7% of the total child population.Three-fourths of the children with disabilities at the age of five years and one-fourth between 5-19 years do not go to any educational institution.The number of children enrolled in school drops significantly with each successive level of schooling. There are fewer girls with disabilities in schools than boys with disabilities in schools.A large number of children with disabilities do not go to regular schools but are enrolled at the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).The percentage of children attending schools is the lowest among those with multiple disabilities, mental illnesses and mental retardation.
• SCR:It stands for South Central Railway is the Railway Zone which recently commissioned the longest electrified tunnel in Indian Railways. The 6.6 kilometres tunnel is situated between Cherlopalli and Rapuru Railway stations in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh.
• The Gulf of Mannar (GoM) Marine National Park:It has opposed the National Centre for Coastal Research’s (NCCR) proposal of dropping ‘melted plastic rocks or slabs’ on the seabed for growing coral reefs and address the problem of disposal of plastic waste. The NCCR suggested that plastic waste materials could simply be wound around as hard substrates as a way of disposing of them and help build coral colonies. Therefore, researchers have expressed apprehensions that the NCCR’s ‘innovative idea’ for the growth of marine organisms like algae for coral reefs building would destroy the existing coral reef colonies. The GoM Marine National Park has been implementing the corral rehabilitation programme since 2002. It has so far covered eight sq km areas in GoM region, where coral reefs suffered bleaching and degradation due to climate change and high temperature.

• NYC: It stands for National Youth Corps (NYC) is a scheme of the Department of Youth Affairs implemented through Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS). National Youth Volunteers (NYVs) are engaged under the scheme National Youth Corps (NYC )initially for a period of 01 year extendable upto 02 years on an honorarium of ₹ 5,000/- per month. Nehru Yuva Kendras was established in 1972. Later in 1987 under Rajiv Gandhi Government it became Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, an autonomous organization under Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

• Tapaan Ray:The non-executive chairman of Central Bank of India and former secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs will head the six-member working group constituted by Reserve Bank of India to review the regulatory and supervisory framework for Core Investment Companies(CICs).The terms of reference of the
• Mahua Moitra:Trinamool MP who recently moved a breach of privilege motion in the Lok Sabha against a private Hindi news channel and its Editor for reporting that her first speech in Parliament was plagiarised. Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities enjoyed by members of Parliament, individually and collectively, so that they can “effectively discharge their functions”. When any of these rights and immunities are disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament. Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book and correspondingly Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook governs privilege. It says that a member may, with the consent of the Speaker or the Chairperson, raise a question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House or of a committee thereof. The rules however mandate that any notice should be relating to an incident of recent occurrence and should need the intervention of the House. Notices have to be given before 10 am to the Speaker or the Chairperson.
• Sameer:The renowned Bollywood lyricist who has written the song titled ‘Tujhe Bhulega Na Tera Hindustan’ which was released recently to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas (26th July 2019). The song features Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Olympic bronze medallist boxer Mary Kom, actors Salman Khan, Vicky Kaushal, Anupam Kher, Kangana Ranaut, and Suniel Shetty. The Kargil War was between India and Pakistan took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district and along the Line of Control (LOC) after which India launched Operation Vijay to clear the Kargil sector occupied by the Pakistani Army.

• Haryana: The state where few of the farmers defied a government restriction against sowing banned HT Bt Cotton in Hisar. However, the government is determined to curb its spread. Herbicide-tolerant Bt (HT Bt) Cotton is genetically modified crop of unapproved genes which is not permissible in India. Technically, herbicide is like a poison which is used to destroy unwanted vegetation. In the absence of government approval, production of HT Bt seed is illegal, but farmers say it’s available in those states where its being grown defying the laws. A section of farmers have started sowing its seeds particularly in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for the past few years. A government panel had found that the HT Bt Cotton was grown in 15 per cent of the areas in these states during 2017-18 while this percentage was 5 per cent for Punjab.
• Manipur, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh: The three places where the trade promotional centres will be set up by the Department of Commerce under the ‘Trade Infrastructure for Export Scheme (TIES)’. TIES scheme replaces a centrally sponsored scheme — Assistance to States for creating Infrastructure for the Development and growth of Exports (ASIDE). The objective of the TIES is to enhance export competitiveness by bridging gaps in export infrastructure, creating focused export infrastructure and first-mile and last-mile connectivity. The Central and State Agencies, including Export Promotion Councils, Commodities Boards, SEZ Authorities and Apex Trade Bodies recognised under the EXIM policy of Government of India; are eligible for financial support under this scheme. The scheme would provide assistance for setting up and up-gradation of infrastructure projects with overwhelming export linkages like the Border Haats, Land customs stations, quality testing and certification labs, cold chains, trade promotion centres, dry ports, export warehousing and packaging, SEZs and ports/airports cargo terminuses.
• Jaipur: The pink city of India which was recently declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. At the 43rd Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee which is underway from June 30 to July 10, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added the ‘Pink City’ Jaipur/Walled City of Jaipur of Rajasthan, known for its iconic architectural legacy, into the list of the World Heritage Sites. With Jaipur’s inclusion, the number of heritage sites across India on the UNESCO World Heritage list, increased to 38. The historic walled city of Jaipur in Rajasthan was founded in 1727 AD (Anno Domini) under the patronage of Sawai Jai Singh II.

Current Affairs July 14 to July 20

• PM-SYM:It stands for Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana PM-SYM is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme that will engage as many as 42 crore workers in the unorganised sector. Benefits: Minimum Assured Pension: Each subscriber under the scheme will receive minimum assured pension of Rs 3000 per month after attaining the age of 60 years. In case of death during receipt of pension: If the subscriber dies during the receipt of pension, his or her spouse will be entitled to receive 50 percent of the pension as family pension. This family pension is applicable only to spouse. In case of death before the age of 60 years: If a beneficiary has given regular contribution and dies before attaining the age of 60 years, his or her spouse will be entitled to continue the scheme subsequently by payment of regular contribution or may even exit the scheme. The subscriber is required to contribute the prescribed contribution amount from the age of joining the scheme till the age of 60 years. The subscriber can contribute to the PM-SYM through ‘auto-debit’ facility from his or her savings bank account or from his or her Jan- Dhan account.Under the PM-SYM, the prescribed age-specific contribution by the beneficiary and the matching contribution by the Central Government will be made on a ‘50:50 basis’.
• Seva Bhoj Yojana: It is the name of the scheme launched by Union Ministry of Culture – a scheme to reimburse central share of CGST and IGST on food, prasad, langar or bhandara offered by religious and charitable institutions. Eligibility: The charitable religious institutions including temples, gurudwara, mosque, church, dharmik ashram, dargah, monasteries, which fulfill the following criteria are eligible for the grant: The institutions that have been in existence for at least five years before applying for financial assistance/grant. The institutions that serve free food to at least 5000 people in a month. The institutions covered under Section 10(23BBA) of the Income Tax Act or those registered as Society under Societies Registration Act (XXI of 1860) or as a Public Trust under any law for the time being in force of statuary religious bodies constituted under any Act or institutions registered under Section 12AA of Income Tax Act.
• Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga:It is a gas pipeline project which aims to provide piped cooking gas to residents of Varanasi and later to millions of people in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. According to GAIL, with the Urja Ganga project, 20 lakh households will get PNG connections. GAIL has built a network of trunk pipelines covering the length of around 11,000 km. With Urja Ganga project, this number will further increase by 2540 km.
• NSAP: It stands for National Social Assistance Programme is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Rural Development. It came into effect from 15th August,1995. It represents a significant step towards the fulfilment of the DPSP in Article 41 of the Constitution. In particular, Article 41 of the Constitution of India directs the State to provide public assistance to its citizens in case of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of undeserved want within the limit of its economic capacity and development. It aims to provide financial assistance to the elderly, widows and persons with disabilities in the form of social pensions. It currently covers more than three crore people who are below the poverty line (BPL), including about 80 lakh widows, 10 lakh disabled and 2.2 crore elderly.
• Atal Bimit Vyakti Kalyan Yojna:It aims to financially support those who lost their jobs or rendered jobless for whatsoever reasons due to changing employment pattern. The Employee’s State Insurance (ESI) has approved this scheme for Insured Persons (IP) covered under the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948. Its beneficiaries will be insured persons covered under Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948 for period of two years continuously. Under the scheme, relief will be payable in cash directly to bank account of insured persons in case of unemployment. This financial assistance will be given to insured persons even while they search for new engagement. Beneficiary insured workers will be paid money, from their own contribution towards ESI scheme, in cash through bank account transfer. Under this scheme, workers will be able to draw 47% of their total contributions towards ESIC after remaining unemployed for at least three months from date of leaving their previous jobs. They can choose to receive the cash at one go or in instalments. It will be applicable to all factories and establishments employing at least 10 workers.
• PMRPY:It stands for Pradhan Mantri Rojgar Protsahan Yojana is to promote employment generation. The scheme was announced in the Budget for 2016-17. The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Under the scheme employers would be provided an incentive for enhancing employment by reimbursement of the 8.33% EPS contribution made by the employer in respect of new employment. The PMRPY scheme is targeted for workers earning wages up to Rs. 15,000/- per month.
• The Lok Sabha has passed the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill 2019. Key features of the Bill: The Bill amends the NIA Act, 2008 and provides for a national-level agency to investigate and prosecute offences listed in a schedule (scheduled offences). It allows for the creation of Special Courts for the trial of scheduled offences which include offences under Acts such as the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967. As per the Bill, the NIA will now have the power to investigate the following offences, in addition: (i) human trafficking, (ii) offences related to counterfeit currency or bank notes, (iii) manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, (iv) cyber-terrorism, and (v) offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. Jurisdiction: The officers of the NIA have the same powers as other police officers in relation to the investigation of such offences, across India. In addition, officers of the NIA will have the power to investigate scheduled offences committed outside India, subject to international treaties and domestic laws of other countries.
• Rajasthan High Court:It resolved to censure the salutations “My Lord” and “Your Lordship” from courtroom protocol – a practice that has been inherited from British rule. As the words “My Lord” and “Your Lordship” are relics of a Colonial past, it is proposed to incorporate the above rule showing respectful attitude to the Court.
• 12:The number of beaches in India which have been selected by the Union Environment Ministry to vie for a ‘Blue Flag’ certification, an international recognition conferred on beaches that meet certain criteria of cleanliness and environmental propriety. These beaches are at Shivrajpur (Gujarat), Bhogave (Maharashtra), Ghoghla (Diu), Miramar (Goa), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Eden (Puducherry), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Golden (Odisha), and Radhanagar (Andaman & Nicobar Islands). The Blue Flag Programme for beaches and marinas is run by the international, non-governmental, non-profit organisation FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education).It started in France in 1985 and has been implemented in Europe since 1987, and in areas outside Europe since 2001, when South Africa joined. Japan and South Korea are the only countries in South and south-eastern Asia to have Blue Flag beaches. Spain tops the list with 566 such beaches; Greece and France follow with 515 and 395, respectively. There are nearly 33 criteria that must be met to qualify for a Blue Flag certification, such as the water meeting certain quality standards, having waste disposal facilities, being disabled- friendly, have first aid equipment, and no access to pets in the main areas of the beach. Some criteria are voluntary and some compulsory.
• The 10th Schedule of the Constitution:This is also known as the Anti-defection Act. The Tenth Schedule was inserted in the Constitution in 1985 by the 52nd Amendment Act. It lays down the process by which legislators may be disqualified on grounds of defection by the Presiding Officer of a legislature based on a petition by any other member of the House. The decision on question as to disqualification on ground of defection is referred to the Chairman or the Speaker of such House, and his decision is final. The law applies to both Parliament and state assemblies.
• NSDF:It stands for National Skill Development Fund was incorporated on 23rd December, 2008 as a trust under the Indian Trust Act, 1882. It is fully owned by the Government, to act as a receptacle for financial contributions from Governmental sources, bilateral/ multilateral and other agencies and other private sector donors who would prefer to provide funds through the Government. Its main objective is to enhance, stimulate and develop the skills of Indian youth force by various sector specific programmes.
• Six:The number of Public Libraries which are there under administrative control of Ministry of Culture namely National Library, Kolkata, Central Reference Library, Kolkata, Central Secretariat Library, New Delhi, Delhi Public Library, Delhi, Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna and Rampur Raza Library, Rampur.Public libraries function under the administrative control of the respective State/UT library authority.
• PMBJP:Stands for Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’ is a campaign launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. Of India, to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses through special kendra’s known as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra. Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI) is the implementing agency of PMBJP. BPPI (Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India) has been established under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. of India, with the support of all the CPSUs.
• Lashay:It stands for Labour room Quality improvement Initiative which is an initiative of Government of India to improve quality of care in labour room and maternity operation theatres in public health facilities. Lashya is a multipronged approach focused at Intrapartum and immediate postpartum period. The aim is to reduce preventable maternal and new-born mortality, morbidity and stillbirths associated with the care around delivery in Labour room and Maternity Operation Theatre and ensure respectful maternity care.

• Meghalaya: The state which recently approved the State Water Policy to address water usages, issues of conservation and protection of water sources in the State. With this, Meghalaya will become the 1st state in India to ensure conservation of water and have its own State Water Policy. The policy’s objective is to recognise water resources as a common pool resource, to provide hygienic water for drinking, domestic needs, sanitation and livelihood development. The policy includes measures like building check dams to conserve rainwater, rainwater harvesting systems, controlling inappropriate use of groundwater and maintaining the quality of water.

• 30th November, 2019:It is the period up to which Cabinet recently approved extension of the term of the Fifteenth Finance Commission. The Finance Commission is constituted by the President under article 280 of the Constitution, mainly to give its recommendations on distribution of tax revenues between the Union and the States and amongst the States themselves. Two distinctive features of the Commission’s work involve redressing the vertical imbalances between the taxation powers and expenditure responsibilities of the centre and the States respectively and equalization of all public services across the States.
• KVIC:It stands for Khadi and Village Industries Commission has distributed over 1.10 lakh bee-boxes across India in last one and half years under its Honey Mission. This has created over 11,000 new jobs for the farmers, unemployed youths and tribal people; 430 metric tonnes of honey worth Rs 4 crore has been extracted through these bee-boxes only. Honey Mission was launched in August 2017. Under this mission KVIC provides beekeepers: Practical training about examination of honeybee colonies. Acquaintance with apicultural equipment’s. Identification and management of bee enemies and diseases. Honey extraction and wax purification. Management of bee colonies in spring, summer, monsoon, autumn and winter seasons. Loans for setting up processing units, packaging units and labelling units for honey.
• $5-trillon:It is the level to which Indian economy is expected to be taken by 2024 by the present government. In 2014, India’s GDP was $1.85 trillion. Today it is $2.7 trillion and India is the sixth-largest economy in the world. If India grows at 12% nominal growth (that is 8% real GDP growth and 4% inflation), then from the 2018 level of $2.7 trillion, India would reach the 5.33 trillion mark in 2024. India must keep growing at a rapid pace to attain this target.
• Zero Budget Natural Farming: It is a method of farming where the cost of growing and harvesting plants is zero. This means that farmers need not purchase fertilizers and pesticides in order to ensure the healthy growth of crops. It is, basically, a natural farming technique that uses biological pesticides instead of chemical-based fertilizers. Farmers use earthworms, cow dung, urine, plants, human excreta and such biological fertilizers for crop protection. It reduces farmers’ investment. It also protects the soil from degradation. As both a social and environmental programme, it aims to ensure that farming – particularly smallholder farming – is economically viable by enhancing farm biodiversity and ecosystem services. It reduces farmers’ costs through eliminating external inputs and using in-situ resources to rejuvenate soils, whilst simultaneously increasing incomes, and restoring ecosystem health through diverse, multi-layered cropping systems. Cow dung from local cows has proven to be a miraculous cure to revive the fertility and nutrient value of soil. One gram of cow dung is believed to have anywhere between 300 to 500 crore beneficial micro-organisms. These micro-organisms decompose the dried biomass on the soil and convert it into ready-to-use nutrients for plants.

• Generic medicines:They are unbranded medicines which are equally safe and having the same efficacy as that of branded medicines in terms of their therapeutic value. The prices of generic medicines are much cheaper than their branded equivalent. Since the manufacture of these generic drugs do not involve a repeat of the extensive clinical trials to prove their safety and efficacy, it costs less to develop them. Generic drugs are, therefore, cheaper. However, because the compounds in the generic versions have the same molecular structure as the brand-name version, their quality is essentially the same. Since they are cheap, people who can afford branded drugs don’t buy them believing them to be of inferior quality. Chemists have to hand out exactly what’s written on the prescription and most doctors except in government hospitals don’t hand out generic drugs.
• Sahiwal:This cattle is considered to be one of the best milch cattle breed of India. The breed derives its name from Sahiwal area in Montgomery district of Punjab in Pakistan. These animals are also known as “Lambi Bar”, “Lola”, “Montgomery”, “Multani” and “Teli”.
• SPL: It stands for Spent pot lining from the aluminium industries is produced by the smelting plants. It contains high level of cyanide and fluoride and is carcinogenic in nature and must be scientifically utilised or detoxified. It has also been classified as hazardous waste under the Schedule to the Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 2016.
• September 2008: In this month the Chandrayaan-2 mission was approved by the government for a cost of Rs 425 crore. The Chandramana 2 launch has been cancelled due to a technical snag. New dates will be announced in a few days. It was India’s second mission to the moon and aimed to explore the Moon’s south polar region. It was to be launched onboard India’s most powerful launcher – GSLV MK-III. The mission is an important step in India’s plans for planetary exploration, a program known as Planetary Science and Exploration (PLANEX).
• SATAT: It which stands for Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation is a developmental effort that would benefit both vehicle-users as well as farmers and entrepreneurs. Compressed Bio-Gas plants are proposed to be set up mainly through independent entrepreneurs. CBG produced at these plants will be transported through cascades of cylinders to the fuel station networks of OMCs for marketing as a green transport fuel alternative. The entrepreneurs would be able to separately market the other by-products from these plants, including bio-manure, carbon-dioxide, etc., to enhance returns on investment. This initiative is expected to generate direct employment for 75,000 people and produce 50 million tonnes of bio-manure for crops. There are multiple benefits from converting agricultural residue, cattle dung and municipal solid waste into CBG on a commercial scale.

• Palau: This has become 76th signatory country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA). The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an alliance of more than 122 countries initiated by India, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, now extended to all members of UN. The agreement of the International Solar Alliance was open for signature during the COP22 at Marrakech on November 15, 2016. The signatories of the agreement include India, France, Australia, UAE, UK, Japan amongst others.
• TMT: It stands for Thirty Meter Telescope is a proposed astronomical observatory with an extremely large telescope (ELT). It is an international project being funded by scientific organisations of Canada, China, India, Japan and USA. The Planned location is Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii in the US state of Hawaii. The TMT is designed for near-ultraviolet to mid-infrared observations, featuring adaptive optics to assist in correcting image blur. TMT will enable scientists to study fainter objects far away from us in the Universe, which gives information about early stages of evolution of the Universe. It will give us finer details of not-so-far-away objects like undiscovered planets and other objects in the Solar System and planets around other stars.
• France: The country which recently introduced GAFA Tax. It is a legislation — dubbed the GAFA tax — an acronym for Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon – passed recently by France Parliament. With this, France has become the first major economy to impose a tax on digital giants. The new law aims at plugging a taxation gap that has seen some internet heavyweights paying next to nothing in countries where they make huge profits. The law will levy a 3 per cent tax on total annual revenues of the largest tech firms providing services to French consumers.
• NASA: They recently carried out a successful test of a Launch-Abort System (LAS) for the Orion capsule designed to take U.S. astronauts to the Moon. It is designed to activate in the event of a rocket malfunction, on the pad or in flight. The LAS consists of three different types of solid-fuel rocket motors that will work in synchrony with one another. In case of a launch-pad or in-flight failure, the abort tower rocket provides 400,000 pounds of thrust, pulling the crew capsule away. The Orion spacecraft is a major component of NASA’s newly-named Artemis program, which aims to return U.S. astronauts to the lunar surface in 2024.
• Bhutan: The country where the Mangdechhu hydroelectric project is located. It is a 720MW run-of-river power plant built on the Mangdechhu River in Trongsa Dzongkhag District of central Bhutan. Mangdechhu is one of the ten hydroelectric projects planned under the Royal Government of Bhutan’s initiative to generate 10,000MW hydropower by 2020 with support from the Indian Government.
• The Henley Passport Index (HPI):It is a global ranking of countries according to the travel freedom for their citizens. Henley Passport Index 2019 which was released recently is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Authority (IATA) and covers 199 passports and 227 travel destinations. It started in 2006 as Henley & Partners Visa Restrictions Index (HVRI) and was modified and renamed in January 2018. The HPI consists of a ranking of passports according to how many other territories can be reached ‘visa-free’. India is ranked at 86 with a mobility score of 58. India’s rank has improved from the earlier position of 79th in January 2019. The score points out that Indian passport holders can access 58 countries around the world without a prior visa. India shares the 86th position with Mauritiana and Sao Tome and Principe.
• International Court of Justice (ICJ):It has directed Pakistan to review conviction order of Kulbhushan Jadhav and, until then, put his death sentence on hold. ICJ has also asked Pakistan to allow India consular access at earliest. Key observations made by the ICJ: Islamabad has violated Article 36 of Vienna Convention of Consular Relations, 1963, by not informing India about Jadhav’s arrest immediately after Pakistan Army had taken him into custody. India had been deprived of ‘right to communicate with and have access to Jadhav, to visit him in detention and to arrange for his legal representation’. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial body of the UN.

• Kartarpur Corridor project:Often dubbed as the “Road to Peace” – will connect Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India’s Gurdaspur district. The construction of the corridor will allow visa-free access to pilgrims from India. The proposal for the corridor has been on the table since 1988, but tense relations between the two countries led to the delay. The Union Cabinet has already approved the building and development of the Kartarpur corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to the international border, in order to facilitate pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur on the banks of the Ravi river, in Pakistan, where Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji spent eighteen years. The Kartarpur corridor will be implemented as an integrated development project with Government of India funding, to provide smooth and easy passage, with all the modern amenities.
• Jalyukta Shivar:It is the flagship programme of the Maharashtra government launched in December 2014 with the aim to make 5,000 villages free of water scarcity. The scheme targets drought-prone areas by improving water conservation measures in order to make them more water sustainable. The scheme envisages to arrest maximum run-off water, especially during the monsoon months, in village areas known to receive less rainfall, annually. Under the scheme, decentralised water bodies were installed at various locations within villages to enhance the groundwater recharge. It also proposed to strengthen and rejuvenate water storage capacity and percolation of tanks and other sources of storage.
• 2008:It is the year in which the National Translation Mission (NTM) scheme was launched which is being implemented through the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore. The objective of the scheme was to establish translation as an industry in general and to facilitate higher education by making knowledge texts accessible to students and academics in Indian languages. Under the scheme, the books of knowledge texts mostly text books of various subjects prescribed in Universities and Colleges are being translated in all Languages of the 8thSchedule of the Constitution of India.
• Internet Saathi:It is joint initiative of Google India and Tata Trusts. It aims to facilitate digital literacy among women in rural India. The programme aims to train Saathis in villages that can in turn help educate other women from their village in the use of the internet. Google India and Tata Trusts are set to expand their ‘Internet Saathi’ digital literacy programme for rural women to villages in Punjab and Odisha. Currently, the programme has reach of 2.6 lakh villages across 18 states. On adding Punjab and Odisha the programme will now extend its reach to 20 states in India.
• Sagarmala project:Seeks to develop a string of ports around India’s coast. The objective of this initiative is to promote “Port-led development” along India’s 7500 km long coastline. It aims to develop access to new development regions with intermodal solutions and promotion of the optimum modal split, enhanced connectivity with main economic centres and beyond through expansion of rail, inland water, coastal and road services. The Union Ministry of Shipping has been appointed as the nodal ministry for this initiative.
• BSF:It stands for Border Security Force (BSF) has launched a massive exercise, code named as Operation Sudarshan, to fortify Anti-Infiltration Grid along Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu.

• Jofra Archer: The England’s bowler who bowled the Super Over in their first ever victory in World Cup. England won the World Cup for the first time as they beat New Zealand in a Super Over after a nerve-shredding final ended in a tie at Lord's.
• Novak Djokovic: He saved two match points to clinch a fifth Wimbledon title and 16th major on Sunday, shattering Roger Federer's bid to become the oldest Grand Slam champion in the longest final ever played at the tournament. At 4 hours and 57 minutes, it was the longest Wimbledon final ever played and settled by a final set tiebreak for the first time. Djokovic is the first man in 71 years to win the title from match points down.

• Bibek Debroy:He headed the committee set up to suggest ways to mobilise resources for the Indian Railways and restructure the Railway Board. It has favoured privatisation of rolling stock: wagons and coaches. Key recommendations made by Debroy committee: Link increase in passenger fares to better passenger services. Create a separate company for railway infrastructure. Open access for any new operator who wishes to enter the market for operating trains. Separate suburban services and run them as joint ventures with state governments. Private entry into running both freight and passenger trains in competition with Indian Railways. Separation of rail track from rolling stock

• Sikkim: The state whose proposal for reservation of seats for Limboo and Tamang communities in Legislative Assembly is under consideration of the Government of India. Article 371F(f) and Article 332 of the Constitution of India govern reservation of seats in the Legislative Assembly of Sikkim and the issue of seat reservation for Limboo and Tamang communities is being considered under these provisions of Constitution of India. The Limbu are Kirati people indigenous and native to the Himalayan Limbuwan region of the Indian subcontinent, in what is now modern-day Eastern Nepal, Northern Sikkim, India and Western Bhutan.
• India: The country where the number of poor people fell by more than 271 million within 10 years between 2005-6 and 2015-16 as per Global MPI 2019 Report prepared by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative. In the 101 countries assessed– 31 low income, 68 middle income and 2 high income –about 1.3 billion people are “multi-dimensionally poor”. Multi-dimensional poverty defines poor not only on the basis of income, but on other indicators, including poor health, poor quality of work and the threat of violence. Incidence of multidimensional poverty halved in India due to faster progress among the poorest in the country. Among states, Jharkhand had the greatest improvement, with Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Nagaland only slightly behind. However, Bihar was still the poorest state in 2015- 16, with more than half of its population living in poverty. In 2015-16, the four poorest states – Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh – were home to 196 million multidimensional poor people – over half of all the people living in multidimensional poverty in India.
• Tripura: The state where the famous Kharchi Puja is celebrated. The annual “Kharchi Puja” and festival is meant to cleanse the sins of mortal souls. Originally a Hindu tribals’ festivity, it is now observed by all communities and religions. The festival features 14 deities – Shiva, Durga, Vishnu, Laxmi, Saraswati, Kartik, Ganesha, Brahma, Abadhi (God of water), Chandra, Ganga, Agni, Kamdev and Himadri (Himalaya).
• Delhi and Vijayawada: The places where the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) recently operationalized 1st ‘Aadhaar Seva Kendra’ (ASKs) in ASKs seek to provide more touch points to public for availing Aadhaar enrolment and updation services. UIDAI is now a statutory authority under the provisions of Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Tamil Nadu: The state which for the first time declared its state butterfly. Tamil yeoman (Cirrochroa thais) butterfly species endemic to Western Ghats has been declared the state butterfly of Tamil Nadu. Uniformly orange in colour with a dark brown outer ring, Tamil Yeoman is among the 32 butterfly species found in the Western Ghats. This butterfly species moves in groups in large numbers, but only in a few places. Also known as Tamil Maravan, which means warrior, these butterflies are found mainly in the hilly areas. For the first time Tamil Nadu has declared its state butterfly and only fifth in the country to do so. Maharashtra was the first to declare Blue Mormon as its state butterfly, followed by Uttarakhand (Common peacock), Karnataka (Southern bird wings) and Kerala (Malabar banded peacock).

Current Affairs July 21 to July 27

• A whip:In parliamentary parlance is a written order that party members be present for an important vote, or that they vote only in a particular way A one-line whip, underlined once, is usually issued to inform party members of a vote, and allows them to abstain in case they decide not to follow the party line. A two-line whip directs them to be present during the vote. A three-line whip is the strongest, employed on important occasions such as the second reading of a Bill or a no-confidence motion, and places an obligation on members to toe the party line. A whip in parliamentary parlance is a written order that party members be present for an important vote, or that they vote only in a particular way. The term is derived from the old British practice of “whipping in” lawmakers to follow the party line. In India all parties can issue a whip to their members. Parties appoint a senior member from among their House contingents to issue whips — this member is called a Chief Whip, and he/she is assisted by additional Whips.

• Urban Haats: It is an initiative of the Ministry of Textiles of the Government of India. The objective of the scheme “Infrastructure and Technology Support” is to setup a permanent marketing infrastructure in big towns/ metropolitan cities to provide direct marketing facilities to the handicraft’s artisans/handloom weavers. The scheme is implemented through State Handicrafts/Handlooms Development Corporations/Tourism Development Corporations/ Urban Local Bodies with sufficient financial resources and organizational capacity to implement the project. The financial ceiling for Urban Haat is Rs. 300 lakh for each unit. 80% of the admissible amount is borne by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) and 20% contributed by the implementing agency.

• 28,388 species: These are threatened with extinction as per the latest update to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN Red List assesses 1,05,732 species. The current update breaks the 1,00,000 species barrier, making it the largest such assessment of species. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.
• MOVCDNER & PKVY: These are the schemes which the Government of India has been encouraging/ promoting for organic farming. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has launched this Central Sector Scheme named “Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region” (MOVCDNER) for implementation in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The scheme aims at development of certified organic production in a value chain mode to link growers with consumers and to support the development of entire value chain starting from inputs, seeds, certification and creation of facilities for collection, aggregation, processing, marketing and brand building initiative. Organic Farming has also been supported under other Schemes viz Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Network Project on Organic Farming under ICAR. Third party certification of organic farming is promoted by Agriculture Processed Food and Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce.

• India:This country will be the first recipient of local currency financing by the Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB). The objective of local currency financing is to provide more options to borrowers. India is the second-largest shareholder of AIIB with a 7.5% stake. It has received about $2-billion funding for various projects so far. China holds 20.06% and Russia holds 5.92%.
• Standard Chartered:It will be the first foreign bank to launch operations at International Financial Service Centre (IFSC). The bank has received in-principle regulatory approvals to set up its IFSC Banking Unit (IBU) in Gujarat International Finance Tec-city (GIFT city). Gift city was one of the dream projects of Shri. Narendra Modi when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. It has been set up by the Gujarat government in joint partnership with Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS). The recent budget has laid special emphasis on aircraft financing and leasing which would make GIFT City, help build a hub for aircraft financing and leasing with the help of Standard Chartered and other organizations in the future.
• Zappfresh:India’s first fully-integrated Fresh Meat brand, was conferred with the ‘Best Farm to Fork Fresh Meat Brand’ accolade at the 6th edition of ‘CMO Asia National Awards for Marketing Excellence’ which were held at Taj Lands End, Mumbai, Maharashtra on July 4, 2019. It was awarded for its innovative solutions in transforming the meat buying experience of consumers through its farm-to-fork model and for disrupting the fresh meat brand market in the country. Zappfresh is currently present across 8 cities- Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula.
• GeM: It is a state-of-the-art national public procurement platform of Ministry of Commerce and Industries, that has used technology to remove entry barriers for bonafide sellers and has created a vibrant e-marketplace with a wide range of goods and services. GeM aims to enhance transparency, efficiency and speed in public procurement. It facilitates online procurement of common use Goods & Services required by various Government Departments / Organisations / PSUs. It provides the tools of e-bidding, reverse e-auction and demand aggregation to facilitate the government users, achieve the best value for their money.
• CCTNS:It stands for Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems is a project initiated in June 2009 which aims at creating a comprehensive and integrated system for enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of policing at the Police Station level. This will be done through adoption of principles of e-Governance, and creation of a nationwide networked infrastructure for evolution of IT-enabled state-of-the-art tracking system around “investigation of crime and detection of criminals”. CCTNS is a Mission Mode Project (MMP) under the National e-Governance Plan of Govt. of India. The Project will interconnect about 15000 Police Stations and additional 5000 offices of supervisory police officers across the country and digitize data related to FIR registration, investigation and charge sheets in all Police Stations. It will not only automate Police functions at Police station and higher levels but will also create facilities and mechanism to provide public services like registration of online complaints, ascertaining the status of case registered at the police station, verification of persons etc.
• DoT and ICRIER MoU:It stands for Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a Broadband Readiness Index (BRI) for Indian states and Union Territories (UT). The index will include indicators such as percentage of households using computers/ laptops with internet connection, percentage of households with fixed broadband connection, internet users as a percentage of the population, smartphones density, percentage of households with at least one digitally literate member, etc.

• Blockchains:They are a new data structure that is secure, cryptography-based, and distributed across a network. The technology supports cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, and the transfer of any data or digital asset. Spearheaded by Bitcoin, blockchains achieve consensus among distributed nodes, allowing the transfer of digital goods without the need for centralized authorisation of transactions.
• AFRS:It stands Automated Facial Recognition System use by police officers across the country was recommended on June 28,2019 by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). AFRS works by maintaining a large database with photos and videos of peoples’ faces. Then, a new image of an unidentified person — often taken from CCTV footage — is compared to the existing database to find a match and identify the person. The artificial intelligence technology used for pattern-finding and matching is called “neural networks”. NCRB has proposed integrating this facial recognition system with multiple existing databases. The most prominent is the NCRB-managed Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS). Facial recognition has been proposed in the CCTNS program since its origin.
• Bhabha Kavach: It is the name of India’s first Lightest and indigenous Bullet Proof Jacket ‘from Ordnance Factory Board which recently received the nod of MHA. Developed by OFB and MIDHANI this state-of-the-art jacket can withstand 7.62mm hard steel core or bullets fired from an AK-47 rifle, 5.56mm INSAS bullet and even the recently decommissioned 7.65mm bullet of self-loading rifle (SLR). It is half KG lesser than the prescribed weight of MHA along with the 360 Degree Protection and has achieved the protection level of NIJ III+. Bhabha Kavach only weighs 9.2kg and is a major breakthrough for the Indian armed forces.
• ETPBS: It stands for Electronically transmitted Postal Ballot System is developed by Election Commission of India with the help of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), for the use of the Service Voters. It is a fully secured system, having two layers of security. Secrecy is maintained through the use of OTP and PIN and no duplication of casted Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot (ETPB) is possible due to the unique QR Code. Persons working in paramilitary forces and the military and government officials deployed in diplomatic missions outside India are classified as Service Voters. In the seven phases Lok Sabha polls, a record 18,02,646 eligible personnel were enrolled and 10,84,266 voted through the Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) or e-postal ballots.
• NavIC: It stands for Navigation with Indian Constellation is an independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide position information in the Indian region and 1500 km around the Indian mainland. IRNSS would provide two types of services, namely Standard Positioning Services available to all users and Restricted Services provided to authorised users. ISRO is in talks with processing chip manufacturers such as Qualcomm to substitute the existing Global Positioning System (GPS) with the Indian version of satellite navigation. It is a regional system and so its constellation will consist of seven satellites. Three of these will be geostationary over the Indian Ocean, i.e., they will appear to be stationary in the sky over the region, and four will be geosynchronous – appearing at the same point in the sky at the same time every day. This configuration ensures each satellite is being tracked by at least one of fourteen ground stations at any given point of time, with a high chance of most of them being visible from any point in India.

• France: The country where the meeting of G7 finance ministers was held recently where all fully supported two-pillar taxation for large tech companies to be adopted by 2020. They agreed on a plan for taxing digital companies such as Facebook, Google and Amazon in the countries in which they make money, even without any physical presence in the country. They also agreed that a minimum level of effective taxation would contribute to ensuring that companies pay their fair share of tax. The plan would have to be further developed by the G20 group of top 20 economies and then implemented under the aegis of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The Group of Seven (G7) is a group consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• Ursula von der Leyen: She was recently elected as the President of the next European Commission by the European Parliament elected. She will succeed Jean-Claude Juncker. She is set to take office on 1 November 2019 for a five-year term. Out of 733 votes casted, 383 members voted in favour of her. Earlier, she served in the federal government of Germany from 2005 to 2019 as the longest-serving member of Angela Merkel’s cabinet. She is a member of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
• Tiangong 2:The space station launched by China. It is part of China’s plan to establish a manned space station around 2022. It is placed at 380 kilometres above Earth. There are two astronauts on board. Tiangong 2 will be used to test space technology and conduct medical and space experiments.
• Russia and Germany: These are the two countries which together launched Spektr-RG which is a high-energy astrophysics space observatory launched recently. It follows on from the Spektr-R satellite telescope launched in 2011. The Spektrum-Röntgen-Gamma mission, also known as Spektr-RG, is a joint project between the Russian space agency, Roscosmos, and the German space agency, DLR. Spektr-RG will be placed in a stable orbit in space called a Lagrange point (specifically, L2), where the gravitational forces of two large objects — in this case, the sun and the Earth — balance each other out.

• UDAN:Launched in April 2017, is a flagship scheme of the Union Government to enable air operations on unserved routes, connecting regional areas, to promote balanced regional growth and to make flying affordable for masses. The UDAN Scheme is a key component of the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) which was launched in June 2016.
• Chandipura virus:It is the name of brain damaging virus which has been named after the Maharashtra village where the virus was first discovered. The likely vector (carrier) of the virus is the female phlebotomine sandfly. It has been detected in sand flies in Senegal and Nigeria, apart from India. The virus is known to cause inflammation of the brain, and progresses rapidly from an influenza-like illness to coma and death. Chandipura virus (CHPV) belongs to the Rhabdoviridae family in the order Mononegavirales of the genus Vesiculovirus. Interestingly, its continuing mutating trend has enhanced its lethality to cause human infections, unlike its genetic cousin, the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).
• Amazon:An e-commerce and tech giant, launched an Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) preparation app called JEE Ready. It is Amazon’s first product in the edtech sector in India. It helps the students to prepare for entrance tests by allowing them to take an All India Mock Test for free. It is currently in its beta phase and is available only on Android devices.
• PRASAD:It stands for the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive is a government scheme that focuses on identifying and developing the pilgrim sites across the country to enrich the religious tourism experience. It was launched by Union Ministry of Tourism in 2015. It aims at integrated development of pilgrimage destinations in planned, prioritised and sustainable manner to provide complete religious tourism experience. Under it, Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments for promoting tourism at identified destinations. For components within public funding under this scheme, Central Government will provide 100% fund. For improved sustainability of project, it also seeks to involve Public Private Partnership (PPP) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as well.
• DDU-GKY:It stands for Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana whose vision is to “Transform rural poor youth into an economically independent and globally relevant workforce”. It aims to target youth, in the age group of 15–35 years. DDU-GKY is a part of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), tasked with the dual objectives of adding diversity to the incomes of rural poor families and cater to the career aspirations of rural youth. Its objective is Guaranteed Placement for at least 75% trained candidates.
• PMBJP:It stands for Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana’ is a campaign launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt. Of India, to provide quality medicines at affordable prices to the masses through special kendra’s known as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra. Under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), a total of 5440 dedicated retail outlets selling affordable generic medicines are functional in the country as on 15.07.2019.
• Nag:It is the name of Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) whose successful trial was done recently by Indian Army. The NAG missile is a third-generation anti-tank guided missile, which has top attack capabilities that can effectively engage and destroy all known enemy tanks during day and night. It is launched from NAG missile carrier (NAMICA) which is capable of carrying up to 6 combat missiles. The range is from Minimum-500 metres to Maximum- 4 kilometres and has been developed by DRDO.
• Find the Incredible You:The campaign released globally by the Ministry of Tourism during 2018-19 has been declared winner of the PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Gold Award 2019 in the “Marketing – Primary Government Destination” category. The campaign strategy was to shift the focus from the external experience of tourist destinations to the internal experience of travellers themselves. PATA Gold Awards are given to tourism industry organizations and individuals making outstanding contribution towards the successful promotion of the travel industry throughout the Asia Pacific Region.
• 1st April 2015:The date from which the Government of India is implementing One Stop Centre (OSC) scheme for setting up One Stop Centre to support women affected by violence. Popularly known as Sakhi, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has formulated this Centrally Sponsored Scheme. It is a sub – scheme of Umbrella Scheme for National Mission for Empowerment of women including Indira Gandhi Mattritav Sahyaog Yojana. Under the scheme, One Stop Centres are being established across the country to provide integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces in phased manner.
• 1st May 2016:The date from which the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has been launched which is set to meet the next big milestone of achieving 80 million household connections within the first hundred days of the government. Till date, the scheme has garnered 72 million connections, with the government fueling the process of achieving the original target in the next 100 days. In other words, about 93 to 94 per cent households now have access to cooking gas. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana aims to provide LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) connections to poor households. Under the scheme, an adult woman member of a below poverty line family identified through the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) is given a deposit-free LPG connection with financial assistance of Rs 1,600 per connection by the Centre.
• Paramarsh scheme:This is a University Grants Commission (UGC) scheme launched by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development. The scheme is for Mentoring National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) Accreditation Aspirant Institutions to promote Quality Assurance in Higher Education. The scheme will be a paradigm shift in the concept of mentoring of institution by another well performing institution to upgrade their academic performance and enable them to get accredited by focusing in the area of curricular aspects, teaching-learning & evaluation, research, innovation, institutional values & practices etc. The Scheme will be operationalized through a “Hub & Spoke” model wherein the Mentor Institution, called the “Hub” is centralized and will have the responsibility of guiding the Mentee institution through the secondary branches the “Spoke” through the services provided to the mentee for self-improvement.

• Haryana:It is the state where on July 16, 2019, The Cabinet of Haryana under the chairmanship of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar approved the setting up of Haryana Sports University at Rai, Sonepat which will be the third sports university established by a state government in India after Swarnim Gujarat Sports University (Gandhinagar) and Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University (Chennai).It will have powers to conduct academic and training programs in physical education and sports sciences including sports technology, sports medicine, sports management, sports infrastructure engineering, sports psychology, sports nutrition, sports journalism, and sports marketing.

• Kalraj Mishra:The former Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises & a veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, was sworn in as the 26th governor of Himachal Pradesh replacing Acharya Devvrat, who has been transferred and appointed as the Governor of Gujarat. Acharya Dev Vrat (60) sworn in as the 20th governor of Gujarat. He took the oath in Sanskrit. He succeeded Om Prakash Kohli.
• PT Usha:India’s track and field legend has been nominated for the IAAF’s ‘Veteran Pin’ for her outstanding service to the sport. The International Association of Athletics Federation’s (IAAF) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jon Ridgeon informed about this recently. She has been invited to participate in the award ceremony which will be held during the opening ceremony of the 52nd IAAF Congress at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha on the eve of September 24, 2019. She had won five gold medals in 100m, 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles, and the 4x400m relay and a bronze medal in the 1985 Asian Athletic Championships which were held in Jakarta, Indonesia. In the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, she became the first Indian to reach the finals of the 400m hurdles, but lost the bronze by one-hundredth of a second.
• Sunil Mishra:He is the author of the book ‘Who Stole My Job’ whose second print was announced by India’s leading publishing house Srishti publishers and distributors. The book was first released in April 2019 and has received a very positive response from readers across the globe.“Who Stole My Job” is a work of business fiction that relates to new technological disruptions in the age of Artificial Intelligence and their impact on daily and work lives.
• Amit Shah:India’s Home Minister who will head the Union Government reconstituted the Group of Ministers (GoM) called the Air India Specific Alternative Mechanism (AISAM) on Air India disinvestment. The 3 other ministers are finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, commerce, and railway minister Piyush Goyal and civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The panel will work out modalities for sale of Air India

• Pune: It is the Indian city where the Singapore based Global Indian International School (GIIS) will launch the concept of SMART Campus at Hadapsar and Balewadi campuses. It will be India’s first Smart campus which is a part of Singapore’s Rs 420 crore investments in education in India over the coming years. It is aimed to provide students with NextGen learning to sharpen 21st-century skills. The Smart Campus will provide Digital and Virtual Classrooms for global student exchange, facial recognition for student attendance and campus security, innovation, artificial intelligence, robotics and entrepreneurship studios
• Lucknow: It is the city where the defence ministry will hold its 11th biennial arms exhibition ‘DefExpo 2020’ next year from February 5-8 in line with Modi government’s big push to develop Uttar Pradesh as one of the two major defence manufacturing hubs. It will focus on India’s emerging manufacturing corridors with special focus on digital transformation of the industry. The theme of DefExpo will be “India: the emerging defence manufacturing hub’’. Defexpo is a land, naval systems and Homeland security exhibition which used to be held only in New Delhi until the Modi government decided to take it around the country.
• Sriharikota:It is the place from which GSLV-MkIII, Earth’s only natural satellite carried the Chandrayaan-2 to its space on 22nd July 2019. This was just two days after the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of human landing on Moon.
• Arunachal Pradesh: It is the state in which the Cabinet recently approved 2880 MW Dibang Multipurpose Project with expected expenditure of Rs. 1600 crore. It is envisaged as a storage-based hydro-electric project with flood moderation as the key objective. This is the largest ever Hydro Electric Projects to be constructed in India. The dam is 278 metres high and will be the highest dam in India once completed. The Project is located on river Dibang, in Lower Dibang Valley District of Arunachal Pradesh.

Current Affairs July 28 to August 03

• Parliament:It recently passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 criminalising triple talaq. This will replace the 1986 Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act. Key provisions of the Bill: The Bill makes all declaration of talaq, including in written or electronic form, to be void (i.e. not enforceable in law) and illegal. It defines talaq as talaq-e-biddat or any other similar form of talaq pronounced by a Muslim man resulting in instant and irrevocable divorce. The Bill makes declaration of talaq a cognizable offence, attracting up to three years’ imprisonment with a fine.
• The Lok Sabha:It has passed the Consumer Protection Bill 2019, which seeks to give enhanced protection to interests of consumers and timely settlement of their grievances. A consumer is defined as a person who buys any good or avails a service for a consideration. It does not include a person who obtains a good for resale or a good or service for commercial purpose. It covers transactions through all modes including offline, and online through electronic means, teleshopping, multi-level marketing or direct selling. Rights of consumers: Six consumer rights have been defined in the Bill, including the right to: (i) be protected against marketing of goods and services which are hazardous to life and property; (ii) be informed of the quality, quantity, potency, purity, standard and price of goods or services; (iii) be assured of access to a variety of goods or services at competitive prices; and (iv) seek redressal against unfair or restrictive trade practices.
• Didi Ke Bolo:This campaign has been launched in West Bengal to address the public grievances and other social issues. Under the initiative, every citizen of West Bengal can directly contact chief minister. People can reach out to her by calling on a specific number. Main objective of this campaign is to improve citizen’s participation and engagement by providing a platform. By this campaign every citizen can share suggestion and problems for required actions.

• 29th July:It was recently celebrated as Global Tiger Day, often called International Tiger Day, which is an annual celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation. It was created in 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit. 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. On the eve Global Tiger Day, a census report of tigers in India-‘The Tiger Estimation Report 2018’- was released according to which 2967 tigers are present in India. Highest numbers of tigers have found in Madhya Pradesh (526), after that Karnataka has 524 and Uttarakhand is accommodating 442 tigers.
• DOM:It stands for Deep Ocean Mission is a mission of Ministry Of Earth Sciences under which Rs 8000 Crore will be spent to Boost India’s Sea Exploration Capabilities. The mission proposes to explore the deep ocean similar to the space exploration started by ISRO about 35 years ago. The focus of the mission will be on deep-sea mining, ocean climate change advisory services, underwater vehicles and underwater robotics related technologies. Two key projects planned in the ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ report include a desalination plant powered by tidal energy and a submersible vehicle that can explore depths of at least 6,000 metres. The ‘Deep Ocean Mission’ plan will enable India to develop capabilities to exploit resources in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB). India has been allotted 75,000 square kilometres in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) by UN International Sea Bed Authority for exploration of poly-metallic nodules. CIOB reserves contain deposits of metals like iron, manganese, nickel and cobalt.

• Chrysomallon squamiferum: It is a scaly- foot snail found at only three spots in the Indian Ocean. It has become the first species to be officially declared threatened due to deep-sea mining. Chrysomallon squamiferum is found at three hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. It was added by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to its updated Red List of Endangered Species on July 18, 2019.

• JATAN:It is software for Digitization of Archaeological Museum. Human Centres Design and Computing Group has developed JATAN which is a virtual Museum software which is used for creating the digital collections in various museums and digital archival tools that are used in background for managing the National Portal and Digital Repository for Indian Museums.
• Microdot technology:It involves spraying the body and parts of the vehicle or any other machine with microscopic dots, which give a unique identification. These microdot can be read physically with a microscope and identified with ultra violet light source. The microdots and adhesive will become permanent fixtures/affixation which cannot be removed without damaging the asset, which is the vehicle itself. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has issued a draft notification amending Central Motor Vehicle Rules, allowing motor vehicles and their parts, components, assemblies, sub-assemblies to be affixed with permanent and nearly invisible microdots.
• Colistin: It is a a valuable, last-resort antibiotic whose manufacture, sale and distribution for food-producing animals, poultry, aqua farming and animal feed supplements have been prohibited in an order issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Colistin is a valuable, last-resort antibiotic that saves human lives in critical care units.Indiscriminate use of colistin has led to rise of anti-microbial resistance in the country.If the use of colistin as a growth factor in animals is cut down and it is limited to therapeutic usage only, the chances of developing resistance to it goes down.
• Regulatory Sandbox:It is a safe harbour, where businesses can test innovative products under relaxed regulatory conditions. It was in the news as the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) will soon allow the use of regulatory sandbox (RS) to promote new, innovative products and processes in the industry. Typically, participating companies release new products in a controlled environment to a limited number of customers for a limited period of time.For the IRDAI sandbox, an applicant should have a net worth of Rs 10 lakh and a proven financial record of at least one year. Companies will be allowed to test products for up to 12 months in five categories. The “regulatory sandbox” will help fintech companies launch innovative products at a lower cost and in less time.
• Infosys: It has announced the launch of its state-of-the-art Cyber Defence Centre in Bucharest, Romania. The Defence Center will provide end-to-end, real-time, 24/7 cyber security monitoring and protection services to support European and global businesses on their digital transformation journey. These services, including security monitoring, management and remediation, threat hunting, security analytics, incident discovery, and response will be delivered by certified and highly skilled cyber security professionals.

• Caracas:The capital of Venezuela is the place where the Ministerial meeting of Coordinating Bureau of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was held recently. The theme for 2019 was Promotion and Consolidation of Peace through Respect for International Law.Issues raised by India at NAM Meet included- Climate change, Digital Technologies and NAM was founded in 1961 in Belgrade. It was created by the heads of Yugoslavia, India, Egypt, Ghana and Indonesia. The Non-Aligned Movement was formed during the Cold War as an organization of States that did not seek to formally align themselves with either the United States or the Soviet Union, but sought to remain independent or neutral.
• TESS: It stands for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite which is the satellite of The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) has discovered a new planetary system called TESS Object of Interest (TOI) 270. TOI 270 is about 73 light years away from Earth, and is located in the constellation Pictor(Pictor is a constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere). TESS is a NASA mission that will look for planets orbiting the brightest stars in Earth’s sky. It was led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with seed funding from Google.
• Sialkot:It is the city of Pakistan where the 1,000-year-old Shawala Teja Singh Temple is located which was sealed for last 72 years, has been re-opened for devotees for the 1st time since partition. Shawala Teja Singh temple is an ancient Hindu temple which was built by Sardar Teja Singh. It is dedicated to Hindu deity Shiva.
• Republic of Benin:It is the country to which India has offered a USD 100 million line of credit to Benin for its development projects. It is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north.

• 2013:It is the year during which the Rs 1,000 crore Nirbhaya Fund was announced in Union Budget. The corpus was to be utilised for upholding safety and dignity of women. Ministry of Women and Child Development apart from several other concerned ministries were authorised to work out details of structure, scope and application of this fund. The Fund is administered by Department of Economic Affairs of the finance ministry. A total of 59 proposals/schemes have been received from various Ministries and State Governments and UT Administrations under Nirbhaya Fund during the last three years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 onwards. Till date, 30 projects/ schemes have been appraised and recommended by the Empowered Committee of officers for funding under Nirbhaya Fund.
• National Creche Scheme:It is being implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It is a centrally sponsored scheme which aims at providing a safe place for mothers to leave their children while they are at work, and thus, is a measure for empowering women as it enables them to take up employment. It is an intervention towards protection and development of children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years. It provides for day care facilities to the children of working mothers. It provides supplementary nutrition, health care inputs like immunization, polio drops, basic health monitoring, sleeping facilities, early stimulation (for children below 3 years), pre-school education for children aged between 3-6 yrs.
• PMLVMY-2019:It stands for Pradhan Mantri Laghu Vyapari Maan-dhan, Yojana 2019 is the name of centre’s pension scheme for small traders. Under the scheme all small shopkeepers, retail traders and self-employed persons are assured a minimum of Rs.3,000 monthly pensions after attaining 60 years of age. All small shopkeepers, self-employed persons and retail traders aged between 18-40 years and with Goods and Service Tax (GST) turnover below Rs.1.5 crore can enrol for pension scheme are eligible for the benefits under this scheme.
• A CISF:It stand for Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has launched Securitypedia, an online encyclopaedia as a one stop repository of information on security related practices across the globe. It contains extensive information on technical learning, CISF manuals, case studies, technical compendium, etc.
• NASG:It stands for The Non-pneumatic Anti-shock Garment is a first-aid device used to stabilize women who are suffering from obstetric hemorrhage and shock. This simple device helps women survive delays in getting to a hospital and getting the treatment that they need. It can be applied by anyone after a short, simple training. This device decreases blood loss, recovers women from shock and keeps them alive while they are travelling to a hospital or awaiting treatment.

• Subhash Palekar:The Maharashtrian agriculturist and Padma Shri recipient is credited for promoting Zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) which is a method of chemical-free agriculture drawing from traditional Indian practices. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman thrusted upon zero budget farming in the first Budget speech of the 17th Lok Sabha,calling for a “back to the basics” approach.Instead of commercially produced chemical inputs, the ZBNF promotes the application of jeevamrutha— a mixture of fresh desi cow dung and aged desi cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, water and soil — on farmland. This is a fermented microbial culture that adds nutrients to the soil, and acts as a catalytic agent to promote the activity of microorganisms and earthworms in the soil. The ZBNF method promotes soil aeration, minimal watering, intercropping, bunds and topsoil mulching and discourages intensive irrigation and deep ploughing.
• Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddi:She was India’s first legislator and also known as woman of many firsts. Google has created a doodle on Muthulakshmi Reddi’s 33rd birth anniversary. Tamil Nadu Government declared that every year hospitals will celebrate her birth anniversary as ‘Hospital Day.’ She became the first female surgeon in a government hospital and the first woman legislator in the country during British India.

• Maharashtra:It has become the first state in the country to adopt automated multimodal biometric identification system (AMBIS) which aims to create a criminal database by addition of iris and face biometrics. Under this system, a digital database of fingerprints and photographs of criminals will be prepared, that will lead to a subsequent hike in conviction rate.
• Odisha: This state has bagged the geographical indication (GI) tag for its local version of “Rasagola”. This GI tag, numbered 612, is the second for Odisha. It got its first GI tag for Kandhamal Haldi. This tag comes amid a years-long debate between West Bengal and Odisha over where the sweet had originated. West Bengal and Odisha had staked their claim on GI tag for Rasagola. In 2017, West Bengal secured the GI tag for its “Banglar Rasogolla”.
• India:This country by virtue of being a member of the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’ has received a satellite data related to the Assam floods from other member nations including France, Russia and China. International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’ is a non-binding charter. It provides for the charitable and humanitarian related acquisition of and transmission of space satellite data to relief organizations in the event of major disasters. It officially came into operation on November 1, 2000 after the Canadian Space Agency signed onto the charter on October 20, 2000. Only agencies that possess and are able to provide satellite-based Earth Observation data can be members of the International Charter. The members cooperate on a voluntary basis.