NATIONAL NEWS
1. Madras HC upholds decision of deploying teachers in COVID-19 preventive works
• The Madras High Court has upheld the decision of the Chennai Corporation in deploying teachers in COVID-19 preventive works.
• The court has said teachers are endowed with leadership traits and expecting it to be used during situations like the pandemic or disasters is only justifiable.
• It said the teachers appointed by the government or the civic body are public servants and it is not out of place to expect the services from them.
• The court also referred to the selfless services being rendered by women police in the fight against the pandemic.
• During the hearing of the petition, the State Government said teachers are not involved in field works but only in coordinating the functions of the volunteers from an office premise.
2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with CEO of Google
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a discussion with Google CEO Sundar Pichai and talked about various subjects including new work culture in the times of coronavirus, data security and cyber safety.
• PM Modi said that the interaction was 'extremely fruitful' and lauded Google's efforts in different sectors.
• During the interaction, Modi also discussed the challenges that the global pandemic has brought to areas such as sports.
3. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launches CAPFs nationwide tree plantation drive
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Central Armed Police Forces-CAPFs nationwide tree plantation drive.
• Under this drive, saplings were planted by the jawans of Central Armed Police Forces in Chhattisgarh. The personnel of BSF, CRPF, ITBP and CISF - deployed in Chhattisgarh for Anti-Naxal operations, planted saplings in their respective campuses as well as in their places of deployment.
• By planting saplings, paramilitary forces are also playing their role in preserving and promoting the environment as well as to check the pollution and save the Earth.
• All the CAPFs will undertake a drive in their respective organisations to achieve the collective target of planting more than 1.35 crore saplings by this month.
4. SC upholds rights of Travancore royal family in administration of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
• The Supreme Court upholds the rights of the Travancore royal family in the administration of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.
• The verdict was pronounced on the dispute over management of Thiruvananthapuram's historic Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, which is considered one of the richest temples in the country.
• The controversy over the administration and management of the historic temple was pending in the apex court for the last nine years in the wake of charges of alleged financial irregularities.
• The sprawling temple, an architectural splendour in granite, was rebuilt in its present form in the 18th century by the Travancore Royal House which had ruled southern Kerala and some adjoining parts of Tamil Nadu before integration of the princely state with the Indian Union in 1947.
• Even after India's independence, the temple continued to be governed by a trust controlled by the erstwhile royal family for whom Lord Padmanabha (Vishnu) is their family deity.
• A bench of Justices U U Lalit and Indu Malhotra had on April 10 last year reserved its judgement on the pleas challenging the January 31, 2011 verdict of the Kerala High Court in the matter.
• The high court had directed the state government to take steps to set up a body or trust to take control of the temple, its assets and management and to run the temple in accordance with the traditions.
• The apex court had on May 2, 2011 stayed the high court's direction regarding taking over of the assets and management of the temple.
• The top court had also directed that there shall be a detailed inventory of the articles, valuables, ornaments in Kallaras (vaults).
5. Delhi CM inaugurates 2nd Plasma Bank in Lok Nayak Hospital, Delhi
• Delhi got its second plasma bank, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurating the facility at the state-run Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital here for treatment of COVID-19 patients.
• The chief minister had inaugurated the first such facility at the state-run Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences on July 2.
• The LNJP Hospital is located in central Delhi, so it is easily accessible to those willing to donate plasma, he said.
• COVID-19 patients can donate their plasma 14 days after recovery.
• Such people should be aged between 18 and 60 and weigh not less than 50 kg.
• Women who have been pregnant at some time in their life, people with diabetes, hypertension, cancer survivors, those with chronic heart, liver, lung and kidney diseases and high blood pressure cannot donate plasma.
6. Karnataka: NABARD extends grant assistance of Rs 221.89 cr to support 298 watershed projects
• In Karnataka, NABARD has extended a grant assistance of 221.89 crore rupees to support 298 watershed projects in over three lakh hectares benefitting 66,500 families.
• The State has about 75 percent of rainfed area.
• The projects have resulted in improving the crop productivity, diversification, soil and water conservation and socio-economic condition of the beneficiaries.
• To mitigate the COVID 19 impact on rural population, NABARD has released 2200 crore rupees in the state to the Co-operative and Regional Rural Banks under a special line of credit over and above the normal limits. NABARD in Karnataka observed its 39th Foundation Day on 12 July 1982.
7. Uttar Pradesh: Emergency services linked to 112 helpline number
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched an all-encompassing emergency helpline number '112' to access police, fire brigade, ambulance and other services under the Emergency Response Support System.
• He also launched a senior citizen safety initiative 'Savera'.
• This single helpline number 112 will reduce the response time. Route chart of 112 should be prepared and positioning at district, station level should be done.
• People do not need to remember different numbers for different tasks now. All emergency services have been integrated for the task, he added.
• Many states have adopted the emergency service 112, a changed name for 'Dial 100', which is being started in Uttar Pradesh.
8. AIIMS Patna starts human trial of Coronavirus vaccine
• In Bihar, AIIMS, Patna has started human trial of Coronavirus vaccine on 10 volunteers selected by hospital authority. Several people offered to take part in the trial, but only 10 people were selected for the process.
• The first dose has been given to selected people and after an interval of 14 days, a second dose will be given.
• Doctors are keeping strict vigil on those people who have taken dose of vaccine. For this a team of doctors has been constituted.
• After completion of the scheduled period, check-up of people will be undertaken for the after effects of the vaccine.
• The vaccine jointly developed by the National Institute of Virology, Pune and Hyderabad - based Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research. It is the first indigenous vaccine developed in India. AIIMS - Patna is one of the 12 medical institutes in the country to have been shortlisted by ICMR for conducting human trials of the indigenous vaccine.
9. Govt aims to increase public health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025
• The Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan highlighted that the government aims at gradually increasing the public health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of the nation's GDP by the year 2025.
• The Minister asserted that the outlay for primary health expenditure will also be made nearly two third of the total public health expenditure in the country.
• Reiterating the government's target of the National Health Policy 2017, Dr. Vardhan emphasized on the importance of increasing the state’s health sector spending to nearly 8 per cent of their total budget.
• The Health Ministry apprised the Finance Commission of the need to further strengthen the public health sector, surveillance and public health management, preventive and promotive health care system in the country.
• The Health Ministry has also revised its requirement of around 4.9 lakh crores to 6.04 lakh crores in view of the COVID pandemic. It has asked for additional resources for the States which would be utilized for achievement of the National Health Policy targets.
10. COVID-19: Tamil Nadu govt gives consent to BCG trial at ICMR's Chennai institute
• Sanction has been accorded to a trial by the Indian Council of Medical Research's Tuberculosis institute to study the efficacy of BCG vaccine in the elderly in the fight against COVID-19.
• Chief Minister K Palaniswami, in an order, has given the State's approval after ICMR sought Tamil Nadu government's permission to study the efficacy of the Bacillus Calmette- Gurin (BCG) vaccine in senior citizens at its National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) at Chetpet.
• Vaccinating the elderly with the time tested BCG would help reduce the intensity of COVID-19, admissions at hospitals and mortality rates.
11. HRD Ministry announces guidelines for online classes
• The Human Resource and Development Ministry has announced guidelines for online classes operationalised by schools amid the COVID pandemic.
• Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank virtually released the PRAGYATA guidelines on digital education in New Delhi. The guidelines recommend a cap on the screen time for students.
• The HRD Ministry has suggested that the online classes for pre-primary students should not be for more than 30 minutes a day.
• For Classes 1st to 8th , it has suggested that not more than two online sessions of upto 45 minutes each should be conducted in a day. The guidelines have been issued keeping in mind the overall development of the students with an aim to cut down undue screen time.
• For the senior students, from class 9th to 12th, the Ministry has suggested to limit the online classes to a maximum of four sessions of upto 45 minutes each.
• PRAGYATA guidelines have been developed from the perspective of learners, with a focus on online, digital education for students who are presently at home due to lockdown.
• The guidelines stress upon the use of an alternative academic calendar of NCERT, for both, learners having access to digital devices and learners having limited or no access.
• The PRAGYATA guidelines include eight steps of digital learning that is, Plan- Review- Arrange- Guide- Yak (talk)- Assign- Track- Appreciate. These steps guide the planning and implementation of digital education step by step with examples.
• The Guidelines also emphasize the need to unify all efforts related to digital, online education, benefitting school going children across the country. The initiative includes DIKSHA, SWAYAM Prabha, Radio Vahini and Shiksha Vaani.
12. HRD Minister launches most affordable COVID-19 test kit developed by IIT Delhi
• Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Minister of State (HRD) Sanjay Dhotre launched a low-cost Covid-19 test developed by Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT) Delhi.
• The test, Corosure, has been billed as the world’s most affordable probe free RT-PCR based Covid-19 diagnostic kit.
• The HRD minister described the launch as a “historic occasion” and lauded the team of experts at IIT Delhi for developing the diagnostic kit.
• The test kit uses an alternative testing method for testing Covid-19 samples and is launched by the company Newtech Medical under the name ‘Corosure’.
• The total cost of the kit roughly comes to around Rs 650. This certainly makes it very affordable as compared to other probe tests that are being imported from other countries.
• This should change the paradigm of Covid-19 testing in the country, both in terms of scale and cost. The company Newtech Medical Devices, using IIT Delhi technology, can do two million tests per month at an extremely affordable cost. This is a true example of a lab to market.
• The product is approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI).
13. On United Nations' 75th Anniversary, PM Modi to virtually address ECOSOC on July 17
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually deliver a keynote address at the valedictory session of the High-Level Segment of UN ECOSOC (United Nations Economic and Social Council) on July 17 in New York, on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.
• This comes as an important development as it will be the Prime Minister's first speech at the UN after India's election to the Security Council.
• The Prime Minister will be joined by his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg as well as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
• The High-Level Segment is held annually by ECOSOC and convenes a diverse group of high-level representatives from the Government, the private sector, civil society and academia. The theme of the High-level Segment is "Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary".
• The event assumes special significance as this will be the first opportunity wherein Prime Minister Modi will be addressing the broader UN membership since India's overwhelming election as a non-permanent member of the Security Council on 17th June 2020 (for the term 2021-22).
• With 184 votes out of the total 192 polled, India won the UN non-permanent seat for the eighth time has emerged as the single-endorsed candidate from the Asian Pacific regional group, amid the larger push for the country to be made a permanent member of the five-nation apex grouping, currently comprising the US, the UK, Russia, China, and France.
• Prime Minister Modi had also earlier delivered the keynote address virtually at the 70th anniversary of the ECOSOC on 22 January 2016.
• Against the backdrop of a changing international environment and the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic, the session is likely to focus on critical forces shaping the course of multilateralism and explore ways to bolster the multilateral agenda through strong multilateral leadership, effective international institutions, a broadening of participation and an enhanced focus on global public goods.
• The ECOSOC was established as one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and is mandated to offer direction to, and undertake the coordination of, the economic, social, and cultural activities of the United Nations, with responsibility for advancing international economic and social cooperation and development.
• The first meeting of the ECOSOC was convened on 23 January 1946, in London, United Kingdom. India was the first President of ECOSOC in 1946. It is worth mentioning that the inaugural Presidency of ECOSOC in 1946 was held by Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar of India.
14. Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurates Rajkumari Amrit Kaur OPD building at AIIMS, New Delhi
• Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the newly constructed Rajkumari Amrit Kaur OPD building at the premises of AIIMS, New Delhi.
• It is the first public sector hospital in the country with this entire building dedicated to service and Physiotherapy service for the elderly.
• The new OPD building has 18 departments out of which 16 are clinical and 2 diagnostic departments. It has 270 counseling rooms as well 50 treatment and procedure rooms and 13 minor operation theatres.
15. Assam CM Sonowal takes stock of Kaziranga National Park to assess damages caused by floods
• Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal visited the Kaziranga national park to take stock of the flood situation.
• He took a boat ride to assess the flood situation and also monitored the highland areas where animals took shelter.
• The Chief Minister also visited the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation at Barjuri near Kaziranga National Park.
• He appreciated the role of forest personnel for their roles in the challenging time. Around 90 percent areas of the park are under water.
• Mr. Sonowal also met inmates in a relief camp and instructed the administration to provide all help.
• Meanwhile, the flood situation has improved at some places as there was no rain in the past 12 hours. Five persons lost their lives today as the death toll has gone up to 71 . Nearly 40 lakh people are affected in the current wave of floods in 27 districts.
16. Zydus Cadila begins human trials of its potential Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D
• Zydus Cadilla has started human trials of its potential Covid-19 vaccine ZyCoV-D.
• The plasmid DNA vaccine ZyCoV-D, designed and developed by Zydus and partially funded by the Department of Biotechnology is the second potential vaccine candidate after Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN which got the approval for human clinical trial by the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation.
• Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council has announced that ZyCoV-D has initiated phase-I and II clinical trials on healthy subjects.
• The adaptive phase-I and II dose escalation, multi-centric study will assess the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of the vaccine.
• The human dosing of the vaccine marks a key milestone since the launching of the accelerated vaccine development programme for COVID-19 in February 2020.
17. Students of NID will be able to easily apply for work permits in Germany
• Students of National Institutes of Design will be able to easily apply for work permits in Germany now, as NIDs have been included in the Anabin database, Germany.
• Germany has opened a Central Office for Foreign Education which acts as the sole authority for the evaluation of foreign qualifications in Germany. As part of their service, they maintain a database called Anabin that lists foreign degrees and higher education qualifications in relation to German diplomas and degrees.
• Recognition of foreign university-level qualifications in Germany is often an essential prerequisite for securing a German Work Visa, Job Seekers Visa or German Blue Card.
• Often the success of visa application is dependent on the proof that the university-level qualification acquired outside Germany is considered on par with an equivalent German qualification. NID Ahmedabad was included in the Anabin list in 2015 and the other new NIDs have also now been incorporated in this database recently.
• With this, NID students will be able to easily apply for work permits in Germany for working in the fields relevant to their education.
18. Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea seeking uniform education
• The Supreme Court refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation ,PIL, seeking uniform education, having a common syllabus and curriculum for all the children aged between 6-14 years, across the country.
• A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said that these are policy matters and cannot be decided by the court. The Apex Court asked the petitioner to approach the government with the plea.
• The PIL has sought directions to look into the feasibility of establishing 'One Nation One Education Board' by merging the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education Board and the Central Board of Secondary Education.
19. About 45 lakh tap connections provided so far under Jal Jeevan Mission amidst COVID-19 pandemic since Unlock-1
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti has said that about 45 lakh tap connections have been provided so far in the year 2020-21 under Jal Jeevan Mission amidst COVID-19 pandemic since Unlock-1.
• The Ministry said, thus, daily about one lakh households are being provided with tap connections. The Ministry in a statement said, in seven months of the launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission - JJM in August last year, around 84.83 lakh rural households have been provided with tap connections. It said, for ensuring transparency, every asset created is being geo-tagged and connections are being linked with the 'Aadhar' of the 'head of the household.
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti has been implementing the Mission in partnership with the States with an aim to provide potable water in adequate quantities on a regular and long-term basis through tap connections to every rural household in the country by 2024.
• The Ministry said there are 19.04 Crore rural households in the country, out of which 3.23 Crore households are already provided tap connections. It said, remaining 15.81 Crore households are to be provided with tap connections. With this goal in mind, States are working hard to provide tap connection to every rural household. In this endeavour, States like Bihar, Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are leading with excellent performance.
• The Ministry said, in 2020-21, a sum of 23 thousand 500 Crore rupees has been allocated for the implementation of JJM. At present, more than 8 thousand crore rupees of Central fund is available with the States and UTs for the implementation of the Mission. The Ministry said, special focus is given to the districts affected with Japanese Encephalitis or Acute Encephalitis Syndrome which is one of the reasons behind infant mortality in the affected districts.
• It said, as on date, over three Crore households are there in 61 JE/ AES endemic districts of Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Out of this, 27.32 lakh households have functional household tap connections and remaining 2.74 crore households are to be provided with tap connections under the mission.
20. HRD Minister launches NISHTHA programme for 1200 key resources persons of Andhra Pradesh
• Human Resources and Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched the first on-line NISHTHA programme for one thousand 200 Key Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh.
• NISHTHA is a national initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement at the elementary stage under Samagra Shiksha -a flagship programme of the Ministry to improve learning outcomes. NISHTHA in face-to-face mode was launched on 21st August last year.
• He said, thereafter 33 states and Union Territories have launched this programme in collaboration under Samagra Shiksha. In 29 States and UTs, the NISHTHA training programme has been completed by the NCERT at the state level.
• NISHTHA has been customized for online mode to be conducted through DIKSHA and NISHTHA portals by the NCERT.
21. All registered medical practitioners can now recommend testing for COVID-19
• In a bid to strengthen containment measures amid rising cases of coronavirus, the Health Ministry issued guidelines for notifying COVID-19 in private facilities.
• Stating that it is of utmost importance that each case of coronavirus is isolated and provided appropriate treatment and their contacts are traced at the earliest to break the chain of transmission, the Health Ministry said that it was important that support and cooperation of the private sector is enlisted in this regard.
• Therefore, it shall be mandatory for all hospitals (Government and Private), medical officers in government health institutions and registered private medical practitioners, including AYUSH practitioners, to notify such person(s) with COVID-19 affected persons to concerned district surveillance units.
• All practitioners shall also get the self-declaration forms who, within their knowledge, have travel history of COVID-19 affected countries as per the extant guidelines and are falling under the case definition of coronavirus (suspect/case), the guidelines read. In case the person has any such history in the last 14 days and is symptomatic as per the case definition of COVID-19, the person must be isolated in the hospital and will be tested for the disease as per the protocol. Information of all such cases should be given to the state helpline number (list enclosed) and also to national helpline 1075.
ECONOMY, BANKING, BUSINESS, AND DEFENCE NEWS
1. Indian Railways develops Post Covid Coach to fight Covid 19
• In continuation with its efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the Indian Railways has now rolled out specially designed coaches for post-Covid travel.
• The train coach manufacturing factory of Indian Railways, Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, is launching post Covid-19 coaches.
• This post Covid coach has design improvements in the coach like hands-free amenities, copper-coated handrails & latches, plasma air purification and titanium di-oxide coating for Covid free passenger journey.
• The post-Covid coach has hands-free amenities like foot operated water tap & soap dispenser, foot operated lavatory door (outside), foot operated flush valve, foot operated latches in lavatory door, outside wash basin with foot operated water tap and soap dispenser and forearm operated handle on compartment door.
• The coaches will be equipped with copper-coated handrails and latches. Copper has antimicrobial properties. When the virus lands on copper, Ion blasts pathogens and destroys the DNA and RNA inside the virus.
• The post-Covid coach has a provision of plasma air equipment in the AC duct.
• This plasma air equipment will sterilise the air and surfaces inside the AC coach using ionised air to make the coach Covid-19 and particulate matter resistant.
• The coach has titanium di-oxide coating in the coach.
• This is an eco-friendly water-based coating that kills viruses, bacteria, mould, and fungal growth and most importantly enhances indoor air quality. This coating applied on washbasins, lavatory, seats & berths, snack table, glass window, floor, virtually every surface that comes in human contact. Effective life of this coating is 12 months.
2. Google CEO Sundar Pichai announces investment of Rs 75,000 cr in India
• At the online-only event -- Google For India 2020 -- Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, made the announcement of India Digitization Fund, which will see the company invest Rs 75,000 crore in India in 5-7 years.
• The Rs 75,000 crore fund will be spent on upscaling of Google's digital India mission.
• The Investments will focus on four areas important to India's digitization including: "First, enabling affordable access and information for every Indian in their own language, whether it's Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi, or any other. Second, building new products and services that are deeply relevant to India's unique needs. Third, empowering businesses as they continue or embark on their digital transformation. Fourth, leveraging technology and AI for social good, in areas like health, education, and agriculture"
3. NHAI to collaborate with IITs, NITs, reputed Engineering Colleges for improving highways
• NHAI has approached all IITs, NITs and reputed Engineering Colleges to collaborate and adopt nearby stretches of National Highways on voluntary basis as part of Institutional Social Responsibility.
• This is part of NHAI's endeavor to provide a world-class National Highways network.
• The objective is to leverage the intellectual prudence of students and faculty towards improvement of the road infrastructure ecosystem of the country.
• The Institutes along with its faculty and students have better appreciation of local requirement, topography, and resource potential and these vital inputs can be utilized by NHAI during different stages of pre-construction, construction and operation of NH stretches.
• This decentralized approach, besides building a sense of participation in decision making, also provides an opportunity to the students for hands-on-learning, option for internship and future areas of research.
• Adoption of NH stretch by an Institute would facilitate stakeholder engagement and help to mitigate the routine local problems such as traffic movement, congestion and immediate identification of accident prone sites.
• The Highway users become more empowered in resolving local problems through the Institute and the Authority.
• Such instances would help NHAI in understanding the local needs both in present and future projects, improve the maintenance and riding comfort and develop wayside amenities for enhanced user experience.
• The overall outcome shall be commuter friendly and enjoyable ride on the NH stretch.
• Large number of IITs, NITs and Engineering Colleges have opted to join the scheme and NHAI officers have started mutual consultation with Directors of the interested Institutes.
• Memorandum of Understanding are being signed between the individual Institutes and NHAI for institutionalization of the scheme and bringing reformative improvements in the road infrastructure of the country.
4. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates new economic corridor projects worth Rs 20,000 cr in Haryana
• Union Minister Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of 11 highway projects in Haryana worth over 20,000 crore rupees .
• The Chairman, National Highways Authority of India Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu said that 3 projects worth over 2,240 crore rupees were inaugurated and foundation stones for 8 projects worth over 17,000 crore rupees were laid.
• Projects including the 227 km Ambala Kotputli corridor and others are expected to significantly cut down travel time and provide connectivity to neighbouring states such as Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
• It is to be noted that 10,000 crore rupees compensation for land acquisition associated with these projects has been deposited directly into the accounts of recipients.
5. Shipping Minister Mandaviya reviews development activities at Vallarpadam Terminal of Cochin Port
• Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has reviewed the development activities at Vallarpadam Terminal of Cochin Port in Kerala. It is envisaged as the first trans-shipment port of India.
• Mr Mandaviya directed officials to chalk out the strategy to tackle the various challenges and actualize the vision of Trans-shipment Hub of India and pioneer hub in South Asia.
• A trans-shipment facility is being developed to ensure that Indian cargo is transshipped through Indian Port. He added that resolving various issues of Vallarpadam Terminal is one of the top priorities of his Ministry.
• Trans-shipment Hub is the terminal at the port which handles containers, stores them temporarily and transfers them to other ships for onward destination.The Kochi International Container Trans-shipment Terminal, locally known as the Vallarpadam Terminal is located strategically on the Indian coastline.
6. Indian Railways to be fully electrified in next 3.5 years: Piyush Goyal
• Railways will move to 100 percent electrification in the next 3.5 years and by 2030, we will be owning the world's first large "Clean Railways", said Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal.
• Indian Railways will aim to move toward 100 percent electrification in the next 3.5 years and 100 percent Net Zero operator in the next 9-10 years.
7. DAC delegates powers for progressing urgent Capital Acquisition Cases upto Rs 300 crore to Armed Forces
• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has delegated powers to make emergency purchases worth up to ₹300 crores to the three services “to meet their emergent operational requirements”.
• The devolution of financial powers to the three services comes against the backdrop of ongoing military tensions with China.
• The move follows India making or planning to make several emergency buys from the international arms market — of unmanned aerial vehicles, light tanks and anti tank guided missiles.
• Last month the DAC had green lighted the purchase of 21 MiG 29s from Russia and 12 Sukhois to be made under licence in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) following the tensions with China. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is to visit Ladakh on Friday to take stock of the situation in the region where China has made deep inroads into Indian territory in at least two places.
• In the wake of tensions with Pakistan last year after the 14 February Pulwama terrorist attack, the DAC had similarly empowered the forces to make emergency buys.
8. Govt. to allow Invalid Pension to Armed Forces Personnel with less than 10 years of qualifying service
• Government has decided to allow Invalid Pension to Armed Forces Personnel with less than ten years of qualifying service.
• This pension is granted to the Armed Forces Personnel who is invalided out of service on account of disability which is accepted as Neither Attributable to Nor aggravated (NANA) by Military Service. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal in this regard.
• It will be available to those Armed Forces Personnel who were in service on or after 4th January 2019.
• Earlier, the minimum period of qualifying service actually rendered and required for invalid pension was ten years or more.
• By this decision, Armed Forces Personnel whose service is less than ten years and became or become invalided out of service on account of any bodily or mental infirmity which is NANA by Military service and which permanently incapacitated or incapacitates them from military service as well as civil re-employment, will be benefited.
9. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to visit forward areas of J&K and Ladakh
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Leh on a day-long visit to carry out a comprehensive review of the security scenario in the region amid the ongoing tension with China.
• Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane are accompanying Singh on the visit.
• The defence minister visited Stakna forward areas after landing in Ladakh where the troops showed him paradropping skills of the armed forces.
• The defence minister is on a two-day visit to Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. While he is in Ladakh on the first day of his visit.
• Singh’s visit comes at a time when there is military tension between India and China in the sensitive sector.
• Both the sides recently held the fourth round of talks on disengagement in eastern Ladakh.
• In the talks between corps commanders of the Indian and Chinese armies, both sides discussed the roadmap for further reducing tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• The focus of the latest round of military talks was to hammer out a consensus on easing tensions in the Finger Area near Pangong Tso and Depsang plains as well as pulling back weapons and equipment from friction points in other sectors, said people aware of the developments.
• The previous attempts to reduce tensions along the contested border were made on June 6, June 22 and June 30.
• Singh was expected to visit Ladakh in early July but his tour was deferred. The defence minister will be visiting Ladakh two weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an unscheduled visit to the sector on July 3. The PM then declared that the “era of expansionism” is over, sending a strong signal to China about India’s determination to defend its borders.
• The military is keeping a strict vigil on the western front to deter Pakistan from fishing in troubled waters and prevent what could turn out to be a two-front conflict.
10. After US and France, India establishes 'air bubble' with UK and Germany
• In the absence of scheduled commercial international passenger flights, India has been in the process of striking bilateral agreements with individual nations to keep limited international flight operations going, apart from the ones being operated under the Vande Bharat Mission by Indian operators, primarily Air India.
• These 'air bubbles' have been in the works since mid-July, allowing for both India and the destination country to operate flights by their respective carriers to and fro India.
• The agreements with Germany and the United Kingdom have been sealed too.
• A travel bubble or a bilateral air bubble is travel corridors between two countries, which wish to open their borders and re-establish air connectivity. This is an exclusive partnership with a number of restrictions and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
11. First trial container ship from Kolkata to Agartala flagged off
• The first trial container ship from Kolkata to Agartala through Chattogram port was flagged off by the Shipping Minister Mansukh Madaviya.
• Terming this as a historic move, the Minister said that it will open a new chapter in the India-Bangladesh maritime relations by allowing use of Chattogram and Mongla ports for transit of goods from India.
• It was a big breakthrough in the development and connectivity of North East India which will reduce time and logistics cost for cargo movement.
• It will increase economic activities, employment and will bring prosperity in India as well as Bangladesh.
• The trial consignment includes TMT steel bars destined for Tripura and pulses for Assam.
• After reaching Chattogram, the consignment will move to Agartala on Bangladeshi trucks.
• The trial run follows the understanding reached between the two countries during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in October 2019 when the Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) for the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports for transit of goods was finalised.
• The operationalisation of these ports of transit for Indian goods will significantly reduce the time taken in carrying goods through Bangladesh while it will also enhance business and revenue for Bangladesh as its trucks and vessels will be used to move the Indian cargo.
• In recent years both the countries have enhanced cooperation in shipping and inland water trade. Under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, in addition to the six existing Ports of Call, five more in each country have been added recently.
12. Ministry of Finance releases Rs 15,187 crore as grants-in-aid to 2.63 lakh Rural Local Bodies
• Ministry of Finance has released an amount of over 15 thousand and 187 crore rupees as grants-in-aid to 2.63 lakh Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) spread in 28 States of the country.
• The amount was released upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Jal Shakti Ministry.
• This grants-in-aid forms part of the Tied Grant as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission for the Financial Year 2020-21.
• It will be used by RLBs to facilitate taking up of various developmental work concerning supply of drinking water, rain water harvesting, water recycling, sanitation and maintenance of Open Defecation Free status which are national priorities.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
1. WHO calls upon countries for comprehensive strategies to deal with Covid pandemic
• The World Health Organization has warned that the pandemic is worsening globally and that there will be no return to the old normal for the foreseeable future.
• The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the virus' spread is worsening in many countries.
• He called for countries to come up with comprehensive strategies to deal with the pandemic, and noted that roughly half of all new cases are in the Americas.
• His remarks came a day after Florida shattered the record among US states for the largest single-day increase in new confirmed cases, with more than 15,000.
2. India hands over outdoor fitness equipment for 61 islands across Maldives
• India handed over outdoor fitness equipment for 61 islands across Maldives under a cash grant of 8 million US dollars.
• The equipment was formally handed over by Indian High Commissioner to Maldives Sunjay Sudhir in a ceremony at Male.
• The installation of equipment would involve participation of all 61 island councils and further strengthen the idea of decentralization and a cherished ideal for President Ibrahim Solih's government.
• There are several important projects being implemented under this grant assistance and the Fehendhoo-Goidhoo student ferry was formally handed over last week.
• Several other projects are lined up for inauguration over the coming days.
• The small grant projects reflect the true nature of the development partnership between India and the Maldives.
• The projects being undertaken under this grant are not only tailored to the requirements of the local communities but are also steered by them through the participation of local councils.
3. US President signs bill to impose sanctions on Chinese officials
• US President Donald Trump has signed a bill to impose sanctions on Chinese officials implementing oppressive law against Hong Kong.
• This law gives his administration powerful new tools to hold responsible the individuals and the entities involved in extinguishing Hong Kong's freedom.
• Trump has also signed an order to end preferential treatment for Hong Kong, as his administration adopts an increasingly tough stance on China. He said, Hong Kong will now be treated the same as mainland China.
• Trump also said it will end the preferential trade treatment Hong Kong has received for years. President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have blamed China for the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and criticized Beijing for its Hong Kong crackdown.
• China had recently imposed a new security law to bring an end to Hong Kong's special status, agreed under a 1984 pact between China and the UK. The former British colony was returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with a law protecting freedoms of speech, assembly and the press until 2047.
4. UK bans its companies from sourcing 5G equipment from Huawei
• The UK has banned its companies from sourcing 5G equipment from Chinese telecom company Huawei.
• The move comes despite Beijing’s threat to retaliate to any such action by Britain.
• The new guidelines require the British telecom operators to remove all 5G-related equipment, supplied by the Chinese company, from their infrastructure by 2027.
5. WHO, UNICEF warn against decline in number of children receiving life saving vaccines around world due to pandemic
• The World Health Organization and UNICEF have warned of an alarming decline in the number of children receiving life-saving vaccines around the world.
• This is due to disruptions in the delivery and uptake of immunization services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• According to new data by WHO and UNICEF, these disruptions threaten to reverse hard-won progress to reach more children and adolescents with a wider range of vaccines, which has already been hampered by a decade of stalling coverage.
• The latest data on vaccine coverage estimates from WHO and UNICEF for 2019 shows that improvements such as the expansion of the Human PapillomaVirus vaccine to 106 countries and greater protection for children against more diseases are in danger of lapsing
• UNICEF and WHO said, they conducted a survey in collaboration with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Sabin Vaccine Institute and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, which revealed three-quarters of the 82 countries that responded reported COVID-19-related disruptions in their immunization programmes as of May 2020.
• UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore has said that COVID-19 has made previously routine vaccination a daunting challenge.
6. UN declares Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Noor Wali Mehsud as global terrorist
• The United Nations has declared Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Noor Wali Mehsud as a global terrorist.
• The UN has blacklisted Mehsud for participating in the financing, planning and perpetrating acts on behalf of and in support of entities associated with al-Qaeda.
• The UN Security Council's 1267 ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee added Mehsud to the ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List subjecting the Pakistani national to an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.
• In June 2018, Mehsud was named the leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), following the death of former TTP leader Maulana Fazlullah.
• The TTP was blacklisted by the UN on July 29, 2011 for its association with al-Qaeda.
PEOPLE IN NEWS & OBITUARIES
1. PM Modi expresses condolences over passing away of Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences over the passing away of Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj.
• He said the Acharya was blessed with immense wisdom and his emphasis on community service, education and women empowerment will always be remembered.
• Mr Modi said he will never forget the interactions he had with the Acharya adding that people will always remember Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree Maharaj for his noble service to the society. He worked hard to alleviate human suffering and spread compassion.
• The Prime Minister also said Acharya Shree Purushottampriyadasji Swamishree will be remembered by countless people, not only in India but globally.
2. Neela Satyanarayan, Maharashtra's first woman Election Commissioner, passes away at 72
• Former IAS officer and Maharashtra's first woman Election Commissioner Neela Satyanarayan passed away at the age of 72 years.
• She was a 1972 batch IAS officer and was admitted to the hospital after she was diagnosed with COVID-19.
• She was an additional Chief Secretary of Revenue department and post-retirement, in 2009, she was made the state election commissioner. Mrs. Neela retired on July 5, 2014.
IMPORTANT DAYS AND EVENTS
1. World Youth Skills Day-15 July
• 15 July was declared as World Youth Skills Day by adopting a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2014.
• The day aims to achieve better socio-economic conditions for today's youth in terms of challenges of unemployment and under-employment.
• Theme 2020-Skills for a Resilient Youth
2. Nelson Mandela International Day-18 July
• The United Nations observes 18 July every year as Nelson Mandela International Day to mark Nelson Mandela’s contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world.
• The first Mandela Day was observed in New York on 18 July 2009.
• . The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on 10 November 2009 declaring 18 July as “Nelson Mandela International Day”.
• 2019 to 2028 has been declared as the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace.
• Nelson Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on 18 July, 1918 and had dedicated his life fighting for human rights and he believed that everyone has the potential to make a difference in their communities for the world to be a better place.
• He was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 along with Frederik Willem de Klerk ‘for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa.’
3. International Chess Day- 20 July
• On December 12, 2019, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 74/22 designating July 20 as World Chess Day.
• On this day Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) was founded in 1924 in Paris.
• To celebrate the International Chess Day 2020 top chess personalities will participate in a high-level virtual event “Chess for Recovering Better”.
AWARDS
1. 2020 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize awarded
• The 2020 Prize is awarded to Mrs. Marianna Vardinoyannis of Greece and Dr. Morissanda Kouyaté of Guinea, selected by the UN selection Committee which was advised by a group of eminent persons.
• The United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize aims to recognize the achievements of those who dedicated their lives to the service of humanity as guided by the purposes and principles of the UN, while honouring and paying homage to Mandela's extraordinary life and legacy of reconciliation, political transition and social transformation.
• It is awarded every five years and was first awarded in 2015.
