NATIONAL NEWS
1. Tamil Nadu inks deals worth nearly Rs 10,400 Cr
• Tamil Nadu signed agreements worth Rs 10,399 crore that will create more than 13,000 jobs in the state, highlighting a deal to set up a data centre in Chennai for at least Rs 3,000 crore.
• The state signed preliminary investment agreements with Vikram Solar investment (Rs 5,423 crore), Elgi Equipments (Rs 250 crore), CGD Sathrai Pvt Ltd (Rs 250 crore), NDR Integrated Industrial Park (Rs 200 crore), and other companies.
• Yotta Infrastructure, a subsidiary of the Hiranandani Group, along with Yotta agreed to invest Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 4,000 crores in the Chennai data centre project over the next 10 years. The state government will support the project in the form of infrastructural support and regulatory approvals. The project on a 13-acre campus at the Hiranandani Parks on the Singaperumal-Oragadam highway is expected to generate around 2,000-2,500 direct and indirect jobs.
• Chennai is of immense geographic significance since it will help us have a physical presence in South India. This move is in line with our vision of partnering in nation-building efforts by creating the technological infrastructure that will power Digital India.
• The park will provide important cloud-based services to companies not only in the state but across India, said Dr Neeraj Mittal, MD & CEO, Guidance, Industries Department, Government of Tamil Nadu.
2. Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal virtually inaugurates Mega Food Park in Mizoram
• Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal virtually inaugurated the first Mega Food Park in Mizoram.
• It will benefit farmers, growers, processors, consumers and prove to be a big boost to the growth of the food processing sector in the North East Region.
• The Mega Food Park will provide direct and indirect employment to 5,000 people and benefit around 25,000 farmers.
• The park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs. 250 crore in 30 food processing units and would eventually lead to a turnover of about Rs. 500 crore annually.
• This Mega Food Park is equipped with a dry warehouse of 3000 metric tonnes capacity and cold storage of 1000 metric tonnes.
• Zoram Mega Food Park will not only play a significant role in linking agricultural production to the market but will also help in keeping the food spoils to a minimum and prevent the post-harvest losses.
3. Ministry of Sports partners with UNICEF to promote volunteerism among Indian Youth
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has signed a statement of Intent with YuWaah, which is a multi-stakeholder platform formed by UNICEF, to work in a partnership in order to promote volunteerism among youth.
• The partnership also aims at helping the youth’s transition from education and learning productive work, skilling, and being an active citizen.
• The step will help the vision of Kiren Rijiju to mobilize one crore youth volunteers in India and contribute to PM Modi’s call for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
• The new partnership will benefit both the UN and the ministry efforts to work with young people to co-create and implement the solutions at scale tackling education, unemployment challenges, and skilling for the youth in India.
4. AIIMS begins e-ICU video-consultation programme to reduce COVID-19 mortality
• In order to strengthen the Government of India's efforts to reduce COVID-19 mortality, AIIMS, New Delhi has started a video-consultation programme with ICU doctors across the country called e-ICU.
• The programme aims at holding case-management discussions among doctors who are at the frontline in treating COVID-19 patients in hospitals and COVID facilities around the country.
• Physicians who manage COVID-19 patients including those in the ICUs can raise queries, present their experience and share knowledge with other physicians and experts from AIIMS, New Delhi on this video platform.
• Forty three big hospitals in 11 states so far have been covered.
• The primary objective of these discussions is to reduce mortality from COVID-19 by learning from shared experience and strengthening best practices among hospitals. AIR correspondent reports that 1,000 beds including isolation beds, oxygen supported and ICU beds in hospitals are covered under this programme.
• Each of these sessions conducted through video conference span nearly two hours. The discussions have covered the entire range of issues related to management of COVID-19 patients.
5. MEA appreciates Afghanistan govt. and tribal elders for securing return of Nidan Singh Sachdeva
• India has conveyed appreciation to the Afghanistan government and tribal elders whose efforts secured the return of Nidan Singh.
• Mr. Nidan Singh Sachdeva, a leader of the Hindu and Sikh Community of Afghanistan, was kidnapped from Chamkani district of Paktia province on 22nd June. He was released from captivity today.
• The External Affairs Ministry said the targeting and persecution of minority community members by terrorists at the behest of their external supporters remains a matter of grave concern.
• In a recent decision, India has decided to facilitate the return of Afghan Hindu and Sikh community members facing security threats in Afghanistan to India.
6. No entry for devotees from outside MP in Mahakal temple
• In Madhya Pradesh, devotees from outside the state will not be allowed to enter the Mahakal temple campus in Ujjain from in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
• Mahakal temple is one of the 12 jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva which attracts lakhs of devotees every year.
• This decision has been taken by the management committee of the temple due to fear of widespread infection if devotees from outside the state are allowed. So far 954 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Ujjain.
• Lakhs of devotees from various parts of the country visit the temple during the holy month of Sawan for worshipping Lord Mahakal.
• Nowadays, 8,000 devotees are being given entry inside the temple every day through the online booking system.
7. CIPET gets accreditation by NABL to test PPE kits
• Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology, CIPET an apex level premium institute under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has been accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories NABL for Testing and Certification of PPE Kit.
• The PPE kit includes Gloves, Coverall, Face Shield, Goggles and Triple Layer Medical masks in line with International Standards.
• It is another achievement of CIPET in the fight against COVID- 19 Pandemic and a step forward towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.
8. HRD Minister launches Manodarpan initiative to provide psychosocial support to students
• Human Resource and Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishak virtually launched the Manodarpan initiative under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• This initiative will provide psycho-social support to students, teachers and parents and address their issues related to mental health and emotional well being.
• This initiative will provide strength, suggestions and support to the students, teachers and families in the difficult situation.
• A helpline number 8448440632 has been launched to provide the consultation which can be accessed from morning 8 AM to 8 PM.
• There are 33 crore students in the country and they will play an important role in making India clean and healthy. He said, the government is making all efforts to bring online syllabus for the students and trying to provide online education to every student.
9. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launches PNB's campaign to distribute face masks & sanitizers
• Punjab National Bank has launched a nation-wide campaign to distribute face masks and sanitizers to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• The PNB’s campaign was launched by the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
• This campaign has been launched by PNB under the Corporate social responsibility (CSR).
• Under this campaign, Punjab National Bank will distribute such material in 662 districts throughout the country. The campaign also featured the participation of PNB’s 22 zonal offices across the nation via video conferencing.
10. Consumer Protection Act, 2019 comes into force
• The Consumer Protection Act,2019 comes into force from 20 July, with its salient features including the establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers.
• The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan said that this new Act will empower consumers and help them in protecting their rights through its various notified rules and provisions like Consumer Protection Councils, Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions, Mediation, Product Liability and punishment for manufacture or sale of products containing adulterant / spurious goods.
• CCPA will be empowered to conduct investigations into violations of consumer rights and institute complaints / prosecution, order recall of unsafe goods and services, order discontinuance of unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements, impose penalties on manufacturers/endorsers/publishers of misleading advertisements.
• The rules for prevention of unfair trade practice by e-commerce platforms will also be covered under this Act.
• The gazette notification for establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority and rules for prevention of unfair trade practice in e-commerce are under publication.
• Under this act every e-commerce entity is required to provide information relating to return, refund, exchange, warranty and guarantee, delivery and shipment, modes of payment, grievance redressal mechanism, payment methods, security of payment methods, charge-back options, etc. including country of origin which are necessary for enabling the consumer to make an informed decision at the pre-purchase stage on its platform.
• e-commerce platforms have to acknowledge the receipt of any consumer complaint within forty-eight hours and redress the complaint within one month from the date of receipt under this Act.
• The New Act introduces the concept of product liability and brings within its scope, the product manufacturer, product service provider and product seller, for any claim for compensation.
• The new Act provides for simplifying the consumer dispute adjudication process in the consumer commissions, which include, among others, empowerment of the State and District Commissions to review their own orders, enabling a consumer to file complaints electronically and file complaints in consumer Commissions that have jurisdiction over the place of his residence, videoconferencing for hearing and deemed admissibility of complaints if the question of admissibility is not decided within the specified period of 21 days.
11. RK Singh inaugurates India’s first public EV charging plaza in New Delhi
• Union Power Minister R K Singh inaugurated India's first public EV (electric vehicle) charging plaza at Chelmsford Club in New Delhi.
• The plaza has been established by EESL (Energy Efficiency Services Ltd) in collaboration with NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council).
• The EV charging plaza is a new avenue for making e-mobility ubiquitous and convenient in India. Such innovative initiatives are imperative for the creation of a robust e-mobility ecosystem in the country.
• The new public EV charging plaza will host five chargers of different specifications, according to an official statement.
• Singh also launched RAISE (Retrofit of Air-conditioning to improve Indoor air quality for Safety and Efficiency) national programme.
• EESL is retrofitting its office air-conditioning and ventilation system, as part of a larger initiative developed in collaboration with USAID (United States Agency for International Development) for healthy and energy-efficient buildings.
12. Average completion time for houses under restructured PMAY-G comes down to 114 days
• The Ministry of Rural Development has said that the average completion time for houses under restructured Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) has come down to 114 days as compared to 314 days earlier.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the PMAY-G on 20th November, 2016 to achieve the objective of Housing for all by the year 2022. The target is to construct 2.95 crore houses with all basic amenities by the year 2022.
• The Ministry said, the measures taken in this regard ensured increased pace for construction of houses resulting in completion of one crore 10 lakh houses which includes houses to 1.46 lakh landless beneficiaries under the scheme.
• Rural Development Ministry has also completed construction of around 72 lakh houses under Indira Awas Yojana totalling construction of one crore 82 lakh houses since 2014.
• PMAY-G also addresses the basic needs of households through convergence with various government programmes. The Ministry said, the poor not only get a home but also get upto 90 to 95 days of work under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.
13. Delhi government to conduct Sero Surveillance every month
• Delhi government has decided to conduct Sero Surveillance every month. Briefing the media this afternoon, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said the sero surveillance will be done from the 1st till 5th of every month.
• The first sero surveillance was conducted in Delhi from 27th of June to 10th of July to understand the proportion of population exposed to corona infection shows that only 22.86 per cent of the people are affected due to coronavirus.
• This Study was conducted in all the 11 districts of Delhi. The tests were done to identify the presence of antibodies in the general population. It provided information about past Covid-19 infection in individuals who tested positive.
• The National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC said that eight districts of Delhi have more than 20 per cent Sero-prevalence and 77 per cent population is still vulnerable.
14. 7 day paid quarantine for international passengers arriving at Delhi Airport
• As coronavirus spreads like wildfire across the country, international passengers arriving at Delhi airport will have to undergo seven days of institutional quarantine at their own cost following which they have to home quarantine for another week.
• As per the latest guidelines issued by the airport authority, all the international passengers have to sign an undertaking accepting the proposal of seven days paid institutional quarantine which will be retained by the overseas mission/embassy before the booking is confirmed.
• Moreover, international passengers planning to stay in the Delhi-NCR region have to undergo mandatory health screening which includes a primary screening by health officials of the airport, followed by a secondary screening at Delhi government post before being allowed to proceed to their quarantine location.
• However, certain passengers are exempted from being institutionally quarantined: pregnant women, those who suffered death in the family, those suffering from a serious illness, and parents travelling with children below 10 years have to send an undertaking form, along with required documents, to [email protected].
• Meanwhile, domestic passengers arriving at Delhi airport will only be allowed to leave after passing the thermal screening near the exit gates. Further, they will have to stay under home quarantine for 7 days.
• International flights can resume through bilateral air bubbles between countries till the situation returns to normalcy, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.
15. Annual Amarnath Yatra 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
• The Jammu and Kashmir administration has decided to cancel the annual Amarnath Yatra this year owing to safety concerns of pilgrims in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
• This decision was taken during the 39th meeting of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board that was chaired by J&K Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu.
• The meeting was held virtually and was called to discuss the current Covid-19 situation and its likely impact on the Amarnath Yatra.
• During the meeting, the Board discussed the Supreme Court's July 13 order wherein the court had left it to the UT administration to take a call on whether to conduct the Amarnath Yatra or not based on assessment of ground realities.
• The Board took note of the fact that over the past four months, the coronavirus pandemic has put J&K's health system to its limit and that the spike in Covid-19 cases has been particularly very sharp in July.
• Besides this, health workers and security forces are also getting infected by Covid-19 and the focus of the entire medical, civil and police administration at the moment is on containing the local transmission of the Covid-19.
16. Govt extends work from home for IT, BPO companies till Dec 31 due to COVID-19
• The government has extended connectivity norms for work from home for IT and BPO companies till December 31.
• The time period for work from home was expiring on July 31.
• DoT has further extended the relaxations in the terms and conditions for other service providers up to 31st December 2020 to facilitate work from home in view of the ongoing concern due to COVID-19.
17. Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan says N95 masks with respirator valves do not prevent coronavirus
• Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has said that N95 masks with respirator valves in them do not prevent the coronavirus from spreading out.
• A N95 mask fitted with perforated respirator is contrary to the rules adopted to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
• Dr Vardhan appealed to everyone to use a triple layer mask made of cloth and also to encourage others for this.
• Director-General of Health Services, Dr Rajiv Garg has written to the Principal Secretaries of health and medical education of all the States in this regard.
• In the letter, Dr Garg said that the use of valved respirator N95 masks is detrimental to the measures adopted for preventing the spread of coronavirus as it does not prevent the virus from escaping out of the mask.
• In view of it, the DGHS has urged the States to instruct all concerned to follow the guidelines on the use of face and mouth cover and prevent inappropriate use of N95 masks.
• Dr Garg said, it has been observed that there is inappropriate use of N95 masks, particularly those with the valved respirator, by the public other than designated health workers. He also referred to an advisory issued by the Health Ministry on the use of homemade protective cover for face and mouth available on its website.
• In April, the Health Ministry had issued an advisory on the use of homemade protective cover for face and mouth, asking people to wear it, particularly when they step out of their residences. It also listed the procedures of making such homemade masks, asking to ensure it fits the face well and there are no gaps on the sides.
18. India, Maldives sign agreement for establishment of ‘Emergency Medical Services’ in Male
• India and Maldives have signed an agreement for establishment of 'Emergency Medical Services' in capital Male.
• It is one of the several small and medium projects that are being financed by India under a grant assistance of around 20 million US dollars for the neighbouring country.
• Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shaheed, while thanking the Indian government, said the emergency medical service unit will enhance timely access to quality emergency care.
• He added it will increase collaboration between healthcare facilities and disaster response agencies, especially during critical times of need.
19. India receives first tranche of 4,475 Oxygen Concentrators from Temasek Foundation, Singapore
• Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey received the first tranche of 4,475 Oxygen Concentrators from Temasek Foundation, Singapore.
• The Foundation has offered to donate a total of 20,000 Oxygen Concentrators to India. The remaining Oxygen Concentrators will be received next month.
• These devices will be made available to States and Union Territories for use in management of moderate cases of COVID-19. Mr Choubey said that the Oxygen Concentrators will substantially aid the fight against COVID-19 in the country.
• The Minister said, India has been leading the fight against COVID-19 through coordinated efforts between the Centre, States and Union Territories. He said these machines can be used at COVID Care Centres and the Railway Coaches that have been repurposed as COVID Care centres.
• The Minister added that they are especially useful in remote areas, where logistical constraints may hinder continuous supply of Oxygen cylinders.
20. India, Maldives sign contract for setting up Neighbourhood Fish Processing Plants
• India and Maldives signed a contract for setting up Neighbourhood Fish Processing Plants at two of the islands in the neighboring country.
• The MoUs for implementation of the Fish Processing Plants were signed during a Video conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Ibrahim Solih last December.
• There had been concrete progress regarding the projects despite the obstacles created by the COVID pandemic.
• These fish-processing plants are the first in a series of High Impact Community Development (HICDP) projects that India and Maldives have committed to execute together under a total grant of USD 5.5 million.
• These Projects chosen by the Government of Maldives have a high-level of community impact and participation in the areas of livelihood and income generation, health, education, gender and child empowerment etc.
• HICDPs constitute an important dimension of the dynamic development partnership between India and the Maldives. These projects are driven by the needs of communities on the islands. They will be implemented by City and Local Councils and thus will enhance the capacities of locally-elected representatives and support the decentralisation efforts of the Government of Maldives.
21. AIIMS, Delhi holds first interactive session of National Clinical Grand Rounds
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi held the first interactive session of National Clinical Grand Rounds led by AIIMS Director, Dr. Randeep Guleria.
• The session was aimed at facilitating discussion on issues related to COVID-19. Doctors from medical colleges and Senior Physicians from hospitals located across the country and abroad participated in the online session.
• The objective of National Clinical Grand Rounds is to bring down the mortality rate in COVID-19 patients to less than one per cent. He said that COVID-19 is a national crisis and that there was a need for a common platform for clinical issues and case based learning.
• The first CGR session focused on managing patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection, who are clinically suspected to have COVID-19 but test negative in the initial RT-PCR.
• AIIMS has been extensively involved in managing patients, developing guidelines, policies and research in COVID-19. The Institute has managed over 4,000 patients of all levels of severity of the disease. In an effort to share its experience and initiate discussions on management of common issues related to COVID-19, AIIMS Delhi in conjunction with NITI Aayog and Union Health Ministry has launched the National Clinical Grand Rounds (CGR) on COVID-19.
• The sessions will include presentation of clinical cases by physicians directly involved in COVID management. Challenges faced in patient management will be discussed by a panel of eminent experts from across the country and abroad. Physicians can also ask questions related to patient management during the Question and Answer session.
22. Centre to release over 300 crore rupees under Flood Management Programme to Assam
• In order to effectively manage the relief and rehabilitation works in flood-hit Assam, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat assured to release an amount of 346 crore rupees immediately from his Ministry to Assam as the first installment under Flood Management Programme (FMP).
• The Chief Minister had appealed to the Union Minister to allocate funds to the State Government to strengthen 5,000 kms of embankments built since 1951 in the state, which would now be turned into road cum embankments.
• In response to the request made by the Chief Minister to take up the matter of flood waters from Bhutan inundating a large area in lower Assam every year, Mr. Shekhawat assured that the Centre would soon hold discussions with the Bhutan Government.
• Our Correspondent reports that over 26 lakh people have been affected due to the flood in 26 districts and 89 persons have lost their lives so far.
23. Govt issues guidelines regarding celebration of I-Day on 15th August amidst COVID-19
• Government has issued detailed guidelines regarding celebration of Independence Day on 15th August amidst COVID-19.
• In a letter written to the Chief Secretaries of all states and union territories, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has informed that the Independence Day celebrations should be held in a way befitting the occasion.
• However, in its clear direction to the States, District and Panchayat authorities, MHA has instructed not to allow large congregations keeping in mind mandatory physical distancing norms.
• It said, digital technology should be used to maximise people participation.
• Following the precautionary steps as suggested by the Home Ministry Guidelines, Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort this year, will consist of the Prime Minister's speech, Guard of honour, unfurling of national flag, national anthem and release of tricolour balloons.
• The guidelines also suggest inviting COVID warriors such as doctors, health workers, sanitation workers as a recognition of their service in fighting against the pandemic.
• Government has also urged the State and District authorities to maximise the outreach of Aatmanirbhar Bharat Campaign and present programmes and activities based on the theme of self reliance.
24. Gujarat govt issues Ordinance to check abduction of local Fishermen & fishing boats by Pakistan
• In Gujarat, the government issued an Ordinance to check the incidences of the abduction of local Fishermen and fishing boats by Pakistan.
• Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja said the ordinance will deter local fishermen from straying into Pakistani waters.
• The ordinance seeks to amend certain provisions of the Gujarat Fisheries Act of 2003.
• The official release, however, did not specify the penalty that will be imposed on fishermen or boat owners who enter Pakistani waters.
• The ordinance gives "search and seizure" powers in respect of all the fishing boats undertaking fishing in the national maritime boundary to police sub-inspectors or officials above them at marine police stations.
• Also, a fine of Rs 1 lakh will be imposed on boats from other states that enter Gujarat's marine boundary.
• The local authorities can also sell the catch recovered from the errant boats and impose another fine, which will be five times the amount recovered from selling the catch.
25. BMC issues guidelines for home installation of Ganesh Idols & immersion process during Ganpati festival
• The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, BMC has issued guidelines for home installation of Ganesh Idols and immersion process during the Ganpati festival next month in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The BMC, which is fighting hard against coronavirus, made a special appeal to citizens in this regard ahead of the festival to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the metropolis.
• The BMC has said that only five people should participate in the arrival and immersion processions of domestic Lord Ganesh idols during the Ganpati festival next month in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It has requested people to refrain from doing anything which will lead to the spread of COVID-19.
• At the same time the civic body has warned of strict action under relevant sections of the Epidemic Act 1897, the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and the Indian Penal Code against the violators of the guidelines.
• The civic body said domestic Ganpati idols should be made using eco-friendly materials and their height should not be more than two feet. BMC has also suggested worshiping metal or marble idols instead of using idols made in clay.
• The civic body asked people to carry out immersion of eco-friendly Ganpatis at home and if that is not possible, then idols should be immersed in artificial lakes.
• The BMC said taking out a common procession of domestic idols from a society or building should be avoided and children and elderly persons should not be taken to immersion locations.
26. HRD Ministry conducts first ever Ind-SAT Test 2020 under its Study in India programme
• The Ministry of Human Resource Development conducted the first ever Indian Scholastic Assessment Test 2020 (IND SAT) recently under the new 'Study in India' programme.
• The examination was conducted on July 22, 2020.
• More than 5000 students from other countries appeared for the examination. Students from places like Nepal, Zambia, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sri-Lanka, Kenya, etc appeared for the exam.
• The exam was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and is held for granting scholarships to foreign students who are seeking admissions in universities and colleges in our country under the Study in India programme.
• Students who score well in the IND SAT 2020 will get admission into Indian universities and will get scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as per their marks.
• IND SAT 2020: Paper pattern
• The IND SAT 2020 is being conducted for the first time this year by the MHRD under the newly established 'Study in India' programme, which will give foreign students a chance to apply to Indian universities.
• The exam was conducted in online mode with the time limit of 90 minutes to attempt all the questions. The questions were in a multiple choice format.
• It was conducted in English and has the verbal ability, quant, logical reasoning as subsections with 40, 25, and 25 marks each. Every right answer gets one mark and there is no negative marking in the exam.
27. New health warnings for all tobacco products to come into effect from 1st December
• The Union Health Ministry notified new sets of specified health warnings with enhanced pictorial images to be printed on all tobacco products.
• The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Third Amendment Rules, 2020 will come into effect from December 1.
• It amends the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, 2008. All tobacco products manufactured or imported or packaged on or after December 1, 2020 shall display the first set of images, while the second set of images will be displayed by the tobacco products manufactured or imported or packaged on or after December 1, 2021.
• Any person engaged directly or indirectly in the manufacture, production, supply, import or distribution of cigarettes or any tobacco products shall ensure that all tobacco product packages shall have the specified health warnings exactly as prescribed.
• Violation of the above mentioned provision is a punishable offence with imprisonment or fine as prescribed in Section 20 of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003.
28. CPCB issues fresh guidelines on disposal of COVID-19 waste
• Central Pollution Control Board, CPCB has issued fresh guidelines on disposal of COVID-19 waste. It has directed that masks and gloves used by everyone, whether infected or not, should be cut and kept in paper bags for a minimum 72 hours before disposing off them.
• The CPCB also directed commercial establishments, shopping malls, institutions and offices to follow the same procedure with discarded protective personal equipment,PPE from the general public.
• It asked to ensure that general solid waste and biomedical waste generated from quarantine centres and quarantine homes is not mixed and they should be collected separately.
• It added that leftover food, empty juice bottles or tetra packs, empty water bottles, packaging material, and any other items, generated or handled by COVID-19 patients should be collected along with other general solid waste in bags securely tied for handing over to waste collectors.
• The CPCB also recommended use of bio-degradable or non-disposable cutlery to minimize waste generation.
• It directed that isolation wards, including temporary healthcare facilities like rail coaches, must keep separate colour coded bins to maintain segregation of waste and use a dedicated bin to collect and store COVID-19 waste and keep it separately.
• From COVID-19 isolation wards, used PPEs such as goggles, face-shield, splash proof apron, plastic coveralls, hazmat suits, nitrile gloves must be collected into a red bag.
29. India, Israel jointly develop ultra rapid testing kit for COVID-19; results within 30 sec
• India and Israel have jointly developed an ultra rapid testing kit for COVID-19.
• The testing kit which has proven its efficacy in lab results will now be subjected to broader trials.
• Principal Scientific Adviser to Government of India, Professor K VijayRaghavan informed that Indian DRDO scientists along with Defence Research Wing of Israel have been jointly working on the COVID testing kit.
• The rapid testing kit can generate preliminary COVID results within 30 seconds.
• The kit has been developed by integration of many novel technologies which includes artificial intelligence based online voice test, breathalyser test, isothermal testing and testing using polyamino acids.
• India and Israel are also the members of the world consortium of scientists working on COVID Vaccine.
• Since the outbreak of Covid19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu have had three telephonic conversations, in which they discussed mutual cooperation in dealing with the Pandemic.
30. Gujarat: India’s first honey testing laboratory set up at NDDB in Anand district
• In Gujarat, India's first honey testing laboratory has been set up at the National Dairy Development Board in Anand district.
• Inaugurating the facility through electronic mode, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the new lab will test honey as per the norms specified by the food safety regulator FSSAI.
• The purity of honey, adulteration, chemical substances, residues, heavy metals or antibodies can be checked.
• The quality honey will boost exports and ensure better rates to farmers.
31. BHU Professor launches website to help people in coping up fear of COVID-19
• Professor VN Mishra, Neurologist of BHU has launched a dedicated website called SARDIJUKAM.Com which will help people in coping up from this fear and will also help in recovery them from depression and other Covid related issues.
• A website for those who fear that their normal cough and cold could be a symptom of Corona infection and also for them who don't know what to do in their quarantine period and getting more time in recovery because of anxiety and depression.
• It has some special features like QUARANTINE KAVACH. Along with the website people can also take help of the mobile app with the same name for all their Covid related queries.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
1. UAE launches its first space mission to Mars from Japan
• The first Arab space mission to Mars named “Al-Amal” blasted off aboard a rocket from Japan, after weather delays set back the launch of the probe dubbed “Hope.”
• It lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Centre in southern Japan.
• The Emirati project is one of three racing to Mars, including Tianwen-1 from China and Mars 2020 from the United States, taking advantage of a period when the Earth and Mars are nearest.
• In October, Mars will be a comparatively short 38.6 million miles (62.07 million kilometers) from Earth, according to NASA.
• “Hope” is expected to reach Mars’s orbit by February 2021, marking the 50th anniversary of the unification of the UAE, an alliance of seven emirates.
• Once there, it will loop the planet for a whole Martian year, or 687 days.
• While the objective of the Mars mission is to provide a comprehensive image of the weather dynamics in the Red Planet’s atmosphere, the probe is a foundation for a much bigger goal -- building a human settlement on Mars within the next 100 years.
• The UAE also wants the project to serve as a source of inspiration for Arab youth, in a region too often wracked by sectarian conflicts and economic crises.
2. Oxford University COVID-19 vaccine early trial shows positive result
• The human trial of COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by the University of Oxford and backed by AstraZeneca Plc has shown a positive result.
• Officially known as AZD1222, the vaccine has prompted a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot, according to a report published in British medical journal Lancet.
• The vaccine did not prompt any serious side effects, the journal said.
• The researchers said that they found their experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced a dual immune response in people aged 18 to 55.
• The vaccine uses a weakened version of chimpanzee adenovirus as a vector, infused with the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
• The new vaccine is a chimpanzee adenovirus viral vector (ChAdOx1) vaccine that expresses the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein”.
• It uses a common cold virus (adenovirus) that infects chimpanzees, which has been weakened so that it can’t cause any disease in humans, and is genetically modified to code for the spike protein of the human SARS-CoV-2 virus.
• This means that when the adenovirus enters vaccinated people’s cells it also delivers the spike protein genetic code. This causes these people’s cells to produce the spike protein, and helps teach the immune system to recognise the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
• The potential vaccine is already in large-scale phase III human trials to assess whether it can protect against COVID-19. In phase-3, it will be tested on roughly 30,000 people in the US alone.
3. US orders closure of Chinese Consulate in Houston
• The United States abruptly ordered China to close its consulate in Houston striking at what U.S. officials described as an espionage hub for Beijing and sending relations between the world's two biggest political and economic powers to a new low.
• China immediately promised to retaliate for the "unprecedented escalation," raising the specter of a tit-for-tat battle that could prompt Beijing to shutter at least one U.S. consulate soon and adopt more punitive measures later.
• One potential target is the U.S. Consulate in Wuhan, which closed after the coronavirus epidemic began spreading across the city in January. The diplomatic missions in Wuhan and Houston are considered "sister" consulates.
• The acrimony between Washington and Beijing has been growing for months, but it was not immediately clear why the United States decided to order the Houston consulate closed now.
4. Diplomatic row between US, China escalates
• The diplomatic row between the US and China has escalated. China has ordered the closure of the US consulate in Chengdu in Sichuan province.
• The move is being seen as in retaliation to the US decision to close down the Chinese Consulate in Houston two days ago. The US State Department had alleged that the Chinese consulate in Houston was engaged in stealing of US intellectual property rights worth millions of dollars.
• US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also stated that China is increasingly authoritarian at home and more aggressive in its hostility to freedom elsewhere.
5. US accuses China of undermining Myanmar's sovereignty through its actions
• The US has accused China of undermining the sovereignty of Myanmar through its actions in states like Kachin bordering China.The US Charge d'Affaires in Myanmar George N. Sibley has said in an article that China has tried to intimidate, threaten and undermine Myanmar sovereignty by encouraging unregulated banana plantation in the Kachin state, non-demarcation of fisheries and similar other acts.
• He has also said that China aided in unregulated investment and corruption in the mining and forestry sector. The infrastructure and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) promoted by China lead to piling up of debts and ceding of regulatory control benefitting China at the cost of Myanmar.
• Referring to the human trafficking from Myanmar, the US embassy official says that nearly 80 percent of Myanmar's reported human trafficking cases in 2019 involved women being trafficked to China. Law enforcement in China often looks the other way and fails to help these vulnerable victims.
• The US embassy Charge d'Affaires also referred to the illicit drug trade. He said billions of dollars worth drugs and chemicals have been seized by the Myanmar authorities. Most of these came from China. The Chinese embassy in Myanmar refuted the allegations and said that the statement was intended to drive a wedge with its neighbours.
6. Bangladesh continues to reel under longest floods since 1988
• Bangladesh continues to reel under the floods which may be the longest since 1988, says the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
• Almost one third of the country is submerged under water which has continued for close to three weeks now.
• According to the latest bulletin of the Flood Forecast and Warning Centre (FFWC) released, out of 101 points monitored, water level has risen at 73 points. Water level was observed to be above danger level at 30 points across all the four major river basins in the country.
• Dhaleswari at Elasin and Padma at Golaundo were flowing more than 100 centimetre above the danger mark this morning.
• The floods have affected more than 2.9 million people in 21 districts of Bangladesh.
• The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief in its latest report said that Lalmonihrhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Madaripur, Feni and Dhaka were among the districts affected by the floods. It said that 25 people have died.
• The government is continuing with relief measures in the flood affected districts. More than 1500 flood shelters have been opened where close to 66,000 people and thousands of cattle have taken shelter. The government has also set up 619 new medical teams for the people affected by the floods in the country.
• In the meanwhile, heavy rain was reported in the last 24 hours from various places in the country including Sunamganj, Dhaka, Jamalpur, Bhagyakul, Lorergarh, Moheshkhola, Comilla and Cox's Bazar among others.
7. Trump administration relaxes standards for exporting drones
• In a significant development, the Doald Trump administration in the US relaxed standards for exporting drones to friendly countries.
• Under the new policy, drones that fly at speeds below 800 km per hour are no longer subject to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
• This action, which is consistent with the MTCR guidelines, will increase the US' national security by improving capabilities of its partners and increase economic security by opening the expanding drones market to the US industry.
• This policy change modernises our approach to implementing our MTCR commitments. It makes it more reflective of the technological realities.
ECONOMY, BUSINESS, BANKING AND DEFENCE NEWS
1. MoD inks contract with BEML for procurement of 1,512 Mine Plough for T-90 tanks
• The defence ministry sealed a contract with state-run Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) for procurement of 1,512 mine plough (MP) devices at a cost of Rs 557 crore for the Indian Army’s main battle tank T-90.
• A mine plough is a device that helps tanks clear minefields.
• The defence ministry said the mine ploughs will be fitted on T-90 tanks.
• "The Acquisition Wing of Ministry of Defence signed a contract with the BEML for procurement of 1,512 mine ploughs (MP) for T-90 tanks at an approximate cost of Rs 557 crore. The contract has Buy and Make (Indian) categorisation with a minimum of 50 per cent indigenous content in the make portion of the contract," it said in a statement.
• "These mine ploughs will be fitted on T-90 tanks of Indian Armoured Corps which will facilitate individual mobility to tanks while negotiating minefield," it added.
• It said the induction of the mine ploughs is planned to be completed by 2027.
• "The mobility of the tank fleet will enhance manifolds, which in turn would extend the reach of Armoured Formation deep into enemy territory without becoming mine causality," the ministry said.
2. Formal MoU signed between CBDT & MoMSME for sharing of Data
• A formal Memorandum of Understanding, MoU was signed between the Central Board of Direct Taxes, CBDT and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for sharing of data by CBDT to the Ministry.
• The MoU will facilitate seamless sharing of certain Income-tax Return related information by the Income Tax Department to MSME Ministry.
• This data will enable the Ministry to check and classify enterprises in Micro, Small and Medium categories.
• Both the organizations will appoint Nodal Officers and Alternate Nodal Officers to facilitate the process of data exchange. The MoU marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation and synergy between the CBDT and MSME Ministry.
3. India becomes one of frontrunners in global effort to develop COVID vaccine
• India has become one of the frontrunners in the global effort to develop a vaccine for the containment of COVID-19. Government agencies have stepped up collaboration with private partners to fasttrack the approval process needed for development of a potential Covid vaccine.
• Human clinical trials of the indigenous COVID vaccines have been started at the various levels in the country to identify the efficacy of these potential vaccines. Bharat Biotech and Zydus Cadilla have initiated human clinical trials of their vaccines after getting the approval from the government.
• Government has assured to provide all the necessary support for the development of vaccine saying that all the regulatory processes will be ensured.
• ICMR and Bharat Biotech have joined hands for the development of a potential COVID-19 vaccine called 'Covaxin' whereas the Department of Biotechnology has partially funded the development of Zydus's vaccine ZyCov-D.
• India is considered a pharmacy of the world and 60 percent of the vaccine at world level is supplied by India.
• A top Indian pharma company Serum Institute of India has bagged a contract with British drugmaker AstraZeneca to supply one billion doses of Oxford University's potential COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine is currently at the third level of human clinical trial stage.
4. Sanction letter for permanent commission to women officers in Indian Army
• The Ministry of Defence has issued a formal sanction letter to grant permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Army.
• Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had given the Centre one month's time to follow the court's orders on giving permanent commission to all serving SSC women officers in the Indian Army.
• The move will pave the way for empowering women officers to shoulder larger roles in the organisation.
• The order specifies grant of permanent commission to Short Service Commissioned (SSC) Women Officers in all ten streams of the Indian Army i.e. Army Air Defence (AAD), Signals, Engineers, Army Aviation, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), Army Service Corps (ASC), Army Ordnance Corps (AOC), and Intelligence Corps in addition to the existing streams of Judge and Advocate General (JAG) and Army Educational Corps (AEC).
• The order led the Army to work on tweaking its existing policies on issues like training, physical endurance and postings and service courses to bring about equilibrium in service conditions for male and female officers.
• The Selection Board will be scheduled as soon as all affected SSC Women Officers exercise their option and complete requisite documentation.
• Till now the percentage of women in the Indian Army was only 3.89 per cent, Navy 6.7 per cent and Air Force 13.28 per cent, excluding the medical corps, dental corps and Military Nursing Service.
• Entry of women in the Army till now has only been through Short Service Commission (SSC) but till now they could not serve beyond 14 years, however, there were some who continued on extensions but were still not given permanent commission.
5. CCI approves Krishnapatnam port acquisition by Adani Ports, SEZL
• The Competition Commission of India has approved the acquisition of Krishnapatnam Port Company Limited by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited.
• The proposed combination envisages acquisition of equity shareholding along with management control of Krishnapatnam Port Company Limited by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited.
• Adani Ports is a customer-facing integrated port infrastructure services provider currently present across ten domestic ports in six maritime states of Gujarat, Goa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. The Acquirer manages the logistics chain.
• The logistics chain includes vessel management to anchorage, pilotage, tug pulling, berthing, goods handling, internal transport, storage and handling, processing and final evacuation by road or rail.
• KPCL is engaged as a developer and operator of the deep water port at Krishnapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
6. India, Sri Lanka continue to hold discussion on rescheduling of bilateral debt repayment
• India and Sri Lanka are continuing to hold technical discussion on rescheduling of bilateral debt repayment by Sri Lanka.
• The High Commission of India in Colombo said it will continue to work towards coordinating and facilitating such engagement as a part of India’s overall commitment to work with Sri Lanka to counter and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• It may be recalled that both sides had discussed the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its likely health and economic impacts during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s telephone conversations with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 23 May and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on 27 May 2020.
• PM Modi had assured that India would continue to provide all possible support to Sri Lanka for mitigating the effects of the pandemic.
• Sri Lanka has around 1 billion US dollars of loan commitment from India and has requested to reschedule the payment due to the ongoing financial crisis and COVID situation.
• Sri Lanka has also requested for currency swap of 1 billion US dollars with RBI, agreement for which is expected to be signed soon.
7. Govt imposes restrictions on public procurement from countries sharing land border with India
• The Centre amended its General Financial Rules to restrict public procurement from countries which share a land border with India on grounds of national security, a move squarely aimed at China.
• However, it provided relaxation in case of medical supplies in light of Covid-19. And keeping in mind some other neighbouring countries, nations with which India has a line of credit or provides development assistance were also exempted.
• According to the new order, any bidder from countries sharing a land border with India will be eligible to bid in any procurement whether of goods, services or works only if the bidder is registered with the 'Competent Authority.’
• The Competent Authority, in this case, is the Registration Committee constituted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Political and security clearance from the Ministries of External and Home Affairs respectively will be mandatory.
• The order is applicable for central and state governments, public sector banks and financial institutions, autonomous bodies, state-owned companies and public private partnership projects, receiving financial support from the Government.
• "For state government procurement, the Competent Authority will be constituted by the states, but political and security clearance will remain necessary," the release stated, adding that the new provisions will apply to all new tenders.
• "In case of tenders already invited, if the first stage of evaluation of qualification has not been completed, bidders, who are not registered under the new order, will be barred. If this stage has been crossed, ordinarily the tenders will be cancelled and the process started de novo. The Order will also apply to other forms of public procurement," it said.
8. First Container train for Bangladesh flagged off from Kolkata
• The first container train to Bangladesh was flagged off from the Container Corporation of India Ltd’s (CONCOR) terminal at Majerhat, Kolkata.
• The train with 50 containers is carrying FMCG goods like soaps, shampoos and textile fabric. It is scheduled to arrive at Benapole in Bangladesh.
• The trial run of the first container train to run between Kolkata and Dhaka was flagged off.
• The process for facilitating movement of Container trains from India to Bangladesh started in 2017 when an MoU was signed by Container Corporation of India and the Bangladesh Container Company Ltd. It was followed up by a trial run of the first container train from Kolkata to Bangabandhusetu West station (BBW) in April 2018.
• The container train will take around eight hours to reach Bangladesh and can carry 60 containers with a maximum net weight of 12.247 kg in each.
• While passenger trains and goods trains have been running between the two countries, container train service has begun for the first time. It is expected to facilitate trade between India and Bangladesh.
9. Central govt. issues certificate of GI registration for Saffron grown in Kashmir Valley
• The Union Government has issued a certificate of GI registration for Saffron grown in the Kashmir Valley in a significant decision.
• This is the first major step to put Saffron produced in Kashmir Valley on the world map with authentication.
• With the GI tag, Kashmir Saffron will acquire more prominence in the export market and would help the farmers get a better remunerative price. The LG has complimented Director of Agriculture in Kashmir for pursuing GI certification and said that restoring the pristine glory of Kashmir Saffron is top priority for both the Union Territory Administration as well as the Centre.
• With the completion and inauguration of state of the art Spice Park next month, these measures will prove to be the game changer for Kashmir Saffron.
• The GI certification establishes specific geographical origin and certifies certain unique qualities of the product and enables those who have the right to use sign in order to prevent third parties using the sign.
• The GI certification would also stop the prevalent adulteration of Kashmir Saffron and thereby authenticated Saffron will fetch much better prices.
10. Gennova's vaccine candidate likely to commence clinical trials by year-end
• Pune based, Gennova Biopharmaceuticals has developed, first of its kind, messenger-RNA based COVID-19 potential Vaccine candidate, HGCO19. Clinical trials of the vaccine candidate are likely to commence by this year-end.
• The vaccine candidate has shown encouraging results in generating neutralizing antibody responses in non-human primates. HGCO19, uses self-replicating messenger-RNA platform' ensuring low injectable dosage and sustained antigen release.
• This enables the vaccine candidate to provide immunity from the virus for a longer duration. Gennova has developed the vaccine candidate working in collaboration with HDT Biotech of the USA. The Department of Biotechnology under the Ministry of Science and technology has facilitated development of the vaccine candidate under the Ind-CEPI mission aimed towards rapid development of vaccines in response to epidemics.
11. Govt notifies new rules & regulations for e-commerce companies
• The government has notified new rules and regulations for e-commerce companies under the Consumer Protection Act 2019. It is mandatory to display the 'country of origin' on their products stating that any non-compliance will attract penal action, according to a new set of rules.
• The 'Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020', notified on 23rd July is part of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
• The new norms aim to protect the rights of consumers by establishing authorities for timely and effective administration and settlement of consumers' disputes.
• The 'Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020' will be applicable to all electronic retailers registered in India or abroad but offering goods and services to Indian consumers. The new rules empower the central government to act against unfair trade practices in e-commerce and direct selling. They require e-tailers to facilitate easy returns, address customer grievances and prevent discriminating against merchants on their platforms.
• According to the new rules, the e-commerce players will have to display the total price of goods and services offered for sale along with the break-up of other charges. The new rules mandate that marketplaces as well as sellers would be required to have grievance officers who have to respond in a time-bound manner.
PEOPLE IN NEWS & OBITUARIES
1. MP Governor Lalji Tandon passes away
• Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon passed away after suffering from multiple organ failure. He was 85.
• Lalji Tandon's son Ashutosh Tandon took to Twitter to announce his father's demise.
IMPORTANT DAYS AND EVENTS
1. National Broadcasting Day- 23 July
• National Broadcasting Day is observed on 23rd July all over India. On this day in 1927, the first-ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station under the Indian Broadcasting Company.
• The first radio broadcast was made on July 23, 1927, from Bombay Station. The station was then owned by a private company called the Indian Broadcasting Company.
• The Government took over the broadcasting on April 1, 1930, and renamed it as Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS).
• It was initially on an experimental basis. Later it permanently came under government control in 1932.
• On 8th of June, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio.
• Currently, AIR is one of the largest public broadcasting organisations in the world.
2. World Hepatitis Day-28 July
• World Hepatitis Day is commemorated each year on 28 July to enhance awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver that causes a range of health problems, including liver cancer.
There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus – A, B, C, D and E. Together, hepatitis B and C are the most common cause of deaths, with 1.3 million lives lost each year. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, viral hepatitis continues to claim thousands of lives every day.
• 28 July was chosen because it is the birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who discovered hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus.
• 2020 Theme-Hepatitis-free future
