1.
Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani e-launches Agricultural Diversification Scheme: Gujarat Chief
Minister Vijay Rupani has virtually launched the ‘Agricultural Diversification
Scheme-2021’, with the aim of making agriculture sustainable and profitable in
the tribal areas of the state. The scheme will benefit more than 1.26 lakh
vanbandhu- farmers from 14 tribal districts in Gujarat.
Under the scheme: The state
government would distribute fertilizer-seed assistance worth around Rs. 31
crores to tribal farmers, which will also include 45 kg of urea, 50 kg of NPK
and 50 kg of ammonium sulphate. Gujarat government has already provided
assistance of Rs. 250 crore to 10 lakh tribal farmers under this scheme in the
last ten years.
Note: Gujarat Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani;
Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat.
2.
World’s first-ever genetically modified rubber planted in Assam: In Assam, the
world’s first genetically modified (GM) rubber plant has been planted by Rubber
Board, at the board’s farm in Sarutari near Guwahati. The GM rubber sapling was
developed at the Rubber Research Institute of India (RRII), in Puthuppally,
Kottayam, Kerala.
About the Plant: This first of its
kind plant has been developed exclusively for the northeast so that they can
thrive in the climatic conditions of the region. The need to develop the GM
rubber plant was felt because Natural rubber is a native of warm humid Amazon
forests and is not naturally suited for cold conditions in the northeast. The
crop is currently planted on an experimental basis and once the trials are
over, the new crop will greatly benefit farmers as well as give a big boost to
rubber production in the country.
Note: Assam Governor: JagdishMukhi; Assam
Chief Minister: HimantaBiswaSarma.
3.
RaghuramRajan named in Tamil Nadu economic advisory panel: The Tamil Nadu
government named Nobel laureate Esther Duflo and former Reserve Bank of India
Governor RaghuramRajan as part of a five-member Economic Advisory Council for
the state. The other members in the council are former Chief Economic Adviser
Arvind Subramanian, development economist Jean Drèze and former Union Finance
Secretary S Narayan.
The five-member team was put together by
finance minister PalanivelThiagaRajan, who was an investment banker in the US
and Singapore before he entered politics. Based on the recommendations of this
Council, the government will revitalise the state’s economy and ensure that the
benefits of economic growth reach all segments of society.
Note: Tamil Nadu governor
BanwarilalPurohit; MK Stalin chief minister of Tamil Nadu.
4.
Harsh Vardhan unveils ‘My Joys and Sorrows – as a Mother of a Special Child’
book: Union
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has unveiled Krishna Saksena’s book “My Joys and
Sorrows – as a Mother of a Special Child”. It is the epitome of the bravery and
endurance of a mother, in the best tradition of Indian motherhood. The book is
full of beautiful photographs, including some black and white ones which have
historical significance, not only because some of them feature public
personalities but also because it chronicles the domestic as well as the
professional context of the times.
INTERNATIONALUPDATES:
1.
NikolPashinyan elected as Armenia Prime Minister: Armenia’s acting
prime minister, NikolPashinyan, kept power in a parliamentary election that
boosted his authority despite being widely blamed for a military defeat last
year in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Nikol’s Civil Contract party won 53.92%
of the votes cast. An alliance led by his rival, ex-leader Robert Kocharyan,
came second with 21%, according to the results based on ballots from 100% of
precincts counted. Kocharyan was Armenia’s president from 1998 to 2008.
Note: Capital of Armenia: Yerevan; Currency
of Armenia: Armenian dram.
2. 9
Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable to be hosted by India: International
Energy Forum (IEF) announced that India has agreed to host the 9th Asian
Ministerial Energy Roundtable (AMER9). The 9th Asian Ministerial Energy
Roundtable will be held in 2022. Dates of this conference will be announced
later and it will take forward the understandings reached in the previous
meeting in Abu Dhabi during 2018.
About the conference: The decision of
India to be the host of this Energy Roundtable came after a virtual meeting
between IEF Secretary-General Joseph McMonigle and Oil Minister Dharmendra
Pradhan. Chief executive officers of Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum, and
Hindustan Petroleum Corp, in addition to senior officers from the Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas, were also present at the meeting.
International Energy Forum (IEF):
The International Energy Forum (IEF) is the
world’s largest energy organization with 71 member countries, accounting for 90
per cent of the global energy market. It holds energy dialogue promoting energy
security, market stability, and transparency in the transition to a sustainable
and inclusive future.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
India’s official Olympic theme song ‘Lakshya Tera Samne Hai’ released: Ahead of the Tokyo
Games, the official Olympic theme song for the Indian contingent was launched.
Mohit Chauhan has composed and sung the song titled “Lakshya Tera Samne Hai”.
The Games will open on July 23 and over 100 Indian athletes have qualified for
the event so far. The event was organised by Indian Olympic Association (IOA)
and attended by its President, Secretary-General, Deputy Chef De Mission,
Sports Secretary and DG Sports Authority of India (SAI). Sports Minister
KirenRijiju was the chief guest at the event.
Note: Indian Olympic Association President:
Narayana Ramachandran; Indian Olympic Association Founded: 1927.
2.
JaspritBumrah roped in as brand ambassador OnePlus: OnePlus, the global
technology brand welcomed cricketer JaspritBumrah as Brand Ambassador for its
Wearables category. The partnership with Bumrah reiterates the brand philosophy
of ‘Never Settle’ and the company’s pursuit towards perfection. The OnePlus
Wearable category includes the OnePlus Watch, the first global smart wearable from
OnePlus that offers a premium design, seamless connection, smart fitness
tracking and an incredible battery life.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
SBI launches Aarogyam healthcare business loan: The State Bank of
India (SBI) has launched the Aarogyam healthcare business loan to provide
enhanced support to the healthcare sector amid the pandemic. Under this new
product, the entire healthcare ecosystem such as hospitals, nursing homes,
diagnostic centres, pathology labs, manufacturers, suppliers, importers, logistic
firms engaged in critical healthcare supply can avail of loans up to Rs 100
crore (as per the geographic location) repayable in 10 years, the country’s
largest state-owned bank.
About the Aarogyam loan:
(1) The Aarogyam loan can be availed either
as a term loan to support expansion or modernisation or as working capital
facilities such as cash credit, bank guarantee/letter of credit.
(2) In metro centres loans under Aarogyam
can be availed up to Rs 100 crore, Tier I & Urban centres up to Rs 20 crore
and in Tier II to Tier VI centres up to Rs 10 crore.
(3) The beneficiary units/borrowing
Companies availing loan of up to Rs 2 crore will not be required to offer any
collateral or security to the bank as this will be covered under the guarantee
scheme of Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE).
Note: SBI Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara;
SBI Headquarters: Mumbai; SBI Founded: 1 July 1955.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Moody’s Revises India’s GDP growth rate to 9.6%: Moody’s Investors Service
has slashed India’s growth projection to 9.6 per cent for the 2021 calendar
year, from its earlier estimate of 13.9 per cent. For the calendar year 2022,
GDP growth is projected at 7 per cent. In its report titled ‘Macroeconomics
India: Economic shocks from second COVID wave will not be as severe as last
year’s, Moody’s said high-frequency economic indicators show that the second
wave of COVID-19 infections hit India’s economy in April and May.
2.
Jamsetji Tata tops inaugural list of Top Philanthropists of the Century: JamsetjiNusserwanji
Tata, Indian pioneer industrialist and founder of the Tata Group, has topped
the inaugural, EdelGiveHurun Philanthropists of the Century list, which ranks
the world’s 50 most generous individuals in the last century. As per the
report, the total donations made by Mumbai-based Jamsetji Tata is estimated at
US$102.4 billion. He is the only Indian among the top 10 list, compiled by
Hurun Research and EdelGive Foundation.
The only other Indian in the list of 50
global philanthropists is Azim Premji, former chairman of Wipro. He is ranked
at 12th position. Bill Gates & Melinda French Gates ranked second with
donations worth $74.6 billion. They are followed by Henry Wellcome ($56.7
billion), Howard Hughes ($38.6 billion), and Warren Buffett ($37.4 billion)
respectively.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1.
NTPC wins recognition of India’s best employers among Nation-Builders 2021: For the first time,
NTPC won recognition as India’s Best Employers among Nation-Builders 2021. It
has been recognized as the ‘Great Place to Work’ for the 15th straight year by
the Great Places to Work Institute. It has been ranked at 38th. It was ranked
47 last year. It also won its first-ever recognition of India’s Best Employers
among Nation-Builders 2021. NTPC, a Maharatna Community and Public Sector Unit
work under the Ministry of Power. The PSU has also won the CII HR Excellence
Role model award in March 2021. It is the highest award in the field of people
management in the country. The ‘Great Place to Work’ certification is
recognised worldwide and is considered the gold standard in identifying and
recognizing great workplaces with high trust and high-performance cultures. It
is the most definitive ‘Employer of Choice’ recognition certification that the organization
aim to achieve.
OBITUARIES
1. John McAfee, founder of McAfee antivirus software, passes away: British-American Software pioneer, John David McAfee, the creator of the McAfee antivirus software, has passed away. John was found dead in his cell in a jail near Barcelona, where he had been since October 2020, for evading taxes. The incident happened shortly after his extradition to the United States was authorized by Spain’s National Court, on criminal charges filed in Tennessee by the Justice Department’s tax division. He was accused to have deliberately failed to file tax returns between 2014 and 2018, despite earning millions from consulting work, cryptocurrencies, among other things.
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