NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
India & World Bank sign $250 million project to safe dams and resilient: The World Bank has
approved a USD 250 million projects in India for a long-term dam safety program
and improving the safety and performance of existing dams across various states
of India. The Second Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP-2)
agreement was inked on between the World Bank, the Government of India, the
Central Water Commission, and government representatives from 10 participating
states. The project will be implemented at the national level through the
Central Water Commission (CWC). At the state level, approximately 120 dams will
be undertaken across the states of Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu.
Other states or agencies may be added to the project during project
implementation.
Other important measures that DRIP-2 will
support include flood forecasting systems and integrated reservoir operations
that will contribute to building climate resilience; the preparation and
implementation of Emergency Action Plans to enable vulnerable downstream
communities to prepare for and enhance resilience against the possible negative
impacts and risks of climate change; and the piloting of supplemental revenue
generation schemes such as floating solar panels.
Note: World Bank Headquarters: Washington,
D.C., United States; World Bank Formation: July 1944; World Bank President:
David Malpass.
2.
Retired Justice V M Kanade appointed Lokayukta in Mumbai: Maharashtra
Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari has approved the appointment of retired Bombay
high court judge Justice V M Kanade as the new Lokayukta of Maharashtra, on the
advice of the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Maharashtra was without a
full-time Lokayukta for almost a year. The previous Lokayukta, (retd) Justice M
L Tahaliyani had completed his tenure in August 2020.
About the Lokayukta:
(1) The Lokayukta is an anti-corruption
ombudsman. Citizens can make complaints of corruption against any government
official or elected representative directly to the Lokayukta, who is tasked
with speedy redressal.
(2) The Lokayukta acts like a watchdog and
plays a key role in fighting against corruption and bringing transparency. It’s
been almost a year since there is no Lokayukta and this shows that the
government is not keen on encouraging transparency.
(3) The Lokayukta post is important to keep
a check on the government and has become a recourse for the man between 2015
and 2020.
3.
Governors can pardon prisoners: Supreme Court of India: Supreme Court of
India on August 3, 2021, held that the Governor of state can pardon prisoners,
including in the death sentence cases. Governor can pardon the prisoners even
before they have completed a minimum of 14 years of prison sentence. Court also
said that the Governor’s power to pardon overrides a provision given under
Section 433A of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Court noted, the sovereign
power of the Governor to pardon prisoner under Article 161 is exercised by the
State government and not the Governor on his own, in reality. Article 161 of
the Indian constitution provides the Governor of a State with the power to
grant pardons, reprieves, respites or to remit punishment or to suspend, remit
or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence against laws.
About the Section 433A: Section 433A
mandates that the sentence of the prisoner can be remitted only after 14 years
of jail. The court observed that Section 433-A of the Code cannot and does not
affect the constitutional power of the President or Governor to grant pardon
under Articles 72 or 161 of the Constitution. Such power is in the exercise of
the power of the sovereign. However, Governor will have to act on the aid and
advice of the State Government.
Note: Supreme Court of India Established:
26 January 1950; Chief Justice of India Justice: NV Ramana.
4. A
new book on Balakot air strikes 2019 authored by Manan Bhatt: A new book titled
“Balakot Air Strike: How India Avenged Pulwama”, published by Garuda Prakashan,
is written by Navy veteran Manan Bhatt. According to the publisher, the book,
“a racy thriller” with “adrenalin-pushing action”, would make readers’ patriotism
brim over, while filling them with a sense of gratitude and pride towards the
armed forces. The book, in its detailed account of the “two epochal events”,
claims to capture everything “from moments before the ill-fated CRPF bus was
hit, to the cockpits from where precision bombs were triggered and what
transpired in those 12 momentous, expectation-filled days.
5.
National Handloom Day: 7th August: India has marked the 7th National Handloom
Day to showcase the legacy of the Indian handloom industry. The day is to
commemorate the Swadeshi Movement and to celebrate our country’s rich fabrics
and colourful weaves. The whole nation will mark the day to showcase the legacy
of the Indian handloom industry and to honour the weavers across the country. It
was first observed in 2015 by the Govt of India. National Handloom Day seeks to
focus on the contribution of handloom to the socio-economic development of the
country and also increase the income of weavers.
INTERNATIONALUPDATES:
1.
Germany becomes 5th country to sign ISA Framework Agreement: Germany became the
5th country to sign the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement after
amendments to it entered into force on 8th January 2021, opening its Membership
to all Member States of the United Nations. Ambassador of Germany to India
Walter J. Lindner deposited signed copies of the International Solar Alliance
Framework Agreement with the Ministry of External Affairs, the depositary of
the Agreement.
Membership to the ISA was earlier limited
to 121 countries, which were partially or entirely located within the tropics.
This didn’t allow major solar energy economies such as Germany to join the
alliance that is being increasingly seen as a foreign policy tool. The
initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the India Africa
Summit and a meeting of member countries ahead of the 2015 United Nations
Climate Change Conference in Paris in November 2015. The framework agreement of
the International Solar Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakech, Morocco in
November 2016.
Note: Germany Capital: Berlin; Germany
Currency: Euro; Germany President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Tokyo Olympics 2020: BajrangPunia wins Olympic wrestling bronze medal: Indian wrestler
BajrangPunia has won the Olympic wrestling bronze medal match after 8-0 win
over DauletNiyazbekov of Kazakhstan in the men’s freestyle 65kg category. Punia
became the sixth Indian wrestler to finish on the Olympic podium after KD
Jadhav, Sushil Kumar, YogeshwarDutt, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Kumar Dahiya. This
became the second instance after the 2012 London Olympics when two Indian
wrestlers won medals in the same Games.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
RBI imposes Rs 6 lakh penalty on Hewlett-Packard Financial Services: The Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 6 lakh on Bengaluru-based
Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Ltd. RBI said the statutory
inspection of the company, concerning its financial position as of March 31,
2019, revealed, inter alia, non-compliance with the statutory directions on (i)
submission of credit information to Central Repository of Information on Large
Credits and (ii) submission of credit data to Credit Information Companies. The
penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in it under the
provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and the Credit Information
Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005, taking into account the failure of the
company to adhere to the aforesaid directions issued by RBI.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Kumar Mangalam Birla steps down as Non-Executive Chairman of Vi: Aditya Birla Group
Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla has stepped down as the Non-Executive Director
and Non-Executive Chairman of the Vodafone Idea (now Vi) Board. The Vi Board of
Directors have unanimously elected HimanshuKapania, currently a Non-Executive
Director, as the Non-Executive Chairman with effect. Kapania, a nominee of the
Aditya Birla Group, is a telecom industry veteran with 25 years of experience.
He has also served on the Global GSMA Board for two years and was also the
Chairman of the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) for two years.
He is presently the Chairman of the FICCI Council on Telecom, Electronics and
Digital Economy.
Note: Aditya Birla Group Founder: Seth Shiv
Narayan Birla; Aditya Birla Group Founded: 1857; Aditya Birla Group
Headquarters: Mumbai.
1.
C.R. Rao Gold Medal award winners announced: The Indian Econometric Society
(TIES) Trust has selected two renowned economic scholars for the Prof. C.R. Rao
Centenary Gold Medal award. Renowned economists JagdishBhagwati and C
Rangarajan have been conferred with the inaugural Prof CR Rao Centenary Gold
Medal (CGM). Bhagwati is a professor of economics, law and international
relations at Columbia University while C Rangarajan is the former chairman of
the Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister and former governor of the
Reserve Bank of India.
About the award: TIES Trust had constituted
a jury to shortlist the awardees. Based on the jury’s recommendations, it
announced that inaugural award to two distinguished scholars. The medal is
presented once in two years to an Indian or Indian-origin scholar for lifetime
contributions to the fields of theoretical and applied aspects of quantitative
economics and official statistics.
DEFENCE
1.
INS Khanjar becomes the first INS to call at heritage coastal port: Indian Naval Ship
Khanjar becomes the first Indian Navy ship to call at the heritage coastal port
of Gopalpur in Odisha. The two-day visit was organised as part of
AazadikaAmritMahotsav as well as Swarnim Vijay Varsh celebrations to
commemorate the 75th anniversary of Independence and the 50th anniversary of
the 1971 War. The visit of the ship was aimed at enhancing ties and spreading
awareness with the local populace on aspects of coastal security and maritime
operations.
During the visit, ship’s officers
interacted with Port Officials and discussed aspects related to berthing
facilities for OTR of Naval ships and security overview of port infrastructure.
The ship’s team also undertook a cleanup drive at Gopalpur beach and tree
plantation in the port premises. In addition, books and dry provisions were
distributed to Samarth Orthopedically Handicapped Welfare Association, at
Chatrapur in Ganjam district.
OBITUARIES
1. Padma Shri awardee Padma Sachdev passes away: Padma Shri awardee and noted author Padma Sachdev, the first modern woman poet of Dogri language, passed away. She received the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2001 and was awarded the KabirSamman for poetry for 2007-08 by the Madhya Pradesh government. She authored many books in Dogri and Hindi, and her poetry collections, including ‘Meri Kavita Mere Geet’, won her the SahityaAkademi Award in 1971.
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