NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Jitendra
Singh launched India’s First Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scanner: Union Minister of State Science & Technology Jitendra
Singh launched India’s first Indigenously developed, Affordable Next
Generation Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner in New Delhi. MRI is a
type of scan that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce
detailed images of the inside of the body. It is an achievement for
the National Biopharma Mission, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance
Council, and the Department of Biotechnology.
2. Ministry
of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the NAPDDR: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched
the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction. Objective: To
reach out to the masses and spread awareness about substance use with a focus
on higher educational Institutions, university campuses & schools, reaching
out & identifying dependent populations, focusing on counseling &
treatment facilities in hospitals, and Capacity building programs for service
providers.
3. NHPC
and ALIMCO sign MoU for providing aids and assistive devices: National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited and Artificial Limbs
Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) have signed a MoU in the
presence of Shri Uttam Lal, Director (Personnel), NHPC at NHPC
Headquarters in Faridabad. Objective: To provide CSR support for
distribution of aids and assistive devices to around 1,000 Divyangjans (Persons
with Disabilities) in the vicinity of NHPC Projects located in North and North
Eastern states.
4. Ministry
of Social Justice implements "Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing the
scheme of “Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana” in August 2023. Objective: To
provide the senior citizens, suffering from any of the age related
disability/infirmity, with assisted living devices which can restore near
normalcy in their bodily functions, Scheme: In the assessment camp,
the ALIMCO identifies the beneficiaries, suffering from the age related
disability, for required aids & appliances.
5. 12
countries responsible for 52% of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste: According to Swiss-based research consultancy Earth Action Earth
saw its first Plastic Overshoot Day which means the point at which the amount
of plastics exceeds the global waste management capacity. India is
among the 12 countries which are responsible for 52% of the world’s
mismanaged plastic waste. When it comes to plastic consumption on a per-person
basis, the world’s worst offender is Iceland The global average consumption of
plastic per person per year is 20.9 kg
6. Mumbai -Thane to get India’s First-Ever Vertical
University Campus: The state of Maharashtra will approve
setting up Vertical University Campus (VUC) in Mumbai and Thane due to
less space available in the city thus becoming the first state in the
country to approve such campuses. This concept is adopted by the United States
(US) and other Western countries as of now. In the previous policy, a private
university can be established on a minimum land of 25-acre in rural areas,
15-acre in district headquarters and 10-acre in regional headquarters, Mumbai
Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR). The idea of a
vertical university campus was conceived to deal with the issue of land
scarcity, which is common in major cities such as Mumbai and international
metropolises like New York City, Washington DC and Tel Aviv, Israel. No area of
the building can be used for commercial purposes in any way. It should have a
scope for further construction in case there is a rise in the number of
students. The classrooms shall be set up in accordance with University Grants
Commission (UGC) and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
guidelines. Of the total area, it requires 40% reserve space for the playground
following the provisions of unified development control and promotion
regulations (UDCPR) and development control promotion regulations (DCPR), 2034.
Also, the building shall have a hostel facility for students or nearby the
premises.
7. Smriti Irani inaugurates the G20 EMPOWER Summit in
Gandhinagar: Union Minister for Women
and Child Development Smriti Zubin Irani has inaugurated the G20
EMPOWER Summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The summit, organized around the
theme- ‘Women-Led Development: ensuring a Sustainable, inclusive, and
equitable global economic growth’, will witness the participation of
delegates from across G20 nations, invited guest countries and international
organizations in addition to many global experts, policymakers and
stakeholders. The inaugural session launched of key outcomes under the G20
EMPOWER agenda this year including the G20 EMPOWER Tech Equity Digital
Inclusion Platform, the Best Practices Playbook, the KPI Dashboard, and the
adoption of the G20 EMPOWER Communique 2023. The Ministry of Women and Child
Development is the nodal Ministry for EMPOWER which is the G20 Alliance for
Empowerment and Progress of Women’s Economic Progression. It is a private
sector-led initiative under the Sherpa Track that aims to accelerate women’s
leadership and empowerment in the private sector across G20 countries.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Brics'
New Development Bank elected Thuraiya Alhashmi as a board member: Thuraiya Hamid Alhashmi, Director of International Financial
Relations and Organisations Department at the UAE Ministry of Finance, has
been elected as a member of the Board of Directors and a Constituency Director
at BRICS' New Development Bank. With her appointment at the multilateral
bank, She become the first Emirati and Arab woman to assume a Director’s
position
She
will contribute to the UAE's financial interests on a global scale and in
various financial sectors.
2. Indian-origin
author Chetna Maroo’s debut novel on Booker Prize longlist: Chetna Maroo, an Indian-origin author based in London,
has been selected for the 2023 Booker Prize longlist with her debut novel
'Western Lane.' The novel, set in the British Gujarati milieu, skillfully uses
the sport of squash as a metaphor for intricate human emotions, earning praise
from the Booker judges. The longlist comprises 13 books written by authors from
various countries, including Ireland, Canada, the US, and the UK, explore
universal and topical themes
3. China,
UAE air forces to conduct first joint training FALCON Shield-2023: Ministry of National Defense announced the air forces of
China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will conduct a joint training
exercise in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region According
to the ministry, the exercise, Falcon Shield-2023, will be the first joint
training between the two nation's air forces Aims: To deepen pragmatic
exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries and enhance mutual
understanding and trust, the ministry added.
4. Bhutan's
success in increasing its tiger population:
Bhutan's Tiger population has increased by 27 percent since its last
count in 2015. The latest survey estimates there now 131 tigers in the
country. It reflected the success of Tiger conservation efforts in the South
Asian Himalayan landlocked nation situated between China and India. It was in
2010 that Bhutan continued its commitment to protecting its wildlife when the
country joined the global effort to double the number of tigers in the wild by
2022.
5. For the first time in Asia, World Coffee Conference to
be held in Bengaluru: For the first time, World Coffee
Conference (WCC) will take place in India in The fifth edition of the
global conference will take place from September 25 to 28 in This year,
tennis player Rohan Bopanna will serve as the brand
ambassador of the conference. “Sustainability through Circular Economy and
Regenerative Agriculture” is the central theme for the event. Producers,
curers, roasters, exporters, policymakers, and researchers from 80-plus
countries would gather at WCC 2023. The conference has been organized by the
International Coffee Organization and the Indian Ministry of Commerce and
Industry. The ICO was organized under the aegis of the United Nations. It came
into existence in 1963. It is the only inter-governmental organization for
coffee and represents 93% of world coffee production and 63% of world
consumption. The organization works to strengthen the global coffee sector and
promote its sustainable expansion in the market. CEO and Secretary of Coffee
Board of India – KG Jagadeesha
6. 1 – 7 August – World Breastfeeding Week 2023: World Breastfeeding Week is an annual
event that takes place from 1-7 August every year. Objective – To raise
awareness and promote the importance of breastfeeding for the health and
well-being of both infants and mothers. Theme 2023 – Let’s make
breastfeeding and work, work! Breast milk is considered the best food for
newborns because of its many benefits, including the presence of antibodies
that help protect babies from various common childhood diseases. Despite its
importance, current data from the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that
less than half of infants under 6 months of age are exclusively breastfed. World
Breastfeeding Week was established in1992 under the initiative of the World
Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). This annual week-long event is held
in honour of the 1990 Innocence Proclamation.
7. 1 August – World Lung Cancer Day: World Lung Cancer Day is observed every
year on 1 August. Objective – To raise awareness around the deadly disease
and encourage more research on it to break the stigma around the disease. The
campaign for World Lung Cancer Day was recognized in the year 2012 though the
momentum was set in the preceding years. The campaign was organized by the
Forum of International Respiratory Societies in collaboration with the
International Association for the study of Lung Cancer and the American College
of Chest Physicians. Since then, the awareness around lung cancer picked pace
most of which centred around being aware of the cough that lasts for more than
3 weeks along with other symptoms of lung cancer.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1. Diego
Godin announced retirement from football:
Former Uruguay captain Diego Godin announced his retirement from
professional football after a remarkable career spanning two decades.
( In July 2023) He made 627 professional appearances, scored 38 goals, and
earned 10 titles, including two Europa League trophies and three UEFA
Super Cups, all during his captaincy at Atletico Madrid He participated in four
World Cups and spent a significant part of his club career in Spain.
2. Hyderabad to host India’s first IAU 50 Km World
Championships in November: Hyderabad will
host India’s first International Athletic Union’s Ageas Federation Life
Insurance 50 km World championship on 5 November 2023. The competition will
feature four categories – men and women in individual and team events – besides
the Master’s segment. The event will also see three other runs – 21.1 half
marathon, 10K and 5K Runs organized by NEB Sports. Top ultrarunners from the
USA, Germany, Japan, Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain,
India, and other countries will participate. Bengaluru also successfully hosted
the IAU 100km Asia Oceania Championship in July 2023.
3. Anurag Thakur inaugurates Asian Youth and Junior
Weightlifting 2023: Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur has inaugurated the Asian
Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships 2023 in Greater Noida. The event
is being held in India for the first time. The international event will see the
participation of more than 30 Indian weightlifters, including many Khelo India
Athletes who in the past month alone gave India its best-ever performance at
the Weightlifting Commonwealth Championships by winning 61 medals in total. India
is hosting this prestigious event where more than 15 nations from the Asian
region, 200 athletes, and more than 50 technical staff and coaches are
participating. It will conclude on the 5th of August.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Karnataka
Bank hosted the first edition of ‘KBL - FinOne’:
Karnataka Bank hosted the first edition of ‘KBL - FinOne’, a fintech
partnership event, in Bengaluru in July Objective: To
develop innovative business models, provide a seamless banking experience and
offer a complete product suite. The first edition of ‘KBL - FinOne’
featured over 30 speakers from various fintech, delving into some of the
interesting and relevant topics such as emerging lending models, neo-banks
2. GST
collection rises 11% to Rs 1.65 lakh crore in July:
According to the finance ministry, the gross Goods and Services Tax
(GST) revenues for the month of July 2023 are 11% higher than
the GST revenues in the July 2022. It is for the fifth time since the rollout
of the regime that the gross GST collection crossed the Rs 1.65 lakh crore
mark. The total revenue of Centre and the States in the month of July 2023
after regular settlement was Rs 69,558 crore for CGST and Rs 70,811 crore
for the SGST. GST collections cross ₹1.6-lakh cr mark for
5th time: According to the Ministry of Finance, the GST
collection for the month of July was recorded at Rs 1,65,105 crore. GST
collection crossed the Rs 1.6 lakh crore mark for the fifth
time since the inception of the goods and services tax. The revenues for
July are 11 per cent higher than the GST revenues in the same month
last year. The government settled Rs 39,785 crore to CGST and Rs 33,188 crore
to SGST from IGST. The total revenue of Centre and the states in July is Rs
69,558 crore for CGST and Rs 70,811 crore for the SGST, after regular
settlement. Of the gross GST of Rs 1.65 lakh crore collected in July, Rs 29,773
crore is CGST and Rs 37,623 crore is SGST. Rs 85,930 crore is IGST, including
Rs 41,239 crore that was collected on import of goods, and cess is Rs 11,779 crore,
including Rs 840 crore collected on import of goods. GST revenue for the
previous month stood at Rs 1,61,487 crore, which was an increase of 12 percent
on-year. However, it was a marked dip from the record-high GST collection of Rs
1.87 lakh crore in April and a sizeable increase from the GST collection of Rs
1,57,090 crore in May.
3. SBI raises 10,000 cr via 15-year Infrastructure bonds: State Bank of India
(SBI) has raised Rs 10,000 crore at a coupon rate of 7.54
percent through its third infrastructure bond issuance. The proceeds will
be directed towards bolstering long-term resources for funding critical
infrastructure projects and supporting the affordable housing segment. The bank
attracted bids of Rs 21,698 crores, a staggering 4.34 times the base issue
size, indicating robust demand for these financial instruments. The investors
range from various sectors including provident funds, pension funds, insurance
companies, mutual funds, corporates, etc. Bidding for the 15-year tenor bonds
took place on July 31.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. Deepak
Shenoy honored with Global Visionary Entrepreneur Award: Medec Dragon Pvt Ltd received the prestigious "Best Managed
Pharmaceutical Sustainable Organizations 2023"
award, while Deepak Shenoy, Managing Director of Medec Dragon was
honored as the "Global Visionary Entrepreneur of the year
2023" at the 6th Edition of South Asia Pacific Healthcare Summit
& Business Award 2023. The event was organized by Brandscouncil
Ratings & Medilinks in Mumbai. The awards were presented by India's
first Mrs. World, Aditi Govitrikar.
2. PM Modi honored with Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Maharashtra’s Pune, on the 103rd death anniversary of freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak. The award, according to the organizers, honours his extraordinary leadership, which helped India move up the progress ladder. PM Modi is the 41st recipient of this award. Every year on 1st August, the death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak, this award is bestowed upon individuals who have made remarkable and extraordinary contributions to the progress and development of the nation.
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