July 2024 Current Affairs (Banking & Economy) PDF

JULY 1-7 WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS BANKING & ECONOMY Air India announces its flying training school in Amaravati Air India will set up a flying school in Amaravati in Maharashtra. Would cost ₹200 core to build and it will target graduating 180 pilots annually....

JULY 1-7 WEEKLY CURRENT AFFAIRS BANKING & ECONOMY Air India announces its flying training school in Amaravati Air India will set up a flying school in Amaravati in Maharashtra. Would cost ₹200 core to build and it will target graduating 180 pilots annually. The school will be opened by June 2025. The flying school at Amravati’s Belora airport, would be the first an Indian airline. It will have 31 single-engine Piper Archer aircraft and three twin-engine Diamond 72 aircraft. Air India: ❑ CEO: Campbell Wilson (2022–) Founder: J. R. D. Tata RBI, ASEAN to create platform for fast cross-border retail payments The Reserve Bank of India and ASEAN countries have decided to create a platform to facilitate instant cross-border retail payments by 2026. RBI said it has joined the Project Nexus, a multilateral international initiative to enable instant cross-border retail payments by interlinking domestic fast payments systems. Nexus, conceptualized by the Innovation Hub of the Bank for International Settlements. Nexus aims to connect FPSs of four ASEAN countries (Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand); and India. Significance: expanding the international reach of Indian payment systems. RBI: ❑ Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata Headquarters: Mumbai ❑ Governor: Shaktikanta Das World Bank has approved a $1.5-billion loan The World Bank has approved a $1.5-billion loan to help India accelerate its low carbon energy development. The funds will be used to promote a market for green hydrogen, electrolyzes, and increased renewable energy penetration. This is the second round of funding from the World Bank towards India's green energy push. In June 2023, the World Bank approved the $1.5-billion First Low-Carbon Energy Programmatic Development Policy Operation to accelerate India’s development of low-carbon energy. World Bank: ❑ President: Ajay Banga Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States ❑ Founded: July 1944 Murugappa group firm signs pact with Jiva Water Murugappa Water Technology and Solutions (MWTS) has signed a MoU with Jiva Water to integrate Jiva Water Devices into its solutions portfolio to offer the benefits of quality water. 1 "MSME Sahaj - End to End Digital Invoice Financing" State Bank of India has unveiled a web-based digital business loans solution for MSMEs' Invoice Financing, aimed at facilitating MSME loans with a fast turnaround-time. The solution, named "MSME Sahaj - End to End Digital Invoice Financing", has been developed that will provide solutions ranging from applying the loan, documentation and disbursement of the sanctioned loan within 15 minutes, without any manual intervention. (up to 1 Lakh). State Bank of India: ❑ Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara ❑ Headquarters: Mumbai ❑ Founded: 1 July 1955 GST collection The gross goods and services tax (GST) collection for June 2024 stood at Rs 1.74 trillion, marking 7.7 per cent year-on year (Y-o-Y) growth. In May this year, the gross GST collection amounted to Rs 1.73 trillion, while April witnessed a record-high GST collection of Rs 2.1 trillion. Sapphiro forex card ICICI Bank launched a pre paid Sapphiro Forex Card. For students who are going abroad for higher education. ICICI Bank: ❑ Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi “Union Premier” Union bank of India, launched “Union Premier” branches for high value customers in rural and semi urban markets. Designed to provide personalized banking services, these branches will offer a wide range of products and services under one roof for high value customers A. Manimekhalai , Managing Director and CEO of Union bank of India. JSW Infra arm to develop cargo berth at Tuticorin Port JSW Tuticorin Multipurpose Terminal Private Ltd., a subsidiary of JSW Infrastructure said it had entered into a concession agreement with V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority, in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu. For the development and mechanization of North Cargo Berth III for handling dry bulk cargo. The agreement is on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis. Muthoot Finance selected for FATF Mutual Evaluation report 23 24 Muthoot Finance said it was the only Indian NBFC to be selected for The Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) Mutual Evaluation report 2023 24. FATF is a global agency formed in 1989 to develop policies to combat 2 money laundering, terrorism financing and several other significant threats to soundness of the financial system. Rupee Kyat Settlement Mechanism India and Myanmar pioneered a new bilateral trade payment system as the Yangon office of Punjab National Bank completed the first transaction exceeding Rs 1 crore for a shipment of pulses under the Rupee Kyat Settlement Mechanism. Aims to streamline trade transactions between India and Myanmar, enhancing efficiency by eliminating complexities associated with exchange rates through direct payment in local currencies. Mechanism covers both sea and border trade, encompassing transactions for goods and services. Partnering with top Indian institutes on decarbonization R&D Shell, the London based oil and gas major says it has partnered with top Indian educational institutions to push deep research in various areas including decarbonization to support its global energy transition. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, IIT Madras, National Chemicals Lab, Pune, and TERI, New Delhi are some of these institutions. Partnerships focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and innovations such as low carbon fuels, distributed electrification, carbon sinks, hydrogen generation, efficient power etc. SB Max and SB HNI Indian Overseas Bank announced that it was offering customers a facility to upgrade their existing savings account scheme. The higher variants of savings account --SB Max and SB HNI -- offer a host of enhanced facilities and features, which includes concessions and waiver of various charges. Indian Overseas Bank: Founded: 10 February 1937 ❑ MD& CEO: Ajay Kumar Srivastava Headquarters: Chennai Only 7% of MSME credit to women Reserve Bank's executive director Neeraj Nigam said low labour force participation among women is a barrier to financial inclusion efforts and also to broader economic growth. Only 7% of the overall outstanding loans to micro, small and medium enterprises are to women- led businesses. Female labour force participation at 32.8 per cent in FY22, as against over 77% in men. 'Financing Women Collaborative’ conference organized by NITI Aayog and Transunion Cibil. Organization RBI MSME Founded 1 April 1935, Kolkata 9 May 2007 Headquarters Mumbai New Delhi Governor/Minister Shaktikanta Das Jitan Ram Manjhi 3 'Jeevan Samarth' Life Insurance Corporation of India undertook a transformation project, 'Jeevan Samarth,' to meet the evolving needs of customers. Partnered with A T Kearney. Aim to transform LIC ecosystem to align with the rapidly evolving needs of millions of Indian families and provide them with suitable long-term savings, protection, health insurance, ULIP, and pension solutions. Siddhartha Mohanty, CEO and managing director, LIC. Bajaj Rolls Out World’s First CNG Bike Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched Bajaj Auto’s new bike, Freedom, the world’s first CNG motorcycle. It has a 12.5-litre (2 kg) CNG cylinder with a range of 100 km/kg. NIC And Spices Board Of India Signed MoU The National Informatics Centre and the Spices Board of India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop Artificial intelligence tools for detecting and classifying large cardamom diseases in Sikkim. The project, spearheaded by NIC’s Centre of Excellence in AI in Kolkata Aims to analyze images of cardamom leaves to identify diseases early. Non-banking financial institutions NBFC is a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 or Companies Act, 2013. Financial activities like lending, investing in securities, leasing, insurance. Features: NBFCs provide diverse financial services like personal loans, home loans, vehicle loans, gold loans, microfinance, insurance, and investment management Can accept public deposits for a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 60 months. Need: NBFCs significantly contribute to financial inclusion Offers Micro Finance instrumental in funding large infrastructure projects NBFCs complement the traditional banking system Banks vs NBFC: NBFC cannot accept demand deposits NBFCs do not form part of the payment and settlement system and cannot issue cheques drawn on itself Deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation is not available to depositors of NBFCs, unlike in case of banks. Note: The RBI has been given the powers under the RBI Act 1934 to register, lay down policy, issue directions, inspect, regulate, supervise and exercise surveillance over NBFCs that meet the 50-50 criteria of principal business. 4  INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Japan's 1st new banknotes in 20 years Japan began circulating its first new banknotes in 20 years. Featuring three-dimensional portraits. The notes use printed patterns to generate holograms of the portraits facing different directions, depending on the angle of view, employing a technology that Japan’s National Printing Bureau says is the world’s first for paper money. The new 10,000-yen ($62) note depicts Eiichi Shibusawa (1840-1931), the founder of the first bank and stock exchange, who is often called "the father of Japanese capitalism". The new 5,000-yen bill portrays educator Umeko Tsuda (1864-1929), who founded one of the first women's universities in Japan, while the 1,000-yen bill features a pioneering medical scientist, Shibasaburo Kitasato (1853-1931). Japan: ❑ Capital: Tokyo Currency: Japanese yen (¥) ❑ Prime minister: Fumio Kishida 29th edition of the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise The RIMPAC exercise, recognised as the world’s largest international maritime exercise will continue till august 1st, in Honolulu, Hawaii. RIMPAC brings together approximately 29 nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, over 150 aircraft. Also: Indian Navy’s indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik, deployed to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, is participating in the 29th edition of the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. Theme: RIMPAC 2024 is "Partners: Integrated and Prepared”. EU Council Hungary has taken over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months. Hungary’s European Union Affairs Minister Janos Boka outlined the seven top priorities during Hungary’s presidency. Enhancing the EU competitiveness, reinforcing European defence policy, EU enlargement, stemming illegal migration, shaping the future of a cohesion policy, formulating a farmer-oriented EU agricultural policy and addressing European demographic challenges. HQ: Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium. Pezeshkian wins Iran’s presidential runoff election Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian won Iran’s presidential election besting hard-liner Saeed Jalili. Mr. Pezeshkian as the winner with 16.3 million votes to Jalili’s 13.5 million. 5  SUMMITS & CONFERENCES UNESCO raises global alarm on the rapid degradation of soils World Soil Health Index announced by UNESCO. Where: At International conference on Soils held in Morocco. The index will measure soil quality in different regions and ecosystems helps in preventing soil degradation. Main causes of degradation: Unsustainable Agricultural Practices, Industrial Pollution, Natural (wind and water) erosion, deforestation. UNESCO World Heritage Committee session The 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which is being hosted by India from July 21-31, will be held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The 45th session of the committee was held at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. UNESCO: ❑ Headquarters: Paris, France Director-General: Audrey Azoulay ❑ Founded: 16 November 1945, London, United Kingdom 24th summit of SCO Belarus becomes 10th Member to join SCO. Members adopted Astana Declaration, Cooperation Program to Counter Terrorism, Separatism, and Extremism for 2025-2027, Anti-Drug Strategy for 2024-2029, SCO Development Strategy until 2035. SCO member states endorsed the Initiative 'On World Unity for a Just Peace, Harmony and Development' (proposed by Kazakhstan), which aims to create multipolar world order with central coordinating role of UN. Belarus – a staunch ally of Russia. About SCO: ❑ Headquarters: Beijing, China. >> was founded in 2001. ❑ Signed in 2002 and entered into force in 2003. ❑ Members: China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Indiaand Pakistan. (2017: India and Pakistan). ❑ Official languages are Russian and Chinese. Global INDIAai Summit 2024 The Global INDIAai Summit 2024 concluded at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Members came to a consensus about the future vision of Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence. Highlights: Recognize the transformative potential of AI in shaping the future of our societies and economies. Acknowledge the emerging risks and challenges posed by AI systems Note: INDIAai Mission has been approved with an outlay of ₹10,372 crore and out of this, ₹2,000 crore would be utilized towards supporting the Indian startup ecosystem to develop indigenous AI based solutions. 6  AWARDS & HONOURS 12th Vishwa Hindi Samman Dr Usha Thakur was awarded 12th Vishwa Hindi Samman in an Hindi Samvad event organised by Embassy of India in Nepal. Her contribution in development of Hindi literature. She has translated more than 40 literatures in Hindi and Nepali and strengthened Hindi language. This award is given by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Note: 12th World Hindi Conference was held in Fiji in 2023. As Dr Thakur could not attend the event in Fiji, she was given the award in an event. “Tree Man of Telangana” award Chairman and Managing Director of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) N. Balaram has been honoured with “Tree Man of Telangana” award by the Green Maple Foundation. For his efforts of planting over 18,000 samplings individually and helping develop 35 mini-forests in six districts. K. Saraswathi Amma Award Writer, critic and feminist activist P. Geetha was presented with the first K. Saraswathi Amma Award. Instituted by WINGS (Women’s Integration and Growth Through Sports) Kerala, for feminist studies. Her work Aan Thachukal (male creations) about M.T. Vasudevan Nair’s scripts won the award. Atal Pension Yojana Annual Award Bank of India has been felicitated with the Atal Pension Yojana Annual Award for FY2023 24 by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Awards for the second consecutive year. Also, the Bank has been awarded the APY Ultimate Champions Cup while three of its branches have been recognized among the top five branches across India. Locarno Film Festival Shah Rukh Khan is set to receive the lifetime achievement award. Venue: the Pardo alla Carriera , or career leopard, at the ‘2024 Locarno Film Festival’, Switzerland. First Indian personality to be honoured with the 'Pardo alla Carriere Ascona Locarno Tourism’. Dr. C. Narayana Reddy National Literary Award Noted Tamil writer Sivashankari, who has created a wealth of literature in Tamil, has been selected for Dr. C. Narayana Reddy National Literary Award. She will be honoured with a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, a memento and a shawl in recognition of her contribution to the field of literature. 7  Recipient of the Saraswati Samman Award, Ms. Sivashankari will receive the ‘Vishwambhara’ award during Dr. C. Narayana Reddy’s 93rd birth anniversary celebrations. Gallantry medals Six Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, including four posthumously, were decorated with military gallantry medals by President Droupadi Murmu. The family members of Inspector Dilip Kumar Das, Head Constable Raj Kumar Yadav and Constables Bablu Rabha and Shambhu Roy received Kirti Chakras (posthumous). For displaying gallant action during an anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on April 3, 2021. Shaurya Chakras: Assistant Commandant Bibhor Kumar Singh & Constable Gamit Mukesh Kumar for killing a terrorist in hand-to-hand combat in 2021. SURVEYS Artificial Intelligence Preparedness Index 2024 Published By International Monetary Fund. 174 countries around the world. Singapore, Denmark, and the United States are at the top. India, which is an Emerging Market Economy, got a score of 0.49 and is now ranked 72nd in the world. China 31st. 4 Parameters: Digital infrastructure, human capital and labor market policies, its creativity and economic integration, and its rules and regulations. International Monetary Fund (IMF): ❑ Founded: July 1944 ❑ Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States. Managing Director: Kristalina Georgieva India's most valuable brand 2024 Tata group has retained its position as India’s most valuable brand with a value of $28.6 billion Following Tata, Infosys holds the second position, while HDFC Group has made a significant leap to third place, in Brand Value’s 'India 100 2024 ranking. Powered by Visa, offers the freedom of 15 currencies. Tata Group marks the first time an Indian brand is nearing the $30 billion mark. Global Liveability Index 2024 Published by Economist Intelligence Unit. Assessed 173 cities worldwide. Parameters: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Top 5: Vienna, Copenhagen, Zurich, Melbourne, Calgary (Canada). 8  Last: Damascus, Syria. Vienna topped the list for the 3rd consecutive year. Los Angeles secured 58th place, and New York ranked 70th. Economist Intelligence Unit: ❑ Headquarters: London ❑ Founded: 1946 SPORTS Shafali Verma breaks record for fastest double century in women's Tests News: Shafali Verma became the fastest double centurion in the history of women's Test cricket. Shafali recorded the feat during the one-off Test against South Africa in Chennai. 194 balls, surpassing Annabel Sutherland's previous record of a double ton off 248 balls against the same side Mithali Raj, who scored 214 runs off 407 balls against England at Taunton 22 years ago. Under 23 Asian Wrestling Championship Venue: Amman, Jordan India finished on top, clinched a total of eight medals in freestyle wrestling, including four gold, two silver and two bronze medals. Abhimanyu in the 70 kg category, Jointy Kumar in 92 kg, Sahil Jaglan in 97 kg and Anirudh Kumar in the 125 kg category bagged the gold medals. Leon Masters chess tournament News: Viswanathan Anand Wins Leon Masters Chess title for the 10th time. Venue: Spain First was in 1996 Anand defeated Jaime Santos Latasa of Spain 3-1. 133rd Durand Cup Venues Asia’s oldest and India’s most prestigious club-based football tournament. 4 cities: Kolkata, West Bengal, Kokrajhar, Assam, Jamshedpur, Jharkhand & Shillong, Meghalaya. BPCL has partnered with the Indian Olympic Association Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited announced its role as the official Principal Partner of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for 4 years, span- ning from the Paris Olympics in 2024 to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. Telangana powerlifter Sukanya wins gold in South Africa News: Telangana powerlifter Sukanya Tejavath won gold medal in the South Africa Potchefstroom Powerlifting Competition Hailing from Mahabubabad, Warangal, Sukanya lifted a total of 135 kg, claiming the top spot in the women’s 76kg category. 9  SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY India adds 641 new animal species, 339 new plant taxa in 2023 Data released by Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav These are among the 641 new species added to Indian fauna in 2023, including 442 entirely new species and 199 species which have been newly recorded in the country. Among the new plant discoveries in 2023 were Curcuma kakchingense, a new species of turmeric found in Manipur’s Kakching, and Asystasia venui, a flowering plant discovered in the Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden at Howrah in West Bengal. Animal discoveries include Capra himalayensis, which proves that the Himalayan Ibex, distributed in the trans-Himalayan ranges of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, is a distinct species from the Siberian Ibex. Miniopterus srinii, a new species of bent-winged bat was found in Karnataka. Kerala topped the list, with 101 additions (74 completely new species, 27 new records), followed by West Bengal with 72 new species, and Tamil Nadu with 64. West Bengal recorded the highest number of new plant discoveries, with 52 new taxa, followed by Kerala and Uttarakhand. Activated carbon produced from coconut husks News: The researchers of the Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, have devised a method to produce activated carbon, suitable for supercapacitor fabrication, from coconut husks, a major agricultural residue in Kerala. The coconut husk biowaste-derived activated carbon holds immense promise for sustainable and efficient green solutions for highperformance supercapacitors due to its availability, low cost, and eco-friendly nature. Supercapacitors, with significantly higher capacitance and energy storage capacity than conventional capacitors, have emerged as a vital component in the quest for sustainable energy storage solutions. 29th edition of the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise News: The RIMPAC exercise, recognised as the world’s largest international maritime exercise will continue till august 1st, in Honolulu, Hawaii. RIMPAC brings together approximately 29 nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, over 150 aircraft Also: Indian Navy’s indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik, deployed to the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, is participating in the 29th edition of the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise Theme of RIMPAC 2024 is "Partners: Integrated and Prepared”. Hurricane Beryl News: Hurricane Beryl unleashed powerful winds over the Eastern Caribbean. Beryl's well-defined eye by up to 40 miles (64 km), with still-dangerous tropical storm force winds extending outward by another 125 miles (201 km). Beryl's maximum sustained wind speed had risen to 150 miles (241 km) per hour Land fall: Toward the Gulf of Mexico. 10 Chiretolpis erubescens News: Chiretolpis erubescens, a rare moth endemic to the Western Ghats was discovered. The species, which was “rediscovered” after 132 years. Snowblind malware Snowblind is a new Android malware that uses a built-in Android security feature to bypass anti-tamper mechanisms and steal banking credentials. Snowblind exploits a feature called ‘seccomp’, which stands for ‘secure computing’. It is part of the underlying Linux kernel and the Android operating system and is used to check applications for signs of tampering. Li-Fi tech News: Velmenni said it has received a grant from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) for its Light Fidelity technology. It will strengthen secure wireless communications for India’s defence forces, especially the Indian Navy. Li-Fi Combination of low interference and high bandwidths provide high data rate. Is up to 10 times cheaper than Wi-Fi, requires fewer components and uses less energy. Zinc’s crucial role in making legumes News: Researchers in France have discovered that zinc plays a crucial role in the health of legume crops. It could significantly enhance crop yields and improve the resilience of crops to climate change. found that zinc in plants aids in nitrogen fixation, a process where atmospheric nitrogen is converted into ammonia, an essential nutrient for plants. Legume crops form a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia, a bacteria that fixes atmospheric nitrogen in root nodules. 13th edition of Exercise MAITREE India- Thailand Venue: Fort Vachiraprakan in Tak Province of Thailand Last edition was conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya in September 2019. Represented mainly by a Battalion of the LADAKH SCOUTS Exercise will enhance combined capabilities in executing Joint Counter Insurgency/ Terrorist Operations in Jungle and Urban Environment. Also: 16th edition of India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT commenced, at Foreign Training Node, Umroi (Meghalaya). SEBEX 2 The Indian Navy has successfully developed and certified a new explosive with a lethality 2.01 times greater than standard TNT (Trinitrotoluene). Named SEBEX 2, high-performance explosive, developed by Solar Industries, is now among the most powerful non-nuclear explosives in the world. Explosive has been evaluated, tested, and certified by the Indian Navy under its Defence Export Promotion Scheme Explosive performance is gauged by TNT equivalence, with higher values indicating greater lethality. 11 Borneo elephants News: Borneo elephants now classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Distribution: Borneo and Sumatra forests. Xenophrys apatani A team of researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has recorded a new species of forest-dwelling horned frog in Arunachal Pradesh. Recorded from the Talle Wildlife Sanctuary. Has been named after the dominant Apatani community in recognition of their ingenuity in the conservation of wild flora and fauna. (Dree and Myok are their festivals). Air Pollution According to a study in the journal the Lancet Planetary Health, India’s air pollu- tion is elevated even in cities previously thought to have relatively clean air. Found that a significant share of the 33,000 yearly deaths attributable to air pollution in 10 cities examined was recorded in coastal centers like Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai, where air quality is considered to be moderate. Himalayan town of Shimla, which had the cleanest air among the cities studied, 3.7% of all deaths were pollution related. World’s First Brain Implant for Epilepsy Control A UK-based teenager, Oran Knowlson, has become the first person in the world to be fitted with a brain implant to help bring his epileptic seizures under control. Epilepsy, a condition that leads to recurring seizures, sees a person experience jerking of arms and legs, temporary confusion, staring spells, or stiff muscles. Caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. 'Brain-eating amoeba’ News: Kerala boy dies of rare brain-eating amoebain fection; third death in two months. The infection is caused by Naegleria fowleri, also called ‘brain-eating amoeba’, which lives in fresh warm water, such as lakes and rivers. The amoeba infects people when it enters their body through the nose. It travels up to the brain from the nose, where it destroys the brain tissues and results in its swelling. The symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, altered mental status, and seizures. Directions have been given to regularly chlorinate water in swimming pools and water theme parks. Stryker combat vehicles The Army is set to initiate the trials of the US-made Stryker armoured infantry combat vehicles here in both deserts and high-altitude Ladakh soon. Army is looking to procure about 530 infantry combat vehicles. the eight-wheel-drive combat vehicle developed by General Dynamics Land Systems — as one of the joint-production technologies to be pursued as part of the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies. Deployed at: To suit high-altitude areas such as eastern Ladakh, where tensions along the Line of Actual Control have been ongoing between India and China for the past four years. 12 1st-ever indigenous chip-based made in India 4G base station from Signaltron Indian army has inducted the first ever indigenous chip-based 4G mobile base station Developed by Bangalore-based firm Signaltron. Significance: Signaltron has built the entire system indigenously using India’s first chips for 4G and 5G networks developed by Signalchip. This is the first time an Indian system running on an Indian chip for complex communication technology has been inducted into the army. Using indigenous chips gives a high degree of control on the security of the system in its operation Weighing just 7 kgs, Sahyadri Network In a Box (NIB) systems provide high-quality secure wireless communication for audio, video and data applications AI-powered pest forecast platform News: Agritech firm Growero unveils AIpowered pest forecast platform. It will help farmers with judicious use of agro chemicals thus saving them money as well lead to less loading of chemicals into the ecosystem. H3 rocket News: The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) successfully put an advanced observation satellite into orbit via its new flagship H3 rocket. Satellite for disaster response and security. Replanted mangroves store 75% as much carbon News: According to the study, Replanted mangroves store 75% as much carbon. Mangrove ecosystem rehabilitation as a supplement for policy-driven efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas pollution and global warming. About Mangroves: Coastal ecosystem found in tropical and subtropical regions ISFR 2021: Mangrove cover in India is 4992 sq. Km which is 0.15% of the country's total geographical area. MISHTI: Mangrove Initiative for shoreline Habitats & Tangible incomes Distribution: Sunderbans, Andaman, Gujarat & Coastal Regions. DRDO unveils indigenous light tank Zorawar News: India’s Indigenous tanker Zorwar was jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with Larsen & Toubro (L&T). The tank is currently powered by a Cummins engine and DRDO has taken up a project to develop a new engine domestically Light weight, weighing maximum 25 tonnes, is a key requirement of the light tank which ensures it can be transported by air The tank is planned to be handed over to the Army for user trials by August 2025. ‘Rudram-1’ India has successfully test-fired its first indigenous anti-radiation missile, the Rudram-1, developed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) Rudram-1 is integrated with the IAF’s Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets The missile features INS-GPS navigation and a Passive Homing Head for final attack, allowing it to accurately hit radiation-emitting targets. This precision is crucial for Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) operations. 13  The term was first used by the English naturalist and explorer Alfred Russel Wallace in his 1876 book, The Geographical Distribution of Animals. IAF chief inaugurates weapon systems school in Hyderabad Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari inaugurated the newly established Weapon Systems School (WSS) at Air Force Station Begumpet, Hyderabad. The new branch will have four streams: a) Flying stream to operate the weapons and systems in airborne platforms like the Sukhoi-30 MKI and C-130J b) Remote stream to operate remotely piloted aircraft C) Mission commanders and operators for Surface to Air and Surface-to-Surface weapon systems, & d) Intelligence stream for handling space-based intelligence and imagery. Santhal Rebellion Rebellion News: 2024 marks the 169th anniversary of the Santhal Hul Place: Rajmahal hills, Jharkhand Leaders: Revolt against imperialism led by four brothers, Sidho, Kanho, Chand, and Bhairav Murmu, along with sisters Phulo and Jhano. One of the first peasant uprisings against British colonial oppression. Reason: Fought against the upper castes, zamindars, darogas, and moneylenders, described by the umbrella term ‘diku’, in an attempt to safeguard the economic, cultural, and religious aspects of their lives. Karl Marx has referred to it as India's first organised mass revolution in his book Notes on Indian History. Decline: The Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act of 1876 enacted by the British, which prohibits the transfer of Adivasi lands (urban or rural land) to non-Adivasis, was the result of the Hul. The land can only be inherited as per the Act, thus retaining the rights of Santhals to self-govern their land. UNESCO World Heritage Committee session The 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which is being hosted by India from July 21-31, will be held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The 45th session of the committee was held at Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. Smart Cities Mission extended The Centre has extended the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) under the Union Urban Development Ministry till March 31, 2025. Launched in June 2015, 100 cities were chosen through a competition to be developed as smart cities. budget of ₹48,000 crore Hathras Stampede News: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel formed a three-member commission to probe the Hathras stampede incident. 14  APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS General Upendra Dwivedi takes charge as new army chief General Upendra Dwivedi took over as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff from General Manoj Pande who superannuated after more than four decades of service. He was from Sainik School Rewa in Madhya Pradesh Also: Lt. Gen. N. S. Raja Subramani is set to take over as the Vice Chief of Army Staff. Sujata Saunik becomes Maharashtra’s first woman chief secretary Senior IAS officer Sujata Saunik took over as Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary, becoming the first woman in the state’s 64- year-old history to occupy the top post. IAS officer of the 1987 batch, succeeds Nitin Kareer. ❑ Maharashtra: Chief Minister:- Eknath Shinde; Governor: Ramesh Bais; NSCS sees series of changes, Rajinder Khanna promoted as Additional National Security Adviser Pavan Kapoor, Secretary (West) in the External Affairs Ministry, has been appointed Deputy National Security Adviser Rajinder Khanna, Deputy NSA and former chief of India’s external intelligence agency Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW), has been promoted as Additional NSA. There was no Additional NSA so far. Former Border Security Force chief Pankaj Kumar continues as Deputy NSA. Puma India ropes in Gen Z cricketers Riyan Parag, Nitish Kumar Reddy as brand ambassadors Sports brand Puma India, has roped Riyan Parag and Nitish Kumar Reddy Other ambassadors: Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Harmanpreet Kaur, MC Mary Kom. Dr. B.N. Gangadhar appointed as Chairperson of the National Medical Commission Medical Assessment and Rating Board President Dr B N Gangadhar has been appointed the chairperson of the National Medical Commission. The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has also appointed Dr. Rajendra Achyut Badwe, Professor Emeritus at Tata Memorial Centre Mumbai, as a part-time member of the Under- Graduate Medical Education Board for a period of 2 years. ❑ National Medical Commission: Established : on 25 September 2020; ❑ Headquarters: New Delhi; Justice BR Sarangi Takes Oath As Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice, Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi took oath as the 15th Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court. Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan administered the oath of office. Art. 217(1) of the Constitution. 15  Also: President appointed Justice Sheel Nagu, Judge of the High Court of Madhya Pradesh, as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana. ❑ Jharkhand: Chief Minister:- Hemant Soren; Governor;- C.P. Radhakrishnan ; ❑ Capital: Ranchi; Bandhan Bank appoints Ratan Kumar Kesh as interim MD & CEO Ratan Kumar Kesh, executive director and chief operating officer of Bandhan Bank, has been appointed as interim MD & CEO. Approved by RBI. He was formerly with the ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Yes Bank and Axis Bank. ❑ HQ: Kolkata ❑ Tagline: 'Aapka Bhala Sabki Bhalai. IIS officer Dhirendra K Ojha is new principal spokesperson of government Dhirendra Ojha has been appointed as Director General of Press Information Bureau. Mr Ojha will replace Sheyphali Sharan. ❑ Press Information Bureau: Established: in June 1919; Headquarters: New Delhi; BOOKS & AUTHORS “ The Definitive Biography” Manoj Bajpayee, The Definitive Biography has been translated into English by journalist Rohit Vats from Pandey’s original Hindi book titled Kuch Paane Ki Zid. ‘Swaraswamini Asha’ Asha Bhosle's biography, titled Swaraswamini Asha, was launched As a mark of respect, Sonu Nigam washed Asha Bhosle's feet. The biography, a compilation of works by 90 authors. ‘Kargil War: The Turning Point’ Arunachal Pradesh Governor Lt General (Retd) K T Parnaik launched a book titled ‘Kargil War: The Turning Point’ on Kargil War authored by Vir Chakra awardee, the late Colonel M B Ravindranath. OBITUARIES Renowned Albanian novelist Ismail Kadare died at the age of 88 Renowned Albanian novelist Ismail Kadare has died after being rushed to a hospital in Tirana. Kadare became internationally recognised after his novel “The General of the Dead Army” was published in 1963. 16 Veteran Sri Lankan Tamil leader Sampanthan passed away Veteran Sri Lankan Tamil leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, who dedicated his political life to pursuing a just solution to the island nation’s Tamil question, passed away in Colombo. Sampanthan, of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), was a sitting MP from the eastern Trincomalee district and led the Tamil National Alliance. Robert Towne, Oscar-winning writer of ‘Chinatown,’ died at 89 Robert Towne, a screenwriter in the 1970s & Oscar-winning “Chinatown,” and who also built a reputation as a “script doctor” to rescue troubled projects, died in Los Angles. Smriti Biswas, yesteryear actor, passes away at 100 Veteran actor Smriti Biswas died at the age of 100. The actor, best known for her work in Bengali, Hindi, and Marathi films Movies: Nek Dil, Aparajita, Hamsafar, Hamdard, Chitgaon, and Baap Re Baap Jon Landau, Producer of ‘Titanic’ and ‘Avatar,’ Dies at 63 Jon Landau - the Oscar-winning producer of some of the world's highestgrossing movies of all time, including Titanic and Avatar - has died aged 63. IMPORTANT DAYS National Doctor's Day National Doctor's Day is celebrated every year on July 1. 1991 to honour the birth and death anniversary of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. 2024,Theme: “Healing Hands, Caring Hearts GST Day GST Day is celebrated every year on July 1. Atal Bihari Vajpayee - known as the father of GST. Arun Jaitley was the first GST chairman. Assam was the first state in India to pass the GST bill. International Plastic Bag Free Day International Plastic Bag Free Day is celebrated every year on July 3. The International Plastic Bag Free Day aims to discourage the use of plastic bags for 'use-and-throw' purposes be it for food packaging or buying groceries. World Zoonoses Day World Zoonoses Day is celebrated every year on July 6. Zoonosis or Zoonotic diseases refer to the infections or infectious diseases that originate from animals. Be it swine flu or, rabies or bird flu or foodborne infections, a large number of diseases have their origin in animals, which can be fatal for humans. 17 International Day of Cooperatives International Day of Cooperatives is celebrated every year on July 6th Theme: “Cooperatives Building a Better Future for All.” 2025 has been declared the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025) by the United Nations General Assembly. STATES IN NEWS Gorboli language Advisor to the Telangana Government for ST, SC, BC, and Minorities, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, said that the Congress government is committed to taking all necessary measures to protect & promote Gorboli, the language of the Banjara community in Telangana. Banjaras, historically nomadic. Gorboli lacks a written script and has survived solely through oral traditions. 'Lokpath Mobile App' Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav launched the 'Lokpath Mobile App’ through which road problems of the public will be resolved in seven days. Launched in Bhopal & app was developed by MP State Electronic Development Corporation Limited. Kerala’s Pachathuruthu project Kerala’s Chief Minister asserted that the Pachathuruthu initiative of the govern- ment would be the cornerstone of state’s ambitious Net Zero Carbon target. The Pachathuruthu (green space / mini forest) project is an initiative aimed at greening barren land by planting trees and native plants. It focuses on creating natural biological diversity, including fruit trees, to absorb and store excess carbon in the atmosphere The project initiated on June 5, 2019 at Vengode in Pothencode panchayat, Thiruvananthapuram District NATIONALS Representation of Women MPs in Lok Sabha News: Women's representation in the Lok Sabha has gradually increased over the years. The number of women MPs has increased from 11.5% in 2019 to 13.6% in 2024. 1952: 22 women MPs (4.5%) out of 489 total MPs. 1957: 27 women MPs (5.5%) out of 494 total MPs. 2024: 74 women MPs (13.6%) out of 543 total MPs. BJP: 2024: 69 women MPs, 15.3% of party MPs. INC: 2024: 15 women MPs, 13.1% of party MPs TMC: 2024: 14 women MPs, 37.1% of party MPs. TMC success rate: 2024: 9 women elected out of 14 candidates (64.3% success). BJP Success rate : 2024: 31 women elected out of 69 candidates (44.9% success). 18 Three new criminal laws replacing the IPC, CrPC and IEA come into effect News: As the new criminal laws are implemented from July 1st, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the laws will be applicable for cases if the date of crime is on or after July 1, 2024. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) that has replaced the colonialera criminal codes Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC), the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (IEA). Highlights: New Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has 358 Sections against the 511 in the Indian Penal Code Provision for Zero FIR allowing Online registration of police complaints Judgment in criminal cases has to come within 45 days of completion of the trial Provisions against false promise of marriage Mob lynching Death sentence or life imprisonment for gang rape of a minor First-ever floating solar plant of Indian Railways The Central Railway has installed a floating solar plant of 10 MWp capacity in the Igatpuri lake located in the Western Ghats, a first-of-its-kind initiative. Committed to leveraging renewable energy sources, utilising solar power, installing wind-energy resources, providing adequate passenger amenities and contributing significantly towards the railways' goal of a "green Earth". MWp stands for Megawatt Peak, which is a measure of the maximum potential output of power. eSankhyiki Portal News: Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) Launches eSankhyiki Portal Why: Enhanced User Experience and Ease of Data Access. To provide real-time inputs for planners, policy-makers, researchers and the public at large. To establish a comprehensive data management and sharing system for ease of dissemination of official statistics in the country. It has two modules: a) Data Catalogue Module: Allows users to search within datasets, including within tables, & download data of interest to increase its value and re-usability. b) Macro Indicators Module: features for filtering and visualizing data enabling ease of access for the users. Prehistoric ostrich shells in Andhra Pradesh News: The discovery of a 41,000-year-old ostrich nest by a team of archaeologists in Prakasam, Andhra Pradesh could provide key information about the extinction of megafauna in the Indian subcontinent. Unearthed the world’s oldest known ostrich nest The nest has a width of 9-10 feet, and was once home to 9-11 eggs, although it was capable of holding 30-40 eggs at a time Megafauna used to describe animals weighing more than 50 kg. 19  The panel will be headed by a retired judge of Allahabad High Court, Justice Brijesh Kumar Srivastav and will include two other members — retired IPS officers Hemant Rao and Bhavesh Kumar Singh. Stampede - disruption of orderly movement of crowds. Odisha resorts to palm tree planting to combat lightning deaths Odisha, one of India’s worst-affected states by lightning strikes during the premon- soon & monsoon periods, has restricted the cutting of existing palm trees and plans to plant around 1.9 million such trees to reduce casualties from lightning strikes. Palm trees act as natural conductors during lightning strikes and prevent loss of lives. Digital India Mission Completion of 9 years of the Digital India initiative Launched in 2015 aims to transform India into a digitally empowered society Strengthening digital infrastructure, delivering services digitally, and promoting digital financial inclusion. Implementation: Department of Electronics and Information Technology Internet users: As per the data, 95.76 million internet subscribers were added in rural areas, while 92.81 million were added in urban areas between 2019-2021. Digilocker share and access any documents and certificates digitally since its launch. Pradhan Mantri Grammen Digital Sakshata Abhiyan: Launched in 2017. Promoting digital literacy in rural India. Resulted in improved accessibility, connectivity, affordability, and inclusivity pan-India. NIRMAN Portal News: Union Minister for Coal and Mines, Shri G Kishan Reddy launched a portal “Noble Initiative for Rewarding Mains Aspirants of National Civil Services Examination (NIRMAN)” in New Delhi. Alignment with the vision “Mission Karmayogi”. Unique CSR scheme by Coal India Limited for meritorious youth of its operating districts who have qualified the Preliminary round of UPSC examination (for Civil Services & Forest Service) in 2024 The scheme is aimed towards providing support of Rs 1 Lakh to the Preliminary examination qualified candidates with annual family income less than 8 lakhs & belonging to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, female or third gender; who are permanent residents of any of the 39 operational districts of CIL. Zika virus - reported from Maharashtra News: The Union Health Ministry issued an advisory to all States, highlighting the need for maintaining a constant vigil. Urged to focus on screening pregnant women for the Zika virus, and monitor the growth of the foetus Zika is an Aedes mosquito-borne viral disease like dengue and chikungunya. Though non-fatal, Zika is associated with microcephaly (a condition where the head is much smaller than expected) in babies born to affected pregnant women No vaccine available to prevent or medicine Meghalaya declines 'mandir' tag for Ayushman health centres News: After Mizoram and Nagaland, Meghalaya has refused to rename the health and wellness 20 centres in the State as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. About 75% of the population in Meghalaya follows Christianity. The percentage of Christians in Mizoram and Nagaland is about 90%. Last year, Union health Minister decided to rename Ayushmann Bharat health & wellness centres as Ayushmann Arogya Mandir with the tagline, Arogya parmam dhanam' (health is the greatest wealth) Health is the state subject ‘Sampoornata Abhiyan’ NITI Aayog is launching ‘Sampoornata Abhiyan’, a 3-month campaign from 4th July – 30th September 2024 To undertake a sustained effort to achieve saturation of 6 key indicators in Aspirational Districts and 6 key indicators in Aspirational Blocks across the country. 6 key indicators are: a) Percentage of pregnant women registered for Antenatal Care (ANC) within the first trimester b) Percentage of persons screened for Diabetes against the targeted population in the Block c) Percentage of persons screened for Hypertension against the targeted population in the Block d) Percentage of pregnant women taking Supplementary Nutrition under the ICDS Programme regularly. e) Percentage of Soil Health Cards generated against the soil sample collection target. f) Percentage of SHGs that have received a Revolving Fund against the total SHGs in the block. National policy on FPOs News: Recently, National policy on Farmer Producer Organisations proposed by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Why: to consolidate existing and establish 50,000 FPOs which benefit 2.50 crore farmers. FPOs means: formed for the purpose of leveraging collectives through economies of scale in production and marketing of agricultural and allied sector to ensure better income for the producers FPO Eligibility: Minimum 300 members in areas other than North East/hilly/UTs (100 in North East/ hilly/UTs). Registered as legal entity either under Companies Act 2013 or under any law relating to Cooperative Society Must register with FPO Registry Portal, maintained by Central Government. CITIIS 2.0 City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) project. Programme under the ambit of the Smart Cities Mission MoHUA. Aims to promote integrated waste management and climate-oriented reform actions Implemented in 18 cities which would be selected based on a competition Span over a period of four years from 2023-2027 Would be implemented in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the European Union (EU), and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) The funding for CITIIS 2.0 would include a loan of Rs 1760 crore from AFD and KfW, split equally, and a technical assistance grant of Rs 106 crore from the European Union. Eligibility of cities: All 100 Smart Cities chosen under the Smart Cities Mission of the Government of India are eligible to apply. 21  18 cities are: Agartala, Agra, Bareilly, Belagavi, Bilaspur, Guwahati, Jabalpur, Jaipur, Madurai, Muzzafarpur, New Town Kolkata, Panaji, Rajkot, Srinagar, T'thapuram, Thanjavur, Udaipur, & Ujjain. AK-203 assault rifles News: Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited, a joint venture between the two countries, has produced and transferred 35,000 Kalashnikov AK-203 assault rifles to the Indian Ministry of Defence. First phase of the project to produce AK-203 Kalashnikov assault rifles in India. Production at: Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh state. The AK-203 assault rifle is a version of the AK-200 rifle chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Under an over ₹5000 crore contract signed in July 2021, over 6.1 lakh AK-203 assault rifles are to be manufactured in India with technology transfer from Russia, by a joint venture Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL). The IRRPL was set up in 2019 Defence production hit record high of nearly ₹1.27 lakh crore in 2023-24 News: The country recorded its highest ever growth in indigenous defence production in value terms during Financial Year (FY) 2023-24. the value of defence production in the country has gone up to a record-high figure of ₹1,26,887 crore, reflecting a growth of 16.7% over the defence production of the previous financial year The value of defence production in FY 2022-23 was ₹1,08,684 crore. SEHER SEHER, a credit education program launched by the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and TransUnion CIBIL AIM: Will empower women entrepreneurs in India with financial literacy content and business skills Helping them to access the financial tools they need to drive further growth and create employment in the country’s economy. The WEP is a public-private partnership platform incubated at Niti Aayog and aims to create an enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurs in India. According to the Udyam Registration Portal (URP) of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), India has 63 million micro, small, and medium enterprises of which 20.5% are womenowned, employing as many as 27 million people. Indo-French Liver and Metabolic Disease Network (InFLiMeN) News: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched Indo-French Liver and Metabolic Disease Network in New Delhi It aims to prevent and cure metabolic liver diseases at Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences Every third Indian has fatty liver, which predates Type 2 Diabetes and other metabolic disorders InFLiMeN, aims to address key issues related to a common metabolic liver disorder, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. 22