1 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been awarded the Lokmanya Tilak National Award for his outstanding contribution to the progress of the country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been honored with the Lokmanya Tilak National Award for his outstanding contribution to the progress of the country. He was given this award at a function held in Pune. Shri Modi launched Metro services on two corridors of Pune Metro Phase-I. The Prime Minister inaugurated a waste-to-energy plant under Pinpari Chinchwad Municipal Corporation. Under the Housing for All Mission, Shri Modi inaugurated more than one thousand two hundred and eighty houses built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. The Prime Minister handed over more than two and a half thousand houses to the beneficiaries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated several development projects in Pune, Maharashtra. He also laid the foundation stone of more than seven thousand houses for the poor.
2 Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Secretary Apoorva Chandra released the book Yojana Classic at the Publications Department’s stall at the Delhi Book Fair-2023 in New Delhi
Apoorva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting released Pustak Yojana Classic at the Publications Department ‘s stall at the ongoing Delhi Book Fair-2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi . Information and Broadcasting Secretary said that the book throws light on India’s cultural heritage, art and architecture, glorious history and remarkable contribution of national leaders. The Scheme Classic of the Publications Division of the Government of India is a series of information on various subjects and areas. It contains a collection of selected articles published by the magazine scheme since 1957 . The 27th edition of the book fair is being organized by the India Trade Promotion Organization from July 29 to August 2 at Pragati Maidan.
3 Biodiversity Amendment Bill-2023 passed in Rajya Sabha
With the passage of the Biodiversity Amendment Bill-2023 in the Rajya Sabha, the Bill has been passed by the Parliament. Lok Sabha has already approved. The Bill aims to promote research on medicinal plants , encourage production of plant-based drugs and bring benefits to local individuals involved in forest produce . This bill will amend the Biological Diversity Act-2002 to simplify the requirements for domestic companies.
4 Banknotes with star (*) mark are like any other legal tender: RBI
Allaying concerns over the validity of currency notes bearing the star (*) symbol, the Reserve Bank of India has said that the banknotes bearing the star (*) symbol on the number panel are completely authentic and have the same value as any other legal tender . In the wake of debate on social media platforms regarding the validity of banknotes bearing the symbol on the number panel, the RBI said in a statement that there is nothing to worry about as such notes are legal tender. The RBI said that the star (*) mark affixed on the number panel of the note is an identifier indicating that the note has been replaced by a printing mistake in a packet of 100 pieces of sequentially numbered banknotes. Is. These replacement banknotes are put into circulation to ensure that the overall quality and integrity of the money supply is maintained.
5 The Patna High Court upheld the caste survey being conducted by the Bihar government
The Patna High Court has upheld the caste census being conducted by the Bihar government. Chief Justice K. A bench of Vinod Chandran and Justice Partha Sarathi delivered the verdict on various petitions challenging the caste-based census. The census was to be done in two phases. Under the first phase, the state government started its process in January. The second phase of the census began on April 15, with a focus on collecting data related to caste and socio-economic conditions of people. The entire process was planned to be completed by May this year. But, on May 4, the High Court stayed this caste-based census.
6 The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of the Provisions) Bill, 2023
Recently the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 was passed in the Lok Sabha during the monsoon session and the purpose of this bill is to increase the ease of living and doing business. The Bill proposes to decriminalize 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts administered by 19 Ministries/Departments , including environment, agriculture, media, industry, trade, information technology, copyright, motor vehicles, cinematography, food safety Various fields like etc. The main objective of this bill is to decriminalize such minor offenses which do not pose any threat to public interest or national security and to provide for civil penalties or administrative action in their place. The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 22, 2022, after which it was referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament. To rationalize criminal provisions to reduce undue pressure on the judicial system. To rectify technical and procedural lapses without imposing severe penalties. To strike a balance between the gravity of the offense and the punishment prescribed. To promote the growth of businesses by removing barriers and promoting a conducive legal environment.
7 Dongria Kondh Tribe
The Dongaria Kondh tribe living in the Niyamgiri hills of Odisha are facing potential threats due to the proposed amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, raising concerns regarding the protection of their ancestral land and cultural identity . The Dongaria Kondh tribe is one of the 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Odisha, India. Proposed Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 Definition of ‘forest’ as laid down by the Supreme Court of India in the year 1996 tries to change. As per the amendment, the Forest Conservation Act of 2023 will apply only to notified ‘forest’ areas as per the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and government records from October 25, 1980. About 95% of Niyamgiri’s land is not classified as ‘forest’ in government records. The amendment could potentially open a window for transfer of land not classified as ‘forest’ in government records for other purposes, which could affect the Niyamgiri hill range and other forest areas in Odisha.
8 MSME Rupay Credit Card
Recently Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in collaboration with National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched MSME RuPay Credit on a pilot basis across India for enterprise registered MSMEs. Card launched. MSME RuPay Credit Card provides a simple payment mechanism to MSMEs for their business related operational expenses such as digital payments, utility bill payments, tax/statutory payments etc. MSME borrowers can also avail interest free loan period on their business expenses as per the policy of the bank. NPCI, a premier organization for operating retail payment and settlement systems in India, has been incorporated under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) to build a robust payment and settlement infrastructure in India. IBA) is an initiative of
9 NHPC and ALIMCO sign MoU to provide assistive devices to Divyangjan
NHPC Limited and Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) have signed an MoU, for distribution of aids and assistive devices to approximately 1,000 Divyangjans in the vicinity of NHPC projects located in North and North-Eastern States . NHPC will provide CSR support. Under the CSR initiative of NHPC, the MoU was signed on 1st August, 2023 at NHPC Corporate Office, Faridabad.
10 C-DOT signs consortium agreement with industry partners for ‘Collaborative development of stand-alone solution for 5G Radio Access Network’
Center for Development of Telematics (C-DOT ) , the premier Telecom R&D Center of the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) has signed a consortium agreement with industry partners for ‘ Collaborative development of stand-alone solution for 5G Radio Access Network ‘ . These industry partners include Lekha Wireless Solutions Pvt Ltd, Signaltron Systems Pvt Ltd, Sukta Consulting Pvt Ltd and Resonous Technologies Pvt Ltd. Consortium partners are companies engaged in the development of radio communication products with expertise in providing radio access network solutions for 5G, LTE, etc.
11 Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar takes over as Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, ENC
Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar , AVSM, VSM took over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) on 01 Aug 2023 at a grand ceremonial parade held at the Naval Base . Vice Admiral Pendharkar inspected the Ceremonial Guard and reviewed the platoon of Naval and DSC personnel represented by various ships and establishments of the ENC. The ceremony was attended by all Flag Officers and Commanding Officers of ships, submarines and establishments. The Flag Officer has been awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service.
12 Major General Amita Rani takes charge as Additional Director General, MNS
Major General Amita Rani assumed charge as Additional Director General in the Military Nursing Service (MNS) on August 1, 2023 . An alumnus of General Officer Nursing College, Army Hospital (R&R), Delhi. Prior to being posted to this post, she was Brigadier at MNS, HQ (NC). The General Officer joined the Military Nursing Service in 1983.
13 Cross-border wildfires: Eagle Bluff threatens Osoyoos and British Columbia
Recently, a forest fire in Washington , USA , initially named ‘ Lone Pine Creek ‘, has crossed the border into the Canadian province of British Columbia . The rapid spread of the fire is estimated to cover 885 hectares (2,200 acres) in Canada and about 2,000 hectares in the United States. It has been named ‘ Eagle Bluff ‘. British Columbia as well as other parts of Canada are already battling a drought that has resulted in several wildfires in the country through July 2023. The event was reminiscent of the 2021 forest fires in British Columbia, which were attributed to a heat dome in the Pacific Northwest .
14 MPLADS Fund Allocation for COVID-19 Relief
Recently the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation during a written reply in Rajya Sabha provided valuable information about the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) . The MPLADS scheme enables Members of Parliament (MPs) to recommend developmental works in their constituencies based on locally felt needs with emphasis on creation of durable community assets. The annual allocation under the MPLAD scheme has remained unchanged since the financial year 2011-12. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rs 6,320 crore was allocated to the Finance Ministry from MPLADS funding for FY 2020-21 and FY 2021-22.
15 Record over 6.77 crore ITRs filed for the year 2023-24
For the year 2023-24 , a record more than six crore 77 lakh Income Tax Returns-ITRs have been filed. The Central Board of Direct Taxes-CBDT informed that the total number of ITRs filed till yesterday is 16 per cent higher than the previous financial year i.e. five crore 83 lakhs. Yesterday, on the last day, more than 64 lakh returns were filed in a single day. Over 53 lakh ITRs received from first time return filers. The CBDT said that more than 46 per cent of these ITRs have been filed using the online ITR facility on the e-filing portal.
16 Scientists revive an insect frozen 46,000 years ago
Five years ago, scientists discovered two frozen organisms , microscopic nematodes, in Siberia . discovered and revived them. A recent study published in the journal PLOS Genetics reveals important findings about these ancient creatures, showing that these worms are 46,000 years old. This study provides valuable insight into the incredible phenomenon of cryptobiosis. Cryptobiosis is a state of excessive dormancy in response to adverse environmental conditions. In the cryptobiotic state, all metabolic processes stop, allowing reproduction, Growth and healing stop. Organisms can survive extreme conditions by entering a dormant state where they halt their life processes, living between life and death. This study significantly extends the documented cryptobiosis period in nematodes to thousands of years. The remarkable ability of ancient worms to survive hibernation has profound implications for evolutionary studies and understanding of species adaptation, shedding light on how animals adapt to habitat changes caused by climate change. We do.
17 Scotsman James Skea elected new IPCC chair in Nairobi
James Ferguson ‘Jim’ Skea has been elected as the new Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), defeating United States Vice President Thelma Krug in a run-off. Skia won 90 votes while Krug won 69 votes. Krug, an IPCC vice-chair and former researcher at Brazil’s National Space Institute, narrowly missed out on becoming the IPCC’s first female chair.
18 India’s GDP to reach $6 trillion by 2030: Standard Chartered Research
Standard Chartered ‘s India research team has forecast a transformative growth trajectory for India’s economy, which is expected to reach $6 trillion by 2030 . This remarkable achievement has been supported by various factors, including significant growth in per capita income and strong structural growth drivers. India’s stable macroeconomic environment further strengthens its position as a leading global economy.
19 Pixels wins IDEX grant to develop satellite for Indian Air Force
Renowned space-tech startup Pixel , which is backed by renowned entities like Google, Blume Ventures, and Omnivore VC , has been awarded a significant grant from iDEX (Innovations for Defense Excellence) set up by the Indian Ministry of Defence . The grant will give Pixel the prospect of developing small, multipurpose satellites for the Indian Air Force , contributing to India’s ambitious space and defense plans. This grant is part of the Mission Defspace Challenge under the iDEX Prime (Space) initiative.
20 600 million year old river drops found in the Himalayas
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Niigata University of Japan have made an amazing discovery by finding water droplets from the Himalayas embedded in rocks. These water droplets are believed to have come from an ancient sea that existed about 600 million years ago. Are. Water droplets found within the minerals have signatures of both sea and freshwater, indicating a chain-reaction caused by a series of complex geological processes that occurred hundreds of millions of years ago. These processes triggered significant changes on Earth, shaping its history and evolution. According to scientific belief, around 700 to 500 million years ago, the Earth was covered during a polar ice age or ‘Snowball Earth glaciation’. Following this event, the second great oxygenation event occurred, which significantly increased the oxygen level in Earth’s atmosphere. This increase of oxygen played an important role in the development of complex life forms.
21 Indian archers win seven medals, including three gold, at the World University Games in Chengdu, China
Indian archers won seven medals, including three gold, at the World University Games in Chengdu , China . India won three gold medals in compound archery . Sangampreet Singh Bisla secured the first position in the men’s individual event. Bisla beat Christian Biers de Klerk of South Africa by 149 points against 147. Avneet Kaur won the gold medal in the women’s individual event. Avneet defeated America’s Alyssa Grace Sturgill in a shoot-off to win the women’s individual compound event title. After the main match, their score was equal to 144-144. Aman Saini and Pragati Aimed for the gold medal in the mixed team event. Won the only silver medal in India in the women’s team event. Apart from this, the compound archery team won a bronze medal in the men’s team event and Saini in the individual category. Recurve Archery The only bronze medal came in the women’s team event. India remained fourth in the medals tally with nine gold, three silver and five bronze medals. China is at number one with 17 gold. After that both South Korea and Japan tied by winning 10-10 gold medals.
