Current Affairs 17th July 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

World Day for International Justice

• Every year on17 July is celebrated as World Day for International Justice because this day is the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute in 1998.
• It is also known as International Criminal Justice Day or International Justice Day.
• The aim of the day is to promote international criminal justiceand as a way of supporting the work of the ICC.

World Emoji Day: July 17

• Since the time social media apps have become popular among the masses, the use of emojis has increased rapidly. Emojis have now become a part of our day-to-day life, as we all use one or many emojis to express our emotions during the day.
• An emoji, a small digital picture representing an idea, expression, look or reaction is now used widely to express a variety of our emotions.
• Keeping in mind the importance of these digital pictures representing our emotions to someone, July 17 is celebrated as the World Emoji Day. The World Emoji Day 2020 is celebrated across the globe since 2014.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

HRD Minister Launches First Online NISHTHA Programme For 1,200 Key Resources Persons Of Andhra

• Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank launched virtually the first online National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) programme for 1,200 key resources persons of Andhra Pradesh, in New Delhi.
• NISHTHA is organised at the elementary stage under Samagra Shiksha, a Centrally sponsored flagship programme of MHRD to improve learning outcomes.
• Thereafter, 33 states and union territories launched this programme in collaboration under Samagra Shiksha.
• Andhra Pradesh is the first state for which the government is launching the online NISHTHA programme for 1,200 key resources persons through the NISHTHA portal. These resource persons will help in the mentoring of teachers of Andhra Pradesh, who will take online NISHTHA training on DIKSHA later on.
• The modules developed under NISHTHA focus on the holistic development of children and hence include curriculum and inclusive education health and well-being, personal social qualities, art integrated learning, initiatives in school education, subject-specific pedagogies, ICT in teaching-learning, leadership, pre-school education and pre-vocational education. All the modules are centered around learning outcomes and learner-centered pedagogy.
• These modules are made interactive with reflective and engaging activities for teachers providing space to educational games and quizzes for joyful learning by the teachers and school heads, which in turn will motivate teachers to implement this in their classroom for enhancing students’ learning outcomes.

About AP

• Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan
• Chief minister: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy

Govt announces ‘Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund’ of Rs 15,000 crore

• The government announced an ‘Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund’ worth Rs 15,000 crore to support private investment in dairy processing, value addition and cattle feed infrastructure.
• It aims to incentivise investment by individual entrepreneurs, private companies, MSMEs, Farmers Producers Organisation (FPOs) and Section 8 companies to establish dairy and meat processing and value addition infrastructure as well as animal feed plants.
• As per the guidelines, the project under AHIDF would be eligible for loan up to 90 per cent of estimated cost from scheduled banks. The Centre will provide 3 per cent interest subsidy on these loans.
• AHIDF has been set up as MSMEs and private companies also need to be promoted and incentivised for their involvement in processing and value addition infrastructure.
• The eligible beneficiaries under the scheme would be FPOs, MSMEs, Section 8 companies, private companies and individual entrepreneurs with minimum 10 per cent margin money contribution by them. The balance 90 per cent would be the loan component to be made available by scheduled banks.
• The Centre will provide 3 per cent interest subvention to eligible beneficiaries. There will be 2-year moratorium for principal loan amount and 6-year repayment period thereafter.
• The central government would also set up Credit Guarantee Fund of Rs 750 crore to be managed by NABARD. Credit guarantee would be provided to those sanctioned projects which are covered under MSME defined ceilings
• The beneficiaries intending to invest for establishing dairy and meat processing and value addition infrastructure or strengthening of the existing infrastructure can apply for loan in the scheduled bank through “Udyami Mitra” portal of SIDBI.
• As much as Rs 10,000 crore will be provided for fishermen through Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). For promoting herbal cultivation, Rs 4,000 crore National Medicinal Plants Fund will be started to help 10 lakh hectares to be covered under herbal cultivation.
• Also, Operation Greens will be extended from tomato, onion and potato to all fruit and vegetables by providing 50 per cent subsidy on transportation and storage of these commodities

About  Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries 

• Minister of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries: Giriraj Singh
• Constituency: Nawada, Bihar.

Ministry of Finance releases Rs 15,187 crore as grants-in-aid to 2.63 lakh Rural Local Bodies

• Ministry of Finance has released an amount of over 15 thousand and 187 crore rupees as grants-in-aid to 63 lakh Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) spread in 28 States of the country.
• The amount was released upon the recommendation of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Jal Shakti Ministry. This grants-in-aid forms part of the Tied Grant as recommended by the 15th  Finance Commission for the Financial Year 2020-21.
• It will be used by RLBs to facilitate taking up of various developmental work concerning supply of drinking water, rain water harvesting, water recycling, sanitation and maintenance of Open Defecation Free status which are national priorities.
• Union Minister of Panchayati Raj, Narendra Singh Tomar stated that the release of this fund to the Rural Local Bodies signifies the most appropriate timing when they are fighting the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic situation.
• He stated, availability of the fund with the RLBs will boost their effectiveness in delivery of basic services to the rural citizens. Mr Tomar stated it would also empower them in providing gainful employment to migrant laborers who have returned to their native places owing to COVID-19 pandemic situation as well as in augmenting rural infrastructure in a constructive way.

About Ministry of Finance     

• Nirmala Sitharaman, Cabinet Minister
• Anurag Thakur, Minister of State for Finance

India lifted 271 mn people out of poverty between FY06-16, says UN report

• About 273 million Indians moved out of multidimensional poverty between 2005-6 and 2015-16, according to a UN report, which noted that India has recorded the largest reduction in the number of people living in this category.
• The data, released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), shows that 65 out of 75 countries studied significantly reduced their multidimensional poverty levels between 2000 and 2019.
• Multidimensional poverty encompasses the various deprivations experienced by poor people in their daily lives such as poor health, lack of education, inadequate living standards, poor quality of work, the threat of violence, and living in areas that are environmentally hazardous, among others.
• Of the 65 countries that reduced their Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) value, 50 also reduced the number of people living in poverty.
• The largest reduction was in India, where approximately 273 million people moved out of multidimensional poverty over 10 years, the report stated.
• The report stated that four countries – Armenia (20102015/2016), India (2005/20062015/2016), Nicaragua (20012011/2012) and North Macedonia (2005/20062011) halved their global MPIT value and did so in 5.5-10.5 years.
• MPIT is the Multidimensional Poverty Index estimate that is based on harmonized indicator definitions for strict comparability over time.

About United Nations:

• Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
• Founded: 24 October 1945,
• Secretary general: António Guterres

Shripad Naik inaugurates Conference on Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Technologies

• Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik has stated that Indian Defence and Aerospace industry is on the threshold of transformation, under the several initiatives of Government  to promote ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ Abhiyaan.
• Mr Naik was delivering his inaugural address at the Fifth Edition of the Conference on Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Technologies in New Delhi. The theme of the conference was  Empowering India with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Mission’.
• Mr Naik exhorted that the Indian Aerospace and Defence Industry has to rise to the occasion to shoulder greater responsibility in making the nation self-reliant in Defence Production and achieve 26 billion US Dollar domestic production by 2025. The target is the stated objective of the Defence Production Policy. He stated, in recent years, the defence sector has grown extensively.
• It has increased at a Compound Annual Growth Rate  of 9.7 per cent from 2008 to 2016, reaching current levels of  83 billion US dollars in the year 2017-18. He further stated,  the Aerospace and Defence industry in India is estimated to reach around 70 billion dollar by 2030.
• The webinar was jointly organized by Tamil Nadu Technology Development and  Promotion Centre, Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers  and the Confederation of Indian Industry.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

India-Bhutan Open New Trade Route To Facilitate Connectivity Between Two Countries

• India and Bhutan have opened a new trade route between Jaigaon in West Bengal and Pasakha in Bhutan.
• This link between Jaigaon and Ahlay, Pasakha will facilitate connectivities between our two countries in these COVID 19 times, further strengthening our special relationship. A step forward!” Ambassador of India to Bhutan, Ruchira Kamboj stated.
• Indian Embassy in Thimpu stated an additional Land Customs station has been opened at Ahllay, Pasakha by the Government of India on July 15.
• This new land route for movement of industrial raw materials and goods destined for Pasakha Industrial Estate will boost bilateral trade and commerce and lead to decongestion of vehicular traffic along the Jaigaon-Phuentsholing route, the release stated.

About Bhutan:

• Capital: Thimphu
• Prime minister: Lotay Tshering
• Currency: Ngultrum (BTN)

Boeing receives $916 mn deal to support International Space Station for 4 years

• Boeing announced that it has won an almost one billion dollar contract to support the operations of the International Space Station (ISS) through to 2024.
• Boeing, NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) lead industry partner for the ISS since 1993, will continue supporting the celebrated orbiting laboratory through September of 2024 under a $916 million contract extension awarded, the release state
• Under the terms of the contract, Boeing will provide engineering support services, resources and personnel for activities aboard the ISS and manage many of the station’s systems, the release stated.
• Work will be done at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston; the John F. Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida; and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as other locations around the world, the release added.
• Congress, NASA and its international partners have agreed to extend ISS operations to at least 2024. Recent structural analysis shows that the spacecraft continues to be safe and mission-capable.

About Boeing

• CEO: Dave Calhoun
• Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, United States

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

ICRA Sees India Real GDP Contract By Almost Double Digits In FY21

• Rating agency ICRA sharply revised its forecast for the contraction in the Indian economy to 5% in the 2020-’21 financial year from its earlier estimate of 5%. The rating agency cited rising coronavirus cases and the localised lockdown to rein in the pandemic for the downward revision.
• The Indian economy had started to recover from the troughs experienced in April 2020, when the lockdown was at its severest, and many sectors seemed to be adjusting to a new normal, stated Aditi Nayar, principal economist at ICRA.
• ICRA, however, expect the rural economy to partly counter the slowdown in the urban economy. “The monsoon rainfall recorded a timely onset, and the rains covered the entire country well ahead of the normal date,” it stated.
• Benefitting from favourable moisture conditions, seasonally high reservoir levels, and returnee labourers at least in some parts of the country, kharif sowing was 44.1% higher than the year-ago level, as on July 10, 2020, and more than half of the 2019 kharif acreage had been covered. “We continue to expect agricultural GVA [gross value added] to rise by 3.5-4.0% in FY 21.” it stated.

About ICRA:

• Headquarters: Gurgaon
• Arun Duggal: Non-Executive chairman and independent director.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES

Telangana Police Launch ‘CybHER’ Campaign To Tackle Cybercrime Against Women, Children

• Telangana Police launched a month-long virtual awareness campaign ‘CybHER’ in the wake of cybercrime against the women and children in the state.
• Women Safety Wing, Telangana Police has launched ‘CybHER’ campaign, to make cyberspace safe for women and children.
• SHE teams are constituted to handle eve-teasing cases and ‘Bharosa’ is the centre for assisting women to deal with legal matters and to provide shelter to victims of trafficking.
• This virtual awareness campaign covers a multitude of themes pertaining to cyber safety and aims to create awareness and offer proactive measures.

About Telangana

• Capital: Hyderabad
• Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao
• Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan

Punjab Police to hire civilian domain experts to deal with complex probes

• The Punjab council of ministers gave the go-ahead for the state police department to recruit civilian domain experts in the areas of information technology (IT), legal forensics and finance to deal with complex investigations.
• Punjab will be India’s first state to recruit civilians as domain experts in its police force.
• At least 798 specialists will be hired directly as plainclothes support staff in the department’s Bureau of Investigation (BoI) which will get a qualitative edge with the induction of a total of 4,251 personnel across different ranks as part of a restructuring of the police department.
• The decision was taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh through a video-conference. This will bring about a qualitative change in the investigation process, especially in the drug cases, the spokesperson claimed.
• The BoI will mainly deal with five types of criminal cases of serious nature — homicide and forensic, crimes against women and children, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, special crimes and economic offences and cyber crimes. These constitute around 14-15% of the total crimes committed in the state.
• The restructuring will enable the BoI to make direct recruitments of sub-inspectors (SIs), head constables and constables “in a revenue-neutral manner by abolishing 4,849 existing posts” so that there is no additional financial burden on the state exchequer, the spokesperson added.
• As per the provisional plan, direct recruitment of 1,481 cops (297 SIs, 811 head constables and 373 constables) will be made.

About Punjab:

• Capital: Chandigarh
• Chief minister: Amarinder Singh
• Governor: V. P. Singh Badnore

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS

CCI approves Aceso Company’s acquisition of 58.92 pc stake in HealthCare Global Enterprises

• The Competition Commission has given its nod to Aceso Company Pte Ltd’s acquisition of 92 per cent stake in HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd.
• HealthCare Global Enterprises and its group are engaged in providing services through cancer treatment clinics, multispecialty hospitals, fertility treatment centres, apart from others, while Aceso Company forms a part of the CVC Network.
• The CVC Network consists of CVC Capital Partners SICAV-FIS S.A. and its subsidiaries, and CVC Capital Partners Advisory Group Holding Foundation and its subsidiaries, which are privately owned entities whose activities include providing investment advice and managing investments on behalf of certain investment funds and platforms.

About HCG

• Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka
• Chairman and Chief Executive Officer: BS Ajai Kumar

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU

NTPC, NIIF to jointly explore business opportunities in India

• State-run power generator NTPC and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) will now jointly explore business opportunities in India.
• NIIF will be acting through National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Ltd (NIIFL) to explore opportunities for investments in areas of mutual interest with NTPC, such as renewable energy and power distribution.
• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the same was signed. The partnership aims to bring together NTPC’s technical expertise and NIIF’s ability to raise capital, and bring in global best practices by leveraging existing relationships with leading players, stated an NTPC statement.
• NTPC group has a total installed capacity of 62,110 MW. It targets to have nearly 30 GW of its overall power generation capacity from renewable energy sources by 2032.
• NIIFL manages over $4.3 billion of equity capital commitments across its three funds — Master Fund, Fund of Funds and Strategic Opportunities Fund, each with its distinct investment strategy. It is a collaborative investment platform for international and Indian investors, anchored by the Central government.
• NIIFL invests across asset classes such as infrastructure, private equity and other diversified sectors in India, with the objective of generating attractive, risk-adjusted returns for its investors. The NIIF Master Fund is the largest infrastructure fund in the country and invests in core infrastructure sectors such as transportation and energy, the statement added.

About NTPC:

• Founded: 1975
• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Chairman and managing director: Shri Gurdeep Singh

About NIIFL:

• Headquarters: Mumbai, India
• CEO: Sujoy Bose

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

SBI Card gets new MD & CEO in Ashwini Kumar Tewari

• SBI Cards and Payment Services, the country’s second-largest credit card issuer, has a new Managing Director & CEO, Ashwini Kumar Tewari.
• He will assume charge of his new role on August 1. State Bank of India (SBI), the controlling shareholder in SBI Card, has appointed Tewari for a period of two years. Tewari was Country Head of SBI’s US operations at New York.
• At SBI Card, Tewari would replace Hardayal Prasad, who would demit office on July 31 owing to his voluntary retirement from SBI.

Shiv Nadar retires, daughter Roshni becomes HCL Technologies chairperson                        

• Roshni Nadar Malhotra was appointed the chairperson of HCL Technologies, the IT services company stated. She replaces her father Shiv Nadar, who would continue as managing director and hold the designation of Chief Strategy Officer.
• Malhotra, 38, until recently the chief executive officer and non-executive director of the company, is one of the richest women in the country. IIFL Wealth Hurun rankings in 2019 estimated her wealth at Rs 36,800 crore.
• Malhotra runs the company’s philanthropic arm and she is also the founder and trustee of The Habitats Trust, a foundation working towards protecting habitats and their indigenous species, a Forbes profile stated.
• She has an MBA from Kellogg School of Management and an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, the Wall Street Journal stated in an executive profile last year.

About HCL technologies:

• CEO: C Vijayakumar
• Headquarters: Noida

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING

India Ranks Third In Global Manufacturing Risk Index: Cushman & Wakefield Report

• India ranks third in the list of most-suitable locations for global manufacturing among 48 countries in terms of cost competitiveness and operating conditions, according to property consultant Cushman & Wakefield.
• China and the U.S. retain the top two positions, while India has moved one place higher to rank third.
• In cost scenario, India is at 3rd position after China and Vietnam. However, India ranks 30th in risk scenario. Countries that present lower levels of political and economic risks are ranked higher.
• The annual Global MRI scores each country against 20 variables that make up the three final weighted rankings that cover conditions, cost and risk.

India among top ten nations in intellectual property filings

• As per World Intellectual Property Indicators-2019 Report, India has emerged as the top tenth nation in the ranking of the total (resident and abroad) Intellectual Property (IP) filing activity.
• The overall ranking has been topped by China, which was the main source of growth in worldwide IP filings in 2018.
• China was followed by United States, Germany, Japan, and Republic of Korea as the top five nations in the list.
• The 2019 report presents data for 49 countries based on their 2018 filing, registration and renewals statistics, collected from national and regional IP offices and WIPO.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

IIT Madras-incubated startup develops portable hospital to treat COVID-19 patients

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) incubated start-up Modulus Housing, has developed a portable hospital unit that can be installed anywhere within two hours by four people.
• Called ‘MediCAB,’ it aims to decentralize the approach to detect, screen, identify, isolate and treat COVID-19 patients in their local communities through these portable microstructures.
• MediCAB’ has been launched recently in Wayanad District of Kerala where the units are being deployed to treat COVID-19 Patients.
• The Medicab is foldable and is composed of four zones – a doctor’s room, an isolation room, a medical room/ward and a twin-bed ICU, maintained at negative pressure.

IIT Kanpur-incubated startups develop device to monitor water quality india

• IIT Kanpur Incubated Start-ups i.e Earth-face Analytics Pvt Ltd and Kritsnam Technologies Pvt Ltd have built up a gadget, for dissecting and observing water quality through simple to utilize colorimetric test-strip, in view of advanced mobile phone innovation that screens numerous significant water quality boundaries in under two minutes.
• The innovation empowers investigation of different water quality boundaries in a savvy, simple to work, eco-accommodating way, and have incorporated information the board conspires.
• The framework for estimating the nature of fluid will engage the majority with an on-location, ease, savvy water quality testing Gadget to manage field-level to family unit level water sullying issues.
• An IIT K stated the current development will address difficulties in water quality observing by making it simple to utilize colorimetric test-strip based advanced cell innovation that screens various significant water quality boundaries momentarily.

UV system for baggage scan disinfection developed

• Baggage, an inevitable part of travel involves handling by multiple people and can be contact points for spread of the virus and should be disinfected quickly each time they change hands.
• With increase in the passenger traffic at airports, railway stations and commercial establishments during the post-lockdown period, there is an immediate necessity for a rapid system for the baggage disinfection within few seconds to effectively fight against COVID-19.
• In order to control spread of infection through baggage, International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad, an autonomous R&D Centre of Department of Science and Technology (DST), of India and Vehant Technologies, Noida have co-developed KritiScan® UV Baggage Disinfection System.
• The compact UVC conveyor system developed can efficiently disinfect the baggage passing through the conveyor within a few seconds and is suitable for use in airports, railway and bus stations, hotels, commercial and private establishments for rapid disinfection of baggage.
• UVC based disinfection systems are known for their rapid disinfection capability, and the disinfection process is dry and chemical-free. UVC irradiation at 254 nm is known for its germicidal properties where no chemical residues are left behind. UVC light, when irradiated on an infected surface, quickly disrupts the genetic material in the virus and thus inhibits its multiplication.

China Prepares To Launch Long March-5 Rocket For Mars Mission

• The fourth Long March-5 rocket, to be used to launch China’s first Mars exploration mission, was vertically transported to the launching area at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in south China’s Hainan Province.
• The carrier rocket, coded as Long March-5 Y4, is planned to be launched in late July or early August, according to the China National Space Administration.
• Space engineers have conducted a general assembly and tests on the rocket, after it was transported to Wenchang at the end of May.
• It took about two hours to vertically transport the large rocket to the launching area of the center. Final examinations and tests will be conducted on the rocket before the launch.
• This is the first time the Long March-5 carrier rocket, currently China’s largest launch vehicle, is to be put into practical use after three experimental launches.
• The rocket is expected to send the Mars probe into the Earth-Mars transfer orbit, which is also the first such mission to be carried out by China’s carrier rocket.
• China’s first Mars exploration mission Tianwen-1 aims to complete orbiting, landing and roving in one mission, and to obtain scientific exploration data on Mars.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE

Cochin Shipyard Limited signs contract for construction of Autonomous electric vessels for ASKO maritime AS, Norway

• INDIA’s largest commercial shipbuilder Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has signed contracts for construction and supply of two autonomous electric ferries to Norway-based ASKO Maritime, with an option to build two more identical vessels.
• CSL is already constructing 23 hybrid electric boats for Kochi Water Metro. It won this export order after detailed evaluation of various global shipyards and based on its value proposition to the customer.
• ASKO Maritime AS, the subsidiary group of NorgesGruppen ASA, is one of the largest players in the Norwegian retail segment.
• The project, partially funded by the Norwegian Government, aimed at emission-free transport of goods across the Oslo fjord.
• The value of two ships is Rs 125 crore, the cost does not include the value for two optional ships.
• The 67 meter-long vessels will initially be delivered as a full-electric transport ferry, powered by 1,846 kWh capacity battery. After commissioning autonomous equipment and field trials in Norway, it will operate as a fully autonomous ferry of ASKO that can transport 16 fully loaded Standard EU trailers in one go across the fjords.

About Norway

• Capital– Oslo
• Currency‎– ‎Norwegian krone‎ (‎NOK‎)
• Prime Minister– Erna Solberg

Defence Research Body Develops Fully Indigenous P7 Heavy Drop System

• DRDO has developed P7 Heavy Drop System which is capable of para dropping military stores up to 7-ton weight class from IL 76 aircraft.
• This system is fully indigenous and being manufactured by L&T who makes the platform system, parachutes manufactured by Ordnance Factory.
• This system has been made under the Make in India programme.
• The system would be a force multiplier for armed forces, while enabling the rapid delivery of combat store in the far flung inaccessible areas.

About DRDO

• Headquarter: New Delhi
• Chairman: Satheesh Reddy

DAC delegates powers for progressing urgent Capital Acquisition Cases upto Rs 300 crore to Armed Forces

• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has delegated the powers for progressing urgent Capital Acquisition Cases upto Rs 300 crore to the Armed Forces to meet their emergent operational requirements.
• This will shrink the procurement timelines and ensure placement of orders within six months and commencement of deliveries within one year.
• A decision in this regard was taken during the special DCA meeting held under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• The meeting was called considering the security environment due to the prevailing situation along the Northern Borders and the need to strengthen the Armed Forces for the defence of the country’s borders.

About Ministry of Defence:

• Union Minister– Rajnath Singh
• Minister of State– Shripad Yesso Naik

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

Acharya Shree Purushottam Priyadasji Swamishree passes away

• Acharya Shree Purushottam Priyadasji Swamishree, head of Swaminarayan Sanstha – a spiritual, cultural, and social welfare centre headquartered in Ahmedabad, has passed away.
• He was the fifth heir in the lineage of ascetic acharyas.
• He was presently incumbent Acharya of Shree Swaminarayan Gadi.

DAILY CA 16th JUL

• HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal releases PRAGYATA guidelines on digital education
• Indian Railways’ 1st cable-stayed rail bridge, Anji Khad bridge
• Coal Ministry plans to link mining plan portal with PARIVESH website
• Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister e-inaugurates NSTI, Extension Centre in Imphal
• Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, Hyderabad observes Swachhata Pakhwada
• India joined Chile and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO) to co-host the High-Level Political Forum side-event ‘On the road to the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021
• PSBs to purchase NBFC Bonds/CPs worth Rs 14,667 cr under extended PCGS: FM Nirmala Sitharaman
• IndusInd Bank Adopts Agile Technology Platform For Deeper Customer Engagement
• Poba Reserve Forest in Assam’s Dhemaji to be upgraded to wildlife sanctuary
• A&N Islands: NABARD launches development projects worth Rs 44 lakhs
• MP govt. approves proposal to provide monthly financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to acid attack victims
• Andhra Pradesh to reorganise its 13 districts into 25 for optimal use of resources
• Google to pick 7.7 per cent stake in Jio for Rs 33,737 crore
• Brett Lee named brand ambassador of SportsAdda
• Tunisian Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh resigns
• Tata’s Chandrasekaran, Lockheed Martin’s Taiclet to receive USIBC Global Leadership Award
• Hyderabad Airport Gets India’s 1st and Only Completely Contactless Car Parking Amid Covid-19
• China successfully launches APSTAR-6D telecommunication satellite
• FIFA World Cup 2022 schedule announced
• IOC Postpones Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games To 2026 Due To COVID-19 Pandemic
• Neela Satyanarayan, Maharashtra’s first woman Election Commissioner, passes away at 72

DAILY CA 17th JUL

• World Day for International Justice- 17th july
• World Emoji Day: July 17
• HRD Minister Launches First Online NISHTHA Programme For 1,200 Key Resources Persons Of Andhra
• Govt announces ‘Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund’ of Rs 15,000 crore
• Ministry of Finance releases Rs 15,187 crore as grants-in-aid to 2.63 lakh Rural Local Bodies
• India lifted 271 mn people out of poverty between FY06-16, says UN report
• Shripad Naik inaugurates Conference on Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Technologies
• India-Bhutan Open New Trade Route To Facilitate Connectivity Between Two Countries
• Boeing receives $916 mn deal to support International Space Station for 4 years
• ICRA Sees India Real GDP Contract By Almost Double Digits In FY21
• Telangana Police Launch ‘CybHER’ Campaign To Tackle Cybercrime Against Women, Children
• Punjab Police to hire civilian domain experts to deal with complex probes
• CCI approves Aceso Company’s acquisition of 58.92 pc stake in HealthCare Global Enterprises
• NTPC, NIIF to jointly explore business opportunities in India
• SBI Card gets new MD & CEO in Ashwini Kumar Tewari
• Shiv Nadar retires, daughter Roshni becomes HCL Technologies chairperson
• India Ranks Third In Global Manufacturing Risk Index: Cushman & Wakefield Report
• India among top ten nations in intellectual property filings
• IIT Madras-incubated startup develops portable hospital to treat COVID-19 patients
• IIT Kanpur-incubated startups develop device to monitor water quality india
• UV system for baggage scan disinfection developed
• China Prepares To Launch Long March-5 Rocket For Mars Mission
• Cochin Shipyard Limited signs contract for construction of Autonomous electric vessels for ASKO maritime AS, Norway
• Defence Research Body Develops Fully Indigenous P7 Heavy Drop System
• DAC delegates powers for progressing urgent Capital Acquisition Cases upto Rs 300 crore to Armed Forces
• Acharya Shree Purushottam Priyadasji Swamishree passes away