Current Affairs 21st July 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

International Chess Day

• The International Chess Day is celebrated on July 20 every year as the founding day of the FIDE (World Chess Federation). This year will mark FIDE’s 96th
• On July 20, 1924, at the eighth summer Olympic games in Paris, France, the FIDE (World Chess Federation) was founded. International Chess Day began as the founding day of the FIDE on the same day July 20 in 1966.

• FIDE’s motto for 2020 celebrations is, “Teach someone how to play chess.”

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

HRD Minister to launch Manodarpan initiative to provide psychosocial support to students

• Union Human Resource Development Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal will  launch the Manodarpan initiative of the HRD Ministry. The initiative under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, aims to provide psychosocial support to students for their mental health and well-being.
• Minister of State for HRD, Secretaries of the Department of Higher Education and the School Education and Literacy, and senior officials of the ministry will also be present on the occasion.
• Pokhriyal informed that  during the COVID pandemic, the HRD Ministry felt the need to focus on continuing education on the academic front and the mental well-being of the students.
• He further informed that the Ministry has, therefore, taken up an initiative, named, ‘MANODARPAN’ covering a wide range of activities to provide Psychosocial Support to students for their Mental Health & Well-being during the COVID outbreak and beyond.
• The HRD Ministry also stated that the ‘Manodarpan’ initiative has been included in the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, as a part of strengthening human capital and   increasing productivity.

About Ministry of Human Resource Development:

• Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Cabinet Minister
• Constituency: Haridwar
• Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, Minister of State

Consumer Protection Act, 2019 comes into force

• The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 came into force . Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan stated that this new Act will empower consumers and help them in protecting their rights through its various notified Rules and provisions.
• He stated the Act includes establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority, CCPA to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers. The CCPA will be empowered to conduct investigations into violations of consumer rights and institute complaints or prosecution, order recall of unsafe goods and services, order discontinuance of unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements, impose penalties on manufacturers or endorsers or publishers of misleading advertisements.
• Mr Paswan stated, the rules for prevention of unfair trade practice by e-commerce platforms will also be covered under this Act. The gazette notification for establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority and rules for prevention of unfair trade practice in e-commerce are under publication.

Ministry of Tourism holds webinar titled ‘The Mystical Triangle- Maheshwar, Mandu & Omkareshwar’ under Dekho Apna Desh Series

• The Ministry of Tourism’s Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series titled, “The Mystical Triangle- Maheshwar, Mandu & Omkareshwar” was organized on 18th of July.
• The webinar showcased the richness of the destinations covered under the mystical triangle in Madhya Pradesh namely Maheshwar, Mandu and Omkareshwar. Dekho Apna Desh Webinar series is an effort to showcase India’s rich diversity under ‘Ek Bharat- Shreshtha Bharat’ and it is continuously spreading the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat- Shreshtha Bharat’ through virtual platforms.
• Maheshwar or Mahishmati is one of serene destinations with historical significance which is 90 kilometres away from Indore city. The city got its name after Lord Shiva known as Maheshwara. It also finds a mention in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha.
• Omkareshwar has 33 deities and 108 impressive shivling and this is the only Jyotirlingawhich is situated on the north bank of Narmada.
• Mandu is mainly known for the love story of Sultan Baz Bahadur and Rani Roopmati. Baz Bahadur’s palace built in the 16th-century is famous for its large courtyards encompassed by large halls and high terraces

About Ministry of Tourism:  

• Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State (Independent charge)
• Constituency: Damoh

Power Minister launches programme to improve indoor air quality

• Energy Efficiency Services Liited (EESL), a joint venture of public sector undertakings, has launched a national programme to improve indoor air quality.
• The initiative is called the Retrofit of Air-conditioning to improve Indoor Air Quality for Safety and Efficiency (RAISE) national programme.
• Poor air quality has been a concern in India for quite some time and has become more important in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. As people return to their offices and public spaces, maintaining good indoor air quality is essential for occupant comfort, well-being, productivity and the overall public health, the statement stated.
• Launching the programme, Minister for Power, New & Renewable Energy, RK Singh, stated, I believe the RAISE initiative can potentially alleviate the issue of bad air quality in workspaces across the nation and pioneer ways to make them healthier and greener.
• The statement stated that EESL has undertaken a retrofit of its office air-conditioning and ventilation system. This is a part of the larger initiative to RAISE developed for healthy and energy efficient buildings, in partnership with US Agency for International Development’s (USTATED) MAITREE programme. The pilot focuses on improving indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal comfort, and energy efficiency (EE) in EESL office’s air conditioning system

About Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL):

• Location: New Delhi
• K. SinghRajeev Sharma (Chairman)
• Saurabh Kumar (Managing Director)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

India-US announce new areas of research on transformational power generation

• India and the US have announced new areas of research on transformational power generation based on supercritical CO2 (sCO2) power cycles and advanced coal technologies, including carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), the Ministry of Science and Technology stated.
• This emerged at a virtual ministerial meeting of the US-India Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) to review progress, highlight major accomplishments, and prioritise new areas for cooperation.
• The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette.
• Besides Pradhan and Brouillette, the virtual meeting was attended by US Ambassador to India Kenneth I Juster, Indian Ambassador to the United States Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and Secretary of Department of Science and Technology (DST) Professor Ashutosh Sharma along with other concerned officials.
• Sharma stated the collaboration between India and the United States has grown over the years under the Programme for Accelerating Clean Energy – Research (PACE-R).
• The ongoing collaboration on smart grids and energy storage is being implemented by a consortium comprising 30 Indian and US entities with an investment of USD 7.5 million each by India’s DST and US Department of Energy (DoE), with matching amounts provided by the consortium, he stated.
• Sharma stated this project addresses essential issues related to the adoption and deployment of smart grid concepts along with Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), including storage in the distribution network for its efficient and reliable operation.
• It will also provide policy directions for societal acceptance, impact and value of the integrative solutions and emerging role of utilities as Distributed System Operators.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE

Dr. Harsh Vardhan launches Punjab National Bank’s Nation-wide CSR campaign for Distribution of Mask and Sanitizer to prevent Spread of COVID-19

• Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare launched Punjab National Bank’s (PNB) campaign to distribute face masks and sanitizers to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• The Punjab National Bank has begun distributing masks and sanitisers across 662 districts in the country.
• The senior officials of PNB presented the Health Minister a COVID kit of masks and sanitizers, a book on the glorious history of the bank and other memorabilia.

About PNB

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao
• Tagline: The Name You can Bank Upon

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Fiscal deficit to shoot up to 7.6% in FY21; twice budget estimate: Ind-Ra

• The Centre’s fiscal deficit is expected to touch 7.6 per cent in 2020-21, more than double the Budget Estimate, as the country spends extra to minimise the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic while facing a shortfall in revenues, a report stated.
• At a combined level, the fiscal deficit of the Centre and states together will come at 1 per cent, with the states contributing 4.5 per cent, India Ratings and Research stated in the report. It also stated the government has already announced a stimulus package damaging the fiscal math by 1.1 per cent.
• The agency stated India’s gross domestic product (GDP) will contract by 5.3 per cent, while states like Assam, Goa, Gujarat and Sikkim are expected to witness a double-digit contraction, it stated.
• With the growth and revenues going down, the obvious impact will be on the fiscal deficit, which is considered an important macroeconomic health indicator.
• The aggregate central and state fiscal deficit in FY21 will increase to 12.1 per cent of GDP (Centre: 7.6 per cent, states: 4.5 per cent), mainly due to the expected shortfall in revenue collections rather than increased expenditure, it stated.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES

Yogi launches employment scheme for SCs

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched ”Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana” for an all round development of the Scheduled Castes.
• He transferred a financial assistance of 42 crore online to 3,484 people under the ”Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Swarojgar Yojana” and interacted with some beneficiaries from Rae Bareli, Gorakhpur, Basti, Meerut, Azamgarh and Moradabad districts through video conferencing.
• The beneficiaries of the scheme will use the money for setting up general merchant shops, laundry and dry cleaning, cybercafe and tent house.

About UP

• Capital: Lucknow
• Governor: Anandiben Patel
• Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath

Transgender Community In Odisha To Receive Pension Under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana

• The Odisha Government included transgender community under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY), a social security scheme which provides financial assistance to poor elderly, differently-abled persons and widows in the state.
• Under MBPY scheme, nearly 5,000 transgenders will receive Rs 500, Rs 700 and 900 per month as pension under various categories depending on their age.
• The beneficiaries are required to have a certificate issued under Section 6 of the Transgender Persons Act 2019. The scheme applies to those individuals whose annual income is less than Rs 40,000, who is not a member paying income tax or working as a government servant.

About Odisha

• Capital: Bhubaneswar
• Governor: Ganeshi Lal
• Chief minister: Naveen Patnaik

Harsimrat Kaur Badal Inaugurates Mega Food Park In Mizoram

• Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated a mega food park in Mizoram that has been set up at a cost of Rs 75 crore and will benefit 25,000 farmers as well as generate 5,000 job opportunities.
• The 55-acre food park, located at village-Khamrang in Kolasib District, Mizoram, is promoted by Zoram Mega Food Park Pvt Ltd. This is the first mega food park operationalized in the state.
• Zoram Mega Food Park will provide direct and indirect employment to 5,000 persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers in the CPC (Core Processing Centre) and PPC (primary processing Centre) catchment areas.
• The Park will leverage an additional investment of about Rs 250 crore in about 30 food processing units in the park and would eventually lead to a turnover of about Rs 450-500 crore annually.
• The state-of-the-art food park would boost the food processing infrastructure of Mizoram, which is full of unique varieties of fruits, vegetables and spices.
• Under the Mega Food Park Scheme, the government provides financial assistance up to Rs 50 crore per Mega Food Park project. Presently, 18 mega food park projects are under implementation in various states and 19 parks have already become functional in states.

About Mizoram

• Capital: Aizawl
• Governor: P. S. Sreedharan Pillai
• Chief minister: Zoramthanga

TN govt inks 8 MoUs, attracts over Rs 10,000 cr investments

• Tamil Nadu government inked MoUs with eight companies involving an investment of more than Rs 10,000 crore and creating more than 13,000 jobs.
• The MoUs were signed at the State Secretariat in the presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
• The new projects to come up in Kanchipuram, Coimbatore, Ranipet, Villupuram, Chengalpet and Erode districts involved a total investment of Rs 10,399 crores and would create 13,507 new jobs.
• 17 MoUs with companies from Germany, Finland, Taiwan, France, South Korea, Japan, China, USA, Australia, the United Kingdom and The Netherlands attracting Rs 15,128 crore investments and 47,150 new jobs.
• The MoUs include Solar Cells and Modules manufacturing facility by Vikram Solar (Rs 5,423 investment, 7.542 jobs) at Orgadam in Kanchipuram district; Industrial park by CGD Sathrai (Rs 250 crore investment, 1550 jobs) at Wallajahbad in Kanchipuram; Ductile Iron Foundry by Aquasab (Rs 200 crore investment, 400 jobs) at Coimbatore; Industrial Park in a 125 acre area by NDR Infrastructure at Ranipet (Rs 200 crore investment, 400 jobs); a cashewnut processing centre by GI Agro Tech at Marakkanam area in Villupuram district (Rs 36 crore investment, 465 jobs); Data Information Centre at Singaperumalkovil in Chengalpet district by Yotta of Hiranandani Group (RS 4,000 crore investment, 2,500 jobs); Air Compressor manufacturing facility at Coimbatore by Elgi Equipments (Rs 250 crore investment, 600 jobs); and foundry expansion project by JS Auto Cast at Sipcot Perunthurai Industrial Park in Erode district (Rs 40 crore investment).

About Tamil Nadu

• Chief minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
• Capital: Chennai
• Governor: Bunwarilal Purohit

Godhan Nyay Yojana’ begins in Chhattisgarh

• In Chhattisgarh, first of its kind scheme of the country– Godhan Nyay Yojana has been commenced.
• On the occasion of the traditional festival of Hareli, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel inaugurated the scheme by symbolically procuring cowdung.
• Under the Godhan Nyay scheme, the Chhattisgarh government will procure cowdung at Rs 2 per kilogram from livestock owners and use it to prepare organic fertilizers.
• Women self-help groups will prepare Vermi-compost using the cowdung procured under the scheme. This Vermi-compost will be sold at the rate of Rs 8 per kg.
• The state government will construct cowsheds in all 20 thousand villages in phases. These cowsheds are being developed as day care center for cattle.
• The Godhan Nyay Yojana will be implemented through these cowsheds only. Chief Minister stated that this scheme will prove to be a boon for farms and cattle ranchers and an elixir for the rural economy.
• Shri Baghel stated that in this time of crisis, Godhan Nyay Yojana will not only help the cattle ranchers to earn extra income, but will also end the problem of open grazing of cattle.

About Chhattisgarh:

• Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel
• Governor: Anusuiya Uikey
• Capital: Raipur

Andhra Pradesh announces Renewable Energy Export Policy

• The Andhra Pradesh government has notified a renewable export policy that permits sale of power to other States.
• In a Government Order, the Andhra Pradesh Renewable Energy Export Policy states it is applicable to solar/wind/ wind-solar hybrid projects.
• Recognising the State’s potential for renewable energy and the huge untapped potential, the State Government has notified the new policy that allows export of power outside the State without any obligation for discoms to procure power.
• The objective is to facilitate largescale development of renewable energy projects and facilitate lease of 5 lakh acres of potential land in Andhra Pradesh to renewable energy export project developers. In case of supply of this power within the State under Open Access, they will have to comply with prevailing regulations.
• The Green Energy Development Charges will be levied at 1 lakh/MW of installed capacity/ year – for entire life of the project starting from the date of commissioning of first phase of the project.
• The Government intends to promote renewable energy manufacturing that can contribute towards economic development of the State and create employment. The new manufacturing facilities will get exemption from payment of the Electricity Duty for a period of 10 years from date of commencement of manufacturing activities.
• The NREDCAP (New and Renewable Energy Development Corporation of A.P. Ltd) shall act as a Nodal Agency under this new policy.

About Andhra Pradesh:

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

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU

Formal MoU signed between CBDT & MoMSME for sharing of Data

• A formal Memorandum of Understanding, MoU was signed between the Central Board of Direct Taxes, CBDT and Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for sharing of data by CBDT to the Ministry.
• The MoU was signed by Principal Director General of Income Tax (Systems)  CBDT Anu J Singh and Additional Secretary and Development Commissioner of MSME Ministry Devendra Kumar Singh.
• The MoU will facilitate seamless sharing of certain Income-tax Return related information by the Income Tax Department to MSME Ministry. This data will enable the Ministry to check and classify enterprises in Micro, Small and Medium categories.
• The MoU came into force. Both the organizations will appoint Nodal Officer and Alternate Nodal Officers to facilitate the process of data exchange. The MoU marks the beginning of a new era of cooperation and synergy between the CBDT and MSME Ministry.

About Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises:

• Nitin Gadkari, Cabinet Minister
• Constituency: Nagpur
• Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Minister of State

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION

Saba Karim resigns from General Manager Cricket Operations BCCI

• Saba Karim, the former India wicketkeeper, has resigned from his post as general manager cricket operations in the Indian cricket board. He is the second big name to resign recently after the CEO Rahul Johri was relieved of his services.
• Karim’s major role involved the smooth running of domestic cricket and it was his idea to have Rahul Dravid as head of cricket for National Cricket Academy.
• Some of the major responsibilities of Karim included giving strategic direction to the cricket department, implementing the operational plans, budgeting, determining and monitoring the compliance of match playing regulations, standards of venues and administration of domestic programs.

About BCCI

• President: Sourav Ganguly
• Secretary: Jay Shah
• Headquarters: Mumbai

Karur Vysya Bank appoints Ramesh Babu Boddu as MD & CEO

• Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) stated its Board of Directors has co-opted Ramesh Babu Boddu as an Additional Director and appointed him Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer for three years.
• Babu’s three-year appointment is effective from the date of taking charge, on the terms and conditions approved by the Reserve Bank of India, KVB stated in a regulatory filing.
• He retired as Deputy Managing Director in State Bank of India in April 2020.

About Karur Vysya Bank:

• Headquarters: Karur, Tamil Nadu
• N. S. Srinath:(Chairman)
• P. R. Seshadri :(MD & CEO)

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONORS

IFGTB Scientist Gets Award From Indian Council Of Forestry Research And Education

• Senior principal of Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB)scientistKannan C S Warrier has received the National Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research in Forestry for the year 2019.
• The award was conferred on him by theIndian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) for releasing three productive clones of casuarina, known as kattadi and savukku, that are suitable for salt affected soils for the first time in the country.
• Warrier has also been the recipient of the Rolla S Rao National Award for his extensive research on conservation of endangered sacred groves, also called koil kadu.

Messi beats Benzema to break La Liga record with seventh Pichichi award

• Lionel Messi secured a record seventh Pichichi award after the Barcelona star finished the 2019-20 season as the leading scorer in La Liga.
• The Argentinian equalled Athletic Bilbao great Telmo Zarra’s record of six awards last season, but he is now out on his own after another superb campaign in front of goal.
• His double in the final-day 5-0 rout of Deportivo Alaves took him to 25 goals in 33 appearances, while his cross to Ansu Fati for the opening goal saw him set a new record for most assists in a single La Liga campaign, breaking the previous best set by former team-mate Xavi.
• Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema was four goals behind in the race for the award with 21, while Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno was third with 18 goals, two ahead of Messi’s Barca team-mate Luis Suarez.
• Barcelona will aim to win the Champions League when they face Napoli in the second leg of their last-16 tie on August 8. The first leg ended in a 1-1.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING

Indian direct selling industry ranked 15th after recording $2B sales in 2019

• According to World Federation of Direct Selling Associations, The Indian direct selling industry has reported a growth of 1% to $2.47 billion in 2019.
• The ranking of the direct selling industry improved from 19th a year before to 15th.
• The US has topped the list, contributing 20% of the global direct selling industry with sales of $35.21 billion.
• It is followed by China with 13 percent contribution, Korea and Germany with 10 percent each and 9 percent by Japan.

About WFDSA

• Head Quarters: Washington D.C, US.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS

ICAT launches automotive technology e-portal ASPIRE

• International Centre of Automotive Technology (ICAT) has announced the launch of the automotive technology e-portal ASPIRE, which stands for Automotive Solutions Portal for Industry, Research and Education.
• ICAT said that Department of Heavy Industry (DHI), Govt of India, under the leadership of Secretary, Heavy Industries, has decided to promote innovation, R&D and product development in India for various sectors. The new automotive technology e-portal is claimed to be a part of that strategy.
• A step towards this mission is the creation of technology platform e-portals where such technology development, information exchange and innovation can be facilitated.
• It further informed that there are five portals being developed for specific sectors by different organizations viz, BHEL for power sector equipment, HMT for machine tools, CMFTI for manufacturing technology, ICAT and ARAI for the automotive sector.
• The e-portal will aim to bring together the automotive OEMs, Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 companies, R&D institutions and academia on matters involving technology advancements.

About ICAT

• Headquarters: Manesar, Gurugram

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

CMERI develops COVID protection systems for workplaces

• The Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) has come up with a surveillance kiosk which can gauge the body temperature of a person as well as check if he is wearing a face mask through a customised software solution.
• The CMERI, an institute under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has also come up with touch-less faucets that can be used in office spaces.
• The solar-based IntelliMAST is an intelligent surveillance kiosk which identifies the body temperature and whether an individual is wearing a face mask or not through customised software solutions.
• The IntelliMAST will also facilitate identity card-based mask dispensing and attendance system. Facial recognition-based and ID card-based attendance system will be incorporated into the system in the near future.
• This system uses artificial intelligence and information technology to give realtime results and can be synchronised with the human resource data of any organisation for any realtime data response and dissemination of information.
• The institute has also developed a 360 degree car lusher. The system is a sodium hypochlorite water screen which uses specialised nozzle design to ensure that the sanitiser diffused water is evenly spread over and under the car body wheels with adequate water force and coverage.

CIPET gets accreditation by NABL to test PPE kits

• Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology, CIPET an apex level premium institute under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has been accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories NABL for Testing and Certification of PPE Kit.
• The PPE kit includes Gloves, Coverall, Face Shield, Goggles and Triple Layer Medical masks in line with International Standards. It is another achievement of CIPET in the fight against COVID- 19 Pandemic and a step forward towards Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• CIPET: IPT Centre Bhubaneshwar, after developing facility of testing PPE kit had submitted an application to NABL for accreditation.
• After an online audit of its testing facility NABL granted accreditation to CIPET- Centre Bhubaneshwar.
• CIPET has been taking up the Research and Development initiatives in the areas of Health Care as per WHO and ISO guidelines.
• CIPET has also expanded its capacity to test foodgrain and fertilizer packaging in order to support the essential services during Covid pandemic.

About Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology:

• Director-General: Prof. (Dr.) S. K. Nayak
• Location: Chennai

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE

USS Nimitz may conduct Passex with Indian Navy

• The US Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) may conduct a passing exercise (Passex) with the Indian Navy.
• The drill may be held off the coast of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Malacca Strait.
• It also comes after the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group carried out high-end dual-carrier exercises in the South China Sea (SCS).
• Nimitz Carrier Strike Group has also conducted operations with the Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier in the SCS.

About Indian Navy

• Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): Admiral Karambir Singh

MoD inks contract with BEML for procurement of 1,512 Mine Plough for T-90 tanks     

• With an aim to boost ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government, Acquisition Wing of Ministry of Defence signed a Contract with Bharat Earth Movers Limited, BEML for procurement of 1,512 Mine Plough for Tank T-90 S/SK at an approximate cost of 557 crore.
• The contract has Buy and Make (Indian) categorisation with a minimum of 50 per cent indigenous content in make portion of the contract.
• These mine ploughs will be fitted on T-90 Tanks of Indian Armoured Corps which will facilitate individual mobility to Tanks while negotiating mine field.
• Mobility of Tank Fleet will enhance manifold, which in turn would extend the reach of Armoured Formation deep into enemy territory without becoming mine causality.
• Defence Ministry stated, with the induction of these 1,512 mine ploughs, planned to be completed by 2027, the combat capability of the Army will be further enhanced.

About   Ministry of Defence:

• Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence
• Constituency: Lucknow
• Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for Defence

3-day long Air Force Commanders’ Conference to begin in Delhi

• The three day long Air Force Commanders’ Conference will begin at Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan) in New Delhi. The theme of the conference is “Indian Air Force in the Next Decade“.
• The Defence Secretary and Secretary Defence Production are also expected to be present during the inauguration.
• The  Air Force Commanders’ Conference will be chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. The discussions would take stock of the current operational scenario and deployments.
• The plan of action for operational capability enhancement of the Indian Air Force in the next decade will also be discussed.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS

New book on Udham Singh by Akademi awardee Baldev Singh Sadaknama

• The 80th martyrdom day of freedom fighter , Sahitya Akademi Award winner Baldev Singh Sadaknama has written another book shedding light on historic perspectives.
• ‘Suraj Kade Marda Nahi’ (sun never dies) is on the life of Udham Singh, whose 80th death anniversary will fall on July 31.
• His novel ‘Suraj Di Aakh’, which was about the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh won Dhahan Prize, which carries a cash award of 25,000 Canadian dollars (over Rs 13 lakh)
• He received the Sahitya Akademi Award 2011 for his novel Dhaahwan Dilli De Kingre.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS

France Football announce the Ballon d’Or will not be awarded in 2020

• France Football, the magazine behind the annual Ballon d’Or award, have announced that the prize will not be handed out this year.
• The decision comes due to the complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which put a halt or cancelled the major football leagues.
• It’s the first time since 1956 that the Ballon d’Or will not be awarded.

Statement of Intent signed for partnership with UNICEF India, YuWaah India, UN in India

• Youth Affairs Secretary Usha Sharma signed a Statement of Intent for partnership with UNICEF India, YuWaah India and United Nations in India to work together with young people for empowering them and to make them changemakers with access to aspirational socio-economic opportunities.
• The statement of intent was signed with UNICEF representative in India Dr Yasmin Ali Haque in the presence of Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.

About United States:

• Head Quarters: New York
• Secretary General: António Guterres
• General Assembly President: Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

Ben Stokes overtakes Jason Holder to become No.1 all-rounder in ICC Test rankings

• England Test vice-captain Ben Stokes has overtaken Jason Holder to become the 1 Test all-rounder in the ICC rankings. Stokes went past Holder thanks to his match-winning performance against West Indies in the Manchester Test.
• Stokes’ match haul of 254 runs and three wickets fashioned England’s series-leveling victory against Jason Holder’s West Indies in the second Test, also earning him the player-of-the-match award.
• Stokes now leads Holder by 38 points in the ICC rankings as England and West Indies head into the series decider. Stokes’s belligerent performance with the willow in the second Test also helped him to the 3rd spot (tied with Marnus Labuschagne) in ICC rankings for Test batsmen.
• Stokes is the first England player since Andrew Flintoff to be at the top of the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings for all-rounders. The latest rankings update wasn’t all about Stokes though.
• Dom Sibley, following his 120 in the first innings in Manchester, jumped 29 places to No.35 in the rankings, while Stuart Broad capped his Test return after missing out in Southampton with a rise of four places back into the top 10 in the bowlers’ ranking.
• Broad, who was dropped for the first Test, returned to the top 10 after claiming three wickets in each innings of Manchester Test. Chris Woakes, who scalped five in the match to reach the 100-wicket mark, is in the 21st position, his highest since late 2016.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

Award-winning Spanish novelist Juan Marse passes away at age 87

• Juan Marsé, the Spanish novelist has passed away at age 87.
• One of Spain’s most-respected novelists over the past few decades, Marsé was awarded the 2008 Cervantes Prize, the Spanish-speaking world’s top literary award.
• Marsé’s most popular novel was Úlitmas tardes on Teresa (Last Afternoons with Teresa) published in 1965.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon passes away

• Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon passed away. His son Ashutosh Tandon informed him about his father’s demise. Mr Lalji Tandon was admitted to a hospital in Lucknow last month. A veteran BJP leader, Lalji Tandon was a former MP from Lucknow and former Cabinet Minister in the state government.
• Uttar Pradesh Government has  announced three day state mourning. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed heartfelt condolences over the demise of Lalji Tandon
• The President, Prime minister and many leaders have condoled the passing away of Madhya Pradesh Governor Lal Ji Tandon.

DAILY CA 19th  & 20th JUL

• 117th birthday Anniversary of Ex CM of Tamil Nadu state K Kamaraj, celebrated as Educational Development Day
• PM SVANidhi app launched to help street vendors apply for micro loans
• Income Tax Department rolls out new Form 26AS
• India establishes bilateral air bubbles with US, France and Germany
• Civil Aviation Ministry set up Investment Clearance Cell for assistance, clearance of proposals
• Govt to start e-campaign on Voluntary Income Tax Compliance
• Centre issues norms for 1-lakh crore Agri Infra Fund scheme
• One Nation One Ration Card scheme now enabled in 20 States/UTs
• UAE launches its first space mission to Mars from Japan
• Manish Sisodia inaugurates first electric vehicle charging station in East Delhi
• Chhattisgarh govt launches ‘Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojana’ to combat malnutrition in state
• Researchers develop PROSIT app that tracks mental health by studying phone usage
• Prakash Javadekar hails KURMA mobile app towards conservation of Indian turtles
• Marianna Vardinoyannis & Morissana Kouyaté win 2020 Nelson Mandela Prize
• South Central Railway’s Ongole Sub-Division Office bags WATER HEROES AWARD from Jal Shakti Ministry
• Dubai-based Indian girl breaks world record in performing 100 yoga poses
• Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute adjudged the best research institute under ICAR
• India Business Council to host 2020 India Ideas Summit on July 22
• FM Sitharaman attends 3rd G20 Finance Ministers & Central Bank Governors Meeting
• HDFC Bank’s Aditya Puri highest paid banker for FY20 with Rs.18.92 cr in remuneration
• AIIMS begins e-ICU video-consultation programme to reduce COVID-19 mortality
• THSTI Faridabad develops synthetic peptide-based vaccine candidate targeting CoronaVirus
• World Cup Winner Andre Schurrle Retires
• Hamilton takes the lead with eighth Hungarian GP win
• Rahm wins PGA Memorial to seize World Number One ranking
• Civil rights legend Rep. John Lewis passes away
• S. Seshadri, a leader of Indian mathematics, passes away
• Civil rights veteran Rev. C.T. Vivian passes away
• Filmmaker Rajat Mukherjee passes away

DAILY CA 21st JUL

• International Chess Day – 20th july
• HRD Minister to launch Manodarpan initiative to provide psychosocial support to students
• Consumer Protection Act, 2019 comes into force
• Ministry of Tourism holds webinar titled ‘The Mystical Triangle- Maheshwar, Mandu & Omkareshwar’ under Dekho Apna Desh Series
• Power Minister launches programme to improve indoor air quality
• India-US announce new areas of research on transformational power generation
• Harsh Vardhan launches Punjab National Bank’s Nation-wide CSR campaign for Distribution of Mask and Sanitizer to prevent Spread of COVID-19
• Fiscal deficit to shoot up to 7.6% in FY21; twice budget estimate: Ind-Ra
• Yogi launches employment scheme for SCs
• Transgender Community In Odisha To Receive Pension Under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana
• Harsimrat Kaur Badal Inaugurates Mega Food Park In Mizoram
• TN govt inks 8 MoUs, attracts over Rs 10,000 cr investments
• Godhan Nyay Yojana’ begins in Chhattisgarh
• Andhra Pradesh announces Renewable Energy Export Policy
• Formal MoU signed between CBDT & MoMSME for sharing of Data
• Saba Karim resigns from General Manager Cricket Operations BCCI
• Karur Vysya Bank appoints Ramesh Babu Boddu as MD & CEO
• IFGTB Scientist Gets Award From Indian Council Of Forestry Research And Education
• Messi beats Benzema to break La Liga record with seventh Pichichi award
• Indian direct selling industry ranked 15th after recording $2B sales in 2019
• ICAT launches automotive technology e-portal ASPIRE
• CMERI develops COVID protection systems for workplaces
• CIPET gets accreditation by NABL to test PPE kits
• USS Nimitz may conduct Passex with Indian Navy
• MoD inks contract with BEML for procurement of 1,512 Mine Plough for T-90 tanks
• 3-day long Air Force Commanders’ Conference to begin in Delhi
• New book on Udham Singh by Akademi awardee Baldev Singh Sadaknama
• France Football announce the Ballon d’Or will not be awarded in 2020
• Statement of Intent signed for partnership with UNICEF India, YuWaah India, UN in India
• Ben Stokes overtakes Jason Holder to become No.1 all-rounder in ICC Test rankings
• Award-winning Spanish novelist Juan Marse passes away at age 87
• Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon passes away