Current Affairs 22nd July 2021| Current Affairs News

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

Under PM’s Mentorship Scheme for Young Writers the MyGov platform hosts Online Competition 

• MyGov platform is hosting the Online Competition under PM’s Mentorship Scheme for Young Writers, seeking participation of young and aspiring Indian writers from across the globe.
• The online competition was launched on 4th June and it is open till 31st of this month.
• The Electronics and IT Ministry stated, the initiative is getting enthusiastic response from Indian Youth and nearly five thousand book proposals have already been received.
• The winners will be announced on 15 August this year.
• The Ministry said, 75 authors will be selected through the All India Contest being conducted through nbtindia.gov.in and MyGov.in.

About PM’s Mentorship Scheme:

• The PM’s Mentorship Scheme for Young Writers is garnering a lot of interest among the youth of the nation.
• To be part of this scheme, many aspiring and budding writers have come forward to submit their entries and benefit from this unique initiative of the government.
• Under the dynamic leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi, the National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes on empowering young minds & creating a learning ecosystem that can nurture young learners for future leadership roles.
• To foster this goal, and commemorate India’s 75 years of Independence, a national scheme YUVA: Prime Minister’s Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors will go a long way in cementing the foundation of these leaders of tomorrow.

NESTS has collaborated with NCERT for NISHTHA Capacity Building Programme for EMRS (Eklavya Model Residential Schools) Principals & Teachers.

• National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) (an autonomous body under this Ministry) has collaborated with National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for conduct of “National Initiative of School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement” (NISHTHA) Capacity Building Program for EMRS teachers and Principals.
• The first batch of NISHTHA Capacity Building program for Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) Principals and Teachers was conducted from 10th May, 2021 to 23rd June, 2021 (utilizing Summer Vacation).
• The training was conducted in a virtual mode following a blended approach, including live interactive sessions from the National Resource Group members of NCERT Faculty and at the same time NISHTHA Portal was used for training package upload, activities and quizzes.
• The integrated teacher training was provided on 18 modules that were part of comprehensive training package covering different aspects of education such as Learning Outcomes, School Based Assessments, POCSO Act, Gender Sensitization, Health and Well-Being in Schools, Teaching of Mathematics, Language, Science, and Social Science etc.
• The training methodology included sharing of 5 training modules every week with the participants through NISHTHA Portal followed by online interaction with participants.
• The program had training modules in text form, activities, quizzes, portfolio activity, etc. Pre and post training survey was administered to ascertain the impact of the training program.

Khelo India’ centres are being opened for nurturing of athletes at grassroots level and to strengthen sports ecosystem in the country

• As a part of Government’s vision to strengthen the sports ecosystem in the country at the grassroots level, a low-cost, effective sports training mechanism has been developed wherein past “Champion Athletes” would become coaches and mentors so that their expertise and experience would be properly utilised for nurturing of athletes at grassroots level and to ensure a sustained source of income for them.
• The grant to each Khelo India Centre (KIC) will be provided for remuneration of the past champion athlete as a coach, support staff, purchase of equipment, sports kit, consumables, participation in competition and events.
• In 267 districts of 26 States/UTs, 360 KICs have been opened.
• Selection of talent pools is yet to be finalised by the centres.
• Each KIC is provided with a non-recurring grant of ₹ 5.00 lakhs initially for upgradation of existing facility, field of play, sports equipment and consumables, etc.
• In addition, ₹ 5.00 lakhs per year is given as recurring grant each year for the next 04 years to meet the recurring expenditure such as procurement of sports equipment, consumable sports kit, etc. and remuneration of past champion athletes engaged as coach/mentor.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

China inaugurates 600 kph maglev train makes public debut

• The country China unveiled a super-fast 600 kph maglev train.
• The world’s first high-speed maglev transportation system running at a speed of 600 kilometers per hour made its public debut in Qingdao, East China’s Shandong Province.
• Here is everything about the world’s fastest ground vehicle.

About the train:

• Maglev is short for magnetic levitation.
• The technology was first patented in the 1960s.
• It uses superconducting magnets to suspend the train car above the rails.
• The magnets repel and help with motion.
• The maglev train, developed by China in the coastal town of Qingdao.
• The train uses electro-magnetic force and levitates above the track.
• Hence, there is no contact between the rain and the body.
• China has used this technology for short distances in the past, especially between the Shanghai airport and the city.

About China:

• China, officially the People’s Republic of China, is a country in East Asia.
• It is the world’s most populous country, with a population of more than 1.4 billion.
• It borders 14 countries, the second most of any country in the world, after Russia.
• China is known for its architectural wonders such as the Great Wall and Forbidden City, its staggering variety of delicious food, its martial arts, and its long history of invention.
• More than just tea and temples, China is a fast-changing mix of the ultra-modern and the very ancient.
• President: Xi Jinping
• Capital: Beijing
• Currency: Renminbi

Ariel Henry sworn in as new PM of Haiti two weeks after the assassination of the country’s President Jovenel Moise 

• Ariel Henry has been sworn in as Haiti’s new Prime Minister, nearly two weeks after the assassination of the country’s President Jovenel Moise. 
• The late president asked Henry to take the job, days before he was gunned down in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
• But Henry was in a political tussle with Claude Joseph, Haiti’s interim prime minister at the time of the attack.
• Joseph stepped down and said Henry’s appointment would pave the way for elections in September.

About Haiti:

• Haiti is a Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic to its east.
• Though it’s still recovering from a 2010 earthquake, many of Haiti’s landmarks dating to the early 19th century remain intact.
• These include Citadelle la Ferrière, a mountaintop fortress, and the nearby ruins of Sans-Souci Palace, the baroque former royal home of King Henry I.
• Capital: Port-au-Prince
• Currency: Haitian gourde

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

First elections of Balika Panchayat successfully held at Kunariya village in Kutch District

• The Kunariya village of Kutch district in Gujarat has come up with a unique idea of holding Balika Panchayat. 
• The first-ever elections of this Balika Panchayat were successfully held.
• Young females aged between 10 to 21 years contested elections for this unique Panchayat which will take up issues pertaining to adolescent girls and women in the village.
• Inspired by the TV series, Balika Vadhu, the Kunariya village in Kutch district held elections for the unique Balika Panchayat, which aims to develop leadership qualities in the girls for Future Panchayat polls.
• This Panchayat will be run by the girls and for the girls.

About Gujarat:

• Gujarat is a state on the western coast of India with a coastline of 1,600 km – most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula – and a population of 60.4 million.
• It is the fifth-largest Indian state by area and the ninth-largest state by population.
• National parks in the state: Gir Forest National Park, Blackbuck National Park, Vansda National Park, Marine National Park, Gulf of Kutch.
• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Governor: Acharya Devvrat
• Chief minister: Vijay Rupani
• National Parks: Gir National Park, Velavadar National Park, Marine National Park, Vansda National Park.

Perumkulam is named as Kerala’s first ‘Book Village’ 

• Perumkulam is a unique village in Kerala, where the inhabitants are so passionate about reading that they have turned the entire village into what you can call a public library and have rightly earned the title of being Kerala’s first ‘village of books’.
• In 2017, Bapuji Smaraka Vayanasala, a hopeful library in Perumkulam, near Kollam, installed a public bookcase in the village as an experiment.
• Three years later, a US-based book-sharing movement called the Little Free Library, inspired by this initiative, helped the office bearers of Bapuji library to install around ten more such public bookcases in different locations of Perumkulam.

About Kerala:

• Kerala, a state on India’s tropical Malabar Coast, has nearly 600km of Arabian Sea shoreline.
• It’s known for its palm-lined beaches and backwaters, a network of canals.
• Inland are the Western Ghats, mountains whose slopes support tea, coffee and spice plantations as well as wildlife.
• National parks like Eravikulam and Periyar, plus Wayanad and other sanctuaries, are home to elephants, langur monkeys and tigers.
• Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
• Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
• Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
• National parks: Eravikulam National Park, Silent Valley National Park , Pampadum Shola National Park, Mathikettan Shola National Park, Anamudi Shola National Park.

Rajasthan govt develops mobile app “Raj Kisan Organic” for purchase, sale of organic products

• Individual farmers or farmer groups can register themselves by downloading this app from Google play store and directly sell their products to registered buyers.
• Now purchase and sale of organic products in Rajasthan can be done online using Raj Kisan Organic mobile application, developed by the agriculture department for coordination and negotiation between farmers and the buyers.
• Rajasthan agriculture minister Lalchand Kataria stated as the demand for organic products was increasing more and more farmers were switching to organic farming with more than 20,000 becoming members of around 90 organic producer groups registered with the Rajasthan State Organic Certification Organization.
• However, these farmers found it difficult to find a structured market to sell their produce, a problem that the new app named Raj Kisan Organic promises to solve by providing an interface to farmers and the consumers of organic produce.

About Rajasthan:

• Rajasthan is a state in northern India.
• The state covers an area of 342,239 square kilometres or 10.4 percent of the total geographical area of India.
• It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population.
• Capital: Jaipur
• Governor: Kalraj Mishra
• Chief Minister: Ashok Gehlot
• National Parks: Keoladeo National Park, Ranthambore National Park.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING NEWS

Bank of Baroda, U GRO Capital jointly launch co-lending platform ‘Pratham’

• U GRO Capital, a BSE listed, technology enabled small business NBFC, announced the launch of a co-lending partnership for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) with Bank of Baroda.
• Termed as ‘Pratham’, the loan disbursements have commenced on the occasion of Bank of Baroda’s 114th Foundation Day.
• The program has been launched under Reserve Bank of India’s revised co-lending guidelines.
• Pratham, a Rs 1000 crore co-lending program will allow the MSMEs to avail customized lending solutions at a competitive rate of interest with a significant reduction in turn-around time.
• The loan amount ranges from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2.5 crore to be offered at an interest rate starting from 8% with a maximum tenure of 120 months.

About BOB:

• Bank of Baroda is an Indian government owned banking and financial services company.
• It is under the ownership of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• Headquarters: Alkapuri, Vadodara
• Merged banks: Vijaya bank, Dena Bank
• Tagline: India’s International Bank

About U GRO Capital:

• “U GRO Capital limited is a BSE listed NBFC established in 1993.
• The company was acquired by financial services veteran Mr. Shachindra Nath on July 5th, 2018 and was later reinvigorated as U GRO.
• To bridge the gap for growth in SMEs across high potential sectors like Chemicals, Education, Electrical equipment and components, Food processing & FMCG, Hospitality, Healthcare and Light engineering, the company strives to build a strong SME financing platform based on sectoral understanding supplemented by a fully integrated technology and analytics platform.”

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India amends the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons) Regulations, 2016

• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2016 on 14th July, 2021.
• The amendment regulations enhance the discipline, transparency, and accountability in corporate insolvency proceedings:

• A corporate debtor (CD) may have changed its name or registered office address prior to commencement of insolvency. The stakeholders may find it difficult to relate to the new name or registered office address and consequently fail to participate in the CIRP. The amendment requires an insolvency professional (IP) conducting CIRP (corporate insolvency resolution process) to disclose all former names and registered office address(es) so changed in the two years preceding the commencement of insolvency along with the current name and registered office address of the CD, in all its communications and records.
• The interim resolution professional (IRP) or resolution professional (RP) may appoint any professional, including registered valuers, to assist him in discharge of his duties in conduct of the CIRP. The amendment provides that the IRP/RP may appoint a professional, other than registered valuers, if he is of the opinion that the services of such professional are required and such services are not available with the CD. Such appointments shall be made on an arm’s length basis following an objective and transparent process. The invoice for fee shall be raised in the name of the professional and be paid into his bank account.
• The RP is duty bound to find out if a CD has been subject to avoidance transactions, namely, preferential transactions, undervalued transactions, extortionate credit transactions, fraudulent trading and wrongful trading, and file applications with the Adjudicating Authority seeking appropriate relief. This not only claws back the value lost in such transactions increasing the possibility of reorganisation of the CD through a resolution plan, but also disincentives such transactions preventing stress to the CD.
• For effective monitoring, the amendment requires the RP to file Form CIRP 8 on the electronic platform of the Board, intimating details of his opinion and determination in respect of avoidance transactions.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENT AND RESIGNATION NEWS

B K Sinha appointed as Press Attache of India’s Olympic contingent at Tokyo Olympic

• The Indian Olympic Association has appointed retired IPS officer B K Sinha to perform the dual role of Security as well as Press Attache of the country’s contingent at the Tokyo Games, which begins on July 23.
• Sinha is a former Haryana DGP and also a recipient of the President’s Police Medal.
• India will be represented by a 228-strong contingent, including 119 athletes, at the the Tokyo Olympics, being held under strict health protocols sans spectators in the wake of the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

Sandesh Jhingan bags AIFF men’s footballer of the year for 2020/21 season

• Senior India defender Sandesh Jhingan was named the AIFF men’s Footballer of the Year, while midfielder Suresh Singh Wangjam was picked as the Emerging Player for 2020-21 season.
• It is the first time that the towering central defender has received the AIFF Player of the Year award, having won the Emerging Player of the Year Award in 2014.
• The award winners were chosen on the basis of votes from the Indian Super League and I-League club coaches.
• He was part of the Indian sides that lifted the Intercontinental Cup in 2018 and played out a memorable draw at the home of the Asian champions Qatar in 2019.

About AIFF:

• The All India Football Federation, simply known as the AIFF, is the governing body of association football in India and is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India.
• Vice-President: Subrata Dutta
• President: Praful Patel
• Headquarters: New Delhi

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU’s AND AGREEMENTS

ESR India inks MoU with TN govt 

• Industrial and logistics real estate platform ESR India stated it has signed an agreement with the Tamil Nadu government to develop two industrial parks with an estimated investment of Rs 550 crore.
• ESR India and the Tamil Nadu government have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect at the Investment Conclave 2021 conference.
• The MoU is signed for the launch of two industrial parks in Kancheepuram and Krishnagiri districts of the state over the next five years.
• ESR India mentioned the MoU will facilitate its proposed investment at Kancheepuram and Krishnagiri industrial parks by helping in streamlining land acquisition, approvals, clearances, and administrative processes as per existing policies, rules, and regulations of the state government.

About ESR:

• ESR is the largest APAC focused logistics real estate platform by gross floor area (GFA) and by the value of the assets owned directly and by the funds and investment vehicles it manages.
• ESR is a leading APAC focused integrated logistics real estate platform.
• Headquartered in Hong Kong, ESR is a leading logistics real estate platform with a network spanning major economies across the APAC region, including the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia and India.

About TamilNadu:

• Tamil Nadu, a South Indian state, is famed for its Dravidian-style Hindu temples.
• In Madurai, Meenakshi Amman Temple has high ‘gopuram’ towers ornamented with colourful figures.
• On Pamban Island, Ramanathaswamy Temple is a pilgrimage site.
• The town of Kanyakumari, at India’s southernmost tip, is the site of ritual sunrises.
• Capital: Chennai
• Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
• Chief minister: M. K. Stalin
• National Parks: Guindy National Park, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Mudumalai National Park, Mukurthi National Park.

MECL signs MoU with DMG, Goa

• Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) a premier notified mineral exploration agency under the aegis of Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Directorate of Mines & Geology (DMG), Government of Goa, offering integrated mineral exploration and consultancy services.
• With the signing of MoU, MECL will assess mineral resources by conducting an array of geo-scientific exploration and will finalise the mineral blocks to be auctioned and establish the state’s mineral inventory.
• The recent amendments to the MMDR Amendment Act 2021, Mineral (Auction) Second Amendment Rules, 2021 and Minerals (Evidence of Mineral Contents) Amendment Rules will further pave the way for states to fast track the auction process of their mineral acreages, thus making role of DMG, Government of Goa pivotal in the process of assessment and allocation of their mineral acreages.

About Mineral Resources in GOA:

• The State of Goa has been bestowed with large deposits of Iron Ore (1,456 Million Tonnes) as well as significant occurrence of other major minerals like Bauxite (55 Million Tonnes) and Manganese Ore (34 Million Tonnes).
• Iron Ore mining in the state hugely contributes to the regional income and employment in the state.
• Goa also has an intrinsic logistic environment for export of minerals due to availability of ports near the mining site.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SUMMITS & CONFERENCES

Vice-President Of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu addresses The World Universities Summit 2021 

• The Vice President of India addresses the World Universities Summit.
• Universities should become thought leaders in finding solutions to global challenges such as climate change and poverty.

• The theme of the summit was “Universities of the Future: Building Institutional Resilience, Social Responsibility and Community Impact“.
• Addressing the participants, Union Education and Skill Development Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized on the Government’s commitment to transform India’s education sector bringing it at par with global standards, encouraging research and innovation and on developing well-rounded responsible citizens, who are also global citizens- Vishwa Manav.
• Shri Pradhan said that the New National Education Policy -2020 has heralded a new imagination for the Indian higher education system.
• It outlines the vision of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to make an Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
• Quality, equity, accessibility and affordability are the four pillars of the new education policy on which a new India will emerge, he added.
• Minister Pradhan stated that with the vision of Study In India—Stay In India’, India will move towards becoming a global destination in education.
• He said that the multidisciplinary education and research university (MERU) will open up new opportunities for India’s youth.
• MERU will promote interdisciplinary research and make India a global hub of Research and Development
• The NEP will facilitate integration of education with skills and enable India to reap the demographic dividend.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

DRDO successfully flight-tests surface-to-air missile Akash-NG

• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the New Generation Akash Missile (Akash-NG), a surface-to-air Missile from Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the coast of Odisha on July 21, 2021.
• The flight trial was conducted at around 12:45 PM from a land-based platform with all weapon system elements such as Multifunction Radar, Command, Control & Communication System and launcher participating in deployment configuration.
• In order to capture flight data, ITR deployed a number of Range stations like Electro Optical Tracking System, Radar and Telemetry.
• The flawless performance of the entire weapon system has been confirmed by complete flight data captured by these systems.
• During the test, the missile demonstrated high manoeuvrability required for neutralising fast and agile aerial threats.
• Once deployed, the Akash-NG weapon system will prove to be a force multiplier for the air defence capability of the Indian Air Force

About DRDO:

• DRDO is India’s largest research organisation. It has a network of laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.
• Founded: 1958
• Headquarters: DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi

DRDO successfully flight-tests indigenously developed MPATGM for minimum range

• In a major boost towards Atma Nirbhar Bharat and strengthening of Indian Army, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested indigenously developed low weight, fire and forget Man Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on July 21, 2021.
• The missile was launched from a man portable launcher integrated with a thermal site and the target was mimicking a tank.
• The missile hit the target in direct attack mode and destroyed it with precision.
• The test has validated the minimum range successfully.
• All the mission objectives were met.
• The missile is incorporated with state-of-the-art Miniaturized Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics.
• The test brings the development of indigenous third generation man portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile close to completion. 

Features of Man Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM):

• Low weight, fire and forget Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile
• Miniaturised Infrared Imaging seeker
• Major boost to Army and Atma Nirbhar Bharat

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian start-up makes affordable and dual powered defibrillator; sanmitra 1000hct

• DBT-BIRAC-funded JeevtronicsPvt. Ltd. has developed SanMitra 1000 HCT, the hand-cranked dual powered (grid+hand cranked) defibrillator. 
• The affordable, low-weight device is considered more reliable than traditional defibrillators by experts as it can be used even in the areas where electricity is unavailable.
• The device works with both AC mains and a hand-cranked generator built into the unit, and does not require any battery change.
• The start-up has reported that the device’s battery has been tested for a large number of charge-discharge cycles thereby making it cost-effective.
• The device is ideal for hospitals located in cities and remote areas.
• So far, over 200 devices have been deployed across India and Africa, as per the stats provided by the start-up.
• Jeevtronics, an ISO13485 certified company, has already received four patents in US and India, and had been facilitated financially by BIRAC under the schemes of BIG and IIPME (Early Transition stage) in the past.
• SanMitra 1000 HCTis designed to international IEC standards for medical devices and the patented technology costs INR 99,999+ taxes, which is1/4th of the big brands, as reported by the start-up.
• These defibrillators can be usually preferred over chest compressions (CPR), and can even prove fruitful in treating COVID-19 patients suffering from issues related to rate or rhythm of the heartbeat (Arrythmias).
• As per the start-up, they have also developed the only Make-In-India “ambulance grade” defibrillator, named as JeevtronicsSanMitra 1000 HCT EMS, which has been tested at ARAI and will be priced at fraction of the cost of MNC brands.

Features of the Defibrillator

• Low weight
• Can be used even in areas without electricity
• Does not require any battery change
• Can even prove fruitful in treating COVID-19 patients suffering from issues related to rate or rhythm of the heartbeat
• Ideal for city and remote area hospitals
• In-built generator provides the Device advantage over traditional defibrillator
• Receives four patents in India and United States

Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar develops AMLEX               

• Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar has developed a first-of-its-kind Oxygen Rationing Device – AMLEX.

Purpose :

• To save the oxygen which gets wasted unnecessarily & to increase the life of medical oxygen cylinders three times.
• The device can operate on both portable power supply (battery) as well as line supply (220V-50Hz).
• AMLEX, was a system developed specifically for oxygen cylinders synchronising the flow of oxygen with inhalation and exhalation of the patient, thus conserving a large amount of oxygen in the reservoir for a long-lasting operation.
• As AMLEX supplies a required volume of oxygen to the patient during inhalation and trips when the patient exhales CO2, it saves the flow of oxygen at that time.

Developers :

• IIT Ropar’s assistant professor Dr Ashish Sahani led the team that developed the device comprising PhD students of Biomedical Engineering Department Mohit Kumar, Ravinder Kumar and Amanpreet Chander
• The demand for liquid medical oxygen increased four times to 2,800 TPD.

Jeff Bezos launches to space aboard New Shepard rocket ship

• Billionaire Jeff Bezos has made a short journey to space, in the first crewed flight of his rocket ship, New Shepard.
• He was accompanied by Mark Bezos, his brother, Wally Funk, an 82-year-old pioneer of the space race, and an 18-year-old student.
• They travelled in a capsule with the biggest windows flown in space, offering stunning views of the Earth.
• New Shepard, built by Bezos’ company Blue Origin, is designed to serve the burgeoning market for space tourism.

About Jeff Bezos :

• Bezos is the founder and executive chairman of Amazon, having previously served as chairman, president and CEO of the company.
• He is the richest person in the world according to both Forbes and Bloomberg‘s Billionaires Index

DRDO indigenously develops Titanium alloy for aerospace industry

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has indigenously developed a High Strength Metastable Beta Titanium Alloy 
• It can be used in forging aerospace structures.
• The alloy has been developed by the Hyderabad-based Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) premier of DRDO.
• The beta titanium alloys are unique due to their higher strength, ductility, fatigue, and fracture toughness – making them increasingly attractive for aircraft structural applications. 

Components of Beta titanium alloy :

It Contains,

1. Vanadium
2. Iron
3. Aluminium

Benefits of Using Beta titanium alloy :

• Potential for significant weight savings (Expected around 40%)
• Lower lifetime cost
• High strength-to-weight ratio
• These alloys were being used by many developed nations in recent times as a beneficial substitute for the relatively heavier traditional structural steels.
• The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) had identified over 15 steel components that may be replaced by the alloy forgings.

About DRDO :

• Founded: 1958
• Headquarters : New Delhi
• Chairman : Dr G Satheesh Reddy

About DMRL :

• Located at : Hyderabad, Telangana
• Director : Dr G Madhusudhan Reddy

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BOOKS & AUTHORS

Science Journalist Hari Pulakkat released a Debut Book titled SPACE. LIFE. MATTER : The Coming of Age of Indian Science 

• Science Journalist Hari Pulakkat has released his Debut Book titled SPACE. LIFE. MATTER : The Coming of Age of Indian Science 
• It was Published by Hachette India.

About the Book :

• The book comprises historical anecdotes of some of the country’s most remarkable turning points in science discovery such as Astrosat (India’s first space telescope), the country’s investments in pharmaceutical industries specifically anti-cancer drugs and vitamins

About Hari Pulakkat :

• Hari Pulakkat is a science journalist based in Bengaluru.
• He has spent three decades of his career writing for the Economic Times and Businessworld. 
• He is the editor of a science and technology magazine published by IIT Madras.

Achievements :

• He is the winner of the Indira Gandhi Prize for Popularization of Science, 2020

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SPORTS NEWS

2032 Olympic and Paralympic games hosted by Australia’s Brisbane city 

• On July 21, 2021, the International Olympic Committee approved the Australian city of Brisbane as the host city for the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games. 
• Brisbane is the third Australian city to host the Olympic Games after Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000.
• Meanwhile selection means Australia becomes only the second country in the world, after the United States, to stage the summer Olympic Games in three different cities.
• Several cities and countries had publicly expressed an interest in staging the 2032 Games including

1. Indonesia,
2. Hungary’s capital Budapest,
3. China,
4. Qatar’s Doha
5. Germany’s Ruhr valley region.

• But in a new process adopted by the IOC that does not openly pit candidates against each other, Brisbane had already moved ahead of any rival back in February, having been selected as a “preferred host”.

Note :

• Australian Olympic Committee chief : John Coates

About International Olympic Committee :

• President: Thomas Bach
• Director General : Christophe De Kepper
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
• Founded: 23 June 1894, Paris, France
• Founders: Pierre de Coubertin, Demetrios Vikelas

Daily CA On July 21 :

• The Government of India has extended the duration of ‘Stand Up India Scheme’ up to the year 2025, MoS for Social Justice and Empowerment Sushri Pratima Bhoumik.
• The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D) launched an affordable rapid antigen test kit to detect Covid-19 priced at Rs.50, which was developed entirely by its Centre for Biomedical Engineering (CBME) led by professor Harpal Singh.
• The Ministry of Jal Shakti through Gazette Notification dated 15.07.2021 has notified the jurisdiction of Godavari River Management Board and Krishna River Management Board, which provide the required authority and power to the two Boards in terms of administration, regulation, operation and maintenance of listed projects in Godavari and Krishna rivers in the two States.
• Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana launched a new scheme called ‘FASTER’ or ‘Fast and Secure Transmission of Electronic Records’. 
• No specific expert / inter-ministerial committee / research study / policy / plan / strategy for studying, evaluating and preparing a “Day Zero” roadmap/policy for water scarce regions of the country has been conducted.
• Tertiary value addition centres being set up in tribal areas of Jagdalpur and Raigad under TRIFOOD
• Leaders of the Asia-Pacific trade group APEC, including US President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin have pledged to work to expand sharing and manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines to fight the global pandemic.
• Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri stepped down over what he called “key differences” with the president, deepening a political crisis that has left the Lebanese without a government for nine months even as they endure an unprecedented economic meltdown.
• India’s largest oil firm IOC will build the nation’s first ‘green hydrogen’ plant at its Mathura refinery, as it aims to prepare for a future catering to the growing demand for both oil and cleaner forms of energy.
• Maharashtra will be the first state in the country to issue educational documents using blockchain technology.
• The Supreme Court lifted a blanket ban imposed on disc jockeys by the Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh two years in the past.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated projects worth over Rs 1,100 crore in Gujarat, these projects include three new attractions in a state-of-the-art science city, a five-star hotel atop a railway station and several railway projects.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has downgraded India’s economic growth forecast for the current financial year to 10 per cent, from 11 percent predicted earlier this year, mainly on account of the adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
• APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) with Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF) organizes an awareness creation programme for the basmati rice growers.
• The Government has launched a Bad Bank with all the regulatory approvals in place.
• Nearly 72% of financial transactions of PSBs done through digital channels
• India emerges as 5th largest forex reserves holder in the world with $608.99 billion as on June 25, 2021
• Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) offers financial support to entrepreneurs, private companies, MSME and Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs)
• Odisha FC announced that it has appointed Kiko Ramírez as the head coach ahead of the upcoming eighth season of the Indian Super League.
• In view of increasing cases of dowry harassment in the state, the Kerala government has amended its dowry Prohibition rules, according to the new amended norms, dowry prohibition officers will be appointed in all 14 districts in the state. 
• Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus will follow in the footsteps of legendary Kenyan Olympic champion Kip Keino when he receives the Olympic Laurel at the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony here.
• Union Minister for Labour & Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav chaired the BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meeting under India’s Presidency.
• Ordnance Factory of Tiruchirappalli (OFT)  handed over the locally assembled 12.7mm stabilised remote control gun (SRCG) system to the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard for enhanced surveillance and warfare.
• Top defence officials from India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives participated in a virtual trilateral tabletop exercise where they discussed best practices and procedures for countering common transnational maritime crime like curbing narcotics and assistance in maritime search and rescue.
• A reference was received from the State Government of Karnataka to the central government for setting up of a Sainik School in Shivamogga district of Karnataka.
• The Government has taken several policy initiatives and brought in reforms to promote indigenisation and self-reliance in defence manufacturing, under AatmaNirbhar Bharat Mission in the defence sector
• In line with Government of India’s initiative of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, it has been decided to earmark an amount of Rs 71,438.36 crore for domestic capital procurement out of the total allocation of Rs 1,11,463.21 crore for  Capital Acquisition.
• The Russian defense ministry Successfully test fired the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile.
• On July 18, 2021, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) launched a new campaign called ‘KALA VISHWA’, from its Mumbai Centre.
• On July 20, 2021, Russia successfully test-fired its new S-500 air defence missile systems, from a southern training range, Kapustin Yar & hit a high-speed ballistic target as planned.
• On July 18, 2021, India’s GM Viswanathan Anand defeated Vladimir Kramnik of Russia to win the Sparkassen Trophy in his fourth and final round held in Dortmund, Germany.
• On July 18,2021, The International Cricket Council (ICC) welcomed its newest member countries Mongolia, Tajikistan and Switzerland at the ICC’s 78th Annual General Meeting held.
• On July 15, 2021, Gira Sarabhai, co-founder of the renowned National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad passed away.

Daily CA On July 22 :

• MyGov platform is hosting the Online Competition under PM’s Mentorship Scheme for Young Writers,

seeking participation of young and aspiring Indian writers from across the globe.

• National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) (an autonomous body under this Ministry) has

collaborated with National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for conduct of "National

Initiative of School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement" (NISHTHA) Capacity Building Program

for EMRS teachers and Principals.

• Khelo India' centres are being opened for nurturing of athletes at grassroots level and to strengthen

sports ecosystem in the country

• China unveiled the world’s first high-speed maglev transportation system running at a speed of 600 kilometers

per hour made its public debut in Qingdao, East China’s Shandong Province.

• Ariel Henry has been sworn in as Haiti's new Prime Minister, nearly two weeks after the assassination of the

country's President Jovenel Moise.

• The Kunariya village of Kutch district in Gujarat has come up with a unique idea of holding Balika Panchayat.
• Perumkulam is a unique village in Kerala, where the inhabitants are so passionate about reading that they

have turned the entire village into what you can call a public library and have rightly earned the title of being

Kerala’s first ‘village of books’.

• Rajasthan government develops mobile app “Raj Kisan Organic” for purchase, sale of organic products
• U GRO Capital, a BSE listed, technology enabled small business NBFC, announced the launch of a co-lending

partnership for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) with Bank of Baroda.

• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) notified the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India

(Insolvency Resolution Process for Corporate Persons) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2016 on 14th July,

2021.

• The Indian Olympic Association has appointed retired IPS officer B K Sinha to perform the dual role of

Security as well as Press Attache of the country's contingent at the Tokyo Games, which begins on July 23.

• Senior India defender Sandesh Jhingan was named the AIFF men’s Footballer of the Year, while midfielder

Suresh Singh Wangjam was picked as the Emerging Player for 2020-21 season.

• Industrial and logistics real estate platform ESR India stated it has signed an agreement with the Tamil Nadu

government to develop two industrial parks with an estimated investment of Rs 550 crore.

• Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited (MECL) a premier notified mineral exploration agency under the

aegis of Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Directorate of

Mines & Geology (DMG), Government of Goa, offering integrated mineral exploration and consultancy services.

• Vice-President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, inaugurated the World Universities Summit 2021 (WUS 21)

organised by O.P. Jindal Global University located at Sonipat, Haryana from July 21 to 23.

• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the New Generation Akash

Missile (Akash-NG), a surface-to-air Missile from Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the coast of Odisha on

July 21, 2021.

• In a major boost towards Atma Nirbhar Bharat and strengthening of Indian Army, Defence Research and

Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested indigenously developed low weight, fire and forget

Man Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) on July 21, 2021.

• DBT-BIRAC-funded JeevtronicsPvt. Ltd. has developed SanMitra 1000 HCT, the hand-cranked dual

powered (grid+hand cranked) defibrillator.

• Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar has developed a first-of-its-kind Oxygen Rationing Device – AMLEX.
• Founder and executive chairman of Amazon, Jeff Bezos has made a short journey to space, in the first

crewed flight of his rocket ship, New Shepard.

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has indigenously developed a High

Strength Metastable Beta Titanium Alloy

• Science Journalist Hari Pulakkat has released his Debut Book titled SPACE. LIFE. MATTER : The Coming of

Age of Indian Science

• On July 21, 2021, the International Olympic Committee approved the Australian city of Brisbane as the

host city for the 2032 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games.