Current Affairs 11th July 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

World Population Day

• World Population Day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues.
• The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in
• Putting the brakes on COVID19:How to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now amid the pandemic is thetheme of this year’s World Population Day.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

MSDE launches ASEEM portal to help skilled people find livelihood opportunities

• The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on Friday launched ‘Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping’ (ASEEM) portal to help skilled people find sustainable livelihood opportunities.
• The initiative aims to accelerate India’s journey towards recovery by mapping skilled workforce and connecting them with relevant livelihood opportunities in their local communities, especially in the post Covid era.
• The Artificial Intelligence-based ASEEM will provide employers a platform to assess the availability of skilled workforce and formulate their hiring plans. ASEEM refers to all the data, trends and analytics which describe the workforce market and will map demand of skilled workforce to supply.
• ASEEM also available as an APP, is developed and managed by NSDC in collaboration with Bengaluru-based company Betterplace specialising in blue collar employee management.
• Database of labour migrants in Indian states and overseas citizens who returned to India under the Vande Bharat Mission and filled SWADES Skill Card has been integrated with the ASEEM portal.

About MSDE

• Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship: Mahendra Nath Pandey
• Constituency: Uttar Pradesh

Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Facebook host webinar for sensitization of MPs on GOAL project

• Ministry of Tribal Affairs hosted a Webinar along with Facebook India in New Delhi for sensitization of Members of Parliament from Scheduled Tribe (ST) Constituencies on Going Online As Leaders (GOAL) Project.
• Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh Saruta, many Members of Parliament and senior officers from Tribal Affairs Ministry, MyGov and Facebook India participated in the Webinar.
• Mr Munda stated that Going Online As Leaders (GOAL) is a digital skilling and mentorship initiative that will engage renowned leaders and experts in their domains-from business, education, health, politics, arts and entrepreneurship among others, to personally mentor scheduled tribe youths across India through digital mechanisms.
• He stated, this programme will empower and enable scheduled tribe youths to become change makers of tomorrow. The initiative primarily targets at capacity building of youths living in tribal areas which will inspire, guide and encourage them to boost their confidence level and ignite higher aspirations among them.
• The core areas of mentorship programme are Digital Literacy, life Skills and Leadership and Entrepreneurship. He called upon tribal youths to use their Mobile phone as a tool to achieve their goals in life.

About Ministry of Tribal Affairs:

• Arjun Munda, Cabinet Minister
• Constituency: Khunti
• Renuka Singh Saruta, Minister of State

Shipping Ministry issues draft ‘Aids to Navigation Bill 2020’ for public consultation

• The Shipping Ministry has issued a draft of ‘Aids to Navigation Bill, 2020’ for suggestions from the stakeholders and public. Suggestions and opinions can be sent by 24th of July.
• The draft bill is proposed to replace the Lighthouse Act, 1927 to incorporate the best global practices, technological developments and India’s International obligations in the field of Aids to Marine Navigation.
• Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya stated, this initiative is part of the proactive approach adopted by the Ministry by repealing colonial laws and replacing them with modern and contemporary needs of the maritime industry. He stated, the bill aims to regulate state-of-the-art technologies of marine navigation.

About Ministry of Shipping: 

• Mansukh L. Mandaviya, Minister of State (Independent Charge)
• Constituency: Palitana

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

Current Affairs 10th July 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

Ministry of Culture to reprint 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur under NMM

• The Ministry of Culture has taken up the project of reprinting of 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur under the National Mission for Manus, NMM.
• The first set of five volumes of Mongolian Kanjur published under the NMM was presented to the President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of Guru Purnima, also known as Dharma Chakra Day, on 4th July.
• A set was then handed over to Mr. Gonching Ganbold, Ambassador of Mongolia to India by Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel.
• The National Mission for Manus was launched in February 2003 by the Government of India with the mandate of documenting, conserving and disseminating the knowledge preserved in the manus.
• One of the objectives of the mission is to publish rare and unpublished manus so that the knowledge enshrined in them is spread to researchers, scholars and general public at large.
• It is expected that all the 108 volumes of the Mongolian Kanjur will be published by March, 2022.
• Mongolian Kanjur, is considered to be the most important religious text in Mongolia. In the Mongolian language ‘Kanjur’ means ‘Concise Orders’- the words of Lord Buddha.

About Mongolia:

• Capital: Ulaanbaatar
• Currency: Mongolian tögrög

18th meeting of high-level Group of Ministers on COVID-19 held in New Delhi

• The 18th meeting of the high-level Group of Ministers, GoM on COVID-19 was held in New Delhi through video conferencing under the chairpersonship of Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.
• The GoM was briefed on the current status of COVID-19 in India. The global comparison between the five most affected countries clearly depicted that India has one of the lowest cases per million which is 538 and deaths per million which is 15 compared the global average of 1453 and 68.7.
• Dr Harsh Vardhan stated that as we move forward, the focus shall be on the management of COVID-19 through strict containment measures and surveillance; utilizing full testing capacity and focus on monitoring of co-morbid and elderly population.
• He pointed out that the aim is to reduce the Case Fatality Rate low by early identification and effective clinical management.
• Dr Harsh Vardhan was joined by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep S. Puri, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Shipping and Chemical and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya, Member Health in NITI Aayog Dr. Vinod Paul joined the meeting through video conference link.

PM Modi inaugurates Asia’s largest solar energy project in MP’s Rewa

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that solar energy is going to be a major source of energy needs not only today but in the 21st century as well, because solar energy is Sure, Pure and Secure.
• While  inaugurating through video conference Asia’s largest solar energy project in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa, the Prime Minister stated that Rewa has really created history. Rewa has been identified as Ma Narmada and a white tiger. Now the name of Asia’s largest solar power project has also been added.
• The Prime Minister stated that the people of Madhya Pradesh and the industries will get electricity from this solar plant, even the metro rail in Delhi will get its benefits. Like Rewa, work is going on on big solar power plants in Shajapur, Neemuch and Chhatarpur, he added.
• Referring to the energy needs of the country, Mr Modi stated that as India is moving towards the new era of development, our hopes and aspirations are increasing, so our energy and electricity needs are also increasing. In such a situation, self-sufficiency of electricity is very important for a self-reliant India.
• The Solar Park has been developed over a total area of 1500 hectares, by the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL). RUMSL is a Joint Venture of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) and Madhya Pradesh UrjaVikas Nigam Limited (MPUVN).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

WHO to set up independent panel to review handling of COVID-19 pandemic

• The World Health Organization (WHO) was setting up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response by governments.
• Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and former Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have agreed to head the panel.
• The announcement follows strong criticism by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration of the global agency’s role in the crisis.
• The panel will provide an interim report to an annual meeting of health ministers in November and present a “substantive report” next May.

About WHO

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Director: Tedros Adhanom

Bangladesh govt launches ‘Digital Haat’ for sacrificial animals before Eid-Ul-Azha

• The government of Bangladesh has launched a ‘Digital Haat’ for online sale and purchase of sacrificial animals ahead of the festival of Eid-Ul-Azha.
• The initiative has been taken to save the cattle farmers and traders from financial loss amid the Corona pandemic and also to stop further transmission of the infection in the country.
• The government is going to promote this haat through its website and social networking sites at its own cost. The site is free for use by the interested people.
• The government has also decided to transport sacrificial animals from the north and west of the country to Dhaka and Chattogram through the rail route.

About Bangladesh

• Capital: Dhaka
• Currency: Bangladeshi taka
• PM: Sheikh Hasina

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE

BSE partners with LIC Mutual Fund for BSE eKYC services

• BSE has now partnered with LIC Mutual Fund to power its eKYC services on BSE StAR MF, the market leading MF platform.
• The digital KYC process will facilitate our Members to ensure zero contact, hassle-free customer on boarding process, especially during this COVID situation.
• The entire process is very user friendly and simplifies the user experience to perform the entire KYC process seamlessly.
• BSE had launched its eKYC platform during lock down period as a service for IFAs, DFIs, Mutual funds and stock brokers to add new investors in their customers list without physically going to meet the investors.

About BSE

• HQ: Mumbai
• Vikramajit Sen, (Chairman); Ashishkumar Chauhan, (MD & CEO)

About LIC Mutual Fund

• HQ: Mumbai
• Chairman‎: ‎ V. K. Chopra

Karur Vysya Bank partners with Tata Motors to offer car loans at attractive terms

• Karur Vysya Bank has entered into an arrangement with Tata Motors to fund buyers of Tata passenger vehicles.
• The Bank informed the exchanges that both existing and new customers will be eligible to avail loans from KVB.
• KVB is offering a special product for buyers of Tata Motor passenger vehicles under which 100% on-road finance with a 6 month holiday period is provided at attractive interest rates. The scheme is applicable only for 3 models, viz., Tata Tiago, Tata Nexon and Tata Altroz. The loans are available to both the salaried and self-employed.
• Loans are offered for both salaried and self-employed persons and repayment period is upto 60 months with attractive rates of interest.

About KVB

• Headquarters: Karur
• CEO: P. R. Seshadri, K Venkataraman

IRDAI forms panel on ‘Indian Pandemic Risk Pool’

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has formed a working group to examine the feasibility of ‘Pandemic Risk Pool’.
• Suresh Mathur, Executive Director, Irdai, will be the Chairman for the 9-member working group with industry representatives as members.
• Apart from studying the need for such as pool, the group will also recommend the structure and operating model.
• The Covid-19 pandemic, which started as a public health crisis, has led to a significant disruption in the economic activity mainly due to measures taken to stop the spread of the disease.

About IRDAI

• Headquarters: Hyderabad
• Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia

SEBI rejigs advisory committee on mutual funds

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has revamped its committee that advises the capital markets regulator on matters related to regulation and development of mutual fund industry.
• The 20-member advisory committee on mutual funds is headed by Usha Thorat, former deputy governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), a latest Sebi update showed.
• Earlier in 2013, the panel had 15 members and was headed by Janki Ballabh, former Chairman of SBI.
• The members of the committee include officials of various fund houses like Franklin Templeton Asset Management (India) Pvt Ltd President Sanjay Sapre, Kotak Mahindra AMC MD Nilesh Shah and Canara Robeco AMC CEO Rajnish Narula, SBI Mutual Fund Independent Trustee Sunil Gulati and Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund Independent Trustee Director Brij Gopal Daga.
• Moreover, the committee comprises representatives from the government, media and a SEBI official.
• The advisory committee is mandated to advise the regulator on issues related to regulation and development of mutual fund industry.
• It can advise the regulator on disclosure requirements and measures required for a change in the legal framework to introduce simplification and transparency in mutual fund regulations.

About SEBI:

• Founded: 12 April 1992
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi

Current Affairs 09th July 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

Cabinet Approves Rs 1 Lakh Crore Fund For Agriculture Infrastructure

• The Union Cabinet gave its approval to Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore, a new pan-India central government scheme, to provide a medium to long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support.
• Union Cabinet, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated under the Scheme, Rs 1 lakh crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), marketing cooperative societies, Farmer Producers Organisations (FPOs), self-help groups (SHGs), farmers, joint liability groups (JLG), multi-purpose cooperative societies, agri-entrepreneurs, start-ups, aggregation infrastructure providers and central/state agency or local body sponsored public-private partnership projects.
• Loans will be disbursed in four years starting with the sanction of Rs 10,000 crore in the current year and Rs 30,000 crore each in the next three financial years.
• All loans under this financing facility will have interest subvention of 3 per cent per annum up to a limit of Rs 2 crore.
  This subvention will be available for a maximum period of seven years.
• Credit guarantee coverage will be available for eligible borrowers from this financing facility under the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for a loan up to Rs 2 crore. The fee for this coverage will be paid by the government.
• In case of FPOs, the credit guarantee may be availed from the facility created under FPO promotion scheme of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare (DACFW)
• The total outflow as budgetary support from the central government will be Rs 10,736 crore.
• The agri infra fund will be managed and monitored through an online Management Information System (MIS) platform.
• National, state and district-level monitoring committees will be set up to ensure real-time monitoring and effective feedback.
• The duration of the scheme will be for 10 years from the financial year 2020 to FY 2029.

Centre to release postal stamp of former PM PV Narasimha Rao to mark centenary

• A commemorative stamp would be released soon by the Centre in honour of former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao on his 100th birth anniversary.
• The Telangana state cabinet and Legislature would pass resolutions requesting a Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, for the former Prime Minister.

PM Modi to inaugurate 3-day India Global Week 2020

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver the inaugural address on the first day of India Global Week-2020 .The theme of the three-day virtual conference is Be The Revival: India and a Better New World. India Global Week- 2020 will have 5,000 global participants from 30 nations. In all, 250 global speakers will address the virtual conference in 75 sessions.
• Other high profile speakers participating at the event will include External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, Minister of Railways, Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir G C Murmu, Isha Foundation Founder Sadhguru, Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar along with UK’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and Home Secretary Priti Patel, US Ambassador to India Ken Juster and others.
• It will also feature a never seen before performance ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ by Madhu Nataraj and a special 100th birth anniversary concert in tribute to the sitar maestro Ravi Shankar by three of his most eminent students.

Current Affairs 08th July 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

NHRC sets up panel to assess Covid-19 impact on human rights

• The National Human Rights Commission has constituted an 11-member expert committee to study impact of Covid-19 on human rights and future response of the government.
• The expert panel would be headed by Dr K S Reddy, president of Public Health Foundation of India. The expert committee would assess the impact of Covid-19 on human rights of people, especially marginalised and vulnerable sections of the society, including migrant labourers.
• The expert panel would also suggest the future policy for the Centre and state governments. The committee has public health experts and members of civil society who have vast experience in social sector and human rights
• The expert panel would study in detail the migrant crisis that had unfolded at the beginning of pandemic from the public health perspective and how it was addressed by the states. Best practices being followed abroad and even in India would also be studied in detail and woven in policy recommendations to the government.
• NHRCwould also seek views of different ministries including health and family welfare, labour, women and child development, food and public distribution, agriculture, social justice and empowerment and tribal affairs. According to sources, NHRC would issue an advisory to the state governments and the Centre making the findings of the expert panel as the basis.

About National Human Rights Commission:

• Headquarters: New Delhi, India
• Justice H. L. Dattu, Chairman

USAID, MNRE Announce New Partnership To Expand Clean Energy Development

• In a step toward increasing US-India collaboration for clean energy development, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) have announced the launch of a partnership between the USAID-supported South Asia Group for Energy (SAGE) and MNRE’s national technical institutions.
• SAGE is a US government consortium that will provide advanced technical knowledge on clean energy development embedded in the US Department of Energy’s National Laboratories to MNRE’s National Technical Institutions and other public institutes under this new partnership.
• MNRE Secretary Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi and USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Javier Piedra launched the partnership on the sidelines of the ongoing US-India Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) meetings.
• SAGE will contribute significantly towards achieving the goals of US government’s Asia Enhancing Growth and Development through Energy (Asia EDGE) Initiative, a primary pillar of the US government’s Indo-Pacific vision in South Asia, and the US-India Strategic Energy Partnership.
• To maximise the impact of this partnership, the SAGE consortium in discussion with MNRE and its technical institutions, the National Institute of Wind Energy and the National Institute of Biomass Energy has identified several key topics.
• The SAGE is a consortium consisting of USAID, the US Department of Energy and three of the Department of Energy’s National Laboratories — Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

About United States Agency for International Development:

• Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
• Acting Administrator: John Barsa

About Ministry of New and Renewable Energy:

• Raj Kumar Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge)
• Constituency: Arrah

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

U.S. to formally withdraw from WHO in 2021

• The U.S. has sent a letter officially notifying the United Nations that it is leaving the World Health Organization, starting the formal process of withdrawal that President Trump first started in April when he halted funding to WHO.
• The Trump administration has notified Congress and the United Nations that the United States is formally withdrawing from the World Health Organization.
• The United States’ notice of withdrawal, effective July 6, 2021, has been submitted to the UN Secretary-General, as per sources.
• The spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres stated he had received the notice and “is in the process of verifying with the World Health Organization whether all the conditions for such withdrawal are met.” Those conditions “include giving a one-year notice and fully meeting the payment of assessed financial obligations.”
• President Donald Trump stated he was halting funding to the organisation in mid-April and announced his intention to withdraw from the WHO in May.
• Trump consistently accused the organization of aiding China in allegedly covering up the origins of the virus and allowing its spread.

About WHO:

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
• Director-General: Tedros Adhanom

India funded new school infrastructure inaugurated in Nepal

• A new four-storey school building built with Indian assistance of Rs 1.94 crore for students pursuing both vedic and modern education was inaugurated in Nepal’s Ilam district, according to the Indian embassy.
• The new building of Shri Saptmai Gurukul Sanskrit Vidyalaya, which was setup in 2009 and has unique qualification of imparting vedic as well as modern education including Sanskrit, was inaugurated through video conferencing that was attended by Nepalese officials, school management committee and members of the Indian Embassy, a statement issued by the Indian mission here stated.
• The new school building was built at a cost of Nepali Rupees 13 million (INR 1.94 crore).
• The new school infrastructure has ten class rooms, hostel block with nine dormitories for residential students, four study rooms, warden office, one living room and one conference hall, the statement stated.
• India has provided financial assistance to Nepal for the construction of several such schools with an aim to upgrade the education for the Nepalese students, especially after most of the educational infrastructures suffered damage in the massive 2015 earthquake, killing 9,000 people in various parts of the Himalayan nation.

About Nepal:

• Capital: Kathmandu
• Prime minister: KP Sharma Oli
• Currency: Nepalese rupee

Current Affairs 07th July 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

World Chocolate Day

• World Chocolate Day (also known as International Chocolate Day) is an annual observance taking place globally on 7th July.
• The day is said to be chosen to celebrate the introduction of chocolate to Europe in 1550.
• It is marked by eating chocolates and sharing with dear ones.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

Indian Railways to transform itself as ‘Net Zero’ Carbon Emission Mass Transportation Network by 2030

• Indian Railways is taking decisive steps to transform itself as a ‘Net Zero’ Carbon Emission Mass Transportation Network by 2030. It is endeavouring to be self reliant for its energy needs by utilising its vacant land for renewable energy projects.
• Railways is committed to utilize solar energy for meeting its traction power requirements and become a complete ‘Green mode of transformation. The Railways Ministry has decided to install solar power plants on its vacant unused lands on mega scale. The use of solar power will accelerate Rail Minister Piyush Goyal’s mission to achieve conversion of Indian Railways to ‘Net Zero’ Carbon Emission Railway.
• The present demand of Railways would be fulfilled by the solar projects being deployed, making it the first transport organization to be energy self-sufficient. This would help in making Railways green as well as Atma Nirbhar.
• Railways has started energy procurement from various solar projects like 3 MWp solar plant set up at MCF, Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh. Besides, one project of 1.7 MWp at Bina in Madhya Pradesh which shall be connected directly to the Overhead Traction System has already been installed and is presently under extensive testing.
• It is likely to be commissioned within 15 days. Railway Energy Management Company Ltd. is working to proliferate the use of solar energy on mega scale. It has already floated tenders for 2 GW of solar projects for Indian Railways to be installed on unutilized railway lands.

About Indian Railways:

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Piyush Goyal: Minister of Railways
• Suresh Angadi :Minister of State for Railways

Kolkata Port Starts new Shipping service from Kolkata to Bangladesh’s Chattogram port

• A new shipping service to augment Indo-Bangla trade was inaugurated between SMP (Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port) Kolkata and Chattogram Port at Kolkata Dock
• new regular service connection between Kolkata Dock system and Chattogram has been started from Kolkata Dock System (KDS) of SMP Kolkata by Zim Integrated Services in Association with Bengal Tiger Lines.
• The maiden voyage the vessel ‘M.V Asiatic Moon” (Singapore Flag) is expected to carry around 300 containers of Indian exports to Bangladesh. Primary goods that are exported include ferro metal alloys and garments.
• So far, this is the biggest vessel by size to ply between Kolkata and Chattogram. Earlier, only small barges with a capacity of 80-100 containers were operational on this route.
• Vinit Kumar, Chairman, SMP, Kolkata stated, Another similar service is scheduled to start from Kolkata Dock to Chattogram. The vessel MV Xpress Godavari operated by Xpress Feeders shall commence the voyage to Chattogram Port in the second week of July.
• With Global shipping players venturing into direct Bangladesh calls from Kolkata Port, it is expected that this tradeline shall be strengthened and Kolkata Port is poised to be the hub for Bangladesh Trade, he added.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

Indian Coast Guard & Indonesia Coast Guard sign MoU to boost maritime relations

• In a significant step towards bolstering the comprehensive strategic partnership between India and Indonesia, a MoU has been signed between the Indian Coast Guard and Indonesia Coast Guard.
• This will enhance collaborative and cooperative engagements in the domains of maritime law enforcement, maritime search and rescue and marine pollution response.
• This is likely to entail exchange of information towards combating transnational maritime crimes, facilitation of coordinated search and rescue operations at sea and conduct of capacity and capability building activities.

About Indonesia:

• Capital: Jakarta
• Currency: Indonesian rupiah

Current Affairs 05th & 06th July 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

International Day of Cooperatives

• The United Nations International Day of Cooperatives is observed every year on the first Saturday of July. This year the International Day of Cooperatives will be celebrated on July 4, 2020 .
• The main aim of this celebration was to increase awareness of cooperatives and highlight the contributions of the cooperative movement to resolving the major problems addressed by the United Nations.
• This year the theme is Cooperatives For Climate Action.

World Zoonoses Day

• World Zoonoses Day is held every year on July 6. The day commemorates July 6, 1885, when Louis Pasteur successfully administered the first vaccine against Rabies virus, a zoonotic disease.
• Zoonoses are disease which can be transmitted from aniamls to humans. In fact, 2 out of every 3 infectious disease in people originated within animals.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

Centre Approves Rs 574 Crore Annual Plan For National Highway In Jammu And Kashmir

• The central government has approved an annual plan worth Rs 574.16 crore for national highway works in Jammu and Kashmir for 2020-21.
• The major works incorporated in the approved annual plan included construction of 3.23 km three fly-overs in Srinagar on NH-44 (Jammu-Srinagar highway) at Bemina, Sanatnagar and Nowgam with Rs 220.68 crore.
• The other works incorporated in the approved annual plan included expressway, four laning, construction of 6 km 3rd bypass on NH-444 Shopian bypass with Rs 120 crore, and construction of 13.60 km bypasses in Pulwama and Kulgam with Rs 62.98 crore.

About MoRTH

• Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Minister of Shippingand MSME: Nitin Gadkari
• Constituency: Nagpur, Maharashtra

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES

Delhi government to set up a COVID-19 war room to monitor the situation in the national capital

• The Delhi government will set up a ‘COVID-19 War Room’, which will 24×7 monitor the city’s fight against thenovel coronavirus, and suggest measures to effectively deal with the prevailing situation.
• The ‘COVID-19 War Room’, which is being set up at the Delhi Secretariat, will be manned by around 25 experts. It is expected to become operational in the next few days.
• The new strategic facility will cover all aspects such as testing, bed strength, medical equipment, ambulance infrastructure and containment zones.
• “The ‘COVID-19 War Room’ will closely monitor measures being taken by the authorities. It will also project the future requirements of medical infrastructure to deal with surging coronavirus cases.

About Delhi

• Chief Minister: Aravind Kejriwal
• Governor: Anil Baijal

Current Affairs 04th July 2020| Current Affairs News

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS

World Sports Journalists Day

• Every year July 02 is celebrated as World Sports Journalists Day or International Sports Journalists Day.
• It is to acknowledge the sports journalists and also mark the anniversary of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS). The association was established in 1924 during the Summer Olympics in Paris.

Independence Day USA

• Independence Day USA is celebrated on 4 July. United States Independence Day is also known as the Fourth of July or the Fourth.
• This day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on 4 July, 1776 from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announces a new category of awards titled ‘Prerak Dauur Samman’ as part of Swachh Survekshan 2021

• Puri announced a new category of awards titled ‘Prerak Dauur Samman’ as part of Swachh Survekshan 2021.
• The Prerak Dauur Samman has a total of five additional sub- categories –Divya (Platinum), Anupam (Gold), Ujjwal (Silver), Udit (Bronze), Aarohi (Aspiring) – with the top three cities being recognized in each. In a departure from the present criteria of evaluating cities on ‘population category’, this new category will categorize cities on the basis of six select indicator wise performance criteria which are as follows:

Segregation of waste into Wet, Dry and Hazard categories
• Processing capacity against wet waste generated
• Processing and recycling of wet and dry waste
• Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste processing
• Percentage of waste going to landfills
• Sanitation status of cities

Govt sanctions Rs 4,000 cr under Atma nirbhar programme to improve infrastructure for Food Parks in K’taka

• Karnataka Agriculture Minister B C Patil informed that Central Government has sanctioned 4,000 crore rupees under Atma nirbhar programme to improve infrastructure for the Food Parks in the state.
• Infrastructure will be improved in four Food Parks developed in the state and plans will be afoot to set up more. Food Parks will help the economic stability of farmers.
• Agri start-ups will be encouraged in the state to set up units in the Food Parks. Malur, Bagalkote, Hiriyuru and Jewargi have Food Parks. Food Karnataka Limited is a special purpose vehicle appointed to manage these parks.

About Karnataka

• Chief minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
• Capital: Bengaluru
• Governor: Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala