Current Affairs 25th July 2020| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL

India Conducts The First Test Under ‘Study In India’ Programme Online

• The Indian Scholastic Assessment Test, or Ind-SAT, in its first, has been under the ‘Study in India’ Programme.
• Ind-SAT 2020 was held in remote-proctored mode and was administered by the National Testing Agency, or NTA. Around five thousand students from Nepal, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sri-Lanka, Kenya, Zambia, Indonesia and Mauritius took Ind-SAT 2020.
• Ind-SAT is an eligibility test for granting scholarships and admissions to foreign students to study in selected Indian universities under the Study in India programme. Ind-SAT is designed to measure the scholastic capabilities of students seeking admission in educational institutes in India. The scores obtained in Ind-SAT will serve as a criterion to shortlist the students for the allocation of scholarships in the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
• The Ministry of HRD [Human Resource Development] conducted the first ever Indian Scholastic Assessment (Ind-SAT) Test 2020 under its ‘Study in India’ programme.

About MHRD

• Minister of Human Resource Development- Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank
• Constituency- Haridwar, Uttarakhand

Indian Railways to cover all wagons under RFID for tracking by 2022

• The Indian Railways will use radio-frequency identification tags (RFID) for tracking of all wagons by
• A total of 23,000 wagons have been covered under the RFID project so far and the target is to cover all wagons by December 2022.
• Using RFID devices, it would be easier for the railways to know the exact position of wagons, locomotives and coaches.
• By using RFID, each moving wagon can be identified and its movement tracked.
• While the RFID tag will be fitted in the rolling stock, trackside readers will be installed at stations and key points along the tracks to read the tag from a distance of about two meters and transmit the wagon identity over a network to a central computer.

About Indian Railways

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Chairman: V.K.Yadhav

India will be looking at a demand drop in electricity between 7-17 percent by 2025: TERI

• Demand for electricity in India will be lower by 7 to 17% due to covid-19 by 2025, a new report by TERI has found. All 10 of India’s largest power-consuming states will see a demand drop between 5 to 15%.
• The report, titled ‘Bending the Curve: 2025 Forecasts for Electricity Demand by Sector and State in the Light of the COVID Epidemic’, also suggests policy-makers, developers, distribution companies, and investors need to be better prepared for the future, if the decline in demand growth persists.
• In particular, the financial health of Discoms and the sustainability of the prevailing cross-subsidy may be even more pressing issues in a mid-term scenario of sustained muted growth in commercial and industrial demand.

About The Energy and Resources Institute( TERI)

• Location: New Delhi, India
• Director: Ajay Mathur

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL

India, UK affirm shared commitment towards FTA between both countries

• India and the United Kingdom have affirmed their shared commitment towards Free Trade Agreement between both the countries. The two sides will engage into early harvest schemes or limited trade agreements in a staged manner marking preparatory steps towards the free trade agreement.
• The declaration was announced during the 14th Joint Economic and Trade Committee meeting which was held virtually. Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for International Trade, Ms Elizabeth Truss co-chaired the meeting.  Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Hardeep Singh Puri and his UK counterpart, Minister of State for International Trade, Mr Ranil Jayawardena were also present during the meet.
• It was decided in the meeting that a deliberation led by Mr Goyal and Ms Truss will be held in Autumn 2020 in New Delhi to carry forward the dialogue.
• Mr Puri and Mr Jayawardena will have monthly meetings to intensify the dialogue. Both sides also resolved to cooperate in the health sector especially in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

About UK:

• Prime minister: Boris Johnson
• Capital: London
• Currency: ‎Pound sterling‎ (‎GBP‎)

WHO launches Covid-19 Law Lab to aggregate legal info from over 190 countries

• The World Health Organisation (WHO) launched its Covid-19 Law Lab to gather and share pandemic-related legal documents from over 190 countries across the world.
• The initiative is meant to help countries “establish and implement strong legal frameworks to manage the pandemic”.
• “The goal is to ensure that laws protect the health and well-being of individuals and communities and that they adhere to international human rights standards,” reads an official press release.
• It is a joint project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), WHO, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University.
• Poorly-designed laws can prove harmful to global Covid-19 efforts, according to the stakeholders.
• The Covid-19 Law Lab is essentially a database that aggregates documents related to laws implemented by countries in response to the pandemic.
• It includes state of emergency declarations, quarantine measures, disease surveillance, legal measures relating to mask-wearing, social distancing, and access to medication and vaccines. The database will continue to grow as more countries and themes are added, the health agency stated.
• The law lab will also include research on such legal frameworks, along with its implications, with a focus on the human rights impact of public health laws. This is meant to further aid socio-economic recovery in post-pandemic times.

About WHO:

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

India extends medical assistance worth about USD 1 million to North Korea

• India has extended medical assistance worth about USD 1 million to North Korea in response to a request received from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Ministry of External Affairs stated.
• India is sensitive to the shortage of medical supply situation in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and decided to grant a humanitarian assistance of USD 1 million in the form of anti-tuberculosis medicines, the MEA stated.
• The medical assistance is under the aegis of an ongoing WHO anti-tuberculosis programme in DPRK, it stated.
• The consignment of medicines was handed over to DPRK authorities by Indian Ambassador to DPRK Atul Malhari Gotsurve in the presence of a WHO representative.

About North Korea:

• Supreme leader: Kim Jong-un
• Capital: Pyongyang
• Currency: North Korean won

DST launches Rs. 15 crore fund to support India-Russia collaboration joint R&D and cross-country tech adaptation

• The Department of Science and Technology has launched the India-Russia Joint Technology Assessment and Accelerated Commercialization Programme in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE) of the Russian Federation.
• The programme will connect Indian, and Russian Science & Technology (S&T) led SMEs and Start-ups for joint R&D for technology development and for cross-country technology adaptation.
• The launch of the India-Russia Joint Technology Assessment and Accelerated Commercialization Programme is another step towards strengthening the Science, Technology and Innovation ties between the two countries. This initiative is very timely, wherein we can leverage joint intellectual and financial resources to develop technologies that would provide the solutions for tomorrow.
• The programme will run through two annual cycles with up to five projects to be funded under each cycle. Projects are being sought on leading S&T focus areas, including but not limited to, IT & ICT (including AI, AR, VR), Medicine & Pharmaceuticals, Renewable Energy, Aerospace, Alternative Technologies, Environment, New Materials, Biotechnologies, Robotics and Drones. On behalf of DST, FICCI will implement the program in India.
• Over a period of two years, the Department of Science and Technology will fund up to INR 15 Crores to ten Indian SMEs/Start-ups and FASIE will provide similar funding to the Russian projects.
• The programme will provide access to partial public funding for jointly selected projects with the participation of at least one start-up/SME from India and one SME from Russia. The selected projects will be required to bear partial funding as well, either through own funds or alternate sources of funding. In addition to the financial support, the teams will also be supported through capacity building, mentorship and business development.

About DST:

• Ashutosh Sharma: present secretary
• Headquarters : New Delhi

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE

RBI signs $400 mn currency swap facility for Sri Lanka

• The Reserve Bank of India has agreed to a $400 million currency swap facility for Sri Lanka till November 2022, the Indian High Commission tweeted.
• Currency swaps are used to obtain foreign currency loans at a better interest rate than could be got by borrowing directly in a foreign market. The RBI’s action follows a recent bilateral ‘technical discussion’ on rescheduling Colombo’s outstanding debt repayment to India.
• The meeting, in which officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and the EXIM Bank interacted with representatives of the Sri Lankan government, came five months after Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had sought a loan moratorium, during his visit to New Delhi.
• Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the region, India had proposed a virtual meeting to discuss the request. Sri Lanka owes $960 million to India.
• Meanwhile, government and industry representatives from both countries participated in a webinar on ‘Deepening Economic Collaboration between India and Sri Lanka’, organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in association with the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies recently.

About Srilanka:

• Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
• Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
• President: Gotabaya Rajapaksa

About RBI:

• Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata
• Governor: Shaktikanta Das
• Headquarters: Mumbai

Special Liquidity Scheme for NBFCs/HFCs: FinMin sanctions 5 proposals for Rs.3,090 crore

• The Finance Ministry stated that five proposals involving an amount of 3,090 crore had been sanctioned under the Rs.30,000 crore Special Liquidity Scheme for NBFCs and HFCs.
• Also, 35 more applications seeking financing up to Rs.13,775 crore are under process in this scheme, which was announced as part of the Aatma Nirbhar package announced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on May 13, an official release stated.
• The scheme has been launched to improve the liquidity position of NBFCs/HFCs through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to avoid any potential systemic risks to the financial sector.
• The scheme is being implemented by SLS Trust, the SPV set up by SBI Capital Markets Limited (SBICAP). Any NBFC including Microfinance Institutions registered with RBI under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (excluding those registered as Core Investment Companies) and any HFC registered with the National Housing Bank (NHB) under the National Housing Bank Act, 1987 which is complying with certain specified conditions are eligible to raise funding from this facility.
• The scheme will remain open for three months for making subscriptions by the Trust. The Scheme permits both primary and secondary market purchases of debt and seeks to address the short-term liquidity issues of NBFCs/HFCs. Therefore, those market participants who are looking to exit their standard investments with a residual maturity of 90 days may also approach the SLS Trust, the release added.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES

Karnataka government tweaks three laws, approves labour ordinance

• The Karnataka state cabinet deemed the amendments to the Factories Act, Industrial Disputes Act and Contract Labour Act a necessity to ensure ‘ease of doing business’.
• The Karnataka cabinet approved an ordinance allowing factories or industries with less than 300 employees to shut down without the government’s approval with an amendment to Section 25K of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. T
• The ‘Industrial Disputes and Certain Other Laws (Karnataka Amendment) Ordinance’ will increase the threshold of employees as mandated in the Industries Disputes Act up to which a firm can be exempted from seeking the government’s approval before shutting down or laying off labour from 100 to 300.
  The Karnataka cabinet also amended the Contract Labour Act via an ordinance to increase the worker threshold.
• This will allow factories that hire less than 20 contract workers for electrified units and less than 50 contract workers for non-electrified works to function without government nod or inspections.
• In another amendment to the Factories Act, the cabinet has increased the limit on overtime per quarter to 125 hours instead of the existing 75 hours.

About Karnataka

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

Gujarat: India’s first honey testing laboratory set up at NDDB in Anand district

• In Gujarat, India’s first honey testing laboratory has been set up at the National Dairy Development Board in Anand district. Inaugurating the facility through electronic mode, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated the new lab will test honey as per the norms specified by the food safety regulator FSSAI. The purity of honey, adulteration, chemical substances, residues, heavy metals or antibodies can be checked.
• Mr Tomar stated that  quality honey will boost exports and ensure better rates to farmers. The Minister stated that the government is encouraging beekeeping as part of its aim to double the income of farmers.
• He added  that more infrastructure will be developed as the government has set aside  500 crore rupees to promote beekeeping businesses. This is  part of the Rs 20 lakh crore economic package for those affected by COVID-19 lockdown.

About Gujarat:

• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Chief minister: Vijay Rupani
• Governor: Acharya Devvrat

Ahmedabad Railway Division successfully introduces unique concept of Baggage Sanitization

• In Gujarat, Ahmedabad Railway Division has successfully introduced a unique concept of Baggage Sanitization and Wrapping at Ahmedabad Railway Station. It is a first of its kind across the Indian Railways. Considering the momentum in transport and travel services after Unlock-1, the Division has come up with baggage sanitization and wrapping machine to ensure safe travel amid the pandemic.
• The baggage sanitization and wrapping machine ensure 360 degree sanitization of the luggage by using ultra violate radiation. The machine has been installed by a private enterprise.
• Ahmedabad Divisional Railway Manager Deepak Kumar Jha stated there are no harmful effects of UV rays on tiffins, food, vegetables or water kept in the baggage.
• This is an ideal solution for the passengers travelling by the Railways amid the pandemic. He stated the machine has been set up on around 69 sq meters space on Ahmedabad Railway Station which will help Ahmedabad Division to earn additional revenue of six lakh rupees. This service will be voluntary for passengers for which they will have to pay charge upto 80  rupees depending upon the size and weight of the luggage.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

Adani Ports signs up for Science-Based Targets initiative

• Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) has signed up for the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) becoming the first Indian port to commit to set science-based emissions reduction targets — across their entire value chain — that are consistent with keeping global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
• Companies signing a commitment letter to SBTi have 24 months to have their targets approved and published by the SBTi, a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
• Science-based targets are greenhouse gas emissions pruning targets that are in line with the level of decarbonization required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement – to limit global warming to well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C.
• The SBTi defines and promotes best practices in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies’ targets. Over 800 companies have committed to set science-based emissions reduction targets.
• APSEZ is among 43 Indian companies who have signed a commitment letter to SBTi.
• APSEZ has also signed commitment as a supporter to the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD), which develops voluntary, consistent climate-related financial risk disclosures for use by companies in providing information to investors, lenders, insurers, and other stakeholders. 16 Indian companies are supporting the TCFD out of which two are Adani Group’s subsidiaries.

About Adani Ports & SEZ:

• CEO: Karan Adani
• Headquarters: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Microsoft, NBA team up to put virtual fans in basketball arenas

• When the National Basketball Association restarts its coronavirus-interrupted season on July 30 in its “bubble” in Orlando, Florida, the stands could have more than 300 fans – none of whom will actually be in the arena.
• Microsoft Corp and the NBA stated they have joined forces to put “virtual” fans in the stands of each game using Microsoft’s Teams app and giant screens.
• The two will equip each game court with 17-foot-tall (5.2 m) LED screens that wrap three sides of the arena. The virtual stands will be filled with fans who use the Teams app to log in and sit alongside each other using a new feature of the app called “Together mode” meant to simulate a group of people sitting in a room.
• The NBA suspended its season in March after a player for the Utah Jazz tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The league plans to restart the season in a so-called bubble at Walt Disney World Resort where players, staff and media will be tested and quarantined in an effort to keep everyone inside safe from contracting the virus.
• NBA officials also stated they were revamping their approach to televising the games, with cameras positioned closer to the players to emulate the vantage point of fans sitting in seats near the court. But for player-safety reasons, “the majority of our cameras near the court will be robotic for the first time,” Sara Zuckert, head of next-generation telecasts at the NBA, told a news conference.

About Microsoft:

• CEO: Satya Nadella
• Headquarters: Washington, United States

About National Basketball Association (NBA):

• Commissioner: Adam Silver
• Headquarters: New York City

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU

ADB, GCF Commit to Partnership to Boost Green Recovery from COVID-19

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have agreed to partner toward a “green recovery” for members confronting the harsh economic impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
• ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa met with GCF Executive Director Yannick Glemarec to explore opportunities for a pathway of low-carbon and climate-resilient development for ADB members in Asia and the Pacific hit hard by the health crisis. They agreed to strengthen collaboration on nonsovereign operations while ensuring GCF’s processes are as flexible as possible to foster at-scale financing.
• Under Strategy 2030, ADB will ensure that 75% of its committed projects will support climate change mitigation and adaptation by 2030. Climate finance from ADB’s own resources will reach $80 billion cumulatively from 2019 to 2030. In 2019, ADB committed more than $6.5 billion in climate financing. Concessional financing from partners will also be crucial for helping ADB’s members meet their climate goals.
• ADB’s support for developing members to cope with, and recover from, the impact of COVID-19 includes an enhanced support package of $20 billion, announced on 13 April.

About ADB

• Headquarters–Manila. Philippines
• Membership – 68 countries
• President – Masatsugu Asakawa

About GCF

• Headquarters –Incheon, South Korea
• Executive Director – Mr. Yannick Glemarec

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Partha Pratim Sengupta appointed new MD, CEO of Indian Overseas Bank

• Partha Pratim Sengupta has been appointed as its new managing director and chief executive of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB).
• He was the deputy managing director, State Bank of India (SBI), as MD & CEO.
• The post of the MD and CEO at IOB had fell vacant after the superannuation of Karnam Sekar, who retired on June 30, 2020.

About IOB

• Headquarters – Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• Tagline- Good people to grow with

Sahil Seth appointed as honorary adviser for BRICS CCI

• Sahil Seth, Deputy Commissioner of Mumbai Customs, has been appointed as an honorary adviser to the steering committee for the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) young leaders for the period 2020-2023.
• The BRICS CCI is the parent organisation which promotes commerce and industry in the BRICS nations. The chamber, founded in 2012 with the efforts of eminent professionals and entrepreneurs, is a not-for-profit and non-governmental organisation.
• The main purpose of the honorary advisers committee is to organise themselves in BRICS countries chapters (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), for three years with a chair leading the committee.

Senior bureaucrat Rajesh Bhushan appointed Union Health Secretary, succeeds Preeti Sudan

• Senior bureaucrat Rajesh Bhushan has been appointed Union Health Secretary as part of a minor top-level bureaucratic reshuffle by the government.
• Bhushan will succeed Preeti Sudan, who was given a three-month extension in April and demits office on July 31.
• Mines Secretary Sushil Kumar has been appointed Secretary of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• He has been appointed in place of Ram Kumar Mishra, named Women and Child Development Secretary.
• Union Cabinet has also approved the assignment of additional charge of the post of Secretary, Ministry of Mines, to Anil Kumar Jain.
• Ajay Tirkey who has been appointed secretary, Department of Land Resources.He will replace Ruolkhumlien Buhril, who superannuates on July 31.

President Kovind appoints Anandiben Patel the Governor of MP

• President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Anandiben Patel the Governor of Madhya Pradesh.
• Presently, she is the Governor of Uttar Pradesh. She has been given the additional charge of the Governor of Madhya Pradesh after the demise of Lal Ji Tandon.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE

Arjun Munda inaugurates e-Symposium “Emergent North-East India: Strategic and Developmental Imperatives in Handicrafts” organized by IIM, Shillong

• Shri Arjun Munda, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs inaugurated an e-Symposium on Handicrafts titled “Emergent North-East India: Strategic and Developmental Imperatives in Handicrafts” organized by APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Shillong.
• The e-Symposium on handicrafts is a part of the e-Symposia Series initiated by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis, IIM Shillong. The e-Symposium Series is conceived as a platform that brings together policy makers, scholars, institutions, corporates and civil society to discuss and deliberate development initiatives in the North East Region.
• The products of our artisans should be attractive and eye-catching and their costs should be less but quality should be high.

About Tribal Affairs

• Minister of Tribal Affairs- Arjun Munda
• Constituency- Jharkhand

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

IIT Delhi, Wells Fargo sign MoU for home-based Covid-19 testing kit

• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and Wells Fargo have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for development of a peptide-based ELISA test for the detection of Covid-19 antibodies.
• ELISA, short for serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, determines whether or not a person possesses antibodies for Covid-19 in the blood.
• The test results can help the medical fraternity fight the disease in many ways; a significant way would be the identification of individuals with antibodies who can donate their blood as part of an experimental treatment of infected patients.
• The IIT Delhi research team will be working on the peptide-based ELISA test project from its idea incubation to implementation stage. The proof of concept is expected by end of 2020, and the kits could be in market by March 2021.

BHU Professor launches website to help people in coping up fear of COVID-19

• Cold and Cough are one of the symptoms of COVID-19 and with the change in season many persons who are having cold fear that they could be infected by Corona Virus. A professor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has launched a dedicated website called Com which will help people in coping up from this fear and will also help in recovery them from depression and other Covid related issues.
• A website for those who fear that their normal cough and cold could be a symptom of Corona infection and also for them who don’t know what to do in their quarantine period and getting more time in recovery because of anxiety and depression. Professor VN Mishra, Neurologist of BHU has come up with one solution for all such problems that is SARDIJUKAM.Com.
• He stated that it has some special features like QUARANTINE KAVACH. Along with the website people can also take help of the mobile app with same name for all their Covid related queries.

DRDO establishes COVID-19 testing facility in Leh

• The DRDO has established a COVID-19 testing facility at the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research (DIHAR) in Leh to augment the existing capacity for identification of coronavirus cases in the union territory of Ladakh, according to an official statement.
• The testing facility, which was inaugurated by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor R K Mathur, is capable of screening 50 samples per day, stated the statement by the Defence Ministry.
• The facility can also be utilised for training manpower for COVID-19 testing and will be of great help to address future bio-threats and carrying out R&D (research and development) activities pertinent to agro-animals diseases, the ministry noted.
• Mathur also inspected the testing facility. According to the Defence Ministry, he was briefed about the bio-safety aspect of the testing facility and precautionary measures to minimise cross-contamination and safety of researchers, health professionals and the environment.
• The DIHAR is one of the life sciences laboratories of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) working on cold arid agro-animal technologies

About DRDO:

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Dr G. Satheesh Reddy: Chairman, DRDO

China launches new high-resolution mapping satellite

• China sent a new high-resolution mapping satellite into space from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the northern province of Shanxi.
• The Ziyuan III 03 satellite was launched by a Long March-4B rocket at 11:13 a.m. Beijing time, according to the center. It was the 341st flight mission by the Long March rocket series.
• The Long March rocket is a series of expendable launch system rockets operated by the space agency of China.
• Also on board the rocket were two satellites used for dark matter detection and commercial data acquisition respectively. They were developed by the Shanghai ASES Spaceflight Technology Co. Ltd.
• All three satellites have entered preset orbits, sources with the Taiyuan center stated

About China:

• President: Xi Jinping
• Capital: Beijing
• Currency: Renminbi

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE

Largest solar power plant of Navy commissioned in Kerala

• The Indian Navy’s largest solar power plant has been commissioned at Ezhimala, in Kannur district of Kerala.
• Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla launched plant operations via virtual conferencing.
• The solar plant has an estimated life of 25 years. All components have been indigenously developed, including 9180 highly efficient monocrystalline solar panels employing the latest technology.
• The project was executed by Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (KELTRON).
• The solar power plant project will help Naval Station Ezhimala reduce the carbon footprint and is one of the many initiatives undertaken by INA towards a clean and green environment. Surplus power generated will also feed the KSEB electricity grid.
• Earlier this month, another 2 MW solar power plant was inaugurated at Naval Station Karanja in Uran city of Maharashtra.

About Indian Navy

• Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS): Admiral Karambir Singh
• Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS): Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS

IPL 2020 in UAE to start on September 19, final on November 8

• The Indian Premier League is all set to begin from September 19 and will continue till November 8 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• IPL Chairman, Brijesh Patel, has confirmed the schedule.
• There are three venues in the UAE–Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai–where matches can be staged.

• The IPL was previously held outside India twice―in 2009, hosted by South Africa; and in 2014, hosted jointly by India and UAE, due to the general elections held in those years.

About UAE

• Capital- Abudhabi
• Currency- Dirham

Jordan Henderson named as FWA Footballer of the Year

• Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been voted the 2019/20 Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year.
• With Henderson as captain, Liverpool secured the title with a record seven games left to play, He succeeded Steve Gerrard as Liverpool captain in 2015, beat City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne into second place, with Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford coming in third after a vote by the members of the Football Writers’ Association.

Sri Lanka woman cricketer Sripali Weerakkody retires from international cricket

• Sri Lanka women cricketer Sripali Weerakkody announced to retire from the international cricket with immediate effect.
• The 34-year old fast bowling all-rounder represented the international side in 89 ODIs and 58 T20 internationals.
• The decision to retire was a personal decision

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

Eminent dancer Amala Shankar passes away at 101

• Eminent dancer and choreographer Amala Shankar passed away at the age of 101.
• Amala Shankar, who had been active even in her early 90s, was awarded the Banga Bibhusan by the West Bengal government in 2011 for her contribution in the field of arts.

Noted Urdu journalist, satirist Nusrat Zaheer passes away

• Veteran Urdu journalist and satirist Nusrat Zaheer passes away at his native place Saharanpur at the age of about 70 years.
• He spent most of his life in active literary journalism and had his own unique identity in the Urdu world. He wrote columns for Roznama Sahara for a long time.
• Nusrat Zaheer was particularly well-known for his interesting and meaningful satires. His literary book ‘Baqalam Khud’ was published in 1996 and was released at a grand function at Ghalib Academy and later presented to the then President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Many compilations of his satires have been published.
• Nusrat Zaheer ran a magazine ‘Adab Saaz’ from Delhi. He also served in the editorial department of National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) for several years.

Veteran Urdu poet Shams Jalnavi passes away at 95

• Noted Urdu poet Mohammad Shamshuddin, popularly known as ‘Shams Jalnavi’, died here in Maharashtra due to old age, his family members stated.
• He was 95.Jalnavi penned hundreds of ‘ghazals’, ‘shers’ and ‘nazms’ (a genre of Urdu poetry) in his lifetime.
• He used to attend ‘mushairas’ (poetic congregations) across the country.
• Born in 1926, Jalnavi had completed his early education in Jalna and completed MA in Persian from Lahore.

DAILY CA 24^th JUL

• National Broadcasting Day- 23rd jul
• National Thermal Engineer Day- 24th jul
• Prime Minister lays foundation stone for Rs.3,054-crore Manipur water supply project
• Prakash Javadekar virtually launches piloting of National Transit Pass System
• First ever container cargo from Kolkata via Chittagong port reaches Agartala
• NTPC floats tender to acquire 1 GW solar projects
• Government sanctions 8,700 cr to help complete construction of 60,000 houses
• Nicaragua latest country to sign International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement
• High Commissioner Riva Ganguly Das inaugurates school building in Bangladesh
• India, Israel jointly develop ultra rapid testing kit for COVID-19; results within 30 sec
• Bharti AXA General Insurance receives Rs.800 crore worth crop insurance mandate from Maharashtra, Karnataka under PMFBY
• SBM Bank collaborates with EnKash and Yap to launch co-branded Business Credit Card on RuPay network for MSMEs and start-ups
• Muthoot Fincorp launches mentoring portal for MSMEs
• India’s GDP to contract 6% in FY21, says DBS
• One-stop’ scheme to fast-track investments
• Amazon Pay ties up with Acko to offer vehicle insurance
• NHPC, GEDCOL ink pact to develop floating solar power projects in Odisha
• Amudha appointed Joint Secretary in PMO
• The Pandemic Century by Mark Honigsbaum
• China launches ambitious Tianwen-1 Mars rover mission
• IIM Bangalore’s NSRCEL launches Women Startup Programme
• AIIMS Nagpur develops smart band to monitor COVID-19 patients
• Mukesh Ambani now world’s 5th RICHEST
• Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance breaks into top 50 most valued firms globally, ranks 48
• Annie Ross, jazz singer turned actor, passes away at 89

DAILY CA 25^th JUL

• India Conducts The First Test Under ‘Study In India’ Programme Online
• Indian Railways to cover all wagons under RFID for tracking by 2022
• India will be looking at a demand drop in electricity between 7-17 percent by 2025: TERI
• India, UK affirm shared commitment towards FTA between both countries
• WHO launches Covid-19 Law Lab to aggregate legal info from over 190 countries
• India extends medical assistance worth about USD 1 million to North Korea
• DST launches Rs. 15 crore fund to support India-Russia collaboration joint R&D and cross-country tech adaptation
• RBI signs $400 mn currency swap facility for Sri Lanka
• Special Liquidity Scheme for NBFCs/HFCs: FinMin sanctions 5 proposals for 3,090 crore
• Karnataka government tweaks three laws, approves labour ordinance
• Gujarat: India’s first honey testing laboratory set up at NDDB in Anand district
• Ahmedabad Railway Division successfully introduces unique concept of Baggage Sanitization
• Adani Ports signs up for Science-Based Targets initiative
• Microsoft, NBA team up to put virtual fans in basketball arenas
• ADB, GCF Commit to Partnership to Boost Green Recovery from COVID-19
• Partha Pratim Sengupta appointed new MD, CEO of Indian Overseas Bank
• Sahil Seth appointed as honorary adviser for BRICS CCI
• Senior bureaucrat Rajesh Bhushan appointed Union Health Secretary, succeeds Preeti Sudan
• President Kovind appoints Anandiben Patel the Governor of MP
• Arjun Munda inaugurates e-Symposium “Emergent North-East India: Strategic and Developmental Imperatives in Handicrafts” organized by IIM, Shillong
• IIT Delhi, Wells Fargo sign MoU for home-based Covid-19 testing kit
• BHU Professor launches website to help people in coping up fear of COVID-19
• DRDO establishes COVID-19 testing facility in Leh
• China launches new high-resolution mapping satellite
• Largest solar power plant of Navy commissioned in Kerala
• IPL 2020 in UAE to start on September 19, final on November 8
• Jordan Henderson named as FWA Footballer of the Year
• Sri Lanka women cricketer Sripali Weerakkody retires from international cricket
• Eminent dancer Amala Shankar passes away at 101
• Noted Urdu journalist, satirist Nusrat Zaheer passes away
• Veteran Urdu poet Shams Jalnavi passes away at 95

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