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Showing posts from July, 2020

Current affairs notes on July 18

1.Mobile App of PM SVANidhi launched to bring Microcredit facility for street vendors at their door steps. This App aims to provide user friendly digital interface for Lending Institutions (LIs) and their field functionaries for sourcing and processing loan applications of street vendors under the Scheme. It is a special micro-credit facility plan to provide affordable loan of up to ₹10,000 to more than 50 lakh street vendors, who had their businesses operational on or before 24 March 2020. 2.The Supreme Court has agreed to examine the constitutional validity of the Kerala Animals and Bird Sacrifices Prohibition Act of 1968. An appeal is filed in the Supreme Court by people who are Shakthi worshippers, and for whom, animal sacrifice is an integral part of the worship. In their appeal, they said animal sacrifice was an “essential religious practice”. But, the 1968 State law bans killing of animals and birds for religious sacrifices. However, the act does not ban killing for personal

Current affairs notes on July 17

1.Union HRD Minister launched the first on-line NISHTHA programme for 1,200 Key Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh.  About NISHTHA: The initiative is an Integrated Teacher Training Programme of the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of HRD as part of its National Mission to improve learning outcomes at the Elementary level under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha. 2. Prime Minister to address High-Level Segment of ECOSOC. Theme: “Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary”. The UN Charter established ECOSOC in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations. It is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as implementation of internationally agreed development goals. 3.Assam government has decided to Give Preference To Plasma Donors In Government Jobs. 4.The first trial container ship flagged off fr

Current affairs notes on July 15-16

1.Pakistan will allow Afghanistan to send goods to India using the Wagah border from July 15. The decision is part of Islamabad’s commitment under Pakistan-Afghanistan Transit Trade Agreement. Afghanistan–Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement (also known as APTTA) is a bilateral trade agreement signed in 2010 by Pakistan and Afghanistan that calls for greater facilitation in the movement of goods amongst the two countries. 2.Iran has decided to move ahead with the construction of a railway line from Chabahar port to Zahedan without any assistance from India due to delay in funding. Chabahar port is  Located on the Gulf of Oman and is the only oceanic port of the country.  With this, India can bypass Pakistan in transporting goods to Afghanistan. It will also boost India’s access to Iran. 3.Arad and Carmel are two new Israeli assault rifles now set to be manufactured in India. The assault rifles will be manufactured under Make in India initiative. 4. Recently, Arunachal Pradesh chief

Current affairs notes on July 11-13

1.The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has launched ‘Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping’ (ASEEM) portal to help skilled people find sustainable livelihood opportunities. 2. The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to access the centralised online database on FIRs and stolen vehicles. NATGRID seeks to become the one-stop destination for security and intelligence agencies to access database related to immigration entry and exit, banking and telephone details of a suspect on a “secured platform”. 3. The fourth cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation 2018, results of which were declared on Global Tiger Day last year has entered the Guinness World Record for being the world’s largest camera trap wildlife survey. The country now has an estimated 2967 tigers as per the latest census. India is home to nearly 75% of the global tiger population.  Highest number of tig

Current affairs notes on July 10

1.National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) in news: NMM was launched in February 2003 by the Government of India, under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. It has the mandate of documenting, conserving and disseminating the knowledge preserved in manuscripts. 2.The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that measles and rubella have been eradicated from Sri Lanka and the Maldives. This makes them the first two countries in WHO South-East Asia Region to achieve measles and rubella elimination ahead of the 2023 target. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. 3.The U.S. officially notified the United Nations of its intention to withdraw membership from the World Health Organization. WHO came into existence on 7 April, 1948 – a date which is now celebrated every year as World Health Day. Its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. 4.India to shortly take a call on Australia’s inclusion in Malabar Exercise. Malabar Exercise began as a bilateral naval exercise between India and th

Current affairs notes on July 9

1.The United Arab Emirates has said that it is keen to have an open-sky agreement with India. Open Sky policy  It is the agreement will not only encourage connectivity and passenger travel between the two countries, but will also result in reduction in airfares on these routes. India has already signed open sky agreements with Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka. 2.Agriculture Infrastructure Fund launched: It is a Central Sector Scheme. The scheme shall provide a medium – 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. Under the scheme, Rs. One Lakh Crore will be provided by banks and financial institutions as loans to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Marketing Cooperative Societies, FPOs, SHGs, Farmers, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Startups etc. 3. The gov

Current affairs notes on July-8.

1.Bayannur, a city in northern China, is on high alert after a suspected case of Bubonic plague was reported Recently. The plague is a disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, which is found in animals, particularly rodents. It can be transmitted to humans through infected animals and fleas.  2.The World Bank and the Government of India have signed a loan agreement to enhance support for the Namami Gange programme that seeks to rejuvenate the Ganga river.It is an umbrella programme which integrates previous and currently ongoing initiatives by enhancing efficiency, extracting synergies and supplementing them with more comprehensive & better coordinated interventions.National Ganga River Basin Authority. Headed by the Prime Minister. 3. The fourth edition of the virtual Ministerial on Climate Action was recently held. The meeting was co-chaired by European Union, China and Canada. Developed country parties were called upon to do their part as envisaged under UNFCCC and i

Current affairs June Important points:

1.Nasha Mukt Bharat: Annual Action Plan (2020-21): Launched for on the occasion of “International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking”.Launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It would focus on 272 most affected districts and launch a three-pronged attack combining efforts of Narcotics Bureau, Outreach/Awareness by Social Justice and Treatment through the Health Dept. 2. The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Ministry has issued consolidated notification for classification and registration of MSMEs to be effected from July 1. An MSME would hereafter been referred to as Udyam and the registration process as Udyam Registration. Micro enterprises would be those with investments not exceeding Rs one crore and turnover of Rs 5 crore. International MSME Day was observed on 27 June under the theme “COVID-19: The Great Lockdown and its impact on Small Business.” 3.Statistics day Celebrated on 29th June every year. Observed in recognition of the notabl

Current affairs notes on July 1- July 5.

1.Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana in news: Considered as world’s largest food security scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana aims at ensuring sufficient food for the poor and needy during the coronavirus crisis. Part of the scheme, the food needs to be provided to all the beneficiaries under public distribution system (TPDS) for Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and priority household (PHH) ration cardholders. The eligible beneficiaries will receive 5kg of foodgrains and 1 kg Gram per month. 2.Indian Oil, NTPC and SDMC have signed an MoU to develop a waste-to-energy facility at Delhi’s Okhla landfill site using gasification technology. The initiative is aimed at providing a Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) as a developmental effort that would benefit both vehicle-users as well as farmers and entrepreneurs. 3.International Asteroid Day: Celebrated on 30th June. It is observed each year to mark the anniversary of the Tunguska impact o