Daily Current Affairs,22nd July 2018

1) Advanced Weather Forecasting System Unveiled In New Delhi

•Minister for Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan has unveiled the first of a kind Air Quality and Weather Forecast System, SAFAR at Chandni Chowk in New Delhi. The giant true colour LED display will give real-time air quality index on the 24x7 basis with colour coding along with 72-hour advance forecast. 

•The new system can track UV-Index, PM1, Mercury and Black carbon in real time and will provide health advisory and related precaution.

2) Rajnath Singh Launches The Student Police Cadet (SPC) Programme

•The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Student Police Cadet (SPC) programme for nationwide implementation at a ceremony in Gurugram, Haryana. According to Home Minister, SPC would lead to a silent revolution over the years by focusing on character building by imparting moral values to budding minds.

•Earlier the Home Minister launched the theme song and training manual of SPC prepared by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D). 

3) PM Modi inaugurates ambulance service in Sri Lanka

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi digitally launched an India-assisted emergency ambulance service in Sri Lanka.  Apart from providing ambulances, the grant also covers the training of manpower in India and meeting operational costs for one year.

•This is the largest Indian grant project in Sri Lanka, after the Indian housing project.

4) Mizo Hnahthlak festival unfolds the colourful traditional ethos of Mizoram

•In yet another celebration to revive unity and brotherhood- socially and culturally- the first international festival of Mizoram – Mizo Hnahthlak International festival – was organised in Aizawl, which brought the Mizo ethnic community from across borders. Mizoram celebrated the first international cultural festival of the Mizo ethnic group with pomp and gaiety.

5) Piyush Goyal announces slashed GST rates

Following the Goods and Service Tax (GST) Council meeting in New Delhi, Interim Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced reduced GST rates for a variety of commodities.

•Apart from a 100 per cent waiver of GST on sanitary pads, the council has decided to nullify tax on raw materials such as stone, marble and wood, used by for making handicrafts like sculptures.

•The GST charged for commodities such as lithium-ion batteries, vacuum cleaners, food grinders, mixers, storage water heaters, head dryers, hand dryers, paint, varnishes, water cooler, milk cooler, ice cream coolers, perfumes, toilet sprays and other toiletries has been slashed from 28 per cent to 18 per cent.

•The GST on handbags, jewellery box, wooden box for paintings, glass art ware, ornamental framed mirrors, handmade lamps, wax, natural gum, iron and brass products have been reduced from 18 per cent to 12 per cent.

•Various fabrics, like Chenille fabrics, mats made via handlooms, fertilizer-grade phosphoric acid, which were earlier under the 12 per cent bracket, will be charged 5 per cent, while the GST on washing machine reduced from 28 per cent to 18 per cent.