VISION

1)  CRPF observes 83rd Raising Day on 27 July

•The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), observed its 83rd Raising Day on 27 July 2021. CRPF is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force, under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Its headquarter is located in New Delhi. It came into existence as the Crown Representative’s Police on 27 July 1939. After Indian Independence, it became the Central Reserve Police Force on the enactment of the CRPF Act on 28 December 1949.

2)  International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem

•The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem (or World Mangrove Day) is celebrated annually on 26 July. The day is celebrated to raise awareness of the importance of mangrove ecosystems as “a unique, special and vulnerable ecosystem” and to promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation and uses.

•The day was adopted by the General Conference of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015. It was on this day in 1998, that a Greenpeace activist Hayhow Daniel Nanoto, died of a heart attack during a massive protest to re-establish the mangrove wetlands in Muisne, Ecuador.

3)  Amit Shah inaugurates Greater Sohra Water Supply Scheme

•Union Home Minister, Amit Shah along with chief minister Conrad K. Sangma inaugurated the much-awaited Greater Sohra Water Supply Scheme at Sohra in East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. The Greater Sohra Water Supply Scheme was conceptualised by the Meghalaya government and an amount of Rs. 24.08 cr was sanctioned by the DoNER ministry in 2019 under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS). He also planted tree saplings in Sohra as part of the Sohra Afforestation Project of the Assam Rifles.

•This is a first of its kind initiative of the Government of Meghalaya to bring together the Ministry of Home Affairs, Defence officials, and village communities for a novel and humanitarian purpose in the field of Natural Resource Management in a very important and ecologically fragile landscape.

4)  Uzbekistan hosts ‘Central-South Asia conference 2021

•Uzbekistan has hosted a high-level International Conference titled “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities” at Tashkent. The conference was an initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. It was attended by President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani, Ministers from Central Asian, West Asian and South Asian countries, including Minister of External Affairs of India Dr. S. Jaishankar. Delegates from over 40 countries and about 30 international organizations, and heads of think tanks participated in the conference.

5)  Philippines becomes first country to approve Golden Rice for planting

•The Philippines has become the first country in the world to get approval for the commercial production of genetically modified “golden rice”, a variety of rice enriched with nutrients to help reduce childhood malnutrition. The Golden rice has been developed by the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) in partnership with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), after spending nearly two decades.

6)  UNESCO grants World Heritage Status to Madrid’s Paseo del Prado and Retiro Park

•The historic Paseo del Prado boulevard and Retiro Park of Madrid, in Spain, has been granted the status of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The wide tree-lined Paseo del Prado, in the centre of the Spanish capital, is home to prominent buildings such as the Prado Museum. The iconic Retiro Park, just adjoining with Paseo del Prado, is a 125-hectare green space, and one of the most visited attractions in Madrid’s history.

7)  Sunseap set to build world’s biggest floating solar in Indonesia

•Singapore’s Sunseap Group, plans to spend 2 billion dollars to build the world’s largest floating solar farm and energy storage system in neighbouring Indonesian city Batam, which will double its renewable power generation capacity. The floating photovoltaic system is expected to have a capacity of 2.2 gigawatts (peak).

•It will cover 1600 hectares (4000 acres) of the Duriangkang Reservoir on Batam Island. An agreement between Sundeap and the Batam Indonesia free zone authority (BP Batam) to move forward with the project was signed.

8)  Dholavira inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List

•A Harappan-era metropolis, Dholavira in Gujarat has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Now Gujarat has three world heritage sites, Champaner near Pavagadh, Rani ki Vav in Patan and the historic city of Ahmedabad. Dholavira is now the 40th treasure in India to be given.

•The ongoing 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO has already given India a new world heritage site in the form of the Rudreswara/ Ramappa Temple in Telangana, which dates back to the 13th century. This session of the World Heritage Committee is being chaired from Fuzhou in China.

9)  NASA selects SpaceX for mission to Jupiter moon Europa

•The US space agency NASA has selected California-based SpaceX to provide launch services for Earth’s first mission to conduct detailed investigations of Jupiter’s moon Europa. The mission called ‘Europa Clipper mission is scheduled to be launched in October 2024 on a Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

10)  Care Ratings Projects India’s GDP growth between 8.8-9% in FY22

•The Care Ratings agency has estimated the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of India to be in the range of  8.8 to 9 per cent in the current financial year, that is 2021-22 (FY22). The country’s economy had contracted by 7.3 per cent in fiscal 2020-21.

•The report also said the fiscal deficit for FY22 is projected between Rs 17.38 lakh crore to Rs 17.68 lakh crore. The main drivers of the economy would be the agriculture and industry sectors.

11)  Japan’s Yuto Horigome wins first ever Olympic gold medal in skateboarding

•Japan’s Yuto Horigome has won the first-ever skateboarding competition at the Olympic Games, taking gold in men’s street event at the Ariake Urban Sport in Tokyo. Yuto overcame a shaky start to pocket the gold with 37.18 points. Kelvin Hoefler of Brazil won silver in the men’s street skating competition, while Jagger Eaton of the United States clinched the bronze.

•Skateboarding’s inclusion into the Olympics marks a turning point for the sport, which has its roots in youth street culture and has influenced everything from art to fashion.

12)  Priya Malik wins Gold at World Cadet Wrestling Championship

•Indian Wrestler Priya Malik has won a Gold Medal at the 2021 World Cadet Wrestling Championship in Budapest, Hungary. She defeated Kseniya Patapovich 5-0 in the summit clash of women’s 73kg weight category to win the yellow medal. The Indian team bagged as many as 13 medals, including 5 Golds at the Championship, to make the country proud.

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 Why in news?

• It is four years since an inter-ministerial committee recommended that India launch fiat money in digital form.
• In this regard, the RBI has indicated that pilot projects to figure out its viability are likely to be launched soon.

What is the global scenario?

• In recent years, there is a significant rise of private cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether.
• This has quite disturbed the central banks throughout the world.
• It has naturally pushed the case for official digital currencies.
• A 2021 BIS (Bank for International Settlements) survey of central banks, found that:
  1. 86% were actively researching the potential for digital currencies
  2. 60% were experimenting with the technology
  3. 14% were deploying pilot projects
• China, having already engaged in pilot projects for its digital RMB (renminbi), is in fact planning a major roll-out soon.
• So, with all these developments there is little doubt that India needs a digital rupee.

Where does India stand currently?

 What is the issue?

• The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs recently indicated that the Government has decided, as a matter of policy, not to enumerate caste-wise population other than SCs and STs in Census.
• But the demands for caste-based census are continuing to come from different quarters of the country. Here is a look at the related aspects.

What data do Censuses generally provide on Castes?

• Every Census in independent India from 1951 to 2011 has published data on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but not on other castes.
• Before that, every Census until 1931 had data on different castes.
• In 1941, caste-based data was collected but not published.

• In the absence of a caste-based census, there is no proper estimate for the population of OBCs, various groups within the OBCs, and others.
• [The Mandal Commission estimated the OBC population at 52%.
• Some other estimates have been based on National Sample Survey data.
• And political parties make their own estimates during elections.]

Were there any similar demands earlier?

• The demands for caste-based census come up before almost every Census.
• They usually come from among those belonging to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other deprived sections.
• On the other hand, sections from the upper castes oppose the idea.
• The National Commission for Backward Classes too recently urged the government to collect data on the population of OBCs “as part of Census of India 2021 exercise.”

What has been the current government’s stand?

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1)  Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrated on 26th July

•Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26 since the year 1999, to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil conflict. This year nation is celebrating the 22 years of victory in the Kargil war. It was in 1999 that a high altitude mountain war broke out along the peaks of Kargil near the Line of Control, the de-facto border that divides Kashmir between the two nations.

2)  Rudreswara Temple inscribed as India’s 39th UNESCO World Heritage List

•The Kakatiya Rudreswara Temple, (also known as the Ramappa Temple) at Palampet, Mulugu district, near Warangal in Telangana has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list, during the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. With this latest induction, there are 39th World Heritage Sites located in India.

3)  Sweden joins International Solar Alliance

•Sweden has ratified the framework agreement for the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and is now a member of the global platform, which is an initiative of India aimed at promoting renewable energy and sustainable development. Sweden hopes to bring its expertise and its experience in renewable energy and clean energy technologies to discussions in the ISA to contribute to meeting the challenges related to climate change.

•In April 2018, Prime Minister Modi visited Stockholm during which both sides agreed to further deepen innovation partnership for a sustainable future. The ISA has been conceived as an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform to increase the availability of solar energy technologies to enhance energy security and sustainable development.

4)  United Kingdom reports cases of ‘Norovirus’ infection

•The United Kingdom is now reporting an outbreak of norovirus. Public Health England (PHE) recently issued a warning regarding Norovirus. England has recorded 154 cases of norovirus in the country. An increase in norovirus cases in educational settings has been reported. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), norovirus is very contagious that causes diarrhoea and vomiting. People suffering from norovirus disease can shed billions of virus particles. And to make people sick only a few of them is required.

5)  India Enters WTO’s Top 10 Agricultural Produce Exporters In 2019

•India has entered the top ten list of agricultural produce exporters in 2019 with a significant share within the export of rice, soya beans, cotton and meat, according to a World Trade Organisation (WTO) report on trends in world agricultural trade in recent 25 years. In 2019, India ranked ninth with a share of 3.1% in global agricultural exports. Earlier this place was New Zealand.

•Similarly, Mexico has ranked seventh with a share of 3.4% in global agricultural exports, which was previously followed by Malaysia. In the ‘meat and edible meat offal’ category, India was ranked eighth with a 4 per cent share in global trade.

•While the US, which topped the list in 1995 (22.2%), was overtaken by the European Union in 2019 (16.1%). Brazil maintained its ranking as the third-largest exporter, increasing its share from 4.8% in 1995 to 7.8% in 2019. China climbed from the sixth spot in 1995 (4%) to fourth in 2019 (5.4%).

6)  CRPF signs MoU with C-DAC to train manpower of force in advanced technologies

•The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has signed an MoU with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing C-DAC to train the manpower of the force in advanced technologies and undertake joint projects. The MoU aims at augmenting the technical capabilities of CRPF by training its manpower in advanced areas like the Internet of Things (IoT), Cybersecurity, AI, etc.

•The agreement will also provide the expertise of C-DAC in the form of a Technology Partner and Knowledge Partner in developing various ICT solutions of CRPF. The MoU will go a long way in providing CRPF personnel with customised advanced courses aligned to the needs of the field and practical applications.

7)  IFC lends $250 million to HDFC Ltd to boost green housing finance

•HDFC Ltd has got a loan of $250 million from International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of the World Bank Group, to be used by India’s largest housing finance company for green housing. Green housing is regarded as a luxury market in the country but has climate benefits. Its partnership with HDFC would help change perceptions about the market. At least 25 per cent of the funding is for green affordable housing.

8)  A book title ‘An Ordinary Life: Portrait of an Indian Generation’ by Ashok Lavasa

•Former election commissioner Ashok Lavasa has come out with a book titled “An Ordinary Life: Portrait of an Indian Generation.” In this book, Ashok Lavasa narrates about his father, Udai Singh, and his own experience on how his father’s principles served as a moral compass in his life, and can in ours too. Ashok Lavasa resigned as election commissioner in 2020 to become vice-president of the Asian Development Bank.

9)  China’s Yang Qian Wins First Gold Medal of Tokyo Olympics

•Yang Qian of China took gold in the women’s 10m air rifle final to secure the first gold medal of the 2020 Summer Games at the Asaka Shooting Range on 24th July. Anastasiia Galashina of Russia won silver, while Nina Christen of Switzerland won the bronze medal.

10)  Yusuffali to be Abu Dhabi CCI’s vice-chairman

•Lulu Group chairman, M A Yusuff Ali has been appointed as the Vice-Chairman of Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI). Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi & Dy. Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces issued a resolution to form a new Board of Directors for Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI).

•HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently had honoured Yusuffali with the ‘Abu Dhabi Award 2021’, the highest civilian honour for his almost 5-decade long contributions in the fields of economic development & philanthropy.

11)  Pramod Bhagat named Differently Abled Sportsman of the Year 2019

•World No. 1 para shuttler Pramod Bhagat was named Differently Abled Sportsman of the Year at Indian Sports Honour for 2019. The delay in the announcement was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Indian Sports Honours are awards given annually by the RPSG Group in association with the Virat Kohli Foundation to outstanding sports personalities of India. The awards were founded in 2017.

•Bhagat, who won two gold medals and a bronze at the Dubai Para-Badminton Tournament this year, will be participating in singles and mixed doubles events at the Paralympics which opens in Tokyo from August 24.

📰 Telangana’s Ramappa temple inscribed as a World Heritage Site