VISION

1)  Hiroshima Day: 6th August

•Annually 6th of August marks the anniversary of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima during World War II. The horrific incident took place on August 6, 1945, when the United States dropped an atomic bomb named “Little Boy”, on the town of Hiroshima in Japan. This bomb attack was done with the motive to end the Second World War in 1945. This day is remembered to promote peace and spread awareness about the danger of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. 2021 marks the 76th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombing.

2)  TRIFED celebrates its 34th Foundation Day

•Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (TRIFED) has celebrated its 34th foundation day on 6th August. TRIFED was founded to drive tribal development through marketing support for tribal products, both, handicrafts and Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP). TRIFED will celebrate this day in a special manner, with due publicity, to raise awareness among one and all regarding the issues related to trade in tribal areas, and the need to ensure a fair deal for the tribes in the commerce of their products. The proposed event shall also recognize the achievements and contributions that the tribes and people working for them have made in this regard.

3)  India nuclear power capacity is expected to reach 22,480 MW by 2031

•India’s nuclear power capacity is expected to reach 22,480 Mega Watts by 2031 from the current 6,780 MegaWatts. There are presently 22 reactors with a total capacity of 6780 MW in operation and one reactor, KAPP-3 (700 MW) has been connected to the grid on January 10, 2021.

•Ten (10) nuclear power reactors with 8000 MW capacity (including 500 MW PFBR being implemented by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited {BHAVINI}) are under construction. Additionally, the Government has accorded administrative approval and financial sanction of ten (10) indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 700 MW each to be set up in fleet mode.

4)  West Bengal receives four SKOCH awards

•The government of West Bengal has received four SKOCH awards for its schemes under the Ease of Doing Business initiative. The State scheme ‘Silpasathi’-the online single window portal won the platinum award while the Auto-Renewal of Certificate of Enlistment through the online system for urban areas has received the gold award.

•Online issuance of trade licences in rural areas and the E-Nathikaran: the online system for registration, preparation and submission of deeds have won two silver awards. The state government will ensure that the ease of doing business in West Bengal continues to be one of the foremost in the country.

5)  Germany becomes 5th country to sign ISA Framework Agreement

•Germany became the 5th country to sign the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement after amendments to it entered into force on 8th January 2021, opening its Membership to all Member States of the United Nations. Ambassador of Germany to India Walter J. Lindner deposited signed copies of the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement with the Ministry of External Affairs, the depositary of the Agreement.

•Membership to the ISA was earlier limited to 121 countries, which were partially or entirely located within the tropics. This didn’t allow major solar energy economies such as Germany to join the alliance that is being increasingly seen as a foreign policy tool. The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the India Africa Summit and a meeting of member countries ahead of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in November 2015. The framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2016.

6)  India for implementing MoU with Bangladesh in disaster management

•India has emphasized the implementation of the recently-signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh over disaster management, resilience and mitigation on a priority basis. Bangladesh has decided to accept the invitation to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). CDRI is a coalition of national governments, UN agencies, multilateral development banks and the private sector which aims to promote resilience of new and existing infrastructure to climate and disaster risks.

•In a letter written to Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen, Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar urged Bangladesh to implement the recently concluded MoU in the field of disaster management, resilience and mitigation on a priority basis. He expressed the hope that these mechanisms will help the two countries to remain better prepared to face such challenges in the future.

7)  Ebrahim Raisi sworn in as new President of Iran

•Ebrahim Raisi was officially sworn in as the new president of Iran on August 05, 2021. He won the 2021 Iranian presidential election in June, with 62 per cent of the vote. The 60-year-old Raisi succeeds Hassan Rouhani to begin his four-year term. He is also been the Chief Justice of Iran since March 2019.

•Raisi’s inauguration comes at a pivotal time, with Iran currently in indirect negotiations with the United States over how to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement. Raisi will also face the task of reviving his country’s economy, which has been battered in recent years by the previous US administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions. Tensions in the region are also high following a string of maritime provocations blamed by the West on Tehran.

8)  CBIC launches Compliance Information Portal (CIP)

•The Central Board for Indirect Taxes & Customs launched the Indian Customs Compliance Information Portal at www.cip.icegate.gov.in/CIP. This portal providing free access to information on all Customs procedures and regulatory compliance for nearly 12,000 Customs Tariff Items. The portal will provide complete knowledge of all import and export related requirements for all items.

•CIP is yet another facilitation tool developed by CBIC to empower our business as well as any interested person with up-to-date information on the legal and procedural requirements of Customs and Partner Government Agencies (FSSAI, AQIS, PQIS, Drug Controller etc.) for carrying out imports and exports. The portal would provide at the click of a button complete knowledge of all import and export related requirements for all items covered under the Customs Tariff thereby improving the ease of doing cross border trade.

9)  Sebi allows payments banks to act as investment bankers

•Sebi has allowed payments banks to carry out the activities of investment bankers to provide easy access to investors to participate in public and rights issues by using various payment avenues, markets regulator. Non-scheduled payments banks, which have prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), will be eligible to act as a banker to an issue (BTI).

•This is subject to fulfilment of the conditions stipulated in the BTI rules. Further, payments banks registered as a BTI will also be permitted to act as self-certified syndicate banks, subject to the fulfilment of the criteria laid down by the Sebi in this regard from time to time.”The blocking/movement of funds from the investor to the issuer shall only be made through the savings account of the investor held with the payments bank.

•Bankers to an issue mean a scheduled bank or such other banking company as may be specified by Sebi carrying activities, including acceptance of application money, acceptance of allotment or call money, refund of application money and payment of dividend or interest warrants.

10)  Khel Ratna Award renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award will be renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The Prime Minister said the move was based on the numerous requests he received from across the nation. Dhyan Chand, whose birthday is celebrated as National Sports Day, won three Olympic golds for the country in Hockey.

11)  Zoological Survey of India gets 1st female director in 100 years

•The Indian government approved the appointment of Dr Dhriti Banerjee as the director of the Zoological Survey of India. She is a prolific scientist, conducting research in zoogeography, taxonomy, morphology and molecular systematics. On the occasion of its centenary celebrations in 2016, Banerjee had co-authored the “The Glorious 100 Women’s Scientific Contribution in ZSI”, which chronicled the contributions of women scientists in the domain of animal-related groups.

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1)  Union Cabinet approves continuation of 1,023 fast track special courts

•The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of 1,023 fast track special courts, including 389 exclusive POCSO courts, as a centrally sponsored scheme for another two years. Union minister Anurag Thakur said out of 31 states and union territories, 28 have started the scheme. West Bengal is one of the states which has not started the scheme.

•The scheme would continue from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2023, with an outlay of Rs 1572.86 crore — Rs 971.70 crore as central share and Rs 601.16 crore as state share. The central share is to be funded from the ‘Nirbhaya’ Fund. The scheme was launched on October 2, 2019.

•To bring more stringent provisions and expeditious trial and disposal of such cases, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 was enacted which made provision of stringent punishment, including the death penalty, for perpetrators of rape. This led to the establishment of the fast track special courts. These are dedicated courts expected to ensure swift dispensation of justice. They have a better clearance rate as compared to the regular courts and hold speedy trials. Besides providing quick justice to the victims, it strengthens the deterrence framework for sexual offenders.

2)  Uttarakhand unveils India’s first earthquake mobile app

•Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami has launched the first-of-its-kind earthquake early warning mobile application, named ‘Uttarakhand Bhookamp Alert’. The app has been developed by IIT Roorkee, in association with Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA). Initially, this app was launched as a pilot project only by the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, for the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, the project proposal was further extended by the Uttarakhand Government.

3)  BRO builds world’s highest road in Ladakh at 19,300 feet

•Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has constructed and black-topped the highest road in the world at Umlingla Pass in Eastern Ladakh. The highest motorable road in the world is situated at an altitude of 19,300 feet. This is higher than the base camps of Mount Everest. The road itself is a 52-km long tarmac stretch through Umlingla Pass, connecting important towns in the Chumar sector of Eastern Ladakh.

•Infrastructure development in places like Umlingla Pass is difficult due to the harsh and tough terrain coupled with extremely low temperatures. In winters, the temperature dips 40 degrees below zero. The oxygen level at this altitude is almost 50 per cent less than at normal places.

•The north base in Tibet is at 16,900 feet, whereas the south base camp in Nepal is 17,598 feet. The summit of Mount Everest is a little over 29,000 feet. The road is constructed much above the altitude of Siachen Glacier which is at 17,700 feet. The Khardung La Pass in Leh is at an altitude of 17,582 feet. With this, India has bettered Bolivia’s record of a road at 18,953 feet.

4)  India & World Bank sign $250 million project to safe dams and resilient

•The World Bank has approved a USD 250 million projects in India for a long-term dam safety program and improving the safety and performance of existing dams across various states of India. The Second Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP-2) agreement was inked on between the World Bank, the Government of India, the Central Water Commission, and government representatives from 10 participating states. The project will be implemented at the national level through the Central Water Commission (CWC).

•At the state level, approximately 120 dams will be undertaken across the states of Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu. Other states or agencies may be added to the project during project implementation.

•Other important measures that DRIP-2 will support include flood forecasting systems and integrated reservoir operations that will contribute to building climate resilience; the preparation and implementation of Emergency Action Plans to enable vulnerable downstream communities to prepare for and enhance resilience against the possible negative impacts and risks of climate change; and the piloting of supplemental revenue generation schemes such as floating solar panels.

5)  Indian Olympics contingent to be Guests at Independence Day

•Prime Minister Narendra Modi will invite India’s Olympic contingent as special guests for Independence Day celebrations on August 15. Modi will also invite contingent to his residence for interaction. This year, India has been represented by a 228-strong contingent that includes 120 athletes at the Tokyo Olympics. PM Narendra Modi supported and encouraged the Olympians throughout the events. He also congratulated the winners and appreciated the ones who made India proud.

6)  Governors can pardon prisoners: Supreme Court of India

•Supreme Court of India on August 3, 2021, held that the Governor of state can pardon prisoners, including in the death sentence cases. Governor can pardon the prisoners even before they have completed a minimum of 14 years of prison sentence. Court also said that the Governor’s power to pardon overrides a provision given under Section 433A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

•Court noted, the sovereign power of the Governor to pardon prisoner under Article 161 is exercised by the State government and not the Governor on his own, in reality. Article 161 of the Indian constitution provides the Governor of a State with the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites or to remit punishment or to suspend, remit or commute the sentence of any person convicted of any offence against laws.

7)  INS Khanjar becomes the first INS to call at heritage coastal port

•Indian Naval Ship Khanjar becomes the first Indian Navy ship to call at the heritage coastal port of Gopalpur in Odisha. The two-day visit was organised as part of Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav as well as Swarnim Vijay Varsh celebrations to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Independence and the 50th anniversary of the 1971 War. The visit of the ship was aimed at enhancing ties and spreading awareness with the local populace on aspects of coastal security and maritime operations.

•During the visit, ship’s officers interacted with Port Officials and discussed aspects related to berthing facilities for OTR of Naval ships and security overview of port infrastructure. The ship’s team also undertook a cleanup drive at Gopalpur beach and tree plantation in the port premises. In addition, books and dry provisions were distributed to Samarth Orthopedically Handicapped Welfare Association, at Chatrapur in Ganjam district.

8)  Retired Justice V M Kanade appointed Lokayukta in Mumbai

•Maharashtra Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari has approved the appointment of retired Bombay high court judge Justice V M Kanade as the new Lokayukta of Maharashtra, on the advice of the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Maharashtra was without a full-time Lokayukta for almost a year. The previous Lokayukta, (retd) Justice M L Tahaliyani had completed his tenure in August 2020.

9)  C.R. Rao Gold Medal award winners announced

•The Indian Econometric Society (TIES) Trust has selected two renowned economic scholars for the Prof. C.R. Rao Centenary Gold Medal award. Renowned economists Jagdish Bhagwati and C Rangarajan have been conferred with the inaugural Prof CR Rao Centenary Gold Medal (CGM). Bhagwati is a professor of economics, law and international relations at Columbia University while C Rangarajan is the former chairman of the Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister and former governor of the Reserve Bank of India.

10)  RBI imposes Rs 6 lakh penalty on Hewlett-Packard Financial Services

•The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 6 lakh on Bengaluru-based Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Ltd. RBI said the statutory inspection of the company, concerning its financial position as of March 31, 2019, revealed, inter alia, non-compliance with the statutory directions on (i) submission of credit information to Central Repository of Information on Large Credits and (ii) submission of credit data to Credit Information Companies.

•The penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in it under the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005, taking into account the failure of the company to adhere to the aforesaid directions issued by RBI.

11)  A new book on Balakot air strikes 2019 authored by Manan Bhatt

•A new book titled “Balakot Air Strike: How India Avenged Pulwama”, published by Garuda Prakashan, is written by Navy veteran Manan Bhatt. According to the publisher, the book, “a racy thriller” with “adrenalin-pushing action”, would make readers’ patriotism brim over, while filling them with a sense of gratitude and pride towards the armed forces.

•The book, in its detailed account of the “two epochal events”, claims to capture everything “from moments before the ill-fated CRPF bus was hit, to the cockpits from where precision bombs were triggered and what transpired in those 12 momentous, expectation-filled days.

•On February 26, 2019, Indian Air Force fighter jets crossed the Line of Control and destroyed terror launch pads in Balakot in Pakistan. The strikes were undertaken days after 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed in a terror attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14.

12)  Ravi Kumar Dahiya wins silver medal at Tokyo Olympics 2020

•Indian wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya bagged the silver medal after losing in the final of men’s 57kg freestyle category to Russian Olympic Committee’s (ROC) Zavur Uguev. This is India’s fifth medal at the Tokyo Olympics and the second silver of the campaign. Ravi Kumar is the fifth Indian wrestler after KD Jadhav, Sushil Kumar, Yogeshwar Dutt, and Sakshi Malik to finish on the Olympic podium.

13)  India wins bronze in men’s hockey, beat Germany 5-4

•Indian men’s hockey team defeated Germany to win their first-ever Olympic medal in 41 years. India wins the bronze medal in men’s hockey after beating Germany 5-4 at Tokyo Olympics. Before this podium finish for bronze, India last climbed up the Olympic podium in 1980, when it won its 8th gold at the Games.

•Simranjeet Singh scored two goals for India at the Oi Hockey Stadium, along with Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh also adding their names on the scoresheet.

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 Why in news?

Pakistan’s Law and Justice Ministry has finalised a draft legislation to incorporate Gilgit-Baltistan, the region known before 2009 as Northern Areas, as a province of the country.

Why is it a concern for India?

• India has for long asserted that Gilgit-Baltistan is an integral part of India.
• It is claimed by virtue of the legal, complete and irrevocable accession of Jammu & Kashmir to the Union of India in 1947.
• The area’s strategic importance for India has particularly increased in light of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) agreement.
• Under the CPEC, China is investing hugely to develop the Gilgit-Baltistan area as part of its Belt and Road Initiative.
• Suggestively, Pakistan’s decision is under pressure from China to make clear the Gilgit-Baltistan’s status so that it does not undermine the legality of its projects there.

How did the dispute originate?

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