VISION

1)  World’s largest floating solar power plant going to be built in Khandwa, MP

•The world’s largest floating solar power plant is going to be built at Khandwa in Madhya Pradesh. With an aim to increase the power generation capacity of the central state of Madhya Pradesh and address the electricity problems in the region. A floating solar power plant is going to be built in Khandwa which will generate 600 Megawatt power by 2022-23.

•The project which is said to world’s largest floating solar plant will be constructed at an estimated cost of over Rs 3,000 crore over the Omkareshwar Dam and it will help generate. Khandwa will become the only district in the state to have all three things including solar, hydel and thermal with over 4,000MW power to be produced from a single district.

2)  Bihar’s Langat Singh College astronomy lab included in the Unesco heritage list

•The astronomical observatory at the Langat Singh College, commonly known as L. S. College, Muzaffarpur, Bihar is now included in the UNESCO list of Important Endangered Heritage observatories of the world. The college authorities have requested the state government to conserve the old Astro lab as a specimen of the glorious past of the state and also to preserve and promote it as a heritage structure. The UNESCO team member informed him that the astronomical observatory at Muzaffarpur is now on the UNESCO list and it has been uploaded on the UNESCO site.

3)  Agreement Between NPCI and IIT Kanpur for Research Collaboration

•A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur, paves the way for the exchange of creative ideas and collaboration on the creation of homegrown digital payment solutions. The collaboration will also aid in strengthening cybersecurity safeguards for the goods and services provided by NPCI and its affiliates. The MoU will spur NPCI and IIT Kanpur to work together on a variety of projects.

4)  India’s Trade Deficit At Record High: 31 billion Dollar

•India’s trade deficit widened to a record $31.02 billion in July, as imports of goods surged despite curbs and merchandise exports contracted for the first time in 20 months.

•July merchandise exports declined by 0.76% from a year ago to $37.24 billion, while imports grew 44% to $66.26 billion during the month because of high commodity prices and a weak rupee, data released by the ministry of commerce and industry showed on Tuesday.

5)  India-US Armies to hold mega military exercise “Yudh Abhyas” in Uttarakhand’s Auli

•The Indian Army and the US Army will conduct the 18th edition of the fortnight-long mega military exercise “Yudh Abhyas” from October 14 to 31, 2022, at Auli in Uttarakhand. The exercise is aimed at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two armies. The previous edition of the exercise took place in Alaska, the US, in October 2021.

6)  India to host special meeting of UN SC Counterterrorism Committee

•In October, India will host diplomats from the UN Security Council‘s 15 member countries for a special counterterrorism meeting. India’s two-year term as an elected non-permanent member of the UN Security Council is halfway over. In December of this year, India’s term on the Council will come to a close, and for that month, it will also serve as President of the influential UN body.

7)  IOCL and Bangladesh ink MoU to supply emergency petroleum products

•A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the emergency delivery of petroleum products via Bangladeshi territory to India was signed by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and the Bangladesh Roads and Highways department in Dhaka. The Indian High Commission stated in a tweet that this is an interim setup to help with the urgent supply of petroleum products due to damage caused by the flood in Assam this year.

•Oil tankers will enter from Meghalaya and travel into Bangladeshi territory on their way to Tripura. For use of Bangladeshi land, the IOCL shall be responsible for paying all administrative costs, fees, and local taxes, including the road usage fee. The MoU was signed to permit Indian cars to transfer petroleum from Assam to Tripura by road, which has been badly affected as a result of the recent floods in Assam and Tripura, according to a statement from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

8)  Quality Council collaborates with National Health Authority

•In order to accredit and rate HMIS (Health Management Information System) and LMIS (Laboratory Information Management System) solutions that have been integrated with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, the National Health Authority (NHA) has onboarded the Quality Council of India (QCI) for six months. The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), a constituent board of QCI, is in charge of national accreditation in the medical field, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

9)  IDF World Dairy Summit 2022 to be held in New Delhi

•International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit (IDF WDS 2022), is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from September 12. India will look to improve its per animal milk productivity by drawing lessons from advanced nations. Currently, the world’s largest milk producer with about 210 million tonnes of production per year, India lags behind many advanced countries in dairy productivity.

•This, according to dairy sector leaders, will be a key takeaway for the country from the Summit that has a theme of “livelihood and nutrition”. Before this, India hosted the International Dairy Congress in 1974. It must be noted that India is the largest milk producing country in the world.

10)  Fintech platform BharatPe named Nalin Negi as new CFO

•Nalin Negi has been appointed as the new chief financial officer (CFO) of Fintech startup BharatPe. Earlier he was the CFO of credit card issuer SBI Card. In his new role, Negi will be working towards making the company’s EBITDA positive by March 2023 and leading the financial readiness for the company, which is getting ready for an initial public offering (IPO). Ebitda stands for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. He will report to Suhail Sameer, CEO, BharatPe and work closely with the Board of BharatPe.

•In April, the company announced the appointment of Smriti Handa as the Chief Human Resources Officer. The new appointment comes after BharatPe Co-founder Bhavik Koladiya moved on from the company to pursue other assignments. The company has seen several high-profile exits in recent months, including Ashneer Grover (who triggered a major controversy at the platform); Chief Revenue Officer Nishit Sharma; and Head of Institutional Debt Partnerships, Chandrima Dhar.

11)  Amazon India signed an agreement with Indian Railways to boost delivery

•Amazon India has engaged with the Railway of India to boost its delivery services in the country. Through this partnership, Amazon India will be able to transport packages on more than 110 inter-city routes, ensuring one to two-day delivery for its customer. Amazon began working with the Indian Railways in 2019. The company has increased its transportation lanes five-fold, it said.

12)  4th RBI Monetary Policy review: Repo rate raised by 50 bps

•The Reserve Bank of India has retained its retail inflation forecast for the current fiscal year at 6.7 per cent. It has increased the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) by 50 basis points to 5.40 per cent with immediate effect. RBI hiked the policy repo rate for the third time in a row. The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee is headed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das. The next meeting of the rate-setting panel is scheduled for September 28-30, 2022.

Why in news?

India’s biggest ever spectrum auction ended with bids upwards of Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

How much spectrum was bought by the applicants?

• A total of 51.2 GHz of spectrum was sold of the total 72 GHz that was up for grabs – close to 71%.
• The total spectrum sold was good enough for covering all circles in the country, estimating good coverage of 5G in the next two-three years.
• At Rs 1.5 lakh crore, the final total bids have exceeded expectations, surpassing the government’s internal estimates of receiving bids of around Rs 1 lakh crore.
• Reliance Jio emerged as the largest spender in the 5G spectrum auction, acquiring almost half of all the airwaves sold for more than Rs 88,000 crore.
• All the bands were sold at base price, except for the 1,800 MHz band.

Reason behind the auction fetching more cash than estimated

📰 The coal mining protests in the Hasdeo Aranya region

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What is the Anti-doping bill?

The Anti-doping bill prohibits athletes and other persons related to sports from engaging in doping. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill on 3rd August 2022. If any violation is found against the Anti-doping rules, then it may lead to disqualification of the particular person and they may have to face severe consequences like ineligibility to participate in a competition or event for a particular period. The Anti-doping rules are enforced by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). NADA will be the statutory body for the bill and will be headed by a Directed General appointed by the central government.

1)  Government Withdraws Data Protection Bill,2021

•The government has withdrawn the Personal Data Protection Bill from Parliament as it looks to come up with a “comprehensive legal framework” for regulating online space including separate legislation on data privacy, the overall internet ecosystem, cybersecurity, telecom regulations, and harnessing non-personal data for boosting innovation in the country.

•According to IT Ministry sources, the government is targeting the winter session of Parliament to introduce the new legislation.

•This comes after nearly four years of the Bill being in the works, where it went through multiple iterations including a review by a Joint Committee of Parliament (JCP), and faced pushback from a range of stakeholders including tech companies and privacy activists.

2)  For next “Make in Odisha” summit in 2022, Odisha and FICCI ink an MoU

•A Memorandum of Understanding between the state-run Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha and the business organisation Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) designates the latter as a national industry partner for the Make in Odisha Conclave 2022. The Odisha government’s Principal Secretary for Industries, Hemant Sharma, emphasised that “Make in Odisha” is the state’s most entrepreneurial event and draws investors, businesspeople, and industrialists alike.

3)  Suresh N Patel sworn in as Central Vigilance Commissioner

•Vigilance Commissioner, Suresh N. Patel was appointed as the Central Vigilance Commissioner. He has been working as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) since June this year. He was sworn in as the chief of the Central Vigilance Commission by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu.

4)  UN General Assembly deemed healthy environment a Human Right

•The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution that recognised everyone’s right to a healthy environment. It was stated that the action is a crucial one in halting the alarming decline of the natural environment. India supported the resolution but abstained from one of the resolution’s key clauses. It expressed dissatisfaction with the resolution’s methodology and content.

5)  Andhra Pradesh emerges as winner in Utilisation of Agri-Infra funds

•When it comes to using cash for agricultural infrastructure, Andhra Pradesh comes out on top (Agri Infra Fund). By placing a strong emphasis on infrastructure development at the farm gate, it has become the best state. At a ceremony in New Delhi, Union Minister of Agriculture and Family Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar presented B. Srinivasa Rao, CEO of State Rythu Bazars, with the award for the best state in the nation in terms of utilising Agri Funds in the fiscal year 2021–22.

6)  6 National Highway projects launched in MP by Union Minister

•In Indore, Madhya Pradesh, 6 National Highway projects totaling 119 km and costing Rs. 2300 crore were formally opened and the foundation stone was laid by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari. Speaking at the event, Shri Gadkari stated that the projects being launched will facilitate progress by improving connectivity in Indore and the state.

7)  Chabahar Day Celebrations: India focuses on Central Asia relations

•31 July was designated Chabahar Day in Mumbai by the Ministry of Port, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) to commemorate the Chabahar – Link to International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) – Connecting Central Asian Markets. According to the MoPSW press release, Sonwal mentioned in his talk that India’s ambition is to turn Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar into a transit centre and connect it to INSTC to reach out to Central Asian countries.

8)  Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 approved by Lok Sabha

•The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021 is approved by the Lok Sabha. The Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972 already protects a number of species, but the proposed legislation would also implement CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The Rajya Sabha still needs to pass the Bill, though.

9)  Ministry for Commerce & Industry: India recognising over 75000 startups so far

•Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal has announced that India has achieved a landmark milestone, wherein 75000 startups have been recognized in the country. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recognized more than 75,000 startups- a milestone which coincides with the 75th year of independence.

10)  Hunger and Food Security Approaching the World

•Hunger and Food insecurity is caused by insufficient intake of dietary supplements or lack of food, which results in uncomfortable or painful sensations. When a person doesn’t consume a sufficient amount of calories or simply food on daily basis, he or she can suffer from chronic hunger and food insecurity. Food consumption is important for every person to maintain a healthy life and growth. Hunger makes it difficult for one to grow into a healthy person. Less than 1800 calories per day are undernourishment or food deprivation.

11)  IFS officer Shweta Singh appointed as Director of PMO

•According to a Personnel Ministry, 2008 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Shweta Singh was appointed as a director in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved Singh’s appointment for a period of three years from the date of her joining.

•The ACC has cancelled the appointment of Aniket Govind Mandavgane, a 2009-batch IFS officer, as the Deputy Secretary in the PMO. Mandavgane was on July 18 appointed as the Deputy Secretary.

12)  Kerala CM launched eggs and milk scheme for Anganwadi children

•Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan has inaugurated a project of the Women and Child Development department. This project help to provide milk and eggs to children at all Anganwadis in the state in a bid to improve their nutrition levels. The state government has set aside over Rs 61.5 crore to include milk and eggs in the Anganwadi menu this financial year.

13)  Commonwealth Games 2022 Medal Tally: India Won 18 Medal Till Now

•Commonwealth Games 2022 Medal Tally or Birmingham 2022 started on 28th July and will continue till 8th August 2022 in Birmingham, England. India is participating 18th time in the Commonwealth Games. The Indian contingent has 322 members for the Commonwealth Games 2022. This year Commonwealth Games has introduced women’s cricket which is a new start and new opportunity for India to gain the lead. So far in Birmingham 2022, India has won fourteen medals including 5 Golds, 6 Silvers, and 7 Bronze medals.

•Mirabai Chanu brings the first gold medal for India in Weightlifting women’s 49kg, in Commonwealth Games 2022. Women’s Weightlifting got one gold and one silver in 55kg by Bindyarani Devi. Men’s Weightlifting got 4 medals for India. Gold by Jeremy Lalrinnunga in 67 kg, Silver by Sanket Sargar in 55kg, and another Gold by Achinta Sheuli in 73 Kg.  

•On the other hand, the Indian women’s Cricket team lost the first match with Australia, however, the Indian women’s team defeated Pakistan by 8 wickets in Commonwealth Games 2022. Pakistan won the toss, and Pakistani team captain Bismah Maroof choose to bat first. The team was all out for 99 runs in 18 overs. Team India under the Captaincy of Harmanpreet Kaur, chased the target in no time and score 100 by losing only 2 wickets.

•India ranking 7th in the Commonwealth Games 2022 Medal Tally with 18 medals. Australia is ranking first on the medal tally of Commonwealth Games 2022. The Australian team is leading with 22 Gold medals, 13 silver medals, and 17 Bronze medals. The total medal count of Australia is 52.

📰 Cabinet nod for climate pledges

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