Current Affairs Monthly Capsule July 2020 92f0b281 PDF

Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I
July 2020
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July 2020
Table of Contents
Awards & Honours ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Mergers ............................................................................................................................................................ 8
Days and Events .............................................................................................................................................. 10
MOU & Agreements ........................................................................................................................................ 14
Appointments ................................................................................................................................................. 25
Obituaries ....................................................................................................................................................... 35
International Affairs ........................................................................................................................................ 41
Person in News ............................................................................................................................................... 48
Govt Policies and Schemes .............................................................................................................................. 52
Science & Tech ................................................................................................................................................ 55
Business & Economy ....................................................................................................................................... 58
Sports.............................................................................................................................................................. 63
Defence........................................................................................................................................................... 70
Books and Authors .......................................................................................................................................... 72
Commitees and Recommendaion .................................................................................................................... 74
National Affairs ............................................................................................................................................... 76
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July 2020
Awards & Honours

Sunil ydv SS honoured with Karamveer Chakra
 Founder of SS Motivation, World record holder Sunil ydv SS was honoured with “Karamveer Chakra Award"
by Global Fellowship Award instituted by United Nations and International Confederation of NGO
(iCONGO).
 He was awarded at the ReX ConcLIVE hosted at IIT Delhi.
 He received the award for his relentless contribution to society through his Telegram channel “SS
Motivation.”
Earth Sciences Mstry announces National Awards
 Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) National Awards for excellence in Earth System Science have been
announced.
 The Life Time Excellence Award is being awarded to Professor Ashok Sahni for his significant contribution in
the field of Geology, Vertebrate Paleontology and Biostratigraphy.
 The National Award for Atmospheric Science and technology will be presented to Dr. S. Suresh Babu.
India’s solar-powered ferry won an honour
 Aditya, India’s first solar-powered ferry that commenced operations in 2017 in Kerala’s Vembanad
backwaters, has won the prestigious Gustave Trouve Award for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating.
 The ferry was adjudged the world’s best electric boat in the category of ferries designed for paid passenger
service.
 Every day it makes 22 trips with 75 people on board.
Jamie Vardy wins Golden Boot award
 Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy bagged the Premier Leagues Golden Boot award after netting 23 goals
across the 2019/20 season.
 Vardy beat Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Southampton's Danny Ings and Manchester City
forward Raheem Sterling to scoop the prestigious individual award.
 He is the first Leicester City player to claim the award.
Indian-origin nurse conferred with an award
 Singapore govt on July 21, 2020, honoured an Indian-origin nurse Kala Narayanasamy with the President's
Award for Nurses, the highest accolade in the nursing profession.
 She was awarded for her outstanding services during the coronavirus pandemic.
 The award was given to five nurses.
 Each awardee received a trophy, a certificate signed by President Halimah Yacob and an SGD$10,000 cash
prize.
A Coimbatore scientist awarded
 An award-winning scientist at the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore has been
conferred the National Award of excellence.
 Kannan Warrier made several personal visits and enumerated 1128 sacred groves in Alappuzha.
 He was awarded for outstanding research in forestry, including conservation of endangered sacred groves
in the Alappuzha district of Kerala.
Greta Thunberg named winner of a Prize
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 Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been named winner of the inaugural Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity.
 She plans to donate her 1 million euro ($1.14 million) prize to organizations focused on the environment
and climate change.
 Earlier, in April 2020, after winning the Human Act Award, she donated the $100,000 prize money to
UNICEF.
Arnab Chaudhuri to recieve Toonz Media Award
 The ‘Legend of Animation’ award will be posthumously conferred to the legendary animation director
Arnab Chaudhuri.
 The award is being presented for his invaluable contribution to the animation and entertainment industry
of India.
 The award was instituted by the Toonz Media Group (TMG) as part of the Animation Masters Summit (AMS)
2020 - Digital Edition.
2020 Nelson Mandela Prize winners
 The laureates of UN 2020 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize are Marianna Vardinoyannis of Greece and
Morissana Kouyate of Guinea.
 It was announced by General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande.
 Vardinoyannis is a Greek philanthropist known for fighting childhood cancer.
 Kouyate is a Human rights activist known for her contribution towards violence against women and girls in
Africa.
Kate Winslet to be honoured
 Actor Kate Winslet will receive the Tribute Actor Award during the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival
(TIFF) on 15 September 2020.
 The Oscar-winning actor will receive the honour during the virtual gala following her latest film, Francis
Lee's Ammonite.
 In 2019, the inaugural TIFF Tribute Gala honoured Meryl Streep, Taika Waititi, Mati Diop, and Joaquin
Phoenix.
SC Railway’s Ongole Sub-Division won an award
 The Ongole Sub-Division Office of South Central Railway has bagged the WATER HEROES AWARD, from
Ministry of Jal Shakti.
 The Ongole Sub-Divisional Office of Vijayawada Division, Andhra Pradesh, South Central Railway have been
declared as winner in the “Water Heroes Award” for the month of April 2020.
 A contest was organized for the period from 1st September, 2019 to 30th June 2020.
Tata group Chairman to receive an award
 Tata group Chairman N Chandrasekaran and Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet will receive the USIBC Global
Leadership Award 2020.
 Every year, the Awards are conferred upon executives in recognition of outstanding leadership and for
promoting Indo-US trade and business.
 The earlier receivers of this award include Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Google CEO Adena Friedman, Amazon
CEO Jeff Bezos, etc.
Shahidul Alam won an award
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 Noted Bangladeshi photojournalist and founder of Pathshala Media Institute Shahidul Alam has been
announced as one of the winners of the 2020 International Press Freedom Awards.
 The Committee to Protect Journalists will honour Shahidul and three others from Iran, Nigeria, and Russia
with the award.
 CPJ will also honour lawyer Amal Clooney with the Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award.
G7CR Technologies won an award
 G7CR Technologies India Pvt Ltd has won the Microsoft Country Partner of the Year 2020 Award for India.
 It was honoured for demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions
based on Microsoft technology.
 The Awards were classified in several categories, with honorees chosen from a set of more than 3,300
submitted nominations from 100 countries worldwide.
Ashok Kumar to receive Mohun Bagan Award
 Ashok Kumar will be conferred with the Lifetime Achievement Award by football club Mohun Bagan on the
occasion of its foundation day.
 Pranab Ganguly (Football) and Monoranjan Porel (Athletics) would also receive the Lifetime Achievement
Award along with him.
 Mohun Bagan Ratna for the year 2020 would be presented to Gurbux Singh and Palash Nandi.
Ved Parkash Dudeja awarded
 Ved Parkash Dudeja, Vice Chairman, Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) was recently awarded the
coveted ‘Infra Business Leader of the Year’ award for 2020.
 He was awarded by the Rail Infra and Mobility Business Digital Awards (RIMBDA).
 RLDA is a statutory authority under the Ministry of Railways, responsible for the development of vacant
railway land for commercial use.
ISRO Chief K Sivan named for an award
 ISRO chief Dr Kailasavadivoo Sivan has been named as the recipient of the 2020 Von Karman Award of the
International Academy of Astronautics.
 The award which is the highest distinction of the Academy will be conferred in March 2021 in Paris.
 Charles Elachi was the previous recipient of the award, which has been named after Theodore von Karman,
who was an aerospace engineer.
A Chhattisgarh app awarded
 Chhattisgarh's Mukhyamantri Darpan and mobile App has been awarded "Elites Excellence Awards-2020" at
the national level.
 The app contains the details of all the flagship schemes of the Chhattisgarh govt including the ambitious
'Suraji Gaon Yojna'
 Chhattisgarh has been awarded this honour by the country's prestigious IT institution Elites Technomedia
under the 'Digital India initiative'.
NTPC's Singrauli Unit 1: Top-performing plant
 National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC's Singrauli Unit 1 has emerged as the top-performing unit in the
country in the first quarter of the financial year.
 NTPC, Singrauli is the oldest Unit and a flagship power station of NTPC Limited.
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 NTPC, Singrauli has an installed capacity of 2,000 Mega Watt with five units of 200 Mega Watt each and two
units of 500 Mega Watt each.
NTPC Limited won an award
 National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC Limited has won the prestigious CII-ITC Sustainability Award
2019.
 It has been awarded under Outstanding Accomplishment in Corporate Excellence Category.
 The company has also received Commendation for Significant Achievement in the category of CSR.
 CII-ITC Sustainability Awards recognizes and rewards excellence in sustainability practices.
Indian battalion won UNIFIL environment award
 An Indian battalion stationed with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has won an
environment award.
 It has been awarded for a project that aims to decrease waste generation, reuse plastic, build greenhouses
and compost pits.
 UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Major General Stefano Del Col gave the annual
environmental awards to seven Missions entities.
Kezang D Thongdok won Dada Saheb Phalke Award
 Kezang D Thongdok, a filmmaker, has bagged the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2020.
 Thongdok's short documentary Chi Lupo artfully sketches the custom of honey hunting practised in the
Shertukpen community wherein 'Chi' means honey and 'Lupo' means hunters.
 Presently, Thongdok is working on his new project, a documentary film titled 'Khiksaba', an unexplored
festival of Shertukpen tribe.
Nadaun Police Station ranked as one of best
 Nadaun Police Station of Hamirpur district in Himachal Pradesh has been ranked as one of the best Police
Stations of the country.
 Certificate of Excellence was provided to this Police Station by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
 Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu presented this Certificate of Excellence received by him from Union
Home Minister to the Chief Minister in Shimla 9 July 2020.
Sachin Awasthi honoured with an award
 President of National Media club Sachin Awasthi bagged Top Publicist honour under Global Humanitarian
Award 2020.
 He is one of the 100 awardees nominated from 35 different countries and 7 continents.
 The awards were announced under the initiative Honouring the Honourable by the Global Humanitarian
Award 2020 to honour people, who are selflessly working to improve society and the world.
IOC received Green Building Leadership Award
 The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that its new headquarters in Lausanne has been
awarded the European 2020 US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award.
 Olympic House, which also holds the rigorous LEED Platinum certification, is one of the most sustainable
buildings in the world.
 The award has been given to five organisations.
Quinton de Kock named cricketer of the year
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 Quinton de Kock was named men’s cricket of the year at the Cricket South Africa annual awards, his second
such honour after 2017.
 De Kock, who is captain of the South African national team in limited-overs cricket, also bagged the Test
cricketer of the year award.
 Opener Laura Wolvaardt was adjudged the women’s cricketer of the year and the ODI cricketer of the year.
Kritika Pandey won a prize
 India’s Kritika Pandey has been awarded the 5,000 pound Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2020 for “The
Great Indian Tee and Snakes” in a virtual ceremony in London.
 The Asian Regional Winner beat challengers from four other contenders in the final round.
 This year’s competition received 5,000 entries from 49 countries.
13-year-old girl from Delhi received an award
 Freya Thakral, a student of The British School, New Delhi has been recognised with the Diana Award for her
humanitarian efforts.
 She was added to the roll of honour on Princess Diana’s birthday on 1 July 2020.
 Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Award is given out by the charity of the same name
and has the support of The Duke of Cambridge and The Duke of Sussex.
REC Group won Prestigious Intersolar Award
 REC Group has announced that its flagship REC Alpha solar panel has won the prestigious Intersolar Award
2020 in the "Photovoltaics" category.
 This marks the second time REC Group has won the award, with the REC TwinPeak Series earning the
recognition in 2015.
 The Intersolar Award is presented to companies making a substantial contribution to the success of the
solar industry.
Two renowned Indian-Americans honoured
 In the United States, two renowned Indian-Americans are among the 38 immigrants honoured by a
prestigious American foundation ahead of US Independence Day commemoration 2020.
 Pulitzer Prize-winning author and oncologist Siddhartha Mukherjee and Professor of Economics at Harvard
University Raj Chetty have been named by the Carnegie Corporation of New York as '2020 Great
Immigrants' honorees.
C. Rangarajan got an award
 Former RBI governor C Rangarajan has been conferred with the lifetime achievement award for his
contribution to statistics.
 He was awarded on the occasion of Statistics Day.
 Besides heading RBI and the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council, Rangarajan was chairman of the National
Statistical Commission, set up in 2000 to review the statistical system.
Popstar Beyonce honoured with an award
 The 20th annual BET Awards took place on 28th June 2020.
 The BET Awards honoured Beyoncé with the 2020 Humanitarian Award for her philanthropy and passion for
social justice.
 The BET Awards also paid tribute to the lives of many that were lost in the entertainment industry such as
rapper Pop Smoke, Little Richard, Jas Fly, and several others who unfortunately passed away.
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MyGov Corona Helpdesk won 2 awards

 India’s MyGov Corona Helpdesk has bagged 2 awards at the Global Leadership Summit and Festival of AI
and Emerging Technology, CogX 2020.
 It was awarded under categories of Best Innovation for Covid-19 - Society and People’s Choice Covid-19
Overall Winner.
 The recently held CogX 2020 is a prestigious Global Leadership Summit and Festival of AI and Emerging
Technology held annually in London.
Mon District Administration awarded
 In Nagaland, Mon District Administration has been conferred the SKOCH Awards under three different
categories at the 65TH SKOCH Summit.
 The district administration was awarded for its initiative on financial inclusion, District Response to COVID-
19 and skill development.
 The SKOCH Crucible Award for ‘Financially Inclusive Mon’ was also conferred to the district administration.
Mergers
ITC acquires Sunrise Foods
 ITC Ltd has announced the acquisition of spices manufacturer Sunrise Foods Private Ltd (SFPL) in an all-cash
deal valued at Rs 2,150 crore.
 According to the company, it has acquired shares of SFPL at an “upfront consideration of Rs 2,150 crores on
a cash-free, debt-free basis”.
 In addition, the sellers are entitled to contingent consideration of an amount not exceeding Rs 150 crore.
Flipkart Group acquires Walmart India
 Flipkart Group has announced the acquisition of 100% interest in Walmart India Pvt Ltd.
 Walmart operates the Best Price cash-and-carry business to leverage its wholesale capabilities for enabling
the growth of 'kiranas' and MSMEs.
 Flipkart Wholesale will launch its operations in August 2020 and pilot services for the grocery and fashion
categories.
CCI approved Krishnapatnam port acquisition
 The Competition Commission of India has approved the acquisition of Krishnapatnam Port Company
Limited by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited.
 The proposed combination envisages acquisition of equity shareholding along with management control of
Krishnapatnam Port Company Limited by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited.
SpiceJet acqui-hired Travenues
 SpiceJet has aqui-hired the team and technology platform of airline technology company Travenues.
 Travenue is a wholly-owned subsidiary of online travel aggregator ixigo.
 Travenues had signed its first technology partnership with SpiceJet in 2019 for digital transformation of its
consumer-facing experiences.
 The acqui-hire will help SpiceJet strengthen its e-commerce platforms.
CCI approved Aceso's acquisition
 The Competition Commission has given its nod to Aceso Company Pte Ltd's acquisition of 58.92 per cent
stake in HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd.
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 The proposed transaction involves investment by Aceso by way of subscription to equity shares and
warrants representing the right to subscribe to the equity shares of HealthCare Global.
L&T Tech to acquire stake in Orchestra Tech
 IT company L&T Technology Services will acquire 100 per cent stake in Texas-based Orchestra Technology.
 Orchestra Technology provides engineering services and solutions for telecom network management.
 L&T Technology Services will acquire the stake in all-cash deal of $25 million, or about Rs 187 crore, in two
tranches of $11 million (Rs 82.6 crore) and $14 million (Rs 105 crore).
Uber to buy Postmates in $2.65 billion deal
 Uber Technologies Inc has agreed on a deal to buy food-delivery app Postmates Inc in a $2.65 billion all-
stock agreement.
 Postmates had revived plans for an initial public offering following dealmaking in the U.S. online food
delivery service sector that sparked acquisition interest in the company.
 Founded in 2011, Postmates accounted for 8% of the U.S. meal delivery market in May 2020.
Paytm to acquire Raheja QBE General Insurance
 Paytm, owned by One 97 Communications Ltd. along with its founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, is set to
acquire private sector general insurer Raheja QBE.
 Raheja QBE is owned 51% by Prism Johnson and 49% by QBE Australia. Paytm is set to acquire both stakes
and would own 100% of the company.
 All employees of Raheja QBE would continue working at Mumbai and other locations.
Adani signed pact with Kalpataru
 Adani Transmission Ltd (ATL) has signed definitive agreements with Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd
(KPTL) for acquiring Alipurduar Transmission Ltd.
 The enterprise value for the project is ₹1,286 crore.
 The acquisition is expected to be completed in a few months after all necessary regulatory approvals and
other consents.
Bharti Enterprises, UK govt to acquire OneWeb
 Sunil Mittal's Bharti Enterprises, along with the UK government, will acquire the bankrupt internet satellite
startup OneWeb for $1 billion.
 Under the deal, Britain will invest $500 million and take a "significant equity share", while Bharti will invest
the same and provide "commercial and operational leadership".
 The deal is subject to US court approval and regulatory clearances.
Carlyle to buy 25% stake in Bharti Airtel
 Carlyle Group will buy a 25% stake in Bharti Airtel's data centre business for $235 million.
 It will make the investment in Bharti Airtel's Nxtra Data at a valuation of $1.2 billion.
 Bharti Airtel will continue to hold the remaining 75 percent holding in Nxtra Data.
 Carlyle will make the investment through an entity called Comfort Investments II.
KKR to acquire 54% stake in JB Chemicals
 Global investment firm KKR has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase a controlling stake in JB
Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals.
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 As part of the agreement, KKR will acquire its stake from the founding Mody family at a purchase price of Rs
745 per share and make an open offer for an additional 26% stake in the company.
 The share purchase agreement has been struck for acquiring 54% stake.
Days and Events

International Day of Friendship: 30th July
 The International Day of Friendship is observed on July 30 each year.
 It is a United Nations (UN) day that promotes the role that friendship plays in promoting peace in many
cultures.
 In 2011, the UN proclaimed the International Day of Friendship with the idea that friendship between
peoples, countries, and cultures can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.
Day Against Trafficking in Persons: 30 July
 The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is observed on July 30 every year in order to raise awareness
about the condition of victims of human trafficking and to promote and protect their rights.
 It was designated for the first time in 2013 by the UN General Assembly.
 The 2020 theme for the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons will focus on the first responders
to human trafficking.
International Tiger Day: 29 July
 World Tiger Day is celebrated on July 29 every year.
 The day aims at raising awareness about a gradual decline in tiger population leaving them on the brink of
extinction, and to encourage tiger conservation.
 International Tiger Day was established in 2010 at Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit in Russia.
 Around 3,900 tigers remain in the wild across the globe, according to World Wildlife Fund.
World Nature Conservation Day: 28 July
 World Nature Conservation Day is observed on 28 July every year.
 The day is marked globally to spread awareness about the best practices to protect the natural resources as
our Earth has limited resources which we need to use efficiently to maintain the balance.
 For the year 2020, a global theme has not been decided due to the pandemic.
World Hepatitis Day: 28 July
 World Hepatitis Day is commemorated each year on 28 July to enhance awareness of viral hepatitis, an
inflammation of the liver that causes a range of health problems, including liver cancer.
 There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus – A, B, C, D and E.
 The theme for 2020 is “Hepatitis-free future,” with a strong focus on preventing Hepatitis B (HBV) among
mothers and newborns.
Kargil Vijay Diwas: 26 July
 India celebrated the 21st anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas on 26 July 2020.
 The Indian armed forces had defeated Pakistan on July 26, 1999.
 Since then, the day is celebrated as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who
took part in Operation Vijay.
 It marks the victory of Indian soldiers in recapturing the mountain heights occupied by the Pakistani Army.
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Maldives celebrated 55th Independence Day

 The Maldives celebrated its 55th Independence day on 26 July 2020.
 On December 16th 1887, the Maldives became a protectorate of the British Empire.
 On July 26th 1965, an agreement was signed by the Maldives' Prime Minister and the British Ambassador
which ended the British responsibility for the defence and external affairs of the Maldives.
World IVF Day: 25 July
 World IVF Day is observed on July 25 every year.
 It symbolises the essence and significance of the In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) technique in infertility treatment.
 39 years ago the world was introduced to its first test-tube baby when Louise Brown was born through the
IVF technique at Bourn Hall.
 This day was declared the World IVF Day following the first IVF baby's birth in the world.
National Broadcasting Day: 23 July
 National Broadcasting Day is observed on 23 July every year.
 On this day in 1927, the first-ever radio broadcast in the country went on the air from the Bombay Station
under a private company, the Indian Broadcasting Company.
 On 8th of June, 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became All India Radio.
 Since 1927, radio has been an important part of people's life in India.
Pi Approximation Day: 22 July
 Pi Approximation Day, also known as Casual Pi Day is observed every year on July 22 all around the world.
 The fraction 22/7 is an approximate value of Pi.
 Here, in the fraction 22/7 which denoted Pi, the numerator 22 symbolizes the date and numerator 7
indicates the month July.
 Pi day is observed on March 14 every year all over the world.
World Chess Day: 20 July
 Every year on July 20, International Chess Day is celebrated to honour the founding of the Federation
Internationale des Echecs, also known as FIDES, in the year 1924.
 The motto for the year 2020 is "Teach someone how to play chess."
 In the fifth century, chess was invented in India and was called "Chaturanga" at that time.
117th birth anniversary of former CM of TN
 117th birth anniversary of former CM of Tamil Nadu, K Kamaraj was observed as School Education Day, on
15 July 2020.
 He had memorably laid down the principle that no child will travel more than 3 kms by road to reach the
nearest school.
 Kamaraj has also been credited with initiating moves to change the industrial landscape of Tamil Nadu by
bringing in BHEL in Trichy, etc.
International Nelson Mandela Day: 18 July
 International Nelson Mandela Day is celebrated in honour of Nelson Mandela and it is marked on July 18,
which is his birthday.
 The United Nations General Assembly officially declared the day in November 2009, and the first UN
Mandela Day was held on July 18, 2010.
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 Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was a political leader and philanthropist who served as the President of South
Africa from 1994-1999.
World Day For International Justice: 17 July
 World Day For International Justice, also known as Day of International Criminal Justice or International
Justice Day is observed on 17 July every year.
 The day is celebrated as part of an effort to recognize the emerging system of international criminal justice.
 The date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of
the International Criminal Court.
World Youth Skills Day: 15 July
 The World Youth Skills Day is celebrated on July 15, every year.
 This day aims at spreading awareness of the importance that technical and vocational education, training,
and the development of new skills holds in our lives and is relevant to both local and global economies.
 The theme for the year 2020 is “Skills for a Resilient Youth”.
Malala Day celebrated on 12th July
 Malala Day is commemorated on July 12, the birthday of Malala Yousafzai, to honour women and children’s
rights around the world.
 On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen after she publicly advocated for the
education of girls.
 In 2012, she was awarded the first-ever National Youth Peace Prize by the Pakistan government.
World Population Day: 11 July
 World Population Day is celebrated on July 11, every year, in order to spread and raise awareness of the
rising global population issues.
 The day was invented by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme, way back
in 1989.
 The theme for the year 2020 is How to safeguard the health and rights of women and girls now amid the
pandemic.
World Chocolate Day: 7th July
 World Chocolate Day is celebrated on July 7 every year.
 Chocolate originated in Mesoamerica and the first fermented chocolate beverage dates back to 450 BC.
 The day is being celebrated globally since 2009 and some even believe that it commemorates the day
chocolate was introduced to Europe in 1550.
World Zoonoses Day 2020: 6 July
 World Zoonoses Day is marked on July 6 every year.
 Zoonosis is an infectious disease that is transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans.
 World Zoonoses Day is held every year to commemorate the first vaccination against a zoonotic disease
that was successfully administered by Louis Pasteur, a French biologist, on July 6, 1885.
World Allergy Week 2020 – June 28 to July 4
 The World Allergy Week 2020 was observed from 28 June - 4 July 2020 by the World Allergy Organization.
 It focused on the theme of "Allergy care does not stop with COVID-19."
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 The World Allergy Organization (WAO) is an international organization whose members consist of 103
regional and national allergology and clinical immunology societies from around the world.
Dharma Chakra Day: 4 July
 International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, celebrated Ashadha
Poornima on July 4, as Dharma Chakra Day.
 This day commemorates Buddha's First Sermon to his first five ascetic disciples at the Deer Park, Rsipatana
in the present-day Sarnath near Varanasi, UP.
 A special address by the President of Mongolia was also read out.
International Day of Cooperatives: 4 July
 The International Day of Cooperatives is an annual celebration of the cooperative movement that takes
place on the first Saturday of July.
 It is falling on July 4 in the year 2020.
 The theme for the year 2020 is Cooperatives For Climate Action.
 The importance of this day is to bring about awareness among the public about cooperatives and their
contributions to society and the world.
National Postal Worker Day: 1st July
 National Postal Worker Day is celebrated on 1 July to recognise postal workers across the globe.
 The day encourages us to show our appreciation for the person who provides postal services.
 In 1997 a Seattle-area postal carrier established National Postal Worker Day to honour fellow employees.
 And since then it is celebrated every year on 1st July.
World Sports Journalists Day: 2 July
 World Sports Journalists Day is celebrated on July 2, to mark the services of sports journalists for the
promotion of sports.
 It is the same day when the International Sports Press Association was established at the 1924 Paris
Olympics.
 World Sports Journalists Day is celebrated to urge members of the sporting media to strive for excellence in
their professional work.
National Chartered Accountants Day: 1 July
 Charted Accountants Day or CA Day is celebrated on July 1 every year.
 The day commemorates the finding of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) by the
parliament of India in 1949.
 ICAI is India's national professional accounting body and also the second biggest accounting organization in
the world.
National Doctor's Day 2020: 1 July
 India celebrates National Doctor's Day on July 1 every year.
 On this day, doctors across the country are honoured for their relentless service.
 The National Doctor's Day is celebrated in the memory of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, a former Chief Minister
of West Bengal and a well-known physician.
 Dr Roy was honoured with Bharat Ratna, on February 4, 1961.
 The day is being observed since 1991.
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International Day of Parliamentarism: 30 June

 International Day of Parliamentarism is observed every year on 30 June.
 The UN General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/72/278, designated June 30 as the day to celebrate
International Day of Parliamentarism in 2018.
 The date also marks the day in 1889 when the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the global organization of
parliaments, was established.
MOU & Agreements

Reliance Power, JERA ink loan agreement
 Reliance Power has signed a loan agreement, along with Japanese utility JERA, for $642 million with a group
of lenders for their 745-megawatt gas-based project in Bangladesh.
 In September 2019, Reliance Power inducted JERA as a partner for the 750 MW-gas based combined cycle
power project.
 Reliance Power holds 51% stake while JERA will hold 49% stake in the joint venture company.
CSIR, UBA-IIT Delhi, Vijnana Bharati signs MoU
 An MoU has been signed between Unnat Bharat Abhiyan-Indian IIT Delhi (UBA-IITD) and Vijnana Bharti
(VIBHA), New Delhi.
 It will provide access to CSIR rural technologies for UBA and is expected to lay the foundation for
cooperation and joint action in the area of Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) for rural development of India.
 UBA is a flagship national program of the Ministry of HRD.
US signs MoU with Vietnam
 The US and Vietnam signed an MoU to strengthen Hanoi’s fisheries management and law enforcement
capabilities amid disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea.
 The MoU also provides for support against “intimidation” of Vietnam’s fishermen in the South China Sea.
 The United States looks forward to working together with Vietnam to strengthen the sustainability of its
fisheries.
MoU between India and Zimbabwe approved
 The Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to MoU signed between India and Zimbabwe on
Cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy.
 The MoU was signed on 3rd November 2018.
 It will provide a framework for the cooperation between the two countries for the promotion of traditional
systems of medicine and homoeopathy.
PFC signs agreement with IIT-Kanpur
 Power Finance Corporation, PFC, has signed an agreement with IIT Kanpur for Training, Research, and
Entrepreneurship Development in Smart Grid Technology.
 Under the agreement, PFC will provide financial assistance of worth Rs 2,38,97,000 rupees to IIT-Kanpur.
 The objective is to provide support to IIT-Kanpur in developing infrastructure for research and development
on smart grid technology.
Tech Mahindra and CyQureX sign partnership
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 Tech Mahindra has entered into a global strategic partnership with cybersecurity solutions firm CyQureX,
part of the Hinduja Group.
 It will support clients through successful digital transformation.
 The partnership will give customers access to cybersecurity protection of data assets across the entire
lifecycle, namely, data in motion, data in use and data at rest.
Gujarat Govt and UK India Council sign MoU
 The UK India Business Council signed an MoU with Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXTb), Industries and
Mines Department, Government of Gujarat.
 This collaborative partnership will help to boost business and industrial development in the state.
 It will also aim to proactively enhance the business environment and strengthen collaboration with British
businesses in Gujarat.
UK, India set to Collaborate
 The United Kingdom has collaborated with India.
 It will strengthen its existing joint scientific research efforts with five new projects worth 8 mn pounds to
tackle anti-microbial resistance (AMR).
 The UK contributed four million pounds from its UK Research and Innovation Fund for International
Collaboration, to which India matched its own resources.
TRIFED signs MoU with IIT Delhi
 The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has signed an MoU with IIT
Delhi under the HRD Ministry’s flagship ‘Unnat Bharat Abhiyan’ (UBA).
 It will boost livelihood opportunities and income generation for tribal communities.
 The UBA connects higher education institutions with villages for the economic and social betterment of
rural communities.
India and EU renew an Agreement
 India and the European Union have renewed its Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation for
the next five years till 2025.
 This will expand the cooperation in scientific and technological research and strengthen the conduct of
cooperative activities in areas of common interest.
 The Agreement was initially signed on 23rd November in 2001 and renewed two times in 2007 and 2015.
GAIL and Carbon Clean Solutions sign an MoU
 GAIL (India) Limited and Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL) have signed an MoU for exploring project
development opportunities in Compressed Biogas (CBG) value chain in India.
 The MoU aims at building a closer strategic partnership between the two companies by jointly working on
CBG projects.
 GAIL and CCSL will explore various issues in the CBG value chain.
PhonePe partners with ICICI Lombard
 PhonePe, in partnership with ICICI Lombard, has announced the launch of hospital daily cash benefit under
‘Group Safeguard Insurance’.
 It is a sachet-based group insurance product.
 It is a customized hospitalization policy that allows PhonePe users to get an assured amount if they are
hospitalized due to injury or illnesses including COVID-19.
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 Hospital bills are not required for the claim.

NSDC, Airtel Payments Bank join hands
 Airtel Payments Bank and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) has announced a partnership
to skill the youth in rural India.
 It will enable them to find employment opportunities in the financial services sector.
 The skill development programme will be tailored for imparting knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs.
Amazon Pay ties up with Acko
 Amazon Pay has tied up with general insurance startup Acko to offer insurance for motor vehicles.
 Insurance claims would involve zero paperwork, a one-hour pick-up, and a three-day assured claim.
 Moreover, customers will be able to pay insurance premiums by using Amazon Pay balance, Unified
Payments Interface (UPI), or any saved card.
ADB, GCF to partner
 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) have agreed to partner towards a
'green recovery' for members confronting the harsh economic impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-
19) pandemic.
 Under Strategy 2030, ADB will ensure that 75 per cent of its committed projects will support climate change
mitigation and adaptation by 2030.
India, Maldives Sign a Contract
 India and Maldives have signed a contract which will allow the construction of fish processing plants at two
Maldives islands.
 The contract was signed on July 22, 2020.
 Back in 2019, Maldives and India had signed a Memorandum Of Understanding which detailed the setting
up of three fish processing plants at Maradhoo, Hithadhoo and Hulhudhoo.
AP, AMUL sign up to help self-help groups
 Andhra Pradesh Govt has signed a MoU with AMUL (Anand Milk Union Limited).
 It will provide a fillip to the empowerment of women self-help groups and by encouraging the milk
cooperatives in government sector.
 AMUL will help the women groups and give dairy farming in the cooperative sector an opportunity and
exposure to world-class infrastructure, technology and marketing opportunities.
Punjab govt signed MoU with IIT Ropar
 Punjab govt has signed a MoU with IIT Ropar.
 The MoU provides for the IIT’s technical education dept to become an academic mentor for the state’s
engineering colleges at Gurdaspur and Ferozepur, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Skill Institute at Chamkaur Sahib,
five government polytechnics and 10 govt ITIs.
 The institute will also help the state in developing a model ITI and a model polytechnic.
CBIC, CBDT signed agreement
 The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)
have signed a MoU.
 This agreement supersedes the MoU signed between CBDT and the erstwhile Central Board of Excise and
Customs (CBEC) in the year 2015.
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 The agreement will facilitate the sharing of data and information between CBDT and CBIC on an automatic
and regular basis.
NHPC signed MoU With GEDCOL
 NHPC has inked a MoU with the Green Energy Development Corporation of Odisha Limited (GEDCOL).
 It will form a joint venture for developing floating solar energy projects in the state of Odisha with an initial
capacity of 500 MW.
 The parties also agreed to explore further potential of installing floating solar projects after joint
identification in subsequent periods in Odisha.
Alankit Ltd tied up with UTI
 Alankit Ltd. has announced a collaboration with UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Limited.
 Alankit can now provide all the PAN card services to the citizens digitally PAN India at all its facilitation
centers.
 UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Limited (UTIITSL) is a Government entity and Financial Service
Provider in India.
India, Maldives signed agreement
 India and Maldives have signed an agreement for the establishment of ‘Emergency Medical Services’ in
capital Male.
 It is one of the several small and medium projects that are being financed by India under a grant assistance
of around 20 million US dollars for the neighbouring country.
 The emergency medical service unit will enhance timely access to quality emergency care.
MoU signed between CBDT & MoMSME
 A formal MoU was signed today between the Central Board of Direct Taxes, CBDT and Ministry of MSME for
sharing of data by CBDT to the Ministry.
 The MoU will facilitate seamless sharing of certain Income-tax Return related information by the Income
Tax Dept to MSME Ministry.
 This data will enable the Ministry to check and classify enterprises in Micro, Small and Medium categories.
A Statement of Intent signed
 Youth Affairs Secretary Usha Sharma has signed a Statement of Intent for partnership with UNICEF India,
YuWaah India and United Nations in India.
 It has been signed to work together with young people for empowering them and to make them
changemakers with access to aspirational socio-economic opportunities.
MoD inked contract with BEML
 Acquisition Wing of Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bharat Earth Movers Limited, BEML for
procurement of 1,512 Mine Plough for Tank T-90 S/SK at a cost of Rs. 557 crore.
 The contract has Buy and Make (Indian) categorisation with a minimum of 50% indigenous content in make
portion of the contract.
 These mine ploughs will be fitted on T-90 Tanks of Indian Armoured Corps.
Infosys signed long-term pact with Lanxess
 IT software major Infosys has announced a long-term partnership with German speciality chemicals
company Lanxess.
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 It will enable its global workforce spread across 33 countries with a secure and fully managed modern
workplace.
 Lanxess manufactures chemical intermediates, additives and speciality chemicals.
 Its workforce will be supported by a multi-lingual AI-powered service desk.
Hiranandani Group's Yotta inked a pact
 Hiranandani Group’s data center company Yotta Infrastructure has signed an agreement with the
government of Tamil Nadu to set up a data center park in Chennai.
 It would be spread over a 13-acre campus.
 The proposed data center park will be built at Hiranandani Parks on the Singaperumal- Oragadam highway
and will host a total of four data center buildings with a capacity of 20,000 racks.
GSK collaborated with Germany's CureVac
 Britain's GSK would invest 130 million pounds ($163 million) to buy a 10% stake in Germany's CureVac.
 It will launch a collaboration to develop up to five mRNA-based vaccines.
 CureVac is using RNA approach that has also been adopted by BioNTech and its partner Pfizer as well as
Moderna.
 CureVac's existing COVID-19 mRNA and rabies vaccines research programmes are not included in the deal.
India and Israel signed agreement
 India and Israel have signed an agreement to further expand collaboration in dealing with cyber threats
amid rapid digitisation due to the coronavirus pandemic.
 The agreement lays down the framework for dialogue, cooperation in capacity building, mutual exchange of
best practices in the field and facilitates regular exchanges.
Odisha Govt partnered with Flipkart
 The Odisha government has signed a MoU with Flipkart to give a boost to the state's arts, craft, and
handloom sectors.
 This partnership is between the State Institute for Development of Arts and Crafts (SIDAC) under the
Flipkart Samarth programme.
 It will enable Odisha's local artisans, weavers and craftsmen to showcase their hallmark products to millions
of customers across the country.
India and US signed a MoU
 India and the US have signed a MoU to develop a strategic petroleum reserve.
 The two countries are in an advanced stage of discussion to store crude oil in America to increase India's
stockpile.
 Co-operation in Strategic Petroleum Reserves Programme will further strengthen India's energy security
and pave the way for greater US investments and collaborations in India's future SPR programmes.
Pakistan, China signed agreement
 Pakistan and China have signed an agreement for the 700 MW Azad Pattan hydel power project on the
Jhelum river in Sudhoti district of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
 The $1.5-billion project is the second power project under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
 The first agreement, for the 1,100 MW Kohala project, was signed on June 23, 2020.
CBSE partnered with IBM
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 The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced the integration of artificial intelligence (AI)
in the high school curriculum for classes XI and XII for the current academic year (2020-21).
 Developed in collaboration with IBM, the curriculum is part of CBSE’s Social Empowerment through Work
Education and Action program and will be introduced in around 200 schools in 13 states.
India signed agreement with US and France
 India has signed bilateral agreements with France and the US.
 It will allow airlines of each country to operate international flights starting 17 July 2020.
 Similar arrangements with Germany and the UK are being worked out too.
 American carrier United Airlines will be flying 18 flights between India and the US from July 17 to July 31,
2020.
UNICEF India partnered with SAP India
 UNICEF India has announced a partnership with SAP India.
 It will provide career counselling to young people in the country that will improve their employability skills
in a COVID and post-COVID era.
 UNICEF is collaborating with YuWaah (Generation Unlimited) under this initiative to provide digital
education and occupational skillset to the underserved young people of the country.
AAI tied up with BEL to make CNS equipment
 The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed an agreement with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
 It will provide a platform for collaborative development and support for both organisations to address the
emerging airport business globally.
 Manufacturing of communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) equipment in India will be possible
with the tie-up.
Bharti Airtel partnered with Verizon
 Bharti Airtel and Verizon have announced a strategic alliance to bring video conferencing solutions to
businesses in India.
 As part of this partnership, Bharti Airtel will offer secure enterprise-grade video conferencing solutions
under the brand name - Airtel BlueJeans - to enterprise customers in India.
 Verizon is one of the largest communication technology companies in the world.
UNICEF INDIA announced partnership with FICCI
 UNICEF INDIA has announced its partnership with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry’s (FICCI), Socio-Economic Development Foundation (SEDF).
 They will jointly develop UNICEF’s #Reimagine Campaign to support the most vulnerable populations and
children during the COVID-19 response and its after-math in India.
China, Iran entered in a partnership deal
 China and Iran have reached a $400 billion strategic partnership deal.
 The project is aimed to connect Chabahar to Zahedan (the capital city of southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan
Province).
 It is planned to be completed by the end of the Iranian calendar year of 1400 (March 2022).
 The total length of this railroad is 628 kilometres, 150 km of which will be laid by March 2021.
Odisha partnered with Coursera
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 Odisha Skills Development Authority has partnered with Coursera to train 50,000 unemployed youth during
the COVID-19 crisis.
 The partnership is part of Coursera's global roll-out of the Workforce Recovery Initiative where any state
and country can provide unemployed workers with free access to online learning.
 The programme aims to build skills like data science, cloud computing, etc.
Jharkhand govt signed MoU with HDFC Bank
 The Jharkhand govt has signed a MoU with HDFC Bank to offer digital payment solutions to traffic violators.
 HDFC bank will provide digital payment solutions to the transport department of Jharkhand.
 The traffic police will be equipped with POS machines to collect traffic-related penalties.
 The defaulters of traffic rules could also pay fines through HDFC Bank's online payment facility.
XinFin partnered with BuyUcoin
 Singapore Based Blockchain Network XinFin has partnered with BuyUcoin to introduce its Utility token XDC
in India.
 This partnership will enable Blockchain adoption in India and facilitate easy exchange of XDC Token directly
with Indian rupees.
 BuyUcoin is one of India's leading cryptocurrency exchanges, to introduce its Native Token XDC to the
Indian market.
BSE signed MoU with IIT Alumni Council
 BSE has signed a MoU with IIT Alumni Council to encourage listing culture for startups and develop a ‘high
investor depth’ startups platform.
 The newly-formed partnership will ensure a complete end-to-end ecosystem for the proposed social stock
exchange.
 It will also look at revitalising the Startup platform by attracting a wide range of VC/PE funds to act as
underwriters and market makers.
Visa partnered with Federal Bank
 Visa has announced its partnership with Federal Bank to roll out Visa Secure to the bank’s cardholders.
 Visa Secure is a global authentication program that uses the latest standards of the EMV 3DS (3D Secure)
protocol.
 Besides providing additional layers of authentication, the upgraded technology provides a quicker and
frictionless checkout experience to consumers.
Flipkart signed MoU with Govt of Karnataka
 Flipkart on Friday has signed a MoU with Karnataka MSME and Mines department to promote the states
arts, crafts and handloom sectors.
 It will bring them on to e-commerce and provide market access.
 The partnership under the Flipkart Samarth programme will enable local artisans, weavers and craftsmen of
Karnataka to showcase their hallmark products to a pan-India customer base.
ADB and EAA to work together
 The Asian Development Bank and Education Above All (EAA) Foundation have signed an agreement.
 Both will carry out $100 million joint projects to put out-of-school and at-risk children into quality primary
education.
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 The organizations will implement projects in up to 10 countries to ensure that at least 320,000 out-of-
school children realize their right to a quality primary education.
T-Hub partnered with MeitY
 T-Hub has announced its partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
and Digital India.
 T-Hub will lead Digital India’s Scale Up program for hardware and IoT startups across India.
 MeitY and Digital India aim to provide scale up opportunities to the startups and make them ready in terms
of product, investment and new market access.
RIL-BP launch fuel and mobility joint venture
 Reliance Industries and UK's energy major BP have announced the launch of Reliance BP Mobility Limited.
 It is a fuel and mobility joint venture.
 Operating under the "Jio-bp" brand, the joint venture aims to become a leading player in India's fuels and
mobility markets.
 BP had acquired 49% stake in the 1,400 petrol pumps and 31 aviation turbine fuel stations owned by RIL for
$1 bn, in 2019.
EESL inked agreement with NOIDA
 Energy Efficiency Services Limited, EESL has signed an agreement with the New Okhla Industrial
Development Authority (NOIDA).
 It will promote electric vehicles and install charging stations and related infrastructure.
 The partnership will also facilitate the creation of an infrastructural ecosystem to accelerate e-mobility
uptake as the nation emerges from the lockdown.
ADB, IEA renewed Collaborative Agreement
 The Asian Development Bank has announced that it has renewed a MOU with the International Energy
Agency.
 It will scale up collaboration and advance progress on sustainability with an increased focus on energy
sector resilience in Asia and the Pacific.
 Under the 3-year agreement, the 2 organizations will share knowledge and best practice in energy sector
data and analysis, technology, etc.
IITH, NVIDIA to establish a research centre
 IIT Hyderabad is collaborating with NVIDIA, to establish India’s first ‘NVIDIA AI Technology Centre’ (NVAITC)
to accelerate research on Artificial Intelligence and its commercial adoption.
 An event was held on July 9, 2020, to mark the commencement of operations of this Centre.
 IIT Hyderabad already houses two NVIDIA DGX-1TM systems and an NVIDIA DGX-2TM system dedicated to
research.
CSC And Coca-Cola India signed MoU
 Common Services Centers has announced a partnership with Coca-Cola India.
 It will list Coca Cola products on its Grameen eStore platform.
 In the pilot phase, Coca-Cola’s portfolio of products will be listed on Grameen eStore across the states of
Andhra Pradesh & Telengana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.
BDL signed contract with DRDO
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 Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has signed a licence agreement and transfer of technology (LAToT) of Akash
Missile Weapon System with DRDO.
 BDL is the lead integrator for Akash Weapon System (Indian Army version).
 Akash Missile Weapon System (AKASH) is a short-range surface to air missile system to protect vulnerable
areas and vulnerable points from air attacks.
CBDT, SEBI signed MoU for data exchange
 A MoU was signed between the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and SEBI for data exchange between
the two organizations.
 It will facilitate the sharing of data and information between SEBI and CBDT on an automatic and regular
basis.
 The two organizations will also exchange with each other any information available in their databases.
IIT Alumni Council and CSIR-IGIB signed MoU
 The IIT Alumni Council has signed an agreement with the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology
(CSIR-IGIB) to jointly conduct research on COVID-19 and patient data analysis.
 The council is setting up the world's largest molecular diagnostic lab 'MegaLab Mumbai'.
 The IIT Alumni Council is the largest body of alumni, students and faculty from all the 23 IITs.
Microsoft, NSDC collaborated
 Microsoft and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) have announced a strategic partnership.
 It is aimed at providing digital skills to over one lakh youth in the country over next one year.
 Microsoft will collaborate with NSDC's eSkill Indiaportal to provide free access to learning resources and
conduct digital skilling awareness drives.
Karur Vysya Bank partnered with Bajaj Allianz
 Karur Vysya Bank has entered into a corporate agency partnership with Bajaj Allianz Life.
 Through this partnership, Karur Vysya Bank will provide Bajaj Allianz Life's value-packed life insurance
solutions to its customers and enable them to achieve their life goals in a planned manner.
 The insurer's products will be available at the Bank's 780 branch offices spread across India.
USAID, MNRE announced new partnership
 The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and India’s Ministry of new and renewable energy
(MNRE) have announced a new partnership.
 It will increase India-US collaboration for clean energy development.
 Under this, the USAID-supported South Asia Group for Energy (SAGE), will provide advanced technical
knowledge on clean energy development to India’s technical institutions.
Karur Vysya partnered with Star Health
 The Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) has entered into a tie-up with Star Health and Allied Insurance to provide
health insurance products to its customers.
 By the agreement, all the health insurance products of Star Health & Allied Insurance will be made available
through all 780 branches of the bank.
 Star Health will provide cost effective insurance products to the bank's customers.
Ola and PhonePe partnered for digital payments
 Ola has entered into a strategic partnership with payment platform PhonePe.
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 Ola users can now enjoy a seamless and superlative payment experience on the Ola app.
 The partnership also complements Ola’s recent safety initiative, Ride Safe India, which encourages its
customers to opt for digital payment channels to minimise risk and ensure a zero-contact mobility
experience.
World Bank to provide 400 million dollars
 The World Bank will provide 400 million dollars to enhance support for rejuvenating the Ganga.
 The World Bank and the Government have signed a loan agreement in this regard.
 The Second National Ganga River Basin Project will help stem pollution in the iconic river and strengthen
the management of the river basin which is home to more than 500 million people.
Maruti Suzuki India partnered with Axis Bank
 Maruti Suzuki India has collaborated with Axis Bank to offer easy financing options for the potential car
buyers.
 Axis Bank is one of the key partners of Maruti Suzuki for dealer inventory as well as retail financing
solutions.
 As a part of the tie-up, Axis Bank will offer attractive flexi EMI options to ease the liquidity and repayment
stress of customers during these tough times.
India, Afghanistan signed 5 pacts
 India and Afghanistan have signed five agreements for developing educational infrastructure in four Afghan
provinces.
 The 5 MoUs were signed under the high impact community development projects (HICDP) programme.
 The projects to be taken up under the five MoUs include the construction of classrooms, a higher education
building and a road within the campus of Albironi University.
Railways, BHEL tie up
 In a first of its kind use of technology globally, Indian Railways will feed power generated from solar energy
directly onto railways’ overhead traction.
 The project has been commissioned by the Railways in collaboration with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
(BHEL).
 The project is of 1.7 MWp (megawatt peak) at Bina, MP which shall be connected directly to Overhead
Traction System.
SBM Bank India partnered with Mastercard
 SBM Bank India and Mastercard have joined hands to facilitate cross-border payments and remittances
services.
 The SBM Bank India customers will be able to make real-time domestic business-to-consumer transfers
quickly and efficiently using 'Mastercard Send'.
 The bank has a network of six branches located in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and
Ramachandrapuram.
ICG & Indonesia Coast Guard signed MoU
 A MoU has been signed between the Indian Coast Guard and Indonesia Coast Guard.
 This will enhance collaborative and cooperative engagements in the domains of maritime law enforcement,
maritime search and rescue and marine pollution response.
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 This is likely to entail an exchange of information towards combating transnational maritime crimes,
facilitation of coordinated search, etc.
GoI, World Bank inked $750 mn agreement
 The Government and the World Bank have signed a 750 million US dollar agreement for the MSME
Emergency Response Programme.
 It aims at supporting the increased flow of finance to MSMEs which are severely impacted by the COVID-19
crisis.
 The World Bank’s MSME Emergency Response Programme will address the immediate liquidity and credit
needs of some 1.5 million viable MSMEs.
Adani signed pact with Kalpataru
 Adani Transmission Ltd (ATL) has signed definitive agreements with Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd
(KPTL) for acquiring Alipurduar Transmission Ltd.
 The enterprise value for the project is ₹1,286 crore.
 The acquisition is expected to be completed in a few months after all necessary regulatory approvals and
other consents.
CBSE partnered with Facebook
 The Central Board of Secondary Education-CBSE has partnered with Facebook to launch free and
comprehensive training program for teachers and students of its affiliated schools.
 The first phase will be held from August to November 2020 in virtual mode.
 The program will cover teacher training on augmented reality and student training on digital safety and
online wellbeing.
MIDC and UK India Business Council signed MoU
 The UK India Business Council has signed a MoU with Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation
(MIDC).
 This business framework between the UKIBC and Government of Maharashtra will help the State to
proactively better its business environment and strengthen its collaboration with British business.
 Maharashtra is regarded as the top destination for improved business environment in India.
Kotak Mahindra and Innoviti signed a pact
 Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) and Innoviti Payment Solutions have collaborated to offer convenient
equated monthly instalments (EMI) billing options on Kotak Debit Cards swiped on Innoviti POS terminals.
 Over 10 million Kotak customers now have the option of repaying their purchases in installments by using
the EMIs on Debit Cards facility at 70,000+ Innoviti POS terminals across 1000+ cities.
SDMC signed MoU to generate power
 The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has signed a MoU with Indian Oil and National Thermal
Power Corporation (NTPC).
 It will set up a pilot project for ‘Waste to Wealth Plant’ at its Okhla landfill site.
 Under this project, the plant will process 50 tonnes per day of Refused Derived Fuel (RDF) segregated from
municipal solid waste to produce Syn Gas.
Swiggy tied up with ICICI Bank
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July 2020
 To enable a ‘single-click’ checkout experience on its platform, Swiggy has launched its own digital wallet
‘Swiggy Money’ in partnership with ICICI Bank.
 The digital wallet will enable its customers to store money and be used for all food orders on Swiggy.
 ‘Swiggy Money’ is powered by ICICI Bank’s ‘insta wallet service’, which is built on a cloud platform with API
integration.
ITI Ltd tied up with Tech Mahindra
 ITI Ltd has signed a partnership with Tech Mahindra.
 The IT services fir will build software IP, implement and maintain the 4G radio access network that will be
upgraded to 5G tech, and jointly tap the local telecom market as global opportunities.
 ITI plans to manufacture the eNodeB and 5G NR products in the different plants using Tech Mahindra
software and wireless technologies.
Tamil Nadu, World Bank signed loan agreements
 The central govt, Tamil Nadu state govt and the World Bank have signed loan deals worth $250 million for
two projects to help low-income groups in the state get access to affordable housing.
 The agreements were signed for two projects – $200 million First Tamil Nadu Housing Sector Strengthening
Programme and $50 million Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project.
Appointments
Hardik Shah appointed personal secretary to PM
 Hardik Satishchandra Shah was appointed Private Secretary to PM Narendra Modi on 30 July 2020.
 Shah is a 2010-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre and is currently serving as a Deputy Secretary in the Prime
Minister's Office (PMO).
 His appointment is with effect from the date of assumptions of the charge of the post, on co-terminus basis,
or until further order, whichever is earlier.
Paytm Money: Varun Sridhar new CEO
 Paytm Money, the subsidiary of One97 Communications Ltd which operates Paytm, has appointed Varun
Sridhar as its new CEO.
 Sridhar’s appointment comes just months after its former MD and CEO Pravin Jadhav resigned from the
startup due to differences with the management of Paytm.
 Sridhar has most recently served as CEO of FinShell India, which is a part of Chinese mobile company, OPPO.
N Sivaraman appointed group CEO of Icra
 Domestic rating agency Icra has appointed N Sivaraman as its new MD and group CEO.
 Last July 2019, Icra board asked its then MD and group CEO Naresh Takkar to go on leave till the completion
of an enquiry against him after an anonymous complaint was sent to markets regulator Sebi.
 The agency had then named Chief Financial Officer Vipul Agarwal as the interim chief operating officer.
New Ambassador to the Republic of Mauritania
 Anjani Kumar has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Islamic Republic of
Mauritania, with residence in Bamako.
 He is presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Mali.
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July 2020
 Anjani Kumar, a 2003 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, was appointed as the envoy to Mali in November
2019.
Archana Soreng named to new advisory group
 A climate activist from India has been named by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to his new
advisory group.
 The group comprises young leaders who will provide perspectives and solutions to tackle the worsening
climate crisis.
 Archana Soreng joins six other young climate leaders from around the world who have been named by
Guterres to his new Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.
Anandiben Patel is the new Governor of MP
 President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed UP Governor Anandiben Patel to discharge the functions of the
Madhya Pradesh Governor.
 The development comes after MP Governor Lalji Tandon passed away.
 She will continue to hold the charge until regular arrangements for the office of the Governor are made.
 She was given the additional charge of MP during the absence on leave of Lalji Tandon.
New Commandant for Indian Naval Academy
 Vice Admiral M.A. Hampiholi has taken charge as the Commandant, Indian Naval Academy (INA).
 He took over from Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.
 He is a recipient of the Nao Sena Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.
 On promotion to the rank of Vice-Admiral in 2019, he assumed charge as the Director-General of Naval
Operations, prior to being appointed as the eighth Commandant of the INA.
Hichem Mechichi: New Prime Minister of Tunisia
 Tunisia's Interior Minister Hichem Mechichi has been appointed the New Prime Minister of Tunisia.
 He succeeds Elyes Fakhfakh, who resigned as prime minister earlier in July 2020.
 Mechichi has been a counsellor to President Saied, handling legal matters.
 He has previously been chief of staff at the Ministry of Transport and also served in the Ministry of Social
Affairs.
India’s first legislator from Siddi community
 Shantharam Budna Siddi, along with four others, has been nominated to the Karnataka Legislative Council
by Governor Vajubhai Vala.
 He becomes the country’s first legislator from Karnataka’s Siddi community which traces its roots to Africa.
 Siddi serves as the state secretary of the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram, a tribal welfare initiative of the RSS.
Alok Misra to take over as CEO of MFIN
 Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) has announced that Alok Misra will be taking over as its chief
executive officer and director from August 1, 2020.
 Misra is currently the professor and chairperson of public policy and governance at MDI Gurgaon.
 He will take over from the present CEO, Harsh Shrivastava, who has decided to move on after over two
years at MFIN.
Sahil Seth appointed as adviser to BRICS CCI
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July 2020
 Sahil Seth has been appointed an honorary adviser to the committee for the BRICS Chamber of Commerce
(CCI) young leaders for the period of 2020-2023.
 He is a Deputy Commissioner of Mumbai Customs.
 He is a 2011 batch Indian Revenue Service Officer.
 The role of an honorary advisor is on a voluntary basis and there are no financials involved which makes it a
no/remuneration appointment.
Partha Pratim Sengupta: New MD, CEO of IOB
 Partha Pratim Sengupta has been appointed as the new managing director and chief executive of Indian
Overseas Bank (IOB).
 His appointment will be up to date of attaining the age of superannuation, December 31, 2022, or until
further orders, whichever is earlier.
 He is currently the deputy managing director of SBI and was the chief general manager at SBI's Kolkata
circle earlier.
Naveen Tahilyani: Tata AIA MD & CEO
 Tata AIA Life Insurance has appointed Naveen Tahilyani as the new CEO and MD.
 He will take over from current Chief Executive Officer, Rishi Srivastava, who is moving to Group Agency
Distribution, AIA Group, Hong Kong as Chief Executive Officer.
 This is Tahilyani's second stint at Tata AIA Life Insurance.
 Tahilyani was group head in-charge of transformation at Axis Bank earlier.
Rajesh Bhushan appointed new Health Secretary
 Rajesh Bhushan, IAS officer of 1987 Batch, Bihar cadre has been appointed as the new Health Secretary in
the Union Health Ministry.
 He was earlier holding the post of OSD in the Health Ministry and will succeed Preeti Sudan upon
completion of her tenure on 31 July 2020.
 Ms Sudan was granted an extension for three months as Health Secretary in April 2020.
Riva Ganguly Das: Secretary East in MEA
 India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Riva Ganguly Das has been appointed by the Government as the
Secretary East, in the Ministry of External Affairs.
 Ms. Das will succeed Mr Vijay Thakur Singh after his retirement on 30th September 2020.
 She is an Indian Foreign Service officer of 1986 batch.
Tina Dabi appointed BRICS honorary advisor
 IAS officer Tina Dabi has been appointed honorary advisor to the steering committee for BRICS Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (CCI) Young Leaders.
 The appointment is for the session 2020 to 2023.
 She was the topper of the 2016 civil services examination.
 Dabi is currently posted as a sub-divisional officer (SDO) in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara.
Sumit Deb appointed CMD of NMDC
 Sumit Deb has been appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of National Mineral
Development Corporation (NMDC), iron ore mining major of the country,
 Deb, at present Director (Personnel) in the NMDC, will have tenure till February 28, 2023, i.e. the date of his
superannuation.
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July 2020
 He succeeds N Baijendra Kumar who superannuates July 2020 end.

Arun Kumar nominated as Vice-Chairman of UIC
 Arun Kumar has been nominated to be the vice-chairman of the Security Platform of the Paris-based Union
Internationale Des Chemins/International Union of Railways (UIC).
 He is the Director General of the Railway Protection Force (RPF).
 Kumar will be working at the prestigious global body, some of whose members are China, Japan,
Russia among others, for two years, starting 2020.
Shikhar Dhawan signed an agreement
 Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has signed an exclusive worldwide marketing and management agreement
with IMG Reliance.
 Since the launch of the talent management division in 2016, IMG Reliance has enjoyed great momentum,
adding some of the cricket's most exciting starts to its roster including Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik
Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Shreyas Iyer.
Rear Admiral M S Iqbal: Bangladesh Navy Chief
 Rear Admiral Mohammad Shaheen Iqbal has been appointed as the next Chief of Bangladesh Navy.
 Iqbal, who is currently serving as the assistant navy chief, will succeed Vice Admiral Aurangzeb Chowdhury,
who is retiring later in July 2020.
 Iqbal will take on his new role on July 25, 2020.
 He did his specialisation in anti-submarine warfare from India.
P Amudha appointed joint secretary in PMO
 Senior bureaucrat P Amudha has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
and Keshav Chandra as the Director of Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).
 This is a part of a senior-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre.
 Amudha is currently serving as Professor, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration
(LBSNAA), Mussoorie.
SBI General Insurance: PC Kandpal MD, CEO
 SBI General Insurance Company Limited has announced the appointment of Prakash Chandra Kandpal as its
new Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer.
 He was nominated by parent State Bank of India for the position and has been appointed w.e.f 20th July
2020.
 Kandpal has been with SBI General Insurance as the Deputy CEO since June 2019.
Ramesh Babu: MD of Karur Vysya Bank
 Karur Vysya Bank has announced that it has appointed Ramesh Babu Boddu as MD and Chief Executive
Officer.
 He has been appointed for a period of three years.
 Boddu's three-year tenure is effective from the date of taking charge, on the terms and conditions
approved by Reserve Bank of India.
 In January 2020, the bank's MD and CEO P R Seshadri had resigned citing personal reasons.
CR Patil: Gujarat BJP President
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July 2020
 In Gujarat, senior BJP leader CR Patil, on 21 July 2020, assumed charge as state BJP president at Party
headquarters in Gandhinagar.
 Patil who is a third-term MP from Navsari, replaced Jitu Vaghani.
 In 2019, Patil was, for the third consecutive term, elected as Member of Parliament from Navsari in south
Gujarat.
 He had won the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with the highest margin of 6,89,668 votes.
New Private Secretary to President
 A 2001 batch Indian Revenue Service Income Tax cadre officer, P. Praveen Siddharth, has been appointed
Private Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind.
 Mr. Siddharth has replaced Vikram Singh, who has now been appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of
Shipping.
 Mr. Siddharth is already serving as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the President’s Secretariat.
Sanjeev Vohra: Global lead of Accenture
 Sanjeev Vohra has been named the global lead of Accenture Applied Intelligence.
 In this role, he also joins the company’s global management committee (GMC).
 Accenture’s Applied Intelligence business – which helps clients use data, AI, analytics and automation to
fuel business transformation – is a strategic growth driver for the company.
Shyam Srinivasan reappointed to Federal Bank
 RBI has approved the reappointment of Shyam Srinivasan as the MD & CEO of the Federal Bank, w.e.f.
September 23, 2020, till September 22, 2021.
 The bank received the approval on July 16, 2020.
 The bank's net profit rose 4.3% to ₹401 crore year on year and 33% quarter on quarter.
 The bank's net interest income rose 12.3% Y-O-Y to ₹1,296 crore in the quarter ended June 2020.
Ossouka appointed as 1st woman PM of Gabon
 The President of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba, has appointed Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda as the
country's first female Prime Minister.
 Ossouka Raponda was promoted from the defence ministry and takes over from Julien Nkoghe Bekale, who
was appointed PM in January 2019.
 In 2012, she first became budget minister and then the first female mayor of the capital Libreville in 2014.
Indian-origin experts in new race commission
 A new commission announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in June 2020 includes two Indian-origin
commissioners: Samir Shah and Ajay Kakkar.
 It has been announced in the wake of the Black Lives Matter campaign to look into race and ethnic
disparities.
 Chaired by education consultant Tony Sewell, the independent commission has 10 members.
Ashwini Kumar Tewari: SBI Cards MD & CEO
 SBI cards and Payment Services has named Ashwini Kumar Tewari as its new Managing Director and chief
executive officer.
 He was nominated by State Bank of India for the position and his appointment will come into effect from
August 1, 2020.
 The new appointment will be valid for two years.
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July 2020
 Tewari’s appointment is followed by the resignation of present MD&CEO, Hardayal Prasad.

Roshni Nadar: HCL Tech Chairperson
 Shiv Nadar has stepped down from the Chairman’s role at the HCL Technologies.
 The board of directors has appointed Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Non-Executive Director as Chairperson of the
board and company with effect from 17 July 2020 in place of Shiv Nadar.
 Roshni Nadar, the only child of HCL's founder, was ranked 54th on the 2019 Forbes World's 100 Most
Powerful Women list.
Indian origin leader elected Suriname Presi.
 Chandrikapersad Santokhi has been elected the President of Suriname by the Latin American country’s
National Assembly.
 A former Justice Minister, Santokhi of the Progressive Reform Party (PRP) was elected unopposed.
 He will succeed Desi Bouterse, a former military strongman, whose National Party of Suriname (NPS) lost
the election in May 2020 as he sent the country to an economic precipice.
Indian-American to be acting head of a US org.
 Prominent Indian-American scientist Dr Parag Chitnis has been appointed as the Acting Director of the
prestigious National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
 The organisation drives all federally funded agricultural research in the US.
 Chitnis replaces Dr Scott Angle who accepted a position as Vice President of Agriculture and Natural
Resources at the University of Florida.
Brett Lee: Brand ambassador of SportsAdda
 SportsAdda, Indian news and information website for cricket, football, and kabaddi, has signed former
Australian cricket legend Brett Lee, as its brand ambassador.
 As an ambassador, Lee will be conducting a host of fun activities including contests, quizzes, Q&As, bowling
masterclasses, and giveaways that will feature exclusively on the SportsAdda app, website, and social
handles.
Ashok Lavasa: Appointed Vice-President of ADB
 The Asian Development Bank has appointed election commissioner Ashok Lavasa as its Vice-President.
 He was next in line of succession to become the chief election commissioner of India after incumbent Sunil
Arora retires in April 2021 and would have overseen more than half a dozen assembly elections.
 He will succeed current vice president at ADB Diwakar Gupta whose tenure ends on 31 Aug 2020.
Hemant Kotalwar: Ambassador to Czech Republic
 Diplomat Hemant Harishchandra Kotalwar has been appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to the Czech
Republic.
 His appointment was announced by the Ministry of External Affairs.
 Kotalwar is presently serving as the Joint Secretary on deputation to National Security Council Secretariat
(NSCS).
 He will be taking up the assignment shortly.
Andrzej Duda won a second term
 Poland's right-wing president, Andrzej Duda, won a second term by a thin margin in results announced on
13 July 2020.
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July 2020
 Duda won 51% of the vote in the election.

 Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski trailed with 49 percent.
 Duda is the first to receive more than 10 million votes since 1990, when Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech
Walesa became the country's first democratically elected president.
Hemang Amin appointed interim CEO of BCCI
 Hemang Amin, the Chief Operating Officer of the Indian Premier League, has been appointed interim chief
executive officer (CEO) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
 Mr. Rahul Johri who was the CEO, has resigned and is now no longer with BCCI.
 The office bearers will be looking for a full time-replacement, the process for which will be decided in the
Apex Council meeting.
Subramanian Sarma: Exec. Director L&T Board
 Larsen & Toubro (L&T)'s Board has decided to induct Subramanian Sarma as an Executive Director.
 Sarma, a Non-Executive Director on the Board, is CEO and MD of wholly-owned subsidiary L&T Hydrocarbon
Engineering.
 Besides, L&T has decided to elevate S V Desai and T Madhava Das to the Board.
 In his new role, Sarma will be designated as Whole-Time Director & Senior Executive Vice President.
Dr. Vidhu P. Nair: Ambassador to Turkmenistan
 Vidhu P Nair, a Foreign Service Officer of batch 2002, has been appointed as the next ambassador of India
to Turkmenistan, as per the Ministry of External Affairs.
 Nair is presently serving as the Director in the Ministry of External Affairs.
 Nair is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
Karthik Krishnamurthy: New CEO of Collabera
 Collabera, a global technology talent solutions provider, has announced the appointment of its new CEO,
Karthik Krishnamurthy.
 Previously, Karthik was SVP and Global Markets Leader at Cognizant and a member of their Executive
Leadership team.
 He was instrumental in driving multi-billion dollar growth for a slew of businesses that included Artificial
Intelligence (AI) & Analytics, IoT, etc.
Microsoft appoints Navtez Bal as Exec Director
 Microsoft India has appointed Navtez Bal as the Executive Director of its public sector business.
 He takes over from Manish Prakash, who will transition to the role of Government Regional Business Lead,
Microsoft Asia.
 Earlier, Bal was a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he led the restructuring and
transformation services and operations service line in India.
Rajesh Verma appointed as IEPFA chairman
 The government has appointed corporate affairs secretary, Rajesh Verma, as the chairman of the Investor
Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA).
 Verma shall head the authority as long as he holds the post of secretary at the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
 The post of the chairman of the IEPFA is held by whoever is the current MCA secretary.
Sukhbir Singh: Brand ambassador Luxury Ride
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July 2020
 Luxury Ride, the chain of pre-owned, multi-brand luxury car showrooms, has signed singer Sukhbir Singh as
its brand ambassador.
 Sukhbir Singh will soon be seen in a full-fledged marketing campaign besides being leveraged across the
upcoming brand and product communication initiatives by Luxury Ride.
 The company was founded by Sumit Garg, Dhianu Das, Vikram Pannu and Vishal Pannu in 2015.
Sijo George appointed to Centre’s committee
 The founding CEO of Startup Village, Sijo Kuruvilla George, has been selected as a member of Central
Government’s Expert Committee on Science and Technology Policy.
 He is the only person from Kerala to be the part of the eight-member panel.
 The expert committee team is tasked with updating the existing 2013 policy with a thrust to be given to
scientific innovations.
MCA extended term of Justice Bansi Lal Bhat
 The ministry of corporate affairs has extended the term of Justice Bansi Lal Bhat as acting chairperson of
the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) by 3 months.
 The extension was applicable from June 15, 2020, the order said, or until a regular chairperson was
appointed.
 He took over the appellate tribunal as acting chairperson on March 15, 2020.
Vectus Group signs Saif-Kareena as ambassadors
 Vectus Industries Limited (Vectus Group) has roped in Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan as its brand
ambassadors.
 It has already launched its first marketing campaign 'Vectus - India ki waterline' with both of them.
 Vectus is one of the leading water storage and piping solutions provider companies.
 It is also involved in the processing of all major polymers like PP, PE & PVC.
Priyanka Chopra: Ambassador for Toronto IFF
 Priyanka Chopra Jonas announced that she has been chosen as the ambassador of the Toronto
International Film Festival (TIFF) 2020.
 Priyanka has joined the list of 50 celebrated filmmakers and actors who are invited as the ambassadors of
the TIFF.
 The festival will be opting for digital screenings and virtual red carpets in the wake of the pandemic.
 It will be held from Sept 10-19, 2020.
Injeti Srinivas appointed chairman of IFSCA
 The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of Injeti Srinivas as chairman of
the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).
 The former corporate affairs secretary and 1983-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre will head the IFSCA
for a period of three years.
 The IFSCA was recently established by the finance ministry on April 27, 2020.
Dr. Bishnu Prasad: DG Railway Health Services
 Dr. Bishnu Prasad Nanda has taken over as Director General Railway Health Services (DG RHS) Railway
Board.
 Prior to this, Dr. Nanda was serving as Principal Chief Medical Director, Southern Railway.
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July 2020
 As Principal Chief Medical Director of Southern Railways, Dr. Nanda was instrumental in implementing e-
Procurement of medicines and surgicals for the Zone.
Sarangi promoted to technical officer in FIH
 Biswaranjan Sarangi of Odisha has been promoted to Technical Officer - Advancement Panel by the FIH
Officials Committee.
 His first international appointment by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) was in Aug 2018 when he
was promoted to FIH International Technical Official.
 He had then become the 1st official from Odisha to have been promoted as an FIH International Technical
Official.
COAI appointed SP Kochhar as director general
 The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has announced the appointment of SP Kochhar as its
director general with immediate effect.
 Kochhar will take over from Rajan S. Mathews, who served as the chief of the industry body for a decade.
 Kochhar is a military veteran who retired as the head of the Information and Communications Technology
(ICT) wing of the Indian Army.
M Taj Mukarrum: Director (Finance), POWERGRID
 M Taj Mukarrum has assumed the charge of Director (Finance) of Power Grid Corporation of India
Limited on 4 July 2020.
 Prior to taking up this assignment, he was working as Executive Director (Finance), POWERGRID.
 M Taj Mukarrum has about thirty-five years of experience in Power Sector which includes Long term
Financial Planning, Financial Concurrence, etc.
V Suryanarayanan: New MD of Chola MS
 Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company has announced the appointment of V Suryanarayanan as
its new MD with effect from July 1, 2020.
 Suryanarayanan succeeds S S Gopalarathnam who will retire after serving the company for over 41 years.
 Cholamandalam is a joint venture between diversified conglomerate Murugappa Group and Japan-based
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company Ltd.
Ramesh Kumar: Andhra's new CIC
 Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan has appointed P Ramesh Kumar as the State Chief
Information Commissioner.
 He also appointed Repala Srinivasa Rao as one of the Commissioners in the Andhra Pradesh Information
Commission under the Right to Information Act, 2005.
 These are the first appointments the government made in the Andhra Pradesh Information Commission
under the RTI Act.
Baisali Mohanty: United Nations Policy Officer
 Baisali Mohanty has been appointed as United Nations Policy Officer.
 She had earlier won the prestigious High Profile Achievement Award as best graduate student at Oxford
University, England.
 She took charge of her new assignment on 1st July 2020.
 After earning her Master’s Degree, she was selected to join the International Civil Service of UN, the world’s
most prestigious civil service.
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July 2020
UKIBC appointed Jayant Krishna as group CEO

 The UK India Business Council has appointed Jayant Krishna as its new Group Chief Executive Officer,
effective from August 3, 2020.
 He takes over from Richard Heald, OBE who held the position at the Council for a term of 10 years.
 Heald will step into the role of Chair from September 1, 2020.
 Jayant will be the first UKIBC Group CEO to be based in India.
Ravinder Bhakar assumed charge as CEO, CBFC
 Ravinder Bhakar, a 1999 batch officer of Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS), has taken over as the Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Central Board of Films Certification (CBFC).
 Prior to his, was posted as the Secretary & Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railways.
 He is also the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the National award from Minister of Railways.
Parminder Chopra: Director (Finance) at PFC
 Parminder Chopra took charge as the Director (Finance) of the government-owned Power Finance
Corporation (PFC) on 1 July 2020.
 Chopra replaced NB Gupta, who superannuated on June 30, 2020.
 Earlier, Chopra was working as Executive Director (Finance) at the PFC.
 She had earlier also worked with other organizations in the power sector like National Hydroelectric Power
Corporation of India.
Indra Mani: Permanent Representative to UN
 Senior diplomat Indra Mani Pandey has been appointed as the next Ambassador and Permanent
Representative of India to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Geneva.
 Mr Pandey, a 1990 batch IFS officer, is presently additional secretary in the External Affairs Ministry.
 He is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
Salma Lakhani: Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
 Salma Lakhani has made history upon her appointment as the Lieutenant Governor of the province of
Alberta.
 She is the first-ever Muslim with roots in the Indian subcontinent to occupy the post in Canada.
 Her appointment was announced by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
 A Lt Governor in Canada is the equivalent of a Governor in India and is nominated by the federal
government.
Sanjay Dwivedi appointed IIMC Director General
 Professor Sanjay Dwivedi has been appointed the Director-General of the Indian Institute of Mass
Communication (IIMC), Delhi.
 Dwivedi is at present Registrar of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and
Communication, Bhopal.
 The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment as the DG, IIMC on direct
recruitment basis for a period of three years.
Pakistan's first female lieutenant general
 For the first time in the history of Pakistan, a female officer has been appointed to the rank of lieutenant
general in the Pakistani Army.
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July 2020
 Major General Nigar Johar has become Pakistan's first female officer to be promoted to the rank of
lieutenant general.
 The Army officer has been appointed as the first female surgeon general of the Pakistan Army.
Shrikant Madhav Vaidya: IOC Chairman
 Shrikant Madhav Vaidya has taken charge as the new chairman of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
 Prior to his elevation, Vaidya was the Director (Refineries) on the IOC Board, since October 2019.
 He succeeds Sanjiv Singh, who has superannuated from the services of the Corporation on June 30, 2020.
 Concurrently, Vaidya will also be Chairman of Chennai Petroleum Corporation.
Rakesh Kumar: India's next HC to Sierra Leone
 Rakesh Kumar Arora has been appointed India's next High Commissioner to the Republic of Sierra Leone.
 He is at present Counsellor in the Indian embassy in Brussels.
 Arora is expected to take up the new assignment shortly.
Gudni Th. Johannesson: President of Iceland
 Incumbent President of Iceland, Gudni Th. Jóhannesson won his second four-year term in the presidential
election.
 Jóhannesson was re-elected with 92% of the popular vote, the second-largest win in Icelandic presidential
elections.
 The President is Iceland's head of state and largely hold a ceremonial role with limited powers.
 Presidents are elected through direct popular vote.
Tushar Mehta re-named Solicitor General
 The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet has approved the re-appointment of senior advocate
Tushar Mehta as Solicitor General for a period of three years.
 K.K. Venugopal has been reappointed to the post of Attorney General for India for a period of one year.
 Anil Singh and Satya Pal Jain have been re-appointed as ASGs of the High Courts of Bombay and Punjab &
Haryana respectively.
Lazarus won Presidential Election re-run
 Malawi's opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has been declared the winner of a re-run presidential
election.
 He secured the required majority, with 58.57% of the vote, beating Mutharika.
 Chakwera won election to a five-year term as President of the nation of 18 million people.
 Before seeking public office, Chakwera served as president of the Malawi Assemblies of God.
Obituaries
Sonam Tshering Lepcha passes away
 Folk musician and Padma Shri awardee Sonam Tshering Lepcha passed away at Kalimpong in July 2020.
 He travelled to various parts of Sikkim and complied a wide range of Indian folk and traditional Lepcha
songs and played folk music on All India Radio in 1960.
 He was awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution in the field of folk music.
Bollywood director Parvez Khan passes away
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 Bollywood action director Parvez Khan, known for his work in Andhadhun, Johnny Gaddaar and Bullett Raja,
passed away in July 2020.
 His career took a turn with Ram Gopal Varma-produced Ab Tak Chhappan in 2003.
 Parvez went on to work in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Bullett Raja and several Sriram Raghavan’s films – from
Johnny Gaddaar, Agent Vinod to the much recent Andhadhun.
Achyuta Rao passes away due to COVID
 Founder and President of Balala Hakula Sangham, P Achyuta Rao, succumbed to COVID in Jul 2020.
 He had tested positive for novel coronavirus and was admitted to Yashoda Hospital along with his brother.
 He was a well-known child rights activist and had founded Balala Hakula Sangham in 1984.
 He is known to have helped prevent child marriages, incidents of child sexual abuse, and child labour.
Veteran actor Kumkum passes away
 Veteran actor Kumkum, who featured in over 100 Hindi films and popular songs such as ‘Kabhi Aar, Kabhi
Paar’ and ‘Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi', passed away in July 2020.
 Her most memorable film appearances include "Mr. X in Bombay", "Mother India", "Kohinoor", "Ujala", and
"Naya Daur".
 She also starred in the first Bhojpuri film "Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo" in 1963.
Oscar Winner Olivia de Havilland passes away
 Olivia de Havilland, a two-time Oscar winner, passed away in July 2020.
 Havilland was among the last of the top screen performers from the studio era.
 De Havilland went on to earn her own Academy Award in 1946 for her performance in “To Each His Own”.
 In 2008, de Havilland received a National Medal of Arts and was awarded France’s Legion of Honor two
years later.
American Actor John Saxon passes away
 American actor John Saxon, who starred opposite Bruce Lee in the classic film "Enter the Dragon," passed
away in July 2020.
 Saxon starred in nearly 200 movies and TV shows after his 1954 debut, with roles on detective shows and
horrors including "A Nightmare on Elm Street."
 He won the Golden Globe Award for the new star of the year in 1958 for his role in the film "This Happy
Feeling."
Tanzania’s Former President passes away
 Tanzania's former President Benjamin Mkapa, who served from 1995-2005, passed away in July 2020.
 He was the East African nation's third president who led several regional peace mediation efforts in office
and afterwards.
 He also served as an ambassador, minister and key official of the ruling CCM party.
 He also held several cabinet posts, such as Foreign minister and Information minister.
Jazz singer Annie Ross passes away
 Annie Ross, a popular jazz singer and actor, passed away in July 2020.
 She rose to fame as the lead vocalist of one of jazz's most well-respected groups, Lambert, Hendricks and
Ross.
 The trio became known for the 1952 hit "Twisted,'' a tune by saxophonist Wardell Gray and written by Ross.
 A decade later, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross went on to win a Grammy Award for the album 'High Flying.'
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Eminent dancer Amala Shankar passes away

 Eminent dancer and choreographer Amala Shankar passed away in Kolkata in July 2020.
 She was the wife of legendary dancer-choreographer Uday Shankar and sister-in-law of sitar maestro Pandit
Ravi Shankar.
 Amala Shankar, who had been active even in her early 90s, was awarded the Banga Bibhusan by the West
Bengal government in 2011 for her contribution in the field of arts.
Viktor Chizhikov passed away
 The Russian illustrator Viktor Chizhikov, who designed the mascot of the 1980 Moscow Olympics that were
boycotted by a slew of countries, passed away in July 2020.
 Viktor Chizhikov, a children’s book illustrator, is best known for having created Misha, a brown bear
sporting a belt in the colours of the five Olympic rings, for the Moscow Games.
Spanish novelist Juan Marsé died
 Juan Marsé, the Spanish novelist, passed away in July 2020.
 One of Spain’s most-respected novelists over the past few decades, Marsé was awarded the 2008
Cervantes Prize, the Spanish-speaking world’s top literary award.
 Marsé’s most popular novel was Úlitmas tardes on Teresa (Last Afternoons with Teresa) published in 1965.
Bihar BJP MLC Sunil Kumar Singh died
 Bihar BJP Member of Legislative Council Sunil Kumar Singh died due to COVID-19.
 He is the first lawmaker in the state to die of COVID-19.
 Six lawmakers in the state, including the legislative council acting chairman, have also tested positive for
COVID-19.
 Corona has claimed 217 lives in Bihar so far.
 Positive cases in the state have risen to 28,564.
Veteran Odia Actor Bijay Mohanty passed away
 Veteran Odia film actor and director Bijay Mohanty passed away in July 2020.
 An alumnus of National School of Drama, the actor started his career in the Odia film industry in 1977.
 Mohanty acted in more than 150 films.
 He was honoured with the Jayadev Award in 2014.
 He was also honoured with the National Award for his contribution to art and literature.
MP Governor Lalji Tandon passed away
 MP Governor Lalji Tandon passed away in July 2020.
 A veteran BJP leader, Lalji Tandon was a former MP from Lucknow and former Cabinet Minister in the state
government.
 He was well-versed with constitutional matters and enjoyed a long and close association with former Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
 He was the 22nd Governor of Madhya Pradesh.
Filmmaker Rajat Mukherjee passed away
 Bollywood director Rajat Mukherjee passed away in July 2020.
 The filmmaker is known for directing films like Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya…, Love in Nepal, Road among others.
 Mukherjee also directed a crime drama TV series called Ishq Kills.
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 Manoj Bajpayee had worked with Mukherjee in Road, a thriller movie which also starred Vivek Oberoi,
Antara Mali, Vijay Raaz and Makrand Deshpande.
Civil rights icon Rev. C.T. Vivian passed away
 Civil rights leader Rev. Cordy Tindell "C.T." Vivian passed away in July 2020.
 Vivian participated in the Freedom Rides and worked alongside the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
 He participated in his first nonviolent protest, a lunch counter sit-in in Peoria, Illinois, in 1947.
 President Obama awarded Vivian the highest civilian honour in the nation, the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, in 2013.
John Lewis passed away
 John Robert Lewis, a longtime US congressman, has died after a six-month battle with cancer, in July 2020.
 He dedicated his entire life to non-violent activism and was an outspoken advocate in the struggle for equal
justice in America.
 He was a stalwart champion in the on-going struggle to demand respect for the dignity and worth of every
human being.
Barry Jarman passed away
 Former Australian Test wicketkeeper and ex-International Cricket Council match referee Barry Jarman
passed away in July 2020.
 Jarman made his Test debut in 1959 and was first-choice wicketkeeper Wally Grout’s understudy on tours.
 Overall Jarman played in 19 Tests and scored two half-centuries among his 400 runs at an average of 14.81.
C.S. Seshadri passed away in Chennai
 Padma Bhushan awardee and one of the world’s most eminent mathematicians, Conjeevaram Srirangachari
Seshadri, passed away in July 2020.
 He helped shape Mumbai’s Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) School of Mathematics into a
premier institute.
 He also founded the Chennai Mathematical Institute, where he remained Director-Emeritus until his death.
Ramesh Tikaram passed away
 Ramesh Tikaram, the international para-athlete instrumental in popularising para-badminton in India, died
of Covid-19 in July 2020.
 He was the first para-badminton player to win an Arjuna award, and was also a national coach and sports
administrator.
 In 2002, Tikaram won gold in shot put, discus and javelin in the Belgium Paralympics Championships.
Acharya Shree Purushottam Priyadasji died
 Shree Purushottam Priyadasji Swamishree Maharaj, head priest of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi
Sansthan, Ahmedabad, died of COVID-19 in July 2020.
 Sadguru Shastri Shree Jitendriyapriyadasji Swami will be the spiritual heir of Shree Swaminarayan Gadi, and
successor him.
 He has been appointed following the process stated in this Sant-Parshad Mandal Bandharan.
Neela Satyanarayan passed away
 Former IAS officer and Maharashtra's first woman Election Commissioner Neela Satyanarayan passed away
in July 2020.
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 The 1972 batch IAS officer was admitted to the hospital after she was diagnosed with COVID-19.
 She was an additional Chief Secretary of Revenue department and post-retirement, in 2009, she was made
the state election commissioner.
 Mrs Neela retired on July 5, 2014.
Renowned Gujarati cartoonist Jami died
 Renowned cartoonist Avad Bin Hassan Jami passed away in July 2020.
 Popularly known as ‘Jami’, he had his work regularly published in leading Gujarati daily newspapers and
news magazines for over two decades.
 In 1993 he was awarded the ‘Helpful Citizen Award’ by a Gujarati magazine while in 1994 the Gujarat
government recognised him as an excellent cartoonist.
Nagindas Sanghvi passed away
 Veteran Gujarati journalist, columnist, writer and political analyst Nagindas Sanghvi passed away in Surat in
July 2020.
 Mr. Sangvi was conferred Padma Shri award in the year 2019.
 He had written many books on Mahatma Gandhi, Gujarat and other subjects.
 He was teaching at Bhavan’s College Andheri from 1951 to 1980.
 Later he moved to Ruparel College, Mahim for teaching political science.
Amadou Gon Coulibaly passed away
 Amadou Gon Coulibaly, Ivory Coast's PM and the governing party's candidate for an October presidential
election passed away in July 2020.
 President Alassane Ouattara had designated Coulibaly as the RHDP candidate in March 2020 after
announcing that he himself would not seek a third term.
 Coulibaly's death has created huge uncertainty over the election in Ivory Coast.
Charlie Daniels passed away
 Country Music Hall of Famer and Grand Ole Opry member Charlie Daniels passed away in July 2020.
 Aside from his own band, Daniels played with other music legends like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bob Dylan.
 In 1979, Daniels won the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance for The Devil Went Down to
Georgia, which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Top 100 in September of that year.
Veteran Bollywood Actor Jagdeep passed away
 Veteran Actor-comedian Jagdeep, best known for his role as Soorma Bhopali in "Sholay", passed away in
July 2020.
 The actor, whose real name was Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri, was not keeping well.
 He also played memorable roles in "Purana Mandir" and in "Andaz Apna Apna" as Salman Khan's father.
 The actor also directed the movie "Soorma Bhopali" with his character as the protagonist.
Kannada actor Susheel Gowda passed away
 Sushil Kumar, an upcoming actor, known by his screen name Susheel Gowda ended his life in July 2020.
 He had a stint in television before landing a role in a Kannada movie titled Kamarottu Checkpost.
 He also acted in Duniya Vijay-starrer Salaga which is yet to be released.
 Apart from acting, Sushil Kumar was an instructor in a gym in Bengaluru but was out of work due to the
lockdown.
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Earl Cameron passed away

 Earl Cameron, one of the first black stars to break the colour bar in the British film industry, passed away in
July 2020.
 He appeared in the 1951 hit 'Pool of London', which is Britain's 1st major film to feature an interracial
relationship.
 Queen Elizabeth II named him Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2009 for his
contributions to British entertainment.
Suresh Amonkar died of coronavirus
 Former Goa Health Minister Suresh Amonkar died of COVID-19 infection in July 2020.
 Amonkar was first elected to the Goa Legislative Assembly from Pale Assembly constituency, later renamed
as Sankhalim in north Goa, in 1999 and 2002 elections.
 He was tested positive in the last week of June 2020.
Italian composer Ennio Morricone died
 Oscar-winning Italian composer Ennio Morricone passed away in July 2020.
 His career spanned for decades and earned him an Oscar for lifetime achievement in 2007.
 Morricone collaborated with some of Hollywood’s and Italy’s top directors, including on The Untouchables
by Brian de Palma, The Hateful Eight by Quentin Tarantino and The Battle of Algiers by Gillo Pontecorvo.
Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan passed away
 The noted Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan passed away in July 2020 due to cardiac arrest.
 In a career spanning more than four decades, Saroj Khan choreographed more than 2000 songs.
 She is a three-time National award winner.
 She has choreographed popular songs including Hawa Hawai in Mr India (1987), Nagina (1986) and Chandni
(1989), Ek Do Teen from Tezaab (1988), and more.
Upa Rokamlova passed away
 In Mizoram, former speaker of the state legislative assembly Upa Rokamlova passed away in July 2020.
 A veteran Congress leader Rokamlova joined politics in early 1980s and had played a key role in the signing
of the historic Mizo Peace Accord in 1986.
 He won the state assembly elections three times between 1984 and 1993.
 Rokamlova became the speaker of the Mizoram Assembly in 1990.
Sir Everton Weekes passed away
 West Indies cricket legend Everton Weekes passed away in July 2020.
 He was one of the "Three Ws" -- along with Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott -- who put Barbados and West
Indies cricket on the map in the 1950s.
 In 1948, he became the first batsman to score five Test centuries in consecutive innings -- a record that
stands to this day.
Legendary comedian Carl Reiner passed away
 Carl Reiner, the writer, producer, director and actor passed away in June 2020.
 Reiner, the father of filmmaker Rob Reiner, was the winner of nine Emmy awards, including five for “The
Dick Van Dyke Show.”
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 His most popular films as a director included “Oh God,” starring George Burns, in 1977; “The Jerk,” with
Steve Martin, in 1979; and “All of Me,” with Martin and Lily Tomlin, in 1984.
Geetha Nagabhushan passed away
 Kannada novelist Geetha Nagabhushan, whose works were known for the resistance to patriarchy and
gender stereotypes, passed away in June 2020.
 She was the 1st woman writer to bag Kendra Sahitya Academy and Nadoja awards and serve as the
chairperson of Karnataka Sahitya Academy.
 She had presided over 76th Akhil Bharat Kannada Sahitya Sammelan, held at Gadag in 2010.
International Affairs
FIFA Council approves relief plan regulations
 Bureau of the FIFA Council has approved the $1.5 bn COVID-19 relief plan regulations which will support all
211 FIFA member associations and the six confederations to assist in the alleviation of the financial impact
of the pandemic.
 The regulations establish strict compliance and audit requirements, as well as clear loan repayment
conditions, under the supervision of a steering committee.
Turkish parliament passes social media law
 Turkey’s parliament has passed a government-backed law regulating social media, that critics said will
increase censorship and help authorities silence dissent.
 President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party had backed the bill.
 The law requires foreign social media sites to appoint Turkish-based representatives to address authorities’
concerns over content
Germany to stop exporting weapons to Hong Kong
 Germany will stop exporting weapons and dual-use goods to Hong Kong as part of the European Union's
reaction to China's national security law for Hong Kong.
 The move comes as a reaction to China's imposition of draconian national security law in Hong Kong which
aims to crush dissent.
 China has announced the suspension of Hong Kong's extradition treaties with Canada, Australia and Britain.
IMF grants $4.3 billion to South Africa
 The International Monetary Fund has approved $4.3 billion in emergency funding for South Africa.
 This is the largest emergency disbursement for any country yet to assist with fighting the coronavirus
pandemic.
 The funds “support the authorities’ efforts in addressing the challenging health situation and severe
economic impact of the COVID-19 shock.
Annual 5-day Haj pilgrimage commences
 The annual five-day Haj pilgrimage commenced from 29 July 2020 in Saudi Arabia on a drastically reduced
scale due to coronavirus pandemic globally.
 Only about 1,000 Muslims began their journey from the holy city of Mecca to assemble in Mina.
 30% of them will be Saudi citizens while the remaining seventy per cent will be foreign nationals who live in
Saudi Arabia.
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Russia successfully tested Zircon missile

 The Russian Defense Ministry has successfully completed tests of the Zircon hypersonic missile.
 The test launches of the new missile were conducted from the frigate Admiral Gorshkov.
 The tests confirmed the unique tactical and technical characteristics of this missile in terms of range and
accuracy, as well as the hypersonic speed of its flight.
Russia suspends deliveries of missiles
 Russia has announced suspension of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to China and said the resumption
of further deliveries is yet to be ascertained.
 In 2018, China received the first batch of S-400 missile.
 The S-400 air defence missile system is considered the most advanced of its kind in Russia, capable of
destroying targets at a distance of up to 400 km and a height of up to 30 km.
Hichem Mechichi: New Prime Minister of Tunisia
 Tunisia's Interior Minister Hichem Mechichi has been appointed the New Prime Minister of Tunisia.
 He succeeds Elyes Fakhfakh, who resigned as prime minister earlier in July 2020.
 Mechichi has been a counsellor to President Saied, handling legal matters.
 He has previously been chief of staff at the Ministry of Transport and also served in the Ministry of Social
Affairs.
World’s largest solar power plant in Abu Dhabi
 A consortium led by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) and Masdar, in partnership with France’s
EDF and JinkoPower, will develop the world’s largest solar power plant in Abu Dhabi.
 It will have a total capacity of 2 gigawatts.
 The Al Dhafra Solar PV plant’s financial closure is set for the third quarter of 2020, with power generation
expected to begin in the first half of 2022.
Singapore scientists develop new test method
 Scientists at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore have discovered a way to improve the
speed of obtaining COVID-19 test results by up to 4 times.
 The improved testing method for COVID-19 yields results in 36 minutes – about a quarter of the time
required by existing gold-standard tests.
 The current testing method requires highly trained technical staff.
Maldives celebrated 55th Independence Day
 The Maldives celebrated its 55th Independence day on 26 July 2020.
 On December 16th 1887, the Maldives became a protectorate of the British Empire.
 On July 26th 1965, an agreement was signed by the Maldives' Prime Minister and the British Ambassador
which ended the British responsibility for the defence and external affairs of the Maldives.
‘COVID-19 Law Lab’ Initiative launched
 A COVID-19 Law Lab initiative has been launched recently.
 It gathers and shares legal documents from over 190 countries across the world to help states establish and
implement strong legal frameworks to manage the pandemic.
 The goal is to ensure that laws protect the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
 The new Lab (at www.COVIDLawLab.org) is a joint project of UNDP and WHO.
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Russia tests a 3D printed aircraft engine

 Russia has for the first time conducted a successful flight test of the MGTD-20 gas turbine engine made by
3D-printing.
 Its production is scheduled for 2021-2022.
 The flight tests were held at Kazanbash aviation centre in Tatarstan.
 In December 2019, the foundation reported successful bench tests of small-sized gas turbine aircraft
engines made using 3D printing technology.
China launches independent mission to Mars
 China launched its first independent probe headed to Mars on 23 July 2020, a major milestone in Beijing’s
mission to build a world-class space programme.
 The probe, named Tianwen-1, was launched via a Long March-5 rocket from Hainan Island and is expected
to reach Mars’ gravitational field in February 2021.
 Upon a successful landing, the probe is expected to work for at least 90 Mars days.
Turkmenistan got observer status in WTO
 Turkmenistan has been granted Observer status by the World Trade Organization (WTO) General Council.
 It has become the last former Soviet republic to establish formal ties with the trade body.
 Neighbouring Central Asian countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Afghanistan have acceded
to the WTO, while Uzbekistan has been in on-and-off negotiations on WTO accession since 1994.
South Korea launched first military satellite
 Space X has launched South Korea's first military communications satellite into space.
 ANASIS-II satellite lifted off from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in the US state of Florida.
 The launch has made South Korea the 10th country in the world to own a military-only communications
satellite, which will provide "permanent and secured military communications".
Oxford University's trials positive
 The early-stage human trial data of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University
reveals that it is safe and induces an immune response, with mild side effects in some participants.
 The preliminary results of phase I/II trial, published in The Lancet journal, involving 1107 people show that
the injection led to them making antibodies and T-cells that can fight the virus.
Bangladesh banned free internet services
 The Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has issued orders for the telecom companies to
stop free internet services to its subscribers for accessing social media.
 It is being stopped because it gives rise to unhealthy competition between the companies.
 This facility was also being used by some people for carrying out criminal activities on social media.
UAE launched its first space mission to Mars
 UAE’s historic journey to Mars has been successfully started from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.
 The spacecraft Hope Probe took off on 20 July 2020.
 H2A, the rocket carrying the Hope Probe to space, was launched from the Tanegashima Space Centre in
Japan.
 It is the Arab world’s first interplanetary landmark mission.
Boeing received $916 mn deal
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 Boeing has won an almost one billion dollar contract to support the operations of the International Space
Station (ISS) through to September 2024.
 Under the terms of the contract, Boeing will provide engineering support services, resources and personnel
for activities aboard the ISS and manage many of the station's systems.
Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games postponed
 The 2022 Summer Youth Olympic Games, which is scheduled to take place in Dakar, Senegal, has been
postponed by four years to 2026.
 The Dakar Youth Olympic Games will be the first Olympic event in Africa.
 Dakar 2022 Youth Olympics will also feature total gender equality for the first time in Olympic history.
 Some highly popular sports, including baseball, will make their debut at the Games.
A communications satellite launched from China
 A high-power broadband communications satellite has been successfully launched aboard a Chinese Long
March 3B rocket.
 It has been designed to provide Internet access to airliner passengers, cruise ships, fishing vessels, and
other mobile users.
 A Long March 3B rocket carried the spacecraft aloft and headed toward the east-southeast from Xichang.
US President signed a bill
 US President Donald Trump has signed a bill to impose sanctions on Chinese officials implementing
oppressive law against Hong Kong.
 This law gives his administration powerful new tools to hold responsible the individuals and the entities
involved in extinguishing Hong Kong's freedom.
 He has also signed an order to end preferential treatment for Hong Kong.
UK banned its companies from sourcing 5G
 The UK has banned its companies from sourcing 5G equipment from Chinese telecom company Huawei.
 The move comes despite Beijing’s threat to retaliate to any such action by Britain.
 The new guidelines require the British telecom operators to remove all 5G-related equipment, supplied by
the Chinese company, from their infrastructure by 2027.
Russia: 1st to finish human trials for vaccine
 Russia has become the first nation to complete clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine on humans, and the
results have proven the medication's effectiveness.
 The research has been completed and it proved that the vaccine is safe.
 The volunteers will be discharged on July 15 and July 20, 2020.
 Russia had allowed clinical trials of two forms of a potential COVID-19 vaccine.
1st launch of Kuaizhou-11 carrier rocket fails
 China’s Kuaizhou-11 carrier rocket suffered a failure during its maiden flight.
 The rocket was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, but a malfunction
occurred during the flight.
 Kuaizhou, fast ship in Chinese, is a low-cost solid-fueled carrier rocket.
 The rocket was designed to launch low-Earth and Sun-synchronous orbit satellites.
Andrzej Duda won a second term
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 Poland's right-wing president, Andrzej Duda, won a second term by a thin margin in results announced on
13 July 2020.
 Duda won 51% of the vote in the election.
 Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski trailed with 49 percent.
 Duda is the first to receive more than 10 million votes since 1990, when Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech
Walesa became the country's first democratically elected president.
US banned Pakistan’s PIA
 The United States has banned Pakistan International Airlines from operating chartered flights to the
country.
 It follows a similar move by European Union aviation regulators to bar the carrier for six months.
 A review had found around 260 of the country’s 860 active pilots hold fake licenses or cheated on exams.
 So far 17 pilots have been fired in the first phase of its investigation.
Lee Hsien Loong becomes PM of Singapore
 Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong's long-governing party comfortably won general elections.
 His People’s Action Party secured 83 parliamentary seats, retaining its overwhelming majority with 89% of
the total seats, but its popular vote dipped to 61%.
 The Workers' Party, increased its seats from six to 10 — the biggest victory for the opposition since
independence.
US Navy welcomed 1st Black female pilot
 The US Navy has welcomed its first Black female Tactical Aircraft pilot.
 Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle had completed naval flight school and would later in July 2020 receive the flight
officer insignia known as the “Wings of Gold."
 Swegle's milestone comes more than 45 years after Rosemary Mariner in 1974 became the first woman to
fly a tactical fighter jet.
WHO sets up independent panel
 WHO has set up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response
by governments.
 The announcement follows strong criticism by US President Donald Trump, which accused the WHO of
being China-centric.
 Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have
agreed to head the panel.
Australia suspended Hong Kong treaty
 Australia has suspended its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in response to fears over a new national
security law imposed by China.
 The new law undermined "Hong Kong's own basic law" and the territory's current level of autonomy from
Beijing.
 Canada has also suspended its extradition treaty, while the UK has offered citizenship options to Hong Kong
residents.
Google Plus relaunched as Google Currents
 Internet search giant Google has relaunched its social networking platform Google+ as Currents.
 The company has rebranded the app to Google Currents on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
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 The Google Currents app is now available on both the apps stores, however, it is only for enterprise
customers.
 The Google Currents platform was announced in April 2019 for G Suite users.
Bangladesh launched “Digital Haat”
 The government of Bangladesh has launched a ‘Digital Haat’ for online sale and purchase of sacrificial
animals ahead of the festival of Eid-Ul-Azha.
 The initiative has been taken to save the cattle farmers and traders from financial loss amid the Corona
pandemic and also to stop further transmission of the infection in the country.
 This is going to be the country’s biggest digital haat.
US formally announced its withdrawal from WHO
 The Trump administration has formally notified the United Nations of its decision to withdraw the US from
the World Health Organization.
 It has broken off the ties with the global health body amidst the raging coronavirus pandemic.
 The US has also accused the WHO of siding with China on the outbreak of the virus, which originated in the
Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
Maldives, Sri Lanka eliminated measles
 Maldives and Sri Lanka have become the first two countries in the South-East Asia region to eliminate both
measles and rubella ahead of the 2023 target.
 A country is verified as having eliminated measles and rubella when there is no evidence of endemic
transmission for over three years by a well-performing surveillance system.
 Maldives reported its last endemic case of measles in 2009.
The Rock: Instagram's highest-paid celebrity
 Dwayne Johnson or 'The Rock' has become the highest-paid celebrity of Instagram by dethroning Kylie
Jenner who is now number two at an estimated $986,000 per post.
 He charges advertisers $1,015,000 for a sponsored post.
 In 2019, Kylie Jenner made roughly $1.2 million on a sponsored post.
 Cristiano Ronaldo charged about $ 889,000 per post, and Kim Kardashian charged $ 858,000.
Bubonic Plague found in a herder
 A herdsman in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia was confirmed to be infected with bubonic plague.
 The plague was diagnosed in the herdsman on 5 July 2020, and he was in stable condition undergoing
treatment at a hospital.
 The disease, which caused the Black Death in the Middle Ages, is caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium
and is transmitted by fleas that become infected by rodents.
World's first gold-plated hotel in Vietnam
 The world's first gold-plated hotel has been opened in Vietnam which features golden cutlery, cups, toilet
seat and an infinity pool.
 The five-star Dolce Hanoi Golden Lake hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam, cost £160million to build and offers guests
the chance to have a wash in a golden bath.
 Even the exterior of the building has been covered in around a ton of gold.
Israel launched Ofek 16 satellite into space
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 Israel launched the new Ofek 16 spy satellite into orbit from a launchpad at Palmahim airbase on 6 July
2020.
 Ofek 16 is an electro-optical reconnaissance satellite with advanced capabilities.
 It was the first launch of an Israeli satellite since Spacecom’s Amos-17 took off from Florida in 2017.
 The satellite’s payload was developed by Elbit Systems.
Fire at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility
 A fire that broke out at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility recently, caused significant damage that could slow the
development of advanced centrifuges.
 Iran will replace the damaged building with a bigger one that has more advanced equipment.
 The Natanz uranium-enrichment site, is one of several Iranian facilities monitored by inspectors of the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Turkey to convert Hagia Sophia into a mosque
 Turkey’s highest court convened to decide whether Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia museum can be turned
into a mosque.
 The 1,500-year-old structure, listed as a Unesco World Heritage site, was originally a cathedral before it was
turned into a mosque.
 In the 1930s, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, shut down the mosque and
turned it into a museum.
Germany: 1st major economy to phase out coal
 German lawmakers have finalized the country's long-awaited phase-out of coal as an energy source.
 Bills approved by both houses of parliament envision shutting down the last coal-fired power plant by 2038
and spending some 40 billion euros to help affected regions cope with the transition.
 Germany is the country that burns the greatest amount of lignite coal worldwide.
NASA invented a wearable
 NASA has developed a wearable dubbed PULSE that's meant to alert users when they're about to touch
their face.
 The round pendant is worn around your neck, and when you raise your hands toward your head, it'll
vibrate, reminding you to stop.
 The idea is to help people curb the spread of the coronavirus, which is mostly contracted via respiratory
droplets.
Asian Development Bank joined NGFS
 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has joined the Central Banks and Supervisors Network for Greening the
Financial System (NGFS) as an observer on 23 June 2020.
 NGFS was launched at the Paris One Planet Summit on 12 Dec 2017.
 It is a group of central banks and supervisors willing to share best practices and contribute to the
development of the environment in the financial sector.
Russian President Vladimir Putin won in polls
 President Vladimir Putin has won a resounding victory in his bid to stay in power until the middle of the
next decade.
 Russians went to the polls on 1 July 2020 to cast ballots in a nationwide referendum on Constitutional
Amendments.
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 The vote paves the way for Putin, who has ruled for two decades, to remain President until 2036.
French PM Edouard Philippe resigned
 French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has resigned along with the government.
 On 3 July 2020, Philippe presented his resignation and that of his government, which was accepted by the
president.
 Macron later named senior French official Jean Castex, best known of heading the strategy of easing France
out of the strict nationwide lockdown, as the new Prime Minister.
G4 virus found in pigs in China
 An alarming, new study says Chinese researchers have discovered a new type of virus in pigs that can infect
humans and is capable of causing a pandemic.
 The study was published in the US science journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PANS).
 The disease, which researchers say is being caused by a virus called the G4 virus, is genetically descended
from the H1N1 swine flu.
Pakistan's first female lieutenant general
 For the first time in the history of Pakistan, a female officer has been appointed to the rank of lieutenant
general in the Pakistani Army.
 Major General Nigar Johar has become Pakistan's first female officer to be promoted to the rank of
lieutenant general.
 The Army officer has been appointed as the first female surgeon general of the Pakistan Army.
2 Chinese companies as security threats
 The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has designated two Chinese companies - Huawei
Technologies and ZTE Corporation as national security threats.
 Both Huawei and ZTE have close ties with the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military apparatus.
 The agency is considering banning these Chinese telephone companies from entering the US market.
Person in News
Rajat Bhatia announces retirement
 Rajat Bhatia, a stalwart in Indian domestic cricket, announced his retirement from all forms of the game on
29 July 2020.
 Bhatia last played a first-class game in 2018 for Uttarakhand.
 The former Delhi cricketer played 112 first-class games in his 21-year-long domestic career.
 He was also a part of Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning IPL side in 2012.
Umar Akmal's ban reduced to 1.5 years
 Pakistan batsman Umar Akmal's three-year suspension has been reduced to 18 months by former Supreme
Court judge Justice (retd) Faqir Muhammad Khokhar.
 Umar Akmal will now remain suspended effectively from February 2020 till August 2021, with the reduced
ban.
 Akmal was banned for three-years on April 27, 2020, by the PCB's Disciplinary Panel, for not reporting spot
fix approaches.
Dr A P J Abdul Kalam's death anniversary
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 The Nation remembers former president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam on his death anniversary on 27 July 2020.
 Popularly known as people's president and Missile Man of India, Dr Kalam passed away in Shillong on 27th
July 2015, while delivering a lecture to students.
 He served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007.
Rahul Bajaj stepped down from Bajaj Finance
 Noted industrialist Rahul Bajaj will step down as Non-Executive Chairman of Bajaj Finance on July 31, 2020.
 He will be succeeded by Sanjiv Bajaj, currently Vice Chairman.
 Rahul Bajaj, Non-Executive Chairman of the company has been at the helm of the company since its
inception in 1987.
 Rahul Bajaj, however, will continue to serve the company as a non-executive non-independent director.
Andre Schurrle announced retirement
 Former Germany forward Andre Schurrle has announced his retirement.
 A native of Ludwigshafen, Schurrle was a member of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning side in Brazil.
 In his 1st Premier League season, he scored 8 goals in 30 appearances, including registering a hat-trick
against Fulham.
 In 2018, he moved to Fulham on loan where he scored 6 goals in 24 league appearances for the Cottagers.
PM Modi crosses 60 Mn followers on Twitter
 PM Narendra Modi continues to be World's top favourite leader on Twitter.
 His account surpassed the 60 million mark on 19 July 2020, reaffirming him as the most followed Indian
leader across the globe.
 He is also among the few global leaders after former US President Barack Obama and his successor Donald
Trump to cross the 60-million mark in terms of followers on his social media account.
Marcus Rashford received honorary degree
 Manchester United star Marcus Rashford is set to become the youngest ever recipient of an honorary
degree from The University of Manchester.
 It is a recognition for his achievements as a footballer and as a passionate campaigner against child poverty.
 It is the highest honour the university can bestow.
 He will follow in the footsteps of Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton.
Noor Mehsud designated as global terrorist
 The United Nations has designated Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group's leader Noor Wali Mehsud,
as a global terrorist.
 The Pakistani national was added to the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions List by the UN Security
Council’s Sanctions Committee, subjecting him to an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.
 He was named the leader of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in June 2018.
Jedinak retired from all football
 Former Australia captain Mile Jedinak has retired from football.
 He stepped down from internationals in 2018.
 He earned 79 caps for the Socceroos and led them to the 2015 Asian Cup title.
 He started his professional career in Sydney but made his name at Crystal Palace.
 He played there from 2011-2016, helping to guide the team back to the Premier League, before joining
Aston Villa in 2016.
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Tunisia Prime Minister abruptly resigned

 Tunisia's Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh handed his resignation to the country's president on 15 July 2020,
amid a brewing political crisis.
 Fakhfakh was appointed Prime Minister by President Kais Saied in January 2020.
 Fakhfakh was accused of conflict of interest by owning shares in companies that had received state
contracts.
Tony Irish resigned as chief executive of PCA
 Tony Irish has resigned from his position as chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA),
the England and Wales players’ body, due to personal reasons.
 Irish, who was with the South African Cricketers’ Association for 17 years, had joined PCA in January 2020
but has now decided to go back home.
 PCA Commercial Director Rob Lynch has been appointed Interim CEO.
COO of Coffee Day Enterprises resigned
 Nitin Bagamane, the interim COO of Coffee Day Enterprises (CDEL) which operates Cafe Coffee Day (CCD),
has resigned from the post.
 However, he will continue as a member of the Executive Committee and help the company.
 Bagamane was an early investor and member of the executive committee of CDEL formed after the sudden
death of its former chairman VG Siddhartha.
US Navy welcomed 1st Black female pilot
 The US Navy has welcomed its first Black female Tactical Aircraft pilot.
 Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle had completed naval flight school and would later in July 2020 receive the flight
officer insignia known as the “Wings of Gold."
 Swegle's milestone comes more than 45 years after Rosemary Mariner in 1974 became the first woman to
fly a tactical fighter jet.
Amitabh-Abhishek Bachchan corona positive
 Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan and son Abhishek Bachchan have tested positive for coronavirus and have
been taken to a hospital.
 The actors are at the Respiratory Isolation Unit at the Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai.
 Both of them have mild symptoms.
 Amitabh Bachchan lives in Mumbai, which has been one of the worst hit cities, recording 91,745 cases and
5,244 deaths so far.
Two senior Ola executives resigned
 2 top executives of Ola, Arun Srinivas and Sanjiv Saddy, have resigned.
 Arun Srinivas, chief sales and marketing officer, and Sanjiv Saddy, senior vice-president, corporate affairs,
are moving on to pursue other opportunities.
 Before joining Ola, Srinivas had stints in WestBridge Capital Partners as a senior advisor and at Unilever in
various senior and executive roles between 2004 and 2017.
Rajkiran Rai got 2-year extension
 The government of India has granted Union Bank of India’s MD and CEO, Rajkiran Rai, a two-year extension
amid the bank’s ongoing merger exercise.
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 The government, through the department of financial services of the finance ministry, issued the order on
the day Rai’s term was to end.
 Rai’s term, which was to end on June 30, 2020 has now been extended till May 31, 2022, or until further
orders.
Mushtaque Ahmad resigns as Hockey India Presi.
 Hockey India named Gyanendro Ningombam as the officiating President at the Emergent Executive Board
meeting after Mushtaque Ahmad tendered his resignation.
 Ahmad had been in his role as President of the national sports body since 2018.
 Sports Ministry had asked Ahmad to step down having declared that his 2018 election was a violation of the
National Sports Code's tenure guidelines.
MCA extended term of Justice Bansi Lal Bhat
 The ministry of corporate affairs has extended the term of Justice Bansi Lal Bhat as acting chairperson of
the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) by 3 months.
 The extension was applicable from June 15, 2020, the order said, or until a regular chairperson was
appointed.
 He took over the appellate tribunal as acting chairperson on March 15, 2020.
The Rock: Instagram's highest-paid celebrity
 Dwayne Johnson or 'The Rock' has become the highest-paid celebrity of Instagram by dethroning Kylie
Jenner who is now number two at an estimated $986,000 per post.
 He charges advertisers $1,015,000 for a sponsored post.
 In 2019, Kylie Jenner made roughly $1.2 million on a sponsored post.
 Cristiano Ronaldo charged about $ 889,000 per post, and Kim Kardashian charged $ 858,000.
Zoya Khan: 1st transgender operator of the CSC
 Zoya Khan from the Vadodara district of Gujarat became the first transgender operator of the Common
Service Centre in India.
 She aims to uplift the transgender community by making them digitally literate.
 Common Service Centres are facilities provided by the Govt for delivering e-Services to rural and remote
locations where availability of computers and Internet was negligible or absent.
China's Lin Dan announced retirement
 China's two-time Olympic badminton champion Lin Dan, one of the sport's greatest singles players, has
announced his retirement.
 He won the Olympics singles titles in Beijing in 2008 and the 2012 London Games.
 He has won all the sport's major titles, including five world championships' gold medals.
2 Indian experts named to scientific group
 Two eminent agricultural experts hailing from India have been named members of an international
scientific group.
 Prof. Rattan Lal of Ohio State University and Dr. Uma Lele of the International Association of Agricultural
Economists (IAAE) are among the Scientific Group Members.
 Lal, a preeminent Indian-American soil scientist, was named the 2020 World Food Prize Laureate in June
2020.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin won in polls

 President Vladimir Putin has won a resounding victory in his bid to stay in power until the middle of the
next decade.
 Russians went to the polls on 1 July 2020 to cast ballots in a nationwide referendum on Constitutional
Amendments.
 The vote paves the way for Putin, who has ruled for two decades, to remain President until 2036.
GoI extended tenure of Sukhbir Singh Sandhu
 Senior bureaucrat Sukhbir Singh Sandhu has been given six months extension, till mid-January 2021, as the
chairman of National Highways Authority of India.
 Sandhu, a 1988 batch IAS officer of Uttarakhand cadre, took charge of the post in October 2019.
 The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension of Sandhu.
French PM Edouard Philippe resigned
 French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has resigned along with the government.
 On 3 July 2020, Philippe presented his resignation and that of his government, which was accepted by the
president.
 Macron later named senior French official Jean Castex, best known of heading the strategy of easing France
out of the strict nationwide lockdown, as the new Prime Minister.
Karnam Sekar retired as MD & CEO of IOB
 Indian Overseas Bank's MD and CEO Karnam Sekar retired on June 30, 2020.
 Karnam had joined the bank as an OSD (officer on special duty) and whole-time director on April 1, 2019,
and was elevated as MD and CEO on July 1, 2019, after the retirement of Subramaniam Kumar.
 Sekar was appointed as OSD of IOB after the merger of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank into Bank of Baroda.
Shashank Manohar quits as ICC Chairman
 India’s Shashank Manohar stepped down as International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, one week before
the election process for his successor is announced.
 Deputy chairman Imran Khwaja, former President of Singapore Cricket Association, will be the interim head.
 Manohar was appointed the first independent ICC chairman in May 2016.
Mario Gomez announced retirement
 Former Germany striker Mario Gomez has announced retirement from football at the age of 34.
 Gomez, who won 78 caps for Germany before retiring from internationals two years ago, started his club
career at Stuttgart, winning the Bundesliga in 2006-07.
 He has 170 goals in 328 Bundesliga games under his name.
Nitin Menon inducted in ICC Elite Panel
 India’s Nitin Menon has been included in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) Elite Panel of Umpires
for the upcoming 2020-21 season.
 Menon replaced England’s Nigel Llong.
 He has the experience of officiating in three Tests, 24 ODIs and 16 T20Is so far and becomes only the third
Indian umpire to feature in the panel after former captain Srinivas Venkatraghavan and Sundaram Ravi.
Govt Policies and Schemes

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Government launched four schemes

 Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Sadananda Gowda has launched four schemes of Department of
Pharmaceuticals.
 They will promote domestic manufacturing of bulk drugs and medical devices parks in the country.
 This opens the door for critical API production and manufacturing of high-end medical devices.
 This in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Tamil Nadu launches free mask plan
 Tamil Nadu CM K Palaniswami has launched a free mask distribution scheme as part of measures to help
fight COVID-19.
 Palaniswami gave away the masks to five people at the Secretariat marking the inauguration of the first
phase of the scheme.
 The initial phase envisages distribution of 4.44 crore reusable masks bought at a cost of ₹30.07 crore- to
69.09 lakh families.
Delhi Cabinet approved a scheme
 The Delhi government has approved doorstep delivery of ration to eligible beneficiaries, Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal announced.
 The scheme will be known as "Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna''.
 Under the scheme, wheat, flour, rice and sugar, packed hygienically in bags, will be delivered to the
doorstep of people.
 Taking ration from a PDS shop will be optional.
‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ began in Chhattisgarh
 In Chhattisgarh, a first of its kind scheme of the country- Godhan Nyay Yojana has been commenced on 20
July 2020.
 Under the scheme, the Chhattisgarh government will procure cow dung at Rs 2 per kilogram from livestock
owners and use it to prepare organic fertilizers.
 Women self-help groups will prepare Vermi-compost using the cow dung procured under the scheme.
Haryana CM announced programs
 Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar has announced several programs for the 'welfare for farmers' of the state.
 The govt will bring a system in which a farmer will be able to test the soil of his field near his village and sow
the crop accordingly.
 In the interest and welfare of farmers, it is coming up with a scheme called 'Kisan Mitra' scheme.
 A 'Kisan Mitra' will be appointed over 100 farmers.
Transgenders in Odisha to get benefit
 The Odisha Govt has included transgender community under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana.
 The scheme aims at providing financial assistance to destitute elderly, differently-abled persons and
widows in the state.
 Under this scheme, around 5,000 transgenders will receive Rs 500, Rs 700 and Rs 900 per month as a
pension under various categories depending on their age.
UP CM launched employment scheme for SCs
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 UP CM Yogi Adityanath has launched ''Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana'' for all-round development of the
Scheduled Castes.
 He transferred financial assistance of 17.42 crore online to 3,484 people under the ''Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyay Swarojgar Yojana''
 The beneficiaries informed that they will use the money for setting up merchant shops, laundry and dry
cleaning, cybercafe and tent house.
Dr Jitendra Singh launched a scheme
 Union Minister of State Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Dr Jitendra Singh has launched the
restructured Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration 2020 scheme and web portal.
 It seeks to recognize the efforts of District level officials in the Namami Gange Programme.
 The Scheme has been revamped in tune with PM's governance model of citizen participation.
MP emerged in top in implementing a scheme
 Madhya Pradesh has emerged on top in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atma Nirbhar
Nidhi-PM Swa Nidhi scheme.
 The scheme is being implemented in the state to help the street vendors to continue their business.
 Apart from urban street vendors, a scheme to provide interest free assistance of Rs. 10,000 is being
implemented also for the street vendors of rural areas in the state.
Bihar to provide food grains to children
 Bihar govt has taken the decision to provide food grains under the mid-day meal scheme and cash to over 2
crore children of primary and middle schools across the state during lockdown and summer vacation
period.
 8 kg foodgrains and Rs 358 will be given to each student of upto class 5 for the month of May, June and July
2020.
 Students up to class 8 will get 12kg food grains and Rs 536.
Karnataka launches Weavers' Sammaan Yojana
 Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa has launched Weavers Sammaan Yojana.
 Under this scheme, 19,744 handloom weavers in the state will get annual financial assistance of Rs 2000
through Direct Benefit Transfer.
 The State Government has allocated Rs 10.96 crore under the programme.
 There are 40,634 handloom weavers registered with Seva Sindhu software.
Odisha Govt launched ‘Balaram Yojana’
 Odisha government has launched ‘Balaram Yojana’ to provide crop loans to landless farmers.
 Under the new scheme, the landless cultivators will get loans through joint liability groups (JLGs).
 Under ‘Balaram’ scheme, the government has set a target to provide farm loans to 7 lakh landless farmers
in next two years.
 It has set aside Rs 1,040 crore for the purpose.
SERB launched ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ scheme
 The Science and Engineering Research Board has launched a new scheme called ‘Accelerate Vigyan’.
 It will provide a single platform for research internships, capacity building programs and workshops across
the country.
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July 2020
 The objective of this scheme is to encourage high-end scientific research and prepare scientific manpower,
which can lead towards research careers and knowledge-based economy.
Govt launched Special Liquidity Scheme
 The Union Govt has launched the Special Liquidity Scheme of Rs 30,000 cr to improve the liquidity position
for Non-Banking Finance Companies- NBFCs and Housing Finance Companies- HFCs.
 The scheme was launched on 1 July 2020 through a Special Purpose Vehicle in the form of SLS Trust set up
by SBI Capital Markets Limited (SBICAP).
 Reserve Bank of India will provide funds for the Scheme.
UP CM launched scheme for Bundelkhand
 UP CM Yogi Adityanath has launched the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ (piped water to every house) campaign at
Bundelkhand.
 The project, linked to the ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ is estimated to cost Rs 10,131 crore.
 Bundelkhand and Vindhya regions will be covered by this project in the first phase at a cost of Rs 2,185
crore.
 A population of 14 lakh in Mahoba, Lalitpur and Jhansi will benefit from the project.
PM Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana extended
 PM Narendra Modi has announced free food grains to 80 crore people across the country for five more
months.
 The Prime Minister Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojana has been extended till the end of November 2020.
 Under the scheme, 5 kg free wheat or rice along with 1 kg whole chana will be provided to each member of
a family per month.
 Its extension will cost over 90 thousand crore rupees.
Madhya Pradesh launched a campaign
 In order to maintain the academic regularity of students during the Corona crisis, MP has launched ‘Hamara
Ghar-Hamara Vidyalaya’ campaign.
 The campaign which means My Home-My school has been prepared by the state Education Center in which
children will be taught at home in a school-like environment.
 The scheme will start from 6th July 2020.
Science & Tech

CSIO, AMESYS INDIA develop decontamination Box
 The Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) along with AMESYS INDIA has developed 'Suraksha', a
microorganism decontamination box.
 Both UVC light and heat are used in the box and it can sanitize an object in 10-15 minutes.
 Recently, two students of IIT Guwahati had also built a device that can be used to disinfect objects.
2 girls discover new asteroid ‘HLV2514’
 Two girls from Gujarat’s Surat have discovered an Earth-bound asteroid ‘HLV2514′ which is expected to
pass our planet in the near future.
 The asteroid is presently near Mars and its orbit is expected to cross that of Earth in about one million
years’ time.
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 These girls discovered the object as part of an asteroid search campaign conducted by SPACE India.
China launches new mapping satellite
 China sent a new high-resolution mapping satellite into space on 25 July 2020 from Taiyuan Satellite Launch
Center in the northern province of Shanxi.
 The Ziyuan III 03 satellite was launched by a Long March-4B carrier rocket.
 It was the 341st flight mission by the Long March rocket series.
 Also on board were 2 satellites used for dark matter detection and commercial data acquisition.
India successfully test fired “Dhruvastra”
 India has successfully conducted 3 flight tests of its indigenously developed anti-tank guided missile
'Dhruvastra' from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha.
 Developed by DRDO, the helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) is one of the most advanced
anti-tank weapons in the world.
 The sophisticated missile was test-fired twice on July 15 and once on July 16, 2020.
SNBNCBS, Kolkata developed respirator mask
 S.N. Bose National Centre For Basic Sciences, SNBNCBS, Kolkata, has developed an active respirator mask.
 It has an attached exhalation valve and filter against suspended-particles for comfortable and hygienic
breathing.
 The active respirator mask is an innovative solution to the problem of rebreathing of carbon dioxide and
exhaled moisture, inside the mask.
Six types of COVID-19 found
 British scientists have found there are six distinct types of COVID-19, each distinguished by a cluster of
symptoms.
 The six types are: Flu-like with no fever, Flu-like with fever, Gastrointestinal, Severe level one:
fatigue, Severe level two: confusion, Severe level three: abdominal and respiratory.
 Patients with level 4,5 and 6 types are more likely to be admitted to hospital.
UV baggage scan for COVID-19 disinfection
 The International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad,
and Vehant Technologies, Noida have co-developed KritiScan.
 It is a UV Baggage Disinfection System.
 The compact UVC conveyor system can efficiently disinfect the baggage passing through the conveyor
within a few seconds and is suitable for use in airports, railway and bus stations, etc.
New research on coronavirus
 In Maharashtra, the researchers at the Centre of Nanofabrics of Kolhapur’s Shivaji University have done
significant research that could inactivate the Coronavirus.
 The virus shield fabric spray technology will make it possible to inactivate many other deadly viruses,
including the Coronavirus.
 Professor of Shivaji University's Centre of Nanofabrics Dr. Kiran Kumar Sharma did this research.
DRDO developed P7 heavy drop system
 DRDO has developed P7 Heavy Drop System which is capable of para dropping military stores up to 7-ton
weight class from IL 76 aircraft.
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 This system is fully indigenous and being manufactured by L&T which makes the platform system,
parachutes manufactured by Ordnance Factory.
 This system has been made under the Make in India programme.
A communications satellite launched from China
 A high-power broadband communications satellite has been successfully launched aboard a Chinese Long
March 3B rocket.
 It has been designed to provide Internet access to airliner passengers, cruise ships, fishing vessels, and
other mobile users.
 A Long March 3B rocket carried the spacecraft aloft and headed toward the east-southeast from Xichang.
VNIR Biotech launched fluorescence probes
 VNIR Biotechnologies has launched indigenous fluorescence probes and Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
mix for RT-PCR detection of COVID-19.
 The molecular probes developed by VNIR Biotechnologies will be used in COVID-19 test kits in the country.
 PCR based test kit has three critical components, the oligos, enzymes and molecular probes.
IIT Kanpur developed UV sanitizing device
 Imagineering Laboratory department of IIT Kanpur has developed an Ultraviolet sanitizing product named
SHUDDH.
 Smartphone operated Handy Ultraviolet Disinfection Helper that is SHUDH has six UV lights of 15 Watts
each that can be individually monitored from a distance.
 Initial testing has proved that the device at its full operation can disinfect a 10x10 squared feet room in
about 15 mins.
ISRO to launch Brazil’s Satellite on PSLV
 ISRO is gearing up to lift off Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite in August 2020 onboard the Polar Satellite Launch
Vehicle (PSLV).
 Amazonia-1 will be the first satellite for Earth Observation that is designed, assembled and tested in Brazil.
 The launch of the Brazilian satellite is confirmed, but there is not clarity on a date for the planned launch.
‘Ypthima watsoni’ butterfly rediscovered
 In Tripura, a team of wildlife researchers has rediscovered ‘Ypthima watsoni’ butterfly commonly known as
‘Looped three-ring’ after 61 years.
 It was found near a village called Phuldungsei in Jampui Hills under the North Tripura district.
 The species was last seen in the year 1958 in Manipur.
 The research paper has been published in the Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies.
New species of fan-throated lizard discovered
 A new species of fan-throated lizard has been discovered from the barren lands of northern Karnataka’s
Bagalkot district.
 The new species has been named 'Sitana dharwarensis' - derived from the Dharwar craton- a piece of the
Earth’s crust.
 The new species is quite similar to a species of fan-throated lizard called Sitana laticeps, however, the new
species bears a much larger throat fan.
Swedish Institute to explore Venus
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 On board the Indian Venus mission Shukrayaan-1, the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) will explore
Venus for the second time.
 IRF`s satellite instrument Venusian Neutrals Analyzer (VNA) will study how the charged particles from the
Sun interact with the atmosphere of the planet.
 Between 2006-2014 IRF`s instrument ASPERA-4 studied Venus on board the European spacecraft Venus
Express.
NASA invented a wearable
 NASA has developed a wearable dubbed PULSE that's meant to alert users when they're about to touch
their face.
 The round pendant is worn around your neck, and when you raise your hands toward your head, it'll
vibrate, reminding you to stop.
 The idea is to help people curb the spread of the coronavirus, which is mostly contracted via respiratory
droplets.
IIT Roorkee researchers developed a system
 Researchers at IIT Roorkee have developed a disinfection box that can be used to sterilize personal
belongings, medical equipment, PPE, apparels among others, against coronavirus.
 It is termed as the 'Unisaviour' box.
 It comprises a metal coated with specially- designed highly reflective geometry to allow the calibrated
passage of UVC light to disinfect personal belongings.
IIT Gandhinagar developed AI based tool
 Researchers at IIT Gandhinagar (IITGN) have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based deep learning
tool for detection of COVID-19 from Chest X-ray images.
 This online tool indicates the probability if a person is infected with COVID-19, which can be used for quick
preliminary diagnosis before the medical test.
 The tool is developed by Kushpal Singh Yadav (PI).
Business & Economy

MobiKwik launches personal UPI payment link
 FinTech company MobiKwik has launched mpay.me - a UPI payment link service to send and receive money
from any UPI payment app.
 Through mpay.me, users and merchants can set up a link using their mobile number to start receiving
money.
 This single link created using mpay.me can be shared anywhere to send and receive money and will work
seamlessly on mobile as well as desktop.
Centre releases GST Compensation
 The Central Government has released GST Compensation of Rs. 13,806 crore to States for March 2020.
 Taking this amount into account, entire GST compensation for the previous financial year has been released
to the states.
 The total amount of compensation released for the year 2019-20 is Rs. 1,65,302 crore.
 The amount of cess collected at the same time was Rs. 95,444 crore.
Reliance: 2nd most valuable energy firm
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 Reliance Industries has overtaken ExxonMobil to become the world's second most valuable energy
company after its market capitalisation scaled to a record high of over Rs 14 lakh crore.
 It is now ranked 46th globally on market cap, according to stock market data.
 Its share price on 24 July 2020 scaled an all-time high of Rs 2,163, taking the company to 46th position.
NPCI launches UPI AutoPay feature
 National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched its one-stop fintech payment solution- UPI
AutoPay in a virtual event of Global Fintech Fest.
 It is dedicated to recurring payments and can be used for multiple financial purposes such as utility
payments, train tickets, etc.
 Customers can create e-mandate through their UPI ID or QR Scan for transactions up to Rs 2000.
Bharti AXA gets crop insurance mandate
 Bharti AXA General Insurance has received Rs 800 crore worth crop insurance mandate from Maharashtra
and Karnataka governments to insure farmers in both the states under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima
Yojana (PMFBY).
 The company has secured authorisation for three years from both the state governments to implement the
PMFBY in six districts of Maharashtra and three districts of Karnataka.
Banks sanctioned over Rs 1.27 lakh cr loans
 As of 20 July 2020, the total amount sanctioned under the 100% Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme
(ECLGS) by the banks stands at over 1.27 lakh crore.
 Of this, over 77,613 crore rupees have already been disbursed.
 Under the 100% ECLGS, the loan amounts sanctioned by Public Sector Banks increased to over Rs 70,894
crore of which over 45,797 crore rupees have been disbursed till 20 Jul 20.
Bajaj Housing launched E-Home loan
 Bajaj Housing Finance Limited (BHFL), wholly owned subsidiary of Bajaj Finance Limited recently launched E-
Home Loan for customers.
 The E-Home Loans are designed to fulfil borrowers' mortgage needs online, both for new home loan
requirements as well as transfer of existing home loans.
 Customers need to fill the online loan application form with (personal/professional/property) details.
HCC-Dilip Buildcon JV bags contract from NHAI
 Hindustan Construction Company's joint venture with Dilip Buildcon has received a Rs 1,900 crore NHAI
contract.
 The contract is for the design and construction of a 22-km road to link Jharkhand and Bihar.
 The Rs 1,900 crore road project, which will include a four-lane bridge over the Ganga river, will connect
Sahibganj bypass in Jharkhand to Manihari bypass in Bihar.
Ministry of Finance released Rs 15,187 crore
 Ministry of Finance has released an amount of over 15,187 crore rupees as grants-in-aid to 2.63 lakh Rural
Local Bodies (RLBs) spread in 28 States of the country.
 This grants-in-aid forms part of the Tied Grant as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission for the
Financial Year 2020-21.
 It will facilitate taking up of various developmental work concerning supply of drinking water, etc.
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NABARD to give banks refinance of Rs 5,000 cr

 The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced Rs 5,000 crore of
refinance scheme for banks and financial institutions.
 It will provide finance to the beneficiaries of its 2,150 watershed development projects.
 These projects cover 2.3 million hectares of rainfed area, watershed and tribal development project areas.
Google to invest in Jio Platforms
 Google will acquire a 7.7% stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 33,737 crore.
 This is the culmination of a series of global investments that have cumulatively brought more than Rs 1.52
lakh crore ($20 billion) into Reliance Industries’ technology and telecom arm.
 In future, there will be strategic partnerships in retail and petrochemicals and the energy business that will
be overhauled.
PSBs to purchase NBFC Bonds/CPs
 As of 10 July 2020, under the extended Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme, PCGS, Public Sector Banks have
approved the purchase Bonds or Commercial Papers issued by 67 NBFCs amounting to 14,667 crore rupees.
 Of these, 6,845 crore rupees is for Bonds or Commercial Papers rated below AA, providing liquidity support
to NBFCs with lower-rated Bonds or Commercial Papers.
BSE Ebix beta launched life insurance
 BSE Ebix Insurance Broking has announced the beta launch of life insurance on its platform by enrolling
Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance.
 BSE Ebix is a joint venture of BSE and Ebix Fincorp Exchange.
 With this launch, BSE Ebix now has the ability to handle insurance sales across the three key insurance
verticals of life, health and auto insurance.
Qualcomm Inc to invest in Jio Platforms
 Qualcomm Inc will invest Rs 730 crore in Jio Platforms in exchange for a 0.15 percent stake.
 Qualcomm, one of the world’s top wireless technology companies, is the third technology investor in Jio
after Facebook Inc and American semiconductor giant Intel.
 The RIL unit runs the telecom enterprise Jio Infocomm, India’s biggest, as well as movie, news and music
apps.
1,39,000 MT food grains lifted under PMGKAY
 Out of 203 Lakh Metric Tonnes of foodgrains allocated for five months under extended Pradhan Mantri
Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana-PMGKAY, 1,39,000 Metric Tonnes food grains have been lifted by the states.
 Since 1st July 2020, over 11 Lakh Metric tonnes of food grains have been loaded and despatched to the
states through 396 rail racks so far.
Income Tax Department launched tool for Banks
 The Income Tax Dept has facilitated a new functionality for Banks and Post offices.
 Under it, they can ascertain the TDS applicability rates on cash withdrawals of above 20 lakh rupees in case
of a non-filer of the income-tax return and that of above Rs 1 cr in case of a filer of the income-tax return.
 More than 53,000 verification requests have been executed successfully on this facility.
Global economy to contract by 5.2%
 The global economy is likely to contract by 5.2% in 2020, says a report.
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 This was stated in the Dun and Bradstreet's Country Risk and Global Outlook Report, that covered 132
countries.
 The report said any recovery into 2021 is going to be curtailed by several factors.
 The Asia Pacific region is unlikely to shake off the economic effects before the end of 2020.
Tamil Nadu topped market borrowings
 According to data from the RBI, Tamil Nadu has raised ₹30,500 crores in the fiscal 2020-21 and has topped
market borrowings among States in the country.
 Tamil Nadu accounted for 17% of the borrowings done through the issue of bonds (known as state
development loans).
 It is followed by Maharashtra ₹25,500 crores (14%), Andhra Pradesh ₹17,000 crores (9%) and Rajasthan
₹17,000 crores (9%).
IRDAI revised Arogya Sanjeevani Policy limit
 The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has issued a circular allowing health
and general insurance companies to offer Arogya Sanjeevani Policy for a minimum sum insured of Rs 50,000
and maximum sum insured above Rs 5 lakh.
 At present, the Arogya Sanjeevani Policy comes with a basic health cover of minimum sum insured of Rs 1
lakh and maximum of Rs 5 lakh.
Union Bank reduced MCLR by 20 basis points
 Union Bank of India has announced a reduction in its marginal cost of funds-based lending rate - MCLR by
20 basis points across tenors.
 The new rates will be applicable from 11 July 2020.
 The revised one-year MCLR stands at 7.40 per cent as against 7.60 per cent earlier.
 The three-month and six-month MCLRs have been cut to 7.10 percent and 7.25 percent, respectively.
Govt approved Rs 12,450 crore capital infusion
 The Union Cabinet has approved capital infusion of Rs 12,450 crore in three public sector general insurance
companies.
 The three companies are: Oriental Insurance Company, National Insurance Company and United India
Insurance Company.
 Out of the total amount, Rs 3,475 crore will be released immediately and the balance Rs 6,475 crore will be
infused later in one or more tranches.
AIIB extended $50 mn loan to L&T Infra Ltd
 Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has released $50 million in the first tranche of assistance to L&T
Infrastructure Finance Ltd for funding Renewable Energy projects in the country.
 The bank, which invests in sustainable infrastructure, has sanctioned total $100 million loan to unit of L&T
Finance Holdings.
 This is AIIB’s first loan to a non-banking financial company (NBFC) in India.
SAIL recorded highest monthly sales in June
 Steel Authority of India (SAIL) has achieved the highest ever sales during June 2020.
 The domestic and export sales stood at 12.77 lakh tonnes which is a jump of more than 18 per cent over the
corresponding period in 2019.
 In June 2020, the company has also recorded the highest ever exports for any month.
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 It exported 3.4 lakh tonnes steel during this period.

ICICI Bank launched a loan facility
 ICICI Bank has launched a facility that enables retail customers to get a loan of up to ₹1 crore
instantaneously by pledging their holdings in both debt and equity mutual funds.
 It has launched ‘Insta Loans against Mutual Funds’ in partnership with ‘Computer Age Management
Services’ (CAMS).
 It is an extension of the Insta LAS, an instant loan facility against equity shares, launched in 2019.
India's GDP may contract by 6.4% in FY21
 Care Ratings has revised India's GDP growth forecast for the current financial year to (-) 6.4 per cent as
economic activity continues to be under restriction due to the lockdown.
 The rating agency, in May 2020, had projected a decline in GDP growth of 1.5-1.6 per cent in FY21.
 In FY20, the country's economy grew at an estimated 4.2 per cent, almost a decade low.
External debt up 2.8 per cent in FY20: RBI
 India’s external debt till March 2020, rose to $558.5 billion, up by 2.8% on a year-on-year basis, while its
current account surplus has gone up by $0.6 billion.
 This data was released by the RBI.
 Commercial borrowings remained the largest component of the external debt, with a share of 39.4%,
followed by non-resident deposits at 23.4 per cent and short-term trade credit at 18.2 per cent.
Equitas Small Fin. Bank launched video KYC
 Equitas Small Finance Bank Limited has launched a facility of opening account through video KYC.
 With this, any person anywhere in the country can open a savings account with the Bank and complete full
KYC through video with the Bank employee.
 This will ensure contactless, no branch visit and hassle-free account opening and transactions for
customers.
Income tax department launched a tool
 A functionality to calculate TDS rate under Section 194N has been enabled in the income tax department's
e-filing portal.
 The service is, however, meant only for official use by banks, co-operative societies and post offices.
 Under the 'Quick Links' section on the e-filing portal, a new sub-section called 'Verification of applicability
u/s 194N' has been inserted.
World Bank approved $750 mn to aid MSMEs
 The World Bank has approved $750-million loan to increase flow of finance to micro, small, and medium
enterprises (MSMEs) in India.
 This will support the MSME package announced by the government under its ‘Self-reliant India’
programme.
 India’s MSME sector, which contributes 30% of India’s GDP and 40% of exports, is currently facing severe
stress.
Intel Capital to invest ₹1,894 cr in Jio
 Reliance Industries Limited and Jio Platforms Limited announced that Intel Capital will invest ₹ 1,894.50 cr
in Jio Platforms at an equity value of ₹ 4.91 lakh crore and an enterprise value of ₹ 5.16 lakh crore.
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 Intel Capital’s investment will translate into a 0.39% equity stake in Jio Platforms on a fully diluted basis.
 The deal with Intel Capital is the 12th such investment in 11 weeks.
World's 5th largest Foreign Exchange Reserves
 India has accumulated the world's fifth-largest foreign exchange reserves at more than $500 bn.
 The reserves were bolstered by a rare current-account surplus in the first quarter, a return of inflows into
the local stock market and foreign direct investment.
 That allowed the central bank to mop up close to $25 billion in foreign exchange to add to its reserves in
the quarter through June.
ArcelorMittal Group to invest Rs 20,000 crore
 ArcelorMittal Group will invest Rs 20,000 cr on capacity expansion and infrastructure in Gujarat.
 The investment will be for further expansion of capacity enhancement in terms of land availability, captive
port, and incentive structure for mega investments.
 There are also ongoing expansion investments of Rs 5,000 crore to take Essar steel plant capacity to 8.6
million tonnes per annum.
June GST collections at Rs 90,917 crore
 GST revenue collection in June 2020 stood at Rs 90,917 crore, up from Rs 62,009 crore mopped up in May
and Rs 32,294 crore in April.
 Of this, CGST is Rs 18,980 crore, SGST is Rs 23,970 crore, IGST is Rs 40,302 crore and Cess is Rs 7,665 crore.
 Returns of the month of April, March as well as February got filed during June 2020.
Sports
Rajat Bhatia announces retirement
 Rajat Bhatia, a stalwart in Indian domestic cricket, announced his retirement from all forms of the game on
29 July 2020.
 Bhatia last played a first-class game in 2018 for Uttarakhand.
 The former Delhi cricketer played 112 first-class games in his 21-year-long domestic career.
 He was also a part of Kolkata Knight Riders’ title-winning IPL side in 2012.
Princepal Singh signs with NBA G League
 NBA Academy graduate Princepal Singh, a forward from Punjab, has signed to play in the NBA G League
next season.
 Singh is the first NBA Academy graduate to sign with the NBA G League and first NBA Academy India
graduate to sign a professional contract.
 Singh also represented India in international competitions as part of the Indian men’s senior national team.
Stuart Broad: 2nd to pick 500 Test wickets
 Fast bowler Stuart Broad became only the second England cricketer to claim 500 Test wickets.
 Broad joins James Anderson as the only two England bowlers with 500 Test wickets or more when he
dismissed West Indies opener, Kraigg Brathwaite, for 19 on Day 5 of the third Test against West Indies in
Manchester.
 Incidentally, Brathwaite was also Anderson’s 500th Test wicket in 2017.
Qazi Onik banned for two years
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 Bangladeshi bowler Qazi Onik has been banned for 2 years for failing a dope test during the National Cricket
League in Nov 2018.
 After failing the test, he was removed from every BCB programme that he was part of.
 He tested positive for Methamphetamine during an NCL match in Cox's Bazar.
 The substance is included as a stimulant, prohibited under section S6a of the 2018 ICC Prohibited list.
Laws of Cricket translated in Hindi
 Former BCCI umpire Rajiv Risodkar has translated the Laws of Cricket into Hindi, which have been uploaded
on the website of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
 The MCC is the custodian of cricket laws.
 The Hindi translation of the Laws of Cricket (The 2017 code 2nd Edition 2019) framed by MCC is now
available on the official website of this prestigious club.
Hima Das dedicates upgraded gold medal
 Hima Das has dedicated the upgraded gold medal of the mixed relay event at the 2018 Asian Games to the
coronavirus warriors.
 On 23 July 2020, the silver medal that the Indian 4x400 mixed relay quartet of Mohammed Anas, M.R.
Poovamma, Das and Arokia Rajiv had won in Jakarta was upgraded to gold.
 This happened after the Bahrain squad, which finished first, was disqualified.
Haryana to host 4th Khelo India Youth Games
 Haryana will host the 4th Khelo India Youth Games.
 Khelo India Youth Games is scheduled to take place after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
 The Games will be held at Panchkula in Haryana.
 This was announced by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
 Usually, the Khelo India Youth Games take place in January every year.
Cricket South Africa initiates plans
 Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced plans to address alleged racism in the game after Proteas fast
bowler Lungi Ngidi showed his support to the global Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement.
 CSA will set up a “Transformation Ombudsman”, whose core function will include the management of the
independent complaints system as well as overseeing the healing and restoration.
ISL becomes member of World Leagues Forum
 The Indian Super League has been inducted into the prestigious World Leagues Forum (WLF).
 It is an association of professional football leagues which includes the likes of Premier League, La Liga and
Bundesliga.
 It has become the first league from South Asia and seventh in Asia to join the WLF.
 Currently, the WLF has members from 5 continents representing close to 1200 clubs worldwide.
Sripali Weerakkody announces retirement
 Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) announced that Sripali Weerakkody has decided to retire from international cricket.
 She represented Sri Lanka in 89 ODI internationals and 58 T20 internationals.
 She was a part of the Sri Lankan side in the World Cup in 2013 and 2017, and the 2018 T20 World Cup.
 She was also the part of Sri Lankan team that won bronze at the 2014 Asian Games.
Indian GM Harikrishna won Chess960
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 P.Harikrishna won the Chess960 event of the 53rd Biel International Chess Festival in Switzerland.
 It is the first major chess tournament taking place over the board since the coronavirus outbreak.
 The World No. 26 from Guntur, who is now living in Prague, scored 5.5 points from seven rounds to top the
field of 8 players.
WADA suspended India's dope testing lab
 India's National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) has been suspended for the second period of up to six
months.
 It has been suspended for not conforming to international standards.
 It had previously been suspended in August 2019 following a WADA site visit, prohibiting it from carrying
out anti-doping activities, including all analyses of urine and blood samples.
BCCI seeks govt permission to host IPL in UAE
 BCCI will seek the government's permission to stage 2020’s Indian Premier League (IPL) in the United Arab
Emirates.
 This was stated by IPL chief Brijesh Patel on 21 July 2020.
 They will discuss the issue in the next governing council meeting in 7-10 days.
 Cricket boards of UAE and Sri Lanka have offered to host the league considering the Corona situation in
India.
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup postponed to 2021
 The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia 2020
has been postponed due to the pandemic.
 It was originally scheduled to take place from October 18 to November 15, 2020 in Australia.
 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will be held October – November 2021 with the final on November 14,
2021.
Lewis Hamilton won 8th Hungarian GP
 Lewis Hamilton won the Hungarian Grand Prix for the eighth time to equal Michael Schumacher’s single-
venue record.
 Hamilton’s latest victory from pole position was as comfortable as the nearly 9-second margin over second-
place Max Verstappen suggested.
 The British driver’s 86th GP win moved him just five behind the German great Schumacher’s F1 record of
91.
Andre Schurrle announced retirement
 Former Germany forward Andre Schurrle has announced his retirement.
 A native of Ludwigshafen, Schurrle was a member of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning side in Brazil.
 In his 1st Premier League season, he scored 8 goals in 30 appearances, including registering a hat-trick
against Fulham.
 In 2018, he moved to Fulham on loan where he scored 6 goals in 24 league appearances for the Cottagers.
Real Madrid lifts 34th La Liga title
 Real Madrid clinched a record-extending 34th La Liga title with one game to spare by beating Villarreal 2-1.
 Two goals came from its leading scorer Karim Benzema.
 Real have 86 points after 37 games, seven more than deposed champion Barcelona which was beaten 2-1
at home to Osasuna.
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 Atletico moved on to 69 points after 37 matches.

Dakar 2022 Youth Olympic Games postponed
 The 2022 Summer Youth Olympic Games, which is scheduled to take place in Dakar, Senegal, has been
postponed by four years to 2026.
 The Dakar Youth Olympic Games will be the first Olympic event in Africa.
 Dakar 2022 Youth Olympics will also feature total gender equality for the first time in Olympic history.
 Some highly popular sports, including baseball, will make their debut at the Games.
Jedinak retired from all football
 Former Australia captain Mile Jedinak has retired from football.
 He stepped down from internationals in 2018.
 He earned 79 caps for the Socceroos and led them to the 2015 Asian Cup title.
 He started his professional career in Sydney but made his name at Crystal Palace.
 He played there from 2011-2016, helping to guide the team back to the Premier League, before joining
Aston Villa in 2016.
Sunset+Vine: Host Broadcaster for CW Games
 The world-leading sports broadcast production company Sunset+Vine has been appointed as host
broadcaster for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
 The agreement includes a full-service delivery of every aspect of the Games, including more sports coverage
than previous Commonwealth Games.
 Sunset+Vine will be responsible for filming live coverage of 19 sports and more.
Sports Minister held a 2-day video conference
 Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju will hold a two-day video conference with Sports and Youth Affairs Ministers of
all states and union territories.
 The two-day video conference will be held from 14-15 July 2020.
 It will chart out the roadmap for grassroot-level sports development as well as the activities of Nehru Yuva
Kendra Sangathan and National Service Scheme, across the country.
Lionel Messi: First player to record 20 goals
 Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has become the first player in the history of La Liga to record 20 goals and 20
assists in a single season.
 He achieved the feat against Real Valladolid as Barcelona defeated them 1-0.
 Messi is also the first player to reach 20 assists in a La Liga season since former team-mate Xavi in 2008-09.
Lewis Hamilton won Styrian Grand Prix 2020
 Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton cruised to a victory in the Styrian Grand Prix 2020.
 This is the 85th win of his career.
 Valtteri Bottas finished second while Max Verstappen came third.
 This was the second race of the 2020 Formula One World Championship and the first running of the Styrian
Grand Prix.
West Indies won first cricket test match
 West Indies won the first international cricket match since the sport's return after the coronavirus
outbreak, beating hosts England in the first Test.
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 West Indies chased down the victory target of 200-run with four wickets in hand, in their second innings.
 England had scored 204 and 313 all out in the first and second innings respectively.
 The second test starts 16 July 2020 in Manchester.
Joshna Chinappa in world’s top-10 rankings
 India’s squash star Joshna Chinappa has broken back into the top-10 of the PSA world rankings following
the retirement of Egyptian world number one Raneem El Welily.
 Joshna, who has not played since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, moved up a spot to be in
10th position.
 Egypt’s Nouran Gohar is the new world number one following Raneem’s retirement.
Asia Cup Cricket tournament postponed
 The Asia Cup Cricket tournament has been postponed till June 2021 by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC)
owing to an upsurge in COVID-19 cases in the region.
 It was scheduled to be held in September 2020.
 Pakistan was to originally host the Asia Cup this time but due to security reasons, the tournament was later
rescheduled to be held in Sri Lanka.
Kedar Jadhav launched his sports weekly
 Indian cricketer Kedar Jadhav has launched Maharashtra's 1st bilingual sports weekly, Inside Cricket.
 From news, views, reviews and interviews to anything and everything related to Cricket, it will try to explore
and bring forward all facets of Cricket.
 The weekly available on www.insidecricket.co.in, will provide you with coaching aspects, fitness, and
nutrition tips from the experts.
International Cricket back in action
 The first cricket match of three-Test series between England and West Indies was played on 8 July 2020 at
Ageas Bowl, London.
 With this, the International cricket has finally returned after a hiatus of 117-days caused by the COVID-19
pandemic.
 Host England was led by all-rounder Ben Stokes in the absence of regular captain Joe Root, while Windies,
was led by Jason Holder.
Amit Panghal ranked No.1 in AIBA rankings
 World championships silver medallist boxer Amit Panghal is ranked number one in men's 52kg weight class,
according to the latest world rankings released by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).
 He is the only Indian to claim the number one spot in the rankings.
 Among women, Worlds silver medallist Manju Rani (48kg) was the highest-ranked at the second slot.
IOA adopted a new identity
 The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has adopted a new branding and visual identity, including an
institutional and a commercial logo.
 The decision to adopt a new identity was taken “on the occasion marking 100 years of participation of
Indian athletes at the Olympic Games.
 The IOA is planning to have a special launch event of the logo on Independence Day 2020.
Rajasthan plans third largest cricket stadium
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 Rajasthan Cricket Association is planning to construct a state-of-the-art 75,000 seater swanky stadium near
Jaipur.
 When completed, it will be the third-largest cricket stadium in the world.
 The stadium will have facilities for indoor games, sports training academies, a clubhouse and parking for
nearly 4,000 vehicles.
 It will also have two practice grounds.
Quinton de Kock named cricketer of the year
 Quinton de Kock was named men’s cricket of the year at the Cricket South Africa annual awards, his second
such honour after 2017.
 De Kock, who is captain of the South African national team in limited-overs cricket, also bagged the Test
cricketer of the year award.
 Opener Laura Wolvaardt was adjudged the women’s cricketer of the year and the ODI cricketer of the year.
Valtteri Bottas won F1 Austrian Grand Prix
 Valtteri Bottas has won for Mercedes at the Austrian Grand Prix.
 Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took second place and Mclaren’s Lando Norris third.
 The race was interrupted three times by a safety car and 9 of 20 drivers abandoned, including both Red
Bulls of Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon — who tried to overtake Hamilton on the outside with 10
laps left, touched wheels and flew off track.
Sarangi promoted to technical officer in FIH
 Biswaranjan Sarangi of Odisha has been promoted to Technical Officer - Advancement Panel by the FIH
Officials Committee.
 His first international appointment by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) was in Aug 2018 when he
was promoted to FIH International Technical Official.
 He had then become the 1st official from Odisha to have been promoted as an FIH International Technical
Official.
Akash became India’s 66th chess Grandmaster
 Tamil Nadu’s G Akash became the country’s 66th chess Grandmaster while his statemate M Pranesh and
Goa’s Ameya Audi earned International Master titles.
 Akash’s GM title was confirmed at the second council meet of International Chess Federation (FIDE) for the
year 2020 held recently.
 He had also won a national title in the year 2012.
China's Lin Dan announced retirement
 China's two-time Olympic badminton champion Lin Dan, one of the sport's greatest singles players, has
announced his retirement.
 He won the Olympics singles titles in Beijing in 2008 and the 2012 London Games.
 He has won all the sport's major titles, including five world championships' gold medals.
AIFF got AFC Elite Youth Scheme membership
 The Asian Football Confederation has conferred the All India Football Federation with the AFC Elite Youth
Scheme full membership status.
 Reliance Foundation Young Champs Academy and JSW Bengaluru FC Academy have got the two-star
Academy status, which is subject to re-evaluation after three years.
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 The AFC Panel evaluates in 20 areas of core activities which include leadership, planning, etc.
Lt. Col. Bharat Pannu created history
 Lt. Col. Bharat Pannu created history on 28th June 2020 by successfully securing a podium place at the first
edition of the Virtual Race Across America (VRAAM) 2020.
 He became the first Indian ever to win a podium place at an international ultra-cycling race.
 The Race Across America is a 5000 km transcontinental race from the West coast to East coast of the US
with a cut-off time of 12 days.
Coaches will now have a four-year contract
 Foreign and Indian coaches for training Indian Athletes will now have a four-year contract in alignment with
the Olympic cycle.
 The decision will benefit the athletes and it will also help India’s long-term roadmap for Olympic
preparation for 2024 and 2028.
 Meanwhile, the contract of all foreign coaches has been extended till 30th September 2021.
Ladakh Marathon cancelled due to COVID-19
 Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, the world-famous sporting event in India, the Ladakh Marathon has been
cancelled for 2020.
 The 9th edition of the event scheduled for 13th September 2020 stands cancelled.
 The 9th Edition of Ladakh Marathon is even more special as it had become a qualifying event of Abbott
World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group from the year 2020.
'Fit India Talks' to be launched
 Fit India is launching a series of interactive sessions with some of the top sportspersons of the country
intended to inspire the school children.
 The sessions, titled Fit India Talks, will premiere on 3 July 2020 in the presence of HRD Minister Ramesh
Pokhriyal Nishank and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.
 There will be a total of six sessions which will go on till 14th July 2020.
GAISF Sustainability Portal launched
 The Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), supported by the International Olympic
Committee (IOC), has launched sustainability.sport.
 It is a web portal created to help further sport's sustainability goals.
 The web portal will provide a free tool where sustainability resources from the entire sports community can
be grouped together on one dedicated platform.
Jadeja: India’s most valuable Test player
 Ravindra Jadeja has been named as India’s most valuable Test player in the 21st century by the Wisden
magazine.
 With an MVP rating of 97.3, he was also rated as the second-most valuable Test player worldwide, behind
Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan.
 He has played in 49 Tests since making his debut in 2012, scoring 1,869 runs with one century and 14 fifties
to his name.
Mario Gomez announced retirement
 Former Germany striker Mario Gomez has announced retirement from football at the age of 34.
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 Gomez, who won 78 caps for Germany before retiring from internationals two years ago, started his club
career at Stuttgart, winning the Bundesliga in 2006-07.
 He has 170 goals in 328 Bundesliga games under his name.
“NADA App” launched for athletes
 National Anti-Doping Agency’s first mobile app has been launched by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju
 It will provide information about prohibited substances and their inadvertent use which may affect the
career of athletes.
 The app aims to create a bridge between athletes and the Nada by providing easily accessible information
on various aspects of sport.
Defence
Naval Communication Network training lab
 The Naval Communication Network (NCN) Training Lab at Signal School, Kochi was inaugurated on 29 July
2020.
 It is designed to provide comprehensive and realistic training to naval personnel in the operation and
management of NCN.
 The Lab is equipped with modern IT infrastructure to impart training on NCN related applications, security
features and troubleshooting protocols.
New Commandant for Indian Naval Academy
 Vice Admiral M.A. Hampiholi has taken charge as the Commandant, Indian Naval Academy (INA).
 He took over from Vice Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.
 He is a recipient of the Nao Sena Medal and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal.
 On promotion to the rank of Vice-Admiral in 2019, he assumed charge as the Director-General of Naval
Operations, prior to being appointed as the eighth Commandant of the INA.
First batch of Rafale jets leave from France
 The first batch of five Rafale jets flew out of France and will arrive in India on 29 July 2020.
 The fighter jets will officially be inducted and join the Indian Air Force fleet in Ambala on July 29th, 2020.
 The fighter jets, built by French aviation firm Dassault, took off from the Merignac airbase in southern
France's Bordeaux.
Cheque of Rs 20 lakh to Army Hospital
 President Ram Nath Kovind presented a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to the Army Hospital, Delhi to buy equipment
that will help doctors and paramedics combat COVID-19 effectively.
 The contribution from the President will be used to procure units of PAPR (powered air-purifying
respirator).
 It is equipment to enable medical professionals to breathe during surgeries and protect them from
infection.
3 MW Solar Power Plant commissioned at INA
 The Indian Navy has commissioned a three-megawatt solar power plant at Indian Naval Academy situated
in Ezhimala, Kerala.
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 This is in line with the government initiative of ‘National Solar Mission’ to achieve 100 gigawatts of solar
power by the year 2022.
 The solar plant is the largest in the Indian Navy and has an estimated life of 25 years.
Permanent Commission to Women Officers
 Defence Ministry has issued the formal Government Sanction Letter for grant of Permanent Commission
(PC) to Women Officers in the Indian Army.
 This will pave the way for empowering Women Officers to shoulder larger roles in the organisation.
 The order specifies grant of PC to Short Service Commissioned (SSC) Women Officers in all ten streams of
the Indian Army.
Indian Army got ‘Bharat’ drones
 DRDO has provided its indigenously-developed drone - Bharat - to the Indian Army.
 It will help in conducting accurate surveillance in high altitude areas and mountainous terrain along the Line
of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.
 The drone is equipped with artificial intelligence that helps it to detect friends and enemies and take action
accordingly.
Air Force Commanders’ Conference to begin
 The 3-day long Air Force Commanders’ Conference will begin from 22 July 2020 at Air Headquarters in New
Delhi.
 The theme of the conference is "Indian Air Force in the Next Decade".
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to inaugurate the conference.
 The Conference will be chaired by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria.
Indian Navy undertook exercise with US Navy
 Indian Navy undertook a passage exercise with the US Navy in the Indian Ocean Region on 20 Jul'20.
 US Navy carrier strike group, led by USS Nimitz and Indian Navy conducted the maritime drills, PASSEX,
which aims at further enhancing interoperability between Navies of both the countries.
 The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is on its way to be deployed in the Gulf region from the South China Sea.
Armed forces get special financial powers
 The Defence Ministry has granted special powers to the three services for individual capital procurement
programme worth Rs 300 crore to meet emergent operational requirements.
 This will shrink the procurement timelines and ensure placement of orders within six months.
 The decision was taken at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister
Rajnath Singh.
Invalid pension to Armed Forces Personnel
 The Government has decided to allow Invalid Pension to Armed Forces Personnel with less than ten years
of qualifying service.
 This pension is granted to the Armed Forces Personnel who are invalided out of service on account of a
disability which is accepted as Neither Attributable to Nor Aggravated (NANA) by Military Service.
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved a proposal in this regard.
Shripad Naik inaugurated a Conference
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 Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik delivered his inaugural address at the Fifth Edition of the
Conference on Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Technologies in New Delhi on 15 July 2020.
 The theme of the conference was Empowering India with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Mission’.
 The defence sector growth has increased at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 9.7 per cent from 2008 to
2016.
Boeing delivered Chinook helicopters to IAF
 Boeing India has confirmed that the final five of the 22 Apache attack helicopters and 15 Chinook choppers
have been handed over to the Indian Air Force.
 India is one of the 17 nations to select the Apache and has the most advanced variant, the AH-64E Apache.
 The AH-64E Apache is designed and equipped with an open systems architecture, including the latest
communications, navigation, etc.
Indian Navy completed Operation Samudra Setu
 Operation Samudra Setu, which was launched on May 5, 2020, has culminated after successfully bringing
3,992 Indian citizens back to their homeland by sea.
 It was launched as a part of the national effort to repatriate Indians from overseas amid the COVID-19
pandemic.
 Indian Naval Ships Jalashwa and Airavat, Shardul and Magar participated in this operation which lasted over
55 days.
India, Japan navies conducted exercise
 Warships from the Indian Navy and Japanese Navy (Japan Maritime Self Defense Force) conducted a joint
exercise in the Indian Ocean on 27 June 2020.
 Japan Maritime Self Defense Force training squadron ships JS Kashima and JS Shimayuki took part in the
maritime exercise.
 From the Indian Navy, INS Rana and INS Kulish were involved in the day-long exercise.
IAF modified Mi-17 helicopters
 3 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the Indian Air Force and the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO)
have developed an indigenous control system for two Mi-17 helicopters for spraying atomised pesticides to
arrest locust breeding.
 The pesticide Malathion, in appropriate concentration, would be filled in the internal auxiliary tank of 800
liters capacity fitted inside the helicopter.
Defence acquisition worth Rs 38,900 Cr cleared
 Defence Acquisition Council ( DAC) has accorded approval for Capital acquisitions of various platforms and
equipment required by the Indian Armed Forces.
 Proposals for an approximate cost of Rs 38,900 cr were approved.
 The meeting was chaired by Defence minister Rajnath Singh.
 These approvals include acquisitions from Indian Industry amounting to Rs 31,130 cr.
Books and Authors

New book authored by Dr. S Jaishankar
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 Current Minister of External Affairs in the Government of India, S Jaishankar, has written a book titled “The
India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World”.
 The book was published under the HarperCollins India publications.
 In this book, Mr S Jaishankar analyses the various challenges faced by India on the path to becoming a
leading power and also spells out possible policy responses.
Viral Acharya's new book
 Former deputy governor of RBI Viral V Acharya has come up with his new book “Quest for Restoring
Financial Stability in India”.
 It is published by SAGE Publications.
 In his book, Acharya argues that several policies “regressed” the economic environment while he was
deputy governor between early January 2017 and mid-July 2019.
A book by Baldev Singh Sadaknama
 Sahitya Akademi Award winner, Baldev Singh Sadaknama has authored a book 'Suraj Kade Marda Nahi'.
 It means 'sun never dies'.
 The book portrays many aspects of freedom fighter Udham Singh and is published by Unistarbooks.
 It has been already released and will be formally launched on July 31, 2020, which is Udham Singh's 80th
death anniversary.
Steve Waugh's upcoming book
 Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh’s book The Spirit of Cricket – India will be published soon.
 Waugh captures the special place cricket occupies in the hearts of Indians.
 A substantial part of the book is devoted to India’s physically disabled cricketers whom Waugh and his
manager are supporting through a fundraising campaign.
A Tell-all book by Donald Trump’s niece
 A tell-all book by President Donald Trump’s niece that has been the subject of a legal battle has been
released.
 The book is written by Mary Trump and is titled “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the
World’s Most Dangerous Man".
 The book was originally set for release on July 28, 2020 but arrived early on 14 July 2020.
Arunachal Pradesh CM released a book
 Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu has released a book titled Tangams: An Ethnolinguistic Study Of The
Critically Endangered Group of Arunachal Pradesh.
 The Tangams are a little-known community within the larger Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh and reside in
the hamlet of Kugging in Upper Siang district’s Paindem circle.
 There are only 253 speakers of Tangam left.
Hussain Zaidi penned new novel 'The Endgame'
 Crime writer S Hussain Zaidi has come out with a new novel "The Endgame" which talks of politics, betrayal
and unimaginable terror.
 Zaidi has also authored "Black Friday", "Mafia Queens of Mumbai", "Dongri to Dubai" and "Byculla to
Bangkok".
 He was the associate producer of an HBO documentary, "Terror in Mumbai", based on the 26/11 terror
attacks.
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Stephen King’s new book

 Stephen King is back with his new book titled, If It Bleeds.
 Published by Hachette India, the story centres around a bomb at Albert Macready Middle School.
 It is a sequel to his bestselling work, The Outsider, which featured Holly Gibney of the Finders Keepers
detective agency on her first solo case.
 It has already been published in the USA.
 It was made available in India from 10 Jul 2020.
Illustrated biography of Dalai Lama
 A new book on the Dalai Lama will be released in October 2020.
 It features over 400 never-before-seen photographs and documents from the life and times of him.
 The 352-page book, "His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama: An Illustrated Biography", in making for nearly
five years, has been written by one of the Dalai Lama's closest aides and advisor of over 40 years — Tenzin
Geyche Tethong.
Mahaveer: Book on 1962 Indo-China War
 A novel that tells the tale of the Indo-Chinese battle of Nuranang in 1962 has been authored by award
winning A.K. Srikumar.
 The book, titled ‘Mahaveer: The Soldier who never died’ is a patriotic story of indomitable courage and
selfless love of the legendary Garhwali soldier, Jaswant Singh Rawat.
 The book has been published by a highly noted Indian publishing house – Rupa Publications.
Former RBI governor Urjit Patel wrote a book
 Former RBI Governor Urjit Patel will be releasing a book later in July 2020.
 Titled 'Overdraft: Saving the Indian Saver', the book focuses on the non-performing assets (NPAs) issue that
has afflicted Indian banking in recent years, its causes and Patel's efforts as the RBI Governor in dealing with
it.
 Patel resigned from RBI in 2018.
"The Future of Higher Education" book released
 Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu virtually released a book on “Future of Higher Education – Nine
Mega Trends”.
 Authored by CA V Pattabhi Ram, it is based on a survey of around 5000 educators across India, who were
part of ICT Academy’s “SkyCampus” Digital Knowledge Series.
 The book was brought out by ICT Academy, an initiative of the Government of India and the state
governments.
Commitees and Recommendaion

MHRD sets up a panel
 The HRD Ministry has set up a committee to form guidelines and suggest measures to ensure that more
students study in India.
 It will also ensure that there is a smooth transition for students returning from abroad due to COVID-19
situation.
 The committee headed by the chairman of the UGC is also supposed to recommend a mechanism to
increase the intake in well-performing universities.
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Andhra P approved formation of Study Committee

 Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has given approval for the formation of a Study Committee for the creation of new
districts in the state.
 The panel will submit its report by 31st of March 2021 to complete the process of its study.
 The committee will be headed by the State Chief Secretary.
 The reorganization of the districts would be based upon the Parliamentary Constituencies in the state.
Maharashtra govt to form a committee
 The Maharashtra Government will form a committee to fix the prices of face masks and hand sanitizers so
that no exorbitant rates are charged.
 The use of masks and sanitizers has increased due to the spread of Coronavirus.
 The Maharashtra Government will also ask the Centre to bring masks and sanitizers under the purview of
the Essential Commodities Act.
SEBI restructured an Advisory Committee
 SEBI has revamped its committee that advises the capital markets regulator on matters related to
regulation and development of mutual fund industry.
 The 20-member advisory committee on mutual funds is headed by Usha Thorat, former deputy governor of
Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
 Earlier in 2013, the panel had 15 members and was headed by Janki Ballabh, former Chairman of SBI.
IRDAI formed a panel
 The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has formed a working group to
examine the feasibility of ‘Pandemic Risk Pool’.
 Suresh Mathur, Executive Director, Irdai, will be the Chairman for the 9-member working group with
industry representatives as members.
 Apart from studying the need for such a pool, the group will also recommend the structure and operating
model.
WHO sets up independent panel
 WHO has set up an independent panel to review its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the response
by governments.
 The announcement follows strong criticism by US President Donald Trump, which accused the WHO of
being China-centric.
 Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have
agreed to head the panel.
NHRC formed an expert panel
 The National Human Rights Commission has constituted an 11-member expert committee to study the
impact of COVID-19 on human rights and future response of the govt.
 The expert panel would be headed by Dr K S Reddy, President of Public Health Foundation of India.
 The expert committee would assess the impact of COVID-19 on human rights of people, especially
marginalised sections of the society
Punjab sets up 2 panels
 The Punjab government has constituted two expert advisory committees.
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 The committees have been set up to ensure better management and handling of various COVID care-
related matters in the Government Medical Colleges of Patiala and Amritsar.
 The objective is to guide the administration to adopt good scientific practices for ensuring better planning
and management of COVID patients.
IRDAI committee to examine Surety Bonds
 Insurance regulator IRDAI has formed a panel under G Srinivasan.
 It will assess the suitability of the Indian insurance industry or any other sector to offer Surety Bonds for
road contracts in the country.
 Surety Bond is a three-party agreement that legally binds together a principal who needs the bond, an
obligee who requires the bond and a surety company that sells the bond.
National Affairs
Atal Innovation Mission launches 'AIM-iCREST'
 NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), has launched AIM iCREST – an Incubator Capabilities
enhancement program for a Robust Ecosystem.
 It is focused on creating high performing Startups.
 This is a first of its kind initiative for advancing innovation at scale in India.
 AIM has joined hands with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Wadhwani Foundation for the same.
SC bans registration of BS-IV vehicles
 Supreme Court has barred the registration of BS-IV vehicles till further orders.
 It also expressed displeasure on the sale of a large number of vehicles in March during COVID-induced
lockdown.
 On July 8, 2020, the court had recalled its March 27 order by which it had allowed sale of BS-IV vehicles for
10 days across India, except in Delhi-NCR, after lifting of the COVID-19 induced lockdown.
J&K government establishes 12 AMRIT pharmacies
 J&K Govt has established 12 AMRIT Pharmacies across the UT to reduce Out Of Pocket Expenditure for
consumers.
 These stores provide branded drugs and implants surgical and disposable at affordable prices.
 AMRIT pharmacies sell branded drugs such as those used for treating cancer and cardiovascular diseases at
an average discount of up to 60 per cent.
Maratha community not entitled for EWS quota
 The Maratha community will not be entitled to avail the 10% reservation in jobs and education for
economically weaker sections (EWS) in the general category in Maharashtra.
 A Government Resolution (GR), issued recently stated that the Maratha community is covered under
Socially and Educationally Backward Classes.
 The Maratha community is not included among backward classes.
Ayush Minister launches a Web-Portal
 Ayush Minister Shripad Yesso Naik has launched a dedicated Web-Portal for National AYUSH Mission.
 It is for submission of State Annual Action Plans, Utilization Certificates, Physical and Financial Progress
report, and other information related to the Ministry.
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 The Minister also released 4 publications including Operational Guidelines for establishment of AYUSH
Health and Wellness Centers.
Fully digital single-window clearance
 The govt is working on a single-window portal that drastically reduces the number of times businesses
would need to interact with the government for getting clearances.
 This was informed by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal at the online
National Digital Conference on ‘Easing Doing Business for Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
 A soft launch of the Land Bank Portal will be undertaken soon.
DST to develop COVID risk assessment app
 The Centre for Augmenting WAR with COVID-19 Health Crisis (CAWACH) has selected a Bengaluru based
startup to develop a COVID risk assessment mobile application.
 The 'Lyfas' COVID score has been developed by startup Acculi Labs with support from the DST.
 It will detect the possible infection in an asymptomatic individual to prioritise the conventional testing
queue.
IRCS to buy 1.80 lakh face masks from KVIC
 Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has received a purchase order from Indian Red Cross Society
(IRCS) to supply 1.80 lakh face masks.
 The masks for IRCS will be made of 100 per cent double-twisted handcrafted cotton fabric in brown colour
with red piping.
 KVIC has specially designed these double-layered cotton masks for the IRCS as per the designs provided by
them.
Bharti AXA Gen Insurance launches a campaign
 Bharti AXA General Insurance has launched its crop insurance campaign - 'Bohot Zaroori Hai' - for farmers in
Maharashtra and Karnataka.
 It will encourage them about their yield protection and financial security.
 The campaign is aimed at making the farming communities aware about the relevance and significance of
crop insurance that mitigates the rural distress caused by crop failure.
Bengaluru's Life Sciences Park
 Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa on 29 July 2020 laid the foundation stone for the Rs 5,000-crore Bengaluru
Life Sciences Park, coming up on 52 acres at Electronics City.
 The first phase of the project is a public-private partnership (PPP) between the state government and
Labzone Corp.
 It is expected to be completed by December 2022.
Sembcorp commissions three wind power projects
 Sembcorp Energy India has announced the successful completion of its three wind power projects with a
total capacity of 800 megawatts (MW).
 The projects were auctioned by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
 With this, Sembcorp became the first independent power producer (IPP) to fully commission its projects
awarded in the first three wind auctions held by SECI.
Delhi govt launches awareness campaign
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 The Delhi government has launched an awareness programme aimed at ensuring residences, offices,
schools, and other private and public spaces prepared to deal with earthquakes.
 It aims at making homes, offices, schools, etc. fully prepared to efficiently deal with earthquakes.
 The campaign will also help people be well-prepared and take measures to minimise the damage.
ICMR to hold International Symposium
 The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will conduct the International Symposium on Novel Ideas in
Science and Ethics of Vaccines Against COVID-19 Pandemic on July 30, 2020.
 The symposium will have leading medical experts and scientists as speakers.
 During the event, Dr Anthony S Fauci would be speaking on “Confronting the pandemic”.
Guwahati gets manhole cleaning robot BANDICOOT
 Guwahati has got its first-ever manhole cleaning robot to end manual scavenging.
 Named ‘BANDICOOT’, the robot has been procured by Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC).
 The BANDICOOT robot is also the first of its kind in the world and was developed by a Start-up India
company called Genrobotics.
 It was funded by CSR of Indian Oil Corporation Limited.
Madhya P. Govt to start rapid antigen test
 In Madhya Pradesh, the state government is going to start a rapid antigen test.
 The number of corona infected people in MP has been close to 30 thousand.
 Rapid Antigen Test has been taken in two districts Bhopal and Morena as a pilot project.
 Under this, one thousand test kits are being purchased in Morena and Bhopal.
DSE Jammu organises online interactive session
 Directorate of School Education Jammu organised an online interactive session on 29 July 2020.
 During this, detailed information about PMSSS (2020-21) was given to senior secondary students, parents,
Nodal Officers PMSSS, Head of Institutes of Higher secondary schools and other participants.
 Participants were apprised about various Facilitation Centres available in Higher Secondary Schools.
MP govt to conduct Sero Surveillance study
 Madhya Pradesh Government has decided to conduct a Sero Surveillance study in three major cities i.e.
Indore, Bhopal and Ujjain to control the rising cases of Corona infection and to understand the infection
rate.
 The number of COVID-19 cases in the state has climbed up to 30,134.
 This survey will be conducted under the supervision of All India Institute of Medical Sciences-AIIMS, Bhopal.
Green J&K Drive-2020 begins
 In Jammu and Kashmir, the Wildlife Protection Wing of Forest Department has kick-started Green J&K
Drive-2020 at Ramnagar Wildlife Sanctuary.
 This is being done in order to mark 72nd Van-Mahotsav and setting the ball rolling for monsoon plantation
in Jammu Region.
 The dept has set the target of planting about 5 lakh plants in various Wildlife Areas of Jammu region during
the monsoon season.
Uttarakhand: First chopper service flagged off
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 In Uttarakhand, the first government-run state chopper service that connects Dehradun to Garhwal hills
was flagged off on 29 July 2020.
 It will boost tourism in the hills.
 The flight on the Dehradun-New Tehri-Srinagar-Garhwal Gauchar route is operated by the state-run Pawan
Hans Limited under the Central Government's Regional Connectivity Scheme of 'Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik'.
NTPC achieves highest gross power generation
 National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC, achieved the highest daily gross power generation of 977.07
Million Unit on 28 July 2020.
 Total power generation includes power generated from its Subsidiary and joint venture companies.
 5 of its power stations Korba, Sipat and Lara in Chhattisgarh, Talcher Kaniha in Odisha and Koldam hydro in
Himachal Pradesh exhibited exceptional performance.
Health Minister releases a book
 Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has released an e-book on Standard Treatment Guidelines for the
Management of Substance Use Disorders and Behavioural Addictions.
 The e-book aims to tackle substance abuse and behavioural addiction in the country.
 He spoke about the harmful association of Substance Use with non-communicable disorders like
cardiovascular, cancer, road traffic injury, etc.
MoD with MyGov conducts quiz competition
 An online quiz competition on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat - Swatantra Bharat’ is being conducted by Ministry of
Defence in coordination with MyGov from 29 July 2020 to 10th August 2020.
 There will be 10 cash prizes.
 The first prize will be a sum of Rs 25,000, the second prize winner will get 15 thousand rupees and the third
prize winner will get 10 thousand rupees.
Namami Gange included in Awards for Excellence
 The Namami Gange project has been included in the prestigious ‘Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in
Public Administration' for the year 2020.
 The objective of the National Mission for Clean Ganga is to develop a sustainable socioeconomic zone
around the holy river and its tributaries.
 This will give a boost to the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Campaign.
Unlock 3.0 guidelines to come into force
 Union Home Ministry has issued new guidelines for opening up of more activities in areas outside the
Containment Zones.
 The process of phased re-opening of activities has been extended further in Unlock 3, which will come into
effect from 1st of August 2020.
 Yoga institutes and gymnasiums will be allowed to open from 5th of August 2020.
New Education Policy-2020
 The Cabinet, on 29 July 2020, approved National Education Policy 2020.
 A single regulator for higher education institutions, multiple entries and exit options in degree courses, etc.
are among the highlights of the new National Education Policy.
 It aims to increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education including vocational education from 26.3
per cent in 2018 to 50 per cent by 2035.
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CSIO, AMESYS INDIA develop decontamination Box

 The Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO) along with AMESYS INDIA has developed 'Suraksha', a
microorganism decontamination box.
 Both UVC light and heat are used in the box and it can sanitize an object in 10-15 minutes.
 Recently, two students of IIT Guwahati had also built a device that can be used to disinfect objects.
Medical bed isolation system Aashray launched
 A Pune University has developed 'Aashray', a medical bed isolation system to combat COVID-19 by
preventing or minimising the spread of the virus.
 It has been developed by Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, (DIAT).
 It is a low cost, reusable solution to maintain proper isolation of COVID-19 patients by creating a
suction near exhale, further filtering and disinfecting the aerosol.
Indian Army no longer require NOC: J&K
 The Jammu and Kashmir administration has withdrawn 1971 circular, which mandated a No Objection
Certificate (NOC) for the acquisition of land, for personnel in the Indian Armed Forces like Army, Air Force,
Navy, BSF, and CRPF.
 The 1971 circular has now been replaced by the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land
Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
Hyderabad Police launches a Service
 The Hyderabad Police has launched the Free Last Ride Services to transport the bodies of the COVID-19
patients from hospitals to the crematories.
 The city police in collaboration with an NGO 'Feed the Needy, have started this Service to transport the
bodies.
 Any citizen can reach on 7995404040 to avail the services.
 The service will be available from 8 AM till 6 PM.
TN CM lays foundation stone for 8 companies
 Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi K Palaniswami on 27 July 2020 laid the foundation stone for 8 companies with an
investment of Rs 2,367 crores.
 These eight companies will have employment of 24,870 people.
 Palaniswami also inaugurated 12 companies with investments of Rs 3,185 crores.
 These 12 companies will have employment of 6955 people.
IRCTC, SBI Card launch contactless credit card
 IRCTC and SBI Card together launched their new co-branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform.
 The new RuPay credit card is equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.
 The Cardholders will receive up to 10% value back on 1st AC, 2nd AC, 3rd AC, Executive Chair Car & AC Chair
Car bookings made at IRCTC website.
 The card also offers an online transaction fee waiver.
Centre to convert ravines of Chambal region
 The Centre, in collaboration with the World Bank, has decided to convert a large area of ravines in Gwalior-
Chambal belt of MP into arable land.
 A preliminary report for the same will be prepared in a month.
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 More than 3 lakh hectares of rugged land is not cultivable and if this area is improved, then this will help in
the integrated development of the Bihad area in Gwalior–Chambal region.
DRDO launches ‘Dare to Dream 2.0’ contest
 DRDO has launched 'Dare to Dream 2.0' contest for innovators and those looking to launch a startup, on the
5th death anniversary of former President of India and noted scientist Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
 The Dare to dream 2.0 scheme aims to promote innovators and startup culture in the country.
 The winners will be picked following due evaluation by an expert committee.
Samba District Admin starts an awareness camp
 In Jammu and Kashmir, Samba District Administration has kick-started a mobile free medical aid-cum-
awareness camp.
 The camp is in collaboration with the Department of Indian system of Medicines at DC office Complex.
 Indian System of medicines offers great help in the reduction of respiratory disorders, increasing immune
system and improvement of overall strength and vitality of the people.
Grand Finale of largest ever online hackathon
 PM Narendra Modi will address the Grand Finale of the largest ever online hackathon in the world on 1
August 2020 through video-conference.
 The Grand Finale of Smart India Hackathon-2020 (Software) will be held till 3rd of August 2020.
 Over 10,000 students will be competing to solve 243 problem statements from 37 Central Government
departments, 17 State Governments and 20 industries.
Bureau of Indian Standard’s Mobile App
 Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan launched the Bureau of Indian Standard’s Mobile App BIS-Care
on 28 July 2020.
 He also launched 3 portals on Standardization, Conformity Assessment and Training of e-BIS.
 The mobile app BIS-Care can be operated on any Android phone and consumers can check the authenticity
of the ISI-marked and hallmarked products through this Application.
Ministry of Earth Sciences launches "Mausam”
 Ministry of Earth Sciences has launched the mobile App "Mausam” for India Meteorological Department on
its Foundation Day celebrations.
 Users can access observed weather, forecasts, radar images and be proactively warned of impending
weather events.
 It is dedicated to the general public and designed to communicate the weather information and forecasts in
a lucid manner.
Tamil Nadu launches free mask plan
 Tamil Nadu CM K Palaniswami has launched a free mask distribution scheme as part of measures to help
fight COVID-19.
 Palaniswami gave away the masks to five people at the Secretariat marking the inauguration of the first
phase of the scheme.
 The initial phase envisages distribution of 4.44 crore reusable masks bought at a cost of ₹30.07 crore- to
69.09 lakh families.
47 more Chinese Apps banned
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 The government has banned 47 more Chinese apps in India.

 Near the end of June 2020, 59 Chinese apps had been banned by the government including TikTok app, to
“protect national interest and security”.
 The list of 47 apps banned in the fresh decision is yet to be announced.
 The government earlier banned apps under the provisions of Section 69A of the Information Technology
Act.
Rajasthan to provide injection Tocilizumab
 Rajasthan govt has decided to provide life-saving injection Tocilizumab and plasma therapy to serious
corona patients in the state.
 CM Ashok Gehlot directed plasma therapy in the treatment of corona and to organize plasma donation
camps across the state.
 The state government has increased the testing and more than 25 thousand samples are being tested every
day.
UP Governor inaugurates 'Swayam Prabha'
 UP Governor Anandiben Patel has inaugurated an educational channel ''Swayam Prabha'' online.
 The channel will make digital content available to students three times in 24 hours at 4 pm, 12 pm and 8
am.
 Ms Patel took part in the Foundation Day celebrations of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University.
Flooring manufacturing facility in Hyderabad
 Telangana Industries and IT Minister KT Rama Rao have inaugurated a Rs 1,100-crore manufacturing facility
of a flooring vertical in Hyderabad.
 The foundation stone has already been laid.
 The manufacturing facility is set up by the Welspun Group and is spread across 200 acres and employs
around 1,600 people.
 This facility will have a production capacity of 40 million square metres annually.
Delhi govt launches website for job seekers
 CM Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi govt has started a portal for employers and job seekers.
 CM Kejriwal launched the website http://jobs.delhi.gov.in, named as 'Rozgar Bazar', a sort of marketplace
for job seekers and the people recruiters.
 Recruiters can go to the website and update their requirement.
 Job seekers can also go there and update their qualification, experience and requirement.
New rules & regulations for e-commerce firms
 The government has notified new rules and regulations for e-commerce companies under the Consumer
Protection Act 2019.
 It made it mandatory to display the 'country of origin' on their products stating that any non-compliance
will attract penal action.
 The 'Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020', notified on 23rd July 2020 is part of the Consumer
Protection Act, 2019.
BMC completes 1st phase of COVID-19 serosurvey
 The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has completed the first phase of the COVID-19 serosurvey
that covered 10,000 residents of the city.
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 A sero-surveillance program was conducted for the residents of Mumbai to determine the level of
antibodies among the population.
 It was conducted in accordance with NITI Aayog and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
DRDO to set up two temporary hospitals
 In Bihar, the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) will set up 2 temporary hospitals of
500 bed to treat Corona patients.
 DRDO has taken this decision in view of increasing positive cases in the state.
 These hospitals will be set up at Patna and Muzaffarpur with latest medical equipment.
 There will be 150 ventilators in each hospital.
MP government to provide online training
 In Madhya Pradesh, a state-wide online training is being provided by the Department of Panchayat and
Rural Development regarding the role of Panchayats and community in prevention, control and
management of COVID-19.
 This series of division-wise training will run until August 7, 2020.
 In this training, 22,812 Gram Panchayats of all districts in the state will be included.
Centre allocates Rs 40,000 cr under MGNREGA
 An additional allocation of Rs 40,000 cr has been made for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural
Employment Guarantee Scheme during this financial year.
 The focus of the government is on ensuring a high level of transparency in the implementation of rural
development programmes.
 A provision of about 1,20,000 crore rupees has been made in the Budget Estimates for the financial year
2020-21.
5th phase of 'Vande Bharat Mission' to begin
 The fifth phase of the Vande Bharat Mission will begin from 1st of August 2020 to rescue Indians stranded
abroad.
 It will continue till 31st August 2020.
 Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the detailed schedule of the mission will be shared soon.
 Over 8,14,000 people have returned since 6th May 2020 through various means under the Vande Bharat
Mission.
Cheque of Rs 20 lakh to Army Hospital
 President Ram Nath Kovind presented a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to the Army Hospital, Delhi to buy equipment
that will help doctors and paramedics combat COVID-19 effectively.
 The contribution from the President will be used to procure units of PAPR (powered air-purifying
respirator).
 It is equipment to enable medical professionals to breathe during surgeries and protect them from
infection.
Odisha to create 'Forest Product Clusters'
 The Odisha govt has announced its decision to create 'Forest Product Clusters'.
 It will boost economic activities in hilly and forest areas amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
 The state government will be establishing a Livelihood Resource Centre to provide technical input, required
skill, training and linking to financial institutions.
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India’s first honey testing laboratory set up

 In Gujarat, India’s 1st honey testing laboratory has been set up at the National Dairy Development Board in
Anand district.
 The new lab will test honey as per the norms specified by the food safety regulator FSSAI.
 The purity of honey, adulteration, chemical substances, residues, heavy metals or antibodies can be
checked.
 Quality honey will boost exports and ensure better rates to farmers.
Karnataka government forms a company
 The Karnataka Cabinet has cleared the formation of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission.
 The company will promote over 7,000 start-ups, e-commerce and other gig economy companies in the
State.
 The new company will be incorporated under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 with the Government of
Karnataka holding 49 per cent and the balance 51 per cent by the industries and other stakeholders.
Rajasthan to get its first-ever plasma bank
 The Rajasthan government is now planning to start the state's first plasma bank in Jaipur for those infected
with the high contagious coronavirus disease.
 The bank will be set up at Sawai Man Singh Hospital in the city.
 The total number of coronavirus infection cases reported in the state so far has reached 34,178 of which
9,029 patients are under treatment and 23,536 have recovered.
Bank of Baroda launches paperless account
 Bank of Baroda has launched ‘Insta Click Savings Account’, a digital self-assisted online savings account, for
all its customers.
 The bank’s Insta Click Savings Account will offer innovative digital offerings for customers, from the comfort
of their homes.
 The Account uses a new form of digital KYC and Aadhar based OTP authentication of the customer.
India to have 60% Renewable Energy by 2030
 India will have around 60% of its installed electricity generation capacity from clean sources by 2030.
 The renewable energy capacity would touch 510 GW by 2030, including 60 GW of hydropower.
 A report titled Bending the Curve: 2025 Forecasts for Electricity Demand by Sector and State in the Light of
the COVID Epidemic' has also been launched.
Punjab Cabinet okays a water supply project
 The Punjab government has approved a World Bank-aided canal-based water supply projects worth over
USD 285.71 million (approximately Rs 2,130 crore) for Amritsar and Ludhiana.
 The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.
 The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) would finance 70% or USD 200 million.
1st in-orbit space debris tracking system
 Digiantra Research and Technology (DRT), a space tech startup has been selected for the SID (Society for
Innovation and Development) incubation program at IISc Bangalore.
 Digantara is India’s first air and space surveillance company.
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 The startup has received a grant of Rs 25 lakhs which will be used to develop space debris monitoring
systems and the company’s expansion.
EU, India to develop bio-tech
 Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) will develop a biotechnology-based water
treatment system for the purification of sewage water flowing into the rivers Ganga and Godavari.
 This would be done under a joint project funded by India and the European Union.
 The sponsored project is titled ‘SPRING' is being funded for a period of 3 years starting June 2020.
Muthoot Fincorp launches an advisory portal
 Muthoot Fincorp has launched a portal named 'Restartindia'.
 It's a free mentoring platform to help the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector to restart
businesses across the country.
 The platform is designed to address the needs of the MSME sector, particularly the nano and micro-
enterprises.
 It will offer solutions to the problems faced by a large number of women entrepreneurs.
PM Modi to inaugurate three new ICMR labs
 PM Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate 3 new high-throughput labs of the Indian Council of Medical
Research in Noida, Kolkata, and Mumbai on 27 July 2020.
 The government has adopted the test-track-treat strategy for early detection and containment of the
Covid-19 pandemic.
 According to this, ICMR has ramped up its testing capabilities to effectively deal with Coronavirus crisis.
Waterway usage charges waived
 Ministry of Shipping has decided to waive waterway usage charges with immediate effect.
 The charges are waived initially for three years.
 Currently, only two per cent of total cargo traffic moves through waterways.
 The decision of waiving waterway charges will attract the industries to use the national waterways for their
logistical needs.
Post Dept extends all small savings schemes
 The Department of Posts has extended all small savings schemes up to the branch post office level.
 The decision aims to empower rural India by bringing all Post Office Savings schemes to the doorstep of the
people living in rural areas.
 The new order has allowed Branch Post Offices to offer facilities of Public Provident Fund, Monthly Income
Scheme, National Savings Certificate, etc.
e-Symposium on Handicrafts inaugurated
 Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda inaugurated an e-Symposium on Handicrafts organized by Dr A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis, IIM, Shillong.
 It was titled 'Emergent North-East India: Strategic and Developmental Imperatives in Handicrafts'.
 He emphasized that the trading mindset of our artisans should be replaced by entrepreneurship by
upgrading their skills.
Govt extends domestic airfare cap till Nov 24
 Civil Aviation Ministry has extended its order imposing curbs on airfare till 24th November 2020.
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 The order was issued on 21st May 2020 after airlines were allowed to operate after the lockdown.
 It had prescribed a range for airfare depending on the flight distance.
 The upper price limit is aimed at preventing any sharp rise in fares due to increased demand.
Average completion time for houses: 114 days
 The average completion time for houses under restructured Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-
G) has come down to 114 days as compared to 314 days earlier.
 PM Narendra Modi had launched the PMAY-G on 20 November 2016 to achieve the objective of Housing
for all by the year 2022.
 The target is to construct 2.95 crore houses with all basic amenities by the year 2022.
BHU Professor launches a website
 A professor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has launched a dedicated website called SARDIJUKAM.Com
which will help people in coping up from the fear of COVID-19.
 It will also help in recovering from depression and other COVID related issues.
 Its a website for those who fear that their normal cough and cold could be a symptom of Corona infection.
Karnataka approves New Industrial Policy
 The Karnataka State Cabinet has approved the new Industrial Policy for 2020-2025.
 The policy will focus on facilitating investments to the state by providing fresh incentives and easing
regulatory processes.
 The focus of the New Industrial Policy 2020-25 is to exploit Karnataka's industrial prowess, creation of
enabling environment, development of infrastructure, etc.
J-K announces launch of Macadamisation Program
 Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu has announced the launch of a 'Macadamisation Program' for
the improvement of roads across J&K.
 He approved a program for 100% macadamisation of all roads in the UT including 11,000 km of fair-weather
roads.
 A Committee has been constituted, which will prepare a roadmap and a financing plan for ensuring this
program in a time-bound manner.
3rd unit of Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant ready
 The third unit of Kakrapar Atomic Power Plant (KAPP) in Gujarat is ready to generate electricity, with the
700 MWe reactor achieving criticality.
 A nuclear reactor reaches ‘criticality’ when it is ready for ongoing nuclear reaction or fission that generates
energy.
 Kakrapar is part of India’s pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) portfolio.
India’s 2nd national-level plasma bank opened
 India’s second national-level plasma bank was opened in Tamil Nadu at a cost of Rs 2.34 crore, after New
Delhi.
 It has been opened with the approval of the Indian Council of Medical Research.
 After a COVID-19 patient is discharged, the patient has to wait for 14 days before he/she can donate the
plasma.
 Plasma will be separated from the blood, which can be stored and used for up to 1 year.
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DRDO sets up COVID-19 testing facility at Leh

 DRDO has established a COVID-19 testing facility at the Leh-based Defence Institute of High Altitude
Research (DIHAR).
 It will enhance the rate of testing to identify coronavirus cases in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
 The testing facility at DIHAR is capable of screening 50 samples per day.
 The facility can also be utilised for training manpower for COVID testing.
UP govt to start Self-test system
 UP government is going to start a Self-test system for COVID-19 in all districts so that anyone can go and get
himself tested.
 Around 55,000 COVID tests were conducted on 23 July 2020 which is highest in the state till date and the
aim is to increase it to one lakh tests per day.
 UP is now on the second number in the country in terms of COVID testing.
Gujarat Govt to provide free online classes
 In Gujarat, the education department has decided to provide online education to all the students studying
in standard 3 to 12 in self-financed schools in the state.
 The education will be imparted in both Gujarati and English medium which will be free of cost.
 The decision came after the self-financed schools decided to discontinue online education over fee
concerns.
National Transit Pass System
 Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar virtually launched piloting of the National Transit Pass System at
Indira Paryavaran Bhawan in Delhi on 23 Jul 2020.
 The National Pass System enhances seamless movement of forest produce.
 People can apply for Passes from their mobile phones as well as receive e passes in their mobile phones.
 It is another step which furthers the Digital India Movement.
Eligibility criteria for NIT relaxes
 In a major relief to the JEE candidates, the govt has decided to relax the eligibility criteria for admission in
the NIT and Centrally Funded Technical Institutions.
 The candidates who qualified JEE Mains 2020 exam will now only need to obtain a passing certificate in
class 12th examination.
 For admissions in these, it is required to secure a minimum of 75% marks in 12th board exams.
1st ever Ind-SAT Test 2020 conducts
 HRD Ministry conducted the first-ever Indian Scholastic Assessment (Ind-SAT) Test 2020 under its Study in
India programme.
 Nearly 5000 candidates from Nepal, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sri-Lanka,
Kenya, Zambia, Indonesia and Mauritius appeared for the exam on 22 July 2020.
 The exam was conducted in the proctored Internet mode by the National Testing Agency.
Rs 8767 crore approved for 81 projects
 The Central government has stepped up its efforts for the revival of the real estate sector.
 A fund of 8,767 crore rupees was approved for 81 projects which would enable the completion of almost
60,000 homes across India.
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 These projects would also provide employment opportunities to various skilled and semi-skilled workers.
AIIMS, IITs develop a wrist band
 AIIMS Nagpur in collaboration with IIT Jodhpur and IIIT Nagpur has indigenously designed and developed a
‘smart wrist band’ for tracking & monitoring of COVID-19 positive and suspect patients.
 With the highest-ever single-day spike of 45,720 cases, India's COVID-19 tally crossed the 12-lakh mark on
23 July 2020.
 The death-toll mounted to 29,861 with a record 1,129 fatalities in a day.
Odisha Govt renamed Bilung Village
 In recognition to the popularity of the famous Odia folk-song 'Rangbati', the Odisha government has
renamed the Bilung village in the Bamra Tehsil of Sambalpur district to 'Rangabati Bilung'.
 Mitrabhanu Gauntia, the lyricist of this song, was born in the Bilung village and has composed about 1,000
Sambalpuri songs.
 He also received the Odisha State Sangeet Natak Academy Award.
Amit Shah launches Tree Plantation Drive-2020
 Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the ‘Tree Plantation Drive-2020’, organised by the Ministry of
Coal, on 23 July 2020.
 Under the drive, trees will be planted on 6,000 acres of land in 38 districts across ten states.
 The Home Minister also paid tributes to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Chandra Shekhar Azad on their
birth anniversary.
Retirement age of Medical officers extended
 Odisha Govt has extended the retirement age of Medical officers of Odisha Medical and Health Services
(OMHS) cadre and Allopathic Insurance Medical Officers under Labour & Employees' State Insurance
Department from 62 years to 65 years.
 It has also sanctioned ₹20.64 crores from CM Relief Fund for running new dedicated COVID hospitals for the
next three months in Khordha and Cuttack districts.
Manipur water supply project inaugurated
 PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for water supply project in Manipur through video
conferencing on 23 July 2020.
 This project will give clean drinking water to Greater Imphal and 1,700 villages in Manipur.
 The fund for the project has been provided by the Centre under ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ to provide freshwater
household tap connections to 1,185 habitations with 1,42,749 households.
Rare yellow turtle discovered in India
 A farmer in eastern India has found a yellow turtle which experts say is the product of albinism.
 Basudev Mahapatra spotted the turtle while he was working in his fields in the village of Sujanpur, in
Odisha's Balasore district.
 The creature's colour is due to albinism.
 It is a congenital disorder and it is characterized by complete or partial absence of tyrosine pigment.
FamPay launched numberless card for teenagers
 FamPay has recently launched India’s first numberless card – FamCard.
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 FamPay is India’s first neo bank for teenagers which allows them to make UPI and P2P transactions through
their own unique UPI ID without the need to set up a bank account
 The venture claims that FamCard is just like a debit card, but teens now have the added advantage of a card
to make contactless payments independently.
Plasma blood bank launched in Chennai
 In Chennai, a plasma blood bank has been launched by the State Health Department to facilitate
convalescent plasma therapy to COVID-19 patients.
 It has the facility for seven people to donate blood plasma at a time.
 A person can donate 500 ml blood plasma 14 days after recovery from COVID-19 infection, provided he or
she has no other co-morbid condition.
Centre to release over 300 crore rupees
 Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat assured to release an amount of 346 crore rupees
immediately to Assam as the first instalment under Flood Management Programme (FMP).
 This will effectively manage the relief and rehabilitation works in flood-hit Assam.
 Over 26 lakh people have been affected due to the flood in 26 districts and 89 persons have lost their lives
so far.
Actor Sonu Sood launched Pravasi Rojgar app
 In Maharashtra, actor Sonu Sood has launched a free online platform called 'Pravasi Rojgar'.
 It will help migrants find job opportunities in various sectors across the country.
 The online platform has over 500 reputed companies related to construction, apparel, health care,
engineering, BPOs, security, automobile, e-commerce and logistics sectors, offering job opportunities.
1500 schools to discontinue online education
 In Gujarat, around 1500 self-financed schools have decided to discontinue online education from 23 July
2020.
 The decision came after the Education Department issued a notification which restricted self-financed
schools from charging fees from the parents until the schools reopen.
 The school management is also finding it difficult to pay salaries of teachers and non-teaching staff.
Coffee Day Enterprises roped in EY India
 Coffee Day Enterprises, parent company of Cafe Coffee Day, has roped in EY India to handle its CFO
functions.
 A team of EY has taken over all the functions that a chief financial officer is expected to undertake,
including managing financials.
 The development comes at a time when the debt-laden CDEL is looking to restart the bidding process for its
entire business.
Omidyar launched an initiative
 Omidyar Network India has announced an initiative to invest in building solutions for MSMEs and migrant
workers impacted by COVID-19.
 Under the ‘ReSolve Initiative’, the company has earmarked funding between Rs3.75 crore and Rs15 crore
per project.
 The initiative will focus on a 12-18 month time horizon.
 The preferred range of funding will be between Rs 3.75 crore to Rs15 crore per project.
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Govt warned against use of N-95 masks

 The Union Health Ministry has warned people against the use of N95 masks with respirator valves in them
saying they do not prevent the coronavirus from spreading out.
 The use of valved respirator N-95 masks is detrimental to the measures adopted for preventing the spread
of coronavirus as it does not prevent the virus from escaping out of the mask.
Tamil Nadu govt launched a web portal
 Tamil Nadu Government has announced that the unorganized sector workers can now join the state-run
welfare boards through a dedicated web portal.
 The government has formed a secured web portal ‘labour.tn.gov.in’ through which the services could be
availed easily.
 The Tamil Nadu Government is running seventeen different welfare boards for the unorganised sector
workers.
Serum Institute of India to begin trials
 Serum Institute of India will be starting trials of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Oxford University and
AstraZeneca by the end of August 2020.
 It will launch the vaccine by June 2021 if all goes well.
 The Oxford University has tied up with Serum Institute of India to manufacture and supply the vaccine to
India and over 60 other countries having a combined population of 3 billion.
UP govt issues revised discharge policy
 UP govt has issued revised discharge policy for patients who have recovered from COVID-19 infection.
 Now, new guidelines will be followed to discharge any patient in state and a dedicated website
UPCOVID19TRACKS.IN has been developed to track the information about patients.
 Asymptomatic patients staying in home isolation will be considered recovered if they show no symptoms
for 10 days.
Annual Amarnath Yatra 2020 cancelled
 Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board headed by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu
has decided to cancel Amarnath Yatra 2020.
 Murmu presided over the 39th Board meeting of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board on 21 July 2020.
 The traditional rituals shall be carried out as per the past practice and the Chhadi Mubarak shall be
facilitated by the Government.
MP: Two-day lockdown every week
 In MP, there will be a lockdown for two days every week including Sundays in districts with high incidence
of coronavirus cases in the state.
 The number of COVID-19 cases in the state stood at 24,095 while the death toll mounted to 756.
 As per the state health department, all 52 districts have active cases.
 All activities, except essential services, will be restricted during this period.
Delhi's Sero-Prevalence study
 A Sero-Prevalence study conducted in Delhi to understand the proportion of the population exposed to
corona infection shows that only 22.86% of the people are affected due to coronavirus.
 The study also indicates that a large number of infected persons remained asymptomatic.
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 This study was conducted from 27th of June to 10th of July 2020 in all the 11 districts of Delhi.
Government separates operation routes
 Ministry of Shipping has separated the operation routes for merchant vessels and fishing vessels in South
West Indian waters.
 Ministry has taken the step keeping in view the safety and efficiency of navigation.
 The new routes will come into force from 1 August 2020.
 It will also reduce instances of collision and will provide ease in flow of traffic.
Govt extended work from home till 31 Dec
 The Government has extended connectivity norms for work from home for IT and BPO companies till
December 31, 2020, due to COVID-19 pandemic.
 Dept of Telecommunications has further extended the relaxations in the terms and conditions for other
service providers up to 31st December 2020 to facilitate work from home.
 The time period for work from home was expiring on July 31, 2020.
AIIMS Delhi to start a national programme
 All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi in collaboration with Union Health Ministry and NITI
Aayog will start a national programme.
 It is called --"National Clinical Grandrounds on COVID-19" from 22 July 2020.
 The programme envisages that every doctor across the country learns and shares their best practices in the
treatment of Coronavirus patients.
Zoom to open tech center in Bengaluru
 Popular video collaboration platform, Zoom, is opening a new technology center in Bengaluru.
 The company already has an office in Mumbai and will hire 'key talent' over the next few years across the
country.
 The Bengaluru tech center will support the San Jose headquartered company’s global engineering efforts.
 Zoom will now compete with JioMeet and Airtel BlueJeans.
Zoram Mega Food Park in Mizoram
 Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal virtually inaugurated the first Mega Food Park in Mizoram.
 The Zoram Mega Food Park will benefit farmers, growers, processors, consumers and prove to be a big
boost to the growth of the food processing sector in the North East Region.
 It is equipped with a dry warehouse of 3000 metric tonnes capacity and cold storage of 1000 metric tonnes.
GTU developed G-Bands sanitizers
 A group of innovators from Gujarat Technological University, GTU has come up with a unique hand sanitizer
bands- called G Bands using Thermoplastic elastomers.
 These bands can be used on the go for sanitizing hands just by pressing it.
 The G Bands offer a convenient option for people to maintain hand hygiene.
 The product is priced at Rs 299 and will soon be available for a larger public.
Novel quick response mechanism implemented
 A novel quick response mechanism is being implemented in the largely rural Perambalur district of
Tamilnadu near Trichy.
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 The scheme called "RACE" (Rapid Action force for Community Emergency) is an integrated approach for the
quick resolution of various kinds of emergencies.
 The force will take care of all kinds of emerging situations like health care to burglary to missing persons.
AIIMS began e-ICU video-consultation programme
 AIIMS, New Delhi has started a video-consultation programme with ICU doctors across the country called e-
ICU.
 The programme aims at holding case-management discussions among doctors who are at the frontline in
treating COVID-19 patients in hospitals and COVID facilities around the country.
 It will strengthen the Government of India’s efforts to reduce COVID-19 mortality.
Ministry of Tourism held a webinar
 The Ministry of Tourism's Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series titled, “The Mystical Triangle- Maheshwar,
Mandu & Omkareshwar” was organized on 18 July 2020.
 The webinar showcased the richness of the destinations covered under the mystical triangle in Madhya
Pradesh namely Maheshwar, Mandu and Omkareshwar.
 It is an effort to showcase India’s rich diversity under 'Ek Bharat- Shreshtha Bharat'.
UPSC to hold Personality Test
 The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will hold Personality Test for remaining candidates of Civil
Services Examination-19 from 20-30 July 2020.
 The Commission had earlier deferred the Personality Tests for 623 candidates due to nationwide lockdown.
 State Governments have been requested to allow the candidates holding e-Summon Letters for PTs to
move in and out of the restricted zones.
Human trials of COVAXIN for COVID-19 began
 The Human trials for the indigenously developed COVAXIN have begun at AIIMS Delhi.
 After the registration procedure and blood sample tests of the health volunteers, the vaccine will be
administered to 100 healthy individuals in the first phase.
 In the second phase 750 people will be recruited between 12 to 65 years of age for the human trials.
HRD Minister to launch Manodarpan initiative
 Union HRD Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal will launch the Manodarpan initiative of the HRD Ministry on 21 July
2020.
 The initiative under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan aims to provide psychosocial support to students for their
mental health and well-being.
 It will cover a wide range of activities to provide Psychosocial Support to students.
India’s first public EV charging plaza
 Minister for Power, New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh inaugurated India’s 1st public EV (Electric
Vehicle) charging plaza in New Delhi on 20 July 2020.
 The EV charging plaza is a new avenue for making e-mobility ubiquitous and convenient in India.
 He also launched Retrofit of Air-conditioning to improve Indoor Air Quality for Safety and Efficiency (RAISE)
national programme.
Assam plasma donors to get preference
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 The Assam government has started an extensive campaign to encourage plasma donations in the state from
July 18, 2020.
 It announced that the plasma donors of the state will get preferences in all government facilities including
government job interviews.
 The state government will provide a certificate to each plasma donor in the state.
HAL established COVID-19 centre in Bengaluru
 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has prepared a 160-bed COVID care centre at one of its facilities in
Bengaluru.
 The centre was handed over to municipal authorities on 19 July 2020.
 HAL has pledged ₹20 crore from its CSR fund to the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in
Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund.
Uttarakhand launched anti-dengue campaign
 Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat has announced a massive campaign against mosquito-borne
diseases like dengue.
 It will involve the wide participation of people in the state preventing the spread of mosquito-borne
diseases.
 The Chief Minister urged people to spare 15 minutes every Sunday to control the spread of disease and
avoid stagnation of water in their surroundings.
UP CM launched employment scheme for SCs
 UP CM Yogi Adityanath has launched ''Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana'' for all-round development of the
Scheduled Castes.
 He transferred financial assistance of 17.42 crore online to 3,484 people under the ''Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyay Swarojgar Yojana''
 The beneficiaries informed that they will use the money for setting up merchant shops, laundry and dry
cleaning, cybercafe and tent house.
PNB launched a nationwide campaign
 Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a nationwide initiative to combat the spread of COVID-19.
 The initiative is launched as PNB's corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign.
 It will entail providing COVID-19 related prevention materials like masks, sanitisers, etc across India in 662
districts.
Mylan launched generic version of Remdesivir
 Mylan has announced the commercial launch of its Remdesivir under the brand name Desrem in India for
treatment of coronavirus patients.
 The drug is approved for the treatment of suspected or laboratory-confirmed incidences of COVID-19 in
adults and children hospitalized with severe presentations of the disease.
 Mylan will manufacture Desrem in its injectable facility in Bangalore.
UV baggage scan for COVID-19 disinfection
 The International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad,
and Vehant Technologies, Noida have co-developed KritiScan.
 It is a UV Baggage Disinfection System.
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 The compact UVC conveyor system can efficiently disinfect the baggage passing through the conveyor
within a few seconds and is suitable for use in airports, railway and bus stations, etc.
CSIR-CMERI unveiled a COVID Protection System
 CSIR-CMERI, Durgapur has unveiled the COVID Protection System (COPS) for workplace in the current
COVID-19 pandemic scenario.
 The system can be utilised by organisations as healthcare workers and frontline security guards are
vulnerable to COVID-19.
 The COPS for Workplace includes contactless Solar Based Intelligent Mask Automated Dispensing Unit cum
Thermal Scanner, Touchless Faucet, etc.
Central Govt launched an app
 The Central Govt has launched the mobile app of PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi)
Scheme on July 17, 2020.
 This app aims to provide a user-friendly digital interface for Lending Institutions (LIs) and their field
functionaries for sourcing and processing loan applications of street vendors under the Scheme.
 A web portal was already launched on June 29, 2020.
Procurement of 3000 MT of sugar from NAFED
 J&K Administrative Council has accorded a sanction to the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and
Consumer Affairs for procurement of 3000 MT of sugar from National Agriculture Co-operative Marketing
Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED).
 As per sanction, the Department will procure 2800 MT per annum, under the J&K Special Sugar Scheme for
2,33,429 existing Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) families.
Income Tax Department rolled out new Form 26AS
 Income Tax Dept has rolled out new Form 26AS with an aim to assist Tax payers in filing quick and correct
Income Tax Return (ITR).
 It will carry some additional details on taxpayers financial transactions as specified in the Statement of
Financial Transactions (SFTs) in various categories.
 The details will facilitate voluntary compliance, tax accountability and ease of e-filing of returns.
I-Tax Dept to start an e-Campaign
 The Income Tax Department is all set to start an e-Campaign on the voluntary compliance of Income Tax for
the convenience of the taxpayers.
 The campaign will begin from 20 July 2020.
 The 11-day campaign will focus on the assessees or taxpayers who are either non-filers or have
discrepancies in their returns for the financial year 2018-19.
Private trains to begin plying by March 2023
 The Railway Ministry has said that the private trains are slated to run from March 2023.
 The Ministry has issued the clarification regarding timeline of introduction of private trains, as some section
of the media had mentioned that the private trains project will start in March 2024.
 The tenders will be finalised by March 2021 and trains will operate from March 2023.
CIPET gets accreditation by NABL
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 Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology, CIPET has been accredited by National
Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories, NABL for Testing and Certification of PPE Kit.
 The kit includes Gloves, Coverall, Face Shield, Goggles, etc. in line with International Standard.
 Some other CIPET centres have also applied for accreditation which is under process.
COVID fatality rate in India fell below 2.5%
 India’s Case Fatality Rate of COVID-19 falls below 2.5 per cent for the first time.
 India has one of the lowest fatality rates in the world.
 There are 29 States and UTs with Case Fatality Rate lower than the India average.
 Five States and UTs have a Zero Case Fatality Rate.
 While 14 States and UTs have a Case Fatality Rate of less than one per cent.
Northern Railway provided 503 coaches
 Northern Railway has made available 503 isolation coaches equivalent to 8,048 beds as COVID Care Centres
at nine stations in Delhi.
 These stations include Anand Vihar Terminal, Shakurbasti, Sarai Rohilla, Safdarjung, Shahdara, Adarsh
Nagar, Delhi Cantt, Badli and Tughlakabad.
 A total of 171 patients had been admitted to Shakurbasti COVID Care Centre.
117th birth anniversary of former CM of TN
 117th birth anniversary of former CM of Tamil Nadu, K Kamaraj was observed as School Education Day, on
15 July 2020.
 He had memorably laid down the principle that no child will travel more than 3 kms by road to reach the
nearest school.
 Kamaraj has also been credited with initiating moves to change the industrial landscape of Tamil Nadu by
bringing in BHEL in Trichy, etc.
TN govt to set up turmeric research institute
 The Tamil Nadu govt has proposed to establish a Turmeric Research Institute at Modakurichi in the district
to enhance production and help the growers realise more income.
 The institute will be established at a cost of Rs 30 crore.
 Turmeric is currently cultivated on 13,955 acres in Erode, Kodumudi, Modakurichi, Bhavani, Anthiyur and
Gobichettipalayam areas.
Vallarpadam Terminal development review
 Union Minister of Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya asked officials to prepare a strategy to make Vallarpadam
Terminal of Cochin Port into a trans-shipment hub.
 The Vallarpadam Terminal is being envisaged as the first transshipment port of India.
 The port handles containers, stores them temporarily, and transfers them to other ships for the onward
destination.
Capitals to be connected to the rail network
 All capitals of North-Eastern states will be connected to the rail network by 2023.
 Work to connect capitals of Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Meghalaya is in progress.
 Work on the last stretch of 111 kilometers from Katra to Banihal is in progress and the project is targeted to
be completed by December 2022.
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Odisha announced monthly pension

 Odisha govt has announced monthly pensions for the kin of the ASHA and anganwadi workers dying during
COVID-19 duty.
 The family members of the ASHA and anganwadi workers who might die while carrying out their COVID19
duty will get the monthly pension till their retirement age.
 Family members of deceased anganwadi workers will get Rs 7,500 and kin of deceased ASHA workers
will get Rs 5,000.
NABARD sanctioned Rs 795 cr for West Bengal
 National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 795 cr for reconstructing
infrastructure damaged by cyclone Amphan in West Bengal.
 The state government had sought Rs 1,028 crore from NABARD for repairing impaired embankments under
Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).
 Cyclone Amphan struck West Bengal on May 20, 2020, killing 96 people.
Rajya Sabha members to take oath on July 22
 The newly elected members of Rajya Sabha will be administered oath or affirmation on the 22 July 2020.
 For the first time, administration of oath will be done in the chamber of the House during inter-session.
 Subscribing to oath or affirmation is usually done either during the session or in the chamber of the
Chairman of Rajya Sabha, if the House is not in session.
1,000-bedded hospital in Surat inaugurated
 In Gujarat, CM Vijay Rupani has inaugurated the newly set up 1,000-bedded hospital in Surat.
 The new hospital has been set up within the short span of 15 days at the Surat Civil hospital campus and
will have 211 ICU beds.
 It will not only provide adequate beds but also offer modern treatment facilities to COVID-19 patients.
Uttarakhand to generate electricity from waste
 The Uttarakhand government has decided to convert waste generated in the state to electricity under an
initiative titled 'Waste to Energy'.
 The scheme also aims to solve the problem of unavailability of landfills to dispose of the solid waste across
the hill state which has 10 out of 13 districts as hill areas.
 At present 900 tonnes of waste is generated in the hill state every day.
IITs decide to do away with 75% marks criteria
 IITs will do away with admission criterion of minimum 75 percent marks in class 12 this year.
 Joint Admission Board of the IITs has decided that all qualified candidates who have passed class XII
examination will now be eligible for admissions in IITs in 2020 irrespective of marks obtained.
 The decision has been taken in view of partial cancellation of class 12 exams by several boards.
NTPC, NIIF to explore business opportunities
 NTPC and the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) will now jointly explore business
opportunities in India.
 NIIF will be acting through National Investment and Infrastructure Fund Ltd (NIIFL) to explore opportunities
for investments in areas of mutual interest with NTPC, such as renewable energy and power distribution.
 A MoU for the same was signed on 16 July 2020.
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Uttarakhand CM inaugurated 'Smriti Van'

 On the occasion of Harela festival in Uttarakhand, CM Trivendra Singh Rawat inaugurated 'Smriti Van' at
Asthal village of Dehradun district in the memory of famous folk singer of the state late Jeet Singh Negi.
 Harela festival, which marks the onset of monsoon in Uttarakhand, is celebrated across hills three times
every year.
 Harela means the day of green.
5-day orientation programme at IIM, Jammu
 Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on 16 July 2020 inaugurated a five-day orientation programme for 5th
batch of MBA and 1st batch of PhD programme at IIM, Jammu.
 He also informed that the UT Government has started an outreach programme with an investment of over
Rs 25000 crore which will pave a way for the establishment of new industrial hubs and industrial estates
even in the small districts.
Arun Jaitley's family donated pension
 The Rajya Sabha Secretariat has decided to start an employees' welfare scheme in the name of former
Union Minister Arun Jaitley.
 Arun Jaitley, who had a long association with the Rajya Sabha, died in August 2019.
 After his death, his wife Sangeeta Jaitley submitted a request stating that the family would like to donate
the pension for the benefit of the low-salaried employees in Rajya Sabha.
Surat's company invented low-cost ventilator
 Surat's two companies-DRC Techno and InnovSeed, have developed a high-quality ventilator at a low cost,
under Make in India.
 They have taken inspiration from the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
 This ventilator is developed at a low cost, which has all the features which an International companies'
ventilator possesses.
IIT Madras developed a portable hospital
 An IIT Madras-incubated start-up Modulus Housing has developed a portable hospital unit that can be
installed anywhere within two hours by four people.
 Called ‘MediCAB,’ it is a decentralized approach to detect, screen, identify, isolate and treat COVID-19
patients in their local communities through these portable microstructures.
 It has been launched recently in Wayanad District of Kerala.
HRD Minister launched NISHTHA programme
 HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has launched the first on-line NISHTHA programme for 1200 Key
Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh.
 NISHTHA is a national initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement at the elementary
stage under Samagra Shiksha -a flagship programme of the Ministry to improve learning outcomes.
 NISHTHA in face-to-face mode was launched on 21 Aug 2019.
Gujarat CM inaugurated tourism project
 In Gujarat, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has inaugurated various tourism and pilgrimage project worth 126
Crore rupees during the e-launching event organized in Gandhinagar.
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 The state government is considering setting up a tourism circuit connecting Jyotirlinga-Somnath, Sasangir,
Sinhadarshan, Girnar Parvat, Uparkot and Somnath beach.
COVID wards to be created in 6 jails in MP
 In Madhya Pradesh, coronavirus wards will be created in six central jails across the state, including Bhopal,
Gwalior, Indore, Ujjain, Jabalpur and Sagar.
 Arrangement of the doctors required for the treatment of prisoners will also be ensured.
 A decision has been taken to extend the parole period by 60 days.
 For this, the Home department will send a proposal to the high power committee.
KVIC opened footwear training center in Delhi
 Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has opened first-of-its-kind footwear training centre in Delhi
to train the marginalized community of leather artisans.
 The centre has been established with the technical knowhow of Central Footwear Training Institute (CFTI),
Agra.
 It will provide a comprehensive two months training program to leather artisans for making high-quality
footwear.
Ministry of Finance released Rs 15,187 crore
 Ministry of Finance has released an amount of over 15,187 crore rupees as grants-in-aid to 2.63 lakh Rural
Local Bodies (RLBs) spread in 28 States of the country.
 This grants-in-aid forms part of the Tied Grant as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission for the
Financial Year 2020-21.
 It will facilitate taking up of various developmental work concerning supply of drinking water, etc.
Manipur: NSTI extension centre inaugurated
 Union Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mahendra Nath Pandey has inaugurated a
National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) Extension Centre.
 It is located at the campus of Government ITI in Imphal.
 It will produce Vocational Instructors and facilitate need-based short term training courses as 117
Engineering trades are being taught at CTS Level in the North-Eastern Region.
State culture council in Chhattisgarh
 Chhattisgarh govt has approved the formation of Chhattisgarh Culture Council with the objective to save,
cherish and promote the folk arts and culture of the state.
 All the units of the Culture Department will be integrated under this council.
 Before the formation of Chhattisgarh state, all cultural activities in Chhattisgarh were conducted from
Bhopal.
Telangana DGP launched CybHer campaign
 Telangana DGP along with the women safety wing of Telangana police has launched the CybHer campaign.
 It aims at providing safe cyberspace for women and children.
 The month-long campaign will focus on cases of paedophile activity, sexual harassment of minors and
young adults under the guise of education activity online, malware and data theft of personal information.
UP CM launched Fertilizer Distribution Program
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 UP CM Yogi Adityanath has launched the urea and other fertilizer distribution program for the farmers in
the state.
 The program will not only help spread awareness among the farmers but also ensure the availability of the
adequate Urea in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
 The program is headed by Hindustan Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited.
Maharashtra started an initiative in Nashik
 Maharashtra government has initiated a measure "HEALTHCARE SERVICE AT YOUR DOORSTEP".
 As many as 556 squads have been formed and they have been tasked to trace the COVID positive patient.
 The squads have been tasked to visit the residence of suspected COVID-positive patients in various parts of
the district namely Trimbakeshwar, Igatpuri, Kalwan, Pet and others.
Poba Reserve Forest to be upgraded
 Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal has announced that Poba Reserve Forest, the vital biodiversity hotspot in
Dhemaji would be upgraded to a wildlife sanctuary.
 Poba Reserve Forest declared in 1924 with an area of 10,522 hectares, is home to a wide range of flora and
fauna.
 It is under serious threats from anthropogenic activities and natural calamities particularly erosion by the
Siang river.
India's 1st contactless car parking
 GMR Hyderabad International Airport Limited (GHIAL) is offering fully contact-less airport car parking
service.
 With this development, the Hyderabad international airport now offers the country's first and only fully
contact-less airport car parking experience for passengers and visitors.
 The airport has introduced a high standard of safety with contact-less toll transactions.
DCGI approved a vaccine
 Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval to the first fully indigenously developed
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine.
 This vaccine is used for active immunization against invasive disease and pneumonia caused by
“Streptococcus pneumonia” in infants.
 This is the first indigenously developed vaccine in the field of pneumonia.
Most affordable COVID-19 test kit launched
 HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Minister of State for HRD Sanjay Dhotre have launched the
most affordable COVID-19 test Kit.
 It has been produced by IIT Delhi.
 COROSURE is one of the companies which has received the non-exclusive license from IIT Delhi for the
probe free RT-PCR based COVID-19 test kit.
 It has been manufactured by New Tech Medical Devices.
NABARD launched projects worth Rs 44 lakhs
 In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, NABARD has launched development projects worth Rs 44 lakhs.
 They have been launched in order to strengthen the concept of Atmanirbhar Bharat through rural
entrepreneurship.
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 NABARD will conduct 385 village-level programmes and provide training to leaders of newly formed SHGs
with a sum of more than 10 lakh rupees.
Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission
 Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal addressed the opening session of
Digital Indo-Italian Business Mission on Food Processing on 15 July 2020.
 Under the two-day event, digital conferences, trade fair and B2B meetings are being held.
 She also highlighted various opportunities offered by her Ministry in the form of ready infrastructure such
as Mega food parks.
Shripad Naik inaugurated a Conference
 Union Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik delivered his inaugural address at the Fifth Edition of the
Conference on Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Technologies in New Delhi on 15 July 2020.
 The theme of the conference was Empowering India with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Mission’.
 The defence sector growth has increased at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 9.7 per cent from 2008 to
2016.
Rs 15,000 for final rites of those deceased
 Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced Rs 15,000 for the last rites of deceased COVID
patient.
 He has also instructed the officials to take up a one-week special drive to provide qualitative services in the
quarantine centres where the call centre number should be displayed for complaints.
 Strict action will be taken against those hospitals that refuse to treat COVID-19 cases.
IPGA successfully hosted a Webinar
 India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) successfully hosted the first webinar of 'THE KNOWLEDGE
SERIES'.
 It was focused on the path-breaking reforms announced by the Indian Government and their impact on
Domestic Trade, Agri-Production, Market Dynamics, Investments and Supply Chain.
 The webinar generated a huge response with over 900 participants from more than 30 countries attending
it.
NABARD to give banks refinance of Rs 5,000 cr
 The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced Rs 5,000 crore of
refinance scheme for banks and financial institutions.
 It will provide finance to the beneficiaries of its 2,150 watershed development projects.
 These projects cover 2.3 million hectares of rainfed area, watershed and tribal development project areas.
DRDO developed P7 heavy drop system
 DRDO has developed P7 Heavy Drop System which is capable of para dropping military stores up to 7-ton
weight class from IL 76 aircraft.
 This system is fully indigenous and being manufactured by L&T which makes the platform system,
parachutes manufactured by Ordnance Factory.
 This system has been made under the Make in India programme.
My Life - My Yoga contest winners announced
 Ministry of AYUSH has announced the names of the winners of My Life - My Yoga Video Blogging Contest.
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 This global contest was launched on 31 May 2020 by PM Narendra Modi, on the occasion of 6th
International Day of Yoga.
 The first winners in the professional category are Ashwath Hegde and Rajni Gehlot.
 Rajpal Singh Arya and Shailee Prasad are first in the adult category.
Tamil Nadu launched a learning programme
 Tamil Nadu CM Edappadi Palaniswamy has launched a television-based learning programme for
10th standard students.
 The Kalvi television channel will initially air two-and-a-half hours of teaching programmes for the students
during the weekdays.
 The move is aimed at helping students to continue their studies through the alternative method until the
schools reopen.
ITBP released Helpline number
 Indo Tibetan Border Police, ITBP has released the Helpline number of ITBP Call Centre at Sardar Patel COVID
Care Centre & Hospital, Chhatarpur in New Delhi.
 Those who can't maintain social distancing at home or those who need any help related to admission at
COVID Care Centre can contact, 011- 26655547, 011- 26666949, 011- 26655549, 011- 26655548.
 The e-mail-ID is spcccdelhi@itbp.gov.in.
HRD Ministry announced guidelines
 The HRD Ministry has announced guidelines for online classes operationalised by schools amid the COVID
pandemic.
 HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank virtually released the PRAGYATA guidelines on digital education on
14 Jul 2020.
 The guidelines recommend a cap on the screen time for students.
 The online classes for pre-primary students should not be for more than 30 minutes a day.
Govt approved fund for firefighting facilities
 Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has approved Rs 107 cr rupees for augmentation of firefighting
facilities on five jetties of Haldia Dock Complex at Kolkata Port.
 The modern firefighting facility will enable the Haldia Dock Complex in safe handling of the movement of
petro-chemical products.
 The existing fire fighting facility does not support the handling of the LPG.
Webinar on Thunderstorms and Lightning
 Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai presided over the inaugural session of webinar on
Thunderstorms and Lightning on 14 July 2020.
 The webinar was organised by the National Institute of Disaster Management in collaboration with India
Meteorological Dept.
 It focussed on enhancing human capacity in terms of better understanding about thunderstorms and
lightning risks.
The Padmanabhaswamy Temple Case
 On July 13, 2020, the Supreme Court reversed the 2011 Kerala High Court judgement after they upheld the
rights of the former royal family to run the administration of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala.
 The temple was earlier controlled by the state govt after the High Court's decision.
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 Before this, it was controlled by Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, the last ruler of Travancore.
India’s only 'Golden' tiger spotted in Assam
 A golden tiger was spotted in the Kaziranga National Park, Assam.
 The photo of the rare tiger was taken by Mayuresh Hendre and shared by Indian Forest Services officer
Parveen Kaswan.
 According to Kaswan, this is the only documentation of a golden tiger or the Golden Tabby tiger in the 21st
century.
 Tigers can be born “golden” due to a recessive gene that gets expressed due to inbreeding.
Bhanu Jayanti celebrated in Sikkim
 206th birth anniversary of Nepali poet Adikavi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya or Bhanu Jayanti was celebrated in
Sikkim on 13 July 2020.
 Nepali Sahitya Parishad organised a programme at Bhanu Udyan in Gangtok, which was attended by
Governor Ganga Prasad and CM Prem Singh Tamang.
 Adikavi Bhanu Bhakta Acharya laid the foundation of Nepali literature and also translated Ramayana from
Sanskrit to Nepali.
NeFMS launched in Srinagar
 In J&K, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan has e-launched National Electronic Fund
Management System (NeFMS) at Civil Secretariat in Srinagar on 13 July 2020.
 It will address the grievances of the workers associated with the various centrally sponsored schemes.
 It will also pave the way for direct and faster release of wages under the MGNREGS and other schemes.
UP: Emergency services linked to 112 helpline
 UP govt has expanded the ambit of the emergency police helpline number 112, and linked fire, ambulance,
railway police and disaster relief services with it.
 Now people do not need to remember so many emergency numbers and they can directly call 112.
 Now for any kind of emergency issues related to Govt, Police, fire control, 108 ambulance etc., people can
call on 112 directly.
15 important projects inaugurated in J&K
 J&K Lieutenant Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu e-inaugurated 15 important infrastructural projects of
School Education Dept.
 He also e-inaugurated 10 power projects worth Rs. 19.51 cr and laid foundation stones for 7 other costing
Rs. 30.35 cr.
 These 10 are for Srinagar, Shopian, Anantnag, Budgam and Kulgam districts and the other 7 are for Srinagar,
Pulwama, Anantnag and Baramulla districts.
Gujarat: HSBC to set up IFSC Banking Unit
 HSBC is to set up the IFSC Banking Unit at Gujarat International Finance Tec City, GIFT city in Gandhinagar
Gujarat.
 This development marks a major milestone for HSBC in India, which has been present in the country for
more than 160 years.
 GIFT IFSC Banking Units have played a pivotal role in the development of IFSC in India by providing dollar
financing to Indian corporates.
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NHAI to collaborate with IITs, NITs

 NHAI has approached all IITs, NITs and reputed Engineering Colleges to collaborate and adopt nearby
stretches of National Highways on a voluntary basis as part of Institutional Social Responsibility.
 The objective is to leverage the intellectual prudence of students and faculty towards improvement of road
infrastructure ecosystem of the country.
New economic corridor projects in Haryana
 Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid foundation stones
for various new economic corridor projects worth over Rs 20,000 crore in Haryana on 14 July 2020.
 Chief Minister Manohar Lal presided over the function.
 The projects are expected to save time, fuel and costs and benefit the backward regions of Haryana.
Govt to increase public health expenditure
 The government aims at gradually increasing the public health expenditure to 2.5 per cent of the nation's
GDP by the year 2025.
 The outlay for primary health expenditure will also be made nearly two-third of the total public health
expenditure in the country.
 The Health Ministry has also revised its fund requirement of around 4.9 lakh crores to 6.04 lakh crores in
view of the pandemic.
AIIMS Patna starts trial of COVID vaccine
 AIIMS Patna has begun the human trial of coronavirus vaccine from July 13, 2020.
 The trial will be conducted on 18 volunteers selected by the hospital authority.
 A total of three dosages of injection will be given to the patients to complete the trial process.
 The first dose of the vaccine will be given to only those whose reports will be fine.
IRB Infra secured Rs 2,193 cr project in WB
 IRB Infrastructure has secured a Rs 2,193-crore highway project in West Bengal under the Bhartmala
Pariyojna.
 The project for widening of 63.83 km stretch on National Highways-19 is its first project in eastern India and
marks its entry in the ninth state in the country.
 The project is on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) pattern.
Tsuzuki to set up plant in Jhajjar
 Model Economic Township Ltd (METL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd, informed that Tsuzuki will set
up a manufacturing facility at its Jhajjar-based (Haryana) location.
 The company has entered into an agreement with Tsuzuki in this regard.
 Tsuzuki will manufacture steering knuckle for the automobile industry at Reliance MET.
HDFC ERGO launched Corona Kavach policy
 HDFC ERGO, country's 3rd-largest non-life insurance provider, has announced the launch of 'Corona Kavach'
policy.
 This new indemnity health policy will offer cover against medical expenses incurred due to the
hospitalization of individuals seeking treatment for COVID-19.
 It will also cover expenses incurred on the treatment of co-morbidity along with the treatment for COVID-
19.
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Google announced 'Digitization' fund for India

 Google CEO Sundar Pichai has announced that as part of the company's Google for India initiative, Google
will invest $10 billion (Rs 75,000 crore) in India.
 The fund will be spent on upscaling of Google's digital India mission.
 Google will do this through a mix of equity investments, partnerships, and operational, infrastructure, and
ecosystem investments.
Voluntary National Review presented
 NITI Aayog presented India’s second Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the United Nations High-level
Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, 2020.
 The HLPF is the foremost international platform for follow-up and review of progress on the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
 The VNR was presented by Dr Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog.
COVID-19 medicine price reduced
 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has cut the price of its antiviral drug Favipiravir, under the brand name FabiFlu,
for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, by 27 per cent to ₹75 per tablet.
 Glenmark Pharmaceuticals had launched FabiFlu in June 2020 at a price of ₹103 per tablet.
 The new maximum retail price (MRP) is ₹75 per tab.
India's first e-Lok Adalat organised
 An e-Lok Adalat was held in Chhattisgarh on 11 July 2020.
 The e-Lok Adalat that intended to swiftly settle pending cases is cited as the first such attempt in the
country.
 Over 3 thousand cases were heard in more than 200 benches of various districts across the state including
the high court in Bilaspur.
 It was inaugurated by High Court Chief Justice P R Ramchandra Menon.
RCF introduced hand cleansing Gel
 Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (RCF) has introduced a skin-friendly, moisturizer-based hand
cleansing Gel, RCF SAFEROLA.
 The gel contains Iso Propyl Alcohol and Aloe Vera extract.
 RCF has fixed the price for its hand cleansing gel at Rs 25 for 50 ml and Rs 50 for a 100 ml bottle.
 It is aimed at containment of the current pandemic amidst the ensuing demand for hand sanitisers.
J&K govt issued guidelines for tourists
 The Jammu and Kashmir government has issued guidelines for the arrival of tourists in the union territory.
 It has decided to open the tourism sector in a phased manner from 14 July 2020.
 In the first phase, tourism will be limited only to those arriving by air.
 The RT-PCR testing of all tourists on arrival has been made compulsory.
UP govt issued guidelines for academic session
 The UP govt has issued new guidelines regarding the beginning of the next academic session in the state
universities.
 The admission process to graduation classes will begin from September and classes for first-year graduation
will start from October 1, 2020.
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 Classes for all post-graduation classes will begin on 1st November 2020.
Maharashtra government to set up testing lab
 As part of an effort to ramp up testing facilities, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has inaugurated a
COVID RT-PCR laboratory in Jalna city in Marathwada.
 The state government has augmented various health facilities for people, and also ramped up tracing and
testing.
 The government is planning to set up sample testing laboratories in all districts.
MP govt to run 'Roko -Toko' campaign
 In Madhya Pradesh, the government will now run a Roko -Toko campaign for those who do not wear masks.
 Now selected voluntary organizations will provide masks to the people who do not wear masks in public
places and will charge an amount of Rs 20 per mask from the concerned.
 The selected organizations will be provided 100 masks created under 'Jeevan Shakti Yojana' on credit.
24000 labourers got job through Rozgar Setu
 In Madhya Pradesh, more than 24,000 migrant labourers have already got permanent employment through
the ‘Rozgar Setu’ portal.
 This includes 79.5% men and 20.5% women.
 Job cards of around three lakh 55 thousand migrant labourers have been prepared.
 Along with this, employment has been provided to one lakh 89,959 migrant workers under MNREGA.
DCGI approved Itolizumab for COVID patients
 The Drugs Controller General of India has approved Itolizumab for restricted emergency use on COVID-19
patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome.
 It has approved Itolizumab injection for the treatment of 'cytokine' release syndrome in moderate to severe
acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients due to COVID-19.
 The injection is also used to treat psoriasis.
Atal Innovation Mission launched a module
 NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission has launched the ATL App Development Module for school children
across the country.
 It is an online course, which is completely free.
 Through six project-based learning modules and online mentoring sessions, young innovators can learn to
build mobile apps in various Indian languages and showcase their talent.
Amit Shah launched a plantation drive
 Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the Central Armed Police Forces-CAPFs nationwide tree
plantation drive on 12 July 2020.
 Under this drive, saplings were planted by the jawans of Central Armed Police Forces in Chhattisgarh.
 All the CAPFs will undertake a drive in their respective organisations to achieve the collective target of
planting more than 1.35 crore saplings by July 2020.
Rajasthan launched a campaign
 A campaign has been launched in Rajasthan to ensure the purity of milk and its products.
 Samples of milk and dairy products will be collected under the campaign ''Pure for Sure'' from July 8-14,
2020.
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 All the necessary equipment and facilities are being provided to all the food safety officers.
 Information related to samples will be provided by the food safety officers on the FSSAI app.
CCI approved a proposed deal
 The Competition Commission has approved the proposed deal involving Eros International Plc, STX
Filmworks Inc and Marco Alliance Ltd.
 Eros is an Indian entertainment company that acquires, co-produces, and distributes films.
 Under the two-step transaction, an indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of Eros will merge into STX.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik launched BLUIS
 Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has launched 8 technology-driven solutions under 5T initiatives for Home and
General Administration departments.
 He extended the dateline for online delivery of public services to October 2 from August 15, 2020 in view of
the pandemic.
 The technology solutions for public services launched include Bhubaneswar Land Use Intelligence System
(BLUIS) and e-Pravesh app.
Amitabh-Abhishek Bachchan corona positive
 Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan and son Abhishek Bachchan have tested positive for coronavirus and have
been taken to a hospital.
 The actors are at the Respiratory Isolation Unit at the Nanavati Hospital in Mumbai.
 Both of them have mild symptoms.
 Amitabh Bachchan lives in Mumbai, which has been one of the worst hit cities, recording 91,745 cases and
5,244 deaths so far.
Maharashtra govt, SBI to set up stress fund
 The government of Maharashtra along with the State Bank of India is setting up a stress fund.
 This will restart stuck slum rehabilitation projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and other
urban areas of the state.
 The government will infuse Rs 700 crore to Rs 1,000 crore in this fund aimed at providing financial support
to revive such projects.
Employment helpline for migrant labourers: J&K
 In Jammu and Kashmir, Pulwama Deputy Commissioner Dr. Raghav Langer has launched an employment
helpline for migrant labourers of the district.
 It is aimed to provide employment to people in labour-intensive sectors.
 The labourers willing to work in various labour-intensive sectors are requested to contact on Landline No.
01933-241218, Mobile No's 7006010738 and 7006727551.
UP govt to launched massive sanitisation drive
 UP govt launched a massive sanitisation drive across the state on 11 July 2020.
 Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath monitored the drive aimed at containing COVID-19 in the state.
 UP is under a series of restrictions of a period of 55 hours since 10 July 2020.
 The restrictions, which started at 10 PM on 10 July 2020, will continue till 5 AM on 13 July 2020.
Dr Harsh Vardhan released a White paper
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 Science and Technology Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has released a white paper on “Focused Interventions
for ‘Make in India’: Post COVID 19” and “Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients: Status, Issues, Technology
Readiness and Challenges".
 It has been prepared by Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC).
 The White Paper has highlighted five sectors.
Government launched ASEEM portal
 Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched Aatamanirbhar Skilled Employee-
Employer Mapping (ASEEM) portal.
 It will help skilled people find sustainable livelihood opportunities.
 The portal will map details of workers based on regions and local industry demands and will bridge the
demand-supply gap of skilled workforce across sectors.
Tribal Affairs Ministry, Facebook host webinar
 Ministry of Tribal Affairs on 10 July 2020 hosted a Webinar along with Facebook India in New Delhi.
 It was for sensitization of Members of Parliament from Scheduled Tribe (ST) Constituencies on Going Online
As Leaders (GOAL) Project.
 Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda and Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh Saruta
also participated in the Webinar.
Mastercard commits Rs 250 crore to India
 Mastercard has announced a commitment of Rs 250 crore to help reboot Indian small and medium
enterprises (SMEs) and enable business recovery.
 This is an extension of Mastercard's expanded worldwide commitment to financial inclusion which pledges
to bring a total of one billion people and 50 million micro and small businesses into the digital economy by
2025.
Mobile app for farmers launched in Mizoram
 The Mizoram government has launched a mobile application for farmers to give them the latest agriculture-
related information.
 The state government has been making massive efforts to alleviate the difficulties faced by farmers, who
have been affected by the lockdown.
 The app will have various features, including information on cultivation of various crops, maximum
requirement for seeds, etc.
GAIL to invest in Start-Ups
 In a bid to support Start-Ups operating in the area of Compressed Bio Gas, GAIL (India) Limited has
announced plans to invest in such companies through its Start-Up initiative 'Pankh'.
 GAIL had launched its ambitious Start-Up initiative 'Pankh' in July 2017 to invest in promising Start-Ups.
 The Start-Ups that are interested in equity investment from GAIL can apply on gailonline.com.
Loyal Textile launched reusable PPE
 Loyal Textile Mills Limited on July 9, 2020, launched Viral Shield, a line of COVID-19 anti-viral, reusable PPE,
masks and protective fashion wear range.
 The series has been launched in collaboration with Reliance Industries India and HeiQ from Switzerland.
 PPE has a triple shield technology and can be washed ten times and sterilised 10 times for reuse.
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Hitachi ABB won a Rs 120 crore Order

 In an order worth Rs 120 crore, Hitachi ABB Power Grids India will be delivering its transformers
to Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), for the production of 400 passenger and freight locomotive
engines.
 Through the project, Hitachi ABB Power Grids continues to contribute to the country’s mission to be the
world’s first net-zero carbon emitter by the end of the decade.
Google Plus relaunched as Google Currents
 Internet search giant Google has relaunched its social networking platform Google+ as Currents.
 The company has rebranded the app to Google Currents on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
 The Google Currents app is now available on both the apps stores, however, it is only for enterprise
customers.
 The Google Currents platform was announced in April 2019 for G Suite users.
ISM distributed immune boosting medicines
 In J&K, Indian System of Medicine (ISM) Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy
(AYUSH) distributed the immune-boosting medicines.
 These medicines were distributed among 10,858 beneficiaries of block Keller, Shopian and Zainapora in the
south Kashmir's district of Shopian.
 The officials advised the locals to strictly follow the SoPs related to COVID-19.
Nadaun Police Station ranked as one of best
 Nadaun Police Station of Hamirpur district in Himachal Pradesh has been ranked as one of the best Police
Stations of the country.
 Certificate of Excellence was provided to this Police Station by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
 Director General of Police Sanjay Kundu presented this Certificate of Excellence received by him from Union
Home Minister to the Chief Minister in Shimla 9 July 2020.
750 MW Solar project at MP's Rewa
 PM Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation a 750 MW Solar project set up at Rewa in MP.
 The Rewa project will reduce carbon emission equivalent to about 15 lakh ton of CO2 per year.
 The project comprises three solar generating units of 250 megawatt each located on a 500 hectare plot of
land situated inside a Solar Park.
 The Solar Park was developed by the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited.
Reprint of 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur
 The Ministry of Culture has taken up the project of reprinting of 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur under
the National Mission for Manus, NMM.
 The first set of five volumes of Mongolian Kanjur published under the NMM was presented to the President
Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of Dharma Chakra Day.
 Mongolian Kanjur is considered to be the most important religious text in Mongolia.
ICMR plans nationwide sero-surveillance
 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is planning to conduct a nationwide sero-surveillance to evaluate
the trend of COVID-19 infection among the population.
 It will be a follow-up to a similar study conducted earlier.
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 The final results of the sero-survey conducted by the ICMR in May 2020, which focused on infections of
mid-April is still under process.
India's largest Butterfly
 A Himalayan butterfly named Golden Birdwing is India’s largest.
 This record was earlier held by Southern Birdwing for 88 years.
 With a wingspan of 194 mm, the female of the species is marginally larger than the Southern Birdwing (190
mm) that Brigadier William Harry Evans, a British military officer had recorded in 1932.
 But the male Golden Birdwing is much smaller at 106 mm.
6 new bridges inaugurated in Jammu Division
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated 6 new bridges built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in
the Jammu Division of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
 The bridges have been built at the cost of around Rs 43 crores.
 Of the six bridges, four bridges are in Akhnoor sector and two in Jammu-Rajpura area.
CIDC initiated skill Development Programme
 Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC) has initiated a skill Development Programme in
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
 It will provide Employment oriented training and Skill development for the marginalized section.
 The NHIDCL, Port Blair in partnership with CIDC has planned a 3 months course from 1 Aug- 31 Oct 2020 for
Mason trade for the local youth/ school dropouts at Mayabunder.
AIIMS Jodhpur, ISCON launched a protection box
 AIIMS Jodhpur and ISCON Surgical Limited have jointly launched a protection box for doctors and other
health officials fighting the pandemic.
 The protection box has been named "Abhed- The Aero shield."
 The product could be used in operation theatres and also for patients admitted in Intensive Care Units
(ICUs).
Rs 1 lakh crore for agriculture infrastructure
 The Union Cabinet on July 8, 2020, has approved the allotment of funds worth Rs 1 lakh crore to support
farmers and agriculture infrastructure.
 The move will lead to strengthening the agriculture ecosystem.
 Also, the government allowed 7.4 crore poor women to avail of three free LPG cylinders till September
2020.
 Previously, they were to avail of this quota between April and June 2020.
5 Water Supply projects inaugurated: Manipur
 Manipur CM N. Biren Singh has inaugurated five Water Supply projects, one office building of Weight and
Measures Department and Rapid Antigen Detection Testing Centre at Jiribam.
 The five Water Supply projects located at different districts of Manipur were constructed with a total cost
of 48.39 crore rupees.
 They have a total capacity of more than 26.15 millions of litres per day.
India Global Week 2020 inaugurated
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 PM Narendra Modi delivered the inaugural address on the first day of India Global Week-2020 on 9 July
2020.
 The theme of the three-day virtual conference is Be The Revival: India and a Better New World.
 India Global Week- 2020 will have 5,000 global participants from 30 nations.
 In all, 250 global speakers will address the virtual conference in 75 sessions.
Fino Payments Bank launched account for minors
 Fino Payments Bank Limited has announced the launch of a savings account scheme for minors aged
between 10-18 years.
 'Bhavishya', a subscription-based savings account, can be opened by paying a nominal amount.
 The bank will initially introduce the Bhavishya savings account in UP, Bihar, and MP and gradually in other
states.
'Self Scan' app launched in West Bengal
 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a mobile application which has been developed
by the state's information technology department.
 It will scan documents and reflects patriotism.
 The state government's 'Self Scan' app came days after the Centre banned 59 Chinese mobile applications
and amid a call for boycott of Chinese goods.
Asia's largest Data Centre inaugurated
 Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray e-inaugurated Asia’s largest certified tier IV data centre near Mumbai.
 Located in Panvel, the Yotta NM1 data centre building is the largest of its kind in India, as well as the
second-largest in the world.
 The private facility is owned by the Hiranandani Group, via its fully owned subsidiary, the Yotta
Infrastructure Group.
Dr Harsh Vardhan released a guideline
 Union Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Harsh Vardhan and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh
Tomar have released the ‘Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano-based Agri-input and food products in India'
through video link.
 These Guidelines will help policy makers and regulators to frame effective provisions for future novel nano-
based products in the agri-input and food sectors of India.
Building named after Shyama Prasad Mukherjee
 The new administrative and academic building of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI),
Jharkhand has been named after Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on his birth
anniversary.
 Mukherjee dedicated his life to the unity and integrity of the country, gave the call for one nation-one law
and sacrificed his life in Kashmir.
Four jumbo COVID Care Centres inaugurated
 Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on 7 July 2020, inaugurated four jumbo COVID Care Centres
spread across Mulund, Dahisar, Mahalaxmi Race Course and Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.
 A total of 3520 beds have been added to Mumbai’s capacity, including 222 ICU beds.
 The facility has been built with the help of the City and Industrial Development Corporation - CIDCO.
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Recruitment of 10,000 Police Personnel

 Maharashtra government has announced the recruitment of 10,000 Police Personnel.
 Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said a decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by Deputy CM
Ajit Pawar in Mumbai on 7 Jul 2020.
 He also announced the establishment of women battalion of State Reserve Police Force in Katol Taluka of
Nagpur District.
 1,400 women candidates will be trained at Katol.
Free ration to PDS cardholders in Delhi
 Delhi Govt has decided to provide free ration to Public Distribution System (PDS) cardholders till November
2020.
 Distribution of food grains for July is scheduled to start in a phased manner from 8 July 2020.
 The govt will continue to provide foodgrains free of cost to the National Food Security (NFS) beneficiaries in
Delhi to mitigate the economic hardship caused by the COVID19 pandemic.
15th FC held meeting with World Bank
 15th Finance Commission on 7 July 2020 held a meeting with the World Bank and its High level Group (HLG)
on Health Sector.
 The meeting was held for a better understanding of the contours of the country’s Health Sector.
 World bank has recently successfully concluded a 20-year long partnership with the Government of India in
the area of HIV.
Syllabus for classes 9-12 reduced by 30%
 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rationalised the syllabus up to 30 per cent for classes 9 to
12 to make up for academic loss during COVID-19 lockdown.
 Considering the importance of learning achievement, it has been decided to rationalize syllabus by retaining
the core concepts.
 CBSE was advised to revise the curriculum looking at the situation in the world.
Himachal: 1st to have 100% gas connections
 Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in the country where 100% households have LPG connections.
 Under the central government's ''Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana'', gas connections were provided free of
cost to women of rural areas.
 The state govt had launched ''Himachal Grihini Suvidha Yojana'' to cover the left out families in the state,
who were not covered under the Centre's scheme.
Rajasthan plans third largest cricket stadium
 Rajasthan Cricket Association is planning to construct a state-of-the-art 75,000 seater swanky stadium near
Jaipur.
 When completed, it will be the third-largest cricket stadium in the world.
 The stadium will have facilities for indoor games, sports training academies, a clubhouse and parking for
nearly 4,000 vehicles.
 It will also have two practice grounds.
Dehing Patkai sanctuary to be upgraded
 The Assam govt has decided to upgrade Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary into a national park.
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 The 111.942 sq km Wildlife Sanctuary is located within the larger Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, which
spreads across the coal- and oil-rich districts of upper Assam (Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Sivasagar).
 It is believed to be the last remaining contiguous patch of lowland rainforest area in Assam.
5 startups to build a platform
 The Ministry of Electronics & IT earlier in April 2020 invited local technology startups to build a secure video
conferencing platform.
 The government shortlisted 10 Indian startups in June 2020, and it has now narrowed down to five startups.
 The top three startups are PeopleLink Unified Communications Pvt Ltd, Sarv Webs Pvt Ltd, and Techgentsia
Software Technologies Private Ltd.
Mylab launched a machine
 Mylab Discovery Solutions has launched a machine to automate the manual processes of molecular
diagnostic tests including RT-PCR tests for COVID-19.
 The machine will be available for pre-ordering starting July 13, it added.
 It can be used for a wide range of RNA and DNA-based tests including COVID-19 RT-PCR tests.
 It can take input of various sample types such as plasma, tissue, sputum.
IIT Roorkee launched an online course
 IIT Roorkee has launched a first-of-its-kind online programme on 'AI in Banking'.
 The 4-month programme, in collaboration with WileyNXT, will focus on training IT professionals and
graduates to implement artificial intelligence in the banking sector.
 It is meant for existing as well as recently-graduated technology and finance professionals.
India’s first NPNT compliant drone flight
 India's first No-Permission No-Takeoff (NPNT) compliant drone flight on the A200 Remotely Piloted Aircraft
System (RPAS) has been successfully completed.
 The flight was carried out in a green zone identified by the DGCA, near Tumkur in Karnataka and marks a
critical breakthrough in online testing and permission systems.
YES Bank launched an instant loan facility
 Yes Bank has launched an instant personal loan disbursal facility ‘loan in seconds’.
 The account holders identified by the bank can avail this quick loan disbursal facility without any document.
 Eligible customers will receive a communication with the link to apply for instant personal loan.
 The loan gets instantly credited to the accounts in a completely paperless and hassle-free way.
Maharashtra government launched a Job portal
 Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has launched the Maha Jobs Portal to provide employment
opportunities to local residents.
 The portal will help in the recruitment of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled employees.
 However, for people registering at the job portal, submitting domicile certificate is mandatory.
 Job seekers can apply for 17 sectors through the portal.
Ayurveda cured Coronavirus patients
 In Karnataka, an Ayurvedic doctor Giridhar Kaje has carried out the clinical trial of Ayurveda medicines for
Covid-19 cure in Bengaluru.
 The trial was approved by the Ethics Committee of Bengaluru Medical College.
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 It was carried out in the Victoria COVID hospital on 10 COVID positive patients.
 The clinical trial of Ayurveda tablets proved to be effective.
Darbar Move Offices formally opened
 In Jammu and Kashmir, the Darbar Move Offices formally opened at Srinagar on 6 July 2020.
 The Darbar Move was earlier supposed to open at Srinagar in the beginning of May 2020.
 The civil Secretariat shall continue to remain functional both at Jammu and Srinagar and the move
employees shall work on “as is where is” basis.
E-registration for travellers to Punjab
 In Punjab, the process of e-registration for all travellers to the state has been made mandatory from 6 July
2020.
 The travellers have to self-register online either through COVA app or through the state Govt's official
weblink before entering the state.
 The objective of e-registration is to avoid any inconvenience to the travellers due to crowding and long
queues at the border checkpoints.
First ever Plasma Bank in West Bengal
 In West Bengal, the first-ever Plasma Bank for treatment of COVID patients has come up at Kolkata Medical
College and Hospital.
 Besides, the opening of Plasma Bank, the Infectious Diseases hospital in Kolkata will be made as Centre of
Excellence.
 The School of Tropical Medicine will also be upgraded with required infrastructure to deal with the
situation.
DRDO to set up research cell at IIT Hyderabad
 The DRDO is going to establish a research cell at IIT Hyderabad to meet the future defence technological
requirements of the country.
 The DRDO - IITH Research Cell will undertake basic and applied research programmes in identified
technology areas.
 A MoU in this regard was signed on 3 July 2020.
 Some of its thrust areas include quantum technologies, sensors for defence applications, etc.
Ladakh Greenhouse Project launched
 Lt Governor R K Mathur has e-launched Mission Organic Development Initiative (MODI) of Ladakh and
Ladakh Greenhouse Project at Raj Niwas (Ladakh).
 As initiated by LAHDC Leh in 2019, project MODI is a development project to introduce organic farming into
the agricultural production system.
 It is proposed to be implemented in three phases in different blocks of Leh and Kargil districts.
Venkaiah Naidu launched super app 'Elyments'
 India’s first social media super application, Elyments, was launched by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, on 5
July 2020.
 The app was created by more than 1,000 IT professionals.
 It has been created with the user’s privacy as a priority.
 The data is stored in India and it will not be shared with a third party without consent from users.
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Delhi govt launched e-portal for its students

 The Delhi govt has launched an online portal, LEAD (Learning through E-Resources Made Accessible for
Delhi).
 It has over 10,000 instructional material and course content available on it for classes 1 to 12.
 LEAD will make textbooks, study material and course content as per the syllabus of CBSE, NCERT and Delhi
government’s curriculum accessible to students.
UV Pro UV-C disinfectant bag designed
 A western Maharashtra -based company has designed a UV Pro UV-C disinfectant bag.
 It will disinfect personal household and office belongings like fruits, vegetables, mobile phones, tablets,
purse, currency, covers of office files, etc.
 The UV Pro UV-C disinfectant box comes fitted with the Philips TUV 9w UV Lamp which is Ideal for
disinfecting household and office items within a few minutes.
MP: 'Intzaar Aap Ka' campaign started
 In MP, in order to attract tourists to the tourist places of the state; 'Intzaar Aap Ka' campaign has started on
social media platforms.
 The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has been inviting tourists by describing the characteristics of each
tourist destination in an attractive way with a tagline on social media platforms.
 Different tour packages have also been prepared for the tourists
BIEC turned into COVID Care Centre
 In Karnataka, the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre ‘BIEC’ has been converted into India’s largest
COVID Care Centre.
 With 10,100 beds, the centre is ready to keep asymptomatic and mildly asymptomatic patients including
children.
 The centre is well ventilated and has an adequate number of toilets, nursing stations, kitchens and other
required facilities.
Separate community kitchen in Madurai
 In Tamil Nadu, a separate community kitchen to provide meals three times a day to people in quarantine
has been operationalized in Madurai.
 A complete lockdown has been announced till 12 July 2020 in Madurai.
 Thiruparakundram, near Madurai, where total lockdown is in place, is famous for the hillock, where one of
the six Karthikeya temples of the state is situated.
New record created in Uttar Pradesh
 In Uttar Pradesh, a new record was created on 5 July 2020 by planting more than 25 crore saplings in a
single day.
 The unique feature of the plantation drive was to keep children and old age persons away from it due to
corona crisis and use of those plants which have medicinal properties.
 In 2019, the state went for a plantation drive of 22 crore saplings and11 crore saplings in 2018.
Government blocked 40 websites of SFJ
 The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has blocked 40 websites of Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
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 It is an unlawful organization and its websites have been blocked under the provisions of the Unlawful
Activities Prevention Act.
 The organization had launched a campaign for registering supporters for its cause.
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Hospital by DRDO
 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID hospital built by DRDO in Delhi has become operational from 5 July 2020.
 It is a 1000-bedded hospital with 250 ICU beds.
 The facility was built in a record time of 12 days by Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO
along with Home Ministry, Health Ministry, the Armed Forces, Tata Sons and other industry players.
NPCI to build smart data centre in Hyderabad
 The National Payment Corporation of India will develop its smart data centre in Hyderabad at an
investment of Rs 500 cr.
 It would be recognised as the first Tier IV data centre in Hyderabad.
 The facility, to be built as per the international standards, will house the national critical set-up with highly
secured infrastructure.
 It will host major services under the Digital India initiatives.
Bombardier bagged contract for Metro projects
 Bombardier Transport India has bagged a contract for the supply of 67 trains of three cars each for Kanpur
and Agra Metro projects.
 The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) has awarded the contract for supply, testing and
commissioning of 201 cars along with train control and signalling system to Bombardier Transport India Pvt.
Limited.
PM Modi launched 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat App'
 PM Narendra Modi has launched Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge to facilitate the start-up
community to create world-class Made in India Apps.
 The challenge is an endeavour of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Atal
Innovation Mission.
 This challenge will run in two tracks--Promotion of existing apps and development of new apps.
Good Clinical Practice Guidelines Handbook
 Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare has released the Good Clinical Practice
Guidelines Handbook.
 He also has released the Prospectus for Fellowship Programme for International Students (FPIS) of National
Board of Examinations (NBE).
 The exercise is aimed at the safety of doctors and patients alike.
Increase in price of Heparin
 India’s drug pricing regulator has allowed pharmaceutical companies to increase the ceiling price of
essential medicine heparin by 50% until December 31, 2020.
 Heparin is a blood thinner that has long been used in patients vulnerable to blood clots in their legs, lungs,
heart or other body parts.
 It is used to reduce their risk of heart attacks, strokes and pulmonary embolism.
Delhi govt to launch massive plantation drive
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 The Delhi government is all set to launch a campaign to plant as many as 31 lakh plants, trees, and shrubs
across the city by July 26, 2020.
 This holds significance as the national capital records high-level air pollution throughout the year.
 The government will launch a campaign from July 10 to July 26 during which 31 lakh saplings will be
planted.
HDFC Bank to offer ‘ZipDrive’ loan
 HDFC Bank has announced its plans to offer ZipDrive Instant Auto Loans to customers across 1,000 cities
across India.
 ZipDrive is HDFC Bank’s instant auto loan disbursal product, exclusively for bank customers with a pre-
approved offer.
 The offering is now being extended to Tier 2 and 3 cities, such as Bhimavaram in Andhra Pradesh, Hardoi in
UP, Thalassery in Kerala, etc, across India.
NHAI to set up InvIT
 The NHAI is in the process of setting up an Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) to facilitate investment in
the highways sector.
 This will be the first InvIT to be sponsored by any government entity in the country.
 A search committee has been set up for appointment of chairman and two independent directors for its
Investment Manager Board.
Hospital wards to be named after soldiers
 DRDO has decided to name different wards of new Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel COVID-19 Hospital in Delhi
after the Indian Army troops who lost their lives in the Galwan valley clash in June 2020.
 The centre with 1,000 beds will also have specialised intensive care unit beds and will be fully air-
conditioned.
 The ICU and Ventilator Ward in the hospital has been named as Col B Santosh Babu Ward.
NLC, Coal India formed a JV
 Government-owned mining majors NLC India Ltd and Coal India Ltd have formed a joint venture to develop
solar and thermal power assets to the tune of 5,000 megawatts of power.
 Both companies will hold equal 50:50 equity in the joint venture company.
 Coal India is the single largest coal producer worldwide and operates through 83 mining areas spread over
eight states in India.
Govt sanctioned Rs 4,000 crore to Karnataka
 Karnataka Agriculture Minister B C Patil has informed that the Central Government has sanctioned 4,000
crore rupees under Atmanirbhar programme to improve infrastructure for the Food Parks in the state.
 Infrastructure will be improved in four Food Parks developed in the state and plans will be afoot to set up
more.
 Food Parks will help economic stability of farmers.
Odisha government to start plasma therapy
 The Odisha Government has decided to start plasma therapy in the state in four of its hospitals for the
treatment of COVID-19 patients.
 The plasma therapy will initially be implemented in the SCB Medical College and Hospital and Ashwini
Hospital in Cuttack and SUM Hospital and KIIMS Hospital in Bhubaneswar.
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 A Technical Committee would be formed to outline the treatment plan for the therapy.
MP Police started helpline service
 In Madhya Pradesh, police have started a helpline service with the objective of controlling incidents of
increased suicides.
 The purpose of this helpline service is to help the aggrieved person in any way.
 The helpline service started by Betul district police has been named Aas-Pas means around so that a
distressed, disturbed, or depressed person does not feel lonely.
Toolkit for Swachh Survekshan 2021 launched
 Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has launched the toolkit for Swachh Survekshan-
2021.
 It is the sixth edition of the annual cleanliness survey of urban India conducted by Ministry of Housing and
Urban Affairs.
 Mr Puri also announced a new category of awards titled Prerak Dauur Samman as part of Swachh
Survekshan-2021.
AIR to broadcast its news magazine programme
 All India Radio broadcast its first-ever news magazine programme in Sanskrit on 4 July 2020.
 The programme titled, 'Sanskrit Saptahiki' will be of 20 minutes duration and can be heard at 7.10 A.M. on
All India Radio FM News Channel,100.1 MHz frequency every Saturday.
 Sukti, Prasang, Saptahiki, Sanskrit Darshan, Gyan Vigyan, Bal Vallari will be featured in the News Magazine.
Maharashtra seeks Rs 10,000 crore assistance
 Maharashtra Energy Minister Dr Nitin Raut has urged the Union Ministry of Power to provide a grant of Rs
10,000 cr to Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd (MSEDCL).
 MSEDCL incurred huge financial losses due to COVID-19 pandemic.
 Delayed tariff approvals by Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission and inadequacy of tariff
adversely affected the liquidity position of MSEDCL.
IAF modified Mi-17 helicopters
 3 Base Repair Depot (BRD) of the Indian Air Force and the Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO)
have developed an indigenous control system for two Mi-17 helicopters for spraying atomised pesticides to
arrest locust breeding.
 The pesticide Malathion, in appropriate concentration, would be filled in the internal auxiliary tank of 800
liters capacity fitted inside the helicopter.
Unique urban forest inaugurated in New Delhi
 The office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India in New Delhi has taken steps to establish an
Urban Forest in the Office Park.
 The forest is made up of trees which are native to the area and are three dimensional, multi-layered
communities having 30 times the surface area of the greenery of single-layered lawns.
 The urban forest will be self-sustainable by October 2021.
Zydus Cadila to initiate human clinical trials
 The Central Drug Standard Control Organisation has granted approval to Zydus Cadila to initiate phase I and
II human clinical trials in India for its potential COVID-19 vaccine.
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 This is the second potential vaccine after Bharat Biotech COVAXIN which got the approval for human clinical
trials.
 The vaccine ZyCoV-D has been developed indigenously at the Vaccine Technology Centre in Ahmedabad.
IIT Kanpur developed 'Mobile Masterjee'
 IIT Kanpur has developed a classroom-to-home teaching setup that can record the lectures or instructions
by the teachers while using their available smartphones.
 It is named 'Mobile Masterjee', which is a classroom-to-home teaching setup and will be very helpful to the
students in rural India.
 The product is lightweight and has adjustments to fit sheets and book on it.
Rs 3,000 stipend for lawyers in Tamil Nadu
 Tamil Nadu government has announced a monthly stipend of 3,000 rupees to junior lawyers for two years
to help them overcome financial difficulties.
 It is running an Advocates Welfare Scheme for more than three decades.
 Under the scheme, on the demise of the advocates, currently seven lakh rupees each is being given to their
families.
 This stipend is an additional measure to the scheme.
Yellow dustbins for corona residual: Indore
 To prevent corona infection, the Indore Municipal Corporation is placing Yellow dustbins at all major places
in the city.
 This is the third dustbin apart from blue and green coloured dustbins and being placed for only corona
infected material.
 Indore is among the top 10 COVID-19 infected cities of the country.
 It is possibly the 1st city to place a separate dustbin for the corona residual.
HRD Minister released an academic calendar
 HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has released eight weeks' alternative academic calendar for
Primary stage.
 It contains detailed guidelines for teachers on the use of technology and social media tools to impart
education while the students are at home.
 The calendar also covers experiential learning activities such as Arts Education, Physical Exercises, yoga,
pre-vocational skills, etc.
ICMR aims to launch indigenous COVID vaccine
 Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMR is planning to launch indigenous COVID-19 vaccine for public use
by the 15 Aug 2020 after completion of all clinical trials.
 ICMR has partnered with Bharat Biotech International Limited to develop this vaccine.
 This is the first indigenous vaccine being developed in India and one of the top priority projects of the
government.
1st edition of “Matsya Sampada” launched
 Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Giriraj Singh has launched the first edition
of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Newsletter “MATSYA SAMPADA”.
 It is published by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
 It would be published on a quarterly basis starting from the first quarter of the year 2020-21.
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Assam govt to set up plasma bank in Guwahati

 Assam government has decided to set up a plasma bank in Guwahati in the next four or five days.
 A plasma separator has already been installed at Guwahati Medical College.
 The government will launch the new testing model named 'COVID-19 AG test' in the next few days.
 A plasma bank will also be set in Delhi to help treat COVID-19 patients.
Drug Discovery Hackathon launched
 HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan jointly launched the Drug
Discovery Hackathon 2020 on 2nd July.
 It is an online competition and anybody from anywhere in the country or world can participate.
 The objective of this Hackathon is to identify drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2 by in-silico drug discovery
through the hackathon.
"Dream Kerala project" announced
 Kerala has announced "Dream Kerala project" for the rehabilitation of the Keralites returning from abroad
and for the overall development of the State.
 The State's economy is badly hit with many non-resident Keralites losing their job amid COVID crisis.
 The project aims, not only, the rehabilitation of returnees but also, using their skill and knowledge for
reviving the State.
UP govt to launch a special campaign
 UP Government launched a special campaign on 2 July 2020 for door to door medical screening in all
districts of Meerut division which are having large numbers of Corona positive patients.
 This kind of campaign will soon be launched in other parts of the state also.
 The State Government is also going to establish a big testing lab in Ghaziabad district for augmentation of
COVID testing.
Nagaland declared as disturbed
 The Centre has declared the entire Nagaland as a disturbed area for a further period of six months till
December-end, 2020.
 The area comprising the whole Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of
armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary.
 It has been declared disturbed for 6 months with effect from 30 June 2020.
Nine individuals declared as terrorists
 Home Ministry has declared nine individuals as designated terrorists under provisions of Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act.
 They include Wadhwa Singh Babbar, Lakhbir Singh, and Ranjeet Singh.
 These individuals are involved in various acts of terrorism from across the border and from foreign soil.
 They are trying to revive militancy in Punjab through their anti-national activities.
HDFC Bank launched 'e-Kisaan Dhan’ app
 HDFC Bank has announced the launch of ‘e-Kisaan Dhan' app for farmers all over India.
 Through this app the farmers will be able to access a bouquet of services, both banking and agriculture,
through their mobile phones.
 The app is a one-stop solution for all the information needed on agriculture practices by the farmers.
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Karnataka govt launched a portal

 Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa has launched ‘Skill Connect Forum’, a portal that connects job seekers with
employers on a common platform.
 An unemployed person will be imparted a skill and then enabled to get a job.
 Any individual can register on the portal by uploading details of their qualification, skill sets and other
details.
IIT Gandhinagar developed AI based tool
 Researchers at IIT Gandhinagar (IITGN) have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based deep learning
tool for detection of COVID-19 from Chest X-ray images.
 This online tool indicates the probability if a person is infected with COVID-19, which can be used for quick
preliminary diagnosis before the medical test.
 The tool is developed by Kushpal Singh Yadav (PI).
‘e-Granthalaya’ launched in Uttarakhand
 Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat has inaugurated “e-Granthalaya” (e-library) for connecting libraries
of state government universities and colleges.
 5 universities and 104 colleges in the state have been connected with e-library during the launch.
 As many as 35 lakh books are available to the students through the e-library and over 2.5 lakhs students will
be associated with it.
Odisha government planned a new initiative
 The Odisha Govt has planned to implement a new initiative 'Sabuja Odisha' to increase green cover through
extensive plantation over 1,30,264 hectares of land.
 This was decided in a high-level meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy.
 The people will be given the seedling of their choice at Rs 1 per seedling.
Online self certification facility in Shimla
 Online Self Certification facility for facilitating MSMEs has been launched in Shimla.
 This facility would facilitate in setting up the enterprises at the earliest.
 There will neither be any inspection of the enterprise nor any required clearance be sought from the
entrepreneur by the concerned depts for 3 years or till the enterprise starts functioning, whichever is
earlier.
World’s first ever online B.Sc. degree
 HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has launched World’s first ever online B.Sc. degree in Programming
and Data Science.
 The programme has been prepared and offered by the Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Madras.
 Data Science is one of the fastest growing sectors that is predicted to create 11.5 million jobs by 2026.
 This programme is open to anyone who has passed Class 12th.
RBI launched inflation expectations survey
 The RBI has launched the inflation expectations survey of households and responses of the participants will
be gathered over telephone in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
 The survey aims at capturing subjective assessments on price movements and inflation, of approximately
6,000 households.
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 The results of the survey are used as inputs for monetary policy.
PM SVANidhi Portal launched
 The Beta version of PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi “PM SVANidhi” Portal has been launched.
 The portal provides for an integrated end to end IT interface to users for availing benefits under the
scheme.
 The portal will facilitate multiple scheme functions viz. loan application flow, Mobile App, e-KYC of
applicants, integration with UIDAI, Udyamimitra, etc.
West Bengal set up 'COVID warrior club'
 The West Bengal govt has set up a 'COVID warrior club' in Murshidabad district, comprising people who
have recovered from the disease and willing to aid the administration in containing the pandemic.
 At present, 60 people who had recovered from the disease, have been enrolled as members.
 The government will pay the members an honorarium, and bear expenses of their food and
accommodation.
India's first COVID-19 vaccine candidate
 Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for human trials.
 This makes it India's first domestic candidate to get the green light.
 The Drug Controller General of India has approved the company's application to conduct a Phase I and II
clinical trial of Covaxin, which was developed along with the Indian Council of Medical Research's National
Institute of Virology.
India's 1st lichen park in Uttarakhand
 Uttarakhand forest department has developed India's first lichen park in Kumaon's Munsiyari, Pithoragarh
district.
 Lichens are found in the Himalayas up to 5000 metres and are important species as they are the best
bioindicators of the pollution levels.
 These Jurassic-era lichen species are used in food, perfumes, dyes and traditional medicines.
121 | P a g e

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Current Affairs Monthly Capsule I

Awards & Honours ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Awards & Honours

MyGov Corona Helpdesk won 2 awards

Days and Events

Maldives celebrated 55th Independence Day

International Day of Parliamentarism: 30 June

MOU & Agreements

 Hospital bills are not required for the claim.

 He succeeds N Baijendra Kumar who superannuates July 2020 end.

 Tewari’s appointment is followed by the resignation of present MD&CEO, Hardayal Prasad.

 Duda won 51% of the vote in the election.

UKIBC appointed Jayant Krishna as group CEO

Eminent dancer Amala Shankar passes away

Earl Cameron passed away

Russia successfully tested Zircon missile

Russia tests a 3D printed aircraft engine

Tunisia Prime Minister abruptly resigned

Russian President Vladimir Putin won in polls

Govt Policies and Schemes

Government launched four schemes

Science & Tech

Business & Economy

NABARD to give banks refinance of Rs 5,000 cr

 It exported 3.4 lakh tonnes steel during this period.

 Atletico moved on to 69 points after 37 matches.

Books and Authors

Stephen King’s new book

Commitees and Recommendaion

Andhra P approved formation of Study Committee

CSIO, AMESYS INDIA develop decontamination Box

 The government has banned 47 more Chinese apps in India.

India’s first honey testing laboratory set up

DRDO sets up COVID-19 testing facility at Leh

Govt warned against use of N-95 masks

Odisha announced monthly pension

Uttarakhand CM inaugurated 'Smriti Van'

NHAI to collaborate with IITs, NITs

Google announced 'Digitization' fund for India

Hitachi ABB won a Rs 120 crore Order

Recruitment of 10,000 Police Personnel

Delhi govt launched e-portal for its students

Assam govt to set up plasma bank in Guwahati

Karnataka govt launched a portal

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