Current Affairs 30 & 31 July 2023

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 30 & 31 July 2023, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2023 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

NHA launches 100 Microsites Project to Promote Digital Health Adoption

i.On July 28, 2023, the National Health Authority (NHA) launched the 100 Microsites project under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to promote digital health adoption and enhance healthcare accessibility for all.
ii.The project will be implemented by State Mission Directors of ABDM, while NHA will provide financial resources and overall guidance.
iii.Microsites are clusters of ABDM-enabled small and medium-scale healthcare facilities, such as clinics, nursing homes, hospitals (with less than 10 beds), laboratories, and pharmacies, offering digital health services to patients.
About National Health Authority (NHA):
Chief Executive Officer– S. Gopalakrishnan
Headquarter– New Delhi, Delhi
>> Read Full News

4th ECSWG & Environment & Climate Ministers Meeting was Held in ChennaiThe 4th Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) and Environment and Climate Ministers’ meeting was held between 26th to 28th July 2023, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).

• The 3-day meeting brought together around 300 delegates from G20 (Group of Twenty) member countries, invitee countries, and several International Organisations, with a focus on finalizing the Ministerial Outcome and the Presidency Documents under the two broad tracks of Environment and Climate.

Launch of Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC):
i.The Resource Efficiency Circular Economy Industry Coalition (RECEIC) was launched by Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in the 4th ECSWG meeting.

• The coalition’s objective is to unite nations, industries, and experts in their endeavor to propel the global circularity agenda forward.

ii.The foundational charter of RECEIC was signed and its logo was unveiled to mark the launch of the meeting which was attended by Ministers of seven countries such as Mauritius, Denmark, Italy, Canada, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) , France, and the European Union(EU).
About Tamil Nadu:
Chief Minister- M. K. Stalin
Governor- R. N. Ravi
Airports- Tuticorin or Thoothukudi Airport; Salem airport
Bird sanctuary- Karikili Birds Sanctuary, Kancheepuram; Kanjirankulam Birds Sanctuary, Ramanathapuram
>> Read Full News

Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Rajasthan and GujaratOn 27th – 28th July 2023, Prime Minister(PM) of India, Narendra Modi was on a two day visit to Rajasthan and Gujarat to inaugurate and launch various new initiatives and events.
i.He released the 14th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme worth over Rs 17,000 crore to more than 8.5 crores farmers.
ii.He also launched ‘Urea Gold’, a new variety of Urea coated with Sulphur to address sulphur deficiencies in the soil.
iii.PM Modi inaugurated Gujarat’s first greenfield airport‘ Hirasar greenfield  International airport’ in Hirasar, Rajkot,Gujarat.
iv.He inaugurated the 2nd edition of SemiconIndia 2023 conference organised by India Semiconductor Mission at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
v.He also inaugurated 5 Medical Colleges at Chittorgarh, Dholpur, Sirohi, Sikar, Sri Ganganagar and also laid the foundation stone for the 7 new medical colleges at Jhunjhunu, Baran, Bundi, Karauli, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk and Jaisalmer at Rajasthan.
>> Read Full News

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launches AMC Repo Clearing Limited and CDMDFi.On July 28, 2023, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance, initiated the trading on Limited Purpose Clearing Corporation mechanism (LPCC) called AMC Repo Clearing Limited (ARCL), during an event organized by Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in Mumbai, Maharashtra
ii.She also inaugurated Corporate Debt Market Development Fund (CDMDF).
iii.Both the initiatives intend to deepen the functioning of the corporate debt markets.
iv.The CDMDF is Rs 33,000-crore backstop facility for Mutual Funds (MFs), first mooted in the Union Budget of 2021-22. It was approved by SEBI in March 2023.
About Ministry of Finance:
Union Minister – Nirmala Sitharaman (RajyaSabha- Karnataka)
Ministers of State (MoS) – Pankaj Chaudhary; Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad
>> Read Full News

Ministry of Culture launched PORTAL OF ‘MERA GAON MERI DHAROHAR’, a Virtual Museum On 27th July 2023, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State (MoS) Ministry of Culture launched the virtual portal of Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (MGMD), a virtual museum that culturally maps over 6.5 lakh villages of India, at Qutub Minar premises in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The objective of the launch is to integrate the information regarding villages by using technologies, in order to identify and document the cultural heritage and village life of India.
• The interactive web portal developed under the MGMD will serve as the National Cultural Workplace (NCWP) for artists and crafts persons and provide a single window online platform for culture service providers.

Key People:
Meenakashi Lekhi, MoS, Ministry of Culture; Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, MoS, Ministry of Rural Development and Shobha Karandlaje, MoS, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare were also present on the occasion.
Key Points:
i.The event also included a digital village trivia and interactive puzzle game.
ii.On the occasion, the Projection Mapping Show was premiered, showcasing the rich Indian heritage and culture through captivating narratives of villages from all across India.
iii.Additionally, viewers can access synchronized audio for the show through the portal, making it convenient for them to watch from nearby places such as rooftops and balconies.
About Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (MGMD):
i.It is a component of National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM) established by the Ministry of Culture with an aim to express India’s cultural heritage and its creative potential to regenerate and revitalize rural economies, as a result making Village India self-reliant.
ii.MGMD is undertaken as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM), an initiative of the Government of India (GoI) to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements.
iii.The primary objective of the mission is to culturally map the art traditions and cultural practices along with the artists and craft-persons engaged in the preservation of these art forms.

MeitY signs MoU with MICT of Papua New Guinea to share India StackOn July 28, 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), India; and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) of the Papua New Guinea, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sharing INDIA STACK i.e., successful digital solutions implemented at population scale, in New Delhi, Delhi.

• This MoU was a follow-up to the 1st Global DPI (Digital Public Infrastructures) Summit organized by MeitY on June 12-13, 2023 in Pune, Maharashtra.

Note: India Stack is a set of digital infrastructure components that enable the delivery of various digital services to Indian citizens by utilizing Aadhaar, eSign, Digilocker, and Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
Signatories:
It was signed by Abhishek Singh, President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), National eGovernance Division (NeGD), MeitY, and Steven Matainaho, Secretary, (MICT) Papua New Guinea.
Key Points:
i.This MoU will lead to capacity building and foster collaboration in the implementation of population-scale Digital Public Infrastructure and Transformational Platforms. The ultimate goal is to enhance citizens’ ease of living and improve governance efficiency and transparency.
ii.During the event, discussions were also held on vital aspects of digital transformation, including Digital Public Infrastructure, Digital Identity, Digital Payment, Data Exchange, Data Governance, Data Protection Policies, internet, and mobile connectivity, among other topics.
Other Participants:
Sushil Pal, Joint Secretary, MeitY; Noel Colin Awiroweng Mobiha, Board Chairman, National ICT Authority; Paulias Korni, High Commissioner for Papa New Guinea High Commission,  among other officials

President Droupadi Murmu lays foundation of ‘Divine Light House’ of PBKIVV in Odisha
On 27th July 2023, President Droupadi Murmu laid the foundation stone for the “Divine Light House” of Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya (PBKIVV) at Dasabatia, Tamando, Bhubaneswar (Odisha) during her 3 day visit to Odisha from July 25 to 27 2023.

• The President also launched the 2023 theme of PBKIVV, “The Year of Positive Change” for conducting nationwide seminar and conferences
• She highlighted the significance of both material and spiritual development for humanity, with technology being a crucial driver of change.
• She also acknowledged the role of PBKIVV, a social and spiritual campaign in promoting spirituality through meditation and a disciplined lifestyle, leading to mental peace.

Note: Brahma Kumaris, officially known as ‘Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya’ is a worldwide spiritual movement founded by Pitashri Prajapita Brahma (well known as Dada Lekhraj) in 1936 in Hyderabad, Sindh (Present Pakistan) and formally established in October 1937

BANKING & FINANCE

Max Life Appointed as Lead Insurer for UP under State Insurance Plan of IRDAIMax Life Insurance Company Ltd (Max Life) has been appointed as the “Lead Insurer” for the State of Uttar Pradesh (UP) by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). This move is part of IRDAI’s state insurance plan to enhance financial awareness and insurance inclusion.
Cholamandalam (Chola) MS General Insurance Company Ltd, a joint venture (JV) of the Murugappa Group and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company Ltd, Japan has been appointed ‘Lead Insurer‘ for the state of West Bengal by the IRDAI in line with the its vision of “Insurance for All by 2047” (State Insurance Plan) to increase insurance awareness and penetration throughout West Bengal.
IRDAI State Insurance Plan:
i.The IRDAI’s state insurance plan is a collaborative effort with insurers by assigning two state governments to each insurer to increase financial awareness and drive insurance inclusion.
ii.The initiative aims to enable insurance for all by 2047, where every citizen has an appropriate life, health and property insurance cover, and every enterprise is supported by appropriate insurance solutions.
About Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
It is a statutory body formed under an Act of Parliament, i.e., Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999 (IRDAI Act 1999)
It is a public authority as defined in the Right to Information Act, 2005
Chairman– Debasish Panda
Headquarters– Hyderabad, Telangana
Incorporated in– 2000
>> Read Full News

RBI Includes S.Korea’s ‘NongHyup Bank’ in the list of Scheduled Banks under Schedule II of RBI Act, 1934Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a notification addressing all the banks regarding the inclusion of ‘NongHyup Bank’ in the Second Schedule to the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

• As per the RBI notification, NongHyup Bank has been officially include in the Second Schedule of the RBI Act 1934 and published in the Gazette of India (Part III – Section 4).
• The notification informs all the banks about the addition of NongHyup Bank to the regulated list.

Scheduled Banks:
i.Scheduled banks are those banks that are listed under Schedule II of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
ii.To qualify as a scheduled bank, the bank’s paid-up capital and collected funds must be at least Rs. 5 lakh.
iii.These banks are eligible for low interest loans from the RBI and also have membership in clearing-houses.
About NongHyup Bank (NH Bank):
i.NongHyup Bank (NH Bank), established in 2012, is a commercial bank headquartered in Seoul, South Korea.    
ii.NH Bank is a 100%  subsidiary of the NongHyup Financial Group Inc and it is owned by National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NACF), an umbrella organization for Korean agricultural cooperatives founded in 1961.
iv.NH Bank entered Indian market in 2016 and opened its 1st liaison office in Gurgaon, Haryana to strengthen the competitiveness of the agriculture sector.
v.In 2022, it had started its commercial operations in India, following the in-principle approval from the RBI for establishing its first branch in India.
vi.On 13th July 2023, NH Bank opened its first branch in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
Note: NH Bank became the 6th Korean bank, conducting business in India. Others Korean banks are: Shinhan Bank, KEB Hana, KB Kookmin, Woori and Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK).

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

RITES & IRFC signs MoU to collaborate & Develop Rail Infrastructure Projects
On 27th July 2023, RITES Limited (formerly known as Rail India Technical and Economic Service Limited), a Miniratna (Category-I) and Schedule ‘A’ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Railways, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) to explore possibilities of mutual collaboration in the railway eco-system and the transport infrastructure sector.

• As part of the MoU, RITES will offer consultancy and advisory services and help in finding out the financial and technical viability of projects, while IRFC will provide financial services to projects/institutions that have got backward and or forward linkages with the Railways.
• The partnership will also bring forward cooperation and innovation in the consultancy domain through knowledge sharing.
• RITES’ expertise in consultancy and IRFC’s financial expertise will stimulate mega and critical projects and drive sustainable growth in the transport infrastructure sector.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS 

MoYAS recognised Handball Association of India as National Sports FederationOn 25th July 2023,the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports(MoYAS) recognised the Handball Association of India (HAI) as a National Sports Federation (NSF) status for the promotion and regulation of handball with immediate effect.

• Recognition was granted with a view to run the affairs of handball.
• HAI is also affiliated to the International Handball Federation(IHF), the Asian Handball Federation(AHF) and the Indian Olympic Association(IOA).

Backdrop: 
i.HAI led by Digvijay Singh Chautala and Handball Federation of India (HFI) led by Jagan Mohan Rao claimed to be the legitimate national federation for handball in India in the last few years.
Recently,  IOA also gave HAI recognition after it agreed to merge with the HFI.
ii.Following the Indian Olympic Association’s intervention, On 29th May 2023, the executive committee of HAI elected the new officer bearers of HAI.
Newly Elected Office Bearers of HAI:
President – Digvijay Singh Chautala
Secretary General – Jagan Mohan Rao
Treasurer – Thakur Tejraj Singh
About the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports(MoYAS) :
Union Minister – Anurag Singh Thakur (Constituency – Hamirpur,Himachal Pradesh)
Minister of State(MoS) – Nisith Pramanik (Constituency – Coochbehar, West Bengal)

GEM Awards 2023-24: ANI Chairman Prem Prakash honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award 
On 26th July 2023, Prem Prakash, a renowned journalist and Founder & Chairman of Asian News International (ANI), was honoured with the Global Education Mentor (GEM) Award 2023 – Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his significant contributions to the field of education and journalism throughout his lifetime.

• He was honoured with the award at the GEM Awards 2023-24 program organised at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre (DAIC), in New Delhi, Delhi.
• The program was graced by the Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Ministry of Jal Shakti and other prominent personalities from the education sector and so on.
• Prem Prakash has dedicated over 70 years in the world of Journalism and during his long career he has covered some significant stories of post-independence India including the 1962 War with China and 1971 Wars against Pakistan.
• His notable work includes: Reporting India: My Seventy-year Journey as a Journalist (2020) and its Hindi Version was launched in 2022; Afghanistan: The Quest of Peace, The Path of Wars (2023).

Note: GEM Award aims to celebrate the achievements of those who have dedicated their lives to improve education or its associated social sector in India and promoting innovative approaches to teaching and learning. 

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS  

Future Generali India Life partnered with JM Financial to Elevate Insurance Products
Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Limited (FGILI), a joint venture (JV) between the Generali Group and the Future Group, partnered with JM Financial Services Limited (JM Financial), an integrated and diversified financial services group, to expand its product offerings and market presence across India.

• The partnership will help the insurer expand its product portfolio and leverage the distribution and financial advisory capabilities of JM Financial to offer innovative products.
• It will enable FGILI to reach a larger customer base of 2.20 lakh and serves to the various needs of individuals, corporations, and financial institutions.      

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launches Hughes JUPITER 3, World’s Largest Commercial SatelliteOn 28th July 2023, Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)’s Falcon Heavy Rocket launched the Hughes JUPITER 3 mission(EchoStar XXIV), the world’s largest commercial communications satellite, to the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit(GTO) from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the United States of America(USA).

• This mark’s Falcon Heavy’s 7th launch since its debut in 2018 and the 3rd launch and SpaceX’s 51st mission in 2023.

Note: With the total payload mass of 9.2 metric tons, Jupiter 3 is the heaviest geostationary satellite ever launched.

About Hughes JUPITER™ 3:
i.Echostar, Hughes’ parent company, ordered Jupiter 3 from Maxar in 2017
ii.The rocket will provide wireless internet connectivity over North and South America. Once operational, will “support in-flight Wi-Fi, maritime connections, enterprise networks, backhaul for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), and Community Wi-Fi solutions
iii.It has 500 Gigabits per second (Gbps) capacity that will double the capacity of the Hughes JUPITER satellite fleet.
JUPITER Fleet
i.JUPITER fleet total capacity: More than 1 TeraBits Per Second (Tbps)
ii.JUPITER 1 (EchoStar XVII): Launched in  July 2012 with 120 Gbps capacity
iii.JUPITER 2 (EchoStar XIX): Launched in December 2016 with 200 Gbps capacity
About Falcon Heavy :

• As one of the world’s most powerful operational rockets, three-fuselage(three reusable Falcon 9 nine-engine cores) Falcon Heavy is a heavy-lift launch vehicle that can carry cargo of 64 metric tons or 141,000 lbs into Earth orbit.
• Falcon Heavy, which can exert over 5 million pounds of thrust at liftoff and is capable of delivering 26.7 metric tons to GTO, is more than up to the task.

About Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Elon Musk
Headquarters – California, United States of America(USA)

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Tiger Day 2023 – 29th July International Tiger Day, also known as Global Tiger Day, is annually observed across the globe on 29th July to raise awareness about the need for tiger conservation and the threats faced by the endangered species.The scientific name is Panthera tigris, belongs to genus Panthera.

• 29th July 2023, marks the 13th International Tiger Day.

Key points:
i.According to the WWF there are 3,900 wild cats in the world. Poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and habitat loss, however, have reduced their population and range to just about 7%.
ii.In 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognized the continental tiger(Panthera tigris tigris) and the Sunda island tiger(Panthera tigris sondaica) as tiger subspecies.
iii.The IUCN Red List of threatened species classifies Tigers as Endangered.
iv.Tigers have been included in Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) since 1975, which means all international trade in tigers, including parts and derivatives, for commercial purposes is generally prohibited under the Convention.
About Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC):
Union Minister- Bhupender Yadav (Rajya Sabha- Rajasthan)
Minister of State (MoS)-  Ashwini Kumar Choubey
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

TN & UK Govt Signs MoU to Set Up Botanical Garden in TNOn 27th July 2023, the Tamil Nadu (TN) and United Kingdom (UK) governments signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU)in Chennai, TN during the 4th G20 Environment & Climate Sustainability Working Group(ECSWG) Meeting to set up a botanical garden and also envisages launching projects to conserve mangroves, forests and wetlands, besides releasing a green rating framework for industrial de-carbonization in TN.
The MoU:
The MoU was signed between Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department and Richard Deverell, Director of Kew Garden, London,United Kingdom.
Botanical Garden:
In technical partnership with Kew Gardens of United Kingdom, the TN Government has planned to set up a Botanical Garden in Chengalpattu, TN.

• The garden will conserve and propagate native plant species of TN, including rare, threatened and endangered species.
• The MoU commits to Kew Garden providing advice and expertise around landscape planning, plant collection development, botanic garden management and other related matters to TN Government.

The Mangrove Project:
i.UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT’s) mangrove project was launched by Therese Coffey, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the UK.

• The project demonstrates how community MRV (Measuring, Reporting and Verification) can be codesigned, coproduced and implemented through inclusive community-based mechanisms.

ii.Keystone Foundation located in the Nilgiris, TN bagged this project which will work in 3 climate-smart villages, focusing on 3 ecosystems – forests, mangroves and wetlands – selected in consultation with the TN Government.
iii.The project will specifically build the capacities of forest communities- tribal of the Nilgiris; fisherfolk of Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem in Cuddalore, TN; and small-holder subsistence farmers and agricultural laborers, living in inland areas of the wetland of Coimbatore, TN.
Industrial decarbonization project:
The ‘Roadmap for Green Indexing of Industries – Low carbon industrial
development in TN, a strategic initiative on industrial decarbonization was launched by the Minister of State, Graham Stuart with TN environment Minister Siva V Meyyanathan.

• As a part of this initiative, the green rating framework for industries was launched to motivate businesses to take up low-carbon commitments and action to advance the TN government’s climate change ambitions of achieving net zero before 2070.

About Tamil Nadu (TN):
Airport- Tiruchirappalli International Airport (Custom Airport ); Madurai International Airport
Bird Sanctuary- Vettangudi birds Sanctuary, Sivagangai; Pulicat Lake Birds Sanctuary, Tiruvallur
Festival- Pongal;Thiruvaiyaru Festival

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