Jul'23 CA Consolidated

Current Affairs July 2023 www.parchamclasses.
in
Contents
Important Days ............................................................ 1 Science Tech .............................................................. 34
Books & Authors .......................................................... 5 Defence ...................................................................... 41
Appointments .............................................................. 6 National News............................................................ 44
Awards ....................................................................... 10 Banking & Finance ..................................................... 57
Obituaries................................................................... 15 International News .................................................... 60
Ranking & Index ......................................................... 15 Sports ......................................................................... 67
State News ................................................................. 22
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Current Affairs July 2023 www.parchamclasses.in
Important Days
Date Day Theme
1st July National Chartered On July 1, 1949, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) was
Accountants’ Day/ established
राष्ट्रीय चार्टर्ट अकाउंर्ेंर् दिवस 2023 theme: Empowering Financial Excellence
1st July National Doctors Day/ 2023 theme: Celebrating Resilience and Healing Hands
राष्ट्रीय दचदकत्सक दिवस Birth and death anniversary of great physician and 2nd CM of West Bengal,
Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.
1st July GST Day (Goods & GST was implemented in India on July 1, 2017, marking a significant
Services Tax)/ milestone in the country’s economic history.
जीएसर्ी दिवस (वस्तु एवं सेवा कर)
1st July International Day of (first Saturday of July)

Cooperative/ अंतराटष्ट्रीय Theme 2023 – Cooperatives: partners for accelerated sustainable
सहकाररता दिवस development
3rd July International Plastic Bag Aim: To reduce the use of single-use plastic bags that inspired other parts of
Free Day / अंतराटष्ट्रीय प्लादस्र्क the world to participate in Plastic Bag Free Day
बैग मक्त
ु दिवस
5th July World Badminton Day/ • International Badminton Federation (now Badminton World
दवश्व बैर्दमंर्न दिवस Federation – BWF), was established on 05 July 1934
• 1st ever World Badminton Day in 2022.
6th July World Zoonoses Day/ दवश्व On 6 July, 1885 French scientist, Louis Pasteur developed a successful rabies
जऩू ोदसस दिवस vaccine. The day was officially recognized and observed on July 6, 2007,
honouring the 100th death anniversary of Louis Pasteur.
7th July World Kishwahili Kiswahili is one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa and the most
Language Day/ दवश्व widely spoken in sub-Saharan Africa.
दकशवादहली भाषा दिवस By UNESCO
10th National Fish Farmers To commemorate Professor Dr. Hiralal Chaudhury and his colleague Alikunhi
July Day/ राष्ट्रीय मत्स्य दकसान दिवस On July 10, 1957, they successfully achieved the induced breeding of Indian
Major Carps in the country, at Angul in Odisha.
11th World Population Day/ Theme 2023 – Unleashing the power of gender Equality: Uplifting the voices
July दवश्व जनसंख्या दिवस of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities.
The first World Population Day was observed on 11 July 1990
12th International Malala Observed every year on 12 July to honor the birthday of Malala Yousafzai, a
July Day/ अंतराटष्ट्रीय मलाला दिवस Pakistani education activist and Nobel laureate and to support world
education.
In December 2014, Malala became the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel
Peace Prize.
15th World Youth Skills Day/ • 2023 Theme: Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a
July दवश्व युवा कौशल दिवस transformative future
• To celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people
with skills for employment and entrepreneurship.
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15th World Plastic Surgery • India’s National Plastic Surgery Day gets global acceptance in 2021
July Day/ दवश्व प्लादस्र्क सजटरी दिवस • National Plastic Surgery Day was first introduced by Dr S Raja
Sabapathy, then President of the Association of Plastic Surgeons of
India
17th World Day for • Also referred to as Day of International Criminal Justice or
July International Justice/ International Justice Day
अतं राटष्ट्रीय न्याय के दलए दवश्व दिवस • To commemorate the adoption of the Rome Statute on 17 July 1998,
which established the International Criminal Court.
18th Nelson Mandela Theme 2023 – The Legacy Lives on Through You: Climate, Food, and
July International Day/ नेल्सन Solidarity.
मर्ं ेला अतं राटष्ट्रीय दिवस Nelson Mandela was conferred with the Nobel Peace Prize in October 1993.
United Nations officially recognised Nelson Mandela International Day in
2009
18th Tamil Nadu Day/तदमलनार्ु On the 1st of November 1956 Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala were
July दिवस separated from the Madras Presidency.
On 18th July, 1967 the remaining Madras Presidency was called Tamil Nadu.
20th World Chess Day/ दवश्व To commemorate the establishment of the International Chess Federation
July शतरंज दिवस (FIDE) in Paris in 1924.
FIDE is now headquartered in Switzerland
20th International Moon Day/ Theme 2023 – Lunar Exploration, Coordination and Sustainability
July अंतराटष्ट्रीय चद्रं मा दिवस Declared by UNGA in 2021.
It marks the anniversary of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission which landed the first
humans on the Moon.
On this day in 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did their
Moonwalk
22nd World Brain Day/ दवश्व Theme 2023: Brain Health and Disability: Leave No One Behind
July मदस्तष्ट्क दिवस The World Federation of Neurology was established on July 22 1957.
22nd National Flag Adoption July 22, in 1947, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the National Flag
July Day/ राष्ट्रीय ध्वज अंगीकरण दिवस Pingali Venkayya designed the national flag
22nd National Mango Day/ According to several sources, the mango was first cultivated more than
July राष्ट्रीय आम दिवस 4,000 years ago in India. Mango is a stone fruit that grows on a tropical tree
called the Mangifera indica.
23rd National Broadcasting • On this day in 1927, the first-ever radio broadcast in the country
July Day went on the air from the Bombay Station under a private company,
(राष्ट्रीय प्रसारण दिवस) the Indian Broadcasting Company.
• On the 8 June 1936, the Indian State Broadcasting Service became
All India Radio.
24th Income Tax Day Income tax was introduced for the first time in India on July 24, 1860, by
July (आयकर दिवस) James Wilson to compensate for the losses incurred during the First War of
Independence in 1857.
25th World IVF Day/ World • Embryologists also help in conceiving a baby.
July Embryologist Day • On July 25, 1978, Louise Joy Brown was the first child to be born
दवश्व भ्रण़ू दवज्ञानी दिवस through IVF in England.
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26th Kargil Vijay Diwas/ कारदगल • To commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the Kargil War in
July दवजय दिवस 1999.
• Indian Army evicted Pakistani intruders and recaptured Tiger Hill and
other posts as a part of ‘Operation Vijay.’
26th International Day for the • Adopted by UNESCO in 2015.
July Conservation of the • Mangroves are rare ecosystems on the boundary between land and
Mangrove Ecosystem/ sea.
मैंग्रोव पाररदस्िदतकी तंत्र के संरक्षण के • It has been estimated that more than three quarters
दलए अतं राटष्ट्रीय दिवस of mangroves in the world are now
• As per Forest Survey Report 2021, Mangrove cover in India has
increased by 17 sq km as compared to 2019 assessment. It now
spread to 4,992 sq km.
27th Raising Day of CRPF/ • The force was established on July 27, 1939, as the Crown
July सीआरपीएफ का स्िापना दिवस Representative Police.
• After Independence, this force was named Central Reserve Police
Force on December 28, 1949 by the Iron Man and the country's first
Home Minister Sardar Patel.
28th World Hepatitis Day/ दवश्व • Theme 2023 – One life, one liver
July हेपेर्ाइदर्स दिवस • Birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who
discovered hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test
and vaccine for it.
28th World Nature Theme 2023 “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet.”
July Conservation Day/ दवश्व
प्रकृ दत सरं क्षण दिवस
27th Raising Day of CRPF/ • The force was established on July 27, 1939, as the Crown
July सीआरपीएफ का स्िापना दिवस Representative Police.
• After Independence, this force was named Central Reserve Police
Force on December 28, 1949 by the Iron Man and the country's first
Home Minister Sardar Patel.
28th World Hepatitis Day/ दवश्व • Theme 2023 – One life, one liver
July हेपेर्ाइदर्स दिवस • Birthday of Nobel-prize winning scientist Dr Baruch Blumberg, who
discovered hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test
and vaccine for it.
28th World Nature Theme 2023 “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet.”
July Conservation Day/ दवश्व
प्रकृ दत संरक्षण दिवस
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QUICK RECALL TEST

24 July is observed as :
a) Income Tax Day
b) GST Day
c) World Population Day
d) World Badminton Day
23 July is observed as:

a) Kargil Vijay Diwas
b) World Hepatitis Day
c) National Broadcasting Day
d) World Day for International Justice
International Tiger Day is observed on:

a) 25 JULY
b) 12 JULY
c) 17 JULY
d) 29 JULY
What was the theme of the ‘WORLD NATURE CONSERVATION DAY 2022’?
a) Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature
b) Cut down on plastic
c) Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet
d) None of the above
CRPF Raising Day is observed as:

a) 12 JULY
b) 15 JULY
c) 27 JULY
d) 31 JULY
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Books & Authors

‘Through the Broken Glass: An Autobiography’ authored by T.N. Seshan
• It has been published 4 years after he passed away in 2019.
• This autobiography also covers his term as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India
from 1990 to 1995.
• It was published by Rupa Publications India.
A new book ‘Prism: The Ancestral Abode of Rainbow’ released

• Released from the rocket launchpad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC)
in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• The book was authored by Vinod Mankara (National award-winning
filmmaker-writer).
• It was released by S Somanath (ISRO Chairman) and handed over to S
Unnikrishnan Nair (VSSC Director).
• A collection of 50 essays in Malayalam, the book comprises articles from various streams of science.
Amit Shah releases a book 'Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam: Memories Never Die'/
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah, launched the book in Rameshwaram, TN
• Authored by Dr. YS Rajan & Dr. Maraikayar
• The book is about the history of Indian rocketry,
science, technology and innovation, Indian politics
and administrative system and description of many
incidents related to wishes and imagination of Dr.
Kalam.
• Dr. Kalam received Bharat Ratna in 1997
Former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu releases book “As the wheel turns”/
• The book is authored by Ranjit Pratap (Rayala Corporation CEO).
• The book chronicles Ranjit Pratap’s triumphs and challenges in the corporate
world.
Marathi novel ‘Dudiya’ by Vishwas Patil out with English translation

• Novel “Dudiya: In your Burning Land”, written by Sahitya Akademi award-winning
Marathi novelist Vishwas Patil, has been translated into English by Nadeem Khan.
• The book is a story of a spirited young Adivasi girl who challenges conventional
norms by simply trying to live a life of dignity and independence.
Kerala Governor launches Malayalam translation of 'Krishna - The 7th Sense’

• Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan released the Malayalam translation of the book
"Krishna - The 7th Sense" written by Debasish
Chatterjee, Director, IIM-Kozhikode.
• Another book by Chatterjee - "Karma Sutra -
Leadership and Wisdom in Uncertain Times", a
flagship book in the IIMK for budding managers.
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Question for you

Name the author of the book ‘Hear Yourself – How to find peace in a noisy world’, which has won
Guinness World Records for ‘Largest audience at a book reading for a single author’.
a) Vikrant Mahajan
b) Prem Rawat
c) Chetna Maroo
d) None of the above
Appointments
Tushar Mehta reappointed as Solicitor General of India for 3 years
• He has been Solicitor General of India since October 2018.
About Solicitor General of India (SGI)
• It is the second highest law officer in the country and assists the Attorney General
of India.
• It is assisted by the Additional Solicitor General of India.
• The roles of SGIs and Additional SGIs are established by the Law Officers
(Conditions of Service) Rules, 1972.
• Formation - 28 January 1950
DG Rakesh Pal appointed as 25th Director General of Indian Coast Guard

• ICG was established in August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 as an
independent Armed force of India.
Ajit Pawar takes oath as second Deputy CM of Maharashtra

• Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar (NCP Chief Sharad Pawar’s
nephew) joined the BJP-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) government as deputy Chief
Minister.
• Currently, Devendra Fadnavis is also a Deputy Chief Minister in the state.
• Deputy CMs post that is not mentioned in the Constitution.
• Article 163(1) of the Constitution says “there shall be a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister
at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions”.
Aadhav Arjuna Elected as President of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI)

• Aadhav Arjuna, the President of the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association (TNBA), secured
the position of President of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI).
• It was established in 1950 and is the governing body for basketball in India.
Ravindra Banshtu appointed Indian women’s volleyball team new coach

• Ravindra Banshtu has been appointed as the coach of the Indian national women’s
volleyball team for the 19th Asian Women’s Championship.
• The championship will be held in Hangzhou, China from September 22 to October 8.
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Senior Men’s Cricket Selection Committee appoints Ajit Agarkar as Chairman

• Former Indian cricketer, Ajit Agarkar has been appointed as Chairman of
the Senior Men’s Cricket Selection Committee.
• The Selection Committee now consists of Ajit Agarkar, Shiv Sundar Das,
Subroto Banerjee, Salil Ankola, and Sridharan Sharath.
Shah Rukh Khan appointed brand ambassador of ICC World Cup 2023
• ICC World Cup 2023 campaign ‘It takes one day’
• The 13th edition ICC Men’s World Cup 2023 is scheduled to be held in India from 5
October to 19 November 2023.
• A total of 10 teams will participate in the tournament.
Asics signs actor Shraddha Kapoor as brand ambassador

• A sports gear company, Asics India Private Limited has appointed actor
Shraddha Kapoor as its new brand ambassador.
Recent Brand Ambassador
• Rashmika Mandanna – Printer company Epson India
• Smriti Mandhana – Wrangler brand
• Hrithik Roshan – Zebronics TV
• Sachin Tendulkar – Smile Ambassador by Maharashtra government
• Sourav Ganguly – Tripura Tourism
Question for you

Justice Alok Aradhe has been appointed Chief Justice of which High Court?
a) Andhra Pradesh HC
b) Bombay HC
c) Telangana HC
d) Kerala HC
Coal India Limited (CIL) appoints PM Prasad as CMD

About Coal India Limited (CIL)
• It is a Maharatna Company owned by the Ministry of Coal, Government of India.
• It is the world's largest state-owned coal producer.
• Establishment - 1975
• Headquarters - Kolkata
Bharat Dynamics appoints A Madhavarao as new CMD

• Ministry of Defence has approved the appointment of A Madhavarao as its
chairman and managing director at Bharat Dynamics Limited.
• Founded: 1970, Hyderabad
G. Kannabiran appointed as new NAAC Director

• The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has recently named
Prof Ganesan Kannabiran as its new director.
• NAAC is an autonomous body funded by the University Grants Commission and
headquartered in Bangalore.
• Founded: 1994
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Que: Who has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation of India?
Ans: Satpal Bhanoo
• There are four Managing Directors in Life Insurance Corporation in India.
Brajendra Navnit to be India’s ambassador to WTO for 9 months

• Brajendra Navnit to Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) till March 31, 2024.
• Navnit had assumed office as ambassador in June 2020 and his tenure was till June,
2023.
• World Trade Organization (WTO): the only global international organization dealing
with the rules of trade between nations.
• The WTO has 164 members (including European Union) and 23 observer governments.
• It officially commenced operations on 1 January 1995, pursuant to the 1994 Marrakesh Agreement,
thus replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
Lt Gen MU Nair appointed as the Head of National Cyber Coordination Centre

• He is India’s third cyber security chief after Lt Gen (retd.) Dr Rajesh Pant and first
chief Gulshan Rai.
• National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) works under National Security Council
Secretariat (NSCS) and coordinates with different agencies at the national level in
cybersecurity-related matters.
Centre appoints IPS officer Manoj Yadava as DG Railway Protection Force

• He took over from Sanjay Chander, who retired on July 31.
• Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Yadava’s
appointment as Director General of the Railway Protection Force until his
retirement on July 31, 2025.
Justice Sheo Kumar Singh appointed as acting Chairperson of National Green Tribunal (NGT)/
• He has replaced Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, who retired on July 6, 2023.
National Green Tribunal (NGT):
• India is the third (first developing) country in the world after Australia and
New Zealand to set up a Special Environment Tribunal.
• Establishment: On 18th October, 2010 under the National Green Tribunal
Act, 2010.
• Objective: To speed up disposal of environmental issues.
• Headquarters: Delhi (Four Regional Offices - Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai).
• Settlement of issues: Settlement of environmental issues within 6 months.
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• Composition: Consists of Chairperson, Judicial Members and Expert Members.

• Appointment of Chairperson: By the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of
India.
• Tenure: Term of three years or till the age of sixty five years and not eligible for reappointment.
B. Neeraja Prabhakar appointed Chairperson of Oil Palm RAC

• Appointment of the Chairperson of Oil Palm Research Advisory Committee was done by the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for a three-year period
• B. Neeraja Prabhakar is the Vice Chancellor at Telangana Horticultural
University
• The 10-member Research Advisory Committee will guide the Indian Institute of
Oil Palm Research (Pedavegi, Andhra Pradesh) in formulating its research
plans, based on the problems faced by oil palm farmers.
• Director General (ICAR): Himanshu Pathak;
• ICAR established: 16 July 1929;
• ICAR HQ: New Delhi.
K. Rajaraman appointed as new chairperson of IFSCA

• K Rajaraman is appointed as the next Chairperson of the International Financial
Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) for three years.
• He succeeded the first IFSCA Chairperson Injeti Srinivas, who led the authority
since 2020.
• IFSCA was set up in April 2020 under the International Financial Services Centres
Authority Act, 2019, at GIFT City, Gandhinagar.
Central government clears appointment of two Supreme Court judges

• The Central government has cleared the appointment of Justices Ujjal
Bhuyan (Chief Justice of the Telangana HC) and SV Bhatti (Chief Justice
of the Kerala HC) as judges of the Supreme Court.
Appointment of 4 High Court Judges

• Justice Alok Aradhe took oath as Chief Justice of Telangana High Court. He replaced Justice Ujjal
Bhuyan who was transferred to the Supreme Court.
• Justice Alexander Thomas appointed as acting Chief Justice of Kerala HC. He has replaced Chief
Justice SV Bhatti, who was transferred to the Supreme Court.
• Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur appointed as Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
• Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay appointed as Chief Justice of Bombay High Court
Que: Who has been appointed as the next Ambassador of

India to Lithuania?
Ans: Devesh Uttam
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The Supreme Court extended Enforcement Directorate (ED) Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra’s tenure till
September 15
• The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) is a multi-disciplinary organization mandated
with investigation of offences of money laundering and violations of foreign
exchange laws.
• It functions under the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance.
• It was formed on 1st May, 1956, as an ‘Enforcement Unit’ in the Department of Economic Affairs for
handling Exchange Control Laws violations under Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA), 1947.
• In the year 1957, this Unit was renamed as ‘Enforcement Directorate’.
Short News
• Debadatta Chand has assumed charge as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of
Baroda (BoB
• State Bank of India board has appointed Kameshwar Kodavanti as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO),
effective from July 1, 2023
• SBI appoints Abhijit Chakravorty as SBI Card’s CEO
• Neeraj Akhoury elected as the new President of the Cement Manufacturers' Association (CMA) - apex
body of India's large cement manufacturers
• T V Narendran re-appointed as Tata Steel CEO and Managing Director
• Sanjiv Puri has been re-appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of India Tobacco Company
Limited (ITC Ltd) for a period of five years
• Nivruti Rai appointed as Managing Director & CEO of Invest India
• Renowned scientist, S. Vincent Rajkumar has been appointed as Chairman-elect of the Board of
Directors of the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF)
Awards
Question: Which Railway station received UNESCO's Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage award 2023?
Ans: Byculla railway station
PM Modi receives France's highest award Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour
• During the visit to France, PM Modi was honoured with France's highest civilian
and military honour, 'Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour', by French President
Emmanuel Macron.
• With this honour, he also becomes the first Indian Prime Minister to receive this honour.
• He also joined the French National Day (July 14) celebrations as the Guest of Honour.
• Other awardees: Nelson Mandela, King Charles, Angela Merkel
PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

• The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) would confer the
prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 to Prime Minister Narendra
Modi in Pune on August 1, 2023.
• Reason: This award recognizes PM Modi's supreme leadership under which
India has climbed the ladder of progress
• The award will be conferred by the hands of President of the Trust Dr. Deepak Tilak on August 1,
the death anniversary of Lokmanya Tilak.
• Other awardees: Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharad Pawar, Cyrus Poonawalla, and
Manmohan Singh
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British National Award for director Shekhar Kapur

• Noted film director Shekhar Kapur has been presented with the British National
Award for Best Director for the film 'What's Love Got To Do With It’.
• The film was nominated in 9 categories, out of which it won 4 - Best Director, Best
British Film, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor.
• What's Love Got To Do With It is a British romantic comedy, released in the UK as
well as the US and India.
PEN Pinter Prize 2023

• Michael Rosen, a British children’s writer and performance poet, has been
awarded the PEN Pinter Prize 2023.
• PEN Pinter Prize: It was established in 2009 in memory of Nobel-Laureate
playwright Harold Pinter.
• The prize is given to a writer from the UK, Ireland, and the Commonwealth who is
committed to fearless exposition of truth about contemporary life.
• Some of the previous award-winning writers are Malorie Blackman (2022), Tsitsi Dangarembga
(2021) Hanif Kureishi (2010), Salman Rushdie (2014)
Heritage Byculla Railway station received UNESCO's Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage
award 2023
• The Byculla Railway station, a heritage site on the Central line of the Mumbai
Suburban Railway, was awarded by UNESCO after its successful restoration to
its original glory in July 2023.
• The project, launched in July 2019 by Shaina NC, Trustee of 'I Love Mumbai' and in memory of her
father Nana Chudasama, aimed to revive the station's original architectural splendor.
Byculla Railway station:
• It was originally built in 1853.
• The first train of the country passed through Byculla station almost one-and-a-half centuries ago.
• It has been restored to its original Gothic, heritage, architectural glory.
Bengaluru becomes first Indian city to join World Cities Culture Forum
• Bengaluru joined the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), in July 2023, and
becomes the first Indian city to achieve the feat.
• Founded by the office of the Mayor of London in 2012, WCCF is a global
network of nearly 40 cities, which provides a way for policy makers in these cities to share
research and intelligence, and explore the vital role of culture for their future prosperity
Anamalai Tiger Reserve : Siena Drone Photo Awards 2023

• An elephant image shot at Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) has emerged
as the winner in the Wildlife category of the Siena Drone Photo
Awards 2023.
• Anamalai Tiger Reserve is a protected area located at an altitude of
1400 m in the Anamalai Hills of Pollachi and Coimbatore District of
Tamil Nadu.
• It was declared a Tiger reserve in the year 2007.
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Belgian tennis player Justine Henin receives the Philippe Chatrier Award
• The International Tennis Federation (ITF) awarded the highest honor,
' Philippe Chatrier Award 2023', to Belgian tennis player Justine
Henin.
• She has won seven Grand Slam singles titles and an Olympic gold
medal (2004 in Athens) and won the Fed Cup (Billie Jean King Cup)
in 2001.
• The award was named after the former ITF President and was introduced in 1996.
• This award recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the sport on and off the
court.
• 2023 ITF World Champions Awards include singles champions Rafael Nadal (ESP) and Iga Swiatek
(POL)
J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has been felicitated for the Best Performance in CASA-India (1st Runner up in Small
Bank Category) at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2022.
• CASA - Current Account and Savings Account
• The event was participated by banks from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka & Myanmar.
• The function was organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Goa.
Indian Chamber of Commerce is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy
group headquartered in Calcutta.
• Founded: 1925
• J&K Bank MD & CEO Baldev Prakash
Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission bags SKOCH Award 2023
• The Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (JKRLM) has bagged the SKOCH
Award for Gold Category in District Governance under the theme “State of
Governance India 2047”.
• Reason: For its outstanding efforts in creating marketing avenues for Self-Help
Groups (SHGs) in the Union Territory
• The AVSAR scheme, Umeed Women’s Haat, and District Rural Haat, SHG products
available on e-commerce platforms are prime examples of these initiatives.
Golden Peacock' Environment Management Award 2023 to Adani Transmission Limited

• Indian company Adani Transmission Limited (ATL) has been awarded the
'Golden Peacock Environment Management Award' in the 'Power
Transmission Sector’ by the 'Institute of Directors'
• Golden Peacock Environment Management Award:
• The award is given for reducing its ecological footprint through programs
such as zero waste in landfills, single-use plastic free, water-positive
operations, promoting renewable energy integration and implementation of
best-in-class environmental management strategies.
• MD and CEO of Adani Transmission Limited: Anil Sardana.
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Honorary doctorate to be conferred on Communist leader N.Sankaraiah

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has announced that veteran communist
leader N. Sankaraiah will receive an Honorary Doctorate from Madurai Kamaraj
University.
• Sanakaraiah, born on 15 July 1921, is an Indian Communist Party politician and
independence activist.
• He is the last living freedom fighter of India.
• Sanakaraiah was conferred Tamil Nadu’s supreme award, ‘Thagaisal Tamil’ award in 2021 when he
turned 100.
Prof. Thalappil Pradeep of IIT Madras won the International Eni Award
• Prof. T. Pradeep from the Department of Chemistry, IIT Madras has won
the prestigious Eni Award 2023
• Reason: To discover the advanced sustainable and affordable nano-scale
materials for the removal of toxic contaminants from water
• Eni Award is considered among the top global honors for scientific
research in energy and environment.
• It is given in three categories-Energy Transition, Energy Frontiers and
Advanced Environmental Solutions
President conferred Bhoomi Samman 2023

• Indian President Draupadi Murmu presented the "Bhoomi Samman" 2023 at a function organized
by the Union Ministry of Rural Development at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
• The awards were given for excellence in achieving completion of major components of the Digital
India Land Records Modernization Program (DILRMP).
• Officers of the team of total 68 districts including nine secretaries of Odisha, Madhya Pradesh,
Gujarat, Bihar, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Tripura and West Bengal were honored at the
Bhoomi Samman-2023 function held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• Most awards to Odisha and Madhya Pradesh
Digital India Land Records Modernization Program (DILRMP):
DILRMP was launched by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj in August 2008 for the digitization of land
records.
Objective of DILRMP:
• Modernization of land records management,
• To reduce the scope of land/property disputes,
• Increase transparency in the land records maintenance system
Main components of DILRMP:
• Change of land ownership;
• Digitization of maps and integration of curriculum and spatial data;
• Survey/Re-survey and
• Computerization of all land records including original land records.
Ratan Tata to get Maharashtra govt’s first ‘Udyog Ratna’ award

• The Maharashtra government has decided to confer the first 'Udyog
Ratna' award on veteran industrialist and chairman of Tata Sons, Ratan
Tata
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• On the lines of Maharashtra Bhushan award, which is the state’s highest award, that is conferred
to eminent people, the Maharashtra government decided to initiate the prestigious Udyog Ratna
Award from this year onward
• The first recipient of this award will be the renowned industrialist, Ratan Tata.
Coal Ministry is honored with the "Best Engagement" Award

• The Coal Ministry awarded “Best Engagement” for its achievements on e- procurement through
GeM by the Ministry of Commerce.
• The Government e Marketplace (or e-Marketplace) (GeM) is an online platform for public
procurement in India.
• Coal India Limited has been awarded “Rising Star”
• NLC India Limited (a Navratna company under the Ministry of Coal) has
been awarded in the “TimelyPayments” category.
NMDC Receives Two Prestigious Awards at ASSOCHAM Business Excellence Awards 2023
At the ASSOCHAM Business Excellence Awards 2023 in Kolkata, National Mineral Development
Corporation (NMDC) was honored with :
• Mineral Development Award
• Employer Brand of the Year Award
For significant contributions to the mining sector and its exemplary human resources
practices.
• NMDC is the largest producer of iron ore in India and the sixth largest in the
world.
• It is a Navratna Public Sector Enterprise. It comes under the Ministry of Steel.
• Chairman & Managing Director -Sumit Deb
• Headquarters - Hyderabad
Draupadi Murmu Conferred National Geoscience Awards – 2022

• The National Geoscience Awards - 2022 were conferred by the President of India, Draupadi Murmu
in New Delhi
• The Award, Instituted in 1966, is given by the Ministry of Mines, with the aim to honour individuals
and teams for achievements and contributions in various fields of
geosciences.
22 geoscientists, including 2 women, were awarded
Ministry of Mines conferred the award in three categories:
1. National Geoscience Award for Life Time Achievement (Dr. Om
Narain Bhargava)
2. National Young Geoscientist Award (Dr. Amiya Kumar Samal,
Asst. Professor at Banaras Hindu University)
3. National Geoscience Award in various fields of geosciences.
Short News
• Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has won the Insurer Innovation Award 2023 for the APAC region at the
8th World Digital Insurance Awards
• Sri Lankan-born Australian author Shankari Chandran has been awarded the prestigious Miles
Franklin Literary Prize in 2023 for the novel "Tea Time at Cinnamon Gardens”
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Obituaries
Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy passes away
• He served as the Kerala chief minister twice from 2004-06 and 2011-16.
• He represented the Puthupally assembly constituency and was the longest-serving MLA in the
state assembly.
Artist Namboothiri, iconic illustrator passes away

• K M Vasudevan Namboothiri, who was popularly known as Artist
Namboothiri, passed away.
• His iconic illustrations gave life to many mythical characters in Malayalam
literature.
• He inspired a golden era of painting and sculpture in Kerala through his
unique three-dimensional sketches.
• He had received many honors like Kerala Lalita Kala Akademi's Raja Ravi Varma Award and the
State Institute of Children's Literature award.
Eminent mathematician Dr Mangala Narlikar passes away

• She is the wife of Dr Jayant Narlikar.
• Prof Jayant V. Narlikar, eminent astronomer and founder director of the Inter-
University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in Pune.
• He is the first recipient of Govind Swarup Lifetime Achievement Award by the
Astronomical Society of India (ASI)
Short News
• Alan Arkin, actor who received four Academy Award nominations and won an Oscar
in 2007 for "Little Miss Sunshine," has died
• Famed Computer Hacker Kevin Mitnick Passes Away
• Former Australia wicketkeeper Brian Taber dies
Ranking & Index

‘Global Peace Index 2023’ : India stands at 126
‘Global Peace Index 2023’ report released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).
Afghanistan is the least peaceful country in the world for the fifth consecutive year,
followed by Yemen, Syria, Russia, and South Sudan
Iceland is most peaceful country followed by Denamrk, Ireland.
Recent index
India stands at 126 ranks out of 163 countries.
Other Indices:
Global Competitiveness Index 2023: India ranked 40; topped by Denmark
Global Gender Gap Index 2023: India ranked 127; topped by Iceland
Export Preparedness Index (EPI) Report, 2022

NITI Aayog released 3rd edition of Export Preparedness Index (EPI) for States/UTs of India for the year
2022
EPI assess the performance of the States and UTs across four pillars – Policy, Business Ecosystem, Export
Ecosystem, and Export Performance.
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Ranking of coastal states - Tamil Nadu topped, followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka

Among hilly/Himalayan states, Uttarakhand has ranked at the top position.
Haryana topped the chart among the landlocked regions, followed by Telangana, Uttar Pradesh.
In the category of union territories/small states, Goa was ranked first followed by Jammu and Kashmir,
Delhi.
WHO: Unsafe WASH behind 395,000 deaths of children under 5 in 2019

As per the WHO report, Unsafe drinking Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
were responsible for 395,000 deaths among children under the age of five in
2019.
Report title: Burden of Disease Attributable to unsafe drinking water, sanitation,
and Hygiene: 2019 Update
Out of these, 273,000 deaths are attributed to diarrhea, while 112,000 deaths are from acute respiratory
infections.
Half of the world’s population still does not have adequate access to WASH.
QS World University Rankings 2024: Chandigarh University ranked number 1 in India

45 Indian universities have featured in the 20th edition of the QS rankings
All-India rank of Chandigarh University is 20 – among all public and private institutes.
The university also stood at 233rd spot in Asia.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has emerged as the number one ranked
Indian public institute
Last year, Chandigarh University became the Youngest University to feature in the Top
200 QS Asia University Rankings 2023.
QS ranking on world’s best cities for students: No Indian city in top 100, Mumbai 118th
Mumbai has been ranked as the best Indian city for students in the QS Best Student
Cities 2024 ranking. However, its global ranking dropped to 118, indicating a decline
from the previous year’s position.
Mumbai was followed by Delhi (132), Bangalore at (147)
The QS Best Student Cities ranking compares 160 premier educational destinations
Cities must have a minimum population of 250,000 and at least two universities in the QS World University
rankings to be considered for the QS city ranks.
India doubles its share of global commercial services exports from 2005 to 2022 : Report
According to a World Bank and WTO report, India has doubled its share of global
commercial services exports to 4.4% in 2022 from 2% in 2005.
Report title: Trade in services for development
China has also improved its share from from 3% in 2005 to 5.4% in 2022,
According to the report, foreign patients from developed countries such as the
United Kingdom and the United States, as well as from developing countries such as
Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka visit India in search of less costly, high-quality treatment.
World Investment Report 2023: FDI in Developing Asia Remains Flat at $662 Billion
in 2022
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) recently released its
World Investment Report 2023, providing insights into foreign direct investment (FDI)
trends in developing countries.
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In 2022, FDI in developing countries in Asia reached a total of $662 billion, representing no change
compared to the previous year.
The report also highlighted a global decline of 12% in FDI to $1.3 trillion in 2022.
Among the developing countries in Asia, 80% incoming FDI was highly concentrated in a few countries,
namely, China (and Hong Kong), Singapore, India, and UAE
During 2022, FDI inflows to India rose by 10% on an annual basis to $49 billion, while China registered a 5%
yearly growth to $189 billion.
Shift In Snowfall To Rainfall : Study

According to a recent study, the Himalayas Mountains and other
mountains across the Northern Hemisphere are likely to see 15% more
rain for every 1-degree Celsius rise.
This switch from snowfall to rainfall could increase the risk of disasters
such as floods, landslides, and soil erosion.
The Himalayas and the North American Pacific Mountain ranges, including the Cascades, Sierra Nevada,
and coastal ranges from Canada to Southern California are more threatened than the Rockies or the Alps.
United States has world’s most powerful military

The US has the strongest military force in the world, with Russia and China in second and third and India
in fourth place, according to Global Firepower’s (a data website that tracks
global defense-related information), 2023 Military Strength list.
5 nations with the most powerful militaries in the world-
United States (most), Russia, China, India, United Kingdom
5 nations with the least powerful militaries in the world-
Bhutan (least), Benin, Moldova, Somalia, Liberia
IMO sets 2050 as net zero target

International Maritime Organisation (IMO) agreed on a “flexible” net zero target of 2050
for the global shipping industry.
The IMO also agreed to reduce emissions by at least 20% by 2030, and by at least 70%
by 2040.
The International Maritime Organization is a specialised agency of the United Nations responsible for
regulating shipping.
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Founded: 17 March 1958
'Ozone UV Bulletin' released by WMO

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) issues Ozone and UV bulletins at
an interval of seven years. According to which the ozone layer is continuously
improving.
According to the information given by WMO, with the help of Montreal Protocol
and amendments made from time to time, the use of substances that damage the ozone layer has been
limited by 99 percent.
The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty on the prevention of substances that deplete the ozone
layer.
International Initiative for the Protection of the Ozone Layer:
The 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer provided a framework for international
cooperation on ozone protection.
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The Montreal Protocol which was adopted in the year 1987 is a worldwide agreement to stop the
production of ozone-depleting substances.
The Montreal Protocol has been signed by 197 parties of the world.
4 Indian-origin among 100 richest American women: Forbes4 Indian-origin among 100 richest American
women: Forbes
In July 2023, 4 Indian-origin women have found a place in America's 100 richest
women released by Forbes:
Jayshree Ullal (15th position): President and CEO of computer networking firm
Arista Networks
Neerja Sethi (25th rank): IT consulting and outsourcing firm Synte
Neha Narkhede (ranked 50): co-founder and former CTO of Confluent, a
streaming data technology company
Indra Nooyi (77th position): Former PepsiCo chairperson.
Henley Passport Index 2023: India ranked 80

Henley Passport Index 2023 published by Henley & Partners
Singapore becomes the world’s most powerful passport with visa-free access to 192 travel destinations
out of 227 around the world.
India has climbed 7 places to 80th rank from 87 last year with visa-free entry to 57 nations. But India is
among the worst countries for allowing visa-free entry
Germany, Italy, and Spain shared second place with 190 visa-free destinations.
Japan, which occupied the top position on the Henley Passport Index for five years, dropped to the third
place.
Pakistan ranks 100th on the Henley Passport Index and its passport gives holders visa-free access to 33
destinations.
415 million people exited poverty in India in 15 years: UN report

According to the latest Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), by UNDP, around 415 million people
exited poverty within a span of just 15 years between 2005 and 2021 in India.
The report noted that deprivation in all indicators declined in India and “the poorest States and groups,
including children and people in disadvantaged caste groups, had the fastest absolute progress.
It monitors both poverty reduction and how people experience poverty in different aspects of their daily
lives
135 mn Indians came out of poverty trap in five years: Niti Aayog report
NITI Aayog released the 'National Multidimensional Poverty Index: A Progress
of Review 2023' in New Delhi.
As per the report, India witnessed 13.5 crore people moving out of
multidimensional poverty between 2015-16 and 2019-21 with the fastest
reduction in UP, Bihar, MP, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
The National MPI measures deprivations across three equally weighted dimensions of health, education,
and standard of living that are represented by 12 SDG-aligned indicators.
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India loses 1.5 million lives every year: FICCI-EY report

According to a FICCI-EY report - 1st rank in road fatalities is held by India (11 percent share in the world).
Every year India loses 1.5 million lives in road crashes.
Globally, at least one life is lost every 24 seconds due to road traffic injury, according to report.
As per WHO, road crash is the 8th leading cause of death with more than 1.3 billion deaths and 50 million
serious injuries. It is the leading cause of death amongst youth and kids aged 5 to 29 years.
India is a signatory to the Brasilia Declaration which aims to half the number of global deaths and injuries
from road traffic crashes by 2030.
Floral And Faunal Database

The details of new discoveries and new records were released by Union
Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change adding:
• 664 animal species to its faunal (animal) database in 2022
• 339 taxa to its flora in India.
The faunal discoveries are compiled in a publication by Zoological Survey
of India (ZSI) titled Animal Discoveries – New Species and New Records 2023,
The floral discoveries are contained in Plant Discoveries 2022 published by the Botanical Survey of India
(BSI).
The new discoveries:

About 21% of the total discoveries were made from the western Himalayas followed by
16% from the Western Ghats.
The 664 discoveries of animal species contain 467 comprise new species and 197 new
records i.e species found in India for the first time.
The Plant Discoveries 2022, include 125 angiosperms, one gymnosperm, 5
pteridophytes, 19 bryophytes, 55 lichens, 99 fungi, 27 algae and 9 microbes.
Among the new records in orchid species, Calanthe lamellosa, earlier recorded in China and Myanmar, was
found for the first time in India in the Japfu mountain range in Kohima, Nagaland.
Bihar overtakes Tamil Nadu to become India's largest MFI market

Report published by Crif High Mark
Bihar has overtaken Tamil Nadu to become the state with the highest microlending
borrowings in India as of March 2023.
Bihar had a 13.5% increase in the gross lending portfolio during the March quarter
compared to the previous quarter.
NBFC holds the largest share in the market (37.3% of the overall MFI loans), while Banks at 33.1% and
small finance banks at 16.6%
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India’s first Farmers Distress Index

Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) in India has developed a unique early warning
system known as the “farmers’ distress index”.
The purpose of this index is to minimize agrarian distress, including crop loss, failure, and income shocks,
which have led to an increase in farmer suicides.
The index’s methodology involves monitoring local newspapers, news platforms, and social media for
reports of distress, followed by telephonic interviews with small and marginal farmers to assess early signs
of distress using standardized questions.
The responses are then mapped against seven indicators,

• Exposure to risks
• Debt
• Adaptive capacity
• Landholding
• Irrigation facilities
• Mitigation strategies
• Immediate triggers
• Socio-psychological factors.
Interpretation of the Index:

Based on the collected data and responses, the index will assign a value between 0 and 1 to indicate the
level of distress.
• 0 to 0.5: Low distress,
• 0.5 to 0.7: Moderate" distress
• Above 0.7: Severe" distress.
Different agencies can then carry out interventions to prevent income shocks to farmers depending on the
severity of distress.
Ministry of Education releases report on Performance Grading Index 2.0

• Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education released the
Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D) combined report for 2020-21 & 2021-22
• DoSE&L devised Performance Grading Index (PGI) for States and released report for the reference
years 2017-18 to 2020-21.
• PGI-D grades the districts into ten grades viz:
• Highest grade: Daksh (scoring more than 90% of the total points in that category or overall)
• Lowest grade: Akanshi-3 (Scores upto 10% of the total points)
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No state has been found in the top-5 category of PGI.

Punjab and Chandigarh have been placed at the top position (Prachesta – 2
grade)
While on the parameters of learning outcome and quality, Rajasthan has
also topped with Punjab and Chandigarh with the highest marks.
12 states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand have made
it to the ninth category i.e. Akankshi-2.
Akanshi 3 – Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh
IMD launches Heat Index

Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister of Earth Sciences
India Meteorological Department (IMD) has recently introduced the Heat Index on
an experimental basis across the entire country.
The experimental Heat Index has been launched by IMD to provide general
guidance for the regions within India where, the apparent temperature/feel like
temperature (considering the impact of humidity along with the temperature)
are on the higher side causing discomfort for the people.
Colour-coded system: The Heat Index uses a colour-coded system to indicate
the severity of weather conditions:
Green: Experimental heat index below 35 °C.
Yellow: Experimental heat index in the range of 36–45 °C.
Orange: Experimental heat index in the range of 46–55 °C.
Red: Experimental heat index above 55 °C.
Indian Meteorological Department:15 January 1875 and operates under the
Ministry of Earth Sciences.
Fisheries Survey of India (FSI)

Fisheries Survey of India (FSI) surveys reveal good number of dolphins, whales on
the East Coast.
In all, 2,703 dolphins and four whales have been sighted in the coast covering
Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal, (12 to 200 nautical miles).
The survey had commenced in July 2021, and would continue up to June 2024
The larger marine mammal sighting survey was conducted by various FSI zonal
bases on the East and West coasts, and the one in Port Blair, using the FSI fleet,
all along the Indian EEZ, under the guidance of R. Jeyabhaskaran, Director-
General, FSI, Mumbai.
Total 10,416 dolphins of 16 species and 27 whales of four species, were sighted in the survey
The survey was conducted as part of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
PMMSY was launched on September 10, 2020, with the objective of bringing in the ‘Blue Revolution’
through sustainable development of the fisheries sector for five years from 2020 to 2025, with a total
outlay of 20,050 crore.
The Fishery Survey of India, founded in 1983 by the Government of India's Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare, for the fisheries studies, research and survey
21
State News
J&K launches India’s first chatbot for people in mental distress
India’s first Tele-MANAS (Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across
States) chatbot was launched in Jammu & Kashmir.
The service was launched by J&K LG Manoj Sinha.
This chatbot will start an instant conversation with people in distress.
Jammu to pioneer India's first Cannabis Medicine Project

‘Cannabis Research Project’ of CSIR-IIIM Jammu is a first of its kind in India under
PPP with a Canadian firm
This project is important from the perspective of Atma- Nirbhar Bharat as it will be
able to produce export quality drugs meant for different kinds of neuropathies,
diabetic pains etc.
CSIR-IIIM is the oldest scientific research institute in India with the history of discovering mint way back in
1960s, and is the centre of purple revolution
IIIM - Aroma Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine Cannabis = गाांजा
Centre moves Bill to reserve Assembly seats for PoK displaced, Kashmiri ‘migrants’
The special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 was struck down by
Parliament in August 2019 and the former State was bifurcated into two union
territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the latter without an Assembly.
Jammu and Kashmir has been under Central rule since 2018 and Assembly elections
are yet to take place.
The J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, aims to amend certain provisions of the original 2019 Act
to provide for the reservation of seats for specific communities in the Legislative Assembly of the Union
Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Reservation of Seats: The bill proposes to reserve 2 seats in the Legislative Assembly for Kashmiri Migrants
and one for displaced persons from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Of the two seats reserved for the “Kashmiri migrant community”, at least one nominee required to be a
woman.
L-G's Power to Appoint MLAs: The Bill is likely to empower the L-G to appoint two MLAs from the Kashmiri
migrant community and one migrant from PoK to the Union Territory's Legislative Assembly.
The bill, in line with the report of the J&K Delimitation Commission, further seeks to increase the number
of seats in the Jammu & Kashmir assembly from 107 to 114.
Of these 114 seats, 24 are reserved for Pakistan-occupied J&K (PoJK). Of the remaining 90 seats, nine have
been reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs)— for the first time— and seven others have been reserved for
the Scheduled Castes (SCs).
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in Pakistan is the region of Kashmir that came under the control of
Pakistan following the first Indo-Pakistan War of 1947-1948.
Himachal Pradesh CM launched collateral-free loan scheme - 'Sashakt Mahila Loan Yojana'
The ‘Sashakt Mahila Rin Yojna’ is an initiative of Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank
(HPSCB), which will provide loans to women for pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams,
engage in livelihood activities, fulfil their day to day needs and uplift their families
Thr applicants need not to provide any assets or collateral as security against the loan
amount.
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Under the scheme, the bank offers credit of Rs 21,000, Rs 51,000 and Rs 1,01,000 at a relatively low-
interest rate of 8.51 per cent.
Governor- Shiv Pratap Shukla
Chief Minister - Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu
Uttarakhand CM honours ‘Loktantra Senani’, increases pension funds

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami honored the people of Uttarakhand who
fought against the Emergency in 1975.
The CM announced that the dependents of Loktantra Senani will be given a pension fund
and the honorarium of Loktantra Senani has been increased from Rs 16,000 to Rs 20,000.
The Emergency was declared in 1975 by former PM Indira Gandhi and was in effect for 21 months.
Capital – Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer)
Chief Minister – Pushkar Singh Dhami
Governor – Gurmit Singh
Harela Festival 2023 begins in Uttarakhand

Harela is an annual Hindu festival celebrated in the hill states of Uttarakhand and
some regions of Himachal Pradesh.
Harela means "Day of Green", and Agriculture-based communities in the region
consider it highly auspicious, as it marks the beginning of the sowing cycle in their
fields.
Harela and Bhitauli Festivals are the prominent folk festivals of Uttarakhand, celebrated in the Kumaon
Region.
Capital – Dehradun (Winter), Gairsain (Summer)
Governor – Gurmit Singh
Shelf Cloud: Recently Appeared In Uttarakhand’s Haridwar

A terrifying shelf cloud recently appeared in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar.
What are shelf clouds?
A “shelf cloud” or “Arcus cloud” generally forms along the leading edge of thunderstorms.
Resembling a shelf hanging from the sky, a ‘shelf cloud’ is a wide, low-lying, horizontal cloud formation
characterized by a clearly defined line of solid clouds.
Shelf clouds can be scary, but they usually don’t cause tornadoes or extremely dangerous weather on their
own
How are Shelf Clouds formed?
Shelf clouds form when cold and dense air is forced into a warmer air mass by
wind.
Shelf clouds produced by thunderstorms are always preceded by a rush of dry
and cold air ahead of the cloud, with rain arriving after the shelf cloud has
passed overhead.
Que:Which state government has decided to allow all restaurants across the state to remain open 24×7?
Ans: Haryana
The decision was announced by Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala.
The restaurants will have to register with the Labour Department and follow other terms and conditions
(Section 9 and 10 of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958).”
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Delhi launches first 'Water ATM' to provide clean water in water-scarce areas
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recently inaugurated the city's first 'Water ATM',
which aims to provide clean water to areas lacking piped water supply.
The Delhi government, plans to tackle water scarcity by setting up 500 RO plants with
integrated 'water ATM machines' in areas facing water supply issues.
The government will provide the necessary land, and the cost of ₹10 lakh per plant will be borne by the
Delhi Jal Board.
Beneficiaries of this initiative will receive RFID cards from DJB, which will give them access to a daily free
water quota of 20 litres. Usage beyond this limit will attract a charge of 8 paise per litre.
HM Amit Shah inaugurates ‘Akshar River Cruise’ on Sabarmati Riverfront

This cruise was developed by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and
Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited.
It is the first passenger catamaran built in the country under Make in India.
Impact: It will boost Gujarat’s tourism
Catamaran - a sailing boat that has two parallel hulls (floating parts)
Amit Shah lays foundation stone of Country’s first cooperative-run Sainik School
The Sainik School will be established at Boriyavi village, 11 kilometers away from Mehsana city in Gujarat,
by the leading cooperative Dudh Sagar Dairy at the cost of 75 crores rupees.
Sainik School has been started in honor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to start 100 new Sainik
Schools on PPP basis in the country.
Gujarat govt doubles insurance cover under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya scheme
The Gujarat government has doubled the insurance coverage under Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana
from Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs, effective from July 11, 2023.
PM-JAY is the world’s largest health insurance/ assurance scheme fully financed by the government.
Launched in February 2018, it offers a sum insured of Rs.5 lakh per family for medical treatment
Gujarat CM launches ‘Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Yojana’

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched the Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Accident Insurance Scheme for
labourers, from Kheda.
The scheme is a collaboration between Department of Posts, India Post Payments Bank, and Ministry of
Labor and Employment.
The pilot launch of the scheme took place in Nadiad, Gujarat, in coordination with the e-Shram portal in
Kheda district.
Gujarat has become the first state in the country to introduce this scheme on a pilot basis, aiming to
benefit Shram Yogis.
Workers can avail benefits for death or partial disability, with premiums ranging from 289 to 499 rupees.
In case of a worker’s death, their family will receive 10 lakh rupees, while permanent disability due to an
accident will make the workers eligible for a sum of 10 lakh rupees.
Additionally, the scheme includes education assistance of 1 lakh rupees for the children of deceased
workers.
Gujarat to get country’s 1st ‘Satellite Network Portal Site’

Aim - to provide affordable, secure and high speed internet access to villages, district panchayats, local
administrative bodies, government departments, and other entities throughout the country.
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OneWeb Company will set up two ‘Satellite Network Portal Site’ and one of them will be in Mehsana
District of Gujarat.
To set up a ‘Satellite Network Portal Site’, the Department of Science and Technology of Gujarat govt.
signed a MoU with London-Based Company, OneWeb Company.
This project under Digital India and its estimated cost of over Rs. 100 crores for Phase-1.
Sarbananda Sonowal launches campaign to transform iconic 75 Lighthouses into Tourism Spots in India
Campaign begins with three iconic lighthouses at Dwarka, Gopnath & Veraval in Gujarat
transformed into tourist spots
During the 75th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat', the Prime Minister highlighted the unique
appeal of lighthouses as tourist attractions
Govt’s Ambitious Plan: National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal, Gujarat for an
estimated cost of ₹4,500 Cr.
Rajasthan Assembly passes The Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023
Aim: To cover adult population of the state with a guarantee of wages or pension
All families of the state, whether urban or rural, will be able to get an employment guarantee of 125 days
every year and also get a minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month in case of aged/disabled/single women,
etc.
The rural families will get 25 days of additional employment under the Chief Minister’s Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme after completing 100 days in the Union government’s MGNREGS.
In the urban areas, the employment of 125 days per family will be given through the Indira Gandhi Urban
Employment Guarantee Scheme.
The pension will also be automatically increased at the rate of 15% each year.
Urea Gold: New Variety Of Urea

Prime Minister recently launched “Urea Gold”, a new variety of Urea, during
an event in Rajasthan’s Sikar.
Urea Gold is a new variety of Urea coated with Sulphur.
It is being introduced to address the Sulphur deficiency in soil and save input
costs for the farmers.
Urea Gold surpasses the existing Neem-coated urea in terms of both economic viability and efficiency.
Sulphur-coated urea facilitates a gradual release of nitrogen, thereby enhancing its availability and
uptake by crops.
According to the report, 15 kg of Urea Gold provides comparable benefits to 20 kg of conventional urea,
making it a more efficient and effective choice for farmers.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde inaugurates PM MITRA Park in Amravati

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde inaugurated the PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel Park
(PM MITRA Park) at Amravati.
The Government of India aims to set up 7 PM MITRA Parks for the Textile industry in Tamil Nadu,
Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh Maharashtra
India's first PM MITRA Park (Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Park) was
launched in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu)
The PM MITRA Parks was inspired by the 5F (Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign) vision of PM
Modi.
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The Parks are aimed at creating world-class industrial infrastructure that would attract large scale
investment including foreign direct investment (FDI) and encourage innovation and job creation within the
sector
Que:The Taiwanese government will establish a Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in which city
to further deepen cooperation with India?
Ans: Mumbai
At present, Taiwan has TECCs in Delhi and Chennai.
Taiwanese companies are increasingly looking at relocating their production bases from China to India.
India is keen on having production facilities of leading Taiwanese chip producers, including Taiwan
Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (TSMC), the world’s largest chipmaker whose clients included
Apple.
Goa to host the world’s biggest national male pageant

Goa will host the world’s biggest and most respected national male pageant “The Rubaru” Mr. India
competition.
The event will take place in August with the national finals taking place at the Bogmallo Beach Resort on
August 5.
The Chief Minister of Goa, Pramod Sawant, will be the chief guest.
Capital – Panaji
Governor – S. Sreedharan Pillai
Madhya Pradesh To Get Nagda As Its 54th District

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan laid the foundation stone of development works worth Rs 261.14
crore during Vikas Parv in Tehsil Nagda of Ujjain district and announced to make Nagda a district.
After being separated from Ujjain, Nagda will become the 54th district of the state.
Before this, Mauganj tehsil of Rewa district was announced to be made a district.
At present Madhya Pradesh has 52 districts, but with the conversion of Nagda and
Mauganj into districts, there will be 54 districts.
Nagda is mentioned in the history of the Pandavas. It is told that a huge Yajna was
performed at this place by King Janmejaya, the grandson of the Pandavas, for the
cremation of Nagas, hence the name of the city was Nagda.
Apart from this, the Chief Minister also made many other announcements-
CM Rise schools will be opened in Nagda, Khachrod, and Alot.
Along with Kshipra, Narmada water will be diverted to Gambhir and Kalisindh rivers.
India's first online gaming academy launched in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh is launching its first online gaming academy "MP State Esports Academy".
The Academy aims to provide a platform for aspiring gaming and esports
professionals to advance their skills and reach a professional level.
Inclusive Selection Procedure
• 80% seats in the academy are reserved for gamers from Madhya Pradesh.
• The remaining 20% seats are open to gamers from across India.
• The gaming industry in India is expected to grow four-fold to reach Rs 1,100 crore by 2025.
• Sports minister of Madhya Pradesh: Yashodhara Raje Scindia
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Mukhya Mantri Khet Suraksha Yojana to be implemented in Uttar Pradesh

Primary objective - protecting crops from stray animals
A solar fence with a current flow of only 12 volts and siren sound will be
installed to protect crops from the animals without causing harm.
Under this scheme, the government will provide a grant of 60% or ₹1.43 lakh
per hectare to small and marginal farmers
Initially, the plan was to implement the scheme in Bundelkhand region of the State.
Que:In which state 'One-Tap-One-Tree' campaign has been launched?

Ans: Uttar Pradesh
Campaign is being launched jointly by the Namami Gange Programme and Rural
Water Supply Department.
“Under the ‘Har-Ghar-Jal’ scheme, each beneficiary will be provided a sapling along with tap connection in
the state,
India’s first Vedic-themed park unveiled in Noida

Inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath.
This park is also known as Ved Van Park.
It will also highlight excerpts from the four Vedic literature pieces- Rig Veda, Atharva
Veda, Yajur Veda, and Sama Veda- via laser shows, wall paintings, and sculptures.
Construction on the park commenced in January 2021
India Literacy House in Lucknow to be tourist destination with a museum

The India Literacy Board proposes to set up a Literacy Museum at its premises,
popularly known as Literacy House, in Lucknow.
The board has also requested the state tourism department to declare the campus
as a destination for literacy tourism to attract national and international visitors.
Exhibiting how pictorial books, puppets and other tools were used to educate people in the past.
The museum will come up at a cost of ₹8 crore and will be based on the design of noted architect Laurie
Baker.
Welthy Honsinger Fisher had set up the India Literacy Board or Literacy House in Lucknow in 1956 with a
mission to end illiteracy and enlighten society with its motto: “It is better to light a lamp than to curse the
darkness.”
Que:Which state government is introducing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in all government
buildings, malls, etc starting August 1?
Ans: Uttar Pradesh
Aim - to provide necessary first aid to the patient in case of cardiac arrest at all these places.
In India, approximately 7 lakh deaths occur annually due to cardiac arrest.
This medical intervention is more effective than CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation), which is performed
manually on the chest during a cardiac arrest.
Rare Jerdon’s Babbler spotted in Uttar Pradesh after 14 years

• A rare and globally endangered bird species named 'Jerdon's Babbler' was spotted
in the buffer zone of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR), in the grasslands of Uttar
Pradesh, after 14 years.
• It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1994
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• Geographic Distribution: Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan.

• Habitat: It lives all-year-round near riverine grasslands.
• Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR): It is located on the Indo-Nepal border in the district Lakhimpur-
Kheri in Uttar Pradesh.
Vision Document To Achieve 2070 Net Zero Target : Jharkhand

Jharkhand’s Department of Forest, Environment, and Climate Change released a vision
document outlining a comprehensive plan to achieve the net-zero target by 2070.
The document outlines eight thematic areas:Livelihood and energy transitions,
Decarbonising pathways, Green hydrogen mission, Coal transition, Sustainable mobility
transition, Investment and finance, and Institutional framework.
Being a major source of energy in India, Jharkhand has played a significant role in coal production,
contributing more than 16% of the country’s total output.
The World famous Shravani Mela inaugurated in Deoghar

Shravani Mela 2023 was inaugurated by offering prayers at Baba Baidyanathdham
temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand.
Baba Baidyanathdham Temple is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in the country.
The Olchiki Hul Baisi group demanded a four-point agenda to uplift the
Santali community:
Official language status for the Santali language,
A separate Santali academy,
The printing and reading of Santali language books from Olchiki script, and
The restoration of Santali teachers.
The group has accused the Jharkhand government of ignoring their
demands and called for a complete shutdown of Jharkhand
Ol Chiki Script & Hul Diwas:

The Prime Minister India used Ol Chiki script of Santhali language for saluting the immortal tribal
revolutionaries on Hul Diwas (30 June).
Ol Chiki script was created in 1925 by Raghunath Murmu (1905-1982), writer
and teacher from Mayurbhanj State (now part of Odisha) as a way to write
Santhali (a Munda language).
Ol Chiki is also known as Ol Cemet’, Ol Ciki, Ol or the Santhali alphabet.
It was created as a way to promote Santhali culture.
The script was first publicized in 1939 at the Mayurbhanj State exhibition.
Murmu published over 150 books in Santhali in the Ol Chiki script.

Santhali is also written with the Latin, Odia, Bengali and Devanagari alphabets.
Santhali language is spoken mainly in Jharkhand and West Bengal states in northern India, and also in
north-western Bangladesh, eastern Nepal and Bhutan.
Hul Diwas : Revolution – began in 1855 two years before the uprising of 1857.
It was an “organised war against colonialism” led by the Santals
It was led by two brothers Sidhu and Kanhu.
In 2003, the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act added Santhali to Schedule VIII to the Constitution of
India, which lists the official languages of India, along with the Bodo, Dogri and Maithili languages.
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Que:Which state/UT is associated with ‘EKAMRA project’?

Ans: Odisha
Odisha CM lays foundation stone for redevelopment of areas around 11th century
Lingaraj Temple
Launched in 2019, under the Ekamra Kshetra (ancient name of Bhubaneswar)
Amenities and Monuments Revival Action (EKAMRA) plan, the Naveen Patnaik government has planned to
develop around 80 acres surrounding the ancient shrine of Lord Shiva.
Rs 280-crore EKAMRA project
The Odisha Bridge Construction Corporation (OBCC) under the sate works department will be in-charge of
the project.
Mo Jungle Jami Yojana : Odisha Government

The Odisha government has introduced the Mo Jungle Jami Yojana, a scheme
aimed at bolstering forest rights among tribals and forest dwellers across the
state’s districts.
Odisha will become the first state in India to recognize community forest rights
in addition to individual rights offered by the central government.
The scheme aims to ensure livelihood and food security for the Scheduled Tribe and forest dwelling
population by granting ownership of land and access to forest resources to the beneficiaries in accordance
with their entitlements.
With 62 different tribes, including 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), the state’s tribal
population accounts for 22.85% of the overall population.
Odisha govt approved Kui language inclusion in 8th schedule

Odisha state cabinet approved a proposal to recommend the inclusion of the
Kui language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution of India.
Aim: Help in the preservation, promotion, and propagation of the language
and culture
Kui Language:
Kui is a South-Eastern Dravidian language spoken by the Kandha community.
It is primarily spoken in the state of Odisha.
Kui is traditionally written using the Odia script, which is also used for writing the Odia language.
• 8th Schedule of Indian Constitution lists the official languages of India.
• Part XVII of the Indian constitution deals with the official languages in Articles 343 to 351.
• The 22 languages now included in the eighth section of the Constitution are, Manipuri, Maithili,
Kashmiri, Hindi, Kannada, Gujarati, Konkani, Malayalam, Assamese, Marathi, Nepali, Bengali,
Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Telugu, Tamil, Odia, Urdu, Bodo, Dogri, and Santhali.
• Of these languages, 14 were initially included in the Constitution.
• Sindhi language was added by the 21st Amendment Act of 1967.
• Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali were included by the 71st Amendment Act of 1992.
• Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali were added by the 92nd Amendment Act of 2003 which came
into force in 2004.
• Currently there are six languages that enjoy the ‘Classical’ status in India:
• Tamil (declared in 2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and
Odia (2014).
• All the Classical Languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
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Que:An Odia-based news station, Odisha TV has unveiled India’s first regional AI news anchor. What is
the name of this AI news anchor?
Ans: Lisa / लिसा
In a significant milestone for the AI industry, Odisha TV, an Odia-based news
station, has unveiled “Lisa,” India’s first regional AI news anchor.
Lisa possesses the remarkable ability to speak multiple languages, including
Odia, English, and others.
CM Naveen launches ‘Ama Pokhari’ to rejuvenate water bodies

Odisha CM, Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Ama Pokhari’ Yojana to rejuvenate around 2,000
large water bodies in all 115 urban local bodies of the state.
The state government would invest 120 crore rupees in the implementation of the initiative.
Odisha cabinet approves Mission Shakti Scooter Yojana

Under this scheme, an interest subvention on bank loans up to Rs 1 lakh will be
provided to beneficiaries to purchase a scooter.
The State government has made a budgetary provision of Rs 528.55 crore for the
execution of the scheme over a period of the next five years.
CM Baghel launched new rural housing scheme: Gramin Awaas Nyay Yojana
Gramin Awas Nyay Yojana, funded by the State, aims to help families which
are facing challenges in getting housing approval due to the eligibility
criteria for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
The eligibility rules for Prime Minister’s Rural Housing are based on Socio-
Economic Survey 2011 (officially called Socio-Economic and Caste Census –
SECC 2011).
The Panchayat and Rural Development Department under the Government of Chhattisgarh conducted the
survey.
The scheme will help over 8 lakh beneficiaries.
Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011

• SECC 2011 was the first caste-based census since 1931 Census of India
• In June 2011, the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) was started by the Ministry of Rural
Development.
• The results of SECC 2011 were announced by in July 2015.
• The Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) covered the first-ever census of households in both rural
and urban areas.
• SECC 2011 is also the first paperless census in India.
Que:In which state did PM Modi inaugurate wildlife friendly highway projects?
Ans: Chhattisgarh
PM Modi inaugurated the construction of three National Highway projects for the Chhattisgarh section of
the 6-lane greenfield Raipur-Vishakhapatnam corridor.
This project will pass through the Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary area.
A notable aspect of these projects is the inclusion of a 2.8 km long, 6-lane tunnel equipped with 27 animal
passes and 17 monkey canopies in the Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary area.
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Gutti Koya Tribe:

Gutti Koya tribes people erect stone memorials in the event of death of their
three most important service providers namely physician, priest and village
leader.
In Red Corridor along A.P.- Chhattisgarh border, a tribe keeps its customs,
memories alive
Gutti Koya tribe is concentrated in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
They speak the Koya, which is a Dravidian language.
They practice Podu form of shifting cultivation, as practiced by various tribal groups in forest areas.
They earn a living through animal husbandry and minor forest produce.
Que:Which state government has launched the ‘Jagananna Amma Vodi’ scheme?
Ans: Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched the ‘Jagananna
Amma Vodi’ scheme for the fourth year (initially launched on on 9 January 2020).
Under the Amma Vodi scheme, eligible mothers who send their children to schools
will receive Rs 15,000 financial aid to meet the educational expenses.
PM inaugurates Sai Hira Global Convention Center in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh

Sai Hira Global Convention Center will become the focal point for discussions on
spirituality and educational programs involving scholars and experts.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born in Puttaparthi, and has followers all over the world.
PM informed that Amrit Kaal - the era leading up to the centenary of India's
independence, has been named the 'Kartavya Kaal', which encompasses both
development and heritage.
Rudragiri hillock
• In News: A fascinating fusion of rock art at Rudragiri hillock discovered
by D. Kanna Babu, former Superintending Archaeologist at
Archaeological Survey of India
• Rudragiri hillock is in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
• This site unveils a fascinating combination of prehistoric rock paintings from the Mesolithic
period around 5000 B.C and exquisite artwork from the Kakatiya dynasty.
• It is nestled amidst the Eastern Ghats, features five naturally formed rock shelters at its foothills,
facing westward.
• Two natural caves at the southern end of the hillock also exhibit exceptional murals from the
renowned Kakatiya kingdom.
Key findings:
The first cave presents a narrative mural portraying the intense battle between the Vanara brothers, Vali
and Sugriva.
A Ramayana fresco depicting Hanuman lifting the Sanjeevani hill with his right-hand painted
In the middle cave, a grand sketch of Hanuman, accompanied by sacred symbols of the conch (Sankha)
and the fire altar (Yagna Vedi).
The third cave houses the prehistoric rock paintings from the Mesolithic era. Interestingly, the Kakatiya
artist chose the same rock shelter to superimpose the elegant figure of Hanuman
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The illustrious Ganapati Deva Maharaja (1199-1262 AD), the founder of Muppavaram temple and a
prominent figure of the Kakatiya dynasty, likely patronised the rich ancient mural heritage found at
Rudragiri.
What is the Mesolithic period?
It is also called Middle Stone Age which existed between the Palaeolithic (Old
Stone Age) and the Neolithic (New Stone Age).
Timeframe: This period is generally considered to have occurred between
approximately 12,000-10,000 years ago
Lifestyle: During the Mesolithic period, human societies were predominantly
hunter-gatherer communities.
Kakatiyas:
Kakatiyas is an Andhra dynasty that flourished in the 12 century CE. The Kakatiya dynasty ruled from
Warangal (Telangana) from CE 1083-1323.
They were known for the construction of a network of tanks for irrigation and drinking water and thereby
gave a big boost to the overall development of the region.
Telangana has launched a massive rejuvenation movement in the form of “Mission Kakatiya” which
involves the restoration of irrigation tanks and lakes/minor irrigation sources built by the Kakatiya dynasty.
There are hundreds of Hindu temples built under the patronage of Kakatiya kings like Ganapati Deva,
Rudrama Devi and Prataparudra of Kakatiya dynasty.
• Eg. - Thousand Pillar Temple or Rudreshwara Swamy Temple, Telangana. It is a star-shaped, triple
shrine (Trikutalayam) dedicated to Vishnu, Shiva and Surya.
• Ramappa Temple, Warangal, Telangana.
• Golconda Fort in Hyderabad (Telangana) was also constructed by the Kakatiya rulers.
Mukhra (K) becomes first insured village in Telangana

Telangana, Mukhra (K), a model village in Adilabad district has become the first
habitation in the State to be insured by 100 percent.
Mukhra (K) village bagged many national awards which include the National-level
Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh award this year and an incentive of 50 lakh rupees.
It achieved an open defecation-free tag by constructing toilets in all households.
About Telangana
Established – 2 June 2014
Capital – Hyderabad
Chief Minister – K. Chandrashekar Rao
Governor – Tamilisai Soundararajan
Annual Bonalu Festival celebrated in Hyderabad

Bonalu is a Hindu Festival where Goddess Mahakali is worshiped. It is an
annual festival celebrated in the twin Cities Hyderabad and sSecunderabad
and other parts of Telangana state.
Bonalu is celebrated usually during Ashada Masam which falls in
July/August.
Bonam literally means Meal in Telugu, which is an offering to the Mother Goddess. Women folk prepare
rice that is cooked along with Milk, Jaggery in a New Earthen or Brass Pot, which is adorned with Neem
Leaves, Turmeric and Vermilion.
During the first and last day of this festival, special poojas are performed for goddess Yellamma.
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Karnataka government announced Budget for 2023-24

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah presented a budget of Rs 3.27 lakh crore
The budget now includes a provision for life and accident insurance of 4 lakhs to e-
commerce delivery personnel.
The government will provide additional financial aid of ₹4,000 to ₹5,000 a month
to each household.
₹37,587 Crores (11%) allocated for Education, ₹24,166 Crores (7%) for Women
and Child Development.
This was Siddaramaiah's seventh budget as Chief Minister, having previously presented six budgets during
his tenure from 2013 to 2018.
Tamil Nadu issues guidelines for implementation of ‘Kalaignar Magalir Urimai

Thittam’ (women’s basic income scheme)
The monthly scheme for women heads of households, Magalir Urimai Thogai
Thittam, will be named after former Chief Minister 'Kalaignar' M Karunanidhi
The financial assistance of ₹1,000 per month to women heads of eligible households was a poll promise of
the DMK
India gets its 36th and Tamil Nadu its first flying training school
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has approved the EKVI Air Training
Organization Pvt Ltd which will be based at Salem Airport, Tamil Nadu.
This will be the first flying training organization (FTO) in Tamil Nadu.
India now has 36 DGCA-approved flying schools.
Director general in the Directorate of General of Civil Aviation: Vikram Dev Dutt
India’s first ‘Police Drone Unit’ launched in Chennai (TN)

Greater Chennai Police has established a ‘Drone Police Unit’ to assist cops in
aerial surveillance.
This will particularly be helpful in case of large gatherings, real-time checking
of vehicle registration data and spotting of suspects.
These drones equipped with AI technology can accurately estimate crowds
during festivals or other gatherings, thereby enabling police to correctly plan crowd control strategies.
Also, the drones are equipped with ANPR cameras which are capable of doing real-time checking with the
vehicles registration database and spot suspects, stolen vehicles.
Project Gajah Kotha Launched in Assam

In an effort to reduce the growing human-elephant conflict (HEC) issue, Assam has
launched the “Gajahkotha” Campaign, involving over 1,200 individuals.
Aims to educate residents about the behaviour, ecology and cultural significance of
elephants in the region, emphasizing the importance of conservation.
Led by Aranyak, a leading Guwahati-based wildlife NGO, in collaboration with the British Asian Trust and
the Assam Forest Department and supported by the Darwin Initiative
Current Data on Elephants in India:

• India is home to approximately around 27,000 Asian Elephants, which is the world’s largest
population of the species.
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• As per Elephant Census (2017), Karnataka has the highest number of elephants (6,049), followed by
Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054).
• India has 33 Elephant Reserves (ER). Lemru ER (Chhattisgarh), Agsthyamalai ER (Tamil Nadu) and
Terai ER (Uttar Pradesh) were notified in 2022.
• Asian Elephants:
• There are three subspecies of Asian elephant which are the Indian, Sumatran and Sri Lankan.
• IUCN Red List: Endangered.
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.
Short News
• Ladakh's First Women Police Station Inaugurated in Kargil
• Amazon India to open first-ever floating store in Dal Lake
• J&K Govt increases retirement age for university professors from 62 to 65
• J&K launches 'Mobile Dost App’ to provide access to all the Government Services directly
• Startup20 Shikhar summit held in Haryana's Gurugram
• 7th edition of the India Mobile Congress (IMC), co-hosted by the Department of
Telecommunications (DoT) and Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) will be held from
October 27 -29 in New Delhi this year.
• The Uttar Pradesh government has increased the retirement age of government doctors from 62
years to 65 years to address the shortage of doctors.
• The Uttar Pradesh government approved 800 MW ultra-supercritical thermal power projects in
Sonbhadra district in partnership with NTPC.
• Gujarat will host the 69th edition of the Filmfare Awards in 2024.
• DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade)and Government of Gujarat jointly
launch 'One District One Product' wall to promote indigenous crafts and artisans of the state at
Garvi Gujarat Bhawan.
• Numaligarh Refinery in Assam upgraded to ‘Schedule A’ category enterprise, unlocks financial
autonomy and expansion opportunities
• Finance Minister inaugurates GST Bhawan at Agartala, Tripura
• The local graziers of the Tawang region near Bumla Pass, Arunachal Pradesh, celebrated the
Chachin grazing festival
• Amit Shah laid foundation stone of 108 feet tall statue of Lord Shri Ram in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh
• Tamil Nadu regained the top spot in electronic exports in India followed by Karnataka and Uttar
Pradesh.
Science Tech
Mosaic Viruses : Loss Of Yield
Tomato growers in Maharashtra and Karnataka have blamed two different mosaic
viruses for the loss of yields earlier this year.
Tomato crop in Maharashtra was impacted by attacks of the Cucumber mosaic
virus (CMV), while in Karnataka and other South Indian states the farmers blaming
tomato mosaic virus (T0MV) for crop losses.
The current sharp increase in the price of tomato is due to lower production of the
vegetable
Mosaic virus is a parasite that destroys plants, gardens, and crops down to their molecular level.
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Once a plant contracts the mosaic virus, the infected plant can then spread the virus to other plants and
even affect an entire harvest if left untreated.
It affects a wide variety of horticultural and vegetable crops — roses, beans, tobacco, tomatoes, potatoes,
cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, and peppers.
The two plant pathogens have similar names and cause similar damage to crops, but they belong to
different viral families, and spread differently.
ToMV belongs to the Virgaviridae family and is closely related to the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV).
It hosts include tomato, tobacco, peppers, and certain ornamental plants.
ToMV spreads mainly through infected seeds, saplings, agricultural tools and often through the hands of
nursery workers who have failed to sanitise themselves properly before entering the fields.
It would require only a few infected saplings for the virus to take over an entire field in a matter of days.
It can remain dormant in weeds and plant remains around the field, and come back later.
Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV):

It has a much larger host pool that includes cucumber, melon, eggplant, tomato, carrot,
lettuce etc.
It was identified in cucumber in 1934, which gave the virus its name.
It is spread by aphids which are sap-sucking insects.
It can also spread through human touch, but the chances of that are extremely low.
Conditions of high temperature followed by intermittent rain, which allow aphids to multiply, are
conducive to the spread of CMV.
Peste Des Petits Ruminants : Contagious Animal Disease

An outbreak of a highly contagious animal disease, Peste Des Petits Ruminants,
has recently killed 60 sheep and goats and affected around 200 in the highland
pastures of the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh
Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious viral disease of sheep and goats with high
mortality.
It is caused by a virus of the family paramyxoviridae and genus morbillivirus.
PPR is mainly spread during close contact when a susceptible animal inhales the virus from infected
animals’ coughing and sneezing, or through contact with infected objects such as feed troughs, bedding
etc.
Once introduced, the virus can infect up to 90 percent of an animal herd, and the disease kills anywhere
from 30 to 70 percent of infected animals.
The PPR virus does not infect humans. In India, the disease outbreaks have been reported in Himachal
Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.
PBW RS1 : New Variety of Wheat

The Ludhiana-based institution has developed a new variety of wheat
called PBW RS1.
PBW RS1 contains high amylose starch content.
Resistant starch (RS) won’t cause an immediate and rapid rise in
glucose levels.
Amylose starch content known to reduce risks of type-2 diabetes and
cardiovascular diseases.
Type 2 Diabetes is the condition in which the human body doesn’t use insulin well and can’t keep blood
sugar at normal levels.
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Food prepared from its whole grain flour also have lower glycemic index.
Glycemic index is a rating system for foods containing carbohydrates.
Coal Gasification: New Target

The Ministry of Coal has set a target to gasify 100 million tonnes of coal by FY
2030 in line with its energy transition plans.
The Coal Ministry is considering a comprehensive scheme to promote coal
gasification projects for both government and the private sector with an outlay of Rs 6,000 crores.
Coal gasification is the process of producing syngas, a mixture consisting primarily of carbon monoxide
(CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and water vapour (H2O) – from coal and water,
air and/or oxygen.
During gasification, coal is blown with oxygen and steam while also being heated under high pressure.
In this reaction, oxygen and water molecules oxidize the coal and produce syngas.
Coal gasification can help address local pollution problems.
It is considered a cleaner option compared to the burning of coal.
It will help in reducing reliance on imports of natural gas, methanol, ammonia and other essential product
Belle Robot:
Researchers in Switzerland recently developed a new, autonomous fish robot named
Belle.
Belle Robot is an autonomous underwater robot designed to collect DNA samples and
film underwater to better understand the impact of human activities on marine life and
develop targeted conservation strategies.
Belle is silent, moves like a fish and doesn’t create a disruptive wake as she moves
through her environment.
Short-Lived Halogens : Contributions To Cooling The Environment

• The recently published report of the Indian Institute of Tropical
Meteorology said that halogens’ contributions to cooling the
environment could increase to 18-31% by 2100.
• Significant Contribution to Cooling: Short-lived halogens, including
chlorine, bromine, and iodine, released by the oceans currently
contribute contribute 8-10% of cooling
• Depletion of Ozone: Short-lived halogens lead to the depletion of ozone in the troposphere, which
reduces warming as ozone is a greenhouse gas that traps outgoing radiation.
• Increase in Methane & Water Vapour: Short-lived halogens increase methane's lifetime in the
atmosphere by destroying hydroxyl radicals (OH), which break down methane. They also increase
the levels of water vapour, a greenhouse gas. This leads to a warming effect.
• Net Cooling Effect: Short-lived halogens compensate for warming by
destroying ozone, resulting in a net cooling effect.
• Regional Variations: Halogen emissions from the oceans vary across
regions. Emissions are small over continents, larger in polar regions and
in areas with higher ozone levels.
• Anthropogenic Increase: The cooling effect of chlorine, bromine, and
iodine since the preindustrial era has increased by 61% due to human
activities.
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A recent study suggests the Gulf Stream system could collapse as soon as 2025.
But leading scientists have reservations about the study and say it is not
established science. It estimates AMOC could collapse between 2025 and 2095.
What is Gulf Stream & AMOC?
The Gulf Stream is a swift and warm ocean current which originates in the Gulf of
Mexico. It flows along the eastern coast of North America and crosses the
Atlantic Ocean towards Europe.
The current carries warm water from the tropics (around 25 to 28°C or 77 to 82°F) to higher latitudes.
What is an Ocean Current?

An ocean current is a continuous, directed flow of seawater within the Earth's oceans.
These currents are like rivers within the ocean, moving large volumes of water in
specific patterns and directions.
They are a crucial component of the Earth's climate system and play a vital role in
regulating global climate, distributing heat around the planet, and influencing weather
patterns.
Ocean currents can be formed by various factors, including wind, temperature, salinity (salt content), and
the Earth's rotation.
Ocean Circulation: Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC):

Gulf Stream is an essential part of the larger oceanic circulation system known
as AMOC. It plays a vital role in redistributing heat around the Earth and
regulating global climate patterns.
Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC):
It is a large system of ocean currents operating in the Atlantic, which circulates the waters between the
north and the south.
It is characterized by a northward flow of warm, salty water in the upper layers of the Atlantic, and a
southward flow of colder, deep waters that are part of the thermohaline circulation.
How it operates:
As warm water flows northwards in the Atlantic, it cools, while evaporation increases its salt content.
Low temperature and a high salt content raise the density of the water, causing it to sink deep into the
ocean.
The cold, dense water deep below slowly spreads southward. Eventually, it gets pulled back to the surface
and warms again, and the circulation is complete.
But as global temperatures rise with global warming, fresh water is pouring into the AMOC from the
melting Greenland ice cap and other sources.
If it collapses, it could lower temperatures by up to 10 or 15 degrees in Europe and lead to rising sea levels
in the eastern US.
It would also disrupt rain that billions rely on for agriculture.
The last time AMOC stopped and restarted was during the Ice Ages about 115,000 to 12,000 years ago.
China’s OpenKylin : Open-Source Desktop Operating System

China recently released its first open-source desktop operating system, named OpenKylin.
OpenKylin is China’s first open-source desktop operating system (OS).
It is a Linux-based operating system.
An Open-source OS is the OS in which source code is visible publicly and editable.
The generally known Operating Systems like Microsoft’s Windows, Apple’s iOS and Mac OS, are closed OS.
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CERT-In issues alert on 'Akira' ransomware

CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), issued a warning about a
new Internet ransomware named 'Akira'.
Ransomware is designed to steal sensitive personal information and encrypt the
data, forcing victims to pay a ransom.
The 'Akira' ransomware targets both Windows and Linux-based systems.

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (ICERT)
It functions as a division within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under the
Government of India.
ICERT is primarily tasked with dealing with and combating various cyber security threats including hacking
and phishing.
Director General - Sanjay Behl
Virgin Galactic completes first manned mission to space

Virgin Galactic, founded by Richard Branson, successfully completed its first manned
mission to the edge of space. The mission had a research-oriented focus and featured
two Italian Air Force personnel, who were funded by Virgin Galactic.
Euclid Space Telescope launched

The European Space Agency launched the Euclid Space Telescope on July
1.
Euclid Space Telescope is named after the Greek mathematician Euclid
of Alexandria.
This mission is part of ESA’s Cosmic Vision programme, which plans to
explore the origin and components of the Universe and the fundamental
laws that govern it.
It will look at how quickly the galaxies are moving away from each other,
which will offer scientists insight into both dark energy and the working
of gravity.
The detectors of the near-infrared instruments have been supplied by
NASA, making the American agency an important part of the Euclid
Consortium.
It will be floating 1.5 million kilometres above the Earth, and the telescope hopes to deliver images that are
at least four times sharper than ground-based ones.
It launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and will remain operational for a minimum of 6 years.
Ghost Particles: New Picture Of Our Galaxy

Scientists have recently revealed a new picture of our galaxy: made up of invisible “ghost particles” that
have not been detected until now.
Neutrinos are tiny subatomic particles, often called ‘ghost particles’ because they
barely interact with anything else.
Neutrinos come from all kinds of different sources and are often the product of
heavy particles turning into lighter ones, a process called “decay.”
Neutrinos are denoted by the Greek symbol ν, or nu (pronounced “new”).
They belong to the family of particles known as leptons.
They are the most common particle in the universe. Approximately 100 trillion neutrinos pass completely
harmlessly through the human body every second.
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They are extraordinarily difficult to detect, as they rarely collide with atoms.
Of the four fundamental forces in the universe, neutrinos only interact with two — gravity and the weak
force.
But not all neutrinos are the same.
They come in different types and can be thought of in terms of flavours, masses, and energies.
China launches world’s first methane-fuelled space rocket

A private Chinese company has launched the world’s first methane-liquid oxygen space
rocket into orbit.
The Zhuque-2 carrier rocket was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
The rocket successfully delivered a test payload into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO), the first
in the world to make such an achievement.
Methane-powered engines, with their high performance and low operational costs, are
particularly suited for the developing trend of reusable rockets.
Solar Shooting Stars: Discovery

Astronomers have made a stunning discovery of meteor-like streaks falling on the
surface of the Sun, known as coronal rain.
Coronal rain is a condensation process in which some of the Sun’s fiery material
clumps together due to sudden, localised temperature drops and plummet to the
Sun’s surface at incredible speeds.
These play a key role in heating up the corona which is the outermost part of the Sun’s atmosphere.
The researchers observed these solar shooting stars using the Solar Orbiter spacecraft of the European
Space Agency.
Solar Flares: Disrupted Radio Communications Over Parts of the United States
Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy from the Sun, and can last for a few minutes or
hours.
Solar flares are a sudden explosion of energy caused by tangling, crossing or reorganizing
of magnetic field lines near sunspots.
Sunspots - ‘dark’ regions on the Sun that are cooler than the surrounding photosphere.
There are five different classes of solar flares (based on their brightness in X-ray
wavelengths): A, B, C, M, and X.
Each class is at least ten times more potent than the one before it.
Chandrayaan-3 launched on July 14

ISRO launched the third edition of its lunar mission, the Chandrayaan-3, on July 14 at 2.30 pm from the
Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota
Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe
landing and roving on the lunar surface. It consists of Lander and Rover configuration.
Chandrayaan-3 was launched over Launch Vehicle Mark-III (LVM-3), which was previously known as
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk-III (GSLV Mk-III) rocket.
The propulsion module has Spectro-polarimetry of Habitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) payload to study the
spectral and Polari metric measurements of Earth from the lunar orbit.
The mission objectives of Chandrayaan-3 are:

1. To demonstrate Safe and Soft Landing on Lunar Surface
2. To demonstrate Rover roving on the moon and
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3. To conduct in-situ scientific experiments.

India’s first moon rocket, the Chandrayaan-1, was launched in 2008, and was successfully inserted into
lunar orbit.
Chandrayaan-2 was successfully launched and inserted into lunar orbit in 2019, but its lander “crash-
landed” on the moon’s surface.
Aditya-L1 mission
After the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3, ISRO is working to launch its pioneering mission to study the
Sun, named Aditya L1 on 26th August, 2023.
The Aditya Mission that was conceptualised in 2008, was postponed numerous times due to budget
crunch.
The mission is build at a cost of Rs 378.53 crore
Aditya L1 will be launched using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) with 7 instruments on board, of
which the primary payload is the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), designed and fabricated by the
Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.
Aditya L1 will study the Sun’s corona, Sun's photosphere, chromosphere, solar emissions, solar winds and
flares, and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), and will carry out round-the-clock imaging of the Sun.
The spacecraft shall be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system,
which is about 1.5 million km from the Earth.
A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing
the Sun without any occultation/eclipses.
Lagrange Points, named after Italian-French mathematician Josephy-Louis Lagrange
ISRO’s PSLV-C56 puts 7 satellites in orbit

The primary satellite DS-SAR was sponsored by the Government of Singapore
On July 30, ISRO launched the PSLV-C56 rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Center in
Sriharikota.
STARFIRE Algorithm
Scientists at Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and
Technology, have developed an algorithm called STARFIRE
STARFIRE Algorithm is called as the Simulation of Terrestrial Radio Frequency Interference in orbits around
Earth (STARFIRE) algorithm.
It can estimate the Radio Frequency Interference emitted by FM radio stations, Wi-Fi networks, mobile
towers, radar, satellites, and communication devices, and use this calculation for designing and fine-tuning
the antennas.
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It is capable of estimating and mapping the unwanted Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) signals in space.
This algorithm can also be handy in orbit selection for future missions.
JUPITER-3 : Largest Private Satellite To Space

SpaceX made history by launching world’s largest private satellite to space on July 27.
JUPITER-3 is the largest commercial communications satellite ever built.
The satellite is named JUPITER-3 and is developed by Maxar Technologies.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket carried the JUPITER-3 satellite into space.
JUPITER-3 satellite will cater to various communication needs.
Markarian 421 : Supermassive Black Hole

NASA’s IXPE Mission unveils twisted mysteries of the Supermassive Black Hole Markarian 421.
Markarian 421 is a supermassive black hole firing a jet of high-energy particles aimed directly at Earth.
It is about 400 million light-years away from the earth
It is located in the constellation Ursa Major.
Supermassive black hole have a mass greater than about 50,000 times the mass of our sun.
These are always found at the centre of a galaxy and almost all galaxies have a supermassive black hole at
its centre.
Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is an international collaboration between NASA and the Italian
Space Agency.
It is the first satellite dedicated to measuring polarized X-rays from objects, such as neutron stars and
supermassive black holes, to reveal previously hidden details of the universe.
Short news
• CH3+ (also known as methyl cation) A Life-Giving Molecule Detected in Space has been detected for
the first time by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). It has been found in the Orion Nebula
• Elon Musk launches artificial intelligence firm xAI
• Meta collaborates with Microsoft to launch Llama 2 AI language model
Defence
INS Sunayna participated in CMF Ex 'Op Southern Readiness-2023
INS Sunayna has participated in the 'Op Southern Readiness 2023' exercise conducted by
Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in Seychelles from 10-12 July 2023.
It is a multinational initiative aimed at enhancing maritime security, countering piracy to
ensure the region's safety and freedom of navigation.
Participating Navies: USA, Italy, UK, Seychelles Defence Forces & Marine Police, EUNAVFOR
members
7th bilateral Japan-India Maritime Exercise, JIMEX 23 held at Visakhapatnam

Indian Navy hosted the seventh edition of the bilateral Japan-India Maritime Exercise
2023, 'JIMEX 23' at Visakhapatnam from 5 to 10 July 2023.
Indian Navy participated with the INS Delhi (India's first indigenously built Guided Missile
Destroyer) INS Kamorta (an indigenously designed and built Anti-Submarine Warfare
Corvette), fleet tanker INS Shakti, etc.
7th edition of SALVEX exercise conducted in Kochi
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The Seventh edition of the Indian Navy and US Navy ‘Salvage and Explosive
Ordnance Disposal Exercise’, SALVEX was conducted from 26 Jun – 06 Jul 23 at
Kochi.
Both the navies have participated with their ships – INS Nireekshak and USNS
Salvor in addition to Specialist Diving and EOD teams.
Aim: To enhance the skill sets of the Diving teams in a number of diverse disciplines such as mine detection
and neutralization, wreck location, and salvage.
since 2005
'Nomadic Elephant 2023’ between Indian and Mongolian armies

The 15th edition of the joint military exercise between India and Mongolia,
'Nomadic Elephant 2023’, held at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 17 to 31 July 2023.
Indian Army soldiers from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment and
Soldiers of the Mongolian Armed Forces Unit 084 participated in the exercise
Aim: Counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain under United Nations mandate
Indian, Indonesian naval ships conduct joint exercise in Jakarta

Two frontline Indian Naval ships INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata arrived in Indonesia's Jakarta to participate
in the ‘Maritime Partnership Exercise’ with the Indonesian Navy.
INS Sahyadri is the third indigenously designed and built Project-17 class stealth frigate and INS Kolkata is
the first indigenously designed and built stealth destroyer of the Project-15A class.
Both these ships have been built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai.
Recently, Indo-Indonesia concluded its bilateral Exercise Samudra Shakti-23 in the South China Sea
China and Russia hold Joint Military Drills 'Northern Interaction-2023'

A Joint Military Drills 'Northern Interaction-2023', between Chinese
and Russian naval and air forces conducted in the central region of the
Sea of Japan.
It is organized by the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Northern Theater Command.
Sea of Japan (East Sea) is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean.
10th edition of 'Talisman Sabre' military exercise held in Australia

10th edition of Massive 'Talisman Sabre' military exercise, a multilateral
biennial exercise predominantly involving Australia and the United States (US),
was held at HMAS Canberra in Townsville with 11 partner nations.
'Talisman Sabre is the largest military exercise of its kind, with over 30,000
military personnel participating.
Germany took in the 'Talisman Sabre' exercise for the first time, adding to the international collaboration.
India, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand participated as observers.
India-US launched ‘Operation Broader Sword’

India and the USA, jointly conducted an ‘Operation Broader Sword’ to stop the illegal
shipment of drugs through the International Mail System.
It targeted shipments of illicit, potentially dangerous, unapproved prescription drugs,
combination medical devices, and synthetic drug precursors shipped through International Mail Facilities.
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J&K: Operation Trinetra II, to neutralise hiding terrorists

‘Operation Trinetra II’ has been launched by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir
Police, to neutralise hiding terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch.
Sagar Nidhi
In News - Scientists from Bangladesh and Mauritius recently embarked onboard India’s research vessel
Sagar Nidhi to participate in a joint ocean expedition.
The event took place under the framework of the Colombo Security Conclave
(CSC) between the nations of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Sagar Nidhi:
• Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) Sagar Nidhi is a multidisciplinary vessel
operated by the National Institute of Ocean Technology, Ministry of
Earth Sciences.
• It was built in 2007 by Italy.
• It is India’s third research vessel after Sagar Purvi and Sagar Paschimi.
• It is powered by fully automatic diesel-electric propulsion.
• It is equipped to launch submersible capsules capable of taking scientists to a depth of six km
below sea level.
• The vessel is capable of carrying out geo-scientific, meteorological and oceanographic research.
• The vessel would be used for launching tsunami monitoring systems.
C295 Transport Aircraft

C295 Transport Aircraft is a new-generation tactical airlifter in the light and medium segment that will
replace the ageing Avro aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
It was designed and built by Airbus, a European multinational aerospace corporation.
16 aircraft would come in fly away condition, manufactured at the Airbus facility in Seville, Spain, and 40
would be manufactured in India by Airbus jointly with Tata
In September, the Indian Air Force will receive the first C-295 transport aircraft.
A fully operational factory will be in place in Vadodara in Gujarat by November 2024, from where the
first Indian-made C295 military transport aircraft will start rolling out 2026 onward.
DAC Approves procurement of 26 Rafale Marine Aircraft from France

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh, approved various
proposals:
1. Procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft from France to boost Indian Navy’s operational
capabilities
2. The procurement of three additional Scorpene submarines under the Buy (Indian) category
(constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL))
Air Force Day Parade and Flypast to be held at Prayagraj

The Indian Air Force will be celebrating its 91st anniversary on 08 October 2023.
Keeping with the new tradition of hosting the Air Force Day celebrations in different
parts of the country, this year’s Air Force Day parade and Air Display will be held in
Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
The IAF was officially established on October 8, 1932.
Short News
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• The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the
procurement of two Dornier Aircraft for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) at an overall cost of Rs 458.87
crore.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the regional office of Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL) in Kuala Lumpur to facilitate close defence industrial collaboration between India and
Malaysia.
Short News
• The Ministry of Defence signs a contract of Rs. 2725 Cr with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd for
Medium Refit with Life Certification of Submarine INS Shankush
• North Korea recently tested its latest Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
• Voyager Space has signed an MoU with New Space India Limited (NSIL) to foster collaboration in
spacecraft launch and deployment opportunities onboard NSIL’s Small Satellite Launch Vehicle
(SSLV) and Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).
National News
9 Nano Urea plants to be set up across the country by 2025
Chemical Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said that the country is
aiming to manufacture 44 crore bottles of Nano Urea annually by the
year 2025.
Merits of Nano Urea - urea absorption rate by crops is 80% in the case
of Nano Urea whereas the traditional urea absorption rate is only 30%.
Nano Urea is cost-effective and demonstrated an increase in crop yield.
America and several other countries have evinced interest in Nano Urea.
PM Modi launches National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission

PM Narendra Modi launched the Mission in the Shahdol district of
Madhya Pradesh.
Aim: To eradicate anemia by 2047
Sickle cell genetic status cards were distributed at the event. People
should match Sickle Cell Genetic Status Cards before marriage, so that
the disease is not transferred to the next generation
Mission targets screening approximately 7.0 crore people under 40 years of age in the next 3 years
The mission would be implemented in 278 districts of 17 states in India (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan,
MP, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, WB, Odisha, TN, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, UP, Kerala,
Bihar, and UK).
India hosted 23rd Summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization

PM Narendra Modi hosted the 23rd edition of the SCO Summit virtually.
Theme 2023: Towards a SECURE SCO
SECURE stands for Security, Economic development, Connectivity, Unity, Respect for
sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Environmental protection.
The summit was attended by SCO Members China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and
Uzbekistan.
Observer States: Iran, Belarus, and Mongolia
Guest of the Chair: Turkmenistan
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Bhashini Platform:
Prime Minister recently pitched for sharing India’s AI-based language
platform, Bhashini, with SCO member countries to remove language
barriers within the international grouping.
BHASHINI stands for Bhasha Interface for India, and is India’s Artificial
Intelligence (AI)-led language translation platform.
The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, the Kyrgyz
Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. India and Pakistan became its permanent members in
2017.
Currently, the SCO's official languages are Mandarin and Russian.
India has been pitching for also including English as the official language of the grouping.
NADA India, SARADO signs MoU in New Delhi

National Anti-Doping Agency, India (NADA India) has signed an MoU with
South Asia Regional Anti-Doping Organization (SARADO) to increase Regional
Cooperation in anti-doping in sports.
SARADO members include anti-doping organizations from Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
Govt revised Crop Residue Management guidelines

The Union Government has revised the Crop Residue Management guidelines
enabling efficient ex-situ (off site) management of paddy straw generated in
Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi.
As per the revised guidelines, techno-commercial pilot projects for Paddy Straw
Supply Chain will be established under bilateral agreement between the
Beneficiary or Aggregator (Farmers, rural entrepreneurs, Cooperative Societies of
FPOs and Panchayats) and Industries utilizing the paddy straw.
Govt shall provide financial assistance on the capital cost of machinery and equipment.
Centre announces scheme for minor rape victims

The special scheme aims to provide integrated support and assistance to girl child
victims under one roof, including maternity, neo-natal and infant care,
psychological and legal support
The special scheme, announced by the Women and Child Development Ministry,
would operate under the aegis of the Nirbhaya Fund and an amount of ₹74.1 crore has been allocated for
the same.
For this scheme, the administrative structure of 'Mission Vatsalya' has also been used in collaboration with
state governments and child care institutions.
Along with legal aid, the victim will also be provided safe transportation to attend court hearings.
To facilitate access to justice for minor victims, the Center has set up 415 POCSO (Protection of Children
from Sexual Offences) fast track courts in the country.
Mission Vatsalya:
There is an umbrella scheme for women and child protection services in the country.
Scheme launched: in 2021 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
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Implementation of the scheme: 1 April 2022
Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated International Hostel - Madhumaas at IARI

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated an International
Hostel named “Madhumaas” at ICAR-IARI.
The government is supporting the creation of student-centric hostels with high-quality facilities and
international standards due to the Institute's international education and growing student enrolment.
Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
It is also known as Pusa Institute (was initially located in Pusa, Bihar as the
Imperial Institute of Agricultural Research in 1911), and in 1936 the
institute was shifted to Delhi.
The present institute in Delhi is funded and administered by the Indian
Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
IARI secured the first position among agricultural and allied universities in
the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for 2023.
Que:IFFCO will procure how many agri-drones to promote the use of nano fertilizers across the country?
Ans:2500
To promote the use of nano fertilizers across the country, IFFCO will procure 2,500 agri-drones and train
5,000 rural entrepreneurs as part of its national campaign launched in July 2023.
The agri-drones will be used for spraying of its products nano urea and nano di-ammonium phosphate
(DAP), in a phased manner.
This will also support recently launched scheme PM-PRANAM that aims to reduce chemical fertilizers
and promote alternative fertilizers.
Government launched the Bharat 6G Alliance

The Department of Telecommunications has launched Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) to
drive innovation and collaboration in next-generation wireless technology.
Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) is a collaborative platform consisting of public and private
companies, academia, research institutions, and standards development
organizations.
Bharat 6G Alliance will forge coalitions and synergies with other 6G Global Alliances.
Government aims for 10 per cent of 6G patents by 2030.
World's largest International Temple Convention and Expo organized

in Varanasi
Organized from 22 to 24 July 2023 at the Rudraksh Convention Center
in Varanasi.
Conceived by Temple Connect (India), it is the world's first event solely
dedicated to the management of temples.
The conference will focus on nurturing and empowering the
governance, management and operations of the world and temple
ecosystem.
The conference was inaugurated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on July 22.
The three-day event is organized as part of the Incredible India campaign in collaboration with the Union
Ministry of Tourism.
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Largest Display Of Lambani Items : Guinness World Record

As part of the third G20 culture working group (CWG) meeting in Hampi, a
Guinness world record was created for the ‘largest display of Lambani items.
Over 450 women artisans and cultural practitioners from Lambani
community inhabiting Karnataka came together to create embroidered
patches with Sandur Lambani embroidery, creating 1,755 patchwork pieces.
Sandur Lambani Embroidery has Geographic Indication (GI) tag from Karnataka
The Lambanis are also known as Banjaras and most of them are found in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka states in South India.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates DGNSS '‘SAGAR SAMPARK’

Union Minister of Ports Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the indigenous
Differential Global Navigation Satellite System (DGNSS) ‘SAGAR SAMPARK’.
It would provide more accurate information to the ships for safe navigation.
About DGNSS:
• It is a terrestrial-based enhancement system.
• It corrects the errors and inaccuracies in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
• It will help mariners in safe navigation and will reduce the risk of collisions, and accidents
Govt doubles income slab for EWS under PMAY

The Centre has recently made a significant change to the income criteria for individuals
falling under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in the Pradhan Mantri
Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U) in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
The income threshold has been raised from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh, aiming to expand
eligibility and accessibility to affordable housing.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) falls under the Government’s mission - Housing for
All, being implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
It makes home loans affordable for the urban poor by providing a subsidy on the Interest Rate of a home
loan during repayment by way of EMI (Equated Monthly Installments).
It was launched on 25th June 2015
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India's Vizhinjam railway tunnel adopts Austrian tunneling method

The third longest railway tunnel in India, the Vizhinjam railway tunnel will adopt the New Austrian
Tunnelling Method (NATM) for undertaking the tunneling works.
This tunnel connects the under-construction Vizhinjam International Seaport.
It is being developed by the Adani Port with the railway mainline at Balaramapuram near
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala).
The country’s largest 12.75 km long railway tunnel (T-49) is built as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-
Baramula Rail Link (USBRL) project, surpassing the 11.2-km long Pir Panjal Tunnel on the Banihal-Qazigund
section.
Govt of India and Kenya to co-host ‘International Millet Conference’

India and Kenya will co-host a two-day ‘India-Africa International Millet Conference‘ on 30 – 31 August
2023.
The event will witness participation from government leaders, researchers, farmers, entrepreneurs and
industry associations from around the globe.
Aim - to raise public awareness about millet as the world’s emerging
smart food.
India produces all the nine commonly known traditional millets viz.
Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Finger Millet, Foxtail Millet, Proso Millet, Little
Millet, Barnyard Millet, Browntop Millet and Kodo Millet.
Millet is a common term for categorizing small-seeded grasses that are often called Nutri-cereals. Most of
the states in India grow one or more millet crop species.
Millets are drought-resistant, pest-resilient, climate-friendly crops that can boost income opportunities and
livelihoods of smallholder farmers, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
Visit of Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Karim, Secretary General of the Muslim World League to India
Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa arrived in India on 10 July 2023 on a five-day visit.
He is known as a well-known expert on moderate Islam.
Dr. Al-Issa jointly addressed other religious leaders and academics at an event organized
at the India Islamic Cultural Center on 11 July.
India is home to the second largest Muslim population in the world. In 2011, the
population of Muslims in India was 172.2 million.
The Indian Muslim population is almost equal to the combined population of more than
33 member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Muslim World League:

The Muslim World League was established on 18 May 1962 by a resolution adopted during a meeting of
the General Islamic Conference held in Mecca. It has had eight general secretaries since its inception.
The purpose of the Muslim World League is to promote Islam and the moderate values presented in the
Quran and Sunnah.
Namda Art Products : Export To United Kingdom

The first batch of Namda Art products exported to the United Kingdom.
The Namda craft of Kashmir has successfully been revived under Skill India’s Pilot
Project as part of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).
The project has successfully trained individuals across six districts of Kashmir -
Srinagar, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Budgam, and Anantnag
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Namda Art is said to have begun in the 16th century when Mughal Emperor Akbar wanted to get a
covering for his horses to protect them from the cold.
It was introduced by a Sufi saint named Shah-e-Hamdan to Kashmiris.
Namda is a type of traditional Kashmiri felted carpet that is created using sheep wool and has colourful
hand embroidery.
Unique themes and floral patterns provide the themes for these masterpieces
It is practised as a craft especially in the countries throughout Asia, viz. Iran, Afghanistan and India.
Govt launches sale of subsidised chana dal under brand name 'Bharat Dal’
Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal has launched the sale of subsidized
Chana Dal under the brand name ‘Bharat Dal’ at the rate of 60 rupees/Kg
Aim: To make pulses available to consumers at affordable prices
Chana dal is being sold in Delhi-NCR through the retail outlets of National
Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED).
Chana has multiple nutritional health benefits as it is rich in fibre, iron,
potassium, vitamin B, selenium beta carotene which are required by human body for controlling anaemia,
blood sugar, bone health etc. and even for mental health.
G-20 Global Food Regulatory Summit 2023 for the first time in India
The Global Food Regulators Summit 2023 was held in Delhi. The
summit was held outside Rome, Italy for the first time.
The conference was organized by the Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare on July 20 and 21, 2023 at Manekshaw Auditorium,
New Delhi.
Objective:
To provide a valuable platform to the summit participants to deliberate on food safety and regulatory
aspects in a cohesive network.
Adani Group commissions India’s first transnational power project

Gautam Adani met Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina for full load
commencement and handover of the 1,600 MW ultra-supercritical Godda
power plant.
Adani Power set up the 1,600 MW thermal power in Jharkhand’s Godda to
supply power generated to Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB)
through a dedicated transmission line.
The Godda Plant became fully operational in June. The plant was commissioned in a record time of three-
and-a-half years.
Adani Power Jharkhand Ltd (APJL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Power Ltd, will supply 100 per cent
of the generated electricity from the plant to another nation.
Regional Office of Universal Postal Union gets inaugurated in New Delhi

Devusinh Chauhan (Minister of State for Communications of India) and Masahiko Metoki (Director General
of Universal Postal Union) inaugurated the Regional Office of UPU in New Delhi.
Aims: To support capacity building, infrastructure development, and other essential activities to strengthen
the postal sector in the South Asia region.
India announced a contribution of USD 2,00,000 for four years towards
the UPU’s Development and Technical Assistance activities.
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UPU Headquarters: Bern, Switzerland

Founded: 9 October 1874
Indian Building Surpasses Pentagon To Become World's Largest Office

Surat Diamond Bourse, a building in Surat has surpassed the Pentagon
(headquarters of the US Army) to become the world’s largest office.
Diamond Bourse was designed by Delhi-based Morphogenesis (designed by
Manit Rastogi) and is based on the concept of Panchtatva, the five
elements of nature – water, fire, air, earth, and sky.
The building will be officially inaugurated by Narendra Modi in November 2023.
Surat is known as the world’s diamond capital, where 90% of the precious stones are cut.
According to the Union Ministry of Finance, 14 out of 15 diamonds in the world are finally cut in Surat.
The full functioning of the Surat Diamond Bourse will give a boost to the dynamism and growth of the
diamond industry.
Digital Time Vouchers:

The Election Commission of India has decided to issue digital time
vouchers to National & State political parties for campaigning on
Doordarshan & All India Radio during elections.
The Election Commission of India has amended the existing scheme
for the use of Government-owned electronic media by political
parties.
The scheme was initially notified on 16th January 1998, holds a statutory basis under Section 39A of the
Representation of People Act, 1951.It aimed at ensuring equitable access to government-owned electronic
media during elections for campaigning.
Tata to set up EV battery factory in UK for £4 billion

Tata group has announced setting up a factory in the England with an investment of four billion pounds (Rs
42,500 crore) to make batteries.
In Britain, the Tata group is working on plans to make batteries for Jaguar Land
Rover (JLR) as well as other vehicle companies
The 40 GWh gigafactory will be the largest in Europe and Tata's first outside India.
It will be one of the largest investments in the UK automotive industry.
New guidelines for designation of senior advocates in the SC

The Supreme Court has issued new guidelines for designating
senior advocates, replacing the existing 2017 guidelines.
These guidelines aim to streamline the process of conferring the
prestigious ‘senior advocate’ designation to practicing advocates.
Led by Justice SK Kaul, a three-judge bench delivered the ruling
Under the new regulations, lawyers with a minimum of 10 years
of standing and aged 45 years or above are eligible to apply. This age limit may be relaxed by the
Committee.
The applications will be reviewed by a committee comprising the Chief Justice of India (CJI), two senior
most judges, the Attorney General, and a bar representative, who will meet twice a year to assess the
candidates.
In contrast, the previous guidelines, including those from 2017, did not prescribe a specific minimum age
for designation.
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Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary to be Notified TR soon

Goa bench of the Bombay High Court has issued a directive to the Goa
government to notify the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding
areas as a tiger reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 within
three months
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has already recommended the state to notified this area as
TR as per provisions of Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary is in the northeast of Goa, in the taluka of Sattari. Its official declaration as a
wildlife preserve came in 1999.
The Mhadei River, known downstream as the Mandovi River, the lifeline of the state of Goa, originates in
Karnataka, passes through the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and meets the Arabian Sea at Panaji in Goa.
The whole sanctuary acts as a catchment for the river.
Prominent Waterfalls: Vazra Sakla Falls and the Virdi Falls.
It has been declared an International Bird Area because of the presence of
the Nilgiri wood pigeon, Malabar parakeet, Malabar grey hornbill, Grey-
headed Bulbul, Rufous babblerand Crimson-backed sunbird.
The three highest peaks in Goa are situated in the hill ranges of the
sanctuary. They are Sonsogod (1027 mts), Talavche Sada (812 mts) and
Vageri (725 mts).
India has 3682 tigers, home to 75 per cent of global numbers: Tiger census data
The number of tigers in India has increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual rise of 6 per
cent, according to the latest government data released on the International Tiger Day
“There are a maximum of 3925 tigers in the country. The average number is 3,682,” a senior official from
the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)
Analysis of data done by the Wildlife Institute of India, from both camera-trapped and non-camera-
trapped tiger presence areas.
India currently harbors almost 75 percent of the world’s wild tiger population.
The largest population of tigers is found to be in Madhya Pradesh with 785 in numbers followed by 563 in
Karnataka, 560 in Uttarakhand, and 444 tigers in Maharashtra.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the "Status of Tigers 2022" to mark the completion of 50
years of "Project Tiger" in April, the government had said there are at least 3167 tigers in India. This is the
population estimated from the camera-trapped area.
India, from both camera-trapped and non-camera-trapped tiger presence areas, the upper limit of the tiger
population is estimated to be 3925 and the average number is 3682 tigers, reflecting a commendable
annual growth rate of 6.1% per annum.
Some states, including Mizoram, Nagaland, Jharkhand, Goa, Chhattisgarh, and Arunachal Pradesh, have
reported disquieting trends with small tiger populations.
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As per the report, the tiger abundance within the Tiger Reserves is the highest of 260 tigers in Corbett
followed by 150 in Bandipur and 141 tigers in Nagarhole.
National Dental Commission Bill, 2023:

The government recently introduced the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023, in the Lok Sabha.
National Dental Commission Bill, 2023:
• The Bill seeks to repeal the Dentists Act, of 1948.
• Aims to make dental education affordable and make quality oral healthcare accessible.
• It seeks to replace the Dental Council of India with the National Dental Commission (NDC).
• National Dental Commission (NDC) will draft policies and maintain quality standards in dental
education and the profession.
• The new commission will also regulate fees for 50% seats in private dental colleges.
• The composition of the NDC will be similar to that of the National Medical Commission (NMC),
which had replaced the Medical Council of India.
• The head office of the National Dental Commission shall be at New Delhi and it will consist of a
chairperson; eight ex officio members; and 24 part-time members.
• They will be appointed by the central government.
• Members of NMC, health ministry, AIIMS, New Delhi will be among the eight ex-officio members.
• Out of 24 part-time members, a total of 19 members will be appointed on rotational basis from
amongst the nominees of the states and union territories for two years.
• Other five members who will be appointed for four years will include two dental faculties from any
central or state or autonomous government
Panel of Vice Chairpersons : Reconstituted

Rajya Sabha Chairman reconstituted the panel of vice chairpersons of the
Parliament’s Upper House with half of them being women.
Under the Rules of Rajya Sabha, the Chairman nominates from amongst
the members a panel of vice-chairpersons.
Any one of them can preside over the House in the absence of the
Chairman or the Deputy Chairman.
He/she has the same powers as the Chairman when so presiding.
He/she holds office until a new panel of vice-chairpersons is nominated.
Among the Rajya Sabha members who are the new vice-chairpersons are P T Usha, S Phangnon Konyak,
Fauzia Khan, Sulata Deo, V Vijaysai Reddy, Ghanshyam Tiwari, L Hanumanthaiah and Sukhendu Sekhar Ray.
Amended Rules Relating to Retirement Benefits of IAS, IPS, IFoS Pensioners
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The Central government has amended All India Services (Death-cum-

Retirement Benefits) Rules 1958 relating to retirement benefits of IAS,
IPS (Indian Police Service) and IFoS (Indian Forest Service) pensioners.
The central government empowers itself to act against IAS, IPS and IFoS
and withhold or withdraw their pension even without a reference from
the state government if they are found guilty of grave misconduct or are
convicted of a serious crime.
Rules added ‘grave misconduct’ includes communication or disclosure of any document or information
mentioned in the Official Secrets Act and a ‘serious crime’ includes any crime involving an offence under
the Official Secrets Act.
Earlier rule 3(3) in the All-India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, which stated that
the Central government may withhold or withdraw pension or any part of it “on a reference from the State
Government concerned.
‘Tankai method’
An agreement has been reached between the Ministry of Culture and the Indian Navy to
restore the traditional “Tankai method” of shipbuilding.
The complete project will be supervised and carried out by the Indian Navy.
This initiative aims to revive and preserve the 2,000-year-old technique of shipbuilding
known as the ‘stitched shipbuilding method’.
In traditional shipbuilding techniques, wooden planks are stitched together without the use of nails.
5th Helicopter and Small Aircraft Summit

The 5th Helicopter and Small Aircraft Summit was jointly organized by
the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of Madhya Pradesh, Pawan
Hans Limited and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI) at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh on July 25, 2023.
The theme of the summit is "Reaching the last mile: Regional
connectivity through helicopters and small aircraft".
The aim of the summit is to enhance the expansion of the UDAN scheme in remote and hilly areas.
It is the second largest state of India by area after Rajasthan.
Governor -Mangubhai Patel
Chief Minister -Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Capital - Bhopal
Meri Maati Mera Desh Campaign:

The Indian government has initiated the ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ campaign as part of
the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebration of 75 years of Independence.
Soil collected from various parts of the country will be used to develop the Amrit Vatika
Garden along the Kartavya Path in Delhi.
Shilaphalakam, memorial plaque with the names of bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice to be
installed.
Planting 75 saplings of indigenous species in every gram panchayat or village under ‘Vasudha Vandhan’.
‘Veeron Ka Vandan’ to felicitate freedom fighters and families of deceased freedom fighters.
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PM inaugurates India's grand International Exhibition-cum-

Convention Centre 'Bharat Mandapam'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the
International Exhibition-cum-Convention Center (IECC) complex named
'Bharat Mandapam' at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi
The name of the complex, 'Bharat Mandapam', takes inspiration from
the idea of Lord Basaveshwara's Anubhava Mandapam, a pavilion for
public festivals.
'Bharat Mandapam' is designed to be India's largest Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions
(MICE) destination.
It will host international exhibitions, trade fairs, conferences, conventions
and other major events.
The architectural design of the convention centre is inspired by the shape of
a conch shell, and its façade depicts various elements of the traditional art
and culture of India.
The 'Bharat Mandapam' has a combined seating capacity of 7,000 people,
which is more than the seating capacity of the Sydney Opera House in Australia.
The 'Bharat Mandapam' complex is built at a cost of approximately US$329.17 million (Rs 2,700 crore)
World’s largest Museum to be built in Delhi

The largest museum in the world Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum will
be built in Delhi. The museum will express the history of India spanning
over 5,000 years.
The museum is believed to have eight thematic segments to showcase
India’s civilisational culture spanning over 5,000 years.
It will be constructed in about 1 lakh square meter in the North and South
Blocks in Delhi.
There is existing national museum situated at Janpath in Delhi. It will be replaced by the Yuge Yugeen
Bharat Museum.
Currently, World’s largest museum in ‘the Louvre’ which is based in Paris, France with nearly 73,000 square
meters of exhibition space.
Lok Sabha passed the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021; to amend the Biological Diversity Act,
2002.
• The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021 seeks to exempt registered AYUSH medical
practitioners from intimating biodiversity boards before accessing biological resources
• It also aims at easing compliance burden, boosting investment and simplifying patent application
processes
• Environmental organisations have raised concerns about potential for “bio piracy” they say
amendments favour industry and there is lack of clarity on benefit sharing with local communities
• The Bill decriminalises a range of offences under the Act and substitutes them with monetary
penalties. It empowers government officials to hold inquiries and determine penalties.
• As per Bhupendra Yadav, Minister for Environment and Forests and Climate Change :
• To ensure that tribes and vulnerable communities benefit from the proceeds of medicinal forest
products, these amendments were necessary.
• By decriminalising certain activities, Govt. is encouraging Ayurveda as well as ease of doing
business.
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• The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 was made to give effect to the United Nations Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD), 1992, that strives for sustainable, fair and equitable sharing of biological
resources and associated traditional knowledge.
• To do this, it formulates a three-tier structure consisting of:
• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at the national level,
• State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) at the State level and
• Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at local body levels.
• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established in 2003
• NBA has its Headquarters in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
Cinematograph Amendment Bill 2023 introduced in Rajya Sabha

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur introduced
the Cinematograph Amendment Bill 2023 in the Rajya Sabha to deal with
film piracy.
In response to alarming piracy rates, the Indian government took action
by proposing amendments to the existing Cinematograph Bill 1952.
A report by Ernst & Young states that the Indian film industry suffered a huge loss of around Rs 18,000
crore in 2019 due to piracy.
Piracy is the unauthorized copying, distribution or exhibition of films without the consent of the rights
holders
Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023:
• The Bill holds stricter punishment for those responsible for piracy - includes 3 years of
imprisonment and a Rs 10 lakh penalty.
• One of the key provisions of the Bill is to reclassify films on the basis of age groups instead of the
existing system of 'U', 'A' or 'UA'. The proposed classification includes "UA-7+", "UA-13+" and
"UA-16+", replacing the existing "UA-12" category.
Indian Cinematograph Bill 1952:

The Indian Cinematograph Bill of 1952 established censor boards in various cities, which were later
reorganized as the Central Board of Film Censors and renamed the Central Board of Film Certification in
1983.
The Cinematograph Bill 1952 also included the screening of film titles. Titles depicting excessive violence,
obscene language, obscenity, contempt of court, insult to national symbols, or misrepresentation of
personality or religion are prohibited.
OPPO India set up first PPP-model Atal Tinkering Lab in Kerala

OPPO India in collaboration with NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission has
announced the establishment of the first-ever Atal Tinkering Lab, based
on the Public-Private Partnership model in Kerala.
Objective: To create an empowered future-ready workforce and nurture
entrepreneurship and technological skills among the youth.
This programme motivates students to explore, experiment, and undertake projects involving DIY kits in
robotics, electronics, and rapid prototyping.
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of
innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.
It was set up in 2016 under NITI Aayog.
55
First ever “Credit Guarantee Scheme” for Livestock Sector launched

Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying is implementing the Credit Guarantee
Scheme under Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) to
strengthen credit delivery system and facilitate smooth flow of credit to the Micro,
Small & Medium Enterprise (MSMEs) engaged in Livestock sector without collateral
security.
Loan up to 90% of the total project cost from any Scheduled Bank, National Cooperative Development
Corporation (NCDC).
Interest Subvention of 3%
India Bans Non-Basmati White Rice Exports:

The Indian government has imposed an immediate ban on the export of non-
basmati white rice, except for certain ongoing shipments.
This variety of rice had accounted for 25% of the total rice exports from the
country.
This step was taken in response to the 11.5% increase in domestic rice prices in 2022 and a subsequent
35% surge in exports of this rice variety during 2022-23.
The Ministry attributed this surge in exports to various factors, including high international prices driven
by geopolitical scenarios, El Nino influences, and extreme climatic conditions in other rice-producing
countries.
The ban aims to stabilize the domestic market and ensure adequate availability of non-basmati white rice
for Indian consumers, while export policies for basmati rice and non-basmati parboiled rice remain
unchanged.
Centre launched ULLAS mobile application to promote basic literacy

Launched by Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan
ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) mobile application was
launched
Slogan - "Jan Jan Sakshar,"
This app will serve as a digital gateway through the DIKSHA portal of NCERT
ULLAS will focus on promoting functional literacy, vocational skills and many important life skills like
financial literacy, legal literacy, digital literacy and empowerment of citizens to involve in nation-building of
the country.
Government extends Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana for two years
The government has extended the unemployment scheme, the Atal Beemit
Vyakti Kalyan Yojana, under the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation
for a period of two years up to June 30, 2024.
This is the third extension to the scheme with two extensions given each in
2020 and 2021 to financially support ESIC beneficiaries who had lost jobs
during the pandemic.
Launched in 2018 on a pilot basis for a period of two years, the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana provides
relief in the form of cash compensation up to 90 days to the insured persons (IPs) under ESIC who have
become unemployed.
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China’s Use of Stapled Visas for Indian Athletes from Arunachal Pradesh: A
Matter of Concern
A ‘stapled visa’ is different from a regular visa that a country gives to foreign
citizens.
Instead of stamping directly in the passport, a separate piece of paper
attached (stapled) to the visa.
China's use of stapled visas for Indian athletes from Arunachal Pradesh is a matter of concern, as it not only
challenges India's territorial integrity but also disrupts sports diplomacy.
India reacted strongly to China issuing stapled visas to 3 women players from Arunachal Pradesh by
withdrawing its wushu (Martial Arts) contingent from the Summer World University Games in Chengdu
Short News
• Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) launched a mobile
App named 'eSARAS', which will add to eCommerce initiatives for products made by the SHGs.
• India’s First Indigenous 700 MW Nuclear Reactor Starts Commercial Operation at the Kakrapar
Atomic Power Project (KAPP) in Gujarat
• 67th Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) Conference begins in Colombo
• Ministry of External Affairs announced that the first IIT campus outside India will be set up in
Zanzibar, Tanzania.
• India host ed ASEAN countries conference on traditional medicines on 20 th July 2023
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Gujarat's first greenfield airport at Hirasar near Rajkot
on 27 July. This airport has been renamed as Rajkot International Airport.
• “Anu Awareness Yatra – 2023” with the theme of ‘Atoms in the service of the nation’ was launched
at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, TN
Banking & Finance

GSTN launches geocoding in all states and UTs
The GST Network (GSTN) has made the geocoding functionality live for all
states and UTs, which converts an address or description of a location into
geographic coordinates.
Aim: To ensure the accuracy of address details in GSTN records and
streamline the address location and verification process
Geocoding will help in finding out the exact location of the registered entity and check bogus registrations.
Government brings Goods & Services Tax Network under PMLA

The Central Government issued a notification to bring the Goods & Services Tax Network
(GSTN) under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Information stored on GSTN can be now shared under PMLA Act.
Due to this, it will be possible to take strict action against those involved in tax evasion and manipulation of
documents.
Due to this, crimes under GST like fake input tax credits, fake invoices, etc. will be included in the PMLA
Act.
The 50th GST Council meeting concluded in New Delhi

The 50th GST Council meeting, headed by the Finance Minister, Nirmala
Sitharaman, concluded in New Delhi.
Highlights:
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28% GST rate has been levied on the full value of gaming, horse racing, and casino
Exempted GST on pharma products like cancer drug Dinutuximab, and Food for Special Medical Purposes
Reduced GST on Uncooked, unfried & extruded snack palettes to 5%
Reduced GST on Fish soluble paste to 5%
Indore Municipal Corporation 1st urban body in India to get EPR credit
Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has become the first urban body in the
country to get the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) credit by recycling
the banned single-use plastic items after seizing them.
IMC earned its first instalment of EPR credit against seizing and recycling of 8
metric tonnes banned plastics. Single-use plastic is completely banned in the city.
Notably, Indore was adjudged India’s cleanest city for the sixth time in a row last year in the central
government’s annual cleanliness survey.
This waste is collected under different categories from every doorstep in the city by civic vehicles and
disposed of the same day in the plant being run under the PPP model.
State Bank of India launches ‘Transaction Banking Hubs’

State Bank of India launched 34 Transaction Banking Hubs at 21 district centers
across the country.
Aim: To provide quick and efficient Transaction Banking solutions to customers
Dinesh Khara, the chairman of the SBI, inaugurated the hubs, on the occasion of
the 68th foundation day of the bank.
Founded: 1 July 1955
PNB launches its virtual branch in the Metaverse
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched its virtual branch, PNB Metaverse.
With the help of this, customers can explore the bank's products and services and
government flagship schemes.
The bank will offer an immersive 3D experience to the customers.
Inclusion of NongHyup Bank in Second Schedule: RBI Notification

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed all banks about the addition of "NongHyup
Bank" to the Second Schedule of the RBI Act, 1934.
It is an agricultural bank headquartered in South Korea.
The bank was established in 2012 and owned by the NACF.
Nonghyup Bank entered India in 2016.
Bank of India becomes first bank to offer Mahila Samman Savings Certificate (MSSC)
Scheme
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced this flagship scheme during the Budget
speech FY 2023-2024 on February 1, 2023.
Under the scheme, individual girls or women can open a MSSC account, or a guardian can open an account
on behalf of a minor girl.
The minimum investment required is Rs 1000, up to a maximum limit of Rs 200,000.
The account will mature after two years from the date of opening, an interest rate of 7.5% per annum,
compounded quarterly.
India hosted Banking On World Heritage Exhibition

The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister of Culture and External Affairs, Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi.
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The exhibition, held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, highlights the
cultural significance of currency.
It displayed banknotes of G20 member nations, depicting world heritage sites listed
by UNESCO
It features Indian currency notes, including the ₹10 note with the Sun Temple, the
₹20 note with the Ellora caves, the ₹500 note with the Red Fort, and two ₹100 notes depicting the
Kanchenjunga mountains and Gujarat’s “Rani Ki Vav” stepwell.
The G-20 comprises 19 countries and the European Union, with each member featuring their UNESCO
world heritage sites on their currency notes.
PhonePe launches India’s first Health Insurance platform with monthly subscription
Walmart-owned fintech firm PhonePe’s subsidiary PhonePe Insurance Broking Services
has launched its health insurance vertical, offering plans in partnership with multiple
insurers.
PhonePe users can set up monthly payments for the premium via its UPI platform.
Banknotes with a Star (*) symbol identical to any other legal banknotes: RBI
In fact, the RBI had introduced the star (*) mark in new Rs 500 denomination
banknotes back in December 2016.
Additionally, the ‘star’ banknotes in denominations of Rs 10, 20, 50, and 100
have been in circulation since 2006.
With this clarification, the RBI aims to put to rest any concerns or doubts surrounding the ‘Star Series’
banknotes and assure the public that they hold the same value as any other legal tender without any
compromise in quality or usability.
Lavasa, India's first private hill station, sold to Darwin Platform Infrastructure for Rs 1.8 thousand crore
India's first private hill station Lavasa was sold to Darwin Platform Infrastructure for Rs 1.8 thousand crore
after the approval of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT).
Lavasa Hill Station:
• It is situated in the Mulshi Valley within the Western Ghats near Pune.
• It was established in 2000 by the Hindustan Construction Company, becoming India's first private
hill town.
• Some of the prominent financial lenders in Lavasa include Union Bank of India, L&T Finance, Arcil,
Bank of India and Axis Bank.
• Covering an extensive area of 25,000 acres, Lavasa displays impressive infrastructure and
mesmerising natural beauty.
IMF revises India's GDP growth forecast to 6.1% for FY24

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) increased its projection for India's GDP
growth in the current fiscal year from 5.9% to 6.1%.
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India poised to become world’s 2nd-largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

According to the Investment Bank Goldman Sachs, India is poised to become the
world’s second-largest economy by 2075.
As per the report, India would cross Japan, Germany, and the US With a population
of 1.4 billion people.
India’s GDP is estimated to expand remarkably, reaching 52.5 trillion dollars
surpassing the US GDP projection.
The labour force participation is set to make India the second-largest economy in the
world by 2075.
Short News
• IDFC First Bank and IDFC Ltd have announced their merger plans, with a share exchange ratio of 155
equity shares of IDFC First Bank for every 100 equity shares of IDFC.
• Deepak Parekh has announced his decision to step down as HDFC chairperson after serving as the
chairman for 46 years.
• 4th edition of the G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting to held in Bengaluru
• Razorpay launches first international payment gateway in Malaysia
• Govt approves 8.15% interest rate on Employees’ Provident Fund for FY23
• PhonePe has launched an ‘Income Tax Payment’ feature on its app.
• HDFC Bank overtakes SBI in CRISIL's corporate banking ranking for 2023
• Bangladesh and India launched a trade transaction in rupees to reduce the dependence on the US
dollar and strengthen regional currency and trade. This is the first time Bangladesh has done
bilateral trade with a foreign country in addition to the US dollar.
• RBI Report: India could become a developed country by 2047 with an average annual real GDP
growth of 7.6% over the next 25 years.
• The Asian Development Bank retained India's economic growth forecast at 6.4 per cent for the
current FY (2023-24) and 6.7 per cent for the next FY (2024-25)
• India has donated $1 million to the United Nations to support the promotion of the Hindi language.
International News
Preeti Aghalayam to become first woman director of IIT, to led IIT Zanzibar
• Preeti Aghalayam has been named director-in-charge of the Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) Zanzibar campus in Tanzania.
• Recently, India and Tanzania inked an MoU, which facilitated IIT Madras to
launch its first international campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania’.
OCA elects Sheikh Talal as the new President

• Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the
Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
• He replaced his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the
OCA for 30 years until 2021.
• The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia,
currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees.
• The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-
Sabah, who led it until 1990.
• Headquarters: Kuwait City, Kuwait
• Founded: 16 November 1982, New Delhi
• Motto: Ever Onward
60
Indian Mango Festival ‘Aamrus’ in Russia

• Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Uttar Pradesh
Government, Dinesh Pratap Singh and Ambassador of India to
Russia Pavan Kapoor have in the inauguration of the Indian Mango
Festival ‘Aamrus’ in Moscow.
• Russian audience got to enjoy five samples of Mango varieties from
Uttar Pradesh – Dasheri, Langra, Chausa, Amrapali and Mallika.
• The festival was organized by the Embassy of India with the
support of the Uttar Pradesh Government, APEDA, and DISHA.
India, Tanzania begin trade settlements in local currencies

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed that India
and Tanzania have started trade settlements in local
currencies.
• This new initiative will help in promoting commerce
between the two countries.
• India-Tanzania bilateral trade has seen very strong growth
and stood at USD 6.4 billion in 2022-23.
• Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, and Canara Bank have
operations in Tanzania.
• About 18 countries have already opened special vostro accounts with Indian banks.
'Guillain-Barre syndrome’
• Peru has declared a state of national emergency amid a
surge in patient suffering from Guillain-Barré syndrome.
• Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder
where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the
peripheral nerves.
• It is more common in adults and males, but it can affect
people of all ages.
• The first symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome include weakness or tingling sensations.
• For some people, these symptoms can lead to paralysis of the legs, arms, or muscles in the face.
• It is often preceded by bacterial or viral infection. There is no known cure for this syndrome.
China’s Qu-Dongyu re-elected unopposed as head of FAO

• The head of the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization, Qu Dongyu, was re-
elected for a second term as head of the U.N. agency.
• FAO directors can hold the role for a maximum of two consecutive terms.
• FAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
• World Food Day is celebrated on 16th October, to mark the anniversary of the founding of the FAO
in 1945.
• It is based in Rome (Italy). Its sister bodies are the World Food Programme and the International
Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Jens Stoltenberg to stay as NATO chief for another year

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also called the North Atlantic Alliance,
is an intergovernmental military alliance between 31 member states – 29
61
European and 2 North American, who agree to help one another if they come under attack.
• The alliance approved its 31st member - Finland - last year. Sweden has also applied to join, but
Turkey and Hungary have not yet approved its entry.
• Nato was formed in 1949 by 12 countries and its original goal was to challenge Soviet expansion in
Europe after World War Two.
Egypt, Turkey appoint ambassadors for first time in decade

• Egypt and Turkey have appointed ambassadors to each other’s capitals for the
first time in a decade to restore normal diplomatic relations
• Amr Elhamamy will become Egypt’s ambassador in Ankara while Turkey
nominated Salih Mutlu Sen to become its ambassador in Cairo
• The two countries have not had ambassadors since 2013
Senegal becomes the 4th Country to Sign JET-P Deal:

• Senegal signed the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JET-P) deal.
• Just Energy Transition Partnership (JET-P) is a mechanism for
multilateral financing by developed countries to support an energy
transition in developing countries.
• It aims to reduce emissions in the energy sector and accelerate the
coal phase-out.
• It was launched at the COP26 in Glasgow with the support of the
United Kingdom (UK), the United States (US), France, Germany, and
the European Union (EU).
• Senegal has become the fourth country after South Africa, Indonesia
and Vietnam to sign the JET-P deal
• India refused to give its consent, saying that coal cannot be singled out as a polluting fuel and that
energy transition talks need to take place on equal terms.
Ubinas Volcano : Ongoing Activity

• Peru recently announced a state of emergency in the Moquegua region due to
the ongoing activity of the Ubinas volcano.
• Ubinas Volcano is a stratovolcano (a volcano built up of alternate layers of lava
and ash.) located in Andes.
• It is one of the most active volcanoes in Peru.
• The upper portion of the volcano is made from lava flows from the Pleistocene.
• Stratovolcano is a tall, steep, and cone-shaped type of volcano.
• Unlike flat shield volcanoes, they have higher peaks.
Jaishankar co-chairs 12th Mekong Ganga Cooperation meeting

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar co-chaired the 12th Mekong-Ganga Cooperation
(MGC) meeting in Bangkok with his Laos counterpart
• The implementation of the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway was
prioritized, and a Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Business Council was established.
• The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is an initiative by six countries – India and five
ASEAN countries – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam – for
cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as well as transport and communications.
• Both the Ganga and the Mekong are civilizational rivers, and the MGC initiative aims to
facilitate closer contacts among the people inhabiting these two major river basins.
62
• Mekong River, is a trans-boundary river in Southeast Asia. It is the world's

twelfth longest river and the seventh longest in Asia.
• The Mekong flows from China to Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and
Vietnam.
India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway

• The India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) Highway is a regional connectivity
project covering approximately 1,360 km (845 mi) that aims to
connect India, Myanmar and Thailand.
• The project was proposed by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari
Vajpayee and approved in 2002. Its construction began in 2012 and is
being implemented in several phases.
• The Ministry of External Affairs in India, in collaboration with
Myanmar and Thailand, is responsible for project implementation.
• The highway starts from Moreh in Manipur, India, passes through Myanmar and ends at Mae Sot in
Thailand.
UK signs treaty to join Trans-Pacific free trade bloc

• The United Kingdom formally signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-
Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) trade bloc.
• The UK also become the first European country to join the CPTPP.
• Aim: To grow the country's economy and provide access for British
businesses to a market of over 500 million people
• CPTPP: It is a free trade agreement between 11 nations (Australia, Brunei,
Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam).
US’s largest reptile sanctuary wants to import gharials from India

• The United States’ largest reptile bank based in Arizona has applied to the federal government to
import six gharials (Gavialis gangeticus/ गेवियलिस गैंगेटिकस) and 6 mugger
crocodiles (Crocodylus palustris/ क्रोकोडाइिस पिुस्ट्रिस टकिंबुिा और
क्रोकोडाइिस पिुस्ट्रिस) from Tamil Nadu
Que:In which country 'International Defense Exhibition 2023' will be organized?

Ans: South Korea
• The International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2023 will be organized in Seoul, the
capital of South Korea.
• 550 companies from 35 countries will participate in this defense exhibition.
• This six-day defense exhibition will start on 17 October 2023.
Maputo Protocol : Contributed Towards Africa’s Progress In Gender Equality

There has been some progress on gender equality in African countries due to the Maputo Protocol, but it
has been uneven, according to a new report.
The Protocol has a target of universal ratification in Africa by 2028.
Maputo Protocol:-
• It is an International human rights document for the protection of women
and girls in Africa.
• Adopted in July 2003, in Mozambique, by: African Union (AU).
63
• Of the 55 member states, 44 have ratified or acceded to the Protocol.

• Objective of the Protocol requires the African States to eliminate all forms of discrimination and
violence against women in Africa and to promote equality between men and women.
11th Meeting Of The Executive Board Of The Association Of World Election Bodies:
• Chief Election Commissioner of India led a three-member Election Commission of India (ECI)
delegation to Cartagena, Colombia to attend the 11th meeting of the Executive Board of the
Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB).
• Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) is the largest
association of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide.
• It was founded in October, 2013 in Seoul, Republic of Korea.
• Theme of 2023 meeting: “A global view on the challenges of regional
elections 2023”.
• The shared vision among its members of achieving sustainable democracy around the world
through the strengthening of the processes of election management in member countries.
India's Only Ape Species: The Hoolock Gibbon

• In News: The conservation status of the hoolock gibbon, India’s only ape species, has become a
matter of concern globally.
• The Global Gibbon Network (GGN) recently convened its inaugural meeting in Haikou, China,
shedding light on the critical situation faced by these primates.
• Gibbons is the smallest and fastest ape and is found in tropical and
subtropical forests in Southeast Asia.
• The hoolock gibbon, unique to India’s northeast, is one of the 20 gibbon
species on Earth, with an estimated population of 12,000.
• They are found in forested areas of Northeast India, Bangladesh,
Myanmar and Southern China.
• All 20 gibbon species, including the hoolock gibbon, are at a high risk of extinction due to
dramatic declines in their distribution and populations since 1900, leaving only small populations in
tropical rainforests.
• The primary threat to the hoolock gibbon in India is the felling of trees for infrastructure projects.
• The Global Gibbon Network (GGN) aims to protect and conserve gibbons and their habitats by
promoting participatory conservation policies and actions.
• The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List classifies the western hoolock gibbon
as endangered and the eastern hoolock gibbon as vulnerable, which adds complexity to their
conservation status.
Cambodia PM Hun Sen steps down and hands over power to son
• Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of the world's longest-serving leaders (almost 4 decades),
resigned and handed power to his eldest son Hun Manet.
• Cambodia’s authoritarian leader, Hun Sen has ruled
Cambodia since 1985
• Cambodia ranks 150th out of 180 in Transparency
International's corruption perception index.
• Capital: Phnom Penh
• Currency: Cambodian riel
64
Que:Who has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Syria?

Ans: Irshad Ahmed
Admiral Lisa Franchetti to become the first woman to lead the US Navy
James Skea elected new IPCC chair in Nairobi

• James Ferguson ‘Jim’ Skea of the United Kingdom was elected as the new
chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a United Nations
body established in 1988
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Thani Al Zeyoudi elected as chair of WTO’s 13th Ministerial Conference

• Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister for Foreign Trade, has been elected as the
Chair of the 13th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation,
to take place in Abu Dhabi.
• WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
India hands over missile corvette INS Kirpan to Vietnam

• INS Kirpan — which is an indigenously-built missile corvette — was
decommissioned after completing 32 years of service to be gifted to
Vietnam. It was handed over to Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) with a
complete weapon complement.
• The frontline warship was handed over to Vietnam, during an official visit
of Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar.
• It is for the first time that India gifted a fully operational corvette to any friendly foreign country.
• INS Kirpan was an indigenously built Khukri-class missile corvette, commissioned in 1991.
Strategic military port of Cam Ranh Bay:

• Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water bay located in Vietnam, on the South China Sea.
• The bay is up to 164 feet (50 m) deep, making it one of the deepest natural
harbours in Southeast Asia.
• It is a major refuelling and repair station for ships in the South China Sea.
• During the colonial era, it was controlled by the Champa Kingdom and later
became part of the Vietnamese territories.
65
Argentina signs letter of intent with HAL to buy helicopters

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the
MoD of The Republic of Argentina have
signed a Letter of Intent on productive
cooperation and acquisition of Light and
Medium Utility Helicopters for the armed
forces of the Argentine Republic.
• Argentina is the first Latin American nation to show interest in acquiring
Tejas for its air force.
Algeria applies to Join BRICS Bank

• Algerian President, Abdelmadjid informed
that the nation has applied to join the BRICS
(Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)
group.
• Algeria has also submitted a request to
become a shareholder member of the BRICS
Bank.
• The North African country is rich in oil and gas resources and seeking to diversify its economy.
• BRICS nations account for more than 40% of the world's population and about 26% of the global
economy.
WHO identifies first case of MERS-CoV in UAE this year

• WHO has identified a case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus
(MERS-CoV) in a 28-year-old male from United Arab Emirates
• MERS-CoV is a viral respiratory infection caused by a coronavirus known as
MERS
• The infection is transmitted to humans through direct or indirect contact
with dromedary camels, which are the natural host and zoonotic source of the MERS-CoV infection.
• The symptoms include: Fever, Cough, Shortness of breath
African Union a Permanent Member Of The G-20: India’s proposal

• India’s G-20 Sherpa recently said that the Indian Prime Minister’s proposal to
make the African Union a permanent member of the G-20 has received an
overwhelming response from the grouping.
• The African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55
member states that make up the countries of the African Continent.
• It was officially launched in 2002
• Headquarters: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
World's biggest permafrost crater in Russia’s Far East thaws as planet warms
• Russia’s Batagaika crater, the world’s largest 1km-long permafrost crater, expands due to global
warming and thawing permafrost.
• Deforestation triggered underground permafrost melting, causing the
crater’s growth in the Sakha Republic, Russia.
• The soil beneath the slump contains an "enormous quantity" of organic
carbon that will release into the atmosphere as the permafrost thaws,
further fuelling the planet's warming.
66
• Russia is warming is occurring at an alarming rate, approximately 2.5 times faster than the global
average.
• As a result, large areas of the country’s long-frozen tundra, covering about 65% of its landmass, are
experiencing significant thawing, releasing potent greenhouse gases like methane.
• Permafrost is any ground that remains completely frozen—32°F (0°C) or colder—for at least two
years straight.
• These permanently frozen grounds are most common in regions with high mountains and in Earth’s
higher latitudes: near the North and South Poles.
Short News
• The 19th session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA) was
held in Rome, Italy.
• Japan becomes second Quad partner to sign semiconductor pact with India after the United States.
• Typhoon Talim Disrupts Hong Kong
• China appointed Wang Yi as its new Foreign Minister/चीन ने िािंग यी को अपना नया विदे श मिंत्री लनयुक्त
टकया
• American Bald Eagle : Removed From The Endangered Species List
• Iran has become the new permanent member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) at
an India-hosted virtual summit of the grouping.
• India experiences its warmest June since 1901, says India Meteorological Department (IMD).
• Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new law that deals with the LGBTQ+ community in
the country. Under this, sex change and transgender marriage have been banned.
• Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has informed that IIT Delhi will open its
international campus in Abu Dhabi (UAE).
• Third World Hindu Conference 2023 to be organized in Bangkok, Thailand from November 24-26
• UAE becomes first Arab country to get observer status on Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money
Laundering
• Twitter changes logo to ‘X’, replacing blue bird symbol
Sports
Carlos Alcaraz beat Novak Djokovic to win his first Wimbledon title in 2023
World number one tennis player, Carlos Alcaraz (Spanish professional tennis player)
has won his first 2023 Wimbledon Men's Single title, held in London.
In the final, he defeated Novak Djokovic.
Women's Single: Markéta Vondroušová (Czech Republic)
Wimbledon is relatively older than the rest (1877), followed by the US (1881),
French (1891) and the Australian (1905).
Played on a grass court.
67
Yuki Bhambri wins maiden ATP doubles title in Spain

Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri in partnership with South African player Lloyd Harris,
won his maiden ATP doubles title in Spain.
Yuki Bhambri is the first Indian to win the Junior Australian Open title.
Andrea Gaudenzi is the current president of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
Lakshya Sen clinches Men’s Singles Canada Open Badminton title 2023
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen (world number 19) has clinched Men’s Singles title of the
Canada Open 2023 badminton tournament in Calgary, Canada.
In the final, he defeated Li Shi Feng of China
Indian Shuttler sets Guinness world record for fastest badminton shot
Star Indian Shuttler Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has set the Guinness world record
for the fastest shot by a male player in badminton, recording a 565 kilometres
per hour with his smash.
IPL version of Impact Player rule in Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy
The IPL version of Impact Player Rule will be used in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20
Trophy (SMAT) beginning October 16, the BCCI Apex Council approved.
Like IPL, the teams will be allowed to name four substitutes besides the
playing eleven before the toss. Out of the four substitutes, can be used as an
Impact Player. It is, however, not compulsory.
Launched in the year 2006-07, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is a domestic T20 cricket tournament held
every year.
Max Verstappen wins Austrian GP 2023

Red Bull's driver Max Verstappen
Previous GP 2023 winners:
• Canadian GP: M. Verstappen (Red Bull)
• Spanish GP: M. Verstappen (Red Bull)
• Monaco GP: M. Verstappen (Red Bull)
• Miami GP: M. Verstappen (Red Bull)
• British GP: Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• Bahrain GP : Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
• Hungarian GP: Max Verstappen
• Belgium GP: Max Verstappen
• Azerbaijan GP: S. Pérez (Red Bull)
• Saudi Arabia Grand Prix: Sergio Pérez
132nd Durand Cup tournament to be organized in Kolkata

Durand Cup will be organized from 03 August to 03 September 2023 in Kolkata.
Durand Cup is Asia’s oldest and the world’s third oldest football tournament, in which
top Indian football clubs from across the country participate.
24 teams including teams from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh will participate
Foreign teams are participating in the tournament after a gap of 27 years.
68
Organised by the Indian Armed Forces, the inaugural edition took place in Shimla in 1888
The Durand Cup tournament is unique where in the winning team walks
away with three trophies:
• Durand Cup (a rolling trophy and the original prize),
• Shimla Trophy (also a rolling trophy and first given by the residents
of Shimla in 1904)
• President's Cup (for permanent keep and first presented by Dr.
Rajendra Prasad, in 1956).
The tournament was initially held for British soldiers, but was later opened to civilians.
Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are the most successful teams in the history of the Durand Cup having won
it sixteen times.
India beat Kuwait to lift SAFF Championship title for 9th time
India defeated Kuwait to lift the SAFF Championships trophy 2023 held at Sree Kanteerava Stadium in
Bengaluru, Karnataka.
India recorded its win for the ninth time in the SAFF Championships trophy.
SAFF (South Asian Football Federation Championship)
• This tournament is held every two years.
• Participating countries include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
• The inaugural edition took place in 1993 in Lahore, Pakistan. India defeated Pakistan in the final.
Award Recipient
Fairplay Award Nepal football team
Best Goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico
Highest Goal-Scorer Sunil Chhetri (6 Goals)
Most Valuable Player (MVP) Sunil Chhetri
India ranked 100th in FIFA men's football rankings

Top teams in FIFA rankings:
1. Argentina
2. France
3. Brazil
Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA):
• Establishment: 1904
• Headquarters: Zurich (Switzerland)
• Qatar World Cup 2022 Winner: Argentina (by defeating France)
Lallianzuala Chhangte and Manisha Kalyan were named the AIFF Men’s and Women’s Footballer of the
Year for 2022-23
Indian football team midfielder Lallianzuala Chhangte (Mizoram) has been named the AIFF Men’s
Footballer of the Year for 2022-23.
While Manisha Kalyan (Punjab) won her second consecutive Women’s Footballer of the Year award.
• AIFF Men’s Emerging Footballer of the Year 2022-23: Akash Mishra
• AIFF Women’s Emerging Footballer of the Year 2022-23: Shilji Shaji
• Men’s Coach of the Year award: Clifford Miranda
• Women Coach of the Year (currently the head coach of the India women's U-17 team): Priya Parathi
Valappil was named
• AIFF President: Kalyan Chaubey
69
Minerva Academy becomes first Indian club to win Gothia Cup

India’s Minerva Academy FC scripted history as they became the first team from
Indian to lift the prestigious Gothia Cup in Sweden.
The Gothia Cup, an international youth football tournament organized has been
held annually at Gothenburg in Sweden.
The Indian team defeated Brazil.
The tournament is the world’s largest international youth football tournament
with 1700 teams.
FIH Hockey Pro League 2022/23 season; India Rank Team

Finishes 4th 1 Netherlands
The tournament began in October 2022 and finished
2 Great Britain
in July 2023
3 Belgium
4 India
Indian team secures 2 Gold medals at 64th International Mathematical Olympiad

64th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2023, which was held in Japan’s Chiba city.
The team finished 9th out of the 112 countries that competed.
Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education – TIFR is the nodal Centre for training and selecting the
students for the International Olympiads (in physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy and mathematical).
India Tops Medals Tally in 34th International Biology Olympiad, Secures Four Gold Medals
India emerged as the top country in the 34th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) by securing the highest
number of medals.
The IBO took place in UAE, from July 3 to 11.
Singapore, along with India, also secured four gold medals, making it the only
other country to achieve this feat.
Goa Challengers won India’s Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) tournament

India’s top table tennis league Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) tournament was
held at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune from July 13 to 27, 2023.
It is being organized under the aegis of the Table Tennis Federation of India,
after a gap of four years.
The Ultimate Table Tennis league consists of six teams.
Goa Challengers crowned UTT Season 4 champs, defeating Chennai Lions
70
DD Sports secures Television rights for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
DD Sports secures broadcasting right for 9th edition of the FIFA Women’s
World Cup.
The tournament, starting on July 20, 2023, will mark the inaugural occasion
when the World Cup is co-hosted by two countries, namely Australia and
New Zealand.
DD Sports was launched on 18 March 1998.
The tournament, held every four years and one year after the men's World Cup, was first played in 1991
in China, and has since been expanded to 32 teams following the 2023 edition.
Neeraj Chopra won the Lausanne Diamond League 2023

Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra topped the Lausanne Diamond League 2023.
Neeraj Chopra achieved the best throw of 87.66m during the competition.
It is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions, since 1998.
Anshuman Jhingran: Youngest person to cross the North Channel

Anshuman Jhingran, an 18-year-old swimmer from Navi Mumbai, becomes the youngest person to cross
the North Channel.
The North Channel is a challenging strait located between Northern Ireland and
Scotland
First Indian to cross the North Channel: Elvis Ali Hazarika
First Indian to swim across the English Channel: Mihir Sen
Australia withdraws from hosting Commonwealth Games 2026

Reason: Due to a significant increase in projected costs, reaching around $7 billion,
exceeding their budgetary limits
Victoria stepped in to bid for the 2026 Games when no other countries showed
interest.
The event rotates across different host cities within the Commonwealth.
It was first held in 1930.
The Commonwealth Games, held every four years, brings together thousands of athletes representing 72
Commonwealth countries and territories. The previous edition, held in Birmingham, England in 2022
Aditya Samant becomes India's 83rd chess Grandmaster

Telangana's V Prraneeth had become the country's 82nd GM.
71
Lord Hanuman is official mascot of 25th Asian Athletics Championships 2023 in Thailand
Asia’s biggest track and field event held from July 12 to July 16, 2023 in Bangkok.
8 teams - Hong Kong, Japan, India, Republic of Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and
Singapore.
India third with 27 medals in Asian Athletics Championships 2023

In the Asian Athletics Championships 2023 held in Bangkok, Thailand,
India won a total of 27 medals and secured the third position in the
competition.
including 6 gold, 12 silver and 9 bronze medals
Athlete Jyoti Yaraji won India's first gold medal in women's 100m race
Indian Team won bronze medal at Asian Surfing Championship 2023

Asian Surfing Championship 2023 held in Maldives
In this championship, 18 countries from Asia participated.
Arun Vasu: The President of the Surfing Federation of India
First-ever World Surfing League (WSL) event in India to be held in
Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu from August 14 to 20 this year.
Short News
• Dream11 replaces Byju’s to be the principal jersey sponsor of Indian cricket team
• India's Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated Indonesia to win men's
doubles Korea Open 2023
• Tamil Nadu unveils ‘Bomman’, the mascot for 2023 Men's Asian Champions
Trophy : hockey tournament to be held at Chennai from August 3 to 12. India,
China, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan and Korea are the competitors.
• Indian javelin throwers Annu Rani and Kishore Jena bagged gold medals in the women’s and men’s
javelin throw events, respectively, at the Lebanon Athletics Championships 2023 in Beirut
72
• Golf: Shubhankar Sharma finishes tied-eighth, the best by an Indian golfer at the British Open.
• Indian women beat Spain 3-0 to win Spanish Federation hockey tournament.
• Russia and Belarus omitted from Paris Olympics invitees.
• International Cricket Council (ICC) announces equal prize money for men and women at its global
events
• Indian athlete Ajit Singh won the gold medal in the final of men's javelin throw F46 at the Para
Athletics Championships in Paris.
• Indian GM Praggnanandhaa wins Super GM chess tournament in Hungary
• Triveni Continental Kings were crowned champions of the inaugural Global Chess League after
defeating Mumba Masters in the final.
• Ruturaj Gaikwad and Harmanpreet Kaur to lead India men’s and women’s squads for 19th Asian
Games, to be played in September-October in T20 formats.
• Shreyanka Patil becomes first Indian cricketer to be part of Caribbean Premier League
• India's squash players, Dipika Pallikal Karthik and Harinderpal Singh Sandhu, clinched gold medal
at the Asian Squash Mixed Doubles Championships in Huangzhou.
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Jul&#39;23 CA Consolidated

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Jul&#39;23 CA Consolidated

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Current Affairs July 2023 www.parchamclasses.

1st July International Day of (first Saturday of July)

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23 July is observed as:

International Tiger Day is observed on:

CRPF Raising Day is observed as:

Books & Authors

A new book ‘Prism: The Ancestral Abode of Rainbow’ released

Marathi novel ‘Dudiya’ by Vishwas Patil out with English translation

Kerala Governor launches Malayalam translation of 'Krishna - The 7th Sense’

Question for you

DG Rakesh Pal appointed as 25th Director General of Indian Coast Guard

Ajit Pawar takes oath as second Deputy CM of Maharashtra

Aadhav Arjuna Elected as President of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI)

Ravindra Banshtu appointed Indian women’s volleyball team new coach

Senior Men’s Cricket Selection Committee appoints Ajit Agarkar as Chairman

Asics signs actor Shraddha Kapoor as brand ambassador

Question for you

Coal India Limited (CIL) appoints PM Prasad as CMD

Bharat Dynamics appoints A Madhavarao as new CMD

G. Kannabiran appointed as new NAAC Director

Brajendra Navnit to be India’s ambassador to WTO for 9 months

Lt Gen MU Nair appointed as the Head of National Cyber Coordination Centre

Centre appoints IPS officer Manoj Yadava as DG Railway Protection Force

• Composition: Consists of Chairperson, Judicial Members and Expert Members.

B. Neeraja Prabhakar appointed Chairperson of Oil Palm RAC

K. Rajaraman appointed as new chairperson of IFSCA

Central government clears appointment of two Supreme Court judges

Appointment of 4 High Court Judges

Que: Who has been appointed as the next Ambassador of

PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

British National Award for director Shekhar Kapur

PEN Pinter Prize 2023

Anamalai Tiger Reserve : Siena Drone Photo Awards 2023

J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Golden Peacock' Environment Management Award 2023 to Adani Transmission Limited

Honorary doctorate to be conferred on Communist leader N.Sankaraiah

President conferred Bhoomi Samman 2023

Ratan Tata to get Maharashtra govt’s first ‘Udyog Ratna’ award

Coal Ministry is honored with the "Best Engagement" Award

Draupadi Murmu Conferred National Geoscience Awards – 2022

Artist Namboothiri, iconic illustrator passes away

Eminent mathematician Dr Mangala Narlikar passes away

Ranking & Index

Export Preparedness Index (EPI) Report, 2022

Ranking of coastal states - Tamil Nadu topped, followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka

WHO: Unsafe WASH behind 395,000 deaths of children under 5 in 2019

QS World University Rankings 2024: Chandigarh University ranked number 1 in India

Shift In Snowfall To Rainfall : Study

United States has world’s most powerful military

IMO sets 2050 as net zero target

'Ozone UV Bulletin' released by WMO

Henley Passport Index 2023: India ranked 80

415 million people exited poverty in India in 15 years: UN report

India loses 1.5 million lives every year: FICCI-EY report

Floral And Faunal Database

The new discoveries:

Bihar overtakes Tamil Nadu to become India's largest MFI market

India’s first Farmers Distress Index

The responses are then mapped against seven indicators,

Interpretation of the Index:

Ministry of Education releases report on Performance Grading Index 2.0

No state has been found in the top-5 category of PGI.

IMD launches Heat Index

Jul'23 CA Consolidated

Jul'23 CA Consolidated