Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 14th July 2024

National News 

1. 7th India-Japan Medical Product Regulatory Symposium held at New Delhi 

• The 7th India-Japan Medical Product Regulatory Symposium, organized by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, was successfully held at the FICCI Convention Hall. 
• The event was conducted in accordance with the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan, aimed at fostering collaboration in medical product regulations. 
• The symposium brought together approximately 200 delegates from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India, and the Ministry of Health, Law and Welfare, Japan. 
• Regulatory authorities from CDSCO, India, and PMDA, Japan, along with industry representatives from the Pharmaceutical Sector, Medical Devices Sector, and Biologicals-Biosimilar sector, actively participated in constructive discussions. 

2. Villages along China border to get 4G, tourist circuits, all-weather roads, says Home Ministry 

• At a high-level meeting here on Saturday, Union Thane Minister Amit Shah reviewed the implementa tion of the "Vibrane Villag es Pogramme", which aims to develop infrastruc ture and open up villages to tourists aling the China border Mr. Shah said that the Union goverment wa ctamnutted to the all-cound development of the borilet villages, and stressed the need to provide employ ment opportunities to the kcal people and increase mecvity with villages to prevent migration Under the programme, 126 border villages are be ing provided connectivity bang gramm at a musting in themagh 113 all-weather mad projects at a cost of 12,420 core, a Home Mi mistry statement said. 
• By December, all villages an der the programine will be covered by the 4G net work, for which work was on at a rapid pace Appro priate steps are being taken to ensure financial chaion in all these villages and the hidia Pst Payments Bank branches are being facilitated there Work is being done to develop tourist cincuits to bring vibrancy to these vil lages and pmmotou rism. In this endeavopacty building and torom related infrastructure was being developed in coordination with the Tourism Moistry. 
• The pro gramme is in the process of being integrated with the Prime Minister's Gati Shuk Portal for better moonhuring Senior Home Ministry officers, including the Lin on Home Secretary, the Secretary, Burder Manage ment and Director-Gener al, Indo Tibetan Border Police, attended the meeting 6,000 events organised The statement said the im portant and amihatanas scheme was launched on February 14 last yeat, with an allocation of 14,800 crore. So far, more than 6,000 bar ined in these border vi ages, which inchade 4,000 service delivery and awa ness camps. 
• More than 600 projects have been sanctiuned by the govern ment or employment gen etatem. During the meet ing. Mr. Shah laad emphasis on review at the highest level at reglar in terials to dispose of pendang 
• He said the Central Armed Police Furues and the Army should enconar age purchase of local agri cultural and handicraft products through спорта tives. He said the health care facilities of these are es should be regularly made available to benefit the residents of nearby vi lages. 

3. Tata Power invests over Rs 4,200 cr in network expansion, upgrade in Odisha 

• Tata Power-led power distribution companies (Discoms) have invested Rs 4,245 crore in infrastructure expansion and network upgrade in Odisha over the past 3-4 years. 
• The company operates four Discoms in joint ventures with the government of Odisha. 
• These are TP Central Odisha Distribution (TPCODL), TP Western Odisha Distribution (TPWODL), TP Southern Odisha Distribution (TPSODL), and TP Northern Odisha Distribution Limited (TPNODL), collectively serving a customer base of over 9 million. 
• The investment includes Rs 1,232 crore through government-backed schemes, including laying 33 KV lines and adding 30,230 distributions. 
• This includes laying 2,177 circuit kilometres (Ckms) of 33 kilovolt (KV) lines and 19,809 Ckms of 11 KV lines, as well as adding 30,230 distribution transformers to improve the distribution network’s reliability across rural and urban areas. 
• Additionally, the company has commissioned 166 new primary substations (PSS), with 55 per cent of them being automated. 

About Odisha 

• Capital – Bhubaneswar 
• Chief Minister – Mohan Charan Majhi (replace Naveen Patnaik)
• Deputy CM – KV Singhdeo and Pravati Parida 
• Governor – Raghubar Das 
• Legislative Assembly Seat – 147 

4. Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth launches GAINS 2024 

• Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth has launched “GRSE Accelerated Innovation Nurturing Scheme (GAINS 2024) of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) in Kolkata. 
• It is an innovative scheme which seeks solution to the problems related to the shipyards and promotes technology development using the start-ups created and nurtured in the country. 
• It encourages and enables MSMEs and Start-Ups to develop innovative solutions for further technological advancement. This initiative is in keeping with the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Start-up India’ policies of the Government of India. 
• GAINS is a unique national scheme to encourage and enable MSMEs and Start-Ups to develop innovative solutions that GRSE may incorporate for further technological advancement. 
• The aim is to leverage the vast eco-system of MSMEs and Start-Ups to address present and emerging challenges in the ship design and construction industry, while achieving the objectives of Atmanirbhata. 

5. MoPSW approves Research Proposal on “Valorization of Dredged Sediments” 

• The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) has approved a research proposal on Valorization of Dredged Sediments. 
• The project, sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs. 46,47,380 will be implemented over a duration of three years by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay). 
• The primary objective of this research is to create value from dredged sediments by converting them into aggregates suitable for various construction fields. 
• This innovative approach aims to transform dredged sediment, typically seen as waste, into a valuable resource, thus contributing to sustainable development and environmental conservation. 

6. NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24: Kerala retains top rank, Bihar worst performer 

• Uttarakhand and Kerala have emerged as the top performer states in NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24, which evaluates the progress of states and union territories on social, economic and environmental parameters. 
• While Bihar has been adjudged as the worst performer. 
• According to the NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24, India’s overall Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) score increased to 71 in 2023-24, compared to 66 in 2020-21, supported by significant progress on eliminating poverty, providing decent work, economic growth, climate action and life on land. 
• Among states, Uttarakhand and Kerala have emerged as joint top-performing states with a score of 79, followed by Tamil Nadu (78) and Goa (77). 
• On the contrary, Bihar (57), Jharkhand (62) and Nagaland (63) were the worst performing states in this year’s index. 
• Among the union territories, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Delhi were the top five performers. 
• The index shows that out of the 16 goals, India’s overall score is below 50 only on the ‘Goal 5’ (gender equality). 
• Between 2018 and 2023-24, Uttar Pradesh was the fastest moving state as it increased its score by 25, followed by Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Sikkim. 
• The fourth edition of SDG India Index measured and tracked national progress of all states and UTs on 113 indicators. 

7. Haryana cabinet approves IT Saksham Yuva Scheme to provide 5k jobs in first phase

 

• The Haryana Cabinet gave nod to launch the IT Saksham Yuva Scheme 2024, the target of which is to give jobs to 5,000 youths in the first phase. 
• The scheme has been designed in accordance with the ‘Mission 60,000’ announced while presenting the 2024-25 budget proposals aiming to give employment to at least 60,000 young individuals from poor families. 
• Under this scheme, employment will be provided to the youths who are graduate or postgraduate applicants from IT backgrounds. 
• The aspirants will have to undertake the Haryana IT programme (specially designed short-term courses) for minimum three months after which they will be deployed in various departments, boards, corporations, districts, registered societies, etc., in Haryana or private entities. 

About Haryana 

• Capital – Chandigarh 
• Chief Minister – Nayab Singh Saini (replace Manohar Lal Khattar) 
• Governor – Bandaru Dattatreya 
• Legislative Assembly Seats- 90 

State News 

8. Stage set for opening of Jagannath temple's Ratna Bhandar today 

• The stage is set for the highly anticipated opening of Ratna Bhandar, the trea- sury of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, after 46 years, following the finali- sation of the standard op- erating procedure Sunday. on "We will meet at 10 a.m. on Sunday to address va- rious issues that may arise during the opening. 
• The managing committee of the temple will hold a meeting separately to plan their course of action," said former Orissa High Court Judge Biswanath Rath, chairman of the high-level committee set up to supervise the inventorisation of jewelleries and other valuables stored in the Ratna Bhandar. "Initially, efforts will be made to open Ratna Bhan- dar using the keys. 

Appointment News

9. ACC approves appointment of 8 EDs in Public Sector General Insurance Cos 

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of 8 Executive Directors in Public Sector General Insurance Companies (PGICs). 
• Rashmi Bajpai, currently General Manager (GM) in Oriental Insurance Company Ltd (OICL), has been appointed as Executive Director (ED) in the same Company. 
• Amit Mishra, currently GM of New India Assurance Company Ltd (NIACL), has been appointed as ED in OICL. 
• Hitesh Ramesh Chandra Joshi, currently GM in GIC Re, has been appointed as ED in the same Company. 
• Prasad C.G., currently GM in NIACL, has been appointed as ED in NICL. 
• Sunita Gupta, currently GM in Oriental Insurance Company Ltd (OICL), has been appointed as ED in UIICL. 
• Radhika C.S., currently GM in United India Insurance Company Ltd (UIICL), has been appointed as ED in GIC Re. 
• Babu Paul, currently GM in National Insurance Company Ltd (NICL), has been appointed as ED in the same Company. 
• Dasarathi Singh, currently GM in Agriculture Insurance Company of India Ltd, has been appointed as ED in the same company. 

10. Shashi Kataria appointed as CFO of Quant MF 

• Quant Mutual Fund, under SEBI lens in a front-running case, has appointed Shashi Kataria as Chief Financial Officer. 
• Kataria has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer, Operations Head and Executive Director of Quant Money Managers in place of Harshal Patel, who has resigned due to personal reasons. 
• He has previously worked with PPFAS AMC as CFO, COO and Director. He was also associated with DSP Blackrock Investment Managers as Manager Finance. 
• Shashi Kataria has 20 years of overall experience in accounting, audit, direct and indirect taxation, financials & MIS, payroll, and labour law compliance, of which 13 years are from the Indian mutual fund industry, according to the fund house’s notice-cum-addendum. 

11. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda sworn in for second term 

• Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda was sworn in for a second five-year term. 
• The ceremony commenced with a ceremonial event at the Lithuanian Parliament, the Seimas, where Mr. Nauseda took the presidential oath with his hand on the Constitution. 
• On this occasion, the 60-year-old economist, Mr. Nauseda proposed increasing Lithuania’s defense budget to four percent of GDP. 
• This would allow Lithuania to fund long-range air defense, a missile shield for the Baltic Sea coast, and border fortifications. 

Newly Appointed Prime Minister & President 

• President of Iran – Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf 
• PM of the United Kingdom – Keir Starmer;58th (replace Rishi Sunak) 
• PM of Netherlands – Dick Schoof 
• President of Slovakia – Peter Pellegrini 
• President of South Africa – Cyril Ramaphosa (2nd time) 

About Lithuania 

• Capital – Vilnius 
• Currency – Euro 
• Prime minister – Ingrida Šimonytė 
• President: – Gitanas Nausėda 

Sports News

12. Shooter Sabeera Haris wins Bronze in Shotgun Junior World Cup 

• In Shooting, India’s Sabeera Haris has bagged the bronze medal in women’s trap event at the International Shooting Sport Federation, ISSF Junior World Cup in Porpetto, Italy. 
• Sabeera shot 29 out of 40 targets in the final. 
• Carey Garrison of the US won the gold, shooting down 40 out of 50 targets. While Sofia Gori of Italy claimed the silver with 39 hits out of the full quota of 50 targets. 
• In the junior women’s trap event, another Indian, Bhavya Tripathi, concluded her campaign in 26th place with a score of 102, while compatriot Rajkuwar Ingle finished in 33rd position with 100 points. 

Obituary News

13. Kannada Actress Aparna passes away 

• The popular Kannada actress and former Doordarshan and Akashvani presenter Aparna passed away. 
• In the 1990s, Aparna started working as a radio jockey in All India Radio and a presenter in DD Chandana. 
• She later worked in hit television serials such as Moodala Mane and Preethi Illada Mele, among others.