Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 22nd July 2024

 National News 

1.BJP govt renames Biju Patnaik Sports Award to Odisha Rajya Krida Samman 

• The newly elected BJP government has renamed Biju Patnaik Sports Award as Odisha Rajya Krida Samman’. 
• Odisha Sports and Youth Services Department issued guidelines for the Rajya Krida Samman’ which will be awarded in eight categories annually, subject to availability of suitable candidates. The cash rewards remain unchanged. 
• According to the guidelines, the lifetime achievement award for promoting sports will carry a cash prize of Rs 3 lakh, while Rs 2 lakh will be awarded for outstanding performance in sports, and Rs 1 lakh for excellence in coaching. 
• Similarly, a cash award of Rs 1 lakh will be given in each of the following categories – best contribution to sports promotion, excellence in sports journalism, para-sports person of the year, upcoming athlete of the year (junior category), and sports technical official/support staff of the year. 
• The award recipient must be a resident of Odisha and free of any criminal convictions. 

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

 2. Kishan Reddy launches Mineral Exploration Hackathon and National DMF Portal in Hyderabad

•  Union Minister of Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy has launched Mineral Exploration Hackathon focused on Innovative Mineral Hunt Techniques in Hyderabad. 
• This Hackathon aims to promote use of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for geophysical data, integration of multiple mineral exploration data sets such as baseline data, available exploration data, etc., to identify new Mineral targets, particularly for deep seated/concealed ore bodies. 
• Kishan Reddy also launched the National District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Portal. This portal is a centralized platform to gather the information on the District Mineral Foundations across the country. The aim for launching this portal is to facilitate the access to the DMF data and track the developments and utilizations thereunder. 
• This portal provides details of 645 DMFs in the country with enhanced transparency, featuring centralized visibility of activities, project oversight, and dynamic analytics, as well as a repository of best practices for effective implementation. 

3. EESL to launch retail shops to distribute energy-efficient products 

• State-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) will introduce retail franchisee shops called ‘Urja Dakshta Dukan’ which will offer affordable energy-efficient products like LED lights, ACs, and fans to consumers. 
• EESL, at present, distributes products through retail tie-ups with power distribution utilities to consumers. 
• Buyers can also purchase the products online from its web portal EESLMART.in. The first batch of franchisee outlets is expected to open in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Telangana. 
• The invitation for pan India franchise tie-ups will be available on the EESL website from August. 
• The EESL’s energy efficiency solutions have saved over 47 billion kWh of energy annually while reducing 36.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions. 
• Founded in 2009, the EESL is promoted by the Ministry of Power as a joint venture of four public-sector undertakings NTPC Ltd, Power Finance Corporation Ltd, REC Ltd, and POWERGRID Corporation of India Ltd.

 International News

 4. Elon Musk announced to move the headquarters of SpaceX and X to Texas and Austin respectively 

• Elon Musk said that he will move the headquarters of his two businesses, social media platform X and rocket maker SpaceX. SpaceX's headquarters is currently in Hawthorne, California. It will now be set up at Starbase in Boca Chica Beach, Texas. 
• At the same time, X's headquarters will no longer be in San Francisco. It will be moved from here to Austin. According to Musk, the reason behind this decision was the recently passed law in California, which was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. California's Safety Act does not require teachers to inform parents about changes in students' sexual orientation and gender identity. 
• Supporters of the law say it will help protect LGBTQ students who live in homes where they are not respected. But opponents say it will hinder the ability of schools to be more transparent with parents. 
• Musk said that due to this law and many other laws that came before it, SpaceX will now move its headquarters from Hawthorne to Starbase. He further said that I made it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that such laws would force families and companies to leave California for the safety of their children. 
• Notably, this is not the first time that Elon Musk has decided to move one of his companies out of California. In the year 2021, Tesla moved its corporate headquarters from Palo Alto, California to Austin, Texas. Apart from this, Musk had moved his house from California to Texas.

 5. Côte d'Ivoire becomes 53rd member of UN Water Convention

•  Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) has recently become the 53rd party to the 1992 UN Water Convention, officially known as the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Waterways and International Lakes. 
• The agreement makes Ivory Coast the 10th African nation to join the treaty. The move reflects a growing trend among African countries to enhance cooperative water management amid rising water stress and climate change impacts. 
• Ivory Coast, with a population of about 30 million, shares eight transboundary river basins with neighbouring countries including Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. 
• The country's water resources are facing significant challenges due to a rapidly growing population, urbanisation and climate change impacts such as droughts and floods. Additionally, water quality is deteriorating due to pollution from various sources. 
• Ivory Coast is ranked the 40th most water-insecure country in Africa in the Global Water Security 2023 assessment. Sierra Leone, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also in the final stages of joining the Convention.
•  Indonesia The World Water Council (WWC) is set to host the 10th World Water Forum in Bali on 18-25 May 2024.

 UN Water Conference

• Adopted in Helsinki in 1992 and entered into force in 1996, the convention promotes sustainable management of shared water resources, conflict prevention and regional integration. It requires parties to cooperate on transboundary waters, prevent negative impacts and use water resources equitably. 
• Initially a regional framework for Europe, the convention expanded to a global level in 2016. 
• The protocol provides a practical framework for putting the human rights to water and sanitation into practice and implementing SDG 6 (ensuring access to water and sanitation for all). India is not a party to the convention. 

6. Saudi Arabia to host first Olympic eSports Games 

• The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it has partnered with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia to host the inaugural Olympic eSports Games 2025 in Saudi Arabia. 
• IOC President Thomas Bach said the partnership between the IOC and the Saudi NOC will span 12 years, with Olympic eSports Games to be held regularly. 
• HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, Minister of Sports and President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, said: “Saudi Arabia is extremely excited by the prospect of partnering with the IOC and helping to welcome a completely new era for international sport. 
• Earlier in December 2023, Saudi Arabia received sponsor rights up to the 2034 World Cup in men's football. The Kingdom will also host the Asian Cup in men's football in 2027, the Asian Winter Games in 2029. 
• The entertainment programs are an important part of the program driven by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, called Vision 2030, which aims to move the Saudi economy away from dependence on oil and modernize its society. Indian student team ranks fourth in International Mathematical Olympiad 
• India's six-member student team has won four gold medals, one silver medal and one honorable mention at the 65th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2024 held in Bath, United Kingdom, to become the world's first student team in the 65th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2024. India secured fourth place at the IMO level. 
• This is the best performance by an Indian at the IMO since the country's debut in 1989, both in terms of number of gold medals won and rank achieved. India's previous best rank was 7th, which was in IMO 1998 and IMO 2001. 
• High school students Aditya Mangudi (Grade 11), Anand Bhaduri (Grade 12), Kanav Talwar (Grade 10) and Rushil Mathur (Grade 12) won gold medals. Arjun Gupta (Grade 12) won silver and Siddharth Chopra (Grade 12) received an honourable mention.
•  At the global level, Team USA, China and South Korea finished as the top three winners in that order. At fourth place, India's total score at the Olympiad is 167, just one point behind third-placed South Korea. 

State News 

7. Madhya Pradesh gets top position in loan performance and innovation category in PM Swanidhi Yojana 

• The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said that Madhya Pradesh has received the award of 'Best Performing State' in the category of large state in loan performance and innovation category in the Pradhan Mantri Swanidhi Yojana. 
• The "SPARK Award Ceremony" was held on 18th July at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar presented the awards to the winners. 
• PM SVANidhi Scheme was launched on 1st June, 2020. PM Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme aimed at providing collateral free working capital loan up to Rs.80,000 to urban street vendors with 7% interest subsidy for regular repayment, cashback up to Rs.1,200 per annum for digital transactions. 
• DAY-NULM Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India on 24th September, 2013 aims to reduce poverty and vulnerability of urban poor households. PM SVANidhi

 Yojana Key Awards 

• Best Performing States – ‘Innovation and Best Practices’ – Madhya Pradesh, Assam 
• Best Performing States – ‘Credit Performance’ 
• Large States – Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab 
• Small States and Union Territories – Ladakh, Puducherry 
• Hill and North Eastern States – Assam, Sikkim 
• Special Awards for Outstanding Performance – Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh 
• Loan Provider Top Public and Private Sector Banks – Canara Bank, State Bank of India 
• Best Performing Urban Local Bodies – ‘Credit Performance’ 
• Urban Local Bodies Categories, (Population >10 Lakh) – Delhi Municipal Corporation
•  Major Cities (Population 1 lakh to 10 lakh) – Ujjain Municipal Corporation, Madhya Pradesh 
• Towns (Population <1 lakh) – Nawabganj Municipality, Uttar Pradesh 

DAY-NULM Key Awards 

•  Overall State Performance Large States – Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan 
• NER and Hill States - Himachal Pradesh, Tripura, Uttarakhand 
• Best Social Infrastructure - Telangana, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh (Chhappan Dukaan) 
• Best Development Partner - UMC, KAASS, Navanya 

Best ULB

•  Population City (>10 Lakh) - Jabalpur (MP) 
• Population (3 -10 Lakh) - Bilaspur (Maharashtra) 
• Population (1 - 3 Lakh) - Raigarh (Chhattisgarh) 
• Population (50K – 1 Lakh) - Bhatapara (Chhattisgarh)
• Population (up to 50K) – Pauni Maharashtra 
• Outstanding Technological Innovation 
• Madhya Pradesh- (Online Identification of Street Vendors)
• Gujarat - (SUH Portal) 
• Odisha - (Mukta Soft)
• Best Participatory Model for Urban Livelihoods
•  Odisha - (Mukta) 
• Andhra Pradesh - (Jaganna Mahila Mart) 
• Chhattisgarh - (For Collective Waste Management Ambikapur model)

 

8. Telangana Government launches “Rajiv Gandhi Civils Abhayahastam”

• Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy launched a unique programme “Rajiv Gandhi Civils Abhayahastam” to provide financial assistance to civil service aspirants from Telangana, under which candidates who qualify for the main exam will be provided ₹1 lakh for preparation. 
• This will be helpful for around 400 candidates from Telangana region who qualify for the main exam every year. The Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) will provide the assistance as a part of its ‘Nirman’ programme. 
• Candidates from Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, Other Backward Classes, Women and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category are eligible for the scheme but their family annual income should be less than Rs 8 lakh. 
• Applicants must be permanent residents of Telangana. The state government said that resolving the problems of unemployed youth is the top priority. The Telangana movement was born to fulfil the aspirations of the youth and the state was formed on their sacrifices. 
• The government has given 30,000 jobs within three months of coming to power. The reason behind this scheme Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said that in the last 10 years unemployed youths faced a crisis due to paper leaks. 
• The Telangana State Public Service Commission (TGPSC) was reformed on the lines of UPSC to streamline the system. Mr Reddy said the job calendar will be announced in the upcoming budget session of the Assembly. 
• The government will compile data of vacancies in every department before March so that notification can be announced to fill them. The notification will be issued by June 2 every year and the recruitment process will be completed by December 9.

 9. Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to launch 'Gross Environmental Product Index' 

• Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the Gross Environmental Product-GEP Index in the capital Dehradun on 19 July 2024. The development of the ecosystem in Uttarakhand will now be assessed through the GEP index. 
• Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country to launch the Gross Environmental Product (GEP) to assign monetary value to its four natural resources - air, water, forest and soil.
• The GEP index reflects comparative data from 2020 to 2022 and shows a growth of 0.9%. The Chief Minister said that now GEP can also be released along with GDP in the state. Its assessment will establish better harmony between ecology and economy. 
• Mr Dhami said that the GEP index will also increase environmental awareness. This will help in assessing the contribution to environmental conservation. This index will also help in planning. 
• The Chief Minister said that development schemes and industrial activities are spreading simultaneously in the state and now Uttarakhand is also moving towards climate protection. 
• Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had envisaged the Green Bonus during the year 2014-15. 
• According to calculations presented by green activists, Uttarakhand provides services worth Rs 95,112 crore through its biodiversity. This will benefit the country by Rs 1.5 crore per year. More than 71% of the area in the state comes under forests.
• It is also home to the Himalayas, the origin of rivers like Ganga, Yamuna and Sharda as well as wildlife sanctuaries like Corbett and Rajaji Tiger Reserve. 

Appointment 

10. Sanjeev Krishan re-elected for second term as PwC India Chairperson 

• Sanjeev Krishan has been re-elected for a second term as Chairperson of PwC India for a four-year period beginning on April 1, 2025. 
• As Chairperson, Krishan will continue to lead PwC in India, representing them externally and internally. He will also continue to serve on the PwC Global Strategy Council. 
• Krishan, whose first term as Chairperson started on January 1, 2021, joined PwC in 1991 as an articled trainee. 
• He became a partner in 2006 and has successfully led the firm’s deals, transactions and private equity business, getting the firm to a pre-eminent position amongst Private Equity firms and their investee companies, family businesses and MNC clients over the years.

Recent Appointment 

• Sub-regional representative for South Asia by the Asian Paralympic Committee (APC) – Deepa Malik
• Co-Chair of Global CEO Climate Leaders Alliance – Sumant Sinha 
• DG of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Nallathamby Kalaiselvi 
• Chairman of as MahaRERA – Manoj Saunik (replace Ajoy Mehta) 
• CMD of BSNL – Robert Jerard Ravi (replace PK Purwar)

 Awards 

11. Arpit Jagdish Kabra honoured with International Excellence Award

•  CA Arpit Jagdish Kabra from Ajmer Rajasthan has received the prestigious International Excellence Award. 
• This accolade recognises his outstanding contribution to forensic investigation and his unwavering dedication to social impact initiatives. 
• The award, presented at the House of Commons, underscores the international recognition and impact of his work. 
• At a young age, Arpit Kabra assumed the role of Chairman of the Western India Regional Council (WIRC) of ICAI. His efforts towards the empowerment of women and youth, along with the initiatives undertaken under his leadership at WIRC, have made him deserving of this honour. Under his leadership, the WIRC team also set a world record for the Largest Human Mosaic in Mumbai.

 Recent Award

• Global CSR ESG Award 2024 – Sri Kurumba Educational and Charitable Trust 
• Oxford Bookstore Art Book Prize 2024 – Madhu Khanna (For Tantra on the Edge)
• COSPAR Harrie Massey Award 2024 – Prahlad Chandra Agrawal 
• Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity 2024 -Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming 
• Spice Award 2024 – Sopna Kallingal 

12. Lallianzuala and Indumathi won the Best Men's and Women's Footballer of the Year 2024 awards respectively 

• The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced Lallianzuala Chhangte and Indumathi Kathiresan as the AIFF Best Men's and Women's Players of the Year 2023-24 at the AIFF Awards Night in New Delhi on July 19, 2024.
•  Mumbai City FC's 27-year-old winger Lallianzuala Chhangte won the AIFF Men's Player of the Year award for the second consecutive time. Lallianzuala is the leading Indian goal scorer in the Indian Super League (ISL) and scored against Qatar in Doha during the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in June 2024. 
• 30-year-old midfielder Indumathi Kathiresan became the first player from Tamil Nadu to win the AIFF Women's Player of the Year award. 

Other Awards 

• Men's Coach of the Year - Khalid Jamil (Jamshedpur FC) 
• Women's Coach of the Year - Sukla Dutta (India U-19 team and Sreebhumi FC) 
• Referee of the Year - Ramachandran Venkatesh 
• Assistant Referee of the Year - Ujjal Halder 
• Promising Men's Player of the Year - David Lalhlansanga
• Promising Women's Player of the Year - Neha 
• Most Successful MA (Club Competitions) - All India Football Association (West Bengal) 
• Most Successful MA (NFC Competitions) - All Manipur Football Association 
• Best MA – Supporting Women's Football - Punjab Football Association 
• MA with most player registrations (Men) - Kerala Football Association 
• MA with most player registrations (Women) - Western India Football Association (Maharashtra) 
• Best MA for hosting most AIFF competitions - Football Association of Odisha and Goa Football Association. 
• Special award for MAs launching new projects: Gujarat State Football Association 

13. Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame 

• Former doubles world number one Leander Paes and tennis broadcaster, actor and player Vijay Amritraj became the first Asian men inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 
• The first inductees from India were joined by British tennis journalist and author Richard Evans in enshrinement ceremonies at the Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. 
• Paes recounted his youth playing football and hockey before turning to tennis and eventually following his hockey-captain father as an Olympic medalist.
•  Leander Paes, aged 51, was inducted under the player category, a testament to his extraordinary career spanning three decades. 
• Vijay Amritraj was inducted under the contributor category, acknowledging his significant impact on tennis both on and off the court. 
• Amritraj, 70, played from 1970 until retiring in 1993, winning 15 ATP singles titles and 399 matches and being ranked as high as 18th in the world and helped India to the Davis Cup finals in 1974 and 1987. 
• Paes, was an 18-time Grand Slam champion in doubles and mixed doubles who was selected in the player category after honing his trade in an Amritraj youth academy. 

Important day 

14. 22 July – Pi Approximation Day 

• Pi Approximation Day is celebrated every year on July 22nd because the date (22/7) is commonly used as an approximation for the mathematical constant Ï€ (pi). 
• This fundamental constant represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Since Ï€ is irrational, it cannot be expressed as a simple fraction, and its decimal form is infinite and non-repeating. 
• A casual and enjoyable approach to honouring mathematics and the intriguing characteristics of Ï€ is to observe Pi Approximation Day. 

15. 22 July – World Brain Day 

• World Brain Day is celebrated every year on 22 July. 
• Objective – To raise awareness about brain diseases and promotes research for new treatments. 
• Theme 2024 – Brain Health and Prevention 
• This day serves as a reminder of the critical importance of brain health and the need to take proactive steps to prevent and manage neurological conditions. 

Sports News 

16. Women's T20 Cricket Asia Cup 2024 started in Sri Lanka 

• The 9th edition of the Women's Asia Cup has started in Sri Lanka from 19-28 July 2024. The Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla will host all the matches during the Women's Asia Cup. 
• The tournament started with the opening match in Group A between the United Arab Emirates and Nepal, in the Women's Asia Cup Cricket T20, defending champions India have won their campaign against Pakistan.
•  This continental cricket tournament hosted by Sri Lanka, in which eight participating countries have been divided into two groups of four teams each. Harmanpreet Kaur's India have been placed in Group A along with Pakistan, Nepal and UAE, while hosts Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia are in Group B. 
• India won the last Women's Asia Cup in 2022 and now have a total of seven Asia Cup titles to their name. India were also the winners of the first edition in 2004. The four full members of the Asian Cricket Council – Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – automatically qualified for the competition. 

17. Nagaland Madrigal Singers win two gold medals at World Choir Games 2024 

• The Nagaland Madrigal Singers representing India have won two gold medals at the World Choir Games, 2024 held in New Zealand. The largest choral competition – World Choir Games was held in Auckland, New Zealand from July 10, with more than 11,000 singers from 42 countries participating.
• Led by Hito Kiho, the Nagaland Madrigal Singers competed in two prestigious categories, including Contemporary Music Mixed Voices and Mixed Chamber Choir. They won gold medals in both the categories. 
• The Nagaland Madrigal Singers was founded by Mr. Kiho in September 2023. The Nagaland Madrigal Singers aim to promote choral singing in Nagaland and India.
•  This is the second time that Nagaland has secured two gold medals at the World Choir Games. In 2023, the Nagaland Chamber Choir (TNCC) won two gold medals at the 12th World Choir Games held in Gangneung, South Korea. 

18. FIFA Rankings: India retain 124th spot, Argentina top spot 

• The Indian football team has retained its 124th position in the month of July 2024 while Lionel Messi's Argentina consolidated the top spot in the latest FIFA rankings released. 
• India is ranked 22nd in Asia. India's performance has been declining since December last year. It was ranked 99th at its highest point last year when it first entered the top 100. 
• France maintained its second spot in the rankings. European champions Spain gained five places to take third spot while finalists England moved up one place to fourth, ahead of Brazil, who slipped to fifth. 

Obituary 

19. Renowned cardiac surgeon Dr MS Valiathan passes away

•  Renowned cardiac surgeon and the founder of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Dr MS Valiathan passed away at the age 90 years. 
• Dr Valiathan was an alumnus of the first batch of Government Medical College Thiruvananthapuram, after which he attended the University of Liverpool. In 1960, he was awarded a fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and England. He has also worked at multiple hospitals in the US and India. 
• Valiathan was also the first Vice-Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education and was awarded Padma Shri in 2002 and Padma Vibhushan in 2005 for his contributions to healthcare. 

20. Renowned agriculturist Kamala Pujari passes away 

•  Agriculturist Kamala Pujari passed away at the age of 73 
• The government of India had accorded the prestigious Padma Shri on her for her contribution to the agriculture sector, in 2019. 
• Pujari was acclaimed worldwide for her contribution to organic farming and preserving indigenous paddy varieties. 

Ranks and Reports News 

21. India's garment export woes self-inflicted: report 

• Exports from India's labor-intensive garment sector, which have been losing ground to rivals such as Vietnam and Bangladesh and were lower than the 2013-14 levels last year, have been dented more by the country's high duties and barriers on raw material imports along with difficult customs and trade procedures, rather than other nations' competitive strengths, a research report has flagged. 
• India's garment exports in 2023-24 stood at $14.5 billion, compared with $15 billion in 2013-14. Between 2013 and 2023, garment exports from Vietnam have grown nearly 82% to hit $33.4 billion while that of Bangladesh has grown nearly 70% to hit $43.8 billion. China exported about $114 billion of garments in the same year, nearly a quarter lower than a decade earlier. 
• A production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for textiles launched by the Centre in 2021 has failed to gain traction with investors and needs significant modifications to be effective, the think tank, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), has noted in a report titled "How Complex Procedures, Import Restrictions and Domestic Interests Hinder India's Garments Exports". 
• The report has also raised concerns about a steady rise in India's garments and textiles imports in recent years, which had grown to almost $9.2 billion in the calendar year 2023. It warned that this tally could rise faster if the export slide is not arrested, especially with firms like Reliance Retail expected to kick off sales of Chinese brands such as Shein in the country. 
• "Complex procedures, import restrictions and domestic vested interests are holding up Indian garment export growth. At the root of the exporters' problem is difficulty in obtaining quality raw fabric, particularly synthetic fabric," the report said, adding that Bangladesh and Vietnam do not suffer from these complexities, while Indian firms have to "waste time and money" on them. 
• The report, based on interactions with small, medium-sized, and large garment exporters, pointed out that recent quality control orders, or QCOs, issued for fabric imports have complicated the process of bringing in essential raw material. This is pushing up costs for exporters who have to rely on pricier options from domestic firms who dominate the market for raw materials like polyester staple fiber and viscose staple fiber. 
• "This scenario forces exporters to use expensive domestic supplies, making Indian garments over-priced," it explained. Moreover, the procedures laid down by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and Customs are archaic, requiring exporters to meticulously account for every square centimeter of imported fabric, buttons, and zippers, ensuring these are used in the production process and reflected in export product description, the report said, mooting a comprehensive overhaul to change the status quo.