Read from our blog

NATIONAL NEWS

1. Meghalaya becomes first state to have water policy 

Amid the water crisis in the country, the Meghalaya cabinet became the first state to approve a draft water policy to address water issues, conservation, and protection of water sources in the state. The policy intends to achieve sustainable development, management and use of water resources with community participation. This will improve health and livelihood and reduce vulnerability among the people. This will also assure of good governance for present and future generations through integrated water resources management and environmental sustainability. The committees will be formed at village level and the issue of groundwater will also be catered through this policy. Also, the department will also monitor the quality of the water to check if it has a high content of iron or if it's acidic. The draft was passed following detailed discussions and deliberation with the ministers of the cabinet.      

 

2. National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019 passed by the parliament 

In a big push for India’s national security, the Rajya Sabha unanimously passed the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019.  The bill now awaits President Ramnath Kovind’s nod.  The NIA was set up in 2009 following the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which killed 166 people.

The bill proposes three major amendments to the NIA Bill of 2008. The first focuses on providing the NIA with more teeth to investigate cases pertaining to human trafficking, counterfeit currency, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism, and offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. The bill also seeks to expand the agency’s jurisdiction to investigate offences committed outside India, such as the Easter day bombings in Sri Lanka. Finally, it proposes to allow the central government to constitute special courts for NIA trials. As of now, the NIA is designated to probe cases of terrorism within the country. With the amendments cleared by both Houses of Parliament, the NIA will be able to probe cases of cybercrime and human trafficking as well. The amendment is significant as the agency has been closely tracking the development of Islamic State (IS) modules in the country, especially in the wake of the Easter Day bombings in Sri Lanka.

 

3. Dr Harsh Vardhan releases the National Digital Health Blueprint report in the Public domain 

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare released the National Digital Health Blueprint (NDHB) report in the public domain for inputs from various stakeholders.

The National Digital Health Blueprint is in line with the vision of the Prime Minister to reach each individual of this country with services at their doorstep under Digital India Programme. The Union Health Minister appealed to all the stakeholders to provide their valuable feedback and inputs to make this digital revolution in healthcare more inclusive and collaborative and to help Government in building a stronger nation as a collective endeavour.   The vision of NDHB is to create a National Digital Health Eco-system that supports Universal Health Coverage in an efficient, accessible, inclusive, affordable, timely and safe manner, through provision of a wide-range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems, and ensuring the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information.

 

4. SC forms panel to frame emergency plan regarding the extinction of Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican. 

Taking serious note of alarming extinction of two Indian birds -- Great Indian Bustard and the Lesser Florican -- the Supreme Court constituted a high powered committee to urgently frame and implement an emergency response plan for the protection of these species.

The top court constituted a three member panel comprising Director of Bombay Natural History Society; Dr Asad R Rahmani former Director of Bombay Natural History Society and member of governing body of Wetlands International South Asia and Dr Dhananjai Mohan, Chief Conservator of Forests of Uttarakhand.

A bench of Justices S A Bobde and B R Gavai also sought responses from the Centre and state governments, where these two species of birds are prominently found, on a plea of wildlife activists.

Over the last 50 years the population of the Great Indian Bustard has recorded a decline of over 82 per cent, falling from an estimated 1260 in 1969, to 100-150 in 2018. The population of the Lesser Florican (also known as the likh or kharmore) has seen a sharp decline of 80 per cent over the past few decades, from 3530 individuals recorded in 1999, to less than 700 individuals in 2018. Both the birds are protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 but despite being accorded the highest level of protection under national law, the birds face the threat of imminent extinction.

The plea blamed various reasons for the threats faced by the two endangered birds including--mortality by collision with infrastructure, particularly powerlines and wind turbines, depletion of grasslands, hunting, development of mines and human habitation in and around their habitats and ingestion of pesticides.

Under the emergency response plan, the activists have suggested through the plea that steps should be taken for urgent dismantling and undergrounding of powerlines and wind turbines, immediate embargo on any upcoming wind, solar power projects, and powerlines in and around critical habitats.

The plea among other steps sought immediate installation of diverters on powerlines in semi-critical habitats and urgent installation of predator-proof fencing in critical habitats to protect breeding grounds of both the species from invasive human activities as well as predators and immediate implementation of dog population control program.

Unless urgent remedial steps are taken, the birds will be the first two species of avifauna to become extinct, since Independence and the adoption of the Constitution of India by its citizens.

 

5. Health Ministry to launch a Jan Jagrukta Abhiyaan in Delhi to accelerate vector control measures  

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is all set to launch a special campaign in Delhi to sensitize and mobilise the community on measures for prevention and control of Vector Borne Diseases (VBDs) like Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya. The three –day campaign started from 17th July, 2019. This three-day campaign is aimed at making the community a partner for checking vector/mosquito breeding across Delhi. It is going to be a ‘Peoples Movement’ from 17th to 19th July, 2019 in Delhi through active involvement of people’s representatives, officers from Government of India, Government of NCT Delhi, all three Delhi Municipal Corporations, New Delhi Municipal Council, Railways and Cantonment boardand other stakeholders to combat malaria, dengue and chikungunya. This is probably the first time that three governments-national, state and local bodies- will converge in their efforts to mobilise the community for a public health activity.

 

6. Government clears National Medical Commission Bill 2019 to revamp medical education system

The Union cabinet cleared a bill to set up a National Medical Commission (NMC), which will have responsibilities such as approving and assessing medical colleges, conducting common MBBS entrance and exit examinations and regulating course fees.

The National Medical Commission Bill 2019 proposes to repeal the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. NMC will replace the Medical Council of India (MCI), which was dissolved in 2010 following corruption charges.

The common final year MBBS exam will now be known as National Exit Test (NEXT) to start medical practice, seek admissions to post-graduate medical courses and as a screening test for foreign medical graduates.

The bill also seeks to make the national medical entrance exam, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), common counselling and NEXT applicable to Institutes of National Importance (INIs) such as the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to ensure uniform standards.

NMC will also regulate fees and all other charges for 50% seats in private medical colleges and deemed universities. The Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) under NMC will assess medical colleges and develop a system for ranking them.

Apart from MARB, there will be three other autonomous boards under NMC, the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board, the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board, and the Ethics and Medical Registration Board. NMC, with the help of these boards, will ensure a dynamic and modern educational environment, decreasing the emphasis on physical infrastructure, achieving the norms in global standards and an effective grievance redressal mechanism. The bill also proposes to set up a Medical Advisory Council as a separate entity. It will serve as the primary platform through which the states will put forward their views and concerns before the NMC and help shape the overall agenda in medical education and training. Autonomous boards will be under state medical councils.

The strength of autonomous boards under state medical councils has been increased from 3 to 5, including 2 part-time members. One of them will be a doctor selected by the state government and the other will be an doctor chosen by the State Medical Council.

The Medical Assessment and Rating Board will grant permission for new medical colleges, starting PG courses and increasing seats based on the standards set by the UG and PG boards. The annual renewal permission for new medical colleges before recognition is being done away with.

 

7. Union HRD Minister releases Deeksharambh- A Guide to Student Induction Programme 

The Union Minister of Human Resource Development Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ released UGC Guide to Student Induction Programme – “Deeksharambh” in New Delhi. Deeksharambh , a guide to Student Induction Programme is to help new students adjust and feel comfortable in the new environment, inculcate in them the ethos and culture of the institution, help them build bonds with other students and faculty members, and expose them to a sense of larger purpose and self-exploration.

The Programme engages with the new students as soon as they come into the institution, before regular classes start. At the start of the induction, the incumbents learn about the institutional policies, processes, practices, culture and values, and their mentor groups are formed. The mentoring is one of the component of Student Induction Programme and it helps to develop an everlasting bonding of teacher and student.

To spread awareness about Deeksharambh - Student Induction Programme (SIP) in Higher Education Institutions and its stakeholders, UGC has decided to conduct Awareness Programmes and training programme for teachers in different regions of the country.

 

8. Rajya Sabha passes the Central University (Amendment) Bill, 2019 

Parliament approved a Bill to set up a central university and a tribal university in Andhra Pradesh, with HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal assuring the two varsities will be completed in the next four years.

Currently these two universities are functioning in temporary facilities in Anantpur and Vizianagaram respectively.

According to the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the two universities will increase access and quality of higher education and also promote avenues of higher education for the people of the state.

The Tribal University will provide instructional and research facilities in tribal art, culture and customs and advancement in technology to the tribal population of India. At present, there is no central university in Andhra Pradesh while other states, except Goa, have one or more such institution.

Setting up a central university and a central tribal university in Andhra Pradesh is obligatory under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 for creation of Telangana.

 

9. Ayodhya dispute: SC allows mediation on Ram Mandir to continue till July 31 

The Supreme Court has allowed mediation process in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case to continue till July 31. The mediation panel will now submit its report on August 1, after which the court will decide whether a hearing is required in the case. The Supreme Court announced the decision on July 18.

The five-judge Constitution bench, headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi, had earlier on July 11 sought a report on the mediation process from the mediation panel. The SC bench had said then that a day-to-day hearing might begin from July 25 if the court decided to conclude the mediation proceedings. The SC bench had requested the mediation panel head, Justice (Retd) F M I Kalifulla to inform the court regarding the progress of the mediation process by July 18. SC has now given the mediation panel time till July 31 to inform it regarding the outcome of the process. After going through the report, SC will take a call on whether further hearing is required. The contents of the report filed by mediation panel will remain confidential.

The Supreme Court of India on March 8, 2019 decided to refer the Ayodhya-Babri Masjid title dispute case for mediation. The apex court has formed a panel of mediators to resolve the issue, which will be headed by Supreme Court judge, Justice F M Kalifullah. The other members of the panel include spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Sankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu.

The mediation will be held in Faizabad, newly renamed as Ayodhya and its status report will have to be submitted to the court within the time of four weeks. The mediation proceedings are to be held confidentially and the court has banned the media from reporting it.

 

10. Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launches the UGC Scheme of ‘Paramarsh’ for Mentoring NAAC Accreditation Aspirant Institutions to promote Quality Assurance in Higher Education 

The Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” launched ‘Paramarsh’ – a University Grants Commission (UGC) scheme for Mentoring National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) Accreditation Aspirant Institutions to promote Quality Assurance in Higher Education in New Delhi. 

The scheme will be a paradigm shift in the concept of mentoring of institution by another well performing institution to upgrade their academic performance and enable them to get accredited by focusing in the area of curricular aspects, teaching-learning & evaluation, research, innovation, institutional values & practices etc. The scheme is expected to have a major impact in addressing a national challenge of improving the quality of Higher Education in India. The Scheme will be operationalized through a “Hub & Spoke” model wherein the Mentor Institution, called the “Hub” is centralized and will have the responsibility of guiding the Mentee institution through the secondary branches the “Spoke” through the services provided to the mentee for self improvement. This allows a centralized control over operational efficiency, resource utilization to attain overall development of the mentee institution.

The scheme will lead to enhancement of overall quality of the Mentee Institutions and enhance its profile as a result of improved quality of research, teaching and learning methodologies. Mentee Institution will also have increased exposure and speedier adaptation to best practices. “Paramarsh” scheme will also facilitate sharing of knowledge, information and opportunities for research collaboration and faculty development in Mentee Institutions.

This “Paramarsh” scheme will target 1000 Higher Education Institutions for mentoring with a specific focus on quality as enumerated in the UGC “Quality Mandate”. Mentor-Mentee relationship will not only benefit both the institutions but also provide quality education to the 3.6 crore students who are enrolling to Indian Higher Education system at present.

 

11. Government to impose penalty for misquoting Aadhaar 

Any individual who fails to quote his or her identification number accurately in the documents related to high-value transactions may attract a fine of Rs 10,000 for each such violation and a similar penalty will be imposed on the person who is supposed to authenticate the identification number. It is also proposed that before passing a penalty order, a person shall be heard.

The existing laws will be amended in lines with the July 5 budget announcement that allowed the interchangeability of PAN and Aadhaar.

In comparison, only 220 million have PAN.

Individuals can provide the Aadhaar number for opening a bank account, making an application for a credit or debit card, opening a demat account, for paying hotel and restaurant bills that amount to more than Rs 50,000 and selling or purchasing goods or services exceeding Rs 2 lakh per transaction.

Section 272B of the Income Tax Act provides for penal provisions on violations related to use of PAN. The government is seeking legal amendments so that the penal provision can also be extended to Aadhaar. The proposed amendment will make the penalty clause unambiguous and stringent by specifically emphasising that each violation would attract a fine of Rs 10,000. The existing law is vague and allows the discretion of assessment officers.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1. Foundation stone of Baba Guru Nanak International University laid in Pakistan 

The foundation stone of Baba Guru Nanak International University has been laid in Nankana Sahib, the birth place of founder of Sikhism Baba Guru Nanak Dev, in Pakistan's Punjab province, more that a decade after its construction proposal first surfaced.

The construction of the BGNU will begin once the legal formalities in this regard are met. The work on this project will begin soon since the Nankana Sahib falls in the constituency of Federal Interior Minister Brig (R) Ijaz Shah.

Establishment of Baba Guru Nanak University in Nankana Sahib is the part of prime minister's vision to facilitate students in Nankana Sahib and other adjoining districts. The decision to construct the university came after the Sikhs living in Pakistan demanded a university after the name of the founder of their religion Baba Guru Nanak at his birthplace in Nankana Sahib.

The proposal of the university was first surfaced in the Punjab government of Pervaiz Elahi in 2003.  Earlier this year, for the first time a Pakistani university had created the Baba Guru Nanak research chair to promote the message of peace that the Sikh spiritual leader preached.

A motel of the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) was also inaugurated in Nankana Sahib by the Punjab CM to promote religious tourism.

 

2. Russia sends telescope into space 

Russia launched a space telescope from the cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, in a joint project with Germany. Roskosmos, the Russian space agency, showed a Proton-M rocket carrying the Spektr-RG taking off from the launch pad. The Spektr-RG, developed with Germany, is a space observatory intended to replace the Spektr-R, known as the “Russian Hubble”. Spektr-R was launched in 2011 to observe black holes, neutron stars and magnetic fields. Its successor will take up similar duties.

The launch was originally scheduled for June 21 but was postponed twice because of a battery problem.

Since 2011, Russia has been the only country capable sending teams to the International Space Station (ISS).

But a series of recent setbacks together with corruption scandals within Roskosmos and the competition from Elon Musk’s SpaceX have threatened its monopoly.

The next launch to the ISS is scheduled for July 20 and will carry an Italian and US astronauts together with a Russian cosmonaut.

 

3. Code-breaker Alan Turing to appear on U.K.’s new £50 bank note 

Second World War code-breaker Alan Turing has been chosen to feature on Britain’s new £50 note, the Bank of England announced.  Turing played a pivotal role in the development of early computers, but his career was cut short by his conviction in 1952 for “gross indecency” with a 19-year-old man.

He did not go to prison but was chemically castrated and died of cyanide poisoning in an apparent suicide in 1954, aged 41.

Turing received a posthumous pardon from Queen Elizabeth II in 2013.

In 2017, the “Alan Turing Law” posthumously pardoned men who had been cautioned or convicted under historical legislation that outlawed homosexual acts in Britain. The note, which is due to enter circulation by the end of 2021, shows a photo of Turing taken in 1951.

 

4. Pakistan agrees for visa-free year-long travel to Kartarpur Sahib 

Pakistan agreed in-principle to allow visa-free, year-long travel for Indian passport holders and OCI card holders to the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara. Everyday, 5,000 pilgrims will be allowed to visit the Gurdwara on foot, both as individuals or in groups. Pakistan highlighted the infrastructural constraints on their side and conveyed that they may be able to accommodate many of the Indian proposals in a phased manner. India raised the demand of allowing 10,000 additional pilgrims to visit the Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara on special occasions. The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib, which was established in 1522 by Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev.

The Kartarpur shrine in Pakistan's Narowal district across the Ravi is where Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent his final days, and is highly revered by the Sikh community. It is about 4 km from the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur.

 

5. ICJ asks Pakistan to review conviction, sentencing of Kulbhushan Jadhav 

In a major victory for India, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) called for an effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentencing of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, facing death in Pakistan on charges of spying, and held that a continued stay on execution constitutes an indispensable condition for the review. The ICJ order said that the court finds that Pakistan is under an obligation to provide, by means of its own choosing, effective review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence of Mr. Jadhav, so as to ensure that full weight is given to the effect of the violation of the rights set forth in Article 36 of the Vienna Convention, taking account of paragraphs 139, 145 and 146 of this Judgment.

The ICJ found that Pakistan acted in breach of its obligations of Vienna Convention by not informing Jadhav of his rights under Article 36, by not informing India without delay the arrest and detention of Jadhav and by denying consular access to him to arrange for legal representation.

Jadhav, 49, was purportedly "arrested" from Balochistan by Pakistani security forces on March 3, 2016, after he entered the country from Iran as claimed by Islamabad. India has rejected Pakistan's claims and has always maintained that Jadhav was in Iran on a business trip. He has been in jail since March 2016.

 

6. US slaps sanctions against Myanmar military chief, three others for Rohingya killings

The United States has slapped sanctions against Myanmar's Chief of Military and three other top officers for gross human rights violations, including killing of Rohingya Muslims. Following the sanctions, Army Chief Min Aung Hlaing and the others along with their immediate family members have been banned from entering the United States.  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US is the first government to publicly take action with respect to the most senior leadership of the Burmese military.

7. US expels Turkey from F-35 fighter jet programme 

US President Donald Trump announced that the S-400 purchase means Turkey will not be allowed to buy any F-35 planes. The United States said that it was removing Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet programme, a move that had been long threatened and expected after Ankara began accepting delivery of an advanced Russian missile defence system,

S-400.  The US and other F-35 partners are aligned in this decision to suspend Turkey from the programme and initiate the process to formally remove Turkey from the programme.  Turkey's foreign ministry said the move was unfair and could affect relations between the two countries.

Turkey makes more than 900 parts of the F-35, adding the supply chain would transition from Turkish to mainly US factories as Turkish suppliers are removed.

Turkey initially sought in 2009 to buy the US Patriot missile defence system, and a $7.8bn deal was tentatively approved by the Obama administration.

Ankara first turned to China and then to Russia for the system. 

The ongoing dispute between the countries with the two largest armies in NATO marks a deep division in the Western military alliance, which was forged after World War II to counter Moscow's military power.

 

8. WHO declares international emergency over DRC Ebola outbreak 

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been declared a global emergency, with the World Health Organization (WHO) calling for international support to stop its spread.

This is only the fifth event to be labelled a “public health emergency of international concern” by the organisation. The move follows the death of a pastor in Goma, a city of almost 2 million people that borders Rwanda and is a hub of international travel.

This is the second biggest Ebola outbreak on record, behind the outbreak in West Africa in 2014. The 2014 outbreak in West Africa led to travel bans, trade restrictions and the closure of border crossings, which hurt local economies and made it more challenging for healthcare workers to operate.

It is important that the international community steps up efforts to control the

 

9. June 2019 was hottest on record for the globe 

Scorching temperatures made June 2019 the hottest June on record for the globe. And for the second month in a row, warmth brought Antarctic sea-ice coverage to a new low for June. The average global temperature in June was 1.71 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 59.9 degrees, making it the hottest June in the 140-year record, according scientists to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.  Nine of the 10 hottest Junes have occurred since 2010. Last month also was the 43rd consecutive June and 414th consecutive month with above-average global temperatures. The period from January through June produced a global temperature 1.71 degrees F above the 20th-century average of 56.3 degrees, tying with 2017, as the second-hottest year to date on record. 

 

10. Apollo 11 Space Mission: Google Celebrates 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing With a Doodle Video 

On July 21, fifty years ago, NASA made history with its magnificent Apollo 11 mission. Neil Armstrong was the first human to ever step foot on the Moon, and this feat was a cumulative effort of over 400,000 people working in unison. The Apollo 11 rocket left Earth on July 16, 1969, and came back on July 24, 1969. A total of three astronauts were on the ship – Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins – and this first successful mission to the Moon earned them praises and created a monumental moment etched in history. To celebrate this occasion, Google has released a Google Doodle video wherein astronaut Michael Collins recounts the entire space mission, as it happened.

 

11. International arbitration court imposes a whopping USD 5.97 bn penalty on cash-strapped Pakistan

In a jolt to cash-strapped Pakistan, an international arbitration court has imposed a whopping USD 5.976 billion penalty - one of the biggest in its history - on Islamabad for the unlawful denial of a mining lease to a company for the Reko Diq project in 2011. The Tethyan Copper Company (TCC) - a joint venture between Chilean mining company Antofagasta and Canada's Barrick Gold Corporation - had filed claims for international arbitration before the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in 2012 after the Balochistan government rejected a leasing request from the company.

In its 700-page ruling against Pakistan, the tribunal awarded a USD 4.08 billion penalty and USD 1.87 billion in interests. The company had claimed USD 11.43 billion in damages. The case between the Pakistan government and the company continued for seven years.

Reko Diq, which means sandy peak in the Balochi language, is a small town in Chagai district in Balochistan, close to the border with Iran and Afghanistan. The Reko Diq mine is famous for its vast gold and copper reserves and is believed to have the world's fifth largest gold deposit.

The TCC completed an extensive and detailed bankable feasibility study establishing the basis for mine development at Reko Diq during August 2010 and submitted a mining lease application in February 2011, along with an environmental and social impact assessment report. The project stopped in November 2011, when the Balochistan government summarily rejected the application by the TCC's local operating subsidiary for a mining lease in respect of Reko Diq. The then Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had in January 2013 declared the Reko Diq agreement void and in conflict with the country's laws. The ICSID's ruling is major setback for Pakistan, which is at a "critical juncture" where it needs an ambitious and bold set of reforms, according to the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) which agreed to give a USD 6 billion bailout package to the cash-strapped country.

 

ECONOMY NEWS

1. Cabinet approves 2880 MW Dibang Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the expenditure on pre-investment activities and various clearances for Dibang Multipurpose Project (MPP) in Arunachal Pradesh for an amount of Rs 1600 crore.

The estimated total cost of Project is Rs 28080.35 including IDC & FC of Rs 3974.95 crore at June 2018 price level. The estimated completion period for the project shall be nine years from receipt of Government sanction.

The project shall generate 2880MW (12x240MW) power to produce 11223MU of energy in a 90% dependable year. This is the largest ever Hydro Electric Projects to be constructed in India. The dam is 278 metres high and will be the highest dam in India once completed.

Dibang Multipurpose Project (Dibang MPP) is envisaged as a storage based hydro-electric project with flood moderation as the key objective. The construction of Dibang MPP shall prevent the sizeable downstream area from floods. After implementation of master plan of Brahmaputra Board for flood moderation of all rivers contributing to river Brahmaputra, of which Dibang MPP is one of the component, sizable area will be protected from flooding and help in mitigating the perennial damage due to floods in Assam.

 

2. WEF Centre To Work On Drone Delivery Project In Telangana 

The World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network announced that it will embark on an innovative drone-delivery project called ”Medicine from the Sky” in Telangana. The project, to run in partnership with the government of Telangana and Health Net Global, will include a comprehensive study of drone-based deliveries for blood, vaccines, medical samples and organs. The government of Telangana, World Economic Forum and Health Net Global signed an agreement for the project to be stewarded by leaders in medicine, technology and research.

A study will be conducted to look at how delivery drones can be used to improve medical supply chains, followed by a pilot implementation in Telangana. The project will help facilitate better decision-making in healthcare supply chains, focus on last-mile deliveries to augment national healthcare programmes, and address issues that affect the medical distribution system. This partnership would embark on a historic effort to pilot the transport of medical supplies using drones. This study will provide an evidence-based approach for implementation of drones in healthcare, enabling emergency-care services to the patients in the shortest time frame possible, thus saving their lives. This is a landmark development for unmanned aerial technology in the region.

 

3. Israel inks $50m deal with India to supply medium surface-to-air missile systems to Navy

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signed a $50 million follow-up agreement with India to provide complementary Naval MRSAM (medium range surface-to-air missile) systems to the Indian Navy. The deal involves follow up order for a range of maintenance and other services for various sub-systems of IAI’s advanced MRSAM ADS.

As per the contract, the state-owned company will provide a range of maintenance and other services for various sub-systems of IAI’s advanced MSRAM air defence system.

MRSAM provides broad as well as topical defence against a range of assault air, marine and ground threats and comprises several key state-of-the-art systems, including a digital radar, command and control, launchers, and interceptors with advanced homing seekers.

 

4. Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems bags $100 million order for 1,000 Barak missile kits 

Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS) has bagged a 100 million dollar (about Rs 690 crore) contract to supply 1,000 Barak-8 MRSAM missile kits for the Indian Army and Air Force.

KRAS is a 49:51 ratio joint venture between Rafael Advanced Systems and Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (KSSL) with the Indian partner holding 51 per cent. KSSL is a 51 per cent subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited.

Keeping with its commitment to the government's 'Make-in-India' initiative, the joint venture partners have invested in best-in-class production facilities, state-of-the-art engineering services, and extended life cycle support (MRO) for systems supplied to Indian defence force.

The company is expected to ramp up its employee strength to 300 technical experts by the year 2023.

Rafael Advanced Defence Systems has a rich history of collaboration with India's defence industries, resulting in multiple joint ventures, subsidiaries, as well as fruitful information sharing.

These partnerships over the past two decades have led Rafael to invest over 250 million dollars in the country through its Make-in-India initiative.

 

5. Mansukh Mandaviya digitally flags off IWAI ship carrying Bhutanese cargo to Bangladesh 

In a first, the Minister of State for Shipping, Mansukh Mandaviya, digitally flagged-off a vessel from Assam's Dhubri to Bangladesh's Narayanganj, carrying 1000 MT of Bhutanese stone.

This marks the first time that an Indian waterway is being used as a channel for transport of cargo between the two countries. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) ship -- MV AAI -- will travel over the Brahmaputra River, using the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.

Until now, Bhutan was exporting a significant quantity of stone aggregates to Bangladesh through the land. Using waterways will decrease the cost of transportation by at least 30 per cent, along with cutting short travel time by eight to 10 days, according to an official press release.

 

6. ‘Internet Saathi’ programme to be expanded to Punjab, Odisha 

Google India and Tata Trusts said their Internet Saathi initiative, that aims to facilitate digital literacy among women in rural India, will be expanded to villages in Punjab and Odisha.

Launched in July 2015, the Internet Saathi programme has so far, trained 70,000 ‘Internet Saathis’, who have in turn impacted 2.6 crore million women in the country.

The programme started as a pilot in Rajasthan and has been expanded to states including Gujarat, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana,Tamil Nadu, Goa, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.

The study was based on interviews of over 2,500 people across rural India.

 

7. Raksha Mantri Lights Victory Flame to Mark 20 Years of Kargil War  

2019 year marks the 20^thanniversary of the successful culmination of Operation Vijay wherein brave soldiers of the Indian Army overcame seemingly insurmountable odds, hostile terrain, weather, and a determined enemy occupying dominating heights, to win the Kargil war. On this momentous occasion, the Indian Army is celebrating this victory in memory of its brave martyrs with events covering a myriad spectrum.

The Victory Flame will be carried by Indian Army’s outstanding sportsmen and war heroes. It will pass through nine major towns/cities of North India and finally culminate at the Karambhoomi of the martyrs at the Kargil War Memorial located at Dras on July 26, 2019,where it will be received by the COAS. All along the journey, Indian Army personnel will be paying homage to the heroes who fought valiantly for the Nation.

The design of the Victory Torch has been inspired by the grit, guts and glory displayed by the immortals who made the supreme sacrifice for the motherland in the finest tradition of the Indian Army. The Torch is made of copper, brass and wood which symbolises the tenacity and determination of our fallen heroes. The upper portion of the Torch has a metal etching of the Amar Jawan, epitomizing the fallen Unknown soldiers. The lower wooden portion of the Torch has 20 gold embossed inscriptions of the Amar Jawan exemplifying 20 glorious years of the Kargil Victory.

This Victory Flame and the journey of the eternal flame from the National War Memorial to the Kargil War Memorial brings alive the theme of the 20^thanniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas -‘Remember, Rejoice and Renew’.

 

8. Agri-Business Incubation Centre started in Chhattisgarh 

An Agri Business Incubation Centre has started in Chhattisgarh. The centre has been set up by the Union Agriculture Ministry in Indira Gandhi Agriculture University of Raipur. AIR Raipur correspondent reports that  Agri Business Incubation Centre is set up under the National Agriculture Development Scheme- RAFTAAR. 
The objective of the scheme is to make farming a remunerative economic activity by strengthening farmer’s effort, risk mitigation and promoting agribusiness entrepreneurship. Under the scheme, guidance, technology and infrastructure will be provided to youth and entrepreneurs for start-ups in different areas of agriculture. 
The Agri Business Incubation Centre in Raipur with focus on innovations, skill building and entrepreneurs development in agriculture and allied sectors will act as catalyst for developing an ecosystem conducive for growth of agripreneurship in the state and foster a “start-up” culture.

 

9. Cabinet approves extension of the term of the Fifteenth Finance Commission up to 30th November, 2019 

The Union Cabinet has approved the extension of the term of Fifteenth Finance Commission up to 30^th November, 2019. It will enable the Commission to examine various comparable estimates for financial projections in view of reforms and the new realities to finalise its recommendations for the period 2020-2025. The Fifteenth Finance Commission has been constituted by the President on 27^tn November, 2017 in ' pursuance of clause (1) of article 280 of the Constitution and Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951. The Commission was to submit its Report on the basis of its Terms of Reference (ToR) by 30th October, 2019 covering a period of five years commencing from 1st April, 2020.

The constitution of the Commission has been in the backdrop of various major fiscal/budgetary reforms introduced by the Union Government in the past four years like closure of the Planning Commission and its replacement by NITl Aayog, removal of distinction between Non-Plan and Plan expenditure, advancing the budget calendar by one month and passing of the full budget before commencement of the new financial year i.e. on 1st February, introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) from July 2017 and New FRBM architecture with debt and fiscal deficit path.

The ToR of the Commission takes intoaccount the above fiscal/budgetary reforms. The task of determining the expenditure and receipts of the Union and State governments based on which the Commission shall make its recommendations is time consuming, as checks for data consistency across time and data sets become challenging.

 

10. 12 Indian beaches in the race to crest the ‘Blue Flag’ challenge 

The Union Environment Ministry has selected 12 beaches in India to vie for a ‘Blue Flag’ certification, an international recognition conferred on beaches that meet certain criteria of cleanliness and environmental propriety.

These beaches are at Shivrajpur (Gujarat), Bhogave (Maharashtra), Ghoghla (Diu), Miramar (Goa), Kasarkod and Padubidri (Karnataka), Kappad (Kerala), Eden (Puducherry), Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu), Rushikonda (Andhra Pradesh), Golden (Odisha), and Radhanagar (Andaman & Nicobar Islands). The Blue Flag Programme for beaches and marinas is run by the international, non-governmental, non-profit organisation FEE (the Foundation for Environmental Education). It started in France in 1985 and has been implemented in Europe since 1987, and in areas outside Europe since 2001, when South Africa joined. Japan and South Korea are the only countries in South and southeastern Asia to have Blue Flag beaches. Spain tops the list with 566 such beaches; Greece and France follow with 515 and 395, respectively.

There are nearly 33 criteria that must be met to qualify for a Blue Flag certification, such as the water meeting certain quality standards, having waste disposal facilities, being disabled- friendly, have first aid equipment, and no access to pets in the main areas of the beach. Some criteria are voluntary and some compulsory. India is set to apply for certification for two beaches, at Shivrajpur and Ghogla, by the end of this month.

If approved, beaches are given the qualification for a year and must apply annually to continue meriting the right to fly the flag at their locations. To help Indian beaches meet these criteria, the Ministry has allowed structures such container toilet blocks, change rooms, shower panels, mini grey water treatment plants in an enclosed structure, mini solid waste recycling plants and off-grid solar photovoltaic panels, provided they are a minimum 10 metres from the high tide line.

 

11. India, China to hold joint military drill- Hand-in-Hand in Meghalaya in December 

The next edition of India and China military drill, that was resumed last year following a freeze over the Doklam stand-off, will be held later this year.

The joint military exercise "Hand-in-Hand" will be held in Umroi near Shillong, Meghalaya. The last exercise, which was the seventh edition, was held in Chengdu in December 2018. In Umroi, the two forces will focus on counter-terror operations, establishment of joint command post and joint combat drill though a detailed planning meeting will be held in August.

Hand-in-Hand was started in 2007 in Kunming but was halted after the Chinese troops came to Belgaum in Karnataka for the second edition. The exercised resumed only five years later in 2013 as New Delhi and Beijing had suspended their military ties because of a visa row. After the 6th edition in Pune in 2016, the exercise again got derailed because of 73-day stand-off between the two forces in Sikkim's Doklam area where the troops from both sides came face to face.

The situation eased last year and the troops of the two sides interacted once again in China and videos of People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers dancing with their Indian counterpart also went viral. The drill is on track this year despite recent incident in Demchok region of Ladakh where a Chinese group objected to locals celebrating the Dalai Lama's birthday. The situation was diffused in flag meeting as is the practice.

 

12. Kerala to set up India's first space tech park in Thiruvananthapuram

The Kerala government will set up the country’s first space tech park at Thiruvananthapuram's Knowledge City. The move is aimed at making the city a manufacturing hub for space-related technology.

A space museum named after former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam will also be a part of the infrastructure. This will be an added attraction. The entire investment will be made by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), a major space research centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The government will lease 20.01 acres of land to the Kerala State Information Technology Infrastructure Ltd (KSITIL) to develop the space park. Of this, 16.07 acres, now having SEZ status, will be de notified by KSITIL. Primarily a manufacturing hub for companies using GIS and other data systems, the integrated complex will also have a startup incubator, accelerators including Airbus Bizlab, skill training systems and production units.

 

13. Ebix acquires Yatra for an enterprise value of $337.8 million 

Ebix Inc., a supplier of on-demand software and e-commerce services has acquired online travel portal Yatra Online Inc., for an enterprise value of $337.8 million, in an all stock transaction.

However, Yatra will continue to be independently run and will retain its brand and status in India. Ebix makes software for the insurance, financial and healthcare industries. Its Indian subsidiary, EbixCash, bought Mumbai-based Mercury Travels and Delhi-based Leisure Corp. last year, with an aim to create a travel division focused on luxury-, events- and sports-related travellers.

Ebix first offered to buy Yatra in March for $337 million, in cash or by stock.

Ebix has also acquired a bunch of companies in the travel space. In November 2017, it had spent around $75 million to acquire online travel portal Via.com. In the same month, it had acquired Mercury Travels and Leisure Corp. for $14.2 million.

 

14. Jio pips Airtel to become No. 2 by user base 

India’s youngest and only profitable telecom operator Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd has overtaken rival Bharti Airtel to become the second largest operator in terms of subscribers to its mobile phone services, according to data from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India made public.

Jio, which entered the sector in September 2016, had 322.98 million users and 27.8% subscriber market share, against Airtel’s 320.38 million users and 27.6% market share as of end-May.

To be sure, the subscriber numbers include active as well as inactive SIMs. The telecom regulator counts each SIM as a user although there are overlaps.

Vodafone Idea, the company born out of a merger between Vodafone India and Idea Cellular, continues to retain the top position with 387.55 million users and a 33.36% subscriber market share.

There is, however, a silver lining for Airtel. It held the maximum proportion (99.86%) of active wireless subscribers as against its total wireless subscribers in May.

Interestingly, as Jio continues to widen its subscriber base by adding low-paying users on its network, rivals Airtel and Vodafone Idea started weeding out inactive customers through minimum monthly recharge plans of ?35, launched in November. The telcos expect the focus on paying users will improve average revenue per user (ARPU).  ARPU is the total revenue of the operator divided by the number of users or connections on its network.

 

15. India plans to change all electricity meters to prepaid smart meters by 2022 

In what will help improve the fortunes of India’s beleaguered power sector, the government plans to convert all electricity meters into smart prepaid meters by 2022. The strategy is part of the government’s electricity distribution plan prepared by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), India’s apex power sector planning body, and comes at a time when the new government is trying to step up its efforts to supply 24x7 power to all.

Creating a smart meter architecture minimises human intervention in metering, billing and collection process and helps in reducing theft by identifying loss pockets. It requires a two-way communication network, control centre equipment and software applications that enable near real-time gathering and transfer of energy usage information.

The draft plan is the first ever plan at Distribution level which has been prepared by CEA, under the guidance of the ministry of power. Till now, the central government has been preparing Perspectives Plans for Generation and Transmission Sectors under the aegis of the National Electricity Plan (NEP). The Distribution plan keeps the needs of consumers at the center of its focus.

This comes in the backdrop of the ongoing crisis in discoms due to poor financial health, which has led to delayed payment to generation utilities.

Discoms have so far been the weakest link in the electricity value chain. Poor payment records of state-owned discoms have not only adversely affected power generation companies, but have also contributed to stress in the banking sector.

The power sector is reeling under bad loans worth about Rs1 trillion, with around 66 gigawatts (GW) facing various degrees of financial stress.

 

16. Madhya Pradesh Gets Its First International Flight, Air India Launching Its Indore-Dubai Service 

Madhya Pradesh's commercial capital Indore made it to the international aviation map with national carrier Air India launching a flight service to Dubai from the international airport. Flight AI903 took wings from the Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar International Airport with 150 passengers after a traditional inaugural function.

From Indore, Air India is operating a 162-seater A320neo aircraft which will fly three times a week — Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays — non-stop to Dubai. This was the first international commercial flight from Madhya Pradesh.

 

17. Cabinet approves eight amendments to IBC for easier resolution 

The Union cabinet cleared major changes to the bankruptcy law that will enforce a strict 330-day timeline for the insolvency resolution process, including any legal challenges, and uphold secured creditors’ priority right on the sale or liquidation proceeds of bankrupt companies.

The eight amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) will also aid decision-making in the case of bankrupt entities such as property developers, which have a large number of creditors, including homebuyers.

The amendments are aimed at speeding up the bankruptcy resolution process that has been mired in litigation and correcting anomalies that have crept into its functioning since the law came into force in 2016.

Promoters of large bankrupt companies have been steadfastly resisting loss of control over their business by challenging decisions of lenders and bankruptcy tribunals in higher courts.

IBC currently allows a maximum of 270 days for clearing a resolution plan, but courts have taken the lenient approach of excluding the time spent on legal challenges by various parties from this time frame. Once the proposed amendments are cleared by Parliament, the clock will be ticking even during litigation.

One of the key amendments proposed is to make explicit the rights of financial creditors, who have not voted in favour of a rescue plan, as well as that of operational creditors. The amendments specify that they will get a share of proceeds from the sale of the debtor company or its liquidation as per the hierarchy specified in IBC.

The Code gives the highest priority to those who have brought interim finance to meet the costs of resolution or liquidation, followed by dues to workers for the past two years and dues to secured creditors in equal priority. Employees other than workmen, and unsecured creditors and operational creditors are further down the line in the priority of receiving resolution or liquidation proceeds. The proposed amendments also say that lenders can include commercial considerations in the manner of distributing the proceeds. The amendments aim to fill the critical gaps in the country’s corporate rescue framework.

Another key amendment is to specify that the bankruptcy resolution or liquidation arrived at under IBC is binding on central, state and local governments, to whom the bankrupt firm may owe dues. This will prevent state authorities including income tax officials from questioning a rescue plan adopted in a court-monitored process.

The amendments proposed also rework voting rights in the case of companies where there are a large number of creditors such as homebuyers and bondholders.

The idea is to make decision-making easier even if a large number of them do not take part in voting. According to the new formula, if more than half of these creditors who are present approve a plan, it will be considered that the entire class of creditors has approved it.

It will help in quick decision-making in the case of companies such as Jaypee Infratech Ltd, in which homebuyers have a 58% voting share on the panel of creditors.

 

PEOPLE IN NEWS

1. Justice Sikri Appointed As Judge Of Singapore International Commercial Court 

Former Supreme Court judge Justice A K Sikri has been appointed as an International Judge of the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC).

The SICC is a division of the Singapore High Court and part of the Supreme Court of that country, designed to deal with transnational commercial disputes. He retired as a Supreme Court judge on March 6 this year, after serving for nearly six years following his elevation in April 2013. It currently has 16 international judges as part of its panel.

He also served as Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, and Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. He was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court in 1999.

 

2. IFS officer Vivek Kumar appointed private secretary to PM Narendra Modi 

Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Vivek Kumar was appointed as private secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is currently working as Director in the Prime Minister's Office.

 

3. Kalraj Mishra appointed Himachal Pradesh Governor, Acharya Devvrat sent to Gujarat
   

Senior BJP leader Kalraj Mishra was appointed as Governor of Himachal Pradesh He replaced Acharya Devvrat who has been transferred and appointed as Governor of Gujarat.

 

4. Anusuiya Uikey, Biswa Bhusan appointed Governors of Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh

Rajya Sabha member Anusuiya Uikey has been appointed as Governor of Chhattisgarh and Senior Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Biswa Bhushan Harichandan appointed as Governor of Andhra Pradesh. Anusuiya Uikey is a sitting member of Rajya Sabha.

 

5. Germany's Ursula von der Leyen elected first female European Commission President 

Germany's Ursula von der Leyen has been elected as the European Commission's first female president. Her nomination was approved by 383 votes in a secret ballot at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

There were 327 votes against her and 22 abstentions. After being elected by a narrow margin of just nine votes over the required 374, von der Leyen called for a united and strong Europe.

She will succeed Jean-Claude Juncker, who has served as president since 2014 and will step down on October 31.

She will be tasked with leading the EU's executive body and providing political guidance to the Commission, which proposes new laws, manages the EU budget and is responsible for enforcing EU law.

 

6. Abhay is new director of Sardar Patel National Police Academy 

IPS officer Abhay took charge as the 31st director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy’s (SVPNPA), the premier police training academy.

  

AWARDS

1. Kaushik Ganguly's 'Nagarkirtan' wins big at SAARC film fest 

Director Kaushik Ganguly's Bengali outing 'Nagarkirtan', a love story of a transwoman and a flautist, has won big at this year's SAARC film festival, bagging four awards, including 'Best Feature Film'. The critically acclaimed movie, starring Riddhi Sen and Ritwik Chakraborty, had swept as many National Awards last year. At the ninth edition of the SAARC fest in Colombo, 'Nagarkirtan' was honoured with 'Best Feature Film', 'Best Director', 'Best Actor' and 'Best Original Score' awards. Two other Indian films have won awards at the fest. 'Na Bole Wo Haram', a 20-minute film by debutant director Nitish Patankar, bagged the 'Best Short Film' award, while 'Walking With the Wind' by Praveen Morchhale received the Special Jury award for direction and story.

 

2. Sangeet Natak Akademi Announces Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskars for the Year 2018  

The Sangeet Natak Akademi, National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama, the apex body of performing arts in the country in the meeting of its General Council held on 26 June 2019 at Guwahati, Assam has selected 32 (Including one joint Awards) artists of India who have made a mark as young talents in their respective fields of the performing arts for Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar 2018.         

The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar is conferred upon artists below the age of 40 years with the objective of identifying and encouraging outstanding young talents in diverse fields of performing arts and giving them national recognition early in their life, so that they may work with greater commitment and dedication in their chosen fields. Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar carries a purse money of Rs 25,000/- (Rupees twenty five thousand only). The Yuva Puraskar will be presented at a special ceremony, by the Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akademi.

The names of the selected artists are as under:

In the field of music, eight recipients of Yuva Puraskar are: Sameehan Kashalkar and Ruchira Kedar for Hindustani Vocal Music; Dhruv Bedi for Hindustani Instrumental Music–Sitar, Shubh Maharaj for Hindustani Instrumental - Tabla; Sandeep Narayan for Carnatic Vocal Music; J.B.Sruthi Sagar for Carnatic Instrumental Music–Flute; R.Sridhar for Carnatic Instrumental Music–Violin and M.D.Pallavi for Other Major Traditions of Music – Bhava Sangeet.

In the field of dance, eight recipients of Yuva Puraskar are: Vijna Rani Vasudevan & Rajith Babu (Joint Award) for Bharatanatyam; Durgesh Gangani for Kathak; Kalamandalam Vaisakh for Kathakali; Manju Elangbam for Manipuri; Madhulita Mohapatra for Odissi; Anjali Borbora Borthakur for Sattriya; Rakesh Sai Babu for Chhau and Vikram Mohan for Contemporary Dance.

In the field of theatre, seven recipients are: Chavan Pramod R for Direction; Namrata Sharma for Acting; Sunil Palwal for Acting; Preeti Jha Tiwari for Acting; Kuldeep Patgiri for Mime; Subhadeep Guha for Allied Theatre Arts - Music for Theatre; Kalamandalam Sajith Vijayan for Other Major Traditions of Theatre – Kutiyattam.

In the field of Traditional/Folk/Tribal Music/Dance/Theatre and Puppetry, eight recipients are: Chandan Tiwari, Folk Music-Bihar; Dinesh Kumar Jangde, Panthi Dance – Chattisgarh; Manoj Kumar Das, Traditional Music – Khol, Assam; Chandani Mansing Zala, Puppetry, Gujarat; A.Aneshori Devi, Traditional & Folk Music, Manipur; P.Rajkumar, Folk Dance, Tamilnadu; Madhushree Haital, Folk Music (Jhumar) – West Bengal; Ashok Kumar, Folk Music-Uttar Pradesh

 

3. Incredible India Campaign Wins Pata Gold Award 2019  

The Incredible India ‘Find the Incredible You’ campaign released globally by the Ministry of Tourism during 2018-19 has been declared winner of the PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Gold Award 2019 in the “Marketing - Primary Government Destination” category.

To take the Campaigns to the next level, the ‘Incredible India 2.0’ Campaign was launched in September 2017, which marks a shift from generic promotions undertaken across the world to market specific promotional plans and content creation. The campaign focuses on digital and social media and the promotion of Niche Tourism products of the country.

As part of the 2.0 Campaign, five new television commercials were produced by the Ministry, which were aired globally in the television, digital and social media. These were:

 

Yoga   :          “The Yogi of the Racetrack”

Wellness :       “The Reincarnation of Mr. and Mrs. Jones”

Luxury  :        “The Maharani of Manhattan”

Cuisine  :        “The Masala MasterChef”

Wildlife :         “The Sanctuary in Paris”

The campaign strategy was to shift the focus from the external experience of tourist destinations to the internal experience of travelers themselves. This series of transformative experiences was brought alive through unique storytelling in the format of autobiographies of travelers, with the tagline “Find the Incredible You”.

 

The series of films have received a very good response and have registered over 153 million views on social media. They were earlier awarded the First Prize in the category of TV Cinema Spot at the International Golden City Gate Tourism Awards at Berlin in March 2019. PATA Gold Awards are given to tourism industry organizations and individuals making outstanding contribution towards the successful promotion of the travel industry throughout the Asia Pacific Region. The winners of the awards set industry standards for excellence and innovation and serve as examples for others to follow.

 

SPORTS NEWS

1. Simona Halep stuns Serena Williams to lift maiden Wimbledon title 

Romanian tennis star Simona Halep stunned seven-time champion Serena Williams to win the Wimbledon title for the first time in her career . Halep beat Serena 6-2, 6-2 to win the title at the iconic venue in London.

This is Halep’s second grand slam title after winning French Open in 2018. The result denied Williams from equalling Margaret Court’s all-time record of winning 24 Grand Slam singles titles.

She became the first Romanian to win the Wimbledon title.

 

2. ICC CWC 2019 final: England script history, claim maiden World Cup title 

In the grand finale of ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 (CWC 19), England cricket team defeated New Zealand cricket team in the Super Over thriller to lift their maiden World Cup title at The Lord’s cricket stadium in London. Batting first after winning the toss, New Zealand had postd 241/8 in 50 overs in reply to which, England ended at the same score leading to the one-over eliminator at the Lord's.

Kane Williamson, New Zealand’s captain was awarded with the Man of the Tournament and Ben Stokes awarded with the Man of the Match award at the Lord's.

 

3. India to be ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 host country

The 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup will be held in India from February 9 to March 26, 2023. It will be the 13th edition of the men's Cricket World Cup and will also mark the first time that the tournament will be solely hosted by India. The country has previously hosted the tournament thrice (1987, 1996, 2011) but every time co-hosting it with its Asian neighbours.

Similar to the World Cup 2019, the 2023 edition will also see the top-7 ranked sides plus the hosts (India) participating with the addition of 2 teams which would make it to the final of the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifiers.

England have hosted the most number of World Cups - 5 in total (1975, 1979, 1983, 1999 and 2019). They are also the only country to have hosted the tournament alone in 1975 and 1979 as the 1983, 1999 and 2019 editions were co-hosted jointly with Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland and Wales.

The 1987 World Cup remains the first edition to be hosted away from England in India and Pakistan. The subcontinent also hosted the 1996 edition before the 2011 World Cup which India won. However, Pakistan was stripped of its co-host status for the latter due to "uncertain security situation" prevailing in the country after the attack on Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009.

 

4. Arjuna Award 2019: Cricketer Smriti Mandhana, tennis star Rohan Bopanna bestowed with honour by Sports Ministry 

Cricketer Smriti Mandhana and tennis star Rohan Bopanna were conferred with the Arjuna Awards by Union Sports minister Kiren Rijiju.

Smriti Mandhana was the women cricket team’s standout performer this season in both one-day internationals and T20s. The 22-year-old is currently ranked no. 1 in the ICC ODI Batting rankings. Playing for India, Mandhana has already scored 1951 runs in ODIs at an average of over 42.

Bopanna partnered Divij Sharan to win the Gold medal at the Asian Games held in Indonesia last year. He had also narrowly missed out on a mixed doubles medal while playing with Sania Mirza at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

 

5. Novak Djokovic Beats Roger Federer in Fifth-Set Tiebreaker to Win Wimbledon 

Novak Djokovic became the first man in 71 years to win Wimbledon after facing match points in the final, coming back to beat Roger Federer in an unprecedented fifth-set tiebreaker. This triumph also earned Djokovic his 16th Grand Slam trophy, moving him closer to the only men ahead of him in tennis history: Federer with 20, and Rafael Nadal with 18.

 

DAYS & EVENTS

1. IFFI's Golden Jubilee Edition to be held from Nov 20 till 28 in Goa

The Golden Jubilee Edition of International Film Festival of India, IFFI will be held from 20th Nov till 28th November 2019 in Panaji, Goa. Business exhibition will showcase the latest technology, film production and distribution and other aspects regarding films. To mark 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi,  separate exhibition will be held.

 

2. 18 July –International Nelson Mandela Day

International Nelson Mandela Day is observed every year on July 18. This years’ celebration marks 100 years since the birth of Nelson Mandela. This day is an occasion to reflect on his life and legacy, and to follow his call to ‘make of the world a better place.’ United Nation on November 2009 announced that every year 18 July will be celebrated as Nelson Mandela Day. The day is celebrated in recognition of the Nelson Mandela's contribution to the culture of peace and freedom. UN resolution (A/RES/64/13) recommends Mandela’s values and his dedication to the service of humanity include conflict resolution; race relations; promotion and protection of human rights; reconciliation; gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups. For year 2019 Nelson Mandela Foundation has launched a new strategy titled: Mandela Day: The Next Chapter, to mark the tenth anniversary of the initiative. In these next 10 years, let us mobilise people, governments, civil society and corporates to focus on these 5 areas: education and literacy, food and nutrition, shelter, sanitation and active citizenship.

 

3. 15 July -World Youth Skill Day

The United Nations, at its General Assembly in November 2014, declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day.  Theme 2019- Learning to learn for life and work