26 July 2024 Current Affairs

26 July 2024 Current Affairs

DAILY-CURRENT-AFFAIRS-BY-EDUSPRINT

National News

Telangana Launches TB-Free Model: Project Swasthya Nagaram

In a significant step towards eradicating tuberculosis (TB), Telangana launched the “Project Swasthya Nagaram,” a unique model for TB-free municipalities, on July 24, 2024, in Hyderabad.

This initiative, a collaborative effort by the State Tuberculosis Cell, Municipal Corporations of Peerzadiguda, Boduppal, and Pocharam in Medchal Malkajgiri district, along with the Central TB Division, WHO India, USAID, and other stakeholders, aims to achieve TB-free municipalities through an innovative approach.

Telangana:

  • Capital: Hyderabad
  • Chief minister: Revanth Reddy
  • Governor: C. P. Radhakrishnan


Rashtriya Raksha University, NSE IX, and NSEICC Sign MoU to Boost Economic and Financial Security

Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), NSE International Exchange (NSE IX), and National Stock Exchange International Clearing (NSEICC) MoU to Boost Economic and Financial Security

  • Objective: Enhance cooperation in economic and financial security through training, research, and capacity building.
  • Key Initiatives:
    • Joint training and upskilling in financial laws, economic crimes, forensic accounting, cybercrimes, and technological innovation.
    • Collaborative research, certification programs, and capacity building for students and faculty.
  • NSE Background: Since its inception in 1994, the NSE has significantly contributed to India’s financial independence, with a 110% increase in market operations. NSE IX and NSEICC are fully owned subsidiaries of NSE.


Banking news

RBI Sells Rs 34 Billion in Bonds to Manage Excess Liquidity Amid Surge in Foreign Investments

bank

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) sold Rs 34 billion (USD 406 million) in bonds in July 2024 to absorb excess cash in the banking system.

  • Reason: This action was prompted by significant foreign investment following India’s inclusion in JPMorgan Chase’s Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) in June 2024.
  • Impact: The RBI’s bond sales helped stabilize the financial system and added USD 9.7 billion to its reserves.
  • Index Inclusion: India, now the 25th market in the GBI-EM index, is expected to attract an additional USD 20 billion to USD 25 billion in foreign investments.
  • Excess Liquidity: Banks’ excess liquidity deposited with the RBI was Rs 1.4 trillion.
  • Government Borrowing: The Indian government plans to borrow Rs 14.1 trillion through bonds in FY25 (2024-2025).

Bank of Baroda Unveils New Digital Initiatives on 117th Foundation Day

baroda

On 20th July 2024, Indian Public Sector Bank (PSB), Bank of Baroda (BOB) launched various new digital initiatives including a Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Virtual Relationship Manager (VRM) and a new payment app, among 11 new initiatives on occasion of its 117th foundation day.

The theme for the Bank’s 117th year is “Trusted Today, Transforming Tomorrow”.

Generative AI-Powered Virtual Relationship Manager (VRM): A first-of-its-kind initiative among Public Sector Banks (PSBs), designed to enhance digital customer service by providing real-time information about bank products and services.

  • bob Pay UPI Payments App: Features include scan-to-pay, money transfers, UPI LITE, and international payments, along with RuPay credit card integration.
  • BoB Credit Line on UPI: Initially available on Baroda Kisan Credit Card (BKCC), this feature allows customers to access pre-sanctioned credit lines through UPI.
  • Foundation Day Theme: “Trusted Today, Transforming Tomorrow”

Bank of Baroda Details:

  • Chairman: Hasmukh Adhia
  • Managing Director (MD): Debadatta Chand
  • Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat
  • Tagline: “India’s International Bank”
  • Established: 1908

Defence news

Indian Army contingent departs for the Multinational Military Exercise ‘Khaan Quest’ at Ulaanbaatar

indian army

Indian Army contingent departed for ‘Khaan Quest’ in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from July 27 to August 9 for the Multinational Military Exercise.

  • Participants: The contingent includes 40 personnel, mainly from a Battalion of the Madras Regiment, with one-woman officer and two women soldiers.
  • Exercise Objective: To prepare for peacekeeping missions through tactical drills such as establishing checkpoints, cordon and search operations, patrolling, civilian evacuation, counter-IED drills, combat first aid, and casualty evacuation.
  • History: Began in 2003 as a bilateral exercise between the USA and Mongolian Armed Forces; became multinational in 2006, marking its 21st iteration this year.

Khaan Quest Military Exercise: Key Points

  • Overview: Khaan Quest is an annual multinational military exercise co-sponsored by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and hosted by the Mongolian Armed Forces.
  • Objective: The exercise aims to promote regional peace and security by bringing together armed forces from various countries to share best practices in tactics, techniques, and procedures for joint operations.
  • History:
    • 2003: Initiated as a bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Mongolian armed forces.
    • 2008: Expanded to a multilateral exercise with participation from friendly countries.
  • Significance: Khaan Quest fosters international military cooperation, enhances interoperability, and strengthens relationships among participating nations.

About Mongolia 

  • Mongolia is a landlocked country in North Central Asia. Russia surrounds it in the north and China in the south.
  • It is predominantly a Buddhist country which follows the Tibetan branch of Buddhism. 
  • Capital Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator)
  • Currency: Tugrik 
  • Prime Minister: Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene

Indigenously-built Talwar class frigate, ‘Triput’, launched by GSL

ship

The first indigenously built Talwar Class frigate named ‘Triput’ for the Indian Navy, constructed by the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), was launched into waters on 24 July 2024. The ship is part of the two frigates India is building indigenously with the help of Russia. The ship was launched into the water in a ceremony in Goa attended by P S Sreedharan Pillai, Governor of Goa and other high-ranking officials of the Indian Navy and Goa Shipyards Limited (GSL).

India-Russia Agreement for Admiral Grigorovich Class Frigates

  • Agreement Details (2016):
    • India and Russia signed an agreement to acquire four stealth frigates of the Admiral Grigorovich class (Project 1135.6).
    • Two ships to be constructed in Russia, two in India with technology transfer.
  • Goa Shipyard Limited Agreement (2018):
    • Goa Shipyard Limited signed a $500 million agreement with Russian Rosoboronexport for technology transfer, design, and specialist assistance.
  • Construction in India:
    • Contract signed in January 2019 between Goa Shipyard Limited and the Union Ministry of Defence.
    • First ship, Triput, built by Goa Shipyard Limited under this agreement.
  • About the Triput Frigate:
    • Multi-purpose stealth frigate capable of anti-ship, anti-submarine, land-attack, anti-piracy, and search and rescue missions.
    • Armed with BrahMos missiles and Shtil-1 air-defence system.
    • Powered by Ukrainian-origin Zorya gas-turbine engines, maximum speed of 28 knots.

Public Sector Defence Shipyards 

Four defence shipyards under the Union Ministry of Defence construct ships and vessels for the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. 

  • Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited is located in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It constructs Scorpene Submarines, Missile Destroyers, and Stealth Frigates for the Indian Navy.
  • Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, Kolkata: It builds ships for the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. 
  • Goa Shipyard Limited, Goa, is capable of indigenously designing and building sophisticated, high-tech ships for the Indian Navy. 
  • Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, Visakhapatnam: It specialises in shipbuilding, ship repairs and refit of submarines.

Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi

Award News

10th National Community Radio Awards announced by Ashwini Vaishnaw

aishav

The winners of the 10th National Community Radio Award were announced by the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, on 25 July 2024. The minister also inaugurated the country’s 500th Community Radio Station. The chief minister of Mizoram Lalduhoma was also present on the occasion.

10th National Community Radio Awards Winner 

Ashwini Vaishnaw also announced the winners of the 10th National Community Award.

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting set up the National Community Award in 2011-12.

The award is given in four categories, and winners are awarded a cash prize of Rs one lakh for the first prize, Rs seventy-five thousand for the second prize and Rs fifty thousand for the third prize winner in each category.

Category: Thematic Award

  • First prize: Radio Mayur, District Saran, Bihar for the programme: Tech Sakhi
  • Second Prize: Radio Kochi, Kerala for the programme: Nirangal
  • Third Prize: Hello Doon, Dehradun, Uttarakhand for the programme: Meri Baat

Category: Most Innovative Community Engagement Award

  • First prize: Yerlawani Sangli of Maharashtra for the programme: Kahani Sunandachi
  • Second Prize:  Vaylaga Vanol of  Madurai, Tamil Nadu, for the programme Let’s Build a New Norm
  • Third Prize: Salaam Namaste Noida, Uttar Pradesh for the programme: Maid Didi

Category: Promoting Local Culture Award

  • First prize: Radio Brahmaputra of  Dibrugarh, Assam for the programme: Igarekun
  • Second Prize: Radio Kotagiri of  Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu, for the  programme En Makkaludan Oru Payanam
  • Third Prize: Radio Active of  Bhagalpur Bihar for the programme: Ang Pradesh ki Adbut Dharohar

Category: Sustainability Model Award

  • First prize: Radio Benziger, run by Bishop Benziger Hospital Society, Kollam, Kerala
  • Second Prize: Radio Namskar, Konark, Odisha, run by Young India
  • Third Prize: Radio Antarwani, Gulbarga, Karnataka, run by Sharanbasbeswara Vidya Vardhak Sangh

Shah Rukh Khan, First Indian Actor, Honoured With Gold Coins

sharukh

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has been honoured with customised gold coins by the Grevin Museum in Paris. Shah Rukh is the first Indian actor to have gold coins in his name at the museum.

Gervin Museum: A wax museum located on the Grands Boulevards in Paris.

Shah Rukh Khan’s Global Presence: Shah Rukh Khan has wax statues in several museums worldwide, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Czech Republic, Thailand, India, Singapore, and Australia.

Recent Blockbusters: Shah Rukh Khan starred in major hits last year: Jawan (Atlee), Pathaan (Siddharth Anand), and Dunki (Rajkumar Hirani).

Sports News

olympic flag

France Awarded 2030 Winter Olympics, Pending Government Guarantees

  • The French Alps are chosen to host the 2030 Winter Olympics, with the decision made on July 24, 2024, by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
  • Government Assurance: French President Emmanuel Macron assured the IOC that the government post-2024 Paris Summer Games will handle all organizational and financial guarantees.
  • The bid includes ski resorts in the French Alps and ice sports venues in Nice.
  • France currently has a caretaker government due to recent legislative elections failing to produce a governing majority. Organizers are confident that the next government will provide the necessary guarantees.
  • Conditions: The final decision is contingent on receiving formal financial and security promises from the future government.


Ranks And Report News

India Ranks 3rd in Forest Area Gains: FAO’s SOFO 2024 Report Highlights

forest

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)’s report”The State of the World’s Forest 2024(SOFO 2024): forest-sector innovations towards a more sustainable future”, India secured 3rd spot among the top 10 countries with most significant forest area gains during 2010 to 2020 period.

  • Top Gainers: China topped the list with 19.37 lakh hectares, followed by Australia with 4.46 lakh hectares.
  • Global Forest Cover: As of 2020, global forest cover is about 4.1 billion hectares, or 31% of land area; global mangrove area is 14.8 million hectares.
  • Deforestation: Approximately 420 million hectares of forest were converted to other land uses between 1990 and 2020.
  • Report Release: The report was presented at the 27th Committee on Forestry (COFO) session at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, with the theme “Accelerating forest solutions through innovation.”

FAO Details:

  • Established: 1945
  • Director-General: Qu Dongyu
  • Headquarters: Rome, Italy

Important days

  Nation Observes 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas Honoring the Heroes of the 1999 Kargil War

kargil war
  • The nation observes 26 July as Kargil Vijay Diwas to honour the sacrifice of the brave heart of the Indian Army and the victory of the Indian Armed forces over Pakistan during the 1999 Kargil Conflict.
  • On the 25th anniversary of the Kargil Vijay Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Drass sector in the Union Territory of  Ladakh to pay homage to the martyrs at the Kargil War Memorial in Drass.

About the  Kargil War  

  • The Kargil war was fought between the Indian forces and Pakistani forces between May 8, 1999, and July 26, 1999.
  • At that time, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in power in India, and Nawaz Shariff was the prime minister of Pakistan.
  • The Pakistani armed personnel disguised as mujahideen crossed the Line of Control in the winter of 1999 and occupied the vacant India post on the strategic heights. During the winter season, the Indian forces used to abandon their posts located in high mountainous regions.
  • The main aim of the Pakistani force was to internationalise the Kashmir issue and force India to negotiate on the Siachen glacier. It was also an attempt to capture strategic heights so that the strategically important NH 1A in Kargil’s Drass and Batalik Sectors of Ladakh could come within their firing range and halt all military and civil movements on the road.
  • The NH1A is crucial for the Indian Army as it joins Ladakh with Srinagar and is a vital route through which it supplies food and arms to its base in the Siachen glacier. The Siachen Glacier is under the control of the Indian Army and is the world’s highest battlefield. By cutting the supply route, the Pakistani Army wanted India to force a negotiation on Siachen.

Operation Vijay 

  • To evict the Pakistani intruders from the mountain heights, the Indian Army launched Operation Vijay.
  •  Forces were mobilised, and the Indian Air Force was also used to evict the Pakistani soldiers disguised as Mujahideen from the mountain heights.
  • The Indian Air Force launched Operation Safed Sagar to bombard the posts occupied by the Pakistani intruders in these mountainous areas. It was the first time since the 1971 war with Pakistan that the Indian Air Force was deployed in Jammu and Kashmir(At that time, Kargil was in the state of Jammu and Kashmir )
  • The Indian forces suffered heavy casualties as the Pakistani forces were at higher altitudes, which made it easy for them to shoot advancing Indian soldiers.

Fuel your success with Edusprint! Our seasoned faculty, proven strategies, and personalized support ensure a transformative learning experience. Enroll now to conquer competitive exams and fast-track your dream job. #EdusprintSuccess

10-years-exp-in-competitive-exams-coaching-edusprint-ssc-railway-tnpsc-bank-coaching

Edusprint Academy for SSC, Railways, TNPSC, Bank Exams.

Shape Your Future with Edusprint - Igniting Careers for Success!

Discover Exclusive Course Fee Offers: Inquire Now for Special Deals!

Latest & Trending Posts

This will close in 0 seconds

Inquire Now

All Inquiries will get a Demo Class & Study Materials for Free