28th and 29th July 2024 Current Affairs

National News

India’s First Integrated Agri-Export Facility at Jawaharlal Nehru Port

The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is set to develop India’s first integrated agricultural export facility at Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai. The project, approved by the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, is valued at Rs. 284.19 crore and will cover an area of 67,422 square meters. This state-of-the-art facility aims to streamline logistics, reduce multiple handling, and extend the shelf life of agricultural products, thus enhancing the export capacity of Indian agricultural commodities.

Key Benefits and Impact

Empowering Farmers and Exporters

• Better Pricing: Improved pricing for agricultural goods
• Support for Small Exporters: Enhanced logistics, container booking, and cold chain logistics

Job Creation and Rural Development

• Employment: Generation of employment opportunities
• Rural Development: Stimulation of rural development, aligning with government vision

Increased Export Capacity

• Prominent Items: Non-basmati rice, maize, spices, onion, and wheat
• Capacity:
  • Frozen store: 1800 metric tonnes
  • Cold store: 5800 metric tonnes
  • Dry warehouses: For grains, cereals, and dry cargo

Support for Meat and Marine Exports

• Key Gateway: Enhancement of export operations for frozen meat and marine products
• Benefit: Exporters from areas beyond Mumbai

Strategic Significance and Future Projects

• JNPA: India’s first 100% Landlord port, among leading container ports globally
• Vadhavan Port:
  • Development: Major Greenfield deep draft port project in Maharashtra
  • Investment: Rs. 76,220 crore
  • Capacity: 23 million TEUs or 254 million tons annually
  • Ranking: Potentially among the world’s top 10 largest ports
  • Focus: Serving as a green fuel hub

43rd UNESCO Heritage Site of India: Moidams of Assam

The Moidams of Assam, the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty, have been included in the cultural category of the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. It is the 43rd site in India to be included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list.

• The Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, gave this information on 26 July 2024. 
• The decision to include the Moidam of Assam was taken at the 46th session of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation(UNESCO) ‘s World Heritage Committee. 
• The UNESCO World Heritage Committee session is being held for the first time in India at New Delhi from 21-31 July 2024.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites 

• The UNESCO World Heritage Sites categorises heritage into Cultural, Natural, and Mixed categories.  
• Italy has the most sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, with 59, followed by China, with 57 sites.
• India is sixth with 43  sites. 
• Ajanta Cave, Ellora Cave (both Maharashtra), the Taj Mahal in Agra, and the Agra Fort in Uttar Pradesh were the first Indian sites to be included in UNESCO’s list in 1983. 

List of Indian Heritages in UNESCO’s World Heritage List  

The following is the list of Indian heritage sites, their locations, and the year they were included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. 

Serial Number	Heritage Site	Year of Inclusion	State	Category
1	Ajanta Caves	1983	Maharashtra	Cultural
2	Ellora Caves	1983	Maharashtra	Cultural
3	Agra Fort	1983	Uttar Pradesh	Cultural
4	Taj Mahal	1983	Uttar Pradesh	Cultural
5	Sun Temple	1984	Orissa	Cultural
6	Mahabalipuram Monuments	1984	Tamil Nadu	Cultural
7	Kaziranga National Park	1985	Assam	Natural
8	Keoladeo National Park	1985	Rajasthan	Natural
9	Manas Wildlife Sanctuary	1985	Assam	Natural
10	Churches and Convents of Goa	1986	Goa	Cultural
11	Monuments of Khajuraho	1986	Madhya Pradesh	Cultural
12	Monuments of Hampi	1986	Karnataka	Cultural
13	Fatehpur Sikri	1986	Uttar Pradesh	Cultural
14	Elephanta Caves	1987	Maharashtra	Cultural
15	Great Living Chola Temples. It includes (a) Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur,  (b) Brihadisvara Temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram and  (c) Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram.	1987	Tamil Nadu	Cultural
16	Pattadakal Monuments	1987	Karnataka	Cultural
17	Sundarbans National Park	1987	West Bengal	Natural
18	Nanda Devi & Valley of Flowers National Park	1988	Uttarakhand	Natural
19	Monuments of Buddha	1989	Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh	Cultural
20	Humayun’s Tomb	1993	Delhi	Cultural
21	Qutub Minar and its Monuments	1993	Delhi	Cultural
22	Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka- Shimla & Nilgiri	1999	West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu	Cultural
23	Mahabodhi Temple	2002	Bodh Gaya, Bihar	Cultural
24	Bhimbetka Rock Shelters	2003	Madhya Pradesh	Cultural
25	Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus	2004	Maharashtra	Cultural
26	Champaner Pavagadh Archaeological Park	2004	Gujarat	Cultural
27	Red Fort	2007	Delhi	Cultural
28	Jantar Mantar	2010	Delhi	Cultural
29	Western Ghats	2012	Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra	Natural
30	Hill Forts of Rajasthan in    Chittorgarh,  Kumbhalgarh  Sawai Madhopur Jhalawar, Jaipur, and  Jaisalmer.	2013	Rajasthan	Culture
31	Rani Ki Vav	2014	Patan, Gujarat	Cultural
32	Great Himalayan National Park	2014	Himachal Pradesh	Natural
33	Nalanda	2016	Bihar	Cultural
34	Khangchendzonga National Park	2016	Sikkim	Mixed
35	Architectural Work of Le Corbusier (Capitol Complex)	2016	Chandigarh	Cultural
36	The Historic City of Ahmedabad	2017	Gujarat	Cultural
37	Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai	2018	Maharashtra	Cultural
38	The Pink City	2019	Jaipur, Rajasthan	Cultural
39	Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple	2021	Telangana	Cultural
40	Dholavira	2021	Gujarat	Cultural
41	Santiniketan	2023	West Bengal	Cultural
42	Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebid and Somananthpura	2023	Karnataka	Cultural
43	Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty	2024	Assam	Cultural

Centenary Commemorative Stamp Released in Honour of Mukesh Chand Mathur

On July 24 2024, The Ministry of Culture (MOC) released the commemorative stamp in honour of the legendary Indian Playback Singer Mukesh Chand Mathur marking his Centenary (100th) birth anniversary (July 22 2024). The commemorative stamp symbolises Mukesh’s remarkable career and unforgettable voice.

Event Details:

• Chief Guest: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism
• Location: Akashwani Rang Bhawan, All India Radio (AIR), New Delhi

Commemorative Stamp:

• Issuer: India Post
• Denomination: Rs 30

About Mukesh Chand Mathur:

1. Career: Renowned playback singer in the Hindi film industry
2. Acting: Acted in films such as Aadab Arz (1943), Aah (1953), Mashuqa (1953), Anurag (1956)
3. Last Song: “Chanchal Sheetal Nirmal Komal” from the movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram in June 1976

About the Ministry of Culture (MoC):

• Union Minister – Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Lok Sabha Constituency – Jodhpur, Rajasthan)
• Minister of State (MOS) – Rao Inderjit Singh (Lok Sabha Constituency – Gurugram, Haryana) (Independent Charge)

International news

India takes over the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre Chairmanship

India assumed the chairmanship of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center for 2024-25 at the meeting of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center held in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 25, 2024. 

• India took over the chairmanship from China, which was the chairman of the  Asian Disaster Preparedness Center for 2023-24. 
• Rajendra Singh, Head of the Department of National Disaster Management Authority, representing the government of India, assumed the chairmanship of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center.
• As chairman, Rajendra Singh also chaired the 5th Board of Trustee meeting of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, which was held in Bangkok on 25 July 2024.

About Asian Disaster Preparedness Center

• Establishment: 1986 as a non-profit, autonomous, regional organization
• Objective: Promote regional cooperation in disaster risk reduction and climate resilience in Asia and the Pacific
• Role: Address negative impacts of natural hazards and climate change, support global initiatives on climate and urban resilience, and enhance humanitarian response to disasters
• Founding Members: China, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand
• Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand

EAM Jaishankar attends ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India

External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar attended the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India in Vientiane, the capital city of Lao People’s Democratic Republic, on 26 July 2024

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic from July 25 to 27, 2024, to attend the Foreign Minister’s Meetings under the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) framework in the format of ASEAN-India, East Asia Summit(EAS), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
• Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the current chairman of ASEAN, is hosting the ASEAN foreign minister’s meeting, EAS meeting, ARF meeting, and India-ASEAN meeting.
• Saleumxay Kommasith is the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

ASEAN Details:

• Established: 1967
• Founding Members: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia
• Current Members: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
• Observer Status: Timor Leste
• Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia

India-ASEAN Relations:

• 1992: India initiated the Look East policy, becoming an ASEAN sectoral partner
• 1996: India became a Dialogue Partner and ARF member
• 2002: Relationship upgraded to Summit level
• 2005: India became a founding member of the East Asia Summit
• 2010: India joined the ADMM Plus Forum, a defense ministers’ forum of ASEAN and its partners

Key Benefits of the Partnership:

• Enhanced Collaboration: Trade, investment, and strategic initiatives
• Strengthened Ties: Bilateral and multilateral engagements within ASEAN framework

EAM Jaishankar Unveils Bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Tokyo

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi in Tokyo’s Edogawa ward, highlighting Gandhi’s global legacy and timeless message of peace and non-violence. The event coincided with Jaishankar’s visit to Japan for a Quad foreign ministers’ meeting.

Significance:

• Community: Edogawa ward, known as “Little India,” hosts a significant Indian community.
• Gandhi’s Legacy:
  • Global icon of peace and non-violence.
  • Influence on global decolonization and freedom movements in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
  • Teachings on non-violence and sustainable growth remain relevant today.

Key Points:

• Symbol of Peace: The bust symbolizes Gandhi’s enduring message of peace and non-violence.
• Global Influence: Gandhi’s leadership in India’s independence inspired worldwide decolonization efforts.
• Cultural Connection: Strengthens ties between the Indian community in Japan and their heritage.

Banking news

RBI Revises Framework for Domestic Money Transfer (DMT) Services

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revised the framework for Domestic Money Transfer (DMT) services by regulated entities. RBI has made Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements more stringent. The new changes in the framework will come into effect from 1st November 2024.

This is in line with RBI’s efforts to counter and prevent the misuse of banking channels for online fraud.

1. New Guidelines Issued:
   • Issued through a circular under Section 18 read with Section 10(2) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).
2. KYC Requirements:
   • Remitting banks must maintain records of the name and address of beneficiaries for cash pay-out services.
3. Rationale for Changes:
   • Reflects the need to adapt to evolving dynamics due to significant increases in banking outlets and advancements in payment systems since the introduction of the DMT framework in 2011.

Key Changes:

1. For Cash-Pay In Services:
   • Banks and Business Correspondents (BCs) must register remitters using a verified cell phone number and a self-certified ‘Officially Valid Document (OVD)’ as per the 2016 KYC directions.
   • This will aid in authenticating identity verification and reducing potential fraud.
2. Validation by AFA:
   • Mandatory requirement for every transaction to be validated through an Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA).
   • This additional security measure will ensure safe and secure online transactions.
3. Compliance with Income Tax Act:
   • Remitting banks and BCs must comply with the Income Tax Act, 1961, and related rules and regulations pertaining to cash deposits.
4. Remitter Details in IMPS/NEFT Messages:
   • Mandatory incorporation of remitter details in IMPS or NEFT transaction messages.
   • Specification of cash-based remittance transactions with an identifier.

About Reserve Bank of India(RBI):

• Governor- Shaktikanta Das (25th Governor of RBI)
• Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Established– 1 April, 1935

Award news

French Government Honours Indian Curator Rahaab Allana

The French Government has honoured the Indian Curator and Author Rahaab Allana with ‘Officier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ (Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters) to recognise his outstanding career as curator of contemporary South Asian photography and his contributions to Indo-French artistic cooperation.

Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, conferred the insignia of the Officier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on Rehaab Allana during the ceremony held at Embassy of France in New Delhi, Delhi.

About France

• President: Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron
• Prime Minister: Gabriel Nissim Attal de Couriss
• Capital: Paris
• Currency: Euro (EUR)

TOLIC Visakhapatnam Presents ‘Rajbhasha Gaurav Samman’ and ‘Nagar Rajbhasha Samman’

On July , 2024, Town Official Language Implementation Committee-TOLIC (PSU/Public Sector Undertaking), Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP) presented the prestigious ‘Rajbhasha Gaurav Samman’ for the year 2023-24 to the PSUs located in Visakhapatnam for their outstanding performance in Official Language implementation and ‘Nagar Rajbhasha Samman’ for the year 2022-23 to the Hindi Officers & Coordinators of the respective organizations.

• Presented by: Atul Bhatt, Chairman, TOLIC (PSU) & CMD of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL).
• Event Host: National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC) from New Delhi.
• Occasion: 15th TOLIC (PSU) meeting.
• Special Release: 8th issue of ‘Visakha Dhara’ TOLIC Hindi Magazine.

TOLIC Visakhapatnam Award Recipients for ‘Rajbhasha Gaurav Samman’

Category I:

1. 1st Place: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) – Visakha Refinery, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP)
2. 2nd Place: NTPC Simhadri, Visakhapatnam, AP
3. 3rd Place: Airport Authority of India (AAI), New Delhi (Delhi)

Category II:

1. 1st Place: Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), New Delhi (Delhi)
2. 2nd Place: HPCL – Visakha Regional Office, Visakhapatnam, AP
3. 3rd Place: Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) – Branch Transport & Shipping Office
4. Consolation: Food Corporation of India (FCI) – Regional Office

Category III:

1. 1st Place: MSTC Limited (formerly Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited), Kolkata, West Bengal (WB)
2. 2nd Place: HPCL Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), Mumbai, Maharashtra
3. 3rd Place: Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC), Mumbai, Maharashtra

Appointment news

Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur Appointed IFFI Festival Director

Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, known for films such as “Mr India”, “Bandit Queen” and “Elizabeth”, has been appointed festival director for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Mr. Kapur will head the festival, held annually in Goa, for the 55th and 56th editions, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said in a notification.

Manoj Mittal Takes Charge As Sidbi’s CMD After Appointment By Centre

Manoj Mittal has taken charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Small Industries Development Bank of India (Sidbi), following his appointment by the Government of India. Prior to this, he was the managing director (MD) of Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI). 

About SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India)

Overview:

• Establishment: April 2, 1990, under an act of the Indian Parliament.
• Mandate: Serve as the Principal Financial Institution for MSME (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises) sector.

Key Functions:

1. Promotion: Enhance the growth and development of the MSME sector.
2. Financing: Provide financial support to MSMEs.
3. Development: Implement developmental activities for MSMEs.
4. Coordination: Coordinate functions with various institutions engaged in MSME activities.

Sports news

Women’s Asia Cup Final 2024: Sri Lanka beat India for Title

The host Sri Lankan women cricket team upset the favourite and defending champion Indian women’s team to lift their maiden Women’s Cricket Asia Cup. In the final of the 9th Women’s Cricket Asia Cup played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla,Sri Lanka on 28 July 2024 the host beat India by 8 wickets with 8 balls to spare.

• Sri Lanka became the third team in the history of the Asia Cup to win the Women Cricket Asia Cup  with India having won it seven times and Bangladesh once.
• All the matches of the 9th Women’s Cricket Asia Cup were played at the  Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla,Sri Lanka.
• Earlier in the semi-finals India had defeated Bangladesh and the Sri Lankan team beat Pakistan to reach the finals.

Player Highlights and Women’s Asia Cup Overview

Recent Match Highlights

• Player of the Match: Harshita Samarawickrama
• Player of the Series: Chamari Athapaththu (304 runs and 3 wickets)
• Brief Score:
  • India: 165 for 6 in 20 overs
  • Sri Lanka: 167 for 2 in 18.4 overs
• Indian Team Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur

Women’s Asia Cup Winners and Host Countries

Edition	Year	Format	Host Country	Winner	Runners-Up
1	2004	ODI	Sri Lanka	India	Sri Lanka
2	2005-06	ODI	Pakistan	India	Sri Lanka
3	2006	ODI	India	India	Sri Lanka
4	2008	ODI	Sri Lanka	India	Sri Lanka
5	2012	T20	China	India	Pakistan
6	2016	T20	Thailand	India	Pakistan
7	2018	T20	Malaysia	Bangladesh	India
8	2022	T20	Bangladesh	India	Sri Lanka
9	2024	T20	Sri Lanka	Sri Lanka	India

Key Points:

• India has played in all the finals of the Women’s Asia Cup.
• India is the most successful team with 7 title wins.
• The Asia Cup has been played in both ODI and T20 formats.
• The 9th Asia Cup was played in the T20 format.

Manu Bhaker becomes first Indian woman to win Olympic medal in Shooting Competition

On the second day of the Paris Olympics, ace Indian Shooter Manu Bhaker opened medals tally for India with a bronze in the Women’s 10-meter air pistol event With this feat, Manu became the first Indian woman ever to win an Olympic medal in Shooting competition

Manu Bhaker: Won bronze in Women’s 10-meter air pistol event.First Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in Shooting.

Qualifications:

• Ramita Jindal: Qualified for finals in Women’s 10-meter air rifle.
• Arjun Babuta: Qualified for finals in Men’s 10-meter air rifle.

Badminton:

• PV Sindhu:
  • Defeated Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq of Maldives in Women’s Singles.
  • Score: 21-9, 21-6.
  • Match duration: 29 minutes.
  • Venue: Porte de La Chapelle Arena.

Lewis Hamilton Wins Belgian Grand Prix After George Russell’s Disqualification

Lewis Hamilton clinched victory at the 2024 Formula 1 Rolex Belgian Grand Prix under dramatic circumstances after his Mercedes team-mate George Russell, who initially crossed the finish line first, was disqualified due to a technical infringement.

The disqualification stemmed from Russell’s car being found underweight in the post-race inspection, a violation confirmed by a Technical Delegate’s Report.

Nita Ambani Re-elected as IOC Member for a Second Term

• Nita Ambani, founder of Reliance Foundation, has been re-elected for a second term as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from India.
• The re-election occurred ahead of the Paris Olympics scheduled from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
• She received 100% of the vote at the 142nd IOC session held from July 22 to 24, 2024, in Paris, France.
• Nita Ambani became the first Indian woman to join the IOC in 2016.

Other Appointments at the 142nd IOC Session:

• Vice-Presidents (VP):
  • Nawal El Moutawakel (Morocco)
  • Gerardo Werthein (Argentina)
• Executive Board (EB) Members:
  • Mikaela Cojuangco Jaworski (Philippines) – re-elected for a second term
  • Li Lingwei (China)
• New IOC Members: Eight new members, four women and four men, were elected.
• Honorary Members:
  • John Coates (Australia)
  • Uğur Erdener (Türkiye)

Nita Ambani’s Contributions and Achievements:

• First Appointment to IOC: Nita Ambani was first appointed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2016 during the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
• Significant Contributions:
  • Boosted India’s Olympic ambitions, including hosting the first IOC session in Mumbai, Maharashtra, in 40 years in October 2023.
  • Played a vital role in supporting India’s Olympic vision and sports development through Reliance Foundation’s initiatives, impacting over 22.9 million children and youth across India.
• Other Roles:
  • On the board of the Mumbai Indians cricket team.
  • Founder of the Dhirubhai Ambani International School.
  • Active in promoting sports in India.
• India House at Paris Olympics 2024:
  • Reliance Foundation established the first-ever India House at the Paris Olympics 2024 in collaboration with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
  • India plans to bid for hosting the 2036 Olympics.

About the International Olympic Committee (IOC):

• Founder: Pierre de Coubertin
• Role: Supreme authority of the worldwide modern Olympic movement.
• Members: 111
• President: Thomas Bach
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
• Founded: June 23, 1894

Important days

World Hepatitis Day 2024, Date, Theme, Significance and History

World Hepatitis Day is observed annually on July 28th to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, a group of infectious diseases that cause liver inflammation and can lead to severe liver disease and cancer.

Theme for 2024: “It’s Time for Action”

Understanding Hepatitis:

• Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver, commonly caused by viral infections but also due to alcohol consumption, certain medications, and autoimmune diseases.
• The liver, a vital organ, is compromised when affected by hepatitis, leading to potentially severe health consequences.

The Five Main Strains of Hepatitis Virus:

1. Hepatitis A
2. Hepatitis B
3. Hepatitis C
4. Hepatitis D
5. Hepatitis E

• Hepatitis B and C:
  • These are the most common strains with the most significant impact on global health.
  • Together, they cause 1.3 million deaths and 2.2 million new infections annually.