Daily Current Affairs and GK | 10 July 2020

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation a solar energy project set up in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation a 750 MW solar power project set up at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh.
• Rewa Solar Power Project:
  • The solar power park has been developed by Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited, a joint venture between Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited and the public sector Solar Energy Corporation of India.
  • The project consists of three units of solar power generation. The capacity of each unit is 250 MW.
  • The project has been awarded the World Bank Group President’s Award for innovation and excellence.
  • This project was also included in the Prime Minister’s “A Book of Innovation: New Beginnings”. 
  • The Rewa Solar Project will be the first project to provide electricity at lower rates than other solar projects in the country. It will also reduce carbon emission equal to 1.5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year.
  • It is the first renewable energy project to supply energy at an institutional level outside the state.
  • Delhi Metro will get 24% power from this project, the remaining 76% will be given to the power distribution companies of MP.

(Source: News on AIR)

2. Instructions to Central Pollution Control Board to strengthen the monitoring system in Ganges and its major tributaries.

• At the same time, the government also asked the board to inspect gross polluting industries on a regular basis.
• The instructions were given at an inter-ministerial meeting in New Delhi.
• During this, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar also informed that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has approved a special program for conservation of Gangetic Dolphins on the lines of Project Tiger and Project Elephant.
• Central Pollution Control Board:
  • It is a statutory body that works under the aegis of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
  • It was established under the Water (Prevention and Control of pollution) Act, 1974.
  • The CPCB is also delegated powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of pollution) Act, 1981.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.

(Source: News on AIR)

3. Concerns over return of large number of Indian students with F-1 visas who attend only online classes in the US.

• India has expressed the possibility of a large number of Indian students returning to the US with F-1 visas only attending online classes.
• Recently, many universities in the United States are planning to do all of their classes in online mode for the semester starting in August due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• USA has announced that F-1 and M-1 visa holders who are planning to take only online classes will not be allowed to stay in the USA.
• India has urged the US that educational exchanges and people-to-people relations need to be kept in mind in the development of Indo-US relations.
• F-1 visas are issued to full-time students to study in the United States. F1 status allows for part-time, on-campus employment (less than 20 hours per week).
• M-1 visas are issued to students engaging in vocational or non-academic studies.

(Source: News on AIR)

4. 15^th summit meeting between India and European Union to be held on 15 July.

• The 15^th meeting between India and the European Union will be held on 15 July.
• This meeting will be organized in a virtual manner.
• The meeting will be jointly chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Council President Charles Michel and European Commission Chairman Ursula Von der Leyen.
• In this meeting, cooperation between India and the European Union in politics, security, trade, investment and economic sectors will be reviewed.
• The 14^th EU-India Summit was held on 6 October 2017 in New Delhi.
• European Union:
  • The 27 member states have a political and economic union which is mainly located in Europe.
  • It was founded on 1 November 1993.
  • It is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

(Source: News on AIR)

5. Plan to reprint 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur manuscripts under the National Mission for Manuscripts.

• Recently the Ministry of Culture has undertaken the project of reprinting 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur manuscripts under the National Mission for Manuscripts.
• Mongolian Kanjur is considered the most important religious text in Mongolia. Kanjur in Mongolian language, which means ‘Concise Orders’- the words of Lord Buddha.
• Under this mission, the first set of five blocks was presented to President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of Guru Purnima i.e. Dharma Chakra Day on 4 July.
• All 108 Mongolian Kanjur manuscripts will be published by March 2022.
• National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM):
  • It was started by the Government of India in 2003.
  • Its purpose is to document, preserve and transmit the information contained in the manuscripts.
  • One of the objectives of the mission is also to publish rare and unpublished manuscripts, so that the knowledge contained in them can be found largely by researchers, scholars and the general public.

(Source: News on AIR)

6. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated six new bridges in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

• Recently, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated six new bridges in the Jammu division of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir through video conference.
• These bridges have been constructed by Border Roads Organization at a cost of about Rs 43 crore.
• Four of the six bridges are in the Akhnoor sector and two in the Jammu-Rajpura area.
• In June 2020, the central government approved an additional Rs 1,691 crore for highway works by BRO in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand.
• One of these is the Tarnah bridge in Hiranagar area of ​​Kathua district, which has been constructed at a cost of Rs 16 crore.
• This bridge will connect more than two dozen border villages from Tehsil Hiranagar to Jammu-Kathua National Highway. The bridge will also connect Gurdaspur district in Punjab to Jammu and will be an alternative highway.
• Border Roads Organization (BRO):
  • The Border Roads Organization develops and maintains a road network in India's border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
  • It is headquartered in New Delhi.
  • It was founded in May 1960 by Jawaharlal Nehru.

(Source: News on AIR)

7. Nadaun police station of Himachal Pradesh, one of the best police stations in the country.

• Recently, Nadaun Police Station in Himachal Pradesh was ranked among the best police stations in the country.
• This police station was awarded Certificate of Excellence by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
• Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur particularly congratulated Nadaun Police Station on being selected as one of the best police stations in the country and the best police station in the state.
• Police stations are ranked by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, and the ranking was released by the Union Home Minister during the recent DGP conference.

(Source: News on AIR)

8. The Ypthima Watsoni butterfly was discovered in Tripura after 61 years.

• Recently in Tripura, a team from the Wild Tripura Foundation has discovered the Ypthima Watsoni butterfly, commonly known as the looped three-ring, after 61 years in Jampui hills under the North Tripura district.
• The species was last seen in Manipur in 1958.
• The looped three-ring Ypthima Watsoni, was first discovered in 1893.
  • This subfamily belongs to styrene and belongs to the family Nymphalidae of the insect order Lepidoptera.
  • This research paper is published in the Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies.
• Wild Tripura Foundation:
  • Wild Tripura Foundation of Agartala is a government registered trust based in Tripura which has been supported and helped to study Lepidoptera diversity of Tripura.
  • These researchers continuously survey butterflies in Northeast India for the last five years to document the current population, distribution and status of butterflies.

9. Assam has become almost self-reliant in fish production during the lockdown.

• Assam has become almost self-reliant in fish production during nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19.
• During this time the state has produced sufficient quantities of fish to meet local needs.
• Also, Assam is exporting fish to other North Eastern states.
• Youths returning to the state from outside during the lockdown are engaged in the fishery sector.
• In the coming time, through the Prime Minister Matsya Sampada Yojana, the state will be helped to produce more fish.
• A cluster wise action plan is also being prepared to implement this scheme in Assam.
• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana:
  • Recently the government has announced the launch of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
  • 20 thousand crores has been allocated for this scheme.
  • Out of this, 11 thousand crore rupees will be given for maritime and inland activities and nine thousand crores for infrastructure like fishing harbor, cold chain and marketing.
  • The scheme is expected to provide employment to more than 55 lakh people.

10. Government of Gujarat constituted a five-member commission to determine the rightful beneficiaries of the tribes.

• Recently, the Gujarat government has constituted a five-member commission to determine the exact number of beneficiaries of the Rabari, Bharwad and Charan tribes living in the Ness areas of the Gir, Barda and Aalech forests.
• The purpose of setting up this commission is to protect the constitutional rights of the right tribal and prevent the wrong person from taking advantage of the tribal.
• This five-member commission will have the following members:
  • A retired High Court judge
  • Two retired District Court judges
  • A retired forest department official
  • A retired Additional Collector

11. Cabinet approved the development of Affordable rental housing Complexes for urban migrants and the poor

• Recently the cabinet approved the development of Affordable rental housing Complexes for urban migrants and the poor.
• It has been approved by the Cabinet as a sub-scheme under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (2015).
• The scheme will be run by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• The scheme was announced by the Honorable Finance Minister on 14 May 2020. This scheme will fulfill the vision of ATMA NIRBHAR BHARAT.
• The following provisions have been made under this:
  • The currently vacant government-funded residential complexes will be converted into ARHC through a 25-year concession agreement.
  • The concessionaire will have to repair the rooms and make the complexes habitable by removing the deficiencies associated with infrastructure like water, drainage, sanitation, roads etc.
  • States / UTs will have to select the Concessionaire Company through a transparent process.
  • These campuses will have to be returned to ULB after 25 years to start a new cycle or run on their own as before.
  • Under this scheme, there will be targeted beneficiaries who come from rural areas or small towns and are looking for better opportunities.
  • Initially around three lakh beneficiaries will be covered under ARHC.
• Benefits of this scheme:
  • ARHC will create a new ecosystem in urban areas to accommodate the availability of affordable rental housing near the workplace.
  • Investment under ARHC is expected to create new employment opportunities.
  • ARHC will reduce unnecessary travel, congestion and pollution.

12. UAE keen to enter into an Open Sky Agreement with India.

• Recently the United Arab Emirates has expressed interest to enter into an Open Sky Agreement with India.
• The UAE has also mentioned that it will not implement Fifth and Sixth Freedom Air. Which threatens other air carriers in the interest of Indian Airlines.
• India has air service agreements with 109 countries, including the UAE. But it does not allow an unlimited number of flights between two countries.
• The Open Sky agreements between India and the UAE will allow an unlimited number of flights to selected cities in each other's countries.
• Under the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016, the government can enter into an open sky agreement with SAARC countries as well as other countries within a radius of 5,000 km from New Delhi.
• India has entered into Open Sky agreements with Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Finland, United States, Japan, etc.
• Open Sky Agreement:
  • It is a bilateral agreement between the two countries to provide rights to airlines to provide international passenger and cargo service.
  • This expands international passenger and cargo flights.
• The fifth freedom of air includes the right to fly between two foreign countries, which may originate or end in their own country.
• The sixth freedom of air includes the right to stay in one's own country for non-technical reasons, while flying from one foreign country to another.

(Source: The Hindu)