Daily Current Affairs and GK | 15 July 2021

Topic: Sports

1. India to host 2026 Badminton World Championship.

• India will host the World Badminton Championships for the second time in 2026. Earlier, India had hosted the Badminton World Championship in Hyderabad in 2009.
• The 2023 Sudirman Cup, which was originally allotted to India, will now be hosted in Suzhou, China.
• The BWF World Championships is the biggest badminton tournament sanctioned by the World Badminton Federation.
• India has so far won 10 World Championships medals. Saina Nehwal had won silver and bronze in the 2015 and 2017 editions.
• Badminton Association of India (BAI) is the governing body for Badminton in India. It organizes national and International tournaments in India.

Topic: State News/ Rajasthan

2. WFP and Rajasthan government signed an agreement to improve Targeted Public Distribution System.

• The Rajasthan government has joined hands with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to improve the Targeted Public Distribution System (TDPS) in the state.
• United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will support the Rajasthan government on the use of digitization, data aggregation, and performance dashboards for monitoring of the TDPS.
• This strategic partnership will improve the food and nutritional security of millions. It will help in doing end-to-end computerization of the Targeted Public Distribution System.
• Around 45 million people of Rajasthan are covered under the National Food Security Act.
• The partnership will also support in developing an efficient supply chain.
• In 2020, the WFP and the Department of Food and Civil Supplies of the Rajasthan government had also signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding.
• Public Distribution System (PDS) has been established under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution for the distribution of food grains at affordable prices.
• Rajasthan:
  • It is a state in Northern India whose capital is Jaipur.
  • It is the largest state in India in terms of area and the seventh-largest in terms of population.
  • The Governor of Rajasthan is Kalraj Mishra and the Chief Minister of Rajasthan is Ashok Gehlot.
  • Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Reserve are also located in Rajasthan.

Topic: Important Days

3. World Youth Skills Day: 15 July

• World Youth Skills Day is observed annually on 15 July.
• World Youth Skills Day provides an opportunity for dialogue between young people, firms, employers’ and workers’ organizations, policy makers and development partners.
• ‘Reimagining Youth Skills Post-Pandemic’ is the theme of World Youth Skills Day this year.
• 15 July was declared as World Youth Skills Day by United Nations General Assembly in 2014.The first World Youth Skills Day was observed on 15 July, 2015.
• Related SDG: SDG 4 (Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all).

Topic: International News

4. UAE becomes 1^st Gulf country to open embassy in Israel.

• United Arab Emirates has become 1st Gulf country to open embassy in Israel.
• Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog attended the flag-raising ceremony. He called the opening of the embassy “an important milestone in our journey towards the future, peace prosperity and security” for the Middle East.
• UAE’s embassy is situated in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange. Last month, Israel’s embassy was inaugurated in UAE.
• The UAE and Bahrain have normalized relations with Israel last year under the “Abraham Accords”.

Israel, UAE and Bahrain:

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

5. Cabinet approves Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with different countries.

• The Union Cabinet approved an MoU between India and Denmark for cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine.
• The MoU has been signed between the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of the Government of India and the Ministry of Health of the Kingdom of Denmark.
• The main aim of MoU is to encourage cooperation in the health sector through joint initiatives and research development.
• Union Cabinet also approved the MoU between India and Russia for cooperation on coking Coal used for Steel making.
• It will reduce the input cost for the steel sector in India and promote equity and inclusiveness.
• Under this MoU, an institutional mechanism will be set up for cooperation in the coking coal sector between India and Russia.

Topic: State News/ Karnataka

6. Karnataka Government launched Electric Bike Taxi scheme.

• Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa launched the ‘Electric Bike Taxi scheme 2021’ in Bengaluru.
• It has been launched to generate self-employment. It will serve as a bridge between public transport and daily travellers.
• It will reduce the travel time and reduce the consumption of fuel. It will help people in reaching their destination in a hassle free manner.
• Electric Bike is an eco-friendly solution for transportation. The vehicles registered under the scheme will be exempted from permits and tax.
• The GPS-enabled e-bike taxis could operate for a maximum distance of 10 km.
• Karnataka:
  • It is the largest state in South India.
  • It shares its border with Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
  • Chief Minister of Karnataka is B S Yediyurappa and the Governor is Thawar Chand Gehlot.
  • Capital: Bengaluru

Topic: Government Scheme and Initiatives

7. Union Cabinet approved Scheme to provide Rs 1,624 crore Subsidy to Indian Shipping Companies.

• Union Cabinet approved a scheme to provide subsidies to Shipping Companies in India. It has been approved under the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Under this scheme, the subsidy will be provided to the Indian shipping companies in global tenders floated by Ministries and Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).
• The government will provide a subsidy of Rs 1,624 crore over 5 years. The budgetary support would be provided to the concerned Ministry or Department.
• This scheme was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Union Budget speech on 1 February.
• The subsidy support would be extended only to those ships which have bagged the award after the implementation of the scheme and ships older than 20 years would not be eligible for any subsidy under the scheme.
• The scheme has immense potential of generating employment. It will enhance the share of Indian seafarers in global shipping.

Topic: Science and Technology

8. ISRO successfully conducted hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas engine.

• ISRO has successfully conducted the third long-duration hot test of the liquid propellant Vikas engine for the Gaganyaan programme.
• This test has been done for the L-110 liquid stage of the GSLV Mk-3 vehicle as per the engine qualification requirement for Gaganyaan.
• The engine met the objective of the test and engine parameters fulfill the criteria for the test.
• Under the Gaganyaan programme, three Indian astronauts will be sent to space for a minimum of seven days. It is the first manned mission of India.
• ISRO's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV Mk III will be used for the Gaganyaan programme.
• Gaganyaan will be launched in 2022-23. It was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Republic Day speech in 2018.

Topic: Indian Polity

9. Piyush Goyal appointed as Leader of House in Rajya Sabha.

• Union Minister Piyush Goyal has been appointed as Leader of House in Rajya Sabha. He is appointed in the place of Thaawarchand Gehlot.
• Piyush Goyal is a member of the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra. He is in charge of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles ministries.
• The Leader of the House is responsible for organizing government meetings and business in the House. This office is not mentioned in the Constitution of India.
• N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar was the first Leader of House in Rajya Sabha.
• Rajya Sabha:
  • Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and not subject to dissolution.
  • It consists of a maximum of 250 members, of which 238 members represent the States and Union Territories, and 12 members are nominated by the President.
  • The Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

10. Ladakh administration signed MoU with Sikkim to turn Ladakh into organic entity.

• Ladakh administration signed an MoU with Sikkim State Organic Certification Agency (SOCCA) to turn Ladakh into an organic entity by 2025.
• The MoU has been signed for the implementation of Prampragat Krishi Vikas Yojana and Mission Organic Development Initiative (MODI) in Ladakh.
• The Ladakh administration is aiming to make Ladakh a certified organic UT by 2025. For organic certification, Ladakh has been divided into three phases.
• In first phase, 5000 hectares of land of 85 villages will be converted into Organic land. Under the second phase, 82 villages will be covered with an area of 10,000 hectares. In the third phase, 79 villages will cover the remaining areas.
• In January 2016, Sikkim became India’s first “100 percent organic” state. Lakshadweep is the first 100% organic Union Territory in India.
• Organic farming is a technique for the cultivation of plants and rearing of animals without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, etc.

Topic: International News

11. China-India trade rose by 62% in first half of 2021.

• The bilateral trade between China-India rose by 62.7% in the first half of 2021. The bilateral trade has crossed $57.48 billion.
• According to the recent data, India’s exports has increased by 69.6% to $14.72 billion. India mainly exports iron ore, cotton, and other raw material to China.
• India’s import has increased by 60.4% than the previous first-half figures. India mainly import electrical machinery and equipment, mechanical appliances, electronic circuits, transistors, and semiconductor devices from China.
• The trade deficit between India and China stood at $28.04 billion after the first six months.
• India’s increase of trade with China in the first half of 2021 is the highest increase among China’s major trade partners. China trade with the EU and United States has increased by 37% and 45.7% respectively.