Daily Current Affairs and GK | 17 July 2024

Topic: International Appointments

1. Paul Kagame has been elected for the fourth time as president of Rwanda.

• Rwandan President Paul Kagame received 99.15% of vote. He got more votes than the 98.79% of last year’s election.
• Democratic Green Party candidate Frank Habineza received only 0.53% votes.
• Nine million Rwandans cast their votes in the presidential election.
• Full provisional results will be released on July 20 and definitive results by July 27.
• Kagame won with more than 93% of the vote in 2003, 2010 and in 2017.
• Rwanda's GDP has grown by an average of 7.2% per year between 2012 and 2022.
• As per the World Bank, almost half the population of Rawanda lives on less than $2.15 a day.

Topic: State News/Karnataka

2. Karnataka Cabinet cleared the Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024.

• The Bill mandates 50% reservation for locals in management jobs and 75% in non-management positions.
• The Bill mandates that industries, factories and other establishments appoint local candidates in 50% of management positions and 75% in non-management positions.
• The violation of provisions of the bill would attract a penalty of up to Rs 25,000.
• Candidates must either pass a Kannada proficiency exam as required by the nodal agency or have a secondary school diploma with Kannada as one of the languages.
• The industry, factory, or other establishments should take action to train and engage local applicants within three years if qualified or appropriate people are not readily accessible.
• If there are no local candidates available, businesses or industries may appeal the government for relaxation in provisions of the Bill.
• Under the Act, a nodal body will also be established to confirm information on individuals employed by Industries.
• It would also provide the government with a report on a regular basis.
• Additionally, a law approved by the cabinet requires all private industries to hire only Kannadigas in group ‘C’ and ‘D’ jobs.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

3. The North East Region Agri Commodity E-Connect (NERACE) web portal and mobile application have been launched.

• NERACE web portal and mobile app are designed to benefit the farming community and buyers in the Northeastern region.
• The NERACE app is intended to support agricultural and horticultural products and minor forest produces.
• It will provide farmers with access to larger markets, better negotiation opportunities etc.
• It will additionally offer the buyers direct access to verified sellers, high-quality products, logistics support and other facilities.
• It will provide support in English, Hindi, Assamese, Mizo, Manipuri, Nepali and Khasi languages under one platform.
• Union Minister for DoNER Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia during his visit to the North Eastern Council, Shillong launched NERACE web portal and mobile app.
• A presentation on the first draft of the NER Vision 2047 was delivered.
• The first draft of the NER Vision 2047 outlines eight goals for the development of the North East Region.
• On 9 July 2024, Union Minister for Communications Scindia also discussed the 100-day action plan of the Department of Posts.
• Department of Posts will be organizing 5,000 Dak Chaupals across the country in 100 days.
• Dak Chaupals will be vital links between rural residents and government functions.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

4. The first malaria vaccine in Ivory Coast, Africa has been launched by India's Serum Institute and Oxford University.

• The vaccine, R21, is the world's second malaria vaccine. It has been developed by the University of Oxford and the Serum Institute of India.

• It contains the Matrix M adjuvant—an immune-booster—developed by Novavax.
• The first malaria vaccine, RTS,S, was made by British drugmaker GSK. It is part of a routine program in Cameroon.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved the R21 vaccine.
• Ivory Coast has got 656,600 doses, aimed at vaccinating 250,000 children aged between 0 and 23 months.
• Additionally, Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic have approved the vaccine.
• With support from the global Gavi vaccine alliance, fifteen African nations intend to roll out the RTS, S, or R21 vaccines this year.
• For the initial launch, the Serum Institute of India has committed to producing 25 million doses.
• The goal is to increase output to 100 million doses per year. Each dosage of the vaccination costs less than $4.

Topic: Indian Economy

5. India's growth projections for 2024 have been raised to 7% from the earlier 6.8% by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its latest forecast.

• This will keep India as the fastest growing country among emerging markets and developing economies.
• The growth rate for 2024 was earlier estimated by the IMF at 6.5%, which has been revised to 6.8% and now to 7%.  
• IMF has estimated India's growth rate to be 6.5% for the year 2025.
• It attributed growth forecast to strong and robust domestic demand and a growing working population.
• India and China's growth will account for nearly half of global growth in 2024.
• For China, the growth forecast has been revised upward to 5 percent in 2024, mainly due to a surge in private consumption in the first quarter and strong exports.
• During the financial year 2023-24, the country's GDP grew at an impressive rate of 8.2%, as per the official data from the Government of India.
• India's economy grew by 7.2% in 2022–23 and 8.7% in 2021–22 respectively.

Topic: National News

6. Asia's first health research related "Pre-clinical Network Facility" inaugurated under CEPI.

• On July 16, Asia's first health research-related "Pre-Clinical Network Facility" under the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) inaugurated by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh.
• It was inaugurated at the Regional Centre of Biotechnology under the aegis of the Translational Health Science & Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad.
• The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) has selected BRIC-THSTI as a pre-clinical network laboratory based on its capability to handle BSL3 pathogens.
• This will be the 9th such network laboratory in the world and the first such laboratory in entire Asia.
• Other such laboratories are located in America, Europe and Australia.
• The Experimental Animal Facility is one of the largest small animal facilities in the country.
• It has a capacity to house around 75,000 rodents including species of immune compromised mice, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, etc.
• The “Genetically Defined Human Associated Microbial Culture Collection (G-HUMIC) Facility” was also inaugurated to act as a “repository” to provide microbial cultures to research institutes, universities and industries for research and development.
• The Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) is an institute of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

7. The "e-Mobility R&D Roadmap for India" has been released by the government.

• It is a comprehensive roadmap intended to establish India as a world leader in electric vehicle (EV) technology.
• At New Delhi's Vigyan Bhawan Annexe, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, launched the roadmap.
• Energy storage cells, EV aggregates, materials and recycling, and charging and refuelling are the roadmap's four main focal points.
• It provides a five-year plan on how to become self-sufficient in these important areas.
• Under the direction of the Consultative Group on eMobility (CGeM), the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) prepared the roadmap.
• CGeM is a panel of experts from government, academia, and industry.
• The roadmap identifies research projects that aim to achieve both technological deployment and market leadership.
• The roadmap is a part of India's plan to cut emissions by 45% by 2030.

Topic: National News

8. The composition of NITI Aayog has been revised by the government.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will remain the chairperson of NITI Aayog.
• Suman Bery will continue to hold the post of Vice President, NITI Aayog.
• There is no change in Full-Time Members. The Full Time Members are V K Saraswat, Prof. Ramesh Chand, Dr V K Paul, and Anand Virmani.
• Along with Home Minister Amit Shah, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has been added as an Ex-Officio Member.
• The reconstituted NITI Aayog has four full-time members and 15 Union Ministers, as either ex-officio members or special invitees.

Topic: Art and Culture

9. Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh is built from temple remains, says ASI survey.

• As per the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) scientific survey report, the existing structure at the Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district was constructed by using remains of a temple.
• As per the directive from the High Court, the ASI has conducted a scientific survey of the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex.
• The ASI has submitted its report to the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
• According to the survey report, the site was built and developed by Raja Bhoj in Dhar district.
• The art and architecture of the pillars and pilasters in the colonnades show that complex was originally part of a temple.
• The survey found images of Hindu deities such as Ganesha, Brahma with his consorts, Narasimha, Bhairava and other human and animal figures in the existing structure.
• The inscriptions in Sanskrit and Prakrit were found at the site.
• The Bhojshala complex is an 11th-century monument. As per the agreement, the puja is performed at the complex by Hindus on every Tuesday and namaz is offered every Friday.

Topic: State News/ UP

10. UP government will increase the income of farmers through ‘carbon finance’.

• The Uttar Pradesh government will boost farmers’ incomes through ‘carbon finance’. It will encourage farmers to participate in the plantation drive.
• The Uttar Pradesh government has set a target of planting 36.50 crore saplings on July 20.
• The UP government has set a target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• Farmers will gain additional income from carbon credits by planting fast-growing trees such as poplar, melia, dubia, and semal.
• In the first phase, Gorakhpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Meerut, Moradabad, and Saharanpur districts have been selected for this initiative.
• Between 2024 and 2026, farmers will receive incentives of Rs 202 crore.
• In the first phase, Rs 50 lakh obtained from carbon credits will be distributed to 100 selected farmers in the Gorakhpur division.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

11. 2nd Asia Pacific Ministerial conference on civil aviation will be hosted by India on September 11 and 12.

• The conference will be jointly organised by the Government of India and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Asia-Pacific.
• In February 2018, the first conference was organized in Beijing.
• In this conference, around 40 countries, including Australia, Singapore, France, the US, the UK, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Pakistan and Japan, will participate.
• The Asia Pacific region is hosting the second ministerial conference to enhance regional collaboration and foster a culture of innovation and safety.
• The Asia Pacific region accounted for over 33% of total global flight departures in 2023.
• The Asia Pacific region is an example of this growth, where India is emerging as one of the fastest growing markets globally.
• India is currently the third largest market in the domestic sector.
• In the last decade, the number of aircraft in India has increased from 400 to more than 800 and the number of airports has also increased rapidly from 74 to 157.

Topic: Summit/Conference/Meeting

12. 'Saushrutam 2024' successfully organised by All India Institute of Ayurveda with live surgical demonstrations.

• The 2nd National Seminar Saushrutam Shalya Sammelan successfully organized by the Department of Shalya Tantra at All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi on the auspicious occasion of Sushruta Jayanti-2024.
• Every year on 15th July, Sushruta Jayanti is celebrated in honour of the great physician Sushruta, who is considered the father of surgery.
• The seminar began on 13 July and concluded on 15 July.
• Professor Sandeep Kumar, Founding Director, AIIMS Bhopal was the chief guest of the inaugural ceremony.
• In the first two days, 25 direct complex surgical procedures were successfully performed.
• This live demonstration gave the participants an opportunity to observe and learn various surgical techniques performed by renowned surgeons.
• During the live surgical workshops, operations were performed on patients suffering from Fistula-in-Ano, Piles, Pilonidal Sinus, Gallstones, Hernia etc. using modern techniques like VAAFT, Laparoscopy and Laser as well as conventional surgical methods.
• In the last one year, around 1500 patients have benefited through AIIA's surgical procedures.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

13. Philippines will host the board of the "Loss and Damage" fund.

• The Philippines has been selected to host the board of the "Loss and Damage" fund.
• It is an important step towards providing financial help for countries to recover and rebuild from the impact of global warming.
• U.N. "loss and damage" fund was established in COP27 in Egypt in 2022.
• This fund is dedicated to addressing irreparable climate-driven damage from drought, floods and rising sea levels.
• The Philippines also has a seat on the fund's board.
• World Bank will act as an interim host of the fund for four years.

Topic: Indian Economy

14. India’s wholesale inflation rate reached a 16-month high of 3.36 percent.

• India's wholesale inflation reached 3.36 per cent in June. 
• Inflation has surged due to an increase in the price of food articles, crude petroleum & natural gas, mineral oils, other manufacturing item, etc.
• In May 2024, wholesale inflation was at 2.61 per cent.
• The rate of inflation based on the WPI Food Index increased from 7.40 per cent in May 2024 to 8.68 per cent in June 2024.
• Inflation for food articles stood at 10.87 per cent in June compared to 9.82 percent in May.
• The inflation rate for the primary articles has increased from 7.20 per cent in May to 8.80 per cent in June.
• Fuel and power inflation was at 1.03 per cent in June as compared to 1.35 per cent in May.