Daily Current Affairs and GK | 19 August 2021

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

1. Atal Innovation Mission launched Student Entrepreneurship Program 3.0.

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has launched the third series of the ‘Student Entrepreneurship Program’ (SEP 3.0) in association with the Dassault Systemes Foundation.
• It has been launched for the young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL).
• SEP 3.0 is based on the theme of ‘Made in 3D - Seed the Future Entrepreneurs Program’, which has been conceptualized by La Fondation Dassault Systemes (Dassault Systemes Foundation).
• A total of 51 teams are selected for the Student Entrepreneurship Program (SEP 3.0). The teams were selected through the ATL Marathon.
• Under this program, a team from each school will receive seed funding for creating pseudo start-ups, designs and prototypes of their innovation using 3D printing.
• Dassault Systemes Foundation volunteers will provide mentoring support to student innovators.

Topic: Defence

2. INS Tabar takes part in Konkan Exercise 2021.

• On the occasion of India’s Independence Day, INS Tabar participated in the annual bilateral Konkan Exercise. HMS Westminster of the Royal Navy took part from Britain’s side.
• Konkan Exercise is an annual bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and Britain’s Royal Navy. It is being conducted since 2004.
• The cross-deck helicopter operation which includes the helicopters carrying out the landing procedures was the main highlight of this exercise.
• The joint exercise will enhance interoperability, synergy, and cooperation between both navies.
• INS Tabar is a Talwar-class stealth Frigate built for the Indian Navy in Russia. It is part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

3. A US lawmaker reintroduced resolution in US Congress to posthumously award Congressional Gold Medal to Mahatma Gandhi.

• A US lawmaker has reintroduced a resolution in US Congress to posthumously award Congressional Gold Medal to Mahatma Gandhi.
• After introducing the resolution, Carolyn B Maloney said that Mahatma Gandhi's historic Satyagraha movement of nonviolent resistance inspired a nation and the world.
• She said that his example energizes us to devote ourselves to the service of others.
• She also said that his legacy inspired civil rights movements around the globe, from Martin Luther King Jr's movement for racial equality to Nelson Mandela's fight against apartheid.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

4. UK expresses willingness for Collaborating with India on Green Hydrogen.

• UK’s expressed willingness to collaborate with India on an ambitious green hydrogen project.
• UN Climate Change Conference President Alok Sharma expressed UK’s willingness during his three-day visit to India.
• On a three-day visit to India, COP-26’s President deliberated with Ministers, industry leaders and representatives of the civil society organizations on climate action.
• He met with Union Power and Renewable Energy Minister Raj Kumar Singh. During the meeting, the need for India to increase its storage capacity to optimize installed renewable energy was discussed.
• Union Minister welcomed UK’s interest in collaborating with India on offshore wind energy. National Hydrogen Mission was recently announced by PM Modi during his Independence Day speech.
• India aims to become a net-zero carbon emitter by 2030. It also aims to achieve 450 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030. COP-26 summit is scheduled to be held in Glasgow in November.

Topic: Important Days

5. World Photography Day: 19 August

• World Photography Day is celebrated on August 19 every year around the world. It is celebrated to highlight the passion and skill of a photographer.
• It is observed to mark the invention of the photographic process Daguerreotype. It was developed by Frenchmen Louis Daguerre and Joseph Nicephore Niepce in 1837.
• On 19 August 1839, the French government purchased the patent of the Daguerreotype process.
• In 1861, Thoams Sutton had taken the first durable colour photograph. The first digital photograph was taken in 1957. Kodak’s invented the first digital camera.
• World Photography Day is dedicated to the art, craft, science, and history of photography.

Topic: Sports

6. India wins bronze medal in 4×400 meter event at World Athletics U-20 Championships.

• Indian mixed relay team has won a Bronze medal in a 4x400 meter event at the U20 World Championships.
• Barath Sridhar, Priya H Mohan, Summy, and Kapil were part of the Indian mixed relay team. They finished the race in 3:20.60s.
• Nigeria and Poland won the gold and silver medals with timings of 3:19.70s and 3:19.80s respectively.
• The 2021 edition of the World Athletics U20 Championship is being organized at the Nyayo Sports Complex in Nairobi.
• Earlier, Hima Das had won the gold medal in the women’s 400m in 2018 and Neeraj Chopra has won the gold medal in 2016 at the U20 Athletics World Championships.
• In javelin throw, Kunwer Ajai Singh Rana and Jay Kumar both qualified for the final.

Topic: Defence

7. India and Vietnam participated in a bilateral maritime exercise in South China Sea.

• India and Vietnam conducted a bilateral maritime exercise in the South China Sea.
• INS Ranvijay and INS Kora took part from the Indian side while VPNS Ly Thai To (HQ-012) participated from the Vietnam side.
• The main objective of this exercise is to consolidate the bond between the two navies. It is a step toward further strengthening of India-Vietnam defence relations.
• Both navies first took part in the harbour phase of the exercise then conducted the sea phase. Surface warfare exercises, weapon firing drills, and helicopter operations were part of the sea phase exercise.
• Defence ties between the two countries have increased in recent years. Training cooperation between both navies has increased over the years.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

8. Cabinet approves MoU between India and Bangladesh for Disaster Management.

• The Union Cabinet approved an MoU between India and Bangladesh for cooperation in the field of Disaster Management, Resilience, and Mitigation.
• In March 2021, the MoU was signed between the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of India and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief of Bangladesh.
• Under this MoU, efforts will be made to establish a system that will benefit India and Bangladesh's disaster management system.
• It will help in strengthening the areas of preparedness, response, and capacity building in the field of Disaster Management.
• Both countries agreed to support each other at any large-scale disaster.
• Both countries will conduct Joint Disaster Management Exercises and share the latest technologies and tools for Disaster management.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. Government notified RoDTEP Scheme Guidelines and rates.

• The government has notified the RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products) Scheme Guidelines and rates.
• RoDTEP rate will cover 8555 tariff lines. It will boost export and enhance the competitiveness of Indian products in the global markets.
• RoDTEP support will be available to eligible exporters at a notified rate as a percentage of Freight On Board (FOB) value.
• RoDTEP Scheme will be implemented by Customs through IT System. Under this scheme, a rebate will be issued in the form of transferable duty credit/ electronic scrip (e-scrip).
• Marine, Agriculture, Leather, Gems & Jewellery and Textile Industry have been covered under this scheme.
• India has set a target to achieve $400 billion of merchandise exports in FY22.

Topic: Important Days

10. World Humanitarian Day: 19 August

• Every year World Humanitarian Day is observed on 19 August. It is dedicated to people who have sacrificed their lives for humanitarian causes.
• It is observed to mark the death anniversary of Sergio Vieira de Mello, Special Representative of the Secretary-General. He was killed in Iraq on 19 August 2003.
• In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had adopted 19 August as World Humanitarian Day.
• The theme of this year’s World Humanitarian Day is “TheHumanRace”. It is based on the need for climate action for the world’s most vulnerable people.

Topic: National News

11. Union Education Minister inaugurated Centre for Research & Innovation in Artificial Intelligence at IIT-Hyderabad.

• A Centre for Research & Innovation in Artificial Intelligence at IIT-Hyderabad has been inaugurated by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
• He also inaugurated the first Academic Building of the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgical Engineering, High-Performance Computing Centre, and High-Resolution Electron Microscopy Facility.
• IIT-Hyderabad and Honeywell Technology solutions had signed an agreement to establish an artificial intelligence lab and conduct joint research in AI.
• High-Performance Computing Centre facility of 650 teraflops will fulfill the demand of computing for scientific and engineering research.
• The High-Resolution Electron Microscopy facility is India’s first cold-field emitter TEM operated at 200 kV. It is a multipurpose microscope equipped with EDX and STEM detectors.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

12. Indian government approved ratification of Kigali Amendment to Montreal Protocol.

• Under the chairmanship of PM Modi, the Union Cabinet has given its approval for ratification of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer for phase down of Hydroflurocarbons (HFCs).
• The National Strategy for Phase down of Hydrofluorocarbons will be developed by 2023 after necessary consultation with all industry stakeholders as per the Phase Down Schedule applicable to India.
• Under Montreal Protocol, 99% of the Ozone Depleting Substances have been phased out.
• Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol that aims at phasing down HFCs can avoid up to 0.4° C rise in the Earth’s temperature.
• Benefits:
  • The HFCs phasedown will prevent greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The industry, which is producing and consuming hydrofluorocarbons, will phase out hydrofluorocarbons.

Topic: MoUs/Agreeements

13. Ministry of Tourism, MakeMyTrip(India) Private Limited, and Ibibo Group Private Limited have signed an MoU.

• The Ministry of Tourism has signed an agreement with MakeMyTrip (India) Private Limited and Ibibo Group Private Limited to strengthen the Hospitality & Tourism Industry.
• The Ministry of Tourism has already partnered with Easy My Trip, Clear Trip, and Yatra.com.
• The aim of the MoU is to give wide visibility to those housing units, those who have self-certified themselves on SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness & Training for the Hospitality Industry) on the OTA platform.
• The MoU also outlines both parties to encourage Units to register on NIDHI and thereby on SAATHI and encourage local tourism Industry with appropriate safeguards for curbing spread of COVID-19.
• The Ministry of Tourism and Quality Council of India (QCI) organized the event for implementing measures for strengthening the Indian Hospitality & Tourism Industry.

(Source: PIB)