Daily Current Affairs and GK | 2 August 2023

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

1. Single-pill strategy can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

• The WHO has revised its Model Lists of Essential Medications (EML) 2023 by including three fixed-dose combinations of cardiovascular medications or polypills for use in primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases.
• Salim Yusuf, cardiologist and researcher at McMaster University, worked for more than two decades to prove that polypills are a safe and effective strategy to reduce the future risk of heart attacks and strokes.
• In early 2000, Dr. Yusuf and his co-researchers, N.J. Wald and M.R. Law proposed that a polypill which is a combination of two or more blood pressure-lowering drugs plus a statin and aspirin could significantly reduce the risk of future heart attacks and strokes.
• Since then, many researchers have worked independently to formulate different polypills and conduct large trials.
• They demonstrated that the polypill can reduce the risk of future heart attacks and strokes by about 40% to 50%.
• The three versions of the Indian Polycap Study (TIPS) could reduce heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart attacks by 40%.
• The WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines noted the evidence from large randomised-controlled trials and found that the use of the polypill reduces risks of cardiovascular events.
• The polypill treatment is a low-cost public health intervention, which can prevent deaths due to cardiovascular disease every year.

Topic: Indian Economy

2. Core industries output in June 2023 reached a 5-month high level at 8.2%.

• This was higher than the 5% growth recorded in core industries output in May 2023.
• However, this was lower than the 13.1% growth recorded in core industries output in June 2022.
• Seven out of eight core industries recorded positive growth.
• These seven core industries are Coal, Natural Gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity.
• Only the crude oil sector recorded negative growth. It contracted marginally at 0.6%.
• Core sector output growth was 5.8% for April-June 2023. It was 13.9% in April-June 2022.
• Core industries output grew 7.6% in fiscal 2022-23. This was less than the 10.4% growth in the previous fiscal.
• The final growth rate of core industries for March 2023 has been revised upwards to 4.2%.
• Both Steel and Cement sectors performed well in June 2023.
• Steel and Cement sectors recorded double-digit growth rates of 12.2% and 15.9%, respectively in April-June 2023.

Topic: Sports

3. Cristiano Ronaldo has broken the 42-year-old record created by Germany’s Gerd Muller. 

• Ronaldo scored his 145th headed goal. Ronaldo became the highest goalscorer through headers. This was Ronaldo’s 839th career goal.
• Ronaldo achieved the feat while playing against US Monastir in the Arab Championships Club.
• Ronaldo was playing for Al Nassr in the Arab Championships Club at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.
• Al-Nassr won the match by 4-1. Ronaldo has surpassed Gerd Muller's record of 144 headers.
• Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese professional footballer. Al Nassr is a Saudi Arabian professional football club based in Riyadh.

Topic: National News

4. Geographical Indications Registry in Chennai has given GI tag to seven products from across India.

• These products include four different crafts from Rajasthan.
• The names of all the seven products are given in the next table.

• Mankurad mango is also known as malcorada, cardozo mankurad, corado, and Goa mankur.
• The fruit was named malcorada by the Portuguese. Malcorada means ‘poor coloured’. With time, it became mankurad aamo (mango) in Konkani.
• Bebinca is also known as the ‘queen of Goan desserts’. It is a traditional Indo-Portuguese pudding.
• Jalesar Dhatu Shilp is made by over 1,200 small units at Jalesar in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district.
• Jalesar Dhatu Shilp includes ghungrus (anklets), ghantis (bells) and other decorative metal craft and brassware.
• These products are made by the Thatheras community, which lives in a mohalla (locality) called Hathuras.
• Bikaner Kashidakari Craft is created on cotton, silk or velvet. It is created with a variety of fine stitches and mirror-work.
• It is created mainly for objects associated with marriage, especially gift items. The mirrors are believed to repel the ‘evil eye’.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. ULLAS mobile application launched by the government to promote basic literacy.

• Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam 2023 has been inaugurated by PM Modi in New Delhi on the 3rd anniversary of NEP 2020.
• On this occasion, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the logo, slogan-Jan Jan Sakshar, and mobile application of “ULLAS: Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram.”
• ULLAS mobile application is a significant step towards harnessing the potential of technology to make basic literacy widely accessible.
• With user-friendly and interactive features, the app will act as a digital gateway for learners to engage with various learning resources through the DIKSHA portal of NCERT.
• ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) initiative is set to revolutionize the education sector across the country by bridging the gap between basic literacy and critical life skills and fostering a learning ecosystem accessible to every individual.
• The program equips citizens aged 15 years and above with basic education, digital and financial literacy and important life skills who have lost the opportunity to attend school.
• It is being implemented through volunteerism.

Topic: National News

6. India’s first Indigenously developed MRI Scanner has been launched by Union Minister Jitendra Singh in New Delhi.

• On 1 August, India’s first Indigenously developed, Affordable, lightweight, Ultrafast, High Field (1.5 Tesla), Next Generation Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner has been launched.
• It will also reduce the capital investment in purchasing MRI scanners from the international market to a great extent, due to which a lot of foreign exchange will also be saved.
• VoxelGrids Innovations Pvt Ltd under National Biopharma Mission has developed a complete (compact), lightweight, next-generation MRI scanner to address the unmet need of the country.
• Out of the Rs 17 crore spent to develop the world-class MRI, Rs 12 crore was provided by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) through the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
• 70% of the world's population does not have access to the diagnostic method of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).
• Access to MRI scanners is typically less than 3 times that of other imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), X-ray, and ultrasound.
• This is because of its extremely high capital cost which is a problem in developing countries like India.
• The National Biopharma Mission (NBM), of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), was implemented by BIRAC.
• It is playing a pivotal role in accelerating India’s technological and product development capabilities in vaccines, and biotherapeutics including biosimilars, medical devices, and diagnostics.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Environment and Ecology

7. Centre has merged the Project Tiger division with Project Elephant.

• After the merger, a new division has been created under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• The name of the new division is ‘Project Tiger and Elephant Division’.
• Since its inception, the Project Elephant division had been with the Wildlife Division of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• The staff as well as divisional heads of Project Elephant (PE) will now be reporting to the additional director general of forests (ADGF), Project Tiger (PT).
• ADGF (PT) has now been designated as ADGF (PT&E).
• Inspector General Forests and Project Director, Project Elephant, will be the divisional head of the PT&E division.
• Inspector General Forests and Project Director, Project Elephant, will be reporting to the ADGF (PT&E).
• ADGF (PT&E) is also the member secretary of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).
• As per the wildlife activists, PM Modi should look into such decisions of the Environment Ministry. PM Modi is also the chairman of the National Board for Wildlife.
• According to Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Kumar Pushkar, since the two species share the same habitat and are at the top of the carnivorous and herbivorous families, the benefits for one would percolate to the other. 

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

8. India will host the 5th World Coffee Conference (WCC) in Bengaluru.

• India would host WCC for the first time in Asia. WCC will be held from September 25 to 28.
• Tennis player Rohan Bopanna has been declared as brand ambassador for WCC 2023.
• The central theme of the conference is "Sustainabilty through Circular Economy and Regenerative Agriculture".
• The event will be jointly organised by the Coffee Board, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and ICO.
• Producers, exporters, policymakers and researchers from 80-plus countries would participate in WCC 2023.
• WCC 2023 is promoted by the International Coffee Organization (ICO).
• WCC was earlier held in London (2001), Brazil (2005), Guatemala (2010), and Ethiopia (2016).
• International Coffee Organization is a body set up in 1963 under the auspices of the United Nations. It is headquartered in London, UK.
• Coffee is the largest traded commodity in the world. Karnataka solely accounts for over 70% of the country’s total coffee production. It is followed by Kerala with 21% and Tamil Nadu (5%).

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. Government has set a fresh target of 63 lakh loans for street vendors.

• The Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has set a target of disbursing 63 lakh new loans to street vendors in less than six months till December 2023.
• Since the launch of the scheme, 50 lakh loans to 39 lakh beneficiaries have been disbursed.
• The Pradhan Mantri Street Vendors Atmanirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) was launched in 2020. Under this scheme, a small capital of Rs 10000 is provided to street vendors.
• It was launched during the Covid Pandemic to provide support to street vendors with small working capital loans of Rs 10,000 each.
• At the time of the launch of the scheme, the target was set to cover 50 lakh people.
• As per the new target, 60,99,000 first-term loans will be granted in big states, 34,990 loans will be granted in small states and UTs and 166200 loans will be disbursed in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and the Northeast.
• Union Minister Manoj Joshi said that the target for second-term loans is 22.63 lakh beneficiaries, which is up to Rs 20,000 loan per person. It will be given to those who have paid off the first loans.
• 2.93 lakh is the target for the third-term loans. Under this, Rs 50,000 will be given to those who have paid the second-term loans.
• In April 2022, the Cabinet extended the scheme’s lending period until December 2024.

(Source: PM SVANidhi Website)

Topic: Personality in News

10. Former Speaker of Kerala Assembly Vakkom Purushothaman passed away in Thiruvananthapuram

• Former Legislative speaker and senior Congress leader Vakkom Purushothaman passed away at the age of 95.
• He was elected to Kerala Assembly five times from the Attingal Assembly constituency and became a minister thrice.
• He was the longest-served Speaker of the Kerala assembly. He was the speaker of Kerala assembly from 1982 to 1984 and again from 2001 to 2004.
• He was also elected twice to the Lok Sabha from Alappuzha constituency.
• He also served as the 6th Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 1993 to 1996.
• He was the Governor of Mizoram from 2011 to 2014 and also served as Governor of Tripura for two months in 2014.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/ Jammu and Kashmir

11. First-ever floating store will be opened by Amazon India on Srinagar’s Dal Lake.

• As part of its last-mile delivery program "I Have Space", Amazon India announced its first floating store on Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir on 27 July.
• The store will be open on a houseboat and will provide deliveries to its customers every day in Srinagar.
• Murtaza Khan Kashi, owner of houseboat Selec Town, will deliver packages to customers every day at the doorstep of their houseboats.
• This will provide faster and more reliable delivery to customers across Srinagar, provide opportunities for small businesses and strengthen Amazon's delivery network.
• The 'I Have Space' program was launched in 2015.
• The program has 28,000 local and Kirana partners across approximately 420 towns and cities in India.
• It partners with local shops and small businesses to deliver products within a 2 to 4-kilometer radius.

Topic: Important Days

12. World Lung Cancer Day 2023: 1 August

• Every year on 1 August, World Lung Cancer Day is observed.
• It is observed to raise awareness about lung cancer and its early detection.
• In 2012, it was first observed by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies in association with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and the American College of Chest Physicians.
• The number of cancer cases in India may increase from 1.46 million in 2022 to 1.57 million in 2025.
• In 2020, about 1.8 million people died from lung cancer, which is almost double the number of cancer deaths due to colorectal cancer.
• The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization has marked November as Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
• The IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) is the largest organization to deal with lung cancer.
• Lung cancer is a preventable disease if it is detected in an early stage.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National News

13. Government released a draft of the National Deep Tech Startup Policy.

• The draft of the National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) has been released by the government for consultation.
• It is a nine-point program for creating a supporting ecosystem for the Deep Tech startup sector.
• It is very crucial for enhancing India's capability and global competitiveness.
• A deep tech startup comprises early-stage technologies based on scientific or engineering advancements. These have not yet been developed for any commercial application.
• The draft policy has been prepared by the National Consortium and Working Group formed by the Prime Minister's Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).
• It has received inputs from more than 200 stakeholders from within and outside the deep tech startup ecosystem.
• The draft of the National Deep Tech Startup Policy has been released by the office of the principal scientific advisor to the government.
• The draft suggested changes in nine policy areas, which are given below:
  • Nurturing research, development and innovation
  • Strengthening the intellectual Property Regime
  • Facilitating access to funding
  • Enabling shared infrastructure and resource sharing
  • Creating conducive regulations, standards, and certifications
  • Attracting human resources and initiating capacity building
  • Promoting procurement and adoption
  • Ensuring policy and program interlinkages
  • Sustaining deep tech startups

Topic: Important Days

14. World Wide Web Day 2023: 1 August

• World Wide Web Day is celebrated every year on 1 August.
• It is observed to commemorate the introduction of the World Wide Web (www).
• The World Wide Web was first made available to the public on 1 August 1991. It was introduced by Tim Berners-Lee.
• In 1989, Berners-Lee had presented a proposal for a "distributed information system" for sharing and updating information between scientists at CERN.
• The first web browser, World Wide Web (later renamed Nexus), was developed by Berners-Lee and his colleague Robert Cailliau
• The first website of the world went live on 6 August 1991.