Daily Current Affairs and GK | 24 and 25 July 2022

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

1. WHO declared Monkeypox a global health emergency.

• WHO has declared the monkeypox outbreak a global emergency due to more than 16,000 cases have been reported from 75 countries, and five deaths in Africa.
• A global health emergency is the highest alert issued by WHO.
• Currently, there are other two health emergencies- the coronavirus pandemic and the effort to eradicate polio.
• Europe is the global centre of the outbreak, where 80 percent of cases have been reported.
• India’s fourth case of monkeypox has been confirmed in Delhi. The three earlier cases were found in Kerala.
• Monkeypox:
  • It is a viral infection that transmits from animals to humans. Its first case was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family of Poxviridae.
  • It spreads through close contact with someone having monkeypox rashes.
  • Fever, headaches, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes are the common symptoms of Monkeypox.
  • It can cause death in people having weak immune systems.

Topic: Sports

2. 1^st Khelo India Fencing Women’s League begins in New Delhi.

• The 1^st Khelo India Fencing Women’s League is scheduled to be held at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi from 25-29 July.
• It is the first-of-its-kind national fencing competition for women and will be held in three phases.
• Around 300 women from 12 states will participate in the event. Bhavani Devi will also take part in the league in the senior category Sabre event.
• Epee, Foil and Sabre are the three types of weapons used in fencing.
• Fencing was started in India with the foundation of the Fencing Association of India in 1974.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

3. Neeraj Chopra won a silver medal in the javelin throw event at the World Athletics Championships.

• He created history by becoming the first Indian to win a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships.
• With a best throw of 88.13 meters, Chopra finished second in the competition held in the United States.
• Anderson Peters of Grenada won the gold medal with a throw of 90.54 metres.
• Former player Anju Bobby George won a bronze medal in the long jump in 2003 in Paris.
• Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian male and the second Indian to win a medal at the World Championships.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

4. Indian Sports Authority launched a new initiative "Create for India" campaign to cheer for Team India.

• A total of 215 Indian athletes representing 16 different sports will compete at the Commonwealth Games 2022 (XXII Commonwealth Games), which is beginning on July 28 in Birmingham.
• By July 26, 2022, participants can submit their creative entries using the hashtags #create4India and #cheer4India.
• The 2018 Commonwealth Games was organized in Gold Coast Queensland, Australia.
• Host nation Australia topped in the event, and England and India finished second and third, respectively.
• India participated in the Commonwealth Games for the first time after independence in 1954.
• Commonwealth Games:
  • It is a multi-sports event for commonwealth countries.
  • It is organized every four years.
  • The first Commonwealth Games was organized in 1930.
  • The event is overseen by Commonwealth Games Federation.
  • Australian state of Victoria will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. NIRMAN Accelerator Program launched by IIT Kanpur's incubation center.

• The NIRMAN Accelerator Program has been launched by the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC), IIT Kanpur technology business incubator, in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology.
• This program will help manufacturing startups in healthcare and agriculture overcome prototype-to-market challenges.
• Under the program, 15 startups will be selected and will have the opportunity to accelerate the transition of their product from the lab to the market.
• The best performing startup in a group of 15 startups will get a cash prize of up to ₹10 lakh.
• The program has started accepting applications and will run till August 5.
• The 6-month-long program will be devised into four segments:
  • Principles of product growth
  • Engineering acceleration
  • Navigating the compliance puzzle
  • Leading to next-stage growth

Topic: Defence

6. Japan Maritime Self Defence Force and Indian Navy conducted Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) in the Andaman Sea.

• INS Sukanya, an offshore patrol vessel, and JS Samidare, a Murasem-class destroyer, carried out seamanship activities, aircraft operations and tactical maneuvers.
• In order to strengthen their maritime association, both countries conduct exercises regularly in Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• The aim of the exercise was to enhance interoperability and streamline seamanship and communication procedures.
• Both navies are ongoing efforts together to ensure safe and secure international trade in the Indian Ocean region as part of this exercise.
• India-Japan maritime bilateral exercise, JIMEX, between the Indian Navy (IN) and the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) began in January 2012.
• The previous exercise was conducted in the Arabian Sea from 6 to 8 October in 2021.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Important Days

7. Income Tax Day: 24 July

• CBDT and all its field offices across the country observed the 163^rd anniversary of Income Tax Day on 24 July 2022.
• Finance Minister complimented Income Tax Department for having achieved the highest ever revenue collection of over 14 lakh crore in the last fiscal (FY 2021-22).
• On 24 July 1860, Sir James Wilson introduced income tax in India to compensate the British government for the losses incurred at the time of the First War of Independence in 1857.
• In 2010, Income Tax Department decided to mark 24 July as Income Tax Day.
• Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT):
  • It is a statutory body under the Central Revenue Act, 1963. It is the administrative body of the Income Tax department.
  • It deals with matters related to levy and collection of direct taxes like personal income tax, corporate tax, etc.
  • CBDT is headed by Chairman and comprises six members. Its headquarters are in New Delhi.
  • Current Chairperson: Nitin Gupta

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News/Uttar Pradesh

8. UP government has appointed Deloitte India (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India) as a consultant.

• The government has done so to achieve the target of making the state a $1-trillion economy.
• Deloitte India quoted a bid price of Rs 120 crore. Boston Consulting Group and Grand Thorton were other participants in the bid.
• UP agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi said the consultant will provide us with a mission and departmental reforms will be done accordingly.
• UP’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in 2020-21, in nominal terms, was Rs 17.2 trillion.
• The consultant will critically analyse the macro and micro-economic sectoral data around GSDP, trade, investment, expenditure, savings, inflation, import & export, etc to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the economy of Uttar Pradesh.

Topic: State News/ Jharkhand

9. CM Hemant Soren launched the new Jharkhand Tourism Policy 2021.

• The policy includes up-gradation of existing Tourist Information Centers and will cater needs of tourists like reservations and accommodations.
• The new policy proposes a single-window system for licenses, incentives and subsidies.
• This policy will promote eco-tourism by developing various eco-circuits like the Latehar-Netarhat-Betla-Chandil-Dalma-Mirchaiya-Getalsud circuit.
• It will also promote cultural and rural tourism along with adventure and wellness tourism.
• A Tourist security force will be deployed for tourists and a Central Control Room will be also established.
• The tourism policy has been designed to promote rural tourism and the local economy.

Important tourist places in Jharkhand are given below:

Topic: Space and IT

10. China launched the second module of its permanent space station.

• China started the space station construction in April 2021 with the launch of the Tianhe module.
• China has launched the second of the three modules of its permanent space station. Wentian laboratory module has been launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center.
• Wentian laboratory module is 17.9 metres (59 feet) long, it will be a place where astronauts will carry out scientific experiments.
• It will also be used as short-term living quarters for astronauts during crew rotations.
• The last module Mengtian (“Dreaming of the Heavens”) is expected to be launched in October.
• The space station, Tiangong, would be China’s first self-developed space station. It will be in a T shape with the core module at the centre and a lab capsule on each side.

Topic: Banking System

11. RBI imposed restrictions on four cooperative banks due to their deteriorating financial positions.

• The four banks being kept under restrictions by the RBI are Saibaba Janata Sahakari Bank in Maharashtra, The Suri Friends Union Co-operative Bank Ltd in West Bengal, and United India Co-operative Bank Limited and National Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd in Uttar Pradesh.
• As per the RBI instruction, a depositor of Saibaba Janata Sahakari Bank cannot withdraw more than 20,000 rupees from the bank.
• The withdrawal limit for ‘The Suri Friends' Union Co-operative Bank’ consumers is 50,000 rupees and for the National Urban Co-operative Bank is 10,000 rupees per customer.
• These banks will continue to do banking business with restrictions till their financial position improves.
• RBI has issued directions under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which will remain in force for six months.
• RBI has also imposed a ₹ 57.75 lakh penalty on Suryoday Small Finance Bank for violation of norms.

Topic: New Developments

12. National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) developed indigenous technology for converting seawater to potable water.

• NIOT, an autonomous institute of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, has developed Low-Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology for converting seawater to potable water.
• The maximum capacity of each LTTD plant is of producing 1 Lakh litre of potable water per day.
• The Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology was successfully demonstrated in Lakshadweep islands.
• Union Territory Lakshadweep is planning to set up six more LTTD plants. The LTTD technology is suitable for Lakshadweep islands due to the temperature difference of seawater.
• The cost of a desalination plant depends upon different factors such as technology used, location of the plant, etc.
• National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT):
  • It was established in 1993 as an autonomous society.
  • Its aim is to develop indigenous technologies to solve various engineering problems.
  • It is located in Chennai.

Topic: Indian Polity

13. Lok Sabha passed Indian Antarctic Bill 2022 to bring Indian research stations under the ambit of domestic laws.

• Indian Antarctic Bill 2022 is the first legislation to bring the Indian research stations of the Antarctic region under Indian laws.
• The Bill extends the domestic laws to research stations set up by India in the Antarctic region. Maitri and Bharti are the two research stations of India in the Antarctic region.
• The bill will expand the jurisdiction of Indian courts for offences committed by Indian nationals, or foreign nationals who are part of Indian expeditions, in the Antarctic region.
• The bill has also a provision to constitute a fund for the welfare of Antarctic research work and the protection of the environment of the Antarctic region.
• The bill prohibits drilling, dredging, excavation or collection of mineral resources on the Antarctica continent.
• It also prohibits the introduction of any non-native animals, birds, or plants in the region. The bill has provisions for penalties for the violation of regulations.

Topic: State News/ Gujarat

14. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched e-FIR system in Gandhinagar.

• The e-FIR system will enable citizens to file FIRs online for vehicle and mobile thefts.
• Through this online service, citizens can file complaints either through the citizen's portal or a mobile application.
• e-FIR service has been linked with the Gujarat state police CCTV command and control centre.
• He also inaugurated a State-Level Command and Control Centre of Gujarat Police ‘Trinetra’.
• He also flagged off vehicles of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit at Police Bhawan in Gandhinagar.
• He also inaugurated the newly built Mid-Day Meal kitchen for students under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Yojana.