Daily Current Affairs and GK | 3 July 2020

1. The Defense Procurement Council approved the purchase of defense equipment worth Rs 38,900 crore.

• In a recent Defense Procurement Council meeting, approval has been approved for the purchase of equipment worth Rs 38,900 crore required for the Indian military forces.
• The Defense Procurement Council meeting, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, emphasized on indigenously designing and developing products in the country.
• This purchase consists mainly of four equipments -
  • Fighter jet MIG-29
  • Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft
  • Indigeneously developed Pinaka Rocket System
  • Long range land attack missile and ASTRA
• The purchase of new and additional missile systems will increase the strength of the three forces.

(Source: The Hindu)

2. Drug Discovery Hackathon 2020 launched.

• Recently Drug Discovery Hackathon 2020 has been launched.
• It has been jointly launched by Human Resource Development Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan.
• This is an online competition.
• This is a national initiative to aid in the drug discovery process.
• This competition offers opportunities to professionals, researchers and students from all over the world to attract international talent.
• The Human Resource Development Innovation Cell and AICTE will focus on identifying potential drug molecules through Hackathon.
• In addition, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research will send these molecules for synthesis and laboratory testing.

(Source: News on AIR)

3. Russian President Vladimir Putin will remain President of Russia until 2036.

• Having won a nationwide vote on the recent changes to the Russian constitution, Putin has ensured his office by 2036.
• In this referendum held last week, Mr. Putin has been allowed to serve as President for a term of two and six years after 2024.
• 76.24% of the citizens voted in favor of Mr. Putin in this referendum.
• Russia:
  • Russia is an intercontinental country located in Eastern Europe and North Asia.
  • Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of area, with a total area of ​​about 17 million square kilometers.
  • The capital of Russia is Moscow and the currency is the Russian ruble.

(Source: News on AIR)

4. Tamil Nadu government announced a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 for junior lawyers for two years.

• Recently the Tamil Nadu government has announced a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 for junior lawyers for two years.
• The purpose of this stipend is to help junior lawyers overcome their financial difficulties.
• The government has said that this help is necessary because it takes three to four years for a fresher to practice as an independent lawyer.
• The Bar Council of Tamil Nadu had been demanding stipend for a long time.
• The Tamil Nadu government has also been implementing an advocate welfare scheme for over three decades.
• Under this scheme, on the death of the advocates, seven lakh rupees are being given to their families.
• Now as an additional measure, young advocates will also be given Rs 3000 monthly for the next two years.

(Source: News on AIR)

5. World famous Shravani Mela postponed in Deoghar, Jharkhand due to COVID-19 pandemic

• Due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, it has been decided to postpone the world famous Shravani Mela in Deoghar, Jharkhand.
• This decision was taken by Chief Minister Hemant Soren as it is a big challenge before the government to organize such a huge fair between COVID-19.
• Godda MP Nishikant Dubey has challenged this decision of the government in the Jharkhand High Court.
• Deoghar:
  • Deoghar is a holy city on the banks of the Mayurakshi River in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand.
  • The ancient Baba Baidyanath temple complex is an important Hindu pilgrimage site.
  • Every year a large number of devotees visit in the month of Sawan.
• Jharkhand:
  • It is an eastern state of India. It was carved out of Bihar on 15 November 2000.
  • Its capital is Ranchi.
  • The Governor is Draupadi Murmu and Chief Minister is Hemant Soren.
  • The state has 14 Lok Sabha and 81 assembly seats.

(Source: News on AIR)

6. Inauguration of country's first plasma bank in New Delhi.

• Recently, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurated the country's first plasma bank in New Delhi.
• The facility has been set up at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi.
• This plasma bank will remove barriers to patients receiving plasma therapy.
• On this occasion, Kejriwal appealed to people to come forward to donate plasma in large numbers.
• Only those who were previously infected with the coronavirus and are now cured can donate plasma.
• Delhi is one of the first few states approved by ICMR to test plasma treatment for Covid-19, which is still in the testing phase.

(Source: News on AIR)

7. IIT Kanpur developed Mobile Masterjee, classroom-to-home learning setup.

• Recently IIT Kanpur has developed Mobile Masterjee, classroom-to-home learning setup.
• It can record lectures or instructions by teachers using smart phones.
• Covid-19 has brought the classroom teaching system to a standstill. Students are most affected by this in rural India. This classroom-to-home learning setup has been developed to solve this problem.
• The product is lightweight and has adjustments to fit and book a sheet to instruct children.
• The Mobile Masterjee can focus on the entire recording setup, making the online class a comfortable home environment.

(Source: News on AIR)

8. Eminent Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan died due to Cardiac arrest.

• Recently, famous Bollywood choreographer Saroj Khan died at the age of 71 years due to a Cardiac arrest.
• In a career spanning over four decades, Saroj Khan choreographed over 2000 songs.
• She learned dance while working under the film choreographer B Sohanlal.
• She was awarded the National Award thrice.
• She was the most successful choreographer of Bollywood.

(Source: News on AIR)

9. Lepidopterists discovered two new species of butterflies in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Recently Lepidopterists have discovered two new species of butterflies in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The names of these species are-
  • Striped Hairstreak
  • Elusive Prince
• Striped hairstreak was first recorded by Japanese entomologists in Hainan Province, China.
• The Elusive Prince belongs to Vietnam, and is believed to belong to the Black Prince type found in the Eastern Himalayas.
• Apart from these two butterflies, a non-venomous snake, the Assam Keelback, has also been rediscovered from the Gelling area of ​​Arunachal Pradesh after a record 129 years.

(Source: The Hindu)

10. Researchers from Kerala and Pune discovered a rare plant species called Globba andersonii from the Sikkim Himalayas.

• Recently researchers from Kerala and Pune have discovered a rare plant species called Globba andersonii from the Sikkim Himalayas.
• This species has been found near the Teesta River Valley region after a gap of about 136 years.
• In 1875, the British botanist Sir George King collected it from the Sikkim Himalayas.
• This plant is commonly known as dancing ladies or Swan’s flower.
• In IUCN's Red List, it is listed as critically endangered.
• This plant usually grows on a rocky slope in the outskirts of evergreen forests in the form of a lithophyte, plant growing on bare rock or stone.

(Source: The Hindu)