Daily Current Affairs and GK | 31 July 2022

Topic: Indian Polity

1. Government has decided to make amendments to Cantonments Act, 2006.

• The government has proposed amendments to the Cantonments Act, 2006.
• The amendment in the act will incorporate provisions for more democratisation of Cantonment Boards including direct election of Vice-President.
• The government is working on a framework for cutting out civil areas of certain Cantonments and merging them with neighbouring municipalities.
• This will bring uniformity to local governance and improve the ease of living for citizens.
• The elections of Cantonment Boards are likely to be held soon.
• Cantonment Board is an administrative body under the Ministry of Defence.
• Cantonments Act, 2006: It has provisions for the administration and governance of notified cantonments in the Country.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

2. National Conference on Drug Trafficking and National Security held in Chandigarh.

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the National Conference on Drug Trafficking and National Security.
• The Chief Ministers of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab and the Administrator of Chandigarh participated in the conference.
• Officers from the Border Security Force, National Investigation Agency and Narcotics Control Bureau also participated in the conference.
• On 1 June, NCB started the drug disposal campaign and disposed of over 51,217 kg of narcotics till 29 July.
• On the occasion of the 75^th anniversary of Independence, Narcotics Control Bureau has taken the pledge to destroy 75,000 kg of drugs.
• Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 prohibit a person from the production/manufacturing/cultivation, and consumption of any narcotic drug.
• Narcotics Control Bureau is responsible for tracking illegal drug trafficking and the implementation of international drug laws. Satya Narayan Pradhan is the Director-General of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Topic: Sports

3. Sanket Mahadev Sargar wins India's first medal at Commonwealth Games 2022.

• Sanket Sargar bagged the silver medal in the men's 55kg weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games 2022.
• He lifted a total of 248kg (snatch- 113 kg and clean and jerk - 143 kg) in the men’s 55kg weightlifting finals.
• In February this year, he had broken the commonwealth and national record by lifting a total of 256 kg at the Singapore Weightlifting International Championships.
• Malaysia’s Bin Kasdan Mohamad Aniq won gold by lifting a total of 249 kg.
• Sri Lanka's Dilanka Isuru Kumara Yodage won bronze in the men's 55kg weightlifting.

Topic: Miscellaneous

4. Government named Point 5140 in Dras sector as Gun Hill.

• To mark the victory of the Indian Armed Forces during Operation Vijay, Point 5140 at Dras in the Kargil sector has been named Gun Hill.
• Point 5140 was the key factor in the early completion of 'Operation Vijay' during the Kargil war.
• Operation Vijay was undertaken in the month of May – July 1999 to evict insurgents supported by the Pakistani army from high outposts in the Kargil sector.
• After a nearly three-month battle, the Indian Army declared the successful conclusion of 'Operation Vijay' on July 26, 1999.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

5. United Arab Emirates will be the venue for the Asia Cup 2022 instead of Sri Lanka.

• The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced the UAE will replace Sri Lanka as the venue for the Asia cup.
• The announcement came due to the ongoing political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka.
• But, Sri Lanka will host the tournament, which will be played from August 27 to September 11.
• Asia Cup 2022 will be the 15^th edition of the Asia Cup cricket tournament.
• NOTE:
  • Asian Cricket Council was established in 1983 to promote goodwill among Asian countries.
  • The first Asia Cup was held in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in 1984.
  • With seven titles (six ODIs and one T20 International), India is the most successful team in the tournament.

Topic: Personality in News

6. Nobel Peace Prize winner David Trimble passed away at the age of 77.

• Trimble played a crucial role in the negotiations of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998.
• The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 largely ended 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland that killed 3,500 people.
• David Trimble won the award in 1998 along with his Republican counterpart John Hume.
• After the 1998 agreement, he served as the First Minister of Northern Ireland.