Daily Current Affairs and GK | 4 and 5 August 2024

Topic: Personality in News

1. Veteran Bharatanatyam dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy died at the age of 84.

• Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi dancer Yamini Krishnamurthy died at the age of 84.
• She was suffering from age-related issues and was in the ICU for the last seven months.
• Yamini Krishnamurthy was born on December 20, 1940 in Madanapalli in Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district.
• She started dancing at the age of five at the Kalakshetra School of Dance in Chennai.
• Yamini Krishnamurthy was also trained in Carnatic vocals and the veena.
• She received Padma Shri in 1968, Padma Bhushan in 2001 and Padma Vibhushan in 2016.
• She was also conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1977.
• She set up her own dance training institute, Yamini School of Dance, in Hauz Khas in New Delhi.

Topic: National Appointments

2. Daljit Singh takes additional charge of Director General BSF.

• Daljit Singh Chawdhary has assumed the additional charge of Director General of Border Security Force.
• He is a 1990 batch officer of the Indian Police Service, Uttar Pradesh cadre.
• During his carrer, he has served in different capacities in Uttar Pradesh and also has served ADG in Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and as SDG in Central Reserve Police Force.
• He is the winner of the four Gallantry medal the police medal for meritorious Service, and the President's police medal for distinguished service.
• He is the winner of 4 police medals for Gallantry, the police medal for meritorious Service, the President's police medal for distinguished service.
• Border Security Force (BSF):
  • It was founded on 1 December 1965.
  • It is responsible for guarding the India's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
  • ‘Jeevan Paryant Kartavya’ is the motto of the Border Security Force.
  • Its headquarters is located in New Delhi.
  • It works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Topic: Summit/Conference/Meeting

3. On 5 August, CDS General Anil Chauhan chaired the apex level tri-services financial conference in New Delhi.

• The aim of this conference was to enhance coherence and synergy in the financial matters of the Armed Forces.
• The conference attended by the Ministry of Defence, Controller General of Defence Accounts and other senior officials.
• The conference was coordinated by Headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff.
• This is in line with the objectives set for the ongoing drive for integration and jointness in the Armed Forces.
• During the conference, aspects like understanding the viewpoint of various stakeholders in defence finance and finding solutions to the challenges faced in defence procurement were discussed.

Topic: Summit/Conference/Meeting

4. On August 17, India is expected to host the third edition of the Voices of the Global South summit.

• The summit will focus on addressing key challenges, including climate change, the impact of conflicts, and development issues.
• This summit will be held in virtual mode.
• The summit will be chaired by PM Narendra Modi and ministerial level meetings will also be held.
• By hosting this Summit, India wishes to provide a platform for the countries of the Global South to share their perspectives, challenges and priorities on a common platform.
• The first edition of the 'Global South Summit' was held in January 2023, in the year of India's G20 presidency.
• The second edition of the summit took place in November 2023, following the New Delhi G20 Leaders' Summit in September.

Topic: Government Schemes and Intiatives

5. State-of-the-art web portal “Nivahika” launched by National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NIT-C).

• This is expected to revolutionise the way institutions manage and report on data.
• On August 2, NIT-C director Prasad Krishna inaugurated the portal, said, with Nivahika, we now have a reliable tool that ensures accuracy and consistency, aiding in everything from centre presentations to national rankings.
• The development of Nivahika was overseen by the office of the Dean (Planning & Development), with significant support from the Centre for Information Technology, Research and Automation, Computer Networking Centre and Central Computer Centre.
• The portal is designed for systematic and timely recording of key activities of various departments and multidisciplinary centres, to ensure that critical data is available at any time.
• Nivahika will streamline the availability of institutional data and also provide secure access to authorized personnel.

Topic: State News/ Rajasthan

6. On 3 August, the Cabinet of Rajasthan approved the formation of four joint venture companies in the energy industry.

• Formation of four joint venture companies with an investment of Rs 1.34 lakh crore has been approved.
• They will work on projects related to renewable and thermal power generation and transmission.
• The development of metro rail projects in the state was also approved by the state Cabinet, which was presided over by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma.
• Besides setting up of joint ventures for renewable and thermal power projects and power transmission projects, the Cabinet also approved the formation of an Infrastructure Investment Trust.
• As per the Metro Rail Policy 2017, the proposal for formation of a joint venture company between the Central Government and the State was approved.
• This joint venture will be for development, operation and implementation of current and future metro rail projects in Rajasthan.
• In these joint ventures, the share of state government companies will be 26% and the share of central government undertakings will be 74%.

Topic: State News/Haryana

7. Haryana government will procure all crops in the state at minimum support price (MSP).

• Chief Minister of Haryana Nayab Singh Saini said that the state government is presently procuring 14 crops at MSP.
• Additionally, the state government has decided to waive 133 crore rupees of unpaid "abiana" (canal water irrigation charges).
• Additionally, the government has decided to end the "abiana" system.
• An annual benefit of 54 crore rupees to farmers will result from this.
• The chief minister declared that farmers in Rohtak, Nuh, Fatehabad, and Sirsa who experienced crop damage due to natural calamity would receive pending compensation of 137 crore rupees within a week's time.
• According to him, farmers will now be able to purchase a three-star motor for new tubewell connections from anywhere in the nation.
• Only ten three-star motor firms are currently registered in the state.
• According to the Chief Minister, 40,000 positions in the government sector would be filled.

Topic: National News

8. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the transportation of human organs by different modes have been released by the Centre.

• The government has released SOPs for transportation modes like air, road, railways and waterways.
• These are the first-ever guidelines issued by centre on transporting organs.
• As per the SOP for air transportation, airlines that transport human organs are permitted to ask Air Traffic Control for priority takeoff and landing as well as arrange front-row seats.
• Additionally, they can ask for a priority reservation and a provision allowing medical staff transporting organs to check in later.
• As per the SOP, the source airport will inform and communicate with the destination airport to facilitate the arrival process.
• According to the guidelines, the flight captain may inform during the flight that human organs are being transported.
• According to the SOP, airport and airline personnel can arrange for trolleys to be used to transport the organ box from the aircraft to the ambulance upon arrival.
• Airport officials should designate a green corridor that is free from obstruction. 
• As per the SOP, the "One Trigger System"—that is, a request from the organ allocation authority to start the organ transport procedure by establishing green corridors—might be considered.
• In each state/city, a nodal officer from the police department can be appointed.
• This officer will handle issues related to the creation of "green corridor" for organ transport in the state/city.
• During transport, the organ box must be kept in the proper position and orientation (upright, straight, vertical, and 90 degrees to the surface).
• Similarly, government has issued SOPs to facilitate transport of organs by road, trains and through ports via shipping.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. Union Home Minister launched the e-Sakshya, Nyaya Setu, Nyaya Shruti and e-Summon App in Chandigarh.

• Union Home Minister launched the e-Sakshya, Nyaya Setu, Nyaya Shruti and e-Summon apps for the three new criminal laws in Chandigarh.
• He said Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) have an ethos of justice.
• Under e-Sakshya, all videography, photography and testimonies will be saved on the e-evidence server.
• Under the e-summon, all evidence will be sent electronically from the court to the police station and also to the person to whom the summons is to be sent.
• Police, medical, forensic, prosecution, and prisons will be interlinked on the Nyaay Setu Dashboard.
• The court will be able to hear witnesses through video conferencing through the Nyaay Shruti.
• Chandigarh is likely to be the first place to have 100% implementation of the new criminal laws.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Sports

10. Novak Djokovic won his first Olympic gold medal in Olympics.

• Novak Djokovic defeated Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) in men's tennis singles final.
• He already has a record of 24 Grand Slam titles.
• Novak Djokovic also became the oldest person to win a medal at the Olympics.
• Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams are the only players to win all four Grand Slam tournaments and Olympic singles gold.
• Lorenzo Musetti defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime to win the bronze medal. He became the first person to win medal in tennis in last 100 years.

Topic: National Appointment

11. Grinson George has been appointed Director of CMFRI.

• He was former head of Marine Biodiversity and Environmental Management Division at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).
• He has also held the position of Senior Programme Specialist at the Dhaka-based South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.
• Dr. George is a fisheries researcher with more than 20 years of experience.
• He is knowledgeable on climate change, remote sensing, marine biodiversity, environmental management, fisheries oceanography, and resource management.
• On 3 February 1947, ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute was established under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare by the Government of India and later joined the ICAR family in 1967.
• CMFRI is headquartered in Kochi, Kerala. 

Topic: Important Days

12. Indian Organ Donation Day 2024: 3 August

• On 3 August, the 14th Indian Organ Donation Day was observed across the country.
• To celebrate this day, National Organ & Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organized an organ donation awareness program in New Delhi.
• On this occasion, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel honoured the families who donated the organs of their family members after they were declared brain-dead.    
• In the last ten years, the rate of organ donation has increased four times to 18 thousand 378.
• This day is celebrated to spread awareness about organ donation and to honour the contribution of medical professionals working in the field of organ donation.
• Indian Organ Donation Day (IODD) is being observed since 2010 to spread awareness about brain stem death and organ donation.
• A person after death can give life to eight people by donating his organ.
• The government has also increased the leave duration for organ donors from 30 days to 60 days and the age limit of 65 years has been also removed for organ donation.

Topic: India and its Neighbours

13. Protesters have announced a countrywide non-cooperation movement in Bangladesh.

• Quota protesters have announced a countrywide non-cooperation movement in Bangladesh.
• Two coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement announced their fresh program on their various social media platforms.
• The protest erupted in Bangladesh after a High Court decision reinstated a quota system for government jobs.
• Under this system, 93% of the seats in government services will be reserved for merit and just 5% of jobs will be for freedom fighters and their descendants.
• The Supreme Court later suspended the High Court order and scheduled a hearing for August 7.
• Bangladesh’s quota system was established in 1972. It has been modified over the years.

Topic: MoUs /Agreements

14. The Ministry of Ayush and WHO signed a donor agreement.

• The Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization signed a donor agreement during a signing ceremony in Geneva on July 31, 2024.
• This agreement will create the terms for implementing the activities of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar.
• Under this collaboration, India will donate US$ 85 million over 10 years (2022-2032) to support the operations of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
• The donor agreement recognizes the establishment of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Center.
• WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre is a knowledge hub for evidence-based Traditional Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM).