Daily Current Affairs and GK | 8 July 2021

Topic: Defence

1. INS Tabar exercises with Italian Navy off Naples, Italy.

• INS Tabar, a Talwar-class frigate of the Indian Navy, exercises with the Italian Navy off Naples, Italy.
• On 03 July 2021, INS Tabar entered the Port of Naples, Italy as part of the ongoing deployment to the Mediterranean.
• On departure from port, INS Tabar undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise with ITS Antonio Marceglia (F 597) on 04 and 05 July 2021 in the Tyrrhenian Sea.
• ITS Antonio Marceglia (F 597) is a frontline frigate of the Italian Navy.
• The exercise culminated with a ‘Steam Past’ by the two ships, as per the naval custom.
• Naples is the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan.
• Tyrrhenian Sea is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy. It is bounded by the Italian peninsula to the north and east.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Indian Polity

2. Government creates a new Ministry of Co-operation.

• Government has created a new Ministry of Co-operation for realizing the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’.
• The Ministry of Co-operation will make available a separate administrative, legal, and policy framework to strengthen cooperative movement in India.
• The Ministry will help in deepening of Co-operatives as a true people based movement reaching up to the grassroots.
• The Ministry will streamline processes for ‘Ease of doing business’ for co-operatives and enable the development of Multi-State Co-operatives (MSCS).

Topic: International News

3. Haiti declares emergency after killing of its President Jovenel Moïse.

• Haiti has declared an emergency after killing of its President Jovenel Moïse.
• President Jovenel Moïse was shot dead and his wife was injured in an attack on their home in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
• Prime Minister Claude Joseph said that attackers were foreigners who spoke English and Spanish and called for an international investigation into the killing.
• First Lady Martine Moïse reportedly arrived in Fort Lauderdale, south Florida, US for treatment.
• President Moïse had led the Caribbean country (Haiti) since 2017. But he had faced protests demanding his resignation.
• Haiti:
  • It is located on the island of Hispaniola in Greater Antilles archipelago of Caribbean Sea.
  • It is located to the east of Cuba and Jamaica and south of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
  • Port-au-Prince is its capital. Claude Joseph is its Prime Minister. Gourde is its currency.

Topic: Defence

4. GOC in Chief Northern Command LG Y K Joshi paid homage to Kargil War Hero of 1999, Captain Vikram Batra.

• General Officer Commanding in Chief Northern Command, Lieutenant General Y K Joshi paid homage to Kargil War Hero of 1999, Captain Vikram Batra.
• LG Y K Joshi paid homage to Captain Vikram Batra to commemorate Captain Batra’s “Balidan Diwas”.
• The GOC in Chief Northern Command overflew “Batra Top” in a Sukhoi-30 MKI.
• On 07 July 1999, Captain Vikram Batra became the icon of Army Officer Spirit by his success signal during the capture of Point 5140.
• He made the sacrifice after capturing Point 4875 now called Batra Top. LG Y K Joshi was his Commanding Officer then.
• Captain Vikram Batra was an officer of the Indian Army. He was awarded Param Vir Chakra for his actions during the 1999 Kargil war.

Topic: National News

5. Cabinet Reshuffle: New Portfolios Union Ministers announced.

• Prime Minister’s cabinet has been reshuffle. Over 43 new ministers took oath in the first reshuffle of the second term of the Narendra Modi government.
• Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Bihar got strong representation in the Union Council of Ministers.
• The oath of ministers has been administered by President Ram Nath Kovind.
• Out of 43 new ministers, 15 were sworn in as ministers in the Union Cabinet and others as ministers of state (MoS).
• Pratima Bhoumik becomes the first Union minister from Tripura.
• Important Ministers list:

Topic: Banking System

6. Reserve Bank of India imposed penalty on 14 banks for non-compliance of rules.

• The Reserve Bank of India has imposed penalties on 14 banks for the non-compliance of rules.
• The penalties on banks have been imposed for the violations of certain provisions of directions issued by RBI for Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions.
• The penalties have been imposed under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
• The 14 bank includes Bank of Baroda, State Bank of India (SBI), Bandhan Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Indian Bank, IndusInd Bank, Karnataka Bank, etc.
• RBI has also imposed a ₹50 lakh fine on the State Bank of India (SBI) and 1 crore on the Bank of Baroda.
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
  • It is the central bank of India and regulates the banking system in India. It also regulates the monetary policy of India.
  • The Reserve Bank of India was nationalized on 1 January 1949.
  • Shaktikanta Das is the current RBI governor.

Topic: Agriculture

7. Mishri variety of cherries exported from Srinagar to Dubai.

• The first consignment of the Mishri variety of cherries has been exported from Srinagar to Dubai.
• Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) assisted in the export of cherries.
• Mishri variety of Cherries contains vitamins, minerals, and plant compounds. It contains vitamin C and antioxidants.
• Jammu and Kashmir produce four varieties of cherry- Double, Makhmali, Mishri, and Italy. Jammu and Kashmir produces 95 % of the total production of commercial varities of cherries in India.
• Cherry is mostly grown in Kashmir's Sialkot and Shalimar region. It is harvested in Kashmir in the early summers.
• APEDA is responsible for the promotion of the export of agro products. It was established under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act 1985.

Topic: Sports

8. Chennaiyin FC sign experienced goalkeeper Debjit Majumder

• Ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Super League, Chennaiyin FC has signed experienced goalkeeper Debjit Majumder.
• Debjit Majumder had represented the SC East Bengal in the last edition of the ISL. He saved 50 goals including two clean sheets.
• Debjit Majumder will bring more experience and Knowledge to the Chennaiyin FC (CFC) team.
• He represented top Indian football clubs including East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, ATK, and Mumbai City FC.

Topic: Personality in News

9. Himachal Pradesh former CM Virbhadra Singh passed away

• Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh passed away at the age of 87. He died from a cardiac attack in Shimla.
• He was first elected as MLA to the State Legislative Assembly. He was first elected to Lok Sabha in 1962.
• He was elected as MP five times and served as a minister on different portfolios. He was the longest-serving Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.
• He was President of the Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee from 1977 to 1980.
• He will be remembered for his crucial role in the development of Himachal Pradesh.
• Himachal Pradesh government has declared three-day state mourning in honour of Virbhadra Singh.

Topic: Miscellaneous

10. Indian Army named firing range after Vidya Balan.

• Indian Army has named a firing range in Gulmarg, Kashmir after Vidya Balan, an actress in Indian Cinema. Now, the firing range will be called as 'Vidya Balan Firing Range'.
• Recently, she had also attended the Gulmarg Winter Festival organized by the Indian Army.
• The range has been named for her contribution to the Indian cinemas.
• Vidya Balan is also one of the artists who has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

11. Government launched Matsya Setu app for Indian aqua farmers.

• Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying launched the “Matsya Setu” Mobile App.
• It has been created by the ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar.
• The main aim of this app is to distribute freshwater aquaculture technologies to aqua farmers.
• It contains online course modules which will provide basic concepts and practical demonstrations on breeding, seed production and grow-out culture of commercially important fishes.
• The course will also provide better management practices in maintaining the soil & water quality, feeding and health management in aquaculture operations.
• The App will help in the adoption of technology for increasing production and profitability in fish farming.
• Farmers can use this app for getting specific advisories from experts.