Daily Current Affairs and GK | 9 July 2020

1. Cabinet approves extension of 24% of contribution to Employees Provident Fund for three months.

• Recently the Cabinet has approved the proposal to increase 12% of the employees and 12% of the employers share i.e. 24% of the contribution to the Employees Provident Fund for three months i.e. from June to August 2020.
• It is a part of the government-announced package under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• The Finance Minister announced on 13 May 2020, as a part of Atmanirbharat Bharat, that EPF assistance for business and workers be extended for three months i.e. June, July and August 2020.
• 4, 860 crore will be spent in this scheme, and more than 72 lakh employees will benefit from this.
• The government will credit contributions to both the employee and the employer.
• This approval is in addition to the current scheme of wage months of March to May approved on 15 April 2020.

(Source: News on AIR)

2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the opening ceremony of India Global Week 2020.

• It is a virtual conference running from 9 July to 11 July 2020.
• The theme of this virtual conference is – “Be the Revival: India and a Better New World.”
• 5000 global participants from 30 countries are participating in this event.
• 250 speakers will address 75 sessions of this virtual conference.

(Source: News on AIR)

3. An MoU was signed between Central Board of Direct Taxes and SEBI for data exchange.

• Recently Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) have signed an MoU for data exchange.
• This MoU will facilitate data and information sharing between SEBI and CBDT on an automated and regular basis.
• The MoU has come into force from the date of its signing.
• CBDT and SEBI are already collaborating through various existing mechanisms.
• Simultaneously a data exchange steering group has also been formed, which will meet periodically to review the data exchange situation and to further improve the effectiveness of the data sharing mechanism.

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI):

• It is the statutory regulator of the Government of India-owned securities and commodity markets.
• It was established in 1992.
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Current President: Ajay Tyagi

• Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT):

• It is a statutory body under the Central Revenue Act, 1963.
• It deals with matters relating to levy and collection of direct taxes such as personal income tax, corporate tax, etc.
• Current President: Mr. Pramod Chandra Modi

4. Government extended the deadline for taking three free gas cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala scheme.

• Recently, the government has extended the deadline for taking three free gas cylinders under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala scheme.
• Beneficiaries can avail free cylinder till September 2020. Earlier, this facility was only up to June 2020.
• With this decision, about 740 million families in the country will get the facility of free gas cylinders.
• Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Scheme:
  • It was launched by Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 1 May 2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh.
  • Objective: To distribute 50 million LPG connections to women from below poverty line families.
  • Ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

5. Cabinet approval for establishment of 1 lakh crore rupees agricultural infrastructure fund.

• Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved an Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore under a new Pan India Central Sector Scheme.
• Under this scheme, a medium and long term loan financing will be provided for investment in practical projects for post-harvest management.
• The duration of the scheme will be for 10 years i.e. from FY 2020 to 2029.
• Under this, one lakh crore rupees will be provided by banks and financial institutions in the form of loans to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, Marketing Cooperative Societies, Farmer Producer Organizations, Self Help Groups, Farmers, Startups and Central and State Agencies.
• Under this financing facility, all loans will have an interest subvention of 3% per year up to a limit of two crore. This grant will be available for a maximum period of 7 years.
• Many employment opportunities are expected to be created in rural areas through this project.
• National and state and district level monitoring committees will also be set up for real-time monitoring of funds and effective feed-back.

(Source: News on AIR)

6. Inauguration of the administrative and educational block of the newly built Sri Mahadev Masta Chaturved campus in Nepal.

• Recently the administrative and educational block of the newly constructed Sri Mahadev Masta Chaturved campus in Mugu, Nepal was inaugurated.
• The complex has been constructed under the Nepal-India Maitri Development Cooperation Program at a cost of 35.11 million.
• Established in 2007, the campus is a community owned educational institution affiliated to Tribhuvan University and approved by UGC Nepal.
• It offers a four-year full-time undergraduate degree course.
• Construction of new administrative and educational blocks was implemented by District Coordination Committee, Mugu.
• The newly constructed infrastructure of the school is expected to boost the learning environment for the students.
• Another project Sri Saptami Gurukul Sanskrit Vidyalaya built under Nepal-India Maitri Development Cooperation Program was also inaugurated.

(Source: News on AIR)

7. Ministry of Home Affairs constituted an inter-ministerial committee to investigate the violation of various rules on the three trusts run by the Gandhi family.

• Recently, the Home Ministry has constituted an inter-ministerial committee to investigate the violation of various rules on the three trusts run by the Gandhi family.
• The Special Director of Enforcement Directorate will be the Chairman of the Committee.
• The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will also be part of the committee.
• This includes Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
• This committee will investigate the violation of various legal provisions including the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Income Tax Act, and foreign Contribution-Regulation Act by these trusts.

(Source: News on AIR)

8. Unmarried, Permanently Handicapped sons of ECHS beneficiaries will also be given the benefit of the scheme.

• Recently, the government has announced that the permanently disabled and financially dependent sons of the Ex-Serviceman Contribution Health Scheme will now be eligible for benefits under the scheme.
• Especially sons who have become disabled after attaining the age of 25 years.
• This decision was taken by the Ministry of Defense.
• This was a similar decision taken in January this year for the beneficiaries of the Central Government Health Scheme.
• Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme:
  • The scheme was implemented from 1 April 2003.
  • The objective of this scheme is to provide allopathic and AYUSH therapy to ex-servicemen pensioners and their dependents.

9. Eradication of rubella and measles from Maldives and Sri Lanka.

• Maldives and Sri Lanka have already achieved the goal of eradication of rubella and measles.
• Maldives and Sri Lanka have become the first two countries in the Southeast Asia region to achieve the goal of eradication of rubella and measles by 2023.
• The announcement was made by Dr. Poonam Khetarpal Singh, Regional Director, South East Asia of the World Health Organization, during the fifth meeting of the Regional Confirmation Commission for the Eradication of rubella and Measles.
• The last case of measles was reported in the Maldives in 2009 and rubella in October 2015.
• The last case of measles was reported in Sri Lanka in May 2016 and rubella in March 2017.
• Measles  is a viral infection that is serious for young children, but can be easily prevented with a vaccine.
• Rubella is a viral infectious disease, which is easily preventable by MMR vaccine.

10. Himalayan butterfly, Golden birdwing has been discovered after 88 years as the largest butterfly in India.

• Recently, a Himalayan butterfly, The Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus) has been discovered as India's largest butterfly after 88 years.
• It was recorded in 1932 by British Army officer Brigadier Evans.
• The female birdwing has been found from Didihat in Uttarakhand, while the male was in the Wankhar Butterfly Museum in Shillong, Meghalaya.
• The butterflies belong to the family Lepidoptera.
• In the study of the Lepidoptera family, the wingspan is mainly used, which is known by different names.
• The female golden birdwing has a wingspan of 194 mm, slightly larger than the southern birdwing (190 mm).
• The youngest is the Quaker (Neopithecops zalmora) with a wingspan of 18 mm and a forward length of 8 mm.

(Source: The Hindu)

11. Attempt to get GI tag for Wada Kolam Rice in Palghar district of Maharashtra.

• This rice is a unique aromatic variety cultivated in the Wada taluka of Palghar district in Maharashtra.
• Wada kolam Rice:
  • Wada kolam rice is very much liked in the market due to its taste.
  • Since the land here is fertile, only dung is used as manure, no other chemicals are used.
  • However, the variety has a low yield, as only 45 quintal of polished rice is produced out of 100 quintals of paddy. While other varieties yield about 55 quintals. Therefore, some farmers are less inclined to plant this variety.
• Dahanu-Gholvad Chiku fruit from Palghar district of Maharashtra was awarded GI tag in January 2017.