Current Affairs (01-15 August 2021)
National
President of India approves 144 Gallantry Awards for the personnel of Indian Armed Forces, Police, and Paramilitary Forces. The awardees include one Ashoka Chakra, one Kirti Chakra, 15 Shaurya Chakras, four-time Sena Medals (Gallantry), 116 Sena Medals (Gallantry), five Nausena Medals (Gallantry), and two Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that 14 August will be observed as ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas’ or ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ in memory of the struggles and sacrifices of the people during the partition of the country in 1947.
Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in Assam has become the first national park in India to be equipped with satellite phones.
Four more wetlands in India recognized as Ramsar sites by the Ramsar Secretariat: Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary and Wadhwana Wetlands from Gujarat and Sultanpur National Park and Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary from Haryana.
India’s first nasal vaccine against COVID-19 has received permission from the Department of Biotechnology to conduct Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with the members of Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) under the “Atmanirbhar Narihalti Se Samvad” program across the country on August 12, 2021, and announced the release of a capitalization assistance fund of Rs 1,625 crore.
India and Australia are expected to hold their first ministerial-level 2+2 meeting in September 2021.
President of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP-26) and climate chief of the United Kingdom government, Alok Sharma is on a visit in August to meet leaders of the country, which has become the largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China.
The Supreme Court of India directed the central and state governments to fill up the vacant posts in the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission within eight weeks.
The 11th Annual Meeting of Forum of Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) for the year 2021 was inaugurated by Sushil Chandra, Chief Election Commissioner of India and President of FEMBoSA.
The National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) is to be developed as an international tourist destination. It will be dedicated to the legacy of India’s maritime heritage at Lothal, Gujarat.
According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, India’s first Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) will be held for three days from October 20, 2021.
India allowed foreign nationals residing here to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine by registering on the Co-Win portal on August 9, 2021.
India is set to get its sixth COVID-19 vaccine soon as drug firm Zydus Cadila’s needle-free COVID-19 vaccine called ‘ZyCoV-D’ is all set to receive Emergency Use Authority (EUA) approval.
The Ladakh administration has removed the Inner Line Permit (ILP) requirement for all Indian citizens who wish to visit the protected areas of the Union Territory.
Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine was approved for emergency use in India. With this vaccine, India has five emergency use authorization vaccines. The move will further boost India’s collective fight against COVID-19.
A parliamentary panel, in its report before the Lok Sabha, has recommended re-negotiating the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan to address the impact of climate change on the availability of water in the river basin.
According to a notification by the central government, the RT-PCR report is not mandatory for those who have received both doses of COVID-19 vaccines to travel to the states.
Senior Ministers of the Governments of Assam and Mizoram held detailed discussions on the border dispute between Assam and Mizoram on August 5, 2021.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the continuation of ‘Samagra Shiksha Yojana’ for school education for the next five years.
The central government on August 4, 2021, approved a Constitution Amendment Bill that seeks to empower states and union territories to make their own OBC lists.
The Supreme Court has stayed the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order prohibiting the use of parks for social, commercial, wedding, or any other function.
On August 3, 2021, the Supreme Court of India said that state governors can pardon prisoners, including those in death row cases.
The Lok Sabha passed the Tribunal Reforms Bill on August 3, 2021, which seeks to do away with the nine appellate tribunals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually preside over an open debate at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on August 9, 2021.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the “e-RUPI Digital Payment Solution” on August 2, 2021.
The central government introduced Bill 127th Constitution (Amendment) of 2021 in Lok Sabha on August 9, 2021. The bill seeks to restore the power of the state to make its own CBO lists. The most prominent bill was presented by the Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment of the Union, Virendra Kumar.
Awards & Recognitions
Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of Jammu and Kashmir Police Babu Ram and Constable Altaf Hussain Bhat was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra and Kirti Chakra respectively.
Medals were awarded to 1,380 police personnel by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Independence Day, 2021.
The Government of India announced to confer the Prime Minister’s Shram Awards (PMSA) on 69 officers for their innovation at work for the year 2018.
India’s cleanest city Indore has now been declared as India’s first water plus city under Swachh Survekshan 2021.
The Skytrax World Airport Award Ranking 2021 was published recently in which Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi has emerged among the top-50 best airports in the world in 2021.
India was ranked 122nd out of 181 countries in the Global Youth Development Index, 2020. The Commonwealth Secretariat released this triennial ranking of youth development for 181 countries.
Online nominations or recommendations for Padma Awards including Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri have started and the last date for nominations is September 15, 2021.
National Defence/ Security Current Affairs
India and Saudi Indians are all set to conduct their first naval exercise titled “Al-Mohad Al-Hindi 2021”.
The Border Roads Organization (BRO) has started its celebrations of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence.
India and China have agreed to withdraw their troops from the Gogra area of eastern Ladakh.
India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant made its maiden voyage on August 4, 2021, encouraging the manufacturing of military equipment within India.
The Lok Sabha on August 3, 2021, passed the Essential Defense Services Bill-2021, which seeks to prevent workers of state-owned ordnance factories from going on strike to protest the corporatization of units. Regarding the Essential Defense Services Bill-2021, the Bill empowers the government to declare the services mentioned therein as essential defense services.
Business, Economy & Finance
Adi Godrej will step down as chairman of Godrej Industries on October 01, 2021. He will be replaced by his younger brother Nadir Godrej.
Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher House in Mumbai sold for Rs 52.25 crore.
Bharat Petroleum launches door-to-door delivery of ‘High-Speed Diesel’.
India’s largest integrated power generation company, NTPC Limited has invited Global Expression of Interest (EoI) to set up a pilot project on Hydrogen Blending with Natural Gas in India.
APEDA in association with Himachal Pradesh Horticulture Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation Limited (HPMC) exported the first consignment consisting of five unique varieties of apples to promote the export of agricultural and processed food products to new destinations.
Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) announced its first N line of cars for India in 2021.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released the next installment of financial benefits to be provided under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme on August 9, 2021.
According to RBI data, India’s foreign exchange reserves have increased by the US $ 9.427 billion. Forex reserves have now reached a record high of $620.576 billion in the week ended July 30.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a bill in Parliament to repeal the provisions of the Income Tax Act. The bill does away with a controversial retrospective tax law that has dented the confidence of foreign investors such as Vodafone and Cairn.
Food delivery platform Swiggy is launching an electric-cycle (e-cycle) in association with Hero Lectro Cargo (HLC) in Hyderabad.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has launched the Customs Compliance Information Portal (CIP) of India at www.cip.icegate.gov.in/CIP.
The Government of India, the Central Water Commission, government representatives from 10 participating states, and the World Bank signed a $250 million project on August 4, 2021 for the Long Term Dam Safety Program.
The Rajya Sabha passed the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2021 on August 4, 2021.
Maldivian-style water villas will soon be set up in Lakshadweep to attract tourists to the natural beauty of the Union Territory.
On August 3, 2021, Parliament passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021 after the Rajya Sabha cleared the bill amid protests.
The central government has set a loan disbursement target of Rs 3 lakh crore under PM Mudra Yojana (PMMY) for the financial year 2021-2022.
NITI Aayog has released a report on Power Distribution Sector which presents the reform path to transform India’s electricity distribution sector.
Power Grid Corporation of India has successfully commissioned 40 km of transmission line in Aryan Valley (Kargil District) of Ladakh.
Appointments And Resignations
- The Government of India approved the appointment of Dr. Dhriti Banerjee as the new Director of the Zoological Survey of India.
Government Initiative And Schemes
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched an online portal named TAPAS (Training for Enhancement of Productivity and Services) to provide filmed lectures/courses and e-study material in the field of social defense.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched a brand and logo ‘Son Chiriya’ for marketing of Urban Self Help Group (SHG) products.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched the second phase of the SAMVAD (support, advocacy, and mental health interventions for children in vulnerable situations and distress).
India’s first Drone Forensic Lab and Research Center have been set up in Kerala. The center was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri. Pinarayi Vijayan.
Tamil Nadu government appoints trained candidates of all castes as priests in temples.
For the first time in the state of Tamil Nadu, a separate budget for agriculture was presented
Tamil Nadu becomes the first state to cut petrol prices in 2021-22; Rs.3/Litre
The Assam government has passed the Cattle Preservation Bill, which is prohibited in areas predominantly inhabited by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and other non-beef-eating communities, or within a 5 km radius of a temple or monastery.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) launched the “Swachh City App” on August 13, 2021.
The Environment Ministry notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 on August 13, 2021.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Vehicle Scrappage Policy on August 13, 2021.
The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Thakur launched a nationwide program of Fit India Freedom Run 2.0 on August 13, 2021, to celebrate Amrit Mahotsav of Azadi.
Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has announced road and highway projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in Uttarakhand.
The Maharashtra government has announced the creation of a new award named “Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence in Information Technology (IT)”.
The Uttar Pradesh government has renamed a historic freedom movement called “Kakori Train Conspiracy” to “Kakori Train Action” and paid tribute to the revolutionaries hanged for robbing a train in Kakori, Uttar Pradesh.
The Union Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) inaugurated an exhibition to mark the 79th anniversary of the ‘Quit India Movement at the National Archives of India in New Delhi on August 8, 2021.
The Department of Posts is organizing a drawing competition for children in the age group of 6 to 15 years.
Delhi’s first “Animal DNA Laboratory” was established at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Rohini. Wildlife forensics is a new field of a criminal investigation.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has issued an order to implement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for effective management of COVID-19 in Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to launch the second edition of the government’s free LPG connection scheme named Ujjwala.
The government announced on August 7, 2021, that by August 2, 2021, about five crore beneficiaries have been enrolled and four crores have been trained under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan Yojana.
The Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar, is to launch the ‘PM-Daksh’ portal and ‘PM-Daksh’ mobile app at Nalanda Auditorium, Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Delhi on August 7, 2021.
The Rajasthan government launched a series of nutrition-focused welfare programs for the benefit of women and children affected by the disruption in routine schemes.
The cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has approved a proposal to increase the salary of MLAs by 66 percent.
Agreements And MoU’s
India and the USA signed an agreement on monsoon data analysis and cooperation to improve weather forecasting.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on August 6, 2021. The two leaders addressed measures to strengthen bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation with the aim of realizing the full potential of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The Union Cabinet has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the Netherlands on August 4, 2021 for carrying out academic programs and research activities.
Science & Technology
The Indigau chip has been developed by scientists from the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NAIB), Hyderabad, an autonomous institute under the aegis of the Department of Biotechnology.
According to researchers from India and California, high levels of chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure in India have fueled the brutal Coronavirus waves.
The Chandrayaan-2 orbiter of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has detected water molecules on the surface of the moon.
The Indian Space Research Organization’s (ISRO) GSLV rocket failed to put India’s largest Earth observation satellite (EOS-3) into orbit. It failed due to the failure of GSLV to ignite the cryogenic stage.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said that the countdown for the launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle-F10 EOS-03 mission has begun. Background Union Minister of State (MoS), Jitendra Singh recently confirmed in Lok Sabha that Earth Observation Satellite-03 is to be launched on 12 August.
Principal Scientific Adviser, Prof. Of. Vijay Raghavan virtually inaugurated a decentralized biomedical waste incinerator in Buxar, Bihar.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Roorkee) in Roorkee launched Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) mobile app for Uttarakhand.
Sports
23-year-old javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra created history by winning a gold medal in the men’s javelin throw final at the Tokyo Olympics on 7 August 2021.
The world’s third oldest and Asia’s oldest football tournament called Durand Cup is scheduled to be held in Kolkata from September 5 to October 21, 2021.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing storm, the Tokyo Olympics 2020 concluded on August 8, 2021.
On August 6, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award has been renamed the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
Lovlina won the third Olympic medal for India. She won the bronze medal on August 4, 2021, in the 69kg welterweight semi-final after losing 0-5 against Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will invite India’s Olympic contingent as a special guest to the Red Fort on August 15, when he will deliver his eighth Independence Day speech.
26-year-old badminton player PV Sindhu has become the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals by defeating ‘He Bingjiao’ of China.
Important Days
International Youth Day is celebrated on 12 August.
World Elephant Day is celebrated on 12 August.
World Lion Day is celebrated on August 10.
Ministry of Textiles is all set to organize 7th National Handloom Day on 7th August.
World Breastfeeding Week is being celebrated from 1st August to 7th August.
Muslim Women’s Rights Day is celebrated on 1st August.
International Affairs
World Health Organisation sets up an advisory group called SAGO to study the emergence of pathogens with the potential for a pandemic in the future.
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) scientist who led the group, Chinese researchers forced the WHO-led team to abandon the lab-leak theory to investigate the origins of Covid. According to scientists, Chinese researchers were against the theory that the Covid-19 pandemic emerged.
Agriculture Ministers of BRICS countries held virtual talks on the topic “BRICS Partnership to Strengthen Agricultural Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition Security”.
Taiwan was directly involved in the talks on August 13, 2021, after the G7 in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD).
Pakistan successfully conducted the training launch of Ghaznavi, a nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile, on August 12, 2021.
World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said that although the COVID-19 vaccines may not provide complete protection against the emerging forms of coronavirus.
Kabul’s premier Abdullah Abdullah has requested an emergency UN Security Council session at a regional conference on Afghanistan in Doha for reconciliation.
In Algeria, 42 people, including 25 soldiers, have died in forest fires.
Hong Kong is all set to implement China’s anti-sanctions law. It will be implemented in the country in some form or the other and will create new regulatory pressure on international companies.
The World Health Organization (WHO) urged 20 leaders with the power to end the abusive COVID-19 vaccine inequality and global imbalance before October to turn the tide.
On August 9, 2021, Afghan forces attacked the city of Aybak, the provincial capital of the northern province of Samangan, to drive out Taliban militants.
China has commissioned its newly constructed terminal at Lhasa airport in Tibet.
The Japanese Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga, attended a memorial to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the world’s first atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Thailand has banned sunscreens containing chemicals that harm coral from all of its marine national parks.
India has not been invited to the Russia-led ‘Extended Troika meeting’. Highlights The Extended Troika meeting will be held on the rapidly evolving situation in Afghanistan. Pakistan, China, and the US are expected to participate in this meeting.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has declared that it is against the restoration of the Islamic Emirate in Afghanistan.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has approved a resolution to establish a permanent forum for people of African descent on August 2, 2021.
The member states of the International Monetary Fund have approved an injection of $650 billion to help countries deal with the rising debt and economic fallout due to the covid-19 pandemic.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 3 to 17 years.
The European Union has acquired Amazon.com Inc. was fined $886.6 million or 746 million euros. The European Union has fined Amazon for processing personal data in violation of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
