Current Affairs - July 3, 2020 Current Affairs

A MoU was signed between the Indian Oil, NTPC Ltd and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on setting up a waste to energy plant at Okhla in Delhi. Indian Oil, SDMC and NTPC came together to develop a Waste-to-energy Plant demonstration using Gasification technology at Okhla landfill in Delhi.

Hindi literature writer Priyamvad to release his new book, 'Bharatiya Loktanktra Ka Koras: Kuch Bisari Bikhari Dhwaniyan' in 2021. The book will be published by Penguin Random House India's Indian language publishing division, Hind Pocket Books.

Spin bowling all-rounder, 31 years old Ravindra Jadeja, was named India's Most Valuable Player of the 21st century by Wisden for his contribution in both batting and fielding. Jadeja's MVP rating is around 97.3 which is second only to Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka making him the World's second most Valuable Test Player of the 21st Century.

Uganda became the first African country to submit the results for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which has opened the way for potential results based payments to Uganda.

Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Union Minister of Human Resource and Development (HRD) launched the world's first online B.Sc Degree in Programming and Data science through the webinar, the programme was prepared by Indian Institute of Technology, Madras(IIT-Madras). The programme is prepared with a focus on Data Science which is predicted to grow and provide 11.5 million job opportunities by 2026.

The World Bank approved a USD 750 million Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises(MSMEs) Emergency Response Program to support severely impacted MSMEs in India due to COVID-19 crisis. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development will provide the loan.

The World Trade Organization Dispute Settlement Body has established a panel after the European Union has dragged India into the Dispute Settlement System of WTO for the second time against import duties on ICT (information and communication technology) products, including mobile phones, cameras, headphones and earphones, imposed by the country.

Fitch Ratings Inc., an American credit rating agency in its June 2020 update of Global Economic Outlook (GEO), has lowered India's growth forecast for FY 2021-22 to 8% from 9.5 % projected in may 2020 due to the toughest lockdown imposed by the central government to prevent the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19). However, Fitch has not made any change in its previous estimate of a - 5% in the economy during the current financial year (FY 2020-21).

Shrikant Madhav Vaidya assumed charge as the chairman of Indian Oil Corporation. He succeeds Sanjiv Singh who has superannuated.

In accordance with the India's International Investment Position data as at end-March 2020, released by RBI, FDI in the country has raised by $19 billion while portfolio investment declined by $13.7 billion during 2019-20.

HDFC Bank has launched 'e-Kisaan Dhan' App for Farmers in India. This app provides information and knowledge to farmers which will help them to meet the needs of the rural ecosystem. With this app, farmers can access a bouquet of services in banking and agriculture, through their mobile phones.

Government extends the term of Rajkiran Rai G as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank of India by 2 years till May 31, 2022. About Rajkiran Rai G. The 3 year term of Rajkiran Rai G as MD & CEO of UBI was to end on June 30, 2020. He took charge of UBI on July 1, 2017.

In order to promote mutual understanding, Indian Navy and Japanese Navy (Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force) have conducted a day long Naval Exercise PASSEX (Passing Exercise) for tactical and communications training, towards the Malacca Strait in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). This was the 15th exercise undertaken by the navies of these two nations in the last three years.

New Zealand cancelled the 2021 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum that was scheduled to be held in Auckland, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is opting to lead a virtual summit.

Giriraj Singh, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, launched the 1st edition of "Matsya Sampada" - newsletter fisheries and aquaculture published by the Department of Fisheries and the operational guidelines of Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.

India and Bangladesh signed an agreement for formation of 50:50 Joint Venture Company of Liquefied Petroleum Gas business in Bangladesh. IOC Middle East FZE, Dubai, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation and RR Holdings Ltd., Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, the holding company of Beximco LPG, Bangladesh.

Government announced that it will release commemorative stamp to honour former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao after celebrating his 100th birth anniversary on June 28, 2020. He is regarded as the 'Father of Indian Economic Reforms'. He was born on June 28, 1921 in Warangal.

India's Artificial Intelligence enabled "MyGov Corona Helpdesk" won two awards under the categories "Best Innovation for Covid-19 - Society" and "People Choice Covid-19 Overall Winner" in 4th CogX, 2020. CogX is the Global Leadership Summit and Festival of AI and Emerging Technology which will be held in London annually. The theme of CogX 2020 is "How do we get the next 10 years right?".

Ravinder Bhakar, a 1999 batch officer of Indian Railway Stores Service, assumed charge as the Chief Executive Officer of Central Board of Films Certification. He succeeds Anurag Srivastava.

The Government of India declared the entire Nagaland as a "disturbed area" for another six months from 30 June, 2020 to 31, December, 2020 by exercising the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No.28 of 1958).