DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS 01-07-2020 TO 02-08-2020 NATIONAL PM launches Aatmanirbhar Bharat Innovation Challenge The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has launched Aatmanirbhar Bharat Innovation Challenge, to identify the best Indian Apps that are already being used by citizens and have the potential to scale and become world class Apps in their respective categories. “Today there is immense enthusiasm among the tech & start­up community to create world class Made in India Apps. To facilitate their ideas and products @Gol_MeitY and @AIMto In novate are launching the Aatmanirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge. This challenge is for you if you have such a working product or if you feel you have the vision and expertise to create such products. I urge all my friends in the tech community to participate”, the Prime Minister said. PM congratulates DD News’ Weekly Sanskrit Magazine ‘Vaartavali The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated Sanskrit News Magazine ‘Vaartavali’ on completion of its five years of continuous broadcast on DD News. Railways invite RFQ for pvt participation for operation of passenger train services Railways Ministry has invited Request for Qualifications for private participation for operation of pas­ senger train services over 109 Origin Destination (OD) pairs of routes through introduction of 151 modern trains The 109 OD Pairs have been formed into 12 clusters across the Indian Railway network. Each train will have a minimum of 16 coaches. The project will entail private sector investment of about 30 thousand crore rupees. This is the first initiative of private investment for running passenger trains over Indian Railways net­ work. Majority of trains will be manufactured in India and the private entity will be responsible for financing, procuring, operation and maintenance of the trains. Trains willl be designed for a maximum speed of 160 kmph. There will be a substantial reduction in journey time. The objective of this initiative is to introduce modern technology rolling stock with reduced mainte­ nance, reduced transit time, boost job creation, provide enhanced safety, provide world class travel experience to passengers, and also reduce demand supply deficit in the passenger transportation sector. The concession period for the project will be 35 years. The Private Entity will pay to Indian Railways fixed haulage charges, energy charges as per actual consumption and a share in Gross Revenue deter­ mined through a transparent bidding process. These trains will be operated by the Drivers and Guards of Indian Railways. Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar inaugurates Plasma Therapy Unit for treating COVID­19 pa­ tients Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar today inaugurated a Plasma Therapy Unit for treating COVID­19 pa­ tients at the Seven Hills Hospital in suburban Andheri. He urged those who have recovered from the deadly infection to help save lives by donating blood plasma. The unit is an initiative of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). It will offer convalescent plasma therapy to COVID­19 patients using donated blood plasma from those who have recovered. AIR Mumbai correspondent reports that the ace batsman said researchers around the globe are working to find an effective vaccine and treatment. In this, plasma therapy has emerged as an option to treat critically ill patients. HYDERABAD : Dilshuknagar, Ameerpet, KPHB || KURNOOL || ANANTHAPURAM 1 Ph: 7032682375, 7893682375 Web : www.ctseducate.in DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS 01-07-2020 TO 02-08-2020 Centre released Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano­based Agri­input, food products in India The guidelines will encourage the Indian innovators and industries to develop and commercialize new nano­based formulations and products in these sectors. Centre released Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano­based Agri­input, food products in India Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar released the ‘Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano­based Agri­input and food products in India' on 7 July 2020. The Guidelines are aimed to help the policymakers and regulators to frame effective provi­ sions for future novel nano­based products in the agri­input and food sectors of India. Guidelines for Evaluation of Nano­based Agri­input and food products in India: The guidelines will encourage the Indian innovators and industries to develop and commercialize new nano­based formulations and products in these sectors. It is expected that when compared to the bulk form of chemical inputs in crops, the use of nano­nutrients can reduce nutrient run­off into ground and surface water. This will in turn can reduce environmental pollution. The formulation of these Guidelines is one of the most important steps for delineating quality, safety, and efficacy assessment of the novel nano­formulations which can be commercialized. These guidelines are also aimed to provide transparent, consistent, and predictable regulatory pathways for nano­based agri­input and food products in the country. The initiative has been brought on board all the Departments and Ministries that deal with Nanotechnology, and nano­based products. It will also pave the way for significant benefits for the mission on Doubling Farming Income by 2022 and the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture. Shri Prahlad Singh Patel plants trees to commemorate Sankalp Parva In order to commemorate SankalpParv, Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel planted trees in Qila Rai Pithora and the National Archives of India in Delhi. The move comes as the Ministry of Culture is celebrating Sankalp Parva from 28th June to 12th July 2020. Highlights: The Ministry expects all its Subordinate Offices, Academies, attached Institutions, and affiliated Institu­ tions to plant trees on its campus or in the surroundings wherever it is possible. Ministry of Culture has recommended people to plant five trees that have been identified and represent the herbal heritage of the country. These trees are Bargad, Awla, Pepal, Ashok, Bel. The organizations are directed to ensure that each employee should plant at least one tree of his/her choice and over and above these five trees which should be planted under Sankalp Parva. The Institutions must also ensure that the employee to take care of plant planted by them during the year so that it survives and flourish. HYDERABAD : Dilshuknagar, Ameerpet, KPHB || KURNOOL || ANANTHAPURAM 2 Ph: 7032682375, 7893682375 Web : www.ctseducate.in DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS 01-07-2020 TO 02-08-2020 Cabinet approved Central Sector Scheme of financing facility under Agriculture Infrastruc­ ture Fund The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister NarendraModi approved a new pan India Central Sector Scheme under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. The main objective of the scheme is to provide a medium­long term debt financing facility for investment in viable projects for post­harvest management Infrastructure and community farming assets through interest subvention and financial support. Highlights: Under the scheme, banks, and financial institutions will be provided Rs.1 Lakh crore as loans to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Self Help Group (SHG), Farmers, Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Marketing Cooperative Societies, Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Agri­entrepreneurs, Startups, Aggregation Infrastructure Providers and Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public­Private Partnership Project. Loans will be disbursed in 4 years. It will begin with the sanction of Rs.10,000crore in the current year and Rs.30,000 crore each in the next three financial years. All loans under this financing facility will have interest subvention, for a maximum period of seven years, of 3% per annum up to a limit of Rs.2 crore. Government of India will provide Rs.10,736crore as the total outflow as budgetary support The India Global Week 2020 The India Global Week 2020 virtual conference has organized in the UK with the theme of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign running through it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended this virtual conference and said, India is playing Its role in helping the world fight back against the twin challenges, on the health and economic front, posed by the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. He stated that his government's policy of self­reliance launched through Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan was key to neutralizing the setbacks while remaining Integrated with the rest of the world. The theme of the conference is 'Be The Revival: India and a Better New World' The India Global Week 2020 boasts of 5,000 global participants from 30 countries including 250 global speakers participating in 75 sessions. Six major bridges dedicated to the nation Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated and dedicated Jammu and Kasmir's six major bridges to the nation. In a bid to ensure better connectivity of roads and bridges in sensitive border areas close to the 190­ kilometer (km)­long India­Pakistan International Border (10) and the 744­km­long Line of Control (LoC) in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) he dedicated these bridges. The two bridges are located on the Tarnah Nallah in Kathua district and four bridges are situated on Akhnoor­Pallanwala road In Akhnoor in Jammu district, spanning between 30 and 300 meters, and were constructed at a cost of Rs 43 crore. These bridges, constructed by Project Sampark of the BRO. The annual budget of the BOO, which varied between Rs 3,300 crore and Rs 4,600 crone in the fiscal years 2000­16, was increased to Rs 8,050 in the fiscal year 2019­2025. HYDERABAD : Dilshuknagar, Ameerpet, KPHB || KURNOOL || ANANTHAPURAM 3 Ph: 7032682375, 7893682375 Web : www.ctseducate.in DAILY UPDATED CURRENT AFFAIRS 01-07-2020 TO 02-08-2020 PM Narendra Modi inaugurates Rewa Solar Power Project in MP Rewa Solar Power Project: The Prime Minister in his inaugural address said that the solar plant will not only provide electricity to the industries in Rewa and but also to metro rail in Delhi.