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05th July 2022

 

National News

Regularisation of pourakarmikas' services has begun: K'taka CM

Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday announced that regularisation of pourakarmikas' services has begun in the state. The pourakarmikas, who were protesting since July 1 demanding regularisation of their services, called off their protest and welcomed the government's decision. "Realising their plight, I had announced ₹2000 monthly hardship allowance for them in the budget," Bommai said.

 

I express my deep regret: Kerala minister on anti-Constitution remarks

Kerala minister Saji Cherian on Tuesday expressed "deep regret" for his controversial statements criticising the Constitution, saying his remarks were "misinterpreted". "I respect our Constitution...The news that I criticised the Constitution is twisted," he added. Earlier today, Cherian had said that the Indian Constitution was written in a way that can be used to "exploit" people.

Govt releases list of states/UTs best in implementing National Food Security Act

Centre released the first State Ranking Index for implementation of National Food Security Act, with Odisha, UP and Andhra Pradesh topping the General Category states/UTs. Among the Special Category states/UTs, Tripura stood first, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. They were judged on three points- coverage, targeting and provisions of the Act; delivery platform; and nutrition initiatives.

Chargesheet filed against suspended IAS officer in MNREGA scam

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a chargesheet against suspended IAS officer Pooja Singhal who was arrested for allegedly embezzling MGNREGA funds in Khunti district of Jharkhand. Singhal was arrested on May 11 and her bail hearing is on July 12. The ED has reportedly recovered nearly ₹20 crore from Singhal.

 

NTPC Commissions India’s largest floating solar power project in Telangana 

NTPC Ltd has declared the Commercial Operations Date (COD) of the last part capacity of 20 MW out of 100 MW Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project in Telangana. Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project is India’s largest Floating Solar Plant commissioned by NTPC.  Now the total commercial operation of Floating Solar Capacity in Southern Region has reached 217 MW. Prior to this, NTPC declared Commercial operation of 92 MW Floating Solar at Kayamkulam (Kerala) and 25 MW Floating Solar at Simhadri (Andhra Pradesh).

Grand Hackathon: 3 day event launched by Shri Piyush Goyal 

Union Minister Piyush Goyal has virtually kicked off a three-day Grand Hackathon that the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is hosting in association with NABARD.  The physical portion of this event took place at the Fort, Mumbai location of the Bombay Stock Exchange.  The Grand Hackathon is divided into two categories: the Agri Grant Challenge and the Agri Innovation Hackathon, both of which will highlight innovations that will help the agriculture sector adopt eCommerce.

 

Utilizing BiSAG-N app, Steel Ministry interfaces with GatiShakti portal 

The Ministry of Steel said that it has joined the PM Gati Shakti Portal and uploaded the geo coordinates of important projects in an effort to detect and address connection gaps in the infrastructure.  According to a press release, the ministry registered itself on the National Master Plan portal with the help of the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BiSAG-N) app.  All of the central public-sector enterprises' (CPSE) steel plants' geolocations have been published to the portal. All of these CPSEs' mine locations were in the process of being uploaded.

Rahul Narwekar, the youngest Speaker in the country 

Mumbai lawyer and first-time legislator, Rahul Narwekar has been elected as the youngest Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and also becomes the youngest ever in India to hold this august Constitutional post.  Narwekar scripted history to become the youngest legislator to be elected as the 16th Speaker (since 1960) and also is now the youngest ever lawmaker to occupy the coveted top legislative post in the country.  Narwekar received a total of 164 votes in support and 107 went to Shiv Sena candidate’s account. During the Speaker elections, 12 members were absent and 3 legislators abstained from the voting.

Himachal Pradesh CM launched ‘Nari Ko Naman’ scheme for women 

Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur has launched ‘Naari Ko Naman’ scheme to provide 50 % concession on fares in Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses to women commuters within the state boundaries.  Seema Thakur, the first woman bus driver in the state, drove him in a state transport bus to the event venue. The chief minister had announced the 50 per cent concession on bus fares to women on April 15, Himachal Day.

 

INTERNATIONAL

Yair Lapid takes over as 14th Prime Minister of Israel

Leader of Yesh Atid Party, Yair Lapid has been officially became the 14th prime minister of Israel, after replacing the Naftali Benett. He is a former journalist who serving as PM of Israel since 1 July 2022.  Yair Lapid’s term could be the short one as he take over the caretaker government ahead of Israel’s election which was scheduled to take place on November 1.

UK's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak resigns citing Boris Johnson's leadership

The UK's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, along with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, tendered his resignation on Tuesday, citing Prime Minister Boris Johnson's leadership. "I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for," Sunak said. Meanwhile, Javid said that he can no longer continue to serve his role in good conscience.

 

Turkey's annual inflation at 78.62%; highest in 24 years

Turkey's annual inflation was 78.62% at the end of June - the highest rate in over two decades, according to data released by Turkish Statistical Institute. Consumer prices increased by 4.95% on a monthly comparison. The worst hit sectors were transportation, food and beverage where annual prices surged by 123.37% and 93.93% respectively. Critics blame government policies for the situation

 

Appointments News

 

Singapore’s T. Raja Kumar is new president of FATF 

T. Raja Kumar of Singapore has been appointed as the president of Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the anti-money laundering watchdog. Kumar has replaced Marcus Pleyer who was holding the post till now, and will discharge his service for next two years.  Kumar has been working against global terror financing for quite a long time. Soon after taking over the charge, Kumar presented his objectives for the coming Plenary period (July 2022 -June 2024) to strength the FATF.

FanCode onboards Ravi Shastri as brand ambassador 

Former team India coach and cricketer, Ravi Shastri has been appointed the new brand ambassador for FanCode, a live content, sports statistics and e-commerce marketplace.  FanCode is set to host some of the best cricketing action with exclusive rights to India's tour of the West Indies and ECB’s The Hundred; and Shastri will bring out FanCode’s ‘fan-first’ proposition by leading the upcoming campaigns for these properties.

PokerBaazi appointed Shahid Kapoor as its brand ambassador 

PokerBaazi.com, a poker platform, has onboarded actor Shahid Kapoor as its brand ambassador. PokerBaazi.com has launched its new brand campaign ‘You Hold the Cards’ featuring brand ambassador, actor Shahid Kapoor.  The company said this association with the actor comes in line with its commitment to popularise and create awareness amongst the masses about poker.  With the campaign titled ‘You Hold the Cards’, the brand aims to create awareness about poker as a skill-based sport and establish that in Poker, the game is under your control, and one can emerge victorious basis of skills, determination, and the right strategy.

BUSINESS, BANKING AND ECONOMY

Govt to earn ₹94,800 crore from windfall tax on domestic crude oil: Moody's

The government will generate close to $12 billion (₹94,800 crore) of additional revenue from windfall taxes on domestic crude oil production and fuel exports, as per an estimate by Moody's Investors Service. The tax increase will reduce profits of Reliance Industries and ONGC, it added. Last week, the government imposed a ₹23,230 per tonne charge on domestically produced crude oil.

 

 

Govt revamps Banks Board into Financial Services Institutions Bureau 

The government has transformed Banks Board Bureau (BBB), the headhunter for directors of state-owned banks and financial institutions, into Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) by making some amendments.  Guidelines for selection of general managers and directors of public sector general insurance companies have been made part of FSIB.  The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has also approved the appointment of Bhanu Pratap Sharma, former Chairman, BBB as initial chairperson of FSlB for a term of two years.  Other members of the headhunter are Animesh Chauhan, former Chairman and Managing Director of erstwhile Oriental Bank of Commerce, RBI’s ex-executive director Deepak Singhal and Shailendra Bhandari, former MD of erstwhile ING Vysya Bank.

RBI modifies the rules for banknote sorting and authentication 

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) published guidelines ordering banks to test their currency sorting equipment every three months.  Following the release of the new series of banknotes, the central bank updated the preexisting standards for authentication and sorting. The Reserve Bank stated that vendors will need to re-calibrate the equipment in the event of inconsistencies during the sorting.  According to new changes, banks must prepare a test deck containing at least 2,000 pieces of dirty notes, including mutilated and phoney Indian currency notes.  The machine must be tested using notes in various denominations, including Rs. 100 notes from the old and new series, Rs. 200 notes, Rs. 500 notes, and Rs. 2,000 notes

 

Star Health and IDFC FIRST Bank joined together to offer Bancassurance 

For the distribution of its health insurance options, the insurer and IDFC FIRST Bank have inked a corporate agency agreement. In accordance with this strategic partnership, Star Health and Allied Insurance Company will use IDFC FIRST Bank‘s cutting-edge digital platform and extensive distribution network to offer its best-in-class health insurance products to the Bank’s customers.  With a focus on going digital, IDFC FIRST Bank provides customer service through its mobile app and net banking platform, which supplement its network of branches, ATMs, and lending centres.

SBI Card partners with Aditya Birla Finance to launch ‘Aditya Birla SBI Card’ 

SBI Cards and Payment Services announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Aditya Birla Finance (ABFL), the lending subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital for the launch of 'Aditya Birla SBI Card'.  The card has been designed to give customers significant reward points on their spending around telecom, fashion, travel, dining, entertainment, and hotels, among others.  This partnership will enable us to issue credit cards to Aditya Birla Group's customer base, thereby providing them a great product for all their spending needs.  This is in line with our strategy of enhancing value for both customers and co-brand partners. The customer acquisition process will be completely digital, thereby ensuring an enhanced customer experience.

SBI Life and Paschim Banga Gramin Bank sign a bancassurance agreement 

A bancassurance agreement has been reached between the Paschim Banga Gramin Bank and SBI Life Insurance.  Through the cooperation, SBI Life's assortment of protection, wealth development, credit life, annuity, and savings products will be made available at all Paschim Banga Gramin Bank branches throughout West Bengal, therefore enhancing the region's access to life insurance solutions.

 

BESCOM develops ‘EV Mitra’ mobile app 

The Bengaluru Electricity Company BESCOM has developed EV Mitra mobile app to provide information about EV charging stations in Bengaluru, Karnataka.  The information on charges in each station for the electric vehicles to recharge are also mentioned in the app. The user-friendly app can be used by electric vehicle users to book in advance a slot in the station.  BESCOM has started 136 charging stations in Bengaluru and another 152 such stations will be started soon.  Under the Public Private Partnership model, tenders have been invited to establish 1000 charging stations across the state.

Rs 1,44,616 Crore Gross GST Revenue Collection For June 2022 

Gross GST collection in June 2022 is the second-highest collection next to the April 2022 collection GST collection crosses Rs 1.40 lakh crore mark 5th time since the inception of GST; 4th month at a stretch since March 2022.  The gross GST collection in June 2022 is the 2nd highest collection subsequent to the April 2022 GST collection of Rs 1,67,540 crore.  The total GST revenue collected in the month of June 2022 would be Rs 1,44,616 cr of which CGST would be Rs 25,306 cr, SGST is Rs 32,406 crore, IGST stands at Rs 75887 cr (along with Rs 40102 cr collected on the goods import and cess stood at Rs 11,018 crore (along with Rs 1197 crore collected on import of goods).

BharatPe disburses over ₹3,600 crore loans in Q1 FY23, up 112% QoQ

BharatPe on Tuesday said it disbursed over ₹3,600 crore loans to more than 1.2 lakh merchants in Q1 FY23. While disbursements recorded 112% quarter-on-quarter growth, the merchant beneficiary count grew nearly 82% from the January-March quarter, it stated. BharatPe also said that its annualised total payment value (TPV) hit an all-time high of $18.5 billion, an over 50% QoQ rise.

 

Awards News

Karnataka's Sini Shetty crowned Femina Miss India 2022 

Sini Shetty has won the title of Femina Miss India 2022. She will now represent India at the 71st Miss World pageant. Shetty was crowned Femina Miss India World 2022 by her predecessor Miss India 2020, Manasa Varanasi at JIO World Convention Center in Mumbai.  Femina Miss India 2022's first runner-up is Rubal Shekhawat from Rajasthan, while the second runner-up is Shinata Chauhan, who hails from Uttar Pradesh.

UK Parliament honours Tanuja Nesari with Ayurveda Ratna award 

Tanuja Nesari, Director of All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) was awarded with the Ayurveda Ratna Award by the UK Parliament.  The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Sciences (ITSappg) conferred the award recognising her contribution to prmoting the growth of Ayurveda in India and abroad.

Michelle Poonawalla received the coveted Shiromani Award 

Michelle Poonawalla has received the Shiromani Award at NRI World Summit 2022 in the United Kingdom for her contribution to the field of art.  In addition to Poonawalla, the Shiromani Award was also awarded to Shri Sadhu Bhramvihari, Lord Rami Ranger, Rita Hinduja Chhabria.  The Shiromani Award was instituted in 1977 and has been bestowed on Mother Teresa, Chief Marshal Manekshaw, Raj Kapoor, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, PT Usha, Leander Paes, Vishwanathan Anand, The Dalai Lama, Jaya Bachchan and Asha Bhosle in the past.

Books and Authors News

New book explores Gandhi's role in Champaran satyagraha 

A book titled Gandhi and the Champaran Satyagraha: Select Readings, which has been edited by Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Suranjan Das, was released.  At the virtual book launch event, Prof. Das thanked the West Bengal government and the Netaji Institute for Asian Studies for sponsoring the research.  The book would immediately become an indispensable resource for those who wanted to look at Mahatma Gandhi’s journey at its very beginning in India with respect to the Champaran Satyagraha.

Ranks and Reports News

 

 

QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023: Mumbai tops in India 

According to the QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023, released by global higher education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Mumbai ranked at 103 has emerged as India’s highest-ranked student city.  The other Indian cities in the rankings include Bengaluru at 114, Chennai at 125 and New Delhi at 129.  London (UK) has topped the list ranked 1 followed by Munich (Germany) and Seoul (South Korea) ranked 2nd and Zurich (Switzerland) ranked 4th.  The ranking provides students with independent data regarding a range of factors relevant to their study decisions: affordability, quality of life, the standard of university, and the views of previous students that have studied in that destination.

Start-up ranking 2021: Gujarat, Karnataka emerges as best performers 

Gujarat and Karnataka emerged the “best performers” in the third edition of States’ Start-up ranking, 2021, while Meghalaya bagged the top honour among Northeastern (NE) states.  In the second edition of the survey, which was conducted in 2020, Gujarat was the best performer. The rankings are based on the initiatives taken to develop the startup ecosystem for promoting entrepreneurs.  These initiatives include the Startup India initiative, multiple funding and incubation support, and the government announcing January 16 as Startup Day.

 

Important Days

International Plastic Bag Free Day 2022: 03 July 

The International Plastic Bag Free Day is held on July 3 around the world to spread awareness that a plastic bag free world is possible and that sound environmental alternatives to single use plastic bags are available.  2022 is the 13th edition of the celebrations.  The day is an initiative by Bag Free World for the purpose of getting rid of the single-use of plastic bags around the world and promoting environmental conservation by encouraging us all to stay away from the use of plastic bags and instead look for more eco-friendly alternatives.

Sports News

 

Jasprit Bumrah breaks Lara's world record smashes Broad for 29 runs 

India captain Jasprit Bumrah bludgeoned a hapless Stuart Broad for 29 runs to create a world record for maximum runs off a single over in Test cricket, beating the legendary Brian Lara's feat by one run.  The world record stayed with Lara for 18 years, he had hit South African left-arm spinner Robin Peterson for 28 runs in a Test match in 2003-04, which included four fours and two sixes off six legal deliveries.  Broad, who had also been hit for six sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh in the inaugural World T20 in 2007, gave away 35 in the 84th over of the Indian first innings in the fifth rescheduled Test here.

Carlos Sainz won the British Grand prix Title 2022 

Ferrari's Carlos Sainz registered his first Formula One win at British Grand Prix 2022, with the Spaniard finishing ahead of the Red Bull driver Sergio Perez and Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.  Carlos Sainz claimed his first Formula One victory in his 150th race.  World Championship leader Max Verstappen struggled with his car after suffering a puncture early on, which saw him finish the race in P7, whilst Leclerc couldn't hold on towards the end of the race on his older set of hard tyres and slipped to finish P4 from leading the race on lap 43.

It bothers me, I don't like injustice: David Warner's wife on his lifetime leadership ban

Australia opener David Warner's wife Candice Warner said the lifetime leadership ban imposed on her husband by Cricket Australia for his role in ball-tampering scandal still bothers her. "I don't like injustice...so it does bother me," she stated. Candice stated, "It doesn't really bother him because he can go and captain in UAE, he can go and captain in India."

 

 

Obituaries News

Visionary British theatre director Peter Brook passes away 

Peter Brook, one of the world's most innovative theatre directors who perfected the art of staging powerful drama in bizarre venues, has died aged 97.  The British director mounted productions ranging from challenging versions of Shakespeare through international opera to Hindu epic poems.  He brought a stunning nine-hour adaptation of the Sanskrit epic “The Mahabharata” from France to New York in 1987.

Former India goalkeeper EN Sudhir passes away 

Former India international EN Sudhir, who played as a goalkeeper for India in the 1970s, died in Mapusa, Goa.  Sudhir, who made his international debut against Indonesia in Rangoon (currently Yangon) in the Olympic qualifiers in 1972, represented India in 9 matches. He was also part of the national team in the 1973 erdeka up and the Asian Games squad in 1974. 

 

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