DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: July 4, 2024

Uttar Pradesh NIRMAN Bill-2024

Tags: State News

The Uttar Pradesh government has passed the draft for the Uttar Pradesh Nodal Investment Region for Manufacturing (Construction) Area Bill (NIRMAN)-2024.

An Overview of the News

• Chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, this initiative is part of a strategy to uplift the state’s economy to the one trillion dollar mark.

• SIRs will be set up across Uttar Pradesh, spread out evenly across the state’s four geographical zones.

• Cluster regions for significant investments are being developed to facilitate business activities.

• Power is being decentralized from the state government to regional officials to ease business operations.

Land and Infrastructure:

• The plan includes utilizing approximately 20,000 acres of land from the state’s land bank.

• A notable example is the 5,000-hectare area allocated by the Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority for major industrial activities.

Economic Goals:

• The bill aims to spur rapid economic growth, legally protect investment zones, streamline business operations, and create numerous jobs.

• UP aims to emulate successful investment strategies from states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Karnataka.

Supportive Measures:

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the India Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO) and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has been signed to foster a business-friendly environment.

• Large convention centers are being constructed in Lucknow and Varanasi to promote MSME visibility and local output.

• Over 2,200 teachers in non-subsidized secondary schools are being reinstated on temporary duty to address educational challenges.

Potential Impact:

• Effective implementation of these plans could significantly advance UP’s progress toward becoming a trillion-dollar economy.

• The initiative aims to promote long-term growth and job creation.

Special Investment Regions (SIR):

• Investment Zones: SIRs are designated areas designed to attract investments by simplifying business operations and enhancing facilities and infrastructure. They often offer tax breaks and other incentives.

• Economic Boost: SIRs focus on sectors like technology and industry to boost local economies, create jobs, and drive technological advancement.

• Global Examples: Similar concepts include China’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Free Trade Zones (FTZs), although SIRs generally have broader economic goals and cover more land.

P. Geetha Receives First Saraswathi Amma Award

Tags: Awards

P. Geetha, writer, critic, and feminist activist, received the first Saraswathi Amma Award.

An Overview of the News

• The award was instituted by WINGS (Women’s Integration and Growth Through Sports), Kerala, for feminist studies.

• Geetha's work "To Thachukal" (Male Creations) on the scripts of MT Vasudevan Nair won the award.

Presentation of the Award:

• This award was presented to Geeta on 29 June.

• Writer and social activist Sarah Joseph presented the award.

Saraswathi Amma's Legacy:

• Saraswathi Amma was a writer ahead of her time, facing societal intolerance for her genius.

• She published her first short story in 1938 and wrote about gender equality when it was an unknown concept in Kerala society.

• Her works included short stories, a novel, a play, and essays.

Recognition and Challenges:

• Saraswathi Amma was labeled a "man hater" but later hailed as a forerunner of feminist literature.

• No writer of her time was willing to write a prologue to her works.

• Some of her works questioning patriarchal values were edited and deleted but republished posthumously.

WINGS Organization:

• NA Vinaya, Founder of WINGS, chaired the award function.

• WINGS aims to make women courageous and independent.

• The organization decided to establish the award to honor Saraswathi Amma's bold stance.

NITI Aayog Launches Sampoornata Abhiyan

Tags: National News

NITI Aayog has initiated the Sampoornata Abhiyan, a three-month campaign starting from 4th july until 30th September. 

An Overview of the News

• The campaign aims to achieve saturation of six key indicators in Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks across India.

• The campaign targets 112 Aspirational Districts and 500 Aspirational Blocks under the Aspirational Districts Programme and Aspirational Blocks Programme.

The six key performance indicators (KPIs) for Sampoornata Abhiyan across aspirational blocks and districts:

• For Aspirational Blocks:

  • Percentage of pregnant women registered for Antenatal Care within the first trimester.

  • Percentage of persons screened for Diabetes.

  • Percentage of persons screened for Hypertension.

  • Percentage of pregnant women taking Supplementary Nutrition regularly.

  • Percentage of Soil Health Cards generated.

  • Percentage of Self Help Groups (SHGs) receiving Revolving Fund.

• For Aspirational Districts:

  • Percentage of pregnant women registered for Antenatal Care within the first trimester.

  • Percentage of pregnant women taking Supplementary Nutrition regularly.

  • Percentage of children fully immunized.

  • Number of Soil Health Cards distributed.

  • Percentage of secondary schools with functional electricity.

  • Percentage of schools providing textbooks within one month of the academic session start.

Implementation Strategy

• Action Plan Development: Each district/block will develop a comprehensive three-month action plan to achieve saturation of the identified KPIs.

• Progress Tracking: Monthly tracking of progress towards saturation goals.

• Awareness Campaigns: Conduct campaigns to raise awareness and promote behavioral change among stakeholders.

• Monitoring: Regular field visits by district officials to monitor and support implementation efforts.

NITI Aayog

• It is India's top public policy think tank.

• It promotes economic development and cooperative federalism.

• Initiatives include long-term planning, Digital India, and healthcare and agriculture reforms.

• It engages states in policy-making and aims for holistic development through various schemes and indices.

  • Formed - 1 January 2015

  • Headquarters - New Delhi

  • Chairperson - Narendra Modi

  • Vice Chairperson - Suman Bery

  • CEO - B. V. R. Subrahmanyam

NIC and Spices Board Sign MoU for AI-Based Cardamom Disease Study in Sikkim

Tags: State News

The National Informatics Centre (NIC) and Spices Board of India signed an MoU to study cardamom diseases in Sikkim using AI.

An Overview of the News

• The project is titled "Development and Deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Aided Tools for Detection and Classification of Large Cardamom Diseases."

• MoU signed on July 3, 2024.

Signatories and Participants:

• An MOU was signed by Sanhita Bhattacharjee, Scientist F and Additional State Informatics Officer of West Bengal, and Dr. A.B. Remashree, Director (Research & Finance) from the Spices Board.

• The signing took place in the presence of Dr. L.P. Sharma, State Informatics Officer (Sikkim).

• Dr. Sharma was accompanied by his team from NIC Sikkim.

• Many other officers from the Spices Board, ICRI, and NIC participated virtually.

NIC's Role:

• NIC, under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India.

• Created the Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (CoE-AI) at NIC Kolkata.

• Developed a proof of concept for detecting various cardamom leaf diseases using AI models.

Spices Board's Role:

• Spices Board, under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India.

• Provides images of disease-free and diseased cardamom leaves to NIC.

AI Tools Development:

• Images processed in NIC’s AI lab in Kolkata.

• AI tools trained to identify diseased cardamom leaves using the extracted information.

Project Patronage and Discussions:

• Initiated under the patronage of  Shermishta Sengupta, Deputy Director General of NIC.

• Discussions between NIC Sikkim, Spices Board, and NIC Kolkata for the last three months finalized the MoU.

About Sikkim 

• It is a state in northeast India.

• Bordered by Bhutan, Tibet, and Nepal.

• Part of the Himalayas with a dramatic landscape.

• Home to India’s highest mountain, 8,586m Kangchenjunga.

• Features glaciers, alpine meadows, and thousands of wildflower varieties.

• Steep paths lead to hilltop Buddhist monasteries like Pemayangtse, dating to the early 1700s.

  • Founded - 16 May 1975

  • Capital - Gangtok

  • Governor - Lakshman Acharya

  • Chief minister - Prem Singh Tamang (SKM)

Manoj Ahuja Assumes Office as Odisha's New Chief Secretary; Nikunja Bihari Dhal Named Additional Chief Secretary

Tags: Person in news

On June 30th, 2024, Manoj Ahuja, a 1990 batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, became the 46th Chief Secretary of Odisha.

An Overview of the News

• Ahuja replaces Pradeep Kumar Jena, who assumed the charge in February 2023.

• Ahuja will also serve as the Secretary in the General Administration and Public Grievances (GA&PG) department.

Nikunja Bihari Dhal Appointed as Additional Chief Secretary in CMO:

• Nikunja Bihari Dhal, a 1993 batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, has been appointed as the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) to the Odisha Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

• He previously served as the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha from March 2023.

• Dhal has held various significant positions including Special Relief Commissioner, Special Residence Commissioner in New Delhi, and Commercial Tax Commissioner.

About Odisha

• Formation - 1 April 1936

• Capital - Bhubaneswar

• Governor - Raghubar Das

• Chief Minister -  Mohan Charan Majhi

• Rajya Sabha - 10 seats

• Lok Sabha - 21 seats

Additional Information:-

National Doctors' Day - 1 July 2024

Tags: Important Days

National Doctors' Day is annually observed on 1 July across India to honor doctors and healthcare professionals.

An Overview of the News

• It commemorates the birth and death anniversary of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, a renowned physician and former Chief Minister of West Bengal.

• The day is led by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to recognize doctors' contributions to society.

• The theme for National Doctors' Day 2024 is "Healing Hands, Caring Hearts."

• The observance began in India on 1 July 1991, following the IMA's recommendation.

About IMA

• Establishment: 1928

• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi

• National President: Dr. R V Asokan

• Secretary-General: Dr. Anilkumar J. Nayak

JULY 2024 Days and Themes

Japan's ALOS-4 Earth Observation Satellite Launch

Tags: Science and Technology International News

Japan launched the Advanced Land Observation Satellite-4 "DAICHI-4" (ALOS-4) on July 1, 2024.

An Overview of the News

• The launch took place from the Tanegashima Space Center using the third flight of the H3 Launch Vehicle (H3 F3).

• This marked the third successful deployment of the H3 system.

• ALOS-4 is designed for earth observation and was deployed into orbit from off the coast of Kyushu, Japan.

• This launch marks a significant advancement in Japan's space exploration efforts, focusing on enhanced earth observation capabilities.

ALOS-4 Features:

• ALOS-4 succeeds DAICHI-2 (ALOS-2) and expands its observation range significantly. Japan will continue to operate both satellites concurrently.

• It features an infrared sensor developed by Japan's defense ministry, primarily designed for earth observation, disaster response data collection, and cartography.

• Equipped with an infrared sensor, the satellite has capabilities for monitoring military activities such as missile launches.

About H3 Rocket System:

• Developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in collaboration with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

• Designed as a cost-effective successor to the H-IIA launch system, capable of carrying a 6.5 metric ton payload into space.

• Each launch costs approximately 5 billion Japanese Yen (JPY) or USD 33 million.

About JAXA

• Established- 2003

• President- Yamakawa Hiroshi

• Headquarters- Chofu City, Japan

Japan

• Capital: Tokyo

• King: Prince Naruhito (The reign of the 126th king will be known as 'Riwa'.)

• Prime Minister: Fumio Kishida

• Currency: Japanese Yen

Additional Information:-

Ravi Agrawal Appointed as New CBDT Chairman, Succeeding Nitin Gupta

Tags: Person in news

1988 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Ravi Aggarwal was appointed the new chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

An Overview of the News

• Agrawal succeeds Nitin Gupta, whose extended tenure ended on June 30, 2024.

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) stated that Agrawal's appointment will be on a contract basis until June 30, 2025, while his scheduled retirement is in September 2024.

About Nitin Gupta

• Nitin Gupta was appointed as the chairman of CBDT in June 2022.

• Gupta was initially scheduled to retire in September 2023.

• He was given a nine-month extension, serving until June 2024.

Ravi Agrawal's Roles:

• Appointed as a member of CBDT to oversee direct tax issues.

• Served as Director General (DG) of Income Tax Investigation in Delhi.

• Appointed as a member of CBDT (Administration) in July 2023.

CBDT Board Members

• The CBDT is headed by a chairman and can have six members of special secretary rank.

• Current serving members include:

  • Pragya Sahay Saksena

  • HBS Gill

  • Pravin Kumar

  • Sanjay Kumar

• Sanjay Kumar Verma retired on June 30, 2024.

About CBDT:

• Established:- 1963

• Chairman:- Ravi Agrawal

• Headquarters:- New Delhi, Delhi

Other Appointments in June:-

• Sujata Saunik: Maharashtra's first woman Chief Secretary.

• Gen. Upendra Dwivedi: 30th Chief of Army Staff.

• Naveen Chandra Jha: MD & CEO of SBI General Insurance.

• SEVENTEEN: UNESCO's Goodwill Ambassador for Youth.

• Pradeep Singh Kharola: Director General of NTA.

• Om Birla: Speaker of 18th Lok Sabha.

• Atul Kumar Chaudhary: Secretary of TRAI.

• Manoj Jain: CMD of BEL.

• Theo James: UNHCR Global Goodwill Ambassador.

• Mohan Charan Majhi: BJP Chief Minister of Odisha.

• Sub-Lt. Anamika B. Rajeev: First woman helicopter pilot in Indian Navy.

• Sameer Bansal: MD & CEO of PNB MetLife India Insurance.