DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: July 17, 2023

India third with 27 medals in Asian Athletics Championships 2023

Tags: Sports

In the Asian Athletics Championships 2023 held in Bangkok, Thailand, India won a total of 27 medals and secured the third position in the competition.

An Overview of the news:

• In the five-day (July 12 to 16) Asian Athletics Championships 2023 held in Bangkok, India finished third with a total of 27 medals, including six gold, twelve silver and nine bronze medals, in the second best ever performance.

Jyoti Yaraji's two medals:

• Athlete Jyoti Yaraji won India's first gold medal in women's 100m race and silver medal in women's 200m race in this championship.

India bagged 13 medals on the last day:

• Indian athletes won a total of 13 medals including 8 silver and 5 bronze medals on the last day of competition in Bangkok Athletics Championships 2023 on July 16.

Second Best Performance:

• India's Bangkok campaign was India's best performance at the Asian Championships since Bhubaneswar 2017. In Bhubaneswar also, Indian athletes won a total of 27 medals including 9 gold, 6 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Top five countries in the medal tally:

Rank Country  Gold Silver Bronze  Total Medals

1. Japan:  16  11  10  37
2. China:  8  8  6  22
3. India:  9  6  12  27
4. Sri Lanka:  3  2  3  8
5. Qatar:  2  1  1  4

Carlos Alcaraz wins first Wimbledon title

Tags: Sports News

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz won the Wimbledon title 2023 by defeating four-time defending champion Novak Djokovic in the men's singles category.

An Overview of the News

• Alcaraz won the match with a score of 1–6, 7–6(6), 6–1, 3–6, 6–4 to secure his first Wimbledon title.

• The match was played on the Center Court of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England.

• Alcaraz is the third Spanish man to win Wimbledon after Manuel Santana (1966) and Rafael Nadal (2008,2010).

Wimbledon Championships 2023 Winners:

PM Modi's visit to UAE

Tags: International Relations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on July 15, 2023, during his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

An Overview of the news:

• This is the fifth visit of an Indian Prime Minister to UAE in the last eight years.
• In the year 2015, Prime Minister Modi became the first Prime Minister of India to visit UAE in 34 years.

On July 15, the following activities were agreed upon between the two countries:

• Agreed to trade in Rupee and UAE's currency Dirham;
• Approval for linking of UPI and UAE's instant payment platform;
• Agreement on setting up of IIT Delhi campus in UAE;
• India's support for the UAE's chairmanship of COP-28;
• Agreed to increase bilateral trade to USD 100 billion (currently USD 85 billion).

Trade between the two countries:

• India-UAE trade to grow to US$ 85 billion in 2022, making UAE India's third largest trading partner and India's second largest export destination during 2022-23.
• India is the second largest trading partner of the UAE.

Guidelines for Operationalization of Production Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0 for IT Hardware approved

Tags: Science and Technology

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme 2.0 for IT hardware has been approved in an announcement made by PIB Delhi on July 14, 2023.

An Overview of the News

The plan, with a budget of ₹17,000 crore, aims to grow and expand the IT hardware manufacturing ecosystem in India.

About Production Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0:

• The Production Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0 is a government initiative aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and attracting large investments in the value chain. 

• The scheme provides a financial incentive to companies operating in specific target segments, such as Laptops, Tablets, All-in-One PCs, Servers, and Ultra Small Form Factor devices.

Eligibility and Implementation:

• To qualify for the PLI 2.0 Scheme, companies, both domestic and global, must meet the eligibility criteria specified in the scheme guidelines. 

• Those meeting the criteria will receive support for manufacturing goods in India within the specified target segment. 

• Companies will be classified as either domestic or global, determining their categorization as Hybrid (Global/Domestic).

Ranking and Selection Process:

• All applicants will undergo a comprehensive ranking process based on the eligibility criteria outlined in the scheme guidelines. 

• The ranking will determine the selection of applicants in each category—global, hybrid, and domestic—taking into account their overall PLI projection and ranking. 

• However, the final selection will be subject to the availability of the budget allocated for the scheme.

Tenure and Base Year:

• The incentives provided under the PLI 2.0 Scheme will be applicable for a period of six years. 

• For calculating the net incremental sales of manufactured goods, the base year considered will be the financial year 2022-23.

Incentives Payout:

• The incentive granted to each company will depend on the net incremental sales of manufactured goods in the target segment compared to the base year. 

• The maximum incentive amounts are capped at INR 45 billion for global companies, INR 22.50 billion for hybrid (global/domestic) companies, and INR 5 billion for domestic companies. 

• These amounts serve as the upper limit for the incentives that can be received by companies under the scheme.

World Snake Day: 16 July

Tags: Important Days

World Snake Day was celebrated on 16 July 2023 at the National Zoological Park, (Delhi Zoo) in New Delhi.

An Overview of the news:

• The purpose of celebrating World Snake Day is to protect snakes by raising awareness about the snakes of India, mistrust about snakes and the importance of snakes in our ecology.
• On this occasion, the snake rearing staff conducted the enrichment activity by providing cage furniture in the reptile house. Along with this, tree plantation was also done inside the snake houses.
• After Mission Life with about 350 visitors and young children at the Reptile House talks about snakes and healthy living.
• Reptile House Walk was organized on this occasion.
• Presently 31 snakes of 07 species are present in the National Zoological Park.

National Parks of India:

• There are currently 106 national parks in India.
• The largest national park in India is the Hemis National Park (Ladakh).
• The smallest national park in India is South Button National Park (Andaman and Nicobar Islands).
• The first national park of India is Jim Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand), which was established in 1936.
• Cheetah was introduced to Kuno National Park in India for the first time after independence.
• The maximum number of tigers in India is located in Madhya Pradesh, followed by Karnataka.
• The maximum number of 11 national parks in India is in the state of Madhya Pradesh, where there are a total of 11 national parks.

Skill India project successfully revives the dying Namda art of Jammu and Kashmir

Tags: Popular

The Namda craft of Jammu and Kashmir was facing extinction, but has been successfully revived through the Skill India pilot project under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

An Overview of the News

• Around 2,200 candidates from six districts of Jammu and Kashmir received training in Namda art, thereby preserving this traditional craft and empowering local weavers and artisans.

• The project demonstrates a successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in skill development in collaboration with local industry partners.

• The initiative was implemented in collaboration with Meer Handicrafts and the Srinagar Carpet Training and Market Centre, demonstrating the power of public-private partnerships in promoting skill development and attracting investments for economic development.

• The project was launched following Union Minister Rajiv Chandrashekhar's visit to Jammu and Kashmir in 2021, where the need to preserve and revive the vanishing traditional crafts of the region was recognised.

• The Namda craft involves making rugs from sheep's wool through felting techniques instead of traditional weaving.

About Namda Crafts

• The credit for introducing Namda to the Kashmiri people is given to a Sufi saint named Shah-i-Hamdan.

• Namda is a traditional Kashmiri craft that involves making felted carpets using sheep's wool and incorporating colourful hand embroidery.

• Unlike traditional woven carpets, Namda is made through a felting process, where the wool fibres are tangled together instead of being woven.

• The uniqueness of Namda lies in its intricate themes and floral patterns, which are inspired by nature.

• The designs often feature flowers, leaves, buds and fruits, making for a visually appealing motif.

• Namda art is not limited to Kashmir only but is also practised in many other Asian countries including Iran, Afghanistan and India.

India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise "Nomadic Elephant-2023"

Tags: Defence

The 15th edition of India-Mongolia joint military exercise "Nomadic Elephant-2023" is scheduled to be held from 17 to 31 July 2023 at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

An Overview of the news:

• Exercise Nomadic Elephant is an annual training program of India with Mongolia which is conducted alternately in Mongolia and India.
• Earlier the military exercise program was organized at Special Forces Training School, Bakloh in October 2019.
• Troops from Mongolian Armed Forces Unit 084 and Indian troops from the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry Regiment will participate in the 15th edition of the military exercise.

Objective of military exercise:

• The aim of the military exercise is to strengthen positive military-to-military relations, exchange of best military practices, bilateral interoperability, camaraderie, camaraderie and friendship.
• The primary objective of this military exercise under the mandate of the United Nations is to curb terrorist activities in the mountainous areas.
• This military exercise includes platoon level Field Training Exercise (FTX). During this military exercise, Indian and Mongolian troops will participate in various training activities designed to enhance their capabilities and skills.
• These activities include endurance training, reflex firing, room intervention, small team tactics and mountain drills (rock craft firing).

Mongolia:

• Capital: Ulaanbaatar
• Currency: Mongolian tugrik
• President: Ukhnagin Hurelsukh
• Prime Minister: Oyun Erdan Luv-Sanm-Saren

Inauguration of new Integrated Terminal Building at Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair

Tags: Latest

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new Integrated Terminal Building of Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair through video conferencing on 18th July.

An Overview of the News

Nature Inspired Architectural Design

• The architectural design of the airport terminal resembles a shell-shaped structure, drawing inspiration from nature.

• The design represents the sea and the islands, reflecting the unique environment of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Sustainable features for minimal environmental impact

• The new terminal building includes a number of sustainability features to ensure minimal negative impact on the islands' environment.

• This includes a double-insulated roof system to reduce heat and skylights to maximise natural sunlight, reducing the need for artificial lighting.

• LED lighting and low heat gain glazing are used to conserve energy.

• The terminal building has a rainwater harvesting system that collects water in an underground tank and an on-site sewage treatment plant, where 100% of treated wastewater is reused for landscaping.

• In addition, a 500 kW capacity solar power plant has been set up to harness renewable energy.

Enhanced connectivity and passenger capacity

• The new Integrated Terminal Building, constructed at a cost of about Rs 710 crore, will play a vital role in enhancing connectivity in the island union territory.

• With a total built-up area of approximately 40,800 sqm, the terminal building has the capacity to handle approximately 5 million passengers annually.

• An apron suitable for two Boeing-767-400 and two Airbus-a321 aircraft has been constructed, allowing parking for up to ten aircraft at a time.

World International Justice Day - July 17

Tags: Important Days

An Overview of the News

• The day focuses on promoting international criminal justice and advocating for the rights of victims.

History:

• It commemorates the adoption of the Rome Statute on 17 July 1998, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC).

• The ICC is tasked with protecting individuals from heinous crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression.

Mission:

• The primary mission of the ICC is to ensure justice and accountability for these heinous crimes, thus contributing to global peace, security and prosperity.

• Global participation: People around the world come together on this day to support justice, raise awareness of international criminal justice, and cooperate in preventing future crimes.

• Advocacy for Victims: The day serves as a platform to advocate for the rights of victims and to emphasise their importance in the pursuit of justice.

• Prevention of crimes: Through collective efforts, the day encourages initiatives and actions aimed at preventing crimes that threaten global peace and security.

• Unity for Justice: It symbolises the promotion of unity, international cooperation and collaboration among nations and individuals in the pursuit of justice.