1. UK Parliament honours Tanuja Nesari with Ayurveda Ratna award
Tags: Awards International News
All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) Director Tanuja Nesri has been conferred with the Ayurveda Ratna Award by the UK Parliament.
The UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Science (ITSappg) presented the award in recognition of his contribution to promoting the development of Ayurveda in India and abroad.
The award was presented on the occasion of International Day of Yoga (June 21).
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Indian Traditional Science was formed in 2014 with the aim of spreading the knowledge of Ayurveda, Yoga, Astrology, Vastu, Unani and Sangeet to the United Kingdom and abroad.
About All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA)
Establishment - 2017
Headquarters - New Delhi
2. IRDAI and NHA to set up National Health Claims Exchange to settle claims
Tags: National News
The National Health Authority (NHA) and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) have decided to develop a National Health Claims Exchange.
National Health Claims Exchange will be developed as a digital platform for settlement of health claims.
IRDAI President Debashish Panda has proposed to form a working group with industry representation.
This working group will decide how to attract as many people as possible to buy health insurance.
Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI)
IRDAI is a regulatory body, established under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance.
It helps regulate and licence the insurance and reinsurance industries across the country.
It was constituted as per the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999.
IRDAI is headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana. It was shifted from Delhi to Telangana in 2001.
IRDAI is a 10-member body. It consists of the Chairman, 5 full time and 4 part time members. All the members are appointed by the Government of India.
National Health Authority (NHA)
National Health Authority implements India's public health insurance scheme named “Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)”.
NHA was set up to implement PM-JAY at the national level.
In states, state health agencies have been set up as a society or trust.
SHA has been given full operational autonomy for the implementation of this scheme.
3. Operation "Narcos"
Tags: National News
Railway Protection Force recently recovered narcotics worth more than Rs 7.40 crore under Operation "Narcos".
Operation Narcos
With a special focus on the menace of Narcotic Substances and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS), a month long all India campaign against drug trafficking through rail with the code "Operation Narcos" was launched in June-2022.
RPF has intensified its investigation in trains and identified black spots across the country in coordination with the Narcotics Control Bureau and other law enforcement agencies to target drug smugglers involved in this illegal trade.
Other Initiatives of RPF
Operation AAHT
Special teams will be deployed on all long distance trains/routes to rescue the victims, especially women and children, from the clutches of traffickers.
Meri saheli pehal
This initiative will focus on the safety of women passengers. It was launched in September 2020 as a pilot project in South-Eastern Railway. Since then it has been extended to all the zones.
Operation Passenger Safety
Under "Operation Yatri Suraksha", the RPF supports the state police in the fight against passenger crime.
Operation Little Angels
It rescued 1,045 children who were found alone or abandoned at railway stations.
Railway Protection Force
The RPF contingent is an armed force of the Union of India. It is a security force owned by the Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways.
The history of RPF dates back to 1882 when various railway companies appointed their own guards to guard the railway property.
The force was declared a statutory force in 1957 by an Act of Parliament, later declared as an armed force of the Union of India in 1985.
RPF has been entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding railway property.
4. India-Armenia sign MoU on High Impact Community Development Projects
Tags: International News
India and Armenia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on high impact community development projects with financial and technical assistance from India in Armenia on 4 July.
The MoU was signed at the 8th India-Armenia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical, Cultural and Educational Cooperation (IGC) held in Yerevan.
The Indian delegation was led by Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs.
The Armenian delegation was led by the Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
The two sides discussed and reviewed the current status of cooperation in various fields such as trade, investment, health, tourism, infrastructure, culture, connectivity, information technology, agriculture, fintech and education.
Later Mahatma Gandhi Auditorium was inaugurated at Yerevan State Medical University (VSMU).
More than 700 students from the Indian community are pursuing medical education at Yerevan State Medical University in Armenia.
India-Armenia Intergovernmental Commission (IGC)
The 7th IGC was held in April 2016 and the 6th IGC and FOC were held in New Delhi on 25 September 2013.
About Armenia
It is a landlocked country located in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.
Head Of Government - Prime Minister- Nikol Pashinyan
Capital - Yerevan
President - Vahagn Kachaturyan
Currency - Dram
5. EC issues notification for filing nomination for 16th Vice-Presidential election
Tags: Latest National News
The Election Commission has issued the notification on 5 July for filing the nomination for the 16th Vice-Presidential election.
The process of filing nominations for the Vice Presidential election to be held on August 6 will start from July 5 and will continue till July 19.
The scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on July 20 and the last date for withdrawal of nominations is July 22.
The term of current Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu ends on August 10.
The election is held according to the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote and voting is by secret ballot.
About Vice-President
The post of Vice President of India is modelled on the lines of the US Vice President.
The post of Vice President in India is considered to be the second highest post in the country.
Article 63 of the Indian Constitution mentions the office of the Vice-President.
He is the ex-officio Speaker of the Rajya Sabha (Article 64).
He is not a member of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The Vice President is indirectly elected by an Electoral College.
The Electoral college consists of both elected and nominated members from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
The Electoral College does not include the members of the state legislative assemblies.
The Vice President holds the position for five years.
He can resign his office before five years by submitting his resignation to the President.
A formal impeachment is not required for his removal.
First Vice President of india – Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (1952)
Present Vice President of india – Venkaiah Naidu (Since 2017)
6. Saving Chenkurinji from climate change
Tags: Popular National News
Chenkurinji (Gluta travancorica) is a species endemic to the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve. Its numbers are continuously decreasing due to climate change.
About Chenkurinji tree
It belongs to the Anacardiaceae family.
This tree was once found in abundance in the hills of the southern parts of Aryankavu Pass, Kollam district (Kerala), but over the years its presence is rapidly decreasing from this area.
It is susceptible to climate change and the current status of these species is poor due to low regeneration.
There are sufficient numbers of these trees but most of them are not productive, thereby creating a negative trend in its population.
Flowering and fruiting rates are very poor in most trees.
Medicinal properties of the tree
It has medicinal properties and is used to lower blood pressure and treat arthritis.
The forest department has launched a 'Save Chenkurinji' campaign.
7. Hardeep S Puri chairs the meeting with stakeholders on Green Hydrogen
Tags: National News
The union ministry of petroleum and natural gas on 4 July held consultations with stakeholders on developing the green hydrogen ecosystem in India.
The meeting was chaired by the union minister of petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri.
It was attended by the minister of state for petroleum Rameswar Teli, seniors officials from the ministry and oil & gas PSUs, and other stakeholders.
Puri said that when green hydrogen is promoted, the challenges faced by the fossil fuel industry can be overcome.
He said that this will accelerate India's journey towards energy independence by 2047.
Government is spending ₹12 lakh crores to import energy.
Due to India's favourable geographical conditions and presence of abundant natural elements, green hydrogen production has great potential.
Oil and gas PSUs have taken up several pilot projects in this sector, some of which will start showing results this year itself.
India is capable of creating a $12-13 trillion industry by 2050 and emerging as a major global energy supplier.
What is green hydrogen?
Green hydrogen is hydrogen gas produced by electrolysis of water.
Electrolysis of water is an energy intensive process for splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.
In this method an electric current is used to separate the hydrogen from the oxygen in the water.
If this electricity is obtained from renewable sources, energy will be produced without emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Brown hydrogen
It is produced by use of coal where the emissions are released to the air.
Grey hydrogen
It is produced from natural gas where the emissions are released to the air.
Blue hydrogen
It is produced from natural gas, in which the emissions are captured using carbon capture and storage.
Capacity of India in renewable energy sector
India currently ranks fourth in renewable energy capacity globally.
India will add 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
Presently the renewable energy capacity in India is 136 GW, which is 36% of the total energy capacity in India.
Solar and wind energy are the main sources of renewable energy.
Other alternatives such as biomass energy, methanol-based blending and hydrogen are considered the fuel of the future.
8. Hotels, restaurants can't force customers to pay service charge
Tags: National News
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on July 4 barred hotels and restaurants from adding service charges "automatically or by default" to food bills.
If any restaurant or hotel collects service charges from customers, then they can file a complaint.
If any restaurant or hotel collects service charges from customers, then they can file a complaint on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH).
A complaint can also be lodged with the Consumer Commission or the District Collector in this regard.
The consumer can also file a complaint against unfair trade practice with the consumer commission through the e-daakhil portal.
No hotel or restaurant shall compel any customer to pay service charges.
Paying service charges will depend on the customer whether to be paid or not.
Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has been set up under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Its primary objective is to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers.
It is empowered to inquire into the violation of consumer rights and initiate complaints/prosecution proceedings.
It shall consist of following members appointed by Central Government-
Chief Commissioner
Two Commissioners, they will each represent goods and services.
It will have an Investigation Wing that will be headed by a Director General.
District collectors will also be empowered to inquire into complaints of violation of consumer rights, unfair trade practices and false or misleading advertisements.
9. Yair Lapid Officially Becomes New Prime Minister Of Israel
Tags: Person in news International News
Yer Lapid, the leader of the Yesh Atid party, has been officially elected as the 14th Prime Minister of Israel.
Lapid's term could be shortened as he is made the head of the caretaker government ahead of the November 1 election.
Lapid replaces outgoing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
Lapid is an Israeli politician and a former journalist.
He has also previously served as the alternate Prime Minister of Israel and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2021 to 2022.
Before joining politics in 2012, Lapid was a writer, TV presenter and news anchor.
About Israel
Israel is a country located in Southwest Asia. It is located at the eastern end of the Southeast Mediterranean Sea.
The modern nation of Israel was established in 1948.
Parliament is elected on the basis of universal suffrage by proportional representation method every four years.
Israel is considered the most advanced country in Southwest Asia and the Middle East in economic and industrial development.
Capital- Jerusalem
President- Isaac Herzog
Currency- Israeli new shekel
10. QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023
Tags: International News
QS Best Students City Ranking 2023 was published recently. London is ranked the best city in this ranking.
The QS ranking has been released for 140 cities across the world.
London was ranked the best for students looking to study abroad in terms of university standards, affordability and student facilities.
Indian city
The highest ranked student city of India is Mumbai.
Globally it is ranked 103rd.
Bengaluru is at 114th position after Mumbai.
Chennai and Delhi have made their own entries in the list and are ranked 125th and 129th respectively.
According to the All India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE) 2018-19, the number of international students enrolled in Indian universities was just 47,427.
India has set a target of attracting 200,000 international students by 2023, which is four times the current total.
world cities rank
Seoul and Munich are in second and third place after London.
Zurich and Melbourne are ranked fourth and fifth.
Buenos Aires took the top spot in Latin America. It has been ranked 23rd.
The best student city in the Arab region is Dubai. It is ranked 51st globally.
