Current Affairs 23 July 2024

National Affairs

Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy Launches Mineral Exploration Hackathon and National DMF Portal in Hyderabad

On July 20, 2024, Union Minister Gangapuram (G) Kishan Reddy, from the Ministry of Mines (MoM), launched the Mineral Exploration Hackathon and the National District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Portal in Hyderabad, Telangana. The event saw participation from Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, Vijay Kumar Sinha, dignitaries from MoM, and state government officials.

About the Mineral Exploration Hackathon:

• The Hackathon focuses on innovative techniques for mineral exploration.
• It aims to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to analyze geophysical data and integrate multiple data sets to identify new mineral targets, especially deep-seated or concealed ore bodies.

About the National DMF Portal:

• The portal aims to enhance transparency and accessibility by consolidating information on district mineral foundations across India.
• It centralizes data on 645 DMFs, tracks developments, and provides project oversight and best practices for effective implementation.

Key Points:

• The Union Minister released publications on ‘Glimpse of Geology and Mineral Resources, Telangana’ and ‘Minerals in Telangana– Spotlights’.
• Certificates were handed over to 8 preferred bidders from the second and third tranches of the e-auction of critical and strategic mineral blocks.
• A roadshow was held to promote industry engagement and familiarize potential bidders with the Tranche IV e-auction process for critical and strategic mineral blocks.

International Affairs

Azerbaijan Launches Climate Finance Action Fund

Azerbaijan, the host of the COP29 climate summit, launched the ‘Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF)’ to support green projects in developing countries and help maintain the 1.5°C temperature target. The fund aims to raise USD 1 billion from fossil fuel-producing countries and companies and will be based in Baku, Azerbaijan.

About CFAF:

• CFAF is part of a package of 14 initiatives announced as part of the COP29 action agenda.
• It will mobilize private sector investment, de-risk funding, and provide concessional support for natural disaster response.
• Azerbaijan will be a founding contributor, and members will commit to annual contributions.
• 50% of the fund will go to climate projects in developing countries, focusing on clean energy, energy efficiency, climate resilience, and new technologies.
• The remaining funds will assist members in meeting their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to keep the 1.5°C temperature target within reach.
• The fund will start operating after its initial fundraising round and when at least 10 countries commit as shareholders.

About Azerbaijan:

• Prime Minister: Ali Asadov
• Capital: Baku
• Currency: Azerbaijani Manat

Ivory Coast Becomes 53rd Country to Join UN Water Convention

Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) has become the 53rd Party to the 1992 United Nations (UN) Water Convention, also known as the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes. This makes Ivory Coast the 10th African country to join the convention.

Significance:

• Transboundary Water (TBW) resources are crucial in Africa, where 63 international transboundary river basins cover 62% of the area and constitute 90% of the total surface water.
• The Water Convention provides cooperation on surface water and groundwater.
• In September 2021, the UN Water Convention backed an agreement to set up a legal and institutional framework for cooperation between Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, and Senegal on the management of the Senegal-Mauritania Aquifer Basin.

About the UN Water Convention:

• Adopted in Helsinki, Finland on March 17, 1992, and came into force on October 9, 1996.
• It requires member countries to prevent, control, and mitigate negative impacts on water quality and quantity across borders and to use shared waters reasonably and equitably.
• Initially established as a regional framework for the pan-European region, it was globally opened to all UN member states in 2016.

Key Facts about Ivory Coast:

• It is the 9th largest economy in Africa and the 5th fastest-growing economy on the continent.
• It shares 8 transboundary river basins with 6 neighboring countries.
• Ivory Coast is categorized as the 40th “water insecure country in the continent” according to the Global Water Security 2023 Assessment.

Economy & Business

India, Bhutan Approve 61 Projects Worth Rs 4,958 Crore for Bhutan’s 13th FYP

India and Bhutan approved 61 development projects valued at Rs 4,958 crore during the 3rd India Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks held in Thimphu, Bhutan on July 20, 2024. These projects will be part of Bhutan’s 13th five-year plan (FYP), with India providing substantial development support of Rs 10,000 crore.

Key Points:

• The Bhutanese side presented the Project Tied Assistance (PTA) proposals and the first tranche of the PTA projects to be implemented during the 13th FYP period.
• The approved projects cover sectors such as connectivity, infrastructure, energy, skill development, education, health, cultural heritage, capacity building, industrial parks, sports, youth exchanges, digital economy, e-mobility, and space technology.

Background:

• During his state visit to Bhutan in March 2024, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s development support of Rs 10,000 Crores for Bhutan’s 13th FYP period.

Highlights of Vikram Misri’s Visit to Bhutan:

• Vikram Misri, India’s Foreign Secretary, was on an official visit to Bhutan from July 19-20, 2024.
• He called on the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Lyonchhen Dasho Tshering Tobgay, and met Bhutan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Lyonpo D N Dhungyel, and King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
• The two Foreign Secretaries virtually inaugurated 19 schools constructed during the 12th FYP period.
• The Bhutan Government informed about the proposed activities under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP), and India agreed to consider frontloading the full amount of Rs 1,500 crore of ESP within 18 months, subject to progress in implementation.
• The next Development Cooperation Talks will be scheduled in New Delhi at a mutually convenient date.

About Bhutan:

• Prime Minister: Lyonchhen Dasho Tshering Tobgay
• Capital: Thimpu
• Currency: Bhutanese Ngultrum

AAI Signed MoU with Rajasthan Government for Development of Greenfield Airport at Kota

On July 19, 2024, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed among the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the Urban Development Department, and the Civil Aviation Department of the Government of Rajasthan for the development of a Greenfield Airport at Kota, Rajasthan.

Signatories:

• The MoU was signed by Sanjeev Kumar, Chairman of AAI, Shikhar Agarwal, Additional Chief Secretary to CM and Civil Aviation, and T. Ravikant, Principal Secretary to the Urban Development and Housing Department of Rajasthan, in the presence of Bhajan Lal Sharma, Chief Minister of Rajasthan.

About the MoU:

• The Government of Rajasthan will provide free land for the development of the Kota Greenfield Airport, and AAI will be responsible for the entire construction, development, and operation of the airport.
• The Government of Rajasthan plans to make the airport operational within 2 years of the start of construction.

Significance:

• The Kota Greenfield Airport will offer state-of-the-art air facilities to the general public of Rajasthan.
• The construction of the airport will boost the tourism sector in Rajasthan and enhance educational and commercial activities in the state.

Key Points:

• The airport will be constructed on 440.086 hectares of land and will cover the revenue villages of Tulsi, Kaithuda, Balapura, and Deoria in the Bundi district, Rajasthan.
• AAI will prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the land proposed for the construction of the airport.
• Kota Development Authority (KDA) has been entrusted with the responsibility of preparing a roadmap for planned development around the proposed land.
• AAI has been granted permission to survey the airport and has taken necessary steps to shift the 400 kV high-tension line of Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) from the proposed airport, and will provide required funds for the purpose.

About Rajasthan:

• Chief Minister: Bhajan Lal Sharma
• Governor: Kalraj Mishra
• Wildlife Sanctuary: Tal Chhapar Sanctuary, Sorsan Wildlife Sanctuary
• Tiger Reserve: Sariska Tiger Reserve, Mukundara Tiger Reserve

About Airports Authority of India (AAI):

• Chairman: Sanjeev Sharma
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
• Established: 1995

UPL University & ISRO’s SAC Signed MoU to Advance Chemical Sciences Research

Vataria (Gujarat)-based UPL University of Sustainable Technology, a leading initiative by UPL Group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Space Application Centre (SAC) of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Aim:

• This strategic alliance aims to advance research and innovation in chemical sciences and align with UPL’s strategy to improve academic excellence and achieve global recognition.

Significance:

• The collaboration between UPL University and ISRO’s SAC is set to revolutionize research in chemical applications within material science and related fields.
• It will provide access to cutting-edge research facilities, specialized expertise, and invaluable data resources to the faculty and students of UPL University to enhance the quality and scope of their research.

Key Points:

• Apart from ISRO, UPL University has signed MoUs with national research organizations/institutions such as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Mumbai-based Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI).
• These collaborations will help enhance research capabilities in environmental engineering, chemical sciences, promoting sustainable technologies, and addressing the needs of local industries.
• International Collaboration: UPL University has partnered with international organizations such as Gexcon in Norway, showing its commitment to advancing safety standards in the chemical industry.
• Regional Partnership: UPL University’s collaboration with the Gujarat Cleaner Production Centre (GCPC) and the Gujarat Environmental Management Institute (GEMI) underscores its commitment to sustainable development and environmental stewardship.

About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO):

• Chairman: Sreedhara Panicker Somanath
• Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Established: 1969

IREDA to Invest Rs 290 Crore in 900 MW Hydro Projects in Nepal

The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) announced an investment of Rs. 290 Crore in a 900 MegaWatt (MW) Hydroelectric Power Project (HPP) in Nepal. With this investment, IREDA will secure up to a 10% shareholding in GMR Upper Karnali Hydro Power Limited and Karnali Transmission Company Pvt. Ltd., Nepal.

Points to Note:

• GMR and the Nepal Electricity Authority, Government of Nepal, are the existing shareholders in GMR Upper Karnali Hydro Power Limited, Nepal.
• IREDA is a ‘Navratna’ public sector undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Appointments & Resignations

ACC Grants Approval for Extension of RP Goyal’s Additional Charge as CMD of NHPC

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has granted approval for the extension of Rajendra Prasad Goyal’s additional charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NHPC Limited by another three months, effective from June 1, 2024. This decision allows Goyal to serve as the interim CMD until a full-time CMD is appointed or further orders are issued.

Key Points:

• Goyal has been holding the additional charge of CMD since March 1, 2024, following the retirement of the previous CMD, Abhay Kumar Singh, on August 31, 2022.
• He is currently serving as the Director of Finance at NHPC Limited since October 2020.
• He began his career at NHPC on November 18, 1988, and before his role as Director (Finance), he served as Chief General Manager (CGM) (Finance).

About NHPC Limited:

• NHPC Limited is India’s premier hydropower company and a Schedule ‘A’ Enterprise of the Government of India (GoI), headquartered in Faridabad, Haryana.

Sports

AIFF Awards 2023-24: Lallianzuala Chhangte, Indumathi Kathiresan Clinch Player of the Title

On July 19, 2024, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced the winners of the AIFF annual awards 2023-24 during the award ceremony held in New Delhi, Delhi.

Key Winners:

• Lallianzuala Chhangte, an Indian Men’s Football Player from Mizoram, was named the AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year 2023-24 for the second consecutive time.
• Indumathi Kathiresan, an Indian Women’s football player from Tamil Nadu, was named AIFF Women’s Footballer of the Year 2023-24. She became the first football player from Tamil Nadu to receive the award.
• David Lalhalansanga (22-year-old), a young striker, was awarded the AIFF Promising Men’s Player of the Year for 2023-24.
• Neha (18-year-old) was awarded the AIFF Promising Women’s Player of the Year for 2023-24.

About All India Football Federation (AIFF):

• It is the apex governing body of football in India.
• President: Kalyan Chaubey
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi
• Founded: 1937

Fencer Shreya Gupta Secured Bronze Medal in Sabre Category in Commonwealth Junior & Cadet Championship 2024

Indian fencer Shreya Gupta, from Jammu & Kashmir, won the bronze medal in the Sabre category at the Commonwealth Junior and Cadet Fencing Championships (CJCFC) 2024 held in Christchurch, New Zealand, from July 12 to 19, 2024. She previously won 2 bronze medals in the team events of CJCFC held in 2018 (Newcastle, UK) and in 2022 (London, UK). She also secured a junior bronze medal in the team event at the 2022 Asian Junior and Cadet Fencing Championship held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Note:

• Shreya Gupta has been an elite athlete in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and a Khelo India athlete.

Obituary

Padma Shri Awardee & Renowned Organic Farmer Kamala Pujari Passed Away

Padma Shri awardee Kamala Pujari, a renowned organic farmer known for cultivating 100 varieties of rice, passed away at the age of 74 in Cuttack, Odisha. She was born in Koraput, Odisha, and belonged to the Paroja tribe. In 2019, she received the prestigious Padma Shri award for her contribution to the agriculture sector.

About Kamala Pujari:

• Kamala Pujari learned basic techniques from the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation at Jeypore, Odisha, and contributed to the field of organic farming.
• In 2018, she was made a member of the Odisha state planning board, becoming the first tribal woman to be included as a member of the state planning team.
• She motivated tribal women to adopt organic farming and avoid chemical fertilizers.
• Due to her efforts, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recognized the Traditional Agricultural System of Koraput as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS).

Awards:

• Tribal Communities of the Jeypore Tract of Orissa won the Equator Initiative Award in 2002 from the Equator Initiative within the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The award was presented to Kamala Pujari during the Earth Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002.
• Kamala Pujari received the Best Farmer award from the Odisha government in 2004.

Books & Authors

Shivraj Singh Chouhan Launches Four Books Celebrating Rashtrapati Bhavan

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, launched four books: ‘Wings to Our Hopes- Volume 1’ (English and Hindi), ‘Rashtrapati Bhavan: Heritage Meets the Present’, and ‘Kahani Rashtrapati Bhavan Ki’. These books provide a detailed portrait of the heritage of Rashtrapati Bhavan, the symbol of the Indian Republic. The books have been published by the Publications Division under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). The launch was attended by Dr. L. Murugan, the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (I&B), and Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, I&B.

About the Books:

• ‘Wings to Our Hopes’ contains President Droupadi Murmu’s speeches delivered in the first year of her presidency from July 2022 to July 2023. The book features 75 speeches divided into eleven sections.
• ‘Rashtrapati Bhavan: Heritage Meets the Present’ is an in-depth exploration of Rashtrapati Bhavan, tracing its history, legacy, and architectural splendor. It also contains the journey of each President of India, from Dr. Rajendra Prasad to the current President, Droupadi Murmu.
• ‘Kahani Rashtrapati Bhavan Ki’ contains information related to the President and Rashtrapati Bhavan for children. It is divided into three chapters – ‘Our President’, ‘Main Attractions of Rashtrapati Bhavan’, and ‘Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Complex’.

Important Days

International Moon Day 2024 – July 20

The United Nations (UN) designated International Moon Day (IMD) is annually observed across the globe on July 20 to commemorate the anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon with the Apollo 11 mission. July 20, 2024, marks the 54th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.

Key Points:

• The day aims to raise public awareness about sustainable Moon exploration and utilization.
• The 2024 theme for International Moon Day is ‘Illuminating the Shadows’, encouraging people to explore the hidden wonders of the moon.
• To commemorate International Moon Day, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) is issuing six postage stamps and three souvenir sheets featuring various pictures from lunar missions.

About the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA):

• UNOOSA works to promote worldwide cooperation in the exploration of space and the utilization of space science and technology for sustainable economic and social development. It serves as the secretariat for the UN COPUOS.
• Director: Aarti Holla-Maini
• Headquarters: Vienna, Austria
• Established: December