Current Affairs Update 05 July 2018
Current Affairs is an important part for many exams. Be prepared for this section with ByScoop which brings all the important Current Affairs in one place. 05 July 2018.
42nd World Heritage meeting closes with 19 new sites added to list
The 42nd World Heritage Committee meeting closed on July 04, 2018 in Bahrain’s capital Manama, with 19 new sites inscribed to the World Heritage List. The World Heritage List now numbers 1092 sites in 167 countries.
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Karnataka Budget Proposes “Compete with China” Scheme
The state government of Karnataka under Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy presented the Congress-JD(S) coalition government’s maiden budget for fiscal 2018-19 on July 5, announcing a unique scheme to compete with China-made goods
- In a bid to reduce dependence on Chinese made products and encourage in-house production, Karnataka Government has proposed to introduce a scheme named ‘Compete with China’.
- The scheme envisages setting up a “Program Mission Unit” under the leadership of successful entrepreneurs of the state.
- For this purpose, plug and play industrial sheds will be constructed.
- The Spare parts will be manufactured at the village level, assembled at the taluk level and malls will be opened to market these goods.
Karnataka Announces Rs 34,000 cr Farm Loans Waiver
While presenting the 2018-19 Budget, the Karnataka government has announced a farm loan waiver of up to Rs 34,000 crore, giving relief to lakhs of farmers across the state.
- In the first phase of the crop loan waiver, all defaulted crop loans up to 31 December, 2017 will be waived. For this purpose, Rs 6,500 crore is earmarked in 2018-19 budget.
- The loan amount will be limited to Rs 2 lakh per farmer family. Due to this waiver scheme, farmers will be able to avail of a benefit of Rs. 34,000 crores.
- For farmers who have repaid the loan within time, a credit of repaid loan amount or Rs. 25000, whichever is less, has been indicated to encourage the non-defaulting farmers.
MP govt launches outstanding power bill waiver scheme ‘Sambal’
- The Madhya Pradesh government has launched an outstanding power bill waiver scheme and subsidised power scheme ‘Sambal’ for labourers and poor families.
- Under the scheme, the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families would be provided electricity at a cost of 200 rupees per month.
- One crore 83 lakh workers registered under Sambal Yojana in the state till now. Under this scheme, outstanding electricity bill worth five thousand 179 crores rupees is to be waived off. In case the bill is lower than 200 rupees, the beneficiary will have to pay the actual bill amount.
Uttarakhand HC declares animals to be ‘legal persons’
- The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday accorded the status of “legal person or entity” to animals in the State.
- A Division Bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Lokpal Singh bestowed the unique status on animal kingdom.
- The court also directed the State government to ensure that if temperature exceeds 37°C or drops below 5°C.
Mahesh Sharma Inaugurates Exhibition titled “Arth – art for earth” in New Delhi
The Union Minister of State for Culture(I/C), Dr. Mahesh Sharma, inaugurated exhibition titled “ARTH – ART FOR EARTH” at IGNCA, New Delhi.
- The exhibition which is up for display until October 22 is the first its kind public art project on the environment by one of India’s leading contemporary artists Manav Gupta.
- Comprising of “Excavations in Hymns of Clay”, the artist has deployed the Indian potter’s produce of clay objects to bring to light the importance of age old existence of rural Indian pottery for everyday use.
- The works, conceptualized ,created and constructed taking into consideration the venue is a sensitive natural interface with the ambience, seeking to engage fresh and locally relevant dialogues and questions that audiences can have with the art and within themselves.
Bhutan PM arrives on 3-day visit to India
- Prime Minister of Bhutan Dasho Tshering Tobgay arrived in New Delhi on a three day visit to India.
- India and Bhutan enjoy unique bilateral ties of friendship and cooperation, which are characterized by utmost trust and mutual understanding.
- This year both countries are commemorating the Golden Jubilee of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations.
FM-led Panel to Decide on Fund Allocation for Infra Projects from CRIF
The government has constituted four-member ministerial panel headed by the Finance Minister to decide about fund allocation for infrastructure projects from the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF).
- The committee would approve recommendations made by the sub-committee headed by the Economic Affairs Secretary on list of infrastructure projects to be financed from the CIRF.
- Other members of the committee include Minister of Road Transport and Highways; Shipping; Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Minister of Railways and Minister of Human Resource Development.
- The 15-member sub-committee has secretaries from different ministries who will examine and evaluate proposals received from ministries on infrastructure projects to be financed by the CRIF.
NHA Launches Process for Empanelment of Hospitals under Ayushman Bharat
The National Health Agency (NHA), the apex body for implementation of the Centre’s ambitious Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme, has launched a formal process to empanel public and private hospitals to achieve universal health coverage.
- The objective is to improve access for the most vulnerable and unreached sections of the population and holistically address healthcare by covering prevention, promotion and ambulatory care at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
- Under Ayushman Bharat, both public and private healthcare systems will get strengthened and work in partnership to provide accessible and equitable healthcare services to all entitled beneficiaries.
Higher Education Financing Agency capital base enhanced to Rs. 10,000 crores
The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal for expanding the scope of Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) by expanding its capital base to Rs 10,000 crore to meet the rising financial requirements of educational infrastructure in the country.
- HEFA has also been tasked to mobilise Rs 1 trillion for Revitalizing Infrastructure and Systems in Education or RISE by 2022.
- HEFA was set up on 31st May 2017 by centre as a Non Banking Financing Company for mobilising resources for building infrastructure in higher educational institutions under Central Govt.
UNESCO to set up Gaming University in Andhra Pradesh
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) will be setting up a ‘Design University for Gaming’ in Visakhapatnam.
- UNESCO delegation entered into an agreement with Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) for the establishment of ‘Gaming Digital Learning Hub’.
World’s first digital art museum opens in Tokyo
- The world’s first all-digital art museum has opened at the MORI Building Digital Art Museum in Japan’s Tokyo.
- It features around 50 kaleidoscopic installations triggered by motion sensors, which are projected across every surface of the 100,000-square-foot exhibit space with the help of lights.
YES Bank Receives SEBI Approval to Launch Mutual Fund Business
YES BANK has received the final regulatory approval (Certificate of Registration) from the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to commence its Mutual Fund business.
- This approval is subsequent to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) approval granted to YES BANK to sponsor a Mutual Fund followed by SEBI’s in-principle approval received subsequently.
- Yes Asset Management (India) Limited (YAMIL), a wholly owned subsidiary of YES BANK, will launch fund offerings across the spectrum of both debt and equity markets over the next 6-12 months.
SBI Card launches AI powered virtual assistant ELA
- SBI Card has announced the launch of ‘ELA’ (Electronic Live Assistant), a virtual assistant for customer support and services.
- The virtual assistant is currently hosted on the SBI Card website and will soon be integrated on the mobile app as well.
- SBI Card is a joint venture between State Bank of India (SBI) and GE Capital, in which SBI owns 60 percent. SBI Card is India’s second largest credit card issuer with HDFC on top.
CBIC launches ‘GST Verify’ App
- The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has developed a mobile app ‘GST Verify’ to protect the interest of consumers.
- It is an android app to verify if the person collecting GST from the consumer is eligible to collect it or not. It also provides the details of the person/ company collecting GST.
- A Composition Tax Payer should not collect the tax from his consumer. This app, developed by B Raghu Kiran joint commissioner GST Hyderabad
BSNL launches WINGS Internet Telephony Service
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has announced the launch of its Internet Telephony (VOIP) Service “WINGS”. The roll out will begin from August 1, 2018.
- The subscriber will be able to make calls using any internet connection including broadband, WiFi, 3G or 4G data network of any operator.
- To use the service, a customer needs to install a SIP client (soft app) on their smart devices such as laptops, smartphones or tablets with internet, which will act as SIP phone to make and receive calls from anywhere in India and abroad with landline or mobile phone.
- The subscriber uses its parent IMS core and IP access network of any location for the voice service through BSNL “Wings”.
Bajrang Punia wins gold at Tbilisi Grand Prix
- Bajrang Punia emerged champion at the Tbilisi Grand Prix in the 65kg category after defeating Iranian wrestler Mehran Nasiri in the final in Georgia.
- Meanwhile in the 86kg category, Deepak Punia clinched a bronze with a 5-3 win over Osman Gosen of Turkey.
- Sushil Kumar, isuffered his first defeat in more than four years to crash out of 74kg category.