Current Affairs Today 21st July 2020-Download in PDF

Admin

Hello and welcome to exampundit. Here are the important Current Affairs Today 21st July 2020. These are important for the upcoming Exams. Candidates who were preparing for the examination can use these current affairs and also you can download the same as PDF.

Current Affairs Today – 21st July 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

  1. The Income Tax Department is all set to start an e-Campaign on voluntary compliance of Income Tax for the convenience of the taxpayers.
  2. Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ is to launch virtually the Manodarpan initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) 21 July 2020.
  3. Union Minister for Power, New & Renewable Energy, Shri R.K Singh, inaugurated India’s first public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging plaza at Chelmsford Club in New Delhi on 20 July 2020.
  4. Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched Punjab National Bank’s campaign to distribute face masks and sanitizers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in New Delhi.
  5. In Chhattisgarh, first of its kind scheme of the country- Godhan Nyay Yojana commenced on 20th
  6. Delhi government approved a scheme for door step delivery of ration in the state.
  7. India Business Council will host the 45th India Ideas Summit 2020 on July 22nd.
  8. The three-day long Air Force Commanders’ Conference will begin.
  9. Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) for procurement of 1,512 Mine Plough (MP) for Tank T-90 S/SK.
  10. The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India (MoMSME) and the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 20 July 2020.
  11. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have partnered with UNICEF to strengthen the youth volunteers in the country to achieve Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
  12. A 2001-batch, Indian Revenue Service officer, P Praveen Siddharth has been appointed as the new personal secretary to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
  13. Ashwini Kumar Tewari has been appointed as the new managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the SBI Cards & Payment Services, the country’s second-largest credit card issuer.
  14. The US Navy carrier USS Nimitz conducted maritime drills with Indian warships in the Middle East.
  15. Crime writer, S Hussain Zaidi has penned a new novel “The Endgame” which talks of politics, betrayal, and unimaginable terror.
  16. International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) announced, the T20 Men’s World Cup, scheduled to be played in Australia in October-November 2020, has formally been postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19.
  17. With the COVID-19 graph continuing its spike, a startup, incubated at the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K), has developed a wearable hand band that helps in maintaining social distancing by sending out alarm in case of proximity with another person.
  18. Lewis was also a long-time member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  19. Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon passed away.
  20. Former Australian test wicketkeeper and ex-International Cricket Council match referee, Barry Jarman passed away.
  21. Veteran Odia Actor, Bijay Mohanty passed away.

NEWS IN DETAILS

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Govt starts e-campaign on Voluntary Income Tax Compliance for tax payers

  • The Income Tax Department is all set to start an e-Campaign on voluntary compliance of Income Tax for the convenience of the taxpayers.
  • The 11-day campaign will focus on the assesses or taxpayers who are either non-filers or have discrepancies in their returns for the financial year 2018-19.
  • The objective of the e-campaign is to facilitate taxpayers to online validate their tax and financial transaction information available with the I-T Department.
  • Under this e-campaign the Income Tax Department will send email and SMS to identified taxpayers to verify their financial transactions related information received by the I-T department from various sources such as Statement of Financial Transactions, Tax Deduction at Source, Tax Collection at Source and Foreign Remittances.

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

Union HRD Minister to launch Manodarpan to provide psychosocial support to students

  • Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ is to launch virtually the Manodarpan initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) 21 July 2020.
  • Manodarpan is an initiative under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, to provide psychosocial support to students for their Mental Health and Well-being.

Highlights:

  • The initiative is launched due to the need to focus on continuing education on the academic front and the mental well-being of the students.
  • Manodarpan will cover a wide range of activities to provide Psychosocial Support to the students for their Mental Health and Well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak and beyond.
  • All the students, teachers, and parents across India have been directed to join the initiative to keep a healthy lifestyle and lead a stress-free life.
  • The Manodarpan initiative has been included in the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
  • The initiative is a part of strengthening human capital and increasing productivity and efficient reform and initiatives for the Education sector.

Extra Shots:

Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)

  • Officeholder: Ramesh Pokhriyal (Union Minister)
  • Ministry executives: R. Subrahmanyam, (IAS Officer); Rina Ray, (IAS Officer)
  • Founded: 26 September 1985
  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • Jurisdiction: India
  • Departments: Department of Higher Education, Department of School Education and Literacy

Union Power Minister inaugurated India’s first of its kind public EV Charging Plaza

  • Union Minister for Power, New & Renewable Energy, Shri R.K Singh, inaugurated India’s first public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging plaza at Chelmsford Club in New Delhi on 20 July 2020.

Highlights:

  • The move is focused on enhancing energy efficiency and promoting e-mobility.
  • The Minister also launched Retrofit of Air-conditioning to improve Indoor Air Quality for Safety and Efficiency (RAISE).
  • The two initiatives focus on energy efficiency, promoting e-mobility, and improving indoor air quality.

Charging plaza:

  • EESL, in collaboration with New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), has established India’s first of its kind public EV Charging Plaza in Central Delhi.
  • The plaza will host 5 EV Chargers of different specifications.
  • The charging plaza is compatible with a wide range of EVs. It will greatly spur e-mobility adoption.
  • The charging plaza is expected to make EV charging hassle-free and convenient for the consumers, thereby making e-mobility adoption an attractive proposition.

RAISE:

  • RAISE (Retrofit of Air-conditioning to improve Indoor Air Quality for Safety and Efficiency) is a joint initiative of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) MAITREE programme.
  • The project focuses on improving indoor air quality (IAQ), thermal comfort, and energy efficiency (EE) in the EESL office’s air conditioning system.
  • The pilot project showed about 80% improvement in Air Quality parameters with almost no implementation hassles.

Extra Shots:

Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL)

  • Location: New Delhi
  • Ministry: Ministry of Power (India)
  • Founded: 2009
  • Subsidiaries: EPSL Trigeneration Private Limited, EESL EnergyPro Assets Limited

Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launches PNB’s campaign to distribute face masks & sanitizers

  • Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched Punjab National Bank’s campaign to distribute face masks and sanitizers to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in New Delhi.
  • Steps like donation in PM Cares fund and organising CSR activities for distribution of masks and sanitizers have been taken by the Bank.
  • use of masks and good hand hygiene promote COVID appropriate behaviour and this is the best ‘social vaccine’ people currently have against the disease.
  • The Bank is distributing such material in 662 districts throughout the country.

Extra Shots:

Punjab National Bank

  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao
  • Founded: 19 May 1894, Lahore, Pakistan
  • Founders: Lala Lajpat Rai, Dyal Singh Majithia

STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ begins in Chhattisgarh

  • In Chhattisgarh, first of its kind scheme of the country- Godhan Nyay Yojana commenced on 20th
  • Under the Godhan Nyay scheme, the Chhattisgarh government will procure cowdung at Rs 2 per kilogram from livestock owners and use it to prepare organic fertilizers.
  • Women self-help groups will prepare Vermi-compost using the cowdung procured under the scheme.
  • This Vermi-compost will be sold at the rate of Rs 8 per kg.
  • The state government will construct cowsheds in all 20 thousand villages in phases. These cowsheds are being developed as day care center for cattle.
  • The Godhan Nyay Yojana will be implemented through these cowsheds only.

Extra Shots:

Chhattisgarh

  • Statehood Day: November 1, 2000
  • Capital: Raipur
  • Chief Minister: Bhupesh Baghel
  • Governor: Anusuiya Uikey
  • Literacy Rate: 60.21%
  • National Park: Indravati (Kutru) National Park, Kanger Valley National Park, Guru Ghasi Das (Sanjay) National Park

Delhi government approves doorstep delivery ration in the state

  • Delhi government approved a scheme for door step delivery of ration in the state.
  • Under the Mukhyamantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna, poor and needy in the national capital will be delivered packets of wheat flour at their doorstep.
  • Those who want to buy ration from Fixed Price Shops can opt out of this scheme.
  • The scheme is expected to be operational in the next 6 to 7 months.

Extra Shots:

Delhi

  • Lt. Governor: Anil Baijal
  • Chief Minister: Arvind Kejriwal

SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES

India Business Council to host India Ideas Summit 2020

  • India Business Council will host the 45th India Ideas Summit 2020 on July 22nd.
  • The Summit convenes business and government leaders for discussions on the future of the U.S.-India Partnership and the trends shaping globalization, trade and investment, and the future of work in the COVID-era and beyond.
  • This year’s focus is on “Building a Better Future”.
  • The Summit will feature a high-powered line up of both public and private sector speakers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will deliver the keynote addresses.
  • Among others, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will address the summit.

3-day long Air Force Commanders’ Conference to begin from Wednesday in Delhi

  • The three-day long Air Force Commanders’ Conference will begin.
  • The theme of the conference is “Indian Air Force in the Next Decade”.
  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to inaugurate the conference on Wednesday.
  • The Defence Secretary and Secretary Defence Production are also expected to be present during the inauguration.

Extra Shots:

Indian Airforce

  • Helicopter: Apache AH-64E, CH-47 Chinook, Dhruv, Chetak, Cheetah, Mi-8, Mi-17, Rudra, Mi-26, Mi-25/35
  • Founded: 8 October 1932, India
  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • Attack: Jaguar, Harpy
  • Role: Aerial warfare
  • Fighters: Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Dassault Rafale, Dassault Mirage 2000, Mikoyan MiG-29, HAL Tejas, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED

Defence Ministry signed contract with BEML

  • Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) for procurement of 1,512 Mine Plough (MP) for Tank T-90 S/SK.
  • The move comes as a major boost to the Make in India initiative of the Government of India. The contract was approved by the Acquisition Wing of MoD.

Highlights:

  • The contract was signed at an approximate cost of Rs.557 crore.
  • The contract has Buy and Make (Indian) categorization with a minimum of 50% indigenous content in making a portion of the contract.
  • Under this contract, the mine ploughs will be fitted on T-90 Tanks of the Indian
  • The contract will enhance the combat capability of the Indian Army.

Extra Shots:

BEML

  • Headquarters: Bengaluru
  • Founded: May 1964, Bengaluru
  • Subsidiaries: Vignyan Industries Limited, BEML (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

CBDT signed MoU with MoMSME for data sharing

  • The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India (MoMSME) and the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has signed a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 20 July 2020.
  • The MoU is aimed at the sharing of data by CBDT to MoMSME.
  • The MoU comes into force from 20 July 2020, the date it was signed.

Highlights:

  • The MoU will facilitate the seamless sharing of certain Income-tax Return (ITR) related information by the Income Tax Department to MoMSME.
  • The shared data will enable MoMSME to check and classify enterprises in Micro, Small, and Medium categories.
  • Under the MoU, both the organizations will appoint Nodal Officer and Alternate Nodal Officers to facilitate the process of data exchange.
  • It is expected that the MoU will mark the beginning of a new era of cooperation and synergy between the CBDT and MoMSME.

Extra Shots:

Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)

  • Chairman: Pramod Chandra Mody

GoI partners with UNICEF to achieve Atma Nirbhar Bharat

  • The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have partnered with UNICEF to strengthen the youth volunteers in the country to achieve Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
  • The GoI has signed a statement with YuWaah of UNICEF.
  • It is a multi-stake holder platform formed by UNICEF.

The partnership is to work on the following:

  • Collaboration on supporting young people in entrepreneurship
  • Upskilling young people
  • Promoting change making
  • Creating linkages with aspirational socio-economic opportunities
  • To provide career guidance support to young people
  • To establish a feedback mechanism between young people and policy stakeholders.

Extra Shots:

UNICEF

  • Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
  • Head: Henrietta H. Fore
  • Founded: 11 December 1946, New York, New York, United States
  • Founders: United Nations General Assembly, Ludwik Rajchman
  • Parent organizations: United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Economic and Social Council

APPOINTMENTS IN NEWS

P Praveen Siddharth appointed as PS to President of India

  • A 2001-batch, Indian Revenue Service officer, P Praveen Siddharth has been appointed as the new personal secretary to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
  • Siddharth is already serving as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the President’s Secretariat.
  • He will replace Vikram Singh, who has now been appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping.

SBI Cards Appoints Ashwini Tewari as new MD, CEO

  • Ashwini Kumar Tewari has been appointed as the new managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of the SBI Cards & Payment Services, the country’s second-largest credit card issuer.
  • He will take over the role with effect from 1 August 2020 for a period of 2 years.
  • Tewari will replace Hardayal Prasad, who has tendered his resignation and would demit office on 31 July 2020, owing to his voluntary retirement from the State Bank of India.

DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS

India-US conduct PASSEX Exercise

  • The US Navy carrier USS Nimitz conducted maritime drills with Indian warships in the Middle East.
  • The PASSEX exercise comes during a period when India and China are locked in tensed border.
  • The Indian Navy has conducted similar PASSEX with Japan Maritime Self Defence Force and French Navy.
  • PASSEX is a passage exercise. A passage exercise is normally conducted when there is an opportunity in contrast to pre-planned maritime drills.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

A book titled “The Endgame” authored by Hussain Zaidi

  • Crime writer, S Hussain Zaidi has penned a new novel “The Endgame” which talks of politics, betrayal, and unimaginable terror.
  • The book has been published by Harper Collins India.
  • “The Endgame” gives the readers a close-up of complex political machinery at work, including state security, defence services, and intelligence agencies like – all building up to an explosive climax.

SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup postponed to 2022

  • International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) announced, the T20 Men’s World Cup, scheduled to be played in Australia in October-November 2020, has formally been postponed to 2022 due to COVID-19.
  • Besides rescheduling the T20 World Cup to October-November, 2022 the ICC Board also decided to push the 2023 ODI World Cup in India to October-November 2023 from its designated window in February-March, 2023.

Extra Shots:

International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s)

  • Chairperson: Shashank Manohar
  • CEO: Manu Sawhney
  • Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • Founded: 15 June 1909
  • Motto: Cricket for good.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CURRENT AFFAIRS

IIM-Kozhikode start-up develops a wearable device, Veli Band, to monitor social distancing

  • With the COVID-19 graph continuing its spike, a startup, incubated at the Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K), has developed a wearable hand band that helps in maintaining social distancing by sending out alarm in case of proximity with another person.
  • Known as the Veli Band, the device has been developed by Qual5 India Pvt.Ltd, a startup co-founded by a woman entrepreneur, mentored and funded by IIMKs business incubator and entrepreneurship development centre.
  • The Veli band momentarily vibrates, plays a sound-alert, and flashes LED simultaneously, to notify the wearers that another band is within three feet, reminding them to maintain social distance.

OBITUARY

Civil Rights pioneer John Lewis passes away

  • Civil Rights pioneer John Lewis passed away. Lewis was also a long-time member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Lewis was a protege of Martin Luther King Jr. and kept the fight for civil rights and human rights until the end of his life. His last public appearance was in a protest for racial justice that swept the US and the world in June.
  • President Barack Obama presented Lewis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in year 2011, the highest civilian honor.

MP Governor Lalji Tandon passes away

  • Madhya Pradesh Governor Lalji Tandon passed away.
  • He was undergoing treatment since June 11 and passed away after a prolonged illness. During his treatment period, Uttar Pradesh
  • Lalji Tandon has served as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad for two terms and was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from Lucknow in 2009.
  • He was appointed Governor of Bihar in 2018, and then the Governor of Madhya Pradesh in 2019.

Former Australia Test cricketer Barry Jarman passes away

  • Former Australian test wicketkeeper and ex-International Cricket Council match referee, Barry Jarman passed away.
  • He was born on February 17 in 1936.
  • He made his test debut in 1959.
  • He became the first-choice wicketkeeper for Australia only after the retirement of Grout in 1966.
  • Jarman went on to play 19 matches in the longest format of the game and amassed 400 runs in the Test cricket besides taking 50 catches and making four stampings. Jarman captained Australia in one test on the 1968 Ashes tour of England.

Veteran Odia Actor Bijay Mohanty passes away

Related Post
  1. February 2023 | Daily Current Affairs – PDF Download
  2. Daily Current Affairs in Hindi January 2023 PDF Download
  3. January 2023 | Daily Current Affairs – PDF Download