- National:
- According to the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2022 for States and Union Territories (UTs), the 3rd edition of the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) report, Tamil Nadu has topped the Index with an overall score of 89.89.
- NITI Aayog has introduced the Techno-Commercial Readiness and Market Maturity Matrix (TCRM Matrix) framework, a significant step towards promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in India.
- The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved three proposals on July 13, 2023, including the procurement of 26 Rafale Marine aircraft from France to boost the Indian Navy’s operational capabilities.
- The Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, launched the “AI for India 2.0”, a free training programme on Artificial Intelligence on World Youth Skills Day.
- The 15th edition of the India-Mongolia joint military exercise “Nomadic Elephant – 2023” is scheduled to be conducted at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 17 to 31 July 2023.
- According to a paper authored by officials with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Economic Research Department, India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) would need to grow at 7.6% annually over the next 25 years, which will entail raising the current per capita GDP from $2,500 currently to $22,000, if the country wants to become an advanced economy.
- IIFL Home Finance has raised a $50 million loan from US International Development Finance Corp (DFC) to grow its affordable housing finance portfolio with a special focus on sustainable housing.
- GQG Partners, a Florida-based investment firm, has invested approximately Rs 2,400 crore in Baba Ramdev-led FMCG company Patanjali Foods1. GQG Partners picked up a 5.96% stake or about 2.15 crore shares of Patanjali through an Offer for Sale (OFS) process initiated by Patanjali last week.
- The Rajasthan cabinet has given its nod to the ‘Mahatama Gandhi Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023’. The bill aims to provide guaranteed wages or pensions to the entire adult population of the state.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new integrated terminal building of Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair on July 18th via video conferencing. The new terminal building has been constructed in an area of 40,837 sqm at a cost of Rs 710 Crores and has a capacity to serve 1200 passengers during peak hours.
- National Digital Repository for Museums of India which provides an all pervasive and integrated access to theme based collections and artefacts irrespective of the physical and geographical locations of museums.
- President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the unique ‘Festival of Libraries 2023’, a two-day event to be held on 5th - 6th August 2023 at Hall No. 5 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The Festival is being organised by the Union Ministry of Culture.
- Economy:
- Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah unveiled the “CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal” which aims to repay the deposits of thousands of people in four cooperative societies owned by the Sahara Group.
- Tata Group has announced that it will invest over £4 billion in a new UK gigafactory which will create thousands of jobs. The gigafactory will secure UK-produced batteries for another Tata Sons investment, Jaguar Land Rover, as well as other manufacturers in the UK and Europe.
- World:
- India has voiced support for the UN’s efforts in continuing the Black Sea Grain initiative and expressed hope for an early resolution to the present impasse. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, declared that India had supported the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to continue the initiative, despite the current impasse.
- As many as 105 trafficked antiquities, representing diverse regions and traditions of India are returning home from the USA. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that this will make every Indian happy and the country is grateful to the USA for this.
- The United Arab Emirates and Turkey inked several deals estimated to be worth $50.7 billion during a visit by President Tayyip Erdogan to Abu Dhabi as he toured wealthy Gulf Arab nations for investment and funds.
- Sports:
- The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 kicks off today! The opening match and opening ceremony for the first-ever co-hosted women’s tournament will take place on 20 July 2023 at New Zealand’s Eden Park in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau.
- The Indian pair of Harmehar Singh Lally and Sanjana Sood won a silver medal in the skeet mixed team event on day four of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Championships in Changwon, Korea.
- The Indian Surf Team won the bronze medal at the Asian Surfing Championship, held at Thulisdhoo Island in Maldives. 18 countries from Asia took part in this championship. The Surfing Federation of India sent a team comprising 4 senior Surfers in the men’s category and 2 Surfers in the Under 18 category.
- Indian shuttlers H.S. Prannoy and Priyanshu Rajawat have advanced to the second round of the Korea Open Super 500 tournament in Yeosu, Korea 1. Prannoy defeated J. Carraggi of Belgium 21-13, 21-17.
- China’s Li Shi Feng and Thailand’s Supanida Katethong won the men’s and women’s singles titles respectively at the US Open 2023 badminton tournament.
- South Zone won the 2023 Duleep Trophy title by defeating West Zone by 75 runs in the final at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Fine bowling performances by pacer V Koushik and left-arm spinner R Sai Kishore helped South Zone win the title.
- Awards:
- President Droupadi Murmu presented the Bhoomi Samman awards on July 18, 2023 at a function organized by the Union Ministry of Rural Development in New Delhi. The awards were received by State Secretaries and District Collectors along with their teams .Odisha was conferred with the Bhoomi Samman Award as the best state in the country for its outstanding contribution to achieving the objectives of DILRMP.
- Appointments:
- The President has appointed new Chief Justices to four High Courts across the country. The appointments include a woman chief justice for Gujarat high court, the sole high court in the country with a woman at the helm. The new Chief Justices are Justice Sunita Agarwal (Gujarat), Justice Alok Aradhe (Telangana), Justice Subhasis Talapatra (Orissa), and Justice Ashish Jitendra Desai (Kerala).
Questions:
Q.1 Who presented the Bhoomi Samman awards in 2023?a. Prime Minister Narendra Modi
b. Chief Justice of India
c. President Droupadi Murmu
d. Home Minister Amit Shah
Q.2 Who is the new Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court?
a. Justice Sunita Agarwal
b. Justice Subhasis Talapatra
c. Justice Alok Aradhe
d. Justice Ashish Jitendra Desai
