Current Affairs One - Liner : 31st July 2024

• National:
• The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion (Amendment) Bill, 2024 has indeed expanded the definition of “love jihad” and introduced stricter penalties for unlawful religious conversions in the state.

• The First STI Conclave on “Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Livelihoods” was jointly organized by the International Science, Technology, and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation (ISTIC) under the auspices of UNESCO, along with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) constituents. The event took place from July 29 to 31, 2024, in New Delhi, India. The conclave aimed to raise awareness about the importance of traditional knowledge and practices inherited from our ancestors
• International:
• India was elected as the vice-chair of the Supply Chain Council of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) on 31st July 2024. This election highlights India's significant role in shaping and supporting resilient supply chains across the Indo-Pacific region. The IPEF aims to enhance economic cooperation, with a particular focus on areas such as trade, supply chains, clean energy, and anti-corruption measures.
• On July 31, 2024, the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, and the World Health Organization (WHO) signed a Donor Agreement at WHO Headquarters in Geneva. This agreement outlines the financial terms for implementing the activities of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
• Banking:
• Chennai-based conglomerate Shriram Group received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to venture into the asset reconstruction (ARC) business during the current financial year. The group had announced its intention to enter the ARC and wealth management sectors in November last year.
• NIIT IFBI and HDFC Bank have joined hands to launch the ACE Banker Program. This initiative aims to train fresh graduates for customer service roles in HDFC Bank. The program offers a 45-day residential training at NIIT University, covering banking fundamentals and customer service skills.
• As of March 31, 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reported a 12.6% increase in digital payments across India, according to its Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI). The RBI-DPI stood at 445.5, compared to 418.77 in September 2023 and 395.57 in March 2023.
• India and ADB signed a $200 million loan agreement on July 30, 2024. The funds will be used to improve sanitation conditions in 100 cities across eight Indian states. This initiative aims to enhance waste management, sanitation facilities, and overall cleanliness in urban areas, contributing to the Swachh Bharat Mission.
• India’s first Paytm NFC Card Soundbox was launched on July 30, 2024. This innovative two-in-one mobile QR payment device combines NFC card payment technology with mobile QR payments, providing an affordable solution for card payments to millions of offline merchants. With the Paytm NFC Card Soundbox, merchants can seamlessly receive mobile payments from any UPI app and accept NFC-based debit and credit cards, all through a single device.
• Economy:
• The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) has projected that the Indian economy is likely to grow faster than 7% in the current fiscal year (FY25), potentially reaching closer to 7.5%.
• UltraTech Cement, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, is set to acquire an additional 32.72% stake in India Cements Ltd (ICL) from its promoters and their associates. The acquisition price is ₹390 per share, amounting to ₹3,954 crore. This move aims to expand UltraTech’s footprint in the highly competitive and fast-growing Southern cement market, particularly in Tamil Nadu.
• MOus:
• Thales and Garuda Aerospace signed an MoU on July 30, 2024, in Noida, India. This partnership aims to develop advanced solutions for safe and secure drone operations in India by combining Thales' expertise in UTM and UAV detection with Garuda's drone manufacturing and market knowledge. 
• ISRO’s Space Applications Centre (SAC) in Ahmedabad has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AlphaMERS Ltd., a Bengaluru-based company. This partnership aims to develop advanced AI models to detect and profile marine pollution along India’s coast, focusing on macro plastics and oil spills. The collaboration, finalized on July 4, 2024.
• Apps & Portals:
• Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, launched the upgraded National Apprenticeship and Training Scheme (NATS) 2.0 portal on July 30, 2024. The new portal aims to simplify the apprenticeship process for both students and employers with an improved user interface, faster response times, and additional features.
• Sports:
• The Basketball Federation of India (BFI) has established the National Basketball Academy in collaboration with Corvuss American Academy in Mumbai. Initially, the academy will include 30 boys and 30 girls from schools.
• India excelled at the 2024 International Physics and Chemistry Olympiads. The Physics Olympiad was held in Isfahan, Iran from July 21-29, where India secured 2 gold and 3 silver medals. The Chemistry Olympiad took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 21-30, with India winning 1 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal.
• Appointments:
• Robert Keith Rae was elected the eightieth President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the 2025 Session on July 25, 2024. As Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, his one-year term in this role significantly enhances Canada’s capacity for bilateral engagements with UN leadership, member states, and other stakeholders.
• Awards & Honours:
• V. Vedachalam received the V. Venkayya Epigraphy Award 2024 on July 28, 2024. This award honors his exceptional contributions to the field of epigraphy, particularly in the study and interpretation of ancient inscriptions and scripts.
• Obituaries:
• Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, was assassinated in his residence in Tehran, Iran, on July 31, 2024. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning after he attended the inauguration ceremony for Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian.

Questions:

1 Who received the V. Venkayya Epigraphy Award in 2024?

• A) Dr. V. Vedachalam
• B) Dr. Y. Subbarayalu
• C) Dr. P. V. Krishnamurthy
• D) Dr. V. Muralidharan

Answer: A) V. Vedachalam received the V. Venkayya Epigraphy Award 2024 on July 28, 2024. This award honors his exceptional contributions to the field of epigraphy, particularly in the study and interpretation of ancient inscriptions and scripts.

2 What is the primary objective of the NATS 2.0 portal?

• A) To provide scholarships to students
• B) To simplify the apprenticeship process for students and employers
• C) To offer online courses for skill development
• D) To promote international educational exchanges

Answer: B) The new portal aims to simplify the apprenticeship process for both students and employers with an improved user interface, faster response times, and additional features.