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Current Affairs Weekly PDF - July 2019 First Week (1-7)

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INDIAN AFFAIRS
Telecom Ministry forms committee under telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajanto to spell out
revival plans for Telecom sector
Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad formed a committee headed by Telecom Secretary Aruna
Sundararajan to look into the revival plans for Telecom sector which is under financial stress. It
will review the issues in the sector and promote Ease of Doing Business (EDB). The committee
will submit the report in 2 weeks time.
‘One Nation One Ration Card’ scheme will be available across the country from July 1, 2020
The central government’s ambitious project of ‘One Nation One Ration Card’, under which
beneficiaries can buy subsidized foodgrains from any ration shop in the country will begin on 1
July 2020. The Centre has given states and Union Territories time till June 30, 2020, to use point of
sale (PoS) machines in the ration shops and roll out the scheme.
Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2019 passed by the Parliament
The Parliament passed The Special Economic Zones (Amendment) Bill, 2019 which became the
first legislation to be passed by the newly constituted 17th Lok Sabha. It will replace the Special
Economic Zones (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, which was promulgated in March 2019 and
amends Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Act 2005. The new bill amends the definition of “person”
under Section 2(v) of the SEZ Act 2005 to include ‘trusts’.
PM formed a high powered panel of CMs headed by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis for the
transformation of Indian agriculture
Prime Minister Narendra Modi formed a high powered 9 member committee of chief ministers
headed by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for transforming Indian agriculture and
raising farmers’ income. It will suggest policy measures, attract investments and raise growth in
food processing. The panel will be serviced by NITI (National Institution for Transforming India)
Aayog. It will submit its report in two months.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched by the Government to create awareness on benefits of water
conservation
Union Jal Shakti Minister, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA)- a
campaign for water conservation and water security in New Delhi. It will focus on 256 water
stressed districts and 1,592 water stressed blocks. The 5 key intervention areas under the
campaign include water conservation and rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional and
other water bodies, reuse, bore well recharge structures, watershed development and intensive
afforestation.
UGC approved a new initiative named “STRIDE” to boost research culture in India
In order to boost research culture in India, the University Grants Commission (UGC) approved a
new initiative – Scheme for Trans-disciplinary Research for India’s Developing Economy
(STRIDE). The important initiatives under the scheme are Research Project, Research Capacity
Building and Innovation. Read full details here: https://www.affairscloud.com/ugc-approved-a-
new-initiative-named-stride-to-boost-research-culture-in-india/
82-member rhino protection force deployed in Kaziranga National Park, Assam
82 members “Special Rhino Protection Force” (SRPF) was deployed in Kaziranga National Park
(KNP), Assam with an objective to protect the one-horned rhinoceros. KNP, home for one-horned
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rhino, was declared as the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization) World Heritage Site in 1985.
First Ever IICTF to be held in New Delhi from October 11-13, 2019
The first ever India International Cooperatives Trade Fair (IICTF) will be held at Pragati Maidan,
New Delhi from October 11-13, 2019. It is a unique initiative for taking farmers, artisans and
other members of cooperatives directly to the international trade arena.
J&K: Annual Chamliyal Mela celebrated without traditional exchange of sweets between Indo-Pak
Thousand of devotees gathered at the Chamliyal border shrine along the International Border (IB)
in Jammu and Kashmir for an annual fair at the shrine of Baba Dalip Singh Manhas, a saint
popularly known as Baba Chamliyal, in Samba district. But there was no traditional exchange of
'shakkar (soil) and sharbat (water)' with Pakistan for the second successive year.
Indian Air Force and Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) participating in a bilateral air exercise
Garuda VI at Mont de Marsan in France
Indian Air Force (IAF) and Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) are participating in the Garuda VI
bilateral exercise at Mont de Marsan in France. The Indian Contingent was comprised of 0 air-
warriors and four Sukhoi 30 MKI along with an IL-78 flight refuelling aircraft. Also, IAF’s C-17
Globemaster strategic lift aircraft will provide logistics support to contingent during induction
and de-induction phases.
Visit of Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State of the United States of America to India
The United States (US) Secretary of State, Michael R. Pompeo visited India on 25-27 June 2019. He
held talks with the External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar and it paved the way to further
strengthen the India-U.S. Strategic Partnership, and continue the high-level engagement on
matters of mutual interest including bilateral, regional, and global issues.
Comprehensive legislation on data privacy under formulation
Minister of Electronics and Information and Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad in a written reply in
Lok Sabha stated that comprehensive legislation on data privacy named Data Protection Bill is
under formulation to strengthen the protection of personal data. The government has formed a
committee of experts on data protection headed by Justice (Retd) BN Srikrishna of Supreme Court
to study the issues on data protection and frame Data Protection Bill.
Cooperative Sector Exports Promotion Forum for double the farm exports by 2022: Piyush Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that cooperative sector export-promotion
forum (CSEPF) will be created under the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
after consultations with 20 states and Union territories. This will help to boost the farmer’s
income and to double the farm exports target set by the government.
National Film Heritage Mission Project reviewed by Prakash Javadekar
The Minister of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Forest and Climate Change, Prakash
Javadekar reviewed the National Film Heritage Mission (NFHM) during a visit to the National Film
Archive of India (NFAI), Pune, Maharashtra. The Government launched the prestigious mission of
NFHM in 2017 with the budget of 600 crore rupees, for preservation and restoration of rich
cinematic heritage of the country.
Union Cabinet gives nod to grant OGAS status to paramilitary forces
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal for grant of
Organised Group ''A'' Service (OGAS) status to Group ''A'' executive cadre officers of Central
Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) & extended the benefit of Non-Functional Financial Upgradation
(NFFU) and Non-Functional Selection Grade (NFSG) at an enhanced rate of 30%.
Govt sets a target to raise health services expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025
Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan stated that the Government sets target is to
raise health services expenditure to 2.5 percent of the country's GDP(Gross domestic product) by
2025 due to the increment of expenditure over the last 10 years.
Govt signs SoI with IBM to find a solution in the field of Agriculture through AI& weather tech
Union Agriculture Ministry signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) with IT major IBM (International
Business Machines) to provide Farmers with the weather forecast and soil moisture information.

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Under the project, a pilot study will be undertaken for the Kharif crop season 2019 in three
districts of Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Rajkot(Gujarat )and Nanded (Maharashtra ).
CCMB and CDFD sign MoU to develop newer genetic disease diagnostic methods
Hyderabad based Indian biotechnology research establishments, Centre for Cellular and
Molecular Biology (CCMB) and Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enable newer diagnostic methods to treat genetic
disorders. The MoU was signed with the aim to provide high quality DNA-based diagnostic
services to the public at a lower rate and to engage in scientific research to improve
understanding of human genetic disorders.
AYUSH collaborated with MeitY for digitisation of AYUSH sector
The Ministries of AYUSH (Ayurvedic, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) and
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi for the digitization of the AYUSH sector. As a part of
partnership, the MeitY will provide technical support to the AYUSH Ministry for planning and
development of AYUSH GRID Project.
UIDAI started its first Aadhaar Seva Kendra in Delhi and Vijayawada
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has operationalized its first "Aadhaar Seva
Kendra" (ASKs) in Delhi and Vijayawada on a pilot basis. UIDAI has a plan to set up 114 such
centres by the end of 2019 covering 53 Indian cities. The estimated cost of the project is between
Rs 300-400 crore. These centers are similar to the concept of Passport Seva Kendras.
Railways aim to install CCTV cameras in over 7,020 train coaches by March 2021
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal informed that Railways will install Closed Circuit Television
(CCTV) cameras in over 7,020 coaches of mainline passenger trains during Phase-I which is
targeted to complete by March 2021.
Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, launched
commemoration of four years of Digital India initiative
Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched a
commemoration of 4 years of Digital India initiative in an event at New Delhi. The Digital India
initiative was launched on July 1, 2015.
ICMR released a report on NCDs titled “India: Health of the Nation’s States”
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) released a report on Non-Communicable Diseases
(NCDs) titled “India: Health of the Nation’s States”. Total death in the country due to NCDs was
61.8% in 2016, as compared to 37.9% in 1990. Some examples of common NCDs are diabetes,
hypertension, tuberculosis and cancers (Oral, Breast and Cervical cancer). Read full details
here: https://www.affairscloud.com/icmr-released-a-report-on-ncds-titled-india-health-of-the-
nations-states/
The 3rd edition of International Sunflower Seed and Oil Conference(ISSOC) 2019 will be held in
Mumbai
India will be hosting the 3rd edition of International Sunflower Seed and Oil Conference (ISSOC)
2019 in Maharashtra, Mumbai (on July 19-20) with the aim to encourage better communications
among sunflower oil producers, industry groups, academic researchers and local governments.
The event hosted by the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) & Organized by
International Sunflower Oil Association (ISOA).
Overview of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Varanasi, UP
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi visited Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (UP). aunched a tree
plantation drive at Harahua primary school in Anand Kanan forest on the Panch Kosi Marg by
planting a sapling. UP government has planned to reconstruct this route at a cost of Rs 97 crore
and Rs 4 crore was spent on developing basic infrastructure.
Parliament passed Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Indian Medical
Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019. It will replace the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Second
Ordinance, 2019. The bill will safeguard transparency, accountability, and quality in the

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governance of medical education in the country. The Bill supersedes the Medical Council of India
(MCI) for a period of 2 years with effect from September 26, 2018.
As per Greenpeace India, Six Indian metros are hotspots of air pollutant nitrogen oxide
As per the analysis by environmental Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Greenpeace India,
transport and industrial clusters were giving rise to the country's worst Nitrogen Oxide (NOx)
hotspots like Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad. They have a high
vehicular population and diesel consumption. The data was collected between February 2018 and
May 2019.
The Indian Army releases special tribute video to commemorate 20 years of 'Operation Vijay'
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas(26th July 2019), the Indian army has
released a special Kargil Tribute Song’ to honor, salute and pay homage to the Kargil martyrs and
the war veterans who sacrificed and fought for the country. The song titled 'Tujhe Bhulega Na
Tera Hindustan' has been written by renowned Bollywood lyricist Sameer featuring Bollywood
megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Olympic bronze medallist boxer Mary Kom, actors Salman Khan,
Vicky Kaushal, Anupam Kher, Kangana Ranaut, and Suniel Shetty.
India to get the first e-Vehicle Charging Highway by March 2020
The highways of Delhi-Jaipur and Delhi-Agra are India’s first highway corridors to get charging
stations for electric vehicles by March 2020. About two crore rupees would be spent in the
development of a single charging station and the electricity tariff. The government expects 25 %
of the total vehicles on roads will be e-vehicles by 2030.
The sanitation coverage in the rural areas jumped to 99% from 38% in 2014: Jal Shakti ministry
Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rattan Lal Kataria stated that under the Government’s ambitious
scheme, “Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin)” 9 crores 62 lakh individual household toilets have
been constructed since 2014. In the rural areas of the country, the sanitation coverage has
increased to more than 99%, which was over 38% on 2nd October 2014. 632 Districts, 30 States,
over 2.50 lakh Gram Panchayats and five lakh 67 thousand 498 villages have been declared open
defecation Free(ODF).
UNESCO Releases State Of The Education Report For India 2019 In New Delhi
The first 2019 report of “State of the Education Report for India 2019: Children with Disabilities”
has released by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) at
an event in New Delhi. The Report, which will be an annual publication, highlights
accomplishments and challenges with regards to the right to education of children with
disabilities (CWDs). Read details here: https://www.affairscloud.com/unesco-releases-state-of-
the-education-report-for-india-2019-in-new-delhi/
Highlights of Union Budget 2019-20
Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman made her maiden Budget
Speech and presented the Union Budget 2019-20 in the Lok Sabha. She broke away from the
tradition when she replaced the conventional leather briefcase with a bright red cloth bag to carry
the Budget papers to the Parliament House. “Gaon, Garib and Kisan” (Village, Poor, and Farmer)
was the centre of all policies of the Modi 2.0 Government. Read full details
here: https://www.affairscloud.com/highlights-of-union-budget-2019-20/
'Fashionova', India's first Design Development Centre launched in Surat, Gujarat
'Fashionova', India's first Design Development Center was launched in the Textile city Surat,
Gujarat to promote the city in the field of the fashion design sector. Anupam Goyal was the
founder of Fashionova Design Development.
India’s longest electrified railway tunnel commissioned
South Central Railways (SCR) of Indian Railways commissioned the longest electrified tunnel in
India. It is situated between Cherlopalli and Rapuru stations in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh
which is a part of 113 km railway line between Obulavaripalli – Venkatachalam - Krishnapatnam
Port. It is constructed in the shape of a Horse Shoe. It was built in 43 months at the cost of Rs 460
crore. The length of the tunnel is 6.6 kilometers.

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BPR&D, Morarji Desai National Institute Yoga sign MoU for Yoga education and training programs
An Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Bureau of Police Research &
Development (BPR&D) and Morarji Desai National Institute Yoga (MDNIY) for organizing Yoga
education and training courses/programmes for Police Personnel and CAPFs (Central Armed
Police Forces)and their family members across the country.
Unmanned Level Crossings in all Broad-Gauge Network removed
Union Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal informed that all Unmanned Level Crossings (ULCs) in
all Broad-Gauge (BG) Network were removed on January 31, 2019 and there isn’t a single ULC in
the broad-gauge network in India.
Total female enrollment ratio in secondary education increased to 80.29% in 2016-17: Smriti
Irani
The Union Minister of Women and Child Development (WCD), Smriti Irani stated that the Gross
Enrolment Ratio (GER) of girls in secondary education level has registered an increase of 80.29%
in 2016-17 compared to 80.10 % in 2015-16.
NITI Aayog launched Agricultural Marketing and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index 2019
NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog released its “Agricultural Marketing and
Farmer Friendly Reforms Index” (AMFFRI) for the year 2019. It is an index launched by NITI
Aayog in 2016 to rank states and union territories based on the implementation of seven
provisions proposed under the model Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Act.
Maharashtra was ranked first for implementing most of the marketing reforms.
Around 35 crore LED bulbs distributed under UJALA scheme saved Rs 18,341 crore annually
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2019 informed that under the Unnat Jyoti
by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) Scheme, around 35 crore LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs
were distributed which saved Rs 18,341 crore annually.
Government increased the budget for drug de-addiction measures to Rs 135 crore
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot informed that the budget for
drug de-addiction measures was increased to Rs 135 crore from Rs 33 crore in 2014. It is
provided to the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) for the year 2019-20.
Government extends KCC facility to fisheries, animal husbandry sector
The Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Pratap Chandra Sarangi in a
written reply in Lok Sabha informed that the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) has been extended
to fisheries and animal husbandry farmers in order to assist them to meet their working capital
needs.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
MGIT-BP, India-assisted IT- Biotechnology Park inaugurated in Cote d’Ivoire
The Mahatma Gandhi IT and Biotechnology Park (MGIT-BP), built with the assistance from India
was inaugurated at Grand-Bassam in Cote d'Ivoire, a West African country. It was jointly
inaugurated by Ambassador of India to Cote d'Ivoire, Sailas Thangal and Cote d'Ivoire's Vice
President, Daniel Kablan Duccan. It was built through EXIM ( Export-Import) Bank’s Lines of
Credit (LoC) of $20 million.
India signs worth Rs.200 cr deal with Russia
The Government of India signed a deal with Russia for acquiring the ‘Strum Ataka’ anti-tank
missiles. The deal is worth around Rs 200 Crore. It will give an added capability to the Mi-35
attack choppers to take out enemy tanks and other armored elements.
India Refrains from UNGA voting on Capital Punishment
India has abstained from voting on a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution to find
the possibility to end the trade in goods used for capital punishment and torture. The UNGA (193
members) adopted the resolution ‘Towards torture-free trade: examining the feasibility, scope,

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and parameters for possible common international standards’. 81 voted in favor, 20 voted against
and 44 abstained from the resolution.
ISA’s First Joint Security Exercise named ‘ISALEX19’ held in Abu Dhabi
The first edition of the joint security exercise of International Security Alliance (ISA), ISALEX19
held in Abu Dhabi, UAE (United Arab Emirates). ISA was launched in Abu Dhabi in 2017 and
comprises nine countries, the UAE, France, the Italian Republic, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, Senegal,
Singapore, and the Slovak Republic.
India slips 1 place to 74th in terms of money in Swiss Banks
According to the annual banking statistics report compiled by the Swiss National Bank
(SNB), India has slipped to 74th place in terms of money parked by its citizens with Swiss banks
by the end of 2018. While with maximum holdings, UK (United Kingdom) has remained top in the
list. Read full details here: https://www.affairscloud.com/india-slips-1-place-to-74th-in-terms-of-
money-in-swiss-banks/
Overview of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Visit to Japan to attend the G20 Summit 2019,
Osaka, Japan
The G20 (Group of 20) Summit 2019 was held at the International Exhibition Center, Osaka, Japan
on June 28-29, 2019. It was the 14th meeting of the G20. The 2018 G20 Summit was held in
Buenos Aires, Argentina and the 2020 G20 Summit will be held in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
It was PM Narendra Modi’s sixth G20 Summit. Read full details
here: https://www.affairscloud.com/overview-of-prime-minister-narendra-modis-visit-to-japan-
to-attend-the-g20-summit-2019-osaka-japan/
Japan officially resumes commercial whaling after more than 30 years
Japan officially resumed commercial whaling for the first time in more than three decades after
Tokyo’s controversial decision to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
With this, Japan joined Iceland and Norway as the only nations to allow commercial whaling
despite the IWC moratorium.
India pledged to contribute $5 million to UN Palestine refugee agency in 2019
India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Ambassador K Nagaraj
Naidu stated that the Government of India has pledged to contribute $5 million in 2019 to UN
Palestine refugee agency. India increased the annual financial contribution to The United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) core budget, from
$1.25 million in 2016 to $5 million in 2018.
Trump becomes 1st sitting US president takes Steps Into North Korea
US (United States) President Donald Trump became the first sitting president to enter North
Korea after briefly crossed the border in the demilitarised zone (DMZ) between South and North
Korea. He met North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and agreed to resume stalled nuclear talks. This
was their third meeting in just over a year. They met for the first time in Singapore in June 2018
and second time in Hanoi, Vietnam in February 2019.
Ending the use of Single-use plastic shopping bags by New Zealand government kicks in
In order to tackle plastic pollution, the Government of New Zealand has officially banned single-
use plastic shopping bags with effect from 1 July 2019. It also introduced the hefty fines of up to
100,000 New Zealand dollar (USD 67,000) for businesses that continue to provide them. Waste
Minimization (Plastic Shopping Bags) Regulations 2018, which was announced in August 2018
came into force on July 1, 2019, in New Zealand.
WHO launches its first guidelines on self-care interventions for health
The World Health Organization has introduced its first guideline on self-care interventions for
health named "WHO Consolidated Guideline on Self-Care Interventions for Health". Its first
volume has focused on sexual and reproductive health and rights. It has also state that by y 2030,
there will be shortage of 18 million health workers. Read full details
here: https://www.affairscloud.com/who-launches-its-first-guidelines-on-self-care-
interventions-for-health/

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U.S. Senate passes a legislative provision to grant India a NATO ally-like status
The US Senate (United States) has passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the
fiscal year 2020 to promote defense cooperation, which would make India's status equal to the
US-NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) partners and countries like Israel and South Korea.
This will result in increased defense & maritime cooperation between India and the US.
IAEA confirms Iran breached enriched Uranium Stockpile limit set by 2015 nuclear deal
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran had exceeded a limit on its
enriched uranium reserves set by a 2015 nuclear deal/Iran deal by 300 kilograms. As per the Joint
Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or Iran Nuclear deal, Iran could stockpile not more than
300kg of low-enriched uranium and was permitted to produce low-enriched uranium, which had
a 3.67% concentration of U-235, an isotope of uranium, and could fuel a power plant only until
2031.
US lists Balochistan Liberation Army and Husain Ali Hazzima as SDGTs
The United States listed the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Hezbollah operative Husain
Ali Hazzima as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order (E.O.)
13224.
Kuwait supports India in countering terror
An Arab country on the Persian (Arabian) Gulf, Kuwait that completes its two-year term as the
non-permanent member in the UNSC (United Nations Security Council) has played a major role in
declaring JeM chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist and in UNSC condemnation of Pulwama terror
strike. It also assured that to support India’s global ambitions including investments.
India ranks 86th in Most Powerful Passport index 2019, Japan and Singapore holding the top spot
As per the recently released Henley Passport Index 2019, which ranks 199 countries in the world
based on their Visa-Free Scores showed that Indian passport ranked at 86th position with a
mobility score of 58. Japan and Singapore secured the joint top spot as the most powerful
passports in the world with a score of 189.

BANKING & FINANCE

IL&FS board sets up sub-committee to oversee disinvestment process
On the lines of Reserve Bank of India's June 7 circular on the resolution of bad loans, the debt-
ridden Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd. is constituting a sub-committee to oversee
the process of divestment of its assets. The six-member committee will comprise of 4 directors
namely Vineet Nayyar, CS Rajan, Bijay Kumar, N Srinivasan, and COO N Sivaraman. They will
discuss and finalize the asset-wise framework of resolution with lenders.
FinMin to launch 11th tranche of Electoral Bonds sale to start from July 1
The Finance Ministry of India has launched the 11th tranche of Electoral Bonds sale from July 1-
10. In this regard, India's largest Public Sector Bank (PSB), State Bank of India (SBI) has been
authorised to issue and encash electoral bonds in the XI phase of sale through its 29 branches.
This is the first issuance of electoral bonds after the formation of the new government.
SBI & NIIF tie-up to finance infrastructure projects
India’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI) and India’s sovereign wealth fund, National
Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) have signed an MoU(Memorandum of Understanding)
to provide financing solutions to the infrastructure sector. The tie-up will help in equity
investments, project funding, bond financing, renewable energy support and take-out finance for
operating assets.
ICICI Bank tied up with IndoStar Capital for commercial vehicle financing
ICICI Bank tied up with IndoStar Capital, a non-banking financial company, for vehicle financing
for small and medium fleet owners to buy new and old commercial vehicles. IndoStar will
originate customers in tier-II, III, IV cities where it has a branch network of 322 branches and will
provide the service to the customers through the entire loan life-cycle including sourcing,
documentation, collection and loan servicing. ICICI Bank will provide funds to the customers.
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Karnataka Bank launches web tool for NPA recovery process named ‘Vasool So-Ft’
Karnataka Bank Ltd’s Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mahabaleshwara
MS launched the web tool named ‘Vasool So-Ft’ (Vasool So-Fast) for digitizing the Non-Performing
Asset (NPA) recovery process of the bank in Mangalore, Karnataka.
Airtel Payments Bank ties up with Bharti AXA Life Insurance to offer the Bharti AXA Life POS Saral
Jeevan Bima Yojana
The first live payments bank in the country, Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Bharti AXA
Life Insurance to offer Bharti AXA Life POS (Point of Sale) Saral Jeevan Bima Yojana, a pure life
term insurance plan up to Rs 5 lakh which is aimed at the under-insured and uninsured segments
in India. The customers are offered the option of life cover between 3-5 lakh and it will soon be
extended up to Rs 25 lakh.
RBI forms Working group under Tapan Ray to review the regulatory guidelines on core
investment companies
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has constituted a six-member working group to review the
regulatory and supervisory framework for core investment companies (CIC). The group is to be
headed by Tapan Ray, non-executive chairman, Central Bank of India and former Secretary in the
Ministry of Corporate Affairs and it will submit its report by 31 October 2019.
RBI gets the power to regulate housing finance companies instead of NHB
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that India's central bank, Reserve Bank of India(RBI)
will now be given power to takes over as the regulator of Housing Finance Firms(HFFs) instead of
NHB(National Housing Bank). The government will also provide a one-time six-month partial
guarantee to state-run banks for the acquisition of up to 1 trillion rupees ($14.6 billion) of highly-
rated assets from NBFCs (Non-Banking Financial Company).
Hong Kong Govt donates over $9 million to cyclone” Fani”-hit Odisha
The Government of Hong Kong approved to grant about $9,02,278 (7.032 million Hong Kong
dollars) from Hong Kong’s Disaster Relief Fund for cyclone Fani victims in Odisha. This will
benefit around 45,100 cyclone victims who were affected by cyclone storm,’Fani’ in May 2019.
The grants will be used to provide hygiene kits, kitchen kits, water kits, and education kits as well
as household and shelter kits to the victims.
Punjab & Sind Bank sets up centralised hub ‘Cen-MARG’ to process retail and MSME loans
Punjab & Sind Bank has set up a centralized hub named “Centralised MSME & Retail Group” (Cen-
MARG) for processing retail and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) loans for better
efficiency of branches in business acquisition. It is headquartered in New Delhi.
Reliance Jio partners with Facebook to launch literacy drive “'Digital Udaan” for first-time
internet users in India
Indian mobile network operator, Reliance Jio has partnered with Facebook to launch a digital
literacy initiative named “Digital Udaan” to empower first-time internet users with digital literacy
and understanding of the Internet in real time. It has audio-visual training in 10 regional
languages.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

As per ILO, India could lose 34 million jobs in 2030 due to global warming
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) in its report ‘Working on a Warmer Planet: The
Impact of Heat Stress on Labour Productivity and Decent Work’, stated that India is projected to
lose 5.8% of working hours in 2030 equivalent to 34 million full-time jobs due to global warming.
It will mainly impact the agriculture and construction sectors. India will be the most affected
country because of its large population.
GOI Ratifies International convention to curb company profit sharing
The Government recently ratified the multilateral tax convention designed by OECD (Organization
for Economic Co-operation and Development) to implement Tax treaty to combat Base Erosion
and Profit Shifting (BEPS). This has been done to shrink opportunities for tax avoidance by
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multinational enterprises. The convention measures to prevent BEPS (Multilateral instruments

(MLI)) which was signed by India in 2017 in Paris. The convention (MIL) is one of the outcomes of
OECD/G20 Project to tackle Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS Project) and it shall come into
force from 1st October 2019 for India.
Overview Of Economic Survey 2018-19
The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the
Economic Survey 2018-19. It was prepared by the Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy
Subramanian. It had a cover page in skyblue colour as it adopts an unfettered approach in
thinking about the appropriate economic model for India. Read full details
here: https://www.affairscloud.com/overview-of-economic-survey-2018-19/
NASSCOM & NSDC launches “World Skills India”-International Cloud Computing Challenge 2019
Information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services (ITeS) NASSCOM ( National Association of
Software and Services Companies) and Not-for-profit public limited company, NSDC (National
Skill Development Corporation) has organized “World Skills India”- International Cloud
Computing Challenge 2019 from July (1st – 6th ) 2019 at NASSCOM Campus,New Delhi.
Tata Steel Kalinganagar included in WEF’s Global Lighthouse Network
Tata Steel Kalinganagar becomes the first and the only Indian manufacturing plant that has been
included in prestigious Lighthouse Network of the World Economic Forum, a community of
manufacturers that are frontrunners in applying 4th Industrial Revolution technologies to draw a
competitive advantage from either innovating their production system or by innovating their
entire value chains and offering new products and services.
According to the World Bank data for 2018, India’s turnover ratio fell by 60% in 10 years
As per the data of the World Bank for the year 2018, the turnover ratio of Indian stock market fell
significantly by 60% in the past 10 years. Indian market volume compared to the size of the
market was the lowest amongst major global economies. A turnover ratio of Indian stock market
fell from 143 in 2008 to 58 in 2018. It was the highest among the most leading markets of the
world, except the United States (US) and European Union (EU).

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

In recognition of best practices in CSR, NALCO has selected for the prestigious President’s award
A Navaratna Company based on Odisha, The National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), has
been selected for the President’s Award for Excellent CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)
programme for introducing and implementing star rating schemes like ‘Nalco ki Ladli’. The
flagship scheme provides learning and education opportunities for poor girl students belonging
from the marginalized section.
Aparna Kumar becomes the first civil servant & IPS Officer to conquer the ‘Seven Summits’
challenge
Uttar Pradesh cadre IPS officer and DIG (Deputy Inspector General of Police) in Indo-Tibetan
Border Police (ITBP), Aparna Kumar has scaled Mount Denali (the highest peak in Northern
America stands at 20,310 feet) in Alaska, USA (United States of America). She is the first civil
servant and IPS (Indian Police Service) officer to achieve the feat of completing ‘7 Summits’
challenge.
Mark Tully presented the Lifetime Achievement Award at UK-India Awards 2019
Veteran British journalist Sir Mark Tully was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in
recognization of his contributions to the UK-India relationship. The annual UK-India Awards
honours special talents and organisations who use their worldwide influence to strengthen UK-
India ties. The 2019 UK-India Awards marked the conclusion of the annual UK-India Week in
London. This was the 3rd edition of the UK-India Award organised by India Inc., a media house
based in London.

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Pullela Gopichand bestowed upon an honorary doctorate by IIT Kanpur

IIT Kanpur (Indian Institutes of Technology) awarded an honorary doctorate to Pullela
Gopichand, Chief National Coach for the Indian Badminton team in recognition of his services to
sports. Infosys Chairperson Sudha Murthy and missile woman Tessy Thomas were other two to
receive this honor.
World Economic Forum Awards Quantela Inc, a 2019 Technology Pioneer
Quantela Inc, a Hyderabad and Silicon Valley-headquartered digital technology company, was
awarded World Economic Forum's(WEF) 'Technology Pioneers' award 2019. It was selected by a
selection committee of more than 59 academics, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and corporate
executives.
Overview of Sports Journalists Federation of India 2019 Awards
The annual general meeting of Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) 2019 was held in
Ahmedabad, Gujarat. SJFI Medal (SJFI’s Highest Honour) was conferred upon Prakash Padukone
(Badminton) while Sportsperson of the Year 2019 was awarded to Pankaj Advani (Billiards and
Snooker) and Bajrang Punia (Wrestling).
USISPF honors Wipro Chairman Azim Premji & Mastercard CEO and President Ajay Banga with
Global Excellence Award 2019
Indian multinational corporation Wipro’s Chairman, Azim Premji and Global Financial services
company Mastercard’s CEO and President, Ajaypal Singh Banga have been chosen for 2019 Global
Excellence Award of the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) for their contribution to
strengthening economic ties between the US and India. The awards will be given at the USISPF
Second Annual Leadership Summit in Washington on July 11, 2019.
Pink City Jaipur declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO
At the 43rd Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee which is underway from June 30 to
July 10, 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) added the ‘Pink City’ Jaipur/Walled City of Jaipur of Rajasthan, known for
its iconic architectural legacy, into the list of the World Heritage Sites. The World Heritage
Committee (WHC) acknowledged the “city’s outstanding value as a cultural property”. Read full
details here: https://www.affairscloud.com/pink-city-jaipur-declared-as-a-world-heritage-site-
by-unesco/

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

MTNL Chairman PK Bharwar assumes additional responsibility as BSNL CMD
MTNL(Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited) Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) P.K.
Purwar has accepted his additional post as CMD of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) for a period
of three months from July 1, 2019. He succeeds Anupam Shrivastava who has resigned on
30.06.2019.
Karnam Sekar takes over as new MD and CEO of IOB
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), a public sector bank based in Chennai has appointed Karnam Sekar
as its new Managing Director (MD)and Chief Executive Officer(CEO). He replaces R
Subramaniakumar.
N.S. Vishwanathan reappointed RBI deputy governor for one year
N S Vishwanathan was re-appointed as the deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for
one more year with effect from July 4, 2019. He is in charge of regulation of banks, non-banking
finance companies, and cooperative banks. Besides N S Vishwanathan, B P Kanungo and M K Jain
were the two other deputy governors of RBI.
Rahul Gandhi resigned as Congress President
Congress president Rahul Gandhi officially resigned from his post. He stated that accountability
was critical to the future growth of the party and assumed that he was responsible for the loss of
the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In the absence of party president, Congress party is led by senior
most leader until a chief is appointed.
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MFIN appoints Manoj Kumar Nambiar as chairman & Vineet Chattreem as vice chairman
The Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN) announced the new appointments at its 10th
Annual General Meeting in New Delhi. Manoj Kumar Nambiar, Managing Director (MD) of Arohan
Financial Services, was appointed as its chairman succeeding Udaya Kumar Hebbar. Vineet
Chattreem, director of Svatantra Microfin, was selected as the vice chairman succeeding
Dibyajyoti Pattanaik.
Shri Rabindra Panwar given additional charge as secretary to the Ministry of Textiles
The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the assignment of additional charge
as Secretary to the Ministry of Textiles to Rabindra Panwar, Secretary, Ministry of Women and
Child Development with immediate effect and till the appointment of a regular incumbent or until
further orders whichever is earlier. He succeeded Raghvendra Singh.
AK Misra appointed as an additional director on Board of Directors (BOD) of Jammu and Kashmir
Bank by Reserve Bank of India
Reserve Bank of India has appointed AK Misra as an additional director on Board of Directors
(BOD) of Jammu and Kashmir Bank. He was the former executive director of RBI. His appointment
shall be for a period of two years.
Economist David Lipton appointed as IMF interim leader
International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) appointed American economist David Lipton as its interim
leader. He replaces Christine Lagarde who was nominated to head the European Central Bank.
EU leaders nominate Germany's von der Leyen to lead EU Commission
The defense secretary of Germany, Ursula von der Leyen (60) has been nominated by the
European leaders to lead the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU (European
Union) that’s responsible for legislation and governing. She will be replacing Jean-Claude Juncker.
IMF’s Christine Lagarde, the 'rock star' of international finance to become first female ECB
president
Christine Lagarde (63), the first woman head of the Washington-based body, International
Monetary Fund(IMF) nominated to become the first woman to lead the ECB (European Central
Bank). EU (European Union) leaders nominated France's Christine Lagarde as president of the
ECB in a meeting in Brussels, Belgium. She would succeed current ECB president Mario Draghi
(Italy), whose term ends on October 31
Harideesh Kumar appointed as the Director of Institute of Banking Personnel Selection
B Harideesh Kumar has been appointed as director of Institute of Banking Personnel Selection
(IBPS) for a period of three years. He hails from Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. Earlier
he served as the Executive Director of Canara Bank. He succeeded Anup Sankar Bhattacharya,
who has retired from his services.
Dr.Nalin Shinghal appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Heavy
Electricals Limited(BHEL)
Dr.Nalin Shinghal was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Heavy
Electricals Limited (BHEL). He succeeded D. Bandyopadhyay who was given Additional Charge of
Chairman & Managing Director after the retirement of Atul Sobti.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Airtel completed merger of Tata Tele's consumer mobile business
Bharti Airtel Limited and Bharti Hexacom Limited announced the merger of the consumer mobile
businesses (CMB) of Tata Teleservices Limited (TTSL) and Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra)
Limited (TTML) with the two Bharti Group companies.
YES Bank acquires 9.47% stake in Eveready Industries by invoking pledged shares
Mumbai based Private sector lender, YES Bank has acquired a 9.47 % stake in dry cell battery
maker, Eveready Industries India by invoking shares pledged by McLeod Russel. The acquisition

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comes after the Indian tea company, McLeod Russel defaulted on repayment of credit facilities
extended by the Yes bank. McLeod’s debt is about Rs.1,800 – 2,000 crore.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

China tests JL-3 Submarine-launched Ballistic Missile: Report
China has tested its latest submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), JL-3. The JL-3 is expected
to have a range of around 14,000 kilometers, with a capacity to carry 10 independent guided
nuclear warheads. A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of
being launched from submarines.
NASA's PUNCH mission has selected Indian Scientist Dipankar Banerjee as its co-investigator
Dipankar Banerjee, a solar physicist from Indian Institute of Astrophysics has been selected by
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) for its PUNCH mission. PUNCH is an
acronym for "Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere", which will image the Sun. he
objective of the mission is to understand the transition of particles from the Sun’s outer corona to
the solar wind that fills interplanetary space.
Astronomers discovered the source of Fast radio burst
For the first time, an international team of researchers has discovered the source of FRB 180924,
a mysterious powerful pulse of cosmic energy known as Fast Radio Burst (FRB), which lasted for
just a fraction of a second. The discovery has been made by using the Australian Square Kilometer
Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) radio telescope in Western Australia.
NASA to send ‘Dragonfly’ drone mission to Titan for looking origins & signs of life
America's space agency, National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) has planned to
send a flying multi rover vehicle, ’Dragonfly’ to Saturn's moon Titan to search for signs of life. It
will be launched in 2026 and set to land on Saturn's largest moon in 2034. The outlay of the
mission was $850 million. Titan is Saturn’s largest moon and the second largest moon in the solar
system after Jupiter's moon Ganymede.
Indian Railways conducting trials of Tri-Netra technology: Piyush Goyal
Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal stated that In order to reduce accidents, Indian Railways is
conducting extensive trials of modern technology TRI-NETRA (Terrain Imaging for Drivers
Infrared, Enhanced, Optical & Radar Assisted) for detecting obstructions on tracks during fog. It
will assist Loco pilots to identify obstructions on tracks by using Infrared Camera, Optical Camera
and Radar assisted imaging system(Tri-Netra).
NASA successfully tests launch-abort system for moon-mission capsule
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) successfully conducted the test of a
launch-abort system for the Orion capsule designed to take United States (US) astronauts to the
Moon. It took place at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, US. It was launched by a
mini-rocket, a repurposed first stage of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Army & NeGD signed MoU to develop revamped app
The Indian Army and the National eGovernance Division (NeGD), a part of the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
to develop a revamped application. It will maintain the centralised database for personnel,
equipment and major stores to provide management-related information to Integrated
Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Army) and other agencies.
ISRO signed a contract with Russian company Glavkosmos to train Indian astronauts for
‘Gaganyaan’
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a contract with a Russian company,
Glavkosmos, a subsidiary of the state corporation Roscosmos, for selection support, medical
examination and space training of Indian astronauts for ‘Gaganyaan’ mission. Gaganyaan, Rs
9,023-crore project, will be launched in December 2021 including a woman astronaut.

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SPORTS
Max Verstappen won 2019 Austrian Grand Prix
Red Bull's Max Verstappen (Belgium) beat Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and won the 2019 Austrian
Grand Prix. Mercedes Valtteri Bottas who met continuous wins finishes with third and Ferrari's
Sebastian Vettel became fourth.
Veer Chotrani won Asian U-19 champion in Squash
Veer Chotrani became third Indian after he won 26th Asian junior Individual squash
championship 2019 in the U-19 category at Macau, China. It was organized by Macau Squash
Association. He beat another Indian seed Yash Fadte at final. Ravi Dixit and Vela Senthilkumar
were the earlier Asian junior Individual squash champions from India.
Bhullar finishes 13th at the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters 2019
At the Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters for 2019 hosted by Sergio Garcia Foundation which
was held at Real Club Valderrama, Spain, Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar finished at the 13th spot.
South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout won his first European Tour title. He was awarded the
prize money of €500,000.
Odisha to host the 21st Commonwealth Table Tennis Championship 2019
The Department of Sports and Youth Service of the Odisha government signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) and Odisha State Table Tennis
Association (OSTTA) to host the 21st Commonwealth Championship for the year 2019. It will be
held from July 17-22, 2019 at the Jawaharlal Indoor Stadium in Cuttack, Odisha.
India’s middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu, announced retirement from all forms of cricket
Indian Cricket team’s, middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu(33) announced retirement from all
forms of cricket. He hails from Andhra Pradesh.He Played 55 One Day International(ODI’s), 6
Twenty20 International(T20I’s), 97 First Class Cricket and 160 List A Cricket.
Vaibhav Yadav, Indian pro boxer won World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia title
Vaibhav Yadav, Indian pro boxer won the World Boxing Council (WBC) Asia silver welterweight
championship 2019 that held in Pattaya, Thailand. He defeated Fahpetch Singmanassak of
Thailand.
Overview of Poznań Athletics Grand Prix 2019 held in Golęcin Stadium, Poznań, Poland
Indian sprint runner Hima Das, nicknamed 'Dhing Express' won the gold medal in women’s 200m
with a timing of 23.65 seconds in Poznań Athletics Grand Prix 2019 held in Golecin Stadium,
Poznań, Poland. In addition to Hima’s gold, other Indian Athletes won four bronze medal.

o V.K. Vismaya won bronze medal in the women’s 200m

o In men’s 200m, Muhammed Anas won bronze medal
o In men's 400-metre, KS Jeevan won bronze medal
o In men’s Shotput, Asian champion Tajinder Pal Singh Toor won bronze medal
A 10-year old Karate Girl, Arinjeeta Dey wins a silver medal for India in World Youth Cup 2019
A 10-year old Karate girl, Arinjeeta Dey (Barasat, West Bengal) has won a silver medal in the
under 12 age category in the World Youth Cup 2019 which was held in Umag, Croatia (from July 1
to July 5, 2019).
Elavenil Valarivan clinched women's 10m Air Rifle silver medal in the 30th Summer Universiade
Games 2019
Elavenil Valarivan (19), a three-time junior World Cup medallist strikes her silver medal in 10m
Air Rifle event in the 30th World University Summer Games 2019 held in Napoli, Italy. Tamilnadu
shooter(Elavenil) shot 249.0 in the final and was beaten by 1.3 points by Lucie Brazdova (Czech
Republic).
Arjen Robben, announces retirement from football
35 years old, Former Bayern Munich and Netherlands forward Arjen Robben, announced
retirement from football. He hails from Bedum, Netherlands. He retired from International

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matched in 2017. He won a league title in 2008 with Madrid in Spain. He also helped Chelsea to
league titles in 2005 and 2006, and PSV Eindhoven to the Eredivisie title in 2003.

OBITUARY
Working Women's Forum founder Dr. Jaya Arunachalam passed away in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Working Women's Forum (WWF) founder Dr. Jaya Arunachalam, aged 87, passed away in
Chennai, Tamil Nadu after a brief illness. She hailed from Tamil Nadu. She was the recipient of
Padma Shri in 1987.
Rakesh Shukla, former leg-spinner of India passed away in Delhi
Former leg-spinner of India, Rakesh Shukla passed away in Delhi at the age of 71. He had
represented Delhi and Bihar in First-Class cricket and earned his Test cap against Sri Lanka in
1982. He played 121 first-class matches, claimed 295 wickets and aggregated 3798 runs. He
hailed from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Momir Bulatovic, former President Of Montenegro passed away in Raći, Montenegro
Momir Bulatovic, who served as the President of Montenegro during the turbulent breakup of the
former Yugoslavia died at the age of 62 in Raći, Montenegro. He was born in Belgrade, PR Serbia,
FPR Yugoslavia. He served as Montenegro's President from 1990 until 1998.
Former Chrysler CEO, Lee Iacocca passed away at the age 94 in Bel Air, California
Celebrity businessman Lee Iacocca passed away at the age of 94 in California due to Parkinson's
disease. He was the former CEO of Chrysler and also worked in Ford. He hailed from Pennsylvania,
United States. In 1984, he released his autobiography titled “Iacocca-An Autobiography”.
Carlin Dunne, motorcycle racer passed away at Colorado race
Carlin Dunne, motorcycle racer aged 36 passed away during the 97th Broadmoor Pikes Peak
International Hill Climb. He hailed from Santa Barbara, California. He was the fastest racer of the
Hill Climb.
Basant Kumar Birla, Indian industry stalwart and Birla group patriarch passed away at the age of
98 in Mumbai
Basant Kumar Birla, Indian businessman and Birla group patriarch passed away recently in
Mumbai at the age of 98. He was born in Kolkata, West Bengal. He was the chairman of the
Krishnarpan Charity Trust, BK Birla Institute of Engineering & Technology (BKBIET) and various
educational trusts and institutes.
Santosh Rana, one of the foremost leaders of the Communist Party of India passed away in
Kolkata at the age 76 in Kolkata
Santosh Rana, one of the foremost leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)
(CPI-ML) passed away in Kolkata at the age of 76. He was born in Gopiballavpur, West Bengal,
India. CPI-ML (PCC) (Provisional Central Committee) was one of the very first Naxalite groups to
participate in elections.
Barun Haldar, veteran newsreader of All India Radio(AIR) passed away at the age of 85 in Kolkata
Barun Haldar, veteran newsreader of All India Radio(AIR) passed away at the age of 85 in Kolkata.
He was born in Kolkata, West Bengal. He was associated with AIR news till 1999.
Sudershan Agarwal, former Uttarakhand Governor passed away in New Delhi
Former Uttarakhand Governor Sudershan Agarwal passed away in New Delhi at the age of 88. He
was born in Ludhiana, Punjab.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Dr. Krishna Saksena's book 'Whispers of Time' launched by Smriti Irani in New Delhi
Minister of Textiles and Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Zubin Irani launched
new book 'Whispers of Time’ written by Dr. Krishna Saksena (91) at India International Centre in
New Delhi. The book was published by Prabhat Prakashan
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IMPORTANT DAYS
National Doctors day celebrated on July 1, 2019
National Doctors’ Day was celebrated throughout India on July 1, 2019. It aims to raise awareness
about the importance of doctors and the crucial role they play in our day to day lives. The theme
of National Doctor's day 2019 is "Zero tolerance to violence against doctors and clinical
establishment". It is meant to raise awareness about violence happening with doctors across
India.
2nd anniversary of GST celebrated on July 1, 2019
On July 1, 2019, The Government of India celebrated the 2nd anniversary of GST (Goods and
Services Tax). On this occasion, the Finance Ministry, Government of India introduced the new
return system on a trial basis on this day, which will come into force from 1st of October, 2019. It
also proposed Sahaj and Sugam returns for small taxpayers for the current fiscal.
World UFO day observed on 2 July 2019
On July 2, 2019, World UFO (Unidentified Flying Objects) day was observed all over the world. It
is celebrated to increase awareness among people about the existence of UFO. The first World
UFO Day was celebrated in 2001.
World Sports Journalists Day 2019 observed on July 2
World Sports Journalists Day was observed on July 2, 2019. It is celebrated to mark the services of
sports journalists for the promotion of sports. It was established by the International Sports and
Press Association (AIPS- Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive) in 1994.
World Vitiligo Day 2019 observed on June 25
World Vitiligo Day (WVD) was observed on June 25, 2019. It is aimed to build global awareness
about Vitiligo and to fight misconceptions regarding chronic skin disorder. The theme for this
year is “The Quality of Life of a Vitiligo Patient”. Vitiligo is a skin disease where pale white patches
start forming on the skin due to lack of melanin, a skin pigment.
World Zoonoses Day 2019 observed on July 6
The World Zoonoses Day 2019 was observed on July 6. The day is celebrated to create awareness
on zoonotic diseases and to teach people to take the right action on diseases. The word zoonoses
is derived from the Greek words zoon (animal) and nosos (ailment). The day is celebrated every
year to commemorate the day, in 1885 when Louis Pasteur successfully administered the first
vaccine against Rabies virus.
International Day of Cooperatives 2019 observed on July 6
United Nations International Day of Cooperatives is celebrated annually on the first Saturday of
July and this year it was observed on July 6, 2019. It’s aim is to create awareness of cooperatives
and promote international solidarity, economic efficiency, equality, and world peace. The theme
for 2019 is “Coops 4 decent work”. It is the 25th United Nations International Day of Cooperatives
and the 96th International Cooperative day.

STATE NEWS
Malayalam film director Babu Narayanan passes away
Director Babu Narayanan, a notable director in Malayalam film industry passed away at Thrissur,
Kerala due to cancer. He was born in Kozhikode(also known as Calicut), Kerala. His last individual
film was the 2013 Malayalam film ‘To Noora with Love’.
Goa Govt clears amendment to allow women to work at night
The State Government of Goa cleared amendments to Factories Act,1948 allowing women to work
legally during night hours (between 7 pm to 6 am) in factories of the state. Section 66 of the
Factories Act, 1948 prohibit women to work during night hours.

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Tamil Nadu declared ‘Tamil Yeoman’ or ‘Tamil Maravan’ as its state butterfly
‘Tamil Yeoman’, a kind of butterfly found in the Western Ghats declared as Tamilnadu state
butterfly. It is also called as ‘Tamil Maravan’. Tamil Nadu has become the fifth state in the country
to announce its state butterfly. Its scientific name was Cirrochroa thais. Maharashtra was the first
to declare Blue Mormon as its state butterfly followed by Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Kerala.
Keshni Anand to be the new Haryana chief secretary
The State Government of Haryana appointed Keshni Anand Arora as the state’s new chief
secretary. She replaces Mr. DS Dhesi, who has retired on June 30, 2019. She will be the 33rd
cabinet secretary of Haryana since 1966. Her sister Meenakshi Anand Chaudhary became the
State’s first woman chief secretary in 2006 and her other sister Urvashi Gulati occupied the same
post in 2009.
Dastak Campaign launched by UP to eradicate AES & JE
The Government of Uttar Pradesh launched “Dastak Campaign” to eradicate deadly Acute
Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) disease. It is part of a comprehensive
Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) strategy embraced by the UP government.
Under this, campaign teams will go door to door in every village of the 75 districts of the state to
create awareness about communicable diseases as well as JE and AES.
Uttarakhand launches One-time settlement scheme for recovering NPAs of cooperative banks
The State Government of Uttarakhand implemented a one-time settlement’ scheme for debt
trapped state cooperative banks which had the NPA (Non Performing Assets) of Rs 391.50 crore
which have piled up over the last 25 years. The 100-day scheme is effective from July 1, 2019, and
continues till 7th October 2019.
Centre declared Nagaland as ‘Disturbed Area’ under AFSPA for 6 more months
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has declared the entire state of Nagaland as "disturbed area"
for six more months, with effect from June 30, 2019, till December 31, 2019 under the powers
conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 -No. 28 of 1958 (AFSPA).
The decision to continue the declaration of Nagaland as "disturbed area" has been taken as
killings, loot and extortion have been going on in various parts of Nagaland
Rajasthan government to establish board for vedic education, culture
Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot at the 25th 'Bhamashah Sammelan' held at Birla
Auditorium, Jaipur announced the establishment of a Vedic education and culture board in
Rajasthan. The board will assist future generations to take inspiration from Vedic culture,
tradition, and values. The board will assist future generations to take inspiration from Vedic
culture, tradition, and values.
Glorious Jagannath Rath Yatra 2019 begins in Puri, Odisha
On July 4, 2019, The world famous Jagannath Rath Yatra 2019(also known as Chariot Festival)
began at Puri in Odisha. The religious procession commemorates a journey by Hindu god
Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra, in specially made chariots as they travel
to Gundicha temple, their birthplace.
Operation Khumaar launched in J&K to make 312 panchayats free from tobacco
In a major step aimed towards making 'drugs-free panchayats', district administration Rajouri in
Jammu and Kashmir (J&k) launched an anti Drug Campaign called “Operation Khumaar” in all 312
Panchayats of the district. As a part of it, Tobacco products cannot be sold to a person below the
age of 18 years and in a place within 100 yards radius from the outer boundary of the Schools.
Gujarat FM presents the state's highest budget pegged at over Rs 2 lakh crore
Finance Minister of Gujarat Nitin Patel presented the Budget size of Rs 2,04,815 crore for the year
2019-20 for the state. The budget indicates the overall surplus of Rs 572 crore & additional tax
income of Rs 287 crore. This is the first time the State’s budget has crossed Rs.2 lakh crore. The
budget estimates revenue receipts Rs 1,54,732 crore, and revenue expenditure of Rs 1,51,858
crore for the year 2019-20.

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 Current Affairs Weekly PDF

Delhi Police signs pact with SECI to implement Rooftop Solar Energy Systems
The Delhi police signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Solar Energy Corporation of
India (SECI), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
(MNRE), to set up rooftop solar energy systems in over 200 of its buildings in Delhi. SECI will
support the implementation of grid-connected rooftop solar photovoltaic systems on the
establishment of the Delhi police.
Chhattisgarh CM inaugurated 'Jan Choupal' program to hold public meetings
The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel has inaugurated the 'Jan Choupal' program in
Raipur, Chhattisgarh for holding public meetings once every week to discuss the issues of the
people. In order to resolve the issues of people, the concept of this program has been taken from
the practices of ancestors in the village. So that people can come and discuss their issues in the
meeting.
UP govt launches toll-free ‘CM helpline 1076’ for complaint registration
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Yogi Adityanath launched 24X7 toll-free ‘CM Helpline 1076’ for
people to lodge complaints from anywhere in the state. It will facilitate a direct medium between
the people and the CM's Office.
SC Directs Meghalaya to deposit 100 Crore as Fine imposed by NGT for Illegal Coal Mining
The Supreme Court (SC) benches of justices Ashok Bhushan and K M Joseph directed the
Meghalaya government to pay Rs 100 crore as fine which is imposed by the NGT (National Green
Tribunal )on January 4,2019 for failing to curb illegal coal mining with the Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB).

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