CURRENT AFFAIRS 01.08.2024

At the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, held in New Delhi from 21 to 31 July 2024, 24 new sites were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. This marks the first time India has hosted the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. The session concluded on 30 July 2024, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing $1 million in aid for conservation projects and capacity-building initiatives in developing countries.

Goa Launches ‘Goem Vinamulya Vij Yevjan’ Scheme....In a significant push towards sustainable energy, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has launched the ‘Goem Vinamulya Vij Yevjan’ scheme, aligning it with the Prime Minister’s Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. The initiative is aimed at enhancing solar rooftop installations in Goa, enabling residential households to generate their own electricity and reduce reliance on traditional power sources.

Indian Armed Forces Gets The First Woman Director General Of Medical Service (ARMY)... Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair has become the first woman to be appointed the Director General of Medical Services. She was also the first woman to serve as the Director of General Hospital Services (Armed Forces) as well as the first woman to be the Principal Medical Officer of the Western Air Command.

UGRO Capital and SIDBI Forge Co-Lending Partnership... UGRO Capital, a data-tech non-banking financial company (NBFC), has entered into a co-lending agreement with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to provide timely and affordable credit to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). This initiative aligns with the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) co-lending framework, aimed at enhancing priority-sector lending by combining the strengths of banks and NBFCs.

Index of Eight Core Industries for June 2024... The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) recorded a provisional increase of 4.0% in June 2024 compared to June 2023. Positive growth was noted in the production of Coal, Electricity, Natural Gas, Steel, Fertilizers, and Cement. The final growth rate for March 2024 stands at 6.3%, with a cumulative growth rate of 5.7% from April to June 2024.

ADB Provides $200 Million Loan for Solid Waste Management in India... The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has committed a $200 million (approximately Rs 1,700 crore) loan to improve solid waste management and sanitation in 100 cities across eight states in India. This funding is part of the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 – Comprehensive Municipal Waste Management in Indian Cities Program.

32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE-2024)...India will host the 32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE) in New Delhi from August 2-7, 2024, marking a 66-year hiatus since its last hosting in 1958. The conference, held every three years, will take place at the Pusa Institute and focus on “Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems.”.

P.M Receives Parimal Nathwani’s Book On Gir And Asiatic Lions... Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani on July 31, presented the first copy of his new book ‘Call of the Gir’ to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a small family get-together at the PM’s residence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appreciated the book Call of the Gir written by Rajya Sabha Member Parimal Nathwani.

Swapnil Kusale Secures Bronze Medal in 50m Rifle 3 Positions at Paris Olympics... In a thrilling display of marksmanship, 28-year-old Swapnil Kusale has secured India’s third medal at the Paris Olympics. Kusale clinched the bronze medal in the 50m rifle 3 positions final on Thursday, adding to India’s growing tally in the shooting events.

India Elected Vice-Chair of IPEF’s Supply Chain Council... India has been elected as the Vice-Chair of the Supply Chain Council under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF). This appointment highlights India’s critical role in developing a resilient supply chain in the Indo-Pacific region. The election, part of a larger agreement on supply chain resilience, establishes India alongside 13 other IPEF partners in shaping regional supply chain policies.

India Hosts Historic 46th World Heritage Committee Meeting... For the first time, India proudly hosted the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee Meeting, from 21st to 31st July, 2024, organized at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This significant event marked a milestone in India’s longstanding association with the World Heritage Convention, which began in 1977. India’s active participation in the World Heritage Committee, serving four terms, underscores its dedication to international cooperation and capacity-building.

World Lung Cancer Day 2024: Raising Awareness and Closing the Care Gap... Lung cancer remains one of the most prevalent and deadly forms of cancer worldwide, claiming over a million lives annually. As we approach World Lung Cancer Day 2024, it’s crucial to understand the significance of this observance and its potential impact on global health. The theme for World Lung Cancer Day 2024 is “Close the care gap: Everyone deserves access to cancer care.

World Wide Web Day 2024: Celebrating the Digital Revolution...World Wide Web Day, observed annually on August 1st. This day honours the groundbreaking invention of Tim Berners-Lee, an English scientist who conceptualized and developed the WWW in 1989 while working at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).

National Mountain Climbing Day 2024: Celebrating Adventure and Achievement...National Mountain Climbing Day, observed annually on August 1st. This special day was established to commemorate the accomplishments of Bobby Matthews and Josh Madigan, who successfully scaled all 46 peaks of the Adirondack Mountains in Northeastern New York. Their final ascent of Whiteface Mountain on August 1, 2015, marked the completion of this impressive feat and inspired the creation of this national day of recognition.