Correct Answer :   Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

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A rare and globally endangered bird species 'Jerdon's Babbler' was spotted in the buffer zone of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR), in the grasslands of Uttar Pradesh.



The bird was found during a grassland survey of bird fauna in the buffer zone of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, the official statement.

In an official release, surveyors at The Habitats Trust, Kaushik Sarkar and Anup Bokkasa revealed that Jerdon's Babbler lives in small flocks in pairs in high/long grasslands. This globally threatened bird has been listed in the 'Vulnerable' category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1994.

According to the surveyors, the existence of this rare bird in UP is significant as over 95% of all other Jerdon's Babbler sightings in India are from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

Jerdon's Babbler was found in Haryana and Punjab along the Sutlej River. But with depleting areas of high grassland, 95% of Jerdon's Babbler in India is found in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh only. Globally, the count of Jerdon's Babbler is claimed to be near 10,000, out of which approximately 30% are found in India.

The Habitats Trust works towards protecting the grasslands in the region, which are home to a biodiverse bird population. They help to restore the delicate balance of the local ecosystems, allowing the species to thrive.

Based in Noida, The Habitats Trust is a biodiversity conservation and climate change organisation which works in 23 states and union territories. It aims to conserve and restore ecological functionality as a pathway towards human well-being.

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   Amit Shah

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Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah (14th July 2023) inaugurated the National Mega Conclave on Farmers Producer Organisation, FPO in the cooperative sector and released the action plan for formation of 1,100 new FPOs by Primary Agricultural Credit Societies in New Delhi 14th July 2023.

Mr  Shah said, in such a large country, where about 65 crore people are engaged in agriculture, it has become very essential to revive the cooperative movement, modernize it and to bring transparency to achieve new heights.

Mr. Shah added that the cooperative movement can make a significant contribution towards strengthening the country's population associated with agriculture and making them prosperous by combining their small capital through cooperatives.

The Union Minister of Cooperation said that the government has announced to set up ten thousand  FPOs and the target is to achieve this by the year 2027. He said the Central government has allocated 6 thousand 900 crore rupees to achieve this goal. 

He pointed out that if agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries are strengthened through cooperatives, employment opportunities will increase along with the GDP. Mr. Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister  Narendra Modi, there has been an increase of 55 percent in Minimum Support Price of Paddy and 51 percent in MSP of wheat in  10 years.

He highlighted that the Modi government is the first government after independence which has fixed at least 50 percent more profit than the cost incurred by the farmers.

Mr Shah said that there has been a radical change in the agriculture sector in the Modi government and now the Ministry of Cooperation has been created so that its benefits reach the farmers. He said that according to the mantra of cooperative, the profit goes to the one who does hard work in fields and this has been ensured by the Ministry of Cooperation.

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Only 1

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Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar led a three-member Election Commission of India (ECI) delegation to Cartagena, Colombia to attend the 11th meeting of the Executive Board of the Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB).

The Association of World Election Bodies is the largest association of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide with 119 EMBs as Members & 20 Regional Associations/Organisations as Associate Members.

Theme of 2023 meeting : An international conference on the theme “A global view on the challenges of regional elections 2023” is also being organised by National Civil Registry, Colombia on July 13, 2023.


CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar with Executive Board members of A-WEB :

During the discussions, CEC Shri Kumar said that A-WEB as a global association plays a critical role in fostering co-operation amongst EMBs and thereby enabling learning from each other’s experiences and best practices. He stressed that EMBs through forums like A-WEB could work together on pressing challenges like countering fake narratives which are trying to derail the election integrity worldwide.

During the deliberations at the Executive Board meeting, the participants discussed various agenda items including the programmes and activities to be undertaken by A-WEB during 2023-24, annual progress report of A-WEB & its regional offices including A-WEB India Centre, budget and membership related matters amongst others.

Amongst the other agenda items in the meeting, CEC Shri Rajiv Kumar raised the ECI proposals namely - (i) setting up an A-WEB portal which would serve as repository of electoral best practices and initiatives taken by member EMBs in various aspects of electoral management and (ii) establishing A-WEB Global Awards for EMBs who make significant contribution and take important initiatives in the democratic processes. Both the proposals were approved by the Executive Board.


Background: ECI and A-WEB

A-WEB was founded in October, 2013 in Seoul, Republic of Korea on the shared vision among its members of achieving sustainable democracy around the world through the strengthening of the processes of election management in member countries.  ECI has been very closely associated with the process of formation of A-WEB since 2011-12 and has been its Executive Board Member, since its inception in October 2013 for two consecutive terms (2013-15 and 2015-17). ECI took over as Vice-Chairperson of A-WEB for 2017-19 term; as Chair for 2019-22 term and is presently a member of its Executive Board for 2022-24 in its capacity as immediate former Chair of A-WEB. It may be recalled that in November 2022 during the 5th General Assembly meeting of A-WEB at Cape Town, Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar handed over the A-WEB Chairmanship from ECI to Election Commission of South Africa, after leading the EMBs successfully during the covid pandemic (2019-2022).

A-WEB organises capacity building programmes for its member EMBs and undertakes Election Visitor and Observation Programmes in various countries to study election management practices and share knowledge with other member EMBs. .

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Only 2

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Recently, a team of doctors from Tamil Nadu along with scientists from Japan have developed a disease-modifying treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).

* Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a rare genetic disorder.

* It was first described by the French neurologist Guillaume Benjamin Amand Duchenne in the 1860.

* It is characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness due to the alterations of a protein called dystrophin that helps keep muscle cells intact.

* It is a multi-systemic condition, affecting many parts of the body, which results in deterioration of the skeletal, heart, and lung muscles.

* The dystrophin gene is found on the X-chromosome, it primarily affects males, while females are typically carriers.

Symptoms

* It can begin as early as age 2 or 3, first affecting the proximal muscles (those close to the core of the body) and later affecting the distal limb muscles (those close to the extremities).

* Usually, the lower external muscles are affected before the upper external muscles.

* The affected child might have difficulty jumping, running, and walking.

* Other symptoms include enlargement of the calves, a waddling gait, and lumbar lordosis (an inward curve of the spine).

* Later on, the heart and respiratory muscles are affected as well.

* Treatments : Presently available treatments are gene therapy, exon skipping, stop codon read-through and gene repair.

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   Michele Bullock

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Australia has appointed the first female head of its central bank, passing over the current governor to elevate his deputy to the high-profile job amid a public backlash over steeply rising interest rates.



Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday (14th July 2023) announced Michele Bullock would head the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) for the next seven years, having chosen not to reappoint Governor Philip Lowe for a second term.

Why Philip Lowe not reappointed?

Lowe will leave on Sept. 17, marking the end of his 43-year career at the bank. The decision comes as Lowe is due to accompany Chalmers to a Group of 20 meeting in India next week.

In a press conference, Chalmers said it was not out of the norm for a governor to only serve one term and he felt Bullock was best placed to lead the RBA through a coming reorganisation.

"This is a history-making appointment," Chalmers told reporters. "Michele Bullock will become the first woman to ever lead the Reserve Bank in this country."

The government has been under pressure to dump Lowe for encouraging people to borrow during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 by saying interest rates were unlikely to rise until 2024, only to start hiking two years early in mid-2022.

The central bank has since lifted rates 12 times to a decade-high of 4.1%, adding hundreds of dollars to monthly mortgage repayments at a time when a cost of living crisis is already stretching household budgets.

About the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)

The RBA is currently undertaking the biggest reorganisation in decades after an independent review into its operations recommended sweeping changes to the way policy was formulated and communicated. The Reserve Bank of Australia is Australia’s central bank and banknote issuing authority. It has had this role since 14 January 1960, when the Reserve Bank Act 1959 removed the central banking functions from the Commonwealth Bank.


Source : Reuters

Correct Answer :   11th July 2023

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Veteran Marathi actor-director Ravindra Mahajani was found dead at a rented flat in Talegaon Dabhade area near Pune city, police said on Saturday, 15th July 2023.

The 77-year-old yesteryear actor's body was recovered on Friday, 14 July 2023, evening, the police said, adding that it is suspected that he died around three days ago (11th July 2023).

"We received a call from the neighbours of the flat, where Mahajani was staying alone, informing us about foul odour emanating from his house. We went to the spot and broke open the door of the flat, where he was found dead," a senior official of Talegaon Dabhade police station said.

Mahajani acted in several Marathi films from late 1970s to mid-1980s. Some of his notable films as an actor include 'Mumbaicha Fauzdar', 'Zunj' and 'Kalat Nakalat'.

His son Gashmeer Mahajani is also an actor and best known for his work in Marathi cinema.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condoled Mahajani's death, saying, "Veteran Marathi actor Ravindra Mahajani, who ruled the hearts of the audience through his impressive acting skills, has passed away. May God give eternal peace to his soul and give strength to Mahajani family to recover from this grief. A heartfelt tribute (sic)."

आपल्या सर्वांगसुंदर अभिनयाने रसिक प्रेक्षकांच्या मनावर अधिराज्य गाजवणारे ज्येष्ठ मराठी अभिनेते रवींद्र महाजनी यांचे दुर्दैवी निधन झाले आहे. परमेश्वर त्यांच्या आत्म्यास चिरशांती प्रदान करो तसेच महाजनी परिवारास या दुःखातून सावरण्यासाठी बळ देवो हीच प्रार्थना. भावपूर्ण श्रद्धांजली. pic.twitter.com/blubQ0geUC

— Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) July 15, 2023

Correct Answer :   July 15th

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World Youth Skills Day, observed annually on July 15th since 2014 as declared by the United Nations, serves the purpose of recognizing the significance of imparting young individuals with the necessary skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.

With the continuous progress of technology and changes in the labor market, it is essential to equip young people with adaptable and flexible skill sets.

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) play a crucial role in addressing these needs by reducing barriers to accessing employment, ensuring the relevance and certification of acquired skills, promoting environmentally-friendly skills and practices, and providing skill development opportunities for youth who are not engaged in education, employment, or training.

Theme of World Youth Skills Day 2023 :

The theme for World Youth Skills Day 2023 is Skilling teachers, trainers and youth for a transformative future. It highlights the essential role that teachers, trainers and other educators play in providing skills for youth to transition to the labour market and to actively engage in their communities and societies.

History of World Youth Skills Day :

During the aftermath of the Second World War, the United Nations was founded on October 24, 1945, after its Charter was ratified by China, France, the U.S.S.R., the U.K., and the United States, along with other signatories. The aim of the organization has always been to maintain global peace and security, give humanitarian support, defend human rights, and uphold international law. It was created as a successor to the League of Nations that disintegrated prior to the Second World War.

Over its years of functioning, the United Nations has been an active part of the global polity. It has modified its functioning with changes in international relations: in the face of decolonization of the Global South, the end of the Cold War, the rise of the U.S. as a hegemon, climate change, refugee crises, etc. Today, the U.N. works to attain its 17 sustainable development goals.

In 2014, the U.N. announced World Youth Skills Day. The objective of this day was to shed some light on the necessary skills for the employment and entrepreneurship of young people and their strategic importance for the future. This day is a unique opportunity for policy partners, employers, development partners, and vocational and training educational programs to dialogue with young people about the skills needed as the world transitions into a sustainable development model.

Why is World Youth Skills Day important?

In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day, to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.

Since then, World Youth Skills Day events have provided a unique opportunity for dialogue between young people, Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, firms, employers’ and workers’ organizations, policy makers and development partners. Participants have highlighted the ever-increasing significance of skills as the world is embarking on a transition towards a sustainable model of development.

Correct Answer :   Assam

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In an effort to mitigate the escalating human-elephant conflict (HEC) in the state of Assam, Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org) has launched an innovative outreach campaign called ‘Gajah Kotha’ (The Elephant Story) to foster coexistence between local communities and the magnificent elephants.

The initiative targets HEC-affected villages in eastern Assam, and educates them about the elephants’ behaviour, ecology, and cultural connection to the region and the importance of their conservation.

Aaranyak and the British Asian Trust, in partnership with the Assam Forest Department and with support from the Darwin Initiative, are implementing this initiative as part of their efforts for fostering coexistence.

“In consultation with scientists, artists, educators and conservationists, we have developed insightful and engaging awareness materials for exhibitions open to community members comprising of women, men, youth, elderly and students”, Dr Alolika Sinha, a senior conservationist at Aaranyak’s Elephant Research and Conservation Division said.

“We have reached out to over 1,200 HEC affected people in eastern Assam through 24 ‘Gajah Kotha’ campaigns so far”, stated Aaranyak through a press statement.

The campaigns were held at Majuli’s Haladhibari, Jaborchuk Kathoni, Gazera, Gazera High School, Ujani Majuli Kherkatia High School, Pub Majuli Kherkatia HS School, Jaborchuk Basa, and Jopanchuk.

In Dibruagarh, the campaign was held at Konwabam, Panchukia Bongaon, Nahorjan Lebankula, Nagaghat Tantipather, Lebankula ME Schoolm and Kamargaon ME School. In Tinsukia, the campaign was conducted in Ujani Sadiya HS School and Padumphula. Other locations included Sivasagar’s Chamarajan, Charaguwa Grant, Majumelia, Charagua ME School, Charagua High School, Demomukh Gohaingaon, and Jorhat’s Sankardev Janajati ME School and Bejorchiga.

Aaranyak collaborated with several local organisations to mobilise community members and future stewards from each HEC area. These organisations and community members also interacted with Aaranyak’s experts to discuss innovative approaches for human-wildlife coexistence..

Source : The Shillong Times

Correct Answer :   42

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The Union Cabinet has reportedly approved amendments to the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023.

The proposed changes aim to decriminalize minor offences by amending 183 provisions across 42 Acts administered by 19 ministries.

The objective is to promote ease of doing business and reduce the backlog of court cases.


Background :

The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill was initially introduced by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in the Lok Sabha on December 22, 2022. It was later referred to a joint committee of parliament, which engaged in detailed discussions with the ministries and departments involved. The committee adopted its report in March 2023, which was presented before the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.


Key Points of Jan Vishwas Bill 2023 :

Aim :

* The bill aims to decriminalize minor offences by replacing them with monetary penalties.

* It seeks to promote ease of doing business by addressing the fear of imprisonment for minor infractions.

Amendments to Acts :

* The bill proposes amendments to 183 provisions across 42 Acts administered by 19 ministries.

* Some of the Acts to be amended include the Boilers Act, Aadhaar Act, Legal Metrology Act, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Public Debt Act, Pharmacy Act, Cinematograph Act, Copyright Act, Patents Act, Environment (Protection) Act, Motor Vehicles Act, Trade Marks Act, Railways Act, Information Technology Act, Prevention of Money-laundering Act, Food Safety and Standards Act, Legal Metrology Act, and Factoring Regulation Act.


Unique Feature :

* The bill introduces a unique feature whereby the minimum amount of fine and penalty levied will increase by 10% after every three years once the bill becomes law.


Benefits and Significance of the Bill :

Ease of Doing Business :

* Decriminalizing minor offences removes the fear of imprisonment, thereby fostering a conducive business environment.
* Outdated rules and regulations contribute to a lack of trust, which the bill aims to address.

Correct Answer :   Bank of India

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Bank of India, on Wednesday (12th July 2023), inaugurated its IFSC Banking Unit (IBU) in the International Financial Services Centre at GIFT SEZ area in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

“The BOI IBU has the twin advantage of being situated in India, providing the benefit of the time zone window for its counterparts located globally with competitive pricing & quick processing from an experienced team. We are confident of achieving $1 billion in business by March 2024 and $4 billion in the subsequent three years,” said Rajneesh Karnatak, MD& CEO of the bank at the inauguration ceremony.

The IBU will provide services, such as External Commercial Borrowing (ECBs), Trade Finance Facilities, Foreign Currency Loans, Syndication Loans (Origination, Underwriting and Distribution), Foreign Currency deposit account -Current and Term Deposits, besides offering digital banking facilities through transaction-based Internet Banking facility, to various clients allowed as per IFSCA guidelines.

Karnatak further added that the IBU has the advantage of tax heaven for 10 years, lower cost of operation, compared to overseas operations, besides easier regulations for lending to corporates in foreign currencies as there is a unified regulator.

The bank’s overseas branches contribute around 15% mix business to its Global Deposits and 16% to its Global Advances.

Bank of India has a presence in 15 foreign countries through 21 foreign branches, 4 foreign subsidiaries, one joint venture, and one Representative office.

After inaugurating the IBU, Karnatak also inaugurated the NRI Help Centre (NRI HC) housed in the premises of the Centralised Foreign Exchange Back Office (FEBO), in the domestic area of GIFT City..

Source : The Hindu Businessline