Current Affairs Quiz - July, 2021

Notes:
Meghalaya Cabinet approved the Meghalaya Youth Policy 2021. Drafted by the Sports and Youth Affairs Department, Government of Meghalaya, the final policy is to be notified soon.
The Meghalaya state Government has fixed a target of transforming the state to be amongst the top 10 states in 10 years in GSDP per capita and SDG ranking. 45 programmes would be implemented and would be measured by 54 performance monitoring indicators. These indicators have been mapped to 10 departments and is planned to measured quarterly, bi-annually and annually.

Notes:
Union Government is implementing Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) as a sub scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2020-21.
It aims to promote traditional indigenous practices. The scheme focusses on exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling. Under BPKP, financial assistance of Rs 12200 per hectare for 3 years is provided for cluster formation.

Notes:
Government has permitted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) up to 100 percent under the automatic route for renewable energy projects, including offshore wind energy projects.
Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh recently replied in Lok Sabha that Government notified the ‘National Offshore Wind Energy Policy’ in 2015, to provide basic framework for developing offshore wind sector. The Government also enabled private investors to carryout offshore wind resource assessment.

Notes:
Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited (AEML) which is a group company of the Adani Transmission Ltd has proposed to set up Global Medium-Term Notes bonds programme for $2-billion.
This along with sustainability-linked bond issuance is a part of the company’s plan to raise capital of the company.

Notes:
The Government of Kerala has removed the upper age limit of transgender students seeking admission in the state’s universities for higher education and in the state’s affiliated arts and science colleges. This move is intended to bring more transgender into formal higher education system.
The Kerala Government has stated that universities shall make necessary changes in their statutes, to give effect to this decision.

Notes:
As per the RBI data, India’s foreign exchange reserves rose by USD 835 million to touch a record high of USD 612.73 billion in the week ended July 16, 2021.
The foreign currency assets (FCA) is the major component of the overall reserves. It rose by USD 463 million to USD 568.748 billion in the week. Gold reserves were up by USD 377 million and the special drawing rights (SDRs) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were up by USD 1 million. With this, India became the fourth largest Forex holder.

Notes:
Exercise Cutlass Express 2021, commenced on July 26 along the East Coast of Africa. It is an annual maritime exercise conducted to promote national and regional maritime security in East Africa and the Western Indian Ocean.
The 2021 edition of the exercise involves the participation of 12 Eastern African countries, US, UK, India and various international organisations, like IMO, UNODC, EUNAVFOR, CRIMARIO and EUCAP Somalia. Indian Naval Ship (INS) Talwar is participating in Exercise Cutlass Express 2021.

Notes:
The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 2015. UNESCO celebrates International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem on July 26 annually.
It aims to raise awareness about mangrove ecosystems and to promote their sustainable management and conservation. According to UNESCO, mangroves are disappearing at a rate that is three to five times faster than overall losses of global forest cover. The main reasons are infrastructure development, urbanisation and agricultural land conversion.

Notes:
Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has been implementing the Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought (BOLD) project. It was launched from a tribal village in Rajasthan in July, with plantation of 5000 saplings of special bamboo species.
Recently, KVIC planted 1000 bamboo saplings at Tanot village in Jaisalmer, in collaboration with the Border Security Force (BSF). BSF will be responsible for maintaining the plants. It aims to reduce desertification and provide livelihood to the local population.

Notes:
Malaysia has registered the world’s first affordable drug for treatment of hepatitis C. This has paved the way for accessible treatment to millions of people affected by the disease across the globe.
The drug named ‘Ravidasvir’ has been approved to be used with an existing drug sofosbuvir. The new drug development was initiated by Malaysia’s Ministry of Health and has been developed by Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (Geneva-based Nonprofit drug organization) together with Pharco, an Egyptian generic drug manufacturer.