Current Affairs (8-14 June)

Weekly Current Capsules

8-14 June  2024

PM Modi Takes Oath as Prime Minister for the Third Time

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath for the third time, along with 72 ministers of his new cabinet. He has become the first three-term Prime Minister since Congress stalwart Jawaharlal Nehru. In the new coalition government, besides Narendra Modi, 30 Cabinet Ministers, five Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 36 Ministers of State were administered the oath of secrecy and office by President Droupadi Murmu.

Portfolios of Council of Ministers in PM Modi 3.0 govt 

The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed the allocation of portfolios among the following members of the Union Council of Ministers:-

 CABINET MINISTERS

 MINISTERS OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

MINISTERS OF STATE

Command and Control Compatibility Board

• The first Command and Control Compatibility Board (CCCB) meeting for 2024 between India and the U.S. was held at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi
• The meeting had participation of a 29 member United States and a 38-member Indian delegation

Know! about CCCB

• The CCCB is the Technical Expert Group formed under Article XI of the Communication Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) between India and USA, and is held twice a year.
• After signing of the historic agreement in September 2018, this is the seventh such meeting between both nations to calibrate, reinforce, and achieve steady progress in the bilateral Defence partnership.

Know! about COMCASA

• The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) is a bilateral agreement between the United States and India. It aims tosecure effective communication between government entities in the two countries and between the two countries’ militaries.

Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Programme

• India has taken a crucial step towards demand creation of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives in the country.
• Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued Request for Selection (RfS) for Selection of Green Ammonia Producers for the production of Green Ammonia in India through cost-based competitive bidding under Mode 2A of Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Programme of the National Green Hydrogen Mission being implemented by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• The bidding for a total available capacity of 5.39 lakh Metric Tonnes (MT)/annum of Green Ammonia intended for production and supply will be carried out through e-bidding followed by e-Reverse Auction process.
• Green Ammonia produced will be supplied to the fertilizer companies.

Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT)

• MNRE had earlier issued the Scheme Guidelines for implementation of SIGHT Programme – Component II: Incentive for Procurement of Green Ammonia Production (under Mode2A) of the NGHM.
• The primary goal of the scheme is to boost the production of Green Ammonia in India, aiming to enhance its cost competitiveness compared to fossil-based alternatives and promoting large-scale utilization.
• The financial backing for this initiative will be sourced from the budget allocated to the National Hydrogen Mission Head.
• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is set to spearhead the implementation of this scheme through the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI), serving as the implementing agency.
• SECI will play a pivotal role in aggregating demand and initiating a competitive bidding process for the production and supply of Green Ammonia, with incentives being a key factor in the selection process.
• Under Mode 2A of the scheme, SECI will aggregate demand and call for bids, ensuring the production and supply of Green Ammonia at the lowest cost through a competitive selection process.
• The implementation of the scheme will be transparent and subject to a rigorous selection process, overseen by MNRE and executed by SECI.
• SECI’s responsibilities include the examination of applications, issuance of acknowledgments and letters of award, verification of incentive disbursement claims, and submission of quarterly progress reports to MNRE.

Know! about National Green Hydrogen Mission

• The National Green Hydrogen Mission was launched on 4th January 2023 with an outlay of Rs. 19,744 crores up to FY 2029-30.
• It will contribute to India’s goal to become Aatmanirbhar (self-reliant) through clean energy and serve as an inspiration for the global clean energy transition.
• The Mission will lead to significant decarbonization of the economy, reduced dependence on fossil fuel imports, and enable India to assume technology and market leadership in Green Hydrogen.

Know! about Green Ammonia

• Ammonia is typically produced by combining hydrogen and nitrogen through a method known as the Haber-Bosch process. This so-called “brown ammonia” uses fossil fuels both to provide the hydrogen and the energy source. Each tonne of ammonia produced releases about 2 tonnes of greenhouse gas.
• Green ammonia, by contrast, relies on renewable energy, and derives its hydrogen from water and its nitrogen from air. This form of ammonia production is typically more expensive but is becoming cheaper, not least as renewable energy prices fall.

World Accreditation Day

• Quality Council of India (QCI) celebrated World Accreditation Day across more than 20 cities in India.
• The event theme – Accreditation: Empowering Tomorrow and Shaping the Future’
• Both NABL and NABCB constitute the accreditation infrastructure in India and are signatories to the Multilateral Recognition Arrangements of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).
• NABL has over 8000 accredited labs and NABCB has over 260 accredited CABs (Conformity Assessment Bodies).’
• The Quality Council of India, established in 1997 by the Government of India and the Indian industry, is the apex organisation in India responsible for establishing and operating the third-party national accreditation system, improving quality across sectors and advising the government and other stakeholders on all matters concerning quality.

Know! about World Accreditation Day

• 9 June 2024, marks World Accreditation Day (#WAD2024), a global initiative established by The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) to promote the value of accreditation.

Sindhu Shikhar

• Sindhu Shikharcar rally from Delhi to Leh and back was flagged off by VAdm Sanjay Bhalla, the Chief of Personnel on 10 Jun 24 from New Delhi.
• The main objective of the expedition is to spread awareness aboutthe rich maritime heritage of India and maritime consciousness in the northern states. 
• The expedition consisting of 40 naval personnel will cover a distance of 3637 km over 18 days traversing through remote regions.
• The expedition will be a major milestone in achieving outreach activities by Indian Navy

AIM – ICDK Water Challenge 4.0’ and 5^th edition of  Innovations for You  handbook launched

• Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog (AIM) proudly announces the launch of two groundbreaking initiatives aimed at fostering innovation and sustainability in India: the ‘AIM – ICDK Water Challenge 4.0’ and the fifth edition of ‘Innovations for You’ handbook, spotlighting SDG entrepreneurs of India.

ICDK Water Challenge 4.0

• In collaboration with the Innovation Centre Denmark (ICDK) at the Royal Danish Embassy in India, AIM presents the fourth edition of the open innovation water challenge.
• This initiative, a cornerstone of the Indo-Danish bilateral green strategic partnership, endeavors to address critical water-related challenges through inventive solutions.
• The selected teams will form the Indian cohort which will participate in the global Next Generation Digital Action program and engage with young talents from leading universities and innovation hubs of 9 countries (India, Denmark, Ghana, Kenya, Korea, Tanzania, South Africa, Ghana, Colombia and Mexico).

SDG entrepreneurs of India

• NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has launched the fifth edition of the “Innovations For You – SDG Entrepreneurs of India” initiative.
• This groundbreaking program aims to empower young innovators and entrepreneurs to develop solutions that address critical challenges and drive positive change towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• The program provides a platform for passionate students and startups to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions that contribute to sustainable development.
• NITI Aayog’s collaboration with the Innovation Centre Denmark (ICDK) at the Royal Danish Embassy in India, further enhances the program’s reach and impact, fostering international cooperation and knowledge-sharing.
• The challenge invites entries under two tracks: One for the students and the other for the young entrepreneurs both under the age of 35.
• The Young Entrepreneurs track presents an exciting opportunity for Indian technology start-ups in the early stages to accelerate their ideas and form global partnerships

JIMEX – 24

• Indian Navy’s indigenous Stealth Frigate INS Shivalik arrived at Yokosuka, Japan to participate in the bilateral Japan – India Maritime Exercise 2024 (JIMEX 24).
• This is the eighth edition of JIMEX, since its inception in 2012.
• The exercise includes both harbour and sea phases.
• TheIN is being represented by INS Shivalik and the JMSDF is being represented by the Guided Missile Destroyer JS Yugiri.
• JIMEX 24 provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices and facilitates operational interactions betweenIN and JMSDF to foster mutual cooperation and reaffirm their shared commitment towards maritime security in the Indo – Pacific.

LSAM 13 (Yard 81)

• The launch of‘Missile Cum Ammunition Barge, LSAM 13 (Yard 81)’, the fifth Barge of 08 x Missile Cum Ammunition Barge project, built by MSME Shipyard, M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd (SEPPL), Visakhapatnam for Indian Navy
• The availability of these Barges would provide impetus to operational commitments ofIN by facilitating Transportation, Embarkation and Disembarkation of articles/ ammunition to IN Ships both alongside jetties and at outer harbours.
• These Barges are indigenously designed and built under relevant Naval Rules and Regulation of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS).
• The model testing of the Barge during design stage were undertaken at Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam.
• These Barges are proud flag bearers ofMake in India initiative of Government of India (GoI).

National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT)

• NHAIhas unveiled a new corporate identity with the launch of a logo of its Infrastructure Investment Trust, National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT).

Know! about National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT)

• The Trust was registered with SEBI on October 28, 2020, under Regulation 3(1) of the InvIT Regulations and has obtained a certificate of registration from SEBI
• National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT), the Infrastructure Investment Trust sponsored by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), was set up in 2021 to support Government of India’s National Monetization Pipeline
• The Trust is an infrastructure investment trust established for making investments in special purpose vehicles
• IDBI Trusteeship Services Limited is the Trustee to the Trust.
• National Highways Infra Investment Managers Private Limited was incorporated as a private limited company on July 25, 2020, under the Companies Act, 2013.
• NHIIMPL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NHAI. NHIIMPL has been appointed as the Investment Manager to the NHAI InvIT by IDBI Trusteeship Services Ltd
• NHIT today has 190 investors and over 12,000 retail bond holders of its Non-Convertible Debentures.
• It operates a diversified portfolio of fifteen toll roads with an aggregate length of approximately 1,525 kilometres, spread across nine states
• The new corporate identity will help NHIT to establish itself as a leading player in the InvIT space, playing a critical role in channelizing financial capital for further development of National Highway network across the country.

ATL Tinkerpreneur 2024

• The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog, announces the commencement of applications for the prestigious ‘ATL Tinkerpreneur 2024’-a flagship summer boot camp under AIM’s Atal Tinkering Labs program. This boot camp is now open to all schools across India including non ATL schools.
• ATL Tinkerpreneur 2024 promises to be a transformative experience for participating students.
• Over a span of 40 days, from June to July, participants will embark on a virtual journey aimed at equipping them with essential digital skills and frameworks.
• By the end of the boot camp, students will have the tools and knowledge to conceptualize and develop their own online ventures.
• Registered teams will benefit from dedicated mentoring throughout the boot camp period by AIM’s dedicated mentors across the country under ‘Mentor India Initiative’.
• From June 20th to July 25th, students can engage in expert sessions covering digital, product, and entrepreneurship skills, supplemented by tailored handholding sessions for a more focused approach.

Global Health Strategies (GHS)

• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) organized a workshop on ‘Science and Technology Communication’ in collaboration with Global Health Strategies (GHS)
• The CSIR-NIScPR is a constituent laboratory under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.
• The organized workshop is a one-of-a-kind initiative that brought together science communicators, scientists and educators from various backgrounds to discuss how scientists and researchers can interact with the media and use social media platforms to communicate technical evidence and research in simpler terms.

Know! about Global Health Strategies (GHS)

• Global Health Strategies (GHS) is an international organization that raises awareness and provides high-level support for public health challenges facing emerging economies across the globe.
• GHS has been working to engage civil society, champions, senior editors, technical experts, development partners and prominent networks to highlight the importance of focusing on the health of mothers and children.
• GHS has conducted various advocacy activities, roundtable meetings, workshops and field visits to build awareness and action around RMNCH+A and Nutrition issues.

IGNCA signs MoU with Sansad TV

• To make Indian art and culture more accessible to the people, an important agreement has been signed between the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and Sansad TV.
• Under this, programmes produced by IGNCA will be telecast on Sansad TV and Sansad TV will also be able to use the content from IGNCA’s cultural archives.

Know! about Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts

• Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi is a premier government-funded arts organization in India. It is an institute under the Union Ministry of Culture1
• The Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts was launched on 19 November 1985 by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Objectives

• to serve as a major resource centre for Indian arts, especially written, oral and visual source materials
• to conduct research on the arts and humanities, and to publish reference works, glossaries, dictionaries and encyclopedia[
• to establish a tribal and folk arts division with a core collection for conducting systematic scientific studies and live presentations
• to provide a forum for dialogue through performances, exhibitions, multi-media projections, conferences, seminars and workshops on traditional and contemporary Indian arts
• to foster dialogue between the arts and current ideas in philosophy, science and technology, with a view toward bridging the gap in intellectual understanding between modern sciences and arts and culture
• to evolve models of research programmes and arts administration pertinent to the Indian ethos
• to elucidate the formative and dynamic factors in the complex web of interactions between diverse social strata, communities and regions
• to interact with other national and international institutions
• to conduct related research in the arts, humanities and culture

AIM’s Student Entrepreneurship Program (SEP) 

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in collaboration with La Fondation Dassault Systemes India celebrated the culmination of its flagship program for school students, ‘Made in 3D – Seed the Future Entrepreneurs’ under AIM’s Student Entrepreneurship Program (SEP)season – 2023-24
• This event marked the conclusion of an eight-month journey dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among young minds.
• The season 2023-24 of this program witnessed a special focus on connecting students with Krishi Vigyan Kendras, resulting in a significant number of projects centered around the rural ecosystem theme.
• From 140 schools across India, the top 12 teams showcased remarkable innovation in product design and demonstrated a keen understanding of finance, business, and marketing strategies in their start-up pitches.

Know! more about the programme

• The Programme is jointly organized by AIM, NITI Aayog, and La Fondation Dassault Systemes’ to instill an innovation and entrepreneurship mindset among school students across India.
• Top-performing teams from the ATL Marathon conducted by AIM are nominated to participate in this prestigious program.
• In this program selected schools form a team of six students and a teacher to form a pseudo startup.
• As a startup, the students have to identify a dream product to address challenges they see around them, design it using 3D digital technology, manufacture it, and create a marketing campaign which consists of a product brochure, product advertisement video and pricing strategy.

WHO Designates CCRAS-NIIMH, Hyderabad as Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine Research

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH), Hyderabad, a unit under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush as a WHO Collaborating Centre (CC) for “Fundamental and Literary Research in Traditional Medicine” (CC IND-177).
• Established in 1956, NIIMH, Hyderabad, is a unique institution dedicated to documenting and showcasing medico-historical research in Ayurveda, Yoga Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, Homoeopathy, Biomedicine, and other related healthcare disciplines in India.
• The Institute has been a pioneer in various digital initiatives of Ayush, including the AMAR Portal, which catalogues 16,000 Ayush manuscripts, featuring 4,249 digitized manuscripts, 1,224 rare books, 14,126 catalogues, and 4,114 periodicals.
• The SAHI Portal showcases 793 medico-historical artefacts, while the e-Books of Ayush project provides digital versions of classical textbooks.
• The NAMASTE Portal collects cumulative morbidity statistics from 168 hospitals, and the Ayush Research Portal indexes 42,818 published Ayush research articles.
• NIIMH houses more than 500 physical manuscripts, alongside the Medical Heritage Museum and Library, featuring rare books and manuscripts dating back to the 15th century AD.
• Notably, CCRAS-NIIMH, Hyderabad, joins the ranks as the third WHO Collaborating Centre in the domain of Traditional Medicine, following the Institute for Teaching & Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar, and the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), New Delhi.

CSIR- ASPIRE scheme

• 300 women Scientists to get research grants for 3 years under CSIR- ASPIRE scheme
• Aspire is a Special Call for Research Grants for Women Scientists launched on the occasion of International Women’s Day last year.

Know! about ASPIRE scheme

• It is an initiative by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to provide research grants to women scientists and technologists.
• The scheme aims to support women in conducting research in various fields of science and technology. The scheme also aims to promote and encourage women to participate in scientific research and technology development in India.
• The CSIR ASPIRE Women Research Grant is open to women scientists and technologists who are Indian citizens and have a PhD degree in any area of science or technology.

The scheme is also open to women:

• who have completed their PhD and have at least three years of research experience.
• scientists and technologists who have taken a career break due to family responsibilities and want to resume their research careers.

Benefits of ASPIRE scheme

• The ASPIRE scheme provides research grants to women scientists and technologists for conducting research in various fields of science and technology.
• The scheme also offers funding for international travel, enabling women scientists to attend conferences and workshops abroad, facilitating global exposure and collaboration.
• The CSIR ASPIRE Women Research Grant aims to promote and encourage women to participate in scientific research and technology development in India.
• The scheme focuses on supporting women in conducting research in areas where they are traditionally underrepresented, helping to bridge the gender gap in these fields.

Know! also about One Week One Lab initiative

• The ‘One Week One Lab’ initiative is a countrywide campaign of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in India.
• The campaign aims to showcase the technological breakthroughs and scientific innovations of CSIR labs across the country.
• There are 37 CSIR labs dedicated to different areas of work, which will have an opportunity to present their achievements and inform stakeholders about their work.

Know! also about India-CSIR Health Cohort Knowledgebase (PI-CHeCK)

• Launched on 7th December 2023, the PI-CHeCK project aims to assess risk factors in non-communicable (cardio-metabolic) diseases within the Indian populace.
• This unique initiative has already enrolled nearly 10,000 participants, who have volunteered to provide comprehensive health data.
• These participants include CSIR employees, pensioners, and their spouses from across 17 states and 24 cities.
• The collected data encompasses a wide range of parameters, including clinical questionnaires, lifestyle and dietary habits, anthropometric measurements, imaging/scanning data, and extensive biochemical and molecular data.

G7 Apulia Summit

• The 50th G7 summit was held from 13 to 15 June 2024 at Borgo Egnazia in the city of Fasano in Apulia, Italy.
• Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced in November 2023 that Fasano would be the headquarters of the G7.
• All G7 member states participated in the summit, including the representatives of the European Union. The President of the European Commission has been a permanently welcome participant at all meetings since 1981.
• Italy, coinciding with its G7 presidency in 2024, emphasized strategic partnerships with Africa.
• This was the first time that a Pope has attended a G7 summit.
• The G7 comprises the US, the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Canada, and Japan.
• Italy currently holds the G7 (Group of Seven) presidency and is hosting the summit from June 13 to 15 June 2024, at Borgo Egnazia in the city of Fasano in Apulia, Italy.

Summit Highlights

• G7 leaders agreed on a new $50 billion loan for Ukraine using profits from frozen Russian assets.
• US President Joe Biden and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy signed a 10-year security agreement to strengthen Ukraine’s defense against Russia and help it move closer to joining NATO.
• G7 leaders showed their support for a truce and hostage deal in the Hamas-Israel war.

India’s Participation in G7

• The G7 summit, where India was invited as an ‘Outreach Country,’ had participation from the seven member countries, the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and France, as well as the European Union. It was India’s 11th and PM Modi’s fifth consecutive participation at the G7 Summit.
• At the G7 Summit, PM Modi reiterated India’s commitment to advocating for the well-being of the Global South, emphasising the significance of Africa in global affairs.
• He underscored India’s dedication to fostering close ties with Africa, citing the landmark moment when the African Union became a permanent member of the G20 during India’s presidency.
• He addressed the G7 Outreach Session on AI and Energy, Africa, and the Mediterranean, touching upon various subjects, including the transformative role of technology in human progress.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a series of bilateral meetings with world leaders, including UK counterpart Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and others, on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, in southern Italy’s Apulia.

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