Test: July 2021 Weekly Current Affair - 2 - UPSC MCQ

Industrialist N.S. Srinivasa Murthy based in Bengaluru has been appointed as Honorary Consul General of Vietnam for Karnataka. He is the first honorary consul general of Vietnam from India

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched a global Mobility Aids Action Group to examine and improve the transport journey of mobility aids, including wheelchairs, with the objective of improving the handling of this vital equipment for travelers with disabilities.

Ad regulator the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) announced that it has signed an agreement with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to safeguard consumers against misleading claims in food and beverage (F&B) advertisements.

Delhi BJP Chief Adesh Gupta launched NAMO app drive for its wider reach to the people who would be able to convey their issues or problems directly to the Prime Minister Narender Modi.

Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, ICAI launched a mobile app for students of foundation, intermediate and final course students. The mobile app named, “ICAI-BOS” will have to potential to provide next-generation interactive learning and innovative ways to improve quality services to the students and to establish a strong connection with them as well. The ICAI Board of Studies (Academics) launched the mobile app.

Amazon India launched its first ‘Digital Kendra’ in Surat, Gujarat, as part of its commitment to digitise 10 million Indian micro, small and medium enterprises by 2025.

RBI has decided that if a term deposit matures and proceeds are unpaid, the amount left unclaimed with the bank shall attract rate of interest as applicable to savings account or the contracted rate of interest on the matured TD, whichever is lower.

National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC will set up India’s single largest solar park at Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat.

Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the country’s First Private LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) plant in Nagpur.

The Union Cabinet has approved the Memorandum on Cooperation (MoC) between Competition Commission of India (CCI) and Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) to promote and strengthen cooperation in the matter of Competition Law and Policy.

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, APEDA signed an MoU with National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd, NAFED for strengthening export linkage of farmer cooperatives and Farmer Producer Organisation, FPOs.

Twitter has named Vinay Prakash as its Resident Grievance Officer for India. The microblogging platform also released the India Transparency report which is required to be published under India’s new IT rules

The Assam cabinet decided to create a new department to protect the culture and practices of people belonging to tribal and other indigenous communities, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval to hike the Dearness Allowance to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners from existing 17 per cent of the Basic Pay and Pension to 28 per cent.

The Reserve Bank barred Mastercard Asia Pacific from onboarding new credit, debit and prepaid card customers with effect from July 22 as it failed to comply with data storage norms.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has recently secured trademark registrations in three countries namely Bhutan, UAE and Mexico which is a big stride towards protecting the identity of brand Khadi globally.

The Reserve Bank of India announced the cut-off yield for the new 10-year bond at 6.10% per annum, higher than that of the current benchmark, signalling a slight tolerance for a higher yield after months of trying to keep it at 6% or less.

The French military used a laser-powered canon to destroy a drone in a test of technology that the government hopes will be used to protect the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

In a first, Himalayan Yaks to be insured. The National Research Centre on Yak (NRCY) at Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district has tied up with the National Insurance Company Ltd. for insuring their livestock.

The Reserve Bank asked banks and financial institutions to use any widely accepted alternative reference rate (AAR) instead of LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rates) as the reference rate for entering into new financial contracts by Dec 31.

Despite the raging pandemic which had badly affected the aviation sector worldwide, the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) increased its tally in international traffic from the fourth position to the third during the period of January-May 2021. Cochin airport handled 5,89,460 international passengers during the five months and attained the third position after Delhi and Mumbai airports.

Epsilon Carbon, a coal tar derivates company, has established India’s first integrated carbon black complex with ₹550 crore investment at Bellary, Karnataka.

Zaila Avant-garde, an African-American, from New Orleans in Louisiana, has won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 14-year-old Avant-garde, who is also an accomplished basketball player, is the first African-American contestant to win the prestigious competition in its 93 years history.

The book titled “The Struggle Within: A Memoir of the Emergency” written by Ashok Chakravarti has been released.

State-run power giant NTPC said its arm, NTPC REL, will set up the country’s first green Hydrogen Mobility project in Ladakh.