Daily Current Affairs 13th July 2023
National New
Bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh starts in “rupees”.
- It has been announced that the bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh will be denominated in Rupees at an international trade event organized by the Bangladesh Bank and the Indian High Commission on July 11 in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.
- Bangladesh is India’s biggest trading partner in South Asia and with this decision, the bilateral relationship is expected to reach a new peak, said the Governor General of the Central Bank of Bangladesh, Abdur Rouf Talukder.
International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) has signed an MoU with IIML -EIC.
- The International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) signed the MoU on July 11 at the IIM Institutional Insurance Center (EIC) at the Noida campus in Uttar Pradesh.
- This MoU aims to create a framework for cooperation and understanding to support and strengthen FinTech and TechFin companies.
India and Maldives have signed MoUs for various development projects.
- A number of agreements and MoUs were signed during a delegation-level meeting between Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Maldives Prime Minister Abdulla Shahid at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on July 11.
- It is notable that MoUs have been signed between the two countries for various cooperation projects such as development of sports grounds, setting up of a mental ward hospital, school digitization project, preservation of hospitals and culture and improvement of schools.
The Union Minister launched the ‘Green BHEL’ initiative for sustainable growth and development.
- The ‘Green BHEL‘ initiative was launched by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Heavy Industries, Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey at the Corporate Office of Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) in New Delhi.
- Further strengthening the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and enhancing its commitment to shift towards cutting-edge technologies and this initiative is also aimed at reducing its Carbon Usages.
The Center has approved a draft to provide Rs 7,532 crore to states for disaster relief.
- The Department of Expenditure of the Finance Ministry on July 12 announced Rs. 7,532 crore for their respective State Disaster Relief Funds (SDRF) after approving the draft list of relief that can be provided to 22 state governments.
- It is to be noted that this list has been released on the recommendation of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. A separate State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) is set up in each state under Section 48 (1) (a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
International news
India’s HAL office in Malaysia has been opened to facilitate defense industry cooperation.
- Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the regional office of Hindustan Aeronautics Company (HAL) in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia on 11th July 2023 to boost defense exports, one of the main pillars of sustainable development of Indian defense Department and to facilitate defense industrial cooperation between the two countries.
- It will serve as a Special hub for HAL’s engagement with the wider South and South East Asian region and a key security hub for other Indian defense PSUs, the Union Defense Minister said.
China has achieved the status of being the country that successfully launched the world’s first liquid methane rocket.
- China’s private space agency Landspace successfully launched the world’s first methane-liquid oxygen rocket, the Zhuque-2 carrier, on July 12.
- With this, China has achieved the status of being the country that has successfully launched the world’s first liquid methane rocket. And it is notable that this is Landspace’s second attempt after a failed launch in December.
State news
The Uttar Pradesh Government has approved two 800 MW thermal power projects.
- The Uttar Pradesh state cabinet on July 11 approved a plan to build two thermal power projects of nearly 800 MW each in Sonbhadra district at a cost of ₹18,000 crore.
- The state government said this is part of its efforts to provide affordable and uninterrupted electricity to all the people in the state.
Mobile-Dost-App has been launched in Jammu and Kashmir.
- A path-breaking Mobile-Dost-App has been launched in sync with the integrated vision of Apka-Mobile-Hamara-Daftar as a pioneering initiative for mobile-based delivery and sharing of citizen-centric services in Jammu, one of the Union Territories of India. and Kashmir.
- The app has been launched with the aim of empowering the people of Jammu & Kashmir by providing them with a comprehensive platform to access citizen services (G2C) directly from their mobile devices, the central government said.
A memorandum of understanding has been entered into between the governments of Haryana and Tanzania.
- Haryana’s Foreign Cooperation Department (FCD) and Tanzania Government’s Investment Center (TIC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on July 11 to further strengthen bilateral economic cooperation.
- The agreement is aimed at facilitating and strengthening investment opportunities between bilateral companies, ensuring sustainable economic growth and development.
DGCA approves Tamil Nadu’s first flight training facility
- The Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has on July 11 approved the establishment of a special flight training center in TamilNadu for the EKVI flight training institute operating at the Salem airport.
- This approval makes the Center the 36th DGCA approved Flying Training Center in India and the First Flying Training Center (FTO) in Tamil Nadu.
Appointments
Devesh Uttam has been appointed as the new Ambassador of India to Lithuania.
- Devesh Uttam, a 2003-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has been appointed as the new Ambassador of India to Lithuania, the Ministry of External Affairs said on July 11.
- Earlier in May, he had taken over after the termination of the Lithuanian ambassador to India, Diana Mikkevicien. The Ministry of External Affairs said that this appointment will further strengthen the good relations between India and Lithuania.
Archaeological discovery
About 324 artifacts have been found in Thirukkolur excavations.
- Adichanallur in Tuticorin district and its surrounding areas have been excavated due to the presence of ancestors or old people and till now nearly 324 artifacts such as medieval coins, bronze ring, bronze bangle, glass beads, flint statues, flint beads, fragments of glass bangle, Chinese pottery have been found.
- It is also notable that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that a world-class museum will be set up for the objects found in Adichanallur in the last Union Budget Session of 2020.
Economic News
Reduction of 18% levied on food items in theaters to 5%.
- Recently, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) body, headed by the Union Finance Minister and comprising representatives from all states and Union Territories, has decided to reduce the service tax levied on food and beverages in theaters from 18% to 5%.
- This tax evasion is said to further strengthen the growth of the cinema exhibition sector, where food and beverages in theaters have been a major revenue earner, earning up to 35% of revenue.
Sports news
India won three gold medals at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships that began in Noida.
- India bagged 3 gold medals on the opening day (July 12) of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships held at Gautam Budh University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
- It is notable that athletes Jyotsna Sabar won the gold medal in the 40 kg youth category, Asmita in the 45 kg youth & junior category and Komal Kohar in the 45 kg senior category respectively.
A silver medal for India at the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships.
- India’s Nishad Kumar has won a silver medal in the High jump T47 category at the ongoing 2023 World Para Athletics Championships.
- With this extraordinary effort, Nishad became the second athlete to win a medal in this event. The Para Athletics Committee for India has said that India’s pride has been shown to the world through this victory.
