22nd July, 2022

1. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has released the India BioEconomy Report 2022.
2. Update on Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana –
3. 17th edition of the CII-Exim Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership was organized in New Delhi.
4. Government Accounting Standards Advisory Board (GASAB) has released the Natural Resource Accounting (NRA) for tracking and maintaining the natural resources of India.
5. Central government has prohibited the import of human embryos in line with the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 and The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021.
6. Uttar Pradesh government has appointed Deloitte India as a consultant to suggest plans to bring the state’s economy to the $1 trillion mark.
7. Assam has launched Swanirbhar Naari scheme to empower and financially support the weavers and their families.
8. Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in India to launch the Vehicle location Tracking Device (VLTD), Emergency Panic Button System and Command Control Centre of the State Transport Department for the public.
9. Chhattisgarh government has set to purchase cow urine at Rs 4 per litre under ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ from July 28.
10. Karnataka govt is planning to develop Mekedatu balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project over Cauvery river.
11. The foundation day of ICAR is be celebrated as ‘Sankalp Diwas’.
12. 10th EU-India Human Rights Dialogue was held in New Delhi.
13. Henley Passport Index 2022 has been released.
14. NITI Aayog and the Institute for Competitiveness has released the India Innovation Index 2021.
15. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India attracted $343.64 million worth of foreign direct investment (FDI) equity inflow in the research and development (R&D) sector during the calendar year 2021.
16. Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance and DBS Bank India have partnered to offer life insurance solutions to the bank’s customers.
17. RBI has imposed restrictions on Karnataka-based Sri Mallikarjuna Pattana Sahakari Bank Niyamita, Mumbai-based Raigad Sahakari Bank, and Maharashtra-based Nashik Zilla Girna Sahakari Bank for 6 months due to their poor liquidity conditions.
18. Standard Chartered Bank has launched a co-branded credit card with leading online travel agency EaseMyTrip named as ‘EaseMyTrip Standard Chartered Credit Card’.
19. Former Supreme Court judge Vineet Saran has taken over as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ethics officer and ombudsman.
20. Rajarshi Gupta has been appointed as the MD of ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL).
21. Ranil Wickremesinghe has been elected as President of Sri Lanka.
22. July 12 – World Paper Bag Day; Theme – “If You’re ‘fantastic’, Do Something ‘dramatic’ To Cut The ‘Plastic’, Use ‘Paper Bags’”
23. July 20 – International Moon Day (NASA’s Apollo 11 mission landed on moon on July 20, 1969)
24. Michelle Poonawalla (artist, businesswoman and philanthropist) has won the Shiromani Award.
25. ‘Raksha Niryat Ratna’ award was conferred on INDO-MIM (metal suppliers in Karnataka) for achieving The Highest Exports in Defense Segment from private sector in India for the year 2020-21.
26. The entire country of Ukraine has received the Dissident Human Rights Award at Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington DC, USA.
27. Perodua Malaysia Masters 2022 (badminton championship) – Men’s Singles: Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo (Indonesia); Women’s Singles: An Se Young (S. Korea)
28. “Beyond The Misty Veil” book has been written by Aradhana Johri (Senior IAS) on the temples of Uttarakhand.
29. Padma Shri awardee Ajay Kumar Parida has passed away.

National News

1. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has released the India BioEconomy Report 2022.
   • As per the report, India’s bioeconomy is likely to touch USD 150 billion by 2025 and over USD 300 billion by
   • India’s bioeconomy has reached over USD 80 billion in 2021, registering a 14.1% growth over USD 70.2 billion in 2020.
   • India generated $219 million of bioeconomy daily, adding USD 80.12 billion in 2021.
   • On an average, at least three biotech startups were incorporated every day in 2021 (a total of 1,128 biotech startups set up in 2021) and the industry crossed USD 1 billion in research and development spending.
   • The biotech startups are expected to increase further to reach 10,000-plus by 2025.
   • India is among the top three in South Asia and top 12 destinations for biotechnology in the world, with approximately 3% share in the global biotechnology industry.
   • India has 2nd highest number of US-FDA approved manufacturing plants outside the US.
   • The ethanol production of 3.3 billion litre capacity has doubled to 5 billion litres in 2021.
   • BT cotton, biopesticides, bio-stimulants and biofertilizers contributed to about USD 10.48 billion in 2021 for bioeconomy.
   • India aims to become a USD 10 trillion economy by 2030.
2. Update on Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana –
   • In the Phase I of the scheme (launched in 2000), all the eligible unconnected areas, having 500+ population and Himalayan States, Himalayan UTs and North-Eastern States with 250+ population have been connected.
     • Under Phase I, 6,45,566 km road length has been sanctioned, out of which 6,17,013 km has been completed till 13th July, 2022 since its inception.
   • Phase II of the PMGSY was launched in 2013 to improve the rural road network for better transportation and economic development. The scheme aims to upgrade 50,000 Km across the states and UT. Till 13th July, 2022, 47,559 km of roads have been completed.
     • In 2016, Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA) was launched as a separate vertical under PMGSY.
     • Under this component, 6,179 km roads have been developed as of July 13, 2022 out of 12,081 km of sanctioned road length.
   • Phase III of PMGSY was launched in 2019 for consolidation of 125000 Km to connect rural areas with Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs), Higher Secondary Schools and Hospitals. Till July 13, 2022, 86,039 km road length was sanctioned, out of which 41,440 km has been completed.
   • Overall, since inception till 13th July, 2022, 7,93,567 km road length has been sanctioned under all the interventions/ verticals of PMGSY, against which 7,12,190 km has been constructed.
   • The expenditure incurred on the overall scheme is available at PMGSY Online Management, Monitoring, and Accounting System (OMMAS) platform (http://omms.nic.in/).
3. 17th edition of the CII-Exim Bank Conclave on India-Africa Growth Partnership was organized in New Delhi.
   • The CII-Exim Bank event was launched in 2005 with the support of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
4. Government Accounting Standards Advisory Board (GASAB) has released the Natural Resource Accounting (NRA) for tracking and maintaining the natural resources of India.
   • GASAB has developed standard operating procedures to ensure automated collection and compilation of data from 2022-23.
5. Central government has prohibited the import of human embryos in line with the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 and The Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021.
   • Earlier, the imports were prohibited except for research purposes based on the guidelines of the Department of Health Research.
6. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Rajya Sabha that 10% reservation for recruits under the Agnipath scheme in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) or the paramilitary will apply horizontally (meaning on the same level of job).
   • Relaxation in upper-age limit and exemption from the physical efficiency test will also be given for the posts of constable and rifleman.

State News

1. Uttar Pradesh government has appointed Deloitte India as a consultant to suggest plans to bring the state’s economy to the $1 trillion mark.
2. Assam has launched Swanirbhar Naari scheme to empower and financially support the weavers and their families.
3. Himachal Pradesh has become the first state in India to launch the Vehicle location Tracking Device (VLTD), Emergency Panic Button System and Command Control Centre of the State Transport Department for the public.
   • The state has connected all vehicles registered on VLTD with the aforementioned emergency systems.
4. Chhattisgarh government has set to purchase cow urine at Rs 4 per litre under ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ from July 28.
   • ‘Godhan Nyay Yojana’ was launched in 2020 to purchase cow dung at Rs 2 per kilogram at gauthans to prepare vermicompost.
5. Karnataka govt is planning to develop Mekedatu balancing reservoir-cum-drinking water project over Cauvery river.
   • Tamil Nadu has filed a suit against Karnataka in Supreme Court over this project.

Agriculture and Rural Development

1. The foundation day of ICAR is be celebrated as ‘Sankalp Diwas’.
   • A compilation of 75,000 successful farmers was released.

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Union Cabinet has approved the signing of an MOU in the field of judicial cooperation between India and the Judicial Service Commission of the Maldives.
   • This is the 8th MoU signed between India and other countries in the field of judicial cooperation.
   • Both countries will share benefits of information technology for court digitization and can be a potential growth area for IT companies and start-ups in both the countries.

International News

1. 10th EU-India Human Rights Dialogue was held in New Delhi.
   • The Human Rights Dialogue was co-chaired by Joint Secretary for Europe West in the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Mr. Sandeep Chakravorty, and the Ambassador of the European Union to India, Mr. Ugo Astuto.

Reports and Indices

1. Henley Passport Index 2022 has been released.
   • Total – 199 countries
   • Top – Japan (visa-free entry in 193 countries)
     • 2nd – Singapore (visa-free entry in 192 countries)
     • 3rd – South Korea (visa-free entry in 192 countries)
   • India’s rank – 87 (visa-free entry in 57 countries)
     • India shared this rank with Mauritius and Tajikistan.
   • Parameters – the number of destinations a country’s passport holders can access without a prior visa
2. NITI Aayog and the Institute for Competitiveness has released the India Innovation Index 2021.
   • Purpose – It ranks the states and the union territories on their innovation performance to build healthy competition amongst them.
   • The latest framework of the index has been mapped from the Global Innovation Index of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

• Parameters – 7 key pillars: human capital, investment, knowledge workers, business environment, safety and legal environment, knowledge output, and knowledge diffusion
  • 16 sub-pillars
  • 66 indicators (in 2020’s index, 36 indicators were used)
• Ranking categories – ‘Enabler’ measures input and ‘Performance’ measures output

• National Score –
  • The overall index score is about 14.56.
  • The average score in ‘Enabler’ category is 19.50.
  • The average score in ‘Performance’ category is 9.62.

• All the 36 states / UTs were assessed in this index.
• Categories of States – Larger, NE & Hill States, and UT & City States (including Goa)
• Rankings –

Banking and Economy

1. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India attracted $343.64 million worth of foreign direct investment (FDI) equity inflow in the research and development (R&D) sector during the calendar year
   • The FDI in R&D showed a 516% growth when compared to the previous year.
   • 100% FDI is permitted under automatic route in R&D sector.
   • State-wise: Karnataka is the top FDI Equity recipient state in R&D during 2021 followed by Telangana and Haryana.
   • Top investors: Singapore is the top investing country in R&D during 2021 with 40% share, followed by Germany (35%) and USA (11%).
     • FDI Equity inflow from several countries like Germany, Mauritius, France, Singapore, Oman and USA showed an increase of more than 200% as compared to 2020.
   • Top recipient company: Daimler Truck Innovation Centre (35% of total FDI equity inflow), Aragen Life Sciences Pvt Ltd (34%) and Stelis Biopharma Pvt Ltd (21%)
2. Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance and DBS Bank India have partnered to offer life insurance solutions to the bank’s customers.
   • Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance MD and CEO – Tarun Chugh
3. RBI has imposed restrictions on Karnataka-based Sri Mallikarjuna Pattana Sahakari Bank Niyamita, Mumbai-based Raigad Sahakari Bank, and Maharashtra-based Nashik Zilla Girna Sahakari Bank for 6 months due to their poor liquidity conditions.
4. Standard Chartered Bank has launched a co-branded credit card with leading online travel agency EaseMyTrip named as ‘EaseMyTrip Standard Chartered Credit Card’.
5. RBI Act, 1934 will be amended to implement the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), which the RBI is planning to introduce in a phased manner for wholesale and retail segments.

Appointments

1. Former Supreme Court judge Vineet Saran has taken over as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ethics officer and
2. Rajarshi Gupta has been appointed as the MD of ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL).
3. Ranil Wickremesinghe has been elected as President of Sri Lanka.

Important Days

1. July 12 – World Paper Bag Day; Theme – “If You’re ‘fantastic’, Do Something ‘dramatic’ To Cut The ‘Plastic’, Use ‘Paper Bags’”
2. July 20 – International Moon Day (NASA’s Apollo 11 mission landed on moon on July 20, 1969)

Awards

1. Michelle Poonawalla (artist, businesswoman and philanthropist) has won the Shiromani Award.
   • She was also a speaker at the prestigious House of Lords, UK.
2. ‘Raksha Niryat Ratna’ award was conferred on INDO-MIM (metal suppliers in Karnataka) for achieving The Highest Exports in Defense Segment from private sector in India for the year 2020-21.
   • In the public sector, Bharat Electronics Ltd has won the award.
3. The entire country of Ukraine has received the Dissident Human Rights Award at Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington DC, USA.

Sports

1. Perodua Malaysia Masters 2022 (badminton championship) – Men’s Singles: Chico Aura Dwi Wardoyo (Indonesia); Women’s Singles: An Se Young (S. Korea)
2. 36th National Games, to be held across six cities in Gujarat from September 27 to October 10, will have 36 disciplines including indigenous sports mallakhamba and yogasana.
   • The Games will be held in Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar.
   • Theme of the Games – ‘Sports for Unity’
3. Ryder cup 2022 (biennial men’s golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States) will be held in Italy.

Miscellaneous

1. “Beyond The Misty Veil” book has been written by Aradhana Johri (Senior IAS) on the temples of Uttarakhand.
2. Padma Shri awardee Ajay Kumar Parida has passed away.
   • He was an Indian biologist noted for his contributions in the fields of agriculture, plant molecular biology and biotechnology.
   • He was the researcher and Director of Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar.

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