8th August, 2024 Current Affairs

NATIONAL 
NCW Launches Digital Shakti Center to Combat Cybercrimes Against Women.

• The National Commission for Women (NCW) has inaugurated the Digital Shakti Center in New Delhi to address the rising cybercrimes against women. This initiative aims to empower women with cyber safety knowledge, provide support for complaint registration, and create a safe digital environment.
• The alarming increase in cybercrimes against women in India prompted the establishment of the Digital Shakti Center.
• The NCW has been actively working to combat these crimes through the Digital Shakti campaign since 2018.
• The new center will offer comprehensive cyber safety education, practical technology training, and support for cybercrime victims.

India’s First GI-Tagged Fig Juice Exported to Poland.

• Purandar Highlands Farmers Producer Company Ltd has achieved a significant milestone by exporting India’s first GI-tagged fig juice to Poland. This follows the successful export of India’s first commercial consignment of GI-tagged Purandar figs to Hong Kong in February 2023.
• Purandar Highlands has become the first company to export Indian fig juice to the European market and the first to export commercial quantities of Purandar figs to Hong Kong.
• The exported products are made from Purandar figs, renowned for their taste, size, and nutritional value, which have earned a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

INTERNATIONAL 
Australia Announces Maitri Grants For Research And Cultural Collaboration With India.

• The Australian government has unveiled the Maitri Research and Cultural Partnerships Grants. These grants, aimed at fostering Australia-India collaboration, encompass sustainable manufacturing, energy transition research, and artistic projects. Minister Penny Wong praised the initiatives for strengthening bilateral ties, emphasizing the importance of human connections in the relationship.
• Among the recipients are projects focused on sustainable manufacturing of Australian technology in India, workshops connecting Australian energy transition researchers with Indian start-ups, and an artistic duo transforming Melbourne’s Federation Square into a living canvas.
• The Maitri grants, administered by the Centre for Australia-India Relations, aim to deepen links and allow for closer collaboration between the two countries.
• The five Maitri Research Grants will explore opportunities in agribusiness, critical technology, energy transition, and advanced manufacturing.

ECONOMY 
Unified Payment Interface Enablement in Panchayats.

• As of date and as per the information available with the Ministry, 1,73, 060 Panchayats are Unified Payment Interface (UPI) enabled, able to collect payments digitally.
• The UPI platform can also provide a convenient and accessible way for citizens to link their Prime Minister Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts with their UPI IDs, enabling seamless transactions and financial inclusion. By promoting the use of UPI, citizens can easily access their accounts, make transactions, and leverage the benefits offered by the PMJDY program, such as RuPay Insurance coverage. This streamlined approach encourages the rural citizenry to take advantage of the financial services and insurance benefits provided by the government, ultimately fostering financial empowerment and security among the rural population.
• The rural citizenry can now make the Tax, and Non-Tax payments vis-à-vis Property Tax, Water Tax, streetlight tax, Trade License Fee; Building Permission Fee; Layout Approval Fee etc. digitally, thereby strengthening the financial capabilities and local governance of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
• Ministry of Panchayati Raj also supplements the efforts of the States through Central Finance Commission Grants and Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA). The RGSA scheme provides financial and technical support to the states for Capacity Building and Training (CB&T) of elected representatives and functionaries of PRIs.
• Panchayat, being “Local Government”, is a State subject and part of the State list of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The mandate for setting up three tiers of Panchayats is provided by Article 243 in Part IX of the Constitution of India. The schemes, programs, and new initiatives including UPI payment are implemented by the State Government.

Also Read: May 9th Current Affairs GK quiz: Top 15 GK Questions Quiz on Major International Organizations and Their Headquarters

                         >> Download Current Affairs PDFs Here

                              Download Sakshi Education Mobile APP

SPORTS 
Vinesh Phogat Announces Retirement From Wrestling.

• Vinesh Phogat, one of India’s most promising wrestlers, has announced her retirement from the sport following a devastating turn of events at the Paris Olympics 2024. The announcement came after a series of unfortunate incidents that unfolded during the final stages of the Olympic wrestling competition.
• On the morning of her 50 kg gold medal bout, Phogat was found to be 100 grams overweight, leading to her immediate disqualification from the competition. This shocking development came as a surprise to many, given Phogat’s previous success in managing her weight throughout the tournament.