28th July, 2023 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
Bengaluru Becomes 1st Indian City to Join World Cities Culture Forum

Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka became the first Indian city to be part of the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), a global network of cities that share research and intelligence to explore the role of culture in future prosperity. Bengaluru became the 41st city to join the forum and the network currently includes 40 cities across six continents. The forum includes cities like New York, London, Paris, Tokyo, and Dubai.
It was founded in 2012 by Justine Simons, London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture & the Creative Industries. She was awarded an Order of the British Empire(OBE) in 2015 by Queen Elizabeth for her Services to Culture in London.
WCCF partners share the belief that culture is the key to their future as sustainable urban centres.

India, ADB sign $295 million loan to upgrade state highways in Bihar

The Indian government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have joined hands once again to enhance infrastructure in Bihar. Through a $295-million loan, the project aims to upgrade approximately 265 km of state highways in Bihar, incorporating climate and disaster-resilient designs and road safety measures.
The initiative aligns with the Bihar government’s vision to improve all state highways to standard two-lane widths and prioritize road safety. Additionally, the upgraded roads are expected to boost connectivity in impoverished rural regions, improving access to essential services like health, education, and markets, ultimately enhancing the well-being of the people.
The project, aptly named “Enhancing Connectivity and Sustainability in Bihar Roads Project,” represents a significant milestone in bolstering the state’s infrastructure

Lok Sabha passes Repealing and Amending Bill, 2022 with amendments

Lok Sabha passed the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2022 with amendments. The legislation seeks to repeal 76 laws that are obsolete or that have been made redundant by other laws.
It also corrects a minor drafting error in the Factoring Regulation Act, of 2011. The bill is based on the concept of ease of living and ease of doing.The Narendra Modi government has so far repealed one thousand 486 laws which are redundant and not relevant at present. With the passage of this Bill, 76 more outdated laws will be repealed. Earlier, there was a provision for repealing 65 laws through the Bill and the government came up with amendments of repealing 11 more laws.

Lok Sabha passes Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 amid the din

Lok Sabha passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 amid the din. It seeks to amend 42 laws related to sectors including agriculture, environment, media, and publication. The Bill intended to amend certain enactments for decriminalizing and rationalizing offenses to further enhance trust-based governance for ease of living and doing business. It also has provisions to remove imprisonment as a punishment for many offenses. The Bill seeks to create an Environmental Protection Fund for education, awareness, and research on environmental protection.
The Government has taken several measures to ease the life of the common man. He said, in the last nine years, around 1500 obsolete laws have been repealed.

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INTERNATIONAL
India & Japan review progress in Special Strategic & Global Partnership; look for collaboration in critical & emerging technologies

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar and his Japanese counterpart Hayashi Yoshimasa reviewed the progress made in the India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership. The 15th India-Japan Foreign Ministers' Strategic Dialogue was held in New Delhi.
The Ministers engaged in comprehensive discussions covering a wide range of issues of bilateral, regional, and global significance. They highlighted the importance of further strengthening India-Japan partnership based on shared values and principles. The Ministers emphasized the importance of achieving the target of 5 trillion yen Japanese investment in India in the period 2022-27. They explored potential areas of collaboration in critical and emerging technologies, including semiconductors, resilient supply chains, and digital public infrastructure, among others.
The Ministers also expressed satisfaction with the strengthening of defense and security cooperation, including regular exercises and staff talks between all three services. They also discussed ways forward to deepen Defense Equipment and Technology Cooperation.
The Ministers exchanged views on regional and global issues of interest. They emphasized the crucial role of a strong and enduring partnership between India and Japan in ensuring a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region that is inclusive and rules-based. The Ministers also discussed cooperation under multilateral and plurilateral frameworks, including the Quad. They agreed on the need for early reforms of the UNSC. They also exchanged views on their respective G20 and G7 presidencies.
Noting the celebration of 2023 as the Year of India-Japan Tourism Exchanges with the theme of ‘Connecting Himalayas with Mount Fuji’, the Ministers acknowledged the importance of people-to-people exchanges. They also discussed ways to promote the movement of skilled human resources from India to Japan.

ECONOMY
RBI permits banks to open vostro accounts from 22 countries for trade in rupee

The RBI has taken a pivotal step by permitting 20 banks operating in India to open 92 Special Rupee Vostro Accounts (SRVAs) with partner banks from 22 countries. This allows exporters and importers from these nations to conduct trade transactions in domestic currencies, facilitating smoother and more efficient trade practices.
The list of countries eligible for the Special Rupee Vostro Accounts includes Bangladesh, Belarus, Botswana, Fiji, Germany, Guyana, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, New Zealand, Oman, Russia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and the United Kingdom. This move is expected to foster stronger economic ties between India and these nations.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) incorporated provisions in the Foreign Trade Policy to facilitate international trade settlements in INR, covering invoicing, payment, and export/import settlements. Export benefits and fulfillment of Export Obligation are now granted for export realizations in INR, in accordance with RBI guidelines.

AWARDS
Byculla railway station gets UNESCO’s Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage award

Mumbai’s Byculla Railway Station received UNESCO’s Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage Award on Monday i.e. 24th July, which was declared in November 2022.
The prestigious UNESCO Asia Pacific Cultural Heritage award was received by Byculla Railway Station located in Mumbai, this award was declared in November 2022, highlighting the station’s significant contribution to cultural heritage conservation. The recognition came after the station underwent extensive restoration work, bringing it back to its original glory.

Shankari Chandran wins Miles Franklin Literary Award 2023

Ten years ago, Sri Lankan-origin Australian writer Shankari Chandran faced difficulty in getting her debut book published. The reason: publishers thought her novel wasn’t “Australian” enough to be successful in their local market. And now, Chandran has been announced as the winner of the 2023 Literary Award for her novel ‘Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens’.
Chandran’s award-winning novel ‘Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens’ is a story about family, memories, community, race. It is an intergenerational epic that highlights Australia’s difficult and complex equation with multiculturalism and the traumas of post-colonialism. It also highlights how our stories shape the people that we are today. This is Chandran’s third novel.
The Miles Franklin Literary Award is one of the prestigious literary awards in Australia. Previous winners of the award include Thea Astley, Jessica Anderson, Tim Winton, among others.

AP

New Chief Justice for Andhra Pradesh High Court

Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur on July 24 was appointed the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. He was a judge of the Bombay High Court.
Earlier in July, the Supreme Court Collegium had reconsidered Justice Thakur’s elevation to Manipur and proposed his elevation as the Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The office of the Chief Justice of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh fell vacant on May 19, 2023 with the elevation of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court body had noted that Justice Thakur was the senior-most judge from his parent High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, which would get a representation among the Chief Justices of the High Courts.

Published date : 28 Jul 2023 05:33PM