These current affairs are written in a easy to remember format and are useful for competitive exams like - UPSC Civil Services, UPPSC, BPSC, MPPPSC, State PSCs and other competitive examinations.
Indian Army Skiing Expedition (ARMEX-21)
Defence Minister flagged in the Indian Army Skiing Expedition, ARMEX-21, in New Delhi.
The ARMEX-21 was conducted in the mountain ranges of the Himalayan region to promote the adventure activity in the country and the Indian Army. The expedition was flagged off at Karakoram Pass in Ladakh on 10th March and culminated at Malari in Uttarakhand on 6th of July, covering 1,660 km in 119 days.
During the expedition, the team travelled through several passes at a height of 5,000-6,500 meters and through glaciers, valleys and rivers.
Defence
Alexander Dalrymple award
India's chief hydrographer, Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar, received the Alexander Dalrymple award in recognition of his leadership in the disciplines of hydrography and nautical cartography.
Badhwar was conferred with the prestigious award in 2019, but the award ceremony was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Alexander Dalrymple award has been named after the first hydrographer of the Admiralty and was instituted in 2006.
Defence
What is "Clean Ganga Fund" ?
Clean Ganga Fund was set up with voluntary contributions from residents of the country and Non-Resident Indian (NRIs) / Person of Indian Origin (PIO) and others.
It is set up as a trust under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, to be headed by Finance Minister.
The secretariat of the Trust is set up in Ministry of Jal Shakti under the Mission Director, Clean Ganga.
Read More: Namami Gange
Gov. Schemes
Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation
UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific's (UNESCAP) has released its latest Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation.
It is released every two years and aims to review the progress of trade facilitation reforms in their respective member states.
The survey has been carried out since 2015 jointly by the five United Nations Regional Commissions (UNRCs) - ECA, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP and ESCWA.
India has scored 90.32 percent compared to the 78.49 percent in 2019.
India?s overall score is higher than many OECD countries, EU region average.
India is also the best performing country when compared to South and South West Asia region (63.12%) and Asia Pacific region (65.85%).
Economy
Right to be Forgotten
The Right to be Forgotten falls under the purview of an individual's right to privacy, which is governed by the Personal Data Protection Bill that is yet to be passed by Parliament.
In 2017, the Right to Privacy was declared a fundamental right by the Supreme Court in its landmark verdict. The court said at the time that, "the right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution".
In the EU, the right to be forgotten empowers individuals to ask organisations to delete their personal data. It is provided by the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a law passed in 2018.
Polity
Essential Defence Services Bill
Essential Defence Services Bill is aimed at preventing the staff of the government-owned ordnance factories from going on a strike. Around 70,000 people work with the 41 ordnance factories around the country.
The Bill defines Essential Defence Services - It includes any service in any establishment or undertaking dealing with production of goods or equipment required for defence related purposes or any establishment of the armed forces or connected with them or defence.
The Bill empowers the government to declare services mentioned in it as essential defence services.
It also prohibits strike and lockouts in "any industrial establishment or unit engaged in essential defence services?.
The Bill amends the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 to include essential defence services under public utility services.
Polity
PLI Scheme for Specialty Steel
Union Cabinet approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for specialty steel with a budgetary outlay of Rs 6322 crores.
The duration of the scheme will be five years, from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
By becoming Aatmanirbhar in producing speciality steel, India will move up the steel value chain and come at par with advanced steel making countries like Korea and Japan.
Specialty steel is value added steel wherein normal finished steel is worked upon by way of coating, plating, heat treatment, etc to convert it into high value added steel.
It can be used in various strategic applications like Defence, Space, Power, apart from automobile sector, specialized capital goods etc.
Five categories of specialty steel have been chosen in the PLI Scheme.
There are 3 slabs of PLI incentives under the scheme. The lowest being 4% and the highest is 12%, which has been provided for electrical steel (CRGO).
Economy