Focus Merit

Category: All Current Affairs

“The Endgame”- authored by S Hussain Zaidi released

July 21, 2020
  • Crime writer, S Hussain Zaidi has penned a new novel “The Endgame” which talks of politics, betrayal, and unimaginable terror.
  • The book has been published by HarperCollins India.

P Praveen Siddharth elected as the new PS to President of India

July 21, 2020
  • A 2001 batch Indian Revenue Service Income Tax cadre officer, P. Praveen Siddharth, has been appointed Private Secretary to President Ram Nath Kovind.
  • Mr. Siddharth has replaced Vikram Singh, who has now been appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Shipping.
  • Mr. Siddharth is already serving as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the President’s Secretariat.

GoI partners with UNICEF to achieve AtamNirbhar Bharat

July 21, 2020
UNICEF
  • GoI partners with UNICEF to achieve Atam Nirbhar Bharat by strengthening the youth volunteers in the country.
  • The GoI has signed a statement with YuWaah of UNICEF to support young people in entrepreneurship, upskill young people, promote change and to provide career guidance support to young people.

Indian Railways to launch 1st set of private trains by 2023.

July 21, 2020
Indian Railways
  • According to the initial timeline of Indian railways to launch 151 private trains by 2027, the first set of 12 private trains will start operation in 2023 followed by 45 more trains that will be in service next year.
  • In a formal kick-start to its plans to allow private entities to operate passenger trains on its network. The project would require a private sector investment of about ₹30,000 crores.

Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna started by Delhi Govt.

July 21, 2020
arvind kejriwal
  • Delhi government has approved Mukhyamantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojna for door step delivery of ration in the state.
  • Under this scheme, poor and needy in the national capital will be delivered packets of wheat flour, rice and sugar at their doorstep.
  • This scheme is expected to be operational in the next 6 to 7 months.

“Manodarpan” initiative to be launched by the HRD Ministry

July 21, 2020
  • Ministry of Human Resources and Development will launch “Manodarpan” initiative under Atam Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
  • The initiative is being launched to provide psychosocial support to the students for their mental well-being.
  • The Ministry of Human Resources and Development believes that it is essential to provide focus on the mental health of the students along with academic importance.

India’s first Charging Plaza inaugurated in New Delhi

July 21, 2020
  • The Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy Shri R K Singh inaugurated first public Electric Vehicle charging plaza at Chelmsford club in New Delhi.
  • Along with the charging plaza, the minister also inaugurated RAISE. RAISE is Retrofit of Air-conditioning to improve Indoor Air Quality for Safety and Efficiency (RAISE). It is a joint initiative of EESL and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
  • The charging Plaza was established by EESL (Energy Efficiency Services Limited) and NDMC (New Delhi Municipal Council).

BlackRock, a new Android malware has been discovered

July 20, 2020
  • New Android malware has been discovered that steals data such as credit card details, password from 337 applications.
  • The malware is being distributed using fake Google update packages offered on third party websites.
  • The malware is based on the leaked source code of another malware Xerxes. Again, Xerxes is based on the strains of other malwares.
  • The Malware asks for credit card details and login credentials before the user enters the app. It asks for the phone’s accessibility feature. It then uses Android DPC to access the admin.

NABL has granted accreditation to CIPET, certification of PPE kits

July 20, 2020
  • On 18th July, the central government announced that the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology’s (CIPET) unit in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha has received NABL accreditation to test and certify Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kit.
  • PPE kit includes coverall, masks, face shields and goggles, and the triple-layer medical masks.

PM SVANidhi app launched to provide micro-credit facility for street vendors at their door steps

July 20, 2020
PM Svanidhi Scheme
  • A mobile Application of Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) was virtually launched by Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) from New Delhi, in order to bring paper-less Microcredit facility for street vendors at their doorsteps and also to give force to the implementation strategy of the Scheme.
  • The aim of the app is to ease the sourcing and processing of loan applications of street vendors under the Scheme by providing a user-friendly digital interface for Lending Institutions (LIs) and their field functionaries like Banking Correspondents (BCs) and Agents of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs)/ Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs).