04 July 2019 - Daily Current Affairs
1. Annual ‘Jagannath Rath Yatra’ begins in Puri today
- The annual Jagannath Rath Yatra has begun at Puri in Odisha.
- Lakhs of people converge at Jagannath Temple in Puri to witness Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra riding three giant wooden chariots which are pulled by devotees as they travel to Gundicha temple.
- The Yatra commences with Lord Jagannath and his siblings visiting his aunt’s place, Gundicha Temple, and is followed by rituals like Suna Besha and Adhar Pana on their return.
- In Gujarat, 142nd annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath begins in Ahmedabad.
- Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has performed the 'Pahind” ritual, the symbolic path cleaning by golden broom at Lord Jagannath temple before the start of the procession.
Note:
- The three deities are taken out in a chariot procession called Rath Yatra covering a 3-km distance along Grand Road connecting Shree Jagannath Temple and Mausima Temple every year.
- The deities will return to Shree Jagannath Temple on a ninth day.
International Affairs
2. India to contribute USD 5M in 2019 to UN Palestine refugee agency
- India has pledged to contribute USD 5 Million in 2019 to the UN Palestine refugee agency.
- The Indian Government is assisting 150 Palestinian professionals every year under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme.
Note:
- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (Created in December 1949) is a relief and human development agency which supports more than 5 million registered Palestinian refugees.
- UNRWA is the only UN agency dedicated to helping refugees from a specific region or conflict and is separate from UNHCR.
National Affairs
3. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi flags off the 1st batch of Haj pilgrims
- Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (Minority Affairs Minister) flagged off the first batch (total-419) of Haj pilgrims from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
- These Haj pilgrims are from Aligarh, Agra, Meerut, Rampur and Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh.
- for the first time, a record number of two lakh Indian Muslims are going for Haj this year without any subsidy.
- A total of 2,340 Muslim women from the country will go for Haj without Mehram this year (last year -1180).
Note:
- The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims.
- It is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey.
Source: AIR News
4. Railways to install CCTV cameras in over 7,000 train coaches by 2021: Govt
- According to railway minister Piyush Goyal, Indian Railways has set a target to install CCTV cameras in more than 7,000 coaches of mainline passenger trains by March 2021.
- Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said this in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
- CCTV cameras have already been installed in coaches of premium, mail, express and suburban trains.
- The cameras have also been installed in one thousand 300 coaches of mainline passenger trains.
Source: DD News
5. UP govt to set up Committees in all 25 districts situated on banks of river Ganga
- Uttar Pradesh Government has decided to set up Ganga Committees in all 25 districts situated on the banks of river Ganga.
- This step is part of the largescale program to clean the holy river.
- Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat met CM Yogi Adityanath and discussed issues like water conservation, revival of dry rivers, rainwater harvesting and plantation drive.
- According to Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, the state has listed 15 rivers which gone dry at present and will be revived under the action plan.
- In coming days, a special plantation drive on the banks of prominent holy rivers will be taken up.
- Total of 85 projects related to Clean Ganga Mission worth 1185 crore rupees are running in the state, out of which 15 have been completed so far.
Source: AIR News
6. Govt hikes Minimum Support Price of Kharif crops for 2019-20 season
- The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all Kharif crops for 2019-20 Season.
- Minimum Support Prices (MSP) of paddy has been increased by 65 rupees per quintal, Jowar by 120 rupees and Ragi by 253 rupees per quintal.
- According to Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, the move will lead to increased investment and production through assured remunerative prices to the farmers.
- MSP of Tur has been raised by 125 rupees, Moong by 75 rupees and Urad pulses raised by 100 rupees per quintal.
- The Minister said, the MSPs of soyabean increased by 311 rupees, sunflower by 262 rupees and sesamum by 236 rupees per quintal which is a major step towards increasing the income of farmers.
- The increase in MSP for Kharif Crops for 2019-20 season is in line with the principle of fixing the MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times of the all India weighted average Cost of production.
Note:
- Minimum Support Price (MSP) is the price at which government purchases crops from the farmers, whatever may be the price for the crops.
- The MSP helps to incentivize the framers and thus ensures adequate food grains production in the country.
7. Jio launches ‘Digital Udaan’, a digital literacy initiative in partnership with Facebook
- Reliance Jio has launched a new digital literacy programme “Digital Udaan”.
- The objective of the Digital Udaan’ is to provide digital literacy to first-time internet users who are using the connected internet ecosystem and apps for the very first time.
- The Jio Digital Udaan programme is being launched across 200 locations in 13 states in partnership with Facebook.
- As a part of the Digital Udaan initiative, Jio will engage with users every Saturday to help them learn about the JioPhone features, use of various apps and internet safety including use of Facebook on JioPhone.
Source: Times Now
Appointment
8. Rahul Gandhi resigns as Congress President
- Rahul Gandhi officially resigned as Congress President.
- In his resignation letter, Mr Gandhi said, he is responsible for his Congress' defeat in Lok Sabha elections.
- He said, accountability is critical for the future growth of Congress and therefore, he is resigning as party president.
- According to Mr Gandhi, the party's working committee should meet immediately to decide on his successor.
Note:
- Indian National Congress (known as the Congress Party and abbreviated INC) is a major political party in India.
- Indian National Congress Created in 1885 by A. O. Hume.
List of party presidents:
| No. | Name of President | Year of Presidency | Place of Conference |
| 1st | W C Bannerjee | 1885 | Bombay |
| 2nd | Dadabhai Naoroji | 1886 | Calcutta |
| 83rd | Rajiv Gandhi | 1985–91 | Bombay |
| 84th | P. V. Narasimha Rao | 1991–96 | Tirupati |
| 85th | Sitaram Kesri | 1996–98 | Calcutta |
| 86th | Sonia Gandhi | 1998–2017 | Calcutta |
| 87th | Rahul Gandhi | 2017-2019 | Delhi |
Source: AIR News
Banking & Finance
9. RBI Constitutes Working Group on Core Investment Companies
- The Reserve Bank of India has constituted a Working Group of six members headed by Shri Tapan Ray to Review Regulatory and Supervisory Framework for Core Investment Companies.
- Mr. Tapan Ray is a Non-Executive Chairman of Central Bank of India and former Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India.
- The committee will suggest measures to strengthen corporate governance and disclosure requirements for CICs, assess the adequacy of supervisory returns submitted by CICs and suggest changes therein and various other things for the betterment of CIC.
Source: Business Line
10. Karnataka Bank launches web tool for the NPA recovery process
- Karnataka Bank Ltd. MD (Managing Director) & CEO (Chief Executive Officer) M S Mahabaleshwara has launched the web tool named ‘Vasool So-Ft’ to digitalise the NPA (non-performing asset) recovery process of the bank.
- The tool will enable easy and faster processing, real-time information and immediate decision making in the recovery area.
- The bank has joined hands with a local IT start-up to develop the tool for recovery management.
Source: Hindu Business Line
11. Punjab & Sind Bank setups Cen-MARG for MSME for credit facilities
- MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank S. Harisankar has set up the Centralised MSME & Retail Group (Cen-MARG) for credit facilities at its head office in New Delhi.
- This will help branches focus better on lead generation for retail and MSME lending and enhanced customer service.
- The Cen-MARG would be linked with pan-India branches in a phased manner.
- Now, all MSME and retail credit approvals will be performed at this centralized setup.
- The bank is aiming to bring about much-enhanced customer satisfaction through this initiative.
Source: Hindu Business Line
Sports
12. BCCI announces the domestic schedule for 2019-20 season
- The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the domestic schedule for the 2019-20 season in New Delhi.
- It comprises 2036 matches, marking an addition of 19 games over the last season's schedule.
- The country's premier national T20 tournament, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, will be held before the IPL players' auction (from November 8 to December 1)
- The Ranji Trophy will stretch to March for the first time after starting on December 9.
- The Duleep Trophy will mark the beginning of the season as usual and will be followed by Vijay Hazare 50-over Trophy, Deodhar Trophy, Ranji Trophy and Irani Trophy.
Source: AIR News
13. Ambati Rayudu retires from all forms of cricket
- Indian middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu (33-year) retired from all forms of cricket.
- He did not specify the reasons for calling it quits.
- Ambati Rayudu was in India's official standbys list for the on-going World Cup but was omitted twice.
- He eventually made his international debut in July 2013, in an ODI against Zimbabwe.
- Rayudu played 55 ODIs for India, scoring 1694 runs at an average of 47.05. He, however, did not play any Test.
Note:
- Ambati Thirupathi Rayudu played as a right-handed middle-order batsman, who occasionally kept wicket and bowled right-arm off breaks.
- He played for Hyderabad in domestic cricket and Indian Premier League (IPL) for Chennai Super Kings.
