'Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought' Project
⇒ A unique scientific exercise serving the combined national objectives of reducing desertification and providing livelihood and multi-disciplinary rural industry support has been initiated by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). The project is named “Bamboo Oasis on Lands in Drought” (BOLD).
Project Launch:
BOLD is the first of its kind exercise in India, which has been launched on 04 July 2021 from the tribal village NichlaMandwa in Udaipur, Rajasthan.
5000 saplings of special bamboo species, BambusaTulda and BambusaPolymorpha have been planted over 25 bigha (16 acres approx) of vacant arid Gram Panchayat land. These special bamboo species have been specially brought from Assam. Thus, KVIC has created a world record of planting the highest number of bamboo saplings on a single day at one location.
KVIC’s unique project BOLD is also aims to boost tribals’ income and bamboo-based economy in Rajasthan.
The initiative has been launched as part of KVIC’s “Khadi Bamboo Festival” to celebrate 75 years of independence “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
Project at Other Place:
KVIC is set to replicate the Project at Village Dholera in Ahmedabad district in Gujarat and Leh-Ladakh region by August this year. Total 15,000 bamboo saplings will be planted before August 21.
Chief Minister of Uttarakhand
⇒ Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pushkar Singh Dhami on 04 July 2021 took oath as the eleventh chief minister of Uttarakhand. He was administered oath of office by Governor Baby Rani Maurya at the Raj Bhavan in Dehradun.
Lawmaker from the Khatima assembly constituency, 45 year old, Dhami is the youngest chief minister of Uttarakhand.
Additional laboratories, to facilitate expedited testing / pre-release certification of the vaccines
⇒ Considering the enhanced production of COVID Vaccines, the Government of India proactively took the decision of setting up additional laboratories, to facilitate expedited testing / pre-release certification of the vaccines.
Two Laboratories:
» Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, GOI has set up two vaccine testing facilities in its Autonomous Research Institutes National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, and National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad as Central Drug Laboratory.
» These vaccine testing facilities has been set up for batch testing and quality control of vaccines.
Currently, the nation has a Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) at Kasauli, which is the National Control Laboratory for testing and pre-release certification of Immunobiologicals (vaccines and antisera) meant for human use in India.
MoU between Ministry of Tourism and YATRA.COM
⇒ Ministry of Tourism, Government of India to strengthen the Hospitality & Tourism Industry signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with YATRA.COM on 02nd July 2021.
Primary objective:
» This MoU is to provide extensive visibility to accommodation units, which have self-certified themselves on SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness & Training for the Hospitality Industry) on the OTA platform.
» It also outlines both parties to encourage Units to register on NIDHI and thereby on SAATHI and encourage local tourism Industry with appropriate safeguards for curbing spread of COVID-19.
International
CoWIN Global Conclave 2021
⇒ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 05 July 2021 addressed the CoWin Global Conclave 2021 as India presented the indigenously developed CoWIN platform to the world at the virtual global meet of representatives from 142 countries. India offered CoWIN platform as a digital public good to the world to combat COVID19.
Addressing the Conclave Shri Modi said that Conclave is the first step to introduce this platform to the global audience. He also informed that through CoWin, India has administered 350 million doses of Covid vaccines, including 9 million people in one day, few days ago.
Organised by:
The Global Conclave was jointly organized by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Ministry of External Affairs and National Health Authority with an objective to extend the Co-WIN platform as a digital public good to the world.
Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare chaired the inaugural session organized to share India’s learnings and experiences with regards to planning, strategizing and executing the world’s largest vaccination drive through Co-WIN.
Aim:
As per National Health Authority (NHA), CoWin Global Conclave aims to share India’s experience regarding universal vaccination to combat Covid-19 through CoWIN.
Participants:
The conclave was attended by dignitaries from 142 countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Guyana, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis and Zambia amongst several others.
Youngest ever Chess Grandmaster
⇒ Indian-American prodigy Abhimanyu Mishra on 30 June 2021 became the youngest ever Chess Grandmaster after he scored his third GM norm in Budapest, Hungary, at 12 years, four months and 25 days.
In the Vezerkepzo GM Mix tournament held in Hungary, Abhimanyu earned his third and final norm defeating Indian GM Leon Luke Mendonca.
Abhimanyu broke the long-standing record (19 years) held by GM Sergey Karjakin, who was 12 years and seven months old when he attained the title.
Academy announced 'Class of 2021'
⇒ The Academy announced the names of the ‘Class of 2021’. Bollywood actor Vidya Balan and producers Ekta Kapoor and Shobha Kapoor are among the 395 new members of artists and executives who have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. These members will vote for Oscars.