National
Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill, 2021
⇒ Recently, Parliament has unanimously passed the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill, 2021 to restore states’ rights on OBC list.
The Bill seeks to restores the states’ powers to make their own OBC lists by identifying and notifying socially and economically backward classes (SEBCs) for the grant of quota in jobs and admissions.
Ujjwala 2.0
⇒The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched Ujjwala 2.0 (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana – PMUY) by handing over LPG connections, at Mahoba Uttar Pradesh on 10 August 2021.
During the event, the Prime Minister interacted with beneficiaries of the Ujjwala. He said that Ujjwala 2.0 scheme will give maximum benefit to lakhs of migrant labour families.
The objective of the scheme is to issue deposit-free LPG connections to one crore additional families who could not be covered under earlier phase of PMUY.
Chief of Staff at Headquarters Southern Command, Pune
⇒ Lieutenant General Arvind Walia assumed the appointment of Chief of Staff at Headquarters Southern Command, Pune.
Lt General Arvind Walia is an officer of December 1986 seniority of the Corps of Engineers. The General Officer is an alumnus of Indian Military Academy, Dehradun where he received the prestigious Silver Medal.
4th Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4), India, 2019
⇒ Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare presided over the release of National Fact Sheet Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4), India, 2019.
Survey conducted by:
The fourth round of Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS-4) was conducted in 2019 by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Read More About 4th Global Youth Tobacco Survey 2019
International
Maritime Partnership Exercise
⇒ INS Tabar, as part of the ongoing deployment, reached Bergen harbour on 05 August 2021.
On completion of port visit, in a landmark first for the Indian Navy, INS Tabar participated in a Maritime Partnership Exercise with Royal Norwegian Navy ship, HNoMS Storm, a Skjold class FAC (M) on 08 August 2021.
A range of operations like surface manoeuvers, Visit Board Search & Seizure exercise (VBSS) and vertical replenishment by helicopter were exercised.
The exercise was mutually beneficial in enhancing interoperability and towards consolidating combined operations against maritime threats.
Important Date
World Lion Day
⇒ World Lion Day is celebrated on August 10 of every year to raise awareness about lions and to mobilise support for their protection and conservation.
Theme:
The theme of the World Lion Day 2021 was ‘Slow Elimination of the African lion’.
Background:
The initiative to protect the big cats started, in 2013. The first World Lion Day was celebrated this year.
According to the World Wide Fund for animals (WWF), lions were once found throughout Africa, Asia and Europe but their numbers have dwindled over the years in these continents.
Lions in India:
India is home to Asiatic Lion. The last remaining population of the Asiatic Lions can be found in Gujarat’s Gir National Park.
The Government of Gujarat conducted the census of the majestic big cats in June 2020.
According to census, India recorded the highest ever increase of 29 per cent in its lion population from 523 in 2015 to 674 in 2020. The report also cited that their distribution expanded from 22,000 sq. km in 2015 to 30,000 sq. km in 2020.
Death
Renowned Ayurvedacharya Balaji Tambe
⇒ Ayurveda practitioner and proponent of Yoga, Dr. Balaji Tambe passed away on 10 August 2021 in Pune. He was 81 years old.
Tambe was the founder of “Atmasantulana Village,” a holistic healing centre in Lonavla. He wrote several books on spirituality, yoga, and Ayurveda.