Top Current Affairs 01 July 2020
Top Current Affairs 01 July 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 01 July 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs.
National News
India’s first lichen park developed in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand
- India’s first lichen park has been established in Kumaon’s Munsiyari village of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand, by the state forest department, to protect, conserve and cultivate lichen, which are the best bioindicators of the pollution levels..
- The park is spread across an area of 1.5 acres, with over 80 species of lichens collected from across the Himalayan state.
- Lichens are found in the Himalayas at a height of about 5000 metres, and are important species as they are the natural indicator of pollution levels in an area. If pollution levels increase in a certain area, the lichen species decline there.
Madhya Pradesh to Launch Door-To-Door “Kill Corona” Drive From July 1
- The Madhya Pradesh government has announced to launch 15-day long ‘Kill Corona’ campaign in the state from 1st July 2020 to control the spread of coronavirus in the state.
- Under the campaign, a door-to-door survey will be conducted and tests would also be done on citizens for other diseases.
- Around 2.5 lakh tests will be carried out and 15,000 to 20,000 samples would be collected daily.
Gujarat Government launches Rs 1,369 crore ”At One Click” online cash aid for MSMEs & textile industry
- Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani launched an online cash aid initiative titled ”At One Click” for micro small and medium enterprises and textile industries in the state on 26 June 2020.
- The state government has announced total of Rs 1,369 crore in aid for around 13,000 MSMEs in Gujarat under the program.
- Out of the toatl 1,369 crore aid, Rs 768 crore have been transferred in bank accounts of 12,247 MSME units in Gujarat while Rs 601 crore aid has been given to bigger industrial units including textile industry.
Agreements
India & Bhutan inks JV Agreement for 600 MW Kholongchhu hydroelectric project
- India and Bhutan have signed a concession agreement, on 29 June 2020, for the construction of 600 MW Kholongchhu hydroelectric project (KHEL), in Bhutan’s less developed eastern region of Trashiyangtse.
- KHEL will be the first joint venture project under an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) signed in 2014.
- The joint venture partners of the project are Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) from India and Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation Limited (DGPC).
- The project will be constructed as a 50:50 joint venture, and not as a government-to-government agreement.
- Kholongchu is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025 and generate about 2568.88 million units annually.
- Once the project is commissioned, the JV partners will run it for 30 years, called the concession period, after which the full ownership will transfer to the Bhutan government.
Award
Former RBI Governor C Rangarajan Conferred with First ‘P C Mahalanobis Award in Official Statistics’ for lifetime achievements
- Former Reserve Bank of India governor Chakravarthi Rangarajan has been conferred with the first Prof. P C Mahalanobis Award in Official Statistics for lifetime achievements on the occasion of the National Statistics Day on 29 June 2020, by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- The award has been instituted by MoSPI from 2020, and will henceforth be awarded annually for outstanding and meritorious contribution of an individual for the development and promotion of official statistics.
Beyonce Honored With Humanitarian Award at BET Awards 2020
- The 20th edition of the annual BET Awards 2020 took place with a series of virtual performances on 28 June 2020.
- The renowned American Popstar Beyonce was honoured with the 2020 Humanitarian Award during the event.
- Beyonce, 38, was honoured for her longstanding philanthropic work and passion for social justice including her recent COVID-19 relief efforts.
- The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other American minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year.
Appointment
Lazarus Chakwera Takes Charge as the new President of Malawi
- Malawi’s opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has been sworn in as the 6th President of the country on 28 June 2020, after being declared as the winner of the southern African country’s historic presidential election.
- The 65-year-old, leader of the Malawi Congress Party- MCP, defeated the incumbent President Peter Mutharika with 58.57% of votes.
- Peter Mutharika, 79, of the Democratic Progressive Party, secured 39.4% of the total votes.
Sports
German former professional footballer Mario Gomez announces retirement
- Former Germany footballer Mario Gomez has announced his retirement from the sport on 28 June 2020.
- The 34-year-old has represented the Germany national team over a period of 11 years between 2007 and 2018.
- He played as a striker and has scored 31 goals in 78 appearances for the national team.
Important Days
National Doctors’ Day: 01 July
- The National Doctors’ Day is organised on 01 July annually in India by the Indian Medical Association (IMA),to honour the legendary physicians and emphasise on the value of doctors in our lives, to offer them our respects by commemorating one of their greatest representatives
- The day commemorates the birth anniversary of the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy who was born on July 1, 1882 and died on the same date in 1962.
- The theme of 2020 Doctors Day is “Lessen the mortality of COVID 19”.
Obituary
Sahitya Akademi winning Kannada writer Geetha Nagabhushan passes away at 78
- Renowned Kannada writer Geetha Nagabhushan has passed away due to cardiac arrest. She was 78.
- Nagabhushan was the first woman writer in Kannada literature to bag the Kendra Sahitya Akademi award, Nadoja award of Karnataka govt, as well as serve as the chairperson of Karnataka Sahitya Academy.
- She has authored 27 novels, 50 short stories, 12 plays and two collections of poetry.