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 AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 19 July 2023 : Headlines

1. NITI Aayog launches 2nd National MPI: India’s Multidimensionally Poor declines to 14.96% in
2019-2021
2. IEA in collaboration with PPAC of MoP&NG launched Oil 2023 medium-term market report
3. Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to UAE
4. World Humanitarian Drive got special status from the UN for global education
5. UK signed treaty to join Trans-Pacific trading bloc
6. Ashok Leyland won orders worth Rs. 800 crore from Indian Army to deliver Defence Vehicles
7. Union Minister Kishan Reddy confers Global Incredible Inc leadership Award
8. 15th Edition of International Eni Award honours IIT-M Professor
9. French government presented Chevalier award to Indian Musicians Aruna Sairam & Shashank
Subramanyam
10. Amit Shah Launches ‘CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal’ to Expedite Refunds for Sahara Group
Depositors
11. Commonwealth Sr. Jr. & Youth Weightlifting Championship 2023: India won 20 Medals in Senior
Category
12. Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy Passes Away
13. Former CEC of India TN Seshan authored his autobiography “Through The Broken Glass”
14. Nelson Mandela International Day 2023 – July 18
15. World Snake Day 2023 – July 16
16. Himachal CM Sukhu launches website of Aapda Rahat Kosh-2023

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 NATIONAL AFFAIRS
NITI Aayog launches 2nd National MPI: India’s Multidimensionally Poor declines to 14.96% in
2019-2021
On July 17, 2023, the Vice-Chairman of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, Suman Bery
released the 2nd edition of NITI Aayog’s Report ‘National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI): A Progress
Review 2023‘.

• The report represents India’s progress in reducing multidimensional poverty between the two
surveys, National Family Health Survey [NFHS-4 (2015-16)] and NFHS-5 (2019-21).
• India has registered a significant decline of 9.89 percentage points in number of India’s
multidimensionally poor from 24.85% in 2015-16 to 14.96% in 2019-2021.
Assessment:
i.The broad methodology followed is in consonance with the global methodology of Alkire-Foster
methodology developed by technical partners, the Oxford Poverty and Human Development
Initiative (OPHI) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
ii.The National MPI measures simultaneous deprivations across three equally weighted dimensions
of Health, Education, and Standard of Living that are represented by 12 Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) aligned indicators.
• These include nutrition, child and adolescent mortality, maternal health, years of schooling, school
attendance, cooking fuel, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, housing, assets, and bank accounts.
iii.It provided estimates for the 36 States and Union Territories and 707 Administrative Districts
Note: This index is an important tool that enables the country to track its progress towards the SDGs,
particularly SDG target 1.2, which aims to reduce poverty in all its dimensions.
• Its first edition launched in 2021.
Highlights:
i.There is Marked improvement across all the 12 indicators.
ii.Uttar Pradesh (UP) registered the largest decline in number of poor i.e. 3.43 crore people.
iii.The fastest reduction in the proportion of multidimensional poor was observed in the States
of UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Odisha, and Rajasthan.
iv.However, Bihar, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, UP and MP (even after decrease) top the chart where the percentage
of total population who are multidimensionally poor is high.
v.Delhi, Kerala, Goa and Tamil Nadu have the least number of people facing multidimensional poverty along
with the Union Territories.
vi.The rural areas witnessed the fastest decline in poverty from 32.59% in 2015-16 to 19.28% in 2019-21.
vii.During the same period, the urban areas saw a reduction in poverty from 8.65% to 5.27%.
viii.Between 2015-16 and 2019-21, the MPI value has nearly halved from 0.117 to 0.066 and the intensity of
poverty has reduced from 47% to 44%.

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ix.This decline showcases Central Government’s strategic focus on ensuring sustainable and equitable
development and eradicating poverty by 2030. This include Flagship programs like Poshan Abhiyan and
Anaemia Mukt Bharat, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana
(PMUY), Saubhagya, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY),
Samagra Shiksha, among others.
Recent Related News:
i.On April 13, 2023 the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers
Welfare (MoA&FW) agreed to connect Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) and
Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMAs) under the initiative.
ii.NITI Aayog released a report titled “Promoting Millets in Diets: Best Practices across States/UTs of India”
which presents a collection of good and innovative practices adopted by state governments and organisations
in various aspects of the millet value chain.
About National Institution For Transforming India (NITI) Aayog:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– B. V. R. Subrahmanyam
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi

IEA in collaboration with PPAC of MoP&NG launched Oil 2023 medium-term market report
On 17th July 2023, The International Energy Agency (IEA), Paris(France)-based autonomous organization, in
collaboration with Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) under the administration of Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) launched the Oil 2023 medium-term market report titled IEA Oil 2023
– Supply and demand dynamics to 2028 in Delhi for oil supply and demand.

• The Oil 2023 medium-term market report forecasts that based on current government policies and
market trends, global oil demand will rise by 6% between 2022 and 2028 to reach 105.7 million
barrels per day (mb/d).
• India`s demand for energy is growing faster than any other major economy and is expected to grow
in all sectors due to favourable demographics supported by urbanization and industrialization.
Key People:
Pankaj Jain, Secretary, MoP&NG; Toril Bosoni, Head of Oil Industry and Markets Division, IEA.
Consumption of petroleum products in FY 2022-23:
i. The overall consumption of petroleum products in FY 2022-23 was at 223 Methylcyclopentadienyl
manganese tricarbonyl (MMT).
• The growth rate was about 12% over the previous year (FY 2021-22)
ii. This growth in the petroleum products has been influenced by growth in High Speed Diesel(HSD) at 12.1%,
the largest contributor with 85.9 MMT and Motor Spirit (MS)(petroleum) with 34.9 MMT consumption during

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2022-23 at a growth rate of 13.4% 2021-22.
iii. The growth increased forward motion in the FY 2023-24 too and India is the World’s 4th largest refiner; has
the 4th largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal capacity; 4th largest Auto market and also 3rd largest bio
fuels producer.
iv. The focus of India is on decarbonisation and it has already achieved 12% ethanol blending in Petrol and has
targeted for 20% blending by 2025.
IEA Oil Market Report (OMR) Analysis and Forecast:
i. The Oil 2023 medium-term market report finds that growth of global oil demand is set to decline, almost stop
by 2028.
• This is due to accelerated shift towards cleaner energy technologies for energy security concerns.
ii. In spite of robust demand from the petrochemical and aviation sectors, annual demand growth is expected to
decline from 2.4 mb/d in 2023 to just 0.4 mb/d in 2028.
iii. The expansion of electric vehicles (EVs), the growth of biofuels and improving fuel economy reduce
consumption is set to decline the use of oil after 2026 particularly in transport.
iv. However, some economies, notably China and India, will continue to register growth throughout the forecast
and India will surpass China as the main source of growth by 2027.
v. Biofuels are expected to provide 10% of new liquid fuel supply growth to 2028 and as per the report, biofuels
production expands nearly 600 kb/d (thousand barrels/day) from 2022 to 2028, with Brazil, Indonesia and
India combined accounting for 70% of this increase.
Global upstream investment:
i. IEA report assessed that global upstream investments in oil and gas exploration, extraction and production in
2023 are expected to reach their highest levels since 2015.
ii. Global upstream oil and gas investment is on track to increase by an estimated 11% in 2023 to USD 528
billion, compared with USD 474 billion in 2022.
iii. Oil producing countries outside the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) alliance
(non-OPEC+) dominate medium-term capacity expansion plans, with a 5.1 mb/d supply boost by 2028 led by
the United States of America (USA), Brazil and Guyana. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iraq
lead the plans for capacity building within OPEC+.
iv. This level of investment, if sustained, would be adequate to meet forecast demand in the period 2022-28
covered by the report. However, it exceeds the amount that would be needed in a world that gets on track for
net zero emissions.
About International Energy Agency (IEA):
Established in- 1974
Executive Director- Fatih Birol
Headquarters- Paris, France

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to UAE
On July 15, 2023, Narendra Modi, Prime Minister (PM) of India, officially visited Abu Dhabi, United Arab
Emirates (UAE). This mark’s his 5th visit to UAE since 2015.
He was welcomed by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the
airport and a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour were accorded to Modi.
• During his visit, PM Modi met with His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of
the UAE, in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Here are the visit highlights:

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PM meeting with Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, President-designate of CoP28
During the visit, the Indian PM met Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, President-designate of CoP28 (Conference of the Parties
to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) and Group CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Abu Dhabi
National Oil Company.

Key Points:
i.The discussions took place on the forthcoming COP-28 of UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change) under UAE’s Presidency where Indian side committed its full support to UAE for its COP-28
Presidency.
ii.The PM highlighted India’s efforts and initiatives to address climate change, including International
SolarAlliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, International Year of Millets and Mission Lifestyle
for Environment (LiFE).
iii.The discussions also covered energy cooperation between India and UAE.
RBI, CBUAE sign pacts to promote use of INR, UAE dirham for cross-border transactions
During the visit, two agreements were inked between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Central Bank of UAE
(CBUAE) to facilitating seamless cross border transactions and payments, and foster greater economic
cooperation between the two countries.

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Signatories:
The agreements were signed by the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, and Governor of the Central Bank of
UAE, Khaled Mohamed Balama in the presence of PM Narendra Modi and Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, President of the UAE.
The MoU are as follows:
i.Establishing a Framework to Promote the Use of Local Currencies viz. the Indian rupee (INR) and the
UAE Dirham (AED) for cross-border transactions
This MoU aims to put in place a Local Currency Settlement System (LCSS) to promote the use of INR and AED
bilaterally by covering covers all current account transactions and permitted capital account transactions.
• The LCSS creation facilitates domestic currency invoicing and payment for exporters and importers,
fostering an INR-AED forex market. It encourages investments and remittances between both
nations while minimizing transaction costs and settlement time, benefiting Indian residents in the
UAE.
ii.Cooperation for interlinking their payment and messaging systems
Under this, both Central Banks agreed to cooperate on the following
i. Linking their Fast Payment Systems (FPSs) – Unified Payments Interface (UPI) of India with Instant Payment
Platform (IPP) of UAE for fast, convenient, safe, and cost-effective cross-border funds transfers
ii. Linking the respective Card Switches (RuPay switch and UAESWITCH) to facilitate mutual acceptance of
domestic cards and processing of card transactions.
iii. Exploring the linking of payments messaging systems i.e., Structured Financial Messaging System (SFMS) of
India with the messaging system in the UAE to facilitate bilateral financial messaging between the two
countries, bypassing the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications) messaging
system.
India signs MoU with Education and Knowledge dept of Abu Dhabi for setting up IIT Delhi campus
IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Delhi inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Abu Dhabi
Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) and the Ministry of Education, Government of India, to set up
its international campus in Abu Dhabi.
• This MoU is on the lines of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed
between the top leadership of the two countries in early 2022.
• The MoU was signed in the presence of PM Narendra Modi and His Excellency Sheikh Mohamed Bin
Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.
Key Points:
i.IIT Delhi – Abu Dhabi aims to be a research-focused campus offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and
doctoral degrees, contributing to Abu Dhabi and UAE’s research and academic ecosystem.
ii.Starting 2024, IIT Delhi – Abu Dhabi will provide diverse programs in Energy and Sustainability, Artificial
Intelligence, Computer Science and Engineering, Healthcare, Mathematics and Computing, and other
disciplines. Details will be announced later. It has already initiated outreach programs for UAE school students
and plans to launch industry-focused short courses and executive programs soon.
IOC inks long term LNG import pact deals with ADNOC LNG, TotalEnergies
A Head of Agreement (HoA) was signed between India’s Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Limited to import
liquefied natural gas (LNG) from UAE’s Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Co (Adnoc) Ltd and TotalEnergies of France
on a long-term basis.
Key Points:
i.This is the first long-term deal TotalEnergies has signed with an Indian company.
ii.Also, this is the first time an Indian company has signed a long-term LNG import deal with.
iii.Under this, IOC will import 1.2 million tonnes per annum of LNG from Adnoc-LNG for 14 years starting in
2026.

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 • It should be noted that under Indian and UAE CEPA, UAE Govt which provides for zero customs duty
to be applied on LNG imports from UAE against an applicable customs duty of 2.5 per cent plus
surcharge.
iv.The deal with TotalEnergies is for the import of 0.8 million tonnes a year of LNG for 10 years starting in
2026.
Recent Related News:
i.State-owned Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC) has introduced its solar-powered
hybrid boat “Sooryamshu”, a first-of-its-kind tourist boat in Kerala, in Kochi backwaters, Kerala. The boat built
by the United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Solas Marine Services Group was named Sooryamshu after the Hindi
translation of “Sunbeam.”
ii.The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) signed a host member agreement with
the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to establish its first overseas office, an Interim Operational Hub, at Abu Dhabi
Global Market, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
About United Arab Emirates (UAE):
President– Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Currency– UAE Dirham
Capital– Abu Dhabi

World Humanitarian Drive got special status from the UN for global education
The World Humanitarian Drive (WHD), an international Non-governmental organization (NGO), which
promotes international education and trade, has been granted special consultative status by United
Nations (UN)’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

With this ECOSOC status, WHD will be authorised to interact actively with its subsidiary bodies, the Human
Rights Council, certain UN General Assembly (UNGA) sessions, other intergovernmental bodies, and the UN
Secretariat.
Key facilities:
i. The special consultative status will provide WHD with the privilege to access UN’s meetings, provide written
and oral statements to ECOSOC.
ii. WHD can use UN facilities including submitting a quadrennial (occurring every 4 years) report on the
activities of the organisation, in support of the work of ECOSOC and the UN at a recently concluded meeting
held in UN in June 2023.
United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC):
i. ECOSOC is the highest status granted to a NGO, which allows them to facilitate with the United Nations.
ii. The status is granted to NGO’s, which have special capability and are concerned specifically with only a few
of the fields of activity covered by the ECOSOC.
iii. ECOSOC has 54 member states, which are elected by the UNGA extend over 3 years of term.
About World Humanitarian Drive (WHD):
It is an International NGO with operations in 12 countries, founded in Croydon, UK.
The primary vision of WHD is to promote Peace, Education and Trade Harmony initiatives globally.

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WHD also promotes key initiatives between
India and the United Kingdom (UK).
Founder & Chairman- Dr Abdul Basit Syed,
British Indian Global Peace activist,
Entrepreneur, Writer.
Headquarters- London, the United
Kingdom (UK)

UK signed treaty to join Trans-Pacific

trading bloc
On 16th July 2023, the United Kingdom
(UK) signed a deal to join the
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement
for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a
major Asia-Pacific trading bloc in New
Zealand and became the first new
member and first European nation to join
since it was formed in 2018.
Kemi Badenoch, the Business and Trade
Secretary of the UK signed the treaty
confirming UK’s accession protocol for the
CPTPP in New Zealand.
• With the inclusion of the UK, the collective Gross domestic product (GDP) of the bloc, comprising
Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam,
will amount to 12 trillion pounds (USD 15.7 trillion), or 15% of the global GDP.
• The deal would mark the significant trade agreement for Britain since its departure from the
European Union in 2020.
• It will bring a barrier-free trade access for British businesses to a market of 500 million people and
access to the wider region and the pact is expected to come into force in the second half of 2024.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Ashok Leyland won orders worth Rs. 800 crore from Indian Army to deliver Defence Vehicles
On 17th July 2023, Ashok Leyland Limited, a part of Hinduja Group, has won a contract worth Rs 800 crore to
supply defence vehicles to the Indian army.

• The contract includes the procurement of the field artillery tractor (FAT 4×4) and the gun towing
vehicle (GTV 6×6).

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About FAT 4×4 and GTV 6×6:
The FAT 4×4 and GTV 6×6 are specialised vehicles employed by the artillery for towing light and medium guns,
respectively. Both these platforms were apparently featured in the initial positive indigenisation list announced
by the government of India.
• The vehicles will be delivered over the next 12 months to meet the requirements of the Indian Army.
Key Highlights:
i. Ashok Leyland’s selection for these pivotal Defence contracts emphasises its commitment to indigenous
manufacturing and its position as a trusted partner for the Indian Armed Forces.
ii. The contract also establishes the leadership of Ashok Leyalnd in the defence mobility vehicle business.
iii. Ashok Leyland has invested in development of mobility platforms ranging from 4×4, 6×6, 8×8, 10×10 &
12×12 for various applications and operational requirements of the Indian Armed Forces.
iv. These platforms are indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by Ashok Leyland and contribute
significantly towards import substitution.
v. The new order secured from the Defence Sector marked a significant milestone in the journey of Ashok
Leyland, which is going to celebrate its 75th anniversary in September 2023.
vi. Ashok Leyland is looking at speeding up its defence business over the next 3 years to achieve Rs 3,500 crore
plus tender win, compared with Rs 2,000 crore plus win over the past 5 years.
About Ashok Leyland Ltd:
Founded in- 1948
Headquarters- Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Shenu Agarwal

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Union Minister Kishan Reddy Confers Global Incredible Inc Leadership Award
On 16th July 2023, Kishan Reddy, the Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region
(DoNER) conferred the ‘Global Incredible Inc Leadership Award’ from the U.S.India SME Council.

• US India SME Council bestowed his efforts to promote tourism and India’s rich culture.
• It was presented by the president and chief executive officer(CEO) of U.S. India SME Council, Inc.
Elisha B. Pulivarti.
About US India SME Council:
i.US India SME Council is a Nonprofit, Membership, and Premier Business Advocacy Organization, based in
Washington DC, the United States of America (USA).
ii.It is an organisation to serve the Small to Medium Business Enterprises (SMBEs) in the USA and India.
iii.It will promote trade, commerce, and people-to-people exchange programs between the United States &
India.
HLPF on economic, social and environmental sustainability on tourism
On 14th July 2023, Kishan Reddy attended the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) High-

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Level Political Forum (HLPF) on economic, social and environmental sustainability on tourism in the capacity
of G-20 Tourism Chair at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States of America (USA).
• The 2023 UN HLPF theme was “Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease and the
full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”.
• At the meeting, Kishan Reddy delivered a keynote address and discussed India’s progress on the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and SDGs.
About the meeting:
i.The HLPF side event organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Republic of Croatia in
collaboration with the UNWTO with support of the Ministry of Tourism of India as the Chair of the G20 Tourism
Committee Presidency.
ii.The aim of the meeting is to demonstrate how multilateral, governmental, corporate, and academic
collaborations are actively contributing to tourism’s potential in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs).

15th Edition of International Eni Award honours IIT-M Professor

On 17th July 2023, Eni, an Italian integrated energy company, announced the names of the winning researchers
and scientists of the 15th edition of the Eni Award.Thalappil Pradeep, professor in the Department of
Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras), has been awarded the Advanced
Environmental Solutions Award, which is dedicated to research for the protection and sustainable use of
natural resources.

• The prize is composed of a gold medal, a citation and a cash component and the award is set to be
presented by the President of Italy in the near future.
Professor Thalappil Pradeep’s contribution:
i. T. Pradeep’s work on affordable clean water using advanced materials has gained recognition. He made
groundbreaking discoveries in sustainable nano-scale materials that effectively remove toxic contaminants
from water.
ii. His research on pesticide removal has positively impacted millions of people. Moreover, his team has
successfully developed ‘water-positive’ materials that can effectively eliminate toxic contaminants like
arsenic, uranium, and others from water.
Other Honours:
i. T. Pradeep joins the ranks of distinguished previous awardees, including Nobel laureates such as Sir Harold
W. Kroto, Alan Heeger, and Theodor Wolfgang Hänsch, along with Prof. C.N.R. Rao(Indian Chemist), a recipient
of the Bharat Ratna Award in 2014.
ii. He also received other recognition such as with Padma Shri(2020), Prince Sultan
Bin Abdulaziz International Prize(2022), Nikkei Asia Prize(2020),
Shanti SwarupBhatnagar Prize(2008).
About Eni Awards:
i. Established in 2007, the Eni Award is a globally recognized platform for groundbreaking research in the
realms of energy and the environment. The coveted distinction of the Eni Award stems from its stringent award

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criteria and the esteemed selection committee, which comprises Nobel laureates among other distinguished
experts.
ii. The Eni Awards are divided into three categories: Energy Transition ,Energy Frontiers, and Advanced
Environmental Solutions.
About Eni:
• Eni, established in 1953, is a comprehensive energy company operating in 69 countries worldwide.
They focus on providing fully decarbonized products, balancing both environmental and financial
sustainability.
• Headquartered in Italy, Eni effectively contributes to the fulfilment of the United Nations’
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the 2030 Agenda.
Additional Info:
• The esteemed accolades in the first category were bestowed upon Yu Huang from the University of
California (Los Angeles, USA) and Jeffrey R. Long from the University of California (Berkeley, USA).
• The second category’s laureate was Matthew Rosseinsky from the University of Liverpool (UK).

French government presented Chevalier award to Indian Musicians Aruna Sairam & Shashank
Subramanyam
On 15th July 2023, the Government of France presented the title of Chevalier (Knight) de l’Ordre des Arts
et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) awards to Aruna Sairam, a Padma Shri awardee and Carnatic
vocalist, and Shashank Subramanyam, flautist for their contributions in connecting France and India through
their music.

The award Ceremony was held at the National Day of the French Republic celebrations in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Ordre des arts et des lettres:
i. It is an Order of France established by the Minister of Culture in 1957 and confirmed as part of L’ordre
National du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963.
ii. It is the most significant arts-specific honour conferred by the Government of France that honours
personalities who have made significant contributions to the music field, arts, literature and the cultural and
artistic legacy of Indo-France relations.
iii. The award is given at three levels: Commandeur (Commander), Officier (Officer), Chevalier (Knight).
About Aruna Sairam:
i. ArunaSairam, born in 12th May 1960 in Mumbai, Maharashtra is regarded as the Music Ambassador of India.
ii. ArunaSairam is recipient of several awards including the Padma Shri for Arts in 2009 and the
SangitaKalanidhi by the Music Academy in 2018.
iii. She was also elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
iv. ArunaSairam has also received the United States of America (US) Congress Proclamation Award of
Excellence in 2008.
v. She received The “Kalaimamani” by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2006.
About Shashank Subramanyam:
i. Shashank Subramanyam, born in October 14, 1978 in Rudrapatna, Karnataka.

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ii. He was awarded the SangeetNatakAkademi Senior Award by Government of India for the year 2017.
iii. He was nominated for the Grammy for the album Floating Point with John McLaughlin in 2009.
iv. He received the Kalaimamani award from the Tamil Nadu Government in the year 2001.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Amit Shah Launches ‘CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal’ to Expedite Refunds for Sahara Group
Depositors
On 17th July 2023, Union Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah launched the ‘Central Registrar of Cooperative
Societies (CRCS) – Sahara Refund Portal’ aimed at aiding over 10 crore depositors of the Sahara Group in
reclaiming their money within 45 days of registration in the portal.

• The refund portal has been developed by a subsidiary of Industrial Finance Corporation of India
(IFCI) Ltd, a Systemically Important Non-Deposit taking Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC-ND-
SI).
• In Phase I, around 1.7 crore
investors will be beneficiaries, and
claims up to ₹10,000 will be
prioritised for settlement. The
refunds will be credited to the
Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of
the investors within a 45-days of
registration in the portal.
Background:
Between March 2010 and January 2014, four
cooperative societies linked to the Sahara
group of companies registered under the
Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002.
i. Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Limited
(Lucknow)
ii. Saharayan Universal Multipurpose Society
Limited (Bhopal)
iii. Humara India Credit Cooperative Society
Limited (Kolkata)
iv. Stars Multipurpose Cooperative Society
(Hyderabad)

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Fraudulent activities:
i. Many complaints were received from across the country regarding non-payment to the depositors. The
Central Registrar directed the societies to pay the unpaid amount to the investors and stopped the societies
from taking fresh deposits and renewing existing ones,
ii. To address this, the government invited Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Enforcement
Directorate(ED), Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) and Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) along with
other stakeholders, to work together and create a system that would benefit the affected small investors.
• In response, all the agencies jointly filed a petition in the Supreme Court. The court’s landmark
decision established that if there is unanimous agreement among the agencies, a committee headed
by a retired Supreme Court judge would supervise the reimbursement process for the affected
investors.
Supreme Court’s decision:
Following a petition presented by the Ministry of Cooperation, on 29th March 2023, the Supreme Court issued
an order for the reimbursement of funds from the Sahara-SEBI refund account to approximately 10 crore
investors
• The court ordered that out of the balance amount in the Sahara-SEBI refund account, ₹5,000 crore
be transferred to the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
A bench headed by justice MR Shah ordered this payment to be made under the supervision of the retired judge
R. Subhash Reddy, and with the assistance of advocate Gaurav Agarwal, the Central Registrar would complete
the payment process in 9 months.
What is the Sahara-SEBI refund account?
i. In 2011, SEBI issued an order to Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Ltd (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing
Investment Corporation Ltd (SHICL) to reimburse the funds they had raised from investors through a type of
bonds called Optionally Fully Convertible Bonds (OFCD).
• SEBI claimed that the funds were raised in violation of SEBI (Disclosure and Investor Protection)
Guidelines, 2000, and various regulations of the SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements)
Regulations, 2009.
ii. In August 2012, the Supreme Court upheld SEBI’s directive, affirming that the two companies must refund
the collected money to the investors along with 15 per cent interest.
• As a result, Sahara was required to deposit Rs. 24,000 crore with SEBI for further reimbursement to
the investors. Currently Rs. 24,979.67 crore remains unutilized in the Sahara-SEBI Refund Account.
About Ministry of Cooperation:
Union Minister – Amit Shah (Constituency – Gandhinagar, Gujarat)
Minister of State(MoS) – B. L. Verma

SPORTS
Commonwealth Sr. Jr. & Youth Weightlifting Championship 2023: India won 20 Medals in
Senior Category
Indian Senior weightlifting contingent won 20 medals (9 Golds, 9 Silvers and 2 Bronze) at the Commonwealth
Senior, Junior, and Youth Weightlifting Championships 2023 in Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, Uttar
Pradesh, India.
• The Indian team overall won 61 medals (38 Gold, 21 Silver and 2 Bronze) across senior (9 Golds, 9
Silvers and 2 Bronze), junior (13 Golds, 8 Silvers) and youth (16 Golds, 4 Silvers) categories.
• The event witnessed 250 weightlifters from 20 countries participating across junior, youth and
senior categories from 12th July to 16 July 2023.

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Note: India won 16 medals (4 Gold, 7 Silver and 5 Bronze) at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships
2021 held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.Last time India hosted the tournament in Pune in 2015.
Indian Senior medallists:
i.Gold medallists:The nine gold medallists are Komal Kohar (women’s 45kg), Gyaneshwari Yadav (women’s
49kg), Popy Hazarika (women’s 59kg), S Nirupama Devi(women’s 64kg), Vanshita Verma (women’s 81kg),
Mukund Aher (men’s 55kg), Shubham Todkar (men’s 61kg), Ajith N (men’s 73kg) and Ajay Singh (men’s 81kg).
ii.Silver medallists:The nine silver medallists are Jhilli Dalabehera ( women’s 49kg), Shrabani Das (women’s
55kg), T Madhavan(men’s 67kg), Harjinder Kaur (women’s 71kg), Pallavi S(women’s 64kg), Amarjit
Guru(men’s 89kg), Harshad Wadekar(men’s 96kg), Harcharan Singh ( men’s 102kg), Lovepreet Singh(men’s
109kg).
iii.Bronze medallist:The two Bronze medallist are Jagdish Vishwakarma(men’s 96kg) and Purnima Pandey
(women’s +87kg)
Awards:
i.The 2022 junior World Championships silver medallist Gyaneshwari Yadav of India won the Gold medal in
the women’s 49kg event, awarded as the Best Lifters in the junior category.
ii.Samoa’s Don Opeloge (102kg) and Jenly Wini Tegu (55kg) of Solomon Islands were named the ‘Best Lifters’
in the senior category.

OBITUARY
Former Kerala CM Oommen Chandy Passes Away
On 18th July 2023, Former Chief Minister(CM) of Kerala and veteran Indian National Congress(INC) leader
Oommen Chandy passed away at the age of 79 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He was born on October 31, 1943 in
Kottayam, Kerala.

• He served as the Chief Minister twice (2004–2006 and again from 2011–2016) for a total of seven
years. By serving for 2,459 days as CM, he is the fourth longest served CM of the state after Kerala’s

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 former Chief Ministers E K Nayanar (4,009 days), K Karunakaran (3,246 days) and C Achutha Menon
(2,640 days)
As Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA):
• As of 2nd August 2022, Oommen Chandy was the longest serving Member of Legislative Assembly
(MLA) of Kerala’s State Legislative Assembly representing Puthuppally constituency of Kerala for
18,728 days.
• Since the establishment of Kerala state, the assembly has seen a total of 970 legislators, but only K M
Mani(President of Kerala Congress-M) and Oommen Chandy have achieved the remarkable
milestone of completing 50 years as Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).
• Having commenced his tenure as a legislator with a victory in the 1970 Assembly elections, he
continued to secure triumphs in 12 consecutive polls till 2021.
As a Minister:
Oommen Chandy served as a minister in the state cabinet on four separate occasions.
i. In the first Karunakaran Cabinet (1977) and the first Antony cabinet (1977-78), he held the position of
Minister for Labour in Kerala State Government.
• During his tenure as Labour Minister, Chandy introduced unemployment wages for the first time
in the country.
ii. During the second Karunakaran cabinet (1981-82), he took charge of the Home Department in the State
Government.
iii. Additionally, he served as the Finance Minister of Kerala from 1991 to 1994 in the fourth Karunakaran
cabinet.
Additional Info:
• Oommen Chandy received recognition from the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) for
spearheading a series of pioneering initiatives in democratic governance under the Government of
Kerala. These efforts aimed at enhancing people’s access and involvement in human development
and governance.
• First of its kind in the country, Chief Minister’s Mass Contact Programme, introduced by Chandy,
marked a groundbreaking approach in the nation as it facilitated direct communication and
interaction between Chandy and the citizens.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Former CEC of India TN Seshan authored his autobiography “Through The Broken Glass”
‘Through The Broken Glass: An Autobiography authored by T.N. Seshan, the former Chief Election
Commissioner (CEC) of India, who made a significant difference to Indian elections. It was published by Rupa
Publications India. This autobiography also covers his term as the CEC from 1990 to 1995 with a page count of
368. It has been published 4 years after he passed away in 2019.
• In the early part of his career he described his first posting as a sub-collector in Dindigul and then a
collector in Madurai of Tamil Nadu.
• T.N. Seshan is also the author of An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of the Great Indian
Election.

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 IMPORTANT DAYS
Nelson Mandela International Day 2023 – July 18
The United Nations (UN)’s Nelson Mandela International Day is annually celebrated across the world
on 18th July to recognise Nelson Mandela’s values, including his commitment towards social justice, peace,
reconciliation, and promotion and protection of human rights.

• This day also marks the birth anniversary (July 18, 1918) of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who played
an eminent role in creating non-racial constitution, non-sexist and democratic of South Africa.
• The day is also called as Mandela Day.
• The 2023 Mandela Day marks the 105th birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela.
The 2023 theme for Nelson Mandela International Day is “Climate, Food & Solidarity”.
Background:
i. On November 2009, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution A/RES/64/13 and
declared 18th July of every year (his birthday) as “Nelson Mandela International Day“.
ii. The resolution acknowledges Nelson Mandela’s contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally
and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world.
iii. The first UN’s Nelson Mandela International Day was observed on 18th July 2010.
Nelson Mandela Prize:
i. On 6th June 2014, the UNGA adopted the resolution A/RES/68/275 and established UN’s Nelson Rolihlahla
Mandela Prize (Nelson Mandela Prize), an honorary award.
ii. The Prize will be presented as a tribute, to recognize the achievements of those who dedicated their lives to
the service of humanity as guided by the purposes and principles of the UN.
iii. The prize was awarded for the first time in 2015 and in 2020 for the second time.
Nelson Mandela Rules:
i. The UNGA’s resolution A/RES/70/175 adopted the revised UN’s Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
of Prisoners.
ii. It also approved that these rules should be known as the “Nelson Mandela Rules” in honour of the legacy of
Nelson Mandela.
iii. The goal is also to promote humane conditions of imprisonment; to raise awareness about prisoners being a
continuous part of society; to value the work of prison staff as a social service of particular importance.
Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace (2019 – 2028):
On 24th September 2018, UNGA adopted the resolution (A/RES/73/1) at UN’s Headquarters in New York, the
United States of America (USA) for the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit and recognised the period from 2019 to
2028 as the Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace.
About Nelson Mandela:
i. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Mvezo, South Africa on July 18, 1918 was a prominent anti-apartheid
activist.
ii. He served as South Africa’s first black president from 1994 to 1999.

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iii. He was inaugurated as South Africa’s first democratically elected President on May 1994 and passed away
on December 5, 2013.
Awards:
i. On December 1993, he jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize with Frederik Willem de Klerk for their
significant contribution to peaceful elimination of apartheid in South Africa.
ii. In 1990, Government of India awarded Nelson Mandela its highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna in his
honour and to recognize his contribution towards eliminating racial discrimination worldwide.
• Over the last 40 years Nelson Mandela has received more than 250 awards.
Books:
Long Walk To Freedom, the Autobiography of Nelson Mandela; The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela; No Easy
Walk to Freedom.
Events of 2023:
i. On the occasion of Nelson Mandel International Day, a virtual public service activity was organised by the UN
to limit global warming and take care of our planet on 18th July 2023.
• It was a campaign activity based on the Nelson Mandela’s quote “We must never forget that it is our
duty to protect this environment”, initiated via the UN campaign app ‘ACTNOW’ for Living
Sustainably in the Modern World.
ii. The UNGA has organised an informal plenary meeting to mark Nelson Mandela International Day on 20th
July 2023, in New York, the USA, and the meeting will be addressed by CsabaKőrösi, President of the UNGA;
AntónioGuterres, UN Secretary-General; Andrew Young, Politician, activist, and Former Permanent
Representative of the USA to the UN.

World Snake Day 2023 – July 16

World Snake day is celebrated annually across the world on 16th July to raise awareness of the snakes in the
world and also to recognise the importance of snakes and snakes disbelieves in our ecosystem.
• On 16th July 2023, World Snake Day was celebrated at the National Zoological Park (Zoo) in New
Delhi, Delhi for the conservation of snakes by creating awareness about different types of snakes in
India.
• On the occasion of the World Snake Day 2023, an enrichment activity was conducted by snake
keeping staff by providing cage furniture in the reptile house. Plantation was also conducted inside
the snake houses.
• Interaction with about 350 visitors and small children was conducted about snakes and healthy
lifestyle following the Mission LiFE (lifestyle for the environment) at the reptile house.
• Reptile house walk was conducted and visitors interacted with the snake keepers. Literature on
reptiles was also distributed among visitors.
Note: Currently there are 31 number of snakes of 07 species present in the National Zoological Park, Delhi.

STATE NEWS
Himachal CM Sukhu launches website of Aapda Rahat Kosh-2023
On 16th July 2023, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, launched
the Aapda Rahat Kosh-2023 website, a digital platform initiative aimed at helping the disaster-affected people
in the Himachal Pradesh.
• By using this website, people can donate money in Aapda Rahat Kosh-2023 from anywhere using
multiple payment methods such as debit card, credit card, net banking, Quick Response (QR) code
and Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
• The department of digital technology and governance developed a transparent web link where
anyone can donate online and receive a receipt on their mobile device to facilitate this support.

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 • The system has been integrated with multiple payment gateways to ensure seamless transactions
and preparations are under processing to enable online donations from overseas donors.

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