- Rajasthan has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the first state in India to pass the Minimum Income Guarantee Bill in its Assembly. This landmark bill ensures an additional 25 days of employment per month for both rural and urban areas. Consequently, the state will now guarantee 125 days of employment, including 100 days of MNREGA and an additional 25 days of work. Moreover, the bill aims to provide a minimum monthly pension of Rs 1,000 to beneficiaries under social security pension schemes for senior citizens, differently-abled individuals, widows, and single women.
- The state of Manipur witnessed an unfortunate incident on May 4, where two women were subjected to sexual humiliation and violence by a mob, an act that came to light on July 19 through a viral video. This incident has escalated tensions in the region, leading to confrontations between the Meitei and Kuki communities near Churchandpur and Imphal. The clashes involved the use of automatic rifles, pump-action guns, and explosives, resulting in damage to property and loss of lives. Authorities have arrested several individuals, including a minor, in connection with the incident. Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal has announced her visit to Manipur to address the situation.
- “Sahara Refund Portal” a platform dedicated to refunding deposits in Sahara cooperative scheme, has been launched. Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the portal, witnessing an overwhelming response, with five lakh investors registering within four days of its launch. The refund process for these registered investors has commenced. The “CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal,” introduced on July 18, focuses on returning funds to stranded investors in four cooperative societies affiliated with the Sahara group.
- The popular OTT platform, Netflix, has implemented a ban on password sharing in India, effective from July 20. Users are no longer allowed to share their account passwords with friends, but sharing with family members remains permissible. The company has started sending notifications to existing users who were previously sharing passwords with others. This decision follows a similar ban introduced in more than 100 countries, including Britain, France, Germany, Austria, and Singapore, among others.
- Tragedy struck in Uttarakhand when at least 16 people, including a policeman and three Home Guards, lost their lives due to an unfortunate incident. The railing of a bridge became electrified, leading to fatalities. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the site and ordered a magisterial inquiry to investigate the cause. The bridge, located near Pipalkoti village in Chamoli district, was part of a sewage treatment plant under the Namami Gange project. The affected families will receive compensation, with Rs 5 lakh provided to the families of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh to those injured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also been in contact with CM Dhami to assess the situation.
- Surat, Gujarat, is set to house the world’s largest office building, surpassing the Pentagon of the US Defense Ministry, which held that title for 80 years. Surat, known as the gem capital of the world, will construct the Surat Diamond Bourse, catering to over 65,000 diamond professionals. The building will become a hub for diamond trading, enhancing the city’s prominence in the industry.
- Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe embarked on a two-day visit to India, where he held bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The leaders discussed various matters, including an agreement concerning the use of UPI (Unified Payments Interface) in Sri Lanka. During the visit, President Wickremesinghe also met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and businessman Gautam Adani, with discussions centered around the Colombo Port.
- A coalition of 26 opposition political parties has united to form the Bharat Alliance, also known as the Indian National Development Inclusive Alliance. The primary goal of this alliance is to challenge the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The alliance, spearheaded by the Indian National Congress, includes representation from seven chief ministers from various states, along with prominent leaders such as Lalu Prasad Yadav, Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, Mehbooba Mufti, Omar Abdullah, and Akhilesh Yadav.
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has maintained its economic growth forecast for India for the current financial year (2023-24) at 6.4 per cent. The projection is based on the revival of rural and urban consumer demand, though the global economic slowdown could potentially impact exports.
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- India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission was successfully launched on July 14, 2023, from the Space Center in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. This ambitious lunar mission involves a lander, a rover, and a propulsion module, with a total weight of approximately 3,900 kg. Chandrayaan-3 is expected to make a soft landing on the Moon’s south pole after a journey of about 40 days covering a distance of approximately 3.84 lakh kilometers. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has set August 23 at 5.47 pm as the target date and time for the soft landing attempt, acknowledging the technical challenges involved in achieving this feat.