Current Affairs Daily Digest – July 03 2020
1. Zydus Healthcare’s COVID-19 vaccine gets DCGI approval for Human Clinical Trials
On 2nd July 2020, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has given approval for human clinical trials to Ahmedabad based Cadila Healthcare Limited (Zydus Healthcare). The permission is for the Phase-I and Phase-II clinical trials of the vaccine.
Zydus Healthcare’s COVID-19 vaccine become the 2nd Indigenously developed vaccine to get the permission of the DCGI for human clinical trials after Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN. The human clinical trials for the vaccine are expected to be completed in three months as per media reports.
2. Unique Urban Forest inaugurated at the Office of CAG in New Delhi
Keeping in mind its community responsibilities towards the increasing cause of concern from the degrading Air Quality Index (AQI) in the National Capital over the years, an Urban Forest will be established in the Office Park of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for India at New Delhi.
The Urban Park was inaugurated on 2nd July 2020 by the Prakash Javadekar (Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change).
3. Drug Discovery Hackathon 2020 launched
For supporting the drug discovery process, a national initiative called Drug Discovery Hackathon 2020 was launched on 2nd July 2020. The initiative was launched by Ramesh Pokhriyal (Union Human Resource Development Minister) and Dr. Harsh Vardhan (Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Science and Technology).
4. 17 days ‘Paudhe Lagao, Paryavaran Bachao’ Campaign in New Delhi from 10th July
A mega tree plantation drive has been announced by the Delhi Government on 2nd July 2020. The name of the campaign is ‘Paudhe Lagao, Paryavaran Bachao’ meaning ‘Plant Trees, Save Environment’. The campaign will begin on 10th July 2020 and will continue until 26th July 2020.
5. Intel Capital Invests Rs 1894.50 crore in Jio Platforms
United States-based Intel Corporation’s investment arm Intel Capital will invest Rs 1,894.50 crores in Reliance Industries Limited’s (RIL’s) subsidiary company Jio Platform. The announcement was made by Reliance Industries Limited on 3rd July 2020. With this investment, equity value in Jio Platforms rose to Rs 4.91 lakh crore, while Rs 5.16 lakh crore its enterprise value.
6. Tamil Nadu govt announces monthly stipend of Rs. 3000 for the lawyers
Tamil Nadu government on July 2 announced a monthly stipend of Rs. 3000 for the lawyers for the time period of two years. The decision has been taken to help them overcome financial difficulties at the time of the crisis.
The announced stipend was the long-standing demand of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu. The state government has also been implementing an Advocates Welfare Scheme for more than three decades.
7. India’s foreign exchange reserves 5th largest in world
India’s foreign exchange reserves, which currently stand at more than USD 500 billion, are the fifth largest in the world after China, Japan, Switzerland and Russia, as per the International Monetary Fund.
India’s foreign exchange reserves are equivalent to almost one fifth of the country’s gross domestic product. They are considered to be enough to cover 13 months of imports.
8. Ace Choreographer Saroj Khan Passes Away at the Age of 71 due to Cardiac Arrest
Ace Choreographer Saroj Khan has passed away at the age of 71 due to cardiac arrest in Mumbai. Veteran Bollywood choreographer was admitted to Guru Nanak Hospital at Bandra in Mumbai since 17th June 2020 after she complained of breathing problems.
9. 46 million girls went missing in India, says UNFPA report
Among the 142 million women “missing” globally, over 46 million are in India, a UN health agency said. According to the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA), the “missing females” are women cumulatively missing from the population due to postnatal and prenatal sex selection.
The State of World Population 2020 report of UNFPA said India has the highest rate of excess female deaths (13.5 per 1,000 female births), suggesting that an estimated one in nine deaths of females below five may be attributed to postnatal sex selection.
10. Former RBI Governor C. Rangarajan gets Mahalanobis award
Former Reserve Bank of India Governor C. Rangarajan has been conferred the P.C. Mahalanobis Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to official statistics.
Dr. Rangarajan was given the award on the Statistics Day on June 29, at a function held in virtual mode. In his acceptance speech, he said: “I do hope that the National Statistical Commission will be given a statutory form soon. I also hope there will be a satisfactory end to the controversies that have risen on data recently”.
