Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 14 July 2021

::NATIONAL::

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in India and the Rajasthan government have joined hands to improve the Targeted Public Distribution System (TDPS) in the state.
The partnership entails, among other things, the use of digitisation, data aggregation, performance dashboards for monitoring of the TDPS, thus providing a real-time and long-term solution to improve the food and nutritional security for millions, the WFP said in a statement.
"This is a strategic partnership for creating impact at scale by taking advantage of the end-to-end computerisation of the food safety net that works through the Targeted Public Distribution System. Together with the government, we will use the data and insights to facilitate operational and policy decision making," said BishowParajuli, WFP India representative and country director.
This partnership between the WFP and the Department of Food and Civil Supplies of the Rajasthan government is part of a wider strategic Memorandum of Understanding signed late last year.
Rajasthan covers nearly 45 million beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act, served through a network of 26,657 fair price shops, the statement said.

Nepali Congress President SherBahadurDeuba on Tuesday formally became the country's Prime Minister for a record fifth time after the Supreme Court's intervention.
The 75-year-old veteran politician took the oath of office and secrecy from President Bidya Devi Bhandari during a swearing-in ceremony here.
The ceremony, initially set to be held at 6:00 pm (17:45 IST), was delayed after Deuba said he would not take the oath of office until the President revises the notice of his appointment.
A five-member Constitutional Bench led by Chief Justice CholendraShumsherRana, in its order, had said that Deuba must be appointed the Prime Minister in line with Article 76 (5) of the Constitution.
However, the president's office has failed to disclose the article under which Deuba is being made the prime minister in the notice, The Himalayan Times reported.
After receiving some legal counsel, Deuba sent across a message to President Bhandari that he will not take the oath until the error is rectified, the paper said.

NTPC Limited will build the country's single largest solar park of Rann of Katch in Gujarat from where it also plans to generate green hydrogen on a commercial scale. NTPC Renewable Energy - subsidiary of state-run NTPC Limited received the government's approval to establish a 4,750 MW renewable energy park at Rann of Kutch in Khavada, Gujarat, according to a statement released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
This will be the country's largest solar park to be established by the largest power producer in India. NTPC - the country's largest energy integrated company, has aimed to establish 60 GW renewable energy capacity by 2032, as part of its green energy portfolio augmentation.
Presently, the government-owned power major has an installed capacity of 66 GW across 70 power projects with an additional 18 GW under construction.
Recently, the company also commissioned the country's largest floating solar of 10 MW (ac) on the reservoir of Simhadri thermal power plant in Andhra Pradesh, according to the statement by the Ministry of Renewable Energy. Along with that, an additional 15 MW (ac) would be commissioned by next month.

The government has exempted basic customs duty on imports of specified API/ excipients for Amphotericin B and raw materials for manufacturing Covid test kits.
In a notification dated July 12, the Finance Ministry said the basic customs duty exemption on raw materials for manufacturing Covid test kits would be till September 30, 2021.
While the exemption on specified API (active pharmaceutical ingredients)/ excipients for Amphotericin B would be valid till August 31.
EY Tax Partner Abhishek Jain said this is a well thought exemption being granted by the Indian government to fight the Covid crisis and is a step to make the domestic industry self-reliant while fighting the pandemic.
ShardulAmarchandMangaldas& Co Partner Rajat Bose said "this is likely to further bring down the cost of such items in India making it more affordable for the common man".

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat on 12 July 2021 released the first official draft of a new Global Biodiversity Framework to guide actions worldwide through 2030 to preserve and protect nature and its essential services to people.
The framework includes 21 targets for 2030 that call for, among other things:
At least 30% of land and sea areas global (especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and its contributions to people) conserved through effective, equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas (and other effective area-based conservation measures)
A 50% of greater reduction in the rate of introduction of invasive alien species, and controls or eradication of such species to eliminate or reduce their impacts
Reducing nutrients lost to the environment by at least half, and pesticides by at least two thirds, and eliminating the discharge of plastic waste
Nature-based contributions to global climate change mitigation efforts of least 10 GtCO2e per year, and that all mitigation and adaptation efforts avoid negative impacts on biodiversity
Redirecting, repurposing, reforming or eliminating incentives harmful for biodiversity, in a just and equitable way, reducing them by at least $US 500 billion per year
A $US 200 billion increase in international financial flows from all sources to developing countries.

Former India cricketer and a member of 1983 World Cup-winning squad Yashpal Sharma passed away due to cardiac arrest at the age of 66.
Born in Ludhiana on August 11, 1954, Sharma was regarded as one of the finest middle-order batsmen. After making his international debut in 1979 against England, Sharma played 37 Tests for India, scoring 1606 runs with two centuries and nine fifties.
He made his ODI debut against Pakistan in 1978. He had represented India in 42 One Day Internationals in which he scored 883 runs. He was known for his stroke-filled half-century in the semifinal against England in the 1983 campaign at Old Trafford will forever be etched in the public memory.