Daily Current Affairs 20th July 2023: Your guide for daily General Knowledge Preparation
Dear Readers,
This post contains important current affairs of 20th July 2023. It includes all Major National, International, Business and Sports related current affairs of 20th July 2023. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these current affairs we would recommend to you to try 20th July 2023 Current affairs test.
National Updates
1. Supreme Court Overhauls Senior Advocate Designation Guidelines
- The Supreme Court has refreshed its guidelines concerning the designation of senior advocates, replacing the regulations set in 2017.
- Now, lawyers with a minimum of 10 years’ experience and those aged 45 and above qualify for the designation.
- Every six months, applications will be scrutinized by a committee consisting of the Chief Justice of India, two senior-most judges, the Attorney General, and a representative from the bar.
2. India Pledges $1 million to the UN for Hindi Promotion
- India has donated $1 million to the United Nations with the purpose of promoting the Hindi language globally.
- The commitment to elevate Hindi’s stature in the UN was reiterated by India’s Permanent Representative, Ruchira Kamboj.
3. Indian Railways Introduces Affordable ₹20 Meal for General Class Passengers
- The Indian Railways has unveiled a budget-friendly meal priced at ₹20 for general compartment passengers. Additionally, passengers can avail snacks for ₹50, which includes 200ml of water.
- The IRCTC kitchen will be preparing these meals, and Zonal Railways will determine the most effective locations for the distribution counters.
4. Surat Outshines Pentagon with World’s Largest Office Building
- The ‘Surat Diamond Bourse’ in Gujarat’s diamond capital, Surat, now holds the distinction of being the world’s largest office building, surpassing the renowned Pentagon in the US.
- The record-breaking structure comprises nine interconnected buildings centered by a main corridor, spanning an impressive 7.1 million square feet of space.
5. Gujarat to House India’s First ‘Satellite Network Portal Site’
- A memorandum of understanding was signed on 19th July between the Gujarat government, the Department of Science and Technology, and London’s OneWeb Company to develop a pioneering ‘Satellite Network Portal Site’.
- Out of the two sites planned by OneWeb, one will be strategically located in Mehsana District, Gujarat, in the Jotana taluka. The objective of this site is to provide fast and economical connectivity across various sectors.
6. INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata Participate in Maritime Exercise in Jakarta
- The Indian Navy’s eminent ships, INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata, have anchored in Jakarta for a naval exercise alongside their Indonesian navy counterparts.
- The joint exercise aims to fortify bilateral ties. The scheduled agenda includes mutual ship visits, collaborative yoga sessions, and sports events.
7. IDBI Bank Introduces ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ Fixed Deposit Scheme
- From April 1st, 2023, IDBI Bank has updated its interest rates for deposits below ₹2 crore.
- The “Amrit Mahotsav FD” scheme pledges enticing returns. Specifically, senior citizens can avail an attractive interest rate of 7.65%.
8. Reliance Inches Closer to Acquiring Alia Bhatt’s EdaMamma Brand
- Reliance Brands Ltd is nearing the completion of its acquisition deal for Alia Bhatt’s children’s apparel line, EdaMamma, which has a market valuation ranging between ₹300-350 crore.
- This acquisition is expected to transform the landscape of the kids’ apparel market and boost EdaMamma’s physical retail presence.
9. National Mango Day Celebrated on July 22
- National Mango Day is commemorated annually on July 22. This tradition dates back to 1987 when the National Horticulture Board of India decided to pay tribute to the beloved fruit.
10. Young Indian Enviro-Activist Moksha Roy Bags UK PM’s Points of Light Award
- Moksha Roy, a seven-year-old with Indian ancestry, has been bestowed with the UK Prime Minister’s Points of Light award in recognition of her environmental efforts.
- Acknowledged globally as a budding advocate for sustainability, Moksha embarked on her crusade against microplastic pollution at the tender age of three.
11. Prof Thalappil Pradeep Honored with International Eni Award
- Prof. Thalappil Pradeep,from the Chemistry Department of IIT Madras, has been awarded the esteemed ‘Eni Award’ for his significant contributions to the fields of energy and environment.
- Prof. Pradeep’s pioneering work predominantly revolves around developing cost-effective solutions for clean water.
12. Chess Prodigy Praggnanandhaa Triumphs in Hungary
- Seventeen-year-old Indian chess sensation, R Praggnanandhaa, clinched the title at the 2023 Super GM chess tournament, amassing 6.5 points in the process.
- After nine intense rounds, Praggnanandhaa managed to gain an edge over competitors hailing from Iran and Russia.
13. DD Sports Secures Broadcasting Rights for FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
- DD Sports, in collaboration with 1Stadia, has acquired the broadcasting rights for the 9th FIFA Women’s World Cup, which is co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
- While FanCode is set to stream the tournament online, DD Sports will hold the exclusive rights for television broadcasting.
14. Manoj Yadava Steps in as New Director General of Railway Protection Force
- IPS officer Manoj Yadava has been appointed as the Director General of the Railway Protection Force (RPF). He succeeds Sanjay Chander, who is due to retire at the end of this month.
- Yadava, an IPS officer from the 1988 batch, will be at the helm of the RPF until July 31, 2025.
15. Nivruti Rai Assumes Leadership at Invest India
- Ms. Nivruti Rai has been instated as the Managing Director & CEO of Invest India, succeeding Ms. Manmeet K Nanda.
- A recipient of the Nari Shakti Puraskar, Rai is known for her substantial contributions in the realm of technology.
16. UN Sheds Light on Global Gender Parity
- A recent report by UN Women and UNDP highlights the profound gender disparity and the persistent challenges faced by women in their empowerment journey globally.
- To monitor progress in this domain, the report introduces two novel indices: the Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) and the Global Gender Parity Index (GGPI).
17. Mumbai’s Position Declines in QS Best Student Cities Rankings
- Mumbai, while being the top-performing Indian city in the QS Best Student Cities 2024 list, has experienced a dip in its global rank, now placed at 118th position.
- This ranking evaluates 160 premier education destinations, and cities must meet specific criteria to be considered.
18. U.P. Gets Allocation of 1 Lakh PMAYG Houses
- Owing to 24 States and UTs not meeting the PMAYG house sanction deadline, 1.44 lakh houses have been reallocated to Uttar Pradesh.
- The overarching objective is to construct approximately 2.95 crore houses under the PMAYG Scheme before the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
19. Gruha Lakshmi Scheme Launched in Karnataka
- Registrations began on 19th July 2023 for the Gruha Lakshmi initiative in Karnataka, which aims to provide monthly financial assistance of Rs.2000 to women who head households.
- The scheme promises a hassle-free registration process without any intermediaries.
20. Rajya Sabha Approves ‘Regulation of Trees in Delhi’ Bill
- The ‘Delhi Tree Protection Bill’ was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 20th July 2023. This legislation pledges enhanced protection for Delhi’s trees, introducing stringent rules to regulate their felling.
21. Nation Remembers Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit
- The 20th of July marked the 4th death anniversary of Sheila Dikshit, the longest-serving Chief Minister of Delhi. Across the country, individuals and institutions paid their respects and remembered her contributions.
