Current Affairs for UPSC Exams | 22 July 2019

Government plans for big infrastructure projects : (National)

An Annual Global Investors Summit is to be organized later this year, with the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund anchoring the event, to invite investment in the infrastructure segment, where spending for the next five years is projected at Rs. 100 crore. The government is hoping that this will have a cascading effect of pushing growth.
This was revealed by government sources as the Modi government completed the first 50 days of its second term and shared data on decisions taken by it.
Significantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told close aides in his office that there will be no “settling-in” period this time around as it was a continuing government.
Giving further details, government sources said the 50-day push was important as it clearly delineated the government’s priorities and where it wanted to focus resources and policy thought.
The blistering pace is, however, most evident in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament. Government data shows that at least 17 bills have been cleared and 104 more have been introduced in this session alone, from various ministries.
Apart from this, 58 archaic laws have been repealed continuing on from the last term of the government where nearly a 1000 laws had been repealed.

NITI Aayog VC hopeful of attaining 8% growth from 2020 : (Economy)

NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Rajiv Kumar has said that India will achieve economic growth of 8 per cent plus from the fiscal year 2020-21 onwards as structural reforms are set to produce the benefits.
Talking to a news agency in New York, Mr Kumar said, the foundation has been laid and the transformation has begun with the passing of structural reforms like the Goods and Services Tax, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code. He said, these have taken their time to settle down and now they'll produce the benefits.
Mr Kumar stressed that in the next five years, the Modi government is focused on accelerating growth from the current about seven per cent to more than eight per cent and it will propel the country to easily achieving the target of becoming a five trillion dollar economy.
The NITI Aayog Vice Chairman was in New York for the High-Level Political Forum Ministerial Meeting on Sustainable Development Goals at the United Nations Headquarters. During his visit, he delivered the keynote address at the 'India Investment Seminar' held at the Consulate General of India, New York.
He highlighted that the Union Budget, presented earlier this month, has taken big steps forward for facilitating and further improving ease of doing business by liberalising the inflows of FDI.

Environment ministry claims sharp decline in vulture population in the country : (Science and technology)

There has been a sharp decline in the population of vultures in the country which has come down from 40 million to 19,000 in a span of over three decades, the Environment Ministry told the Parliament on Friday
Responding to a query on the status of vultures in the country, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said there are three species of critically endangered resident Gyps vultures – white-backed vulture, long-billed vulture and slender-billed vulture – whose population as per the latest figures is 6,000, 12,000 and 1,000, respectively
The Minister said nationwide vulture surveys are being carried out by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) every four years sponsored by the Ministry of Environment and Forest Departments of various States since 1990.
The major cause of mortality of vultures was found to be the veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ‘Diclofenac’, given to cattle in pain and inflammation.
The Environment Minister also gave out details of financial support for vulture conservation to various States for saving critically endangered species and habitats of centrally sponsored scheme – Development of Wildlife Habitats.

Indian bodybuilder wins south Asian title : (Sports)

Indian bodybuilder Ravinder Kumar Malik has clinched Mr. South Asia title. He has crowned the overall champion at 12th South Asian Bodybuilding and Physique Sports Championship in Kathmandu yesterday.
Malik, the winner of 80 kg category, was adjudged best bodybuilder among the winners of nine senior men's weight categories. Afghanistan won team championship by securing a top position with 535 points. Host Nepal finished second with 445 points, while India remained third with 380 points.

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