4th JULY CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. MOD approves construction of 17 New Baffle Firing Ranges

 

Ministry of Defence has given a go ahead sanction for construction of 17 new baffle firing ranges in Military Stations/Cantonments/Training Establishments at an approximate cost of Rs. 238 crores. 

• This will add seven ranges to the Southern Command, Three to the Eastern Command, Two to the Northern Command, one each to the South Western and Central Commands. The one at Central Command is proposed for the Officers Training Academy, Gaya.
• These 17 will be in addition to the 60 similar firing ranges existing all over the country. The proposed baffle shooting ranges can facilitate firing from 300 to 500 meters.  
• Baffle firing ranges are covered shooting practice areas which prevent possible accidents due to stray bullet injuries.

2. Indian Army Motorcycle Expedition to Commemorate Kargil Vijay Diwas

A motorcycle expedition comprising of ‘SHWET ASHW’ the elite Motorcycle Display Team of the Corps of Military Police, was flagged off’ on 02 July 2018 to commemorate the victory of Indian Army in Operation Vijay 1999.

• The expedition will traverse a distance of more than 3250 Kms from Bangalore to Dras, Jammu and Kashmir over a period of 24 days across eight states of the country, reaching Kargil War Memorial, Dras on 26 July 2018. 
• The ‘SHWET ASHW’ was raised in the year 1952 at CMP Centre & School, Faizabad. Since its raising the team has performed at various National and International events and holds Three Guinness Book World Records in its name. 

3. Election Commission of India launches Mobile App “cVIGIL”

The Chief Election Commissioner Shri. O.P. Rawat, along with the Election Commissioners Shri Sunil Arora and Shri Ashok  Lavasa launched a mobile app, called ‘Cvigil,’ on July 3, 2018, for citizens to report any violation of the model code of conduct during elections.

• “cVIGIL" is a user-friendly and easy to operate Android application. It will be operational only where elections are announced.
• However, the beta version of the app will be made available for the public and election staff to download so that they can acquaint themselves with its features and also try sending dummy data.
• Upon successful completion of the trial that is underway, the application will be made available for general use by all, right from the forthcoming Assembly elections in the States of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Rajasthan.
• The practical use of the app during the four-state Assembly polls will also serve as a pilot initiative before it is put to extensive use during the next Lok Sabha General Elections.

4. Jharkhand to set up country's first Khadi mall

The first 'Khadi Mall' of the country will be opened in Ranchi soon, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das announced.

• Land in the Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) campus will be made available to the Khadi Board to develop the country's first Khadi mall.

5. DoNER Minister Dr Jitendra Singh attends "Behdienkhlam" festival at Jowai, Meghalaya

The Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (I/C), Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh​ attended the famous 4-day Meghalaya Annual Cultural Festival, "Behdienkhlam", held every year at the small peripheral town of Jowai, Meghalaya.

• On the concluding day of the festival, Dr Jitendra Singh spent time with the visitors from across the region who had come to attend the festival. He also showed interest in the religious rituals associated with the event.

6. NITI Aayog to organise India’s First Global Mobility Summit

Steeply falling technology costs and business – model innovation are driving the world’s transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles. 

• Against this background, NITI Aayog, in collaboration with various ministries and industry partners, is organising ‘MOVE: Global Mobility Summit’ in New Delhi on 7th and 8th September, 2018.
• This Summit will help drive Government’s goals for vehicle electrification,  renewable energy integration and job growth and also speed up India’s transition to a clean energy economy.
• MOVE Summit aims to bring together and engage with key stakeholders within the rapidly transforming global mobility landscape and to evolve a public interest framework for a shared, connected, zero emission and inclusive mobility agenda for the future.
• The Summit will constitute three designated components – The Conclave, the Expo and the Featured Events.

7. Rajat Sharma elected as DDCA president

Senior journalist Rajat Sharma beat the World Cup winning Indian cricketer Madan Lal by 517 votes to become the new president of the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association.

• Sharma’s group swept the elections, winning all 12 seats.
• Sharma got a total of 1,531 votes while former Test cricketer Lal could only poll 1,004 votes.

8. Saraswati Prasad assumes charge as SAIL CMD

Senior bureaucrat Saraswati Prasad has taken over the additional charge as chairman and managing director of steel PSU SAIL.

• Prasad succeeds P K Singh who retired on June 30.
• The government headhunter PESB had earlier recommended the name of Anil Kumar Chaudhary for the top post of SAIL.

9. Former Navy chief J.G. Nadkarni passes away

Former Indian Navy chief, Admiral Jayant Ganpat Nadkarni passed away. He was 86.

• Nadkarni, the 14th Chief of Naval Staff (December 1987 – November 1990), breathed his last at the naval hospital INHS Asvini.
• He was an avid maritime historian and was a founding member of the Maritime History Society.