1.NGMA to organise virtual tour to commemorate Abanindranath Tagore
News: National Gallery of Modern Art will organise the virtual tour to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Abanindranath Tagore.
Facts:
- Abanindranath Tagore: He was one of the most prominent artists of India.
- Contributions:
- Abanindranath was the first major supporter of swadeshi values in Indian art.
- He first created the ‘Indian Society of Oriental Art’ and later went on to establish Bengal school of art which led to the development of modern Indian painting.
- He also sought to modernise the Mughal and Rajput styles to counter the influence of Western models of art, as taught in art schools under the British Raj.
- Famous Paintings: Ganesh Janani, Bharat Mata, The Victory of Buddha, The Passing of Shah Jahan.
- Famous Books: Aban Thakur, Rajkahini, Budo Angla, Nalak and Khirer Putul were important books in Bengali language children’s literature and art.
2.Canada’s last fully intact Arctic ice shelf collapses
News: The last fully intact ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic named Milne Ice Shelf has collapsed losing more than 40% of its area.
Facts:
- Milne Ice Shelf: It is a fragment of the former Ellesmere Ice Shelf which is located in Nunavut, Canada.
- It is the second largest ice shelf in the Arctic Ocean and is situated on the north-west coast of Ellesmere Island.
3.G C Murmu appointed as Comptroller and Auditor-General of India(CAG)
News: Former Jammu & Kashmir Governor Girish Chandra Murmu has been appointed the next Comptroller and Auditor General(CAG) of India.
Facts:
- Comptroller and Auditor General(CAG): It is a constitutional body established under Article 148 of the Constitution of India.
- Purpose: CAG audits all receipts and expenditure of the Government of India and the state governments,including those of bodies and authorities substantially financed by the government.
- Appointment: CAG is appointed by the President of India following a recommendation by the Prime Minister.
- Tenure: 6 yrs or up to 65 yrs of age (whichever is earlier).
- Removal: CAG can be removed by the President only in accordance with the procedure mentioned in the Constitution that is the manner same as removal of a Supreme Court Judge.
- Salary: The administrative expenses of the office of the Comptroller and Auditor-General including all salaries, allowances and pensions payable to or in respect of persons serving in that office shall be charged upon the Consolidated Fund of India.
- Further Office: The CAG shall not be eligible for further office either under the Government of India or under the Government of any State after he has ceased to hold his office.
4.All UN members can join International Solar Alliance:MEA
News: An amendment made in the International Solar Alliance(ISA) agreement has allowed all 192 member countries of the United Nations to join the Alliance.
Earlier, the alliance was only open to the solar resource-rich countries situated between the tropic of Cancer and tropic of Capricorn.
Facts:
- International Solar Alliance(ISA): It is a multilateral forum jointly launched by India and France on the side-lines of the 21st Conference of Parties(COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2015.
- Aim: To work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
- Objectives:
- To collectively address key common challenges to scale up solar energy applications in line with their needs
- To mobilize investments of more than USD 1000 billion by 2030;
- To bring about a major decrease in the cost of solar energy
- To scale up applications of solar technologies in member countries and facilitate collaborative research and development (R&D).
- Members: Till now, 87 countries have signed the Framework Agreement of the ISA and of these 67 have deposited their instruments of ratification.
- Headquarters: Gurugram, India.
5.Ministry of Agriculture funding start-ups under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana
News: The Ministry of Agriculture has been funding start-ups under the innovation and agri entrepreneurship component of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana in 2020-21.
Facts:
- Innovation and Agri-entrepreneurship Development programme: It is a component launched under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana in order to promote innovation and agri entrepreneurship by providing financial support and nurturing the incubation ecosystem.
Additional Facts:
- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied sector Rejuvenation(RKVY-RAFTAAR): It was launched in 2007 to ensure holistic development of agriculture and allied sectors.
- Objective: To make farming a remunerative economic activity through strengthening the farmers effort, risk mitigation and promoting agri-business entrepreneurship.
- Approach: It allows states to choose their own agriculture and allied sector development activities as per the district/state agriculture plan.
- Funding: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with funds to be provided to the States as 60:40 grants between Centre and States (90:10 for North Eastern States and Himalayan States).For Union Territories the funding pattern is 100 % central grant.
6.Uttarakhand, Maharashtra had highest leopard poaching in India: TRAFFIC study
News: TRAFFIC India has released a paper titled ‘‘SPOTTED’ in Illegal Wildlife Trade: A Peek into Ongoing Poaching and Illegal Trade of Leopards in India’.
Facts:
Key Takeaways:
- The seizure and mortality of ‘common leopards’ revealed that of the total of 747 leopard deaths between 2015-2019 in India, 596 were linked to illegal wildlife trade and activities related to poaching.
- The highest numbers of poaching incidents were reported from the States of Uttarakhand and Maharashtra.
Additional Facts:
Indian Leopard(Common Leopard):
- Indian Leopard: It is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent.
- Habitat: It is distributed in India, Nepal, Bhutan and parts of Pakistan.
- IUCN Status: Vulnerable
- Threats: Habitat Destruction, Human-Animal Conflict and Illegal Wildlife Trade.
TRAFFIC: It is the leading non-governmental organisation(NGO) working globally on the trade of wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity and sustainable development.
- Founded in: It was founded in 1976 as a strategic alliance of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
- Location: Cambridge, UK
7.NGMA to organize a virtual tour titled “The Great Maestro Abanindranath Tagore”
News: National Galary of Modern Art, New Delhi will organize the virtual tour titled “The Great Maestro -Abanindranath Tagore” to commemorate the150th Birth Anniversary of Abanindranath Tagore on 7th August 2020.
Facts:
- Abanindranth Tagore was born in Kolkata in 1871. He is the nephew of Rabindranath Tagore.
- He was the principal artist and creator of the “Indian Society of Oriental Art”.
- He was also the first major exponent of Swadeshi values in Indian art, thereby founding the influential Bengal school of art, which led to the development of modern Indian painting.
Additional Facts:
Bengal School of Art
Key features:
- Use of indigenous materials such as tempera, or a sombre colour palette with limited colours.
- The Ajanta style of painting, as well as Mughal, Rajasthani and Pahari styles were evident influences in the works made by Bengal School artists.
- Bengal School artists typically painted romantic landscapes, historical themes and portraits, as well as scenes from daily rural life.
8.Union Minister of Panchayati Raj & Rural Development distributes National Panchayat Awards 2020
News: National Panchayat Awards 2020 were distributed.
Facts:
- The best performing Panchayats recommended by the State Governments are given Panchayat Awards under Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS).
- The awards are given on the National Panchayat Day celebrated on 24th of April every year.
Additional Facts:
Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme
- Panchayat Empowerment and Accountability Incentive Scheme (PEAIS) is a Central Sector Plan Scheme.
- It is aimed at (i) incentivization of States for devolving funds, functions and functionaries (3Fs) to Panchayats and (ii) incentivization of Panchayats to put in place accountability systems to make their functioning transparent and efficient.
News: Since 2015, National Handloom Day is celebrated every year on 7th August.
Facts:
Initiatives launched on National Handloom Day, 2020
- Mobile App & Backend Website for Handloom Mark Scheme (HLM): The app helps ascertain the genuineness and originality of the product through unique and dynamic QR code labels affixed on each handloom product.
- “My Handloom” portal: It is a portal for individual weavers and other organizations for applying for various benefits under the various handloom schemes.
- #Vocal4Handmade: It is a social media campaign launched to promote handloom products
News: Indian Railways introduced first “Kisan Rail” from Devlali to Danapur today on 7th august.
Facts:
- Kisan rail is a special train which aims to help in bringing perishable agricultural products like vegetables, fruits to the market in a short period of time.
11.Food Vision 2050 prize for Naandi Foundation’s Arakunomics
News: Rockefeller Foundation has selected Naandi Foundation, Hyderabad-based non-profit, as one of the ‘Top 10 Visionaries’ in the world for the Food Vision 2050 Prize.
Facts:
- Arakunomics: It is a new integrated economic model that ensures profits for farmers and quality for consumers through regenerative agriculture. It was based on work with tribal farmers in Araku
