GUJARAT

Salt exports down 70% due to China curbs

The killer Covid-19 pandemic, rising freight charges and a slew of restrictions on Indian crew and cargo imposed by China has resulted in a massive decrease of salt exports from India.

China is the biggest importer of Indian salt with nearly 50 lakh tonnes being shipped there annually. However, this has reduced to just 15 lakh tonnes in the period from June 2020 to June 2021 compared to 50 lakh tonnes in the comparative period the year ago, according to data shared by Indian Salt Manufacturers Association (ISMA). This period marks the end of the salt season. This is the second consecutive year that exports to China have fallen. Last year, the export was down because of worldwide lockdowns and the US-China trade war.

China is the world’s biggest producer of salt but it imports huge quantities from India in order to re-export it to the US and European countries where it is used for industrial purposes as well as de-icing. They prefer importing from China due to logistics convenience.

INTERNATIONAL

India Signs MoU with World Bank for $250 Million Project

The World Bank has authorized a USD 250 million project in India for long-term dam safety software and improving the safety and performance of existing dams across quite a number of states of India.

Highlights:

The 2nd Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP-2) agreement was inked on between the World Bank, the Indian Government, the Central Water Commission, and government representatives from 10 collaborating states. The assignment will be applied at the countrywide stage through the Central Water Commission (CWC).

At the national level, about a hundred and twenty dams will be undertaken throughout Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu. Other states or businesses may additionally be added to the mission at some point of task implementation.

NATIONAL

Nearly 27% food samples found substandard in 2020-21, one in five such samples found unsafe: Govt

Nearly 27% of the food samples picked up for testing in 2020-21 did not conform to the standards and one out of every five non-conforming samples was found to be unsafe.
In a written reply, the food and consumer affairs ministry told Rajya Sabha that 23,493 out of the 86,696 food samples that were analysed were found non-conforming to the standards and 4,675 samples were found to be “unsafe”. Another 11,027 of the samples that were analysed were found as substandard.

According to the government data, a maximum of 1,921 food samples were found unsafe in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Tamil Nadu (1,221) and Kerala (543). Meghalaya was the only state where all 48 samples were found to be conforming with the prescribed standards.
The ministry informed the Upper House that 20,959 civil cases were registered against the offenders and 13,195 cases were decided. Another 3,608 criminal cases were initiated against the violators and 486 cases were decided. According to the ministry, the state government agencies have raised a penalty of Rs 4.21 crore against the violators.

It said no separate data is available with respect to action taken in respect of food grain distributed at PDS shops.

48% parents not willing to send their kids to schools till they get Covid vaccines: Survey

Nearly 48 per cent parents are not willing to send their children to schools till they are vaccinated against the novel coronavirus infection, says a new survey.

The survey conducted with over 32,000 parents across 361 districts in the country found that 30 per cent parents are willing to send their wards to schools if coronavirus cases in their districts come down to zero.

Vaccinating children in the coming months is going to be key if children are to go to schools for physical classes. Forty-eight per cent of the surveyed parents said they are not willing to send their children to schools till they are vaccinated.

“At least 21 per cent of parents said whenever the schools reopen, they are ready to send their wards there,” said the survey by an online platform, Local Circles.

Nearly 47 per cent of the respondents of the survey were from tier 1 districts, 27 per cent from tier 2 and 26 per cent respondents were from tier 3, 4 and rural districts.

The states that have partially reopened schools this month include Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have announced reopening of schools in the first week of August.

Bronze Medal for the Indian Hockey Team

Indian men’s hockey team defeated Germany to win their first-ever Olympic medal in forty-one years.

Key Points:

♦ India wins the bronze medal in men’s hockey after beating Germany 5-4 at Tokyo Olympics. Before this podium ended for bronze, India closing climbed up the Olympic podium in 1980, gaining its 8th gold at the Games. Simranjeet Singh scored two desires for India at the Oi Hockey Stadium, alongside Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and Rupinder Pal Singh, including their names on the scoresheet.

Lovlina Claims Bronze Medal in Tokyo Olympics

Indian Boxer Lovlina Borgohain has failed to attain the gold medal remaining match. She settles for a bronze medal.

Key Points:

This is India’s third medal of the ongoing Tokyo Olympics. She lost to Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey by unanimous selection in the women’s welterweight (69 kg) semifinal at Tokyo 2020. Lovlina had already assured India of their first boxing medal at the ongoing Olympic Games when she upstaged former world champion, Nien-Chin Chen of Taiwan, to enter the semis.

Performance of National AIDS Control Programme

An external evaluation of the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) was conducted in 2020 on the advice of NITI Aayog, which found that the programme has done a commendable job and performed very well.

Highlights:

♦ The NACP was launched in 1992. It is being implemented as a comprehensive programme to prevent and manipulate HIV/AIDS in India.

♦ The NACP I was started in 1992 and was implemented with the goal of slowing down HIV infections so as to decrease morbidity, mortality and the effect of AIDS in the country.

♦ In November 1999, the 2nd National AIDS Control Project (NACP II) was launched to limit the unfold of HIV contamination in India and expand India’s potential to respond to HIV/AIDS on a long-term basis.

♦ The 3rd National AIDS Control Project (NACP III) was launched in July 2007 to Halt and Reverse the Epidemic over its five-year period.

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