Daily Current Affairs 18th July 2022

RBI, Banking and Economy

• Survey on Remittances for the year 2020-21: RBI
  • The Reserve Bank of India conducted the fifth round of the Survey on Remittances for the year 2020-21.
  • The share of inward remittances from Gulf nations dipped sharply from more than 50 per cent in 2016-17 (last surveyed period) to about 30 per cent in 2020-21 on account of the economic stress created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

• GST on pre-packed, labelled food items, hospital rooms above Rs 5K from 18 July
  • A goods and services tax (GST) of 5 per cent will now be levied on room rent, excluding ICU, exceeding Rs 5,000 per day per patient charged by a hospital. The tax will be without the input tax credit option.
  • The new levy is effective from, July 18.

• Bank of India with PFRDA launches platform for opening NPS account via mobile phone
  • Bank of India along with pension fund regulator PFRDA launched a digital platform which will allow customers to open NPS accounts using mobile phones.
  • The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and Bank of India launched the digital platform for NPS enrolment in association with K-fintech.

NATIONAL

• 'HarGharTiranga' campaign
  • Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah interacted with Chief Ministers, Lt. Governors and Administrators of States and Union Territories through video conferencing on the 'HarGharTiranga' campaign under AzadiKaAmritMahotsav.
  • The'HarGharTiranga' is a programme to take the spirit of patriotism to the highest level into the hearts and minds of the people.

• MSME Minister Narayan Rane Launches 'Mobile Electric Charging’ App
  • Union Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Narayan Rane launched ‘Repos Pay – a 'Mobile Electric Charging' platform and ‘Phy-gital’ - a Fintech Platform at ‘Fuelling India 2022’ event in Mumbai.

STATES

• Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns as Bengal Governor
  • Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from the post of Governor of Bengal.
  • A lawyer by profession, former MP Dhankhar assumed the charge of Governor of West Bengal in August 2019 After the completion of Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi's tenure.

• Bundelkhand Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Jalaun
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bundelkhand expressway,in Jalaun district,Uttar Pradesh on July 16, 2022.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Asteroid 2022 KY4 headed towards Earth
  • A massive asteroid, almost double the size of the statue of Liberty, made its closest approach to the Earth on July 17, 2022.
  • The asteroid named Asteroid 2022 KY4 is not expected to hit the Earth.

DEFENCE

• Navy decommissions Sindhudhvaj
  • The Navy’s Kilo class submarine INS Sindhudhvaj was decommissioned from service at Visakhapatnam after 35 years in service.
  • The Navy now has 15 conventional submarines in service.
  • The Navy’s sub-surface fleet now includes seven Russian Kilo class submarines, four German HDW submarines, four French Scorpene submarines and the indigenous nuclear ballistic missile submarine Arihant.

• PM Modi Addressed Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation Seminar 'Swavlamban'
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the NIIO (Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation) Seminar ‘Swavlamban’ and unveil ‘SPRINT Challenges’, an initiative to give fillip to usage of indigenous technology in the Indian Navy.
  • NIIO, in conjunction with the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), aims at inducting at least 75 new indigenous technologies / products in the Indian Navy.

SPORTS

• Singapore Open Super 500 trophy
  • Double Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu lifted the Singapore Open Super 500 trophy outwitting China’s Wang Zhi Yi in an intense women’s singles final.
  • Indonesia’s Anthony beat Japan’s Kodai Naraoka in the men’s final.

• Aravindh Chithambaram wins 41st Villa de Benasque chess open 2022 in Spain
  • Indian Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram emerged the winner in the 41st Villa De Benasque International Chess Open after edging Armenia's Robert Hovhannisyan on the basis of tie-break score.
  • Sadhwani finished in third place behind the Armenian Robrt Hovhannisyan.

• IOA announces 322-strong Indian contingent for Commonwealth Games
  • The Indian Olympic Association announced a 322-strong contingent including 215 athletes and 107 officials and support staff for the upcoming Birmingham Commonwealth Games.