Current Context : Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) issued guidelines for Utilization and Processing of Steel Slag in Road Construction.

ABOUT STEEL SLAG

• It is a by-product of smelting ores and recycled metals.
• It is mainly a mixture of metal oxides and silicon dioxide.
• It is a solid waste generated during the conversion of iron into steel in a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) or during the melting of scrap to make steel.
• Key Applications: Road base course material (Steel Slag Road Technology (SSRT)), Blending material for Portland cement, Fertilizer and soil improvement etc.

Benefits of Steel Slag Road Technology : Improved durability of road, Improved skid resistance, Reduction of carbon footprint in road construction.

Current Context : The 16th edition of India-Mongolia joint military exercise ‘Nomadic Elephant’ started in Meghalaya.

ABOUT NOMADIC ELEPHANT

• It is an annual training event with Mongolia which is conducted alternatively in Mongolia and India. The 15th edition of the Joint Military Exercise was conducted in Mongolia’s Ulaanbaatar.
• Aim : to enhance interoperability for semi-conventional operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain.

Current Context : 116 people were killed, several others injured, in a stampede which happened during a satsang hosted by a local preacher Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari aka Bhole Baba in Hathras, UP.

ABOUT HATHRAS

• Hathras is a historical city in Uttar Pradesh.
• It was formed on 3 May 1997 by merging parts of Aligarh, Mathura and Agra.

Current Context : RBI ties up with ASEAN for instant cross-border retail payments under Project Nexus.

• India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and FPSs of Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand will be interlinked through

ABOUT NEXUS

• It is a multilateral international initiative to enable instant cross-border retail payments.
• It will connect faster payment systems of four ASEAN countries, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and India.
• The Nexus platform is projected to play an important role in making retail cross-border payments “efficient, faster, and more cost-effective”.

Current Context : Recently, Central government has extended the Smart City Mission timeline till March 2025.

ABOUT SMART CITY MISSION

• Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• Launched in 2015.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Aim : to promote cities that provide core infrastructure, a clean and sustainable environment, and a high quality of life through the application of ‘smart solutions’.

Current Context : Recently, Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released Global Liveability Index.

• The 2024 index, focused on towns around the world based on things like education, healthcare, culture the environment, stability, and infrastructure.
• This ranking evaluates 173 cities worldwide based on several factors, including stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.

Relevant Facts

• Vienna ranked first.
• Copenhagen, Denmark, stays in second place, and Zurich, Switzerland ranked
• Viennaexcelled in most of these categories, showcasing its high quality of life.
• These cities are noted for their robust healthcare systems, excellent infrastructure, and rich cultural environments.
• Indian cities such as Delhi and Mumbai ranked around the 141 position.

Best Cities To Live In The World:

1. Vienna, Austria
2. Copenhagen, Denmark
3. Zurich, Switzerland
4. Melbourne, Australia
5. Calgary, Canada (tied with Geneva)

Worst Cities To Live In The World:

1. Caracas, Venezuela
2. Kyiv, Ukraine
3. Port Moresby, PNG
4. Harare, Zimbabwe
5. Dhaka, Bangladesh

Current Context : On the occasion of 18th Statistics Day, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released Sustainable Development Goals – National Indicator Framework Progress Report, 2024.

• SDG-NIF report is released in consultation with concerned Ministries, UN Agencies, and other stakeholders.
• This annual report facilitates monitoring of the SDGs’ progress at national level.
• 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is centered around 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 associated targets.

RELEVANT DATA

• The Number of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) provided bank credit linkage has increased from 18.32 lakh in 2015-16 to 44.15 lakh in 2023-24.
• Gross Value Added in agriculture per worker (in ₹) has increased from 61,427 in 2015-16 to 87,609 in 2023-24.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher secondary education has increased from 48.32 in 2015-16 to 57.60 in 2021-22.
• Exclusive women SHGs in Bank linked SHGs has increased from 88.92% in 2015-16 to 97.53% in 2023-24.
• The Maternal Mortality Ratio has declined from 130 per 1,00,000 live births in 2014-16 to 97 per 1,00,000 live births in 2018-20
• The Under-five mortality rate has declined from 43 per 1000 live births in 2015 to 32 per 1000 live births in 2020.

Current Context : The three new criminal laws were passed by Parliament in 2023 are effective from 01 July 2024 in the entire country.

ABOUT LAWS :

1. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 replaced Indian Penal Code,1860

• Community services for petty offense such as including attempted suicide to obstruct public servants’ duties.
• Sexual acts against women under section 18 are classified as rape, regardless of consent.
• Terrorist act is defined as a separate offence.

2. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 replaced Criminal Procedure Code, 1973

• Detention of undertrials: Accused detained for half the maximum sentence must be released on bond, except for death penalty or life imprisonment cases, or those with multiple pending charges.
• Signatures and finger impressions: Magistrate of the first class can order an accused person, to give specimen signatures or finger impressions or handwriting or voice samples.

3. Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 replaced Indian Evidence Act, 1872

• Electronic and digital records are granted equal legal status as paper documents.
• Oral evidence comprises all statements, including electronic ones, permitted or required by the Court from witnesses regarding matters under inquiry.

Current Context : Sujata Saunik becomes first woman Chief Secretary of Maharashtra.

ABOUT

• She is a 1987 batch IAS officer, became the first female Chief Secretary of Maharashtra.
• She worked as additional chief secretary in the Home Department and General Administration Department, Government of Maharashtra.
• She will be the 45th CS of Maharashtra since 1960, when the state came into being.

Current Context : Former P.M of Portugal Antonio Costa elected as the President of European Council.

• He will replace Charles Michel of Belgium and will take charge on 1 October 2024.

ABOUT  

• The European Council is the top body of the 27-member European Union.
• It sets the political agenda of the European Union and meets twice a year.
• Election method : Secret ballot.
• Term : 2.5 years and can bere-elected once.
• The office of the President of the European Council was made a permanent body in 2009  after the enforcement of the Treaty of Lisbon 2007.