Current Context : Recently, Telangana government has launched the Rajiv Gandhi Civil Abhaya Hastham scheme.

• Aims to provide financial assistance to candidates who have cleared the UPSC Civil Services Prelims Exam 2023 & 2024.
• It provide financial support of 1 lakh each to candidates hailing from Telangana districts who qualify the preliminary round of UPSC Civil Service examination 2024.
• It is developed in collaboration with the Singareni organization.

Current Context : Recently, Atal Innovation Mission and World Intellectual Property Organization signed a Letter of Intent towards building joint innovation programs in global south.

Aim : Building programs for Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Intellectual Property (IP) for countries in the Global South.

ABOUT WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION (WIPO)

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations, that releases the Global Innovation Index (GII) annually.
• Established in 1967
• Aim : to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world.
• Headquarter : in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Members : 193 member states.
• Intellectual property (IP) is a category of property that includes intangible creations of the human intellect, and primarily encompasses copyrights, patents and trademarks.
• It also includes other types of rights, such as trade secrets, publicity rights, moral rights, and rights against unfair competition.

ABOUT ATAL INNOVATION MISSION:

• Atal Innovation Mission is a flagship initiative by the NITI Aayog to create a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship across India.

Current Context : The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) has found 1,600 tonnes of lithium resources have been found in Karnataka’s Mandya and Yadgiri districts.

ABOUT LITHIUM

• Lithium, an element on the periodic table, is highly valuable worldwide.
• Discovered in 1817 by Johan August Arfvedson, its name comes from the Greek word lithos, meaning stone.
• Lithium is the lightest metal, reacts strongly with water, and can be toxic.
• It has the lowest density of all metals.
• It has been identified as critical and strategic minerals under Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) (Amendment) Act 2023.

Uses of Lithium  :

In batteries: Rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries, Alloys and Industrial Use.

28 July is observed as World Hepatitis Day

• Celebrated to raise awareness about hepatitis, a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.
• Goal : to promote hepatitis prevention, testing, and treatment while also showing support for people impacted by the disease.
• Theme : It’s time for action
• This date was chosen to honour the birthday of Dr. Baruch Blumberg, the Nobel Laureate who discovered the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for it.

About Hepatitis

• Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, often caused by viral infections but also due to other factors such as alcohol consumption, certain medications, and autoimmune diseases.
• Types : Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.
• Symptoms : fatigue, bloating, pain, inflammation, weight loss, dark urine, clay-coloured stools, jaundice, loss of weight, weakness.

Current Context : Bir Billing in Kangra district will host the Paragliding World Cup, 2024, from November 02 to 09 2024.

For this event, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the official website of Paragliding World Cup.

• In this cup 130 pilots from nearly 50 countries were expected to take part.
• World Cup would be organised by the Billing Paragliding Association in collaboration with the Himachal Pradesh govt.

ABOUT PARAGLIDING WORLD CUP :

• The Paragliding World Cup (or PWC for short) is a cross country flying competition for paraglider pilots.
• It is organized by the Paragliding World Cup Association (PWCA), based in Marlens, France. Each year.
• The Paragliding World Cup Tour visits 5-6 different locations worldwide.

Current Context : Recently, the Indian Army soldiers has departed for Mongolia to take part in the Multinational Military Exercise KHAAN QUEST 2024.

• The exercise will run from July 27 to August 9, 2024, at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
• Exercise was began in 2003 as a bilateral event between the USA and the Mongolian Armed Forces.
• This is the 21st edition of the annual exercise.
• It involves military forces from around the world, with a focus on high-degree physical fitness, joint planning, and joint tactical drills.
• The Indian Army contingent comprising 40 personnel is being represented mainly by troops from a Battalion of the MADRAS REGIMENT along with personnel from other Arms and Services.
• One Woman Officer and two Women Soldiers will also form part of the contingent.
• The exercise will strengthen the interoperability and military readiness of the Indian Armed Forces for peacekeeping missions in a multinational environment.

Current Context : Madhya Pradesh has secured the first place under the ‘Best Performing State’ category in the Prime Minister SVANidhi scheme.

• Assam has been ranked second in the ‘Best Performing States- Innovation and Best Practices Award’ category.

ABOUT SVANIDHI SCHEME.

• The micro-credit scheme for urban street vendors.
• It provides collateral-free loans up to Rs 50,000.
• It was launched by the Central government in 2020 during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Current Context : Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry  of forest released Forest cover report 2021.

• The total forest cover of the country is 7,13,789 square kilometer which is 21.71% of the geographical area of the country.
• The tree cover increased by 721 square kilometer during 2019 to 2021.
• There is no loss of tree cover during 2019 and 2021.
• Maximum forest area State – Madhya Pradesh has the forest cover in state with 77,493 square kilometres, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
• Among the Union Territories, Chandigarh had the least area under forest cover, a mere 23 square kilometres.
• Among the states, Haryana had the least forest cover (1603 sq km), followed by Punjab (1847 sq km).
• Himachal Pradesh has 15,443 square kilometres covering 27.73% of total geographical area.

Current Context : Recently, The Henley Passport Index has released its 2024 ranking of the most powerful passports in the world.

• London-based global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners has released the list of the world’s most powerful passports.
• 1^st position holding country – Singapore, providing visa-free access to 195 countries.
• The second position is shared by five countries: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain, which provide visa-free access to 192 countries.
• India is ranked at 82nd spot along with Senegal and Tajikistan giving visa-free access to 58 countries.
• This ranking allows Indian passport holders to travel to 58 countries without the need for a visa.
• At the bottom of the list is Afghanistan, which gives its citizens visa-free access to just 26 countries.

ABOUT HENLEY PASSPORT INDEX

• The Henley Passport Index, which compiles its data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), serves as a comprehensive resource for assessing global travel privileges.
• The Henley Passport Index 2024 July Global Ranking includes 199 passports and 227 travel destinations, giving users the most extensive and reliable information about their global access and mobility.

Current Context : PM Modi Announces One Million Dollar Grant To UNESCO World Heritage Centre during the inauguration of the 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

• India is hosting the World Heritage Committee Meeting for the first time which will continue till 31st of July.
• This grant will be used for capacity building, technical assistance and conservation of the world heritage sites and will especially be used for the countries of the Global South.

ABOUT

• The World Heritage emblem represents the interdependence of the world’s natural and cultural diversity.
• It is used to identify properties protected by the World Heritage Committee.
• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
• This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
• Committee meets once a year and is responsible for managing all matters pertaining to World Heritage and deciding on sites to be inscribed on the World Heritage list.