PM Modi launches India''s first international bullion exchange in Gujarat 

• With the inauguration of IIBE, India can not only influence the gold pricing but also play a role in setting the gold prices.
• Prime Minister also launched NSE IFSC-SGX Connect and laid the foundation stone of the headquarters of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) at GIFT City.
• IFSCA also signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with regulatory authorities of Singapore, Luxembourg, Qatar, and Sweden in the presence of PM Narendra Modi.

Kerala tops in holding Assembly sittings in 2021

• The State’s showing was impressive as 2021 saw the more virulent second wave of the pandemic. In fact, between 2016 and 2019, it remained at the top with an average of 53 days.
• Despite enjoying the record of having the highest number of sittings in 2021, Kerala (where the Left Democratic Front is in power since May 2016) had promulgated 144 ordinances, also the highest in the country.
• Making the findings in its study on the functioning of State Assemblies for 2021, the PRS Legislative Research (PRS), a New Delhi-based think tank, states that for the year in question, Odisha followed Kerala with 43 sitting days; Karnataka 40, and Tamil Nadu 34 days.
• Of the 28 State Assemblies and one Union Territory’s legislature, 17 met for less than 20 days. Of them, five — Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Delhi — met for less than 10 days. The figures for Uttar Pradesh, Manipur and Punjab were 17, 16 and 11, respectively.

PM Modi to address inaugural session of first All India District Legal Services Authorities

• The first-ever national-level meet of District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) is being organized at Vigyan Bhawan by National Legal Services Authority. The meeting will deliberate on the creation of an integrated procedure to bring homogeneity and synchronization across DLSAs.
• There are a total of 676 District Legal Services Authorities in the country. They are headed by the District Judge who acts as Chairman of the authority.
• Through DLSAs and State Legal Services Authorities, various legal aid and awareness programs are implemented by National Legal Services Authority. The DLSAs also contribute towards reducing the burden on courts by regulating the Lok Adalats conducted by NALSA.

PM Modi to launch Rs 3.03 trillion scheme for power discoms

• The scheme, with an outlay of over Rs 3.03 trillion in five years to FY26, will enable discoms to modernise and strengthen the distribution infrastructure and improve the reliability and quality of supply of power to end consumers.
• It also aims to reduce the AT&C (aggregate technical and commercial) losses to pan-India levels of 12-15% and ACS-ARR (average cost of supply-average revenue realised) gap to zero by 2024-25. REC and PFC have been nominated as nodal agencies for the scheme.
• RDSS mandates compulsory installation of smart meters across the country. The Centre has set an ambitious target of installing 250 million smart meters by 2025.
• With this new scheme coming into force, all other previous schemes such as Integrated Power Development Scheme, Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and Ujjwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY) would stand subsumed.

IAF releases names of pilots killed in Thursday night’s MiG-21 crash

• There have been six MiG-21 Bison crashes in the last two 20 months, with five crashes in 2021 and one in 2022. Five pilots have lost their lives in these crashes. However, this is the first fatal trainer aircraft crash of the MiG-21 Bison in a long time.
• There are four squadrons of MiG-21 Bison aircraft currently in service in the IAF with each squadron comprising 16-18 aircraft, including two trainer versions. Out of these one squadron, Srinagar-based No 51 Squadron, is going to be retired from service or ‘number plated’ in IAF jargon on September 30 this year, leaving three squadrons in service.
• Out of these three squadrons, one will be number plated each year and, thus, MiG-21 Bison will be phased out of IAF by 2025. The IAF is looking towards reviving these squadrons back into service with the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

Govt proposes amendments in Cantonments Act, 2006

• This information was given by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. He said the draft bill is under finalization. The elections to Cantonment Boards are proposed to be held thereafter.
• Defence Minister said a framework for cutting out civil areas of certain Cantonments and to merge them with neighbouring State municipalities is under consultation with concerned States.
• He said this will provide uniformity in local governance and greater ease of living for citizens in the process.

Narendra Singh Tomar to give away Agriculture Infrastructure Fund Awards

• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) was launched two years ago under the ambitious Aatmanirbhar Bharat Package as a dedicated Central Government scheme that provides medium-long term credit facility for investment in creation of post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets.
• This facility comes with financial support by way of three per cent Interest subvention from Government and credit guarantee by CGTMSE fee up to two crore rupees.
• This scheme can be converged with the existing Central Government and State Government schemes. This has immensely benefitted stakeholders in the agricultural ecosystem - Farmers, Agri-entrepreneur, FPO, SHG, JLG, PACS, APMC, Startup, Central, Marketing Cooperative Society, State Agencies etc.

Tadoba Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra plays host for National Global Tiger Day Celebrations 2022

• He said that the Government of India has demonstrated its commitment to tiger conservation by increasing number of tiger reserves from initial nine in 1973 to the current 52, the latest being Ramgarh Vishdhari in Rajasthan.
• The declaration to celebrate Global Tiger Day was taken on 29th July 2010 at St Petersberg in order to bring all tiger range countries together for increased thrust on tiger conservation.

New Norms for Mission Vatsalya

• Under it, a monthly grant of Rs. 4000/- per child is provided for family based non-institutional care including Sponsorship (kinship) or Foster Care or After Care.
• The Mission Vatsalya in partnership with States and Districts provides support to a 24x7 helpline service for children as defined under the JJ Act, 2015.
• The Mission Vatsalya Scheme envisages setting up Cradle Baby Reception Centres in at least one Specialized Adoption Agency (SAA), preferably government run, in each District, to save the abandoned children and look after them with due care and affection till he/she is given in adoption.