DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS - 07 JULY 2021

1. MISHRI VARIETY OF CHERRIES

A first commercial shipment of Mishri variety of cherries from Kashmir valley has been exported to Dubai from Srinagar.

About:

• Mishri variety of Cherries are not only taste delicious but also contain vitamins, minerals and plant compound with health benefits.
• The union territory of Jammu and Kashmir produces more than 95% of the total country’s production of commercial varieties of cherries in the country. It produces four varieties of cherry — Double, Makhmali, Mishri and Italy.
• APEDA-National Referral Laboratory at National Research Centre for Grapes, Pune provided support for ensuring food safety and quality in the shipment, which would help create brand for cherries especially in the middle east countries.

Source : LiveMint

2. LAMBDA

Even as the Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus continues to drive the rise in infections around the world, another variant, Lambda, is increasingly being seen by scientists and health experts as a new emerging threat.

About:

• On June 14, the World Health Organization designated the Lambda variant, previously known by its formal scientific name C.37, as the seventh and newest “variant of interest”, meaning it was something to watch out for.
• Like the Delta variant, the Lambda variant, which has now been detected in more than 25 countries, is feared to be more transmissible than the original virus.
• It has been the dominant variant in Peru and other countries of South America. 

Source : Indian Express

3. TELE-LAW

Justice Department commemorates the milestone of crossing 9 lakh beneficiaries under its Tele-Law programme.

About:

• The programme connects the disadvantaged and needy seeking legal advice from Panel Lawyers through e-interface platform available in Common Service Centres(CSC).
• Tele–Law began its humble journey in 2017 by covering 170 districts in 11 States through 1800 CSCs. In 2019, 115 Aspirational Districts were added taking the number of CSCs to 29,860.
• Tele-Law programme is presently operational in 633 districts (including 115 Aspirational Districts) across 34 States/UTs through a network of 50,000 CSCs.
• Tele-Law saw a surge of 369% growth in number of beneficiaries seeking legal advice during last one year during the Covid Pandemic.
• Even though Tele-law programme is technology driven, its success is dependent on the working of field functionaries comprising of Village Level Entrepreneurs(VLEs), Para Legal Volunteers (PLVs), State Coordinators and Panel Lawyers.

Source : All India Radio

4. MATSYA SETU

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Giriraj Singh launched the Online Course Mobile App “Matsya Setu” for Fish Farmers.

About:

• The app was developed by the ICAR-Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (ICAR-CIFA), Bhubaneswar, with the funding support of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Hyderabad.
• The online course app aims to disseminate the latest freshwater aquaculture technologies to the aqua farmers of the country.
• Matsya Setu app has species-wise/ subject-wise self-learning online course modules, where renowned aquaculture experts explain the basic concepts and practical demonstrations on breeding, seed production and grow-out culture of commercially important fishes like carp, catfish, scampi, murrel, ornamental fish, pearl farming etc. 

Source : PIB

5. WHITE FLAG MOVEMENT

In Malaysia, some residents of low-income families have started waving white flags as part of the so-called “White Flag Campaign”, or the #benderaputi (white flag) movement.

About:

• They are doing this to convey distress about the financial crunch they have had to deal with amid the lockdowns due to Covid-19. Malaysia enforced another lockdown on June 1 in order to control another surge of Covid infections.
• As part of the movement that was initiated last week, families that are facing hunger or need any other kind of assistance are encouraged to wave a white flag or put a piece of white cloth outside their homes to signal that they need help.
• The idea is that by spotting the white flag, neighbours and good samaritans can reach them.
• black flag movement
• Alongside the white flag movement, there is the black flag movement as well, in order to express dissatisfaction with the Malaysian government.
• Specifically, this movement is demanding that Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin resign. 

Source : Indian Express

6. MINISTRY OF CO-OPERATION

In a historic move, a separate ‘Ministry of Co-operation’ has been created by the NDA Government for realizing the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’.

About:

• This ministry will provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country.
• It will help deepen Co-operatives as a true people based movement reaching upto the grassroots.
• The Ministry will work to streamline processes for ‘Ease of doing business’ for co-operatives and enable development of Multi-State Co-operatives (MSCS).
• Creation of a separate Ministry for Co-operation also fulfils the budget announcement made by the Finance Minister. 

Source : The Hindu

7. MAITREE POWER PROJECT

Secretary (Power) Govt of India met Secretary (Power) Govt of Bangladesh for the issues related to 1320MW Maitree Power project.

About:

• The Maitree super thermal power project is a 1,320MW coal-fired power station under construction in Rampal, Bangladesh.
• It is located at Moithara, Rampal, in the Bagerhat district, approximately 23km south-east of the Khulna city, Bangladesh. The coal-fired facility is being developed on a 1,834acre-site on the bank of Passur River in south-west Bangladesh.
• The power plant is being developed by Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company (BIFPCL), a 50:50 joint venture between India’s state-run National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
• Construction on the Rampal power plant was started in 2017. The first unit of this project would be commissioned in December’ 2021 i.e. coinciding with Golden Jubilee celebration of Victory Day of Bangladesh
• The project is an environmentally friendly supercritical technology based thermal power plant.

Source : PIB