The Daily Brief – 4th July 2019

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1. The United States Senate (Upper Chamber of US Congress) has passed a legislative provision called National Defense Authorisation Act that brings India at par with America’s NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies and countries like South Korea, Australia, Japan and Israel for increasing defence cooperation.
2. Managing Director of Arohan Financial Services, Manoj Kumar Nambiar has been elected as new chairman of Micro-Finance Institutions Network (MFIN) at its 6th annual general meeting. He will succeed Ujjivan Financial Services CEO and MD Samit Ghosh. Established as a Society in December 2009 under Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act 2001, Microfinance Institutions Network is an association for microfinance sector in India.
3. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’ atomic watchdog has confirmed that Iran has exceeded 300-kilogramme limit of enriched uranium in its stockpile set out in 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Iran has threatened that it is planning to suspend its other commitments under Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA or Iran nuclear deal) deal in 10 days unless European powers took steps to implement their new mechanism called INSTEX (Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) for facilitating trade.
4. Government has set a target to raise health services expenditure to 2.5% of country’s GDP (Gross domestic product) by 2025. The government’s objective is in line with National Health Policy 2017 which recommends that State governments should spend more than 8% of their budget on health sector by 2020. Under Aayushman Bharat programme, Government envisions setting up 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres by 2022.

   

5. The 34th edition of Hyderabad Sailing Week National Ranking Multi-Class Championship 2019 was inaugurated by Governor of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, ESL Narasimhan in Hyderabad, Telangana. The annual event is jointly organised by Secunderabad Sailing Club and EME Sailing Association (EMESA) under the aegis of Laser Class Association of India supported by Sports Authority of Telangana State. EMESA was formed in 1964 and the 1^st edition was held in 1983.
6. The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has operationalized 1st ‘Aadhaar Seva Kendra’ (ASKs) in Delhi and Vijayawada. It is in line of UIDAI’s ambitious plan to set up 114 such centres by the end of 2019. ASKs being set up by UIDAI will be covering 53 cities across India at an estimated project cost of Rs 300-400 crore to provide more touch points to public for availing Aadhaar enrolment and updation services. UIDAI was established by Government of India, as a statutory authority under the provisions of Aadhaar Act 2016, on 12 July, 2016.
7. India has pledged to contribute $5 Million in 2019 to United Nation Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA). This move comes amid India voiced its concern over agenc y’s financial situation and called for ensuring sustained financial support for its work. Every year Government of India is assisting 150 Palestinian professionals under Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. UNRWA was established in 8 December 1949.

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