AWARDS

Sivashankari will receive the ‘Vishwambhara’ Dr C Narayana Reddy National Literary Award-2024.

• Tamil writer Sivashankari will receive the ‘Vishwambhara’ Dr. C Narayana Reddy National Literary Award-2024 for her significant contributions to literature.

• The award will be presented during the 93rd birth anniversary celebrations of Dr. C Narayana Reddy in Hyderabad on July 29.

• Sivashankari will be honored with a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh, a memento, and a shawl.

• Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will serve as the chief guest at the award ceremony.

• Sivashankari is also a recipient of the Saraswati Samman Award, recognizing her literary excellence.

• The 2023 ‘Vishwambhara Dr. C. Narayana Reddy National Literary Award’ was awarded to the renowned lyricist Javed Akhtar.

APPOINTMENTS

Rachel Reeves has become UK’s first female Chancellor of the Exchequer.

• Rachel Reeves has made history as the UK's first female Chancellor of the Exchequer.

• Angela Rayner has been appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister of the UK.

• David Lammy is the new Foreign Secretary, and Yvette Cooper has been appointed as Home Secretary.

• Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his new cabinet.

• Starmer's cabinet includes a record 11 women in a team of 25 members.

• Rachel Reeves, the first woman to serve as Britain's finance minister, is a former economist at the Bank of England.

• The Labour Party plans to establish Great British Energy, a publicly owned company to support the transition to green energy in partnership with the private sector.

STATE NEWS

Uttar Pradesh government has announced the setting up of Mitra Van.

• Mitra Van Initiative: Under the Vriksharopan Jan Abhiyan-2024, the Uttar Pradesh government will establish Mitra Van along the UP-Nepal border.q

• The UP Forest Department, in collaboration with neighboring states and Nepal, aims to plant 35 crore saplings to increase greenery.

• 35 forest divisions have selected specific locations for this massive plantation drive.

• The campaign will include participation from dignitaries of other states to enhance its impact.

• The Forest Department aims to meet the July 20 target date for the Vriksharopan Jan Abhiyan-2024.

• Each district is also instructed to develop other types of forests under the initiative, including "Shakti Van," "Yuva Van," and "Bal Van."

SCHEMES

Project PARI (Public Art of India) launched by the Ministry of Culture

• The Ministry of Culture has launched Project PARI (Public Art of India) in conjunction with the 46th World Heritage Committee meeting.

• First Initiative in Delhi: The first exercise of Project PARI is being conducted in Delhi, coinciding with the World Heritage Committee session from July 21-31, 2024.

• India has a rich history of folk art, ranging from ancient temples and murals to modern street art and public sculptures.

• Lalit Kala Akademi and the National Gallery of Modern Art are overseeing the implementation of Project PARI.

• Objective: The project aims to merge India’s ancient artistic heritage with modern themes and techniques.

• Over 150 visual artists from across India are contributing to the project by creating wall paintings, murals, and sculptures.

• The sculptures cover various themes, including respect for nature, ideas from Natya Shastra, Gandhiji, Indian toys, hospitality, ancient wisdom, Naada (primal sound), harmony of life, and Kalpataru (the divine tree).

MISCELLANEOUS

Scientists discovered a new horned frog species in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have found a new horned frog species in Tale Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh.

• Resemblance to Maoson’s Horned Frog: The new species closely resembles Maoson’s horned frog, typically found in Vietnam and China.

• This species had previously been mistaken for the Maoson horned frog (Xenophrys maosonensis).

• Researchers identified a genetic disparity of 4.4% to 5.5% between the new species in Arunachal Pradesh and its Vietnamese counterpart.

• The new species is named after the Apatani tribe, who live in the Lower Subansiri Valley of Arunachal Pradesh.

• The study also shed light on the biogeographic distribution of Xenophrys species within India.