Budj Bim Cultural Landscape received UNESCO's World Heritage list

The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape in south-west Victoria has received UNESCO's World heritage list. It is the first in Australia to be on the list. UNESCO's decision recognizes Budj Bim’s significance to all of humanity. Budj Bim is the 20th site in Australia to make it on to the UNESCO World Heritage List,

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape:
The landscape is marked for its Aboriginal cultural importance after a decades-long campaign run by traditional owners, some of whom were present for the decision.
It is considered as one of the oldest aquaculture sites in the world. More than a decade of fervent lobbying, the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape has finally been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The landscape was cared for over 6,600 years and is important to the Gunditjmara People.
There are also remains of about 300 stone huts. These are the only remaining permanent houses built by an indigenous community in Australia. It challenges the common perception that all Aboriginal people were nomadic.

Other Australian Heritage sites:
The Great Barrier Reef, Kakadu National Park, the Sydney Opera House, Carlton Gardens, Gondwana Rainforests, Jenolan Caves, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Shark Bay, Fraser Island, Willandra Lakes Region, Lord Howe Island, Macquarie Island are some among the heritage sites.

RBI board finalized Utkarsh 2022 to improve regulation and supervision

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) board has finalized Utkarsh 2022, a medium-term strategy, to improve regulation and supervision, among other functions of the central bank.

RBI's board:
The decision was made by RBI's board that met in New Delhi. It finalized the 3-year medium-term strategy document which covered inter-alia, its mission and vision statement. The board approved the RBI’s budget for the July 2019-June 2020 period. The board also discussed issues relating to currency management and payment systems.

Utkarsh 2022:
Why Utkarsh 2022?
To accomplish the global central banks’ plan, every country is formulating a long-term plan and a medium-term plan. RBI's Utkarsh 2022 will be in line with the global central banks’ plan to strengthen the regulatory and supervisory mechanism.
New internal committee:
To implement Utkarsh 2022, RBI has formed an internal committee. It is to be headed by the outgoing Deputy Governor Viral Acharya. The committee will identify issues that needed to be addressed over the next three years. Among the identified areas of issues, the committee will select and address the vital areas for the implementation in the next three years.

Objective:
RBI plans to play a proactive role and take preemptive action to avoid any crisis like the IL&FS debt default issue and the crisis of confidence the non-banking financial sector faced in the aftermath.

Sri Lanka inaugurated its first model village built with Indian assistance at Ranidu Gama in Gampaha

A model village built with the Indian assistance as part of a housing project meant for war-affected people and estate workers inaugurated in Sri Lanka.
India partnered with the Ministry of Housing and Construction and Cultural Affairs to build 100 model villages.
It consists of a total of 2,400 houses all across Sri Lanka.
The Indian grant of Rs 1,200 million (USD 17.5 million).
Minister of Housing and Construction and Cultural Affairs Sajith Premadasa, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Acting High Commissioner of India Shilpak Ambule inaugurated the first model village at Ranidu Gama in Gampaha.
These 2,400 houses are in addition to the 60,000 accommodations built.
They are under the Indian Housing Project meant for war-affected people in northern and Sri Lanka and the estate workers in the plantation areas.
India has undertaken more than 70 people-oriented development projects in various fields including health, education, housing, skill development, infrastructure and vocational training across Sri Lanka.
About 20 such projects are currently under progress.
India has undertaken over 70 people-oriented development projects across Sri Lanka in various fields such as health, skill development, education, honor.
It also includes the largest University Auditorium in Ruhuna University in Matara in Sri Lanka. Around 20 such projects are currently under progress.

Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu released a book titled Vivekadeepini

Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu released a book titled Vivekadeepini, a concise book of aphorisms. It was initially written by Adi Shankaracharya who is one of India’s greatest spiritual and literary geniuses.

Vivekadeepini:
Vivekadeepini is a summary of Prashnottara Ratnamalika written by Adi Shankaracharya.
The book has compiled a select 36 verses drawn from 67 verses of Prashnottara Ratnamalika. The verses are written in Question-Answer format. It contains universal truths and is the starting point for reflection.
Book in 10 languages: The book has been translated into ten languages namely English, Hindi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi Gujarati and Odia. It has shown the glimpses of India’s wisdom in most lucid language.
The Vice President in the book has stressed the need to create a society that actually demonstrates “share and care”, which was the core of Indian philosophy.

Adi Shankaracharya:
Shankaracharya is an 8th century (788 AD) Indian philosopher and theologian. He is associated with Maya Theory, Advaita Vedanta (Non-Dualism), Tarak Brahma.
His books are Bhashya- commentaries on Gita and other texts, Prakaran Granths.
He founded Dashanami Sampradaya, Hindu monastic tradition of single-staff renunciation.

BSF launched Operation Sudarshan to fortify the anti-infiltration grid along the Pakistan border

The Border Security Force (BSF) launched Operation Sudarshan, a massive exercise, with an aim to fortify the anti-infiltration grid along the Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu. The operation was launched on July 1. BSF plans to finish the operation within a fortnight and be at their bases by July 15.

Operation Sudarshan:
Heavy machinery: BSF has mobilized its entire senior field brass, thousands of troops, and machinery deployed along the Pakistan border in Punjab and Jammu. BSF has also mobilized huge assortments of heavy machinery, communication interceptors and mobile bulletproof bunkers as part of the exercise. It will cover the entire 1,000-km length of the India-Pakistan International Border. Jammu shares about 485 km of the border with Pakistan, about 553 km of the front is in Punjab.
Setting up defence: BSF's Frontier and battalion commanders, the second-in-command and company commanders of the about 40 battalions are camping in the forward areas of the two states.
BSF has asked the commanders to prepare watchtowers and sentry posts better, replenish arms and ammunition dumps, strengthen artillery positions, check and plug border fence breaches, detect underground and cross-border tunnels for defence. Multiple patrols are being undertaken to boost defence positions.

Odisha state government implemented the Centres Witness Protection Scheme 2018

The Odisha state government implemented the Centre’s Witness Protection Scheme 2018. Naveen Patnaik led Odisha govt. informed the Orissa High Court on 6 July. By this Odisha became the first State to implement the Scheme.
On December 5, 2018, the Supreme Court has directed all States and Union Territories to endorse the Central scheme on Witness Protection Scheme-2018. It said that the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 shall be the 'law' under Article 141 and 142 of the Constitution, till the enactment of suitable parliamentary or state legislation on the subject.

Reason for implementation:
The move comes after an informant sought protection for his life and property as he was a witness in a murder case under Kodala police station area in Ganjam district in the Orissa HC. A Single Judge Bench of Justice Biswajit Mohanty directed the petitioner to approach the competent authority in the district concerned for protection under the scheme.

Categories of the Scheme:
Under the scheme, the state govt. included three categories of witnesses as per threat perception.
Category A: This category consists of those cases where threat extends to the life of witness or family members during an investigation, trial or thereafter.
Category B: Cases where the threat extends to safety, reputation or property of the witness or family members during the investigation or trial.
Category C: Cases where the threat is moderate and extends to harassment or intimidation of the witness or family members, reputation or property during investigation, trial or thereafter.

Provisions of the Scheme:
The scheme includes different features including protective measures that ensure that:
♦ protection and Change of identity
♦ the witness and the accused do not come face to face during the probe
♦ relocation of witness
♦ confidentiality and preservation of records and recovery of expenses among others