The International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 2024, announced that it has partnered with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia to host the inaugural Olympic Esports Games 2025 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This groundbreaking step follows the IOC’s recent announcement that the IOC Executive Board (EB) has established Olympic Esports Games.
The proposal will be made to the IOC Session, which will be held on the eve of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
PR Sreejesh Announces Retirement After Paris Olympics 2024
Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, a pivotal figure in the sport, has announced that he will retire from international hockey following the Paris Olympics 2024.
This decision marks the end of an illustrious career, characterized by significant achievements and a lasting impact on the team.
Uttarakhand Becomes The Top Performer In NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24
Uttarakhand and Kerala have been named the top-performing states in NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24, which measures the progress of states and union territories on social, economic, and environmental factors. Bihar was ranked as the worst performer. The NITI Aayog’s SDG India Index 2023-24 shows that India’s overall Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) score rose to 71 in 2023-24, up from 66 in 2020-21.
This improvement is due to significant progress in areas such as poverty elimination, decent work, economic growth, climate action, and life on land.
Abhinav Bindra Awarded Prestigious Olympic Order by IOC
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has honored Abhinav Bindra, India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, with the prestigious Olympic Order. This recognition will be formally presented during the 142nd IOC Session in Paris on August 10, 2024, a day before the closing of the Paris Olympics.
The Olympic Order, the IOC’s highest award, acknowledges distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement.
Union Budget 2024-25
The Budget 2024-25 outlines a total expenditure of ₹48.21 lakh crore and receipts (excluding borrowings) of ₹32.07 lakh crore, with net tax receipts estimated at ₹25.83 lakh crore. The fiscal deficit is projected at 4.9% of GDP. Key initiatives under the “Viksit Bharat” theme include developing twelve industrial parks, providing internships for 1 crore youth in top companies, promoting rental housing with dormitory-type accommodations for industrial workers, and setting up Bharat Small Reactors for energy security.
China Unveils World’s First Carbon Fiber High-Speed Train
China has built the world’s first passenger train made from carbon fibre, a material that makes it much lighter and more energy-efficient than conventional trains.
The metro train – known as Cetrovo 1.0 or the Carbon Star Rapid Transit – was unveiled in Qingdao, in the eastern province of Shandong, on July 2024.
PM Modi Announces $1 Million Grant to UNESCO
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India’s contribution of one million dollars to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre to support heritage conservation globally, particularly in the Global South.
This announcement was made during the inauguration of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.