Title August 2020 Title - wifistudy.com · Kushinagar is regarded as a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage...
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Monthly Current Affairs Capsule & Quiz August 2020
Russia chaired 6th BRICS Environment
Ministers’ Meeting
The Environment Ministers of the five BRICS
countries participated in the 6th BRICS Environment
Ministers’ Meeting.
Union Environment Minister Prakash
Javadekar represented India at the meeting
along with the Ministers of the other BRICS
nations- Brazil, Russia, China and South
Africa.
The video conference was held under the
Presidency of Russia.
The meeting was preceded by the BRICS
Working Group meeting. India will host the
next meeting in 2021.
Muslim women's rights day: 01 August
Muslim Women's Rights Day celebrated across the
nation on 01 August to commemorate the first
anniversary of the law against instant triple talaq.
One year ago on 30th July, 2019, the
Narendra Modi government abolished
TripleTalaq.
It has contributed to women empowerment
and given them the dignity they deserve in
our society.
The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on
Marriage) Act prohibits the practice of instant
divorce by Muslim men. Any violation of the
law is punishable by jail term of up to three
years.
The Narendra Modi government made the
law against triple talaq following the
Supreme Court's judgement of 2017 that
declared as unconstitutional the
instantaneous practice, followed by Muslim
men, of divorcing a wife by uttering the word
'talaq' thrice.
Over 120 countries celebrate World
Breastfeeding Week; India plans online activities
to sensitise citizens about its importance
Over 120 countries around the world are celebrating
the week-long World Breastfeeding Week from 1-7
August.
In India, the Women and Child Development
Ministry has planned to organise online
activities to sensitise citizens about the
importance of breastfeeding.
The theme of World Breast-feeding Week
this year is to support breastfeeding for a
healthier planet and taking precautionary
measures in light of the global pandemic.
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months
of child’s birth and continuing thereafter for
at least 2 years is crucial to combat
malnutrition.
Mother's Milk also known as ‘liquid gold’ is
the protective shield a child receives in his
early days.
Mother's milk acts as first immunization
providing holistic nutrition and immunity
against infections.
UAE becomes first country in Arab World to
produce nuclear energy
As the Barakah Nuclear Plant's 1st Unit got
operational, UAE became the first country in the
Arab World to produce nuclear energy.
The new plant is part of the UAE's graph to
become less reliant on oil and gas, the current
source of the vast majority of its energy.
UAE is among the world's biggest fossil fuels
producers.
Barakah plant situated in the Al Dhafrah
region of Abu Dhabi started producing heat.
The plant, powered by South Korean
technology , hopes to produce 5.6 gigawatts
of electricity and supply up to 25% of the
UAE's electricity needs.
World Sanskrit Day: 03 August 2020
The World Sanskrit Day is being celebrated on 03
August.
It is celebrated on Shravan Poornima, that is
the Poornima day of the Shravan month in the
Hindu calendar.
In the year 2020, this day is celebrated on
August 03.
In India, the University Grants Commission
(UGC) has asked all its affiliated universities
and colleges to mark World Sanskrit Day or
World ‘Samskrita’ Day with appropriate
celebrations on August 3.
The objective of the day is to illuminate the
younger generation about the ancient Indian
language which is believed to have originated
about 3,500 years ago.
The idea is to advocate people about the
Sanskrit language and the need to preserve
our national heritage.
Massive blast shakes Lebanon’s capital Beirut,
hundreds injured
A huge explosion near the centre of Beirut killed at
least 10 people and sending shockwaves across the
Lebanese capital.
The blast shattering glass in people’s homes
and causing apartment balconies to collapse.
The blast occurred in the city’s port area,
where there were warehouses housing
explosives.
Footage of the blast shared around by
residents on social media showed a column of
smoke rising from the port district followed
by an enormous blast.
Lebanon capital: Beirut
Currency: Lebanese pound
US Conducts Test Flight of Unarmed Minuteman
3 Missile
An unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic
missile was launched from California on a test flight
to a target in the Pacific Ocean.
Test launches are essential to sustaining the
aging Minuteman 3 nuclear weapon system.
Minuteman III, manufactured by Boeing is a
long-range, is a three-stage ICBM with the
capability to carry single or multiple nuclear
warheads.
As of 2020, the LGM-30G Minuteman III
version is the only land-based
intercontinental ballistic missile in service in
the United States.
The Minuteman entered service in 1962 as a
deterrence weapon that could hit Soviet
cities.
Hiroshima marks 75th anniversary of world's
first atomic bombing
Japan on 06 August marks 75 years since the world's
first atomic bomb attack.
The atomic bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy",
exploded on August 6, 1945, obliterating
Hiroshima and killing 140,000 of an
estimated population of 350,000.
Thousands more died later of injuries and
radiation-related illnesses.
This bomb attack was done in the motive to
end the Second World War in 1945.
Hiroshima was one of the army headquarters
of Japan. Also, it was the largest military
supply depot for troops and supplies.
Sri Lankan Ruling party led by PM Mahinda
Rajapaksa registers landslide victory in
Parliamentary elections
In Sri Lanka, the ruling party led by Prime Minister
Mahinda Rajapaksa registered a landslide victory in
the general elections.
Mr Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka People’s party
(SLPP) has won 145 seats in the 225-member
Parliament, nearing a two-thirds majority.
Samagi Jana balawega (SJB) led by former
minister Sajith Premadasa has emerged as the
main opposition party with 54 seats.
Also the oldest party in the country United
National Party (UNP) led by former Prime
Minister Ranil Wickremsinghe has got only a
single seat.
SLPP got around 59 percent of the popular
vote while SJB was able to garner around 24
percent.
President Gotabaya is the younger brother of
Mahinda Rajapksa who became Prime
Minister after the victory of Mr Gotabaya in
the Presidential election in November last
year.
Bangladesh to construct memorial for Indian
soldiers martyred in 1971 liberation war
Bangladesh will construct a memorial for the Indian
soldiers martyred during the country’s liberation war
in 1971.
The memorial will be constructed coinciding
with the 50th anniversary of the liberation of
Bangladesh.
Liberation War in Bangladesh, was a
revolution and armed conflict sparked by the
rise of the Bengali nationalist and self-
determination movement in what was then
East Pakistan during the 1971 Bangladesh
genocide.
It resulted in the independence of the People's
Republic of Bangladesh.
The war began after the Pakistani military
junta based in West Pakistan launched
Operation Searchlight against the people of
East Pakistan on the night of 25 March 1971.
World Tribal Day: 09 August
Every year United Nations and other world
organizations celebrate World Tribal Day or
International Day of the World Indigenous People on
09 August.
The day promotes and protects the rights of
the world indigenous population.
The day marked the first meeting of the
United Nations Working Group on
Indigenous Populations in Geneva, 1982.
2020 Theme: COVID-19 and indigenous
people resilience.
Mauritius declares emergency over oil spill from
grounded ship
The prime minister of Mauritius has declared a state
of environmental emergency and appealed to France
for urgent assistance.
The French Island of Reunion is the closest to
Mauritius. The Island of Reunion is a major
military base of France in the Indian Ocean.
The oil spill was caused by Japanese owned
ship that was stranded off the coast days ago.
The cracks that appeared on the ship hull
caused the oil spill and has put around 1 to 3
million residents in the island nation to
danger.
Mahinda Rajapaksa takes oath as Prime Minister
of Sri Lanka for fourth time
In Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa took oath as the
Prime Minister for the fourth time.
He was administered the oath by his younger
brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at
a ceremony held at Kelaniya Mahaviharaya
near Colombo.
Mahinda Rajapaksa has served as country’s
President from 2006 to 2015 and his party has
got landslide victory at general elections.
Mr. Rajapaksa is credited with ending the
decades long LTTE war in 2009 during his
Presidency.
He had lost the 2015 Presidential elections
and has made a strong political comeback.
मह िंद्रा राजपक्ष ेन ेचौथी बार श्रीलिंका के प्रधान मिंत्री
के रूप में शपथ ली
India says it would like Sri Lanka to send first
flight to newly upgraded Kushinagar airport
India has said it would like Sri Lanka to send the first
international flight to the newly upgraded
Kushinagar airport in Uttar Pradesh.
Indian Government has decided to declare the
Kushinagar airport an international airport in
June.
This is particularly significant to Sri Lanka’s
Buddhist pilgrims since the airport is located
near a number of sites sacred to Buddhists.
Kushinagar is regarded as a sacred Buddhist
pilgrimage centre and is dotted with several
other Buddhist sites in the surrounding areas
such as Sravasti (238 km), Kapilvastu (190
km) and Lumbini (195 km).
World Biofuel Day: 10 August
Every year 10th August is observed as World Biofuel
Day.
It is observed to raise awareness about the
importance of non-fossil fuels as an
alternative to conventional fossil fuels and
highlight the various efforts made by the
Government in the biofuel sector.
They are renewable, biodegradable,
sustainable and environment friendly fuel.
It can be seen as an alternative to
conventional fossil fuels.
Biofuels have the benefits of reducing import
dependency on crude oil, cleaner
environment, additional income to farmers
and employment generation in rural areas.
Indonesia’s Sinabung volcano erupts
Mount Sinabung on Indonesia’s Sumatra island
erupted, sending a column of volcanic materials as
high as 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) into the sky.
The volcano, one of two currently erupting in
Indonesia, was dormant for four centuries
before exploding in 2010, killing two people.
Another eruption in 2014 killed 16 people,
while seven died in a 2016 eruption.
Sinabung is among more than 120 active
volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to
seismic upheaval due to its location on the
Pacific “Ring of Fire”.
Lebanon's PM Hassan Diab resigns following
public outrage over major blast in Beirut last
week
Lebanon's Prime Minister Hassan Diab has resigned
from his post in the wake of a major blast in Beirut
that has triggered public outrage.
The Prime Minister's resignation follows a
weekend of anti-government protests after
the August 4 explosion in Beirut's port that
decimated the facility and caused widespread
destruction, killing more than 160 people and
injuring about six thousands.
Diab's government was formed in January
this year after his predecessor, Saad Hariri,
stepped down in October last year in response
to the demonstrations.
President Michel Aoun has accepted the
resignation of the Diab government and
asked it to stay on in a caretaker capacity until
a new cabinet is formed.
Belarusan President Lukashenko wins sixth term
President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko has
won his sixth consecutive term with 80.23 per cent
of the vote at the country’s presidential election.
A former English teacher Svetlana
Tikhanouskaya, who emerged as
Lukashenko’s main rival at the elections gets
9.9 per cent of the vote.
Alexander Lukashenko is often referred to as
“Europe’s last dictator”.
Opposition supporters believed the election
results were rigged.
World Elephant Day: 12 August
World Elephant Day is an international annual event
on August 12, dedicated to the preservation and
protection of the world's elephants.
The idea of World Elephant Day was
conceived by Canadian filmmakers Patricia
Sims and Michael Clark in Thailand.
On the eve of celebrating the World Elephant
Day, India launched a National Portal called
“SURAKHSYA”.
The goal of International Elephant Day is to
create awareness of the urgent plight of
African and Asian elephants.
African elephants are listed as "Vulnerable"
and Asian elephants as "Endangered" on the
IUCN Red List of threatened species.
International Youth Day: 12 August
International Youth Day is observed every year on
12 August.
The day gives an opportunity to celebrate and
mainstream young peoples’ voices, actions
and initiatives, as well as their meaningful,
universal and equitable engagement.
In 1999, the United Nations General
Assembly endorsed the recommendation
made by the World Conference of Ministers
Responsible for Youth that 12rh August be
declared International Youth Day.
The theme of this year is ‘Youth Engagement
for Global Action’.
Indian-origin senator Kamala Harris named US
Vice Presidential candidate for Democratic party
In the United States, Democratic Presidential
nominee Joe Biden has named Indian-origin senator
Kamala Harris as his Vice-Presidential running mate.
Joe Biden made history by selecting the first
black woman to compete on a major party's
presidential ticket.
Kamala Harris is currently the US Senator
from California.
If elected, Kamala Harris would be the first
ever woman to be the Vice President of the
United States and the first ever Indian-
American and African Vice President of the
country.
European Union to give 1.65 million euro to flood
hit people in South Asia
The European Union is providing 1.65 million euro
in humanitarian aid in response to severe flooding
that has affected South Asia-most notably
Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
The funding comes on top of the 1.8 million
euro announced earlier this year to support
families affected by a series of disasters,
including Cyclone Amphan that ravaged
India and Bangladesh in May.
A further 5 lakh euro will be used in India to
provide food and livelihood assistance,
emergency relief supplies, and water and
sanitation services.
World Organ Donation Day: 13 August
Organ donation day is observed on 13 August every
year.
This day strives to motivate people to donate
their healthy and precious organs after death
to save lives.
There is a huge population which dies due to
organ failure in India.
As per the National Health Portal, 500,000
people die due to non-availability of organs.
Organ donation day also tries to spread
information and make people aware about
organ donation. Organ donation can be life-
changing for many. This practice can give a
new life to the ones in need.
Trump announces historic peace deal between
UAE, Israel
US President Donald Trump announced that the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel have agreed
to establish full diplomatic relations as part of a new
peace deal.
Under the agreement, Israel would suspend
its plans to annex parts of the West Bank. The
deal is a significant step towards building a
more peaceful, secure, and prosperous
Middle East.
The United Arab Emirates and Israel will
immediately expand and accelerate
cooperation regarding the treatment of and
the development of a vaccine for the
coronavirus.
Working together, these efforts will help save
Muslim, Jewish, and Christian lives
throughout the region.
Russia, Brazil agree to cooperate in production
& marketing of world’s first registered
coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V
Russia and Brazil have agreed to cooperate in the
production and marketing of the world’s first
registered coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V.
The agreement was reached with Brazilian
State of Parana.
As part of the signed strategic cooperation
agreement, RDIF, together with
pharmaceutical companies in the state of
Parana, is organizing the production of
Sputnik V vaccine and its distribution in
Brazil and other Latin American countries.
The Russian Health Ministry registered the
world's first Sputnik V vaccine for the
prevention of COVID-19.
Bangladesh to get largest ever dollar 3.1 billion
loan package from Japan
Japan has signed its largest ever loan package worth
dollar 3.1 billion for Bangladesh.
The loan under its Official Development
Assistance (ODA) will be given for seven
projects of Bangladesh under concessional
terms.
The loan will cover the construction of
Jamuna railway bridge in parallel to the
existing Bangabandhu Bridge, expansion of
the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport,
Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development
Projects and Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar
Highway improvement project among the
seven projects.
The loan carries an interest rate of 0.65
percent with a repayment period of 30 years
including initial 10 years as grace period.
Japan has been the single largest bilateral
donor for Bangladesh since 2012. The total
amount of its aid as Yen Loan has reached
USD 22 billion (commitment base).
Bangladesh observes ‘National Mourning Day’ to
mark assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman
Bangladesh is observing the National Mourning Day
marking the 45th anniversary of the brutal
assasination of its founder President Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 15th August 1975.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with 16 members
of his family was brutally assassinated on this day
in 1975 by a group of people from the armed
forces at his Dhanmondi residence in Dhaka.
Among the close family members, only his
daughter and current Prime Minister of
Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and her sister survived
as they were not in the country when the incident
took place.
Turkish and Greek warships collide in eastern
Mediterranean
Greek and a Turkish warship were involved in a
mini-collision during a standoff in the eastern
Mediterranean sea.
Tensions have risen this week after Turkey sent
a survey vessel to the region, escorted by
warships, to map out sea territory for possible oil
and gas drilling.
Greece and Turkey are allies in NATO but their
relations have long been fraught with tension.
Disputes have ranged from boundaries of
offshore continental shelves and airspace to the
ethnically split island of Cyprus.
In 1996 they almost went to war over ownership
of uninhabited islets in the Aegean Sea.
Vietnam health ministry to buy Russian COVID-
19 vaccine
Vietnam's health ministry has registered to buy a
Russian COVID-19 vaccine.
The Southeast Asian country fights a new
outbreak of the coronavirus following months of
no local cases.
Vietnam has reported a total of 911 infections,
with 21 deaths.
Vietnam has signed up for 50-150 million doses
of the vaccine
Russia said the first batch of the world’s first
Covid-19 vaccine would be rolled out within
two weeks, rejecting as "groundless" the safety
concerns aired by some experts over Moscow's
rapid approval of the drug.
Vietnam Capital: Hanoi
Currency: Vietnamese dong
4th Meeting of the BRICS Anti-Drug Working
Group
Russia chaired the 4th Meeting of the BRICS Anti-
Drug Working Group.
The session which was held over video
conference, featured the participation of
delegates from Brazil, Russia, China, South
Africa and India.
Rakesh Asthana, Director General, Narcotics
Control Bureau led the Indian delegation that
participated in the meeting.
In 2010, South Africa began efforts to join
the BRIC grouping, and the process for its
formal admission began in August of that
year.
South Africa officially became a member
nation on 24 December 2010, after being
formally invited by China to join and
subsequently accepted by other BRIC
countries.
Brazil hosted the most recent 11th BRICS
summit on 13–14 November 2019.
World Humanitarian Day: 19 August
World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is held every year
on August 19.
The day pays tribute to aid workers who risk
their lives in humanitarian service, and to
rally support for people affected by crises
around the world.
Thousands of men and women all around the
world put their lives in danger working in
Humanitarian causes and do it selflessly, not
for ulterior selfish motives.
This year WHD comes as the world continues
to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
On 19 August 2003, a bomb attack on the
Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq took place in
which 22 people were killed brutally and
among these ones was the chief humanitarian
in Iraq.
In 2009, the UN General Assembly
announced this day as World Humanitarian
Day in remembrance of the bomb attack.
Democratic Party formally nominates Joe Biden
as presidential candidate
In the United States, Democratic Party has formally
nominated Joe Biden as its presidential nominee for
the 2020 elections.
He will take on President Donald Trump in
the November polls for the White House.
The nomination was a formality, as Senator
Bernard Sanders withdrew from the contest
in April.
Biden has nominated Senator Kamala Harris
as his running mate for Vice President's post.
Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Kita resigns
amid military coup
Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has
announced his resignation amid a military coup.
He announced his resignation on state
television hours after mutinous soldiers fired
shots into the air outside his home before
detaining him.
The dramatic development comes after more
than two months of regular demonstrations
calling for him to step down three years
before his final term was due to end.
Keita, who was democratically elected and
re-elected, was left with few choices after the
mutinous soldiers seized weapons from the
armory in the garrison town of Kati and then
advanced on the capital of Bamako.
China record floods dampen feet of Giant Buddha
statue
A giant statue of Buddha in China has had its toes
dampened by floodwater for the first time since the
1940s.
The 71m-tall statue, a UNESCO heritage site,
was carved out of a rock face near Chengdu
in Sichuan province around the eighth
century A.D.
It is normally high above the waterline, but
the area has been hit by the worst flooding in
70 years.
The statue is a hugely popular attraction and
often included in cruises along the nearby
Yangtze river and Three Gorges.
International Day of Victims of Terrorism: 21
August
The United Nations observes 21st August every year
as International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to
the Victims of Terrorism.
The primary responsibility to support victims of
terrorism and uphold their rights rests with
Member States.
The day was set up to raise the awareness of
governments and the overall population about
the significance of long term physical, mental,
social, and financial recovery of terrorism
victims to assist them with coordinating go into
society.
An online high-level event entitled “Not
Forgotten: Stories of Remembrance of Victims
of Terrorism”, will be held with the participation
of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mr.
António Guterres, for victims.
World Senior Citizen Day: 21 August
World Senior Citizens’ Day is celebrated on 21
August every year.
It is observed to raise awareness about the
issues that older people face and to
acknowledge the importance of senior
citizens in society.
It also recognises and acknowledges the
contributions of older people to society.
The day was first proclaimed by the General
Assembly of the United Nations on
December 14, 1990, while the first
celebration was marked on October 1, 1991.
The World Senior Citizen’s Day was
officially founded by the former President of
the United States of America, Ronald
Reagan.
Sri Lankan govt grants approval to abolish 19th
amendment to constitution
The Sri Lankan government has granted approval to
abolish the 19th amendment to the constitution and
replace it with the 20th amendment.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime
Minister Mahinda Rajapksa had made the
abolition of the 19th amendment as the main
election plank during the presidential and
parliamentary elections.
The amendment brought by the previous
government had put a two-term limit on the
Presidency and curtailed the executive
powers of the President and transferred it to
parliament and independent commissions.
Mahinda Rajapaksa could not contest the last
November Presidential elections because of
term limit and his younger brother Gotabaya
became the candidate.
The Rajapaksas secured a two-third majority
in parliament during general elections held
this month, thus paving way for
constitutional amendments.
Pakistan military to use Chinese navigation
system BeiDou
Pakistan is all set to use Chinese homegrown
navigation system BeiDou for both military and civil
purpose, ending their dependence on the US-based
Global Positioning System (GPS).
It is part of Pakistan and China's defence and
strategic cooperation.
China wants to end the US-based GPS
hegemony and push for its own developed
navigation system first in the Asian region.
Chinese Satellite Navigation Office (CSNO)
has agreed to establish BeiDou enabled
Continuously Operating Radar Station
(CORS) network in Pakistan.
It will help Pakistan in getting precise
geospatial application particularly in the field
of surveying and mapping, construction and
scientific studies.
China has established a monitoring station at
its Space and Upper Atmosphere Research
Commission (SUPARCO) for monitoring
and assessing the BeiDou Global Navigation
Satellite System (GNSS).
The system was completed on August 3.
Myanmar govt, armed groups sign framework
accord for ceasefire implementation
The government of Myanmar and ten armed ethnic
groups signed a framework agreement for the
implementation of the National Ceasefire Agreement
(NCA) at the end of the 4th session of the Union
Peace Conference - 21st Century Panglong.
The agreement also includes the framework
for implementation of various processes
beyond 2020, and basic principles to
establish a democratic federal union.
The peace accord called Union Peace Accord
III contains 15 provisions to implement the
NCA. These include troop deployment,
protocol to deal with skirmishes between
government troops and the armed groups
among others.
The peace process in Myanmar was started In
2011 by President Thein Sein to end the long
standing conflict with ethnic armed groups
active in the country.
Turkey discovers large natural gas reserve in
Black Sea
Turkey had discovered its largest-ever deposit of
natural gas in the Black Sea.
This could help the country reduce its
dependence on energy imports from other
countries, including Russia.
According to the announcement made by the
President, 320 billion cubic metres of natural
gas has been discovered.
The discovery has come up in the middle of
tensions between NATO allies Greece and
Turkey are running high in disputed waters in
eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey is highly dependent on Russia, Iran
and Iraq for its energy resources.
Spain reports first West Nile virus death in 2020
Spain has reported this year's first death due to the
West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne infection.
The patient had been in intensive care in a
hospital near the town, where he was
receiving treatment for several days.
A total of 35 people have so far been infected
in the biggest West Nile outbreak ever
detected in the country's southern region of
Andalusia.
The average age of those infected in the
outbreak is 60, and 71 percent of the victims
are men.
The virus is spread by mosquitoes, which are
common in the area given the proximity to
the river.
Transmitted by the common Culex mosquito,
the virus causes a death rate of 0.1 per cent
among those infected.
According to the World Health Organization,
approximately 80 percent of people who are
infected will not show any symptoms.
Saudi Arabia's state oil company Aramco
suspends 10 bn dollar China oil refinery project
Saudi Arabia’s state oil company Aramco has
suspended a deal to build a 10 billion dollar refining
and petrochemicals complex in China.
Aramco decided to stop investing in the
facility in China’s Northeastern province of
Liaoning due to uncertain market outlook.
The oil-price crash and Corona’s impact on
energy demand have changed the
calculations for energy companies’ projects
around the world.
Aramco plans deep cuts to its capital
spending as it tries to maintain a 75 billion
dollar dividend amid low crude prices and
rising debt.
Indonesia’s Sinabung volcano unleashes new
burst of hot ash
A rumbling volcano in western Indonesia unleashed
an avalanche of scorching clouds down its slopes.
The volcano in North Sumatra province was
shooting smoke and ash more than 1,000
meters into the air.
The 2,600-metre (8,530-feet) Sinabung was
dormant for four centuries before exploding
in 2010, killing two people.
Another eruption in 2014 killed 17 people,
while seven died in a 2016 eruption.
Sinabung is among more than 120 active
volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to
seismic upheaval due to its location on the
Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and
fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
China successfully launches new optical remote-
sensing satellite ‘Gaofen-9 05’
China successfully launched a new optical remote-
sensing satellite from its Jiuquan Satellite Launch
Centre in northwest China.
The satellite, Gaofen-9 05, was sent into orbit
by a Long March-2D carrier rocket.
A multifunctional test satellite and another
satellite named Tiantuo-5 were also launched
via the rocket.
The Gaofen-9 (05) optical remote sensing
satellite follows the launch of the third
Gaofen-9 satellite in June and the fourth
earlier this month. Previous satellites were
capable of providing sub-meter resolution
imagery.
The term "remote sensing" generally refers to
the use of satellite or aircraft-based sensor
technologies to detect and classify objects on
Earth.
It includes the surface and the atmosphere
and oceans, based on propagated signals.
Russia and Turkey likely to sign an additional
batch of S-400 missile deal next year
Russia is likely to sign a contract for delivery of an
additional batch of its S-400 missile systems to
Turkey next year.
Turkey bought a batch of the missile systems
from Russia last year, leading to its
suspension by Washington from the U.S. F-
35 stealth fighter jet programme.
The United States has said that Turkey risks
U.S. sanctions if it deploys the Russian-made
S-400s.
Turkey Capital: Ankara
Currency: Turkish lira
Rohingya relocation to Bhashan Char island may
start after Monsoon
Bangladesh is planning to start the process of
relocating Rohingya refugees from the crowded
camps of Cox’s Bazar to the newly built facility at
Bhashan Char island after the monsoon session.
The government is planning to take relatives
of the 306 Rohingya refugees already settled
there and other representatives to show the
facilities available on the Bhashan Char for
the people to be settled there.
If they find the place better than the cramped
Cox’s Bazar, the initial transfer of Rohingyas
may commence after the Monsoon season.
Bhashan char is an uninhabited island where
the government of Bangladesh has made
shelter houses for one lakh Rohingya
refugees at an estimated cost of Tk. 2,300
crore.
The environmentalists say that the Bhashan
Char falls in an ecologically fragile area
prone to floods, erosion and cyclones.
The issue of forced relocation and lack of
mobility on the island has also been raised by
organisations working among the Rohingyas.
Women's Equality Day: 26 August
Women's Equality Day is celebrated on August 26
every year to honor the hard-fought victory of the
women's suffrage movement.
Women’s Equality Day has been designed to
commemorate the 19th Amendment being
adopted in the 1920s in the United States.
This act stopped the federal government and
states from preventing people from the right
to vote based on their sex.
By the early 20th century, other countries
including Finland, New Zealand, and the
United Kingdom had legalised voting for
women as this movement swept across the
world.
World Health Organization declares Africa free
of polio
The World Health Organization has declared Africa
free of polio, a landmark in a decades-long campaign
to eradicate the notorious disease around the world.
This was announced by WHO Regional
Director of Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti.
A commission has certified that no cases had
occurred on the continent for the past four
years, the threshold for eradication of
poliovirus.
The WHO said, poliovirus now joins
smallpox in the list of viruses that have been
wiped out in Africa.
India Pavilion inaugurated at Army-2020
International Military and Technical Forum in
Russia
The ARMY 2020 International Military and
Technical Forum has been organised in Moscow,
Russia from August 23 to 29, 2020.
The forum has been organised by the Russian
Defence Ministry since 2015, at the Patriot
Park near Moscow.
The India Pavilion was inaugurated by
Secretary (Defence Production) Raj Kumar
and Indian Ambassador DB Venkatesh
Verma.
Delegations from at least 70 nations have
confirmed their participation in the high-
profile event.
Over 730 pieces of Russian weapons and
equipment, as well as 28,000 exhibits from
industrial enterprises will be showcased for a
free inspection.
Rare fish Mahseer discovered in Sileru river
Andhra University’s researchers have found a
species of rare fish named Mahseer (scientific name
Tor).
The fish was found from the upper part of
Sileru river, in Andhra Pradesh.
IUCN (International Union for Conservation
of Nature) has listed this fish in the
endangered list.
Golden Mahseer fish is found in the
Himalayan region, where the temperature
around year does not exceed 20° Celsius such
as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Nepal
and Bhutan.
Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving PM, quits
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving
premier resigned because of poor health.
Shinzo Abe is the longest serving Prime
Minister in the history of Japan.
He served from 2006-2007 and also from
2012-2020.
It was Abe who introduced the concept of
Abenomics.
Abenomics refers to set of economic policies
that was introduced by the Japanese Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe.
The policies aimed at increasing money
supply in the country, enacting reforms,
boosting government spending.
It consisted of three arrows. The first focused
on achieving 2% of inflation target, second
on flexible fiscal policy and third on growth
strategy.
Typhoon Bavi damages buildings, floods roads
on Korean Peninsula
A typhoon damaged homes and other buildings,
flooded roads and toppled utility poles on the Korean
Peninsula.
Typhoon Bavi had maximum winds of 115
kilometers (71 miles) per hour and was
passing near Pyongyang after making
landfall in a western coastal region of North
Korea that is a major source of farming and
fishing.
Tropical cyclones are known as Typhoons in
the China Sea and Pacific Ocean.
Bangladesh remembers its national poet Nazrul
on his death anniversary
Bangladesh observed the 44th death anniversary of
the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on 27 August.
Known as ‘Bidrohi Kobi’ or rebel poet, Kazi
Nazrul Islam composed over 3000 songs
which are known as Nazrul Geeti or Nazrul
Sangeet.
His poems are deeply imbued with a sense of
humanism, justice and rebellion against
oppression.
It was a source of inspiration during the
liberation war of Bangladesh.
Kazi Nazrul Islam was born on 24 May 1899
in Churulia in Paschim Bardhman district of
West Bengal.
At the time of Bangladesh's independence in
1971 poet Nazrul was staying in Kolkata.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman brought him to
Dhaka with state honours.
First S-400 unit to be delivered by end of 2021
Russia has said that the first regiment of S-400 anti-
air system will be delivered to India by the end of
2021.
India has ordered five regiments of the
cutting edge system that is designed to take
down targets at a range of over 400 km.
India and Russia had inked the $5.2 billion
defence contract for the S-400 Triumf air
defence system in October 2018.
The original date for India to start receiving
delivery was reported to be in the October
2020-April 2023 timeline.
However, in the wake of border tensions with
China earlier this year, New Delhi had urged
Moscow to deliver units early.
Russia has said that there is an ongoing
portfolio of defence orders worth $15 billion
with India and that plans to start producing
AK203 rifles at a factory in Amethi in Uttar
Pradesh are underway.
International Day against Nuclear Tests: 29
August
The International Day against Nuclear Tests is
observed on August 29.
The day aims to increase awareness about the
effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or
any other nuclear explosions and the need for
their cessation as one of the means of
achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free
world.
2010 marked the inaugural commemoration
of the International Day against Nuclear
Tests.
Since its establishment, many bilateral and
multilateral governmental level
developments as well as broad movements in
civil society have helped to advance the cause
of banning nuclear tests.
ITBP became first CAPF to have supplies from
KVIC
Indo Tibetan Border Police, ITBP became the first
Central Armed Police Force CAPF to have supplies
from the Khadi & Village Industries Commission,
KVIC.
Total 1200 Quintal of Mustard Oil is being
procured from KVIC by ITBP with a total
financial implication of 1 Crore 73 Lakh 80
Thousand rupees.
It was decided during a meeting of the
Directors General of the CAPFs held at
Home Ministry in October last year that use
of Terry Khadi Uniform and other items of
swadeshi origin should be made available to
the CAPFs.
The ITBP had suggested that Durrie,
Blankets, Towel, Mustard Oil, Yoga Kit,
Hospital Bed Sheets, Pickles etc can be
purchased for jawans of the Force through
KVIC.
Films Division to pay documentary tribute to
Munshi Premchand and Mohammad Rafi
Films Division to pay documentary tribute to Munshi
Premchand and Mohammad Rafi.
Films Division Mumbai will be screening
two special documentaries to mark the 140th
birth anniversary of most accomplished
writer and storyteller, Munshi Premchand
and the 40th death anniversary of legendary
playback singer, Mohammed Rafi.
The documentaries, ‘Premchand’ and ‘Rafi -
We Remember You’ will be streamed on
Films Division Website and YouTube
channel for free.
The documentary, ‘Premchand’ is directed by
P C Sharma. It is a short biography on
Munshi Premchand who is popularly known
as ‘Upanyas Samrat’ or the King among
novelists.
Memories of immortal singers come alive in
‘Rafi - We Remember You’ is directed by
Kuldeep Sinha. The hour-long documentary
shares special moments from Rafi’s life, his
everlasting songs and tributes by
contemporaries.
ADB signs Dollar 200 million financing deal with
Reliance for power plant in Bangladesh
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a
dollar 200 million financing deal with the Reliance
Bangladesh LNG and Power Limited (RBLPL) to
build and operate a 718 megawatt combined-cycle
gas-fired power plant in Bangladesh.
The project will ease ongoing energy
shortages and drive further private sector
investments in the country’s power sector.
A combined-cycle power plant is a relatively
more efficient way of producing electricity.
It uses both a gas and a steam turbine together
to produce up to 50 percent more electricity
from the same fuel than a traditional simple-
cycle plant.
The financing deal has two components of
dollar 100 million each. While ADB will
provide dollar 100 million, it will also
administer the other part worth dollar 100
million from the Leading Asia’s Private
Infrastructure Fund (LEAP).
The power plant will reduce dependence of
Bangladesh on electricity imports.
Madhya Pradesh to begin ‘Ek Mask-Anek
Zindagi’ public awareness campaign
A public awareness campaign called ‘Ek Mask-Anek
Zindagi’ means one mask-many lives will be
conducted in many districts of Madhya Pradesh.
During this campaign, people will be
informed about measures to prevent COVID-
19 infection.
The Municipal Corporation will also run a
public awareness chariot in the city on the
same theme.
Masks are the simplest and most effective
means to prevent Corona infection.
The Mask Bank will also be established
under the Ek Mask-Anek Zindgi Campaign.
In this mask bank, masks will be collected
from donors and distributed free of cost to the
poor people.
Atma Nirbhar Bharat Logo Design Contest by
MyGov
Government is looking to have a distinct identity for
'Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan' by developing a logo
based on creative and innovative inputs from the
citizens of the country.
MyGov.in platform has started the Atma
Nirbhar Bharat Logo Design Contest on its
website where Indian Citizens can submit
their entries without any hassle through
online medium.
The last date of submission of entries is 5th
of August 2020 till 11.45 PM.
The winning logo will be awarded a cash
prize of 25 thousand rupees.
MyGov is a citizen engagement platform
which was launched by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi to promote active
participation of Indian citizens in Nation’s
governance and development. MyGov has
crowdsourced many logos of various
departments and initiatives including Swachh
Bharat, DekhoApnaDesh, Lokpal and several
others.
One Nation One Ration card scheme extended to
four more states including J&K
Ambitious One Nation One Ration card scheme has
been extended to four more states. They
are Manipur, Nagaland, Jammu and Kashmir and
Uttarakhand.
With this, now 24 states have the facility of
ration card portability covering more than 65
crore beneficiaries of National Food Security
Act.
These beneficiaries can now lift their
entitlement of ration from any Fair Price
Shop across these states.
By 31st March next year, all the states will be
covered under One Nation One Ration
card so that all 81 crore beneficiaries can
avail benefit under this scheme.
Amit Shah inaugurates international webinar on
'Lokmanya Tilak - Swaraj to Self-reliant India'
organized by ICCR
Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated a two-
day international webinar on the theme of 'Lokmanya
Tilak - Swaraj to Self-reliant India' organized by the
Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
It was organised on the 100th death
anniversary of the great freedom fighter
Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak played a key
role in the making of the Indian
Independence movement complete in letter
and spirit.
The slogan of 'Swaraj is my birthright and I
shall have it' given by Lokmanya Tilak, will
always be written in golden letters in the
history of the Indian Independence
Movement.
Dr Harsh Vardhan launches 'Vidyarthi Vigyan
Manthan 2020-21
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh
Vardhan launched 'Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan,
2020-21.
This initiative is a national programme for
popularizing science among school students
of Class 6th to 11th.
It was designed to identify the bright minds
with a scientific aptitude among the student
community.
This is a platform to identify the talent in the
field of science and to promote the scientific
acumen among the students.
Students will help in creating New India and
this initiative will play a leading role in it.
Free bus travel for women on Raksha Bandhan
in UP
In Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has
announced free travel concession to women in
government buses on the occasion of Raksha
Bandhan.
This will give relief to poor
and destitute women visiting their relatives.
In the wake of covid-19, the CM has
appealed to people to maintain social
distancing norms while celebrating the
festival.
Like the previous three years, women can
avail free travel in all categories of Uttar
Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation
run buses in the state on the occasion of
Rakshabandhan festival.
Tamil Nadu celebrates its monsoon festival ‘Aadi
Perukku’
Aadi Perukku, also known as the Aadi monsoon
festival, is being celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
The festival falls on the 18th day of the Tamil
month of Adi (mid-July to mid-August) and
is celebrated as a tribute to water's life-
sustaining properties.
It takes the form of thanking Cauvery river
for flowing in plenty, thus ensuring a good
agricultural harvest during the year.
The festival assumes added significance in
the Cauvery Delta region, where farmers also
pay homage to Mother nature in the form of
the majestic Cauvery river.
Gujarat based dairy starts innovative project to
produce CNG from animal dung
Gujarat based and Asia's largest Banas dairy had
come up with an innovative project to produce CNG
from animal dung.
The Chairman of Banas dairy made an
official announcement of the project which is
claimed to be the country's first such
endeavour.
Banas dairy started the country's first CNG
pump in which Gober gas is being produced,
purified and converted into CNG.
The dairy is collecting over 40 tonnes of cow
dung from the farmers of around 25 villages.
The sale of CNG will begin from the pump in
the coming week.
Northern Railway runs first-ever Vyapar Mala
Express train
Northern Railway ran the first-ever Vyapar Mala
Express train.
This train destined for Jirania in Tripura has
46 wagons.
Wheat was loaded in 34 wagons at Guniana
station of Firozpur Division by Food
Corporation of India and in the remaining
Rice and Pulses have been loaded.
Railways has earned more than 94 lakh
rupees from this Vyapar Mala Express train.
This is an express service where piece-meal
stock will reach its destination in a shorter
time.
The train departed from Delhi Kishanganj for
Jirania and it will cover a distance of two
thousand 673 Kilometres from Punjab to
Tripura.
It will help small traders in moving their
cargo through Railways, in a short time, cost
effective, convenient and environment-
friendly mode of transportation.
Walmart-owned Flipkart supports 6 lakh
artisans in India through Samarth programme
Walmart-owned Flipkart said it supports over six
lakh artisans, weavers and craftsmen across the
country through its Samarth programme and is
working on onboarding more such sellers to the
platform.
The Samarth programme was launched last
year, wherein the e-commerce major had
partnered with five non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) to help artisans use the
online marketplace to sell their products.
Samarth supports the livelihood of over six
lakh artisans, weavers and craftsmen through
partnerships with NGOs and government
entities, and provides the artisans an access to
a pan-India customer base of more than 200
million.
With the help of government partnerships,
Flipkart has been able to bring artisans online
from the remotest parts of Odisha, Andhra
Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat,
Punjab and Karnataka till now.
DCGI gives permission to Serum Institute of
India to conduct phase 2 and 3 human clinical
trial of Corona vaccine developed by Oxford
university
Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has given
nod to the Serum Institute of India (SII) to conduct
phase 2 and 3 human clinical trials of COVID-19
vaccine developed by Oxford University.
The approval for conducting phase 2 and 3
clinical trials by the SII was granted by DCGI
thorough evaluation based on the
recommendations of the Subject Expert
Committee on COVID-19.
Currently, phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of the
Oxford vaccine are going on in the UK, phase
3 clinical trials in Brazil and phase 1 and 2
clinical trials in South Africa.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) moves towards
2nd phase, ODF-Plus
The Swachh Bharat mission has focused on rural and
urban areas separately and played a crucial role in
ensuring sanitation in the country.
Since the launch of the mission in 2014, more
than 10 crore individual toilets have been
constructed across the country and as a result,
rural areas in all the States have declared
themselves Open Defecation Free ODF on
2nd October, 2019.
The Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural) has
moved towards its second phase which is also
called ODF-Plus.
This phase will continue till 2024-25.
More than 66 lakh individual household
toilets and over 6 lakh community and public
toilets have also been constructed or are
under construction.
Khadi Agarbatti Atma Nirbhar Mission
approved by Govt. to generate employment and
make India self-reliant in agarbatti production
MSME Minister Nitin Gadkari has approved a
unique employment generation program proposed by
Khadi and Village Industries Commission, KVIC to
make India Atma Nirbhar in Agarbatti production.
The program named as Khadi Agarbatti Atma
Nirbhar Mission aims at creating
employment for unemployed and migrant
workers in different parts of the country.
Under the scheme, KVIC will provide
Automatic Agarbatti making machines and
powder mixing machines to the artisans
through the successful private Agarbatti
manufacturers who will sign the agreement as
business partners.
KVIC will provide a 25 per cent subsidy on
the cost of the machines and will recover the
remaining 75 per cent of the cost from the
artisans in easy installments every month.
VP M Venkaiah Naidu pays tribute to freedom
fighter Pingali Venkayya on his birth
anniversary
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid tribute to
legendary freedom fighter and the designer of India’s
national flag, Pingali Venkayya on his birth
anniversary.
Pingali Venkayya was a polymath with
interests in geology, education, agriculture
and languages.
Our national flag is a symbol of our
sovereignty, great history and culture.
The Vice President said, the nation will
always be grateful to the designer of the
Tricolour, the pride and glory of our nation.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tests
positive for COVID-19
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has tested
positive for Covid-19.
He has been admitted to Manipal Hospitals
on the advice of doctors as a precautionary
measure.
He has requested those who have come in
contact with him recently to be observant and
exercise self quarantine.
The CM recently met governor Vajubhai
Vala and the latter is likely to undergo tests.
A few days back the ministers CT Ravi,
Anand Singh and BC Patil were tested
positive.
Rajasthan to provide meals at ₹8 under Indira
Rasoi Yojana from this month
The Rajasthan government is going to start with the
'Indira Rasoi Yojana' in urban areas of the state from
August 20.
Under the scheme, 358 kitchens in 213 urban
localities will be operationalised wherein
people will get food for ₹8.
It is another step towards realising the resolve
of Rajasthan government's 'no hunger no
sleep.
The state government will spend ₹100 crore
per year on this scheme.
Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to
launch e-Rakshabandhan
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched e-
Rakshabandhan, a month-long awareness
programme on the safety of women and children in
cyberspace.
The programme will be conducted jointly by
the State police and CID to bring awareness
among the public, especially women, youth
and children through webinars and AP CID's
official YouTube channel.
The programme is aimed at creating
awareness among the public on cybercrimes
across the State.
The participants will be explained different
types of cybercrimes, and tackling techniques
and alarm raising methods.
Kotak Mahindra Bank launches ‘Kona Kona
Umeed’ Campaign
Kotak Mahindra Bank has announced the launch of a
two-month-long campaign called ‘Kona Kona
Umeed’.
With this it will offers huge discounts to lift
up hope and optimism among its customers
in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.
The bank will provide a range of offers and
deals on its products including loans, savings
accounts, current accounts, corporate salary
accounts as well as Kotak debit cards, credit
cards and digital payments.
Kotak has tied up with over 100 brands to
provide exclusive deals to its customers in
categories such as shopping, essentials,
personal care, education, fitness, health &
wellness, kids & parenting, entertainment,
cyber care & security, among others.
eVIN ensures essential immunization services
during COVID pandemic
The Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network (eVIN)
has ensured essential immunization services during
the COVID pandemic.
eVIN is an innovative technological solution
aimed at strengthening immunization supply
chain systems across the country.
This is being implemented under the National
Health Mission by the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare.
It aims to provide real-time information on
vaccine stocks and flows, and storage
temperatures across all cold chain points in
the country.
eVIN has reached 32 States and Union
Territories and will soon be rolled-out in the
remaining States and UTs of Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Ladakh and
Sikkim.
eVIN India is helping the State and UT
governments monitor the supply chain of
COVID response material.
All 23 urban towns of Mizoram take initiatives to
achieve ODF plus
In Mizoram, all 23 urban towns have taken initiatives
to achieve ODF plus.
These 23 urban towns were declared as Open
Defecation Free (ODF) by the Ministry of
Housing & Urban Affairs in 2017.
Presently, to become ODF-Plus, all 23 urban
authorities are executing initiatives through
refurbishment and renovation of the already
existing toilets and improved construction of
new toilets.
ODF-Plus status is given if at any point of the
day, not a single person is found defecating
and/or urinating in the open, and all
community and public toilets are functional
and well maintained.
DNHDD launches E-Gyan Mitra mobile app for
online education
Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and
Daman and Diu bordering Gujarat has launched E-
Gyan Mitra mobile app for online education.
The E-Gyan Mitra app launched by the
Education Department of Daman
Administration is becoming popular among
the students and parents.
DNHDD was created through the merger of
the former union territories of Dadra and
Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Plans for the proposed merger were
announced by the Government of India in
July 2019 and came into effect on 26 January
2020.
NIT Trichy to offer MA in English Literature
The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Trichy
has started an MA programme in English Literature.
It is the first step in removing barriers
between arts, sciences and Technology, in
line with the recently announced National
Education Policy (NEP).
The Institute has also plans to start an online
programme which will increase the number
of students in a big way, in alignment with
NEP 2020.
Hyderabad 16th among 20 cities globally in
CCTV Surveillance, tops in India
Hyderabad has been ranked 16 th among the "Top 20
Most Surveilled Cities globally" according to a
report published by a UK-based firm.
Hyderabad with its 3 lakh CCTV cameras
being used to keep tab on a city that has a
population of a little over 1 crore, figured
16th in the most surveilled cities.
Taiyuan in China was ranked first with
4,65,255 CCTV cameras
Hyderabad was ranked first in India.
Union Agriculture Minister launches Sahakar
Cooptube NCDC Channel
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar
launched the Sahakar Cooptube NCDC Channel, a
new initiative by National Cooperative Development
Corporation.
The Minister also launched guidance videos
produced by NCDC on ‘Formation and
Registration of A Cooperative’ for eighteen
different states in Hindi and regional
languages.
The Union Government under Atma Nirbhar
Bharat has recently announced a series of
transformative measures and sector specific
financial packages to help agriculture.
The initiatives are steps towards One Nation
One Market with the objective for India to
become a food factory of the world.
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tests
positive for COVID-19
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra
Pradhan has tested positive for Covid-19 and has
been admitted to a hospital.
In a tweet, Mr Pradhan said, after seeing
symptoms of COVID-19, he got tested and
the report has come positive.
On the advice of doctors, he has been
admitted to hospital.
Mr Pradhan is the second Union Minister in
the Cabinet to test positive for Covid-19.
Earlier, Home Minister Amit Shah had tested
positive and was admitted to hospital.
Western Railway loads onion in goods train for its
transportation to Bangladesh
In Gujarat, the Bhavnagar division of Western
Railway successfully loaded onions in a goods train
for its transportation to Bangladesh.
This is the first time that agriculture goods
have been sent to neighbouring country
through the train route.
The first rake of such goods train has been
loaded with onions at Dhoraji Railway
Station of Bhavnagar division.
The first such goods train loaded with onions
was sent to Darshna Railway Station in
Bangladesh from Dhoraji Railway station of
Saurashtra.
413 mask banks set up so far under 'Ek Mask-
Anek Zindagi' campaign in Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh, 413 mask banks have been set
up so far under an 'Ek Mask-Anek Zindagi' campaign
aimed at protecting citizens from corona infection.
Mask banks have been set up with the help of
voluntary organizations, public
representatives and citizens.
The mask is the simplest and cheapest means
of preventing corona infection.
So far, over one lakh 30 thousand masks have
been donated by various institutions and
citizens in this campaign.
HRD Minister lays foundation stone of IIM at
Dhaula Kuan in Sirmour district
In Himachal Pradesh, Union Minister of Education
Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank laid the foundation stone
of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Dhaula
Kuan in Sirmour district through video conferencing.
The first phase of this Institute would be
completed by spending an amount of 392.51
crore rupees.
Union Government would provide all
possible help to ensure that the institute
emerges as the best institute of the region.
In 2014 Union Government had taken
decision to establish seven new IIMs
including IIM Sirmaur.
Security of Kushak Bakula Rinpoche Airport in
Leh to handed over to CISF
Security responsibilities of Kushak Bakula Rinpoche
Airport in Leh will be handed over to Central
Industrial Security Force (CISF) from 5th August.
Keeping Covid-19 SOPs in view, after flight
operations are completed, the induction of
CISF will take place at Leh airport.
Due to Covid-19 at present daily 3 -4 flights,
with 400-500 passengers, are operating in
Leh-Delhi sector, in comparison to 13 flights
during the non Pandemic times.
Along with the Ladakh police, CRPF was
performing Security of the airport as the
runway is under the control of the Indian Air
Force in Leh.
130 CISF personnel specially trained in
Aviation security will guard the Leh airport.
National Bank of Bahrain selects Infosys Finacle
to digitally transformation
National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has selected
Infosys Finacle to digitally transform its transaction
banking business.
NBB will be implementing the Finacle
Liquidity Management Platform, and
upgrading its existing Finacle Corporate
Online Banking platform to a full-fledged
Digital Engagement Suite – with the latest
versions of the Finacle Corporate Online and
Mobile Banking solutions, along with the
Finacle Digital Engagement Hub.
Finacle is the industry-leading digital
banking solution suite from EdgeVerve
Systems, a wholly-owned product subsidiary
of Infosys.
Infosys is engaged in consulting, technology,
outsourcing and next-generation services.
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju chairs 1st General
Council meeting of Khelo India Scheme
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju chaired the 1st General
Council meeting of the Khelo India Scheme.
Mr Rijiju urged the states to organise State-
level Khelo India Games annually with an
effort to identify a larger number of
grassroot-level talents.
The annual competitions being organized at
the national level under the Khelo India
Scheme, like the Khelo India Youth Games
and University Games, have helped to
identify sporting talent from all states.
Mr Rijiju has asked the states to organise
competitions at the district, block and
panchayat-level to identify young talent.
India contributes over $15.46 mn to India-UN
Development Partnership Fund
India has contributed $15.46 million to the India-UN
Development Partnership Fund, underscoring the
country's commitment to supporting developing
nations in their developmental priorities across all
the Sustainable Development Goals.
India's Permanent Representative to the UN
Ambassador T S Tirumurti handed over a
cheque of $15.46 million.
The tranche of $15.46 million includes $6
million to the overall fund, in which all the
developing countries are eligible for
partnership, and $9.46 million dedicated to
the Commonwealth countries.
The India-UN Development Partnership
Fund is managed by the UNOSSC and
implemented under the leadership of partner
developing countries leveraging the strengths
of United Nations Agencies, Funds and
Programmes.
India extends Line of Credit worth 18 million
dollars to Maldives
India has extended Line of Credit worth 18 million
US dollars to the Government of Maldives for the
expansion of fishing facilities at Maldives Industrial
Fisheries Company (MIFCO).
The project envisages investment in fish
collection and storage facilities and the
setting up of a tuna cooked plant and fishmeal
plant.
It is part of the 800 million US dollars line of
credit offered by India with repayment tenor
of 20 years and a 5-year moratorium.
Maldives Capital: Malé
Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa
Atal Innovation Mission declares results of ATL
Tinkering Marathon 2019
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has declared the
results of its flagship national annual innovation
marathon challenge.
The ATL Tinkering Marathon 2019 was held
over fifty thousand Atal Tinkering Labs
across the country and announced 150
winners of the Marathon.
The challenge was executed by AIM in
partnership with MyGOV on MyGov’s
Innovate Platform this year.
42 percent of the winning teams are from
rural areas and 57 percent are from
government schools. About 45 percent of the
winning team students are girls.
This year’s marathon was uniquely designed
by the students themselves.
The Marathon had a strong focus on Research
preceding the Innovations.
The final phase of solution development
received over 1191 entries from students
across 29 States and UTs.
NIDM in collaboration with IMD organises
webinar series on “Hydro-Meteorological
Hazards Risk Reduction”
National Institute of Disaster Management in
collaboration with India Meteorological Department
organised a webinar series on “Hydro-
Meteorological Hazards Risk Reduction”.
The webinar series include four webinars
focusing on Thunderstorms and Lightning,
Cloudburst and Floods, Cyclones and Storm
Surges and Climate Change and Extreme
Weather Events.
Minister of State for Home Affairs,
Nityanand Rai inaugurated the first webinar
on “Thunderstorms and Lightning”.
He highlighted the major interventions
carried out by the Government departments
and agencies for reducing the adverse risks of
Hydro-Meteorological disasters.
National Institute of Disaster Management is
a premier institute for training and capacity
development programs for managing natural
disasters in India.
NIDM works under the aegis of the Ministry
of Home Affairs, Government of India.
Karnataka Medical Education Minister
inaugurates nation’s first ICMR approved mobile
RTPCR COVID lab
Nation’s first ICMR approved mobile RTPCR
COVID lab developed by Indian Institute of Science
in Bengaluru was inaugurated by Karnataka Medical
Education Minister Dr.K Sudhakar.
Packed with all the safety features, this
unique lab is capable of producing accurate
results within four hours.
In a month the mobile lab can conduct 9000
tests.
The lab can be utilised for testing
H1N1,HCV,TB,HPV,HIV virus also.
Called as Mobile Infection Testing and
Reporting lab, MITR can be deployed in
Corona hot spots quickly.
Another innovative project fructified in
Bengaluru when a bus stand was converted
into 200 bed Covid Care Centre.
Haryana CM launches Parivar Pehchan Patra
Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar
launched Parivar Pehchan Patra in the state.
A brain child of team CMO, the PPP will
enable the citizens to get the benefits of
various central and state government
schemes at their door-step in a fair and
transparent manner.
The PPP will be now linked to Mukhya
Mantri Parivar Samridhi Yogna (MMPSY).
All the departments will be linked with e-
Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) within the next
three months.
At present, the MMPSY, which was launched
on January 26, 2020 and three pension
schemes - Old Age Samman Allowance
Scheme, Divyang Jan Pension Scheme, and
Widow and Destitute Women Pension
Scheme, have been integrated with Parivar
Pehchan Patra.
National Handloom Day: 07 August
National Handloom Day is being organised on 07
August by the Ministry of Textiles.
7th August was chosen as the National
Handloom Day to commemorate the
Swadeshi Movement which was launched on
the same date in the year 1905.
The objective is to generate awareness about
the Handloom Industry among the public and
its contribution to socio-economic
development.
To mark the occasion and to instil pride in the
workmanship of handloom weaving amongst
citizens, a social media campaign is planned
for the handloom weaving community.
India's first Kisan Special Parcel Train to provide
seamless supply of perishable produce
India's first Kisan Special Parcel Train or Kisan Rail
started from 07 August 2002.
The train will transport material between
Maharashtra's Devlali and Bihar's Danapur
Railway station.
The Kisan Rail will carry fruits and
vegetables and will make stoppages at several
stations and pick-up and deliver them.
With the launch of Kisan Rail, the Railways
aims to help double farmers’ income.
This will help in bringing perishable
agricultural products like vegetables, fruits to
the market in a short period of time.
The Kisan Rail train with frozen containers is
expected to build a seamless national cold
supply chain for perishables, inclusive of
fish, meat and milk.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had
announced to start 'Kisan Rail' in the current
year's Budget, for providing a seamless
supply chain of perishable produce.
CBIC directs Customs to check within 48 hours
safety of explosives in warehouses, ports
The CBIC has urgently directed Customs and field
formations to immediately verify and confirm within
48 hours that any hazardous or explosive material
lying in warehouses and ports across the country
meets all safety and fire standards and presents no
danger to life and property.
The precautionary step has been taken in
view of the recent incident of explosion at
Beirut in Lebanon caused by such material.
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and
Customs (CBIC) is the nodal national agency
responsible for administering Customs, GST,
Central Excise, Service Tax & Narcotics in
India.
CBIC Chairperson: M. Ajit Kumar.
YSR Cheyutha, the game-changer in Andhra
Pradesh rural economy
The Andhra Pradesh government is all set to launch
YSR Cheyutha on August 12.
The scheme will provide financial benefit of
Rs 75,000 to those women who come under
the age of 45 to 60 years.
It aims to empower women from minority
castes.
The amount of Rs 75,000 is to be distributed
in four equal installments of Rs 18,750 each
per year.
The amounts are to be transferred to the bank
accounts of the beneficiaries.
The State Government has allocated Rs 4,500
crores to implement the scheme.
Exim Bank extends $250 mn LoC to Mozambique
for improving power supply
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has
extended a USD 250-million (about Rs 1,870 crore)
line of credit (LOC) to Mozambique for improving
power supply quality in the country.
With the signing of this LOC agreement,
Exim Bank till date has extended 14 LOCs to
Mozambique, taking their total value to USD
772.44 million.
Exim Bank has now in place 264 LOCs,
covering 62 countries across regions
including Africa, Asia, and Latin America,
with credit commitments of around USD
25.98 billion, available for financing exports
from India.
Mozambique Capital: Maputo
Currency: Mozambican metical
Quit India Movement: 08 August 1942
The Quit India Movement also known as India
August Movement was launched at the Bombay
session of the All India Congress Committee by
Mahatma Gandhi on August 8, 1942.
In May 1942, Mahatma Gandhi called on
Britain to Leave India to God.
In July 1942, the Congress Working
Committee met at Wardha and a resolution
was passed which was termed The Wardha
Resolution.
It is also known as Quit India Resolution
which demanded, The British Rule in India
must end immediately.
The British had refused to grant India total
independence but later they agreed to give
independence after World War II ended.
World War II ended in 1945 and India gained
independence in 1947.
PM Modi inaugurates Rashtriya Swachhata
Kendra
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the
‘Rashtriya Swachhta Kendra’ near Raj Ghat in New
Delhi.
It is an interactive experience centre on the
Swachh Bharat Mission.
A tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, the Rashtriya
Swachhata Kendra (RSK) was first
announced by the prime minister on April 10
2017 on the occasion of the centenary
celebrations of Gandhiji’s Champaran
‘satyagraha’.
The visitors will experience a unique 360
degree audio visual immersive show, which
will narrate India's Swachhata Story.
The installations at Rashtriya Swachhta
Kendra will introduce future generations to
the successful journey of the world's largest
behavioural change campaign, the Swachh
Bharat Mission.
A balanced mix of digital and outdoor
installations in Kendra will impart
information, awareness and education on
Swachhata and related aspects.
PM to inaugurate submarine Optical Fibre Cable
connecting Chennai and Port Blair
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and
dedicate the submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC)
connecting Chennai and Port Blair to the nation
through video conferencing.
The submarine cable will also connect Port
Blair to Swaraj Dweep, Little Andaman, Car
Nicobar, Kamorta, Great Nicobar, Long
Island and Rangat.
This connectivity will enable delivery of
faster and more reliable mobile and landline
telecom services to Andaman and Nicobar
Islands, at par with other parts of India.
At present Andaman and Nicobar Islands
have very weak telecom systems that hamper
communications with the mainland and
within the islands.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal launches electric
vehicle policy
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched
‘Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy’.
Under this the Delhi government will waive
registration fee and road tax, and provide
incentives for new EVs in the national
capital.
It will give incentive of up to Rs 30,000 for
two-wheelers, autos and e-rickshaws while
for cars, it will give incentive of up to Rs 1.5
lakh.
The policy aims to boost the economy, create
jobs and reduce pollution levels.
Also, it aims to constitute 25% electric
vehicles by 2024. Currently, constitution of
electric vehicles in capital is 0.29%.
RBI sets up panel under Kamath to suggest steps
to deal with coronavirus-related stressed assets
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) set up an expert
committee under veteran banker K V Kamath to
suggest financial parameters for resolution of
coronavirus-related stressed assets.
The committee will submit its
recommendations to the RBI, which will
notify them along with modifications, if any,
in 30 days.
RBI has announced a ‘Resolution Framework
for COVID-19-related Stress’, as a special
window under the Prudential Framework on
Resolution of Stressed Assets issued on June
7, 2019.
The other members of the committee will be
Diwakar Gupta, T N Manoharan and Ashvin
Parekh will be strategy advisor and the Indian
Banks’ Association CEO will function as
member secretary of the panel.
PM launches weeklong ‘Gandagi Mukt Bharat’
campaign
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched "Gandagi
Mukt Bharat", a week-long campaign for 'swachhata'
in the run-up to Independence Day.
During this week, each day till August 15 will
have special 'swachhata' initiatives in urban
and rural India to re-enforce the 'jan andolan'
for 'swachhata'.
He also inaugurated the ‘Rashtriya
Swachhata Kendra’ -an interactive
experience centre on the Swachh Bharat
Mission, at the Gandhi Smriti at Rajghat.
PM Modi to release sixth instalment of PM-
KISAN scheme to 8.5 crore farmers, to launch Rs
1 Lakh crore financing facility
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the
financing facility of one lakh crore rupees under the
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
He also released the sixth instalment of funds
of 17 thousand crore rupees to 8.5 crore
farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan
Samman Nidhi Yojna (PM-KISAN) scheme.
The financing facility under the Agriculture
Infrastructure Fund will catalyze the creation
of post-harvest management infrastructure
and community farming assets like cold
storage, collection centres and processing
units.
These assets will enable farmers to get
greater value for their produce, as they will
be able to store and sell at higher prices,
reduce wastage, and increase processing and
value addition.
One lakh crore rupees will be sanctioned
under the financing facility in partnership
with multiple lending institutions.
NTPC achieves over 100 billion units of
cumulative generation in current financial year
National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC, Group
has achieved over 100 billion units of cumulative
generation in the current financial year.
2600 Mega Watt NTPC Korba in Chattisgarh
has emerged as the top performing thermal
power plant in the country with 97.42 percent
plant load factor, PLF, between April to July
this year.
NTPC Limited is an Indian Public Sector
Undertaking, engaged in the business of
generation of electricity and allied activities.
Founded: 7 November 1975
Headquarters New Delhi, India
Chairman & MD: Gurdeep Singh
BCG vaccine stimulates immune responses
against Covid-19: Study
A study published in Cell Reports Medicine stated
that BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guerin), a vaccine for
tuberculosis (TB) disease, is effective to contain
multiple infectious diseases including Covid-19 by
evoking immune responses.
The study was conducted on people who have
received a BCG vaccine in the past five years
(before the coronavirus pandemic). It showed
that the vaccine is safe and induces immune
responses.
The study found that those who received the
BCG vaccine did not fall ill more often or
become critical during the first wave of the
Covid-19 pandemic in the Netherlands.
However, researchers warned that the study
has its own limitations and should not be used
to draw conclusions regarding the
effectiveness of the BCG vaccine against the
SARS-CoV-2.
Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine is
a vaccine primarily used against tuberculosis
(TB).
In countries where TB or leprosy is common,
one dose is recommended in healthy babies
as close to the time of birth as possible.
India bans import of 101 defence items
India announced a negative arms imports list, under
which acquisition of 101 weapon systems and
platforms from abroad will be progressively banned
from December 2020 to December 2025.
It was announced in a bid to bolster the
fledgling domestic defence production
sector.
The decision has been made to provide
opportunity to the defence industries of the
country to manufacture items in the
embargoed list.
The negative list of 101 items has been
chosen carefully by the services, and at least
a third of these items – including corvettes
and frigates for the Navy and multi-barrel
rocket launchers for the Army – are already
being produced in India.
FSSAI restricted the sale of junk food within 50
metres of school campus
With the aim to ensure safe and wholesome food for
school children, Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) has restricted the sale of
junk and unhealthy food in canteens of schools and
other educational institutions.
Besides this, the food regulator has
prohibited the sale and advertisement of
unhealthy food within 50 metres of the school
premises.
The idea is to provide safe food and a
balanced diet for children in schools.
Foods which are referred to as foods high in
fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) cannot be sold to
schoolchildren in school canteens or mess
premises or hostel kitchens or within 50
metres of the school campus.
KVIC to set up the first Silk Training cum
Production Center in Arunachal Pradesh
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission is to
set up the first of its kind training cum production
centre of silk in the tribal village of Chullyu in
Arunachal Pradesh.
The centre is to be launched in the first week
of September, 2020.
The KVIC will provide machinery such as
handlooms, warping drums and silk reeling
machines.
The centre is to provide training to 25 local
artisans and will boost weaving activities in
the region.
Mumbai becomes first city in India to have female
icons on traffic signals
Mumbai has become the first city in India to have
women symbols on traffic signals and signage.
Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
(BMC) has installed traffic signals that
display female icons sporting triangular
frock, a shift from the default representation
of men.
Aditya Thackery, Minister for Tourism and
Environment termed that the signage is
“ensuring gender equality with a simple
idea.”
While a first in India, countries like Germany
and Australia started marking female icons in
traffic signage in 2014 and 2017,
respectively.
Mumbai municipal corporation to start pilot
project to use voice analysis to detect Covid -19
The Municipal corporation of Greater Mumbaiwill
start using a voice sampling method to diagnose
Covid-19 at one of its jumbo facilities in Mumbai.
Although, this will be on pilot basis but the
app based tool will soon be introduced in
other hospitals as well..
The audio based app can find a person's
Covid 19 status from the voice's timbre.
Such voice based apps or tools have been
tested across the world.
A suspected patient will be asked to speak
into a cell phone or computer, where the
voice analysis app has been uploaded.
The patient's vital parameters will also be
taken. The sample will be compared with the
voice of a person not suffering from Covid 19
to provide an analysis.
After dry chillies Indian Railways to transport
denim and dyes to Bangladesh from Gujarat
Indian Railways' Western Railway Zone has
achieved a unique record after deciding to run a
parcel train from Ahmedabad division in Gujarat to
neighbouring country Bangladesh.
The train is to carry denim cloth, dyes and
colours. This is to generate a revenue of Rs
31 lakhs.
The train is to traverse 2,110 km to reach
Benapole in Bangladesh.
Earlier, the Indian Railways operated the first
ever special parcel train to Bangladesh
transporting dry chillies from Andhra
Pradesh.
PM Modi inaugurates submarine Optical Fibre
Cable connecting Chennai, Port Blair
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and
dedicated the nation's submarine Optical Fibre Cable
(OFC) connecting Chennai and Port Blair through
video conferencing.
The foundation stone for the project was laid
by Mr Modi on 30th December 2018 at Port
Blair.
The submarine cable will also connect Port
Blair to Swaraj Dweep, Little Andaman, Car
Nicobar, Kamorta, Great Nicobar, Long
Island, and Rangat.
This connectivity will enable delivery of
faster and more reliable mobile and landline
telecom services to Andaman and Nicobar
Islands.
Once inaugurated, the submarine Optical
Fibre Cable link will deliver bandwidth of
2x200 Gigabits per second, Gbps between
Chennai and Port Blair, and 2x100 Gbps
between Port Blair and the other islands.
About 2,300 Kilometers of Submarine
Optical Fibre Cable has been laid at a cost of
about 1 thousand 2 hundred 24 Crore rupees
and the project has been completed in time.
Delhi Airport launches 'Air Suvidha', an online
portal for international passengers
The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has
developed a first-of-its-kind web portal named ‘AIR
SUVIDHA’.
This portal is meant for India-bound
international arriving flyers, to enable them
to fill the mandatory self- declaration form.
Eligible passengers can also apply online for
exemption from mandatory institution
quarantine process.
The AIR SUVIDHA portal will make
traveling contactless as the passengers won’t
have to fill physical copies of self declaration
and quarantine exemption forms when they
arrive in India.
Former President Pranab Mukherjee tests
positive for COVID-19
Former President Pranab Mukherjee has tested
positive for COVID-19.
Mr Mukherjee requested the people who
came in contact with him in the last week to
self isolate and get tested for COVID-19.
Pranab Mukherjee served as the 13th
President of India from 2012 until 2017.
He was awarded India's highest civilian
honour, the Bharat Ratna in 2019.
India, Maldives ink contract for development of
five eco-tourism zones in Addu atoll of island
nation
India and Maldives signed a contract for
development of five eco-tourism zones in Addu atoll
of the island nation.
These eco tourism zones are part of grant
projects being implemented under the High-
Impact Community Development project
(HICDP) scheme which involves a total grant
assistance of 5.5 million US dollars to the
Maldives.
Currently, there are 9 such high-impact
projects being implemented in the Maldives.
GoI launched National Portal “SURAKHSYA”
on Human Elephant conflict
The Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar
launched National Portal on Human Elephant
conflict called “SURAKHSYA”.
The portal aims to collect real time
information and will also manage conflicts on
real time basis.
The portal will help to set data collection
protocols, data visualization tools and data
transmission pipelines.
The National Portal was launched during the
celebration of international annual event
World Elephant Day.
The World Elephant Day is celebrated every
year on August 12 to create elephant
conservation and share knowledge for better
protection of wild captive elephants.
Chhattisgarh CM Launches Indira Van Mitan
Yojana
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel
announced the launch of Indira Van Mitan Yojana on
the occasion of World Tribal Day.
Under this scheme, groups of youth will be
formed in 10,000 villages of tribal areas of
the state and all forest-based economic
activities will be conducted through these
groups.
New doors will open for self-employment
and prosperity of the forest dwellers through
these groups.
Under this scheme, arrangements for
procurement, processing and marketing of
forest produce will be ensured through
groups.
Groups will be formed under this scheme in
10,000 villages of scheduled areas, in which
youth will be given priority.
The Indira Van Mitan scheme aims to add 19
lakh families from scheduled areas. Through
this scheme, groups will be empowered to
manage trees, so that they can collect the
forest produce from the trees of the forest
areas and get economic benefits.
BJP-led coalition government in Manipur wins
trust vote
In Manipur, N. Biren Singh-led government won the
trust vote during one-day State Assembly session.
The BJP led-coalition headed by Chief
Minister Singh won the confidence vote by a
margin of 12 votes in the house.
Eight Opposition Congress MLAs skipped
the session defying the party whip.
The 60-member house has an effective
strength of 53, including Speaker Y
Khemchand.
The Congress had submitted a notice of No
Confidence Motion against the government
on 28th of July.
Days later, the State Government submitted a
notice to the Speaker for a trust vote.
Public Enterprises Selection Board selects Soma
Mondal as the next chairman of SAIL
Soma Mondal has been selected by the Public
Enterprises Selection Board as the next chairman of
public sector steel major Steel Authority of India
Limited.
Her appointment is subject to approval from
the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
(ACC).
If the ACC gives its approval, she will make
history with the rare distinction of being the
first woman chairperson of SAIL.
She will also be the first woman to head a
major steel company not only in India but
also elsewhere in the world.
The current chairman of SAIL Anil
Chaudhary assumed charge in September
2018 and is due to retire at the end of this
year.
Daughters have equal coparcenary rights in joint
Hindu family property: SC
A three-judge bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra
of Supreme Court ruled that daughters have equal
rights as that of sons on parental property.
They shall remain coparcener throughout
their life.
The judgement said that daughters have equal
rights in parental property as that of son.
The verdict makes it clear the amendment to
the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 granting
equal rights to daughters to inherit ancestral
property would have retrospective effect.
Under the act, the Hindu women can inherit
all types of property. This includes both
movable and immovable property.
Israel shares AI-based technology, high-end
equipment with AIIMS to help combat COVID-
19
Israel has given state-of-the-art Artificial
Intelligence-based technologies and high-end
equipment to AIIMS, Delhi as part of Israel-India
cooperation to fight the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic.
Israeli Ambassador to India Dr Ron Malka
formally handed over the high-end
equipment and technology solutions to
Director of AIIMS, Dr Randeep Guleria.
It also includes a 12-hour disinfection
product called CPD that stays active to
protect the surface against new attacks of
contamination.
Earlier, India helped Israel with medicines
and safety gear.
Now Israel has sent equipment including
robotic teleconsultation and telemonitoring
equipment.
Lok Sabha starts beginner-level course in French
Lok Sabha has started a beginner-level course in
French for the officials and staff of the Lok Sabha
Secretariat at the Parliament House.
As many as 57 officials registered for the
course.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the
course.
Birla appreciated the initiative undertaken by
the Parliamentary Research and Training
Institute for Democracies (PRIDE).
In the near future, courses in German,
Spanish, Russian and other important world
languages would also be organised.
Narendra Singh Tomar launches ICAR's data
recovery centre 'Krishi Megh'
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has
launched ICAR's data recovery centre - Krishi Megh.
The move is aimed at protecting the precious
data of the government's premier research
body Indian Council of Agricultural
Research.
It has been set up at National Academy of
Agricultural Research Management
(NAARM) in Hyderabad.
The main data centre of the ICAR is at the
Indian Agricultural Statistics Research
Institute (IASRI) in the national capital.
Krishi Megh has been set up under the
National Agricultural Higher Education
Project (NAHEP), funded by both the
government and World Bank.
Tribal Affairs Ministry develops nine ‘Tribal
Freedom Fighters’ Museums
The Tribal Affairs Ministry is developing “Tribal
Freedom Fighters’ Museums dedicated to the
contributions of the tribal people in India to the
freedom struggle.
Out of nine sanctioned museums, two
museums are near completion and the
remaining seven are at different stages of
progress.
By the end of 2022 all the museums will
come into existence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had
announced setting up of these tribal freedom
fighters’ museums during his Independence
Day Speech on 15th August 2016.
All the museums will have strong usage of
technologies like Virtual Reality, Augmented
Reality and 3D/7D holographic projections.
These museums will demonstrate the way
tribals struggle to protect their custodial
concerns for the biological and cultural
diversity of the country.
Gujarat launches ‘Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay
Yojana’
The Gujarat government launched a new scheme
‘Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay’ Yojana.
Under this farmers facing crop losses due to
drought, excess rain or unseasonal rain will
get compensation without collection of any
premium from them.
The new scheme will replace the Pradhan
Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for this
year only.
Unlike the Centre's crop insurance scheme,
farmers are not required to pay any premium
under this new state government's scheme to
get protection against natural risks like
drought, excess or unseasonal rain this kharif
season.
Expert committee on Covid-19 vaccine
An expert committee under the chairmanship of NITI
Aayog member Dr VK Paul will meet to consider the
logistics and ethical aspects of procuring and
administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
The committee on vaccine administration
will engage with all the stakeholders
including State governments and vaccine
manufacturers.
The committee would chalk out strategies on
the aspects of prioritisation of the vaccine
administration once it is developed, rollout
and cold chain logistics and training of the
people who would be administering it.
The V K Paul led committee also deliberated
on the delivery mechanism of the vaccine
including tracking of vaccination process
while focusing particularly on last mile
delivery.
Jal Shakti Minister launches Swachh Bharat
Mission Academy in New Delhi
Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
launched Swachh Bharat Mission, SBM Academy in
New Delhi, as part of the ongoing week-long
behaviour change campaign Gandagi Mukt Bharat.
Swachh Bharat Mission Academy, with its
mobile based technology will significantly
boost the capacity building efforts in training
of Swachhagrahis as well as community-
based organizations, NGOs and others
associated with phase 2 of the mission.
Swachh Bharat Mission Academy is a phone-
based academy and offers a 60-minutes
module, which is an IVR based training
course.
The course covers a wide range of topics
under Open Defecation Free sustainability
(ODF-S) as well as Solid and Liquid Waste
Management (SLWM).
Microwave device 'Atulya' to disintegrate novel
Coronavirus unveiled by Nitin Gadkari
A microwave device named ‘Atulya’ was unveiled
by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways
and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin
Gadkari in Nagpur.
Certified by the Defence Research and
Development Organization (DRDO) and
based on French and American standards, the
device is 100 per cent Made in India and has
been manufactured under the aegis of the
MSME.
The ‘Atulya’ microwave like device can be
used to disinfect any premises up to five
metres area, besides surface areas, home and
office furniture, beds, new boxes and even
the contents of the boxes.
This equipment can be hand handled as its
weight is mere three kilograms.
The device disintegrates the COVID-19 virus
with the help of differential heating in the
range of 56 to 60 degrees Celsius
temperatures.
The positive thing about this device is it is
100 per cent safe for humans and does not
emit Ultraviolet rays for disinfection, that
could be harmful to the human body.
PM Modi launches 'Transparent Taxation -
Honoring the Honest' platform
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Transparent
Taxation - Honoring the Honest' platform.
It will strengthen the efforts of reforming and
simplifying India's tax system.
The Prime Minister unveiled the next phase
of direct tax reforms aimed at easing
compliance and rewarding honest taxpayers
to boost Indian economy.
The number of people who have filed income
tax returns has increased by about two-and-a-
half crores in the last 6-7 years.
Ayush Minister Shripad Naik tests positive for
coronavirus
Minister of State for Ayush and Defence Shripad Y
Naik has tested positive for coronavirus.
He has opted for self-isolation as he is
asymptomatic and added his vitals are within
normal limits.
Shripad Yesso Naik is the Union Minister of
State in the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga &
Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and
Homoeopathy and Minister of State for
Defence.
He was the former Union Minister of State
for Health and Family Welfare.
NITI Aayog selects Oracle Cloud to transform
Aspirational Districts
Niti Aayog announced it has selected Oracle to help
it modernise vital IT infrastructure in 112 most
backward districts as part of its Aspirational Districts
Programme.
These 112 districts constitute 28 percent of
population (nearly 1.4 billion) and the new
cloud solution aims to aid district magistrates
to improve overall performance and
transform the quality of life of citizens.
The programme uses data to identify top
performing districts.
The data driven decisions are essential to
identify strengths and weaknesses of the
Aspirational Districts.
NITI Aayog is to receive help from Oracle
cloud Services to fast track the
transformation of Aspirational Districts.
India will fund Greater Male Connectivity
Project through USD 400 mn Line of Credit &
USD 100 million grant
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has
announced that India will fund the implementation of
Greater Male Connectivity Project through a 400
million dollar Line of Credit and 100 million dollar
grant.
This 6.7 kilometre bridge project connecting
Male with Gulhifalhu Port and Thilafushi
industrial zone will help revitalise and
transform Maldivian economy.
The regular cargo ferry service between India
and Maldives will be started to boost trade
and commerce.
India is also starting an air travel bubble with
Maldives to sustain and promote the dynamic
people-to-people ties between the two
countries.
The Highest-Paid Actors Of 2020
Forbes magazine has released “The Highest-Paid
Actors Of 2020” list. Bollywood actor, Akshay
Kumar is the only Indian star to be listed among the
top 10 world’s highest-paid actors of 2020 with total
earnings of $48.5 million.
Akshay is placed at sixth place in the list.
Most of his income came from product
endorsements.
The list has been topped by Wrestler-turned-
movie star Dwayne Johnson, for a second
straight year, with the total earning of $87.5
million.
UP govt opens 16 new cyber crime Police stations
in different cities
In view of the growing cyber crimes in the state,
Uttar Pradesh government has opened 16 new cyber
crime Police stations in different cities of the state.
Earlier there were only two police Stations in
Lucknow and Gautam Budh Nagar.
Two days back the Government had decided
to publicise the phone numbers of these 18
cyber police stations so that the victims of
cyber crimes can approach police easily.
New cyber police stations have been opened
in Agra, Aligarh, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot,
Bareilly, Moradabad, Basti, Gonda,
Gorakhpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Ayodhya,
Saharanpur, Azamgarh, Mirzapur and
Varanasi districts.
LIC launches revival campaign for lapsed policies
Life Insurance Corporation of India will provide an
opportunity for its policyholders to revive their
lapsed policies.
It has decided to launch a special revival
campaign from August 10 till October 9 for
its customers to revive their individual lapsed
LIC policies.
Under this Special Revival Campaign
policies of specific eligible plans can be
revived within five years from date of the first
unpaid premium subject to certain terms and
conditions.
The policyholders will get 20 per cent late fee
concession for revival of the policy while 25
per cent concession between Rs 1 lakh and Rs
3 lakh.
Policies which are in lapsed condition during
the premium paying term and not completed
policy term as on the date of revival are
eligible to be revived in this campaign.
RBI governor announces 'positive pay' feature to
help avert cheque frauds
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said that the banking
system will move to a positive pay practice in cheque
transactions to curb frauds.
Under the 'positive pay' system, a customer
who issues the cheque clicks a picture of the
cheque before handing it over to the
beneficiary and uploads the same on the
bank's mobile application.
The limit of Rs 50,000 will cover
approximately 20 per cent of transactions by
volume and 80 per cent by value.
Since 2016, the second largest private sector
lender ICICI Bank has such a facility for all
cheques irrespective of the amount.
By following such a system, a bank knows of
a cheque being drawn by the customer even
before it is deposited by the beneficiary into
her account.
Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel
'Sarthak' launched
An Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Indian
Coast Guard was launched and re-christened as
Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Sarthak’.
The launching ceremony held at Goa
Shipyard Limited was conducted through
video conferencing from Coast Guard
headquarters at New Delhi.
Sarthak is the 4th in the series of five OPVs
deployed by the Coast Guard to enhance
maritime security.
It has been designed and built indigenously
by Goa Shipyard Limited in line with the
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of
‘Make in India’.
The Ship is fitted with state-of-the-art
Navigation and Communication equipment,
sensor and machinery.
Sports Ministry to organise ‘Fit India Freedom
Run’ from Aug 15- Oct 2
The Sports Ministry will organise the largest
country-wide run, the Fit India Freedom Run from 15
August till 2nd of October.
In keeping with the current pandemic
situation and social distancing norms, the
government has decided to encourage
participants of the event to run at their own
pace - anywhere and at any time of their
convenience.
Additionally, they can break up their runs
over several days in this period.
The total kilometers clocked can be tracked
using a Global Positioning System (GPS)
watch or manually.
The motto of the ‘Freedom Run’ is to
encourage fitness and help citizens to get
freedom from obesity, laziness, stress,
anxiety and other diseases.
African swine fever in Meghalaya
In Meghalaya, following the outbreak of African
Swine Fever (ASF) in 12 villages located in four
districts which include West Jaintia Hills, West
Khasi Hills, East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi district, the
government has decided to declare all villages where
pigs have died to be a containment zone.
It was decided to ban all forms of import and
export of pigs from those villages and also to
ban slaughter and selling of pigs for
consumption.
Banning such activities will help in
containing the spread of ASF.
Till date 73 pigs have died and out of which
24 have tested positive for ASF.
Manipur observes Patriots’ day, commemorates
heroes of Anglo-Manipuri war
In Manipur, the Patriots' Day was observed on 13
August commemorating the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri
war.
During the war many Manipuris sacrificed
their lives to safeguard the independence of
the State.
The day is observed every year on the 13th
August to pay homage to the great martyres.
The Anglo-Manipur War was an armed
conflict between the British Empire and the
Kingdom of Manipur.
The war lasted between 31 March and 27
April 1891, ending in a British victory.
On 13 August 1891, five Manipuri
commanders including Tikendrajit were
hanged for waging war against the British
Empire, Kulachandra Singh along with 21
Kangleipak noblemen received sentences of
property forfeiture and lifetime exile.
Goa’s Harmal Chillies, Moira bananas, Khaje
gets GI tag
Goa’s traditional festive sweet dish ‘Khaje’, spicy
Harmal Chilli and Myndoli Banana (Moira Banana)
has obtained Geographical Indication (GI) tag from
the Geographical Indications Registry.
Khaje got a GI tag under foodstuffs falling in
Class-30 and Moira Banana under Class-31.
A GI tag protects the produce from being
illegally used, and ensures benefits to the
local growers’ community.
WHO advised 140 tests per day per million
population: Health Ministry
The Health Ministry has said that the World Health
Organisation, WHO has advised 140 tests per day per
million population.
India has conducted a record 8,48,728 tests
for detection of COVID-19 in a day with an
aim to achieve a daily target of 10 lakh.
At present the national average is 603 tests
per day per million population.
With focussed efforts of the Centre and
effective implementation by the states and
union territories, 34 of them have exceeded
this figure.
India celebrates its 74th Independence Day
This year India celebrates its 74th Independence Day
on 15th August 2020.
This day is celebrated to pay tribute and to
remember the sacrifice and struggle of our
brave heroes in the fight for freedom.
The main function was held at the Red Fort
of the national capital where Prime Minister
Narendra Modi hoisted the National Flag.
For almost 200 years, Indians were
dominated by the British government which
began in 1757.
Prime Minister announces launch of National
Digital Health Mission
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the launch
of National Digital Health Mission.
The National Digital Health Mission will
bring a new revolution in India's health sector
and all Indians will get health IDs.
Every test, every disease, medicines
prescribed by doctors, reports and related
information will be contained in this one
health ID.
The mission aims to improve the efficiency,
effectiveness and transparency of health care
in India. It operates under Pradhan Mantri Jan
Arogya Yojana or Ayushman Bharat.
President approves 84 gallantry awards for
defence personnel
President Ram Nath Kovind has approved 84
gallantry awards for defence personnel, including
nine Shaurya Chakra.
The Kirti Chakra has been posthumously
awarded to Abdul Rashid Kalas, Head
Constable, Jammu and Kashmir Police.
The Shaurya Chakra is awarded for 'gallantry
otherwise than in the face of the enemy'.
It is the third highest gallantry award in
peacetime.
The President has also approved 19 Mention-
in-Despatches to the Army personnel for their
significant contributions in different military
operations, which include eight posthumous
for 'Operation Meghdoot' and 'Operation
Rakshak'.
Operation 'Meghdoot' was launched in 1984
to secure control of the heights
predominating the Siachen Glacier.
'Operation Rakshak' is also an ongoing
counter-insurgency operation in Jammu and
Kashmir.
DIAT develops Ayurvedic face mask, and
antimicrobial body suit
Pune based Defence Institute of Advanced
Technology, DIAT (DU) developed a Nanofibres of
Ayurvedic based Biodegradable Face Mask which
acts a virus neutraliser to resist against the
bacteria/virus, and is named “Pavitrapati”.v
The Company now launched its first ever
Ayurvedic based biodegradable face mask
named “Pavitrapati” for sale.
M/s Siddheshwar Techtessile Pvt. Ltd.,
Maharashtra developed initially 10,000 Nos
of this mask and have got responses from
distributors, sales teams, pharmaceutical
companies and the same will be made
available on online platforms like Amazon,
Flipkart etc.
Another ToT has been transferred to M/s.
Siddheshwar Techtessile Pvt. Ltd.,
Maharashtra by DIAT for development of
antimicrobial body suit in the name of
“Aushada tara”.
This suit has superhydrophobic, breathing,
anti-microbial, comfort feeling properties.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launches
SRIJAN portal for Indigenization in Defence
Sector
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a
portal SRIJAN which is a one stop shop online portal
that provides access to the vendors to take up items
for indigenization.
This will help industry partners to play an
active role in the goal of self-reliance in the
defence sector.
The Defence Minister called upon the Indian
industry partners to show complete
commitment and take proactive participation
in the pursuit of Indigenization and self-
reliance in the Defence Sector.
UP becomes number one in conducting covid tests
in country
Uttar Pradesh has become number one in conducting
covid tests in the country.
Cumulative covid testing figures reached 36
lakh samples on 14 August. State is
conducting around one lakh covid tests daily.
With at least 9 districts in the state recording
more than 100 new cases of Covid infection
in the past 24 hours, the number of active
cases in the state crossed 50,000.
The state now has 50426 active cases and the
list is topped by Lucknow, which has 7,188
active cases.
Kanpur is in second place with more than 4
thousand active cases.
Assam govt tells private educational institutions
to offer 25 per cent concessions in fees
The Assam government has told all private
educational institutions to offer 25 per cent
concessions in monthly fees from 1st of May till
formal opening of schools.
Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
said that these private institutes teach
students from pre- primary level to 12th
standard.
These institutions are saving substantial
expenditure under various heads including
fuel and electricity charges.
Educational institutes in the State are closed
from 16th of March due to Covid-19
pandemic.
Odisha emerges as number 1 investment
destination in the country
Odisha has emerged as the number one investment
destination in the country.
During the last 6 months the State has
received an investment proposal worth Rs
12,000 crore.
The agricultural growth rate in the State has
clocked 7.61 per cent which is far ahead of
the national average of 2.80 per cent.
Two over bridges of Ahmedabad named after late
Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj in Gujarat
In Gujarat, two over bridges of Ahmedabad city have
been named after late Arun Jaitley and Sushma
Swaraj.
The Railway over bridge in Ranip area of the
city will be known as Atmanirbhar Gujarat
Railway Flyover.
The newly built flyover at Income Tax circle
will be known as Arun Jaitley flyover, while
another flyover at Anjali cross road will be
known as Sushma Swaraj Bridge.
RBI Board approves transfer of Rs 57,128 cr as
surplus to central govt
The RBI Board has approved the transfer of 57,128
crore rupees as surplus to the central government for
the accounting year 2019-20.
RBI has informed that it has also decided to
maintain a Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.5
percent.
The Board, chaired by RBI Governor
Shaktikanta Das, discussed the bank’s
operations in the past year and approved its
annual report and statement of accounts.
Custom-made Boeing 777 as 'Air India One' for
PM Modi, President Kovind, top dignitaries soon
Soon Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram
Nath Kovind and other VVIP dignitaries will fly in
Boeing 777-300ERs that India is set to receive from
Boeing in the United States.
Two Boeing 777-300ERs will arrive in India
from the US for which officials have already left
to receive the aircraft.
VVIP aircraft 'Air India One' or The Special
Extra Section Flight (SESF) are custom made
Boeing 777 that will arrive in India in
September.
To fly these planes, Indian Air Force pilots will
be given the responsibility and not Air India.
The planes will have state-of-art missile defence
systems.
The missile system will be called Large Aircraft
Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) and Self-
Protection Suites (SPS).
PM Modi, Amit Shah pay respects to Atal Bihari
Vajpayee on second death anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Atal
Bihari Vajpayee on his second death anniversary as
he remembered the former prime minister’s
“outstanding service" to the nation.
Born on December 25, 1924 in Madhya
Pradesh's Gwalior, Vajpayee was the first-ever
person from the BJP to become the Prime
Minister.
He served as Prime Minister thrice, briefly in
1996, from 1998 to 1999 and then for a full five-
year term between 1999 and 2004.
Apart from politics, Vajpayee was a prominent
writer and penned a number of poems.
The veteran BJP leader passed away on August
16, 2018, at the All India Institute of Medical
Science (AIIMS) in Delhi after a prolonged
illness.
Government to reconsider minimum age of
marriage for girls
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that
the Centre will decide on the recommendations of a
committee set up to reconsider the minimum age of
marriage for women.
The minimum age of marriage, especially for
women, has been a contentious issue.
The law evolved in the face of much resistance
from religious and social conservatives.
Currently, the law prescribes that the minimum
age of marriage is 21 years and 18 years for men
and women respectively.
On June 2, the Union Ministry for Women and
Child Development set up a task force to
examine matters pertaining to age of
motherhood, imperatives of lowering Maternal
Mortality Ratio and the improvement of
nutritional levels among women.
The task force will examine the correlation of
age of marriage and motherhood with health,
medical well-being, and nutritional status of the
mother and neonate, infant or child, during
pregnancy, birth and thereafter.
It will also look at key parameters like Infant
Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate
(MMR), Total Fertility Rate (TFR), Sex Ratio at
Birth (SRB) and Child Sex Ratio (CSR), and
will examine the possibility of increasing the age
of marriage for women from the present 18 years
to 21 years.
PM Modi announces optical fibre link connecting
Lakshadweep, mainland India Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an
undersea optical fibre cable link to connect
Lakshadweep with mainland India.
Modi set a target of completing the
Lakshadweep undersea project in 1,000 days to
boost mobile and broadband communication
between mainland India and the group of islands
situated on the Laccadive Sea, off the
southwestern coast of India.
On 10 August, Modi inaugurated the Chennai-
Port Blair project, whose foundation was laid in
December 2018.
The 2,312-kilometre long cable project,
implemented at a cost of ₹1,224 crore, will
connect not only Port Blair but also other islands
such as Swaraj Dweep, Long Island, Rangat,
Little Andaman, Kamorta, Car Nicobar, and
Greater Nicobar.
Lakshadweep Administrator: Dineshwar
Sharma
India sends 58 tonnes of emergency aid to
Lebanon
India sent 58 tonnes of emergency humanitarian aid
to Lebanon in an air force plane to assist the people
affected by the explosions in Beirut on August 4.
The emergency humanitarian aid was dispatched
in a C-17 heavy lift aircraft of the Indian Air
Force (IAF) in response to an assessment of
requirements by Lebanese authorities.
The aid sent by India includes emergency
medical supplies, wheat flour, sugar, pulses, and
relief materials such as blankets, dignity kits and
sleeping mats, which are required by the large
number of people left homeless by the
explosion.
Nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored
at Beirut’s port blew up on August 4, virtually
wiping out the city’s commercial hub and
damaging many parts of the Lebanese capital.
The total damage has been estimated at $10
billion to $15 billion.
Lebanon Capital: Beirut
Currency: Lebanese pound
Indian Navy to urgently buy 10 ship-based drones
Aiming to boost surveillance capabilities against
enemy warships operating in the Indian Ocean
region, the Indian Navy has moved a proposal to
urgently acquire 10 shipborne drones.
A proposal has been moved in fast track mode
by the Indian Navy before the Defence
Ministry under which it plans to buy 10 Naval
Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems for over
₹1,240 crores,
The drones would be deployed on big size
warships of the force and would help them in
the detection of activities of the Chinese as
well as other adversaries in and around Indian
territorial waters.
As per plans, the Navy is likely to acquire these
drones through an open bid and then deploy
them on its warships for surveillance and
reconnaissance activities.
The Indian Navy is working separately on a
project to acquire Sea Guardian drones from
the United States for expanding its surveillance
in the country's areas of interest from
Madagascar to Malacca Straits and beyond.
Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan govt wins trust vote
in assembly
A month after rebellion from 19 dissident legislators
of his party threatened the survival of his
government, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot
won the trust vote in the state assembly.
The vote took place a day after Sachin Pilot
attended the Congress Legislature Party meeting
at CM Gehlot’s house and declared that he is
determined to act in the “interest of the people of
Rajasthan and in accordance with the promises
made”.
The confidence motion was brought in the
assembly after the reunification of the Gehlot
and Sachin Pilot factions of the Rajasthan
Congress party.
Governor: Kalraj Mishra
Rajasthan Legislative Assembly: 200 seats
Rajya Sabha: 10 seats
Lok Sabha: 25 seats
International Film Festival of India to be held in
November
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said the
International Film Festival of India (IFFI) would be
held in the state in November this year as per
schedule.
IFFI is held annually in the coastal
state between November 20 and 28.
The festival is organised by the
Directorate of Film Festivals in
association with the state
government's Entertainment Society
of Goa.
PM to inaugurate 'Atal Tunnel' in Rohtang in
September 2020
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur
said the 'Atal Tunnel' in Rohtang would be
inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the
end of September this year.
The tunnel will be the world's longest above
an altitude of 3,000 metres and will reduce
the distance between Manali and Leh by 46
km.
The tunnel is being built under Rohtang Pass
in the Pir Panjal range on the Leh-Manali
highway.
The length of the tunnel is 8.8 kilometers.
Once thrown open, the tunnel will provide
all-weather connectivity to remote border
areas of Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh which
otherwise remain cut-off from the rest of the
country for about six months during winters.
AYUSH Ministry launches 3-month campaign
‘Ayush for Immunity’
AYUSH Ministry has launched a three-month
campaign on ‘Ayush for Immunity’ through a
webinar.
Through the campaign “Ayush for
Immunity”, the Ministry of AYUSH aims to
inform people about the valuable information
about strengths of various Ayush-based
solutions for enhancing immunity and
preventing diseases.
The Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga &
Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and
Homoeopathy (abbreviated as AYUSH) is
purposed with developing education,
research and propagation of indigenous
alternative medicine systems in India.
The Ministry is headed by a Minister of State
(Independent Charge), which is currently
held by Shripad Yesso Naik.
Nagaland Government Rolls-Out Centralized e-
commerce platform “YellowChain”
On the occasion of Independence Day, the Chief
Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio launched
“Yellow Chain”.
Yellow Chain is a centralized e-commerce
platform, to promote local business and
entrepreneurship in the State.
Yellow Chain will act as an integrated
platform for the people of the state, where any
Seller/Service Provider/Individual/Group
can register themselves and upload their
products, trades, skills, services etc to enable
the citizens/buyers to have access to their
Service or Product.
It may include Home service(Barber,
Electrician, Plumber, Painter, Carpenter,
Water Service etc.), Delivery service, IT
Products & Services, Cab & Taxi Service,
Health Care & Education, Fast food &
Catering, Bakeries & Confectioneries,
Grocery Stores, Local Product/Produces,
Trainings, Pre-owned Products, Real Estate,
Rentals etc.
HDFC Bank launches “Shaurya KGC Card”
HDFC Bank has launched “Shaurya KGC Card” for
Indian armed forces personnel.
The card will offer agriculture loans for
military and paramilitary professionals.
Launching the card from Mumbai, HDFC
Bank, MD & CEO, Aditya Puri said that the
bank was targeting 45 lakh military and
paramilitary personnel.
A first-of-its-kind product for over 45 lakh
Indian armed forces personnel.
The product will target 5 lakh military and
paramilitary professionals, for catering to
their family’s agricultural needs.
The product comes with a life cover of ₹ 10
lakh as against ₹ 2 lakh for an average card.
India dispatches over 30 tonnes of technical
equipment to Mauritius to deal with oil spill
The Government of India has dispatched over 30
tonnes of technical equipment and material to
Mauritius to supplement the country’s ongoing oil
spill containment and salvage operations.
The decision has been taken, in response to a
request of the Government of Mauritius for
assistance in dealing with the environmental
crisis due to oil spill on its south-east coast.
A 10-member Technical Response Team,
consisting of Indian Coast Guard personnel
specially trained to deal with oil spill
containment measures, has also been
deployed to Mauritius.
India’s assistance is in line with it’s policy to
extend humanitarian assistance and disaster
relief to its neighbours in the Indian Ocean
region, guided by the Prime Minister’s vision
of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in
the Region).
Tribal Affairs Minister launches 'Swasthya 'e-
portal on tribal health & nutrition
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda inaugurated the
e-portal on tribal health and nutrition named
'Swasthya'.
The portal provides all health and nutrition
related information of the tribal population of
India on a single platform.
Swasthya will also curate innovative
practices, case studies, and best practices
collected from different parts of India to
facilitate the exchange of evidence, expertise
and experiences.
He informed about the initiatives of the
Ministry in partnership with Facebook
through the Going Online as Leaders
(GOAL) Programme.
Through the GOAL Programme, the Ministry
aims to mentor five thousand tribal youth
across India and enable them to become
village-level digital young leaders for their
communities.
HRD ministry officially renamed as Ministry of
Education
President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the
change in name of the Ministry of Human Resource
Development as Ministry of Education.
A gazette notification published said the
President had given his nod to change the
name of the Ministry.
The name change was among the key
recommendations of the draft new National
Education Policy, NEP which was cleared by
the Union Cabinet last month.
PM Modi to inaugurate First World Solar
Technology Summit to be held on Sept 8
The First World Solar Technology Summit will be
organized by International Solar Alliance, ISA on a
virtual platform on 8th of September.
The summit aims to bring the world scientists
and engineers together to address the
challenges to make energy affordable.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver
the inaugural address of the First World Solar
Technology Summit and it will be graced by
Ministers from member countries from
across all ISA regions.
ISA would also be launching the ISA Journal
on Solar Energy that would help authors from
across the globe to publish their articles on
solar energy, during the event.
ISA Founded at: Paris, France
Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana, India
Gwalior-Chambal Expressway to be named after
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
The Gwalior-Chambal Expressway will be named
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Chambal Progressway.
The 309km expressway will connect
Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh through MP, and
provide cross-connectivity with the Golden
Quadrilateral.
The expressway will go parallel to the
Chambal river via Shivpuri, Bhind, Morena
to Kota.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the first BJP
member to become the Prime Minister of
India.
He served as the prime minister in 1996, from
1998 to 1999 and a term of five years from
1999 to 2004.
In honour of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, 25th
December is celebrated as Good Governance
Day.
Puducherry celebrates its 'De-Jure' day
The Union Territory of Puducherry celebrated its
59th anniversary of the “De-Jure”day on 16 August.
Puducherry became independent by virtue of
a referendum on October 18,1954.
It was a French colonial settlement in India
until 1954.
But the treaty of cession signed between the
French and Indian governments was ratified
by the French Parliament only on August 16,
1962.
So on that day the “De-Jure”(The Legal
Merger of the UT with the Indian Union) was
affected.
West Bengal to observe Sept 1 as Police Day
The West Bengal government will observe
September 1 as Police Day in recognition of the work
done by the men in uniform.
At least 18 police officials of different ranks
have lost their lives to Covid-19, while more
than 4000 personnel across the state
including both Kolkata Police and Bengal
Police have been infected by the virus while
on duty.
West Bengal chief Minister also announced
several new projects for the Kolkata Police
and West Bengal Police.
These include setting up of 20 new barracks
and scope for more promotion for women in
the force.
Mamata Banerjee also announced that the
state will reconstruct the Police Welfare
Department, make it more effective to
manage service deployment as per their
convenience, assure better benefits and
ensure their families too are well taken care
of.
Indian Railways constructing world’s tallest pier
bridge across river Ijai in Manipur
Indian Railways is constructing the world’s tallest
pier bridge in Manipur.
The bridge which is being constructed across
river Ijai near Noney is an engineering
marvel because the tallest pier height will be
141 meter.
It will surpass the existing record of 139
meter of Mala - Rijeka viaduct, Montenegro
in Europe.
The total estimated cost of the bridge is 280
crore rupees, and it will be completed by
March 2022.
The bridge is a part of Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal
new BG line project.
The total length of the bridge will be 703
meter.
NTPC develops infrastructure at Rihand project
for increased use of fly ash
To transport fly ash to cement plants located at
distance, NTPC Limited has developed infrastructure
at Rihand project in Uttar Pradesh.
The development is in line with NTPC's
commitment towards 100 percent utilisation
of fly ash from power plants.
The first rake of 59 BOXN type of railway
wagons carrying 3450 Metric Tonne (MT) of
fly ash was flagged off from NTPC's Rihand
Super Thermal Power station for ACC
Cement Manufacturing Plant, situated in
Tikaria of Uttar Pradesh.
The move will enable power plants for
upgrading the utilisation of fly ash with the
availability of additional material loading
avenues for Indian Railways and accessibility
of fly ash to the cement plants in an
environment-friendly manner at a
competitive price.
During the financial year 2019-20, almost
44.33 million tonnes of fly ash was utilised
for various productive purposes, being 73.31
per cent of the ash generated.
MCX to launch India's first bullion index, Bulldex
Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) is all
set to launch the country's first bullion index,
Bulldex, on August 24
Bullions, viz. gold and silver are already
being traded as individual commodities on
the country’s premier commodity exchange.
On May 25, the Commodity and Derivatives
Exchange had launched India's first index
futures contract called Agridex, which has 10
farm commodities as underlying.
Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd is
an independent commodity exchange based
in India.
It was established in 2003 and is based in
Mumbai. It is India’s largest commodity
derivatives exchange.
SC refuses to direct transfer of money from PM
CARES Fund to NDRF
The Supreme Court refused to direct the transfer of
money collected under the PM CARES Fund set up
for COVID-19 relief to the National Disaster
Response Fund (NDRF).
The Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R
Subshash Reddy, and MR Shah also held that
contributions to the PM CARES were Fund
of a charitable trust.
The Court said that there was no statutory
prohibition on contributions made to the
NDRF.
The Bench further clarified that funds
collected under the PM CARES Fund are
entirely different from the NDRF.
On the petitioner's prayer to set up a National
Plan for COVID-19, the Apex Court held that
the plan prepared by the Centre is sufficient
to cater to the pandemic.
'Ek Sankalp - Bujurgo ke naam’ campaign proves
to be boon for senior citizens amid corona
pandemic in Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh, a unique campaign 'Ek Sankalp
- Bujurgo ke naam’ i.e. 'a commitment for elders' is
being run by the Chhatarpur Police in the midst of
corona infection in the state.
Renowned social worker Anna Hazare has
also praised this campaign being run
specifically for the elderly and helpless
people.
This unique campaign is proving to be a boon
for the elderly people living alone in homes
during the global pandemic COVID-19.
In this campaign, the police are taking care of
the elderly people from the food to their
health.
By this campaign, the motto of Madhya
Pradesh Police- Desh Bhakti-Jansewa has
now become a reality.
IIT Madras retains number-one position in list of
top innovative educational institutes in India
Indian Institute of Technology, Madras has retained
its number-one position in the list of top innovative
educational institutes in India for the second
consecutive year.
The premier institute has been ranked
number-one in the 'Atal Ranking of
Institutions on Innovation Achievements,'
released by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu.
The ranking was launched last year by the
Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Education.
674 Institutions of National Importance,
Central Universities and centrally funded
technical institutions participated in the
rankings this year, as compared to 496 last
year.
SBI waives off SMS charges for all savings
accounts
State Bank of India has waived off SMS charges in
addition to its penalty waiver on non-maintenance of
minimum balance for all its Savings Accounts.
SBI has over 44 crore savings accounts. The
public sector bank informed that the waiver
of such charges is applicable for all kinds of
savings accounts including those with cheque
or Internet Banking facilities.
Earlier, SBI customers had to maintain an
average monthly balance of 3000, 2000
and 1000 rupees in metro, semi urban and
rural areas respectively.
The bank used to levy a penalty of 5 to 15
rupees plus taxes on non-maintenance of
average monthly balance.
The Bank had announced in the month of
March this year that the minimum balance
charges will be waived off for all its Savings
Account customers.
Fino Payments Bank launches “Jan
BachatKhata”
Fino Payments Bank has launched Jan BachatKhata
(JBK), which is an Aadhaar Authentication based
digital savings account that brings neo-banking
experience to consumers.
Under the JBK, customers can transact at a
Fino branch or merchant point with
fingerprint and OTP combination, while at
non-Fino points they need Aadhaar
authentication.
Earlier, Fino Payments Bank had introduced
Shubh and Bhavishya, subscription-based
savings accounts targeted at specific
customer segments.
Sadbhavana Diwas: 20th August
Sadbhavana Diwas is observed on August 20 every
year in the memory of late erstwhile Prime Minister,
Rajiv Gandhi who dreamed about a developed India.
The day is celebrated to mark the birth of our
sixth and youngest Prime Minister.
Contributions to the betterment of our society
are made on this day, paying respect to
Gandhi and his vision for the country.
Rajiv Gandhi became Prime Minister at an
age of 40 years after the assassination of his
mother Indra Gandhi and served from 1984-
89.
A year after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, the
Indian National Congress instituted Rajiv
Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award in 1992.
It was established to accredit outstanding
contributions in promoting national
integration, peace, and harmony.
Indian Akshay Urja Day:August 20
Indian Akshay Urja Day is celebrated on 20 August
annually to raise awareness about the development of
renewable energy in India.
It was established in 2004 to support
renewable energy development programs and
promote its use instead of traditional sources
of energy.
Energy such as Biogas, Solar Energy, Wind
energy, hydroelectric power are few
examples of Akshay Urja.
It is essential to develop ways to use akshay
urja or renewable energy more efficiently.
The main motive of Akshya urja Diwas is to
make people aware that they have to think
about renewable energy (Akshya Urja) apart
from traditional energy.
India-Japan-Australia supply chain in the works
to counter China
India, Japan and Australia have begun discussions on
launching a trilateral Supply Chain Resilience
Initiative (SCRI) to reduce dependency on China,
necessitated by Beijing’s aggressive political and
military behaviour.
The initiative, first proposed by Japan, is now
taking shape.
Japan through its Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry approached India recently
and pressed on the urgency to take the
initiative forward.
The government is moving on the proposal
quite seriously, especially in the light of
China’s aggressive moves on the Line of
Actual Control in Ladakh.
ADB approves USD 1 billion package for rapid
transit system in India
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved
a USD 1 billion (about ₹7,485 crore) loan to support
the construction of the modern, high-speed Delhi-
Meerut regional rapid transit system, a first of its
kind in India.
The transit system project aims to help
decongest the city and improve regional
connectivity by establishing transit options
through densely populated sections of the
NCR connecting Delhi to Meerut in Uttar
Pradesh.
Delhi accounts for 37 per cent of the
population of the national capital region
(NCR).
The 82-km Delhi-Meerut regional rapid
transit system network is the first of three
priority rail corridors in the country's
integrated transport network under the NCR
regional plan 2021.
This project will finance the construction of
railway tracks, station buildings,
maintenance facilities and traction and power
supply.
Govt clears leasing out three airports via PPP
The Union Cabinet approved redevelopment of three
airports in Jaipur, Thiruvananthapuram and
Guwahati. The projects are to be developed by Adani
Enterprises Limited.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will
get ₹1,070 crore upfront from handing over
the airports for redevelopment.
The three airports will be leased for
operation, management, and development in
public-private partnership (PPP) model to
Adani Enterprises for 50 years.
PM Modi greets people on Prakash Purab Utsav
of ‘Guru Granth Sahib’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people on the
Prakash Purab Utsav of the holy book Guru Granth
Sahib.
The Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji illuminates the
entire world with its pure teachings.
The first Prakash Purab Utsav marked the
installation of Guru Granth Sahib in
Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden
temple, in 1604.
Guru Granth Sahib is regarded by Sikhs as
the final, sovereign and eternal living Guru
following the lineage of the ten human gurus
of the religion.
LS Speaker Om Birla attends inaugural
ceremony of 5th World Conference of Speakers of
Parliament
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended the inaugural
ceremony of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers
of Parliament (5WCSP).
The two day Conference is being organized
jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union
(IPU), Geneva and the Parliament of Austria
with the support of the United Nations (UN).
This is the first time that an international
Parliamentary Conference of such a
magnitude is being organised in Virtual
mode.
The Conference is being held in the
backdrop of the current crisis of COVID-19
pandemic is expected to strengthen
multilateralism and international cooperation
in order to rebuild a better world.
NRA to conduct CET to screen & shortlist
candidates for Group B & C (non-technical) posts
The National Recruitment Agency will conduct a
Common Eligibility Test to screen and shortlist
candidates for the Group B and C (non-technical)
posts.
The NRA will have representatives from the
Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Finance,
SSC, RRB and IBPS.
The CET score of the candidate shall be valid
for a period of three years from the date of
declaration of the result.
The best of the valid scores shall be deemed
to be the current score of the candidate.
There shall be no restriction on the number of
attempts to be taken by a candidate to appear
in the CET subject to the upper age limit.
Relaxation in the upper age limit shall be
given to candidates of SC/ST/OBC and other
categories as per the extant policy of the
Government.
Government has sanctioned a sum of 1517.57
crore rupees for the National Recruitment
Agency.
The expenditure will be undertaken over a
period of three years.
National Recruitment Agency will ensure
transparency and ease in the recruitment
process, both for the candidate and the
recruiting organisation.
Initially the NRA will conduct CET twice a
year.
Drone based surveillance system introduced for
Railway Security
Indian Railways have introduced a Drone based
surveillance system for Railway security.
Railway Protection Force, RPF has planned
extensive use of drones for the purpose of
Railway security.
Nine drones have been procured by RPF so
far at a cost of around 32 lakh at South
Eastern Railway, Central Railway, Modern
Coaching Factory, Raebareli and South
Western Railway.
Mumbai Division of Central Railway has
recently procured two Ninja UAVs for better
security and surveillance in Railway areas
like station premises, Railway track sections,
yards and workshops.
A team of four staff members of RPF
Mumbai has been trained for drone flying,
surveillance and maintenance.
These drones are capable of Real Time
Tracking, Video Streaming.
Madhya Pradesh emerges as leading state in
implementation of Pradhan Mantri Street
Vendors Atma-Nirbhar Scheme
Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the leading state in
the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Street
Vendors Atma-Nirbhar Scheme-PM Swa-Nidhi.
PM Swa-Nidhi is a Central Sector Scheme to
facilitate street vendors to access affordable
working capital loan for resuming their
livelihoods activities.
Interest free loan of Rs 10 thousand has been
sanctioned so far to 58 thousand 476 street
vendors in Madhya Pradesh.
This is more than 47 percent of the total
sanctioned cases of the country.
India, Israel sign cultural agreement to further
boost people-to-people ties
India and Israel signed a cultural agreement that
outlines a three-year programme of cooperation to
further strengthen their strategic bilateral relations.
It aims to promote greater people-to-people
exchanges.
The agreement states that it shall contribute
to the development of their relations and to
raising awareness, particularly among youth,
of the history and culture of the people of
both countries.
The programme of cooperation between the
two countries for the years 2020-23 is based
on the cultural agreement signed between
them on May 18, 1993.
It also includes student exchanges through
scholarships, encouraging the participation of
films and film-makers in each other's
international film festivals, devising youth
exchange programmes and encouraging
sports-related interaction among youth.
Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
tests positive for coronavirus
Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has
tested positive for coronavirus.
In a tweet he informed that he has tested
positive for coronavirus infection and was
hospitalized on the advice of doctors.
He is a member of parliament from the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) representing
Jodhpur in the Lok Sabha.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti was formed in
May 2019 under the second Modi ministry.
This was formed by merging of two
ministries; Ministry of Water Resources,
River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation
and Ministry of Drinking Water and
Sanitation.
Dr Harsh Vardhan launches interactive first-of-
its-kind video game 'Corona Fighters' to spread
awareness
Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched an
interactive first-of-its-kind game on COVID-19, the
Corona Fighters.
The Minister also launched two new videos
urging adherence to key COVID Appropriate
Behaviours.
The game presents a new and extremely
creative way to teach people the right tools
and behaviours to fight the Covid-19
pandemic.
The game was designed to influence the
players’ actions in the real world, reminding
them to take the right precautions and escape
infection.
Arjun Munda virtually launches 'TRIFOOD'
Project in Raigad, Jagdalpur
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda virtually
launched the tertiary processing centres under the
'TRIFOOD' project at Raigad in Maharashtra
and Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.
The TRIFOOD Project aims at enhancing the
income of tribals through better utilization
and value addition to the Minor Forest
Produces (MFPs) collected by the tribal
forest gatherers.
Under the project, two Minor Forest Produce
(MFP) processing units will be set up.
The unit at Raigad in Maharashtra will be
used for value addition to traditional tribal
drink mahua, amla, custard apple and jamun
and will also produce mahua drink, amla
juice, candy, jamun juice and custard apple
pulp.
The multi-commodity processing centre at
Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh, will be used for
the processing of commodities like mahua,
amla, honey, cashew, tamarind, ginger, garlic
and other fruits and vegetables.
The project will help promote tribal
entrepreneurship.
Government launches Swadeshi Microprocessor
Challenge
After a successful Atma Nirbhar app challenge, the
government launched “Swadeshi Microprocessor
Challenge” to realise the ambition of self-reliance
and a momentous stride towards “Atma Nirbhar
Bharat”.
It aims to invite innovators, startups and
students to use two microprocessors namely
“SHAKTI (32 bit) and VEGA (64 bit)” to
develop various technology products.
SHAKTI & VEGA microprocessors have
been developed by IIT Madras and Center for
Development of Advance Computing
(CDAC) respectively.
Santosh Gangwar launches Logo of Labour
Bureau
Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment,
Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar launched the official
logo of the Labour Bureau.
The newly launched logo displays the three
goals of the Labour Bureau i.e. Accuracy,
Validity, and Reliability.
It also indicates the Labour Bureau as a data-
based organization that deals in data
pertaining to workers and work.
The logo of the Labour Bureau also
comprises “Blue wheel”, a cog wheel that
represents work.
The blue colour indicates that the Labour
Bureau deals with the blue collar workers.
Google launches Kormo Jobs app in India to help
people find jobs
Google announced that it has launched a separate app
for job seekers in India called the Kormo Jobs app.
The search giant aims to provide jobs to
thousands of people who have lost their jobs
during the coronavirus and young
professionals who are looking for jobs.
The platform launched by Google aims at
providing entry-level jobs.
Google had launched Kormo Jobs in
Bangladesh in 2018 and then in Indonesia.
Google in its blog revealed that ever since the
platform was launched companies like
Zomato and Dunzo had posted over 2 million
jobs on the platform.
Chhattisgarh declared as cleanest state of country
Chhattisgarh has been declared as the cleanest state
of the country as per the Cleanliness Survey 2020
organized by Union Housing and Urban Affairs
Ministry.
Chhattisgarh has bagged 14 national awards
in various categories. The state had taken
many initiatives to achieve this success
In Chhattisgarh, 100% door to door garbage
collection was ensured.
All 166 municipal bodies are ensuring
collection of waste from every household and
100% disposal of the same in SLRM center.
3R Principle- Residue, Reuse and Recycle
was implemented in all the urban bodies
through innovations such as Neki Ki Diwar,
Bartan Bank, Home Composting.
Waste pickers were given employment under
the Mission Clean City Scheme.
MEA in partnership with Foreign Ministry of
Thailand organize 6th Round Table of AINTT
The Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with
the Foreign Ministry of Thailand has organized the
6th Round Table of ASEAN-India Network of Think
Tanks (AINTT).
The theme of the two day Round Table which
was conducted through video conferencing
was 'ASEAN-India: Strengthening
Partnership in the Post COVID Era'.
It was jointly inaugurated by External Affairs
Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and the Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of
Thailand Mr. Don Pramudwinai.
More than 400 people from academia,
industry, government and diplomatic
community attended the Round Table.
The ASEAN-India Round Table comprising
think tanks, policy makers, scholars, media
and business representatives was established
at the 7th ASEAN-India Summit in Thailand
in 2009 to provide policy inputs to
Governments on future direction of
cooperation.
Sowing area coverage under Kharif crops
increases by more than 8.5 per cent this year
Total sowing area coverage under kharif crops in the
country has registered an increase of more than 8.5
per cent this year compared to the corresponding
period of the last year.
Kharif crops have been sown in nearly 1
thousand 63 lakh hectare area of the country
till now.
Cultivation of one of the staple crops, Rice,
has witnessed an increase of nearly 12 per
cent in its total sowing area whereas Oilseed
cultivation has registered a spike of over 14
per cent.
6 per cent higher rainfall than the normal in
the country has also raised hopes of a bumper
Kharif produce this year.
Kharif crops are the crops that are grown with
the arrival of monsoon in different parts of
the country and are harvested in September-
October.
Common kharif crops. Bajra, Jowar, Maize
(corn) Millet, Rice, Soybean.
Niti Aayog panel recommends linking sugarcane
prices to sugar rates
A NITI Aayog task force has recommended linking
sugarcane prices to sugar rates to keep the industry
in sound financial health.
It has also pitched for a one-time increase in
minimum sugar price to Rs 33 per kilo to help
sugar mills cover the cost of production.
The report of the panel on 'Sugarcane and
Sugar Industry', headed by Niti Aayog
Member (Agriculture) Ramesh Chand, was
finalised in March 2020.
The task force also recommended shifting of
some areas under sugarcane cultivation to
less water-intensive crops by providing
suitable incentive to farmers.
NHAI develops mobile App ‘Harit Path' to
facilitate creation of Green Highways across
country
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
has developed a mobile App, ‘Harit Path' to facilitate
creation of Green Highways across the country.
The App will also be used to monitor
location, growth, species details,
maintenance activities, targets and
achievements of each of the PSU’s field units
for every plant under the Highway plantation
projects.
Harit Path was inaugurated by the Union
Minister for Road and Transport, Nitin
Gadkari.
NHAI had also recently undertaken a nation-
wide plantation drive, Harit Bharat Sankalp,
under which it planted over 25 lakh plants in
25 days along the stretches of the National
Highways across the country.
Under a unique initiative, the payment to the
contractors for the plantation work has been
linked with the growth of the plants.
IIT Madras-incubated start-up develops portable
hospital unit for COVID-19 patients
IIT Madras-incubated Start-up, Modulus Housing
has developed a portable hospital unit that can be
installed anywhere within two hours by four people.
'MediCAB' is a decentralized approach to
detect, screen, identify, isolate and treat
COVID-19 patients in their local
communities through these portable
microstructures.
'MediCAB' was launched recently in
Wayanad District of Kerala where the units
are being deployed to treat COVID-19
Patients.
The startup is developing micro hospitals that
can be deployed rapidly across the nation.
The hospital unit is foldable and is composed
of four zones - a doctor's room, an isolation
room, a medical room/ward and a twin-bed
ICU, maintained at negative pressure.
Selling at GBP 2,60,000 Mahatma Gandhi's gold-
plated spectacles break all records for UK auction
house
A pair of gold-plated spectacles believed to have
been worn by Mahatma Gandhi and presented as a
gift in the 1900s have broken all records for a United
Kingdom auction house by selling for Rs 2,55,000,00
or GBP 2,60,000.
The glasses, which were dropped through the
letterbox of East Bristol Auctions in Hanham,
south-west England, four weeks ago were
estimated to fetch between GBP 10,000 and
GBP 15,000.
But, the online bids for the lot kept
multiplying to finally go under the hammer of
the six-figure sum.
PM Modi greets nation on ‘Nuakhai’ harvest
festival
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted the nation
on the occasion of Nuakhai, a harvest festival
celebrated in parts of the country, especially Odisha.
Nuakhai or Navakhai is an agricultural
festival mainly observed by people of
Western Odisha and Southern Chhattisgarh
in India.
Nuakhai is observed to welcome the new rice
of the season.
The word nua means new and khai means
food, so the name means the farmers are in
possession of the newly harvested rice.
National Council for Transgender Persons
formed
The Centre has constituted the national council for
transgender persons.
It will be headed by the Union social justice
minster and will have representatives from 10
central departments, five states and members
of the community.
The council will have joint secretary-level
members from the ministries of health, home,
minority affairs, education, rural
development, labour and law.
In addition, there will be a member from the
department of pensions, Niti Aayog, National
Human Rights Commission and National
Commission for Women.
According to the legislation, the council has
five main functions:
advising the central government on the
formulation of policies, programmes,
legislation and projects with respect to
transgender persons
monitoring and evaluating the impact of
policies and programmes designed for
achieving equality and full participation of
transgender persons
reviewing and coordinating the activities of
all the departments
redressing grievances of transgender persons
performing such other functions as
prescribed by the Centre.
Indian Railways tender for manufacturing 44
semi-high speed Vande Bharat Express trains
cancelled
The Indian Railways has cancelled its tender for
manufacturing 44 sets of semi high-speed Vande
Bharat Express trains.
A fresh tender will be floated within a week
as per the revised public procurement (with a
preference to Make in India) order.
The Railways, however, did not specify the
reason as to why the tender was cancelled.
However, according to reports, the decision
was taken months after a Chinese joint
venture company had emerged as the only
foreign bidder for the global tender floated
for manufacturing 44 rakes of Vande Bharat
trains in July.
The Railways' Integral Coach Factory, based
in Chennai, had floated a tender for
manufacturing 44 train sets of semi-high
speed Vande Bharat trains on July 10.
National Fertilizers Limited to set up an Organic
Waste Converter Plant
National Fertilizers Limited, NFL, a PSU under the
Department of Fertilizers in Vijaipur, in Gauna
district of Madhya Pradesh is going to set up an
Organic Waste Converter, OWC Plant.
The biodegradable waste collected in the unit
will be transported to OWC where it will be
segregated from non-degradable parts.
It will take around 10 days to convert it into
ready to use compost.
The project aims to recycle around 2000 Kg
per day of the biodegradable waste generated
in township including the horticulture waste
and convert it into ready to use compost.
The unit plans to utilize this compost as
manure thus substituting consumption of
fertilisers or manure used for developments
of parks or public places.
The compost can also be used by the residents
in their lawns and kitchen gardens.
VP Venkaiah Naidu remembers great freedom
fighter Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu remembered
Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu, a great freedom fighter
and statesman on his birth anniversary.
Pantulu served as the Chief Minister of the
Madras Presidency, and subsequently
became the first Chief Minister of Andhra
State.
He displayed exemplary courage during the
anti-Simon commission agitation that earned
him the title of ‘Andhra Kesari’-the lion of
Andhra.
India signs deal with Israel to resolve water crisis
in UP
The Uttar Pradesh and Israel governments signed a
‘plan of cooperation’ to resolve the water crisis in
Bundelkhand region.
The India –Israel – Bundelkhand Water
Project comprises three key components
including water conservation, water efficient
transportation and advanced water practices
for agriculture.
The project aims to address the water crisis in
drought-hit regions of Bundelkhand.
It will help farmers of the region with the
latest farming technologies, including drip
irrigation, meant for water-deficient regions
like Bundelkhand said the report.
25 villages in the Babina block of the Jhansi
district had been selected in the first phase.
Kerala to host dragonfly festival
WWF-India Kerala State Office joined hands with
the Society for Odonate Studies (SOS) and
Thumbipuranam for the first-ever state Dragonfly
Festival in Kerala.
The festival has been named as the ‘Thumbi
Maholsavam 2020’.
As part of the Dragonfly Festival, a series of
events will be rolled out in the coming
months to reach out to various sections of the
society.
The Dragonfly festival was begun in 2018. It
aims to educate and inform the public about
the integral role of dragonflies.
Dragon Flies are used as indicators of aquatic
ecosystem quality and biodiversity.
The dragonflies require clean water to thrive
and their survival also requires healthy
vegetation to provide them with oxygen. This
makes them the best indicator of oxygen
levels in the aquatic environment.
India’s longest river ropeway over Brahmaputra
opened for public
The long pending Guwahati passenger ropeway
project connecting the northern and southern banks
of the Brahmaputra River was formally inaugurated
by state minister of finance, health and family
welfare Himanta Biswa Sarma.
It is to be noted that the Guwahati-North
Guwahati route will be the longest ropeway
distance over a river in the entire country.
The total length of this ropeway is 2 Km and
its cabins have been imported from
Switzerland.
One way of the ride would cost Rs 60, while
a two-way commute would require Rs 100.
The entire project has been built at an
estimated cost of Rs 56 crore.
It may be mentioned here that the ambitious
project was initiated in 2006 by the Guwahati
Metropolitan Development Authorities as
part of beautifying the Brahmaputra
riverfront.
PM Modi pays tribute to Arun Jaitley on his
death anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to senior
BJP leader and former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley
on his death anniversary.
On the first death anniversary of former
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the
government is remembering his contribution
to nation-building and the legacy he left
behind as Finance Minister during 2014-19.
The Ministry of Finance acknowledged the
key role he played in the implementation of
GST.
Arun Jaitley served as the Minister of
Finance and Corporate Affairs of the
Government of India from 2014 to 2019.
Jaitley previously held the cabinet portfolios
of Finance, Defence, Corporate Affairs,
Commerce and Industry, and Law and Justice
in the Vajpayee government and Narendra
Modi government.
He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan,
India's second highest civilian award,
posthumously in 2020 in the field of Public
Affairs.
Army Chief honours 51 special action group of
the national security guards
Chief of Army Staff General MM Naravane on
honoured the 51 Special Action Group of the
National Security Guards in recognition of its
achievements in combating terrorism.
The 'COAS (Chief of Army Staff) Unit
Appreciation' was conferred on the elite
group for its "outstanding achievements" in
anti-terror operations.
The group draws 100 per cent of its
manpower from the Indian Army and has
established itself as an elite counter terrorist
force earning many gallantry awards
including three Ashok Chakra which is
India's highest peacetime gallantry honour.
Since its raising in December 1984, 51
Special Action Group has carved a niche for
itself.
Govt extends validity of Motor Vehicle
documents till Dec 31
The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has
decided to extend the validity of Motor Vehicle
documents till the 31st of December.
The Ministry had earlier issued advisories on
30th March and 9th June this year regarding
extension of validity of the documents related
to Motor Vehicles Act and Central Motor
Vehicle Rules.
It was advised that the validity of Fitness,
Permit, License, Registration or any other
concerned documents may be treated to be
valid till 30th of September.
The decision was taken after considering the
situation due to COVID-19 across the
country.
This step is likely to help out the citizens in
availing transport related services.
PM Modi wishes people on World Gujarati Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended wishes to
all Gujaratis on the occasion of World Gujarati Day
which is observed every year on 24 August.
August 24 is Poet Narmad's birthday and is
celebrated as a day dedicated to Gujarati
language and literature.
Narmadashankar Dave 'Narmad' was a
visionary creator, philosopher, pioneer of
social justice and a proud Gujarati poet.
The poet who is considered to be the founder
of modern Gujarati literature, introduced his
fearlessness and creativity through a
magazine called 'Dandio'.
IAF launches mobile app 'MY IAF' to provide
career-related information to aspirants
Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Rakesh Kumar Singh
Bhadauria launched a mobile application, "MY
IAF".
The app will provide career-related
information to those who want to join the
Indian Air Force.
The application, developed in association
with Centre for Development of Advanced
Computing (C-DAC), provides career-
related information and details for those
desirous of joining the IAF.
The user-friendly format of the app serves as
a single digital platform interfacing the users
with the details of the selection procedure,
training curriculum, pay and perks etc for
both officers and airmen in the IAF.
It also provides glimpses into the history and
stories of valour in the IAF.
India and AIIB sign USD 500 million loan
agreement for Mumbai Urban Transport
Project-III
Centre, Maharashtra Government, Mumbai Railway
Vikas Corporation and the Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank (AIIB) signed a loan agreement for
a USD 500 million Mumbai Urban Transport
Project-III.
This will improve the network capacity,
service quality and safety of the suburban
railway system in Mumbai.
The Project is expected to increase network
capacity in the region with the reduction in
journey time and fatal accidents of
commuters.
It is estimated that among primary
beneficiaries of the project, 22 percent are
female passengers who will benefit from
improved safety and quality of service.
First unit of Kudankulam Atomic Power Plant in
Tirunelveli district resumes power production
The first unit of the Kudankulam Atomic Power
Plant in Tirunelveli district Tamil Nadu resumed
power production.
Initially, 400 MW power is being produced,
which is expected to be increased to 1,000
MW in a phased manner.
The first phase had been closed down for
routine maintenance work last May and
Indian and Russian scientists had taken part
in the exercise.
In the meantime, it is notable that the second
1,000 MW unit of the plant , which had
developed some technical slag last July, has
been repaired and has already started
production.
The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant,
owned and operated by the Nuclear Power
Corporation of India, was constructed with
Russian cooperation and was commissioned
in October 2013.
Haryana CM tests positive for COVID-19
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal tested positive
for COVID-19.
Earlier, the Chief Minister tested negative
and he had home quarantined himself as a
precautionary measure for three days.
He went for COVID test after the Union
Minister Gajender Singh Shekhawat had
tested positive, with whom he had attended a
virtual meeting with Punjab Chief Minister
on Sutlej- Yamuna Link Canal issue.
He is the 10th Chief Minister of Haryana.
He represented Karnal constituency in
Haryana Legislative Assembly.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath launches
NRI unified portal
In Uttar Pradesh, the State Government will prepare
a database of the migrant workers of the state
working in different countries of the world.
It will help in providing them assistance
during any emergency.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched an
ambitious NRI unified portal.
This portal would not only help in investment
in the state, but also provide an opportunity
for those who want to go abroad.
The portal would also prove helpful to
overseas Indians and NRIs to get their
problems with the local administration or the
State Government resolved.
The NRI department of state will use festivals
to connect with Non-Resident Indians (NRIs)
in other countries.
The NRI department in the state will be live
streaming the Deepotsav festival in Ayodhya
during Diwali and then the Holi celebrations
in Vrindavan too.
Other Uttar Pradesh festivals and cultural
events will also be a part of this initiative.
Baggage Sanitization and Wrapping machine
introduced at Ahmedabad Railway Station
In Gujarat, Ahmedabad Railway Division has
successfully introduced a Baggage Sanitization and
Wrapping machine at Ahmedabad Railway Station.
It is a first of its kind across the Indian
Railways.
Considering the momentum in transport and
travel services after Unlock-1, the Division
has come up with baggage sanitization and
wrapping machines to ensure safe travel amid
the pandemic.
The baggage sanitization and wrapping
machine set up under the Atmanirbhar Bharat
concept ensure 360 degree sanitization of the
luggage by using ultraviolet radiation.
There are no harmful effects of UV rays on
tiffins, food, vegetables or water kept in the
baggage.
This service is paid and voluntary and
charges depending upon the size and weight
of the luggage.
Gujarat govt to come up with ‘Gujarat Land
Grabbing Prohibition Act’ bill in monsoon session
Gujarat Government will come up with a bill called
‘Gujarat Land Grabbing Prohibition Act’ in the
upcoming monsoon session of the state assembly.
The proposed act will have provision of
setting up special courts that shall clear the
cases pertaining to land grabbing crimes in
maximum six months.
The proposed act will have provision of 10 to
14 years imprisonment, in addition to fine
equal to Jantri value of the land.
The Government will appoint one public
prosecutor in each such special court that
shall take legal actions against land grabbers
in suo moto manner.
Police officers not below the level of Deputy
SP will probe land grabbing related crimes.
Women entrepreneurs make 10 lakh masks under
Jeevan Shakti Yojana in Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh more than 10 lakh masks have
been made so far by the women entrepreneurs of the
state under the Jeevan Shakti Yojana.
The scheme has been started with an aim to
provide low cost masks to the citizens and
employment to women entrepreneurs.
The Jeevan Shakti Yojana has facilitated
women of urban and rural areas to become
self-reliant in the corona crisis.
In order to provide employment to women at
local level and to protect the general public
from the corona infection, the task of making
masks in large quantities at low cost has been
accomplished in the state by this scheme.
Previously the Chief Minister of Madhya
Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan has
launched the MP Jeevan Shakti Yojana under
which the Female candidates can make and
sell masks.
Assam declared 'Disturbed Area' for 6 more
months w.e.f. 28th August
Assam has been declared as Disturbed Area for
another 6 months with effect from 28th August.
The decision has been taken under the Armed
Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
The decision was taken in view of the attacks
on security forces by militants during the last
6 months in the North East and recovery of
illegal arms in Assam.
Birth anniversary of Mother Teresa
The birth anniversary of Mother Teresa was
observed on 26 August 2020.
She was born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu on
26th of August 1910 in Skopje, North
Macedonia.
Mother Teresa arrived in India in 1929 and
spent most of her life in service of the
destitute in India.
The Nobel Laureate founded the
Missionaries of Charity and spent 45-years
serving the poor, sick, orphaned and dying on
the streets of Kolkata.
Teresa received a number of honors,
including the 1962 Ramon Magsaysay Peace
Prize and 1979 Nobel Peace Prize.
Mother Teresa was declared as a Saint on 4th
September 2016.
Ministry of Culture announces 7 new circles of
Archaeological Survey of India
The Ministry of Culture has announced 7 new circles
of the Archaeological Survey of India, ASI.
The Ministry of Culture has taken the step in
accordance with the Prime Minister’s call to
facilitate and strengthen the process of
preservation and registration of
archaeological monuments.
New circles have been created in Madhya
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh,
Karnataka, West Bengal and Gujarat.
Trichy, Raiganj, Rajkot, Jabalpur, Hampi,
Jhansi and Meerut have been announced as
new circles.
Earlier there were 29 ASI circles across the
country.
Average income of MGNREGA workers doubled
during Coronavirus lockdown in April-July
period: CRISIL
Average income of MGNREGA workers doubled
during coronavirus lockdown, a CRISIL report says.
The average income per month for unskilled
workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act
(MGNREGA) nearly doubled to around
1,000 rupees per month during the first four
months of the current fiscal.
The April-July period of the current fiscal
witnessed 46 per cent growth in work
execution (in terms of person-days) under the
scheme.
The average per day wage increased by 12
per cent during the period under review.
The primary reason for the government's
thrust on MGNREGA was the COVID-19
pandemic, which has pushed migrant workers
back into their villages.
The push to the scheme has been higher in
Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal,
Odisha and Gujarat, where work allocation
increased more than 50 per cent in the first
four months.
The government has allocated 61,500 crore
rupees for this scheme under Union Budget
2020-21, and later increased the allocation by
40,000 crore rupees amid the pandemic to
support the rural economy
Thawar Chand Gehlot launches KIRAN helpline
service for mental health rehabilitation
Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment,
Thawar Chand Gehlot launched 'Kiran', a toll-free
mental health rehabilitation helpline number on
August 27.
The helpline (1800-599-0019), developed by
the Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment along with its partners, aims
to provide support for early screening, first-
aid, psychological support, distress
management, mental wellbeing, preventing
deviant behaviours, psychological crisis
management, among others.
The helpline will offer mental health
rehabilitation services.
'Kiran' targets to resolve issues of people
across the country experiencing stress,
anxiety, depression, panic attack, adjustment
disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder,
substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, pandemic
induced psychological issues, and mental
health emergencies.
The helpline will be supported by 660
volunteer clinical/rehabilitation
psychologists and 668 volunteer
psychiatrists, along with 75 experts at 25
helpline centres who will have the capacity of
handling 300 clients per hour.
Two medical institutions in Chennai to start
second and third phase of ‘Covishield’ trials
In Chennai, two prominent medical institutions are
starting the second and third phase field trial of the
Oxford vaccine candidate Covishield.
Chennai is one of the seventeen locations in
India to conduct the field trial of the
promising vaccine candidate Covishield,
developed jointly by the Oxford University
and AstraZeneca.
The Government Rajiv Gandhi General
Hospital and the Sri Ramachandra Institute of
Higher Education and Research are the two
institutions in the city that run the trial.
Healthy volunteers above the age of 18 are
being involved in its multi-centric clinical
trial.
The T-cells in the white blood corpuscles
against the viral pathogen are said to be
observed in 14-days after administering the
vaccine and the antibodies in about 28 days.
Their effectiveness to eliminate the virus and
several other factors will be exhaustively
tested during the trial.
Barak Valley in Assam put under strict lockdown
In Assam, Barak Valley has been put under strict
lockdown due to the alarming situation of COVID-
19.
In a bid to contain the outbreak of COVID 19,
all the three district disaster management
authorities in Barak Valley have issued
separate orders to restrict activities.
This lockdown will continue till midnight of
04th September.
Only pharmacies will be allowed to function
in urban areas, stand alone shops are being
permitted to run in rural areas during
lockdown.
The valley has witnessed around 10 thousand
COVID positive cases with almost 50%
recovery.
Gujarat tops in first ever Export Preparedness
index 2020 released by NITI Ayog
Gujarat has been ranked first in the first ever Export
Preparedness index 2020 released by NITI Ayog.
It is the first of its kind index on the lines of
ease of doing business ranking, which has
ranked all the states and Union Territories on
various parameters of export preparedness
and competitiveness.
At present, 70 per cent of the country's export
has been dominated by five states including
Gujarat.
Gujarat had also topped the ranking of the
World Bank’s ease of doing business earlier.
Most of the Coastal States are the best
performers. Gujarat, Maharashtra and Tamil
Nadu occupy the top three ranks.
Kaziranga National Park in Assam plans various
measures for safety of wildlife
In Assam, the Kaziranga National park is planning
various measures for the safety of the wildlife.
The flood water damaged infrastructure this
year to the tune of 5 crore rupees.
A 32 kilometer long highway cum highland
to be constructed. The construction and the
work will be started in the winter period.
Animal sensor to be installed at 6 more
locations along the national highway between
Kaliabor - Bokakhat for the safety of the
animals.
It would help in detecting high speed vehicles
and would also provide access to animal
movements.
Tamil Nadu women top the list of MUDRA loan
scheme beneficiaries
According to the data provided by the Ministry of
Finance to Rajya Sabha, Tamil Nadu has topped the
list of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) in
availing loans to women.
It was followed by West Bengal and
Karnataka.
Around 15 crore loans amounting to Rs 4.78
lakh crores were disbursed to women
borrowers since the inception of Pradhan
Mantri Mudra Yojana.
Of the total number of loans provided under
MUDRA scheme, 70% of borrowers were
women.
Government announces PSUs to pay Customs
duty later within 14 days
Government has announced a major initiative to
allow the Public Sector Undertakings to first clear the
goods imported by them through Customs and then
pay Customs duty later, within 14 days.
This measure is expected to result in speedier
clearance of the good imported by the PSUs.
The scheme of deferred payment of Customs
duties was first introduced in November,
2016 for importers recognized by the CBIC
as Authorized Economic Operators.
These importers are approved by the Customs
on the basis of certain compliance parameters
such as proper maintenance of records,
secure internal controls and a good track
record of legal compliance.
The objective is to enhance the ease of doing
business and bring in more efficiency.
Axis launches Liberty Savings Account aimed at
millennials
Axis Bank has launched a new savings account
called the Axis Liberty Savings Account, aimed at
millennial customers.
It offers customers the option of maintaining
a minimum balance of ₹25,000 per month or
spending the same amount every month using
the bank's debit card.
It also provides a complimentary insurance
cover of ₹20,000, which includes expenses
incurred for covid-19-related hospitalization.
The Liberty Saving Account is targeted to
cater to the lifestyle requirements of the
working class that falls under 35 years of age.
Book on renowned coach Vasoo Paranjape to be
released on September 2
A book named 'Cricket Drona' on one of India's most
respected cricket coaches, Vasoo Paranjape, will be
released on September 2.
The book published by Penguin has been co-
authored by Paranjape's son, former India
player and current national selector Jatin
along with cricket journalist Anand Vasu.
The book has essays written by Sachin
Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil
Gavaskar.
'Cricket Drona' takes us through the life of
Paranjape, who left a defining impact on the
game, shaping the careers of some of Indian
cricket's greatest figures including Gavaskar,
Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma.
Defence Minister to officially induct Rafale
aircraft into IAF on Sep 10
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will officially induct
the first five Rafale fighter aircraft into service at the
Ambala air base on 10th of September.
French Defence Minister Florence Parly has
also been invited for the event in Ambala.
The first five aircraft had arrived from France
in India on 29th of July.
The Indian Air Force had then stated that the
planes will be inducted into the IAF after a
formal ceremony.
In the first tranche, India got five fighters
from France including three single-seated
and two twin-seated trainer aircraft.
They are part of the IAF’s 17 Squadron also
known as the Golden Arrows.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana completes six
years
Central government's flagship financial inclusion
programme Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana
(PMJDY) has completed six years.
The scheme was launched on 28th of August
in 2014 with an aim to provide universal
access to banking facilities to the people in
the country.
Over 40 crore 35 lakh bank accounts have
been opened under the scheme since its
inception and One lakh 31 thousand crore
rupees have been deposited in these accounts.
About eight crore PMJDY account holders
are receiving Direct Benefit Transfer from
the Government under various schemes.
Over 63 per cent of the account holders are
from rural areas.
Govt approves 78 new routes under Regional
Connectivity Scheme- UDAN
The Government has approved 78 new routes under
the 4th round of Regional Connectivity Scheme -
Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik, (UDAN) to further
enhance the connectivity to remote and regional
areas of the country.
North East Region, Hilly States and Islands
have been given priority in the approval
process for the new routes.
29 served, eight unserved and two
underserved airports have been included in
the list for approved routes.
Overall 766 routes have been sanctioned so
far under the UDAN scheme.
Under UDAN 4, the operation of helicopters
and seaplanes has also been incorporated.
Vande Bharat Mission Phase 6 to begin on Sept. 1
Phase Six of the Vande Bharat Mission is scheduled
to begin on 1st of September.
Phase Five of the Mission will be over on 31st
August.
Flights are being rescheduled by Air India
group and private carriers based on an
assessment of demand by Indian missions
abroad.
Air bubble arrangements with different
countries will continue as per schedule in the
next phase.
As on 26th August, more than 12 lakh Indians
stranded abroad have been repatriated by
different modes under the Vande Bharat
mission.
Around 900 international flights have been
operated under Phase Five from 22 different
countries reaching 23 airports across India.
Arunachal Pradesh assembly passes resolution to
bring state under Sixth Schedule
The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly has passed a
resolution to bring the state under the ambit of Sixth
Schedule of the Constitution.
The resolution which was passed by voice
vote following a marathon discussion in the
house.
The Sixth Schedule deals with provisions for
administration of tribal areas in Assam,
Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
It seeks to safeguard the rights of tribal
population through the formation of
Autonomous District Councils.
Arunachal Pradesh bordering Bhutan, China
and Myanmar comes under the Fifth
Schedule, which deals with provisions related
to the administration and control of scheduled
areas and scheduled tribes.
Article 371(H) has special provisions in
respect of the governor and the total seats in
its assembly.
Assam Cabinet approves ‘Assam Skill
Development University Bill’
The Assam Cabinet has approved the Assam Skill
Development University Bill which provides for
setting up of Skill University at Mangaldoi at the cost
of 900 crore rupees.
The meeting held under the Chairmanship of
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal
also decided to increase the upper age limit
for State government jobs for Group III and
Group IV for two years so that unemployed
youth can apply for jobs upto 40 years.
Insurance to the tune of 50 lakh rupees to
journalists, home guards and all casual
employees succumbed to Covid-19 infection
while performing their duties was approved
during the meeting.
The Orunodoi Scheme was also given
approval to provide financial assistance of
830 rupees per month to families with annual
income of less than 2 lakh rupees.
HDFC Bank partners Adobe to enhance customer
experience
HDFC Bank has announced a strategic partnership
with Adobe to help improve the digital experience
journey of its customers.
The company claims that the partnership will
enable HDFC Bank to deliver personalised
digital experiences to existing as well as new
customers, at anytime and anywhere.
Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Forms
will allow HDFC Bank to provide online
experiences to its existing and new
customers.
The Bank will use platforms like Data
Management Platform in Adobe Audience
Manager to develop a deep understanding of
the customers.
The collected data will enable HDFC to
deliver focussed campaigns and
communication to customers through email,
mobile and off-line channels.
ACSA to give Indian Navy access to Djibouti
The Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement
(ACSA) expected to be concluded at next month’s
annual summit between PM Narendra Modi and his
Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe would give the
Indian Navy access to the Japanese military base in
Djibouti and the Japanese Navy access to Andaman
and Nicobar Islands.
The ACSA (commonly referred to as Mutual
Logistics Services Pact) would permit the
Indian Navy access to a Japanese base in
Djibouti.
The Japan Maritime Self Defence Force
(JSDF) would be permitted to use India’s
military installations in the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands.
India currently has such pacts with the US,
Australia, France and is likely to sign one
with Russia later this year.
Delhi has since long been keen to get a
presence in Djibouti as part of its Indian
Ocean outreach.
Djibouti, wedged between the Gulf of Aden
and the Red Sea, is a natural gatekeeper to a
vital and extremely bustling sea-lane.
The base in Djibouti is the JSDF’s first full-
scale, long term overseas base.
Defence minister launches NCC app for online
training of cadets
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a mobile
application to assist in online training of NCC cadets
in the country.
Since schools and colleges are not likely to
open in the near future, it was felt that
training to NCC cadets should be imparted
utilising the digital medium.
The mobile app, called "DGNCC", aims at
providing NCC cadets all training materials,
including syllabus, training videos and
frequently asked questions, on one platform.
The app has been made interactive by
including a query option.
By using this option, a cadet can post
questions related to the training syllabus, and
the same will be answered by a panel of
qualified instructors.
Indian Railways set to meet all it's energy needs
of over 33 billion units by 2030
Indian Railways is set to meet all it's energy needs of
more than 33 billion units by 2030.
The current annual requirement is about 21
billion units.
Railways have developed a mega plan for
installing solar plants of 20 Gigawatt capacity
by utilizing its vacant land by 2030.
The use of solar power will accelerate the
mission to achieve conversion of Indian
Railways to Net Zero Carbon Emission
Railway.
Railway is committed to utilize solar energy
for meeting its traction power requirement
and become a complete Green mode of
transportation.
IT minister launches 'Chunauti' a programme to
further boost startups, software product
Minister for Electronics and Information Technology
Ravi Shankar Prasad launched “Chunauti”- Next
Generation Startup Challenge Contest to further
boost startups and software products with special
focus on Tier-II towns of the country.
The government has earmarked a budget of
over 95 crore rupees over a period of three
years for this programme.
It aims at identifying around three hundred
startups working in identified areas and
providing them seed funds of upto 25 lakh
rupees and other facilities.
Under this challenge the Ministry of
Electronics and IT will invite startups in
the areas of work including Edu Tech, Agri
Tech and FinTech solutions for masses,
Supply Chain and Logistic management,
Infrastructure, Medical Healthcare as well as
jobs and skilling.
BPR&D celebrates its Golden Jubilee
Anniversary
The Bureau of Police Research and Development,
BPR&D is celebrating its Golden Jubilee
Anniversary on 28 August.
Over the last 50 years, the Organization has
been unwavering in its commitment in the
service of the nation.
The Bureau of Police Research and
Development was raised on 28th August,
1970, through a resolution of the Ministry of
Home Affairs, Government of India.
Its aim is to promote excellence in policing,
promote speedy and systematic study of
police problems, apply science and
technology in the method and techniques by
the Police.
PM Street Vendor's AtmaNirbhar Nidhi, PM
SVANidhi online dashboard launched
Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker
Mishra launched the PM Street Vendor's
AtmaNirbhar Nidhi, PM SVANidhi online
dashboard through video conferencing.
The online dashboard is dynamic, interactive
and will provide a one stop solution to all
stakeholders looking for information and
tracking monitoring of progress of PM
SVANidhi up to city level.
Since the commencement of online
submission of applications on PM SVANidhi
portal on 2nd July this year, more than 7.15
lakh applications have been received and
over 1.70 lakh have been sanctioned in
different States and Union Territories.
PM SVANidhi was launched by the Ministry
on 1st June this year, for providing loan to
street vendors to resume their livelihoods that
have been adversely affected due to Covid-19
lockdown.
The scheme targets to benefit over 50 lakh
Street Vendors who had been vending on or
before 24th March this year, in urban areas
including those from surrounding peri-urban
or rural areas.
Under the Scheme, the vendors can avail a
working capital loan of up to 10 thousand
rupees, which is repayable in monthly
instalments in the tenure of one year.
On timely or early repayment of the loan, an
interest subsidy at 7 per cent per annum will
be credited to the bank accounts of
beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer
on quarterly basis.
Piyush Goyal e-launches “National GIS-enabled
Land Bank system”
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri
Piyush Goyal has virtually launched the “National
GIS-enabled Land Bank system“.
This initiative is being supported by National
e-Governance Division, Ministry of
Electronics & Information Technology,
Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space
Applications and Geo-Informatics, Invest
India, and National Center of Geo-
Informatics.
The National GIS-enabled Land Bank system
has been developed by integration of the
Industrial Information System (IIS) with
State GIS Systems.
Initially, the system has been launched in the
six states.
The system will be improved further to make
it an effective, transparent mechanism of land
identification as well as procurement.
Kerala to set up India’s first International
Women’s Trade Centre
Kerala will set up India's first international women's
trade centre (WTC), in consonance with the United
Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs), at
Angamaly.
This initiative aims to accelerate women
entrepreneurship and secure gender parity
while providing women with a safe place
away from home to start new businesses, set
up or expand, and get their products marketed
globally.
WTC will enable women entrepreneurs to
come forward and participate in international
trade, enjoy greater economic benefits and
enhance their competitiveness to tap market
opportunities.
Telugu Language Day: 29 August
Telugu Language Day is observed on 29 August each
year in the State of Andhra Pradesh.
This date was chosen to coincide with the
birthday of the Telugu poet Gidugu Venkata
Ramamurthy.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh provides
funds and presents awards with the objective
of the betterment of the Telugu language.
Small Industry Day: 30 August
Small Industry Day is celebrated every year on 30
August.
This day is celebrated with the aim of
promoting Small Industry and providing
employment opportunities to the
unemployed.
A small industry has an important role in
economic development in a developing
country like India.
Small Industries are those industries which
are carried out on a small scale and are
generally operated with the help of workers
and workers as the main occupation.
Industries in which 10 to 50 people work in
return for wages come within the small scale
industry.
The main objective of the Small Industry is to
solve the problem of unemployment and
semi-unemployment by increasing
employment opportunities.
The International Micro, Small and Medium-
sized Enterprises (MSME) Day is observed
every year across the world on June 27.
India withdraws from multilateral military
exercise in Russia next month
India has announced that it is withdrawing from
multilateral Military Exercise ‘Kavkaz’ 2020 to be
held in Russia next month.
In view of Pandemic and consequent
difficulties in exercise, including
arrangements of logistics, India has decided
not to send a contingent this year to Kavkaz-
2020.
India had earlier planned to send around 150
Indian Army troops, 45 Indian Air Force
personnel and a number of Navy officers to
the multilateral military exercise to be held in
the Astrakhan region in southern Russia from
15th to 26th September.
India, Singapore sign Implementing
Arrangement on Humanitarian Assistance &
Disaster Relief
India and Singapore signed Implementing
Arrangement on Humanitarian Assistance &
Disaster Relief.
The two countries held a Defence Policy
Dialogue via video conferencing .
It was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Dr
Ajay Kumar and Permanent Secretary
(Defence), Singapore Mr Chan Heng Kee.
Both sides held discussions on a number of
issues of bilateral defence engagements
between India and Singapore.
Both sides committed to further enhance the
security partnership between the two
countries.
Festival of Onam being celebrated across country
Amid Covid 19 pandemic, Keralites across the globe
are celebrating Thiruvonam, the biggest cultural
festival of the State.
Thiruonam is the most auspicious day of
Onam festival.
This annual harvest festival of the State
celebrates the visit of mythical and righteous
King Mahabali.
Onam is being celebrated by all Keralaites
irrespective of religion symbolising
secularism and harmony.
The festival is also an expression of the
gratitude to mother nature at the arrival of
new crop.
Onam is celebrated to honor the memory of
the legendary King Mahabali, the honest,
kind and compassionate ruler of Kerala.
During the festival, people buy something
new, decorate their homes, prepare
Pookalam, enjoy Onam-Saadiya.
India to start bidding process by Oct to procure 6
submarines costing Rs 55,000 crore
India is all set to launch the bidding process by next
month for a Rs 55,000-crore mega project to build
six conventional submarines for the Indian Navy.
The submarines will be built in India under
the much-talked-about strategic partnership
model that allows domestic companies to join
hands with leading foreign defence majors to
produce high-end military platforms in the
country and reduce import dependence.
The Mega Project has been named P-75 I.
The defence ministry has already shortlisted
two Indian shipyards and five foreign defence
majors for the project, being billed as one of
biggest "Make in India" ventures.
The shortlisted Indian entities were L&T
group and state-owned Mazagaon Docks Ltd
(MDL).
The Indian Navy plans to acquire 24 new
submarines, including six nuclear attack
submarines, to bolster its underwater fighting
capability.
It currently has 15 conventional submarines
and two nuclear submarines.
Brigade Commander-level Flag Meeting between
Indian Army & China’s PLA underway at
Chushul
A Brigade Commander-level Flag Meeting between
Indian Army and People's Liberation Army of China
is in progress at Chushul to discuss PLA troops
provocative military movements.
PLA troops violated the previous consensus
arrived at during military and diplomatic
engagements during the ongoing standoff in
Eastern Ladakh.
Chinese troops carried out provocative
military movements to change the status quo
in the intervening night of 29th August and
30th August.
However, Indian troops preempted this
activity on the Southern Bank of Pangong
Tso Lake.
Chushul is a village in the Leh district of
Ladakh, India.
BJP to celebrate PM Modi's birthday as ‘Seva
Saptah’ from Sep 14-20
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to
celebrate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday
on September 17 by observing Seva Saptah from
14th to 20th September.
Prime minister will turn 70 this year.
The decision has been taken to avoid any
major celebration or mass gathering due to
the coronavirus pandemic.
To observe the Seva Saptah which is a way to
extend help, the party will be distributing
masks, sanitizers and medicines.
Delhi Metro to resume its services from 7th
September in calibrated manner with new
guidelines
Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will resume
its services from 7th of September in a calibrated
manner with new guidelines.
Metro services will be resuming for the
public after being shut for more than five
months due to Coronavirus pandemic.
For the time being, no token will be issued to
passengers due to its high risk of spreading
the virus.
Passengers will be allowed to travel only with
smart cards.
All measures will be taken to ensure the
mandatory social distance of one meter
between passengers in the train and marking
of seats will also be done to ensure social
distancing.
Besides, metro staff and additional Civil
Defence Volunteers will be deployed to
ensure that the station does not get crowded.
Provision of sanitizers will be made at every
station and wearing a mask will be
mandatory.
DMRC Managing Director : Mangu Singh
Famous art of 'Etikoppaka' dolls of
Visakhapatnam district finds a place in "Mann ki
Baat"
The famous art of 'Etikoppaka' dolls of
Visakhapatnam district finds a place in the "Mann ki
Baat" programme of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In the Mann Ki Baat speech, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi made a special mention of the
famous Etikoppaka dolls saying that the toys
would be useful to unleash the creativity in
children in the current Pandemic situation.
Etikoppaka is a small village on the banks of
the Varaha river in the Visakhapatnam
district of Andhra Pradesh.
Etikoppaka is famous for its turned wood
lacquer craft toys, locally known as
Etikoppaka Bommalu.
Seaplane service in Gujarat to start from 31
October
Seaplane service to provide air connectivity from
Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad to Statue of
Unity in Kevadia in Gujarat is scheduled to start from
October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.
The service will be operated by Spicejet
Airline.
In July 2020, the Ministry of Civil Aviation
and the Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay
Rupani signed an agreement to provide
affordable air connectivity between
Sabarmati River front and Statue of Unity,
Kevadia.
The service is first of its kind in the country.
Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa to flag off first
RORO train from Bengaluru to Solapur
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa flagged off the
maiden roll-on roll-off (RORO) train from
Bengaluru to Solapur.
It will be operated by the South Western
Railway (SWR).
The train consisting of open flat wagon on
which trucks with goods are loaded will start.
As many as 42 trucks with goods can be
carried at time in this train. The RORO
service reduces accidents on the road,
improves safety, saves fuel.
It ensures faster transport of essential goods,
perishables, food items and smaller cargo
The cost of transport by RORO is lesser than
transport by road.
Eight core industries' output shrinks 15% in June
Contracting for the fourth consecutive month, the
output of eight core infrastructure industries shrank
by 15 per cent in June this year due to fall in the
production of coal, crude oil, natural gas, steel,
cement and electricity.
According to the data released by the
Commerce and Industry Ministry, the output
of coal sector fell 15.5 per cent, crude oil
declined by 6 per cent , natural gas by 12 per
cent, refinery products fell by 8.9 per cent,
steel sector plunged by 33.8 per cent,
cement by 6.9 per cent and electricity
declined by 11 per cent.
In May this year, the sectors' output
contracted by 22 per cent.
The eight core sectors had expanded by 1.2
per cent in June last year.
These eight industries account for 40.27 per
cent in the Index of Industrial Production
(IIP).
Bharti Airtel inks multi-year strategic pact with
Amazon for AWS solutions
Bharti Airtel announced a multi-year strategic pact
with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deliver Cloud
solutions to large as well as small and medium
enterprise (SME) customers in India.
The products linked to artificial intelligence
and Edge among others will be offered to the
SMBs.
Bharti Airtel will act as a channel partner for
AWS to tap startups and SMBs and sell the
products of AWS and bundle them with its
public cloud offerings.
Airtel Cloud will build an AWS
CloudPractice, supported by AWS
Professional Services, as well as develop
differentiated Cloud products and
capabilities leveraging AWS services,
Airtel's data centre capabilities and network
and telecoms offerings.
Reserve Bank of India's monetary policy
committee decides to leave policy repo rate
unchanged at 4 percent
The RBI's monetary policy committee has decided to
unanimously leave the policy repo rate unchanged at
4 percent.
RBI will continue with the accommodative
stance of monetary policy as long as
necessary to revive growth, mitigate the
impact of COVID-19, while ensuring that
inflation remains within the target
going forward.
The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate
and the Bank rate remain unchanged at 4.25
per cent.
The reverse repo rate stands unchanged at
3.35 per cent.
The Consumer Price Index inflation, which
was at 5.8 per cent in March 2020, was placed
at 6.1 per cent in the provisional estimates for
June 2020.
Airtel Payments Bank, Bharti AXA partner to
offer ‘shop insurance’ for retailers
Airtel Payments Bank has partnered with Bharti
AXA General Insurance to offer “Smart Plan Shop
Package Policy” for the financial protection of the
bank’s retailers and merchants.
The policy will provide financial protection
in case of damage to assets inside the shop
due to fire and allied perils and burglary,
among others, as covered in the product.
This policy covers assets inside the shop
against burglary, fire and allied perils such as
flood, earthquake, landslide, rockslide, riots,
strike and malicious damage, among others.
It also covers the loss of money in safety
because of an accident. The policy has a
flexible sum insured option, starting from Rs
2 lakh up to Rs 25 lakh.
Flipkart signs MoU with UP government's one
District, One Product scheme
E-commerce marketplace Flipkart has signed a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the One
District, One Product (ODOP) scheme of the Uttar
Pradesh government.
The scheme aims to bring artisans, weavers
and craftsmen into mainstream business.
The partnership will enable these under-
served communities to showcase their
specialised products and crafts to millions of
customers across the country.
The initiative called FlipkartSamarth
will help support the including benefits in
the form of on-boarding, free cataloguing,
marketing, account management, business
insights and warehousing support.
Paytm launches ‘India’s first’ Android PoS device
for easy, contactless payments
Paytm has launched its first pocket Android PoS
device for contactless ordering and making
payments, for SMEs.
This comes at an introductory price of ₹499
per month on a rental basis and is designed
like a phone.
The firm says its PoS machine comes
bundled with Paytm's 'Scan to Order' service,
which is slowly said to be gaining traction in
places like restaurants and takeaway joints.
This product is also expected to make
payments easier for logistic players, Kirana
stores, and small shopkeepers.
Retail inflation rises to 6.93 % in July
Retail inflation rose to 6.93 per cent in July, mainly
on account of higher prices of food items.
As per the government data, the food
inflation, according to the Consumer Price
Index (CPI) data, increased to 9.62 per cent
in July.
The retail inflation in June was 6.23 per cent,
while the food inflation stood at 8.72 per cent.
It is for the second consecutive month that the
retail inflation has been above the RBI's
comfort level.
The government has mandated the central
bank to restrict the inflation at 4 percent
(plus, minus two per cent).
Bharti AXA's general insurance business to
merge with ICICI Lombard
ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company and
Bharti AXA General Insurance Co Ltd will combine
their insurance businesses through a share swap deal,
paving the way for the creation of the country’s third-
largest general insurance entity.
The boards of both the companies approved
entering into definitive agreements for the
demerger of Bharti AXA’s non-life insurance
business into ICICI Lombard through a
Scheme of Arrangement.
ICICI Bank holds 51.89 per cent stake in
ICICI Lombard, while the rest is with the
public.
After the proposed deal, promoter stake will
come down to 48.11 per cent.
Once the deal is completed the combined
entity will become the largest private non-life
insurer and the 3rd largest non-life insurer in
the general insurance industry after New
India Assurance and United India Insurance.
Axis Bank launches hiring initiative named ‘Gig-
a-Opportunities’
Axis Bank has launched an initiative named ‘Gig-a-
Opportunities’.
The initiative aims to attract skilled talent that
can work with the bank remotely, from
anywhere in the country.
This hiring model comprises two working
patterns. One is the full-time permanent job
and the second is based on the duration of a
project and is temporary in nature.
Axis Bank aims to employ 800-1000 people
over the next under this initiative.
RBI projects country's growth rate at (-) 4.5 per
cent for 2020-21
The Reserve Bank has projected India's growth rate
at (-) 4.5 percent for 2020-21.
In its annual report, RBI projected global
growth rate between (-) 6.0 percent and (-)
7.6 per cent.
It stressed that the pandemic will inflict deep
disfigurations on the world economy adding
that the future is heavily contingent upon the
evolving intensity, spread and duration of
COVID-19 and the discovery of the elusive
vaccine.
RBI has asked for wide-ranging reforms to
regain losses due to COVID-19 crisis adding
that it will take quite some time to mend and
regain the pre-COVID-19 momentum.
SBI General Insurance Launches unique ‘Shagun
– Gift an insurance’ policy
SBI General Insurance has launched the first-of-its-
kind insurance product called ‘Shagun – Gift an
Insurance”, which is a unique gift of Personal
Accident policy.
The unique feature of this policy is that it can
be gifted to anyone, which means it is not
necessary for the policy buyer to be related to
the insured.
A Gift giver (policy buyer) can gift this
product to anyone like family, friends,
extended family and even domestic helpers,
chauffeurs, drivers, cook, etc
Gift Receiver (insured) should be in the age
group of 18 years to 65 years
Shagun covers personal accident insurance
which provides complete financial protection
to the insured person against uncertainties
such as accidental death and partial or total
disabilities, and permanent as well as
temporary disabilities resulting from an
accident.
ICICI Bank becomes first bank in India to use
satellite data to assess credit worthiness of
farmers
ICICI Bank uses satellite data to assess the
creditworthiness of farmers.
By using so, the ICICI Bank has become the
1st bank in India to use such a technique to
measure an array of parameters related to the
land, irrigation and crop patterns and use it in
combination with demographic and financial
parameters to make quick lending decisions
for farmers.
The satellite data with demographic and
financial details provides strong information
on the land asset of the farmers.
Usage of this technology will help farmers
with existing credit to expand their eligibility
and help new-to-credit farmers to get better
access to formal credit.
Ivory Coast Defence Minister Bakayoko named
prime minister
Ivory Coast's defence minister, Hamed Bakayoko,
has been named prime minister.
He has been named after acting as interim
prime minister since the sudden death of
Amadou Gon Coulibaly on July 8..
Hamed Bakayoko was a founding member of
the Rally of the Republicans (RDR) party and
was also in charge of the party’s daily
newspaper, Le Patriote.
Ashish Bhatia appointed as new Gujarat DGP
Ahmedabad police commissioner Ashish Bhatia has
been appointed new Director General of Gujarat
Police.
He succeeds Shivanand Jha.
Bhatia who is 1985 batch IPS officer took
over charge.
Mr Bhatia has served at different crucial
posts in Gujarat police. He had been the DGP
of CID Crime and Railways.
Bhatia who has been called as an anti terror
expert is credited with solving the 2008 serial
bomb blast case in Ahmedabad.
Air Marshal V R Chaudhari takes over as chief of
IAF’s Western Air Command
Air Marshal V. R. Chaudhari took over as Air Officer
Commanding-in-Chief of Western Air Command of
Indian Air Force.
The Air Marshal took over command from
Air Marshal B Suresh.
Air Marshal V. R. Chaudhari was
commissioned into the fighter stream of the
IAF in 1982 as a Fighter Pilot.
During his career, he has flown a wide variety
of fighter and trainer aircraft.
He has a flying experience of MiG-21, MiG-
23 MF, MiG 29 and Su-30 MKI fighter
aircraft.
Guyana’s Irfaan Ali sworn in as president after
disputed vote
Former Guyanese housing minister Irfaan Ali was
sworn in as president of the newly oil-producing
South American country,
He was declared winner of a disputed March
2 election following a recount.
Ali, a member of the opposition People’s
Progressive Party (PPP), had won the initial
poll, and Washington last month called on
current President David Granger to resign.
Guyana Capital: Georgetown
Currency: Guyanese dollar(GYD)
RBI approves Sashidhar Jagdishan as next CEO
of HDFC Bank
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved
Sashidhar Jagdishan as the next chief executive
officer of HDFC Bank.
Jagdishan is currently additional director and
head of finance, human resources, at the
bank.
He will take over from Aditya Puri who will
step down as the bank’s longest serving CEO
ever since he took charge 26 years ago.
In November, the bank had constituted a six-
member search committee to find a
replacement for Puri and had hired Egon
Zehnder for assistance. Puri was an advisor to
the search committee.
In 2018, private sector lender Axis Bank had
a similar series of high-level exits after the
retirement of Shikha Sharma, who was
succeeded by Amitabh Chaudhary as
managing director and chief executive
officer.
President appoints Manoj Sinha as new
Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir
The President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed
Manoj Sinha as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu
and Kashmir.
The President accepted the resignation of
Girish Chandra Murmu as Lieutenant
Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
Mr Murmu, a 1985 batch Gujarat cadre IAS
officer was appointed as the LG in October
last year.
Murmu had sent his resignation to President
Ram Nath Kovind.
Ajay Tyagi gets 18 months’ extension as SEBI
chairman
Ajay Tyagi has been given an 18 month extension as
the chairman of markets regulator Securities and
Exchange Board of India, SEBI.
His term will continue till February 2022.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
has approved the extension of Ajay Tyagi's
term for 18 months with effect from 1st
September 2020 to 28th February 2022.
Tyagi, a 1984 batch retired IAS officer of
Himachal Pradesh cadre was appointed as the
SEBI chairman in March 2017 for three
years.
Former J&K Lt Guv Girish Chandra Murmu to
be new CAG of India
Former Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and
Kashmir, Girish Chandra Murmu will be the new
Comptroller and Auditor General of the country.
Mr Murmu will succeed Rajiv Mehrishi.
An IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, Mr Murmu
resigned as Lieutenant Governor of Jammu
and Kashmir.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)
of India is an authority, established by Article
148 of the Constitution of India, which audits
all receipts and expenditure of the
Government of India and the state
governments.
The CAG is also the external auditor of
Government-owned corporations and
conducts supplementary audit of government
companies.
Dr. Pradeep Kumar Joshi takes oath as Chairman
of UPSC
Dr. Pradeep Kumar Joshi took oath as Chairman of
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Prof. Joshi joined the Commission as a
member in the year 2015.
He succeeded Arvind Saxena who completed
his term as UPSC chairman.
He served as Director of the National
Institute of Educational Planning and
Administration.
During his career, Dr. Joshi taught more than
28 years at postgraduate level and held many
important positions in various policy making,
academic and administrative bodies.
P S Ranipse appointed as new IG of CRPF
Odisha cadre IPS officer, P S Ranipse has been
appointed as Inspector General (IG), in Central
Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
He will hold the post on Central deputation
for a period of five years from the date of
joining.
IPS officer P S Ranipse belongs to the 1995
batch and was serving as Additional Director
General (Vigilance) in Odisha.
He held the position of Inspector General of
Police (Odisha) in 2013.
Manoj Sinha administered oath of office and
secrecy as Lt Guv of J&K
In the Union Territory of Jammu and
Kashmir, Manoj Sinha was administered the oath of
office and secrecy as Lieutenant Governor by Justice
Gita Mittal, Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sinha succeeds former IAS officer Girish
Chandra Murmu, who resigned and was
appointed Comptroller and Auditor General
(CAG).
Sinha was former Minister of State for
Railways and later and later held an
independent charge of Ministry of
Communication.
Sinha has been a member of the BJP national
council from 1989 to 1996.
He was elected to the Lower House for a third
term in national politics when the BJP swept
the Lok Sabha elections in 2014.
Hardayal Prasad becomes new MD & CEO of
PNB Housing Finance
PNB Housing Finance has announced the
appointment of the former SBI Card head, Hardayal
Prasad as its new managing director and chief
executive officer.
Prasad will take over from Neeraj Vyas the
current interim managing director and chief
executive officer of the company, will step
down from the position on August 10.
Prasad is experienced in banking,
international operations at SBI and SBI Cards
and Payment Services (SBI Card).
He resigned from the post of MD and CEO of
SBI Card pursuant to voluntary retirement
from SBI, the promoter of SBI Card on 15th
July 2020 which came to effect on 31st July
2020.
ebikeGo appoints Harbhajan Singh as brand
ambassador
Amritsar based e-mobility start-up eBikeGO
announced the appointment of Indian cricketer
Harbhajan Singh as its brand ambassador.
The cricketer has come on board for one year
to help promote the company as it looks to
scale-up by increasing geographical
footprint, adding new customer segments,
and targeting new business use cases to
widen the appeal for electric mobility.
Singh, who is going to be the face of the
brand, will have an active presence on the
company's website and campaigns across
media.
Founded in 2017 by entrepreneur T Irfan,
eBikeGO has a fleet of IoT (internet of
things) powered electric bikes offering
pollution-free and low-cost rides to
commuters.
eBikeGO also offers electric bikes on rental
to individual users. It also provides its fleet to
e-commerce companies like Zomato, Uber
Eats, Swiggy, Flipkart, Delhivery, Big
Basket, Rapido, and Ninjacart.
Rakesh Asthana appointed DG of Border
Security Force
The Centre appointed Gujarat cadre IPS officer -
Rakesh Asthana as the new director general of the
Border Security Force (BSF).
The 1984 batch IPS officer, currently heading
the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security
(BCAS) with additional charge of Narcotics
Control Bureau (NCB), will assume full time
charge of the border guarding force deployed
at the approximately 2,280 km long border
with Pakistan.
Currently, DG Indo-Tibet Border Police
(ITBP) chief S S Deswal, a batchmate of
Asthana, was holding the additional charge of
BSF since March this year.
Asthana, known for his acumen in
investigations and strong leadership skills,
will hold the post of DG BSF till July 31,
2021, time of his retirement.
Satya Pal Malik appointed as Meghalaya
Governor
Satya Pal Malik was transferred as Governor of the
northeastern state of Meghalaya, replacing Tathagata
Roy who completed his five-year tenure.
Malik has been shifted to Meghalaya, and
Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh
Koshyari has been asked to discharge the
functions of Goa governor in addition to his
own duties.
There is no fixed tenure for governors, but
conventionally it is considered for a period of
five years.
Roy was appointed governor of Meghalaya in
August 2018 and continued till date, barring
absence between December 2019 to January
2020 when he was on leave.
Malik was the last governor of erstwhile
Jammu and Kashmir before it was divided
into two union territories ‘Ladakh and JK’ on
October 31 last year.
The announcement in this regard was made
on August 5 last year when the Centre
abrogated the special status of Jammu and
Kashmir.
Ashok Lavasa resigns as Election Commissioner;
to join ADB as Vice President
Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa resigned from
his post to join the Philippines-based Asian
Development Bank (ADB) as vice-president next
month.
Mr. Lavasa has submitted his resignation to
President Ram Nath Kovind and has
requested to be relieved by the end of this
month.
Last month, the ADB had announced his
appointment to the post.
Equatorial Guinea reappoints Prime Minister
Francisco Asue after government resignation
Francisco Asue was reappointed as prime minister of
Equatorial Guinea after he and the government
resigned last week after criticism from long standing
President Teodoro Obiang.
The Central African oil producer is suffering
a double economic shock linked to the
coronavirus pandemic and a drop in the price
of crude, which provides around three-
quarters of state revenues.
Previously, Asue and his government
tendered their resignation to Obiang, who
said they had not done enough to help the
country at a time of crisis.
Obiang has ruled the former Spanish colony
since overthrowing his uncle in a 1979 coup,
relying on repression of political opponents
and the country’s offshore oil riches.
This is Asue’s third consecutive stint as
premier since his first appointment in 2016.
Equatorial Guinea Capital: Malabo
Currency: Central African CFA franc
Keith Rowley Sworn in as Trinidad and Tobago
Prime Minister for Second 5 year term
Dr Keith Rowley has been sworn in as the Prime
Minister of Trinidad and Tobago for a second
consecutive five-year term.
The 70-year-old Prime Minister Rowley’s
ruling People’s National Movement party
won 22 out of 41 seats in the House of
Representatives in the August 10 election to
form the government.
He has served as Prime Minister of Trinidad
and Tobago since 9 September 2015.
Trinidad and Tobago Capital: Port of Spain
Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar
Continent: South America
Rajiv Kumar appointed new Election
Commissioner following resignation of Ashok
Lavasa
Former finance secretary Rajiv Kumar has been
appointed new election commissioner.
He will replace Ashok Lavasa, who resigned
earlier this week.
Mr Kumar will take charge the day Mr
Lavasa leaves his office on August 31.
Mr Kumar's appointment comes at a time
when the election commission is preparing to
hold Bihar assembly polls amid the
coronavirus pandemic.
Ashwani Bhatia appointed as managing director
of State Bank of India
The central government has appointed Ashwani
Bhatia as the managing director (MD) of the State
Bank of India (SBI).
Bhatia has been appointed as the managing
director up to the date of his superannuation
that is May 31, 2022.
Bhatia is currently working as the managing
director and chief executive officer at SBI
Mutual Fund.
Bhatia will be appointed in place of P K
Gupta who superannuated on March 31.
DRDO chief G Satheesh Reddy gets two-year
extension
Satheesh Reddy has been given a two-year extension
as the Chairman of Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO).
He was appointed to the post in August 2018
for two years.
DRDO works under the Department of
Defence Research and Development in the
Ministry of Defence of the Government of
India.
It was formed in 1958 by the merger of the
Technical Development Establishment and
the Directorate of Technical Development
and Production of the Indian Ordnance
Factories with the Defence Science
Organisation.
With a network of 52 laboratories, which are
engaged in developing defence technologies
covering various fields, like aeronautics,
armaments, electronics, land combat
engineering, life sciences, materials,
missiles, and naval systems, DRDO is India's
largest and most diverse research
organisation.
Diplomat Mustapha Adib on course to be
designated new Lebanon PM
Lebanon's ambassador to Germany Mustapha Adib
is on course to become the country's next prime
minister after securing major political backing.
Mr. Adib was named by four former prime
ministers on the eve of binding consultations
between the president and parliamentary
blocs on their choice for the post.
The announcement came a day before French
President Emmanuel Macron is due to arrive
for a two day-visit, during which he is
expected to press Lebanese officials to
formulate a new political pact to lift the
country out of its multiple crises.
The government, led by Hassan Diab, quit
this month amid anger over an explosion in
the capital Beirut.
DIAT bags 1st prize in Smart India Hackathon
2020
Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, DIAT,
has bagged 1st prize in Smart India Hackathon, SIH,
2020.
It was held from 1st to 3rd of this month at
Noida Institute of Engineering and
Technology, Uttar Pradesh.
This 36-hour non-stop digital product
building competition was a national level
competition for software edition, which was
organized jointly by the Ministry of Human
Resource Development and All India Council
for Technical Education.
During the competition, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi interacted with the
participants in a live event.
Six- member team of the institute received
one lakh rupees as prize money for solving a
technical problem using artificial
intelligence.
Sudha Murthy, ITC’s Sivakumar bag
Gramodaya awards
Sudha Murty, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation
and Sivakumar Surampudi, Group Head of Agri and
IT Businesses of ITC Ltd are among the winners of
the Gramodaya Bandhu Mitra Puraskar.
The other winners include Padma Bhushan
Vijay Bhatkar, Padmasri SP Verma, Vilas
Shinde (Director, Sahyadri Farms), Koosam
Rajamouli, Former Sarpanch of
Gangadevipalli in Telangana, Brig Pogula
Ganesham, Founder of Palle Srujana, and
Govinda Rajulu Chintala, Chairman of the
Nabard.
Gramodaya Bandhu Mitra Puraskaras
instituted by Gramodaya Chamber of
Commerce and Technology (GCOT), a not-
for-profit organisation founded by the alumni
of Osmania University.
The awards recognise “Yeoman service
rendered by individuals and institutions to
provide succour and uplift the vast majority
of our population dependent on agriculture
and allied activities for livelihood”.
National Sports Awards 2020 announced
Government announced the National Sports Awards
2020.
The awardees will receive their awards from
the President Ram Nath Kovind at a specially
organized function through virtual mode
from Rashtrapati Bhawan on 29th of this
month which is National Sports Day.
It coincides with the birthday of legendary
hockey Olympian, Dhyan Chand.
RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA AWARD: This
award is being conferred for the spectacular and most
outstanding performance in the field of sports by a
sportsperson over a period of four years.
S.No. Name of the
Sportsperson
Discipline
1 Shri Rohit Sharma Cricket
2 Shri Mariyappan T. Para
Athletics
3 Ms. Manika Batra Table Tennis
4 Ms. Vinesh Wrestling
5 Ms. Rani Hockey
ARJUNA AWARD: This award is being conferred
for consistent outstanding performance in the field of
sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years.
S.No. Name of the
Sportsperson
Discipline
1 Shri Atanu Das Archery
2 Ms. Dutee Chand Athletics
3 Shri Satwik Sairaj
Rankireddy
Badminton
4 Shri Chirag
Chandrasekhar Shetty
Badminton
5 Shri Vishesh
Bhriguvanshi
Basketball
6 Subedar Manish Kaushik Boxing
7 Ms. Lovlina Borgohain Boxing
8 Shri Ishant Sharma Cricket
9 Ms. Deepti Sharma Cricket
10 Shri Sawant Ajay Anant Equestrian
11 Shri Sandesh Jhingan Football
12 Ms. Aditi Ashok Golf
13 Shri Akashdeep Singh Hockey
14 Ms. Deepika Hockey
15 Shri Deepak Kabaddi
16 Shri Kale Sarika Sudhakar Kho Kho
17 Shri Dattu Baban
Bhokanal
Rowing
18 Ms. Manu Bhaker Shooting
19 Shri Saurabh Chaudhary Shooting
20 Ms. Madhurika Suhas
Patkar
Table Tennis
21 Shri Divij Sharan Tennis
22 Shri Shiva Keshavan Winter
Sports
23 Ms. Divya Kakran Wrestling
24 Shri Rahul Aware Wrestling
25 Shri Suyash Narayan
Jadhav
Para
Swimming
26 Shri Sandeep Para
Athletics
27 Shri Manish Narwal Para
Shooting
DRONACHARYA AWARD: This award is being
conferred to coaches for producing medal winners at
prestigious international sports events.
Life- Time Category
S.No. Name of the Coach Discipline
1 Shri Dharmendra Tiwary Archery
2 Shri Purushotham Rai Athletics
3 Shri Shiv Singh Boxing
4 Shri Romesh Pathania Hockey
5 Shri Krishan Kumar Hooda Kabaddi
6 Shri Vijay Bhalchandra
Munishwar
Para
Powerlifting
7 Shri Naresh Kumar Tennis
8 Shri Om Parkash Dahiya Wrestling
Regular Category
S.No. Name of the Coach Discipline
1 Shri Jude Felix Sebastian Hockey
2 Shri Yogesh Malviya Mallakhamb
3 Shri Jaspal Rana Shooting
4 Shri Kuldeep Kumar Handoo Wushu
5 Shri Gaurav Khanna Para Badminton
DHYAN CHAND AWARD: This award is being
conferred for the lifetime contribution towards the
development of sports.
S.No. Name of the Sportsperson Discipline
1 Shri Kuldip Singh Bhullar Athletics
2 Ms. Jincy Philips Athletics
3 Shri Pradeep Shrikrishna
Gandhe
Badminton
4 Ms. Trupti Murgunde Badminton
5 Ms. N. Usha Boxing
6 Shri Lakha Singh Boxing
7 Shri Sukhvinder Singh Sandhu Football
8 Shri Ajit Singh Hockey
9 Shri Manpreet Singh Kabaddi
10 Shri J. Ranjith Kumar Para Athletics
11 Shri Satyaprakash Tiwari Para Badminton
12 Shri Manjeet Singh Rowing
13 Late Shri Sachin Nag Swimming
14 Shri Nandan P Bal Tennis
15 Shri Netarpal Hooda Wrestling
RASHTRIYA KHEL PROTSAHAN
PURUSKAR: This award is being conferred to the
corporate entities (both in private and public sector)
as well as individuals who have played a visible role
in the area of sports promotion and its development.
S.No. Category Entity recommended
for Rashtriya Khel
Protsahan Puruskar,
2020
1 Identification and
Nurturing of Budding
and Young Talent
Lakshya Institute
2. Army Sports
Institute
2 Encouragement to
sports through
Corporate Social
Responsibility
Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation (ONGC)
Ltd.
3 Employment of
sportspersons and
sports welfare
measures
Air Force Sports
Control Board
4 Sports for
Development
International Institute
of Sports Management
(IISM)
MAULANA ABUL KALAM AZAD (MAKA)
TROPHY: This award is being conferred to the
overall top performing university in inter-university
tournaments.
Panjab University, Chandigarh
TENZING NORGAY NATIONAL
ADVENTURE AWARDS 2019: It is being
awarded to recognize the spirit of adventure among
the people of the country.
S.No. Name of the
Sportsperson
Category
1 Ms. Anita Devi Land Adventure
2 Col. Sarfraz Singh Land Adventure
3 Shri Taka Tamut Land Adventure
4 Shri Narender Singh Land Adventure
5 Shri Keval Hiren Kakka Land Adventure
6 Shri Satendra Singh Water Adventure
7 Shri Gajanand Yadava Air Adventure
8 Late Shri Magan Bissa Life Time
Achievement
Marieke Lucas Rijneveld becomes Youngest
Author to Win 2020 International Booker Prize
Dutch Author Marieke Lucas Rijneveld won the
2020 International Booker Prize and became the
youngest author to win the prize at the age of 29.
She won the prize for the Literary fiction
book ‘The Discomfort of Evening’.
The book tells the fictional story of Jas, a girl
in a devout Christian farming family, whose
brother dies in an accident after she wishes he
would die instead of her rabbit.
The book was first published in Dutch in
2018 and eventually translated into English
by Michele Hutchison.
The £50,000 prize ($66,000) will be split
equally between the author and translator to
give equal recognition to both.
Online nominations for Padma Awards 2021 will
remain open till Sep 15
Online nominations for the Padma Awards -2021
will remain open till 15th September.
Nominations for Padma Awards to be
announced on the occasion of Republic Day,
2021 have started from 1st of May.
The Padma Awards, namely, Padma
Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri,
are amongst the highest civilian awards of the
country.
Instituted in 1954, these Awards are
announced on the occasion of the Republic
Day every year.
The award seeks to recognize ‘work of
distinction’ and is given for distinguished and
exceptional achievements and service in all
fields and disciplines.
Para swimmer Satyendra Singh first Divyang
sportsperson of country to get prestigious
Adventure Award
Para-swimmer Satyendra Singh Lohia of Madhya
Pradesh is the first Divyanga Indian sportsperson of
the country, who has been awarded with the Tenzing
Norgay Adventure Award.
He is also the first Asian Divyang swimmer
to cross the 42-kilometer Catalina Channel in
the US in just 11 hours 34 minutes.
Para-swimmer Satyendra Singh was also
conferred with the Best Sportsperson
National Award by Vice President Venkaiah
Naidu on World Divyanga Day.
He has also been awarded the highest sports
award of Madhya Pradesh as well as many
other national and international honours.
Government enhances prize money in Khel
Ratna, Arjuna and Dronacharya awards
The prize money in four of the seven categories of
the National Sports and Adventure Awards has been
enhanced.
The prize money for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel
Ratna Award has been increased to 25 lakh
rupees from the previous amount of 7.5 lakh
rupees.
Arjuna Award has been enhanced to 15 lakh
rupees from 5 lakh.
The Dronacharya (Lifetime) awardees, who
were earlier given 5 lakh rupees will now be
given 15 lakh rupees as cash prize, while
Dronacharya (Regular) will be given 10 lakh
instead of 5 lakh rupees per awardee.
Dhyanchand Awardees will be given 10 lakh
rupees instead of 5 lakh rupees.
Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix 2020
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton has won the
Formula One British Grand Prix 2020 held at the
Silverstone Circuit, United Kingdom.
Max Verstappen (Red bull) ended up second
in this F1 race while Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
came third.
This is the third win for Hamilton in this
season of F1 races.
Govt gives nod for IPL 2020 in UAE
The BCCI in its Governing Council meeting of IPL
has decided that the 13th edition of the league will
commence from September 19 to November 10.
The BCCI finally got the government's
permission for the IPL season 13 to take place
outside the country in the United Arab
Emirates (UAE).
The league will include 10 doubleheaders.
The evening matches will start at 7:30 p.m.
IST.
All the games will be played inside a secure
bio-bubble with no spectators in the initial
phase of the league.
The Indian Premier League's Governing
Council also approved the women's IPL.
The squad size of each franchise is capped at
24 players.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah will be the
three venues of the tournament.
India withdraws from women's world team
Squash championship in Kuala Lumpur
India has withdrawn from the women's world team
Squash championship scheduled in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia from 15th to 20th December.
Indian team cited lack of preparation, time
and match-readiness of its players.
The coronavirus case count continues to rise
in the country with Mumbai, Delhi and
Chennai — all major squash centres — badly
hit by the virus, making resumption of
training difficult.
The Asian Junior Individual Championship
2020 has also been cancelled by the Asian
Squash Federation due to the pandemic.
The event was scheduled to be held at
Qingdao, China in June but was postponed to
December before being finally cancelled.
India holds good chance of reaching QFs of
Thomas Cup & Uber Cup in Badminton
India holds a good chance of reaching the
quarterfinals of the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup team
Badminton championship scheduled at Aarhus,
Denmark, from 3rd to 11th October.
Following the draw for the premier team
event made in Kuala Lumpur, India is in
Group ‘C’ with host Denmark, Germany and
Algeria in the Thomas Cup.
In the Uber Cup, the Indian women are in
Group ‘D’ in the company of China, France
and Germany.
BCCI suspends title sponsorship deal with Vivo
for upcoming IPL
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has
suspended the title sponsorship deal with Chinese
mobile phone company Vivo for the upcoming
edition of the Indian Premier League.
Vivo will not be associated with the IPL this
year.
VIVO had won the IPL title sponsorship for
five years from 2018 to 2022 for a reported
sum of 2190 crore rupees.
The IPL this year has been shifted to the UAE
because of the prevailing COVID-19
situation in India.
The tournament will be held from September
19 to November 10 amid COVID-19
protocols laid down by the ICC and BCCI.
India to host 2021 T20 World Cup, 2022 edition
in Australia
India will remain hosts of the 2021 Twenty20 World
Cup while Australia will host this year's postponed
tournament in 2022.
The ICC also confirmed the women's 50-over
World Cup that was scheduled to be held in
New Zealand in February-March next year
has been postponed to 2022.
This year's T20 World Cup was scheduled to
be held in Australia in October-November
but the tournament was postponed due to the
logistical challenges of staging the 16-team
event amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the
travel restrictions in place.
Hockey team captain Manpreet Singh, players
tested COVID-19 positive
Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh,
defenders Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh and drag
flicker Varun Kumar have tested positive for Covid
19.
All players camping in SAI Bengaluru
campus are in self quarantine as their test
results are awaited.
The players had returned to the national
hockey camp in Bengaluru following a
month-long break.
The hockey camp is being held in the
National Centre of Excellence in SAI,
Bengaluru.
10 athletes who had travelled along with the
other members have also undergone RT-PCR
test.
Golfer Chawrasia tests positive for Covid-19
Ace Indian golfer SSP Chawrasia has tested positive
for Covid-19 and is in home quarantine.
A four-time winner on the European Tour,
including back-to-back Indian Open
triumphs in 2016 and 2017, Chawrasia had
started training at the Royal Calcutta Golf
Course and was slated to fly to England this
week.
He is a four-time winner on the European
Tour, including back-to-back Indian Open
triumphs in 2016 and 2017.
INOX Group to sponsor Indian team for Tokyo
Olympics
The INOX group will be the official sponsor of the
Indian team for the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics.
The Tokyo Olympics was rescheduled to next
year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will be held from July 23 to August 8 in
2021.
As part of the partnership the Group will also
support the team's promotions through its
entertainment company INOX Leisure
Limited, which owns a chain of multiplexes
in the country.
MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina quit International
Cricket
Former Indian Cricket Team Skipper Mahendra
Singh Dhoni announced his retirement from
International Cricket.
In a social media post, he thanked everyone for
their immense support and love throughout his
career.
Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC
World Twenty-Twenty, the 2010 and 2016 Asia
Cups, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the
2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
A right-handed middle-order batsman and
wicket-keeper, Dhoni is one of the highest run
scorers in One Day Internationals (ODIs) with a
formidable score of more than 10 thousand runs.
Suresh Raina, another Indian Cricketer has also
announced his retirement from International
Cricket.
In a social media post, he said, it was always a
pleasure to play along with Dhoni and following
Dhoni's retirement, he also chose to retire from
International Cricket.
Lewis Hamilton wins Spanish Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton dominated the Spanish Grand Prix
to take his fourth victory in six races so far this year.
The Mercedes driver led every lap from pole
position and was simply too fast for Red
Bull's Max Verstappen, who was unable to
challenge.
Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas took
third.
It was the 88th victory of Hamilton's career
and he is now just three from Michael
Schumacher's all-time record of wins.
It was also his 156th podium finish, a new
record, beating the previous mark, also held
by Schumacher.
Dream11 wins IPL 2020 title sponsorship rights
with bid of Rs 222 crore
Fantasy gaming platform Dream11 has won the IPL
title sponsorship rights with a bid of 222 crore
rupees.
IPL Chairman Brijesh Patel has informed that
the deal will be valid for four and a half
months, ending December 2020.
Dream11 will replace VIVO after the
Chinese mobile phone maker suspended its
deal owing to a border stand-off between
India and China.
Two education technology companies,
BYJUs and Unacademy were also in the race
with bids of 201 crore and 170 crore rupees
respectively.
IPL 2020 starts on 19th September in the
UAE.
Rohit Sharma among 4 athletes recommended for
Khel Ratna Award
Cricketer Rohit Sharma is among the 4 athletes who
have been recommended for India's highest sporting
honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.
Along with Rohit Sharma, Asian Games gold
medalist Vinesh Phogat, table tennis
champion Manika Batra and Paralympic gold
medalist Mariappan Thangavelu have been
recommended for the Khel Ratna Awards.
The Khel Ratna Award is given to an athlete
for his, or her, spectacular performance for
the country at the highest level over a period
of four years.
Athletes were also recommended for the
prestigious Arjuna award this year in the
meeting of the selection panel. Indian cricket
team fast bowler Ishant Sharma, wrestler
Sakshi Malik and kabaddi player Deepak
Hooda are among those recommended for the
Arjuna award.
Ronnie O’Sullivan wins World Snooker
Championship 2020
Ronnie O’Sullivan defeated Kyren Wilson with a
score of 18-8 to win the World Snooker
Championship 2020.
He has claimed his sixth World
Championship title at Sheffield’s Crucible
Theatre.
With his victory, Ronnie O’Sullivan has also
become the oldest winner of the World
Snooker Championship since Reardon, who
was 45 in 1978.
He has also advanced to the second spot in
the world rankings behind last year’s
champion Judd Trump.
Kallis, Sthalekar and Zaheer Abbas inducted into
ICC Cricket Hall of Fame
Legendary South African all-rounder Jaques Kallis,
Pakistan batting great Zaheer Abbas and Pune-born
former Australian captain Lisa Sthalekar were
inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall
of Fame.
Among the finest all-rounders to play the
game, Kallis represented South Africa in 166
Tests, 328 ODIs and 25 T20s between 1995
and 2014.
Remarkably, he is the only player to score at
least 10,000 runs and take at least 250
wickets in both Test and ODI cricket.
Zaheer Abbas played 78 Tests and 62 ODIs
for Pakistan, accumulating 5062 and 2572
runs respectively.
Kallis is the fourth South African player to be
inducted into the Hall of Fame and Abbas the
sixth from Pakistan.
Sthalekar represented Australia in eight
Tests, 125 ODIs and 54 T20s.
Sthalekar is the 27th from Australia and the
ninth woman player in the list, which
includes five from her country.
First female golfer from Germany Sophia Popov
wins Women’s British Open
World number 304 Sophia Popov became the first
female golfer from Germany to capture a major title
after winning the Women's British Open by two
strokes at Royal Troon in Scotland.
Thailand's Jasmine Suwannapura was the
runner-up after shooting 67.
It completed one of the most unlikely wins in
the tournament's history.
Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain to win
UEFA Champions League
German professional sports club Bayern Munich
won the UEFA Champions League 2019-20 title by
defeating Paris Saint-Germain 1-0.
The final was played in Lisbon, Portugal.
Bayern Munich has become the first
European Cup winners who won all their
matches during the tournament.
This is the sixth European Champions
League title for Bayern Munich.
Eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt
tests positive for coronavirus
World-record sprinter and eight-time Olympic gold
medalist Usain Bolt has tested positive for the
coronavirus.
He is self-isolating at his home in Jamaica
after last week celebrating his 34th birthday
with a big bash mask-free.
He is a world record holder in the 100 metres,
200 metres and 4 × 100 metres relay.
Bolt improved upon his second 100 m world
record of 9.69 with 9.58 seconds in 2009.
He has twice broken the 200 metres world
record, setting 19.30 in 2008 and 19.19 in
2009.
England pacer James Anderson becomes 1st fast
bowler in history to take 600 Test wickets
England pacer James Anderson became the first fast
bowler in history to take 600 Test wickets.
The 38-year-old was seven wickets away
from the feat when he started playing the
third Test against Pakistan at the Ageas Bowl.
On Day 5 of the match, he dismissed Pakistan
batsman Azhar Ali to claim his 600th wicket.
Muttiah Muralitharan with 800, Shane Warne
with 708 and Anil Kumble with 619 wickets
are the only other bowlers - all spinners - who
remain ahead of Anderson on the all-time list
of wicket-takers.
India plans to host BRICS Games during Khelo
India Games in 2021
India is planning to host BRICS Games 2021, which
will be aligned with the Khelo India Games
scheduled for next year.
India will get the chairmanship of the five-
nation independent international group in
2021.
BRICS Games 2021 will be held during the
same time and at the same venues as of Khelo
India Games 2021 so that our players from
various parts of the country who will gather
for Khelo India Games will have the benefit
of witnessing BRICS Games from close
quarters.
Legendary tennis pair Bryan brothers announce
retirement
The Bryan brothers, tennis’s most successful doubles
pair, have announced retirement, effective
immediately.
Identical twins Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan,
now 42, are leaving the sport in the same way
they had won tournament after tournament in
a decade spanning three decades — together.
The Bryans were not on the entry list for the
US Open released last week.
The brother’s pair captured an Open Era
record with 119 trophies in 26 seasons which
comprises all four Grand Slams, all nine ATP
Masters 1000s as well as the Olympic gold
medal.
Alexander Kristoff wins opening stage of Tour de
France
Alexander Kristoff won the opening stage of the
Tour de France, the annual multiple stage bicycle
race.
Rain made the roads treacherous and led to
several crashes.
The Tour de France rolled out from the
French Riviera city of Nice, two months later
than planned and under the shadow of the
coronavirus pandemic.
Since its inception in 1903, the race has only
been canceled during the two world wars.
The Tour de France is an annual men's
multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in
France, while also occasionally passing
through nearby countries.
It consists of 21 day-long stages over the
course of 23 days.
It has been described as "the world’s most
prestigious and most difficult bicycle race.
Dwayne Bravo becomes first bowler to scalp 500
wickets in T20 cricket
West Indies All-Rounder, Dwayne John Bravo
became the first bowler in cricket to scalp 500
wickets in Twenty20 matches.
He achieved the feat in the Caribbean
Premier League (CPL) 2020 match between
his team Trinbago Knight Riders and St
Lucia Zouks.
Bravo took the wicket of Rahkeem Cornwall
(18) to register his 500th wicket. Dwayne
Bravo achieved the feat in his 459th match in
the shortest format.
Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga is the second-
highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket with 389
scalps from 339 matches followed by Sunil
Narine (383), Imran Tahir (374), and Sohail
Tanvir (356).
Lewis Hamilton wins Belgian GP
Lewis Hamilton has won the Formula One Belgian
Grand Prix 2020.
This was his 5th win of the season.
Valtteri Bottas came second followed by Max
Verstappen at third place.
Lewis Hamilton is 2 wins short of Michael
Schumacher’s all-time record 91
India, Russia declared joint winners of 2020
Online FIDE Chess Olympiad
India and Russia were declared joint winners of the
2020 Online FIDE Chess Olympiad after the final
was marred by internet disconnection.
Russia were initially declared winners after
two Indian players, Nihal Sarin and Divya
Deshmukh, lost out on time in the final after
suffering a disconnection with the server.
India had appealed against the controversial
decision.
However, the international chess federation
Fide's president Arkady Dvorkovich decided
to award the gold medal to both the teams.
This was the first time Fide was holding the
Olympiad in an online format.
India had reached the finals of the FIDE
Chess Olympiad for the first time.
Former President Lee Teng-hui, who helped birth
Taiwan’s democracy, Dies
Former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui has died.
He was 97.
He brought direct elections and other
democratic changes to the self-governed
island despite missile launches and other
fierce saber-rattling by China.
He was also considered as the “father of
Taiwan’s democracy”.
He served as president of Taiwan from 1988
to 2000.
Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh passes away
Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, who was
admitted to a hospital in Singapore, passed away.
He was ailing for the past few months. He had
earlier undergone a kidney transplant
surgery.
Amar Singh was born in Azamgarh district of
Uttar Pradesh.
A former General Secretary of the Samajwadi
Party, was once known to be very close to the
party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and his
Brother Shivpal Yadav.
However, in 2010, Amar Singh resigned from
all party posts and was soon expelled from
the party.
He was later inducted in the party but his
second stint with the SP came to an end after
he was expelled from the Akhilesh Yadav-led
party again in 2017.
Andhra Pradesh ex-minister Manikyala Rao dies
of Covid-19
Andhra Pradesh former minister and BJP senior
leader M Manikyala Rao succumbed to Covid-19
infection.
He struggled for almost one month before
passing away.
He joined the district Covid-19 hospital in
Eluru, West Godavari district. He was shifted
to a private hospital as he was facing serious
breathing problems.
Rao (59) had served as endowments minister
in N Chandrababu Naidu cabinet between
2014 and 2018.
Former Maharashtra CM Shivajirao Patil
Nilangekar passes away
Former Maharashtra chief minister Shivajirao Patil
Nilangekar died after a brief illness.
He recently tested coronavirus positive but
had recovered and was discharged after
testing negative.
Nilangekar, senior Congress leader from
Latur in Marathwada region, was the state
chief minister from June 1985 to March 1986.
He resigned from the post when the Bombay
high court passed strictures against him after
fraud was alleged in the results of the MD
examination in 1985.
Former Union Home Secretary & Arunachal
Pradesh Governor, Ram Pradhan passes away
The former Union Home Secretary Ram Pradhan has
passed away due to age-related ailments.
Mr Pradhan served as the governor of
Arunachal Pradesh during the Rajiv Gandhi
government.
Pradhan was an IAS officer of the
Maharashtra cadre.
He also headed a two-member committee set
up in December 2008 to probe the security
forces’ response to the 26/11 Mumbai terror
attack.
Renowned TV actor Sameer Sharma passes away
Sameer Sharma, a 44-year-old television actor, was
found dead in his Malad apartment. Malad police
officials said that the actor died by suicide.
The actor had also appeared in the shows
Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kyunki Saas Bhi
Kabhi Bahu Thi, Jyoti, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya
Naam Du, and Left Right Left, among others.
He is also listed as a cast member in films
such as Hasee Toh Phasee and Ittefaq.
Veteran CPIM leader Shyamal Chakraborty dies
of Coronavirus in Kolkata
Veteran Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader
and former West Bengal Minister Shyamal
Chakraborty died of Corona infection in Kolkata.He
was 77.
Shyamal Chakraborty was elected four times
consecutively in the State Assembly since
1981.
He was Transport Minister in the Jyoti Basu
cabinet in the State. He was also elected in
Rajya Sabha.
Shyamal Chakraborty was also the State
President of CITU and member of the Central
Committee of CPIM till his death.
Senior Congress leader Nandi Yellaiah passes
away
Senior Congress leader and former Vice President of
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC)
Nandi Yellaiah passed away.
Nandi Yellaiah died while taking treatment at
the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in
Hyderabad.
He had tested positive for Coronavirus 10
days ago.
Yellaiah was a six-time member of Lok
Sabha and served as the MP of Nagarkurnool
constituency till 2019.
He was elected as the Lok Sabha MP from
Siddipet five times before he won as the MP
from Nagarkurnool in 2014. He was also a
member of Rajya Sabha twice.
Former India and Mohun Bagan football player
Manitombi passes away
Former India defender and Mohun Bagan captain
Manitombi Singh passed away.
He played for Mohun Bagan and was part of
the Hindustan FC team that won the Delhi
Soccer Association league title in 2010.
He was part of the team that won the LG Cup
in Vietnam under the captaincy of Bhaichung
Bhutia.
He also donned the Indian colours at the
Busan Asian Games later in the year.
Former WWE wrestler James 'Kamala' Harris
dies at 70
Former WWE wrestler James Harris has died at age
70.
Harris, who performed in the ring as Kamala,
made his WWF debut in 1984.
In a career that spanned more than two
decades, Harris battled many of wrestling's
superstars, including Hulk Hogan, The
Undertaker and Andre the Giant.
James Harris wrestled in the Mid-South,
World Class Championship Wrestling,
WCW and WWE.
Renowned lyricist & poet Rahat Indori passes
away
In Madhya Pradesh, noted Urdu poet and lyricist
Rahat Indori died of cardiac arrest in Indore. He was
also tested positive for COVID-19.
With a 50-year career in poetry, Indori was
known for the lyrics of hit films like
Munnabhai MBBS, Kareeb, Ghatak and Ishq.
Indori did his schooling from Nutan School
in Indore and his graduation from Islamia
Karimia College, Indore.
Rahat Sahab had faced poverty in his
childhood, so in his words people could see
the truth of life.
Veteran sports journalist GK Menon passes away
Veteran sports journalist GK Menon died in
Mumbai. He was 93 and.
He worked with the Indian Express and The
Times of India and ended his freelance career
in the early 1990s.
Menon played cricket at the club level and
also was an active member of the Shivaji Park
Gymkhana in Dadar, central Mumbai.
He was manager of the 1952-53 Bombay
University team which won the Rohinton
Baria Trophy by beating Delhi in the final at
Bengaluru.
Malayalam poet-lyricist Chunakkara
Ramankutty passes away
Poet and lyricist Chunakkara Ramankutty who made
a special place in the hearts of music lovers with the
romantic hit song 'Devadaru Poothu' for the movie
'Engane Nee Marakkum' in the year 1983, passed
away.
Ramankutty started writing poems as a
teenager for the student magazine of NSS
College Pandalam where he graduated in
Malayalam.
His break in movies came with the song
‘Apsara kanyaka’ from the movie Ashramam
released in 1978.
Ramankutty wrote over 215 songs for 76
movies. His career peaked in 1984 when he
wrote 32 songs in that year.
Former India cricketer Chetan Chauhan passes
away
Former India cricketer Chetan Chauhan, 73, passed
away after suffering a heart attack.
Chauhan, who was also a minister in the Uttar
Pradesh government, tested positive for
COVID-19 in early July.
Considered one of the courageous batsmen of
Indian cricket, Chauhan featured in 40 Test
matches and seven ODIs.
He will, however, be remembered as Sunil
Gavaskar's partner in numerous Tests in the
1970s and early 1980s.
Chauhan and Gavaskar scored over 3,000
runs together with 10 century stands in Tests.
He was a Lok Sabha MP twice.
Music legend Pandit Jasraj passes away in US at
the age of 90
Music legend Pandit Jasraj passed away at the age of
90.
Pandit Jasraj was an Indian classical vocalist,
belonging to the Mewati gharana.
He was a recipient of the Padma Shri (1975),
Padma Bhushan (1990) and Padma
Vibhushan (2000).
Back in 2019, a minor planet, between Mars
and Jupiter, was named after the famed
musician.
Film-maker Nishikant Kamat passes away
Renowned film-maker Nishikant Kamat passed
away.
The 50-year-old had been battling liver
cirrhosis for two years.
Nishikant had directed some popular
Bollywood movies like Force, Drishyam and
Madaari.
In 2005 his Marathi movie Dombivali Fast
won the National Film Award for Best
Feature Film in Marathi.
Former cricketer Gopalaswamy Kasturirangan
dies
Veteran cricketer Gopalaswamy Kasturirangan died
due to heart attack.
Kasturirangan, 89, was a former cricketer-
administrator and the BCCI curator.
He had mostly played his matches for Mysore
in Ranji Trophy as the right-arm medium
pace bowler from 1948 to 1963.
Kasturirangan had represented the then
"MYSORE" team in the Ranji Trophy match
in the year 1948 -49 to 1962-63 for
Karnataka.
Former Congo president Pascal Lissouba dies at
88
Former Congolese president Pascal Lissouba died in
France at the age of 88.
He was president of the Republic of Congo -
also called Congo-Brazzaville, to distinguish
it from the neighbouring Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) - from 1992 to
1997.
He fled the country after being overthrown in
a civil war by the current president, Denis
Sassou Nguesso, who had lost the country's
first multi-party elections in 1992.
Democratic Republic of the Congo capital:
Kinshasa
Republic of the Congo: capital Brazzaville.
Renowned singer Archana Mahanta passed away
Noted Assamese singer and popular singer Angaraag
‘Papon’ Mahanta’s mother Archana Mahanta passed.
The 72-year-old singer, wife of popular
Assamese singer late Khagen Mahanta, had
been undergoing treatment after suffering a
brain stroke on July 14.
Archana Mahanta and her husband Khagen
Mahanta, who was known as ‘Bihu King’,
used to be a hugely popular couple known for
their renditions of Bihu and traditional folk
songs of Assam.
Khagen Mahanta passed away in June 2014.
‘Black Panther’ star Chadwick Boseman passes
away
Black Panther actor, Chadwick Boseman passed
away after a four-year battle with colon cancer.
He made his acting debut in the TV series
“All My Children” in 2003.
He made his big-screen debut in 2008 in the
biopic The Express: The Ernie Davis Story
where he played Floyd Little.
He played the famous Black Panther role in
the Marvel cinematic universe.
‘Scooby Doo’ co-creator Joe Ruby passes away
Joe Ruby, the co-creator of the cartoon series
Scooby-Doo, has passed away due to natural causes.
Ruby, an American animator, television
editor, writer, and producer, created the
much-loved characters of beloved kids show
Scooby-Doo, along with his creative partner
Ken Spears.
Together, the pair started their own
production company Hanna-Barbera
Productions and created other memorable
cartoons as well.
Bihar CM released book "Siyasat Mein
Sadasyata" by Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar released a book -
"Siyasat Mein Sadasyata" .
Written by Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay
Kumar Choudhary.
The book published by Bihar Assembly
Secretariat is a compilation of Choudhary''s
views, three dozen articles on different
important issues and his life journey.
It also mentions various developmental
works in different sectors and welfare
measures taken by Nitish Kumar government
in Bihar.
The book "Siyasat Mein Sadasyata" has also
talked about various other important
activities of assembly, successful completion
of 6th Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association (CPA) India Region, Prohibition
law, debate on climate change, reforms in the
procedure and business advisory rules of the
assembly.
Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and
Smriti Irani launch the book ‘Swachh Bharat
Kranti’
The book “The Swachh Bharat Revolution”, edited
by Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary of Department of
Drinking Water and Sanitation has been translated
into Hindi and published as the Swachh Bharat
Kranti.
The book was officially launched by Union
Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh
Shekhawat, and Union Minister of Textiles
and Women & Child Development Smriti
Irani in New Delhi.
The Swachh Bharat Kranti captures the
remarkable journey of the SBM through 35
essays by a diverse range of stakeholders and
contributors to the SBM, sharing their
perspective on this social revolution.
Biography of India’s youngest Basketball captain
‘Vishesh Bhriguvanshi’
The inspirational story on the life of Vishesh
Bhriguvanshi, India’s youngest basketball team
captain, is set to be released on August 29, the
National Sports Day.
The book, titled “Vishesh: Code To Win”,
has been written by sportswoman-turned-
author Nirupama Yadav and published by the
publishing house Bluerose.
The book narrates the mindset of a basketball
player in a cricket-dominated nation and
brings to light the strenuous journey of the 29
year-old Bhriguvanshi, for becoming the
captain against all odds.
Bhriguvanshi hails from Varanasi, Uttar
Pradesh and has been playing for India since
2007. He first became the captain of the
Indian team in 2010.
‘RAW: A History of India’s Covert Operations’
authored by Yatish Yadav launched
The new book, titled “RAW: A History of India’s
Covert Operations”, has been launched.
The book gives a peep into the heroic covert
operations carried by India’s external spy
agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
The book has been written by investigative
journalist and author Yatish Yadav. It has
been published by Westland.
The book provides a deeper insight and
understanding of how covert operations are
carried out in the uncharted territory.
Book chronicling 3rd year in office of Vice
President M. Venkaiah Naidu release
A book chronicling the third year in office of Vice
President M. Venkaiah Naidu titled ‘Connecting,
Communicating, Changing’ was released by Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh.
The electronic version of the book (e-book)
will be launched by Information and
Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar.
The book which runs into more than 250
pages has been brought out by the
Publications Division of the Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting.
The book captures through words and
pictures the variegated activities of the Vice
President, including his travels in India and
abroad.
It provides a glimpse of his interactions with
farmers, scientists, doctors, youth,
administrators, industry leaders and artists,
among others.
Penguin announces Sudha Murthy’s next book
‘Grandparents’ Bag of Stories’ on her 70th
birthday
Penguin Random House announced a new children’s
book by author and philanthropist Sudha Murthy to
mark her 70th birthday.
The publishing house is coming out with her
latest collection of short stories, titled
‘Grandparents’ Bag of Stories’, which is
scheduled to be released in November 2020.
The book will be a sequel to one of the
author’s bestselling book of stories titled
Grandma’s Bag of Stories.
The book has sold approximately 3 lakh
copes so far.
The new children’s book will feature 20
stories by Murty.
The stories were penned to entertain children
who found themselves “homebound during
these days, without school and holiday plans”
amid the pandemic.
Author Chetan Bhagat's ‘One Arrange Murder’
to hit stands in September
A book titled ‘One Arranged Murder’ authored by
Chetan Bhagat will be released globally on
September 28, 2020.
It will be Bhagat’s ninth novel and 11th book
overall. His last release was The Girl in
Room 105.
“‘One Arranged Murder’ is a gripping
murder mystery set in a backdrop of an
arranged marriage.
Beside Bhagat’s two non-fiction titles, What
Young India Wants (2012) and Making India
Awesome (2015), his previous works of
fiction include Five Point Someone (2004),
One Night @ the Call Center (2005), The 3
Mistakes of My Life (2008), 2 States (2009),
Revolution 2020 (2011), Half Girlfriend
(2014) and One Indian Girl (2016).
Army Chief MM Naravane Releases Book On
National Security
Army Chief General MM Naravane released a book
titled "National Security Challenges: Young
Scholars' Perspective" penned by university students.
The book was published by the Army think-
tank Centre for Land Warfare Studies
(CLAWS).
The authors all university students ranging
from the undergraduate level to doctoral
candidates have written on varied themes
concerning national security.
The book is a tribute to Field Marshal
Manekshaw, the great grand strategist of
1971 Indo-Pakistan War that resulted in the
liberation of Bangladesh.
J & K LG Manoj Sinha releases 2 Coffee Table
Books at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar
In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha released two
Coffee Table Books, one for Labour & Employment
Department and another for J&K Entrepreneurship
Development(JKEDI) Institute.
The Coffee Table Book of Labour &
Employment Department also highlights the
labour reforms.
Further, the Coffee Table Book of J&K EDI
book highlights the inspirational
entrepreneur journey of 50 young boys and
girls across the Union Territory of Jammu
and Kashmir.
Quiz August 2020
Q. Which of the following countries chaired the 6th
BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting?
Brazil
Russia
China
India
South Africa
Q. India Muslim women's rights day is observed on
________.
29 July
30 July
31 July
01 August
02 August
Q. Which of the following has become the first
Central Armed Police Force to have supplies from
the Khadi & Village Industries Commission, KVIC?
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
Border Security Force (BSF)
Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)
Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)
Q. Films Division will pay tribute to Munshi
Premchand and Mohammad Rafi with a
documentary. Who among the following is the
director of the documentary ‘Premchand’?
Manoj Sharma
Sachin D Rastogi
P C Sharma
Manoj Desai
None of these
Q. Recently, The Asian Development Bank has
signed an 200 million dollar financing deal with
Reliance for the development of a power plant in
_______.
Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
Nepal
Myanmar
Iran
Q. Which of the following states will start the ‘Ek
Mask-Anek Zindagi’ public awareness campaign?
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Madhya Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Bihar
Q. In June 2020, the eight core industries' output
shrinks ________.
5%
8%
12%
15%
17%
Q. Recently, Hamed Bakayoko has been named as
the prime minister of _______.
Ivory Coast
Burundi
Malawi
Uganda
Rwanda
Q. Who among the following has been appointed as
the new Director General of Gujarat Police?
Siddhant Shukla
Shri Hari
Ashish Bhatia
Keshav Bahadur
None of these
Q. Recently, Lee Teng-hui passed away. He is
known as the father of which of the following
country’s democracy?
Thailand
Taiwan
Singapore
Vietnam
None of these
Q. World Breastfeeding Week is being observed
from _______ to _______.
30 July, 5 August
31 July, 6 August
1 August, 7 August
2 August, 8 August
3 August, 9 August
Q. Which of the following platform has started the
Atma Nirbhar Bharat Logo Design Contest on its
website?
Pencil.gov.in
MyGov.in
UMANG
DIKSHA
None of these
Q. All of the states will be covered under One Nation
One Ration card by ________.
31 September 2020
30 November 2020
31 January 2021
31 March 2021
31 July 2021
Q. Who among the following gave the slogan of
'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it'?
Dadabhai Naoroji
Lala Lajpat Rai
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Bipin Chandra Pal
Q. Who among the following recently launched
'Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan 2020-21’?
Dr Harsh Vardhan
Prakash Javadekar
Ramesh Pokhriyal
Ravi Shankar Prasad
None of these
Q. Which of the following state has announced free
travel concession to women in government buses on
the occasion of Raksha Bandhan for fourth year?
Haryana
Uttar Pradesh
Bihar
Madhya Pradesh
Rajasthan
Q. Which of the following state celebrated its
monsoon festival ‘Aadi Perukku’?
Karnataka
Telangana
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Manipur
Q. Asia's largest dairy, Banas dairy has come up
with an innovative project to produce CNG from
animal dung. Banas dairy is in ________.
Karnataka
Rajasthan
Punjab
Gujarat
Madhya Pradesh
Q. Northern Railway ran the first-ever Vyapar Mala
Express train carrying Rice and Pulses, destined for
Jirania in ________.
Assam
Kerala
Tripura
Odisha
West Bengal
Q. Which of the following ecommerce company is
supporting artisans in India through its ‘Samart’h
programme?
Flipkart
Paytm
Amazon
Snapdeal
None of these
Q. Which of the following country has become the
first country in Arab World to produce nuclear
energy?
Oman
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Bahrain
None of these
Q. World Sanskrit Day 2020 was observed on
________.
01 August
02 August
03 August
04 August
None of these
Q. Recently, DCGI gave permission to which of the
following to conduct phase 2 and 3 human clinical
trials of Corona vaccine developed by Oxford
university?
Biocon
Serum Institute of India
Indian Council of Medical Research
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
None of these
Q. Swachh Bharat Mission was launched in the year
_______.
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
Q. Who among the following is known as the
designer of India’s national flag?
Pingali Venkayya
Bhikaiji Cama
Badruddin Tyabji
Tanguturi Prakasam
None of these
Q. Recently, BS Yediyurappa has been tested
positive for COVID-19. He is serving as the Chief
Minister of _______.
Kerala
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Andhra Pradesh
None of these
Q. Which of the following state will provide meals
at ₹8 under Indira Rasoi Yojana?
Maharashtra
West Bengal
Madhya Pradesh
Karnataka
Rajasthan
Q. Which of the following state launched e-
Rakshabandhan program to create awareness among
the public on cybercrimes?
Madhya Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Andhra Pradesh
Assam
Bihar
Q. Which of the following banks has launched the
‘Kona Kona Umeed’ Campaign?
ICICI Bank
Axis Bank
Kotak Mahindra Bank
HDFC Bank
None of these
Q. Who among the following has recently won the
British Grand Prix 2020?
Max Verstappen
Valtteri Bottas
Lewis Hamilton
Charles Leclerc
None of these
Q. Which of the following has ensured essential
immunization services during COVID pandemic?
eVIN
eNIT
eIMP
eNIP
None of these
Q. Which of the following state/UT has launched an
E-Gyan Mitra mobile app for online education?
Delhi
Chandigarh
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
Maharashtra
None of these
Q. It is the first step in removing barriers between
arts, sciences and Technology, Which of the
following institutes has started an MA programme in
English Literature?
IIT Delhi
NIT Trichy
IIT Kanpur
NIT Rourkela
IIT Madras
Q. Which of the following city has emerged as the
best Indian city in CCTV Surveillance?
Delhi
Kolkata
Hyderabad
Mumbai
None of these
Q. Irfaan Ali has been sworn in as president of
Guyana. What is the capital of Guyana?
Georgetown
Tirana
Pristina
Yerevan
None of these
Q. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has
approved ________ as the next chief executive
officer of HDFC Bank.
Sachin Deorai
Jagdeesh Mohan
Shashidhar Jagdishan
Nandan Tripathi
None of these
Q. Which of the following statements is true with
reference to IPL 13.
The 13th edition of the league will commence from
September 19 to November 10.
The squad size of each franchise is capped at 24
players.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah will be the three
venues of the tournament.
I and II
I only
II and III
III only
I, II and III
Q. India recently withdrew from the women's world
team Squash championship scheduled in ________.
Singapore
Kuala Lumpur
Bangkok
Taipei
None of these
Q. Thomas Cup & Uber Cup are associated with
________.
Football
Badminton
Volleyball
Golf
None of these
Q. Recently, Manikyala Rao passed away. He was
a/an ________.
Journalist
Politician
Actor
Filmmaker
None of these
Q. Recently a massive blast shakes Beirut. Beirut is
the capital city of _________.
Jordan
Lebanon
Egypt
Syria
None of these
Q. Recently, Dharmendra Pradhan has been tests
positive for COVID-19. He holds the portfolio of
_________ in the current cabinet.
Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers
Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Minister of Rural Development
Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Q. Recently which of the following railways loads
onions in goods trains for its transportation to
Bangladesh?
Western Railways
Eastern Railway
Southern Railway
South Western Railway
None of these
Q. Which of the following state is organising the 'Ek
Mask-Anek Zindagi' campaign?
Uttar Pradesh
Karnataka
Madhya Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Assam
Q. Recently, the HRD Minister lays the foundation
stone of IIM at Dhaula Kuan in ________.
Bathinda
Sirmour
Almora
Gurdaspur
None of these
Q. Security of Kushak Bakula Rinpoche Airport has
been handed over to CISF. Kushak Bakula Rinpoche
Airport is in ________.
Bathinda
Leh
Saiha
Darjeeling
None of these
Q. Recently the National Bank of Bahrain has
selected which of the following Indian IT company
for digital transformation?
Infosys
TCS
Wipro
HCL
None of the above
Q. Who among the following chaired the 1st General
Council meeting of Khelo India Scheme?
Amit Shah
Kiren Rijiju
Prakash Javadekar
Ramesh Pokhriyal
None of the above
Q. Recently, Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar passed
away. He was the former Chief Minister of
________.
Bihar
Tamil Nadu
Maharashtra
Assam
Punjab
Q. Recently, the book, titled “Vishesh: Code To
Win” based on the life of Vishesh Bhriguvanshi is all
set to be released. Vishesh Bhriguvanshi is
associated with ________.
Football
Basketball
Hockey
Volleyball
None of these
Q. Which of the following countries recently
conducted tests for its Minuteman 3 Intercontinental
Ballistic Missile?
Russia
China
US
Japan
France
Q. Japan dropped the atomic bomb ‘Little Boy’ on
Hiroshima in the year ________.
1941
1942
1943
1944
1945
Q. Recently India has contributed ________ to the
India-UN Development Partnership Fund.
$11.21 million
$13.65 million
$15.46 million
$19.33 million
None of these
Q. Recently, India has extended Line of Credit
worth 18 million dollars for the expansion of its
fishing facilities?
Vietnam
Sri Lanka
Maldives
Myanmar
None of these
Q. India’s first ICMR approved mobile RTPCR
COVID lab, Mobile Infection Testing and Reporting
lab, MITR has been developed by ________.
Indian Space Research Organisation
Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru
Defence Research and Development Organisation
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Q. Which of the following state’s chief minister has
launched Parivar Pehchan Patra in the state?
Assam
Bihar
Assam
Haryana
Himachal Pradesh
Q. Which of the following telecom company has
announced a multi-year strategic pact with Amazon
Web Services (AWS) to deliver Cloud solutions to
large as well as small and medium enterprise (SME)
customers in India?
Bharti Airtel
Jio
BSNL
Vodafone Idea
None of these
Q. Who among the following has been appointed as
the new Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and
Kashmir?
Rajdeep Kumar
Manoj Sinha
Satish Chaudhary
YD Kashyap
None of these
Q. Who among the following got an 18 months’
extension as Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI) chairman?
Surjeet Singh Deswal
Arvind Kumar
Yogesh Chander Modi
Ajay Tyagi
None of these
Q. Recently, Ram Pradhan passed away. He served
as the governor of which of the following Indian
state?
Assam
Bihar
Uttar Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Gujarat
Q. Sri Lanka People’s party (SLPP) lead by
________ won a clear majority in the recent general
elections.
Sajith Premadasa
Ranil Wickremesinghe
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Maithripala Sirisena
None of these
Q. National Handloom Day in India is observed
every year on _________.
05 August
06 August
07 August
08 August
09 August
Q. India's first Kisan Special Parcel Train has been
started between Devlali to ________.
Raiganj
Danapur
Jogendranagar
Rishikesh
None of these
Q. Recently, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and
Customs (CBIC) has directed Customs to check
safety of explosives in warehouses, ports. Who
among the following is the current chairperson of
CBIC?
Rishi Kumar Shukla
Arvind Kumar
M Ajit Kumar
Vinai Kumar Saxena
None of these
Q. Which of the following state will launch the YSR
Cheyutha scheme?
Manipur
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Telangana
Andhra Pradesh
Q. In a recent decision by the monetary policy
committee RBI decided to leave the policy repo rate
unchanged at _________.
3.25%
3.45%
3.75%
4%
4.15%
Q. Who among the following has been appointed as
the new Comptroller and Auditor General of India?
Samant Goel
Girish Chandra Murmu
Devendra Kumar Joshi
Manoj Sinha
None of these
Q. Which of the following institute has bagged the
1st prize in Smart India Hackathon, SIH, 2020?
Army Institute of Technology
College Of Engineering Pune
Defence Institute of Advanced Technology
Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology
Institute of Chemical Technology
Q. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
has suspended the title sponsorship deal with which
of the following company for the upcoming edition
of the Indian Premier League?
Pepsi
Byju’s
Vivo
Oppo
Jio
Q. Recently, Sameer Sharma passed away. He was
a/an ________.
Politician
Author
Actor
Cricketer
Child activist
Q. Who among the following is the author of the
book ‘RAW: A History of India’s Covert
Operations’?
Sanjay Pathak
Manoj Aggarwal
Yatish Yadav
Pradeep Vajpayee
Kuljeet Vohra
Q. Which of the following country has decided to
construct a memorial for Indian soldiers martyred in
the 1971 liberation war?
Japan
Maldives
Myanmar
Bangladesh
None of these
Q. Recently, the Export-Import Bank of India has
extended a USD 250-million line of credit to the
following country for improving power supply
quality in the country?
Maldives
Mozambique
Zambia
Myanmar
Angola
Q. The Quit India Movement was launched in the
year ________.
1938
1939
1940
1941
1942
Q. Recently, PM Modi inaugurated Rashtriya
Swachhata Kendra in _______.
Agra
New Delhi
Lucknow
Gandhinagar
Ahmedabad
Q. PM Modi will inaugurate submarine Optical
Fibre Cable connecting Port Blair and other places of
Andamna and Nicobar to ________.
Kolkata
Chennai
Puri
Visakhapatnam
Bhubaneshwar
Q. Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy aims to
constitute__________ electric vehicles in the capital
city by 2024.
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Q. Who among the following will head the RBI
panel set up to suggest steps to deal with coronavirus-
related stressed assets?
S D Shibulal
Deepak Parekh
K V Kamath
Swapan Dasgupta
Raghuram Rajan
Q. Who among the following took the oath as
Chairman of Union Public Service Commission
(UPSC)?
Pradeep Kumar Joshi
M Rajeshwar Rao
Rabi Narayan Mishra
Nanda S Dave
None of these
Q. P S Ranipse has been appointed as Inspector
General of ________.
Border Security Force
Railway Protection Force
Indo-Tibetan Border Police
Central Reserve Police Force
None of these
Q. Who among the following administered the oath
of office and secrecy to Manoj Sinha as Lieutenant
Governor of Jammu and Kashmir?
M. Venkaiah Naidu
Om Birla
Gita Mittal
Ram Nath Kovind
R. K. Mathur
Q. World Tribal Day is observed every year on
________.
06 August
07 August
08 August
09 August
10 August
Q. Which of the following country has recently
declared an emergency over an oil spill from a
grounded ship?
Maldives
Laos
Mauritius
Cambodia
Brunei
Q. Mahinda Rajapaksa takes oath as Prime Minister
of Sri Lanka for ________ time.
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
None of these
Q. Kushinagar airport is in ________.
Madhya Pradesh
Bihar
Uttar Pradesh
West Bengal
Gujarat
Q. Who among the following has recently launched
a week-long "Gandagi Mukt Bharat" campaign for
'swachhata' in the run-up to Independence Day?
Amit Shah
Rajnath Singh
Narendra Modi
Arvind Kejriwal
None of these
Q. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
launched the financing facility of _________ under
the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
10 thousand crore rupees
20 thousand crore rupees
50 thousand crore rupees
75 thousand crore rupees
1 lakh crore rupees
Q. Recently, National Thermal Power Corporation,
NTPC has achieved over 100 billion units of
cumulative generation in the current financial year.
Who among the following is the current chairman of
NTPC?
Gurdeep Singh
Nalin Shinghal
M V Gowtama
Shrikant Madhav Vaidya
None of these
Q. Who among the following has been appointed as
the new MD & CEO of PNB Housing Finance?
Suman Gill
Tej Pratap Mathur
Hardayal Prasad
Ranjan Tiwari
None of these
Q. Manpreet Singh, Surender Kumar, Jaskaran
Singh has been tested positive for COVID-19. They
are associated with which of the following sports?
Hockey
Football
Volleyball
Kabaddi
None of these
Q. Recently, Nandi Yellaiah passed away. He was
a/an ________.
Actor
Politician
Filmmaker
Singer
Poet
Q. World Biofuel Day is observed every year on
________.
07 August
08 August
09 August
10 August
11 August
Q. According to a recent study, BCG vaccine
stimulates immune responses against Covid-19. The
BCG vaccine is primarily used against ________.
Hepatitis
Rabies
Tuberculosis
Ebola
None of these
Q. Recently, to promote domestic defence
production sector, India has put a ban on the import
of ________ defence items
76
46
101
174
132
Q. Recently, the Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) has restricted the sale of
junk and unhealthy food within ________ of school
campus.
50 metres
75 metres
100 metres
150 metres
None of these
Q. The Khadi and Village Industries Commission
will set up the first of its kind training cum
production centre of silk in the tribal village of
Chullyu in ________.
Assam
Jammu and Kashmir
Arunachal Pradesh
Andaman and Nicobar
None of these
Q. Which of the following has become the first city
in India to have female icons on traffic signals and
signage?
Delhi
Hyderabad
Dehradun
Mumbai
Indore
Q. Which of the following state will transport denim
and dyes to Bangladesh via parcel train?
Maharashtra
Gujarat
Uttar Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
None of these
Q. Recently, PM Modi has inaugurated a submarine
Optical Fibre Cable that connects __________ city
of mainland to Port Blair?
Chennai
Visakhapatnam
Puri
Yanam
Baleshwar
Q. Which of the following e-commerce company
has signed an MoU with Uttar Pradesh government's
one District, One Product scheme?
Amazon India
Snapdeal
Paytm
Flipkart
None of these
Q. Recently, SSP Chawrasia has been tested positive
for COVID-19. He is associated with which of the
following sports?
Football
Golf
Chess
Carrom
None of these
Q. Mount Sinabung is in ________.
Japan
Indonesia
Canada
New Zealand
Chile
Q. Recently, Hassan Diab resigned from his post. He
was serving as the Prime Minister of ________.
Jordan
Tunisia
Lebanon
Libya
Mali
Q. Alexander Lukashenko has won his sixth
consecutive term as the president of _________.
Ukraine
Sweden
Croatia
Belarus
Poland
Q. Former President Pranab Mukherjee has been
tested positive for COVID-19. He served as the
________ president of India.
11th
12th
13th
14th
15th
Q. India signed a contract with which of the
following country for development of five eco-
tourism zones in Addu atoll?
Malaysia
Maldives
Sri Lanka
Seychelles
None of these
Q. Which of the following state’s Chief Minister
announced the launch of Indira Van Mitan Yojana?
Karnataka
Odisha
Chhattisgarh
Gujarat
Bihar
Q. Who among the following is currently serving as
the chief Minister of Manipur?
Pu Zoramthanga
N. Biren Singh
Neiphiu Rio
Pema Khandu
Biplab Kumar Deb
Q. Who among the following has been selected as
the first women chairman Steel Authority of India
Limited by the Public Enterprises Selection Board?
Preeti Chaurasia
Soma Mondal
Sangeeta Mohapatra
Shikha Jain
Anupama Rawat
Q. Recently, Manitombi Singh passed away. He was
associated with which of the following sports?
Football
Tennis
Badminton
Cricket
None of these
Q. Recently a book titled ‘Connecting,
Communicating, Changing’ was released by Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh. The book is based on the life
of ________.
Amit Shah
Pratibha Patil
M. Venkaiah Naidu
Pranab Mukherjee
Hamid Ansari
Q. World Elephant Day is observed every year on
________.
10 August
11 August
12 August
13 August
14 August
Q. International Youth Day is observed every year
on ________.
10 August
11 August
12 August
13 August
14 August
Q. Who among the following Indian origin has been
named as US Vice Presidential candidate for
Democratic party?
Kamala Harris
Tulsi Gabbard
Rakesh Gangwal
Aneel Bhusri
None of these
Q. Recently, the European Union is giving
________ to flood hit people in South Asia.
1.24 million euro
1.65 million euro
1.95 million euro
2.25 million euro
2.45 million euro
Q. Which of the following country has recently
provided state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence-
based technologies and high-end equipment to
AIIMS, Delhi?
France
Iran
Israel
UAE
None of these
Q. Recently, Lok Sabha has started a beginner-level
course in which of the following language for the
officials and staff of the Lok Sabha Secretariat at the
Parliament House?
German
Russian
Urdu
French
Chinese
Q. Recently, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh
Tomar has launched Indian Council of Agricultural
Research's data recovery centre _________.
Sankalp
Krishi Megh
Sanrakshan
Krishi Nabh
None of these
Q. How many ‘Tribal Freedom Fighters’ Museums
are being developed by the Tribal Affairs Ministry?
4
5
9
11
14
Q. Which of the following state government has
recently launched ‘Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay
Yojana’?
Uttar Pradesh
Maharashtra
Gujarat
Andhra Pradesh
Punjab
Q. Recently, Rahat Indori passed away. He was a/an
________.
Urdu poet
Director
Journalist
Politician
None of these
Q. Who among the following headed the COVID-19
vaccine expert committee formed on the logistics and
ethical aspects of procuring and administering the
COVID-19 vaccine?
VK Paul
Rajiv Kumar
V. K. Saraswat
Y D Chaurasia
None of these
Q. Which of the following ministry has recently
launched ‘Swachh Bharat Mission Academy’?
Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change
Jal Shakti Ministry
Ministry of Panchayati Raj
None of these
Q. What is the name given to a announced
Microwave device developed to disintegrate the
novel Coronavirus that was recently unveiled by
Nitin Gadkari?
Saksham
Saarthak
Atulya
Kavach
Aditya
Q. Who among the following recently launched
'Transparent Taxation - Honoring the Honest'
platform?
Rajnath Singh
Amit Shah
Narendra Modi
Smriti Irani
None of these
Q. Recently, Shripad Y Naik has been tested
positive for coronavirus. He is serving as ________
minister.
Minister of Tribal Affairs
Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers
Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment
Ayush Minister
Minister of Education
Q. India will fund Greater Male Connectivity
Project through a Line of Credit of ________.
USD 100 million
USD 200 million
USD 400 million
USD 600 million
USD 800 million
Q. Who among the following Indian star has been
listed among the top 10 world’s highest-paid actors
of 2020 by Forbes?
Deepika Padukone
Salman Khan
Akshay Kumar
Aamir Khan
None of these
Q. Which of the following state governments has
recently announced 16 new cyber crime Police
stations in different cities?
Bihar
Maharashtra
Andhra Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Uttar Pradesh
Q. Recently, RBI has announced 'positive pay'
feature to safeguard ________.
Credit cards
Cheque
ATM cards
Internet banking
UPI payments
Q. Recently, GK Menon passed away. He was a/an
________.
Politician
Film director
Novelist
Cartoonist
Sports journalist
Q. World Organ Donation Day is observed every
year on _________.
11 August
12 August
13 August
14 August
15 August
Q. US President Donald has recently announced a
historic peace deal between Israel and _________.
Oman
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Bahrain
None of these
Q. Which of the following country has agreed to
cooperate with Russia in the production & marketing
of the world's first registered coronavirus vaccine
Sputnik V?
Mexico
Indonesia
Brazil
Argentina
None of these
Q. Which of the following country has recently
signed its largest ever loan package worth dollar 3.1
billion for Bangladesh?
China
Japan
France
Russia
USA
Q. Recently, Indian Coast Guard has launched an
offshore patrol vessel _________.
Sashakt
Aditya
Sarthak
Lakshay
None of these
Q. The Sports Ministry will organise the largest
country-wide run ‘Fit India Freedom Run’ from
________ to ________.
15 August, 20 August
15 August, 21 August
15 August, 25 August
15 August, 2 October
None of these
Q. Which of the following state has recently
declared a containment zone following the outbreak
of African Swine Fever (ASF) in 12 villages?
Assam
Andhra pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Meghalaya
Bihar
Q. In the month of July, Retail inflation stands at
________.
6.44%
6.52%
6.77%
6.93%
7.15%
Q. Recently, Sudha Murthy has won the Gramodaya
Bandhu Mitra Puraskar. Sudha Murthy is the
chairperson of ________.
Smile Foundation
Infosys Foundation
Akshaya Patra Foundation
India Foundation for the Arts
None of these
Q. Recently, Chunakkara Ramankutty passed away.
He was a/ an ________.
Sports journalist
Actor
Poet
Cartoonist
Social Activist
Q. The WHO has advised to conduct ________ tests
per day per million population.
110
140
160
210
250
Q. Who among the following has recently
announced the launch of National Digital Health
Mission?
Rajnath Singh
Amit Shah
Narendra Modi
Harsh Vardhan
None of these
Q. 'Operation Rakshak' is associated with ________.
Liberation of Daman and Diu
Annexation of Goa
Counter-insurgency operation in Jammu and
Kashmir
Peacekeeping operation in Northeastern states of
India
None of these
Q. Which of the following has developed an
biodegradable Face Mask Pavitrapati” that acts a
virus neutraliser to resist against the bacteria/virus?
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Defence Institute of Advanced Technology
Defence Research and Development Organisation
Army Institute of Technology
None of these
Q. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched a
portal named as ________ for Indigenization in
Defence Sector.
RAKSHAK
BANDHU
SRIJAN
SAATHI
None of these
Q. Which of the following states has become
number one in conducting covid tests in the country?
Uttar Pradesh
Maharashtra
Tamil Nadu
Andhra Pradesh
Bihar
Q. Which of the following state has told all private
educational institutions to offer 25 per cent
concessions in monthly fees from 1st of May?
Telangana
Assam
Bihar
Andhra Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Q. Which of the following state has emerged as the
number 1 investment destination in the country?
Andhra Pradesh
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Odisha
None of these
Q. Which of the following city has named newly
built Income Tax circle flyover and Anjali cross road
as Arun Jaitley flyover and Sushma Swaraj Bridge
respectively?
Agra
Mumbai
Indore
Ahmedabad
Guwahati
Q. Recently, The RBI Board has approved the
transfer of ___________ rupees as surplus to the
central government for the accounting year 2019-20.
34,743 crore
71,482 crore
57,128 crore
24,493 crore
78,334 crore
Q. Which of the following will be the official
sponsor of the Indian team for the rescheduled Tokyo
Olympics?
Wave Group
INOX Group
Vivo
Redmi
Mahindra Group
Q. Bangladesh observed ‘National Mourning Day’
to mark assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman. Mujibur Rahman was
assassinated in the year ________.
1972
1975
1977
1979
1981
Q. Recently, In the eastern Mediterranean sea
Greek warships collided with the warships of
________.
Italy
Spain
Turkey
Oman
Iraq
Q. Recently, the Vietnam health ministry has
registered to buy a Russian COVID-19 vaccine.
What is the currency of Vietnam?
Ringgit
Bhat
Krone
Dong
Won
Q. Which of the following company will supply
'Air India One' for PM Modi, President Kovind, top
dignitaries soon?
Boeing
Dassault Aviation
Airbus
Lockheed Martin
None of these
Q. PM Modi, Amit Shah pays respects to Atal
Bihari Vajpayee on second death anniversary. Atal
Bihari Vajpayee was born in ________.
Agra
Gwalior
PrayagRaj
Kolkata
Patna
Q. Recently, India sent 58 tonnes of emergency
humanitarian aid to Lebanon. What is the capital of
Lebanon?
Amman
Tripoli
Beirut
Ankara
None of these
Q. Recently, the Indian Navy has moved a proposal
to urgently acquire _________ shipborne drones.
8
10
15
18
21
Q. Recently, Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan govt won
trust vote in assembly. What is the number of seats
in Rajasthan Legislative Assembly?
174
181
200
219
275
Q. Which of the following Indian state will host the
International Film Festival of India?
Assam
Goa
Madhya Pradesh
Odisha
Maharashtra
Q. Recently, MS Dhoni retires from International
Cricket. Indian team won which of the following
title under the captaincy of MS Dhoni?
2007 ICC World Twenty-Twenty world cup
2010 Asia Cup
2011 ICC Cricket World Cup
2013 ICC Champions Trophy
All of these
Q. Which of the following countries recently chaired
the 4th Meeting of the BRICS Anti-Drug Working
Group?
Brazil
Russia
India
China
South Africa
Q. Atal Tunnel tunnel is being built in which of the
following mountain range?
Pir Panjal range
Karakoram range
Dhaulagiri range
Zaskar range
None of these
Q. Recently, AYUSH Ministry launched a 3-month
campaign ‘Ayush for Immunity’. Who among the
following currently holds the charge of AYUSH
Ministry?
Santosh Gangwar
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
Shripad Yesso Naik
Jitendra Singh
None of these
Q. Which of the following state government has
recently launched the centralized e-commerce
platform ‘YellowChain’?
Madhya pradesh
Telangana
Maharashtra
Andhra Pradesh
Nagaland
Q. South Africa became part of the BRICS group in
the year ________.
2008
2010
2011
2012
2014
Q. What is the approximate length of 'Atal Tunnel'?
4.2km
6.7km
7.1km
8.8km
11.1km
Q. Which of the following bank has launched
“Shaurya KGC Card” for Indian armed forces
personnel?
Axis Bank
ICICI Bank
HDFC Bank
IndusInd Bank
Kotak Mahindra Bank
Q. Which of the following cricketer has been
appointed as the brand ambassador of ‘ebikeGo’?
Suresh Raina
Rohit Sharma
Harbhajan Singh
Virat Kohli
None of these
Q. Who among the following has recently won
Spanish Grand Prix?
Charles Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton
Max Verstappen
Valtteri Bottas
Sebastian Vettel
Q. Recently, Chetan Chauhan passed away. He was
associated with which of the following sports?
Football
Tennis
Football
Cricket
Hockey
Q. India dispatches over 30 tonnes of technical
equipment to which of the following to supplement
the country’s ongoing oil spill?
Madagascar
Maldives
Seychelles
Mauritius
None of these
Q. Recently, the Tribal Affairs Minister launched an
e-portal named as _________ on tribal health &
nutrition.
Aadi-Yug
Swasthya
Rakshak
Tribe-Health
None
Q. Gwalior-Chambal Expressway will be named
after _________.
Lal Krishna Advani
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Sushma Swaraj
Arun Jaitley
None of these
Q. The Union Territory of Puducherry celebrated its
59th anniversary of the “De-Jure” day on
___________.
11 August
13 August
15 August
16 August
18 August
Q. Which of the following state government has
decided to observe 1 September as Police Day?
Bihar
West Bengal
Assam
Maharashtra
Telangana
Q. Indian Railways is constructing the world's tallest
pier bridge across river Ijai in _________.
Sikkim
Assam
Nagaland
Manipur
Arunachal Pradesh
Q. NTPC has developed infrastructure at Rihand
project for increased use of fly ash. The Rihand
project is in _________.
Odisha
Chhattisgarh
Bihar
Uttar Pradesh
None of these
Q. Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) will
launch India's first bullion index named as ________.
Aatmdex
Commdex
Bulldex
InDINsex
None of these
Q. Who among the following has been appointed as
the new director general of the Border Security Force
(BSF)?
Prakash Sharma
Rakesh Asthana
Mandeep pandey
Rohit Prakash
None of these
Q. Recently, Music legend Pandit Jasraj passed
away. He belongs to which of the following music
gharana?
Mewati Gharana
Gwalior Gharana
Kirana Gharana
Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana
Patiala Gharana
Q. World Humanitarian Day is observed every year
on ________.
16 August
17 August
18 August
19 August
20 August
Q. Who among the following has been nominated as
the presidential candidate of Democratic Party in the
US?
Colin Powell
Joe Biden
Dick Cheney
Dan Quayle
None of these
Q. Recently Boubacar Kita has resigned as the
president of __________ amid military coup.
Madagascar
Algeria
Libya
Mali
Chad
Q. Which of the following state police is running the
'Ek Sankalp - Bujurgo ke naam’ campaign?
Maharashtra
Telangana
Madhya Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Karnataka
Q. Which of the following institute has been ranked
number-one in the 'Atal Ranking of Institutions on
Innovation Achievements’?
ISM dhanbad
IIT Delhi
IIT Kharagpur
IIT Madras
None of these
Q. Which of the following bank has recently waived
off SMS charges and penalty waiver on non-
maintenance of minimum balance for all its Savings
Accounts?
Punjab national Bank
ICICI Bank
State Bank of India
Canara Bank
Bank of Baroda
Q. Which of the following payments bank has
recently launched Jan BachatKhata (JBK)?
Airtel Payments Bank
India Post Payments Bank
Fino Payments Bank
Jio Payments Bank
Paytm Payments Bank
Q. Who among the following has been appointed as
the governor of Meghalaya?
Mridula Sinha
Satya Pal Malik
R. K. Mathur
Shri Ram Naik
Bhagat Singh Koshyari
Q. Who among the following has recently resigned
as Election Commissioner of India to join Asian
Development Bank as Vice President?
Ashok Lavasa
Mahesh Kumar Jain
Michael Patra
Om Prakash Rawat
None of these
Q. Which of the following has won the IPL 2020
title sponsorship rights?
BYJUs
Unacademy
Dream11
Cars24
Patanjali Ayurved
Q. Recently, Manika Batra has been nominated for
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. She is associated
with which of the following sports?
Tennis
Badminton
Chess
Table Tennis
Javelin throw
Q. The Giant Buddha statue which is also a
UNESCO heritage site had its toes dampened by
floodwater for the first time since the 1940s. This
Giant Buddha statue is in _________.
Indonesia
Vietnam
China
Myanmar
Thailand
Q. Sadbhavana Diwas in India is observed every
year on ________.
18 August
19 August
20 August
21 August
22 August
Q. Indian Akshay Urja Day is observed every year
on ________.
18 August
19 August
20 August
21 August
22 August
Q. Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) was
initiated by _________.
India
Australia
New Zealand
Japan
South Korea
Q. Which of the following has recently approved a
USD 1 billion loan to support the construction of the
modern, high-speed Delhi-Meerut regional rapid
transit system?
International Monetary Fund
Asian Development Bank
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
International Finance Corporation
New Development Bank
Q. Recently, Which of the following company has
won the contract for the redevelopment of three
airports in Jaipur, Thiruvananthapuram and
Guwahati under public-private partnership?
Larsen and Toubro
Essar Group
Adani Enterprises Limited
GMR Group
Aditya Birla Group
Q. The Guru Granth Sahib in Harmandir Sahib, also
known as the Golden temple was seated in the year
__________.
1550
1574
1591
1604
1619
Q. Who among the following attended the inaugural
ceremony of the 5th World Conference of Speakers
of Parliament?
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
Om Birla
Prakash Javadekar
Rama Devi
None of these
Q. The Common Eligibility Test (CET) score of the
candidate shall be valid for a period of _________
year/s from the date of declaration of the result.
1 year
2 years
3 years
4 years
5 years
Q. Which of the following has recently introduced a
Drone based surveillance system for security?
Indian Space Research Organisation
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
Indian Railways
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
Indian Oil Corporation
Q. International Day of Victims of Terrorism is
observed every year on _________.
19 August
20 August
21 August
22 August
23 August
Q. World Senior Citizen Day is observed every year
on _________.
19 August
20 August
21 August
22 August
23 August
Q. Which of the following neighbouring country’s
government grants approval to abolish the 19th
amendment of the constitution?
Bangladesh
Nepal
Sri Lanka
Bhutan
Pakistan
Q. In August 2020, India has signed a cultural
agreement to further boost people-to-people ties with
which of the following country?
Japan
Israel
Australia
Italy
Spain
Q. Recently, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has been
tested positive for coronavirus. He holds the portfolio
of _________ in the current government.
Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister
Minority Affairs Minister
Jal Shakti Minister
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister
None of these
Q. Recently, Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched the
interactive first-of-its-kind video game named as
_________ to spread awareness about COVID-19.
Fight COVID-19
Kill Corona
Corona Fighters
Save the Nation
None of these
Q. SHAKTI (32 bit) microprocessor has been
developed by ________.
IIT Madras
IISc Bengaluru
IIT Delhi
NIT Trichy
None of these
Q. Who among the following has recently launched
the official logo of the Labour Bureau?
Dharmendra Pradhan
Smriti Irani
Ravi Shankar Prasad
Santosh Gangwar
Giriraj Singh
Q. Which of the following has recently launched
‘Kormo’ Jobs app in India to help people find jobs?
Yahoo
Microsoft
None of these
Q. As per the Cleanliness Survey 2020, which of the
following has been declared as cleanest state of
country?
Madhya Pradesh
Telangana
Assam
Odisha
Chhattisgarh
Q. The Ministry of External Affairs in partnership
with which of the following country has organized
the 6th Round Table of ASEAN-India Network of
Think Tanks (AINTT)?
Vietnam
Laos
Thailand
Cambodia
None of these
Q. The total sowing area coverage under Kharif
crops has been increased by more than 8.5 per cent
this year. Which of the following is not an example
of Kharif crop?
Soybean
Jowar
Mustard
Millet
Rice
Q. Who among the following was the head of the
panel that recommended linking sugarcane prices to
sugar rates to keep the industry in sound financial
health?
Rahul Rohatagi
Anil Saxena
Ramesh Chand
Mandeep Gill
None of these
Q. Recently, The National Highways Authority of
India has developed a mobile App named as
________ to facilitate creation of Green Highways
across the country.
Sadak
Path Rakshak
Harit Path
Sundar Path
None of these
Q. Which of the following institute start-ups has
developed a portable hospital unit 'MediCAB' for
COVID-19 patients?
IIT Kanpur
IIT Mumbai
IIT Madras
IIT Guwahati
None of these
Q. Recently, Keith Rowley has been sworn in as
Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister for the second
5 year term. What is the capital of Trinidad and
Tobago?
Nicosia
Port of Spain
Georgetown
Bridgetown
None of these
Q. Who among the following has been appointed as
the new Election Commissioner following
resignation of Ashok Lavasa?
Sachin Pratap
Rajiv Kumar
Maneesh Jha
Sandeep Raj
None of these
Q. National Sports Day is observed every year on
________.
25 August
22 August
29 August
03 September
11 September
Q. Which of the following institute has won the
prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA)
trophy?
Amity University, Noida
Panjab University, Chandigarh
Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak
None of these
Q. Who among the following has won the World
Snooker Championship 2020?
Stephen Hendry
Judd Trump
Ronnie O’Sullivan
Mark Selby
John Higgins
Q. Which of the following country will use Chinese
homegrown navigation system ‘BeiDou’ for both
military and civil purposes?
Bangladesh
Pakistan
Iran
Sri Lanka
Afghanistan
Q. Which of the following country has signed an
agreement for the implementation of the National
Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with its ten armed
ethnic groups?
Myanmar
Afghanistan
Lebanon
Syria
Bangladesh
Q. Recently, Turkey had discovered its largest-ever
deposit of natural gas in ________.
Caspian Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
Baffin Bay
Chukchi Sea
Q. Which of the following country has reported the
first death due to West Nile virus in 2020?
Italy
Zambia
Mozambique
Spain
Lebanon
Q. Selling at GBP 2,60,000 or Rs 2,55,000,00 a
gold-plated spectacles broke all records for the UK
auction house. This spectacle is believed to be worn
by _________.
Queen Victoria
Mahatma Gandhi
Queen Elizabeth II
George V
Abraham Lincoln
Q. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has greeted the
nation on the occasion of Nuakhai. Nuakhai festival
is mainly observed in the state of _________.
Kerala
Assam
Odisha
Nagaland
Punjab
Q. Who among the following will head the newly
formed National Council for Transgender Persons?
Chairman of National Human Rights Commission of
India
Minister of Health and Family Welfare
Union social justice minister
Chairman of Law commission of India
Chairman of National Development Council
Q. Which of the following freedom fighter is also
known as ‘Andhra Kesari’?
Bezawada Gopala Reddy
Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu
Kandukuri Veeresalingam
Potti Sriramulu
None of these
Q. The Uttar Pradesh government has signed a ‘plan
of cooperation’ to resolve the water crisis in
Bundelkhand region with which of the following
country?
Japan
France
Israel
Spain
UAE
Q. Which of the following Indian states will observe
the first-ever state Dragonfly Festival named as the
‘Thumbi Maholsavam 2020’?
Andhra Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Nagaland
Arunachal Pradesh
Q. Recently, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company
Aramco has suspended a deal to build a 10 billion
dollar refining and petrochemicals complex in which
of the following country?
USA
Bangladesh
China
Japan
Australia
Q. Sinabung volcano recently released a new burst
of hot ash. Sinabung volcano is in ________.
Chile
Peru
Japan
Indonesia
Vietnam
Q. Which of the following country has recently
launched a new optical remote-sensing satellite
‘Gaofen-9 05’?
France
UAE
Israel
China
Spain
Q. India’s longest river ropeway has been built
across _________ river?
Ganga
Jhelum
Brahmaputra
Shyok
Narmada
Q. Which of the following insurance company will
merge its insurance business with Bharti AXA
General Insurance?
National Insurance Company Limited
Oriental Insurance Company Limited
Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company
Reliance General Insurance Company Limited
ICICI Lombard General Insurance Limited
Q. Which of the following bank has recently
launched a hiring initiative named as ‘Gig-a-
Opportunities’?
HDFC Bank
Axis Bank
ICICI Bank
Kotak Mahindra Bank
None of these
Q. Who among the following has been appointed as
the managing director of State Bank of India?
Rajeev Chaudhary
Manoj Pandey
Sandeep Mohan
Ashwani Bhatia
Karan Aggarwal
Q. Recently, cricketer Lisa Sthalekar has been
inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall
of Fame. She played international cricket for
________.
England
South Africa
Australia
West Indies
None of these
Q. Sophia Popov recently won the Women's British
Open. She is associated with which of the following
sports?
Tennis
Table Tennis
Golf
Badminton
None of these
Q. Who among the following is the author of the
book ‘One Arrange Murder’?
Amitav Ghosh
Arundhati Roy
Anita Desai
Chetan Bhagat
Jhumpa Lahiri
Q. Bangladesh is planning to start the process of
relocating Rohingya refugees from the crowded
camps of Cox’s Bazar to the newly built facility at
________.
St. Martin's Island
Nijhum Dwip
Bhashan Char island
Lake View Island
New Moore Island
Q. Army Chief honours 51 Special Action Group
with 'COAS (Chief of Army Staff) Unit
Appreciation'. 51 Special Action Group is a part of
________.
Indian Army
Indian Air Force
National Security Guards
Central Reserve Police Force
National Disaster Response Force
Q. The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has
decided to extend the validity of Motor Vehicle
documents till _________.
31 March
31 December
30 November
31 January
31 October
Q. World Gujarati Day is observed every year on
_________.
22 August
23 August
24 August
25 August
26 August
Q. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched a
mobile application named as ________ to provide
career-related information to aspirants.
Air Warriors
WINGS
MY IAF
DARE
None of these
Q. Which of the following group has recently signed
a loan agreement for a USD 500 million Mumbai
Urban Transport Project-III?
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
International Monetary Fund
Asian Development Bank
New Development Bank
None of these
Q. Recently the first unit of the Kudankulam Atomic
Power Plant has resumed power production.
Kudankulam Atomic Power Plant is in ________.
Andhra Pradesh
Kerala
Tamil Nadu
Rajasthan
Karnataka
Q. Recently, the Haryana Chief Minister Manohar
Lal has been tested positive for COVID-19. He
represented _________ constituency in Haryana
Legislative Assembly.
Kalka
Panchkula
Bhiwani
Ambala Cantt
Karnal
Q. Which of the following state government has
launched an NRI unified portal that could not only
help in investment in the state, but also provide an
opportunity for those who want to go abroad?
Maharashtra
Madhya Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Bihar
Uttarakhand
Q. The first UV Baggage Sanitization and Wrapping
machine has been introduced at which of the
following railway station?
Indore
Ahmedabad
Patna
Agra
Anand Vihar Terminal
Q. Women's Equality Day is observed every year on
_________.
24 August
25 August
26 August
27 August
28 August
Q. Recently, The World Health Organization has
declared Africa free of which of the following
disease?
Tuberculosis
Polio
Cirrhosis
Rubella
Elephantiasis
Q. Which of the following city is organising ‘The
ARMY 2020 International Military and Technical
Forum’?
Moscow
New York
Tokyo
Shanghai
Dubai
Q. Recently, which of the following state has been
declared as Disturbed Area for another 6 months with
effect from 28 August?
Sikkim
Meghalaya
Assam
Tripura
None of these
Q. The Reserve Bank has projected India's growth
rate at ________ for 2020-21.
- 3.3%
- 3.9%
- 4.5%
- 4.7%
- 5.6%
Q. Which of the following insurance company has
launched the first-of-its-kind insurance product
called ‘Shagun – Gift an Insurance”?
HDFC ERGO
SBI General Insurance
New India Assurance
ICICI Lombard
Oriental Insurance
Q. Which of the following bank has become the first
bank in India to use satellite data to assess credit
worthiness of farmers?
HDFC Bank
State Bank of India
ICICI Bank
Axis Bank
Punjab National Bank
Q. Recently, Satheesh Reddy has been given a two-
year extension. He is serving as the chairman of
_________.
Indian Council of Medical Research
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
Defence Research and Development Organisation
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Council of Scientific and Industrial Researc
Q. Who among the following has became the first
fast bowler in history to take 600 Test wickets?
James Anderson
Trent Boult
Jasprit Bumrah
Pat Cummins
Mitchell Star
Q. Recently, the former president of Congo, Pascal
Lissouba passed away. What is the capital of
Republic of the Congo?
Kigali
Abuja
Brazzaville
Dodoma
None of these
Q. Which of the following statement is true
regarding Mother Teresa?
A. Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, North
Macedonia.
B. Mother Teresa arrived in India in 1929
C. Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
D. Mother Teresa was declared as a Saint on 4th
September 2016.
A and B
A and C
A, B and D
A, B,C and D
Q. Recently the Ministry of Culture has announced
________ new circles of the Archaeological Survey
of India, ASI.
5
7
9
11
14
Q. According to the CRISIL report, During the first
four months of the current fiscal, the average income
per month for unskilled workers under the
MGNREGA was around ________.
700 rupees per month
1,000 rupees per month
1,400 rupees per month
1,800 rupees per month
2,000 rupees per month
Q. Recently, the Union Minister of Social Justice and
Empowerment, Thawar Chand Gehlot has launched
a helpline service named as ________ for mental
health rehabilitation.
SHAKTI
SWASTH
KIRAN
ASHA
None of these
Q. What is the name of a promising COVID-19
vaccine candidate developed jointly by the Oxford
University and AstraZeneca?
Covishield
Sputnik V
ZyCoV-D
CoronaVac
LUNAR-COV19
Q. Barak Valley is recently in the news due to the
outbreak of COVID-19. Barak Valley is in
_________.
Himachal Pradesh
Jammu and Kashmir
Assam
Manipur
None of these
Q. Which of the following state topped in the first
ever Export Preparedness index 2020 released by
NITI Ayog?
Uttar Pradesh
Telangana
Odisha
Gujarat
West Bengal
Q. Kaziranga National Park is in the state of
_________.
Uttar Pradesh
Assam
Manipur
Karnataka
Gujarat
Q. According to a recent announcement, Public
Sector Undertakings are allowed to clear the
Customs duty on goods imported by them
within_________.
7 days
10 days
14 days
18 days
21 days
Q. Which of the following bank has recently
launched a Liberty Savings Account aimed at
millennial customers?
ICICI Bank
State Bank of India
HDFC Bank
Kotak Mahindra Bank
Axis Bank
Q. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will officially
induct the first five Rafale fighter aircraft into service
at the Ambala air base on 10th of September. Rafale
fighter aircraft are a part of ________ squadron.
No. 1 Squadron IAF
No. 7 Squadron IAF
No. 18 Squadron IAF
No. 17 Squadron IAF
No. 21 Squadron IAF
Q. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana was released in
the year _________.
2014
2015
2016
2017
None of these
Q. Under the 4th round Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik,
(UDAN) , the Government has approved ________
new routes to enhance the connectivity.
63
53
18
78
47
Q. Which of the following state has passed the Skill
Development University Bill which allows setting up
of Skill University at Mangaldoi at the cost of 900
crore rupees?
Haryana
Assam
Punjab
Odisha
Bihar
Q. Which of the following bank has partnered with
Adobe to help improve the digital experience journey
of its customers?
Axis Bank
State Bank of India
HDFC Bank
ICICI Bank
None of these
Q. Who among the following has become the
youngest author to win the 2020 International
Booker Prize?
Michele Hutchison
Marieke Lucas Rijneveld
Nina Polak
Lieke Marsman
None of these
Q. Which of the following country will host the
BRICS Games 2021?
Brazil
Russia
China
India
South Africa
Q. Recently, Bryan brothers i.e Bob Bryan and Mike
Bryan announced their retirement. They were
associated with which of the following sports?
Table tennis
Badminton
Tennis
Carrom
Football
Q. Recently, Archana Mahanta passed away. She
was a/an ________.
Singer
Politician
Journalist
Actress
Climate Activist
Q. Who among the following recently released the
book "National Security Challenges: Young
Scholars' Perspective" penned by university students.
Bipin Rawat
MM Naravane
Rajnath Singh
Ajit Doval
Ajay Kumar
Q. Which of the following statements is/are correct with
reference to Shinzo Abe?
A. Shinzo Abe is the longest serving Prime Minister in
the history of Japan.
B. He served from 2006-2007 and also from 2012-2020.
C. He introduced the concept of Abenomics.
D. Abenomics refers to set of economic policies
A, B and C
A and B
B and C
A, B and D
A, B, C and D
Q. Recently, which of the following places has been
damaged by Typhoon Bavi?
South America
Korean peninsula
Australia and New Zealand
South Eastern coast of Africa
None of the above
Q. Which of the following country recently observed
the 44th death anniversary of the national poet Kazi
Nazrul Islam?
Myanmar
Pakistan
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Indonesia
Q. The S-400 anti-air system can take down targets at a
range of over_________ range.
100 km
400 km
800 km
1,000 km
1,200 km
Q. Which of the following country will give access to
India to its military base in Djibouti through Acquisition
and Cross-Servicing Agreement?
Japan
Australia
Germany
Russia
US
Q. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched a mobile
application named as _________ to assist in online
training of NCC cadets in the country.
RAKSHAK
DGNCC
REGNCC
LAKSHAY
None of these
Q. According to an recent announcement, Indian
Railways is set to meet all it's energy needs of more than
33 billion units by_________.
2023
2025
2028
2030
2035
2035
Q. Recently, the minister for Electronics and
Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad has
launched an Next Generation Startup Challenge Contest
named as _______.
Bhavishya
Lakshay
Chunauti
Pratham
None of these
Q. Recently, The Bureau of Police Research and
Development, BPR&D celebrated its Golden Jubilee
Anniversary. BPR&D works under the aegis of
________.
Defence Ministry
Ministry of Human Resource Development
Ministry of Home Affairs
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Q. Who among the following recently launched e-
launches “National GIS-enabled Land Bank system”?
Amit Shah
Ravi Shankar Prasad
Piyush Goyal
Rajnath Singh
None of these
Q. International Day against Nuclear Tests is
observed every year on ________.
27 August
28 August
29 August
30 August
31 August
Q. Small Industry Day is observed every year on
________.
27 August
28 August
29 August
30 August
31 August
Q. India has announced that it is withdrawing from
multilateral Military Exercise ‘Kavkaz’ 2020 which
is scheduled to take place in ________.
US
France
Japan
Russia
South Korea
Q. Online nominations for the Padma Awards -
2021 will remain open till 15th September. Padma
Awards are announced on the occasion of
________.
Gandhi Jayanti
Vijay Diwas
Republic Day
National constitution Day
Independence Day
Q. Who among the following became the first
Divyanga Indian sportsperson of the country, who
has been awarded with the Tenzing Norgay
Adventure Award?
Deepa Malik
Satyendra Singh Lohia
Devendra Jhajharia
Mariyappan Thangavelu
None of these
Q. According to the recent announcement, The
prize money for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
Award has been increased to _________ from the
previous amount of 7.5 lakh rupees.
10 lakh rupees
15 lakh rupees
20 lakh rupees
25 lakh rupees
None of these
Q. Tour de France is associated with which of the
following sports?
Swimming
Cycling
Marathon
Surfing
None of these
Q. Who among the following became the first
bowler to scalp 500 wickets in T20 cricket?
Sunil Narine
Imran Tahir
Sohail Tanvir
Dwayne Bravo
Lasith Malinga
Q. Recently, Chadwick Boseman passed away. He
was popular;y known playing the character of
________ in Marvel cinematic universe?
Thor
Iron Man
Black Panther
Hulk
Captain America
Q. Recently, Joe Ruby passed away. He was the
co-creator of which of the following animation
series?
Mickey Mouse
Tom and Jerry
Scooby Doo
The Powerpuff Girls
Pokémon
Q. Which of the following festival is celebrated to
honor the memory of the legendary King Mahabali?
Onam
Bihu
Pongal
Thrissur Pooram
None of the following
Q. ‘Seva Saptah’ is associated with the birthday of
________.
Indra Gandhi
Morarji Desai
Narendra Modi
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Q. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will
resume its services from 7th of September in a
calibrated manner with new guidelines. Who among
the following is the current Managing Director of
DMRC?
E. Sreedharan
Mangu Singh
Durga Shanker Mishra
Hardeep Singh Puri
None of these
Q. The 'Etikoppaka' dolls were recently in the news.
They are prepared by the people of Etikoppaka
village in ________ district.
Kochi
Visakhapatnam
Kozhikode
Kannur
Kollam
Q. Which of the following state will start first of its
kind seaplane service from October 31?
Uttar Pradesh
Odisha
Maharashtra
Gujarat
Kerala
Q. Mustapha Adib will be appointed as the next
prime minister of _______.
Egypt
Mali
Lebanon
Niger
None of these
Q. Which of the following railway zone will operate
the first 'Roll On Roll Off' (RORO) train service?
East Central Railway
South Western Railway
Southern Railway
Western Railway
North Central Railway
Q. Who among the following has recently won the
Formula One Belgian Grand Prix 2020?
Lewis Hamilton
Valtteri Bottas
Max Verstappen
Charles Leclerc
None of these
Q. Along with India, Which of the following country
was declared as the joint winners of the 2020 Online
FIDE Chess Olympiad?
Japan
France
Indonesia
South Korea
Russia
Q. Who among the following recently released the
two Coffee Table Books, one for the Labour &
Employment Department and another for J&K
Entrepreneurship Development(JKEDI) Institute?
Satya Pal Malik
Mukhtar Ansari
Manoj Sinha
Omar Abdullah
None of these