19th August 2023
Sports
1. India wins mixed team air pistol gold in ISSF World Championship 2023, Baku
- The duo of Indian shooters, Esha Singh and Shiva Narwal, won the gold medal at the 10m air pistol mixed event in the final of the ISSF World Championship 2023 at Baku, Azerbaijan.
- The Indian duo defeated the Turkish pair of Ilayda Tarhan and Yusuf Dikec 16-10 in the final match.
- Presently, India placed second on the medals table with a gold and a bronze medal, while China is leading the tally with five gold and two bronze medals.
National & International Organizations
2. 12% of sitting MPs of Rajya Sabha billionaires: ADR
- According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), about 12% of sitting MPs of the Rajya Sabha are billionaires with Andhra Pradesh having the highest percentage of such parliamentarians.
- 5 (45%) out of 11 MPs are from Andhra Pradesh, 3 (43%) out of 7 MPs are from Telangana, and 3 (16%) out of 19 MPs from Maharashtra.
- The ADR and the National Election Watch (NEW) have analyzed and updated the criminal, financial, and other details of Rajya Sabha MPs.
State Affairs
3. NLC India inks pact to supply 300 MW solar power to Rajasthan
- State-owned NLC India (NLCIL) has inked a pact to supply 300 MW of solar power for 25 years to Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam under the CPSU scheme.
- NLCIL is presently having 1,421 MW of Renewable Energy Capacity.
- As per its corporate plan, it contemplates establishing a 6,031 MW capacity by 2030.
- NLC India has entered into a long-term power usage agreement with Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam Limited to supply 300 MW of solar power under the CPSU Scheme in Rajasthan.
National & International Appointments
4. Kamlesh Varshney, Amarjeet Singh appointed SEBI whole-time members
- The government has approved the appointment of Kamlesh Varshney and Amarjeet Singh as SEBI Whole-Time Members.
- Kamlesh Varshney, a 1990-batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service, is a joint secretary at the revenue department in the Finance Ministry.
- Amarjeet Singh is an executive director at the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
- Both have been appointed for three years from the date of assumption of charge or until further orders.
Banking & Finance
5. Moody’s affirms India’s sovereign ratings, retains stable outlook
- Rating agency Moody's has affirmed a BAA3 rating on India and maintained a 'stable' outlook on the Indian economy.
- The Baa3 rating and stable outlook also take into account a curtailment of civil society and political dissent, compounded by rising domestic political risk.
- India's long-term local and foreign-currency issuer ratings and the local-currency senior unsecured rating remain at Baa3.
- While the other short-term local-currency rating stands at P-3.
Honours & Awards
6. Matti banana variety granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag
- The Matti banana variety, native to Kanniyakumari district was recently granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
- There are six known types of the Matti banana and they are indigenous to Kanniyakumari.
- They are known as ‘Baby Banana’ which flourishes mainly in Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks.
- Its low total soluble solids content (TSSC) recommends it as a baby food.
- This GI tag is valid for 10 years following which it can be renewed.
National & International Organizations
7. WHO South-East Asia region member countries adopt Gandhinagar declaration
- The WHO South-East Asia Region committed to further accelerate efforts to end tuberculosis by 2030 with member countries adopting the Gandhinagar Declaration.
- The South-East Asia Region bears a disproportionate burden of nearly half of the global TB cases and deaths.
- The Declaration calls for establishing a high-level multi-sectoral commission reporting to the highest political level in each country for synergy of efforts among various stakeholders.
Schemes
8. Modi Cabinet approves 'PM-eBus Sewa' for augmenting city bus operations
- The union cabinet approved ‘PM-eBus Sewa’ for augmenting city bus operations under which 10,000 e-buses will be deployed across cities in the country.
- Aim: To improve public transport in cities and is also in line with India’s objectives concerning climate change
- Rs 57,613 crores will be spent on this project and around 10,000 new electric buses will be provided across the country.
- Under this scheme, priority will be given to cities not having organized bus services.
State Affairs
9. Maharashtra Government Launches Bhagwan Birsa Munda Jodaraste Scheme
- The Maharashtra cabinet decided to implement the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Jodaraste Scheme in Maharashtra to connect all tribal villages in 17 districts of the state with main roads.
- The project is estimated to cost Rs 5,000 crore and nearly 6,838 km of roads will be constructed as part of the scheme.
- In the Budget Session, Deputy CM and Finance Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the implementation of the scheme to connect all the tribal padas by perennial roads
Agreement
10. Trinidad And Tobago inks pact for sharing Indian Technology Stack
- India and Trinidad and Tobago have recently entered into a significant partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to share the renowned INDIA STACK technology.
- This collection of open APIs and digital public goods, pioneered by India, is designed to enhance identity, data, and payment services on a large scale.
- This move reflects India’s commitment to aiding the digital transformation of nations through collaboration and technology sharing.
20th August 2023
Sports
1. Spain beat England and won first FIFA Women's World Cup
- Spain secured their first FIFA Women's World Cup title 2023 by defeating England at the Accor Stadium in Sydney
- Spain and Germany are now the only two nations to win both the men’s and women’s tournaments.
- The victory made La Roja the first team to hold the under-17, under-20 and senior world titles at the same time – and the fifth winner in nine editions of the Women’s World Cup.
- Spanish captain Olga Carmona's first-half goal proved to be the difference maker
Sports
2. India’s Anahat Singh clinches gold in Asian Junior Squash
- India’s Anahat Singh bagged the gold medal defeating Hong Kong’s Ena Kwong in the U-17 category in the Asian Junior Squash Individual Championships 2023 held in China.
- She also has a bronze medal win, at Macau in the U-13 category in 2019.
- She won the U-11 title during the British Junior Open Squash and by winning the U-13 title in the Dutch Junior Open Squash 2019
- In 2021, she also reached the quarterfinals of the Indian Open held at Noida
National Affairs
3. Chintan Shivir of Finance Ministry to officially inaugurated at Kevadiya
- The finance ministry will organise a two-day Chintan Shivir in Gujarat starting from August 20 2023 held at the Statue of Unity at Kevadia.
- Aim: To discuss various issues including the roadmap for India to become a developed nation by 2047.
- Objective: To review the work of the Ministry and to evolve an action plan to implement Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's “Vision 2047”
- FinMin Nirmala Sitaraman reviewed the progress of the G 20 Finance track.
Banking & Finance
4. YES BANK launches ‘iris’ to offer digital banking solutions in India
- YES BANK has introduced its mobile banking app, iris by YES BANK, which aims to reform India’s digital banking landscape.
- The app allows flexibility and personalization, enabling customers to access over 100 features on a single platform.
- It also ensures the utmost safety of the customers’ financial data by incorporating safety features like Biometric Authentication, Sim-Binding, and a 2-factor Verification.
- Managing Director & CEO of YES BANK is Prashant Kumar.
Banking & Finance
5. Indian Bank becomes the first PSB to extend on-line Locker Agreement
- Indian Bank became the First Public Sector Bank to extend facility of execution of on-line locker agreement through Digital Document Execution(DDE) Platform of National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL).
- On-line locker agreement, which is available round the clock will enhance customer convenience and will reduce the turn-around
- time of the agreement execution.
- DDE is a fully automated contract execution platform with paperless e-stamp and e-Sign facility.
Banking & Finance
6. HDFC Group launches life insurance, asset management services
- HDFC Group launched new life insurance and asset management services at International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gujarat.
- Aim: To offer services to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and the global Indian diaspora.
- HDFC Life unveils HDFC International Life and Re, and HDFC AMC International (IFSC) Ltd to cater to the financial needs of the worldwide Indian community to make world-class foreign currency denominated insurance solutions available for NRIs
National & International Appointments
7. BPCL announced Rahul Dravid as brand ambassador
- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), the second-largest Indian oil marketing company (OMC), announced Rahul Dravid, cricket legend and the current Head Coach of the Indian cricket team, as its latest brand ambassador
- He will represent BPCL's Pure for Sure initiative and its range of MAK lubricants.
- BPCL operates three refineries in Bina, Kochi and Mumbai.
- It was ranked 309th on the 2020 Fortune list of the world’s biggest Public sector undertakings in India
State Affairs
8. In Ladakh, construction for world's new highest motorable road begins
- The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has embarked on a groundbreaking project to construct the ‘Likaru-Mig La-Fukche’ road in Ladakh.
- Goal: To establish the world’s highest motorable road, spanning an altitude of approximately 19,400 feet, surpassing the previous record held by Umling La Pass.
- The proposed road between Likaru-Migla-Fukche would provide an axis connecting Hanle to CDFD road at Fukche.
Agreement
9. AICTE Collaborates with Jio Institute for faculty development programme
- The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) partnered with the Jio Institute for a Faculty Development Programme on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science.
- Aim: To empower academic leaders and senior Faculty members with a deep understanding of AI and Data Science while also emphasizing on the ethical considerations of utilizing AI tools for immersive learning.
- This is being initiated under AICTE’s ATAL (AICTE Training and Learning) programme
National & International Organizations
10. WHO launches a new global Initiative on digital health
- The World Health Organization (WHO) and the G20 India presidency announced a new Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) at the Health Minister’s Meeting of the G20 Summit
- The new GIDH initiative will operate as a WHO-managed network and platform to support the implementation of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025.
- WHO is committed to working with countries to strengthen their capacities and to improve access to quality-assured digital solutions.
21st August 2023
Sports
1. India secures Second Rank at 16th IOAA in Chorzów, Poland
- India has secured Second Rank at the 16th International Olympiad 2023 on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in Poland With Four Gold and One Silver Medal.
- The United Kingdom clinched the lead with five Golds.
- A total of 236 students from 50 nations participated at the Olympiad
- Rajdeep Mishra from Kota, Rajasthan, Koduru Tejeswar from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, Md. Sahil Akhtar from Kolkata, West Bengal, Akarsh Raj Sahay from Nagpur, Maharashtra were awarded Gold medals.
Banking & Finance
2. Axis Bank partners with RBI innovation hub to launch KCCs and MSME loans
- Axis Bank announced the launch of two lending products powered by the Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit, introduced by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub.
- Objective: To offer Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and unsecured MSME loans to customers powered by the platform.
- KCC will be offered in Madhya Pradesh and will be available to customers for up to Rs 1.6 Lakh to start with.
- MSME loans will be available across the country and will offer loans upto Rs. 10 Lakh
Defense
3. Indian Navy submarine, INS Vagir to reach Fremantle, Australia
- Indian Navy’s fifth Kalvari class submarine, INS Vagir, will reach Fremantle, Australia on 20 Aug 2023.
- INS Vagir will participate in various exercises with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) units on the West Coast of Australia.
- On the East coast of Australia, Indian Naval ships and aircraft is involved in Exercise AUSINDEX 23 from 22-24 Aug 2023.
- The RAN submarine and Indian Naval P8i aircraft are scheduled to exercise with INS Vagir.
Science & Technology
4. Russia’s first lunar mission in decades crashes into the moon
- Russia’s first lunar mission in decades has ended in failure with its Luna 25 spacecraft crashing into the moon’s surface.
- The incident, a blow to Russia’s space ambitions, happened after communication with the robotic spacecraft was interrupted.
- The measures taken to search for the device and get in contact with it did not yield any results.
- According to a “preliminary analysis,” Luna-25 “switched to an off-design orbit” before the collision
Defense
5. China launches military exercises of navy and air force around Taiwan
- The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) launched joint air and sea patrols and military exercises of the navy and air force around Taiwan in August 2023.
- Aim: To test seizing control of air and sea space, and to test combat capabilities.
- The patrols and exercises are meant to train the coordination of military vessels and airplanes and their ability to seize control of air and sea spaces
Sports
6. R Praggnanandhaa first Indian after Anand to reach semifinals of FIDE 2023
- R Praggnanandhaa, the first Indian after Viswanathan Anand to reach the semifinals of the FIDE World Cup 2023, defated his higher-ranked opponent, Fabiano Caruana, in Baku
- Out of four Indians, who had made it to the quarterfinals, Praggnanandhaa remains the only Indian in the fray.
- No Indian has reached the last four stage of the Chess World Cup, except Anand, who won the first two editions of the tournament in 2000 and 2002.
Sports
7. Indian shooter Mehuli secured bronze at ISSF World Championship 2023
- Indian shooter Mehuli Ghosh secured bronze medals behind the People’s Republic of China’s Jiayu Han and Zhilin Hang in the women’s 10-meter air rifle event at the ISSF World Championship 2023 in Baku.
- This Championship 2023 was a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
- A total of 48 Olympic quotas are on offer with the top four finishers (one per country) in each of the 12 Olympic individual shooting events. This was India’s fourth Paris 2024 quota in shooting.
National Affairs
8. Nitin Gadkari to launch the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme
- Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari launches the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) to improve road safety through raising the safety standards of motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes in India.
- Aim: To provide a tool to the car customers to make a comparative assessment of crash safety of motor vehicles available in the market.
- Under Bharat NCAP, car manufacturers can voluntarily offer their cars for testing as per the Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197.
State Affairs
9. UP, Gujarat among top 5 states in new investments
- Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Gujarat are among the top 5 states in India in terms of new investments in 2022-23.
- According to RBI these two states together accounted for 57.2% of the total investment proposals made during the year.
- In 2022-23, UP attracted the highest share of new investments, with a total project cost of Rs. 43,180 crore.
- Followed by Gujarat (Rs. 37,317 crore), Odisha (Rs. 11,810 crore), Maharashtra (Rs. 7,900 crore) and Karnataka (Rs. 7,300 crore).
Important Dates
10. The World Mosquito Day is commemorated on August 20
- The World Mosquito Day is commemorated on August 20 globally.
- Aim: To mark the importance of protecting ourselves and our communities from the potentially deadly diseases transmitted by the insects that are commonly seen in homes across the world.
- Theme for World Mosquito Day 2023 is “Fighting the World's Deadliest killer -the Mosquito. “
- The mosquitoes are responsible for the spread of diseases like malaria, dengue fever, Zika virus, and West Nile virus.
Comments
write a comment