NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. PM
Modi announces palm oil initiative: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced
aRs 11,000 crore National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) to make India
self-sufficient in cooking oils, including palm oil. The government will ensure
that farmers get all the facilities, from quality seeds to technology under the
mission. While India has become self-sufficient in rice, wheat and sugar, it
was not enough as the country is hugely dependent on imported edible oils. The
Centre has already been running a National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm to
boost oilseeds and palm oil production in India for the last few years with an
aim to lower imports.
2.
Maharashtra government announces Rajiv Gandhi award for IT sector: Maharashtra
government has announced a new award named after the former Prime Minister
Rajiv Gandhi for outstanding performance in the Information and Technology (IT)
sector. The Rajiv Gandhi Award in Maharashtra will be given to institutes doing
remarkable work in the field of information technology. The decision to start
an award in the state after former PM Rajiv Gandhi was taken in a meeting
chaired by Maharashtra Minister of State for Information Technology and Home
SatejPatil. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the Rajiv
Gandhi Khel Ratna award will be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
Note: Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh
Koshyari; Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai; Maharashtra CM: Uddhav Thackeray.
3.
UNICEF India, Facebook collaborate to make a safer online world for children: UNICEF India and
Facebook have launched a one-year joint initiative on ending violence against
children with a special focus on online safety. The partnership seeks to create
a safe environment for children online and offline. It aims to improve
children’s resilience and capacity to access the digital world safely, increase
awareness on violence against children and its impact on children, families,
and communities, and increase the skills of communities and frontline workers
to better prevent and respond to violence.
In this partnership: The partnership
includes a nationwide social media campaign and capacity building for 100,000
school children on online safety, digital literacy, and psychosocial support.
Well-known actor and UNICEF India’s celebrity advocate on ending violence
against children, AyushmannKhurrana, gave his keynote message during the
virtual event.
Note: UNICEF Headquarters: New York, United
States of America; UNICEF Executive Director: Henrietta H. Fore; UNICEF
Founded: 11 December 1946.
Facebook Founded: February 2004; Facebook
CEO: Mark Zuckerberg; Facebook Headquarters: California, United States.
4. IT
Ministry to host the first Internet Governance Forum in the country: India will host the
first Internet Governance Forum in the country, starting from October 20, this
year. The theme of this year’s meeting is Inclusive Internet for Digital India.
With this announcement, the Indian chapter of the United Nations-based forum
namely the Internet Governance Forum has begun. It’s an Internet Governance
policy discussion platform to bring representatives together from various
groups, considering all at par to discuss public policy issues related to the
Internet. National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), Ministry of Electronics
& Information Technology(MeitY) and the Chairman of the Coordination Committee,
India Internet Governance Forum 2021 (IGF), announced the launch of India
Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) -2021.
INTERNATIONALUPDATES:
1.
South Africa grants patent to an artificial intelligence system: South Africa
grants a patent relating to a “food container based on fractal geometry” to an
artificial intelligence (AI) system called DABUS. DABUS (which stands for
“device for the autonomous bootstrapping of unified sentience”) is an AI system
created by Stephen Thaler, a pioneer in the field of AI and programming. The
system simulates human brainstorming and creates new inventions.
About DABUS:
(1) DABUS is a particular type of AI, often
referred to as “creativity machines” because they are capable of independent
and complex functioning. This differs from everyday AI like Siri, the “voice”
of Apple’s iPhones.
(2) The patent application listing DABUS as
the inventor was filed in patent offices around the world, including the U.S.,
Europe, Australia, and South Africa.
(3) But only South Africa granted the
patent (Australia followed suit a few days later after a court judgment gave
the go-ahead).
Note: South Africa Capitals: Cape Town,
Pretoria, Bloemfontein; South Africa Currency: South African rand; South Africa
President: Cyril Ramaphosa.
2.
India ranks 122nd on “New Global Youth Development Index”: India is ranked
122nd on a new Global Youth Development Index 2020 measuring the condition of
young people across 181 countries, released by the Commonwealth Secretariat in
London. Singapore ranked topmost followed by Slovenia, Norway, Malta and
Denmark. Chad, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Niger
came last respectively. The triennial rankings of youth development found India
among the top five risers on the index between 2010 and 2018, alongside
Afghanistan and Russia, advancing their score on average by 15.74 per cent
across areas such as education and employment.About the index:
(1) The index ranks countries between 0.00
(lowest) and 1.00 (highest) according to the developments in youth education,
employment, health, equality and inclusion, peace and security, and political
and civic participation.
(2) It looks at 27 indicators including
literacy and voting to showcase the state of the world’s 1.8 billion people
between the age of 15 and 29.
(3) The 2020 Global Youth Development Index
reveals that the conditions of young people have improved around the world by
3.1 per cent between 2010 and 2018.
(4) Overall, the index shows advances in
youth’s participation in peace processes and their education, employment,
inclusion and health care since 2010.
3.
World Organ Donation Day: 13th August: World Organ Donation Day is celebrated
every year on August 13. The day is celebrated to raise awareness about the
importance of organ donation and motivate people to donate organs after death.
The day provides an opportunity to all to come ahead and pledge to donate their
precious organs because one organ donor can save up to eight lives.
4.
International Lefthanders Day: 13th August: The International Left-Handers Day
is observed on August 13 every year to celebrate the uniqueness and differences
of the left-handers and raise awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of
being left-handed in a predominantly right-handed world. Left-handers are
likely to have better verbal skills than their right-handed counterparts,
according to a 2019 study by Oxford University.
History of the day: The day was first
observed in 1976 by Dean R Campbell, the founder of Lefthanders International
Inc. Further, in 1990, the Lefthanders International Club was founded with an
aim to promote left-handedness, and make their views known to manufacturers
towards the development of items for left-handed individuals. In 1992, the Club
launched the International Lefthanders Day to create awareness regarding the
“advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed.”
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Durand Cup makes re-entry with 130th edition to be held at Kolkata: Durand Cup, Asia’s
oldest and world’s third oldest football tournament, is all set to make a
comeback, after a year’s gap. The 130th edition of the Durand Cup is scheduled
to be held in and around Kolkata between September 05 to October 03, 2021. Due
to the Covid-19 pandemic, the competition was cancelled last season. History
of Durand Cup:
(1) The prestigious tournament was first
held in 1888, at Dagshai (Himachal Pradesh) and is named after Mortimer Durand,
who was then the Foreign Secretary in charge of India.
(2) The tournament was a conscious way to
initially maintain health and fitness amongst the British troops but was later
opened to civilians and currently is one of the leading sports events in the
world.
(3) Mohun Bagan and East Bengal are the
most successful teams in the history of the Durand Cup winning it sixteen times
each.
(4) The winning team is presented with
three trophies ie the President’s Cup (first presented by DrRajendra Prasad),
the Durand Cup (the original challenge prize – a rolling trophy) and the Shimla
Trophy (first presented by citizens of Shimla in 1903 and since 1965, a rolling
trophy).
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
SIDBI unveils “Digital Prayaas” lending platform: Small Industries
Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has unveiled ‘Digital Prayaas’ an app-based
digital-lending platform to facilitate loans to entrepreneurs from low-income
groups. The objective is to sanction a loan by the end of the day. The platform
has engaged in the promotion, financing and development of Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). To cater to those from the urban area, SIDBI has
tied up with BigBasket to provide loans to its delivery partners for the
purchase of e-bikes and e-vans. the SIDBI-BigBasket initiative would create
digital footprints that would further facilitate loans to the borrower’s family
members for their own micro-enterprises. SIDBI should enter into similar
arrangements with more partner institutions to increase its outreach.
Note: CMD of SIDBI: S Ramann; SIDBI
founded: 2nd April 1990; SIDBI Headquarters: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
2.
RBI appoints Neeraj Chopra for banking fraud awareness campaign: The Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) has started a public awareness campaign to warn people against
digital banking frauds. For the new campaign, RBI has roped in Olympic Gold
medalist Neeraj Chopra. The central bank has asked people to be a little
cautious as doing so can protect them from a lot of troubles. A little caution
takes care of a lot of trouble. The campaign sees Chopra urging users to not
divulge details like OTP, CVV number and ATM PIN in front of anyone. The users
should keep changing their online banking passwords and PIN numbers frequently
and immediately block ATM card, credit card, debit card and/or prepaid card if
one loses it. Block your card if stolen, lost or compromised.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Retail inflation eases to 5.59% in July: Retail inflation eased to 5.59% in
July mainly due to softening of food prices. The Consumer Price Index
(CPI)-based inflation was 6.26% in June and 6.73% in July 2020. Inflation in
the food basket slowed down to 3.96% in July from 5.15% in the previous month.
Earlier this month, the RBI pegged the CPI inflation at 5.7% during 2021-22 —
5.9% in the second quarter, 5.3% in third, and 5.8% in the fourth quarter of
the fiscal, with risks broadly balanced.
DEFENCE
1.
ITBP inducts its first women officers in combat: For the first
time, India-China LAC guarding the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force has
commissioned its first two women officers in combat. The two women officers,
Prakriti and Diksha will be posted as company commanders in ITBP battalions.
Heretofore, women officers in the ITBP were serving in the medical branch or
were on deputation from the Indian Police Service at top echelons.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh
Dhami and Deswal put the ranks of Assistant Commandant, the entry-level officer
rank in the paramilitary, on the shoulders of Prakriti and Diksha after the
passing out parade and attestation ceremony where they took an oath to serve
the country. The ITBP started recruiting women combat officers in its cadre in
2016 through an all-India examination conducted by the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC).
Note: ITBP Founded: 24 October 1962; ITBP
Headquarters: New Delhi, India; ITBP DG: S SDeswal.
OBITUARIES
1. Malayalam actor SaranyaSasi passes away: Popular Malayalam film and television actor, SaranyaSasi passed away due to Covid-19 complications. She had also battled cancer for nearly a decade, earning praise for showing remarkable grit and determination in battling the disease. She had been diagnosed with a form of brain tumour in 2012. The actress’ body of work includes films like Chhota Mumbai, Thalappavu, Bombay March 12 and TV soaps like Kootukari, Avakashikal, Harichandanam, Malakhamar and Rahasyam.
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