NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Nirmala Sitharaman launches the National Monetisation Pipeline: Union Minister
for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman has launched the asset monetisation
pipeline of Central ministries and public sector entities: ‘National
Monetisation Pipeline’. Asset
Monetisation, means a limited period license/ lease of an asset, owned by the
government or public authority, to a private sector entity for upfront or
periodic consideration.
National Monetisation Pipeline
(NMP):
(1) The National Monetisation Pipeline
(NMP) lists out assets and asset classes, under various infrastructure
ministries, which will be monetised over a period of time. Which means assets
will be monetised.
(2) The pipeline has been developed by NITI
Aayog, in consultation with infrastructure line ministries, based on the
mandate for ‘Asset Monetisation’ under Union Budget 2021-22.
(3) NMP estimates aggregate monetisation
potential of Rs 6.0 lakh crores through core assets of the Central Government,
over a four-year period, from FY 2022 to FY 2025.
(4) The top 5 sectors capture about 83% of
the aggregate pipeline value. These top 5 sectors include- Roads (27%) followed
by Railways (25%), Power (15%), oil & gas pipelines (8%) and Telecom (6%).
2.
Finance Ministry launched ‘Ubharte Sitaare Fund’: Union Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched an ambitious ‘Ubharte Sitaare Fund’
-USF for export-oriented firms and startups in a program at Lucknow. The Fund
aims at arranging funds for the promotion of micro, small and medium companies.
The fund has been set up by Exim Bank and SIDBI. This scheme will be successful
in Uttar Pradesh as the state has the highest number of MSMEs.
About the programme: India Exim Bank’s
Ubharte Sitaare Programme (USP) identifies Indian companies that have the
potential to be future champions in the domestic arena while catering to global
demands. The fund is a mix of structured support, both financial and advisory
services through investments in equity or equity-like instruments, debt (funded
and non-funded) and technical assistance (advisory services, grants and soft
loans) to the Indian companies.
3.
India’s largest Floating Solar PV Project commissioned in Andhra Pradesh: NTPC has
commissioned the largest floating solar PV project in India of 25MW power on
the reservoir of its Simhadri thermal station in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
This is also the first solar project to be set up under the Flexibilisation
Scheme. This scheme was notified by the Government of India in 2018. NTPC is
also planning to set up a hydrogen-based micro-grid system on a pilot basis at
Simhadri.
About the floating solar PV project: NTPC’s floating
solar installation covers 75 acres of the Simhadri reservoir’s surface. It will
produce power from more than a lakh of solar PV modules for lighting 7,000
households. The project will annually save 46,000 tonnes of CO2 emission and
1,364 million litres of water, which is adequate to meet the requirement of
6,700 households in a year.
Note: NTPC Chairman and Managing Director:
Shri Gurdeep Singh; NTPC Founded: 1975; NTPC Headquarters: New Delhi, India.
4.
Tamil Nadu BJP Leader La Ganesan appointed as Manipur Governor: Senior BJP leader
from Tamil Nadu, La. Ganesan, has been appointed as the new Governor of Manipur
with effect from August 23, 2021. The post was lying vacant after the
retirement of Najma Heptulla on August 10, 2021. Since then Sikkim Governor
Ganga Prasad was holding the additional charge of the position.
Note: Chief Minister of Manipur: N. Biren
Singh
5. A
book “Mission Domination: An Unfinished Quest” by Boria Majumdar & Kushan
Sarkar:
A new book titled “Mission Domination: An Unfinished Quest” authored by Boria
Majumdar & Kushan Sarkar. The Book Published by Simon & Schuster
Publisher India Private Limited. The Book talks about the short story of
several Indian cricketers life events such as Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma,
Shubman Gill, R. Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara.
6.
Union minister Anurag Thakur to kick-off ‘Iconic Week’ celebrations: Union minister for
information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur has kicked off a series of
activities to celebrate the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ starting August 23. The
series of events will go on till August 29. The activities organised by the
ministry will aim to ‘ showcase the convergence of the values and glories of
the freedom struggle of the past with the aspirations and dreams of a young,
new and iconic India’. Thakur kicks off the ‘Iconic Week’ which attract
participation from across the country under the overall spirit of ‘Jan
Bhagidari and Jan Andolan’. During the Iconic Week, the ministry showcases the
journey of new India and celebrate the contribution of freedom fighters,
including the ‘Unsung Heroes of the freedom struggle, through massive outreach
activities.
INTERNATIONALUPDATES:
1.
World’s First fossil-free steel manufactured in Sweden: Swedish green steel
venture HYBRIT, which had made the ‘world’s first’ customer delivery of steel produced
without using coal. The steel was made using Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking
Technology, which uses 100% fossil-free hydrogen instead of coal and coke. The
venture has started delivering the fossil-free steel to the Volvo Group as part
of its trial run. Development for the Hybrit project, which was set up in 2016
and is owned by SSAB, energy firm Vattenfall and LKAB, a mining and minerals
group. Both Vattenfall and LKAB are owned by the Swedish state. The idea
underpinning Hybrit is to use “100% fossil-free hydrogen” rather than coal and
coke in steel production.
Note: Stockholm is the capital of Sweden;
The krona is the official currency of Sweden; The current PM of Sweden is
Stefan Lofven.
2.
WEF’S Sustainable Development Impact Summit 2021: The World Economic
Forum’s annual Sustainable Development Impact Summit will take place on
September 20-23, 2021 in Geneva, Switzerland. This year’s event will focus
strongly on inclusively revitalizing economies. The United Nations General
Assembly, the summit convenes under the theme “Shaping an Equitable, Inclusive
and Sustainable Recovery”. It will welcome almost all leaders from government,
business and civil society who will work together to drive action and build
momentum for a more sustainable and inclusive future.
The meeting will examine four
interdependent areas and bring together communities of purpose to advance
ongoing project work. Impact sessions and briefings will focus on: (1)
Revitalizing economies; (2) Advancing an inclusive recovery; (3) Scaling up
climate action; and (4) Shaping future food systems.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Tekchand as India’s new flag-bearer in Tokyo Paralympics: Mariyappan
Thangavelu, 2016 Rio Paralympic Games gold medalist will be replaced by Asian
Games gold medalist Tekchand as the new flag-bearer of India at the opening
ceremony. The Paralympic Committee of India reported, “On his flight to Tokyo,
Mariyappan came in close contact with a Covid positive foreign passenger.
Though on reaching the village he has been tested for 6 days and all his
reports are negative, but the Organizing Committee has advised not to make
Mariyaapan participate in the Opening Ceremony. India will be represented by 54
para-athletes.
2.
Shaili Singh bags Long Jump silver in WAU20 Championships: Shaili Singh
claimed the women’s Long Jump silver medal in the World Athletics U20
Championships. Her slight wind-aided effort of 6.59m was only 1cm short of the
gold medal jump by Sweden’s Maja Askag but her silver medal ensured that Indian
athletics continues to showcase the progress it has been making. Shaili Singh’s
was India’s third medal in the World Athletics U20 Championships, coming after
the bronze won by the Mixed Team in the 4x400m Relay and the silver by Amit
Khatri in the men’s 10,000m Race Walk. India finished 21st on the medal table,
aware that a gold would have lifted it to the top 15.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
RBI appointed panel suggests 4-tier structure for Urban Co-operative Banks: RBI appointed panel
under the chairmanship of N. S. Vishwanathan suggests 4-tier structure for
Urban Co-operative Banks; minimum CRAR (Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio)
for them could vary from 9 per cent to 15 per cent. A Reserve Bank-appointed
committee has suggested a four-tier structure for the urban cooperative banks
(UCBs) depending upon the deposits and prescribed different capital adequacy
and regulatory norms for them based on their sizes. The RBI committee said that
UCBs can be split into four categories:
Tier-1 with deposits up to Rs 100 crore;
Tier-2 with deposits between Rs 100-Rs
1,000 crores;
Tier-3 with deposits between Rs 1,000 crore
to Rs 10,000 and
Tier-4 with deposits of over Rs 10,000
crore.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
1.
Infosys hits $100 billion m-cap, fourth Indian firm to reach milestone: The shares of
Information Technology major, Infosys hit a record high during intraday
trading, which helped the company cross $100 billion in market capitalisation.
Infosys is the fourth Indian company to achieve this milestone. Reliance
Industries (m-cap of $140 billion), Tata Consultancy Services (m-cap $115
billion) and HDFC Bank (m-cap $100.1 billion) are the other Indian firms in the
club with Infosys. Infosys has been one of the fastest-growing companies in
India, providing business consulting, information technology and outsourcing
services. In the quarter ending June 2021, Infosys reported a net consolidated
profit of ₹5,195 crores, showing a growth of 2.3 per cent.
Note: Infosys Founded: 7 July 1981; Infosys
CEO: Salil Parekh; Infosys Headquarters: Bengaluru.
DEFENCE
1.
2nd Indo-Qatari joint Naval Exercise “Zair-Al-Bahr” in Persian Gulf: The second edition
of the joint naval exercise, Zair-Al-Bahr, between the Indian Navy and Qatar
Emiri Naval Force (QENF) was conducted between August 9 and 14 in the Persian
Gulf. This edition of the exercise included a three-day harbour phase followed
by a two-day sea phase. The sea phase is comprised of tactical maritime
exercises involving surface action, anti-piracy exercises, air defence,
maritime surveillance, boarding operations and SAR exercises. In the sea phase
of the exercise, the Indian Navy’s Stealth Frigate INS Trikand, QENF’s missile
boats of Barzan and Damsah class, fast-attack crafts of MRTP 34 class and
Rafale fighter aircraft participated.
Note: Qatar Capital: Doha; Currency: Qatari riyal; Prime Minister of Qatar: Sheikh Khalid bin Khalif
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