NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Roshni Nadar Malhotra is India’s most influential woman leader: Roshni Nadar Malhotra, chairperson of HCL Technologies is India’s most influential woman leading a family-owned business, according to the 2024 Barclays Private Clients Hurun India Most Valuable Family Businesses report. As the chairperson, she has been instrumental in the company’s growth and success. The Nadar family’s business is valued at a staggering Rs 430,600 crore. Other notable women leaders include Manju D. Gupta of Lupin, Sushila Devi Singhania of JK Cement, Meher Pudumjee of Thermax, Amita Birla of Birlasoft, Leena Gandhi Tewari of USV, Mahima Datla of Biological E, Bina Modi of Godfrey Phillips India, and Jyothy Ramachandran of Jyothy Laboratories.
2. PMAY- U 2.0 approved by Union Cabinet with 10 lakh crore investment: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0, which envisages an investment of Rs 10 lakh crores. The PMAY-U 2.0 will replace the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), which was launched on 25 June 2015 and ended on 31 December 2024. The duration of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 is five years (2028-29). It aims to facilitate the construction of one crore houses in urban areas for the urban poor and middle-class families. The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs will be the nodal body for implementing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 scheme. The total investment required under the PMAY-U 2.0 scheme to build one core house is Rs 10 lakh crore over five years.
3. Government approves 8 New Railway Line Projects: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved eight projects of the ministry of railways with a total estimated cost of around Rs.24,657 crore. The projects will cover 14 districts in seven states, including Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana, and West Bengal. The eight major new railway line route projects approved by the union cabinet include Gunupur-Therubali (New Line), Junagarh-Nabrangpur, Badampahar-Kandujhargarh, Bangriposi-Gorumahisani, Malkangiri-Pandurangapuram (via Bhadrachalam), Buramara-Chakulia, Jalna-Jalgaon, and Bikramshila-Katareah. With these projects, 64 new stations will be constructed, providing enhanced connectivity to six aspirational districts—East Singhbum, Bhadadri Kothagudem, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, and Rayagada—approximately 510 villages and about four million population.
4. All India Institute of Ayurveda signed MoU with Amity University to promote Ayurveda Research and Education: All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) New Delhi has signed an MoU with Amity University Noida to collaborate on education, research, and technology. This MoU extends the ongoing five-year agreement with Amity University. The MoU was signed under the leadership of Amity University Chancellor, Dr. Atul Chauhan, and under the aegis of the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. The objective of the MoU is to promote collaborative education programs, publications, capacity-building, and joint capacity-building projects. This includes fostering academic excellence, technological advancement, and state-of-the-art programs through capacity building and lifelong learning.
5. Finance Secretary T V Somanathan named Cabinet Secretary for 2 years: Union Finance Secretary T V Somanathan has been appointed Cabinet Secretary for two years starting August 30. He will be taking over from Rajiv Gauba. A 1987-batch Tamil Nadu cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, Somanathan was designated Finance Secretary in April 2021. He was appointed Secretary, the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, back in December 2019. Somanathan, who served as a joint secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MoCA) from 2015 to 2017, was also involved in overseeing the implementation of economic policies in the Prime Minister’s Office during that period.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Mann dedicates Punjab Help Centre for NRIs at IGI Airport: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann unveiled a pioneering initiative for the Punjabi diaspora with the inauguration of the ‘Punjab Help Centre’ at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi. This makes Punjab the first state in India to establish such a dedicated NRI Facilitation Centre, showcasing a robust commitment to supporting its overseas community. ‘Punjab Help Centre will operate 24X7, offering a range of services to assist NRIs and other passengers. The centre will provide help with arrival and connecting flights, taxi services, lost luggage, and other airport-related needs. It is equipped with two Innova cars for local transportation to Punjab Bhawan and nearby locations. For emergency situations, rooms at Punjab Bhawan will be available based on availability. A dedicated helpline, 011-61232182, has also been set up for immediate assistance.
2. 12 July – International Youth Day: International Youth Day is celebrated every year on August 12. This special occasion celebrates the potential, accomplishments, and contributions of young people around the world.Theme 2024 – From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development. In 1999, the United Nations (UN) declared August 12 to be International Youth Day. The suggestion was recommended to the UN General Assembly by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth in Lisbon on December 17, 1999. The day was first celebrated on August 12, 2000, and from that point forward, the day has been utilized to teach the overall population.
3. 12 August – World Elephant Day: World Elephant Day is an annual international event held on August 12 to promote the conservation and protection of elephants worldwide. Thee 2024 – Personifying prehistoric beauty, theological relevance, and environmental importance The origins of World Elephant Day trace back to 2012, when Canadian filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark, along with the support of various conservation organisations, launched this global initiative. They aimed to address the severe threats faced by elephants due to poaching, habitat destruction, and human-wildlife conflict.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. India’s defence exports soar by 78 percent in first quarter of 2024-25: India’s defence exports soared by 78 percent in the first quarter of 2024-25 as compared to the same period last fiscal year. According to the Defence Ministry, defence exports increased to rupees 6,915 crores in the first quarter of 2024-25, compared to ₹3,865 crore in the same quarter of the previous year.
2. IAF Su-30 MKI return after participating in Exercise Udara Shakti 2024: The Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent returned to India after successfully participating in Exercise Udara Shakti 2024 in Malaysia’s Kuantan The joint air exercise was conducted in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Air Force from the 5th to the 9th of August. During the exercise, the Indian Air Force’s Su-30MKI fighter jets engaged in air combat missions alongside the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Su-30MKM fighters. The primary focus of the exercise was to bolster operational efficiency and enhance the technical expertise of both air forces.
SPORTS
1. Paris Olympics: India finishes 71st in medal tally: USA and China both won 40 gold medals each at Paris Olympics 2024 but the United States of America topped the medals table finishing above the Asian giant only under their 44 silvers. China, the last nation apart from the U.S. to top the standings when they did it on home soil at the 2008 Beijing Games, managed only 27 silvers. India finished 71st at the Paris Olympics with one silver and five bronze.
2. Overall, Medal Tally at the 2024 Paris Olympics: It is the third time Paris is hosting the Summer Olympics, having hosted in 1900,1924 and now in 2024. The Olympic flag was handed over to the city of Los Angeles, USA, which will host the next 34th Summer Olympics in 2028. Total number of sports 32 and 48 disciplines, 329 medal events For the first time in the Summer Olympics’ history, the traditional opening ceremony was not held in a stadium but the parade was held on boats floating on the River Seine, along which Paris city lies. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, athletes from the territories of 206 National Olympic Committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team participated.
3. Mascot and Motto of the 2024 Paris Olympics: The 2024 Paris Olympics Mascot is Olympic Phryge. It is designed on the traditional French Phyrigian hat that represents the symbols of freedom and the French Republic. It is coloured in blue, white and red, representing the flag of France with the golden Paris 2024 logo emblazoned across its chest. Alone we go faster, but together we go further,” is the motto of the Paris Olympics and the Paralympic Games.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. MEA, NSIL sign MoU to assist launch of Nepalese Munal satellite: The Ministry of External Affairs and ISRO’s commercial arm NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) signed an agreement to grant assistance for launching the Nepal-built Munal satellite. Munal is an indigenous satellite developed in Nepal under the aegis of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). Antarikchya Pratishan Nepal (APN), a Nepalese space startup, has assisted Nepalese students in the design and fabrication of this satellite. It aims to build a vegetation density database of the earth’s surface.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
1. President Murmu receives the Highest Civilian Award of Timor Leste: President Droupadi Murmu was honoured with the highest civilian award of Timor Leste – Grand Collar of Order of Timor Leste, by Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta. The award was conferred to President Murmu at a function in the Timor-Leste capital, Dili. India and Timor Leste at present have no diplomatic missions in each other countries.
2. Abhinav Bindra receives the Olympic Order Award by International Olympic Committee in Paris: India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra was awarded the prestigious Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at the 142nd IOC Session in Paris. The Olympic Order is the highest honour bestowed by the IOC, recognizing exceptional contributions to the Olympic Movement. Bindra won India’s first individual Olympic gold in the Men’s 10-meter Air Rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Games. With a distinguished career that includes over 150 individual medals, Bindra has become a prominent figure in Indian sports.
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