NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Arjun Munda e-inaugurates “Tribes India Showroom” in Mumbai: “Tribes India
Showroom” has been e-inaugurated by the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs,
Arjun Munda. The showroom has been inaugurated in Indian Globe Chambers of LIC
Western Zonal Office, Fort, Mumbai. “Tribes India Showroom” is an initiative of
TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal Affairs to promote the livelihood of the tribal
people marketing. “Tribes India on Wheels” is also launched by TRIFED to boost
the sales and enhance tribal income in these challenging times. It is a mobile
van stacked fully with Van Dhan natural produce, immunity boosters including
other tribal products and aims to deliver these products directly to the
customer’s doorstep in 150 cities across the nation. The van brings various
kinds of immunity boosting products like wild honey, organic haldi, amla,
ginger, black pepper etc.
2.
Launch of Online system of “Registration and Renewal” for Jewellers: An online system
of Registration and Renewal of Jewellers has been virtually launched by the
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Ram Vilas
Paswan. The minister also launched the online system of recognition and renewal
of the Assaying and Hallmarking Centres. These systems are expected to bring
about ease of doing business for the jewellers as well as the entrepreneurs.
Those jewellers and the entrepreneurs who have established Assaying and
Hallmarking Centres or wish to do so, can access these newly launched online
systems through Bureau of Indian Standards web portal. Hallmarking of precious
metals will become mandatory from 1st June 2021. Those jewellers who are
seeking to obtain a license can apply online and submit required necessary
documents including fees through this online portal. These portals will ensure
the availability of the gold jewellery of proven quality as well as purity to
the consumers.
3.
India’s longest river ropeway inaugurated in Assam: The longest river
ropeway of India has been inaugurated in Assam. The ropeway is 1.8 Km long and
connects Guwahati and North Guwahati over Brahmaputra river. The ropeway will
be operated from Kachari Ghat in Guwahati to Dol Govinda temple in North
Guwahati. The new ropeway service empowered with state-of-the-art technology
will decrease the travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati. It is also
expected to strengthen the tourism sector as it will enable people to see the
landscapes of Guwahati city, mighty Brahmaputra including the Umananda Temple
on Peacock Island.
Note: Chief Minister of Assam: Sarbananda
Sonowal; Governor: Jagdish Mukhi.
4.
Nitin Gadkari launches “Harit Path” app to monitor plantation: Union Minister for
road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari has launched a mobile app named
‘Harit Path’ to monitor plantation along national highways. Under this
initiative, the NHAI planted over 25 lakh plants in 25 days along the stretches
of the national highways between July 21 and August 15, 2020. About “Harit
Path” app:
(1) The minister launched ‘Harit Path’, a
mobile app to monitor the plantations through geo-tagging and web-based
GIS-enabled monitoring tools.
(2) The GPS-based app has been developed by
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU)
under the Ministry of Road and Transport.
(3) The app helps to monitor location,
growth, species details, maintenance activities, targets and achievements of
each of its field units for each and every plant under all plantation projects.
To commemorate 25 years of its service to
the nation, the National Highways Authority of India has also recently
undertaken ‘Harit Bharat Sankalp’, a nation-wide plantation drive which is in
line with NHAI’s commitment to promoting environmental protection and
sustainability.
5.
Harsh Vardhan launches game on COVID-19 “The Corona Fighters”: Union Minister of
Health & Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched a game on COVID-19
titled as “The Corona Fighters”. The game has been launched with a target to
influence the players’ actions in the real world, reminding them to take the
right precautions and escape infection. So, this game is a new and extremely
creative method to teach people the right tools as well as behaviours to fight
the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with “The Corona Fighters” game, the minister also
launched IEC’s two promotional videos urging adherence to key COVID-19 Appropriate
Behaviours. Both products will seek to influence children, and through them the
elders in the community, and spread the message as well as importance of
COVID-19 appropriate behaviour.
6. A
book titled “Gastric Cancer” released by Jitendra Singh: Union Minister,
Jitendra Singh has released a book on cancer named “Gastric Cancer” edited by
Dr Ashok K. Vaid. The book was launched during a special session organized
during the 3-day virtual conference on Oncology. The book is published by
Springer Healthcare Education. Ashok K. Vaid is a Noted Oncologist and was
awarded Padma Shri in 2009 for his outstanding work in the field of medicine.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Uttar Pradesh Govt Inks Deal with Israel for Bundelkhand water crisis solution:
The
Government of Uttar Pradesh has signed a ‘plan of cooperation’ with the
Government of Israel for the management of water resources in Bundelkhand
region of the state, which faces potable water shortage in summers. The plan of
cooperation for the ‘India –Israel – Bundelkhand Water Project’ was signed by
the Israeli ambassador to India, Ron Malka, and UP’s Agriculture Production
Commissioner Alok Sinha on 20 August, the day on which ‘India Day’ is
celebrated in Israel. The agreement has been signed for a period of two years
and will be extended later. The Bundelkhand Water Project comprises of three
key components – water conservation, water efficient transportation and
advanced water practices for agriculture. Under this project 28 districts
across the country, including two in Uttar Pradesh, have been selected. In the
first phase, 25 villages in Babina block of Jhansi district had been selected.
The project will provide farmers of the Bundelkhand region with latest farming
technologies, including drip irrigation. The water reservoir of Pahuj dam in
Jhansi will be enabled with integrated drip irrigation.
Note: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh: Yogi
Aditya Nath; Governor: Anandiben Patel.
Prime Minister of Israel: Benjamin
Netanyahu; Capital: Jerusalem; Currency: Israeli Shekel
2.
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition:
23rd August: International
Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is a UNESCO
designated day held every year on August 23 to memorialize the transatlantic
slave trade. It was on the night of 22 and 23 August 1791, in Santo Domingo
(today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) that saw the beginning of the uprising
that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
It is a day to honour the memory
of the men
and women who,
in Saint-Domingue in
1791, revolted and
paved the way
for the end
of slavery and
dehumanization.
Note: UNESCO headquarters: Paris, France;
UNESCO Head: Audrey Azoulay; UNESCO Founded: 16 November 1945.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Jacques Kallis, Zaheer Abbas & Lisa Sthalekar inducted into ICC 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 in a virtual
ceremony. Kallis represented South Africa in 166 Tests, 328 ODIs and 25 T20s
between 1995 and 2014. Kallis is the fourth South African player to be inducted
into the Hall of Fame. Zaheer Abbas played 78 Tests and 62 ODIs for Pakistan,
accumulating 5062 and 2572 runs respectively. He averaged over 40 in both the
formats. Abbas is the sixth Pakistani player to be inducted into the Hall of
Fame. 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.
Note: CEO of ICC: Manu Sawhney;
Headquarters of ICC: Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Chairman of ICC: Imran Khwaja
(Interim).
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
Axis Bank launches hiring initiative named ‘Gig-a-Opportunities’: Axis Bank has
launched a new 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.
Note: MD and CEO of Axis Bank: Amitabh
Chaudhry; Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Axis Bank Founded: 1993,
Ahmedabad.
2.
ICICI Lombard, Bharti AXA to merge general insurance businesses: ICICI Lombard
General Insurance Company and Bharti AXA General Insurance Company have
announced the merger of their businesses. The merger would result in an entity
with a combined annual premium of Rs 16,447 crore and a market share of nearly
8.7%. The merger will happen through a scheme of arrangement. About the deal:
(1) The board of directors of ICICI Lombard
General Insurance Company and Bharti AXA General Insurance Company at their
respective meetings approved entering into definitive agreements for demerger
of Bharti AXA’s non-life insurance business into ICICI Lombard through a Scheme
of Arrangement.
(2) 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.
(3) The shareholders of Bharti AXA will
receive 2 shares of ICICI Lombard for every 115 shares of Bharti AXA, held by
them as on the date on which the scheme is approved by the board.
(4) As a part of the deal, shareholders of
the demerged company( i.e. Bharti and AXA) will be allotted equity shares of
the combined entity of Rs 10 each, where Bharti will receive 18.23 million
shares and AXA will receive 17.52 million shares which will amount to 521
million euro.
(5) Currently, promoter ICICI Bank Ltd
holds is 51.89% stake in ICICI Lombard & the rest by the public. After the
deal, ICICI Bank Ltd stake will come down to 48.11%.
(6) Post the merger, no special rights will
be given to Bharti Enterprises or AXA and they will be categorised as public
shareholders in the combined entity after the deal. Both Bharti Enterprises and
AXA will exit the non-life business after the merger.
Note: Bharti AXA General Insurance
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Bharti AXA General Insurance MD and CEO:
Sanjeev Srinivasan.
ICICI Lombard General Insurance
Headquarter: Mumbai, Maharashtra; ICICI Lombard General Insurance MD & CEO:
Bhargav Dasgupta.
DEFENCE
1.
Indian Coast Guard launches Interceptor Boat ‘ICGS C-454’: Indian Coast Guard
(ICG) has launched an Interceptor Boat ‘ICGS C-454’ in Surat, Gujarat. The
Interceptor Boat ‘ICGS C-454’ has been built by Larsen and Toubro and it has a
maximum speed of 45 nautical miles or 83 kilometers per hour. The newly launched
Interceptor Boat ‘ICGS C-454’ is a 27-meter-long boat with average draft of 1.4
meter and empowered with excellent seakeeping, maneuverability and endurance
range of 500 nautical miles.
Note: Director-General of Indian Coast Guard: Krishnaswamy Natarajan.
