Current Affairs Today 27th August 2020-Download in PDF

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Current Affairs Today – 27th August 2020

NEWS AT A GLANCE

  1. The World Water Week is an annual global event organized by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) since 1991 to address the planet’s water issues and related concerns of international development.
  2. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has unveiled a Structured Finance and Partial Guarantee Programme to Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) and Microfinance Institutions (MFIs).
  3. Axis Bank has introduced ‘Liberty Savings Account’ for the Indian Youth, to address the ever-changing lifestyle needs of young and digitally interested Indians.
  4. HSBC India has launched Omni Collect, a one-stop solution in India.
  5. India’s largest commodity exchange the Multi-Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX) launched the country’s first bullion index, MCX iCOMDEX Bullion, or Bulldex.
  6. Mastercard has entered an alliance with Goals101.ai, a bank-tech and AI company connecting merchants and issuers using big data, artificial intelligence, and automation to create targeted and personalized offers for bank cardholders.
  7. IT services major Infosys has launched its AI-driven ‘Cognitive Email Workbench’ solution that gives enterprises the ability to augment query management and scale their helpdesk operations.
  8. A NITI Aayog task force, headed by Niti Aayog Member (Agriculture) Ramesh Chand, recommended the linking sugarcane prices to sugar rates.
  9. Government of India is planning to identify the farmers who are illegally receiving benefits of the PM-KISAN scheme by concealing facts that make them ineligible.
  10. The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare, DoPPW has decided to integrate the electronic Pension Payment Order, e-PPO generated through PFMS application of Controller General of Accounts, with Digi Locker, to enhance Ease of Living of Central Government Civil Pensioners.
  11. Women of Tamil Nadu have topped the list of women borrowers under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) since its inception.
  12. In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced Rs. One crore financial assistance to the family of martyred Army soldier Manish Carpenter.
  13. In Meghalaya, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that the State Government has constituted a task force to study in detail the National Education Policy which was recently adopted by the Centre.
  14. Manipur State Health and Family Welfare Minister L. Jayantakumar Singh launched Teleconsultation using eSanjeevaniOPD platform in Imphal.
  15. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr. C N Ashwathnarayan has announced opening of degree colleges from first of September.
  16. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik approved an assistance package of ₹200 crore to help families affected due to COVID-19.
  17. The Africa Regional Certification Commission, the independent body, has declared Africa free from wild polio.
  18. Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa addressed a virtual Indo-Japan business forum from Bengaluru
  19. The 17th meeting of the India-Vietnam Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation was held virtually which was co-chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh.
  20. The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday said that the 2021 summit at Davos, Switzerland will be postponed from January to “early next summer” due to the coronavirus pandemic.
  21. NITI Aayog in partnership with the Institute of Competitiveness has released the first edition of the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020 on 26 August 2020.
  22. Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO on August 26, 2020, became the first person in the world to hit a net worth of $200 million.
  23. IT major Tech Mahindra announced collaboration with NITI Aayog to empower women entrepreneurs in the country.
  24. The National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) has partnered with CSC (Common Service Center) e Governance Services India Limited.
  25. The Power Grid Corporation (POWERGRID), an enterprise under the government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TATA Memorial Centre
  26. Greenko Energies Private Limited, hyderabad based energy solution provider entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC limited to explore renewable energy power supply solution and energy storage.
  27. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, Odisha
  28. The Centre will sell up to 15% stake in state-owned defence unit Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) which will help it mop up about Rs 5,000 crore.
  29. Neelakanta Bhanu Prakash, a 21-year-old Hyderabad boy, has become the world’s fastest human calculator after winning the first gold for India in the Mental Calculation World Championship at Mind Sports Olympiad (MSO) in London.
  30. A 29-year-old Dutch author, Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, has become the youngest to win the International Booker, taking the award for their debut novel ‘The Discomfort of Evening’.
  31. TikTok’s CEO Kevin Mayer has resigned from the company after just three months. Mayer left his post as the head of Disney to join TikTok on June 1.
  32. Former Indian Oil Corp (IOC) chairman Sanjiv Singh has joined Reliance Industries Ltd as Group President.
  33. James Anderson from England has become the first-ever fast bowler to take 600 wickets in a Test Match Cricket.
  34. Veteran Indian table tennis player from West Bengal, Poulomi Ghatak, has announced her retirement from the game to shift focus on coaching career.
  35. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras along with German researchers have developed ‘co-composting’ methods that can be used to safely dispose of toxic pharmaceutical waste water and sludge.
  36. The book titled ‘Running Toward Mystery: The Adventure of an Unconventional Life’ is an account by Tenzin Priyadarshi, president and CEO of The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, of his lifelong journey as a seeker.
  37. A book title ‘Cricket Drona’ on renowned coach Vasudev Jagannath Paranjpe or Vasoo Paranjape will be released on September 2, 2020.
  38. The Dom Raja of Kashi, Jagdish Chaudhary, passed away following a long illness.
  39. Writer-journalist, Commentator and Pop sociologist, Gail Sheehy passed away.
  40. A 13-year old boy from Manipur, Baldeep Ningthoujam has developed a mobile game named Coroboi amid COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown which became a popular android based game worldwide.

NEWS IN DETAILS

IMPORTANT DAYS AND THEMES

World Water Week 2020 observed on 24-28 August

  • The World Water Week is an annual global event organized by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) since 1991 to address the planet’s water issues and related concerns of international development.
  • The World Water Week 2020 has been organised from 24-28 August in virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The theme for World Water Week 2020 at Home is ‘Water and Climate change: Accelerating Action’.

Extra Shots:

Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)

  • Headquarters location: Stockholm, Sweden
  • Founded: 1991
  • Type of business: Think tank

BANKING & FINANCE 

NABARD launched Structured Finance and Partial Guarantee Programme

  • National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has unveiled a Structured Finance and Partial Guarantee Programme to Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) and Microfinance Institutions (MFIs).
  • It is a dedicated debt and credit guarantee product. The programme aims to ensure the undisturbed flow of credit in COVID-19-affected rural areas.
  • To launch the programme, NABARD has signed agreements with Vivriti Capital and Ujjivan Small Finance Bank.

Structured Finance and Partial Guarantee Programme:

  • Under the Structured Finance and Partial Guarantee Programme, NABARD will provide partial guarantee on pooled loans extended to small and mid-sized Microfinance Institutions (MFIs).
  • It will help facilitate Rs.2,500 crore funding in the initial phase and is expected to be scaled up in the future.
  • The program will cover over 1 million households across 28 states and 650 districts.
  • It is expected that the partially guaranteed loan facility will catalyze financing to millions of households, agricultural, and business markets to sustain in the post-COVID-19 situation.
  • With NABARD as a guarantor and a convincing product construct in place, the programme has attracted many banks and small finance banks to participate.

Extra Shots:

NABARD

  • Founded: 12 July 1982
  • Headquarters: Mumbai
  • Chairperson: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala
  • Purpose: Development assistance; Poverty Reduction
  • Formation: July 12, 1982; 38 years ago
  • Subsidiaries: Nabcons, NABVENTURES Ltd., Nabkisan Finance Ltd., NABSAMRUDDHI Finance Limited

Axis Bank introduced ‘Liberty Savings Account’ for the Indian Youth

  • Axis Bank has introduced ‘Liberty Savings Account’ for the Indian Youth, to address the ever-changing lifestyle needs of young and digitally interested Indians.
  • It offers a complimentary hospital cash insurance cover of up to Rs 20,000 per year, which covers hospital expenses incurred under COVID -19, which makes this a 1st of its kind savings account to cover the pandemic.
  • This account targets to meet the lifestyle requirements of the working class that falls under 35 years of age.

Extra Shots:

Axis Bank:

  • Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
  • MD and CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
  • Tagline: Badhti Ka naam Zindagi

HSBC India Launched Omni Collect, a One Stop Solution to Businesses

  • HSBC India has launched Omni Collect, a one-stop solution in India.
  • It supports businesses to offer multiple payment options on a single platform.
  • It is designed for businesses to easily collect payments through various digital methods, thereby allowing them to easily adapt to the changes in consumer spending.
  • HSBC India will enable businesses to offer different digital payment modes to their clients and also provide them with a comprehensive view of their collections.

Extra Shots:

HSBC India:

  • Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
  • CEO: Surendra Rosha

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

MCX launches Bulldex, India’s first bullion index

  • India’s largest commodity exchange the Multi-Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX) launched the country’s first bullion index, MCX iCOMDEX Bullion, or Bulldex.
  • The index will track the real-time performance of the gold (1kg) and silver (30kg) futures contracts.
  • The weigthage of gold is 70.52 percent and the remaining 29.48 percent is silver. The weights will be rebalanced every January.

Extra Shots:

MCX

  • CEO: P.S. Reddy
  • Chairperson: Mr. Saurabh Chandra
  • Headquarters: Mumbai
  • Founded: 10 November 2003

MasterCard, Goals101.ai team up to offer more personalised experience

  • Mastercard has entered an alliance with Goals101.ai, a bank-tech and AI company connecting merchants and issuers using big data, artificial intelligence, and automation to create targeted and personalized offers for bank cardholders.
  • With Goals 101.ai, Mastercard’s customer banks will now benefit from the increased customer engagement with personalization.
  • The platform identifies a consumer’s purchase patterns to help banks offer a more targeted, relevant, and measurable service.

Extra Shots:

Mastercard:

  • Headquarters: New York, United States
  • Chief Executive Officer: Ajay Banga

 Goals101.ai:

  • Headquarters: New Delhi, India
  • Chairman & MD: Visham Sikand

Infosys launches AI-driven solution to automate helpdesk operations

  • IT services major Infosys has launched its AI-driven ‘Cognitive Email Workbench’ solution that gives enterprises the ability to augment query management and scale their helpdesk operations.
  • Infosys leveraged its partnership with Blue Prism, a Robotic Process Automation (RPA) provider and a strategic partner to develop the solution that promises to significantly enhance productivity and customer satisfaction.
  • Infosys and Blue Prism had joined hands in 2017 to help enterprises drive intelligent automation capabilities across multiple industries.

Extra Shots:

Infosys

  • CEO: Salil Parekh
  • Founded: 7 July 1981, Pune
  • Headquarters: Bengaluru

NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

NITI Aayog panel recommended linking sugarcane prices to sugar rates

  • A NITI Aayog task force, headed by Niti Aayog Member (Agriculture) Ramesh Chand, recommended the linking sugarcane prices to sugar rates.
  • The move is to keep the industry in sound financial health.
  • The task force also suggested for a one-time increase in minimum sugar price to Rs.33 per kilo to help sugar mills cover the cost of production.
  • The report of the panel on the ‘Sugarcane and Sugar Industry’ was finalized in March 2020.

Extra Shots:

NITI Aayog

  • Formed: 1 January 2015
  • Objectives: Foster involvement and participation in the economic policy-making process by the State Governments of India
  • Jurisdiction: Government of India
  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • Chairperson: Narendra Modi

Centre to identify illegal beneficiaries of PM-KISAN

  • Government of India is planning to identify the farmers who are illegally receiving benefits of the PM-KISAN scheme by concealing facts that make them ineligible.
  • The illegal beneficiaries include serving and retired government employees who are barred from getting benefits of the scheme.
  • Under this move, the Ministry of Agriculture will obtain the data of central and state government employees from the Ministry of Finance.
  • The data from the Finance Ministry must match with the data with the PM-KISAN list of beneficiaries.
  • The Ministry will check if there are any income-tax payers among the beneficiaries of the PM-KISAN scheme.

Extra Shots:

PM-KISAN Scheme:

  • Narendra Modi launched the Rs.75,000 crore PM KISAN scheme from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh on 24th February 2019. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme was announced in Piyush Goyal’s interim budget 2019-20 and is completely funded by the central government. Under the PM-KISAN scheme, Rs.6,000 will be given to 12 crore farmers, who are eligible to claim the benefits with less than 2 hectares of land, per year in three installments.

DoPPW to integrate e- Pension Payment Order with Digi Locker

  • The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare, DoPPW has decided to integrate the electronic Pension Payment Order, e-PPO generated through PFMS application of Controller General of Accounts, with Digi Locker, to enhance Ease of Living of Central Government Civil Pensioners.
  • This initiative will create a permanent record of their PPO in their Digi Locker and at the same time eliminate delays in reaching the PPO to new Pensioners, as well as the necessity of handing over a physical copy.
  • This system will enable any Pensioner to obtain an instant print-out of the latest copy of their PPO, from their Digi Locker account.

STATE CURRENT AFFAIRS

Tamil Nadu women top the list of MUDRA loan scheme beneficiaries

  • Women of Tamil Nadu have topped the list of women borrowers under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) since its inception.
  • More than 15 crore loans amounting to ₹4.78-lakh-crore have been disbursed to women borrowers under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY).
  • As on March 31, 2020 women in Tamil Nadu had availed Rs. 58,227 crore loan from the scheme followed by West Bengal Rs. 55,232 crore, Karnataka Rs. 47,714 crore, Bihar Rs. 44,879 crore and Maharashtra Rs. 42,000 crore loan.

Extra Shots:

Tamilnadu

  • Capital: Chennai
  • Chief Minister: Edappadi K.Palanisamy
  • Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
  • Chief Justice of Madras High Court: Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani
  • National Park: Guindy NP,Gulf of Mannar Marine NP, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai) NP, Mudumalai NP, Mukurthi NP.

MP CM announces Rs. One crore financial assistance to family of martyred Army soldier Manish Carpenter

  • In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced Rs. One crore financial assistance to the family of martyred Army soldier Manish Carpenter.
  • He was martyred in Jammu and Kashmir last week.
  • The chief minister also announced a government job to a family member of the martyred soldier.

Extra Shots:

Madhya Pradesh:

  • Statehood Day: November 1, 1956
  • Capital: Bhopal
  • Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chauhan
  • Governor: Anandiben Patel
  • National Park: Bandhavgarh NP, Fossil NP, Kanha NP, Madhav NP, Panna NP, Pench NP, Sanjay NP, Satpura NP

Meghalaya govt constitutes task force to study in detail National Education Policy 2020

  • In Meghalaya, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that the State Government has constituted a task force to study in detail the National Education Policy which was recently adopted by the Centre.
  • He said that the task force will carry out in-depth details on the policy adding that it will look at the challenges in the implementation of the policy.

Extra Shots:

Meghalaya

  • Capital: Shillong
  • Chief Minister: Conrad Kongkal Sangma
  • Governor: Satya Pal Malik

Manipur Health Minister launches Teleconsultation using eSanjeevaniOPD platform in Imphal

  • Manipur State Health and Family Welfare Minister L. Jayantakumar Singh launched Teleconsultation using eSanjeevaniOPD platform in Imphal.
  • This is the first kind of such platform in the state.
  • The State government has engaged 30 doctors to perform the newly launched service at initial stage.
  • The government has also been working to target 220 health centres at different locations of the State to cover under the service in near future.
  • People of Manipur can register their names to esanjeevaniopd.in and get the benefit of TeleconsultationOPD from.

Extra Shots:

Manipur

  • Statehood Day: 21 January, 1972
  • Capital: Imphal
  • Governor: Najma Heptulla
  • Chief Minister: N. Biren Singh

Karnataka govt announces commencement of online classes of all colleges from Sep 1

  • Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr. C N Ashwathnarayan has announced opening of degree colleges from first of September.
  • all the degree colleges will commence online classes from 1st of next month and offline classes from the 1st of October.
  • Health Minister Harsh Vardhan virtually inaugurates two new Medical Colleges & three Super-Speciality Blocks in Rajasthan
  • Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan inaugurated two medical colleges and three super specialty blocks in Rajasthan through video conference.
  • Five projects and health facilities of the Health Education Department with a cost of Rupees 828 crores have been inaugurated today.
  • These include Medical College buildings in Bharatpur and Bhilwara and super-specialty centers in Bikaner, Udaipur, and Kota.

Extra Shots:

Karnataka:

  • Statehood Day: 1st November 1956
  • Capital: Bengaluru
  • Chief Minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
  • Governor: Vajubhai Vala
  • National Park: Anshi NP, Bandipur NP, Bannerghatta NP, Kudremukh NP, Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) NP.

Odisha CM approves ₹200 cr package due to COVID-19

  • Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik approved an assistance package of ₹200 crore to help families affected due to COVID-19.
  • Members of the Women Self Help Groups can revive their family enterprises through this package
  • Loans up to ₹1 lakh for skilled and semi-skilled migrants, who have returned to the state, will be given under this package.

Extra Shots:

Odisha:

  • Statehood Day: 1st April 1936
  • Capital: Bhubaneswar
  • Governor: Ganeshi Lal
  • Chief Minister: Naveen Patnaik

INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS

WHO declared Africa free of Wild Polio

  • The Africa Regional Certification Commission, the independent body, has declared Africa free from wild polio.
  • The announcement was made by the African Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication during a World Health Organization (WHO) event.
  • The Africa Regional Certification Commission confirmed that all 47 countries in the WHO’s Africa region have eradicated Polio.

Extra Shots:

WHO

  • Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
  • Founded: 7 April 1948
  • Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council
  • Heads: Tedros Adhanom, Soumya Swaminathan, Jane Ellison

SUMMITS AND CONFERENCES

Karnataka CM addresses virtual Indo-Japan business forum from Bengaluru

  • Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa addressed a virtual Indo-Japan business forum from Bengaluru today.
  • In his speech the Chief Minister informed that the state has announced a 25 percent capital investment subsidy on land for industries.
  • The state has set up a Japanese Industrial Township near Tumkuru on 519 acres and an agreement is signed to promote Indo-Japan start-ups in the state.

Extra Shots:

Karnataka:

  • Statehood Day: 1st November 1956
  • Capital: Bengaluru
  • Chief Minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
  • Governor: Vajubhai Vala
  • National Park: Anshi NP, Bandipur NP, Bannerghatta NP, Kudremukh NP, Rajiv Gandhi (Nagarahole) NP.

Japan (Capital/Currency): Tokyo/ Japanese yen

  • President: Shinzo Abe

17th Meeting of India-Vietnam Joint Commission Held via Video Conference

  • The 17th meeting of the India-Vietnam Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation was held virtually which was co-chaired by India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh.
  • India-Vietnam signed the following Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs):
  • Cooperation between Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), New Delhi and Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV), Hanoi.
  • MoU between National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi and Scientific Research Institute of Sea and Islands, Hanoi.

Extra Shots:

Vietnam (Capital/Currency): Hanoi/Vietnamese dong.

World Economic Forum postpones 2021 Davos summit due to COVID-19

  • The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday said that the 2021 summit at Davos, Switzerland will be postponed from January to “early next summer” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Extra Shots:

WEF

  • Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland
  • Founder: Klaus Schwab
  • Founded: January 1971
  • Leader: Klaus Schwab
  • Motto: Committed to improving the state of the world

RANKS AND INDICES

Gujarat topped NITI Aayogs report on 2020 Export Preparedness Index

  • NITI Aayog in partnership with the Institute of Competitiveness has released the first edition of the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020 on 26 August 2020.
  • The index aims to examine export preparedness and performance of Indian states and union territories, identify challenges and opportunities; enhance the effectiveness of government policies; and encourage a facilitative regulatory framework to make these states and UTs active participants in the country’s export efforts.
  • The overall Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020 has been topped by Gujarat.
  • Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu ranked second and third respectively.
  • Six of eight coastal states feature in the top ten rankings.
  • Across the Union Territories, Delhi has performed the best, followed by Goa and Chandigarh.
  • Among the Himalayan states, Uttarakhand is top ranked, followed by Tripura and Himachal Pradesh.
  • In the landlocked states, Rajasthan has performed the best, followed by Telangana and Haryana.

Extra Shots:

NITI Aayog

  • Formed: 1 January 2015
  • Objectives: Foster involvement and participation in the economic policy-making process by the State Governments of India
  • Jurisdiction: Government of India
  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • Chairperson: Narendra Modi

Jeff Bezos becomes first person to hit a net worth of $200 million

  • Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO on August 26, 2020, became the first person in the world to hit a net worth of $200 million.
  • Earlier in August 2020, Jeff Bezos had sold shares worth $3.1 billion in the e-commerce company.

Extra Shots:

Amazon

  • CEO: Jeff Bezos
  • Founder: Jeff Bezos
  • Founded: 5 July 1994, Bellevue, Washington, United States

AGREEMENTS AND MOU SIGNED

Tech Mahindra partners with Niti Aayog to empower women entrepreneurs

  • IT major Tech Mahindra announced collaboration with NITI Aayog to empower women entrepreneurs in the country.
  • Tech Mahindra will provide mentorship, co-create solutions leveraging new age technologies and support in developing a go-to-market strategy.
  • As part of the collaboration, Tech Mahindra has partnered with the winners of Women Transforming India (WTI) Awards, an initiative of the Niti Aayog, to recognise women leaders in entrepreneurship across various sectors

Extra Shots:

TechMahindra

  • CEO: C. P. Gurnani
  • Parent organization: Mahindra Group
  • Headquarters: Pune
  • Founder: Anand Mahindra

NeGD signs MoU with CSC E-Governance Services India Limited

  • The National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) has partnered with CSC (Common Service Center) e Governance Services India Limited.
  • The partnership aims to enable delivery of UMANG services to citizens through the network of 3.75 lakh CSCs.
  • The CSC operators Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) will facilitate citizens to use e-Governance services of 140 Departments with the help of UMANG App.

Extra Shots:

CSC (Common Service Center)

  • Founder: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • Founded: 16 July 2009
  • Headquarters: New Delhi
  • Key person: Dinesh Tyagi
  • Type of business: Publicly listed company

POWERGRID Signs MoU with ACTREC for Construction of Operation Theater Complex in Navi Mumbai

  • The Power Grid Corporation (POWERGRID), an enterprise under the government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TATA Memorial Centre (TMC) – Advanced Centre for Treatment Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC), under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) for the construction of “POWERGRID OT Complex” a modular operation theatre complex in Navi Mumbai.

Extra Shots:

ACTREC:

  • Director: Sudeep Gupta
  • Location: Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra

Power Grid Corporation:

  • CMD: K Sreekant
  • Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana

Greenko Energies Signs MoU with NTPC for Renewable Energy Power Solutions

  • Greenko Energies Private Limited, hyderabad based energy solution provider entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC limited to explore renewable energy power supply solution and energy storage.

Extra Shots:

Greenko Energies:

  • Founder, CEO & MD: Anil Kumar Chalamalasetty
  • Founder, President & Joint MD: Mahesh Kolli
  • Headquarters: Hyderabad, Telangana

NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN):

  • CEO: Mohit Bhargava
  • Headquarters: New Delhi

ISRO Signs MoU with VSSUT

  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, Odisha, a technical institute, to set up the first of its kind innovation cum incubation centre, VSSUT Space Innovation Centre (VSSSIC) in India to promote space research.

Extra Shots:

ISRO:

  • Chairman: K.Sivan
  • Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka

VSSUT:

  • Vice Chancellor: Atal Chaudhuri
  • Location: Sambalpur, Odisha

ACQUISITION & MERGER

Government to sell up to 15% stake in HAL to raise Rs 5,000 

  • The Centre will sell up to 15% stake in state-owned defence unit Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) which will help it mop up about Rs 5,000 crore.
  • The government will sell 33.4 million shares, or 10% of its stakes to retail investors.

Extra Shots:

HAL

  • Founder: Walchand Hirachand
  • Founded: 23 December 1940, Bengaluru
  • Headquarters: Bengaluru

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

21-year old Neelakanta Bhanu Prakash bags ‘World’s Fastest Human Calculator’ title

  • Neelakanta Bhanu Prakash, a 21-year-old Hyderabad boy, has become the world’s fastest human calculator after winning the first gold for India in the Mental Calculation World Championship at Mind Sports Olympiad (MSO) in London.
  • He also holds world records and 50 Limca records for being the fastest human calculator in the world.
  • He has broken world records of Scott Flansburg and Shakuntala Devi.
  • He has even won the International Abacus Champion ’13 and National Abacus Champion ’11 and ’12.

29-yr-old Dutch author youngest to win International Booker prize

  • A 29-year-old Dutch author, Marieke Lucas Rijneveld, has become the youngest to win the International Booker, taking the award for their debut novel ‘The Discomfort of Evening’.
  • The book was chosen from a shortlist of six books by a five-judge panel, chaired by Ted Hodgkinson.

APPOINTMENTS IN NEWS

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer quits after just 3 months

  • TikTok’s CEO Kevin Mayer has resigned from the company after just three months. Mayer left his post as the head of Disney to join TikTok on June 1.
  • His resignation comes after India banned the app and US President Donald Trump on August 14 ordered ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations within 90 days.

Former IOC Chairman Sanjiv Singh joins Reliance as Group President

  • Former Indian Oil Corp (IOC) chairman Sanjiv Singh has joined Reliance Industries Ltd as Group President.
  • Sanjiv will lead and drive the Group manufacturing services (GMS) organisation which is the backbone of our oil-to-chemicals business

Extra Shots:

RIL

  • CEO: Mukesh Ambani
  • Founder: Dhirubhai Ambani
  • Founded: 8 May 1973, Maharashtra
  • Owner: Mukesh Ambani (47.35%)

SPORTS CURRENT AFFAIRS

James Anderson becomes first fast bowler to reach 600 wickets in Test Cricket

  • James Anderson from England has become the first-ever fast bowler to take 600 wickets in a Test Match Cricket.
  • Overall, he is the 4th bowler to take 600 test wickets after 3 spinners Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, and Anil Kumble.
  • He achieved this feat against Pakistan when he dismissed Azhar Ali.

Seven-time National Table Tennis Champion Poulomi Ghatak announces retirement, to focus on coaching

  • Veteran Indian table tennis player from West Bengal, Poulomi Ghatak, has announced her retirement from the game to shift focus on coaching career.
  • The Kolkata-born athlete is a seven-time national champion, winning between 1998 and 2016.
  • The 37-year-old had represented India at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006 and the Commonwealth Championships between 2000 and 2008.
  • She made her Olympic debut at the Olympic Games in Sydney when she was just 16.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY CURRENT AFFAIRS

IIT Madras, Stuttgart University develop method to dispose pharma waste

  • Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras along with German researchers have developed ‘co-composting’ methods that can be used to safely dispose of toxic pharmaceutical waste water and sludge.
  • Their method converts the waste into compost of high quality and within just 20 days.
  • The research team led by Ligy Philip, Department of Civil Engineering, comprised research scholar Anu Rachel Thomas from the Institute and Martin Kranert from the Germany-based Institute for Sanitary Engineering, Water Quality and Solid Waste Management, Stuttgart University.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Running Toward Mystery: The Adventure of an Unconventional Life’ Book by Tenzin Priyadarshi and Zara Houshmand

  • The book titled ‘Running Toward Mystery: The Adventure of an Unconventional Life’ is an account by Tenzin Priyadarshi, president and CEO of The Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, of his lifelong journey as a seeker.
  • Co-written with Iranian American author and literary translator Zara Houshmand.
  • In “Running Toward Mystery, Priyadarshi shares his thoughts on science and technology, meditation and spiritual disillusionment, and the relationship between Buddhism and the modern world.

A book title ‘Cricket Drona’ on renowned coach Vasoo Paranjape

  • A book title ‘Cricket Drona’ on renowned coach Vasudev Jagannath Paranjpe or Vasoo Paranjape will be released on September 2, 2020.
  • The book is written by Vasudev Jagannath Paranjpe’s son and current national selector Jatin Paranjpe along with Cricket Journalist Anand Vasu and published by Penguin.

OBITUARY

‘Dom Raja’ of Varanasi Jagdish Chaudhary passes away

  • The Dom Raja of Kashi, Jagdish Chaudhary, passed away following a long illness.
  • He was 55.
  • Chaudhary, who occupied the ritually significant position of” Dom Raja” (king of cremators), was one of the proposers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi”s candidature from Varanasi constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.

Writer-journalist Gail Sheehy passes away

  • Writer-journalist, Commentator and Pop sociologist, Gail Sheehy passed away.
  • Her best-selling book “Passages: Predictable Crises of Adult Life” was published in 1976.
  • Sheehy’s honors included the National Magazine Award, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and a citation from the American Psychological Association.

MISCELLANEOUS

Class 9 student from Manipur develops mobile game ‘Coroboi’ amid Covid-19 pandemic