Current Affairs Update – 6th-8th August, 2016

Hello and welcome to exampundit . Here are the important Current Affairs from 6th to 8th August, 2016. These are important for the upcoming RBI Grade B Phase I and BMSB/Bank of Maharashtra PGDBF 2016 Exams.

Current Affairs at a Glance – 6th-8th August, 2016

  1. Dipa Karmakar, the Indian
    Gymnast, on 7 August 2016 created history by becoming the first Indian
    gymnast to enter the Olympic final at the Rio Olympic Centre
    .
  2. HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company has
    launched political risk insurance policy
    , whereby companies
    operating internationally will be protected against the adverse effects of
    arbitrary government actions and their assets and/or investments will be
    insured against expropriation.
  3. Union Minister of Urban
    Development M.Venkaiah Naidu on 6 August 2016 launched Swachh Suvekshan-2017 project to assess and
    rank 500 cities
    based on levels of sanitation and efforts made by
    respective urban local bodies.
  4. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism
    Corporation (IRCTC) and the Manipur government
    have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU),
    which seeks to provide improved hospitality and tourism services to their
    customers by making ‘joint use of their capabilities and facilities’.
  5. Telangana State Government on 6 August 2016 launched a unique Water
    Resources Information System to assess accurate reserves of water in thousands
    of Tanks and reservoirs across the state.
  6. The Odisha government on 7 August
    2016 launched a special assistance scheme for elderly weavers, ‘Baristha
    Bunakar Sahayata Yojana’
    , to mark the National Handlooms Day.
  7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 7
    August 2016 launched Mission Bhagiratha at Komatibanda Village, Gajwel in
    Medak District of Telangana
    . The scheme was launched by the State
    Government with an objective to provide safe drinking water to all.
  8. Union Health Minister J P Nadda
    on 5 August 2016 launched a nation-wide programme MAA – Mothers’ Absolute Affection for
    promoting breastfeeding
    . Madhuri Dixit chosen
    brand ambassador of of this programme.
  9. Vijay Rupani, the newly elected
    leader of Gujarat BJP, was sworn in as
    the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat on 7 August 2016
    . Rupani, who succeeds
    Anandiben Patel, was the senior most cabinet minister in Anandiben Government.
  10. 2nd National Handloom Day was observed across the
    country on 7 August 2016
    .
  11. The 2016 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW)
    is being observed across the world. The week is held every year from 1 to 7
    August.

Insurance –
HDFC ERGO launches political risk insurance policy

  • HDFC ERGO General Insurance
    Company has launched political risk insurance policy, whereby companies
    operating internationally will be protected against the adverse effects of
    arbitrary government actions and their assets and/or investments will be insured
    against expropriation.
  • While covering businesses against
    political violence, the policy will also protect businesses against
    unfavourable currency inconvertibility, the general insurer said in a
    statement.
  • The policy is designed to protect
    investors’ investments in overseas markets against unpredictable losses due to
    specified political perils such as expropriatory acts, selective
    discrimination, forced abandonment, forced divestiture, political violence and
    currency inconvertibility, it added.
  • Political risk insurance is
    available to investors, lenders, contractors, exporters, and other similar
    entities for safeguarding their foreign assets or investments.
  • According to the company
    statement, this insurance solution would allow businesses to take advantage of
    the expansion opportunities in emerging markets in a more prudent manner and
    also to manage risks of any existing investments in an evolving political risk
    environment.
India –
Union Government launches Swachh Survekshan-2017 to assess 500 cities

  • Union Minister of Urban
    Development M.Venkaiah Naidu on 6 August 2016 launched Swachh Suvekshan-2017
    project to assess and rank 500 cities based on levels of sanitation and efforts
    made by respective urban local bodies.
  • It also aims to capture progress
    towards achieving Open Defecation Free status. 
Highlights of the Swachh Survekshan-2017

  • Cities will be ranked based on
    the reports by urban local bodies on the progress made towards construction of
    toilets, feedback of citizens and independent observation of sanitation levels.
  • Cities with a population of one
    lakh and above each, heritage and tourism cities, capital cities with less than
    one lakh population are included in this survey.
  • Quality Council of India which
    conducted the last Survey in 73 cities will conduct the survey in 500 cities
    and towns.
Swachhata App and Swachhata Helpline

  • Naidu also launched a web portal
    Swachhata App and Swachhta Helpline 1969 to enable citizens associate more and
    more with Swachh Bharat Mission in urban areas.
  • Citizens can post photos of
    unhygienic places in urban areas on Swachh App and they will be informed of
    action taken by respective urban local bodies in specific time period.
  • Using toll free Helpline Number
    1969, citizens can seek information about the ways of participating in
    cleanliness mission and can also enquire the status of their applications for
    construction of toilets.
Asli Tarakki campaign

  • Asli Tarakki campaign was also
    launched to highlight the need for construction of toilets and using them well.
  • This campaign will be mounted on
    TV channels and in print media.
IRCTC signs MoU with Manipur govt to provide hospitality & tourism
services

  • Indian Railway Catering and
    Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the Manipur government have signed a Memorandum
    of Understanding (MoU), which seeks to provide improved hospitality and tourism
    services to their customers by making ‘joint use of their capabilities and
    facilities’.
  • The MoU entails upon both the
    parties to identify areas of cooperation and draw up detailed plans for
    development of joint tourism products and opening and managing various catering
    and hospitality outlets, budget hotels and handicrafts shops at railway as well
    as non-railway locations.
  • The areas where the two
    signatories would leverage their joint strength also include involvement of
    Self Help Groups (SHGs), setting up of water vending machines, use of Rail Neer
    (IRCTC’s packaged water) and development of lounges and greeting services for
    tourists.
Telangana launches Water Resources Information System

  • Telangana State Government on 6
    August 2016 launched a unique Water Resources Information System to assess
    accurate reserves of water in thousands of Tanks and reservoirs across the
    state.
  • For this purpose, the Telangana
    Irrigation Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian
    Space Research Organization over sharing satellite data.
  • The new system will be set up by
    ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre.
  • The unique system will help the
    government authorities to plan for new irrigation projects as well as
    maintaining transparency in governance. The Water Resources Information will
    also pave way for other states to explore possibilities to utilize technology.
Odisha government launches Baristha Bunakar Sahayata Yojana

  • The Odisha government on 7 August
    2016 launched a special assistance scheme for elderly weavers, ‘Baristha
    Bunakar Sahayata Yojana’, to mark the National Handlooms Day.
  • Under the scheme all weavers
    above the age of 60 years would get a monthly pension of 500 rupees, and those
    above 80 years would get 700 rupees.
  • The scheme is aimed at improving
    the financial condition of over 8000 weavers, who have been working in this
    field for the last 20 years.
  • The pension amounts would be
    directly sent to the beneficiaries bank accounts.
  • On the occasion, chief minister
    Naveen Patnaik also gave away awards to weavers’ cooperative societies who have
    been relentlessly promoting and producing the traditional weaves of Odisha.
PM Narendra Modi launches Mission Bhagiratha in Telangana

  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 7
    August 2016 launched Mission Bhagiratha at Komatibanda Village, Gajwel in Medak
    District of Telangana. The scheme was launched by the State Government with an
    objective to provide safe drinking water to all.
  • The Prime Minister also unveiled
    plaques to lay Foundation Stones for important development projects. These
    included:
  • 1600 MW Thermal Power station of
    NTPC at Ramagundam
  • Revival of a Fertilizer Plant at
    Ramagundam; Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, Warangal and
    Manoharabad-Kothapalli Railway line.
  • He also dedicated to the nation
    the 1200 MW Thermal Power Station of Singareni Collieries at Jaipur in Adilabad
    district.
Highlights of the Mission Bhagiratha

  • Mission Bhagiratha is Telangana
    Water Grid Project intended to provide a sustainable and permanent solution to
    the drinking water woes.
  • It is a pet project taken up at
    an outlay of 42000 crore rupees.
  • Apart from creating a water grid
    for supply drinking water to houses, it aims to rejuvenate more than 45000
    water tanks.
  • The water grid project aims at
    reaching out drinking water supply to even remotest place in the State to every
    household across the State in the coming four years.
Union Government launches nation-wide programme MAA for promoting
breastfeeding

  • Union Health Minister J P Nadda
    on 5 August 2016 launched a nation-wide programme MAA – Mothers’ Absolute
    Affection for promoting breastfeeding.
  • The goal of the programme is to
    enhance optimal breastfeeding practices.
  • Madhuri Dixit chosen brand
    ambassador of of this programme.
  • MAA is an intensified programme
    of the Health Ministry for creating an enabling environment to ensure that
    mothers, husbands and families receive adequate information and support for
    promotion of breastfeeding.
  • The Ministry has allocated 30
    crore rupees for the Programme and 4.3 lakh rupees for each district will be
    allotted for implementing the various activities under MAA programme.
  • The chief components of the MAA
    Programme are Community awareness generation, Strengthening inter personal
    communication through ASHA, Skilled support for breastfeeding at Delivery
    points in Public health facilities, and Monitoring and Award/recognition.
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Sports –
Gymnast Dipa Karmakar becomes first Indian to qualify for Vault Finals

  • Dipa Karmakar, the Indian
    Gymnast, on 7 August 2016 created history by becoming the first Indian gymnast
    to enter the Olympic final at the Rio Olympic Centre.
  • The 22-year-old qualified for the
    final round in the Individual vault final of artistic gymnastics after
    finishing eighth on the standings.
  • Competing in the third
    sub-division, Dipa had an average score of 51.665. She scored 14.850 by
    performing her much-vaunted ‘Produnova’ vault cleanly on the vault, 11.666 on
    the uneven bars, 12.866 in balance beam and 12.033 in floor exercises.
  • American Simone Biles, the
    three-time world all-round champion topped the charts with a score of 16.050.
    North Korea’s Jong Un Hong stood at the second position after securing 15.683
    followed by Switzerland’s Giulia Steingruber (15.266).
Appointments –
Vijay Rupani takes oath as Chief Minister of Gujarat

  • Vijay Rupani, the newly elected
    leader of Gujarat BJP, was sworn in as the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat on 7
    August 2016. Rupani, who succeeds Anandiben Patel, was the senior most cabinet
    minister in Anandiben Government.
  • Apart from Rupani, Nitin Patel
    was also sworn-in as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.
  • Gujarat governor OP Kohli has
    administered the oath of post and secrecy to the Chief Minister Vijay Rupani
    and Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel at the Mahatma Mandir conference hall in
    Gandhinagar.
  • Besides, new Council of Ministers
    of Vijay Rupani Government has also taken oath simultaneously. In total 25
    ministers took oath, out of which 9 Ministers took oath as the cabinet
    Ministers, while 16 ministers took oath as Minister of state (MoS).
Manish Tandon appointed as CEO of CSS Corp.

  • Manish Tandon was on 6 August
    2016 appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CSS Corp, a global
    Technology Support company. He will be inducted as a whole time Director of the
    board and as CEO.
  • He will succeed TG Ramesh, the
    current CEO who now moves onto the role of a strategic advisor role as a
    non-executive director on the board.
Days –
2nd National Handloom Day observed across the country

  • 2nd National Handloom Day was
    observed across the country on 7 August 2016 with the main function being held
    at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. On this occasion, Sant Kabir Awards and National
    Handloom Awards were presented.
  • The Day was also celebrated at
    state level in all the states and Day was also celebrated in more than 200
    handloom clusters.
  • The first National Handloom Day
    was inaugurated on 7 August 2015 at the Centenary Hall of Madras University in
    Chennai, Tamil Nadu by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where he also unveiled
    ‘India Handloom’ brand.
World Breastfeeding Week 2016 observed

  • The 2016 World Breastfeeding Week
    (WBW) is being observed across the world. The week is held every year from 1 to
    7 August.
  • The theme for the 2016 World
    Breastfeeding Week is Breastfeeding: A key to Sustainable Development. The
    theme aims at raising awareness of the links between breastfeeding and the
    Sustainable Development Goals.
  • The week is organized by World
    Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), World Health Organisation (WHO) and
    UNICEF.
World –
China launches Tiantong-01; its first satellite for mobile
telecommunication

  • China on 6 August 2016
    successfully launched its first satellite for mobile telecommunication,
    Tiantong-01.
  • Tiantong-01 satellite was
    launched from southwestern China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Center, with the
    Long March-3B carrier rocket. More geostationary satellites will be sent into
    orbit for the system.
  • It is the first satellite of
    China’s homemade satellite mobile telecom system, and a key part of the
    country’s space information infrastructure.
Obituaries –
Australian surfing champion Bernard Farrelly died

  • Australian surfing champion
    Bernard Farrelly, best known as Midget for his slight size, died on 7 August
    2016. He was 71.
  • Bernard “Midget”
    Farrelly born on 13 September 1944 was an Australian world surfing champion.
  • He won the first official surfing
    World Championship at Sydney’s Manly Beach in 1964 and dominated the sport as
    it gained popularity during that decade.
  • In 1963, he became the first
    Australian to win a surfing major at the unofficial world championships in
    Makaha, Hawaii.
Eminent Assamese litterateur Mahim Bora passes away

  • Eminent Assamese litterateur
    Mahim Bora passed away on 5 August 2016 following old age problems at Nagaon
    district, Assam. He was 92. He is survived by a son and two daughters-in-law.
  • Bora was a Padma Shri and Sahitya
    Akademi winner.

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