Current Affairs 14 August 2021

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 14 August 2021, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2021 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

Our Current Affairs August 2021 events will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also, try our Latest Current Affairs Quiz and Monthly Current Affairs 2021 PDF which will be a pedestrian to crack your exams.

Read Current Affairs in CareersCloud APP, Course Name –  Learn Current Affairs – Free Course – Click Here to Download the APP

We are Hiring – Subject Matter Expert | CA Video Creator | Content Developers(Pondicherry)

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

NITI Aayog Releases Handbook to Guide EV Charging Infrastructure in IndiaThe Handbook named ‘Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Implementation’ was released by NITI Aayog. The objective of the book is to provide guidance to the state governments and local bodies about policy making and setting up of norms related to charging networks for Electric Vehicle (EV).

• It has been developed by NITI Aayog in association with the Ministry of Power (MoP), Department of Science and Technology(DST), Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and World Resources Institute(WRI) India.

Key Points
i.It aims to enhance charging infrastructure and boost electric mobility of vehicles in India.

• It provides technological framework, support and government funded structures to aid the EV charging facilities. It addresses the challenges associated with EV and suggests ways to tackle them.

ii.Target –  India has set an ambitious goal of increasing the Electric Vehicle numbers to 30% by 2030.
iii.The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Department of Heavy Industry pledged their support to the Handbook.
About Niti Aayog
Niti Aayog  stands for National Institute for Transforming India, formed by Executive action. It replaced the previous Planning Commission of India on 1st January 2015.
Chairman – Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Vice-chairman – Dr Rajiv Kumar( September 2017- present)
CEO – Amitabh Kant
About World Resource Institute (WRI)
Organisation which works with governments, institutions and civil societies it’s a Non-profit  global research organisation
CEO – Andrew Steer
Headquarters – Washington DC
Founded -1982

The Installed Renewable Energy Capacity of India Crossed 100 GWThe total installed renewable energy capacity in India, excluding large Hydro, has crossed the milestone of 100 GigaWatts (GW). With this, India holds 4th position in the world in terms of installed Renewable Energy (RE) capacity, 5th in solar and 4th in wind in terms of installed capacity.
Target – 100 GW achievement is considered to be part of India’s target of 450 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, increasing 25 GW every year and it will reach 146 GW installed RE capacity if we include large hydro projects.
Key points-
India has achieved power generation capacity of 383.73 GW(excluding hydro).

• Allocation of RE capacity such as 50GW is under installation and 27 GW is open for tendering purposes.
• Solar and wind generation recorded a high growth of 43.1GW in 2021.
• India plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 33-35% from its 2005 levels by 2030 and meet 40% of its electricity needs from non-fossil fuel sources by then, as part of its commitments to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted by 195 countries in Paris in 2015.

About Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA)
It is the only public sector institution which is financing and providing capital support to the RE projects in India.
Chairman & Managing Director – Pradip Kumar Das
HQ – New Delhi
About Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
Union Minister – Raj Kumar Singh( Lok sabha Constituency- Arrah, Bihar)
Minister of State – Bagwanth Khuba (Lok sabha Constituency – Bidar,Karnataka)

NHA signs MoU with IIT Delhi to Boost India’s Response to COVID-19 CrisisThe National Health Authority (NHA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT Delhi) to strengthen India’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.

• Through the partnership, NHA & IIT Delhi will support innovative solutions, which will cater to the needs and priorities of the AB PM-JAY ecosystem (Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya). It will help in adopting health innovations across more than 23,000 PM-JAY empanelled hospitals.
• They will also help in identifying innovative healthcare solutions, and give a platform for various organisations, healthcare networks, innovation incubators, manufacturers to come together to solve complex healthcare challenges in India.
• NHA will act as a technical collaborator on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-supported SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Financing Facility.

About United States Agency for Development(USAID)
Administrator – Samantha Power
Headquarters –  Washington DC
About National Health Authority(NHA)
It is a government agency responsible for implementing scheme AB PM-JAY at national level
CEO: Ram Sevak Sharma
>>Read Full News

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

IATA, UNCTAD extend partnership to facilitate Global TradeInternational Air Transport Association (IATA) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have extended their partnership to facilitate international trade, particularly e-commerce in developing countries through improved exchanges of trade data.

• As part of the partnership, the Air Cargo messaging standards (Cargo-XML) will be integrated with ASYCUDAWorld (Automated System for Customs Data), UNCTAD’s automated customs management system.
• It will allow efficient processing of air cargo shipments for more than 100 countries.
• The next step of the collaboration will focus on enabling ASYCUDAWorld, to manage eCommerce shipments efficiently.

About International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Founded in 1945
Director General – Willie Walsh
Headquarters – Montreal, Canada
About United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Founded in 1964
Acting Secretary General – Isabelle Durant
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland

BANKING & FINANCE

SEBI Merged 2 Debt securities Listing Regulations into Single OneThe Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has merged 2 debt securities regulations viz, SEBI (Issue and Listing of Debt Securities) Regulations, 2008 and SEBI (Non-Convertible Redeemable Preference Shares) Regulations, 2013 into a single Regulation called – SEBI (Issue and Listing of Non-Convertible Securities) Regulations, 2021.
Key Points:
i.Under the new regulation, SEBI issued a framework for the issuance, listing and trading of Non-convertible Securities (NCS), Securitised Debt Instruments, Security Receipts, and Commercial Paper (CP).
ii.The regulations enabled the Issuers (other than unlisted Real estate investment trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs)) who have an existence history of less than 3 years  to tap the bond market with certain conditions.
iii.Under the condition, the issuers should issue debt securities only on a private placement basis.
About Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI):
Establishment – 1992 in accordance with the SEBI Act, 1992.
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chairman – Ajay Tyagi
>>Read Full News

BADLAAV Humse Hai: AU Bank unveils mega Brand Campaign and launches AU 0101i.AU Small Finance Bank unveiled its first integrated marketing communication Campaign, titled ‘BADLAAV Humse Hai’ that will showcase the bank’s passion for innovation.
ii.It also launched its avant-garde digital banking platform AU 0101, a full-suite of banking services for its customers.
iii.It should be noted that AU roped in Bollywood actors Aamir Khan and Kiara Advani as their ambassadors.
About AU Small Finance Bank:
Establishment– 1996
MD & CEO– Sanjay Agarwal
Headquarter– Jaipur, Rajasthan
Tagline– Chalo Aage Badhein
>>Read Full News

IIFL Finance partners with FinBox to offer Digital Credit Products to MerchantsIIFL (India Infoline Limited) Finance has partnered with Bengaluru (Karnataka) and Gurugram (Haryana)-based FinBox to offer digital credit products to its merchants, B2B e-commerce traders by using FinBox’s embedded buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) and working capital credit products.

• As a part of partnership, IIFL and FinBox will disburse Rs 1,000 crore loans over the next 2 quarters, through a completely digital model.
• The key reason behind this partnership is to make the lending process entirely digital and hassle-free.

Key Points:
i.Finbox is launching multiple new-age credit products for the retailer and MSME (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) through the FinBox Embedded Finance Platform
ii.It should be noted that BNPL products enable merchants to manage fluctuations in demand, maintains a well-stocked as well as helps in expansion as needed.
About IIFL Finance:
Chairman– Nirmal Jain
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
About FinBox:
Chief executive officer (CEO)– Rajat Deshpande

Indian Bank signs MoU with Paralympic Committee of IndiaThe Public Sector Bank (PSB), Indian Bank, signed a year-long memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) to become one of the Banking Partners ahead of the Paralympic Games 2020 in Tokyo, Japan.

• In this regard, the bank will provide financial assistance to Paralympic athletes to prepare for the sporting events in domestic as well as global platforms.
• Notably, the Paralympic Games are scheduled to start from August 24, 2021.

Key Points:
i.The resources offered by the bank will be utilized towards meeting the requirements of the Indian Para athletes which include training, nutrition, equipment, certifications, among others.
ii.This initiative will empower many athletes to take up sports as a career without facing any kind  of shortages.
About Paralympic Committee of India (PCI):
It is the authorised and sole organisation in India recognised by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) of Bonn, Germany as National Paralympic Committee (NPC) and National Sports Federation (NSF) by Govt. of India for promotion and development of Para Sports in India.
President– Deepa Malik
Headquarter– New Delhi
About Indian Bank:
Establishment– 1907
Managing Director & CEO– Padmaja Chunduru
Headquarters– Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Tagline– Your Own Bank
Amalgamated Bank– Allahabad Bank

EXIM Bank to provide LoC of USD 100 Million to MauritiusThe Export and Import bank (EXIM) of India will provide Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 100 Million(~ INR 742.6 Crore) to the Government of Mauritius for procurement of Defense items.

• Under the agreement, the Mauritius Government shall buy goods, works and services of value of at least 75% from any seller in India, the remaining can be procured from Outside India.
• The agreement under the LoC is effective from July 22, 2021.
• With the signing of this loan agreement, EXIM bank till date has extended 6 LoCs to the Mauritius Government of total value USD 764.80 mn

About Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank)
Established– 1982
Regulated by – Reserve Bank of India
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Managing Director– David Rasquinha
About Mauritius
Prime Minister – Pravind Jugnauth
Capital – Port Louis
Currency – Mauritian Rupee

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Indiaspora Released First of its Kind 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List

Indiaspora, a US-based diaspora body has released the “2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy leaders list”, a first of its kind list that recognises Indian and diaspora leaders across the globe, who have made contributions to significant philanthropic activities.

• The list, prepared with the guidance of nine jurors, draws data from various sources like studies, earlier verified lists, and publicly shared documents.
• The list features 100 business tycoons and industrialists which includes Gautam Adani, Nita Ambani and Kumar Mangalam Birla from India, Monte Ahuja, Ajay Banga and Manoj Bhargava from the United States, Soham Ajmera, Bob Dhillon and Aditya Jha from Canada and Mohamed Amersi, ManojBadale and Kuljinder Bahia from the United Kingdom.        

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Royal Enfield CEO Vinod Dasari Resigns; B Govindarajan take over as Executive Director

Vinod K. Dasari, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Royal Enfield has resigned from his post with effect from 13th August 2021. He will also step down from the post of Whole Time Director of Eicher Motors Limited.
Royal Enfield is a subsidiary of Eicher Motors Ltd, an Indian multinational automotive company.
About Vinod K Dasari:
i.Vinod K Dasari has been serving as the CEO of Royal Enfield since April 2019.
Prior to his appointment as CEO of Royal Enfield.
ii.He has served as the CEO and Managing Director of Ashok Leyland since 2011. He joined Ashok Leyland as CEO in 2005.
B Govindarajan Appointed as Executive Director of Royal Enfield 
B Govindarajan, the Chief Operating Officer(COO) of Royal Enfield has been appointed as the Executive Director of Royal Enfield for a period of 5 years with effect from 18th August 2021. 

• He was also inducted as a whole-time Additional Director on the board of Eicher Motors Limited

About B Govindarajan:
i.BGovindarajan is currently serving as the COO of Royal Enfield. He joined Royal Enfield as Senior Vice President in June 2011.
ii.He has also served at various senior positions in Commercial vehicles, Railway component business and the Renewable energy sector.
About Eicher Motors Ltd:
Eicher Motors Limited is the flagship company of the Eicher Group in India
Managing Director– Siddhartha Lal
Headquarters– New Delhi
Incorporated in 1982 

         ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Government to sell 25% stake NSC through IPOThe Government of India is set to sell around a 25% stake in National Seeds Corporation Limited (NSC) through an initial public offering (IPO). National Seeds Corporation (NSC) is a Public sector undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare(MoA&FW).

• The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), Under the Minister of Finance, has invited bids from merchant bankers and legal advisors to work on this IPO and the subsequent stock exchange listing of NSC.

Disinvestment target: 
i.In February 2021, The Budget proposals for 2021-22 had set a disinvestment target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore for 2021-22 (April-March).
ii.The government has raised Rs 8,368 crore by selling stakes in Axis Bank, NMDC Ltd and Housing and Urban Development Corp (HUDCO).
About National Seeds Corporation (NSC):
NSC is under the administrative control of the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
It is wholly owned by the Government of India.
Chairman & Managing Director– Vinod Kumar Gaur
Headquarters– New Delhi
Established in March 1963        

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Pakistan test-fires Nuclear capable Ballistic Missile ‘Ghaznavi’Pakistan successfully test-fired the Nuclear capable Surface to Surface Ballistic Missile Ghaznavi (Hatf-III). It has a  range of upto 290 Km.

• It is designed and developed by National Development Complex (NDC)
• The missile is equipped with a proper terminal guidance system and will enhance the operational readiness of Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC) and revalidating technical parameters of the Weapon system.
• Other Medium Range Ballistic Missiles of Pakistan are Ghauri & Shaheen.

About Pakistan
Prime Minister – Imran Khan
Currency – Pakistani Rupee
Capital – Islamabad
>>Read Full News

ISRO’s GSLV F-10 rocket fails to put EOS-03 Satellite into OrbitIndian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Largest Launch Vehicle Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) F-10 rocket failed to put Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-03) satellite (also known as GISAT-1) into the Geo-synchronous orbit. It was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

• The mission failed due to a technical anomaly in the cryogenic upper stage ignition.
• The mission is the 1st flight of GSLV with Ogive Payload fairing which can accommodate larger payloads.

ISRO to launch Bhutan’s INS-2B satellite into space by December 2021
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) targets to launch Bhutan’s INS-2B satellite into space by December, 2021. It will be a joint collaboration between India and Bhutan

• The satellite will be used to map Bhutan’s natural resources and for disaster management.

About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Chairman– Dr. K Sivan
Headquarter– Bengaluru, Karnataka
>>Read Full News

Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter Detects Presence of Water Molecules on Moon

The Imaging Infrared Spectrometer (IIRS) instrument on the Chandrayaan-2 lunar orbiter has detected the presence of both Hydroxyl ions (OH) and Water Molecules (H2O) on the surface of the moon.

• The findings will be crucial for future planetary exploration for resource utilisation and have been published in the journal ‘Current Science’.
• It is authored by Former ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar.
• ISRO’s Chandrayaan-2 mission was launched in 2019.

ENVIRONMENT

Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav Released Elephant & Tiger Population Estimation ProtocolBhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, released the Elephant & Tiger Population Estimation Protocol on the occasion of the World Elephant Day 2021 (12th August), which was celebrated at Indira ParyavaranBhawan, New Delhi.

• This protocol is to be adopted in the All India elephant and tiger population estimation exercise in 2022.
• For the first time, The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is converging Elephant and Tiger population estimation exercise.

Release of 4th Edition of Trumpet:
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, along with Minister of State of MoEFCCAshwini Kumar Choubey released the 4th edition of the quarterly newsletter “Trumpet”.

• It is published by Project Elephant Division, under the MoEFCC and Elephant Cell, Wildlife Institute of India(WII), An Autonomous Institution of the MoEFCC.

About Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC):
Union Minister– Bhupender Yadav (Rajya Sabha- Rajasthan)
Minister of State– Ashwini Kumar Choubey(Constituency- Buxar, Bihar)
>>Read Full News

SPORTS

Kolkata to host 130th Edition of Durand Cup in September 2021The 130th Edition of Durand Cup, an annual Domestic Football League in India, will be held in Kolkata, West Bengal (from September 5th to October 3rd of 2021). The 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.

• The month-long tournament will feature 16 teams playing against each other, including 4 defense teams.
• In 2019, Gokulam Kerala FC who won the cup in 2019 are the defending Champions.

About Durand Cup
i.It was started in 1888 at Dagshai, Himachal Pradesh.
ii.Durand cup is the World’s 3 Oldest & Asia’s Oldest Football tournament. It is hosted by Durand Football Tournament Society (DFTS),  which is led by India’s Armed Service Chiefs .
iii.The tournament is named after its Founder, Sir Mortimer Durand, who served as the then Foreign Secretary of British India from 1884 to 1894.
iv.Kolkata based clubs East Bengal and ATK Mohun Bagan have won Durand Cup 16 times each.
v.The winning team is presented with cash prize of INR 40 lakh and 3 trophies

• The Durand cup (the original tournament trophy which became rolling since 1965)
• The President’s cup (1st presented by Dr. Rajendra Prasad-1st President of India)
• The Shimla Trophy (1st presented by people of Shimla in 1903)

About All India Football Federation
President – Praful Patel
Headquarters – New Delhi

Cricket: ICC’s Latest Test Players Rankings

According to the latest Test Players Rankings released by International Cricket Council (ICC), Indian Bowler JaspritBumrah has been ranked in the 9th Position in the bowler’s rankings, while Indian Captain ViratKohli slipped to 5th Position in the rankings for Batsmen.

• ShikharDhawan became the 4th fastest Batsman to reach 6000 runs in One Day Internationals.  He is the 10th Indian Batsman to achieve the feat.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

“The Earthspinner” a new novel authored by Anuradha RoyIndian novelist Anuradha Roy has authored a new novel titled “The Earthspinner”, a story about the changing ways of loving and living in the modern world.
The book will be published by Mountain Leopard Press London and Hachette India which will publish the book in September 2021.
About the book:
i.The book moving between India and England reflects the encounters of East and West.
ii.It narrates the story about 2 people who struggle to free themself from the constraints such as community, religion, state harassment.
About Anuradha Roy:
Anuradha Roy from Ranikhet, Uttarakhand works as a graphic designer at  Permanent Black, an independent press.
Along with her husband RukunAdvani, she founded the Indian publishing house, Permanent Black in 2000.
Her books were translated into more than 15 languages.
Books and honours:
i.Her first book was “An Atlas of Impossible Longing”. 
ii.She won the DSC Prize for Fiction 2016  for her book “Sleeping on Jupiter”. 
iii.She was honoured with the NilimaraniSahityaSamman for her outstanding contribution to Indian literature in 2020.
iv.She has won the Economist Crossword Prize 2011 for “The Folded Earth”. 
v.Her novel “All the Lives We Never Lived” was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award and many other awards.

Film Historian RochonaMajumdar Authored New Book “Art Cinema And India’s Forgotten Futures”

Film historian RochonaMajumdar’s new book titled “Art Cinema And India’s Forgotten Futures: Film And History in the Postcolony” is set to release in September 2021.

• The book published by Columbia University Press examines the major works of Indian art cinema and their impacts on the most influential insights of postcolonial thought.
• The book analyses films by various legendary filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and RitwikGhatak, as a unique reading of the historical situations of India between 1960 and 1970.

Books by RochonaMajumdar include, “Marriage and Modernity: Family Values in Colonial Bengal” (2009) and “Writing Postcolonial History” (2010).

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Organ Donation Day 2021 – August 13World Organ Donation Day is annually observed across the globe on 13th August to create awareness about the importance of organ donation and to encourage organ donation among the general public.
Organ donation is a process of surgically removing an organ or tissue from a person(donor) and placing it into another person(recipient).
Note:
India observes the annual National Organ Donation day on 27th November. 
The national organ donation day is organised by the National Organ & Tissue Transplantation Organisation(NOTTO), under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
History of Transplantation:
i.The world’s first-ever organ transplantation(kidney transplantation) operation was conducted on 23rd December 1954.
ii.Dr Joseph Murray, the lead surgeon of the operation won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990.
>>Read Full News

International Left-Handers Day 2021 – August 13 The International Left-Handers Day is annually observed across the globe on 13th August to celebrate the sinistralityor left-handedness, the quality of having a more efficient left hand and create awareness about the advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed.
The day also addresses the needs of left-handed children and the likelihood of left-handers developing schizophrenia.
The 13th August 2021 marks the 30th annual Left-Handers Day.
Sinister: 
The word Sinister is derived from the Latin word which means “on the left side”. 
Background:
i.The International Left-Handers Day was first observed in 1976 by Dean R. Campbell, founder of Lefthanders International, Inc.
ii.On 13th August 1992, the Left-Handers Club launched International Left-Handers Day, as an annual event for the lefthanders across the globe to celebrate their sinistrality.
>>Read Full News

STATE NEWS

Rajasthan launched Interest Free Loan Scheme-Indira Gandhi Urban Credit Card Scheme 2021The state government of Rajasthan has introduced Indira Gandhi Urban Credit Card Scheme 2021 to provide interest-free loan up to Rs 50,000 as a financial support to 5 lakh beneficiaries, thereby, creating self employment opportunities in the urban areas of the state.

• This scheme is in lines with the budget announcement made by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
• The scheme will be applicable for one year and loans can be sanctioned till March 31, 2022. The loan moratorium period will be three months and loan repayment period will be 12 months.

 
Beneficiaries:
The scheme is aimed at financially supporting and encouraging street vendors, people in the age group of 18-40 years providing services in informal sector such as hairdressers, rickshaw pullers, potters, carpenters, cobblers, masons, tailors, painters, plumbers, electricians etc. for self employment.

• It also includes unemployed persons of urban areas hit by Covid-19-induced financial crisis.

Key Points:
i.Those having monthly income of Rs 15,000 or family income Rs 50,000 per month will not be eligible for the scheme.
ii.Loans will be given on the first come first serve basis. They will get an interest free loan without guarantee in one year.
iii.The beneficiaries will be identified at the district level on the basis of certificates issued to the vendors by the urban local bodies.
iv.Scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks, small finance banks, cooperative banks, and non-banking finance companies will be the lending institutions under the scheme.
About Rajasthan:
Governor– Kalraj Mishra
National Parks– Desert National Park, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, and Ranthambore National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary, Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary, and Phulwari ki nal Sanctuary

*******

Click Here View – AC Excluded News 2021

Current Affairs Today (AffairsCloud Today)