Current Affairs 25 August 2022

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest  Current Affairs 25 August  2022, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2022 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.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Transgender People to Receive Composite Healthcare Services Under AB-PMJAY

The National Health Authority (NHA), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deliver an inclusive and comprehensive health package for transgender people under the Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

• The MoU was signed by Dr R S Sharma,CEO, NHA and R. Subramanyam, Secretary, DoSJE at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, Delhi in the presence of Union Ministers Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, MoHFW, and Dr. Virendra Kumar, MoSJE.
• This initiative, the first of its kind in India, will provide Transgender Persons rightful and respectable place in society.

Key Features of the MoU:
i. This MOU lays the foundation for a transformative social change that will provide specific healthcare benefits to the transgender community under AB-PMJAY in addition to ensuring equality for the disadvantaged community.
ii.According to the MoU, transgender people in India who possess a transgender certificate from the National Portal for Transgender Persons will be eligible for all healthcare benefits.
iii. The MoSJE will annually fund a Rs. 5 lakh insurance policy for each transgender beneficiary.
iv.A comprehensive package master is being developed for the transgender category, which will include the existing AB-PMJAY packages as well as transgender-specific packages (Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) and treatment).

• They would be able to get treatment in any of the AB-PMJAY empanelled hospitals across India that offer special packages.

v.The scheme would apply to all transgender people who do not currently get benefits from existing centre/state sponsored schemes.
vi.Under this medical health package, a special “Ayushman Bharat TG Plus” card is being provided for the transgender society by linking the SMILE(Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme with the “Ayushman Bharat Scheme” of the MoHFW, under which more than 50 health facilities are being provided.

• Under this card, provisions have been made for cosmetic surgery. India will be the world’s 1st country to provide free-of-cost facilities like cosmetic surgery to the transgender community under a government scheme.

Measures Taken by The GoI
i. The Government of India (GoI) is dedicated to Antyodaya, a concept whereby the last recipient of a service receives the rewards of a government’s policies and actions.
ii.The MoSJE has taken various measures in this regard for the transgender community, including “The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019,” GarimaGreh, and PM Daksh.

• It covers five assurances: Access to education, Life with dignity, Health support, Opportunities for livelihood and Skill Enhancement.

Union Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal Issues Report On “Restructuring of the Department of Commerce”

Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), has released the “Department of Commerce Restructuring Dossier” at Vanijya Bhawan in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The Department of Commerce, MoCI, is being restructured in an effort to prepare India to become a leading global player in world trade and to attain a USD 2 trillion export target by 2030.

The Report: Department of Commerce Restructuring Dossier
i. The 14-volume report describes the duties of each departmental unit as well as the expected outcomes and key performance indicators.
ii.These manuals would assist the organisation operate efficiently by enabling all key stakeholders to comprehend their roles inside the restructured department.
Significance of The Restructuring of the Department of Commerce
i. The restructuring of the departments of commerce has been done in accordance with Mission Karmayogi, which has been initiated with the aim of upgrading the skills of officials in Government Departments and Ministries.

• This will empower the department to incorporate worldwide best practices and prepare for enhanced multilateral and bilateral involvement with other countries.

ii.The restructuring is based on 5 main pillars: Increasing India’s share in global trade; Assume leadership role in multilateral organizations; Democratization of trade; Creating 100 Indian Brands as Global Champions & Setting up Economic Zones in India to strengthen the manufacturing base and attract greater investments to India.
iii. The restructuring exercise has resulted in the following ideas: A dedicated ‘Trade Promotion Body’ to drive formulation & execution of promotion strategy; Digitization of trade facilitation processes; Rehauling of the data & analytics ecosystem and Capacity building of Indian Trade Service to drive specialization & institutional memory.
iv.The emphasis on exports has been one of the most distinctive elements of the government’s efforts to transform India into a developed nation by 2047, a vision outlined by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in his 2022 Independence Day address.
v.On account of restructuring, the workforce of MoCI will not be reduced, but it may increase.
Note: The PM has encouraged all international missions to focus on the three Ts: Trade, Technology and Tourism.

Edelweiss General Insurance Partners with MoHFW for Digital Health IDs

Edelweiss General Insurance(EGI) has partnered with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to help create digital health IDs under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission for all in India.

• The National Health Authority (NHA) is the apex body responsible for implementing this program under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

Highlights:
i.Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) is the first step towards creating digital health records which is currently optional.

• Digital Health ID or ABHA number is a 14-digit number that helps users to share and access their health records digitally with registered healthcare providers and this unique ABHA number can be generated through Edelweiss website.

ii.This program empowers users to access medical diagnosis, treatment and also financing from verified healthcare providers from across India.

MoU was signed between Ministry of Ayush & MeitY for Ayush Grid ProjectThe Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ayush) (MOA), to provide technical support to the Ministry of Ayush for digitalization of Ayush Sector under the Ayush Grid Project for a period of 3 years.

Highlights of the MoU:
i.The MoU signed now is a continuation of the MoU signed in 2019.
ii.The technical support required for the Ayush Grid Project will get extended by MeitY.
iii. The advisory inputs on the Ayush Grid project was chaired and co-chaired by a High-Level Advisory Committee (HLAC) and Secretary MeitY respectively.
Signatories:
i.On behalf of both ministries, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, secretary, Ayush, and Alkesh Kumar Sharma, secretary MeitY signed the MoU.
Ayush Grid Project:
i.The Ministry of Ayush launched the Ayush Grid Project in the year 2018 in order to create a backbone for the IT sector.
ii.Ayush Ministry had developed a thought-provoking ‘Ayush Grid’ Project as part of the Digital India Program. It holds the ‘Information and Technology’ to transform operational efficiency.
iii. The ‘Ayush Grid’ initiative under the digital India program is to provide the information and technology to transform operational effectiveness, boost service delivery, and enhance the quality of service.
About Ministry of Ayush:
Union Ministry– Sarbananda Sonowal (Rajya Sabha Assam)
Ministry of State – Dr. Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai (Surendranagar, Gujarat)

Delhi airport launches beta version of DigiYatra app for Android platform

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) launched the beta version of the DigiYatra app for Android. DIAL  is among the first few airports to introduce this system in India.

• It  installed the  facility at Terminal 3 of Delhi Airport and conducted its trials.
• The new version will make the boarding process faster and more seamless. The customer’s face would act as their documents, like ID proof, Vaccine proof and also act as a boarding pass.
• It will  ensure enhanced security at the airport as the passenger data is validated with the Airlines Departure Control System, thereby only designated passengers can only enter the terminal.

i.‘DigiYatra’ is a Biometric Enabled Seamless Travel experience (BEST) based on Facial Recognition Technology.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

India contributes Rs 3 Crore to Voluntary Trust Funds for support United Nations Human RightIndia’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations(UN), Geneva (Switzerland) revealed that it contributed  USD 400,000 (over Rs 3 crore) to four Voluntary Trust Funds.

• India contributed to 4 Voluntary Trust Funds as a part of its commitment to global promotion and protection of human rights and support for United Nations Human Rights.

The four Trust Funds to which contribution was made-

• Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture,
• Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation,
• Voluntary Fund for financial and technical assistance for the implementation of Universal Periodic Review,
• Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to support the participation of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDs) in the work of the council.

About Voluntary Trust Funds
i.The Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture provides direct assistance to victims of torture and their families.

• Established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1981 to draw attention to the concerns of torture victims on a global scale.

ii.The Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation in the Field of Human Rights was founded by the UN Secretary-General in 1987.

• It is supported by voluntary donations and offers technical assistance to nations upon request from their governments.

iii.The Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance in the implementation of the universal periodic review was established in 2007 by Human Rights Council resolution 6/17, which was further enhanced by resolution 16/21 in 2011.
iv.The Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund was established in 2012 by Human Rights Council resolution 19/26 to encourage the involvement of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Council activities.

• It is supported by voluntary donations from UN member states.
• It aims to make sure that LDCs and SIDS, particularly those without a permanent representation in Geneva, may take part in and contribute to the Council’s work.

Related information:
India also contributes USD 800,00 (over Rs 6 crore)to promote use of Hindi language at UN.

• To  support this initiative, the “Hindi @ UN” project was started in 2018 in partnership with the UN Department of Public Informatio.

About United Nations (UN):
Founded- 1945
Headquarters- New York, United States
Secretary General-Antonio Guterres

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI becomes Net Seller in June 2022 by selling 3.719 billion US dollar: RBI bulletin August 2022i.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the August 2022 issue of its monthly Bulletin stating that the apex bank turned net seller of the United States (US) currency in June 2022 after it sold USD 3.719 billion on a net basis.
ii.In June 2022, RBI purchased USD 18.96 billion from the spot market and sold USD 22.679 billion.
iii.As per the August bulletin, inflation has peaked in April 2022, and the momentum is expected to come down as per projection.
iv.Rajasthan accounted for the highest share in the total cost of projects sanctioned by banks and financial institutions in 2021-22, retaining the top place for two consecutive years. It was followed by Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Establishment– 1st April 1935
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
>> Read Full News

BASIX Partners with Mastercard to Digitise Maharashtra’s Rural EcosystemBASIX Social Enterprise Group launched BASIX Farmers’ Market (BFM), an agritech platform, in partnership with Mastercard.
Key highlights:
i.The launch of BFM is an extension of Mastercard Farm Pass, a rural and agriculture digitization solution that serves more than 3.5 lakh farmers across five states in India including 1 million farmers globally.

• It also promotes 200 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPO) under SMART Project in partnership with the Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission.
• FPOs and farmer groups can register themselves on the BFM platform for free and sell their produce.

ii.This currently caters to farmers across the Nagpur, Akola, Bhuldana, Wardha, and Amravati districts in Maharashtra and also reaches environments with inconsistent connectivity.
About BASIX Farmers’ Market (BFM):
i.BFM is a digital ecosystem platform that works offline to connect buyers, FPOs and other agriculture ecosystem players with farmers, and enable them to sell their products.
ii.This serves as an opportunity for banks, financial institutions, FPOs, and NGOs to create a white labelled commercially sustainable agri-ecosystem by digitising the value chains.
Note – Sub-K, a BASIX promoted fintech, has already been introduced that carries on fintech innovations in the financial inclusion space.
About Mastercard:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Michael Miebach
Establishment – 1966
Headquarters – New York, United States (US)

KreditBee Partners With Cashfree Payments to Offer Online Checkout Finance

KreditBee, one of India’s leading fintech platforms partnered with Cashfree Payments, an API banking solutions company to offer cardless Equated Monthly Instalment (EMI)  options for its non-credit card holders.
Key highlights: 
i.The checkout finance loans range from INR 2,400 to INR 2 lakhs with a tenure of 3-18 months.
ii.Through this partnership, KreditBee will leverage Cashfree Payment’s Payment Gateway that helps to convert online purchases to all eligible customers into EMIs at the time of checkout with KreditBee app.
About KreditBee:
Co-founder & CEO – Madhusudan Ekambaram
Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka

Universal Sompo General Insurance Partners with Repco Home Finance to Insure LoansUniversal Sompo General Insurance Company Limited, a non-life Insurer partnered with Chennai-based Repco Home Finance Limited (RHFL) to offer insurance against home loans.

• Under this partnership, affordable insurance solutions will also be provided by Universal Sompo General Insurance like Group Credit Protection, Long-Term Fire and Personal Accident policies to Repco’s customers.

Key highlights:
i.Objective – To offer simple and value-added products to Repco’s customers along with best insurance solutions through seamless and innovative digitised initiatives.
ii.This partnership offers customised general insurance products to the customers of over 155 branches and 24 satellite centres of Repco Home Finance in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Puducherry.
About Repco Home Finance Limited (RHFL):
MD & CEO – K Swaminathan
Establishment – 2000
Headquarters – Chennai, Tamil Nadu

PNB launched a pre-qualified credit card & overdraft facility against FD

State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) launched a new pre-qualified credit card along with overdraft facility against Fixed Deposit (FD) on 22nd August, 2022.
Customers can benefit from the offering of the Loans Against Deposits (LAD) facility on offline deposits of the bank with a few clicks and a single OTP.

• The overdraft facility will be available for the customer’s salary account and they can apply through the mobile banking app PNB One or any other bank’s website.
• Applying for a loan through digital platforms helps in getting a concession of 0.25%.

Note: The above service offered by the bank under two platforms- RuPay and Visa.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

India’s GDP growth in Q1FY23: ICRA projects 13%, SBI Ecowrap projected 15.7%Gurugram (Haryana)-based rating agency ICRA Limited has projected India’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth to increase a four-quarter high 13% in Q1 (April-June) FY23 due to low base of Covid 2.0 and robust recovery in contact-intensive services.

• The GDP projection was 4.1% in Q4 FY22.
• However, ICRA’s Q1FY23 is lower than the projection of Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) projection of 16.2%.
• ICRA expects GDP growth in Q2 (July-September) FY2023 in the range of 6.5-7%, exceeding the MPC’s forecast of 6.2%.

Key Points
i.The Gross Value Added (GVA) growth is expected to rise to 12.6% from 3.9% in
Q4FY22.
ii.The growth in Q1 FY23 to be driven by the services sector (17-195; 5.5% in Q4 FY2022), followed by industry (9-11%; 1.3%).
iii.On the other hand, the GVA growth in agriculture, forestry and fishing is projected to decline to around 1 per cent in Q1 FY23 from 4.1% in Q4 FY22, on account of the heat wave in several parts of the country,
GDP growth in Q1FY2023 expected at 15.7%: SBI Ecowrap
As per the State Bank of India (SBI) Ecowrap, India’s GDP growth in Q1 (April-June) FY2023 is expected at 15.7%. It is released by SBI’s Economic Research Department (ERD).
Key Points:
i.SBI’s Composite Leading Indicator (CLI) Index (a basket of 41 leading indicators) based on monthly data has shown a significant acceleration.
ii.Of the 41 high frequency leading indicators, 89% showed an acceleration in Q1FY23 compared to 75% acceleration in Q1FY22, indicating that the growth momentum in Q1FY23 was strong and broad-based.
iii.In Q2FY23, leading indicators have continued to accelerate.
iv.The private final consumption expenditure in real terms had declined by Rs 4.77 lakh crore in Q1FY21 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, recovered by 46% in Q1FY22.
v.ERD expects direct investment of around $45 billion, other investment of $30 billion and FII inflows of $15 billion, thereby, leading to an overall balance of payments deficit of $40-45 billion.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS      

HUFT has announced Kriti Sanon to be their first brand ambassador

On 22nd August, 2022 Pet-care brand Heads Up For Tails (HUFT) has announced the bollywood actor Kriti Sanon, who is an animal lover, as their first brand ambassador.

• HUFT aims to help remove hunger and provide health, safety, and shelter for street animals.
• Sanon committed to the foundation as a support to the mission focused by HUFT. She was also a HUFT customer for many years which made the foundation to pick her as its brand ambassador.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS    

Adani Group firms to acquire 29.18% stake in NDTV; launched open offer for another 26% stake

The Adani group’s AMG Media Network Limited (AMNL) announced that it will indirectly acquire a 29.18% stake in New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) through the conversion of loans into an equity stake in NDTV.
The NDTV owns three national news channels — NDTV 24×7, NDTV India and NDTV Profit

• It will also launch an Open Offer to acquire 26% stake for Rs 493 crore to get a majority stake in NDTV.
• In 2008-09, the Adani Group provided a loan of Rs 250 crore to NDTV  and the Adani group firm now exercised the option to convert that debt into a 29.18% stake in NDTV.

Highlights:
i.The AMNL’s wholly-owned subsidiary Vishvapradhan Commercial Private Limited (VCPL) holds warrants of RRPR Holding Pvt Ltd (RRPR) entitling it to convert them into a 99.9 %  stake in RRPR. VCPL has exercised warrants to acquire 99.5 % in RRPR.

• RRPR is a promoter group company of NDTV and holds a 29.18 % stake in NDTV

ii.VCPL along with Adani Media Networks Ltd and Adani Enterprises Ltd has made the open offer at a price of Rs 294 each for the acquisition of up to 1,67,62,530 fully paid-up equity shares of NDTV.
iii.In 2021, Adani Media Ventures Ltd (AMVL) also acquired the digital business news platform Quintillion Business Media Pvt Ltd (QBM).
About offer acquiring  26% stake:
i.Adani group will  acquire an additional 26% or 1.67 crore equity shares for up to Rs 493 crore.
ii.Three Adani group firms – Vishvapradhan Commercial Pvt Ltd (VCPL) along with AMG Media Networks and Adani Enterprises Ltd  came out with a public announcement for the offer under the SEBI (Security and Exchange Board of India) norms.
About Adani Group:
Headquarters- Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Founded-1988
Chairman- Gautam Adani
Managing Director- Rajesh Adani

Norwegian CIF to acquire 49% stake in 420 MW solar power plant in Rajasthan

The Norwegian Climate Investment Fund (CIF), managed by Norfund and KLP, signed an agreement to acquire a 49%  stake in a 420 MW (Megawatt) solar energy plant named Thar Surya 1 in Rajasthan. Norfund and KLP together will take a 49%  for approximately Rs 280 crore.

• The 420-MWDC (300-MWAC) solar energy was developed by the Italian gas and power utility company, Enel Green Power.

Highlights:
i.Norway and India are partners in the global energy transition through the CIF.

• Norfund is Norway’s financial institution and KLP is Norway’s largest pension fund.

ii.The CIF will allocate 10 billion NOK (Norwegian krone) i.e approximately 1 billion USD over the next five years, with India being a priority market.
iii.The project will help in cutting down more than 615,000 tonnes of Carbon emissions per year and also generate more than 750 GWh (Gigawatt hours)of energy every year.
iv.According to a report by BloombergNEF (BNEF), India needs 233 billion USD in investment to meet its goals for the development of wind and solar energy by 2030.
Other agreements:

• Norway & India signed various Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) with focus on green hydrogen, green ammonia, renewable energy
• Both the countries will cooperate in the energy sector to provide sustainable and climate resilient support.    

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DRDO & Indian Navy successfully flight-test VL-SRSAM in Odisha coast

On August 23, 2022, the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), and Indian Navy successfully flight tested Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha

• The test was carried out from an Indian Naval Ship (INS) against a high-speed unmanned aerial target.
• The missiles, equipped with indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker, intercepted the target with high accuracy.
• VL-SRSAM is based on Astra Mark 1 air-to-air missile and it has been designed to strike high-speed airborne targets at the range of 40 to 50 km and at an altitude of around 15 km.

Key Points:
i.This was the 4th test for VL-SRSAM. The first test for the same was carried out February 2021 while the last one (3rd) was carried in June 2022.
ii.Designed and developed by DRDO, VL-SRSAM, a ship-borne weapon system neutralizes various aerial threats at close ranges, including sea-skimming targets
iii.During the test launch, flight path and vehicle performance parameters were monitored using flight data, captured by various Range instruments such as Radar, Electro-optical tracking system (EOTS) and Telemetry systems deployed by ITR, Chandipur.
iv.The launch was monitored by senior scientists from various DRDO labs involved in the design and development of the system such as Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad and R&D Engineers, Pune.

Bharat Biotech finalised the trials for India’s first new intranasal vaccine for COVID-19 

India’ first Adenoviral Intranasal Covid Vaccine BBV154 has proven to be safe by Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) for COVID-19. It had completed clinical development for phase III trials.

• Preliminary dose and a mix-and-match booster was tested by the Intranasal vaccine on licensed Covid vaccines.
• Trials were conducted in 14 trial sites across India and it conducted two separate and simultaneous clinical trials to value its BBV154 as a primary dose.

Note – BA.5 is one of the latest sub variants of the original Omicron lineage.

STATE NEWS

Tamil Nadu Launches Footwear & Leather Products Policy 2022; Signs Five MoUs Worth Rs. 2,250 Crore

Tamil Nadu (TN) Chief Minister (CM) M.K. Stalin launched the Footwear & Leather Products Policy 2022 of TN at the Tamil Nadu Footwear and Leather Sector Conclave 2022 with the aim of making the state a preferred destination for the manufacturing of footwear and leather goods in Asia.

• The conclave was organized by Guidance Tamil Nadu, a TN government investment promotion agency.

The policy will include a special package for the manufacture of Footwear and Leather Products (FLP) as well as incentives for FLP Design Studios.
Potential of TN in the Footwear and Leather Sector: A Global Footwear Brands Hub
i. TN is a national and global footwear industry leader, which accounts for 48% of India’s exports and 26% of the country’s footwear production. TN is the second largest economy in India.
ii.The state either manufactures international brands or provides a sourcing location for raw materials.The International brands include: Louis Vuitton, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Clarks, Cole Haan, Daniel Hechter, Bugatti, Prada, Zara, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, Hush Puppies, Ecco, Johnston & Murphy, Hugo Boss, Pierre Cardin, and Florsheim.
About Tamil Nadu:
Governor – Ravindra Narayana Ravi
Dance Forms – Kazhai Kothu; Bommalattam
>> Read Full News

Jharkhand & British High Commissioner sign MoU for Chevening MGJSM Scholarship Scheme

The government of Jharkhand signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Kingdom(UK) government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), British High Commission, New Delhi to award the Chevening Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda(MGJSM) Scholarship to five meritorious scholars belonging to the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward class and minorities in the Jharkhand.

• The scholarship aims to provide fully funded scholarships to students belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and minority communities of the state in premier universities of Great Britain from 2023-2024 academic session.
• This is the first MoU signed between FCDO and an Indian State.
• Chevening Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship is a hybrid version of FCDO’s Chevening Scholarship and the Jharkhand government’s Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship

Signatories:
The agreement was signed between Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India and Jharkhand’s department of Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, minority and Backward class welfare.
Key people:
Hemant Soren, Chief Minister (CM) of Jharkhand was present in the event.
About Chevening Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship:
i.The scholarship will allow students from ST, SC, OBC and minority communities to study abroad for pursuing higher education.

• The Chevening Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship will start in the UK (United Kingdom) academic year of 2023-24.
• The last day to apply for the scholarship is 1st November 2022.

ii.The scholarship will offer full financial support to pursue a one-year Master’s degree course in the UK.
iii.The Jharkhand government will bear the full tuition fees for the five selected student(s) subject to a maximum of 94,000 pounds per annum. The remaining costs, over 94,000 pounds will be borne by the FCDO.

• All payments under the MoU will be made as per the guidelines approved by the Union government.

About Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship:
i.In 2021, CM launched the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Scholarship Scheme. It is a state-funded scholarship.
ii.Under the scholarship only students from ST category, went abroad to pursue higher education in the first phase.

• In September 2021, six meritorious tribal students from Jharkhand were selected for the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda overseas scholarship.
• In 2022, the scholarships provided to 20 students.

About Jaipal Singh Munda:
i.Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda was the first tribal student to study overseas at Oxford University in England between 1922 and 1929.
ii.He also captained the Oxford Blues team in hockey along with his studies.
iii.He showcased his leadership quality in England, the UK and this is the reason why people today know him as Marang Gomke.

J&K Govt Launches Village Defence Guards Scheme 2022

The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government has launched the Village Defence Guards scheme(VDGS) 2022 after the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs which is effective from 15th August 2022.

• The aim of the VDGS is to organise a small group of volunteer armed civilians in identified villages along the borders as well as in in-depth areas of the Jammu division, with a view to instil a sense of self-protection and ensure the safety and security of such villages, infrastructural installations in and around them, and to check the trans-border movement.

About Village Defence Guards scheme:
i.The members of the Village Defence Group shall be designated as Village Defence Guard (VDG) in more vulnerable areas which will be headed by retired officers of the Army, CPMK or J&K Police.
ii.The persons appointed from V1 category shall be paid with remuneration of Rs. 4500 per month and other members of VDG from V2 category shall be paid a uniform rate Rs. 4000 per month.
iii.The VDG will have the responsibility of protecting community installations and infrastructure facilities within the defined areas of their village and would also conduct night and day patrolling in a systematic manner.

• VDGs will function under the direction of Superintendents of Police (SP) or Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP) of the concerned District.

Background:
i.Earlier, this scheme was known as Village Defence Committee (VDC) in which volunteers from villages were trained by the Indian Army and Police.

• Under this, the rifles were provided to VDC’s for protecting their villages from terrorist attacks and terror-related activities especially the vulnerable villages in mountainous areas of the Jammu region.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal launches mission to make ‘India No. 1’

On 23 August 2022, Delhi Chief Minister (CM) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal launched “Make India No1 Mission” and he also urged all citizens and political parties to join it.

• The mission aims to make India the number one country in the world

He also unveiled his 5-point vision – providing free education and healthcare to citizens, employment to youths, equal rights and dignity to women and fair price to farmers for their produce – which would make India a superpower.

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• List of Current Governors in India – AUGUST 2022
• List of Current Chief Ministers in India – AUGUST 2022

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