Current Affairs 20 August 2020

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 20 August 2020, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2020 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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Top 25 Current Affairs of 20 August 2020

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Vice Prez Venkaiah Naidu Virtually Announced ARIIA 2020 Results; IIT Madras Topped among Institutes of National Importance

i.On August 18, 2020, Vice-President of India, Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu has e-released the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020 from New Delhi. He was the chief of the virtual ceremony while Union Minister of Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Minister of State (MoS) for Education Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre were the Guest of Honour.
ii.The ranking were announced in six categories. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras topped the category of Institute of National Importance while Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Khordha (Odisha) topped the category of Private or Self-Financed Universities.
iii.For the first time, ARIIA 2020 had a special prize category for women only higher educational institutions.

<<Read Full News>>

‘Dhanwantari Rath’ to bring Ayurveda at Doorsteps of Delhi Police Families 

i.On 18th August, 2020 a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Delhi Police for extending ayurvedic mode of preventive and promotive health services in the residential colonies of the Delhi Police through mobile units named ‘Dhanwantari Rath’.
ii.The service ‘Dhanwantari Rath’ and Police Wellness Centres will be catered by AIIA, supported by the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH). 
About AYUSH:
Minister of State (Independent Charge) – Shripad Yesso Naik
Headquarters – New Delhi
<<Read Full News>>

Ravi Shankar Prasad Launched “Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge- Innovate Solutions for #Aatmanirbhar Bharat” to Support Startups

i.On 18th August 2020, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of Law & Justice, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology launched the “Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge- Innovate Solutions for #Aatmanirbhar Bharat” to provide a strong ecosystem of startups, innovation and research in India.
ii.Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge is a part of the series of Effective, advanced and standardized measures taken by the ministry of Electronics and IT to enhance the technology guided innovative ecosystem in India and to stay on top of digital adoption.
About Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology(MeitY):
Union Minister–  Ravi Shankar Prasad
Minister of State– Sanjay Dhotre
<<Read Full News>>

Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Rural Development Inked MoU to Take convergence endeavour ahead

i.On August 18, 2020, Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar addressed the State Rural Livelihoods Missions across the country through video conferencing. 
ii.During the occasion, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) signed an memorandum of understanding (MoU) to take the convergence endeavor (efforts of both ministries) ahead and support rural poor including tribal communities.
iii.Narendra Singh Tomar also released a book “Farm Livelihood Interventions under DAY-NRLM (Strategy, Convergence Framework, Models)”.
Static GK:
Minister of State (MoS) for Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA)- Renuka Singh Saruta
MoS for Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)- Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti
MoS for Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)- Rameswar Teli
<<Read Full News>>

AIFF signs MoU with IPSO to Conduct Online Scouting Workshops in India

On 18th August, 2020, All India Football Federation(AIFF) signed an Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with International Professional Scouting Organization (IPSO) to conduct online Scouting Workshops throughout India.
Workshop:
i.Under the agreement, IPSO will conduct online workshops which will provide a number of courses and webinars with regards to scouting in India.
ii.The workshop will be a starting point to become a scout or an analyst and will also help anyone to understand the foundations and protocols in talent identification, scouting & analysis.
iii.The first part of these workshops are scheduled to take place from September 7 to 11. It will be a two-hour session starting at 7 pm every day.
Recent Related News:
i.The Hero Indian Super League (ISL) joins the World Leagues Forum (WLF), the association of Professional football leagues. It is the first league from South Asia and seventh in Asia to join the WLF.
ii.On 13th July 2020, the 70 years old Legendary Hockey Player Ashok Kumar, key player of the 1975 World Cup winning Indian Hockey team was honoured with the Lifetime achievement award by the Kolkata based football club – Mohun Bagan Athletic Club on its foundation day over the virtual ceremony.
About AIFF:
President – Praful Patel
Headquarters – Delhi

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

ILO-ADB Report: 41 Lakh Youths Lost Their Jobs in India Due to COVID-19

i.On 18th August 2020, The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) released the joint report titled “Tackling the Covid-19 youth employment crisis in Asia and the Pacific”, which stated that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, around 41 lakh youths have lost their jobs in India.
ii.The report assesses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the youth employment in Asia and Pacific regions and recommends critical policy responses.
iii.The report is based on the regional assessment of the “Global Survey on Youth and COVID-19” and the available unemployment data in different countries.
About ADB:
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Metro Manila, Philippines
Motto– Committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable Asia & the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty.
About International Labor Organization (ILO):
Director-General– Guy Ryder
Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
<<Read Full News>>

BANKING & FINANCE

ADB Approved USD 1 billion loan for Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System, a 1st of its kind in India

i.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 1 billion (about Rs 7,485 crore) loan to construct the modern, high-speed 82-kilometer Delhi – Meerut, Uttar Pradesh Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) in India, a first of its kind in India. 
ii.The finance of the Delhi- Meerut RRTS project will be given in 4 tranches between August 2020 and May 2025. 
iii.The NCR Transport Corporation (NCRTC) will execute the project. 
About ADB
Headquarters– Mandaluyong, Philippines 
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Members- 68 countries
<<Read Full News>>

RBI Released Framework for Authorisation of Pan-India Umbrella Entity for Retail Payments 

i.On August 18, 2020, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the “Framework for authorisation of pan-India Umbrella Entity for Retail Payments” on the lines of the feedback received on the “draft framework for authorisation of a pan-India New Umbrella Entity for Retail Payment Systems” which was placed on Reserve Bank’s website on February 10, 2020 for public comments. 
ii.The entity will be incorporated under Companies Act, 2013 and may be a for-profit or a Section 8 Company. It will be authorized by RBI under Section 4 of the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007
iii.The minimum paid-up capital of the umbrella entity should be Rs 500 crore.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Formation– 1 April 1935
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, one is yet to be appointed).
<<Read Full News>>

RBI Released Draft Framework for Self-Regulatory Body for Payment System Operators

i.On August 18, 2020, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released a draft framework for grant of recognition to an industry association as a Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) for Payment System Operators (PSOs). This draft framework is released on the lines of an announcement in the Statement on Developmental and Regulatory policies issued as part of the Monetary Policy statement dated February 6, 2020. The framework is placed for public comments till September 15, 2020.
ii.Notably, SRO will serve as a watchdog to guard against unprofessional practices within an industry or profession.
iii.This decision has been taken because there is substantial growth in digital payments and an entity is required for orderly operations of the entities in the payment system.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Formation– 1 April 1935
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, one is yet to be appointed).
<<Read Full News>>

Bharti AXA Life Insurance Entered into Bancassurance Partnership with SBM Bank India

i.Bharti AXA Life Insurance has entered into a bancassurance partnership with SBM Bank (India) Limited (SBM Bank India). 
ii.Through this partnership, Bharti AXA Life Insurance will offer its entire suite of life insurance products, including protection, health, savings and investment plans, to the customers of SBM Private Wealth, the retail banking arm of SBM Bank India.
iii.It will benefit the people in the following cities-Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ramachandrapuram.
About SBM Bank India
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO)– Sidharth Rath
About Bharti AXA Life Insurance
HeadOffice- Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO– Parag Raja
<<Read Full News>>

Fino Payments Bank Ltd Launched ‘Jan Bachat Khata’, an Aadhaar Authentication Based Digital Savings Account

i.Fino Payments Bank Limited(Ltd) launched Jan Bachat Khata (JBK), an Aadhaar authentication based digital savings account for its customers. JBK will bring neo-banking experience to the consumers. 
ii.The primary target segment is low income household families and direct benefit transfer (DBT) beneficiaries.
iii.JBK is in line with the bank’s customer centric innovative offerings.
iv.The customers can open a JBK account only through  Aadhaar-based eKYC(Electronic-Know Your Customer) mode.
About Fino Payments Bank Limited:
Headquarters– Maharashtra 
MD & CEO– Rishi Gupta
<<Read Full News>>

Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd Collaborates with BSE EBIX  to sell General Insurance products 

i.Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd has collaborated with BSE EBIX  Insurance Broking Private Limited (BSE EBIX ) to sell General Insurance products in a fully digital environment using the distribution network of BSE EBIX. 
ii.The partnership was initiated with the issuance of the recently launched Corona Kavach cover of Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd through certified Point of Sales Persons (PoSPs) of BSE EBIX.
About Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd:
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO– Sharad Mathur
<<Read Full News>>

Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance Partnered with Element AI for AI Transformation 

Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance Company Limited has partnered with Element AI, a global developer of AI (Artificial Intelligence)-powered solutions and products, to develop, design and implement a strategic AI roadmap for the new age insurer and prioritise their investments into AI.

• The roadmap will ultimately support a detailed AI transformation plan.

Key Info
i.To serve the purpose, the Element AI Advisory and Enablement team will work closely with Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance.
ii.This work will use unique learnings and insights from Element AI to establish technical feasibility and identify AI use cases.
Significance of the partnership
The partnership will solve the challenges faced by insurers globally in meeting evolving customer expectations and optimizing processes efficiently.
About Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance Company Limited:
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer– Sumit Rai
About Element AI:
CEO & Founder– Jean-François (JF) Gagné
Headquarter – Montreal,Canada.

YES Bank in Partnership with KFin Technologies Launched ‘Loan against Securities’ to Provide Complete Digital loan Against Mutual Fund 

Yes Bank in partnership with KFin Technologies Private Limited has launched ‘Loan against Securities’, a unique digital solution that enables customers to lien mark their mutual funds digitally and avail quick and hassle-free loans. The digital solution is launched under YES BANK’s ‘Loan in Seconds’ platform, which allows the customers to set an instant credit limit against securities held.

• The partnership will enable customers to lien mark their mutual funds by authenticating two validations from the bank and two validations from the KFin technologies.

Key Info
By enhancing the robust technology and analytics of Yes Bank and with the help of algorithmic processes which offer customised solutions, real time online loan application processes will take place offering uninterrupted experience for customers. 
Features of ‘Loan against Securities’
No Documentation– It allows instant disbursements of loans with no documentation.
Loan Upto 1 crore– Customers can avail loan of up to Rs 1 crore against debt mutual funds and can set an instant credit limit against the securities held.
Interest charged– Interest is charged only for the loan amount which is utilized for the number of days of utilization.
Recent Related News:
i.Yes Bank launches a digital wallet solution(app)‘Yuva Pay’ in partnership with UDMA Technologies Pvt Ltd to enable contactless payments for its customers. The wallet is issued under minimum Know Your Client (KYC) regulations.
ii.Max Life Insurance and YES Bank have extended their 15 years strategic bancassurance partnership for fivemore years. In this regard, the both companies dedicated the current financial year i.e. FY 2020-21 as the “Year of the Customer”.
About Yes Bank:
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO– Prashant Kumar
Tagline– Experience our Expertise
About KFin Technologies 
Headquarters– Hyderabad, Telangana 
CEO– Sreekanth Nadella

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS    

St Christopher School in Nagaland won the first ever Pallikkutam National Award for Innovation in Education

St Christopher School in Chessore Village, Nagaland won the Gold Award along with cash prize of Rs.1 Lakh from the first ever Pallikkutam National Award for Innovation in Education instituted by Rajagiri Media. The awards were announced over a virtual meeting.

• The St Christopher School won the award for ensuring a seamless class for the students with the limited infrastructure and resources in the rural area.The Prize money for Gold  Award is Rs.1,00,000.
• The rural school provided a balanced online and offline activities for the students over the whatsapp.

About the Award:
i.The award was sponsored under the CSR initiative of the Federal Bank Ltd.
ii.The winners of the awards were chosen by an expert jury formed by the Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode (IIM-K).
Other Winners:
i.Silver Award (Rs.50,000) was presented to DAV Public School, Haryana for using simple and innovative approaches based on available applications like virtual Labs, MIT App Inventor, learning 3D design etc,. They also engaged students in activities like coding, astronomy, robotics and yoga.
ii.Bronze Award(Rs.25,000) was presented to CMI Christ School, Iritty, Kerala for their focus on physical activities like gardening, dancing, art etc,.
Special mention by jury:
i.Miles Bronson Residential School in Guwahati, Assam.
ii.Fountainhead Senior School in Surat, Gujarat.
iii.AEM UP School in Moorkanad, Kerala. 
iv.Delhi Public School in Kollam, Kerala.

Ganesh Vilas Lengare Awarded Star 2020 Certificate by World Book of Records, London

Solapur based activist Ganesh Vilas Lengare has been awarded Star 2020 E-citation Certification by World Book of Records, London. He has been awarded for his efforts to help the poor people during the lockdown caused by Coronavirus. 
i.Ganesh Vilas Lengare launched 21 schemes to assist the people. The Most notable work that he had done was the COVID-19 patient contact tracing, which was implemented with the help of Solapur district authorities. 
ii.Ganesh Vilas Lengare spread awareness about hygiene, wearing masks and social distancing by organising online contests and producing educational videos. 
iii.He provided masks and water bottles to migrant labourers who were returning to their hometown via Solapur-Pune Highway and arranged for free distribution of grocery and vegetables for the poor. 
iv.Ganesh Vilas Lengare spread the spirit of hope and positivity during the tough lockdown phase. 
About World Book of Records:
The organization was found in 2017 and honors personalities for their contribution towards humanity and universal peace. 

    APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS          

Luis Rodolfo Abinader sworn in as 54th President of Dominican Republic

Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona has been sworn in as the 54th President of Dominican Republic. Luis Rodolfo Abinader is a businessman who has never held any other elected office. He succeeds Danilo Medina of Liberation Party.
i.The 53-year old Luis Rodolfo Abinader was elected to the four-year term on July 5, which ended the 16-year run in power by the Center-Left Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). He finished second in the 2016 President election.
ii.Abinader’s Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) won the elections with 53% vote, while Gonzalo Castillo who was the candidate of the ruling PLD got 37.7%.
iii.The swearing-in ceremony was attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
About Dominican Republic:
Capital – Santo Domingo
Currency – Dominican Peso.

Ashok Lavasa Resigns as Election Commissioner

On August 18, 2020, Ashok Lavasa , one of the two Election Commissioners of India resigned from his post inorder to take charge as the Vice President of Asian Development Bank (ADB) next month. 
i.Lavasa still had over two years left in his term at the Election Commission of India and would have retired as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in October 2022.
ii.He assumed charge as Election Commissioner of India on 23rd January, 2018.
iii.Ashok Lavasa is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Haryana Cadre (Batch 1980) and has served several stints in various government departments such as Union Finance Secretary, Union Secretary Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change and Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Vice-President of Asian Development Bank (ADB):
On 15th July, 2020, ADB had appointed Ashok Lavasa as Vice-President for Private Sector Operations and Public-Private Partnerships on 15th July, 2020.He will succeed Diwakar Gupta, whose term will end on August 31.
Recent Related News:
i.On June 30, 2020 Ravinder Bhakar, a 1999 batch officer of Indian Railway Stores Service(IRSS), assumed charge as the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Central Board of Films Certification(CBFC).
ii.Karnam Sekar, The Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Indian Overseas Bank(IOB), retired on 30th June 2020.
About Election Commission of India:
The Election Commission of India is headed by One Chief Election Commissioner and Two Election Commissioners.
Chief Election Commissioner – Sunil Arora
Election Commissioner – Sushil Chandra
Election Commissioner – vacant

Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Resigns after Military Mutiny

On 19th August, 2020, Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita announced his resignation with immediate effect following a military mutiny in the Republic of Mali.
i.Ibrahim Boubacar Keita served as sixth President of Republic of Mali from 2013-2018 & was reelected in 2018 as the President. 
ii.Boubacar represents the Political Party Rally for Mali(RPM) and has served as the sixth Prime Minister of Mali from 1994-2000.
iii.The June 5-Rally of Patriotic Forces Movement (Mouvement du 5 juin Rassemblement des Forces Patriotiques or M5-RFP) has been heading the protests against Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, owing to discontent over refusal to raise wages of Teachers and Doctors and also due to corruption by Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. 
About Mali:
Capital – Bamako
Currency – West African CFA franc.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS     

Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd Acquired 60% stake in Vitalic Health Pvt Ltd & 100% direct ownership of Netmeds

Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has acquired 60% equity stake in Vitalic Health Pvt Ltd(Vitalic) and 100% direct equity ownership of its subsidiaries namely Tresara Health Private Limited, Netmeds MarketPlace Limited and Dadha Pharma Distribution Pvt Limited(collectively known as Netmeds)for a cash consideration of around Rs 620 crore(USD 83.08 million). The deal values Netmeds around Rs 1,000 crore.

• RRVL’s investment is aligned with its commitment to provide digital access to everyone in India

Advantages of Acquisition:
The acquisition of Netmeds will enhance the ability of RRVL to provide good quality and affordable health care products and services and also expands its digital commerce proposition to include most of the everyday essential needs of consumers
Key Info about Netmeds
i.Netmeds is a fully  licensed e-pharma portal that offers authenticated prescription and Over-The- Counter (OTC) medicine along with other health products in India.
ii.It offers a pan-India solution for the online purchase of prescription medications to over 20,000 pin codes.
iii.It is promoted by Dadha Pharma, a Chennai-based company.
About RRVL:
HeadOffice– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Executive Director–  V. Subramaniam
About Netmeds:
Headquarters– Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Founder & CEO– Pradeep Dadha 

   SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Railways Introduces Drone Based Surveillance System for Railway Security 

i.Indian Railways introduces Drone based surveillance technologies which has emerged as an important and cost effective tool for security surveillance over a large area with limited manpower.
ii.Central Railway’s Mumbai Division of the Indian Railways procured 2 Ninja Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAV) to increase the security and surveillance in the Railway premises like the station, tracks, yards and workshops.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Mountain Railways of India – Darjeeling Himalayan Railway , Nilgiri Mountain Railway
Museum: National Rail Museum and Metro Museum(Delhi), Joshi’s Museum of Miniature Railways(Pune), Howrah Railway Museum(Kolkata), Chennai Rail Museum(Chennai), Railway Museum(Mysuru) and Hubballi Railway Museum(Karnataka)
<<Read Full News>>

OBITUARY

Filmmaker-actor Nishikant Kamat Passes Away at the Age of 50

On 17th August, 2020 Filmmaker-actor Nishikant Kamat passed away at the age of 50 due to multiple organ failure at the AIG Hospitals, Hyderabad. He was suffering from Liver Cirrhosis for the last two years. 
i.Nishikant Kamat was born on 17th June, 1970 in Dadar, Mumbai, Maharashtra. 
ii.He won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi for Dombivali Fast in 2006.
iii.Kamat’s Directorial work includes films like Mumbai Meri Jaan (2008), Force (2011), Lai Bhaari (2014), Madaari (2016), Rocky Handsome (2016) and Drishyam(2015). 

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Michael Cohen’s Book “Disloyal: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump” is Set to Publish

Michael Cohen’s memoir about President Donald Trump titled “Disloyal: The True Story of the Former Personal Attorney to President Donald J. Trump” published by Skyhorse Publishing is set to release on 8th September 2020.

• Skyhorse describes “Disloyal” as a devastating business and political horror story of the century.
• On 13th August 2020, Cohen released the foreword of the book with the writing of his former boss.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Humanitarian Day 2020 – August 19

i.United Nations(UN) World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is annually observed on 19th August to pay tribute to honour all humanitarian workers and United Nations and associated personnel who dedicated their lives to help the people in extreme circumstances around the world and lost their lives in the cause of duty. 
ii.The First WHD was observed on 19th August 2009.
iii.The 19th August 2020 marks the 11th World Humanitarian Day which focuses on honouring the frontline workers of COVID-19 pandemic.
iv.The #RealLifeHeroes is a global campaign to celebrate the humanitarians who have committed their lives to help the people in need.
About United Nations:
Secretary General– António Guterres
Headquarters– New York, United States of America
About UNGA:
President– Tijjani Muhammad-Bande
President Elect– Volkan Bozkir
Headquarters– New York, United States of America
<<Read Full News>>

World Photography Day 2020 – August 19

The World Photography Day also known as World Photo Day is observed annually on 19th August with an aim to inspire photographers across the globe to share a single photo with a purpose of sharing their world to the world. The day celebrates the arts, crafts, science and history of Photography.
The first official World Photo Day was marked on 19th August 2010 when the first global online gallery was hosted with around 270 photographers who shared their photographs.
<<Read Full News>>

STATE NEWS

Punjab gets First Rank in Health, Welfare Centre Operationalisation: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)

State of Punjab has secured first rank in the list of best performing states in operationalisation of Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs) released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW), Government of India. Punjab’s State Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu had announced regarding this ranking on 13th August, 2020.
i.Outpatient Department (OPD) services, preventive and curative clinical services for communicable and non-communicable diseases were being provided at the HWCs.
ii.The 2042 HWCs in Punjab have recorded a footfall of 28.1 Lakh People from March to August, 2020. 
iii.Around 6.8 Lakh individuals have been screened and provided medicines at the HWCs for hypertension, diabetes and oral, breast or cervical cancer.
iv.In March, 2020 the Punjab Government started telemedicine services at HWCs and established a telemedicine Hub in Chandigarh.
Recent Related News:
i.On May 17, 2020, Punjab government (govt) promulgated ‘The Punjab Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Amendment Ordinance, 2020’. As per the provision the temporary release of the prisoners has been allowed beyond the maximum period of 16 weeks in a calendar year.
ii.On May 15, 2020 The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 1,500 crores for Punjab to ensure continuous credit flow to farmers, through state cooperative banks, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 
About Punjab:
Governor – Vijayender Pal Singh Badnore
Traditional Dances – Bhangra, Malwai Giddha, Jhumar, Jaago, Karthi, Jindua, Dandass, Sammi, Kikli, Luddi, Dankara.

AC GAZE

Biodegradable Face Mask “Pavitrapati” & Anti-microbial Body Suit “Aushada Tara” developed : DIAT

Defence Institute of Advanced Technology(DIAT), Pune has developed Ayurvedic based Biodegradable Face Mask  named “Pavitrapati” and Anti-microbial Body Suit named “Aushada Tara”.

Note: The Transfer of Technology(ToT) for this product was signed between DIAT and Kolhapur based Textile Company Siddheshwar Techtessile Pvt Ltd, Maharashtra for production on mass scale.

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