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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
NMCG, IIT (BHU) & Denmark Launches SLCR Project in Varanasi, UP
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Indian Institute of Technology – Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU) Varanasi and the Government of Denmark have launched a Smart Laboratory on Clean Rivers (SLCR) Project in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (UP).
- This initiative is a part of the Green Strategic Partnership between India and Denmark, which aims to rejuvenate small rivers through innovative and sustainable approaches.
About Denmark:
Prime Minister (PM) – Mette Frederiksen
Capital – Copenhagen
Currency – Danish krone (DKK)
About the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG):
Director-General (DG) –Rajeev Kumar Mital
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Launched – 2014
>> Read Full News
PSA to GoI Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood launches Bharat Zero Emission Trucking Policy Advisory Document
On 21st August 2024, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India (GoI), launched the “Bharat Zero Emission Trucking (ZET) Policy Advisory” document at the Vigyan Bhawan Annexe in New Delhi, Delhi.
- This advisory outlines a comprehensive approach to achieving 100% ZET sales penetration by 2050, crucial for India’s Net Zero 2070 target.
About the Bharat ZET Policy Advisory:
i.The development of the advisory was guided by a Policy Advisory Panel (PAP) chaired by Dr. Preeti Banzal, Adviser, Office of PSA; and vice-chaired by Prof. Karthick Athmanathan, PSA Fellow with contributions from various industry and academic leaders.
ii.A Project Management Unit was established at Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking (CoEZET), Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu to draft the policy advisory document under the guidance of the PAP.
Key Points:
i.The Bharat ZET Policy Advisory document includes 30 policy interventions aimed at accelerating ZET adoption across India.
ii.These interventions are categorized into five key areas: Incentives, Regulations, Infrastructure, Business and Financing, and Stakeholder-Centric Initiatives.
iii.Each intervention identifies responsible agencies, key stakeholders, sectoral impact, and policy formulation methodology.
iv.The document will undergo further refinement through stakeholder consultations and detailed cost-benefit analyses by relevant ministries and institutions.
MoPSW Sarbananda Sonowal Launched Major Sustainable Drive at JN Port in Maharashtra
On 22nd August 2024, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) launched major sustainable initiatives after he inaugurated three newly rejuvenated freshwater lakes at Jawaharlal Nehru (JN) Port in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Key Points:
i.The Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal witnessed the signing of 2 important Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) designed to bolster the infrastructure of JN Port and sustainability efforts.
ii.Union Minister Sonowal launched the Smart Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project at a ceremony held at JN Port in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
iii.During his visit to JN Port, Union Minister Sonowal also issued Letters of Intent (LoI) to SEZ concessionaires.
About Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW):
Union Minister- Sarbananda Sonowal (Constituency- Dibrugarh, Assam)
Minister of State (MoS)- Shantanu Thakur (Constituency- Bangaon, West Bengal (WB))
>> Read Full News
Union Health Minister J P Nadda Launches National Medical Register Portal of NMC
Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) launched the National Medical Register (NMR) Portal of the National Medical Commission (NMC), developed by the National Health Authority (NHA), an attached office of the MoH&FW.
- The NMR portal is a centralised database, designed to register all eligible allopathic (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)) doctors in India.
The NMR is mandated under Section 31(1) of the NMC Act, 2019, stating that the Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the NMC shall maintain a National Register in electronic form.
Features of the Portal:
i.The NMR portal contains the name, address, and all recognised qualifications possessed by a licensed medical practitioner.
ii.It is linked with the Aadhaar, ensuring the authenticity of registered doctors.
iii.The platform aims to eliminate duplication and allow the public to access some information on any doctor working in India.
iv.Some data will only be visible to EMRB in NMC, State Medical Councils (SMCs), National Board Of Examinations (NBE), and Medical Institutions, as per the requirements.
- The SMCs are major stakeholders in the development and maintenance of the NMR and in facilitating the registration process.
Benefits of the NMR:
i.It provides dynamic, authentic, and consolidated data on over 13 lakh doctors.
ii.It facilitates easy and speedy registration, enhancing transparency and trust in the healthcare system.
iii.It acts as a crucial step towards a digitally robust healthcare ecosystem in India.
iv.It will be a part of the Healthcare Professional Registry (HPR) under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) and will contain all the details of the medical professionals.
How Does the Portal Work?
i.The whole process of registration in NMR is an easy online process, involving all medical institutions and SMCs connected on a single platform.
ii.Applications are verified by the SMC, forwarded to the NMC, and upon approval, a unique NMR Identification (ID) is issued.
iii.The portal allows stakeholders, including SMCs and institutions, to manage and verify applications, track applications, suspend licenses, and issue NMR ID cards, and digital certificates.
iv.All MBBS doctors registered on the Indian Medical Register (IMR) must re-register on the NMR.
- Key documents required include the MBBS degree certificate, SMC registration certificate, and Unique Identification (UID) number (Aadhaar).
DARPG Signed MoU with Malaysia for Cooperation in Digital Governance Systems for 5 Years
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions (MoPPG&P), and the Public Service Department (PSD) Government of Malaysia, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi, Delhi.
BEML Signs MoU with Malaysia’s SMH Rail to Expand Rail, Metro Rolling Stock Business
BEML Limited, (formerly Bharat Earth Movers Limited), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysia’s largest rolling stock producer, SMH Rail Sdn. Bhd., in New Delhi, Delhi.
About Malaysia:
Prime Minister (PM)– Anwar bin Ibrahim
Capital– Kuala Lumpur
Currency– Malaysian Ringgit
>> Read Full News
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Releases “My Stamp – 165th Income Tax Day”
On 21st August 2024, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF) released ‘My Stamp – 165th Income Tax Day’ to commemorate 165 years of Income Tax(IT) in India, in New Delhi, Delhi. The stamp was released during the event organised by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to commemorate the 165th anniversary of Income Tax Day.
- India annually celebrates Income Tax Day on 24th July commemorates the introduction of income tax in India by Sir James Wilson in 1860. 24th July 2024 marks the 165th Income Tax Day.
i.During the event, Union Minister Sithraman presented the ‘CBDT Certificate of Excellence’ to the Income Tax Department team that made the highest-ever cash seizure of about Rs 352 crore in India in a 2023 raid against a distillery group in Odisha.
ii.The team was led by Sunil Kumar Jha, Principal Director of Income Tax investigation, Bhubaneswar and Gurpreet Singh, Additional Director of IT.
iii.The award has been instituted by the CBDT for the first time.
3rd Japan-India 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting held in New Delhi
On 20th August 2024, Union Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India; Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence (MoD) of India; and Kamikawa Yoko, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan and Kihara Minoru, Ministry of Defence of Japan held the Third Japan-India 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting in New Delhi, Delhi.
i.The dialogue emphasised the importance of a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, with both countries confirming their commitment to strengthening their partnership.
- They also recognized the importance of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, where maritime security, trade, and connectivity play crucial roles.
ii.The meeting further deepens the defence cooperation and brings greater depth to the ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership (SGSP)’ between India and Japan.
Note: The second India-Japan 2+2 Ministerial Meeting took place in September 2022 in Japan.
KVIC Signed MoU with Department of Posts to Enhance PMEGP Unit Verification
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), a statutory body under the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Posts (DoP) under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoC&IT), to enhance the efficiency of the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) at KVIC’s Rajghat office in New Delhi, Delhi.
- The MoU was signed by Dr. Amanpreet Singh, Deputy General Manager(GM) of the Department of Posts and Rajan Babu, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PMEGP.
i.This collaboration aims to expedite the physical verification of PMEGP units and the settlement of margin money subsidies.
ii.Under this MoU, the postal department employees will physically verify new units set up under the PMEGP across India.
iii.Specialised training will be given by the KVIC to postal employees for conducting these verifications.
iv.KVIC will leverage the services of 1,65,000 post offices, predominantly in rural areas, to support this initiative.
Note: The PMEGP was launched on August 15, 2008 . It is a credit-linked subsidy scheme that aims to provide credit to traditional artisans to set up micro enterprises in non-farm sectors.
BANKING & FINANCE
Bandhan Bank Introduced New Savings Product “Avni” Exclusively for Women
On 22nd August 2024, Bandhan Bank Limited, on the eve of its foundation day, has introduced a new savings account product “Avni” to empower women by offering them customized financial and lifestyle solutions, along with various other attractive benefits.
Avni Saving Account:
i.The product will offer a specially designed MasterCard Platimum debit card with wide range of benefits like: free airport lounge access, personal accident insurance cover of Rs 10 lakh, lost card liability of Rs 3.5 lakh, among others.
ii.The account holders of Avni savings account will be required to maintain an Average Quarterly Balance (AQB) of Rs 25,000.
iii.The new savings account will offer a free cash deposit limit of up to Rs 5 lakh per month.
iv.It will offer 10 free Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)/ National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) (branch), Immediate Payment System (IMPS), and Demand Draft (DD) transactions per month, along with unlimited free NEFT transactions through internet banking and the mBandhan application (app).
- It will offer other benefits like: 40 free cheque leaves per month, free passbook updates, email statements, among others.
v.Avni account holders will receive the benefit of exclusive preferential pricing like: 25% discount on locker rental charges, and a 50% discount on processing fees for gold loans.
- The account will offer special lifestyle benefits from select brands.
Bandhan Bank Delights:
The bank also launched a loyalty programme, ‘Bandhan Bank Delights’ where customers can earn reward points called Delight Points.
- The programme allows customers to redeem points for a variety of rewards, including travel and accommodation, merchandise, entertainment and special offers.
About Bandhan Bank Limited:
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (Interim) – Ratan Kumar Kesh
Headquarters- Kolkata, West Bengal(WB)
Tagline- Aapka Bhala, Sabki Bhalai
Established- 2015
India & ADB Signs USD 500 Million Loan Agreement to Improve Tertiary Health Care & Medical Education in Maharashtra
India signed a USD 500 million loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the ‘Maharashtra Tertiary Care and Medical Education Sector Development Program (SDP)’ to improve access to quality and affordable tertiary health care and medical education in Maharashtra.
- Aim: To support Maharashtra in the holistic development of tertiary care and medical education infrastructure and related systems using the SDP modality.
Key People:
The loan agreement was signed by Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs(DEA), Ministry of Finance(MoF) for the Government of India, Mio Oka, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, for ADB and Dinesh Waghmare, Principal Secretary Medical Education and Drugs Department, Government of Maharashtra for the state government.
Program Benefits:
i.The program will help to establish 4 medical colleges with attached tertiary care hospitals, incorporating climate- and disaster-resilient, gender-responsive, and socially inclusive features in underserved districts.
- To integrate gender and social inclusion in medical education, ADB will support Maharashtra to create a gender unit under the Medical Education and Drugs Department (MEDD), Government of Maharashtra.
ii.It increases bed capacity in government tertiary care hospitals and hires 500 new doctors for the 4 new government medical colleges.
iii.It reduces Out-Of-Pocket (OOP) expenditure with improved drug availability.
iv.It supports efficient asset management policies and a performance management system for medical colleges.
v.This programme will help Maharashtra to achieve its vision of providing affordable and accessible tertiary health care to all by 2030.
Policy Improvements:
ADB is assisting the state in creating an enabling environment through various policy actions:
i.Implementing performance-based incentives to recruit and retain quality doctors and staff.
ii.Formulating a new talent management policy.
iii.Establishing India’s first state-led healthcare and medical education centers of excellence.
About the Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Manila, Philippines
Members – 68
Established – 1966
Tata AIA Life Launches ‘Sampoorna Raksha Promise’ a New Term Insurance Product 
Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Limited (TALIC) has launched ‘Sampoorna Raksha Promise’, a new term insurance product, which provides instant payouts on death claims, flexible premium payment options, and benefits for terminal illnesses.
About Sampoorna Raksha Promise:
i.Sampoorna Raksha Promise product offers instant payout of Rs. 3 lakhs on death claim intimation. This instant benefit is subject to certain terms and conditions, including a three-year waiting period.
ii.The policyholders can withhold their premium payments for up to 12 months every five years.
iii.The policyholder will receive 50% of the base sum assured upon diagnosis of a terminal illness. Further premiums need not be paid and the policy benefits will be continued, which comes under ‘Payor Accelerator Benefit’.
Plan Options:
The plan offers 2 options to suit different needs.
i.Life promise: This option offers the coverage up to the age of 100, with a specified amount assured payable upon the death of policyholders.
ii.Life promise plus: It offers benefits similar to Life promise but when the policyholder survives till maturity, 100% of the total premium (excluding modal premiums and discounts) is refunded excluding modal premiums and discounts. Note: Payor Accelerator Benefit is included in both the options.
Benefits:
i.The policyholder can defer the due premium for up to 12 months from the due date, under the Flexi Pay Benefit feature.
ii.It also offers 15% lower premium to women compared to men.
iii.The policyholders can access Personal Medical Case Management (PMCM) services through Medix which connects with medical specialists worldwide for second opinions and care management.
About Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Limited (TALIC):
Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Venkatachalam H
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established – April 1, 2001
Bajaj Allianz General Insurance & HSBC India Form Bancassurance Partnership to Expand Product Reach
Pune(Maharashtra) based Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited (BAGICL), a leading private general insurer in India has entered into a bancassurance partnership with Mumbai(Maharashtra) based Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India (HSBC India), to expand its insurance product reach.
- The partnership aims to offer tailored and innovative financial solutions, increase insurance penetration, and promote financial inclusion and customer empowerment in India.
- HSBC India will distribute BAGICL’s insurance products and services to its customer base in India through its 26 branches in 14 cities.
- Bancassurance is an insurance distribution model where insurance companies partner with banks to sell policies, which benefits both parties. Banks earn commissions while insurers leverage the banks’ distribution networks.
Note: BAGICL is a Joint Venture (JV) between Allianz SE, the world’s leading insurer based in Germany, and Bajaj Finserv Limited in Pune, Maharashtra.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
ICRA: India’s GDP Growth Expected to Moderate Six-Quarter low of 6% in Q1 FY25
India’s Credit Rating Agency, ICRA Limited (formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited) has projected India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to moderate six quarter low of 6% in 1st Quarter (Q1: April-June) of Financial Year 2024-25(FY 25) from 7.8% in Q4 of FY24.
- This decrease in India’s GDP is mainly due to reduction in government capital expenditure and a decline in urban consumer demand.
i.It has estimated that India’s GDP and Gross Value Added (GVA) growth for full FY25 will be 6.8% and 6.5% respectively.
ii.The growth in GVA is estimated to decrease from 6.3% (Q4FY24) to 5.7% (in Q1 FY25).
iii.According to ICRA, the capital expenditure of Government of India (GoI) is likely to expand by 39% Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) in the July to March FY25 period to meet the full year’s budget estimate.
- This will further give boost to the GDP growth above 7% in the 2nd Half of FY25 (H2FY25).
About ICRA Limited:
Managing Director (MD) and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Ramanth Krishnan
Headquarters- Gurugram, Haryana
Established- 1991
>> Read Full News
SPORTS
Lausanne Diamond League 2024: Neeraj Chopra Finishes 2nd with Season’s Best 89.49 m 
Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra finished 2nd at the Lausanne Diamond League 2024 (also known as Athletissima) with his season’s best throw of 89.49 meter.
- Lausanne Diamond League 2024, organised by World Athletics, was held from the 21st to 22nd August 2024 at Pontaise Olympic Stadium in Lausanne, Switzerland.
- The Two-time world champion and 2024 Paris Olympics bronze-medalist Anderson Peters of Grenada won the event with a throw of 90.61m while Julian Weber of Germany finished 3rd with a throw of 87.08m.
Results:
| Rank | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1 | Anderson Peters (Grenada) (90.61m) |
| 2 | Neeraj Chopra (India) (89.49m) |
| 3 | Julian Weber (Germany) (87.08m) |
Diamond League standings:
i.With seven points gained from this tournament, Neeraj Chopra is sharing the 3rd spot alongside Julian Weber (Germany) in Diamond League standings with 15 points.
ii.Anderson Peters (Grenada) is currently ranked No 1 with 21 points.
About Neeraj Chopra:
i.Neeraj Chopra claimed a silver medal with an 89.45m throw at the 2024 Paris Olympics held in Paris, France in August 2024 and won a gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
ii. He took part in the Doha Diamond League (Doha, Qatar) held in May 2024 where he finished second with a throw of 88.36 m behind Czech Republic’s Jakub Vadlejch who won the event with a throw of 88.38m.
iii.He also won a gold at the Federation Cup 2024 (Jodhpur, Rajasthan) held in May 2024 with a best throw of 82.27m.
iv.Neeraj had previously won the Lausanne Diamond League in 2022 and 2023.
v.In August 2023, he won the gold medal in the 2023 World Athletics Championships (Budapest, Hungary) and in October 2023, he won his second Asian Games gold medal in the 2022 (Hangzhou, China) Asian Games.
About Diamond League:
i.The Diamond League is an annual series of track and field athletic competitions organised by World Athletics (formerly known as the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
ii.The inaugural season was held in 2010.
iii.The 2024 Diamond League is the 15th season of the annual outdoor track and field meet.
- The Lausanne Diamond League 2024 is the 11th event of the 2024 season.
Shikhar Dhawan Announces Retirement from International and Domestic Cricket
On 24th August 2024, Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan (38 years old), fondly known as “Gabbar”, announced his retirement from both domestic and international cricket.
Note: He played his last ODI in December 2022 against Bangladesh in Chattogram(Bangladesh). His last competitive appearance was for the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
About Shikhar Dhawan’s Career
i.Shikhar Dhawan made his One Day International (ODI) debut for India against Australia in October 2010 and his Test debut in March 2013.
ii.He scored 6,793 runs in 167 ODIs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. He scored 2315 runs at an average of 40.61 in 34 Tests, and 1759 runs at a strike rate of 126.36 in 68 Twenty20 International (T20Is).
iii.He has scored 24 hundreds (17 in ODIs and 7 in Tests) across 269 international matches.
iv.He was also India’s highest run scorer in the 2015 ODI World Cup and was the highest scorer for India in Asia Cup 2014, World Cup 2015, Champions Trophy 2017 and Asia Cup 2018.
v.Shikhar represented Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings in the IPL.
He is also the second-highest run-getter in IPL after Virat Kohli.
- He scored 6769 runs which includes 2 centuries and 51 half-centuries across 222 matches at a strike rate of 127.14.
vi.In domestic cricket, he won the Ranji Trophy for Delhi in 2007-08 when Delhi beat Uttar Pradesh.
vii.He was also the top run-scorer at the Under-19 World Cup in 2004.
OBITUARY
Olympic Cyclist Daniela Larreal Chirinos Passed Away
Daniela Greluis Larreal Chirinos, a Five time Olympic cyclist has passed away at the age of 50 in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States of America (USA). She was born on October 2, 1973 in Venezuela.
- Daniela Greluis has competed in 5 Summer Olympic Games representing Venezuela beginning with 1992 (Barcelona), 1996 (Atlanta), 2000 (Sydney), 2004 (Athens) and 2012 (London). She did not compete in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
About Daniela Greluis Larreal Chirinos:
i.Daniela Greluis Larreal Chirinos was one of Venezuela’s most important sports persons and a leading Venezuelan cyclist for over two decades.
ii.She was the only female track cyclist from Venezuela to compete in the 1990 Central American and Caribbean Games, where she won the silver medal in the sprint. It was her first title.
iii.She won two gold medals at the 19th Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, 2002.
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