Current Affairs 24th August 2021| Current Affairs News

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CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

World Water Week 2021 – Observed on 23-27 August

• World Water Week 2021 will take place 23-27 August under the theme “Building Resilience Faster”.
• It will be held entirely online, in a new, digital format designed to ensure that people across the world can collaborate to find solutions to the world’s greatest water-related challenges.
• The world is changing and so are we.
• World Water Week 2021 will have a new, digital format to meet people where they are – both physically and mentally – and find better ways to bring about the transformation we all know is desperately needed.
• “Given the ongoing global pandemic, this was a natural decision.
• No one knows what the world will look like in August 2021, but one thing you can count on – World Water Week is happening, no matter what.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

MyGov and UN Women jointly launch Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Challenge 2021 on Women’s Safety and Empowerment

• Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the 75th year of Independence of India, MyGov under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India and UN Women have come together to jointly launch the Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Innovation Challenge 2021 to encourage technology solutions developed by Women Entrepreneurs that facilitate Women’s Safety and Empowerment.

About the challenge:

• The aim is Nari Sashaktikaran that is to empower women to help them achieve their full potential.
• MyGov is the citizen-centric platform of the Government of India that empowers people to connect with the Government and contribute towards good governance.
• It is a unique path-breaking initiative which was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi jiin 2014.
• Government of India under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister is committed to empowering women, and has taken various transformative steps in this direction.
• These include the MUDRA scheme for giving interest free loans to the poor, Ujjwala scheme whereby women were given free gas connections to free them from the drudgery of smoke-filled cooking, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao to educate the girl child, as well as abolition of triple talaq to give dignity to women.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Onam, Harvest Festival celebrated in Kerala

• Onam is an annual harvest festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala.
• A major annual event for Keralites, it is the official festival of the state and includes a spectrum of cultural events. Drawing from Hindu mythology, Onam commemorates King Mahabali.
• Onam is a harvest-time occasion which celebrates the return of King Mahabali, who was known to be kind even though he was a demon.
• Its main feature is the sadya feast, traditionally eaten on the banana leaf, elaborate versions of which can comprise more than 30 dishes.
• Onam is one of the biggest festivals in the state of Kerala and it is marked by the harvest season of the standing crops.

About Kerala:

• Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan
• Capital: Thiruvananthapuram
• Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan
• National parks: Eravikulam National Park, Silent Valley National Park , Pampadum Shola National Park, Mathikettan Shola National Park, Anamudi Shola National Park.

MP state Govt launches comprehensive Talent Search Campaign

• In Madhya Pradesh, the State Government has launched a comprehensive Talent Search Campaign in the field of sports.
• State government has decided to search for new talented players and train them in 18 sports academies of state.
• Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has stated that Indian players have made a record in Tokyo Olympics and have opened doors for future possibilities.
• The Chief Minister has appealed to the youth interested in sports to register themselves in the Talent Search Campaign of the state.
• So far, more than 50 thousand players have applied for online registration of talent search.
• On the basis of physical strength and proficiency in sports, promising sportspersons will be groomed through coaching and training in 18 academies equipped with world-class sports facilities.

About Madhya Pradesh:

• Capital: Bhopal
• Chief minister:Shivraj Singh Chouhan
• Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel
• National Parks: Kanha National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhav National Park, Sanjay National Park, Van Vihar National Park, Panna National Park, Satpura National Park, Pench National Park, Mandla Plant Fossils National Park.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING NEWS

ADB sign $500 million loan to india to expand Metro Rail Network in Bengaluru

• The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $500 million loan to expand the metro rail network in Bengaluru with construction of two new metro lines totaling 56 km in length.
• “The new metro lines will further strengthen safe, affordable and green mobility in Bangaluru, having positive impact on enhancing quality of life, sustainable growth in urban habitat and livelihood opportunities”.

About the Project:

• “The project supports urban transformation of Bengaluru City into a more livable and sustainable city through support to urban public transport and urban development with concepts of transit-oriented development (TOD) and multi-modal integration (MMI)”.
• “The project will bring various benefits including road de-congestion, better urban livability and environmental improvement.”
• The project will construct two new metro lines, mostly elevated, along Outer Ring Road and National Highway 44 between Central Silk Board and Kempegowda International Airport with 30 stations.
• This will help decongest traffic in the city area and provide seamless connectivity to the airport.
• The needs of vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, women, children, and differently abled persons, will be reflected on the metro facilities.

Honda Cars ties up with Canara Bank

• The new finance schemes will be offered across the model range of Honda cars
• Honda has been partnering with multiple banks to offer these schemes across the country
• Honda Cars India (HCIL) has rolled out a host of finance schemes for its customers in collaboration with Canara Bank.
• The partnership facilitates customers to avail financing options and car loans from Canara Bank on the purchase of the Amaze, City, Jazz, and WR-V.
• As a part of the partnership, the finance schemes will include concession in rate of interest to women buyers, maximum loan quantum; up to 90 per cent of the total value of the car inclusive of registration, life tax, and accessories, as well as the maximum repayment period of up to 84 months.
• Honda has been partnering with multiple banks to offer these schemes across the country with a focus on semi-urban to rural regions.

About Honda Motor Company:

• The Honda Motor Company, Ltd. is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.

About Canara Bank:

• Canara Bank is the third largest nationalised bank in India.
• It is under the ownership of Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• Established in 1906 at Mangalore by Ammembal Subba Rao Pai the bank also has offices in London, Hong Kong, Dubai and New York.
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• CEO: Lingam Venkat Prabhakar
• Tagline: Together We Can

PayPal to allow UK users buy, hold and sell crypto currency

• PayPal is to allow users in the UK to buy, hold and sell crypto currencies through the payment platform for the first time.
• The firm stated it would allow customers to choose from four types of cryptocurrency – bitcoin, ethereum, litecoin and bitcoin cash – and that the service would be available via the PayPal app and its website.
• A crypto tab will be added to the platform, showing real-time currency prices as well as offering educational content to help answer common questions and learn more about crypto currencies, including the potential risks.
• The payment company hoped that the move to embrace the currency would help improve knowledge and understanding of it.
• Crypto currencies remain controversial because of their lack of regulation and volatile value fluctuations, and some critics have raised concerns about the anonymity offered to users as part of transactions, arguing the currencies are used by cybercriminals to hide their activities.

About PayPal:

• PayPal Holdings, Inc. is an American multinational financial technology company operating an online payments system in the majority of countries that support online money transfers, and serves as an electronic alternative to traditional paper methods such as checks and money orders.
• Headquarters: San Jose, California, United States
• CEO: Dan Schulman

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENT AND RESIGNATION NEWS

Govt appointed Abhay Kumar Singh as joint secy in newly created Ministry of Cooperation

• Abhay Kumar Singh has been appointed as Joint Secretary within the Ministry of Cooperation, which was fashioned just lately with a goal to strengthen the cooperative motion within the nation.
• As per the order of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has authorized the appointment.

About A K Singh:

• Singh, a 2004 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Bihar cadre, has been appointed as Joint Secretary within the ministry for a mixed tenure of seven years towards the newly created publish.
• Among different appointments, Vijaya Lakshmi Nadendla, a 1995 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre and Priya Ranjan, a 1998 batch Indian Forest Service officer of Rajasthan cadre, have been appointed as joint secretaries within the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Awards 2021 conferred

• The winners of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2021 were announced, August 20, in a virtual award ceremony due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Winners:

• Suriya, Samantha Akkineni, Vidya Balan and Manoj Bajpayee won top honours at the film festival.
• While Suriya won the Best Performance Male (Feature), Samantha won the Best Performance Female (Series).
• Suriya was last seen in director Sudha Kongara’s Soorarai Pottru, which released on Amazon Prime Video. At the IFFM 2021, he won the Best Performance Male (Feature) for his realistic performance.
• Samantha was ecstatic after winning the Best Performance Female (Series) for her role as Raji in The Family Man 2. Directed by Raj and DK, the web series features Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha and Priyamani in important roles.
• Director Sudha Kongara Prasad’s Soorarai Pottru won the Best Film award.
• Suraj Venjaramoodu and Nimisha Sajayan’s The Great Indian Kitchen, directed by Jeo Baby, won the Equality in Cinema (Feature).
• Vidya Balan won the Best Performer Female (Feature) for Sherni, while Manoj Bajpayee won the Best performer Male (Series) for The Family Man 2.
• Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan won the IFFM 2021’s Disruptor Award.

About Indian Film Festival of Melbourne:

• The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne was founded in 2012.
• It is a State Government of Victoria funded annual festival based in Melbourne.
• It is presented by Film Victoria, and the provider is chosen through a tender process.
• The current tender provider is Mind Blowing Films, run by Mitu Bhowmick Lange.
• Awards: Best of Indian cinema

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IIT-M develops India’s first indigenous motorised wheelchair NeoBolt

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has developed India’s first indigenous motorised wheelchair vehicle, NeoBolt, that can be used even on uneven terrains.
• NeoBolt was developed by a team led by Sujatha Srinivasan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Madras,
• It has been commercialised through a start-up called ‘NeoMotion.

About NeoBolt :

• NeoBolt has a maximum speed of 25 kmph and travels up to 25 km per charge.
• The wheelchair will be available to users at an approximate price of ₹55,000.
• It is powered by a Lithium-Ion Battery and can travel up to 25 km per charge.
• It empowers wheelchair users with a convenient, safe and low-cost mode of outdoor mobility when compared to cars, auto-rickshaws or modified scooters.

Note :

• Nearly 95 percent of all wheelchairs sold in India are ‘one-size-fits-all,’ which restricts mobility, damages health, and lowers self-confidence, NeoBolt is developed to overcome these issues.
• Around 3 lakh wheelchairs are sold annually in India, of which 2.5 lakh are imported.
• CEO of NeoMotion : Mr. Swostik Sourav Dash

About IIT Madras :

• Chairman : Pawan Kumar Goenka
• Director : Bhaskar Ramamurthi

GoI & BRICS Group to Setup Network of Genomic Surveillance and Study the Overlap of SARS-CoV-2 with tuberculosis

• The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India in collaboration with BRICS countries is implementing SARS-CoV-2 NGS-BRICS consortium and multi centric programme to study the impact of severe COVID-19 conditions on TB patients.
• The consortium is an interdisciplinary collaboration to advance COVID-19 health-relevant knowledge and to contribute to improvements in health outcomes.
• This collaborative study is expected to provide valuable co-morbidity data pertaining to pulmonary TB patients with or without COVID-19.

About Department of Biotechnology :

• Founded: 1986
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Secretary : Dr. Renu Swarup

About Ministry of Science and Technology :

• Founded: May 1971
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Minister of State :  S. Chowdary

NIAB & NCCS notified as central drugs lab for testing

• The National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) Hyderabad and National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, for upgradation as Central Drug Laboratories (CDLs).
• The funding support was provided under the PM-CARES funds.

Purpose :

• Establish more facilities to regulate the testing of COVID-19 vaccines for quick release of vaccine batches for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection.
• The two facilities are expected to test approx. 60 batches of vaccines per month.

About National Institute of Animal Biotechnology :

• Director: Dr. Subeer S. Majumdar
• Established: 2010
• Located at : Hyderabad

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPS & SERVICES

Jammu & Kashmir Government activates online grievance redressal portal

• To address the grievances of the Kashmiri migrants, the government of Jammu and Kashmir, has launched an online grievance redressal portal.
• With this J&K became the first UT to put in place such a portal for migrants.

About the Portal :

• The portal can be accessed at JK government’s official website: ‘Relief & Rehabilitation (M)’ (jkmigrantrelief.nic.in).
• It will deal with issues and concerns related to the land and properties of the migrants of J&K, including correction of encroachments, trespassing and alienation by way of fraud or distress, etc.
• All district magistrates will be required to dispose of the property-related grievances received via the online forum in a fixed time frame under the Public Services Guarantee Act, 2011.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh launches New Portal under Bhuvan “Yuktdhara”

• On Aug 23, 2021, The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shri Jitendra Singh launched a new Geospatial Planning Portal under Bhuvan named “Yuktdhara”.

Purpose :

• To enable planning of new MGNREGA assets using Remote Sensing and GIS based information.
• The Yuktdhara portal has been jointly developed by ISRO and the Ministry of Rural Development.

About Yuktdhara :

• The platform will serve as a repository of assets (Geotags) created under various national rural development programmes i.e. MGNREGA, Integrated Watershed Management Programme, Per Drop More Crop and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana etc., along with field photographs.
• It would ensure quality of plan and enable a long term monitoring of the assets created over the years.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BOOKS & AUTHORS

Last book of Subhadra Sen Gupta’s Let’s Go Time Travelling Again released

• The last book of author Subhadra Sen Gupta ‘Let’s Go Time Travelling Again’ was released.
• The book was released by Puffin Books, the children’s imprint of Penguin Books & it has illustrations by Tapas Guha, a well-known illustrator for children.

About the Book :

• The Book would provide lifetime experience, by reading this book, we could answer unusual questions by go time travelling through exciting times in our past history.

About Subhadra Sen Gupta :

• Subhadra Sen Gupta was an Indian famous children’s book writer.

Awards & Honours :

• In 2015, she was awarded the Bal Sahitya Puraskar by the Sahitya Akademi for her contribution to children’s literature in the English language.
• Three of her books, Twelve O’Clock Ghost Stories, Jodh Bai and A Clown for Tenali Rama were included in the annual White Ravens catalogue at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SPORTS NEWS

U20 World Athletics Championships : Shaili Singh wins Silver medal in Long Jump

• 17-year-old Long jumper Shaili Singh won the silver medal at the U-20 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi with a 6.59 metre jump.
• Maja Askag of Sweden won the gold with a jump of 6.60m.
• Ukraine’s Mariia Horielova took the bronze
• It was India’s second silver medal & also India’s 3rd medal at the U20 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi.
• Earlier in the competition, India’s Amit Khatri won silver in men’s 10km race walk & India also won a bronze in the 4x400m mixed relay.

About Shaili Singh :

• Shaili Singh, hails from Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
• She ranks among the world’s top 20 long jumpers in the Under-18 category.
• At the National Junior Athletics Championship she won Gold medal in Under 16 long jump category Ranchi
• At National Junior Athletics Championship 2019, she won Gold medal in the Under 18 category in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : OBITUARIES

Syed Shahid Hakim, Olympian and Former Indian Footballer Passes away

• Olympic footballer and former National coach Syed Shahid Hakim passed away.
• He was 82.

About Syed Shahid Hakim :

• Syed Shahid Hakim was born in Hyderabad & he was popularly known as ‘saab’.
• Hakim is the son of the legendary football coach S.A. Rahim.
• He has served as the chief project director at Sports Authority of India (SAI).
• He officiated in 33 international games, including the 1988 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.
• He coached Mahindra and Mahindra in 1998/99 & also coached Salgaocar SC, Hindustan FC, and Bengal Mumbai Club.

Awards & Honours :

• Hakim became the second footballer, after Shabbir Ali, to win the Dhyan Chand Award for lifetime achievement in 2017.

About SAI :

• Headquarters : New Delhi
• Agency executive: Sandip Pradhan
• Founded: 1984

Daily CA On Aug 22 & 23 :

• World Sanskrit Day or Sanskrit Diwas is also known as Viswa Samskrita Dinam Observed on Aug 22
• The International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, observed on August 22
• August 23 is marked as the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
• Union minister for information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur will kick off a series of activities to celebrate the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ starting from August 23 to Aug 29.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off from his residence here a fleet of five trauma care ambulances donated to the Army by a non-profit group for deployment in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will launch the National Monetization Pipeline (NMP) in New Delhi.
• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is organizing a National Webinar, ‘Localization of Sustainable Development Goals and Role of Panchayats – Goal No. 2 – Zero Hunger’ on 23.08.2021.
• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched an ambitious ‘Ubharte Sitaare Fund’ -USF for export-oriented firms and startups in a program at Lucknow.
• Former Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob was appointed as the new Prime Minister of Malaysia.
• World Bank launches New Cyber security Multi-Donor Trust Fund under the broader Digital Development Partnership (DDP).
• President of the UN Security Council & External affairs minister (EAM) of India, Jaishankar, slammed China for its terror stand.
• Swedish green steel venture HYBRIT, that it had made the ‘world’s first’ customer delivery of steel produced without using coal.
• India’s highest altitude herbal park, located at the height of 11,000 feet near the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, was launched.
• Assam will start rolling out benefits under the One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) scheme.
• The Assam government has also announced COVID relief package where drivers and helpers of privately operated buses will get one-time relief of Rs 10,000.
• NTPC Limited has started operations at India’s largest floating solar PV project at its Simhadri thermal station in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
• The Chief Minister of Haryana Shri Manohar Lal Khattar has announced to rename the Hisar Airport as Maharaja Agrasen International Airport.
• The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation -GHMC has taken up a novel initiative to get rid of diseases like Malaria and Dengue, implementing ‘Every Sunday at 10 AM for 10 mnts” campaign.
• Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray inaugurates Covid Care Centre for children at IT Park in Mumbai University’s Kalina campus
• India’s foreign exchange reserves decreased by USD 2.099 billion to stand at USD 619.365 billion
• Paytm and HDFC Bank announced a strategic partnership to deliver financial solutions across India.
• The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) re-appointed T M Bhasin as chairman of the Advisory Board for Banking and Financial Frauds (ABBFF), a panel constituted to examine bank frauds of over Rs 50 crore and recommend action.
• Senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu La Ganesan was appointed as the new Governor of Manipur.
• The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has developed GSI Mobile App (Beta Version), To create more awareness about its activities among the public and make its presence felt digitally.
• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) has developed an AI-enabled chatbot, Urja, to provide its customers an interface for a seamless self-service experience and faster resolution of queries/issues.
• On 17th August, 2021, Shanghai Ranking Consultancy released the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2021, Harvard bags 1st rank Globally & IISC Bangalore Top Institute in India
• One of India’s leading private life insurance companies, HDFC Life, released the latest findings of its Life Freedom Index (LFI) study.
• A team of marine biologists from the Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, has discovered a new species of marine green algae named Acetabularia jalakanyakae from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• A new plant of the Brachystelma R.Br. The species has been found in Tumakuru, Karnataka and it has been named after the district.
• A New Book Titled Mission Domination: An Unfinished Quest authored by Boria Majumdar & Kushan Sarkar.
• The Karnataka government has drafted a high-level committee to select 75 promising athletes for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024.
• On Aug 21, 2021, Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh passed away.

Daily CA On Aug 24 :

• World Water Week 2021 will take place 23-27 August under the theme “Building Resilience Faster”.
• Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the 75th year of Independence of India, MyGov under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India and UN Women have come together to jointly launch the Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Innovation Challenge 2021 to encourage technology solutions developed by Women Entrepreneurs that facilitate Women’s Safety and Empowerment.
• Onam is an annual harvest festival celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala.
• In Madhya Pradesh, the State Government has launched a comprehensive Talent Search Campaign in the field of sports.
• The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $500 million loan to expand the metro rail network in Bengaluru with construction of two new metro lines totaling 56 km in length.
• Honda Cars India Ltd (HCIL) has joined hands with Canara Bank to offer retail finance schemes to customers.
• PayPal is to allow users in the UK to buy, hold and sell crypto currencies through the payment platform for the first time.
• Abhay Kumar Singh has been appointed as Joint Secretary within the Ministry of Cooperation, which was fashioned just lately with a goal to strengthen the cooperative motion within the nation.
• The winners of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2021 were announced, August 20, in a virtual award ceremony due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
• Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) has developed India’s first indigenous motorised wheelchair vehicle, NeoBolt, that can be used even on uneven terrains.
• The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India in collaboration with BRICS countries is implementing SARS-CoV-2 NGS-BRICS consortium and multi centric programme to study the impact of severe COVID-19 conditions on TB patients.
• The National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB) Hyderabad and National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, for upgradation as Central Drug Laboratories (CDLs).
• To address the grievances of the Kashmiri migrants, the government of Jammu and Kashmir, has launched an online grievance redressal portal.
• On Aug 23, 2021, The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shri Jitendra Singh launched a new Geospatial Planning Portal under Bhuvan named “Yuktdhara”.
• The last book of author Subhadra Sen Gupta ‘Let’s Go Time Travelling Again’ was released.
• 17-year-old Long jumper Shaili Singh won the silver medal at the U-20 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi with a 6.59 metre jump.
• Olympic footballer and former National coach Syed Shahid Hakim passed away.