Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 1st September 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
National Engineer’s Day
- Nation celebrates Engineer’s Day on September 15 to commemorate the birth anniversary of the greatest Indian Engineer Bharat Ratna Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya.
International Day of Democracy
- The International Day of Democracy is celebrated around the world on 15 September each year. The theme for International Day of Democracy 2020 is “COVID-19: A Spotlight on Democracy.”
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
- September 16 was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer or World Ozone Day.
- The theme for 2020 is Ozone for life: 35 years of ozone layer protection.
World Patient Safety Day: 17 September
- Recognizing patient safety as a global health priority, all 194 WHO Member States at the 72nd World Health Assembly, in May 2019, endorsed the establishment of World Patient Safety Day (Resolution WHA72.6), to be marked annually on 17 September. Theme: Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety
International Equal Pay-Day
- International Equal Pay Day, celebrated for the first time this 18 September, represents the longstanding efforts towards the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value.
World Bamboo Day
- World Bamboo Day was officially established on September 18 at the 8th World Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok in 2009 and declared by the Thai Royal Forest Department.
- The theme for 11th edition of WBD 2020 is ‘BAMBOO ‘
International Coastal CleanUp Day
- During the third Saturday in September, International Coastal CleanUp Day encourages people to rid beaches of the garbage plaguing beaches. This year it falls on 19th September.
International Day of Peace
- Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September.
- The 2020 theme for the International Day of Peace is “Shaping Peace Together.”
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
PM Modi addresses the ‘Grih Pravesham’ event in Madhya Pradesh
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the ‘Grih Pravesham’ event in Madhya Pradesh through video conferencing, where 75 Lakh Families were delivered pucca houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Grameen (PMAY-G).
PM Modi inaugurates 3 petroleum projects worth Rs 900cr in Bihar
- These projects that will help meet the demand for domestic cooking gas in the state include state-run Indian Oil Corporation’s 193-km long Durgapur-Banka section of the Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline that will supply cooking gas for bottling at the new Banka plant in the state.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh lays foundation stone online of Arun Jaitley Memorial Sports Complex
- The Union Minister of State, Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr Jitendra Singh laid foundation stone for the construction of Arun Jaitley Memorial Sports Complex at Hiranagar, Jammu.
MoRTH moves ahead with Orientation and Training Programme of iRAD App
- The 2-days Orientation and Training programme on iRAD App was conducted by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways on 7th & 8th September 2020 for the selected districts of Karnataka, and on 10th & 11th September 2020 for some districts of Uttar Pradesh.
PM to inaugurate, launch 7 urban infra projects worth Rs 541 crore in Bihar
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation of seven urban infrastructure projects worth Rs 541 crore in Bihar.
Govt launches Postage Stamp commemorating Mission Shakti’s success
- A customized My Stamp on India’s First Anti Satellite Missile (A-SAT) was launched on the occasion of Engineers Day on September 15 in the presence of Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor (NSA). The stamp was released by Department of Posts.
Cabinet approves establishment of new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Darbhanga, Bihar
- The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has approved establishment of a new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Darbhanga, Bihar. This will be established under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
- The total cost will be 1264 crore and is likely to be completed within a period of 48 months from the date of the approval of Government of India.
Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor gets nod from cabinet
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the 121-km Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor, which will connect Palwal and Sonipat, and decongest the national capital region.
PM Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19’ extended for another 6 months
- The ‘Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19’ was announced on 30 March 2020 for a period of 90 days. This was extended for a further period of 90 days i.e. up to 25th Sept, 2020.
Lok Sabha passes bill to cut salaries of MPs by 30%
- The Lok Sabha passed a bill to cut salaries of all MPs by 30 per cent for a year, to meet the exigencies arising out COVID-19 pandemic. The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was unanimously passed by the members of the Lower House.
Lok Sabha passes Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill
- Bill seeks to strengthen regulatory framework around cooperatives undertaking banking activities
- The Lok Sabha passed the Banking Regulation (amendment) Bill 2020 that seeks to protect the depositors of cooperative banks and empower the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to regulate the banking activities of cooperative societies.
PM Modi to dedicate historic Kosi Rail Mahasetu to the Nation
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi shall dedicate to the nation the historic Kosi Rail Mahasetu (mega bridge) to the Nation through video-conference.
- Apart from this the Prime Minister shall also inaugurate 12 rail projects related to passenger facilities for the benefit of the Bihar State.
Parliament passes Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda Bill 2020
- The Bill was earlier passed in Lok Sabha on 19th March, 2020. This paves the way to establish a state-of-the-art Ayurvedic institution called the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA) at Jamnagar, Gujarat, and to confer the status of Institution of National Importance (INI) to it.
India seeks Blue Flag eco-label for its eight beaches, launches its own tag ‘BEAMS’ for clean beach
- A national jury, composed of environmentalists and scientists, has recommended India’s eight beaches for consideration by international jury for the coveted International eco-label, the Blue Flag certification.
- The Blue Flag beaches are considered the cleanest beaches of the world.
Delhi’s IGI airport gets India’s first terminal for chartered planes, can handle 150 jets per day
- Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), a GMR Group-led consortium launched India’s first General Aviation Terminal facility for private jets at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Lok Sabha passes several bills including National Forensic Science University Bill 2020
- Lok Sabha has passed The National Forensic Science University Bill 2020. The Bill establishes National Forensic Science University as an institute of national importance. The proposed university would facilitate and promote studies and research and help achieve excellence in the field of forensic science in conjunction with applied behavioural science studies, law, criminology and other allied areas.
Govt launches Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan in 272 most affected districts
- Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has formulated and is implementing a National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-2025. The Plan aims at reduction of adverse consequences of drug abuse through a multi-pronged strategy.
DPIIT extends date of implementation of Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020 to 1st January 2021
- The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade issued notification extending the date of implementation of Toys (Quality Control) Order, 2020 as 1st January 2021 in place of 1st September 2020.
Govt sets up group under cyber security head to probe China Watching, will report in 30 days
- The Government set up an expert committee under the National Cyber Security Coordinator to study the revelations in China Watching, an investigation, that a Shenzen-based company, with links to the Chinese government, is monitoring over 10,000 Indian individuals and entities.
- The expert committee, led by Lt Gen (retd) Rajesh Pant, India’s chief coordinator on cyber security
FSSAI constitutes task force on vegan food
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) constituted a task force to look into guidelines/ provisions for vegan foods in the country. The task force comprises seven members including Shankar Narayan, founder-president, Satvik Vegan Society (formerly Indian Vegan Society), Bengaluru-Byndoor.
ICT challenge for developing smart supply measurement and monitoring system under Jal Jeevan Mission
- The government has launched an information and communications technology (ICT) contest to create innovative, modular and cost-effective solution to develop a smart water supply measurement and monitoring system to be deployed at the village level.
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Bihar
- Governor: Phagu Chauhan
- Capital: Patna
- Chief minister: Nitish Kumar
MORTH
- Minister of Road Transport & Highways: Nithin Gadkari
- Constituency: Nagpur, Maharashtra
Haryana
- Capital: Chandigarh
- Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya
- Chief minister: Manohar Lal Khattar
MoCA
- Civil Aviation Minister of India and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs : Hardeep Singh Puri
- Constituency: Uttar Pradesh
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:
- Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency: Madhya Pradesh
- Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairperson: Rita Teaotia
MEITY:
- Union Minister of the Law and Justice, Electronics and Information Technology and Communications: Ravi Shankar Prasad
- Constituency: Patna Sahib, Bihar
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
India beats China to become member of UN’s Commission on Status of Women
- India has been elected as the member of the Commission on Status of Women (CSW), a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
World’s first sovereign bond linked to UN goals hits market
- Mexico issued what it described as the world’s first sovereign bond linked to the sustainability development goals set by the United Nations, raising 750 million euros ($73 million).
India walks out of SCO meet after Pakistan projects fictitious map
- India walked out of a meeting of the National Security Advisors of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member countries in protest after the Pakistani representative used a “fictitious” map showing Indian territories as part of Pakistan. Hosted by the chair of the SCO (Russia).
India joins Djibouti Code of Conduct/ Jeddah Amendment as Observer
- India has joined the Djibouti Code of Conduct/ Jeddah Amendment, DCOC/JA, as Observer. DCOC/JA is a grouping on maritime matters comprising 18 member states adjoining the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, the East Coast of Africa and Island countries in the Indian Ocean Region. India has joined Japan, Norway, the UK and the US as Observers to the DCOC/JA.
Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) releases report ‘A WORLD IN DISORDER’
- It would take 500 years to spend as much on preparedness as the world is currently losing due to COVID-19. The world cannot afford this cycle of panic and neglect.
- The world simply cannot afford to be unprepared again, warns the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) in its second report ‘A World in Disorder’, released.
Israel, U.A.E. and Bahrain Sign Accords, With an Eager Trump Playing Host
- Israel and two Arab nations signed agreements at the White House ,has named the Abraham Accords to normalize their relations, a step toward a realignment of the Middle East but one that failed to address the future of the Palestinians.
India extends 250 million dollars support to Maldives to overcome economic impact of Covid-19
- India has provided financial assistance of 250 million dollars as budgetary support to the Maldives government to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A handover ceremony was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maldives government to mark the occasion.
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Commission on the Status of Women:
- Formation: 21 June 1946
- Headquarters: New York, USA
United Nations:
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- Founded: 24 October 1945
- Secretary general: António Guterres
Mexico:
- President: Andrés Manuel López Obrador
- Capital: Mexico City
- Currency: Peso (MXN)
SCO
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- MemberStates:China, India, Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
Djibouti:
- Currency: Djiboutian franc
- President: Ismail Omar Guelleh
- Capital: Djibouti
Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB):
- The WHO Global Preparedness Monitoring Board is a joint arm of the WHO and the World Bank.
Israel:
- Capital: Jerusalem
- Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu
- Currency: New shekel
Bahrain
- Capital: Manama
- Currency: Bahraini dinar
- King: Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa
Maldives:
- Capital: Malé
- Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
SBI General Insurance, YES Bank ink corporate agency agreement
- SBI General Insurance and YES Bank have signed a corporate agency agreement for the distribution of the general insurer’s retail products to customers of the private sector lender.
Sebi issues clarification on asset allocation framework for multi-cap MFs
- Regulator Sebi stated that mutual funds have many options to meet with the requirements of its circular pertaining to asset allocation framework for multi cap schemes based on the preference of their unit holders.
ADB to Provide Rs.4.66 Billion Loan to ENGIE for a 200 MW Solar Project in Gujarat
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and ENGIE have signed a long-term loan agreement worth 4.66 billion (~ $65.6 million) to develop and operate a 200 MW (AC) solar project in Gujarat.
ICICI Lombard General Insurance, YES Bank enter into bancassurance pact
- ICICI Lombard General Insurance has entered into a bancassurance tie-up with private sector lender YES Bank.
RBI mandates automated recognition of NPAs, provisioning by June 2021
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandated the automation of bad-loan recognition by banks by June 30, 2021.
- Banks had earlier been advised to have appropriate information technology (IT) systems in place for identification of non-performing assets (NPA) and generation of related data/returns, both for regulatory reporting and banks’ own management information system (MIS) requirements.
World Bank so far provided three loans worth 2.5 bn dollars to support India’s response to COVID-19 pandemic
- Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur has stated that the World Bank has so far provided three loans worth 5 billion dollars to support Government of India’s response to COVID-19 pandemic situation.
NABARD to implement new loan scheme for women’s self help groups
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development – NABARD – will be implementing a new loan scheme for women’s self help groups to start production of value added food products like chips, pickles, jams etc from the next Gandhi Jayanthi day on October 2nd.
LVB merger with Clix Group on track; completes substantial due diligence
- Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) stated the mutual due diligence relating to the proposed amalgamation of the Clix Group with the Bank is substantially complete, and the parties are in discussions on the next steps.
SBI plans 24×7 OTP-based cash withdrawal above Rs.10,000
- State Bank of India has decided to extend OTP-based cash withdrawal of 10,000 and above throughout the day across all its ATMs starting September 18.
Titan with SBI launches first contactless payment watches
- Titan Company has partnered with the country’s largest lender YONO-State Bank of India (SBI) to launch contactless payment watches.
Mastercard (MA) Rolls Out Premium Debit Card With SBM Bank
- Mastercard Incorporated MA and SBM Bank India have collaborated to launch SBM World Debit Card, a premium and exclusive card. This card will be custom-built and offered to SBM Private Wealth customers on request.
Volvo Car India Partnered With HDFC Bank To Launch Volvo Car Financial Services
- Volvo Car India has introduced Volvo Car Financial Services in collaboration with HDFC Bank to enable buyers to receive easy finance for a Volvo car of their choice.
Irdai to develop standardised products for bridging protection gap
- The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (Irdai) is looking to come out with a series of standardised products for various sectors so that the protection quotient in each segment can be increased significantly.
IDFC Mutual Fund launches ‘SIP in Fixed Income’ campaign
- IDFC Mutual Fund has started a new campaign called SIFI or `SIP in Fixed Income’ to make investors more aware about the benefits of investing in fixed income products via Systematic Investment Plans.
Canara Bank introduces i-Lead 2.0 to boost customer services
- Canara Bank has launched lead management system (LMS) – i-Lead 2.0 (Inspiring Leads System version 2.0).
HDFC Bank launches video KYC facility for savings, salary accounts and personal loans
- HDFC Bank launched its Video KYC (Know Your Customer) facility for Savings and Corporate Salary accounts and Personal Loans.
StanChart launches online remittance service
- Standard Chartered Bank, India, announced the launch of its online remittance service solution for both outward and inward remittances.
ADB, JICA to fund ORR-Airport Metro rail connectivity
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) agreed to invest $500 million to Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation’s (BMRCL) line linking Central Silk Board Junction to Kempegowda International Airport — ORR-Airport Metro – Phase-2A and 2B.
Bandhan Bank sets up new vertical to serve unbanked customers
- Bandhan Bank, which recently completed five years of operations as a bank, has set up a new vertical called Emerging Entrepreneurs Business (EEB) to support the emerging needs of the unbanked and underbanked segment of customers.
ICICI Home Finance launches home loan scheme ‘Apna Ghar Dreamz’for skilled workers in Delhi
- ICICI Home Finance has launched a new loan scheme ”Apna Ghar Dreamz”, with credit amount in the range of Rs 2 lakh to 50 lakh, for skilled workers employed in the informal sector in Delhi.
KVGB launches new gold loan scheme Vikas Laghu Suvarna
- The Dharwad -headquartered Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) has launched a special gold loan scheme — Vikas Laghu Suvarna — with a reduced interest rate of 7.25 per cent.
Kazakhstan Financial Regulator Cancels Licence of PNB Subsidiary
- State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) stated the financial regulator of Kazakhstan has revoked licence of its associate for failure to meet prudential standards and other mandatory norms. PNB holds 41.64 per cent in JSC Tengri Bank, the bank stated in a regulatory filing.
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SBI General Insurance Co Ltd:
- Headquarters location: Mumbai
- MD & CEO: Prakash Chandra Kandpal
Yes Bank:
- CEO: Prashant Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
SEBI:
- Founded: 12 April 1992
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson: Ajay Tyagi
Gujarat :
- Capital: Gandhinagar
- Governor: Acharya Devvrat
- Chief minister: Vijay Rupani
ICICI Lombard General Insurance
- CEO: Bhargav Dasgupta
- Headquarters: Mumbai
YES Bank
- CEO: Prashant Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
RBI
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das
- Deputy Governor: Shri M. K. Jain, Shri B.P. Kanungo, Michael Debabrata Patra.
World Bank:
- Headquarters:Washington, D.C., U.S
- David Malpass: President
NABARD:
- Founded: 12 July 1982
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Chairperson: Shri G R Chinthala
LVB:
- Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- MD & CEO: Subramanian Sundar
SBI:
- Chairperson: Rajnish Kumar
- Headquarters: Mumbai
Titan
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
- Managing Director: C K Venkataraman
SBM Bank india
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer – Sidharth Rath
Mastercard
- CEO: Ajaypal Singh Banga
- Headquarters: New York, United States
HDFC
- CEO: Aditya Puri
- Headquarters: Mumbai
Volvo Car India
- Headquarters: Gothenburg, Sweden
- CEO: Martin Lundstedt
IRDAI
- Headquarters: Hyderabad
- Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia
IDFC MF
- CEO: Vikram Limaye
- Headquarters: Mumbai
Canara Bank
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
- CEO: Lingam Venkat Prabhakar
Standard Chartered Bank:
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- CEO: Bill Winters
ADB:
- Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
- President: Masatsugu Asakawa
- Founded: 19 December 1966
Bandhan Bank
- Headquarters: Kolkata
- CEO: Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
ICICI Home Finance
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- MD & CEO:Anirudh Kamani
KVGB
- Chairman: P Gopi Krishna
- Headquarters: Dharwad
Punjab National Bank:
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Moody’s projects 11.5% contraction in India’s economic growth in FY21
- Ratings agency Moody’s projected 5% contraction in India’s economic growth in the current fiscal owing to coronvirus pandemic, from (-) 4 per cent estimated earlier.
HCL Technologies partners with NVIDIA Partner Network
- HCL Technologies has joined NVIDIA Partner Network (NPN), the US-based technology company’s partner program, with plans to pursue expanded opportunities in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) space.
ADB sees India GDP shrinking 9 per cent in FY21
- ADB’s forecast in line with other global agencies; raises growth outlook for 2021-22 to 8%
- In line with global agencies, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) lowered GDP (Gross Domestic Product) forecast to negative 9 per cent for FY 2020-21. Earlier it has projected growth of 4 per cent during the fiscal.
TPCI announces sectoral committees to tap new markets & investment
- Trade Promotion Council of India(TPCI), has constituted three Committees focusing on Food & Beverages, Food Processing Technology and Chemical and Allied Products.
Tata Projects wins bid to construct new parliament building
- The Tata Projects Limited won the bid to construct a new Parliament building at a cost of 861.90 crore, officials stated. The L&T Ltd had submitted a bid of Rs.865 crore, they stated.
UBS Securities sees GDP contracting 8.6 per cent this fiscal
- UBS Securities sees India’s real GDP contracting 6 per cent this fiscal, down from the previously estimated contraction level of 5.8 per cent, its Chief India Economist Tanvee Gupta Jain stated.
HCL and Google Cloud expand partnership to deliver accelerated business intelligence platform
- HCL Technologies and Google Cloud announced the expansion of their strategic partnership to bring HCL’s Actian portfolio, starting with Actian Avalanche, to Google Cloud.
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Moody’s Investors Service:
- Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
- CEO: Raymond W. McDaniel Jr.
HCL Technologies:
- CEO: C Vijayakumar
- Headquarters: Noida
Tata group:
- Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Chairman : Natarajan Chandrasekaran
UBS Securities:
- Founded: 2006
- Headquarters: Beijing,China
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
Telangana Assembly passes TS-bPASS Bill
- The Telangana State Building Permission Approval and Self Certification System (TS-bPASS) Bill, was passed in the Assembly enabling a self-certification system to make citizens responsible for compliance with building and layout permission rules
Madhya Pradesh: Central discom first to adopt e-office in India
- Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitran Company (central discom) has become the first power distribution company in the country to adopt e-office system. It is effectively being run in corporate office, offices of regional chief general manager and circles. The company has been e-filing and doing correspondence through NIC e-office system from 27 July.
J&K Horticulture Dept launches “Backyard Horticulture” programme under CAPEX scheme in Jammu district
- In Jammu and Kashmir, the Horticulture Department has launched the Flagship programme “Backyard Horticulture” under CAPEX scheme at Panchyat Jaswan in Marh block of Jammu district.
Rajasthan government signs pact with SIDBI to develop MSME ecosystem
- Rajasthan’s Department of Industries and SIDBI will work together to provide financial, technical, marketing and export support to MSMEs in the state.
Maharashtra CM announces ‘My Family-My Responsibility’ campaign to fight Covid-19
- Maharashtra government has launched My family-My Responsibility campaign.
- This involved a massive effort to reach out to every home in the state to assess the health condition of its residents, and provided medical help and guidance if needed.
111th Birth Anniversary of 1st CM of Tamil Nadu C. N. Annadurai being celebrated
- On Sept 15th 2020 is the 111th Birth Anniversary of the first Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu N. Annadurai, popularly known as Arignar Anna.
Madhya Pradesh to celebrate ‘Anna utsav’ on eve of PM Modi’s birthday
- Madhya Pradesh will celebrate an ‘Anna Utsav’ (food grains festival) on September 16, the eve of PM Narendra Modi’s birthday, during which 37 lakh new below poverty line (BPL) beneficiaries will be covered under the government’s scheme to provide food grains to them on highly subsidised rates.
Gujarat CM announces scheme to give interest-free loans to women’s groups
- Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced Mukhyamantri Mahila Utkarsh Yojana (MMUY) — a scheme of providing interest-free loans to women’s groups in the state – to be launched on September 17, birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
HIKAI Online academic classes inaugurated at Ramakrishna Mission Sec School in East Khasi Hills district
- The Ramkrishna Mission Centres of Sohra and Shillong in a joint venture successfully demonstrated the technological capability of conducting online classes in a no-internet zone by using intra-net. Online academic classes of HIKAI (Hybrid Interactive Knowledge Assimilation Initiative) from classes 1 to 12 were inaugurated at Ramakrishna Mission Secondary School, Sohbar of East Khasi Hills district.
Maharashtra govt accords ambulance status to vehicles carrying medical oxygen for one year
- In Maharashtra, the State Government has accorded ambulance status to the vehicles carrying medical oxygen for one year. A notification was issued in this regard.
Gujarat signs MoU with SIDBI to help MSMEs amid outbreak downturn
- The Gujarat government signed an MoU with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to increase self-reliance and provide capacity building and market support to the state’s 35 lakh micro-small-medium enterprises (MSMEs).
TN to launch SkillTech varsity for varied courses
- Tamil Nadu is taking the lead in imparting students with training on future skills, with plans to launch a SkillTech University to offer courses in different sectors, including automotive and power. SkillTech University will be an online platform and will be beneficial to all stakeholders, including government, industries and students.
Telangana Minister Launches Farm Cooperative Society Website
- Telangana IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) launched the Primary Agricultural Co-Operative Society (PACS), Pothgal web portal. The minister launched the web portal: www.pacspothgal.com.
Karnataka CM launches ‘Arthika Spandana’ loan disbursal scheme
- Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa launched the “Arthika Spandana” programme of disbursing loans to the tune of 39,300 crore through various cooperative institutions.
Govt launches road accident insurance scheme named after Balasaheb Thackeray
- Maharashtra state government launched a new road accident insurance scheme named after late Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, to provide timely treatment to victims that could help to reduce the fatality rate.
UP govt decides to give cows to families with malnourished children
- Uttar Pradesh government has decided to give cows to the families with malnourished children, which will ensure availability of milk for them. The step taken under the ‘Poshan Abhiyan’ campaign will help in bringing down the level of malnourishment among children and women in the state.
Gujarat CM Rupani announces subsidy schemes for e-scooters, rickshaws
- Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced subsidy schemes for electric two-wheelers and e-rickshaws, during a virtual programme on climate change to commemorate the founding day of the state climate change department.
J-K LG Launches NGDRS For Online Registration In Sale Or Purchase Of Land
- Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha launched the National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS), marking a major shift from the existing manual registration system to online registration for transactions in sale or purchase of land.
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Telangana:
- Capital: Hyderabad
- Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan
- Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao
Madhya Pradesh:
- Capital: Bhopal
- Governor: Anandiben Patel(additional charge)
- Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
J&K
- Capitals: Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
- Governor: Manoj Sinha
Rajasthan
- Capital: Jaipur
- Governor: Kalraj Mishra
- Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
SIDBI
- Headquarters location: Lucknow
- Founded: 2 April 1990
- Chairman and Managing Director : Mohammad Mustafa
Maharashtra
- Capital: Mumbai
- Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari
- Chief Minister: Uddhav Tackeray
TamilNadu
- Capital: Chennai
- Chief minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami
- Governor: Banwarilal Purohit
Meghalaya:
- Capital: Shillong
- Governor: Satya Pal Malik
- Chief Minister: Conrad Sangma
Karnataka
- Capital: Bengaluru
- Chief minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
- Governor: Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala
UP:
- Capital: Lucknow
- Governor: Anandiben Patel
- Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
Jammu and Kashmir:
- Capitals: Jammu (Winter), Srinagar (Summer)
- Governor: Manoj Sinha
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS AND PORTALS
IIT Bombay’s Techfest launches mental health awareness initiative
- Techfest, the annual science and technology festival of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay, launched a nationwide initiative for college-goers to address mental health concerns among the youth amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
Southern Railway’s Chennai Division launches Freight Seva app
- The Chennai Division of Southern Railways (SR) has launched an in-house mobile application – Freight Seva – to serve customers better.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
France-based EDF Group, VJTI, I2EN ink MoU to establish Centre of Excellence in civil nuclear sector in Maharashtra
- France-based EDF Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute in Mumbai and International Institute of Nuclear Energy (I2EN) to conduct a pre-feasibility study for the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in the civil nuclear sector in Maharashtra.
MoU signed between AYUSH Ministry and WCD Ministry for controlling Malnutrition as a part of POSHAN Abhiyaan
- A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Women and Child Development in New Delhi for controlling Malnutrition as a part of POSHAN Abhiyaan. The MoU will see some time-tested and scientifically proven Ayush-based solutions being adopted for controlling malnutrition in the country.
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Ministry of Women and Child Development
- Smriti Zubin Irani, Cabinet Minister
- Constituency: Amethi ,
- Debasree Chaudhuri, Minister of State
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS
Infosys to acquire Europe-based GuideVision for 30 million euros
- Infosys Ltd has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Europe-based GuideVision for up to €30 million (approximately $35 million) to augment its Cobalt portfolio of cloud services and further strengthen near-shore delivery presence in the European region.
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Infosys:
- CEO: Salil Parekh
- Headquarters: Bengaluru
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS
Subhash Kamath elected ASCI Chairman
- Subhash Kamath, Chief Executive Officer at BBH & Publicis Worldwide, India, who was unanimously elected as ASCI’s new Chairman.
Senior bureaucrat Rajesh Khullar appointed Executive Director, World Bank
- Senior bureaucrat Rajesh Khullar has been appointed as Executive Director, World Bank, Washington.
- Khullar, a 1988-batch IAS officer, is currently serving in his cadre state Haryana. He is the principal secretary to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Yoshihide Suga to succeed Shinzo Abe as Japan’s prime minister
- Yoshihide Suga was elected as the new head of Japan’s ruling party, virtually guaranteeing him parliamentary election as the country’s next prime minister. He is currently the chief Cabinet secretary of Abe’s government.
Harivansh re-elected as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
- NDA candidate Harivansh has been re-elected as the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. The upper house cleared his name with a voice vote.
Sachin Tendulkar named brand ambassador of Paytm First Games
- Paytm First Games (PFG), a subsidiary of digital financial service platform Paytm, has roped in cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador.
Great Learning ropes in Virat Kohli as brand ambassador
- Great Learning, an ed-tech company for professional and higher education, has roped in Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli as a brand ambassador.
Facebook India appoints Arun Srinivas as Director of Global Business Group
- Facebook stated it has appointed Arun Srinivas as the Director of Global Business Group to lead the strategy and delivery of the India Marketing Solutions charter that is focussed on large advertisers and agencies.
Takeo Konishi is ADB’s new Country Director for India
- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Takeo Konishi as its new Country Director for India. Konishi succeeds Kenichi Yokoyama who has taken over as Director General of ADB’s South Asia Department and will be based at ADB’s headquarters in Manila.
Amazon signs up Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan as new Alexa voice
- com has signed up Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan for its Alexa voice assistant.
Online poker platform 9stacks signs Suresh Raina as brand ambassador
- Online poker platform 9stacks has signed Suresh Raina as its brand ambassador.
- A left-handed batsman and a spin bowler, Raina will anchor the brand and help in creating a higher brand recall amongst the key target audience.
ICICI Bank to seek approval to appoint Sandeep Batra as whole-time director
- ICICI Bank will resume seeking approval from RBI for the appointment of Sandeep Batra as a whole-time director (designated as Executive Director) of the Bank.
Narendra Tomar replaces Harsimrat Badal as Minister of Food Processing Industries
- President of India Ram Nath Kovind has accepted minister of food processing industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal’s resignation from the Union Cabinet and directed that Narendra Singh Tomar be assigned the additional charge of the ministry.
Former RAW chief Anil Dhasmana appointed as new chief of National Technical Research Organisation
- Former Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Anil Dhasmana was appointed as the new chief of National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO).
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ASCI
- Chairman: Subhash Kamath
- Head Quarters: Mumbai
Japan
- Capital: Tokyo
- Currency: Japanese yen
Amazon
- CEO: Jeff Bezos
- Headquarters: Washington, United States
ICICI Bank
- CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi
- Headquarters: Mumbai
NTRO
- The National Technical Research Organisation is a technical intelligence Agency under the National Security Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office, India. It was set up in 2004.
- Headquarters: New Delhi
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONORS
Aditya Puri conferred Lifetime Achievement Award by Euromoney Awards of Excellence 2020
- Aditya Puri, MD, HDFC Bank was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by Euromoney Awards of Excellence 2020.
Margaret Atwood Honoured With 2020 Dayton Literary Peace Prize
- Renowned author Margaret Atwood won this year’s Dayton Literary Peace Prize’s lifetime achievement award.
Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank presents first ever AICTE Visvesvaraya Best Teacher Awards 2020
- Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank presented the first ever AICTE Visvesvaraya Best Teacher Awards 2020 to 12 faculty members of AICTE approved institutes on the occasion of Engineers Day. The event was organised in virtual mode and the faculty members were felicitated by the Minister through online interaction.
Rome’s Fiumicino Airport awarded world’s first five-star anti-Covid award
- Rome’s Fiumicino Airport has become the first airport in the world to earn “the COVID-19 5-Star Airport Rating” from Skytrax, an international airport industry ratings body.
Michelin-star Chef Vikas Khanna Honoured For Feeding Millions In India Amid COVID-19
- Miichelin-star chef Vikas Khanna will be honoured with the prestigious 2020 Asia Game Changer Award for feeding millions across India amid the COVID-19 pandemic through a massive food distribution drive that he coordinated, thousands of miles away from his Manhattan home.
Indian teenager named by UN to 2020 Class of Young Leaders for SDGs
- Udit Singhal, an 18-year-old youngster from India has been named by the United Nations to the 2020 cohort of young leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals, the highest-profile recognition opportunity at the world body for youngsters who are leading efforts to combat the world’s most pressing issues.
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AICTE:
- Founded: November 1945
- Headquarters: New Delhi
- Chairperson: Anil Sahasrabudhe
United Nations:
- Headquarters: New York, New York, United States
- Founded: 24 October 1945,
- Secretary general: António Guterres
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
10th Defence Technology and Trade Initiative, DTTI Group Meeting held virtually
- As part of the Indo-US Bilateral Defence Cooperation, the 10th Defence Technology and Trade Initiative, DTTI Group Meeting was held virtually.
Vice-President to inaugurate CII global Ayurveda summit
- CII-Kerala is organising the 4th edition of Global Ayurveda Summit, a virtual exhibition and conference on emerging opportunities for Ayurveda between September 15 and October 14 with the theme, “Ayurvedha for immunity”.
NSA Ajit Doval attends 10th BRICS’ meeting on security issues
- The 10th meeting of the NSAs, hosted by the current chair of BRICS Russia, was attended by China’s State Councillor Yang Jiechi and senior security officials from Brazil and South Africa.
- National Security Advisor Ajit Doval attended a virtual meet.
BRICS Communications Ministers’ Meet
- The BRICS Communications Ministers’ Meeting, was hosted by Maxim Parshin, deputy minister of digital development, communications and mass media of Russia.
- The meeting is held annually under the rotating chairship of member countries, and India will take over the chairmanship of the next meeting to be hosted in 2021 by India.
PM Modi to inaugurate and address VAIBHAV summit on 2nd October
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and address Vaibhav (Vishwik Bhartiya Vaignaynik) Summit on 2nd October.
- Vaibhav Summit is a global summit of Resident and Overseas Indian scientists, academicians and researchers.
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CII
- President: Uday Kotak
- Headquarters: New Delhi
BRICS:
- BRICS is the acronym coined for an association of five major emerging national economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The BRICS members are known for their significant influence on regional affairs. Since 2009, the BRICS nations have met annually at formal summits.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
India ranks 116th in World Bank’s Human Capital Index
- India has been ranked at the 116th position in the latest edition of the World Bank’s annual Human Capital Index that benchmarks key components of human capital across countries.
Indian Cities Slip In Global Smart City Index, Singapore On Top
- The Institute for Management Development, in collaboration with Singapore University for Technology and Design, has released the 2020 Smart City Index, with key findings on how technology is playing a role in the Covid-19 era.
- In the 2020 Smart City Index, Hyderabad was placed at the 85th position (down from 67 in 2019), New Delhi at 86th rank (down from 68 in 2019), Mumbai was at 93rd place (in 2019 it was at 78) and Bengaluru at 95th (79 in 2019).
Lionel Messi Remains Ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo as World’s Richest Footballer
- According to a list compiled by Forbes, Messi’s total earnings this year are 126 million dollars – 92 million dollars from his salary and 34 million dollars in endorsements. Not surprisingly Cristiano Ronaldo comes in second although earnings of 117 million dollars will soften the blow for the Juventus forward, as will his status as the most followed soccer player in the world on social media.
- Neymar comes in third on the Forbes list (96 million dollars) with his Paris St Germain team mate, 21-year-old Kylian Mbappe, up in fourth spot (42 million dollars).
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
IIM, Kozhikode based incubatee start-up launches wearable gadget for implementing social distancing norms
- Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode based incubatee start-up has come up with a unique user friendly wearable device that alarms proximity for helping implement social distancing norms.
- Known as the Veli Band, this wearable device has been developed by Qual5 India Pvt. Ltd, a startup co-founded by woman entrepreneur Kiranmayee.
China launches 9 satellites into space from ocean platform
- China launched a Long March 11 rocket from an ocean platform in the Yellow Sea, successfully sending nine satellites into orbit.
- It is the first time however that China has used new seaport facilities at Haiyang in eastern China. China is only the third country to perform a sea launch, following the S. and Russia.
Three tech institutions join hands to develop IoT-compatible sensors for agriculture
- Three premier Indian technology institutions – IIT Bombay, Gauhati University and the Gandhinagar-based Dhirumbhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology – have joined hands to develop high-tech sensors for use in agriculture.
Delhi Metro develops indigenous signalling technology under ‘Make in India’
- The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has taken a major step towards the development of an indigenously built signalling technology for metro trains in line with the government’s flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative.
CSIR Collaborates With Aurobindo Pharma To Develop COVID-19 Vaccines
- The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Aurobindo Pharma Limited on announced a collaboration to develop vaccines for COVID-19.
Ashok Leyland, Hindustan Zinc team up with IIT-M to develop Zinc air battery
- Truck major Ashok Leyland and Hindustan Zinc have (separately) joined hands with IIT-Madras in the technology institute’s endeavour to develop a Zinc air battery.
IIIT-Bhubaneswar students make first-of-its-kind ventilation device “Swasner”to ease mild breathing issues
- A group of seven engineering students from IIIT, Bhubaneswar claimed to have developed a first-of-its-kind helmet-like ventilation device “Swasner” that benefits patients suffering from mild respiratory distress.
Jupiter-sized planet found orbiting a dead star — a first in space discoveries
- According to findings published in the journal Nature, a planet the size of Jupiter is in orbit around a white dwarf ,The white dwarf known as WD 1856+534 is hosting the newly discovered planet named WD 1586 b. — the remnant after a star’s death — which is 80 light years away from Earth. The planet takes merely 1.4 days to complete one orbit.
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CSIR:
- Director General: Shekhar C. Mande
- Head Quarters: New Delhi
Ashok Leyland:
- CEO: Vipin Sondhi
- Headquarters: Chennai
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS
‘My Life in Design’: Gauri Khan announces her debut book
- The coffee-table book, tentatively titled My Life In Design, will be released in 2021 under Penguin’s ‘Ebury Press’ imprint.
The End of an Era; India Exits Tibet by Claude Arpi
- Claude Arpi’s four volumes on Tibet’s relations with India show how China developed its Tibet playbook that includes encroachment, occupation, and the spinning of a narrative of false claims.
AZADI Freedom. Fascism. Fiction by Arundhati Roy
- Arundhati Roy’s new book titled AZADI Freedom. Fascism. Fiction and is published by Penguin Books Limited. ‘Azadi!’ – Urdu for ‘freedom’ – is the iconic chant of the Kashmiri freedom struggle.
Barack Obama’s memoir ‘A Promised Land’ coming out in November
- Former U.S. President Barack Obama announced the publication in November of the first half of his memoirs, A Promised Land.
- Published by Penguin Random House and he book will be released in 25 languages on November 17
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Tuscan Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton claims 90th win after incredible race
- Lewis Hamilton took his 90th career victory by beating Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas in Tuscan Grand Prix. Red Bull’s Thai-British driver Alex Albon took a maiden podium in
Thomas and Uber Cup Finals postponed to 2021 by BWF
- The Thomas and Uber Cup in Denmark postponed to next year by the Badminton World Federation following a wave of withdrawals by top teams due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.
Cristiano Ronaldo becomes second men’s player to score 100 international goals
- Cristiano Ronaldo became the second man to score 100 international goals, hitting the landmark for Portugal in UEFA Nations League match against Sweden.
Neymar banned for 2 matches, Layvin Kurzawa banned for 6 matches
- Layvin Kurzawa comes away with the biggest suspension, and will miss 6 matches, after kicking Jordan Amavi. The Marseille man receives a 3-match suspension. Dario Benedetto is the other OM player to receive a suspension, receiving a 1-match ban.
Fed Cup renamed as Billie Jean King Cup to honour the legendary player
- The Fed Cup will be renamed as Billie Jean King Cup, the International Tennis Federation
- The change of name is being done to honour King considered the greatest trailblazer in women’s tennis for her lifelong battle for equality and social justice.
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BWF
- Founded: 5 July 1934
- President: Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen
- Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ITF
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
- President: David Haggerty
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh passes away
- Former Union minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh passed away due to post-Covid complications. He was 74. He recently resigned from the RJD Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
Former Chhattisgarh Minister Chanesh Ram Rathiya passes away of COVID-19
- Veteran Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh minister Chanesh Ram Rathiya passed away due to COVID-19. He was 78.
Former India Test Cricketer Sadashiv Patel passes away at 86
- Former India player Sadashiv Raoji Patil, who represented the country in one Test match, has passed away.
Arts scholar Kapila Vatsyayan passes away
- Scholar, author and connoisseur of the arts Kapila Vatsyayan has passed away. She was 92.
Arya Vaidya Pharmacy Chairman Krishnakumar passes away
- P R Krishnakumar, Chairman and Managing Director of the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy (AVP) Coimbatore Limited, who had devoted his entire life to creating awareness on Ayurveda, died of Covid-19.
Mali’s former president Moussa Traore passes away
- Mali’s former president Moussa Traore, who ruled the West Africa nation for more than 22 years, has passed away at age 83.
Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Gasti passes away
- First-time Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka Ashok Gasti, after testing positive for Covid-19, passed away. He was 55.
Amitabha Ghosh, who served as RBI governor for 21 days, passes away at 90
- Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Governor for 21 days, Amitabha Ghosh, passed away at the age of 90.
‘Mini Gavaskar’ Sachin Deshmukh passes away at 52 due to coronavirus complications
- Mini Gavaskar’ in local cricket, Sachin Deshmukh passes away at 52 after coronavirus complications.
United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passes away at 87
- US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who has been regarded as an iconic champion of women’s rights and history-making jurist passed away at the age of 87.