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CCent Affairs for Competitive Exam

Current Affairs August 2018

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CURRENT AFFAIRS FOR COMPETITIVE EXAM CONTENTS

INDIAN AFFAIRS ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Cabinet Approvals ......................................................................................................................................... 3

Schemes ......................................................................................................................................................... 9

Launches & Inaugurations ........................................................................................................................... 11

Festivals ....................................................................................................................................................... 19

Other News Related to Indian Affairs ......................................................................................................... 20

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ........................................................................................................................ 33

VISITS ............................................................................................................................................................. 35

Indian Affairs ............................................................................................................................................... 35

Foreign Affairs ............................................................................................................................................. 38

BANKING & FINANCE ................................................................................................................................. 39

RBI in News ................................................................................................................................................. 40

Other Banks & Finance Related News ........................................................................................................ 42

MOU’S & AGREEMENTS IN NEWS ........................................................................................................... 52

COMMITEES & MEETINGS ......................................................................................................................... 55

SUMMITS & CONFERENCE ........................................................................................................................ 57

INDEX ............................................................................................................................................................. 59

Rankings ...................................................................................................................................................... 59

Reports ......................................................................................................................................................... 61

BUSINESS & ECONOMY ............................................................................................................................. 63

AWARDS & RECOGNITION ........................................................................................................................ 67

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATION ........................................................................................................... 72

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS ..................................................................................................................... 80

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ........................................................................................................................ 81

DEFENCE........................................................................................................................................................ 85

ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................................................ 88

SPORTS ............................................................................................................................................................ 89

OBITUARY ..................................................................................................................................................... 99

BOOKS & AUTHORS .................................................................................................................................. 103

IMPORTANT DAYS .................................................................................................................................... 104

STATIC INFORMATION FROM CURRENT AFFAIRS ........................................................................... 109

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INDIAN AFFAIRS Cabinet Approvals Cabinet clears 46 amendments to GST laws On August 1, 2018, In a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi amendments of GST Laws were approved. i. It has 46 amendments. ii. It includes hiking threshold limit to Rs.1.5 crore , allowance of employers to claim input tax credit on food, transport and insurance provided to employees under any law. iii. It also has modification of reverse charge mechanism, separate registration for companies having different business verticals, cancellation of registration, new return filing norms and issuance of consolidated debit/credit notes covering multiple invoices. iv. Amendments to the Central GST law, Integrated GST law, Compensation Cess law are yet to be tabled. Cabinet approved LIC-IDBI deal of LIC acquiring 51% stake at IDBI Bank On August 1,2018, The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,cleared the purchase of 51 per cent controlling stake in IDBI bank by state-run insurer Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). i. According to the deal the bank will get Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 13,000 crore depending on the share price. ii. This was done to raise the capital of the IDBI Bank to pay off debts. iii. Earlier LIC had 7-7.5 per cent stake in the bank. Cabinet Approvals On August 2, 2018 On August 2, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved the following: Cabinet approves Extension of Concessional Financing Scheme (CFS) On August 2, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the

first extension of Concessional Financing Scheme (CFS) to support Indian Entities bidding for strategically important infrastructure projects abroad.

The total outlay for this scheme is Rs.625.63 crore . MEA selects the specific projects keeping in view strategic interest of India and sends the same to

Department of Economic Affairs (DEA). The DEA will decide on the projects based on the committee’s decision headed by Secretary, DEA. It is presently being operated through the Export-Import Bank of India. Government of India (GoI) provides counter guarantee and interest equalization support of 2% to the

EXIM Bank. The Government will extend the Scheme for another five years from 2018 to 2023.

The financial assistance break-up is as follows: IES Amount (In INR crore) ; Total – 625.63 Cr Year 42.25 (2018-19) 65.00 (2019-20) 188.50 (2021-22) 208.00 (2022-23)

Background: This scheme would offer concessional finance to any foreign Govt. or foreign Govt. owned or controlled entity, if any Indian entity, succeeds in getting contract for the execution of a project. Cabinet approves: Raising of Extra Budgetary Resources (EBR) amounting up to Rs. 15,000 crore during the financial year 2018-19 Raising funds up to Rs.15,000 crore as Extra Budgetary Resources (EBR) (Gol Fully Serviced Bonds)

for Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) [SBM(G)] during the financial year 2018-19 through NABARD. Authorized International Centre for Drinking Water Quality for receiving EBR funds for SBM(G) and

giving them to Sates/UTs implementing agencies, and its repayment. Changed the name of ‘International Centre for Drinking Water Quality’ to ‘National Centre for Drinking

Water, Sanitation and Quality’. These decisions would benefit around 1.5 crore rural households under Swachh Bharat Mission

(Gramin). The loan amount of Rs.15,000 crore will be repaid to NABARD as single bullet payment at the end

of 10th year from the date of loan.




Cabinet approves Policy Framework for exploration and exploitation of Unconventional Hydrocarbons On August 2, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the

policy to permit exploration and exploitation of unconventional hydrocarbons such as Shale oil/gas, Coal Bed Methane (CBM) etc.

It will be carried out under the existing Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs), CBM contracts and Nomination fields.

It will encourage the Contractors to unlock the potential of unconventional hydrocarbons in te areas. With this, there will be new investment in Exploration and Production (E&P) activities, introduction of

new, innovative and cutting-edge technology. Cabinet approves issue of fresh equity to the extent of 15% of the paid up equity capital by Hindustan Copper Limited On August 2, 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri

Narendra Modi approved issue of fresh 13,87,82,700 equity shares to the extent of 15% of paid up equity capital.

This will be done by Hindustan Copper Limited(HCL) through the Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP) route as per SEBI’s guidelines with face value of Rs.5 for each share.

GoI’s shareholding in HCL will come down from 76.05% to 66.13%. The paid-up share capital of HCL will increase from the present Rs. 462.61 crore to Rs. 532 crore which

will be used for its expansion plan. It would create employment opportunities for 9300 persons approximately. Expansion projects of HCL are located in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand.

Cabinet approves Re-structuring of the Agricultural Scientists’ Recruitment Board (ASRB) On August 2, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the

proposal for restructuring of Agricultural Scientists’Recruitment Board (ASRB). The ASRB will now be a 4 Member body instead of 3 Members. It will have a Chairperson and 3

Members. ASRB would be for a period of three years or till attainment of 65 years of age, whichever is earlier. ASRB shall be delinked from ICAR and to be attached with Dept. of Agricultural Research & Education

(DARE) under Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. ASRB:

It functions as an independent recruitment agency in recruitment to various scientific positions in Agricultural Research Service and Research Management Positions of ICAR/DARE.

Cabinet Approvals on August 10, 2018 On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the following proposals. Cabinet approved extension of the term of the Commission to examine the issue of Sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes in the Central List On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the

extension of the term of the Commission to examine the issue of Sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes in the Central List till November, 2018.

Before finalizing the sub-categorized lists and the report, the commission had talks with State Governments, the State Backward Classes Commissions, various community associations and public about the issue.

It also obtained caste-wise data of OBCs in various institutions like higher educational institutions, Central Departments, Central PSU etc.

Cabinet approved creation of two posts equivalent to Joint Secretary level in the Interpreters’ cadre of the Ministry of External Affairs On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the

creation of two posts equivalent to Joint Secretary level in the Interpreters‘ cadre of the Ministry of External Affairs.

It will help improving the Interpreters’ cadre and better training of the Interpreters. It will address requirements of high-level bilateral and multilateral engagements of the Government of

India globally. Cabinet approved transfer of Central Hospital at Karma, Jharkhand under the Labour Welfare Organisation for setting up a new Medical College




On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved transfer of the Central Hospital at Karma, Jharkhand under the Ministry of Labour & Employment to the Jharkhand Government free of cost within 3 months.

This would enable establishment of new Medical College under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS). This will lead to enhancement of number of doctors being trained per year in the country and better

healthcare in regions in and around Karma, Jharkhand . Background: A 150 bedded Hospital (including a 50 bedded TB Hospital in same premises) was established by the

Ministry of Labour & Employment at Karma, Jharkhand to cater to the needs of Mica mine/ Beedi workers.

Cabinet approved Concession Agreements & Land Lease Agreements for revival of Gorakhpur & Sindri units of FCIL and Barauni unit of HFCL by HURL On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the

following proposals: To provide land on lease to Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL); To provide the Concession Agreements & Land Lease Agreements for the revival of Gorakhpur & Sindri

units of Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) and Barauni unit of Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited (HFCL) by HURL; and

To authorize Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to approve Substitution Agreements between FCIL/HFCL and HURL for the three projects at Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni.

Key Points: Lease Deeds signed with HURL by FCIL/HFCL will have a period of 55 years. HURL would pay a nominal Lease Rent of Rs.1 lakh per annum to the Lessor (FCIL/HFCL). HURL would carry out complete design, engineering, construction, procurement, testing,

commissioning, operate and maintaining the fertilizer plants. These agreements would help to ensure investment in the fertilizer sector.

Background: HURL, a Joint Venture company of NTPC, IOCL, CIL and FCIL/ HFCL was incorporated in June 2016 to

implement the fertilizer revival projects at Gorakhpur, Sindri, and Barauni. Cabinet approved raising of four additional battalions of National Disaster Response Force On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved raising

of four (4) additional battalions of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) at an estimated cost of Rs 637 crore.

These four battalions will initially be raised as two battalions in Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and one battalion each in Border Security Force (BSF) and Assam Rifles (ARs).

After converting them into NDRF battelions, they will be placed in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi National Capital Region.

Background: NDRF was created in the year 2006.

Cabinet approved release of pulses under Price Support Scheme to States with Central Subsidy of Rs. 15 per Kg for utilization under Welfare Schemes On August 10, 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri

Narendra Modi approved the release of pulses to States/UTs at discounted rate under Price Support Schemes (PSS).

Government will spend Rs. 5,237 crore for implementation of this Scheme. The States/UT Governments are offered a one-time dispensation for a period of 12 months or to

lift 34.88 lakh MT of Tur, Chana, Masoor, Moong and Urad at discount of Rs.15 per Kg on a First come first serve basis.

They would use the pulses for welfare schemes like Mid-Day Meal, Public Distribution System, Integrated Child Development Programmes (ICDP) etc.

Cabinet approved construction of New 4 – Lane Bridge on Kosi river at Phulaut , Bihar On August 10, 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri

Narendra Modi, approved the project for construction of 6.930 km long 4-lane bridge at Phulaut in Bihar.

There is a 10 km missing link between Phulaut and Bihpur on NH-106 which takes a detour of approximate 72 km. This bridge will take it down to 12 km.




It will also fill the existing 30 km long gap between Udakishanganj and Bihpur of National Highway Number 106 in Bihar

It will connect Nepal/ North Bihar/ East-West Corridor (passing through NH- 57) and South Bihar/ Jharkhand/ Golden Quadrilateral (passing through NH -2), besides full utilization of National Highway Number-31.

It will generate direct employment of about 2.19 lakh man-days during construction. Other announcements: Along with this, up-gradation of existing Birpur- Bihpur section of National Highway-106 from

Km 106 to Km 136 to ‘2 lane with Paved Shoulder’in Bihar was also approved. The estimated cost of the project would be Rs 1478.40 crore and would take 3 years (by June, 2022) to

complete. With this the average speed on the highway which is below 20 km /hour can be 100 km/ hour.

Cabinet approved continuation and revision of “Post Matric Scholarship for OBC Students for studying in India” On August 10, 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri

Narendra Modi approved the continuation and revision of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of “Post Matric Scholarship for Other Backward Classes Students for studying in India” (PMS-OBC) for the years 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20.

The estimated cost of the Scheme will be Rs.3,085 crore. The revised scheme will cover more OBC students and will ensure effective implementation and

monitoring of the scheme. The revised features are: Annual parental income will be increased from Rs. One Lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakh. 30% of the funds allocated earmarked for girl students and 5% for students with disabilities. Disbursement of scholarships through Aadhaar seeded bank accounts. Since the Scheme is fund-limited, central assistance shall be released according to the Notional

Allocation. The concept of Committed Liability shall not apply to States/UTs for releases. Background: “Post Matric Scholarship for Other Backward Classes Students for studying in India” (PMS-OBC) is a

flagship scheme of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and has been in operation since 1998-99. It enables approximately 40 lakh OBC students to pursue higher study after class X per year.

Cabinet Approvals with Foreign countries on August 10, 2018 On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the following proposals. Cabinet approved MoU between India and Indonesia on Health cooperation On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Indonesia on health cooperation. i. A Working Group will be set to work on the areas of cooperation and implementation of the MoU. ii. The areas of cooperation are: Research and development, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and IT-based medical equipment; Human Resource Development; Health services; and Any other area as may be mutually agreed upon.

Cabinet approved MoU between India and Indonesia on Scientific and Technological Cooperation On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Indonesia on Scientific and Technological Cooperation. The MoU was signed by Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister for Science, Technology and Earth Sciences and Mr.

Mohamad Nasir, Minister for Research, Technology and Higher Education, Indonesia in May 2018. This will promote cooperation in the fields of science and technology between India and Indonesia and

will include researchers academia, R&D laboratories and companies from both the countries. Areas of collaboration are: Information and Communication Technology; Marine Science & Technology;

Life Sciences (including Biotechnology, Agriculture and Biomedical Sciences); Energy Research; Water Technologies; Disaster Management; Space Sciences, Technology and Applications; Geospatial Information and Applied Chemistry.




Cabinet approved signing of MoU between India and Canada on collaboration among Chartered Accountant Institutions On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved MoU between “Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)” and “Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada)”. This MoU was signed in 2011. The areas of cooperation are: definition, learning, and evaluation of the professional qualities and skills

and competencies of entry-level Chartered Accountants. Background: ICAI is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament of India, The Chartered Accountants Act,

1949′. Cabinet approves MoU between India and Korea on Trade Remedy Cooperation On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the MOU between India and Korea on Trade Remedy Cooperation. The MoU was signedin July 2018 during the State visit of President of Korea to India. The area of cooperation in trade remedies are: anti-dumping, subsidy and countervailing and safeguard

measures. Cabinet approved joint issue of postage stamp between India and South Africa On August 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the joint issue of Postage Stamps on India-South Africa . The Theme of the postage stamp will be : “20 Years of Strategic Partnership between India and South

Africa”. The Joint Issue depicts image of Deendayal Upadhyaya and Oliver Reginald Tambo of South Africa. This

is a part of the MOU signed in May 2018. The joint stamps were released in June 2018.

Cabinet Approvals as on August 29, 2018 On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved the following: Cabinet approves Revised Cost Estimate for setting up of India Post Payments Bank On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gave its approval for increase in project outlay for the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) from Rs. 800 crore to Rs. 1,435 crore. i. The additional Rs. 635 crore has been given in the following manner: Rs 400 crore for Technology Costs and Rs 235 crore for Human Resource Costs.

About IPPB services: IPPB services shall be available at 650 IPPB branches and 3250 Access Points from 1st September 2018 and in all 1.55 lakh post offices (Access Points) by December 2018. The project will generate new employment opportunity for about 3500 skilled banking professionals Cabinet approves additional 2 percent Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners w.e.f. 1st July, 2018 On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modihas approved an additional installment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners w.e.f. 01.07.2018. This would include an increase of 2% over the existing rate of 7% of the Basic Pay/Pension, to

compensate for price rise. The impact of Dearness Allowance and Deamess Relief would be Rs.6112.20 crore per annum

and Rs.4074.80 crore in the financial year 2018-19 . This will benefit about 48.41 lakh Central Government employees and 62.03 lakh pensioners.

Cabinet approves Umbrella scheme “Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)” of Ministry of Earth Sciences On August 29, 2018, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved he umbrella scheme “Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)”.With an Objective to help in addressing issues relating to Sustainable Development Goal-14: to conserve use of oceans, marine resources About O-SMART: Full form: Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science. The cost of the project is : Rs.1623 crore.




This scheme will be implemented during the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20. It will have a total of 16 sub-projects addressing ocean development activities such as Services,

Technology, Resources, Observations and Science. This scheme will help in implementation of various aspects of Blue Economy. A State of the art Early Warning Systems has been established under the O-SMART Scheme to deal with

ocean disasters like Tsunami, storm surges. Cabinet Approvals with Foreign Countries as on August 29, 2018 On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet approved the following agreements with foreign countries. Cabinet approves signing of MoU between India and Bulgaria in the field of tourism On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the signing of MOU between India and Bulgaria for strengthening cooperation in the field of Tourism. i. Focus areas are: To exchange information and data related to tourism and in Human Resource Development. To exchange visits of Tour Operators / Media /Opinion Makers for promotion of two way tourism. To encourage cooperation between tourism stakeholders including Hotels and Tour operators.

Cabinet apprised of the MoU between India and Republic of Korea on the cooperation in the field of railways On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved on the cooperation between Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), India and Republic of Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI). i. This would strengthen and promote scientific and technical cooperation in the field of railways. ii. The 2 institutes would interact and share the latest developments and knowledge in the railway sector. iii. Focus areas are: Co-operation in setting up of latest railway R&D facilities in India, Planning and execution of Technical seminar, Short Term Training Programme for RDSO personnel by KRRI, Exchange Programme of Personnel between KRRI & RDSO.

Cabinet apprised of the MoU between India and United Kingdom and Northern Irelandon the Cooperation in the fields of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved MoU between India and United Kingdom (UK) and Northern Ireland for cooperation in the fields of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries. i. This would increase the production and productivity of Indian livestock and fisheries. ii. Focus areas : Management of food and fodder and bulk transportation in deficit areas, Development of high tech fodder tree species nurseries with fodder crops, Promotion of agro-forestry for fodder trees and integrated farming system including soil moisture

conservation, Areas of exchange of scientific personnel for study tour/training, Collaboration for joint research for cross-learning.

Cabinet approves signing of Air Services Agreement between India and Morocco On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the revised air services agreement between India and Morocco. i. Main features of the Agreement are: Multiple designation of Airlines by each party, Allows designated airlines of either countries to establish offices in the territory of other country for the

promotion and sale of air services, Indian designated carriers can operate any number of services to/from Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakesh,

Agadir, Tangier and Fez in Moroccoand Morocco can operate any number of services to/from New Delhi, Mumbai,

Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. ii. After this comes to effect, the existing Air Services Agreement of December, 2004 shall stand superseded. Cabinet approves Trade Cooperation Framework between India and Rwanda On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the trade cooperation framework between India and Rwanda.




i. It will facilitate better trade and economic relations between the two countries. ii. It was signed on 23rd July, 2018.. Cabinet approves Memorandum of Understanding between India and USA in insurance regulatory sector On August 29, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the signing of an MoU between Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Federal Insurance Office, USA. i. Focus areas are: Exchange of information and research assistance, Mutual assistance including training activities, Cooperation on international standard-setting activities, financial stability and Consumer protection.

Schemes Chhattisgarh CM & actress Kangana Ranaut launch mobile distribution scheme ‘Mobile Tihar’ On 30th July 2018, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and actress Kangana Ranaut launched ‘Mobile Tihar’, a smartphone distribution scheme under the Sanchar Kranti Yojna (SKY) in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. i. The scheme has been launched to distribute smartphones to women and students. It will benefit more than 50 Lakh people. ii. As a part of this scheme, 556 new mobile towers will be set up in Chhattisgarh. Seva Bhoj Yojna: new scheme worth Rs.325 crore launched by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India On August 2, 2018, the Ministry of Culture, Government of India launched the new scheme Seva Bhoj Yojna.Total outlay of the scheme is Rs. 325.00 Crores for financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20. i.With an Objective to reimburse the CGST and IGST to Religious / Charitable Institutions who provide Food free of cost without any discrimination to Public/Devotees. ii. Institutions such as Temples, Gurudwara, Mosque, Church, Dharmik Ashram, Dargah, Matth, Monasteries etc. existing for at least Three years before applying for financial assistance/grant.Those who serve free food to at least 5000 people in a month. iii.Institutions coming under: section 10 (23BBA) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, 12AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961, section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 or section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956, Societies Registration Act, 1860. How it will work: i. Religious / Charitable Institution shall first register with Darpan Portal of NITI Aayog and get Unique ID. ii. Then the institution shall enroll itself in CSMS Portal (http://csms.nic.in/login/sevabhoj.php ) on the Ministry of Culture’s website. iii. Then they shall apply “online” in the prescribed application form and upload required documents as listed below in CSMS Portal of Ministry of Culture’s website ( www.indiaculture.nic.in) Ministry of Culture: Minister of State (I/C): Mahesh Sharma. Mukhyamantri Yuva Nestam: Andhra Pradesh Government launches unemployment allowance scheme. On August 3, 2018, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu launched ‘Mukhya Mantri-Yuva Nestham’ scheme to allowance to unemployed youth in the state. i. The allowance will be of Rs 1000 per month. ii. 12 lakh youths in the age group of 22-35 years will get the benefit. iii. The scheme is eligible even if there are more than one beneficiary in a family. iv. The money will be credited directly into the bank accounts through biometric authentication after 15 days of registration which will start from either third or fourth week of August. v. Apart from the allowance, the government will also provide skill training.The state cabinet has also decided to fill 20,000 job vacancies, 9000 teacher posts, and vacancies in other departments. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar launched Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana for empowerment of girls On August 8, 2018, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched Mukhyamantri Kanya Utthan Yojana for empowerment of women. i. A sum of Rs 7221 crore will be spend in a year on the programme.


http://csms.nic.in/login/sevabhoj.php

http://www.indiaculture.nic.in/



ii. It will be run by three departments — education, health and social welfare. iii. It will provide Rs 54,100 from the birth of a girl child till she graduates. The break-up of the scheme is as follows: Under this, on birth of a girl child her family would get Rs 2000. After preparation of her Aadhaar card, the family would get an additional amount of Rs 1000. If the whole range of immunisation is completed within two years of a girl’s birth, a sum of Rs 2000will

be given. After entry into class one in a school, a girl will get Rs 600 for purchase of uniform. Similarly, she will

get Rs 700 for uniform in between class three to five and it will be scaled up to Rs 1000 when she reaches 6th to 8th standard and Rs 1500 in between 9th to 12th standard.

On clearance of Intermediate, a sum of Rs 10,000will be given to encourage her to pursue higher education. (unmarried girls only )

After doing graduation, she will get Rs 25,000. (married and unmarried girls) iv. It also provides incentive for completing immunisation within two years of birth v. The list of the girls who have cleared the intermediate examination this year will be given Rs 10,000 under this scheme. Other Announcements: i. The amount under the ‘Bicycle Yojna’ has been increased from Rs 2500 to Rs 3000 . ii. The amount for purchase of sanitary napkin has been increased to Rs 300 from existing Rs 150 under the ‘Kishori Swasthya Yojna.’ Telangana CM launched 2 schemes for people of the state on 72nd Independence day On August 15, 2018, on the eve of 72nd Independence Day, Telengana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao launched two major schemes: Rythu Bima: insurance to farmers Kanti Velugu: free eye screening for all citizens.

About Rythu Bima: i. Under this scheme, every farmer would be provided with life insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh. ii. It will cover 28 lakh farmers aged between 18 and 59 years. iii. The government has already paid Rs 636 crore towards premium to Life Insurance Corp. iv. It will bear the annual premium of Rs 2,271 per farmer. About Kanti Velugu: i. The entire population of 3.7 crore would be provided with free eye care. ii. The authorities will not only conduct eye screening but will also provide free medicines, spectacles and arrange for free surgeries, if required. iii. Approximately four lakh surgeries will be performed across the state. iv. The government also plans on distributing 40 lakh spectacles. Other Announcements: i. The second phase of distribution of cheques under the ‘Rythu Bandhu’ investment support scheme for farmers would begin in November 2018. ii. It provides Rs 8,000 per acre for two crops to every farmer. iii. The government will set up a mega textile park in Warangal to provide employment to weavers and ‘Textile hubs’ are being set up at Sircilla and Gadwal. iv. Rs 2,000 crore to be spent on minorities welfare and development and setting up a special IT park for IT industrialists from the minority sections. v.Different construction programmes have been taken up with Rs 35,000 crore to make Hyderabad a global city. vi. Furthur improvements would be implemented at a cost of Rs 50,000 crore in the next five years. Kanyashree Prakalpa scheme: West Bengal Government removed family income ceiling. On August 16, 2018, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee lifted family income ceiling for the beneficiaries of women welfare scheme ‘Kanyashree’. i. Earlier the ceiling was : Rs 120,000 or less. ii. This would cost the state government an additional Rs 200 crore. iii. The state had already incurred an annual expenditure of Rs 1200 crore under the scheme in 2017. Other Announcements: i. A university for the girls under this scheme to pursue higher education would be built.




ii.The state education ministry would hold special training camps for the girls to provide skill trainings for jobs. About ‘Kanyashree’: Kanyashree was launched in 2013 to prevent early marriage of girl children of socio-economically disadvantaged families whose annual income is Rs 120,000 or less.

Launches & Inaugurations Rajasthan becomes first State to implement Centre’s ‘Biofuel Policy’ On August 1, 2018, Rajasthan becomes the first state to implement Centre’s ‘Biofuel Policy.’ i. For this Rajasthan has established a Centre of Excellence in Udaipur to promote research in alternate fuels and energy sources. ii. To expand ethanol production, it has allowed using sugarcane juice and starch containing materials for production of ethanol. iii. The state installed a biodiesel plant of capacity of 8 tonnes a day with the financial assistance of Indian Railways. iv. These steps will help in increase in production of oil seeds and reduce country’s oil import. v. State Rural Livelihood Development Council will also encourage women’s self-help groups (SHGs) to have additional income through supply of biodiesel. National Policy of Biofuels: ♦ It categorizes the biofuels called Basic Biofuels into 3 categories viz. i. First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel , ii.“Advanced Biofuels” – Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels and iii. Third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG among others to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category. ♦ In order to increase farmers income use of surplus food grains for production of ethanol for blending with petrol with the approval of National Biofuel Coordination Committee. ♦ It provides a funding scheme of 2G ethanol Bio refineries an amount of Rs.5,000 crore in 6 years in addition to additional tax incentives, higher purchase price as compared to 1G biofuels. Textile ministry launches SAATHI initiative On August 3, 2018 Ministry of Textiles and Ministry of Power have joined hands under the initiative SAATHI(Sustainable and Accelerated Adoption of efficient Textile technologies to Help Small Industries) in order to sustain and accelerate the adoption of energy efficient textile technologies in the powerloom sector. Objective:- These efficient equipments causes energy savings and cost savings to the unit owners . i. Under the administrative control of Ministry of Power, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) will replace old inefficient electric motors with energy efficient IE3 motors which will result in energy and cost saving up to 10-15% in the first phase. ii. Powerloom clusters at Ichalkaranji, Bhiwandi, Erode, Surat, Bhilwara and Panipat have been identified for pilot study. ‘WOW’ (Wellness of Women) app launched for creating awareness on preventive healthcare by F(ICCI)LO On August 3, 2018, FICCI Ladies Organisation, the women’s wing of Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has launched a mobile application called “WOW” (Wellness of Women).Aimed at creating awareness on preventive healthcare. i. It is powered by ‘Ask Apollo’ of the city-based Apollo Hospitals Group. ii. This platform allows users to talk to doctors through video conferencing or connect with them via voice or email. iii. Users can also upload clinical information such as reports, images, and scans so that experts can provide an opinion. FICCI Ladies Organisation: National President: Pinky Reddy. FOCAL: a dedicated portal to connect cargo owners and shippers launched by The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) On August 1,2018, The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) launched a dedicated portal named FOCAL to connect cargo owners and shippers with real time data on availability of vessels.With an Objective to know the availability of vessels in the market. i. The name of the portal is : Forum of Cargo-Owners and Logistics-Operators (FOCAL).


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ii. It has been designed and developed by IT Department and the Traffic Wing of IWAI.iii.This would ensure direct interaction among the vessel operators, shippers and cargo owners.Background:The Government is developing National Waterways as a part of an integrated transport network strategy, which will help correct the transport.

Shaur nahin’ mobile app launched in Shimla, Manali by Himachal Pradesh Government to curb noise pollution On August 4, 2018, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur launched ‘Shaur Nahin’ app as a part of the first phase of ‘horn not ok’ awareness campaign in Manali and Shimla.With an Objective to stop unnecessary noise pollution i. It is an initiative of the Department of Environment Science and Technology in association with NationalInformatics Centre, Himachal Pradesh.ii. The app will let the general public to report cases of noise pollution.iii. It will have 2 types of users: general public and officers, both of whom would be authenticated with an one-time password (OTP).iv. Complaints will be made available to deputy commissioner, superintendent of police, sub-divisionalmagistrate and sub-divisional police officer.

‘Swachha Meva Jayate’: cleanliness campaign launched by Karnataka government On August 2,2018, Karnataka government launched ‘Swachha Meva Jayate’ campaign. i. It was launched by Dr G Parameshwara, deputy chief minister of Karnataka.ii. The department of Rural Development also released the logo of the campaign: a little boy and a little girlstanding in front of the map of Karnataka.iii. The campaign coincides with the Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2018 (SSG 2018) survey, being undertakenby the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen).About Swachh Survekshan Grameen 2018 :i. The survey will target 698 districts, 6,980 villages, 34,900 public places randomly across the country.ii. It will rank all Indian districts and states on the basis of qualitative and quantitative evaluation of sanitationstatus of the villages and will run from August 1 to 31.

B-Hub: country’s first hub for biotech, pharma sector set up in TelanganaOn August 6, 2018, the Telangana government set up a biotech and pharma facility, B-Hub, India’s first organised cluster for life sciences Research & Development at Genome Valley.With an Objective to support manufacturing activities for bio-pharma R&D.i. It has been built with an investment of Rs.60 crore.ii. The space for the facility is: 40,000 square feet.iii. The B-Hub will be set up through the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model.Other Announcements:i. Along with this a dedicated web portal for the life sciences sector has been launched.ii. It would create an interface between the government, Industries, Research Institutions and Start-ups.Background:♦ These projects are a part of the aim of the Telangana government to make it a ‘Pharma capital of India’.♦ It would create four lakh jobs at an investment of USD 100 Billion in the next 10 years.♦ There are more than 800 pharma/biotech units in various parts of Hyderabad now with an estimated annualturnover of $13 billion.

The world’s first-ever high energy storage device has been built in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh On August 6, 2018, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu unveiled the world’s first-ever thermal battery in Amravati, Andhra Pradesh state. i. It has been manufactured by the Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private Limited (BEST).ii. It had an estimated cost of Rs 660 crore.iii. It has a capacity of 1,000 MW and would be enhanced to 10 GW in the next six to seven years.iv. The plant in Andhra Pradesh is expected to start commercial operations by May 2019.About the Project:i. It is the first of its kind cell aimed at boosting up renewable sources of energy production.ii. It will be used to store energy for telecommunication, commercial establishments, electric vehicles and




highway charging stations. iii. It can be accessed in remote locations, such as hilly terrains and islands. iv. Also batteries for telecommunications, mini or microgrids and electric buses would be manufactured in the first phase. v. Under this project, electric buses, produced by Bilva Motors will deliver an 800-kilometre range with a single charge of BEST’s thermal cells. vi. These cells can have output ranging between 5Kwh and 1 Mwh. vii. The potential capacity of the new innovation in India has been estimated to be $60 billion by 2020 which will increase to $100 billion by 2030. Other Announcements: i. The renewable purchasing obligation compliance monitoring and reporting web tool of AP was launched. ii. IIT Roorkee has entered into a MoA with BEST on renewable and sustainable energy technologies for research and industrial collaboration. iii. Griffiti University in Australia has also entered into a MoU with BEST in energy storage sector. iv. The smallest unit of BEST will be unveiled shortly with 300 kwh unit, will supply power to 80 houses. 2 portals: Bidder Information Management System (BIMS) and Bhoomi Rashi – PFMS Linkage launched by Shri Nitin Gadkari On August 7, 2018, the Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Nitin Gadkari launched 2 IT initiatives of the Road Transport & Highways Ministry named: Bidder Information Management System (BIMS) and Bhoomi Rashi and PFMS linkage

i.Aimed at speeding up pre construction processes relating to bidding and land acquisition Through the initiatives the ministry would focus to reduce construction costs while enhancing quality. i. The portal will work as a data base of information about bidders, covering basic details, civil works experience, cash accruals and network, annual turnover etc. ii. It will streamline the process of pre-qualification of bidders by analyzing data already stored in the portal. iii. BIMS will be used by all the project implementation agencies of the Ministry for maintenance and evaluation of technical information of civil works. iv. The bidders would be responsible for ensuring that their latest details are available on the BIMS portal. v.The BIMS portal will be operated with Central Public Procurement Portal (CPPP) for invitation of bids for civil works for EPC mode. vi. This will thus reduce the procurement time for projects through online evaluation system . About Bhoomi Rashi: i. It is a portal developed by MoRTH and NIC. ii. It comprises the entire revenue data of the country, right down to 6.4 lakh villages. iii. It is being fully utilized for issuing the notifications. This reduced the time taken for approval and publication of notifications pertaining to land acquisition. About Public Financial Management System (PFMS) and Bhoomi Rashi linkage: This will facilitate payment related to compensation for land acquisition to all the beneficiaries directly through the Bhoomi Rashi system. Other Announcements: i. Shri Gadkari also announced the institution of Annual Awards for Excellence in National Highways Projects from 2018 onwards. ii. This would recognize concessionaires and contractors who are performing exceptionally. iii. It would have 5 categories of Awards. They are : Excellence in Construction Management Excellence in Operation & Maintenance, Best Toll Plaza, Safe Highway, Innovation in Design or Construction Technology.

iv. The winners would be announced on the Good Governance Day on 25th December, 2018. TRAI Mycall & DND 2.0: TRAI Mobile Apps made available on UMANG platform On August 8, 2018, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India launches integration & availability of TRAI Mobile Apps namely DND 2.0 & MyCall on UMANG platform in a function held at TRAI, New Delhi.With an




Objective to reach out to the consumers and to safeguard their interests TRAI MyCall App: i. It is an application for crowd sourced Voice Call Quality Monitoring. ii. It helps Mobile phone users to rate their experience about voice call quality in real time. iii. The customers would select their rating in the form of stars and indicate if the calls were made in indoor, outdoor or while travelling. iv. Callers can also provide additional details such as noise or audio delay or mark a call-drop. DND 2.0 App: i. DND (Do Not Disturb) Services App enables smart phone users to register their mobile number under DND. ii. It would avoid Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC)/Telemarketing Calls/SMS. About UMANG Platform: ♦ UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) is developed by National e-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). ♦ It provides a single platform for all Indian Citizens to access pan India e-Gov services ranging from Central to Local Government bodies. Niryat Mitra : Mobile App to promote ease of doing business launched by Commerce & Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu On August 9, 2018, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Aviation Suresh Prabhu launched Niryat Mitra – mobile App in New Delhi .It provides wide range of information required to undertake international trade. i.It will help promote export in the country and increase the ease of doing business. About the App: i. It has been developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO). ii. It has the following features: It will provide information regarding policy provisions for export and import, applicable GST rate,

available export incentives, tariffetc. It internally maps the ITC HS code of other countries with that of India and providesthe tariff line.

Presently the app comes with the data of 87 countries. Human Resource tool of the app enables candidates to register and apply against the vacancies in

international trade sector. Companies can also search the profiles of the candidates and engage them.

Background: ♦ Exports registering increase at the rate of 20%. ♦ India’s rank in ‘Ease of Doing Business’ is : 100th (in 2018 index) ‘One District one Product’ Summit inaugurated by President of India in Uttar Pradesh On August 10, 2018, President of India inaugurates ‘One District one Product’ Summit in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It is a first of its kind summit in the country to boost trade of the MSMEs,to promote traditional industries and spur local trade. i.This initiative will enhance skills of local people, result in economic progress of artisans of Uttar Pradesh. ii. Distribution of loan sanction papers with a tagline: ‘Nayi Udaan, Nayi Pehchan’ worth Rs 1006 crore to 4085 artisans of 75 districts of ODOP scheme digitally. iii. 2 MoUs were also signed with US-based companies. They were: MOU between Amazonand Quality Control of India to market products of artisans and Another between NSE and BSE with Wipro GE Health Care. iv. Under this, Amazon will train the artisans and small entrepreneurs of districts, including Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Ferozabad, Moradabad, Agra, Kanpur, Meerut, Bhadohi and Varanasi. v. A 3-day exhibition was inaugurated in which one product of each district would be on display. vi. ODOP toll free number and website were launched by the President. Background: ♦ Uttar Pradesh contributes around 44 per cent in the total handicraft exports of the country. ♦ Under the ‘One District One Product’ scheme, the state government has set a goal of providing employment to 25 lakh people in five years through the financial assistance of Rs. 25,000 crores.




“PARIVESH” – an environmental single window hub for Environment, Forest, Wildlife and CRZ clearances launched On 10th August 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, launched PARIVESH (Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive, Virtuous and Environmental Single-window Hub) on the occasion of World Biofuel Day. i. PARIVESH is a Single-Window Integrated Environmental Management System, developed in line with ‘Digital India’ initiative. It also follows the Minimum Government and Maximum Governance ideology. ii. PARIVESH automates the complete process of submitting the application and tracking the status of proposals at every stage of processing. iii. It will deal with proposals submitted by Project Proponents to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), State Level Environmental Impact Assessment Authorities (SEIAA), to obtain clearances from Central, State and district-level authorities. iv. It is a workflow based application. It is based on the concept of web architecture. v. It has been designed, developed and hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with technical support of National Informatics Centre (NIC). vi. Highlights of PARIVESH: single registration and single sign-in for all types of clearances (i.e. Environment, Forest, Wildlife and

CRZ clearances) unique-ID for all types of clearances for a particular project

vii. PARIVESH is available at: https://parivesh.nic.in. Nirmala Sitharaman & Yogi Adityanath launch defence industrial corridor in Aligarh On 11th August 2018, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the first phase of UP Deference Corridor in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. i. 6 nodal points have been identified for the corridor: Agra, Aligarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Chitrakoot and Jhansi. ii. Stakeholder interactions have begun in Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra and Jhansi. National Wildlife Genetic Resource Bank (NWGRB): India’s only lab for conservation of endangered species inaugurated by Dr Harsh Vardhan in Hyderabad. On August 13, 2018, Union minister of science and technology Harsh Vardhan inaugurated and dedicated first scientific and most modern national wildlife genetic resource bank for conservation of Endangered Species at Hyderabad. i. It will be a part of Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), a research wing of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB). ii. It contains genetic resources of about 250 wildlife species. iii. Presently it holds genetic material like DNA/RNA, cell lines, blood, semen, eggs and tissues of 23 endangered animals from India including Tiger, Lion, Thamin, Hyena, Wild Dog and Wild Ass. iv. It can preserve the genetic resources that could be utilised to virtually resurrect an animal species in case it goes extinct. Other Announcements: i. The Farahabad Range of Amrabad Tiger Reserve was re-introduced. ii. The Telangana Forest Department, Central Zoo Authority, Nehru Zoological Park and CCMB will work jointly to conduct the first ever planned reintroduction of the Indian spotted chevrotain (Moschiola indica),also known as Indian mouse deer. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched road safety awareness video in collaboration with Akshay Kumar and R Balkhasve On August 15, 2018, minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari launched road safety awareness video with Brand ambassador of road safety campaign actor Akshay Kumar in New Delhi.With an Objective to reduce road accidents. i. Aiming on promoting road safety to be a people’s movement, the awareness campaign urged people to come forward without fear to help accident victims. ii. The Road and Transport Ministry insisted Home Ministry to consider the good Samaritans in road accidents for getting National Bravery Awards. iii. The central government is yet to get the Road Safety Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha, which has provisions for stricter penalties for offenders. iv. The government has also constituted the national road safety council as the apex body to take policy


https://parivesh.nic.in/



decisions in matters of road safety. v. States and Union Territories will set up state road safety council and district road safety committee as well. About the Campaign: Akshay Kumar, along with filmmaker R Balkhasve shot three videos with an underlying message on road safety, which is sent in a light-hearted way to the viewer. Background: ♦ As many as 1,46,000 people died in road accidents across the country in 2017. ♦ Majority of the road accidents involved two-wheelers, where the victims were not wearing helmets. 3 mobile apps launched for e-filing of cases by CJI Dipak Misra On August 15, 2018, the E-committee of the Supreme Court headed by Justice M B Lokur, launched 3 mobile applications for the benefit of litigants and lawyers.The apps were inaugurated by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. Following are the focus areas the apps would focus on: e-courts services: e-filing along with user manual. E-pay : making digital payments. NSTEP (National Service and Tracking of Electronic Processes): service of judicial notices.

i. These software have been developed on “open source technology” and thus has saved Rs 1,670 crore. ii. The litigants and the lawyers would be able to file petitions in almost 17,000 district and ‘taluka’ courts in the country. iii .e-pay would enable the litigants to pay court fees, costs imposed by courts, maintenance in matrimonial cases through digital means iv. The NSTEP would be connected to GPRS and the judges would be able to monitor any services being done by the court staff. “Digital Screens” launched by Ministry of Railways to spread awareness about Indian Railways Heritage On August 16, 2018, Ministry of Railways launches “Digital Screens” to spread awareness about Indian Railways Heritage. i. From the Independence Day on (August 15, 2018), “digital screens” has been made operational at 22 railway stations. ii. Addirionally, QR code based posters on Railway Heritage are also being displayed at these stations. iii. These would allow passengers to scan and view a streaming video on their mobile on Railway heritages. iv. Dedicated heritage video walls are being installed in New Delhi and Howrah. About ‘Digital Screens’: i. This screens will how one to two minute-long movie clips on digital LED screens at the entrance gate of railway stations and also at different comfort areas. ii. The short films will showcase heritage buildings, locomotives and spread awareness about heritage of Indian Railways. iii. Few of the railway station where these have been launched are: New Delhi, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Howrah, Sealdah, Jaipur, Agra Cantonment, Coimbatore, Lucknow, Varanasi. 5 Thematic Reports on Sustainable Development in Indian Himalayan Region launched by NITI Aayog On August 24, 2018, NITI Aayog released the 5 Thematic Reports on Sustainable Development in Indian Himalayan Region that had been prepared by the 5 Working Groups (WGs) in June 2017.Objective of the reports from the five working groups discuss the significance, the challenges, the ongoing actions and a future roadmap in that region. i. The 5 themes include: Inventory and Revival of Springs in Himalayas for Water Security, Sustainable Tourism in Indian Himalayan Region, Transformative Approach to Shifting Cultivation, Strengthening Skill & Entrepreneurship Landscape in Himalayas and Data/Information for Informed Decision Making.

Challenges faced by the Himalayan Region: i. 30% of springs crucial to water security of people are drying and 50% have reported reduced discharge. ii. Due to growth in Himalayan Tourism by 6.8% annually, there are challenges related to solid waste, water, traffic, loss of bio-cultural diversity etc. iii. Critical issues of waste management and water crisis.




iv. Continuation of practice of slash and burn (shifting cultivation) is having an impact on ecological, food and nutritional security. v. Migration of youth due to huge unskilled workforce. Key messages and roadmaps for the challenges: i. Spring Mapping and Revival using 8 steps protocol be taken up across Himalayan States in phased manner. ii. Application of carrying capacity concept to all major tourist destinations, implementation and monitoring to be carried out in tourism sector by all the states and they will be given performance based incentives for that. iii. Assessment of nature & extent of Shifting Cultivation area, improving policy coherence, & improved access to related programs/schemes are key recommendations to transform shifting cultivation. iv. Strengthening of skill & entrepreneurship in priority sectors , investment in trainers, assessors and training centers in industry partnership. v. Having a Central Data Management Agency for Himalayas to provide data for data sharing, access, authenticity and comparability issues. Important recommendations: i. Setting up of a Himalayan Authority for coordinated and holistic development of entire Himalayan region . ii. Launching of “Himalaya Calling”: An Awareness to Action Campaign as people’smovement. iii. Setting up of Mission on Spring Water Management in Himalayas, National Mission/Program on Transforming Shifting Cultivation in North Eastern States, Skill and entrepreneurship development Centers in Himalayan States, Institutions of high learning for mountain specific research and technology, Central Data Management Agencyfor Himalayan Database at GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan

Environment and Development. iv. Link with Hindukush Himalaya Monitoring and Assessment program (HIMAP). Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region: ♦ Minister of State: Dr. Jitendra Singh. ♦ The North-Eastern Region of India comprises of eight states – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. India’s Largest Business Incubator “Bhamashah Techno Hub” launched in Jaipur by Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje On August 24, 2018, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje launched India’s largest Business Incubator “Bhamashah Techno Hub” In Jaipur.It will provide free space, easier funding avenues and mentorship to startups. i. The Rajasthan government announced setting up of a Rs 500-crore startup fund – Bhamashah Techno Fund. Out of the total amount, Rs 50 crore has been earmarked for green startups and Rs 100 crore for women startups. ii. The hub has an 1.50 lakh square feet of incubation space and would be able to accommodate over 700 startup ventures. iii. At the moment 180 startups have already set their base at the Bhamashah Techno Hub. iv. The incubation centre would offer free space, connectivity, easier funding, mentorship and exposure to budding startups. v. It also hosts a digital museum and a tinkering lab for development of products, adaptive learning, and computational thinking. Background: The startups is a part of the the iStart programme that also includes regular workshops, bootcamps, expert sessions, access to investors, pitching sessions, among others. Neta App launched to rate and review elected representatives On 24th August 2018, Neta app that allows voters to rate and review their political representatives was launched by former President Pranab Mukherjee. i. The Neta App aims to build political accountability and transparency among leaders. ii. It will enable users to rate their MLAs and MPs. It is billed as an instrument to measure voter sentiment in Indian constituencies. iii. The Neta app has been developed by Pratham Mittal, a 27-year-old entrepreneur. iv. It uses Artificial Intelligence, advanced algorithms, one time password and Aadhaar numbers to make sure that the users are genuine.




v. The app is in beta version. It was pilot launched during the February 2018 bypolls in Ajmer and Alwar constituencies of Rajasthan. vi. Already more than 1.5 crore verified voters have rated and reviewed their local leaders using the app in 543 parliamentary constituencies and 4,120 assembly constituencies in the past 8 months. vii. The app is available on Andriod and iOS and web in 16 languages. To ensure participation of rural people, mediums like IVR calls, SMS and offline activation through ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) and Aanganwadi workers to collect data, have been employed. Tamil Nadu CM K.Palanisamy launches app, website on plastic pollution free Tamilnadu On 23rd August 2018, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K.Palanisamy launched an app and a website on plastic pollution free Tamilnadu. i. He inaugurated a campaign to highlight the impact of plastic pollution. He appointed actor Vivek as the brand ambassador of the project. ii. Tamil Nadu Government has announced plastic ban with effect from 1st January 2019. Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister launches online portal for Common Carrier Capacity booking on GAIL’s pipelines, a first of its kind in Indian natural gas sector On 27th August 2018, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan launched an online portal for enabling easy, efficient and transparent booking of Common carrier capacity for natural gas transmission services under GAIL’s pipelines. i. The online portal is available at: www.gailonline.com. It is the first of its kind portal in the natural gas sector of India. ii. This portal offers the facility to register pipeline capacity bookings online to gas consumers. It will serve on first come-first served basis. iii. This portal will be a first step towards gas trading on hub or exchange traded platform in India. GAIL has been offering third party access to pipelines since 2004. Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) to promote innovation launched by HRD ministry On August 31, 2018, the Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar announced the introduction of Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA), an initiative of the union ministry to promote innovation. This has been established at the premises of All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) in New Delhi.To promote a culture of innovation and research in higher education. About Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA): i.It will have 5 parameters namely: Budget Expenses and Revenue generated through Innovation, Facilitating access to advance centres / facilities and entrepreneurial support system, Idea to Entrepreneurship, Development of Innovation Ecosystems Supported through Teaching & Learning, Best innovative solutions Developed In-house for Improving Governance of Your Institution.

ii.It will carry 100 marks based on which educational institutions would be ranked for innovation output. iii. Announcement of ARIIA ranks: April 2019. iv.It would encourage every college to have an innovation cell. v.This is a part of setting up of Innovation Cell in the has been established at AICTE premises of the Ministry. The Major Programs of the MHRD Innovation cell would be: Network of Innovation Clubs (NIC) Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) Smart India Hackathon (SIH) 2019 National Student Startup Policy (NSSP)

Other news related to innovation: i.Earlier, India ranked 60 out of 127 countries in 2017 Global Innovation Index Ranking. ii.Six new Research Parks have been sanctioned in various premier institutions. iii.More than 120 Technology Business Incubators made across the country. iv.The decade of 2010-20 has been announced as the ‘Decade of Innovation’ by the PM. ‘One District, One product’ scheme launched in Odisha : MSME Minister On August 31, 2018, Union MSME Minister Giriraj Singh announced the launch of ‘One District One




Product’ scheme in Odisha at a function of the SC-ST State Conclave cum Exhibition under National SC-ST Hub.With an Objective to provide market link to farmers and make small industries successful in the state. i. Under this scheme, the Union MSME secretary Arun Panda will be conducting a survey of the potential of the MSME sector. ii. This survey will be conducted in the following sectors: aromatic, agro, marine food processing, organic food marketing, turmeric and ginger processing and other section. iii. Additionally, farmers of Kandhamal district will be taken to Maharashtra for agro cluster training and 50,000 agro entrepreneurs will be imparted training in Odisha. iv. To make 18 lakh new youth entrepreneurs, centre will deploy mobile vans in rural areas to impart basic skill training by the Ministry of MSME. Other New of the function: i. Inauguration of first-ever National Skill Training Institute(NSTI) in NSICs Dharmapada Bhawan was done in Barang, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. ii. MoU was signed between Directorate General of Training (DGT), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India and Systems, Applications and Products (SAP) to provide designed module to SC-ST entrepreneurs through advanced software and special training on Data Sciences. iii. Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship inaugurated the Bhubaneswar office of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). About National SC-ST hub: ♦ The National SC/ST Hub has been set up to provide professional support to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Entrepreneurs under Stand-Up India initiative. ♦ The Hub would be implemented by the Ministry of MSME through National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a public-sector undertaking under the administrative control of this Ministry of MSME. ♦ Initial allocation of Rs. 490 Crore for the period 2016-2020. ♦ Launch Year: 8th October , 2016. PUDA 360: Punjab’s e-properties module launched by CM of Punjab On August 31, 2018, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh launched PUDA360 module to facilitate online property transactions. i. The facility has been provided by Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA). ii. It would offer the following services: E-auction, Give a common platform to the promoters/ builders for advertisement, Checking of delays in sanction of building plans, Issuance of no objection certificate, Issuance of conveyance deed and transfer of property, Facility of selling, renting and leasing out their properties.

Festivals Special film festival themed “Freedom Struggle & Freedom Fighters” held in Mumbai On 15th August 2018, a special film festival on the theme “Freedom Struggle and Freedom Fighters” was held to mark India’s 72nd Independence Day, in Mumbai. i. The festival was organized by Films Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. ii. It was inaugurated by Smt. Rama Khandwala, a freedom fighter and Indian National Army (INA) veteran. iii. Documentary films on freedom struggle and freedom fighters were screened at the festival. 5 day International water colour festival held in Ranchi from 23rd-27th August: Jharkhand From August 23-27, 2018, Jharkhand government held the International water colour festival at the Audrey House in capital city of Ranchi.With an Objective to promote rich culture and art of Jharkhand and international art and give recognition to local artists. i. It was organized by Department of Tourism, Art-Culture, Sports & Youth Affairs. ii. 56 internationally renowned artists — from as many as 24 countries and 25 Indian states — participated in the five-day festival.




Other News Related to Indian Affairs Assam Releases Final NRC Draft, 40 Lakh Declared ‘Illegal Citizens’ Of India On July 31, 2018, Assam government released its final draft of National Registry of Citizens of Assam. According to the release, Out of 3,29,91,384 (3.29 crore) total applicants, 2,89,83,677 (2.9 crore) people

have been found eligible to be included in the National Register of Citizens, 40.07 lakh people who have not made their name to the list have been declared ‘illegal immigrants’. However, there won’t be any deportation based of the final draft. Citizens would be given a chance at appeal with the NRC and can also approach the courts. Those whose names have not been listed could visit the centres within August 7- 30,2018. After this, from August 30 till September 28 people can submit claim and objection forms. The Registrar General of India (RGI) has been ordered to use all means of communication including

websites, toll-free numbers, SMS etc, to provide information to public about the Draft NRC. Applications for inclusion into the National Register for Citizens started in May 2015 and documents

were received from around 68 lakh families across Assam. 22,000 central paramilitary troops were provided for protection in Assam.

About Assamese population: It has a total population of 32 million. It has a third of muslim population which makes it the state with second-highest percentage of Muslims. 19 million got Indian citizenship when the first part of the draft came out on December 31,2017 to

January 1st, 2018. NRC was first prepared in 1951.

Background: The register counts only those as Assam citizens who can prove that they were living in the state on or

before March 21, 1971. The descendants of those who can prove citizenship till March 24, 1971, will also be considered Indian

citizens and those who arrived between January 1, 1966 and March 25, 1971, and registered themselves with the Foreigners Registration Regional Officer.

India elected president of Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development for 2 years On August 4, 2018, India was elected as the President of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) for a period of two years. i. India won for the first time against Iran. ii. Director General of All India Radio F. Sheheryar was re-elected as chair of the executive board. iii. Sri Lanka was elected as vice-chair. iv. This took place at the 44th annual gathering of AIBD in Colombo in August 3,2018. v. The three-day gathering was inaugurated by Sri Lankan Minister of Finance and mass media Mangala Samarweera. Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018 gets President’s assent On 5th August 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, 2018, that will prevent offenders from avoiding legal process and escaping the country. i. Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018 was passed by the Parliament on 25th July 2018. It was introduced in Rajya Sabha by Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal. ii. The Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill 2018 enables authorities to attach and confiscate properties and assets of economic offenders who escape from India. iii. As per the bill, the accused will be forced to return to India and face prosecution. iv. One of the provisions under this bill is formation a Special Court under the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 to declare Fugitive Economic Offenders. v. A fugitive economic offender is an individual against whom an arrest warrant is issued for economic offences of Rs 100 crore and above. Also, the offender should have fled from India to avoid criminal prosecution. vi. Only cases where the total value involved in such offences is Rs 100 crore or more will be handled by the Special Court. NGT constituted a committee to monitor Ganga rejuvenation project; headed by a former Allahabad High Court judge On 6th August 2018, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), constituted a committee, to be headed by a former Allahabad High Court judge, to monitor the rejuvenation project of Ganga from Haridwar to Unnao in Uttar




Pradesh. i. Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court will nominate a former judge of Allahabad High Court to head the committee. ii. The committee will also have the following experts: one from Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), one from the Ministry of Forests, Environment and Climate Change, one from the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and one from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). iii. The committee will assume charge within a month’s time. The committee would function from Kanpur. iv. However, the members can participate from the place they consider appropriate. v. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) will be the nodal agency to coordinate with the committee. It will coordinate and provide inputs to the panel. vi. NMCG has been asked prepare an action plan for the stretch starting from Unnao to Bay of Bengal within 4 months. vii. The committee has been asked to submit quarterly reports about the progress it has made. Swaminathan panel report being implemented for better livelihood of farmers: Agriculture minister On August 9, 2018, the agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh announced that government would implement Swaminathan Committee’s reportto improve living standards of farmers and upliftment of farm sector. i. In 2006, President of the National Commission on Farmers (NCF) Swaminathan had recommended the following: reformatory schemesfor welfare of farmers, transparency in the market, increase productivity and eliminate malnutrition. sustainable production and development on erosion of natural resources and climate change improving the infrastructure.

Government’s Achievement: i. The government has introduced the Model Agricultural Land Leasing Act, 2016. ii. The e-National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) scheme links 585 mandis and 22,000 agriculture markets across the country. iii. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed 795 improved varieties of crops. About 495 of these improved varieties are tolerant to climate change. iv. The government has created corpus funds for improving the infrastructure of dairy, cooperative, fisheries and aquaculture, animal husbandry, agriculture market and micro-irrigation sectors. Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve : 11th Biosphere Reserve from India to be Included in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO On August 9, 2018, UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) included Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in its list. This decision was taken at the 30th Session of International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO held at Palembang, Indonesia, from July 23-27, 2018. i.It is India’s 11th Biosphere Reserve that has been included so far.The core zone – Khangchendzonga National Park was designated a World Heritage Site in 2016 under the ‘mixed’ category. ii. Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim is one of the highest ecosystems in the world, reaching elevations of 1, 220 metres above sea-level. iii. Over 118 species of the large number of medicinal plants found in Dzongu Valley in north Sikkim are of ethno-medical utility. iv. The core area of the Biosphere Reserve is a major transboundary Wildlife Protected Area. Background: i. India has a total of 18 Biosphere Reserves. ii. 10 other Biosphere reserves are: Nilgiri (2000), Gulf of Mannar (2001), Sunderban (2001), Nanda Devi(2004), Nokrek (2009), Pachmarhi(2009), Similipal (2009), Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve (2012) , Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve (2013) and Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve (2016). Uttarakhand Cabinet approves revised policy on adventure sports On 8th August 2018, Uttarakhand Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat approved a revised policy on adventure sports. i. It has imposed a total ban on smoking and substance abuse by enthusiasts when they perform rafting, kayaking or canoeing in Uttarakhand.




ii. As per the revised policy, a minimum qualification has been fixed for raft operators. Also, stricter penal provisions have been formulated for violators. iii. Uttarakhand Cabinet also approved revised rules on paragliding and aero sports to improve public safety. iv. It also approved amendments in the Religious Freedom Act, bringing a well-defined procedure for cancellation of registration of institutions involved in fraudulent activities in the name of religion. Parliament passes National Sports University Bill, 2018 On 9th August 2018, Parliament passed the National Sports University Bill 2018, as the Rajya Sabha approved it. i. The Lok Sabha had passed this Bill on 3rd August 2018. This Bill aims to set up a first-of-its-kind National Sports University in Manipur to promote sports. ii. The main campus will be in Manipur. Regional centres of the university will also be set up in other parts of India and other countries. iii. The Chancellor of the University will be from the sports field. Also, the academic council and academic activities will have members from sports field. iv. The proposed university at Manipur will also function as the national training centre for select sports disciplines. It will employ best international practices. v. The government has signed an agreement with two Australian universities: University of Canberra and Victoria University to develop curriculum, research facilities and laboratories, etc. for the Sports University. vi. The Sports University will offer education in the areas of sports sciences, sports technology, sports management and sports coaching. vii. It will offer masters and bachelor degree in several fields like sports management and sports science. Parliament passes SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018 On 9th August 2018, Parliament passed the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill, 2018. i. On 9th August 2018, the bill was passed by Rajya Sabha through voice vote. It was passed in Lok Sabha on 6th August 2018. ii. Section 18A has been inserted to eliminate the need for a preliminary enquiry before registration of an FIR, or obtain approval of any authority before arrest of an accused, and to restore the provisions of Section 18 of the Act. iii. The amended bill has removed the provision to obtain prior permission for the arrest of those committing atrocities against Dalits. iv. Under the legislation, there is a provision to set up special courts to handle cases related to atrocities against SCs and STs. v. The Bill has removed provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC/STs. vi. It states that, no preliminary inquiry will be needed to register a criminal case and an arrest under this law will not be subject to any approval. Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 passed; Allowing death sentence for rape of children below 12 years On August 12, 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, that provides death penalty for convicts accused of raping girls below the age of 12 years. i. It has been deemed to have come into force on the 21st day of April, 2018. ii. It will further amend the Indian Penal Code, Indian Evidence Act, 1872, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. iii. Death sentence has been provided for rapists of girls under 12 years. iv. The minimum punishment in case of rape of women has been increased from seven years to 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment. v. In case of rape of a girl under 16 years, the minimum punishment has been increased from 10 years to 20 years, extendable to life imprisonment. vi. The punishment for gang rape of a girl below 16 years will be imprisonment for the rest of life of the convict. vii. Provision for speedy investigations and trial which should be mandatorily completed within two months. viii. A six-month time limit for the disposal of appeals in rape cases has also been prescribed. ix. There will also be no provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of rape or gang rape of a girl under 16 years. Background:




The amendments replaces the ordinance promulgated on April 21 after the rape and murder of a minor girl in Kathua and another woman in Unnao. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018 passed by Parliament On August 12, 2018, Parliament has passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill,2018 with the Rajya Sabha’s approval.The Bill seeks to clarify that allottees under a real estate project should be treated as financial creditors. i. Home buyers will get due representation in the Committee of Creditors and make them an important part of decision making process. ii. Setting up of a special dispensation for small sector enterprises has also been made. iii. It allows the withdrawal of a resolution application submitted to the National Company Law Tribunal under the Code with the approval of 90 per cent of the committee of creditors. iv. Action against the big defaulters who have taken loan from the bank but did not repay it. v. The bill also proposes to reduce minimum voting threshold for Committee of Creditors (CoC) to 66%, from 75% for key decisions to help bail out corporates. vi. All cases are led to resolution instead of liquidation. It should be approved by a panel of creditors by a vote of not less than 66 per cent . vii. The average resolution time has been reduced to 1 year from 3 years and cost has been decreased from 9% to 1%. viii. Increase of the strength of NCLAT to address the pendency of cases so that it can do speedy resolution of about 40,000 cases. ix. NCLAT was an independent body and the government does not interfere in its functioning. Full form of NCLAT: National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. ‘Digital North East Vision 2022’ released by Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad On August 12, 2018, Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad released ‘Digital North East Vision 2022’ in Guwahati.Digital technologies to transform the lives of people of the northeast and enhance the ease of living. i. The Document identifies eight digital thrust areas – Digital Infrastructure, Digital services, Digital empowerment, Promotion of Electronics Manufacturing, Promotion of IT and ITES including BPOs, Digital Payments, Innovation & Startups and Cybersecurity.

ii. A cloud hub for North East will be created in Guwahati and capacity building for 50,000 government staff will be taken up. iii. This will be done using digital technologies, including Goods and Services Tax and payment platforms. iv. The number of seats planned for BPOs in the Northeastern states will be doubled to 10,000. v. Inauguration of a new BPO at world’s largest river island Majuli was done. vi. The network of common service centres will be expanded to cover all villages vii. High speed broadband connectivity in all the uncovered villages in the North Eastern region shall be provided. “e-pragati” project will be launched to connect the region. Other Announcements: i. The foundation stone for a common facilitation centre and smart meter manufacturing facility at the Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) in Tech City at Bongara village was laid. ii. The government will provide Rs 1 lakh subsidy to all BPO centres coming up in small cities across the northeastern states. iii. The government is also developing e-classrooms in medical colleges at Shillong, Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Dimapur, Imphal and Agartala. iv. A free space optical fibre project is being launched in Arunachal Pradesh. Israel opens Visa Application Centre in Kolkata On August 12, 2018, Israel opened a visa application centre in the city of Kolkata for tourists from West Bengal and north eastern states. i. Visa applications in the jurisdiction under the New Delhi centre would also be accepted here. ii. The visa application categories include : employment, business, tourism, meeting and conferences, students.




iii. The new centre in Kolkata will no longer require residents from West Bengal and NE states to send in their documents to the Israeli embassy in New Delhi. Other Initiatives: i. Israel announced a reduction in visa fees to INR 1,100 from its previous INR 1700 charge from Indians. ii. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism will be conducting a roadshow in Kolkata on August 29 to increase the interest of tourists to visit the country. Chhattisgarh first state to provide Right to Skills’ Development to youth Chhattisgarh has become the first state in India to provide Right to Skills’ Development to the youth. i. This was said by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh after he flagged off 15 Skill Chariots to launch the government’s ‘Skills on Wheels’ project in Chhattisgarh. ii. The chariots are aimed to spread awareness about the project. They will tour 13 districts in the first phase and the remaining 14 districts in the second phase. 2 new Space Research Technology Centres to come up in Jammu and Agartala On August 13, 2018, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh announced that Jammu will be the first city in North India to get a full-fledged Space Technology Research Centre. i. It would be devoted to research, academics and post-graduation study and would be under Central University Jammu. ii. Another Space Technology Research Centre will be set up in Agartala, Tripura in the Northeast. iii. It would work under National Institute of Technology (NIT) Agartala. Jodhpur emerged as the cleanest Railway station in India: survey by QCI On August 13, 2018, railway minister Piyush Goyal announced that Jodhpur in Rajasthan topped in the cleanest railway station in the recent ranking of the ‘Swach Rail’. i. The survey was conducted by the Quality Council of India (QCI).The third report of Third Party Audit-cum-Survey of ranking of cleanliness covers 407 major railway stations (75 A1 category and 332 A category stations). ii. This is a part of the assessment of cleanliness through a third party. Highlights: i. In the A1 category, Jodhpur has emerged as the cleanest station overtaking the spot from last year’s winner Visakhapatnam. ii. It was followed by Rajasthan capital Jaipur is at number two and Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh was placed at number three. iii. Marwar in Rajasthan topped the list in A category. iv. It is followd by followed by Phulera in Rajasthan at number two, and Warangal in Telangana at number three. v. North Western Railway topped the list as the cleanest zone followed by South Central Railway (SCR) at 2nd spot and East Coast Railway at the 3rd spot. vi. Apart from survey for stations, survey to find the ‘cleanest train’ was also done. Over 200 trains have been pitted against each other to find the cleanest train. A tabular representation of the ranking is given below:

Cleanest Railway Station (A1 category) Rank Railway Station 1 Jodhpur (Rajasthan) 2 Jaipur (Rajasthan) 3 Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) Cleanest Railway Station (A category) 1 Marwar (Rajasthan) 2 Phulera (Rajasthan) 3 Warangal (Telangana) Cleanest Zone 1 North Western Railway 2 South Central Railway 3 East Coast Railway




Background: ♦ The first survey was conducted by the IRCTC in 2016, the second by QCI. ♦ The railways has a ‘Swachh Rail’ portal to showcase cleanliness rankings of various stations. Indian Railways is the third largest rail network in the world, covering 66,000 km and having more than 8,000 stations. Rs 66,000 crore fund released by Centre to increase India’s green cover On August 14, 2018, Centre has approved more than 66,000 crore rupees to increase the country’s forest cover. i. It is an accumulation of money given by the user agencies as a compensation for diverting forest land for non-forest purposes, including industries and infrastructure, over the last 10 years. ii. This money has been divided among the states and union for afforestation and conservation purposes and required authorities are being set up for monitoring purposes also. iii. 80 percent of the compensatory afforestation amount will be utilized by the states in 13 activities. Some of them are:plantations, assisted natural regeneration of forests, forest fire prevention, pest and disease control in forest, soil and moisture conservation works and improvement of wildlife habitat. iv. The remaining 20 percent will be used for 11 listed works to strengthen forest and wildlife protection related infrastructure. These include:third-party monitoring of works, forest certification, development of certification standards and casual hiring of local people to assist forest department staff. 7 member group headed by IRDAI CGM constituted by IRDA to analyze and amend norms for insurance surveyors On August 14, 2018, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) constituted a 7 member working group for norms regarding insurance surveyors. i. The group will headed by Yegna Priya Bharat, Chief General Manager (Nonlife), IRDAI. ii. The group will work on the following : areas pertaining to licensing, renewal and others as per the existing regulatory framework for

Surveyors and Loss Assessors. analysis of the existing regulatory framework as per requirements of the industry. study the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the Indian Institute of Insurance

Surveyors and Loss Assessors (IISLA). make recommendations to bring about clarity and alignment with the Surveyor Regulations. issues related to the membership of IIISLA.

iii. It will submit its report with recommendations within six weeks. Panel headed by B Sesikeran to review red-labelling draft of FSSAI On August 17, 2018, bill for red-labelling of packaged products containing fat, sugar and salt has been halted by the government as per FSSAI’s report. i. Additionally, a group of experts from health and nutrition background has been set up to look into the issue of labeling. ii. The group is headed by B Sesikeran, former director of National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) as well as the current director Hemalatha and doctor Nikhil Tandon. iii. It will study in detail the concerns of the industry and make recommendations. Other Announcements: Although FSSAI CEO suggest that Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will go ahead with the labelling norms even if there is no full consensus on the matter after the panel’s suggestions. About Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2018: In April, food safety regulator FSSAI had come out with the draft of Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations 2018 that proposed mandatory red-label marking on packaged products for the consumer to identify between healthy and un-healthy food. UIDAI announces phased rollout of live face 2 step authentication with TSPs from September 15 On August 18, 2018, UIDAI announced a phased rollout of live face recognition feature with telecom service providers from September 15. i. This would be used as an additional mode of authentication by the telecom service providers. ii. The ‘live face photo’ capture would be done to obtain eKYC for issuance of mobile SIMs. iii. The TSP shall store both the photos in its database for audit purpose. iv. At least 10 per cent of their total monthly authentication transactions shall be performed using face




authentication. v. shortfall would be charged at Rs 0.20 per transaction. The Two-factor authentication for use of face recognition goes as follows: an individual would provide Aadhaar number, the authentication will be done using fingerprint or iris

and face for individuals providing Virtual ID, the authentication can be on basis of fingerprint or iris.

Background: The Authority had earlier planned to roll out face recognition feature from July 1, a target that was later pushed to August 1. UIDAI: ♦ Launch year: 2009. ♦ Under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Supreme Court accepts Centre’s proposal for use of coloured stickers to indicate nature of fuel On 13th August 2018, Supreme Court accepted the proposal of the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH), on usage of hologram-based colour coded stickers on vehicles to indicate nature of fuel. i. Hologram-based light blue colour sticker will be used in vehicles using petrol and CNG fuel. ii. Hologram-based orange sticker will be used in vehicles using diesel. Also, the date of registration of the vehicle will be printed on these stickers. iii. Suggestions of MoRTH was accepted by a bench of Justices Madan B Lokur, S Abdul Nazeer and Deepak Gupta. iv. The colour-coded sticker system for vehicles will be implemented in the Delhi-National Capital Region by 30th September 2018. v. The bench asked additional solicitor general (ASG) ANS Nadkarni, who appeared for the MoRTH, to consider using green-colour number plate or green stickers for electric and hybrid vehicles. vi. MoRTH had issued a draft notification on 15th May 2018, proposing a number plate with green background for electric vehicles. Hence usage of stickers will not be required for electric vehicles. vii. The colour coded stickers for vehicles has been introduced with an aim to reduce air pollution in the Delhi-National Capital Region. Government bans pet coke import for fuel use India banned the import of pet coke as fuel use but it will be allowed to use as feedstock in some industries. i. Cement, lime kiln, calcium carbide and gasification industries are only allowed to use import of pet coke as the feedstock or in the manufacturing process on actual user condition. ii. India is one of the world’s largest consumers and imports over 27 million tonnes from the United States. Why India consumes Pet coke? India is the world’s biggest consumer of petroleum coke, which is a dark solid carbon material that emits 11 per cent more greenhouse gases than coal, according to the CarnegieTsinghua Center for Global Policy. What is Petroleum coke or Pet coke? i. Petroleum coke, abbreviated coke or petcoke, is a final carbon-rich solid material that derives from oil refining, and is one type of the group of fuels referred to as cokes. ii. There are four basic types of petroleum coke, namely, needle coke, honeycomb coke, sponge coke and shot coke. Different types of petroleum coke have different microstructures due to differences in operating variables and nature of feedstock. Punjab Cabinet okays amendments to CrPc & IPC to make sacrilege punishable with life imprisonment On August 21st 2018, The Punjab Cabinet approved amendments to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to make disrespect of religious texts punishable with life imprisonment. i. The Cabinet has approved the withdrawal of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, passed in the 12th Session of 14th Vidhan Sabha, 2016. ii. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Sing. Section which inserts to the Indian Penal Code (IPC):- The Cabinet has approved insertion of section 295AA to the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to provide that – whoever causes injury, damage or sacrilege to Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Srimad Bhagwad Geeta, Holy Quran and Holy Bible with the intention to hurt the religious feelings of the people, shall be punished with imprisonment for life.




Centre says Kerala floods ‘calamity of severe nature’ On August 21 2018 , Centre has declared the Kerala floods as a calamity of “severe nature”. The central government has also scaled up its relief and rescue operations. i. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the Kerala floods were being treated as natural calamity of severe nature. ii. National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), chaired by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha informed that Centre dispatched 100 tonnes of pulses and 52 tonnes of essential medicines to the State.Around 20 tonnes of bleaching powder and 1 crore chlorine tablets. iii. Ministry of Power has moved equipment such as electricity meters, coils and transformers to restore the distribution network. NOTA option cannot be permitted in Rajya Sabha polls, says Supreme Court On August 21,2018 None of The Above (NOTA) option will not be available for elected MPs and MLAs voting in the coming Rajya Sabha elections, with the Supreme Court cancelling an Election Commission notification which had provided such option in Upper House. i. A Bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra held that the NOTA option is meant only for universal right of voting and direct elections and not polls held in the Rajya Sabha. ii. The Bench had reserved for judgment on a petition filed in 2017 by Gujarat Congress leader Shailesh Manubhai Parmar to do away with the ‘NOTA’ option in Rajya Sabha elections. iii.The option of NOTA for Lok Sabha and assembly elections was prescribed by the SC in 2013. The option of NOTA in Rajya Sabha polls was introduced by the EC in 2014. Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has emerged as the second fastest growing airport in the world-Routesonline On August 22, According to Routesonline, global airlines events organiser’s Survey Bengaluru Kempegowda International Airport Secured Second Spot and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport Secured Sixth Spot as fastest growing airport in the world during January to June this year. i. Kempegowda International Airport recorded 1,58,50,352 passengers at the same time Indira Gandhi International Airport recorded 3,49,05,629 passengers during January to June 2018. ii. Tokyo’s Haneda Airport topped the Survey.Other airport on the top 10 are Jakarta(3rd), Chicago(4th ), Madrid(5th),Dallas Fort Worth (7th ), Los Angeles (8th ), Frankfurt (9th) and Nanchang (10th ). iii. Out of top 20 fastest-growing major airports in the world China and India accounted 10 airports. Cyclone Warning Centre to be set up in Thiruvananthapuram at Kerala On August 21 2018, the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences is proposing to set up a Cyclone Warning Centre in Thiruvananthapuram,Kerala which will provide regular coastal bulletins and heavy rainfall alerts. It is expected to be serviceable within a month. i. India Meteorological Department(IMD)has only 6 cyclone warning centres at Chennai,Vishakhapatnam, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. ii. The ministry has also proposed setting up another C-band Doppler weather radar at Mangalore to provide “nowcast” alerts for severe weather, including thunderstorms triggered by heavy rain for the next 2-3 hours. iii. The radar costs Rs 3 crore which will cover northern Kerala and Karnataka and is expected to be installed by the end of next year. Currently, there are two Doppler radars in the state, at Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, which cover the central and southern districts, respectively. Odisha Govt to Set Up world-class Interpretation Centre at Bhitarkanika National Park On August 21 2018 ,Odisha government has decided to set up a state-of-the-art interpretation centre at Bhitarkania National Park to showcase its flora, fauna and rich biodiversity. i. Now, the national park has an interpretation centre at Dangmal but it proved to be inadequate in preserving the vast reserve of the finest biodiversity.So Government plan to set up a specialized and world-class interpretation centre at Bhitarkanika to showcase its efforts in protecting crocodiles and preserving its rich mangrove diversity. ii. The project has been approved under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme (ICZMP)at an estimated cost of Rs.3 crore. Few facts about Bhitarkania National Park i. The national park is said to house 70 per cent of the country’s estuarine crocodile or saltwater crocodiles,




conservation of which was started in 1975. ii. The park is also famous for its mangroves, turtles and migratory birds. President inaugurated “International Buddhist Conclave 2018” On 23rd August 2018, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the “International Buddhist Conclave (IBC), 2018” at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. i. The Minister of State (Independent charge), K.J. Alphons presided over the inaugural function. The Conclave is held for 4 days till 26th August 2018. ii. It is organized by the Ministry of Tourism along with the State Governments of Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. iii. The conclave is held in New Delhi and Ajanta (Maharashtra). Site visits will be held in Rajgir, Nalanda and Bodhgaya (Bihar) and Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh). iv. Ram Nath Kovind launched the Ministry of Tourism website on important Buddhist sites: indiathelandofbuddha.in. A new film on Buddhist sites in India was also launched. v. Delegates from 29 countries are taking part in the Conclave: Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mangolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, USA and Vietnam. vi. This is the 6th International Buddhist Conclave. Theme of this conclave is: “Buddha Path – The Living Heritage”. Partner Country for IBC 2018 is Japan. vii. This conclave aims to project the Buddhist Heritage in India and enhance tourism in Buddhist sites of India and develop friendly ties with countries and communities interested in Buddhism. viii. An ‘Investors’ Summit’ is also organized by the Ministry of Tourism during the Conclave to attract investments to develop world class infrastructure at Buddhist sites. ix. The Ministry of Tourism, India, organises the International Buddhist Conclave biennially. Uttar Pradesh government to name upcoming Bundelkhand Expressway as Atal path Uttar Pradesh government has decided to name the upcoming Bundelkhand Expressway as ‘Atal Path’ to honour former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajyapee. i. A notification in this regard will be issued soon. The upcoming Bundelkhand Expressway is proposed as a 289-km, 4-lane, access-controlled highway. ii. It will start from Jhansi and passing through Chitrakoot, Banda, Hamirpur, Auraiya and Jalaun. It will reach Etawah and join Agra-Lucknow expressway. iii.It is proposed to be developed by the Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA). iv. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath had also announced that the Uttar Pradesh government will build 4 memorials in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s name in Agra, Lucknow, Kanpur and Balrampur. v. A formal announcement about the location of these memorials is yet to be made. Government imposed standard environment clearing conditions for 25 sectors; Expert committee has been constituted On August 24, 2018, to give proper general guidance to companies seeking environment clearance, the government has given standard environment clearing conditions for 25 sectors. i. The 25 sectors include: iron, steel, cement, coal, petroleum refineries industry, paper and pulp industries, hydro-electric projects, industrial estates, among others. ii. The government has also constituted green panel called Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) that would assess projects. iii. The EAC can modify, delete and add conditions based on the project specific requirements. iv. Their recommendations would enable the Environment Ministry to grant the final EC. Committee of Secretaries approved setting up National Logistics Portal as a e-marketplace On August 24, 2018, A committee of secretaries has approved a proposal by department of commerce (DoC) to setup a National Logistics Portal (NLP).To ease transportation of goods across the country and export. i. The portal is being planned in three phases- development of a logistics e-marketplace whose test run is being planned by March, single window certification by bringing in 81 authorities on board, and integrating financial services on the platform.


http://indiathelandofbuddha.in/



ii. It will have a common online platform to integrate all transactions involved in their production and export. iii. It will acts as a single window online marketplace, to link all the stakeholders. iv. It will connect buyers with logistics service providers with all the government agencies such as customs, Port Community Systems, Sea and Air Port terminals, Shipping lines, Railways, among others. v. Customs department Icegate will also get integrated with the portal. vi. Global Consultancy KPMG would develop a mobile app for this purpose as well Background: ♦ Logistics costs in India are pegged at 13-14% of the GDP, and the government aims to reduce it to 10% by 2022. ♦ The major challenges are multiple regulatory policy regimes, no seamless movement of goods and lack of single window clearance and coordination among various stakeholders. India Banking Conclave 2018 held in New Delhi On 23rd and 24th August 2018, India Banking Conclave 2018 was held in New Delhi. i. The India Banking Conclave 2018 was organized by Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR). Knowledge Partner of the conclave was NITI Aayog. ii. The conclave focused on reforming the banking sector. The following topics were discussed: Indian Debt, Indian Problem Indian Solution Small is good, Experience of Small Funding India and Resurging need of Development Banks FinTech for Financial participation Biting the Bullet: Privatisation vs Mergers Dawn of Tomorrow: Banking in Future

iii. Politicians, Industrialists, Bureaucrats, Analysts, Academicians, Chartered Accountants, Company Secretary, Corporate Lawyers, top bankers and ministers participated in the conclave. About Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR): ♦ Type – independent think tank ♦ Works in – macro-economy, politico-economy, public policy, banking, agriculture, infrastructure, energy, international trade, manufacturing sectors ♦ Locations – Noida and Chandigarh India, Singapore signed second protocol amending Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) On 24th August 2018, India and Singapore signed the Second Protocol amending the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in New Delhi. i. The Protocol was signed by Deputy Chief Negotiators, Rajneesh, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India and Francis Chong, Senior Director, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore. ii. CECA was the 1st comprehensive agreement covering trade in goods, services and investments, signed by India with any of its trade partners. iii. CECA was signed on 29th June 2005. Its first review concluded on 1st October 2007. Signing of the Second Protocol concludes the negotiations on 2nd review of CECA that started on 11th May 2010. iv. India and Singapore have reached mutual understanding and agreement in closing the second review of CECA. Conclusion of the Second Review was announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Singapore on 1st June 2018. v. Provisions of the Second Protocol will come to effect on 14th September 2018. Both the countries have agreed to expand the coverage of tariff concessions, liberalize the Rules of Origin, rationalize Product Specific Rules and include provisions on Certificate of Origin and Cooperation on its verification. vi. Signing of the Second Protocol amending CECA will enhance bilateral trade between India and Singapore. vii. India and Singapore are planning to launch the 3rd Review of India-Singapore CECA in September 2018. About India Singapore trade relations: ♦ Singapore is the second largest trading partner of India within ASEAN ♦ India is the largest trading partner of Singapore in South Asia India’s First ISTS connected Wind Power Project Commissioned On 24th August 2018, a part capacity of 126 MW wind power of India’s first Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS)auction, was commissioned in Bhuj, Gujarat, by Ostro Kutch Wind Private Ltd.




i. Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) had conducted India’s first auction of wind power projects in February 2017. Tariff of Rs 3.46 was discovered in that, which was much lower than feed in current tariffs. ii. It was a 1,000 MW bid for projects to be connected on ISTS. Through ISTS power generated from one state (renewable resource rich state) can be transmitted to other renewable deficient states. iii. Mytrah, Inox, Ostro, Green Infa and Adani won this auction. Ostro Kutch Wind Private Ltd was issued letter of award for 250 MW capacity on 5th April 2017, with commissioning period of 18 months. iv. The energy generated from this project is purchased by Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. v. This 126 MW ISTS project marks the beginning of capacity additions in wind power based on market discovered tariffs, in line with Government’s plan of 175 GW RE by 2022. Various states and institutions renamed themselves after Late PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee On August 25, 2018, after the demise of the former PM of India MR. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, various states and institutions renamed themselves after Late PM .They are as follows: i. The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) announced its decision to rename its School of Management and Entrepreneurship as Atal Bihari Vajpayee School of Management and Entrepreneurship. ii. Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh renaming upcoming capital of the state Naya Raipur as Atal Nagar. iii. Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government to name the proposed Bundelkhand Expressway as ‘Atal Path’. iv. AIIMS Rishikesh auditorium, a ghat on Sabarmati River in Gujarat and the cyber tower in Mauritius to be named after him. v. Andhra Pradesh to name AIIMS Mangalagiri after the former PM. vi. Himachal Pradesh to rename the Rohtang Tunnel. vii. Shivraj Singh Chouhan led Madhya Pradesh government to rename the Habibganj railway station after him. viii. Assam to name the yet-to-be-inaugurated Bogibeel bridge after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Atal Setu. ix. Jharkhand has decided to rename the following places a well: ‘Jharkhand Innovation Lab’ as Atal Innovation Lab, Convention Centre, Ranchi as Atal Convention Centre Ranchi, Upcoming airport at Deoghar as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Airport Deograh, Medical College Palamu as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical College, Palamu, Sahibganj Harbour to be renamed as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Harbour Sahibganj. Professional College Jamshedpuras Atal Bihari Vajpayee Professional College Jamshedpur and 8-lane 20-kilometre long stretch road from GOI Building to Kako Math in Dhanbad district as Atal

Marg,(it is being built at a cost of Rs. 413 crorewith the help of World Bank). 5G steering committee headed by AJ Paulraj submitted its report to DoT; India to get 5G by 2020. On August 25, 2018, high-level 5G Forum headed by Stanford University’s Professor Emeritus AJ Paulraj, submitted its 62-page report to theDepartment of Telecommunication (DoT) and suggested the following measures to be taken. i. The recommendations are as follows: announcement of a 5G spectrum policy, earmarking additional airwave bandsthat may have an economic impact of more than $1 trillion by

2035, assignment of free bandwidthfor trials for a fixed time frame of 6 months, provision of spectrum licensefor 12 months after the trials, most guidelines on regulatory matters must be promulgated by March 2019to facilitate early 5G

deployment, Even after 5G spectrum, 2G, 3G and 4G will continue to remain in use and it may take 10 or more years

to phase out. DoT may provide financial support to telcos related to deployment and additional financial support may be offered to internet service providers (ISPs), technology companies,

local governments to participate in the trials India is likely to see the first 5G commercial launch in 2020.

ii. On the financial side, the committee has suggested a broad planning estimate of Rs.300 crore for the first year, Rs.400 crore for the second, Rs.500 crore in the third year, and Rs.400 crore in the fourth. iii. It also suggested that the government announce its policy by December 31, 2018 for the launch of 5G. Background:




♦ A high-level forum was set up by the government in September 2017 to articulate the Vision for 5G in India, followed by the constitution of a Steering Committee. ♦ Globally, 5G technologies are expected to evolve to a full range of services by 2024. Bombardier Q400 turboprop: India’s first biofuel flight from Dehradun to Delhi operated by Spice Jet took off On August 27, 2018, SpiceJet would fly India’s first biofuel-powered flight from Dehradun to Delhi on its Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft from Dehradun’s Jolly Grant airport. i. It has used a blend of the aviation turbine fuel and biofuel to power the flight. ii. The flight had 20 people, including officials from aviation regulator DGCA and SpiceJet and was around 25 minutes. iii. It would encourage sustainable and alternative fuels for the transportation & aviation sector under National Biofuels Policy. iv. With this test, India will be among the first developing nations to adopt the sustainable alternative jet fuel. About the Biofuel: i. The fuel has been developed by Indian Institute of Petroleum, based in the capital of Uttarakhand.Anil Sinha Principal Scientist at IIP,headed the 20-member team that developed the biojet fuel. ii. It‘s a mix of the oil extracted from the seeds of Jatropha plant. iii. Five hundred farmer families in Chhattisgarh are involved in the production of the partially-refined biofuel. iv. It was made partially from renewable resources such as agricultural residues, non-edible oils and bio-degradable industrial and municipal wastes. Background: i. Fuel is the biggest cost item for an airline, accounting for as much as one-third of the total cost of operations. ii. The government will make an environment friendly aviation action plan till 2035. iii. Billionaire Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic was the first airline to have used biofuel to fly London-Amsterdam ten years ago. Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) opens its first regional centre near Chilika Lake On August 27, 2018, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) opened its first regional centre in Chilika. i. The regional branch was inaugurated in the premises of the Wetland Research and Training Centre (WRTC) of the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) at Chandrapur in Chilika. ii. The branch would be engaged in the following activities: Identifying the air route of the foreign birds flocking the Chilika lake during winter, Sample collection, Training related to bird census, Publishing bird migration atlas books, Examining various diseases among the birds and To review the condition of the Nalabana bird sanctuary along with counting the birds.

iii. These activities would be carried out with the CDA and the Forest Department. Background: ♦ BNHS has been promoting conservation of nature in India since its establishment in 1883. ♦ The Chilika Lake hosts one million birds with 97 species of intercontinental migratory birds. BNHS: ♦ Director: Deepak Apte. ♦ Headquarters: Mumbai. Centre signs MoU with 6 states for Lakhwar Yamuna basin project in Uttarakhand for water management On August 28, 2018, Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 6 states for the construction of the Lakhwar multi-purpose project in the upper Yamuna basin.The total project is worth Rs 3,966.51 crore.With an Objective to deal with water crisis. i. The 6 states are: Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan , Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi. ii. 90 per cent of the project will be funded by the Centre while the remaining amount will be paid by the six states. iii. Out of this, 1388.28 crore rupees will be borne totally by the Uttarakhand government. It would also get the benefit of total power generation once the project is complete. About the Project:




i. Under the agreement, the 204-metres high project will be constructed near Uttarakhand’s Lohari village with live storage capacity of 330.66 million cubic metres (MCM). ii. This would conserve and utilise the monsoon flows of the Yamuna thus creating storage facilities in the upper Yamuna basin to deal with the water crisis between January and June. iii. It will also provide: irrigation for 33,780-hectare land , 78.83 MCM water for domestic, drinking and industrial use in the 6 states, generate 300 mw of power executed by Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (UJVL)

About the Basin states: Upper Yamuna refers to the stretch of River Yamuna from its origin to the Okhla Barrage in Delhi. The six Upper Yamuna Basin states had signed a MoU on 12th May 1994 regarding allocation of surface flow of River Yamuna. Background: Lakhwar will be the third such major project after Renukaji and Kishau multi-purpose projects which will take care of future drinking water needs of Delhi. Government announces regulations for safe commercial usage of drones ON August 28, 2018, the Union Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Suresh Prabhu announced the Drone Regulations 1.0. These regulations will enable the safe, commercial usage of drones starting December 1, 2018. Highlights of the Regulation 1.0: i. They are intended to enable visual line-of-sight daytime-only and a maximum of 400 ft altitude operations. ii. According to the regulation, Air space has been partitioned into Red Zone (flying not permitted), Yellow Zone (controlled airspace), and Green Zone (automatic permission). iii. Introduction of the Digital Sky Platform , the first-of-its-kind national unmanned traffic management (UTM) platform that implements “no permission, no takeoff” (NPNT). Users will be required to do a one-time registration of their drones, pilots and owners. iv. Further, the Drone Task Force under the chairmanship of the Minister of State Shri Jayant Sinha has been set up. This will provide draft recommendations for Drone Regulations 2.0. PM-STIAC: 21 member committee formed To Advise PM On Science, Tech-Related Policy Issues On August 30, 2018, the Government has constituted a 21 member high power committee to advise it on policy matters related to science, technology and innovation.The committee will advise the Prime Minister on all matters related to S&T, innovation and monitor the implementation of PM’s vision. i. The name of the committee is : PM-STIAC (Science, Technology, Innovation Advisory Committee). ii. It is chaired by K Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government. iii. There are 9 permanent members. Among them some are: VK Saraswat, Member NITI Aayog and former DG of DRDO; A S Kiran Kumar, ex-Chairman ISRO etc. iv. Secretaries of all science & technology related ministries are also a part of it including: atomic energy, space, biotechnology, new & renewable energy, environment & forests, agriculture, health & higher education. v. The PM-STIAC will effectively supersede the SAC-Cabinet and SAC-PM (came into power in 2014) which will be dissolved. Government puts restrictions on export of bio-fuels: DGFT On August 30, 2018, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) announced that the government had imposed restrictions on export of bio-fuels including the same for imports. i. This is as per the national policy on biofuels 2018. ii. The restriction on import and export of bio-fuels include ethyl alcohol and other denatured spirits, bio-diesel, petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals other than crude. iii.In an another notification, DGFT, which is under the commerce ministry, said that it has now permitted import of petroleum bitumen and other residues of petroleum oils or oils obtained from bituminous minerals. 3 new districts created via passing of Arunachal Pradesh Re-Organisation of Districts (Amendment) Bill 2018 On August 31, 2018, the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly passed a bill for the creation of three new districts namely- Pakke-Kesang, Lepa Rada and Shi Yomi, in the state i. The name of the bill is the Arunachal Pradesh Re-Organisation of Districts (Amendment) Bill 2018. ii. Now Arunachal Pradesh would have 25 districts in total after the addition of these 3 districts from earlier 22. About the 3 new districts:




i. The Pakke-Kessang district will be carved out of East Kameng district with five administrative units with district headquarters at Lemmi. ii. The Lepa Rada district would be created by bifurcating the Lower Siang district with headquarters at Basar with 4 administrative units. iii. The Shi-Yomi district would be created by bifurcating the West Siang district with its headquarters at Tato with 4 administrative units. Other Bills Passed are: i.The deputy chief minister also introduced the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 (Act no 2 of 1899) to enable entrepreneurs to have a better credit position at their disposal by enabling them to secure loans through mortgage without compromising on their financial stability by reducing stamp duty for mortgage from three per cent to one per cent. ii.The third bill introduced in the Assembly by Mein was the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board Bill 2018.It would empower the state government to constitute the Arunachal Pradesh Staff Selection Board to conduct exams and select candidates for appointment to the subordinate services/Group C posts. Assam Government extends AFSPA in the state for 6 more months. On August 31, 2018, the state government of Assam sought extension under Section 3 Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) for another 6 months declaring entire state as ‘Disturbed Area’. i. This Act will be in continuation till the National Register of Citizen (NRC) is updated. ii. The final draft NRC is likely to be published by end of 2018. iii. In September 2017, Union Home Ministry had delegated to Assam and Manipur Governors power to impose or withdraw AFSPA. iv. AFSPA was clamped in Assam in 1990. About Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act(AFSPA), 1958: AFSPA was enacted in 1958 to bring ‘disturbed’ areas declared under it under control. It empowers both state and central government to declare areas as ‘disturbed’ due to differences or disputes between members of different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities. Foreigners barred from flying drones in India: RPAS On August 30, 2018, as per the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) regulations, foreigners have been barred from flying drones in India. i. For commercial purpose, they need to lease RPAS to an Indian entity who in-turn will obtain UIN and UAOP from DGCA. ii. Furthermore, micro drones could be allowed during night subject to various conditions and up to a height of 200 feet above ground level. iii. These regulations would come into force from December 1, 2018.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Japan overtakes China to become world’s second-largest stock market: Bloomberg On August 5, 2018, according to Bloomberg’s data Japan is now the world’s second-largest stock market. i. It has overthrown China as its total equity is $6.17 trillion and that of China’s is $6.09 trillion. ii. The United States is the world’s biggest market for stocks, with total worth just over $31 trillion. iii. Earlier, China overtook Japan in 2014. India-Israel collaborate to strengthen sectors of agriculture, health & environment Six Israeli startups working on healthcare, agriculture and water management sectors have been selected under the “Israel-India Bridge to Innovation” program to interact with various Indian businesses. i. The 6 startups that have been selected include: Amaizz, Biofeed, Zebra Medical, MobileODT, etc. ii. The 6 selected startups possess innovative technologies in healthcare, agriculture and water management sectors. iii. These startups had participated in the innovation week from 23-27 July 2018. iv. The innovation week was started by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) and Invest India in 2017. v. India-Israel Innovation Bridge was developed to help Israeli companies use their technologies, develop, adapt and commercialize their innovation in India.




vi. India-Israel Innovation Bridge is managed by the Israel Innovation Authority, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry of India and Invest India. Chairperson of the Israel-India Chamber of Commerce is Anat Bernstein-Reich. vii. An agreement had been signed earlier to start an innovation fund under which India and Israel will contribute USD 4 million each on an annual basis for 5 years. About Ministry of Commerce & Industry: ♦ Minister of Commerce and Industry – Suresh Prabhu ♦ Minister of State for Commerce and Industry – C R Chaudhary. 2 day Nepal-India Literature Festival 2018 held in Birgunj, Nepal On August 14, 2018, Chief Minister of Province 2 Mohammad Lalbabu Raut of Nepal inaugurated the 2 day Nepal-India Literature Festival 2018 in Birgunj. i. The event was organised by Nepal India Co-operation Forum. ii. This was a literary exchange programme that aims to strengthen the old religious, cultural and social relations between the two countries. iii. Around 250 participants from India and Nepal participated in this event. iv. On this occasion eminent writers from both the countries were also felicitated. India releases additional funds for Nepal’s Postal Highway On 14th August 2018, Indian Government released additional NPR 470 million for the Postal Highway being constructed in Southern Plains of Nepal. i. Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over NPR 470 million to the Secretary of Nepal’s Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Madhusudan Adhikari. ii. This amount has been released for the ongoing construction of 14 road packages under Postal Highway Project. iii. With this payment, a total of NPR 2.35 billion has been released to Nepal out of the total grant assistance of NPR 8 billion committed by Indian Government for implementing 14 road packages. iv. Also, on 15th August 2018, on the occasion of India’s Independence Day, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over 30 ambulances and 6 buses to hospitals, non-profit charitable organizations and educational institutions of Nepal. v. Indian Mission in Nepal also gifted books to 68 libraries and educational institutions in Nepal worth NPR 17 Lakhs. vi. Manjeev Singh Puri also felicitated one Veer Nari, seven Widows, three next of kins of the deceased soldiers and one disabled ex-serviceman of Indian Armed Forces by handing over their dues worth NPR 5.35 Crore and a blanket to each. 24th World Congress of Philosophy held in Beijing, China for the first time On August 13, 2018, the 24th World Congress of Philosophy (WCP) was held in Beijing, China for the first time.This event will continue till Aug. 20, 2018. i. The theme for this event is: “Learning To Be Human”. ii. This event has been organized by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies, and Peking University. iii. It consists of more than 1,000 activities, such as plenary sessions, symposia, lectures and roundtables. iv. More than 6,000 philosophers and academics from 121 countries and regions has participated in this event. Background: ♦ The World Congress of Philosophy is organized every 5 years by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies (FISP) in collaboration with one of its member societies. ♦ The first WCP was held in Paris in 1900. ♦ International Federation of Philosophical Societies ( FISP): established in 1948. Esala Maha Perehera festival begins in Sri Lanka On 16th August 2018, the historic Esala Maha Perehera festival started in Kandy, Sri Lanka. i. The festival will be held for 10 days. It started with a grand procession from Sri Dalada Maligawa, the biggest Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka. ii. This festival is held in the month of Esala (July or August). This month is believed to commemorate the first teaching of Buddha after his enlightenment. iii. The procession is carried out to obtain the blessings of the Gods for cultivation of crops and enrichment of




the kingdom. iv. The sacred tooth relic of the Buddha is carried through the streets. This festival is also celebrated to honour the four Gods Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Goddess Pattini. US imposes preliminary anti-dumping duties of over 50.55 % on India-made metal pipes The United States has imposed preliminary anti-dumping duty of 50.55 % on India-made metal pipes. i. This move has been made to protect the American industry and reduce the trade deficit. ii. In January 2018, 6 US pipe manufacturers had filed antidumping complaint with the US Department of Commerce. iii. On 21st August 2018, after preliminary analysis, the US Department of Commerce stated that, China, Greece, Canada, South Korea, Turkey and India were selling the large diameter-welded pipe used to transport oil, gas and other fluids very much below the fair price. This dumping is harmful to the US industry. iv. US imports of the pipe from India amounted to USD 294.7 million in 2017. v. Preliminary anti-dumping duties for the 6 countries: India – 50.55 % China – 132.63 % Greece – 22.51 % Canada – 24.38 % South Korea – 14.97 to 22.21 % Turkey – 3.45 to 5.29 % vi. US Customs and Border Protection will collect cash deposits from these 6 importers. A final ruling will be made in November 2018, on whether the pipe from India and China is dumped into the US market. vii. If it is found by the International Trade Commission that, the US industry was not harmed from the imports, the duties will be refunded. viii. The final ruling will be made for Canada, Greece, Korea, and Turkey in January 2019. 9th edition of Mountain Echoes Literary Festival 2018 held in Bhutan From 23rd to 25th August 2018, 9th edition of Mountain Echoes Literary Festival 2018 was held in Thimphu, Bhutan. i. This festival is an initiative of the India-Bhutan Foundation and Siyahi, an Indian literary agency. ii. It was presented by the Jaypee Group and powered by the Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan. iii. This year’s festival celebrated 50 years of formal diplomatic relations between India and Bhutan. iv. The festival focused on Spirituality and Philosophy, Performing Arts, Environmental Conservation, Food, Film & Theatre, etc. EU-India join hands to develop new Influenza vaccine On 28th August 2018, Indian government and the European Union (EU) partnered for Rs. 240 crore research programme to develop a Next Generation Influenza Vaccine to protect people throughout the world. i. EU and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, have committed EUR 15 million each to fund for this cause through “Horizon 2020” programme. ii. The projects require 3 applicants from both 3 European member states and India respectively. iii. The call will be open till 16th April 2019 to allow applicants from other countries to join the EU-India consortia. iv. The first information event was held in New Delhi on 27th August 2018. 100 applicants both from India and Europe participated in it. v. In order to create awareness about the research programme, the next information sessions will be held in Hyderabad on 30thAugust, in Bangalore on 24th September and in Pune on 28th September 2018.

VISITS Indian Affairs 2 day Visit of Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera to India on 19-20 August 2018 The Defence Minister of Japan Mr. Itsunori Onodera visited India for the first time for 2 days at the invitation of the Defence Minister of India Smt Nirmala Sitharaman from 19 to 20 August 2018.




The Defence Minister of Japan Mr. Itsunori Onodera visited India for the first time for 2 days at the invitation of the Defence Minister of India Smt Nirmala Sitharaman from 19 to 20 August 2018. i.Objective is to further strengthen defence and security cooperation under the ‘Japan-lndia Special Strategic and Global Partnership’ , ii.To work on Japan’s ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy’ with India’s ‘Act East Policy’ Defence Minister of Japan called on the Prime Minister at the Annual Defence Ministerial Meeting On 20 August 2018, in the Annual Defence Ministerial Meeting held in Delhi, Minister Onodera called on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed on the following matters: Significance of defence and security cooperation, Working on the ‘Japan-lndia Special Strategic and Global Partnership’, Working on peace and stability of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, Developments in the Korean Peninsula, Expanding cooperation in the maritime security domain and Cooperation between Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) and the Indian Navy.

Other Announcements in the India-Japan Annual Defence Ministerial Dialogue : India and Japan agreed on promoting cooperation and exchanges through Mutual Visits, upcoming institutional Dialogues and exchanges: On August 20, 2018, in the India-Japan Annual Defence Ministerial Dialouge, the following were

finalized: Mutual Visits: Visit of the Defence Ministerof India to Japan in 2019. Visit of the Chief of Staff, JMSDF to India in November 2018 and the Indian Chief of Air Staff to Japan by

the end of 2018. Upcoming Institutional Dialouges: Both sides will seek to realise the 7th Defence Vice Minister/Secretary level Defence Policy Dialogue in

2019 and Conduct of the 6th Vice Minister/Secretary level ‘2 +2’ dialogue in Tokyo in 2019.

Exchanges between the two countries: Exchanges between the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) and the Indian Army. Both the countries will work on the first-ever bilateral joint exercise between the JGSDF and the Indian

Army in the domain of counter-terrorism. It is scheduled to be held in the fall of 2018.

Exchanges between the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force and the Indian Navy. Both the countries would pursue continuation and sophistication of bilateral joint exercises, including

those in areas of anti-submarine warfare and mine-countermeasures between Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force and the Indian Navy.

Exchanges between the Japan Air Self-Defence Force and the Indian Air Force After Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) helicopter crews’ visit to India’s Sarsawa Air Force Station in

December 2017, JASDF would act as observers in the next round of Exercise Cope India. Further after the success of the 2nd Air Staff Talks in June 2018, air-to-air cooperation through visits of

Japanese and Indian air force would take place. Cooperation and exchange between Education and Research Exchanges In the meeting, the regular exchange of students between National Defence College of India, and

the National Institute of Defence Studies of Japan were re-affirmed. Cooperation in Defence Equipment and Technology The first bilateral cooperative project, between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of India and the

Ministry of Defence of Japan on Cooperative Research in the Area of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) /Robotics was made.

This was made possible because of the cooperation between Acquisition, Technology and Logistical Agency (ATLA) of Japan and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India.

Proposal of setting up of two Defence Industry Corridors in India was given by Minister Sitharaman and participation of Japanese enterprises were invited.

Cooperation for final acquisition of US-2 ShinMaywa amphibious aircraft by India for the Indian Navy from Japan.

Visit of Japanese defence enterprises to Indian defence industries in August 2018 has been organized. This would be the follow up on the first-ever Japan-India Defence Industry Forum in September 2017.




This would promote the interaction between public and private sectors, as well as between Japanese and Indian defence industries.

Achievements/meetings of India-Japan cooperation till now: Bilateral discussion of the 4th Joint Working Group on Defence Equipment and Technology Cooperation

(JWG-DETC) in Delhi in July 2018. Trilateral Maritime Exercise MALABAR 2018 was conducted successfully among Japan-India-U.S.

in June 2018. Overview of Prime Minister’s one day Gujarat Visit on August 23, 2018 On August 23,2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Surat, where he was received by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.During his day long visit, he visited Junagarh, Valsad and addressed the 4th convocation of Gujarat Forensic Science University in Gandhinagar. Following are the detailed information about the visit: PM Modi reached in Junagadh to inaugurate multiple projects On August 23, 2018, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated various projects in Junagadh district of Gujarat. i. These include: The Government Civil Hospital, Building of GMERS Medical College at the cost of Rs.249 crore, 13 projects of Junagadh Municipal Corporation, A milk processing plant at Khokhardaand Some buildings of the Junagadh Agriculture University.

ii. Laid foundation stones of nine initiatives worth over Rs 500 crore. During his visit in Valsad district: During his visit in Valsad, the PM inaugurated multiple projects, these include: More than 1.15 lakh houses have been built in Gujarat at a cost of Rs 1,727 crore under the scheme

across 26 districts. He distributed e-Gruhpravesh certificates to beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin. Beneficiaries from five districts of south Gujarat — Valsad, Navsari, Tapi, Surat and Dangs – were

present for the distribution of the certificates in Valsad. On the sideline of this mission he announced the target of every family owning a home by 2022. Laid foundation stone of Astole Water Supply Scheme for providing clean drinking water at the cost

of Rs.586 crore in Kaprada region in Valsad district. He also distributed certificates and employment letters to select beneficiaries under various

development schemes, including Deen Dayal Upadhyay Grameen Kaushal Vikas Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Gramodaya Yojana and National Rural Livelihood Mission.

He also distribute appointment letters and mini-ATMs to women bank correspondents. Other Important Announcements: He announced that decision has been taken to develop a medical college and hospital for

every three Lok Sabha constituencies initially which will elevate to a medical college and a hospital in every district.

During the public meeting Prime Minister mentioned about the importance about the Jan Aushadhi Store and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana- Ayushman Bharat Scheme which is to be implemented 25th of September.

He announced the decision to complete 99 pending irrigation projects at the cost of Rs 1 lakh crore and fix the MSP 1.5 times higher than the input cost.

He also awarded the GFSU an ‘A’ Grade certificate on behalf of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council for remarkable academic excellence for creating an international human resource pool in the fields of criminal investigation and justice delivery.

This DNA technology will help in detection of criminals and better justice system. The PM also attended a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust at the Raj Bhavan regarding management

of affairs of the famous Somnath temple of Lord Shiva. Former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel was renominated as the chairman of the trust for the term of another year.

Finally the PM greeted the public for the festival of Rakshabandhan.




Overview of 4 day visit of China’s Defence Minister Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe in New Delhi from August 21-24, 2018. On August 21, 2018, the Defence Minister of China Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe visited New Delhi for an official visit for 4 days till August 24, 2018. Highlights: Fenghe was leading a 24-member delegation from China to India- the first high level one after

the 73 day-long Doklam military standoff. This visit comes on the backdrop of the Wuhan informal summit between Modi and Chinese President

Xi Jinping in April 2018. This will be the second meeting this year between the defence ministers after their meeting during the

defence ministers’ meeting of theShanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in April. Objective: It is a full-fledged bilateral visit aimed at solidifying military ties. Following are the areas of discussion/meetings held on his visit: PM Modi met Chinese Defence minister to deepen cooperation and to build trust: On August 21, 2018, Minister General Wei Fenghe called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and

discussed military and defence issues. Focus on strengthening the communication and building trust among the militaries and maintenance of

peace and tranquillity in the border were discussed. India, China agreed to deepen defence cooperation to avoid Doklam-like standoffs and strengthen

exchanges and cooperation between their militaries so as to jointly safeguard border stability Meeting of Defence Minister of China with Defence Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman on military exchange and cooperation between the armies of the two countries: On August 22, 2018, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe

held extensive talks on military cooperation and exchanges. The two sides are likely to deploy troops from both sides informing each other before carrying out any

patrolling on the disputed areas along the 3488-km border. To resolve differences in setting up of a hotline between the armies of the two countries has been

suggested. Further as per the meeting with the PM Narendra Modi, engagement between their Armed Forces

relating to training, joint exercises and other professional interactions were decided. Both sides also decided to work towards a new bilateral MoU on Defence Exchanges and Cooperation to

replace the MoU signed in 2006. Setting up additional Border Meeting Points (BPM) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) were decided. Restart of ‘Hand in Hand’ anti-terrorist exercise was also discussed. The issue of USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which is passing through Pakistan-

occupied was also brought up. India’s views on cross-border terrorism, bringing peace and stability in Afghanistan and the need for

ensuring freedom of navigation in South China Sea were discussed. Other news: On August 23, 2018, General Fenghe was accorded guard of honour at the south block in the national

capital. He toured the National Museum in Delhi, where he worshipped the relics of Buddha and saw different

Indian art forms ranging from the Harappan civilisation, Maurya, Shunga and Satvahana Art, Decorative arts, Bronze sculptures and Buddhist Art.

He arrived at the museum with a team of about 36 people, including Indian and Chinese officials. Background: This visit comes in the backdrop of steady improvement of relations between the two countries. General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Command of the Indian Army, Lieutenant

General Abhay Krishna visited China from August 15 to 19. About Doklam: Doklam, in the Sikkim sector, is a strategically important area which is claimed by Bhutan. India has

been acting as security guarantor to the tiny country in the sensitive region.

Foreign Affairs 4 day Visit of External Affairs Minister to Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Republic of Uzbekistan (August 2- 5, 2018)




On August 5, 2018 External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj concluded her 4 day visit to three nations.It is her first trip to these countries as External Affairs Minister. 2 day Visit of External Affairs Minister to Republic of Kazakhstan from August 2-3, 2018 On August 2-3, 2018, External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj visited the Republic of Kazakhstan. Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kazakhstan in 2015 and for SCO Summit in June 2017.

Swaraj interacts with Indian community in Kazakhstan The MEA minister announced her motto: “ Indian Embassy : Home away from Home” that addresses the NRIs 24×7. A bilateral meeting with her Kazakhstani counterpart Kairat Abdrakhmanov During her visit to Astana, the minister also held a bilateral meeting with her Kazakhstani

counterpart Kairat Abdrakhmanov. Discussions on deepening cooperation in defence & security, energy, pharma, capacity building and

culture were made. External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj met Kazakhstan Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev Discussions on strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, ICT, joint film production, tourism

and people-to-people contacts. India will partner with Kazakhstan to explore markets for new products, diversifying from the trade in

traditional products. Further the flagship initiatives of the Modi government such as ‘Digital India’, ‘Start up India’ ‘Make in

India’ can boost business relations with Kazakhstan. 2 day Visit of External Affairs Minister to Kyrgyz Republic from August 3-4, 2018 On August 3-4, 2018, External Affairs Minister Smt. Sushma Swaraj visited the Kyrgyz Republic. Swaraj arrived at Issyk Kul in eastern Kyrgyzstan and was received by Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Erlan Abdyldaev. Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited this Central Asian nation in July 2015, then Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev also visited India in December 2016. Talks with her Kyrgyzstan counterpart Erlan Abdyldaev On August 4, 2018, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held talks with her Kyrgyzstan counterpart

Erlan Abdyldaev on deepening cooperation in a number of areas, including trade, energy and defence and security.

Cooperation in fields of trade and investment, defence and security, IT, health, HRD, tourism and joint film production were discussed.

They discussed about the multi-dimensional relations they share in areas including political, parliamentary, defence, science and technology and health.

Other announcements: Sushma Swaraj congratulated the Kyrgyz Republic for taking over as Chair of SCO in 2018-19 and

assured full cooperation in the successful conduct of meetings and the SCO Summit in 2019 to be held in Kyrgyzstan.

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BANKING & FINANCE RBI in News RBI releases its Third Bi-monthly Policy on August 1, 2018 On August 1, 2018, a 3 day 6 member meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee headed by Governor Dr. Urjit Patel concluded where RBI released its 3rd bi-monthly policy. i. RBI retains GDP growth forecast at 7.4 pc for FY’19. This would be owing to higher corporate earnings and sharp increase in MSPs (Minimum Support

Price) of kharif crops which would boost the rural demand and farmer’s income. RBI retained its earlier prediction of GDP from June’s bi-monthly statement that GDP growth for the

year 2018-19 would be 7.4%. With GDP range of 7.5-7.6 %has been predicted for the first half of the fiscal and 7.3-7.4% for second

half of the fiscal of 2018-19. Also GDP of first quarterof the next financial year 2019-2020 is projected to be 7.5%. ii. RBI pegs retail inflation at 4.8% for second half of FY19. This is due to increase in food price due to a 150%hike in MSPs of the kharif season of 2018-19. For the July- September quarter the inflation rate is projected to be 4.6%and 4.8% in the second half of

2018-19. Retail Inflation has been projected to rise to 5%in the first quarter of 2019-20. Excluding the HRA, CPI based retail inflation is projected to be 4.4%for the Quarter 2, 4.7%-

4.8% for second half of 2018-19 and 5% inQ1 of 2019-20. RBI’s targeted comfort level of inflation is 4per cent.

iii. RBI hikes interest rate by 0.25% or 25 basis points on inflationary concerns. RBI has raised benchmark repo, or the short term rate at which it lends to other banks, by 0.25 per cent

to 6.5 per cent. Reverse repo rate stands at 6.25%, Marginal Standing Facility stands at 6.75%.

Following gives the comparison of the 2nd and 3rd bi-monthly rates: Policy rates 2nd bi-monthly in June

6th 2018 3rd bimonthly in August 1,2018

Repo Rate 6.25% 6.50% Reverse Repo Rate 6.0% 6.25% Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) 6.5% 6.75% Bank Rate 6.5% 6.75% Reserve Ratios: Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) 4% 4% Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) 19.5% 19.5% CPI with HRA 3rd bimonthly August 1, 2018 In Q2 of 2018-19 4.6% In H2 of 2018-19 4.8% In Q1 of 2019-20 5% CPI without HRA In Q2 of 2018-19 4.4% In H2 of 2018-19 4.7%- 4.8% In Q1 of 2019-20 5%

iv. The Next meeting will be scheduled from October 3-5, 2018. Mauritius-based SBM Group the first foreign lender has received Reserve Bank of India’s approval to operate in the country as SBM Bank (India) On August 2, 2018, RBI has given approval to State Bank of Mauritius to operate in the country through a wholly-owned subsidiary route under the name SBM Bank(India).It is the first such bank to get such approval. i. The bank will operate as a subsidiary to SBM group that has been operational since 1994. ii. Currently it has 4 operational branches in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ramachandrapuram. iii. It would expand its operation by opening 6 new branches in Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad and Jaipur by 2019.




Other Announcements: Singapore’s DBS bank is another bank who is waiting for RBI’s approval to operate by converting its 12 branches as a wholly owned subsidiary. RBI bars Fino Payments Bank from enroling new customers Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has barred Fino Payments Bank from adding new customers after it observed anomalies regarding deposits in the existing accounts. i. Fino Payments Bank has been alleged to have violated the norms related to the deposit limit. ii. RBI’s operating guideline for payment banks state that, the aggregate limit for customers should not exceed Rs 1 lakh. If it exceeds, the excess amount should automatically be transferred to any other bank account, provided by the customer. iii. Recently, Paytm Payments Bank was also barred by RBI to add new customers after violation of KYC process. Umbrella Organisation’ to revive Urban Co-op Banking: RBI On August 5, 2018, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed non-fund-based Umbrella organisations(UO) at State levels to revive India’s co-operative banking sector. i. It would conduct non-fund activities in the areas of training, capacity building and IT infrastructure and research. ii. Gujarat is the first State in the country to have an UO for the UCB sector. iii. Along with this, it is conducting a two-day conference and exhibition of co-operative banking sector under the name Sahakar Setu 2018, in Ahmedabad, from August 4-5. iv. The Centre for Banking Research Development & Excellence (CBRDE) was inaugurated in 2014. Background: i. In 2016, a steering committee was constituted by NAFCUB, which had submitted its report to the RBI in August 2017. ii. As per the committee’s recommendations, a National Umbrella of UCBs will be formed as an NBFC and owned by UCBs. UAE top source of inward remittances in 2016-17: RBI Reserve Bank of India’s survey of inward remittances for 2016-17 has stated that, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the top source of inward remittances, and Kerala has received the maximum funds sent from abroad. i. UAE’s share in total remittances was 26.9%. It is followed by the United States (22.9%), Saudi Arabia (11.6%), Qatar (6.5%) and Kuwait (5.5%). ii. As per the survey, 82% of the total remittances received by India originated from 8 countries: UAE, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, the United Kingdom and Malaysia. iii. Kerala has the highest share with 19%, among destinations. It is followed by Maharashtra (16.7%), Karnataka (15%), Tamil Nadu (8%) and Delhi (5.9%). iv. Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu altogether received 58.7% of total remittances. v. Responses for the survey were received from 42 major authorised dealers (ADs), that account for 98.3% of total remittances in 2016-17. vi. The rupee drawing arrangement (RDA) is the most popular channel of remittances. RDA accounts for 75.2% of remittances. It is followed by SWIFT (19.5%), direct transfers (3.4%) and cheques and drafts (1.9%). vii. The share of Private banks in total remittances is 74.1%. Share of public sector banks is 17.3% and the remaining are foreign banks. RBI to pay Rs 50,000 cr dividend to govt for FY18 in line with Budget estimate for the July 2017-June 2018 financial year On August 11, 2018, RBI announced that the Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India, at its meeting held on August 8, 2018, approved the transfer of surplus amounting to Rs. 500 billion or Rs.50,000 crore for the year ended June 30, 2018 to the Government of India. i. As per the Budget Estimate, the government projected to collect Rs 54,817.25 crore as dividend or Surplus of Reserve Bank of India, Nationalised Banks and Financial Institutions. ii. Also the RBI had paid interim dividend of Rs 10,000 crore to the government to support fiscal position in March. iii. Earlier, the RBI made a dividend payout of Rs 30,659 crore for the fiscal ended June 2017 which is less than half of the amount paid in June 2016 (Rs 65,876 crore). iv. Surplus payout in June 2017 year was low due to printing of new currency notes following demonetisation




effected on November 9, 2016. Background: ♦ Under the RBI Act, 1934, the central bank is required to pay the government its surplus after making provisions for bad and doubtful debts, depreciation in assets and, contribution to staff and superannuation fund among others. ♦ The Reserve Bank follows July-June financial year. RBI Annual Report stated that India remains preferred destination for FDI On August 29, 2018, according to RBI Annual Report, India remains a preferred destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). i. This is due to strong domestic consumption from the both services and agriculture sectors and manufacturing sector. ii. India received $37.3 billion capital inflow in 2017-18 as compared to $36.3 billion in the previous fiscal. During the 2015-16, the country received $36.06 billion. iii. The increase in foreign capital flow was mainly due to higher flows into the communication services, retail and wholesale trade, financial services and computer services. iv. FDI inflows were concentrated mostly in Mauritius and Singapore with almost 61% of total equity investments. v.India’s rank in the World Bank’s report of Ease of Doing Business 2018: 100/190. 99.30% of demonetized money worth Rs.15.31 lakh crore back in the system: RBI annual report On August 30, 2018, in the annual report published by RBI, it announced that 99.30% of all of the demonetized currency notes have been counted and accounted for by the central bank. i. Rs 15.31 lakh crore worth currency notes have now been returned, since November 8, 2016. ii. The total worth of notes that was in circulation at the time of demonetization was : Rs 15.41 lakh crore iii. Rs 10,720 crore of the currency did not return to the banking system. iv. This amount has been shifted to the central bank’s ‘Other Liabilities and Provisions’ segment from the earlier ‘Notes issued’ segment which was a part of liability. v. Post-demonetisation, RBI spent Rs 7,965 crore in 2016-17 on printing new Rs 500 and Rs 2,000 and other denomination notes, more than double the Rs 3,421 crore spent in the previous year. vi. In 2017-18 (July 2017 to June 2018), it spent another Rs 4,912 crore on printing of currency. Other News: i. The notes that were allowed in the system after the ban were called : specified bank notes (SBNs) ii. These were allowed to be deposited in banks with unusual deposits coming under income tax scrutiny. India’s economic growth rate to grow at 7.4 per cent in 2018-19: RBI On August 30, 2018, its annual report, RBI stated that India’s economic growth rate will grow at 7.4 per cent in the current financial year.It was 6.7 percent in the previous year. i. The reasons cited for better GDP are: Increased industrial activityand Good Monsoon.

ii. According to the report, agricultural production is likely to remain strong. iii. The headline inflation may increase in the remaining portion of the year. iv. RBI will work toward the medium term target for retail inflation of 4 percent.

Other Banks & Finance Related News Rs 722 cr sanctioned for 8 water projects in Haryana by NABARD On August 2, 2018, NABARD sanctioned Rs 722 crore for eight water projects in the rural areas of Haryana. i. These projects will supply water to 256 villages and 72 hamlets. ii. Additionally, the state government has sent three more project proposals, costing Rs 236.85 crore, to NABARD for financial assistance. iii. They would supply water to 109 villages and nine hamlets. Achievements of Haryana on water supply projects: i. 9 plans have been approved at an estimated cost of Rs 72.10 crore by the National Capital Region Planning Board for mordenizing sewerage syatem in urban areas. ii. 1,200 to 1,300 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of water was being treated in the state sewerage treatment




plants (STPs) out of which only 30 to 50 MLD water was being reused. Indian Bank revises interest rates on FCNR(B) deposits On 1st August 2018, Indian Bank has revised interest rates on Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Banking) – FCNR(B)deposits with immediate effect. Indian Bank revises interest rates on FCNR(B) deposits:

Deposit period Revised Interest Rate Previous Interest Rate

1 year and above but less than 2 years (in US Dollar terms)

3.68 % 3.59 %

2 years and above, but less than 3 years

3.88 % 3.77 %

3 years and above but less than 4 years

3.97 % 3.89 %

4 years and above but less than 5 years

3.99 % 3.92 %

up to 5 years 4 % 3.93 % Bandhan Bank surpasses YES Bank market capitalisation; becomes 7th most valued bank On 1st August 2018, Bandhan Bank surpassed YES Bank’s market capitalisation (m-cap) and became the sixth most valuable private sector bank and seventh most valued listed lender. i. Bandhan Bank with a market capitalisation (m-cap) of Rs 840 billion surpassed YES Bank with m-cap of Rs 838 billion. ii. As on 1st August 2018, HDFC Bank, SBI and Kotak Mahindra Bank occupied the top three positions respectively, based on market capitalization. Vikas Bonanza 456: a new deposit scheme launched by Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) On August 3,2018, Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) launched a new deposit scheme called Vikas Bonanza 456. i. The scheme is of a tenure of 456 days with interest rate of 7.10 per cent for public and 7.60 per cent for senior citizens. ii. It also offers annualized return of 7.35% for the general public and 7.89% for senior citizens. iii. A minimum of Rs.10,000 and maximum of Rs.1 crore can be deposited under this scheme. Rs 4,989.55 crore collected from customers in FY18 by 24 banks for not maintaining minimum account balance On August 6, 2018, 21 public sector banks and 3 major private sector lenders collected Rs 4,989.55 crore from customers for non-maintenance of minimum balance in their accounts in 2017-18. i. SBI collected Rs.2433 crore nearly half the amount raised by the 24 banks put together. ii. Another 30% of the fines were raised by three large private lenders HDFC, ICICI and Axis. iii. HDFC collected Rs 590.84 crore, Axis Bank collected Rs 530.12 crore and ICICI collected Rs. 317.6 crore. iv. Accounts under Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) scheme as well as Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna are not required to maintain any minimum balance. Average Monthly Balance (AMB) in savings accounts (SBI)

Average Monthly Balance (AMB) in specific areas

Charges per Month (excluding GST)

For Metro and Urban Cities (AMB= Rs.3000) Shortfall >= 50% Rs. 10/- Shortfall >50% and <=75% Rs.12/- Shortfall >75% Rs.15/- For Semi-urban areas (AMB= Rs.2000/-) Shortfall >=50% Rs.7.50/- Shortfall >50% and <=75% Rs.10/- Shortfall >75% Rs.12/- For Rural Areas (AMB= Rs.1000/-)




Shortfall >= 50% Rs. 5/- Shortfall > 50% and <=75% Rs.7.50/- Shortfall > 75% Rs.10/-

HDFC Bank raised fixed deposit rates by up to 0.6% On August 6, 2018, HDFC increased fixed deposit rates on various maturities by up to 0.6 per cent.

Tenors Final increased rates (in %)

6 months to 9 months 6.75 9 months three days to 1 year 7 1 year to 2 years 7.25 2 years to 5 years 7.10

The increase in fixed deposit rates is likely to put pressure on lending rate as well.Due to RBI’s increase in Repo rate by 25 bp at which it lends to other banks have increased and now increasing the interest rates of fixed deposits. MOPAD: a unified payment terminal POS machine launched by SBI On August 8, 2018, State Bank of India launched a payments machine called MOPAD. i. The full form of MOPAD is Multi Option Payment Acceptance Device.ressure to increase the lending rate. ii. It is a Point of Sale (PoS) terminal that will allow to facilitate transactions from cards to QR code based payments. iii .It would accept payments through UPI, Bharat QR, and SBI Buddy wallet which till now required different tools to receive payments. iv. Customers won’t have to carry cards and can just scan the QR code to make the payment. Background: SBI has 6.23 lakh PoS terminals where debit and credit cards are swiped to make payments. HSBC launches online platform “MyDeal” to raise funds through capital markets HSBC has launched a new digital platform named “MyDeal” to simplify capital raising process through capital markets by offering real-time access to information like investors’ feedback, profiles, client orders and deal pricing. i. MyDeal consists of all information related to a client’s capital markets transaction. It is updated on real time basis. ii. MyDeal has raised more than USD 25 billion in its pilot phase in the first 7 months through more than 30 transactions worldwide. iii. MyDeal can be accessed using a tablet or desktop. It uses application programming interface (API) technology to centralise data from multiple channels. iv. The data is presented through custom-made graphs and visuals. The app would be released through the online store later in 2018, for direct use of clients. PayPal & HDFC Bank partner to offer seamless payment experiences to card holders On August 9, 2018, PayPal and HDFC Bank partnered to offer safer, faster and convenient payment experiences to bank’s card holders. i. This would enable consumers to easily open PayPal accounts and set it as their preferred payment method. ii. This will enable the customers to shop how, where and when they choose.This will benefit both consumers and merchants. PayU & Reliance Money announce strategic partnership for instant personal loan On August 9, 2018, PayU India partnered with Reliance Money to offer personal loans via LazyPay.With an Objective to reach out to the underserved consumers in India, i. This facility will be available to consumers in 10 cities, including metro cities and tier-II cities like Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Lucknow. ii. The loan amount will start from Rs. 100 and will extend up to Rs. 1,00,000 with a duration varying from 15 days to 24 months. iii. Reliance Money would carry out a one-step digital KYC process reducing the time to check. iv.Customers would get an instant credit through a paperless process. v.LazyPay is a product powered by PayU that lets the customers avail services and pay for them at a later time.




Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and Vijaya Bank entered into a bancassurance deal On August 10, 2018, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance entered into a bancassurance deal with Vijaya Bank. i. The General Insurance products would be available through the bank’s network of 2,129 branches. ii. Insurance products such as health, personal accident, home, motor and travel along with a commercial line of insurance products will be offered. iii. The partnership will strengthen the presence of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance in southern India. 1st of its kind iris authentication for Aadhaar-based transactions introduced by Axis Bank On August 10, 2018, Axis bank has become the first bank in the country to introduce Iris Scan Authentication feature for Aadhaar -based transactions through its micro ATM tablets. i. This is being run as a pilot project in 8 branches of rural Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh. ii. The bank will be launching the same process for loan processing, insurance, eKYC account opening and others sections mostly extending to the semi-urban and urban regions as well. iii. A Customer needs to select the desired service (funds transfer, cash withdrawal) and feed-in their Aadhaar numbers in the micro ATM. iv. Next they will choose ‘IRIS’ as the desired mode of authentication. Verification will be done in 3-5 seconds. v. The transaction will be completed after the biometric details are verified from the UIDAI database. About the technologies used: i. The micro ATM tablets which are STQC certified and UIDAI compliant registered devices do not require debit cards, passwords, PINs, and user IDs. ii. The Iris scan technology is completely contactless and provides up to 98.2 per cent authentication success rate. Cosmos Bank’s server hacked; Rs 94 cr transferred off in 2 days via Visa and Rupay payment gateways On August 14, 2018, Cosmos bank announced that the server of Pune-based bank was under a malware attack for 2 days between August 11 and August 13 and an amount of Rs 94 crore has been transferred off. i. The fraudulent transactions were carried out via cloning of thousands of the bank’s debit cards and 25 ATMs located in Canada, Hong Kong and a few in India. ii. The cards of the cooperative bank customers that were cloned were of Visa and Rupay. iii. The malware attack was on the switch, which is operative for payment gateways of Visa and Rupay debit cards. iv. The cyber-crime consisted of : 12,000 transactions and transfer of Rs 78 crore out of India on August 11, 2018. 2,849 transactions were done in which Rs 2.5 crore was transferred within India . Rs 13.92 crore in a Hong Kong-based bank by using fraudulent swift transactions on August 13,2018.

IDBI hiked MCLR rate by up to 0.10% on various tenors On August 15, 2018, IDBI Bank increased the marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR) by up to 0.10 per cent for various tenors.

Tenors New Interest Rate (in %)

Overnight 8 One month 8.25 Three months 8.45 Six Months 8.60 One year 8.85 Two years & Three years

8.90

UPI 2.0 version: new & improved interface released by RBI governor Dr. Urjit Patel. On August 17, 2018, RBI Governor Urjit Patel unveiled UPI version 2.0 . i. The new version has been developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). i. It will allow the customers to use overdraft limit for making payments for merchants. ii. This has been made in need for ensuring adequate importance on cyber security. iii. UPI 2.0 member banks as on date are: State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, RBL Bank, YES Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank, Federal Bank and HSBC.




Features of the improved UPI 2.0: i. The UPI 2.0 has enhanced features such as : invoice in the inbox, signed intent/QR, UPI mandate with blocking of funds and UPI for overdraft account.

Background: ♦ UPI was launched on April 11, 2016. ♦ BHIM UPI has recorded transactions worth Rs 45,845 crore and 235 million in terms of value and volume in the month of July 2018. Sarvatra technologies launches 450th cooperative bank – ‘Sevalia Urban Co-operative Bank’ On August 17, 2018, Sarvatra Technologies has launched ‘Sevalia Urban Co-operative Bank’ as 450th co-operative bank on National Financial Switch (NFS). i. Sarvatra brings many co-operative banks on digital payment platform by making them inter-operable with large banks. ii. It aims to add another 50 plus co-operative banks by FY 2019. iii. It has provided digital payment platform to larger banks like ICICI and IDBI bank and payment banks like Paytm Payments Bank, Equitas Small Finance Bank etc. Operation of Sarvatra: Sarvatra started with NFS, providing the following: RuPay Debit and Kissan Credit Cards issuance Enabling transactions on ATMs, POS and eCommerce, Bringing banks on other NPCI platforms like IMPS, UPI, AePS and Bharat BillPay, Bringing technologies to India’s ‘underbanked’ population.

Achievements of Sarvatra: i. It enabled top quality payment switches like UPI and IMPS to increase from few thousand transactions to few lakh transactions per day . ii. In 2018, the transaction value is set to touch Rs. 40, 000 crore. iii. In 8 years, Sarvatra went from offering digital solutions to two banks to 450+ banks and from a single payments platform to five different payment platform, viz. EFT (ATM, POS, E-Com), IMPS, Bharat Bill Payment System, UPI, AEPS. iv. Sarvatra’s platforms in ICICI Bank and Equitas bank have won NPCI award for best performance in their respective categories in 2018. About Sarvatra Technologies: ♦ India’s leading end-to-end payments and banking solutions provider. ♦ Headquarters: Pune. Home Ministry notifies new Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for refilling of ATMs Home Ministry has specified new Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for refilling of ATMs (Automated Teller Machine), which will come to effect on 8th February 2019. i. The new SoPS have been formulated to prevent attacks on cash vans, cash vaults, ATM frauds and other internal frauds. ii. As per the new SoPS, Cash loading of the ATMs or cash transportation activities will not be done: After 9 pm– in urban areas After 6 pm– in rural areas Before 9 am or after 4 pm– in districts notified by the central government as Left Wing Extremism

affected areas or Naxal-hit areas iii. Private cash handling agencies should collect money from banks in the first half of the day. They should provide private security for the cash transportation. Every cash van should have one driver, two armed security guards, two ATM officers or custodians. iv. Cash transportation should be performed only in secured cash vans equipped with GPS tracking device. A cash van should not carry cash more than Rs 50 million per trip. v. Private security agencies should appoint a person for cash transportation only after they have undergone antecedent check like police, Aadhaar and residence verifications, previous employer check, credit history check and fidelity insurance. vi. Every cash box should be secured to the floor with separate chains and locks that can be opened only using




separate keys kept with different custodians. vii. Cash vans should be equipped with: small CCTV system with a minimum of 5 days of recording facility and 3 cameras installed in front, rear and inside of the cabin; a security alarm with GSM-based auto-dialer with a motorised siren; hooter, fire extinguishers and emergency lights. viii. Private security agencies should ensure that all cash handling activities like counting, sorting, and bundling activities should be performed in secured premises as per specific guidelines. ix. The premises should have two physically independent areas, one for general office purpose and other for secured cash processing and handling activities. It should have space for cash deposit, collection, sorting, counting and delivery and dispatch of cash on secured cash vans. Ujjivan SFB launched overdraft facility for medium and small enterprises On August 23, 2018, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank announced the launch of its overdraft facility for micro and small enterprises (MSE).This is aimed at the MSEs who don’t have easy access to formal credit. i. It would be offered to all MSEs with a turnover of Rs 50 lakh or more. ii. This interest rate on the overdraft is for one year with a minimum credit of Rs 11 lakh to a maximum of Rs 50 lakh renewed on an annual basis. iii. A key feature of the facility is that it allows MSE customers to pay EMI only on the utilised amount and repay the amount at any time during the tenure of the OD facility. iv. The facility is an add-on product to the existing MSE term loans offered by the bank. v. Ujjivan SFB also offers composite loans, where the overdraft facility can be combined with existing MSE term loan products. NABARD All India Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) 2016-17 On 16th August 2018, NABARD All India Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) report was released by Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog at an event, in New Delhi. i. This survey was commissioned in 2016. Reference year of survey is 2015-16. The survey was conducted throughout India. ii. Samples were taken from 2016 villages in 245 districts and 29 states. It covered 40,327 rural households and a population of 1,87,518. iii. Out of this 48 % are agriculture households. 87 % are small and marginal farmer households. iv. Data was collected through paperless method of Computer Aided Personal Interview. v. This survey was conducted to bring together Financial Inclusion and rural livelihood aspects. vi. This is the first edition of this survey. NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) has proposed to perform this survey every 3 years. vii. The survey assessed the income levels of rural households, mapped aspects like debt, saving, investment, insurance, pension and financial aptitude and behaviour of individuals. viii. The survey defines farm households as families having more than Rs 5,000 as value of produce from agricultural operations in the year prior to the survey. Highlights of NAFIS 2016-17: Income: Agricultural households, which accounted for 48% of rural households, earned Rs 107,172 during

2015-16 from cultivation, livestock, non-farm sector activities and wages/salaries. Thus, farmers’ income grew at a compounded growth rate of 12% per annum compared to Rs 77,112 per annum as per NSSO (National Sample Survey Office) assessment in 2012-13. The income levels for 19 out of 29 states are above all India average and 15 states recorded annual compound growth of above 10.5% between 2012-13 and 2015-16.

Agricultural households earned 34% of their income from cultivation. Wage earnings contributed the same proportion to the income followed by salaries (16%), livestock (8%) and non-farm sector (6%). Other sources accounted for the rest.

Non-agricultural households reported average annual income of Rs 87,228 majorly contributed by wages (54%), followed by salaries (32%) and non-farm sector activities (12%). Agricultural households earned 23% more than non-agricultural households.

Savings & Investment: 88.1 % of the households reported having a bank account. 33 % households reported more than one savings account 26 % of HH have women with institutional (including SHG) savings account




55 % of agricultural households reported any savings during the last year and of these 53 % saved with institutions like banks, post offices and SHGs.

Average savings per annum per saver households was reportedly Rs 17,488, of which 95 per cent is with institutional agencies

10.4 % of agricultural households also reported investment with the average investment per investing agricultural households was reportedly Rs 62,734.

For all investments amounting more than Rs 10,000 in the year, 60% of the amount was funded through borrowings from either institutional or informal sources.

Debt: Incidence of Indebtedness (IOI)is measured as proportion of households reporting outstanding debt on

the date of the survey. IOI is 52.5% for agricultural households and 42.8% non-agricultural households were reportedly indebted at the time of survey. All India IOI taking all rural households together stands at 47.4%.

Average amount of outstanding debt (AOD) for indebted agricultural households is reportedly Rs 1,04,602 as on the date of the survey. Debt outstanding for indebted non-agricultural households is reportedly Rs 76,731. Overall extent of indebtedness taking all households combined is Rs 91,407.

43.5% agricultural households reported to have borrowed any money during last year from some source or the other. 60.4% of them reportedly borrowed from institutional sources exclusively. Further, 30.3% borrowed from only informal sources and 9.2% of agricultural households borrowed from both sources. 56.7% of Non-Agricultural households and 58.6% of all households borrowed from institutional sources during last year.

During the year 2015-16, a borrowing Agricultural households reportedly availed a loan of Rs 107,083 from various agencies, 72% of which was availed from institutional sources including MFIs and SHGs. 69% of borrowings of all households and 65% of non-agricultural households were from institutional sources.

Insurance and Pension: About 26% of agricultural households and 25% of non-agricultural households reported to have been

covered under one or the other type of insurance Among agricultural households who reported to have taken any loan for agricultural purposes in the

last one year [2015-16] from institutional agencies, 6.9% reported being covered under crop insurance. The coverage under any type of pension was reported to be about 18.9 % for non-agricultural

households as against 20.1 % for agricultural households When assessed for type of pension received, 32% of all households with senior citizens reported being

covered by old age pension Only 23% of rural income from farming: Agriculture does not even generate a quarter of rural household incomes in India. Out of the total rural

households, 48 % are agricultural households. Only over 43 % of the average income of agricultural households comes from cultivation of crops and

rearing of animals. Remaining 57 % income comes from non-agricultural sources. More than half the agricultural households in India have outstanding debts: 52.5% of the agricultural households had an outstanding loan. Whereas 42.8% of the non-agricultural

households in rural India had an outstanding loan. Also, agricultural households with outstanding debt had higher debt liability compared to non-

agricultural ones. The average outstanding debt of the agricultural households is nearly equal to the average annual

income of all agricultural households in India (Rs 1.07 lakh). Only 10.5% of agricultural households had a valid Kisan Credit Card. Those with Kisan Credit Card had

used 66% of the sanctioned credit limit. 19% of the loans were taken to meet agricultural expenses. Another 19% of loans were taken for

domestic needs. 11 % of loans were taken for housing and 12 % for medical expenses. Highest indebtedness was registered by farmers owning more than 2 hectares of land. 60% of such

households are indebted. Telangana (79%), Andhra Pradesh (77%), and Karnataka (74%) had the highest levels of indebtedness

among agricultural households. They were followed by Arunachal Pradesh (69%), Manipur (61%), Tamil Nadu (60%), Kerala (56%), and Odisha (54%).

88 per cent rural households have savings accounts:




88.1 % of rural households and 55 % of agricultural households have bank account. But only about 24 % of them use ATM services at least once in three months.

Only 7.4 % of these households use debit or credit card. 7.5 % use cheque to make a payment at least once in three months.

Average savings per annum per household was Rs 17,488. Income and savings: The annual income of farmers increased 37.4 % between 2012-13 and 2015-16. The average monthly income of rural households was Rs 8,059 in 2015-16 .The average expenditure

was Rs 6,646. Surplus was Rs 1,413 to save or invest. For agricultural households that invested more than Rs 10,000 in the year, 60 % was funded through

borrowings from institutional or informal source. Punjab, Haryana and Kerala are the top 3 states having average monthly income of Rs 23,133, Rs 18,496

and Rs 16,927, for rural households. Uttar Pradesh has the least with average monthly income of Rs 6,668 per month. In Andhra Pradesh,

high expenditure with respect to income was observed. Hence a rural household gets an average surplus of only Rs 95 a month.

A family in Bihar retains Rs 262/month. In Uttar Pradesh it is Rs 315/month. Bondi bond : world’s first blockchain public bond launched by World Bank On August 25, 2018, the World Bank has launched the world’s first public bond created and managed using only blockchain technology. i. It has been named : Bondi Bond stands for Blockchain Operated New Debt Instrument. ii. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia is the sole manager of the deal that has been priced by the World Bank at A$100 million ($73.16 million) with a two-year maturity. iii. The price for the “kangaroo” deal at 23 basis points above benchmark rates iv. This will be the first time that capital is raised from public investors through a legally valid bond using blockchain technology. v. This would enable to collapse the manual allocation process to a faster and cheaper automation process. Background: i. Kangaroo bonds are bonds issued in Australian dollars by foreign institutions. ii. Australian Securities Exchange plans to switch to blockchain technology to clear and settle equities trades from 2020 to help cut costs. Other News: i. Earlier this year Russia’s MTS, a telecoms operator, and Sberbank claimed a world-first blockchain bond with a deal value of 750 million roubles ($11.20 million) of 182-day paper placed privately. ii. Bonds issued by the World Bank carries a AAA rating. It issues between $50 billion and $60 billion a year of bonds to back economic progress in developing countries. Punjab National Bank tops in digital transaction: Department of Financial Services On August 27, 2018, according to a report of Department of Financial Services, Punjab National Bank has been rated as number one state-owned bank in terms of digital transactions. i. The bank is rated as ‘Good’ by the government with a score of 71 which is the highest category of performance. ii. In Digital performance, it ranked sixth overall amongst all banks. Current account deficit to hit 2.8% of GDP in FY19: SBI report Ecowrap On August 27, 2018, according to a report named Ecowrap published by SBI, the current account deficit of the country will rise to 2.8% of the GDP in the current financial year. i. This is due to rise in oil prices and moderate growth in exports. ii. The merchandise trade imbalance is also expected to rise to USD 188 billion in FY19, compared with USD 160 billion in FY18. iii. In July , the trade deficit jumped to USD 18 billion. iv. The CAD is still expected to be majorly financed by non-debt creating (FDI and FPI) capital inflows having around 44 per cent of the total capital flows. v. This is expected to turn the country’s overall balance of payment into deficit mode after six years, leading to forex reserves depletion of USD 16 billion (0.6 per cent of GDP) in FY19.




Axis Securities launched commodity trading with MCX On August 28, 2018, Axis Securities launched commodity broking services with MCX and became the first bank subsidiary to enter the commodity broking business. i. All existing Axis Direct customers can now trade in 29 commodity futures and contracts through a one-time online registration process. ii. These cover: industrial metals, energy and agricultural segments. Background: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last September had allowed banks to offer broking services to clients on Sebi registered commodity exchanges likeMCX and NCDEX. $300 Million Agreement signed between Government of India and the World Bank for scaling up India’s Energy Efficiency Program On August 29, 2018, the Government of India and the IBRD of World Bank signed a total of $300 million agreement for the India Energy Efficiency Scale-Up Program in Delhi. i. Out of the $300 million, $220 million is a Loan Agreement and a $80 million is a Guarantee Agreement. The $220 million loan,from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to

EESL, has a 5-year grace period, and a maturity of 19 years. The $80 million IBRD guaranteewill partially repay to commercial lenders or investors and enable EESL

to raise funds. ii. The program will be implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL).This is one of the several steps being taken by the Government of India to meet its climate change commitments to reduce carbon intensity by 33-35 percent by 2030. iii. Agreement signed by: Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance and Mr. Hisham Abdo, Acting Country Director, World Bank India, on behalf of the World Bank.

iv. This project would avoid lifetime greenhouse gas emissions of 170 million tons of CO2, and contribute to avoiding an estimated 10 GW of additional generation capacity. v. Under the Program, EESL will deploy 219 million LED bulbs and tube lights, 5.8 million ceiling fans, and 7.2 million street lights. Background: Under Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) program, EESL has already deployed more than 295 million LED bulbs, resulting in avoiding over 7,500 MW of new electricity generation capacity. $375 Million Loan agreement signed by ADB & India to improve irrigation in Madhya Pradesh On August 30, 2018, Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $375 million loan agreement to double farming incomes in Madhya Pradesh. It would be done via The Madhya Pradesh Irrigation Efficiency Improvement Project. i. It will cover 2 large irrigation systems: the Kundalia irrigation project, the existing Sanjay Sarovar Irrigation Project. ii. The projects include developing 125,000 hectares of climate resilient and efficient irrigation networks. iii. It would expand irrigation networks and system efficiency in more than 400 villages, benefiting over 800,000 people in Madhya Pradesh. $250 Million Agreement signed by Government of India, Government of Rajasthan and World Bank to Support DISCOMS in Rajasthan On August 29, 2018, the Government of India, the Government of Rajasthan and the World Bank signed a $250 million Development Policy Loan (DPL) for Rajasthan.With an Objective to improve the performance of its Electricity Distribution Sector under the State’s 24×7 Power for All program. i. The name of the loan is : The Second Programmatic Electricity Distribution Reform Development Policy Loan. ii. The loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 3-year grace period, and a maturity of 21 years. iii. The agreement was signed by Mr. Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Shri P. Ramesh, Special Secretary, Government of Rajasthan and Mr. Hisham Abdo, Acting Country Director, World Bank India.




iv. This is the second in the series of two operations for Rajasthan’s electricity distribution sector. The first one was done in March 2017. v. The Focus areas are: Strengthening Governance in the Distribution Sector in the State, MOU between the DISCOMs and the State Government, Performance Management System, providing incentives to employees for improving performance, Financial Restructuring by transferring amounts of the DISCOMs debt to the State,

$346 Million Loan signed by Government of India and ADB to improve 419 km of State Highways in Karnataka On August 30, 2018, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of lndia signed a $346 million loan to finance Karnataka State Highways lmprovement lll Project (KSHIP-lll). i. This involves improvement of 419 kilometers of state highways to enhance connectivity to economic centers across 12 districts in Kamataka. ii. The agreement was signed between: Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Joint Secretary (Fund Bank and ADB), Department of Economic Affairs and Mr Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director of ADB’s lndia Resident Mission.

iii. An existing road improvement project financed by ADB with a loan of $315 million is under implementation which will improve 615 kilometers of state roads. About Karnataka State Highways lmprovement lll Project (KSHIP-lll): i. It will upgrade about 419 kilometers of state highways to two- and four-lane. ii. It will also strengthen the institutional capacity of the Karnataka Public Works, Ports, and lnland Water Transport Department. Germany sanctioned Euro 120 mn soft loan for Clean Ganga Mission: German Envoy On August 30, 2018, German envoy Jasper Wieck on behalf of Germany announced grant of Euro 120 mn soft loan for Clean Ganga Mission to India through German Development Bank KfW .With an Objective for Sewage water treatment infrastructure in Uttarakhand. i. The project would focus on: Extension and replacement of sewerage system (around 360 kilometres), Construction of sewage treatment plants of around 15 million litres per day (mld). Construction of 13sewage pumping stations.

ii. The purpose of the project is to reduce the inflow of untreated waste water in River Ganga and improve the water quality of the river. ADB approved USD 245 million to provide safe, sustainable, and inclusive drinking water service in 3 districts of West Bengal. On August 31, 2018, the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a financing package totaling $245 million to three districts of West Bengal state.With an Objective to provide safe, sustainable, and inclusive drinking water service i. The total project cost is $349 million. ii. The cost has been divided into: $240 million from ADB, A grant of $3 million from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, financed by the Government of Japan. An additional grant of $2 million grant from the Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund. $106 million from the West Bengal government.

iii. The three districts are: Bankura, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur. iv. This would benefit 1.65 million people of about 390,000 individual households who are effected by arsenic, fluoride, and salinity. v. 350 jobs expected to be generated by the project, about a third will go to women. About the Project: i. The project will use a high-technology based smart water management system, a first for large scale rural water schemes in India. ii. Water will be provided through bulk water systems, consisting of intakes, water treatment plants, and transmission mains.




iii. These will be connected to a grid with existing and new systems.The project is due for completion in June 2024.

MOU’S & AGREEMENTS IN NEWS India, Germany sign pact for collaboration in area of sustainable urban development On August 1, 2018, India and Germany signed an agreement on financial and technical cooperation. i. According to this agreement, Germany will give nearly Rs 8,500 crore (1,055 million Euros) for development of India. ii. This will focus on sustainable urban development and renewable energy in areas of sanitation, solid waste management and promotion of urban mobility. iii. This cooperation will help reduce the greenhouse gases emission. iv. The agreement was signed between German Ambassador to India Martin Ney from the German side and Joint Secretary, (Department of Economic Affairs), Finance Ministry, Sameer Kumar Khare from the Indian side. v. 2018 marks 60 years of bilateral development cooperation between India and Germany. Andhra govt and Holytech sign MoU on setting up electronics manufacturing plant On August 7, 2018, Andhra Pradesh Government signed an MoU with electronics company Holytech. i. Under this MoU, Holytech will set up its plant in 75 acres land in Tirupati and Chittoor districts. ii. It will have cost of Rs. 1400 crores. iii. This would be the first-of-its-kind facility in India. iv. It will create 6000 direct and indirect job opportunities. v. The production of the facility is estimated to begin in the first quarter of 2019. About Holytech: The electronics company manufactures thin film transistors, touch screen modules, flexible printed circuits and fingerprint sensors. Myanmar media group inks MoU with Prasar Bharati for mutual content sharing On August 28, 2018, Prasar Bharati and Mizzima Media Group of Myanmar signed an MoU for cooperation and collaboration in broadcasting and content sharing in New Delhi. i. The agreement was signed in the presence of Prasar Bharati CEO, Shashi Shekhar Vempati and Editor-in-chief and MD, Mizzima ii. This would include culture, entertainment, education, science, news and sports along with other areas of mutual interest. iii. Also media exchange will take place in News and cultural contents. MoU signed for skill development of “Arogyamitras” under PMJAY On 27th August 2018, a MoU was signed between the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and National Health Agency (NHA) to provide capacity building for Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) for effective launch and implementation. i. The MoU was signed by Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, NHA and Manish Kumar, MD & CEO, NSDC. ii. According to the MoU, NSDC will train the Arogyamitras through its Skill Development Centres operating under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKK). iii. Pradhan Arogyamitras who have been currently recruited/ deputed will be certified by Health Care Sector Skill Council. The Healthcare Sector Skill Council is a non-statutory body for health sector under NSDC. iv. The Arogyamitras will act as an interface between the beneficiaries and the system. About Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY): ♦ Aim – to provide financial protection to 10.74 crore poor, deprived families who will receive a benefit cover of Rs 5 lakh per family ♦ Launch – 25 September 2018 Indian Railways, GAIL India sign MoU for use of Natural Gas in 23 railway workshops and production units On August 31, 2018, Indian Railways has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s GAIL (India) Limited, for supply of Natural Gas to Indian Railways Workshops, Production Units and Depots at Rail




Bhavan in New Dehi. i.The Objective is to replace Industrial gases like Dissolved Acetylene, LPG, BMCG and Furnace Oil / High Speed Diesel (HSD) oil with environment friendly Natural Gas. i. The MoU was signed by Shri Chetram, CAO/ Indian Railway Organization for Alternate Fuels (IROAF) on behalf of Indian

Railways and Shri Gajendra Singh, Director (Marketing) from GAIL (India) Limited.

ii. In the first phase, 23 out of 54 workshops have been identified for this project. iii. Eventually, all 54 workshops and Production Units should be covered by 30th June 2019. iv. This would create infrastructure and supply of CNG/LNG/PNG for both industrial and domestic purposes. v. Additionally, in domestic segment, in Railway colony, Bhubaneswar, about 1100 houses have been provided with D-PNG supply. vi. This would allow saving of about Rs. 20 crore per annum to Indian Railways. NHAI to Sign MoU with SBI for a long term, unsecured loan of Rs 25,000 Crore National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is getting an unsecured loan of Rs 25,000 crore from State Bank of India (SBI) for 10 years with 3 years of moratorium on repayments. i. This is the largest amount of loan that has been sanctioned to NHAI in one shot. Also, this is the largest long term unsecured loan sanctioned by SBI at a time to any entity. ii. An MoU regarding this will be signed by SBI and NHAI on 3rd August 2018, in New Delhi. iii. This loan is unsecured. There is no principal repayment liability for the first 3 years. After 3 years, the repayment will be done in 14 equal half yearly instalments. iv. The total loan tenure is 10 years. NHAI can repay or prepay it at any time without any prepayment penalty. v. The total amount of Rs 25000 Crore will be disbursed within 31st March 2019. Rate of interest will be based on 1 month MCLR (Marginal Cost of funds based Lending rate). vi. Interest accrued on the amount actually outstanding will be paid on monthly basis. NHAI can draw the amount in any number of tranches, latest by 31st March 2019. Reliance Jio, SBI ink pact to boost digital transactions On August 3, 2018, State Bank of India (SBI) has inked a pact with Reliance Jio Infocomm to integrate its digital banking solution Yono with MyJio application.With an Objective to boost digital payment. i. SBI said Yono would now be preloaded on Reliance Jio handsets. ii. SBI customers would benefit from Jio Prime with exclusive deals from Reliance Retail, Jio and partner brands. iii. MyJio app will now offer financial services of SBI and Jio Payments Bank. iv. SBI will also be engaging Jio as one of its preferred partners for designing and providing network and connectivity solutions. v. Jio Phones will be available on special offers for SBI customers. vi. Integration between SBI Rewardz (existing loyalty programme from SBI) and Jio Prime will enable customers of SBI to get offered additional loyalty reward. vii. The service will be rolled out in the next 60-90 days. HDFC Life inks pact with Vijaya Bank to sell insurance products On August 4, 2018, HDFC Life Insurance and Vijaya Bank signed an MoU where the bank will sell the insurer’s products through its branches. i. This MOU is aimed at serving the semi urban rural regions where the insurance products don’t have a reach. ii. Apart from deposits and loans, the bank’s customers will also get access to life insurance products. iii. HDFC Life already has 163 bancassurance partners. Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance tie up with Fincare Small Finance Bank for bancassurance On August 4, 2018, Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance has tied up with Fincare Small Finance Bank to offer specialised product offerings to the bank customers. i. It aims is to push life insurance to the rural population. ii. As per the Mou, two products will be offered: Point of Sale (POS) product (‘Saral Navesh’ endowment life insurance plan ) and a protection product. iii. The PoS product offers a sum assured from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 million, with premium payments from Rs 5,000 to Rs 100,000 (annually) for a policy term of 10-20 years which may be purchased for either a death




benefit or maturity benefit. iv. This will give Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance access to a customer base. Blockchain: Exim Bank signs MoU with BRICS development banks On August 12, 2018, Exim Bank of India signed an MoU with member development banks of BRICS on collaboration in Blockchain Techonology. i. Exim Bank of India is the nominated member development bank under the BRICS Interbank Cooperation Mechanism. ii. Other member banks under this umbrella are: Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social – BNDES, Brazil; State Corporation Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs – Vnesheconombank, Russia; China Development Bank Corporation, and Development Bank of Southern Africa.

About the Collaboration: i. A joint research working group will be constituted by the signatories for formulating the research agenda and targeted outcome. ii. It will also carry out research towards identifying potential applications of blockchain techonology particularly in the area of infrastructure financing. iii. It would enhanced cooperation among BRICS development banks, and would also speed up and simplify the processes. iv. It would also reduce the cost of cross-border payments using the blockchain technology. StarAgri Finance signs MoU with Karur Vysya Bank to aid traders and farmers On August 1, 2018, To provide financial assistance to commodity traders and farmers, StarAgri Finance signed MoU with private lender Karur Vysya Bank. i. Micro-lending would be provided to traders and farmers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. ii. The assistance would be provided against the commodities stored in warehouses of StarAgri Finance. About StarArgi Finance: StarAgri Finance, a subsidiary of StarAgri Warehousing and Collateral Management. Amazon inked MoU with UP govt to boost MSME entrepreneurs under ODOP scheme On August 11, 2018, as part of the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme, Amazon partnered with UP government to provide support MSME entrepreneurs across nine districts. i. This will be a part of Amazon India’s Kala Haat programme which aims to help traditional industries to enter in to ecommerce business. ii. Under the programme, 300 MSME sellers registered under UP government’s ODOP scheme would be benefitted. iii. Amazon would provide training, account management guidance, marketing tools and world-class infrastructure of storage and delivery network to these sellers. iv. Some products and districts associated with them are:

Product District/City of UP

Banarasi silk sarees to carpets

Bhadohi

Chikankari Lucknow Leather goods Kanpur Leather footwear Agra Locks Aligarh Brassware Moradabad Sports goods Meerut Wooden Products Saharanpur

About the Kala Haat Prograam of Amazon India: It has been introducing lakhs of weavers, artisans and crafts people across various clusters in India to digital commerce.




NVIDIA made deep learning technology partner of NITI Aayog for “MoveHack” On 28th August 2018, computer chip manufacturer NVIDIA collaborated with NITI Aayog as its Deep learning technology partner to support NITI Aayog’s “MoveHack” hackathon. i. MoveHack is a global mobility hackathon to crowdsource solutions, which focuses on the future of mobility in India. ii. As deep learning partner of “MoveHack”, NVIDIA will offer participants with graphics processing unit (GPU), deep learning technologies, and remote access to NVIDIA DGX systems, purpose built deep learning supercomputers. It will also mentor the participants. iii. Deep learning technology comes under machine learning (ML) in artificial intelligence (AI). It has networks capable of learning unsupervised from data that is unstructured or unlabelled. About NVIDIA: ♦ Type – Graphics processing units (GPUs) designer & Computer chip manufacturer ♦ Managing Director, NVIDIA South Asia – Vishal Dhupar Google Tez rebranded as Google Pay; ties up with banks to offer instant loans Google has rebranded its payment app Google Tez to Google Pay to improve its growth in India to add more features. i. This announcement was made at the 4th edition of Google for India event in New Delhi on 28th August 2018. ii. Google has partnered with 4 banks: HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank and Federal Bank, to enable instant disbursement of pre-approved loans to user’s account. iii. If a user has pre-approved loans from one of these banks, they can use Google Pay, to mention the amount they want to borrow and input time period needed to repay. The amount will then be credited to the user’s account. iv. Google Pay is extending its operations to physical stores like BigBazaar, kirana stores etc. A pilot programme will be run in Bengaluru and Delhi to implement Google Pay in small stores. Google Pay functions in 18 countries. About Google Tez ♦ Launched in – September 2017 in India ♦ Built over – Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

COMMITEES & MEETINGS 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in Singapore On August 2, 2018, 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held in Singapore. i. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong chaired the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting. ii. Negotiations on regional comprehensive economic partnership agreement was held between the ASEAN national. iii. Further meetings of China-ASEAN foreign ministers meeting, the foreign minister meetings of the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN-China, Japan and Republic of Korea (10+3) foreign ministers’ meeting will be held in Singapore . iv. These would focus on multilateral trade, Internet security, counter-terrorism, smart cities, regional security and people-to-people exchanges. v. The proposal of Thailand on establishment of ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue in Bangkok in 2019 was addressed. vi. Singapore’s proposal to convene a Track 1.5 symposium on counter-terrorism in October 2018 titled, “The 2018 Southeast Asia Counter-Terrorism Symposium: A Collective Approach” was accepted. Background: The 33rd ASEAN Summit will be held in November 2018. 8th India – Kenya Joint Trade Committee meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya from August 22-25, 2018 From August 22-25, 2018, the 8th meeting of India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee was held in Nairobi, Kenya. i. The meeting was co-chaired by : Indian side: Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Mr.Suresh Prabhu and, Kenya’s Side: Cabinet Secretary (Minister) for Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, Government of

Kenya Mr. Peter Munya.




ii. The discussions during the meetings covered: India’s role in Kenya’s Big Four Agenda– food security, affordable housing, universal healthcare and

manufacturing, expansion and diversification of bilateral trade, Kenya’s readiness to join the International Solar Alliance, implementation of Lines of Credit of over US$ 220 million, by Government of Indiain power

transmission, SMEs development, revival of the Rivatex factory and agricultural mechanization, implementation of decisions taken during the high level exchanges, cooperation in health, blue economy, agro-processing sectors and WTO related issues; and training & capacity building programmes offered by India.

iii. The joint trade meeting took place against the backdrop of India’s exports to Kenya dropping to USD 1.97 billion in 2017-18 from from USD 4.11 billion in 2014-15.India’s imports from Kenya too slowed down from USD 117.42 million to USD 72.57 million during the same period.The last meeting of Joint Trade Committee was held in New Delhi in February 2015. Other announcements/ news: i. A meeting of India-Kenya Joint Business Council was held on the side-lines of the Joint Trade Committee meeting. ii. Emphasis on research and design in products specific to Kenyan needs was discussed. iii. Indian businesses were told to carry out a market study to identify priority areas for bilateral cooperation. Background: India is one of Kenya’s largest trade partners and the second largest foreign investor in Kenya. Indians are the third-largest group of tourists to Kenya. 2-day G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting held in Salta, Argentina from August 23-24, 2018 From August 23-24, 2018, the G20 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting was held at Salta’s Fine Arts Museum, and Salta Convention Centre in Salta, Argentina. i. It was chaired by Andrés Ibarra, Argentine Minister of Modernization, and Lino Barañao, Argentine Minister of Science, Technology and Innovative Production. ii. It is a part of Sherpa Track for the 2018 G20 Leader’s Summit, which is to be hosted by Argentina at the end of 2018. iii. The theme for the 2018 meeting was : ‘Building consensus for fair and sustainable development’. iv. The agenda of the meeting was on 3 issues: the future of work, infrastructure for development, and a sustainable food future. v.The meeting consisted of 30 heads of delegation from the G20 countries. vi. Participants also discussed on: Digital government, digital inclusion, Digitalization of SMEs and entrepreneurship, Consumer protection in digital environments, The adoption of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of things in

sectors like manufacturing and agriculture, and To bridging all forms of digital divide with special attention to digital gender divide.

vii. The G20 countries agreed on the G20 common goal of promoting universal and affordable access to the internet by all people by 2025. viii. They agreed on 9 proposals to reduce digital gender divide including building capacity to improve data collection, addressing cyber violence andcontinuing sharing policies and actions through initiatives such as #eskills4girls and EQUALS. Background: The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the European Union. The 19 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. 4th ASIAN ELECTORAL STAKEHOLDER FORUM IV(AESF-IV) held in Colombo Sri Lanka on 27th and 28th August From August 27-28, 2018, the 2 day fourth version of Asian electoral stakeholders forum (AESF-IV) was held Colombo, Sri Lanka.With an Objective to focus on the state of elections and democracy in the area. i. It was jointly organised by Election Commission of Sri Lanka and Asian community for free of charge elections




(ANFREL). ii. The Theme of AESF-IV was ‘Advancing Election Transparency and Integrity: Advertising and marketing and Defending Democracy Together’. iii. More than 250 delegates from 45 countries participated in the event. iv .India was represented by Main Electoral Officer of Maharashtra Ashwini Kumar and NGO. Background: i. Initially the 1st AESF was held in Thailand in 2012 ii. The 2nd AESF was held in Dili, Timor Leste in 2015. iii. The 3rd AESF was held in 2016 in Bali, Indonesia. 3 day first SAARC Agri Cooperative Business Forum held in Kathmandu, Nepal From August 28-30, 2018, the 3 day first South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Agri Cooperative Business Forum was held in Kathmandu, Nepal. i. The theme of three-day Forum is the ‘Organizing and Strengthening Family Farmers’ Cooperatives to attain the Sustainable-Development-Goals-1 and 2 in South Asia’ ii. It was organized by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations and Asian Farmers’ Association with the support from International Fund for Agricultural Development. iii. Dignitaries present were: representatives both from the government and non-governmental entities from the Member States of SAARC and regional and international organizations. ♦ Secretary-General of SAARC: Amjad Hussain B. Sial . ♦ SAARC Countries : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. ♦ SAARC Headquarters: Kathmandu, Nepal.

SUMMITS & CONFERENCE NITI Aayog to host Investors’ Conference for the Holistic Development of Islands On 10th August 2018, NITI Aayog is set to host an Investors’ Conference for the Holistic Development of Islands, at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi. i. This Conference will be inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. It is expected to gain investment for the sustainable development of eco-tourism projects in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. ii. The Conference is organized by NITI Aayog along with the respective UT Administration. iii .NITI Aayog has been mandated to look over the Holistic Development of Islands program, along with the respective UT administration and State Governments. iv. Under the first phase of this program, 10 Islands in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep have been considered for holistic development. v. 11 anchor tourism projects are proposed to be implemented with private sector participation under risk-sharing model through open-competitive bidding. vi. The 11 anchor tourism projects have been reviewed by Island Development Agency (IDA). They include 6 projects in Andaman & Nicobar and 5 in Lakshadweep. About Island Development Agency (IDA): ♦ Constituted – June 2017 ♦ Chairman – Home Minister Rajnath Singh. First ‘Nepal-India Think Tank’ Summit held in Kathmandu for bilateral cooperation On July 31, 2018, First ‘Nepal-India Think Tank’ Summit held in Kathmandu, Nepal. i.Objective it to foster greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing among the think tanks of the two countries. ii. It was inaugurated by Former Prime Minister of Nepal and Co-Chairman of ruling Nepal Communist Party, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. iii. It was jointly organized by the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs and Nehru Memorial Museum Library. iv. It consisted of 4 sessions. They are : 1st session- Building innovative cooperation between Indo-Nepal think tanks, 2nd session- Bolstering bilateral economic ties for the shared prosperity, 3rd session- Managing security dilemma, 4th session- Redefining Nepal-India relations in 21st century.




v. The summit will be hosted alternatively in Nepal and India annually. International Conference on Sustainable Growth through Material Recycling inaugurated by Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari: NITI Aayog On August 6, 2018, NITI Aayog’s International Conference on “Sustainable Growth through Material Recycling: Policy Prescriptions” was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways & Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri. Nitin Gadkari at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi. i.Objective is to Develop and grow material recycling in India, creating jobs , reducing exports and protecting the environment. ii. It had 5 technical sessions on: Circular Economy in Material Recycling, Infrastructural Issues in Recycling Industry, Standardization and certification in Recycling Industry, Environmental Benefits of Material Recycling, Financial and Taxation issues in Recycling Industry.

ii. This will help in policy formulation on various aspects related to material recycling. International Conference on Recent Advances in Food Processing Technology (iCRAFPT) gets held at IIFPT, Thanjavur On August 17, 2018, commemorating its golden jubilee ‘iCRAFPT ’18’ , the Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT), started an international conference on recent advances in food processing technology till August 19, 2018 at its campus in Thanjavur. i. It would be inaugurated by union minister of food processing industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal. ii. The theme of the conference is: ‘Doubling Farmers Income through Food Processing’ iii. In the event: Internationally renowned speakers will share their research experienceson food technology, Student Quiz, hackathon and Documentary on the various topics were held with total prize money of

Rs.45000. Transfer of new technologies to farmers and FPOs would take place Various MoUs with leading food industries have also been planned/

iv. A total of 1800 registered participants have taken part in this event. About Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology: ♦ The Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (Formerly Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology) is Research and Educational Institution under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India. ♦ Headquarters: Thanjavur . 11th World Hindi Conference held in Mauritius From 18th to 20th August 2018, the 11th World Hindi Conference (WHC) was held at Swami Vivekanand International Convention Centre in Port Louis, Mauritius. i. It 11th World Hindi Conference (WHC) was organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, India in collaboration with the Government of Mauritius. ii. It was inaugurated by Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth. Over 2,000 delegates participated in the conference. iii. Main theme of the Conference was “Hindi Vishwa Aur Bharatiy Sanskriti” (Hindi World and Indian Culture). iv. The first World Hindi Conference was held in 1975 in Nagpur. v.A special logo has been designed for the conference this year which depicts the national birds of India and Mauritius, peacock and dodo respectively. Highlights: Several exhibitions on the development of Hindi language were organised. Cultural programmes and a

Kavi Sammelan was organized by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, New Delhi. Sammelan Samachar, a daily news letter and Sammelan Smarika and a Conference Report were

published. A special issue of “Gagananchal” dedicated to the Conference was released by Indian Council of Cultural

Relations. Hindi scholars from India and other countries were conferred the “Vishwa Hindi Samman” for their

contribution to the Hindi language.




The website and the Logo of the Conference was launched by Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister (EAM), India and Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Republic of Mauritius, on 10th April 2018 in New Delhi.

This was the first time representatives from all 29 states and Union Territories of Delhi, Chandigarh and Puducherry participated in the conference.

A report was released on the recommendation made during the 10th conference held in Bhopal in 2015. Delegates from 20 countries discussed eight sub topics related to “Hindi World and Indian Culture”.

Tribute to former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee: At the beginning of the conference a two-minute silence was observed to pay tribute to former Indian

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Also, a condolence meeting was held in the memory of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth announced that Mauritius cyber tower, for which Atal

Bihari Vajpayee had contributed, will be named as Atal Bihari Vajpayee tower. Meetings of External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj with Mauritius leaders: Sushma Swaraj met with Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Kumar Jagnauth. They discussed on

strengthening special ties between India and Mauritius. Sushma Swaraj and Pravind Kumar Jagnauth released a souvenir and two postal stamps on 11th World

Hindi Conference. Sushma Swaraj also met former Prime Minister of Mauritius, Paul Berenger, leader of opposition of

Mauritius Xavier Luc Duval, former Prime Minister of Mauritius Navinchandra Ramgoolam and discussed ties between India and Mauritius.

On 19th August 2018, Sushma Swaraj inaugurated ‘Panini Language Laboratory’ at Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) in Mauritius. This lab was gifted by Indian government. It will help MGI in teaching Indian languages.

INDEX Rankings Global Innovation Index, GII- 2018 launched in India On 8th August 2018, Global Innovation Index 2018 (GII- 2018) was launched in India in New Delhi. i. The event was organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) along with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), in collaboration with Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). CII is one of the founding partners of GII. ii. Global Innovation Index 2018 is the 11th edition of GII. The theme for GII 2018 is: “Energizing the World with Innovation”. iii.The GII 2018 analyses the energy innovation landscape of the next decade and identify possible new technological breakthroughs and innovative approaches and their sources at the country, region, or firm level. iv. It also analyses innovations in energy production, energy storage, energy transport and distribution, and energy consumption. v. India’s rank on the Global Innovation Index (GII) is 57 in 2018. It has improved from 60 in 2017. India has been consistently improving in GII ranking in the last 2 years. vi. Top countries in GII are as follows:

Country Rank Switzerland 1 Netherlands 2 Sweden 3 United Kingdom 4 Singapore 5 United States of America 6 Finland 7 Denmark 8 Germany 9 Ireland 10

vii. Dr Anil Kakodkar, former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, is author of the India chapter in the report.




viii. The GII is co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Gurugram India’s most polluted city (as on 5th august 2018) according to AQI index of CPCB On August 5, 2018, Gurugram has been declared as India’s most polluted city out of 62 cities in the country by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in it’s Air quality index (AQI) . i. As on August 5, the AQI of Gurugram has crossed 300 mark marking it in the ‘Very Poor’ category of AQI. It scored 321 marks. ii. 6 cities have been marked as ‘Poor’, 1 City (Gurugram) has been marked as ‘Very Poor’, 2 cities has been marked as ‘Good’, 26 cities marked as ‘Satisfactory’ and 27 cities as ‘Moderate’. iii. Other cities that were scored according to AQI were: (only the ‘Good’ and ‘Poor’ categories) Reasons behind Gurgaon’s Performance: i. Peak level of Particulate Matter (PM)2.5 rose to 189 microgm/m3. The permissible limit is 60microgm/m3. ii. The rise of the PM is due to the location of the city which gets a huge influx of Arabian dust storms and due to its humidity which traps the dusts. iii. Authorities have decided to ban construction works if the weather stays the same for 48hrs. Ease of Living Index 2018 released by MoS Housing and Urban Affairs On August 13, 2018, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri released the ‘Ease of Living Index 2018’ to assess the livability conditions in relation to global and national benchmarks. i. The survey was carried out in 111 cities in India. ii. Ease of Living Index framework comprises four pillars namely-Institutional, Social, Economic and Physical. Top 3 Cities based on the above Pillars are: Institutional: Navi Mumbai, Tirupati, Karim Nagar. Social: Tirupati, Tiruchirappalli, Navi Mumbai. Economic: Chandigarh, Ajmer, Kota. Physical: Greater Mumbai, Pune, Thane.

iii. Among other Metro cities, Chennai ranked 14th and Delhi ranked 65th. Kolkata did not take part in the survey. iv. Among Union Territories,Chandigarh was the only City,which made to the top 10 list,by attaining 5th Rank in the Index. v. The Ease of Living assessment standards are closely linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Top 10 Cities of the Index:

Rank City 1 Pune 2 Navi Mumbai 3 Greater Mumbai 4 Tirupati 5 Chandigarh 6 Thane 7 Raipur 8 Indore 9 Vijaywada 10 Bhopal

Vienna tops to be the world’s most liveable city: Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index 2018 On August 14, 2018, Vienna for the first time topped the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index as ‘world’s most pleasant city to live in’. i. Earlier the 1st spot was owned by Melbourne, Australia seven times which now ranked at 2nd spot. ii. Osaka, Calgary and Sydney ranked 3rd, 4th and 5th.Among Indian Cities,New Delhi tops the Index by attaining 112th Position,Mumbai Ranks next at 117th Position. iii. Paris ranked 19th , Singapore ranked 31st , London ranked 48th, and New York 57th. iv. Copenhagen was the only other European city in the top ten at 9th place. v. Damascus retained last place,which follows Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, and Lagos in Nigeria. vi. This year’s survey did not include Baghdad and Kabul among others. vii. Abidjan, Hanoi, Belgrade and Tehran saw the largest improvements in liveability over the last five years.




viii. Ukraine’s Kiev due to political violence saw the largest drop in its liveability over the last five years. About the Index: i. It is an annual survey of 140 urban centres across the globe since 2004. ii. It scores out cities on 100 on a range of factors such as living standards, crime, transport infrastructure, access to education and healthcare, as well as political and economic stability. The top 10 of the list of 2018 ‘world’s most pleasant city to live in’:

Rank City 1 Vienna (Austria) 2 Melbourne (Australia) 3 Osaka (Japan) 4 Calgary (Canada) 5 Sydney (Australia) 6 Vancouver (Canada) 7 Toronto (Canada) and

Tokyo (Japan) 9 Copenhagen (Denmark) 10 Adelaide (Australia)

Bhopal and Kolkata topped in CSE rankings of ‘Urban Commute’ on clean transportation On August 26, 2018, the New Delhi-based think tank, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released its analysis – titled The Urban Commute in Kolkata on pollution in urban commute. i.Objective is to understand the way people travel how it contributes to air pollution and energy consumption. ii.It is a study analyzed by CSE that ranks the 14 cities on the basis of emissions of heat-trapping carbon dioxide and toxic pollutants in urban commute. iii.The 14 cities studied include Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad (henceforth called megacities); and Ahmedabad, Pune, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kochi, Bhopal, Vijayawada and Chandigarh (grouped as metropolitan cities). iv.The Rankings were of 2 categories: Overall emissions and energy consumption and Per-travel trip emissions and energy consumption.

v.In the Overall emissions and energy consumption category: Bhopal topped and Delhi ranked last (14th). vi.In the Per-travel trip emissions and energy consumption category: Kolkata topped and Hyderabad ranked last (14th). Odisha ranks 2nd after Andhra in implementation of AMRUT scheme: National Level Rating Framework On August 30, 2018, in the National Level Rating Framework assessment, Odisha ranked second with a score of 53.19 in implementation of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme .Andhra Pradesh scored highest with 54.11 score. i. The scheme has so far been implemented in 9 towns of the state. ii. A total of 192 projects have been approved as of now. iii. This involved investment of around Rs 1810 crore with central and state governments on 50:50 sharing. iv. In three years from 2015-18, the state has received incentive award of Rs 41.66 crore. Background: According to AMRUT guidelines, a set of 11 reforms are to be implemented by the state as well as ULBs within a period of four years. About AMRUT scheme: ♦ Launch Year: 2015. ♦ Under Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.

Reports Delhi topped the N-SIPI to be the top ‘most investor-friendly’ destination list: NCAER On August 4, 2018, according to a report called N-SIPI (State Investment Potential Index) series by economic think-tank NCAER, Delhi has topped the list and has replaced Gujarat. i. Delhi jumped one spot from 2017 . ii. The ranking was done of 20 states and one Union Territory of Delhi. iii. It was done based on 6 parameters: land, labour, infrastructure, economic climate, governance and political




stability and business perceptions. About the Index: i. Assam, Jharkhand and Bihar are ranked among the least favourable states for investment. ii. The Index was first launched in 2016 and Gujarat had topped it in 2016 and 2017. The Top 10 of the List are:

Rank State/UT 1 Delhi 2 Tamil Nadu 3 Gujarat 4 Haryana 5 Maharashtra 6 Kerala 7 Andhra Pradesh 8 Telangana 9 Karnataka 10 West Bengal

35% of cyber attacks on Indian sites from China:Report by CERT-In On August 23, 2018, according to a report by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the maximum number of cyber attacks on official Indian websites are from China, US and Russia. i. These reports have been made upon analysis of cyber attacks from April-June 2018. ii. The institutions impacted by the malicious activities are: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), National Informatics Centre (NIC), Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), Railways, Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and Some banks like Punjab National Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, State Bank of India and State data centres, particularly in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

iii. The intruding activities on Indian cyber space is as follows: Country Attacks

in % China 35 USA 17 Russia 15 Pakistan 9 Canada 7 Germany 5 Netherlands 4 North Korea

2

France 2 Others 4

iv. The intruders are targeting by sending spear phishing emails with malware attachments. About Phishing: Phishing attacks are usually in the form of an email from a trusted source where they ask for personal details such as bank details personal details, passwords. SBI ranked as India’s most patriotic brand: Survey by UK based YouGov On August 13, 2018, the survey conducted by UK-based online market research and data analytics firm YouGov announced SBI to be the most patriotic brand. i. The survey covered 152 brands across 11 categories, is based on data collected online between August 2 and August 8 from 1,193 respondents in the country. ii. In terms of sectors, the financial sector topped the chart followed by auto, consumer goods, food and telecom sectors. The results as per the sectors are as follows:




Financial Sector: SBI , LIC. Auto sector: Tata Motors, Bharat Petroleum, Maritu Suzuki. Food sector: Amul. Personal care: Patanjali. Oral Care: Colgate, Dabur , Vicco. Telecom sector: BSNL, Reliance Jio. Homecare products: Nirma. Beverages category: Tata Tea, Taj Mahal.

The Over-all list of the ‘Most Patriotic brand’: Rank Brand 1 SBI 2 TATA Motors 3 Patanjali 4 Reliance Jio 5 BSNL

About YouGov: ♦ Headquarters: London, UK. ♦ Purpose: Market Research, Opinion Polling.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY India imposed safeguard duty on solar cells imports from China and Malaysia for two years On August 1, 2018, India imposed safeguard duty on solar panels imported from China and Malaysia for 2 years.With an Objective to protect domestic players from losing the market to them i. This was recommended by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the commerce ministry. ii. As per the notice from Finance Ministry, 25 per cent safeguard duty have been imposed for July 30 to July 29, 2019, 20 per cent during July 30, 2019 to January 29, 2020 and 15 per cent during January 30, 2020 to July 29, 2020.

iii. Solar tariffs are currently at around Rs 2.75 per unit, on par with that of thermal power, but safeguard duty is expected to raise it by at least 50 paise. Comparison of the imports to India’s domestic production: i. India has produced 842 MW solar cells in 2017-18. ii.And the imports of the solar cells has jumped to 9,790 MW in 201 7-18 from 1,275 MW in 2014-15. Background: i. Solar cells, electrical devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity, are imported primarily from China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. ii. Imports of the cells from these countries account for more than 90 per cent of the total inbound shipments in the country. iii. An application was filed before the DGTR by the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) on behalf of 5 Indian producers — Mundra Solar PV Ltd, Indosolar Ltd, Jupiter Solar Power, Websol Energy Systems, and Helios Photo Voltaic — seeking imposition of safeguard duty on the imports. iv. The period of investigation was 2014-15 to 2017-18. India’s GDP growth to rise to 7.5% this fiscal, says Morgan Stanley Morgan Stanley has predicted, India’s gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 7.5 % in this financial year 2018 – 2019. i. Morgan Stanley said that, India’s GDP is expected to grow by 7.5 % in this financial year 2018-19 as against 6.7 % in 2017-18. ii. Morgan Stanley’s report forecasts Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to remain above the inflation target of 4 % and the current account deficit below 2.5 % of GDP. iii. Morgan Stanley stated that, the growth recovery will remain robust. It will initially be supported by consumption and exports. iv. In the January-March quarter, India’s GDP grew at the fastest pace in seven quarters at 7.7 %. It would pick




up more in the April-June period. v. The report stated that regarding inflation, risks could be expected from a weak monsoon and implementation of the minimum support price increase. vi. The report said that, the risks to this growth outlook could emerge from slower global growth or a rise in trade tensions affecting external demand. Govt imposed 120% tariffs on 29 US imports effective from September 18 On August 5, 2018, India imposed new higher tariffs of 120% against 29 goods imported from the United States. i. The products include: almonds, walnuts and apples. ii. This is in response to rise in the import levies on certain steel and aluminium products earlier this year by US, which had a tariff implication of Rs.241 million on India. Background: ♦ Trade differences between India and the United States have been rising. ♦ Bilateral trade rose to $115 billion in 2016, which the current administration wants to reduce to $31 billion deficit with India. IMF forecasts India’s GDP to grow at 7.5 % in 2019/20 fiscal year On 7th August 2018, International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected India’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to grow at 7.5 % in the 2019-2020 fiscal year. i. IMF has stated in its report that, this growth is attributed to strengthening of investment and strong private consumption. ii. It has said that, the near-term macroeconomic outlook for India is broadly favourable. iii. India’s GDP forecast is 7.3 % in fiscal year 2018/19 and 7.5 % in 2019/20. iv. Headline inflation is projected to increase to 5.2 % in fiscal year 2018/19 due to tightening of demand conditions, recent depreciation of the rupee and higher oil prices, housing rent allowances and agricultural minimum support prices. v. Current account deficit is projected to increase to 2.6 % of the GDP due to rising oil prices and strong demand for imports, offset by a slight increase in remittances. vi. The report has said that, continued fiscal consolidation is required to lower increased public debt levels, along with simplifying and streamlining the GST structure. vii. Major macroeconomic challenges were identified as persistently-high household inflation expectations and large general government fiscal deficits and debt. GDP likely to expand by 7.4% in FY’19: Ficci’s Economic Outlook Survey’ On August 15, 2018, as per Ficci’s survey ‘Ficci’s Economic Outlook Survey’, the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.4 per cent in the current fiscal. i. It projects that GDP will grow at 7.4 per cent for 2018-19, with a minimum and maximum range of 7.1 per cent and 7.5 per cent, respectively. ii. The economic activity on the first quarter of the current fiscal would be 7.1 per cent. iii. The study further said the median growth forecast for agriculture and allied activities has been put at 3 per cent for 2018-19. iv.Industry and services sector are expected to grow by 6.9 per cent and 8.3 per cent, respectively in 2018-19. v.The Consumer Price Index or retail inflation has been forecast at 4.8 per cent for the year as whole. vi. These predictions are in line with RBI’s data that was released on August 1, 2018. Other announcements: i. Rising oil prices and trade war can out a pressure in the rupee, ii. The fair value of Indian Rupee vis-à-vis the US Dollar has been predicted to be in the range of 65 to 66. iii. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is scheduled to release the first quarter GDP number on August 31. India Ratings decreases growth forecast to 7.2% from 7.4% for FY19 On August 16, 2018, according to India Ratings, growth forecast of India has been cut to 7.2% from 7.4% for FY19. i. Reasons behind this is:Increasing crude prices and the goverment’s decision to fix tfix the minimum support prices of all kharif crops at 1.5 times of the production cost.high level of bad loans ii. The private final consumption expenditure to grow 7.6% in FY19 compared to 6.6% in FY18. iii. The annual value of exports to touch USD345 billion in FY19. iv. Average retail and wholesale inflation in FY19 to come in at 4.6% and 4.1%, respectively as against 4.3%




and 3.4% forecasted earlier . Other announcements in the report: i. The fiscal deficit target of 3.3% would be met. ii. Loss of revenue due to recent reduction in the Goods and Service tax rate in respect of 88 items. iii. Government failed to meet disinvestment targets. iv. Also orderly depreciation would be good for the Indian economy in the long-term. PhonePe partners with IRCTC app Rail connect to facilitate convenient payments On August 16, 2018, PhonePe announced partnership with IRCTC app ‘IRCTC Rail Connect’, to facilitate convenient, fast and secure payments. i. This will enable PhonePe’s 100 million plus users to now pay directly from their bank accounts using UPI, credit and debit cards and also the PhonePe wallet. ii. IRCTC app will have a trusted digital payment platform for the transactions. RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil): FSSAI’s initiative to collect & convert used cooking oil into biofuel On 10th August 2018, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) launched RUCO (Repurpose Used Cooking Oil) initiative for collection and conversion of used cooking oil into bio-diesel. i. Under RUCO, 64 companies at 101 locations have been identified to enable collection of used cooking oil. ii. According to FSSAI, India has the potential to recover 220 crore litres of used cooking oil for the production of biodiesel by 2022. iii.As per FSSAI regulations, the maximum permissible limits for Total Polar Compounds (TPC) is 25 %. Beyond this limit, the cooking oil is not safe for consumption. iv. FSSAI is working in partnership with Biodiesel Association of India and the food industry to make sure that used cooking oil regulations are followed properly. v. FSSAI will also publish guidance documents, tips for consumers and posters regarding this. It is also conducting awareness campaigns through its e-channels. India’s CAD is expected to widen to 2.8 pc of GDP in FY19: Nomura On August 19, 2018, according to a report by Nomura, India’s current account deficit (CAD) is expected to widen to 2.8 per cent of the GDP in FY19 from 1.9 per cent of GDP, in 2017-18 fiscal. i. Reasons for this is:rising oil prices, depreciating rupee and outflow of portfolio investments. ii. Further, balance of payment (BOP) (current account + net FDI) is negative and portfolio flows are also said to remain negative. iii. Earlier, CAD jumped to USD 48.7 billion, or 1.9 per cent of GDP, in 2017-18 fiscal. This was higher than USD 14.4 billion, or 0.6 per cent, CAD in 2016-17 fiscal. iv. But due to trade shortfall the gap between exports and imports is rising. It was USD 18 billion, the most in more than five years in July 2018. v. As India’s exports rose by 14.32 per cent to USD 25.77 billion in July, while imports during the month were valued at USD 43.79 billion. Other Announcements: Moody’s have predicted the CAD to be 2.5% of the GDP of FY19. CAD: It is the difference between the inflow and outflow of foreign exchange. Other Facts: i. The depreciating rupee will help in the exports sector as imports will be costlier but also since the oil prices are also high, this would add on to the current account deficit. The high prices would lead to higher inflation and as more imports seep in the things requiring the imported materials would be expensive. ii. Also defence imports would be expensive as well. Germany surpasses Japan again with world’s largest current account surplus: Ifo On 20th August 2018, the Ifo institute said that, Germany’s current account surplus will remain the world’s largest in 2018, in spite of increased trade tensions. i. Current account surplus measures the flow of goods, services and investments. ii. Germany’s current account surplus will remain the world’s largest for the third year in 2018 at $299 billion. iii. It is followed by Japan in second position with $200 billion. The Netherlands would be third with a current account surplus of around 110 billion dollars. iv. The United States will remain the country with the largest current account deficit with nearly 420 billion




euros. v. Germany’s current account surplus is mainly due to its trade balance. Exports are expected to exceed imports by 265 billion euros in 2018. vi. Ifo has estimated that, Germany’s current account surplus would reach 7.8 % in 2018 after 7.9 % in 2017. vii. From 2011, Germany’s current account surplus has been consistently above the European Commission’s indicative threshold of 6 % of gross domestic product (GDP). India’s growth in 2018, 2019 predicted at 7.5%: Moody’s On August 23, 2018, according to Moody’s Investor services report called Global Macro Outlook for 2018-19, the Indian economy will grow by around 7.5 per cent in 2018 and 2019. i. The main reasons behind this is : strong urban and rural demand and improved industrial activity. ii. Also due to the rise in energy prices the Headline inflation would rise as well temporarily. iii. Earlier in in May, Moody’s cut the GDP from 7.5% to 7.3%. iv. Retail inflation in India has been predicted to be around 5% and core inflation has risen to 6.2%. v. The food inflation can be under control due to rise in farm output because of a good harvest. Other Announcements: i. The growth of the G-20 countries together has been predicted to be 3.3 per cent in 2018 and 3.1 per cent in 2019. ii. Advanced economies will grow 2.3 per cent in 2018 and 2 per cent in 2019. iii. G-20 emerging markets will grow at 5.1 per cent in both 2018 and 2019. ‘2gud’: Flipkart’s dedicated portal for Refurbished Goods has been launched On August 24, 2018, Flipkart unveiled a dedicated portal ‘2Gud‘ for refurbished goods, including mobile phones, laptops and tablets. i. It is aimed to bring affordability, accessibility and availability to the refurbished market. ii. It would offer refurbished mobile phones, tablets, laptops and other electronic accessories along with a 3-12 month warranty. iii. The platform would also allow customers to return their products iv. It will soon be accessible through desktop browsers and a mobile application. v. Every product that is sold on the platform will go through 47-step quality check and will be categorized in five grades based on their physical condition — ‘Like New’, ‘Superb’, ‘Very Good’, ‘Good’ and ‘Okay’. vi. The company estimates the refurbished goods market in India to be worth $20 billion in the coming five to six years. Reliance Industries (RIL) became the first Indian company to cross Rs 8 lakh crore On August 24, 2018, Reliance Industries (RIL) became the first Indian company to cross Rs 8 lakh crore market capitalization. i. The company’s market valuation soared to Rs 8,04,247.76 crore. ii. M-cap of TCS’ Rs 7,77,870 crore m-cap. Other announcements: i. While RIL is the first homegrown major to achieve this feat, the aggregate market capitalisation of 15 Tata group companies comes to Rs 11.32 lakh crore. ii. HDFC Group had recently crossed Rs 10 lakh crore. Background: On July 13, the market valuation of RIL surged past Rs 7 lakh crore mark, making it the second company after TCS to achieve this milestone. Indian economy to grow at 7.4% in FY19: NCAER On August 31, 2018, according to National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) report for 2018-19, India’s growth forecast for the current fiscal is at 7.4 per cent . i. The reasons cited for this are: Good agriculture due to rainfall and prices and Improvement in the external sector.

ii. According to the report: Category Predicted

growth in percent




GDP 7.4 Real Agriculture Gross Value Added (GVA) 4.6 Real industry GVA 5.1 Real services GVA 8.5 GVA 7 Growth of Exports (2018-19) 11.9 Growth of Imports (2018-19) 15.1 Current Account Balance Deficit 2 Central Fiscal Deficit 3.3

National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER): Headquarters: New Delhi.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION Fortune 500 list 2018 features 7 Indian companies; RIL tops in the Indian Private sector On August 2, 2018, 7 Indian companies have been listed in Fortune’s 500 list 2018 of world biggest corporations. i. IOC is the highest ranked company from India followed by RIL which jumped 55 places. ii. IOC ranked 137th in 2018 with a significant jump from 168th position from 2017. iii. RIL is the top private sector company in India. It ranked 148th in 2018 from 203rd from 2017. iv. ONGC ranked 197th in 2018 which not even featured in 2017. v. SBI got 216th rank 1 place higher than 217th in 2017. vi. Tata Motors ranked 232nd from 247th from 2017. vii. BPCL ranked 314th in 2018 from 360th in 2017. viii. Rajesh Exports ranked 405th in 2018 from 295th in 2017. ix. On the most profitable list, RIL got the place in India and ranked 99th in the ‘most profitable company’ with Apple leading the chart. x. The world’s 500 largest companies generated $30 trillion in profits in 2017. Together, this year’s Fortune Global 500 c companies employ 67.7 million people worldwide and re represented by 33 countries. The top 5 in the list of Fortune 500 list are:

Rank Company 1 Walmart 2 State Grid 3 Sinopec Group (China) 4 China National Petroleum

(China) 5 Royal Dutch Shell

Indian-origin mathematician Akshay Venkatesh wins prestigious Fields Medal On 1st August 2018, Akshay Venkatesh, an Indian-Australian mathematician, was awarded the Fields medal at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. i. Akshay Venkatesh is one of the 4 winners of the Fields medal. Fields medal is also known as the Nobel prize for mathematics. ii. Other 3 winners of Fields medal are: Caucher Birkar Peter Scholze Alessio Figalli iii. Akshay Venkatesh is 36 years old. He was born in New Delhi. At present, he is teaching at Stanford University. He has been awarded the Fields Medal for his contribution to a wide range of subjects in mathematics. iv. He has also received the Ostrowski Prize, the Infosys Prize, the Salem Prize and Sastra Ramanujan Prize. v. All four winners of the Fields medal were awarded 15,000 Canadian-dollar cash prize. vi. The Fields medals are awarded every four years. Eminent mathematicians under the age of 40 are awarded. vii. Fields medal was inaugurated in 1932 at the request of Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields.




President gives away Outstanding Parliamentarian awards from 2013-2017 On 1st August 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind, presented the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for the years 2013-2017, in New Delhi. i. The Outstanding Parliamentarian Award was presented to the Best Parliamentarians from 2013 to 2017 for their remarkable contributions. ii. Winners of the award are listed below:

Award Winner For the Year Dr Najma Heptullah 2013 Hukum Dev Narayan 2014 Ghulam Nabi Azad 2015 Dinesh Trivedi 2016 Bhartruhari Mahtab 2017

About Parliament of India: ♦ Houses – Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha ♦ Chairman of Rajya Sabha – Venkaiah Naidu ♦ Speaker of the Lok Sabha – Sumitra Mahajan. Javed Akhtar bestowed with Shalaka Samman, highest honour of Hindi Sahitya Academy Hindi Academy Delhi has given its highest Shalaka Samman for 2017-18 to bollywood lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar.He is a father of Actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar. i. The scriptwriter, lyricist and poet has five National Awards for Best Lyricist to his name for works such as Border, Refugee and Lagaan. ii. The lyricist has also been honoured with the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2007.He is also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu for his collection of poems entitled Lava. Anvar Sadath: the first Indian to win the International Contributions Award On August 4, 2018, K.Anvar Sadath is the first Indian to receive the International Contributions Award given by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT), USA. i. He is the vice chairman and executive director of the Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) also known as IT@school Project. ii. This award is because of Sadath’s outstanding and continuous contributions to the field of educational communication and technology. iii. His efforts at the Kerala Hi-tech School project which has almost converted 45,000 class rooms of Classes 8 to 12 to hi-tech ones, besides empowering all teachers was recognized. iv. He will receive this award on October 26,2018 in Kansas City. Other Awards:Science Literature Award (2005)given by the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE), and he also received Dr. C.P. Menon Memorial Award (2012). Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie tops ‘women who changed the world’ list On 9th August 2018, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie was adjudged the most influential woman in history, through a poll conducted by BBC History Magazine. i. Marie Curie has topped the ‘Women who Changed the World’ list. BBC History Magazine conducted a reader’s poll of 100 women who changed the world. ii. Women from various fields like politics, science, sports, technology and literature were shortlisted. iii. Marie Curie was nominated by Patricia Fara, president of the British Society for the History of Science. Marie Curie had won Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911. iv. Top 5 persons in the list are: 1 – Marie Curie (Nobel Prize-winning scientist) 2 – Rosa Parks (US civil rights activist) 3 – Emmeline Pankhurst (leader of the British suffragette movement) 4 – Ada Lovelace (early computer programmer) 5 – Rosalind Franklin (British chemist) About Marie Curie: ♦ Lived – 1867 – 1934 ♦ Polish-born French physicist and chemist ♦ first woman to win a Nobel Prize in physics ♦ first female professor at the Sorbonne in France




♦ first person to win a second Nobel Prize ♦ only person to have won Nobel Prizes in two sciences Santhali: India’s first tribal language to get own Wikipedia edition in its own Ol Chiki script On August 12, 2018, Santhali has become the first Indian tribal language to get a Wikipedia edition in its own script. i. Wikipedia contributors from India, Bangladesh and Nepal generated the content. ii. The home page of the Santhali edition of Wikipedia carries an article on Raghunath Murmu, who created the Ol Chiki script. Other achievements of Santhali language : i. In November 2017, 24-year-old Shikha Mandi became the first radio jockey in the language. ii. Several hundred students wrote their Class 10 board examinations under the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) in the Ol Chiki script for the first time in 2018. iii. It was heard for the first time on a global platform in March during the Inter-Parliamentary Union from a 33-year-old doctor and MP , Uma Saren. About Santhali Language: i. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India in the constitution. ii. It is written in Ol Chiki script and spoken by 6.4 million people, according to the 2001 census, in India alone. iii. Major speakers are from Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Assam. It is also spoken in Bangladesh and Nepal.The Santhali Wikipedia got approval from the language committee of the Wikimedia Foundation on June 28 and went live on August 2,2018. Rifleman Aurangzeb, Major Aditya Kumar conferred with Shaurya Chakra Rifleman Aurangzeb and Major Aditya Kumar of Indian Army were conferred the Shaurya Chakra, along with 18 other Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces. i. Rifleman Aurangzeb has been honoured posthumously. He was abducted and killed by terrorists in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir in June 2018. ii. Also, Sepoy Vrahma Pal Singh has been conferred with Kirti Chakra posthumously. iii. Also, Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry) has been conferred on Group Captain Abhishek Sharma, Squadron Leader Vernon Desmond Keane and Sergeant Shashidhar P Prasad. iv. The President has approved 131 Gallantry Awards to Armed Forces Personnel and members of Paramilitary Forces. v. This consists of: 1 Kirti Chakra, 20 Shaurya Chakras, three Bar to Sena Medals (Gallantry), 93 Sena Medals (Gallantry), 11 Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and three Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry). President approves Nao Sena (Gallantary) medal for all women crew members of INSV Tarini that circumnavigated globe President Ram Nath Kovind approved Nao Sena (Gallantary) medal for the 6 women crew members of Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini, who circumnavigated the globe. i. Lt Cdr Vartika Joshi captained the 194-day mission. The mission started on 10th September 2017. ii. Other crew members are: Lt Cdr Pratibha Jamwal, and Lts P Swathi, Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta. iii. Nao Sena Gallantary medals were also announced for marine Lt Cdr Anil Raina and Kunal Saini for anti-insurgency operations. iv. The president also approved Shaurya Chakra for Capt P Rajkumar for his work during Cyclone Ockhi. General Dalbir Singh Suhag awarded US ‘Legion of Merit’ 2018 On August 19, 2018, the United States government awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander) to General Dalbir Singh Suhag (Retired) chief of the Army staff, Indian Army. This was earlier announced by the US Government in March 2016. i. It was presented to him on August 17, 2018, at Pentagon, Washington DC. ii. This was presented to him for the following reasons: For the meritorious service given by him during the period August 2014 to April 2016 as Chief of Army

Staff. His contributions to expand the India-US Army to Army bilateral engagements.Humanitarian assistance

during Nepal’s earthquake in 2015.




iii. Gn Dalbir singh retired on December 31, 2016. iv. Its the second time that an Indian military officer has been awarded this award. Earlier, General Rajendrasinghji Jadeja was awarded this in 1946. About Legion of Merit: The Legion of Merit is awarded in four degrees; Degree of Chief Commander; Degree of Commander; Degree of Officer; and Degree of Legionnaire. Delhi government’s additional director of health S.K. Arora bags WHO World No Tobacco Day 2018 Award Delhi government’s additional director of health S.K. Arora has been awarded the WHO World No Tobacco Day 2018 Award for his remarkable contribution towards tobacco control.He was presented the award by Henk Bekedam, WHO India country head. i. Tobacco prevalence in Delhi has reduced by 6.5% in the last 6 years. This is more than the rest of India average figures. ii. National Health Policy 2017 has fixed targets of relative reduction in tobacco prevalence by 15% by 2020 and 30% by 2025. These targets have already been achieved by Delhi before 2017. Gopalkrishna Gandhi conferred with 2018 Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award On 20th August 2018, former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi was awarded the 24th Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award on the occasion of 74th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in New Delhi. i. Gopalkrishna Gandhi was awarded the 2018 Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award for promoting communal harmony and peace. The award includes a citation and a cash award of Rs 10 lakh. ii. Gopalkrishna Gandhi was conferred the award by chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary party Sonia Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and chairperson of the advisory committee for the award Karan Singh. iii. Gopalkrishna Gandhi is the grandson of father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi. iv. Rajiv Gandhi was born on 20th August 1944. His parents are former prime minister Indira Gandhi and Feroz Gandhi. David Beckham to receive UEFA President’s Award On August 21,2018 An English retired professional footballer David Beckham will be presented the 2018 UEFA President’s Award by European football’s governing body, in recognition of his remarkable career and humanitarian efforts. i. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin called Beckham as the “a true football icon of his generation” after selecting the former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder to receive the award in Monaco later. ii. The President’s Award recognises outstanding achievements, professional excellence and exemplary personal qualities. Assamese film ‘ Xhoixobote Dhemalite’ bags another award at US fest “Xhoixobote Dhemalite” (Rainbow fields), an Assamese film directed by Bidyut Kotoky has won an another award for screenplay at Treasure Coast International Film Festival in Florida.This film narrates sensitive issue of children growing up in violent times. i. The film also features seasoned actors like Victor Banerjee, Nakul Vaid, Naved Aslam, Nipon Goswami and Nikumoni Barua. ii. The film is produced by ‘India Stories’, a Mumbai-based production house and co-produced by Kotoky’s Dhruv Creative Productions and US-based Kurmasana Kreates. iii. This film already won three awards, including that of best film, in the Love international Film Festival, Los Angeles. Forbes released its 2018 top 10 highest paid lists:P.V. Sindhu,Akshay Kumar,Salman Khan ranked in top 10 On August 23, 2018, Forbes released its top 10 highest list on different categories and professions. Top 10 highest Paid Actors 2018: i. Together the top 10 highest paid actors got $748.5 million between June 1, 2017 to June 1, 2018. ii. Akshay Kumar has emerged as the seventh highest-paid actor in the world by earning $40.5 million in 2018.




He came in 10th rank in 2017. iii. Salman Khan has been ranked in the ninth place with $38.5 million. He remained in the same spot as 2017.

Top 10 highest Paid Sportswomen: The only non-tennis players in the top 10 are: Indian badminton player P. V. Sindhu (7th)and Racing’s Danica Patrick (10th ).

Rank Sportswomen 1 Serena Williams 2 Caroline

Wozniacki 3 Sloane Stephens 4 Garbine

Muguruza 5 Maria Sharapova 6 Venus Williams 7 P.V. Sindhu 8 Simona Halep 9 Danica Patrick 10 Angelique Kerber

Top 10 Highest paid Actresses in the World: Together the top 10 highest paid actresses earned a total of $168 million between June 1, 2017 and June 1 , 2018.

Rank Actress 1 Scarlett Johansson 2 Angelina Jolie 3 Jennifer Aniston 4 Jennifer Lawrence 5 Reese Witherspoon 6 Mila Kunis 7 Julia Roberts 8 Cate Blanchett 9 Melissa McCarthy 10 Gal Gadot

DBS named world’s best bank for its digital innovation: Global Finance magazine On August 27, 2018, Global Finance magazine named DBS Bank as the world’s best bank for digital innovation while still maintaining stable operations for its customers. It is the first Asian bank to receive the accolade.It was given to ING Bank in 2017. Best Corporate Bank: Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. Best Derivatives Bank: France’s Societe Generale. About Achievements of DBS Bank: i. In 2016, finance magazine Euromoney named DBS the world’s best digital bank. ii. It also received the Asia’s best bank title. iii. In 2014, Ms Tan Su Shan, DBS’ group head of consumer banking and wealth management, was recognised as the world’s best leader in private banking at the PWM/The Banker Global Private Banking Awards. About Digital innovation by DBS Bank:

Rank Actor 1 George Clooney 2 Dwayne Johnson 3 Robert Downey Jr 4 Chris Hemsworth 5 Jackie Chan 6 Will Smith 7 Akshay Kumar 8 Adam Sandler 9 Salman Khan 10 Chris Evans




i. DBS started its digital transformation in 2014. ii. Recently, it has launched POSB Smart Buddy, a savings and payments programme where children use smartwatches issued by the bank. DBS Bank: Headquarters: Singapore. World’s smallest medical robot sets Guinness record Scientists have made a new Guinness World Record by developing the world’s smallest medical robot. i. The robot is only 120 nanometres in size. It would help in cancer and Alzheimer’s treatments in the future. ii. The series of nanorobots was created by Soutik Betal in the United States. Nanocomposite particles remotely controlled by electromagnetic field have been developed. They function like tiny robots and interact with biological cells.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATION Deepak Parekh re-appointed as Non-Executive Director on the board of HDFC On 30th July 2018, Deepak Parekh was re-appointed as a Non-Executive Director on the board of HDFC. i. Also, J.J. Irani and Keki Mistry were reappointment as directors to HDFC’s board. ii. Upendra Kumar Sinha and Jalaj Ashwin Dani were also appointed as independent directors. IIFL Mutual Fund appoints Anup Maheshwari as joint CEO and CIO On 31st August 2018, IIFL Mutual Fund appointed Anup Maheshwari as the joint Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and chief investment officer (CIO) with effect from the middle of August 2018.Previously, Anup Maheshwari was chief investment officer of DSP Blackrock Investment Managers. He resigned from DSP Blackrock Investment Managers in April 2018. Oscar Kerketta appointed the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Rwanda On 1st August 2018, Oscar Kerketta was appointed the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Rwanda. At present, Oscar Kerketta is Additional Secretary in the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). Emmerson Mnangagwa re-elected as Zimbabwe president On August 3, 2018, Incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa has been re-elected as Zimbabwe’s president. i. 75-year-old Mnangagwa, of the ruling ZANU-PF party, won 50.8 percent against Nelson Chamisa, of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Alliance.He has been in power since November 2017. ii. Earlier he was the Vice-President and is called ‘the crocodile’. ZANU-PF, which has ruled the southern African country since independence in 1980. 3 HC judges appointed as Supreme Court justices On August 4, 2018, 3 High court judges were appointed to the Supreme Court,. i. The appointed judges are: Uttarakhand High Court Chief Justice KM Joseph, Madras High Court Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Orissa HC Chief Justice Vineet Saran. ii. The number of judges in the top court after the fresh appointments has gone up to 25. There would still be six vacancies. Man Mohan Bhanot : the next Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Republic of Equitorial Guinea On August 4, 2018, Man Mohan Bhanot appointed as the next Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Republic of Equitorial Guinea. He will be the first resident Ambassador of India to the Republic of Equitorial Guinea. He is presently Ambassador to Syria.




Ajay Data, first Indian to become a member of ICANN panel country code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) On 3rd August 2018, Ajay Data was appointed member of the Country Code Names Supporting Organisation (ccNSO). i. Ajay Data has become the first Indian to be made member of the Country Code Names Supporting Organisation (ccNSO). ii. He is the founder and CEO of Data XGen Plus. He will take up this position at ICANN’s 63rd Annual General Meeting in Barcelona, Spain, in October 2018. He will represent India at the global level. He will also be the custodian of Asia, Australia and Pacific Islands as a member of ccNSO. About Country Code Names Supporting Organisation (ccNSO): ♦ Purpose – policy-development body for global issues regarding country code top-level domains (ccTLD) within the ICANN structure ♦ Chairperson – Katrina Sataki. Aditya Vikram and Pramod Chandra Mody appointed CBDT members On 6th August 2018, the government appointed Aditya Vikram and Pramod Chandra Mody as members of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). i. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Aditya Vikram and Pramod Chandra Mody as members of CBDT. ii. Aditya Vikram is a 1981 batch Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer. He is the principal director general (logistics) in Delhi. iii. Pramod Chandra Mody is a 1982 batch Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer. He is the principal chief commissioner, Mumbai. iv. After these two appointments, there is a vacancy of two more members in CBDT. Other two members of CBDT are: Shabri Bhattasali and Arbind Modi. S Gopakumar joins United India Insurance as Director & GM On 7th August 2018, United India Insurance Company appointed S Gopakumar as its Director and General Manager with immediate effect. Earlier, S Gopakumar was Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of GIC Housing Finance Ltd.He started his career with National Insurance Company. He has an experience of more than 30 years. S Gurumurthy & Satish Marathe appointed part-time Directors on RBI board by CAC On August 8, 2018, S Gurumurthy and Satish Marathe were appointed as part-time directors on the Reserve Bank of India board by The Cabinet’s Appointments Committee for a four-year term. i. These appointments were proposed by the Department of Financial Services. ii. S Gurumurthy is the editor of Tamil political weekly Thuglak and the co-convener of RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch. This is his 1st term as an RBI director. iii. Satish Marathe is the patron of an NGO called Sahakar Bharati.Sixty-eight-year old Marathe had worked with Bank of India and later became the chairman of United Western Bank, which was merged with IDBI Bank.RBI’s board now has 10 government-appointed members. Ivan Duque sworn in as Colombia’s youngest 60th President On August 9, 2018, Colombia’s President-elect 42-year-old Ivan Duque has been sworn in as the country’s 60th president. i. He replaced Juan Manuel Santos and became the youngest president in Colombia’s recent history. ii. He defeated left-leaning candidate, Gustavo Petro, in a presidential runoff in June with 54 percent of the vote. Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani appointed as the Chief Justice of Madras High Court On August 11, 2018, Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. i. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Prohit will administer the oath of office. ii. She replaced Justice Indira Banerjee who has been appointed as Supreme Court judge. iii. She obtained her law degree and became an advocate with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in July 1982. iv. She was appointed on the panel of defence lawyers in the Sessions Court. v. She taught the “Law of Crimes” subject as a part-time professor in K C Law College from 1987 to 1993.




vi. She was appointed as Assistant Government Pleader and Additional Public Prosecutor in February 1990. vii. She was appointed as Government Pleader and Public Prosecutor on the Appellate side of the High Court of Bombay from November 1997. viii. She became a judge of the High Court on June 26, 2001 and made Acting Chief Justice of Bombay High Court in 2015. Justice Gitta Mittal became the first woman Chief Justice of J&K High Court On August 11, 2018, Justice Gita Mittal became the first-ever woman Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court .Her oath was administered by Governor NN Vohra in Srinagar.She succeeded Ramalingam Sudhakar. Aniruddha Bose appointed as the 12th CJ of Jharkhand HC On August 11, 2018, Justice Aniruddha Bose took an oath as the 12th Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court. His oath was administered by Jharkhand governor Droupadi Murmu. He was an advocate of Bar Council of West Bengal in 1985.He practised in the Calcutta High Court and was elevated to the Bench in 2004. Rajendra Menon appointed as Chief Justice Of Delhi High Court On August 11, 2018, Justice Rajendra Menon was sworn in as Chief Justice of Delhi High Court. Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal administered the oath of office to Justice Menon.He was earlier the Chief Justice of Patna High Court. He had also served as a judge in the Gwalior Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Rekha Sharma appointed chairperson of NCW Rekha Sharma has been appointed the chairperson of National Commission for Women (NCW). i.She was previously a member of NCW. She was holding the additional charge of chairperson after Lalitha Kumaramangalam stepped down from the position in September 2017. ii.She is 54 years old. She hails from Haryana. Earlier, she was a member of District Consumer & Redressal Forum with the Haryana Government. iii. She runs an event management center named ‘Chavi’. She has set up a registered NGO named ‘Haryana Mahila Uthan Samiti’ that works for the empowerment of rural women in Haryana. R S Sharma re-appointed TRAI chairperson till 2020 On 9th August 2018, Ram Sewak Sharma was given two-year extension as chairperson of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). i. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the reappointment of Ram Sewak Sharma as chairperson of TRAI for a further period of 2 years till 30th September 2020, that is the date on which he attains 65 years of age. ii. In July 2015, he was appointed the Chairman of TRAI for a period of 3 years. iii. He is a retired IAS officer of 1982 batch of Jharkhand cadre. Earlier, he had worked in several government departments involving IT-enabled programmes. iv. He was also Director General and Mission Director of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) or Aadhaar. Paresh Sukthankar resigned from HDFC Bank’s deputy managing director position On August 11, 2018, Paresh Sukthankar, deputy managing director of HDFC Bank resigned from his post. i. He will be serving the 90-day notice period, effective from August 10. ii. The 55-year-old deputy managing director has worked at HDFC Bank since its inception in 1994. iii.He was appointed to the post of deputy managing director in March 2017. iv. Currently, he is overseeing the banks’ credit and risk management departments and finance and human resources. v. Prior to joining HDFC Bank, he was at Citibank for nine years. He is a management graduate from Harvard Business School, and has served a member of various RBI Committees and committees of the Indian Banks’ Association. vi. He was recently appointed to an RBI Committee for a medium-term action plan for improving financial inclusion. vii. He also was a member of the High Level Steering Committee for Review of Supervisory Processes for Commercial Banks.




Two additional directors appointed by Board of IndusInd Bank ; effective from Aug 10 On August 12, 2018, IndusInd Bank board has appointed 2 non-executive independent directors.They are : Akila Krishnakumar and Anil Tiwari . Justice M R Shah of Gujarat HC sworn in as Chief Justice of Patna HC On August 12, 2018, Justice M R Shah has been appointed as Chief Justice of Patna High Court.He was a judge of the Gujarat High Court.He enrolled as an advocate of the Gujarat High Court in 1982.He became a judge of the Gujarat High Court on March 7, 2004 and was confirmed as permanent judge on June 22, 2005. Justice Jhaveri appointed as the 30th Chief Justice of Odisha HC On August 13, 2018, Justice Kalpesh Satyendra Jhaveri has been appointed as the 30th new Chief Justice of Orissa High Court (HC). i. He will succeed Chief Justice Vineet Saran, who has been elevated to the Supreme Court. He has earlier been a Gujarat HC Judge and a Rajasthan HC judge. ii. He obtained BSc and LLB degree from Gujarat Univeristy had started his career as lawyer at Gujarat HC in 1983.He was elected as Joint Secretary in 1984 and General Secretary of Gujarat High Court Advocates’ Association in 1988. Justice Manjula Chellur appointed as APTEL Chairperson: Power Ministry On August 13, 2018, Justice Manjula Chellur has been appointed as Chairperson of Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) by the power ministry. Prior to this, she was Chief Justice of Bombay High Court. She was the first woman Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court.She has served as the Chief Justice of Kerala High Court and the first female judge of the Karnataka High Court. Ashish Kumar Bhutani has been appointed CEO of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) On 13th August 2018, Ashish Kumar Bhutani was appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).He is an IAS officer of the 1992 batch of Assam-Meghalaya cadre. He has been appointed the CEO of PMFBY till 9th May 2020. About Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY): ♦ Launched in – 2016 ♦ Launched by – Prime Minister Narendra Modi ♦ Administered by – Ministry of Agriculture ♦ It is in line with one nation one scheme theme ♦ It provides a comprehensive insurance cover against failure of the crop and helps to stabilise the income of the farmers Canara Bank, Bank of India non-executive chairmen gets a 2 years extension On August 14, 2018, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the extension terms of non-executive chairmen of Canara Bankand Bank of India for two years. i. The non-executive chairmen are : Canara Bank: Thothala Narayanasamy Manoharan. Bank of India: Gopalaraman Padmanabhan. ii. Their terms for the post of part-time non-official director on the board of the banks has been extended as well. Ramesh Powar has been appointed as Head Coach of Indian women’s cricket team: BCCI On August 14, 2018, 40-year-old former India spinner Ramesh Powar has been appointed as head coach of the women’s national cricket team till the ICC World T20, scheduled to be held in November, by BCCI. i. He was appointed interim coach of the team in July after the resignation of Tushar Arothe. ii. He is the third coach of women’s team in past one and a half year after Purnima Rau and Tushar Arothe. iii. Powar has played 31 ODIs and two Tests from 2004 to 2007, picking 34 wickets with a best of 54 in the 50-over format. Upcoming women’s cricket matches: ♦ Sri Lanka Tour in September 2018. ♦ Bilateral Series in West Indies in October 2018. ♦ ICC World T20 cup in West Indies on November 2018.




Imtaiyazur Rahman takes over as interim CEO of UTI MF On August 14, 2018, UTI Mutual Fund appointed Imtaiyazur Rahman as the acting chief executive officer after Leo Puri stepped down as MD and CEO.Prior to this, he was the Group President and Chief Finance Officer of UTI MF. Allahabad Bank MD & CEO sacked on last day in office On August 14, 2018, Allahabad Bank‘s MD and CEO Usha Ananthasubramanian was fired on her last day in office. i.She had served as the CEO and Managing Director of PNB from 2015 to 2017, ii. Before that, she had also served as PNB’s Executive Director from 2011 to 2013. iii. She has been named in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chargesheet in the Rs 14,000 crore Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud. Anandiben Patel takes oath as Governor of Chhattisgarh On 15th August 2018, Madhya Pardesh Governor Anandiben Patel was sworn in as Governor of Chhattisgarh. i. President Ram Nath Kovind gave Anandiben Patel the additional charge as Governor of Chhattisgarh following the death of Chhattisgarh governor Balramji Dass Tandon. ii. Chhattisgarh High Court Chief Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi administered the oath of office to Anandiben Patel. iii. Anandiben Patel will perform additional duties as Chhattisgarh governor until regular arrangements for the office of the governor of Chhattisgarh are made. D Bala Venkatesh Varma appointed the new Ambassador of India to Russia On August 15, 2018, D Bala Venkatesh Varma has been appointed as the Ambassador to Russia. i.He is currently serving as Ambassador of India to Madrid. ii.He will succeed Pankaj Saran who has been appointed as the deputy National Security Advisor.Varma is a 1988 batch IFS officer. Partha Satpathy : the next Ambassador of India to Ukraine On August 15, 2018, Partha Satpathy was appointed the next Ambassador of India to Ukraine.A 1990 batch IFS officer, Partha Satpathy has been appointed as the Ambassador of India to Ukraine.He is currently a joint secretary at the MEA headquarters. David Silva : Spanish International Player and Manchester City Midfielder retired On August 15, 2018, Manchester City midfielder 32 year old David Silva announced his retirement from international football.He is also known as “Spain’s Lionel Messi”. i. He was in the Spanish team which won the 2010 World Cup as well as the 2008 and 2010 European Championships. ii. He made 125 appearances and scored 35 goals over 12 years. iii. His final match was the penalty shootout defeat to Russia in the 2018 World Cup round of 16. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita re-elected Mali president On 16th August 2018, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was re-elected as president of Mali. i. Ibrahim Boubacar Keita won 67 percent of the vote and defeated his opponent Soumaila Cisse in the presidential election. ii.He will serve his second five-year term as President of Mali. He is 73 years old. He will assume office on 4th September 2018. Mario Abdo Benítez sworn in as new President of Paraguay On August 16, 2018, 46-year-old Mario Abdo Benítez has been sworn in as the new President of Paraguay.He replaced Horacio Cartes.He belongs to the conservative Colorado Party. Egon Zehnder International appointed ‘Knowledge Partner’ to Banks Board Bureau (BBB) Indian Banks’ Association has appointed Egon Zehnder International as a ‘Knowledge Partner’ to the Banks Board Bureau (BBB). i. As a Knowledge Partner, Egon Zehnder International will help to design, implement and institutionalise a flagship leadership development strategy for public sector banks in India.




ii. Also, Hay Consultants Private Limited, a part of Korn Ferry Group, will help BBB to assess leadership competencies and potential capabilities of candidates appearing for appointment as wholetime directors of public sector banks. About Banks Board Bureau (BBB): ♦ Chairman – Bhanu Pratap Sharma ♦ Location – Mumbai N Raghuram Elected Chair of International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) N Raghuram has been elected the Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI), a global policy making initiative. i. N Raghuram is an Indian scientist and academician. He is a professor at the GGS Indraprastha University, New Delhi. ii. He has been the President of the Indian Nitrogen Group and a Steering Committee member of the UNEP Global Partnership on Nutrient Management. iii. He is the first Indian and Asian to be elected as Chair of INI. He will succeed Mark Sutton as chair of INI.David Kanter of the New York University has been elected as Vice-Chair of INI. iv. N Raghuram and David Kanter will take charge on 1st January 2019. They will be responsible for the network of 6 regional centres: Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America. Former RBI Dy. Gov. SS Mundra appointed Independent Director of Indiabulls Housing Finance On August 19, 2018, board of Indiabulls Housing Finance has appointed Subhash Sheoratan Mundra as the Independent Director for a period of three years, effective August 18. i. He is presently on the Board of the Bombay Stock Exchange and DSP Blackrock Investment Managers and is also on the Governing Council of several financial research and academic institutes. ii. He is a former Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) till July 2017. iii .He has earlier served as the Chairman of Bank of Baroda , Executive Director at Union Bank of India. iv. He was the Vice-Chairman on the OECD’s International Network on Financial Education. v. He also headed several committees set up by the central bank and was the nominated member on the G20 Forum’s Financial Stability Board. vi. Apart from this, he was on the Board of the Clearing Corporation of India , Central Depository Services (India), IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company and National Payments Corporation of India, amongst others. Australian bowler Mitchell Johnson announced retirement from all forms of cricket On August 19, 2018, 36-year-old Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson retire from all forms of cricket. i.He retired from international cricket during the Test series against New Zealand in Perth in November 2015. ii.He retired from Big Bash League team the Perth Scorchers last month.And now he retired from all forms of cricket Other Facts about Johnson: i.Johnson made his first Class Debut with the State in 2001 before getting his start in the Test team in 2007. ii.His best Haul was 8-61 against South Africa,at the WACA(Western Australian Cricket Association)in 2008. iii.He also claimed 239 Wickets in 153 one day international and 38 wickets in 30 T20 internationals for Australia. iv.In IPL(Indian Premier League) he played in 3 Teams,Mumbai Indians(2013,2017),Kings XI Punjab(2014,2016),Kolkata Knight Riders(2018). Srikumar Menon concurrently appointed the next Ambassador of India to Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe On 20th August 2018, Srikumar Menon was appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe. Currently, he is the Ambassador of India to Angola. He has been concurrently appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, with residence in Luanda. President Ram Nath Kovind appoints 7 new Governors; Satya Pal Malik replaces NN Vohra in J&K On August 21,President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Governors for seven States viz Bihar, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand. i. Senior BJP leader Lal Ji Tondon has been appointed as the new Governor of Bihar.He Succeeds Satyapal Malik.In May 2009, Tondon was elected to the 15th Lok Sabha from Lucknow.




ii. He has been a member of Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) for two terms(1978–84) and remained the Leader of House,of the Council(1990–96),He remained a member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly (MLA) for three terms(1996–2009), and remained the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly(2003-07).He had also served as Urban Development minister in the Uttar Pradesh cabinet under Mayawati(in the BSP-BJP combine), and also in the Kalyan Singh ministry. iii. Satyadev Narayan Arya was appointed as the Governor of Haryana.He succeeds Kaptan Singh Solanki.Satyadev is a former minister of mines and geology of Bihar,He is an eight time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly from Rajgir. iv. Bihar governor Satya Pal Malik was appointed as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.He replaces N.N.Vohra.Earlier, he was the member of the 9th Lok Sabha and represented Aligarh Constituency from 1989 to 1991. He was member of Rajya sabha from Uttar Pradesh during two term of 1980-86 and 1986-1992. He was also member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly during 1974-77. v. Former Agra mayor and ex-member of National Commission for Women (NCW) Baby Rani Maurya was appointed as the Governor of Uttarakhand.She Replaces K.K.Paul. vi. Tripura governor Tathagata Roy has been appointed as Governor of Meghalaya.He replaces Ganga Prasad.Roy was the President of the West Bengal state unit of BJP from 2002 till 2006. vii. Governor of Meghalaya,Ganga Prasad has been appointed as Governor of Sikkim.He Succeeds Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil. Prasad was elected to the Legislative Council of Bihar in 1994 and had been a member for 18 years.On 30 September 2017, Prasad was appointed by President Ram Nath Kovind as the new Governor of Meghalaya. viii. Haryana governor Kaptan Singh Solanki has been appointed as Governor of Tripura,He succeeds Tathagata Roy. Since August 2009 Kaptan was the member of the Parliament of India representing Madhya Pradesh State in the Rajya Sabha,the upper house until May 2014. Najam Sethi Resigns as Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief, Imran Khan Nominates Ehsan Mani On August 20,2018 Najam Sethi quits from the post of Pakistan Cricket Board chairman.Prime Minister Imran Khan nominated former ICC president Ehsan Mani as his successor.Sethi, nominated to the PCB Board of Governors by ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from 2014-2017 and then again from 2017-2020 by ex-Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Arun Jaitley re-appointed as Finance Minister by the President On August 23, 2018, President Ram Nath Kovind re appointed Arun Jaitley as Finance Minister after he recovered from a kidney ailment. Jaitley will resume charge of both finance and corporate affairs portfolios. Earlier from May 14, Minister for Railways and Coal Piyush Goyal was appointed as the Finance minister on an interim basis as Mr.Arun Jaitley underwent a kidney surgery. Actor Raveena Tandon becomes brand ambassador of SGNP On 22nd August 2018, Maharashtra Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar announced the appointment of actor Raveena Tandonas the brand ambassador of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) based in Mumbai. i. SGNP is rich in flora and fauna. It provides water to a major portion of Mumbai. ii. As the brand ambassador of SGNP, Raveena Tandon will work with Maharashtra forest department to create awareness about its initiatives, like the 50 crore tree plantation drive, eco-tourism in SGNP, conservation of leopards in SGNP, etc. iii. Raveena Tandon discussed with Sudhir Mungantiwar about the 13 crore tree-plantation drive and her contribution for a greener Maharashtra. iv. In the first week of September, a programme to welcome Raveena Tandon as brand ambassador of SGNP will be held and the new website of SGNP and a Jan Dhan-Van Dhan shop will be launched. U K Varma appointed as the new Assocham Secretary General On August 23, 2018, Industry chamber Assocham appointed former bureaucrat Uday Kumar Varma as its new Secretary General.He will succeed DS Rawat. i.Mr.Varma was a former Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. ii. He has served administrative role in the state government of Madhya Pradesh as well. Dr G. Satheesh Reddy appointed Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO On August 25, 2018, Dr. G Satheesh Reddy has been appointed as the chairman of DRDO for a two year term.




i. He will also be the Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development (DoDRD). ii. He is currently serving as the scientific advisor to the defence minister and is also the Director General of the strategic missile division. iii. He also heads the Research Centre Imarat (RCI). iv. He will be replacing Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra who was holding the position as an additional charge after the retirement of S Christopher in May 2018. About (DoDRD): ♦ Established : 1980. ♦ It advises the government on scientific aspects of military equipment and logistics and the formulation of research, design and development plans for the equipment required by the three services– the Army, Navy and the Air Force. Scott Morrison has been sworn in as Australia’s 30th Prime Minister On 24th August 2018, Scott Morrison was sworn in as Australia’s 30th prime minister. i. Scott Morrison is 50 years old. He was serving as Australia’s treasurer. He defeated former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton by 45 – 40 votes in an internal vote. ii. This vote was conducted after former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull lost majority support of the Liberal party MPs. Josh Frydenberg was sworn in as the treasurer. Lalchand Rajput appointed head coach of Zimbabwe cricket team On August 26, 2018, former India opener Lalchand Rajput was appointed the head coach of Zimbabwe national cricket team by the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC). i. He is likely to remain in charge for the 2020 World T20 and beyond. ii. He was earlier appointed as the interim head coach of Zimbabwe in May. iii. He has been the manager of the MS Dhoni-led Indian team during the T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007. iv. He has secured Full Membership at the ICC and won six limited-overs series under Rajput Afghanistan. v. He had also coached Assam and a team in Mumbai Premier League and had held administrative position in the Mumbai Cricket Association. vi.Rajput has also coached Afghanistan, who played their first Test against India in June this year, and was praised for his work. He was appointed Afghanistan coach in 2016. Goldman Sachs appoints ex-RBI research head Prachi Mishra as MD and chief India economist On 27th August 2018, Goldman Sachs appointed Prachi Mishra as the managing director and chief India economist. i. Prachi Mishra will be based in Mumbai. Earlier, she was the deputy division chief of the western hemisphere department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). ii. She was the head of the strategic research unit at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) from February 2016 to May 2017. She was also a specialist adviser at the RBI between November 2014 and February 2016. iii. She was the first lateral recruit at the RBI. She also worked as a senior economist at IMF and the Finance Ministry of India. iv. Goldman Sachs has been serving Indian clients since 1990s. It set up an onshore presence in India in December 2006. It is also an active investor in India. About Goldman Sachs: ♦ Type – global investment banking, securities and investment management firm that offers financial services to corporations, financial institutions, governments and individuals ♦ Founded – 1869 ♦ Headquarters – New York. Prashant Agrawal appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Namibia On 21st August 2018, Prashant Agrawal was appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Namibia. i. Prashant Agrawal is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1998 batch. At present he is Joint Secretary at Headquarters. ii. He has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Namibia. He will take up this assignment soon.




Sandeep Kumar appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Ireland On 20th August 2018, Sandeep Kumar was appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Ireland. i. Sandeep Kumar is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1985 batch. Currently, he is the Ambassador of India to Croatia.He has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Ireland. Satya Tripathi appointed Assistant Secretary General and Head of the New York Office of UNEP Satya S Tripathi, an Indian development economist, has been appointed as the Assistant Secretary General and Head of the New York Office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). i. This appointment was made by UN (United Nations) Chief António Guterres. Satya S Tripathi will succeed Elliott Harris of Trinidad and Tobago. ii. Since 2017, Satya S Tripathi has served as Senior Adviser on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at UNEP. He has worked for the UN since 1998. Ruchi Ghanashyam appointed India’s next High Commissioner to UK On 28th August 2018, Ruchi Ghanashyam was appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. i. Ruchi Ghanashyam is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of the 1982 batch. She is at present Secretary at Headquarters. ii. She has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom.She succeeds YK Sinha who had assumed the charge as the Indian High Commissioner in the UK in December, 2016. ICICI Bank reappointed Chanda Kochhar as director of ICICI Securities On August 31, 2018, ICICI Bank reappointed Chanda Kochhar as a director on the board of ICICI Securities. i. Earlier, Kochhar was charged with quid pro quo in disbursing loans to Venugopal Dhoot-led Videocon Group. ii. One-man panel constituting retired Supreme Court judge Justice BN Srikrishna is probing the matter.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS Walmart completes acquisition of 77% stake in Flipkart for $16 bn On August 19, 2018, Walmart and Flipkart announced the completion of the $16-billion deal. i. Walmart now holds 77 per cent stake in the Indian firm. ii. According to the deal: Flipkart’s CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy will continue to run the company, Co-founder Binny Bansal,apart from representatives from Tencentand Tiger Global, will continue with

their seats as well, Walmart will appoint five members to the eight-member board of Flipkartout of which 2 will be

independent directors, Initially, Steuart Walton, Judith McKenna and Dirk Van den Berghe, regional CEO of Walmart Canada

and Asia, will join the Flipkart board. Softbank and other investors had exited Former CEO and co founder Sachin Bansal resigned.Softbank,reported it was making a 60 per cent

return on its $2.5 billion investment in the Indian firm.He was co-founder and former chief executive of Flipkart who led the company for almost eight years, is also out and is estimated to have earned a little over $1 billion through the transaction.

$16 billion investment includes a $2 billion of new equity funding to help accelerate the growth of the Flipkart business.

iii. It was the largest of its kind globally and was announced in May 2018. Tapzo acquired by Amazon in a $35-40 million deal On August 30, 2018, Amazon announced that Amazon Pay, the payments arm of Amazon India, will acquire Sequoia-backed Tapzo. i. The deal values at about $35-40 million. ii. Tapzo has so far raised over $20 million from Sequoia Capital and American Express Co. Recent acquires/developmenst by Amazon: i. Amazon had invested $22 million in digital lending firm Capital float.




ii. It also invested $12 million to digital insurance start-up Acko. iii. Amazon had backed digital paymenst start up TTag. iv. Amazon had increased its authorized capital in Amazon Pay from Rs.400 crore to Rs.2000 crore. Other important acquisitions: i. Google partnered with 4 banks namely- HDFC Bank Ltd, ICICI Bank Ltd, Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd and Federal Bank Ltd– to provide instant, pre-approved loans to customers in Google Pay. ii. Paytm, owned by One97 Communications Ltd acquired Warren Buffett-owned Berkshire Hathaway Inc. India’s largest mobile operator Vodafone Idea Ltd merger completed On August 31, 2018, Idea Cellular and Vodafone completed their merger of India operations. i. This deal is valued at roughly a $23 billion (roughly Rs. 1.6 lakh crores). The name of the merged entity is: Vodafone Idea LTd. ii. It is the country’s largest telecom operator by subscribers and revenue. iii. The combined entity will have a revenue share of about 40 percent in the market and a total customer base of around 408 million. iv. The board will have 12 directors including 6 independent directors, with Kumar Mangalam Birla as chairman and Balesh Sharma as chief executive officer. v. Himanshu Kapania, managing director of Idea Cellular would be a non-executive director on the merged entity’s board.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Rashmi: India’s first humanoid robot, can speak Hindi, Bhojpuri, Marathi Ranjit Srivastava has developed Rashmi, India’s first humanoid robot, which can speak Hindi, Bhojpuri, Marathi and English. i. Ranjit Srivastava hails from Ranchi. He is 38 years old. He has developed Rashmi, which is said to be the Indian version of ‘Sophia’ (a social humanoid robot developed by a Hong Kong based company). ii. Ranjit Srivastava claimed Rashmi as the world’s first Hindi speaking realistic humanoid robot and India’s first lip-synching robot. iii. Rashmi uses linguistic interpretation (LI), artificial intelligence (AI), visual data and facial recognition systems. It gives facial, eye, lips, and eyebrow expressions. It can move its neck. iv. Ranjit Srivastava has developed Rashmi in 2 years at a cost of Rs 50,000. Head and body of Rashmi have been developed. He said that, a complete human shape would be achieved in a month’s time. v. Ranjit Srivastava is the Proprietor of Lotus Communication, a software company based in Ranchi. He has developed several software for various departments of the state government. His software have also received national recognition. ISRO’S 5700kg GSAT-11 satellite the heaviest one will launch from French Guiana’sspaceport in November 30,2018. On August 7, 2018, ISRO announced that it would launch the heaviest communication satellite GSAT -11 from French Guiana on November 30, 2018. i. This satellite weighs over 5.7 tonnes or 5700 kg . ii. It will be launched from the European spaceport Arianespace. iii. This will help in increasing internet speed of the country of 14 gigabit per second data transfer speed. iv. It will provide multi-spot beam coverage over the Indian mainland and nearby islands. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe: World’s first mission to touch the Sun lifts off On 12th August 2018, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, the world’s first mission to touch the Sun, was launched from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in United States. i. The Parker Solar Probe was carried by a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket. ii. The Parker Solar Probe has been sent on a 7 year long mission to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere and its effects on space weather. iii. The spacecraft is of the size of a car. It will directly travel into the Sun’s atmosphere, nearly 4 million miles from its surface and more than 7 times closer than any spacecraft has gone before. iv. The spacecraft has an innovative Thermal Protection System. The heat shield has been designed to




withstand radiation equivalent to up to 500 times the Sun’s radiation here on Earth. The mission costs USD 1.5 billion. v. It will make the closest-ever observations of a star when it travels through the Sun’s outer atmosphere which is called the corona. vi. Corona is a region of the Sun that is only seen from Earth when the Moon blocks out the Sun’s bright face during total solar eclipses. Corona is nearly 300 times hotter than the Sun’s surface. vi. It will make 24 passes through the corona during the 7 year mission. It has a range of instruments to study the Sun both remotely and directly. vii. Measurements and imaging performed by the mission will give a better understanding of the corona and how processes there affect near-Earth space. About United Launch Alliance (ULA): ♦ joint venture between Boeing & Lockheed Martin ♦ President & Chief Executive Officer – Salvatore T. “Tory” Bruno ♦ Headquarters – Centennial, Colorado, USA. Chandrayaan-2 Lander to be named ‘Vikram’ after the father of Indian space programme On August 13, 2018, the Space Commission has approved ISRO’s proposal of naming the Chandrayaan-2 lander ‘Vikram’ after Vikram Sarabhai, the father of Indian space programme. i. Apart from this, as part of the centenary celebrations of Vikram Sarabhai next year, It has planned a series of lectures at the national and international level . ii. An international innovation award named after Sarabhai has been approved worth Rs.50 crore. iii. ISRO would set up Sarabhai chairs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge University and Gujarat University. iv. As part of its science outreach programme, Isro is planning to launch its own TV channel. v.Sarabahi was awarded (posthumously) the Padma Vibhushan in 1972, Padma Bhushan in 1966 and Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar medal in 1962. vi. Isro will soon open its spaceport in Sriharikota to public to witness live space launches in the facility. vii. ISRO also plans on launching a magazine and creating space galleries across the country. Aditya – L1: First Indian mission to study the Sun to be launched in 2019 ISRO’s Aditya-L1 mission, India’s first mission to study the solar corona, is planned to be launched in 2019-2020, by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL) from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. i. Aditya – L1 will be inserted in a halo orbit around the Lagrangian point 1 (L1) that is 1.5 million km from the Earth. Solar corona is the outer layers of the Sun. ii. Lagrangian point is a point where the attraction by the Sun and the Earth becomes equal. This point does not experience gravitational force. iii. This satellite will observe the Sun’s Photosphere and the Chromosphere and will also conduct additional experiments. iv. Aditya – L1 will have 6 additional payloads. Aditya in Sanskrit means the ‘sun’. v. Payloads of Aditya – L1: Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC)– to study the diagnostic parameters of solar corona and

dynamics and origin of Coronal Mass Ejections Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)– to image the Solar Photosphere and Chromosphere in near

Ultraviolet (200-400 nm) and measure solar irradiance variations Aditya Solar wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) – to study the variation of solar wind properties and its

distribution and spectral characteristics Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA)– to understand the composition of solar wind and its

energy distribution Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS)– to monitor the X-ray flares to study the heating

mechanism of solar corona High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS)– to observe the dynamic events in the solar

corona and estimate the energy used to accelerate the particles during eruptive events Magnetometer– to measure the magnitude and nature of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field

International team of scientists including 18 Indians decode complex wheat genome On August 19 2018, A team of international researchers have decoded the wheat genome. Eighteen Indian scientists from that team played a crucial role in cracking the genetic code of wheat – the world’s most widely




cultivated crop. i. The research article is authored by more than 200 scientists from 73 research institutions in 20 countries. ii. A team of 18 Indian scientists co-authoring this paper, led by Dr Kuldeep Singh at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) Ludhiana, Professor JP Khurana at the University of Delhi South Campus, and Professor Nagendra Singh at ICAR-National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Delhi, contributed to the decoding of Chromosome 2A of the wheat genome. iii. The genetic information, scientists say, would help Indian plant breeders create better wheat varieties capable of tolerating heat and drought without compromising the yield. Chandrayaan-I data confirms presence of ice on Moon: NASA NASA informed that Scientists have found frozen water deposits in the darkest and coldest parts of the Moon’s polar regions using data from the Chandrayaan-I spacecraft, that was launched by India ten years ago. With enough ice sitting at the surface within the top few millimetres—water would possibly be accessible as a resource for future expeditions to explore and even stay on the Moon, and potentially easier to access than the water detected beneath the Moon’s surface. European wind survey satellite “Aeolus” launched from French Guyana On August 23, 2018, Europe launched a rocket named “Aeolus” from French Guyana. i. This satellite will be put into orbit at an altitude of 320 kilometres (200 miles) above the Earth which will track global winds, allowing for improved weather forecasting. ii. It is part of the Copernicus project, a joint initiative of the European Union and the European Space Agency (ESA) to track environmental damage and aid disaster relief operations. iii. The new mission is also Arianespace’s 50th launch for the European Space Agency. About Aeolus: i. It is the world’s first space mission to acquire profiles of Earth’s wind on a global scale. ii. Aeolus is equipped with a single instrument: a Doppler wind lidar — an advanced laser system designed to accurately measure global wind patterns from space. iii. The Doppler lidar would transmit short, powerful pulses of laser light toward Earth in the ultraviolet spectrum. iv. Once per orbit, data will be downloaded to a ground station in Svalbard, Norway. v. Aeolus is the fifth of the ESA’s planned Earth Explorer missions. IIT-Hyderabad launches First of its kind in India, Fabless Chip Design Incubator (FabCI) On 21st August 2018, Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, announced the launch of Fabless Chip Design Incubator (FabCI) exclusively for startups in chip design. Fabless Chip Design Incubator (FabCI): i. FabCI is said to be the first-of-its-kind in India. It focuses on developing an ecosystem for supporting startups in chip design. ii. It offers facilities like free software tools with leading technology partners in Electronic Design Automation (EDA), etc. iii. FabCI aims to incubate a minimum of 50 ‘Make-in-India’ chip design companies that can compete globally and generate Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs). iv. Three startups have already been incubated. The Incubator has invited early stage startups to apply. v. This incubator will also contribute to the ‘Startup India’ and ‘Make In India’ initiatives. About FabCI: ♦ Funded by – Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ♦ Technology partners – Cadence Design Systems, Inc. and Mentor Graphics. BeiDou 3: Twin navigation satellites aboard Long March-3B carrier rocket launched by China On August 26, 2018,China successfully sent twin BeiDou 3,navigation satellites into the space on the Long March-3B carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.This was the 283rd mission of the Long March-3B carrier rocket. i. They were developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. ii. The twin satellites entered orbit more than three hours after the launch. They will work together with 10 other BeiDou-3 satellites already in orbit. iii. They were named after the Chinese term for the Big Dipper and started serving China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region in 2012.




NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft catches its first image of its target Bennu asteroid NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer), an asteroid sampling spacecraft, caught its first image of asteroid Bennu, last week after a 2-year journey. i. OSIRIS-Rex has started its final approach towards its target asteroid Bennu. The mission’s asteroid operations started on 17thAugust. ii. OSIRIS-Rex’s PolyCam camera secured the image from a distance of 1.4 million miles (2.2 million km). iii. OSIRIS-REx is the first mission of NASA to visit a near-Earth asteroid. It will survey the surface, collect a sample and deliver it to Earth. iv. It has travelled nearly 1.1 billion miles (1.8 billion km) since it was launched on 8th September 2016. It will arrive at Bennu on 3rd December 2018. v. After collecting sample OSIRIS-REx will return to Earth. It will eject the Sample Return Capsule for landing in the Utah desert in September 2023. About NASA’s OSIRIS-Rex: ♦ Overall mission management, systems engineering and safety and mission assurance provided by – NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center ♦ Principal investigator – Dante Lauretta ♦ Science team lead and the mission’s science observation planning and data processing – University of Arizona ♦ Spacecraft built and flight operations provided by – Lockheed Martin Space in Denver ♦ Responsible for navigating OSIRIS-REx – Goddard and KinetX Aerospace ♦ OSIRIS-REx is the 3rd mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program ♦ NASA’s New Frontiers Program is managed by – NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama Navlekha: Google unveils new platform for Indian publishers On 28th August 2018, Google announced Project Navlekha at its 4th edition of Google for India Event held in New Delhi.Navlekha, which means ‘a new way to write’ in Sanksrit. Navlekha: i. Project Navlekha has been launched to enable Indian publishers of regional languages to publish their content online, without facing the trouble of selling printed copies. ii. The official website of Navlekha can be easily interpreted by users. Users can also obtain help from experts to set up their publication website. iii. Google will not charge for its publication tools and the domain name for the first 3 years. Users can also sign up for Google’s advertising placement service AdSense and monetise their website. NASA set to launch Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) to track Earth’s melting ice National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will launch Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) in to the space on 12th September 2018, to measure the changes in the heights of Earth’s polar ice. i. ICESat-2 is the most advanced laser instrument of its kind. It will measure the average annual elevation change of land ice covering Greenland and Antarctica to within the width of a pencil. It will capture 60,000 measurements every second. ii. Its Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) measures height by timing how long it takes individual light photons to travel from the spacecraft to Earth and back. iii. ICESat-2 will measure ice heights in the polar regions 4 times a year, as it circles Earth from pole to pole. This will provide seasonal and annual monitoring of ice elevation changes. iv. It will measure the height of ocean and land surfaces, including heights of trees in forests. This will help to estimate the amount of carbon stored in forests. Gaganyaan Mission: ISRO unveils plans for India’s manned space flight mission On 28th August 2018, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), unveiled India’s Gaganyaan programme for manned space flight that will be launched by 2022. i. The manned mission to space will have 3 crew members. It will be in space for 5 to 7 days and conduct experiments on micro-gravity. After the takeoff, the manned flight will reach the orbit in 16 minutes. ii. When the crew returns to the Earth, it might land in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast or in the Bay of Bengal or even on land. iii. The mission would be executed 6 months prior to India’s 75th Independence Day. It will be executed using GSLV Mk-III launch vehicle. iv. The spacecraft will be placed in a low earth orbit of 300-400 km. The programme is estimated to cost less than Rs 10,000 crores.




v. India will be the 4th country after the USA, Russia and China to send humans to space. This is the first human space mission indigenously developed by ISRO. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot reveals signs of water: NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientists have detected signs of water above Jupiter’s deepest clouds. i. Scientists at the NASA’s Goddard Space flight center in Maryland, US, were looking from ground-based telescopes at the depth of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, a storm that has been persistent for more than 350 years. ii. They detected the chemical signatures of water above Jupiter’s deepest clouds. The pressure of water combined with measurements of carbon monoxide, show that Jupiter has 2 to 9 times more oxygen than the Sun. iii. This supports the theoretical and computer-simulation models that have predicted abundant water on Jupiter. iv. This will supplement the information collected by NASA’s Juno spacecraft as it circles Jupiter from north to south once every 53 days.

DEFENCE Exercise Maitree: Annual Joint military exercise between Indian Army and Royal Thai Army conducted between 06 to 19 August 2018 in Thailand On August 7, 2018, the opening ceremony of Exercise Maitree, a joint military exercise between Indian Army and Royal Thai Army , was held in Chachoengsao province , Thailand. It will be conducted between August 6-19th 2018. i. The exercise will comprise of Honing of tactical and technical skills in joint counter insurgency and Counter terrorist operations in rural and urban scenario under UN mandate, Increasing interoperability between forces from both countries , Tactical drills for neutralization of likely threats in urban warfare scenario,

ii. From the Indian Army contingent, 45 personnel are taking part in it. About MAITREE: ♦ It is an annual reciprocal training event. ♦ Earlier it took place in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh in 2017. “Pacific Endeavor-2018 (PE-18)” started in Kathmandu, Nepal On 6th August 2018, Pacific Endeavor-2018 (PE-18), a communication exercise under the Multinational Communications Interoperability Program (MCIP) begun in Kathmandu, Nepal. i. Pacific Endeavor-2018 (PE-18) is held for 12 days. It was inaugurated by Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Nepal, Major General Prabhuram Sharma ii. Main objective: to develop common communications operating procedures to enable military forces in the Asia Pacific region to work together in times of disaster. iii. Participation: nearly 270 personnel from 20 Asia-Pacific Countries are taking part. iv. Organised by: Nepali Army and United States Pacific Command. v. This exercise would contribute in reduction of disaster risk and losses of life. It will also promote timely and effective deployment of multinational military forces and international humanitarian agencies during disaster. About Pacific Endeavor: ♦ Started – 2005 ♦ Focus – establishing rapid and effective interoperable communication systems to work together in disaster relief operations. Operation ‘Madad’ by Southern Naval Command On 9th August 2018, Operation “Madad” was launched by the Southern Naval Command (SNC) at Kochi, in Kerala, to assist the Kerala state administration and to carry out disaster relief operations due to the floods. i. Several parts of Kerala have been flooded due to continuous rainfall and release of excess water from Idukki and other dams.




ii. Naval helicopters are used for ferrying divers, power tools, axes and relief material to the flooded areas to speed up the relief operations. Curtain Raiser: Exercise SCO Peace Mission 2018 From 22nd August to 29th August 2018, SCO Peace Mission Exercise 2018 will be conducted by Central Military Commission of Russia at Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk, Russia. i. SCO Peace Mission Exercise is conducted as part of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) initiatives. It is conducted biennially for SCO member states. ii. India is participating for the first time in the exercise after becoming a full member of the SCO in June 2017. iii. The exercise consists of tactical level operations in an international counter insurgency or counter terrorism environment under SCO Charter. iv. Indian contingent of 200 personnel for this exercise, mainly consist of troops from infantry and affiliated arms and services along with Indian Air Force. v. Indian contingent will reach the exercise location on 14th August 2018. In the initial days, operational orientation will be focused with exercise setting and terrain. vi. The staff phase of the exercise will be conducted from 22 August to 28 August 2018. In this phase, Indian contingent will establish a Joint Staff Headquarters and perform staff exercise before developing of a joint operational plan. vii. The opening ceremony for the exercise will be on 22nd August 2018. The field training phase will be on 29 August. The closing ceremony will be on 29th August 2018. About Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): ♦ Secretary General – Rashid Alimov ♦ Headquarters – Beijing, China. Barak 8: India-Israel missile defence system to be procured by Israeli Navy The multi-purpose Barak 8 missile defence system, jointly developed by India and Israel, will be procured by the Israeli Navy. i. Barak 8 has been developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), India’s DRDO, Israel’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, Elta Systems, Rafael and few other Indian defence companies. ii. It is referred to as Barak-8 by Israel and LR-SAM (long-range surface-to-air missile) by India. It has variants with maximum ranges of 70km and 150km. iii. It is an operational air and missile defense system used by the Israeli Navy and the Indian Navy and air forces. It has already entered Indian Navy service on board the Kolkata class of destroyers. iv. Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar-6 corvettes will use Barak-8 to protect Israel’s exclusive economic zone and strategic facilities that face various threats in the marine arena. The sales for Barak-8 have exceeded USD 5 billion. v. It will provide wide range of aerial and point defence against various threats to the marine arena from the air, sea or land. vi. It can defend against a variety of short-to-long-range airborne threats, like fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones and projectiles. vii. It has an advanced phased array multi-mission radar, two-way data link, and a flexible command and control system. It enables users to simultaneously engage multiple targets day and night and in all weather conditions. First-ever IAF-RMAF joint air exercise begins in Malaysia On August 20 2018, The first-ever joint air exercise involving the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) commenced at Subang Air Base in Malaysia. This is the inaugural bilateral exercise between IAF & RMAF. i. It was inaugurated by Gp Capt CUV Rao, team leader IAF & Col Mahadzer, Ex director of RMAF. It’s a platform to exchange Knowledge & Good practices with each other. ii. RMAF and IAF ended its first ever bilateral exercise launching two Sukhoi Su-30MKM and Su-30MKI Flankers each from Subang airport. Iran unveils first domestic fighter jet:Kowsar On August 21,2018 Iran unveiled its first domestic fighter jet “Kowsar” which means river in paradise in Islam,at the National Defence Industry exhibition in Tehran,which is 100 percent indigenously made.President




Hassan Rouhani insisting that Tehran’s military strength was only designed to deter enemies and create “lasting peace”. SCO military drill in Russia from 22-29 August: Indian,Pakistani troops take part for the first time On August 22, 2018, for the first time, the militaries of India and Pakistan are taking part in a mega anti-terror drill of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) named The Peace Mission 2018 in Russia. India is participating in the drill for the first time since becoming a full member of the SCO in June 2017. i.It is aimed at expanding cooperation among the member countries to deal with terrorism and extremism. ii.The joint exercise is being conducted by the Central Military Commission of Russia from August 22 to August 29 at Chebarkul, Russia. iii. At least 3,000 soldiers from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India and Pakistan are participating in the drill. iv. The Indian contingent of 200 personnel is primarily composed of troops from infantry and affiliated arms and services along with the Indian Air Force. v. Ten representatives from Uzbekistan will serve as observers. Indian Navy’s Biggest Ship, INS Vikramaditya will get an upgrade for Its Air Wing by Russian company On August 24, 2018, India’s only aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya will be upgraded and fitted with a marine hydraulic system to boost the air operations of the ship for the first time. i. This will be done by Technodinamika, a subsidiary of Russia’s Rostec State Corporation by May 2019. ii. Hydraulics technology uses fluid pressure to power machines and the systems to be installed are named “GS-1MF” and “GS-3”. iii. They will be used for refuelling, cleaning and pressurisation of hydraulic systems of aircraft and helicopters on board the INS Vikramaditya. iv. More specifically, the GS-1MF hydraulic system is used in helicopters, while GS-3 is used in aircraft. About Vikramaditya: ♦ It is currently the most powerful aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. ♦ The $2.3 billion aircraft carrier came to India from Russia in January 2014. INS Vikramaditya, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in November 2013 at the Sevmash shipyard in north Russia’s Severodvinsk. ♦ It’s based at its home port at Karwar in Karnataka. ♦ It is is 284 metres long and 60 metres high and weighs 40,000 tonnes and is the biggest and heaviest ship in the Indian Navy. The air wing consists of 30 MiG 29K fighter jets and six Kamov helicopters. ‘Speedex’ Contract launched by IAF for speedy delivery of consignments On August 25, 2018, Air Marshal RKS Shera, Air Officer-in-charge Maintenance, IAF formally launched The Stores, Proactive, Efficient and Expeditious Despatch of Extra Size/ Wt Consignment (SPEEDEX) contract. i.Objective is to reduce the time taken for transportation of items and ensure early availability of stores to the field units ii. This contract was concluded on 28 Jun 18 with M/s Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd and M/s Ashok Travel and Tours for the Air & Surface component respectively. iii. The theme of the contract is : ‘lift, shift and move’ , that on all principles of Military Logistics. iv. According to the contract, movement of operationally urgent stores will be done by air and normal consignments by surface mode. v. This would include door to door pickup and delivery facility with fixed timelines, lesser than Speed Post. DAC clears procurement proposal worth over Rs 46,000 cr for services for Indian Army and Navy On August 27, 2018, Defence Acquisition Council, DAC chaired by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved approximately 46,000 crore rupees for procurement of services. i. These include: Procurement of 111 Utility Helicopters for the Indian Navy at a cost of over 21,000 crore rupees and Other proposals amounting to around 25 thousand crore rupees.

ii. 111 Utility Helicopters is the first project under the Defence Ministry’s Strategic Partnership (SP) Model that would boost ‘Make in India’ programme. iii. Among the other proposals (worth 25,000 crore) are : 150 Indigenously Designed and Developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems for the Indian

Army at a cost of around 3,365 core rupees.155 mm Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems for the Indian Army These have been developed by DRDO.




24 Sikorsky MH-60 Romeo maritime multi-role helicopters to enhance the capability of Navy at sea, 14 Vertically Launched Short Range Missile Systems to boost self-defence capability of ships against

Anti-Ship Missiles. Out of them, 10 systems will be indigenously developed. ♦ Chief of Army Staff: General Bipin Rawat. ♦ Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Sunil Lanba. ♦ Chief of Air Staff: Air Chief Marshall Birender Singh Dhanoa. Indian Naval ship Sahyadri to participate in 14th exercise KAKADU 2018 in Darwin, Australia On August 30, 2018, after participating in the MALABAR 18 at Guam and RIMPAC 18 at Hawaii, INS Sahyadri entered the Port of Darwin, Australia on 29 Aug 18 to participate in Exercise KAKADU 2018. i. It is the 14th edition of the exercise and will be conducted from 29 Aug – 15 Sep 18. ii. 23 warships, one submarine, 45 aircraft, 250 marines and approx 52 foreign staff from over 25 different countries would participate in it. iii. From the Indian side INS Sahyadri is taking part under the captainship of Captain Shantanu Jha. About Exercise KAKADU: i. It first started in 1993. ii. It is a multilateral regional maritime engagement exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and supported by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). iii. It is a biennial event held at Darwin and the Northern Australian Exercise Areas (NAXA). iv. It derives its name from Kakadu National Park. Fateh Mobin: Iran’s next generation short-range ballistic missile On 13th August 2018, Iran has successfully test fired and unveiled the latest generation of its Fateh ballistic missile named Fateh Mobin or Bright Conqueror. i. It is a short-range ballistic missile. It has a range between 300-500 kilometers. ii. It is capable of striking targets on land and sea. It has been indigenously designed. It is an agile, radar-evading and tactical missile with pinpoint accuracy. India successfully tests indigenously Anti-Tank Guided Missile ‘HELINA’ and Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) On 19th August 2018, India successfully flight tested the indigenously developed helicopter launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile(ATGM) ‘HELINA’ from Army helicopter in Pokhran, Rajasthan. i. HeliNA (Helicopter-launched Nag) is helicopter launched version known of NAG ATGM. ii. HELINA is an indigenously designed and developed long-range precision-guided anti-airfield bomb. iii. It was tested for its full range. It was released smoothly from the launch platform. The missile tracked the target and hit it with high precision. HeliNa with a range of 7–8 km iv. The missile is guided by an Infrared Imaging Seeker (IIR) operating in the Lock on Before Launch mode. This is one of the most advanced Anti-Tank Weapons in the world. Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW): i. On 19th August 2018, the indigenously designed and developed guided bombs Smart Anti Airfield Weapon (SAAW) was also successfully flight tested from IAF (Indian Air Force) aircraft at Chandan range in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. ii. The weapon system was integrated with the live warhead. It has destroyed the targets with high precision. iii. SAAW can destroy various ground targets through precision navigation. All the mission objectives have been met in the tests.

ENVIRONMENT World’s oldest cheese discovered from Egyptian Tomb World’s oldest cheese has been discovered inside an Egyptian tomb. i. The world’s oldest cheese was found in the tomb of Ptahmes, mayor of Memphis in Egypt during the 13th century BC. His tomb was first unearthed in 1885. ii. It was lost under drifting sand, and was rediscovered in 2010. Archeologists found a jar with a solidified whitish mass inside the tomb. iii. After liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, researches identified it as cheese. This cheese is nearly




3,200 years old. iv. An analysis regarding this has been published in the journal Analytical Chemistry. The Oldest, Thickest Arctic Sea Ice Is Breaking For the First Time on Record Some of the oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic Sea has broken down for the first time in recorded history. i. The ice has broken twice in 2018. This has opened waters north of Greenland that are usually frozen even in summer. ii. This has happened partially due to the result of heat waves caused by climate change and warm winds. This could threaten the survival of Arctic seals and polar bears. iii. As per satellite images of NASA Worldview, the ice has become brittle and mobile. It is retreating back from the Northern coast of Greenland, due to the winds in February and early August 2018. iv. As per Norwegian Ice Service data, ice cover in the Arctic is 40 % below the average for this time of the year. v. The melted portion will freeze again. But it will take longer than usual. In March 2018, the extent of the sea ice was the second-lowest on record for winter. vi. As per NASA data, September Arctic sea ice, which is usually its lowest, is reducing at a rate of 13.2 % per decade. Three unknown ancient primates: Ekwiiyemakius walshi, Gunnelltarsius randalli and Brontomomys cerutti identified Scientists from United States have identified 3 new species of ancient primates that were earlier unknown, and have named them: Ekwiiyemakius walshi, Gunnelltarsius randalli and Brontomomys cerutti. i. Primates is a group comprising species related to the lemurs, monkeys, apes, humans etc. They lived 42 to 46 million years ago. ii. The new species were residents of San Diego County in the U.S. They are related to a group of extinct species comprising the primate subfamily Omomyinae. iii. Ekwiiyemakius walshi: weighs between 113 and 125 grams. It is the smallest of the 3 new species. iv. Gunnelltarsius randalli: weighs between 275 and 303 grams. v. Brontomomys cerutti: weighs between 719 and 796 grams.

SPORTS Lewis Hamilton wins 6th Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix On 29th July 2018, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes won the Hungarian Grand Prix for the 6th time, at the Hungaroring circuit, in Hungary. i. This is the 67th career victory for Lewis Hamilton. Daniel Ricciardo was named Driver of the Day by Formula One for finishing at fourth position after starting from the 12th position. ii. Results of the 6th Hungarian Formula 1 Grand Prix:

Position Driver Team Country 1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes United Kingdom 2 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Germany 3 Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari Finland 4 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Australia 5 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes Finland

iii. Formula One’s next race is the Belgian Grand Prix. It will be held on 26th August 2018. World Junior Squash Championships 2018 held in Chennai, India From 18th to 29th July 2018, World Junior Squash Championships 2018 was held in Chennai, India. i. A total of 171 players including 116 men and 55 women from 28 countries took part in the World Junior Squash Championship. Cyrus Poncha was the tournament director. ii. The individual event for men and women was held from 18th July to 23rd July 2018. The biennial team championship for men was held from 24th July to 29th July 2018. iii. The individuals event for men and women are held every year since 2009. The team event is biennial.

Event Winner Runner-up Men’s Individual Mostafa Asal (Egypt) Marwan Tarek (Egypt) Women’s Individual Rowan Elaraby (Egypt) Hania El Hammamy(Egypt)




Men’s Team Egypt England iv. Egypt national junior squash team defeated England 2-0 in the final and emerged as the 2018 World Junior Squash Champions. India finished in 11th position. About World Squash Federation (WSF): ♦ President – Jacques Fontaine ♦ Founded – 1967. Gaganjeet Bhullar wins his first European Tour title at Fiji International (Golf) On 5th August 2018, India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar won his first European Tour title at the Fiji International, at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course, in Fiji. i. Gaganjeet Bhullar won the title at the Fiji International with a six-under 66 for a four-day total of 14-under 274. ii. Australia’s Anthony Quayle finished in the second position. South Africa’s Ernie Els finished at tied third with Australia’s Ben Campbell. Another Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu finished at tied 43rd position. iii. This is Gaganjeet Bhullar’s 10th overall title. Now he has become the most successful Indian golf player on Asian Tour. iv. He is the first Indian to win on Australasia Tour. He is also the fifth Indian to win on European Tour following Atwal, Jeev Milkha Singh, SSP Chawrasia and Anirban Lahiri. BWF World Championships 2018 From 30th July to 5th August 2018, BWF World Championships 2018 also known as TOTAL BWF World Championships 2018 was held at Nanjing Youth Olympic Games Sports Park in Nanjing, China. Mascot: was named “Yu Bao”. Its head resembled a badminton shuttlecock and the figure was holding a rocket in hand. Emblem: was a personified shuttlecock. It featured Nanjing’s “City Wall” on its headband. Motto: Sports of Inspiration, City of sensation. This was the 24th edition of BWF World Championships. 359 athletes from various countries participated and 251 games were conducted. Highlights: India’s PV Sindhu won silver medal in Women’s Singles event. Spain’s Carolina Marin defeated PV

Sindhu 21-19, 21-10 in the women’s singles finals and won the gold medal. This is Carolina Marin’s third World Championship title. Earlier, PV Sindhu had won three medals

consisting of two bronze and one silver at the world level. Kento Momota became the first Japanese man to win badminton singles world title.

Winners of the BWF World Championships 2018: Event Gold medal Silver medal Men’s Singles Kento Momota (Japan) Shi Yuqi (China) Women’s Singles Carolina Marin (Spain) P V Sindhu (India) Men’s Doubles Li Junhui (China), Liu Yuchen

(China) Takeshi Kamura (Japan), Keigo Sonoda (Japan)

Women’s Singles Mayu Matsumoto (Japan), Wakana Nagahara (Japan)

Yuki Fukushima (Japan), Sayaka Hirota (Japan)

Mixed Doubles Zheng Siwei (China), Huang Yaqiong (China)

Wang Yilü (China), Huang Dongping (China)

Indian Team Performance: Saina Nehwal became the first woman to reach the quarter-finals of BWF World Championships for 8

consecutive times. Saina Nehwal was defeated by Spain’s Carolina Marin 21-6, 21-11 in the quarter-finals. S Verma and Prannoy K were ousted in the second round of men’s singles. B. S Praneeth reached till the quarter finals and Kidambi Srikanth was ousted in the third round of

men’s singles. M Attri and B. R Reddy pair and S Rankireddy and C Shetty pair were ousted in the second round of

men’s doubles. Arjun M.R. and R Shlok pair and T Kona and S Sharma pair were knocked out in the first round of men’s

doubles. S Ghorpade & P Sawant, M Jakkampudi & P S. Ram, K Garg & N B Hazarika pairs were knocked out in the

first round of the women’s doubles.




Ashwini Ponnappa and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy lost 17-21 10-21 to Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong of China in quarter finals of Mixed doubles.

P Chopra & N. S Reddy, S Sharma & A Parikh, R Kapoor & K Garg pairs were knocked out in the second round of mixed doubles.

Medal Statistics: China topped the medals tally with 8 medals (2 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze). It was followed by Japan in

second position with 6 medals (2 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze). Spain came third with 1 gold medal and India secured fourth position with 1 silver medal.

About BWF (Badminton World Federation): ♦ President – Poul-Erik Høyer ♦ Headquarters – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Asian Nations Cup Chess Tournament 2018 On July 28th to August 3, 2018, the biennial Asian Nations Cup Chess Tournament was held in Hamadan, Iran. It was organized by Iran Chess Federation on behalf of Asian Chess Federation. Highlights: i. India won 5 medals: 1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze. ii. India ranked 2nd in the overall ranking. iii. The winning team of Gold consisted of : Grand Master Harika Dronavalli , International Master Eesha Karavade, International Master Padmini Rout and Women’s International Masters (WIMs) Vaishali R, Aakanksha Hagawane. iv. The hosts made it compulsory for all the women participants to wear a headscarf. Blitz event: i. India’s women’s team won in this category and clinched the gold medal against Vietnam. ii. India in blitz women event, pipped Vietnam for top spot. China came third with 17.5. iii. Men’s team in the Blitz event had to settle for the fourth position. Rapid Event: i. The women’s team also bagged a silver in the rapid event and returned ii. China won the gold medal and Iran Green ranked third. iii. Iran Green were placed third because they had less number of wins compared to India. iv. The men’s team won the third rank after Iran Green (1st) and China (2nd). Classical/Standard Event: i. India’s women’s team won a bronze in the classical category with 17.5 points. ii. China bagged the gold and Vietnam got silver as it had more number of wins than India. iii. Indian Men’s team ranked second with a silver after Iran Green(1st) followed by China (3rd). Final Standing:

Rank Country 1 Iran Green 2 India 3 China 4 Kazakhstan 5 Iran Red

Women’s Hockey World Cup 2018: Netherlands crowned world champions for record 8th time From 21st July to 5th August 2018, Women’s Hockey World Cup 2018 was held in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London. i. Defending champions the Netherlands defeated Ireland 6-0 in the finals and won the Women’s Hockey World Cup 2018 title. ii. The Netherlands have emerged as the world champions in Women’s hockey for a record 8th time. They have extended their unbeaten performance in all competitions to 32 matches. iii. Kitty van Male, one among the 6 different goal scorers emerged as the top scorer of the tournament with 8 goals. iv. Spain won the third place match by defeating Australia 3-1 and won their first World Cup medal. India finished the tournament at 8th position. About Hockey India: ♦ President – Rajinder Singh ♦ Headquarters – New Delhi.




Rafael Nadal maintains 1st spot in ATP rankings Rafael Nadal maintained his top position in the men’s Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) world singles rankings released on 6th August 2018. FIH rankings: Indian men’s hockey team jumps one spot to 5th Indian men’s hockey team has improved one rank and has reached the 5th spot in the latest FIH rankings chart released on 7th August 2018. Indian men’s hockey team – 5th spot in FIH rankings: i. Men’s FIH rankings released on 7th August 2018:

Rank Country Points 1 Australia 1906 2 Argentina 1883 3 Belgium 1709 4 Netherlands 1654 5 India 1484

ii. Germany, England, Spain, New Zealand and Ireland are the other teams in the top 10. iii. Malaysia is the second best Asian team at 12th position. It is followed by Pakistan and Korea. iv. In the women’s rankings, the Indian team improved one spot to and reached 9th position. v. The Indian women’s team is ranked the highest in Asia. It is followed by Korea (10th), China (11th) and Japan (14th). vi. Netherlands remained in the top position of women’s FIH rankings. It is followed by England, Australia, Argentina and Germany. The Irish team, which reached the final of the World Cup, improved eight places and reached the 8th spot. About FIH (Fédération Internationale de Hockey or International Hockey Federation): ♦ President – Narinder Dhruv Batra ♦ Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland. Germany’s Mario Gomez retired from international football On August 7, 2018, Veteran German striker Mario Gomez announced his retirement from international football . i. The 33-year-old made his debut for Germany in 2007. ii. He scored 31 goals in 78 international appearances. iii. He also represented his country at the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and 2018 and the Euro Cup in 2008 and 2012. Washington Open (tennis) 2018 From 28th July to 5th August 2018, Washington Open (tennis) 2018 or Citi Open 2018 was held at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center in Washington DC, United States. i. Washington Open (tennis) is an annual hard court tennis tournament. This is the 50th edition of the tournament. Winners of Washington Open (tennis):

Event Winner Runner-up Men’s Singles Alexander Zverev (Germany) Alex de Minaur (Australia) Women’s Singles

Svetlana Kuznetsova (Russia) Donna Vekić (Croatia)

Men’s Singles Jamie Murray (United Kingdom), Bruno Soares (Brazil)

Mike Bryan (United States), Édouard Roger-Vasselin (France)

Women’s Doubles

Han Xinyun (China), Darija Jurak (Croatia)

Alexa Guarachi (Chile), Erin Routliffe (New Zealand)

Highlights: i. Alexander Zverev who is in world number 3 position won his 3rd ATP title as he won the Washington Open Men’s Singles title. ii. Jamie Murray (United Kingdom) and Bruno Soares (Brazil) have won their 8th title since they joined hands in 2016, as they won the men’s doubles title of Washington Open. iii. Svetlana Kuznetsova, a two time Grand Slam champion won her 18th career WTA title by winning the Women’s singles title of Washington Open. About Washington Open: ♦ Type – a combined tournament of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour of 500 points




and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) International Level Tournament ♦ Started – 1969 Tokyo 2020: First Olympics to deploy facial recognition technology to increase security. On August 8, 2018, it was announced that the Tokyo 2020 will be the first Olympics to deploy facial recognition technology to increase security. i. The Olympic organizers have partnered with NEC, a Japanese telecommunications and information technology firm, to develop the first system of this kind. ii. It will use IC chips within identification cards to automatically verify the identity of those entering over 40 venues. iii. It is the fastest system where the technology takes only 0.3 seconds to match up face with pre-registered photo. iv. This was 2.5 times faster than using barcodes and visual checks. v. More than 300,000 athletes and Games staff will submit photographs to a database before the Olympics start in July 2020. vi. It was first reportedly tested during the Rio 2016 Olympics. Tokyo Olympics 2020: ♦ No. Of Events: 33 sports. ♦ Venue: Tokyo, Japan. ♦ Date: 24th July 2020. Saina Nehwal out of top 10, Kidambi Srikanth at 8th spot in BWF ranking India’s Saina Nehwal has come out of the top 10 and Kidambi Srikanth has come down to 8th place in BWF ranking, as per the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released on 9th August 2018. i. Following poor performance at the badminton World Championship, the ranks of Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth have dropped. ii. Saina Nehwal has been ranked world number 11 currently, in women’s singles rankings. Kidambi Srikanth has gone down two places and has reached 8th position in men’s singles rankings. iii. PV Sindhu remains at world number 3 in women’s singles rankings. iv. Women’s singles ranking toppers: Rank 1 – Tai Tzu Ying Rank 2 – Akane Yamaguchi v.Men’s singles ranking toppers: Rank 1 – Viktor Axelsen Rank 2 – Shi Yuqi vi. Current men’s singles world champion Kento Momota improved three places and reached 4th rank. vii. India’s, HS Prannoy remains at number 11 in the men’s singles rankings.B Sai Praneethimproved two places to the 24th place, while Sameer Verma dropped two places to world no 21st. viii. There is no Indian pair in the top 20 of the women’s doubles rankings. India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty improved two positions and secured 23rd place in the men’s doubles rankings. ix. In the mixed doubles pairs, India’s Pranaav Jerry Chopra and N Sikki Reddy have moved down to 24th place. Ashwini Ponnappa and Satwik have improved 12 places and reached 28 position. COTIF Cup(under-20):Argentina Won the Tournament by defeating Russia On August 8,Argentina’s U-20 football team won Torneo Internacional de Fútbol Sub-20 de L’Alcúdia (L’Alcúdia International Under-20 Football Tournament),also known as COTIF Tournament,held at Valencia, Spain by defeating Russian team in the Extra Time by 2-1 goals. Indian Team Performance: i. India was playing for the first time in the tournament.Floyd Pinto was the coach of the Under 20 team appointed by AIFF(All India Football Federation). ii. Indian team won over Argentina in the final group stage match,which held on August 5th, 2018 by 2-1 & Created History by defeating the 6 time Champion. iii. Deepak Tangri’s goal in the fourth-minute at the start of the game was the first goal from India. iv. Anwar Ali scored the second goal in free kick which lead India to win the match. About COTIF: The first COTIF Cup was held in 1984 in Valencia, Spain.




ITF men’s Futures tennis tournament in Indonesia From 6th August to 12th August 2018, ITF men’s Futures tennis tournament was held in Indonesia. i. The tournament was played on Hard – Outdoor. Prize money for the tournament was USD $25,000. ii.Winners:

Event Winner Runner Men’s Singles Niki Kaliyanda

Poonacha (IND) Michael Look (AUS)

Men’s Doubles Justin Barki (INA) / Christopher Rungkat (INA)

Francis Casey Alcantara (PHI) / Kaito Uesugi (JPN)

Highlights: i. India’s Niki Poonacha beat Australia’s Michael Look 6-3, 6-1 in the final and won the men’s singles title of ITF men’s Futures tennis tournament in Indonesia. ii. This was his first singles title. He is 23 years old. His rank is 1111. He has won 3 doubles titles including one with Davis Cup winner Ramkumar Ramanathan. About ITF (International Tennis Federation): ♦ President – David Haggerty ♦ Headquarters – London Lionel Messi assumes Barcelona captaincy On 10th August 2018, Lionel Messi was made the captain of Barcelona football team. i. Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique will be his lieutenants. Lionel Messi will lead the team in the Spanish SuperCup. ii. Lionel Messi has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award five times. James Anderson becomes 1st bowler to take 100 wickets at Lord’s On 12th August 2018, English cricketer James Anderson became the first player to take 100 wickets at Lord’s. i. James Anderson achieved this feat during the fourth day of the second Test against India. ii. He took the wicket of Murali Vijay in the second over of India’s second innings to achieve this feat. Also, this was his 550th Test wicket. iii. Overall, James Anderson is the second bowler to take 100 wickets at a single venue after Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan, who has taken more than 100 wickets at 3 separate venues in Test matches. 2018 Vietnam Open (badminton) From 7th to 12th August 2018, the 2018 Vietnam Open officially known as YONEX-SUNRISE Vietnam Open 2018, was held at Nguyen Du Cultural Sports Club in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. i. The tournament was organized by Hochiminh City Badminton Association. Total prize money of the event was $75,000. ii. This was the 6th Super 100 tournament of the 2018 BWF World Tour. It is also part of the Vietnam Open championships initiated in 1996. Winners of 2018 Vietnam Open:

Event Winner Runner-Up Men’s Singles Shesar Hiren Rhustavito

(Indonesia) Ajay Jayaram (India)

Women’s Singles

Yeo Jia Min (Singapore) Han Yue (China)

Men’s Doubles Ko Sung-hyun, Shin Baek-cheol (South Korea)

Lee Sheng-mu, Yang Po-hsuan (Chinese Taipei)

Women’s Doubles

Misato Aratama, Akane Watanabe (Japan)

Nami Matsuyama,Chiharu Shida (Japan)

Mixed Doubles Nipitphon Phuangphuapet, Savitree Amitrapai (Thailand)

Alfian Eko Prasetya, Marsheilla Gischa Islami (Indonesia)

Highlights: i. Indian shuttler Ajay Jayaram lost to Indonesia’s Shesar Hiren Rhustavito 14-21,10-21 in the finals of the Men’s Singles event and emerged as runner-up. ii. It was the second consecutive runner-up finish for Ajay Jayaram following his performance at the White




Nights International Challenge, in July 2017. iii. Indonesia’s Shesar Hiren Rhustavito, had won four consecutive Indonesia International tournament. He also defeated another Indian, Mithun Manjunath 21-17 19-21 21-14 in the semifinals of men’s singles. Indian Participation: i. K Jindal was ousted in the third round of the men’s singles event. S Verma reached till second round of men’s singles. ii. S Jaiswal, A Yeligar, S Pratap Singh, K Gulshan Kumar and B Joshi were ousted in the first round of men’s singles. iii. R Raje, M Agrey and V Choudhari were ousted in the first round of women’s singles. R Das reached till quarter finals of women’s singles. iv. M Jakkampudi and P S. Ram pair were knocked out of the first round of women’s doubles event. v. D Kapila & M Jakkampudi pair and S Sharma & P S. Ram pair were ousted in the first round of the mixed doubles event. About Badminton Association of India: ♦ President – Himanta Biswa Sarma ♦ Headquarters – New Delhi. TNPL 2018 Final: Madurai Panthers win first title with dominant win over Dindigul Dragons On 12th August 2018, Madurai Panthers won their first Tamil Nadu Premier League 2018 title, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. i. Madurai Panthers beat Dindigul Dragons by seven wickets in the final and won the 2018 Tamil Nadu Premier League title. ii. Madurai Panthers’ Arun Karthik scored his sixth fifty of this season and remained the highest run scorer in the tournament. iii Dindigul Dragons scored 117 runs and all out in 19.5 overs. They lost to Madurai Panthers 119/3 in 17.1 overs by seven wickets. About TNPL 2018: ♦ Edition – 3rd ♦ Sponsor – Sankar Cement ♦ Teams – 8 ♦ Matches – 32 ♦ Dates – July 11 – August 12, 2018 ♦ Venues – Tirunelveli, Dindigul and Chennai India improve to world no 96 in FIFA rankings On 16th August 2018, Indian football team improved a rank and secured 96th position in the latest FIFA world rankings. i. Indian football team was ranked 97th in the previous week. In the latest FIFA rankings, they share the 96th position with Georgia. ii. India’s improvement in the ranking is seen after the introduction of a new ranking system called ELO by FIFA. iii. As per ELO, points will be added or subtracted to a national team’s already existing total before a match. iv. Top five positions in the latest FIFA rankings:

Rank Country 1 France 2 Belgium 3 Brazil 4 Croatia 5 Uruguay

v. Currently, the Indian football team is coached by Stephen Constantine. Emirates Cricket Board to host 2018 Asia Cup: BCCI On August 17, 2018, BCCI officially handed over its hosting rights to the Emirates Cricket Board for the upcoming Asia Cup 2018. i. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Emirates Cricket Board signed an agreement for this purpose. ii. It was signed between:




Amitabh Chaudharyand CEO Rahul Johri from BCCI’s side and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board.

iii. This decision was taken by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). About Asian Cup: i. This tournament would be held from September 15 to 28 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. ii. Countries participating in the event are :Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka .They will be joined by a sixth team — the winner of the Asian Cricket Council qualifier event. iii. The major attraction of this tournament is two assured Indo-Pakistan clashes. Asian Cricket Council (ACC). ♦ Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ♦ Founded: 1983. ♦ Member Countries: 25 . India’s Esow Alben wins silver at 2018 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships Indian cyclist Esow Alben has won India’s first medal (a silver medal) at the 2018 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland. i. In the Men’s Keirin event, Czech Republic’s Jakub Stastny won gold medal. Esow Alben finished 0.017 seconds behind him and won silver medal. Kazakhstan’s Andrey Chugay won the bronze medal. ii. Esow Alben also participated in the men’s team sprint event with Mayur Pawar and James Keithellakpam Singh. But the team did not qualify for the finals. iii. Esow Alben is 17 years old. He hails from Andaman and Nicobar islands. He trains at the Sports Authority of India’s National Cycling Academy in Delhi. iv.He became the world no 1 in junior sprint category after his performance in the Asian Championships and 2018 Cottbuser Sprint Cup 2, GP Brno Track Cycling competitions. About 2018 UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) Junior Track Cycling World Championships: ♦ Dates – 15th to 19th August 2018 ♦ Location – Aigle, Switzerland ♦ Participating countries – 44. Cincinnati Masters 2018 or Western & Southern Open 2018 Cincinnati Masters also called Western & Southern Open for the year 2018 took place at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, a northern suburb of Cincinnati, in the United States.It was 117th men’s edition and the 90th women’s edition played in an outdoor hard courts from August 13 – 19 2018. It was also a Masters 1000 tournament on the 2018 ATP World Tour and a WTA Premier 5 tournament on the 2018 WTA Tour. Highlights of the tournament:- i. Novak Djokovic won men’s Cincinnati masters 2018 title Novak Djokovic of serbia clinched his first Cincinnati Open with a 6-4, 6-4 win over seven-time

winner Roger Federer of Switzerland in the final. He became the first man to win all nine title of the ATP’s Masters 1000 events in the elite series. Roger Federer has lost his final in the hardcourt US Open for the first time.

ii. Kiki Bertens of the Netherland won women’s Cincinnati WTA 2018 title Kiki Bertens, ranked 17th in the world, beat US Open champion Sloane Stephens of Romania 2-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 in the women’s final of the combined WTA and ATP hard court tournament. This is

her second career win over Hale six years after beating her for the first time. She became the first Dutch player to reach the singles final and became the first unseeded player to win

in Cincinnati since Vera Zvonareva in 2006. iii. Mens Doubles Won by Brazil’s Bruno Soares and United Kingdom’s Jamie Murray Murray and Soaresbeat Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 4-6 6-3 10-6 in the final.It

was their first ATP Masters 1,000 title. They have won nine titles since they joined forces in 2016, including the Australian Open and US Open.

iv. Womens Doubles Won by Czech Republic’s Lucie Hradecka and Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova No.7 seeds Lucie Hradecka and Ekaterina Makarova won the first title of the tournament by beating No.6 seeds Elise Mertens and Demi Schuurs in the final. List of Title Winners of Western & Southern Open 2018

Name of the title Winner Runner Men’s single Novak Djokovic of serbia Swizerland’s Roger Federer Women’s single Kiki Bertens of Romania’s Simona Halep




Netherland Men’s Doubles Brazil’s Bruno Soares

and United Kingdom’s Jamie Murray

Colombia’s Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah

Women’s Doubles Czech Republic’s Lucie Hradecka and Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova

Belgium’s Elise Mertens and Netherland’s Demi Schuurs

Rishabh Pant becomes fourth Indian wicket-keeper to take five catches on Test debut On 19th August 2018, Rishabh Pant became the 4th Indian wicket-keeper to take 5 catches on Test debut during the second day of the third cricket Test against England, in Nottingham, England. i. Other Indians who had achieved this feat of taking 5 catches on Test debuts: Naren Tamhane, Kiran More and Naman Ojha. ii. Rishabh Pant achieved this feat by taking the catches of Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid in England’s first innings. iii. Rishabh Pant is also the first Asian wicket-keeper to take 5 catches in an innings on Test debut. iv. He has also become the 1st Indian to open his account in Test cricket with a six. Also, he is the 12th batsman in the world to start his account in Test cricket with a six. Odisha is to host 2018 Men’s Hockey World Cup for the First Time Odisha for the First time is Organizing the 2018 Men’s Hockey World Cup,which will be the 14th edition of the Hockey World Cup field hockey tournament.It is scheduled to be held from 28 November to 16 December 2018, at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, India. i. 16 Teams are to be participated in the Tournament. ii. The Hague in Netherland hosted the Previous tournament in the year 2014,in which Australia won the title which is their third title and the Netherland became the Runner Up.Only 12 Teams Participated in the Tournament. iii. Ahead of this tournament Odisha government has decided to launch a build-up campaign in 17 cities from August 29. The campaign will be organised in Rourkela, Mumbai, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar and other important cities and hockey states. iv. Earlier, a nation-wide publicity campaign, ‘Heartbeats for Hockey’, was launched to showcase Bhubaneswar as a sporting venue and Odisha as a tourist destination.Advertisements were put up on buses in London with the tagline of ‘Odisha by Morning, Hockey by Evening’. Kho-Kho gets recognition from Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has given recognition to Kho-Kho, India’s indigenous sport. i. This was announced at the General Assembly of the OCA on 19th August 2018. ii. Kho-Kho will be included as a demonstration sport in the Asian Indoor Games. Also, it has the possibility to be included as a discipline in the next Asian Games. iii. Rajeev Mehta is the Secretary General of Indian Olympic Association (IOA). He is also the president of Asian Kho-Kho Federation. About Olympic Council of Asia (OCA): ♦ President – Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah ♦ Headquarters – Kuwait FIFA takes control of Uruguayan football association (AUF) FIFA (International Federation of Association Football) has taken temporary control over the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) due to governance issues. i. AUF’s president Wilmar Valdez resigned from his position in July 2018, just before a day he was to stand for re-election. The election was put on hold. ii. FIFA will look over a transparent election for a new president for AUF. A normalization committee will be formed to run AUF till 28th February 2019. iii. Uruguay campaigns with Argentina and Paraguay to host the 2030 Football World Cup. Veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami retires from T20Is Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami has announced her retirement from Twenty-20 Internationals (T20Is). She will only play ODIs hereafter.




i. Jhulan Goswami is 35 years old. She represented India in 68 T20Is and has taken 56 wickets at an economy rate of 5.45. ii. She played her first T20I in August 2006. She has played 10 Tests and 169 ODIs so far. iii. At present, she is the leading wicket-taker in the women’s ODI format. She is also the first woman cricketer to take 200 ODI wickets. Japan wins its first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup title in France (Football) On 24th August 2018, Japan won its first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup title at the La Rabine Stadium in Vannes, France. i. Japan defeated Spain 3-1 in the final and won its first FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. ii. England defeated France 4-2 and finished in the third position. North Korea to host 2019 Asian youth weightlifting championships from Oct 27, 2019 On August 27, 2018, North Korea announced that it would be the host for the 2019 Asian Youth and Junior Weightlifting Championships that will commence from October 27, 2019. i. The Asian Weightlifting Federation and North Korea’s Sports Minister Kim Il Guk signed an agreement for the championship to be held in capital Pyongyang. ii. Earlier in September 2013, the Asian Cup and Interclub Junior and Senior Weightlifting Championship was held in North Korea. Background: After the UN Security Council barring North Korea over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, it lost the right to hold the 2018 Junior World Weightlifting Championships.The Youth Junior World Judo Championships were also pulled off. Pakistan’s Mohammed Irfan bowls 23 Dot Balls, sets record for Most Economical Spell in T20 history On August 27, 2018, Pakistani fast bowler Mohammad Irfan set the world record for the most economical four-over bowling figures in the history of T20 cricket. i. This feat was achieved while playing for Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League 2018. ii. He bowled 23 dot balls in a row, picking two wickets in the process. iii. This record was previously shared by South Africa’s Chris Morris and Sri Lanka’s Chanaka Welegedara Sebastian Vettel Won Belgian Grand Prix 2018 On 26th August 2018, Sebastian Vettel won the Belgian Grand Prix 2018 at Spa-Francorchamps Track in Belgium. i. Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel beat Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton who tops the driver standings by a 17-point lead, and secured the first position. ii. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton finished in the second position. He was followed by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the third position. Manu Ginobili, four-time NBA champion with San Antonio Spurs, retires at 41 (basketball) On 27th 2018, Manu Ginobili, Argentine basketball player, announced his retirement from basketball. i. Manu Ginobili is 41 years old.Ginobili helped the Spurs win NBA titles in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.He also was a gold medalist with Argentina in 2004 and won EuroLeague Finals most valuable player honors in 2001. ii. He has played in 23 seasons in his professional career. He was a two-time All-Star and was the league’s Sixth Man of the Year for the 2007-08 season. About NBA (National Basketball Association): Type – men’s professional basketball league in North America Headquarters – New York City. Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy and Chelsea defender Gary Cahill Retires from England international Football Team On 28th August 2018, Jamie Vardy and Gary Cahill announced their retirement from England international Football Team. i. Jamie Vardy and Gary Cahill said that, they will still be available for the team in emergency situations. ii. Jamie Vardy is a striker with Leicester City team. He is 31 years old. He entered international football in 2015. He had scored 7 goals in 26 appearances for England. iii. Gary Cahill is a defender in the Chelsea team. He is 32 years old. He made his international debut in 2010.




Virat Kohli becomes second-fastest Indian to score 6000 Test runs On 31st August 2018, Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli became the second-fastest Indian to score 6,000 runs in Test cricket. i. Virat Kohli has achieved this feat in his 119th Test. The fastest Indian to reach the 6,000-run mark was Sunil Gavaskar, who made it in 117 innings. ii. Virat Kohli has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar (120 innings), Virender Sehwag (121 innings) and Rahul Dravid (125 innings). Asian Games 2018: Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event.It will be conducted every four years from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation (AGF) from the 1951 Asian Games, officially known as the First Asian Game in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. i.The Games are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games. ii.Forty-six nations have participated in the Games, including Israel, which was excluded from the Games after their last participation in 1974. 2022:- 19th Asian Games is scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China. 2014 :-Asian Games has conducted in Incheon,South Korea.

iii.Neeraj was the flag Bearer in the Opening Ceremony and Indian women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal was India’s flag-bearer for the closing ceremony. iv.India ranked 8th in 2014 Asian Games. India bagged 57 medals including 11 Gold, 10 Silver and 36 Bronze in 2014 Asian Games. v.On 2nd September 2018, Asian Games 2018 concluded. India achieved its highest ever medal tally at the Asian Games. vi.India won a total of 69 medals which comprises: 15 gold, 24 silver and 30 bronze medals. China finished on top of the medal tally with 289 medals. vii.India has surpassed its previous highest tally of 65 medals achieved at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China. Also, India has matched the gold medal tally from the first-ever Asian Games in 1951. Medal tally of top 5 countries in Asian Games 2018:

Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total 1 China 132 92 65 289 2 Japan 75 56 74 205 3 South Korea 49 58 70 177 4 Indonesia 31 24 43 98 5 Uzbekistan 21 24 25 70

Click here to read the entire medal tally of Asain Games 2018.

OBITUARY Library scientist Prof Krishna Shripadrao Deshpande passed away at 95 On August 4,2018, eminent library scientist Krishna Shripadrao Deshpande passed away at his residence in Malamaddi of Dharwad, Karnataka. i. He was 95 and survived by wife, son and daughter. ii. He became the chief librarian and professor in the department of library science. iii. He had participated in the freedom movement and was the president of Gandhi Peace Foundation. iv.The state government had honoured him with the Rajyotsava award.He is also the recipient of the prestigious Kaula-Ranganath award. Veteran Congress leader Rajinder Kumar Dhawan passes away On 6th August 2018, former Congress MP, Rajinder Kumar Dhawan, passed away due to old age related ailments, at a hospital in Delhi. i. Rajinder Kumar Dhawan was 81 years old. He was personal secretary to Indira Gandhi when she was Prime Minister of India from 1962 to 1984. ii. He was elected to Rajya Sabha in 1990. He was also a member of the Congress Working Committee. iii. He was made minister of state (independent charge) Housing and Urban Development during 1995-1996.


https://www.affairscloud.com/indias-medal-tally-in-asian-games-2018/



Former The Hindu BusinessLine journalist, Mony K. Mathew, passes away On 7th August 2018, senior financial journalist Mony K. Mathew passed away following a heart attack. i. Mony K. Mathew was 66 years old. He was a senior assistant editor at The Hindu BusinessLine. ii. He had worked with The Indian Express and The Financial Express before joining The Hindu BusinessLine. iii. He served as chief of bureau and resident editor of The Financial Express, Chennai. Former Tamilnadu CM and leader of DMK Mr.M Karunanidhi Passed away On August 8, 2018, DMK chief and five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi died at the age of 94 in Chennai. i. Mr Karunanidhi became a Chief Minister in 1969,1971,1989,1996 & 2006. ii. He was popularly referred to as Kalaignaror the artist. iii.Maanavanesan was his first manuscript magazine. iv. In 1971 he created history by winning 184 Assembly constituencies. Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle Passed away On 9th August 2018, Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle died after fighting cancer in Australia.Jarrod Lyle was 36 years old. He had won the feeder Web.com tour two times. He had played 121 US PGA Tour tournaments in his career. Ex-400m world champion Nicholas Bett dies On 7th August 2018, former 400m hurdles world champion Nicholas Bett of Kenya died in a car accident.He was 28 years old. In 2015 IAAF World Championship held in Beijing, he won gold medal. He had made a Kenyan record of 47.79. In Commonwealth Games 2018 in Australia, he finished at 8th position in the 400m hurdles event. Nobel prize-winning author V S Naipaul Passed away On 11th August 2018, Indian-origin British author VS Naipaul died at his residence in London. i. V S Naipaul was 85 years old. He was born as Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul on 17th August 1932 in Trinidad. ii. He received the Booker Prize in 1971 and Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001. He received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth in 1989. iii. Some of his popular books are: A House for Mr Biswas, An Area of Darkness, India: A Million Mutinies Now, The Middle Passage and The Overcrowded Barracoon. Communist veteran Somnath Chatterjee passes away On 13th August 2018, former Speaker of the Lok Sabha and 10 time MP, Somnath Chatterjee died following multiple organ failure, in Kolkata. i. Somnath Chatterjee was 89 years old. He was a barrister by profession. ii. He was the first and the last communist leader to be elected as Speaker of the Lok Sabha. He held that position from 2004 to 2009. iii. He was central committee member of CPI(M) from 1998 to 2008. He was also the leader of CPI(M) in the Parliament from 1989 to 2004. iv.Chatterjee was given the “Outstanding Parliamentarian Award” in 1996. Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon dies On 14th August 2018, Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Dass Tandon, died following a heart attack, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. i. Balramji Dass Tandon was 90 years old. He was born on 1st November 1927. ii. In 1953, he became a Corporator in Amritsar Municipal Corporation. He was a six-time MLA. iii. He was also deputy chief minister of Punjab. He was jailed from 1975 to 1977 during Emergency. iv. He was one of the founding members of Jan Sangh, BJP’s parent organization. He became the Governor of Chhattisgarh in July 2014. Asian Games gold medallist Hakam Singh passes away On 14th August 2018, Asian Games gold medallist athlete Hakam Singh died due to liver and kidney ailments in Sangrur, Punjab. i. Hakam Singh was 64 years old. He had won gold medal in 20 km race walk event at the 1978 Asian at




Bangkok and created a new Record,He also won gold at Asian track and field championship held at Tokyo in 1979. ii. He received the Dhyan Chand Award in 2008. He ended his career as an athlete in in 1981 following a major accident. He served as Havaldar in the 6 Sikh regiment. Noted Malayalam poet and Sahitya Akademi awardee Chemmanam Chacko died at 92 On August 15, 2018, noted Malayalam poet and Sahitya Akademi awardee 92 year old Chemmanam Chacko died in Kakkanad. i. He is known for his satirical works on contemporary socio-political issues of Kerala through his poems. ii. He taught Malayalam at schools and colleges, worked at Kerala University and then the Publication Department. iii. He had won several awards, including those by the Kerala Sahitya Akademi, Sanjayan Award, Kunjan Nambiar Kavitha puraskaram, P Smaraka Puraskaram and Mahakavi Ulloor Award. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Prime Minister, passes away at 93 On 16th August 2018, former Indian Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, passed away following a long term illness, at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi. He became the president of Jan Sangh in 1968 following the death of Deendayal Upadhyaya. He was elected 10 times to the Lok Sabha from 4 different States from 1957 to 2009. He was

the Member of the Rajya Sabha twice. From 1966 to 1967 he was the Chairman of Committee on Government Assurances. From 1967 to 1970

he was Chairman of Public Accounts Committee. In 1975, he was arrested during the Emergency period declared by then Prime Minister Indira

Gandhi.Click here to read more. Former India Test captain Ajit Wadekar passes away On 15th August 2018, former Indian cricket captain Ajit Wadekar, died following a long term illness, at the Jaslok Hospital in South Mumbai. i. Ajit Wadekar was 77 years old. He was born in Mumbai. He made his international cricket debut in 1966. ii. He was India’s first ODI (One Day Internatioanl) captain. He had scored 2,113 runs in his Test career. iii. He retired from the international cricket in 1974. After retirement, he served as India’s coach/manager in 1990s when Mohammad Azharuddin was the captain. iv. He also became the chairman of selectors. He is the only cricketer apart from Lala Amarnath and Chandu Borde to have served as captain, manager, and selector in Indian cricket. v. He received the Arjuna Award in 1967 and Padmashri in 1972. US singer Aretha Franklin dies at 76 On 16th August 2018, US singer Aretha Franklin passed away after fighting pancreatic cancer at her residence in Detroit, the United States of America. i. Aretha Franklin was 76 years old. She was born in Memphis, Tennessee, US. She made her debut performance in 1961. ii. In the late 1960s, she earned the title “Queen of Soul”. Some of her hit songs are: “Respect”, “Natural Woman” and “Chain of Fools.” iii. She won the Grammy Award 18 times. She was the first female vocalist to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In 2006, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. iv. She performed at the inaugurations of three US Presidents: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. Kofi Annan, former UN secretary general, dies at 80 On 18th August 2018, former UN secretary general Kofi Annan, passed away following a short term illness, at a hospital in Bern, Switzerland. i. Kofi Annan was 80 years old. He was born on 8th April 1938 in Kumasi, Ghana. ii. He was the seventh UN secretary general and also thefirst black African secretary-general. He served two terms between 1997 and 2006. iii. He received the Nobel peace prize for his humanitarian work jointly with the UN as an organisation in 2001. iv. He was the chairperson of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders working for peace and human rights. The Elders was founded by Nelson Mandela. v. In 1962, Kofi Annan started as an administrative officer with the World Health Organization in Geneva.


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vi. He also served in the Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, the UN Emergency Force in Ismailia, the UN high commissioner for refugees in Geneva and in several other positions of UN. vii. He was also under-secretary general for peacekeeping and a special representative of the secretary general to the former Yugoslavia between 1995 and 1996. Former member of Lok Sabha Chennupati Vidya dies of heart attack On 18th August 2018, former member of Lok Sabha, Chennupati Vidya passed away following a heart attack, in Andhra Pradesh. i. Chennupati Vidya was 84 years. She was elected to the Parliament as a Congress contestant from Vijayawada constituency in 1980 and 1989. ii. She had won the Jamnalal Bajaj Award in honour of her services to women. iii. She was involved in social service through the Atheist Centre in Vijayawada, established by her father Goparaju Ramachandra Rao (GoRa), who was an atheist movement leader. Senior Congress leader Gurudas Kamat passed away in New Delhi On August 22,Senior Congress leader and five-time parliamentarian Gurudas Kamat passed away due to Heart Attack.He was 63 year old. i. Kamat was a commerce graduate and had a law degree from the Government Law College, Mumbai. ii. Kamat served as a Union minister in the UPA-II government. iii. He was a Member of Parliament from the Mumbai North West Constituency in 2009 and Mumbai North East Constituency in 1984,1991,1998 and 2004. iv. From 2009 to 2011,he served as the Minister of State for Home Affairs with Additional Charge of Communications and Information Technology. v. He was a member of the Congress Working Committee and also served as the general Secretary of the AICC(All India Congress Committee ) Former Odisha Minister Jadunath Das Mohapatra passed away On August 21,Former Odisha Minister,Multi-faceted Personality and three-time MLA Jadunath Das Mohapatra passed away due to Prolonged illness.He was 90. i. Das Mohapatra begun his political career as a student leader and joined Congress in early sixties and was the general secretary of Balasore District Congress Committee from 1964 to 1967. ii. He was also made education minister in the cabinet of late Chief Minister Janaki Ballabh Patnaik in 1985. iii. He was also a renowned litterateur.He has written 20 novels, 16 plays, 12 anthologies of poems and literary write-ups and won several awards. Veteran journalist and former Rajya Sabha MP Kuldip Nayar dies at 95 On August 23, 2018, renowned journalist, author and human rights activist Kuldip Nayar passed away in Delhi at 95. i. He was a former editor at The Indian Express. ii. He also served as High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. iii. He served as a press information officer to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shashtri and former Union Home Minister Govind Ballabh Pant. iv. He was nominated to Rajya Sabha in 1997. v. In 2015, he was honoured with the Ramnath Goenka Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to journalism. vi. He authored 15 books including “Beyond the Lines”, “India after Nehru” and “Emergency Retold”, Between the Lines’, ‘Scoop! – Inside stories from Partition to the present’, ‘Distant Neighbours: A tale of the Subcontinent’. vii. He was born in 1923 and graduated in law and began his career with an Urdu newspaper called Anjam. viii. In his honour Meera Dewan, a filmmaker, had also made a film called : “ In his inner voice: Kuldip Nayar”. Gopal Bose : former Bengal cricket captain passes away at 71 On August 26, 2018, the former Bengal opener and captain Gopal Bose passed away at 71. i. He started his career with the first-class cricket in the 1968-69 season and accumulated 3757 runs at an average of 30.79. ii. He was part of India’s squad for the England tour in 1974 and played one-day international. iii. He was the selector and coach of the Bengal junior team.




iv. He was also appointed manager for the Virat Kohli-led India Under-19 side during the 2008 Under 19 World Cup. v.He was bestowed with Lifetime Achievement Award by the Cricket Association of Bengal(CAB). Samajwadi Party leader Nand Lal Passi passes away On 24th August 2018, Former MLA and Samajwadi Party leader Nand Lal Passi died following a long term illness, at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Nand Lal Passi was 84 years old. In 1993, he was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly as a Samajwadi Party candidate.

BOOKS & AUTHORS Dr. Mahesh Sharma releases 3 books at IGNCA, New Delhi On 9th August 2018, Minister of state for Culture (I/C), Dr. Mahesh Sharma, released 3 books: ‘Jewellery’, ‘Ghats of Banaras’and ‘Untold Story of Broadcasting’, at IGNCA (Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts), in New Delhi. i. ‘Jewellery’ was written by Dr. Gulab Kothari. ‘Ghats of Banaras’ was written by Dr. Sachidanand Joshi and ‘Untold Story of Broadcasting’ was written by Dr. Gautam Chatterjee. ii. “Untold Story of Broadcasting” is a book about behind-the-scenes developments during the quit India movement. iii. It furnishes details of the secret broadcast made during the quit India movement led by Ram Manohar Lohia. The book has been published in collaboration with Publication Division, Government of India. iv. “Ghats of Banaras” has been developed from recent documentation done at Varanasi. These Ghats are located at the bank of river Ganga in a semi-circular shape (ardhachandrakar). Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu releases the Book ‘Bebak Baat’ On 9th August 2018, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu released the Book ‘Bebak Baat’ written by Vijay Goel, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Statistics & Programme Implementation, in New Delhi.He said that, continuous communication between public representatives and the public is important for the development of our country. PM Modi’s book ‘Exam Warriors’ releases in Odia On 13th August 2018, Union Minister for Oil and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Odia edition of the book ‘Exam Warriors’ written by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. i. The Odia edition of the book was released by Odisha Book Emporium. It is a motivational book for children. ii. It helps children to handle examination stress. It was earlier released in English and Hindi in February 2018. Shane Warne to come out with autobiography ‘No Spin’ in October 2018 Australia Cricketer and bowling spin legend Shane Warne plan to release his extraordinary cricketing career and his life off the pitch besides unveiling several unknown facts in his autobiography ‘No Spin ‘which will be published on October 2018. Andrew Goodfellow, deputy publisher at Ebury press announced that Warne’s memoir “No Spin” will have a global release on October 4 2018. VVS Laxman pens autobiography “281 and Beyond” Indian cricketer VVS Laxman, known for the suppleness of his wrists, plans to release his emotional journey as cricket player through his autobiography “281 and Beyond” on November 20,2018. i. The title has been borrowed from the Hyderabad stylist’s fabulous series-turning innings of 281 against Australia at the Eden Gardens in 2001. ii. Westland Publications will release the former Indian cricketer’s autobiography “281 and Beyond”. iii.Laxman, who announced his retirement from international cricket in 2012, played 134 Tests, amassing 8,781 runs at an average of 45.97. He scored 17 centuries and 56 half centuries.He also played in 86 ODIs Khaled Hosseini’s new book “Sea Prayer” a tribute to Alan Kurdi “Sea Prayer”, the new book of writer Khaled Hosseini will be released on 30th August 2018. i. It is a tribute to Alan Kurdi, the 3-year-old Syrian boy whose body washed upon a beach in Turkey in September 2015.




ii. Earlier “Sea Prayer” was produced in collaboration with UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and released as a Guardian virtual film on 1st September 2017. iii. Now, Sea Prayer has been written in the form of a letter and will be published by Bloomsbury. Bloomsbury will donate one pound from the sale of each print book to UNHCR. iv .Khaled Hosseini is an Afghan-born American novelist. He has written books like “The Kite Runner”, “A Thousand Splendid Suns” and “And the Mountains Echoed”. He was appointed a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador in 2006. Atal Ji Ne Kaha: A book on Atal Bihari Vajpayee launched On 24th August 2018, “Atal Ji Ne Kaha” a book on former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. i. Atal Ji Ne Kaha has been written, compiled and edited by Brijendra Rehi. The book has been published by Darpan Publication. ii. The book consists of 320 pages and 26 chapters. It has Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s select speeches on economy, policies, small industries, social development, nuclear programme, science and technology, terrorism etc. iii. It also has his photographs and three interviews by Brijendra Rehi. About Brijendra Rehi: Doordarshan producer, senior journalist and then advisor to the former Highways Minister C P Joshi. He is at present the editor of Jansamachar.com. He started his career in 1965 from Nathdwara, Rajasthan. He has written, produced and directed more than 200 documentaries and has published 12 books.

RK Singh releases book on “Weather Information Portal for Indian Power System” On 29th August 2018, R K Singh, Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy released a book on “Weather Information Portal for Indian Power System”, at Power System Operation Corporation limited (POSOCO), New Delhi. i. This book is a reference document developed by POSOCO along with IMD (India Meteorological Department) to enable better usage of Weather Portal in all areas of Power Sector. ii. POSOCO manages the Inter-State Transmission of Power to utilities throughout India.

IMPORTANT DAYS July 28th celebrated as Nature Conservation Day: Every Year July 28th is celebrated as Nature Conservation Day. i. It is observed to create awareness about the exploitation and to protect natural resources. ii. India has taken a few steps towards conserving nature such as: Shift to renewable energy: Aim to achieve 175 GW of power by 2022. Schemes such as: Nagar Van Udyan Scheme, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Project Tiger, Mangroves for the

Future, The National Wetlands Conservation Programme. Earth Overshoot Day 2018 – August 1 On 1st August 2018, Earth Overshoot Day 2018 was observed. i. Earth Overshoot Day is an initiative of Global Footprint Network. Global Footprint Network is an international research organization that is changing how the world measures and manages its natural resources. ii. The date of Earth Overshoot Day is calculated from data of Global Footprint Network. iii. Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when we all have consumed more from nature than our planet can renew in the entire year. About Global Footprint Network: ♦ CEO – Mathis Wackernagel ♦ Founded – 2003. 73rd Hiroshima day August 6, 2018, marks the 73rd anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. i. On this day in 1945, the US bomber Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb nicknamed ‘Little Boy’ ever




used in military combat on Hiroshima. ii. The Atomic Bomb Dome was located almost directly underneath the explosion was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1996. National Handloom Day (NHD-2018) celebrated on August 7 On 7th August 2018, National Handloom Day (NHD-2018) was celebrated all over India. i. The National Handloom Day was launched in 2015. It marks the day on which Swadeshi movement was launched. ii. The Swadeshi Movement was started on 7th August 1905. It celebrated India’s indigenous fabrics, weavers and artisans. iii. Every year artisans and weavers are awarded ‘Sant Kabir’ awards to encourage their handiwork and Indian crafts. 76th anniversary of Quit India movement: August Kranti Day – 9 August On 9th August 2018, the 76th anniversary of Quit India movement named as August Kranti Day was observed in India. i. On 9th August 1942, father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi started the Do or Die campaign to drive away Britishers from India. ii. The movement started from Gawalia Tank in Mumbai. This day is observed as August Kranti Day every year. iii. To observe the anniversary of Quit India movement, President Ram Nath Kovind hosted the freedom fighters at an At-Home reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – August 9 On 9th August 2018, International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was observed all over the world. i. In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly declared August 9 as International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. ii. This date marks the day of the first meeting, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in 1982. iii. This day is observed to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population. iv. The theme for International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2018 is: Indigenous peoples’ migration and movement. v. 1993 was observed as the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. vi. Also, the United Nations General Assembly has declared 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages. World Biofuel Day On August 10, World Biofuel Day was Observed every year. i.The Objective of the World Biofuel Day is to raise awareness about the significance of non fossil fuels which can be used as an alternative to fossil fuels. ii. The World Biofuel Day is being observed by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas for the last three years. iii. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the Chief Guest for the inaugural session of the World Biofuel Day programme. iv. On the occasion, Prime Minister launched web portal PARIVESH, a single window for environmental, wildlife, forest and Coastal Regulation Zone clearances. v. The Prime Minister also released a booklet on“National Policy on Biofuels 2018”. vi. For the Significant use of Biofuel,the Government has also approved the National Policy on Biofuels-2018 in June 2018. The policy has the objective of reaching 20 per cent ethanol blending and 5 per cent biodiesel blending by 2030. Future Enhancements: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that 12 modern biofuel refineries worth ten thousand crore rupees will be established across the country & this will provide employment to 1.5 lakh youth. Target: The Prime Minister said, the government is targeting ten per cent ethanol blending in petrol by 2022 and 20 per cent by 2030.




18th International Youth Day August 12 is annually celebrated as International Youth Day. i. It is an awareness day designated by the United Nations to draw attention to cultural and legal issues surrounding youth. ii. The Theme for IYD 2018 is: “Safe space for Youth”. iii. The first IYD was observed on 12 August, 2000. iv. It was designated by the United Nations in 1999 with the adoption of Resolution 54/120. 6th World Elephant Day August 12 is annually celebrated as World Elephant Day. i. It is an international annual event dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world’s elephants. ii. To celebrate this day in India, the Coochbehar Mountaineers Club (CMC) have started awareness programmes and campaigns at Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal. iii. It was first conceived by Canadian filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark of Canazwest Pictures, and Sivaporn Dardarananda, Secretary-General of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand. It was started in August 12, 2012. iv. It is now supported by over 65 wildlife organizations across the globe. International left handers day August 13 is celebrated as International left handers day annually. i. It aims to celebrate the uniqueness and differences of the left handers. ii. The day was first observed in the year 1976 by Dean R. Campbell, founder of the Lefthanders International, Inc. Shaheed Saman Diwas observed in Madhya Pradesh on 14th August On 14th August 2018, Shaheed Saman Diwas was observed in all districts of Madhya Pradesh. i. Madhya government had decided to honour families of martyrs of Madhya Pradesh origin, who sacrificed their lives during war, military action and internal security. ii. Minister-In-Charge of Districts, Member of Parliament, MLA and other Public Representatives took part in the Shaheed Samman Diwas. iii. Programmes in memory of 602 Martyrs were organised. Families of 13 martyrs were honoured in the programme at Bhopal. iv. Families of 312 Martyrs of Defence, 119 Martyrs of Para Military Forces, 171 of Madhya Pradesh Police were honoured in various districts. v. It has been decided to name the school or government building after the Martyrs in the village where they were born or where their family currently lives. India celebrates its 72nd Independence Day On 15th August 2018, India celebrated its 72nd Independence Day. i. India attained independence from the British rule on 15 August 1947. This day is celebrated as Independence Day, every year on August 15, in India. ii. This day remembers and honours all those who fought and sacrificed their lives for the freedom of India. iii. This year the Indian Navy was the coordinating service for Independence Day celebrations. The Guard of Honour was commanded by Commander PR Jagan Mohan of the Indian Navy. iv. India’s first all-women SWAT team recently inducted by Delhi Police, provided security cover to the Red Fort in Delhi, for the Independence Day celebrations. v. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, and addressed the nation from the Red Fort. Some important announcements: i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that, India’s manned space mission will be launched by 2022. ii. He also launched Ayushman Bharat-National Health Protection Scheme, the world’s largest government-funded healthcare programme. September to be observed as ‘month of nutrition’ by Rajasthan On August 15, 2018, on the eve of 72nd Independence Day, Rajasthan government announced that it would observe September as ‘month of nutrition’.




i. The Rajasthan CM launched ‘Annapurna Milk Scheme’. ii. Students of Class 1 to 8 of government schools will be given milk daily instead of thrice a week. iii. This would cost the government an additional Rs.203 crore. iv. Students in the age group of 3-6 years, adolescent girls and pregnant women registered with Anganwadi centres will be provided milk thrice a week. v. The government will allocate Rs 100 crore for this. Other announcements: Two per cent interest subsidy to the farmers who repay loans taken from cooperative banks on time. Construction of 94 new school buildings, vocational courses in 185 additional schools of secondary and senior secondary level, Lowering of electricity dutyfor induction furnaces and Mild steel re-rolling mills, and mild steel rolling

mills from 52 paise to 40 paise per unit. Empowering girls to get more attracted towards STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

15th World Humanitarian Day 2018 observed globally August 19th is annually observed as World Humanitarian Day 2018. i. It is observed to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives for humanitarian services. ii. The Campaign for the 2018 World Humanitarian Day is : #NotATarget. iii. The day was designated by the UN General Assembly to commemorate the 19 August 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq. World Photography Day August 19 is celebrated as World photography day. i. It is celebrated in order to inspire photographers to share their work and to celebrate the art of photography.The inventor of the first practical process of photography is Louis Daguerre. ii. The birth of this day dates back to 1839 in France, but it came in to force in 2009. World Mosquito Day – August 20 World Mosquito Day, observed on 20th August every year. This day is a honor of British doctor Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans. Mosquitoes have been around for over a hundred million years. i. Mosquitoes spread diseases like malaria, West Nile virus, dengue, chikungunya, Zika among human beings. ii. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine holds Mosquito Day celebrations every year, including events such as parties and exhibitions, a tradition dating back to as early as the 1930s. National Sadbhavana Day – August 20 Sadbhavana Diwas 2018 (74th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi) will be celebrated all over the India at on 20th of August. i. The Sadbhavana (means having good feelings for others) Diwas or Harmony Day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of the earlier Prime Minister of India named Rajiv Gandhi. ii. It was also used to celebrate by many of the people in order to give the Respect and Salutations to many of the good people in India and many other Countries. International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, 21 August UN Secretary-General, António Guterres informed that General Assembly to establish an International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism due to Terrorism continues to pose a major threat to international peace and security. It undermines the core values of the United Nations and is an indiscriminate threat that affects people and countries across the globe. i.The Objective is a major step forward in standing in solidarity with victims of terrorism. By inviting Member States, the United Nations, international organizations and civil society entities to observe the Day, attention to victims will be focused at the national, regional and international levels. ii. To observe the first International Day, the Permanent Missions of Afghanistan, Belgium, Iraq, Nigeria, and the United States, along with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (UNCTED) will launch a multimedia exhibit at the Exhibition Hall, Visitors’ Lobby at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. iii. The month-long exhibition (1 August – 4 September 2018) includes interviews and documentaries that highlight international solidarity with victims, shows positive stories of victims’ resilience and illustrates what




has been done for and by victims over the last decades. UNODC also marks its first terrorism victims remembrance day:- United Nations office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC)’s Secretary-General also remarked on the first International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism. UNODC’s work to support victims of terrorism is being rolled out through a range of activities. World senior citizen day – August 21, 2018 World Senior Citizen Day, 2018 will be observed worldwide on August 21.The history of International Senior Citizens Day comes from the period of 1988. It was officially established by the former president of United States of America i.e. Ronald Reagan. He had signed the 5847 promulgation on August 19, 1988, which manifested August 21 as the National Senior Citizens Day. i. The main aim of observing the World Senior Citizens Day is to raise awareness of the condition of elder people and support them through the process of senescence. ii. The reason for celebrating this day is to thank and acknowledge elders for all that they have done for their children. They sacrifice their entire life in nurturing their relationships. Facts to be known Celebration of World Senior Citizens Day has its own theme every year .The theme is different in the observance of the day each year. The World Senior Citizens Day on 21 august 2017 is kept with the theme of “Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older Persons in Society.” International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition – August 23 On 23rd August 2018, International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition was observed throughout the world. i. On the night of 22 to 23 August 1791, Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) experienced the beginning of the uprising that played an important role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. ii. This day is commemorated as International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition on 23rd August every year. iii. This day was first celebrated in a several countries including Haiti on 23rd August 1998. iv. This day remembers the tragedy of the slave trade in memory of the affected people. v. The Director-General of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) invites the Ministers of Culture of all Member States to conduct events on this day every year. International Day against Nuclear Tests – 29 August On 29th August 2018, International Day against Nuclear Tests was observed all over the world. i. In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly declared 29 August as the International Day against Nuclear Tests. The first International Day against Nuclear Tests was observed in 2010. ii. This day is observed to create awareness on the importance of banning nuclear weapon tests among the United Nations Member States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, youth networks, media, etc. iii. Activities like symposia, conferences, exhibits, competitions, publications, lectures in academic institutions, media broadcasts, etc are conducted on this day. National Sports Day & Dhyan Chand’s Birthday – August 29 On 29th August 2018, National Sports Day was celebrated all over India. i. In India, National Sports Day is celebrated on August 29 every year on the birth anniversary of Indian hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. ii. Major Dhyan Chand who was born on 29 August 1905 was known for his extraordinary goal-scoring skills. He had won 3 Olympic gold medals in hockey. He passed away on 3rd December 1979. iii. Every year on National Sports Day, Arjuna and Khel Ratna awards are conferred by the President to extraordinary Indian athletes. iv. This year it has been postponed to 25 September as the athletes are currently taking part in Asian Games 2018 in Indonesia. International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances – 30 August On 30th August 2018, International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances was observed all over the world. i. In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 30th August as the International Day of the Victims of




Enforced Disappearances. This day was first observed on 30th August 2011. ii. Enforced disappearance occurs when a person is secretly kidnapped or imprisoned by a state or political organization or a third party, with support of the State, following concealment of information about the person. iii. This day creates awareness on enforced or involuntary disappearances like arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of enforced disappearances. National Nutrition Month to be observed in September The month of September will be celebrated as the National Nutrition Month every year to mark India’s fight against malnutrition. i. This announcement was made by the Ministry of Women and Child Development at the second meeting of National Council on India’s Nutrition Challenges under the Poshan Abhiyaan on 25th July 2018. ii. The Ministry of Women and Child Development will conduct programmes to create awareness on issues related to malnutrition like stunting, under-nutrition, anemia and low birth weight in children. iii. The programmes will be focused on adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Note: India pitches for declaring 2019 as International Year of Millets India has proposed to declare 2019 as “International Year of Millets” to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations. i. India’s agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh has written a letter to Jose Graziano da Silva, director-general, United Nations FAO, in this regard. ii. This proposal aims to create awareness about millets among consumers, policy makers, industry and R&D sector.

STATIC INFORMATION FROM CURRENT AFFAIRS Indian States Haryana: ♦ Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar. ♦ Governor: Kaptan Singh Solanki. ♦ Capital: Chandigarh. West Bengal: ♦ Chief Minister: Mamata Banerjee. ♦ Governor: Kesari Nath Tripathi. Rajasthan: ♦ Chief Minister: Vasundhara Raje. ♦ Governor: Kalyan Singh. Gujarat: ♦ Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani. ♦ Governor: Om Prakash Kohli. Andhra Pradesh: ♦ Chief Minister: N Chandrababu Naidu. ♦ Governor: E.S.L Narasimha. ♦ Capital: Amravati. Punjab: ♦ Chief Minister: Amarinder Singh. ♦ Governor: V.P Singh Badnore. Jharkhand: ♦ Capital: Ranchi. ♦ Chief Minister: Raghubar Das. ♦ Governor: Draupadi Murmu. Assam: ♦ Chief Minister: Sarbananda Sonowal. ♦ Governor: Prof. Jagdish Mukhi.




Banks HDFC: ♦ Headquarters: Mumbai. ♦ CEO: Aditya Puri. ♦ Tagline: We Understand your world. ♦ Founded: August 1994. Canara Bank: ♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru. ♦ CEO: Rakesh Sharma. ♦ Founded: 1906. ♦ Tagline: Together we Can. Bank of India: ♦ Headquarters: Mumbai. ♦ CEO: Dinabandhu Mohapatra. ♦ Founded: 1906. ♦ Tagline: Relationships beyond banking. ICICI Bank: ♦ Headquarters: Mumbai. ♦ Chairman: Mr. Girish Chandra Chaturvedi. ♦ Tagline: Hum Hain Na!. About Fino Payments Bank: ♦ MD & CEO – Rishi Gupta ♦ Incorporated – 2017. About Reserve Bank of India (RBI): ♦ Established – 1 April 1935 ♦ Governor – Urjit Patel ♦ Headquarters – Mumbai About Indian Bank: ♦ MD & CEO – Kishor Kharat ♦ Headquarters – Chennai. About Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB): ♦ Chairman: S Ravindran. ♦ Owned by Governement and sponsored by Syndicate Bank. ♦ Head Office: Dhanwad, Karnataka. ♦ The bank has a network of 636 branches with total business of ₹23,686 crore. This includes deposits of Rs.13,096 crore. About Jio Payments Bank: It is a 30:70 joint venture between SBI and Reliance. Vijaya Bank: ♦ MD CEO: Sankara Narayanan. ♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru. ♦ Tagline: A Friend You can Bank Upon. Fincare Small Finance Bank: ♦ Incorporated: June 2017. ♦ From: Disha MicroFin. About HSBC: ♦ Group Chief Executive – John Flint ♦ Headquarters – London New Development Bank (BRICS): Headquarters: Shanghai, China. President: K. V. Kamath. Cosmos Bank: ♦ Headquarters: Pune. ♦ Founded: 1906. About Ujjivan Small Finance Bank: ♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru. ♦ MD & CEO: Samit Ghosh.




♦ It started its banking operations in February 2017. It has over 300 branches with its presence across 24 states and union territories. About National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD): ♦ Chairman – Dr. Harsh Kumar Bhanwala ♦ Headquarters – Mumbai World Bank: ♦ Headquarters: Washington D.C. ♦ CEO: Kristalina Georgieva. ♦ President: Jim Yong Kim. ♦ Subsidiaries: IBRD, IDA, IFC, MIGA, ICSID. Axis Bank: ♦ Headquarters: Mumbai. ♦ CEO: Shikha Sharma. About ADB: ♦ Established in 1966. ♦ Members: 67 countries. LIC: ♦ Headquarters: Mumbai. ♦ Founded: 1956. IDBI Bank: ♦ Headquarters: Mumbai. ♦ Tagline: Aao Sochein Bada.

Stadium’s Some important stadiums in India: ♦ Bakhshi Stadium – Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir ♦ Sher-i-Kashmir Stadium – Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. ♦ YS Raja Reddy Stadium – Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh Lakes Some Lakes in Himachal Pradesh: ♦Khajjar Lake, ♦Suraj Tal, ♦Chandra Tal, ♦Dhankar Lake, ♦Renuka Lake. Airport’s Some Airports in West Bengal: ♦Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, ♦ Balurghat Airport, Cooch Behar Airport, ♦ Behala Airport, Malda Airport, ♦ Bagdogra Airport, ♦ Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport. National Parks Some National Parks in Chhattisgarh: ♦ Indravati National Park ♦ Kanger Ghati National Park Some National Parks in Maharashtra: ♦ Gugamal National Park ♦ Sanjay Gandhi National Park ♦ Kalesar National Park ♦ Sultanpur National Park.




Some National Parks in West Bengal: ♦ Jaldapara National Park, ♦ Gorumara National Park, ♦ Sunderbans National Park, ♦ Singalila National Park, ♦ Neora Valley National Park, Some National Parks in Madhya Pradesh: ♦ Bandhavgarh National Park ♦ Madhav National Park ♦ Pench National Park Some National Parks in Gujarat: ♦ Vansda National Park, ♦Blackbuck National Park, ♦Gir Forest National Park. Some National Parks in Chhattisgarh: ♦ Indravati National Park ♦ Kanger Ghati National Park Some National Parks in Andhra Pradesh: ♦Sri Venkateswara National Park, ♦Rajiv Gandhi National Park, ♦Papikonda National Park. Some National Parks in Himachal Pradesh: ♦ Great Himalayan Park ♦ Pin Valley National Park Some National Parks in Jharkhand: ♦ National Parks: Belta National Park. National Parks in Uttarakhand: ♦ Jim Corbett National Park ♦ Gangotri National Park ♦ Rajaji National Park National Parks in Assam: ♦ Kaziranga National Park, ♦Manas National Park, ♦Orang National Park, ♦Nameri National Park, ♦Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. Wildlife Sanctuaries Some Wildlife Sanctuaris in West Bengal: ♦Buxa Tiger Reserve, ♦Raiganj Wildlife Sanctuary. Some wildlife sanctuaries in Chhattisgarh: ♦ Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary ♦ Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary ♦ Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary Some wildlife sanctuaries in Punjab: ♦Abohar WLS, ♦Bir Aishvan WLS, ♦Bir Bunerheri WLS, ♦Bir Bhadson WLS, ♦Bir Dosanjh WLS, ♦Bir Gurdialpura WLS, ♦Bir Mehaswala WLS, ♦Bir Motibagh WLS, ♦Harike Lake WLS, ♦Jhajjar Bacholi WLS,




♦Kathlaur Kushlian WLS, ♦Takhni-Rehampur WLS, ♦Nangal WLS. Some wildlife sanctuaries in Jharkhand ♦Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Gautam Buddha Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Hazaribagh Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Koderma Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Lawalong Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Mahauadanr Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Palkot Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Topchanchi Wildlife Sanctuary, ♦Udhwa Lake Wildlife Sanctuary UNESCO Heritage Some UNESCO Heritage in Rajasthan: ♦Keoladeo National Park, ♦Chittor Fort, ♦Ranthambore Fort, ♦ Kumbhalgarh, Gagron Fort, Amer Fort, Jaisalmer Fort, Jantar Mantar Some UNESCO Heritage in Gujarat: ♦ Rani ki Vav, ♦ Historic City of Ahmedabad, ♦ Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park. Indian Entities About IIFL Asset Management: ♦ Chief Executive Officer & Fund Manager – Prashasta Seth ♦ Corporate Office – Mumbai About Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT): ♦ Composition – a Chairman & 6 Members ♦ Chairman – Sushil Chandra About United India Insurance: ♦ Head Office – Chennai ♦ Incorporated – 1938 About National Commission for Women (NCW): ♦ Founded – 1992 ♦ Location – New Delhi. About Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI): ♦ Established – 1997 ♦ Headquarters – New Delhi Indiabulls Housing Finance: ♦ Headquarters: New Delhi. ♦ Founded : 2005. ♦ It is India’s second largest housing finance company and is regulated by the National Housing Bank. ICICI Securities: ♦ Headquarters: India. ♦ Founded: 1995. About Indian Army: ♦ Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) – General Bipin Rawat ♦ Headquarters – New Delhi




About Indian Navy: ♦ Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) – Admiral Sunil Lanba ♦ Headquarters – New Delhi. NPCI: ♦ Non-Executive Chairman: Biswamohan Mahapatra. ♦ Headquarters: Mumbai. ♦ Founded: 2008. Tapzo: ♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru. ♦ Founded: 2009. IDEA Cellular: Headquarters: Mumbai. About Power System Operation Corporation limited (POSOCO): ♦ Chairman & Managing Director – Mr. K. V. S. Baba ♦ Registered Office – New Delhi India Ratings: ♦ Headquarters: Mumbai. About PhonePe: ♦ The company was also awarded as an outstanding merchant UPI player at the NPCI excellence awards 2018. ♦ Headquarters: Bengaluru. ♦ CEO: Sameer Nigam. ♦ Founded: 2015. ♦ Parent organization: Flipkart. About Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): ♦ CEO – Pawan Kumar Agarwal ♦ Headquarters – New Delhi. About Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO): ♦ Chairman – Sanjay Mitra ♦ Headquarters – New Delhi Centre for Science and Environment (CSE): Headquarters: New Delhi. Executive Director-research and advocacy: Anumita Roychowdhury Indian Railways: ♦ Railway Minister: Shri Piyush Goyal. ♦ Minister of State for Railways: Manoj Sinha, Rajen Gohain. ♦ Chairman Railway Board : Shri Ashwani Lohani. GAIL: ♦ Chairman and Managing Director B C Tripathi. ♦ Headquarters: New Delhi. About NHAI (National Highways Authority of India): ♦ Chairman – Yudhvir Singh Malik ♦ Headquarters – New Delhi About ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation): ♦ Chairman – Dr. K. Sivan ♦ Headquarters – Bengaluru. About IIT-Hyderabad: ♦ Director – U B Desai ♦ Location – Hyderabad, Telangana About The Hindu: ♦ Founded – 1878 ♦ Corporate Office – Chennai. About National Informatics Centre (NIC): ♦ Director General – Ms. Neeta Verma ♦ Headquarters – New Delhi About Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI): ♦ Chairman – Anand Kumar ♦ Location – New Delhi




About National Green Tribunal: ♦ Chairperson – Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel ♦ Location – New Delhi. IRDAI: ♦ Headquarters: Hyderabad. ♦ Chairman: Subhash Chandra Khuntia. ♦ Founded: 1999. FSSAI: ♦ Headquarters: New Delhi. ♦ CEO: Pawan Kumar Agarwal. About Supreme Court: ♦ Chief Justice of India – Justice Dipak Misra ♦ Location – New Delhi. Foreign Entities Fortune Magazine: ♦ Company: Meredith Corporation. ♦ Based in: New York. About Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT): Headquarters: Bloomington, US. About WHO (World Health Organization): ♦ Director-General – Tedros Adhanom ♦ Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland Forbes: ♦ Headquarters: New York City, USA. ♦ Founded: 1917. Vodaphone: Headquarters: London, UK. About Morgan Stanley: ♦ Chairman & CEO – James P. Gorman ♦ Headquarters – New York, United States About International Monetary Fund (IMF): ♦ CEO – Christine Lagarde ♦ Headquarters – Washington, D.C.,United States. About Ifo Institute: ♦ Founded – 1949 ♦ President – Clemens Fuest ♦ Based in – Germany. Moody’s Corporation: Headquarters: New York, USA. About National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): ♦ Administrator – Jim Bridenstine ♦ Headquarters – Washington, D.C., U.S. About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): ♦ Director General – Audrey Azoulay ♦ Headquarters – Paris, France About World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): ♦ Director General – Francis Gurry ♦ Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland. Arianespace: ♦ Headquarters: France. ♦ Founded: 1980. About Google: ♦ CEO – Sundar Pichai ♦ Headquarters – California, U.S.




About FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association): ♦ President – Gianni Infantino ♦ Headquarters – Zürich, Switzerland. About Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (ABID): ♦ Established: 1977. ♦ Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia. ♦ Under UNESCO. ♦ Member states: 26 countries. Other Countries About Rwanda: ♦ President – Paul Kagame ♦ Prime Minister – Édouard Ngirente ♦ Capital – Kigali ♦ Official languages – English, French, Kinyarwanda, Swahili ♦ Currency – Rwandan franc Zimbabwe: ♦ Capital: Harare. ♦ Currency: USD, Euro, Pound Sterling. Republic of Equitorial Guinea: ♦ Capital: Malabo ♦ Currency: Central African CFA Franc. Russia: Capital: Moscow. Currency: Russian Ruble. President: Vladmir Putin. India and Russia Military exercise name: INDRA. Ukraine: Capital: Kiev. Currency: Ukrainian hryvnia. President: Petro Poroshenko. About Mali: ♦ Capital – Bamako ♦ Currency – West African CFA franc ♦ Prime Minister – Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga ♦ Official language – French Paraguay: ♦ Capital: Asuncion. ♦ Currency: Paraguayan guarani. About Australia: ♦ Capital – Canberra ♦ Currency – Australian dollar ♦ National Language – English About Namibia: ♦ Capital – Windhoek ♦ Currency – Namibian dollar (NAD), South African rand (ZAR) ♦ Official language – English ♦ President – Hage Geingob ♦ Prime Minister – Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila About Republic of Ireland: ♦ Capital – Dublin ♦ Currency – Euro (EUR) ♦ President – Michael D. Higgins ♦ Official languages – Irish, English Germany: ♦ Capital: Berlin. ♦ Currency: Euro.




♦ President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier. ♦ Prime Minister: Angela Merkel. Kenya: ♦ Capital: Nairobi. ♦ Currency: Kenyan Shilling. ♦ President: Uhuru Kenyatta. Japan: ♦ Capital: Tokyo. ♦ Currency: Japanese Yen. About United Nations: ♦ Secretary-General – António Guterres ♦ Headquarters – New York City, United Nations About Iran: ♦ Capital – Tehran ♦ Currency – Rial ♦ President – Hassan Rouhani ♦ Official language – Persian. Nepal: ♦ Prime Minister: K. P. Sharma Oli. ♦ President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari. ♦ Currency: Nepalese Rupee. ♦ Capital: Kathmandu. About Mauritius: ♦ Capital – Port Louis ♦ Currency – Mauritian rupee ♦ President – Barlen Vyapoory ♦ Prime Minister – Pravind Kumar Jugnauth North Korea: ♦ Capital: Pyongyang. ♦ Currency: North Korean won. ♦ Supreme Leader: Kim Jong-un. China: ♦ Capital: Beijing. ♦ Currency: Renminbi, ♦ Prime Minister: Li Keqiang. ♦ President: Xi Jinping. Kazakhstan: ♦ Capital: Astana. ♦ Currency: Kazakhstani tenge. ♦ Kazakhstan is India’s largest trade and investment partner in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan: ♦ Capital: Bishkek. ♦ Currency: Kyrgyzstani som. Indonesia: ♦ Capital: Jakarta. ♦ Currency: Indonesian rupiah. Canada: ♦ Capital: Ottawa. ♦ Currency: Canadian dollar. Republic of Korea: ♦ Capital: Seoul. ♦ Currency: South Korean won. South Africa: ♦ Capital: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein. ♦ Currency: South African rand.




Bulgaria: ♦ Capital: Sofia. ♦ Currency: Bulgarian lev. UK: ♦ Capital: London. ♦ Currency: Pound Sterling. Northern Ireland: ♦ Capital: Belfast. ♦ Currency: Pound Sterling. Morocco: ♦ Capital: Rabat. ♦ Currency: Moroccan dirham. Rwanda: ♦ Capital: Kigali. ♦ Currency: Rwandan franc USA: ♦ Capital: Washington D.C. ♦ Currency: US Dollar. Banking Terminologies

• India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) • Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) • Centre for Banking Research Development & Excellence (CBRDE) • Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) • Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) • Multi Option Payment Acceptance Device. • National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) • National Financial Switch (NFS) • NABARD All India Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) • Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) • International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) • Asian Development Bank (ADB)

• Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Other Terminologies

• Concessional Financing Scheme (CFS) • Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) • Agricultural Scientists’Recruitment Board (ASRB) • Fertilizer Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) • National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) • Integrated Child Development Programmes (ICDP) • Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) • Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) • Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) • Forum of Cargo-Owners and Logistics-Operators (FOCAL) • Bharat Energy Storage Technology Private Limited (BEST) • Bidder Information Management System (BIMS) • Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) • Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive, Virtuous and Environmental Single-window

Hub(PARIVESH) • National Informatics Centre (NIC) • Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) • Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) • All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) • National Skill Training Institute(NSTI)




• Directorate General of Training (DGT), • Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) • Indian National Army (INA) • Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) • National Green Tribunal (NGT) • National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) • e-National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) • Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) • Electronics Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) • National Institute of Technology (NIT) • Indian Institute of Insurance Surveyors and Loss Assessors (IISLA). • National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) • Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) • National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) • India Meteorological Department(IMD) • Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) • Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) • Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI) • Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) • Wetland Research and Training Centre (WRTC) • National Health Agency (NHA) • Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) • National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) • One District One Product (ODOP) • Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT) • Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), • Railways, Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) • National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) • Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) • Country Code Names Supporting Organisation (ccNSO) • Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

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