1. The
International Youth Day: 12 August
i. The
International Youth Day was observed across the world on 12 August
with the theme 'Youth Building Peace'.
ii. This
year, the Day is aimed at celebrating young people’s contributions in
preventing conflicts and bringing about transformations along with inclusion,
social justice, and sustainable peace.
2. Telangana
Government Launches ‘Smart Streets Lab’ in Hyderabad
i. The
government of Telangana in association with the World Resources
Institute (WRI) India – Ross Centre and the Indian School of Business (ISB)
launched the ‘Smart Streets Lab’ program.
ii. It
is an effort to apply and figure out technology-based solutions for women and
road safety in Hyderabad. Through the ‘Smart Streets Lab’, the state government
aims to utilize technological interventions from outside and integrate them
with its various departments.
3. 10
Namami Gange Projects Approved
i.
National Mission for Clean Ganga has approved ten projects in Bihar,
West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh to the tune of about Rs 2,033 crore.
Eight of the ten projects pertain to sewage infrastructure and treatment, one
to river front development and one to Ganga Knowledge Centre.
ii. These
projects were approved in the 5th meeting of the Executive Committee of
National Mission for Clean Ganga. In Bihar, three major sewage
infrastructure projects with total estimated cost of Rs 1461 crore
have been approved.
iii. In
West Bengal, three projects at an estimated cost of Rs 495.47 crore have
been approved. In Uttar Pradesh, sewage infrastructure work in
Chunar, district Mirzapur, has also been approved at an estimated cost of Rs
27.98 crore.
4. Aajeevika
Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY) Launched
i. The
Government of India has decided to launch a new sub-scheme named “Aajeevika
Grameen Express Yojana (AGEY)” as part of the Deendayal Antyodaya
Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
ii. The
Self Help Groups under DAY-NRLM will operate road transport service in backward
areas. This will help to provide safe, affordable and community monitored rural
transport services to connect remote villages with key services and
amenities. AGEY will be initially implemented in 250 Blocks
in the country on Pilot basis.
5. 15th
Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC Concludes at Kathmandu
i. The 15th
Ministerial Meeting of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical
and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) concluded at Kathmandu,
Nepal.
ii. They
agreed to emphasize the need for greater cooperation in trade and investment in
order to deepen regional integration in the Bay of Bengal region.
6. Canara
Bank Unveils Two New Digital Services
i. Canara
Bank unveiled two new digital services for online payments. Bharat
QR (Quick Response) is for payment settlement at merchant locations
and Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) is an integrated bill
payment system for net banking customers.
ii. The
first service is a mobile application, which enables a merchant to accept
payments as settlement for sale of goods or services. The second product
(BBPS), an initiative of the RBI offers bill payment services to the
bank's net banking customers with network of agents.
7. Government
Reconstitutes Existing CBFC for Three Years
i. The
Centre has appointed lyricist Prasoon Joshi as Chairman of the Central
Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for a period of three years. Mr.
Joshi has replaced former Chairman Pahlaj Nihalani.
ii. The
government has also reconstituted the existing CBFC with immediate effect for a
period of three years. There are 12 members in the new board, which
include Ms. Gautami Tadimalla, Narendra Kohli, Naresh Chandra Lal, Vivek
Agnihotri and Mrs. Vidya Balan.
8. Milkha
Singh Appointed WHO Goodwill Ambassador
i.
Legendary Indian athlete Milkha Singh has been appointed WHO
Goodwill Ambassador for Physical Activity in South-East Asia Region.
ii. Mr.
Milkha will promote WHO South-East Asia Region's NCD (non-communicable
diseases) Prevention and Control Action Plan which seeks to reduce the level of
insufficient physical activity by 10 percent and NCDs by 25 percent by 2025.
9. Kenya
President Uhuru Kenyatta Re-elected
i. In
Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta has been re-elected as President following
the election. Election Commission Head Wafula Chebukati announced in Nairobi
that Kenyatta got 54.27 per cent votes beating his rival Raifa Odinga who got
44.74 per cent of votes.
ii. The
opposition rejected the results even before they were declared, calling the
process a charade.
10. Dilip
Asbe Appointed as Acting Chief Executive of NPCI
i.
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has appointed Dilip
Asbe to act as its chief executive officer in the wake of the
retirement of A. P. Hota, its founding managing director.
ii. Hota
who had served as the MD of NPCI since its inception retired recently. Asbe who
currently serves as the organisations’ chief operating officer will
continue in the same designation, but will also act as the chief executive of
NPCI.
11. Jet
Airways Appoints Vinay Dube as CEO
i. Jet
Airways India Ltd named Vinay Dube as its Chief
Executive Officer (CEO). Jet Airways has been without a full-time CEO since
Cramer Ball quit in February 2016.
ii. Mr.
Dube is currently senior vice president, Asia Pacific with Delta Air Lines
Inc., one of the world’s largest and most profitable airlines.
12. SEBI
Ties Up with Iran Counterpart for Technical Assistance
i. The
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and Securities
& Exchange Organization (SEO) of Iran have entered into a
bilateral MoU for mutual cooperation and technical assistance.
ii. It
will facilitate mutual assistance, contribute
towards efficient performance of the supervisory functions, and
enable effective enforcement of laws and regulations governing the securities
markets. The MoU was signed by SEBI chief Ajay Tyagi and SEO Iran chairman
Shapour Mohammadi.
13. Indian
Bank Brings 2-tier Interest Rate for Savings Accounts
i.
According to the PSU lender Indian Bank, it has introduced two
tier interest rate structure for saving bank accounts and will offer interest
rate of 4 per cent per annum on savings account with incremental balance of
over Rs 50 lakh and 3.50 per cent per annum for deposit up to Rs 50 lakh.
ii.
The new interest rate will be effective from August 16, 2017.
14. Veteran
Poet and Writer, Vijay Nambisan Passes Away
i. Poet
and writer Vijay Nambisan, who became the first All India Poetry Champion
in 1988, passed away. He co-authored Gemini, a poetry book, with Jeet Thayil
and Dom Moraes.
ii. He
championed the ethical use of language and made an appeal to readers, writers
and enthusiasts of literature in his book ‘Language as an Ethic’. He was
54 years old.
15. Pakistan's
'Mother Teresa' Passes Away
i. Ruth
Pfau, a German nun who devoted her life to combatting leprosy
in Pakistan, has died at the age of 87. Pfau, who was known locally as
Pakistan's Mother Teresa, came to the southern port city of Karachi in 1960.
ii. She
was the founder of Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre in Karachi. She
was honored by the state with the country's two highest civilian
awards, the Hilal-e-Imtiaz and the Hilal-e-Pakistan.
16. World’s
Oldest Man Dies in Israel at 113
i. Israeli
Holocaust survivor Yisrael Kristal, certified by Guinness
World Records as the world’s oldest man, died aged 113.
ii. Kristal,
originally from Zarnow, Poland, was born on September 15, 1903, three months
before the Wright brothers’ first successful powered airplane flight.
17.
Reenat Sandhu Concurrently Accredited As Next Ambassador of India to the
Republic of San Marino
i. Ms.
Reenat Sandhu, presently Ambassador of lndia to ltaly, has been
concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of lndia to the Republic
of San Marino, with residence in Rome.
ii. She
is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
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