National
Khel Ratna Award renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award will be renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
The Prime Minister said the move was based on the numerous requests he received from across the nation. Dhyan Chand, whose birthday is celebrated as National Sports Day, won three Olympic golds for the country in Hockey.
The award was inaugurated in 1991-92, the award comprises a medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize of ₹ 25 lakh.
The first recipient of the Khel Ratna was chess legend, Viswanathan Anand. Some of the winners in recent years include cricketer Rohit Sharma, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal, among others.
India nuclear power capacity is expected to reach 22,480 MW by 2031
India’s nuclear power capacity is expected to reach 22,480 Mega Watts by 2031 from the current 6,780 MegaWatts. There are presently 22 reactors with a total capacity of 6780 MW in operation and one reactor, KAPP-3 (700 MW) has been connected to the grid on January 10, 2021.
Ten (10) nuclear power reactors with 8000 MW capacity (including 500 MW PFBR being implemented by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited {BHAVINI}) are under construction.
Additionally, the Government has accorded administrative approval and financial sanction of ten (10) indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 700 MW each to be set up in fleet mode.
West Bengal receives four SKOCH awards
The government of West Bengal has received four SKOCH awards for its schemes under the Ease of Doing Business initiative. The State scheme ‘Silpasathi’-the online single window portal won the platinum award while the Auto-Renewal of Certificate of Enlistment through the online system for urban areas has received the gold award.
Online issuance of trade licenses in rural areas and the E-Nathikaran: the online system for registration, preparation, and submission of deeds has won two silver awards.
The state government will ensure that the ease of doing business in West Bengal continues to be one of the foremost in the country.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.
International
Germany becomes 5th country to sign ISA Framework Agreement
Germany became the 5th country to sign the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement after amendments to it entered into force on 8th January 2021, opening its Membership to all Member States of the United Nations.
Ambassador of Germany to India Walter J. Lindner deposited signed copies of the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement with the Ministry of External Affairs, the depositary of the Agreement.
Membership to the ISA was earlier limited to 121 countries, which were partially or entirely located within the tropics. This didn’t allow major solar energy economies such as Germany to join the alliance that is being increasingly seen as a foreign policy tool.
The initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the India Africa Summit and a meeting of member countries ahead of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in November 2015. The framework agreement of the International Solar Alliance opened for signatures in Marrakech, Morocco in November 2016.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Germany Capital: Berlin;
- Germany Currency: Euro;
- Germany President: Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Ebrahim Raisi was sworn in as the new President of Iran
Ebrahim Raisi was officially sworn in as the new president of Iran on August 05, 2021. He won the 2021 Iranian presidential election in June, with 62 percent of the vote. The 60-year-old Raisi succeeds Hassan Rouhani to begin his four-year term. He is also been the Chief Justice of Iran since March 2019.
Raisi’s inauguration comes at a pivotal time, with Iran currently in indirect negotiations with the United States over how to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Raisi will also face the task of reviving his country’s economy, which has been battered in recent years by the previous US administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions. Tensions in the region are also high following a string of maritime provocations blamed by the West on Tehran.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Iran Capital: Tehran;
- Iran Currency: Iranian toman.
Banking
Axis Bank crosses one million customers on WhatsApp banking
Axis Bank has crossed the milestone of over one million customers on its WhatsApp banking channel with a total request count of 6 million till now.
Axis Bank had launched banking services on WhatsApp in January 2021 and has since witnessed robust organic growth in its customer base for WhatsApp banking.
After signing up for the service, customers can inquire and get details of products across savings account, credit and debit cards, deposits, and personal loans.
Non-financial service requests can also be initiated, such as locating ATMs or getting updates on third-party deals available on credit and debit cards.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Axis Bank CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry;
- Axis Bank Headquarters: Mumbai;
- Axis Bank Founded: 3 December 1993, Ahmedabad.
Agreements
ICICI Prudential Life ties up with NPCI for UPI Autopay
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has tied up with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to provide a Unified Payments Interface Autopay facility to its customers.
This tie-up is another step in the company’s digitalization journey, which provides customers with a hassle-free and seamless experience across the policy lifecycle.
While purchasing a life insurance policy, customers can link their bank accounts with UPI Autopay for payment of premium.
The UPI Autopay e-mandate can be activated by customers by using their smartphones to make regular renewal premium payments in a paperless format.
The UPI payment mode is fast becoming a preferred route of payment due to the contactless and frictionless experience it provides.
Customers can set up the e-mandate facility to make their regular renewal premium payments and ensure financial security for themselves and their families.
Customers can enable the UPI Auotpay feature on their UPI apps. Alternatively, it can be enabled for banks through an e-mandate.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- ICICI Prudential Life Insurance CEO: N. S. Kannan;
- ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Founded: 2000.
India for implementing MoU with Bangladesh in disaster management
India has emphasized the implementation of the recently-signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh over disaster management, resilience, and mitigation on a priority basis. Bangladesh has decided to accept the invitation to join the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
CDRI is a coalition of national governments, UN agencies, multilateral development banks, and the private sector which aims to promote resilience of new and existing infrastructure to climate and disaster risks.
Appointments
Zoological Survey of India gets 1st female director in 100 years
The Indian government approved the appointment of Dr. Dhriti Banerjee as the director of the Zoological Survey of India. She is a prolific scientist, conducting research in zoogeography, taxonomy, morphology, and molecular systematics.
On the occasion of its centenary celebrations in 2016, Banerjee had co-authored the “The Glorious 100 Women’s Scientific Contribution in ZSI”, which chronicled the contributions of women scientists in the domain of animal-related groups.
Founded in July 1916, the ZSI has its headquarters in Kolkata. It has 16 regional centers under the ministry of environment and forest and climate change. ZSI started hiring women scientists as late as 1949, nearly three decades since its inception.
Economy
RBI announces its bi-monthly monetary policy
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced its bi-monthly monetary policy. This is the seventh time in a row that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) headed by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das has maintained the status quo.
RBI had last revised its policy rate on May 22, 2020, in an off-policy cycle to perk up demand by cutting the interest rate to a historic low. The meeting was held between August 4 and 6. The remaining will take place in October (6 to 8); December (6 to 8) and February (7 to 9, 2022).
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Sebi allows payments banks to act as investment bankers
Sebi has allowed payments banks to carry out the activities of investment bankers to provide easy access to investors to participate in public and rights issues by using various payment avenues, markets regulator.
Non-scheduled payments banks, which have prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), will be eligible to act as a banker to an issue (BTI).
This is subject to fulfillment of the conditions stipulated in the BTI rules. Further, payments banks registered as a BTI will also be permitted to act as self-certified syndicate banks, subject to the fulfillment of the criteria laid down by the Sebi in this regard from time to time.”The blocking/movement of funds from the investor to the issuer shall only be made through the savings account of the investor held with the payments bank.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Securities and Exchange Board of India Founded: 12 April 1992.
- Securities and Exchange Board of India Headquarters: Mumbai.
- Securities and Exchange Board of India Agency executive: Ajay Tyagi.
Important Days
Hiroshima Day: 6th August
Annually 6th of August marks the anniversary of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima during World War II. The horrific incident took place on August 6, 1945, when the United States dropped an atomic bomb named “Little Boy”, on the town of Hiroshima in Japan.
This bomb attack was done with the motive to end the Second World War in 1945. This day is remembered to promote peace and spread awareness about the danger of nuclear energy and nuclear weapons.
During the 2nd World War which was active in 1939- 1945, the world’s first deployed atomic bomb with more than 9000 pounds uranium-235 was loaded and US B-29 bomber aircraft, the Enola Gay attacked the Japanese city of Hiroshima on 6th August 1945.
The explosion was so huge that it immediately killed 70,000 people wiping 90% of the city and later on around 10,000 people died due to the effect of radiation exposure.
TRIFED celebrates its 34th Foundation Day
Tribal Co-operative Marketing Federation of India (TRIFED) has celebrated its 34th foundation day on 6th August. TRIFED was founded to drive tribal development through marketing support for tribal products, both, handicrafts and Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP).
TRIFED will celebrate this day in a special manner, with due publicity, to raise awareness among one and all regarding the issues related to trade in tribal areas, and the need to ensure a fair deal for the tribes in the commerce of their products.
The proposed event shall also recognize the achievements and contributions that the tribes and people working for them have made in this regard. TRIFED was established on the 6th of August 1987 as a National level Cooperative body with the major objective of socio-economic development of tribals.
TRIFED will be celebrating its 34th Foundation Day on August 6, an event to recognize TRIFEDs achievements and the contribution of Tribes as well as people working with it.
Obituary
Olympian footballer S.S. ‘Babu’ Nayaran passes away
Two-times Olympian Shankar Subramaniam, alias “Babu” Nayaran passed away. He was India’s goalkeeper during the 1956 and 1960 Olympics. Besides representing Maharashtra in football and basketball, Narayan emerged as one of the most reliable goalkeepers in India.
His decade-long career for the national team also included the stellar effort of India finishing fourth in the 1956 Olympics and representing India in the 1964 Asian Games.
Subramaniam was born in Palakkad district in Kerala, Narayan was a star in Mumbai’s local circuit during his appearances for Matunga Students, Matunga Gymkhana, Caltex, and Tata Sports Club. He was part of Maharashtra’s Santosh Trophy-winning campaign in 1964.
Miscellaneous
CBIC launches Compliance Information Portal (CIP)
The Central Board for Indirect Taxes & Customs launched the Indian Customs Compliance Information Portal at www.cip.icegate.gov.in/CIP.
This portal providing free access to information on all Customs procedures and regulatory compliance for nearly 12,000 Customs Tariff Items.
The portal will provide complete knowledge of all import and export-related requirements for all items.
Useful notes for all competitive exams:
- Central Board for Indirect Taxes & Customs Chairperson: M. Ajit Kumar;
- Central Board for Indirect Taxes & Customs Founded: 1 January 1964.
- Daily Current Affairs in English 11 Sep 2022 – Useful for all Competitive Exams
- Hindu Editorial with Vocabulary: Sep Month – Day 10
- 11 Sep 2022 Daily Current Affairs in Hindi – सभी प्रतियोगी परीक्षाओं के लिए महत्वपूर्ण
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- Hindu Editorial with Vocabulary: Sep Month – Day 9
- Daily Current Affairs in English 10 Sep 2022 – Useful for all Competitive Exams
