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Current Affairs Weekly PDF - August 2019 Second Week (8-15)

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INDIAN AFFAIRS
22nd National Conference on e-Governance 2019 inaugurated in Shillong
The 2 days lasting 22nd National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) 2019 was launched by Dr.
Jitendra Singh. This is the first-ever e-Conference in the northeast region in Shillong, Meghalaya.
The theme of this Conference was “Digital India: Success to Excellence”. The chief guest for this
conference was Meghalaya Chief Minister Shri Konrad Sangma.
Samagra Siksha -Jal Suraksha drive launched by MHRD
The drive Samagra Siksha - Jal Suraksha which aims to create awareness among school children
about water conservation was launched by Union Minister of Human Resource and Development
(MHRD) Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank’, to make them conscientious and committed water
citizens of the nation. The drive was launched at Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Auditorium,
Kendriya Vidyalaya No.2 in Delhi.
Swedish software Urkund to be accessed for free by Indian Universities
Urkund is an anti-plagiarism (anti-piracy, anti-theft) Swedish software. It has been chosen to be
accessed for free by Indian Universities through global tender process. On August 2, 2019 trial
access to the Urkund software was provided. The previously used software was Turnitin but it
was found to be 10 times more expensive without a proportionate increase in features or
reliability.
Manipur tops the rank in breastfeeding report released by health minister
Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health and Family welfare released a report on Breastfeeding in
New Delhi where states were ranked based on Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding
Practices in the country. The ranking was topped by Manipur. The worst performing states were
Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar. The national capital Delhi is also one among the worst-
performing states.
India's first underwater train will be launched in Kolkata
Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal announced that India's first underwater train project is set
to launch in Kolkata, West Bengal under the Hooghly river. It is a 16-kilometer long Kolkata Metro
project. It will connect Salt Sector 5 with Howrah Maidan.
Government of Odisha launched Small Savings Incentive Scheme
Odisha government unveiled the 'Odisha Small Savings Incentive Scheme' for the calendar year
2019 under the notation "AQ" series. The aim of the scheme is to stop people from transacting
with ‘suspicious’ non-banking private financial institutions.
Department of Heavy Industry sanctions 5,595 e-buses for 64 cities under FAME India- Phase II
Under the Scheme of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid and) Electric vehicles (FAME)
India- Phase II, the Department of Heavy Industry under the Ministry of Heavy Industry and
Public Enterprises sanctioned 5,095 e-buses to 64 cities/state transport corporations for intra-
city operations, 400 e-buses for intercity operation and 100 e-buses for last-mile connectivity to
the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
President Ram Nath Kovind approves National Medical Commission Bill, 2019
President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind approved the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill,
2019 which repeals the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. The NMC Act has provisions to set up

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the National Medical Commission which will frame policies for regulating medical institutions and
medical professionals.
Tripura’s Banned Insurgency Group, NLFT signs a tripartite settlement agreement with MHA and
Tripura govt
Government of India (GoI) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Settlement (MoS)with
Government of Tripura and banned rebel outfit of Tripura National Liberation Front of Twipra
(NLFT) led by Sabir Kumar Debbarma & agreed to abjure the path of violence, join the
mainstream and abide by the Constitution of India. It also decided to surrender its 88 cadres with
their weapons.
India & Bangladesh to set up Joint Technical committee for optimum utilization of Ganges water
At a Secretary-level meeting in Dhaka, India and Bangladesh decided to set up a Joint Technical
committee for optimum utilization of Ganges water as being received by Bangladesh under the
Ganga Water Sharing Treaty 1996. The Indian delegation was led by Water Resources Secretary
Upendra Prasad Singh while the Bangladesh side was led by his counterpart Kabir Bin Anwar.
Defence ministry extends benefits of Child Care Leave to single male service personnel
Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh has approved the extension of Child Care Leave (CCL)
benefits to single male service personnel and further, the minimum period of CCL has been
reduced to 5 days instead of 15 days.
Mukhyamantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana - vice president honorable M. venkaiah Naidu launches
Jharkhand government's financial assistance program for its farmers
Under the Jharkhand state’s scheme, Mukhyamantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana launched by Shri
Venkaiah Naidu, farmers/ beneficiaries having farmlands of less than 1 acre to 5 acres will be
provided financial assistance of Rs5,000-25,000. The launching ceremony was held in 23 districts
apart from Ranchi. This scheme would benefit approximately 35 lakh farmers and by
september/october this year. The outlay is Rs 3000 crore.
4th edition of National Entrepreneurship Awards, 2019 announced by Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship
In a bid to encourage and recognize entrepreneurs and also to catalyse a cultural shift in youth for
entrepreneurship, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has
announced the 4th edition of National Entrepreneurship Awards (NEA) for the year 2019. A total
of 45 awards are to be announced with 39 enterprise awards and 6 Entrepreneurship Ecosystem
Builders awards. The awards will be given on November 09, 2019.
Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan inaugurates inter state portability in two cluster of states
Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution inaugurated the inter-State
portability in two clusters of adjoining States of Andhra Pradesh & Telangana and Gujarat &
Maharashtra, as a major step towards achieving the objective of ‘One Nation One Ration Card’.
Under the National Food Security Act, beneficiaries can avail the benefits from any of the two
cluster States. 11 States/UT have implemented the intra-State portability.
President Ram Nath Kovind Gives Assent To Arbitration And Conciliation (Amendment) Act 2019
President of India Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment)
Act 2019 aimed to make India hub of domestic and global arbitration for settling commercial
disputes. It will amend Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. It provides a mechanism to deal
time-bound settlement of disputes and ensures accountability of the arbitrator. Read full details
here: President Ram Nath Kovind Gives Assent To Arbitration And Conciliation (Amendment) Act
2019
President Ram Nath Kovind Gives Assent To The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019
President of India Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act,
2019, to improve road safety and facilitation of the citizens while dealing with transport
departments. The Act will amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Read full details here: President
Ram Nath Kovind Gives Assent To The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019

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2 day exhibition on DAE Technologies inaugurated in New Delhi

A two-day exhibition on DAE spinoff Technologies for non-power applications organised by the
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), was inaugurated by Shri Rakesh Gupta, chairman of UPSC
(Union Public Service Commision) at New MotiBagh recreation club, New Delhi.
CBDT increases the monetary threshold limit for IT department for filing appeals
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) increased the monetary limit for an appeal before the
Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) to Rs 50 lakh from Rs 20 lakh. This is done to reduce
litigation. In case of high courts, the limit has been doubled to Rs 1 crore.
President Ram Nath Kovind approves J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019
President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind approved the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Reorganisation
Act, 2019. The Ministry of Law and Justice issued the Gazette Notification. The Act seeks to make
J&K a Union Territory (UT) with legislature and Ladakh, a UT without legislature.
Three Member Panel To Resolve Dispute Between SAIL And Railways Set Up By The Govt
A three member committee was set up by the govt. to resolve dispute between the Indian
Railways and Steel Authority of India (SAIL) regarding issues related to the quantity and supply of
high-quality steel rails. Read full details here: Three Member Panel To Resolve Dispute Between
SAIL And Railways Set Up By The Govt
Rotavirus Vaccination Extended Across All States And UTs By September 2019
Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan, decided to provide Rotavirus
vaccine (RVV) to children across all states and Union Territories (UT) by September 2019 inorder
to achieve the goal of ending morbidity and mortality in children due to diarrhoea by 2022.
Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea in children of less than 2 years of age.
Read full details here: Rotavirus Vaccination Extended Across All States And UTs By September
2019
Indian Army launches ‘Mission Reach Out’ post Article 370 revocation in Jammu
The Indian Army has launched a "Mission Reach Out" post revocation of Article 370 in Jammu
Division to ensure basic necessities and essential services are available in the region including
providing water in locations where supply is disrupted and mobile medical care units with
essential medicines, giving essentials including rations, assistance in transportation of patients to
hospitals,etc.
President Ram Nath Kovind approves UAPA Bill, 2019
President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind approved the Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Amendment (UAPA) Bill, 2019 under which individuals can be declared as terrorists, their
properties can be seized and travel ban can be imposed once they are declared as terrorists.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar are likely
to be the first 2 individuals to be designated as terrorists.
Swachh Survekshan 2020 Launched By MoS For Housing Shri Hardeep Puri
The Minister of State (Independent charge) for housing and urban affairs Shri Hardeep SinghPuri
launched the fifth edition of annual cleanliness survey, Swachh Survekshan 2020 (SS 2020) which
is to be conducted from January 2020. Swachh Survekshan 2020 Toolkit, SBM(Swachh Bharat
Mission) Water PLUS Protocol and Toolkit, Swachh Nagar- an integrated waste management app
and AI( Artificial intelligence) enabled mSBM app was launched. Read full details here: Swachh
Survekshan 2020 Launched By MoS For Housing Shri Hardeep Puri
33% Of India’s Skilled Youth Are Jobless: PLFS 2017-18
An analysis of the unit-level data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18,
conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), found that 33% of India’s skilled youth
are jobless. 4 out of 10 youth who received vocational training are out of the labour force. Nearly a
third of trained young men and more than a third of trained young women were unemployed.
Read full details here: 33% Of India’s Skilled Youth Are Jobless: PLFS 2017-18
Govt. Makes Headgear Compulsory For Children Aged Above 4 Years
The govt. has made a significant move on safety measures by making it mandatory for children
above 4 years of age to wear headgear of prescribed standards. This safety measures for the

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children has been included in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) act 2019 which was passed by the
government recently. Section 129 of the principal Act has been replaced in the act. Read full
details here: Govt. Makes headgear compulsory for children aged above 4 years
Japanese defense ship “JS Sazanami“, visits Kochi on a 2-day goodwill visit
Japanese Ship, JS Sazanami, the fourth vessel of the Takanami class destroyers of the Japan
Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commanded by Commander Shoji Ishkawa visited Kochi on
a 2-day goodwill visit from August 13 to 19, 2019.
Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) will be set up in Mumbai in association with the Tata Trust
Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) stated
that world-class Indian Institute of Skills (IIS) will be set up in Mumbai, Maharashtra in
association with Tata Educational and Development Trust (TEDT) aimed at scaling up of skill
training enabling the young generation to acquire skills at par with global standards.
First Ever Space Museum Of India Inaugurated At Hyderabad
The first space museum of India opening new attraction to space enthusiasts, was set up at
Hyderabad in association with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The museum is housed
in the Birla Science Museum. It gave Space of 9000 square feet to set up the space museum. The
space Museum is located on the erstwhile Naubat Pahad, Telangana in the centre of the city. Read
full details here: First Ever Space Museum Of India Inaugurated At Hyderabad
CORAS of Indian railways launched by railway minister Piyush Goyal
CORAS (Commandos For Railway Security), a special railway unit for the Indian railways and a
new establishment manual for the Railway Protection Force(RPF) was launched by union Railway
Minister Shri Piyush Goyal at a function in New Delhi railway station. Read full details
here: CORAS Of Indian Railways Launched By Railway Minister Piyush Goyal
Reconstitution Of Inter-State Council; PM Modi Is The Chairman
The Inter-State Council was reconstituted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its chairman and
6 Union ministers and chief ministers as members. The Union ministers who will be members of
the reconstituted council are Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman, Rajnath Singh, Narendra Singh
Tomar, Thaawar Chand Gehlot, and Hardeep Singh Puri. Read full details here: Reconstitution Of
Inter-State Council; PM Modi Is The Chairman
A 3-day Global Investors Summit 2019 will be held in Srinagar, J&K
A 3-day Global Investors Summit 2019 starting from October 12, 2019, will be held in Srinagar,
Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) which will provide the state an opportunity to showcase its strengths,
strategies, and potential. The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) will be the national partner
for the investor's summit, which has signed an MoU(Memorandum of understanding) with Jammu
and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organisation (JKTPO).
Paddy stubble burning declined by 41% in 2018 over 2016 level in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar
Pradesh and Delhi-NCR
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Director General & Secretary of the Department of
Agricultural Research & Education (DARE) under the Ministry of Agriculture , Dr. Trilochan
Mohapatra highlighted that the paddy stubble burning declined by 41% in 2018 over 2016 level
in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi-NCR. It was reduced with the help of a Rs 1,151.80
crore (2018-19 to 2019-20) Central Sector Scheme (CSS) on 'Promotion of Agricultural
Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue’.
Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launches 2nd Edition of Swaccha Survakshan
Grameen for 2019
Jal Shakti Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched the 2nd Edition of Swaccha
Survakshan Grameen, India's largest sanitation survey, for 2019 in New Delhi. The 45-day long
survey will take place in 18 thousand villages of 698 districts.
New lighting system was inaugurated in the Parliament House by the Prime minister
As many as 875 energy-efficient LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights were installed in the
parliament complex and dynamic Facade Lighting of the parliament House estate was inaugurated

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by the prime minister of India Shri Narendra Modi. These LED bulbs will illuminate lights
throughout the year.
‘Operation Number Plate’ Launched By RPF In All Railway Premises Ahead Of Independence Day
Indian Railways’ Railway Protection Force (RPF) launched a drive named ‘Operation Number
Plate’ under the direction of the Director General of RPF Shri Arun Kumar, to check and verify
unauthorised parking in the railway premises. Unauthorized parking of unidentified vehicles are
considered as a threat to the safety and security of passengers. Owners of the vehicles should
have to contact helpline number 182 if their vehicles have been seized by the RPF from railway
station premises. Read full details here: ‘Operation Number Plate’ Launched By RPF In All Railway
Premises Ahead Of Independence Day
16 State Governments And The Textile Ministry Signs MoU On Skill Training
Ministry of textiles and a total of 16 states from the country have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) at a function in New Delhi to take project Samarth– which is Scheme for
Capacity Building In Textile Sector (SCBTS) to impart skill based training to workers. There is a
gap of 16 lakh trained skill worker in the textile industry. Read full details here: 16 State
Governments And The Textile Ministry Signs MoU On Skill Training

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
SCO exercise 'Tsentr (centre) to be participated by India with Pakistan, China
India and Pakistan will be participating in the upcoming major exercise "Tsentr (centre) 2019"
under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to be held from tentatively scheduled period
of September 10-21 at Orenburg, Russia. All the members of SCO will be participating in the
exercise.
Kajin Sara lake in Nepal is likely to set a new record of being the world’s highest
A newly discovered Kajin Sara lake in Manang district of Nepal is all set to record the world’s
highest lake. It will replace the Tilicho lake, which is the current world’s highest lake situated at
an altitude of 4,919 metres in Nepal(also in Manang) measures 4 km long, 1.2 km wide and
around 200 metres deep.
Commerce And Industry Minister Piyush Goyal Lead A Delegation To Vladivostok, Russia
Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Piyush Goyal led a high-power delegation to explore the
opportunities for enhancing trade and investment from India to the Far East region of Russia at
Vladivostok, Russia from August 11-13, 2019. His visit is a precursor to the upcoming visit of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 5th edition of the Eastern Economic Forum in September,
2019 where PM will be the guest of honour. Read full details here: Commerce And Industry
Minister Piyush Goyal Lead A Delegation To Vladivostok, Russia
Overview Of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar Visit To Beijing, China
External Affairs Minister(EAM) of India Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited(3-day from August
11 to 13,2019)Beijing, China during which he had bilateral meetings with his counterpart Foreign
Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi, Vice President Wang Qishan, 4th meeting of the India-
China Media Forum on cultural and people-to-people exchanges & signed 5 MoUs(memorandum
of understanding) during the visit. Read ful details here: Overview Of External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar Visit To Beijing, China
$ 1 million dollar contributed to the UN fund by India
India contributed $1 million to reform the United Nations (UN) Development system by
contributing to the UN Special Purpose Trust Fund (SPTF) for the resident coordinator system. It
is a specific fund established mainly to receive, consolidate, manage and account for all
contributions and financial transactions in an efficient and transparent way. It is housed within
the UN secretariat.

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BANKING & FINANCE

Scheduled bank status is given to Jana Small Finance Bank
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) gave the status to Jana Small Finance Bank to operate as a
Scheduled Bank. The bank was established in the year 2009. Currently, it operates 260 branches
and 338 asset centres with over 5.5million customers. It aims o provide financial inclusion to
underserved sections of society, like small business units, small and marginal farmers, micro and
small industries.
RBI’s Task Force on Offshore Rupee Markets headed by Usha Thorat recommends extension of
onshore market hours
The Task Force formed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Offshore Rupee Markets headed by
Usha Thorat has recommended the extension of onshore market hours to 9 am to 9 pm, from 9 am
to 5 pm, to improve access of overseas users and allow Indian banks to freely offer prices to global
clients around the clock. The panel was constituted in August 2018, in view of the sharp growth in
offshore trading volumes in the rupee Non-Deliverable Forward (NDF) (Offshore markets)
market.
PNB Housing Finance raises fresh equity of Rs 522 cr via ECB from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking
Corporation
PNB (Punjab National Bank) Housing Finance Limited (PNBHFL) raised fresh equity of Rs 522
crore ($75 million) as External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking
Corporation (SMBC) of Singapore. The ECB is under the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) automatic
route of approval.
MSCI added HDFC Life Insurance to its Global Standard Index
MSCI Inc ( Morgan Stanley Capital International), One of the world’s biggest index compilers, has
added HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd. to its Global Standard Index and removed Union Bank
of India(UBI) from its India Smallcap Index. The changes in the MSCI Index will be implemented as
of the closing hours of August 27, 2019.
Digital payments usage acceleration "Digi Vyapari- Safal Vyapari" initiative launched by CAIT
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) in partnership with HDFC Bank, Mastercard,
Common Service Centres (CSCs) of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity)
and Global Linkers, launched Digi Vyapari- Safal Vyapari- to accelerate usage of digital payments
in the country.
DBS Bank India join hands with Social Alpha to incubate social entrepreneurs
A leading financial services corporation, DBS Bank India has tied up with Social Alpha, the non-
profit start-up incubator to mentor & support the start-ups (Even Cargo, Trust Circle Incredible
Devices) focusing including inclusion, healthcare, and the environment in India over the next 18
months. DBS Bank will also give an annual programme grant of ₹1 crore to the three ventures.
RBL Bank with digital healthcare platform Practo launches co-branded credit card called “RBL
Bank Practo Plus”
RBL Bank, one of India’s fastest-growing private sector banks and Practo ,a digital healthcare
platform have jointly launched co-branded health-focused credit card called “RBL Bank Practo
Plus” powered by Mastercard. It's benefits include Unlimited online consultations with
experienced and qualified doctors on all-time(24*7) for one year period among others.
India’s first Corporate credit card for SMEs launched by B2B payments startup EnKash
Business-Business payments startup company EnKash launched the country's first corporate
credit card called 'Freedom Card' for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and startups. It is the
brainchild of Mr. Naveen Bindal, Co-Founder of EnKash. This card provides the freedom to avail
credit facility for immediate needs and to manage the liquidity of startups.
Chola MS ties up with Indian bank to provide insurance products to indian bank customers
Indian Bank Managing Director and CEO (Chief Executive Officer), Padmaja Chunduru and
Cholamandalam MS (Chola MS) General Insurance Company, Managing Director, SS

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Gopalarathnam, have signed a corporate agency agreement where the Chola MS will deliver a
wide range of insurance policies to the Indian bank customers.
OYO Hotels partners with ACKO General Insurance will launch complimentary insurance cover up
to Rs.10 lakh for guests
Budget hotel chain Oyo Hotels and Homes have partnered with ACKO General Insurance to
provide a complimentary insurance cover up to Rs 10 lakh for protection against accidental death,
baggage damage, accidental medical expenses amongst other benefits like OPD (Outpatient
Department)treatment, etc during their stay.
After State Bank of India, BoB goes the same way to link home loan product to RBI’s repo rate
Indian multinational, public sector bank, Bank of Baroda (BoB) has linked its home loan product
to RBI’s (Reserve Bank of India (RBI)repo rate after State Bank of India (SBI). With this, home
loans at BOB will be available at repo rate linked interest rate starting at 8.35%, thus passing on
the further benefit of 10 basis points to the present MCLR (Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending
Rate) rated pricing.
Denmark’s Jyske Bank unveiled world's first negative interest rate home loan
Denmark’s third-largest bank, Jyske Bank has launched the world’s first negative interest rate
mortgage – handing out loans to homeowners where the charge is minus 0.5% a year. It has
begun offering borrowers a 10-year deal at -0.5%. Under its negative mortgage, Jyske bank
borrowers will make a monthly repayment as usual – but the amount still outstanding will be
reduced each month by more than the borrower has paid.
AePS crosses milestone of 200 million transactions in July 2019: NPCI
Umbrella organisation for operating retail payments and settlement, National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI) has stated that Aadhaar enabled Payment System (AePS) used by a
total of 6.65 crore Indian citizens stood at 220.18 million with transaction value Rs 9,685.35 crore
during July 2019 against the transaction count of 194.33 million with transaction value of Rs
8,867.33 crore in June 2019.
Reserve Bank asks banks not to count failed transactions, balance enquiry as ''free ATM
transactions''
The country’s Central Bank, Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has asked banks not to count failed
transactions at ATMs due to technical reasons (hardware and software issues, non-availability of
cash, and any other reason attributable to the bank), as part of "free ATM transactions” , which are
permitted every month. Banks provide a certain number of free transactions at ATMs permitted
every month to their customers and beyond that limit, it imposes charges.
Centre Issues Guidelines For Granting Rs 1 Trillion Credit Guarantee For NBFCs
In a bid to help the Financially sound NBFCs (Non- Banking Financial Companies), including
Housing Finance Companies (HFCs), which are facing stress following stocks of defaults, the
Central Government has issued guidelines of partial guarantee scheme covering a maximum
standard asset value of Rs 1 trillion under which state-run public-sector banks(PSBs) can
purchase high-rated pooled assets originated up to March 31, 2019, from NBFCs. Read full details
here: Centre Issues Guidelines For Granting Rs 1 Trillion Credit Guarantee For NBFCs
Aditya Puri, CEO of HDFC bank, is the top-paid bank CEO in FY19
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HDFC Bank Aditya Puri is the highest-paid bank chief
executive in India with a monthly basic salary of Rs 89 lakh in FY19. The data was compiled from
annual reports. He has been followed by Amitabh Chaudhry of Axis Bank (30 Lakh) and Uday
Kotak (Kotak Mahindra Bank).
Axis Bank and Aditya Birla Health Insurance signed bancassurance pact
The 3rd -largest of the private-sector lender, Axis Bank has signed a bancassurance agreement
with stand alone health insurer, Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co Ltd (ABHICL) to provide Aditya
Birla’s suite of insurance products to its customers. Aditya Birla’s products will now be available
in Axis Bank customer base across its 4,094 branches and digital channels.

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HFCs will be treated as one category under NBFCs: RBI

India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) stated that, for regulatory purposes, Housing
Finance Companies (HFCs) will be treated as one of the categories of NBFCs (Non-Banking
Financial Companies) & it will come under RBI’s supervision. This comes after the Finance (No 2)
Act, 2019 (23 of 2019) amended the National Housing Bank Act, 1987, granting certain powers to
RBI for the regulation of HFCs.
Injeti Srinivas committee suggests CSR expenditure be made tax deductible
A high level steering committee on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) headed by Injeti
Srinivas, Corporate Affairs Secretary has recommended to make CSR expenditure tax-deductible
and that non-compliance of CSR norms be treated as a civil offence. The committee presented its
recommendations to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Read full details here: Injeti Srinivas
Committee Suggests CSR Expenditure Be Made Tax Deductible

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Flipkart ranked No 1 in LinkedIn's list of best workplaces in India
In LinkedIn’s fourth edition of Top Companies list for India 2019, Walmart acquired Flipkart was
ranked first place as the best workplace in India. It was evaluated over the 4 criteria as part of the
rankings: interest in the company, engagement with the company’s employees, job demands and
employee retention. It has ranked 25 companies. Flipkart is followed by Amazon and Oyo.
Centre sets target of transporting nearly 25% of cargo through coastal shipping and inland
waterways over the next 10 years: Mansukh Mandaviya
On the event of 30th anniversary celebrations of the nation's largest container port
JNPT(Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust) in Mumbai, Union Minister of State for Shipping , Mansukh
Mandaviya stated that the central government has set a target of transporting nearly 25% of
cargo through coastal shipping and inland waterways over the next 10 years. The increment in
exim cargo will also help to reduce inflation by nearly 2.5 %.
Reliance Jio and Microsoft tied up to accelerate digital transformation in India
Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, and Microsoft
Corporation announced a 10-year long-term strategic relationship to accelerate the digital
transformation of the Indian economy and society.
Saudi’s ARAMCO Will Buy 20% Of RIL’s Oil And Chemical Business For $15 Bn
In the 42nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Reliance Industries Ltd(RIL), its Chairman
&MD(managing director) Mukesh Ambani stated that Saudi Arabia’s most profitable oil company
Saudi Aramco will buy 20 % stake of RIL’s oil and chemicals business for about $15 billion
(approximately Rs 1.06 lakh crore), which will be one of the biggest FDI(foreign direct
investment) deal in the country. Read full details here: Saudi’s ARAMCO Will Buy 20% Of RIL’s Oil
And Chemical Business For $15 Bn
Assam’s rare variety tea from Dikom Tea Estate makes records for being sold at Rs.75,000 per kg
A rare tea variety of eastern Assam's Dikom Tea Estate named “Golden Butterfly tea” created a
record of being sold at Rs.75,000 per kg at the Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC), Assam.
NAE and CIAL signs MoU for commencement of air naval operations
The Naval Air Enclave (NAE) which is a naval aviation facility in Kochi, Kerala, and Cochin
International Airport Limited ( CIAL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the
commencement of Naval air operations from NAE in Nedumbassery, Kerala. The CIAL runway will
be used as a runway for military aircraft take off and landing.
ADB to invest $23 million in non-convertible debentures issued by GRIL
In order to support road sector investment plans of the Indian government, Asian Development
Bank(ADB) has signed an agreement to invest $23 million in non-convertible debentures (NCD)
being issued by GRIL( GR Infraprojects Limited). This investment will promote the GRIL’s ability
for the construction of roads and highways in India.

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AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Vikram Sarabhai Journalism Award in Space science announced by ISRO for 2019-2020
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has instituted "Vikram Sarabhai Journalism
Award in Space Science, Technology and Research" in two categories of awards in journalism as
part of the centenary year celebration of the father of Indian Space Programme, Dr. Vikram
Sarabhai. This award is to recognise, reward and honour journalists who have contributed to the
field of journalism actively. The articles of journalists from 2019 to 2020 will be considered for
the award.
Overview of National Film Awards 2019
The annual National Film Awards 2019 were announced by by jury heads Rahul Rawail, AS Kanal
and Utpal Bhorpujari. It was the 66th Edition. This year, a total of 419 films had competed for the
awards. The awards are given in 31 categories. The announcement was made at Shastri Bhawan,
New Delhi. The Best Feature Film award went to HELLARO (Gujarati). Read full details
here: Overview Of National Film Awards 2019
UP govt creates world record by planting over 22 cr saplings in one day on 77th anniversary of
the Quit India Movement
To mark the 77th anniversary of Quit India movement, Uttar Pradesh(UP) chief
minister(CM) Yogi Adityanath has launched the mega greenery plantation drive called
“Vriksharopan Mahakumbh”, which now sets a world record by planting over 22 crore saplings in
a day. The state also entered the Guinness World Records’ for distributing 76,823 saplings
simultaneously in six hours across the state.
Badshah of Bollywood, “Shah Rukh Khan” felicitated with an honorary doctorate degree by
Melbourne's La Trobe University
Shah Rukh Khan (53), an Indian actor, film producer has been conferred with an honorary degree,
Doctor of Letters by the La Trobe University of Melbourne, Australia (1st Australian University to
award Khan with this honour), during 10th edition Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2019
(IFFM) in recognition of his humanitarian efforts towards underprivileged children, empowering
women through MEER foundation, and his achievements in Bollywood.
Ahead of the Independence day, a 15-km long tricolor unfurled by forming a human chain in
Raipur, Chhattisgarh
Ahead of the Independence day celebrations(15 August,2019), thousands of people including
those belonging to 35 social organizations across the state, and students from various schools
unfurled a 15-km long national flag by forming a human chain from Amapara Chowk to Pt
Ravishankar Shukla University in Raipur ,Chhattisgarh.
Priyam Chatterjee becomes first Indian chef to be awarded the ''Chevalier de l''Ordre du Merite
Agricoleto'' by the govt of France
The government of France conferred the Indian Chef Priyam Chatterjee (30) with 'Chevalier de
l'Ordre du Mrite Agricoleto' (Order of Agricultural Merit) in New Delhi. With this distinction,
Chatterjee becomes the 1st Indian from Kolkata (West Bengal) to receive this honour, in
recognition of his great contribution towards reinventing the gastronomic scene in India.
Indresh Tripathi, a MIG police station in-charge in Indore will be conferred with the National
Award
Indresh Tripathi, a MIG police station in-charge in Indore (Madhya Pradesh) will be conferred
with the National Award on January 26, 2020, in New Delhi by the central Government for his
excellent services at the national level.
ISRO chairman K.Sivan conferred with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam award
Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) K.Sivan, under whose leadership the
Chandrayaan- 2mission (mission to moon) is launched, was conferred with Tamil Nadu
Government's Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam award.

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Actor Steve Coogan to be honoured with 2019 Charlie Chaplin award constituted by BAFTA LA
BAF TA LA ( British Academy of Film and Television Arts- Los Angeles branch) is to honour 53
year old English actor Steve Coogan with the prestigious “2019 Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award
for Excellence in Comedy”. He will be honoured during the 2019 Britannia awards to be held on
25th October at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, California, America.
Rare snapshots of Simla Conference, 1945 is now part of the National Film Archive of India (NFAI)
collection
Pune based National Film Archive of India (NFAI) has acquired rare black & white footage of the
historic Simla Conference which was held during the crucial period prior to India's independence
(June 25 - July 14, 1945), at Viceregal Lodge (now known as the Rashtrapati Niwas), Simla,
Himachal Pradesh.
Rajasthan wins best innovation awards at 14th World Education Summit-2019
Rajasthan was awarded “best innovation and initiative leadership award” at the 14th World
Education Summit-2019, held at New Delhi for its achievement in higher education.
 The Innovative Practices for Academic Excellence award went to Sant Nandlal Vidya
Mandir, Jharkhand.
 Emerging University of India award conferred upon O P Jindal University, Raigarh,
Chattisgarh.
‘Panchamirtham’ of Palani temple in Tamil Nadu gets GI tag
Geographical Identity (GI) tag was given to the famous Panchamritham, an offering of the Palani
Dandayuthaswamy temple, in Tamil Nadu. It became the first temple offering - Prashad - from
Tamil Nadu to be conferred this honor. It became the first temple offering - Prashad - from Tamil
Nadu to be conferred this honor.
96 police personnel awarded the Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Investigation
2019
Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Investigation 2019 was conferred to 96 police
personnel, including 15 Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers. The award was instituted in
2018 to promote high professional standards of investigation of crime and to recognize such
excellence in investigation by officers. 13 women officers were among the 96 personnel.
Rajdeep Sardesai awarded the prestigious 2019 Prem Bhatia Award for political reporting
Veteran journalist and consulting editor at India Today TV(television), Mr. Rajdeep Sardesai was
awarded the 2019 Prem Bhatia Award for his Outstanding Political Reporting with a career
spanning over three decades.
 2019 award for Environmental reporting was given to Down to Earth’s IshanKukreti and
independent journalist Sharada Balasubramaniam.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Sonia Gandhi chosen as Interim Chief of Congress
The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision-making body of the party, selected
Sonia Gandhi, aged 72, as the interim president of the Congress party. She had held the post of
Congress President between 1998 and 2017. She succeeds Rahul Gandhi.
Shri Ghotu Ram Meena is the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Congo
As per the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India(GoI), Shri Ghotu Ram Meena has been
appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Congo. He is presently serving as
Counsellor, Embassy of India, Kyiv, Ukraine Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He replaces Ms.
Nina Tshering La.
Anurag Adlakha appointed as YES bank CFO replacing Ahuja
YES bank had made Anurag Adlakha as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) replacing Raj Ahuja
who previously served as the senior group president and head of financial management of YES
bank, will now be in charge of strategy, planning, and functions of the bank.

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Chandrima Shaha to be the first woman president of INSA from 2020

Former director of the National Institute of Immunology (NII), Delhi, Ms Chandrima Shaha (66) is
all set to become the first woman president of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) from
January 1, 2020. She will succeed Ajay K. Sood. Shaha will assume her new office along with the
newly elected council of 30 other members from January.
Former SC judge Madan Lokur sworn in as Fiji’s SC judge
President of Fiji Major.General(Retd) Jioji Konrote has appointed Justice Madan Lokur from India
as the new Supreme Court (SC) judge of Fiji. He will serve as the judge of the non-resident panel of
the Supreme Court of Fiji. This is the first time ever an Indian has been appointed to the Supreme
Court of another country.
Alejandro Giammattei is elected as the new president of Guatemala
Conservative Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla was elected as Guatemala's 51st President
from Vamos party defeating Sandra Torres, Former first lady(spouse of Alvaro Colom- 47th
Guatemala president) by gaining more than 58% of the votes. Giammattei succeeds outgoing
corruption-tainted President Jimmy Morales (50th president of Guatemala).
VG Somani appointed as new DCGI of CDSCO
The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed VG Somani as Drug Controller
General of India (DCGI) of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in Level 14 of the
Pay Matrix as per the 7th Central Pay Commision (CPC), on deputation basis, for a period of 3
years. He is currently Joint Drugs Controller of India. He succeeds Dr. S. Eswara Reddy.
India's greatest athlete PT Usha got appointed as Asian Athletics Association's Athletes
Commission member
Queen of Indian athletics, P T Usha (Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha) from Payyoli (Kerala)
has appointed as one of the six members of the Asian Athletics Association’s (AAA) Athletes
Commission, in recognition of her outstanding achievements at the continental stage. The
commission will be headed by Andrey Abduvaliyev (Uzbekistan).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Falcon 9 rocket launched by SpaceX carrying AMOS-17 satellite of Israel
The US (United States) carrier rocket Falcon 9 carried Israel’s satellite AMOS-17 off the pad in
Florida, America. This is SpaceX’s 25th reflight of an orbit class rocket and also this booster’s third
flight. The communication satellite will be used by the US military and other govt. Leaders for
secure voice, video and data communications. It is a replacement for Amos-5.
DAC chaired by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh approves acquisition of two Brahmos missile
batteries for Indian Navy
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh approved
the procurement of indigenous Software Defined Radio (SDR Tactical) worth Rs 1,100 crore and
Next-Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (NGMMCB, Long Range) for the Indian Navy
worth Rs 1,247 crore. SDR is designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Weapons Electronics System
Engineering Establishment (WESEE).
Huawei launches its own Operating System HarmonyOS
Huawei Technologies launched its own Operating System (OS) named HongMengOS in Chinese/
HarmonyOS in English. The first version of the OS will be launched later in 2019 in its smart
screen products. It is a part of Huawei's play in the Internet of Things (IoT).
India's first clinical ecotoxicology facility inaugurated at AIIMS, Delhi
India’s first-of-its-kind clinical ecotoxicology facility was inaugurated at the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi. It will investigate the increasing number of diseases resulting
from exposure to environmental toxins contaminating water, food, and air. It will provide
diagnostic and research services to all the clinical departments dealing with diseases due to
ecotoxicity.
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5th Fast Patrol Vessel- Kanaklata Barua, for Indian Coast Guard Launched By GRSE Kolkata
The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) which is a premier warship builder based
at Kolkata, launched the fifth Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) for the Indian Coast Guard(ICG) named
Kanaklata Barua. The mini Ratna Category 1 PSU(Public Sector Unit), GRSE, launched the FPV at
its Rajan Bagan Dockyard unit, Kolkata. Read full details here: 5th fast patrol vessel- Kanaklata
Barua,for Indian Coast Guard launched by GRSE Kolkata
Astronomers discover massive black hole with mass of 40 billion suns.
Astronomers from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, Germany discovered a
Super Massive Black Hole (SMBH) with a mass of 40 billion suns (40 billion solar masses). The
findings of this SMBH is published in the Astrophysical Journal.
For the first time, IIT Madras records initial success by fabricating a rechargeable iron ion battery
For the first time, a team of Researchers led by Ramaprabhu Sundara at Indian Institute of
Technology(IIT) Madras has fabricated a rechargeable iron ion battery designed using mild steel
as the anode. The rechargeable iron ion battery is cost-effective and it will store a high amount of
energy in the battery & also displayed good stability with 54% capacity retention at the end of 50
cycles.
IIT Hyderabad, NIT Jalandhar Researchers develop Bone Implant Materials From waste Eggshells
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad and Dr. B R Ambedkar National Institute of
Technology (NIT) Jalandhar (Punjab) researchers have developed a process by which bone
implant materials can be synthesized from eggshells which are dumped as waste. The research
work done by the team was published in the March 2019 issue of the journal Ceramics
International.
Govt. to launch new app 'Uber for tractors’ to aid farmers
The agricultural Ministry and the centre decided to launch a farm equipment rental app ‘Uber for
tractors’ to aid farmers in accessing cutting- edge technology at affordable prices. Farmers can
book and hire agricultural equipment and use them on rent basis. Through this initiative, small
farmers will be able to make use of tools equipped with technology that are expensive to own.
Read full details here: Govt. To Launch New App ‘Uber For Tractors’ To Aid Farmers

ENVIRONMENT
Remains of the world's largest bird "Heracles inexpectatus" on earth discovered
Remains of the World's largest parrot that lived 19 million years ago have been discovered in New
Zealand which is well known for giant birds. It is nicknamed as "Squawkzilla". The report on this
bird has been published in the latest edition of Biology Letters. This flightless bird has been
named as Heracles inexpectatus reflecting the Herculean myth of size and strength and
unexpected nature of discovery.
Gogabeel, an ox-bow lake in Bihar declared as the state’s first ‘Community Reserve’
Gogabeel, an ox-bow lake (measures 88 hectares ) in Katihar district of Bihar has been declared as
state’s 1st ‘Community Reserve’. Gogabeel, which is the 15th Protected Area (PA) in Bihar, is
formed from the flow of the rivers Mahananda and Kankhar in the north and the Ganga in the
south and east.
IPCC Reports Land To Be A Critical Resource
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) based in Geneva, Switzerland reported
that land is under pressure from humans and climate change. The report’s full name is Climate
Change and Land, an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation,
sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems.
Read full details here: IPCC Reports Land To Be A Critical Resource
Giant river animals face the danger of being extinct
As per the report named, "The global decline of freshwater megafauna", the giant river animals
that once were in huge numbers have been reduced to a great extent in the last 50 years. This was

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published in the journal Global Change Biology. It is stated in the journal that the majority of the
giant freshwater animal species are prone to extinction.

SPORTS
South African cricketer Hashim Amla retires from international cricket
South African batsman Hashim Amla, aged 36, announced his retirement from all forms of
international cricket. He will pay for domestic cricket and the Mzansi Super League in South
Africa. He is the only South Africa batsman to score a triple century — 311 not out against
England at The Oval in 2012.
Belt and Road China Hunan International tournament won by Surya Shekar Ganguly of India
36-year-old ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) staff from Kolkata, Surya Shekar Ganguly,
won the 2019 Belt and Road China Hunan International tournament, a chess competition held at
Hunan province, China. The runner up was Yu Yangyi from China as Ganguly was half a point
more than Yangyi.
12 member channel for national sports awards features Mary Kom, Bhaichung Bhutia
This year's national sports awards to athletes and coaches will be decided by a 12 member panel.
This panel features 6-time world boxing champion M.C. Mary Kom and former Indian football
team captain Bhaichung Bhutia. The national sports awards are to be given on National Sports
Day falling on August 29, which marks the birth anniversary of legendary hockey player Major
Dhyan Chand. The committee is headed by retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Mukundakam
Sharma.
Archery Association of India suspended by World Archery
The World Archery (WA) has suspended the Archery Association of India (AAI) due to the internal
factionalism (dispute and disagreements within the body). This factionalism rose between Union
Tribal Affairs minister Arjun Munda and BVP Rao (former AAI president), when Archery
Association of India unanimously elected both of them in separate elections in New Delhi and
Chandigarh respectively. This led to a confusion of not knowing who the actual elected body is.
Bajrang Punia wins gold in 65kg at Tbilisi Grand Prix 2019
Indian Wrestler Bajrang Punia won gold in 65kg men’s freestyle competition at Tbilisi Grand Prix
2019 against Iran's Peiman Bibyani by 2-0. The event was held at the New Sports Palace, Tbilisi,
Georgia and was organised by the Georgian Wrestling Federation
BCCI agreed to come under the jurisdiction of NADA: Sports Secretary
The Indian Sports Secretary, Radheshyam Jhulaniya stated that the Board of Control for Cricket in
India (BCCI) has agreed to come under the jurisdiction of the anti-doping watchdog, National Anti
Doping Agency (NADA) after years of resisting the move. BCCI calling itself an autonomous body,
and was against the signing up with NADA for a period of time. The Indian cricket board decided
in march 2019 to work with the country's anti-doping agency on a trial period of 6 months.
Chennai Lions beats Dabang Delhi in final to lift UTT Season 3 Trophy 2019
Chennai Lions has captured the title for the 1st time by defeating defending champions Dabang
Delhi with (8–1) scores in the final of the 3rd edition of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) 2019 played
at Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi. Chennai Lions team was led by Sharath Kamal where Dabang
Delhi led by Sathiyan Gnansekaran.
Overview of Hyderabad Open (Badminton) 2019
The Hyderabad Open (Badminton) 2019, officially known as IDBI Federal Life Insurance
Hyderabad Open 2019, was held at G.M.C. Balayogi SATS Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad, India
from August 6 -11, 2019.
 Men’s Singles Sourabh Verma (India)
 Women’s Singles Yeo Jia Min (Singapore)
 Men’s Doubles Muhammad Shohibul Fikri & Bagas Maulana (Indonesia)
 Women’s Doubles Baek Ha-na & Jung Kyung-eun (South Korea)
 Mixed Doubles Cheah Yee See & Hoo Pang Ron (Malaysia)
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Overview of 2019 Rogers Cup/Canadian Open

2019 Rogers Cup/ Canadian Open presented by National Bank of Canada was held from August 5-
11, 2019. The Men’s tournament was held at IGA Stadium, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and
Women’s tournament was held at Aviva Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
 Men’s Singles Rafael Nadal (Spain)
 Women’s Singles Bianca Vanessa Andreescu (Canada)
 Men’s Doubles Marcel Granollers (Spain) & Horacio Zeballos (Argentina)
 Women’s Doubles Barbora Krejčíková & Kateřina Siniaková (Czech Republic)
Thailand women's cricket team rewrites world record for most consecutive wins in T20I
The Women’s Cricket team of Thailand rewrote a world record by winning 17th successive T20
international match and surpassed the record held by Australian Women (16 victories). They won
the match against the Netherlands in the fifth match of an ongoing quadrangular series in the
Netherlands. The other 2 teams of the quadrangular series are Ireland and Scotland.
Bulgarian Junior International Championship 2019: Indian junior shuttlers won 3 Gold, 1 Silver &
2 Bronze
Indian junior shuttlers won 6 medals- 3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze at the Bulgarian Junior
International Championships 2019 held at Sports Hall "Vasil Levski", Pazardzhik, Bulgaria from
August 8-11, 2019. It was organised by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
 In the women's single's category, India’s Samiya Imad Faruqui won gold.
 Mixed doubles pair of Edvin Joy and Shruti Mishra of India also won gold.
 In women's doubles, Indian pair of Tanisha Crasto and Aditi Bhattwon grabbed gold.
Netherlands most capped footballer Wesley Sneijder announces retirement
Former Real Madrid professional footballer, Wesley Sneijder (35) of Netherlands has announced
his retirement from football after arranging a business deal with Dutch football club FC Utrecht.
Serbian tennis player, Novak Djokovic remain at top of ATP rankings
According to the recently released ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings as of
August 12, 2019, Serbian professional tennis player, Novak Djokovic remains at the top position
by collecting 12,325 points in the list, a huge lead over the 2nd placed Rafael Nadal on 7,945
points.
BWF World Senior Badminton Championship 2019: Ajith Haridas and Vijay Lancy won men’s
doubles 40-plus title
In the 2019 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Senior Championships, officially YONEX
BWF World Senior Badminton Championships Katowice 2019, Ajith Haridas and Vijay Lancy of
India won the men’s doubles 40-plus title. The 9th Edition of BWF World Senior Badminton
Championship 2019 was held from August 4-11, 2019 at Spodek, Katowice, Poland.
Vinesh Phogat settled for silver in final of Medved event 2019
Indian woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat (53kg), aged 24, settled for silver in the final of the Medved
event 2019 in Minsk, Belarus. She suffered a 0-10 (technical superiority) defeat against N
Malisheva of Russia. She had won 3 consecutive gold medals at the Grand Prix of Spain, Yasar
Dogu International and Poland Open in 2019.
India’s U-19 cricket team wins U-19 Tri-series 2019 by beating Bangladesh
India’s U-19 cricket team defeated Bangladesh in finals by 6 wickets at the County Ground, Hove
in the United Kingdom (UK) and clinched the Under-19 Tri-Series 2019 Title. Tri-nation series
between India, Bangladesh and England was held from July 21-August 11, 2019 in England.
Aishwarya Pissay creates history by becoming the first indian woman to win FIM Bajas World Cup
23-year-old Indian motorsport rider, Aishwarya Pissay from Bengaluru became the first woman
from India as well as the first Indian to win the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme)
Bajas World cup with a tally of 65 points. The final round of the championship was held at
Varpalota, Hungary.
Three new sports including Women’s T20 cricket included in the CWG 2022
The Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 which is to be held in Birmingham, England will be the
first major multi-sport event to give additional spot to women’s medal thus making more

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Women’s medal than men’s medal. The medal classification are- 135 medals for women and 133
medals for men. The three newly added sports are:
 Women’s T20 (twenty-twenty) cricket
 Beach volleyball and
 Para-table tennis.
Read full details here: Three New Sports Including Women’s T20 Cricket Included In The CWG
2022
Wrestler Deepak Punia wins gold at the Junior World Championships 2019 in Estonia
Wrestler Deepak Punia won gold in 86-kg junior freestyle category by beating Alik Shebzukhov of
Russia at the Junior World Championships 2019 at Tallinn, Estonia. In the 92kg, Vicky Chahar
defeated Mongolia's Batmagnai Eenkhtuvshin and claimed the bronze medal.
Uttarakhand gets full member status in the BCCI by CoA
The Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) have been granted full membership in the BCCI
(Board of Control for Cricket in India) by the Committee of Administrators (CoA). This
membership grant brought an end to long-standing dispute among Uttarakhand Cricket
Association(UKCA), United Cricket Association ( UTCA), Uttaranchal Cricket Association (UCA)
and the CAU vying for BCCI affiliation.
India wins Physical Disability T20 World Cricket Series 2019 by defeating England by 36 runs
India won the T20 Physical Disability (PD) World Cricket Series 2019 after defeating England by
36 runs in the final held at the New Road Stadium in Worcester, England. The tournament was
organized by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). 6 teams- India, Pakistan, Afghanistan,
England, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe had participated in the tournament.
Ireland women’s cricket team makes record-breaking performance-makes two records against
the Netherlands
Ireland women's cricket team made two records in the 2019 Netherlands Women’s Quadrangular
series against the Netherlands held at Sportpark Het Schootsveld cricket ground in Deventer, the
Netherlands from August 8-14, 2019.
First record:
 Ireland which won the toss and elected to bat first made the highest opening stand in the
T20 Internationals.
Second record:
 It also made history by posting the highest T20Internationals score made by a team. They
scored 213-4 from 20 overs.
New transgender-inclusive policy to include transgender player in cricket unveiled by cricket
Australia
Cricket Australia took a revolutionary move announcing new guidelines with the International
Cricket Council’s (ICC) gender recognition policy to include transgender players to play cricket.
The transgender players willing to play for the state and national women’s team will have to
undergo a test to verify the testosterone level limit set out in the policy.
Simone Biles becomes the first woman to make ‘triple-double’ twist
22-year-old American Artistic gymnast Simone Arianne Biles became the first woman in the world
to make a “triple-double” floor exercise landing which is a finale featuring two flips and three
twists at the 2019 US (United States) Gymnastics Championships held at Kansas City, Missouri, US.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Book 'Listening, Learning and Leading’ launched by union home minister Amit Shah
The book ‘Listening, Learning and Leading’ marking Shri Venkaiah Naidu's two years of service as
vice president was launched by Union Home minister Amit Shah at Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai
during the function organized by Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

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Penguin Random House India announces a book on the life of cinema legend Sridevi, titled
"Sridevi: Girl Woman Superstar"
Penguin Random House India has announced a book on the life of the actor, Sridevi titled "Sridevi:
Girl Woman Superstar" on her 56th birth anniversary. The book is written by author-screenwriter
Satyarth Nayak. The book recalled the life and times(in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and
Kannada cinema) of the legendary actor Sridevi will be published under the Ebury Press imprint
of Penguin Random House in October 2019.

OBITUARY
Freedom Fighter Dayanidhi Nayak passed away at Panimora, Odisha
Renowned freedom fighter Dayanidhi Nayak, aged 95, passed away after undergoing treatment at
a private hospital for old age-related ailments at Panimora village, Bargarh, Odisha. He had
struggled against the British Government during the Quit India movement (8 August 1942). He
was also jailed for 9 months and he was one of the 32 freedom fighters from Panimora.
Greek sculptor Takis, known for kinetic artworks passed away at the age of 93
Takis (Panayiotis Vassilakis), a Greek artist known for his kinetic sculptures, that made use of
technology, motion, and light and were displayed in art galleries and museums around the world
has passed away in Athens, Greece at the age of 93. He was the founder of Takis Foundation, a
research Center for the Art and the Sciences that contains a museum, garden, and the sculptor's
studio, and aims to promote the appreciation of the visual arts.
Former ASG Amarendra Sharan passed away
Former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) and senior advocate Amarendra Sharan passed away at
the age of 69 due to a heart attack in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Sharan served as ASG in the
supreme court during UPA-I (United Progressive Alliance) regime from 2004-2009. He also
served as special counsel for CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) in coal block allocation scam
case.
Dorothy Olsen, a pioneering pilot in World War II, passed away in University Place, Washington,
US
A member of a group of civilian volunteers who flew planes during World War II, Dorothy Eleanor
Olsen, aged 103, passed away in University Place, Washington, United States. Born on July 10,
1916 in Woodburn, Oregon, US, she flew about 60 missions as part of the 6th Ferry Group of the
Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).
Veteran actress Vidya Sinha passed away at the age of 71
Veteran Bollywood actor Vidya Sinha, aged 71 years passed away at Criticare Hospital in Mumbai,
due to lung and heart disorders. Born on 15 November 1947 in Bombay, she last featured in actor
Salman Khan’s Bodyguard.
Argentina’s football legend José Luis Brown passed away
Argentina's 1986 World Cup winner José Luis Brown passed away on August 12, 2019, at the age
of 62 in La Plata, Argentina after suffering from Alzheimer’s for a long time. Born on November
10, 1956, in Ranchos, Argentina, José worked as coach of the U-23 team of Argentina that won a
gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Nepal's veteran Journalist Madan Mani Dixit passed away in Kathmandu
Nepal's veteran Litterateur and Journalist, Madan Mani Dixit, aged 96, passed away in Kathmandu.
He was suffering from pneumonia. Born on February 17, 1923, in Kathmandu, he was the first
photojournalist of Nepal.
Ivory Coast music star DJ Arafat passed away in a road crash in Abidjan
Ivorian musician DJ Arafat (Real name: Ange Didier Huon), aged 33, passed away in a road crash
at a hospital in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Born on January 26, 1986 in Yopougon, Ivory coast, he had
issued 11 albums, mainly of "coupe-decale" – a dance music form combining rapid percussion,
choppy rhythms with hip hop-style vocals.

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IMPORTANT DAYS
International Day of the World's Indigenous People 2019 observed on August 9
International Day of the World's Indigenous People was observed on August 9, 2019. It is
celebrated to raise awareness about the protection of the rights of the world's indigenous
population. The theme of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2019 is
‘‘Indigenous Languages”.
Nagasaki Day 2019 observed on August 9
Nagasaki Day was observed on August 9, 2019. On this day, the United States had dropped an
atomic bomb known as “Fat Man” on Nagasaki city of Japan in 1945 during World War II. 2019
marks the 74th anniversary of the disastrous event.
World Biofuel Day celebrated on August 10, 2019
In order to create awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to
conventional fossil fuels and to highlight the various efforts made by Government in the biofuel
sector, August 10 is observed as World Biofuel Day. In India, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural
Gas organized the World Biofuel Day at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. The theme for the World
Biofuel Day 2019 was “Production of Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil (UCO)”.
World Elephant Day Celebrated On August 12, 2019
Observed every year on August 12, The World Elephant Day is celebrated to create awareness and
bring attention to the urgent plight (dangerous situation) of Asian and African elephants. The day
was first launched on August 12, 2012. Singapore announced on World elephant day that ivory
sales will be banned from the country from 2021. Read full details here: World Elephant Day
Celebrated On August 12, 2019
Founder of ISRO, Vikram Sarabhai’s 100th birth anniversary observed on 12 August,2019
On August 12, 2019, The founder of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and Father of the
Indian Space Program, Vikram Sarabhai’s 100th birth anniversary observed across the country.
He was born on 12 August 1919 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He was a Padma Bhushan and Padma
Vibhushan awardee. Read full details here: Founder Of ISRO, Vikram Sarabhai’s 100th Birth
Anniversary Observed On 12 August,2019
International Left-Handers Day observed on 13th August 2019
International Left-Handers Day was observed on August 13, 2019. The objective of this day is to
promote awareness of the inconveniences faced by left-handers in a predominantly right-handed
world.
World organ donation day observed on August 13
The organ donation day is observed every year on August 13 to create awareness about organ
donation and to motivate people to donate organs thus saving lives after their death. Spain has the
highest donor rate in the world at 46.9million people followed by Portugal at 34 million as of
2017.
India Celebrates 73rd Independence Day On August 15, 2019
India celebrated its 73rd Independence Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the national
flag at the Red Fort, New Delhi. He received a Guard of Honour from a contingent of the Army,
Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. Flying Officer Preetam Sangwan assisted PM Modi in the
unfurling of the national flag, Flight Lieutenant Jyoti Yadav and Flight Lieutenant Mansi Geda were
positioned on either side of the saluting dais for the Prime Minister. Read full details here: India
Celebrates 73rd Independence Day On August 15, 2019
Pakistan observed its Independence Day as Kashmir Solidarity Day on August 14, 2019
Pakistan observed its 73rd Independence Day as 'Kashmir Solidarity Day', after India revoked
Article 370 of the Constitution. The Acting High Commissioner of Pakistan Syed Haider Shah read
out the message of Pakistan President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan, hosted on the
Chancery's lawns, by hoisting the Pakistani flag to the tune of its national anthem. Pakistan has
announced to celebrate August 15 - India's Independence Day - as "Black Day".
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International Youth Day observed on 12 August, 2019

The International Youth Day was observed on August 12, 2019, to recognize the efforts put in by
the youth for the betterment of the society. The 2019 theme is “Transforming education”.

STATE NEWS
Rajasthan becomes the first state in the country to implement biofuel policy: Sachin Pilot
Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan state Government, Sachin Pilot stated that Rajasthan is the
1st state in the country that released biofuel rules-2019 (after the notification of the Centre on
April 30, 2019) with the vision to promote the use of biofuels. He introduced the biofuel rules-
2019 at a state-level function on the eve of the World Biofuel Day (August 10, 2019).
9 year old Manipuri girl, Valentina Devi made Manipur’s green ambassador
Elangbam Valentina Devi, a 9 year old girl from Manipur was made the ambassador of ‘Chief
Minister’s Green Manipur Mission’, after a video of her crying over felled trees went viral on social
media. The govt. Made this step in recognition of her immense love and affection for trees.
Valentina Devi will be the green ambassador for a period of 1year from the issue of order.
Draft Agricultural policy released by Odisha government
As a way of developing the agriculture sector and to focus on increasing the income of farmers,
the Odisha government released a Draft Agricultural Policy. There are about 50,000 single
landless women in Odisha. These women will be specially targeted in this draft policy scheme to
provide for economic development.
Karnataka government launches E-Step, a programme for student entrepreneurs
The Department of Information Technology (IT), Biotechnology (BT) and Science & Technology
(ST) of Karnataka government launched E-Step, an initiative to empower student start-ups. The
programme is a part of Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS).
Odisha CM Naveen patnaik inaugurates new hockey academy in Bhubaneswar
Chief minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the Naval Tata Hockey Academy
(NTHA) at the Kalinga stadium, in the state capital Bhubaneswar, as a move to bring more sports
talents and young Olympians from the state. The academy is named in the honour of Naval H. Tata
to commemorate his contribution to hockey in India and his achievements as a sports
administrator. Read full details here: Odisha CM Naveen patnaik inaugurates new hockey
academy in Bhubaneswar
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik dedicates 'The Rath', a steel monument, to the people in Bhubaneswar
Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Naveen Patnaik dedicated 'The Rath', a steel monument seeking to
accentuate Odisha's diverse culture and rich heritage, to the people of the state. It is built at the
picturesque Biju Patnaik Park in Bhubaneswar. The steel monument is presented by Tata Steel in
collaboration with the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA).
Madhya Pradesh govt waives off loans taken by tribals from non-licensed money-lenders
In order to make the tribals debt-free, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath announced on
the occasion of World Tribal Day (August 9, 2019), that all the loans taken from non-licensed
money-lenders by tribals living in 89 scheduled villages in Chhindwara would be waived in the
state. It will benefit 1.5 crore tribals. Read full details here: Madhya Pradesh Govt Waives Off
Loans Taken By Tribals From Non-Licensed Money-Lenders

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