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1. New Governors appointed in 5 States

• President Shri has approved the appointment of new Governors of five states. • Former Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari (77-years) has been appointed as the new of • Former Union Minister Arif Mohammed Khan (68-years) will take the responsibility of Kerala governor. • Former Union Minister and BJP leader, Bandaru Dattatraya (72-years) will be the new Governor of in place of (78-years) who has been given the charge of Governor of . • Former BJP chief, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (58-years) is the new Governor of .

Bhagat Singh Koshyari:

• Bhagat Singh Koshyari was born to Gopal Singh Koshyari and Motima Devi at Palanadhura Chetabgarh, , Uttarakhand. • He also served as 2nd Chief Minister of Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal) from 2001 to 2002 • In the 2014 Indian general election, he was elected to the 16th from -Udhamsingh Nagar, Lok Sabha constituency.

Arif Mohammed Khan:

• was born in 1951 in Bulandshahr, . • He was educated at Jamia Millia School, , Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh and Shia College, Lucknow University • Former cabinet minister Arif Mohammad Khan has had several portfolios ranging from energy to civil aviation.

Bandaru Dattatraya:

• Bandaru Dattatreya was born at Bandaru Anjaiah and Eswaramma at the city of Hyderabad. • He received B.Sc. degree from Osmania University. • Dattatreya began his political career and joined Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in 1965. • He was made a Minister of State for Labour and Employment in the Modi ministry and became the lone minister from Telangana.

Kalraj Mishra:

• Mr. Kalraj Mishra was born in Malikpura Ghazipur District of Uttar Pradesh. • He obtained his M.A. degree from Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi. • Kalraj Mishra is the former Cabinet Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the BJP-led NDA government of Prime Minister . • He was a from Deoria constituency in Uttar Pradesh from 2014 to 2019.

Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan:

• Tamilisai Soundararajan was born in Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District on 2nd June 1961. • She pursued her MBBS at , also pursued her obsterics & Gynaecology at Dr MGR Medical University, Chennai.

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• She was a National Secretary of the Bharatiya (BJP).

2. Ganesh Utsav begins across the country with traditional gaiety

• Today, the ten-day long festival of Ganesh Utsav begins with great devotion. • The festival marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, who is a symbol of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. • Ganesh Chaturthi is a major attraction in Maharashtra, where people celebrate it with great zeal. • On the first day of the festival, devotees are welcoming the idols of Lord Ganesha to their homes and at public pandals in various parts of the state. • In Tamilnadu, the annual festival of the famous hill-top Ganesh temple in Trichy, popularly known as the Malaikottai (Hill Fort), also begins today.

3. VP M dedicates country's longest electrified rail tunnel to nation

• Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu dedicated the country's longest electrified rail tunnel between Cherlopalli & Rapuru and the electrified railway line between Venkatachalam and Obulavaripalli. • The length of the rail tunnel is 6.6 kilometre. • The Vice-President also flagged-off a new inter-city superfast express train between Guduru and Vijayawada. • Mr Naidu stressed the need to step up investment to strengthen and modernize infrastructure, be it railways, airways, ports, inland waterways, rural roads, warehouses and cold storage units.

Source: AIR News

4. The Union Government approves Gorewada International Zoo in Nagpur

• Union Minister Prakash Javadekar has announced the approval of the new ‘Gorewada International Zoo’ in Nagpur district of Maharashtra. • The Zoo will have attractions like Bio Park, Indian Safari, African Safari, Night Safari, Research, Education and Training, facilities for tourists, etc. • The task of construction of Indian Safari and ancillary activities, Water Reservoir and Gorewada Reserve has been given to FDCM Ltd. with Government Grants. • The Government of Maharashtra has accorded permission for establishing the International Zoo, through Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (FDCM. Ltd.), Nagpur.

Note:

• The Gorewada International Zoo is likely to be one of the largest captive Zoo Safari in with over 1914 Hectares of land adjoining the Gorewada Lake.

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5. September month to be celebrated as 'Rashtriya Poshan Maah'

• The entire month of September will be celebrated as the ‘Rashtriya Poshan Maah’. • This year the theme is ‘Complementary Feeding’. • POSHAN Abhiyaan is a multi- ministerial convergence mission with the vision to address malnutrition with a targeted approach by 2022. • Under the Poshan Abhiyaan, the Union government has set a target to reduce the stunting rate in children from 35% to 25%. • The programme aims at achieving improvement in the nutritional status of children up to six years of age, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

7. Govt allows ‘Kulhad’ (mud pots) for serving tea at 400 railway stations

• Union Minister for Road Transport and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, has announced the decision to use tiny earthen pots or ‘kulhad’ for serving tea at around 400 railway stations across the country to encourage the pottery industry. • According to Mr Gadkari, his Ministry has discussed with the Railway Ministry the use of earthen pots in order to provide employment to pottery workers. • The government has decided to increase the import duty on incense sticks by 30% to benefit domestic producers.

Note:

• ‘Kulhar’ is a traditional handle-less clay cup from North India that is typically unpainted and unglazed, and meant to be disposable. • The most interesting feature of Kulhar is not being painted and that differentiates a kulhar from a terra- cotta cup.

8. Google signs a pact with IT ministry for 'Build for Digital India'

• Tech giant ‘Google’ has signed a statement of intent with the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) for rolling out 'Build for Digital India' programme. • The programme will offer a platform for engineering students to develop market-ready, technology- based solutions that address key social problems. • As part of the program, engineering students across the country will be invited to present their ideas and solutions in areas like healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities and infrastructure, women safety, smart mobility and transportation, environment, accessibility and disability and digital literacy. • Google will also offer mentorship sessions in product design, strategy and technology to the most promising products and prototypes.

Note:

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• This initiative will not only motivate the college students across India to innovate but will also produce some good technology solutions for some major social challenges of India.

9. COP14 to UN Convention to Combat Desertification begins in Greater Noida

• The 14th conference of Parties (COP 14) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification will get underway in Greater Noida. • The Conference will focus on desertification and degradation of land and will go on till 13th September 2019. • This Conference will provide a framework for countries to restore the land and protect human health. • The Conference is expected to agree on about 30 decisions to ramp up and elaborate further actions needed on the ground. • The main objective of the convention is to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in countries experiencing serious drought or desertification.

Note:

• India will host over 3000 participants and take the responsibility of leading 196 nations towards Sustainable Development for the next two years in COP14. • It will present sustainable solutions for better land management. • The land is the lifeline for all living beings, and the impact of land degradation is ultimately on human health and well-being.

Sports

10. India lift SAFF Under-15 Championship title in Kolkata

• India defeated Nepal 7-0 in the final of the 2019 SAFF (South Asian Football Federation) U-15 Championship at the Kalyani Stadium, Kolkata, West Bengal. • With seven goals to his name, Jangra finished as the top scorer in the tournament in which the hosts had secured their place in the final with a game to spare. • They won the title for a record third time after previous wins in 2013 and 2017, both of which came in Nepal.

Note:

• The 2019 SAFF U–15 Championship was the 6th edition of the SAFF U–16 Championship held at Kalyani Stadium from 21st to 31st August 2019. • Five teams (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India (Host), Nepal and Sri Lanka) from the region has taken part in this tournament.

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11. Shot putter Tejinderpal Singh Toor clinches silver in Czech Republic

• Indian Shot putter Tejinderpal Singh Toor (24-years) clinched a silver medal during an athletic meet at Decin in the Czech Republic. • The Asian Games gold medallist came up with the best throw of 20.09m in his last attempt at the event. Tajinder has been awarded the Arjuna Award this year. • Toor has already qualified for World championship being the Area champion following his gold- winning feat at Asian Athletics Championships in April next year.

12. Charles Leclerc wins F1 Belgian Grand Prix

• Ferrari's Charles Leclerc took his maiden Formula 1 victory after holding off Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes to win the Belgian Grand Prix 2019. • Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) was on second while Valtteri Bottas (Finland) finished third.

Note:

• The Belgian Grand Prix is an automobile race, part of the Formula One World Championship.

1. Monaco C. Leclerc (Ferrari) -1:23:45.710 2. L. Hamilton (Me rcedes) - +0.981 3. V. Bottas (Mercedes) - +12.585

13. PM Narendra Modi to be honoured with Global Goalkeeper Award

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be honoured with the prestigious 2019 ‘Global Goalkeeper Award’ for his work in the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. • Mr. Modi will be felicitated by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, owned by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates. • The Foundation will host the fourth annual Goalkeepers 'Global Goals Awards' on 24th September in the United States. • The award is a “special recognition” that celebrates the commitment of a political leader towards the Global Goals, demonstrated through impactful work in their country and/or globally.

Note:

• The annual awards, in five categories, are presented to leaders and individuals for their efforts in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). • The categories are Progress, Changemaker, Campaign, Goalkeepers Voice and the Global Goalkeeper.

Know about ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’

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• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is one of the ambitious projects that was introduced by PM Modi on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary 2nd October 2014. • The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan aims to make India 'Open Defecation Free' by 2019.

14. PM Narendra Modi embarks on 3-day visit to Russia to attend EEF summit

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on 3-day visit to Russia to take part in the 5th Eastern Economic Forum – (EEF) summit. • PM Modi will also attend the 20th annual summit between Russia and India. • According to Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, both India and Russia want to move beyond the conventional cooperation in defence and nuclear civil cooperation to the new areas of the economy. • On the sidelines of Eastern Economic Summit, the Prime Minister is expected to hold bilateral talks with the Government Heads of Japan, Malaysia and Mongolia.

Note:

• Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is an international forum held each year in Vladivostok, Russia, for the purpose of encouraging foreign investment in the Russian Far East. • The Eastern Economic Forum was established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in 2015.

15. Defence Ministers of India & Japan meet in Tokyo

• Defence Minister met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo to further enhance the defence engagements between both the countries. • Earlier Mr Singh co-chaired the annual Defence Ministerial Dialogue with his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwayain. • According to Rajnath Singh, India and Japan will continue working together to further deepen the defence ties between both the nations. • The Defence Minister's visit to Japan and South Korea aims at further deepening and strengthening India’s bilateral relations with these friendly countries and help explore new avenues for defence cooperation and engagement.

16. PM Modi inaugurates Garvi Bhavan in New Delhi

• Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has inaugurated the new building of ‘Garvi Gujarat Bhavan’ at Akbar Road in New Delhi. • The Bhavan is equipped with traditional and modern artefacts and technologies and will serve as a home for Gujaratis in the national capital. • The new structure is built on an area of 20,325 square meters and have 19 suits rooms, 59 regular rooms, a restaurant, a public dining hall, a business centre, a souvenir shop, a multi-purpose hall, conference hall, four lounges, a gymnasium, a yoga centre, a terrace garden and a library. • This ‘Garvi Gujarat Bhavan’ building has been built at a cost of around 131 crore rupees by the Gujarat Government. • The old Gujarat Bhavan at Chanakyapuri will continue to function.

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17. GST collection in August stands at Rs 98,202 cr

• As per the release of the Finance Ministry, the GST collection in the month of August stood at 98 thousand 202 crore rupees. • The total number of GSTR 3B Returns filed for the month of July up to 31st of August is around 76 lakhs. • The Union government has settled 23 thousand 165 crore rupees to CGST and 16 thousand 623 crore rupees to SGST from IGST as a regular settlement. • The total revenue earned by the Central Government and the State Governments after regular settlement in the month of August 2019 is 40 thousand 898 crore rupees for CGST and 40 thousand 862 crores for the SGST. • 27 thousand 955 crore rupees have been released to the states as GST compensation for the months of June and July this year.

Note:

• The goods and services tax (GST) is a value-added tax levied on most goods and services sold for domestic consumption. • The GST is paid by consumers, but it is remitted to the government by the businesses selling the goods and services. In effect, GST provides revenue for the government.

18. Eight US-made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters to be inducted into IAF

• Eight United States-made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters have been inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in a ceremony at the Pathankot Air Force station. • The addition of the Apache fleet will significantly enhance the IAF's combat capabilities. • The AH-64E Apache is one of the world's most advanced multi-role combat helicopters. • The IAF had signed a multi-billion dollar contract with the US Government and Boeing Ltd in September 2015 for purchase of 22 Apache helicopters.

Note:

• Apache helicopter can deliver a variety of weapons which includes air to ground hellfire missiles, 70 MM Hydra rockets and air to air stinger missiles. • Apache also carries one 30MM chain gun with 1200 rounds as part of area weapon subsystem. • It carries fire control radar which has 360-degree coverage and nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems.

19. Virat Kohli becomes India's most successful Test skipper

• Virat Kohli has surpassed Mahendra Singh Dhoni to become India's most successful Test skipper. • It came after the Indian team recorded its 28th win under Kohli's leadership in the second and final test against the West Indies at Kingston.

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• The 28 wins have come from 48 matches for Kohli as captain. • M S Dhoni led India to 27 wins from 60 Test matches during his tenure. • Overall, Graeme Smith (former South Africa skipper) remains the most successful skipper in the world with 53 Test wins, followed by Ricky Ponting (ex-Australia captain) who recorded 48 Test wins in his captaincy tenure.

20. Yashaswini Deswal wins gold at ISSF World Cup

• Indian shooter Yashaswini Singh ‘Deswal’ has won the gold medal in the women’s 10meter Air Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. • This is India’s 9th quota in shooting for 2020 Tokyo Games. • Yashaswini Singh Deswal has also secured an Olympic quota for India.

Note:

• The 2019 ISSF World Cup is the annual edition of the ISSF World Cup in the Olympic shooting events, governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF). • The World Cup series will be also as the qualification tournaments for the 2020 Olympic Games.

21. Nuakhai: The greatest harvesting festival of Odisha

• The festival of Nuakahi (nua means new and khai means food) for the people of western Odisha districts came with much pomp and gaiety. • The major agrarian festival of this region is being celebrated in every nook and corner collectively with much fanfare and religious fervour. • People offer the newly harvested crop called Nabanha to their respective presiding deities.

Note:

• Nuakhai festival traces it origin to the Vedic period where the sages or Rishis used to talk about Panchyajna. • One among them was Pralambana yajna which means the cutting of new crops and offering them to mother goddess as followed in Nuakhai festival.

22. KVIC launched a first-ever ‘Terracotta Grinder’ in Varanasi

• Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) launched a first-ever ‘Terracotta Grinder’ at Sewapuri in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. • The Terracotta Grinder will grind the wasted and broken pottery items for re-using in pottery-making. • This Terracotta grinder will make grinding of wasted pottery items faster than the traditional mortar and pestle. This will also create more job opportunities in the villages.

23. Prof Muhammad Yunus conferred 'Lamp of Peace of Saint Francis ' award by Vatican

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• Nobel Laureate from Bangladesh Professor Muhammad Yunus was conferred the 'Lamp of Peace of Saint Francis ' award by the Vatican for his contribution towards establishing peace and harmony. • The award is a recognition for distinguished work by an individual for promoting peace and dialogue among people. • The ceremony took place at the historic Papal Basilica of Assisi in Italy.

Note:

• The Lamp of Peace award was first given to the Polish trade union leader Lech Walesa in 1981. • Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev and Angela Merkel are a few other prominent persons who received this award earlier.

24. Vaishno Devi Shrine tops the list of 'Swachh Iconic Places'

• Based on the overall improvement in sanitation, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir has been adjudged as the Best Swachh Iconic place in the country in the 'Swachh Iconic Places'. • The list was released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. • The President will confer the prestigious award to the Shrine during the ‘Swachh Mahotsav’ on 6th September 2019. • The Shrine was in direct competition with dozen other iconic places including Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Maharashtra), Taj Mahal (Uttar Pradesh), Tirupati Temple (Andhra Pradesh) Golden Temple (Punjab) Manikarnika Ghat (Varanasi), Ajmer Sharif Dargah (Rajasthan) among others. • In 2018, the Shrine was also declared as the cleanest religious place by the IndiaToday Group.

Note:

• Governor of Jammu and Kashmir ‘’ is the Chairman of Sri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

25. 5th September: National Teachers' Day

• Teachers' Day is being celebrated throughout the country on the birthday (5th September 1888) of educationist and former President Bharat Ratna Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. • Dr. Radhakrishnan was India's first Vice President and second President. • President Ramnath Kovind has given the National Teachers’ Awards to 46 teachers at a function in New Delhi. • The awards have been given to meritorious teachers, who through their commitment have not only improved the quality of school education but also enriched the lives of their students. • The awards which were instituted in 1958 carries a Silver medal, a certificate, and award money of 50 thousand rupees. • On teacher's day, the Uttar Pradesh government schools are going to enter a new era of digital transformation with "Prerna App" which was launched by Chief Minister yesterday.

26. The US and 10 ASEAN navies begin first joint military exercises in Southeast Asia

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• The United States and 10 Southeast Asian countries kicked off maritime drills at the Sattahip Naval Base in Thailand and ending in Singapore (2-6th September 2019). • As part of a joint exercise extending into the flashpoint the South China Sea with eight warships, four aircraft and more than a thousand personnel. • The drills come at a time of stepped-up U.S. engagement in the region and tensions between Beijing and Southeast Asian nations over the South China Sea. • The exercise includes 8 warships and 4 aircraft from 7 countries and more than 1,000 personnel from all 11 participants namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the US.

Source: The Japan Times

27. Exercise Yudh-Abhyas 2019 begins between India and USA

• Joint military training, Exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas – 2019’ is being conducted at Joint Base Lewis Mc Chord, Washington, the USA (5-18th September 2019). • Yudh Abhyas-2019 will provide an opportunity to the armed forces of both countries to train in an integrated manner at Battalion level with joint planning at Brigade level. • It will be the 15th edition of the joint exercise hosted alternately between the two countries.

Note:

• Exercise Yudh Abhyas is one of the largest joint running military training and defence corporation endeavours between India and USA.

28. FIFA unveils official emblem for Qatar World Cup 2022

• For Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022, FIFA has announced the official emblem for the event. • The emblem has a swooping curve which represents the undulations of desert dunes and the unbroken loop depicts both the number eight and the infinity symbol. • The eight represents the number of stadiums that will host the football tournament while the infinity symbol reflects the interconnected nature of the event. • Qatar also unveiled the logo for the FIFA 2022 World Cup. • The design is a stylised Arabic white unisex shawl with maroon patterning, which is displayed in a figure-of-eight symbolising infinity while creating a heart shape above the words “FIFA WORLD CUP Qatar 2022”. • The 2022 FIFA World Cup (22nd edition) is scheduled to be held from 21 November to 18 December in Qatar. • This will be the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world and the first in a Muslim-majority country.

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29. Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel flags off ‘Mobile Science Exhibition’ for Ladakh

• The Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge), Shri Prahlad Singh Patel flagged off first-ever Mobile Science Exhibition (SCIENCE EXPLORER) for entire Ladakh Region in Leh. • The Minister simultaneously launched 25 new Mobile Science Exhibition buses for Aspirational Districts of India. • This will help to quickly and effectively transform these districts named as ‘Aspirational Districts’. • The buses will travel to schools in Aspirational Districts throughout the year except during the vacations and will aim to create scientific awareness among the rural children. • The topics chosen for these exhibitions are Measurement, Machines in everyday life, Food & Health, Chemistry & Life with focus on Water, Energy, Hygiene & Sanitation, Space Science for Human Welfare.

30. Gujarat Govt, Delaware State of America sign MoU for sister-state

• Gujarat Government and the Delaware State of America have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for sister state in Gandhinagar. • MoU was signed in Gandhinagar when a delegation of Delaware State of America called on Gujarat Chief Minister Delaware’s . • According to official sources, cooperation in the field of services and investment opportunities in GIFT IFSC have also been discussed during the meeting. • This is the first sister-state MoU signed by Gujarat with any state of America. • Sectors like Biotechnology University, biosciences, financial services, animal husbandry and dairy, port services have been shortlisted for future cooperation. • The American delegation has also invited Gujarat Chief Minister to visit Delaware State.

31. Mini Conclave of First Investor Summit-2019 is held in Leh

• After the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, the Mini Conclave of First Jammu and Kashmir Investor Summit-2019 held in Leh. • An MoU has been signed by Jammu and Kashmir Trade Promotion Organisation and CII for organisation and management of the event. • The meet will provide J-K with an opportunity to showcase its strengths, strategies and potential. • Navin Choudhary (Jammu and Kashmir Industries & Commerce Principal Secretary) has announced to reduce the Premium of SIDCO Land in Ladakh in a couple of days. • The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are going to be the Union Territories from 1st November onwards.

32. Country's first 'Fun Zone' for children at Visakhapatnam railway station

• In a first of its kind in the Indian Railways, a paid gaming zone has been provided at Visakhapatnam railway station (platform number- 1) in Andhra Pradesh.

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• The gaming zone (400sft area) is for bonafide passengers/rail users who can utilize this facility with a payment of Rs 50 per game during their visit to the railway station. • The fun zone consists of modern gaming facilities such as virtual-real games (car racing, gun fighting etc), hit the mouse, Doraemon, Doreamanfriend, musical play, basketball and air hockey. • It is an innovative initiative by the Waltair division of East Coast Railway (ECoR) under non-fare revenue for entertaining waiting passengers/kids. • The project was developed under NINFRIS (New, Innovative Non-Fare Revenue Ideas Scheme) of the ministry of railways.

33. 6th India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue begins in New Delhi today

• The 6th India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) has begun in New Delhi. • The three-day dialogue will comprise of round table meetings of joint working groups on infrastructure, energy, high-tech, resource conservation, pharmaceuticals and policy coordination. • The Indian side will be led by Niti Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar and the Chinese side by Chairman of National Development and Reforms Commission (NDRC). • The SED was set up between the erstwhile Planning Commission and National Development and Reform Commission of China during the visit of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to India in December 2010. • It has served as an effective mechanism for enhancing bilateral practical cooperation.

34. India among top 10 nations in gold reserves

• India has pipped the Netherlands to move into the list of top ten countries in terms of total gold reserves. • According to the World Gold Council, India has gold reserves totalling 618.2 tonnes, which is marginally higher than the Netherlands’ reserves of 612.5 tonnes. • International Monetary Fund (IMF) occupies the third position after the U.S. and Germany. • Indian ranked 9th in individual country ranking, excluding IMF, and ranked 10th including IMF.

35. Lander Vikram of Chandrayaan-2 loses its communication minutes before a soft landing

• The lander of the lunar craft Chandrayaan 2 has gone incommunicado just minutes before its planned soft landing near the moon's the South Pole early this morning. • The Vikram Lander descent was initiated as planned and normal performance was observed up to an altitude of 2.1 km. • Subsequently, the communication from the Lander to the ground stations was lost. • The powered descent of the lander Vikram of Chandrayaan-2 began at 1 hour 38 minutes and 3 seconds. • It was going down smoothly, closely matching with the predicted path until it came closer to 2.1 kilometres above the lunar surface.

36. Indo-Lanka Joint Naval Exercise SLINEX 2019

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• The week-long annual Joint Indo-Lanka maritime fleet exercise - SLINEX 2019 has been started. • Sri Lankan Navy has sent two ships to India to participate in the exercise with the Indian Navy. • The offshore patrol vessels, SLNS Sindurala and Suranimala left Trincomalee on are scheduled to arrive at the port of Visakhapatnam. • The week-long exercise will be attended by 323 Sri Lankan navy personnel including the commanding flag officer of the naval fleet.

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