Daily CurrentTitle Affairs Capsule th Title 28 August 2020
Defence Minister to officially induct Rafale aircraft into IAF on Sep 10
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will officially induct the first five Rafale fighter aircraft into service at the Ambala air base on 10th of September.
French Defence Minister Florence Parly has also been invited for the event in Ambala. The first five aircraft had arrived from France in India on 29th of July. The Indian Air Force had then stated that the planes will be inducted into the IAF after a formal ceremony. In the first tranche, India got five fighters from France including three single-seated and two twin-seated trainer aircraft. They are part of the IAF’s 17 Squadron also known as the Golden Arrows.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana completes six years
Central government's flagship financial inclusion programme Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) has completed six years.
The scheme was launched on 28th of August in 2014 with an aim to provide universal access to banking facilities to the people in the country. Over 40 crore 35 lakh bank accounts have been opened under the scheme since its inception and One lakh 31 thousand crore rupees have been deposited in these accounts.
About eight crore PMJDY account holders are receiving Direct Benefit Transfer from the Government under various schemes. Over 63 per cent of the account holders are from rural areas.
Govt approves 78 new routes under Regional Connectivity Scheme- UDAN
The Government has approved 78 new routes under the 4th round of Regional Connectivity Scheme - Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik, (UDAN) to further enhance the connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country.
North East Region, Hilly States and Islands have been given priority in the approval process for the new routes. 29 served, eight unserved and two underserved airports have been included in the list for approved routes. Overall 766 routes have been sanctioned so far under the UDAN scheme. Under UDAN 4, the operation of helicopters and seaplanes has also been incorporated.
Vande Bharat Mission Phase 6 to begin on Sept. 1
Phase Six of the Vande Bharat Mission is scheduled to begin on 1st of September.
Phase Five of the Mission will be over on 31st August. Flights are being rescheduled by Air India group and private carriers based on an assessment of demand by Indian missions abroad. Air bubble arrangements with different countries will continue as per schedule in the next phase. As on 26th August, more than 12 lakh Indians stranded abroad have been repatriated by different modes under the Vande Bharat mission.
Around 900 international flights have been operated under Phase Five from 22 different countries reaching 23 airports across India.
Arunachal Pradesh assembly passes resolution to bring state under Sixth Schedule
The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly has passed a resolution to bring the state under the ambit of Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The resolution which was passed by voice vote following a marathon discussion in the house. The Sixth Schedule deals with provisions for administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. It seeks to safeguard the rights of tribal population through the formation of Autonomous District Councils. Arunachal Pradesh bordering Bhutan, China and Myanmar comes under the Fifth Schedule, which deals with provisions related to the administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes. Article 371(H) has special provisions in respect of the governor and the total seats in its assembly.
Assam Cabinet approves ‘Assam Skill Development University Bill’
The Assam Cabinet has approved the Assam Skill Development University Bill which provides for setting up of Skill University at Mangaldoi at the cost of 900 crore rupees.
The meeting held under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also decided to increase the upper age limit for State government jobs for Group III and Group IV for two years so that unemployed youth can apply for jobs upto 40 years. Insurance to the tune of 50 lakh rupees to journalists, home guards and all casual employees succumbed to Covid-19 infection while performing their duties was approved during the meeting.
The Orunodoi Scheme was also given approval to provide financial assistance of 830 rupees per month to families with annual income of less than 2 lakh rupees.
HDFC Bank partners Adobe to enhance customer experience
HDFC Bank has announced a strategic partnership with Adobe to help improve the digital experience journey of its customers.
The company claims that the partnership will enable HDFC Bank to deliver personalised digital experiences to existing as well as new customers, at anytime and anywhere. Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) Forms will allow HDFC Bank to provide online experiences to its existing and new customers. The Bank will use platforms like Data Management Platform in Adobe Audience Manager to develop a deep understanding of the customers. The collected data will enable HDFC to deliver focussed campaigns and communication to customers through email, mobile and off-line channels.
Marieke Lucas Rijneveld becomes Youngest Author to Win 2020 International Booker Prize
Dutch Author Marieke Lucas Rijneveld won the 2020 International Booker Prize and became the youngest author to win the prize at the age of 29.
She won the prize for the Literary fiction book ‘The Discomfort of Evening’. The book tells the fictional story of Jas, a girl in a devout Christian farming family, whose brother dies in an accident after she wishes he would die instead of her rabbit. The book was first published in Dutch in 2018 and eventually translated into English by Michele Hutchison. The £50,000 prize ($66,000) will be split equally between the author and translator to give equal recognition to both.
India plans to host BRICS Games during Khelo India Games in 2021
India is planning to host BRICS Games 2021, which will be aligned with the Khelo India Games scheduled for next year.
India will get the chairmanship of the five-nation independent international group in 2021.
BRICS Games 2021 will be held during the same time and at the same venues as of Khelo India Games 2021 so that our players from various parts of the country who will gather for Khelo India Games will have the benefit of witnessing BRICS Games from close quarters.
Legendary tennis pair Bryan brothers announce retirement
The Bryan brothers, tennis’s most successful doubles pair, have announced retirement, effective immediately.
Identical twins Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan, now 42, are leaving the sport in the same way they had won tournament after tournament in a decade spanning three decades — together. The Bryans were not on the entry list for the US Open released last week. The brother’s pair captured an Open Era record with 119 trophies in 26 seasons which comprises all four Grand Slams, all nine ATP Masters 1000s as well as the Olympic gold medal.
Renowned singer Archana Mahanta passed away
Noted Assamese singer and popular singer Angaraag ‘Papon’ Mahanta’s mother Archana Mahanta passed.
The 72-year-old singer, wife of popular Assamese singer late Khagen Mahanta, had been undergoing treatment after suffering a brain stroke on July 14. Archana Mahanta and her husband Khagen Mahanta, who was known as ‘Bihu King’, used to be a hugely popular couple known for their renditions of Bihu and traditional folk songs of Assam. Khagen Mahanta passed away in June 2014.
Army Chief MM Naravane Releases Book On National Security
Army Chief General MM Naravane released a book titled "National Security Challenges: Young Scholars' Perspective" penned by university students.
The book was published by the Army think-tank Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS). The authors all university students ranging from the undergraduate level to doctoral candidates have written on varied themes concerning national security. The book is a tribute to Field Marshal Manekshaw, the great grand strategist of 1971 Indo-Pakistan War that resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh.