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SUMMIT/EVENTS/CONFRENCES ETC DELHI

4th Global Ayurveda Summit Inaugurated by M Venkaiah Naidu - Theme “Emerging Opportunities for Ayurveda during Pandemic”. - The summit will include 8-day International Conference, 30-day International Exhibition - organized by the CII - Kerala + Ministry of Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) + Ayurveda Medical Association of India (AMAI) + Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Organisation in India (AMMOI) and Ayurveda Hospital Management Association (AHMA). Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Director General – Chandrajit Banerjee Headquarter – New Delhi

Kiren Rijiju attended Sports Ministers Meeting of BRICS Nations

- India to host BRICS Games 2021 with Khelo India Games - Haryana will host the fourth edition of Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) in 2021.

Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Addressed Inaugural session of two-days World Urdu Session - Organised by National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) - Webinar titled as ‘Responsibilities of Urdu Writers in the age of Electronic & Social media’. NCPUL Chairman – Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ Headquarters – New Delhi

PM Modi announced in Mann ki Baat that September to be observed as “Poshan Maah” or “Nutrition Month”. - The nutrition month was celebrated earlier in September 2018 and 2019.

- During the Nutrition Month Food and nutrition Quiz and meme competition will be organised by the MyGov portal. - A unique nutrition park has been created at the Statue of Unity, where people can witness the nutrition related education along with other fun activities. - Om Birla recently launched ‘Suposhit Maa Abhiyan’ in his constituency Kota, Rajasthan, to provide nutritional support to pregnant women and adolescent girls. - Tripura government - launched Mukhyamantri Matru Pushti Uphaar scheme to provide nutrition kits to pregnant and lactating women.

Ministry of Education Organised Two-day Conclave on ‘School Education in 21st Century’ - Prime Minister addressed the conclave virtually in the presence of Union Minister for Education Ramesh Pokhriyal and Sanjay Dhotre

Union Minister Arjun Munda Inaugurated Two-days Virtual National Tribal Research Conclave

- Organized by the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA). - It will review progress on the outcome of various projects being implemented under different partnerships, and the best practices will be showcased to all participants. - There are around 700 Scheduled Tribe Communities - Ministry of Tribal promotes research on all aspects of their lives and cultures. - The conclave was attended by more than 100 participants. - During the Conclave, a MoU was signed between the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) to set up the National Institute of Tribal Research at IIPA Campus, New Delhi. - Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO NITI Aayog and Sh. Ramesh Chand, Member NITI Aayog launched “Performance and Monitoring Dashboard” (dashboard.tribal.gov.in), developed under Centre for Excellence for Data Analytics (CEDA) for evaluating the tribal data.

- Patanjali Research Institute has been given pilot project for research on Tribal Healers and Medicinal Plants in Uttarakhand. - GOAL (Going Online as Leaders) = initiative of Facebook - funded by Facebook and various organizations working with Ministry of Tribal Affairs are the Institutional partners in this project. - Bharat Rural Livelihood Foundation, an autonomous organisation under RD Ministry is working on monitoring for NGO projects. - Piramal Foundation is working for creation of a consolidated health and nutrition data for tribal population and has launched Swasthya portal (swasthya.tribal.gov.in). - The Research And Energy Institute (TERI) is engaged with MoTA on developing an economical model for Community Rights under Forest Rights Act. - SECMOL-LADAKH project would establish Ice stupa in 50 villages and which will solve problem of drinking water and water required for agriculture.

- UNDP is working on 1000 springs project with community participation to revive drying streams Minister of State of Tribal Affairs – Renuka Singh Saruta

5 days US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) 3rd Annual Leadership Summit 2020 held - Theme “US-India Navigating New Challenges”. - To discuss enhancing strategic and economic collaboration between the US and India with focus on trade and investment, healthcare, collaboration in fintech, technology and India’s position in global supply chains. - USISPF, formed in 2017 - The bilateral hydrocarbon trade between India and the US touched above US$ 9 billion during FY 2019-20 and is expected to increase further.

India, France, Australia hold 1st Trilateral Dialogue to discuss geo-strategic challenges, enhancing cooperation to ensure a peaceful, secure, prosperous and rules-based Indo-Pacific Region. France Currencies – Euro, CFP franc Prime Minister– Jean Castex

First World Solar Technology Summit (WSTS) organized by International Solar Alliance (ISA) and FICCI held virtually - Inaugurated by PM Modi - Nobel Laureate Dr. Michael Stanley Whittingham also presented a Keynote address. - The summit aimed at “Let us make the sun brighter” by bringing together key stakeholders - The Republic of Nicaragua became the 87th country to sign the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement. ISA Director General – Upendra Tripathy Headquarter – Gurugram

1st Joint Commission Meeting b/w India & Angola Held Virtually - To expand their trade relations and also discussed cooperation in health, pharmaceuticals, defence, agriculture, food processing, digitization and telecom - Inked 3 Pacts 1. Agreement to exempt visa for holders of diplomatic, official and service passports. 2. MoU to cooperate in the field of Health. 3. MoU for cooperation between the Ministry of External Relations of Angola and Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service. Angola Capital – Luanda Currency – Angola Kwanza

FM Nirmala Sitharaman chaired 41st GST Council Meeting to Discuss Compensation for Loss of Revenue to States

13th Session of the India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting on Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation held virtually - Expanding economic partnership was the key agenda of the meeting. - meeting was co-chaired by Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates. - India and UAE discussed regional issues concerning their neighbourhood and level of their cooperation at United Nations and other International forums including Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). - UAE expressed its willingness to further strengthen the links in Energy and Food Security.

- Both the sides agreed to hold the 14th Session of India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting in Abu Dhabi in 2021. - The India-UAE trade relation is around USD 60 Billion. UAE is the 10th biggest FDI investor in India.

Dr Harsh Vardhan addressed CII two-day long Public Health Conference - He inaugurated “India Healthcare Week” with the theme “Redefining Healthcare Ecosystem” from 17th – 21st August 2020 - 3 year-long CII TB free workplaces campaign to ensure TB free workplace, and CII Vision Document on ‘ Strengthening Public Health Delivery – Role of Multiple Stakeholders’ were also launched. Confederation of Indian Industry DG – Chandrajit Banerjee

LS Speaker Om Birla Attended Inaugural Ceremony of 5th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament - organised jointly by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Geneva and the Parliament of Austria with the United Nations - Theme - ‘Parliamentary leadership for more effective multilateralism that delivers peace and sustainable development for the people and planet’. - The Second part will be held in physical mode at Vienna, Austria in 2021. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) President – Gabriela Cuevas Barron Headquarter – Geneva, Switzerland

India’s First 30 members National Council for Transgender Persons - Chaired by Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment (SJ&E), Thaawar Chand Gehlot - The tenure of the community members and experts shall be 3 years.

The Naval Commanders’ Conference 2020 =19th – 21st August 2020 held in New Delhi - Rajnath Singh addressed the opening session

Karnataka CM addressed virtual Indo-Japan business forum organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) from Bengaluru - Chief Minister also signed a Japan-India Start-up Initiative to promote start-ups in the State. - Set up a 519 acres Japanese Industrial Township at Vasanthanarasapura near Tumakuru to enable more Japanese investments in the state. - 25 percent capital investment subsidy on land for industries to boost investments in the electronics manufacturing sector. - Odisha’s Industries minister D S Mishra participated in the event and announced that the state government offered 3.53 square kilometre industry ready land near Bhubaneswar.

- The FDI from Japan in India has increased from $1.6 billion in 2017-18 to $3.2 billion in 2019- 20. Karnataka Governor – Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala

Two-day international webinar on ‘Lokmanya Tilak – Swaraj to Self-Reliant India’ - Organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations(ICCR) on the 100th death anniversary of the great freedom fighter Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak - Amit Shah has inaugurated a two-day international webinar on the theme of ‘Lokmanya Tilak – Swaraj to Self-reliant India’ in New Delhi

Defence Minister Dialogue in New Delhi - Shri Rajnath Singh and the Defence Minister General of Indonesia Mr. Prabowo Subianto agree to expand the military ties

- A defence cooperation agreement was signed by the two countries in the year 2018. Minister of State of Defence – Shripad Yesso Naik

CII National Digital Conference on “Easing Doing Business for Atmanirbhar Bharat” - Inaugurated by Piyush Goyal - Organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) + Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) = to improve the business environment of India. - government is working on developing a single window system, a complete digital system which will provides for unified and integrated business - Exports in India are around 88% and imports are around 75% of the 2019’s level. CII President – Uday Kotak Headquarter – New Delhi

4th edition of Smart India Hackathon 2020 Launched by Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ Virtually - Largest ever Online Hackathon in the World - Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Grand Finale of 4th edition of Smart India Hackathon-SIH (Software) 2020 - Grand Finale was conducted online from 1st to 3rd August - Organized by the Ministry of Education, AICTE, Persistent Systems and i4C. - More than 10,000 participants participated - More than 4.5 lakh students participated in 1st round of SIH 2020 - Prize – Each Problem Statement carries a prize money of Rs. 1,00,000 and the student innovation theme will have three winners, 1st, 2nd and 3rd with prize money of Rs. 1,00, 000, Rs. 75,000 and 50,000 respectively. - The first edition of SIH was launched in 2017.

PM Modi Addressed Conclave on Transformational Reforms in Higher Education under National Education Policy (NEP) - Organised by the Ministry of Education and University Grants Commission (UGC) UGC Chairman – Prof. D. P. Singh

Two Day Global Conference on Reimagining and Transforming the University - Confluence of Ideas during and Beyond the COVID-19 Disruption” - Inaugurated by Ramesh Pokhriyal - Organised by O.P. Jindal Global University and International Institute for Higher Education Research and Capacity Building (IIHEd) - 20 themes were discussed across the sessions

- The International Conference on Nano Science and Technology 2020 (ICONSAT) was held at Biswa Bangla Conventional Centre, Kolkata = supported by DST & organized by S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata. - A 3-day long 11th National Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Conference -2020 based on the theme ‘Empowering Youth for Technology Led Farming’ was held in New Delhi = was inaugurated by Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar.

India@75 Summit – Mission 2022 - Addressed by Union Minister of MSME Nitin Gadkari - Organised by the confederation of Indian Industries(CII) - Focused on ‘reinventing technology in India’.

- CII was asked to draft the proposal for insurance of roads which will eliminate the requirements of Bank Guarantee (BG). - Nitin Gadkari accepted the Punjab state government’s demand for including Amritsar in an expressway project that will connect Delhi and Katra - The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways launched a dashboard link in its website which lists details of Dhabas and Truck Repair Shops available across the country CII President – Uday Kotak Headquarters – New Delhi

IC-IMPACTS (the India-Canada Centre for Innovative Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community Transformation and Sustainability) 2020 Annual Research Conference - held Virtually on Aug 6-7, 2020 to discuss the ways to elevate the inter-country cooperation to the next Level by strengthening existing international connections

Piyush Goyal Inaugurated 4th edition of 2 day ‘National Public Procurement Conclave (NPPC) 2020: Digital Exhibitions and Conferences’ - Theme “Technology enabled Govt Procurement - Towards efficiency, transparency, and Inclusiveness” - organized by Government e Marketplace (GeM), in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) - Digital Exhibitions & conference will be held from August 9 – September 30, 2020. CII Headquarters - New Delhi, India President – Uday Kotak

14th Joint Economic and Trade Committee meeting 2020 of INDIA-UK - co-chaired by Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and UK Secretary of State for International Trade, Elizabeth Mary Truss

- held virtually - As the UK leaves European Union (EU), both sides are exploring the building blocks that would allow for more ambitious trade arrangements in the future in five key sectors = food and drink, information communications technology (ICT), life sciences and services, and chemicals to address non-tariff barriers to trade - Both sides also resolved to cooperate in the health sector United Kingdom Prime Minister – Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson

Indian Air Force Commanders Conference - at the Air Headquarters (Vayu Bhawan), New Delhi - 22nd – 24th July 2020 - Inaugurated by Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of Defence - Conference chaired by Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria

- Theme =“IAF in the Next Decade Minister of State of Defence - Shripad Yesso Naik

Digital Indo- Italian Business Mission on Food Processing’ - Vitually addressed by Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Union Minister for Food Processing Industries) - This webinar consisted of trade fair and B2B (business to business) meetings where 23 Italian companies virtually exhibited their products and services for end users and other industry players in India. - India and Italy were stated as natural partners with regards to the Food Processing Industry. - In May, Cabinet approved a new centrally sponsored scheme for Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (FME) for the unorganised sector with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore. Minister of State (MoS) of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) - Rameswar Teli

Minister of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) - Harsimrat Kaur Badal Constituency– Bathinda, Punjab

Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) conference - India and Russia explores to activate the joint projects in Asia and Africa in the webinar on “India-Russia Relations in the Context of Post-Pandemic Global order” - chaired by TCA Raghavan, Director General of ICWA - Joint conferences of ICWA and RIAC were held since 2017 alternatively in Moscow and New Delhi.

5th edition of conference on Aerospace and Defence (A&D) Manufacturing Technologies

- Inaugurated by Defence Minister of State Shri Shripad Naik in New Delhi through Video Conference - Jointly organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Tamil Nadu Technology Development and Promotion Centre (TNTDPC) and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM). - Theme = Empowering India with ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat Mission’ - Objective of the Defence Production Policy (DPP) is achieving 26 Billion US Dollar domestic production by 2025 and making India self-Reliant in Defence Production. Defence Union Minister – Shri Rajnath Singh Minister of State – Shri Shripad Yesso Naik

Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)

- A virtual meeting between India and Southern African Customs Union (SACU), consisting = South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini = revived to achieve a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and to discuss its various aspects. - India led by Srikar Reddy, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce

Narendra Modi laid through video conferencing the foundation stone of the Manipur Water Supply Project under the Jal Jeevan Mission - To provide Freshwater Household Tap connections (FHTCs) to the rural households of Manipur. - Aimed to achieve the goals of Jal Jeevan Mission – “Har Ghar Jal” by 2024 benefitting the people of Manipur. - The outlay of the project is about Rs.3054 crores

- Designed to provide the needs of the upcoming 20 -22 years to provide clean drinking water and to provide employment opportunities for thousands of people. Manipur Governor – Najma Heptulla Chief Minister– N Biren Singh Capital– Imphal

2 days long Virtual India Ideas Summit 2020 - Addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi - hosted by US-India Business Council (USIBC) under the theme “Building a Better Future” - FDI inflow in India in 2019-20 was $74 billion, an increase of 20% from 2018-19 - PM Narendra Modi urged American investors to invest in India in technology, healthcare, insurance, civil aviation, defense and infrastructure. USIBC President– Nisha Biswal

Headquarter – Washington, D.C

49th Governing Council Meeting of National Productivity Council (NPC) - chaired by Piyush Goyal, President of NPC Governing Council and Commerce & Industry Minister

India Global Week 2020 - 3 days virtual conference - Inaugurated by the Narendra Modi. - organised in the United Kingdom - theme of “Be The Revival: India and a Better New World”

Nirmala Sitharaman – chaired = 22nd Meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) via video conferencing

TRIFED + Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of Rajasthan - organized a webinar under Know Your Scheme-Lecture Series on “Van Dhan Yojana - to help the tribal people.

Piyush Goyal participated in the Digital Summit on Exports organized by CII - The institutional partner for the summit is Export-Import (EXIM) Bank.

Hunar Haat - to restart from September 2020 by the Minority Affairs Ministry – theme = “Local to Global”

IDEAthon webinar organized by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) – theme = “The future of River Management”

ASSOCHAM - organized - Indo-Bangladesh “Virtual Conference” - Dr Jitendra Singh addressed

Technology Development Board (TDB), a statutory body of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) - organized the digital conference, RE-START – ‘Reboot the Economy through Science, Technology and Research Translations is association with Technology Development Board (TDB) - Union Minister of Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, and Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan addressed

INTERNATIONAL EUROPE

15th India-EU (Virtual) Summit - held virtually - co-chaired by Narendra Modi, Charles Michel (President of the European Council) & Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission) - India, EU adopted declaration on Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy - India-EU endorsed Strategic Partnership: A Roadmap to 2025 = to guide joint action and further strengthen the EU-India Strategic Partnership over the next five years - Euratom-India Agreement = signed between EURATOM and the Department of Atomic Energy of India on research and development cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. - The India - EU decided to establish a maritime security dialogue replacing the counter-piracy dialogue and explore opportunities for further maritime cooperation.

- Both nations also Renewed the Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement for another 5 years

15th meeting of the India-European Union Summit - Will be held virtually - Deliberate on India-EU cooperation by covering various aspects such as political and security relations, trade and investment and economic cooperation - Attended by PM modi

Fourth edition of the virtual Ministerial on Climate Action - co-chaired by European Union, China and Canada - India was represented by the Union Environment Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar

USA, CANADA, JAPAN, CHINA, AUSTRAILA

74th Session of the UN General Assembly High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace held - Convened by its President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande and addressed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the theme “The Culture of Peace: Change our world for the better in the age of Covid-19”. UNGA President Elect– Volkan Bozkir Headquarters– New York

India-US 2+2 inter-sessional meet held virtually - To discuss bilateral, regional, and multilateral issues including combating COVID-19, counter terrorism, India’s membership on the UNSC and the broader Indo-Pacific region.

- The Indian delegation was led jointly by Vani Rao, Joint Secretary (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs, and Somnath Ghosh, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) in the Ministry of Defence. - Previous 2+2 ministerial meeting held on December 18, 2019 in Washington DC.

Virtual US-India-Israel summit held = trio nations will collaborate in 5G technology - Addressed by Ms. Bonnie Glick, Deputy Administrator USAID (United States Agency for International Development). - Also addressed by Israel Ambassador to India Ron Malka and his counterpart Sanjeev Singla. USAID Headquarter – Washington

United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) session - held at in New York, US - addressed virtually by PM Modi

- Theme= “Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary”. - UN will mark its 75th anniversary on September, 21 2020 on the theme, ‘The Future We Want, the UN We Need: Reaffirming our Collective Commitment to Multilateralism’. United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) President– Mona Juul Headquarter– New York, United States (US)

2nd Meeting of India-US Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) - virtually co-chaired Dharmendra Pradhan &United States (US) Secretary of Energy(Dan Brouillette) - Organized by US-India Business Council (USIBC). - India-US signed MoU to begin cooperation on strategic petroleum reserve = India to create its first overseas oil stockpile in US

- MOU between Bloom Energy and Indian Oil on fuel cell technology. - MOU between Gasway USA, Inc. and IGL = to explore the feasibility of a pilot virtual gas pipeline project. - Already USAID and NITI Aayog jointly launched the India Energy Modeling Forum - To empower Women in the Energy Sector, USAID launched the South Asia Women in Energy (SAWIE) platform focused on the power sector and the sides are working to incorporate gender-focused activities across the technical pillars. - US-India Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) established in April 2018 at the direction of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi - MoU on India’s first-ever Solar Decathlon in 2021 = aim of this competition is to prepare the next generation of building professionals to design and build high efficiency buildings powered by renewable.

- MOU between EESL, NTPC, and USAID for retrofit of buildings to improve indoor air quality, safety, and efficiency - USAID partnered with Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO) to develop India’s National Open Access Registry (NOAR) - Launch of public-private Hydrogen Task Force = to scale up technologies to produce hydrogen from renewable energy and fossil fuel sources - MOU between the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Petroleum Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) on information exchange in oil & gas regulatory frameworks. India’s Ambassador to the US– Taranjit Singh Sandhu

Virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Health Ministers Digital Meet - Harsh Vardhan Participated - chaired by Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Health of the Russian Federation

- Aarogya Setu app and ITIHAS, a cellular-based tracking technology, = used for the purpose of surveillance and identification of potential clusters of disease. SCO Headquarters – Beijing Secretary-General - Vladimir Norov Member Countries – 8 (India, Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)

NEARBY INDIA

FAO’s 35th Asia-Pacific regional Conference (APRC) meeting held virtually - hosted by Bhutan - Chaired by Bhutan’s Secretary of the agriculture ministry, Rinzin Dorji. - MoS for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Parshottam Khodabhai Rupala represented India - India’s agricultural export rose by 23.24% to Rs 25,553 crore during March-June 2020.

- As per World Trade Organization (WTO) data, share of India’s agricultural exports and imports in the world agriculture trade in 2017 was 2.27% and 1.90% respectively. - Bangladesh to host 36th FAO Asia and Pacific Regional Conference in 2022. FAO Director-General (DG) – QU Dongyu

CENTRAL AND MIDDLE EAST ASIA

MoS for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan Virtually Attended 10th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting - Chaired by Mr. Pham Bin Minh, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Vietnam

MoS for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, Participated in 27th ASEAN Regional Forum under the Chairmanship of Vietnam.

Saudi Arabia Hosted virtual G-20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting from Riyadh - Focused upon cross-border movement and strengthening international cooperation across borders amid the COVID-19 pandemic - G20 Leaders Summit 2020 will be held at the end of 2020. - The meet was chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al-Saud where Indian side was represented by Union Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar - During the meet, India proposed the development of voluntary “G-20 Principles on Coordinated Cross-Border Movement of People” with three elements: 1. Standardisation of testing procedures and universal acceptability of test results 2. Standardisation of ‘Quarantine procedures’ 3. Standardisation of ‘movement and transit’ protocols G20 2020 theme – Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century For All

Chairman – Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting held New ASEAN-India Plan of Action (2021-2025) adopted - Co-chaired by Union Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) along with Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand

3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting - attended virtually by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman - Organized under the Saudi Arabian Presidency - It is a part of G20 Leaders Summit 2020 which will be hosted by Saudi Arabia at the end of 2020 - Objective = to discuss the global economic outlook amid evolving COVID-19 pandemic crisis along with other G20 Finance Track priorities for the year 2020.

G-20 members: EU, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the UK, and the US. 2020 Presidency – Saudi Arabia Theme– Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century for All Chairman– Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

G20 Extraordinary Virtual Education Ministers’ Meeting - held under the presidency of Saudi Arabia - Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ represented India

G20 Digital Economy Ministers Virtual Meeting - Ravi Shankar Prasad Represented India

- Hosted by Saudi Arabia

Prime Minister – Participated for the first time since 2014 - online summit of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Contact Group on the theme “United against COVID-19” hosted by President of Republic of Azerbaijan

Ravi Shankar Prasad - attended the Extraordinary Virtual G20 Digital Economy Ministers meeting - to discuss the challenges posed by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic

Piyush Goyal - represented India at the second G20 Virtual Trade and Investment Ministers Meeting through video conferencing

OTHER ASIA

17th India-Vietnam Joint Commission Held via VC - MoU = Cooperation between Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), New Delhi and Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, Hanoi. - MoU between National Maritime Foundation, New Delhi and Scientific Research Institute of Sea and Islands, Hanoi. Vietnam Capital – Hanoi Currency – Vietnamese dong

5th BRICS Industry Ministers Meeting Held Through VC - Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Prakash Represented India

- They discussed the ways to enhance cooperation in areas like 5G, Artificial Intelligence(AI) & industrial Internet - UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) will collaborate with BRICS to establish a Center of Industrial Competences. - Recently, Russia postponed the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summits

Two-day long 6th Round Table of ASEAN-India network of think tanks (AINTT) - Organized by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand - Theme “ASEAN-India: Strengthening Partnership in the Post COVID Era” - Inaugurated by Union External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar ASEAN 2020 Chairmanship – Vietnam Chairman – Nguyen Xuan Phuc

6th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting - Prakash Javadekar represented India - India will assume the Presidency of BRICS in 2021.

BRICS Environmentally Sound Technology (BEST) Platform - BRICS Environment Ministers established BEST Platform - To facilitate the exchange of information views and sharing of the best practices on BRICS countries including post COVID-19 environment/sustainable development recovery programmes. BRICS Presidency 2020 – Russia Theme for 2020 – “BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth”.

5th BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting Held Virtually - Prahlad Singh Patel, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge-I/C) for Culture and Tourism represented India - BRICS Joint Exhibition titled ‘Bonding Regions & Imagining Cultural Synergies’, will be hosted by The National Gallery of Modern Arts, New Delhi in 2021 - BRICS Joint Exhibition is proposed to be organized, which will coincide with the BRICS event that will be hosted by India in 2021.

Rajnath Singh addressed Combined Meeting of Defence Ministers of SCO, Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) & Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Member States in Moscow

Eurasian Foundation Organized Indo Russian Young Scholars International E-Conference 2020

- Marks the 20th anniversary of the Declaration of Strategic Partnership between India and Russia - Also marks 75th anniversary of victory day of Russia. Eurasian Foundation President– Lisa Coll Headquarter – Washington DC

Union Minister Piyush Goyal Virtually Attended the 8th East Asia Summit Economic Ministers’ Meeting (EAS-EMM) - The Meeting was chaired by Tran Tuan Anh, Minister of Industry and Trade of VietNam. - During the meet discussions were held to accelerate economic growth, maintain supply chains and market stability ASEAN Chairman – Nguyen Xuan Phuc Secretary General – H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi

6th International Military-Technical Forum “Army-2020 - held at the Patriot Park near Moscow, Russia - organized by Russian Defence Ministry and operated by International Congresses and Exhibitions Ltd. (ICE Ltd) - Indian Pavilion was inaugurated by Secretary (Defence Production) Raj Kumar and Indian Ambassador to Russia D.Bala Venkatesh Varma - Delegations from at least 70 nations attended the event - The first regiment of S-400 anti-air system by Russia will be delivered to India by the end of 2021.

12th Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Senior Officials’ Meeting held virtually

- Attended by Senior Officials from all 6 MGC Member States (India, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam). - The key areas of cooperation tourism, culture, education, transport and communications were discussed and reviewed during the meeting. - The meeting discussed the progress made on the MGC Plan of Action (2019-22), which was made during the 10th MGC Ministerial Meeting. - The MGC was launched in the year 2000 at Vientiane, Lao PDR. - The MGC initiative aims to establish closer contacts among people living near the two major river basins Ganges and Mekong - The Mekong is the largest river in SouthEast Asian Region and flows through six countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and China. Minister of State of External Affairs – V. Muraleedharan

New Zealand - cancelled - Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit scheduled to be held in 2021 in Auckland, New Zealand

36th edition of the biannual ASEAN Summit 2020 - held via video conferencing in Hanoi, Vietnam - theme = “Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN”

 Russia - hosted the SCO Foreign Ministers Meeting via video conferencing on COVID-19 - attended by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar - India and Pakistan became the members of the SCO in 2017

STATE/NATIONAL NEWS

Kerala

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Kerala CM Inaugurated Thykoodam-Petta, Final stretch of Kochi Metro-Phase-I

India’s First International Women’s Trade Centre (IWTC) to be set up at Angamaly, Kochi, Kerala - Announcement was made during the webinar on “Scaling up Opportunities for MSME women Entrepreneurs in Kerala” organised by FICCI Kerala State Council. - IWTC Aim is to accelerate women entrepreneurship and secure gender parity while providing them a safe place to start new businesses, set up or expand, and get their products marketed globally. - Resource Enhancement Academy for Career Heights (REACH) aims to empower the women with required skills to ensure success.

- Kerala Chief Minister (CM) Pinarayi Vijayan launched “Yodhav” (Warrior) mobile app (application) at Kochi, Kerala

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan Inaugurated State’s First Marine Ambulance ‘Pratheeksha’ in Kochi (PRATHEEKSHA karo, MARINE AMBULANCE is coming) - Acquired by the Fisheries Department at Kochi for rescue operations at sea at a total cost of Rs.18.24 Crores. - The Other 2 ships are ‘Prathyasha’ and ‘Karunya’. Kerala Governor – Arif Mohammad Khan

Kerala government - announced - “Dream Kerala Project” - to tap the potential and experience of those returning from abroad and other states after losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Ltd (APIIC) - MoU - CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) to set up Bulk Drug Pharma Park - The park will be set up in a minimum of 2,000 acres at a cost of Rs. 6,940 crores in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh.

UiPath (Robotic Process Automation software company) – Partnered - Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) = to Train Student in Robotic Process Automation - This is designed to bridge the skill requirements and build RPA resiliency of more than 50000 students in one year.

Andhra Pradesh CM Launched ‘YSR Aasara’ scheme for Women Empowerment - AP government will reimburse outstanding bank loans of women Self-Help Groups as on April 11, 2019 into their accounts directly in four phases. - YSR Aasara is a part of the Navaratna welfare schemes.

Andhra Pradesh Govt - 8 MoUs - with Food Processing companies & Netherlands = to boost the food processing sector of various agricultural products - State government is focusing on maximum utilisation of aqua base in the state - Already proposed Fisheries University in West Godavari where the farmers are engaged in aqua and fish culture. - MoU With Netherlands - Netherlands will help farmers for interior architecture, design, packaging and containers for the food processing.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Launched 2 Nutrition Schemes “YSR Sampoorna Poshana” and “YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus” - to provide nutritious food to the pregnant women, new mothers and children at the Tadepalli camp office - YSR Sampoorna Poshana will provide nutritious food to the women and children in the urban and rural areas of the plain lands - YSR Sampoorna Poshana Plus will focus on providing nutritious food - These two schemes will benefit around 30.16 lakh mothers and children of the BPL families. - Outlay of around Rs.1863 crore per annum to provide nutritious food to the women and children, with an expenditure of Rs.1100 per month for every beneficiary.

AP Govt - MoU - Reliance Retail, Jio and Allana Group = to empower Women SHGs Market Their Products

- Reliance Retail will support the micro-grocery women retailers through the ‘JioMart Kirana’ stores, which will be digitally equipped and act as online stores. The government had already entered into MoU with AMUL, HUL, ITC and P&G for supporting the YSR Cheyutha beneficiaries in the dairy and retail businesses

Andhra CM Launched UPI-based Payment facilities in 15004 village and ward secretariats through video conference - Tied-up with NPCI and Canara Bank for this digitalisation process. - Around 545 types of services will be available for payment under this digitalisation process. - One Volunteer is to be assigned for every 50 families and One Secretariat to be set up for every village or village having a population of 2,000. Andhra Pradesh Governor – Biswabhusan Harichandan.

Andhra Pradesh Government - MoU - Hyderabad-based Indian School of Business (ISB) = to drive economic growth of the state

Andhra Pradesh CM = launched the ‘Jagananna Chedodu’ scheme to provide financial assistance to tailors, barbers and dhobis(washermen) - Under the scheme, Rs 10,000 per person was provided Andhra Pradesh Governor – Biswabhusan Harichandan

Andhra Pradesh - MoU - Boston Group = to set up a facility at Visakhapatnam dedicated to Research and Development (R&D) in the Information Technology sector with focus on learning platforms and also leveraging advanced technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and cybersecurity

Government of AP - MoU - Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Procter and Gamble (P&G) and ITC = to Support Economic Empowerment of Women - two schemes YSR Cheyutha and YSR Asara to support the empowerment of women. - Around Rs. 11,000 crores per year will be distributed under both the schemes which will be around Rs. 44,000 crores for 4 years which will benefit around 1 crore women. - YSR Cheyutha scheme = to support the women of the minority groups (SC, ST, BC) aged between 45 and 60 = Financial assistance of Rs. 18,750 per annum that is Rs. 75,000 for four years will be provided - Under this scheme around Rs. 4,500 crores will be distributed. - YSR Asara - will benefit around 90 lakh women of around 9 lakh self-help groups = around Rs. 6,700 crores will be distributed.

Andhra Pradesh CM launched a one-month long virtual cybercrime awareness programme ‘E- Raksha Bandhan’ - Organized by the Andhra Pradesh Police, CID, FM Radio, Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children (CCPWC), Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF) and other organizations. - More than 1 lakh women and the general public would be trained under this programme up to August 31, 2020. - The Andhra Pradesh police and state CID publicised a slogan “Let us make August a month of e freedom and e-safety.” - The victims of the state were asked to complain through Disha APP and in Disha Police Stations on harassment and cybercrimes.

Governor of AP Biswa Bhusan Harichandan = cleared three State-capital Bills and Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Repeal Bills 2020

AP - MoU – AMUL = to help Women Self Help Groups and Boost Milk Cooperatives Andhra Pradesh Governor – Biswa Bhushan Harichandan

Renewable Energy Export Policy 2020 - Announced by Government of Andhra Pradesh - Permits the sale of power to the other states of India - Policy will be in force for the five years. - Aim = to utilize the unused potential and to attract private investments to boost the economy and to generate additional revenue to the government

For ensuring corruption-free job placements, Andhra Pradesh - launched state-owned placement agency-Andhra Pradesh Corporation for Outsourced Services (APCOS)

AP – launched - Rs 1,110 crores ‘ReStart’ to revive MSME sector - to support & boost the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in the State

Andhra Pradesh - launched - mobile application ‘CMAPP (Comprehensive Monitoring of Agriculture, Price, and Procurement)’ - aim - to monitor the agriculture needs of the farmers in the state

Andhra Pradesh - launched - mobile application CMAPP (Comprehensive Monitoring of Agriculture, Price, and Procurement)

Telangana

Telangana Govt - Renewed MoU - UK India Business Council (UKIBC) = to Strengthen the State’s Industrial Development UK India Business Council Head Office – London Chief Executive Officer – Mr Jayant Krishna

Telangana Launched Web Portal of Pothgal Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) - Contains all the details of the loans, loan processes and services offered by the co-operative society.

UNICEF & ADB funds for Thermal screening at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport

- thermal scanner - provided by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare + ADB funded by UNICEF

Telangana + Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) + World Economic Forum (WEF) – India = launched AI for Agricultural Innovation Program (AI4AI) - Expected to benefit both the farmers and the policymakers of the state - Telangana Government has announced 2020 as the year of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the state. - Aims to establish Hyderabad amongst the top 25 Global Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation Hubs. Telangana Governor – Tamilisai Soundararajan

Telangana Police = launched = ‘CybHER’,

- A month-long virtual awareness campaign - Virtual Awareness Campaign to Tackle Cyber Crime against Women & Children - Organised by WSW in collaboration with Legal Aid Centre, Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad - Cyber Expert Rakshit Tandon, will lead the campaign. Telangana Capital – Hyderabad Chief minister– K. Chandrashekar Rao Governor– Tamilisai Soundararajan

Karnataka

Karnataka = Rs 600 cr watershed project with World Bank Assistance named Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agriculture Resilience through Innovative Development (REWARD)(KARNATAKA will give REWARD to those who can build WATERSHED)

- In order to increase the groundwater table in parched land of 20 taluks - This project will benefit farmers to cultivate in 10 lakh hectares of parched land in 10 districts of Karnataka. - The state government would provide Rs 180 crore while the World Bank would extend an assistance of Rs 420 crore for the period of next six years. - Infrastructure works at Jog Falls at a cost of Rs120 crore through the Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd. - Building of new medical colleges in Haveri and Yadgir at a cost of Rs 327.46 crore and Rs 309 crore, respectively, - Building a fishing harbour at a cost of Rs 85 crore at Maravante of Udupi. World Bank President – David Robert Malpass Motto – Working for a World Free of Poverty

Karnataka CM B S Yediyurappa Launched Country’s First Integrated Air Ambulance Services at Jakkur Aerodrome, Bangalore. - Air ambulance firm International Critical Air Transfer Team (ICATT) + aviation technology firm Kyathi will run the services from the HAL airport - ICATT has completed 63 domestic transfers, 10 international transfers and seven organ transfers in 2020.

Karnataka CM Launched ‘Arthika Spandana’ Loan Disbursal Scheme - To disburse loans of Rs 39,300 crore through various cooperative institutions. - Rs 15,300 crore will be disbursed to the agriculture sector and Rs 24,000 will be earmarked for the non-agricultural sector

India’s first mobile Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT- PCR) COVID lab

- inaugurated by Karnataka’s Medical Education Minister Dr. K Sudhakar in Karnataka - Approved by ICMR - Developed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISC), Bengaluru = handed over to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS)

New Industrial Policy for 2020-2025 = Approved by Karnataka Cabinet - To attract Rs 5 lakh crore investment and create about 20 lakh employment over the next 5 years to help mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis - policy adopts a production turnover based incentive system instead of tax based incentives, a first such initiative in India Karnataka Governor – Vajubhai Vala

Karnataka government - launched - portal called “Skill Connect Forum

- To connect job seekers with employers on a common platform.

Karnataka - launched - ‘Nekar Samman Yojana’ - for the weaver’s community in the state

Flipkart - MoU - Karnataka State Mango Department - to support mango farmers to sell their produce through Flipkart

Karnataka - launched - first cyber security-specific accelerator programme 'H.A.C.K' for start-ups.

Karnataka - to launch State Health Register of all 6.5 crore citizens of the state - pilot project will be implemented in Chikkaballapur district, and Dakshina Kannada or Mangalore districts

Bengaluru based Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) - launched an initiative called “Pranavayu” - This initiative helps each individual to monitor blood oxygen levels and heart rates of patients showing influenza-like illnesses (ILI) in fever clinics.

Karnataka Chess Association hosted an online chess tournament to raise funds for CM Covid-19 relief fund

Tamilnadu

TN government signed 16 MoUs worth Rs 5,137 crore with different companies to create employment opportunities for over 6,555 people

- MoUs were signed by TN Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami. - 6 MoU were signed directly and 10 through virtual link. - A new portal HYPERLINK(https://investingintamilnadu.com/) Launched by The Chief Minister - Also UP government signed MoUs with industry associations to create 10 Lakh jobs for migrants and Maharashtra signed 12 MoU’s with domestic and foreign companies for FDI worth over Rs 16,000 crores = part of the Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0 initiative. Tamil Nadu National Parks (NP) – Marine NP, Guindy NP, Mudumalai NP, Mukurthi NP, Gulf of Mannar

Tamil Nadu Government - 8 MoUs - with Industrial Groups for Employment Creation = worth Rs 10,399 crore - To create employment opportunities for 13,507 people - The MoUs were signed in the presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami

- Proposed Projects = production of solar cells and modules, air compressors, ductile iron foundry, industrial parks, cashew nut processing, data centre and a foundry expansion project. - Vikram Solar company = to invest in a solar cell and module manufacturing project - Rs. 5,423 crore and will provide employment to 7,542 persons. - Hiranandani Group’s Yotta Infrastructure = to invest Rs 4,000 crore and provide jobs to 2,500 people by setting up an information data center park - CGD Satharai Private Limited = to invest Rs 250 crore and provide jobs to around 1,500 persons by setting up an industrial park. - NDR Integrated Industrial Park = to invest Rs 200 crore to develop an industrial park - 500 jobs. - ELGi Equipments = to invest Rs 250 crore and provide employment to about 600 persons by setting up an air compressor unit. - Aqua Group = to invest Rs. 200 crore - 400 jobs

- JS Autocast = to invest Rs 40 crore - GI Agro Tech = to invest Rs 36 crore - 465 jobs Tamil Nadu Governor – Banwarilal Purohit

Tamil Nadu started Implementation of Solar Fence Farmland Protection Programme - is to protect agricultural lands

Tamil Nadu govt - 17 investment MoUs worth ₹15,128 cr with various companies - aim to provide employment opportunities to 47,150 people

Tamil Nadu - increased the retirement age of government employees to 59

Tamil Nadu - constituted - 24 member high-level committee headed by C Rangarajan - to assess the immediate and medium-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on various sectors of the State’s economy ➢ To examine fiscal challenge & suggest ways to improve its fiscal position ➢ State Finance Secretary S Krishnan - coordinator of the committee. ➢ the committee will submit its final reports to the Government within 3 months

Arumbavur wood carvings and Thanjavur Netti Works of Tamil Nadu - received the Geographical Indications tag

Punducherry

Puducherry Chief Minister and finance minister V Narayanasamy = Presented Rs 9000 Crore Tax Free Budget for FY 20-21

Maharashtra

Nitin Gadkari laid Foundation Stone for 5 Road Projects worth Rs. 777 Crores in Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra - NHAI is undertaking the establishment of India’s first government or semi government promoted Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) under the Indian Trust Act, 1882 and SEBI (Infrastructure Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014 to facilitate investment in the highway sector. - The central Government - aimed to replace all the level crossings on National Highways by Road Over Bridges / Road under Bridges under the Setu Bharatam scheme.

Minister of State of Road Transport & Highways - Vijay Kumar Singh

SIDBI – MoU - Maharashtra Govt = to Develop MSME Ecosystem in the state. - After the recommendations of the Upendra Kumar (UK) Sinha Committee on MSMEs set up by the RBI - As a part of MoU, Project Management Unit (PMU) will be deployed by SIDBI in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray - launched ‘My Family, My Responsibility’ Campaign to Tackle COVID-19 - Aims to motivate the maximum number of people to adopt a new lifestyle for effective COVID-19 control and also aims to reach people before the virus reaches them.

Maharashtra = Balasaheb Thackeray Road Accident Insurance Scheme for Accident Victims - annual outlay of Rs 125 crore

- Expenditure of up to Rs 30,000 will be borne by the State for 74 enlisted medical procedures.

Mumbai’s Dadar has become the first city in India to have women symbols on traffic signals - Installed by BMC that display female icons sporting triangular frock, a shift from the default representation of men.

Maharashtra - First State to Partner with Google India to Provide Learning Tools for Schools - Aim of the partnership = To progress Maharashtra in education with effective use of online resources, platforms and technology and to bridge the gap in education - More than 1.5 Lakh teachers of Maharashtra have registered to use the digital medium. - Will support the education department to adopt the technology in more than 1.9 lakh schools for more than 22.3 million students.

Maharashtra Govt. Approved Maharashtra Agribusiness Network (MagNet) project worth Around Rs 1,000 crore - 70% funded by ADB while the rest of 30% cost (300 crores) is funded by the state government - Project aims to help farmers across all districts in the state for the next 6 years. Maharashtra Governor – Bhagat Singh Koshyari ADB President - Masatsugu Asakawa

Maharashtra government - launched = world’s largest plasma therapy trials “Project Platina” for COVID-19 patients

Maharashtra - launched - Maha Jobs Portal = to bridge the gap between the Industrial Units/Employers and the Workers

Maharashtra government - announced a free and cashless health insurance scheme to all its citizens - Under the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana - At present, the scheme covers 85% of the population; but benefits are now extended to the remaining 15%.

Maharashtra - allowed 12-hour work shifts until June 30 in factories across the state

Mee Annapurna initiative - launched by insurance intermediary - Integrated Risk Insurance Brokers Limited (IRIBL) in Maharshtra - This initiative is based on three commandments namely: Expertise, Engagement and Entitlement.

Goa

Goa - MoU - NSDC = for setting up World-Class Skill Development Institute to provide Advanced Skills Training under “Skill India Mission” Goa Chief Minister – Pramod Sawant Governor – Satya Pal Malik NSDC CEO -Manish Kumar Headquarters – New Delhi

Tripartite MoU = Goa govt - GIZ India - Siemens Limited = to Provide world class German dual vocational education and training (VET) in Goa’s Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) - This Indo-German initiative will improve the employability of the ITI graduates. - Government of Goa allotted land to a consortium of 49 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME) units to set up India’s first Maritime Cluster

- Goa + Innovaccer Inc, a United States (US)-based healthcare data analytics company = launched Test Yourself Goa, a self-assessment tool for COVID-19 to help people identify if they are infected by the virus without visiting a doctor or hospital. Siemens Limited India MD & CEO – Sunil Mathur Head Office – Mumbai

Gujarat

Gujarat - MoU - SIDBI = to support MSMEs

Gujarat Govt Announced Subsidy Schemes for E- scooters & rickshaws - Students will get a subsidy of Rs 12,000 each to buy e-scooters - The target is to provide this assistance to 10,000 vehicles.

- will also provide assistance of Rs 48,000 for the purchase of 5,000 battery-powered e-rickshaws - Ten public charging stations will be set up in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Rajkot - A sum of Rs 50 lakh has been earmarked for setting up these charging stations. Gujarat Governor – Acharya Devvrat

Ahmedabad Railway Division Introduced Baggage Sanitization and Wrapping Machine - Indian Railways’ Central Railway zone has installed an Automated Ticket Checking & Managing Access (ATMA) machine at Nagpur station. Indian Railways Chairman – Vinod Kumar Yadav

Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (DNHDD) Launched E-Gyan Mitra Mobile Application for Online Education Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu(DNHDD) Administrator– Praful Patel

Capital– Daman

Gujarat Launched - Rs 1,800 crore Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay Yojana - Replacing “Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)”, for FY20-21 only to Compensate Crop Loss of Farmers - Eligibility = Farmers who have sown crops for kharif (monsoon) 2020 season i.e. sown till July 2020, and tribal farmers registered under the Forest Rights Act are eligible for this scheme - The compensation will be given only if the loss of crop is more than 33% due to above mentioned factors. - For crop loss between 33% and 66%, a farmer will get a compensation of Rs 20,000 per hectare for maximum four hectares. For crop loss above 66%, a farmer will get Rs 25,000 per hectare for maximum four hectares through direct benefit transfer (DBT).

- Farmers are also eligible to get additional compensation under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)

Gujarat Announced New Industrial Policy 2020 - With an expected average annual outlay of up to Rs 8,000 crore, which is meant to provide incentives to the industries - Aims to provide an estimated Rs 40,000 crore as subsidies to industries in the next 5 years - New policy is in line with the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan – replaced the Gujarat Industrial Policy 2015. - Gujarat will become the 1st state to “delink incentives from State Goods and Service Tax(SGST) - new Industrial policy is divided in 15 thrust areas in core sectors and sunrise sectors - Irrespective of any sector, the thrust on 100% export oriented units will be given.

- Will allow leasing out government land to industrialists on long term lease of up to 50 years at 6% of the market rate. - Provide incentives to private industrial parks and also provide ‘relocation incentives’ to the units who look to relocate in wake of Covid-19 pandemic, particularly from China. - The state govt will pay 50 paise more to every unit of solar power bought from MSMEs to encourage MSMEs to use rooftop solar power = The new purchase price stands at Rs 2.25 per unit against Rs 1.75. - Increases the seed support from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh for start-ups - subsidy of up to 7% up to Rs 35 lakh per annum for seven years to service sector MSMEs in the areas of financial services, healthcare, audio-visual, and environmental services - Gujarat Govt launched ‘Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojna’ to provide loans to small businessmen. Gujarat Governor – Acharya Devvrat

Two Flyover of Ahmedabad will be named After Late Arun Jaitley & Sushma Swaraj - The flyover bridge at Income Tax circle will be named as Arun Jaitley Flyover. - The flyover at the Anjali cross road will be named Sushma Swaraj Bridge

Madhya pradesh

Road in Lucknow named after former MP Governor Lalji Tandon as Tandon Marg and a crossing Chauk Chauraha as Lalji Tandon Chauraha

Plantation drive named “Thank Mom” started in Madhya Pradesh.

Uttar Pradesh Governor - Anandiben Patel - additional charge of Madhya Pradesh Governor

750 MW Rewa ultra mega solar plant - Narendra Modi unveiled it in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh - It is one of the largest single-site solar power plants in Asia.

State Government of Madhya Pradesh will be launching a campaign = ‘Roko -Toko’ in the upcoming days. - Campaign will focus on those who are not wearing masks in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Madhya Pradesh government - launched = ‘Kill Corona’ campaign - from July 1 to control the spread of COVID-19 in the state - door-to-door survey will be conducted and tests would also be done on citizens for other diseases as well

Madhya Pradesh government - launched - “Hamara Ghar-Hamara Vidyalaya” - to take care of academic regularity of the students during the lockdown

Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board - started a social media campaign = ‘Intzaar Aap Ka’

Madhya Pradesh Govt Reintroduced Deendayal Antyodaya Rasoi Scheme (Rasode me kon tha – ye MP tha) - To provide nutritious and quality food to underprivileged people at a subsidized rate.

Madhya Pradesh CM launched a ‘Poshan Sarkar’ program - Objective = to ensure active participation of local Bodies-Gram Panchayats and Urban bodies in the Nutrition Campaign.

- The month September is Observed as Nutrition month in India

MP Chhatarpur Police’s ‘Ek Sankalp – Bujurgo ke naam’ campaign proved to be boon for senior citizens - Facilities like medicines, vegetables, milk, essential goods telephone, TV recharge, online application are being provided to the house of the elderly people Anna Hazare has praised this campaign

Madhya Pradesh launched “Ek Mask-Anek Zindagi” public awareness campaign from August 1-15 - Establishment of Mask Banks, where people can donate masks which in turn will be distributed free to poor people. - Citizens can also donate masks through NGOs in every district/urban body.

Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh - launched - ‘Rozgar Setu’ Yojana - to support and provide employment to the migrant workers - also Shram Siddhi Abhiyan was launched to support the unskilled labourers to find employment

Madhya Pradesh - inaugurated 'Shram Siddhi Abhiyan’ - to provide jobs to labourers

MP - to inaugurate - ‘Everybody will get employment’ (Sabko Milega Rozgar) scheme - Under this scheme, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MNREGA) job cards will be distributed to the laborers

Madhya Pradesh - launched Charan Paduka campaign - migrant workers will be provided with shoes and slippers to reduce their pain.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan - re-launched the Sambal Yojana Objective of Sambal Yojana- To provide social security to the poor and the beneficiaries of SC and ST from birth to death The scheme was originally launched in April 2018 & Rs 703 crore was spent in 2018-19 for its implementation.

Madhya Pradsh - launched country's first ever ‘FIR Aapke Dwar Yojana’ to lodge FIR ➢ Pilot project in 23 Police Stations including one urban and one rural Police Station at 11 Divisional Headquarters. ➢ “Dial 100” vehicle would have trained Head Constables to lodge FIR.

Madhya Pradesh - Sanjeevani, the first of its kind unique vehicle - to help the healthcare workers - was developed at the local level in the initiative of Rajnagar administration of Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh - 1st state in the country to provide mid-day meal ration - Distribution with the help of Anganwadi workers, Panchayat representatives and local teachers ➢ Rs 117 crore has been transferred online in the bank account of the parents of 66 lakh 27 thousand students of primary and secondary school - To provide mid-day meal to school children in the corona outbreak an amount of by the state government. ➢ Under door-to-door mid-day meal scheme, ration has also been provided to 56 lakhs 87 thousand children

Madhya Pradesh - made amendments in the Mandi Act with a view to provide farmers with the maximum value of their crops

Rajasthan

ShriVallabh Pittie International Group - MoU - Rajasthan Govt = to invest Rs 4,000 crore in Aviation, Defence & Textile Sectors - SVP will invest Rs 4000 crore for these projects, which will create employment opportunities for more than 4000 people.

Prime Minister Modi E-Inaugurated Patrika Gate in Jaipur

- Patrika Gate was built by the Patrika group of Newspapers on the Jawaharlal Nehru Marg in Jaipur. - He also launched 2 books Samvad Upanishad and Akshar Yatra, authored by Gulab Kothari, Editor in Chief of Rajasthan Patrika Group - Rajasthan recently approved ‘One-Stop Shop’ Scheme– OSS (earlier known as single window clearance system) to fast track investment and capacity expansion proposals - Ashok Gehlot recently launched the Online Shramik Employment Exchange, ‘Raj Kaushal Portal’ developed by the department of IT and Rajasthan Skill & Livelihoods Development Corporation(RSLDC) through video conference. Rajasthan UNESCO sites – The Jantar Mantar, Hill Forts of Rajasthan Tiger Reserve - Sariska Tiger Reserve, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve

Rajasthan Govt - MoU - SIDBI = to Develop Its MSME Ecosystem

SIDBI Managing Director – Mohammad Mustafa Headquarter – Lucknow

Government of Rajasthan Approves 5% Reservation instead of 1% in Judicial Service for More Backward Classes(MBC) Rajasthan Governor – Kalraj Mishra

Rajasthan Cabinet Approved ‘One-Stop Shop’ Scheme - To fast track investment and capacity expansion proposals by facilitating time-bound approvals and clearances - Will help revive industries in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

- entrepreneurs who invest above Rs 10 crore will be able to get 98 types of clearance under one roof at OSS under the Bureau of Investment Promotion (BIP) of the State Industries Department. Rajasthan Governor – Kalraj Mishra

Rajasthan - levied 2% Krishak Kalyan fees on agricultural produce brought or bought or sold in mandis

Haryana

Haryana CM Launches 1st of its Kind Educational whatsapp Chatbot “Apka Mitra” & Online Admission Platform for Under Graduate courses(HARYANA me APKA MITRA UNDER GRADUATION kar raha hai)

- Launched by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in collaboration with the Higher Education Department.

Haryana Govt - MoU - M3M Foundation = to facilitate students’ online preparation, training and mentoring for entrance examinations of government jobs - MoU is in line with the vision of the Haryana government to link 1 lakh candidates to government jobs within and outside the state in the next 2 years. - The MoU is valid for 18 months.

Haryana’s Forest department used drone for aerial seeding to shower 50,000 seeds pallets covered with a mixture of clay and compost in Aravallis Haryana Governor – Satyadev Narayan Arya

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar launched Anti Bullying Campaign of Faridabad Police over Social Media with username @FBDpolice to report any form of bullying in the schools, colleges, neighbourhood, home and workplace - The campaign is a part of the ‘Teen Age Police’ programme of Faridabad Police Haryana Governor – Satyadeo Narain Arya

Haryana Govt launched 2 schemes - Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojana & Mukhya Mantri Doodh Uphar Yojana for state’s girls & women - With a total outlay of Rs 256 crore - “Mahila Evam Kishori Samman Yojana” = focusing on adolescent girls and women between 10 to 45 years of age of about 11,24,871 BPL families will provide a 6 piece packet of free sanitary napkins every month for a year. This scheme will cover the state’s 22.50 lakh women and girls

- “Mukhya Mantri Doodh Uphar Yojana” = Under the aegis of Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), the haryana government has initiated this scheme in order to provide around 200 ml of fragrant skimmed milk per day for 6 days in a week to about 9.03 lakh children between 1 and 6 years of age and 2.95 lakh pregnant and lactating mothers visiting 25,962 anganwadi centres in the state - objective of the scheme is to address the problem of anaemia and malnutrition among state’s women and children.

CM of Haryana launched a unique identity card, the Parivar Pehchan Patras (PPP) - An initiative of the state government - Developed by the team CMO = for effective and efficient delivery of central and state schemes - Under PPP each family will be considered as a single unit and will be allotted an 8 digit unique identification number.

- The 8-digit number will enable seamless delivery of state government services. - Every city and village will have unique code. - From 27th – 30th August 2020 special camps at villages and ward level will be organized to collect and verify data - State Government of Haryana has decided to celebrate 2020 as Susashan Sanakap Varsh. - Also inaugurated a portal for the registration of unorganised workers through PPP. Haryana Governor– Satyadeo Narain Arya

Haryana’s Urban local bodies and Home Minister Anil Vij launched “Works Management System” - a web-based, paperless and centralised web portal for the management and monitoring of the development works in the Urban Local Bodies(ULB) in Haryana - Portal will enable transparency and reduce corruption in the state.

5-day Sub-Tropical Fruit Expo 2020 (18th – 22nd July 2020) - organised by Horticulture dept of Haryana at the Centre for Sub-Tropical Fruit (Indo Israel Project), at Ladwa, Kurukshetra - inaugurated by Sanjeev Kaushal, Additional Chief Secretary in Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department. - Objective: To help farmers to learn about the latest technologies in the field with significance to increase adoption of horticulture under the crop diversification scheme ‘Mera Pani-Meri Virasat’ of the state government.

E-Sachivalaya Portal - Launched by Haryana CM = for Online Appointments with CM, Deputy CM and Various Heads of Dept. - https://esachivalaya.edisha.gov.in

- launched to provide citizen centric services in a transparent and seamless manner to the general public - After taking the appointment, within 24 hours they will be given a time slot for the virtual meeting - People who have recovered from COVID-19 infection will receive an SMS on their mobile for plasma donation, on which they will be requested to donate plasma. - Plasma banks have been opened in Gurugram, Faridabad, Rohtak and Panchkula. Haryana National Parks(NP) – Sultanpur and Kalesar

‘Samadhan se Vikas’ scheme - One-time settlement scheme for the recovery of long-pending dues on account of External Development Charges (EDC)

- The scheme is applicable in respect of the full amount outstanding on account of the EDC and on interest and penalty interest. - Many builders in Gurgaon and Faridabad failed to pay the state government over Rs 10,000 crore as EDC Haryana Governor – Satyadeo Narain Arya

Haryana - 75 percent of the jobs with a salary of less than Rs 50,000 per month will be reserved for the residents of Haryana

Nitin Gadkari = Virtually Inaugurated and Laid Foundation Stones of 11 Highway Projects Worth Rs 19997 crore(approx 20000) in Haryana - The projects are part of new economic corridors in the state. - 3 projects worth Rs 2,240 crore were inaugurated

- Foundation stones for 8 projects worth Rs 17,757 crore - compensation of Rs 10,000 crore has been deposited directly in the accounts of the recipients for acquisition of the land in association with these projects

‘Mera Pani Meri Virasat’ scheme - Was launched for the purpose of crop diversification from maize / cotton / millet / pulses / horticulture crops in 1.00 lakh hectares of land - To promote 2 latest technologies with sustainable farming, increase production and enable crop options to increase the income of the farmer. - Farmers are encouraged to grow alternative crops other than paddy. - Central Govt Provides Rs 1500 crore to Haryana for water conservation, which includes Rs 500 crore to expand crop diversification under the ‘Mera Pani Meri Virasat’ scheme and Rs 1000 crore to rejuvenate 14000 ponds and treat water in phased manner under the Jal Jeevan

Mission(a central government initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to ensure access of piped water for every household in India) - About 1000 water wells to be established in the state to control the decreasing groundwater table under the Atal Bhujal Yojana Haryana Capital– Chandigarh Governor– Satyadeo Narain Arya Chief Minister– Manohar Lal Khattar

Punjab

Punjab Government launched ‘I Rakhwali’ app to make citizens ‘Greenery Saviours’ - To safeguard the forest areas in the state by making common citizens as stakeholders in the process

Punjab CM Amarinder Singh Launched ‘Punjab Smart Connect Scheme’ to Provide Free Smartphones for more than 1.74 Lakh Students of class 12 worth Rs. 92 crores - Punjab CM Amarinder Singh recently launched surveillance app ‘Ghar ghar nigrani’ app to detect COVID-19 - Punjab Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh recently launched “Cova Punjab” mobile application

Punjab -First Rank in Health, Welfare Centre Operationalisation released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India. Punjab Governor – Vijayender Pal Singh Badnore

Punjab Govt + YuWaah for youth development = launched ‘Pride of Punjab’ - Launched by Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

- Aimed at enabling best opportunities for the Youth of Punjab. - U-Report is a social messaging tool and data collection system supported by YuWaah and UNICEF to improve citizen engagement. - YuWaah = aims to facilitate youth to gain relevant skills for productive lives and the future of work - supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund - It is targeted at young people aged 10-24 years

USD 285.71(over Rs 2,130 crore) million project for canal-based water supply for Amritsar and Ludhiana - Approved by Punjab Cabinet - Funding = World Bank (70%) and Punjab gov (30%)

“Continuous Galvanized Rebar” Production Facility - inaugurated at Mandi Gobindgarh in Punjab

Delhi

MoS Hardeep Singh Puri Inaugurated India’s first General Aviation Terminal at Delhi Airport

Delhi CM Launched Online Portal for E-Filing consumer complaint - Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (DSCDRC) launched the portal via delhistatecommission.nic.in - Developed by National Informatics Centre (NIC). - State Bank of India (SBI) is providing payment gateway for payment of fees digitally.

Delhi Government Relaunched “10 Hafte 10 Baje 10 minute” 10-week Anti Dengue Campaign

Delhi Government Launched - ‘Healthy Body, Healthy Mind’ Fitness Campaign for Students Confined in Homes

Delhi Government Launched Niraman Mazdoor Registration Abhiyan for Construction Workers to register and utilise around 18 assistance schemes - Registration campaign for construction workers will be conducted from 24th August 2020 to 11th September 2020. - Workers aged between 18 and 60 years are eligible to register.

Delhi Govt - MoU - Bloomberg Philanthropies = to enhance road safety by eliminating road accidents and create safe mobility - Delhi has joined 30 world cities & world’s leading organisations in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety

All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) – MoU - Delhi Police = for extending ayurvedic mode of preventive and promotive health services in the residential colonies of the Delhi Police through mobile units named ‘Dhanwantari Rath’. - AYURAKSHA = launched on April 30, 2020, joint venture of AIIA & Delhi Police for maintaining the health of Delhi Police personnel who serve as frontline warriors during COVID-19 through Ayurveda immunity boosting measures = The kits were distributed to around 80,000 Police Personnel over a period of two months.

In order to provide Covid testing access to rural inaccessible areas of India, the Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health & Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan inaugurated and flagged off India’s first I-Lab (Infectious disease diagnostic lab) in New Delhi

Free website portal (http://jobs.delhi.gov.in) named ‘Rozgaar Bazaar’ for job seekers, employers - launched by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal via video conference - Aim = To boost the economy and employment in Delhi - The employers and companies can post their jobs and vacancies. - Those who are searching for a job can update their information of their qualification, experience and area of interest. - These measures are finalised by a 12-member committee headed by the vice chairman of Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDC), Jasmine Shah

Mukhya Mantri Ghar Ghar Ration Yojana - Delhi Cabinet Approved doorstep delivery of ration scheme - This scheme and Centre’s ‘One Nation One Ration Card‘ scheme will be implemented on the same day in Delhi.

- Under the scheme, wheat, flour , rice and sugar will be packed hygienically in bags and delivered to the doorstep of people - Scheme is expected to benefit lakhs of people in Delhi through 2016 PDS shops.

Delhi government - first-of-its-kind ‘plasma bank’ - for treating COVID-19 patients

10,000 bed Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre and Hospital (SPCCCH) - World’s largest COVID-19 Treatment and Care facility - inaugurated in New Delhi

A mega tree plantation drive - ‘Paudhe Lagao, Paryavaran Bachao’ - announced by the Delhi Government

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLM) - MoU - UN World Food Programme = through which Take-Home ration will now be manufactured and supplied by Women self-help groups

UP govt launched ‘Major Dhyan Chand Vijaypath Yojana’ to Build Roads to 19 International Player’s houses - The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government approved a draft ordinance titled “Cow Slaughter Prevention (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020” to protect cows and prevent their slaughter.

PM Modi Inaugurated College, Administration Buildings of Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh - At present, there are three Central Agricultural Universities in the country

- Narendra Singh Tomar pointed out the strengthening of farming activities in North-East by agricultural education and research. The scholarships for the Ph. D students have also been increased to Rs. 31000 per month. - The Government has also set up a special dedicated fund of Rs 1 Lakh crore for providing better facilities and promoting industries in a cluster based approach in the agriculture sector. - Asia’s largest solar power project: Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Power Project in Madhya Pradesh is inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi UNESCO Heritage Sites in UP – Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Fatehpur Sikri

“Navin Rojgar Chhatri Yojana” - launched by Yogi Adityanath over a video conference for Scheduled Castes - An all-round development scheme for the Scheduled Castes (SC) and to provide financial assistant to support people to become self-dependent

- Target = to benefit around 7.5 lakh families in 2020-2021. - Earlier, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched ‘Bal Shramik Vidya Yojana’ for child labourers who are 8-18 years old, through video conference. - UP also provided employment to 57 lakh 12975 migrant workers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), making it the top Indian state to provide highest employment under MGNREGS. Uttar Pradesh Governor – Anandiben Mafatbhai Patel

Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh - inaugurated - a mega plantation programme ‘Mission Vriksharopan 2020’ = to plant 25 crore saplings

For making the State more conducive for Start-ups, the State Cabinet of the Uttar Pradesh Government has given its approval to an independent and comprehensive ‘Start-up Policy 2020’

Uttar Pradesh Government – will develop - 800 Km Herbal roads

Uttar Pradesh - form a migration commission to identify the skills of returning migrant workers and provide employment to them

Uttar Pradesh - to give a 50 percent subsidy on PPE kits to hospitals

Uttar Pradesh - ban on all transfers of Government employees for the current session 2020-21 till further orders

Other States will now have to take the permission from which state before engaging workers of Uttar Pradesh

UP govt - to create migration commission to provide employment to over 23 lakh migrant workers

Uttar Pradesh - launched the Ayush Kavach app that will provide health-related tips and information about ayurvedic medicines amid the COVID-19 pandemic - developed by the Ayush Department of Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh - launched - ‘Pravasi Raahat Mitra’ - To provide support to the migrant workers

➢ developed by the state revenue department and United Nation Development Program (UNDP) ➢ to monitor their health and provide the requirements like job and livelihood related to their skills. ➢ the app will also record the status of distribution of ration kits to migrant citizens.

Uttar Pradesh - an ordinance 'Uttar Pradesh Temporary Exemption from Certain Labour Laws Ordinance, 2020' - to suspend labour laws - for the next three years - to boost industrial investment and employ the large number of migrant workers that have come back to their native villages in the state

Uttar Pradesh - first state in the country to provide the facility of beds with ventilators in hospitals of each and every district of the state

Bihar

Nitin Gadkari inaugurated upstream carriageway of Mahatma Gandhi Bridge/Setu over river Ganga in Bihar - 1st Indian Bridge to use modern tech for renovation - Upstream lane recently completed and downstream which will be completed by December 2021. - Designing of the bridge has been done by Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

- A new 5 km long, 4-lane Bridge over river Ganga in parallel to MG Setu - announced by Nitin Gadkari to facilitate movement of ships under it = With an outlay of Rs 2,926.42 crore, it will get completed by 2024. Bihar Governor – Phagu Chauhan

Bihar - India’s first dolphin observatory

Jharkhand

Draupadi Murmu, governor of Jharkhand and Hemant Soren Chief Minister of Jharkhand introduced the New State emblem at the Aryabhatta Auditorium, Ranchi - The Logo came into effect from 15th August 2020.

- The new circle shaped emblem incorporates and represents the progress of the state along with the traditions, cultural heritage and flora and fauna of the state.

New administrative and the academic building of Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Jharkhand = named after Bharatiya Jan Sangh founder Late Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee on his 119th birth anniversary

Jharkhand - banned - 11 brands of Pan Masala for one year

Jharkhand + Doordarshan – online classes for students of government schools

Chattisgarh

Chhattisgarh Govt Launched ‘Padhai Tuhar Para’ scheme for school students - To enable school students to learn from their respective localities - Bluetooth-based programme ‘Bultu Ke Bol’, ‘Mukhyamantri Slum Swasthya Yojana’, ‘Radhabai Diagnostic Centre Scheme’ will also be introduced and committees will be set up for new appointments and promotions in the state. - Bultu Ke Bol introduced to provide study materials to students in remote areas who do not have access to internet facilities. - Mukhyamantri Slum Swasthya Yojana - will be launched in urban areas under which door-to- door health facilities will be provided to people through 70 mobile medical units in all the 14 municipal corporations. - Radhabai Diagnostic Centre Scheme - it will be introduced to provide pathology and other testing facilities at concessional rates

- State to create a dedicated fund for contribution from people towards ‘Ram Van Gaman Tourist Circuit’ project.

Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel launched a social security scheme - “Shaheed Mahendra Karma Tendupatta Sangrahak Samajik Suraksha Yojana” - For tendu leaves collectors in the state covering over 12 lakh families, mostly tribals and forest dwellers. - Tendu leaves Used for making bidis (leaf-wrapped cigarettes) - Mahendra Karma - was popularly known as Bastar tiger for his tough stand against Naxals. He was among 29 people, including senior Congress leaders, who were killed in a Naxal attack in Jhiram valley of Bastar district on May 25, 2013. - Rs 2 lakh will be provided to the nominee in case of normal death of the family head - In case of death due to accident, additional financial aid Rs 2 lakh will be provided

Chhattisgarh Governor – Anusuiya Uikey

“Indira Van Mitan Yojana” - Announced by Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel - An initiative to support the forest dwellers of Chhattisgarh - A group of 10 to 15 youngsters will be formed in around 10,000 villages in the tribal areas of Chhattisgarh, to manage the forest based economic activities. Chhattisgarh Governor – Anusuiya Uikey Capital – Raipur

Chhattisgarh’s Jagdalpur = First Municipal Corporation of India to Provide Forest Land Right Certificates to Urban People

Chhattisgarh government = organised the first e-Lok Adalat of India amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Chhattisgarh - to launch ' Rajiv Gandhi Kisaan Nyay Yojana ”

Orissa

Odisha - MoU -National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) = to Promote Farmer Producer Organisations

Odisha Government Launched “GARIMA” Social Security Scheme for Sanitary Workers

- will be implemented by Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) Department through 114 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of Odisha and an Initial Fund of Rs. 50 Crore will be allocated for implementation of the scheme. - 20, 000 core sanitation workers and their families covering one lakh population will be benefitted. - The working hours of sanitation workers will be limited to 6 hours per day.

Odisha - MoU - National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) = to Promote Farmer Producer Organisations

Odisha Govt launched a scheme ‘Promotion of Intensive Aquaculture through Introduction of Bio-flocTechnology during the year 2020-21’ - Aims to increase the fish productivity and make the state self-sufficient in fish production.

- 1080 Bio-floc tanks will be developed in all 30 districts of Odisha. - The total outlay of the programme is Rs.310.00 lakh. - The unit cost to install a Biofloc unit of 2 tanks is Rs 1.50 lakh, while a Biofloc unit of 6 tanks costs about Rs 4 lakh. - Provides a subsidy of 40% to General & 60% subsidy to SC & ST women beneficiaries for this scheme.

Odisha cabinet headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved four mega drinking water worth Rs 800.27 crore. - These projects will provide drinking water to 6.07 lakh additional population in 911 villages - The State Cabinet has approved the proposal to amend certain sections of the Factories Act 1948 to increase the threshold of workers in power generated industrial units from 10 to 20

- Extension of ‘Nirmal’ Scheme to strengthen ancillary services at public health facilities with an estimated budget of Rs 1998.15 CRs for a period of 5 years covering 1,864 health institutions. - A proposal for providing a government guarantee of Rs 1500 crore for the loans already availed by GRIDCO (Grid Corporation of Odisha) during financial year 2019-20. - Adani Power Ltd (APL) has signed an agreement to acquire the 49% of stake(a total of 89,30,237 equity shares) in Odisha Power Generation Corporation(OPGC) from the affiliates of the US-based global energy company, AES Corporation(AES) for USD 135 million (around Rs 1,019 crore) = remaining 51% stake in OPGC is held by the Government of Odisha. Odisha Governor– Prof Ganeshi Lal

Odisha approved penalty for violators of the COVID-19 regulations - will attract Imprisonment for a term, which may be extended to two years or with fine which can be extended upto Rupees One Lakh or with both.

- provision to levy punishments has been provided in the Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 Heritage Sites in Odisha – Bhitarkanika Conservation Area, Sun Temple (Konark), Chilika Lake, Ekamra Kshetra.

Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) ,Bhubaneswar, Odisha = received National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration

Odisha Government included Transgender Community under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana, a social security scheme = by amending to Rule 6 of the Madhu Babu Pension Rules 2008 - Women those who are fighting divorce cases in courts are also included. - Under this scheme, about 6,000 transgenders will receive Rs 500, Rs 700 and 900 per month as a pension under various categories depending on their age.

- Income of the beneficiary must not exceed Rs 40,000 per annum and should not be a member paying income tax or working as a government servant. - Around 48 lakh people in the state are getting benefited under the MBPY. - Launched in Odisha in 2008 by merging the two pension schemes: Revised Old Age Pension Rules, 1989 and Disability Pension Rules, 1985. Odisha Governor – Ganeshi Lal

Odisha - launched = ‘Balaram Yojana’ = for the landless farmers to provide financial support to them

‘BLUIS’- Bhubaneswar Land Use Intelligence System was launched by Naveen Patnaik.

West Bengal Govt Launched ‘Karma Sathi Prakalpa’ scheme - 1 lakh unemployed youth will be provided soft loans and subsidies so as to make them self- reliant - WB Government launched ‘Matir Smristi’ scheme to utilise 50,000 acres of barren land in 6 districts for income-generating activities like horticulture - West Bengal state Home Secretary, Alapan Bandopadhyay launched an “exit app” for people of other states who are stranded in the state due to the lockdown and want to return to their native place - Mamata Banerjee launched Karmo Bhumi, a job portal to help Information Technology (IT) professionals who have lost their jobs after the outbreak of COVID-19 and returned to the state West Bengal Governor – Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar

‘Self Scan’ mobile application - launched by West Bengal government = alternative for the much popular Chinese document scanning application- Cam Scanner

West Bengal - launched “Exit App” for stranded people of other states

West Bengal - launched two schemes ''Sneher Porosh'' for migrant labourers, and ''Prochesta'' for workers in the unorganised sector

West Bengal - launched ‘Matir Smristi’ scheme to utilise 50,000 acres of barren land in 6 districts - will benefit around 2.5 lakh people in rural Bengal

Assam

Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM) - MoU - Northeast Small Finance Bank (NESFB) = to bring the Self-Help Groups and enterprises under banking network. - NESFB is the first Private Bank from Assam and Northeast India. - NABARD provided Rs 270 crore Special Liquidity Facility to Assam Gramin Vikash Bank in the wake of COVID-19

Assam Relaunched Swami Vivekananda Assam Youth Empowerment (SVAYEM) Scheme (Assam sounds like Asaram – Jo sirf SVAYEM ki sochta tha) - Worth Rs.1000 Crore to provide self-employment opportunities to more than 2 lakh youths of the state. - SVAYEM was launched as a part of the budget in 2017-2018 to benefit around 1 lakh youths.

- Due to lack of support from the banks, the scheme benefited only around 7000 beneficiaries. - A new portal will be launched on 16th September 2020 - Redesigned SVAYEM will provide around Rs.50000 as a seed money to start a business venture to the qualified beneficiaries Eligibility - Age: below 40years. - Qualification: should have passed matriculation and be a part of existing self-help groups, joint liability group etc. before 1st September 2020.

- Assam state government’s health department – launched recently - ‘Dhanwantari’ scheme under which locally unavailable medicines will be delivered to patients at home.

- Assam has decided to upgrade the 111.942 sq km Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary into a national park which is located within the larger Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve, spreading across the coal- and oil-rich districts of Upper Assam (Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and Sivasagar). Other Relaunched Schemes by assam gov – - Abhinandan Education Loan Subsidy Scheme - provides Rs.50000 subsidies to the people who have taken education loan = Around 1545 people benefited through this scheme in 2019. - Chah Bagichar Dhan Purashkar Mela Scheme (Cash Award Scheme Tea Garden Worker) = worth Rs. 250 crore which will transfer Rs.3000 to more than 8 lakh bank accounts of the tea garden labourers of assam - was launched in 2017-2018 to provide Rs.2500 to each beneficiary. Assam Governor – Jagadish Mukhi National Parks – Kaziranga, Manas, Dibru Saikhowa, Nameri, Rajiv Gandhi Orang

The Energy and Resources Institute’s (TERI) launched Flood Early Warning System (FEWS), fully automated web-based tool for Guwahati, Assam - Developed under TERI project supported by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). - Guwahati will be the third city after Chennai and Mumbai to have a Flood Warning system - Union Ministry of Earth Science (MoES), which has plans to set up similar systems in Kolkata and Bengaluru by 2021.

Assam Government to Launch ‘Orunodoi’ Scheme - The household income of the applicant must be less than Rs 2 Lakh per annum.

- Women being the primary caretaker of the family are kept as beneficiaries of the scheme Will provide Financial Assistance of Rs. 830 per month through DBT scheme to around 17 Lakh Families in the state - Will be implemented from October 2, 2020 and will act as an umbrella scheme for all other government schemes for the next 5 years. - Scheme is applicable to eligible families to buy essential food items. Rs.400 has been allotted for the purchase of medicine, Rs.150 for vegetables, 50% off on 4 kgs of ration and 4kgs of sugar. - The Assam government will bear 210 crore rupees per month for the ‘Orunodoi’ scheme. - The amount will be transferred to the bank account of the nominated women member of the family.

Assam Council of Ministers approved “Assam Non-Government Education Institutions (Regulation of Fees) Rules 2020” to regulate the fees structure of the private educational institutes in the State of Assam. - ‘Bajali’ becomes 34th District of Assam Assam Governor – Jagdish Mukhi

Poba Reserve Forest in Dhemaji, Assam - to be upgraded to wildlife sanctuary - Area of 10,522 hectares Assam Governor- Professor Jagdish Mukhi

Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma presented Rs 1,03,762 crores Budget for Assam for the financial year 2020-21

Mizoram

Harsimrat Kaur Badal E-Inagurates First Operationalized Zoram Mega Food Park of Mizoram - Will provide directly benefit over 25,000 farmers and will provide employment opportunities to over 5,000 people in the region - Zoram Mega Food Park project = 55 acre of land at a cost of Rs.75.20 crore - Cold storage of capacity 1000 MT Union Minister of Food Processing Industries – Harsimrat Kaur Badal Minister of State(MoS) – Rameswar Teli

Mizoram - 1st state to give industry status to sports - to attract private companies to invest in sports which will benefit in terms of subsidy, loans and concessions

Meghalaya

Meghalaya CM Sangma Launched Restart Meghalaya Mission worth Rs. 14,515 Crore to revive the development activities which were stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. - Rs. 7,839 crore has been designated for 2020-2021. - 6 projects under the Restart Meghalaya mission, which includes agriculture and its allied sector, promoting livelihood in rural areas. - This mission will also involve the tourism sector which benefits around 50000 people. - The state government will adopt a high value low volume tourism model and plans to increase the number of high value rooms from 200 to at least 500 in the next two years. - Government will make an investment of around Rs.200 crore to create high value accommodation.

- Around 400 agri-entrepreneurs will be provided with power tillers with 50 per cent subsidy which costs around Rs.4 crore. - The government is working to double the number of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) holders from 86000 within the next one year. - The government decided to make an interest subvention of 2% on timely repayment of KCC loans. - Under the Chief Minister’s Support programme, one time grant support of upto Rs. 10000 for new small business loans of upto Rs.50000 for small business and entrepreneurs will be provided. - Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, around 47000 houses will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.611 crore.

Meghalaya Cabinet Approved Policy on Reservation of 50% seats for Women in Village Employment Councils Meghalaya Chief Minister – Conrad Kongkal Sangma Governor – Tathagata Roy

Meghalaya - will host the 39th edition of the National Games in 2022

Sikkim

Sikkim Assembly passes a budget of Rs 9,100 crores for FY21

Manipur

Tripura

Tripura government - launched an “Agro-Entrepreneur Facilitation Desk” – to help the entrepreneurs from Tripura to get subsidies and incentives from NABARD

Tripura - launched ‘Mukhyamantri Yuba Yogayog Yojana’ - Will provide Rs 5000 or cost of the phone whichever is lower to around 14,608 students from 38 educational institutions - Through the implementation of the scheme, the student will be able to get employment through internet platforms

Nagaland

Government of India - declared = entire Nagaland as “disturbed area” for a further period of six months i.e. till the end of December

Nagaland Govt Launched - 1st ‘Naga Telehealth’, a TeleMedicine Platform in Kohima,Nagaland - Developed by the state govt + NISHTHA Nagaland Capital – Kohima Chief Minister – Neiphiu Rio

Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio launched ‘Yellow Chain’ e-commerce platform on Independence Day 2020 - To promote local business & entrepreneurship in the state. It is seen as a “new era in Naga marketing culture”

- Developed by Investment & Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) to promote local business & entrepreneurship.

Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio presented Rs. 21049.87 crore state budget for FY 20-21

Jammu and Kashmir

J&K Lt Governor launched ‘SPARROW’ – A Online Performance Appraisal System for Jammu & Kashmir Administrative Service Officers (JKAS) –(Weather of J&k is so clear that even sparrow can fly there)

1st ever Cannabis Medicine Project to be Set up with Collaboration of Canada at CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) in Jammu

- Informed by Jitendra Singh - The progress of the construction of North India’s 1st biotech industrial park in Kathua, Jammu & Kashmir was also reviewed by Jitendra Singh Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) Head Quarter – Jammu

J&K Governor Manoj Sinha Announced Universal Health Insurance Scheme for All Residents of UT at an annual expenditure of Rs 123 Crores - Have the same benefits as the Ayushman Bharat Scheme. - The scheme will cover 15 lakh families, more than the 5.97 lakh families covered under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) - The scheme will be implemented through Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Ltd. - Cancer, Kidney Failure and treatment of Covid-19 will be covered under the scheme.

GOI extended Price Stabilisation interventions under ‘Operation Greens’ scheme for majority of fruits and vegetables grown in J&K to extend support to farmers - Operation Green is a price fixation scheme which ensures that farmers get the right price for their produce = approved by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries with the target to stabilise the supply of tomato, onion and potato crops (TOP crops) in India . - The Scheme was announced in the 2018-19 budget on the lines of ‘Operation Flood’, with an outlay of Rs 500 crore to promote Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), agri-logistics, processing facilities and professional management.

Government of India increased Scholarship amount from Rs. 5, 000 Per Annum to Rs. 50, 000 Per Annum under “Pragati and Saksham” Scheme for J&K Students - Being implemented and offered by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)

J&K Horticulture Department Launched “Backyard Horticulture” Programme in Jammu district under CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) scheme - Aim is to promote organic fruit production for home consumption and for fulfilling individual requirements.

JK LG Manoj Sinha Laid Foundation Stone of Arun Jaitley Memorial Sports Complex in Hiranagar, Kathua, J&K - Estimated cost around Rs.58.23 crore

Jitendra Singh - Union Minister of State-MoS (Independent Charge), Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space = laid foundation stones of various construction works undertaken under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-II in Jammu and Kashmir(J&K).

- 28 roads under PMGSY-II to be constructed at a cost of around Rs 175 crore. PMGSY Launched – 25th December, 2000 by Atal Bihari Vajpayee Phase I- It was launched in December, 2000. Phase II- It was approved in May, 2013. Phase III- It was approved by the Cabinet during July 2019 = proposed to consolidate 1,25,000 Km road length - duration of the scheme is 2019-20 to 2024-25.

‘Iraada’ Campaign Launched in J&K to Cover Eligible remaining Beneficiaries under Social Welfare Schemes

Lt. Governor, Girish Chandra Murmu of J&K announced that ‘Macadamisation Program’ - To improve the roads across Jammu and Kashmir. - Covers 100% macadamisation of all roads along with 11,000 Km of fair-weather roads.

Anji Khad bridge - Being developed by Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) - India’s 1st cable-stayed rail bridge by Railway - to connect Katra and Reasi in J&K = crosses Chenab River - part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project - world’s highest rail bridge - Single pylon, standing at a height of 331 metres above the river bed - The total length = 473.25 metres

J&K Lieutenant Governor’s adviser Baseer Ahmad Khan - inaugurated - first Infectious Disease Block (IDB) facility at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) at Soura in Srinagar

Jammu and Kashmir - issued new rules to provide domicile certificates to its residents through an amendment of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralisation and Recruitment) Act, 2010 - extraordinary penalty of Rs 50,000 to the competitive authority in case the issuing of domicile certificate is delayed

Jammu & Kashmir’s Department of Information and Public Relations - started an initiative SUKOON – COVID-19 Beat the Stress” programme ladakh

Ladakh - 1st Solar Lift Irrigation Plant with 5-kilowatt (KW) Solar Plant and 3 HP Submersible Pump of Kargil

Himachal Pradesh government - MoU - Micro Tek New Technologies Private Ltd = to set up Electronics Manufacturing Unit at Baddi, Solan District, Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh Government - to provide 100 percent coverage of Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) to all rural households by August 2022

Himachal Pradesh - first state = to provide 100% LPG Gas connection to all households in the state

Himachal Pradesh government - will launch ‘Mukhya Mantri Shahari Rojgar Guarantee Yojna - to provide 120 days of employment to those living in urban areas.

Himachal Pradesh - launch the "Nigah" Scheme to properly sensitize and educate family members of people coming from other states so that social distancing is effectively maintain

Pawan Hans launched Helicopter service in UttaraKhand under UDAN scheme

Government approved the Zonal Master Plan of Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone - Approved during the review meeting of “Char Dham Road Project” over a virtual platform, chaired by Prakash Javadekar and Nitin Gadkari

- informed by Prakash Javadekar, the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change(MoEF&CC) Zonal Master Plan - prepared by the State government of Uttarakhand and appraised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti based on the watershed approach and the governance in the forest and wildlife area, watershed management, irrigation, energy, tourism, public health and sanitation and road infrastructure

Uttarakhand forest department - developed India’s first lichen park in Kumaon’s Munsiyari, Pithoragarh district

‘Smriti Van’ on Harela festival - Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat Inaugurated it at Asthal village, Dehradun - In memory of late Jeet Singh Negi, famous folk singer

Uttarakhand Capital– Dehradun(Winter), Gairsain (Summer) Chief Minister– Trivendra Singh Rawat Governor– Baby Rani Maurya

Uttarakhand - 1st state - to release report on conservation of endemic, threatened floras

Uttarakhand - launched “HOPE” (Helping Out People Everywhere) portal to help unemployed youth to get jobs opportunities

Uttarakhand - launched - Mukhyamantri Swarozgar Yojana - To retain the migrants who have returned to the state - margin money will be provided as a grant by the MSME department

GOVT SCHEMES

Union Minister of Education Launched = Mobile App “EnglishPro” - Developed by Central University, English and Foregin Languages University (EFLU) - To develop Indian English Pronunciation in the unique “Indian” way Minister of State of Education – Sanjay Dhotre

Ravi Shankar Prasad Launched “Chunauti” to encourage startups and software products with special focus on Tier-II towns(Ravi accept chunauti of software products) - This contest is a part of Rs 95 crore programme, spanning over 3 years, will hunt for around 300 start-ups working in edu-tech, agri-tech and fin-tech solutions and to provide them seed

funds of up to Rs 25 lakh and other support from government through the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI). - Rs 9.17 cr National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) set up at Muzaffarpur, Bihar

Union Cabinet - approved = National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) or “Mission Karmayogi” - To enable government officers and employees get the opportunity to improve their performance under ‘iGOT-Karmayogi’ Digital Platform - Outlay of Rs.510.86 crore will be spent over a period of 5 years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 to cover around 46 lakh Central employees.

- The objective is to prepare the Indian Civil Servant for the future with right attitude, skills & knowledge, aligned to the vision of New India by focusing on competency led capacity building.

Atal Innovation Mission + Freshworks Inc. = to provide robust support to innovators and entrepreneurs - AIM + collaborated with ScooNews = to share and spread inspiring stories of grassroots innovations. - Recently Atal Innovation Mission + Dell Technologies = launched the 2nd edition of Student Entrepreneurship Program (SEP 2.0) for young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) Freshworks Inc. Founder & CEO – Girish Mathrubootham HeadQuarter – San Mateo, California, United States AIM Mission Director – Ramanan Ramanathan

Headquarters – New Delhi

Hardeep Singh , MoS, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs Launched Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) 2.0 - Along with the “Streets for People Challenge” in a virtual event organised by the Smart Cities Mission from New Delhi. - Objective of CSCAF is to provide a roadmap for cities for combating Climate Change while planning and implementing their actions.

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharam Inaugurated Doorstep Banking Services by PSBs & Declared EASE (enhanced access and service excellence) 2.0 2019-20 Awards Virtually - The EASE 2.0 programme was launched in 2019 on the foundation of EASE 1.0, initiated in 2018 by Government and PSBs

- EASE Reforms Index is to promote healthy competition and learning among PSBs. - The Index prepared by Indian Banking Association (IBA) measures performance of each PSB on 140 objective metrics across 6 themes. - The overall score of PSBs increased by 37% between March-2019 and March-2020, with the average EASE index score improving from 49.2 to 67.4 out of 100. - The EASE 2.0 awards for FY19-20 were presented in 3 categories viz. - Category 1: Theme-Wise Winners - Category 2: Top Improvers - Category 3: Top Performing Banks - Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman revealed EASE 3.0(Enhanced Access and Service Excellence 3.0)’ – Public Sector Bank (PSB) Reforms Agenda 2020 for smart, tech-enabled banking

Atal Innovation Mission Launched Aatmanirbhar Bharat ARISE-ANIC Initiative (Atal New India Challenges in Applied Research and Innovation for medium and Small Enterprises) - To stimulate applied research and innovation in Indian MSMEs and startups. - will be driven by Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and four ministries namely Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs - Aim to enhance MSME contribution to GDP from 30% to 50% and in exports from 49% to 60%. - The GOI aims to create 5 crore additional jobs in the MSME sector which employs 11 crore people at present. AIM Mission Director – Ramanan Ramanathan Minister of State of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) – Pratap Chandra Sarangi

Prime Minister launched PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, e-Gopala App & several other initiatives in Bihar - Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana(PMMSY) is a flagship scheme focused on sustainable development of fisheries sector in the country with an estimated investment of Rs. 20,050 crores for its implementation during a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 in all States/Union Territories. - PMMSY is expected to enhance fish production by an additional 70 lakh tonne by 2024-25, increasing fisheries export earnings to Rs.1,00,000 crores by 2024-25, doubling the incomes of fishers and fish farmers. - Establishment of Fish Brood Bank at Sitamarhi, and of Aquatic Disease Referral Laboratory at Kishanganj, under assistance of PMMSY. - PM inaugurated one-unit fish feed mill at Madhepura and two units of ‘Fish on Wheels’ assisted at Patna under Blue Revolution.

- A Comprehensive Fish Production Technology Centre at Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Bihar was inaugurated. - E-Gopala App is a comprehensive breed improvement marketplace and information portal for direct use of farmers. - By inserting the animal Aadhaar number in the e-GOPALA app will give all the information related to that animal easily, which will make it easier for cattle owners to buy and sell animals. - PM inaugurated Semen Station with state of the art facilities, which has been established under Rashtriya Gokul Mission in Purnea, Bihar with an investment of Rs 84.27 crores on 75 acres of land \ii.It is one of the largest semen stations in the government sector with production capacity of 50 lakh semen doses per annum. - Prime Minister inaugurated In Vitro Fertilization Lab (IVF) established at Animal Sciences University, Patna under Rashtriya Gokul Mission.

- A total of 30 Embryo Transfer Technology (ETT) and IVF laboratories are being set up across the country through 100% grant in aid. - PM launched use of sex sorted semen in artificial insemination under Rashtriya Gokul Mission by Baroni Milk Union in Begusarai district of Bihar. - Mission Gokul is to develop indigenous breeds in the country. A countrywide artificial insemination program was started in 2019. - Mission Dolphin Launched on August 15, 2020, to give an impetus to the conservation efforts of the species by taking measures for its protection including sustainable fishing with scientific methods - A cluster of food processing industries and research centers to be set up near villages to achieve the motto “Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan and Jai Anusandhan”. - The Central Government will set up a Rs 1 Lakh Crore Agriculture Infrastructure Development Fund for creating special infrastructure and providing support to Farmer Producer

Organizations (FPOs), Cooperative Groups to develop storage, cold storage and other facilities.

Narendra Singh Tomar announced - Agriculture Ministry = target to cover 100 lakh Hectares under micro irrigation in 5 years - NABARD created a dedicated Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF) of Rs.5000 crores to support the states to mobilize their resources to expand the micro irrigation coverage. - NABARD and MIF committee have sanctioned projects worth Rs.3805.67 crore to cover 12.53 lakh Ha under MIF. - Prime Minister also Inaugurated 3 key projects of the petroleum sector worth more than Rs 900 crore in Bihar

Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) Conducted Orientation and Training Programme of Integrated Road Accident Database Project (iRAD) App - iRAD app is for capturing the spot accident data - developed by IIT Madras and National Informatics Centre Services Inc (NICSI), New Delhi. - This app will enable Police, Transport, Health, etc. to use their mobile phones to collect accident data on the spot. - To implement the proposal On pilot basis in six States = Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu

National Jal Jeevan Mission + Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITY) = launched ICT (Information & Communication Technology) Grand Challenge - For Development of ‘Smart Water Supply Measurement & Monitoring System’ to be deployed at the village level.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package(PMGKP) Insurance Scheme for Health Workers Fighting COVID-19 Extended for 6 Months Insurance Scheme - Scheme was announced on March 30, 2020 - Rs 50 lakh insurance scheme is a part of the Rs 1.70 lakh Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package announced in March 2020. - Implemented by NIACL and operated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India and is funded through the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). - No age limit is required for this scheme and individual enrolment is not required. - MoHFW born the entire amount of premium

Union Minister of Chemical and Fertilizers D.V. Sadananda Gowda announced = India will be self- reliant in fertilizer production by 2023

Women of Tamil Nadu - Topped the List of MUDRA Loan Scheme Beneficiaries by availing Rs 58,227 crore loan. - Followed by West Bengal (Rs 55,232 crore), Karnataka (Rs 47,714 crore) - PMMY - launched on April 8, 2015, for providing loans up to Rs 10 lakh to the non-corporate, non-farm small/micro-enterprises. - Shishu – Allowed loans up to Rs.50,000 - Kishore – Allowed loans up to Rs.5,00,000 - Tarun – Allowed loans up to Rs.10,00,000

Nitin Jairam Gadkari launched Mobile App ‘Harit Path’ - The application using geo tagging and web based GIS enabled monitoring tools to monitor the plantations.

- Nitin Gadkari stated that the goal of 100% plantations along the highways will be achieved by March 2022. - National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has achieved the highest ever highway construction feat with an accomplishment of 3,979 km of national highways in the financial Year 2019-20. Minister of State of Road Transport, Highways(MoRTH) - Vijay Kumar Singh

Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan Launched Online Registration and Renewal of Gold Hallmarking Centres - The online system can be accessed through the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) web portal – www.manakonline.in. - The hallmarking of gold which is voluntary at present will be made mandatory from 1st June, 2021.

Minister of State (MoS) for Consumer Affairs,Food & Public Distribution - Raosaheb Patil Danve

Arjun Munda Virtually Launched Trifood Project of TRIFED in Raigad, Maharashtra and Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh - Carried by the MoTA in association with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and implemented by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED). - To increase the income of the tribals through better utilisation and value addition of the Minor Forest Produce(MFP) that are collected by the tribal forest gatherers. - To offer a comprehensive development package for tribals by promoting employment, incomes and entrepreneurship. - DST, Government of Rajasthan in association with TRIFED, under MoTA, organized a Webinar under Know Your Scheme-Lecture Series on “Van Dhan Yojana

TRIFED Managing Director – Pravir Krishna Head Office – New Delhi

Harsh Vardhan Launched FSSAI’s ‘Eat Right India’ Handbook and a website “eatrightindia.gov.in” to support the stakeholders to scale up ‘Eat Right India’ initiatives across India Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) - Ashwini Kumar Choubey

Cabinet approved setting up of National Recruitment Agency to conduct CET for non-gazetted posts (Group B and C) of SSC, RRBs and IBPS - Rs. 1517.57 cr sanctioned - Reduction in costs with expected savings of Rs 600 crore. - NRA will be a Society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

- The National Recruitment Agency (NRA) was first proposed by the government in the Union Budget 2020.

Cabinet approved proposal for leasing out three airports – Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram of AAI through PPP to Adani Enterprises Ltd. for Operation, Management and Development for a period of fifty years. - The decision on privatisation of six airports of Ahmadabad, Mangalore, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram, and Jaipur has already been taken in the first phase. - Revenue received by AAI from PPP partners enables AAI to create infrastructure facilities in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities and also to upgrade their airports to international standards. Adani Enterprises Ltd. Chairman – Gautam Adani Headquarter– Ahmedabad

Cabinet approved Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP)of sugarcane payable by sugar mills for the sugar season 2020-21 at Rs 285 per quintal for a basic recovery rate of 10% on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).

Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 45 highway projects in Madhya Pradesh - Rs.700 crore from the Central Road Fund (CRF) will be utilised for the road sector of Madhya Pradesh. - The aim is to complete projects worth Rs 50,000 crore out of Rs 1.25 lakh crore by 2023. - The current length of the National Highways in MP is 13,248 kilometers. - Nitin Gadkari also Inaugurated Foundation Stones of 11 Highway Projects Worth Around Rs 20,000 crore in Haryana Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways – Vijay Kumar Singh

Ravi Shankar Prasad Launched “Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge- Innovate Solutions for #Aatmanirbhar Bharat” to provide a strong ecosystem of startups, innovation and research in India. - IIT Madras and Center for Development of Advance Computing (CDAC) - developed two microprocessors named SHAKTI (32 bit) and VEGA (64 bit) respectively using Open Source Architecture under the aegis of Microprocessor Development Programme of Ministry of Electronics and IT. - The registration process of the challenge at https://innovate.mygov.in/ started on 18th August 2020 - At the various stages of the challenges financial support to the tune of Rs.4.30 crore will be offered for developing the hardware prototype and incubation of a startup. - Gold Certificate (Winners) – 10 teams will receive a total of Rs.2.30 Crore will be awarded as the seed Fund for incubating the startup.

- Silver Certificate (Finalists) – 25 teams will receive a total of Rs.1 crore will be awarded as prototype development fund. - Bronze Certificate (Semi Finalists) – 100 teams will receive a total of Rs.1 crore as MCP/POC Development Fund and Free access to Swadeshi Processors and FPGA Board.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs - MoU - Ministry of Rural Development to take the convergence endeavor (efforts of both ministries) ahead and support rural poor including tribal communities. - Addressed by Narendra Singh Tomar - Meeting was also addressed by Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Arjun Munda and Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal. - Narendra Singh Tomar released a book “Farm Livelihood Interventions under DAY-NRLM (Strategy, Convergence Framework, Models)”.

- An employment -cum- rural public works Campaign for 67 lakh migrant workers titled “Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA)” has been launched in june for 6 states viz. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, MP, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha MoS for Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) - Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti MoS for Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) - Rameswar Teli MoS for Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA)- Renuka Singh Saruta

Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda inaugurated Tribal Health & Nutrition Portal – “Swasthya” - Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) also launched e-newsletter on health and nutrition ALEKH and opening of National Overseas Portal and National Tribal Fellowship Portal.

- Arjun Munda also launched the initiative of MoTA with Facebook to empower the tribal youths to gain leadership skills, identify the social problems and to become a leading resource in their field of influence. - This initiative will be under the ‘Going Online as Leaders (GOAL)’ Programme, through which the ministry aims to provide mentors to around 5000 tribal youths across india. - The road map of the program including the mobile distribution and launch of the program will be on 5th September 2020, Teachers Day 2020.

Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) launched VedKrishi.com - An Online Farm to Fork Service - The portal is promoted by the farmers for selling toxic free farm produce. - The platform was set up by the Nagpur based VedKrishi Farmer Producer Company

- The online portal enables the company to directly connect the farmers with the consumers. - The company will offer advice on the day to day farming issues and paid visits to VedKrishi farms to provide more understanding about the VedKrishi. - The portal will provide the details of the farmers along with the products. - Targeting nearby 300 farmers as the initial target. - It is planned to scale up to Maharashtra and then across India. - To process and dry the farm produce to achieve zero wastage and through affordable means the company offers solar dryers to the farmers. Minister of State of MSME - Pratap Chandra Sarangi

Centre extended Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme (PCGS) 2.0 by 3 months till Nov 11, 2020

- PCGS 2.0 to provide Portfolio Guarantee for purchase of Bonds or CPs with a rating of AA and AA issued by NBFCs, HFCs and MFIs by Public Sector Banks (PSBs) to provide liquidity infusion of Rs 45,000 crore into the system. - The first 20% of the loss is provided to state-owned banks by the government for purchase of bonds or CPs of NBFCs, MFIs and HFCs having a credit rating of AA or below - Aimed at providing access to fresh liquidity support to non-bank lenders. - Centre had announced the PCGS in July 2019 - In May 2020 amid COVID 19 finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had extended the scheme to provide liquidity support to institutions with low credit ratings.

PM Narendra Modi Launched “Transparent Taxation – Honouring the Honest” platform of IT department via video conferencing - Provides faceless assessment and taxpayers’ charter, as a part of direct tax reforms.

- Faceless assessment and taxpayers’ charter would be implemented from August 13 but the faceless appeal system would be available from September 25, 2020 - With a view to provide for resolution of pending tax disputes the Direct Tax “Vivad se Vishwas Act, 2020” was rolled out.

Govt has announced 24 winners in the eight categories of “AatmaNirbhar App Innovation Challenge” - Chingari emerged as a winner of ‘social’ category and Koo, MaymyIndiamove, Asksarkar, myitreturn are some of the other apps that won the challenge,

Nitin Jairam Gadkari announced India’s initiatives to achieve Zero Road Fatalities by 2030 while addressing the Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce and Womennovator on Trade Investment

- The World Bank and Asian Development Bank have committed Rs. 7,000 crores each on initiatives to reduce road accidents. Minister of State (MoS) of Road Transport and Highways – General Vijay Kumar Singh

Odisha has retained Top Position in Implementation of Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme - According to rankings released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Odisha topped by securing a score of 85.67 percent, followed by Chandigarh (75.08) and Telangana (74.04). - Out of the total 191 projects started under the AMRUT scheme, 148 projects have been implemented and other projects are expected to be completed before the deadline in March, 2021.

- Under the AMRUT scheme, parks with well-conceived landscaping and rejuvenation facilities, open gyms and jogging trails have been developed. - AMRUT scheme was launched in June 2015 with a focus to establish infrastructure that could ensure adequate robust sewage networks and water supply for urban transformation by implementing urban revival projects - AMRUT Mission covers around 500 cities under AMRUT scheme.

Rajnath Singh Launched 15 Products to boost Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan - Developed by Defence PSUs and OFB = four products each by OFB and BEML, two by BEL and one each by HAL, BDL, MDL, GRSE and GSL.

Rajnath Singh Launched Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation Virtually (NIIO)

- To enable users to interact with academia and industry towards fostering innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence in Accordance with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat. - ‘SWAVLAMBAN’, a compendium of Indian Navy’s Indigenisation perspective plans was also released during the occasion.

Governing board of National Health Authority (NHA) approved Integration of Health Schemes of Central Ministries with Ayushman Bharat Scheme - Centre also approved a Rs 50 lakh medical insurance scheme for healthcare workers who are dealing with coronavirus pandemic - Centre sanctions Rs 190 cr for augmentation of healthcare facilities in North Eastern States. CEO of AB-PMJAY and National Health Authority (NHA) – Indu Bhushan Headquarter of NHA – New Delhi

Rajnath Singh Launched portal SRIJAN as a part of “opportunities for Make in India in Defence” - on the final day of Atma Nirbhar Week celebration between August 7-14, 2020 to boost Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (self-reliant India movement) - portal provides information about defence equipment and items which are being imported currently or are going to be imported by the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs)/Ordnance Factory Board (OFB)/ Service Headquarters (SHQs) - For 2019-20 the number of items displayed is 1557 with an import value of Rs 34035 million - Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC) under Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) = four MoUs between industry partners and Defence PSUs were signed = there were 14 winners from three challenges (one each from Army, Navy and Air Force), out of them, three winners from Army challenge and one winner from Air Force challenge have been cleared and signed the SPARK Grant Contract.

- idex = Launched in 2018 = aimed to foster innovation and technology development in Defence by engaging research and development (R&D) institutes, academia, industries, start- ups and individual innovators. - iDEX is being implemented by Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), a Section 8 company formed for this purpose, with Rs 50 crore support each from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

Atal Innovation Mission(AIM) + National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) - launched Atal Tinkering Lab(ATL) AI Step-up module through ‘ATL AI Modules’ for school students to empower youngest minds and drive innovations in the country to the next level. - AIM is Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country

- Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), flagship initiative of NITI Aayog teamed with other Ministries and its partners = to organize the series of virtual COVID-19 Demo Days to find the potential startups with innovative solutions COVID-19 solutions NASSCOM President – Debjani Ghosh Headquarters – New Delhi

EU launched Nirmanshree For Odisha and Maharashtra Women in Housing Sector - Project will be implemented in Beed and Osmanabad districts of Maharashtra and the Dhenkanal and Jajpur districts of Odisha - A NGO, Habitat for Humanity India joined EU for funding this project - The total cost of the project is EUR 9,49,694 (INR 7,40,85,628 or US$1,075,307). - 90 percent of funding by EU and remaining 10 percent will be issued by Habitat for Humanity India

- 3,000 women will be trained for technical and entrepreneurial skills in housing sector Habitat for Humanity India Headquarters – Mumbai MD – Rajan Samuel

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Kiren Rijiju - launched a country-wide event “Fit India Freedom Run” from August 15 (74th Independence Day) to October 2 (151st Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi) through an online programme.

AYUSH Ministry launched three-month campaign on “Ayush for Immunity” through webinar on Ayush Virtual Convention Centre (AVCC), which aims to increase awareness about affordable and easy practices to boost immunity.

PM announced launch of National Digital Health Mission - rolled out in 6 UTs Chandigarh, Ladakh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep - Every Indian will get a health ID that will store the individual’s medical records - Will be implemented through National Health Authority (NHA), which is also responsible for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). - The finance ministry has approved a budget of Rs 470 crore for the proposal, but the final NHA proposal may not seek more than Rs 400 crore. - NDHM comprises of six key building blocks or digital systems- HealthID, DigiDoctor, Health Facility Registry, Personal Health Records, e-Pharmacy and Telemedicine. National Health Authority (NHA) CEO – Indu Bhushan Headquarter – New Delhi

PM Modi announced optical fibre link connecting Lakshadweep from mainland India - PM Narendra Modi set a target of 1,000 days to provide submarine optical fibre connectivity to connect Lakshadweep with mainland India. The Department of telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communications will oversee the project. - Also, in the upcoming 1000 days nearly 6 lakh Indian villages will be connected with optical fibre. Bharatnet – - Modi government renamed the programme National Optical Fiber Network (NOFN) programme as BharatNet in 2015 - World’s largest rural broadband connectivity programme using Optical fiber being implemented by Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) – a special purpose vehicle under the Telecom Ministry

- envisages laying of about 8 lakh kilometre of incremental optical fibre cable (OFC) to all the 2,50,000-plus Gram Panchayats (GP) in the country at an estimated cost of Rs 42,068 crore ($6.2 billion) - Being implemented in three phases. - Phase 1 covered 1 lakh gram panchayats, Phase 2 targeting 1.5 lakh, and Phase 3 is supposed to focus on infrastructure up-gradation of the existing facility. - The phase 2 of the project was supposed to be deployed in March 2020 but missed the deadline and now it is shifted to August 2021. PM announced “Project Dolphin” for conservation of Gangetic Dolphins On the lines of “Project Tiger” and “Project Elephant” - Gangetic Dolphins declared National Aquatic Species in 2010. - 10-year-long project led by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Keshav Javadekar.

- There are around 3,700 Gangetic River Dolphins in India. PM announced Launch of Project Lion to conserve Asiatic Lion - Asiatic Lion Conservation Project was launched in 2018 for three years i.e. till 2021 with a budgetary contribution of Rs 97.85 Cr from Central Government. - Number of Asiatic lions in Gujarat’s Gir forest increased from 523 in 2015 to 674 in 2020

Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment (SJE) Thaawarchand Gehlot addressed and Launched ‘Nasha-Mukt Bharat’ Campaign - State Governments and the 272 District Collectors launched a seven-month-long anti-drugs campaign namely “Nasha Mukt Bharat” - Will run till March 31, 2021 - Financial allocation of Rs. 43 crore in 2017 has been enhanced to Rs. 260 crore in 2020 to curb drug abuse and illicit trafficking.

- Thaawarchand Gehlot e-inaugurate new building of National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) in Dwarka, New Delhi Ministers of State (MoS) for Social Justice and Empowerment (SJ&E) = Krishan Pal Gurjar, Ram Das Athawale and Rattan Lal Kataria

Nitin Gadkari laid foundation stone for 13 highway projects in Manipur - The 13 highway projects involve a Road Length of 316 Kilometers with a total financial outlay of about Rs. 3000 crores. - In the future, four lane roads from Kohima to Imphal are to be taken up with the estimated cost of Rs. 2663 crore. - Manipur is the starting point of the trilateral highway which connects India, Myanmar and Thailand, and it also plays an important role as it shares the International Border with Myanmar.

Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar Launched Krishi Megh (National Agricultural Research & Education System -Cloud Infrastructure and Services), KVC ALUNET (Krishi Vishwavidyalaya Chhatr Alumni Network) & Online Accreditation System for Agricultural Institutions

Krishi Megh - Set up at National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM) in Hyderabad under National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) - funded by the Government of India and World Bank - Krishi Megh is aimed at protecting the data of the government’s premier research body Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). KVC

- Designed & Implemented under NAHEP - is a “KVC Alumni Network” that acts as a medium for sharing of information or social networking among alumni of all the 74 Agricultural Universities - Developed by the Division of Computer Application team at ICAR-IASRI. - National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) = formulated by ICAR with an outlay of Rs 1100 crores for five years starting from 2017-18 on a 50:50 cost sharing basis between the World Bank and GoI - implemented at the Education Division, ICAR, New Delhi = aims to develop resources and mechanism for supporting infrastructure, faculty and student advancement, and to raise the standard of current agricultural education on par with the global agriculture education standards. Minister of State (MoS) for agriculture, cooperation & farmers’ welfare – Kailash Choudhary MoS for agriculture & farmers welfare – Parshottambhai Rupala

Atal Innovation Mission + Dell Technologies= launched the 2nd Edition of Student Entrepreneurship Program (SEP 2.0) - In January, 2019 under the SEP 1.0 top six innovations of the country from Atal Tinkering Labs were selected & went through a 10-month Student Entrepreneurship Programme with DELL to transform their innovative prototypes into fully functioning products which are ready to go to the market. - Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL) has launched pan India “ATL App Development Module”, a free online course for school students and teachers “Plezmo” – #TinkerfromHome - Coal India Limited (CIL), has entered into the partnership with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), to actively support the innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives across India. Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) Mission Director – Ramanan Ramanathan Headquarters – New Delhi

Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Launched the Swachh Bharat Mission Academy - An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) based free mobile online training course with modules on the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus programme - Launched as part of ‘GandagiMukt Bharat’, the ongoing week-long behaviour change campaign. - SBM Academy’s functionalities and key roles are anticipated under Phase 2 of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen)-SBM(G) - The Phase 2 of the SBM (G) was launched in 2020 Union Minister of Jal Shakti (MoJS) - Gajendra Singh Minister of State – Rattan Lal Kataria (Constituency- Ambala)

Nirmala Sitharaman Launched Online Dashboard for Information on National Infrastructure Pipeline - NIP is a first-of-its-kind government effort to provide world-class infrastructure across India in five years i.e. 2020-2025 through an investment (both domestic & foreign) of Rs 111 Lakh crore over the next 5 years. - NIP also helps in achieving the target of a $5 trillion economy by FY 2025.

Prakash Javadekar, Union Minister of Environment Forest &Climate Change(MoEFCC) Launched the Booklet on Best practices of Human-Elephant Conflict Management in India to strengthen coexistence of the human-elephant, along with the Beta Version of “Surakhsya” Minister of State of Ministry of Environment Forest &Climate Change(MoEFCC) – Babul Supriyo

Submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) Connectivity to Andaman & Nicobar Islands (CANI)

- Launched by PM Narendra Modi - Connecting Chennai Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (A&NI) - Will enable delivery of faster mobile and landline telecom services to A&NI - Cost of about Rs 1224 Crore. - 2,312-kilometer - The submarine OFC link will deliver bandwidth of 2 x 200 Gigabits per second (Gbps) between Chennai and Port Blair, and 2 x 100 Gbps between Port Blair and the other islands. - Project funded by the Government of India through the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) is under the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications. - BSNL executed this project while Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) is the Technical Consultant - Airtel becomes first telecom to launch ‘Ultra-Fast 4G’ services in Andaman and Nicobar

Financing Facility of Rs.1 Lakh crore Under Agriculture Infrastructure Fund & Rs 17000 Cr as 6th Installment of PM-KISAN - Launched by PM - It is a Central Sector Scheme (CSS) - First sanction of over Rs. 1000 Crore was made to over 2,280 farmer societies - Duration of the scheme is 10 years i.e. from FY2020 to FY2029. - A 3% interest subvention and credit guarantee under Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for loans up to Rs 2 Crore will be provided to the beneficiaries to increase the viability of these projects. - Rs. 17000 Crore transferred to nearly 8.5 Crore farmers under PM-KISAN as 6th installment - Also released the 6th instalment of funds of Rs. 17,000 crore to 8.5 crore farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna (PM-KISAN) scheme.

PM inaugurated Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra (RSK) and Launched ‘Gandagi Mukt Bharat’ – a Week Long Campaign (Aug 8-15, 2020) - RSK = balanced mix of digital and outdoor installations tracking India’s transformation from having over 50 crore people defecating in the open in 2014 to becoming open defecation free in 2019. - Railways to observe cleanliness week from August 10-15 to mark Independence Day

Central Government Extended the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) to Large Firms & Self Employed Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme - Introduced in May 2020, as a part of the Atmanirbhar package - Corpus of Rs. 41,600 crores and with an additional guaranteed funding of up to Rs.3 lakh crore.

- Turnover limits to avail the loan under the scheme was increased to annual turnover of Rs.250 crore from Rs.100 crore and outstanding loans up to Rs.50 crores from Rs.25 crore. - The maximum loan amount under the scheme is also increased to Rs.10 crores from Rs.5 crores. - The collateral free loan provided under this scheme supports the small enterprises to pay salary, rent and restocking expenses.

Piyush Vedprakash Goyal, Union Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry and Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal & Mines dedicated the Railway Museum at Hubballi, Karnataka to the Nation - Highlights of the Railway Museum include Galaxy of Rolling Stock, Malaprabha and Ghataprabha cottages, Theatre Coach, Suruchi Cafeteria, Toy Train, Memorabilia Shop, Ticket Printing Machine, Model train run, Children’s Activity Room.

Minister of State OF Ministry of Railways - Suresh Angadi Channabasappa

Narendra Singh Tomar - launched “Sahakar Cooptube NCDC Channel” - Initiative by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) - Launched in Hindi and regional language of eighteen different states. Headquarter of NCDC = New Delhi.

Union Minister of State for Culture & Tourism (Independent charge) Prahlad Singh Patel - inaugurated = 1st golf course of Mizoram, “Thenzawl Golf Resort” under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism - Project was sanctioned under the “Integrated Development of New Eco Tourism” - Constructed by Edufice Infraservices Private Limited of New Delhi.

- Centre has sanctioned Rs.92.25 Crore for development of the North East Circuit at Thenzawl & South Zote, District Serchhip and Reiek, Mizoram out of which an amount of Rs.64.48 Crore was sanctioned for various components at Thenzawl including the Golf Course. Mizoram: Chief Minister (CM) – Zoramthanga Governor– P.S Sreedharan Pillai

Union Minister of Textiles and Women & Child Development, Smriti Irani launched Mobile App & Backend Website for Handloom Mark Scheme for the weavers - On the occasion of 6th National Handloom Day held virtually - Organized by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India - App developed by the Textile Committee of Mumbai - App has 10 Indian languages and English language - App confirms the originality of the product through QR code (Quick response code)

- My Handloom = Various benefits under the handloom schemes like Block Level Clusters, Handloom Marketing Assistance and Awards can be applied through the portal - also provides status updates on applications under the National Handloom Development programme, and schemes like, Mudra Loan Scheme, Weavers’ Insurance, Yarn Supply, distribution of looms and accessories, number of training - “India Handloom” brand was launched by the Prime minister in 2015 on the occasion of the 1st National Handloom Day. - During the event a virtual fair and a social media campaign has been inaugurated: - Virtual Textile Fair 2020 = The Government is providing virtual fair shop called the Indian Textile Sourcing Fair 2020 through a step towards realizing “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” - More than 150 participants from different regions of the country will be participating in the programme.

- Social media Campaign - A two-week social media camping #Vocal4Handmade was planned for Handloom, Handloom Products, information about high-end handloom products of various regions of the country.

Ministry of Defence (MoD) publicized a draft ‘Defence Production & Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020 for public feedback by August 17, 2020 - Aims to achieve a manufacturing turnover of $25 bn or Rs 1,75,000 crore, including exports of $5 bn or Rs 35,000 Crore in aerospace and defence goods and services by 2025. - Department of Defence Production (DDP) will be the nodal department for coordination on various components of the DPEPP 2020 - 5,000 items are proposed to be indigenized by 2025. - Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti = was launched to promote innovation and technology development and file greater number of patents in Defence PSUs (public sector undertakings)

and OFB (ordnance factory board) would be scaled up further to promote creation of IP Property in defence sector.

Harsh Vardhan launched ‘Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan 2020-21’ - National level programme for popularizing science among school students of class sixth to Eleventh. - initiative of Vijnana Bharathi (VIBHA), Vigyan Prasar and NCERT - India’s largest Science talent search examination for New India using Digital Devices. - Vijnana Bharathi (VIBHA) is a national movement for propagation and popularization of Science & Technology among the students and masses. - Vigyan Prasar (VP) is a national institute for science and technology communication established in 1989 under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) + Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation + Wadhwani Foundation - launched ‘AIM-iCREST’ - AIM’s incubators will be provided requisite support to foster the incubation enterprise economy in order to enhance their performance. - Also training will be provided to entrepreneurs

Financial knowledge platform”MSMESaksham” for MSMEs - launched by SIDBI, TransUnion CIBIL - Will guide MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) seeking quick access to finance and will also support them in managing their credit obligations. - MSMESaksham leverages SIDBI’s extensive network of MSMEs as well as information and insights from TransUnion CIBIL to create an educational ecosystem to build structurally strong MSMEs.

SIDBI CMD – Mohammad Mustafa Headquarter– Lucknow TransUnion CIBIL Headquarter – Mumbai, Maharashtra

EBook titled “Standard Treatment Guidelines for the Management of Substance Use Disorders and Behavioural Addictions” - Released by Dr. Harsh Vardhan in the presence of State Minister of (MoH & FW), Ashwini Kumar Choubey.

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 - HRD ministry renamed as Ministry of Education - Replaced 34 years old NPE, 1986 - Announced by Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Keshav Javadekar.

- From now onwards the education sector will get allocation of 6% of total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - Emphasizes setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund, Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups. - aligned to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-4 of 2030 Agenda is aimed at Universalization of Education from pre-school to secondary level with 100 % Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030 - Policy also aims to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy. - Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education is to be raised to 50% by 2030 from 26.8% in 2018 with the addition of 3.5 crore seats. - Curriculum and pedagogy to be transformed by 2022 to promote skill based learning. - Policy premised on the 5 pillars = Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability School Education under NEP 2020

- Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) - consists of flexible, multi-faceted, multi-level, play- based, activity based and discovery-based learning. - National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCPFECCE) for children up to the age of 8 = will be developed by NCERT in two parts = sub frame work for 0-3-year olds and a sub-framework for 3-8 years old 5+3+3+4 model - Foundational stage (5 years) - Preparatory Stage (3 years)– An experiential learning across sciences, mathematics, arts, social sciences, and humanities will be introduced in Grades 3-5 = Age covered: 8-11 - Middle Stage (3 years) – It will have subject-oriented teaching and curricular style for Grades 6-8 = Vocation education and internships from Class six onwards and activities involving coding will also be introduced at this stage. Students will also participate in a fun

project/activity on The Languages of India, under the Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat initiative - Age covered: 11-14 - Secondary stage (4 years)- It will also consist of two parts i.e. Grade 9&10 + Grade 11&12 and will have greater depth curricular and student choice of subjects, and option to exit at grade 10 and re-enter at a later stage in grade 11. Several foreign languages will be offered at this level = Age covered: 14-18 Language skills - Medium of instruction up to Grade 5, can extend till Grade 8 will be the mother tongue/regional language. - The three-language formula will continue to be implemented. Other Important Changes - Curriculum content will be reduced in each subject to make space for inquiry-based, discovery-based, discussion-based, and analysis-based learning

- Mathematics and computational thinking to be given increased emphasis throughout school years - Students will get 360 degree holistic report card, which will not only include their marks, but also their skills. - Bag less days will be encouraged in schools for enrichment activities involving arts, quizzes, sports, and vocational crafts - There will be Inclusion of specially-abled children in the schooling process - Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardized across India, and National and State curriculum materials developed for use by students with hearing impairment – NCERT and NCFTE will develop guidelines for the education of gifted children - Special emphasis will be given on socially and Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) which include gender, socio-cultural, and geographical identities and disabilities - includes

setting up of Gender Inclusion Fund and also Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups - Every state/district will be encouraged to establish “Bal Bhavans” Higher Education - Will be integrated into one higher education system -including professional and vocational education. - Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), to be set up as models of best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country. - Students who have completed 4 years of bachelors’ programme with research could do one year master’s degree, then 5 year integrated bachelors’ / masters’ degree will also be available.

- Master’s degree or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree with Research would be eligible for pursuing Ph.D. The M. Phil programme would be discontinued. - Implementation of this Policy will be directed by the joint actions from various bodies including MoE, Rashtriya Shiksha Aayog (RSA), Union and State Governments, education- related Ministries, State Departments of Education, Boards, NTA(National Testing Agency), the regulatory bodies of

Tripartite MoU - CSIR, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan-IIT Delhi and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) - To provide access to CSIR rural technologies for Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) and is expected to lay the foundation for cooperation and joint action in the area of UBA for rural development of India. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan =

- Flagship programme under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) with a vision for the transformational change in the process of rural development with the support of educational institutes to build the framework of an inclusive India. Vijnana Bharati = - Science body linked with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. CSIR President - Narendra Modi Vice President - Harsh Vardhan Director General – Shekhar C. Mande Headquarter - New Delhi

Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj - released a booklet on ‘Best Practices in Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP)’ - Prepared by Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development

- Computerization of Land Records has been completed (more than 90%) in 23 States/ Union Territories(UTs) and substantial progress has been achieved in 11 States/ UTs.

MSME launched programme under “Gramodyog Vikas Yojana” for the benefit of artisans involved in manufacturing of Agarbatti and to develop village industry - Four Pilot Projects will be started, including one in the North Eastern part of the country - Each targeted cluster of artisans will be supported with about 50 Automatic Agarbatti making machines and 10 Mixing machines. - Total of 200 Automatic Agarbatti making machines and 40 Mixing machines will be provided to the artisans. - The program will immediately generate a minimum of about 500 additional jobs and will reduce imports of Agarbatti. Union Minister of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises – Nitin Gadkari

Minister of State (MoS) – Pratap Chandra Sarangi

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Hardeep Singh Puri released the Affordable Rental Housing Complexes Pack through Video Conferencing - also launched the mobile application of Credai – Awaas App and an E-Commerce Portal, “HousingforAll.com” of NAREDCO - To provide dignified and affordable rental accommodation to the urban poor and migrant workers. - Scheme aims to provide an affordable living space for people in need. - Government is also considering 100% FDI in the scheme.

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr. Jitendra Singh = launched India’s 1st indigenous wireless physiological parameters monitoring system “COVID BEEP” (Continuous Oxygenation & Vital Information Detection Biomed ECIL ESIC Pod) for the COVID-19 affected patients.

In order to boost domestic manufacturing of bulk drugs and medical devices parks in India, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Devaragunda Venkappa Sadananda Gowda launched guidelines for 4 schemes - These are schemes of Department of Pharmaceuticals (under ministry of chemical & fertilizers) - Two schemes each for Bulk Drugs and Medical Devices parks, on the lines of making India Atma Nirbhar (self-reliant) in pharma sector. - Indian pharmaceutical industry is the 3rd largest in the world by volume and 14th largest in terms of value. India contributes 3.5% of total drugs and medicines exported globally.

- In March 2020, the Union Cabinet approved schemes to boost domestic manufacturing of critical bulk drugs and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) as part of Rs 10,000-crore production-linked incentive scheme Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks - Rs. 3,000 cr outlay to create 3 drug parks - for a period of 4 years - Will be implemented through a State Implementing Agency (SIA), a legal entity, set up by the concerned State Government. Scheme Promotion of Medical Devices Parks - Rs 400 cr outlay for 4 Medical Device Parks - For a period of 4 years i.e. from FY2020-2021 to FY2024-2025 - Will be implemented through a State Implementing Agency (SIA).

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Promoting Domestic Manufacturing of Medical Devices - Outlay Rs. 3,420 cr - For a period of 6 years i.e. FY2020-21 to FY 2026-27. - Eligibility = Any company registered in India and possessing a minimum net worth including group companies) of Rs.18 crore (30% of threshold investment of first year) is eligible for the scheme - Target Segments = four target segments under the scheme = 1. Cancer care / Radiotherapy medical devices 2. Radiology & Imaging medical devices (both ionizing & non-ionizing radiation products) and Nuclear Imaging devices 3. Anesthetics& Cardio-Respiratory medical devices including catheters of Cardio Respiratory Category & Renal Care medical devices

4. AII Implants including implantable electronic devices PLI scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/Drug Intermediates (DIs) / Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) in India - Outlay Rs 6,490 cr - for a period of 9 years i.e. from FY 2020-21 to FY 2029-30 - Financial incentives will be given to a maximum of 136 manufacturers selected under the scheme. - Eligibility = The Net Worth of the Applicant (including that of Group Companies), as on the date of application, shall not be less than 30% of the total proposed investment.

Central Govt + World Bank = decided to convert the area of ravines in the region of Gwalior- Chambal belt of Madhya Pradesh into cultivable land

- Decision was made through a virtual meeting with Adarsh Kumar, representative of the World Bank. - Around 3 lakh hectares land of this region are non-cultivable, this conversion will improve and support the integrated development of the Bihad area in the region of Gwalior-Chambal. World Bank President – David Robert Malpass Headquarter – Washington, D.C Motto– Working for a World Free of Poverty

PRAGYATA Guidelines on Digital Education - Released by Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in the presence of Sanjay Dhotre, Minister of State HRD - Prepared by Department of School Education & Literacy of the Ministry of HRD

- Ensures the safety and welfare of the students and educates the students, teachers, parents and others on the online safety practices. - 8 steps (Plan- Review- Arrange- Guide- Yak(talk)- Assign- Track- Appreciate) of online or digital learning which supports the planning and implementation of digital education with examples. - Also provides the Do’s and Don’ts in ergonomics and cyber security. Screen time Recommendations - For pre-primary classes – 30 minutes per day For Classes 1 to 12 – Recommended to adopt alternate academic calendar of NCERT For Classes 1 to 8 – two sessions of 30-45 minutes on the days decided by the state/UT for online classes for primary sections. For Classes 9 to 12 – four sessions of 30-45 minutes on the decided days.

Sustainable Growth Pillar Meeting - India Energy Modelling Forum - Co-chaired by NITI Aayog & USAID(United States Agency for International Development) - India Energy Modelling Forum (IEMF) was launched in the meeting which will provide a platform to examine important energy and environmental related issues, and facilitate exchange of ideas. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Headquarter– Washington, D.C Acting Administrator– John Barsa NITI Aayog Chairman– Narendra Modi Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Amitabh Kant Headquarter– New Delhi

Atal Innovation Mission + Ministries = to Support Start-ups with COVID-19 Solutions

- To organize the series of virtual COVID-19 Demo Days to find the potential start-ups with innovative COVID-19 solutions and provide support to develop and scale up the solutions. - Initiative was launched under the directions of Dr Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India and Dr Vinod Paul, Member Health of NITI Aayog. - Key partnership of the initiative: Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Department of Biotechnology (DBT); Department of Science and Technology (DST), Start-up India, AGNIi, and other Ministries.

The ministry of coal = to link mining plan portal with PARIVESH website - Announcement was made by Coal Secretary Anil Kumar Jain - PARIVESH website, a single-window hub for online submission, monitoring, and management of proposals submitted to the Environment Ministry by project proponents to seek various types of environment clearances (EC).

Efforts taken for ease of doing business in the coal sector - - Time to seek environment clearance (EC) came down to 90 days. - In June 2020, Coal Ministry & FICCI Initiated e-Auction Process of 41 Coal blocks for Commercial mining Union Minister of coal– Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi (Constituency: Dharwad, Karnataka) FICCI President – Sangita Reddy Headquarter– New Delhi

Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan highlighted that Govt to Increase Public Health Expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025 - The National Health Policy 2017 anticipated raising public health spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2025

- Outlay for primary health expenditure will also be made nearly two third of the total public health expenditure in the country - The policy recommends that the state govt must spend nearly 8% of their total budget on the health sector by 2020

KURMA mobile app – By prakash javdekar - unique tool for conservation of Indian Turtles - KURMA was launched on 23rd May 2020, on World Turtles Day. - Application was developed by Indian Turtle Conservation Action Network (ITCAN) + Turtle Survival Alliance – India + Wildlife Conservation Society – India. - Aim = To Conserve Indian Turtles and Tortoises.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri informed that India Established Individual Bilateral ‘Air Bubbles’ with France, Germany and US - India is planning to establish such agreements with the UK - The similar arrangements with the United Arab Emirates(UAE) till 26th July, 2020. - Air India will operate flights to France, Germany and the US under bilateral air bubbles. Air India Headquarter - New Delhi Chairman and Managing Director– Rajiv Bansal

Prime Minister Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) - virtually launched by Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) - to provide micro-credit facility for street vendors at their door steps

- PM SVANidhi was launched on June 01, 2020 for providing affordable Working Capital loan to 50 lakh street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to Covid-19 lockdown - Interest subsidy of 7 per cent will be credited back to the beneficiaries who repay timely. - The duration of the scheme is till March 2022 and is being implemented though Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). Minister for State (MoS) of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) = Hardeep Singh Puri (Constituency- Uttar Pradesh)

ICAT launched automotive technology e-portal ASPIRE Automotive Solutions Portal for Industry, Research and Education (ASPIRE) - Launched by The International Centre of Automotive Technology (ICAT)

- Automotive technology e-portal to enhance the technological capability of Indian automotive sector through exchange of knowledge & expertise. - The ASPIRE portal was made live in its initial version on 15th July, 2020 as Phase-I = The portal can be accessed through https://aspire.icat.in - Phase II is expected by August 15, 2020 - The portal is likely to be fully functional by 15th September, 2020 - Initiative of the Department of Heavy Industry (DHI), Govt. of India to promote, R&D and product development in India for various sectors - 5 other portals are being developed for specific sectors by different organizations = Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited(BHEL) for power sector equipment, HMT(Hindustan Machine Tools Limited) for machine tools, CMFTI for manufacturing technology, ICAT and Automotive Research Association of India(ARAI) for the automotive sector.

- Objective of these portals is to create an ecosystem that brings together the solution seekers and problem solvers

Initiative “#Reimagine Campaign” - By UNICEF India & FICCI’s SEDF - to Support Vulnerable Populations and Children in India - based on the document that is being developed jointly by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and UNICEF for governments and businesses on the measures they can take to support the post-pandemic recovery - Ogilvy, a New York (United States) based advertising agency is offering free of charge support in developing the creative narrative for the campaign. FICCI President– Sangita Reddy Secretary General– Dilip Chenoy

Headquarter– New Delhi UNICEF Headquarter– New York, United States (US) Executive Director– Henrietta Holsman Fore UNICEF Representative in India– Dr Yasmin Ali Haque

First NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement) programme - NISHTHA is the world’s largest teachers’ training programme of its kind. 33 states and union territories launched this programme in collaboration under Samagra Shiksha, a Centrally sponsored flagship programme of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) = to improve learning outcomes and holistic development of children - Launched for 1200 Key Resources Persons of Andhra Pradesh by MHRD

- Launched by Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Minister of State (MoS) for HRD Sanjay Dhotre - NISHTHA is organised at the elementary stage under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) – Yeduguri Sandinti Jaganmohan Reddy Capital– Amaravati Governor – Biswabhusan Harichandan Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

Digital Indo-Italian Business mission on Food Processing - Inaugurated by the Union Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal

PRAGYATA guidelines on digital education - Released by Union Human Resource and Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’

- Include eight steps of online learning. They are Plan, Review, Guide, Arrange, Talk, Assign, Track and Appreciate.

‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund’ - Central Sector scheme - Given approval by the Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. - announced by Union Finance Minister as a part of the Rs 20 Lakh crore AtmaNirbhar Bharat package - financial support of up to Rs 1 lakh crore will be provided as loans through the banks and financial institutions to the Agricultural Sector such as Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Startups, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, Agri - entrepreneurs, etc

“Demo Days” initiative - Atal Innovation Mission of NITI Aayog coordinated and concluded the series of COVID-19 - will identify promising start-ups that have the potential of COVID-19 innovations - Launched by Atal Innovative Mission in partnership with government bodies such as Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Department of Science and Technology, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), AGNI, Start-up India.

The NATGRID (National Intelligence Grid) is expected to go live by the end of the year 2020. The National Intelligence - will provide a link between the data of 14,000 police stations from across the country.

A White Papers prepared by the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC)

- Launched by Dr. Harsh Vardhan (Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare) for recommendations on immediate technology and policy impetus to make India ATMANIRBHAR.

‘Aatamanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping (ASSEM)’ - An Artificial Intelligence (AI) based digital portal - Launched to bridge the demand-supply gap in the market for the skilled workforce - Launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. - ‘Https://smis.nsdcindia.org/’ - Details of workers will be mapped by the portal on the basis on regions and local industry demands

19 lakh households in the rural areas were provided with tap water connection under the Jal Jeevan Mission during the first quarter (April 2020 to June 2020) Under the Jal Jeevan Mission - Target to provide every rural household in the country with the facility of Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) of water by 2024.

Ministry of Culture - celebrating = “Sankalp Parva” from 28th June to 12 July 2020.

The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare (DAC&FW), Agriculture Ministry - developed = vehicle-mounted Ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayer for locust control.

App Innovation Challenge - launched by the Prime Minister

- initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology + NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission - to build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat using Digital Technologies - prize money for apps is between Rs 20 lakh and Rs 2 lakh depending on the category

Web portal of the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan – launched = to provide information to the public regarding the various district-wise and scheme-wise components of the Abhiyaan

“Drug Discovery Hackathon” - launched - to support drug discovery process - joint initiative of MHRD, AICTE and CSIR - supported by partners such as CDAC, MyGov, Schrodinger and ChemAxon

- Launched by Ramesh Pokhriyal (Union Human Resource Development Minister) and Dr. Harsh Vardhan (Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare and Science and Technology).

First edition of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Newsletter “MATSYA SAMPADA” - Published by the Department of Fisheries, Ministry for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying - Operational Guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) – launched - It would be published on a quarterly basis starting from the first quarter of the year 2020-21.

TRIBES India store - inaugurated on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) = will help in facilitating purchases by Government TRIFED’s new website - trifed.tribal.gov.in = launched

Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) of Department of Science and Technology’s (DST) – launched - ‘Accelerate Vigyan’ scheme on 1st July 2020 = to provide a single platform for high-end scientific research

The toolkit for the 6th edition of the Swachh Survekshan survey - launched by Hardeep Singh Puri (Union Minister of State (I/C) of Housing & Urban Affairs)

“Learning through E-Resources Made Accessible for Delhi (LEAD)” - Launched by Delhi Government - developed by the Delhi government - Comprises 10,000 instructional materials and course content for students of Classes I to XII - The Delhi government will also share its teaching-learning material on the digital platform “DIKSHA” through its e-learning portal “LEAD”.

India’s 1st public EV Charging Plaza in New Delhi & RAISE initiative - launched by Minister of State (MoS) for Power, and New & Renewable Energy, Raj Kumar (RK) Singh - Two initiatives by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) focusing on energy efficiency (EE), improving indoor air quality (IAQ) and promoting e-mobility - Initiatives are part of the pledge undertaken by EESL and other key stakeholders during the “#iCommit” campaign held on World Environment Day - on June 5, 2020. - Retrofit of Air-conditioning to improve Indoor Air Quality for Safety and Efficiency (RAISE) - a joint initiative of EESL and United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) = to alleviate the issue of bad air quality in workspaces and to develop healthy and energy efficient buildings = This programme is a part of “Healthy and Energy Efficient Buildings”, a joint

initiative of EESL and MAITREE (Market Integration and Transformation Program for Energy Efficiency) programme, launched on the occasion of World Environment Day - Market Integration and Transformation Program for Energy Efficiency (MAITREE) = 5 year long (2017-2021) bilateral program between USAID and the Ministry of Power, Government of India Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) Chairman – Rajeev Sharma Headquarter– New Delhi New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Chairperson – Dharmendra Raj Kumar Singh Constituency - Arrah (Bihar) Power Secretary– Sanjiv Nandan Sahai United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Headquarter – Washington Acting Administrator - John Barsa

MANODARPAN initiative

- Launched by Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ - to provide psychosocial support to students for their Mental Health and Well-being - Part of the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ = to strengthen human capital and increase productivity and initiatives in the education sector. - MANODARPAN website = http://manodarpan.mhrd.gov.in/ - National Toll-free Helpline = 8448440632 accessible from 8 AM to 8PM. - Shri Rajesh Bhushan launched a National Healthcare Supply Chain Portal, ‘Aarogyapath’ (https://www.aarogyapath.in) = to provide real- time availability of critical healthcare supplies with the involvement of manufacturers, suppliers and customers. - Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched “YUKTI 2.0” – (Young India combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation 2.0) = to support the start-ups incubated in the institutes of higher education over the virtual platform.

Consumer Protection Act, 2019 came into force w.e.f. July 20, 2020 - Replaced Consumer Protection Act 1986 - To enforce and protect the rights of consumers, and provide an effective mechanism to address consumer grievances.

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Partners + UNICEF’s YuWaah = to Mobilise 1 Crore Youth Volunteers to Achieve Goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat - Launched by Usha Sharma, Secretary, Youth Affairs and Dr.Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF Representative in India in presence of kiran rijiju Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports(MYAS) = Kiren Rijiju United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) Executive Director – Henrietta Holsman Fore Headquarter – New York, United States UNICEF Representative in India– Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque

Investment Clearance Cell (ICC) for Assistance & Clearance of Proposals in Aviation Sector - set up by MoCA - Headed by Amber Dubey, joint secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation - Nirmala Sitharaman, Finance Minister announced the setting up of ICC in the 2020-2021 Union Budget in February 2020 Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Civil Aviation = Hardeep Singh Puri

Rajya Sabha Launched Employees Welfare Scheme “Arun Jaitley Financial Assistance for Group C Employees” - After the demise of Former Finance minister Arun Jaitley on 24th August 2019, Sangeeta Jaitley, submitted a request to the chairman of rajya sabha, M Venkaiah Naidu, to utilise the

family pension (Rs 3 lakhs at present) entitled to her for the benefit of Group C employees of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat with low salaries

CBDT signs MoU with CBIC for smooth bilateral data exchange

Restructured Scheme for PM’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration 2020 and Web Portal (www.pmawards.gov.in) - Launched virtually by Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space - Purpose = to recognize the performance of District Collectors towards economic development of the District. - This year, the PM’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration seeks to recognize the efforts of District level officials involved in the Namami Gange Programme

- 4 major Award Categories - District Performance Indicators Programme, Innovation General Category, Aspirational Districts Program and Namami Gange Program. - Total 15 awards will be given under the scheme in 2020. - Award will be conferred by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Rashtriya Ekta Diwas - October 31, 2020 at the Statue of Unity, Kevadia, Gujarat.

Pravasi Rojgar app = to help migrants find job opportunities: Sonu Sood - launched by Actor Sonu Sood - Initiative will be supported by community outreach in the villages to find the right employment opportunities for migrant workers in different parts of the country.

Mentoring Platform ‘RestartIndia’ to Support MSME Sector to restart the business across the nation.

- Launched by Nitin Jairam Gadkari - initiated jointly by Muthoot Fincorp and INKtalks Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise(MoMSME) – Nitin Jairam Gadkari

Piloting of National Transit Pass System (NTPS) - Launched virtually by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Keshav Javadekar from Indira Paryavaran Bhawan in New Delhi - Step towards Digital India Movement - The pilot project will be functional in Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Telangana - NTPS will replace manual paper-based transit system by online transit system enabling ease of movement of timber, bamboo and other minor forest produce. Minister of State (MoS) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)– Babul Supriyo

Amit Shah launched = ‘Vriksharopan Abhiyan’ - the tree plantation campaign of the Coal Ministry - Campaign was conducted virtually at more than 130 locations in around 38 districts of 10 coal/lignite bearing States. - 6 lakh seedlings have been planted across 600 acres - Amit Shah laid the foundation stones of 5 Eco parks and 1 Sal Plantation project and tourism sites during the ‘Tree Plantation Campaign’ through video conferencing. - The total cost involved is Rs. 27.60 crores.

EU + SPRING (Strategic Planning for Water Resources and Implementation of Novel Biotechnical Treatment solutions and Good Practices) Project, India = to Purify Sewage Water in Ganga & Godavari Rivers

- IIT BHU = to develop a biotechnology based water treatment system for the purification of sewage water - Project is funded by the Indian Ministry of science & technology, Department of biotechnology with the European Union for 3 years from June 2020 - Objective = to develop a low cost advanced bio-oxidation system for polluted water. - World bank enhanced the support to India’s programme to rejuvenate the Ganga with $400 million through Second National Ganga River Basin Project (SNGRBP), Under the National Ganga River Basin Project for the development of infrastructure projects.

Govt imposed restrictions on public procurement from countries sharing land border with India by amending Rule 144 of General Financial Rules (GFRs) 2017 to strengthen the defence and national security of India

- amended the entitled “Fundamental principles of public buying” by inserting sub rule (ix) which has imposed restrictions on bidders of countries sharing land borders with India in public procurement tenders. - By invoking the provision of Article 257(1) of the Constitution of India, the central government has also directed state governments to implement this order for all public procurement. Department of Expenditure (DoE) Secretary – T. V. Somanathan

Union Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar - launched - five key initiatives towards conservation of biodiversity during the virtual celebration of “International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB)” on the theme “Our solutions are in nature” - Samrakshan Internship Programme - UNEP Campaign on Illegal Trafficking of Endangered Species

- WWF Model Conference of Parties (MCoP) - Launch of awareness campaign - Launch of webinar initiatives

A K Sikri, International Judge, Singapore International Commercial Court inaugurates Indian Dispute Resolution Centre (IDRC), first of its kind Institutional Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre to provide Offline and e-ADR facility through e-Arbitration, e-Mediation and e- Conciliation software portal.

BRO constructed 440-meter long tunnel below Chamba town in Uttarakhand on NH 94 under Chardham Project

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy - Giriraj Singh detailed - Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana(PMMSY) - for a period of 5 years FY21 to FY25 - a part of the Rs 20 Lakh crore Centre’s economic stimulus package in response to COVID-19 - The outlay of the scheme is Rs. 20,050 crores - Swath Sagar plan - modernizing of the fisheries sector

Government withdrew 7.75% Savings (Taxable) Bonds scheme due to declining interest rates as RBI has lowered the short-term lending (repo) rate which is currently at 4%

The foundation stone of a Missile Park named ‘Agneeprastha’ & 2 Mega Watt (MW) solar photovoltaic plants was commissioned at INS Kalinga, Visakhapatnam.

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable energy (MNRE) - proposed the ‘One Sun One World One Grid’ (OSOWOG) to interconnect renewable energy by sharing solar resources with more than 140 countries of West Asia and South East Asia. The grid will be interconnected with African power pools later - India has already initiated the International Solar Alliance (ISA) which aims to deploy over 1,000 GW of solar generation capacity globally and mobilise investment of over $1 trillion towards by 2030.

Ayushman Bharat Scheme - crossed - 1 crore beneficiaries

All people who have resided in Jammu & Kashmir for 15 years are eligible for getting a domicile certificate

The Union Cabinet has given its approval for "Scheme for Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (FME)" for the Unorganized Sector with an outlay of Rs.10,000 crore

Oil India - given permission to drill hydrocarbons in Dibru-Saikhowa National Park area in Assam

Government - allocated 500 crore rupees towards beekeeping under the Atma Nirbhar Abhiyan

The government has notified amendments to General Financial Rules (GFR) to ensure that goods and services valued less than Rs 200 crore are being procured from domestic firms

Sports Authority of India (SAI) - deposited Rs 30,000 - out of pocket allowance in accounts of 2749 Khelo India athletes

Union Defence minister Rajnath Singh - approved Rs 400 crores for Defence Testing Infrastructure Scheme - scheme will run for a period of 5 years & envisages to set up 6 to 8 new test facilities in partnership with private industry.

Government of India - set up a Rice Export Promotion Forum - to give impetus to rice exports under the aegis of Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Promotion Development Authority (APEDA)

Rs 40,000 crores additional amount - allocated under MGNREGS which will help in generating total work of nearly 300 crore person days. - About MGNREGA - The Indian government passed the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in 2005 to enhance the livelihood security of people in rural areas by guaranteeing 100 days of wage employment each financial year to every rural household whose adult members demand work under the scheme

PM e-VIDYA programme - launched - for multi-mode access to digital/online education. Under the programme the DIKSHA programme will provide “one nation, one digital platform” for school education - also include the launch of Energized Textbooks for all grades - One TV channel per class from 1 to 12 - concept of “one class, one channel” - Manodarpan intiative will be

launched to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and families for their mental health and emotional well being under the PM-eVIDYA Programme

National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)- developed “National Migrant Information System (NMIS)” to secure information regarding the movement of migrants worker

National Test Abhyas - mobile application - developed by the National Testing Agency which will help the candidates to take mock tests for exams such as JEE Mains, NEET, etc - About National Testing Agency (NTA) – It is an Indian government agency that has been approved by the Union Council of Ministers and established in November 2017 to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions. The government appointed Vineet Joshi as the first Director-General of the agency.

The Indian Railways - First 12,000 HP electric locomotives built - under the Make in India initiative in Electric Locomotive Factory, Madhepura - capable of hauling 6000 tonnes at a top speed of 120 km/hr

South Central Railway - developed a robotic device, “RAIL-BOT” (R-BOT) to supply medicines, medical accessories and to serve food to the patients – will be operated through a singular mobile application developed as a part of the Innovation, supported by Wi-FI- facility - HQ of South central railway - Secunderabad

The Union Cabinet has extended Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) till 2023 - annual rate of return at 7.4% for financial year 2020-21.

- Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana - Government of India in the Budget Speech of 2018-19 has announced the enhancement of maximum limit under Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana to Rs. 15 lakhs per senior citizen - Eligibility Conditions and Other Restrictions: Minimum Entry Age: 60 years (completed) Maximum Entry Age: No limit Policy Term: 10 years Minimum Pension: Rs. 1,000/- per month Maximum Pension: Rs. 10,000/-per month

PM CARES (Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) Fund Trust has allocated Rs 3100 crores to fight against COVID-19 pandemic - Out of the total amount Rs

2000 crores will be allocated for the purchase of ventilators, Rs 1000 crores to care migrant labourers and Rs 100 crores to support vaccine development.

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) - United We Fight song - to strengthen India's fight against covid-19

Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) and Tax Collected at Source (TCS) have been reduced from 10 to 7.5% till 31st March 2021

According to CERT-In, Android users who use mobile banking might be vulnerable to a new malware called EventBot

Under Atmanirbhar Gujarat Sahay Yojana - loans up to Rs 1 lakh will be given to small traders

The government will launch a 20,000 crore rupees Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana for the development of marine and inland fisheries

India Post, Mumbai - released a Special Postal Cover dedicated to Migrant Workers

Ministry of Human Resource Development - launched a new mobile app named - ‘National Test Abhyas‘

India has given USD 2 million to the United Nations agency working for the welfare of refugees of Palestine

Geographical Indication (GI) tag - Black Rice of Manipur, Gorakhpur Terracotta & Kovilpatti ‘Kadalai Mittai’

Geographical Indication (GI) tag - Kashmiri Saffron

National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC), Department of Science & Technology (DST) - launched a programme “Year of Awareness on Science & Health (YASH)” - aim - make people aware to contain the spread of COVID-19

Cauvery Water Management Authority - brought under Jal Shakti Ministry

Indian Navy - launched - Operation “Samudra Setu” = to bring back 1000 Indians from Maldives

The Saras Collection is an initiative of GeM and the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) – launched by Narendra Singh Tomar (Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj) - to showcase daily utility products made by Rural Self-Help Groups (SHGs)

Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Private Limited (NLCIL) - ‘Navaratna’ public sector Company started the production of Coal for the first time

National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) - permitted the use of 98.59 hectares of an 111.19 sq km area of land for opencast coal mining project in Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve in Assam - project will be done by North-Easter Coal Field (NECF), a unit of Coal India Limited.

Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ - launched = “Bharosa” helpline for Central University of Odisha.

Rajnath Singh - inaugurated = 80km strategically crucial road constructed by BRO - constructed along the banks of river Kali between India and Nepal - link connecting Lipulekh pass (China Border) with Dharchula in Uttarakhand through video conferencing - will help pilgrims visiting Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet as it is around 90 kms from the Lipulekh pass

HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ - modifications in Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) Scheme to boost research in the country & to enable more students to avail the benefit under the scheme

Tata Steel - withdrawn its membership from the Indian Steel Association (ISA)

International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has launched its chatbot on Whatsapp to check the fake news

Styrene leaked from LG Polymers industry in Visakhapatnam in which over 10 people died and many were hospitalized

The government is planning to build highways worth Rs 15 lakh crore in the next two years, as per Union Minister Nitin Gadkari

The government has increased its market borrowing estimate by staggering Rs 4.2 lakh crore to Rs 12 lakh crore for the current fiscal

According to the West Bengal Forest Department , the tiger count for the year 2019-20 rose to 96 in Indian Sundarbans

National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), has developed a non-invasive BiPAP Ventilator SwasthVayu

Directorate General of Civil Aviation has extended the validity of flying license of pilots by 90 days

OTHERS NATIONAL NEWS

Daukandi (Bangladesh) – Sonamura (Tripura) Inland Waterway Protocol route has been operationalized - Boost to bilateral trade between India-Bangladesh relations under Protocol for Inland Water Trade & Transit (PIWTT). - First ever export consignment from Bangladesh to Tripura through the inland waterways received - The PIWTT was signed between India and Bangladesh in 1972 to provide inland waterways connectivity between the two countries, particularly with the North Eastern Region of India.

Bangladesh President – Mohammad Abdul Hamid

Cabinet approved - Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill under which Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi also added to the existing Urdu and English

Ministry of Home Affairs Approved to Rename Hubbali Railway Station as Shree Siddharoodha Swamiji Railway Station, Hubbali

Power Grid Corp. of India Ltd’s (PGCIL) - 1st PSU in power sector to undertake asset monetization through Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) model - Power Grid will start with monetizing five tariff-based competitive bidding (TBCB) assets valued at around RS 7,164 crore

- CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) plan of POWERGRID for next two years (2020-21 and 2021-22) is Rs. 20,500 cr. - InvITs are trusts that manage income-generating infrastructure assets, typically offering investors a regular yield and a liquid method of investing in infrastructure projects. PGCIL CMD – K. Sreekant Headquarter – Gurugram

Cabinet approved establishment of new AIIMS at Darbhanga, Bihar with an outlay of Rs.1264 crore. - The AIIMS in Darbhanga will have 100 UG (MBBS) seats and 60 B.Sc (Nursing) seats. - This project will generate employment for nearly 3000 persons in various faculty & non- faculty posts. Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY)

- Announced in 2003 - Focused on providing affordable/ reliable tertiary healthcare services and also to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country.

Cabinet approved Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor Project from Palwal to Sonipat at an estimated cost of Rs. 5,617 crore. - The project is likely to be completed in 5 years.

NHAI – Developed - ‘Vendor Performance Evaluation System’ = to establish a transparent and comprehensive performance rating system for its consultants, contractors and concessionaires

The Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Agriculture (CMIA) + United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) = to set up a help desk for MSMEs for providing information on various

government safety guidelines, regulatory norms, schemes and support measures during the Covid-19 related business challenges CMIA Headquarter – Aurangabad, Maharashtra UNDP Administrator– Achim Steiner Headquarter– New York

India’s Longest Guwahati Passenger Ropeway Project Inaugurated connecting the Northern and Southern banks of the Brahmaputra River - 1.8 Kilometres long, estimated cost of Rs 56 Crore - Project is set to become operational by August 24, 2021 Assam Capital – Dispur Chief Minister – Sarbananda Sonowal

Ministry of Home Affairs approved the renaming of Manduadih Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh as ‘Banaras’. - Manduadih - in Varanasi situated about 4 kilometres from Varanasi Cantonment Station. Minister of State of Home Affairs - Gangapuram Kishan Reddy, Nityanand Rai

Katra-Delhi Express Road Corridor to be completed by 2023 - Announced by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (M-DoNER), Dr. Jitendra Singh - Total outlay of the project is Rs. 35,000 crores. - Express Corridor is being built under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, which is a centrally- sponsored and funded Road & Highways project of the Government of India. - National Highway between Pathankot and Jammu is set to be upgraded from 4-lane to 6-lane.

Geographical Indications (GI) tags - Goa’s Harmal Chillies = grown only in Harmal village and adjacent areas - Goa’s Moira bananas = unique banana grown in Moira village of Bardez taluka & Bicholim Taluka - Goa’s Khaje = the traditional state sweet.

Gwalior Chambal Expressway will be Named Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Chambal Progressway - A grand statue of Vajpayee ji will be set up in Bhopal - The Gwalior Chambal Expressway is a 6 lane expressway connecting Madhya Pradesh with Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, through the ravines of Chambal region.

Indian Railways Constructing World’s Tallest 141 m high and 703 meters long Pier Bridge across River Ijai in Manipur

- Outlay of Rs 280 crore. - It will surpass the existing height record of 139 meters of the Mala – Rijeka Viaduct, Montenegro in Europe. - Located at the hilly terrain of Marangching village in Noney district, about 65 km west of Imphal, Manipur. - Project will be completed by March 2022.

UK Launched £3 million Innovation Challenge Fund to Maharashtra (£1.5 million) & Karnataka (£1.5 million) to support scientists in academia and industry to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. - Tech innovators with connections to the AI-Data cluster in Karnataka and the future mobility cluster in Maharashtra will submit research and development proposals for tackling COVID-19 or which promote a greener planet till August 31, 2020.

India Railways used New Track Construction (NTC) machine for track construction for 1st time - Implemented by Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL). - Currently, there are seven NTC machines that have been deployed along the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) alignment. Indian Railways Chairman – Vinod Kumar Yadav

First five of 36 Rafale fighter jets, from France were landed in Ambala in Haryana - Manufactured with 13 India Specific Enhancements (ISE), by Dassault Aviation - €7.87 billion deal for Rafale fighter jets - 2 twin seater & 3 single seater Indian Air Force (IAF) - New Delhi

Govt Abolished Cotton Advisory Board (CAB) = Notified Change in Status of all eight Textiles Research Associations - CAB is a representative body of government agencies, growers, industry and trade - it advises the government on matters pertaining to production, consumption and marketing of cotton.

India’s first ‘Kisan Rail’ flagged off from Devlali Railway Station of Maharashtra - flagged off by Piyush Goyal - 1st ever multi commodity train of Indian Railways(IR) that carries fruits - Train will run on a weekly basis. - Launch of Kisan Rail is a step towards achieving the target of doubling the income of farmers by 2022. - The train will cover a distance of 1519 kilometres in around 32(31.45) hours on a single trip.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognises Venkatraipur and Noliasahi villages of Odisha as ‘Tsunami Ready’ for their overall preparedness - India became the 1st Country in the Indian Ocean region to achieve the honour - Odisha State Disaster Management Authority(OSDMA) was established following the 1999 super cyclone, implemented the Tsunami Ready Programme in Odisha. - Odisha aims to make the 326 coastal villages and urban local bodies as “Tsunami Ready” over a year of time. - Indian Ocean Tsunami Ready Programme of IOC- UNESCO - to facilitate tsunami preparedness with the collaboration of the Community, leaders, national and local emergency management agencies. Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Head Office – Paris Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) Head Office – Bhubaneswar

Simplilearn + National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) = to Upskill Professionals in Digital Skills - Simplilearn will host more than 1,000 hours of free learning in digital skills and technologies for learners across India under the categories of AI and Machine Learning, Big Data, Data Science & Business Intelligence, Cyber Security, Software Development, Project management, and Digital marketing. - This partnership is aligned to the Skill India Mission.

India’s first snow leopard conservation centre in Lanka, near Bhaironghati bridge, Uttarkashi district, UK - Dutch Conservation Architect Anne Feenstra shared the details of the conservation centre. - The conservation centre is expected to create awareness of the Big Cat among the people. Uttarakhand Capital – Garsain (Summer), Dehradun (Winter)

Governor – Baby Rani Maurya

First-ever Vyapar Mala express train for small traders from Kishanganj in Delhi to Jirania in Tripura - Run by Northern Railway - Will help small traders to move their cargo in short time, cost effective, convenient and environment-friendly mode of transportation. - Railway board has earned more than ₹ 94 lakh from this Vyapar Mala Express train. Northern Railway Headquarter – New Delhi railway station

Indian Railways handed over 10 Broad Gauge Locomotives to Bangladesh via a virtual ceremony - Move was part of a sharpened focus on India’s “neighbourhood first” policy.

- Flagged off virtually to Bangladesh by External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Railway Minister PiyushVedprakash Goyal. - In June 2020, a total of 103 freight trains were utilised for carrying essential commodities and raw materials between both nations = highest ever exchange of freight trains Bangladesh President– Mohammad Abdul Hamid

Prime Minister Modi Launched High Throughput COVID-19 Testing Facilities at Kolkata, Mumbai & Noida - Test capacity by 10000 tests per day in each city. - COVID-19 testing facilities are established in Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) of respective cities ICMR Director-General – Prof. Balram Bhargava Headquarter – New Delhi

Sanskrit Vidhyalaya built in Eastern Nepal’s by India - inaugurated through video conferencing

Battery Swapping Facility Quick Interchange Service (QIS) - inaugurated at Chandigarh

All India Radio (AIR) FM news channel - started broadcasting = its first-ever news programme in Sanksrit language named ‘Sanskrit Saptahiki’

Elyments - Launched by M. Venkiah Naidu - India’s first social media super application - Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, more than 1,000 IT professionals came together to create the application

India’s First No-Permission No-Takeoff (NPNT) compliant drone flight on the A200 Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) - Completed successfully by Quidich Innovation Labs and Asteria Aerospace

‘ATL App Development Modules’ - launched for school children across the country in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative - For transforming school students from users of the smartphone-based applications to innovative developers of the smartphone-based applications.

Himalayan Golden Birdwing butterfly - India’s largest butterfly with 194 mm wingspan - recorded at Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district’s Didihat town

Nadaun Police Station, Hamirpur , Himachal Pradesh - one of the best Police Stations of the country and the best Police Station of the State

The Fourth Cycle of the All India Tiger Estimation 2018 has made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for being the World’s Largest Camera Trapping Wildlife Survey

Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) = approved the first indigenously developed Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine - developed by Serum Institute of India

COROSURE - launched by Union Minister of Human Resource and Development Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishnak - world’s most affordable COVID-19 kit

- Developed by IIT Delhi.

Capitals of NE states to be connected through rail network by 2023 - Announced by Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav

Rs.107 Crore to improve the firefighting facilities on five jetties of Haldia Dock Complex of Kolkata Port Union Minister of State(MoS) for Shipping – Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas– Dharmendra Debendra Pradhan

Union Minister of State for Shipping (I/C) Mansukh Mandaviya flagged off 1st container ship from Kolkata Port to Agartala via Chattogram port (Bangladesh)

- Provide an alternative and shorter route for India to connect it’s North East Region (NER) through Bangladesh - Also boost India-Bangladesh maritime relations. Bangladesh Capital– Dhaka Currency– Bangladeshi taka President– Mohammad Abdul Hamid

1st set of private trains by 2023, all 151 by 2027 - Indian Railways is planning to launch on 109 pairs of routes - 12 trains in 2022-23 - 45 in 2023-2024 - 50 in 2025-26 - 44 more in 2026-27

- There would be Rs 30,000 crore private sector investment in this project - These trains will be operated by the driver and guard of Indian Railways. - Tenders will be finalised by March 2021 and trains will operate from March, 2023. Railways Railway Board Chairman– Vinod Kumar Yadav

Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL) - 1st power utility = to use drones to inspect power lines and transmission towers - Maharashtra is 1st state to do so - MSETCL will use 16 drones that will fly at a maximum height of 50 metre. - Drones will equip with ultra HD cameras

Kakrapar Atomic Power Project’s Unit 3 = India’s First 700 MWe unit - It is indigenously developed Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor(PHWR) in Surat, Gujarat

- achieved its first criticality – initiation of controlled and sustained nuclear fission reaction on 22nd July 2020 = Announced by The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) CMD – Satish Kumar Sharma Head Office– Mumbai, Maharashtra

India to Have 60% Renewable Energy by 2030 – stated by R K Singh at Webinar on Energy Transition - Stated at the second pre-event hosted by The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2021 in collaboration with Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) India - Prime Minister Modi announced that India will increase the renewable energy target to 450 GW by 2030 from 175 GW by 2022 - During the webinar R K Singh launched two reports prepared by the Energy Transitions Commission (ETC) India = ‘Renewable Power Pathways: Modelling the Integration of Wind and

Solar in India by 2030’ and ‘Bending the Curve: 2025 Forecasts for Electricity Demand by Sector and State in the Light of the COVID Epidemic’. - ETC India is a research platform based of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute), New Delhi. TERI Director General – Dr Ajay Mathur Headquarter – New Delhi

One billion tonnes production of coal by 2023-24 - The Government set the target

81 projects under SWAMIH (Special Window for Affordable and Mid Income Housing) Investment Fund I - Rs 8767 crore has been approved - Approved projects will enable the completion of almost 60,000 homes across India.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) - 1st Indian Port and 7th Port Globally to Sign Up for the Science-Based Targets initiative - APSEZ is committed to set science-based emissions reduction targets (across their entire value chain) that keep global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. APSEZ Head Office – Ahmedabad, Gujarat

India builds world’s 1st electrified rail tunnel capable to run double-stack containers - 1 kilometer (km) long rail tunnel near Sohna, Haryana. - Project is implemented by the DFCCIL (Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited). - It is also considered to be the biggest railway tunnel in India. Chairman of Railway board – V.K Yadav

Minister of State – Suresh Channabasappa Angadi

India’s 1st State of the Art Honey Testing Lab - e-inaugurated by Shri Narendra Singh Tomar - Established by National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Anand, Gujarat with support of NBB (National Bee Board). - Narendra Singh Tomar also inaugurated ‘Two Days Online Training Programme on Scientific Honey bee production’ conducted by NDDB. - The MIDH (Mission on Integrated Development of Horticulture) and National Mission for Beekeeping are implemented through the National Bee Board and the States. - The National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) is approved by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare for 2 years. - FSSAI = notified new standards of Honey, Beeswax and Royal Jelly.

- Narendra Singh Tomar virtually launched recently ‘Sahakar Mitra’ scheme = initiative of the NCDC (National Cooperative Development Corporation) to provide paid internship to the Youth - Narendra Singh Tomar also launched “The Saras Collection” on GeM portal from New Delhi to showcase daily utility products made by rural self-help groups NDDB Chairman – Dilip Rath NBB Chairman – Shri Sanjay Agarwal

INTERNATIONAL

UNICEF to Lead Global Procurement, supply of COVID Vaccines when they are available. - UNICEF will collaborate with Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director – Henrietta H. Fore

Headquarter – New York

Indonesia + India = UNSC Resolution for Greater Participation of Women in Peacekeeping Forces - In May 2020, Indian Women Peacekeeper Major Suman Gawani won the UN Military Gender Advocate award. She served as a peacekeeper with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. - In June 2020, India was elected non-permanent member of the Security Council for a two-year term beginning on January 1, 2021. - India will serve as President of the powerful 15-nation UN body for the month of August, 2021.

77th Venice Film Festival 2020 - organised by La Biennale di Venezia

- Marathi Film “The Disciple” Bagged Best Screenplay Award

India, Afghanistan became Members of UN’s Commission on Status of Women - India (38 votes) and Afghanistan (39) won the ballot among the 54 members - India will be a member of the UN’s Commission on Status of Women for four years from 2021- 2025. - India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, T S Tirumurti announced the election of India to the Committee.

India Joined Djibouti Code of Conduct/ Jeddah Amendment as Observer held virtually on 26 August 2020 - India joined in order to collaborate with DCOC/JA member states towards for enhancing maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

- DCOC/JA = Adopted in January 2009 - it is to prevent piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, the East coast of Africa and Island countries in the IOR. - Currently it has 20 member states Djibouti Currency – Djiboutian franc President– Ismail Omar Guelleh

Mexico Became the First Country to Issue 7-year Sovereign Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Bond worth $890m under its new “SDG Sovereign Bond Framework” - Developed with investment bank Natixis, located in Paris, France. - SDGs are Also known as Global Goals = 17 SDGs were adopted by all UN member states at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-21) in Paris, France by agreeing on the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” on the pledge “Leave No One Behind”.

Mexico Capital – Mexico City Currency – Mexican peso President – Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador

World Health Organisation (WHO) has invited countries to join its Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility by August 31, 2020 - Facility is led by the WHO, GAVI vaccine alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). - Aim is to deliver 2 billion doses of effective, approved COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021. - The 75 countries, which would finance the vaccines from their own public finance budgets, partner with up to 90 lower-income countries that could be supported through voluntary donations to Gavi’s COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC).

- The vaccines will be delivered equally to participating countries proportional to their populations.

India - Cultural Agreement - Israel = to Strengthen Bilateral Relations to Promote People to People Exchange for 3 years - Ron Malka, Israel’s Ambassador to India signed an agreement with Uttar Pradesh to cooperate in the water utility on the Indo-Israel Bundelkhand water project.

UAE-Israel peace agreement named “Abraham Accord” - UAE became the first Gulf Arab state and only the third Arab nation after Egypt and Jordan to have active diplomatic ties to Israel.

Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Committed USD 25mn to Expand Unified Champion Schools (UCS) worldwide programme to 6 countries India, Argentina, Egypt, Pakistan, Romania and Rwanda with an aim to empower intellectually disabled children - The 4 year project will create 120 UCS across 12 states in India - UAE has also committed to bring UCS programming to all of its public schools in the coming years

Narendra Modi + Pravind Jugnauth jointly inaugurated the new Supreme Court building of Mauritius in Port Louis through VC - Supreme Court building - constructed with Indian grant assistance of US$ 30 million and first India-assisted infrastructure project Mauritius Currency – Mauritian rupee High Commissioner of India to Mauritius – Tanmaya Lal

Russia - 1st Country to Register COVID-19 Vaccine, ‘Sputnik V’, after the world’s first satellite Sputnik - Developed jointly by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Russian Defence Ministry. - Available to the public on Jan 1, 2021. - India is among 20 countries which has expressed interest in obtaining the vaccine

Bangladesh Decided to Construct a Monument for the Indian Soldiers Martyred in the 1971 - Tripura was selected by the Bangladesh Government for its historic significance in the 1971 war

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Introduced New Platform “Technical Platform on the Measurement and Reduction of Food Loss and Waste” to support the global reduction of food loss and waste FAO Director-General - QU Dongyu Headquarters – Rome, Italy

India contributed USD 15.46 mn to India-UN Development Partnership Fund of United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) - Out of USD 15.46 mn, USD 6 million is contributed to the overall fund, in which all the developing countries are eligible for partnership, and USD 9.46 million dedicated to the Commonwealth countries.

- India-UN Development Partnership Fund was Initiated in 2017 = dedicated facility within the UNOSSC, supported and led by the GoI, managed by the UNOSSC, and implemented in collaboration with the partner developing countries of UN system. United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) Envoy of the Secretary-General on South-South Cooperation – Jorge Chediek Headquarter – New York, United States (US)

The Republic of Mali awarded the Project Management Consultancy (PMC) contract for the development of a 500 MW solar park in Mali to NTPC Limited.

NTPC Ltd, India to set up Solar Power Plant in Sri Lanka - As a part of the strategy to exhibit the presence of India in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) International Solar Alliance(ISA) Director General – Upendra Tripathy Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana

NTPC Ltd CMD – Gurdeep Singh Headquarters – New Delhi

UNICEF India + SAP India, a software company = to Provide Career Counselling to Young People - Announced On 15th July 2020, World Youth skills Day - UNICEF India + YuWaah – UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited initiative to provide digital education and skills required for employment. UNICEF Representative in India– Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque SAP CEO – Christian Klein Headquarters– Walldorf, Germany SAP India’s President & Managing Director - Kulmeet Bawa, earlier Deb Deep Sengupta

“On the road to the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021” - India, Chile & UN’s FAO Co-Hosted Event the event

- 2021 as an International Year of Fruits and Vegetables’ by UN General Assembly in 2019 - Event is for the relevant stakeholders to discuss the key roles of fruits and vegetables in health, sustainable production systems, income and employment generation and other dimensions. Food and Agriculture organization (FAO) Director-General– QU Dongyu Headquarters– Rome, Italy

India - agreement - Maldives = for establishment of ‘Emergency Medical Services Unit’ at Baa Atoll Dharavandhoo Hospital in Male, Maldives - Project would cost MVR (Maldivian rufiyaa) 8.5 million (Approximately Rs 4,14,58,782) out of which MVR 7.5 million (Approximately Rs 3,64,03,786) is grant from India - Constructed by LF Construction Pvt Ltd of Maldives.

Pakistan and Gezhouba Group Company Limited of China signed an EPC Agreement for 700 MW Azad Pattan Hydel Power Project in the Sudhnoti District of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) - 1.5 billion USD project is a 2nd power project under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). - First project was signed on 23rd June 2020, for the 1100 MW Kohala project worth 2.3Billion USD, on the Jhelum river near Muzaffarabad. - CPEC is a part of the One Belt One Road (OBOR), which is aimed to develop and improve the infrastructure with Pakistan for better trade with China.

India – contract - Maldives = for development of Geydoshu Mas Plants at two islands in the Addu city of Maldives namely Maradhoo and Hulhudhoo

Turkmenistan = 25th country with Observer Status in World Trade Organization (WTO)

- Enabling the nation to establish permanent residence at WTO and monitor it’s proceedings - India also supported Turkmenistan as an observer of WTO. World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General – Roberto Carvalho de Azevedo (Retired on August 31, 2020) Members– 164 countries and 25 Observer nations

Nicaragua - 87th Country to sign the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement led by India International Solar Alliance (ISA) Director General – Upendra Tripathy Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana Republic of Nicaragua President – Daniel Ortega Capital– Managua Currency– Nicaraguan Cordoba Oro (NIO)

‘COVID-19 Law Lab’ Initiative - launched by UNDP, WHO, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University - to provide legal information worldwide - 1st initiative to start studying government response to a pandemic and to measure what works and what not. - WHO Launched ‘COVID-19 Technology Access Pool’ for equal access to Life-saving Tech during an event co-hosted by WHO and Costa Rica on May 29, 2020 at Geneva, Switzerland. - WHO and UN’s postal agency releases commemorative stamp on 40th anniversary of smallpox eradication WHO Headquarter – Geneva, Switzerland

15 Crore fund = to support India-Russia collaboration joint R&D and cross-country technology adaptation - launched by Department of Science and Technology (DST) - Joint Technology Assessment and Accelerated Commercialization Programme in partnership with Russia’s Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises (FASIE) - In india, programme will be implemented & funded by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) on behalf of the DST. - The programme will run through two annual cycles and top five selected Indian and Russian partners will be provided partial funding support Indian Ambassador to Russia – D. Bala Venkatesh Varma FICCI Secretary General – Dilip Chenoy President– Sangita Reddy Headquarter– New Delhi

As per request of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Government of India (GoI) = extended medical assistance in the form of anti-tuberculosis medicines worth about US$ 1 million to North korea - consignment of medicines was handed over by Indian Ambassador to North korea, Atul Malhari Gotsurve - On May 5, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un a commemorative war medal marking the 75th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany for recognizing his role in preserving the memory of Soviet soldiers who died on North Korean territory.

The Central Banks and Supervisors - Paris based Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) = joined by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as an observer

Israel - launched = its intelligence satellite ‘Ofek-16’ into the Low Earth Orbit

A new free trade agreement (NAFTA 2.0) between the United States, Mexico, and Canada comes into effect from 1st July 2020 onwards

Maldives and Sri Lanka - eliminated measles and rubella ahead of the 2023 target, According to the WHO, South-East Asian Region (SEAR) office - first two countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region

India = handed over outdoor fitness equipment for 61 islands across the Maldives under a cash grant of 8 million US dollars

New Trade Route opened in between India & Bhutan

- To Improve Trade and Connectivity - Between Jaigaon in West Bengal and Ahlay, Pasakha in Bhutan - Bhutan’s largest trading partner is India and the bilateral trade stood at Rs.9227 crores in 2018. Bhutan Prime Minister– Lotay Tshering Capital– Thimphu Currency– Bhutanese Ngultrum

Russia - started building its first stealth bomber under its Perspective Aviation Complex for Long Range Aviation (PAKDA) programme

India sets up military war game centre called ‘INDIA’ for Ugandan Defense forces The Indian Association Uganda (IAU) + Indian Military Advisory and Training Team for Uganda Peoples

Defense Forces (UPDF) - set up military war game centre called ‘INDIA’ at the Uganda Senior Command and Staff College in Jinja District of Uganda - cost of over 1 billion Ugandan shillings or $2,65,000 Capital = Kampala and currency = Ugandan Shilling

According to monthly crude steel report of World Steel Association for April 2020, India’s crude steel output declined by 65.2% to 3.137 million tonnes (MT) during April, 2020 The report included 64 steel production nations reporting to the worldsteel. World Steel Association HQ = Brussels, Belgium

The World Health Organization (WHO) + International Olympic Committee (IOC) - to promote health through sport and physical activity - WHO estimated that 1 in 4 adults is not active enough and more than 80% of the world’s adolescent population come under this category.

U.S joined G7 artificial intelligence group after a virtual meet of technology ministers of member nations to counter China

Italy - Genoa-based Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) - developed ‘iFeel-You’ - This bracelet will help users respect social distancing rules.

India along with 61 other countries moved a proposal in the World Health Organization to identify the source of COVID-19

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) - downgraded the India status by mentioning it into the list of “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)”

Iran - decided to change its currency from Rial to Toman by slashing four zeros from the rial - Toman, which is equal to 10,000 rials

China - launched - rocket “Long March 5B” into space - launched in Wenchang launch site located on the island of Hainan, china.

WHO + UN postal agency - released a commemorative postage stamp on the 40th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox

Israel named ‘Tagore Street’ after Rabindranath Tagore on his 159th anniversary

India - to hold the chair of the World Health Organization in May 2020 after Japan completes its tenure - India will continue to hold the chair for the next three years

Saudi Arabia - to raise value added tax (VAT) from 5 % to 15 % starting from 1st July

BANKING, FINANCE AND ECONOMY RBI IN NEWS

RBI Announced Additional OMO of G- sec of Rs 20,000 Cr in two tranches of Rs 10,000 crore each on September 10, 2020 and September 17, 2020 - To Ensure Orderly Market Conditions - RBI bank also announced term repo operations of Rs 100,000 crore (1 trillion) to infuse liquidity into the market. - RBI also increased the held to maturity limit (HTM) or the amount that banks invest in G-secs from 19.5% to 22% up to March 31, 2021. - OMO is a part of “Operation Twist” to ease pressure evolving liquidity and market conditions. The main purpose of the OMO is to bring down the yields at the longer end. - On August 25, 2020, RBI announced a simultaneous purchase and sale of government securities under OMO for an aggregate amount of Rs 20,000 crore in two equal tranches of Rs 10,000 crore on August 27, 2020 and September 03, 2020

RBI Released Revised Priority Sector Lending Guidelines - new categories are included under priority sector for financing like start-ups (up to Rs 50 crore), loans to farmers for installation of solar power plants for solarisation of grid connected agriculture pumps and loans for setting up Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) plants. - Higher weightage has been assigned to incremental priority sector credit in ‘identified districts’ where priority sector credit flow is comparatively low. - Higher credit limit has been specified for Farmers Producers Organisations (FPOs)/Farmers Producers Companies (FPCs) undertaking farming - Loan limits for renewable energy have been doubled. - Credit limit for health infrastructure (including those under ‘Ayushman Bharat’) doubled. - RBI Released Report of Committee For Analysis of QR Code headed by Prof. Deepak B Phatak

RBI ceased Banking operations of Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank

RBI specified five financial ratios and sector-specific thresholds for resolution of COVID-19- related stressed assets in 26 sectors - On the recommendations of an expert committee under the chairmanship Kundapur Vaman Kamath - formulated by RBI in August 2020 to set a parameters and benchmarks for stressed assets that need rescuing. - five ratios = 1. Total outside liabilities/adjusted tangible net worth (TOL/ATNW) 2. total debt/EBITDA 3. current ratio 4. debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) 5. Average debt service coverage ratio (ADSCR).

- TOL/ATNW has to be maintained as per the resolution plan by March 31, 2022 - The current ratio and DSCR in all cases shall be 1.0 and above, and ADSCR shall be 1.2 and above. - RBI allowed banks to alter the terms of loans for cash-strapped borrowers hit by the fallout of the coronavirus including longer repayment times and an extended freeze on repayments. - Banks don’t have to classify restructured loans as bad debt for up to two years. - RBI revised the guidelines applicable for Core Investment Companies RBI Deputy Governors– 4 (Bibhu Prasad Kanungo, Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, one is yet to be appointed)

RBI Issued Draft Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives (Reserve Bank) Directions under Section 45W of the RBI Act, 1934

- To allow foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) to undertake exchange-traded rupee interest rate derivatives transactions subject to an overall ceiling of Rs 5,000 crore. - To encourage higher non-resident participation, enhance the role of domestic market makers in the offshore market - For the purpose of offering Rupee IRD contracts to a user, entities should classify the user either as a retail user or as a non-retail user. - Any user who is not eligible to be classified as a non-retail user shall be classified as a retail user. - Interest Rate Derivatives (IRDs) are contracts whose value is derived from one or more interest rates, prices of interest rate instruments, or interest rate indices.

RBI Annual Report 2019-20 Released - India’s Growth Projected at -4.5%

- It will be (-) 3.7% in the single hit scenario and (-) 7.3% in the double hit scenario in FY2020- 21. - On the global front, the growth is projected at (-) 6.0% in the single hit scenario and (-) 7.6% in the double hit scenario in FY20-21. - RBI has decided to dissolve the Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) which was set up in February 2006 as an independent and autonomous body for formulating codes of conduct to be adopted by banks - RBI will be implement the recommendations of an in-house committee for integrating three existing Ombudsman schemes – Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006, Ombudsman Scheme for NBFCs, 2018 and Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions, 2019 into one scheme. - The RBI’s balance sheet increased by 30% to Rs 53,34,793 crore. - The gross total income for the year 2019-20 declined by 29% to Rs 149,672 crore as compared to Rs 193,036 crore in 2018-19.

- Its expenditure for the year 2019-20 is Rs 92,540 crore compared to an expenditure of Rs 17,045 crore in 2018-19. - The year ended with an overall surplus of Rs 57,128 crore which was transferred to the government. - Bank frauds of Rs 100,000 and above reported more than double in FY20 to Rs 1.85 trillion with the number cases increasing 28% in the same period. - PSBs accounted for 80% of the frauds in FY20 - Frauds in loans constituted 98% of the total frauds

RBI - Purchase & Sale of Govt Securities under OMO worth Rs 20,000 crore in two equal tranches of Rs 10,000 crore - RBI bought longer-dated government securities maturing between 2024 to 2032

- The securities for the second tranche auction on September 03, 2020 will be announced separately. - The objective of simultaneous purchase and sale of G-secs is to raise short-term yields and lower long term yields. - On July 2, 2020, RBI conducted the simultaneous purchase of Government Securities (G-Secs), maturing between 2027 and 2033, and sale of 182 day and 364 day treasury bills (DTBs) under Open Market Operations (OMO) for Rs 10,000 crore each. This OMO was a part of “Operation Twist”

RBI Released revised National Strategy for Financial Education (NSFE) 2020-2025 - Released by Mahesh Kumar Jain, Deputy Governor - NSFE 2020-2025 prepared by the National Centre for Financial Education (NCFE) in consultation with all Financial Sector Regulators - RBI, SEBI, IRDAI and PFRDA along with

Department of Financial Services (DFS) and other Ministries of Govt. of India under the aegis of the Technical Group on Financial Inclusion and Financial Literacy (TGFIFL) - TGFIFL was formed under the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. - Recommends adoption of a ‘5 C’ approach viz. Content, Capacity, Community, Communication and Collaboration. RBI Released “Framework for authorisation of pan-India Umbrella Entity for Retail Payments” - RBI has invited applications from eligible companies by February 26, 2021, the scrutiny of which will be undertaken by an External Advisory Committee (EAC). - The Board for Regulation and Supervision of Payment and Settlement Systems (BPSS), will be the final authority to issue authorisation for setting up umbrella entity / entities for retail payments

- All entities eligible to apply as promoters of the umbrella entity should be owned and controlled by resident Indian citizens under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA). - The minimum paid-up capital of the umbrella entity should be Rs 500 crore. - Any entity holding more than 25% of the paid-up capital but less than 40% of the umbrella entity will be deemed to be a Promoter. - Promoter should upfront (payment made in advance) minimum capital contribution of 10% i.e. Rs 50 crore at the time of making an application for setting up of the umbrella entity. - The Promoter shareholding can be diluted to a minimum of 25% after 5 years of the commencement of business of the umbrella entity. - A minimum net-worth of Rs 300 crore shall be maintained at all times.

RBI Mandated Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) with assets of Rs 2,000 crore or above as on March 31, 2020 to implement system-based asset classification from 30 June 2021. - This decision has been taken to improve the efficiency, transparency and integrity of the asset classification process. - For UCBs having total assets of Rs 1000 crore or above but less than Rs 2000 crore as on March 31, 2020 and have self-assessed under Level III or Level IV on “Comprehensive Cyber Security Framework for Primary (Urban) Cooperative Banks (UCBs) – A Graded Approach” are mandated to implement it from September 30, 2021.

RBI revised the guidelines applicable for Core Investment Companies (CICs) on the basis of the recommendations of the Working Group to Review the Regulatory and Supervisory Framework for Core Investment Companies

- CICs = CICs are non-bank lenders holding not less than 90% of their net assets as investments in equity shares, preference shares, bonds, debentures, debt or loans in group companies - Working group was constituted under the Chairmanship of Tapan Ray, former Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) - Report by the WG was published by RBI on November 6, 2019. - CICs with assets of over Rs 5,000 crore will have to appoint a chief risk officer (CRO). - CIC in the group, or the CIC with the largest asset size, will have to form a group risk management committee (GRMC), comprising of at least five members, with two independent directors. - It has been decided to limit the number of layers of CICs within a group, including the parent, to two in order to make group structures simpler.

RBI’s Central Board approved a dividend of Rs 57,128 crore to Central Govt for the accounting year 2019-20 - Board decided to maintain the Contingency Risk Buffer at 5.5%. - In 2019, had transferred a record payment of Rs 1.76 lakh crore which included Rs 1.23 lakh crore as dividend and about Rs 52,637 crore of excess provisions identified as per the revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF). - As per the Union Budget 2020-21, the govt has budgeted Rs 60,000 crore as dividends from RBI and state-run banks and financial institutions - As on June 30, 2020 the fiscal deficit of the govt reached 83.2% of the full year budget target of Rs 7.96 trillion due to sharp fall in revenues due to the nationwide lockdown imposed to control COVID-19. - RBI has decided to extend the enhanced borrowing facility provided to the banks to meet their liquidity shortages till September 30 from till June 30, 2020.

- RBI conducted the simultaneous purchase of Government Securities (G-Secs), maturing between 2027 and 2033, and sale of 182 day and 364 day treasury bills (DTBs) under Open Market Operations (OMO) for Rs 10,000 crore each = OMO is a part of “Operation Twist” to ease pressure evolving liquidity and market conditions.

RBI sets up panel under KV Kamath for one-time restructuring of loans - To set the parameters and benchmarks for this programme aimed at the resolution of stressed loans. - Committee will also evaluate resolution plans where debt is more than Rs 1,500 crore. - Setting up of committee is a part of the Resolution Framework/window which is available for one-time only to the COVID-19 related stressed assets under the “Prudential Framework on Resolution of Stressed Assets” dated June 7, 2019”

- The resolution plan may be invoked anytime till December 31, 2020 and shall have to be implemented within 180 days from the date of invocation - RBI announced additional special liquidity facility of Rs 5000 cr each for NHB & NABARD - NHB = additional standing liquidity facility (ASLF) of Rs 5,000 crore to National Housing Bank (NHB), over and above Rs10,000 crore already provided, for supporting housing finance companies (HFCs). The facility will be for a period of 1 year and will be charged at the RBI’s repo rate. - NABARD = ASLF of Rs 5,000 crore provided to NABARD for a period of 1 year at the RBI’s policy repo rate for refinancing Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) - Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) and other smaller NBFCs of asset size of Rs 500 crore and less to support agriculture and allied activities and the rural non-farm sector. - RBI introduced automated sweep-in and sweep-out (ASISO) facility to help banks manage liquidity in COVID-19 scenario

- RBI enhanced loan to value ratio to 90% of value of gold pledged - RBI extended provisions of restructuring of MSME loans for borrowers with loan outstanding upto Rs 25 cr - RBI also extended the restructuring of MSME debt until March 31, 2021 from December 31, 2020, on the condition that the borrower’s account was classified as standard with the lender as on March 1, 2020. - RBI to bring start-ups under priority sector lending category - Sectors that are already under PSL are agriculture, MSMEs, education, housing, social infrastructure among others. - RBI to set up ‘Innovation Hub’ to promote financial inclusion, efficient banking - Positive Pay mechanism for all cheques above Rs 50,000 = cheques will be processed for payment by the drawee bank based on information passed on by its customer at the time of issuance of cheque

- The average value of a cheque cleared in CTS presently is Rs 82,000. - Scheme of Offline Retail Payments Using Cards and Mobile Devices = RBI permitted small value offline transactions through cards and mobile devices for single payments of up to Rs 200 on pilot basis till March 31, 2021 - RBI to introduce online dispute resolution mechanism for digital payments - Headline inflation may remain elevated in Q2:2020-21, but may moderate in H2:2020-21. Members of MPC = Dr. Chetan Ghate, Dr. Pami Dua, Dr. Ravindra H. Dholakia, Dr. Mridul K. Saggar, Dr. Michael Debabrata Patra.

According to Reserve Bank of India - Tamil Nadu - raised ₹30,500 crores in 2020-21 - Topped the market borrowings among States - 17% of the borrowings done through the issue of bonds (known as state development loans)

- Followed by Maharashtra ₹25,500 crores (14%), Andhra Pradesh ₹17,000 crores (9%) and Rajasthan ₹17,000 crores (9%)

Report of Committee For Analysis of QR (Quick Response) Code - Released by RBI - headed by Prof. Deepak B Phatak - Report recommended making QR codes more interoperable. QR code is used to pay utility bills, fuel, grocery, food, travel, and several other categories.

RBI Signed USD 400 million Currency Swap Facility for Sri Lanka - Valid till November 2022 - Will help Sri Lanka to meet its short-term international liquidity requirements and to boost its foreign exchange reserves

- Currency swap agreement was made under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework. - Sri Lanka owes USD 960 million to India. - Webinar on ‘Deepening Economic Collaboration between India and Sri Lanka’ = organized by the FICCI + Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) Sri Lanka Currency – Sri Lankan Rupee President– Gotabaya Rajapaksa Prime Minister– Mahinda Rajapaksa

Reserve Bank of India - imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on UCO Bank for bouncing of SGL (Subsidiary General Ledger) forms

RBI - extended the interest subsidy period under the ‘Interest Equalisation Scheme for pre and post shipment Rupee Export Credit’ for exporters till 31 March 2021 which was ended on March 31, 2020 - About Interest Equalisation Scheme (IES) - It was implemented on 1st April 2015 to provide pre- and post-shipment export credit to exporters in rupees. At the time, exporters were facing increasing credit costs in their export cycles due to the stagnation of global demand and extended credit periods. - By introducing this scheme, the government expected that the exporters would be able to correct their pricing and improve the competitiveness of their products. - Under the IES, the government identifies eligible exporters and passes on the interest equalization amount they are entitled to directly to them. This scheme, which is also referred

to as interest subvention, was designed to benefit the MSME segment in particular. It was originally implemented for five years.

Reserve Bank of India – increased - Ways Means Advance limits of States by 60% - the number of days state can be in continuous overdraft has been increased from 14 days to 21 days. And number of days state can be in overdraft in a quarter has been increased from 32 to 50 days.

Rs 20,500 crores - part of the Rs 25,000 crores of special refinance facility provided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to NABARD for refinancing RRBs, cooperative banks and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) by NABARD to co-operative banks and Regional Rural Banks

RBI - extended the regulatory benefits under the special liquidity facility for mutual funds (SLF- MF) to All banks - on April 27, 2020, RBI has initiated a special liquidity facility of Rs 50,000 crore for MFs under which RBI will conduct repo operations of 90 days tenor at the fixed repo rate

RBI - cancelled - license of CKP Co-operative Bank Ltd - came into effect after 30 April, 2020 - The reason behind this is the financial position of the bank is highly unfavorable & there is no concrete revival plan or any proposal for merger with any other bank

OTHER BANK NEWS

Vedanta - Tied Up - SBI = for 7 year Long Term Syndicated Loan of Rs.10000 Crore(SBI IS LIKE VEDas OF BANKS)

- SBICAP Trustee Company limited(SBICTCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of SBI Capital Market Limited(SBICAP) as the security trustee - Syndicated loan is a loan offered by a group of lenders to provide credit to a large borrower. - As a lender State Bank of India has committed Rs.5000 crore. - Government of India - approved a scheme for improving the short-term liquidity position of non-banking finance companies (NBFCs)/housing finance companies (HFCs) through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in the form of Special Liquidity Scheme (SLS) Trust set up by SBI Capital Markets Limited (SBICAP), a subsidiary of the State Bank of India (SBI) Vedanta Limited CEO – Sunil Duggal Headquarter – Mumbai

LazyPay Launched - Digital Credit Card, ‘LazyUPI’ = Combination of UPI & Buy-Now-Pay-Later Concept

- LazyPay will offer a credit limit (upto INR 1 lakh) to users for UPI transactions at stores (online & offline) - Customers can set up their accounts using a 2-minute KYC process PayU Headquarter – Netherlands

RBL Bank + Empays Payment Systems = Launched Cardless Cash Withdrawal Facility from ATMs through the Instant Money Transfer (IMT) system (aE – PAY me from RBL bank) RBL Bank HeadQuarter – Mumbai MD & CEO – Vishwavir Ahuja

Atanu Kumar Das, MD & CEO of Bank of India launched an international contactless debit card, “Signature Visa Debit Card”(INDIA ko koi touch bhi nahi kar sakta(CONTACTLESS))

- For high net worth individuals who are maintaining an average quarterly balance of Rs 10 lakhs and above. - BOI virtually inaugurated new buildings of Rural Self Employment Training Institutes(RSETI) at Barabanki, Lucknow and Giridih (Jharkhand). Bank of India Tagline – Relationship Beyond Banking

ICICI Lombard - bancassurance - Yes Bank ICICI Lombard Headquarter – Mumbai YES Bank Headquarter – Mumbai

Titan and SBI launched India’s 1st Contactless Payment Watches Titan Pay - Powered by YONO SBI. - Without entering a PIN, payments can be made up to Rs 2000.

- This collection includes 3 different styles for men and 2 for women Titan MD – C K Venkataraman HeadQuarter – Bengaluru

ICICI Home Finance Launched “Apna Ghar Dreamz” - New Home Loan Scheme - Launched for Skilled Labours in Delhi - The credit amount of this loan ranges from Rs 2 lakh to 50 lakhs

Canara Bank Introduced i-Lead 2.0 (Inspiring Leads System version 2.0) to Enhance Customer Services

Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) Launched Vikas Laghu Suvarna, a Special Gold Loan Scheme with a reduced interest rate of 7.25%.

Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) Chairman – P Gopi Krishna HeadOffice - Dharwad, Karnataka

SBM Bank India + Mastercard = to Launch SBM World Debit Card for High Net Worth Customers SBM Bank Headquarter – Mumbai MD and CEO – Sidharth Rath

Integration of “ICAR-IIHR Seed Portal with SBI’s YONO Krishi Web Application - launched by Narendra Singh Tomar - To help the farmers in increasing the crop production along with the crop quality and income generation. - Farmers will also be able to purchase seeds certified by the research institute. - The Guest of Honor of this virtual launch event was Rajnish Kumar, Chairman, SBI.

- On the occasion of Independence Day of the Maldives on July 26, 2020, SBI provided liquidity support of USD 16.20 million as a COVID-relief for the Government of Maldives ICAR-IIHR Director - Dr. M.R. Dinesh Head Office– Bengaluru, Karanataka

Axis Bank unveils AXAA , an AI powered conversational banking IVR

HSBC India Launched Omni Collect = to offer multiple payment options on a single platform for businesses. HSBC India HeadQuarter – Mumbai CEO – Surendra Rosha

HSBC India Becomes 1st Foreign Bank in India to launch a ‘Green Deposit Programme’ for Corporate Clients to finance green initiatives and eco-friendly projects like renewable energy, clean transportation, and pollution prevention among others - ‘Green Deposit’ offers a stable principal, pre-agreed return and same levels of principal protection as a bank deposit. - The bank will provide a quarterly report which contains portfolio-level information regarding the use of the deposited funds. - HSBC India has financed the green loan aligned with the Green Loan Principles to set up a 250 MW wind power project in Kutch, Gujarat

HDFC Bank Virtually Launched ‘Shaurya KGC(Kisan Gold Credit) Card’, a tri color themed card for Indian armed forces personnel, i.e, Army, Navy, Air force and Para military forces and their families

- It will benefit over 45 lakh users - This launch is part of the HDFC Bank’s ‘Har Gaon Hamara’ initiative to provide banking facilities to customers in the rural and under-served areas of the country. - Life Cover – The Card comes with the life cover of Rs 10 lakh as against Rs 2 lakh for an average card - It can also be availed through HDFC Bank e-Kisan Dhan app or by calling toll-free number 1800 120 9655.

HDFC Bank + Adobe = to Enhance Digital Customer Experiences (AD OF HDFC) - Hyundai + HDFC Bank = to offer 1st online auto retail financing on its end-to-end online automotive retail platform, ‘Click to Buy’ to the customers. - Jharkhand government – MoU - HDFC Bank = to provide digital payment solutions to the state’s transport department.

ICICI Bank - 1st Bank in India Uses Satellite Data to Assess Credit Worthiness of Farmers - ICICI bank has already conducted a pilot study in over 500 villages in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat using satellite data. - It planned to expand the initiative to over 63,000 villages across the country soon. ICICI Bank MD & CEO – Sandeep Bakhshi Tagline– Hum Hai Na, Khayal Apka

MasterCard – Partnered - Goals101.ai = to create Targeted and Personalised Offers for Bank Cardholders - Goals101.ai will connect merchants and issuers using big data, AI and automation to create targeted and personalized offers for Bank cardholders.

- Mastercard and Goals101.ai will launch a section within the platform called ‘For You’ which will unify all the bank channels and properties into one. - Recently Axis Bank Ltd, Mastercard India & Worldline India have partnered to launch a digital point-of-sale(POS) solution ‘Soft POS’ Mastercard Headquarters – New York Chief Executive Officer – Ajay Banga Goals101.ai Headquarters - New Delhi Chairman & MD - Visham Sikand

RBL Bank - Partnered - Accenture = to transform and enhance the future readiness of the bank’s Information Technology (IT) systems and accelerate its digital transformation journey - Accenture will create a flexible and more responsive technological backbone for RBL Bank by utilizing its expertise in DevOps and Agile working methodology

RBL Bank Headquarter – Mumbai, Maharashtra MD & CEO – Vishwavir Ahuja Accenture Headquarter – Dublin, Ireland

SBI - Partnered - AddaCorner = to Launch ‘Online Home Carnival’ - Will help in boosting the Real Estate market in Bangalore. - The Carnival will invite potential home-buyers to come together as a group and directly negotiate with empanelled real estate sellers on a real time basis

Fino Payments Bank Ltd Launched ‘Jan Bachat Khata’(JBK), an Aadhaar enabled payment system (AePS) Based Digital Savings Account Fino Payments Bank Limited MD & CEO – Rishi Gupta

YES Bank + KFin Technologies Launched ‘Loan against Securities’ to Provide Complete Digital loan Against Mutual Fund - Loan Upto 1 crore can avail against debt mutual funds and can set an instant credit limit against the securities held. Yes Bank Headquarter – Mumbai MD & CEO – Prashant Kumar Tagline– Experience our Expertise KFin Technologies Headquarter – Hyderabad CEO – Sreekanth Nadella

PNB Launched ‘DIGITAL APNAYEN’, a Campaign to Promote Digital Banking - Launched by S S Mallikarjuna Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PNB - Campaign begins on 15th August 2020 and runs till 31st March 2021.

- The bank under the campaign will contribute Rs 5 towards the PM CARES Fund on behalf of each customer who conduct the 1st financial transaction to activate the RuPay Debit card either on point of sale (PoS) or e-commerce platform, AePS account through fund transfer, AePS account through BHIM - Download and Registration for UPI facility will also be eligible for contribution. PNB Tagline – The name you can bank upon.

Federal Bank + Fiserv, Inc = to Support Launch of their 1st Independent Credit Card, ‘Federal Bank Credit Card’ - The Federal Bank will utilise Fiserv’s FirstVision, an end-to-end managed services solutions - BOB Financial Solutions Limited(BFSL) has also chosen Fiserv, Inc. to enable the digitization of their end-to-end card issuance Federal Bank Headquarters– Aluva, Kerala

MD & CEO – Shyam Srinivasan Tagline – Your Perfect Banking Partner Fiserv, Inc. Headquarter – Brookfield, USA Executive Chairman – Jeffery W. Yabuki

SBM Bank India + InstaReM = to enhance the existing outbound remittance service offerings from India - InstaReM is the consumer and SME(Small & Medium Enterprises) brand under global fintech platform Nium SBM Bank India Headquarters – Mumbai MD and CEO – Sidharth Rath InstaReM Headquarters – Singapore Co-founder and CEO – Prajit Nanu

South Indian Bank (SIB) - obtained in-principle approval from RBI to set up a wholly owned non- financial subsidiary SIB Headquarters – Thrissur Tagline – Experience Next Generation Banking MD & CEO– V.G. Mathew

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) amended Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Liquidation Process) Regulations, 2016 Tagline – Together We Can

Kotak Mahindra Bank Launched = Two-Month Campaign, ‘Kona Kona Umeed’ with Offers, Discounts

Kotak Mahindra Bank Headquarter – Mumbai Tagline– Lets make money simple

BOB Financial Solutions Limited(BFSL) - chosen Fiserv, Inc = to enable the digitization of their end-to-end card issuance and processing cycle and support the launch of several new and high- tech products

USD 16.20 million liquidity support by SBI to Maldives for local businesses - 2020 marks the 55 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between India and the Maldives. - An Assistance of USD 400 million has been made available already to Maldives through an extended currency swap arrangement which was inked in July 2019 SBI Tagline – The Banker to Every Indian

IRCTC + SBI Card = launched a Co-branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform - It offers online transaction fee waiver (1% of transaction amount), 1% fuel surcharge waiver and 4 premium lounge free access at Railway stations in a year (one per quarter). - Upon activation of the card the cardholders will receive 350 Bonus Reward Points. - The accumulated reward points can be redeemed against purchase of train tickets on IRCTC’s ticketing website. IRCTC CMD – Mahendra Pratap Mall SBI Card Headquarter – Gurgaon, Haryana MD and CEO – Hardayal Prasad(will retire on July 31, 2020) Ashwini Kumar Tewari to take charge from August 1, 2020.

Bank of Maharashtra + Uniken, digital security pioneer = to secure its Internet banking channels on mobile, card, call centres and ATMs, among others, against cyber fraud

- BOM will use Uniken’s REL-ID technology for Omni-channel security for its online banking app MahaSecure Bank of Maharashtra MD and CEO – A S Rajeev Headquarter – Pune Tagline– One Family One Bank (Ek Parivar Ek Bank) Uniken CEO – Bimal Gandhi Headquarter – Chatham, New Jersey, United States

HDFC Bank – launched = ‘e-Kisaan Dhan’ app for farmers - To access the services, both banking and agriculture services such as mandi prices, latest farming news, weather forecast, e-pashuhaat, Kisan TV, and more through their mobile phones + services like apply for loans, Fixed Deposits, Recurring Deposits, and Savings Accounts

HDFC Bank - offered = an instant car loans to existing customers through an initiative called “ZipDrive” in 1,000 cities

SBM bank + Mastercard = to enable its customers to make real-time domestic & cross-border payments(Business to Consumer- B2C) and remittances quickly and efficiently through ‘Mastercard Send’

Yes Bank - launched a digital solution, ‘Loan in Seconds’ for instant disbursement of retail loans

ICICI Bank + Computer Age Management Services (CAMS) - launched ‘Insta Loans against Mutual Funds’

- To avail loans upto Rs 1 crore instantly by pledging their holdings in both debt and equity Mutual Funds (MFs) - Fully digital and paperless facility - Empowers customers to get this loan as an overdraft (OD) within a few minutes without having to visit a branch and submit physical documents.

Kotak Mahindra Bank + Innoviti Payment Solutions Pvt. Ltd = to provide EMI billing options on bank’s Debit Cards which are swiped on Innoviti Point of Sale (POS) terminals - More than half of Innoviti’s POS terminals have been installed in 350 smaller cities and towns in India with a population of less than 2 million - will help consumers especially in tier 2 & 3 cities to access credit conveniently through their Kotak debit cards

Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) + with Star Health and Allied Insurance Co = to provide a wide range of health insurance options to its customers

Karur Vysya Bank + Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance = to offer life insurance solutions to its customers

Bhavishya’ savings account - Launched by the Fino Payments Bank Limited - For minors aged between 10-18 years - Subscription-based savings account, can be opened by paying a nominal amount

Tools for banks, co-operative societies & post offices - launched by CBDT - to ascertain TDS applicability rates on cash withdrawals

- A new functionality of Income Tax Department namely “Verification of applicability u/s 194N” = available on www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in since July 1, 2020 - now made accessible for banks, co-operative societies, and post offices through web-services by Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). - feature will enable banks and post offices to ascertain the TDS applicability rates on cash withdrawals of above Rs 20 lakh in case of a non-filer of the income-tax return (ITR) and that of above Rs 1 crore in case of a filer of the ITR. Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairperson– Pramod Chandra Mody Headquarter– New Delhi

PNB’s Nationwide CSR Campaign to Fight COVID-19 Pandemic - Launched by Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan - To prevent the spread of COVID-19 by distributing face masks and sanitizers

- The bank will be providing COVID-19 related prevention materials to 662 districts throughout the country. Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare = Ashwini Kumar Choubey

FamPay, India’s first Neobank for teenagers + IDFC = launched India’s 1st numberless card - Famcard - FamPay + National Payments Corporation of India(NPCI) developed this card - Card is accepted across the RuPay payment network - App was launched on Android and iOS FamPay Headquarter – Bengaluru, Karnataka Founders – Kush Taneja & Sambhav Jain NPCI Non Executive Chairman – Biswamohan Mahapatra MD & CEO– Dilip Asbe

Airtel Payments Bank Partnered + NSDC = to Skill Rural Youth for Financial Services Sector Jobs to find employment opportunities and become entrepreneurs Airtel Payments Bank Headquarter – New Delhi, India MD & CEO = Anubrata Biswas Non Executive Chairman– Sunil Bharti Mittal NSDC = Headquarters – New Delhi

‘Insta Click Savings Account’, 100% Paperless Digital Self-Assisted Online Savings Account - Launched by Bank of Baroda - Customer can transact using the Baroda M Connect Plus application with the MPIN received on the mobile number. - BoB is working on digitizing all its products and expects to be 100% paperless by 2023.

BoB MD and CEO – Sanjiv Chadha Non-Executive Chairman– Hasmukh Adhia

ADB + Green Climate Fund (GCF) = join hands towards ‘green recovery’ on the impacts of COVID- 19 disease - Collaboration focuses on enhancing the steps to reduce the carbon emission and for climate resilient development in Asia and the pacific. - ADB = offered a support package of USD 20 billion for COVID-19.

ICICI bank - introduced - special fixed deposit (FD) scheme for senior citizens called ‘ICICI Bank Golden Years FD’ - interest rate of 6.55% per annum (p.a) - deposits up to Rs. 2 crores

- Tenure of 5 years and 1 day to 10 years

SBI - launched ‘SBI Wecare Deposit’ scheme - additional 30 bps interest to senior citizens on their term deposits

HDFC - launched ‘Senior Citizen Care FD’ - additional 75bps for deposits with more than 5-year tenor with investments up to Rs 5 crore

Maruti Suzuki + ICICI Bank - to provide retail financing schemes to customers

Mastercard + Airtel Payments Bank = to develop customized payment solutions for farmers, SMEs

- Airtel Payments Bank HQ – Delhi

Kotak Mahindra Bank - first bank in India to introduce video-KYC facility for saving account customers. Under the video conferencing KYC system, customers have to provide Aadhaar and PAN to open Kotak 811 savings account’

ICICI Bank - launched Golden Years FD’ scheme for senior citizens to help the get higher interest rate of 6.55% for deposits up to ₹2 crore with a tenure of more than five years to 10 years

MoneyGram Payment Systems - partnered - with Federal Bank - to offer a cost-effective direct to bank account credit option for customers in India - Federal Bank has a 15% share of the country’s

remittance market and expects that the tie-up with MoneyGram will give the business a further boost.

Canara Bank – launched a special business vertical dedicated for gold loans till 30th June 2020 with an interest rate of 7.85% per annum to meet the financial needs of its customers

HDFC Bank - released a song titled #HumHaarNahiMaanenge to keep hopes up amidst the ongoing national lockdown and Covid-19 - lyrics penned by Prasoon Joshi and music by AR Rahman - HDFC Bank announced that it will contribute Rs 500 each time the song is shared via social media towards the PM-CARES Fund

Vikas Abhaya - a loan scheme by Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) – launched in dharwad - loan will be for the existing MSME customers who have been regular as on February 29, - maximum loan of up to Rs 1 lakh will be provided and no collateral security is emphasized & is repayable within 36 months

NABARD, SEBI AND INSURANCE IN NEWS

NABARD launched Awareness & Sensitization programme for Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO)

Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd - New Online Insurance Broker = to Launch a portal - PayBima Mahindra Insurance Brokers Ltd Head Office – Mumbai Managing Director – Dr. Jaideep Devare

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance - Partnered - NSDL Payments Bank = to offer insurance products ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Limited MD & CEO – N. S. Kannan HeadOffice – Mumbai NSDL Payments Bank HeadQuarter – Mumbai

NABARD Introduced a Debt and Credit Guarantee Product, ‘Structured Finance and Partial Guarantee Programme to ensure uninterrupted flow of credit to NBFC-MFIs’

Bharti AXA Life Insurance Entered - Bancassurance - SBM Bank India Recent bancassurance agreements - Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) + Star Health and Allied Insurance Co Ltd - UCO Bank + SBI Life Insurance

SBM Bank India Headquarter – Mumbai MD & CEO – Sidharth Rath Bharti AXA Life Insurance MD & CEO – Parag Raja

Canara Bank Partnered with New India Assurance Company Ltd, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co Ltd and HDFC ERGO Health Insurance Co Ltd to offer individual short-term Corona Kavach policy Canara Bank Headquarters – Bangalore Chairman – T.N. Manoharan MD & CEO – L.V. Prabhakar

Airtel Payments Bank + Bharti AXA General Insurance = to offer “Smart Plan Shop Package Policy”

Airtel Payments Bank MD CEO – Anubrata Biswas Headquarter – New Delhi Bharti AXA General Insurance MD & CEO – Sanjeev Srinivasan Headquarter – Mumbai

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Launched 1st of its Kind ‘Smart Assist’, a Real-time Assistance Service (BAJAJ IS SMART ASSISTANT) - The service allows the customers to connect with the company to avail real-time assistance on completing the purchase anywhere. - Smart Assist co-browsing service enables personalised engagement with customers in a 100% secure environment, with end-to-end encryption. Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited MD and CEO – Tarun Chugh HeadQuarter – Pune

Religare Health Insurance renamed Care Health Insurance and became effective from August 19, 2020

SBI General Insurance Launched - ‘Shagun – Gift an Insurance’ Policy for Personal Accident SBI General Insurance MD and CEO – Prakash Chandra Kandpal

Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd + BSE EBIX Insurance Broking Private Limited (BSE EBIX) = to sell General Insurance products - Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd = joint venture between Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Karnataka Bank, Dabur Investment Corp and Sompo Japan Insurance Inc. - BSE EBIX = joint venture between BSE and EBIX Fincorp Exchange Pte Ltd Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Headquarter – Mumbai MD & CEO – Sharad Mathur

BSE EBIX Headquarter – Mumbai

Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance + Element AI = to develop, design and implement a strategic AI roadmap for the new age insurer and prioritise their investments into AI. Edelweiss Tokio Life Insurance Company Limited Headquarter – Mumbai Element AI Headquarter – Montreal,Canada.

SEBI amended the clause 4 (2) of international financial services centre (IFSC) guidelines, 2015’ = eligibility, shareholding limit for clearing corporation - any Indian recognised stock exchange or clearing, or, any recognised stock exchange or clearing corporation of a foreign jurisdiction, will form a subsidiary to provide the services of a clearing corporation in IFSC wherein at least 51% stake is held by such exchange or clearing corporation.

- Remaining share capital may be acquired or held by any other person. = will not at any time, acquire or hold more than 5% stake in a clearing corporation in IFSC, subject to applicable laws. - Any other stock exchange, depository, bank, insurance company of Indian or foreign jurisdiction have been allowed to acquire 15% stake - Public financial institutions may acquire or hold up to 15% of the paid up equity share capital of such clearing corporations with prior approval of the board.

Listed entities got 3 years to meet criteria of minimum 25% public shareholding - Changes made in the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Rules, 1957 in rule 19A, in sub-rule (1) - Central Board of Direct Taxes and SEBI signed a MOU for the data exchange between the two organizations on a regular basis.

LIC - corporate agency pact - UBI = to distribute LIC’s policies LIC Chairman – MR Kumar UBI MD & CEO – Rajkiran Rai G Virtual Assistant– UVA Tagline– Good People to Bank

NABARD - Rs 1,050 crores to West Bengal during FY 21 for the benefit of farmers & poor people - Rs 300 crores disbursed for MFIs (micro-finance institutions), - Rs 700 crores sanctioned for state cooperative banks and - Rs 50 crorse for regional rural banks (RRBs).

LIC - launched - modified PM Vaya Vandana Yojana pension scheme - for those over and above 60 years

Maruti Suzuki India Limited - partnered with - Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited (CIFCL) - to launch ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ financing scheme

Edelweiss General Insurance - launched ‘Edelweiss SWITCH’, an app-based motor insurance own damage (OD) floater policy

IRDAI - approved Union Bank of India’s proposal to continue with its 30% holding in IndiaFirst Life Insurance

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company + Flipkart - digital motor insurance policy to Flipkart’s customers.

IRDAI - formulated 9-member expert panel headed by Atul Sahai - recommended an increase in indemnity being provided to the policyholders under Trade Credit Insurance (TCI) from existing 85% of the trade receivables from each buyer to 90%. For Micro and small enterprises (MSEs), 95% indemnity is proposed to provide relief in the event of loss which is beyond their control

SBI General Insurance - launched - “Aarogya Sanjeevani Health Insurance Policy” - Hospitalization cover anywhere in India with sums insured ranging from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 5 lakhs + covid – 19

ECONOMY ETC

WhatsApp + CyberPeace Foundation = to create awareness on cyber safety among students - To reach about 15,000 students in 5 Indian states = Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra by the end of 2020 under the first phase - The educational partnership is part of WhatsApp’s multi-year campaign on safety, which focuses on digital literacy and creating awareness.

Mastercard Launched Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) Testing Platform - To Assess and Explore National Digital Currencies.

PayU Finance Launched Digital Revolving Credit Line called ‘LazyPlus’ with UPI and Buy-Now- Pay-Later concept.

WE HUB + NutriHub = to Promote Women Entrepreneurs in Agri Sector

- WE HUB is India’s first State led incubator for women led start-ups under the Government of Telangana - NutriHub is a Technology Business Incubator supported by the DST and hosted by ICAR- IIMR,Hyderabad.

Innoviti – Partnered - Visa = to develop installments platform for face-to-face transactions (VISA IS INNOVETOR) - IRCTC and SBI Card launched a co-branded contactless credit card, IRCTC -SBI Platinum Card on RuPay Platform - Yes Bank Limited + Delhi-based fintech startup Affordplan = to launch a co-branded healthcare card called ‘Swasth Card’ under Swasth program (CAN YOU AFFORD THIS - YES) Innoviti Payment Solutions Pvt. Ltd Registered office – Bangalore, Karnataka Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Rajeev Agrawal

Visa Headquarters – California Chairman and CEO– Alfred F. Kelly, Jr.

Mahindra - MoU - Israeli startup – REE Automotive = to Develop Electric Commercial Vehicles (MAHINDRA GOT ELECTRIC SHOCK FROM ISRAEL) - This partnership aims to provide 2-2.5 lakh electric commercial vehicle units over years REE Co-founder & CEO – Daniel Barel Headquarters – Tel Aviv, Israel

NPCI Launched - Subsidiary Firm, ‘NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) - Appointed Ritesh Shukla as its CEO - As per the Regulatory records the NIPL was incorporated on April 03, 2020

- NPCI has launched blockchain technology based “Vajra Platform” to make payments fast & secure. NPCI Head Office – Mumbai

Unitus Ventures Received Rs 75 Crore (USD 10 million) from SIDBI’s Fund of Funds for Start-ups initiative = will Strengthen the Deployment of its second Rs 300 crore fund, which was launched in 2018. - Unitus Ventures has recently invested Rs 8.5 crore (USD 1.1 million) in Masai School, an ed- tech platform. - Unitus Ventures Fund II = It will invest in 15-20 start-ups in early and scale-up stages with ticket sizes(amount invested into a company) between USD 0.5 million to USD 1.5 million. - Start-ups like Milaap, Hippocampus, Caravan, iStar, and CueLearn have been funded by Unitus Ventures Fund II.

IBM + National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) = to offer a free digital education platform on emerging technologies and professional skill development - IBM will manage an online course from Open P-Tech platform and will offer it to the users through eSkill India Portal of NSDC. - The platform is available in English which will be expanded to multiple Indian languages starting with Hindi and followed Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, Gujarati, Sindhi, Urdu, Bengali. - Under this partnership IBM will catalogue more than 30 courses with 60 hours of learning as knowledge partners. - For the Learners between the age of 18 to 22 years, professional skills like design thinking will be provided for free. IBM CERO – Arvind Krishna

Headquarters – Armonk, New York

Tata Capital Ltd Launched a New Service, ‘Swift Insta Personal Loans’ on Whatsapp Existing customers can apply for loans (on a single platform) using TIA, a chatbot of Tata Capital on WhatsApp number (7506756060)

Tech Mahindra + NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) = to Support Women Entrepreneurs in India - WTI awards is an initiative of the WEP to recognise women leaders in entrepreneurship - Tech Mahindra’s research and development arm, Makers Lab, will support women entrepreneurs through joint research, building go-to-market strategies to drive their growth. Tech Mahindra MD and CEO – Chander Prakash Gurnani Headquarter – Pune

ReNew Power + United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) = to promote increased access to renewable energy and improved energy efficiency. ReNew Power CMD – Sumant Sinha Headquarter – Gurugram UNEP Executive Director - Inger Andersen Headquarter – Nairobi, Kenya

Multi-Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX) Launched India’s 1st Tradeable Real-Time Bullion Index, ‘MCX iCOMDEX Bullion’ - Currently, it carries around 70.52% weight for gold and 29.48% for silver. Multi-Commodity Exchange of India Ltd Headquarters – Mumbai Chairman – Saurabh Chandra

MD & CEO- P.S. Reddy

Reliance Foundation + US Agency for International Development (USAID) = to Launch the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Women Connect Challenge (WCC) across India in 2020 - To bridge the gender digital divide in India - W-GDP event hosted by Stephen Biegun, US Deputy Secretary of State along with Ivanka Trump,Advisor to the US President and Bonnie Glick, Deputy USAID Administrator.

Paytm Launched India’s 1st Pocket Android POS (Point of Sale) Device - ‘Paytm All-in-One Portable Android Smart POS’ - It comes with an introductory price of Rs 499 per month on a rental basis and is designed like a phone.

- Paytm aims to issue over 2 lakh devices within the next few months

The International Financial Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group = to invest Rs 75 crore (about USD 10million) in Endiya Partners Fund II - IFC has also committed an additional USD 10 million for direct co-investments. - Endiya Partners Fund II is an India domiciled Category II Alternate Investment Fund (AIF) - It seeks to invest in 16-20 start-ups, from USD 500,000 to USD 1 million in Seed/Pre-series A rounds and a planned investment of upto USD 5 million per company - corpus target of USD 65 million (around Rs 500 crore) Endiya Partners Headquarters – Hyderabad MD – Ramesh Byrapaneni & Sateesh Andra IFC Headquarters – Washington, D.C. India Head– Jun Zhang

NPCI Launched Loyalty Platform, ‘nth Rewards’ - A business intelligence and analytics enabled omni-channel multi-branded loyalty platform. This platform enables users to earn ‘nth’ (denoting infinite possibilities) points through various bank transactions and redeem them instantly on various products, such as e-vouchers, donations, hotel and flight bookings. NPCI Head Office – Mumbai MD & CEO – Dilip Asbe

Bharti Airtel announced - multi-year Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS) - To provide a comprehensive set of cloud solutions to the large enterprises and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) customers in India.

Bharti Airtel Limited MD & CEO – Gopal Vittal Headquarters– New Delhi

National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) + Infosys Finacle = announced that the bank has decided to adopt the Finacle Cash Management Suite to digitally transform its transaction banking business. NBB Headquarters – Manama, Bahrain

Praj Industries (Praj) – MoU - Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) - will jointly develop advanced bio fuels application technology for the usage in industry and transportation

MobiKwik Launched - mpay.me = Personalized UPI Payment Link MobiKwik: Headquarter – Gurugram

Founder CEO & Director – Bipin Preet Singh Co-Founder & Director– Upasana Taku

Through Finance Act 2019, amendments were brought to the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 - Into effect from 1st July 2020 onwards - For building a pan-India securities market and to boost Ease of Doing Business.

As of 1st July 2020 - Banks have sanctioned loans - over Rs 1.10 lakh crore under ECLGS. Out of 1.10 lakh crore, more than Rs 52000 crores already disbursed until 1st July

Global Bharat program - Launched by the German technology firm SAP India - To equip Indian MSMEs with digital technologies in order to make them globally competitive

As per the data from the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the United States surpassed the People’s Republic of China = remains top trading partner of India during the Financial Year 2019-20.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)’s = new Utility Tool launched - will facilitate the Banks and Post Offices across the country with the accurate TDS rate (Tax Deduction at Source) applicable on cash withdrawals - web portal-‘incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in’ - The Utility Tool is available under the name’ Verification of Applicability u/s 194N’ on the portal

AAI - MoU – BEL(Bharat Electronics Ltd) = to collaborate and support the global opportunities in the airport business, including those in the Asia Pacific region AAI Headquarters– New Delhi Chairman– Arvind Singh BEL Chairman & Managing Director– M V Gowtama

CBDT = launched revised Form 26AS - In order to enhance the flow of information between taxpayers and tax authorities CBDT has launched a revised auto-generated Form 26AS namely “Annual Information Statement (AIS)” from this assessment year of 2020-2021 w.e.f. June 1 - SFTs are included in the Part E of the improved Form 26AS.

- Form 26AS is a consolidated annual tax statement that includes information on tax deducted/collected at source (TDS), advance tax, other taxes paid, refunds, and self- assessment

RIL - 1st Indian company to reach Market Cap of Rs 13 lakh crore - Becomes 48th largest company in market cap globally - Also crossed the stock price of Rs 2000 for the 1st time. - Saudi Aramco is the company with the highest market cap of $1.7 trillion, followed by Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet. - Reliance is the 10th highest m-cap company in Asia

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) - world’s second most valuable energy company - overtook American company ExxonMobil – Aramco = 1st

- market capitalisation (m-cap) reached over Rs 14 lakh crore (USD 189.3 billion) - Globally, Saudi Aramco has the highest market cap of USD 1.75 trillion, followed by Apple (USD 1.6 trillion), Microsoft (USD 1.5 trillion)

Nirmala Sitharaman - launched - Instant allotment Aadhaar based e-KYC facility of PAN

Salman Khan - launched - new Grooming & Personal Care Brand FRSH

Zaggle + Visa - to launch innovative payments solutions for SMEs & start-ups - Zaggle plans to launch FoundersCard, a credit card for founders and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of SMEs and start-ups in the next 45-60 days.

Tech firm Vakrangee joins + LIC = to distribute micro insurance products

HIL (India) Limited - to supply 25 tones Malathion Technical to Iran for the Locust Control Program

Infosys + Zurich-based Avaloq = for digital wealth management services

As per NSO, India’s GDP growth – lowest of 11-year low to 3.1 in Q4, 2019-20%

FDI raised 18% to $73.46 billion in FY20: DPIIT

- According to Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), FDI increased by 18% to $73.46 billion in the FY 2019-20. Singapore - largest equity FDI source, contributing to $14.67

BSE & NSE announced that Annual listing fee reduced by 25% for SMEs

OPPO + Vodafone - to boost 5G adoption in the world

The government - decided to increase the borrowing limits of states to 5% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) for the year 2020-21

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) - decided to reduce the listing fee for their SME platforms by 25 per cent

Ameyo – launched - video KYC engagement platform for the banking and finance sector

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd - launch of ‘Own-Online’ - one-stop available 24X7 where customers can finance, insure, exchange, accessories and own a Mahindra vehicle in four steps

Rs 12,767 crore - NABARD to State Co-operative Banks and Regional Rural Banks across the country for extending credit to farmers during the lockdown - for one year at an interest rate of 4.8 per cent.

Smt Nirmala Sitaraman - launched - INR-USD Futures and Options contracts in the BSE and NSE platforms - at the GIFT International Financial Service Centre (IFSC) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat through video conference

SOME SPECIFIC GROUPS/CHANNELS FOR SEBI, RBI, IBPS&RRB, FCI, RBI ASSISTANT AND QUIZ GROUP -

AWARDS, PERSONS IN NEWS Appointments

Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) - approved = appointment of Rajesh Khullar - Executive Director of World Bank & Sameer Kumar Khare – as Executive Director of ADB

ADB - Appointed = Takeo Konishi - new country director for India = Succeeded Kenichi Yokoyama - India is 4th Largest Shareholder and Largest Borrower of ADB since 2010

Yoshihide Suga elected = Japan’s New Prime Minister - Will succeed Shinzo Abe, who was Japan’s Longest serving Prime Minister and stepped down due to health problems. - He will be the Oldest Prime Minister to take the Office since Kiichi Miyazawa in 1991 - Yoshihide was also elected as Leader of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). - His tenure as Prime Minister will end in September 2021. - Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona recently sworn in as the 54th President of Dominican Republic. Japan Emperor – Naruhito Currency – Yen

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Paresh Rawal as Chairman of National School of Drama(NSD) - succeeded Ratan Thiyam

All India Tennis Association (AITA) Elected Anil Jain, Rajya Sabha Member as its New President

Lebanon President, Michel Aoun appointed Mustapha Adib as New Prime Minister of Lebanon Currency– Lebanese pound

Vinay M Tonse - MD & CEO of SBI Funds Management Pvt. Ltd = Replaced Ashwani Bhatia (VINAY HAS TONse OF FUND IN SBI) - Ashwani Bhatia started his career in 1985 as a PO in SBI.

G Satheesh Reddy gets Two-Year Extension as Chairman of DRDO

Retired IAS officer & Former Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar Appointed as New Election Commissioner = succeeds Ashok Lavasa

Keith Christopher Rowley Becomes Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago for a 2nd Consecutive Term

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Capital – Port of Spain Currency – Trinidad and Tobago dollar

Francisco Asue is reappointed as the Prime Minister of Equatorial Guinea Republic of Equatorial Guinea President – Teodoro Obiang Capital – Malabo Currency – Central African CFA franc

54th President of Dominican Republic - Luis Rodolfo Abinader - succeeds Danilo Medina Dominican Republic Capital – Santo Domingo Currency – Dominican Peso

Ashok Lavasa Resigns to take charge as the Vice President of Asian Development Bank (ADB) next month - Ashok Lavasa is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Haryana Cadre (Batch 1980)

Republic of Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita Resigned after Military Mutiny - Was re-elected in 2018 as the President. Mali Capital – Bamako Currency – West African CFA franc

Satya Pal Malik = Appointed as Governor of Meghalaya - replaced Tathagata Roy

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari given Additional Charge of Goa

Rakesh Asthana IPS = appointed as the Director General of the Border Security Force along with the Director General of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) - Gujarat cadre IPS officer of 1984 batch - VSK Kaumudi, Andhra Pradesh cadre IPS officer of 1986 batch = appointed as the Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the Ministry of Home Affairs - Jawed Akhtar, Uttar Pradesh Cadre IPS officer of 1986 batch = appointed as the DG of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard

Gujarat Chief Secretary - Anil Mukim = got 6 Month Extension from September 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021 Pramod Bhasin – New Chairperson of Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) - Isher Judge Ahluwalia resigned

Belarus - Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has won his sixth consecutive presidential term (1994-present) by taking over 80% of the votes Belarus: Capital – Minsk Prime Minister – Roman Golovchenko

Asian College of Journalism Award 2019 - Bagged by Journalists Nitin Sethi and Shiv Sahay Singh - Awards were presented in a virtual ceremony by Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist of the World Health Organisation(WHO) - Nitin Sethi = journalist in the Huffington post - Shiv Sahay Singh = journalist in The Hindu. ACJ Headquarter – Chennai

Chairman – Sashi Kumar

SL Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa won Parliamentary elections Sri Lanka Capital – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte (legislative) Colombo (executive & judicial) President – Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Former J&K Governor GC Murmu appointed as 14th CAG = Replaces Rajiv Mehrishi - GC Murmu will take oath on August 8, 2020 at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. - He will have tenure up to November 20, 2024.

Prof. Pradeep Kumar Joshi appointed - UPSC chairman = Succeeds Arvind Saxena

Manoj Sinha appointed = Lt Governor of J&K - Succeeds Girish Chandra Murmu - Former union minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Uttar Pradesh (UP) J&K Capital – Srinagar (summer), Jammu (winter)

Ajay Tyagi, Chairman of SEBI got another 18 Months Extension w.e.f 01.09.2020 up to 28.02.2022 - He took charge from his predecessor, U K Sinha, on March 1, 2017.

New Prime Minister of Peru - Walter Roger Martos Ruiz = Succeeds Pedro Cateriano Peru Capital – Lima Currency- Peruvian Sol(PEN)

Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Mauritania = Mohamed Ould Bilal Mauritania Capital – Nouakchott

Currency – Ouguiya

Capital India Finance Executive Chairman - Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, Ex-NABARD Chief Capital India Finance Limited MD & CEO – Vineet Saxena. HeadOffice – Mumbai

Mohamed Irfaan Ali became President of Guyana = succeeds David Arthur(A.) Granger Guyana Capital – Georgetown Currency - Guyanese Dollar (GYD)

Rajesh Kumar, IAS appointed as Manipur Chief Secretary Manipur Chief Minister – N. Biren Singh Capital – Imphal

Governor – Najma Heptulla

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has appointed Defence Minister Hamed Bakayoko as Prime Minister (PM) Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) Capital– Yamoussoukro Currency – West African CFA franc

Great Eastern Shipping Company Ltd - new Additional & Independent Director for 5 years = Former RBI Governor Urjit Patel

Former chairman of Coal India Ltd. (CIL), Anil Kumar Jha = Appointed as Member of Expert Appraisal Committee

- EAC formed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) appraises projects that are commissioned without obtaining prior environmental clearance and have been termed as cases of violation.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonió Guterres named Indian climate activist Archana Soreng among 7 members to his new Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change. - Members will advise him regularly on accelerating global action and also provide solutions to tackle the worsening climate crisis. - members are between the ages of 18 and 28 years old

Tunisia’s new PM = Hichem Mechichi - earlier Interior Minister Tunisia Capital – Tunis Currency – Tunisian Dinar (TND)

Croatia new PM = Andrej Plenkovic - From Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party Croatia Capital – Zagreb Currency- Croatian kuna

First Woman Prime Minister of gabon = Rose Christiane Ossouka Raponda - Appointed by Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon Gabon Capital & Currency- Libreville & Central African CFA franc

Tunisian Prime Minister = Elyes Fakhfakh Resigned - Reason = The Ennahda party and other blocs have withdrawn the confidence from the government.

Tunisia Capital– Tunis Currency– Tunisian Dinar(TND)

Chandrikapersad “Chan” Santokhi (61), an Indian-origin former police chief = elected as the president of Suriname - A country in South America - Santokhi will be sworn in as the President from 16, July 2020 - Succeeds Desi Bouterse. - Ronnie Brunswijk will serve as the vice-president. Suriname Capital: Paramaribo Currency: Surinamese Dollar

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Appointed Election Commissioner of India, Ashok Lavasa as its New Vice-President - Will succeed Diwakar Gupta, whose term will end on 31 August, 2020. - Ashok Lavasa, a retired 1980 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre ADB Headquarters – Manila, Philippines President – Masatsugu Asakawa

Prof. R. Narayanaswamy, IIM Bangalore = appointed as the Chair of the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) - TAC = consists of 7 members including the chairman. - Prof R. Narayanaswamy has been with IIMB since 1986. National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) Chairperson – R.Sridharan Headquarter – New Delhi

Tenure of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Acting President BSV Prakash Kumar has been extended for 1 month by the Govt. - NCLT was set up under section 408 of the Companies Act, 2013, on June 1, 2016

DG of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Shri Arun Kumar = nominated as the Vice-Chairman of Paris – based security platform Union UIC from July 2020 to July 2022 UIC Headquarters – Paris, France Membership countries – 194 members Chairman – Mr. Gianluigi Castelli RPF Headquarters – New Delhi

Mr. Sahil Seth = appointed as honorary advisor for BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) - Main purpose of the honorary adviser’s committee is to connect youth from the BRICS nations and connect millions of youth across the world with its programmes and initiatives. - Objectives of BRICS CCI = Creates support system for the MSME segment and young entrepreneurs + Stays as a voice of young entrepreneurs and help in making their businesses a success.

Sijo Kuruvilla George - appointed to the Central Government’s committee on Science, Technology and Innovation Policy 2020 (STIP 2020)

UK India Business Council (UKIBC) CEO = Jayant Krishna - will replace Richard Heald

Tenure of Justice Bansi Lal Bhat as the chairperson of National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) = extended for 3 months

Gyanendro Ningombam - new President of Hockey India - will replace Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad

Andrzej Duda = President of Poland

Ashok Lavasa – 1980 batch retired IAS officer = vice president of Asian Development Bank

Dr. Vidhu P. Nair = next Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan

Rudrendra Tandon = next Ambassador of India to Afghanistan.

Vikram Doraiswami = next Ambassador of India to Bangladesh.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Anurag Kashyap = ambassador of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2020

Micheal Martin - New Prime Minister of Ireland

Lazarus Chakwera - New President of Malawi

Gudni Th. Johannesson - re-elected as the President of Iceland

Jean Castex - appointed as prime minister France - known as Mr Deconfinement of French Media

Pakistan 1st female lieutenant general - Nigar Johar

Edouard Philippe - French Prime Minister has resigned

Vladimir Putin won Presidential polls - to stay in power until 2036 - 7.95 percent of Russian citizens have voted in support of the Amendments

IAS Vini Mahajan - 1st woman chief secretary of Punjab

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta – reappointed - for a period of 3 years. It has also Chetan Sharma – appointed - Additional Solicitor General (ASG) for Delhi High Court

Injeti Srinivas, Retired Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs - appointed = 1st Chairman of the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA)

Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer Indra Mani Pandey - next Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UN

Term of KK Venugopal as the Attorney General of India – extended - for one year.

Sanjay Dwivedi - Director General of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication

Sukhbir Singh Sandhu‘s tenure as the chairman of NHAI - extended for six months

Ravinder Bhakar - appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Central Board of Films Certification (CBFC)

Srikant Madhav Vaidya - new chairman of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC)

New Chief Secretary of Kerala - Senior IAS officer Vishwas Mehta

Taiwan President - Tsai Ing-wen re-elected - capital = Taipei and currency = New Taiwan dollar

Carmen Reinhart - World Bank chief economist and vice president

Jahnabi Phookan - National President of FICCI FLO

Abhas Jha - appointed - Key position on Climate change and disaster management in South Asia by World Bank

Brazil’s Marcos Prado Troyjo - new President of NDB, SBI’s Anil Kishora - vice-president

IOC - appointed - Narinder Batra - as member of Olympic Channel Commission

Jack Ma - resigned from SoftBank’s Board - effective from June 25, 2020 - HQ of The SoftBank - Minato city, Tokyo, Japan

Jahnabi Phookan - National President of FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO)

Prem K. Nair - next Ambassador of India to Niger

Earlier Economic Affairs Secretary Tarun Bajaj – now director on the central board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) - replaces Atanu Chakraborty, who retired on April 30

D P S Negi - Director General of Labour Bureau - replacing B N Nanda

T S Tirumurti - permanent representative of India to the United Nations (UN), succeeding Syed Akbaruddin

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury - reappointed as Chairperson of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla

Giridhar Aramane - Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

Arvind Kumar Sharma - Secretary of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

Ashok Michael Pinto - US representative to World Bank’s lending arm International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

Dia Mirza - Goodwill Ambassador of India by UNEP

Manisha Singh - envoy to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) by US President Donald Trump

Mustafa al-Kadhimi - Iraq’s 6th Prime Minister

Narinder Batra - term has been extended as President of FIH until May 2021 by the International Hockey Federation (FIH)

Kumar Sangakkara - president of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) for a second term

Akhil Kumar - re-inducted into the Disciplinary Panel of National Anti-Doping Agency’s (NADA)

V. Vidyavathi - Director-General of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)

Manoj Ahuja - new chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) - will replace Anita Karwal as the chairman of the CBSE.

Rahul Dev - first Hindu person to be appointed as a pilot in Pakistan Air Force

Indu Shekhar Chaturvedi - new Secretary, Ministry of New & Renewable Energy

Roberto Azevedo - resigned a year before his term expires as head of World Trade Organisation

Benjamin Netanyahu - Prime Minister of Israel for the 5th time

Govinda Rajulu Chintala - chairman of NABARD - will replace Harsh Kumar Bhanwala.

Carmen Reinhart - Chief Economist and Vice President of the World Bank

Dilip Oommen - President of Indian Steel Association (ISA)

Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma will resign from the board of SoftBank

BRAND AMBASSADORS AND CEO, MD ETC

Smriti Mandhana and Bhuvneshwar - Brand Ambassadors of Playerzpot

Kenichi Ayukawa (MD and CEO) of Maruti Suzuki India Appointed as President of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) - Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland Ltd = appointed Vice President SIAMS Head Office – New Delhi

Ayushmann Khurrana = Brand Ambassador of Bajaj Allianz Life - He will feature in the life insurer’s next campaign, ‘Smart Living’, which includes its term plan, Smart Protect Goal and the new digital service, Smart Assist. Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited HeadQuarter – Pune Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer – Tarun Chugh

Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) Approved Restructuring of the Indian Railways and appointed V K Yadav as first ever CEO of Indian Railways - The Indian Railway Medical Service (IRMS) will be renamed the Indian Railway Health Service (IRHS). Minister of State of Railways - Shri Suresh Channabasappa

Aveek Sarkar, Editor Emeritus and Vice Chairman of Ananda Bazar Group of Publication – Selected New Chairman of Press PTI = succeeds Vijay Kumar Chopra (AB PTI aveek SARKAR ke hath me) PTI Headquarters– New Delhi

Murali Ramakrishnan - MD & CEO of South Indian Bank for a period of 3 years with effect from 1st October 2020 = succeeds V. G. Mathew (MURALI ji SOUTH me jakr bansuri bajayege)

South Indian Bank Headquarter – Thrissur, Kerala Tagline – Experience Next Generation Banking

S Krishnan - MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank = Replaced S Harishankar Punjab & Sind Bank HeadQuarter – NewDelhi Tagline– Where Service is a Way of Life

Virat Kohli - Brand Ambassador of Great Learning, an ed-tech company Great Learning Founder and CEO – Mohan Lakhamraju

Sachin Tendulkar - Brand Ambassador of Paytm First Games - Paytm is the official umpire partner for IPL till 2022

- Suresh Raina & Harmanpreet Kaur - recently appointed as Global brand ambassadors of Win Trade Fantasy (WTF) Sports . Paytm Headquarter – Noida

Suresh Raina = Brand Ambassador of Online Poker Platform - 9stacks

Ashwani Bhatia - Managing Director of SBI upto May 31, 2022 = Succeeds PK Gupta

Former RBI Deputy Governor Subhash Sheoratan Mundra Appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd Indiabulls Group Headquarters – Gurugram

Harbhajan Singh - Brand Ambassador of Amritsar based e-mobility start-up eBikeGO

Indian Idol Season11 Finalist and Oscar Nominated Playback Singer Shahzan Mujeeb - First National Brand Ambassador of Aligarh Municipal Corporation

Prashant Joshi = Appointed DBS Bank India Ltd MD and Head of National Distribution DBS Bank India Limited Headquarter – Mumbai MD and CEO – Surojit Shome

Cricketer Rohit Sharma = Appointed - Oakley’s Brand Ambassador in India for two years

PNB Housing Finance New MD and CEO = Hardayal Prasad, Former SBI Card Head - will take over from Neeraj Vyas PNB Housing Finance Head Office – New Delhi

Tag Line – Ghar Ki Baat

Win Trade Fantasy Sports (WTF) global brand ambassadors = Suresh Raina, Harmanpreet Kaur

Sashidhar Jagdishan = Next MD & CEO of HDFC Bank for a period of 3 years - Succeeds Aditya Puri - Reserve Bank of India (RBI) capped the maximum age at 70 years for a managing director, chief executive officer or whole time director in a private bank, while the minimum age is above 21 years. - Aditya Puri is the longest-running CEO of any bank in India. HDFC Bank Headquarter – Mumbai Chairman – Deepak S. Parekh Tagline– We understand your world

Varun Sridhar = New CEO of Paytm Money - Subsidiary of One97 Communication Ltd Paytm Money Headquarter – Bengaluru, Karnataka

Tata AIA Life Insurance new MD & CEO = Naveen Tahilyani Tata AIA Life Insurance Headquarters – Mumbai

Alok Misra - Appointed = CEO and Director of Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN)

Managing Director and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank, Karnam Sekar - retired on 30th June 2020

Union Bank of India’s MD and CEO, Rajkiran Rai – got an extension of two-year = will now be serving till May 31, 2022

Reappointment of Shyam Srinivasan = MD & CEO of Federal Bank - Under Regulation 30 of SEBI, RBI approved the reappointment of Shyam Srinivasan after the completion of the current term which ends on 22nd September 2020 Federal Bank Tagline– Your Perfect Banking Partner Headquarters– Aluva, Kerala

Hemang Amin = Appointed as the Interim CEO of BCCI - following the resignation of Rahul Johri Board of Control for Cricket in India President– Sourav Ganguly Secretary– Jay Shah CEO– Hemang Amin(Interim)

Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra

SportsAdda Brand Ambassador = Brett Lee - SportsAdda is a news and information website for Cricket, Football and Kabaddi - SportsAdda website is owned by Stumped Entertainment FZE - The website was formed in 2018 and it is also available as a mobile application

MD & CEO of SBI Cards and payment services = Ashwini Kumar Tewari - to be in charge from August 1, 2020 - will be valid for 2 years - replaced Mr. Hardayal Prasad SBI cards: Headquarter – Gurgaon, Haryana.

Ramesh Babu = MD and CEO of Karur Vysya Bank - for three years = replaced P R Seshadri, who resigned in January 2020 KVB Headquarter – Karur, Tamil Nadu Tagline – Smart Way to Bank

Roshni Nadar Malhotra, India’s richest woman becomes = 1st woman to head as Chairperson of HCL Technologies from her father and billionaire Shiv Nadar (Founder & chairman) - Shiv Nadar will continue to be the Managing Director of the company - Roshni Nadar Malhotra will also continue to be the CEO of HCL Corporation.

Rahul Bajaj = Stepped Down as Bajaj Finance Chairman on July 31, 2020 - will be replaced by his son Sanjiv Bajaj (the present Vice Chairman of the company) from 1st August

- Sanjiv Bajaj has been the MD & CEO of Bajaj Finserv Ltd. since 2008. Bajaj Finserv Headquarter = Pune, Maharashtra

Prakash Chandra Kandpal = MD & CEO of SBI General Insurance - effective from July 20 - Succeeds Pushan Mahapatra SBI General Insurance Company Limited Headquarter – Mumbai Tagline– ‘Suraksha aur Bharosa Dono’

Sumit Deb = CMD of NMDC (National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) - till 28th February 2023 - succeeding N.Baijendra Kumar

MD and CEO of IOB = Mr. Partha Pratim Sengupta - his tenure ends by December 31, 2022 IOB Founded on 10 February 1937 Headquader – Chennai, Tamil Nadu Non-Exe Chairman -Mr. T. C. A Ranganathan

CEO and MD of Wipro - Thierry Delaporte – Earlier COO of Capgemini

Sandip Mukund Pradhan - two-year extension as Director General of SAI

RS Dhillon - Navratna Power Finance Corporation (PFC) CMD

SN Rajeshwari - new CMD of Oriental Insurance - successor of AV Girija Kumar

Kevin Mayer - become - Chief Executive Officer of TikTok

Shikha Sharma - advisor to Google Pay India

Krishnan Ramachandran - Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Max Bupa Health Insurance

Neeraj Dhawan - Chief Risk Officer of Yes Bank for a period of three years

Ajinkya Rahane - brand ambassador of Edu-tech firm ELSA Corp for India, Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and SAARC

Kevin Mayer - appointed as the chief executive officer of TikTok

AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS

Aditya Puri - Honoured with Euromoney’s Lifetime Achievement Award 2020

UN Named Indian Teenager Udit Singhal (18 years), the founder of Glass2S to the 2020 Cohort of Young Leaders for SDGs

Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ Honoured First Ever AICTE Visvesvaraya Best Teachers Award 2020 to 12 Faculties of AICTE - The award comprises a cash award of Rs. 25,000 with a badge and certificate of excellence.

Vikas Khanna Honoured with 2020 Asia Game Changer Award for Feeding Millions Amid COVID- 19 by coordinating a food distribution drive from Manhattan. - Vikas Khanna launched the food distribution drive #FeedIndia which has distributed around 35 million meals including cooked food and dry rations. He also provided over 500000 slippers, 3.5 million sanitary pads, 2 million masks and other basic needs in more than 100 cities across India.

Sir David Attenborough, British Broadcaster - Honoured with Indira Gandhi Peace Prize

- The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development was instituted by the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust in 1986 - The award consists of a citation along with a cash award of Rs 25 lakhs

GMR led Rajiv Gandhi International Airport won CII-GBC ‘National Energy Leader’ award - Organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Godrej Green Business Centre (GBC). - The award was given during the 19th edition of ‘Energy Efficiency Summit’, Virtual Conference and Exposition on Energy Efficiency - The airport has achieved a substantial energy saving of around 4.55 MU over the last three years. - The airport has a Carbon Neutral Airport having Level 3 + “Neutrality” Accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI) under Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme.

- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited-Vizag Steel Plant (RINL-VSP) = also been awarded ‘Excellent Energy Efficient Unit’ award by CII GBC

Noor Inayat Khan who served in the Special Operations Executive (SOE) - 1st Indian-origin woman to honoured with a Memorial Blue Plaque(The Memory of nor inayat) - London’s Blue Plaque scheme was founded in 1866

SBI to Receive Brandon Human Capital Management (HCM) Excellence Award(also known as the Academy Awards of Learning & Development)2020 for its HR initiative, ”Nayi Disha” (SBI ne HUMANs KO CAPITAL MANAGE karne ki DISHA di) - will be honoured at Brandon Hall Group’s annual HCM Excellence Conference, January 26-28, 2021 at the Hilton West Palm Beach, Florida. - SBI partnered with M/s Chrysalis & developed the “Nayi Disha” Programme.

- The commonwealth writers announced Kritika Pandey, the winner of asian region prize as the overall winner of the 2020 Commonwealth Short Story Prize - Freya Thakral, a 13 year old student of the British School New Delhi received the 2020 Diana Award for her Recycler App, which she developed to connect users with waste-handlers as a measure to help the ragpickers of Delhi

Sudha Painuli, a vice-principal of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), Dehradun - established under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs = selected for National Award to Teachers (NAT) 2020 Ministry of Tribal Affairs Union Minister – Arjun Munda Minister of State (MoS) – Renuka Singh Saruta

NLCIL (Neyveli Lignite Corporation) won Swachhta Hi Seva 2019 award

Marieke Lucas Rijneveld - Youngest Author at the age of 29 to Win International Booker Prize 2020 for the Book ‘The Discomfort of Evening’ - The Book was first published in Dutch in 2018 and eventually translated into English by Michele Hutchison. - The author Marieke Lucas Rijneveld was born in April, 1991 at Nieuwendijk, Netherlands. - The Dutch edition of the book was a best-seller and grabbed the prestigious ANV Debut Prize. - The International Booker Prize is awarded annually for a single book that is translated into English and published in the UK or Ireland.

Twenty-Year old Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash bagged 1st ever Gold Medal for India in Mental Calculations (MC) World Cup (MCWC) - Named ‘World’s Fastest Human Calculator’ title

- Bhanu Prakash had secured the gold medal with a score of 167, Lebanese contender Mohammed El Mir secured the Silver Medal with a score 102 and Asmita Pal from the UAE bagged the Bronze medal with a score of 100 points - He has created a new All Time Record and has beaten the records of Math Maestros like Shakuntala Devi and Scott Flansburg - India’s Aryan Shukla finished fourth with a score of 96 - He held 4 World Records and 50 Limca records for being the fastest human calculator in the world

Wabag Won 2020 Global Water Award for Tertiary Treatment Reverse Osmosis (TTRO) plant at Koyambedu in Chennai - Chennai = first Indian city to reuse more than 20% of its treated wastewater freeing up more than 16 million metrics of fresh water each year.

- Global Water Awards were established in 2006 by Global Water Intelligence to reward initiatives in the water, wastewater and desalination sectors

2020 Leadership Awards from USISPF - Anand Mahindra and Shantanu Narayen will Receive the award

St Christopher School in Chessore Village, Nagaland won the Gold Award along with cash prize of Rs.1 Lakh from the first ever Pallikkutam National Award for Innovation in Education instituted by Rajagiri Media. - The rural school provided a balanced online and offline activities for the students over the whatsapp. - The award was sponsored under the CSR initiative of the Federal Bank Ltd.

- Silver Award (Rs.50,000) was presented to DAV Public School, Haryana for using simple and innovative approaches - Bronze Award(Rs.25,000) was presented to CMI Christ School, Iritty, Kerala for their focus on physical activities

Solapur based activist Ganesh Vilas Lengare has been awarded Star 2020 E-citation Certification by World Book of Records, London - Awarded for his efforts to help the poor people during the lockdown caused by Coronavirus. - World Book of Records was founded in 2017 and honors personalities for their contribution towards humanity and universal peace.

Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist of World Health Organisation (WHO) has received Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s(CM’s) special award

Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) Pune won first prize of rupees 1 Lakh in Smart India Hackathon 2020

Gandhian Young Technological Innovation Awards 2020 for Clean Energy Research - IIT-Kharagpur Researchers bagged it for developing a mechanism for generating electricity from wet clothes left under sunlight to dry. - The work has been published in Nano Letters, a high-impact journal - GYTI Awards was instituted by the Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institution (SRISTI), a voluntary organization IIT Kharagpur Director – Virendra Kumar Tewari

Prem Bhatia award 2020

- Indian Express Journalist Dipankar Ghose and PARI, a Non-Profit Journalism Website Bagged the award - Prem Bhatia awards The Prem Bhatia Awards were instituted in 1995 by the Prem Bhatia Memorial Trust

20th edition of New York Indian Film Festival - Malayalam film ‘Moothon’ and National Award winning documentary ‘Son Rise’ won awards - Garggi Ananthan won the Best Actress Award for the film “Run Kalyani”.

Sunil ydv SS, the founder and CEO of SS motivation channel on Telegram received the Karmaveer Chakra Award of United Nations and iCONGO - At ReX ConcLIVE hosted at IIT-D.

- His channel achieved around 127 million views in 2019, the highest global record obtained by a telegram channel that provides solutions to social issues - He was enlisted in the Bravo International Book of World Records for having the most number of subscribers on his telegram channel.

66th SKOCH Summit Awards at New Delhi - Ministry of Tribal Affairs received SKOCH Gold Award for “Empowerment of Tribals through IT enabled Scholarship Schemes” - West Bengal receives top Award of SKOCH - The Government of Telangana won the SKOCH Gold Award for its Blockchain-based property registration project SKOCH Chairman – Sameer Kochhar Head Office – Gurgaon

Minister of State of Tribal Affairs - Renuka Singh Saruta

Kerala Health Minister - K.K Shailaja = honoured by the United Nations for her efforts to fight the coronavirus

Popstar Beyonce - honoured - with the BET 2020 Humanitarian Award = for her longstanding philanthropic work with her BeyGOOD Foundation, including her recent COVID-19 relief efforts such as #IDIDMYPART, a mobile testing initiative

Former RBI Governor C. Rangarajan - conferred the P.C. Mahalanobis Lifetime Achievement Award = for his contribution to official statistics

Siddhartha Mukherjee and Raj Chetty - included in the list of 38 immigrants named by the Carnegie Corporation of New York as '2020 Great Immigrants' honourees

JioHaptik Technologies Limited, Technical partners of MyGov Corona Helpdesk – awarded - two awards for their AI (Artificial Intelligence) enabled technology solution at the virtual Global Leadership Summit and Festival of AI & Emerging Technology, CogX 2020

2020 Diana Award - A 13-year-old student of the British School New Delhi, Freya Thakral - Received for her “Recycler App” - To help the ragpickers of Delhi.

European 2020 US Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award

- Awarded to new headquarters of The International Olympic Committee (IOC) - it’s in Lausanne

A WhatsApp chatline named ‘SMARTgirl Chatline’ = implemented by a Research Team from Cambodian NGO- KHANA Centre for Population Health Research - offered 24 hours response and support against gender-based violence to female entertainment workers in Cambodia

2020 Nelson Mandela Prize - The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established the award in June 2014 which will be awarded every 5 years, to honour Nelson Mandela’s life and legacy of political and social transformation - Announced by UN - Will be given to Marianna Vardinoyannis of greece & Doctor Morissana Kouyaté of Guinea

UNGA President - Tijjani Muhammad-Bande Headquarters– New York, United States of America

Water Heroes Award - Given to Ongole Sub-Division Office, Vijayawada Division, Andhra Pradesh, South Central Railway for April 2020 - from Jal Shakti Ministry

2019 ICAR Awards in 92nd ICAR Foundation Day - Declared by Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare - 161 awards under 20 categories were presented during the virtual event. - National Academy of Agriculture Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad, received 4 awards in different categories

- ICAR signed MoU with Patanjali Bio Research Institute (PBRI) for farm research, training, education Indian Council of Agricultural Research Director General- Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra Headquarters– New Delhi

Legendary Hockey Player Ashok Kumar = Lifetime Achievement Award of Mohun Bagan Football Club Ashok Kumar - son of Hockey wizard Dhyan Chand Mohun Bagan Athletic Club Headquarters– Kolkata, West Bengal Founded– 1889

The Toronto International Film Festival(TIFF) - Kate Winslet will be receiving the Award at the virtual event of the 45th edition of TIFF.

2020 International Press Freedom Awardees - Announced by The Committee to Protect Journalists(CPJ) - 4 Journalists = Shahidul Alam from Bangladesh, Mohammad Mosaed from Iran, Dapo Olorunyomi from Nigeria and Svetlana Prokopyeva from Russia will be honoured CPJ Headquarters– New York US Executive Director– Joel Simon

USIBC Global Leadership Award 2020 - Tata group chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran and Jim Taiclet, CEO and president of Lockheed Martin awarded. - They also serve as a co-chair of the US-India CEO Forum.

- It is a recognition for their outstanding leadership and for promoting Indo-US trade and business. USIBC Headquarters- Washington, D.C., United States President– Nisha Biswal

Hurun Research’s World Richest Man List - Mukesh Ambani ranked 5th - 78 billion USD - Jeff Bezos topped - Ambani’s wealth was down by 1% compared to pre-COVID levels.

Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, Edappadi K Palaniswami = honoured with Paul Harris Fellow recognition by Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, Chicago

“Elites Excellence Awards-2020” - Awarded to Chief Minister Darpan website and mobile app prepared for monitoring Chhattisgarh Government’s ambitious Suraji Gaon Scheme and other flagship schemes

Sachin Awasthi = honoured with the “Top Publicist” award in the Global Humanitarian Awards 2020

Rail Infra and Mobility Business Digital Awards (RIMBDA) = awarded ‘Infra Business Leader of the Year’ award to Ved Parkash Dudeja (vice chairman of Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA))

The 22-year-old England football player, Marcus Rashford = youngest ever recipient of an honorary degree from The University of Manchester.

Kannan C S Warrier of IFGTB - Senior Principal Scientist (Scientist F) at the Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB) = 2019 National Award of Excellence for Outstanding Research in Forestry from the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE)

1st edition Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity - Won by Environmental activist Greta Thunberg = A 17 years old climate activist from Sweden - Awarded by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation - The award in the amount 1 million euro ($1.15 million) recognized her ability to mobilize younger generations for the cause of climate change. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation President – Isabel Mota Headquarter – Lisbon, Portugal

Indian-origin nurse Kala Narayanasamy(59) in Singapore = Singapore President’s Award for Nurses for serving on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic - A certificate signed by President Halimah Yacob, a trophy and SGD 10,000 (USD 7,228) was awarded - Among the five nurses (other 4 are Tay Yee Kian, Patricia Yong Yueh Li, Alice Chua Foong Sin, Chin Soh Mun).

Legend of Animation Award 2020 - Given to Late Arnab Chaudhry for his contribution towards the animation and entertainment industry of India. - Award is instituted by the Toonz Media Group (TMG) - Award was accepted by his wife, Ashuma Chaudhuri at the inaugural session. Toonz Media Group CEO – P. Jayakumar

Headquarters – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

UN declares Khudol initiative of Manipur as one of the top 10 global initiatives to fight against COVID-19 - Khudol aims to provide food, health and hygiene of the LGBTQI+ community

Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka (22) - become - highest paid female athlete in the world as per Forbes

Indian Army officer and woman peacekeeper Suman Gawani who has served with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan - selected for the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award (2019)

Dr. Rajiv Joshi won the Inventor of the year Award, NYIPLA 2020 - The New York Intellectual Property Law Association (NYIPLA) 2020 Inventor of the Year Award - won by IBM Academy of Technology Member Dr. Rajiv Joshi

Rajiv Joshi - Indian American bagged the prestigious Inventor of the Year award 2020

Young Career Award 2020 - Professor Saurabh Lodha of IIT Bombay - in Nano Science and Technology by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) - to recognize his contribution for the development of two-dimensional Van der Waals material based logic transistor technologies beyond silicon and nano electronics.

Manipuri doctor - Thangjam Dhabali Singh - conferred with “Order of Rising Sun- Gold and Silver Rays” by the Japan government for promoting a better understanding of Japan in India.

25th Nikkei Asia Prizes (2020) in Science and Technology - Thalappil Pradeep, Padma Shri awardee Professor at IIT Madras - pioneering work in nanotechnology-based water purification.

2020 Pulitzer Prize under feature photography - three Indian photojournalists: Dar Yasin, Mukhtar Khan and Channi Anand from Jammu and Kashmir who work for Associated Press (AP)

Shobhana Narasimhan - elected as an International Honorary Member to the American Academy of Arts and Science

Sania Mirza - first Indian to be nominated for the Fed Cup Heart Award from the Asia/Oceania zone

Kim Jong Un - honoured with a commemorative World War II medal to mark the 75th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany by Russian President Vladimir Putin

Siddharth Varadarajan - Indian journalist of non-profit online newspage, The Wire named for Deutsche Welle Freedom of Speech Award 2020

Sania Mirza - 1st Indian to win Fed Cup Heart Award 2020 for Asia/Oceania zone

Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru - won this year’s SKYTRAX Award for Best Regional Airport in India and Central Asia

Akshay Kumar - Vice Admiral G.M. Hiranandani Memorial Rolling Trophy for the year 2020

Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar - awarded the Alexander Dalrymple Award 2019 - for his outstanding contribution to Indian hydrography and across the broader Indian Ocean region - presented by the UK Ministry of Defence

MISC

Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan Resigned Due to Health Issues due to ulcerative colitis.

- The elected new party leader will hold the post for the remaining 1-year term of Abe.

Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab Stepped Down due to public outrage and the pressure from within his own Cabinet as his government was blamed for the August 4 explosion in Beirut’s port Lebanon Currency – Lebanese Pound

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson - Named Instagram’s highest-paid celebrity - Dethroned Kylie Jenner as Instagram’s - According to social media marketing firm Hopper HQ, Johnson has 189 million followers while Jenner has 183 million - He can charge advertisers roughly $1,015,000 for a sponsored post

- Also named Hollywood’s highest-paid actor of 2019 by Forbes.

Indian teenager Soham Mukherjee, UAE makes Guinness World Record title with 101 One-Leg Hops over a Ruler, who managed to break the previous Guinness World Records title of 96 hops in 30 seconds

ACQUISITIONS/MERGERS

Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) acquired Future Group includes Big Bazaar, fbb, Foodhall, Easyday, Nilgiris, Central and Brand Factory for Rs.24,713 crore - Reliance Retail and Fashion Lifestyle Ltd (RRFLL) has also proposed to invest Rs 1,200 crore in the preferential issue of equity shares of Future Enterprises to acquire 6.09% of post-merger equity.

Future Group Business Founder & CEO – Kishore Biyani Headquarter – Mumbai

Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) & SEBI Approved Brookfield Infrastructure Partners Proposal to Acquire Reliance Telecom Tower Assets worth Rs 25,215 crore - It also approved a downstream foreign investment of Rs 105.35 crore to acquire remaining 49% paid up equity share capital in Reliance Jio Infratel Pvt Ltd (RJIPL) and increase the foreign capital in the firm to 100%

US based global technology investment firm Silver Lake Set to Invest Rs.7500 Crore for 1.75% Stake in Reliance Retails - This investment marks Silver lakes 2nd investment above 1 billion USD in Reliance industries group company after the 1.35 billion USD investment in Jio Platform.

Silver Lake Headquarter – Carlifornia

20% acquisition of Piramal Pharma Limited by CA Clover Intermediate II Investments

Pacific Alliance Group (PAG) to Acquire 51% Stake in Edelweiss Wealth Management for 2,200 Crore (USD 300 million) - PAG to invest USD 1 billion in the next two to three years in India. - EWM is the 2nd largest non-bank wealth management business in India. Edelweiss Group Headquarter – Mumbai Chairman & CEO – Rashesh Shah

Axis Bank to Acquire 17% in Max Life Insurance - The total ownership of Axis bank in Max Life will be 18%. Axis Bank Ltd Headquarter – Mumbai

MD & CEO – Amitabh Chaudhry Taglin e– Badhti Ka naam Zindagi Max Life Insurance Company Headquarter – New Delhi MD & CEO – Prashant Tripathy

ICICI Lombard & Bharti AXA Signed Agreement to Merge their Insurance Businesses - Combined entity will have a market share of 8.7% - Deal values Bharti AXA at around Rs 2,700 crore. Bharti AXA General Insurance MD and CEO – Sanjeev Srinivasan ICICI Lombard General Insurance MD & CEO – Bhargav Dasgupta

Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has acquired 60% equity stake in Vitalic Health Pvt Ltd(Vitalic) & 100% direct ownership of Netmeds for a cash consideration of around Rs 620 crore(USD 83.08 million)

Netmeds Headquarter – Chennai Founder & CEO – Pradeep Dadha

TATA Capital Growth Fund invests 30 Million USD around Rs.225 crore for 0.85% Stake in Biocon Biologics

LIC acquired 4.23% Stake (105.98 crore shares) of YES Bank - Hold of LIC in YES Bank has increased from 0.75% (19 crore shares) to 4.98%(125 crore shares). YES Bank Tagline – Experience our Expertise LIC Chairman – M.R.Kumar

Oman India Joint Investment Fund II Acquired 5.07 million (50,69,903) shares or 1.63 % stake in DCB Bank

- The stake is valued at Rs 41.52 crore

Indian Oil Corporation(IOC) - (50:50) Joint Venture(JV) - France’s Total S.A. - To manufacture and market high-quality innovative bitumen derivatives and superior quality products like polymer-modified bitumen, crumb rubber modified bitumen - JV will commence by taking over an existing plant of Total SA at Jodhpur, Rajasthan. - it will invest Rs 226 crore to set up 6 new plants at locations in northern, eastern and southern India Total S.A. Headquarter – Paris CEO – Patrick Pouyanné IOC Headquarter – New Delhi Chairman– Shrikant Madhav Vaidya

CCI - approved = the formation of Joint Venture (JV) between Adani Green Energy Limited and Total S.A. for solar power generation in India.

The United States-based global investment firm- Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) & Co. Inc – to buy - 54 percent stake worth Rs 3,109 crore in JB Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals

American multinational private equity company Carlyle Group has decided to acquire about 25% stake in Airtel

Qualcomm Ventures - acquired = 0.15% stakes in Jio Platforms. The transaction costed Rs 730 crores to the Qualcomm Ventures.

L&T Tech Services = to Acquire 100% Stake in Texas-based Orchestra Tech for about Rs 187 Crore (USD 25 million) - Will be paid in two tranches of USD 11 million (Rs 82.6 crore) and USD 14 million (Rs 105 crore) - Deal is expected to close by December 2020. Orchestra Tech Founder and CEO– Anuj Jain L&T Tech Services Headquarters – Vadodara, Gujarat CEO & Managing Director – Keshab Panda

Aceso Acquired 58.92% Stake in HealthCare Global Enterprises Limited HCG Headquarters– Bangalore, Karnataka

Alphabet Inc’s Google to Buy 7.73% Stake in Jio Platforms for Rs 33,737 Crores

- This investment values Jio Platforms at an equity value of Rs 4.36 lakh crore. - The other investors of Jio include Facebook, Silver Lake Partners, Vista Equity Partners, General Atlantic, KKR, Mubadala, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, TPG, L Catterton, Public Investment Fund(PIF), Intel Capital and Qualcomm Ventures Google Headquarter – California, United States

Adani Ports and SEZ Limited acquired Krishnapatnam Port Company Limited

Ola Electric acquired AppScooter maker Etergo

NCLT gives nod to sell IL&FS’s 50% stake in GIFTCL to Gujarat government

ITC to acquire Sunrise Foods by share purchase agreement

 HQ of ITC - Kolkata

RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Service) - to acquire 24% stake for Rs 48 crore in Indian Railway Station Development Corporation

Private equity firm KKR is set to invest Rs 11367 crore in Jio Platforms for 2.32 % stake

PNB Housing Finance – MoU - IIT Delhi - to develop washable and reusable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits

Accenture - acquisition of Ahmedabad-based Byte Prophecy

Facebook acquired Giphy — a popular website for making and sharing animated images or GIF

IBM + Intellect Design Arena Ltd - collaborated to launch the Intellect iTurmeric FinCloud

MOUs MoU between countries

India – MoU - Zimbabwe = on Traditional System of Medicine and Homeopathy Zimbabwe Currency – US Dollar President– Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa

India + UK - tied up for 5 new 8 Million Pounds Medicinal Research

- to tackle the anti-microbial resistance to support the combat against antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes - 50:50 contribution - UK is the second biggest research partner of India and by 2021 the joint research is estimated to be worth 400 million pounds.

India – MOU - Russia - on Coking coal

India – MoU - Japan = for improving quality and testing of Indian textiles and Clothing for the Japanese market (JAPANEASE CLOTHS are best)

India - MoU - Finland = for cooperation in the field of Geology and Mineral Resources (FINe MINERAL)

- MoU in between Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Mines of India and Geological Survey of Finland, Ministry of Employment and the Economy, Finland.

India - MoU – Nigeria = on Space Cooperation - Both sides also agreed to sign a subsidiary MOU between New Space India Limited (NSIL), under ISRO and Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), under the Federal Ministry of Environment of Nigeria, on cooperation in use of Geospatial Technologies. - India is the largest trade partner of Nigeria with a trade volume of around 13.8 billion USD. - Nigeria provides around 10% of the energy requirements of India. Nigeria President – Muhammadu Buhari Capital– Abuja Currency– Nigerian naira Minister of State of External Affairs - V. Muraleedharan

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), a unit of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology – MoU - Israel’s National Cyber Directorate (INCD) - to expand cooperation in cyber security Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) Headquarter– New Delhi Director-General (DG) – Dr. Sanjay Bahl Israel Capital– Jerusalem Currency– Israeli Shekel President– Reuven “Ruvi” Rivlin

India + Bhutan - construction of the 600 MW Kholongchhu hydroelectric project in Bhutan = joint venture between Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) and India’s Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL)

India - 5 MoUs - Afghanistan = Tripartite Agreements that were signed between the Government of India, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Economy and Afghanistan’s Ministry of Education

MOU’s Between Organizations

National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) - partnered with - DotPe start-up = to build its own tech platform

Power Finance Corporation (PFC) – MoU - Narmada Basin Projects Company limited (NBPCL) - to fund Rs. 22,000 crores with of Government of Madhya Pradesh for the 225 MW hydro-electric projects and 12 multipurpose projects

Vista Equity Partners (Vista) will invest ₹11,367 crore to buy 2.32% stake in Jio Platforms Limited

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India , TRIFED - MoU - Art of Living = to promote the Tribal Enterprises

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has sold its 5.7% per cent stake in Hindustan Unilever (HUL) for $3.35 billion

International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA) - MoU - India Gold Policy Centre - Indian Institute of Management – Ahmedabad (IIMA) = to Set up International Bullion Exchange (IBE) in India

International Financial Services Centre Authority Chairman - Injeti Srinivas (1st chairman) HeadQuarter – Gandhinagar

BHEL - MoU - SwissRapide AG = to bring Maglev (Magnetic Levitation) trains to India - The MoU will enable the Indigenous manufacturing of Maglev Trains. - SwissRapide AG is a swiss company, which is the only established and commercially proven ultra-high-speed Maglev Rail System in the world. - Magnetic Levitation Trains systems are Energy Efficient (25% less energy consumption), high speeds, Environment Friendly (50% less noise emissions), cost efficient and elevated guideway (means requires less land to operate). BHEL CMD – Nalin Shinghal Headquarter – New Delhi

HCL - Partnered - NVIDIA Partner Network= to Pursue Opportunities in AI Space

- HCL to launch NEXT.ai, AI Lab which focuses on upskilling engineers and architects, using AI solutions HCL HeadQuarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh President & CEO– C Vijayakumar

STEPapp (Student Talent Enhancement Program Application) - Partnered - MoTA = to Implement Gamified Learning App in Tribal Schools (TRIBES KO STEP BY STEP aage badhana hai) - The concepts in the application were created by more than 400 IITians and Doctors. - This initiative will benefit around 1.5 lakh students of class 1 to 12 across India. STEPapp Founder & CEO – Praveen Tyagi Headquarter – Maharashtra

CSIR- Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) – MoU - National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) = for ‘Strategic Association’ to Strengthen Solar Energy Sector across India CMERI Headquarter – Durgapur, West Bengal NISE Headquarter – Gurugram

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) – partnered - LinkedIn = to impart free digital skills training for enhancing employability(NSDC to LINK SKILL TRAINING for EMPLOYMENT) - According LinkedIn, Indian professionals with digital skills are 20 percent more in demand than professionals without digital skills in 2020. - NSDC was established in 2010 NSDC CEO & MD – Manish Kumar Headquarter – New Delhi

Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) South Africa Partnered with TCS to develop an integrated online logistics marketplace platform “Cargo Connect” - The platform is expected to be ready in 12 months. - TCS iON partnered with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to provide its training partners access to the TCS iON Digital Glass Room, a web-based digital education platform so as to enable online vocational skills training for millions of students across the country. - The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment + TCS iON offered free online career skills training through the National Career Service(NCS) project to enhance the corporate etiquette, interpersonal skills, presentation skills and other softs skills of the job-seekers. TCS CEO&MD – Rajesh Gopinathan Headquarter – Mumbai TPT Headquarter – Durban, South Africa

NBFC Power Finance Corporation - MoA - District Administration of Siddharthnagar, UP = to Construct 2 Modular Operation Theatre Rooms - PFC will provide financial assistance of about Rs 94 Lakhs for the implementation of the project under CSR - PFC is a Schedule - A Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprises(CPSEs) under Ministry of Power Head Office – New Delhi CMD – Shri Ravinder Singh Dhillon

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) – MoU = to supply mustard oil KVIC Chairman – Vinai Kumar Saxena

Headquarter – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Flipkart - MoU - U.P. Government under One District, One Product (ODOP) scheme - Scheme will be brought into the ‘Flipkart Samarth’ initiative. - Will enable the under-served communities to showcase their specialised products and crafts in the e-commerce platform. - ‘Flipkart Samarth’ - to bring India’s artisans, weavers and handicraft producers onto e- commerce = associated closely with government bodies, NGOs and livelihood missions - ‘One District One Product’ = to encourage indigenous, specialized products and crafts of Uttar Pradesh - scheme is an initiative under Department of MSME & Export Promotion, Uttar Pradesh.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - MoU – FSSAI = for collaborative research and information dissemination in the area of food and nutrition - Will contribute in fulfilling the vision of New Food System 2050. - FSSAI received “Food Systems Vision Prize” for its ‘Eat Right India’ movement - During a ceremony which was presided Health Minister Harsh Vardhan. - ‘Eat Right India’ vision is about creating a culture of safe, healthy and sustainable food involving all stakeholders and leveraging technology in food production, processing, distribution, quality and traceability and to empower consumers to adopt right eating practices. - 2nd State Food Safety Index (SFSI) for 2019-20 of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has been topped by Gujarat = was announced during a webinar conducted on the occasion of “World Food Safety Day” on June 7, 2020 on the theme “Food Safety is everyone’s business”.

FSSAI Chairperson – Ms Rita Teaotia CEO – Arun Singhal Chatbot– Food Funda Headquarter – New Delhi CSIR Director Genera l– Dr. Shekhar C. Mande Headquarter – New Delhi

IIM Kozhikode - MoU - Switzerland based HELP Logistics to engage in a collaborative partnership to provide consulting services and logistics training for the humanitarian community in South Asia. - MoU will be valid for a period of one year - The MoU includes financial support and aims to increase the regional knowledge and awareness on humanitarian logistic matters among humanitarian agencies.

Ministry of Shipping - MoU - MSDE for skilling, re-skilling and upskilling of manpower in Port, Maritime sectors - MSDE will use its existing infrastructure such as Industrial Training Institute (ITI), National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) centers to train manpower as per the skill gaps of the Coastal districts. - The Shipping Ministry will support the funding and implementation of skilling initiatives under the Sagarmala Mission, wherever it is feasible. - Skill Development of coastal communities is an important objective of Sagarmala Programme and a budget of Rs. 100 Crore has been allocated for development activities in the coastal communities.

Atal Innovation Mission and India Sweden Healthcare Innovation Centre signed a virtual Statement of Intent (SoI) to promote the innovative potential of Indian Entrepreneurs and to boost the dynamic startup ecosystem across India. Sweden Prime Minister – Stefan Löfven Capital- Stockholm Currency– Swedish krona

100% Acquisition of Indian Operations of C&S Electric Limited (C&S) by Siemens Limited (Siemens India)

National Seeds Corporation (NSC) – MoU - Jute Corporation of India (JCI) = for Supply of Certified Jute Seeds to Farmers in 2021-22 to improve the production and productivity of raw Jute in the country.

- JCI will purchase the certified seeds from NSC and distribute it commercially to the farmers. This is the first ever commercial distribution operation. - MoU is expected to benefit around 5-6 Lakh farmer families and will also increase the revenue of JCI.

L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering - MoU - NTPC Ltd = for CO2 to build a CO2 to methanol demonstration plant in NTPC Power Station - The plant will comprise 3 subunits namely, carbon dioxide capture from flue gas, hydrogen production by electrolysis of water and catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide, and hydrogen to methanol. - Establishing CO2 to methanol plants is an important step towards India’s commitment to combat climate change NTPC Headquarter – New Delhi

CMD – Gurdeep Singh

National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) - partnered - the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research- National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) = to establish an innovation cum incubation center to promote the startup in the field of aerospace technologies. - CSIR-NAL also developed Personal Protective Cover all suit to fight against COVID-19 and a cost effective, easy to use, compact, non-invasive Bi level Positive Airway Pressure(BiPAP) ventilator ‘Swasth Vayu’ NRDC CMD – Dr. H. Purushotham HQ – New Delhi NAL Director – Dr. Jitendra J. Jadhav HQ – Bengaluru

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) - MoUs - AFC India Ltd and National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) = for Cooperation in Interest of Agriculture & Allied Sectors

Ministry Of Tourism - MoU - Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) & FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) to organise training, impart digital awareness and develop skills among women - Including those in rural and remote areas, in order to encourage their participation in the development of tourism which include the areas of homestays, tourist facilitators, catering business and more - TAAI and FICCI Encourage travel to at least 15 destinations within the country under the DekhoApnaDesh initiative. - Create awareness about the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator (IITF) Certification Programme.

FICCI Ladies Organisation President – Jahnabi Phookan Headquarter – New Delhi TAAI President – Jyoti Mayal

Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank – MoU - SBI General Insurance Co Ltd = to Sell General Insurance Products Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank Headquarter – Dharwad, Karnataka Chairman – P Gopi Krishna SBI General Insurance Co Ltd Headquarter – Mumbai

Greenko Energies, Hyderabad - MoU - NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam(NVVN) = to explore renewable energy power supply solution and energy storage. - NTPC is exploring the opportunity to acquire 1000 megaWatt(MW) of operational solar power projects, as a part of its aim to achieve a 32 GW clean energy portfolio by 2032.

Greenko Energies Founder, CEO & MD – Anil Kumar Chalamalasetty

UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Ltd - MoU - National Health Authority (NHA) = to Provide Print Services of E-Cards for AB-PMJAY Beneficiaries - AB-PMJAY aims to target over 10.74 crore poor, deprived rural families and occupational category of urban workers” families UTI Infrastructure Technology And Services Limited Registered Office – Navi Mumbai MD & CEO – Vijay Kumar Jain

POWERGRID - MoU - TATA Memorial Centre (TMC) Advanced Centre for Treatment Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC) = for Construction of Operation Theater Complex in Navi Mumbai Power Grid Corporation CMD – K Sreekant Headquarter – Gurgaon

ISRO - MoU - Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, Odisha = to Set up Innovation cum Incubation Centre - VSSUT Space Innovation Centre (VSSSIC) to Promote Space Research - ISRO will offer technical consultancy support and financial assistance of Rs.50 lakhs for the development of infrastructure of VSSUT. - VSSSIC will explore the latest global trends in space technology - ISRO will ease the limited utilisation of rocket launching facilities like Thumba, Sriharikota or Balasore for VSSSIC - ISRO - MoU - Aryabhatta Research institute of Observational Science (ARIES), Nainital = for the cooperation in the Field of Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Astrophysic. - ISRO - a pact - Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) = to establish an Optical telescope under ‘Project NETRA’ (NEtwork for space object TRacking and Analysis) for tracking space objects.

VSSUT Vice Chancellor – Atal Chaudhuri Location– Sambalpur, Odisha

National e-Governance Division (NeGD) – MoU - CSC (Common Service Center) E-Governance Services India Ltd = to Facilitate UMANG app services at CSCs - This will benefit those citizens who either do not have access to smartphones or are not comfortable accessing app based e services on their own. - UMANG app = Developed by NeGD and dedicated to the Nation on November 23, 2017. Minister of State of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) = Sanjay Dhotre National e-Governance Division (NeGD) President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Abhishek Singh

Association of Indian Football Coaches (AIFC) - MoU - Football Coaches Australia(FCA) = for the development of Football in India and Australia

Ericsson & UNICEF Partnered to map internet connectivity landscape for schools in 35 countries by the end of 2023 to provide digital learning access to the children Ericsson Headquarter – Stockholm, Sweden

NTPC - MoU – (National Investment and Infrastructure Fund) NIIF - to seek investment opportunities in areas like renewable energy, power distribution and other areas of mutual interest in India - The partnership of NTPC and NIIF will utilise the technical expertise of NTPC and the ability of NIIF to scale up the capital and bring in the best practices around the world with their relationship with leading players in the field

- MoU was signed in the presence of Gurdeep Singh, CMD of NTPC, Sujoy Bose, MD and CEO, NIIFL and the directors and senior officials of both the organisations. NIIFL Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra

CBDT – MoU - the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) = for a smoother data exchange between the two organisations Minister of State of finance - Shri Anurag Singh Thakur Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Headquarter- New Delhi Chairman- M. Ajit Kumar

CBDT – MoU - Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) = for seamless sharing of information related to the Income Tax Return (ITR) by the Income Tax Department to the Ministry.

- Data exchange enables the ministry to obtain the required information related to the investment and turnover of the entity for declaring the enterprise as a MSME directly from the IT Department. - CBDT - directed = the Principal Director General of Income tax systems to share the information with the MoMSME on the order dated 14th July 2020 - Section 138 of Income Tax Act empowers the income tax authorities to share the information of the taxpayers with other government agencies - MSMEs Launches Funding Scheme “Distressed Assets Fund–Sub-ordinate Debt for MSMEs” to Help the Distressed MSME Sector. - MSME implemented a new scheme “Scheme of Fund for Regeneration of Traditional Industries” (SFURTI) = to set up traditional industries clusters (Khadi, Coir & Village industries clusters). Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) - Nitin Jairam Gadkari

Minister of State– Pratap Chandra Sarangi Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairperson = Pramod Chandra Mody

Green Energy Corporation of Odisha Limited (GEDCOL) – MoU - National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) = to develop floating solar power projects of 500 Megawatts (MW) in Odisha - Projects will be implemented by the JVC (Joint Venture Collaboration) - The total estimation of the project will be Rs. 2,500 crores - MoU will help to achieve the target of 2,200 MW solar and 550 MW of non-solar energy source, set up by the Odisha Renewable Energy Policy, 2016 Minister of New and Renewable Energy – Mr. Raj Kumar Singh Lok Sabha Constituency – Arrah, Bihar

Swiggy + ICICI Bank - launched digital wallet ‘Swiggy Money’ = to provide its users a single-click checkout experience

PhonePe + ICICI Bank = to create and use multiple UPI IDs with ICICI Bank’s “@ibl” handle on the PhonePe app.

CBSE + Facebook = to introduce Augmented Reality and launch Curriculum on Digital Safety and Online Well Being = training program will be of three weeks in which 10 thousand teachers will be trained on augmented reality while 10 thousand students will be trained on digital safety and well-being

NLC India Ltd + Coal India Ltd - 50:50 equity in the joint venture company = to develop solar and thermal power assets of 5,000 megawatts = Both companies will hold equal

Ola + PhonePe = to expand payment options for riders

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) + Bakamla RI (Indonesian Coast Guard) - MoU on ‘Maritime Safety and Security’ = to boost maritime relations

Microsoft + eSkill India portal of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) - to offer digital skills to India’s youth - for next 12 months - Free access to learning resources and conduct digital skilling awareness drives

Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) + SEBI - agreement for sharing of information and data between the two organisations on an automatic and regular basis

Flipkart – MoU - Department of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Mines of Government of Karnataka = to promote the arts, crafts and handloom sector of Karnataka

GAIL – MoU – Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL) - to build a closer strategic partnership by jointly working in Compressed BioGas projects in India Carbon Clean Solutions Limited (CCSL) CEO – Aniruddha Sharma Headquarter - London, United Kingdom GAIL (India) Ltd CMD – Manoj Jain Head Office – New Delhi

India-European Union Agreement which expired on May 17, 2020 on Scientific and Technological Cooperation renewed for next five years (2020-2025) - Initially inked on 23 November 2001 and renewed two times in past in 2007 and 2015. - Agreement will further collaborate in research and innovations based on the principles of mutual benefit and reciprocity and also acknowledge 20 years of cooperation. - In the last 5 years, 73 joint research projects have been implemented, resulting in around 200 joint research publications & filing of few patents - UN (United Nations) summit on biodiversity (also known as Convention on Biological Diversity-COP15) to be held in Kunming, China in October 2020) European Union (EU) - 27 countries = The United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union on 31 January 2020. European Parliament president – David-Maria Sassoli Headquarter– Brussels, Belgium

Tripartite MoU = Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) + IIT Delhi + Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) Under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan(uba) of MHRD - To increase the opportunities for better livelihood and income generation for the tribal communities. - Tribal entrepreneurs under the Van Dhan Programme of TRIFED will get access to the expertise of the network of more than 2600 academic and research institutions under the UBA. - Beneficiaries of Van Dan Yojana will utilise the Tech4Seva, information Enterprise resource planning (ERP) portal (CSIR-UBA-VIBHA) = to develop scientific affordable and sustainable solutions - VIBHA will map and reach out to the stakeholders for convergence to strengthen the Van Dhan Yojana.

- VIBHA supports the gathering and passing of crucial data on the needs and possible interventions to TRIFED, UBA and the tribal communities. - Unnat Bharat Abhiyan(UBA) connects the villages with the educational institutions to enhance the social and economic conditions of the rural communities and to build an inclusive India. - Van Dhan Yojana of TRIFED = a program for value addition, branding and marketing the MFPs by establishing Van Dhan kendras of more than 300 members across India to develop sustainable livelihood for the forest based tribal gatherers. Union Minister of Tribal Affairs - Arjun Munda Minister of State – Renuka Singh Saruta

CBSE + IBM = to integrate AI in High School Curriculum of 2020-2021 - The curriculum was developed in collaboration with IBM (International Business Machines Corporation).

- Curriculum will be launched in around 200 schools across Delhi-NCR, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Kerala, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab (13 states of India). - IBM AI curriculum in collaboration with CBSE was launched in September 2019. Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE) Chairman– Manoj Ahuja Head Office– Delhi IBM Executive Chairman– Virginia M. Rometty Chief Executive Officer– Arvind Krishna Headquarters– Armonk, New York

Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. + NTPC Ltd - MoU - the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) = for setting up of a Waste to Energy Plant Okhla New Delhi

ICMR + Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech - selected 12 institutes for the Phase-I and Phase-II clinical trials of the first indigenously developed COVID-19 vaccine BBV152 (commonly known as COVAXIN)

Indian Railways + BHEL - setup 1.7 MWp Solar Power plant project at bina, MP = to directly power the Railway Overhead Line

SPORTS NEWS

CRICKET

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia postponed due to COVID-19 - Was Scheduled to be held in Australia in October – November

- ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is rescheduled on October – November 2021 - The ICC T20 World cup 2022 is rescheduled in October – November 2022 - The ICC World cup 2023 rescheduled in October – November 2023 International Cricket Council CEO (Chief Executive Officer) – Mr. Manu Sawhney Interim Chairman – Mr. Imran Khwaja Motto – “Cricket for Good” Headquarter – Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) = postponed the Asia Cup cricket tournament until June 2021 - Originally Pakistan was to host the Asia Cup 2020, but due to security reasons amid COVID-19 pandemic, it has been rescheduled to be held in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Cricketer - Sripali Weerakkody retired

Cricket South Africa annual awards 2020 - held virtually - Quinton de Kock = men’s cricketer of the year - Laura Wolvaardt = women’s cricketer of the year

Indian umpire Nitin Menon - inducted into International Cricket Council’s Elite Panel of Umpires for the upcoming 2020-21 season = replaced England’s umpire Nigel Llong

Ravindra Jadeja - India’s most valuable Test player in the 21st century by the Wisden magazine - second-most valuable Test player worldwide behind Muttiah Muralitharan

India - lost its top spot - to 3rd position for the first time since 2016 in ICC test rankings - Australia topped

Dwayne Bravo - first bowler to take 500 wickets in T20s

England Cricketer Ian Bell announced Retirement at the age of 38

Australian Cricketer Cameron White announced Retirement from Professional Cricket

Jacques Kallis, Lisa Caprini Sthalekar(Australia) and Syed Zaheer Abbas Kirmani (Pakistan) inducted into ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

England Cricketer Laura Marsh announced her retirement

England Won the Final Wisden Trophy against West Indies by 2-1

BADMINTON

Former world number one badminton player from China, Lin Dan - retired

FOOTBALL

All India Football Federation (AIFF) + the Sports Authority of India (SAI) - launched = the E- Pathshala, a web platform to recognise creativity of the children and to develop their interest in football. AIFF President – Praful Patel

Headquarters – New Delhi Sports Authority of India (SAI) Director General – Sandip Pradhan Head Office – Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi

FIFA World Cup 2022 - 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup - to be held in Qatar at Al Bayt Stadium or Al Khor Stadium - between November 21- December 18, 2022 & the final match will be held at Lusail Stadium FIFA: President Gianni Infantino Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland

ISL joined the World Leagues Forum = 1st league in South Asia and 7th in Asia to join it

Real Madrid = crowned La Liga Champions for the 34th time after defeating Villarreal 2–1 at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano in Madrid

Andre Schurrle = Former Chelsea Forward and World Cup Winner (Germany) = Retired at 29

India to host Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women’s Asian Cup 2022

Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) = announced that the 2022 World Cup is to be held in Qatar - also released schedule of matches.

Former Germany footballer Mario Gomez – retired

FIFA - launched the campaign “#WeWillWin” - to pay a special tribute to health workers and other professionals - former Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia also featured among 50 past and present football stars.

India - will host - FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2021

Bundesliga of Germany - first major sports event to resume after COVID-19 lock down

German Footballer Benedikt Howedes retired at 32

CHESS

G. Akash - the country’s 66th Grandmaster

China - won - 1st edition of FIDE Chess.com Online Nations Cup - India finished at 5th

Indian Grandmaster Panneerselvam Iniyan won 48th Annual World Open Chess Virtual tournament

Indian Grandmaster P. Harikrishna – 2nd in the Grandmaster Triathlon Tournament at 53rd Biel International Chess Festival - Took place in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. - Poland’s Radoslaw Watjaszek finished first

TENNIS

140th Edition US Open - Took place at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre, New York - Second Grand Slam Event of the year, after Australian Open took place in January. - Dominic Thiem (Austria) beated Alexander Zverev (Germany) to win his Maiden Grand Slam Title - Dominic became the first player in 71 years to win the US Open after losing the first two sets of the match. - Naomi Osaka (Japan) beated Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) to win Women’s Title - Sumit Nagal - first Indian to win a Round at Grand Slam in seven years after defeating America’s Bradley Klahn - Novak Djokovic (Serbia) was disqualified after he accidentally hit a line judge with a ball during the match.

Egyptian Youssef Hossam - tennis player - life time ban by the Tennis Integrity Unit following his conviction on multiple match fixing and associated corruption charges

42-year-old identical twins Robert Charles “Bob” Bryan and Michael Carl “Mike” Bryan, the most successful American doubles tennis players announced their retirement

Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton (british), Mercedes - Won = Hungarian Grand Prix 2020 - won this Title for 8th Time - Held at the Hungaroring in Mogyoród, Hungary Hungary Capital– Budapest

Currency– Hungarian Forint (HUF) Prime Minister– Viktor Orbán

Lewis Hamilton won Tuscan Grand Prix held at the Mugello Circuit, Italy - Lewis Hamilton also won British Grand Prix Italy President – Sergio Mattarella Currency – Euro

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton Won the Belgian Grand Prix 2020(HEMI – BELGI = sounds similar) - Won this title for 4th time

French Driver Pierre Gasly won 2020 Italian Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton Claims Record 156th Podium Finish with Win at Circuit de barcelona-Catalunya, Spain - The British driver Lewis Hamilton also claimed his 88th Formula One career victory

Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton Won British Grand Prix 2020 - Created Record by winning the British Grand Prix title for 7th Time - Held at the Silverstone Circuit in Silverstone, United Kingdom

Max Verstappen Won F1 70th Anniversary Grand Prix 2020 - Lewis Hamilton won 2020 British Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas won the Austrian Grand Prix 2020

OTHERS

4th edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2021 - Will be hosted by Haryana - Announced by Minister of State of Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju and Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar - Games will be held in Panchkula, Haryana after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. - Star Sports will be the Official Broadcast Partner like the previous year Haryana Governor – Satyadeo Narain Arya.

National Anti-Doping Agency’s first mobile app - “NADA App” launched

In order to groom young athletes in the country for the upcoming Olympics of 2024 (Paris) and 2028 (Los Angeles), the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will launch- Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for the junior athletes

‘Fit Hai to Hit Hai India’ program - launched on 3rd July 2020 by Ramesh Pokhriyal (Union Minister of Human Resource Development) and Kiren Rijiju (Union Minister of State I/C for Youth Affairs and Sports) in the presence of P.V Sindhu and Sunil Chhetri

4th Asian Youth Para Games to be Held in Bahrain in December 2021 - Will be organised in partnership with the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Bahrain with the support of the local government.

Youth Olympic Games to be hosted in Dakar in 2022 = postponed - will now be held in 2026

Hima Das, dedicated her gold medal to the workers against COVID-19 after India’s 2018 Asian Games mixed relay medal upgraded to gold after Bahrain’s disqualification - Anu Ragavan’s fourth place in the women’s 400m hurdles has been upgraded to Bronze medal after this.

Poonam Khatri who won the Silver Medal at the 15th edition of World Wushu Championships (WWC) 2019 - upgraded to Gold

Indian Table Tennis player Poulomi Ghatak retired at 37 - Won the bronze medal at Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006 and Silver at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 in New Delhi.

Ayaka Takahashi, Japan’s 1st Olympic Gold medallist in Badminton Announced Retirement

English Professional Snooker Player Ronnie O’Sullivan won Sixth World Snooker Championship 2020 at Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England

INOX Group to sponsor Team India for Tokyo Olympics

Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) has withdrawn from Women’s World Team Squash Championship 2020 - Due to lack of preparation, time and match-readiness of athletes, which is scheduled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from December 15 to 20, 2020 SRFI President – Debendranath Sarangi Headquarter – Chennai,Tamil Nadu.

Spain’s World Cup-winning Captain and Goalkeeper Iker Casillas announced his retirement at 39

Discus thrower Sandeep Kumari banned for 4 years by WADA

Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) - postponed - 2021 aquatics world championships, Fukuoka, Japan to May 12 to May 29 of 2022

French Cyclist - Remy Di Gregorio - banned for 4 years

Shot-put - Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee Deepa Malik announced her retirement

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) - suspended Savita Kumari and Ankit Shisodia for violating antidoping rules - associated with Powerlifting

OBITUARIES ENTERTAINMENT

Oscar Winning Czech Director Jiri Menzel Passed Away at 82

Telugu Actor Jaya Prakash Reddy popularly known as JP Passed Away at 74 at his residence in Guntur

Filmmaker-actor Nishikant Kamat Passes Away at the Age of 50

Inventor of Pixel & Computer Scientist, Russell A. Kirsch passed away at 91 - He scanned the world’s first digital photograph.

Father of Modern Indian theatre & Padma Awardee - Ebrahim Alkazi Passed Away at 94 in Escorts Hospital, New Delhi due to a massive heart attack - Won the Padma Vibhushan in 2010, Padma Bhushan in 1991, Padma Shri in 1966.

Folk musician and Padma Shri awardee = Sonam Tshering Lepcha died at 92 due to old age ailments - born on 3rd January, 1928 at Bong Busty, Kalimpong, West Bengal - Played major role in reviving and promoting the Lepcha Culture which is one of the indegenious culture of Sikkim.

Malayalam Actor = Anil Murali - passed away at the age of 51 due to liver ailments

The famous writer and documentary Filmmaker Sa. Kandasamy passed away at the age 81, in Chennai - Won the Sahitya Akademi award for his Novel ‘Visaranai Commission.’

Veteran Assamese Folk Singer Archana Mahanta Passed Away at the age of 72 in Guwahati (MAHAN(mahanta) FOLK SINGER start the song with AA(A = Archana and A = assam))

National Film Award winner Veteran Odia Actor Bijay Mohanty passed away at 70

Olivia de Havilland passed away at the age of 104 in Paris, France - Two time Oscar winner and actress = known as a doe-eyed actress

American Actor John Saxon passed away at 83 - He won the Golden Globe Award for the new star of the year in 1958 for the movie “This Happy Feeling”.

British-American Jazz Singer and actor Annie Ross passed away at the age 89 in New York - Suffered from emphysema and heart disease - Won a ‘Grammy award’ for the album, ‘High Flying’

Ennio Morricone - Italian film composer - born in Rome in 1928 - won Oscar for his work on Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight (2015)

Earl Cameron - British film and television actor

Jagdeep - Veteran Bollywood actor-comedian, Real name = Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri

Susheel Gowda - Kannada TV actor

Charlie Daniels - Country Music Hall of Fame musician - won Grammy Award in 1979 - inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2016

Legendary comedian, writer, director and actor - Carl Reiner

Shyamala Bhave - vocalist - honoured with the title of ‘Ubhayagaana Vidushi’

Padma Shri awardee, Noted Urdu satirist - Mujtaba Hussain

Famous Lyricist - Yogesh Gaur

Famous actor - Rishi Kapoor

Grammy-winning Singer - Betty Wright

Actor - Jerry Stiller - nominated for Emmy Awards in 1997

Actor - Shafique Ansari

Veteran Actor - Sai Gundewar - also acted in PK, and Rock on

POLITICS/POSITIONS ETC

Govind Swarup = Father of India’s Radio Astronomy & Padma Shri Awardee Passed Away at 91(GOVIND(Krishna) ka RUP achcha tha) - Recipient of Padma Shri(1973).

Vasanthakumar, Congress MP (Kanyakumari Lok sabha Constituency) and Founder of Vasanth & Co Died of COVID-19 at 70

Dr S Padmavati = India’s 1st Female & Oldest Cardiologist, Padma Awardee, Founder of All India Heart Foundation (AIHF) and NIH, New Delhi Died of COVID-19(PADMAVATI hence always 1st) - She initiated India’s first Doctorate of Medicine in Cardiology and other super specialities like the 1st coronary care unit and the 1st coronary care van in India. - She was the 1st and only person to be chief administrator of 3 major institutions at the same time- Maulana Azad Medical College, Lok Nayak Hospital and G.B.Pant hospital

Katyayani Shankar Bajpai = Ex Indian Ambassador and co-founder of Delhi Policy Group (DPG) died at 92.

Swami Agnivesh = Social activist, Former Cabinet Minister and Arya Samaj leader Passed Away at 80

Raghuvansh Prasad Singh = Former Union Minister Passeed Away at 74 - He became Lok sabha member in 1996 and served as a Lok Sabha member for five terms representing Vaishali, Bihar. - He served as the Union minister for rural development from 2004 to 2009 in the cabinet led by Manmohan Singh.

Former President of Mali = Moussa Traore Passed Away at 83 (MALI ne MUSA(MOUSA) mar diya)

Kapila Vatsyayan = Former MP, Padma Vibhushan Awardee scholar of Indian classical dance, art, architecture and history Passed Away (KAPIL knows everything – DANCE, ART,ARCHITECTURE, HISTORY etc)

Chanesh Ram Rathiya = Veteran Congress Leader and Former Chhattisgarh Minister Passed Away(C for CHANE, C for CHHATTISGARH)

P R Krishnakumar = Padma Shri, Expert in Ayurveda Passed Away at 69

Ashok Gasti = Rajya Sabha MP from karnataka Passed Away(RAJYA me GAS-Thi)

Balli Durga Prasad Rao, Tirupati Lok Sabha MP Passed Away of COVID-19 at 64

Former Supreme Court Judge Justice Arunachalam Lakshmanan Passed Away at the age of 78 (ARUN will JUDGE LAKSHMAN)

Former Maharashtra CM, Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar passed away at 88 in Pune

- Served as the 10th Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a year between 3rd June 1985 and 6th March 1986.

Former Minister & Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leader Penmatsa Sambasiva Raju Passed Away at 85

Veteran CPM leader and former West Bengal Transport Minister Shyamal Chakraborty passed away at 76

Padma Shri awardee and prominent cultural historian Mukund Lath passed away at 82

Padma Bhushan Awardee & Former Arunachal Pradesh Governor Ram D Pradhan passed away at the age of 92 in Mumbai.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and prominent Northern Ireland politician John Hume passed away at 83 - He is the only person to receive the three major peace awards(Gandhi Peace Prize, Nobel Peace Prize & Martin Luther King Award) = for their efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.

Minister of Technical Education of U.P = Kamal Rani Varun died at 62

Former Andhra Pradesh (AP) Minister and BJP leader Pydikondala(P) Manikyala Rao passed away at 59 due to COVID-19 infection

Somendra Nath Mitra - President of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee & Lok Sabha MP = passed away at 78

72 yr old Maharashtra’s First Woman State Election Commissioner (SEC) Neela Satyanarayanan - 1972- Batch IAS officer from Maharashtra. - Worked as the chief secretary (Revenue) and retired in 2009. - Appointed as the First women election commissioner by Congress-NCP government in 2009 - Written 17 novels and an autobiography “One Full, One Half”, an experience of raising a child with Down syndrome. - Penned about 150 songs and composed music for several Marathi movies.

Suresh Amonkar = Former Goa health minister passed away at 68 Goa Capital – Panaji

Chief Minister– Pramod Sawant Governor– Satya Pal Malik

Cartoonist Avad Bin Hassan Jami passeed away at the age of 77 years in Jamnagar, Gujarat

John Lewis = Civil Rights Movement Pioneer and Longtime Congressman of U.S - Died at 80 - He was the youngest and last survivor of the Big Six Civil rights activists, led by Martin Luther King Jr.

Padma Bhushan Awardee & Renowned Mathematician = CS Seshadri = at 88 – passed away in Chennai - Was the founder of the Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI). - He received Padma Bhushan in 2009

- He received Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award and Srinivasa Ramanujan Medal from the Indian Academy of Sciences

Dr Suresh Amonkar - The former health minister of Goa

Nagindas Sanghvi = Padma Shri award winning veteran Gujarati journalist, columnist, writer and political analyst

Brahm Vasudeva = Hawkins Cookers Chairman

Civil Rights Veteran = Cordy Tindell Vivian - died at 95

Former Mizoram Assembly speaker - Upa Rokamlova

Chhattisgarh’s First CM - Ajit Jogi

Rajya Sabha M.P - Veerendra Kumar

Freedom fighter Padma Shri Gandhian - Hema Bharali - Born in Assam

Judicial Member (Lokpal of India) - Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi

Former Union Minister - Dalit Ezhilmalai - Born in Tamil Nadu

Raja Rangappa Nayak - Former JDS MP - represented the Raichur constituency, Karnataka

POET/ARTIST/JOURNALIST ETC

Chunakkara Ramankutty - Veteran Malayalam Poet, lyricist and drama writer Passed Away at 84 - Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi in 2015 honoured him with “Guru Shreshta Award”.

Former MP & Senior Congress Leader = Nandi Yellaiah died due to COVID at 78 - born in Hyderabad

Veteran Sports Journalist - Gopal Krishna (GK) Menon Passed Away at 93 in Mumbai - worked with the Indian Express and The Times of India

Writer and activist Sadia Dehlvi died of cancer at 63

Fiction writer and Pulitzer Prize-winner novelist Shirley Ann Grau from USA died at 91

William English - co-creator of computer mouse, passes away at 91

Arnold Meyer Spielberg, who Co-designed GE-225 Mainframe Computer Passed Away

Veteran Kannada writer - Geetha Nagabhushan

Historian - RV Smith - Born in Agra

Poet, Padma Shri - K. S. Nissar Ahmed - Born in Mysuru

Renowned Historian - Hari Shankar Vasudevan

Ratnakar Matkari - veteran Writer - born on 17th November 1938 in Mumbai

Debesh Roy - veteran Bengali author - won the Sahitya Akademi award for his novel ‘Tista Parer Brittanto’ in 1990

Anisuzzaman - Padma Bhushan recipient Bangladeshi professor

SPORTS

Former England Cricketer = David Capel - died

Indian Cricketer Sadashiv Raoji Patil Passed Away at 86 (SADA(hamesha, always) CRICKET khelte the) - Made his first class debut for Maharashtra in 1952-53 season. - Test debut in 1955-56 test series at the Brabourne Stadium against New Zealand

Former Indian Football Defender and former Mohun Bagan club captain Laishram Manitombi Singh Died at 39

British tennis player and two-time Grand Slam Doubles champion and Equal Rights Pioneer Angela Buxton died at 85

Former India Footballer (Goalkeeper) turned Coach, Bhaskar Maity passed away at the age of 67 - Maity represented India against Iraq at the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok.

Former Cricketer Gopalaswamy Kasturirangan died of heart attack at 89

Former Australian test cricketer = Barry Jarman - at 84

Dutch Football Player = Wim Suurbier Passed Away at the age of 75 - was suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage - born in Eindhoven, Netherlands - He was a defender who helped to establish the free-flowing ‘Total Football’ on Ajax(Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax) and Dutch national teams of the 1970s. Netherlands Capital– Amsterdam

Currency– Euro Prime Minister– Mark Rutte

51 Yr old Ramesh Tikaram = India’s 1st Para Badminton Arjuna Awardee and Athlete - Organized the World Cup for Para badminton in Bengaluru in 2002.

Ashley Cooper - Former Australian tennis player & 4-times Grand Slam champion

Balbir Singh Dosanjh - Padma Shri three-time hockey Olympic gold medalist

India’s football legend & Padma Shri awardee - Chuni Goswami

Table Tennis sportsperson - Manmeet Singh Walia - national champion in 1989

IMPORTANT DAYS

May 1 - International Labour Day 2020

May 2 - World Tuna Day - Since 2017

May 3 - World Press Freedom Day 2020 by the United Nations General Assembly and UNESCO - theme - Journalism without Fear or Favor

May 4 - International Firefighters’ Day - celebrated since 1999, to recognise and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible

May 4 - International Day of the Midwife - to recognize the work of midwives and raise awareness about the status of midwives for the essential care they provide to mothers and their newborns - Them - Midwives with women: celebrate, demonstrate, mobilise, unite – our time is NOW! - The World Health Organization (WHO) has designed the year 2020 as ‘Year of Nurse and Midwife’ to commemorate the 200th birth anniversary of nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale.

May 5 - 1st Tuesday of May - World Asthma Day - Theme – Enough Asthma Deaths

May 5 - World Hand Hygiene Day by WHO - theme - “SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands”.

May 7 - World Athletics Day - first World Athletics Day was observed in 1996

7th May - World Athletics Day - To increase awareness about athletics and to encourage youth to take up sports

8th May - World Red Cross Day - dedicated to the people who suffer from shortage of food, several natural calamities, war as well as from an epidemic disease

8th May - World Thalassaemia Day - Theme - The dawning of a new era for thalassaemia: Time for a global effort to make novel therapies accessible and affordable to patients

9th May - World Migratory Bird Day - to raise awareness of migratory birds and the importance of international cooperation to conserve them - theme - “Birds Connect Our World”

Second Sunday of May (9th May 2020) - Mother’s day

11th May - National Technology Day - This day marks the successfully tested Shakti-I nuclear missile at the Indian Army’s Pokhran Test Range in Rajasthan

12th May - International Nurse Day - This day is observed to commemorate the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.

16th May - International Day of Light

17th May - World Hypertension Day - celebrated for the 1st time in May 2005 - initiative of the World Hypertension League (WHL)

18th May - International Museum Day - theme - “Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion”

20th May - World Bee Day

20th May - World Metrology Day - to create awareness about metrology and its advancement in the respective field

21st May - International Tea Day

21st May - Anti Terrorism Day 2020

May 23 - World Turtle Day 2020 - since 2000 by the American Tortoise Rescue (ATR), a Non- Profit Organisation

May 25 - World Thyroid Day 2020 - established in 2008 by European Thyroid Association (ETA) and the American Thyroid Association (ATA)

May 25 - International Missing Children’s Day 2020

May 28 - World Hunger Day 2020 - an initiative by The Hunger Project, first started in the year 2011.

May 29 - International Day of UN Peacekeepers 2020 - theme = “Women in Peacekeeping – A key to Peace”

May 28 - World Menstrual Hygiene Day 2020 - Theme - ‘’Periods in Pandemic – it is time to take action!” - United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) launched a week-long campaign #RedDotChallenge

May 29 - World Digestive Health Day 2020 - theme = “Gut Microbiome – A Global Perspective”

May 30 - World Vape Day 2020

National Statistics day - 29th June - birth anniversary of Prof. P C Mahalanobis - theme = SDG- 3 (Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages) & SDG- 5 (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls).

International Asteroid Day - 30th June

International Day of Parliamentarism - 30th June

National Chartered Accountants Day - July 1

National Doctor’s Day - 1st July - theme = “Lessen the mortality of COVID 19”

National Postal Worker Day - 1st July

World Sports Journalists Day - 2nd July - established in 1994 to mark the 70th anniversary of the International Sports Press Association

International Day of Cooperatives - first Saturday of July (4th July) - UN has also appealed to spread the word: “#Coops4ClimateAction”.

International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) celebrated Dharma Chakra Day on 4th July - This day commemorates Buddha’s First Sermon to his first five ascetic disciples at the Deer Park, Rsipatana in the present day Sarnath near Varanasi, UP.

World Chocolate Day or International Chocolate Day is observed every year on 7th July

10th July = ‘National Fish Farmers Day’ - initiative of celebrating the Day was first taken by Mumbai’s Central Institute of Fisheries Education.

11th July - World Population Day - theme = putting the brakes on COVID-19: Safeguarding the health and rights of women and girls.

July 14, = French Government celebrates Bastille Day - also called the French National Day

July 15 = World Youth Skills Day - to recognize the importance of equipping young people with skills of employment, entrepreneurship and decent work – Theme = Skills for a resilient youth

July 15 - World Youth Skills Day 2020 - Celebrated by United Nations (UN) - To highlight the importance of equipping young people with skills to provide opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship - Theme – “Skills for a Resilient Youth” - The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) = declared July 15th UNESCO-UNEVOC (International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training) Director– Soo-Hyang Choi Location- Bonn, Germany

July 17 = International day of Criminal Justice - Also called as international criminal justice day and World Day for International Justice.

- The 17th of July was chosen to commemorate the adoption of Rome Statute – the founding treaty of International Criminal Court (ICC) by the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on 17 July 1998. International Criminal Court(ICC) President - Chile Eboe-Osuji (Judge) HQ – the Hague, Netherlands

July 18 = Nelson Mandela International Day 2020 - Birth anniversary of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, to recognise his contribution in creating a democratic South Africa - First Nelson Mandela International Day was celebrated on 18th July 2010. - Theme = “Take action, inspire change” - United Nations Secretary General António Guterres will delivered the 18th Nelson Mandela Annual lecture titled “Tackling the Inequality Pandemic: A New Social Contract for a New Era”

July 20, 2020 = 1st World Chess Day - celebrated by United Nations(UN) to acknowledge the importance of chess in building harmony among countries, breaking the racial, political and social barriers - This day = 96th Anniversary of the International Chess Federation (FIDE – Fédération Internationale des Échecs). - FIDE’s motto of 2020 is “Teach someone how to play chess.” International Chess Federation (FIDE – Fédération Internationale des Échecs) President – Arkady Dvorkovich Headquarter – Lausanne, Switzerland

July 23 = National Broadcasting Day

- to commemorate the first ever radio broadcast aired in India on 23rd July 1927 from the Bombay Station - The Indian State Broadcasting Service (ISBS) became the All India Radio (AIR) on 8th June 1936. All India Radio (AIR) Motto - Bahujan Hitaya, Bahujan Sukhaya Principal Director General – Ira Joshi Headquarter – New Delhi

July 24 = Income Tax Day 2020 - Celebrated in India on 24th July since 2010

July 26 = 21st Kargil Vijay Diwas 2020

July 27 = 82nd Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF)’s raising day - Amit Shah released 3 documentaries prepared by the CRPF which depicts the role of its ‘corona warriors’, environment protectors and troops who were involved in internal security - CRPF in total has 3.25 lakh personnel

July 26 - International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystems - Adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in the year 2015. - also known as ‘World Mangrove day’ - The IUCNs global effort to restore 150 million hectares of deforested land by 2020 and 350 million hectare by 2030. UNESCO Director-General – Audrey Azoulay Members– 195 Members and 8 Associate Members

July 28 = World Hepatitis Day 2020 - First World Hepatitis Day was observed on 28th July 2011. - Theme = “Hepatitis-free future” - focusing on prevention of Hepatitis B among mothers and newborns.

July 28 - World Nature Conservation Day 2020 - Government of India has taken 5 measures to restore the natural resources 1. Nagar Van Udyan - To create at least one forest in each city - five-year scheme implemented from the 5th june 2015(World Environment Day) by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climatic Change (MoEFCC).

- Budget of Rs. 2.00 crores per City Forest is provided by the ministry of Government in which 80% is covered by the Ministry and 20% is covered by the state Government. 2. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan - launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2nd October 2014. - Slogan - One step towards cleanliness 3. Project Tiger - Project was introduced in the year 1973 to eradicate the diminishing count of the tigers - Project was sponsored by the MoEFCC. 4. Mangroves for the future (MFF) - initiated by the International Union for conservation of Nature (IUCN) and co-chaired by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to restore the mangrove forests. - Project covers six places that were affected by the Tsunami including, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Seychelles, Sri lanka and Thailand.

5.National Wetland Conservation Programme - Aim to conserve the shallow water areas associated with wildlife. - Upto 115 wetlands were found in India.

July 30 = World day against trafficking in persons - Theme as per United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) = “Committed to the Cause: Working on the Frontline to End Human Trafficking” United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Director General/Executive Director – Ghada Fathi Waly Headquarter – Vienna, Austria

July 30 - International Day of Friendship UN General Assembly in 2011 proclaimed July 30 as the official International Day of Friendship.

July 31 - World Ranger Day 2020 - Promoted by the 54-member association of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) - Honours those who have died in the course of their duties - A Ranger is a person who will preserve and protect parklands and natural protected areas.

Aug 1-7 - World Breastfeeding Week 2020 - celebrated annually in the first week of August (from 1st of August to 7th of August) around 120 countries in the World - Theme = “Support Breast feeding for a healthier planet” - The day was commenced after signing the Innocenti Declaration in August 1990. UNICEF Executive Director – Henrietta H. Fore

August 3 - World Sanskrit Day 2020 - celebrated all over the world on the Shravana Poornima, Aim: - University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked its affiliated universities and colleges to celebrate the World Sanskrit Day. - The Consortium of Sanskrit Universities organised ‘Samskrita Week Celebration’ from July 31 to August 6, 2020 to celebrate the 2020 World Sanskrit Day. - All India Radio(AIR) broadcast its first ever special program titled, ‘Bahujan Bhasha-Sanskrit Bhasha’ on 3rd August 2020

August 1 2020 - First Muslim Women Rights Day - With the 1st anniversary of the passage of Muslim Women Act (Protetion on Rights on Marriage Act) 2019

- Egypt was the first Muslim country to abolish triple talaq in 1929 followed by Sudan, Pakistan in 1956, Bangladesh in 1972, Iraq in 1959, Syria in 1953, Malaysia in 1969 Union Minister of Minority Affairs - Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Minister of State – Kiren Rijiju

August 1 - World Lung Cancer Day 2020 - To raise awareness about the causes and treatment of lung cancer and its global impact, creating an educational movement to understand the risks of lung cancer and early treatment around the world. - World Lung Cancer Day campaign was initiated in 2012 - According to the World Health Organization (WHO) lung cancer is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 cancer deaths.

- The most frequently diagnosed cancer is lung cancer (11.6%), followed by female breast (11.6%) and colorectal cancers (10.2%) - Lung cancer is the leading cause of death from cancer at 1.74 million (18.4%), followed by colorectal (9.2%) and stomach cancers (8.2%).

August 7, 2020 - 6th edition of National Handloom Day = to create awareness about the Handloom Industry amongst the public at large

August 08, 2020 = 78th Anniversary of Quit India Movement - Gandhiji began the Quit India Movement

August 9 - Nagasaki Day 2020

August 10 - World Biofuel Day 2020 - day honours the research experiments by Sir Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel(inventor of the diesel engine) who ran an engine with peanut oil in 1893 - Day has been celebrated by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas since 2015. - Highlights various efforts made by the Government in the Biofuel sector - Webinar with theme = “Biofuels towards Atmanirbhar Bharat”

August 9 = UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2020 - To promote the rights of the indigenous population around the world. - Also known as World Tribal Day. - First celebrated on 9th August 1995. - Theme – “COVID-19 and indigenous peoples’ resilience”. United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President – Tijjani Muhammad-Bande

President Elect– Volkan Bozkir Headquarters– New York

August 10, 2020 - World Lion Day - The population of lions in India has increased substantially from 523 in 2015 to 674 in 2020. - Asiatic Lion is enlisted as an endangered species in the IUCN Red list.

August 12 = United Nations (UN) International Youth Day 2020 - Theme = “Youth Engagement for Global Action” - In December 1999, The United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth & declared the 12th of August as International Youth Day.

- The United Nations launched #31DaysOfYouth, a social media campaign to celebrate the youths from all over the world throughout the month of august. - The United Nations Women celebrates and recognises the contribution of the youth amid COVID-19 pandemic. - Virtual Event – ‘Enough! I am Generation Equality. My vision now.’ Organised by United Nations Women with Gender Equality and hosted by Zozibini Tunzi or “Zozi”, Miss Universe 2019

August 13 - World Organ Donation Day 2020 - The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of India launched the 6th World and 1st ever Indian Organ Donation Day and Organ Donation Congress in 2010 in New Delhi.

- Organ Donation Week in Maharashtra = Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari asked all universities in the state to observe Organ Donation Week from August 13 to August 20, 2020 - India’s current organ donation rate is 0.86 per million, which is very poor when compared to other countries - As per the data of Zonal Transplant Coordination Committee (ZTCC) there is a 70% decline in organ donation between March and July as compared to the same period last year (2019).

August 13 - International Left handers Day 2020 - First observed in 1976 by Dean R. Campbell who was founder of the Lefthanders International Inc

August 15 - Celebration of India’s 74th Independence Day 2020

- Due to the current covid-19 situation the around 4000 guests of the 74th Independence day at Red Fort - The Guard of honour inspected by the Prime Minister Modi, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Gaurav S Yewalkar consists of one officer and 24 men from Army, Navy, Air Force and Delhi Police. - Patriotic film festival - The National Film Development Corporation organised the first of its kind online patriotic film festival which began on 7th August 2020 and runs till 21st August 2020. - The film festival showcases the high quality independence day themed patriotic films on the website: www.cinemasofindia.com - The movie Gandhi by Sir Richard Attenborough is made accessible for the people with vision and hearing impairment.

- “Ek India Team India” Campaign - IOA (Indian Olympic Association) launched the digital campaign as a part of the adaptation of the new identity and logo of IOA, marking its 100 years of participation in Olympic Games. - Awards & Decorations to Armed force personnels at 74th Independence Day = President Ram Nath Kovind approved 84 gallantry awards include Kirti Chakra(1), Shaurya Chakras(9), Sena Medals(60), Bar to Sena Medals(5), Nao Sena Medals(4) and Vayu Sena Medals(5) and decorations to the personnels of Armed Forces and members of Paramilitary Forces. - 35 Delhi Police personnel, including 4 women, received the Police Medal for their services, 16 personnel received the Police Medal for Gallantry. - 3 personals received the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and 16 were awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service.

August 19 - World Humanitarian Day 2020

- The First WHD was observed on 19th August 2009. - To pay tribute to honour all humanitarian workers and United Nations and associated personnel who dedicated their lives to help the people in extreme circumstances around the world and lost their lives in the cause of duty. - 19th August was chosen in memory of the 19th August 2003 bombing in Canal Hotel, Baghdad, Iraq which killed 22 people including Sergio Vieira de Mello, Chief Humanitarian in Iraq. - #RealLifeHeroes Campaign is a global campaign to celebrate the humanitarians who have committed their lives to help the people in need.

August 19 - World Photography Day 2020 The first official World Photo Day was marked on 19th August 2010 when the first global online gallery was hosted with around 270 photographers who shared their photographs.

August 20 - Sadbhavan Diwas 2020 - Also known as Communal Harmony Day, to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi.

August 20 - World Mosquito Day 2020

August 21 - International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism 2020 - The event of 2020 is organized by UN Counter Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) in collaboration with the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism. - United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres will participate in the online high- level event entitled “Not Forgotten: Stories of Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism”.

The UN Counter Terrorism Centre (UNCCT), is the main capacity-building arm of UNOCT. Executive Director - Vladimir Voronkov (Under Secretary General for Counter-Terrorism)

August 21 - World Senior Citizen’s Day 2020 - The day was officially founded by Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States of America, in 1988. - On December 14, 1990, The United Nations General Assembly issued a proclamation to celebrate the day on August 21 every year. - The day was 1st celebrated in 1991.

August 22 – UN International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief 2020 - The first observed on 22nd August 2019.

August 22 - Earth Overshoot Day 2020 - The first Global Earth Overshoot Day campaign was launched in 2006. - Compared to 2019, The 2020 Earth Overshoot Day was postponed by three weeks to August 22 - 2019 Earth Overshoot Day which was on 31st July marked the earliest Earth Overshoot Day ever recorded by the Global Footprint Network.

August 23 = UN International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition 2020 - The first International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition was celebrated on 23rd August 1998

- The National Maritime Museum(NMM), Greenwich hosted the annual emancipation ceremony from the National Maritime Museum to the River Thames UNESCO Director General – Audrey Azoulay

August 24 - World Gujarati day 2020 - To commemorate the birth anniversary of the famous Gujarati poet and social reformer, Narmadashankar Dave popularly known as Veer Narmad. - On the occasion of World Gujarati day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his wishes to all the gujarati’s around the world.

August 24 – 28, 2020 - World Water Week 2020 - Organised by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) since 1991. - Theme = ‘Water and Climate change: Accelerating Action’.

- World Water Week of the year 2019 was observed from 25th August 2019 to 30th August 2019. - SIWI has decided to cancel the annual conference which was scheduled to take place from 23 to 28th August 2020 in Stockholm

August 29 - National Sports Day 2020 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand Singh - Kiren Rijiju announced a hike in 4 categories of the National Sports and Adventure Awards. - The prize money of Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award was increased from Rs.7.5 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh. - Arjuna Award has been increased from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.15 Lakh. - The lifetime Dronacharya Award was increased from Rs.5 Lakh to Rs.15 lakh and regular Dronacharya Award was increased to Rs.10 lakh from Rs.5 lakh.

- Dhyan Chand Awardees will be given 10 lakh rupees instead of 5 lakh rupees.

United Nations (UN)’s International Day against Nuclear Tests - 29th August 2020 - Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) = adopted by the UNGA on 10th September 1996 to eradicate nuclear explosions by everyone, everywhere on the Earth’s surface, in the atmosphere, underwater and underground. CTBTO Executive Secretary – Lassina Zerbo Headquarters– Vienna, Austria

September 5 = International Day of Charity 2020(Did CHARITY on Teachers day i.e 5 sept) - September 5 was chosen to commemorate the death anniversary of Mother Teresa of Calcutta who was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. - The 1st day was celebrated in 2013.

September 7 - 1st United Nations International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies 2020 - Theme for 2020 - “Clean Air for All” - The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) during its 74th session adopted the resolution (A/RES/74/212) on December 19, 2019 to hold the day.

September 8 - International Literacy Day 2020 - The International Literacy Day was first celebrated on 8th September 1966. - The theme = “Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond” - UN organised two virtual meetings on 8th September 2020 1. Meeting on ‘Literacy teaching and learning in the COVID-19 crisis and beyond: the role of educators and changing pedagogies’ 2. Meeting on the Laureates of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2020.

UNESCO Director General – Audrey Azoulay

September 9 - Himalyan Day or Himalaya Diwas 2020 - Theme of 2020:- ‘Himalayas and Nature’ Uttarakhand Chief Minister – Trivendra Singh Rawat Governor– Baby Rani Maurya

September 9 - 1st International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2020 - Theme for 2020 – “Protect Education, Save a Generation.” - The day captures the attention of the condition of more than 75 million 3-to-18-year-olds, who are living in 35 countries affected by the crisis and their immediate need for educational assistance.

- UNGA during its 74th session adopted the resolution (A/RES/74/275) on May 28, 2020 to hold the day, calling on the UNESCO and UNICEF to raise awareness about the condition of the school children affected by the crisis. - The resolution was presented by Qatar and co-sponsored by 62 countries.

September 10 - World Suicide Prevention Day 2020 - Organized by International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO). - The first World Suicide Prevention day was hosted in 2003 - IASP provides a forum for students, mental health professionals, volunteers and suicide survivors. IASP President – Murad Khan

September 11 = 15th National Forest Martyr day 2020

September 12 = UN International Day of South-South Cooperation 2020

September 12 = World First Aid Day 2020 - 2nd Saturday of September = to promote the importance of first aid training in saving lives and preventing injuries - The theme is “First Aid Saves Lives”. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC) Secretary General– Jagan Chapagain Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland

September 15, 2020 - International Day of Democracy - Observed since 2007.

September 16 - World Ozone Day 2020 - Theme = “Ozone for life: 35 years of ozone layer protection” - 2020 day marks the celebration of 35 years of the Vienna Convention and 35 years of Global ozone layer protection. - 16th September was chosen to commemorate the signing of Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer on 16th September 1987. - Vienna Convention = Around 28 countries signed and adopted the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer under the Montreal Protocol on 22nd March 1985 - The Vienna convention and Montreal Protocol became the first treaties to achieve Universal ratification (198 countries) on 16th September 2009.

- Kigali Amendment – in the 28th meeting of the Parties of the Montreal Protocol on 15th October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda the parties agreed to phase down the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Secretary – Tina Birmpili Headquarter – Nairobi, Kenya

September 17 - World Patient Safety Day 2020 - celebrated by WHO - The First World Patients Safety day was observed on 17th September 2019. - theme = “Health Worker Safety: A Priority for Patient Safety”

September 18, 2020 - 11th edition of World Bamboo Day - Theme = “BAMBOO NOW”

- India is the world’s second largest cultivator of Bamboo (after China). About World Bamboo Organization President – Michel Abadie Headquarter – Boston, Massachusetts

COMMITTEES/ REPORTS/MEETINGS

2nd Edition of ‘States on Support to Startup Ecosystems 2019’ - Released by Piyush Goyal and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) - Gujarat emerged as the best performer among Category X. - Andaman and Nicobar Islands emerged as best performer among Category Y

Vice President of India released the inaugural issue of the report ‘The State of Young Child in India’ - Prepared by Mobile Creches - The report has also released the list of Best-performing states & worst-performing states based on the Young Child Outcomes Index. - 159 million children aged below 6 years in India out of them 21 per cent are undernourished, 36 per cent are underweight and 38 per cent do not receive full immunization. - According to analysis on expense towards child nutrition, healthcare, education and other protection services, India has spent Rs 1,723 per child in 2018-2019, which is insufficient to reach the entire eligible population. - The report introduced two indexes: Young Child Outcomes Index (YCOI) and Young Child Environment Index (YCEI).

1. Young Child Outcomes Index (YCOI) = measures health, nutrition and cognitive growth with help of indicators such as infant mortality rate, stunting and net attendance at the primary school level. - The index was constructed for 2005-06 and 2015–2016. 2. Young Child Environment Index (YCEI) = to understand policy and environment enablers that influence a child’s well being – - According to YCEI Index, Kerala, Goa, Sikkim, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh secured top five positions. - The environment index was constructed for 2015–2016. - The first ‘mobile creche’ was set up in 1969, at a construction site near Rajghat, in Delhi.

According to a report by Ernst & Young, India’s agriculture technology can grow to $24.1 billion in 5 years with a turnover of $204 million

- According to the report, there are 500 agritech startups in the country, out of which 57 are servicing the five high categories - Ninjacart, Waycool and Jumbotail have raised $252 million in funding. Minister of State of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare – Parshottam Khodabhai Rupala, Kailash Choudhary

NITI Aayog constituted Multidimensional Poverty Index Coordination Committee (MPICC) - chaired by Ms Sanyukta Samaddar - The inaugural meeting of the MPICC was held on 2 September 2020. - Global MPI is part of Government of India’s decision to monitor the performance of the country in 29 selected Global Indices. - India Ranked 62nd among 107 countries in Global MPI with an MPI score of 0.123 and 27.91% headcount ratio

- Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) = international measure of multidimensional poverty covering 107 developing countries - first developed in 2010

Report on “Household Social Consumption: Education in India as part of 75th round of National Sample Survey(NSS) - Kerala topped with literacy rate chart 96.2% followed by Delhi (88.7%), Uttarakhand (87.6%) - Andhra Pradesh worst performer at 66.4% followed by Rajasthan at 69.7%, Bihar (70.9%) - The overall literacy rate in India is pegged at 77.7% where rural areas have 73.5% literacy rate and urban areas has 87.7%. - Literacy rate is defined as the percentage of literate persons among persons of age 7 years and above. - Male literacy rate is higher at 84.7% compared to 70.3% among women. - Nearly 4% of rural households and 23% of urban households possessed computers.

- Among persons aged 15-29 years, nearly 24% in rural areas and 56% in urban areas were able to operate a computer. - This survey covered 1,13,757 households Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)– Rao Inderjit Singh

‘Levels & Trends in Child Mortality’ Report 2020 by United Nations Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) - India’s child mortality rate declined from 3.4 million in 1990 to 824,000 in 2019 - Global under-five deaths dropped to its lowest point on record in 2019, down to 5.2 million from 12.5 million in 1990.

- The new mortality rates have been released by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), Population Division of the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the World Bank Group. UN Secretary General – António Guterres Headquarter – New York

Govt Formed 16-member Committee to to conduct a study on the origin and evolution of Indian culture of about 12,000 years ago and its interface with other cultures of the world.

Report titled “The Human Capital Index 2020 Update: Human Capital in the Time of COVID-19” - By Human Development Practice Group + the Development Economics Group of the World Bank.

- India Ranked 116th among 174 countries with score increase to 0.49 from 0.44 in 2018 in comparison to 115 out of 157 countries. - Singapore topped the score with 0.88 followed by Hong Kong at 0.81 and Japan at 0.80. World Bank President – David Robert Malpass Headquarters – Washington, D.C.

Niti Aayog Task Force “Sugarcane and Sugar Industry” headed by Ramesh Chand Recommends Linking of Sugarcane Prices to Sugar Rate - Currently around 3 lakh hectares are under sugarcane cultivation that produces around 20 lakh tonnes of sugarcane. - An incentive of Rs.6000 per hectare will be provided to the farmers to adopt alternate cultivation patterns with less water intensive crops.

- Revenue Sharing Formula (RSF) with Price Stabilisation Fund to protect the farmers with fair and remunerative price (FRP). - The minimum support price of the sugar will be reviewed after 6 months from notification. - Report recommends a onetime increase in the minimum sugar price to Rs.33 per kilogram. - also recommends to levy less on sugar at Rs.50 per quintal for 3 years, while around Rs. 4500 crore would be added to the fund which will support the banks providing soft loans to the mills to clear dues and update technology.

“Youth and COVID-19: Impacts on Jobs, Education, Rights and Mental Well-being” - Published by UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) - 50% of young people across the world are possibly subject to anxiety or depression and around 17% of them are already affected by it - 38% of youths do not have a clear idea about the career or future

- Around 12000 responses from 112 countries were received with a major contribution from the educated youths. - The mental wellbeing of the younger youths and young women aged between 18 to 24 years are at the lowest. - 1 in 6 youths have stopped their work since the outbreak of the pandemic ILO Director-General – Guy Ryder Headquarter – Geneva

National Centre for Disease Informatics & Research (NCDIR), Bengaluru released a new Report of National Cancer Registry Programme 2020 - Cancer in India may rise from 13.9 Lakh in 2020 to 15.7 lakh in 2025 - Tobacco related cancers are estimated to constitute around 27% of all cancers.

- According to World Health Organization(WHO)’s Global Nutrition Report 2020, India is one among 88 countries to miss global nutrition targets by 2025 Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Secretary & Director General – Dr. Balram Bhargava

Report “Population projections for India and States 2011- 2036” by National Commission on Population - The report projected that the India’s sex ratio of the total population (females per 1000 males) is expected to be more feminine in 2036 compared to the population as of 2011. - The report estimates the sex ratio to increase from 943 in 2011 to 957 in 2036. - Compared to 2011, the sex ratio in 18 states except Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat are expected to increase by 2036. - The lowest sex ratio of 899 is expected to be in NCT of Delhi, followed by 900 in Gujarat and 908 in Haryana.

- India’s Infant Mortality Rate is reported to be 46 in 2010 which is expected to reduce to 30 by the end of 2031-2035. - Kerala is expected to have the lowest IMR at 9 - Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is expected to decline from 2.34 during 2011-2015 to 1.73 during 2031- 35. - The report projects that India will overtake China and become the most populated county around 2031. - For men the life expectancy is expected to increase from 66 to 69 and for women it is expected to increase from 71 to 74.

Report titled “Tackling the Covid-19 youth employment crisis in Asia and the Pacific” - Released by The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB)

- 41 Lakh Youths Lost Their Jobs in India Due to COVID-19 - Around 220 million young workers (15 to 24 years) in the region are vulnerable due to their short tenure on the job. - Around 1 crore to 1.5 crore youth jobs may be lost in the 13 countries in the Asia and pacific region in 2020. ADB President – Masatsugu Asakawa Motto – Committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable Asia & the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. International Labor Organization (ILO) Director-General – Guy Ryder Headquarter – Geneva, Switzerland

Report, ‘Progress on drinking water, sanitation and hygiene in schools Special focus on COVID- 19’

- released by World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) - Around 818 million Children across the World Lack Basic Hand Washing Facilities at their Schools which makes them prone to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and other transmittable diseases. - Of the 818 million children, 355 million went to schools which had facilities with water but no soap, and 462 million to schools which had no facilities or water available for handwashing. - More than one third of these children (295 million) are from sub-Saharan Africa. - 7 out of 10 schools lacked basic hand washing facilities and half of schools lacked basic sanitation and water services in the least developed countries. - 1 in 3 schools worldwide had either limited drinking water service or no drinking water service at all. - Around the world, 43% of schools lacked access to basic handwashing with soap and water in 2019

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) Set Up Expert Committee - Headed by Pradip Shah, Chairman of Indasia Fund Advisors Pvt Ltd. - To suggest ways to enhance International Retail Business in International Financial Services Centres (IFSC). - Three months to submit its recommendations to the IFSCA. - The objective of the IFSCA is to make India a global hub for international financial service in par with London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai. - IFSCA makes the IFSC at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT city) as a gateway for the India IFSCA Chairman – Injeti Srinivas Headquarters – Gandhinagar, Gujarat

Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ - launched = compilation India Report – Digital Education June 2020 - Prepared by the Digital Education Division of MHRD in consultation with Education Departments of States and UTs. - Report highlights the methods adopted by the MHRD and the Education Department of States and Union Territories(UT) to ensure the accessibility to education for the children at home. Remote learning Initiatives of State Governments = - Rajasthan – SMILE (Social Media Interface for Learning Engagement) - Telangana – online certificate programs for teachers on ‘Management of mental well-being during COVID’ - Uttarakhand – uses Sampark Baithak App to provide videos, puzzles, worksheet for primary level students. - Gujarat initiated Vanchan Abhiyan - a reading campaign and Parivar no maalo-salamat ane humfaalo (family’s nest-safe and warm) to provide socio psychological support for children.

- West Bengal also started a toll-free helpline number to clarify the students’ doubts. - Karnataka launched Pariksha Vani, an exam preparation program through Doordarshan - Chhattisgarh – Padhai Tunhar duvaar - Goa + Embibe, AI - powered online platform = to support the entrance exam preparation of the students. - Jammu – Project Home Classes - Kerala – educational TV channel (Hi-Tech school programme) - Lakshadweep – distributed tablets with e-content for students. - Meghalaya – E-scholar portal as well as free online courses for teachers - Delhi – Mission Buniyaad

Report titled “The Toxic Truth: Children’s Exposure to Lead Pollution Undermines a Generation of Future Potential”

- Published by UNICEF - 1 in every 3 that is around 800 million children across the world has the blood lead level above or at 5 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL), the amount at which action is required and Almost 50% of these children live in South Africa. UNICEF Executive Director – Henrietta Holsman Fore

Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), Rajesh Verma released Report of the Committee on Business Responsibility Reporting (BRR) - recommended a new reporting framework - ”Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR)” as the demand for non-financial reporting is growing due to increase trends of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) investing. - 8-member committee, chaired by Gyaneshwar Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, MCA was formulated by Injeti Srinivas, former Secretary, MCA

Union Minister of Corporate Affairs - Nirmala Sitharaman Minister of State - Anurag Singh Thakur

Ministry of finance, Department of Revenue Forms Panel under Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme for Exporters - Headed by G K Pillai - Committee in its final report will recommend a ceiling rate of Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) after taking into account the Direct Taxes & Indirect Taxes levied on the exported products. - Will determine the methodology, decide modalities of holding meetings, conduct field visits and study specific production processes - Committee will submit its main report within three months from identification and prioritisation of sectors/items by the government.

- Remission of Duties and Taxes on Export Products is a new reimbursement scheme which will replace the existing Merchandise Export from India Scheme(MEIS) scheme - Aims to reimburse the taxes and duties incurred by exporters - Previous Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) is being phased out as it was found to violate the World Trade Organization rules.

United Nations'(UN) annual report “The state of food security and nutrition in the world- Transforming food systems for affordable healthy diets” - Prepared by 5 UN agencies, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO). - 690 million people, 8.9% of the world’s population, went hungry in 2019 - An increase of 10 million since 2018 and of nearly 60 million since 2014.

- The report warned that the COVID-19 pandemic may add an additional 83 to 132 million people to the ranks of the undernourished in 2020 - If this trend continues, the number of undernourished people will exceed 840 million by 2030. - As of now, the world is neither progressing towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 2.1, of ensuring access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food for all people all year round, nor towards target 2.2, of eradicating all forms of malnutrition. - Asia is home to the greatest number of undernourished people, an estimated 381 million. - Africa has the most as a percentage of the population with nearly 20% of the continent’s people undernourished. - 3 billion people or more can’t afford to acquire the food needed for a healthy diet. - If current food consumption patterns continue, diet-related health costs linked to mortality and diet-related non-communicable diseases are projected to exceed USD 1.3 trillion per year by 2030.

United Nations Headquarter– New York, United States (US) Secretary General– Antonio Guterres

UNODC’s World Wildlife Crime Report - Released by The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) - prepared by the UNODC Crime Research Section - Pangolin(most trafficked wild animal) Scale Seizure Jumped 10 times Between 2014 & 2018 - 19 countries have declared large accumulated stock of pangolin scales to the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. - The report also features about the trafficking of rosewood timber, African elephant tusks and rhinoceros’ horns, Live reptiles, Big cats and European glass eels. UNODC Director-General/ Executive Director – Ghada Fathi Waly Headquarters– Vienna, Austria

India’s maternal mortality ratio declined to 113 in 2016-18 from 122 in 2015-17 and 130 in 2014 - The southern States registered a lower MMR — Andhra Pradesh (65), Telangana (63), Karnataka (92), Kerala (43) and Tamil Nadu (60) - The target of United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of 3.1 is to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 1,00,000 live births.

Minister of Human Resource Development set up a committee headed by UGC Chairman, D.P. Singh - to Form Guidelines to Encourage Students to Study in India - to ensure that more students study in India and there is a smooth transition for students returning from abroad due to COVID-19 situation - Announcement was made on the occasion of the brainstorming session regarding “Stay in India and Study in India” in New Delhi.

- The Committee will submit a report in 15 days.

Most Surveilled Cities 2020 - Analysed 150 major cities across the globe by Comparitech - Hyderabad ranked 16th with the maximum number of CCTV cameras in india - Topped by Taiyuan, China. - Chennai (21st rank) and Delhi (33rd rank) Comparitech Head Office – England

Cooling Emissions and Policy Synthesis Report - By the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) stated that by combining energy efficiency improvements with the transition away from super-polluting refrigerants, the world can avoid cumulative greenhouse gas emissions of

between 210-460 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent(GtCO2e) over the next four decades - Report was authored by a range of experts under the guidance of a 15-member steering committee co-chaired by Mario Molina- President, Centro Mario Molina, Mexico - Report is supported by the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Programme (K-CEP). UNEP Headquarters – Nairobi, Kenya Executive Director – Inger Andersen IEA Headquarters – Paris Executive Director – Fatih Birol

Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2020 - Assessment by FAO - India ranked 3rd in gaining forest area in world – topped by china

- global employment in forestry led by India - Assessment examined employment in the forestry sector (including logging) with data from 136 countries - Globally, 12.5 million people were employed in the forestry sector. Out of this, India accounted for 6.23 million, or nearly 50%. - India reported 0.38% or 266,000 ha of forest annual gain from 2010 to 2020 every year - The world has a total forest area of 4.06 billion hectares (ha) in 2020, which is 31% of the total land area where India accounts for 2% of total global forest area - Russia has a maximum forest area accounting 20% of global forest area (815,312 ha) followed by Brazil (496,620 ha-12%) & Canada (346,928 ha- 9%) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General = Qu Dongyu Headquarter – Rome, Italy

Research titled “Childcare in a global crisis: The impact of COVID-19 on work and family life” - by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s Office of Research = Innocenti - Out of 40 million children worldwide, 22 million children from South Asia, including India missed out on early childhood education due to COVID-19 UNICEF Executive Director – Henrietta Holsman Fore

G. Srinivasan - appointed as the chairman of the nine member working Group (WG) set up by IRDAI to study the suitability of insurers offering surety bonds for contractors

The report titled “Towards a Clean Energy Economy: Post-Covid-19 Opportunities for India’s Energy and Mobility Sectors” released jointly by NITI Aayog and Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI)

Under chairmanship of K S Reddy - the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has set up an 11-member expert committee to study impact of Covid-19 on human rights of individuals

Under chairmanship of Ranbir Singh - the Central Committee for reforms in Criminal Law = constituted by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)

According to the report “Annual Marine Fish Landings in India for 2019” by Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) Tamil Nadu topped in annual fish production with 7.75 lakh tonnes followed by Gujarat (7.49 lakh tonnes)

The Global E-waste Monitor 2020 is a collaborative product of the Global E-waste Statistics Partnership (GESP), formed by the United Nations University (UNU). According to a recent United

Nations University (UNU) report, global e-waste will increase by 38% in the decade between 2020 and 2030

According to the report “Children in monetary poor households and COVID-19: Technical Note” released jointly by the UNICEF & Save the Children, 672 million (Increase of 86 million) children will be trapped in to poverty by the end of 2020 due to COVID-19 Impact

According to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) - the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2020 - the forest loss rate in 2015-2020 has declined to an estimated 10 million hectares (mha), down from 12 mha in 2010-2015 - lost 178 mha of forest since 1990

India has installed 7.3 Giga Watt (GW) of solar power in year 2019 as per Mercom India Research’s report titled ‘India Solar Market Leaderboard 2020’ - 3rd largest solar market in the world

Report from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), titled ‘The Global Report on Internal Displacement (GRID 2020)’ - nearly 5 million people were displaced in India in 2019 due to natural disasters, conflict, and violence - highest in the world

UNICEF report - “Lost at Home: The risks and challenges for internally displaced children and the urgent actions needed to protect them” - 46 million people were internally displaced around the world by conflict and violence in 2019 - 19 million were children

IRDAI - set up a panel headed by Yegnapriya Bharat (CGM, NON LIFE) = to frame standard professional indemnity policy for insurance intermediaries that can be issued by all the insurers.

Task force on National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) - headed by Atanu Chakraborty - submitted - Final Report for FY 2019-25 - projecting total infrastructure investment of Rs 111 lakh crore for 5- year.

As per the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Report, 2020 India is one among the 88 countries that are to miss global nutrition targets set for the year 2025

World Health Organization (WHO) + Nursing now and International Council of Nurses (ICN) - released the first “The State of the World’s Nursing 2020” report

➢ there are 28 million nurses worldwide but still, there is a global shortfall of 5.9 million

Raj Kumar Singh - unveiled e-book titled “A Report on Impact of Energy Efficiency Measures” for the year 2018-19 ➢ India reduced energy intensity in 2018-19 by 20% as compared to the 2005 level. ➢ India’s target - 33-35% by 2030 compared to 2005 level.

According to Mumbai-based think tank the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy(CMIE) the country’s unemployment rate rose to 27.11%.

As per International Energy Agency (IEA) “Global Energy Review 2020 due to COVID 19 India’s energy demand falls by 30% - The report is based on an analysis of around 100 days of real-data of 2020

Two scientific papers on child survival published by the India State-Level Disease Burden Initiative stated that the under-5 Mortality Rate in India has dropped by 49 per cent since 2000 - 1.04 million under-5 deaths in 2017, down from 2.24 million deaths in 2000

INDEX

Forbes’ list of highest paid actors for the year 2020 - Akshay Kumar Ranked 6th with his estimated earnings of USD 48.5 million

- Dwayne Johnson topped consecutive second time, with an estimated net worth of USD 87.5 million

India ranked 1st in number of organic farmers and 9th in terms of area under organic farming - Sikkim - first state in the world to become completely organic and other states including Tripura and Uttarakhand have set targets to be on the same line. - Under One District One Produce concept government is trying to develop more clusters of organic produce - Jaivik Kheti Portal was launched for farmers to sell all of their organic produce promoting organic farming globally. - Webinars are conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on Organic Farming. Minister of State of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) - Parshottambhai Rupala

FutureBrand Index 2020 - Reliance Industries Ranked 2nd Biggest Brand - Apple Topped

India’s rank in the recently released “Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2020”, including the SDG Index and Dashboards by Cambridge University Press - 117th - Topped by Sweden. - The report contains data on changes over time in 17 SDG indicators - 2020 report has reviewed the performance of 193 UN Member States out of which 166 were ranked under SDG index 2020

31st - India’s rank in the “INFORM Report 2020: Shared evidence for managing crises and disasters” - released by research centre INFORM - The report ranked the countries based on “INFORM Risk Index” - topped by Somalia - analyzed 191 countries.

INFORM Report 2020: Shared evidence for managing crises and disasters - Released by research centre INFORM, operating under the European Commission (EU) - Analyzed 191 countries - Topped by Somalia with an inform risk of 8.9 - India - 31st place with an inform risk of 5.4 - North Korea - most dangerous places to live

Global Real Estate Transparency Index (GRETI) - Released by Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) - It is biennial - It is a unique benchmark of real estate market transparency and an essential guide for companies operating in foreign markets - It covered 99 countries and territories and 163 cities - Index is based on 210 indicators which includes additional data on sustainability and resilience, health and wellness, proptech and alternatives. All the variables have been divided into six areas with certain weights - Topped by UK with the score of 1.31, India is at 11th place with score of 2.69

UN’s Global Multidimensional Poverty Index

- India Record Largest Reduction in Number of People Living in Poverty as around 273 million people moved out of the multidimensional poverty over 10 years (2005/2006 – 2015/2016). - Report released by the Human Development Report Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) focuses on how multidimensional poverty has declined. - out of 75 countries studied, 65 countries have reduced multidimensional poverty levels between 2000 and 2019 - Among the 65 countries, 50 countries have reduced the number of people living in poverty - both India and Nicaragua have halved the MPI value among children in 10 and 10.5 years respectively - Around 50% of the 1.3 billion (644 million) are under the age of 18, and 107 million are 60 or above 60 who are vulnerable to COVID-19 What is Multidimensional Poverty?

- The multidimensional poverty encloses various deprivations experienced by the poor people like poor heath, lack of education, inadequate standard of living, poor quality of work, threat of violence and hazardous living environments. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator– Achim Steiner Headquarters– New York, United States of America

World Bank Country Classifications by Income Level 2020-2021 - India Remains as Lower-Middle-Income Economy - Total 218 countries have been included in this classification - World Bank classifies countries into four income groups namely: low income, lower-middle income, upper-middle income, and high-income economies. - classifications are updated each year on July 1 and are based on Gross National Income(GNI) per capita in current USD(using the Atlas method exchange rates) of the previous year.

GNI per capita - below USD 1,035 = Low-income economies - between USD 1,036 and USD 4,045 = Lower Middle-income economies - between USD 4,046 and USD 12,535 = Upper middle-income economies - above USD 12,536 = High-income economies World Bank Headquarter – Washington, D.C United States President– David R. Malpass

Bloomberg Billionaires Index - Mukesh Ambani = World’s 6th richest man worth USD 72.4 billion - Jeff bezos – topped with USD 184B followed by bill gates and Bernard arnault - Azim premji is at 77th with USD 16.9 B and shiv nadar is at 89th with USD 15.8B

Cushman & Wakefield’s 2020 Global Manufacturing Risk Index - India Ranked 3rd in Baseline Category, 3rd in Cost Scenario & 30th in Risk Scenario - China Topped, USA 2nd in Baseline Category - China topped and Vietnam 2nd in Cost Scenario - Canada topped in Risk Scenario - Accessed 48 countries in four key areas = Bouncebackability, Conditions, Costs, and Risks Cushman & Wakefield President– John Forrester Headquarter– Chicago, Illinois, United States (US)

Global Skills Index 2020 Report - prepared by “Coursera”, World’s largest online learning platform - India Ranked 34th in Business Domain, 51st in Data Science Domain & 40th in Technology Domain

- The report stated that India’s workforce is expected to increase 27% to 600 million by 2022 Coursera Headquarters – Mountain View, California, USA

7th edition of “International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) Global Rights Index 2020 - Index ranked 144 countries on the basis of respect for workers’ rights. - India entered in the 10 worst countries for working people in the world, with a rating of 5 - Other countries among the worst ten are - Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Turkey, Egypt, Honduras and Zimbabwe - Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the worst region with 4.44 rating followed by Asia- Pacific with 4.09 - India’s ranking was based on three factors viz. Mass dismissals, Brutal repression of strikes, and Regressive laws. International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) General Secretary– Sharan Leslie Burrow

Headquarter– Brussels, Belgium

Global ranking of average wages prepared by Picodi.com - India - 72nd among 106 countries with Average Monthly Wage of Rs 32,800 - Switzerland Topped where the average wage is Rs 4,49,000 - Monthly wage of Cuba is the lowest at Rs 2,700 (USD 36).

13th Edition of Global Innovation Index 2020 released by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cornell University and INSEAD Business School - India ranked 48th with a score of 35.59 - Theme = “Who Will Finance Innovation?”. - Switzerland, Sweden, United States(US), United Kingdom(UK) and Netherlands took the top spots

- A total of 131 countries were analysed WIPO Director General – Daren Tang (Singapore) Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland

THE World University Ranking 2021 - IISc Bengaluru topped among 63 Indian Institutes and ranked under the 301-350 group ranking - University of Oxford, UK was topped the list - The rankings are made based on 13 performance indicators - THE ranking includes around 1500 universities from 93 countries and regions. - The United States of America is the most represented country with 59 institutes in the top 200 rank followed by the United Kingdom (29) and Germany (21).

2nd Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) report titled “A World in Disorder” released

- World will take 500 years to spend on preparing for pandemics due to the loss driven by the novel coronavirus disease - The GPMB is the joint arm of the WHO and the World Bank. - Cost of COVID-19 is over US$ 11 trillion to fund the response resulting in future loss of US$ 10 trillion in earnings. - Nearly 90% of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine supply has already been secured by Brazil, China, India, US, the UK and EU countries

2nd edition of “Smart City Index 2020” - Singapore topped followed by Helsinki (Finland) and Zurich (Switzerland) in the second and the third place respectively. - 4 Indian Cities - New Delhi(68), Mumbai(78), Hyderabad(67) and Bengaluru(79) in Top 100

- By Institute for Management Development (IMD) + Singapore University for Technology and Design (SUTD) + IMD World Competitiveness Center and Smart Cities Observatory (SCO)

India’s rank in the in scientific publication in 2018 – Third – R&D expenditure have tripled from 2008 to 2018 - survey included more than 6800 S&T Institutions spread across varied sectors like central government, state governments, higher education, public sector industry, and private sector industry in the country

7th edition of ‘Open Budget Survey 2019’ conducted by International Budget Partnership (IBP) - India ranked at 53rd position among 117 nations in terms of budget transparency and accountability. New Zealand - topped the list

“Digital Quality of Life (DQL) Index 2020” - by online privacy solutions provider SurfShark - India Ranked 57th out of 85 with 0.5 index points, Denmark topped with 0.79 points - India ranked lowest in the world in terms of e-infrastructure by occupying 79th rank. - Scandinavia has the most active internet users’ i.e 95% while Southern Asia is the least active region globally with only 35% of users. - 3 hours 48 minutes is a global average of working time needed to afford the cheapest broadband internet SurfShark Headquarter – British Virgin Islands, United Kingdom

74th - India’s rank in Global Energy Transition Index (GET Index) 2020 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) - ranked 115 countries - Sweden has topped the ranking for the third consecutive year

STATE WISE RANKING

Chhattisgarh - 1st - in providing employment under MGNREGS as per data provided by Rural Development ministry

Six cities - Ambikapur, Rajkot, Surat, Mysuru, Indore and Navi Mumbai - rated 5 star in Star Rating of Garbage Free Cities, for the assessment year 2019-2020

NITI Aayog + Institute of Competitiveness - Released Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020 - Gujarat Topped the Overall Rankings

- EPI has 4 pillars = Policy, Business Ecosystem, Export Ecosystem and Export Performance and 11 sub pillars (BEEP = Business Ecosystem, Export Ecosystem and Export Performance, Policy )

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu Virtually Announced Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020 from New Delhi - The rankings were announced in six categories - The rankings are premised on 9 parameters = Budget, Facilities, Awareness, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Commercialization, Learning Methods, Governance, and Angel and Venture Capital Funding/Investor Linkage. - IIT Madras Topped among Institutes of National Importance - Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank and Minister of State for Education Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre were the Guest of Honour.

- Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Odisha topped the category of Private or Self-Financed Universities. - ARIIA = It is an initiative of the Ministry of Education and implemented by the Ministry’s Innovation Cell and AICTE

Festivals

Sikkim Celebrated Pang Lhabsol Festival - The festival is celebrated at the end of monsoon, on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month in the Tibetan calendar - The festival aims to pay tribute to Mount Khangchendzonga, the guardian deity of Sikkim which is believed to have been protecting this sacred land since ages.

Odisha, Chhattisgarh Celebrated Agricultural Festival ‘2020 Nuakhai Juhar’ on August 23

Kerala State Dragonfly Festival 2020 aka “Thumbimahotsavam 2020” Launched - launched by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-India State unit + Society for Odonate Studies (SOS) + Thumbipuranam - Mascot is “Pantalu” - The festival will culminate with the State dragonfly summit, most probably in January 2021. - Kerala government recently announced a scheme - “Chief Minister’s Entrepreneurship Development Programme” to address the issues of shortage of working capital and availability of credit faced by startups and small entrepreneurs = will be implemented through the Kerala Financial Corporation (KFC). World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-India President – Jamshyd Naoroji Godrej Secretariat – New Delhi

World’s largest 1st Global Fintech Fest - hosted by 6Connex Inc., a provider of virtual event solutions - organized by Payments Council of India (PCI) and Fintech Convergence Council (FCC) at National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) - held virtually - UPI AutoPay, RuPay commercial card & OCEN protocol launched - aim = to bring together the global FinTech and BFSI sector. - NPCI + State Bank of Mauritius (SBM) India + EnKash + YAP = launched RuPay commercial card named SBM EnKash RuPay Business Card

DEFENCE/EXERCISES

Falcon 9 of SpaceX Launched 60 Starlink Satellites to Provide Faster Internet - Launched from the Kennedy Space Centre of NASA, Florida. SpaceX Founder & CEO – Elon Musk Founded – 2002 Headquarters – Hawthorne, California, USA

China Launched Reusable Experimental Spacecraft on a Long March-2F Carrier Rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwestern Chinese region Inner Mongolia.

INDRA NAVY-20 = Maritime Exercise between India and Russia conducted in Bay of Bengal - Has been conducting by India and Russia starting from 2003. iii.The Russian Federation Navy will be represented by destroyer Admiral Vinogradov, destroyer Admiral Tributs and fleet tanker Boris Butoma of Pacific Fleet, based at Vladivostok.

- Recently, India had withdrawn its participation from the multilateral War Exercise Kavkaz 2020, at Astrakhan Province of Southern Russia in September - Recently Indian Navy conducted major Naval exercises in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands led by Sanjay Vatsayan, Chief Rear Admiral of Eastern naval fleet. - Recently Indian Navy undertook a short joint naval Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the United States Navy near the Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

DRDO successfully tested Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) using Scramjet Propulsion System in its second attempt - designed at Mach 6 speed - Test was conducted from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha Coast. - India has joined the elite club of the United States, Russia and China to develop and successfully test Hypersonic Technology.

- HSTDV has been developed by DRDO with help from the UK, Russia and Israel. - Subsonic Cruise Missile – flies at speed of 0.8 Mach, less than sound at - Supersonic Cruise Missile – flies at a speed of 2-3 Mach (India’s BRAHMOS missile) - Hypersonic Cruise Missile – flies at a speed of more than 5 mach.

An American global aerospace and defence technology company, Northrop Grumman Corporation named its NG-14 Cygnus Spacecraft as ‘SS Kalpana Chawla’

Israel Successfully tested advanced missile defence system, Arrow-2 Ballistic Missile Interceptor with the support of the United States of America. - Missile test was conducted in the test site in Central Israel over the Mediterranean Sea. - Arrow system which includes Arrow, Arrow-2, Arrow-3 interceptor missiles were designed to take down the ballistic and cruise missiles

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) Approved Procurement of Approx Rs 8,722.38 cr for Armed Forces under Atmanirbhar Bharat

World's Lightest Attack Helicopter - Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)’s Two Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) have been deployed for operations at high altitude (Ladakh sector) to support Indian Air Force (IAF) missions HAL CMD – R Madhavan Headquarter – Bengaluru, Karnataka

US conducted test flight of unarmed LGM-30G Minuteman III, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) - From Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, US to a target in the Pacific Ocean.

Rajnath Singh Restricted Import of 101 defence items - Planned to be progressively implemented between 2020 and 2024 - Defence Industry will receive contracts worth almost Rs 4 lakh crore within the next five to seven years = items worth almost Rs 1,30,000 crore each are anticipated for the Army and the Air Force, while items worth almost Rs 1,40,000 crore are anticipated by the Navy over the same period - Focus behind this decision is to adopt the technologies designed and developed by DRDO to meet the requirements of the Armed Forces in the coming years. - Import restrictions on 69 items will come into force from December 2020, while the embargo on another 11 items will be applicable from December 2021. A separate list of four items has been identified for import restrictions from December 2022, while the ban on two separate sets of eight items will be applicable from December 2023 and December 2024.

- MoD has set a goal of a turnover of USD 25 billion (Rs 1.75 lakh crore) in defence manufacturing in the next 5 years that included an export target of USD 5 billion (Rs 35,000 crore) worth of military hardware. - Indian armed forces are projected to spend around $130 billion in capital procurement in the next five years. Minister of State of Ministry of Defence (MoD) - Shripad Yesso Naik

Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) Developed ‘Aashray’, the Medical Bed Isolation System to Combat COVID-19 - Low cost, reusable solution - Manufactured by M/s Cleancore Solutions Pvt Ltd. Bhosari, Pune. DIAT Headquarter – Pune

Iran Launched - Underground Ballistic Missiles

Iran Unveiled Locally Made Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile - Martyr Qassem Soleimani & Cruise Missile - Martyr Abu Mahdi - Ballistic Missile Martyr Qassem Soleimani = has a range of 1,400 kilometres-km (870-mile) - Cruise missile, called Martyr Abu Mahdi which has a range of over 1000 km (620-mile).

L&T Built 27-meter-long Interceptor Boat(IB) ‘ICGS C-454’ of Indian Coast Guard Launched at Surat

Proposal to expand National Cadet Corps (NCC) in 173 borders, coastal districts approved by Defence minister - announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Indian Coast Guard Ship C-449 Commissioned in Chennai by Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam. - Designed by M/s Larsen and Toubro Ltd, Hazira (Surat) - Will be commanded by Assistant Commandant Ashish Sharma - The ship is 27.80 long with a displacement of 105 tonnes and can reach maximum speeds of upto 45 knots (85 kmph)

Indian Navy Conducted Naval Exercises in Andaman and Nicobar Islandsas a display of strategic intents against China - Led by Sanjay Vatsayan, Chief Rear Admiral of Eastern naval fleet amid the current military conflicts in the Northeastern borders in Ladakh - Eastern Naval Command (ENC) headquartered in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

- Indian Navy commissioned 7th ship of MK IV class Landing Craft Utility ‘IN LCU L57’ at Port Blair - Indian Navy made breathable PPE kit “NavRakshak” to provide comfort to healthcare workers working against COVID-19 pandemic Indian Navy Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)– Admiral Karambir Singh Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lieutenant Governor– Devendra Kumar Joshi

Indian Navy undertook a short joint naval Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the United States (US) Navy’s World’s largest aircraft carrier USS Nimitz near the Andaman and Nicobar (A&N) islands in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

Ministry of Defence – contract - BEML = for the procurement of 1,512 mine plough (MP) for the battle tank T-90 S/SK of Indian Army

- To boost Make in India Initiative of the Indian government - Contract worth Rs.557 crores planned to be completed by 2027. Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) CMD – DR. D. K. Hota Head Office– Bengaluru, Karnataka Minister of State of Defence – Shripad Yesso Naik

DRDO Test Fired ‘Made in India’ Anti Tank guided Nag Missile = “Dhruvastra” - Flight trials were conducted in direct and top attack mode. - Developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) of DRDO - 3rd generation ‘fire and forget’ class ATGM system mounted on the Advanced Light Helicopter - 1.9 m long and weighs 45 Kg with a diameter of 0.16 m - Missile can travel at a speed of 240 meter per second.

- Can attack a target at a range of minimum 500m to 7 Km. DRDO Chairman– Dr G. Satheesh Reddy

“Bharat” = World’s Most Agile & Lightest Drone - Indian Army to get Bharat for Accurate Surveillance developed by Chandigarh based DRDO’s “Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL)” - Deployed in Indo-China Border

The Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects in the Defense Industry, Russia = Successfully Conducted Flight Tests of the MGTD-20 Gas Turbine Engine made by 3D-printing - Flight tests were held at Kazalbash aviation center in Tatarstan. - With the new technology, the production time of the main engine elements has been reduced by 20 times and the cost of their production has been reduced by more than two times

Russian Helicopters Headquarters– Moscow

The Navy’s largest Solar plant was inaugurated at the INA, Ezhimala - Virtually employed the 3 MegaWatt (MW) largest Solar Power Plant at the Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, Kerala. - Part of the Indian Government’s initiative of National Solar Mission, to achieve 100 GigaWatt (GW) of solar Power by 2022. - Solar plant has lifespan of 25 years. - projects has been executed by the Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Ltd (KELTRON) Indian Naval Academy Motto – Shaping future Location – Ezhimala, Kannur, Kerala, India

Indian Navy - inducted = advanced anti-torpedo decoy system - ‘Maareech’ = designed and developed by DRDO

India and Japan - conducted Naval Exercise ‘PASSEX’ = to promote mutual understanding and for tactical and communications training

Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) - signed License Agreement and Transfer of Technology (ToT) - with DRDO–Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDO–DRDL)

Boeing India - delivered - five AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) at the Hindan Air Force Station = now total 22 AH-64E Apache to the Indian Air Force (IAF) - also handed over the last five of the 15 CH-47F(I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to the IAF

Indian Army officer, Lt Col Bharat Pannu - 3rd position - at the first edition of the Virtual Race Across America (VRAAM) 2020 - Around 22 cyclists participated

US Navy successfully tests 1st solid state laser weapon system from transport dock ship, USS Portland (LPD-27) to destroy aircraft mid-flight

Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad of DRDO’s RCI develops ‘AINA’ AI-based Attendance Application

Indian Navy made “NavRakshak” (Naval Protector) PPE kit made with innovative breathable fabric material, to provide comfort to healthcare

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will operationalise its No.18 Squadron equipped with LCA Tejas aircraft in Coimbatore

The Defence Ministry - contract - Tata Power - for Phase-II of Modernisation of Air Field Infrastructure of 37 airfields for Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard - project will give a boost to over 250 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME) - Rs 1,200 crore

Mission Sagar - by the Government of India - to provide assistance to Eastern Indian Ocean Region Nations - Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kesari has been deployed, carrying on board two medical assistance teams, essential Food Items and COVID related Medicines and Special Ayurvedic Medicines five to Island countries Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros in the Indian Ocean.

Union Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh - approved - abolition of 9,304 posts in the military engineering services with an aim to increase “teeth to tail ratio” on the recommendation of Shekatkar Committee - committee had submitted around 99 recommendations - If all the recommendations are implemented according to the committee, India can save Rs 25,000 crores

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has dedicated to the nation a new route for Kailash Mansarovar yatra via Lipulekh Pass

Landing Craft Utility Ship ‘INLCU L57’ commissioned into Indian Navy in Port Blair

Army plans to take civilians on a 3 year ‘Tour of Duty’ (ToD) or ‘short service’ on a trial basis to serve in the force

BOOKS

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Launched = “The Little Book of Green Nudges” - To inspire students around the globe to adopt environmentally friendly habits and greener lifestyles. - UNEP will share insights from discussions with leaders of world’s top universities at THE (Times Higher Education) World Academic Summit in this book. - THE World Academic Summit theme = “the power of place” UNEP Director – Inger Andersen (Denmark) Headquarter – Nairobi, Kenya

Goonmeet Singh Chauhan’s authored “Invertonomics” = featuring 8 Ideas to Transform India - Published by HarperCollins India. - The book proposes a “Dream for India” which steps into idealism tempered with realistic applications.

Pope Francis’s New Book “Let Us Dream” to be Release in December 2020

Indian Cricket Coach Gurcharan Singh Co-authored his Memoir “Pitching It Straight” - co-authored by sports journalist MS Unnikrishnan and published by Vitasta

Radha M Nair’s New Book = “Breaking the Cocoon @ 40”(RADHA breaked COCOON at the age of 40)

- Portrayed her life experiences in the advertising world of Mumbai

A Book - ‘End of an Era, India Exits Tibet’ - Authored by Claude Arpi

Penguin Books Published Arundhati Roy’s Book titled “Azadi: Freedom. Fascism. Fiction” - Arundhati Roy hails from Shillong, Meghalaya - Arundhati Roy won the Man Booker Prize in 1997 for her debut novel “The God of Small Things”

First volume of the Former President of USA, Barack Obama’s memoir “A Promised Land” will release at 17th November 2020

- Will be released by Crown, a division of Penguin Random House around the world in 25 languages

Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane Released a Book Titled “National Security Challenges: Young Scholars’ Perspective” Authored by University students - Published by Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), the Army think-tank. - The book is a tribute to Field Marshal Manek shaw, the strategist of 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, that resulted in the liberation of Bangladesh.

Running Toward Mystery: The Adventure of an Unconventional Life’ - Authored by Tenzin Priyadarshi and Zara Houshmand - Provides an account of how the Dalai Lama traced his Spiritual Teacher Khunu Lama in India.

The book “Delhi Riots 2020: The Untold Story”authored by Monika Arora, advocate, Sonali Chitalkar (political Science) and Prerna Malhotra(English) teachers at Delhi University - Set to be published by Garuda Prakashan . - The book was released by Bhupendra Yadav, member of parliament and national general secretary

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh releases book on cancer – “Gastric Cancer” edited by noted Oncologist Dr Ashok Vaid

Book - ‘One Arranged Murder’ will be released on September 28, 2020 - Authored by Chetan Bhagat It is the author’s 9th novel and 11th book overall

“India Tomorrow: Conversations with the Next Generation of Political Leaders” - authored by Pradeep Chhibber & Harsh Shah - Snapshot of contemporary Indian politics through interviews with 20 of the country’s most prominent next-generation politicians - The book includes interviews of Politicians below the age of 50 years only

‘RAW: A History of India’s Covert Operations’ - Authored by Yatish Yadav - Narrates the heroic operations carried out by the Indian external spy agency, RAW - Published by Westland Publications RAW - founded by the spymaster Rameshwar Nath Kao, which was established in 1968

“Our Only Home: A Climate Appeal to the World” – A Book by Dalai Lama, co-written by German environmental Journalist Franz Alt - to release in November

“Amazing Ayodhya” - Neena Rai Authored the book - Will shed light on the history of Ayodhya

Swachh Bharat Kranti’ - Launched by Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat & Smriti Irani - ‘Swachh Bharat Revolution’ which was released in October 2019 has been translated into Hindi and published as “Swachh Bharat Kranti”. - Book contains 4 key sections which are considered as the pillars of Swachh Bharat Mission’s success = Political Leadership, Public Financing, Partnerships, People’s Participation

Books Titled ‘Corona Kavithakal’, ‘Republic Day 2020’ and ‘Thus Speaks the Governor’ - Authored by Mizoram Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai - ‘Corona Kavithakal’ was released by Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga - ‘Republic Day 2020’ and ‘Thus Speaks the Governor’ were released by Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Ajai Lamba

Book Titled “Siyasat Mein Sadasyata” - Authored by State Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary - Released by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar - Published by Bihar Assembly Secretariat.

“Vishesh: Code to Win”

- Biography of India’s youngest Basketball captain, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi - authored by Nirupama Yadav to be released

‘Greenlights’ the debut book - authored by Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey - Published by Crown Publishing Group

“The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World” - authored by External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar - published by HarperCollins, India

“Quest for Restoring Financial Stability in India” - authored by former RBI deputy governor Viral V.Acharya

- Book portrays his quest to restore financial stability in India and offers a concrete plan for sustained improvement - Published by SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd

M Venkaiah Naidu - released - a book titled “Future of Higher Education – Nine Mega Trends“ = authored by V Pattabhi Ram

Urjit Patel - written the book titled "Overdraft: Saving the Indian Saver’

RC Bhargava - authored the book titled “Getting Competitive: A Practitioner’s Guide for India”

The Chairman of Maruti Suzuki, RC Bhargava - authored = “Getting Competitive: A Practitioner’s Guide for India” - published by HarperCollins India.

‘His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama: An Illustrated Biography’ - authored by one of the Dalai Lama’s closest aides, Tenzin Geyche Tethong = will be released in 2020 = published by Roli Books

Title = “If It Bleeds” - authored by Stephen King - published by Hachette India - Recipient of the 2014 National Medal of Arts - 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters

‘A Song of India’ = authored by Ruskin Bond

‘The Tangams: An Ethnolinguistic Study Of The Critically Endangered Group of Arunachal Pradesh’ - Based on the Tangams, a critically endangered speech community of Arunachal Pradesh domiciled at Kugging village, Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Book ‘Suraj Kade Marda Nahi’ (sun never dies) - Authored by Shakthiya Akademi Awardee Baldev Singh Sadaknama - Book portrays many aspects of freedom fighter Udham Singh - Published by Unistarbooks. - Released and will be formally launched on July 31, 2020 through a webinar

Book = Tangams: An Ethnolinguistic Study of the Critically Endangered Group of Arunachal Pradesh

- Released by Prema Khandu, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. - Published by Centre for Endangered Languages (CFEL), Rajiv Gandhi University and Himalayan Publishers, New Delhi. - The Tangams community lives in the Kugging Village, Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh Capital = Itanagar Governor = B.D. Mishra

“The Pandemic Century, A History of Global Contagion from the Spanish Flu to Covid-19” - by the british medical historian Mark Honigsbaum - It covered 10 outbreaks in the past 100 years - Published by Penguin Publishers. - The book has won: A Financial times best book of the year.

Book - “The Endgame” = authored by Hussain Zaidi - Published by the HarperCollins India.

JK Rowling – released = children’s book ‘The Ickabog’ online for free

Neha Dwivedi - author of the book Vijayant at Kargil: The Life of a Kargil War Hero

Bommadevara Chandravadhan - author of the book Fear of God

SCIENCE/TECH

Thaawarchand Gehlot launched ‘24×7 toll-free Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline ‘KIRAN’ - Helpline has been developed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment - Launched considering the increasing incidence of Mental Illness, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 Pandemic. - 25 Institutions including 8 National Institutes are involved in this Helpline. - Backed by 660 Clinical / Rehabilitation Psychologists and 668 Psychiatrists.

Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) Developed a Neural-Based Practical Approach for Automatic Interpretation of 3D Seismic Data

Researchers of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kozhikode discovered 2 new species of Cockroach Wasps in Western Ghats

- Named Dolichurus sahyadriensis after Sahyadri or Western Ghat mountain ranges and Dolichurus chareshi after C.Charesh, the laboratory assistant, ZSI who contributed in the collection of the species. ZSI Director – Dr.Kailash Chandra Headquarter – New Alipore, Kolkata Established in– 1st July 1916

Researchers from Kerala and West Bengal have identified ‘Systomus Gracilus’, a New Species of Freshwater Fish from Ganga at Naihati of West Bengal - It is named as Systomus gracilus(means slim in Latin) as it has a thin and compressed body. - The species has a length of 11 to 12 cm and can be cultured in inland water bodies.

China Launched Most Advanced Warship Type-054 class for Pakistan Navy

UAE launched Agriota, agri-commodity trading and sourcing e-market platform to bridge the gap between millions of rural farmers in India and the UAE’s food industry. - launched by Dubai’s free-zone Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and the government of Dubai - This launch followed the India-UAE Virtual Buyer Seller Meet titled “Forge a New Path in COVID-19”

China launched 9 satellites into the planned Orbit from a ship in the Yellow Sea - The 9 satellites belonged to the Jilin-1 Gaofen 03-1 group - Launched using Long March 11-HY2 rocket

Delhi Metro Launched India’s 1st Indigenous Signalling Technology ‘i-ATS’(Automatic Train Supervision) under Make in India

NASA Scientists Discovered 1st Ever Planet, ‘WD 1856 b’ Orbiting a White Dwarf or a dead star, ‘WD 1856+534’ - Located about 80 light years away in the northern constellation Draco. NASA Headquarters – Washington Administrator – James Frederick “Jim” Bridenstine

Shri Rajnath Singh launched mobile App, ‘Directorate General National Cadet Corps (DGNCC) for NCC Training

WHO declared Africa free of Wild Poliovirus

- The Poliovirus is now found only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. - The last case of wild poliovirus in Africa was detected in 2016 in Nigeria’s Northeastern Borno state.

China Successfully Launched - Optical Remote-Sensing Satellite “Gaofen-9 05” - Developed by Aerospace Dongfanghong Satellite Co.Ltd, part of China Academy of Space Technology (CAST)

Pinaka rockets fully manufactured by the private sector company “Economic Explosives Ltd (EEL)” - successfully test fired by the army at a firing range in Pokhran, Rajasthan - EEL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Solar Industries headed by Satyanarayan Nuwal. Headquarter – Nagpur, Maharashtra

Presence of briny liquid water found on Dwarf Planet Ceres - Ceres is now an ‘Ocean World’, announced by NASA - Studies suggest the presence of briny liquid water (saline) underneath Ceres’s surface. - Ceres was first spotted by Giuseppe Piazzi in 1801, and was assumed as the missing planet between Mars and Jupiter. - Dawn mission was launched by NASA in 2007 to study two massive bodies in the main asteroid belt, Vesta is rocky whereas Ceres is icy. - Dwarf Planets - There are five official dwarf planets in the solar system. They are Pluto, Eris, Makemake, Haumea and Ceres (in order of size).

India’s multi- wavelength satellite observatory, ASTROSAT Detected Extreme UV light from AUDFs01 Galaxy which is 9.3 billion light-years away from Earth. - The galaxy is located in the Hubble Extreme Deep field (XDF)

- The study is published in “Nature Astronomy”. - ASTROSAT Launched in 2015 - first dedicated Indian astronomy mission aimed at studying celestial sources in X-ray, optical and UV spectral bands simultaneously. - The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has initiated a 10,000 crore project- Gaganyaan to send humans to space by 2022

Biodegradable Face Mask “Pavitrapati” & Anti-microbial Body Suit “Aushada Tara” developed by Defence Institute of Advanced Technology(DIAT), Pune

Central Railway’s Mumbai Division Introduced Drone Based Surveillance System for Railway Security - procured 2 Ninja Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAV) to increase the security and surveillance in the Railway premises like the station, tracks, yards and workshops.

- The Railway Protection Force (RPF) procured 9 drones at a cost of Rs 31.87 lakhs - RPF has proposed to procure an additional 17 drones at a cost of Rs 97.52 lakhs.

Nitin Gadkari - unveiled = a microwave device named ‘Atulya’ that can disinfect any premises in just 30 seconds - Developed by the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune

Ambassador of Israel to India Dr Ron Malka handed over AI-based technology, high-end equipment with AIIMS to help combat COVID-19

Indian Coast Guard Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Indian Coast Guard “Sarthak“ launched during a ceremony held at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) - Manufactured by Goa Shipyard Limited

Indian Coast Guard Director General – Krishnaswamy Natarajan Motto -“Vayam Rakshamah” Headquarter– New Delhi

ISRO’s Chandryaan-2 Captured Images of the Moon - one of the Craters Named ‘Sarabhai Crater’ - Dr. Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai = regarded as the Father of Indian Space program - Vikram Ambalal Sarabhai’s 100th birth century was observed on 12th of August, 2020. - The Sarabhai Crater was captured in the north east quadrant of the Moon. - In October 2020 the public release of scientific data from Chandrayaan-2 for global use will begin. ISRO Headquarters – Bangalore

Mumbai Division of Central Railway (CR) designed a health assistant robot “Rakshak” that communicates between doctor and patient remotely - Robot was handed over to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial Hospital. - The Robot can measure health parameters like temperature, pulse, oxygen percentage and dispenser sanitizer automatic, infrared sensors - It can also deliver medicines and food and can make 2-way video communication between the doctors and the patients. Central Railway (CR) Headquarter – Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai

A COVID prevention kiosk = “UV Baggage Bath” inaugurated at Bengaluru railway station, South Western Railway - To disinfect the baggage to stop the indirect mode of COVID – 19 transmissions from the outer surfaces of travel bags to the human beings.

- The proposal was implemented at KSR (Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna) Bengaluru and Yesvantpur Railway stations by M/s Optimurz Bio and IT Solutions.

Dr Harsh Vardhan announced the completion of 1st Pan-India 1000 Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 - launched by the Department of Biotechnology(DBT) in May 2020 - Also launched the largest network of five dedicated COVID-19 Biorepositories by the DBT at THSTI Faridabad, ILS Bhubaneshwar, ILBS New Delhi, NCCS Pune, InStem Bangalore. Minister of State of Health and Family Welfare – Ashwini Kumar Choubey

NASA’s Mars rover ‘Perseverance’ launched to seek signs of ancient life - Lifted off by United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 541 rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, United States

- Will be retrieved during future missions in 2031. NASA Administrator – James Frederick Bridenstine Headquarter – Washington, D.C

India + Israel - to develop rapid testing for COVID-19 in under 30 seconds - Started to conduct trials at a special testing site at Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya (RML) Hospital - developed jointly in cooperation with the Directorate of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D) of the Israeli Ministry of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Principal Scientific Advisor(PSA), India and coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Israel and India. Israel President – Reuven Rivlin

Serum Institute of India (SII) + Gavi + Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

- to accelerate the manufacture & Delivery of up to 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for India and other low and middle income countries (LMICs) by 2021 - The vaccines will be made available to the 92 countries included in Gavi’s COVAX AMC - Ceiling price of USD 3 per dose. - The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, through its strategic investment fund, will provide at- risk funding of USD 150 million to GAVI. - Funding will be used to support the SII to manufacture potential vaccine candidates from AstraZeneca and Novavax. - deal is based on a MoU between AstraZeneca and Gavi, announced in June - Hindustan Unilever + UNICEF - launched ‘BreakTheChain’ campaign against coronavirus SII Headquarter – Pune,Maharashtra CMD – Cyrus S. Poonawalla CEO– Adar C. Poonawalla

Gavi Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland & Washington D.C Chair – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Skyroot Aerospace, India’s 1st Private Aerospace Company successfully test fired an upper stage rocket engine “Raman” - India’s first 100% 3D printed bi-propellant liquid rocket engine injector named after the nobel laureate Sir CV Raman - Raman can hurl a satellite of 250 to 700 kilograms into the lower orbits. - 3D printing has reduced the overall mass by 50% and the total number of components and lead time by 80%. - Skyroot Aerospace - start-up was founded by Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, former ISRO scientists and backed by founders of Curefit – Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori and Solar Industries.

- The first launch Vehicle “Vikram-I” which hosts an Orbit Adjustment Module (OAM), which enables the insertion of multiple satellites into space, is targeted to launch in December 2021. - Frost & Sullivan, Research firm expects to globally launch more than 10000 small satellites in the upcoming 10 years. - NASA astronauts fly SpaceX spacecraft ‘Dragon’ - Israel Successfully Launches New Spy Satellite ‘Ofek 16’ into Space Using Shavit Rocket. Skyroot Aerospace Headquarters – Hyderabad

Scientists Identified 77 New Species of Butterflies in Matheran Near Mumbai - Identified around 140 rare species of butterflies including 77 new species.

Plant Species “Ardisia ramaswamii” of Genus Ardisia Identified by Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) at Palode, Named After 20th Century Botanist M S Ramaswami

NTPC Group achieved 100 Billion Units (BU) power generation mark in the ongoing fiscal year NTPC CMD – Gurdeep Singh Headquarters – New Delhi.

Indian Railways introduces Overhead Equipment (OHE) Inspection app for real-time monitoring - Will help in minimizing the train delays and long waits due to technical snags.

No-touch & Painless device - “AJO-Neo” = for non-invasive screening of bilirubin level in newborns

- Developed by S.N. Bose National Centre For Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata,.

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Developed COVID19BWM App to Track Biomedical Waste = Recommended by SC - Ensures that the waste is collected, transported and sent to a registered common biomedical waste treatment facility.

Sports Authority of India (SAI) + Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) + CBSE launched = Khelo India mobile app Online Training Programme - to train the Physical Education (PE) teachers and head of the institutions from CISCE schools Sports Authority of India (SAI) Head Office – Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) developed AIR SUVIDHA = portal allowing international arriving passengers to fill a mandatory self-declaration form and eligible passengers to apply for exemption from compulsory institutional quarantine for coronavirus.

P7 Heavy Drop System for IL 76(Gajraj (elephant king) aircraft - Developed by Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Research & Development (R&D) lab of DRDO based in Agra, Uttar Pradesh (UP). - It’s platform system manufactured by L&T (Larsen & Toubro) while parachutes manufactured by Ordnance Factory.

India’s 1st Fully Indigenously Developed Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine - DCGI Approved it - Developed by M/s. Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd, Pune.

DCGI– V. G. Somani MoHFW Union Minister – Harsh Vardhan Minister of State– Ashwini Kumar Choubey

World’s 1st fully automatic electric ferries for Norway’s ASKO Maritime - Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) to construct it - The project, partially funded by the Norwegian Government, aimed at emission-free transport of goods across the Oslofjord, inlet in Norway. - The value of two ships is Rs 125 crore - Designed by Naval Dynamics Norway Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) CMD – Madhu S Nair Headquarter– Cochin, Kerala Norway Capital– Oslo

Currency– Norwegian krone (NOK) Prime Minister– Erna Solberg

India’s First Fully Contactless Car Parking - Introduced at The GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL), Rajiv Gandhi International Airport - The NETC FASTag Car Park is a part of the “One Nation One Tag” – NETC FASTag programme of Indian Government. - The NPCI plans to expand the contact less parking solution to the malls, airports and other parking spaces in the metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) MD & CEO– Dilip Asbe Head Office– Mumbai, Maharashtra

“Corosure” - Launched by Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ - World’s Most Affordable COVID-19 Diagnostic Kit Developed by IIT Delhi - Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) based COVID-19 diagnostic kit - Approved by Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR) and Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). - Manufactured by the Newtech Medical Devices, Delhi - The base price of the kit is Rs.399 Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi Director – Prof V. Ramgopal Rao

UAE = 1st Arab Nation to Launch Space Mission to Mars - Mission name - “Hope Probe mission” from Tanegashima Space Centre, off the coast of Kyushu, Japan

- Also known as Al-Amal or Emirates Mars Mission - $200 million mission = first to study both Martian climate viz. diurnal (daily) and seasonal cycles - Expected to reach Mars’s orbit by February = designed to mark the 50th anniversary of the unification of the UAE, an alliance of seven emirates. - Mission was announced by UAE’s Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in 2014.

COVID Protection System (COPS) + IntelliMAST, TouF & 360° Car Flusher for Workplace - Dr. Harish Hirani, Director of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute(CSIR-CMERI), Durgapur introduced the COVID Protection System(COPS), a collection of technologies for workplace - COPS = To protect the security guards of organisations who are vulnerable to COVID-19 infection

- Solar Based Intelligent Mask Automated Dispensing Unit cum Thermal Scanner (IntelliMAST) = intelligent surveillance kiosk (small, Temporary stand-alone booth) used to body temperature of a person and to identify whether the employee is wearing a face mask or not with customised software solutions. - Touchless Faucet (TouF) = it is a plug and play mode faucet for households and office spaces = dispenses liquid soap and water from the same faucet at an interval of 30 seconds. - 360° Car Flusher = Sodium Hypochlorite Water (Sanitizer Diffused water) Screen specialized nozzle design to achieve even spread over and under the car body and wheels with required water force and coverage.

South Korea Launched ANASIS-II = 1st Military communications Satellite by Falcon 9 Rocket - With this launch South Korea has become the 10th country to own a military-only communications satellite, which will provide permanent and secured military communications.

- ANASIS-II was previously named as KMitSatCom-1 - Airbus Defence and Space manufactured the satellite in France - Russia to launch its 1st satellite ‘Arktika-M’ by December 9, 2020 to monitor Arctic climate & environment.

China Launched Tianwen-1 - China’s First Rover Mission to Mars - By Long March 5 Rocket from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in Hainan Island, China. - Objective = to orbit, land and release the rover and coordinate observations with an orbiter - Name Tianwen means “Questions to Heaven” - taken from the poem by Qu Yuan

Space startup Digantara Research and Technology (DRT) developed = India’s first in-orbit space debris monitoring and tracking system - works on LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology

Start-up has received a grant of Rs 25 lakhs which will be used to develop space debris monitoring systems and the company’s expansion

‘BIS-Care’ App to Check the Authenticity of ISI and Hallmark Quality Certified Products - launched by Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution - He also launched 3 portals of e-BIS: standardisation, conformity assessment and training Portals on www.manakonline.in for consumers. BIS Headquarter – New Delhi Director General – Pramod Kumar Tiwari

“Mausam” App for Weather Forecasts

- designed and developed by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)’s Digital Agriculture & Youth (DAY) team, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune and the India Meteorological Department (IMD). - The app will provide information on current weather with temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction for around 200 cities - launched by Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Harsh Vardhan On 27th July 2020, in the event of 14th Foundation day of the Ministry of Earth Sciences(MoES)

China - launched = high-resolution mapping satellite Ziyuan-III 03 by Long March-4B carrier rocket from Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in the Northern Province of Shanxi, China - Developed by the China Academy of Space Technology

China successfully launches ‘Long March 5B’ rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the coast of southern China’s island province of Hainan

Mylab Discovery Solutions - launched - ‘Compact XL’ system - For conducting a wide range of tests, including RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 - India’s first machine to automate the manual processes of molecular diagnostic tests such as RNA/DNA-based tests

ISRO - will launch Brazil’s Amazonia-1 satellite - designed and tested in Brazil = first satellite for Earth observation

China Great Wall Industry Corporation = launched the communication satellite ‘APSTAR-6D’

ARAD and CARMEL – New Israeli Assault Rifles - Set to Manufacture in India under Make in India Initiative - Established by Israel Weapons Industries (IWI) in 2017 as a joint venture with Punj Lloyd in Madhya Pradesh, India.

NASA renamed - WFIRST Telescope after ‘Mother of Hubble’ Nancy Grace Roman

Devaditek Innovations, Kochi Startup – developed - decontamination device ‘Lumos’ = to check COVID-19 spread - can sanitize items ranging from N95 masks to vegetables by using UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) technology

India Observatory + Forest Ecological Security(FES) - launched - GIS-enabled dashboard, CoAST India (Collaboration / Covid Action Support Group)

MeitY - launched seven weather services of IMD in UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New- age Governance) app - UMANG was launched in 2017 by PM Modi - to make the government accessible on the mobile phone of citizens.

Mumbai based VAMS Global - developed - world’s 1st contactless Visitor Management Software named ‘VAMS SafeGuard’ - checks body temperature, scan faces with mask compliance & monitors social distancing on the premise

The Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu + Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) - to develop and increase a new Reverse Transcriptase-Loop Mediated Isothermal

ISRO - received - patent for highland soil stimulant for future lunar missions - prepared to create an artificial moon surface as a part of 2019’s Moon landing mission Chandrayaan-2

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) - launched an artificial intelligence (AI) based chatbot - ‘PAi’ - to create awareness around its products

A 17-year old Indian-origin girl Vaneeza Rupani - won the contest to name the 1st helicopter to be built for NASA Mars Rover as ‘Ingenuity’

The geological survey of USA - released the first ever digital, unified, global, geological map of the moon namely “Unified Geologic Map of the Moon”

Russia - will launch - first Arktika-M satellite for monitoring the Arctic climate and environment by December 9, 2020

Research Centre Imarat (RCI) based in Hyderabad of DRDO - developed Defence Research Ultraviolet Sanitizer (DHRUVS) - to sanitize mobile phones, laptops, iPads, passbooks, challans, currency notes and papers

GOOGLE/FB/MICROSOFT/APPLE/IBM IN NEWS

WhatsApp - Partnered - Common Services Centers (CSC) = for Digital Literacy Service Chatbot - To empower rural communities by providing digital skills at their doorstep, and to create livelihood through promotion of rural entrepreneurship. - People can send a “Namaste” at CSC Academy’s official WhatsApp account +91 99991 89321, to access details and course modules of flagship programmes. - Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), an initiative of the government to provide digital literacy to 6 crore rural citizens, is being implemented by CSCs - Due to the COVID-19, training has been suspended across the country. Now this partnership will enable the delivery of digital literacy modules through WhatsApp - Digital Beti initiative = aims to train 5,000 rural entrepreneurs on digital literacy in over 3,000 villages across 10 Indian states.

Google Launched ‘The Anywhere School’ initiative in more than 150 countries to Boost Online Learning - Google will roll out over 50 new features across products like Google Meet, Classroom, G Suite and other products. - Google will launch custom and blurred backgrounds in Google Meet to provide ‘extra privacy’ to the users. - Google Classroom will be available in 10 additional languages - Globally the platform will provide support for over 54 languages

Google launches Kormo for job seekers in India - Aims to provide entry-level jobs and helps job seekers find and apply for positions across India. - It was launched in Bangladesh in 2018 and subsequently in Indonesia.

Google + Central Water Commission (CWC) = for Flood Forecasting Initiatives - Initiative enables the users with Android Smartphones with location service to receive the alerts and notification on the real time water level measurements. - Union Minister of Earth Sciences recently launched the mobile app “Mausam”, to provide weather forecasts, nowcast and warning for various cities and locations. - Karnataka recently launched “Meghasandesha ” App for real time information & ‘Varunamitra’ portal for real-time information on weather. CWC Chairman – Rajendra Kumar Jain Headquarters – Sewa Bhawan, New Delhi

“Google+” - rebranded as “Google Currents”

Google = $10 billion (Rs 75,000 crore) for “GoogleForIndia Digitisation Fund” - will invest over the next 5-7 years.

Tata Capital - launched a voicebot “TIA” on WhatsApp

IITs in news

IIT Delhi Incubated Startup, Chakr Innovation Launched Ozone based decontamination device named “Chakr DeCoV” to Decontaminate N95 Masks and reuse upto 10 times. - Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State(MoS) for Health and Family Welfare launched the device over a virtual platform - The device was developed by the Chakr Innovation team led by Tushar Batham

- The cost effective cabinet shaped device utilises Ozone gas of high penetrability to kill the viruses in the pores of the N95 masks - The device reduces the bacterial load by 99.9999% and enables the reuse of the masks without any impacts on the filtration efficiency.

IIT Roorkee - MoU - National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) for Collaboration in Building Accessible Safe Inclusive Indian Cities (BASIIC) programme - To make more safe and accessible Indian cities that are more inclusive for people with disabilities, elderly, women, children and others. - IIT – Hyderabad collaborated with NVIDIA to establish India’s first ‘NVIDIA Artificial Intelligence(AI) Technology Centre'(NVAITC) to speed up the research work on AI and its commercial purpose.

- The PFC (Power Finance Corporation) - agreement – IIT - Kanpur = to provide training, research and Entrepreneurship Development (ED) in Smart grid technology. NIUA Vice President – Mr.Kunal Kumar Headquarter – New Delhi

IIT Alumni Council - Partnered - Russoft & Moscow State University = to Build World’s Largest & Fastest Hybrid Quantum Computer in India - The objective of the agreement is to use technology in the areas of healthcare, agriculture, transport and logistics, pollution and weather forecast to achieve the mission of Atma Nirbhar Bharat. - About IIT Alumni Council is the largest global body of alumni, students and faculty, spread across all the 23 IITs and partnering Technical Institutes of Excellence (TieNet).

IIT Kanpur + DARPG (Department of Administrative Reforms & Public grievances) + MoD = Agreement for Using AI, Machine Learning (ML) to Address Public Grievances - DARPG will provide data related to Public Grievances of MoD to IIT Kanpur for their analysis. IIT Kanpur Director – Abhay Karandikar.

Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre(HTIC) of IIT Madras + Helyxon = Developed First of Its Kind Remote Patient Monitoring Solution for COVID-19 - To provide a low cost, simple and easy to use device to monitor the patients from anywhere at the hospital or home. - Based on the configuration of the device the cost ranges from Rs.2500 to 10,000. - Device was aimed to reduce the close contact with the patients by the healthcare workers like doctors and nurses and savings in PPE.

IIT Guwahati + Imperial College London = developed nanoparticle ‘meta-grid’ that makes the LED brighter, energy-efficient and durable - Jointly developed by Dr. Debabrata Sikdar, assistant professor at IIT Guwahati and Prof. Sir John B. Pendry and Prof. Alexei A. Kornyshev from Imperial College London IIT Guwahati Director – T.G Sitharam

IIT Kanpur + Agnys Waste Management Pvt. Ltd - Developed Seed Balls = ‘BEEG’(Biocompost Enriched Eco Friendly Globule) for Farmers - Will help to safeguard people and farmers in plantations during the COVID-19 times - Initiative is guided by Prof. J. Ramkumar.

Delhi Gov - MoU - IIT-Bombay and Tata Projects Limited = for 20 metre high smog tower in Connaught Place, New Delhi following the orders of Supreme Court (SC)

- Smog tower to be completed in 10 months - Project is expected to cost around Rs 19 crore.

Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB) - Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) - IIT, Delhi = to set up a Geographical Information System (GIS) based platform for air quality management in Bihar - The Agreement which comes at a cost of Rs. 10 Lakh will provide for exchange of technical expertise between IIT Delhi & BSPCB. - MoA has been signed on the backdrop of Government of India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). - Project will help in identifying the local hot spot of PM 2.5 in Patna, Gaya and Muzaffarpur.

- National Clean Air Programme was launched in January 2019 by Dr. Harsh Vardhan to cut the concentration of coarse (particulate matter PM 10) and fine particles (PM 2.5) by 20% in the next five years.

NHAI - MoU - IIT Delhi = to set up Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Advance Data Management System for Highways

IIT Ropar + Momentum India Private Limited = Developed “UVSAFE”, UVGI Based Room Disinfection Device - Device was tested by FICCI Research and Analysis Centre(FRAC)(NABL Accredited Laboratory, New Delhi) - Designed by Khushboo Rakha, Assistant Professor, Division of Metallurgical and Supplies Engineering and Naresh Rakha, Senior Scientific Officer of IIT- R

- The device takes 6 minutes to achieve 99.9% disinfection in an area of 14 square foot.

The research team of IIT Delhi Found WHO listed Priority Pathogens in the Waters of River Yamuna - Research paper on the study was published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. - Dr.Manisha Lamba was the first author of the research paper.

Flipkart - MoU - IIT Patna = for Industry Focused applied research in the fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning (ML). - To create industry focused applied research to support the reach of e-commerce to more consumers and sellers. - Flipkart - MoU - Karnataka State Mango Department = to support mango farmers.

- Flipkart - MoU - Government of Karnataka = to Promote Local Arts, Crafts And Handlooms Flipkart CEO – Kalyan Krishnamurthy

IISc and ISRO developed a sustainable process for making brick-like structures named “Space Bricks” on the surface of the moon - The cost of transporting one pound of construction material from earth to moon takes around Rs.7.5 lakhs. - Since the transportation of bricks from earth is not viable the space bricks are developed.

NSE’s Investor Protection Fund Trust (NSE IPFT) + IIMB - to offer Platform for Investor Education - Launched in a virtual meet attended by Mr. Nagendraa Parakh, Executive Director of SEBI, Mr. Vikram Limaye, MD & CEO of NSE and Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director of IIM Bangalore.

- NSE IPFT was set up under section 370 of the Companies Act, with the objective of creating and managing a fund to be used for promoting investor education, awareness and undertaking research activities related to securities market.

Wearable device ‘Veli Band’ - Developed by Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K) based incubated startup Qual5 India Pvt.Ltd - Helps in maintaining social distancing by sending out an alarm in case of proximity with another person.

Punjab Govt - MoU - IIT Ropar = for Skill Development in Chandigarh Punjab Governor = VP Singh Badnore IIT Ropar: Director = SK Das

‘SHUDH’, UV Sanitizing Device - Smartphone operated Handy UV Disinfection Helper - Developed by IIT Kanpur - to make Surroundings COVID free - SHUDH has 6 UV lights each of 15 Watts, which can be monitored individually from a distance - On its full operation it can disinfect a 10×10 square feet room in about 15 minutes. This was proven in the initial testing IIT Kanpur Director– Prof. Abhay Karandikar

‘MediCAB’ - portable hospital unit

- Developed by Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M)-incubated start-up, Modulus Housing - a decentralized approach to detect, screen, identify, isolate and treat COVID-19 patients - Can install anywhere within 2 hours by four people. - Startup has collaborated with Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST). - MediCAB - launched = in the Wayanad district of Kerala to treat COVID-19 patients - Modulus Housing was founded by two IIT alumni in 2018 Headquarters– Chennai

“Unisaviour”, a disinfection box - can be used to sterilize personal belongings, apparels, PPE, medical equipment = developed by the researchers at IIT Roorkee

IIT Kanpur - developed a classroom to home teaching setup ‘Mobile Masterjee’

IIT Gandhinagar - developed = AI based deep learning tool for detection of Covid-19 from Chest X-ray images.

IIT-Hyderabad - Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is going to establish a research cell at IIT-Hyderabad = to meet the future defence technological requirements of the country

IIT, Hyd + NVIDIA - To establish India’s 1st ‘NVIDIA AI Technology Centre’ (NVAITC) - To accelerate research on Artificial Intelligence and its commercial adoption.

IIT Alumni Council + CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) - To jointly conduct research on COVID-19 and patient data analysis - IIT Alumni Council is also setting up the world’s largest molecular diagnostic lab ‘MegaLab Mumbai’.

IIT Madras - developed - magnesium alloy to replace steel, aluminum in cars

IIT Madras - designed and developed = a personal protective equipment (PPE) doffing unit for Government Chengalpattu Medical College - Koshy Varghese and Anil Jayachandran, professors in the civil engineering department, fabricated the unit in collaboration with a team of public works department officials at the hospital, complying with the safety norms required for COVID- 19 pandemic.

IIT Madras + Coir Board - MoU = to establish a Centre of Excellence for Coir Applications

IIT Madras + TVS group, Sundaram Medical Foundation - developed an automated respiratory assist device Sundaram Ventago

IIT-Delhi + Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology - Ashwagandha can be effective against Covid 19

IIT Delhi – Nanosafe Solutions’ has launched a Reusable Antimicrobial Mask named NSafe

India’s first “COVID-19 test bus” - launched by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Alumni Council in Mumbai - will reduce 80% of the testing cost without compromising on the testing capacity.

IIT Kanpur + Bharat Dynamics Ltd - for development of affordable ventilators for Covid-19 treatment

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru - developed a low-cost device to detect the presence of melamine (adulterate) in milk and dairy products - Researchers were able to detect up to 0.1 parts per million (ppm) of melamine in water and milk

IIT Gandhinagar - launched a "MIR AHD Covid-19 Dashboard“

IIT Tirupati - developed an interactive web portal moodofindia

LOANS ISSUED BY BANKS

India - 4th Tranche of US$5mn = to Myanmar for the development of the India-Myanmar Border Area Myanmar Currency – Burmese kyat President– Win Myint

ADB - $500 Million Loan for Delhi-Meerut RRTS Corridor - This is the first tranche of a total $1billion (about Rs 7,485 crore) facility. - With a design speed of 180 km/hour

ADB Headquarter –Metro Manila, Philippines President - Masatsugu Asakawa Members – 68 Countries

ADB - USD 15 Million Deal - Suguna Foods - to help sustain poultry farming operations, rural livelihoods and food security in India - The transaction coincides with efforts of Indian Govt to reinforce the agriculture sector and improve farmers’ incomes by filling in gaps in agricultural supply chains - It aligns with the National Action Plan for Egg and Poultry and with the $20 billion response package of ADB to COVID-19.

Himachal Pradesh - $82 million Loan Deal - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), World Bank = for State Roads Transformation Project

- World Bank recently approved loan of $ 500 million under ‘Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States Program (STARS) project to improve the quality and governance of school education across six states i.e Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan Himachal Pradesh UNESCO Heritage Site – The Great Himalayan National Park, Kalka Shimla Railway Line.

Indian Govt + Gov of Maharashtra + Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) - $500 Mn Loan Agreement - AIIB Inked = to Improve Quality & Safety of Mumbai’s Suburban Railway Project-III - The total estimated cost of the project is $997 million, of which $500 million will be financed by the AIIB, $310 million by the Gov of Maharashtra and $187 million by the Ministry of Railways. - The loan has a 5-year grace period and a maturity of 30 years.

- AIIB recently released USD 50 million in the first tranche of assistance to L&T Infrastructure Finance Ltd (LTIF), to fund renewable Energy Projects in the country Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Headquarters – Beijing President – Jin Liqun

Reliance Power and Japanese energy major JERA = loan agreement with banks totalling $642 million (approx Rs 4,798 crore) - Will develop a new 745 MW natural gas combined-cycle power project in Meghnaghat in Bangladesh. - Reliance Power hold 51% stake while JERA will hold 49% stake in the joint venture company. Reliance Power Chairman – Anil Dhirubhi Ambani Headquarter – Mumbai, Maharashtra

Exim Bank extends USD 250 million line of credit to Mozambique to improve the power supply quality EXIM Bank MD & CEO – David Rasquinha Mozambique Capital – Maputo Currency – Mozambican metical President – Filipe Nyusi Prime Minister – Carlos Agostinho do Rosário

ADB - USD 200 mn financing deal with Reliance Bangladesh LNG and Power Limited for 718 mw power plant in Meghnaghat, Narayanganj District near Dhaka - ADB will provide USD 100 million and will also manage the other part worth USD 100 million from the Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP).

- LEAP was established in 2016 with USD 1.5 billion capital commitment for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

India extended US$18 mn Line of Credit to Maldives for expansion of fishing facilities at Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) - part of US$800 million LoC offered by India through Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) carrying an interest rate of 1.75% with repayment tenor of 20 years and a 5-year moratorium - credit line agreement was signed by India’s Export-Import Bank (EXIM)’s Chief General Manager Sudhattaa Mandal and Maldivian Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer. - To develop a 50 tonne ice plant and 100 tonne ice storage facility in Gemanafushi, Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll Maldives President – Ibrahim Mohamed Solih

ADB - USD 1 billion loan for Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) - NCR Transport Corporation (NCRTC) will execute the project. - The project will be implemented in phases between the cities and is expected to be open by March 2025. - RRTS will use advanced, high tech(technology) signalling systems based on latest standards and will have multimodal hubs to ensure smooth interchange with other modes of transport. - Besides ADB, the Government of India will provide USD 1.89 billion and the co-financiers are expected to provide USD 1 billion of the total project cost of USD 3.94 billion

European Union to provide 1.65 million euros in Humanitarian Aid Funding to Support Victims of South Asia Floods - The funding is part of the EU’s Acute Large Emergency Response Tool (ALERT). - 500,000 euros will be used in India,

- 1 million euros will be dedicated to Bangladesh - 150,000 euros will be used in Nepal EU Headquarters – Brussels European Parliament president – David-Maria Sassoli Members– 27 countries

India Granted USD 500 mn Aid for Maldives Connectivity Project & USD 250 mn as Budgetary Support for the 6.7 Km Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP) - India has also decided to start air travel bubble with Maldives to facilitate movement of people from both sides for employment, tourism, medical emergencies. - India also decided to renew quotas for supply of essential commodities to Maldives for the year 2020-21 which include food items like potatoes, onions, rice, wheat, flour, sugar, dal and eggs as well as river sand and stone aggregates.

- On 1 November 2020, the Maldives and India will celebrate 55 years since the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries. - The growing relationship between both nations is premised upon the ‘India First’ policy of Maldives and ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy of India.

India extended an assistance of 1 million USD to Antigua and Barbuda for COVID-19 Response - The funding from India will be used to procure medical supplies and equipment like ventilators, PPE equipment, etc. also provided around 10,000 hydroxychloroquine tablets to the government of Antigua and Barbuda free of cost. - This will be implemented by the UNDP in partnership with National Institute of Antigua and Barbuda. - India also provided 1 million USD assistance to each country of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), a group of 20 developing countries in the Caribbean.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister – Gaston Browne Capital – Saint John’s Currency– East Caribbean dollar

World Bank - $500 million = for Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States Program (STARS) = to improve the quality and governance of school education in six Indian states - Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) - $50 million loan to L&T Infrastructure Finance Ltd = first tranche of a $100 mn loan to L&T Infrastructure Finance Ltd for funding Renewable Energy projects in india

World Bank - loan of USD 400 million = for the rejuvenation of the Ganga River under the NAMAMI Gange Program

World Bank - $750 million MSME Emergency Response program for MSMEs in India = to support increased flow of finance in MSMEs

ADB - USD 177 million loan - to upgrade 11 state highways & 2 major district roads in Maharashtra - ADB HQ – Manila

ADB - USD 346 million loan to Indian government to provide reliable power connection in rural areas of Maharashtra

New Development Bank (NDB) - Loan - USD 1 billion - For India Emergency Assistance Program

The United Nations and partner agencies have launched a 6.7 billion US dollar global appeal to fight the COVID-19 pandemic

World Bank - approved 1 billion USD - to increase India’s COVID-19 Social Protection response Program  Rs. 4100 crore (USD 550) of the approved Rs.7500 crore will be credited from the International Development Association(IDA)  The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) will loan 1500 crore (USD 200) with maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of five years. The balance Rs.1900 crore (USD 250) will be available after the 30th June, 2020.

USD 400 million financial support - by the World Bank for India - The 1st phase covers 8 coastal States and 3 coastal Union Territories, with USD 180 million in funding, for Enhancing Coastal and Ocean Resource Efficiency (ENCORE) - The loan from the international bank for Reconstruction and Development(IBRD) has a final maturity of 14.5 years including a grace period of 5 years.

China has announced USD 2 billion support to WHO over two years to fight the coronavirus pandemic at WHO assembly

$500 million Loan - Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) - For India’s ‘COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) = $145 million = Government of India + West Bengal Government - to improve irrigation services and flood management in the Damodar Valley Command Area (DVCA) of West Bengal

COVID NEWS

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals - first pharma company - to receive approval from Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct clinical trials of Favipiravir antiviral tablets for the treatment of COVID-19 patients

Bharat Biotech, Hyderabad + Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) tied up - to develop indigenous COVID-19 vaccine

Dr. Harsh Vardhan - launched - mobile application 'AYUSH Sanjivani' and two AYUSH based studies related to COVID-19 situation - will help to generate data on acceptance and usage of AYUSH advocacies and measures among the population and its impact on the prevention of COVID-19 - developed by the Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) - target of 50 lakh people.

National Institute of Virology, Pune – developed - first indigenous antibody-based ELISA test kit - COVID KAVACH for diagnosis of novel Corona Virus - It can test around 90 samples in approximately two and half hours

National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore - developed a Non Invasive BiPAP Ventilator “SwasthVayu” - to treat COVID-19 patients - microcontroller-based precise closed-loop adaptive control system - helps to alleviate the fear of the virus spread.

Bengaluru - launched “Pranavayu Programme” - to create awareness about the respiratory health of the residents - to help people in increasing oxygen level of the people by themselves.

Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare - dedicated COBAS-6800 testing machine to the nation for COVID-19 cases

Slovenia - first coronavirus-free country in Europe

Researchers of Australia - developed ‘heat resistant’ corals to fight bleaching

APPS & WEB PORTALS

Ministry of Micro Small & Medium Enterprises - launched ‘MSME Bank of Ideas, Innovation and Research’ portal (http://ideas.msme.gov.in/)

Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) - launched - app Kisan Sabha

Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) + DPIIT under Ministry of Commerce and Industry - launch - national e-commerce marketplace ‘bharatmarket’ - (www.bharatemarket.in) for all retail traders in India - will connect 95% of India’s retail business

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) - will launch a digital platform ‘India SME Services Platform’ - to educate stakeholders from the small and medium enterprises.

NITI Aayog + Piramal Foundation - launched - virtual ‘Surakshit Dada-Dadi & Nana-Nani Abhiyan’ to ensure well being of senior citizens during the COVID-19

Janaushadhi Sugam app - by the Bureau of Pharma - helped 325000 users to access generic medicine benefits

Ministry of MSME - launched the CHAMPIONS portal www.Champions.gov.in

Ministry of Civil Aviation - launched a GARUD (Government Authorisation for Relief Using Drones) portal

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has launched AYUSH Sanjivani app to generate data on acceptance and usage of AYUSH advocacies

Supplements -

 Rupert Hine = British Producer and songwriter who worked with artists including Tina Turner, Howard Jones, passed away

 6 June = United Nations celebrates Russian Language Day every year to support and develop multilingualism and cultural diversity and to maintain the equality of all six official languages of the UN

 445 crore = approved by the Government of India for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in Chhatisgarh in 2020-21

 Responsible AI for Youth = National Program for the youth which has been launched recently to empower the youth of India with appropriate new age tech mind-set, hence making them digitally ready for the future.

 My Life My Yoga = Video Blogging Contest - launched by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

 Anita Kotwani = appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Carat India, a media agency owned by Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN)

 Arun Singhal = appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

 1st June = United Nations celebrates Global Day of Parents every year to honour all the parents throughout the world

 PR Jaishankar = Managing Director of India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd

 31st May = World Health Organization celebrates World No Tobacco Day every year to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic including the preventable death and disease it causes

 Vasantharao Satya Venkata = appointed as Deputy Managing Director for Small Industries Development Bank of India.

 Ministry of Electronics and IT + IT Industry = jointly developed the National “Artificial Intelligence Portal” of India

 Harsha Bangari = appointed as Deputy Managing Director of Exim Bank.

 Sunil Kumar Bansal = appointed as Deputy Managing Director of IFCI Ltd.

 1st June = World Milk Day is being celebrated every year by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations to recognize the importance of milk as a global food, and to celebrate the dairy sector

 Pradip Kumar Tripathi = Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Government of India.

 2nd June = Telangana government celebrates the Telangana Formation Day every year

 CHAMPIONS = portal, launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to create the smaller units big by solving their grievances, encouraging, supporting, helping and handholding

 Yes Bank = acquired 24.19% stake in Dish TV India Ltd

 Virat Kohli = only cricketer to feature in Forbes’ list of the top 100 highest-paid athletes in the world for the year 2020.

 World Health Organization = launched the ‘COVID-19 Technology Access Pool’ for equitable access to life-saving tech.

 SpaceX spacecraft carrying two NASA astronauts docked with the International Space Station after completing the first leg of a historic journey.

 Bobby Joe Morrow = american sprinter who won three athletics gold medals at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, passed away recently.

 Roger Federer = topped the list of world’s highest-paid athlete for 2020 with an estimated $106.3 million.

 3rd June = United Nations celebrates World Bicycle Day every year to advance the use of the bicycle as a means of fostering sustainable development

 Raveesh Kumar = appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Finland.

 P Namgyal = Former Union Minister and three-time Congress MP from Ladakh, passed away

 Sushil Kumar Singhal = appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea

 The sovereign rating of India has been downgraded by the Moody’s Investors Service to Baa3

 Gaitri I. Kumar = appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom.

 RTM (Real-Time Electricity Market) = launched by the Indian Energy Exchange on its platform and it will be effective from 01st June 2020.

 Sibi George = next Ambassador of India to the State of Kuwait

 Ultra Swachh = disinfection unit - developed by the DRDO to disinfect a wide range of materials such as electronics items, fabrics, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) etc.

 Jayantilal Nanoma = former International Archer turned coach passed away recently

 Ministry of Information and Broadcasting = released an e-booklet called ‘One Year of Modi 2.0- Towards A Self-Reliant India’ which highlights the achievements of the Modi government during its second term.

 The Government of India has launched KCC campaign for 1.5 crore Dairy Farmers

 Basu Chatterjee = filmmaker, passed away recently - received National Film Award for Best Film on Family Welfare for his film Durga in 1992.

 SWADES(Skilled Workers Arrival Database for Employment Support) = new initiative launched by the Government of India to conduct a skill mapping exercise of the Indian citizens returning from overseas under the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’.

 Subramanian Sundar = Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lakshmi Vilas Bank whose tenure has been extended by 6 months after the approval from the Reserve Bank of India.

 Uday Kotak = President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for the year 2020-21.

 Patrick Pichette = appointed by Twitter as its new board chairman. He will replace Omid Kordestani.

 Krishnendu Majumdar = new chairman of British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

 Delhi Corona = mobile application that was launched by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to provide information to the people of Delhi about the availability of the beds and ventilators in government as well as private hospitals in Delhi.

 PM SVANidhi = Special Micro-Credit Facility Scheme that has been launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in order to provide affordable loans to the Street vendors.

 Virendra Nath Datt = additional charge of Chairman & Managing Director of the National Fertilizers Limited (NFL)

 Wes Unseld = basketball player who led his franchise ‘Washington Wizards’ to the NBA Championship in 1978 passed away.

 4th June = United Nations observes International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression globally every year

 PM SVANidhi scheme, street vendors will be able to avail the working capital loan of up to Rs. 10,000, which is repayable in monthly instalments in the tenure of one year.

 World Economic Forum = organization which will host a Unique Twin Summit in January, 2021.

 Reserve Bank of India = launched Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) to provide impetus to acceptance infrastructure across India in order to stimulate the digitisation of payment systems.

 The merger of Peugeot S.A and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA) = approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI).

 Rajeev Topno = appointed as the Senior Advisor to the Executive Director (ED) of World Bank.

 Virtual Global Vaccine Summit 2020 was hosted by United Kingdom

 Chhattisgarh state's Police = launched a special campaign “Spandan” to prevent the force from depression and stress pushing them to take extreme steps

 The Urban Learning Internship Program = launched by the Government of India to provide internship opportunities to fresh graduates in all Urban Local Bodies as well as Smart Cities across the nation.

 Anwar Sagar = veteran lyricist and member of Indian Performing Right Society Limited (IPRS) - passed away

 IndusInd Bank = launched a mobile application based facility where customer can open the current bank account in a paperless manner in just a few hours.

 5th June = World Environment Day is observed globally every year to raise awareness about protecting the environment and to remind people not to take nature granted

 Kritika Pandey = honoured with Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2020 for the Asia region for her story “The Great Indian Tee and Snakes”.

 During the virtual Global Vaccine Summit 2020, India pledged a contribution of USD 15 Million to Gavi, the international vaccine alliance.

 PIDF (Payments Infrastructure Development Fund) = created by the Reserve Bank of India to provide impetus to acceptance infrastructure across India in order to stimulate the digitisation of payment systems.

 The World Economic Forum will host a Unique Twin Summit in January, 2021 with the theme - the Great Reset

 India = awarded the hosting rights of the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup by the Asian Football Confederation

 #iCommit = launched by the Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R. K. Singh to create a robust and resilient energy system in the future

 The information booklet = “Safe online learning in the times of COVID-19” has been launched - developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training and UNESCO New Delhi Office

 HDFC Bank = launched a campaign “Summer Treats” to offer discounts and cashbacks on select brands along with 50% extra reward points on online spend using credit cards.

 Kushal Pal Singh retired as the Chairman of property firm Delhi Land & Finance Limited (DLF).

 Rajiv Singh = appointed as the new chairman of property firm Delhi Land & Finance Limited (DLF).

 Nagar Van programme = launched by the Government of India with an objective of increasing the forest cover in urban areas.

 Anil Suri = Bollywood producer who passed away due to COVID-19

 Madhya Pradesh = Street Vendor Registration Portal and “Mukhyamantri Shahri Path Vyavsayi Utthan Yojana”

 Turant Customs programme = launched by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) at Bengaluru and Chennai.

 Odisha state cabinet = adopted “Bande Utklala Janani” or Glory to mother Utkala as its state anthem

 New Zealand = declared itself free from “Coronavirus” when the last person who was being monitored for coronavirus was released from isolation and regarded as recovered

 Tech Mahindra signed a joint declaration with UN Global Compact and hence joined 155 global companies in calling for policies to build resilience against future shocks.

 Gairsain = declared as the summer capital of Uttarakhand.

 “Raj Kaushal Portal” and “Online Shramik Employment Exchange” has been launched by Rajasthan

 Coro-bot = robot developed by an engineer from Thane district of Maharashtra, in order to reduce the physical contact of care-givers with COVID-19 patients.

 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw = EY World Entrepreneur of The Year 2020

 Rohit Sharma = signed by India Infoline Finance Limited (IIFL) as its first-ever brand ambassador.

 COVID BEEP = India's first indigenous, cost effective, wireless physiological parameters monitoring system for COVID-19 patients.

 Indian Air Force has designed, developed and manufactured an "ARPIT"( Airborne Rescue Pod for Isolated Transportation) for the evacuation of critical patients with infectious diseases from high altitude, isolated and remote areas

 Javed Akhtar = honoured with the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking, advancing human progress and humanist values.

 Andhra Pradesh government - launched = online waste exchange website "APEMC"(Andhra Pradesh Environment Management Corporation) = to protect environment by covering 100% safe disposal of toxic waste, proper tracking, scrutiny as well as audit of waste

 National Council Of Educational Research And Training (NCERT) - MoU - Rotary India Humanity Foundation for e-learning content telecast for class I-XII over all NCERT TV channels.

 West Bengal = received a loan amount of Rs 1950 crore from the World Bank to tackle COVID- 19 situation and developmental work

 9th June = World Accreditation Day (WAD) is celebrated globally every year to highlight and promote the role of accreditation in trade & economy

 Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Limited = completed the sale of its 50% stake in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City to the Gujarat Urban Development Company Ltd (GUDCL)

 Flyzy application = developed by the IIT Guwahati for consistent and contactless air travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Gomathi Marimuthu = Indian athlete - banned for 4-years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) after she tested positive for banned substances.

 Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) has developed = ANANYA - water-based disinfectant spray with nanotechnology assisted formulation to fight against COVID-19.

 Arjun Charan Sethi = former Union Water Resources Minister who passed away recently - served as the Union Water Resources Minister in Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cabinet from 2000 to 2004

 Jio Platforms has received investment of Rs 5683.50 crore from a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA)

 Renjith Kumar = honoured with “NASA Distinguished Service Medal” for his administration to NASA through executive leadership, engineering contribution, technical excellence and consumer loyalty.

 Myanmar military ‘Tatmadaw’ = decided to use Facebook again to provide ‘accurate’ news to people.

 The theme for World Accreditation Day 2020 = Accreditation: Improving Food Safety

 India has signed a MOU on "Energy Cooperation" with Denmark = to develop a strong, deep and long-term co-operation between two nations in the power sector

 K Sanjita Chanu = Indian lifter whose name has been cleared by the International Weightlifting Federation of anti-doping violation charges.

 National Fertilizers Limited = tied up with Industrial Training Institutes, Nangal, Punjab - to train youth in various 12 trades to enhance the chances of their employability.

 TCS iON has partnered with National Skill Development Corporation = to provide it’s training partners access to the TCS iON Digital Glass Room

 Rs 4000 crore = allocated by the Government of India to the State Governments under under ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana for the year 2020-21

 India has recorded a 29% increase in the population of Asiatic Lions as the count of Asiatic Lions has increased from 523 in 2015 to 674 in 2020.

 Jagesh Mukati = television actor who passed away recently due to breathing issues

 Alexander Shustov = Former European high jump champion who has been banned for 4-years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport for the use or attempted use of a banned substance or method (doping)

 Pritam Singh = former director of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow, who passed away recently - received the Padma Shri in 2003 in the field of Management Education

 G Kishan Reddy = will chair the new committee reconstituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs for the welfare of the freedom fighters.

 J Anbazhagan = three-times Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA who passed away recently due to COVID-19.

 Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT) = topped the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking 2021.

 Pierre Nkurunziza = President of the Republic of Burundi who passed away recently - He received seven international awards for his peace-building efforts

 The Government of India has raised the Customs duty on bamboo imports from 10% to 25% with immediate effect.

 To expand the coverage of Micro Irrigation in the states, a Micro Irrigation Fund corpus of Rs 5000 crore has been created with NABARD

 ICGS Kanaklata Barua - fifth and last boat in the series of Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) which has been delivered by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) for the Indian Coast Guard.

 Indian Railways has commissioned the first high rise OHE (Over Head Equipment) and successfully ran a double stack containers in electrified territory on Western Railway

 Used mask disposal device - BIN-19 and “UV SPOT” has been launched in Kerala by VST Mobility Solutions to combat the COVID-19.

 Tony Dunne = Manchester United’s European Cup-winning defender who passed away recently - He played an instrumental role in Manchester United club club’s European Cup triumph in 1968.

 Empays Payment Systems India has partnered with Mastercard = to launch contactless ATM solution in India due to COVID-19 pandemic

 Himachal Pradesh launched “Panchvati Yojana” for the senior citizens of rural areas of the state

 Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) Complex was inaugurated at Eastern Naval Command (ENC) in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh

 A Vaidyanathan = former member of the Planning Commission who passed away recently. He also chaired the Government of India Task Force on Revival of Cooperative Credit Institutions in 2004

 Shobha Sekhar = will be conferred the “Medal of the Order of Australia” for her service to the community and the country. She is an Indian Musician & founder of Kalakruthi music organisation in Australia.

 Andhra Pradesh = launched the ‘Jagananna Chedodu’ scheme - to provide financial assistance to tailors, barbers and washermen, who had lost their livelihood due to COVID-19 pandemic

 12th June = World Day Against Child Labour

 Department of Science & Technology - constituted a joint Science Communication Forum to facilitate interaction, cooperation, and coordination amongst various public sector science communication institutions.

 Oleksandr Gvozdyk = former world light heavyweight boxing champion from Ukraine, who recently retired from the sport. He won a bronze medal for Ukraine in the light heavyweight category at the 2012 Olympics.

 Panchvati Yojana = launched by the Himachal Pradesh government under which it will set up parks and gardens in every development block with all the necessary amenities

 Rs 10,000 = one-time financial assistance will be provided to each of the 2.47 lakh beneficiaries under 60 years of age as per the ‘Jagananna Chedodu’ scheme recently launched by the Andhra Pradesh government

 Uttar Pradesh - launched ‘Bal Shramik Vidya Yojana’ = to educate child labourers in the state

 Telangana - launched - "She Triumphs through Respect, Equality, and Empowerment” (STREE) = to support and empower women victims of domestic violence and abuse.

 India football team retained its 108TH spot in the latest FIFA rankings.

 International Albinism Awareness Day is observed on 13th June = to bring about awareness among the people about albinism and the human rights of people with albinism.

 Anand Mohan Zutshi Gulzar Dehlvi = Veteran Urdu poet passed away recently = He was the editor of ‘Science ki Duniya’, the only science magazine published in Urdu by the government

 Indian-American soil scientist, Rattan Lal was named this year’s prestigious World Food Prize 2020.

 NHAI - the first development division to go "fully Digital"

 Madhya Pradesh = gives 'corona warriors' status to Divyang Anganwadi workers.

 Odisha = first state in the country to receive ISO certification for hostels meant for tribal students.

 Narendra Singh Tomar - launched = "Sahakar Mitra: Scheme on Internship Programme (SIP)" an initiative by National Cooperative Development Cooperation (NCDC)

 Made To Shine - theme of International Albinism Awareness Day 2020

 Ministry of Human Resource Development = launched "India Rankings 2020” for Higher Educational Institutions – topped by Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

 Rahul Shrivastava = next Ambassador of India to Romania

 The task force to evaluate issues related to Infant Mortality Rate, Maternal Mortality Rate, Total Fertility Rate etc, has been set up by the Women and Child Development Ministry and it will be headed by Jaya Jaitly

 Hamza Koya = former Santosh Trophy player passed away due to COVID-19 - played for Maharashtra state

 Monika Kapil Mohta = the next Ambassador of India to Switzerland

 Member countries of the Group of 20 (G20) has pledged more than $21 billion to fight COVID- 19 pandemic.

 Council of Scientific & Industrial Research + Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) = to promote innovation in India.

 7 June = United Nations celebrates World Food Safety Day

 Kurt Thomas = passed away = first U.S. male gymnast to win a world championship gold medal

 Rs 270 crore = Special Liquidity Facility (SLF) has been extended by the NABARD to Assam Gramin Vikash Bank

 ISRO - agreement - Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences for cooperation in the field of Space Situational Awareness and Astrophysics.

 M Nethra = ‘Goodwill Ambassador for the Poor’ by the United Nations Association for Development and Peace (UNADAP)

 8th June = World Ocean Day - to raise global awareness about the importance of the ocean in our lives and the ways through which we can protect it

 Chiranjeevi Sarja = Kannada actor who made his debut with the movie ‘Vayuputra' passed away.

 The theme of UN World Oceans Day 2020 is Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean

 UVC-based Cabinet = co-developed by the ARCI and the MEKINS Industries = to disinfect non- critical hospital items, laboratory wear, and PPEs in order to prevent surface contamination of COVID 19.

 Shambhu S. Kumaran = next Ambassador of India to the Republic of the Philippines

 Aarogyapath = CSIR's National Healthcare Supply Chain Portal - launched to provide real-time availability of healthcare supplies.

 Punjab government - launched “Ghar Ghar Nigrani” mobile application = to check the community spread of COVID-19 in the state

 CAPTAIN ARJUN = Artificial Intelligence enabled robot - launched by the Indian Railways’ Central Railway zone = to intensify the screening and surveillance of railway passengers.

 Internal Working Group (IWG) has been constituted by the Reserve Bank of India to review the extant guidelines on ownership and corporate structure for Indian private sector banks = headed by Prasanna Kumar Mohanty

 Iflows = state of the art flood warning system - launched recently in Mumbai to predict floods three days before they happen

 Vasant Raiji - passed away = India’s oldest First Class cricketer

 Imtaiyazur Rahman = appointed by the UTI Mutual Fund as CEO

 Pankaj Tripathi = appointed as the brand ambassador of Patna's Khadi Mall by the Bihar government.

 15th June = World Wind Day = to discover wind energy, its power and the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems, decarbonise our economies and boost jobs and growth

 Safe blood saves lives = campaign theme of World Blood Donor Day 2020

 15 June = United Nations celebrates World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

 14 June = World Health Organization celebrates World Blood Donor Day

 Kathryn D. Sullivan = NASA astronaut who has become the first woman to reach the deepest point in the ocean located in the Western Pacific Ocean

 Anmol Narang = made history by becoming the 1st observant Sikh to graduate from the distinguished United States (US) Military Academy at West Point.

 EPFO - launched = a “Multi Location Claim Settlement” facility to settle online claims from any of its regional offices

 Heera Singh Rana - passed away = folk singer of Uttarakhand

 “Feedback Call Centres on Public Grievances” - launched by the Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh.

 e-Office application - launched in over 500 CGST and Customs offices across India by the Chairman of CBIC = to automate the internal office procedures of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

 Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence initiative - launched to guide the responsible development as well as use of Artificial Intelligence.

 Madhavrao Patil = passed away - former Lok Sabha MP and founder of Janalaxmi Cooperative Bank

 GermiBAN - device = launched by the Union Minister of State for Home affairs G. Kishan Reddy - can kill 99.9% of surface and air microbes.

 ICICI Bank = launched ‘Insta Flexicash’ - to enable its Salary Account customers to get approval for overdraft (OD) instantaneously and in a paperless manner.

 Angad Singh Rana = Indian Chef - won the New Zealand’s first ‘Virtual’ Chef competition "QualityNZ Culinary Cup 2020"

 IGX (Indian Gas Exchange) - first nationwide online delivery-based gas trading platform = launched by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan

 16 June = United Nations observes International Day of Family Remittances = to recognize the contribution of over 200 million migrants to improve the lives of their 800 million family members back home

 Matt Poore - passed away = Former New Zealand Test cricketer

 Airtel Payments Bank = launched ‘Suraksha Salary Account’ for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and enable them to make cashless payments - also provide a financial security blanket to their employees.

 ICICI Bank - launched Insta Flexicash = to enable its Salary Account customers to get approval for overdraft (OD) instantaneously and in a paperless manner.

 The Board of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India has reconstituted the Advisory Committee chaired by Uday Kotak on Corporate Insolvency Resolution & Liquidation

 new fish species named as “Schizothorax sikusirumensis” has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh

 Trustees of the PM CARES (Prime Minister’s Citizens Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) Fund have appointed SARC & Associates, Chartered Accountants, New Delhi, as the auditors of the fund or three years

 The Sports Ministry is going to set up KISCE (Khelo India State Centres of Excellence) under its flagship “Khelo India Scheme".

 A unique project to produce Neera and Palmgur has been rolled out by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) in Palghar district of Maharashtra

 Deccan Development Society = Indian agri-based NGO - won the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Award

 Competition Commission of India approved the acquisition by MacRitchie Investments Pte. Ltd. in Ascent Health and Wellness Solutions Private Limited, API Holdings Private Limited & 91Streets Media Technologies Private Ltd.

 Uttar Pradesh - top state in India = to provide employment to the workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme

 Kyrgyzstan Prime Minister Mukhammedkalyi Abylgaziev has resigned

 West Bengal - launched a job portal ‘KarmaBhumi’ = for IT professionals who have returned to the state amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

 Maha Vir Chakra awardee Lt Gen (retd) Raj Mohan Vohra passed away due to COVID-19

 17 June = World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought = to promote public awareness of international efforts to combat desertification

 The theme of World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2020 = Food Feed Fibre- the links between consumption and land

 Dinu Ranadive - passed away = Freedom fighter & Veteran journalist

 Fitch Ratings has retained India’s sovereign rating at the lowest investment grade of BBB-

 HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company + UK based tech firm TropoGo Limited = to launch India’s 1st ‘Pay as you Fly’ insurance for drone-owners in India.

 Zest Money and Stellapps = featured in the World Economic Forum (WEF)'s 2020 cohort of Technology Pioneers.

 Bihar launched = “Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan”

 Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank = approved a USD 750 million loan to India to help the government strengthen its battle against the adverse impact of COVID-19 on poor and vulnerable households.

 India will send its Tri-Service contingent to take part in the 75th Victory Day Parade of World War II, to be held in Moscow, Russia

 Maruti Suzuki India Limited + Karur Vysya Bank = to offer consumers simpler and flexible financing schemes to own a new car.

 “Composite Regional Centre (CRC) for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)” = inaugurated in Ranchi, Jharkhand

 Achyut Kashinath Sinai Usgaonkar - passed away = former Goa minister

 D K Jain = former Supreme Court judge who got one-year extension from Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as its ethics officer and ombudsman.

 Bahrain will host the 4th edition of the Asian Youth Para Games, scheduled to be held in December 2021.

 18th June = Sustainable Gastronomy Day = to acknowledge gastronomy as a cultural expression related to nature as well as the cultural diversity of the world

 Odisha = celebrates Raja Parba festival - 3-days unique festival in which the onset of monsoon and the earth’s womanhood is celebrated.

 USD 750 million = approved by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to India in order to help the government strengthen its battle against the adverse impact of COVID-19 on poor and vulnerable households

 The Competition Commission of India has approved the acquisition of Metso Oyj’s minerals business by Outotec Oyj. Outotec & Metso are public limited liability companies of Finland

 India’s first ever National Report has been prepared under the aegis of Ministry of Earth Sciences with title “Assessment Of Climate Change Over The Indian Region”.

 In Pune, Maharashtra = United Kingdom oil major “British Petroleum” is going to set up Global Business Service Centre to support its global businesses.

 Karnataka Bank + Universal Sompo General Insurance Company Ltd = launched a special health insurance policy - to cover the uncertainties posed by COVID-19 pandemic.

 Air-Venti = mobile application - launched by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai = to help residents in the city to know about the availability of the ICU beds and Ventilators in both government and private hospitals.

 18th June = Autistic Pride Day is observed globally every year to respect the rights of persons with autism

 Karnataka government observed the “Mask Day” on 18 June 2020 = to aware the people about the use of masks, sanitisers, washing hands with soap

 SARAL housing loan scheme = launched by ICICI Home Finance to fund homes in urban and rural areas.

 K.R. Sachidanandan - passed away = malayalam film director, scriptwriter, and producer

 Volkan Bozkir = president of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly.

 19 June - United Nations observes International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict

 Karnataka Bank - launched = a special health insurance policy with validity period of 120 days, to cover the uncertainties posed by COVID-19 pandemic.

 ICICI Home Finance - launched = a special affordable housing loan scheme called "SARAL" to fund homes in urban and rural areas - Rs 35 lakh = maximum limit of the loan

 Sanjiv Chadha = Managing Director & Chief executive officer of Bank of Baroda

 Ireland, Mexico, India and Norway = elected as the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council

 Sourav Ganguly and Sunil Chhetri = signed by the JSW Cement as its brand ambassadors

 Urjit Patel = Chairman of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) - an economic think tank which is based in New Delhi, India.

 India will serve as the President of the UN body for the month of August, 2021.

 Science and Technology Yojana for Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Mining Advancement = R&D Portal which has been launched recently for Science and Technology Programme Scheme of Ministry of Mines.

 20 June = United Nations celebrates World Refugee Day

 Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs - MoU - SIDBI = for PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi).

 B.P.R. Vithal - passed away = veteran economist and the member of 10th Finance Commission

 Manipur - observed the 19th Great June Uprising Day on 18th June.

 Every Action Counts = theme of World Refugee Day 2020

 NITI Aayog will launch the “Decarbonising Transport in India” project in collaboration with International Transport Forum (ITF) to develop a pathway towards a low-carbon transport system for India

 World Bank has approved USD 1.05 billion for three projects in Bangladesh to generate quality jobs and boost economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

 France - signed a loan agreement of 200-million-euros with India = to boost India’s COVID-19 response

 21st June - World Hydrography Day = to publicise the work of hydrographers and the importance of hydrography

 USD 20.10 million = Line of Credit has been extended by the EXIM bank to the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua for the reconstruction of Aldo Chavarria Hospital

 Vidyaben Shah - Padma Shri awardee and a social worker passed away recently

 Rajinder Goel = former Left-arm spinner passed away - He holds the record for most wickets taken in the Ranji Trophy history.

 Sethuraman Panchanathan = Indian-American scientist - appointed by the U.S. Senate as the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF)

 21st June = World Music Day is observed

 21 June = United Nations celebrates International Day of Yoga

 Niti Aayog has formed a panel to develop a job platform for migrant labourers - Amitabh Kant = Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog

 Hydrography enabling autonomous technologies = theme of World Hydrography Day 2020?

 Yoga for Health – Yoga at Home = theme of International Day of Yoga 2020?

 21st June = International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice

 ISRO - received a patent for its Liquid Cooling and Heating Garment (LCHG). Liquid Cooling and Heating Garment (LCHG) is a protective garment for human spaceflight.

 Amish Tripathi - released his new fiction book ‘Legend of Suheldev: The King Who Saved India’.

 UCO Bank + SBI Life Insurance Company, the Oriental insurance company, Religare insurance Company, and Star Health and Allied insurance company for selling their products.

 Amartya Sen = chosen by the German Book Trade for its prestigious 2020 Peace Prize for his pioneering work addressing issues of global justice, social inequality in education and healthcare.

 Steve Bing - passed away = movie producer & philanthropist

 23rd June = Olympic Day

 Lachhman Singh Lehl - passed away = Major General (Retd) of Indian Army = awarded the Vir Chakra for gallantry in recapture of Jhangar

 Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar inaugurated the Virtual India Pavilion at Cannes Film Market 2020

 YES Bank + Affordplan = launch of co-branded healthcare card ‘Swasth Card’

 Mark Calaway ("The Undertaker") = Wrestling legend and WWE superstar who has announced his retirement from World Wrestling Entertainment

 FICCI - organised the India’s largest 1st Virtual Healthcare & Hygiene EXPO 2020

 MaiGhat: Crime No 103/200 & Hellaro = two Indian films sent by India for screening in the Cannes Film Market 2020.

 23rd June = United Nations Public Service Day

 Nirakar Pradhan - appointed by the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association as the Chief Executive Officer of its new India office.

 23rd June = United Nations celebrates International Widows’ Day

 India has pledged to contribute USD 10 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

 “Information about Country of Origin” has been mandated for the sellers by the GeM, while registering new products on GeM to promote the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’

 “YUKTI 2.0” ( Young India combating COVID with Knowledge, Technology and Innovation) platform has been virtually launched by the Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’

 The Food Processing Edition of the “Exclusive Investment Forum” - launched by the Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The forum has been designed by Invest India

 Karnataka Bank - new product titled “KBL Micro Mitra” = to provide financial assistance to the Micro entrepreneurs.

 T Rabi Sankar - appointed as the Chairman of the Indian Financial Technology & Allied Services (IFTAS).

 Wasim Jaffer = appointed the head coach of the Uttarakhand cricket team

 Vishwa Bandhu Gupta - passed away = former member of parliament (MP) and veteran journalist - served as a Member of Parliament from Delhi between April 1984 to 1990, in the Rajya Sabha.

 N Rajendran - appointed as the CEO of the Indian Financial Technology & Allied Services (IFTAS).

 Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami inaugurated a Compressed Bio Gas Plant (CBG) at Namakkal, Tamil Nadu

 Pournima Zanane = passed away = former Indian shooter and coach

 Dhruva = chip - developed by IIT-Bombay and can be used in smartphones and navigation devices to find locations and routes within the country.

 Rajasthan will launch a kitchen scheme named as "Indira Rasoi Yojana" = to provide nutritious food to the poor and needy twice a day on concessional rates

 The Panchayati raj department of Himachal Pradesh = won the 1st prize under the e- Panchayat Puraskar-2020 for effective implementation of the e-application developed by the central government

 Gulabbai Sangamnerkar - folk artist who will be honoured by the Maharashtra government with the Vithabai Narayangaokar lifetime achievement award for year 2018-19

 eBloodServices - mobile application of the Indian Red Cross Society = recently launched by the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Harsh Vardhan.

 The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the establishment of AHIDF (Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund)

 Tamonash Ghosh - Trinamool Congress MLA who passed away

 The Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company has started the Nishtha Vidyut Mitra Scheme for women empowerment in Madhya Pradesh

 Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the establishment of IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre)

 Tripura government - announced a project ‘Ektu Khelo, Ektu Padho’, a special initiative for activity-based learning to engage students during COVID-19 crisis

 Republic of Mali has awarded Project Management Consultancy contract to NTPC for development of 500 MW Solar Park in the Republic of Mali.

 Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) + IBM = to unveil free Digital Learning Platform “Skills Build Reignite”

 The Competition Commission of India (CCI) - approved the acquisition of approximately 9.99% stake in Jio Platforms Limited by Jaadhu Holdings LLC.

 Joel Schumacher - passed away = Hollywood Director

 25 June = International Maritime Organization observes Day of the Seafarer (DotS)

 The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for declaration of Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh as an international airport.

 Seafarers are Key Workers = campaign of Day of the Seafarer (DotS) 2020

 The Vivekananda Yoga University (VaYU) is the world's first yoga university outside India and has been launched in Los Angeles

 Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates Product Application and Development Centre at Paradip, Odisha

 Atma Nirbhar Uttar Pradesh Rojgar Abhiyan = launched in Uttar Pradesh - to generate employment for the migrant workers of the state who recently returned from other states.

 Tripura government - announced a scheme “Mukhyamantri Matru Pushti Uphaar” = to provide nutrition kits to pregnant and lactating women in order to combat infant and maternal mortality and malnutrition

 Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru = India's first airport to install "Aviation Weather Monitoring System" at both ends of the runway

 NITI Aayog + Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation + Ashoka University + Centre for Social and Behavioural Change + Ministry of Health, and Women & Child Development - launched behaviour change campaign = “Navigating the New Normal”,

 Clare Connor = the first female president of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in its 233-year history.

 Priyanka Chopra and Anurag Kashyap = two Indians who are among the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) ambassadors for 2020.

 26 June = observed by the United Nations every year as the "International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking"

 26 June = United Nations observes International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

 Rachel Priest - NewZealand wicketkeeper-batswoman = announced her retirement

 Better Knowledge for Better Care = theme for the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2020

 27th June = Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day

 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be hosted by Australia and New Zealand

 Maharashtra recently introduced “Maha Parwana” plan to attract fresh investment in industries

 Swiss National Bank (SNB) - released ‘Annual banking statistics, 2019’. According to the latest SNB data, India has moved down three places to 77th rank in terms of money parked by its citizens.

 Yes Bank + UDMA Technologies = to launch its digital wallet solution ‘Yuva Pay’ mobile app

 Parvez Jamasji - passed away = Vir Chakra awardee, Sqn Ldr (retd)

 Rahul Dravid = beats Sachin Tendulkar in Wisden India's poll on greatest Indian Test batsman of all time.

 Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal's financial services startup Navi has launched a mobile app to provide instant personal loans targeted at consumers in the middle-income segment.

 United Kingdom ranked first in Swiss National Bank ‘Annual banking statistics, 2019’

 NASA has announced that its headquarters in Washington, D.C., will be named after Mary W. Jackson, one of its history-making engineers.

 Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare - launched the web portal of the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan.

 Micheal Martin = new Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland.

 Battery Swapping Facility Quick Interchange Service (QIS) - inaugurated at Chandigarh

 K.K Shailaja has been honoured by the United Nations for her efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic in her state. K.K Shailaja is the Health Minister of Kerala

 Ministry of Culture is celebrating the Sankalp Parva during which its Subordinate Offices, Academies, Attached Institutions as well as Affiliated Institutions will plant trees in its campus or wherever it is possible.

 Piyush Goyal chaired the 49th Governing Council Meeting of National Productivity Council (NPC).

 PhonePe + ICICI Bank = for creating and using UPI IDs for online payments

 Indian Navy inducts indigenously developed Advanced Torpedo Decoy System Maareech which is capable of being fired from all frontline warships.

 29th June = Government of India celebrates National Statistics day every year to popularise the use of Statistics in everyday life

 Vini Mahajan = IAS officer who has become the first woman chief secretary of Punjab

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