GK Update 29 Aug, 2019 NATIONAL UPDATES: 1. National Sports Day: 29 August: The National Sports Day is observed every year on 29th August to mark the birthday of legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand. Padma Bhushan Dhyan chand Known as ‘The Magician’ of hockey for his superb ball control and extraordinary goal-scoring feats. He won three Olympic gold medals in Hockey field in the years 1928, 1932, and 1936. In his Sports career spanning over 22 years, he scored over 400 goals. Note: Dhyan Chand was born on 29th August 1905 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. The Union Government proclaimed 29 August as the country’s National Sports Day in 2012 to commemorate Major Dhyan Chandand his achievements in the field of sports. 2. Prime Minister launches Fit India Movement: On the occasion of National Sports Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched the Fit India Movement at the Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex in New Delhi. During the event, PM appealed to the nation to join this fitness movement and make a ‘Fitter & Better India’. The nation-wide Fit India Movement aims to motivate every Indian to incorporate simple, easy ways of staying fit in their everyday life. Recently government had formed a committee for Fit India Movement with sports minister Kiren Rijiju as its head. 3. India Launches World’s First-Ever Facial BSID: India has become the first country in the world to issue Biometric Seafarer Identity Document (BSID), capturing the facial biometric data of seafarers. The new facial biometric technology is a marked improvement over the two-finger or iris-based bio-metric data, with modern security features. It will make the identification of the SID holder more reliable and efficient while protecting their dignity and privacy. BSID project has been taken up in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC). Nine data collection centres have been set up at Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Noida, Goa, New Mangalore, Kochi, Vizag and Kandla for the issue of BSID. The total number of existing Indian seafarers who will be required to be issued BSIDs is around 3,50,000. All the existing seafarers will be given BSID within the next two years. Note: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Shipping: Mansukh L. Mandaviya. 4. MoU between Indian Navy and IMD: India Meteorological Department (IMD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Navy to hand over Cyclone Detection Radar (CDR) building to naval forces for meteorological purposes. The building is set to be utilised by Indian Naval Meteorological Analysis Centre (INMAC). It is an operational unit set up in 2013 with the mandate to provide daily meteorological information/ forecasts to users across the Navy such as IN ships and establishments. The CDR building was constructed during the period 1983-86 inside the Naval Base, having an S-band Cyclone Detection Radar installed by M/s Bharat Electronics Limited. Note: Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh. GK Update 29 Aug, 2019 5. Rajnath Singh inaugurates 26th Kisan-Jawan Vigyan Mela in Ladakh: Defence minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated 26th Ladakhi Kisan Jawan Vigyan Mela in Leh. The event is being organised to share research-generated farming technology with locals of Ladakh to make their life easier. Ladakhi Kisan Jawan Vigyan Mela showcasing crops and grains suitable for growing in high altitude areas. The science fair is being organised at the Defence Institute of High-Altitude Research (a research unit of DRDO in Ladakh). 6. HM Amit Shah flag off the first fleet of eco-friendly electric buses in Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah flag off the first fleet of eco-friendly electric buses in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Mr Shah also inaugurated the country's first automated battery charging and swapping station for e-buses in Ahmedabad. Mr. Amit Shah has also flagged off 18 electric buses with a facility of battery swap technology. Thirty-two more such state-of-the-art buses would also join this BRTS fleet taking the total number of such e- buses to 50. Normal electric buses can run up to 200 km per charge, buses with swap facility can run only up to 40 km. 7. Bollywood film 'Mission Mangal' gets GST exemption in Maharashtra: Maharashtra government has decided to grant exemption from the state Goods and Services Tax (GST) to Bollywood film 'Mission Mangal', which is about the ISRO's successful Mangalyaan mission. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, in Mumbai. The film conveys a positive message about science and to take the message further to common people. GST rate on movie tickets: below Rs 100 - 12% & above Rs 100 - 18%. Note: Mission Mangal is Indian Hindi-language film (released - 15 August 2019) directed by Jagan Shakti and jointly produced by Cape of Good Films, Hope Productions, Fox Star Studios, Aruna Bhatia, and Anil Naidu. ‘Mission Mangal’ is loosely based on the life of scientists at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who contributed to the Mars Orbiter Mission, India's first interplanetary expedition. 8. 12th India Security Summit held in New Delhi: The 12th India Security Summit was held in New Delhi. The theme of the summit was “Towards New National Cyber Security Strategy”. Protection of critical national infrastructure, emerging cyber threats: incidents, challenges and response, are some of the issues which were discussed during the conference. Note: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology: Ravi Shankar Prasad. 9. Pramod Agarwal to succeed Coal India chairman AK Jha: Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has selected Pramod Agarwal as the next chairman of Coal India. He is a 1991 batch IAS from Madhya Pradesh cadre. He will take over after the present chairman A K Jha retires in January 2020. Agarwal is currently principal secretary for urban development and housing department in Madhya Pradesh. Note: Headquarter of Coal India: Kolkata, West Bengal. 10. GoI extends tenure of CBDT Chairman P C Mody: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister has approved the extension of the tenure of CBDT Chairman GK Update 29 Aug, 2019 Pramod Chander Mody. The tenure of the CBDT chairman has been extended by one year. Pramod Chander Mody was appointed as the chairman of CBDT in Feb 2019, when Sushil Chandra, the then CBDT chief, was appointed as an Election Commissioner. INTERNATIONAL UPDATES: 1. Pavan Kapoor appointed as India's Ambassador to UAE: Senior diplomat Pavan Kapoor has been appointed as India's Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates by the Ministry of External Affairs. Kapoor, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer. He will replace Navdeep Suri as India's Ambassador to the UAE. 2. International Day against Nuclear Tests: 29 August: United Nations observes International Day Against Nuclear Tests on 29 August every year. It is observed to increase awareness and education about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon- free world. The day was established on 2nd December 2009 at the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly by the resolution 64/35, which was adopted unanimously. Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres. OTHER UPDATES: SPORTS 1. Arunachal Pradesh to Host 25th Senior Women’s National Football Championship: The 25th edition of the Senior Women’s National Football Championship will be held in Arunachal Pradesh from September 10 – 24, 2019. Arunachal Pradesh is hosting the tournament for the first time. It will be held in the oldest town of the state Pasighat in East Siang District of the state. 30 teams from across the country, representing various States, Union Territories and Indian Railways will participate in the tournament. 2. Elavenil Claims World Cup Gold Medal in Women’s 10m Air Rifle at Rio de Janeiro: In shooting, Elavenil Valarivan claimed her maiden senior World Cup gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle competition at 2019 ISSF World Cup, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. With this India has now won three out of the four World Cup gold medals in the women’s 10m air rifle in 2019 ISSF World Cup. 3. Ajantha Mendis announces retirement from Cricket: Ajantha Mendis, the mystery spinner from Sri Lanka, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Mendis played 19 Tests, 87 One-Day Internationals and 39 T20Is for Sri Lanka, taking 70 Test wickets, 152 ODI wickets and 66 T20I wickets. Mendis was renowned in the cricketing world for his ‘carrom ball’ and various other variations. He last played for Sri Lanka in 2015. He is best remembered for his 6/13 in the Asia Cup Final in 2008. GK Update 29 Aug, 2019 BUSINESS AND ECONOMY 1. Ind-Ra cuts GDP growth forecast in FY20 to 6.7%: India Ratings and Research has revised its projection of India’s GDP growth in the financial year 2019-20 to 6.7%. It has reduced the GDP growth rate from 7.3% to 6.7%. It expects GDP growth to recover to 7.4% in the second half of the financial year 2019-20. AWARDS AND HONOURS 1. National Sports Day Award winners 2019: President Ram Nath Kovind presented the National Sports Day Awards on the 114th birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand to sportspersons from the country at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over a period of four years.