AUGUST 21 TO 31 2016 DAILY GK BANKERS ADDA

I am sorry for the delay in posting these.  best wishes candidates

S.SAMBASIVAN

21st August, 2016

Government selects four investment banks for share sale in HUDCO 

i. Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), the nodal agency under the finance ministry that coordinates government disinvestment programme has selected four investment banks for the proposed share sale in HUDCO (Housing & Urban Development Corporation Limited).

ii. These four banks include Nomura, SBI Caps, ICICI Securities and IDBI Capital. 

China's high speed train maker launches operation in India

i. China largest high-speed train maker has announced the launch of its first joint venture (JV) plant in India with USD 63.4 million investment to manufacture and repair railway locomotives.

ii. The joint venture, named CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation) Pioneer (India) Electric Co Ltd, is housed in Bavo Industrial District of Haryana between New Delhi and Bombay.

iii. The Chinese side holds 51% of the share.
NLC Ltd to add 6,820 Mw of power at cost of Rs 27,740 crore

i. Navaratna company NLC Ltd, which comes under the Ministry of Coal, is planning to add over 6,821 megawatt (Mw) of power, with an investment of over Rs 27,740 crore in these projects.

ii. NLC Ltd, earlier known as Neyveli Lignite Corporation, is presently operating four thermal power stations at Neyveli, Tamil Nadu, and one thermal power station at Barsingsar, Rajasthan, with a total installed capacity of 3,240 Mw. During the year, two units of TPS-II Expansion (2x250 Mw) achieved commercial operation.

India pledges Rs 39.97 million for upgrading school in Nepal

i. India has pledged financial assistance worth 39.97 million Nepali Rupees for the construction of a new building and a hostel facility at a Sanskrit school in eastern Nepal. 

ii. The project is being implemented through the Indian government's grant assistance under the small development programme.

AP announces Rs 3 cr cash award, Group I cadre job for Sindhu

i. The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has decided to felicitate the Olympic badminton star PV Sindhu with Rs. 3 crore reward in cash, a 1,000 sq yard site in the new capital city of Amaravati and a Group I cadre job in the State.

ii. The Cabinet also approved a Rs. 50 lakh cash reward to Pullela Gopichand, the former badminton star and coach of Sindhu.

Andhra Pradesh police launches pilot project on DNA profiling

i. Andhra Pradesh Police has launched DNA Index System (DIS), the first-of-its-kind initiative that allows generation of DNA profiles from live samples like saliva and blood stains.

ii. The system uses the latest DNA technology tool called RapidHIT developed by IntegenX of USA. 

iii. The DIS allows generation of DNA profiles using buccal swabs, blood stains, saliva and other live samples in less than two hours.

India ranks 39th in Asia Pacific on fixed broadband

i. India ranks a low 39th in terms of fixed broadband adoption among Asia-Pacific countries, with just 1.3% of its citizens subscribing to such a service in 2015, according to a study by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

ii. Hong Kong, New Zealand, Japan, Macao, Australia and Singapore topped the list of 53 countries.

Maneka Gandhi Inaugurate Animal Birth Control Centre in Dehradun

i. Union Women and Child Development (WCD) Minister Maneka Gandhi inaugurated the state’s first animal birth control centre (ABC) at Kedarpuram. The centre will take up birth control measures with stray dogs the population of which has been rising in the city and the state.

ii. The centres will be set up in Nainital and Mussoorie and other five municipal corporations in Haridwar, Haldwani, Kashipur, Haldwani and Roorkee.

iii. The Department of Urban Development has sanctioned Rs 2 crore to set up the centres.

Sunil Mittal re-appointed Chairman of Bharti Airtel for 5 yrs

i. Sunil Bharti Mittal has been re-appointed as the Chairman of telecom giant Bharti Airtel for another 5 years, with effect from October 1, 2016. 

ii. Mittal is the Founder of Bharti Enterprises, India's one of largest conglomerates with diversified interests in telecom, insurance, real estate, agri and food, besides other ventures.

Amul MD Sodhi appointed on board of India Post Payment Banks

i. Amul Managing Director (MD) R S Sodhi has been appointed as independent director on the board of India Post Payment Banks (IPPB) - the payments bank arm of postal department.

ii. Sodhi is one of the 5 independent members to be appointed on the board IPPB, which is set to be operational in March 2017.

iii. The India Post Payments Bank aims to become the most accessible bank in the world, riding on advanced banking and payments technology.

Yogeshwar Sangwan concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to Georgia

i. Shri Yogeshwar Sangwan, presently Ambassador of India to the Republic of Armenia, has been concurrently accredited as the Ambassador of India to Georgia, with residence in Yerevan (Armenia).

ii. Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe.

Former international umpire Subrata Banerjee dies

i. Subrata Banerjee, the former international umpire, died at the age of 71 in Kolkata.

ii. Banerjee had a 15-year career at the international level, where he officiated in 13 ODIs. 

iii. The former Test umpire, also stood in 64 first-class matches, besides serving as a television umpire in ODIs, and a reserve umpire in a Test between India and England in Mohali in 2001.

India world’s third biggest tech start-up hub: Assocham 

i. India is home to the 3rd largest number of technology-driven start-ups in the world, with the US and the UK occupying the top two positions.

ii. The study, done by Assocham in association with Thought Arbitrage Research Institute, also revealed that Bengaluru is host to the largest share of technology start-ups in the country, followed by Delhi-NCR and Mumbai, while Hyderabad and Chennai are also quite popular among budding tech entrepreneurs. 

iii. In the technology driven start-ups, India has moved up to 3rd position with the US occupying the top position with more than 47,000 and the UK with over 4,500.

22th August, 2016

Manjula Chellur sworn-in as Chief Justice of Bombay HC

i. Justice Manjula Chellur on Monday took oath as the Chief Justice of the Bombay HC.

ii. Chelluar, who was the Chief Justice of Calcutta HC, was transferred following the retirement of DH Waghela on August 10. 

iii. Chellur is 2nd woman to hold the post, after Sujata Manohar in 1994.

IOA chief Ramachandran awarded the Olympic Order

i. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President, N. Ramachandran was awarded the Olympic Order for his outstanding services to the Olympic movement.
ii. The Olympic Order is the highest award of the Olympic Movement and is awarded for particularly distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement, that is, recognition of efforts worthy of merit in the cause of sport. It was established in May 1975.

Kamal Haasan to get prestigious French honour

i. Famous Actor Kamal Haasan will be awarded the Chevalier de L'Ordre Arts et Lettres (The Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government.
ii. The Order is part of France’s premier award, the Legion of Honor.

iii. The order of merit is awarded “to recognize eminent artists and writers, as well as people who have contributed significantly to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world.”

iv. The Order has three ranks – chevalier (knight), officier (officer), commandeur (commander) – and two high offices. Other Indians who have been conferred the Chevalier Order include actors Sivaji Ganesan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Nandita Das and Shah Rukh Khan.

BSNL and Microsoft India join hands for effective connectivity and telecom solutions

i. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) inked pact with Microsoft India to offer telecom and IT solutions for big businesses promoting the demand for IT and cloud services. ii. MoU will assist audio and video needs of the BSNL's enterprise customers and government organizations. 

iii. The agreement was signed and exchanged by BSNL chairman and managing director Anupam Shrivastava and Microsoft India chairman Bhaskar Pramanik. 

Railways to partner with Google for showcasing its heritage

i. Google has agreed to partner with Railways to digitise its heritage assets and help create a digital repository for universal online access free of cost.
ii. Indian Railway has a huge list of heritage assets including bridges, steam locos, buildings, artefacts and museums which can be showcased for global audience.

Vistara appoints Deepika Padukone as brand ambassador

i. Vistara, is an Indian domestic airline based in Gurgaon has announced that Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone will be their new brand ambassador.
ii. The airline will launch a new campaign featuring Deepika they will be broadcast on TV channels across India starting August 22, 2016.

iii. Through this campaign, Vistara wishes to reach out to its core audience of corporate and frequent flyers, who value a seamless, reliable, and consistent service experience above everything else, and are willing to pay a reasonable premium for the unique offerings provided by a world-class full service airline.

Najma Heptulla sworn in as Governor of Manipur

i. Former Union Minister Najma Heptulla was sworn-in as the governor of Manipur.
ii. Heptulla, the 18th governor of the state, replaced Shanmuganathan who was holding the dual charge of Governor of Manipur and Meghalaya. 

Uma Bharti launches Rs 560 cr projects under Namami Gange prog

i. Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti launched various Projects on the Bank of Ganga worth Rs. 560 crore under Namami Gange programme at Ganga Barrage in Kanpur.
ii. The Projects: 1.Interception and diversion plan of Sisamau drain—worth Rs. 63 crore.

2.Networking schemes at Bithoor–Worth Rs. 397 crore

3.River front development scheme at Bithoor–worth Rs. 100 crore.

4.Ghats and five crematoria will be constructed at Bithoor.

Guruvayur included in PRASAD scheme

i. The famous Sreekrishna temple in Guruvayur has been included in the Union Tourism Ministry’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD).

ii. Under this PRASAD scheme Development of roads, new streetlights and improvement of drinking water supply will also be taken up. Protection of the monument, toilet facilities, rest rooms, watchtower, open-air theatres, rain shelters and primary health centers are other priorities.

'Shankhachil' selected for Montreal Film Festival

i. Director Goutam Ghosh's National award-winning film "Shankhachil", an Indo-Bangla joint production, has been selected for the coveted 40th Montreal World Film Festival.

ii. This movie narrates the pain and anguish of people living on both sides of the border following the partition of Bengal and this starring Prosenjit Chatterjee.

Indo-Canadian Sikh MP becomes Canada’s 1st woman House leader

i. Indo-Canadian Sikh MP Bardish Chagger has been named as the new Leader of the government in Canada’s House of Commons, becoming the first woman to hold the post in the country’s history.

ii. Ms. Chagger, the 36-year-old Waterloo MP and Minister of Small Business and Tourism, was among 19 Indian-origin candidates who won in last year’s general election.

Prize-winning author Joyce Carol Thomas dead at 78

i. Joyce Carol Thomas, a prize-winning children’s author and champion of multiculturalism, has died at the age of 78.

ii. Joyce Carol Thomas was anAfrican-American poet, playwright, motivational speaker, and author of more than 30 children’s books.

Sania Mirza gets No 1 spot in women's doubles by defeating Martina Hingis

i. Sania Mirza, paired with Barbora Strycova from the Czech Republic, defeated Martina Hingis and her partner Coco Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-4.

ii. This is the first win for Indo-Czech pair.

iii. With the win, Sania retained her number one status on the women's doubles ranking as Hingis slipped to 2nd spot.

23th August, 2016

Himachal Pradesh assembly ratifies GST Bill

i. The Himachal Pradesh assembly on Monday unanimously ratified the Constitution Amendment Bill on GST. 

ii. The Bill was introduced by CM Virbhadra Singh on the first day of five-day monsoon session. 

iii. Himachal Pradesh has become the fourth after Assam, Bihar and Jharkhand to ratify the Bill.

National Sports Awards – 2016

i. Rio Olympics 2016 medalists PV Sindhu (badminton) and Sakshi Malik (wrestling) have been chosen for Khel Ratna award for 2016. 

ii. The highest sporting award of India will also be given to Dipa Karmakar and Jitu Rai.

iii. Dipa Karmakar's coach Bisweshwar Nandi will be awarded Dronacharya Award for 2016.

Jagdish Mukhi sworn in as Lt Guv of Andaman and Nicobar

i. Senior BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi on Monday assumed office as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

ii. Mukhi took over from Lt General AK Singh (Retd).

iii. He had been a minister and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly in the past.

Brajendra Navnit, V Sheshadri appointed as Joint Secretaries in PMO

i. Senior IAS officers Brajendra Navnit and V Sheshadri have been appointed as Joint Secretaries in PMO as part of massive mid-level reshuffle. 

ii. As many as 22 new Joint Secretaries have been appointed in different central govt departments. 

Of these, 18 are from Indian Administrative Service.

Bajaj Finance ties up with India Post to facilitate two-wheeler purchase

i. Bajaj Finance Limited, a motorcycle finance company, has partnered with India Post to facilitate purchase of vehicles in Karnataka. 

ii. The company signed a joint MoU with India Post and formally announced special arrangement which enables prospective buyers to get information on various 2-wheeler loan schemes as well as special loan offers to the people including the instalment collection set-up at the Post Office itself, on behalf of Bajaj Auto Finance. 

Telangana govt to create 17 new districts in Oct 

i. The two-year-old Telangana government has issued draft notification on rearranging district borders to create 17 new districts.

ii. The new districts will come into being in October.

Mahindra AMC launches new scheme

i. Mahindra Asset Management Company has launched an open ended scheme, which will generate long-term capital appreciation through a diversified portfolio of equity and equity related securities.

ii. Mahindra Mutual Fund Kar Bachat Yojana - an open ended ELSS Scheme - with a three year lock-in period. The New Fund Offer would close on October 7, this year and will reopen for continuous sale and repurchase from October 19, 2016.

Badnore sworn in as new Punjab governor

i. V P Singh Badnore on Monday took oath as the new Punjab Governor and also as Administrator of Chandigarh Administration. 

ii. Punjab and Haryana HC Chief Justice S J Vazifdar administered the oath of office and secrecy to Badnore.

iii. Badnore was a 4-time BJP legislator in the Rajasthan assembly.

Catholic Syrian Bank MD quits

i. Anand Krishnamurthy, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Kerala-based Catholic Syrian Bank, has submitted his resignation, a year after taking over the posts. 

ii. The process of selecting a successor to facilitate a smooth transition is in an advanced stage. Formal announcement will follow on finalisation and receipt of necessary approvals.

Government set to ban cash transactions over Rs 3 lakh

i. The government is set to ban cash transactions over Rs 3 lakh as it seeks to clamp down on black money in the economy following recommendations from the Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team. 

ii. The government, however, is yet to decide on the SIT's other proposal to bar cash holdings over Rs 15 lakh due to opposition from trade and industry.

iii. The Rs 3 lakh-limit is aimed to ensure that transactions are made using credit or debit cards, cheques or drafts which can be easily tracked. 

iv. The government has already initiated several steps, including banning cash advance of more than Rs 20,000 for property transactions.

Ashok Chawla to take over as YES Bank non-executive chairman

i. Former CCI head Ashok Chawla will take over as Non-Executive Part-time Chairman of YES Bank from October as the lender has received approval from the Reserve Bank for this appointment.
ii. He was appointed as an independent director on the Board of YES Bank on March 5, 2016.

Asian Filmmaker award posthumously for Kiarostami at Busan

i. Late Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami has been selected for the Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award at the Busan International Film Festival.

ii. He passed away on July 4 at the age of 76.

Ahmedabad to host 2016 Kabaddi World Cup

i. The Kabaddi World Cup will be held in Ahmedabad from October 7 to 22.

ii. Gujarat will play host to 12 kabaddi teams from USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Iran, Poland, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Korea, Japan and Kenya, besides hosts India.

iii. The matches will be held in Ahmedabad's The Arena stadium.

China launches first Tibetan-language search engine

i. China has launched its first Tibetan-language search engine 'Yongzin'. 

ii. The search engine will serve as a unified portal for all major Tibetan-language websites in China.

iii. It has eight sections for news, websites, images, videos, music, encyclopedia, literature and forums.

GAIL signs MoU with Bloom Energy for fuel cell power generation

i. State-run GAIL (India) Ltd has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with California-based Bloom Energy for developing natural gas-based fuel cell power generation.

ii. The agreement was signed by GAIL chairman and managing director B C Tripathi and Bloom Energy chief executive K R Sridhar.
iii. The new technology converts fuel into electricity through an electro-chemical process and the use of water is less too in this mode of power generation.

Mobikwik launches partial payment for bus tickets booking

i. The new entrant in the bus booking industry MobiKwik today announced its industry first initiatives to capture the lead position in the industry by end of 2016. 

ii. The company has announced partial payment for ticket reservation and cash pick up for bus tickets booking, further simplifying the user's journey.

iii. The overall bus booking segment is valued at Rs. 20,000 crore in India and online transactions contribute nearly 15 percent to this segment.

Punjab CM Prakash Singh Badal launches mobile app for farmers

i. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday launched a mobile app 'Kisan Suvidha' for farmers.
ii. The app will provide basic information on weather updates, crop prices and expert advices.

ii. Praising the Agriculture Department initiative, he said this would go a long way to keep the farmers abreast with the changing agricultural practices and marketing support, coupled with the latest agronomical techniques to enhance productivity.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust to sign agreement with bankers for External Commercial Borrowing

i. Mumbai based container port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port has signed an agreement with State Bank of India and Development Bank of Singapore for External Commercial Borrowing to the tune of USD 400 Million under External Commercial Borrowings. 

ii. It the first Major Port to finalize the terms of ECB.

iii. The Credit seeks at a very competitive interest rate to improve the infrastructure required for doubling its existing capacity to 9.85 Million TEUs annually which is for Door-to-Door tenor of 7.5 years.

Vikash Anand wins premier title in National Racing

i. Chennai hailed Vikash Anand won a double to clinch the title in the MRF Formula 1600 category and a ticket for the Mazda Road to Indy shootout as the fifth and final round of the MRF MMSC FMSCI Indian National Racing Championship concluded in Chennai. 

ii. This f 1600 category was led by triple-header, Vikashwho clocked 16mins, Vikash Anand wins premier title in National Racing54.111secs and Karthik Tharani were locked on 138 points clocking 16:58.677.

24th August, 2016

President Pranab Mukherjee launches Akashvani Maitree channel

i. India state radio broadcaster's Akashvani Maitree Channel, a special Bengali channel targeted at the Bengali-speaking audience of India, Bangladesh and in other countries, was launched by President Pranab Mukherjee. 

The initiative will provide a platform for blending content both from India and Bangladesh and preserving Bengali culture. It will be broadcast from a state-of-the-art brand new high power 1000Kw DRM transmitter. 

Union Cabinet clears Surrogacy Bill

i. The Union Cabinet Today cleared the draft Surrogacy Bill 2016, aimed at regulating commissioning of surrogacy in the country in a proper manner.

ii. The bill aims to safeguard rights of surrogate mothers and make parentage of such children legal.

iii. It will now be introduced in the Parliament.

Maharashtra to have own law for internal security

i. The newly drafted Maharashtra Protection of Internal Security Act (MPISA) has proposed setting up of Special Security Zones (SSZ) where movement of arms, explosives and inflow of unaccounted funds will be prohibited .

ii. Maharashtra is the first State in the country to draft its own internal security act.

Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh & Gujarat Assembly Ratifies GST Bill

i. The Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh state Assembly passed the Goods and Service Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill, becoming the fifth, sixth and seventh state to pass the bill respectively.

ii. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat governments ratified the Constitution 122 Amendment Bill (GST) after Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh.
iii. In Madhya Pradesh, the state legislative assembly today ratified GST Amendment Bill.

India is 7th wealthiest country, China second

i. The New World Wealth, India is ranked 7th among the wealthiest countries in the world in terms of private wealth held by individuals. The New World Wealth is a research consultancy that tracks the global wealth sector. 

ii. The value of total individual wealth in India – which includes property, cash, equities and business interests – is pegged at $3,492 billion in 2015.

iii. The Top 5 Counties are: 1. US 2. China 3. Japan 4.  UK 5. Germany

Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of Maharashtra and AAI sign MOU on Regional Connectivity Scheme

i. The Maharashtra State government, Civil Aviation Ministry and Airports Authority of India signed a tri-partite Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 23-August-2016 at Mumbai.

ii. The MOU pave the way for collaborative process of these agencies together for successful launch of the Regional Connectivity Scheme.

iii. It was signed by Chairman, Airports Authority of India, Principal Secretary Civil Aviation (Maharashtra) and Joint Secretary (Ministry of Civil Aviation).

India, Germany sign pact on vocational training

i. India and Germany today signed an agreement that aims to foster conditions that will help create and improve workplace-based vocational training in India's industrial clusters. 

ii. Under the pact, German technical assistance will be used to enhance industry institute partnerships between Indian and German organizations, build capacity of local training institutions and foster industry linkages which will help adapt elements of the German dual system into the Indian context.

India's Oscar entry for 2017 to be picked by Ketan Mehta

i. The Film Federation of India (FFI) has kickstarted the process to cherry pick the film, which will officially represent India at the 89th Academy Awards next year.

ii. And the deadline for submitting entries for the foreign film category Oscar is October 1. Ketan Mehta has been approached to head the 17-member jury which comprises technicians and artists within the film industry.

Delhi To Get All-New Aerospace Museum

i. Delhi will soon have a sprawling new Aerospace Museum close to the international airport focused mainly on Nation's rich aviation history. New Aerospace Museum is not only meant to preserve the glorious tradition of the IAF but also to create awareness in general public about India's rich Aerospace heritage.

ii. After the approval, the new museum would be ready for the tourists within 3-5 years.

P D Gupta appointed VC of Homi Bhabha National Institute

i. Eminent scientist P D Gupta was appointed as Vice Chancellor of Mumbai-based Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI).

ii. The HBNI is an aided institution of the Department of Atomic Energy and is a deemed to be university under the UGC Act. 

Pfizer to acquire oncology specialist Medivation for $ 14 bn

i. The US-headquartered pharma major Pfizer Inc has entered into an agreement to acquire Medivation Inc, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercialising small molecules for oncology, for a total enterprise value of approximately $ 14 billion. 

ii. The merger will give a boost to Pfizer’s consolidation effort through a series of acquisitions, especially after its bid to take over Allergan Plc in a $150 billion deal late last year fell apart when the Obama administration prevented the proposed combination with new rules.

China's unmanned submersible sets new national record

i. China's unmanned submersible has dived to a depth of 10,767 metres at the world's deepest ocean point, setting a new record for the country to enable it to explore ocean beds for minerals and other natural resources.

ii. This dive created a new record for China that also helps the country to enable it to explore ocean beds for minerals and other natural resources. 

Toxic gas leak at Bangladesh fertiliser unit sickens 250; plugged

i. About 250 people, including children, have fallen sick and hundreds of residents have been evacuated from their homes after a toxic gas leak from a fertiliser unit in Bangladesh's port city of Chittagong.

ii. Di-ammonium phosphate (DPA) leaked from the DAP Fertiliser Company Limited on the bank of Karnaphuli river last night and firefighters battled until late morning to plug the leakage. DPA is one of a series of water-soluble ammonium phosphate salts that can be produced when ammonia reacts with phosphoric acid.

Mathrubhumi former editor K K Sreedharan Nair passes away

i. Mathrubhumi former editor K K Sreedharan Nair passed away. He was 86. 

ii. The end came at a private hospital in Kochi.

iii. He started his carrer in Journalism as a sub-editor in Mathrubhumi in 1953, Nair had an illustrious career in various capacities including Chief Sub-Beginning his journalism career as a sub-editor in Mathrubhumi in 1953, Nair had an illustrious career in various capacities including Chief Sub-Editor, News Editor and Deputy Editor.

Two Indian-American women named White House fellows

i. Two Indian-American women have been selected for the prestigious White House Fellow programme that offers first hand experience of working at the highest levels of the US federal government.

ii. Astrophysicist Anjali Tripathi from California and physician Tina R Shah from Chicago are among the 16 White House Fellows appointed from across the nation for the year 2016-17.

Volvo Auto India hires Nalin Jain as CFO

i. Luxury carmaker Volvo Auto has announced the appointment of Nalin Jain as the new Chief Financial Officer and Jyoti Malhotra as the Director, Sales, Marketing and PR for India operations. 

ii. The Swedish carmaker has also roped in Rajeev Chauhan as the Network Director.

Airtel and Vodafone unveils e-KYC solution to use Aadhar number for SIM activation

i. Bharti Airtel and Vodafone has started rolling out Aadhaar based e-KYC solution following the notification by the Department of Telecom, Government of India. 

ii. Telecom operator Vodafone will roll out e-KYC facility across 4,500 stores in India that will quickly activate SIMs of its customers with an Aadhaar number.

North Korea test fires new ballistic missile

i. North Korea today test fired a new ballistic missile. South Korea's military said, it was launched from a submarine in the Sea of Japan, off North Korea's eastern coast. 

ii. The test comes one day after the United States and South Korea launched joint military exercises on the peninsula. 

Odisha cabinet approves Startup Policy 2016

i. Odisha Cabinet has approved the “Odisha Startup Policy 2016” to promote entrepreneurship for start-up ventures with provision of government incentives. 

ii. The policy will chart out a roadmap to place Odisha among the top three investment destinations in the country by 2020. 

25th August, 2016

Naqvi launches websites for Ministry of Minority Affairs

i. The Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) & Parliamentary Affairs Shri Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched new Hindi website and updated and revamped English website of the Minority Affairs Ministry.

ii. The new improved and revamped website http://www.minorityaffairs.gov.in  is very user-friendly  and provides easy navigation.

Delhi Assembly passes GST Bill

i. Delhi Assembly has ratified the Goods and Service Tax Constitution Amendment Bill. It is the third non-BJP-ruled state and overall the 8th to clear the proposed tax regime. 

ii. GST is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, excise duty etc.

Sakshi Malik will be brand ambassador of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign

i. Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar has announced that Sakshi Malik, India’s bronze medalist at the Rio Olympics, will be the brand ambassador of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign in the state.

ii. The programme aims to empower the girl child and reduce rates of female foeticide in districts with low child sex ratio.

Navtej Sarna tipped to be next Indian envoy to US

i. India's high commissioner to UK, Navtej Sarna, is likely to take over from Arun Singh as India's ambassador to the US.
ii. Singh, who steered India's Washington outreach for the past year-and-a-half, is scheduled to retire at the end of the month.

Union Cabinet Approvals – August 24 2016

i. The Union cabinet approved an MoU with Myanmar for cooperation in the field of traditional systems of medicine.

ii. In another major step in fight against tax evasion, the Cabinet gave its approval to the revised DTAA between India and Cyprus that provides for source-based taxation of capital gains on transfer of shares instead of one based on residence.

iii. The Union Cabinet approved of a new air services agreement between India and Fiji that would allow Indian airlines to fly to any point in the island nation. 

iv. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been approved of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and South Africa to establish cooperation in Grassroots Innovation.

21 banks to go live with Unified Payments Interface

i. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the umbrella organisation for all retail payments system in India has announced that customers of 21 banks will shortly be able to use Unified Payments Interface (UPI) for sending and collecting money via a smartphone using a Virtual Payment Address (VPA).

ii. UPI will also provide an option for scheduling push and pull transactions for various purposes like sharing bills among peers. 

iii. One can use UPI app instead of paying cash on delivery on receipt of product from online shopping websites and can pay for miscellaneous expenses like paying utility bills, over the counter payments, barcode (scan and pay) based payments, donations, school fees and other such unique and innovative use cases.

New railway line between Nandyala and Yerraguntla commissioned 

i. Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has commissioned a new railway line between Nandyala and Yerraguntla

ii. The Union Ministers and Chandrababu also flagged off a new passenger train between Nandyala and Kadapa on the occasion.

South India’s first Children Court was inaugurated in Hyderabad

i. After Goa and Delhi, Telangana has become the third state to inaugurate south India’s first Children’s Court was inaugurated in Hyderabad. 

ii. This court is a child-friendly court and sixth in the country with features like separate waiting rooms for children and a video camera trial for the accused, mandated under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act-2012.

Telangana Aarogyasri Trust bags FICCI award

i. The GPS-enabled mobile app of the Telangana Aarogyasri Healthcare Trust bagged this year’s Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)’s healthcare excellence award. 

ii. It is the IInd award for the app having secured the ‘Elite Smart Healthcare Conclave’ for being the most important mobile app in the nation.

Deepika Padukone is world’s 10th highest paid actress, Indian Psychiatric Society’s new Brand Ambassador

i. Forbes magazine ranked out the world’s highest paid actresses and Hunger games star Jennifer Lawrence has topped the list for the second time in a row. Indian star Deepika Padukone is also among the top 10 highest-paid actresses in the world.

ii. The Top 5 List :- 1. Jennifer Lawrence 2. Mellissa Mccarthy  3. Scarlett Johansson 4. Jennifer Aniston 5. Fan bingbingDeepika Padukone: Indian Psychiatric Society’s new Brand 

iii. Deepika Padukone has also joined hands with the Indian Psychiatric Society as its brand ambassador to spread awareness about mental health and help reduce the stigma associated with its ailments.

Former Governor of Bihar, West Bengal and Haryana A R Kidwai Dies

i. A R KidwaiFormer Governor of Bihar, West Bengal and Haryana, A R Kidwai passed away on August 24, 2016 in New Delhi. He was 96.

ii. Born on July 1, 1920, in Baragaon in UP’s Barabanki district, Kidwai started his career as a professor of Chemistry, and became Dean of Faculty of Science at Aligarh Muslim University.

CMFRI inks pact with varsity to boost marine life research

i. The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) is keen on boosting its research activities in marine biodiversity, with a special focus on the Gulf of Mannar.

ii. Towards this, CMFRI has signed an MoU with Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU), Tirunelveli, to carry out collaborative research programmes and develop adequate manpower to explore marine biodiversity prospects in the region.

26th August, 2016

RBI asks banks to provide loans to women SHGs in rural areas at 7% 

i. RBI has asked banks to provide loans to women self-help groups in rural areas at 7% per annum, as per the government's revised guidelines for the current financial year.
ii. The Reserve Bank said in a notification that all women self-help groups (SHGs) will be eligible for interest subvention on credit up to three lakh rupees at 7% per annum under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission in 250 districts.

Rail passengers to get insurance cover worth Rs 10 lacs at a premium of only 92 paise

i. A travel insurance cover of up to Rs10 lakh can be availed while booking a train ticket online by paying less than one rupee from 31 August.

ii. A person booking a train ticket through the IRCTC website will be able opt for travel insurance cover for a premium of 92 paise only from 31 August.

iii. Indian Railways subsidiary IRCTC has assigned the task to three private firms are Shriram General Insurance, ICICI Lombard General Insurance and Royal Sundaram General Insurance. 

1st BRICS film festival from Sept. 2 – 6 in New Delhi

i. India will be hosting the first BRICS film festival which will begin from Sept. 2 to 6 New Delhi.

ii. The film festival will showcase an amalgamation of culture, films, song, dance and food of the 5-member countries including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa

Maharashtra to tie up with corporates to transform 1,000 villages

i. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has announced the State government plans to transform 1,000 villages with the help of corporate sector, and the civil society over the next few years.

ii. He said the corporate sector is already working with the government in various sectors.

Indian economy to grow 7.9% this fiscal: Goldman Sachs

i. US multinational banking firm Goldman Sachs says Indian economy is likely to grow 7.9% in this year 2016-17.

ii. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational banking firm that engages in global investment banking, investment management, securities, and other financial services, primarily with institutional clients.

SRK, Akshay, Salman & Big B amid top 20 highest-paid global actors

i. The list published by Forbes magazine considers earnings from June 2015, and featured Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar as the top two highest paid actors on 8th and 10th rank. The list also includes Salman Khan on 14th rank, which is followed by legend Amitabh Bachchan on 18th position.

ii. The list was topped by former WWE wrestler and present actor, Dwayne Johnson, who filled his pocket with as much as 64.5 million dollars through movies such as Central Intelligence and Fast & Furious 8.

Five Indian companies ranked among world's 100 most innovative

i.  Five Indian companies ranked among world's 100 most innovative, including Asian Paints, Hindustan Unilever, Tata Consultancy Services, Sun Pharma and Larsen & Toubro have been ranked among Forbes’s list of ‘The World’s Most Innovative Companies’. 

ii. The list is topped by Tesla Motors for the second consecutive year.

iii. Indian Companies: 1.  Asian Paints 18th position 2. Hindustan Unilever - 31st 3.Tata Consultancy Services - 66th 4.Sun Pharmaceutical Industries - 73rd 5. Larsen & Toubro stood at 89th spot.

Abhinav Bindra to Head NRAI Review Committee on Rio Debacle

i. Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra was named Chairman of a 5 member review committee to probe the shooters' Rio Games debacle but has recused himself from questioning them as he was himself a part of the team. 

iii. The committee is also mandated to recommend concrete steps that NRAI must immediately undertake to ensure that this is not repeated in future Olympics.

Pankaj Harjai appointed head of Lenovo's SMB business

i. PC maker Lenovo has appointed Pankaj Harjai to head its newly constituted Small and Medium Business (SMB) vertical.

ii. Pankaj has also taken charge of Lenovo's commercial channel business.

iii. In his new role, Pankaj will lead sales, product and go-to-market strategy for the SMB vertical.

Ronaldo wins UEFA Best Player in Europe award

i. Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award for the second time. 

ii. Ronaldo, 31, claimed the prize ahead of his club team-mate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann.

Sugamya Pustakalaya- an online library for persons with visual disabilities launched 

i.  “Sugamya Pustakalaya: A step towards an Accessible Digital India” (An online library for persons with visual disabilities) was launched by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister for Law & Justice and Electronics & Information Technology at a function organized by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

Saina drops to 9th spot, Sindhu remains at 10th

i. India's Saina Nehwal has been dropped 4 points to be 9th, while compatriot PV Sindhu remained in the 10th spot in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings despite getting a silver in the women's singles competition at the recently concluded Olympics in Rio 2016.

ii. The women's doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa dropped four places to the 26th spot following their failure to reach the knock-out stage in the Rio Games. 

iii. However, men's singles shuttler Kidambi Srikanth, who reached the Olympics quarter-finals, jumped a place to be 10th, while Ajay Jayaram improved his 22nd rank by a position.

Satheesh Reddy conferred first IEI-IEEE award

i. G. Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and DRDO's DG (Missiles & Strategic Systems), was conferred the first IEI-IEEE Award for engineering excellence 2015. 

ii. The award is in recognition of his ‘significant national contributions towards missiles and aerospace technologies’.

The award was presented by the Institution of Engineers (India) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Asia Pacific region.

BCCI signs MoU with TERI to promote renewable energy

i. Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has signed an memorandum of understanding (MoU) with The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri) for promoting renewable energy.

ii. State Power Minister Shobandeb Chatterjee, who was present on the occasion, promised all support to the clean energy initiative by the BCCI. BCCI energy committee chairman Deb A Mukherjee said the agreement will forge an alliance between the chamber and TERI to work together in the domain of renewables and allied fields.

Colombia, FARC Rebels Reach Deal to End Half-Century War

i. Colombia's government and the country's biggest rebel group reached a historic deal Wednesday evening for ending a half-century of hostilities in one of the world's longest-running and bloodiest armed conflicts.

ii. President Juan Manuel Santos hailed the agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia as an opportunity to turn the page on decades of political violence that has claimed more than 220,000 lives and driven more than 5 million people from their homes.

Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award will be conferred with the Jharkhand Dungdung

i. Former Olympian Silvanus Dungdung Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award will be rewarded. 

ii. Dhyan Chand was an Indian field hockey player, who is considered as one the greatest field hockey player of all time.

CTTC-Bhubaneswar signs agreement with ISRO

i. Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC), Bhubaneswar, has signed an agreement with ISRO for technology transfer and a contract for supply of spacecraft component.

ii. Under the agreement, Indian Space Research Organisation would transfer three types of temperature sensor technology to CTTC to further strengthen its manufacturing capability, Managing Director of CTTC-Bhubaneswar. As per the contract, the CTTC would supply spacecraft component for next five years for a total value of Rs 23 crore.

27th August, 2016

New ED at Corporation Bank

i. The Central government has appointed Gopal Murli Bhagat as Executive Director of Corporation Bank for a period of three years. Prior to his elevation, Bhagat was General Manager with Bank of India.

ii. Corporation Bank is a public sector banking company headquartered in Mangalore, India.

Nagaland becomes eighth State to pass GST bill

i. The Nagaland State Assembly has passed the Goods and Service Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill, 8th State to ratify the tax reform. 

ii. GST is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, excise duty etc. 

India at 77th, Pakistan at 72nd and Bangladesh at 5th: World Risk Report 2016

i. The World Risk Report 2016, published by the UNU Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) and Bundnis Entwicklung Hilft, analyses the role that infrastructure plays in shaping a country’s disaster risk. 

ii. India has been ranked 77th, Pakistan at 72nd, Bangladesh at 5th and topped by Island state of Vanuatu.

Indian Super League season 3 to begin from October 1

i. Season-3 of the Indian Super League (ISL) football would be held from October 1 to December 18, with the opening game scheduled in Guwahati.

ii. The Indian Super League is a men's professional football league in India.

Union Minister Maneka Gandhi launches POCSO e-box

i. Women and Child Development Minister (WCD) Maneka Sanjay Gandhi has launched Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses, POCSO e-box, in New Delhi. 

ii. POCSO e-box is a platform where a child victim of sexual abuse can report such cases online. 

iii. It is initiative of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, for direct online reporting of child sexual abuse.

Pakistan to host 19th SAARC Summit on Nov. 9 & 10 this year

i. Pakistan will host the 19th SAARC Summit on November 9 and 10 this year.

ii. The SAARC Summit Cell is headed by Ambassador Amjad Sial.

iii. SAARC is an organization of eight countries located in the South Asia and it stands for the South Asian Association for Regional Corporation.
RBI asks banks to provide loans to women SHGs in rural areas at 7% 

i. RBI has asked banks to provide loans to women self-help groups in rural areas at 7% per annum.

ii. A self-help group (SHG) is a village-based financial intermediary committee usually composed of 10–20 local women or men.

Bengaluru to host the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2017

i. IT capital of the country, Bengaluru, will host the 2017 Bharatiya Pravasi Divas. 

ii. It is scheduled to take place on February 7, 8 and 9 of 2017.

US Postal Service honors Diwali Festival with a Forever Stamp

i. The US Postal Service will commemorate the festival of Diwali with a Forever stamp on Oct 5 and on behalf  of this a dedication ceremony to be hosted at Consulate General of India in New York.

Diwal

iii. The commemorative stamp designed with featuring a traditional diya oil lamp beautifully lit, sitting on a sparkling gold background.

Finance Ministry set up a committee for digitalizing incentive payments

i. The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has set up a committee to consider incentives such as cash back schemes and tax rebates for promoting card and digital payments in a step towards discouraging cash transactions.

ii. The 11-member committee, headed by former Finance Secretary Ratan P Watal

Karnataka Bank launches UPI app KBL-SMATRz

i. Mangaluru based Karnataka Bank has come up with a mobile application named KBL-SMARTz built on the unified payments interface (UPI) platform of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

ii. The App was launched by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer P Jayarama Bhat, Karnataka Bank.

World Bank sanctions Rs 980 cr for Brahmaputra dredging: Min

i. The World Bank has announced a funding of Rs 980 crore to dredge the Brahmaputra as an initiative to develop waterways to Bangladesh and to other South East Asian countries which is give fillip to trade and industry in the Area.

ii. The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programs.

P Kumaran appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the State of Qatar

i. Shri P Kumaran Indian Foreign Service, presently Joint secretary in the Ministry, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the State of Qatar.

ii. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.

BCCI submits Compliance Report to Lodha Panel

i. The BCCI submitted the first Compliance Report to the Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha Panel in regards to the implementation of reforms as per the apex court verdict.

ii. The BCCI has already filed a Review Petition with the Supreme Court seeking recusal of CJI TS Thakur from the case. 

22nd edition of Delhi Book Fair begins today

i. The 22nd edition of the Delhi Book Fair will begin today at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

ii. The nine-day event will conclude on 4th of September.

DIPP to launch awareness campaign on IPR

i. Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, DIPP, will launch a nation-wide awareness campaign on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). 

ii. It will be taken forward by Cell for IPR Promotion and Management (CIPAM) in collaboration with the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (CGPDTM) and Industry Associations. 

28th August, 2016

ISRO tests Scramjet Rocket engine

i. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today successfully test-fired its Scramjet Rocket Engine.

ii.  which will use oxygen from the atmosphere thereby reducing launch cost, from the spaceport of Sriharikota.
Mountain Echoes Literary Festival, 2016 

i. The 7th edition of the Mountain Echoes Literary Festival 2016 Kicked off in the capital city of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan Thimbu on 26 August 2016.

ii. The festival was inaugurated by Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, (Royal Patron) which aims to provide a platform for the greatest literary minds to engage in a cultural dialogue.

Sania wins Connecticut Open doubles title
i. Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and her Romanian partner Monica Niculescu defeated Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine and Chuang Chia Jung of Taiwan in the final.
ii. The Indo-Romanian pair won 7-5, 6-4.
iii. This is a major confidence booster for Sania ahead of the US Open Grand Slam tournament.

India captain MS Dhoni sets world record in USA
i. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has set a world record, he captained India in a record 325th game (most by a player in history), across all three formats, to break Australian skipper Ricky Ponting's mark.
ii. Dhoni was leading India in 71st T20I.
iii. He has already captained the side in 60 Tests and 194 ODIs.

Lalita Babar, chessplayer Shardul Gagare to get SJAM awards

i. Maharashtra’s sixth Chess GM Shardul Gagare, and steeplechase specialist Lalita Babar, who finished a creditable 10th in the Rio Olympics, have been chosen for the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai’s (SJAM) Golden Jubilee Annual Awards 2016.

ii. Ahmedanagar-based Gagare will receive the Sportsman of the year award and the Satara-based Lalita, the Sportswoman of the year award, said a media release from SJAM.
PM Modi announces Task Force to prepare India for next three Olympics

i. After India’s dismal show in the concluded Rio Olympics 2016 Prime Minister Narendra Modi said about constituting a task force, which will make various suggestions to the roadmap for the next three quadrennial Games 2020 (Tokyo), 2024 and 2028.

ii. The PM announced that the task will be announced over the next few days at a meeting of the Council of Ministers held in New Delhi.
Sharmila Tagore appointed as a new member of the BCCC

i. Film actress Sharmila Tagore, theatre activist Arundhati Nag and film studies academician Ira Bhaskar have been appointed new members of Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC). 

ii. The Board of Directors of Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) headed by Star India chairman Uday Shankar has approved these appointments for a term of three years in the eminent persons.

Himachal Health Minister launches ambulance mobile app

i. Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur has launched a mobile application called '108 HP' to facilitate efficient access to ambulances for medical emergencies.

ii. On this occasion, he also flagged off five new ambulances under 108- National Ambulance Service from the historic Ridge Maidan. Quoting sources, our correspondent reports that now the number of ambulances under the service has increased to 199.

Punit Misra named CEO of Zee Entertainment domestic broadcast biz 

i. Zee Entertainment Enterprises has appointed Punit Misra as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for its domestic broadcast business.

ii. Earlier Misra was Executive Director-Sales and Customer Development at Hindustan Unilever and joined HUL as a management trainee in 1996.

India's first textile university to come up at Surat

i. Gujarat government is planning to set up India's first textile university at Surat.

ii. The main aim of the university is to provide all kind of support including technology, research and development (R&D), skilled manpower etc. The university will build on over 250 acre land in Surat and it is expected to get operational in the next one and a half years.

29th August, 2016

Aug 29 is Sports Day to mark Dhyan Chand's b'day

i. National Sports Day in India is celebrated on August 29 to mark hockey legend Dhyan Chand's birthday. 

ii. Dhyan Chand, considered as the greatest player in hockey, played a key role in India's three consecutive Olympic triumphs in 1928, 1932 and 1936. 

iii. Notably, the government gives away awards such as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dronacharya Awards on this day.

Four athletes get Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award

i. Four athletes, including Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu, gymnast Dipa Karmakar, shooter Jitu Rai and Olympic bronze medalist Sakshi Malik received the Rajiv Khel Ratna award from President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi. 

ii. Apart from a medal and a citation, a Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna awardee will receive a cash prize of Rs.7.5 lakh. The Arjuna, Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand awardees will receive statuettes, certificates and cash prize of Rs.5 lakh each

Doha Bank opens branch in Kerala

i. Qatar's based Doha Bank has opened a branch, the Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the branch. 

ii. Doha Bank is one of the largest commercial banks in the State of Qatar

GST bill unanimously passed in Maharashtra Assembly

i. The Maharashtra Assembly's has unanimously passed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Constitutional Amendment Bill.

ii. GST is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, excise duty etc. 

West Bengal passes resolution to rename the state

i. The West Bengal Assembly today passed the resolution to rename the state to 'Bangla' in Bengali, 'Bengal' in English and 'Bangal' in Hindi.
ii. Earlier last month, the Mamata Banerjee government had approved the change of name to either Bongo or Bangla.

Mehbooba Mufti launches UJALA scheme in Jammu and Kashmir

i. CM, Mehbooba Mufti has formally launched the Ujala Scheme in Jammu and Kashmir with the distribution of LED bulbs. 

ii. The National LED  programme was launched by the Prime Minister in January 2015 with a target of replacing 77 crore incandescent lamps with LED bulbs.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar inaugurates IIT in Dharwad

i. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar formally inaugurated the institute in Dharwad. 

ii. The inauguration, which was planned last month end, had to be postponed due to the Kalasa Banduri agitation.

iii. The first batch of IIT-Dharwad began on August 1 with 120 students.

Nico Rosberg wins 2016 Belgian Grand Prix

i. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg from Germany has won the 2016 Belgian Grand Prix of Formula One. 

ii. It was Rosberg’s overall tenth championship title of F1 in his career and the sixth win in the 2016 season. 

ii. Earlier, he had won Australian Grand Prix, Bahrain Grand Prix, Chinese Grand Prix and Russian Grand Prix.

AM Naik names SN Subrahmanyan as next Larsen & Toubro chief

i. Indian multi-national conglomerate Larsen & Toubro’s group named S N Subrahmanyan as the Managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of India’s largest infrastructure engineering company from October first. 

iiThe appointment of Subrahmanyan had then come with the then chief executive and managing director KV Venkataramanan retiring. 

Amit Chandra inducted as non-executive director of Tata Sons

i. Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group of companies, has appointed private equity firm Bain Capital’s Managing Director Amit Chandra as non-executive director. 

ii. The appointments, effective Friday, increases the total number of the company’s board members to nine.

Western Railway wins all India railway athletic championship

i. Western Railway won the overall team championship in the 82nd All India Railway athletic Championship held at Tiruchirapalli Tamil Nadu.

ii. Central railway stood 2nd and Southern Railway 3rd in the overall team category. Best athlete award in men’s category was given to Jasdeep Singh of Northern Railway and best women athlete award to Dutee Chand of Northern Railway. 

Carborundum Universal inaugurates R&D centre at Hosur

i. Murugappa Group firm Carborundum Universal (CUMI) inaugurated its Research and Development centre at its industrial ceramics division in Hosur, Tamil Nadu (TN).

ii. The centre was inaugurated by M M Murugappan, Chairman of CUMI and Vice Chairman of Murugappa Group, along with others. 

Amazon launches dedicated online Telugu book store

i. E-commerce portal Amazon.in has announced the launch of a dedicated online Telugu book store with a wide-range of over 10,000 Telugu titles.

ii. Readers can get Telugu translations of English bestsellers in the store.

iii. Currently, Amazon caters to Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Gujarati and Bengali languages.

Wipro’s chief learning officer Abhijit Bhaduri quits

i. Abhijit Bhaduri, chief learning officer of Wipro has resigned. Bhaduri will start his own executive coaching company.  Bhaduri is the man behind many of Wipro's initiatives like global 100 program.

ii. He has been with Wipro for 7 years.

30th August, 2016

PV Sindhu to be Commandant in CRPF

i. Central Reserve Police Force India (CRPF) has decided to appoint Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu as it’s brand ambassador and bestow the honorary rank of Commandant on the ace badminton player.

ii. A Commandant rank in the CRPF is equivalent to the position of a Superintendent of Police (SP) and such an officer commands a battalion of about 1,000 personnel, when posted in field operations.

Yogeshwar Dutt’s bronze medal turns to silver

i. Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt's London 2012 bronze might be upgraded to silver.

ii. The upgrade has been triggered by a positive dope test of late Russian wrestler Besik Kudukhov, the original silver winner in the 60-kg freestyle event. 

iii. Following the upgrade, India now has eight Olympic silver medals.

India and US Sign Logistic Exchange Pact Boosting Defence Ties

i. India and the US have signed an important agreement that will make the two nations logistical allies and enable both the militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

India and Myanmar sign four agreements.

i. India and Myanmar have signed four MoU to enhance cooperation and bilateral relations between the two countries.

Agreements:

1. The first agreement pertains to the construction of 69 bridges on the Tamu-Kalewa section of the trilateral highway connecting India, Myanmar and Thailand.

2. The second agreement is on upgrading the Kalewa-Yargi section of the trilateral highway.

3. The third agreement is for cooperation in the field of renewable energy,

4. The fourth agreement cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine

Telangana,Haryana Assembly ratifies GST Bill

I. The Telangana and Haryana Assembly have unanimously ratified the Constitution Amendment Bill on Goods and Services Tax (GST).

II. GST is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, excise duty etc.

India to grow at 7.6% in FY'17: RBI

i. The RBI, in its Annual Report, has projected India's growth rate at 7.6% in 2016-17, up from 7.2% last year.

II. The Reserve Bank of India is India's central banking institution, which controls the monetary policy of the Indian rupee.

NABARD sanctions loan for 10 MW solar plant in Haryana 

i. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 204.67 crore under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for rural infrastructure in Haryana.

ii. This aid was provided under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund for projects including a 10 MW solar plant at Panipat thermal power station. 

Dogri writer Padma Sachdev gets Saraswati Samman

i. Padma Sachdev was awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman for the year 2015 for her autobiography 'Chitt-Chete' in Dogri language. She was felicitated by Delhi's Lt Governor Najeeb Jung in New Delhi on 29 August 2016.

ii. The 76-year-old poet and novelist's autobiography, published in 2007, was shortlisted from 22 works written in as many languages published between 2005 and 2014.

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates 1st phase of SAUNI yojana in Jamnagar

i. PM Narendra Modi has inaugurated the first of the 4 phases of the ambitious irrigation (worth Rs 12000 Cr.) scheme, Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation Yojana (SAUNI), at the Aji-3 dam near Rajkot.

ii. Phase-1 of the project has been developed at a cost of Rs. 1,562 crore with 58 km of pipeline.

Ananth Kumar launches ‘Pharma Sahi Daam’ mobile App

i. The Union minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar launched a mobile App. developed by NPPA, which shows the MRP fixed by NPPA for various scheduled drugs on the real time basis.

ii. In the Sidelines the Minister also urged a ‘3A (Availability, Affordability and Accessibility) approach to achieve health security for every citizen of India.

Flipkart’s PhonePe ties up with Yes Bank to launch UPI-based app

i. Mobile payments start-up PhonePe Internet Pvt. Ltd, which is owned by Flipkart, in partnership with private lender Yes Bank launched unified payments interface (UPI) based payments app.

ii. PhonePe allows users to link their bank accounts securely to their smartphone using National Payments Corporation of India’s encrypted libraries.

Noted painter, art historian Dinanath Pathy passes away

i. Eminent painter, writer and art historian Dinanath Pathy passed away following a cardiac arrest at a hospital in Bhubaneshar.

ii. He was 74.

iii. He is known for his versatility; Pathy was a former secretary of Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi and Bhubaneswar and is regarded as the pioneer of the art movement in Odisha.

Former MP Governor Mohammad Shafi Qureshi no more

i. Veteran Congress leader and former Governor of Madhya Pradesh Mohammad Shafi Qureshi has passed away in Delhi. He was 87 years old.

ii. He also served as the Deputy Union Minister of Railways and got elected for Lok Sabha twice from Islamabad Parliamentary Constituency.

31st August, 2016

Goa Assembly ratifies GST Bill

i. The Goa Legislative Assembly today unanimously passed a resolution ratifying the amendments to the Constitution to pave way for the presidential assent to the Goods and Services (GST) Bill, 2016.

ii. Goa is the 15th State Assembly to ratify the Bill. With this, 50% of States have passed the Bill paving way for the presidential assent.

NPCI launches Bharat Bill Payment System pilot project

i. National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched a pilot project for Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) with 26 Bharat Bill Payment Operating Units (BBPOUs). 

ii. In the first phase, BBPS will cover repetitive payments for everyday utility services such as electricity, water, gas, telephone and Direct-to-Home (DTH).

India jumps 19 places in Logistics Performance Index: World Bank 

i. India jumped 19 places in the Logistics Performance Index to rank 35th in this year’s list.

ii. The World Bank has recently released a Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 2016 report titled ‘Connecting to Complete 2016’.

iii. The logistics' list was topped by Germany.

Ten Sports sold to Sony Pictures for Rs 2,600 crore 

i. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and ZEE have entered into definitive agreements to acquire TEN Sports Network and its subsidiaries for $385 million.

ii. The acquisition will add five sports channels, TEN 1, TEN 1 HD, TEN 2, TEN 3, TEN Golf HD to SPN's existing portfolio of channels.

Bhutan set to host Asian Tennis Tour event next month

i. Land of the thunder dragon’s Nation Bhutan is set to become the fourth Asian country to host a tournament on the Asian Tennis Tour. 

ii. India, Thailand and Iran have already hosted a series of tournaments, both men and women, on ATT and Bhutan is scheduled to host its maiden event from September 16 to 18.

First military heritage website launched

i. India's first military heritage website, coloursofglory.org was launched by Glory Foundation at Chennai.

ii. A veteran of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, city based Captain D.P.Ramachandran who is also the executive trustee of the foundation declared the war heroes of South India held great significance to the history of India.

Govt panel clears 16 highway projects across 11 states

i. The Government has approved 16 highway projects in 11 states to be executed at a cost of 7,457 crore rupees. 

ii. The projects are in Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Sikkim. 

PTC fin arm ties up with banks for clean energy project loans

i. Ptc India Financial Services (PFS) has tied up with banks that will provide loans to companies engaged in renewable energy (RE) production.

ii. Upon this collaboration these banks set to letter of credit (LC) based on the issue letter of comfort (LOC) issued by PFS, to project companies in the renewable space with diligence on certain parameters.

Mobikwik joins hand with 12 state electricity boards

i. India's largest digital payment company in India, MobiKwik has announced coalition with 12 state electricity boards. 

ii. The MobiKwik took this initiative ahead of its expansion plan to set up a national base for utility payments.

Union Minister JP Nadda unveiled Mera Aspatal – My Hospital initiative

i. Union Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda launched the ‘Mera Aspataal’ (my hospital) initiative. 

ii. This move seeks to empower the patients by seeking their views on the quality of experience in a public healthcare facility.

Gujarat becomes first state to distribute 2 Cr. LED bulbs

i. Under the Government’s initiative of affordable LEDs for all (UJALA) scheme, Gujarat has become the 1st state to distribute 2 crore LED bulbs. 

ii. Gujarat has reached this milestone in just 96 days and over 42 lakh households have already benefitted from the scheme.

Goa govt signs MoU with Google India

i. The Goa government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Google India to promote digital literacy and drive the digital transformation in the state. 

ii. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Vice President, Google South East Asia and India Rajan Anandan signed the MoU.

100-year-old athlete from India, wins Gold Medal at Masters Games

i. India’s 100-year-old athlete, Man Kaur has won Gold medal at the American Masters Games in the 100-meter dash. She took a minute-and-a-half to cross the finish line in Vancouver.

2. Kaur from Chandigarh was the only female competitor in her age category at the competition for older athletes.

Anuradha Rao is MD, CEO of SBI Mutual Fund

i. SBI Mutual Fund has appointed Anuradha Rao as its Managing Director and Chief Executive.

ii. Prior to this, Rao was Deputy Managing Director at SBI handling New Business Portfolio. 

Jharkhand becomes first state to implement PFMS

i. Jharkhand is the first state in the country to have implemented Public Fund Management System (PFMS).

ii. Development Commissioner Amit Khare said Union Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa appreciated the implementation of Jharkhand's public fund management system.

THANKS; bankersadda.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@