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Current Affairs for Competitive Exam
Table of Contents
NATIONAL AFFAIRS ........................................................................................................................................................ 5
CABINET APPROVALS ................................................................................................................................................. 5
PARLIAMENT NEWS ................................................................................................................................................. 12
LAUNCHES & INAUGURATION ................................................................................................................................. 15
FESTIVALS ................................................................................................................................................................. 32
OTHER NEWS ............................................................................................................................................................ 32
STATE NEWS ................................................................................................................................................................. 58
GOVT SCHEMES ............................................................................................................................................................. 77
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ........................................................................................................................................... 78
VISITS ............................................................................................................................................................................. 87
INDIAN VISIT ............................................................................................................................................................. 87
BANKING & FINANCE NEWS ........................................................................................................................................ 88
BANKING NEWS ........................................................................................................................................................ 88
RBI IN NEWS .............................................................................................................................................................. 88
LOANS ISSUED BY BANKS ...................................................................................................................................... 104
AGREEMENTS & MoUs SIGNED.............................................................................................................................. 107
OTHER BANK NEWS ............................................................................................................................................... 113
FINANCE NEWS ....................................................................................................................................................... 137
ECONOMY & BUSINESS NEWS ................................................................................................................................... 146
MoU’s & AGREEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 151
COMMITTEES & MEETINGS ....................................................................................................................................... 169
SUMMITS, EVENTS & CONFERENCE.......................................................................................................................... 180
INDEX ........................................................................................................................................................................... 184
RANKING .................................................................................................................................................................. 184
REPORTS .................................................................................................................................................................. 194
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ....................................................................................................................................... 203
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS ........................................................................................................................... 213
ACQUISITION & MERGERS ......................................................................................................................................... 232
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY........................................................................................................................................... 237
DEFENCE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 247
EXERCISE ................................................................................................................................................................. 247
TESTING ................................................................................................................................................................... 254
DEALS & MOU’S ....................................................................................................................................................... 256

OTHER DEFENCE NEWS ......................................................................................................................................... 257
SPORTS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 259
OBITUARY .................................................................................................................................................................... 275
BOOKS & AUTHORS..................................................................................................................................................... 278
IMPORTANT DAYS ...................................................................................................................................................... 288
APPS & WEB PORTAL ................................................................................................................................................. 313
ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................................................................... 321

NATIONAL AFFAIRS
CABINET APPROVALS
Cabinet Approvals on August 04 2021
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the following initiatives on August 04,
2021.
• Continuation of Fast Track Special Court (FTSCs) for 2 years till March 2023.
• Extension of Samagra Shiksha Scheme for 5 years till 2026.
• Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IIST and TU Delft, the Netherlands for Research.
-Continuation of FTSCs for 2 years till March 2023
Cabinet has approved the continuation of 1023 FTSCs including 389 exclusive POCSO (Protection of Children
from Sexual Offences) Courts as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for 2 years from April 2021 to March
2023. A Financial outlay of Rs 1572.86 crore (Rs 971.70 crore – Central Share and Rs 601.16 crore – State share)
has been allocated.
• The Centre’s share will be funded from the Nirbhaya fund.
• The government intends to cover all the 31 states/Union Territories (UT) under the scheme. At present, only
28 states/UTs are covered now.
Background: The Union Government (govt) enacted the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018, it provides
stringent punishments including the death penalty for perpetrators of rape. The enactment of the act also led to
the establishment of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs).
• FTSCs were formed to provide speedy access to justice to the victims of sexual crimes.
• This led to the establishment of 1023 FTSCs in January 2020 as a part of the National Mission for Safety of
Women (NMSW), out of which 389 Courts were proposed for POCSO Act, 2012 related cases in Districts
where the pendency of such cases is more than 100.
-Extension of Samagra Shiksha Scheme for 5 years till FY26
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the extension of the revised Samagra Shiksha
Scheme for 5 years i.e., from FY22 to FY26 (2021-22 to 2025-26). A total of Rs 2,94,283.04 crore (Rs 1,85,398.32
crore as Central share) has been allocated for the scheme.
• The scheme covers 1.16 million schools, around 156 million students and 5.7 million Teachers of
Government and Aided schools.
a.Revised Scheme with New Interventions:
Based on the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) & Sustainable Development
Goal for Education (SDG-4), new interventions have been incorporated in Samagra Shiksha Scheme. They are
i.Plans to provide direct interventions to students through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) mode. It will provide in-
service teacher training for Early childhood care and education (ECCE) teachers along with training Anganwadi
workers.
ii.Launching of NIPUN (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) Bharat
Mission under the scheme to provide Rs 500 per child per annum for Teaching Learning Materials (TLM), Rs
150 per teacher, and Rs 10-20 lakh per district (for assessment). Click here to know more
iii.Providing Rs 2000 per child per grade for SC, ST, and disabled out of school children at the age of 16 to 19
years to complete their schooling through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)/State Open School
(SOS).
v.Granting Rs 25000 for a school that has at least 2 students with Khelo India medals.
vi.The amount for self-defence skills training under ‘Rani Laxmibai Atma Raksha Prashikshan‘ for 3
months has been increased from Rs 3000 to Rs 5000 per month.
vii.Training modules under NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement)
by NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) has been included under the scheme to train
Secondary and Primary teachers.
viii.The scheme will also support the activities of a national assessment centre – PARAKH (Performance,
Assessments, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development).

b.Background:
i.Samagra Shiksha, the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for School Education of students from pre-school to
class XII, was launched in 2018. It subsumed Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha
Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).
ii.It is implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education.
iii.It aims to provide support for the implementation of the ‘Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education’
(RTE) Act, 2009.
-MoU between IIST and TU Delft for Research
Cabinet approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Institute of Space Science and
Technology (IIST) and The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the Netherlands for academic programmes
and research in Science and Technology.
• The MoU includes – faculty and student exchange, joint research, Dual Degree/Double Degree programme,
etc.
• The signed Agreement will provide impetus to explore newer research activities and application possibilities
in the field of Science and Technology.
• Further, with the MoU, the students will be eligible for a Dual Degree/Double Degree programme in which
adds to the initial degree that will be awarded by the home institute.
Recent Related News:
In July 2021, the Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of the 1st ‘Integrated Multi-purpose
infrastructure Development Corporation’ for the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.
The cabinet has approved a proposal to allow 100 percent FDI under automatic route in oil and gas public sector
unit (PSU), which has received ‘in-principle’ approval for strategic disinvestment in its sector.
About Ministry of Education:
Union Minister – Dharmendra Pradhan (Constituency – Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State – Annpurna Devi (Constituency – Kodarma, Jharkhand), Subhas Sarkar (Bankura, West Bengal),
Rajkumar Ranjan Singh (Manipur)
About Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST):
Establishment – 2007
Headquarters – Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Director – S. Somanath
Chancellor – B. N. Suresh
Cabinet Approved Bill to Restore Power of States, UTs to Make ‘OBC list’
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Constitution (127th) Amendment
Bill, which will restore the power of States and Union Territories (UTs) to make their own Other Backward
Class (OBC) lists.
• The bill will be passed for parliament approval in the upcoming parliament session, after approval, the
amendments will be made over the Article 342-A and 366(26) C of the Constitution.
• Article 366(26C) gives the definition for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC).
Background:
i.Through the 102nd Constitution Amendment Act of 2018, Articles 338B and 342A were included in the
constitution to remove the powers vested with States and UTs to create their own OBC list.
• Articles 338B: It deals with the structure, duties and powers of the National Commission for Backward
Classes (NCBC).
• Article 342A: It empowers the President to notify a particular caste as SEBC and also enables the Parliament
to change the list.
iii.By referring to Article 342A, the Supreme Court has barred the Maharashtra government from granting
reservations to Marathas and stated the Centre’s only power to draw up a single ‘central’ OBC list.

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About National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC):
It is a Constitutional Body under Article 338B of the Constitution of India under the Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment.
Chairman – Bhagwan Lal Sahni
Headquarters – New Delhi
Cabinet Approvals on August 18 2021

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the following initiatives on August 18,
2021.
• Ratification of Kigali Amendment
• Launch of National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm
• Revival of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd
• MoU Between PMI to the WTO, CTIL, CTEI
• MoU Between ICMR and GARDP
• MoU Between ICMR and FIND
-Ratification of Kigali Amendment:
The cabinet has approved the ratification of the Kigali Amendment for phase-down of
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by India under the Montreal Protocol to prevent greenhouse gas emission.
a.About Kigali Amendment:
i.It is an amendment to the ‘Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer’.
ii.It was adopted by the 28th Meeting of Parties to the Montreal Protocol (MOP28) on 15 October 2016 in Kigali,
Rwanda.
iii.The Amendment added powerful greenhouse gases HFCs to the list of substances that are to be controlled
under the Protocol.
b.Cause of Amendment:
• As HFCs would not deplete the stratospheric ozone layer, they were introduced as an alternative to
chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and hydro chlorofluorocarbons (HCFC).
• But the HFCs creates a severe impact on climate as it is having high global warming potential (GWP) ranging
from 12 to 14,000. Hence the amendment was made to overcome the impact.
• Most of the HFCs are used as refrigerants in refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) equipment.
Note – The stratospheric ozone layer protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of ultraviolet
(UV) radiation from the sun.
iv.As per the Amendment, Montreal Protocol parties will phase down/reduce HFCs production and use by 80-85
percent within the late 2040s.
c.Key Initiatives of Indian Govt:
i.A national strategy for the phase-down of HFCs was scheduled to be developed after consultation with all the
industry stakeholders by 2023.
ii.Amendments to the existing legislation framework, the Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) (Regulation and
Control) Rules to control the production and consumption of HFCs will be done by mid-2024.
iii.The phasedown of HFCs could prevent the emission of up to 105 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and help in
avoiding up to 0.5 degree Celsius of global temperature rise by 2100.
iv.India’s Phase Down Schedule for HFCs: As per the amendment regulation, India (which comes under
Developing Countries Group) will phase down HFCs in 4 steps from 2032 through a reduction of 10 percent in
2032, 20 percent in 2037, 30 percent in 2042, and 80 percent in 2047.
d.Background:
i.The ‘Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer’ is an international environmental treaty for
the protection of the Ozone Layer by phasing out the production and use of ODS.
ii.India became the Party to the Montreal Protocol on 19 June 1992 and also has ratified the amendments. India
has met all the ODS phase-out targets as per the Montreal Protocol Schedule.

-Launch of National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)
The Cabinet approved the launch of the ‘National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm’ (NMEO-OP) as a
new Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a financial outlay of Rs 11,040 crore with a special focus on
the Northeast region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
a.Key Points:
i.Objective: To reduce the edible oil import dependence and make the country self-sufficient in cooking oils.
ii.Financial Outlay: Out of the Rs 11,040 financial outlay, Rs 8,844 crore will be the Centre’s share and Rs 2,196
crore as State share. It also includes the viability gap funding.
iii.The mission targets to cover 10 lakh hectares (ha) for oil palm. Now the government (govt) plans to cover the
area of 6.5 lakh ha within 2025-26.
iv.The production of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) is expected to go up to 11.20 lakh tons by 2025-26 and up to 28 lakh
tons by 2029-30.
v.Through the govt’s effort, oilseeds production was increased from 275 lakh tons in 2014-15 to 365.65 lakh tons
in 2020-21.
b.Pricing:
i.The oil palm farmers produce Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFBs) from which oil is extracted by the industry.
ii.For the 1st time, the govt plans to give price assurance to the oil palm farmers for the FFBs through Viability
Price (VP).
• Currently, the prices of those FFBs are linked to the international CPO prices fluctuations.
• The VP will be the annual average CPO price of the last 5 years adjusted with the wholesale price index to be
multiplied by 14.3 percent.
• VP will be fixed yearly for the oil palm year from 1st November to 31st October. It will protect the COP price
fluctuations.
c.Assistance for Planting and Seed Garden:
i.The govt has increased the assistance to oil palm growers for planting material from Rs 12,000 per ha to Rs
29000 per ha.
ii.For seed gardens, the assistance of up to Rs 80 lakhs for 15 ha (in the Rest of India) and Rs 100 lakhs for 15
ha (in the North-East and Andaman regions) will also be provided under the mission.
-Revival of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved a revival package of Rs 77.45 crore for the revival
of North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC) Limited.
• NERAMAC is a central Public Section Enterprises under the administrative control of the Ministry of
Development of North Eastern Regional (MDoNER).
Key Points on Revival Package:
i.Out of the revival package, Rs 17 crore was towards fund based support and Rs 60.45 crore was towards non-
fund based support.
ii.It will help NERAMAC to implement different plans such as providing better farming facilities, organic seeds and
fertilizer, post-harvesting facilities, etc to promote the products of North East farmers in the world market.
iii.The implementation of the revival package will generate employment for around 33,000 people. It will also
promote the registration of GI (Geographical Indications) products of NER.
iv.Additional Info:
The NER could also be benefitted from the other govt schemes and initiatives such as,
• PM Kisan SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters)
Yojana.
• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund under AatmaNirbhar Bharat, Krishi Udaan and Kisan Rail.
• Retail outlets under its own brands like ‘NE Fresh’ and ‘ONE’ (Organic North East) and through NAFED
(National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India), TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing
Federation of India).
-MoU Between PMI to the WTO, CTIL, CTEI
Union Cabinet approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Permanent Mission of
India (PMI) to the WTO (World Trade Organization), Centre for Trade and Investment Law (CTIL) of the Indian

Institute of Foreign Trade, and Centre for Trade and Economic Integration (CTEI) within The Graduate Institute
of International and Development Studies, Geneva.
• The MoU, which was signed for 3 years with CTEI, will provide academic and research opportunities to the
employees of CTIL and the Department of Commerce in the field of international trade and investment law.
-MoU Signed Between ICMR and GARDP
Cabinet approved the MoU between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), India and the GARDP (Global
Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership) Foundation on Antimicrobial Resistance Research and
Innovation, Switzerland.
• MoU was signed to strengthen the relations within the framework of international scientific and
technological collaboration. The MoU was signed by India in March 2021.
-MoU Signed Between ICMR and FIND
Cabinet notified the MoU signed between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Foundation for
Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), Switzerland in February 2021 to strengthen the scientific and technological
collaboration.
• Under the MoU, ICMR is committed to make funding up to USD 100,000 and FIND will make available funds
up to USD 400,000 to local partners and researchers.
In July 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the Deposit Insurance & Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment)
Bill 2021 to amend the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) Act, 1961.
The cabinet also approved the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, 2021 which amends the Limited
Liability Partnership Act (LLP), 2008.
About Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR):
It is an apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
Director-General – Balram Bhargava
About Ministry of Development of North Eastern Regional (MDoNER):
Union Minister – G. Kishan Reddy (Constituency – Secunderabad, Telangana)
Minister of state – B. L. Verma (Constituency – Uttar Pradesh)
Cabinet Approvals with Foreign countries on August 18, 2021

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has granted approval to several Memorandum of
Understandings (MoUs) with Foreign Countries. They are
i.MoU between India and the United States of America (USA) on cooperation in the field of Geology.
ii.MoU between India and Bangladesh on cooperation in the field of Disaster Management, Resilience and
Mitigation.
MoU between India & USA in the field of Geology
The Union cabinet has given its approval for signing the MoU between Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry
of Mines, India and the Florida International University (FIU) board of trustees on behalf of the Department of
Earth, Environment, College of Arts, Science & Education, USA on cooperation in the field of Geology.
Objectives:
• To understand the geologic and tectonic environment of the generation and emplacement of post-collisional
magmatism in India-Asia Collision margin.
• To construct a model of post-collisional magma genesis in continental collision zones in general and to
construct the geologic history and tectonics of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis.
• To develop projects in the field of geological, geochemical, petrological and multi-isotopic studies related to
evolution of Post collisional Magmatic belts in Ladakh Plutons
MoU between India & Bangladesh in the field of Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation
The Union cabinet has given its approval for the MoU signed between the National Disaster Management
Authority (NDMA) , Ministry of Home Affairs, India and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief,
Bangladesh for cooperation in the field of Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation.

Key Features
• Both countries agreed to extend mutual support on the request of either country at the time of Disaster
(Natural or human induced) in the field of relief, response, reconstruction and recovery.
• The countries had received approval to exchange relevant information like remote sensing data and other
scientific data, Share best practices of disaster response, mitigation etc..
• The joint Disaster Management Exercises bilaterally between India and Bangladesh.
• Both countries will support each other to train the Officials in the field of Disaster management.
About United States of America
President – Joe Biden
Capital – Washington,D.C
Currency – United States Dollar (USD)
About Bangladesh
PrimeMinister – Sheikh Hasina
Capital – Dhaka
Currency – Bangladeshi Taka
Cabinet approvals on August 25, 2021

On August 25, 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi has given its approval to the following proposals:
Government approves highest FRP of sugarcane at 290/quintal for season 2021-22
The Union Cabinet has approved the highest ever fair and remunerative price (FRP) of Rs 290 per quintal (qtl) at
a recovery rate of 10% for sugarcane farmers for sugar season 2021-22 (October – September). The information
for the same was provided by minister Piyush Vedprakash Goyal, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution.
• FRP is the minimum price that mills have to pay to cane growers.
• Notably, this FRP is higher by 87.1% over production cost (Rs. 155 per quintal), therefore farmers get a
return of much more than 50% over their cost.
• The FRP will be applicable from October, 1 2021.
Key Points:
i.There will be a premium of Rs. 2.90/qtl for each 0.1% increase in recovery over and above 10%, & reduction in
FRP by Rs. 2.90/qtl for every 0.1% decrease in recovery.
• There will be no deduction in case of sugar mills where recovery is below 9.5%. Such farmers will get Rs.
275.50 per quintal for sugarcane.
ii.This decision will benefit 5 crore sugarcane farmers as well as the 5 lakh workers employed in sugar mills
across the country.
iii.In the current sugar season 2020-21, about 2,976 lakh tons of sugarcane worth Rs. 91,000 cr was purchased by
sugar mills, which is at an all time high level.
iv.The FRP is determined on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and
Prices (CACP) in consultation with State Governments and other stake-holders.
CCEA nod to Rs 15,000 crore FDI proposal in Anchorage Infra Investment Holding
CCEA has approved Rs 15,000-crore foreign direct investment (FDI) proposal of Anchorage Infrastructure
Investment Holding Ltd, a subsidiary of Canada-based pension fund, for the investment in the infrastructure and
the construction-development sectors.
• The investment also includes transfer of shares of Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) to
Anchorage, and investment of Rs 950 crore in Anchorage by the 2726247 Ontario Inc.
• The 2726247 Ontario Inc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of OMERS Administration Corporation (OAC).
Key Points:
i.The sectors may also include transport and logistics, along with downstream investment in the airport sector
and aviation-related businesses and services along with capital- and employment-intensive sectors.
• This will also lead to direct employment generation.
ii.The investment will also boost the recently announced National Monetization Pipeline (NMP).

Cabinet approves MoU between India’s ICAI and Russia’s IPAR
The Union Cabinet also approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Institute of Chartered
Accountants of India (ICAI) and Institute of Professional Accountants of Russia (IPAR).
• As a part of MoU there would be mutual cooperation in the areas of Professional Accountancy Training,
Professional Ethics, Technical Research, Advancement of Accounting Knowledge, Professional and
Intellectual Development.
Key Points:
i.Under this MoU, ICAI will provide the Export of Services in Accountancy profession to Russia resulting in
strengthening of partnership .
ii.There will be mutual cooperation through seminars, conferences and joint activities to provide updates in
accountancy in order to promote this profession in the world.
iii.It is also expected that this MoU will provide ICAI Members with professional opportunities in Russia in the
short to long term future.
i.CCEA approved the Reforms-based and Results-Linked ‘Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme’, which aims to
improve the operational efficiencies and financial sustainability of DISCOM (Distribution Company (India)) in the
Power sector (not applicable to private DISCOMS).
ii.The Union Cabinet had approved the modifications in the Central Sector Scheme of Financing Facility of the 1
Lakh crore worth ‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)’ to generate more investments.
About Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI):
Establishment– 1949
President– CA. Nihar N Jambusaria
Headquarter– New Delhi
PARLIAMENT NEWS
Lok Sabha passes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment Bill), 2021
The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment Bill), 2021 presented by Minister of State for Corporate
Affairs, Rao Inderjit Singh was passed in the Parliament without any discussions. The bill proposes a pre-
packaged insolvency resolution process for Corporate debtors under the MSME (Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises) Development Act, 2006.
• It will replace the Insolvency Amendment Ordinance 2021 promulgated by the President Ram Nath Kovind
on April 4, 2021.
• The Ordinance amended the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
Proposed Changes
i.The bill specifies a minimum threshold of not more than INR 1 crore for initiating the pre-packaged insolvency
resolution process (Government has already prescribed the threshold of INR 10 Lakh for this purpose).
ii.Disposal of simultaneous applications for initiation of corporate insolvency resolution process/pre-packaged
insolvency resolution process, pending against the same corporate debtor.
iii.The amendment inserts a new Chapter III-A containing sections 54A to 54P to facilitate pre-package
insolvency resolution process for corporate persons that are MSMEs.
iv.It provides penalty for fraudulent or malicious initiation of pre-packaged insolvency resolution process or with
intent to defraud persons.
• It also has provisions for penalty on fraudulent management of corporate debtors during the pre-packaged
insolvency resolution process.
v.The bill also provides punishment for offences related to pre-packaged insolvency resolution processes.
April 7, 2021, The government of India has promulgated an Ordinance titled ‘The Insolvency and Bankruptcy
Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021’ to allow ‘pre-packaged insolvency resolution process (PIRP)’ to MSME.

About Ministry of Corporate Affairs
Union Minister – Nirmala Sitharaman (Rajya Sabha – Karnataka)
Minister of State – Rao Inderjit Singh (Lok Sabha – Gurgaon, Haryana)
President Ram Nath Kovind gives Assent to ‘The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021′
President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to the ‘The Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021‘ which
amends the Income Tax Act, 1961 (IT Act) and the Finance Act, 2012.
i.Objective of Bill – To nullify retrospective tax provision & end retrospective taxes imposed on Indirect
Transfer of Indian Assets made before May 28, 2012.
ii.The Bill was introduced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha as a Money Bill.
Key Points
i.The Finance Act, 2012 amended the IT Act, 1961 to impose tax liability on income earned from sale of shares of a
foreign company on a retrospective basis. The new bill aims to nullify the retrospective basis for taxation.
• Retrospective tax means to pay tax for goods and services purchased in the past or income earned in the
past.
ii.However, the tax law remains intact prospectively, which means that the sale of shares of a foreign entity is
taxable in India if those shares garner value from assets in India.
iii.The bill will nullify tax liability imposed on persons if they fulfil certain set conditions.
iv.The new Bill provides a framework to resolve international arbitration cases that the government has lost.
Private Companies affected by Retro Tax Cases
i.The New Bill impacts Retrospective tax cases of 2 Big Companies – Cairn Energy Plc and Vodafone Group of UK.
Both companies won International arbitrations against India for levying retrospective taxes on them.
• In the Cairn Energy arbitration case, the company is seeking to recover USD 1.2 billion from New Delhi.
• A total of INR 8,100 Crore was collected by the Income Tax Department using the retrospective tax
legislation. This will be repaid by the Government of India.
• Out of INR 8,100 crore, INR 7,900 crore was from Cairn Energy.
On September 29, 2020, the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Taxation and Other Laws
(Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020 which will amend 5 Acts viz. the Income-tax Act,
1961, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, Finance Act, 2019, the Direct Tax Vivad se Vishwas Act, 2020 and
the Finance Act, 2020.
About Ministry of Finance
Union Minister – Nirmala Sitharaman(Rajya Sabha,Karnataka)
Minister of State (MoS) – Dr S Bhagwat Karad (Rajya Sabha, Maharashtra) and Shri Pankaj Chaudhary
(Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh)
President RamNath Kovind approved the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill, 2021
The President of India, RamNath Kovind approved the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill, 2021. After his
assent, the bill has changed into the Constitution (105th Amendment) Act, 2021 which will restore the power
of states and Union Territories (UTs) to identify and specify Socially and Educationally backward Classes
(SEBCs).
• The Constitution 127th Amendment Bill was passed by the Parliament on 11th August, 2021 in the Monsoon
Session.
• It has amended articles 338B , 342-A and 366(26C) of the Indian Constitution
Article 338B – It deals with the structure, duties and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes
(NCBC)
Article 342-A – It empowers the President to notify a particular caste as SEBC and also enables the parliament to
change the list
Article 366(26C) – gives the definition for SEBCs

Background
i.Through 102nd constitution Amendment Act of 2018, Articles 338B and 342A were included in the Constitution
which removed the power of states and UTs to create their own SEBCs list.
ii.By referring to Article 342-A, the Supreme Court (SC) has barred the Maharashtra government from granting
reservations to Marathas and stated that any changes in the SEBCs list can be made only by the Parliament.
Recent Related News
In July 2021, A 3-judge SC bench struck down certain parts of Part IXB of the Indian Constitution. Part IXB was
inserted by the Constitution (97th Amendment) Act, 2011. It deals with incorporation, terms of members of board
and its office bearers and effective management of cooperative societies.
About National Commission For Backward Classes (NCBC)
It is a constitutional body under Article 338B of the Constitution of India under the Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment
Chairman – Bhagwan Lal Sahni
Headquarters – New delhi
General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Amendment Act, 2021 got the Assent of the
President
General Insurance Business(Nationalisation) Amendment 2021 got assent of the President Ramnath Kovind.This
bill will amend the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act of 1972.
Purpose of amendment :- The Act was enacted to nationalise all private companies undertaking general
insurance business in India and it makes private sector participation in the public sector insurance companies
regulated under the Act.
Background:-
• General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) was set up under the 1972 Act.The businesses of the
companies nationalized under the Act were restructured in four subsidiaries of GIC: (i) National Insurance,
(ii) New India Assurance, (iii) Oriental Insurance, and (iv) United India Insurance.
• The Act was amended in 2002 and the control of these four subsidiary companies has been transferred from
GIC to the central government, the share holding of the Central Government in the General Insurance
Corporation of India and the insurers referred to in section 10A (specified insurers) shall not be less than
51 per cent.
Points to be noted on New Amendment Bill
Change in the Definition
The Act classifies the General Insurance Business for fire, marine, or miscellaneous insurance.It excludes capital
redemption and annuity certain business from the definition.The Bill removes this definition and instead, refers
to the definition provided by the Insurance Act, 1938. Under the Insurance Act capital redemption and annuity
certain are included within general insurance business.
Removes Shareholding of Government-
The bill removes the provision to section 10B of the act; it said to be to omit the minimum 51% shareholding of
central government in specified insurers.
Transfer of control
The bill adds new section 24B ;it will not be applied to the specified insurers from the date on which the central
government relinquishes control of the insurer.It will empower the central to notify workers of selected insurers
about their terms and conditions of employment.
Liabilities of directors
The bill also inserts a new section 31A providing for liability of a director of specified
insurer, who is not a whole-time director, in respect of such acts of omission or
commission of the specified insurer which has been committed with his knowledge
and with his consent.

LAUNCHES & INAUGURATION
Intel Launched ‘AI For All’ Initiative In partnership with CBSE
Intel collaborated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and launched the initiative ‘AI For
All’ under its ‘AI For Citizens’ programme to create a basic understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) for Indian
people. It plans to introduce AI to 1 million people in its 1st year of launch.
• The 4-hour self-paced learning programme ‘AI For All’ will explain AI in an easier way, it is available in 11
vernacular languages and it is divided into two sections such as AI Awareness (1.5 hours) and AI
Appreciation (2.5 hours).
PM Narendra Modi Launched e-Voucher Digital Payment Solution e-RUPI

On August 02, 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually launched a prepaid electronic voucher-
based digital payment solution e-RUPI to strengthen the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and the financial inclusion
of unbanked citizens.
• e-RUPI, the ‘person and purpose-specific’ one-time cashless and contactless digital payment vouchers was
developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on its UPI (Unified Payments Interface)
platform, in association with the Department of Financial Services (DFS), National Health Authority (NHA),
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), and partner banks.
The process under e-RUPI:
i.When the government/organization intends to provide financial support, they could share the e-RUPI e-
Voucher/coupon in the form of SMS-string or QR code (instead of Money) to the beneficiaries’ mobile for a
specific purpose (health, education, subsidies, etc).
ii.The beneficiaries need to show the e-voucher (in mobile) to the welfare service provider (i.e. the merchants
that accept e-RUPI) to redeem the voucher and complete the transaction.
• As the vouchers will be created for specific purposes they cannot be transferred or cashed out and there is
no need to print out the voucher.
• The vouchers will be redeemed by that beneficiary individual only.
iii.As the required amount of the voucher will be prepaid, the service provider will be paid immediately after the
completion of the transaction; it enables end-to-end digital transactions without any physical intermediary.
iv.Issuing Entity: The e-RUPI service, which is powered by NPCI’s UPI, was on boarded into 11 banks (both
private and public) as an issuing entity.
Benefits under e-RUPI:
i.Under e-RUPI, there is no need to use a card, digital payments app, bank account, internet banking access, and
other traditional payment modes to complete the transaction.
ii.It will enable the leak-proof delivery of government welfare subsidies and ensure the money allocated is used
for that specific need for which the amount was given.
iv.Safe and Secure: It provides privacy, as the beneficiary doesn’t need to share personal details while
redemption.
v.Now the government will deliver services under Mother and Child welfare schemes, TB (Tuberculosis)
eradication programmes, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana, fertilizer subsidies, etc.
vi.Initially, the e-RUPI vouchers was made available for health services, it will gradually cover other welfare
schemes of the govt, the govt also plans to allow the corporate sector to leverage it.
Note – The government has saved around Rs 1 lakh 78 thousand crores via DBT and JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhaar
and Mobile) which connect Aadhaar and mobile.
On May 24, 2021, The NPCI, has on boarded PayCore, Turkey’s global payment solutions company as one of the
certified partners for ‘RuPaySoftPOS’ to drive cashless payments across the country.
In collaboration with the NPCI, ICICI (Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India) Bank has launched a
facility for linking a UPI ID with its digital wallet, ‘Pockets’ and became the 1st one in the industry to link e-wallet
with UPI Network.

About National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI):
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
MD & CEO -DilipAsbe
ISRO launches ‘QUEST’ study to Upgrade Quality of Healthcare System of India

Dr K Sivan, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) formally inaugurated the Health QUEST
study (Health Quality Upgradation Enabled by Space Technology of ISRO) to upgrade the healthcare systems
standards of India in line with the ISRO’s quality standards and best practices.
i.The Study Team will explore the possibility of replicating ISRO’s Quality Assurance Mechanisms which are
used in Space Technology in India’s hospitals. This is to ensure Zero-defect & Quality of service in the Emergency
and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) of hospitals.
• The Study will be undertaken by 20 Private hospitals across India.
• ISRO’s Quality Assurance mechanism will be shared with the study team to create healthcare quality
standards.
ii.The QUEST Study was launched by Dr K Sivan during an event co-organized by Association of HealthCare
Providers India (AHPI) and Society for Emergency Medicine in India (SEMI).
November 19, 2020, UN ESCAP report ‘Geospatial Practices for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific
2020: A Compendium’ has cited the role of ISRO’s ‘BHUVAN’ Geo-Portal in combating COVID-19 in India.
About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Chairman – Dr. K. Sivan
Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka
Venkaiah Naidu Released Postage Stamp on Social Worker ‘Mananiya Chaman Lal’
During an event in New Delhi on August 8, 2021, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu released a
Commemorative Postage Stamp on the Social worker and Sangh Pracharak, ‘Mananiya Chaman Lal’.
• The postage stamp highlights the life and work of Mananiya Chaman Lal and it was proposed by Amarjiva
Lochan, General Secretary, International Centre for Cultural Studies and designed by Sankha Samanta.
• The stamp was issued as a tribute to Unsung Heroes of India, by the Department of Posts, Ministry of
Communications.
• The launch was a part of the initiatives of the Department for the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ Programme.
Key Points:
i.A First Day Cover (FDC) and an Information Brochure were also unveiled along with the postage stamp.
ii.Mananiya Chaman Lal: He was born on March 25, 1920, in Sialkot (now Pakistan), he worked for the people’s
welfare and created an institutional mechanism for helping the Indians abroad and supported in fulfilling the
strategic goals of the foreign policy of India.
About Ministry of Communications:
Union Minister – Ashwini Vaishnaw (Constituency – Odisha)
Minister of State – Devusinh Chauhan (Constituency – Kheda, Gujarat)
PM Launched NMEO-OP Mission to Achieve Self-Reliance in Edible Oils; PM Released 9th

Installment of PM-KISAN
On August 09, 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi launched the National Mission on Edible Oil-Oil
Palm (NMEO-OP) to make India self-sufficient in edible oil production.
• Objective: To boost domestic oilseed production and make the country self-sufficient in cooking oils.
• The government plans to invest Rs 11,000 crore under NMEO-OP for a 5-year. The mission was launched
on the anniversary day of the Quit India Movement.
• India is the world’s biggest vegetable oil importer.

Key Points:
i.Increased Dependency: Due to low production of oilseed, India annually imports 13-15 million tonnes of edible
oil (worth Rs 60,000-70,000 crore), in which ~55-60 percent is palm oil.
ii.Hence the mission was introduced to expand the cultivation of oil palm and other traditional oilseed crops by
providing quality seeds and technology support to the farmers.
iii.Target of NMEO-OP:
• The government projected to reduce edible oil import dependence from 60 percent to 45 percent by 2024-
25.
• A 70 percent growth target was fixed by increasing the domestic edible oil production from 10.5 million
tonnes to 18 million tonnes.
• It also plans to increase oil palm cultivation to 1.1 million hectares by 2025-26 and 1.7-1.8 million hectares
by 2029-30 (Currently palm is cultivated at less than 0.5 million hectares).
iv.PM also promoted North-eastern India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands for oil palm cultivation.
v.Oil palm is the highest edible oil yielding plant among perennial oil yielding crops. Palm oil is largely imported
from Malaysia and Indonesia.
-PM releases 9th installment of PM-KISAN
On the same day, PM virtually released the 9th installment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan
Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). This will enable the transfer of more than Rs 19,500 crores to more than 9.75
crores beneficiary farmer families.
Key Points:
i.So far, Rs 1 lakh 60 crores has been given to farmers under PM-KISAN. Finance of Rs 1 lakh crore and 2 crore
Kisan Credit Cards were transferred to small farmers during COVID-19 under PM-KISAN.
ii.Record Procurement on MSP: The government has made the biggest ever purchase from farmers at Minimum
support price (MSP) (in both Kharif & Rabi).
• About Rs 1,70,000 crore have transferred directly into the accounts of rice farmers and about Rs 85,000
crore into the wheat farmers.
iii.The production of pulses in India has increased by 50 percent in the last 6 years.
iv.For the 1st time, India has reached among the top-10 countries of the world in terms of agricultural exports.
v.Kisan Infrastructure Fund with Rs 1 lakh crore corpus also completed its one year on August 09, 2021.
• More than 6 thousand projects have been approved under the Infrastructure Fund.
vi.PM remarked the agriculture and farmers’ key role in determining the condition of India in 2047, the year
when the country will be completing its 100 years of independence.
Indian Government is planning to bring around 9 million hectares of land under Mustard Cultivation & raise
Mustard production capacity to around 17 Million Tonnes (mt) by 2025-26 in India.
About Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare:
Union Minister – Narendra Singh Tomar (Constituency – Morena, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State – Kailash Choudhary (Constituency – Barmer, Rajasthan), Shobha Karandlaje (Constituency –
Udupi Chikmagalur, Karnataka)
India’s 1st Heart Failure Biobank Inaugurated at SCTIMST, Kerala

India’s 1st National Heart Failure Biobank (NHFB) was inaugurated at the National Centre for Advanced
Research and Excellence in HF (CARE-HF) at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology
(SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
• NHFB will collect blood, biopsies, and clinical data as a guide to future therapies. It will provide insights into
heart diseases and heart failure among Indian children and adults.
PM Narendra Modi launches PMUY 2.0 from Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 2.0 (PMUY 2.0) Scheme
from Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh.

• Under PMUY 2.0, an additional 10 million LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) connections will be provided
to the beneficiaries. Lakhs of Migrant Families are also expected to benefit from the scheme.
• Under PMUY 1.0, a target of providing 8 Crore Free LPG Connections to the deprived households was set and
achieved.
Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)
PMUY is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG). It was launched on 1st May
2016 in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
• Objective – To make clean cooking fuel such as LPG available to the rural and deprived households.
• Tagline – “Swachh Indhan, Behtar Jeevan”. It is implemented by MoPNG.
• Usage of traditional cooking fuels like firewood, coal, and cow-dung cakes has detrimental impact on the
health of rural women as well as the environment.
• Financial assistance of ₹1,600 per household given by the centre to eligible households.
About Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG)
Union Minister – Hardeep Singh Puri (Rajya Sabha – Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of state- Rameswar Teli (Lok Sabha – Dibrugarh, Assam)
MNRE launched Interest Subvention Scheme for Waste to Energy Biomethanation Projects
A webinar was held on the occasion of World Biofuel Day i.e. on August 10, 2021 where ‘Organic Waste Streams
for Industrial Renewable Energy Applications in India’, a GEF-MNRE-UNIDO project, launched its financial scheme
and GIS (Geographic Information System) Waste Mapping tool. These were launched by Dinesh Dayanand
Jagdale Joint Secretary, MNRE.
• MNRE is acronym for Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
• GEF stands for Global Environment Facility
• UNIDO is United Nations Industrial Development Organization
About Financial Scheme:
MNRE launched a loan interest subvention scheme in collaboration with UNIDO and GEF to provide financial
assistance for innovative waste to energy biomethanation projects and business models. This will reduce the
financial burden on beneficiaries.
GIS Waste Mapping tool
A GIS-based inventory tool of organic waste streams was developed under the, above mentioned, GEF-MNRE-
UNIDO project. It provides district level estimates of available urban and industrial organic wastes and their
energy generation potential across India.
• It will enable SMEs (Small & Medium Enterprises) and project developers to set up new waste to energy
projects.
Other Participants:
Dr Rene Van Berkel, UNIDO Representative, Regional Office in India; and Pradip Kumar Das, Chairman &
Managing Director (CMD), IREDA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency)
The United States Department of Energy (DoE), the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government
of India, and the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) jointly launched the US-India Hydrogen Task
Force, under the US-India Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP).
About Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE):
Union Minister– Raj Kumar Singh (Arrah, Bihar)
Minister of State (MoS)– Bhagwanth Khuba (Bidar, Karnataka)
NITI Aayog Releases Handbook to Guide EV Charging Infrastructure in India

The Handbook named ‘Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Implementation’ was released by NITI Aayog. The
objective of the book is to provide guidance to the state governments and local bodies about policy making and
setting up of norms related to charging networks for Electric Vehicle (EV).

• It has been developed by NITI Aayog in association with the Ministry of Power (MoP), Department of Science
and Technology(DST), Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and World Resources Institute(WRI) India.
Key Points
i.It aims to enhance charging infrastructure and boost electric mobility of vehicles in India.
• It provides technological framework, support and government funded structures to aid the EV charging
facilities. It addresses the challenges associated with EV and suggests ways to tackle them.
ii.Target – India has set an ambitious goal of increasing the Electric Vehicle numbers to 30% by 2030.
iii.The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and
Department of Heavy Industry pledged their support to the Handbook.
About Niti Aayog
Niti Aayog stands for National Institute for Transforming India, formed by Executive action. It replaced the
previous Planning Commission of India on 1st January 2015.
Chairman – Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Vice-chairman – Dr Rajiv Kumar( September 2017- present)
CEO – Amitabh Kant
About World Resource Institute (WRI)
Organisation which works with governments, institutions and civil societies it’s a Non-profit global research
organisation
CEO – Andrew Steer
Headquarters – Washington DC
Founded -1982
‘SonChiraiya’ – A Logo and Brand launched by MoHUA for Products of Urban SHGs
Secretary of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Durga Shankar Mishra has launched a logo and
brand named “SonChiraiya” to promote market products of Urban Self Help Groups(SHG).
• This would enhance women participation and make them financially empowered.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM)
i.The mission was launched in 2013 and is implemented by MoHUA.
ii.Aim – To uplift the livelihood of urban poor by enhancing sustainable livelihood opportunities through skill
development.
iii.It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and therefore the funding will be shared between the Centre and
the States in the ratio of 75:25. For North Eastern and
Special Category – the ratio will be 90:10.
iv.There are 2 components of DAY-NULM, one for urban India and other for rural India.
• Urban component named as Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana is being implemented by MoHUA.
• Rural component named Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana is being implemented by the
Ministry of Rural Development.
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
Union Minister – Hardeep Singh Puri (Rajya Sabha, Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS) – Kaushal Kishore (Mohanlalganj, Uttar Pradesh)
Narendra Singh Tomar Inaugurated the World’s 2nd Largest Refurbished Gene Bank at the
NBPGR, New Delhi
On August 16, 2021, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
(MoA&FW) inaugurated the world’s second-largest refurbished state-of-the-art National Gene Bank (NGB) at
the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Pusa, New Delhi.
• This will cater the need of biofortified crop varieties. Biofortification is the process by which the
nutritional quality of food crops is improved.
What is the National Gene Bank?
Established in 1996, its aim is to preserve the seeds of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) for future generations. It

has the capacity to preserve about 1 million germplasm in the form of seeds. Germplasm is a living tissue from
which new plants can be grown.
• Presently it is protecting 4.52 lakh accessions, of which 2.7 lakh are Indian germplasm and the rest have
been imported from other countries.
• It is also conserving in-situ (on-farm or wild) and ex-situ (gene or field bank) germplasm through Delhi
Headquarters and 10 regional stations in the country.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur Launched ‘Fit India Freedom Run 2.0’
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur launched the nationwide programme
named ‘Fit India Freedom Run 2.0’ as part of celebrating 75 years of India’s Independence – Azadi ka Amrit
Mahotsav.
• The program which was started on August 15, 2021, will be concluded on October 2, 2021.
• The program will be organised in 75 villages in each of the 744 districts and 30,000 educational institutions
across India.
• Minister of state for youth affairs and sports, Nisith Pramanik also joined the launch.
WCD Minister Smriti Irani launches 2nd Phase of SAMVAD in Bengaluru, Karnataka
The 2nd phase of SAMVAD was launched by the Union Minister of Women and Child Development (WCD) Smriti
Zubin Irani in Bengaluru,Karnataka on the successful completion of one year of SAMVAD programme.
• SAMVAD stands for Support, Advocacy & Mental Health intervention for children in Vulnerable
circumstances and Distress.
Objective
It aims to ensure holistic development and psychosocial well being of children and adolescents.
Highlights
• The WCD is funding this initiative.
• National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) is the implementing agency.
• It is a National level initiative and Integrated Resource working for providing protection, support for mental
health, psychosocial care for children.
Participation
For the first time, the Panchayati Raj Institutions(PRI) are also being included to enhance the support for these
vulnerable sections in aspirational districts at ground level.
• Around 1 lakh stakeholders including child protection officials, educators, tele consultants and lawyers are
being under this initiative.
About SAMVAD
SAMVAD is a new initiative, that is related to the mental health and giving psychosocial support and care of
children in difficult life situations providing special training in School based curriculum on childhood trauma,
interventions for children in conflict with the law, forensics in child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health,
education and psychological support on children with special needs, integration of child protection and mental
health into the Panchayati Raj systems.
About the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS)
The NIMHANS is the apex centre of mental health and neuroscience education. It operates
autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Location: Bangalore
Director: Dr. Pratima Murthy
About Ministry of Women and Child Development-
Minister: Smriti Zubin Irani (Amethi, Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of state: Dr Munjpara Mahendrabhaji (Surendranagar, Gujarat).

UN Women and MyGov Launched Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Challenge 2021
As a part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the 75th year of Independence of India, MyGov under the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY) along with the United Nations(UN) Women launched the “Amrit
Mahotsav Shri Shakti Innovation Challenge 2021”.
• Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Innovation Challenge 2021 is a platform for women.
• The challenge is implemented under the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (COVID-19) Programme.
Aim:
Nari Sashaktikaran – to empower women to help them reach their full potential.
Objective of the challenge:
To encourage the technology solutions developed by Women Entrepreneurs to ensure women’s safety and
empowerment.
Features of Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Challenge 2021:
i.The Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Challenge 2021 will accept the entries till 17th September 2021.
ii.The shortlisted 10 nominees will get a grant of Rs 1 lakh each, to develop the proof of concept of their idea.
iii.5 winners of the challenge will get Rs 5 lakh each, to develop market and implement their solution.
MeitY-NASSCOM Start-up Women Entrepreneur Awards 2020-21:
The winners of the MeitY-NASSCOM Women Startup Entrepreneurs Awards 2020-2021 In partnership with UN
Women was announced on 17th August 2021, during the virtual event held as a part of the celebration of Azadi Ka
Amrit Mahotsav.
Winners:
i.The jury members selected 12 women entrepreneurs as Winners, 2 were declared as Jury Choice Awardees and
1 was felicitated as special mention.
ii.Each Winner and Jury Choice Award were rewarded with a cash prize of Rs 2 Lakh.
iii.33 women entrepreneurs were selected for the MeitY-NASSCOM Tech Women Entrepreneur Accelerator
Program.
Click here for the list of winners and Jury Choice awards & Special mention
About UN Women:
UN Women is the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Executive Director– Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
Headquarters– New York City, United States of America
About Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY):
Union Minister– Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha- Odisha)
Minister of State– Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Rajya Sabha- Karnataka)
SEP 3.0 launched by Atal Innovation Mission in association with Dassault Systemes Foundation
The 3rd series of Student Entrepreneurship Program (SEP 3.0) was launched by Atal Innovation
Mission facilitated by Niti Aayog in collaboration with La fondation Dassault Systemes for young innovators of
Atal Tinkering Lab(ATL)
Highlights
• Theme of SEP 3.0- Made in 3D- Seed the Future Entrepreneurs Program. It was conceptualized in France by
La Main à la Pâte Foundation and La Fondation Dassault Systèmes Europe in the year 2017.
• The Top teams of SEP 3.0 are selected through the ATL Marathon, a national level contest.Where the
participating students identify community challenges and create innovations and solutions within their ATL
lab.
Objective- To motivate and provide support for the student to become innovators.
Student Entrepreneurship Program (SEP) 3.0-
i.A Student-Teacher(6 students and 1 teacher) team from each school will be provided funding to establish
their own Start-up, preparing framework and design using 3-D printing, market campaign and create expansion
strategy.
ii.After this, they will present their strategy and marketing ideas in a competition in front of experts from industry

and academia.
iii.Dassault is providing mentorship, prototyping and testing support to the teams. End-User feedback,
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) registration and patenting ideas are also being provided.
iv.A total of 50 teams from 26 states are selected for SEP 3.0 Top 20 teams of ATL Marathon 2019, 10 teams
selected by Dassault, 10 teams from Aspirational Districts and 10 teams from Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and North
east regions are selected.
About Atal Innovation Mission(AIM)-it is a flagship initiative of the Government of India to promote a culture of
innovation and entrepreneurship in the country
Mission Director: Dr Chintan Vaishnav
Started: 2016
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Launched Aarogya Dhara 2.0

Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare virtually inaugurated the Aarogya Dhara-
2.0 to increase the reach of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) programme to
the poorest households of India and to create awareness about the scheme.
• He chaired the event – Aarogya Dhara- 2.0, to mark the completion of 2 crore treatments under AB-PMJAY.
• Treatments worth ~Rs 25000 crore have been provided to patients across 33 States/Union Territories
(UTs), through the network of 23000 publics and private empaneled hospitals.
About Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY):
i.Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) was launched on 23rd September 2018 by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Ranchi, Jharkhand.
ii.The scheme aims to ensure quality and affordable healthcare for the poor and underprivileged people.
iii.The scheme provides cashless and paperless healthcare service benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year.
Initiatives launched on the occasion:
i.Adhikar Patra – will be issued to the beneficiaries during the hospital admission for treatment under PM-JAY.
• This aims to create awareness about their rights and claim free and cashless healthcare services up to Rs 5
lakh.
ii.Abhinandan Patra– it is a thank you note which will be issued to the beneficiaries during their discharge.
iii.Ayushman Mitra– it is an initiative launched to provide an opportunity to all the citizens to contribute to the
Ayushman Bharat by assisting the eligible people to get Ayushman Cards.
• The Ayushman Cards can be created by logging into https://pmjay.gov.in/ayushman-mitra
Union Minister Harsh Vardhan, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW) launched the revamped, digitized
version of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Umbrella schemes of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN), and
Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant (HMDG) on National Health Authority’s (NHA) IT platform.
Objective: Digitization of healthcare services to enable the poor and needy people to avail the benefits of the
health schemes on time.
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW):
Union Minister– Mansukh Mandaviya(Rajya Sabha- Gujarat)
Minister of State– Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar(Constituency- Dindori, Maharashtra)
Rajnath Singh launches DISC 5.0 under iDEX-DIO

Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defense (MoD) has launched Defense India Startup Challenge (DISC)
5.0 (5th version) under Innovations for Defense Excellence-Defense Innovation Organisation (iDEX-
DIO) through video conference.
• The Challenge has been launched by Ministry of Defence in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).
• It will leverage India’s startup ecosystem to develop Defense technologies, Equipment design &
Manufacturing capabilities

• Under DISC 5.0, 35 challenges were made open of which13 from Armed forces & 22 from Defense Public
Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) to startups, Innovators & MSMEs to provide their innovative ideas on
technologies related to the defense sector.
• The challenges are in the areas of Situational awareness, Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Aircraft-
trainer, Non-lethal devices, 5G network, Under-water domain awareness, Drone SWARMS and Data
Capturing.
• DISC 1.0 was launched in 2018 and in the previous 4 Editions, more than 80 startups, MSMEs & Individual
innovators have emerged as winners in over 40 technological areas.
Innovations for Defense Excellence-Defense Innovation Organisation(iDEX-DIO)
It was launched in 2018 by the Department of Defense Production(DDP), MoD to achieve self-reliance and
foster innovation & technology development in defence and aerospace sectors.
• It is funded and managed by DIO, a not for profit company as per section 8 of the companies Act 2013
founded by DPSUs- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) & Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)
• iDEX is used as a procurement avenue under Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP-2020), earmarking INR
1,000 crore for domestic procurement through iDEX for financial year 2021-2022
About Ministry of Defense (MoD)
Union Minister – Rajnath Singh (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS) – Ajay Bhatt (Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar , Uttarakhand)
NTPC Launched India’s Largest Floating Solar PV Project in Simhadri

On August 21, 2021, India’s largest Power Producer, NTPC Ltd launched India’s largest Floating Solar
PV (Photovoltaic) project with the capacity of 25MW on the reservoir of its Simhadri thermal power station in
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
• The floating solar PV project became the 1st project to be set up under the Flexibilisation Scheme, which
was notified by the Government of India in 2018.
• Potential: The floating solar project has the potential to generate electricity from more than 1 lakh solar PV
modules.
• The project was inaugurated by Sanjay Madan, Regional Executive Director (WR2 & SR), NTPC.
Key Points:
i.As per the statement of the Ministry of Power, the project could help to light around 7,000 households and also
avoid the emission of at least 46,000 tons of CO2 every year (during the lifespan of the project).
ii.The project could save around 1,364 million litres of water per annum, which would be sufficient to meet the
yearly water requirements of 6,700 households.
iii.Now, NTPC Group has 71 power stations including 29 renewable projects with a total installed capacity of
66,900 MW.
iv.It has over 17 GW of capacity under construction, including 5 GW of renewable energy projects. NTPC plans to
invest Rs 1 trillion between 2019 and 2024 to become a 130GW power producer by 2032.
v.Simhadri Thermal power Station: The 2000MW coal-based power Station is the 1st power project to
implement an open sea intake from the Bay of Bengal.
vi.NTPC is also planning to set up a hydrogen-based micro-grid system on a pilot basis at its Simhadri power
plant.
Note – Flexibilisation Scheme: In 2018, the Ministry of Power has introduced the flexibilisation scheme to create
flexibility in power generation and scheduling of Thermal Power stations.
NTPC Renewable Energy Ltd (NTPC REL), the subsidiary of NTPC also made an agreement with the Union
Territory of Ladakh for a green hydrogen mobility project.
NTPC Ltd unveiled its target to install 60 GW (or 60,000 MW) of renewable energy capacity (wind and solar) by
2032, as part of its plans to reduce 10% of its net energy intensity by 2032. With this, NTPC Ltd became India’s
1st energy company to declare energy compact goals as part of UN High-level Dialogue on Energy 2021 (HLDE)
2021.

About NTPC Ltd:
CMD – Gurdeep Singh
PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates & Lays Foundation Stone for Various Projects in Somnath,
Gujarat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has Inaugurated & laid foundation Stone for various projects in Somnath, Gujarat
Virtually.
i.PM Modi inaugurated the following projects
• The Somnath Promenade,
• The Somnath Exhibition Centre
• Reconstructed Temple precinct of Old (Juna) Somnath.
ii.The Prime Minister laid the foundation Stone of Parvatimata Temple in Somnath Temple premises.
iii.Under Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) Scheme, announced in
2014, the Ministry of Tourism is developing 40 major places of pilgrimage out of which, 15 are already completed.
In Gujarat, work is on for three projects worth around Rs.180 crore.
iv.In Gujarat under PRASHAD scheme are Development of Pilgrimage Amenities at Maa Ambaji Temple,
Banaskantha & Development of Public Plaza/Entry plaza at Somnath.
About Somnath Temple
• It is located in Veraval in Saurashtra, Gujarat.
• It is believed to the 1st among the 12 Jyotirlinga Shrines of Shiva
• The chairman of Somnath mandir trust is PM Narendra Modi
Fact: In the 2019-Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index released by World Economic Forum (WEF), India
ranked at 34th place from 65th in 2013.
About Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) Scheme
• Launched in 2015 & comes under Ministry of Tourism
• It aims Integrated development of Pilgrimage destinations in planned, prioritised & sustainable manner to
provide complete religious tourism experience.
About Gujarat
Governor – Acharya Devvrat
National Park – Gir, Blackbuck and Marine
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Girnar, Pania, Ratanmahal sloth bear and Purna
FM Nirmala Sitharaman launches INR 250 crore Ubharte Sitaare Fund

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched Ubharte Sitaare Fund (USF) of Corpus INR 250
crore with a green shoe option of INR 250 crore for Export oriented Small & mid sized companies across the
country.
• USF is jointly funded by Export and Import (EXIM) Bank of India & Small Industries Development Bank of
India (SIDBI)
• It is an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) with a contribution of INR 40 crore each by EXIM Bank & SIDBI
has been registered with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in July 2021.
Ubharte Sitaare Fund (USF)
i.Objective: To identify and Invest in small and mid-sized companies in the Manufacturing and Services
sector with good Export potential that could be future champions of export & handhold them through the growth
phase.
ii.Sitharaman has announced about the fund in her Budget speech 2020 in the backdrop of the constraints faced
by small & mid-sized companies in realizing their Export ambitions.
iii.The Fund will invest by way of equity, and equity like products in export-oriented units, both in the
manufacturing and services sectors, across the country

iv.The identified companies will be assisted in their Growth & Export strategies through a mix of structured
support that includes both financial and advisory services in the form of equity, debt & technical assistance.
Points to be noted :-
During the same event, Punjab National Bank had sanctioned a loan of Rs 5,100 crore for implementation of
the Ganga Expressway, a 594 km long, 6-lane wide (expandable to 8) greenfield expressway project to the
Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA).The total cost of the project is nearly Rs
36,000 crore and will pass through 12 districts in UP.
Recent Related News
In August 2021, the Government of India (GoI) announced the rates & guidelines for Remission of Duties & Taxes
on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme to boost India’s Exports & boost liquidity for Exporters.
About Small Industries Development Bank of India SIDBI
Establishment – April 1990.
Chairman & Managing Director – Sivasubramanian Ramann
Headquarters– Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
About Export and Import (EXIM) Bank of India
Deputy Managing Director – Harsha Bangari, N.Ramesh
Regulated by Reserve Bank of India
India’s first Smog Tower Inaugurated by Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi

India’s first smog tower launched in Delhi as a pilot project by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at Baba
Kharak Marg, Connaught Place.It was developed by IIT-Delhi and IIT- Bombay.
Objective – To improve the air quality.
Nodal Agency – Delhi Pollution Control Committee(DPCC).
About the Smog Tower:
i.The new tower- It is about 20m tall, set up to improve the air quality in a radius of around 1 km.
ii.Financial Outlay-The tower was built at the cost of INR 20 crores, which was financed by the government of
Delhi.
iii.The towers have 1200 air filters. Which are developed by experts of University of Minnesota of the United
States.
iv.Working Process:
• A total of 40 fans have been installed at the bottom of the tower. Air will be sucked in from the top of the
tower, filtered and released through the fans at the bottom.
v.IIT-Delhi and IIT- Bombay were the technical advisors for the project.The Performance Report on a monthly
basis will be presented by the scientists of Delhi Pollution Control Committee(DPCC).
vi.This smog tower has the capacity to purify 1000 cubic metres of air per second and it is estimated that it will
reduce PM2.5 concentration by around 70%.
Other Development:
• Tata Projects Limited(TPL) is also building two new smog towers and technical support is being provided by
IIT- Delhi and IIT-Bombay.
• Another 25m tall tower built by the Central Government at Anand Vihar is expected to be launched by
August 31. Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) is the nodal agency.
About Delhi:
Festival: Bhai Dooj Festival, Chhat Festival, Lohri
Stadium : Arun Jaitley Stadium (Previously known as ‘Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium’), Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium ,
Thyagaraj Sports Complex

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Launched National Monetisation Pipeline
Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman launched the asset monetisation pipeline of
Central ministries and public sector entities named ‘National Monetisation pipeline’ (NMP).
• The NMP report was developed by NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) in consultation
with infrastructure line ministries.
• Objective: To list out the government’s (govt) infrastructure assets that are to be sold in the next 4 years.
• The total monetisation potential under NMP through core assets of the central govt over the 4-year period
(i.e. from FY22 to FY25) is estimated at Rs 6 lakh crores.
What is Monetisation?
It is the process of earning revenue from an asset business by converting the assets into cash or a form that is
easily convertible into cash.
Background:
i.The Union Budget 2021-22 has identified the monetisation of operating public infrastructure assets for
sustainable infrastructure financing.
ii.Hence to achieve the financing, the Budget mandated the preparation of an NMP for Brownfield Infrastructure
Assets.
Key Points:
i.Inclusion: The NMP includes the assets of central govt line ministries and Central Public Sector Enterprises
(CPSEs) in infrastructure sectors. The collation of asset pipelines from states will also be included in future.
ii.Exclusion: Monetization through disinvestment and monetization of non-core assets are not included in the
NMP report.
iii.Two volumes of NMP:
• The NMP report has 2 volumes, in which, Volume I acts as a guidebook for detailing the conceptual
approaches and potential models for asset monetisation.
• Volume II acts as a roadmap for monetisation, including the pipeline of core infrastructure assets under the
Central Govt.
iv.The estimated value of Rs 6 lakh crores is equivalent to ~14 percent of the proposed outlay for the Centre
under National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) (Rs 43 lakh crore).
• 15 percent of assets with a value of Rs 0.88 lakh crore are envisaged to be rolled out in FY22.
v.Sectors under the pipeline:
• The different sectors under the monetisation pipeline include roads, ports, airports, railways, warehousing,
gas & product pipeline, power generation and transmission, mining, telecom, stadium, hospitality, and
housing.
• The top 5 sectors are estimated to capture ~83 percent of the aggregate pipeline value. The top 5 sectors
include Roads (27 percent), Railways (25 percent), Power (15 percent), oil & gas pipelines (8 percent), and
Telecom (6 percent).
Participants: Vice Chairman (NITI Aayog), CEO (NITI Aayog), and Secretaries of infrastructure line ministries,
Secretary (Department of Economic Affairs), and Secretary (Department of Investment and Public Asset
Management) have participated in the launch.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the World Environment Day event virtually on June 5, 2021 and
released the report – ‘Report of the Expert Committee on Road Map for ethanol blending in India 2020-2025’
which was provided by NITI Aayog and MoPNG
About Ministry of Finance:
Union Minister – Nirmala Sitharaman (Constituency – Karnataka)
Minister of State – Pankaj Chaowdhary (Constituency – Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh), Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad
(Constituency – Maharashtra)

About NITI Aayog:
Establishment – January 1, 2015
Chairperson – Prime Minister (Current – Narendra Modi)
CEO – Amitabh Kant
Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan & Virendra Kumar Jointly Launched Various Initiatives
under NEP-2020
Union Education & Skill Development Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan & Union Minister for Social Justice and
Empowerment, Virendra Kumar Jointly launched various initiatives under the New Education Policy (NEP)-2020.
They are
• The booklet on the 1-year NEP-2020 Achievement document.
• Virtual School of the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)
• Release of ‘Priya-The Accessibility Warrior’- Accessibility booklet developed by the NCERT & the
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
• National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat
(Foundational Literacy & Numeracy) FLN tools & resources on DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge
Sharing)
• Alternate Academic Calendar of the National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT)
Virtual School of NIOS, a first of its kind Initiative
i.The School is a 1st of its kind Initiative in India for providing advanced digital learning platforms through
Virtual live classrooms & Virtual labs
ii.It will be a new model of learning & an example of technology and Innovation facilitating greater Inclusion in
Education.
Priya-The Accessibility Warrior
i.Government’s commitment to promote accessibility led to the development of the E-Comic cum Activity
Book, titled – ‘Priya- The Accessibility Warrior’.
• A girl named Priya who met an accident and could not walk, due to plastered leg. The story depicts how Priya
managed to participate in all activities at school, and in the process learnt the importance of the accessibility.
ii.It is developed jointly by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry
of Social Justice and Empowerment and Department of School Education and Literacy.
iii.The comic book is also available with Indian Sign Language (ISL) explanatory videos.
About NIPUN Bharat Mission
It aims to ensure that every child in India attains foundational literacy reading, writing, and numeracy by the
end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.
i.Purpose – To cover the learning needs of children in the age group of 3-9 years.
ii.The mission has been launched under the aegis of the centrally sponsored scheme of ‘Samagra Shiksha’ and
will be implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy.
iii.NIPUN Bharat FLN tools and resources has been made available under a separate vertical for FLN resources
developed under DIKSHA to assist and mentor States/UTs and teachers for implementing NIPUN Bharat
guidelines.
Alternate Academic Calendar of NCERT has been developed to facilitate teachers and parents to evaluate the
progress of learning ability of children.
About Ministry of Education
Union Minister – Dharmendra Pradhan (Rajya Sabha, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS) – Annapurna Devi Yadav (Koderma, Jharkhand)
NITI Aayog & WRI India Launched ‘Forum for Decarbonizing Transport’ in India
As a part of the Nationally Determined Contributions-Transport Initiative for Asia(NDC-TIA) project NITI
Aayog and World Resources Institute(WRI), India has jointly launched the ‘Forum for Decarbonizing Transport’

in India. The forum will act as a channel to bring in the diverse needs to adopt an integrated approach for
greening the transport sector in India.
Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog inaugurated the forum over the virtual event.
Aim:
To reduce the peak level of GHG emission (transport sector) in Asia (in line with a well below 2-degree pathway).
Features of Forum:
i.Through this forum WRI India, NITI Aayog and other project partners will work with the stakeholders to
formulate strategies and develop appropriate business models to accelerate electric mobility in India.
ii.The forum will also provide a platform to discuss the development of uniform policies and help achieve specific
results in reducing emissions from the transport sector.
iii.This forum will unite the CEOs, researchers, academics, multilateral agencies, financial institutions as well as
the Central and state government on a common platform.
iv.This will also support the development of innovative business models resulting in targeted results and the
holistic growth of the electric mobility space in India.
About NDC TIA:
i.NDC Transport Initiative for Asia(NDC-TIA), a part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) is a joint
programme of 7 organisations that engages China, India and Vietnam over the period 2020-2024.
ii.The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) support the initiative
on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag.
Aim:
To promote a coherent strategy of effective policies for decarbonizing transport coordinated among various
sector ministries, civil society and private sector.
Note:
NITI Aaygog is the implementing partner for the India component of the NDC-TIA project.
Dr. Rakesh Sarwal, Additional Secretary of NITI Aayog & Keisuke Sadamori, Director of Energy Markets and
Security, International Energy Agency (IEA) jointly launched the ‘Renewables Integration in India 2021’ prepared
by NITI Aayog & IEA.
• The report is based on the outcome of Workshops held with State Governments of Maharashtra, Karnataka
and Gujarat. The workshops were held to understand the specific energy transition challenges faced by the
renewable-rich states.
About Niti Aayog:
CEO– Amitabh Kant
Headquarters– New Delhi
Established on– 1 January 2015
GoI launches ‘Operation Devi Shakti’ to Evacuate Indians from Afghanistan

The Government of India (GoI) has launched a rescue mission named ‘Operation Devi Shakti’ to evacuate
stranded Indians from the Taliban-Captured Afghanistan.
• The operation is carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF), Air India & the officials at the Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA) in collaboration with the US and several other countries.
• India has evacuated more than 800 people so far, since the Taliban captured Afghanistan.
Recent Developments in Afghanistan
i.Taliban has taken control of Afghanistan nearly 20 years after the US led military alliance left the country.
ii.Amrullah Saleh, Afghanistan’s 1st Vice President declared himself as the caretaker president of Afghanistan,
after former President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.
About Afghanistan
Former President – Ashraf Ghani
Capital – Kabul
Currency – Afghani

GoI launches SAMRIDH programme to support 300 IT Startups
Government of India (GoI) has launched the Startup Accelerator of Meity for Product Innovation, Development &
Growth (SAMRIDH) programme to support 300 Information Technology (IT) enabled Startups for a period
of 6 months.
• It aims to create 100 unicorns out of the selected IT Startups by providing Seed funding, Mentorship and
Market access.
• Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (Meity) will provide seed funds of upto INR 40 lakh &
mentorship for 6 months for the selected startups.
• The programme has been modelled on the basis of Ycombinator, one of the successful startup accelerator
programmes started in the United States.
• During the launch event, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union minister for Electronics & IT highlighted the need of
mentoring startups as the most important measure to convert their Ideas into products
Note: Unicorn is a term to describe tech startups that are valued at more than USD 1 billion.
MSH partners with MergerDomo to Strengthen Startup Ecosystem in India
Meity Startup Hub (MSH), an initiative by Meity focussed on building a deep tech ecosystem across India has
partnered with MergerDomo, a fundraising & startup advisory platform to Strengthen startup ecosystem in
India.
• The partnership aims to support the startups on various aspects such as Investor engagement, Corporate
Connects, Pitch evaluation & Strategic Planning.
Recent Related News
In April 2021, Union Commerce & Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal launched the Startup India Seed Fund Scheme
of INR 945 crore to build a robust startup ecosystem in Tier-2 & Tier-3 towns of India.
About Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (Meity)
Union Minister – Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha- Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS) – Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Rajya Sabha – Karnataka)
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates Centre for Research & Innovation in AI at
IIT-H
Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education has virtually inaugurated the Centre for Research and
Innovation in Artificial Intelligence(AI) established at the Indian Institute of Technology-Hyderabad(IIT-H) in
collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) and Honeywell Technology Solutions(HTS).
• He also inaugurated the 1st Academic building of the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical
Engineering, High-Performance Computing Centre and High-Resolution Electron Microscopy Facility.
‘SUJALAM’ , A 100 Days ODF Plus Campaign launched by Ministry of Jal Shakti
The Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched a 100 Days campaign – ‘SUJALAM’ as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav
celebrations to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus Status in villages across the country by undertaking
waste water management at the village level.
Key activities:
• It aims to create 1 million Soak-pits & other grey water management activities in the villages.
• Retrofitting of toilets through Information, Education & Communication (IEC) & community participation.
• Ensure all the new households in the villages have access to toilets.
• It will help in ensuring the sustainable management of water bodies & to revive water bodies in the villages.
• Organizing Community consultations, Khuli Baithaks & Gram Sabha meetings to analyze the current
situation & Pass resolution to maintain ODF sustainability
• The campaign will boost the implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBMG), phase-
Ⅱ activities by increasing awareness about ODF-plus status through community participation.
About Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBMG)-phase-Ⅱ
i.It will be implemented from 2020-21 to 2024-25 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti
ii.It focuses on ODF-Plus status which includes ODF sustainability & Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM)

About Ministry of Jal Shakti
Union Minister – Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Jodhpur, Rajasthan)
Minister of State (MoS) – Prahlad Singh Patel (Damoh, Madhya Pradesh), BIshweswar Tudu (Mayurbhanj,
Odisha)
USTDA & USISPF Launched the US-India Climate Technologies Action Group
The United States(US) Trade and Development Agency(USTDA) and the US India Strategic Partnership Forum
(USISPF) launched the US-India Climate Technologies Action Group(CTAG) which aims to integrate private and
public sector inputs on a concrete initiative that can contribute to advanced global action on climate.
About CTAG:
The US-India CTAG will facilitate,
• The US industry input on the latest climate resilient technologies.
• Share the US business models with the Indian market to accelerate the development of the clean energy
sector, mobilise capital for climate smart infrastructure projects in India and
• Strengthen the US-India bilateral relationship.
High level dialogue:
During the launch event, the senior government officials and business leaders from India and US were engaged in
a high level dialogue on “Accelerating the Adoption of Climate Technology in India”
Additional info:
During the launch of CTAG, the workshop series titled “Energy Resiliency Workshop Series – India” led by
USTDA, IHS Markit and USIN foundation was also launched.
About US Trade and Development Agency(USTDA):
Acting Director– Enoh T. Ebong
Headquarters– Arlington, Virginia, United States of America
About US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF):
President and CEO– Dr. Mukesh Aghi
Headquarters– Washington, DC, USA
MeitY Launched Amrit Mahotsav App Innovation Challenge 2021 for Indian Entrepreneur and
Start-ups
The government of India announced the Amrit Mahotsav App Innovation Challenge 2021 for Indian
entrepreneurs and start-ups. Minister of state for Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY),
Rajeev Chandrasekhar launched the challenge in New Delhi. It’s a continuation of last year’s Aatmanirbhar App
Innovation Challenge.
Objective – To boost the development of Indian apps and enhance the promotion of existing apps
Key points
• The challenge will be available on – innovateindia.mygov.in and 30th September would be last date for
submission
• Main categories- Culture & Heritage, Health, Education, Games, Entertainment, Agriculture, Business, Social
media, Emerging tech, Fintech, Navigation and others
• Only Indian entrepreneurs are allowed to participate no foreign citizen allowed
Evaluation Process-
i.There shall be 16 categories and 48 winners from different fields will be selected as compared to last year it
only had 28 categories and chose 24 winners.
ii.It will be done in 2 stages-Stage 1 is screening stage and stage 2 is demo stage, special jury will be involved over
here.
iii.Prize categorization- 1st prize Rs 25 lakh, 2nd prize Rs 15 lakh, 3rd prize 10 lakh will be awarded.
About Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY)-
Union minister- Ashwini Vaishnaw (Constituency – Odisha)
Minister of State- Rajeev Chandrasekhar( Constituency- Karnataka)

Niti Aayog, Cisco launched ‘WEP Nxt’ to boost Women Entrepreneurship in India
On August 26, 2021, NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog launched the next phase of its
flagship platform Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) titled ‘WEP Nxt’ in partnership with Cisco.
• Under this, Cisco’s technology and experience of working with India’s startups will be utilized to foster
women entrepreneurship in India.
About WEP:
i.Initiated in 2017 by NITI Aayog, it is a 1st of its kind unified portal for women from diverse backgrounds which
offers them access to a multitude of resources. It focuses on the needs of Indian women entrepreneurs across 6
verticals viz.
• Funding & Financial Management, Incubation Connects, Taxation & Compliance Support, Entrepreneur
Skilling & Mentorship, Community & Networking, and Marketing Assistance.
ii.The platform currently hosts over 16,000 registered users and 30 partners.
iii.This platform not only aids in innovation but also helps in the creation of 170 million jobs by 2030 resulting in
a rise in India’s annual GDP by 1.5%.
Key Points:
i.As a part of this initiative, Cisco, in collaboration with the Nasscom (National Association of Software and Service
Companies) Foundation, Sattva Consulting, and the DeAsra Foundation will address the challenges faced by
women entrepreneurs at individual and enterprise levels
ii.As per the 6th Economic Census, women only constitute 13.76% of the total entrepreneurs, i.e., 8.05 million out
of the 58.5 million entrepreneurs in India.
Participants during Launch:
Amitabh Kant (CEO NITI Aayog), Anna Roy (Senior Adviser NITI Aayog); Maria Martinez (EVP & COO, Cisco);
Daisy Chittilapilly (President, Cisco India); and Harish Krishnan, (Managing Director, Public Affairs and Strategic
Engagements, Cisco India)
About CISCO:
Chair and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Chuck Robbins
Headquarters– San Jose, California, United States
MoE’s Innovation Cell, BPR&D & AICTE launched Manthan 2021 Hackathon for National Security
Neeraj Sinha Additional Director General of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) and Prof. Anil
D. Sahasrabudhe, Chairman of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) launched the MANTHAN-
2021, a first of its kind Hackathon focused on National Security.
Manthan- 2021 is organized by BPR&D in coordination with the Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Education and
AICTE over a virtual platform.
About MANTHAN-2021:
MANTHAN-2021 is a national initiative to identify innovative concepts and technology solutions to address the
security challenges of the 21st century faced by the intelligence agencies of India.
Challenge Statements:
i.The BPR&D has released 20 challenge statements that offer an opportunity for the youngsters to develop
innovative solutions for the challenges faced by the security agencies.
ii.The participants have to develop a digital solution under the 6 themes for 20 challenge statements using
technologies like artificial intelligence, deep learning, augmented reality and machine learning.
iii.The participants can register for the 36-hour hackathon on the official website of MANTHAN-2021 from 26th
August 2021.
MANTHAN 2021 selection:
i.The MANTHAN 2021 will have 2 phases, in 1st phase, the participants will submit their solutions for the
challenge statements.
ii.The submitted solutions will be evaluated and selected for the grand finale scheduled from 28th November and
the best ideas will be declared as winners.
iii.The winning team will receive prize money of Rs 40 Lakh.

About Innovation cell of MoE:
The Innovation Cell was established by the Ministry of Education(MoE).
Chief Innovation Officer(CIO)– Dr Abhay Jere
About Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D):
BPR&D was established under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Director-General– V.S.K. Kaumudi, IPS
Rajnath Singh Inaugurates Stadium Named After Neeraj Chopra

Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh renamed Army Sports Institute stadium of Army Sport Institute (ASI), Pune as
“Neeraj Chopra Stadium”,after the Olympic Gold Medalist Neeraj Chopra. The inauguration ceremony was held
in the presence of Army Chief General MM Naravane and Neeraj Chopra.
Key points
• ASI Pune is a prestigious institute of the country. The athletes have secured 34 Olympians, 22
Commonwealth medals, 21 Asian games medals, 13 Arjuna awards and many more.
About Neeraj Chopra
i.Neeraj Chopra, an Indian javelin thrower from Panipat, Haryana, won the gold medal at the Men’s Javelin throw
at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
ii.He became the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal for Independent India.
iii.He won the gold medal at both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games held in 2018,
iv.He was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2018
Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi Launched “Vriksharopan Abhiyan – 2021”
Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Coal virtually launched the “Vriksharopan Abhiyan – 2021” as a part of the Azadi Ka
Amrut Mahotsav. Around 300 plantation sites around the coalfield across India will be connected through this
Abhiyan.
Vriksharopan Abhiyan – 2021 includes environmental sustainability in mining operations and enable the coal
sector to obtain a social and environmental licence to operate.
• Under the “Go Greening” drive, coal Public sector undertakings(PSUs) of the Ministry of Coal has targeted to
cover 2385 hectares of area under bio-reclamation/plantation.
FESTIVALS
Tiwa tribe of Karbi Anglong district, Assam celebrated Wanchuwa Festival 2021
On August 18, 2021, the Tiwa tribal community living in the hills celebrated the Wanchuwa festival 2021 in
Morten Village in Karbi Anglong District of Assam. This festival is related to agriculture as it marks a good
harvest and also involves prayers for protection from pests and natural calamities.
• On this day Tiwa tribesmen perform their traditional dance in their native attire along with a bunch of rituals
performed by people clad in their native attires.
About Tiwa Tribe:
Also known as Lalung tribe, Tiwa tribe’s people are a part of Bodo Kachari group. They mainly live in Assam and
Meghalaya and also found in some parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
• The word ‘Ti’ means water and ‘Wa’ means superior.
OTHER NEWS
Jitendra Singh released ‘Biotech-PRIDE’ Guidelines, 1st of its kind by DBT
On July 30, 2021, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science & Technology
released ‘Biotech-PRIDE (Promotion of Research and Innovation through Data Exchange) Guidelines’ developed
by Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology.
• These Guidelines will be implemented through Indian Biological Data Centre (IBDC) at the Regional Centre
for Biotechnology supported by DBT.

• The Minister also launched the website of IBDC.
• Biotech-PRIDE is the 1st of its kind by the DBT.
• The PRIDE Guidelines will be helpful to harmonize, synergize and encourage the data sharing for research
and analysis in the country and to promote scientific work and foster progress by building on previous work.
Key Points:
i.The guidelines aim at providing a well-defined framework to facilitate sharing of biological knowledge,
information and data across the country to promote research and innovation in different research groups.
ii.Other existing data centres will be bridged to this IBDC which will be called Bio-Grid.
• Bio-Grid will be a National Repository for biological knowledge, information and data and will be
responsible for enabling its exchange, developing measures for safety, standards and quality for datasets and
establishing detailed modalities for accessing data.
iii.These guidelines will also avoid duplication and wasteful expenditure of resources on research.
iv.Notably, India ranks number 4 amongst the top 20 countries contributing biological databases.
DBT issued a Special Call to Farmers of North East Region (NER) under its Mission Programme ‘Biotech-Krishi
Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech-KISAN)’. The objective is to understand the local problems of
NER farmers and provide scientific solutions to solve them.
About Department of Biotechnology (DBT):
Establishment– 1986 under the Ministry of Science & Technology
Secretary– Dr. Renu Swarup
112th Annual Day of NCDC celebrated; Presided by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya
The 112th Annual Day celebrations of National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) were held in New Delhi. Its
function was presided over by Union Minister Mansukh Laxmanbhai Mandaviya, Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoHFW).
• During the event, he virtually inaugurated the Whole Genome Sequencing National Reference Laboratory for
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Biosafety level (BSL) 3 Laboratory along with a PG (Paying Guest)
hostel and Guest House.
Other Launches:
i.The Union Minister launched the National Health Adaptation Plan on Air Pollution and National Health
Adaptation Plan on Heat along with infographics.
ii.He also launched the first newsletter under the ‘National Programme on Climate Change and Human
Health’ developed by Centre of Environmental and Occupational Health, Climate Change and Health at NCDC.
iii.The minister along with Minister of State (MoS) Dr. Bharati Pawar, MoHFW unveiled IEC materials (Print,
Audio & Video) on 7 priority zoonotic diseases namely Rabies, Scrub Typhus, Brucellosis, Anthrax, CCHF, Nipah,
Kyasanur Forest Disease in India created by ‘National One health Programme for prevention and Control of
Zoonoses’ under the Division of Zoonotic Disease Programme at NCDC.
Participants:
Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary; Dr Sunil Kumar, Director General Health Services, Dr. Sujeet
Singh, Director, NCDC; Dr Roderico H. Ofrin, WHO (World Health Organization) Representative to India were
present during the function.
Haryana Police secures 1st Position in India under CCTNS

The Haryana Police with 100 per cent marks, secured the 1st position in India under Crime and Criminal Tracking
Network System (CCTNS). Gujarat Police secured the 2nd position, while Himachal Pradesh was placed third.
• CCTNS was created for a comprehensive and integrated system for effective policing through e-
Governance.

• The main objective behind the creation of CCTNS is to create a nationwide networking infrastructure for
the evolution of IT-enabled modern tracking systems around ‘Investigation of crime and detection of
criminals’.
• It has integrated more than 14,000 police stations across India.
Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS)
i.The system was approved by the Cabinet in 2009. An allocation of INR 2000 crores was made for the CCTNS
Project.
ii.It is a Mission Mode Project under the National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) of Government of India and is
implemented by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
iii.Under the scheme, State Police departments have to upgrade the systems under certain parameters.
On 3rd February 2021, the 2nd Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems (CCTNS) Hackathon and Cyber
Challenge 2020-21 of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) was inaugurated in New Delhi.
About National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB)
It is part of the Ministry of Home Affairs
Director – Ramphal Pawar
44th Session of WHC: 34 Cultural, Natural sites added to UNESCO Heritage List
The Extended 44th Session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) was held in Fuzhou, China from July 16-31,
2021. It was organized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in
cooperation with China.
• The 44th session was chaired by Tian Xuejun, Vice
Minister of Education and Chairperson of the National
Commission of China for UNESCO.
• During the session, 34 properties (29 Cultural & 5
Natural sites) were inscribed on the UNESCO Heritage
List. 3 properties were extended.
• The current session’s inscriptions bring the total
number of sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage to
1154.
• The 45th session of the WHC has been scheduled to take place in Kazan, Russia from June 19-30, 2022, under
the Chair of Alexander Kuznetsov.
Indian Sites
i.From India, 2 sites were added to the World Heritage List. They are
• Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana (Cultural Site) – India’s 39th World Heritage Site.
• Dholavira: a Harappan City, Gujarat (Cultural Site) – 40th World Heritage Site.
ii.With the addition of 2 sites, India now has 40 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (32 Cultural, 7 Natural & 1 Mixed
Property).
• With this, India now enters the Super-40 club for World Heritage Site inscriptions. Apart from India, Italy,
Spain, Germany, China and France have 40 or more World Heritage Sites.
• Maharashtra has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites (5).
Dholavira: a Harappan City
Dholavira (locally known as Kotada timba), which was the Southern Centre of the Harappan Civilization, was
added to the list.
i.It is located on Khadir bet island in the Kachchh Desert Wildlife Sanctuary in the Great Rann of Kachchh.
• It is one of the best preserved urban settlements from the period 3000-1500 BCE in Southeast Asia,
consisting of a Fortified city and a cemetery.
• The site was discovered in 1967-68 by J.P. Joshi, of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It is the 5th
largest of 8 major Harappan sites.

• It is the 4th UNESCO World Heritage Site in Gujarat. The other 3 are Historic City of Ahmedabad; Rani ki Vav,
Patan; Champaner & Pavagadh Archaeological Park.
Newly Inscribed Cultural Inscriptions, 2020 Nominations
Site Name Place
S.No
Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France,
1 The Great Spa Towns of Europe Germany, Italy, United Kingdom
Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western

2 Segment) Austria, Germany, Slovakia
3 Colonies of Benevolence Belgium, Netherlands
4 Sítio Roberto Burle Marx Brazil
5 Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China China
6 Cordouan Lighthouse France
7 Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt Germany
8 Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple Telangana, India
9 Trans-Iranian Railway Iran
10 Padua’s fourteenth-century fresco cycles Italy
Dutch Water Defence Lines, inscribed as an extension to the

11 World Heritage site of Defence Line of Amsterdam Netherlands
12 Chankillo Archaeoastronomical Complex Peru
13 Roșia Montană Mining Landscape Romania
14 Himā Cultural Area Saudi Arabia
Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and

15 Sciences Spain
16 Arslantepe Mound Turkey
17 The work of engineer Eladio Dieste: Church of Atlántida Uruguay
Newly inscribed natural sites, 2020 nominations

Site Name Place
S.No
1 Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands Georgia
Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote
2 Island Japan

South
3 Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats Korea
4 Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex Thailand
Newly inscribed cultural sites, 2021 nominations

Site Name Place
S.No
Settlement and Artificial Mummification of the Chinchorro Culture in the Arica and
1 Parinacota Region Chile
2 Sudanese style mosques in northern Côte d’Ivoire Ivory Coast
3 Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera France
4 ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz Germany
Germany,
5 Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes Netherlands
6 Dholavira: a Harappan City Gujarat, India
7 Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat Iran
8 The Porticoes of Bologna Italy
9 Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan Japan
10 As-Salt – The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality Jordan
The Franciscan Ensemble of the Monastery and Cathedral of Our Lady of the
Assumption of Tlaxcala , inscribed as an extension of the World Heritage property of
11 Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl Mexico
12 Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea Russia
13 The works of Jože Plečnik in Ljubljana – Human Centred Urban Design Slovenia
UK &Northern
14 The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales Ireland)
Inscribed natural property and extension, 2021 nominations:

Site Name Place
S.No
1 Ivindo National Park Gabon
Extension to Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of Bosnia Herzegovina, Czechia, France, Italy, North
2 the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia, Switzerland
Key Highlights
i.Salonga National Park (Congo) was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger.

ii.Rosia Montana Mining Landscape (Romania) was simultaneously added on the World Heritage List and on the
List of World Heritage in Danger.
iii.The World Heritage Committee delisted Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City (UK) from the World Heritage
List, due to irreversible loss of the attributes for which it was inscribed.
December 8, 2020, UNESCO has inscribed the fort cities of Gwalior and Orchha in Madhya Pradesh (MP) in its
world heritage cities under urban landscape city programme
About World Heritage Committee (WHC)
Chairperson – Tian Xuejun
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Director-General – Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters – Paris, France
INR 120 Crore released in FY 21 under National SC/ST Hub to support Entrepreneurs
During a session in Parliament, Union Minister for MSME (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises), Narayan
TatuRane stated that funds of INR 120 Crore were released in FY 21 under the National Scheduled
Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) Hub (NSSH), to provide financial support to SC/ST Entrepreneurs.
• It is a 50% increase compared to INR 79.65 crore allocated in FY 20.
i.Central Government has set up 15 National SC/ST Hub Offices (NSSHOs) across India for mentoring and
handholding SC/ST entrepreneurs across areas like bid participation, finance facilitation, e-tender training, GeM
(Government e-Marketplace), Udyam registration.
• According to the MSME Sambandh portal, SC/ST entrepreneurs share in the public procurement has
remained around 0.55 per cent since FY19 against the 4 per cent annual sub-target set for central ministries,
departments, and PSUs to procure out of their 25 per cent annual target from MSEs.
ii.Under the capacity building programme of NSSH, around 26,360 SC/ST candidates have been trained.
National SC/ST Hub
The National SC/ST Hub was set up in October, 2016 to provide support to SC/ST Entrepreneurs to fulfil
obligations under the Central Government Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises Order
2012, adopt applicable business practices and utilize the Stand Up India initiative.
• The National SC/ST Hub is operated by National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC), a public sector
undertaking under the Ministry of MSME.
About National SC/ST Hub (NSSH)
Chairperson of High Powered Monitoring Committee – Union Minister for MSME (Narayan TatuRane)
MoSJE Forms ‘I-MESA’ to conduct Social Audit of Social Sector Schemes

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) has formulated a scheme ‘Information-Monitoring,
Evaluation and Social Audit (I-MESA)’ in FY 2021-22.
• Under the scheme, Social Audits will be conducted for all the schemes of the MoSJEstarting FY 2021-22.
The audits will be done through Social Audit Units (SAU) of the States and National Institute for Rural
Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR).
India’s lightest and Pune’s 1st metro unveiled by Titagarh Wagons in Italy; 1st Goods Train on
Haldibari-Chilahati rail link flagged off
On August 2, 2021, Titagarh Wagons Ltd, a company based out of Titagarh in West Bengal, held a virtual
ceremony to display its first train for Pune Metro (Maharashtra) which was manufactured by its subsidiary in
Italy (Europe), Titagarh Firema SpA Plant. It will be India’s first lightest metro trainset as it is being
manufactured with Aluminium for the first time in our country.

• The subsidiary was awarded a contract for the design, manufacture and supply of 34 trains of three coaches
each for Pune Project of Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MAHA-METRO) on September 12,
2019.
• The virtual ceremony was attended by Ambassador of India to Italy, Neena Malhotra; Ambassador of Italy
to India, Vincenzo de Luca; Maharashtra Metro Cooperation Managing Director Brijesh Dixit; and others.
Key Points:
i.The first train is scheduled to arrive in Pune in September, 2021.
ii.Only three of the 34 trains (102 coaches) will be manufactured in Italy. The rest will be manufactured at
Titagarh Kolkata’s newly upgraded plant.
• All 34 trains are scheduled by March, 2024.
iii.These metro coaches are lighter (15.5T axle load) than the lightest coaches at present, which are at Nagpur-
Metro (16T axle load).
iv.The double-walled structure with extruded sections of the car body made of Aluminium in the Metro coaches
provides the required strength while reducing the weight.
v.These ultra-modern metro coaches cater highest safety standards, low carbon emission and better fuel
efficiency.
About Pune Metro:
i.It consists of two corridors, namely 17.4 km long PCMC (Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation) – Swargate
with 14 stations and 15.7 km long Vanaz – Ramwadi with 16 stations.
ii.The MAHA-METRO, a 50:50 jointly owned company of the government of India and the government of
Maharashtra, is the executing agency of the Rs 11,420 crore Pune Metro project.
First Goods Train on Haldibari-Chilahati rail link flagged off after 1965
The first goods train on Haldibari (West Bengal) – Chilahati (Bangladesh) rail link was flagged off carrying
construction material (stone chips) after 1965. It is a 5th rail link between India and Bangladesh which has been
operational since December 2020 following inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
• The distance between Haldibari Railway Station to the international border is 4.5 km and 7.5 km from
Chilahati.
• This route is the shortest for transit of goods between the two nations especially from Assam, Bengal, Nepal
and Bhutan to Bangladesh.
It will encourage the economic & social development of the region along with growth of regional trade.
Points to be noted:
i.Other 4 rail links between India and Bangladesh are Petrapole (India) and Benapole (Bangladesh); Gede (India)
and Darshana (Bangladesh); Singhabad (India) and Rohanpur (Bangladesh), Radhikapur (India) and Birol
(Bangladesh).
• All rail links from India are in West Bengal.
ii.The Haldibari-Chilahati rail link between India and Bangladesh (the then East Pakistan) was operational till
1965.
i.On 21st June 2021, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd.(NHSRCL) collaborated with Indian Green
Building Council (IGBC) to formulate World’s 1st Green Rating System for High-Speed Rails (HSR). Under this
collaboration, MAHSR (Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail) corridor, which is currently under the control of
NHSRC will be included for the Green HSR Rating program of IGBC.
About Indian Railways:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Chairman of Railway Board – Suneet Sharma

Central Government to setup Garima Grihas for Transgender persons
During a discussion in Parliament, Minister of State (MoS) for Social Justice and Empowerment A.
Narayanaswamy stated that Government is planning to set up Garima Grihas for Transgender persons with the
help of community-based organizations.
• Garima Grihas will provide safe and secure shelter to Transgender persons.
• 12 Pilot shelter homes have already been initiated.
BRO Constructed World’s Highest Road in Ladakh at 19,300 Feet Altitude; Beats Bolivia’s Record
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) constructed the world’s highest 52-km-long tarmac road or motorable
pass at Umling LA Pass in eastern Ladakh at an altitude of 19,300 feet which has surpassed the record of a road in
Bolivia, South America at 18,953 ft which connects to its volcano Uturuncu.
• This road will enhance socio-economic conditions and promote tourism in Ladakh.
Points to be noted
i.The road has been constructed at an altitude higher than the base camps of Mount Everest. The north base in
Tibet is at 16,900 feet, whereas the south base camp in Nepal is 17,598 feet.
ii.It is also above the altitude of Siachen Glacier which is at 17,700 feet and the Khardung LA Pass in Leh, Ladakh
is at an altitude of 17,582 feet.
iii.It connects the important towns in Chumar sector of eastern Ladakh by offering an alternate direct route
connecting Chisumle and Demchok from Leh.
GoI reduces MUDRA Loan Target to INR 3 trillion in FY 2021-22

Government of India (GoI) has set the Loan Disbursement Target under Pradhan Mantri MUDRA
Yojana (PMMY) at INR 3 trillion for the current Financial Year (FY) 2021-22. It is less than the target set in FY
2020-21 which was INR 3.21 Trillion.
i.The target has been lowered due to the increased allocation under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme
(ECLGS) for small businesses.
ii.In FY22, as on June 25th, loans worth INR 3,804 crore have been sanctioned by 13 Public Sector Banks (PSBs).
iii. In the previous FY 2020-21, the total loans disbursed under PMMY stood at INR 3.12 trillion, out of the
sanctioned amount of INR 3.21 trillion.
iv.In the FY 2019-20, total loans disbursed to the entrepreneurs were at INR 3.29 trillion out of the sanctioned
amount of INR 3.37 trillion.
Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY)
MUDRA stands for Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd.
i.It was launched in 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is implemented by the Ministry of Finance.
ii.It provides collateral free loans up to INR 10 lakh to the non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises.
iii.It has 3 Categories of loans such as
• Shishu – loans upto INR 50,000
• Kishore – loans from INR 50,000 to 5 lakh
• Tarun – loans from INR 5 lakh to 10 lakh
Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency (MUDRA)
Established in April, 2015, MUDRA is a financial institution, which provides funding to the non-corporate small
business sector through Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and Micro Finance Institutions
(MFIs)
• The Authorized Capital of MUDRA is INR 1000 Crore & the paid-up capital is INR 750 Crore, fully
subscribed by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
• It was initially formed as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
with 100% capital being contributed by it.
Recent Related News
April 9, 2021, The Ministry of Finance has stated that Banks & other Financial Institutions have sanctioned 28.68
Crore beneficiaries worth INR 14.96 Lakh Crore under PMMY, since its launch in 2015.

About MUDRA (Micro Units Development & Refinance Agency)
Established in April 2015 at New Delhi
Chairman – Sivasubramanian Raman
Head Office – Mumbai
Governors can Pardon Prisoners, including Death Row ones under Article 161: Supreme Court
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Hemant Gupta & AS Bopanna held that the Governor of a state can
pardon prisoners, including death row convicts, even before they have served a minimum 14 years of prison
sentence, as per constitutional powers granted to Governors under Article 161 of the Indian Constitution.
i.The court also noted that the sovereign power of a Governor to pardon a prisoner under Article 161 is actually
exercised by the State government and not the Governor on his own. So, the advice of the appropriate
government will be binding on the Governor.
ii.The Section 433-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), will not affect the constitutional power conferred
on the President/Governor to grant pardon to convicts (under Articles 72 or 161 of the Indian Constitution).
iii.As of now, only the President had the power to grant pardon in all cases including death sentence cases.
What does Section 433-A of the CrPC say?
i.Section 433A of the CrPC states that a prisoner’s sentence can be remitted only after 14 years of jail.
Remission Power of State Government
Under Section 432 of CrPC, State Governments can grant remission of sentence to a prisoner only if he
has undergone 14 years of actual imprisonment.
Pardoning Power of Governor & President
Article 72 – Power of the President to grant pardons, etc., and to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain
cases.
Article 161 – Power of Governor to grant pardons, etc., and to suspend, remit or commute sentences in certain
cases.
Types of Pardons
Pardon – Completely absolving the person of the crime and letting him go free.
Commutation – Changing the type of punishment given to the guilty into a less harsh one. For eg. Death penalty
commuted to a life sentence.
Reprieve – a delay allowed in the execution of a sentence, usually a death sentence, for a guilty person to allow
him some time to apply for Presidential Pardon or some other legal remedy to prove his innocence or successful
rehabilitation.
Respite – Reducing the quantum or degree of the punishment to a criminal in view of some special
circumstances, like pregnancy, mental condition etc.
Remission – Changing the quantum of the punishment without changing its nature, for example reducing twenty-
year rigorous imprisonment to ten years.
About Supreme Court
Chief Justice – Justice N.V. Ramana
Articles 124 to 147 in Part V of the Constitution of India deals with the Supreme Court.
IMD to install 200 Agro-Automatic Weather Stations for Farmers’ Benefit

In order to provide weather forecasts for farmers, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is all set to install
Agro-Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) at 200 District Agromet Units (DAMUs) located in Krishi Vigyan
Kendras (KVKs) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) network.
• These AWSs will be used for augmenting block level Agromet Advisory Services (AAS) under Gramin Krishi
Mausam Sewa (GKMS) scheme.
• This information was given by Minister of State (MoS) Dr Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)
in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

About GKMS:
It is implemented jointly by IMD, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and State Agricultural
Universities to provide weather-based crop and livestock management strategies for the benefit of the farmers
• Under this medium-range weather forecast at district and block level is generated. Based on the forecast,
Agromet Advisories are prepared and communicated by the Agromet Field Units (AMFUs) co-located with
State Agricultural Universities, and DAMUs at KVKs to farmers on every Tuesday and Friday.
• This helps farmers to make decisions on day-to-day agricultural operations resulting in reduction of
monetary loss and maximization of crop yield.
Points to be noted:
i.At present, 43.37 million farmers receive AAS through SMS (Short Message Service),
• AAS also provided through multi-channel dissemination systems like print and electronic media,
Doordarshan, radio, internet, Kisan Portal launched by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
(MoAFW) and also through private companies under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
ii.Earlier, mobile app ‘Meghdoot’ was launched by MoES to provide weather information including alerts and
related AAS specific to farmer’s districts.
India’s first Water Villas will be set up in Lakshadweep

For the first time in India, water villas will be set up in the Union Territory (UT) of Lakshadweep with an outlay
of Rs 800 crore. Similar to water villas in Maldives, these will be solar-powered and eco-friendly to provide
world-class facilities.
• The decision behind this development is to develop Lakshadweep like Maldives in order to promote tourism
and to benefit local residents.
About Lakshadweep:
It is India’s smallest Union Territory (UT).
Capital– Kavaratti
Governor– Praful Khoda Patel
TRIFED’s 34th Foundation Day – 6th August 2021

The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), under the Ministry of Tribal
Affairs(MoTA), celebrated its 34th Foundation day on 6th August 2021 to raise awareness about the issues
related to the trade in tribal regions and the need to ensure a fair deal for them.
• TRIFED was established on 6th August 1987 to enhance tribal development through marketing support for
handicrafts and Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP).
• The winners of the TRIFED’s Van Dhan Awards 2020-2021 were announced during the event.
• The award recognises the contributions and achievements of the Van Dhan Self Help Groups (VDSHG), Van
Dhan Vikas Kendra Clusters (VDVKCs), tribal artisans, forest produce gatherers and people working for
them.
RBI enhanced Collateral Free Loans to SHGs under DAY-NRLM to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 10 Lakh
On August 9, 2021, the collateral free loans to self-help groups (SHGs) provided under Deendayal Antyodaya
Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) have been enhanced to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 10 lakh
by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Under this enhancement, for loans to SHGs up to Rs 10 lakh there will be no collateral and no margin will be
charged, also, no lien should be marked against savings bank account of SHGs and no deposits should be
insisted upon while sanctioning loans.
• For loans to SHGs above Rs 10 lakh and up to Rs 20 lakh, no collateral should be charged and no lien should
be marked against savings bank account of SHGs.
• However, the entire loan (irrespective of the loan outstanding, even if it subsequently goes below ₹10 lakh)
would be eligible for coverage under Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units (CGFMU).

About DAY-NRLM:
In April 2011, the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) launched the National Rural Livelihood Mission
(NRLM) by restructuring Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY). Later, on March 29, 2015, NRLM was
renamed as DAY-NRLM.
Objective:
To promote poverty reduction through building institutional platforms for the poor, particularly women, and
providing them access to a range of financial services and livelihoods.
• It also enables the states to formulate their own state-specific poverty reduction action plans.
Target:
Its agenda is to cover 7 Crore rural poor households, across 600 districts, 6000 blocks, 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats
and 6 lakh villages through SHGs and federated institutions in a period of 8-10 years.
Points to be noted:
i.All women SHGs would be eligible for Interest subvention on credit up to Rs 3 lakh at subvented rate of 7% per
annum.
ii.SHGs availing capital subsidy under SGSY (Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana) in their existing credit
outstanding are not eligible for benefit under this scheme.
On June 2021, under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act
51 of 2007), RBI has expanded the scope of the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) by permitting the addition of
‘mobile prepaid recharges’ as an additional biller category in BBPS on a voluntary basis.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Establishment– 1st April 1935
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Governor– Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors– Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
Gurkhas will not be Prosecuted under Citizenship Act, 1955: Assam Cabinet
The Assam cabinet has decided to not prosecute any Gurkha member under the Citizenship Act, 1955. All the
pending cases relating to Gurkhas will also be withdrawn from the Foreigners Tribunal (FTs).
• It will also remove the illegal immigrants or foreigners tag for the Gurkhas who are original inhabitants
of Assam and are bona fide Indian citizens.
• The Assam cabinet has also included Gurkhas & 4 other indigenous communities – Ahoms, Morons, Motoks
and Chutias as ‘protected classes of persons’ in Sadiya tribal belt of the state.
Issues Faced by Gurkhas
i.Nearly 22,000 Gurkhas in Assam have been marked as D-Voters (Doubtful Voters) in the electoral rolls since
1997.
ii.The members of the Gurkha community were issued summons to appear before FT to prove citizenship, and
some members were put in detention centres meant for illegal immigrants under the citizenship law.
iii.The National Register of Citizens (NRC) (list of Indian citizens) taken up in Assam excluded 19.06 lakh persons
from the final NRC draft, which included around 1 lakh Gurkhas.
Steps Taken by Government to Sort the Issue
In 2018, MHA stated that the Gurkhas who were Indian citizens at the time of commencement of the Constitution
or those who are Indian citizens by birth, or those who have acquired Indian citizenship by registration
or Naturalisation in accordance with the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 are not “foreigners”
and therefore, such cases will not be referred to the FTs.
• In July 2021, Assam cabinet notified the Nepali Graziers and Cultivators mentioned in the (Assam Land and
Revenue Regulation,1886) as Gorkha Community in Bodoland Territorial Region.
i.On May 10, 2021, Himanta Biswa Sarma was sworn in as the 15th Chief Minister of Assam. He replaced
Sarbananda Sonowal.

ii.On December 22, 2020, Assam Cabinet headed by Former Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal approved the
‘Assam Official Language Amendment Bill’ for making Bodo (Devanagari script) also known as Boro as an
associate official language of the state.
About Assam
Governor – Jagdish Mukhi
National Parks – Manas, Nameri
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Amchang, Barail
India to host 1st India Internet Governance Forum 2021

Government of India (GoI) is set to host the 1st India Internet Governance Forum 2021 (IIGF 2021) in India from
October 20-22, 2021. IIGF 2021 will be conducted by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
(MeitY).
• The theme of the IIGF-2021 will be ‘’Inclusive Internet for Digital India‘’.
• IIGF is the Indian chapter of the United Nations based Internet Governance Forum. It will act as a
platform to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet.
• Over 10,000 participants are expected to participate in the event, more than 25 workshops across the digital
economy, digital governance, Trust, Security, Stability, Sustainability will be held during the forum.
Internet Connectivity in India
India has the highest data consumption per person per month and 2nd largest broadband subscription country
in the world after the USA.
About Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
Union Minister – Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha – Odisha)
Minister of State – Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Rajya Sabha – Karnataka)
IAF builds One of the World’s Highest Mobile ATC tower in Ladakh
One of the world’s Highest Mobile Air Traffic Control (ATC) towers has been built by the Indian Air Force
(IAF) in the Nyoma area of Ladakh at the Advanced Landing Ground.
• Main purpose of ATC is to control the operation of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters in the East Ladakh
region.
• It will help in controlling China’s activity in the Pangong Tso region of Ladakh and boost surveillance in Line
of Actual Control (LAC).
• India is also planning to develop Airfields in locations of
eastern ladakh such as Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO), Fukche
and Nyoma.
Strategic locations in ladakh
• Siachen Glacier – Located in east Karakoram range, it is
one of the World’s highest battle grounds. Also called
‘’3rd pole of the world’’.
• Pangong Tso – World highest salt water lake.
Reported Areas of Stand-Offs between India & ChinaAbout
Indian Air Force (IAF)
Founded: 8 October 1932
Commander-in-Chief: President Ram Nath Kovind
Chief of Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria
GoI grants Sanctions to Team CLAW to scale Siachen Glacier

The Government of India has accorded sanctions to Team CLAW (Conquer Land Air Water) to lead a team of
people with disabilities to scale Siachen Glacier. It is being undertaken as part of ‘Operation Blue Freedom’.
• It will be the new World Record for the largest team of people with disability.

• Operation Blue Freedom was launched by CLAW Global in 2019. It is a team of former Special Forces
Operatives of the Indian Army and the Indian Navy.
India’s Cleanest City Indore Declared as 1st Water Plus City of India
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has declared Indore, Madhya Pradesh, the cleanest city of
India, as the 1st ‘water plus’ city of India.
• Indore received the 1st Swachh Certification of Swachh
Bharat Mission (SBM) Water Plus from the MoHUA under
the Swachh Survekshan 2021(SS2021).
SBM Water Plus:
i.It is a certificate provided by the MoHUA to a city for
maintaining cleanliness in rivers and drains of its
administration.
• SS 2021, which was launched as part of the SBM is an
annual survey of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in
cities and towns across India.
• Water Plus is one of the parameters under the SBM Urban (along with ODF (Open Defecation Free) Plus, ODF
Double Plus) that is used to test the cleanliness of cities.
ii.A city/ward/circle/zone could be declared as Water Plus only if all wastewater released from households,
commercial establishments, drains, etc. is treated to a satisfactory level (as per Central Pollution Control Board
(CPCB) norms), before releasing to the environment.
• Indore has reused ~30 percent of recycled wastewater at construction sites and gardens.
iii.Validity: The certification of SBM Water Plus is valid for 6 months and the certification process needs to be
carried out every 6 months.
iv.Cooling-off Period: A cooling-off period of 1 month (from the date of certification failure) will be provided for
the cases of failure in certification for the 1st time.
v.Protocols under Certification of SBM Water Plus:
• A city could self-declare itself as ‘SBM Water Plus’ for the first time and need to communicate it to MoHUA.
• Upon request by the City/State to MoHUA, it will mobilize a third party to assess Service Level Status and
conduct Independent Observation within 30 days.
• Based on the recommendations of the third party (as per the assessment result) MoHUA will issue the
certificate.
Note – Surat, Gujarat also received the SBM Water Plus certification, it became the 1st city in Gujarat to receive
that.
On March 1, 2021, Durga Shanker Mishra, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
launched the field assessment for the 6th Edition of the Annual Cleanliness Survey ‘Swachh Survekshan 2021
(SS2021)’ (urban) in New Delhi, which is said to be World’s largest cleanliness survey.
About Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA):
Union Minister – Hardeep Singh Puri (Constituency – Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State – Kaushal Kishore (Constituency – Mohanlalganj, Uttar Pradesh)
The Installed Renewable Energy Capacity of India Crossed 100 GW

The total installed renewable energy capacity in India, excluding large Hydro, has crossed the milestone of 100
GigaWatts (GW). With this, India holds 4th position in the world in terms of installed Renewable Energy (RE)
capacity, 5th in solar and 4th in wind in terms of installed capacity.
Target – 100 GW achievement is considered to be part of India’s target of 450 GW of renewable energy capacity
by 2030, increasing 25 GW every year and it will reach 146 GW installed RE capacity if we include large hydro
projects.

Key points-
India has achieved power generation capacity of 383.73 GW(excluding hydro).
• Allocation of RE capacity such as 50GW is under installation and 27 GW is open for tendering purposes.
• Solar and wind generation recorded a high growth of 43.1GW in 2021.
• India plans to reduce its carbon footprint by 33-35% from its 2005 levels by 2030 and meet 40% of its
electricity needs from non-fossil fuel sources by then, as part of its commitments to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted by 195 countries in Paris in 2015.
About Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA)
It is the only public sector institution which is financing and providing capital support to the RE projects in India.
Chairman & Managing Director – Pradip Kumar Das
HQ – New Delhi
About Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
Union Minister – Raj Kumar Singh( Lok sabha Constituency- Arrah, Bihar)
Minister of State – Bagwanth Khuba (Lok sabha Constituency – Bidar,Karnataka)
MoEF&CC notifies Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 to Prohibit Single Use
Plastic Items by 2022
On August 13, 2021, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 6, 8 and 25 of Environment (Protection)
Act 1986, (29 of 1986), the Central Government amended the Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016
with Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021.
• These new rules were notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC)
prohibiting the identified single use plastic items with low utility and high littering potential w.e.f. July 1,
2022.
Why are these rules formulated?
These rules are formulated on the lines of the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi call to phase out single use
plastic by 2022 in order to tackle the adverse impacts of littered plastic on both terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems.
Single-use plastic commodities prohibited under PWM (Amendment) Rules, 2021:
The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following single-use plastic,
including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities is prohibited:
• Earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks,
polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration;
• Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packaging films around
sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC Polyvinyl chloride) banners less than 100
micron, stirrers.
Increase of Plastic Bag Thickness:
In order to stop littering due to light weight plastic carry bags, it has been decided to increase their thickness to
make them reusable.
• With effect from September 30, 2021, the thickness of plastic carry bags has been increased from 50
microns to 75 microns.
• Then from December 31, 2022, it will be increased to 120 microns.
Key Points:
i.The plastic packaging waste, which is not covered under the phase out of identified single use plastic items will
be managed in an environmentally sustainable way through the Extended Producer Responsibility of
the Producer, importer and Brand owner (PIBO), as per Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
ii.For effective implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility, the Guidelines for Extended Producer
Responsibility have been legalized through PWM Amendment Rules, 2021.
iii.It should be noted that in the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) held in 2019, India had
piloted a resolution on addressing single-use plastic products pollution.
Click here for gazetted notification

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) and MoEFCC signed ‘Joint Communication’ in New Delhi to give more
powers to the Tribal communities in managing the forest resources.
About Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC):
Union Minister– Bhupender Yadav (Constituency- Rajasthan)
Minister of State (MoS)– Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Constituency- Buxar, Bihar)
PM released Capitalization Support Funds of Rs. 1625 Crore to over 4 lakh SHGs
On August 12, 2021, the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually participated in ‘Atmanirbhar Narishakti se
Samvad’ where he interacted with women Self Help Groups (SHG) members/community resource persons
promoted under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
Release of funds:
During the event, he released capitalization support funds of Rs. 1625 Crore to over 4 lakh SHGs as a major
financial support to increase the scope of entrepreneurship among women on lines of AatmaNirbhar Bharat.
• He also released 25 crore as seed money for 7500 SHG members under the PM Formalisation of Micro Food
Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme of Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoSPI). PMFME
provides financial, technical and business support for upgradation of existing micro food processing
enterprises.
• Apart from above, 4.13 crore funds were also released to 75 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) being
promoted under DAY-NRLM.
Key Points:
i.During the event, a compendium of success stories of women SHG members, along with a handbook on
universalization of farm livelihoods was released by PM.
ii.The PM recognized women SHGs contribution in making masks and sanitizers and providing food.
Other Participants:
Union minister for rural development and panchayati raj Giriraj Singh; Union minister for food processing
industries Pashupati Kumar Paras; Ministers of state (MoS) rural development, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and
Faggan Singh Kulaste; MoS panchayati raj Kapil Moreshwar Patil and MoS MoSPI Prahlad Singh Patel.
India’s 4 New Sites from Gujarat, Haryana Added to Ramsar List; Haryana Got 1st Ramsar sites
In August 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced the addition of 4 more
wetlands from India, 2 each from Gujarat and Haryana in ‘The Convention on Wetlands of International
Importance/ Ramsar Convention.
Key Points:
i.Ramsar sites that are included:
• Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat
• Wadhvana Wetland, Gujarat
• Sultanpur National Park, Gurgaon, Haryana
• Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, Jhajjar, Haryana
ii.With this, the number of Ramsar sites in India became 46 and the surface area covered by the Ramsar sites
became 1,083,322 hectares.
iii.Haryana got its 1st Ramsar sites and Gujarat’s total sites count reached 3 (along with Nalsarovar, which was
declared in 2012).
About the Ramsar sites in brief:
a.Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat
i.It lies on the Central Asian Flyway and includes more than 320 bird species.
ii.It supports more than 30 threatened waterbird species, such as the critically endangered White-rumped
Vulture and Sociable Lapwing , and the vulnerable Sarus Crane, Common Pochard, and Lesser White-fronted
Goose.

iii.The two most prominent species of birds recorded in the sanctuary are flamingoes and sarus crane (Grus
antigone).
b.Wadhvana Wetland, Gujarat
i.It provides wintering ground to migratory waterbirds, including over 80 species that migrate on the Central
Asian Flyway.
ii.The species include some threatened or near-threatened species such as the endangered Pallas’s fish-Eagle, the
vulnerable Common Pochard, and the near-threatened Dalmatian Pelican, Grey-headed Fish-eagle, and
Ferruginous Duck.
c.Sultanpur National Park, Gurgaon, Haryana –
i.It ia national park that covers 353 acres of area and supports ~220 species of resident, winter migratory and
local migratory waterbirds at critical stages of their life cycles.
ii.More than 10 of those species are globally threatened, including the critically endangered sociable lapwing,
and the endangered Egyptian Vulture, Saker Falcon, Pallas’s Fish Eagle and Black-bellied Tern.
iii.The status of the park was upgraded to National Park under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 in July 1991.
d.Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, Jhajjar, Haryana :
i.It is the largest human-made freshwater wetland in Haryana, it covers 1000 acres of areas and supports over
250 bird species throughout the year.
ii.It supported more than 10 globally threatened species such as the endangered Egyptian Vulture, Steppe Eagle,
Pallas’s Fish Eagle, and Black-bellied Tern.
About Ramsar Convention:
i.The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty that was recognised by the United Nations
(UN) and registered with the UN. The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention is hosted & administered by
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
ii.It provides framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
iii.Ramsar sites are the wetlands of international importance that have been designated under the criteria of the
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
iv.The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
v.Criteria:
A site needs to meet one or more of the following criteria to get the Ramsar Site tag
• The site should contain a representative or rare example of wetland
• It should support vulnerable or endangered species
• Need to support species of important or biological diversity and species at a critical stage in their life cycle.
• Support 20,000 or more waterbirds, 1 percent population of one waterbird species,1 percent of wetland-
dependent animal species, and indegenous fish species.
vi.Objective of Ramsar Convention: To develop and maintain an international network of wetlands which are
important for the conservation of global biological diversity and for sustaining human life through the
maintenance of their ecosystem components, processes and benefits.
Wetlands:
i.Ramsar convention’s definition of wetlands includes – lakes, rivers, underground aquifers, swamps & marshes,
wet grasslands, peatlands, oases, estuaries, deltas & tidal flats, mangroves & other coastal areas, coral reefs.
ii.It also adds human-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies, reservoirs.
iii.World Wetlands Day will be celebrated on February 2nd every year . The theme of 2021 is “Wetland and
Water”.
2 sites from India were added to the World Heritage List at the 44th Session of the World Heritage Committee
(WHC) which was held in Fuzhou, China from July 16-31, 2021.
They are Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana (Cultural Site) and Dholavira: a Harappan City,
Gujarat (Cultural Site).
About Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change:
Union Minister – Bhupender Yadav (Constituency – Rajasthan)
Minister of State – Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Constituency – Buxar, Bihar)

Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Address on India’s 75th Independence Day Celebrations
On August 15th 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort in
New Delhi on occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day Celebrations.
• PM Modi laid the vision for the country for the next 25 years, he stated “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka
Vishwas and Sabka Prayas”.
• He launched several initiatives on the occasion.
Major Announcements
Pradhan Mantri ‘Gati Shakti’ National Master Plan for Infrastructure
Gati Shakti will act as the ‘National Infrastructure Master Plan’ and will help in setting a holistic and integrated
approach in infrastructure construction.
• INR 100 Lakh Crore will be allotted for the Gati Shakti programme.
• It will generate lakhs of employment opportunities for the Youth and help local manufacturers to become
Competitive globally.
75 Vande Bharat Trains
75 Vande Bharat trains to be rolled out in 75 weeks of Amrit Mahotsav of Independence to connect every
corner of India.
• Vande Bharat is an indigenous semi-high speed train set. It is manufactured by Hyderabad-based
engineering firm ‘Medha’.
• Background – On 12th March 2021, PM Modi inaugurated the curtain raiser activities of Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav (India@75), the government’s initiative to mark 75 years of India’s Independence. It will continue
till August 15th, 2023.
• The work of connecting all the state capitals of North-East states with rail service is set to be completed soon.
Fortified Rice by 2024
i.To fight malnutrition, the government has set a target to provide fortified rice to the poor through the Public
Distribution System, Mid-Day meals Scheme and Others by 2024.
• Food fortification is one of the strategies used by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) to tackle nutrient deficiencies.
• It is a cost effective, culturally appropriate strategy to address micronutrient deficiency.
• Rice is the 5th item to get the government’s fortification push after salt, edible oil, milk and wheat.
Sainik Schools for Girls
PM Modi announced, For the 1st time Ever, Girls will be allowed to enroll in the Sainik Schools across the
country.
• After a two and half year Pilot project in Mizoram, the Government has decided to open the Sainik Schools
for the Girls.
• Sainik Schools were established in 1961 on the recommendation of K Krishna Menon, the then Defense
Minister of India.
• There are 33 Sainik Schools in India, they are run by the Sainik Schools Society under the Union ministry of
defence (MoD).
• Union Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman announced during Budget 2021 that 100 new Sainik
schools will be set up across the country in partnerships with private schools and NGOs.
National Hydrogen Mission
i.PM Modi announced the launch of the National Hydrogen Mission to make India the global production hub for
clean hydrogen fuel production and exports.
• It aims to make India self-reliant in clean energy and create new jobs.
• During the Union Budget 2021-22, Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced the launch of National
Hydrogen Energy Mission (NHEM) for generating hydrogen from green power sources.
• An amount of INR 1500 Crore was set aside to achieve India’s target of 175 GW by 2022 & also for NHEM.
E-commerce platform for Self Help Groups
PM Modi announced that the Government will launch an E-commerce platform for Self Help Groups (SHGs) to
promote their products.

• The Digital platform will ensure a huge market for marketing Women SHGs Products throughout India and in
foreign countries.
Other Key Points
• PM Modi set a target to make India energy Independent before 2047.
• Indus Central University to be established in Ladakh, to make it a Center of higher education.
• PM Modi stated that India has achieved 100 GW out of its target of achieving 450 GW Renewable Energy by
2030.
• He also highlighted Indian Railways’ target of attaining net zero emissions by 2030.
Kaziranga Becomes India’s 1st National Park with Satellite Phones Facility
Kaziranga National Park of Assam became India’s first National park to be equipped with satellite phones, an
initiative to boost anti-poaching measures in the park. Jishnu Barua, Chief Secretary of Assam presented 10
satellite phones to forest personnel at the National Park.
• The meeting chaired by Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma Chief Minister(CM) of Assam decided to provide the
satellite phones to the forest personnel of the park.
• The 10 satellite phones were procured by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority(ASDMA) at an
estimated cost of Rs 16 lakhs.
• The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited(BSNL) will be the service provider.
Tata Power Solar receives 50MW Solar PV & 50 Mwh Battery Storage Project in Leh, Ladakh
Tata Power Solar, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power has received projects worth INR 386 crore to build a
50MWp Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Plant and 50 Mwh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in
Phyang village of Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh.
• The project will be India’s 1st co-located large scale BESS solution and 1st large scale solar project in the
UT of Ladakh at a high altitude of 3600 meters above mean sea level.
• It includes design, engineering, construction of Solar Photovoltaic grid connected power plant and BESS
along with 10 years of operations and maintenance services.
• The project is expected to be completed by March 2023.
About Tata Power
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Managing Director (MD) – Praveer Sinha
About Union Territory of Ladakh
Capital – Leh
Lieutenant Governor – Radha Krishna Mathur
Govt Notified RoDTEP Rates, Guidelines

On August 17, 2021, the Government announced the rates and guidelines for Remission of Duties and Taxes
on Exported Products (RoDTEP), an export incentive scheme.
• Objective: To boost India’s exports and ease liquidity for exporters.
• The tax refund rates for different sectors under RoDTEP were fixed in the range of 0.5 percent to 4.3
percent.
• The scheme will be implemented by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) through a
simplified IT System.
Key Points:
i.RoDTEP is an incentive scheme for 8,555 products including employment-generating sectors like marine,
agriculture, leather, gems, and jewellery sectors; and other segments like automobile, plastics,
electrical/electronics, machinery.
ii.Central and State duties, taxes, and levies imposed on input products, among others, would be refunded to
exporters under RoDTEP.

iii.The Refund will be issued in the form of a transferable duty credit/electronic scrip (e-scrip) which will be
maintained in an electronic ledger by the CBIC.
iv.The rebate/refund under the scheme will not be available for duties and taxes that are already
exempted/remitted/credited.
v.Government has allocated Rs 19,400 crore for FY22 for both the RoDTEP and the Rebate of State and Central
Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL), in which, Rs 12,454 crores was allocated to RoDTEP (for 8, 555 products out of
11,000 traded items).
• The remaining Rs 6,946 crore was for the RoSCTL scheme, which was announced for the export of garments
and apparel.
vi.Excluded Sectors and Goods: Sectors of chemicals, steel and pharmaceuticals were excluded from the scheme.
• Export goods, which are subject to Minimum export price, restricted and prohibited items, deemed exports,
goods manufactured or exported by units situated in special economic zones were also excluded from the
RoDTEP scheme.
Note – Commerce Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam has announced the above regulations.
Background:
In January 2021, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) had introduced the RoDTEP, a WTO (World
Trade Organisation)-compliant scheme for all eligible goods with effect from January 1, 2021, by replacing
Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS).
The finance ministry has set up a committee under the chairmanship of former commerce and home secretary GK
Pillai to finalise the rates under RoDTEP.
MEIS:
i.It was introduced in the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2015-20 w.e.f. 1st April 2015 and it has provided refunds at
the rate of 2 percent, 3 percent and 5 percent of the value (free-on-board) of exports.
ii.It was scrapped, as it was not directly linked to input taxes and levies that went into the production of the
exported item and also was not compatible with WTO.
Recent Related news:
According to a notification by the CBIC, Government is set to mandate Electronic-invoicing (e-invoicing) under the
Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime for business entities with a turnover of INR 50 Crore & more from April 1,
2021 (start of next financial year) for business to business transactions.
About Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs(CBIC):
It is a part of the Department of Revenue under the Ministry of Finance
Chairman – M. Ajit Kumar
IIT Madras is Collaborating with MoRTH for Road Safety Planning and Intelligent Transport
System
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras has collaborated with the Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways (MoRTH) for research in areas of pavement engineering and intelligent transportation systems. It will
establish the Chair Professor as a Strategic Advisor.
Highlights
• MoRTH will act as a chair at IIT Madras and focus on research and development (R&D), teaching and training
in traffic and highway engineering.
• Research work includes hydrogen cell transportation, novel toll system, incident management system,
traveller information system, FastTAG data analysis and traffic simulations.
• The chair professor will connect with the Standard and Research (S&W) wing of the ministry. It will provide
support in the area of ‘traffic and highway engineering’.
About the Programme
i.The programme will give a boost to PhD research works in the areas selected by MoRTH. The institution will
train 8-10 students including MoRTH’s nominated officers in the field of highway engineering.

ii.The chair professor will provide advisory guidance to the Highway Research Board of Indian Road Congress for
better monitoring of R&D and will act as an ambassador of highway development in India.
About Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)-
Minister: Nitin Jairam Gadkari (Nagpur, Maharashtra)
Minister of State: General (Retd.) Vijay Kumar Singh (Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)
Mines Ministry adopted Scheme for Accreditation of Private Exploration Agencies for Minerals
On August 18, 2021, the Ministry of Mines (MoM) adopted the scheme for accreditation of private exploration
agencies developed by the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training of the Quality Council of
India (QCI-NABET).
• Under this, QCI-NABET will grant accreditation to private exploration agencies for undertaking prospecting
operations of minerals in accordance with the standards and procedures of the scheme.
• After the accreditation, the respective private exploration agency apply to the Ministry for their notification
under the second provison to sub-section (1) of section 4 of the Mines and Minerals (Development and
Regulation) Amendment Act, 2021.
Background:
In March 2021, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 or MMDR Act was amended
through the MMDR Amendment Act, 2021 empowering the Central Government to notify entities, including
private entities that may undertake prospecting operations of minerals.
• At present, only Government agencies are involved in exploration. Now with the entrance of private entities,
the pace of exploration will increase along with creation of employment opportunities in the sector and
bringing more explored blocks for auction.
Click here for detailed notification
Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd (MECL), a Mineral Exploration Agency under MoM signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Directorate of Mines & Geology (DMG), Goa for exploration of Iron ore reserves in Goa.
About Ministry of Mines:
Union Minister – Pralhad Joshi (Constituency – Dharwad, Karnataka)
Minister of State – Raosaheb Patil Dadarao Danve (Constituency – Jalna, Maharashtra)
SC allows Women to appear in NDA exam for the 1st time in 65 years
The Supreme Court (SC) in its interim order has allowed Women candidates to appear in the upcoming National
Defense Academy (NDA) examination. Women will be appearing for the 1st time in the 65 years history of the
NDA examination.
• Women candidates will be permitted to sit for the NDA exam which is Rescheduled on November 14th, 2021
and their admission into the NDA will be subject to final orders of SC.
• Students between age group of 16 to 19 and those who are in Class 12 or above can apply for the NDA
• NDA examination is conducted by the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC)
About National Defense Academy (NDA)
i.It was Established in December 1954 in Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra .
ii.NDA is the joint defense service training institute of the Indian Armed forces where the cadets of the Indian
Army, the Indian Navy & the Indian Air force train together.
iii.It is the 1st tri-service academy in the world.
About Supreme Court of India
Chief Justice of India (CJI) – N V Ramana

Delhi-Chandigarh Highway Becomes India’s 1st EV-Friendly Highway
Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of Heavy Industries inaugurated the state of the art electric vehicle
(EV) charging station in (Karnal Lake Resort)Karnal, Haryana, installed by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
(BHEL).
• The EV charging station is located at the midpoint of Delhi-Chandigarh Highway, makes the Delhi
Chandigarh Highway as India’s first EV-friendly Highway.
• The charging station has been established by BHEL under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of
(Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles in India(FAME-I) scheme of the Ministry of Heavy Industries(MHI)
UP Govt Renamed Kakori Kand to Kakori Train Action

The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government renamed the movement in the history of India’s freedom struggle,
the ‘Kakori Kand’ to ‘Kakori Train action’ as the word ‘Kand’ denotes a sense of humiliation to the
Independence struggle because ”kand” (conspiracy)..
• Kakori Train action is a train robbery that took place at Kakori, a village near Lucknow, UP committed by the
Indian freedom fighters against the British Raj on August 9, 1925.
• UP celebrated the anniversary of the ‘Kakori Train action’ under the program ‘Chauri Chaura Mahotsav’,
which is going to complete 100 years in 2022.
India plans to set up 35 Earthquake Observatories by 2021 & 100 by 2026

As per the information provided by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (MoS-Independent Charge) Science &
Technology; Minister of State (MoS-Independent Charge) Earth Sciences during the inaugural ceremony of
the (IAGA-IASPEI) Joint Scientific Assembly 2021, India targets to add 35 Earthquake Observatories (EOs)
by 2021 & 100 more EOs by 2026.
• At present, 115 Earthquake Observatories are functioning in India.
About IAGA-IASPEI Scientific Assembly 2021
The joint Scientific assembly 2021 of International Association of Geomagnetism & Aeronoy (IAGA) and
International Association of Seismology & Physics of the Earth’s interior (IASPEI) was hosted by Council of
Scientific & Industrial Research-National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI) and the Indian National
Science Academy (INSA) in association with the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India
• It is organised from August (21st to 27th), 2021 in virtual format in Hyderabad,Telangana
• Virendra M Tiwari, Director CSIR-NGRI is the Chair of the Local organising committee (LOC).
• It will act as a catalyst in bringing new researchers & practitioners across the global community to work on
issues related to rendering science to society.
About International Association of Geomagnetism & Aeronoy (IAGA)
International Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) established in 1873
President – Mioara Mandea
About International Association of Seismology & Physics of the Earth’s interior (IASPEI)
International NGO formed in 1992.
President –Kenji Satake
Operation Blue Freedom’: An Expedition by ‘Divyangjans’ to World’s Highest Battlefield

In August 2021, the Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar flagged off ‘Operation
Blue Freedom’, a world record expedition by Divyangjans (people with disabilities) from across India to the
world’s highest battlefield – Siachen Glacier (Kumar Post).
• The expedition team was trained by ‘Team CLAW’, a team of Armed Forces veterans.
• The battalion headquarters on the Siachen glacier located close to an altitude of 16,000 feet is named ‘Kumar
post’ to honour Colonel Narinder ‘Bull’ Kumar, who played a major role in Operation Meghdoot and securing
the Siachen Glacier in 1984.

NIAB, Hyderabad & NCCS Pune notified as CDLs for testing and batch release of COVID-19
vaccines
The two Autonomous Institutes of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), viz. National Institute of Animal
Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad in Telangana and National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune
(Maharashtra) notified as Central Drugs Laboratory (CDLs) for COVID-19 vaccine testing facility at
Hyderabad,Telangana.
• Both NCCS and NIAB will test and batch release COVID-19 vaccines. They are expected to test approx. 60
batches of vaccines per month.
• The funding support for the same was provided under the PM-CARES funds (Prime Minister’s Citizen
Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund).
MIB officially recognizes NBF’s PNBSA as India’s 1st self-regulatory body for News Media
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has officially granted a status of self-regulatory body for TV
news broadcasters to News Broadcasters Federation’s (NBF), ‘Professional News Broadcasters Standards
Authority (PNBSA)‘ under the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021.
• It makes PNBSA the first and only officially recognized self-regulatory body to get the accreditation from
the government of India.
• It will regulate the news media sector while committed to fundamentals of transparency, accountability and
strong self-regulation.
Key Points:
i.Presently, the PNBSA is also the only Indian self-regulatory body which is at par with the national standards in
the domain of news media.
ii.The NBF channels presently include 24News, Alamai Sahara, IND 24, India News Gujarat, India News Haryana,
India News Hindi, India News MPCG, India News Punjabi, India News Rajasthan, Republic Bangla, Republic Bharat,
Republic TV, Sahara Samay, Samay Bihar, Sahara Samay, Samay Bihar, Samay Maharashtra, Samay Rajasthan,
Samay UP, TV5 Kannada, TV5 Telugu, among others.
iii.It should be noted that the President of NBF is Arnab Goswami.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Unveiled EASE 4.0; Reviewed PSBs; Increased Family
Pension to 30%
In August 2021, Nirmala Sitharaman, the Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs unveiled the 4th
edition of the Public Sector Bank (PSB) Reforms Agenda ‘EASE 4.0’ (Enhanced Access and Service Excellence) for
2021-22 – tech-enabled, simplified, and collaborative banking.
• The finance minister also unveiled the annual report for the PSB Reforms Agenda ‘EASE 3.0’ for 2020-21 and
gave awards for best performing banks on the EASE 3.0 Banking Reforms Index.
i.Award-Winning PSB on EASE 3.0 Banking Reforms Index:
Rank EASE Reforms Index Award 2021 Award for Best Improvement from The March Baseline Performance
1 State Bank of India (SBI) Indian Bank
2 Bank of Baroda (BOB) Union Bank of India
3 Union Bank of India (UBI) Punjab National Bank
ii.Theme wise Top 3 Award-winning PSBs under EASE 3.0
Theme 1 Theme 2 Theme 3 Theme 4 Theme 5
Smart Lending Tech-enabled Institutionalizing Governance and Deepening FI and
Rank for Aspiring India ease of banking Prudent Banking outcome centric HR customer protection
1 BOB SBI BOB UBI UBI
Punjab National Bank
2 SBI BOB (PNB) PNB SBI
3 UBI UBI Canara Bank SBI BOB

Key Initiatives of EASE:
i.Initiatives under EASE 3.0: Around 4.4 lakh customers have been benefited through the instantaneous and
simplified credit access through Credit@click, the flagship initiative under EASE 3.0.
• Credit@click is an End-to-end digitalised, time-bound retail and MSME lending by larger PSBs, leveraging
Account Aggregators, FinTechs and PSBloansin59minutes.com.
ii.Initiatives under EASE 4.0:
• Objective: To deepen the customer-centric digital transformation of the lenders.
• The different key initiatives under EASE 4.0 include – Dial a loan, Credit@click, Analytics based credit offer,
Partnership with AgriTechs for data exchange, Cloud-based IT system, Process automation, Co-lending with
Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), etc.
Review on Performance of PSBs:
a.Profit and GNPA:
i.In FY21 the PSBs have reported a profit in FY21 for the 1st time after 5 years of loss. In FY21 they have gained
a profit of Rs 31,817 crore compared to a loss of Rs 26,016 crore in FY20.This is the first year when PSBs have
reported profit after five years of losses.
ii.Gross NPA: In FY21, the gross non-performing assets (GNPA) of PSBs has been reduced by Rs 62,000 crore
to Rs 6.16 lakh crore.
iii.Impact of 4R strategy in PSBs:
The government’s 4R strategy of Recognition, Resolution, Recapitalization and Reform has improved the
performance of PSBs in FY21.
Indicators FY21
Net Profit Rs 31,820 crore
Gross NPAs 9.1% (14.58% – March 2018)
Net NPA 3.1% (7.97% – March 2018)
Provision Coverage Ratio 84% (62.7% – March 2018)
Capital Adequacy 14.04%
Amount raised as debt and equity Rs 58,697 crore (in which Rs 10,543 crore as equity alone)
c.Improved Digital Lending:
i.In FY21, PSBs have disbursed around Rs 40,819 crore of fresh personal, home and vehicle
loans through digital channels.
ii.The top 7 PSBs have offered Rs 49,777 crore fresh retail loans to their existing customers.
iii.Around 72 percent of financial transactions at PSBs are now happening through digital channels.
• The number of customers active on digital channels doubled from 3.4 crores in FY2O to 7.6 crores in FY21.
iv.Presently, PSBs are offering services across call centres, Internet banking, and Mobile banking in 14 regional
languages.
d.Growth:
i.The performance of PSBs have grown in FY21 since the launch of the EASE 3.0 Reforms Agenda in February
2020.
ii.The overall score of PSBs was increased by 35 percent between March-2020 and March-2021 with the average
EASE index score improving from 44.2 to 59.7 (out of 100).
iii.Among the 6 themes of the EASE 3.0 Reforms Agenda, the highest improvement was seen in the themes of
‘Smart Lending’ and ‘Institutionalising Prudent Banking’.
iv.The transactions provided by Bank Mitras in rural areas increased by 13 percent and the enrolments in Micro
personal accident insurance also improved by 50 percent in Q4FY21 compared to Q4FY20.
v.The Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS) transactions through micro ATMs was increased by two times.
Note- A Bank Mitra is an individual who acts as an agent of the bank in a place where opening a bank branch is not
possible. These individuals represent banks and provide all kinds of assistance to bank customers.

Other Advancements:
i.The PSBs, private banks and NBFCs supported over 1.16 crore borrowers through the Emergency Credit Line
Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) alone.
• In June 2021, the Government increased the Target Credit Line under the ECLGS scheme from Rs 3 Lakh
crore to Rs 4.5 Lakh crore.
ii.Recently, the govt launched ‘Ubharte Sitaare Fund’ (USF) of Corpus Rs 250 crore for Export-oriented Small &
mid-sized companies across India. Click here to know more
iii.The banks were directed to interact with the Federation of Indian Exporters Organisation (FIEO) to address the
requirements of exporters.
Participants: Pankaj Jain, Additional Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Amit Agrawal, Additional
Secretary, Department of Financial Services, and Rajkiran Rai G, Chairman of Indian Banks’ Association (IBA)
participated in the launch of EASE 4.0.
PSB Employees – Family Pension Increased to 30%; Contribution under NPS hiked to 14%
i.The Government has approved the Indian Banks’ Association’s (IBA) proposal to increase the family pension for
the family of PSB employees to 30 percent of the last salary drawn.
• Through this, the family pension for a PSB employees’ family will be in the range of Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000.
ii.The Government has also approved the proposal to increase PSB employers’ pension under the National
Pension System (NPS) from the existing 10 percent to 14 percent.
State Bank of India (SBI) topped the list of Public Sector Banks (PSB) writing off loans in FY21 followed by Union
Bank of India (UBI).
IBA and SBI announced that all PSBs will provide unsecured personal loans between Rs 25,000 to Rs 5 lakh to
salaried, non-salaried and pensioners for COVID-19 treatment costs (to them and their family members).
Minister of State – Pankaj Chaudhary (Constituency – Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh), Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad
MoD Approves Contract for MDS to Supply Anti-submarine Systems

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved contracts worth INR 1349.95 crore to Mahindra Defence Systems
Limited (MDS), a group firm of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, for supplying 14 Integrated Anti-submarine warfare
Defence Suite (IADS) to the warships of the Indian Navy.
• It is the 1st of its kind technology developed by an Indian company.
Key Points:
i.IADS is a modern underwater equipment which uses the latest technology to detect & protect warships from
underwater threats.
ii.It is a flexible system capable of operations in all sizes of warships – small, medium, and large.
iii.The sensors in IADS systems undertake underwater surveillance and provide inputs for signal processing &
analysis. Then, the warship performs necessary actions to neutralize the underwater threats.
Recent Related News
In July 2021, MoD issued a Request of Proposal (RFP) for construction of 6 AIP (Air Independent Propulsion)
fitted Conventional Submarines named Project 75 (India) [P-75(I)] for the Indian Navy. The estimated cost of the
project is over INR 40,000 Crore.
About Mahindra Defence Systems Limited (MDS)
Founded in 2012 a group firm of Mahindra & Mahindra Limited
CEO – Rajiv Gupta
About Ministry of Defence
Union Minister – Raj Nath Singh (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State – Ajay Bhatt (Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar, Uttarakhand)

Govt Introduced BH Vehicle Registration Series to Ensure Seamless Transfer Across States
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways(MoRTH), Government of India has introduced a new vehicle number
registration series called BH- series (Bharat Series) to ensure seamless transfer of vehicles across states or
union territories(UT).
The BH series will allow the users to avoid the re-registration process while shifting from one state or UT to
another.
About BH Series registration:
i.The BH Series will be available voluntarily to defence personnel, government employees(central/state),
employees of central/state public sector undertakings and private sector companies or organisations, that have
offices in four or more states or UTs.
ii.The vehicles with BH series registration shall not require the assignment of a new registration mark while
shifting from one state to other.
Motor Vehicle Tax:
i.The tax will be imposed for 2 years or in multiples of 2.
ii.After the completion of 14 years, the tax will be imposed annually and the amount will be half of the earlier
amount.
Existing rules:
Under section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, motor vehicles registered in one state can be kept in another
state for 12 months.
These vehicles should be re-registered before the end of the 12 months.
About Ministry of Road Transport & Highways:
Union Minister– Nitin Jairam Gadkari(Constituency- Nagpur, Maharashtra)
Minister of State– Gen. (Dr) Vijay Kumar Singh (Constituency- Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)
AIIMS Delhi Becomes 1st Hospital in India to House a Fire Station

The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Delhi became the 1st hospital in India to house a fire station
inside the hospital premises. The AIIMS and Delhi Fire Service (DFS) have partnered to establish the fire station
inside the AIIMS premises.
• The fire station infrastructure will be developed by the AIIMS and the fire tender, equipment, and manpower
will be managed by the DFS.
Ohmium India Private Limited Sets up India’s 1st Green Hydrogen Electrolyser Factory in
Bengaluru
Ohmium India Private Limited, a Subsidiary of Ohmium International Sets up Green Hydrogen
Electrolyser manufacturing Gigafactory in Bengaluru, Karnataka. This is India’s 1st Green Hydrogen (H2)
Electrolyser unit.
• The factory will produce Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Hydrogen electrolysers.
Key points:
i.PEM Hydrogen Electrolysers will produce green H2 through the process Electrolysis.
• Electrolysis is the process used to split water into oxygen and hydrogen.
ii.Electrolyser is the system in which Electrolysis is done, making it the most vital part for producing H2.
iii.The gigafactory will manufacture PEM hydrogen electrolysers with an initial manufacturing capacity of about
500 MW per year, which could be increased to 2 GW per year.
Green Hydrogen
Hydrogen produced by electrolysis using renewable energy or non- fossil sources.
It has no carbon footprint. It is set to play a major role & build on the rapid increase of renewable resources
across the world.
• Other types of Hydrogen are Brown Hydrogen (created through coal gasification), Blue
Hydrogen (produced from Carbon Capture Usage & Storage), Grey Hydrogen (formed from splitting of
Hydrogen & CO2)

About Ohmium International
Founder & CEO – Arne Ballantine
Headquarters – Nevada, United States of America
PM Dedicated ‘Renovated Jallianwala Bagh Smarak’ in Punjab to India; Inaugurated Museum

Galleries at Smarak
In August 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi virtually dedicated the renovated complex of Jallianwala
Bagh Smarak at Amritsar in Punjab to the nation.
• PM also inaugurated the Museum Galleries at the Smarak. 4 Museum galleries have been created through
adaptive reuse of redundant and underutilised buildings.
• India decided to observe 14th August every year as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’.
• 13th April 2021 marked the 102nd anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
Key Points:
i.Several development initiatives have been undertaken in the restoration works of the Jallianwala Bagh complex,
which were carried out in sync with the local architectural style of Punjab.
ii.Under restoration, newer areas have been developed for housing the Salvation Ground, Amar Jyot and Flag
Mast.
iii.The galleries showcase the historical value of events that unfolded in Punjab during that period, with the fusion
of audio-visual technology, 3D representation, and sculptural installations.
Participants: G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Culture, Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister of Housing and
Urban Affairs, Chief Ministers (CM) of Haryana – M.L. Khattar, Uttarakhand – Pushkar Singh Dhami, Himachal
Pradesh – Jai Ram Thakur, Punjab – Amarinder Singh and members of Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust
also participated in the event.
About Jallianwala Bagh massacre Incident:
i.Jallianwala Bagh Massacre/Massacre of Amritsar was a 10 minute incident held on April 13, 1919, in which
British troops under the command of General Reginald Edward Dyer fired on a large crowd of unarmed
Indians in an open space known as the Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab.
ii.The Jallianwala Bagh Memorial was established in 1951 by the Government of India to commemorate the
Amritsar massacre. It is managed by the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust.
On 12th March 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the curtain-raiser activities of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav’ (India@75), the government’s initiative to mark 75 years of India’s Independence at the event
organised in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. It will continue till 15 August 2023.
About Punjab:
Governor – Banwarilal Purohit (Additional Charge)
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Bir Mehas Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary
Airports – Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Bathinda Airport
MoCA Notifies Drone Rules 2021 by Replacing USA Rules 2021

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has notified the Drone Rules, 2021 replacing the Unmanned Aircraft
Systems (UAS) rules, 2021.
• The new rules are much liberalised & aim to make it easier for people and companies to own & operate
drones.
• Background: The UAS Rules, 2021 were published by MoCA in March 2021.
Key features of Drone Rules, 2021
i.Several approvals abolished: Unique Authorisation Number (UAN), Unique Prototype Identification Number,
Certificate of manufacturing and Airworthiness, Certificate of conformance, Certificate of maintenance, Import
clearance, Acceptance of existing drones, Operator permit, Authorisation of R&D organisation, Student remote
pilot licence, Remote pilot instructor authorisation, Drone port authorisation etc.. has been abolished under the
new rules.

ii.Total number of forms to be filled has been reduced from 25 to 5.
iii.Fees Reduction: The total number of fees to be paid to operate a Drone reduced from 72 to only 4.
• The quantum of fees which was linked to the size of the drone has been reduced & delinked from the size.
• For instance, the fee for a remote pilot license fee has been reduced from INR 3000 (for large drones) to INR
100 for all categories of drones; and is valid for 10 years.
iv.the Digital Sky platform that was envisaged in 2018 will be developed as a single-window platform for the
clearances that are required.
v.Interactive airspace map with green, yellow and red zones shall be displayed on the digital sky platform
• Green Zone – No permission is required for operating drones
• Yellow Zone – Permission required
• Red Zone – Flying not permitted
vi.Yellow zone reduced from 45 km to 12 km from the airport perimeter.
vii.Promote Drone taxis: The coverage of these rules has been increased to cover drones up to 500 kg in weight
from 300 kg earlier, thereby bringing drone taxis.
viii.Import of drones to be regulated by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
• Requirement of import clearance from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been abolished.
ix.Penalty: Maximum penalty for violations reduced to Rs 1 lakh.
Click here to see full rules
Recent Related News
In June, 2021, Flipkart partnered with Telangana Government to implement the “Medicines from the Sky”
project on pilot basis in the state, to supply COVID-19 vaccines & emergency medical supplies to the rural
inaccessible areas using Drones.
About The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA)
Union Minister – Jyotiraditya M Scindia (Rajya sabha – Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State – Vijay Kumar Singh (Lok sabha- Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)
STATE NEWS
Karnataka, 1st Indian state to provide 1% Horizontal Reservation for Transgender in Govt
Services
Karnataka has become the first state in the country to provide 1% horizontal reservation for the transgender in
each category of general, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) for all
government services after amending the Rule 9 Sub Rule (1D) Karnataka Civil Service (General Recruitment)
Rule, 1977.
• The information for the same was provided to the division bench of the Karnataka high court headed by
Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka.
• The notification for the same was already issued on July 6, 2021.
Key Points:
i.1% reservation specifies all general as well as reserve categories for the third gender.
• In case of non-availability of transgender candidates, the job could be given to male or female from the same
category
ii.There should not be any discrimination to the transgenders in the process of selection.
Background:
Initially, the state government proposed to consider reservation for transgender persons under one of the OBC
categories. This amendment is the result of Jeeva NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) petition who sought
reservation for transgender persons in a horizontal manner.
• A draft notification issued on May 13, 2021 proposed to amend Rule 9 for the purpose.

About Karnataka:
Capital– Bengaluru
Chief Minister– Basavaraj Bommai
National Parks- Atal Bihari Vajpayee Zoological Park, Bandipur National Park, and Bannerghatta National Park
Krishikarna Project Launched in Kerala to Promote Hi-tech Farming

Krishikarna project, a joint initiative of State Agri Horticultural Society (SAHS), Sustainable Foundation,
and Qore3 Innovations, was launched in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala to promote hi-tech farming.
• Under the project, a mini polyhouse (a type of greenhouse) will be set up on 2.5 cents of land at a cost of Rs
2.35 lakh.
• SAHA is a government cooperative society involved in promoting agri-horticultural practices. Sustainable
Foundation is a Thiruvananthapuram-based NGO and Qore3 is a start-up to provide ‘end-to-end support for
farms’.
Note – Aneesh N Raj, the recipient of the Kerala State award for the best hi-tech farmer (2017-18) was the
agronomist with Qore3 Innovations.
Haryana CM launched ‘Har Hith store’ scheme for Self-Employment of Youth

In order to make Haryana ‘Berojgar Mukt, Rozgar Yukt’ by 2024 on the lines of Atmanirbhar Bharat, the Chief
Minister (CM) of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar launched ‘Har Hith store’ scheme to encourage youth towards self-
employment. The launch of the scheme was made by inaugurating a store during a programme held
at Panchkula, Haryana.
• As a part of the scheme a chain of grocery shops will be opened in rural and urban areas to sell the best
quality daily-needs products at reasonable prices.
• In this regard, Haryana Agro Industries Corporation Limited (HAICL) inked terms of trade (TOT)
with 51 corporate houses which will provide their quality products to these stores, along with IT
(Information Technology) support system.
• The CM also launched the Franchise Policy under which, those interested can apply as per the terms and
conditions.
Who will benefit under this scheme:
The stores under a part of scheme will provide a platform to youth franchisees as well as micro, small and
medium enterprises (MSMEs), government cooperative institutions, FPOs (farmer producer organisations) and
self help groups (SHGs) to increase their business.
• Preference will be given to those verified under Mukhyamantri Parivar Uthan Yojana, and also to the
young members of families having annual income less than Rs 1.80 lakh and verified under Parivar
Pehchan Patra scheme.
Key Points:
i.1,500 stores will be opened in rural areas and 500 in urban areas in the first phase and 5,000 stores in the
second phase.
• The target is to open 100 stores in two months.
ii.HAICL will allot one franchise of 200 sq ft area for a village with a population of 3,000.
iii.The franchisee partner who sells products worth Rs 1,50,000 will earn a marginal profit of 10 per cent, that is
Rs 15,000.A monthly income of at least Rs 15,000 will be ensured for members under the Mukhyamantri Parivar
Uthan Yojana and operating these stores.
iv.If the applicant of the franchise is financially weak, the state government will provide loan facility under
the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana without any guarantee.
On occasion of the World Environment Day (i.e. June 5) Haryana Chief Minister launched ‘Pran Vayu Devta
Pension Scheme (PVDPS)’, which is the 1st of its kind initiative in India and Oxy Van (Oxygen Forests) initiative.

About Haryana:
Governor– Bandaru Dattatreya
Capital– Chandigarh
National Parks– Sultanpur National Park, and Kalesar National Park
Arvind Kejriwal Launches ‘Delhi@2047’ to make Delhi a Global City by 2047

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal launched the ‘Delhi@2047’ initiative to facilitate partnership with the
private sector, CSR initiatives (Corporate Social Responsibility) and philanthropic Organisation to make Delhi a
global city by 2047.
• The vision document has set an aim to take Delhi’s per capita income to Singapore’s level (which means
it has to increase the per capita income 16-fold).
• It also states that Delhi will bid to host the 2048 Olympics.
i.Under the initiative, Delhi@2047 platform will be created which will be hosted by Dialogue and Development
Commission (DDC), the policy think-tank of Delhi Government.
• Using the platform, ideas will be sought from various organizations working in different fields and expertise
to transform Delhi into a Liveable city.
ii.The Delhi@2047 initiative will begin by focusing on 3 projects –
• “Khelo Dilli” – To build world-class playgrounds in government schools
• “City of Lakes” – 1,000 water bodies will be rejuvenated
• Bridging the digital divide in schools.
About Delhi
Governor – Anil Baijal
Wildlife Sanctuary – Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary
Dam – Delhi Dam (also known as Hartwick Dam)
Ram Subhag Singh Appointed as Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary

On August 05, 2021, the Himachal Pradesh (HP) government appointed Ram Subhag Singh as the Chief
Secretary, the senior-most cadre post in the state administration, by replacing Anil Kumar Khachi.
• Anil Kumar Khachi was appointed as the State Election Commissioner (SEC).
Key Points:
i.Ram Subhag Singh:
• He is a 1987-batch IAS officer and prior to his current
appointment, he served as the Additional Chief Secretary
of industries, transport, labour and employment
departments of HP.
• In addition, he was also holding the post of Managing
Director (MD), Ropeways and Rapid Transport System
Development Corporation.
ii.Anil Kumar Khachi, the IAS officer and resident of HP, has served as the Chief Secretary since January 2019.
Prior to his appointment as SEC, he resigned from the IAS.
iii.The government has also provided additional charge of Industries and Labour & Employment to R D Dhiman
(IAS officer).
iv.Jagdish Chander (IAS officer), the Additional Chief Secretary (Chief Minister, Excise & Taxation & Public
Relations) was given additional charge of Transport Managing Director, Ropeways and Rapid Transport System
Development Corporation.
About Himachal Pradesh:
Chief Minister – Jai Ram Thakur
National Park – Great Himalayan National Park, Pin Valley National Park, Khirganga National Park.
Wildlife Sanctuary – Bandli Wildlife Sanctuary, Chail Wildlife Sanctuary, Chandra Taal Wildlife Sanctuary

Lt Gov R k Mathur launches ‘Pani Maah’ campaign to Implement JJM in Ladakh
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh RK Mathur launched a month-long campaign named ‘Pani Maah (water month)’
to accelerate the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and to inform and engage village communities on the
importance of clean water in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh.
i.The campaign includes 2 phases to be run at the Block and Panchayat levels.
ii.During the 1st phase (August 1 to 14th), water samples will be collected from all identified sources and service
delivery points for testing.
• The focus will be on swachh Survekshan and sanitation drives by Village Water Sanitation
Committee (VWSC)/Pani samiti members.
iii.During the 2nd phase from (August 16 to 30th) water quality test reports and analysis with the villagers in an
open forum.
iv.An award of INR 5 lakh per village has been announced to the first 5 Har Ghar Jal villages of each district,
and INR 25 lakh to the first Har Ghar Jal Block in each District of Ladakh.
About Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)
It was launched on August 15th 2019 and is implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• JJM envisages supply of 55 litres of water per person per day to every household through Functional
Household Tap Connections (FHTC) by 2024
About Ministry of Jal Shakti
Union Minister – Gajendra Singh Shekhawat – Constituency (Jodhpur, Rajasthan)
Minister of State – Prahlad Singh Patel- Constituency (Damao, Madhya Pradesh), Bishweswar Tudu-
Constituency (Mayurbhanj, Odisha)
Karnataka Became 1st State to Issue Order for Implementing NEP 2020
On August 8, 2021, the Karnataka government issued an order for the implementation of the National Education
Policy (NEP) – 2020 from the current academic year 2021-2022.
• Through this, Karnataka has become the 1st state in India to issue an order on the implementation of NEP-
2020.
About NEP -2020:
i.It is the 1st education policy of the 21st century launched by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on 29th July
2020 by replacing the National Policy on Education, 1986 (NPE, 1986).
• It proposes to increase the investment in education to reach 6 percent of total Gross Domestic Product
(GDP).
• The 5 pillars of the policy include Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability
ii.In July 2020, PM launched different initiatives such as Vidya Pravesh, SAFAL (Structured Assessment for
Analysing Learning), NISHTHA 2.0 (National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ holistic Advancement) to
mark the 1st Anniversary of the NEP 2020. Click here to know more
iii.NEP aims to increase the Gross Enrollment Ratio in higher education from 26.8 percent in 2018 to 50 percent
by 2035 will bring in sweeping reforms in the area of education.
Benefits under NEF for Karnataka:
i.Once implemented the National Skills Qualification Framework will become part of the state’s graduation
programme and they could get a maximum of 40 percent credits through official online courses and 50 percent
credits from any University.
iii.They have the option to discontinue and integrate courses after a specific period. A single regulator will
oversee higher education in the country.
About Karnataka:
Governor – Thawar Chand Gehlot
National Park – Kudremukh National Park, Nagarhole National Park, Anshi National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary – Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhimgad Wildlife Sanctuary, Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary

Vandana Kataria appointed as Ambassador of Uttarakhand’s Women Empowerment & Child
Development Department
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami appointed Indian Women’s Team Hockey Player Vandana
Kataria as the Brand Ambassador of the State’s Department of Women Empowerment & Child Development.
• The Uttarakhand Government had also announced a cash reward of INR 25 Lakh to Vandana Kataria for her
performance at the Tokyo Olympics.
• During the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Vandana became the 1st Indian Woman to score an Olympic
hat-trick in hockey.
About Uttarakhand
Governor – Baby Rani Maurya
National Park (NP) – Nanda Devi, Rajaji, Valley of Flowers
Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) – Kedarnath, Mussoorie
KFC Announced ‘KFC Startup Kerala’, a Funding Scheme for Startups

Kerala Financial Corporation(KFC), a non-banking financial company owned by the Government of Kerala has
announced a comprehensive funding scheme named “KFC Startup Kerala” to support the startups in all the
stages of the development.This is the first-of-its-kind scheme where all stages of startups are considered.
About KFC Startup Kerala:
i.The KFC Startup Kerala scheme will assist the startups in various stages of growth from proof of concept,
prototype development, product trials, market-entry, commercialization.
ii.The assistance to set up workshops, purchase of necessary machinery, servers, software, infrastructure,
purchase of raw materials, working funds and capital, market expenses, and others will be provided through the
scheme.
Eligibility to get assistance:
i.Registered with Kerala Startup Mission or The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) and has a
registered office in Kerala.
ii.At least 51% of the shares of the startup should be held by Indian promoters.
iii.A startup should use technology in core product or service
Upper Loan Limit for Each stage:
• Productisation- Rs.25 lakh
• Commercialization- Rs.50 lakh
• Scaling up- Rs.100 lakh
This will be subject to 90% of the project cost in each stage.
Mode of Repayment:
The maximum repayment period will be 60 months which includes the moratorium period of maximum 12
months.
Additional funding:
i.The startups with firm purchase orders are eligible to get loans up to Rs 10 crore for executing orders.
ii.After the due diligence by venture capital fund registered with SEBI, the startups can get a venture debt of Rs 10
Crore.
Click here to know more about KFC Startup Kerala
About Kerala Financial Corporation(KFC):
KFC was established as the Travancore Cochin Financial Corporation in December 1953 and renamed as Kerala
Financial Corporation in 1956.
Chairman & MD– Sanjay Kaul
Headquarters– Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Punjab to introduce online payment of water supply bills in villages partnering with HDFC
The State Government of Punjab is all set to introduce an online payment system for water supply bills in all of its
villages in a phased manner. The information for the same was provided by Punjab Water Supply and Sanitation

Minister Razia Sultana who launched an online billing and revenue monitoring system (RMS) for online payment
of water supply bills in the villages of district SAS-Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali).
• This system is being implemented in collaboration with HDFC (Housing Development Finance Corporation
Ltd) bank which has provided a technological and banking platform
Key Points:
i.After successful completion of a pilot project for seven months, an online billing system would be introduced in
all districts of Punjab.
ii.Under this, rural people will get their water supply bills through SMS (Short Message Service) on their
registered mobile numbers and online bill payment option will be provided through a link in the SMS.
• Also, the department’s revenue collectors will also carry POS (Point of Sale) machines to the doorsteps.
About Punjab:
Chief Minister– Captain Amarinder Singh
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Bir Moti Bagh Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Gurdialpura Wildlife Sanctuary, and Bir Bhunerheri
Wildlife Sanctuary
TRIFED & Assam Collaborate to Establish a Network of VDVKCs & 5 TRIFOOD Tribal Food Parks
in Assam
Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister (CM) of Assam held a meeting with a delegation of Tribal Cooperative
Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) led by Pravir Krishna, Managing Director(MD) of TRIFED,
to identify the possibilities for establishing a network of Van Dhan Vikas Kendra Clusters(VDVKCs) across Assam.
• The 7 Members of Parliament(MP) of the region were also present during the meeting.
Objective of the meeting:
To identify the contours of establishing a comprehensive network of 7000 Van Dhan Self-Help Groups under 350
VDVKCs, 5 TRIFOOD Tribal Food Parks and a digital marketing network
Key Points:
i.The TRIFED and Government of Assam will develop an Enterprise model for Van Dhan Yojana that incorporates
the components of forward linkages like setting up of Common Facilities at District HQs for Handling / Packaging,
Testing, Demonstration centres for Minor Forest Produces/ Silk/ Lac/ Agri produces cluster level Tertiary
processing units, marketing and branding.
ii.This will be implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs(MoTA), TRIFED, the government of
Assam, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises(MSME), Ministry of Food Processing Industries(MoFPI) and Ministry
of Rural Development(MoRD).
iii.TRIFED has also proposed to develop a Marketing and Logistics Plan for promoting Tribal Products from
North-East Region and identify tribal products which can be registered under Geographical Indication(GI) having
a proposed budget of Rs 150 crore.
Van Dhan Model of Tribal Development:
i.Under the MSP for MFP scheme the total procurement of Assam is Rs 34.79 lakh, the key produces are Thatch,
bamboo, cane, hill broom, medicinal plants, Ahoi and Koroi.
ii.Under the Van Dhan Yojana, TRIFED has established around 128 VDVKCs.
iii.At present Assam along with the Ministry of MSME has identified 100 trainings and under the Scheme of Fund
for Regeneration of Traditional Industries (SFURTI scheme), 2 proposals are under development.
About Assam:
Governor- Jagdish Mukhi
National Park– Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park; Kaziranga National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary- Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary; Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary
About Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED):
TRIFED functions under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs(MoTA).
Managing Director- Pravir Krishna
Established- 1987
Headquarter- New Delhi

Arvind Kejriwal launched 33 faceless transport services in Delhi; 1st Indian state to make
transport services online
On August 10, 2021, the Chief Minister (CM) of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal launched the state transport
department’s 33 ‘faceless’ services during a function at IP Depot Regional Transport Office (RTO), New Delhi.
• This will enable people to get various transport-related documents online along with obtaining an e-
learning licence (eLL) by undertaking online test using Aadhaar authentication.
• With this, Delhi has become the first Indian state to bring all transport-related services online, thereby
saving people’s time and money.
Key Points:
i.This step will curtail the need of visiting a motor licensing office (MLO) and also of mediators, making it a
hassle-free process.
• The only requirement to visit the transport office is for driving test and car fitness check.
ii.All the faceless applications will be processed within a period of seven days.
iii.As a part of this move, four zonal offices i.e. IP Estate, Sarai Kale Khan, Janakpuri and Vasant Vihar are being
closed. The Vahan and Sarathi related work will be looked after by MLOs of South zone, Raja Garden and Dwarka,
respectively,
• These MLOs will serve as facilitation centres for public who are not having access to computers to file
online applications and will also be responsible to look into the complaints.
iv.According to standard operating procedure (SOP), the applicants can avail the services online with or without
Aadhaar number.
v.There will be no requirement to upload any document.
vi.The Transport department has developed a software through National Informatics Centre (NIC) for integration
of hypothecation data of banks with Vahan software for issuance of automatic on-line NOC (No Objection
Certificate) by banks.
vii.The Transport department has made arrangements for redressal of grievances through helpline number 1076,
official WhatsApp Chatbot and online complaint log at the department’s portal.
List of faceless services:
These include renewal of driving license, transfer of ownership, fresh permit from goods and passenger vehicles,
learning licences, duplicate registration certificate, international driving permit, change of address, hypothecation
termination, among others.
About New Delhi:
Lieutenant Governor– Anil Baijal
Zoological Park– National Zoological Park
Airport– Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by GMR Group
UP CM Yogi Adityanath launches Rashtriya Swasthya Sevak Abhiyan

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath launched the Rashtriya Swasthya Sevak Abhiyan in
Lucknow by launching the Health Warrior Portal. Under the campaign, Health workers will be trained to fight
COVID-19.
• The Health Volunteers will reach every village of UP to create awareness and to save them from the 3rd
wave of the COVID pandemic.
• It is a follow up to the national campaign ‘Rashtriya Swasthya Swayamsevak Abhiyan’ launched by the BJP
president JP Nadda on July 28, 2021.
Rashtriya Swasthya Swayamsevak Abhiyan
The Rashtriya Swasthya Swayamsevak Abhiyan (National Health Volunteer Campaign) was launched to train
health volunteers across India to fight COVID-19.
• Under the campaign, a target was set to train 4 lakh health volunteers across 2 Lakh Indian
villages through the programme and train 4 lakh health volunteers across India.
• Each village will have 2 Health volunteers (One male and one Female Health Volunteer) to take care of their
respective villages to generate awareness about COVID protocols and to increase immunity.

• The volunteers will be equipped with an oximeter, thermometer, antibody boosters and Rapid Antigen Test
kit
Recent Related News
On July 11,2021, the World Population Day 2021, UP CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Population Policy
2021-2030 for Uttar Pradesh.
About Uttar Pradesh
Governor – Anandiben Patel
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Katarniya Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary, National Chambal
Sanctuary
Tiger Reserve – Pilibhit Tiger Reserve, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Amangarh (buffer of Corbett TR)
Maharashtra Announced Rajiv Gandhi Award for excellence in IT Sector

The Government of Maharashtra has introduced the Rajiv Gandhi Award for excellence in IT, named after
former Prime Minister(PM) Rajiv Gandhi, to recognise the firms that excel in the Information Technology (IT)
Sector in Maharashtra.
• The decision on the award was taken in the meeting headed by Satej Patil Congress leader and Maharashtra’s
Minister of State for Information Technology.
• The award will be a tribute to Rajiv Gandhi for his contribution to the technology sector of India.
Key Points:
i.The Maharashtra IT Corporation Limited (MAHA IT) has been appointed as the nodal agency of the award.
ii.The Rajiv Gandhi Award for excellence in IT for 2021 will be given before 30th October 2021.
iii.From 2022, the award will be given out on 20th August, the birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi.
About Maharashtra:
Governor– Bhagat Singh Koshyari
National Park– Navegaon National Park; Chandoli National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary; Bhamragarh Wildlife Sanctuary
Rajasthan launched Interest Free Loan Scheme-Indira Gandhi Urban Credit Card Scheme 2021
The state government of Rajasthan has introduced Indira Gandhi Urban Credit Card Scheme 2021 to provide
interest-free loan up to Rs 50,000 as a financial support to 5 lakh beneficiaries, thereby, creating self employment
opportunities in the urban areas of the state.
• This scheme is in lines with the budget announcement made by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.
• The scheme will be applicable for one year and loans can be sanctioned till March 31, 2022. The loan
moratorium period will be three months and loan repayment period will be 12 months.
Beneficiaries:
The scheme is aimed at financially supporting and encouraging street vendors, people in the age group
of 18-40 years providing services in informal sector such as hairdressers, rickshaw pullers, potters,
carpenters, cobblers, masons, tailors, painters, plumbers, electricians etc. for self employment.
• It also includes unemployed persons of urban areas hit by Covid-19-induced financial crisis.
Key Points:
i.Those having monthly income of Rs 15,000 or family income Rs 50,000 per month will not be eligible for the
scheme.
ii.Loans will be given on the first come first serve basis. They will get an interest free loan without guarantee in
one year.
iii.The beneficiaries will be identified at the district level on the basis of certificates issued to the vendors by the
urban local bodies.
iv.Scheduled commercial banks, regional rural banks, small finance banks, cooperative banks, and non-banking
finance companies will be the lending institutions under the scheme.
About Rajasthan:
Governor– Kalraj Mishra

National Parks– Desert National Park, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, and Ranthambore National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Jaisamand Wildlife Sanctuary, Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary, and Phulwari ki nal
Sanctuary
Chhattisgarh became 1st Indian state to recognize Community Forest Resource Right
On the occasion of International Day of World’s Indigenous People Day i.e. August 9, 2021, the Chief Minister
(CM) of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel recognized Community Forest Resource Rights in an urban area, making it
the first state in India to do so.
• In this regard, certificates for the same were
distributed during a program in Raipur,
Areas in which rights were recognized: Dhamtari
district & Sitanadi Udanti Tiger Reserve
iThe state has recognized forest rights of three wards in
Nagari nagar panchayat of Dhamtari district with 4,132.33
hectares of forests. These include the following:
• 41 hectares for Nagari ward
• 18 hectares for Churiyara
• 2,746.74 hectares for Tumbahara ward.
ii.The other area recognized with these rights is Sitanadi Udanti Tiger Reserve with 5553.26 hectares of forests
spread across Dhamtari and Gariyaband districts. The reserve is spread over the following:
• 58 hectare for Masulkhoi,
• 92 hectares for Karhi,
• 42 hectares for Joratarai,
• 725 hectares for Bahigaon
• 615 hectares for Baroli.
What is Community Forest Resource Right?
Section 3 (1) (i) of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights)
Act, 2006, recognized by Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, gives right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage
any community forest resource which the people from tribal communities have been traditionally protecting and
conserving for sustainable use.
• For example: Presently, in Chhattisgarh, the villagers were not even allowed to pick tendu leaves, a forest
produce, in core areas of tiger reserve. Now, with this recognition, they can be allowed in the forest falling
within their traditional boundaries.
Key Points:
i.The CM unveiled an atlas of tribal communities living in Chhattisgarh.
ii.He also launched a special five-part teaching module on the all-round development of tribal areas. It will be
used to train public representatives and members of the Panchayati Raj system.
iii.Tribals account for more than 31% of Chhattisgarh’s population.
About Chhattisgarh:
Governor– Anusuiya Uikey
National Parks– Indravati (Kutru) National Park, Kanger Valley National Park, and Guru GhasiDas National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary, Badalkhol Wildlife Sanctuary, and Barnawapara Wildlife
Sanctuary
India’s 1st Drone Forensic Lab & Research Centre inaugurated at Kerala
The Chief Minister (CM) of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the India’s first first-of-its-kind Drone Forensic
Lab and Research Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala during a function held in the SAP (Special Armed Police)
parade ground. Notably, it was launched by the State police of Kerala.
• This lab-cum-research centre will address the rising security threat aspects of drones and will also look at
the utility part of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Key Points:
i.The inauguration was followed by the display and air show of drones.
ii.There are anti-national forces that are using drones for various destructive activities including spying,
smuggling and terrorism.
iii.Kerala Police is also planning to develop an anti-drone system.
About Kerala:
Governor– Arif Mohammad Khan
National Parks– Eravikulam National Park, Silent Valley National Park, and Pampadum Shola National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, and Wayanad Wildlife
Sanctuary
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray Launched E-crop Survey Initiative

Uddhav Thackeray, Chief Minister(CM) of Maharashtra, launched the e-crop survey initiative across the state,
with effect from 15th August 2021.
• This will be jointly implemented by the department of revenue and agriculture and Tata Trusts.
• The project was introduced as a pilot in 2 districts of Maharashtra.
Features of e-crop survey:
i.The mobile application of e-crop survey will reduce the difficulties of the farmers and provide them crop-related
information without any inconvenience.
ii.The government of Maharashtra has introduced a digitized 7/12 document, an extract from the ‘Land Register’
that the farmers can now access through mobile phones.
iii.This digital system will support the farmers to get compensation from the government when the crops are
damaged due to unpredictable weather and heavy or lack of rain.
Note:
The farmers will be trained on how to register their crops on the mobile application.
About Maharashtra:
Governor– Bhagat Singh Koshyari
National Park- Gugamal National Park; Tadoba National park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary; Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
Tamil Nadu FM PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan presents Revised Budget Estimate for FY 2021-22
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister (FM) PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan presented Revised Budget Estimate for the
Financial Year (FY) of 2021-2022.It is the 1st paperless budget presented in the history of Tamil Nadu.
Fiscal Indicators
Revenue Expenditure INR 2,61,188.57 crore
Revenue Receipts INR 2,02,495.88 crore
Revenue Deficit INR 58,692.68 crore
Fiscal Deficit INR 92,529.43 crore (4.3 Percent of Gross State Domestic Product – GSDP)
The Budget has set a target to lower the revenue deficit to INR 58, 692 crore which is 60% of the revised revenue
deficit estimate for 2020-21.
Major Announcements
i.Maternity leave increased from 9 months to 12 months for women government employees with less than 2
children from July 1, 2021.
ii.A fintech city will be developed in Chennai in two phases at Nandambakkam and Kavanur. The 1st one in
Nandambakkam at a cost of INR 165 crore.
iii.The ‘Kalaignar Karunanidhi Semmozhi Tamizh Award’, which has not been presented since 2010, will be
given away alongside a cash support of INR 10 lakh on June 3, every year (On occasion of Karunanidhi’s
Anniversary).

iv.Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Constituency development Scheme will be restored of INR 3 crore per
constituency per year from the FY 2021-22 which was cancelled due to COVID pandemic
v.‘Singara Chennai 2.0’ scheme to be launched with an emphasis on clean and green Chennai. INR 500
crore has been provided for this scheme.
vi.A Detailed Feasibility Report for the Metro Rail in Madurai is set to be prepared.
Education
i.The School Education is accorded the highest importance in the budget with an overall allocation of INR
32,599.54 crore.
ii.The “Ennum Ezhuthum Mission” to ensure foundational literacy and numeracy
skills for all the students of age 8 years in Tamil Nadu by 2025. INR 66.70 crore has been allotted for the mission.
iii.A total of INR 5,369.09 crore has been provided in the budget for Higher Education department.
Health & Family Welfare
i.Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam’ scheme with a total outlay of INR 257.16 crore.
ii.A Siddha Medical College will be established by Arulmigu Baladhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, Palani, Tamil
Nadu to promote Siddha.
Petrol Price reduced
Petrol price has been slashed by INR 3 per litre. It is expected to cost INR 1160 crore to the state exchequer.
Fisheries
Kasimedu Fishing Harbour in Chennai to be upgraded at a total cost of INR150 crore in association with Chennai
Port Trust.
• The overall allocation for the welfare of the fishermen in Tamil Nadu in the Revised Budget Estimates for
2021-22 is INR 1,149.79 crore.
Housing and Urban Development
The Minister said the Government is aiming to make the state entirely slum free within a period of 10 years.
• INR 3,954.44 crore has been allocated for Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board in the Revised Budget.
Rural Development
In support of Jal Jeevan Mission, At least 55 litres per capita per day of good quality drinking water will be
supplied to all the 79,395 habitations in the State.
• The Minister said the government will ensure that 8,03,924 homeless families in rural areas are provided a
house in the next 5 years under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, INR 3,548 crore has been provided for the
rural housing scheme.
TN Agriculture Minister MRK Pannerselvam presents 1st Exclusive TN Agriculture Budget for FY 2021-22
MRK Panneerselvam, Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Tamil Nadu presented 1st Exclusive Budget
for Agriculture by separating it from the General Budget which was presented the previous day for the FInancial
Year 2021-22.
• It is the 1st time an Exclusive Budget for Agriculture is presented in the history of Tamil Nadu Legislative
Assembly for 100 years.
Major Announcements
i.The Budget proposes to implement “Kalaignar’s Anaithu Grama Oruginaintha Velan Valarchi Thittam” to
ensure all the villages of TN attain Agricultural Development and Self-Sufficiency over a period of 5 years. The
state has allocated INR 250 crore for the Scheme.
• A separate department is set to be created for organic farming.
• A separate museum for agriculture will be set up in Chennai to showcase the glory of agriculture to the
younger generation. INR 2 crore has been set apart for this project.
• For the crop insurance scheme, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana(PMFBY), INR 2,327 crore has been
allocated for the FY 2021-2022.
• A new horticulture college will be set up at Jeenur near Krishnagiri district and Turmeric Research
Centre will be established at Bhavanisagar near Erode.
ii.The government has allocated INR 4508.23 crore to Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) to provide free
electricity for agriculture.

About Tamil Nadu
Chief Minister – M K Stalin
National Parks – Guindy National Park, Gulf of Mannar Marine Park, Mukurthi National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary – Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Wildlife Sanctuary, Point Calimere Wildlife
Sanctuary
Odisha to become 1st Indian state to Provide Smart Health Cards

On the lines of Digital India, Odisha is all set to launch India’s first ‘Smart Health Cards scheme’ covering its 3.5
crore people of 96 lakh families under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana. The information for the same was
provided by Odisha Chief Minister (CM) Naveen Patnaik while addressing the 75th Independence Day
celebrations in Bhubaneswar.
• The objective behind Smart Health Cards is to provide hassle-free quality treatment at the best available
health care facilities.
• These cards will work like debit cards for a certain amount.
Key Points:
i.Through this scheme Central Government health benefits can also be accessed.
ii.The beneficiaries of National and State Food Security Schemes, Annapurna and Antyodaya schemes will get this
card and henceforth each family can avail treatment cost up to Rs 5 lakh per annum.
iii.Women members can avail benefits up to Rs 10 lakh annually.
iv.The health benefits under this scheme can be availed in more than 200 hospital chains of the country including
Odisha.
About Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana:
Launched in 2018, it aims to provide Universal Health coverage, with special emphasis on the health protection of
economically vulnerable families. It has two components:
• Free health services for all in all State Government health care facilities.
• Additional facility beyond Government Medical College hospitals for over 70 lakh families, through annual
health coverage of Rs. 5 lakh per annum (Rs. 10lakh for women members) per family per annum in private
empanelled hospitals within and outside the State & all Government Hospitals and premier health institutes
outside the State.
It should be noted that Odisha has been sponsoring the Indian national hockey teams since 2018.
Govt of J&K introduced Karkhandar Scheme to uplift traditional handicrafts of J&K

The government of Jammu & Kashmir(J&K) has introduced the Karkhandar scheme to support the local artisans
and weavers and to promote the traditional handicrafts of J&K.
• The scheme also aims to provide training in the field of handicrafts sector.
• The scheme will be implemented across the Union Territory(UT) through the Directorate of Handicrafts and
Handloom Kashmir/Jammu.
Objective:
To transfer the skill set of the master craftsmen to the younger generation.
Features of Karkhandar scheme:
i.The scheme will boost the crafts with high potential along with the crafts which failed to make any progress.
ii.The languishing crafts include crafts like Glazed tiles, Silverware and filigree will be taken full revival in the first
instance.
iii.The scheme aims to identify and provide skill up-gradation training in crafts that are facing a scarce human
resource, the identified crafts include walnut wood carving, silver filigree, carpet, Kani shawl weaving,
Khatamband and Papier-Mâché Craft.
Benefits:
Under this scheme, the meritorious trainees will be given an honorarium of Rs 2000 per month and the trainer
will get Rs 2000 per month for each trainee in addition to Rs 25000 for logistics, raw materials and others.

About Jammu & Kashmir(J&K):
Lieutenant Governor– Manoj Sinha
Bird Sanctuary– Hokersar bird sanctuary
National Park– Dachigam National Park; Kishtwar National Park
Olympian P R Sreejesh to be Named Brand Ambassador of Adventure Tourism in Kerala

Olympian Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh (PR Sreejesh), goalkeeper and former captain of the Indian National
Hockey team is set to be named as the brand ambassador of adventure tourism in Kerala.
• P R Sreejesh was a part of the Indian Hockey team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic
games.
• PR Sreejesh hails from Ernakulam, Kerala.
Chhattisgarh Govt Launched ‘Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhumihin Majdur Nyay Yojana’ for Landless
Workers
The government of Chhattisgarh launched the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhumihin Majdur Nyay Yojana’ to
provide financial assistance of Rs 6000 (annually) for more than 12 lakh Landless workers of Chhattisgarh.
This is a first of its kind scheme that focuses on delivering economic justice for the landless labourers.
Background:
• The scheme was announced by Bhupesh Baghel, the
Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, on 28th July 2021.
• The provision of Rs 200 crores for the scheme was
included in the supplementary budget of the Financial
year 2021-2022.
Aim:
The scheme aims to provide a minimum wage to support the
landless labourers of Chhattisgarh.
Features of the scheme:
i.The scheme covers the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and contract workers.
ii.Assistance through this scheme will also be provided to the barbers, blacksmiths, dhobis (washermen and
washerwomen) and priests across Chhattisgarh.
iii.The beneficiaries of the scheme are expected to receive their benefits before 31st March 2022, the end of the
financial year.
iv.Beneficiaries of the ‘Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhumihin Majdur Nyay Yojana’ are required to register themselves
on dedicated portal from September 1, 2021 to November 30, 2021.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister(CM) Bhupesh Baghel virtually launched Chief Minister`s Tree Plantation Promotion
Scheme which aims to protect the environment and increase income of farmers, panchayats and forest
management committees.
This scheme has been linked with Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana.
Objective:
• To encourage plantation on private land
• To improve the environment in villages and increase ground water level.
About Chhattisgarh:
Governor– Anusuiya Uikey
Wildlife Sanctuary– Bhairamgarh Wildlife Sanctuary; Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary;
Sarangarh-Gomarda Wildlife Sanctuary
Tiger Reserve– Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve; Indravati Tiger Reserves; Achanakmar Tiger Reserve

4 New Districts and 18 New Tehsils Formed in Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister(CM) Bhupesh Baghel announced the creation of 4 New Districts and 18 New
Tehsil in the state. New districts named as Manendragarh, Mohla Manpur, Shakti and Sarangarh-
Bilaigarh. With this formation, there will be a total of 32 districts in the state.
Major Announcements
• A new “Minimata Park” will be opened exclusively for
women in every district headquarter and municipal
corporation of the state. Minimata served as the first
woman MP from Chhattisgarh, who got elected in
1952. She worked for women empowerment and social
welfare.
• ‘Dhanvantari Yojana’ announced by the CM in urban
areas of the state . it will provide medicine to the people
at concessional rate.
• ‘Dial 112’- emergency helpline services extended across the state.
About Chhattisgarh-
Chief Minister: Bhupesh Baghel
Wildlife Sanctuary – Pamed Wild Buffalo Wildlife Sanctuary, Semarsot Wildlife Sanctuary, Sitanadi Wildlife
Sanctuary.
Zoological Park– Nandanvan Jungle Safari, Maitri Baag Zoological Park, Kanan Pendari Zoological Garden.
Haryana’s Hisar Airport Named As Maharaja Agrasen International Airport

Haryana Chief Minister (CM) Manohar Lal Khattar announced the first civil airport, Hisar Airport in Hisar
district would be known as Maharaja Agrasen International airport.The act was done in order to pay tribute to the
legendary Maharaja Agrasen
Highlights
• Hisar Airport became 1st Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)- licensed public aerodrome of the
state in the year 2018.
• The airport is situated near the city Agroha, which used to be the kingdom of the great king Maharaja
Agrasen.
• The phase-1 of the aerodrome project was completed in 2018, now phase-11 of project has started, which is
to make an airstrip from existing 4000feet to 10000 feet.
About Haryana
Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
Zoological Park: Surinder Singh Memorial Mini Zoo (Pipli,Kurukshetra), Mini Zoo(Rohtak), Rohtak Zoo
Wildlife sanctuary: Nahar Wildlife Sanctuary,Abubshahar Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary
Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao rolls out Dalit Bandhu Scheme

The Chief Minister(CM) of Telangana, Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao, launched Dalit Bandhu scheme by
releasing the financial aid of Rs 7.60 crore for 76 Dalit families in Vasalamarri village of Alair Assembly
constituency in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district, Telangana.
• The funds were issued by the Scheduled Castes development department through Government Order (GO).
In this regard, Telangana Scheduled Castes Co-operative Development Corporation (TSCCDC) to hand over
the aid to the district collector
About Dalit Bandhu scheme:
After the above launch, the scheme was officially launched at Shalapally village in Huzurabad assembly
constituency by the CM.
• Under the scheme every Dalit beneficiary family will be provided Rs 10 lakh and the beneficiaries are free to
spend the money as desired but are advised to use it to create a source of revenue.

Key Points:
i.A total funds of Rs 1.70 lakh crore would be required to cover all the Rs 17 lakh Dalit families in the state.
ii.In the first phase priority will be given to the families belonging to the poorest of the poor and downtrodden
sections. In the 4th phase it will be extended to government staff and retired employees.
About Telangana:
Governor– Tamilisai Soundararajan
National Parks– KBR National Park, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park, and Mrugavani National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, Shivaram Wildlife Sanctuary, and Kinnerasani Wildlife
Sanctuary
Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet Approves Credit-linked Schemes to Boost Agriculture, Horticulture

The cabinet of Arunachal Pradesh has approved 2 credit-linked schemes to boost the economy of the state
through agriculture and horticulture. These 2 schemes will facilitate Rs 300 crore investment in the agro-based
sector.
• The government of Arunachal Pradesh has set aside Rs 60 crore of subsidy for Atma Nirbhar Krishi Yojana
for agriculture and Atma Nirbhar Bagwani Yojana for horticulture during 2021-22 fiscal.
Features of the Schemes:
i.These programmes will have 3 components, Bank Loans, Subsidy and Beneficiaries contribution.It was decided
that the share of subsidy would be 45 per cent in the schemes, while a beneficiary needs to contribute 10 per cent
and the rest will be bank loans.
ii.The schemes will be available for cultivators, Self Helf Groups(SHG) and farmer producer organisations(FPO).
iii.Under these programmes, farmers will get up to Rs 1.6 lakh with no collateral or bank guarantee and self-help
Groups will get up to Rs 10 lakh.
Note:
The people across the state can apply for the scheme at the deputy commissioner office of their district.
About Arunachal Pradesh:
Chief Minister- Pema Khandu
National Park– Mouling National park; Namdapha National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Talle Wildlife Sanctuary; Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary
UP’s Upcoming Ganga Expressway Receives INR 5100 Crore Loan from PNB
UP Expressway Industrial Development Authority(UPEIDA) of Uttar Pradesh(UP) receives the approval letter of
securitisation-based INR 5100 crore loan from the Punjab National Bank (PNB) for building the 594 km long
Ganga Expressway Project. The loan was approved at the Lucknow event in the presence of UP Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman.
About the Project-
The project’s estimated cost is around INR 36,230 crore about 92% land acquisition work has already been done.
It is a part of National Infrastructure Pipeline and National Monetization Pipeline projects.
Highlights
• The Ganga Expressway is the longest expressway in north India and second longest in the country.
• According to the government of UP, the total length of this expressway will be around 594 km long.
• It’s a 6 lane expressway and will start from National Highway (NH) 334 in Meerut district and end in NH-2
Prayagraj (Previously known as Allahabad) district.
• It will connect districts of Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahar, Amroha, Sambhal,Badaun, Shahjahanpur, Hardoi,
Unnao, Rai Bareli, Pratapgarh and Prayagraj.
Salient Features of Expressway
i.The expressway will reduce the traveling time between Delhi and Prayagraj from 6-7 hours from 10-11 hours
ii.There is the provision for constructing an airstrip which will enable Indian Airforce planes to make emergency
landings in Sultanpur district.
Iii. The top speed bar has been set up at 120 kmph, which is apparently the highest permissible speed in India.

About PNB
Chief Executive Officer– SS Mallikarjuna Rao
About Uttar Pradesh(UP)
Wildlife sanctuary- Chandraprabha WL Sanctuary, Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Suhelwa Wildlife Sanctuary
Zoological Park –Shaheed Ashfaq Ullah Khan Prani Udyan ,Sarnath Deer ParkAirport –Chaudhary Charan Singh
International Airport, Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport , Kushinagar International airport.
Power Export Agreement Renewed by Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited with
Bangladesh govt
A trade agreement between Indo-Bangladesh signed by the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited
(TSECL) and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) was renewed recently for the export of power.
Highlights
• It was originally signed in 2016 for the supply of 160 megawatt power to Bangladesh Power Development
Board (BPDB) .
• This 5 year agreement expired in March 2021 but after negotiations it got renewed.
• The TSECL gets around 45 crore annually from this agreement which is competitively better than domestic
charges.
About Tripura
Chief Minister– Biplab Kumar Deb(Banamalipur, Tripura)
National Park-Clouded Leopard National Park,Bison National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary- Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary ,Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Gomati Wildlife Sanctuary
Punjab Govt Chosen SBI General Insurance to Service AB-SSBY in the Punjab State
The Punjab Government has chosen SBI General Insurance to expand the health insurance coverage in the state
of Punjab under Ayushman Bharat Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana (AB-SSBY).
• SBI General Insurance will collaborate with the state government and provide the cashless health insurance
cover of Rs 5 Lakh under AB-SSBY to 40 lakh eligible families in Punjab particularly to the less privileged
section.
About AB-SSBY:
i.It is an entitlement based Health Insurance Scheme of the Punjab state. It was launched on 20 August 2019 to
offer cashless Health Insurance cover of Rs 5 Lakh per family per year.
ii.AB-SSBY intends to provide financial protection to the 65 percent population of the state of Punjab.
iii.Under the scheme, the beneficiary families could avail of health services at empanelled private and government
hospitals.
iv.Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) – 2011 data beneficiaries, Smart ration card holders under National
Food Security Act (NFSA), farmers, construction workers, small traders & Accredited and yellow card holder
journalists were eligible to get benefit from the scheme.
About SBI General Insurance Company Ltd:
Establishment – 2009 (Commenced Operation – 2010)
MD & CEO – Prakash Chandra Kandpal
Tagline – Suraksha Aur Bharosa Dono
About Punjab:
Chief Minister – Amarinder Singh
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Bir Moti Bagh Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Bhunerheri Wildlife Sanctuary
Zoological Parks – Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, Tiger safari zoo

SIDBI provides first approval under SCDF to TN Government
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has provided the first approval under SIDBI Cluster
Development Fund (SCDF) to the Tamil Nadu (TN) state government.
• The in-principle approval letter was handed over by Sivasubramanian Ramann, Chairman and Managing
Director, SIDBI at the assembly in the presence of TN chief minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin.
Key Points:
i.This fund will be utilized for direct benefit of the MSMEs (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) in Tamil Nadu.
ii.Under this, SIDBI will provide its customized direct lending products.
iii.On a need basis SIDBI will also support soft infrastructure issues in select clusters relating to technology,
skilling/upskilling, energy efficiency, market and credit connect
iv.A pilot project under SCDF has been launched in Ambattur, Chennai leather cluster.
Background:
The expert committee on MSMEs headed by Upendra Kumar Sinha has recommended an engagement of SIDBI
with state governments for MSME development using Priority Sector Shortfall (PSS) funds to create a low-cost
lending window for State Governments for infrastructure projects in clusters.
• Accordingly, SIDBI has set up Project Management Units (PMUs) in 11 states viz. Assam, Andhra Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu.
About Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI):
Establishment- 1990
Headquarter– Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Puducherry CM N.Rangasamy Presents Budget Estimates for FY 2021-22

Union Territory (UT) Puducherry, Chief Minister (CM) N.Rangasamy who also holds the Finance Portfolio has
presented the Budget Estimates for the Financial Year (FY) 2021-22. It was a tax free Budget presented in the UT
assembly
Fiscal Indicators:
Budget Estimate INR 9924.41 crore
Revenue Receipts INR 6190 crore
Fiscal Deficit INR 1684.41 crore
Revenue Expenditure INR 8723.97 crore
Capital Expenditure INR 1200.44 crore
• The total outstanding debt of the UT as of 31st March 2021 is INR 9334.78 crore, which is 22.17% of Gross
State Domestic Product (GSDP) in 2020-21 is within the Fiscal Responsibility & Budget Management (FRBM)
norms.
• The average growth rate of the UT is 10%
Major Announcements in the Budget:
i.Crop loan waiver: The crop loan availed by farmers through Co-operative banks to be waived off.
ii.Petrol price Reduced by INR 2.43 per litre due to the Reduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol by 3 per
cent.
iii.The education loan availed by the students through Puducherry Adidravidar Development Corporation
(PADCO) Limited is to be waived off.
iv.Scheduled Castes (SC) welfare:
• Financial assistance to the parents of poor SC brides for performing the marriage of their children to be
enhanced from INR 75,000 to INR 1,00,000.
v.Tourism:
• The development of Yacht Marina in Puducherry and development of an entertainment zone in Manapet
under the technical expertise of NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India).
• “Industrial Status” to be provided to the Tourism Sector to encourage private investors/entrepreneurs
and to create employment for youths in tourism-related business.

vi.Housing: Financial assistance given to poor people for the construction of houses has been enhanced to INR
3.50 lakh by the merger of Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Centenary Housing Scheme and Prime Minister Awas
Yojana.
vii.The World Bank assisted the “Enhancing Coastal and Ocean Resource Efficiency” (ENCORE) project to be
implemented at an outlay of INR 111.90 crore.
About Puducherry
Lieutenant Governor – Tamilisai Soundararajan
Chief Minister – N.Rangasamy
Punjab to Launch ‘Mera Kaam Mera Maan’ Scheme to Hone the Skills of Unemployed Youths
The cabinet of Punjab, chaired by Chief Minister(CM) of Punjab, Amarinder Singh, has approved the new scheme
titled “Mera Kaam Mera Maan (MKMM)” scheme to help the unemployed youths of Punjab to enhance their
skills and increase the chance of getting a job.
Objective:
To support the unemployed youth of Punjab to hone their skills and enhance employability in their chosen field
through free short term skill training.
MKMM Scheme:
i.The scheme will be introduced from the current fiscal on a pilot basis for construction workers and their wards.
The workers must be registered with the Construction Workers Welfare Board, Department of labour.
ii.The eligible workers shall contact the District Bureau of Employment and Enterprise to apply for the benefits of
the MKMM scheme.
iii.At a cost of Rs 90 crores, 30000 beneficiaries have been approved under the pilot project.
Features of MKMM Scheme:
i.Under the MKMM Scheme the free short-term skill training will be provided to the unemployed youths of
Punjab.
ii.The scheme will also provide an employment assistance allowance of Rs 2500 per month for a period of 12
months from the start of the training course under the short term skill training programmes in Punjab skills
development mission training centers.
About Punjab:
Governor– VP Singh Badnore
Wildlife Sanctuary– Bir Dosanjh Wildlife Sanctuary; Bir Bhadson Wildlife Sanctuary
Zoological parks– Bir Motibagh, Bir Talab, Neelon
Sonu Sood Appointed as Brand Ambassador of Delhi Govt’s ‘ Desh Ke Mentors’ Program
Bollywood Actor, Sonu Sonu will be appointed as brand ambassador of the programme of Delhi
Government ‘’Desh Ke Mentor” by the Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal. It’s a mentorship
programme where around 3 lakh experts and professionals will guide the 10 lakh Delhi government school
students.
Highlights
• It’s a welfare initiative , which will encourage children to
enroll in the government schools of Delhi.
• The students will be guided in making career choices.
About Sonu Sood
i.Sonu Sood hails from Moga, Punjab.He is an Indian actor, film
producer, model, humanitarian, and philanthropist
ii.He has supported to provide food and travel assistance to
thousands of migrants who were stranded across India and
helped them.

Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated 12 Developmental Projects in Tripura during visit
The Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman was on a 2-day visit to Tripura where she inaugurated 12
developmental projects.
• She also reviewed the progress of Externally Aided Projects (EAP) worth Rs 7,719 crore during the visit.
She also addressed the meeting, which was also attended by Tripura Chief Minister (CM) Biplab Kumar Deb;
Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma; and Tripura Chief Secretary Kumar Alok, among others.
Key Points:
i.Among all EAPs, Central sector EAPs share more than Rs 2,477 crore and State sector EAPs are worth Rs 5,242
crore.
ii.It should be noted that EAPs are being implemented in Tripura in the sectors of afforestation and livelihood,
power transmission, water supply and infrastructure development.
iii.The Union Minister also visited an Agar tree-plantation centre at Hathipara Forest complex and a Covid
vaccination centre at Gandhigram in West Tripura.
Inaugurations:
The Finance Minister inaugurated the following projects:
• Rs 38.03 crore World Bank aided 132 KV (Kilovolt) electric sub-station in western Tripura’s Mohanpur,
constructed under the NERPSIP (North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project).
• Rs 20 crore three Surface Water Treatment plants funded by Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the
North East Region Urban Development Project (NERUDP) at Rampur, Pragati, and Badarghat in western
Tripura.
• Launch 80,660 functional household tap connection under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)
• Launch of seven projects implemented under the ‘Rural Infrastructure Development Fund’ and ‘Special Plan
Assistance’ of the Central government.
• Two projects worth over ₹21 crores were cleared by the Centre on Friday morning itself. It includes-
widening of state highways ( ₹14.15 crores) and various development works for Agartala worth ₹7.4 crores.
• These three water treatment plants, with a total capacity of 22.40 MLD (million litres per day), will help in
providing clean water in the Agartala Municipal Corporation area.
About Tripura:
Governor– Satyadev Narayan Arya
Zoological Parks– Sepahijala Zoological Park
Airports– Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, Kamalpur Airport, and Khowai Airport
Justice Vineet Kothari named acting CJ of Gujarat HC

The President of India has appointed Justice Vineet Kothari as the acting Chief Justice (CJ) of the Gujarat High
Court (HC) until his retirement on September 2, 2021. He will succeed incumbent Chief Justice Vikram Nath who
has been elevated to the Supreme Court.
President of India has appointed Justice Vineet Kothari after
exercising his powers conferred by Article 223 of the
Constitution of India.
• Post retirement of Justice Vineet Kothari, Justice RM Chhaya
would function as the acting Chief Justice of the HC till
further orders.
• The information for the same was provided by the Ministry
of Law and Justice (MoL&J).
About Gujarat:
Chief Minister– Vijay Rupani
Airport– Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Dholera International Airport, and Surat Airport
Museums– Tribal Museum (Ahmedabad), Calico Museum of Textiles (Ahmedabad), and Veechar Cultural and
Heritage Museum for Utensils (Ahmedabad)

3 Cities in Andhra Pradesh are Awarded Water Plus Certification
3 cities of Andhra Pradesh(AP) were awarded “Water Plus” certification by the Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs(MoHUA), Government of India. The certification is awarded under the Swachh Bharat Mission and
Swachh Survekshan assessment.
Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and Tirupati Municipal
Corporation are among the 9 cities across India that were awarded Water Plus Certification.
• AP became the only state to have more than 1 water plus city.
GOVT SCHEMES
Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin launches India’s 1st ‘Doorstep Healthcare’ Scheme
In India’s 1st, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister (CM) M K Stalin launched ‘Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam’ scheme
(Healthcare services at people’s doorstep Healthcare) at Krishnagiri to deliver medical services at people’s
doorstep.
i.Objective – To eliminate the need for patients to visit hospitals for treating non-communicable diseases.
• A total of around INR 250 crore has been allocated for the scheme.
• The 1st phase of the scheme will cover 1172 Health sub-centres, 189 Primary Health Centres and 50
Community Health Centres in 50 Universal coverage blocks across TN. It will be extended to the entire state
by the end of 2021.
ii.The programme will focus on community-based interventions to improve compliance and disease control in
TN.
iii.Field team comprising Women Health Volunteers (WHV) under the Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development
of Women (TNCDW), Village Health Nurses, Health Inspectors and others will be deployed to provide home-based
health care services.
About Tamil Nadu
Governor – Banwarilal Purohit
National Parks (NP) – Guindy, Gulf of Mannar Marine, Indira Gandhi (Annamalai)
Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) – Cauvery North Sanctuary WLS, Chitrangudi WLS, Gangaikondan Spotted Deer WLS
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana completes 7th Anniversary

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (National Mission of Financial Inclusion) completed its 7th Anniversary on
15th August, 2021. It was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 28, 2014.
i.As per government data, PMJDY now has 42.89 crore beneficiaries (basic bank account holders) with INR
1,43,834 crore total balance.
• More than 50% of them are women – 23.76 crore, while 28.57 crore belong to rural and semi city areas.
• The average balance of PMJDY accounts stands at around INR 3000-3500.
• According to the Global Findex database of the World Bank, 80% of people above 15 years of age in the
lower-middle income group have a bank account now compared to 53 per cent in 2014.
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY)
i.It is implemented by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.
• Slogan of the Scheme is “Mera Khatha, Bhagya Vidhatha” (My account, fate restorer).
• Objective – To ensure access to various financial services like availability of basic savings bank account,
access to need based credit, remittances facility, insurance and pension to the excluded sections i.e. weaker
sections & low income groups.
• Guinness World Records has also recognised the achievements made under the PMJDY. It certified that the
“Most bank accounts opened in one week as part of the Financial Inclusion Campaign is 18,096,130 and was
achieved by the Department of Financial Services, Government of India.”
ii.Major Benefits under the PMJDY
• There is no requirement to maintain any minimum balance in PMJDY accounts.

• An overdraft (OD) facility up to Rs. 10,000 to eligible account holders is available.
• The beneficiaries would get RuPay Debit card having inbuilt accident insurance cover of INR 1 lakh
(enhanced to Rs. 2 lakh to new PMJDY accounts opened after 28.8.2018).
• PMJDY accounts are eligible for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana
(PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY), Micro Units
Development & Refinance Agency Bank (MUDRA)
About Ministry of Finance
Union Minister – Nirmala Sitharaman(Rajya Sabha,Karnataka)
Minister of State(MoS): Dr S Bhagwat Karad(Rajya Sabha, Maharashtra) and Shri Pankaj Chaudhary(
Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh)
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
UN created Permanent Forum of People of African Descent to address Challenges of Racism
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) approved the establishment of Permanent Forum of People of
African Descent to provide expert advice on addressing the challenges of racism, racial discrimination,
xenophobia and intolerance.
• The forum will consist of 10 members’ viz. five elected
by the UNGA from all regions and five appointed by
the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) following
consultations with regional groups and organizations
of people of African descent.
About Forum:
i.The first session of the forum will take place in 2022.
ii.Annual reports will be made on the forum’s activities and
the evaluation of its operation will be done by UNGA after
four sessions.
iii.The forum will serve as a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of
African descent.
iv.The mandates for the forum include the ensuring of full political, economic and social inclusion of people of
African descent, and providing expert advice and recommendations on addressing racism to the UNHRC, UNGA’s
main committees and UN agencies.
Point to be noted:
i.The forum’s establishment comes during the International Decade for People of African Descent, established by
the General Assembly, which began on January 1, 2015, and ends on December 31, 2024.
• It is focusing on the themes of recognition, justice and development.
ii.This creation of the forum also comes ahead of the 20th anniversary of the September 2001 UN World
Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa.
About United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR):
It replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
Members– 47 UN Member States
President– Nazhat Shameem Khan
India joins Community of Portuguese Language Countries as ‘Associate Observer’

The13th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP)
2021 was held at Luanda, Angola. During the summit, India and 9 countries were approved to join CPLP as
‘Associate Observer’.
• The other 9 countries are Canada, Ivory Coast, Greece, India, Ireland, Peru, Qatar, Romania, Spain and the US.

• 3 Organisations, namely the Ibero-American Conference, the G7+, and the European Organisation for Public
Law (OEDP/EPLO) were also approved as ‘Associate Observer’.
• CPLP is also known as Lusophone Countries (Portuguese-speaking countries). Joining the community will
help India to strengthen its ties with Portuguese speaking world.
• The CPLP Summit took place on July 17th, coinciding with the date on which CPLP was set up (July 17th,
1996 – marking 25 years).
Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP)
i.It is an international organization made up of 9 countries – Angola, Brazil, Portugal, East Timor, Cape Verde, Sao
Tome and Principe, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau & Mozambique & 32 Associate observers.
ii.It is a multilateral forum created to deepen cultural, economic, and political cooperation among the Lusophone
nations of the world.
About Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP)
General Director – Armindo Brito Fernandes
Headquarters – Lisbon, Portugal
Bangladesh, Canada Joined Coalition on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

Bangladesh and Canada joined the Coalition on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), an initiative of India
launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN Climate Action Summit in September 2019.
• India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar has
welcomed both nations as partners under CDRI.
About CDRI:
CDRI: It is the global partnership of national governments,
UN (United Nation) agencies and programmes, multilateral
development banks and financing mechanisms, the private
sectors, and knowledge institutions, to promote the resilience
of new and existing infrastructure systems to climate and
disaster risks in support of sustainable development
Members of CDRI
After the inclusion of Bangladesh and Canada, CDRI has 25 countries and 7 international organisations as its
members.
i.Member Countries of CDRI (as of July 2021) – Afghanistan, Africa, Argentina, Bhutan, Brazil, Chile, Fiji, France,
Germany, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nepal, Netherlands, Peru, Sri Lanka, Turkey,
UK, USA, Bangladesh, Canada
ii.7 member Organizations – Asian Development Bank (ADB); World Bank Group; United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP); United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR); ARISE, the Private Sector
Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies; Coalition for Climate Resilient Investment (CCRI); European Union.
Note – In March 2021, Narendra Modi addressed the 3rd Edition of the Annual Conference of International
Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2021 (ICDRI 2021). During the event, the 27-member European
Union joined the CDRI.
About Coalition on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI):

Director-General – Sandeep Poundrik
South Africa becomes 1st Country to grant Patent for an Invention by AI

South Africa became the 1st Country in the World to grant Patent to an Artificial Intelligence (AI) System. It has
granted a patent related to an Food Container system based on Fractal Geometry invented by the AI system
‘DABUS’ (Device for Autonomous Bootstrapping of Unified Sentience).
• DABUS was created by Stephen Thaler. Its main functions are Emergency warning system, spoiled food
alert and others.

• DABUS is a type of AI, often referred to as ‘creativity machines’. They are capable of independent and
complex functioning.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
i.It’s a branch of computer science that deals with creating machines as intelligent as human beings.
ii.The Term was coined by John McCarthy in 1956 at the Dartmouth conference held in the United States.
DRDO’s AI Lab
Center of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), an laboratory of Defence Research and Development
Organization (DRDO)is involved in Research and Development in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and others. It
was established in 1986 in Bangalore
About South Africa
President – Cyril Ramaphosa
Capitals – Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
Currency – South African RAND
PM Narendra Modi Chaired UNSC Open Debate on Maritime Security; UNSC Adopted PRST on
Maritime Security
In August 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually chaired the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
High-level Open Debate on ‘Enhancing Maritime Security – A Case for International Cooperation’.
• As India holds the presidency of the UNSC for the month of August 2021, Narendra Modi presided over the
maritime security debate.
• Narendra Modi was the 1st Indian PM to preside over a UNSC Open Debate.
PM’s Remarks at the UNSC debate:
He outlined 5 principle frameworks to preserve the common maritime heritage, and to frame a global roadmap of
maritime security cooperation.
a.1st Principle:
i.At first, he remarked on the need to remove all the barriers from legitimate maritime trade to provide
prosperity to all the countries through the active flow of maritime trade.
ii.He also stated about India’s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) i.e. SAGAR – (Security and
Growth for All in the Region).
• SAGAR was introduced in 2015 to strengthen the economic and security connections with its maritime
neighbours. It has also provided a framework for the Safe, Secure and Stable maritime domain.
• Mission SAGAR was launched in May 2020 under SAGAR, to deliver COVID-19 related assistance to the
countries in IOR.
• Under the mission, the Indian Naval Ship Kesari has visited Maldives, Mauritius, Madagascar, Comoros
Islands, and Seychelles, and delivered medical assistance and food.
b.2nd Principle: He mentioned the need for settlement of maritime disputes on the only basis of international
law (i.e. the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS)) to ensure global peace and stability.
c.3rd Principle: He stated the global community to act together for facing natural disasters and maritime threats
that are created by non-State actors.
• He mentioned about – Indian Navy’s surveillance since 2008 against Piracy and India’s White Shipping
Information Fusion Center’s information sharing for creating maritime domain awareness.
d.4th Principle: He insisted to increase cooperation in ocean science to preserve the maritime environment
and overcome the direct impact on the ocean through climate, pollution, and plastic.
• He noted about India’s ‘Deep Ocean Mission’, which was launched in June 2021 to explore the deep ocean
for resources and develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources in the Indian Ocean.
e.5th Principle: PM required responsible maritime connectivity to boost maritime trade with the development
of global norms and standards.
UNSC Adopted the Presidential Statement:
i.The 15-member body, UNSC unanimously adopted the Presidential Statement (PRST) on Maritime Security,
which was given by Narendra Modi.

• This is the 1st comprehensive UNSC document on maritime security.
ii.The international law UNCLOS provides the legal framework for combating transnational organized crimes at
sea including – illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, smuggling of migrants, and illicit trafficking in firearms.
iii.Participants: The open debate was attended virtually by Vladimir Putin, Russian President; Antony Blinken,
US Secretary of State; Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, Chef de Cabinet of the UN Secretary-General, Uhuru Kenyatta,
President of Kenya; and Pham Minh Chinh, Prime Minister of Vietnam.
iv.External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will chair United Nations Security Council (UNSC) special sessions on
terrorism and peacekeeping on August 18 and 19.
On August 01, 2021, India, the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), took over
the presidency of the UNSC from France for the month of August 2021.
Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates(UAE) were elected by the 75th session of the General
Assembly as the non-permanent members of the UNSC for the 2022-23 term.
About United Nations Security Council (UNSC):
• UNSC is the only U.N. body that can make legally binding decisions like imposing sanctions and authorizing
use of force.
• India is the non-permanent member of the UNSC.
Headquarters – New York, United States
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN – TS Tirumurti
15th India-Singapore Foreign Office Consultations held virtually

The 15th round of Foreign Office Consultation between India & Singapore took place virtually. The Indian side
was led by Riva Ganguly, Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and the Singapore delegation was led by Mr Lee
Kiong, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore.
Highlights
• Both sides discussed ways to strengthen economic
engagement, ease travel restriction & resuming
people-to-people contact.
• Issues related to ASEAN-India relations and India
Singapore cooperation in the Indo-Pacific were also
discussed.
• Singapore is performing the role of country
coordinator for India in Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the period of 3 years(2021-2024).
About Singapore
President – Halimah Yacob
Currency – Singapore dollar
IATA, UNCTAD extend partnership to facilitate Global Trade

International Air Transport Association (IATA) and United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD) have extended their partnership to facilitate international trade, particularly e-
commerce in developing countries through improved exchanges of trade data.
• As part of the partnership, the Air Cargo messaging standards (Cargo-XML) will be integrated
with ASYCUDAWorld (Automated System for Customs Data), UNCTAD’s automated customs management
system.
• It will allow efficient processing of air cargo shipments for more than 100 countries.
• The next step of the collaboration will focus on enabling ASYCUDAWorld, to manage eCommerce shipments
efficiently.

About International Air Transport Association (IATA)
Founded in 1945
Director General – Willie Walsh
Headquarters – Montreal, Canada
About United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
Founded in 1964
Acting Secretary General – Isabelle Durant
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
WHO Forms Expert Group ‘SAGO’ to study into COVID-19 origin

The World Health Organisation(WHO) created a new advisory group “The International Scientific Advisory Group
for Origins of Novel Pathogens” or ‘SAGO’ to study into the origin of the COVID-19.
• The advisory group will develop a global framework to study the emergence of future pathogens with
pandemic potential.
• For SARS-CoV-2, SAGO will support the undertaking of recommended studies outlined in the March 2021
report.
EAM Jaishankar Chaired UNSC Open debate on Peacekeeping & Technology ; launches UNITE
AWARE platform
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S.Jaishankar chaired the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Open debate on
Technology & Peacekeeping with the theme, ‘Protecting the Protectors: Technology and Peacekeeping’
UNSC adopted the Presidential statement (PRST) & Resolution on Peacekeeping
i.The 15 member body, UNSC unanimously adopted the Presidential Statement on Peacekeeping &
Technology, given by EAM Jaishankar.
• The PRST encourages the use of modern technology for improving the performance, safety & security of
peacekeepers who are operating in complex and risky environments.
ii.UNSC adopted Resolution 2589 unanimously, Security Council calls on Governments to protect peacekeepers,
Requests creation of online database cataloguing attacks.
India & UN launches The UNITE AWARE platform
i.A unique technology platform aimed at enhancing security & safety of peacekeepers.
ii.It helps to increase situational awareness and provides real time terrain-related information to peacekeepers.
iii.Through this platform, entire peacekeeping operations can be visualised, coordinated and monitored, and also
deliver early warnings to the peacekeepers
iv.The UNITE AWARE platform will be deployed initially in 4 peacekeeping Missions : MINUSMA (Mali), UNMISS
(South Sudan), UNFICYP (Cyprus) and AMISOM (Somalia).
v.India has allocated funds of USD 1.64 Million for the roll-out of this Platform.
India, UN signs MoU in strengthening peacekeeping Missions
The Government of India has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with United nations (UN) in support
of – ’Partnership for technology in Peacekeeping‘ initiative and to UN C4ISR- UN Command, Control,
Communication, Computers, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Academy for Peace Operations (UNCAP) based in
Entebbe, Uganda.
• The MoU was exchanged between T.S Tirumurti, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN & Atul Khare,
Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support, UN.
Recent Related News
From August 01, 2021 India the non-permanent member of the UNSC took over the presidency of UNSC from
France for the month of August 2021.

About United Nations (UN):
Secretary General– Antonio Manuel de Oliveira Guterres
Members– 193 (India became its member on October 30, 1945)
Secretariat– New York, United States (US)
India among 33 Asian nations where Children at Extremely High Risk of Climate Crisis impacts:
UNICEF
In accordance with the UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) report titled ‘The Climate Crisis Is a Child
Rights Crisis: Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index’ (CCRI), India is among the 33 extremely high-
risk countries where approximately 1 billion children(half the world’s 2.2 billion children population) are
most at risk of the impacts of climate change that will affect their health, education, and protection.
• This is a first kind of Climate Risk Index to be introduced for children all over the world.
• Th 33 extremely high-risk countries collectively emitting just 9 per cent of global CO2 emissions.But the top
10 highest countries collectively account for 70 per cent of global emissions.
Countries at High Risk
Children’s Climate Risk Index ranks countries based on how vulnerable children are to environmental stresses
and extreme weather events.
i.Children in the Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria, Guinea, and GuineaBissau countries are at high risk.
ii.The four South Asian countries named in the list are Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and India with ranks of
14th, 15th, 25th and 26th.
iii.India’s neighbours Nepal is ranked 51st, Sri Lanka 61st, and Bhutan is ranked 111th.
Countries at Low Risk :-
Children in Iceland, Luxembourg and New Zealand are at very low risk as per the index.
Two Pillars of the Report:-
The CCRI Report is composed of two pillars which further have many indicators for monitoring and evaluation of
child climate vulnerability and exposure to specific hazards (risk).
i.Pillar 1 – Exposure to climate and environmental shocks and stresses and its Indicators/components are
• Water scarcity, Riverine floods, Coastal floods, Tropical cyclones, Vector borne diseases, Heatwaves, Air
pollution,and Soil and water pollution.
ii.Pillar 2 – Child vulnerability and its Indicators/components are
• Child health and nutrition, Education, Water, sanitation, and hygiene, Poverty, communication assets,and
social protection.
CCRI Rank Detail
CLIMATE AND
CCRI ENVIRONMENTAL CHILD CHILDREN’S CLIMATE
Rank COUNTRY FACTORS VULNERABILITY RISK INDEX
Central African Republic
1 (High at Risk) 6.7 9.8 8.7
26 India 9 4.6 7.4
163 Iceland (Low at Risk) 1 0.9 1
Other Key points
i.It report was launched in collaboration with Fridays for Future on the third anniversary of the youth-led global
climate strike movement i.e. on August 19, 2021.
ii.As per the report, more than 600 million Indians will face ‘acute water shortages’, simultaneously, floods will
also increase in India’s urban areas once the global temperature increase rises above 2° Celsius.
iii.Notably, 21 of the world’s 30 cities with the most polluted air in 2020 were in India.
In accordance with the official data published by WHO (World Health Organization) and UNICEF namely
‘WHO/UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage (WUENIC)’ on comprehensive worldwide childhood

immunization figures’ 23 million children missed out on basic vaccines through routine immunization services in
2020.
About UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund):
Executive Director– Henrietta H. Holsman Fore
Headquarters– New York, USA
India Representative– Dr Yasmin Ali Haque
India to host 2nd UNWGIC in 2022 at Hyderabad, Telangana

India is all set to host the 2nd United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC) in October
2022 in Hyderabad, Telangana on the theme ‘Towards Geo-enabling the Global Village’. It will be organized as
a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (Celebration of 75 Years of Indian Independence)’.
• This information was provided during the curtain raiser event which was organized by the Department of
Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) on the lines of 11th Session of
the United Nation Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) to be
held during the end of August 2021.
• It was inaugurated by Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST.
What is Geospatial data?
Also known as geodata, it contains location information, such as an address, area, or ZIP (Zone Improvement
Plan) code, linked to a dataset. This data can also be obtained from Global Positioning System (GPS) data,
geospatial satellite imagery, telematics devices, Internet of Things (IoT), and geotagging.
About United Nations World Geospatial Information Congress (UNWGIC):
The United Nation Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) organizes
UNWGIC every four years to enhance international collaboration in the area of Geospatial information
management and capacities.
• The first UNWGIC was organized by China in October 2018.
About Ministry of Science and Technology:
Minister of State (Independent Charge)– Dr. Jitendra Singh (Constituency- Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir))
Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India– Professor Krishnaswamy VijayRaghavan
ADB releases 52nd Edition of the Key Indicators for Asia & the Pacific, 2021
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has released the 52nd Edition of the Key Indicators for Asia & the Pacific,
2021
• It was prepared by the Statistics and Data Innovation Unit (EROD-SDI) within the Economic Research and
Regional Cooperation Department (ERCD) at the Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• It contains Statistical information about 49 member countries of the Asia & the Pacific region on
Population, labor force, National accounts, Production & Price indexes, Energy, Money & interest rates,
Government finance, External trade, Balance of payments (BoP), International reserves, Exchange rates, and
External indebtedness.
Major highlights of the report
i.In the Asia-Pacific region , the Extremely poor population has reduced from the size of 1.2 Billion in 1999
to 202.9 Million in 2017.
ii.Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
Asia-Pacific Region’s Economy grew from 27% of Global GDP in 2000 to 35% in 2019 (Exceeding the share of
Europe & North America).
• In 2020, three in every four reporting economies posted declines in GDP due to the impact of pandemic.
iii.Extreme Poverty:
The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed around 75 to 80 mn population in the Asia-Pacific region into Extreme
poverty from 2019 levels as compared with a scenario without Covid-19.
• Assuming that the pandemic has increased income inequality, the relative rise in Extreme poverty may be
even greater.

• According to the report, About 5.2% of the population or 203 mn people in the Asia-Pacific lived in Extreme
poverty in 2017. It could have reduced to 2.6% of Population in 2020 without Covid-19 pandemic.
Note: Extreme Poverty is defined as Number of persons living on less than USD 1.90 per day
iv.Unemployment – Increased by at least 20% in 2020 for more than one-third of reporting economies from
2019 levels.
• It led to losing about 8% of working hours in the Asia-Pacific.
• From 2000 to 2019, the region’s nonagricultural employment grew from 52% to 71%; one of the fastest
growth rates worldwide.
v.Global Value Chains (GVCs): It acts as both an amplifier & a dampener of Shocks
• In Many Countries, significant GVC participation was associated with a larger negative shock to GDP,
suggesting that openness exacerbated disruptions
• However, at much higher rates of GVC participation, the relationship seemed to reverse.
Recent Related News
In July 2021, ADB has partnered with the public health experts, vaccine regulators, and policymakers to form a
high-level advisory group – Regional Vaccine Advisory Group – to support its developing member countries
(DMCs) with technical and scientific advice on the quality, safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19 December 1966.
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Metro Manila, Philippines
Sweden’s HYBRIT delivered world’s 1st fossil-free steel to Volvo AB

Sweden’s green steel venture HYBRIT had made the world’s first customer delivery of steel produced without
using coal and coke, to its truck-manufacturer Volvo AB (Aktiebolaget Volvo) as a trial run. This steel is produced
with 100% fossil-free hydrogen.
• HYBRIT stands for Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology.This was the raw material used to
manufacture the so-called ‘green steel.
• Its full commercial production will begin in 2026.
• HYBRIT is a joint venture (JV) between Swedish steelmaker SSAB (SSABa.ST) which is a state-owned utility
Vattenfall (VATN.UL) and miner LKAB (Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag).
Key Points:
i.This tech aims to replace coking coal with fossil-free electricity and hydrogen. It’s smaller-scale serial production
will start in 2022.
• Traditionally coking coal is required for ore-based steel making.
ii.SSAB accounts for 10% of Sweden’s and 7% of Finland’s carbon dioxide emissions. This development will cater
to its completely fossil-free value chain.It will revolutionize an industry that accounts for around 8% of global
greenhouse gas emissions.
iii.Notably, hydrogen is a key part of the European Union (EU’s) plan to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions
by 2050.
About Sweden:
It is a country in Europe.
Capital– Stockholm
Currency– Swedish krona (SEK)
Indian-ASEAN Think Tanks Prepares for 30th Anniversary Celebrations

The year 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) –
India relation and it is also designated as the ASEAN-India Friendship Year.
• As an activity towards the anniversary, the Indian-ASEAN think tanks viz, ASEAN Studies Centre of ISEAS –
Yusof Ishak Institute, New Delhi and the ASEAN-India Centre (AIC) at the Research and Information
System (RIS) for Developing Countries, launched their 1st joint training and capacity building programme

titled ‘ASEAN-India Development Partnership Programme’ (AIDPP) for scholars and practitioners of ASEAN
countries and India.
Key Points:
i.Objective: The programme aims to strengthen the people-to-people and institutional linkages between India
and ASEAN.
ii.The programme remarks the coordination between 3 organisations viz, AIC at RIS, ASEAN Studies Centre of
ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, and Asian Confluence.
iii.The programme included lectures on ASEAN-India relations, changing the profile of ASEAN-India investment
relations, the deepening of trade integration, etc.
iv.Singapore has taken over from Thailand as the country coordinator for ASEAN-India dialogue relations in
August 2021, it will hold this role till 2024.
Participants – V.V. Sapkal, Joint Secretary (South), India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Mark Neo, Director-
General, ASEAN Directorate, Choi Shing Kwok, Director and CEO of ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Prof Sachin
Chaturvedi, and Director General of RIS, were some of the participants of the AIDPP programme launch.
About ASEAN-India Relation:
i.India’s relationship with ASEAN is a key pillar of our foreign policy and the foundation of our Act East Policy.
ii.India became a Sectoral Partner of the ASEAN in 1992, Dialogue Partner in 1996, Summit Level Partner in 2002,
and Strategic Partner in 2012.
iii.As per the partnership years, the year 2022 will mark the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-India Dialogue
Partnership, the 10th anniversary of Strategic Partnership, and the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India overall
relation.
On 28th April 2021, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (East) Mrs Riva Ganguly Das virtually co-chaired the
23rd ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-India Senior Officials’ Meeting with Permanent Secretary of
Thailand Mr Thani Thongphakdi.
About ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations):
Establishment – 8 August 1967
Headquarters – Jakarta, Indonesia
Secretary-General – H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi (2018 -2022)
India elected to Council of Administration and Postal Operations Council at 27th UPU Congress in
Abidjan
India has been elected to the Council of Administration (CA) and Postal Operations Council (POC) at 27th
Universal Postal Union (UPU) Congress in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
• For CA Indian gained 134 votes, the highest ones in CA elections from South Asia and Oceania region. For
POC, it garnered 106 votes out of 156 countries.
• The UPC meets every four years.
What is the Council of Administration?
CA is made up of 41 countries and meets once a year at the headquarters of the UPU in Berne. It oversees the
UPU’s activities, provides continuity between Congresses, and researches regulatory, administrative, legislative,
and legal concerns.
• It has the authority to approve recommendations by POC for the adoption of new processes until the next
Congress.
What is the Postal Operations Council?
It is UPU’s technical and operational authority with 40 member countries that are elected during Congress. It
meets once a year at Berne. It aims at assisting Posts in modernizing and upgrading their postal products and
services.

About Universal Postal Union:
Member Countries – 192
Director General – Bishar Hussein
Headquarter – Berne, Switzerland
India’s Export to ASEAN is Estimated to USD 46 Billion in FY22

The Union Minister of State(MoS) for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel inaugurated “India-
ASEAN(Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Engineering Partnership Summit 2021’’ which was organised
by Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) in association with the Ministry of External Affairs and the
Department of Commerce . The Summit held from August 24, 2021 to 27th August, 2021.
Highlights
• MoS Anupriya Patel Stated that India’s expected export growth has been estimated around USD 46 billion in
meeting the export target of USD 400 billion in the financial year 2021-22.
• The US 400 billion merchandise export target was announced in the budget of the financial year 2021-22.
• The combined economies of India and ASEAN is around USD 5.8 trillion which has the potential to contribute
in the field of manufacturing and services.
• Focus areas- Industry 4.0, Integration of MSME(Micro Small and Medium Enterprises).
• The government of Tamil Nadu joined as a ‘Partner State’ while the Haryana government joined as
the ‘Focus State’.
i.This year is celebrated as the 25th anniversary of the India- ASEAN dialogue Partnership and 10 years of the
Strategic Partnership.
ii.An E-Book was also launched based on India-ASEAN trade and investments which has major focus on
Engineering, MSME sectors and bilateral trade and investments.
Recently developments
• Under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the central government is providing a Production-Linked
Incentives(PLI) Scheme of USD 26 billion covering 13 different sectors of the economy.
About ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)
Established– 8 August 1967
Headquarters– Jakarta, Indonesia
Secretary– General- H.E.Dato Lim Jock Hoi
Member Countries – 10 Countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.)
VISITS
INDIAN VISIT
Overview of US Secretary Antony Blinken’s visit to India
The Secretary of State of the United States (US), Antony Blinken visited India from July 27-28, 2021. This
is Blinken’s 1st visit to India after assuming charge as Secretary of State.
• The visit is aimed at boosting bilateral ties between the two countries and to expand cooperation in the Indo-
Pacific region under the Quad Framework (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue).
• The two sides also discussed the declining security situation in Afghanistan.
• Blinken held talks with External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval &
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
USD 25 million for India’s COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
The US Government announced an additional USD 25 million (~ INR 186 Crores) to support India’s COVID-19
Vaccination programme.
i.The fund will be provided through the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

• USAID will collaborate with India’s Ministry of Health &Family Welfare and state governments, to support
vaccine supply chain logistics, address misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.
• It will also train healthcare workers to deliver vaccines safely and effectively across India.
ii.Since March 2020, USAID has allocated more than USD 226 million (~ INR 1,670 crore) in COVID-19 relief to
India.
• It includes USD 100 million (~ INR 740 crore) to support India’s response to COVID-19 surge and more than
USD 50 million (~ INR 370 crore) in emergency supplies.
US, India Agree to Expand Multilateral Security Partnership
India and the US agreed to expand their Multilateral Security Partnership. Both countries are concerned about
the growing influence of China in the Asia-Pacific & Indo-Pacific region.
i.In the past, both countries have signed key defence pacts such as
• Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016. It allows militaries of both countries to
use each other’s bases for repair & replenishment of sources.
• Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018. It provides interoperability
between the two militaries
• Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) signed in October, 2020. provides for sharing of high-
end military technology, logistics and geospatial maps between the two countries.
India-US to end COVID-19 pandemic through QUAD Vaccine Partnership
India & US will work to end the COVID-19 pandemic through the Quad Vaccine Partnership. The partnership
will bring vaccines to other countries across the Asian Region.
Antony Blinken meets PM Narendra Modi
Antony Blinken met with PM Narendra Modi during the visit. They discussed key issues like COVID-19 response
mechanism, the situation in Afghanistan and Indo-Pacific engagements.
i.March 25, 2021, US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin III arrived in India on a Three-day visit from March 19-21,
2021. It is the 1st visit by a Top Official of the newly elected Biden Administration to India.
ii.April 1, 2021, EAM Dr S Jaishankar reached Dushanbe as part of his official visit to Tajikistan from March 30-31,
2021.
About United States (US)
Capital – Washington, D.C.
Currency – United States Dollar (USD)
President – Joe Biden
BANKING & FINANCE NEWS

BANKING NEWS
RBI IN NEWS
Rs 24,356 crore of unclaimed deposit lying with SCBs; Performance-based challenge fund of Rs
8,000 cr recommended to States
In accordance with the information provided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the total amount of unclaimed
deposits of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) was Rs. 24,356 crore, as on July 31, 2020.
• This was stated by Minister of State (MoS) Dr Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad, Ministry of Finance in a written reply
to a question in Rajya Sabha.
• Unclaimed deposits have increased by Rs. 5,977 crore in the year 2020, as compared to the year 2019.
Click her for bank-wise detail
Point to be noted:
The Minister further stated that pursuant to the amendment of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, and insertion of
section 26A, RBI has framed the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund (Fund) Scheme, 2014 (Scheme).

• As per the Scheme, the Fund is utilized for promotion of depositors’ interests and for such other purposes
which may be necessary for promotion of depositors’ interest as may be specified by RBI.
Finance Commission recommended performance-based challenge fund of Rs 8,000 crore to States for
incubation of new cities
The 15th Finance Commission, in its latest report to the Centre, has recommended a performance-based challenge
fund of Rs 8,000 crore to 8 states for incubation of new cities.
• The amount available for each proposed new city is Rs 1,000 crore and a state can have only one new city
under the proposed scheme.
• This information was provided by Minister of State (MoS) Kaushal Kishore, Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs (MoHUA) in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
Key Point:
The smart cities that have opted for greenfield development or a combination of models are Jharkhand (Ranchi),
Maharashtra (Aurangabad), Gujarat (Rajkot), Andhra Pradesh (Amravati), Madhya Pradesh (Satna), West Bengal
(New Town Kolkata), Maharashtra (Nashik) and Chhattisgarh (Atal Nagar).
On May 30, 2021, the Ministry of Finance has extended the validity of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee
Scheme (ECLGS) for another 3 months till September, 30, 2021 or till guarantee for an amount of Rs 3 lakh crore
is issued.
Union Minister– Nirmala Sitharaman (Constituency – Karnataka).
Ministers of State– Pankaj Chaudhary, and Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad
IndusInd Bank got Empanelled as Agency Bank to RBI; RBI Imposed Rs 50.35 lakh Penalty on
Janalaxmi Co-operative Bank
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has empanelled the IndusInd Bank, the private sector lender, as an ‘Agency
Bank’ to facilitate transactions related to government (govt) businesses.
Key points:
i.Background: In February 2021, RBI has removed the ban imposed (on 2012) over ‘Appointing the Scheduled
Private Sector Banks as Agency Banks of RBI’. Further, it revised the guidelines and authorised Scheduled Private
Sector Banks as agency banks of RBI for conducting govt (Central and/or State) businesses.
• Earlier public sector banks and larger private banks were only granted by RBI as agency bank.
ii.Now, RBI has allowed IndusInd Bank to handle transactions related to revenue receipts under Central Board of
Direct Taxes (CBDT), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and Goods and Services Tax (GST) on
behalf of the state/central govt.
iii.It was also authorised to make transactions such as income tax, indirect taxes, pension payments, work related
to Small Savings Schemes (SSS), collection of stamp duty charges, collection of stamp duty from citizens for
franking of documents and also collection of State taxes such as professional tax, value-added tax and State excise
duties.
iv.On behalf of state govts, it will collect state taxes such as professional tax, VAT (value-added tax), state excise
duties, etc.
Note – The agency banks will be paid remuneration by RBI for conduct of State/Central Govt transactions.
RBI Imposed Rs 50.35 lakh Penalty on Janalaxmi Co-operative Bank
i.RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 50.35 lakh on Janalaxmi Co-operative Bank, Nashik, Maharashtra for
non-compliance with directions issued by RBI on ‘Placement of Deposits with Other Banks by Primary (Urban)
Co-operative Banks’ and ‘Membership of Credit Information Companies (CICs)’.
ii.RBI also imposed Rs 3 lakh penalty on Noida Commercial Co-operative Bank, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh for
non-compliance with provisions related to director-related loans and opening of new place of business.
The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs.4 crores on Bank of India(BOI) and of Rs.2
crores on Punjab National Bank(PNB).

About IndusInd Bank:
Headquarters – Pune, Maharashtra
MD & CEO – Sumant Kathpalia
RBI Issued Framework for PSOs’ Outsourcing of Payment and Settlement Activities
On August 3, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the framework to non-bank Payment System
Operators’ (PSOs) Outsourcing of Payment and Settlement-related Activities (including onboarding
customers, IT-based services, etc) to service providers.
• RBI has set a deadline of March 31, 2022, for PSOs to comply with the framework. The frameworks are
applicable to a service provider, located in India or abroad.
Who are PSOs?
They are the Pre-Paid Payment Instruments (PPIs), card schemes, cross-border in-bound money transfers,
Automated Teller Machine (ATM) networks and centralised clearing arrangements, who are authorised by
RBI under Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 for Setting up and Operating Payment System in India (eg.
Paytm, PhonePe, Mastercard, Visa, etc).
What is Outsourcing?
It is the use of a third party (i.e. service provider/ outsourced agency) by PSO for a limited period to perform the
activities that have to be undertaken by PSO (now/ future).
RBI’s Framework over Outsourcing:
i.RBI has restricted the PSO’s from outsourcing Core management functions such as risk management,
information technology & information security management, internal audit, and determining compliance with
KYC (Know Your Customer) norms.
ii.The PSO’s are directed to evaluate the need for outsourcing its critical processes and activities, and the selection
of service providers based on comprehensive risk assessment.
iii.PSO’s Supervisory Requirement:
• Even after outsourcing, the PSO’s should hold the ultimate control of the outsourced activity and they will be
responsible for it. They will also be liable for the actions of the service providers.
• Outsourcing should not affect the rights of a customer or participant of a payment system against the PSO.
• PSO’s should take the responsibility of addressing the grievances of their customers related to the services
provided by the service provider.
• If a PSO has outsourced its customer grievance redressal function, it should provide the option of direct
access to its nodal officials for raising complaints.
iv.PSOs need to maintain the customer information confidentially (under service provider also) and should notify
RBI in case of any breach of security and leakage.
Note – RBI’s prior approval is not required for outsourcing by PSOs. The frameworks are issued under Section 10
(2) read with Section 18 of Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).
About Service Provider:
i.Service provider: It includes – vendors, payment gateways, agents, consultants that are engaged in the activity
of payment and settlement systems.
ii.Secondary service providers: The service providers may also further outsource the whole/part of the activity,
which is outsourced to them by the PSO. They are considered as the secondary service providers (i.e., sub-
contractors).
iii.The service provider will not be owned/controlled by any director of the PSO/ their relatives (Unless it is a
group company of the PSO).
-RBI Imposed Rs 6 lakh Penalty on Hewlett-Packard Financial Services
i.RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 6 lakh on Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Ltd,
Bengaluru, Karnataka, for non-compliance with the statutory directions issued by RBI on submission of credit
information to Central Repository of Information on Large Credits and submission of credit data to Credit
Information Companies.

ii.The penalty was issued under the provisions of the RBI Act, 1934 and the Credit Information Companies
(Regulation) Act, 2005.
On April 7, 2021, the RBI extended the membership of Centralised Payment Systems (CPSs) facilities such as
National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) and Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) to non-bank payment system
operators.
Establishment – 1st April 1935
Governor – Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors – Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, and M Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
RBI Extended the Timeline for Banks to Implement Opening Current Accounts Norms till October
2021
On August 04, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the timeline for Banks to implement the revised
rules on opening current accounts to 3 months till October 30, 2021.
Background:
i.In August 2020, RBI revised the directions on opening and operating current accounts by banks
and restricted the banks from opening current accounts for customers who have availed credit facilities from the
bank in the form of cash credit (CC)/ overdraft (OD).
ii.Earlier the deadline was fixed by RBI till July 2021 to implement the regulations.
RBI’s New Guidelines:
i.Now RBI allowed banks to open current accounts for customers who have not availed of any CC/OD facility in
the bank and with exposure (in the bank) of less than Rs 5 crore.
ii.RBI also allowed banks to open a current account of customers with exposure between Rs 5 crore to Rs 50
crore.
• Non-lending banks were also enabled to open current accounts for such borrowers only for collection
purposes.
iii.RBI has directed the banks to reach the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) for guidance if they couldn’t resolve
the cases by themselves.
iv.The banks are also not permitted to open current accounts for borrowers who have availed agricultural/
personal OD or OD against deposits.
About OverDraft(OD):
i.It is a credit facility that will be provided by banks to allow customers to use or withdraw money from their
savings or current account even when there is no balance or minimum balance up to the approved limit.
ii.OD will work like an approved loan but the banks will charge interest only on the utilized amount for the time
when it is used.
Highlights of the Third Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy of FY21-22

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) 6-members Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had met on 4th, 5th and
6th August 2021 and released its third bi-monthly monetary policy statement for FY22 (April 2021 – March
2022).
Policy Rates:
RBI decided to keep the rates unchanged for the 7th consecutive time. The unchanged Policy rates are as follows:
Category Rates
Policy Rates
Policy Repo Rate 4.00%
Reverse Repo Rate 3.35%
Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) Rate 4.25%

Bank Rate 4.25%

Reserve Ratios
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) 4.00%
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) 18.00%
a.MPC’s Assessments on growth and inflation:
-Growth
The MPC has retained India’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth projection for FY22 at 9.5
percent with 21.4 percent in Q1; 7.3 percent in Q2; 6.3 percent in Q3; and 6.1 percent in Q4.
• Real GDP growth for Q1 FY23 is projected at 17.2 percent.
-Inflation
i.Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation was projected at 5.7 percent in FY22, with 5.9 percent in Q2; 5.3percent in
Q3; and 5.8 percent in Q4.
• CPI inflation for Q1 FY23 was projected at 5.1 percent.
ii.The government retained the inflation target at 4 percent with the lower and upper tolerance levels of 2 percent
and 6 percent, i.e. within a band of +/- 2 percent.
Members of MPC:
The MPC meeting was headed by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das the other 5 members of the committee include,
• Shashanka Bhide, Ashima Goyal, Prof. Jayanth R. Varma, Mridul K. Saggar, and Michael Debabrata Patra
b.MPC’ Liquidity Measures:
-RBI extended the deadline for TLTRO on Tap Scheme
RBI has extended the Targeted Long Term Repo Operations (TLTRO) on Tap Scheme by a period of three
months, i.e., till December 31, 2021. Earlier in April 2021, the scheme was made available till September 30, 2021.
i.Background: On October 9, 2020, RBI announced the TLTRO on Tap Scheme worth Rs 1 trillion to provide
liquidity support to various sectors and banks
ii.Eligible Sectors under TLTRO on Tap Scheme:
• The different sectors under the scheme include Agriculture, Agri-Infrastructure, Secured Retail, Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and Drugs, Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare, 26 stressed sectors
(identified by Kamath Committee) and bank lending to NBFCs.
• The liquidity availed by banks under the TLTRO scheme will be deployed only in corporate bonds,
commercial paper, and non-convertible debentures issued by entities in the above sectors.
• Investments made by banks under this facility were classified as Held to Maturity (HTM) even above the 25
percent of total investment permitted to be included in the HTM portfolio.
-RBI Extended MSF for Banks till December 2021
To enable the banks to meet their Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) requirements, RBI extended the Marginal
Standing Facility (MSF) relaxation for 3 months, i.e., up to December 31, 2021(earlier it was extended till
September 30, 2021).
• This will provide access to funds to the extent of Rs 1.62 lakh crore, and qualifies as high-quality liquid
assets (HQLA) for the LCR
Background: In March 2020, RBI allowed banks to borrow overnight under MSF at their discretion by dipping
into the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) up to 3 percent of net demand and time liabilities (NDTL).
SLR: It is a minimum percentage of deposits that a commercial bank has to maintain in the form of liquid cash,
gold or other (state/centre) securities.
-RBI to undertake Rs 50,000 crore Auction under G-SAP 2.0
RBI decided to conduct 2 auctions of Rs 25,000 crore each (overall Rs 50,000 crore) on August 12 and 26, 2021,
under G-SAP 2.0 (G-sec Acquisition Programme). RBI will also undertake regular OMOs (Open Market
Operations) and operation twist (OT).
OMO:
• It is the sale and purchase of government securities and treasury bills by the RBI to regulate the money
supply in the economy.

• When the RBI wants to increase the money supply in the economy, it purchases the government securities
(G-Secs) from the market and sells them to suck out liquidity.
c.MPC’ Regulatory Measures
-RBI Amended LIBOR transition Guidelines
In July 2021, RBI issued an advisory to banks and other RBI-regulated entities to prepare for the transition from
the international benchmark reference rate, ‘London Interbank Offered Rate’ (LIBOR) to any other widely
accepted Alternate Reference Rates (ARR) by December 31, 2021. Click here to more
i.Export Credit in Foreign Currency:
• Earlier RBI has allowed authorized dealers to extend Pre-Shipment Credit in Foreign Currency (PCFC) at
LIBOR / EURO-LIBOR / EURIBOR related rates of interest.
• Now due to its exit within December 2021, RBI has amended the rules and permitted banks to extend
PCFC to exporters prior to shipment with widely accepted ARRs
ii.Restructuring of derivative contracts:
• Earlier RBI has treated change in any of the parameters of the original derivative contracts as a
restructuring.
• Now, RBI allowed the change in those contracts for the transition from LIBOR to ARRs, RBI will not treat it
as restructuring.
-RBI to Conduct 4 VRRR Auctions to Absorb Surplus Liquidity
RBI plans to conduct 4 – fortnight (14 days) Variable Rate Reverse Repo (VRRR) auctions of Rs 2.5 lakh crore on
August 13, 2021; Rs 3.0 lakh crore on August 27, 2021; Rs 3.5 lakh crore on September 9, 2021; and Rs 4.0 lakh
crore on September 24, 2021, to absorb surplus liquidity.
• RBI expects the amount absorbed under the fixed-rate reverse repo to remain more than Rs 4.0 lakh crore at
the end of September 2021.
Background:
i.RBI has been conducting 14-day VRRR auctions as its main liquidity operation, as per the revised liquidity
management framework, introduced by it in February 2020.
ii.Due to COVID-19, VRRR was suspended temporarily and re-introduced from January 2021 with initial
absorption of Rs 2 lakh crore.
-RBI Postponed the Deadline to achieve Resolution Framework 1.0
RBI has postponed the Deadline for achieving 4 Financial Parameters relate to the operational performance of the
borrowing entities under the Resolution Framework 1.0 viz, Total Debt to EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest,
Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) ratio (Total Debt/EBITDA), Current Ratio, Debt Service Coverage Ratio
and Average Debt Service Coverage Ratio from March 31, 2022, to October 1, 2022.
• The deadline for the parameter, Total Outside Liabilities/Adjusted Total Net Worth (TOL/ATNW) was
unchanged i.e March 31, 2022.
On June 30, 2021, the RBI released the ‘Sources of Variation in Foreign Exchange(Forex) Reserves in India during
2020-21’ and reported an increase in the forex reserves in nominal terms, including the valuation effects, by USD
99.2 billion in FY21, compared to USD 64.9 billion of FY20.
On July 1, 2021, The RBI reported the Government of India’s(GoI) approval for the extension of the ‘Interest
Equalization Scheme for Pre and Post Shipment Rupee Export Credit’ for 3 months, i.e., up to September 30, 2021.
About Reserve Bank of India(RBI):
Karnataka Bank got Empanelled as Agency Bank to RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has empanelled the Karnataka Bank as the ‘Agency Bank’ to facilitate
transactions related to government (govt) businesses.

• RBI has allowed Karnataka Bank to handle transactions related to revenue receipts under the Central
Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and Goods and
Services Tax (GST) on behalf of the state/central govt.
• The bank was also authorised to make transactions such as income tax, indirect taxes, pension payments,
collection of stamp duty charges, and State taxes such as professional tax, value-added tax and State excise
duties.
• Background: In February 2021, RBI has removed the ban imposed (in 2012) over ‘Appointing the Scheduled
Private Sector Banks as Agency Banks of RBI’ and authorised the appointment of Scheduled Private Sector
Banks as agency banks of RBI.
About Karnataka Bank:
Headquarters – Mangalore, Karnataka
MD & CEO – Mahabaleshwara M.S
Tagline – Your family bank across India
RBI Introduced Scheme to Penalise Banks for Cash Out in ATMs

In August 2021, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced a scheme named ‘Scheme of Penalty for non-
replenishment of ATMs’ to levy monetary charges/Penalty on Banks & White Label ATM Operators (WLAOs) for
cash-out (i.e. the non-availability of cash) in Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) due to non-replenishment of
cash.
• Objective: To ensure sufficient cash availability in the ATMs for public needs and overcome the
inconvenience caused due to cash-outs in the ATM.
• Effective date: The Scheme would be effective from October 01, 2021.
Key Points:
a.Penalty:
i.RBI will issue a penalty of Rs 10,000 per ATM/ WLAs for banks for Cash-out for more than 10 hours in a
month.
ii.For WLAs, the penalty would be charged to the bank which is meeting the cash requirement of that particular
WLA (The bank may recover the penalty from the WLA operator).
b.Procedure:
i.Banks: RBI has directed the banks to submit system-generated statements on the downtime of ATMs due to
non- replenishment of cash to the Issue Department of RBI under which jurisdiction the ATMs are located.
ii.WLAO: The banks that are meeting the cash requirement of White Label ATM Operators (WLAOs) are also
mandated to provide a separate statement on cash-out of WLAO’s ATMs.
iii.The statements should be submitted every month within five days of the following month i.e., the statement for
the month of October 2021 should be submitted on or before November 05, 2021.
c.The penalty scheme will make the banks/WLAOs form a robust system for monitoring the cash availability in
ATMs and ensure timely replenishment to avoid cash-outs.
RBI Imposed 10 lakh Penalty on Gadhinglaj Urban Co-operative Bank
i.RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 10 lakh on Gadhinglaj Urban Co-operative Bank Limited, Gadhinglaj,
Maharashtra by exercising the powers vested in RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with
Section 46 (4) (i) and Section 56 of the Act.
• The Bank was penalized for providing advanced loan to a director of the bank, given fresh loans to the real
estate sector in violation of the operational instructions issued by RBI under the provisions of the
Act, extended individual unsecured advances of more than ₹5.00 lakh and not implemented the system of
periodic review of risk categorization of accounts which is against the Supervisory action framework issued
by RBI under section 35 A and section 36 read with section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (the Act);
Exposure Norms and Statutory Other Restrictions- UCBs and Know Your Customers (KYC).
ii.RBI also imposed a penalty of Rs 2 lakh each on Malkapur Urban Cooperative Bank Limited, Malkapur,
Maharashtra and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Urban Co-operative Bank Limited, Nagpur, Maharashtra for
contravention of certain RBI norms.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the implementation deadline for banks to use only lockable
cassettes, which could be swapped at the time of cash replenishment (filling up cash) in ATMs till March 2022.
Established – 1st April 1935
Deputy Governors – Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
RBI Issues Draft Proposals to Liberalise Overseas Investments Norms

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued two draft documents viz, Foreign Exchange Management (FEM)
(Non-debt Instruments – Overseas Investment (OI)) Rules, 2021 and FEM (OI) Regulations, 2021 by
rationalizing the existing provisions that are governing overseas investment.
• Objective: To liberalize the regulatory framework of overseas investments and promote ease of doing
business.
• Existing Provisions: Presently, the OI and acquisition of immovable properties outside India by persons
resident in India are governed by the provisions of FEM (Transfer or Issue of any Foreign Security)
Regulations, 2004 and FEM (Acquisition and Transfer of Immovable Property Outside India) Regulations
2015.
Key Points of the draft:
i.The Draft FEM (Non-debt Instruments -OI) Rules, 2021 has outlined the restrictions on overseas investments.
• As per the draft, a person resident in India is prohibited from making Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) in a
foreign entity engaged in Real estate activity, Gambling in any form, and Offering financial products linked
to Indian Rupee except for products offered in an IFSC (International Financial Services Centre).
• The draft also prohibited OI in a foreign entity located in countries/ jurisdictions that are not Financial
Action Task Force (FATF) and International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) compliant
country or any other country as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
• The mode of payment and other requirements for any investment outside India by a person resident in India
should be as specified by the RBI.
ii.The draft on Foreign Exchange Management (OI) Regulations, 2021 enables the Indian entity to lend or invest in
any debt instruments issued by a foreign entity subject to such loans duly backed by a loan agreement.
• The rate of interest should be charged on an arm’s length basis.
Note – RBI has asked for comments and feedback from stakeholders on the 2 drafts by August 23, 2021.
Overseas Direct Investment (ODI):
It is the direct investment made by Indian resident in the foreign entity (outside India) by way of contribution to
the capital or subscription to the Memorandum of a foreign entity or by way of purchase/acquisition of existing
shares in the foreign entity.
-RBI Imposed Rs 1 crore Penalty on Cooperatieve Rabobank UA
i.RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 1 crore on Cooperatieve Rabobank UA, Mumbai, Maharashtra, for
contravention of certain provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and directions related to ‘transfer to
reserve funds’.
• The penalty was imposed by RBI in exercise of powers under the provisions of section 47 A (1) (c) read with
section 46 (4) (i) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
Other penalties issued by RBI
i.RBI has also imposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh on Village Financial Services Ltd, Kolkata, for non-compliance with
certain provisions of the Know Your Customer (KYC) Directions, 2016.
ii.RBI also recently imposed a penalty of ₹13 lakh on Ahmednagar Merchant’s Cooperative Bank, Ahmednagar,
Maharashtra, and ₹2 lakh on The Mahila Vikas Co-operative Bank, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) enhanced the overseas investment limit for a mutual fund (MF)
house to USD 1 billion from the existing USD 600 million. The overall MF industry limit for investing overseas
remained unchanged at USD 7 billion.
Reserve Bank of India has four fully owned subsidiaries.They are
i.Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation of India (DICGC)
ii.Bharatiya Reserve Bank Note Mudran Private Limited (BRBNMPL)
iii.Reserve Bank Information Technology Private Limited (ReBIT)
iv.Indian Financial Technology and Allied Services (IFTAS)
RBI Cancelled the License of Karnala Nagari Sahakari Bank

In August 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the license of Karnala Nagari Sahakari Bank Ltd.,
Panvel, Maharashtra, due to the bank not having adequate capital and earning prospects to pay its present
depositors in full.
Key Points:
i.Along with the license cancellation, the bank is also prohibited from conducting the ‘banking’ business
(including acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits) as defined in Section 56 of the Banking
Regulation (BR) Act, 1949.
ii.Cause for License cancellation:
• The bank did not comply with the provisions of section 11(1) and section 22 (3) (d) read with section 56 of
the BR Act, 1949.
• It also failed to follow the requirements of section 22 (3) (a), 22 (3) (b), 22 (3) (c), 22 (3) (d) and 22 (3) (e)
read with section 56 of the BR Act, 1949.
iii.The Commissioner for Cooperation and Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CC & RCS), Maharashtra will issue
an order for winding up the bank and appoint a liquidator for the bank.
iv.Paying back the depositors (Under DICGC Act, 1961): After Liquidation, every depositor of the bank would
receive a deposit insurance claim amount of his/her deposits in the bank up to a monetary ceiling of Rs 5
lakh from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) (as per the provisions of the DICGC
Act, 1961).
About Banking Regulation (BR) Act 1949:
i.It has a total of 56 sections.
ii.Section 22: Every Banking Company in India needs to obtain a license from RBI under this section to start a
banking business.
• RBI will cancel the license granted to a banking company under Section 22(4) of the BR Act.
iii.Section 47 A: Provisions under this section empowers RBI to impose a penalty.
RBI Introduced Financial Inclusion Index

On August 17, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced the ‘Financial Inclusion Index’ (FI-Index) to
measure the extent of financial inclusion across India.
• The FI-Index will be published annually in July month (for the financial year (FY) ending previous March).
• The annual FI-Index for the FY21 (period ending March 2021) is 53.9 as against 43.4 of FY17.
• Background: In April 2021, at the bi-monthly monetary policy report, RBI has mentioned about the
construction and periodic publishing of the FI Index.
About the FI-Index in brief:
i.The FI-Index will contain the details of banking, investments, insurance, postal, and the pension sector in
consultation with Government and respective sectoral regulators.
ii.Single value ranging between 0 and 100 will be provided under the index for the various factors of financial
inclusion.
iii.The value 0 represents complete financial exclusion and 100 means full financial inclusion.

iv.Different Parameters of FI-Index:
• The FI-Index contains 3 different parameters with variant weightage viz, Access (35 percent), Usage (45
percent), and Quality (20 percent).
• The index will contain information regarding the ease of access, availability and usage of services, and
quality of services in all 97 indicators.
v.The FI-Index will reflect the efforts of all stakeholders over the year towards financial inclusion. It has no ‘base
year’.
What is Financial inclusion?
i.Financial inclusion refers to the ‘universal access’ to the financial services and adequate credits at an affordable
cost (especially for the vulnerable groups such as weaker sections and low income groups).
ii.Financial inclusion will remove the barriers that exclude people from participating in the financial sector.
Under section 45W of the RBI Act, 1934 read with section 45U of the Act, RBI issued The Master Direction on RBI
(Certificate of Deposit(CD)) Directions, 2021 to all persons and agencies eligible to deal in CD.
RBI Allowed HDFC Bank to Issue New Credit Cards

In August 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had removed the restriction imposed on HDFC Bank after 8
months and allowed it to issue new credit cards. However, the restrictions on the bank’s new offerings under its
Digital 2.0 were not removed.
• Background: On December 2, 2020, the RBI has stopped HDFC which has the largest credit card base in
India from issuing new credit cards due to its series of digital banking outages.
RBI Issued Revised Guidelines for Locker in Banks

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued revised guidelines for both new and existing Safe Deposit Locker and
Safe Custody Article Facility with the banks.
• At present, banks do not have any liability towards lockers. The guidelines would come into effect
from January 1, 2022.
RBI’s Guidelines:
i.The banks are directed to incorporate a clause in the ‘locker agreement’ for prohibiting the hirer from keeping
anything illegal or hazardous in lockers.
ii.Transparency: To ensure transparency in lockers allotment, the RBI mandated banks to maintain a branch-
wise list of vacant lockers and a wait-list in Core Banking System (CBS) or any other computerised system
compliant with Cyber Security Framework.
• The bank was instructed to acknowledge all the applications for allotment of lockers and provide a waitlist
number to the customers in case of unavailability.
iii.The banks need to adopt the model locker agreement to be framed by Indian Banks’ Association (IBA).
• Banks should renew their locker agreements with existing locker customers by January 1, 2023.
iv.Compensation: The banks are instructed to compensate the customers in case of incidents such as fire, theft,
burglary, dacoity, robbery, building collapse or fraud committed by the bank’s employees.
• The compensation has to be an amount equivalent to 100 times the existing annual rent of the safe deposit
locker.
v.Locker rent: RBI allows banks to obtain a Term Deposit (TD), at the time of allotment only in case of a hirer
neither operates the locker nor pays the rent.
• TD- It will cover 3 years’ rent along with the charges for breaking open the locker (in case of not being paid
for 3 years).

• In case the customer surrendered the locker then the locker rent that was collected in advance should be
refunded to them.
• The bank should not insist on the TD from the existing locker holders or those who have a satisfactory
operative account.
vi.Banks are provided with the discretion to break open any locker if the rent has not been paid by the customer
continuously for 3 years.
vii.Identification Code: RBI required the Banks to ensure that the identification code of the bank/branch is
embossed on all the locker keys to facilitate the identification of lockers/locker ownership by law enforcement
agencies (in case of need).
viii.Notification: The Banks need to send an email and an SMS alert to the registered email ID and mobile
number of the customer before the end of the day to confirm the date and time of the locker operation.
ix.If the locker remains inoperative for 7 years and the hirer cannot be located (even if rent is being paid
regularly) the bank could transfer the content to the customer’s nominees/legal heir or dispose of the articles in a
transparent manner.
Note – The above guidelines were issued by RBI under the powers conferred by Section 35A and Sections 45ZC to
45ZF of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act, 1949, read with Section 56 of the BR Act.
The Reserve Bank of India’s Deputy Governor T. Rabi Sankar stated about the RBI’s plan for the phased
introduction of a ‘Central Bank Digital Currency’ (CBDC) at the webinar organised by the Vidhi Centre for Legal
Policy.
RBI Introduced Automation System ‘PRISM’ to Strengthen Supervision

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced a web-based and end-to-end workflow automation system
named ‘Platform for Regulated Entities for Integrated Supervision and Monitoring’ (PRISM) to strengthen the
compliance of the entities that are supervised by RBI.
• Objective: To make continuous supervision of entities for – earlier identification of risks; conduct of
supervisory actions; and strengthen their internal resilience.
• RBI supervises entities including banks, NBFCs, financial institutions and Payment System Providers.
Key Points:
i.The PRISM has various functionalities such as inspection, compliance, incident functionality for cyber security,
complaints, and returns functionalities along with built-in remediation workflows, time tracking, notifications and
alerts, management information system (MIS) reports and dashboards.
ii.Background: In its latest annual report (2020-21) in May 2021, RBI stated about its further work towards
strengthening the supervisory framework for both banking and non-banking sectors.
iii.RBI has included Root Cause Analysis (RCA) in the current supervisory cycle. RCA includes a detailed
assessment of governance, oversight and assurance function, business strategy and risk and compliance culture.
iv.RBI has taken various initiatives towards
• Integration of supervisory functions of different supervised entities.
• Specialisation and reinforcement of supervision through both vertical and horizontal risk assessments.
• Setting up a dedicated College of Supervisors for capacity development.
• Harnessing SupTech (supervisory technology).
Enhancement of Supervision by DOS:
i.RBI’s Department of Supervision (DoS) intends to strengthen the on-site assessment of oversight and assurance
functions including risk and compliance culture in FY22.
ii.DoS also plans to include innovative and scalable SupTech to improve the efficiency and efficacy of supervisory
processes.

iii.It targets to streamline the process of data collection from all the banks and their off-site assessment and on-
site supervision based on KYC (Know Your Customer)/AML (Anti-Money Laundering) supervision.
iv.It is seeking to enhance the Fraud Risk Management System, including improving the efficacy of Early Warning
Signal (EWS) framework.
v.It plans to introduce a dedicated market intelligence (MI) unit for frauds and implementation of automated
unique system generated numbers for each fraud.
In July 2021, RBI modified the rules on applicable interest on unclaimed term deposits (TDs) after maturity in all
commercial banks, small finance banks, local area banks, and cooperative banks.
RBI Released Recommendations of Expert Committee on UCBs; RBI to Launch GAAR Regulations
for Round-Tripping
In August 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released the recommendation report of the Expert
Committee on Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs) under the chairmanship of N. S. Vishwanathan,
which was constituted by RBI to review the issues of UCBs and to provide a road map for strengthening the
sector.
Background:
i.In February 2021, the RBI constituted an expert committee on UCBs under the chairmanship of N. S.
Vishwanathan, former Deputy Governor, RBI, to suggest measures to enable faster rehabilitation/resolution of
UCBs.
ii.The committee has also been directed to review the Regulatory provisions through the recent amendments to
the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (As Applicable to Cooperative Societies).
Recommendations of the committee over UCBs:
i.To ease the regulatory process, the committee has recommended a 4-tier structure for the UCBs, based on their
capital availability and other factors.
ii.The 4 tier structure include
• Tier 1 – All unit UCBs and salary earner’s UCBs (irrespective of deposit size), and all other UCBs having
deposits up to Rs 100 crore
• Tier 2 – UCBs with deposits between Rs 100 crore – Rs 1000 crore
• Tier 3 – UCBs with deposits between Rs 1000 crore – Rs 10,000 crore
• Tier 4 – UCBs with deposits more than Rs 10,000 crore
iii.The committee also suggested the setting up of an Umbrella Organization (UO) with a minimum capital of Rs
300 crore with Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) and regulatory framework similar to Non-Banking
Financial Companies (NBFCs).
Regulatory Framework for different Tiers of UCBs:
i.Tier 1 banks having an area of operation within a district should have a minimum capital and reserves (net
worth) of Rs 2 crore and other Tier 1 banks should have a minimum net worth of Rs 5 crore.
• The minimum requirement of CRAR for Tier-1 UCBs varies from 9-14 percent based on the membership
with UO and net worth requirement.
ii.A Tier 3 UCB will be allowed to function on the lines of a Small Finance Banks (SFBs) if it meets both the entry
point capital (Rs 200 crore) and the CRAR requirement (15 percent) that are applicable to SFBs.
iii.The Tier 4 UCBs will be allowed to function as a universal bank only if they meet the 9 percent capital
adequacy ratio and Rs 500 crore of entry point capital requirement.

Other Key Recommendations:
i.The committee also suggested allowing UCBs to grant advances to subscribers of Perpetual Convertible
Preference Shares (PCNPS).
• The number of such borrowers should not exceed 20 percent of the total borrowing members of the UCB.
ii.It recommended the inclusion of twin indicators viz, CRAR and Net NPA (Non-Performing Assets) under the
Supervisory Action Framework (SAF) to reducing the time spent by a UCB under SAF.
iii.The committee also recommended opening licensing of new UCBs (Currently, 1500 UCBs exist) and also
allowing the existing UCBs to expand their footprint. The number of borrowers of UCBs was estimated at 67
lakhs. Click here to know more
RBI Plans to Include GAAR Regulations for Round-Tripping
RBI has made changes in the existing regulation of foreign investment and released the draft rule to
discourage round-tripping.
• As per the draft, the investment made in an entity outside India, which in turn invests in India to avoid
tax will be treated as ‘round-tripping’.
• This regulation is similar to General Anti-Avoidance Rule (GAAR), which is an anti-tax avoidance law in India
to curb tax evasion and avoid tax leaks.
• GAAR came into effect on 1st April 2017 and its provisions come under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
In July 2021, The RBI issued directions relating to ‘Appointment of Managing Director (MD) / Whole-Time
Director (WTD)’ in all Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs).
RBI Imposes Rs 27.5 Lakh Penalty On Dhanlaxmi Bank

The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 27.5 Lakh on Dhanlaxmi Bank, Thrissur, Kerala for
the violation of certain provisions of the Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme.
• The Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation (ISE) was conducted by RBI with reference to its
financial position as of 31st March 2020.
• The penalty was imposed for the violation of a section of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read with a
paragraph of The Depositor Education and Awareness Fund Scheme, 2014.
The RBI has also imposed a penalty of Rs 20 lakh on the NE and EC Railway Employees’ Multi-State Primary Co-
operative Bank, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh for the violation of directions under the Supervisory Action Framework
(SAF).
RBI Empaneled South Indian Bank as Agency Bank

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has empanelled South Indian Bank, the Kerala based private sector lender, as
an ‘Agency Bank’ to facilitate transactions related to Central and State government on behalf of the RBI.
• Background: In February 2021, RBI removed the ban imposed (in 2012) over ‘Appointing the Scheduled
Private Sector Banks as Agency Banks of RBI’ and further, it revised the guidelines and authorised Scheduled
Private Sector Banks as agency banks of RBI for conducting govt businesses.
RBI Imposed Rs 15 lakh Penalty on Baghat Urban Co-operative Bank

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 15 lakh on Baghat Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd,
Solan, Himachal Pradesh for violation of certain norms related to non-identification of Non-Performing Assets.
• RBI also imposed a penalty of Rs 1 lakh on Delhi Nagrik Sehkari Bank Ltd, New Delhi, for non-compliance
with certain directions issued by it.

RBI: PIDF scheme Extended to Street Vendors under PM SVANidhi in tier 1, 2 centres; Imposes
penalty on 2 co-op banks, 1 NBFC
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has included street vendors part of the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM
SVANidhi Scheme) in tier-1 and tier-2 centres as beneficiaries under the Payments Infrastructure Development
Fund (PIDF) Scheme.The decision is taken to promote the digital transactions at the grass root level.
About PM SVANidhi Scheme:
PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi Scheme) which facilitates collateral-free working capital
loans of up to Rs 10,000 for 1 year to approximately 50 lakh street vendors. It was launched in June 2020.
About Payments Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) Scheme:
Announced by RBI on January 5, 2021 with an outlay of Rs 345 crore, its objective is to boost deployment of
Points of Sale (PoS) infrastructure (both physical and digital modes) in tier-3 to tier-6 centres and north eastern
states. It envisages creating 30 lakh new touch points every year i.e. 10 lakh physical and 20 lakh digital.
• Out of PIDF’s outlay, RBI’s contribution is Rs 250 crore and Rs 95 crore is from authorized card networks in
the country.
RBI imposes penalty on 2 co-op banks, 1 NBFC
Monetary penalty on Seyad Shariat Finance Limited, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
On August 26, 2021, RBI in exercise of powers under the provisions of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 58 G
read with clause (aa) of sub-section (5) of section 58 B of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, imposed a
monetary penalty of Rs 5 lakh on Seyad Shariat Finance Limited, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu.
• It is a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC).
• The reason behind this is the non-compliance of the bank with certain provisions of the “Reserve Bank of
India (Know Your Customer (KYC) Directions, 2016.
Monetary penalty on The Muslim Co-operative Bank Limited, Pune, Maharashtra
RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Section 46 (4) (i) and Section 56 of the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949, a monetary penalty of Rs 2 lakh on The Muslim Co-operative Bank Limited, Pune,
Maharashtra for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on KYC.
Monetary penalty on Jijamata Mahila Sahakari Bank, Pune, Maharashtra
RBI under the provisions of Section 47 A (1) (c) read with Section 46 (4) (i) and Section 56 of the Banking
Regulation Act, 1949 imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 3 lakh on Jijamata Mahila Sahakari Bank, Pune,
Maharashtra.
• The reason behind this is the non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on Exposure Norms and
Statutory / Other Restrictions – urban co-operative banks (UCBs).
The above penalties will not affect any transaction or agreement by the bank with its customers.
RBI imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 25 lakh on the state-owned Punjab and Sind Bank for non-compliance with
certain provisions related to the directions on ‘Cyber Security Framework in Banks.
Established– April 1, 1935
Deputy Governors– Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
RBI Issued Master Direction on PPIs

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued Master Directions on Prepaid Payment Instruments, 2021 (MD-PPIs, 2021),
which are applicable to all Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) Issuers and System Participants.
• Objective: To provide a framework for authorisation, regulation, and supervision of entities issuing and
operating PPIs in India.
• The MD-PPIs, 2021 involves the eligibility criteria and the conditions of use for Payment System Operators
(PSOs) involved in the issuance and operation of PPIs in India.

What is PPI?
It is an instrument that facilitates the purchase of goods and services, financial services, remittance facilities, etc.,
against the value stored on such instruments.
Note – Banks and non-bank entities will be allowed to issue PPIs in India after obtaining necessary approval from
RBI under the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007.
PPIs Classification:
i.Earlier Classification: Earlier RBI has classified PPIs into 3 types as Closed System PPIs, Semi-closed System
PPIs, and Open System PPIs.
ii.Current Classification: Presently, under the MD-PPI,2021, RBI has classified the PPIs into 2 types as Small PPIs
and Full-KYC PPIs.
Small PPIs Full-KYC PPIs
These PPIs are issued by banks and non-banks after Issued by banks and non-banks after completing Know
obtaining minimum details of the PPI holder Your Customer (KYC) of the PPI holder
Could be used for the purchase of goods and services Could be used for the purchase of goods and services
Funds transfer or cash withdrawal is not permitted Funds transfer or cash withdrawal is permitted
Outstanding Amount – Upto Rs 10,000/ month, not Outstanding Amount – Not exceeding Rs 2 lakh
exceeding Rs 1.2 lakh/year (earlier it was Rs 1 lakh)
iii.In the case of bank-issued Full-KYC PPIs, the cash withdrawal at PoS (Point of Sale) devices was subjected to a
limit of Rs 2,000/ transaction with an overall monthly limit of Rs 10,000.
iv.Small PPIs should be converted into full-KYC PPIs within 24 months from the date of issue of the PPI.
v.Other Specific categories of PPIs include PPIs for Mass Transit Systems (PPI-MTS) and Gift PPIs.
Highlights of MD-PPIs, 2021:
a.Interoperability:
i.Interoperability is the technical compatibility that enables a payment system to be used in conjunction
with other payment systems.
ii.The PPI issuers were directed to achieve interoperability through Unified Payment Interface (UPI) (for PPIs in
the form of wallets) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the card networks (for PPIs in
the form of cards (physical or virtual)).
iii.PPI-MTS was exempted from interoperability, whereas the Gift PPIs were provided with the option to offer
interoperability.
iv.On the acceptance side, the QR codes in all modes should be interoperable by March 31, 2022.
b.Validity and Redemption:
i.All PPIs issued in India should have a minimum validity period of 1 year from the date of last
loading/reloading in the PPI. The PPIs could also be issued with longer validity.
ii.For PPIs in the form of a card, the customer should have the option to replace the card.
c.Redressal Mechanism: PPI issuers were directed to form a formal, publicly disclosed customer grievance
redressal framework, with designating a nodal officer to handle the customer complaints/grievances.
d.Security: All cash withdrawal transactions performed using a card/wallet, should be authenticated by an
Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA)/ Two Factor Authentication (2FA).
• 2FA / AFA is not a mandatory one for PPIs issued under PPI-MTS and Gift PPIs.
RBI has issued the above directions in the exercise of the powers conferred under Section 18 read with Section
10(2) of the PSS Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).
On May 19, 2021, the RBI mandated that all prepaid payment instruments (PPIs) or mobile wallets such as Paytm,
PhonePe and Mobikwik that are fully KYC-compliant to be made interoperable by March 31, 2022.
i.It was established on the recommendation of the Hilton Young Commission.
ii.The First Governor of RBI was Sir Osborne Smith (1935 – 1937).
iii.The First Indian Governor of RBI was CD Deshmukh (1943 – 1949).
iv.Manmohan Singh was the only Prime Minister to have also served as the Governor of RBI ((1982 – 1985).

RBI Increased the Indo-Nepal Remittances Transaction Cap to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 50,000; RBI
Increased the Incentives Paid to the Banks for Coin Distribution
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has increased the ceiling on remittances per transaction from India to Nepal from Rs
50,000 to Rs 2 lakh. RBI has also removed the limit of 12 remittances/year per remitter.
• The remittance ceiling was increased by RBI in the exercise of the power conferred under Section 10 (2)
read with Section 18 of Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
• The directions would come into effect from October 01, 2021.
Background:
i.Indo-Nepal Remittance Facility Scheme was launched by the RBI in May 2008 as an option for cross-border
remittances from India to Nepal.
ii.The scheme leverages the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) ecosystem for cross border remittances
with a ceiling of Rs 50,000/remittance and a maximum of 12 remittances/year.
iii.The beneficiaries receive remittances in Nepalese Rupees through credit to their bank account maintained
with the subsidiary of State Bank of India (SBI) in Nepal, i.e. Nepal SBI Bank Limited (NSBL) or through an agency
arrangement.
Key Points:
i.Presently, RBI has reviewed the scheme and increased the ceiling of remittance to boost trade payments
between the 2 countries and also to facilitate person-to-person remittances.
• The hike in the remittance ceiling would also support payments relating to retirement, pension, etc., to our
ex-servicemen who have settled/relocated to Nepal.
ii.The ceiling of Rs 50,000 per remittance with a maximum of 12 remittances in a year will continue to apply for
remittances by way of cash from walk-in customers or non-customers.
iii.RBI has advised banks to put in place suitable velocity checks and other risk mitigation procedures.
Note – Remittance is generally described as a sum of money sent by someone working abroad to his or her family
back home.
RBI Increased the Incentives Paid to the Banks for Coin Distribution
RBI has increased the incentives being paid to the banks for distribution of coins to the general public from Rs
25/bag to Rs 65/bag.
• RBI has reviewed the ‘Currency Distribution & Exchange Scheme’ (CDES) and revised the incentive being
paid to the banks for the distribution of coins.
• Objective: To provide a Clean Note policy and to ensure that all bank branches provide better customer
service to members of the public with regard to the exchange of notes and distribution of coins.
• An additional incentive of Rs 10 per bag for coin distribution in rural and semi-urban areas was also
introduced by RBI.
Key Points:
i.Through the revised scheme, the banks will be provided with incentives of Rs 65/bag based on net withdrawal
from currency chest (CCs), without waiting for claims from banks.
ii.CCs branches are directed to pass on the incentive to the linked bank/branches for their coins’ distribution
within one week from the receipt of incentives from RBI.
iii.The banks were instructed to include a system of checks and balances to ensure that coins are distributed to
retail customers in small lots and not to bulk customers.
• Banks are advised to provide coins to bulk customers (requirement of more than 1 bag in a single
transaction) for their business transactions.
By reviewing the market conditions and market borrowing program of the government, the RBI has modified the
auction methodology of the benchmark securities of tenor 2-year, 3-year, 5-year, 10- year, 14-year tenor and
Floating Rate Bonds (FRBs) to uniform price auction method (earlier it was based on multiple price-based
auctions).

Key Roles of Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
i.Monetary policy Framing – It frames the Monetary policy of the country to meet the challenges and maintain
the price stability of the economy.
ii.Decides interest rate – A six-member monetary policy committee headed by the RBI governor, decides the
benchmark repo rate.
iii.Regulates Forex – Foreign Exchange (Forex) Management Act (‘FEMA’) envisages the RBI a key role in
managing Forex reserves.
RBI Extended the Scope of Tokenisation to Laptops, Wearable Devices

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the scope of ‘tokenisation’ to several consumer devices such as laptops,
desktops, wearables (like wristwatches and bands), and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
• RBI has extended the scope through the exercise of powers under Section 10 (2) read with Section 18 of
Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007).
• Objective: To make card transactions more safe, secure, and convenient for the users.
• Before the extension, the facility of tokenisation was available only to mobile phones and tablets of
interested cardholders.
Background:
i.In January 2019, RBI has permitted authorised card networks to offer tokenisation services to any token
requestor. It also issued guidelines for ‘tokenisation in card transactions’.
ii.Tokenisation: It refers to the replacement of actual card details with a unique alternate code called the ‘token’,
which shall be unique for a combination of card, token requestor and device.
iii.Inorder to extend the scope of tokenisation, RBI has now included the consumer devices under tokenisation.
Deputy Governors – Mahesh Kumar Jain, Michael Debabrata Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Rabi Sankar
LOANS ISSUED BY BANKS

ADB sanctions USD 112 million for Water Supply Improvement projects in Jharkhand
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has sanctioned loans worth USD 112 million (INR 831 Crore) to finance Urban
Water Supply Infrastructure Projects in 4 towns (Ranchi, Hussainabad, Jhumri Telaiya and Medininagar) of
Jharkhand. This is the ADB’s 1st urban sector project in Jharkhand.
• The total cost of the project is USD 160 million, out of which USD 48 million will be funded by the
Government of Jharkhand.
• It will support the Jharkhand Vision and Action Plan 2021 to improve the quality of life of its urban residents
through better quality urban infrastructure.
• The project is expected to be completed in 2028.
Key Points
i.The project will establish 940 kms of water distribution network to provide continuous water supply to about
115,000 households. It will also improve the health and hygiene situation in the 4 towns.
ii.The staff of ULBs and other state urban institutions will be trained on design and implementation of urban
projects
iii.The project will also cover aspects like response to climate risks, inclusion of gender equality, and institutional
development.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Established in 1966
President – Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters – Manilla (Philippines)

About Jharkhand
Governor – Ramesh Bais
National Park (NP) – Betla NP
Wildlife Sanctuaries (WLS) – Dalma WLS, Gautam Budha WLS, Hazaribagh WLS
ADB approves USD300mn additional loan for Rural Roads in Maharashtra

On August 6, 2021, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved an additional financing of a $300 million (~INR
2227 Crore) loan for the ongoing Maharashtra Rural Connectivity Improvement Project that is upgrading
rural roads to all-weather conditions and connecting rural areas with markets and services in Maharashtra.
• The project, approved in August 2019, is being executed by the Maharashtra Rural Road Development
Association to rebuild and rehabilitate roads and bridges in Maharashtra destroyed by the devastating
floods in August 2019.
• This additional financing will improve an additional 1,100 rural roads and 230 bridges for a total length of
2,900 km (from 2,100 km) in 34 districts.
Key Points:
i.The additional financing will also accelerate Maharashtra’s economic recovery from COVID-19 devastation by
generating rural employment as it will generate about 3.1 million person-days of employment for local
communities, of which at least 25% will be for women, over the construction and maintenance periods.
ii.The project will also provide last-mile connectivity to a large number of small villages, enhancing access to
health and education facilities and benefit vulnerable population by increasing agricultural productivity.
iii.Maharashtra government targets to increase the average growth rate of agriculture and allied activities to
more than 5% per year by 2030.
On May 14, 2021, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) committed $3.92 billion in sovereign loans for 13 projects
to India in 2020, including $1.8 billion in projects to support the Government of India’s coronavirus disease
(COVID-19) pandemic response.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Members– 68 Countries
Headquarters– Metro Manila, Philippines
NABARD approves INR 188.81 crore Loan to Goa under RIDF

National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned loans worth INR 188.81
crore under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for the construction of Super Speciality Block
Hospital in Bambolim and Enhancement of Solid Waste Treatment plant in Saligao in the state of Goa.
• These projects will lead to better improvement in the standard of living of the people of Goa and contribute
to Swachh Bharat Mission.
• NABARD has allocated a total of INR 217.72 Crore to the Government of Goa during the FY 2021-22
(including the current allocation of INR 188.81 crore).
Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)
RIDF was introduced in 1995-96 to support state governments and State owned corporations by giving low cost
funding support for projects related to Medium and Minor Irrigation, Soil conservation and other Rural/Social
Infrastructure related projects.
About National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD)
NABARD was established on the recommendation of the Sivaraman Committee (by Act 61, 1981 of Parliament) to
implement the NABARD act of 1981.
Establishment – 12 July 1982
Chairman – Govinda Rajulu Chintala

About Goa
Governor – Sreedharan Pillai
National Park (NP) – Mollem NP (Bhagwan Mahavir)
Wildlife Sanctuaries (WLS) – Bondla, Chorao Island (Dr. Salim Ali )
ADB, India Sign $500 Million Loan Agreement to Expand Metro Rail Network in Bengaluru
The Asian Development Bank(ADB) will provide USD 500 million loans to Government of India to expand the
metro rail network in Bengaluru, Karnataka with the construction of two new metro lines totaling 56 kilometers
Outer Ring Road- Kempegowda International Airport corridor with 30 stations.
Highlights-
• Additional $2 million technical assistance is being provided by the ADB to help state government
formulate Urban Development Projects
• The grant will be utilised by Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited(BMRCL)
• The Silk Metro Board-KR(new metro lines) Puram KIA will provide safe, green mobility.
• The construction of two new metro line in the region of National Highway 44 between Central Silk Board
and Kempegowda International Airport with 30 stations
Signatories-
It was signed by Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs and Takeo Konishi,
Country Director of ADB’s Indian Resident Mission.
About the Project
i.It will support the urban transport and urban development projects in Bengaluru with the concept of transit-
oriented development (TOD) and multi-modal integration(MMI) with the aid and assistance of the ADB.
ii.The project will help in decongesting the traffic and provide smooth connectivity to the airport and TOD will
help in increasing the capital revenues and quality of living in the city.
iii.It will cater to the needs of vulnerable sections such as children, women, differently-abled and elderly people.
About Asian Development Bank
Establishment: 1966
Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Manila, Philippines
Member: 68 countries (Including India)
President of ADB: Masatsugu Asakawa
About Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited(BMRCL)
Managing Director: Anjum Parwez( IAS Officer, 1994 batch)
EXIM Bank provides around USD 210 mn soft loan to Guinea

The Export and Import Bank (EXIM) of India has signed Soft loan worth USD 210.73 million (≅INR 1567
crore) to the government of Guinea for drinking water projects, hospital building and solar projects in the
country.
• It includes USD 170 mn Line of Credit (LoC) for strengthening the Grand Conakry-Horizon 2040 drinking
water supply project in Guinea
• Loan of USD 20.51 mn for the construction and upgradation of regional hospitals in Kankan and Nzerekore
• Loc worth USD 20.22 mn for financing two solar projects in the country which includes supply of
electricity for public universities and health facilities.
• The agreement under the LoC is Effective from August 11, 2021.
What is a soft loan?
i.A loan with no interest or below market rate of interest is known as a soft loan.
ii.Soft loans have lenient terms like extended grace periods.
iii.They also offer longer amortization schedules than bank loans.
Purpose:
Soft loans are given out by multinational or federal banks to support developing countries or to form political or
economic ties with them.

Additional info:
i.Exim Bank has around 270 LoC’s covering 62 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Commonwealth of
Independent States(CIS) with credit commitments of around 26.75 billion USD, available for financing exports
from India.
ii.These LoC’s showcase the expertise and capabilities of project execution in emerging markets of India.
Recent Related News
In July 2021, The Export-Import (Exim) Bank of India extended a USD 35.26 million loan for Mumbai based
Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd (KPTL) to execute a power transmission project in Senegal.
About Export and Import (EXIM) Bank of India:
Deputy Managing Director (MD)– Harsha Bangari, N. Ramesh
Regulated By– Reserve Bank of India
About Guinea
President – Alpha Conde
Capital – Conakry
Currency – Guinean Franc
AGREEMENTS & MoUs SIGNED

Indian Bank Signed MoU with SINE, IIT Bombay for Financing Start-ups
The Indian Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Society for Innovation and
Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Bombay to provide a credit facility to the startups
and small businesses through its loan product ‘IND Spring Board’.
• Background: In October 2020, the Indian Bank launched the ‘IND SpringBoard’ in collaboration with IIT
Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) to provide a credit facility of Rs 50 crore to start-ups for their working
capital requirements.
Key Points:
i.Under the MoU, SINE, IIT Bombay will support the bank by referring the start-ups and the Ministry of Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that are in need of financial assistance (based on their credentials and
past experience).
ii.The MoU was signed by Sudhakar Rao, General Manager, MSME, Indian Bank and Santosh J Gharpure, professor-
in-charge, SINE, in the presence of Padmaja Chunduru, the MD and CEO of Indian Bank.
iii.Recent Initiative: In October 2020, Indian Bank launched the ‘MSME Prerana’ programme to empower MSME
entrepreneurs through skill development and capacity building workshops in local languages.
• At first, the MSME Prerana was implemented in the language Tamil.
In July 2021, the Indian Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Guwahati Technology
Incubation Centre (TIC) for financing Start-ups under the bank’s loan product ‘IND Spring Board’.
About the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE), IIT Bombay:
It is an umbrella organisation at IIT Bombay for promoting entrepreneurship and tech start-ups.
Headquarters – IIT Bombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra
Chairman – Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri
About Indian Bank:
Headquarters– Chennai, Tamil Nadu
MD & CEO – Padmaja Chunduru
Tagline – Your Own Bank

SBI General ties up with Manipal Business Solutions to expand reach in Rural Areas
On August 2, 2021, the SBI (State Bank of India) General Insurance collaborated with Manipal Business Solutions,
the promoter of SahiPay to expand its non-life penetration in rural areas.
• As SahiPay provides digital and financial services in the semi-urban and rural parts, SBI General will utilize
this customer base to maximise its non-life penetration in rural areas by providing a number of non-life
insurance solutions.
Reason behind this partnership:
Over 65% of the Indian population is residing in rural areas and to make them aware about the benefits of
insurance, affordable and technology based products this partnership has made.
About SBI General Insurance:
Managing Director (MD) & CEO (Chief Executive Officer)– Prakash Chandra Kandpal
Tagline– Suraksha Aur Bharosa Dono
Bank of Baroda signs MoU with Andhra Pradesh to Finance ‘Fish Andhra Scheme’
Bank of Baroda (BoB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Andhra Pradesh (AP)
Government to assist & finance the entire 14,000 beneficiaries for setting up Aqua Units under AP Government’s
‘Fish Andhra’ scheme.
‘Fish Andhra’ Scheme
AP stands 1st in the country in the fisheries sector both in terms of production and total value of aqua, it
contributes 8.67 % of State’s GDP.
i.Inspite of having high production, the per capita consumption of fish products is low in AP.
ii.In order to address this, AP Government has designed a novel scheme called “Fish Andhra”. The scheme is in
line with Pradhan Mantri Mathsya Sampadha Yojana (PMMSY), a scheme of central government.
• Under the project, 100 aqua hubs would be set up and around 14,000 outlets of different sizes and nature
would be set up across AP.
• Each aqua hub constitutes 140 beneficiaries and the project cost is Rs 5.50 crore.
• The funding pattern of the aqua hub is 15% beneficiary contribution, 40 per cent government aid and
45% bank loan.
About Andhra Pradesh
Governor – Biswabhushan Harichandran
National Parks (NP) – Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, Mahaveer Harina Vanasthal
Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) – Coringa, Eturnagaram
About Bank of Baroda (BoB)
Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank were merged with BoB
MD & CEO – Sanjiv Chadha
Headquarters – Vadodara, Gujarat
Founded – 20 July 1908 by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda
Tagline – India’s International Bank
GoI, World Bank Signed $250 million Loan Agreement under DRIP Phase II
The Government of India (GoI) has signed a US $250 million (Rs 1,855 crore) loan agreement with the World
Bank (WB) for the Second Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP-2) Phase II, the world’s largest
dam management program. The agreement is the 1st phase of ‘DRIP Phase II and Phase III’.
• The loan will be provided from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the
lending arm of WB Group and it has a maturity of 13 years with a grace period of 6 years.
Key Points:
i.DRIP Phase II will provide financial support to the GoI’s long-term National Dam Safety Program and improve
the safety and performance of existing dams across various states of India.

ii.The agreement was between the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Central Water Commission (CWC), representatives of 10
participating states (Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha,
Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu) and the WB.
iii.Initially the project will be implemented in ~120 dams across the 10 participating states, and at the national
level through the CWC. Other states/agencies might be added during project implementation.
iv.The agreement was signed by Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs,
Ministry of Finance (on behalf of GoI), representatives of 10 participating states, and Junaid Ahmad, WB Country
Director in India (on behalf of the WB).
Note – The programme also complements the provisions in the Dam Safety Bill 2019.
DRIP Phase II and Phase III:
i.In October 2020, the GoI approved the ‘DRIP Phase II and Phase III’ to rehabilitate 736 dams in India with the
Budget Outlay of Rs 10,211 crore, in which Rs 7,000 crore was the external funding assistance from the WB and
the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
ii.The implementation period was about 10 years from April 2021 to March 2031 with each project having 6
years duration with 2 years overlapping. It has the participation of 19 states and 3 Central Agencies.
iii.The WB’s support to dam safety in India includes the recently closed DRIP-1 ($279 million with $62 million
Additional Financing), which has improved the safety and sustainability of 223 dams in 6 states of India and one
central agency.
Dams in India: India ranks 3rd globally after China and the USA, with 5334 large dams in operation with a
storage capacity of more than 300 billion cubic meters.
Note – The average annual cost of floods in India is estimated at US$7.4 billion.
In December 2020, the WB approved a $250 million Second Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP-
2). It will improve the existing dams’ safety and performance across various states of India.
About World Bank:
President – David R. Malpass (13th President)
Headquarters – Washington DC, USA
World Bank Country Director in India – Junaid Ahmad
Indian Bank signs MoU with IIM Bangalore to fund Startups

Indian Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NSRCEL (N S Raghavan Centre for
Entrepreneurial Learning), the entrepreneurship Centre of Excellence at the Indian Institute of Management
Bangalore (IIM-B) to provide funding for identified startups under Indian Bank’s ‘Ind Spring Board’ Scheme.
• The MoU was signed between Padmaja Chunduru, MD & CEO, Indian Bank, Professor Rishikesha T Krishnan,
Director Of IIM Bangalore and K S Sudhakar Rao, General Manager (MSME), Indian Bank.
• The funding will help start-ups in meeting their working capital requirements for growth.
‘Ind Spring Board’ scheme
In October 2020, Indian Bank launched ‘IND Spring Board’ in collaboration with Indian Institute of
Technology Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) to provide a credit facility of INR 50 crore to Start-Ups for their
working capital requirements.
MSME Prerana programme
In October 2020, Indian Bank launched the MSME Prerana programme to empower MSME entrepreneurs through
skill development and capacity building workshops in local languages.
• At first, MSME prerana was implemented in Tamil language.
Recent Related News
On August 02nd 2021, Indian Bank signed a MoU with IIT Bombay’s Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
(SINE) to provide credit facilities to start-ups and small businesses.
About Indian Bank
Established in 1907
Headquarters – Chennai

MD & CEO – Padmaja Chumduru
Tagline – Your Own Bank
About N S Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (NSRCEL)
Chairperson – Venkatesh Panchapagesan
IIA, GIFT City Signed MoU to Promote Fintech for Insurance Companies
India Insurtech Association (IIA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with International Financial
Services Centre (IFSC) at GIFT (Gujarat International Finance Tec) City, (GIFT-IFSC) to promote fintech for Indian
and foreign insurance companies.
Objective – The association will promote new digital business models, build collaboration between start-ups and
all the other participants of the insurance industry.
Initiatives under the MoU:
i.Events, information series, seminars, and conferences will be organised under the partnership to create
awareness about GIFT IFSC.
• They will also research regulatory sandbox projects for GIFT IFSC, which will benefit insurtech start-ups, re-
insurance businesses, service providers, and individuals.
ii.International firms will be offered world-class infrastructure and facilities to conduct their business in India.
iii.IIA will support both Indian and global financial organisations, re-insurance and insurtech participants to
benefit from the regulatory sandbox initiatives at GIFT City.
iv.IIA will also work with the GIFT – Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and highlight India’s international financial
services potential.
About GIFT City:
GIFT IFSC is the 1st IFSC formed in India and currently, it is the only IFSC in the country.
Headquarters – Gandhinagar, Gujarat
MD & CEO – Tapan Ray
ADB ties up with IIFL Home Finance for Green Housing in India
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has joined hands with price housing financier IIFL (India Infoline ) Home
Finance Ltd, subsidiary of IIFL home finance to reduce carbon emissions and preserve water and vitality in
India.IIFL is the technical assistance of the program.
• The total cost of the project is $1 million & ADB will fund through its Urban Climate Change Resilience
(UCCR) Trust Fund, IIFL, will contribute $0.15 million towards inexpensive housing in India.
Key Points:
i.It should be noted that home designs that are sensitive to climate requirements consume less energy in the form
of air conditioning. Also with this the contribution of buildings towards carbon emission will be reduced which is
currently at 35%.
ii.There will be improvement in the waste disposal system and recycling of water through rainwater harvesting
iii.The Indian government had earlier set a goal of constructing 50 million houses by 2022 underneath its
Housing for All initiative, with 60% of it being proposed within the rural areas. It has now scaled down to 32.6
million by 2022 with 21.4 million in rural areas.
About IIFL Home Finance Ltd:
IIFL(formerly India Infoline Limited) Home Finance Ltd is a subsidiary of IIFL Finance Limited. IIFL Finance
Limited was formerly known as IIFL Holdings Limited.
Chairman– S.Sridhar
Headquarter– Gurgaon, Haryana
IDFC FIRST Bank Signed MoU with Indian Navy to offer Honour FIRST Defence Account
IDFC FIRST Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Navy to offer the special
defence savings account named ‘Honour FIRST’ for the serving personnel and veterans of the Indian Navy.

• The MoU was signed at New Delhi between Commodore Neeraj Malhotra, Commodore – Pay and Allowances,
Indian Navy and senior officials of IDFC FIRST Bank.
Features of Honour FIRST Defence account:
i.It is a zero balance salary account and it earns up to 5 percent interest per annum and no minimum
balance is required for the account.
iii.The account includes Personal Accidental Insurance cover of up to Rs 46 Lakhs for both on-duty and off-duty
incidents.
• It includes 40 Lakhs for the personal accident with 4 Lakhs for child education grant and 2 Lakhs for girl
child marriage.
• It covers accidental death, total and partial permanent disability.
iii.The card provides Air accident cover of up to Rs 1 crore. It also offers Purchase protection against theft,
burglary and damage of up to 1 Lakh (from 90 days from date of purchase) and Lost Card Liability of up to 6
lakhs on the Debit card.
iv.It has a net banking and mobile App for offering a superior user interface and experience.
v.The account offers unlimited ATM access at IDFC FIRST Bank’s ATM branches or any other ATM.
vi.The account holders of Honour FIRST are supported by a team of defence veterans.
IDFC First Bank has launched an Employee-funded relief program named ‘Ghar Ghar Ration’, for its low-income
customers whose livelihoods are affected due to COVID-19.
About IDFC FIRST Bank:
It is founded by the merger of erstwhile IDFC Bank Ltd and erstwhile Capital First Ltd
MD & CEO – V. Vaidyanathan
NEDFi signs MoU with FINER to promote Entrepreneurship in North East

North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Federation of Industries of North Eastern Region (FINER) to promote entrepreneurship, generate
employment and create empowerment of weaker sections.
• NEDFi celebrated its 26th Foundation Day on 9th August, 2021. It has provided loans to over 7000 projects
in 8 states of North-Eastern Region (NER).
• Chandra Mohan Patowary, Assam’s Minister for Industries and Commerce inaugurated a ‘Clearance Sale of
Artisanal Products of NER’ at NEDFi House in Dispur.
• The main objective of the sale is to provide market linkage to artisans and weavers of NER. The products
of Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM) clusters and North East Handicrafts and Handlooms
Corporation (NEHHDC) and artisans of North East will be available.
About North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi)
CMD – PVSLN Murty
Head office – Dispur, Assam
About Federation of Industry & Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER)
President– Pabitra Buragohain
Head office – Guwahati, Assam
NABARD Signed MoU with SBI, JKGB for JLG Financing

On August 10, 2021, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the State Bank of India (SBI) and Jammu and Kashmir Gramin Bank (JKGB) in the
Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and the UT of Ladakh.
• Objective: To finance 1000 Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) and to enhance the flow of credit to tenant farmers,
oral lessees, sharecroppers, Small and Marginal farmers (SF/MF), etc.
• The MoUs on JLG financing were signed and exchanged between NABARD J&K Regional Office, SBI, and JKGB.

• The people who are suffering from reverse migration under COVID-19 will be provided credit facilities
through the JLG formation.
• The formation and credit linkage of 1000 JLGs will benefit around 5000 households in J&K.
• Participants: The MoU was presided over by A.K Sood, CGM, NABARD; Surender Singh, General Manager,
NABARD, Ajitav Parashar, Deputy General Manager SBI, and Sudhir Gupta, Chairman, JKGB, have participated
and represented NABARD, SBI, and JKGB in the MoU.
About National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD):
Chairman – G.R. Chintala
About State Bank of India (SBI):
Establishment – 1st July 1955
Chairman – Dinesh Kumar Khara
Tagline – The Banker to Every Indian
Agritech Start-up Arya Tie-up with SBM Bank India for Commodity Financing
Agritech start-up and India’s 1st Post Harvest Solutions Platform, Arya Collateral Warehousing Services Private
Ltd (Arya) made a partnership with State Bank of Mauritius-India (SBM Bank India) for commodity financing.
• Objective: To offer easy on-time customised finance solutions to agri-traders and agri-entrepreneurs across
the country.
• Through the partnership, Arya will work with SBM Bank India to ease the financing process for providing
instant credit to the clients in the agriculture value chain.
Features of Arya:
i.It helps farmers, aggregators, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), food processors and end-user
corporations to overcome the post-harvest losses.
ii.Its platform assists users to avail additional services such as warehouse management, financial access, quality
testing, storage protection services, and connecting produce to buyers.
FPO:
i.It is a type of Producer Organisation formed with farmers (especially the primary producers) as its members to
ensure better income for farmers by enhancing the economy of scale and their bargaining power.
• The members also include producers of agricultural, non-farm products, artisan products, etc.
ii.The FPO needs to register on eNAM (National Agriculture Market), the online trading platform for agricultural
commodities in India.
iii.The Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, has mandated the Small Farmers’
Agribusiness Consortium (SFAC) to support the State Governments for the formation of FPO.
About State Bank of Mauritius-India (SBM Bank India):
In 2018, it became the 1st foreign Bank in India to operate as a new Indian bank. It is a part of the Mauritius-
based SBM group.
MD & CEO – Sidharth Rath
Indian Bank signs MoU with Paralympic Committee of India

The Public Sector Bank (PSB), Indian Bank, signed a year-long memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the
Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) to become one of the Banking Partners ahead of the Paralympic Games
2020 in Tokyo, Japan.
• In this regard, the bank will provide financial assistance to Paralympic athletes to prepare for the sporting
events in domestic as well as global platforms.
• Notably, the Paralympic Games are scheduled to start from August 24, 2021.

Key Points:
i.The resources offered by the bank will be utilized towards meeting the requirements of the Indian Para athletes
which include training, nutrition, equipment, certifications, among others.
ii.This initiative will empower many athletes to take up sports as a career without facing any kind of shortages.
About Paralympic Committee of India (PCI):
It is the authorised and sole organisation in India recognised by International Paralympic Committee (IPC) of
Bonn, Germany as National Paralympic Committee (NPC) and National Sports Federation (NSF) by Govt. of India
for promotion and development of Para Sports in India.
President– Deepa Malik
About Indian Bank:
Managing Director & CEO– Padmaja Chunduru
Tagline– Your Own Bank
Amalgamated Bank– Allahabad Bank
PayNearby ties up with RBL Bank, Visa for payment devices

On August 16, 2021, PayNearby collaborated with Visa and RBL Bank (formerly Ratnakar Bank) to
launch SoftPoS and mPoS for its over 1.5 million retail network. With this, as per PayNearby, it becomes the first
company to launch an all-inclusive digital package for retailers.
• SoftPoS allows merchants to accept contactless payments of up to Rs 5,000 through tap and pay mechanism
on NFC (Near Field Communication)-enabled smartphones,
• mPOS (mobile point of sale) machine allows easy acceptance of cards.
Key Points:
i.The reason behind the above launches is to expand the number of acceptance points for easy and fast digital
payments.
ii.PayNearby upgraded digital payment package supports QR (Quick Response) code payment, UPI (Unified
Payments Interface) payment, Aadhaar Pay, SMS (Short Messaging Service) payment, and card payment through
mobile tokenization.
iii.The 2-in-1 micro ATM + mPOS machine drives value at very affordable pricing and allows easy acceptance of
debit and credit card payments.
iv.Offer merchants, an all-inclusive digital payment hub that ensures easy acceptance across different form factors
and simplifies both merchant and customer experience.
PayNearby, India’s largest Hyperlocal fintech startup, in collaboration with IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company
Limited, launched first of its kind, a cost-effective, 3-in-1 insurance solution named ‘Poorna Suraksha’ to
safeguard its 15+ lakh Retail Partners during the COVID-19 and beyond.
About PayNearby Technologies Pvt. Ltd(PayNearby):
It is a Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Certified Fintech Company registered
under The Startup India program of the Government of India
Establishment– April 2016
Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Anand Kumar Bajaj
OTHER BANK NEWS

MSME Loan Disbursals Rise 40% in FY21: SIDBI-TransUnion Cibil MSME Pulse Report
As per the report of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) lender SIDBI (Small Industries Development
Bank of India) and Transunion-Cibil, MSME Pulse – Edition XII, the value of new loans disbursed to the MSME

sector in FY21 (COVID-19 period) was Rs.9.5 lakh crore, 40% higher than Rs.6.8 lakh crore in FY20 (pre-COVID-
19 period).
• It was mainly supported by the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS), the government’s
initiative under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat programme.
Highlights of the Report:
i.Credit Demand: The credit demand (measured as credit enquiries) was dropped by 76 percent (due to the 1st
wave of COVID-19) and later recovered by ECLGS to 32 percent over pre-COVID-19 levels in March 2021. Now,
the credit demand recovered back in June 2021 (after the unlocks).
ii.Credit Growth: India’s total on-balance sheet commercial lending exposure in March 2021 stood at Rs 74.36
lakh crores with a YOY (Year-on-Year) growth rate of 0.6 percent in which, the MSME sector’s credit exposure
was about Rs 20.21 lakh crores with 6.6 percent YOY growth rate.
iii.Credit Disbursement:
• The credit disbursal to New-to-Bank (NTB) MSMEs was reduced by 90 percent in April 2020 (compared to
pre-COVID levels) and recovered back to 5 percent higher than pre-COVID levels in March 2021.
• The lending to Existing-to-Bank (ETB) MSMEs increased to 75 percent over pre-COVID levels in June 2020
due to ECLGS.
Note – Borrowers who had an existing commercial credit relationship with the lender are defined as ETB, and
those with no commercial credit relationship are classified as NTB.
iv.NPA Rate: Due to the strong credit inflow, the NPA (Non-Performing Assets) rates of MSMEs in March 2021
was controlled at 12.5 percent compared with 12.6 percent in March 2020.
On World Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day (June 27, 2021), the Small Industries Development
Bank of India (SIDBI), has rolled out multiple measures to support COVID-19 hit MSMEs.
About Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS):
i.It was launched by the Finance Ministry in May 2020 as a part of the Government’s ‘Atma Nirbhar’ to provide
credit Rs 3 lakh crore unsecured loans to COVID-19 hit MSMEs.
ii.Under ECLGS 3.0, the scope of ECLGS was extended to new sectors, such as hospitality, travel and tourism, and
the lending under it was extended till September 30, 2021.
iii.Under ECLGS, 100 percent guarantee coverage was provided by NCGTC (National Credit Guarantee Trustee
Company) to public and private banks and NBFCs (Non-banking Finance Companies).
SBI Launches ‘SIM Binding’ Feature in YONO, YONO Lite

State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a ‘SIM Binding’ feature in its digital banking platform YONO (You Only
Need One), YONO Lite.
• The technology allows Only one user per device with a Registered Mobile Number (RMN). It is aimed at
protecting customers from various digital frauds.
• The SIM Binding feature will work with the basic rule of One Mobile Device – One User – One RMN.
YONO
i.YONO the integrated digital banking platform of SBI is India’s 1st comprehensive digital service platform.
ii.It was launched on 10th December, 2017 by Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
About State Bank of India (SBI)
Establishment – 1st July 1955
Chairman – Dinesh Kumar Khara
Tagline – The Banker to Every Indian
SEBI Ordered Forensic Audit of MSE’s Accounts

SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has ordered a forensic audit into the workings of the Metropolitan
Stock Exchange of India (MSEI) Ltd formally known as MCX SX, on allegations of mismanagement and financial

irregularities.
A forensic audit will detect any mis-statement in financials, mis-appropriation or diversion of funds.
SEBI revised Minimum Application Value, Trading Lot for REITs & InvITs
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) reduced the minimum application value of real estate
investment trusts (REITs) and infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs) to the range of Rs 10,000-15,000 from
earlier requirement of Rs 50,000 for REITs and Rs 1 lakh for InvITs.
• It also revised the trading lot to one unit for REITs and InvITs from earlier 100 units for initial listing.
• In this regard, allotment to any investor is required to be made in the multiples of a lot.
Minimum Unit Holders Requirement:
SEBI also introduced a minimum unit holders requirement for unlisted InvITs i.e. other than the sponsor(s), its
related parties and its associates, there will be 5 holders, and together and collectively they hold at least 25% of
the total units of the InvIT, at all times.
Points to be noted:
i.REIT comprises a portfolio of commercial real assets, a major portion of which is already leased out.
ii.InvITs comprise a portfolio of infrastructure assets such as highways and power transmission assets.
ii.As of March 2021, a total of 15 InvITs and 4 REITs were registered. Of these, 6InvITs and 3 REITs were listed on
the stock exchanges.
About Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI):
Chairman– Ajay Tyagi
Headquarter– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Suryoday SFB Launched ‘Health and Wellness Savings Account’

Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SSFB) has launched a Savings Account named ‘Health and Wellness Savings
Account’ to support under medical emergencies.
• The account offers top-up health insurance of Rs 25 lakhs (for Self and Family), annual healthcare package,
and on-call emergency ambulance medical care services (upto distance of 20 Kms till 31 March 2022).
Eligibility:
i.A resident individual with age limit of 18 years to 65 years can open the account (joint/ single account).
ii.The individual needs to maintain the Average Monthly Balance (AMB) of Rs 3 lakhs and to be eligible as per the
health declaration form.
Features:
i.Interest Rate: The bank provides the highest interest rate of up to 6.25 percent per annum based on the
balance in the savings account.
ii.The account also includes – Rs 1.50 lakh daily ATM withdrawal limit, Rs 3 lakh daily POS (point of sale) usage
limit, and ‘Platinum’ RuPay Secure Chip Debit Card variant.
iii.Tie-up: The Bank has collaborated with Manipal Cigna Health Insurance (for providing top-up health
insurance), Vhealth Aetna (for providing annual healthcare package), and Ziqitza Healthcare (for providing
ambulance on-call services).
iv.The bank also enables the existing saving account customers to upgrade to the new Health and Wellness
Savings Account.
RBI permitted the Small Finance Banks’ (SFBs) lending to Micro-Finance Institutions (MFIs) for on-lending to
individuals under the classification of priority sector lending (PSL) for which the MFIs need to have Rs 500 crore
asset size (Currently, the SFB’s PSL is not permitted for MFIs for on-lending).
About Suryoday Small Finance Bank (SSFB):
Establishment -2017
MD & CEO – BaskarBabu Ramachandran

SEBI allows Payments Banks to act as Investment Bankers
On August 3, 2021, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) allowed payments banks to carry out the
activities of investment bankers in order to ease the access for investors to participate in public and rights issues
by using various payment avenues.
• Also, Non-scheduled payments banks, which have prior approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), will
be eligible to act as Bankers to an Issue (BTI) with regard to the conditions stipulated in the BTI rules.
Key Points:
i.Payments banks registered as BTI will also be permitted to act as self-certified syndicate banks, subject to the
fulfilment of SEBI norms.
ii.The blocking/movement of funds from the investor to issuer will only be made through the savings account of
the investor.
Background:
In a notification dated July 30, the regulator amended the Bankers to an Issue rules, thereby permitting such other
banking companies to carry out the activities of BTI in addition to the scheduled banks.
Points to be noted:
i.Bankers to an issue (BTI): It means a scheduled bank or such other banking company specified by SEBI which
carries activities, including acceptance of application money, acceptance of allotment or call money, refund of
application money and payment of dividend or interest warrants.
ii.Syndicate: It is a group of banks making a loan jointly to a single borrower.
Chairman– Ajay Tyagi
NABARD Partners with CWC to Offer Storage Facility for FPOs

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has partnered with the Central Warehousing
Corporation (CWC) through the NABFoundation, to offer storage facilities for the Farmers Producer Organisation
(FPOs) at lower rates for the next 5 years.
Objective:
To enhance the agricultural infrastructure in India.
Features of the partnership:
i.Under this partnership, the state-of-the-art storage facilities of CWC will be made accessible for the 5000+ FPO’s
across India.
ii.The CWC will offer a 30% discount to FPO’s promoted by NABARD, on using the CWC Storage space in 423
warehouses across India.
iii.The CWC will assist the FPOs with access to air cargo operations, handling and transportation, and pest control
services.
Benefits:
This partnership between NABARD and CWC will help the farmers to meet the immediate storage requirement
for crop warehousing space when the price drops due to surplus supply during harvest season.
About Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC):
CWC was established under ‘The Warehousing Corporations Act, 1962
Chairman– Atish Chandra, IAS
Managing Director– Arun Kumar Shrivastava
SEBI Board Approved List of Key Amendments, Initiatives

The board of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) undertook different key decisions at the board
meeting on August 06, 2021, regarding the amendments and frameworks related to Accredited Investors, mutual
fund (MF) regulations, Alternate Investment Fund (AIF) and others.

List of Approved Amendments and frameworks:
• Introduced Framework for Accredited Investors
• Amendment to SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996
• Relaxed the Limit of Sweat Equity Norms on New-age Tech Companies
• A shift from ‘Promoter’ to ‘controlling shareholders’
• Amendment to SAST Regulations
• Amendment to SEBI (AIF) Regulations, 2012
• Relaxed the lock-in period for promoters’ investments
About Approve Amendments and Frameworks in brief:
-Introduced Framework for Accredited Investors:
SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) board has introduced the concept of ‘Accredited investors’ (AI) in
the Indian securities market to open up a new channel for raising funds.
Who are Accredited Investors?
i.A class of investors who are well informed or well advised about investment products are defined as AI/
Qualified Investors/Professional Investors.
ii.Individuals, Hindu Undivided Family (HUFs), Family Trusts, Sole Proprietorships, Partnership Firms, Trusts,
and Body Corporates are eligible to become AI (based on financial parameters).
Framework for Accredited Investors:
a.Eligibility:
i.Criterias for Individuals, HUFs, Family Trusts and sole proprietorships to get accredited as AI are as follows.
• They need to have an annual income of at least Rs 2 Crore (or)
• Net Worth of at least Rs 7.5 Crore (out of which at least Rs 3.75 Crore is in the form of financial assets) (or)
• Annual Income of at least Rs 1 Crore along with Net Worth of at least Rs 5 Crore (out of which at least Rs
2.5 Crore is in the form of financial assets).
ii.Trusts (other than family trusts) Assets under Management and Corporates should have net worth of at least Rs
50 Crore.
iii.In the case of a partnership firm, under the Indian Partnership Act, 1932, each partner independently needs to
meet the ‘AI criteria for Individuals’.
b.Accreditation Agencies:
i.One or more subsidiaries of a recognized Stock Exchange or depositories or any other institution, which meet
the following eligibility criteria will be specified as an ‘Accreditation Agency’ by SEBI to grant accreditation status
and issue Accreditation Certificate to AI.
ii.Eligibility Criteria: They need to have – a minimum 20 years of presence in the Indian securities market,
Investor Service Centers (ISCs) in at least 20 cities, and a minimum net worth of Rs 200 crores.
c.Process of Accreditation: The investor who is willing to become an AI needs to apply to the Accreditation
Agencies to get the certificate of AI. The agencies will grant certificates based on the financial information
preceding years (with validity ranging from 1to 2 years).
• Central and State Governments (govts), Developmental Agencies, Funds set up by govt, Category I Foreign
Portfolio Investors (FPI), Sovereign Wealth Funds, Multilateral Agencies (e.g. Asian Development Bank,
World Bank, etc.), etc, will be considered as AI without obtaining a certificate of accreditation.
d.Proposals with respect to Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs):
i.Minimum investment: Currently, investors (other than employees or directors of the Alternative Investment
Fund (AIF) or employees or directors of the Manager) are required to have a minimum investment of Rs 1 crore
in an AIF.
• Now SEBI has enabled the AIs to invest less than Rs 1 crore in the AIF.
ii.Large value fund for AI: It is an AIF or scheme of an AIF where each investor invests above Rs 70 crore are
now enabled to avail relaxation from regulatory requirements.
• Currently, Category I and II AIFs are allowed to up to 25 percent of their investable funds in a single investee
company, whereas Category III with 10 percent.

• Now, the large value funds for AI of Category I and II are allowed to invest up to 50 percent of the investable
funds in a single investee company and AI Fund, whereas Category III are enabled to invest up to 20
percent.
e.Other Benefits to AIs:
i.AIs with a minimum investment of Rs 10 Crores with a registered PMS (Portfolio Managers) provider are
allowed to avail relaxation from requirements related to investment in unlisted securities.
ii.AI who are clients of Investment Advisers (IA) are enabled to determine the limits and modes of fees payable to
IAs.
-Amendment to SEBI (Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996
SEBI board amended the SEBI (Mutual Funds (MF)) Regulations, 1996, and directed Asset Management
Companies (AMCs) to invest 1 percent of the amount raised in the New Fund Offer (NFO) or Rs 50 lakh,
whichever is less in the MF schemes based on the risk level associated with the scheme.
-Relaxed the Limit of Sweat Equity Norms on New-age Tech Companies
i.The board of SEBI has increased the overall limit of sweat equity that could be issued by new-age technology
companies that are listed on the Innovators Growth Platform (IGP).
ii.Currently, the maximum yearly limit of sweat equity shares that could be issued by a company listed on IGP was
at 15 percent of the existing paid-up equity share capital with an overall limit not exceeding 25 percent of the
paid-up capital at any time.
• Now the board has increased the overall limit to 50 percent. The improved overall limit will be applicable
for 10 years from the date of the company’s incorporation.
iii.SEBI has also approved the merging of 2 separate regulations viz, SEBI (Share Based Employee Benefits
(SBEB)) Regulations, 2014, and SEBI (Issue of Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2002 into a single regulation of SEBI
(Share Based Employee Benefits and Sweat Equity) Regulations, 2021.
-Shifting from ‘Promoter’ to ‘controlling shareholders’
SEBI Board approved the proposal for shifting away from the concept of the promoter in a listed entity to the
concept of ‘person in control’ or ‘controlling shareholders’
• Background: In May 2021, SEBI reviewed the regulatory framework of the promoter, promoter group and
group companies as per SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements(ICDR)) Regulations, 2018 and
gave proposals. Click here to know more
-Approved Amendment of SAST Regulations
The Board has decided to remove certain disclosure requirements for acquirers and promoters of companies
relating to – acquisition/disposal of shares aggregating to 5 percent (and any change of 2 percent thereafter),
annual shareholding disclosures, and creation/invocation/release of encumbrance registered in depository
systems under SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers (SAST)) Regulations.
• The board also approved the amendment of SEBI (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers (SAST))
Regulations mainly to implement the System Driven Disclosures (SDD).
• The regulations would come into effect from April 01, 2022.
-Amendment to SEBI (AIF) Regulations, 2012
The board of SEBI has approved the amendment over SEBI (AIF) Regulations, 2012.
i.As per the amendments, the Category I AIF – Venture Capital Funds (VCFs) was directed to invest at least 75
percent of investable funds in unlisted equity-linked instruments of venture capital undertakings/companies
listed on a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) exchange.
ii.The minimum amount of grant of Rs 25 lakh for Category I AIFs –Social Venture Funds was made inapplicable
for grants received from AIs.
-Relaxed the lock-in period for promoters’ investments
i.The lock-in period for promoters’ shareholding of minimum promoters’ contribution (i.e. 20 percent of post-
Initial Public Offer (IPO)) was reduced from 3 years to 18 months – Only in the case of the IPO is entirely an offer
for sale or where 50 percent of the issue proceeds are not meant for capital expenditure.
ii.The Lock-in period for a pre-IPO shareholding of non-promoters was reduced from 1 year to 6 months.
iii.The minimum lock-in for venture capital funds from the date of acquisition was changed from 1 year to 6
months.

In June 2021, SEBI has approved amendments to regulations related to independent directors (IDs) under SEBI
(Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 (LODR Regulations).
To protect the interest of investors in securities, the SEBI has introduced a new standardised Expected Loss (EL)
based RatingScale for the Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs).
About Alternative Investment Funds:
i.AIF is a privately pooled investment vehicle that collects funds from sophisticated investors, whether Indian
ii.AIFs are divided into 3 categories:
• Category I – Venture capital funds (Including angel funds), Social impact funds, SME funds and
infrastructure funds
• Category II– real estate funds, private equity funds (PE funds), funds for distressed assets
• Category III – Hedge funds, Private Investment in Public Equity Funds (PIPE) Funds
Establishment – On April 12, 1992, in accordance with the SEBI Act, 1992.
Chairman – Ajay Tyagi
SIDBI launches Swavalamban Challenge Fund to Promote Entrepreneurship

The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) in collaboration with Foreign, Commonwealth &
Development Office, United Kingdom (FCDO UK) has launched the Swavalamban Challenge Fund (SCF) to
promote entrepreneurship.
• The SCF along with its digital portal (https://scf.udyamimitra.in) was launched by Secretary, Ministryof
Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (M/o MSME) Bidyut Bihari Swain in the presence of Devendra
Kumar Singh, Development Commissioner of MSME, Sivasubramanian Ramann, Chairman and Managing
Director (CMD) of SIDBI, along with senior official of FCDO UK.
What is SCF?
Under this, financial support will be provided for specific purposes by creating competition among organisations.
This SCF will be of great support for the ideas that need to be scaled up but lagging behind due to funds issues.
• Eligible entities can submit their proposals on six themes of livelihood, women empowerment, financial
literacy, responsible business etc.
Categories: 2
i.Pilot Category– Applicants can apply with their proposal to pilot their innovative ideas
ii.Scale-up Category– Applicants can apply to scale up their already ongoing or completed projects.
Outlay:
The total outlay of fund will depend on the number of proposals selected in various themes.
i.For Pilot Category- up to Rs 20 lakh
ii.Scale-up Category- up to Rs 35 lakh
Eligibility:
i.Project period shall be more than 6 months and up to 2 years.
ii.Non-profit organizations, educational institutions, social startups which focus on sustainable livelihood,
financial inclusion, and access to financial services besides promoting the culture of entrepreneurship.
On World Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Day (June 27, 2021), SIDBI has rolled out multiple
measures to support COVID-19 hit MSMEs including Timely Working Capital Assistance to Revitalise Industries in
Times of Corona Crisis (TWARIT) scheme and PRAYAAS scheme.
It is the financial institution engaged in the promotion, financing and development of MSMEs.
Headquarters– Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)– Sivasubramanian Ramann

NSE, IBBI ink pact for research collaboration in Insolvency and Bankruptcy
On August 6, 2021, The National Stock Exchange (NSE) partnered with Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of
India (IBBI) to enhance research efforts in the area of insolvency and bankruptcy.
• This decision has been taken because the efficient insolvency and bankruptcy resolution system enables
timely resolution of financial stress, balances interests of all stakeholders, promotes entrepreneurship and
increases availability of credit at optimal costs.
Key Points:
i.Under this, both entities will promote studies that explore interlinkages between the development of the
insolvency process, financial markets and economy.
ii.They will also analyse the effectiveness of global insolvency laws and practices and then make evidence-based
policy recommendations to strengthen the insolvency framework in India.
About National Stock Exchange (NSE):
Establishment– 1992 (commenced operations in 1994)
Managing Director & CEO– Vikram Limaye
About Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI):
Chairperson– Dr. MS Sahoo
CBoI made Co-Lending Partnership with DFL to Offer Gold Loans

In August 2021, the Central Bank of India (CBoI) and Dhanvarsha Finvest Ltd (DFL) entered into a strategic co-
lending partnership to offer loans against gold ornaments under priority sector lending to Micro, Small and
Medium Enterprise (MSME) borrowers.
• The loans under the co-lending partnership will be offered in the funding ratio of 80:20e. 80 percent of the
gold loans with CBoI and 20 percent with DFL.
• The loans against gold ornaments will be created and processed by DFL as per the jointly formulated credit
parameters and eligibility criteria.
• DFL will service the loan account throughout the life cycle of the loan.
Co-Lending Model(CLM):
i.As per Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) CLM, banks could co-lend with all registered Non-Banking Financial
Companies (NBFCs) including Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) to priority sector borrowers based on a prior
agreement.
ii.Shares under CLM: NBFCs were required to retain a minimum of 20 percent share of the individual loans on
their books whereas, the Co-lending bank will take the remaining individual loan share (maximum of 80 percent)
on a back-to-back basis in their books.
About Central Bank of India (CBoI):
It was the 1st Indian commercial bank that was wholly owned and managed by Indians.
MD & CEO – M. V. Rao
SEBI Amended LODR Regulations; Set Norms for Independent Directors

In August 2021, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) amended the SEBI (Listing Obligations and
Disclosure Requirements (LODR)) Regulations, 2015 named LODR (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2021.
• It modified certain norms related to the process of appointment/removal of Independent directors (IDs).
• Objective: To enable the transparent appointment/removal of IDs and overcome corporate fraud and
promoters’ mismanagement.

Key Amendments:
i.Appointment/Re-appointment and Removal of IDs were now directed to be made only through a special
resolution of shareholders.
• Under the special resolution, the number of votes favouring the resolution should be at least 3 times those
against the resolution.
• The approval through resolution has to be executed at the next general meeting of the board or within 3
months from the date of appointment of IDs.
ii.The Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC) needs to evaluate and describe the balance of skills,
knowledge and experience required for the ID’s appointment.
• After selection, the selection panel needs to explain how a particular selected candidate fits into those
capabilities requirements.
• After the retirement of an ID, the company must disclose the resignation letter along with directorships and
membership of the ID in board committees.
iii.The composition of NRC has been modified to include 2/3rd IDs instead of the current requirement of 50
percent of IDs.
iv.A cooling-off period of 1 year has been introduced for an ID transitioning to a whole-time director (WTD) in
the same company.
v.At least 2/3rd of the audit committee members should be of IDs.
vi.The appointed IDs should not have been in any financial relationship with the company/their promoters/
directors during the 3 immediately preceding financial years (Earlier it was 2 years).
Note – The amended norms would be effective from January 1, 2022.
SEBI has amended the SEBI (Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs)) Regulations, 2014, and introduced the
minimum number of unitholders of unlisted InvITs, other than sponsor, to 5 and their holding in the total unit
capital of the InvIT not less than 25 percent.
Establishment – On April 12, 1992, in accordance with the SEBI Act, 1992.
Equitas SFB Launched Fintech Accelerator Programme – ‘Equitech’

In August 2021, the Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) launched ‘Equitech’, a fintech accelerator programme for
the start-up entrepreneurs ecosystem.
• Objective: To provide the required legal and regulatory support for the start-ups through its experts and
venture capitalists.
Key Points:
Eligibility:
• To enroll under Equitech, the fintech start-up must be registered/incorporated before 6 years.
• It should have at least 2 full-time employees, with team members (to be experts in their field) and it must
present an innovative product/ idea with advantages.
ii.The Shortlisted Fintechs under Equitech will be granted direct access to a world-class infrastructure through
Equitas SFB’s tech platform and Application Programming Interface (API) sandbox.
• They will also get options to service Equitas SFB either as their 1st commercial business partner or as a co-
brand partner.
iii.Focus Areas of Equitas: Banking – payments, lending, Current Account Savings Accounts (CASA), transaction
banking, API banking, governance and regulations; Technologies – agri-tech, banking tech, clean energy,
government tech, etc.
Note – During COVID-19, the fintech investments in India increased by 60 percent due to the innovations in the
banking system driven by fintech startups.

About Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB):
Headquarters – Chennai, Tamil Nadu
MD and CEO – Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan
Tagline – It’s Fun Banking
RBL bank selects AWS to Strengthen its AI capabilities

RBL Bank (formerly known as Ratnakar Bank Ltd) has selected Amazon Web Services (AWS), the Cloud
Computing arm of Amazon as its Preferred Cloud Provider to strengthen its Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based
Banking Solutions and bring digital transformation at the bank.
• RBL Bank is investing in AI capabilities to implement use cases across multiple segments, including risk,
customer service, Human Resources (HR) and operations.
• The bank will utilize Amazon’s Machine Learning (ML) service ‘Amazon Textract’ to extract text,
handwriting, and scanned documents from the bank’s Risks and Operations division to predict default risk.
• As part of RBL Bank’s larger AI roadmap, RBL Bank’s AI Centre of Excellence partnered with AWS to build,
train, and deploy ML models.
About RBL Bank
Established in 1940
MD & CEO – Vishwavir Ahuja
Tagline – Apno ka Bank
About Amazon Web Services (AWS)
CEO- Adam Selipsky
Headquarters – Seattle, United States of America
PPBL Became the 1st Bank to Cross 1 Crore FASTags

Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) became the 1st bank in India to achieve the milestone of issuing 1 crore
FASTags. It has ~28 percent share as FASTag issuer bank.
• As per the data of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), around 3.47 crore FASTags were issued by
all banks together till the end of June 2021.
• PPBL also exists as India’s largest acquirer of toll plazas under the National Electronic Toll Collection
(NETC) program. As per PPBL data, out of the total 851 toll plazas across the national and state highways
280 were using PPBL payment gateway to collect toll charges digitally.
10 Top banks Launched SLMA to Support Secondary Loan Market

On August 11, 2021, the 10 major banks including State Bank of India (SBI) and ICICI bank formed a Secondary
Loan Market Association (SLMA) with an online platform for trading corporate loans in the secondary
market.Sanjay Srivastava is the Chairman of SLMA.
• SLMA, which is a self-regulatory body, was formed on the recommendation of the Reserve Bank of India’s
(RBI) Task Force on the Development of Secondary Market for Corporate Loans.
• SLMA’s website and logo were digitally launched by Saurav Sinha, Executive Director, RBI.
• Members of the SLMA-The top 10 banks: State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, Canara Bank, Standard
Chartered Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Deutsche Bank, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Axis Bank,
and HDFC Bank.
Features of SLMA:
i.The current SLMA will benefit banks in the form of capital optimisation, liquidity management and risk
management under the secondary market.
ii.For borrowers, the benefits would be lower cost of capital, greater credit availability, and developing new
relationships with banks and non-banks.
iii.The online system of the SLMA will facilitate the standardisation and simplification of primary loan
documentation, and other trading mechanisms for the secondary loan market.

iv.It will promote standard trading, settlement and valuation procedures and practices. It will also set rules and
timelines for the members for conducting the business and fix transaction-related charges.
Secondary Market Participation:
i.Current Scenario: Currently, Banks and Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) are the only participants in
the primary and secondary loan market. Additionally, domestic and foreign investors participate in distressed
debt via Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs).
ii.Banks are participating in the secondary market through inter-bank transactions (i.e. by transferring loan
accounts from one bank to another) and by the sale of stressed assets to ARCs.
State Bank of India(SBI) topped the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology(MeitY) Digital Payment
Scorecard for 3 consecutive months. The scorecard tracks the performance of the commercial banks on various
digital parameters.
About Primary and Secondary market:
i.Primary Market: It is a financial market, in which the new stocks and bonds are sold to the public for the 1st
time through different types of issues like IPO (Initial Public Offer).
• Under the primary market, the investors could purchase securities directly from the issuer.
ii.Secondary Market: It is the market that contains the previously issued financial instruments such as stocks,
Equity shares, bonds, preference shares, treasury bills, debentures, etc. from the primary market.
• The financial instruments in the secondary market would be traded by market participants.
SEBI Merged 2 Debt securities Listing Regulations into Single One

In August 2021, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) merged 2 debt securities regulations viz, SEBI
(Issue and Listing of Debt Securities) Regulations, 2008 and SEBI (Non-Convertible Redeemable Preference
Shares) Regulations, 2013 into a single Regulation called – SEBI (Issue and Listing of Non-Convertible
Securities) Regulations, 2021.
• Objective: To ease the compliance burden on listed entities and to coordinate with the Companies Act, 2013,
and the SEBI’s LODR (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) rules.
Key Points:
i.Under the newly formed regulation, SEBI issued frameworks for the issuance, listing and trading of Non-
convertible Securities (NCS), Securitised Debt Instruments, Security Receipts, and Commercial Paper (CP).
ii.The regulations enabled the Issuers (other than unlisted Real estate investment trusts (REITs) and
Infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs)) who have an existence history of less than 3 years to tap the bond
market with the following conditions.
Conditions:
• The issuers should issue debt securities only on a private placement basis.
• Irrespective of the issue size, the issue should be made on the EBP (electronic book mechanism) platform.
• The issue is open for subscription only to Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs).
iii.The parameters to identify risk factors are also introduced under the new rules to assist issuers in providing
risk factors.
iv.The option for call and put was included for debt securities issued on a private placement basis.
v.The provision for creating charge over the properties/assets/shares of the issuer has been harmonised with the
Companies Act.
vi.For roll over (extending) the debt securities, the provision of e-voting was introduced.
vii.The framework also includes the guidelines for the application process (in case of public issues of securities),
timelines for listing, application form, abridged prospectus, disclosure of cash flows, etc. Click here to know more
Note – The new regulations which will come into force from August 16, 2021, were issued in exercise of powers
under Section 11(1) of SEBI Act, 1992.
In June 2021, SEBI approved amendments to regulations related to IDs under SEBI (Listing Obligations and
Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 (LODR Regulations).

Establishment – 1992 in accordance with the SEBI Act, 1992.
BADLAAV Humse Hai: AU Bank unveils mega Brand Campaign and launches AU 0101
AU Small Finance Bank unveiled its first integrated marketing communication Campaign, titled ‘BADLAAV
Humse Hai’ that will showcase the bank’s passion for innovation and represent it as a changemaker in the Indian
banking sector.
• It also launched its avant-garde digital banking platform AU 0101, a full-suite of banking services for its
customers including face-to-face interaction with a banker over a video call.
• It should be noted that AU roped in Bollywood actors Aamir Khan and Kiara Advani as their ambassadors.
Key Points:
i.As a part of this campaign, AU will release a series of ad films on products and practices such as monthly
interest, anywhere banking, Video banking, and new age Credit Cards.
ii.AU has 750+ banking touchpoints spread across 15 states and 2 Union Territories.
IndusInd Bank launched the “IndusEasyCredit”, a comprehensive digital lending platform to enable the customers
to meet their financial needs from their home.
About AU Small Finance Bank:
MD & CEO– Sanjay Agarwal
Headquarter– Jaipur, Rajasthan
Tagline– Chalo Aage Badhein
EXIM Bank to provide LoC of USD 100 Million to Mauritius

The Export and Import bank (EXIM) of India will provide Line of Credit (LoC) of USD 100 Million(~ INR 742.6
Crore) to the Government of Mauritius for procurement of Defense items.
• Under the agreement, the Mauritius Government shall buy goods, works and services of value of at least 75%
from any seller in India, the remaining can be procured from Outside India.
• The agreement under the LoC is effective from July 22, 2021.
• With the signing of this loan agreement, EXIM bank till date has extended 6 LoCs to the Mauritius
Government of total value USD 764.80 mn
About Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank)
Established– 1982
Regulated by – Reserve Bank of India
Managing Director– David Rasquinha
About Mauritius
Prime Minister – Pravind Jugnauth
Capital – Port Louis
Currency – Mauritian Rupee
DBS Bank India & ODeX Offers Credit Solutions to Freight Forwarders in Shipping Industry
DBS Bank India made a partnership with ODeX India Solutions Pvt. Ltd to introduce ‘ODeX Pay Later
Solutions’ powered by DBS to provide credit solutions to Freight forwarders.
• Objective: To enable the ODeX customers to access comprehensive payment and financing solutions for all
their ocean shipping transaction

Key Points:
a.Simplified Payment process for Freight forwarders:
i.Generally, the Freight (Cargo) forwarders will receive payments from their customers (including the importers
and exporters) only after the service completion.
ii.But, they need to pay shipping lines, port terminals, container freight stations and other stakeholders before
getting their payments to clear the cargo on time.
iii.This condition has affected the working capital of the freight forwarders, thus to overcome this, DBS has
designed the end-to-end digital financing solution to ease the overall payment process.
• The ODeX Pay Later Solutions will allow freight forwarders to make direct payments to ship liners.
iv.Other Benefits: Businesses with a turnover of Rs 3 Crore to Rs 200 Crore and have completed over 5
years in the same industry and are eligible to avail unsecured loan of up to Rs 50 lakhs from DBS Bank. They
could also obtain a secured credit limit of up to Rs 5 crore.
v.Process:
• Customers could log in via ODeX and make payments to ship liners by getting access to finance within the
Pay Later platform. The approval time for the credit line is ~3 days. The credit could also increase their
credit by opting for a secured loan.
• The DBS bank will receive the data from ODeX directly to make a quick process.
vi.Eligibility: To avail the ODeX Pay Later Solutions, the customers need to have associated with ODeX for a
minimum of 1 year and located near a DBS Bank India SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises ) asset branch
in Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, or Delhi-NCR.
Note – The customers could also avail themselves of all the other DBS SME Banking solutions through DBS current
account.
DBS, a leading financial services group headquartered in Singapore, tops the Forbes list of the World’s Best Banks
2021 in India. DBS ranked number 1 out of the 30 domestic and international banks in India for the 2nd
consecutive year.
About ODeX India Solutions Pvt. Ltd:
It is a platform to exchange shipping documents and facilitate payments.
MD – Liji Nowal
About DBS Bank India Limited:
MD & CEO – Surojit Shome
BoM Tops PSU Banks in Q1 FY22 in Terms of Loan, Saving Deposit Growth
As per the data of the Bank of Maharashtra (BoM), BoM emerged as the top performer among Public Sector
Undertaking (PSU) banks in terms of loan and savings deposit growth in the first quarter (Q1) of FY22 i.e (April
to June 2021).
• BoM recorded a 14.46 percent increase in gross advances at Rs 1,10,592 lakh crore. It was followed
by Punjab & Sind Bank with a 10.13 percent growth in advances.
• The Current Account Savings Account (CASA) for BoM was also increased by 22 percent, the highest among
the PSU banks.
SEBI Set up Panel to Analyse the Shift of Trade Settlement Cycle from T+2 to T+1
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has set up a panel of experts to analyse the process of shifting
India’s trade settlement cycle from the current T+2 (Trade plus 2 days) to T+1 (Trade plus 1 day).
• The panel consists of experts from exchanges, clearing corporations and depositories.
• The shift to T+1 will reduce the settlement time and risk involved and increase the liquidity and trade
turnover.

Key Points:
i.Trade settlement cycle refers to the time within which brokers have to pay full money and take delivery of
stocks.
ii.’T’ is the transaction date and the abbreviations T+1, T+2, and T+3 refers to the settlement dates of security
transactions that occur on a transaction date plus 1 day, plus 2 days and plus 3 days.
iii.In the case of T+1 settlement, the shares would be transferred to the buyer’s Demat account after the
transaction day (i.e the next day).
iv.Currently, the trades are settled within 2 days after the transaction day. India made a transition from T+3 to
T+2 in 2003.
v.The transition to T+1 will affect the Foreign Portfolio Investments due to the time difference.
Establishment – 1992 in accordance with the SEBI Act, 1992.
World Bank’s IFC Extended Rs 557 crore Debt Support to IndoSpace Logistics Fund
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the investment arm of World Bank, has extended loan support of $75
million (~Rs 557 crore) to Indospace Logistics Parks III, a $580-million vintage fund for developing logistics and
industrial parks across India.
• Objective: To enhance warehousing and supply chain infrastructure in India
Key Points:
i.Indospace will use the investment to develop an efficient logistics ecosystem in India and facilitate domestic and
foreign trade.
ii.Through the investment, Indospace will expand and lease to e-commerce players and online retailers in India to
meet their demand.
iii.The investment will also support it to build a warehouse in Luhari III, a site near Gurgaon, Delhi, and other key
areas in North India.
iv.In September 2020, IndoSpace partnered with Kool-ex to build 3 customized temperature-controlled Pharma
Distribution Centres in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore.
• The first one in Mumbai will be India’s largest stand-alone temperature-controlled warehousing facility.
v.Hence, the current funding will also strengthen the warehousing facilities to accommodate the demand for
essentials, like pharmaceuticals and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).
Warehousing:
i.Warehousing (the process of storing goods in a warehouse), which is the fundamental part of logistics, is being
undersupplied in India. Around 90 percent of this market is being managed by unorganized players.
ii.Logistics costs in India were estimated to be at around 13 to 14 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP),
compared with around 9 to 10 percent in the US and Europe.
iii.A funding of $13 billion is required for the development of new warehousing capacity in India over the next
decade.
About Indospace:
It is the largest investor, developer and manager of industrial and logistics real estate in India. It is a joint venture
between the Everstone Group, GLP, and Realterm.
Managing Partner & CEO – Brian Oravec
About International Finance Corporation (IFC):
Headquarters – Washington D.C., USA
MD, Executive Vice President – Makhtar Diop

ICICI, StanChart, HSBC Entered into India’s 1st Swaption Deal
ICICI Bank had executed India’s 1st set of ‘swaption’ deals with HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank.
• ICICI Bank and the two overseas lenders transacted ‘swaptions’ on Overnight Index Swap (OIS) for a total
notional sum of Rs 700 crore.
• The Reserve Bank of India issued guidelines for ‘swaption’ deals in June 2019.
Key Points:
i.Interest Rate Swap (IRS): it is a derivative contract that involves the exchange of a stream of agreed interest
payments on a ‘notional principal’ amount during a specified period.
ii.Interest Rate Swaption: It is an option on IRS. A swaption contract gives the buyer the right, but not the
obligation (not bound), to enter into an IRS deal.
• Swaption will protect the borrowers and investors from changing interest rate scenarios by enabling them
to fix an interest rate on future borrowings through the option on an IRS.
Benefits under Swaption Contract:
i.If a borrower raises local bonds with a ‘put option’, the investors might surrender those papers in a rising
rate scenario. It will force a borrower to issue new bonds at higher rates.
• But, if the borrower buys a swaption contract, it will protect the borrower against any losses from rate
movements (in the case of the investors exercising their put options).
ii.Similarly, if a borrower raises bonds with ‘call options’ and exercises them in a falling interest market, the
investor will be made to invest at lower rates. Whereas if they buy a swaption contract, it will protect investors
from any rate losses.
Note – A ‘call option’ gives the holder the right to buy a stock and a ‘put option’ gives the right to sell a stock i.e.
(buy – call option, sell – put option).
ICICI Bank and State Bank of India were the only 2 banks in India that are traded in the global Credit Default Swap
(CDS) market.
• CDS was the 1st IRS that occurred between IBM and the World Bank in 1981.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued guidelines for the participation of Mutual Fund (MF)
schemes in Interest Rate Swaps (IRS).
About ICICI Bank:
Establishment – 1955 (Incorporated in 1994)
MD & CEO – Sandeep Bakhshi
Tagline – Hum hai na, Khayal Apka
About HSBC:
Headquarters – London, United Kingdom
Group Chairman – Mark E Tucker
Kotak Mahindra Bank introduces a DIY Digital Repayment platform, in tie-up with Creditas
Solutions
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL) in partnership with Creditas Solutions launched a secure Digital
Repayment ‘Neo Collections’ Platform for missed loan repayments named ‘Do It Yourself (DIY)’.
• Objective: To provide a convenient repayment experience for customers and increase efficiency.
• The repayment platform was powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). It provides
a personalised and non-intrusive experience for the customers to repay their outstanding dues by
themselves.
• The platform analyses both historical as well as live customer interaction data, and creates hyper-
personalised scenarios to connect with each customer. It also provides the language choice for the
customers.

• The platform also offers customised repayment plans or payment resolution options in line with the bank’s
internal credit guidelines.
About Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL):
MD & CEO – Uday Kotak
World Bank launches new Cybersecurity Multi-Donor Trust Fund

World Bank and partners announce a New Global Fund for Cybersecurity named Cybersecurity Multi-Donor
Trust Fund under the broader Digital Development Partnership (DDP) umbrella program.
• It aims to better define, understand, and systematically roll out the cybersecurity development agenda.
• The fund will support development of global knowledge on cybersecurity solutions for low and middle
income countries.
• It will fund country assessments, offer technical assistance, support training & capacity development for
cybersecurity staff in World Bank partnered countries.
• The launch of the Trust Fund has been made possible with donor contributions from the countries
of Estonia, Germany, Japan, and The Netherlands.
Digital Development Partnership (DDP)
i.The World Bank has launched the DDP in 2016.
ii.This partnership makes digital solutions available to developing countries with an emphasis on Data and
indicators, Digital economy enabling environment, Cybersecurity, Internet access for all, Digital government,
Mainstreaming digital services, solutions, and platforms
About World Bank
Founded in 1944
Members countries- 189
President – David Malpass
Headquarters – Washington,D.C, United States of America
NIPL Partnered With Mashreq Bank to Offer UPI Payments in UAE

NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL), the international arm of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI),
has partnered with the UAE (United Arab Emirates)-based Mashreq Bank to provide the Unified Payments
Interface (UPI), the mobile-based real-time payment system, in the UAE.
• The partnership will support more than 2 million Indians, who are travelling to the UAE to make payments
using UPI for their purchases in shops and merchant stores across UAE.
• The acceptance of UPI would boost the digital payment ecosystem in the UAE and also enable the wider
reach of UPI in the international markets.
Partnership with Bhutan:
i.In July 2021, NIPL in partnership with the Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) of Bhutan implemented the Bharat
Interface for Money (BHIM) UPI QR-based payments in Bhutan.
ii.Bhutan became the 1st country to adopt India’s UPI standards for its QR deployment. Click here to know more
About Unified Payments Interface (UPI):
i.It is an instant payment system developed by NPCI and it was built over the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)
infrastructure.
ii.It allows the users to instantly transfer money between any two parties’ bank accounts ( i.e. the inter-bank
transactions) without revealing details of one’s bank account to the other.
iii.The real-time payments technology UPI provides security in both person to person (P2P) and person to
merchant (P2M) transactions.
iv.In 2020, UPI allowed transactions worth $457 billion, which is equivalent to ~15 percent of India’s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP).

In June 2021, Satin Creditcare Network Limited (SCNL), a Microfinance Institute(MFI) and HSBC India, banking
partner of SCNL made a partnership with NPCI to integrate NPCI’s UPI AutoPay platform into their system, to
enable fully automated loan EMI payments (Recurring Payments) by its customers.
About NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL):
It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NPCI, devoted to the deployment of NPCI’s indigenous, Real-Time Payment
System – UPI and Card Scheme – RuPay, outside India.
Establishment – April 3, 2020
CEO – Ritesh Shukla
About Mashreq Bank:
Headquarters – Dubai, UAE
Group CEO – Ahmed Abdelaal
HDFC Introduced ‘Green & Sustainable’ FD; HDFC Life Released Life Freedom Index 2021 Report
Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Ltd introduced a fixed deposit (FD) named ‘Green &
Sustainable Deposits’ to safeguard the environment from climate change.
Features of the FDs:
i.The Fixed deposit period ranges from 36-120 months. Both residents and Non-resident Indians (NRIs) are
eligible to invest. The deposits would carry interest rates up to 6.55 percent per annum (p.a.).
ii.Additional Interest:
• Senior citizens (above 60 years) are eligible for an additional 0.25 percent per annum interest on deposits up
to Rs 2 crore.
• The additional Return on investment (ROI) of 0.10 percent p.a. will be provided for deposits up to Rs 50 lakh
per calendar month per customer if placed/renewed through the banks’ online platform.
iii.The FD will be directed towards the financing of green and sustainable housing credit solutions and services.
-HDFC Life Released the Life Freedom Index 2021 Report
HDFC Life released its latest Life Freedom Index (LFI) 2021 report. The report analyses the financial freedom of
consumers across 4 different segments viz, Proud Parents, Wisdom Investors, Young Aspirants and Smart
Women.
• The report also includes 4 sub-indices such as Financial Awareness Index, Financial Planning Index,
Financial Sufficiency and Adequacy Index, and Financial Liberty Index.
• The 2021 LFI study was conducted along with NielsenIQ across 14 cities (including Metros, Tier 1 and Tier
2) with 1987 respondents.
Key Findings of the Report:
i.Due to COVID-19, the LFI of 2021 was reduced by 4.8 points from 2019 due to the impact of COVID-19.
Consumer confidence was also reduced after the 2 waves of COVID-19.
ii.Financial awareness has increased during the last 2 waves of COVID-19 and Familiarity with term insurance
also increased by 11 points.
iii.Nuclear families have been the most impacted with an LFI drop of 10.5 points, whereas the joint families have
been stable.
iv.The impact of COVID-19 on financial preparedness is more notable amongst Proud Parents followed by the
segment of Smart Women.
On April 21, 2021, HDFC Ltd and Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited (Indiabulls HFL) entered into a strategic co-
lending partnership to offer housing loans to homebuyers.

About HDFC Life Insurance Company Ltd:
It is a joint venture between HDFC Ltd., and Standard Life Aberdeen
MD & CEO – Vibha Padalkar
About Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Ltd:
Establishment –1977
MD – Ms. Renu Sud Karnad
Vice-Chairman & CEO – Mr. Keki M. Mistry
Tagline – With You, Right Through
USAID, DFC Partners with Kotak Mahindra Bank for USD 50 mn Loan Guarant
United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US International Development Finance
Corporation (DFC) have partnered with Kotak Mahindra bank (KMB) for USD 50 MIllion (≅ INR 372 crore) loan
Guarantee for Women Entrepreneurs and Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across India
• KMB will extend its on-lending credit facilities to non-bank lenders operating in the MSMEs and
microlending space.
• DFC will provide KMB with a ‘pari passu’ guarantee, which is financially sponsored by USAID, of up to 50% of
the remaining USD 24.5 mn loan.
• The program will be supported by Vivriti Capital, Chennai-based Non Banking Financial Company (NBFC).
Vivriti capital will provide USD 1 mn first loss guarantee & analytical and sourcing support.
• The partnership aims to disburse at least half of the loans to Women led entities or MSMEs that employ a
certain percentage of women or that produce a good or service that benefits women.
• The programme is likely to benefit 30,000 women borrowers and 7,500 MSMEs.
Recent Related News
On May 5, 2021, Kotak Mahindra Bank was selected as a digital payments partner by the National
AgricultureMarket (eNAM) to facilitate online transactions for all stakeholders on the eNAM platform, including
farmers,traders and farmer producer organisations (FPOs)
About United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Administrator – Samantha Power
Headquarters – Washington,D.C, United States of America
About Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMB)
MD & CEO – Uday Kotak
Tagline – Let’s make money simple
HDFC Bank, Paytm Partnered to Offer Payment Solutions

HDFC Bank Ltd, India’s largest private bank, and Paytm, made a partnership to share their network and provide
digital lending and payment solutions for consumers and merchants across India.
• Objective: To create digital transformation in semi-urban and rural India, and involve more people in the
formal banking system.
Key Points:
i.Under the partnership, HDFC Bank will act as the payment partner, while Paytm will be the distribution and
software partner.
ii.A co-branded point of sale (POS) product in the retail segment was jointly launched by Paytm and HDFC Bank.
The product would be offered by Paytm to its customer base.
iii.They will provide the payment gateway and POS solutions for Indian merchant partners such as Paytm
Postpaid (a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solution), Eazy EMI, and Flexi Pay.
iv.Through the tie-up, Paytm will offer its existing range of Android POS devices to the merchants who are in

partnership with HDFC Bank. HDFC Bank will also sell Paytm’s payment solutions.
v.Enhanced SmartHub solution will be delivered through the partnership.
• SmartHub solution is an integrated payment solution of HDFC Bank for merchants, which will enable them to
collect payments through multiple payment modes.
vi.The partnership was made prior to the proposed Initial Public Offering (IPO) of Paytm, through which it plans
to raise Rs 16,600 crore within 2021.
vii.Customer base: Paytm has more than 333 million users and 21 million merchants on its platform. HDFC Bank
has more than 50 million credit card and debit card customers.
About HDFC Bank:
It was the 1st bank to receive approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a private sector bank.
MD & CEO – Sashidhar Jagdishan
About Paytm:
Headquarters – Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Founder & CEO – Vijay Shekhar Sharma
NABARD’s Loan Extension in FY21 Rose by 25.2%

As per the annual report of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for FY21, the
total loans and advances extended by NABARD in FY21 grew by 25.2 percent year-on-year (YOY) compared with
11.5 percent of FY20.
• The balance sheet size of NABARD reached Rs 6.57 lakh crore as of March 31, 2021, mainly contributed by
non-idle (earning) assets.
• NABARD achieved a record YOY growth of 24 percent in its total assets.
Highlights of the Report:
i.Loan: The total outstanding loans in FY21 was about Rs 6 lakh crore of which half was contributed for credit
support of production activities at the grassroots and a third for infrastructure development.
ii.NABARD has formed around 6.8 lakh SHGs (Self Help Groups) in FY21 and released Rs 170.2 crores against a
sanction of Rs 418.20 crores for promoting over 8.7 lakh SHGs. It has also ensured bank credit for nearly 4 lakhs.
iii.The outstanding credit of the Agricultural sector grew at 12.3 percent in FY21, the highest of all sectors.
• Union Budget 2022 has set a rural credit flow target of Rs 16.5 lakh crore.
iv.A Credit Guarantee Fund of Rs 1,000 crore (with matching contributions from the GOI and NABARD) was set up
under NABSanrakshan Trustee Company Private Ltd, the subsidiary of NABARD, to facilitate bank financing to
FPOs.
v.As of March 31, 2021, the amount of short-term surplus deployed by NABARD in various financial instruments
(including deposits with banks) stood at Rs 47,740 crore, accounting for 7.3 percent of the balance sheet.
vi.NABARD promoted 634 farmer producer organisations (FPOs) in FY21 (against the target of 600).
• GoI has launched a Scheme titled ‘Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Produce Organizations
(FPOs)’ to form and promote 10,000 new FPOs in India within 5 years i.e (FY20 to FY24).
vii.A new line of credit was designed to take part in the $5 trillion economy drive, viz., Rural Infrastructure
Assistance to the State Governments (RIAS).
viii.Houses completed under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin in FY21 was at 35.3 lakh.
Income and Profit:
Indicators FY20 FY21
Income Rs 32,692 crore Rs 34,671.2 crore (Increased by 6.1% over FY20)
Profit before tax Rs 5,234.3 crore Rs 6,081.4 crore
Profit after tax Rs 3,859.2 crore Rs 4,320 crore
• NABARD has contributed Rs 27,135 crore in FY21 and has committed Rs 40,000 crore in FY22.

The Growth Rate of different sectors of the economy (at 2011–12 constant prices):
Sector Growth Rate (%) in FY21
GVA (Gross Value Added) -6.2
Agriculture 3.6 (Primarily due to the Govt’s Aatma Nirbhar Bharat package)
Industry -7
Service -8.4
Overall GDP (Gross Domestic Product)Growth -7.3
Click here to know more
In July 2021, the Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NABARD to
foster the existing developmental initiatives that are linked to Priority Sector Lending (PSL) in Maharashtra.
Establishment – 12 July 1982
Chairman – R. Chintala
NABARD extended Rs 24.90 lakh grant for IMFFS project in Cuddalore, TN

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) extended Rs 24.90 lakh grant for Integrated
Mangrove Fishery Farming System (IMFFS) project in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.
• This project is implemented by the S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) to enhance the
adaptive capacity of the fishing community.
What is IMFFS?
Under IMFFS, mangroves are integrated with fish culture wherein conventional earthen aquaculture ponds are
modified to provide about 30% of the area for raising mangroves and the remaining for fish cultivation.
• This system mitigates the impact of rising sea levels along with the sustained harvest of fish.
Key Points:
i.The project is being implemented on 2.10 hectares of land in Mudasalodai village by involving traditional and
Irula fishers from Mudasalodai and Kalaignar coastal hamlets in Pichavaram.
ii.The farm pond is designed in a mitochondrial pattern and is a tide-fed pond.
ICICI Bank Germany Launched Blocked Account for Indian Students to Study in Germany
ICICI Bank Germany, a part of ICICI Bank, launched a digital and instant ‘Blocked Account’ named ‘ICICI Bank
Germany Student Blocked Account’ for the Indian students who are aspiring to study in Germany.
• ICICI Bank Germany is the 1st bank to offer the dual advantage of a ‘Blocked Account’ along with a
complimentary Current Account (within the single account) to the Indian students.
• Along with the Blocked Account, the bank also offers a complimentary Current Account, that can be used in
Germany and a VISA debit card that could be used worldwide.
What is a Blocked Account?
i.The students who are aspiring to study in Germany need to have this account with a required amount to get a
Balance Confirmation Certificate (BCC), a mandatory requirement for a Student Visa in Germany.
• The account will act as a financial reference for the students.
iii.The account could be offered only by the banks that are authorized by the German Federal Foreign Office.
iv.The objective to deposit money in the blocked account is to facilitate the living expenses in the country and also
for completing their education.
v.The account will be blocked initially until the account holder arrives in Germany. ICICI Bank will not pay
interest on the blocked account and the amount to be transferred depends on the duration of the course/stay in
Germany.

Key Features of ‘ICICI Bank Germany Student Blocked Account’:
i.Digital Process: ICICI Bank Germany enables the students to open the Blocked account online (complete
digital) in India before their Visa applications.
• The process of opening a ‘Blocked Account’ is available 24X7.
ii.The additional Current Account could be used by the students as a local bank account in Germany (similar to a
savings account in India) to meet their daily banking requirements.
On the eve of National Doctor’s Day, on July 01, 2021, ICICI Bank launched ‘Salute Doctors’, a digital and instant
banking solution that is designed exclusively for medical doctors.
About ICICI Bank Germany:
It is a subsidiary of ICICI UK PLC
Headquarters – Frankfurt, Germany
Citibank Got Approval from IFSCA to Open Banking Unit at GIFT City
US-based Citibank NA received the approval from International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to
open a banking unit at India’s GIFT IFSC (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City – International Financial Services
Centre) at Gandhinagar, Gujarat to carry out offshore transactions.
• In 2020, Citibank received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to start a banking unit
after which it has waited for the final nod from IFSCA to start operations.
• Recently, Deutsche Bank became the 1st German bank to set up its IFSC banking unit at GIFT IFSC.
SEBI Approved Bajaj Finserv to Launch MF Business

In August 2021, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) provided the in-principle approval to Bajaj
Finserv Ltd for launching the mutual fund (MF) business.
• As per the SEBI’s regulations, the company would now set up an Asset Management Company (AMC) and the
Trustee Company directly or indirectly (i.e. by itself or through its subsidiary) to sponsor MF.
Background:
i.In December 2020, SEBI has eased the MF business regulations and allowed the sponsors who do not fulfill
profitability criteria at the time of making an application will also be considered to be eligible to sponsor a MF.
• This regulation has enabled the fintechs to take part in the MF business.
ii.To sponsor MF, the fintech company should have a net worth of Rs 100 crore for contribution towards the net-
worth of the AMC. The AMC should maintain this networth till it has profits for 5 consecutive years.
Note – Earlier in August 2021, Samco Securities also received SEBI’s approval to launch its MF business.
About Bajaj Finserv Ltd:
Bajaj Finserv Limited is a part of Bajaj Holdings & Investments Ltd
Chairman & Managing Director – Sanjiv Bajaj
FREO Launched Savings Account ‘Freo Save’ in Partnership with Equitas SFB
FREO, India’s 1st credit-led Neobank, made a partnership with Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) and
launched a zero-balance savings account named ‘Freo Save’ for its customers.
• The account will offer a 7 percent interest rate on a minimum balance of Rs 1 lakh.
• The account will also provide seamless integration with UPI (United Payment Interface) to make easier
funds transfer and bill payments. It would also help the customers to build a better credit score.
• To date, Freo has disbursed loans of more than Rs 4,400 crore to its users under its MoneyTap service.
• MoneyTap offers a credit line of up to Rs 5 lakh; its services include Freo Pay, which offers a Buy Now Pay
Later (BNPL) feature.
What is Neobank?
i.It is a kind of digital bank without any branches. It works entirely online instead of being present physically at a

specific location.
ii.Nowadays Neobanks are being launched by financial technology (fintech) startups. They provide better banking
solutions in partnership with traditional banks by using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
About FREO (formerly known as Money Tap):
i.FREO’s parent company started its operations in India with the launch of Money Tap in 2016.
ii.Money Tap is India’s 1st App-based credit line, it will provide a personal loan through the app in partnership
with banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs).
Headquarters – Bangalore, Karnataka
About Equitas Small Finance Bank Ltd:
MD and CEO – Vasudevan Pathangi Narasimhan (P N)
Tagline – It’s Fun Banking
Karnataka Bank Launched “KBL FASTag”, for seamless toll deduction

The Karnataka Bank launched its KBL FASTag in association with the National Payment Corporation of
India(NPCI) and M/s Worldline, the FASTag processor. KBL FASTag is a prepaid payment instrument that offers
seamless movement of vehicles at toll plazas across India through automatic dedication of the toll amount.
KBL FASTag:
i.KBL FASTag will offer an easy and convenient transit through the toll plaza for the users by saving time, fuel and
money.
ii.The users can avail KBL FASTag on the website of Karnataka Bank or at any branch of the Bank.
iii.The FASTag can be pre-loaded digitally for a required amount and it can be recharged through credit card,
Debit Card, Net Banking, (Immediate Payment Service) IMPS, among others.
iv.The KBL FASTag can be used across all the toll plazas across India which are registered in the National
Electronic Toll Collection(NETC) programme.
About Karnataka Bank:
MD & CEO– Mahabaleshwara MS
Tagline– Your Family Bank Across India
Headquarters– Mangaluru, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka
Incorporated on 18th February 1924
Decimal Technologies & Ujjivan SFB Partners to Digitise Loan Origination with Saarathi
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank (Ujjivan SFB) Limited has entered into partnership with Decimal Technologies,
India’s leading fintech firm, under which the Ujjivan SFB and its channel partners will use Saarathi, digital
lending platform of Decimal technologies.
This is the 1st ever banking tie up of Decimal technology in this model.
• This partnership will enable the Ujjivan SFB to digitize its loan sourcing through its sales force and Direct
Selling Agents(DSAs).
• This is a part of the efforts of USFB to strengthen its digital infrastructure.
i.Under this partnership, Saarathi will enable a 100% digitisation of the loan offering by Ujjivan SFB, and provide
a simple user interface and assist to perform business operations amid COVID-19 lockdown.
ii.Saarathi is integrated with Credit Bureau, NSDL,Document verifications systems, Google Maps for geo-tagging,
bank statement analyser and others, to improve the efficiency of credit underwriting of Ujjivan SFB.
iii.Through this partnership, a robust digital infrastructure will be deployed for the transition loan processes from
manual to digital and help the bank to create digital financial solutions through Saarathi and to upgrade the loan
delivery process.
About Saarathi:
i.Saarathi is an Artificial Intelligence based ready to use digital lending platform specialised in digitisation of loan
origination. It was launched in 2020.

ii.Saarathi can be used by the sales channels of the banks to source loan files digitally.
iii.Saarathi does not need upfront capital investment and reduces the time to market by around 95% i.e, from 6-9
months to one week.
About Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited (Ujjivan SFB):
MD & CEO– Nitin Chugh (will step down from his post on 30th September 2021)
Officer on Special Duty (OSD)– Carol Furtado
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Tagline– Build a Better Life
LoanTap Collabarates with SBM Bank & Rupay to Launch 1st LIMITLESS Prepaid Card
LoanTap, a digital lender, launched its 1st LIMITLESS Credit line backed Prepaid Card in partnership
with SBM Bank (State Bank of Mauritius) as a Banking Partner and RuPay as the Payment Network.
• The card offers a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) facility and enables customers to convert their outstanding into
easy EMIs.
Features of LIMITLESS Card:
Credit limit range Rs 25,000 – Rs 3,00,000
Tenures 12 months – 60 months
Interest rate 18 – 24 percent per annum
Accidental Insurance up to Rs 10 Lakhs
Minimum income requirement for an individual Rs 30,000
Age 21 years and above
Citizenship Requirement Indian Citizens/Residents
Key Points:
i.The customers could avail the ‘LIMITLESS Credit line backed Card’ on LoanTap’s website. The mobile application
allows the customers to track their repayment schedule.
ii.LoanTap will offer top-up loans if the customers are regular with their repayments.
iii.LoanTap also assures smooth reconciliation, settlements, and enable transactions with merchants onboarded
on the Rupay network.
iv.LoanTap intends to tap more than 2 lakh LIMITLESS cards within December 2021.
v.With this card launch, LoanTap aims to empower around 450 million millennials financially.
vi.The LIMITLESS card launch strengthens LoanTap’s commitment to delivering fast, flexible, friendly personal
loans.
Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) entered into a co-lending agreement with Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC),
LoanTap Credit Products to extend credit to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise(MSME) loans.
About LoanTap:
CEO and Co-Founder – Satyam Kumar
IIMA Launched CDT in Partnership with Bank of America

Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) has partnered with Bank of America to launch a Centre for
Digital Transformation (CDT).
Objective: To become a knowledge hub for academia, policymaking, and the private sector by facilitating digital
transformation and innovation research.
Key Points:
i.The CDT will strengthen the responsible digital framework in India. CDT is the 9th research centre to be set up
at IIMA.
ii.The CDT also set up an ‘Advisory Council on Responsible Digital Transformation’, which will be managed by

IIMA.
iii.The council will bring together leaders from academia, government and private sector to address the current
requirements in digitization.
iv.Members of Council: It includes Debjani Ghosh, President of NASSCOM; Rajesh Gopinathan, CEO of Tata
Consultancy Services, Nandan Nilekani, Non-executive Chairman of Infosys, Aditya Puri, Senior Advisor, The
Carlyle Group, etc.Dr. Ritu Agarwal, Senior Associate Dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the
University of Maryland;Dr. Vallabh Sambamurthy, Albert O. Nicholas Dean of the Wisconsin School of Business of
the University of WisconsinMadison.
v.Bank of America will act as a supporter of these initiatives.
vi.The advisory committee of the Centre is jointly chaired by Cathy Bessant (Chief Operations & Technology
Officer, Bank of America), and Founding Chair Dr. Pankaj Setia (Professor of Information Systems, IIMA). The
other members of the advisory committee include Professor Errol D’Souza (Director, IIMA); Sumeet Chabria
(Global Technology & Operations COO and Global Business Services Executive, Bank of America); Dr. Debjit Roy
(Professor, IIMA); and Dr. Ramayya Krishnan (Dean of Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University).
About Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA):
Chairman – Kumar Mangalam Birla
Location – Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Jana SFB Partnered with HCBL, Mysore Merchants Co-operative Banks to Offer Digital, Payment
Services
Jana Small Finance Bank (Jana SFB) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with HCBL Co-operative
Bank and Mysore Merchants Co-operative Bank under the bank sponsorship programme of the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI).
• Objective: To provide digital infrastructure and payments services to the Co-operative banks.
• Jana SFB will act as a Sponsor bank for both the co-operative banks.
• Recently, RBI permitted co-operative banks that are Core Banking Solution (CBS)-enabled, to issue ATM
cards/ATM-cum-debit cards in a tie-up with a sponsor bank through sponsorship programme.
Key Points:
i.This partnership marks the Jana SFB’s 1st partnership with co-operative banks to provide IMPS (Immediate
Payment Service) services.
ii.The partnership enables the HCBL Co-operative Bank and Mysore Merchants Co-operative Bank to extend ATM,
point of sale (PoS) and e-commerce services to its customers through Jana SFB.
iii.The co-operative banks will also provide RuPay debit cards to its customers in association with Jana SFB.
On October 16, 2020 Jana Small Finance Bank (SFB) became Sponsor Bank of Ashoknagar Co-operative Bank
Limited. With this partnership, Jana SFB becomes the 1st SFB to go live under the bank sponsorship programme.
About Jana Small Finance Bank (Jana SFB):
MD & CEO – Ajay Kanwal
SEBI Banned Kotak Mahindra AMC from Launching FMP for 6 Months
In August 2021, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) banned Kotak Mahindra Asset Management
Company (AMC) Ltd from launching new Fixed Maturity Plan (FMP) schemes for the next 6 months and
imposed a penalty of Rs 50 lakh.
• Cause of the ban: The investors of certain FMPs launched by Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund were not paid
their full proceeds based on the declared Net Asset Value (NAV) as on their respective maturity dates.

FINANCE NEWS
IMF Governors approved its largest US$650bn SDR allocation
In order to boost global liquidity and to curb COVID-19 impact, the Board of Governors of the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a general allocation of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) equivalent to US$650
billion (about SDR 456 billion) w.e.f. August 23, 2021. It is the largest SDR allocation in the history of the IMF.
Key Points:
i.About US$275 billion (about SDR 193 billion) of the new allocation will be utilized towards emerging markets,
developing countries, and low-income countries.
ii.Under SDR process, the wealthier member countries can voluntarily lend part of their SDRs to low-income
countries through the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT) which is currently interest free.
About SDR:
Created by the IMF in 1969, it is an international reserve asset to supplement the official reserves of its member
countries by providing liquidity. It should be noted that the SDR is not a currency, it is a potential claim on the
freely usable currencies of IMF members.
• These currencies are the US dollar, Euro, Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen, and the British Pound.
• To date, a total of SDR 660.7 billion (equivalent to about US$943 billion) have been allocated, including
above allocation.
In its July 2021 World Economic Outlook (WEO) titled ‘Fault Lines Widen in the Global Recovery’, the IMF has
reduced India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast in FY22 to 9.5% from 12.5% (April 2021
projection) and raised the growth forecast for FY23 to 8.5% from 6.9%.
About International Monetary Fund (IMF):
Managing Director– Kristalina Georgieva
Economic Counsellor and Research Department Director– Gita Gopinath
Members– 190 Countries (Including India)
Headquarters- Washington, D.C, United States (US)
PhonePe Launched UPI-based AutoPay Functionality for MF SIP Investments

PhonePe launched the UPI based AutoPay functionality for its Mutual Fund (MF) Systematic Investment
Plans (SIPs) offerings, became the 1st digital investment platform in India to introduce such a feature.
• The UPI AutoPay will enable its customers to set up their MF SIPs in 3 steps: Selecting the fund, Entering the
monthly SIP investment amount, and Authentication with a UPI PIN to make regular investments.
• The UPI AutoPay option for SIP is available for all the existing and new investors on the PhonePe app.
• The UPI AutoPay was made available, even when the PhonePe customers opt for monthly SIPs through any
of the MF investment options available on PhonePe
What is SIP?
i.SIP is an investment route offered by MF wherein one can invest a fixed amount in an MF scheme of their choice
at regular intervals.
ii.SIPs are open-ended, i.e. customers can initiate, pause, restart, and terminate a SIP at any time.
About PhonePe:
The platform has over 307 million registered users.
Establishment – 2015, Flipkart acquired PhonePe in 2016
CEO – Sameer Nigam
ICICI Prudential Life Became 1st Insurance Company in India to Integrate NPCI’s UPI AutoPay
ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd has partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India
(NPCI) and integrated NPCI’s UPI (Unified Payment Interface) AutoPay platform into its system to enable its
customers to make instant automated recurring premium payments of insurance policies.

• Through this, it became the 1st life insurance company in India to provide a UPI AutoPay facility to its
customers.
• While purchasing the insurance policy, the customers could link their bank account with UPI AutoPay and
activate the e-mandate (recurring payments) through their mobile phone.
• The customers could also enable the UPI AUTOPAY feature on UPI apps such as Paytm, BHIM (Bharat
Interface for Money), and Indusind Bank App. The facility could also be enabled for ICICI Bank and other
leading banks (that are live on UPI AUTOPAY) through an e-mandate.
About UPI AutoPay:
It was launched by NPCI in July 2020 under UPI 2.0 to enable recurring e-mandate using any UPI application for
recurring payments such as mobile bills, electricity bills, EMI payments, entertainment/OTT subscriptions,
insurance, mutual funds among others.
About ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd:
It is promoted by ICICI Bank Limited and Prudential Corporation Holdings Limited.
MD & CEO – N. S. Kannan
GyanDhan Received NBFC Licence; Plans to Disburse Rs 650 crore in FY22

GyanDhan, India’s 1st education financing platform, has received a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC)
license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• It plans to disburse Rs 650 crore worth of education loans in FY22, in which it has Rs 50 crore for domestic
short-term courses offered by various ed-tech players and coaching institutes.
• Prior to becoming a NBFC, it has partnered with companies like Great learning, various IAS (Indian
Administrative Service) institutions, schools, colleges, etc to offer interest-free education loans for students
(both overseas and India).
• So far, it has have disbursed more than Rs 1000 crore in total and in FY22 (so far) alone it has sanctioned
loans worth Rs 200 crore.
NBFC:
i.It is a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 engaged in the business of loans and advances,
acquisition of shares/stocks/bonds/debentures/securities issued by the Government or local authority or other
marketable securities.
ii.As per Section 45-IA of the RBI Act, an NBFC need to get a registration certificate/licence from RBI to carry its
business.
iii.It should have a minimum net owned funds of Rs 2 Crore.
On June 24, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) linked the declaration of dividends by non-banking finance
companies (NBFCs) to their minimum prudential norms on Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) and
Non-Performing Assets (NPAs).
About GyanDhan:
CEO – Ankit Mehra
SBI Payments, Hitachi Payment Services Partnered for e-RUPI

SBI Payments partnered with Hitachi Payment Services to introduce e-RUPI transactions on the Yono SBI
Merchant app.
• Objective: To enable the merchants to use the ‘UPI Voucher’ feature on the Yono SBI Merchant App to accept
prepaid UPI e-vouchers.
• Under the partnership, the Hitachi Payment Services will support SBI Payments in merchant on-boarding
and merchant transaction settlements for e-RUPI.

About e-RUPI:
i.e-RUPI, the prepaid electronic voucher-based digital platform, that was developed by the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI), was launched on August 2, 2021, to enable fund transfer and redeem via e-voucher in
the form of SMS-string or QR code. Click here to know more
ii.The e-RUPI was first implemented by SBI Payments at a private covid-19 vaccination centre in Mumbai,
Maharashtra.
About SBI Payments:
It is a Joint Venture (JV) between the State Bank of India (SBI) and Hitachi Payment Services Private Limited
(HPY).
MD & CEO – Girikumar M Nair
About Hitachi Payment Services:
MD & CEO – Rustom Irani
NSE IFSC Appointed BSO as its 1st International Connectivity Partner to Connect Global Investors
NSE International Exchange (NSE IFSC) Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India
Ltd (NSE) has appointed BSO, a global pioneering infrastructure and connectivity provider as its 1st official
international approved connectivity partner i.e. International Network Carrier (INC).
• Objective: To meet increased market demand and support trading firms with secure, low-latency access to
the rapidly emerging markets.
Key Points:
i.Connecting Global Partners: The partnership will enable the Asian, European and American trading firms to
access the Indian market via BSO’s global network.
ii.It will also enable the international trading members to use the connectivity to provide trading access to their
clients through the Segregated Nominee Account Provider (SNAP) framework.
iii.BSO became the only non-domestic official service provider to deliver connectivity low-latency connectivity
between Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT-City) and other financial centres around the world.
iv.The trading activity of India has grown with 8.85 billion contracts traded in 2020.
NSE Academy Limited (NAL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the NSE signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with GIFT Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GIFT city to mentor
financial services professionals in GIFT City.
About NSE International Exchange (NSE IFSC) Ltd:
The NSE IFSC, which is situated in GIFT-City was launched as a global trading platform to offering easy access for
foreign investors to make all transactions in US dollars.
Headquarters – Gandhinagar, Gujarat
About BSO:
CEO & Co-Founder – Michael Ourabah
Headquarter – Ireland
CoinDCX becomes India’s first Crypto Unicorn

CoinDCX has become the first Indian cryptocurrency exchange to grab the title of ‘unicorn’ with valuation to $1.1
billion (Rs 8,150 crore). The exchange achieved this status after a $90-million (Rs 668 crore) series-C funding
round, led by Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin’s B Capital.
• It should be noted that Unicorns are startups with a valuation of $1 billion or more.
Utilization of Funds:
i.The funds will be used for marketing, strengthening, and on new business initiatives to expand crypto investor

base and to make crypto a popular investment in India.
ii.The exchange has earmarked Rs 10 crore for its educational initiatives across platforms.
iii.It is also looking forward to entering into partnerships with key fintech players to set up a research &
development (R&D) facility, strengthening the policy conversations through public discourse, working with the
government to introduce favourable regulations, education, and ramping up the hiring initiatives.
Points to be noted:
i.Other startups that attained an unicorn status in August 2021 are Bharatpe, MindTickle, and Upgrad.
• Now, India has 22 startups that became Unicorns in 2021 tally taking the total to 63 (as per Inc42).
ii.The company, co-founded in 2018 by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sumit Gupta and Neeraj Khandelwal and
is registered as Primestack Pte. in Singapore.Its Headquarter is Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• It helps people buy and sell crypto tokens along with crypto-based financial products such as lending.
IIFL Finance partners with FinBox to offer Digital Credit Products to Merchants
IIFL (India Infoline Limited) Finance has partnered with Bengaluru (Karnataka) and Gurugram (Haryana)-based
FinBox to offer digital credit products to its merchants, B2B e-commerce traders by using FinBox’s
embedded buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) and working capital credit products.
• As a part of partnership, IIFL and FinBox will disburse Rs 1,000 crore loans over the next 2 quarters,
through a completely digital model.
• The key reason behind this partnership is to make the lending process entirely digital and hassle-free.
Key Points:
i.Finbox is launching multiple new-age credit products for the retailer and MSME (Micro, Small & Medium
Enterprises) through the FinBox Embedded Finance Platform
ii.It should be noted that BNPL products enable merchants to manage fluctuations in demand, maintains a well-
stocked as well as helps in expansion as needed.
About IIFL Finance:
Chairman– Nirmal Jain
About FinBox:
Chief executive officer (CEO)– Rajat Deshpande
KreditBee Launched Virtual Prepaid Card ‘KreditBee Card’ in RuPay Platform

KreditBee, the digital lending platform, in partnership with RuPay and RBL Bank launched a virtual prepaid
card named ‘KreditBee Card’ in RuPay platform.
• Objective: To provide the unserved and underserved banking customers with an access to short-term
liquidity with multiple repayment options.
Features of KreditBee Card:
i.Under the card, the customers could avail credit limit of up to Rs 10,000, which has to be repaid in a single
billing cycle within 45 days.
ii.As the KreditBee card is a credit-line backed prepaid card, the amount will be loaded into the account once the
user sends a purchase or drawdown request.
iii.The virtual card/e-card could be generated on the KreditBee app immediately through the AI (Artificial
intelligence)-driven underwriting process.
iv.It enables the customers to make instant transactions and upgrade their credit limit within a single billing
cycle.
v.The card offers versatility and flexibility in terms of ticket size and repayment options.
vi.KreditBee intends to offer 1 million cards by the end of FY22. The card launch will increase the penetration of
RuPay cards in India.
About KreditBee:
Co-Founder and CEO – Madhusudan Ekambaram

RuPay Launched Campaign #FollowPaymentDistancing to Promote Contactless Payments
In August 2021, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced the launch of a
strategic campaign named #FollowPaymentDistancing by RuPay.
• Objective: To promote and encourage contactless payments among customers in unpredictable times like
COVID-19.
Key Points:
i.The campaign was launched on social media platforms and digital channels to emphasises ‘payment distancing’
as a key measure and urges people to break the chain and to follow campaign ‘#FollowPaymentDistancing’
with RuPay Contactless card.
ii.The campaign will educate the merchants and consumers about the benefits of using contactless payments.
iii.Contactless payments will support the merchants to offer their consumers a safer, cleaner way to pay, reduce
long queues at checkout counters, and more control over physical space.
iv.RuPay Contactless card will enable the customers to pay up to Rs 5,000 with the ‘Tap and Pay’ option at the
merchant location without entering the pin. The customers could also use the RuPay AUTOPAY facility service
for contactless payment services. RuPay also plans to launch a RuPay On-The-Go Wearable technology.
Note – Presently, RuPay cards are issued by more than 1,100 banks which include Public Sector Banks, Private
Sector Banks, Regional Rural and Co-Operative Banks.
About National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI):
RuPay, the first-of-its-kind global card payment network from India is the product launched by NPCI in March,
2012.
MD & CEO -Dilip Asbe
GIC Re to Shut Down Dubai Office; Shifts to GIFT City in India

General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re), the sole reinsurer in the domestic reinsurance market, is set to
shut down its Dubai Office since the Dubai Authority failed to renew its licence.
• The GIC Re has decided to shift its operation to Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), the only
International Financial Services Centre in India.
• The GIC Re has decided to place its Dubai Branch into a runoff because of non-renewal of Licence, non-
compliance insolvency requirement.
About General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re):
Chairman and Managing Director– Devesh Srivastava
Head Office– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Incorporated on 22 November 1972
SBI Life Insurance Launched New Insurance Plan – SBI Life eShield Next
SBI Life Insurance launched a new Individual, Non-Linked, Non-Participating Life Insurance solution named ‘SBI
Life eShield Next’.
• It will ‘levels up’/improve the protection coverage of the insured person when he achieves life’s major
milestones like getting married, becoming a parent or buying a new house.
• It has 3 different plan options such as Level Cover, Increasing Cover, and Level Cover with Future-Proofing
Benefit.
• It provides the option to pay the premium as per the customer’s convenience (viz, single, monthly, half-
yearly, and yearly).
• The minimum policy terms (in years) was about 5 years.
• It provides Life cover up to 100 years (Whole life) or 85 years (other than Whole Life) and also includes
Terminal Illness Benefit, Death benefit, etc.

About SBI Life Insurance:
Establishment -2000
MD & CEO – Mahesh Kumar Sharma
Tagline – With us, You’re sure
IFSCA Launched Pilot Run of International Bullion Exchange

On August 18, 2021, Injeti Srinivas, the Chairperson of International Financial Services Centres Authority
(IFSCA), launched the pilot run/soft of ‘International Bullion Exchange’. The exchange was planned to go live
on the Foundation Day of IFSCA i.e. on October 1, 2021.
• Bullion Exchange: It is a market for the buyers and sellers to trade gold and silver.
• The bullion exchange will provide an integrated common transparent platform (bullion market) for all
participants to trade bullion.
What is Bullion?
Bullion refers to the pure form of physical gold and silver which is often kept in the form of bars, coins, etc.
Background:
i.In the Budget 2020-21, the Financial Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the setting up of an ‘International
Bullion Exchange’ at the IFSC in GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
ii.Subsequent to that, in December 2020, the government notified the bullion spot delivery contract and bullion
depository receipt as Financial Products and bullion-related services as financial services, under the IFSCA Act,
2019.
iii.IFSCA has approved the IFSCA (Bullion Exchange) Regulations 2020, which will deal with the Bullion Exchange,
Clearing Corporation (CC), Depository and Vaults, and other related provisions.
Key Points:
a.Gateway: The International Bullion Exchange will act as a ‘Gateway for Bullion Imports into India’. All the
bullion imports for domestic consumption will be channelised through the exchange.
b.Holding Company and Subsidiaries:
i.A holding company named ‘India International Bullion Holding IFSC Ltd.’ (IIBH) was formed to set up and
operationalise the International Bullion Exchange in IFSC, GIFT City.
ii.IIBH was formed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Stock Exchange of
India Limited (NSE), the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Limited (MCX), India INX International Exchange
(INDIA INX) (IFSC) Limited, National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) and Central Depository Services
(India) Limited (CDSL).
iii.IFSCA has approved the application of IIBH to set up the International Bullion Exchange (including bullion
exchange and the bullion CC) through its subsidiary ‘India International Bullion Exchange IFSC Ltd’.
iv.CDSL-IFSC, a foreign depository, was appointed as the Bullion Depository for the Exchange to manage the Vault
Manager.
c.International Bullion Exchange will provide effective price discovery, assurance in the quality of gold, and
create integration with other segments of financial markets.
Note – The London Bullion Market is the primary bullion market for global trading.
On May 17, 2021, the Securities and Exchange Board of India(SEBI) issued a Consultation Paper detailing the
Proposed framework for the Gold Exchange in India and the draft SEBI (Vault Managers) Regulations, 2021 for
regulating the gold exchange-related business of the Vault Managers.
About International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA):
Establishment – April 27, 2020, under IFSCA Act, 2019
Headquarters – GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Chairperson – Injeti Srinivas

ASK Investment Managers launches India’s 1st AIF, ‘ASK Emerging Opportunities Fund’
ASK Investment Managers Ltd (ASK IM) launched India’s first Digital Alternate Investment Fund (AIF) namely
‘ASK Emerging Opportunities Fund’ through which the company is targeting to raise Rs 1,000 crore.
• This fund is a close-ended category-III long-only AIF. It will have a flexi cap portfolio with a midcap bias and
will invest in listed Indian equities.
• Category III AIFs employ different trading strategies like long-short, arbitrage, fixed income and derivatives
trading.
Key Points:
i.The another unique feature of ASK Emerging Opportunities Fund is the entire paperless and hassle-free process
of opening accounts and documentation.
• This is also the first of its kind in the nine-year-old AIF industry.
ii.The term of the scheme is 7 years with 2 years of lock-in from the final closing.
iii.This AIF will target investments from high net-worth individuals (HNIs) and Ultra HNI (UHNIs) for consistent
wealth creation over the long term.
iv.This fund aims to invest in beneficiaries of varied sectors including speciality chemicals, footwear, diagnostics,
niche digital technologies, etc as the nation is targeting lowering imports and boosting exports under
‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
About ASK Investment Managers Ltd (ASK IM):
It is a leading asset and wealth management company.
Executive Director– Bharat Shah
Razorpay, Capital Float Partnered for BNPL Solution Walnut 369

Fintech startup Capital Float Financial Services Pvt. Ltd partnered with Razorpay to extend its ‘buy now, pay
later’ (BNPL) solution, the Walnut 369 to all Razorpay-enabled online merchants.
• Objective: Capital Float plans to extend its BNPL solutions to over 1 lakh partners and serve customers in
100 cities across India.
• Under the partnership, through Walnut 369, the customers could sign up while shopping, and get instant
credit with zero documentation option.
• The customers could pay for purchases over 3, 6 or 9 months.
• The partnership will support online shoppers and new-to-credit customers.
• Through its Walnut app, the Capital Float also offers loans, insurance and personal finance management.
• Amazon India, Makemytrip, Spicejet, BoAT, Flo Mattresses, GoMechanic, Unacademy and Skullcandy were
the latest brands that are included in Capital Float’s portfolio.
About Razorpay:
CEO & Co-Founder – Harshil Mathur.
About Capital Float Financial Services Pvt. Ltd;
Indifi Partners with Facebook India to Launch 1st of its Kind Small Business Loans Programme
Indifi, technology-based lending platform has partnered with Facebook India to launch 1st of its Kind Small
Business Loans Programme. It will provide loans worth INR 5 lakh to 50 lakh for Small Businesses advertising
in Facebook’s Platform.
• The loans will bear an interest rate of 17-20% and 0.2% additional reduction in the interest rate for the
businesses owned by Women either partly or Wholly.
• The loans will be processed within 5 working days if the borrower submits the documents, without
requiring any collateral.

• Indifi will decide on the eligibility criteria of the borrowers such as Creditworthiness & bear the risk of Loan
defaults.
• Facebook will show its Advertisers about the programme and It won’t get involved in determining the
eligibility of the borrowers, recovery etc..
Small Business Grants programme
i.Launched in 2020 by Facebook for Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) to combat the effects of COVID-19
Pandemic
ii.It involves USD 100 Million in cash grants and ad credits to help small businesses across over 30 countries
iii.This programme allocated about $4 million in India for more than 3,000 small businesses across five cities
Recent Related News
In May 2021, Facebook partnered with the Government of India to launch the Vaccine Finder Tool on the mobile
application – Facebook – in India. The app available in 17 languages, will enable the public to locate the nearby
place to get vaccinated.
About Indifi
MD & CEO – Alok Mittal
Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana
About Facebook
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Mark Zuckerberg
Headquarters – California, United States of America
Flipkart Wholesale Launches New Credit Program to Support Kiranas & Retailers
Flipkart Wholesale, the digital B2B marketplace of Flipkart group has launched a new credit program to assist
Kiranas and retailers in managing their working capital requirements and promote their business.
• The new credit program has been designed to solve the local challenges faced by the kiranas in India and to
help them manage their cash flow and improve their purchase experience on Flipkart wholesale, thereby
ensuring that the benefits of digitisation reach the entire B2B retail ecosystem.
Features of Credit Program:
i.The credit offering of Flipkart wholesale, including the ‘Easy Credit’ in partnership with IDFC FIRST Bank can
help kiranas to get credit at zero cost through digital onboarding.
ii.The credit line under the program will range from Rs 5000 to Rs 2 Lakh with an interest-free period of up to 14
days.
iii.The kiranas will also be able to avail flexible repayment options through cash and online transfer
About Flipkart Group:
Flipkart Group is an Indian e-commerce company, that includes group companies such as Flipkart, Myntra,
Flipkart Wholesale and Cleartrip.
Flipkart is a major shareholder of PhonePe, a leading payment app in India.
CEO of Flipkart – Kalyan Krishnamurthy
India Extends USD 1 million aid to Zimbabwe to help tackle Climate Shocks
The government of India provides USD 1 million aid to Zimbabwe under United Nations World Food
Programme(WFP). This aid will help to tackle affected populations due to climate shocks.It will help in climate
resilient agriculture in Zimbabwe.
Main focus of Project-
Increasing small grain production and market access and combating climate shocks.
Note -United Nations declares 2023 International Year of Millets.
Highlights
• The help aid is being provided through India- United Nations Development Partnership Fund.This fund will
be used to provide support to more than 5200 farmers in Chiredzi and Mangwe districts.
• The WFP Zimbabwe is providing expertise through its Smallholder Agricultural Market Support(SAMS).

• The aid will support the people to build climate resilient infrastructure and ensuring food support reducing
recurring the negative effects of droughts.
• They would be able to cultivate drought-tolerant small grains and legumes.
Contribution of WFP:
i.WFP is collaborating with the expertise of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the
Ministry of Lands, Agriculture,Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement and Department of Agriculture Technical
and Extension Services(Agritex). These partners will procure small grain seeds from one country and deliver it to
small shareholders in marked districts of other countries.
ii.Between 2020-2021, WFP and partners have supported 60,000 smallholder farmers – 70 percent being female-
headed households, across 30 rural districts through small grain production activities in Zimbabwe.
About Zimbabwe-
Capital- Harare
Currency – Zimbabwean Dollar
President-Emmerson Mnangawa
Afcons Signed a $530-million Infrastructure Project in Maldives

Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, an infrastructure arm of Shapoorji Pallonji Group from India signed an agreement with
the Republic of Maldives for a $530 million infrastructure project named ‘Greater Male Connectivity Project’
(GMCP).
• GMCP project is the largest infrastructure project in the Maldives.
Key Points:
i.Funding: The project will be funded by the Exim Bank of India under the Indian grant and Line of Credit (LoC)
scheme.
• The project was funded through a grant of $100 million and a line of credit of $400 million from India.
• The total contract value of the project is $530 million with construction duration of 32 months.
i.The project will connect Male, the capital city of Maldives with adjoining islands of Villingli, Gulhifalhu and
Thilafushi through a 6.74-km-long bridge and causeway link.
• The bridge would connect the islands of Hulhumale, Hulhule and Male with the proposed Gulhifalhu Port and
the Thilafushi Industrial Zone.
ii.The bridge includes 3 navigation bridges of 140 metres across very deep channels between the islands, 1.41 km
of marine viaduct in deep water, 2.32-km marine viaduct in shallow water and land, and 2.96 km of at-grade
roads.
iii.The project will transform Maldives into a more developed and economically resilient nation.
iv.Other Projects of Afcons:
Different earlier projects constructed by Afcons include Atal Tunnel, the world’s longest highway tunnel 10,000 ft
above sea level, the world’s highest single-arch railway bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, etc.
In July 2021, Defence Officials from India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives participated in a virtual Trilateral Tabletop
Exercise 2021 (TTX-2021), ‘Exercise Shield’ on Maritime Security. Exercise Shield was organized by Maritime
Warfare Centre, Mumbai from July 14-15, 2021
About Afcons Infrastructure Ltd:
Managing Director – S Paramasivan
About Maldives:
Capital – Male
Currency – Maldivian rufiyaa
President – Ibrahim Mohamed Solih

Max Life Partnered with BillDesk to Becomes 1st Insurer To Enable e-mandate for Premium
Payment
Max Life Insurance has partnered with Billdesk, a payment gateway solution provider for safe and secure E-
mandante process on premium payment procedures.Max Life is now became the first life insurer to provide such
facility of e-mandate to its customers.
Objective- To enhance digital facility and provide digital premium payments capability to its customers.
Background:
• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its recent circular provided that recurring transactions using debit cards,
credit cards, Unified Payments Interface (UPI), or other prepaid payment instruments (PPIs), through e-
mandate shall require additional factor authentication (AFA).Debit authentication/ AFA would be required
for every recurring transaction for an amount of more than Rs. 5000.
Key Points:
i.With the above Notification, the Billdesk will send a pre-transaction notification to the customer at least 24
hours before the actual charge or debit.
• The Max Life customers now have the option to choose the maximum amount from e-payment for longer
tenure.
• This would allow them to have better control over recurring transactions.
ii.Facilities Provided- Online payments, payments through phone, cheque pick- up facility, payment by auto-
debit etc
About Max Life Insurance
Chief Executive Officer– Prashant Tripathy
ECONOMY & BUSINESS NEWS

India Recorded Highest Ever Monthly Merchandise Export of $35.17 billion in July 2021
In July 2021, India has recorded the highest ever monthly merchandise export. The merchandise exports in July
2021 was increased by 47.91 percent to USD 35.17 billion from USD 23.78 billion in July 2020. India’s exports
have covered 32.64 percent of its annual target of 400 billion dollars.
• The top 5 commodity groups of export which have recorded positive growth during July this year are –
Petroleum Products, Gems and Jewellery, Other Cereals, Man-made fabrics, and Cotton Fabrics, Handloom
Products.
MSH Tie up with India Accelerator to Support Deep-Tech Startups

MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), the nodal entity under the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY), collaborated
with India Accelerator, the start-up accelerator, to support deep-tech startups.
• Through the partnership, MSH will work with India Accelerator’s flagship program SOMA.
• MSH plans to build a start-up ecosystem to support deep-tech startups to transform their ideas into scalable
solutions by providing best practices, fundraising, knowledge sharing, etc.
Note – Startup accelerators are the team that will support early-stage, growth-driven companies through
education, mentorship, and financing programmes.
About MeitY Startup Hub (MSH):
MSH was acting as the national coordination, facilitation and monitoring centre to integrate all the incubation
centres, start-ups, and innovation-related activities of MeitY.
CEO – Jitendra Vijay
About India Accelerator:
It is the only Global Accelerator Network (GAN) partnered, mentorship-driven, program in India.
Founder & MD – ASHISH BHATIA

HCL Became the Fourth-largest IT company by M-Cap in India; TCS Tops
In August 2021, HCL Technologies Ltd became the 4th most valuable(Market Capitalization-M Cap) India-centric
information technology (IT) services company by overtaking Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation.
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Ltd, the largest IT services company leads the list followed by Infosys Ltd
and Wipro Ltd.
ReNew Power Acquires Solar Power Projects in Telangana & Hydropower Project in Uttarakhand
ReNew Power Private Limited (ReNew Power) has signed 2 agreements to acquire a 99 megawatt (MW)
Hydropower Project – Singoli Bhatwari hydroelectric project – in Uttarakhand and the 260 MW/330
Megawatts-peak(MWp) of operating solar projects in Telangana.
• The combined enterprise value of the solar and hydropower assets is Rs 2850 crore.
• The solar and hydropower assets are expected to generate Rs 380 to 400 crore of EBITDA (Earnings Before
Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) annually.
About the hydropower assets:
i.The 99 MW Singoli Bhatwari Hydroelectric Project(SBHEP) was acquired from Larsen and Toubro (L&T) for
~Rs 985 crore.
• SBHEP is located on the Mandakini river in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand.
ii.This acquisition marks the entry of ReNew Power in the Hydropower sector.
iii.The L&T Uttaranchal Hydropower Limited which owns SBHEP will be acquired from the L&T Power
Development Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro(L&T) India, India’s leading engineering and
construction firm.
About Solar power assets:
i.260 MW/330 MWp of operating solar projects in Telangana was acquired from Acme Solar for ~Rs 1,865 crore.
ii.The solar power project in Telangana has a 25-year Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with Northern Power
Distribution Company of Telangana limited(NPDCTL) and Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana
Limited (SPDCTL).
Note:
The acquisition has increased the commissioned and contracted capacity of the company by more than 10 GW.
This is in line with the target to reach 18GW of capacity by 2025.
About ReNew Power Private Limited:
Chairman and Managing Director– Sumant Sinha
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana
TCS hits Rs 13 lakh crore market-cap; 1st IT & 2nd Indian company to achieve the feat
The market capitalisation(market-cap or m-cap) of the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has reached around Rs
13 Lakh crore on BSE. TCS became the first Information Technology(IT) company to cross the 13 lakh crore
mark and the 2nd Indian company after Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to achieve the feat.
• According to the BSE, as of 17th August 2021, In the overall market cap ranking, TCS stands second with Rs
1314051.01 crore, and RIL stands first with Rs. 1371823.79 crore market cap.
Ind-Ra cuts GDP forecast for India to 9.4% for FY22

On August 19, 2021, India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) downgraded the economic growth forecast or Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) for India to 9.4% for FY22 from 9.6% estimated earlier.
• The key reason behind this descent is the vaccination of the adult population (18+) which will not be
covered entirely by December 31, 2021.
• As per the forecast, if the entire adult population gets vaccinated by December 31, 2021 then GDP is
estimated 9.6% y-o-y (Year-on-Year) in FY22, otherwise it may slip to 9.1%.
FY22 GDP will be 10.9% lower than the trend value:
Though several high frequency indicators are showing a faster rebound than expected including surprise
turnaround of exports volume and growth Q1FY22, also, kharif sowing is indicating a significant pick-up with the

revival of south-west monsoon but still FY22 GDP will be 10.9% lower than the trend value.
Key Points:
i.For the vaccination of more than 88% of the adult population, 5.2 million daily doses would have to be
administered August 18, 2021 onwards and to administer single doses to the rest by 31 March 2022.
ii.As per National Accounts Data, in four demand-side growth drivers viz. private final consumption
expenditure (PFCE), government final consumption expenditure (GFCE), gross fixed capital
formation (GFCF) and exports, only GFCE has shown a decent growth, averaging 5.7% during FY19-FY21.
• PFCE, GFCF and exports during this period grew 1.3%, 1.5% and 1.5%, respectively.
• PFCE is the largest component accounting for 58.6% of the GDP in FY21, followed by GFCF accounting
27.1%, exports 18.1% and GFCE 12.5%.
iii.Ind-Ra expects exports growth of goods and services to grow at 16.0% y-o-y in FY22.
iv.GFCE is projected to grow at 7.5% in FY22.
v.Investments as measured by GFCF to grow 9.1% y-o-y in FY22.
India’s GDP Projection by other Agencies:
i.PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) projected GDP growth at 10.25% for FY22.
ii.Acuite Ratings retained its 10% GDP forecast for FY22
India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra):
It is a 100% owned subsidiary of the Fitch Group, and is recognized by the Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Housing Bank (NHB).
Chairman, Managing Director & CEO– Rohit Karan Sawhney
Intel India Collaborated with SINE-IIT Bombay To Launch “Plugin Alliance” for the Promotion of
Industry 4.0
Intel India collaborated with Society for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (SINE)-Indian Institute(IIT) of
Bombay has launched first-of-its-kind industry-technology alliance “Plugin Alliance”, for enhancing Industry
4.0 revolution in India.
Objective of the Alliance-
To cover all aspects of Industry 4.0 transformatory revolution in the country with participation of the members
from different fields and promote India as a brand.
Highlights
• The representation of the members from large, small and medium enterprises, start ups, system integrators,
incubators, government and other industrial institutions.
• Focus area– to provide impetus to Industry 4.0 startups for alliance members.
• It also includes collaboration with global organizations of the world.
The Alliance
i.The Plugin Accelerator program which is a part of Plugin Alliance will be made available to members.
ii.The alliance currently has 53 members including 23 startups.
Technology focused-
Artificial Intelligence(AI), Machine Vision, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality(AR/VR), Robotics, Cyber Security,
5G, Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) & Mobility.
Microsoft India collaborates with Invest India to support Tech Start-Ups

Microsoft India has entered into a partnership with Invest India to support the tech startups in India. Under this
partnership, Microsoft will work with Invest India and Accelerating Growth of New India’s Innovations(AGNIi)
Mission to support the ‘Microsoft for Startups’ programme.
• This collaboration combines the reach of AGNii Mission with the tech and business resources of Microsoft for
Startups to boost the startup ecosystem in India.

About AGNIi Mission:
• AGNIi Mission, a programme of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and a
Mission under the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC).
• AGNIi Mission is housed and executed by Invest India.
Features of the Partnership:
i.Under this partnership, the 11 selected startups will be able to utilise Microsoft technology including Azure,
GitHub, and M365, which will allow them to build and run their business.
ii.They will able to utilise Microsoft’s Azure Marketplace, enterprise sales team, and the ecosystem to develop and
execute their go-to-market strategies.
Selected Startups:
• 11 selected startups are Amplearth Packaging and Systems; Arishti CyberTech; Daybest Research; Go Buzzr
(Dev BeeTech); Prkruti (Jal Technologies); Sandbird Research and Development; Vasudhaika Digital (Kalgudi
Digital); Vecmocon Technologies; Whrrl Fintech Solutions; YCLEPT 4E Labs; and Yuktix Gidabits.
• The11 startups belong to various sectors such as agriculture, defence & security, Information
Technology (IT) / Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES), e-mobility, waste management, and
financial services.
About Invest India:
MD & CEO– Deepak Bagla
About Microsoft:
Chairman and CEO– Satya Nadella
Headquarters– Redmond, Washington, United States
ReNew Power Become 1st Indian Renewable Energy Company to List on NASDAQ
ReNew Power, India’s largest renewable energy company, has become the first Indian renewable energy
company to get listed on the NASDAQ, an American stock exchange based in New York, USA.
ReNew Power has been listed on the NASDAQ following the merger with RMG Acquisition Corporation II (RMG
II), a Nasdaq-listed special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).
The merged company has been named ReNew Energy Global Plc.
• As a result of the business combination, RMG II has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of ReNew Energy
Global PLC.
• The merger has put an enterprise value of around 8 billion USD and an equity value of 4.4 billion USD on
ReNew Energy Global Plc.
• ReNew Power will raise around 1 billion USD from the public listing on the NASDAQ.
Major Investors:
i.Major investors of ReNew Power are Goldman Sachs, CPP Investments, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, GEF
SACEF and JERA.
ii.The shareholding of Goldman Sachs has gone down from 49% to 33%, CPP Investments and Abu Dhabi
Investment Authority have gone down from 17% each to around 13%.
iii.The RMG Corp II will own around 20% of ReNew Power.
ReNew Power Signs PPA with SECI for India’s 1st RTC Renewable Energy Project
ReNew Power has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI)
for Round-The-Clock (RTC) electricity supply, the first-of-its-kind in India.
ReNew won the bid to supply Round-The-Clock power in 2020 through an auction conducted by SECI
• The estimated cost of the project is around 1.2 billion USD (around Rs 8913 crore).
• ReNew Power will require around 1,300 MW hybrid capacity (900 MW wind capacity and 400 MW of solar
capacity), supplemented with battery storage, to supply power from the 400 MW RTC project at 80%
utilisation rate.
About ReNew Power:
Chairman and Managing Director– Sumant Sinha
Headquarter– Gurugram, Haryana

BPCL launched AI-enabled chatbot ‘Urja’
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) launched a virtual assistant named ‘Urja’ with AI/NLP (Artificial
Intelligence/Natural Language Processing) technology. It is trained on more than 600 use cases.
• It will cater to the BPCL’s objective of making customer interface comprehensive and digitally integrated as it
can solve queries for both B2B (Business to Business) & B2C (Business-to-Consumer).
• Urja speaks in 13 languages (English, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Oriya,
Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu and Assamese).
HCL Foundation Launched My e-Haat Portal to Support Handicraft Sector

HCL Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of HCL Technologies, launched an online portal named
‘My e-Haat‘ to empower artisans and strengthen the value chain of the handicraft sector in India.
• The portal will enable artisans to list their products to conduct their business. The portal also offers e-
payment options, cash on delivery (COD), integrated logistic support, and real-time product tracking.
• Presently, more than 30 partners from 8 states with over 600 products were listed on the portal.
GIFT City, ANSR Partnered to Build GICs, GCCs; FinX Labs Opens Start-up Accelerator at GIFT City
ANSR Global Corporation Private Ltd (ANSR) collaborated with GIFT City (Gujarat International Finance Tec-
City), India’s only operational International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) to attract companies to set up Global
In-house Centres (GICs) and Global Capability Centres (GCCs) at GIFT City.
• The GICs in GIFT City will set up high-end processing centres related to financial services to provide financial
support services.
• The GIFT Special Economic Zone (SEZ) includes benefits such as a competitive tax, ease of doing business,
lower operational costs, and state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Background:
i.In October 2020, the Government of India, on the recommendation of IFSCA (International Financial Services
Centres Authority), had notified GIC as a financial service to provide services relating to financial products and
financial services. After which, IFSCA has approved the IFSCA (GIC) Regulations, 2020.
ii.In November 2020, IFSCA notified the IFSCA (GIC) rules and operating framework to recognise and
operationalise GICs in GIFT IFSC.
FinX Labs Opens Start-up Accelerator at IFSC, GIFT city
Financial Innovation & AnalytiX Lab (FinX Labs) has opened its startup accelerator and co-working space in the
IFSC at GIFT City.
• Through this, FinX became the first entity to open a start-up accelerator in the fintech space at GIFT City.
• FinX Labs signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Stock Exchange (NSE) as a
knowledge partner.
• FinX would create a start-up ecosystem to provide funding, networking, and access to global financial
centers for upcoming entrepreneurs in the fintech space.
On July 14, 2021, the IFSCA, the regulator of GIFT – City, constituted an expert committee to recommend the road
map and approach towards the development of the Longevity Finance Hub in GIFT IFSC.
About Financial Innovation & AnalytiX Lab (FinX Labs):
It is a joint venture between DevX Co-working & Accelerator, Flexworx by Collated, and Savvy Infrastructure’s
Jaxay Shah.
Headquarters – Seoul, South Korea
Director – Jae Wook Song
About ANSR Global Corporation Private Limited (ANSR):
It is a global firm that designs, establishes and operates GICs. So far it has established over 75 GICs.
Headquarters (Global) – Dallas, USA
Headquarters (India)- Bangalore, Karnataka
Founder & CEO – Lalit Ahuja

MoU’s & AGREEMENTS

JICA Tie up with IITH for Technical Cooperation Project – FRIENDSHIP Phase II
In July 2021, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has signed a Record of Discussions with the
Indian government to strengthen its technical cooperation project with the Indian Institute of Technology
Hyderabad (IITH) – Phase 2 of FRIENDSHIP (Future Researchers at IITH to Enhance Network Development with
Scholarship).
• Under Phase 2 of FRIENDSHIP, JICA experts will be dispatched to IITH for launching the Japan Desk at IITH,
conducting student exchange programmes, and providing JICA research funds to enhance research and
technology development and industrial collaboration between India and Japan.
Collaboration between JICA and IITH:
i.JICA and IITH started their collaboration in 2007 and so far, they have worked under different projects for
technical cooperation, research, public-private partnership, etc. They have also offered Official Development
Assistance (ODA) Loans for campus development.
ii.FRIENDSHIP is the core project between them, it was initiated from 2nd January 2011 for a period of 8 years till
31st March 2020 to establish a sustainable platform for academic and industrial collaboration between India and
Japan at IITH.
iii.So far under Phase 1 of FRIENDSHIP, IITH has signed 32 MoUs with Japanese universities and 15 MOUs
between IITH and Japan industries. The project has provided scholarships for 116 beneficiaries, and exchanged
271 faculty members between Japan and IITH.
About Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA):
Headquarters – Tokyo, Japan
President – Shinichi Kitaoka
NFL & RCF sign MoU with IFFCO for ‘Transfer of Technology’ of Nano Urea Liquid
National Fertilisers Limited (NFL) & Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers Ltd (RCF) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) for ‘Transfer of Technology’
of fertiliser Nano Urea Liquid.
• The MoU will enhance the adaptability of Nano Urea by farmers which will help in increased saving to
farmers and Government subsidies.
• Nano Urea is manufactured by IFFCO; India is the 1st country globally to start commercial production of
Nano Urea.
Improper use of Chemical Fertilizers is causing water pollution and air pollution, Nano urea being an eco-
friendly product will protect the health of the soil and will result in reducing the use of urea by upto 50%.
MSIP Signed MoU with Invest India to Boost Meghalaya’s trade

Meghalaya State Investment Promotion (MSIP) Society has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding(MoU) with Invest India, an investment promotion agency under the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry, to promote the trade and industries of Meghalaya.
• The MoU was signed in Delhi, in the presence of Conrad K Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, His advisor
Thomas A Sangma and Government Chief Whip Marcuise N Marak.
Note:
CM Conrad K Sangma emphasized promoting trade with neighbouring countries through formalising the existing
system.
Objective:
To support the investment opportunities in the development sectors to enhance the trade and industries in
Meghalaya.
Features of the MoU:
i.Under this MoU, Invest India will support the planning of the global value chain.

ii.This targets both short and long term plans, which will enhance the entrepreneurial system across the state
along with focusing on promoting one product, one district programme.
iii.The immediate targets are focused on promoting the startups along with the value addition of products like
Lakadong Turmeric, Eri Silk, Mushroom, Pineapple and Jackfruit.
Additional info: The Northeast Desk of Invest India has been working on creating market linkage of Lakadong
turmeric and import substitution with other products like pineapple and honey from Ri Bhoi, Meghalaya.
About Meghalaya:
Governor– Satya Pal Malik
Wildlife Sanctuaries– Siju Wildlife Sanctuary; Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary; Baghmara Pitcher Plant Wildlife
Sanctuary; Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary
National Parks- Nokrek Ridge National Park; Balpakram National Park
About Invest India:
Managing Director & CEO– Deepak Bagla
JSW Foundation Signed MoU with J&K to Restore Mughal Gardens

The government of Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the JSW
Foundation for the conservation, restoration and maintenance of the Mughal Gardens at Shalimar Bagh and
Nishat Bagh in Kashmir. These 2 are among the 6 imperial gardens proposed to be nominated to UNESCO as
World Heritage Site.
The estimated cost of the project is Rs 7 crore.
• JSW Foundation, the social development arm of JSW Group, will collaborate with Heritage & Conservation
Architect Abha Narain Lambah for this project.
• JSW will provide Technical & Financial support and the government of J&K will provide assistance and
funding for the project through support resources and other infrastructure.
IFFCO’s NBRC Signed MoU with IIT Delhi for Joint Research
Nano Biotechnology Research Centre (NBRC), the research and development unit of the Indian Farmers Fertiliser
Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the Indian Institute of
Technology(IIT) – Delhi for “research consultancy, knowledge transfer and collaborative projects”.
i.The collaboration between IFFCO and IIT Delhi will focus on Joint research by sharing laboratories of IIT-
Delhi and IFFCO and providing research consultancy.
ii.This collaboration will enable advanced research in the areas of Nanotechnology for futuristic applications.
iii.The engineers and scientists of IFFCO will work with the research faculty and scholars of IIT Delhi to address
the agricultural and environmental problems and create innovative solutions.
Additional info:
i.IFFCO’s NDRC has developed the world’s first nano urea liquid at Kalol in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
ii.The 500 ml of nano urea liquid is supposed to replace one bag of conventional urea.
About Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO):
IFFCO is one of India’s biggest cooperative societies, wholly owned by Indian Cooperatives.
Chairman- Balvinder Singh Nakai
MD & CEO- U S Awasthi
Founded in 1967
ReNew Power signs MOU with RackBank to power India’s 1st Hyper-scale Data Center with 100%
RE
ReNew Power has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RackBank Datacenters Limited to power
India’s 1st hyper-scale Data center with 100% Renewable Energy (RE), it is also set to be India’s 1st Green Data
center. The MoU is one of India’s largest ‘Open Access’ MoUs.

i.The MoU allows ReNew to build, own, and operate a hybrid power generation facility of up to 500 MW to supply
power to RackBank’s data centre.
ii.RackBank would purchase green power generated from the hybrid power generation facility directly from
ReNew, through the “Open Access” mechanism.
iii.The MoU also provides for equalizing the non-renewable power consumed by RackBank’s datacenter by
purchasing green credits from ReNew Power.
iv.The project will be carried out and managed by ReNew Green Solutions, ReNew Power’s business-to-business
arm
RackBank
RackBank provides data center services like dedicated servers, managed servers and co-location services.
About ReNew Power
CMD – Mr.Sumant Sinha
About RackBank
Founder and Director – Mr.Narendra Sen
Headquarters – Indore, Madhya Pradesh
Germany becomes 5th country to sign ISA Framework Agreement after Revisions
Germany became the 5th country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Framework Agreement after
amendments to the ISA Agreement entered into force on 8th January 2021.
• Germany’s Ambassador to India, Walter J. Lindner deposited signed copies of the ISA Framework Agreement
with the Ministry of External Affairs, which is the depositary of ISA Framework Agreement.
• The Signed copies of the ISA Framework Agreement were handed over to the Additional Secretary
(Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Revised ISA Framework Agreement
• The new amendment opened the alliance membership to all Member states of the UN. Prior to this, it was
open only to countries that were partially or entirely located within the Tropics.
International Solar Alliance (ISA)
It was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi & the then-French President Francois Hollande.
• Objective – To work for efficient consumption of solar energy for reducing dependence on fossil fuels &
contribute to the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement through the massive deployment of solar
energy.
• In Total, 98 countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement.
About International Solar Alliance (ISA)
Director General – Dr. Ajay Mathur
Govt of Assam, NABARD, AIFA Sign MoU to Execute Development Projects

The government of Assam, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Assam
Infrastructure Financing Authority (AIFA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) to assist the
execution of various development projects in Assam.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam and Ajanta Neog, Finance
Minister of Assam.
i.Under this MoU, a series of capital intensive projects to improve the development of Assam will be launched.
ii.The MoU will facilitate Rs 13,200 crore investment for infrastructure development across various sectors
including the education sector.
iii.The funding will be used for the development of infrastructure from the NABARD Infrastructure Development
Assistance (NIDA) and Rural Infrastructure Assistance to the state government (RIAS) in rural and semi-urban
regions across Assam.

iv.Engineering and Medical Colleges, Universities, schools, Stadia, Tourism centres, cold storage will be built
across the state in the next 3 years.
Assam Government & Survey of India (SoI), the National Mapping Agency (NMA) of India have signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for implementation of the SVAMITVA scheme (Survey of Villages and
Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) in Assam.
• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), Government of India & Department of Revenue and disaster
management, Government of Assam will implement the scheme with the support of the Panchayat & Rural
Development of Assam.
About Assam:
Governor– Jagadish Mukhi
National Park– Kaziranga National Park; Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Manas Wildlife Sanctuary; Garampani Wildlife Sanctuary
Chairman– Dr. G.R. Chintala
Established on 12th July 1982
Haryana govt signs MoU with Walmart Vriddhi, Haqdarshak;Launched app, web portal of
MMAPUY
On August 4, 2021, the State Government of Haryana, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Walmart Vriddhi, a growth and training programme designed for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs),
and Haqdarshak, a technology platform.
• This MoU focuses on making MSMEs products available in the international market with the help of e-
commerce companies that will display products of traditional weavers of rural areas, handlooms, and
handicrafts at international levels.
Signatories:
It was signed by Director General Vikas Gupta, Directorate of MSMEs; Nittin Dutt on behalf of Walmart Vriddhi,
and CEO (Chief Executive Officer) Aniket Doeger, Haqdarshak in the presence of Haryana Deputy Chief
Minister, Dushyant Chautala.
Key Points:
i.Haqdarshak will prepare a research report on the best running welfare scheme of each state so that Haryana can
implement it under its one block, one product scheme.
ii.The products of MSMEs will be displayed in 24 countries and will be available in 10,500 stores under 48
banners.
Other Announcement: Employment Generation Subsidy Scheme
The state government also announced an Employment Generation Subsidy Scheme to create employment
opportunities for people in skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled categories.
• Under the scheme, ultra-mega projects, cluster establishment, MSMEs, large and mega projects will be
provided subsidy for employing skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled category persons domiciled in Haryana.
Haryana CM launched app, web portal of MMAPUY
Haryana Chief Minister (CM) Manohar Lal Khattar launched web portal and app of Mukhyamantri Antyodaya
Parivar Utthan Yojana (MMAPUY) at Chandigarh in order to uplift the very poor families financially which are
being identified through the Parivar Pehchan Patra scheme.
• The aim is to identify such 1 lakh very poor families in 2021.
About MMAPUY:
Under the MMAPUY scheme a joint team of 6 departments will interact with Antyodaya families and select the
appropriate schemes so that their annual income will increase to Rs 1 lakh and later to Rs.1.8 lakh.
• As a part of the scheme, measures for skill development, self-employment and employment generation will
be adopted.

In May 2021, Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya gave approval to the “The Haryana Recovery of Damages
to Property Act”. This act will enable the state government to recover money from the protestors who cause
damage to the State’s Public & Private properties.
About Haryana:
Governor– Bandaru Dattatreya
WildLife Sanctuaries– Kalesar Wildlife Sanctuary, Bir Shikargah Wildlife Sanctuary, and Chhilchhila Wildlife
Sanctuary
Conservation Reserves– Saraswati, and Bir Bara Ban
APEDA signs MoU with UAS, Bengaluru to boost Agriculture Exports

The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), an apex body under the
Ministry of Commerce & Industry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with University of
Agricultural Science (UAS), Bengaluru to boost agricultural and processed food products exports, especially
from Karnataka.
i.Key areas of cooperation under MoU include developing technologies jointly with APEDA for efficient &
precision farming for enhancing quality exports; diversifying the export basket & destinations.
• It aims to boost agri-exports from Karnataka under Agri Export Policy (AEP) announced by the Government
in 2018.
• The 2 entities will establish a Centre of capacity building at UAS, Bengaluru for farmers and students to
promote agri-businesses for exports.
• A Post-Graduate Certification course with support of APEDA will also be started.
ii.The agreement will help in strengthening forward and backward linkages, participations in international
exhibitions and fairs, branding and marketing.
About Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)
Chairman – Dr. M. Angamuthu, IAS
About University of Agricultural Science, Bengaluru
Vice Chancellor – Dr. S.Rajendra Prasad
NFDB inks MoU with PNB to extend Financial Assistance to Fisheries sector
National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) has signed a MoU with Punjab National Bank to extend financial
assistance to the fisheries sector through the bank’s 10,641 branches, 13,781 delivery channels and 12,518
Business Correspondents.
• The PNB’s Hyderabad Zonal Office will be the nodal office for all the technically approved proposals
received by NFDB across the country.
Signatories:
The MoU was signed by M Arul Bosco Prakash, Executive Director (Infra), NFDB, and Sanjeevan Nikhar,
General Manager (GM) and Zonal Head, PNB, Hyderabad in the presence of Dr. Suvarna Chandrappagari, Chief
Executive, NFDB; and CHSS Mallikarjuna Rao, Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), PNB in
Hyderabad, Telangana.
Key Points:
i.Under this MoU, the fisheries sector will tie-up with individuals/private entrepreneurs of Fisheries and
Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Entrepreneur Models under Pradhan Mantri Matsya
Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) for availing bank loan from PNB, pan-India.
ii.FIDF- The government created FIDF in FY19 and is being implemented with a total fund size of Rs 7,522.48
crore comprising Rs 5,266.40 crore to be raised by Nodal Lending Entities (NLE), like NABARD (National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development), NCDC (National Cooperative Development Corporation) & all scheduled
banks.

iii.PMMSY– It is a flagship scheme launched in September 2020 for sustainable development of Indian fisheries
sector with an estimated investment of Rs. 20,050 crores.
• It will be implemented in all the States and Union Territories (UTs) for 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-
25.
Mallikarjuna Rao inaugurated PNB@Ease outlet in Hyderabad
Mallikarjuna Rao also inaugurated PNB@Ease outlet (EASE Banking Outlet) at Aditya Enclave, near Ameerpet
Metro Station in Hyderabad.
• PNB@Ease outlet consists of 5 Kioskse. ATM (Automated teller machine), Bunch Note Acceptor, Account
opening Kiosk, Card issuance Kiosk and Internet enabled Kiosk.
• It provides One Stop Experience to the customers in availing banking and financial services without visiting
the branch.
On July 10, 2021, NFDB virtually celebrated the 21st National Fish Farmers’ Day. The day is also observed as the
NFDB Foundation Day. 2021 marks the 15th NFDB foundation day.
About National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB):
Parent Ministry– Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
Headquarter– Hyderabad, Telangana
About Punjab National Bank (PNB):
Amalgamated Banks in PNB– Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) and United Bank of India (UBI)
Tagline– The name you can bank upon
BDL signs MoU with UPEIDA to Invest in UP Defence Corridor

Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Uttar Pradesh Expressways
Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) to establish a manufacturing unit in the UP Defence Industrial
Corridor at Jhansi, which is under-construction.
• The facility will be used to manufacture propulsion systems, which will be used for various types of
missiles manufactured by BDL.
• BDL will invest up to INR 400 crore in the Jhansi node of Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial corridor. The
upcoming facility at Jhansi will be the 6th one and the 1st one in North India.
• The MoU was signed between N P Diwakar, BDL Director (Technical) and Awanish Kumar Awasthi, CEO of
UPEIDA.
Key Points
i.As per the agreement, BDL will acquire 250 acres of land in Jhansi on lease for an initial period of 30 years
(extendable up to 90 years).
ii.BDL is planning to start operations at this facility by 2023.
Future Plans of BDL
i.BDL is the only Defence Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) in India, which manufactures missiles and
underwater weapons for the armed forces.
• As per its expansion plan, it is setting up units in various parts of India.
• At present, BDL has 3 manufacturing units (Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh; kanchanbagh, Telangana;
Bhanur, Telangana).
• It’s manufacturing facilities at Amravati in Maharashtra and Ibrahimpatnam in Telangana are under
construction.
ii.BDL is also planning to establish a facility in the UP Corridor for testing requirements under ‘Defence Testing
Infrastructure Scheme’ of the Ministry of Defence.
On January 13, 2021, India’s Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) under the Ministry of Defence and the United
Kingdom’s Thales signed a ‘Teaming Agreement’ to develop STARStreak Air Defence system in India under the
‘Make in India’ programme.

About Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL)
CMD – Commodore Siddharth Mishra (Retd)
Headquarters – Hyderabad, Telangana
About Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA)
CEO – Awanish Kumar Awasthi
Headquarters – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
HPSHHCL Signed MoU with Flipkart to Include Local Artisans & Weavers in E-commerce
On the occasion of the 7th National Handloom Day (7th August 2021), Himachal Pradesh State Handicrafts and
Handloom Corporation Limited (HPSHHCL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Flipkart,
India’s leading E-commerce Market, to include the local artisans, weavers, handicraft, and handloom makers of
Himachal Pradesh into the E-commerce.
• The MoU was signed in the presence of Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister of HP and Bikram Thakur, Minister of
Industries, Transport, Labor and Employment, Himachal Pradesh
i.Under this MoU, the Samarth Program of Flipkart will enable the master craftsmen, weavers, and artisans to
showcase their hallmark products and provide them access to training and support.
ii.This will enable the artisans to market their products over the online platform and get a profitable price for
their products
Flipkart Samarth Program:
The Samarth Program was launched in 2019 to build a sustainable and inclusive platform for the under-served,
domestic communities and businesses and to empower them with opportunities.
Additional info:
In 2019, Flipkart has partnered with the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-
NULM) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India to establish the Samarth Program
across 22 states of India.
Traditional craftworks of HP:
Some of the Traditional craftworks of Himachal Pradesh include Kullu Shall and Kinnauri shawl weaving; Carpet
weaving; Chamba Rumal and suni embroidery; Thanka paintings; Wood carving; and Metal & Stone crafts.
About Himachal Pradesh:
Governor– Rajendra Vishwanath Arleka
National Park– Inderkilla National Park, Simbalbara National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary; Daranghati Wildlife Sanctuary; Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary
India, US sign MoU to Improve Weather and Monsoon forecasts

India’s National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) & National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) of US have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monsoon data analysis and cooperation
to improve weather forecasts in the region.
• It was signed byA. Ramadass, Director of NIOT & Craig McLean, U.S. Assistant Administrator for Research
and Acting Chief Scientist, NOAA.
• The MoU will enhance technical cooperation in the development of the Research Moored Array for
African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) and the Ocean Moored buoy Network in
the northern Indian ocean (OMNI).
• The development of RAMA & OMNI will help in improving weather and monsoon forecasts between NOAA
and India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences.
• The MoU is a follow up to the MoU signed between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and NOAA in October, 2020
for Technical Cooperation in Earth Observations and Earth Sciences.
About National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT)
An Autonomous body under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)
Established in November 1993

Director – G.A.Ramadass
About National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Administrator – Richard W. Spinrad
Headquarters – Washington DC, US
NHA signs MoU with IIT Delhi to Boost India’s Response to COVID-19 Crisis
The National Health Authority (NHA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of
Technology, Delhi (IIT Delhi) to strengthen India’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.
• Through the partnership, NHA & IIT Delhi will support innovative solutions, which will cater to the needs
and priorities of the AB PM-JAY ecosystem (Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya). It will help in
adopting health innovations across more than 23,000 PM-JAY empaneled hospitals.
• They will also help in identifying innovative healthcare solutions, and give a platform for various
organizations, healthcare networks, innovation incubators, manufacturers to come together to solve
complex healthcare challenges in India.
• NHA will act as a technical collaborator on the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-
supported SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Financing Facility.
SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Financing Facility
SAMRIDH healthcare is a blended financing facility which will utilize market-based health solutions to improve
access to affordable and quality healthcare services for low-income and vulnerable communities, particularly for
beneficiaries of AB PM-JAY.
• IIT Delhi is the hosting entity for SAMRIDH, while it is implemented by a Technical Support Unit, managed by
IPE Global.
• It has mobilised a capital pool of USD 100 Plus Million to offer both grant and debt financing provision to
healthcare enterprises and innovators.
About United States Agency for Development(USAID)
Administrator – Samantha Power
Headquarters – Washington DC
About National Health Authority(NHA)
It is a government agency responsible for implementing scheme AB PM-JAY at national level
CEO: Ram Sevak Sharma
BEAM Signed MoU with FDRVC to Avail e-spot Market Platform to FPOs
BSE E-Agricultural Markets Ltd (BEAM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of BSE has signed a memorandum of
understanding with the Foundation for Development of Rural Value Chain (FDRVC) to strengthen the price
discovery mechanism of the commodities traded by the Farmer Producer Organisations(FPOs).
The BEAM platform was launched in December 2020 by BSE.
Aim:
The MoU aims to support FPOs supported by FDRVC to avail the market Technologies offered by BSE, specifically
the customised e-market solutions of FPOs.
i.This MoU will enable both BEAM and FDRVC to collaborate with the outcomes for smallholder farmers(SHF).
ii.Both the entities will adopt the ecosystem approach and work with the institution to bring significant inputs to
strengthen the rural value chain in India.
iii.FDRVC intends to leverage the strengths of the larger BSE ecosystem like BSE SME Exchange and BSE Institute
to strengthen the overall capabilities of the FPOs.
Note:
This MoU is in line with the objective where the FPO’s of India would get access to the BSE Ecosystem including
BEAM”s e-spot markets.

Benefits of BSE’s electronic spot platform:
Access to the regulated and transparent marketplace, direct access to multiple buyers, receipt of cash directly into
the account of beneficiary and reduction in intermediate costs.
About BSE E-Agricultural Markets Limited (BEAM):
CEO- Rajesh Kumar Sinha
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra.
About Foundation for Development of Rural Value Chain (FDRVC):
FDRVC is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Rural Development and Tata Trusts
CEO- Alok Kumar De
Headquarters– Delhi
Launched in 2019
India, EAC sign Action Plan to boost Trade

A Joint Action Plan was signed between India and East African Community (EAC) to boost trade activities and
faster clearance of goods of both the parties. It was signed during a virtual ceremony.
• The signing of the agreement will lead to a full Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between the two sides.
• India has been selected as a partner due to the principle of Mutual Recognition & Steady trade between EAC
and India. Over the past five years (2014 – 2018), before the Covid-19 disruptions, trade between the two
entities amounted to over USD 30 billion.
• The MRA once realised, will benefit companies under the Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) Programme
run by the EAC Partner States. AEO is a programme run by EAC countries based on Principle of Mutual
recognition and fair trade practices.
East African Community (EAC)
The EAC is an intergovernmental organization of 6 countries- named as Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda,South
Sudan,Tanzania and Uganda
About East Africa Community (EAC)
Chairperson of the Summit – Uhuru Kenyatta( President of Kenya)
Headquarters – Arusha, Tanzania
Arunachal Pradesh signed MoA with NEEPCO for development of 2 Hydro Projects
The state of Arunachal Pradesh (AR) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with North Eastern Electric
Power Corporation (NEEPCO) Ltd. for two hydropower projects viz. 90MW (Mega Watt) New Melling project in
Tawang district and 120MW Nafra project in West Kameng district.
Signatories:
It was signed by Prashant Sitaram Lokhande, Commissioner (Hydro Power), Arunachal Pradesh and Vinod
Kumar Singh, CMD (Chairman & Managing Director) NEEPCO at Itanagar in the presence of AR Chief
Minister Pema Khandu.
Background:
This above decision followed the scrapping of at least 40 agreements signed with private companies. Earlier, the
state government allocated projects to the private companies for the commissioning of hydro projects but they
failed to do so which led to termination of contracts.
Key Points:
i.With this agreement, the total project allotted to NEEPCO reached 6 with total installed Capacity of 1325 MW.
• Out of the six projects, the NEEPCO has commissioned three projects: 600MW Kameng hydro electric project
(HEP), 405MW Ranganadi HEP and 110 MW Pare HEP.
• There is an issue with the Kurung project (330 MW) whose MoA was signed in 2015, but the
implementation has not yet started. The state government requested NEEPCO to look after it.
ii.Notably, NHPC (erstwhile National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) will also commission 2 units of Subansiri
HEP (2000MW) by August 2022 and full-fledged commissioning by August 2023.

About North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) Ltd:
It is a Schedule A- Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE). Its largest Hydro Project is
Kameng (600 MW) in AR.
Headquarter– Shillong, Meghalaya
BDL, MBDA signs agreement to manufacture ASRAAM missiles in Telangana

Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and MBDA, Europe based Missiles Manufacturer signed an agreement to establish
a facility for the Final Assembly, Integration and Test (FAIT) of Advanced Short Range Air to Air
Missiles (ASRAAM) in Bhanur, Telangana.
• The agreement was signed between NP Diwakar, Director (Technical) of BDL and George Kyriakides,
Director of International Industrial Cooperation, MBDA.
• Under the agreement, MBDA will transfer the equipment and technology to BDL for establishing the facility.
• The facility is expected to commence operations by the year 2022-23.
• BDL will be manufacturing ASRAAM missiles at its Bhanur unit in Telangana for both domestic needs and
export capabilities.
Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missiles (ASRAAM)
i.It is an infrared guided AIr to Air missile within Visual range developed y MBDA.
ii.ASRAAM travels at a speed of Mach 3 upto a range of more than 25 Kms.
iii.It aims to provide enhanced aerial combat capabilities for fighter aircraft
iv.The missile is in service with the Indian Air Force. ASRAAM has full ‘Lock On Before Launch’ and ‘Lock On After
Launch’ operating modes.
Recent Related News
In July 2021, BDL signed a INR 499 crore contract with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for manufacture and
supply of Akash Missiles (Surface-to-Air Missile System) to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
About Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) – Commodore Siddharth Mishra (Retd)
Headquarters – Hyderabad, Telangana
HAL signs Rs 5,375-crore contract with GE Aviation for supply of engines for Tejas
On August 17, 2021, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) placed an order in GE Aviation, the subsidiary of General
Electric (GE), for purchasing 99 F404-GE-IN20 engines worth Rs 5,375 crore (US $716 million) to power
the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
• This order is the largest purchase order placed by HAL for LCA. It was a part of the execution of 83 LCA
contracts with the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• Support services for the engine will also be provided by GE Aviation, USA, as a part of the purchase.
Key Points:
i.HAL is working with GE to develop the export potential of the LCA, and to supply spare parts to the global supply
chain of GE 404 engines.
ii.The 99 engines and services will be provided by GE Aviation within 2019. Due to the limited quantities
requirement, the F-404 will not be built in India.
iii.From the initial stage, the Tejas LCA has been powered by a single General Electric (GE) F404-IN20 engine.
iv.The engines incorporate GE Aviation’s hot section materials and technologies along with FADEC (Full Authority
Digital Engine Control).
v.The F404 family engines have logged in more than 14 million engine flight hours, and have powered 15
different productions and prototype aircrafts.
vi.The next batch of engines will be the bigger and more powerful GE F-414 engines for the Tejas LCA Mark II
program. The F-414 engines are likely to be built in India in larger numbers.

Background:
i.In January 2021, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had
approved the procurement of 83 LCA Tejas – 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A Fighter Aircrafts & 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 Trainer
Aircrafts at a cost of INR 45, 696 crores.
ii.Rs 48, 000 Crore Contract for manufacturing of 83 LCA Tejas was handed over to Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL) by IAF in February 2021 at the 13th Edition of the Biennial Military Exercise – ‘Aero India 2021’.
On June 12, 2021, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar inducted the first 3 of 16 Indigenous Advanced Light
Helicopters (ALHs) MK III into Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to assist in coastal surveillance, rescue operations, and
further enhance coastal security.
About Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL):
Chairman and Managing Director – R Madhavan
USOF signed pact with BSNL for High Speed Internet Access to NER
On August 18, 2021, Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) signed an agreement with Bharat Sanchar
Nigam Limited (BSNL) for hiring of 10 Gbps (GigaBits) International Bandwidth for Internet Connectivity to
Agartala from Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL), Bangladesh via Cox Bazar/Kuakata.
• The reason behind this agreement is to provide high quality and high speed internet in the North Eastern
Region (NER) for better access to e-services viz. e-governance, e-education, e-health, e-commerce, e-
banking, etc.
• As a part of agreement, USOF will provide financial support to BSNL for a period of 3 years for hiring the
International Bandwidth.
About USOF:
i.The USOF, under the aegis of Department of Telecommunications (Ministry of Communications), was given
statutory status by the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003. The rules for its administration are known
as Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Rules, 2004.
ii.This Fund utilized towards the Universal Service Obligation (USO) which means universal, interdependent and
intercommunicating, affording the opportunity for any subscriber to any exchange to communicate with any
other subscriber of any other exchange.
• The universal service is an objective of the Government of India (GoI) laid down in its New Telecom Policy
(NTP) of 1999.
iii.It is aimed at providing financial support for the provision of telecom services in rural and remote areas. The
funds for the same are raised through universal service levy which is a percentage of Adjusted Gross Revenue
(AGR) of telecom service providers.
India, Australia signed Joint Guidance Document to boost Naval Ties

On August 18, 2021, a ‘Joint Guidance for the Australia-India Navy to Navy Relationship’ document was signed
between the Indian Navy and Royal Australian Navy during a virtual ceremony.
• The signing of this document was on the lines of the ‘2020 Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP)’
which was agreed between the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott
Morrison during India-Australia Leaders’ Virtual Summit on June 4, 2020.
• The 2020 CSP is an upgrade of the bilateral Strategic Partnership concluded in 2009.
Signatories:
Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS-24th), Indian Navy; and Vice Admiral Michael J Noonan,
Chief of Navy, Australian Navy
Key Points:
i.The document aims to ensure a shared approach towards regional and global security that will cater to their
commitment to promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo – Pacific region.

ii.It represents the intent of both navies to work together bi/ multi-laterally by developing mutual understanding,
and collaborate in mutually beneficial activities.
iii.It also highlights close cooperation in regional and multilateral groups, including Indian Ocean Naval
Symposium (IONS), Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Expert
Working Groups subordinate to the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Defence Ministers’ Meeting
Plus framework.
India-Australia Bilateral Defence Relations:
i.Apart from 2020 SCP, there is Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) which allows militaries of the two
countries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of supplies, besides facilitating scaling up of
overall defence cooperation.
ii.Australian and Indian Navies, along with the navies of United States (US) and Japan are members of the four-
nation Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad, which has irked China. They will also participate in the
Malabar Naval Exercise later this year.
Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with the Indian Navy to offer a
salary account to all the personnel of the Indian Navy including both serving and retired personnel. The signing of
the MoU was jointly chaired by Commodore Neeraj Malhotra (commodore pay and allowances) of the Indian Navy
and Parminder Varma, business head (corporate salary), KMB, in New Delhi.
About Australia:
World’s largest coral reef system “Great Barrier Reef” is located over the coast of Australia
Capital– Canberra
Ministry of Tourism Signs MOUs with MakeMyTrip(India) Private Limited and Ibibo Group
Private Limited to strengthen hospitality and tourism industry in the country
The Ministry of Tourism has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian travel agencies
MakeMyTrip India Private Limited and Ibibo Group Private Limited to strengthen the Hospitality and Tourism
Industry of india.
Objective of MoU –
• To provide extensive visibility to accommodation units, which have self-certified themselves
on SAATHI (System for Assessment, Awareness & Training for the Hospitality Industry) on
the OTA (OnlineTravel Agency) platform.
• The main aim is to gain insights, designing evidence based & targeted policy measures to promote safe,
and sustainable tourism.
Key Points
i.This event was organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Quality Council of India (QCI) for implementing
measures to strengthen the Indian Hospitality & Tourism Industry.
ii.The agreement encourages all the Units to register with NIDHI (National Integrated Database of Hospitality
Industry) and thereby on SAATHI platform to promote local tourism Industry with proper protection against fear
of spreading COVID-19.
• Both entities will take the necessary steps in identified areas to encourage and promote strategic and
technical cooperation in the Hospitality & Tourism Industry.
iii.Prior to this, the Ministry of Tourism has signed an MoU with Easemytrip, Clear Trip and Yatra.com to promote
the tourism industry all over India.
About Ministry of Tourism
Union Minister – G.Kishan Reddy (Secunderabad, Telangana)
Minister of State (MoS) – Shripad Yesso Naik (North Goa, Goa), Ajay Bhatt (Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar,
Uttarakhand)
About MakeMyTrip India Private Limited
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Rajesh Magow

BRICS Nations Signed Agreement for Remote Sensing Satellite Data Sharing
The BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) have signed an agreement for the cooperation in
remote sensing satellite data sharing.
• The agreement was signed under India’s BRICS
chairship.
• The agreement was signed by the Heads of BRICS Space
Agencies.
Heads of BRICS Space Agencies:
i.India – Dr K. Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO).
ii.Brazil- Carlos Augusto Teixeira De Moura, President,
Brazilian Space Agency (AEB).
iii.Russia- Dr Dmitry Rogozin, Director General, State Space Corporation “Roscosmos”.
iv.China – Mr Zhang Kejian, Administrator, China National Space Administration (CNSA).
v.South Africa- Dr Valanathan Munsami, Chief Executive Officer, South African National Space Agency (SANSA).
Features of the Agreement:
i.The agreement will enable the BRICS space agencies to build a virtual constellation using their specified remote
sensing satellites and their respective ground stations will receive the data.
ii.This will contribute to strengthen multilateral cooperation between the BRICS space agencies in meeting the
challenges faced by humanity such as global climate change, major disasters and environmental protection.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal Chaired the 5th Meeting of BRICS Industry Ministers
i.Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, chaired the “5th meeting of the BRICS Industry
Ministers” held on 18th August 2021.
ii.The Meeting was held under the Chairship of India.
iii.The industry ministers of BRICS countries attended the meeting organised over a virtual platform.
iv.The meeting concluded with the BRICS Industry Ministers reaffirming their commitment to work together as a
group, share best practices and learn from weaknesses, and move ahead in a positive and constructive manner to
achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
v.India emphasized to expand the horizon of New Development Bank (NDB) for strengthening social
infrastructure & they had adopted the Joint Declaration during the meeting.
On July 15, 2021, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) Labour & Employment Ministers’
(LEMM) Meeting was held under India’s Presidency which was chaired by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav,
Ministry of Labour and Employment.
• During the meeting, a discussion on four priority areas of cooperation was held viz. Promoting Social
Security Agreements amongst BRICS Nations; Formalisation of Labour Markets; Participation of Women in
the Labour Force; and Gig and Platform Workers: Role in the Labour Market.
About BRICS:
i.BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa
ii.BRICS represents 41 per cent of the global population, 24% of the global GDP and 16%of the global trade.
2021 Chair – India
India’s Theme 2021– ‘BRICS @ 15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus’.
AMTRON, Israel’s Corsight AI signs MoU to Set up AI Centre of Excellence at Tech City in Guwahati
Assam Electronics Development Corporation Limited (AMTRON) has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Corsight AI, Israel based Software company to set up a Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Centre of Excellence at Tech city in Guwahati, Assam.
• Objective: To provide facial recognition services through AI for the most challenging conditions such as
recognising faces in extreme angles, moving crowds, low quality images, partially covered faces and others
with personal privacy protection

• The MoU will establish a strong Facial Recognition Technology Development & Services portfolio which also
includes setting up Facial Recognition Centre of Excellence (FR-CoE)
• I-Sec will be the strategic partner for AMTRON in this partnership. I-Sec offers modern technologies &
solutions across all sectors from defence to space.
About Assam Electronics Development Corporation Limited (AMTRON)
Chairman – Ramendra Narayan Kalita
Headquarters – Guwahati, Assam
About Israel
Prime Minister – Naftali Bennett
Capital – Jerusalem
Currency – Israeli Shekel
Odisha Signs MoU with UMC, Ahmedabad for Capacity Building of Mission Shakti SHGs
The Odisha Housing and Urban Development Department (H&UD) signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the Urban Management Centre (UMC) of Ahmedabad, Gujarat for capacity building of Mission Shakti
Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in solid waste management in Odisha.
• The Urban Management Centre, Ahmedabad is a globally recognized not-for-profit organisation with
expertise in urban management.
Signatories:
G Mathivathanan, Principal Secretary H&UD department and Ms Manvita Baradi, Director UMC in presence of
Pratap Jena Minister Panchayati Raj.
Key Points:
i.As a part of MoU there will be creation of a pool of trainers and mentors, besides strengthening the capacities of
urban local body functionaries engaged in sanitation-related work.
ii.Odisha envisioned 100% waste management by converting the waste collected from the households into
wealth.
iii.The development of Mission Shakti SHGs will address poverty and vulnerability of marginalized sections.
About Odisha:
Chief Minister– Naveen Patnaik
Wildlife sanctuaries– Satkosia Gorge sanctuary, Nandankanan sanctuary, and Lakhari valley sanctuary
Tiger Reserves– Similipal Tiger Reserve, and Satkosia Tiger Reserve
PFC signed MoU with NHPC to lend funds for Hydro Projects & Acquisitions
On August 24, 2021, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked between Power Finance Corp (PFC) and
NHPC Limited (erstwhile National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) under which the former will provide
financial assistance to the latter’s hydropower projects (particularly projects under Joint Venture), and
acquisition of stressed projects.
Signatories:VK Maini, Executive Director (SBD & C), NHPC and Subir Saha, Executive Director (Projects- SR, ER
& NER, CSP & C), PFC.
Key Points:
i.There will also be knowledge and technology transfer, contributing to sustainable development initiatives in the
country.
ii.PHC will also support NHPC for participation in bids by providing financial commitment required for taking
over the stressed Projects.
iii.On the other hand, NHPC will provide expert advice on ongoing hydro projects funded by PFC along with
undertaking Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of Hydroelectric projects taken over by PFC.
About NHPC:
It is Mini Ratna Category-I Public Sector Undertaking (PSU).
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)– Abhay Kumar Singh
Headquarter– Faridabad, Haryana

About Power Finance Corp (PFC):
It is a Schedule-A Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE)
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)– Ravinder Singh Dhillon
Assam Govt Signed MoU with MFIs to Implement AMFIRS 2021

On August 24, 2021, As per the report of the Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN), the Assam government
(govt) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with 37 microfinance lenders for joint implementation of
the AMFIRS (Assam Micro Finance Incentive and Relief Scheme), 2021 relief scheme in Guwahati, Assam.
• Objective: To provide financial relief to more than 20 lakh poor women borrowers of the state, who are not
able to return the loan amount to the microfinance institutions (MFIs).
Key Points:
i.The AMFIRS, 2021 scheme involves a credit portfolio of Rs 12,000 crore, out of which, the state govt plans to
spend around Rs 7,200 crore.
ii.The MoU includes the duties and responsibilities for the state government and lenders (viz, 6 universal banks,
25 NBFC-MFIs (Non-Banking Financial Company-MFIs), 2 NBFCs, and 4 Small Finance Banks) for the scheme
implementation. The MoU will be effective till March 31, 2023.
Features of AMFIRS:
i.The scheme was introduced in June 2021 to provide financial relief from the state govt to make the overdue
payment for the regular repaying microfinance borrowers who are now under overdue due to COVID-19.
ii.The borrowers will be provided with a one-time incentive of Rs 25,000 or equal to the outstanding balance,
whichever is lower, to help the borrowers in maintaining good credit discipline.
iii.The state has around 14 lakh microfinance borrowers up to June, 2021.
On May 8, 2021, Jishnu Barua, Chief Secretary, Assam launched a real-time Digital – Flood Reporting and
Information Management System (FRIMS). With this launch, Assam became the 1st state in India to adopt an
online flood reporting system.
About Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN):
In 2014, MFIN was recognised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as India’s 1st Self-Regulatory Organization
(SRO) for the NBFC-MFIs.
CEO & Director – Dr. Alok Misra
About Assam:
Chief Minister – Himanta Biswa Sarma
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary, Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary
Tiger Reserves – Manas Tiger Reserve, Nameri Tiger Reserve
MoCA, Adani Enterprises Ltd Signs MoU to Provide Reserved Services in 3 Airports of India
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Adani Enterprises
Limited for providing Reserved Services which includes Customs, Immigration, Plant & Animal quarantine
services, Health services, Meteorological & Security services in the Airports of Jaipur, Guwahati &
Thiruvananthapuram.
• The agreement was signed between Rubina Ali, Joint Secretary, MoCA & Parikshit Paul, Senior Vice
President, Adani Enterprises.
• Government of India (GoI) had privatised 6 major Airports in the country – Lucknow, Ahmedabad,
Mangaluru, Jaipur, Guwahati & Thiruvananthapuram in 2019.
• Through a Competitive bidding process, the Adani Group won the rights to run the 6 Airports for 50 years.

• The Adani group had taken control of the Airports in Lucknow, Ahmedabad & Mangalore in 2020 and It is yet
to take charge of the remaining Airports.
CNS-ATM agreement
i.Communication Navigation Surveillance-Air Traffic Management (CNS-ATM) agreement was signed between
Airports Authority of India (AAI) & Adani Enterprises to provide Communication & Air traffic
management services at the Airports of Jaipur, Guwahati & Thiruvananthapuram.
ii.It was signed between S.Swaminathan, General Manager, ATS, Airport Authority of India & Parikshit Paul,
Senior Vice President, Adani Enterprises.
Recent Related News
in July 2021, The Competition Commission of India (CCI) under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002 has
approved the acquisition of SB Energy Holding Limited by Adani Green Energy Limited for about $3.5 billion, the
largest acquisition in the renewable energy sector in India.
About Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA)
Union Minister – Jyotiraditya M Scindia (Rajya Sabha, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State (MoS) – General (Retd.) Vijay Kumar Singh (Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh)
About Adani Enterprises
Founded in July 1988.
Managing Director (MD) – Rajesh Adani
Headquarters – Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Google Tie up with Setu to Open FDs on GPay; Google Launched Kids Safety Programme ‘Be
Internet Awesome’
Google partnered with SETU, a fintech company, to enable its users to open fixed deposits (FDs) through Google
Pay.
Key Points:
i.At first, Google plans to offer FDs of Equitas Small Finance Bank (SFB) for 1 year. Ujjivan SFB and AU SFB, will
also be included in future.
ii.The fintech Setu which is specialising in providing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) has already
created the beta version of the API for offering FDs.
iii.The beta version of the API offers FDs of various tenors such as 7-29 days, 30-45 days, 46-90 days, 91-180
days, 181-364 days, and 365 days, with interest rates ranging from 3.5 percent (for the shortest FD) to 6.35
percent (for the one-year FD).
iv.Criteria:
• To open FD through GPay, the users need to complete an Aadhaar-based KYC (know your customer) through
a one-time password (OTP).
• The users are enabled to open FD accounts even without having an account with the bank that is offering the
FD. (i.e. to open Equitas FD, the user no need to have a Savings Account in Equitas SFB).
v.Google Pay has 150 million monthly active users in India. FDs are the largest component of savings in India.
Fintechs and SFBs Partnership:
i.Nowadays, SFBs are partnering with Fintechs to offer high-interest savings accounts and FD.
ii.Recently, Equitas SFB has partnered with fintech such as NiYO and FREO (Moneytap) to offer its savings
accounts with interest rates of 7 percent for balances more than Rs 1 lakh. Click here to know more
iii.As per the regulations of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), SFBs need to lend at least 75 percent of its Adjusted
Net Bank Credit (ANBC) to priority sectors (compared with 40 percent for scheduled commercial banks).
• At least 50 percent of SFBs portfolios must consist of loans up to Rs 25 lakh.
Google Launched Kids Safety Programme ‘Be Internet Awesome’
Google partnered with comic book publisher Amar Chitra Katha and launched a kids safety programme
named ‘Be Internet Awesome’ to promote safe internet practices among children.
• The programme will be available in 8 Indian languages.

• Google plans to introduce a smartphone in partnership with Reliance Jio. The smartphone will have premium
security and malware protection.
Note – India has around 622 million internet users. In the 1st half of 2021, 13.9 billion app downloads were
reported and ~ 1 billion visits to the Google My Activity Page by users trying to check for possible cybercrime
attacks.
Google Pay has launched International Money Transfers for its United States (US) users, it has launched the
initiative in partnership with remittance firms – Wise, and Western Union Co.
About Google:
Google Pay is a digital wallet platform and online payment system developed by Google.
Headquarters – California, United States
CEO – Sundar Pichai
MeitY Startup Hub Sign MoU with Paytm to Support Deep-Tech Start-Ups
MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), under the aegis of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY) has
signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Paytm, a digital payment and financial technology, to support deep
tech startups.
Aim:
To create a deep tech startup ecosystem for Software as a service (SaaS), and app based startups built on deep-
tech platform technology like Artificial Intelligence(AI), Machine Learning, Cloud computing by providing support
for solution oriented innovators.
Features of the collaboration:
i.This partnership will scale deep tech startups by providing access to platform, knowledge series, experts,
resources and a community of stakeholders.
ii.The partnership aims to create a vibrant ecosystem for the startups through mentoring, technological
assistance, and go to market strategies.
iii.The partnership between Paytm and MSH will assist the Indian startups through access to mentorship,
networking and business opportunities.
Key Points:
The collaboration also focuses on
• Promoting partnerships with incubators, accelerators, investors
• Offering “Startup Toolkit” to solve Payments, Distribution and Growth challenges of early stage startups.
• Providing mentorship and guidance through a Unicorns talk series organised with an aim to inspire
entrepreneurs to build Unicorns out of India.
• Providing subsidized payment gateway services with a view to handhold the Startups in their business
journey.
On July 05, 2021, Paytm, digital payments platform, in partnership with Aditya Birla Finance Ltd., launched a
small-ticket instant loans service named ‘Postpaid Mini’. It was as an extension of its ‘Buy Now-Pay Later’ service,
to support new-to-credit customers.
About Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY):
Union Minister– Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha- Odisha)
Minister of State– Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Rajya Sabha- Karnataka)
About Paytm:
Paytm is owned by One97 Communications Limited.
Founder & CEO– Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh

India,UAE Signs Agreement to Send Visiting Professors at NYUAD
The Indian Government on behalf of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has signed an Agreement with
the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to send visiting professors in the field of social sciences at the New York
University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD).
• The agreement was signed between Pavan Kapoor, Indian Ambassador to the UAE & Mariet Westermann,
Vice-Chancellor of NYUAD.
• It is the 1st such agreement signed between the ICCR and a Foreign University in the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC).
• Under the agreement, faculty members from Indian universities will spend 6 to 10 months every year
undertaking research and teaching Social Sciences in NYUAD.
• Through this partnership, NYUAD and ICCR will collaboratively appoint faculty members from Indian
universities to the ICCR Visiting Professorship
About Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)
It was founded in 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
ICCR is involved in India’s External cultural relations, through cultural exchange with other countries & their
peoples.
President – Dr.Vinay Sahasrabuddhe
About United Arab Emirates (UAE)
President –Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Capital –Abu Dhabi
Currency – UAE Dirham
MoU signed Between NRL and Inland Waterways Authority of India for Transportation of Cargo
Ships
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) in Assam
and Inland Waterways Authority of India(IWAI) for transportation of over-dimensional cargo and project
cargo.
Highlights
• The MoU will provide smooth navigation of rivers throughout the year by IWAI and assistance to bring large
cargoes and other major equipment.
• It will facilitate trade and commerce and generate huge employment opportunities in the north eastern
region.
i.Under the government of India ‘Hydrocarbon Vision 2030’ project, NRL is under process to expand refining
capacity from 3 MMTPA (Million Metric Tonne Per Annum)to 9 MMTPA.
ii.Around 1000 equipment will be exported abroad and several equipment will fall under the category of Over
Dimensional Consignment (ODC) and Overweight Consignment (OWC).
iii.NRL is going to implement multi modal transportation services via road and waterways in order to get secure
delivery of equipment
iv.NRL will use Self Derrick Vessels for the transportation upto to Haldia Port.
v.RORO (Roll-on Roll-off) facility will be implemented at the NRL jetty.
vi.MoU was signed in the presence of Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways
and Rameshwar Teli, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas at Kunjakanan-NRL Township via
video conferencing.
About Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI):
Vice Chairman – Jayant singh
Secretary – Manish Pathak
Headquarter – Noida, Uttar Pradesh(UP)

AREAS Signed MoUs with NISE, NIWE & SSS-NIBE to Promote Renewable Energy Tech in India
The Association of Renewable Energy of States (AREAS) has signed 3 Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs)
with 3 National Institutions – National Institute of Solar Energy(NISE), National Institute of Wind
Energy(NIWE) and Sardar Swaran Singh National Institute of Bio-Energy (SSS-NIBE) – to promote renewable
energy technologies in India.
The MoUs were signed on the occasion of the 7th Foundation Day of AREAS (27th August).
• AREAS was established on 27th August 2014 as an initiative of the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy
(MNRE).
• NISE (Gurgaon, Haryana), NIWE (Chennai, Tamil Nadu) and SSS-NIBE (Kapurthala, Punjab) are the
autonomous Institutions under the MNRE.
India’s Renewable energy targets & Capacity:
i.India is set to achieve its renewable energy target of 450 Gigawatt(GW) by 2030.
ii.India is running the world’s largest clean energy programme to achieve 175 GW of renewable capacity,
including 100GW of solar power by 2022.
About National Institute of Solar Energy(NISE):
NISE is an autonomous institution of MNRE, is the apex National Research &Development (R&D) institution in the
field of Solar Energy.
Director-General– Dr. Arun Kumar Tripathi
Located in Gurgaon, Haryana.
About National Institute of Wind Energy(NIWE):
NIWE is an autonomous R&D institution by the MNRE.
Director-General– Dr K Balaraman
Located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Established in 1998
COMMITTEES & MEETINGS

Centre formed Committee to Streamline Revenue Litigation; headed by Ashish Shiradhonkar
The Central Government has constituted a committee headed by Ashish Shiradhonkar, heads e-courts project in
National Informatics Centre (NIC), to develop a technological platform streamlining the appeal filing process
related to direct and indirect taxation matters.
• This information was provided by Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta to the Supreme Court’s (SC) bench of
Justices Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud and Mukeshkumar Rasikbhai Shah through an Office
Memorandum issued on August 26, 2021 by the Government of India in the Department of Revenue, Ministry
of Finance.
Committee Composition:
The committee will comprise representatives of NIC, law ministry, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Central
Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIT), and the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
• The progress of the committee will be monitored by the Secretary, Department of Revenue (Current- Tarun
Bajaj), and also provide assistance regarding knowledge and technical inputs.
Role of Committee:
i.It will finalize and operationalize an effective platform within 3 months for relevant case management by the
government and to coordinate with all stakeholders.
ii.NIC will integrate the Legal Information Management and Briefing System (LIMBS) with the e-office
mechanism so that real time tracking of cases can be done.
Reason behind Formation:
The appeals for direct and indirect taxes were being filed much beyond the stipulated period of 60 days for
regular appeals and 90 days for filing special leave petitions (SLPs). This problem was spotlighted by SC in

February 2021 after an appeal against the order of the Customs Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal was
filed after a delay of 536 days.
India chaired 6th meeting of BRICS Counter-Terrorism Working Group 2021

On July 28-29, 2021, the 6th meeting of the BRICS Counter Terrorism Working Group (CTWG) 2021 was held
virtually which was chaired by Mahaveer Singhvi, Joint Secretary for Counter-Terrorism, Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA).India Chaired the Meeting.
• During the meeting they finalized the BRICS Counter
Terrorism Action Plan.
• All BRICS nations viz. Brazil, Russia, India, China and
South Africa participated in the meeting.
Key Points:
i.During the meeting BRICS countries exchanged views on
terrorism threat assessment at national, regional and global
level.
ii.They also agreed to further enhance counter terrorism
cooperation in line with the Action Plan of the BRICS Counter Terrorism Strategy which was BRICS leaders in
2020.
iii.The Action Plan is one of the key deliverables during India’s Chairship of BRICS for increasing intra-BRICS
collaboration on combating terrorism, radicalisation, financing of terrorism, misuse of the Internet by terrorists.
• It will also curb travel of terrorists, strengthen border control and protect soft targets.
iv.The BRICS CTWG meeting was preceded by the five thematic sub-working groups on misuse of Internet for
terrorist purpose, deradicalisation, countering terrorist financing, capacity building and countering foreign
terrorist fighters, held on July 26-27, 2021.
About BRICS:
BRICS represents 41 per cent of the global population, 24 percent of the global GDP and 16 per cent of the global
trade.
2021 Chair – India
2021 India’s Theme – ‘BRICS @ 15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus’.
Rajnath Singh Attends SCO Defence Ministers Conclave 2021 held at Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Dushanbe, Capital of Tajikistan from July 27-29, 2021 to participate in
the annual meeting of the Defence Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.
• During his visit, he met Col General Sherali Mirzo, Defence Minister of Tajikistan.
• He also reviewed the progress of the key Highway being built by India’s Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in
Dushanbe.
Highlights from the Meeting
i.The SCO Defence Ministers Meeting 2021 was held on 28th July 2021. It was chaired by Tajikistan (2021 SCO
Presidency Chair).
• The Ministers exchanged views on issues of international and domestic security, including the deteriorating
security situation in Afghanistan.
• ‘Peace Mission 2021’, a Joint Counterterrorist Command-and-Staff Training Exercise to be held between
SCO countries in Russia in September, 2021 will help in fighting international terrorist organisations.
• Russia invited SCO members to take part in the West-2021 joint strategic exercise to be held by Belarus
and Russia was welcomed by the participants.
• The Ministers approved a new Plan for Cooperation between the SCO Defence Ministries for 2022-23.
ii.2021 was declared the Year of SCO Culture. To commemorate this, a festival of military orchestras ‘Fanfares
of Peace’ is scheduled to be held in Pakistan on October 18-23, 2021.
iii.The next meeting of the Defence Ministers was agreed to be held in Uzbekistan in 2022.

Rajnath Singh reviews Progress of Highway Construction by BRO
Rajnath Singh reviewed the progress of the key Highway being built by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in
Dushanbe (Connecting Ayni Roundabout to Chortut).
• The road is being built under India’s Finance Grant Assistance Worth USD 46.5 million.
• India has already developed the Ayni airbase near Dushanbe in collaboration with Tajikistan.
• The Farkhor Air Base in Tajikistan operated by the Indian Air Force in collaboration with the Tajik Air
Force is India’s 1st military base outside its territory.
Rajnath Singh holds Talks with Defence Ministers of Belarus, Tajikistan
During the sidelines of the conclave, Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Lt Gen Viktor Khrenin, Defence
Minister of Belarus. Both ministers discussed bilateral defence cooperation and other regional security
challenges.
• Rajnath Singh also met the Defence Minister of Tajikistan, Col General Sherali Mirzo. The two ministers
discussed bilateral and other issues of mutual interest.
SCO Forum of Governance held in Beijing
The Opening ceremony of the SCO Forum of Governance and Leadership was held in Beijing, China. It was co-
organized by China National Academy of Governance (CNAG) & SCO Secretariat.
• The meeting was attended by representatives from SCO member states, observer states, and dialogue
partners
• The participants shared their views on governance and prospects for future cooperation within the SCO.
• The meeting is part of the event to mark the 20th anniversary of SCO.
i.June 25, 2021, India’s NSA, Ajit Doval attended the 16th meeting of Security Council Secretaries of SCO held at
Dushanbe, Capital of Tajikistan.
ii.On November 10, 2020, the virtual 20th Summit of SCO Council of Heads of State (CHS) 2020 was chaired by
President of Russia Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin where Indian Delegation was led by Prime Minister Narendra
Modi.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
Secretary-General – Vladimir Norov
Headquarters – Beijing, China
Chairmanship of 2021 – Tajikistan
Total Members – 8 (China,India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)
Italy Hosted 1st G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting 2021

The 1st G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting 2021 was held in July 2021, virtually in Rome, Italy. It was hosted by
Italy as it assumed the G20 2021 Presidency on 1 December 2020.
• From India, Meenakashi Lekhi, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture participated in the
meeting.
• The Culture Ministers adopted the 1st G20 Culture
declaration ‘Rome Declaration of the G20 Culture
Ministers’ for submission to the G20 Leaders’ 2021 to
recognize the economic value of Culture and advocate
the introduction of Culture within the G20 process.
• Meenakashi Lekhi addressed the meeting and
highlighted various measures taken by India to
develop the culture and creative sectors like the ‘One
District One Product’ scheme of Uttar Pradesh,
Tourism circuits, promotion of Yoga and Ayurveda
etc.
About the G20:
i.G20 members: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy,

Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the
European Union. Spain is also invited as a permanent guest.
ii.G20 members account for more than 80 percent of world GDP, 75 percent of global trade and 60 percent of the
world population.
About Italy:
Capital – Rome
Prime Minister – Mario Draghi
President – Sergio Mattarella
Currency – Euro
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Represents India at G20 Digital Ministers Meeting 2021
On August 05 2021, Union Minister for the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), Ashwini
Vaishnaw led the Indian Delegation at the G20 Digital Ministers Meeting 2021 held virtually from Tieste, Italy. The
meeting was hosted by Italy (G20 2021 Presidency).
• The meeting was chaired by Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister for Economic Development and Vittorio
Colao, Minister for Technological Innovation & Digital Transition, Italy.
• The meeting was held as part of the G20 Leaders summit 2021, which will be hosted by Italy in October
2021.
• During the meeting, Ministers adopted the “Leveraging Digitalization for a Resilient, Strong, Sustainable
and Inclusive Recovery” declaration at the meeting. It includes 12 actions to accelerate the digital
transition.
ii.The Ministers agreed to work towards enhanced cooperation on the pillars of Digital Economy and Digital
Government.
On April 7, 2021, Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman virtually participated in the
2nd G20 Finance Ministers & Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting 2021 held under the Italian Presidency.
About G20
Established – 1999
Members – 19 countries & the European Union. The 19 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada,
China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the
United Kingdom and The United States of America
2021 G20 Presidency – Italy
Rajkumar Ranjan Singh represents India at 28th ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers
Meeting 2021
Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh led the Indian Delegation at the 28th
Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers Meeting 2021. The
meeting was held virtually under the Chairmanship of Brunei Darussalam.
i.During the meeting, the ARF member countries exchanged views on international and regional issues.
• Rajkumar Ranjan Singh presented India’s perspective on the Indo-Pacific, threat of terrorism, importance of
UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) in the maritime doman and cyber security.
ii.The Ministers adopted 2 Joint Statements on i) Promoting the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda & ii)
Preventing and Combating Cybercrime.
India’s Activity in ARF
India engages actively in ARF activities and initiatives on Maritime Security; Counter Terrorism; Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs); Disaster Relief.
• During 2021-22, India will co-chair the ARF Inter Sessional Meeting on Maritime Security and conduct a
workshop on International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code).

ASEAN
It is an economic union founded in 1967. It promotes intergovernmental cooperation between Southeast Asian
nations.
• It has 10 members – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and Vietnam.
• It is India’s 4th Largest Trading Partner. India’s export to ASEAN stands at 11.28%.
EAM Jaishankar participates in 11th EAS Foreign Ministers Meeting
India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar participated in the 11th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign
Ministers Meeting, which was chaired by Brunei Darussalam.
• The EAS Foreign Ministers Meeting was Chaired by Dato Seri Setia Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya
Haji Mohd Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II, Brunei Darussalam.
• During the meeting, S. Jaishankar proposed to commemorate 2022 as the ASEAN-India friendship year on
occasion of the 30th Anniversary (India joined ASEAN in 1992).
East Asian Summit (EAS)
It was established in 2005, EAS is a premier leader-led forum for discussion on important strategic issues in Indo-
Pacific region.
• Total number of Members – 18 (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and
the United States).
• India is a founding member of EAS. The 18 members of the EAS together represent 54% of the world
population and account for 58% of the global GDP.
On September 12, 2020, MoS for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan participated in the online meeting of the
Foreign Ministers of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) under the Chairmanship of Vietnam.
About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN):
Chair of 2021 – Brunei Darussalam (Theme of its ASEAN Chairmanship is “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”).
Secretary-General – H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi (2018 -2022)
Headquarters – Jakarta, Indonesia
Kiren Rijiju Attends 8th Justice Ministers Meet 2021 of SCO

Union Minister for Law & Justice, Kiren Rijiju participated in the 8th Justice Ministers Meeting 2021 of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held at Tajikistan virtually. The meeting was hosted by Tajikistan
(2021 SCO Presidency).
• The meeting was chaired by M.K.Ashuriyon, Minister of Justice of the Republic of Tajikistan.
• SCO is celebrating its 20th Anniversary under the slogan ‘20 years of SCO: Cooperation for Stability and
Prosperity’.
Key Points of Kiren Rijiju’s Address
i.Kiren Rijiju informed the members about India’s proposed move to launch ‘e-Lok Adalat’, a tool which aims to
provide faster, transparent and accessible options to settle disputes by combining technology and Alternative
Dispute Resolution (ADR).
ii.Kiren Rijiju urged the SCO Member States to promote exchange of ideas, best practices and experiences in
identified areas.
iii.The next meeting of the Justice Ministers will be held in Pakistan in 2022.
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
It is a Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance that was established in 2001 in Shanghai,
China. Founding members are China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan & Uzbekistan.
i.Total members – 8; Observers – 4
• Members – China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan & Uzbekistan, India & Pakistan
• Observers – Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran & Mongolia

ii.India & Pakistan joined SCO in 2017.
iii.SCO has 2 permanent bodies – SCO Secretariat based in Beijing, China & Executive Committee of RATS based in
Tashkent.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
Secretary General – Vladimir Norov
About Tajikistan
Capital – Dushanbe
Currency- Tajikistani somoni
President – Emomali Rahmon
1st Deputy NSA Level Meeting of Colombo Security Conclave held Virtually
The 1st Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA) level meeting of ‘Colombo Security Conclave’ took place
virtually between India, Maldives, Sri Lanka. Bangladesh, Mauritius and Seychelles participated as observers.
• The meeting was chaired by Sri Lanka under the Chairmanship of General LHSC Silva, Chief of Defence Staff
and Commander of Army of Sri Lanka.
• From the Indian side, Pankaj Saran – Deputy NSA participated in the meeting.
• The participants identified 4 pillars of cooperation – Marine Safety and Security, Terrorism and
Radicalization, Trafficking and Organised Crime and Cyber security to stop the spread of Terrorism through
sea.
Colombo Security Conclave
The Trilateral Cooperation Framework between India, Sri Lanka & Maldives was initially established in 2011.
• It will act as a maritime security mechanism for Indian Ocean Region (IOR) including the Bay of Bengal.
• The Conclave Secretariat is set to be based out of Colombo, Sri Lanka.
About Sri Lanka
President – Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Capital – Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
Currency – Sri Lankan Rupee
G20 Research Ministers’ meeting 2021 held in Trieste Italy; MoS Education Subhas Sarkar
attended virtually
On August 6, 2021, the first official meeting of G20 (Group of Twenty) Research Ministers 2021 was held in hybrid
mode from Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy where India was virtually represented by Minister of State
(MoS) Subhas Sarkar, Ministry of Education (MoE).
• It was chaired by Maria Cristina Messa, Minister of University and Research, Italy.
• During the meeting views were exchanged on cooperation in research and higher education systems with
focus on global digital transformation and their contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development
Goals.
Focus of Discussion:
The discussion focused on three pillars:
i.How to address the changing nature of skills
ii.How to harness the potential of digital technology whilst upholding ethical principles and values
iii.How to leverage common digital infrastructures to support research collaboration, open science and higher
education.
Key Points:
i.The G20 Research Ministers’ Meeting 2021 is one of the ministerial meetings organized as part of the G20
Leaders Summit 2021, which will be hosted by Italy in October 2021.
ii.The Ministers adopted a Joint Declaration on Leveraging Research, Higher Education and Digitalisation for a
Strong, Sustainable, Resilient and Inclusive Recovery. Click here for full Declaration

Indian Government efforts in Education Sector:
i.India’s National Education Policy, 2020, seeks to strengthen the research ecosystem by establishing a National
Research Foundation.
ii.National Education Technology Forum, as an umbrella body was launched for the maximization of
technology in the education sector.
iii.India is supporting the collective efforts of the G-20 countries in building a resilient education system.
iv.India also introduced AI (Artificial Intelligence) in the school curriculum from grade 6 onwards and also started
engineering courses in regional languages.
• It also supports schemes like SPARC (Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration)
and GIAN (Global Initiative of Academic Networks) to promote academic and research collaboration
between India and other countries.
• Indian institutions are also entering into twinning arrangements with foreign universities for
which Academic Bank of Credit has been set up.
Participants:
All G20 members, guest countries and International Organizations (IOs), namely the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) as distinguished knowledge partners.
• MoS for Education Annpurna Devi and Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Secretary Higher Education Amit Khare
and senior officials of the Ministry were also present during the meeting.
CEC Sushil Chandra Inaugurates 11th Annual Meeting of FEMBoSA for 2021
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India and the current chairman of FEMBoSA, Sushil Chandra inaugurated
the 11th Annual meeting of the Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) for the year
2021. The virtual meeting was hosted by the Election Commission of Bhutan.
• The theme of the meeting was the “Use of Technology
in Elections”.
• Representatives from the countries of Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and
Srilanka participated in the meeting.
• However, the Election Commission of India (ECI) &
India International Institute of Democracy & Election
Management (IIIDEM) will continue to hold capacity
building courses for FEMBoSA members.
• The 10th FEMBoSA meeting was held in New Delhi on 24th January,2020.
CEC of Bhutan, Dasho Sonam Topgay Assumes Chairmanship of FEMBoSA 2021-22
During the meeting, the Outgoing Chairman of FEMBoSA, Sushil Chandra passed the Chairmanship to Dasho
Sonam Topgay (New Chairman), Chief Election Commissioner of Bhutan for the year 2021-22.
• The ambassador of Bhutan, Major General Vetsop Namgyel accepted FEMBoSA logo on behalf of the Election
Commision of Bhutan (New Chair)
• The new Chairman of the forum, H.E Dasho Sonam Topgay, CEC of Bhutan assured members that Bhutan
would promote contact, cooperation among Election Management Bodies of the member countries towards
conducting free and fair elections.
Thimphu Resolution: Adopted by FEMBoSA members
A Thimphu Resolution was unanimously adopted by the members of the FEMBoSA to extend the tenure
of chairmanship for two years due to the current COVID pandemic.
Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA)
i.FEMBoSA was established at the 3rd Conference of Heads of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of South Asian
Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) held at New Delhi in May, 2012.
ii.The forum aims to increase mutual cooperation in respect to the common interests of SAARC’s Election
Management Bodies.

iii.Members – 8 –Election Management bodies of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal,
Pakistan and Srilanka.
• The annual FEMBoSA meeting is held by rotation among the members.
iv.New Chairperson -H.E Dasho Sonam Topgay
Recent Related News
i.On 08th June 2021, Former UP Chief Secretary Anup Chandra Pandey was Appointed as Election
Commissioner. He is a retired IAS officer of 1984 batch, Uttar Pradesh Cadre.
ii.On 19th June 2021,ECI Released ‘General Elections 2019 India – An Atlas’ – CEC Sushil Chandra along with
Election Commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Anup Chandra Pandey released the “General Elections 2019 India – An
Atlas”, which consists of data and statistical figures of 17th General Elections held in 2019.
About Election Commission of India(ECI)
Established under Article 324 of the Indian Constitution
Chief Election Commissioner – Sushil Chandra
Election Commissioners – Anup Chandra Pandey & Rajiv Kumar
Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA)
New Chairperson (2021-22) – Dasho Sonam Topgay (Bhutan)
Members – 8
7th IBSA Academic Forum 2021 held Virtually

The 7th IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) Academic Forum 2021 was held virtually on August 11-12, 2021. It
was hosted by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), an autonomous think-tank of
the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
• The Forum was inaugurated by Minister of State for External Affairs, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh. India is the
Current Chair of IBSA.
• During the meeting, the participants discussed economic partnerships.
• India highlighted the efforts taken under the ongoing IBSA fellowship programme. He also underlined the
contribution of the IBSA Fund since its inception.
India Organizes IBSA Tourism Minister Meeting 2021
India organized the IBSA Tourism Ministers Meeting 2021 virtually. Tourism Ministers of all 3 countries The
Minister of Tourism of India, Shri G. Kishan Reddy; Minister of Tourism of the Federative Republic of Brazil, H.E.
Mr. Gilson Machado Neto and the Deputy Minister of Tourism of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Mr. Fish Amos
Mah attended the meeting.
It was organized to promote tourism cooperation among the member states, the participants reviewed the intra
IBSA Tourism cooperation.
IBSA Dialogue Forum
i.The IBSA acts as a forum for India, Brazil & South Africa to promote cooperation.
• It was formalized and named the IBSA Forum in 2003, when the Foreign Ministers of the three countries met
in Brasilia (capital of Brazil).
• India as the current IBSA Chair is set to convene the 6th IBSA summit virtually in September, 2021. Theme
of the forum – “Democracy for Demography and Development”.
About Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)
Director General – Sachin Chaturvedi
India chairs BRICS Working Group on Agriculture 2021; Represented by Sanjay Agarwal
On August 12-13, 2021, India virtually chaired the meeting of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South
Africa) Working Group on Agriculture 2021 on the theme ‘BRICS Partnership for Strengthening Agro
Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition Security’. India was represented by India’s Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary,
India’s Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW).

• During the meeting, BRICS nations agreed to strengthen agro-biodiversity to ensure food and nutrition
security.
Key Points:
i.Discussions were held on the Joint declaration of the 11th meeting of BRICS and Action Plan for 2021-24 for
agricultural cooperation of BRICS countries and BRICS Agriculture Research Platform.
• This BRICS Working Group meeting will endorse the Action Plan of 2021-24 for adoption in the BRICS 2021
meeting.
ii.It should be noted that the BRICS Agriculture Research Platform has been developed by India to promote
cooperation in the areas of agricultural research, extension, technology transfer, training and capacity building.
iii.As per the UN (United Nations) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development noted that BRICS countries are well
positioned to lead the target of achieving 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to eradicate hunger and
poverty i.e. SDG 1: No Poverty & SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
Participants:
The Ministers of Agriculture from Brazil, Russia, China, and South Africa participated in the meeting along with
India’s Abhilaskha Likhi, Additional Secretary, MoA&FW and Ms. Alaknanda Dayal, Joint Secretary, MoA&FW.
About BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa):
2021 Chair– India
Theme for India’s Chairship– BRICS @ 15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and
Consensus
Narendra Singh Tomar addresses 6th SCO meet of Agriculture Ministers

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar addressed the 6th meeting of the
Agriculture Ministers of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The meeting was
held virtually from Dushanbe, Capital of Tajikistan. It was held under the Chairmanship of Tajikistan (2021
SCO Presidency).
• Tajikistan appreciated the performance of the agricultural sector in India during COVID pandemic crises.
• The Agriculture Minister of India stated that Food production, export have registered a significant growth in
India.
• He also mentioned that biofortified varieties are a source of staple diet, and micronutrients rich food can
help to tackle malnutrition in the country.
• For Doubling Farmers Income by 2022, India has launched several programmes for irrigation facilities,
optimum utilisation of water, food subsidy etc.
India is a full time member of SCO. The meeting promotes cooperation in food security, supply chain and
nutrition especially in the time COVID pandemic.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
Secretary-General – Vladimir Norov
Total Members – 8 (China,India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan)
About Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare
Union Minister – Narendra Singh Tomar (Morena, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State – Sushri Shobha Karanlaje (Udupi, Karnataka), Kailash Choudhary (Barmer,Rajasthan)
GoI Sets Up a Committee Headed by Sunil Sethi to Double the Production & Exports of Handlooms
Government of India (GoI) has constituted a 8 member Committee for Doubling the Production & Quadrupling
the Exports of Handlooms in a period of 3 years. The Committee will be headed by Sunil Sethi, Chairman,
Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), NewDelhi.
• The Committee shall submit its preliminary recommendations within 30 days & final report within 45
days from the day of its constitution.

The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Committee
i.To suggest the strategy and policy framework for doubling the production and for improving the quality of
handloom products with the aim of enhancing income of the weavers.
ii.To suggest ways for partnering and collaboration of handloom weavers agencies with the designers, buying
houses and institutions, organizations and exporters.
iii.To suggest measures for quadrupling exports of Handloom products.
iv.To suggest ways and means for improving the marketing of handloom products in the domestic market.
v.To suggest the measure for improving the input supplies (raw materials, credit, technology upgradation,
skilling, designs etc. )
Members of the Committee
• Sudha Dhingra, Professor, NIFT, New Delhi
• Shefali Vaidya, Freelance writer
• Anagha Gaisas, Owner, M/s Saudamini Handlooms
• Suket Dhir, Fashion Designer
• Sunil Alagh, MD M/s SKA Advisors Ltd
• K N Prabhu, M/s Paradigm International
• Hetal R Mehta, Chairman, SETU, Surat.
Recent Related News
On 7th August, 2021, 7th National Handloom Day was observed across India to create awareness about the
handloom works in India & to recognise its contribution to the socio-economic development of India. It is
organised by the Ministry of Textiles .
About Ministry of Textiles
Union Minister – Piyush Goyal (Rajya Sabha – Maharashtra)
Minister of State (MoS) – Darshana V Jardosh ( Constituency – Surat, Gujarat)
NSA Ajit Doval Chairs 11th BRICS High Representatives Responsible for National Security
Meeting
Ajit Doval Indian National Security Adviser(NSA) virtually chaired the 11th meeting of the BRICS (Brazil,
Russia,India,China,South Africa) High Representatives Responsible for National Security . It was 15th
anniversary of the BRICS as well.The adoption for an action plan for countering terrorism and terror financing
was taken into consideraion.
Objective –
To review the regional, geo-political and security scenario. The main focus was the developmental processes
in Afghanistan, Iran,West Asia and the Gulf.
Highlights
• India pointed out the issue of cross country terrorism and activities the groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and
Jaish-e-Mohammed, which are considered as major threat at bordering areas of the country
• The discussion on cooperation, law enforcement, healthcare, and counter terrorism occured.
• As 12th BRICS Leader Summit 2020 adopted the BRICS Counter Terrorism Strategy, therefore this time the
representatives have adopted and suggested the BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan for consideration
by the BRICS Summit.
• Strengthening cooperation in the field of cyber security, information sharing practices and combating cyber
crimes.
Additional Information:
India will host the upcoming BRICS summit under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
About BRICS:
The acronym “BRICS” was initially formulated in 2001 by economist Jim O’Neill, of Goldman Sachs, in a report
on growth prospects for the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China.
South Africa was invited to join BRIC in December 2010, after which the group adopted the acronym BRICS.
Headquarters– Shanghai, China

India Proposed Naval Industry Cooperation at 1st IBSA NSAs meeting to Counter Balance China
On August 25, 2021 India’s National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval hosted the 1st meeting of IBSA(India,
Brazil, South Africa) NSAs. The three countries made agreements to enhance cooperation in cyber security and
balance China’s expansionist policies in the maritime region .
Note – India is the current IBSA Chair.India is set to host the 6th IBSA summit virtually on 5th September 2021,
under the theme “Democracy for Demography and Development”.
Objective of the Meeting-
To enhance participation to combat piracy and drug and human trafficking, sustainalbe exploitation of maritime
resources and ensure security.
Highlights
• Main focus was given on maritime security as it was identified as a strategic area for future cooperation.
• Strenghthtening measures to tackle China’s maritime ambitions, combating human trafficking, piracy,
securing bordering etc are some of the key areas of discussion .
• India invited Brazil to take part in MILAN Naval Exercise of 2022
• India has proposed to build an Expert Group Meeting on Cyber Security.
About IBSA
i.The IBSA is a trilateral, developmental initiative between India, Brazil and South Africa to promote South-
South cooperation and exchange.
ii.The grouping was formalized and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the Foreign Ministers of the three
countries met in Brasilia (Brazil) on 6th June 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman chairs 2nd BRICS Finance Ministers, Central Bank Governors meeting
Finance Minister(FM) of India, Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the 2nd meeting of
BRICS(Brazil,Russia,India,China,and South Africa) Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) along
with the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das under the Indian BRICS chairmanship.
Objective-
To maintain cooperation and maintain macroeconomic and tackle uncertainties arise due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Areas of discussion
• Emerging issues in the field of healthcare and building resilient infrastructure to fight against pandemics.
• Discussion on sharing of knowledge about building strong social infrastructure, enhancing digital technology
and service delivery.
Highlights
• The participants discussed the policies, experiences and measures provided in the Global Economic Outlook
report.
• Technical Report on Social Infrastructure: Financing and Use of Digital Technologies was given acceptance.
• The text of Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance(CMAA) related to custom matters was
also negotiated.
• RBI Governor, Shaktikanta Das chaired the discussion of issues related to Banks and their outcomes such as
financial inclusion, Contingent Reserve Arrangement(CRA) and Information Security Cooperation.
About the BRICS
Members- Brazil,Russia, India, China, and South Africa
2021 chair– India
Narendra Singh Tomar Chairs 11th BRICS Agriculture Ministers Meeting, 2021
Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar has chaired 11th BRICS (Brazil,
Russia, India, China & South Africa) Agriculture Ministers meeting virtually.
• The theme of the meeting was “BRICS Partnership for Strengthening Agro Biodiversity for Food and
Nutrition Security”. The major outcomes of the meeting are
i.BRICS Agriculture Research Platform (BARP)
• BARP created to enhance agricultural cooperation among BRICS countries

• It will promote cooperation in the areas of agricultural research, extension, technology transfer, training &
capacity building.
ii.Action plan 2021-24 for agricultural cooperation among BRICS countries adopted
• It focuses on the themes of food security, welfare of farmers, conservation of agrobiodiversity, resilience of
food & agricultural production systems, promotion of digital agricultural solutions etc. which are integral to
the sustainable development of agriculture.
Bhupender Yadav Chairs 7th BRICS Environment Ministers meeting, 2021
Union Minister for Environment, Forests,& Climate Change (MoEFCC), Bhupender Yadav has
chaired the 7th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa) Environment Ministers meeting, 2021 held
virtually.
• During the meeting, the ‘New Delhi Statement on Environment’, was adopted which aims at furthering the
spirit of Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation & Consensus in Environment among the BRICS Nations.
• India has launched an initiative of BRICS Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Dialogue which is to
facilitate an exchange of knowledge and best practices on waste management, resource efficiency and
circular economy.
Recent Related News
In May 2021, The 1st BRICS Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting in virtual format was held in New Delhi.
The Meeting was hosted by India, which assumed the BRICS Presidency in 2021. The meeting was chaired by
Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Labour and Employment.
About BRICS:
Members– Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa
2021 Chair– India
SUMMITS, EVENTS & CONFERENCE

Union Minister Piyush Goyal Addressed 2nd Indo-US Services Summit
The Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal addressed the ‘2nd Indo-US Services Summit’,
organised by Indo American Chamber of Commerce (IACC).
• At the summit, he remarked the 12-fold increase
in Services Exports from India to the world over 20
years i.e. from $17 billion in 2001-02 to $205
billion in 2020-21.
Piyush Goyal’s Address:
i.He stated the services trade as an important tool for
expanding business ties between India and the US.
ii.He further noted India’s 97 percent recovery of
services exports (compared with 2020) and India’s
progress to become one of the world’s largest digital
markets.
iii.By pointing out the 57 Start-Up Unicorns as an example, he mentioned India’s transition from a ‘low-cost
service provider’ to a ‘high value add partner’ and the evolution of back offices in India into brain offices.
iv.The areas where India and the US could cooperate with mutual benefits include Hospitality, Fintech, Agritech,
Law, Cybersecurity, Healthcare, tourism, etc.
v.Indo-US combination: He mentioned the combination of the US’s innovation, technology, research & quality
education with India’s skilled and intelligent manpower at a competitive cost.
About Ministry of Commerce & Industry:
Union Minister – Piyush Goyal (Constituency – Maharashtra)
Minister of State – Anupriya Singh Patel (Constituency – Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh), Som Parkash (Constituency –
Hoshiarpur, Punjab)

GeM organizes 5th edition of National Public Procurement Conclave 2021
The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organized
the 5th edition of National Public Procurement Conclave 2021 (NPCC 2021) on August 9th & 10th, 2021.
• Theme of the Conclave was “Technology enabled Government Procurement – Towards Efficiency,
Transparency, and Inclusiveness”.
i.It was inaugurated by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel.
ii.The 2021 Conclave provided an opportunity for Government buyers, sellers, industry, and academia to interact
with each other.
iii.The top performing buyers and sellers were awarded for leading the procurement efforts through GeM in the
FY 2020-21.
• Central Government Buyers – Winner – Ministry of Defence, Runner up – Ministry of Petroleum and Natural
Gas.
• State Government Buyers – Winner – Uttar Pradesh, Runner-up – Gujarat.
• Centre Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) – Winner – GAIL India Limited, Runner up – Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation Ltd.
• On the seller’s front, the award was presented to TATA Motors Ltd, for best sales performance with
Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. being the runner up in this category.
About Government e-Marketplace (GeM)-
It was launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Chairperson of GeM – Dr Anup Wadhwan
Launched date – August 9, 2016
Invest India becomes co-organizer of International Climate Summit 2021

Invest India, the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of the Government of India has joined
the ‘International Climate Summit 2021 (ICS 2021)’ as co-organizer.
• ICS 2021 is an initiative by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Environment Committee. It is
scheduled to be held on September 3, 2021.
• The summit will help in building a platform for India’s transition to clean energy with focus on ‘Powering
India’s Hydrogen Ecosystem’.
• It is supported by the Government of Norway as the Partner Country. In addition, 40 leading organisations,
including Reliance Industries Limited, Hindustan Zinc Ltd, ONGC Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, GAIL
(India) Ltd, will act as sponsors of the summit.
• The summit will position India as a leader in the field of renewable energy, specifically Green Hydrogen.
About PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Chair – Dr. J P Gupta
About Invest India
MD & CEO – Deepak Bagla
PM Launched National Automobile Scrappage Policy in Investor Summit 2021 in Gujarat

In August 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the Investor Summit 2021 in Gujarat and
launched the National Automobile Scrappage Policy to discard/Scrap the old inefficient and polluting
vehicles in an environment-friendly manner.
• Objective: To scrap unfit vehicles and create a feasible circular economy and bring value for all stakeholders
while being environmentally responsible.
• Background: In the Union Budget 2021, the Vehicle Scrapping policy was announced to phase out old and
unfit vehicles with effect from April 1, 2022.

a.Key Features of the Policy:
i.Benefits:
• The policy will generate investment of more than Rs 10000 crores to set up 450-500 Automated Testing
Units (ATU) and 60-70 Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSF) /scrapping centres across India.
• The policy would support the modernization of the vehicular population of India by scrapping and also
improve economic development.
• Automobile sales will increase following the new policy, which will add 30 to 40 thousand crore rupees in
GST collections of Centre and States.
ii.Certification:
• Under the policy, a certificate will be provided on scrapping the old vehicle and those who are having that
certificate will not need to pay money for registration on the purchase of a new vehicle.
• Scrapping old vehicles will reduce the harmful impact of pollution on people’s health and also reduce the risk
of road accidents.
iii.Scrapping Process: After completion of the limits of 15 years (for government vehicle)/ 20 years (for personal
vehicle), the vehicles will undertake scientific automated fitness tests (not only on the basis of age of vehicle)
through authorized, automated testing centres.
• A vehicle will be declared as End-of-Life or unfit if it fails the fitness test, after which, the unfit vehicles will
be scrapped scientifically.
iv.Employment Generation: This policy will provide employment to thousands of scrap related sector
employees and small entrepreneurs. They will also get a safe environment and benefits like other organized
sector employees.
b.The Investor summit in Gujarat:
i.The summit was arranged to invite investment for setting up vehicle scrapping infrastructure under the
Voluntary Vehicle-Fleet Modernization Program or the Vehicle Scrapping Policy.
ii.The summit also focuses on the synergies presented by the ship-breaking industry at Alang, Gujarat, Asia’s
largest ship recycling and scrapping yard, for the development of an integrated scrapping hub.
Participants: Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari and Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay
Rupani also participated in the event.
-Tata Motors Signed MoU with Gujarat Govt to Set Scrapping Centre in Ahmedabad
i.Tata Motors signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat state government through the
ports and transport department to support the setting up of a vehicle scrapping facility in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
ii.Capacity: The scrapping centres that will be set by Tata motors will have a capacity of recycling up to 36,000
vehicles (both passenger and commercial) a year. It will set the scrappage centre in association with a partner.
In June 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the World Environment Day event organized by the
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas(MoPNG), and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Event’s Theme: ‘promotion of biofuels for a better environment’.
He released the report – ‘Report of the Expert Committee on Road Map for ethanol blending in India 2020-2025’
About Gujarat:
Chief Minister – Vijay Rupani
WildLife Sanctuary – Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Wild Ass Sanctuary, Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary.
Zoological park – Sakkarbaug zoo, Dr. Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Zoological Garden (Sarthana Nature Park),
Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden.
India-ISA Energy Transition Dialogue, 2021

India-International Solar Alliance (ISA) Energy Transition Dialogue, 2021 held on August 24th, 2021 virtually.
• The event was organised by ISA & the Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE)
R K Singh’s keynote address:
i.R K Singh, Union Minister of Power, New & Renewable Energy has highlighted that India’s Emissions have
reduced about 28% from 2005 levels, against the target of 35% by 2030 in India’s Intended Nationally
Determined Contributions (INDC) at the Paris Agreement, 2015.

ii.Currently, 38.5% of India’s Installed power generation capacity is from clean Renewable energy sources when
46 GW of hydropower is included.
iii.It is expected by 2050, 80-85% of India’s overall power capacity will come from Renewables.
• Target by 2030: India plans to have 450GW of Renewable energy capacity by 2030
India’s INDC at the Paris Agreement
i.To reduce 33-35% emissions intensity of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030 from 2005 levels.
ii.To increase the share of Non fossil fuels like Solar, wind, hydro, Biomass & Nuclear by 40% in terms of power
generation.
iii.To increase forest & tree cover to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes of Carbon Dioxide
(C02)
About International Solar Alliance (ISA)
Founded in November 2015
Director General –Ajay Mathur
Smriti Irani Addressed 1st Ever G20 Ministerial Conference On Women’s Empowerment
On 26th August 2021, Italy (2021 G20 Presidency) hosted the first-ever G20 Ministerial conference on Women’s
Empowerment at Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy in Hybrid format.
Smriti Irani, Union Minister of Women and Child Development(WCD), Government of India virtually represented
India and addressed the G20 Ministerial Conference on Women’s Empowerment.
• The conference was chaired by Elena Bonetti, Italian Minister for Equal Opportunities and Family.
Participants:
The gender equality Ministers from the G20 countries and host countries, representatives of United Nations(UN)
Women, International Labour Organization(ILO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development(OECD), and representatives of the business community, civil society and academia.
G20 Ministerial conference on Women’s Empowerment:
The participants of the G20 Ministerial conference on Women’s Empowerment discussed 2 specific areas,
• STEM, financial and digital literacy, environment and sustainability
• Labour and economic empowerment and work-life balance.
The conference on women’s empowerment focuses on
• Access to better quality jobs for women.
• Policies to enhance women’s talents and skills.
• Increasing women’s representation in leadership.
• Definition and protection of women rights.
• Tackling gender-based violence.
The results of the discussions will be collected by the Italian Presidency and will be brought to the attention of the
G20 leaders ahead of the 2021 Rome Summit which will be held on 30-31 October 2021.
Gist of Smriti Irani’s Address:
i.Union Minister Smriti Irani reaffirmed India’s commitment to addressing gender and women-centric issues
through mutual cooperation.
ii.She also highlighted the various initiatives of the Indian government towards fostering gender equality,
ensuring better healthcare and strengthening women’s safety and security.
About Group of Twenty(G20):
2021 Presidency– Italy
Members– 20 (19 countries + European Union)
Established in 1999

INDEX
RANKING
Mumbai, Bangalore Ranked above 100 in QS Best Student Cities 2022
Mumbai, Maharashtra and Bangalore, Karnataka ranked above 100 in the ‘QS Best Student Cities
2022’ ranking of QS Quacquarelli Symonds, they became the only 2 cities to get ranked from India.
• Mumbai ranked as 52nd among the top 100 cities globally in the ‘employer activity’ indicator and
Bangalore, Karnataka ranked 42nd among the top-10 under the indicator of ‘affordable cities’ for students.
• QS Best Student Cities 2022 is the annual ranking used to provide an overview to international students for
the best places to live and study around the world based on the current students’ opinions on affordability,
quality of life, and the standard of University.
Overall QS – Best Student Cities 2022 Ranking:
Rank City
106 Mumbai
110 Bangalore
1 London (United Kingdom)
2 Munich (Germany)
3 Seoul (South Korea) and Tokyo (Japan)
About QS Quacquarelli Symonds:
Headquarters – United Kingdom
Founder and CEO – Nunzio Quacquarelli
India ranked 32nd in Finding Innovative Solutions to Combat COVID-19; US Tops: Startup Blink
Report
The 2nd Edition of the ‘COVID-19 Innovation report 2021’ released by Startup Blink in association
with Health Innovation Exchange & UN AIDS (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) has ranked India 32nd
(score 0.396) in the global coronavirus innovation rankings for countries. The US has topped the rankings,
followed by Israel & Canada.
i.The report ranks the 40 countries and 100 cities in the world based on Innovation solutions developed to
combat the pandemic.
ii.In the Cities Rankings, San Francisco Bay (US), New York (US) & Moscow (Russia) were ranked as the Top 3
cities.
• India has 2 cities – Bengaluru, Karnataka (49th Rank), New Delhi (55th) in the top 100 rankings.
iii.The 1st Edition of the report was released in June 2020, in which India was ranked 26th.
Top Coronavirus Innovation Countries
Rank Country Score
32 India 0.396
1 US 14.706
2 Israel 4.945
3 Canada 4.196
Top Coronavirus Innovation Cities
Rank City Score
1 San Francisco Bay, US 14.41
2 New York (US) 7.15

3 Moscow (Russia) 4.95

49 Bengaluru, Karnataka 0.71
55 New Delhi 0.63
Categories of Innovation
The innovations are segmented into different categories – Prevention, Diagnostics, Treatment, Grants and support
initiatives, information, life and business adaptation.
Notable Innovations from India
i.The number of innovations from India is lower compared to the US, UK and China.
• Some notable innovations from India are OneBreath for treatment (ventilator and medical
devices), CareMother for diagnostics (telehealth diagnostics) & Serum Institute of India (SII) for
prevention (vaccines).
• India’s strongest categories are Prevention, Diagnostics, and Treatment, with a total of 15 mapped
innovations.
Other Countries
i.Meanwhile, China has slipped to 15th Rank (from 13th Rank in 2020). It has 24 innovations (Sinopharm Vaccine
for prevention). 4 of its cities were featured in the Top 100.
ii.US which topped the rankings has 405 mapped COVID-19 related innovations. Most innovations are John
Hopkins University for Information (databases), Moderna and Johnson and Johnson for Prevention (vaccines).
iii.In the Asian-Pacific category, Singapore came first, followed by South Korea & Taiwan.
January 31, 2021, According to the ‘COVID Performance Index: Deconstructing Pandemic Responses’ released by
Lowy Institute, India was ranked at 86 out of 98 Countries on the basis of its response towards tackling the
Pandemic.
About Startup Blink
Founder & CEO – Eli David
About United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
Executive Director – Winnie Byanyima
India ranked 122nd in Global Youth Development Index 2020, Singapore tops: Commonwealth
Report
The Commonwealth Secretariat released its triennial rankings of Global Youth Development Index (YDI) 2020, it
measures the progress in 181 countries across 6 factors of youth development. In the country wise ranking, India
was ranked 122nd out of 181 countries. Singapore topped the Index for the 1st time, followed by Slovenia &
Norway.
• The rankings are based on 27 indicators across the 6 domains (over the period 2010-18) – Health and
Wellbeing, Education, Employment & Opportunity, Political & Civic participation, Peace & Security and
Equality & Inclusion.
• For the 1st time, levels of Peace & Security and Equality & Inclusion were included in the 2020 YDI. The last
edition was released in 2016 (India was ranked at 134th).
• It looks at 27 indicators to showcase the state of the world’s 1.8 billion people between the ages of 15 and 29.
Rank Country Overall Score
122 India 0.626
1 Singapore 0.875
2 Slovenia 0.866
3 Norway 0.862

Key findings of the Index
i.The 2020 YDI highlights that the global average youth Development Score improved by 3.1
percent between 2010 and 2018 period. 156 out of 181 countries recorded improvements in their scores.
• Global average improved in 5 out of 6 factors with the largest improvement in Health & Well being by 4.39
percent and the Political & Civic Participation was the only factor decreasing by 0.18 percent.
ii.The bottom 5 countries of YDI 2020 are Chad (181th), followed by Central African Republic (CAR),
Afghanistan, South Sudan and Niger.
iii. The top 5 Countries that improved their position from 2010 to 2018 were Afghanistan, India, Russia,
Ethiopia and Burkina Faso with their average score increasing by 15.74 percent.
• Largest fallers on the list were Syria, Ukraine, Libya, Yemen and Jordan with their average score decreasing
by 10.28 percent.
iv.Peace & Security improved by 3.41 percent resulting in less youth to get affected from direct
violence. Somalia recorded the largest gain in Peace & Security followed by Columbia, Srilanka, Eritrea and
Russia.
South Asia
South Asia recorded the largest improvement in its average youth development levels at 9.5 percent, followed
by Sub-Saharan Africa, Russia and Eurasia and South America
• The global Education score increased by 3%, with South Asia marking largest gains at 16% followed by
Sub-Saharan Africa at 10%.
About Commonwealth Secretariat
Headquarters – London, UK
Secretary General – Patricia Scotland
Dr Bibek Debroy releases Quality of Life for Elderly Index 2021

On August 11, 2021, Dr Bibek Debroy, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-
PM) released the Quality of Life for Elderly Index 2021 measuring the quality of life led by the elderly in India. It
has been created by the Institute for Competitiveness (IFC) at the request of EAC-PM.
• The report identifies the regional patterns of ageing across Indian States and assesses the overall well-being
of the ageing population in India.
Pillars of Index framework:
The index analyzed 45 different indicators across four key domains viz. Financial Well-being, Social Well-
being, Health System, and Income Security.
• There were 8 sub-pillars too i.e. Economic Empowerment, Educational Attainment & Employment, Social
Status, Physical Security, Basic Health, Psychological Well being, Social Security and Enabling Environment.
Key Highlights from the Report:
i.The index highlights the importance of investing in health, education and employment for young people in order
to improve the lives of the current and future generations of older people.
ii.Among the 4 domains, the domain of Health System observed the highest national average of 66.97, followed by
62.34 in Social Well-being, 44.7 in Financial Well-being, and 33.03 in Income Security.
• Notably, in Income Security pillar states have performed worse because over half of the states have a score
below the national average.
iii.The index also provided ‘Quality of Life for Elderly Scores’ in 4 categories viz. Aged states, Relatively Aged
States, Union Territory (UT), and North-East States.
• Rajasthan has topped the ranking of Aged states while Himachal Pradesh is top-scorer in Relatively Aged
States.
• The Aged States refer to States with an elderly population of more than 5 million, whereas Relatively Aged
States refer to States with an Elderly population of less than 5 million.
• Chandigarh and Mizoram are top-scoring regions in Union Territory (UT) and North-East States category,
respectively.

iv.Lowest scorers: Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) scored the lowest 46.16 among UTs. Arunachal Pradesh, among the
northeastern states, scored the lowest score with 39.28. In the aged states, Telangana scored the lowest with
38.19 and in relatively aged states categories Gujarat ranked last with a score of 49.
Table Sowing Category-wise Rankings of Quality of Life for Elderly Scores:
Overall Ranking States Scores
Aged States
1 Rajasthan 54.61
2 Maharashtra 53.31
3 Bihar 51.82
10 Telangana 38.19
Relatively Aged States
1 Himachal Pradesh 61.04
2 Uttarakhand 59.47
3 Haryana 58.16
10 Gujarat 49
North-Eastern States
1 Mizoram 59.79
2 Meghalaya 56
3 Manipur 55.71
8 Arunachal Pradesh 39.28
Union Territories
1 Chandigarh 63.78
2 Dadra and Nagar Haveli 58.58
3 Andaman & Nicobar Islands 55.54
8 Jammu and Kashmir 46.16
Need for Quality of Life for Elderly Index:
This index has been released to expand the understanding of needs and opportunities of the elderly population in
India. Mainly it acts as a diagnostic tool of ageing population. As it measures the core domains, it will help for
policymakers at national and state levels to identify areas that need improvement so that appropriate measures
can be taken.
• Also, it promotes healthy competition among States through fair rankings.
i.Madhya Pradesh with a score of 64.1 has been ranked 1st in the Anemia Mukt Bharat Index 2020-21. Odisha
(59.3) came 2nd followed by Himachal Pradesh (57.1) in the 3rd position.
ii.According to the ‘Ease of Living Index 2020’ released by Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) – Bengaluru
(Karnataka) with a score of 66.7 has been ranked as India’s most liveable capital city followed by Chennai, Tamil
Nadu at No. 2, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh at No. 3.
About Institute for Competitiveness (IFC):
India Headquarter– Gurugram, Haryana
Honorary Chairman– Professor Amit Kapoor
About Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM)
It is an independent body constituted to give advice on economic and related issues to the Government of India,
specifically to the Prime Minister.

Present Composition– Dr. Bibek Debroy (Chairman), Ratan P. Watal (Member Secretary), Dr. Sajjid Chinoy (Part-
Time Member), Dr. Anantha Nageswaran (Part-Time Member), Neelkanth Mishra (Part-Time Member) and Nilesh
Shah (Part-Time Member)
2021 Skytrax World Airport Awards – Delhi Airport ranked 45th, Doha Airport World’s Best
In the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2021 list, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport secured 45th
rank (from 50 in 2020 rankings), while Qatar’s Doha Hamad Airport topped the rankings. Delhi’s IGI has been
awarded as the ‘Best Airport in India & Central Asia‘ for the 3rd Consecutive time.
i.Three Other Indian Airports featured in the Top-100 list
• Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport – 64 (up from 71 in 2020).
• Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport – 65 (down 13 places from 52 in 2020).
• Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport – 71 (down three places from 68th rank in 2020).
ii.The Skytrax best Airports Awards are voted based on customer reviews. It is regarded as the quality benchmark
for the world airport industry.
Rank Airport
1 Doha’s Hamad International Airport, Qatar
2 Tokyo Haneda Airport, Japan
3 Changi Airport Singapore
45 Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport , Delhi
Other Key Accolades
i.Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has been awarded as the ‘Best Regional Airport in India and
Central Asia’.
• The airport also got the 3rd rank under the category of Cleanest Airport, 4th rank in Best Airport Staff, 6th
rank in Best Regional Airport in India and Central Asia.
ii.Delhi airport was awarded the ‘COVID-19 Airport Excellence Award’. IGI Airport is operated by Delhi
International Airport (DIAL), a public-private consortium led by GMR Group.
About Skytrax company
Skytrax is a United Kingdom based company. It publishes world airline rankings and reviews on its website.
CEO – Edward Plaisted
UP’s Ghaziabad 2nd Most Polluted City in 2020; China’s Hotan at 1st: HouseFresh Report
British company HouseFresh has released a report on the 50 ‘most polluted cities’ in the world in 2020 titled –
‘The World’s Best and Worst Towns and Cities for Clean Air’, in which, Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad ranked as
the 2nd most polluted city in the world in 2020.
• China’s Hotan city in Xinjiang province topped the list and was adjudged as the most polluted city.
• As per the report, India became the 3rd most polluted country. Bangladesh ranked as the most polluted
country across the world in 2020 followed by Pakistan, India and Mongolia.
• Out of the 50 most polluted cities of the world, 49 are in Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, and India.
Key Points:
i.HouseFresh has prepared the report of the world’s best and worst places for clean air in 2020 based on the
average Air Quality Index (AQI) of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 concentration in µg/m³ by collecting data from
Swiss air quality expert IQAir.
ii.List of Most Polluted Cities in 2020:
Rank City Name PM2.5 level
1 Hotan city in Xinjiang province, China 110.2 µg/m3
2 Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 106.6 µg/m3

3 Manikganj, Bangladesh 80.2µg/m3

iii.List of Cities with Cleanest air in 2020:
Rank City Name PM2.5 level
1 Tasmanian city of Judbury, Australia 2.4µg/m3
2 Kailua Kona in Hawaii, United States 2.6µg/m3
3 Muonio, Finland 2.8µg/m3
• Countries with less than 5 cities were not included in the list
Note – PM2.5 – It refers to particulate matter that has a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres and remains
suspended in the air for a longer time.
iv.The cause of pollution:
• Hotan – The air pollution of this city is mainly caused by local sandstorms. The city is near to
the Taklimakan Desert, the world’s largest shifting sand desert.
• Ghaziabad – The high level of air pollution of this city was mainly contributed by the vast traffic volume.
v.Report by IQAir:
i.Another report by IQAir placed 22 Indian cities including Bulandshahr, Bhiwandi, Noida, Greater Noida, Kanpur,
Lucknow, Delhi, Faridabad and Meerut in the top 30 most polluted cities list.
ii.It ranked North American tropical island city Kailua Kona, Hawaii, with a PM2.5 of 2.6µg/m3 as the cleanest
city.
As per the ‘2020 World Air Quality Report’ released by IQAir (Swiss Air Technology Company), India was the 3rd
Most Polluted Country in the World in 2020 after Bangladesh & Pakistan. Delhi was the most polluted Capital City
for the 3rd consecutive time; it was followed by Dhaka (Bangladesh) & Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).
About Uttar Pradesh:
Chief Minister – Yogi Adityanath
Wildlife Sanctuary – Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, Mahaveer Swami WL Sanctuary, Ranipur Wildlife Sanctuary
Zoological Park – Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Garden, Kanpur Zoological Park
India ranks second in terms of crypto adoption in the world:2021 Global Crypto Adoption Index
According to the 2nd Edition of Global Crypto Adoption Index 2021 released by Chainalysis, a crypto-analysis
firm, India with a score of 0.37 ranked 2nd out of 154 countries. Vietnam topped the index.
• It aims to provide an objective measure of which
countries have the highest level of Cryptocurrency
adoption.
• The index ranks countries based on 3 indicators such as
On-chain value received, On-chain retail value received
and Peer-to-Peer (P2P) exchange trade volume
• India improved to 2nd rank from 11th in the 2020
Global Crypto Adoption Index.
Ranking Country Index Score
1 Vietnam 1
2 India 0.37
3 Pakistan 0.36
Note: It is the preview of the Global Crypto Adoption Index 2021, the full report will be released in September
2021
Key findings of the report:
i.The worldwide Cryptocurrency adoption grew more than 880% from June 2020 to July 2021 with P2P
platforms driving cryptocurrency usage in emerging markets.

ii.Emerging Markets: Countries like Vietnam, Venezuela, Kenya and Nigeria rank high due to huge transaction
volumes on P2P platforms when adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) per capita & internet usage
population.
• Residents in Emerging markets buy cryptocurrency to preserve their savings from currency devaluation,
remittances, purchasing goods etc..
• Central and Southern Asia, Latin America and Africa use P2P platforms more than Western Europe and
Eastern Asia.
iii.China & US slips in rankings:
In the 2020 index, China ranked 4th and the United States (US) ranked 6th but they slipped to 13th and 8th
position respectively.
• The main reason is their rankings in P2P trade volume weighted for internet-usage population declined
drastically.
Recent Related News
In June 2021, El Salvador became the first country in the world to grant legal tender status to bitcoin. The use of
bitcoin as a legal tender will become law in 90 days. The use of bitcoin will be totally optional.
About Chainalysis
Chief Executive Officer – Michael Gronager
Headquarters – Newyork, United States of America
Shanghai Ranking’s ARWU 2021: IISc Bangalore Topped in India;Harvard University Topped
Globally
Shanghai Ranking Consultancy released Academic Ranking of World Universities(ARWU) 2021 ranking for
higher education Institutes. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore was selected as the best university
in the country and University of Calcutta secured 2nd rank.
• Globally, Harvard University Topped the ranking & followed by Stanford University, University of
Cambridge.
Key Points:
i.ARWU presents rankings of the world’s top 1000 research universities every year based on transparency and
objective third-party data.
ii.The rankings are based on the six objective indicators to rank world universities, including the number of
alumni and staff winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals, number of highly cited researchers selected by Clarivate
Analytics, number of articles published in journals of Nature and Science, number of articles indexed in Science
Citation Index – Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index, and per capita performance of a university.
Institute Rank
Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore 1st (401-500)
University of Calcutta 2nd (601-700)
GLOBAL RANKING
Harvard University 1st
Stanford University 2nd
University of Cambridge 3rd
About Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU):
Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) was first published in June 2003 by the Center for World-
Class Universities (CWCU), Graduate School of Education (formerly the Institute of Higher Education) of Shanghai
Jiao Tong University, China, and updated on an annual basis. Since 2009 the Academic Ranking of World
Universities (ARWU) has been published and copyrighted by Shanghai Ranking Consultancy.

India ranked 2nd in Cushman Global Manufacturing Risk Index 2021; China Tops
In accordance with the Cushman & Wakefield’s 2021 ‘Global Manufacturing Risk Index-Assessing Costs, Risks
and Conditions Impacting Manufacturing‘, India became the world’s second most desired manufacturing
destination globally surpassing the United States (US) which stood at 3rd place. The top position is retained by
China.
• In 2020 India was ranked 3rd while the US placed at 2nd.
• This improvement in India’s ranking shows its ease of working conditions and cost competitiveness which
grabbed the manufacturers’ interests as a preferred manufacturing hub.
About Global Manufacturing Risk Index:
Cushman & Wakefield’s 2021 Global Manufacturing Risk Index assesses the most advantageous locations for
global manufacturing among 47 countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. It provides guidance and data
on the following four important parameters which help in making optimal location decisions:
• Bounce Back: Projected ability to restart manufacturing operations as vaccines are rolled out and business
begins to return to normal
• Conditions: Business environment, including the availability of talent/labor and access to markets
• Costs: Operating costs including labor, electricity and real estate
• Risks: Political, economic and environmental
Key Points:
i.India evolved from an agrarian to a service-based economy.
ii.Though India ranking is good but it still has a long way to go in areas like managing the geopolitical risks.
iii.The main reason for rank swap within the US and India is plant relocations from China to different components
of Asia because of an already established base in pharma, chemical compounds and engineering sectors.
StartupBlink released the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2021, which ranks countries & cities depending on the
Startup Environment. In the country-wise ranking, India with a score of 8.833 was ranked 20th out of 100
countries. The United States (US) topped the index followed by the United Kingdom (UK) & Israel.
About Cushman & Wakefield:
Executive Chairman & CEO– Brett White
Managing Director India and South East Asia– Anshul Jain
Headquarter– Chicago, Illinois, United States
4thSafe Cities Index 2021: New Delhi & Mumbai named in 60 global cities; Copenhagen Tops
The Capital City and Financial Capital City of India i.e. New Delhi and Mumbai respectively have found place in
4th Safe Cities Index 2021 of 60 global cities, released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The index report is
titled as ‘Safe Cities Index 2021- New expectations demand a new coherence’.
• While New Delhi is placed at 48th position with 56.1 scores, the dream city Mumbai ranked at 50th with a
score of 54.4.
• The index has been topped by Denmark’s capital Copenhagen with 82.4 making it as the world’s safest city.
• Yangon (Myanmar) is at the bottom of the index with a score of 39.5, as least safe city.
Following table shows the World’s top 5 safe cities:
Rank City Country
48 New Delhi India
50 Mumbai India
1 Copenhagen Denmark
2 Toronto Canada
3 Singapore Singapore
4 Sydney Australia
5 Tokyo Japan

60 Yangon Myanmar
Key Points:
i.The cities are ranked based on 76 indicators of security across 5 broad pillars viz. Digital security, Health
security, Infrastructure security, Personal security, and Environmental security. Among these pillars following are
the rank of New Delhi and Mumbai:
• Digital security– New Delhi ranked 48th and Mumbai ranked at 53rd. It is topped by Sydney, Australia.
• Health Security– New Delhi placed at 40th and Mumbai at 44. It is topped by Tokyo.
• Infrastructure Security– New Delhi stood at 44th and Mumbai at 48th. It is topped by Hong Kong, China.
• Personal Security– New Delhi ranked at 41st and Mumbai at 50th. It is topped by Copenhagen.
• Environmental Security– New Delhi placed at 49th and Mumbai at 46th. It is topped by Wellington, New
Zealand.
ii.The cities are scored on a scale of 0 to 100 where scores between 0-25 indicates Low Safety; 25.1-50 (Medium
Safety); 50.1-75 (High Safety); and 75.1-100 (Very High Safety).
About the Safe Cities Index 2021:
Initially released in 2015, it is a biennial report from EIU, sponsored by NEC (formerly Nippon Electric Company)
Corporation of Tokyo, Japan. It is a benchmarking tool to measure global urban safety.
• Environmental security is the new addition in the security parameters list for 2021.
Click Here for Full Report
In accordance with the report by Colliers titled ‘Growth engines of innovation: How Asia Pacific’s technology hubs
are reshaping regional real estate’, Outer Ring road of Bengaluru (Karnataka) has been ranked 6th in the top 10
established technology submarkets in APAC (Asia Pacific) for companies to set up operations.
About Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
Managing Director– Robin Bew
Headquarter– London, United Kingdom (UK)
Niti Aayog releases 1st of its Kind NER District SDG Index & Dashboard 2021-22; East Sikkim tops
The 1st Edition of North Eastern Region (NER) District Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Index & Dashboard
2021-22 was released. The district of East Sikkim topped the rankings.
• It was prepared by Niti Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) & Ministry of Development of
North Eastern Region (M/DoNER) with the support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• Objective: It aims to rank the 103 districts of 8 NER states based on their relative performance across 15
SDGs (Goal 14 -Life below Water & Goal – 17-partnerships to achieve the goals are excluded)
• The score ranges from O (bottom) to 100 (top).Each district is categorised into one of the four categories of
Aspirant (score of 0-49), Performer (50-64), Front Runner (65-99) and Achiever (100).
Rank District State
1 East Sikkim Sikkim
2 Gomati Tripura
2 North Tripura Tripura
4 Serchhip Mizoram
5 South Sikkim Sikkim
103 Kiphire Nagaland
Key findings of the Report
i.The report ranks 103 districts out of 120 districts in the NER, in which 64 districts belonged to the Front
Runner category & 39 districts were in the Performer category, there are no districts in the Aspirant or Achiever
categories.
ii.All districts in Sikkim and Tripura fall in the Front Runner category.

iii.The score for the 103 districts ranges from 53.00 in Kiphire (Nagaland) to 75.87 in East Sikkim (Sikkim).
iv.In SDG Goal 15: Life on Land, NER has shown excellent performance with 12 districts in the Achievers
category and 86 districts in the category of Front Runners.
v.SDG Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: more than 75 % of the districts are in the Front Runner category
vi.The NER District SDG Index follows the same methodology as the SDG India Index to meet the target of SDG
2030.
Click here to view full report
Recent Related News
In July 2021, PVSLN Murty was appointed as the Chairman and ManagingDirector(CMD) of North Eastern
Development FinanceCorporation Limited (NEDFi). His predecessor was Paul Muktieh.
About Niti Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India)
Founded in January 1st, 2015
Chairman – Prime Minister of India (Currently – Narendra Modi)
Vice Chairman – Rajiv Kumar
About Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (M/DoNER)
Union Minister – G.Kishan Reddy (Secunderabad, Telangana)
Minister of State (MoS)– B.L.Verma (Rajya Sabha, Uttar Pradesh)
India Ranks 6th in the Global DeFi Adoption Index; US tops

The 1st Edition of the Global DeFi (Decentralised Finance) Adoption Index was released by Chainalysis.
• India ranked 6th place out of 154 countries. The United States topped the ranking followed by Vietnam
(2nd) & Thailand (3rd) respectively.
• Objective: It is designed to highlight countries with the highest grassroots adoption by individuals, rather
than those sending the largest raw values of funds.
• The index ranks 154 countries in 3 indicators namely On-chain DeFi value received, On-chain number of
DeFi deposits & On-chain retail DeFi value received.
• The countries are ranked based on the score from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest)
DeFi (Decentralised Finance)
i.It is a blockchain-based form of finance that does not
rely on central financial intermediaries such as brokerages,
exchanges, or banks to offer traditional financial
instruments, and instead utilizes smart contracts on
blockchains, the most common being Ethereum.
ii.Popular types of DeFi protocols include decentralized
exchanges and lending platforms.
Rank Country Score
6 India 0.59
1 United States 1
2 Vietnam 0.82
3 Thailand 0.68
4 China 0.62
5 United Kingdom 0.6
i.DeFi adoption is strongest in high-income countries or countries that already had substantial cryptocurrency
usage, especially amongst traders and institutional investors.
• Countries like the United States, China, Vietnam, the UK, and several other Western European countries
are exemplifying these trends.

ii.Large transactions: The data shows that large transactions make up a much bigger share of DeFi activity,
suggesting that DeFi is mostly popular among bigger investors.
• Large institutional transactions, those above $10 million, accounted for over 60% of DeFi transactions in Q2
2021 compared with under 50% for all cryptocurrency transactions.
iii.Countries that have historically accounted for the most professional and institutional-sized cryptocurrency
transactions are also driving the most DeFi activity.
Recent Related News
In August 2021, the 2nd Edition of Global Crypto Adoption Index 2021 was released by Chainalysis, India ranked
2nd out of 154 counties with a score of 0.37. Vietnam topped the rankings.
About Chainalysis
Chief Executive Officer – Michael Gronager
Headquarters – New York, United States of America
REPORTS
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar releases Report on Power distribution sector
NITI Aayog’s (National Institute for Transforming India) Vice chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar released a Report on the
Power Distribution Sector titled ‘Turning around the Power Distribution Sector- Learnings and Best Practices
from Reforms’.
• The report is co-authored by NITI Aayog, RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute), and RMI India.
• The report provides ways to transform India’s Power distribution sector.
Key findings of the Report
i.Distribution Sector has been one of the major weak points of India’s Power sector.
• Most of the power Distribution Companies (DISCOMS) incur losses every year, the total losses were
estimated to be around INR90,000 crore in FY 21.
• Due to the losses Discoms were unable to pay the power generators on time and an amount of INR 67,917
crore was overdue as of March 2021.
• The losses of Discoms declined from a peak of Rs 76,878 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 33,596 crore in 2017-18.
However, losses increased sharply in 2018-19.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown have further dented the finances of the Discoms.
ii.In Delhi, Post privatisation of Power Distribution Companies, the Aggregate Technical & Commercial
losses (AT&C) have reduced from 55% in 2002 to about 9% in 2019.
Fact – India has set a Target of building 450 GW of Renewable Energy capacity by 2030.
Recommendations
The report proposes recommendations like Greater autonomy for state-owned Discoms, increasing competition,
Encouraging Public Private Partnerships (PPP) model, increasing collection and Billing efficiency and others to
strengthen the Discoms.
Government Schemes to help Discoms
A series of Schemes such as Ujjwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY), DeenDayalUpadhyaya Gram JyotiYojana
(DDUGJY), and Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) to upgrade the distribution infrastructure & help
Discoms to improve their finances.
March 10, 2021, NITI Aayog along with RMI India released the ‘Mobilising Finance for EVs in India: A Toolkit of
Solutions to Mitigate Risks and Address Market Barriers’ report.
About NITI Aayog
It was established on January 1, 2015.
Chairperson – Prime Minister of India (Narendra Modi)
Vice-Chairman– Dr. Rajiv Kumar
Headquarters-New Delhi

About RMI (Rocky Mountain Institute)
An Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) established in 1982.
CEO – Jules Kortenhorst
Headquarters – Colorado, USA
NSO Survey: Unemployment Rate Rose to 13.3% in Q2 FY21

In August 2021, the National Statistical Office (NSO) released the 8th Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) –
Quarterly Bulletin for the Q2 FY21 (July 2020 – September 2020).
• As per the PLFS, the Jobless/Unemployment rate (UR) in urban areas in Current Weekly Status (CWS)
increased to 13.3 percent in Q2 FY21 when compared to 8.4 percent in Q2 FY20 (July 2019 – September,
2019).
NSO’s PLFS:
i.The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) was launched by NSO in April 2017 to provide estimated quarterly
data regarding the labour force.
ii.Indicators of PLFS – Quarterly Bulletin include – Worker population ratio (WPR), Labour Force Participation
Rate (LFPR), Unemployment Rate (UR), Distribution of workers by broad status in employment and industry of
work in the Current Weekly Status (CWS).
iii.PLFS – Quarterly Bulletin Comparison:
Survey Period
Indicators Q2 FY21 Q2 FY20
LFPR (% of the population in the labour force) 37 % 36.8 %
WPR 32.1 % 33.7 %
UR 13.3 % 8.4 %
iv.UR:
• It is the percentage of unemployed persons in the labour force. The estimation of UR in CWS represents the
unemployment during the survey period i.e. the reference week in CWS – 7 days.
• As per the CWS approach survey, a person will be considered unemployed if he/she did not work even for 1
hour during the 7 days but sought or was available for work at least for 1 hour during the same period.
v.Labour Force: It is the part of the population that supplies/offer to supply labour for pursuing economic
activities for the production of goods and services, it includes both ‘employed’ and ‘unemployed’ persons.
About National Statistical Office (NSO):
i.It is the Statistics Wing of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, and has the Central
Statistical Office (CSO), the Computer centre, and the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).
ii.It acts as a nodal agency for development of the statistical system in India. It creates and maintains the norms
and standards in the field of statistics.
About Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation:
Minister of State (Independent Charge) – Rao Inderjit Singh (Constituency – Gurgaon, Haryana)
IPCC’s AR6 Climate Change 2021 Report: UN Reported ‘Code Red’ Warning
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Climate Change
2021: The Physical Science Basis by the Working Group I was released. It addresses the most up-to-date physical
understanding of the climate system, climate science, etc.
• United Nations(UN) secretary-general Antonio Guterres called the report ‘a code red for humanity’.
• The report states that if the emissions decline slowly, the temperature rise of 2°C, the limit set by the Paris
Agreement will be breached by 2060.
Key points of the Report:
i.The report gave 5 scenarios for the future based on carbon emissions, as per it, the world will cross the 1.5° C
warming mark in the 2030s, earlier than past predictions. If emissions are slashed in the next decade, average

temperatures could still be up 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2040 and possibly 1.6 degrees Celsius by 2060 before
stabilizing.
ii.As per the report’s data, the Earth’s temperature in a decade will be higher than the past level of warming that
world leaders have sought to prevent.
iii.The report predicted warmer forecasts for the 21st century (near-term (2021–2040), mid-term (2041–2060)
and long-term (2081–2100)) than the earlier predictions.
iv.Under the very high emission scenario with little action, temperatures are likely to rise by up to 5.7°C by the
year 2100.
v.The land will continue to warm ~1.5 times more than the surface of the water, and that the Arctic will warm at
twice the rate of global temperature rise.
vi.The kind of heatwave that used to happen only once every 50 years now happens once a decade, and if the
world warms another degree Celsius, it will happen twice every seven years.
vii.The world could be around 3.3° C hotter than now by the end of the 21st century.
viii.The report also stated worsening cases of sea-level rise, shrinking ice, heat waves, droughts, floods, Stronger
Tropical cyclones, etc.
ix.Land and ocean have taken up a near-constant proportion (globally about 56% per year) of CO2 emissions
from human activities over the past six decades.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the World Environment Day event virtually on June 5, 2021, jointly
organized by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas(MoPNG), and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and
Climate Change Event’s Theme: ‘promotion of biofuels for a better environment’.
About Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):
• It is a group put together by the United Nations (UN), comprising over 234 scientists from 66 nations.
• The team of scientists worked together to evaluate over 14,000 research papers over the past five years,
culminating in AR6, which is the first of a three-part report.
Establishment – 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP)
Chair – Hoesung Lee
2021 Census to be India’s 1st-ever digital Census: MHA

Minister of State for Home Affairs (MHA) Nityanand Rai stated in the Parliament that the 16th Indian Census (to
be undertaken in 2021) will be India’s 1st-ever Digital Census.
• Data for the Census 2021 will be collected through mobile Apps and will be uploaded on the portal directly.
Due to the COVID-19, Census 2021 would be delayed.
• Government of India conducts Census every 10 years. The Last Census was conducted in 2011.
Highlights of 2021 Census
i.It will be conducted in 18 languages out of 22 Languages (mentioned under 8th schedule of the Indian
Constitution) and English. The 2011 Census was conducted only in 16 languages.
• No document will be required by the citizens to be shown as a proof. It will also have provisions for Self-
enumeration.
• For the 1st time the information of household headed by transgender community will be collected as a new
category under Third Gender.
• The Data will be made available by 2024-25.
ii.During the Union Budget 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated INR 3,768 Crore for the
2021 Census.
Historical background: Census of India
The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India (RGCCI) under MHA has been conducting
the Census of India since 1949.
• The first synchronous census in India was held in 1881 by W.C.Plowden, Census Commissioner of India.
Since then it has been undertaken every 10 years.

• The first census of Independent India was conducted in 1951.
• Censuses are conducted under Census of India Act,1948.
About Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGCCI)
Registrar General and Census Commissioner – Vivek Joshi
1st Census Commissioner of India – W. W. Plowden
Established – 1961
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Presided the Release of GYTS-4 India 2019
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya presided over the release of National Fact
Sheet Global Youth Tobacco Survey – 4th round (GYTS-4), India, 2019.
• Objective: The survey was formed to provide awareness about tobacco and receptivity to tobacco
marketing. It also includes data on tobacco use, second-hand smoke, access and availability, exposure to anti-
tobacco.
• Age of Initiation of Tobacco: 38 percent of cigarette smokers, 47 percent of bidi smokers and 52 percent of
smokeless tobacco users initiated the use before their age of 10.
Current use of Tobacco:
• The average current tobacco usage percent among students of India 13-15 years was about 8.5 percent
The States/Union Territory (UT) wise current Tobacco usage among students:
Category State Tobacco Usage %
Arunachal Pradesh 57.90%
Highest Mizoram 57.90%
Himachal Pradesh 1.10%
Lowest Karnataka 1.20%
About the Survey:
i.GYTS survey was formed by India from 2003 (3 years once) after the enactment of Cigarettes and Other Tobacco
Products Act (COTPA) 2003 and ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to
mitigate the problems caused by tobacco.
ii.The GYTS-4 was conducted in 2019 by the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) under the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• The first 3 rounds of GYTS were conducted in 2003, 2006 and 2009.
iii.It provides national estimates of tobacco use among school going children aged 13-15 years (studying in
grades 8 to10) at the state level and Union Territory (UT) by sex, location of school (rural-urban), and
management of school (public-private).
Key Facts of the Report:
a.Tobacco usage:
i.The prevalence of tobacco usage was at 9.6 percent among boys and at 7.4 percent among girls.
• Use of tobacco (any form) was higher among boys than girls.
ii.The prevalence of smoking and smokeless tobacco were about 7.3 percent and 4.1 percent.
iii.The use of e-cigarette among the students was being at 2.8 percent
iv.Nearly 1/5th of the students aged 13-15 years used any form of the tobacco product (smoking, smokeless, and
any other form) in their life.
v.Declined Current usage: The current usage of tobacco (during last 30 days) was 8.5 percent. It was declined
by 42 percent from the last two surveys.
b.Cessation: 27 percent of current users of smokeless tobacco tried to quit using it.
c.Second-hand smoke: 29.5 percent of the students were exposed to second-hand smoke.
d.School Policy: Under the survey, 85 percent of school heads were aware of COTPA, 2003 and 83 percent of
schools were aware of the policy to display ‘tobacco-free school’ board.

e.Access & availability
• 69% of current cigarette smokers and 78% of current bidi smokers bought cigarettes/bidis from a store,
paan shop, street vendor or vending machine.
• Among the current smokers who bought cigarette/bidi, 45% of cigarette smokers and 47% of bidi smokers
were not refused because of their age.
f.Media and anti-tobacco messages
• 52% of students noticed anti-tobacco messages in the mass media.
• 18% of students noticed tobacco advertisements or promotions when visiting points of sale.
g.Knowledge & attitudes
• 71% of students thought other people’s cigarette smoking is harmful to them.
• 58% of students favoured ban on smoking inside enclosed public places
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has awarded Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan with ‘WHO Director-
General Special Award’ for his accomplishments in the area of tobacco control.
About International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS):
Chairperson – Rajesh Bhushan
About Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW):
Union Minister – Mansukh Mandaviya (Constituency – Gujarat)
Minister of State – Bharati Pravin Pawar (Constituency – Dindori, Maharashtra)
Pollution Control Boards of Odisha & Telangana ranked 1st in Transparency: CSE Report
The State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) of Odisha and Telangana have been ranked 1st in The Transparency
Index:Rating of Pollution Control Boards on Public Disclosure report released by Centre for Science and
Environment (CSE), a Delhi based non-profit Organisation.
• The report aims to encourage SPCBs/PCCs to disclose their information in the public domain.
• It is based on 25 indicators of the data disclosure performance of 29 SPCBs and 6 Pollution Control
Commitee’s (PCCs) from across India during the period of 2016-2021.
• Only 17 SPCBs and PCCs have scored 50% or above in Transparency. They are Odisha, Telangana, Tamil
Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Goa, Karnataka, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu &
Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Rank List Of SPCB (%) of Transparency
1 Odisha State Pollution Control Board 67
1 Telangana State Pollution Control Board 67
2 Tamil Nadu State Pollution Control Board 65.5
3 Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board 64
i.Limited data on Current Pollution levels- Data indicating the current pollution levels like air pollutants, waste
etc are missing.
• Only 19 SPCBs/PCCs are displaying their Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS) data
• Laxity in sharing information on Solid Waste: 14 SPCBs/PCCs do not share any information on municipal
waste generation; 11 on plastic waste generation; 10 on hazardous waste; and 9 on e-waste.
ii.Details from public hearings provided only by 9 SPCBs/PCCs.
iii.Only 12 states have shared their latest annual report on their websites: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim,
Tripura , West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
iv.Inspection & compliance reports: In the annual reports, only Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil
Nadu and West Bengal have shared information on the inspection conducted by the pollution control boards.

• Haryana and Karnataka are the only places to have shared information on compliance status of industries
in their reports.
Recent Related News
In June 2021, the State of India’s Environment Report, 2021, was released by the Centre for Science
andEnvironment (CSE), India’s rank has dropped by 2 places from last year’s 115 to 117 on the 17
SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs).
About Centre for Science & Environment (CSE)
Director General – Sunita Narain
NCPCR Released Report on Minority Schools of India; Recommended to Include Minority under
RTE
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) conducted a nationwide assessment of minority
schools and released a report titled ‘Impact of Exemption under Article 15 (5) with regards to Article 21A of the
Constitution of India on Education of Minority Communities’.
• Objective: To study the impact of Article 15(5) and Article 21A of the Constitution of India regarding the
exemption of minority schools and education of minority communities’ children.
• National Commission for Minorities (NCM) under the NCM Act, 1992 has notified Muslims, Christians,
Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis), Jains as the Minority Communities of India.
Key analysis of the Report:
i.The report by NCPCR gave an analysis of 23,487 minority schools across India. As per the report, 62.50
percent of students in minority schools belong to non-minority communities.
ii.Only 8.76 percent of total students in minority schools belong to socially and economically disadvantaged
backgrounds.
iii.The minority schools have only 7.95 percent of the minority children population in the states.
iv.Community based Report:
Community Minority Population Share % Minority School Share %
Muslim 69.18% 22.75%
Christian 11.54% 71.96%
Sikh 9.78% 1.54%
Buddhist 3.83% 0.48%
Jain 1.90% 1.56%
v.The Muslim community:
i.It is India’s 2nd largest denomination community after Hindus and it accounts for 13.43 percent of the Indian
population.
ii.The schools run by the Muslim community have more than 75 percent of the student population belonging to
the Muslim community.
iii.This community has the largest number of out-of-school children of about 1.1 crores.
Note – Institutions that are providing education to children (in the age group of 6-14 years) from the Muslim
community are Maktabs and Madrasas.
Some of the Recommendations of the Report:
i.The NCPCR committee has recommended undertaking a survey to identify the number of out-of-school children
and unrecognised minority institutions.
ii.It insisted on the need to extend the provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act to minority educational
institutions.
• It recommended to the government to bring all minority schools, including madrasas, under the purview of
the RTE and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan campaign.
iii.Recommended to make regulations to maintain the proportion of the number of minority schools with the
minority population. Click here to know more

Articles Involved:
i.In 2002, the 86th Amendment to the Constitution of India provided the RTE as a fundamental right in Part III of
the Constitution and inserted Article 21A to make RTE for children between 6-14 years.
ii.Article 21A: In 2009, Article 21A was operationalised with the RTE Act to provide free and compulsory
education to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years as a Fundamental Right.
• RTE Act mandates a 25 percent reservation of seats in unaided schools for admission of children from
economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups.
iii.Article 15 (5): In 2006, the 93rd Constitution Amendment Act inserted Clause (5) in Article 15 and
empowered the State to form any policy (such as reservation) for the upliftment of the socially backward class
(like Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) in all aided and unaided educational institutes, except minority
educational institutes.
• Due to the exemption of minority institutes (after amendment), this article becomes inapplicable for them.
• They were also deprived of the Fundamental Right and provisions guaranteed under the RTE Act, 2009.
iv.Article 30 (1): It provides the right to all minorities to establish and administer educational institutions
of their choice.
Note – The Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 18 years of age group.
According to the ‘Annual report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC)’ released by the
office of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG CAAC)-
More than 19,300 boys and girls were affected by war in 2020 were victims of grave violations like abduction,
recruitment or sexual violence.
About National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR):
It is a statutory body under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 under the
administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development.
Establishment -2007
Chairperson – Priyank Kanoongo
60th PE Survey FY20: Net Profit of CPSEs Decreased by 20% to Rs 1.38 Lakh Crore
In August 2021, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), Ministry of Finance, released the 60th Public
Enterprises (PE) Survey 2019-20 report. As per the report, the net profit of Central Public Sector Enterprises
(CPSEs) in FY20 decreased by 20 percent from Rs 1.74 lakh crore in FY19 to around Rs 1.38 lakh crore.
• The decrease in profit was mainly due to the fall in profits in the petroleum sector.
Highlights of the Report on CPSEs:
Indicators FY20
Profit (of 171 profit-making CPSEs) Rs 1,38,112 crore
Loss (of 84 loss-making CPSEs) Rs 44,817 crore
Total Paid-up Capital Rs 3,10,737 crore
Reserves and Surplus Rs 9,57,579 crore
Net Worth Rs 12,35,706 crore
About the PE Survey:
i.The PE Survey is an annual survey provided by DPE. It divides CPSEs into 5 sectors viz, Agriculture; Mining &
Exploration; Manufacturing, Processing & Generation; Services; and Enterprises Under Construction.
ii.DPE is the nodal agency for all CPSEs. The number of CPSEs in FY20 was increased to 366 from 348 in FY19.
iii.CPSE’s: It includes the enterprises in which the Government of India holds more than 50 percent equity.
• The subsidiaries of CPSEs that are registered in India will also be categorised as CPSEs (only if the CPSE has
more than 50 percent equity stake in it).
• Departmentally run public enterprises, banking institutions and insurance companies are excluded from
CPSE.

iv.The PE survey was initiated from FY 1960-61 on the recommendations of the estimates committee.
Note – As per National Accounts Statistics 2021, the National Gross Value Added (GVA) at current prices is
estimated at Rs 184.6 lakh crore in FY20.
Minister of State – Pankaj Chaudhary (Constituency – Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh), Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad
32% of India’s coastline underwent erosion in 28 years, West Bengal worst affected: NCCR
Report
In accordance with the recent technical report by the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) under the
Ministry of Earth Sciences, 32% of India’s coastline underwent sea erosion and 27% of it expanded in a time span
of 28 years i.e. between 1990 and 2018.
• India’s coastline is 6,631.53 kilometres long in which 2,135.65 kilometres faced erosion and 1,760.06 km
expanded during this period. About 2,700 km of the coastline is stable.
• This information was provided by Parshottam Khodabhai Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal,
Husbandry and Dairying in response to a question in the Lok Sabha.
Sea Erosion of coastline:
The coastline of West Bengal is the most affected as 60% of it underwent erosion during these 28 years.
• It is followed by Puducherry (56%); Kerala (41%); Tamil Nadu (41%); Andhra Pradesh (28%); Gujarat
including Daman and Diu (26%); Odisha (26%); Karnataka (24%); Maharashtra (22%); and Goa (19%).
Coast Expansion:
The maximum expansion was seen in the coastline of Odisha with 51%.
• It is followed by the coast of Andhra Pradesh (48%); Karnataka (26%); West Bengal (25%); Tamil Nadu
(22%); Kerala (21%); Gujarat including Daman and Diu (20%); Goa(14%); Maharashtra (10%) and
Puducherry (8%).
Key Points:
i.The NCCR monitors shoreline changes along the Indian coast. It carried out a national shoreline change
assessment mapping for Indian coast covering nine coastal states and two Union territories (UT) to provide
information for coastal management strategy.
ii.The National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) under the Ministry of Environment, Forests
and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the Central Water Commission under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti also
undertake studies on shoreline changes and their impact.
India Could Contribute USD 500 billion to The Global Economy by 2030; WEF- Kearney Report
Kearney in association with WEF(World Economic Forum) released a report titled, ‘Shifting Global Value
Chains: the India Opportunity’ states that Coordinated action between the government and the private sector
can help create globally competitive manufacturing companies in the country.
• The report said India’s manufacturing sector exports can help drive more than USD 500 billion in annual
economic impact for the global economy by 2030.
About the report–
The report discussed manufacturer and supply chains in India.
Key points
• Manufacturing sector’s share towards India’s GDP in 2030 could potentially reach 19-20%.
• The $500 billion estimate is based on India’s real GDP of $2.869 trillion in 2019, a GDP forecast for 2030 of
between $8 and $9 trillion despite the pandemic. Therefore the estimated growth rate of approximately 10%
and share of India’s Manufacturing sector to GDP would be around 14-16%.
• The report highlighted some possible pathways for India to realise its manufacturing potential- such as
i.Coordination between government and private sector to create globally competitive manufacturing companies
ii.Focus on building capabilities through workforce skilling, innovation, quality, and sustainability

iii.Reducing trade barriers to enable competitive global market access for Indian manufacturers
iv.Reduce cost compliance and establish manufacturing capacities
v.Focusing infrastructure development on cost savings, speed, and flexibility
• Focus should be on infrastructure building.
The report highlighted, India has Potential and assets in the field of domestic demands, demographic advantage
with large working population and government support to encourage manufacturing in a unique posting.
About World Economic Forum (WEF)
Founder and Executive Chairman– Klaus Schwab
Headquarters – Cologny, Switzerland
India can achieve $11tn Economic Gain for Timely Action on Climate Change: Deloitte Economics
Institute Report
In accordance with the report titled ‘India’s turning point: How climate action can drive our economic
future’ by Deloitte Economics Institute, India needs an action on climate change that could pave a way for $11
trillion economic gain, meanwhile, preventing a loss of $35 trillion over the next 50 years due to unmitigated
climate change.
Key Points:
i.As per the report, there is a window time of 10 years which can be used by India as an opportunity to tackle the
impacts of climate change. This can fetch a fruitful result of limiting rising average global temperatures to
around 1.5°C by 2050.
• On the other hand, if no action is taken, the average global temperatures could rise by 3°C or more by the
end of this century which will make it harder for people to live and work as there will be sea levels rise, fall
of crop yields, damaged infrastructure, among others.
ii.In order to achieve the target of the US$5 Trillion economy by India, a sustainable economic growth is required
which cannot be attained just by foreign and domestic investments but also through climate action. Following are
the forecast by the report which shows how economic growth of industries will be affected by climate change
impact:
• Over the next 50 years, the top 5 most impacted industries in terms of economic activity due to climate
are services (government and private); manufacturing, retail and tourism; construction; and transport
which currently account for more than 80 percent of India’s GDP (Gross Domestic product).
• By 2070, these five industries alone will experience an annual loss in the value added to GDP of more than
US$1.5 trillion per year.
4 Key stages set by report for India
The report has sets out following four key stages for India’s climate transition which will led to a GDP growth
of 8.5% in 2070:
i.Now and 2030– Government and businesses start acting on climate change so that the economy starts to
decarbonize between now and 2030.
ii.From 2030 to 2040– Reduce carbon emissions by tackling how energy is produced and consumed.
iii.2040 to 2055– This will be a turning point. By this period, the process of decarbonising high-emission
industries would be almost complete, the cost of green solutions would start to fall, and wider net economic gains
would begin to emerge.
iv.After 2055– Indian economy would be producing near-zero emissions.
The ‘OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2021-2030’ report released by OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development) & UN’s FAO (Food & Agriculture Organization) states that the prices of Food
commodities are set to become cheaper in 2021-30 and the global targets on reducing hunger and CO2 emissions
are unlikely to be met under current policies.

About Deloitte:
It is a leading global provider of audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax, and related
services.
Global Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Punit Renjen
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Cyrus Poonawalla to receive Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2021
Dr. Cyrus Poonawalla, Founder and Chairman of the Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune has been selected for
Lokmanya Tilak National Award, 2021.
i.Poonawalla will be honoured for his work during the
COVID-19 pandemic by manufacturing Covishield vaccine
and thereby saving many lives.
ii.Under his leadership, Covishield vaccines were produced
on a larger scale at affordable prices in a record period of
time.
iii.Currently, SII is the World’s Largest Vaccine
Manufacturer by the number of doses produced and sold
globally.
Lokmanya Tilak National Award
i.It is awarded annually since 1983 by Lokmanya Tilak Trust. The award is given on August 1st, the death
anniversary of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak. In 2021, due to a pandemic it will be given on August 13.
ii.The award includes a cash prize of Rs 1 Lakh and a memento. Several prominent personalities from different
walks of life were the recipients of this award.
iii.Lokmanya Tilak National Award-2020 was awarded to Sonam Wangchuk, a renowned Education reformist.
About Serum Institute of India (SII)
CEO – Adar Poonawalla
Headquarters – Pune
About Lokmanya Tilak Trust
President – Deepak Tilak
19-Year Old Pakistan Climber becomes the Youngest to reach the Summit of K2
Shehroze Kashif, a 19-year old from Lahore, Pakistan became the Youngest person in the world to reach the
summit of K2 (8,611 metres or 28,251 ft) in Karakoram range on the border of Pakistan and China.
• In May 2021, Kashif became the Youngest Pakistani to scale Mount Everest (8,849 metres), the highest peak
in the world.
• Pakistan, Nepal, and China are home to the 14 highest peaks in the world, also known as the 8,000ers.
DBS Honoured as Winner for Most Innovative in Digital Banking: The Banker
The Banker, the Financial Times publication has honoured DBS Bank, a Singapore based financial service group,
as the Global and Asia-Pacific winner for the Most Innovative in Digital Banking, at its Innovation in Digital
Banking Awards 2021.
• The winners of the awards were announced by Joy Macknight, Editor of ‘The Banker’.
• The DBS has also won an award under the Cyber Security category for its Secure Access and Remote
Working Solutions.
About Innovation in Digital Banking Awards:
i.Innovation in Digital Banking Awards recognises the innovative banks across the globe for their digital banking
initiatives, strategy and overall commitment of DBS towards digital transformation.

ii.The Banker’s Technology Projects of the Year awards was renamed as the Innovation in Digital Banking Awards
in 2020.
Innovations of DBS:
• DBS Digital Exchange, a blockchain-based ecosystem for fundraising through asset tokenization and
secondary trading of digital assets such as cryptocurrencies.
• NAV Planner, a feature-rich digital advisory solution powered by around 100 Artificial Intelligence (AI)
models.
• Covid contact-tracing solution using machine learning.
Other honours of DBS:
i.At the Regional Awards for Excellence 2021, Euromoney, a leading financial publication, has named DBS
as Asia’s Best Bank and Asia’s Best Digital Bank for the 4th time
ii.Euromoney has also named DBS as the Best Bank and Best Investment Bank in Singapore.
iii.Global Finance has honoured DBS as the “Safest Bank in Asia” for 12 consecutive years from 2009 to 2020.
DBS, a leading financial services group headquartered in Singapore, tops the Forbes list of the World’s Best Banks
2021 in India. DBS ranked number 1 out of the 30 domestic and international banks in India for the 2nd
consecutive year. This is the 3rd edition of the World’s Best Banks’ list by Forbes.
• The DBS has also topped the World’s Best Banks 2021 in Indonesia and has secured the 2nd rank under
Singapore category and 10th under Taiwan category.
About DBS Bank:
DBS Bank was formerly known as “The Development Bank of Singapore Limited”
CEO– Piyush Gupta
Headquarters– Singapore
Fortune Global 500 list 2021-Mukesh Ambani’s RIL Slips 59 places & Ranked 155th;Walmart
Tops
MukeshAmbani’s oil-to-telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) slipped 59 places to
rank 155th (due to COVID-19) on the 2021 Fortune Global 500 list, this is the lowest ranking of RIL since 2017.
• Reliance’s revenue fell by 25.3 percent due to rise in oil prices in the second quarter of 2020.
2021 Fortune Global List:
Rank Name Revenues ($M)
155 Reliance Industries Ltd $62,912.10
State Bank of India (SBI)
205 (Improved by 16 places) $51,919.40
212 Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) $50,433
1 Walmart $523,964
2 State Grid $383,906
3 Amazon $280,522
About Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL)
CMD – Mukesh D. Ambani
Indian Visual Artist & Illustrator Anand Radhakrishnan Won the 2021 Eisner Award
Mumbai based Indian Visual Artist & Illustrator Anand Radhakrishnan (Anand RK) has won the 2021 Eisner
Award for Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art). He shared the award with UK based colourist John
Pearson for “Blue in Green”, a graphic novel authored by Ram V.
• The award was presented at the virtual ceremony of the 33rd Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards,
sponsored by comiXology.

• Eisner Award, named after graphic novel legend Will Eisner is known as the “Oscar of the comic field”. The
awards are presented in 32 categories.
The Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award was presented to Mike and Christine Mignola.
Sai Life Sciences bags Golden Peacock National Training Award 2021
The Sai Life Sciences Ltd located in Hyderabad, Telangana conferred with Golden Peacock National Training
Award 2021 in the pharmaceutical category. This is the second consecutive Golden Peacock Award for the
company following the Golden Peacock National Quality Award 2020.
• It is one of India’s fastest growing Contract Research, Development & Manufacturing Organizations
(CRDMOs).
Key Points:
i.Earlier this year the company won two awards at the US (United States)-based Association for Talent
Development- Excellence in Practice (ATD-EIP) awards 2021 in categories of ‘Learning
Technologies’ and ‘Change Management’.
iii.The company is also an awardee of the 21st National Award for Excellence in Energy Management 2020 by CII
(Confederation of Indian Industry)- Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, and a 5-Star rating for Excellence in
EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) at the CII South awards 2019.
ii.The company has provided training for 100 unique roles across the organization covering quality, technical,
safety, soft skills and more.
iv.Over the past three years, the company has invested US$100M to expand and upgrade its R&D (research and
development), manufacturing facilities and also raised the bar for safety, quality and customer focus.
About Golden Peacock Awards:
These are the annual awards for corporate excellence in India organized under the aegis of the Institute of
Directors, India.
• For 2021, a grand jury of the awards was chaired by Justice Manepalli Narayana Rao Venkatachaliah,
former Chief Justice of India and former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission of India and National
Commission for Constitution of India Reforms.
Economist Jagdish Bhagwati, C Rangarajan Awarded with C.R. Rao Gold Medal Award
The Indian Econometric Society (TIES) Trust has awarded the Economists Jagdish Bhagwati and C
Rangarajan with the Prof. C.R. Rao Centenary Gold Medal (CGM) award.
About the Awardees:
i.Jagdish Bhagwati – He is the University Professor of
Economics, Law, and International Relations at Columbia
University and Director of the Raj Center on Indian Economic
Policies.
• He received Padma Vibhushan Award in 2000 and Lifetime
Achievement Award by the Indian Chamber of Commerce
in 2004.
ii.C. Rangarajan – He is the former chairman of the Economic
Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
About the Award:
i.It is the award presented once in two years by TIES to an Indian or Indian-origin scholar for their lifetime
contributions to the fields of theoretical and applied aspects of quantitative economics and official statistics.
ii.The award consists of a gold medal and citation. C R Rao is an Indian-American mathematician and statistician
and he received Padma Vibhushan in 2001.
About The Indian Econometric Society (TIES):
It is a registered society under Public Societies Registration Act
Chairman – V R Panchamukhi

Indian Origin Entrepreneur Ajay Dilawri Awarded with Order of British Columbia in Canada
Ajay Dilawri, the Indian-origin entrepreneur, was honoured with Canada‘s highest prestigious Order of British
Columbia award.
• Ajay Dilawri was one of the 16 recipients of the Order of
British Columbia award.
• Dilawri Group – the largest automotive group in Canada
was founded by Ajay along with his brothers Kap and
Tony.
• The Dilawri Foundation has contributed to Canadian
society; donated tens of millions of dollars to help
charitable causes in health care, mental health, autism,
education, and public safety.
About Order of British Columbia award:
It represents the highest form of recognition the Province can extend to its citizens. It recognizes the persons with
the greatest distinction and excelled in any field of endeavour benefiting the people of British Columbia and
beyond.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award Renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
The Highest sporting honour of India, “Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award”, has been renamed as “Major Dhyan
Chand Khel Ratna Award” in honour of the hockey Wizard Dhyan Chand.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the renaming was
based on the request from the citizens across India to name the
Khel Ratna Award after Dhyan Chand
About Khel Ratna Award:
i.The Khel Ratna Award named after former Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi was instituted in 1991-1992 and the
inaugural award was presented to Vishwanath Anand(Chess).
ii.The award is annually presented by the Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports.
iii.The award consists of a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, a medallion and a certificate.
About Dhyan Chand:
i.Major Dhyan Chand, who was known as ‘The Wizard’, was an Indian Hockey player who represented the Indian
hockey team from 1926 to 1949.
ii.He has scored more than 400 goals during his career.
iii.He has won 3 consecutive gold medals in the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics.
Honours:
i.The government of India has honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1956.
ii.Since 2012, the birth anniversary of Dhyan Chand has been celebrated as National Sports Day(29th August).
MGNCRE Recognised Chitkara University as District Green Champion 2020-2021

Mahatma Gandhi National Council of Rural Education (MGNCRE) under the Ministry of Education has recognised
the Chitkara University in Patiala as the ‘District Green Champion’ for the academic year 2020-2021.
Dr Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor of Chitkara University received the award in the presence of Kumar Amit,
Deputy Commissioner, Patiala.
• The award recognises the colleges that actively participated in maintaining the clean and sanitised campus
and contributed to the “Swachh Bharat” mission.
• The University has established Swachhta Action Plan Committee and adopted the best practices in
sanitation, waste management, water management, energy management and greenery management.

Telangana Govt Won the NASSCOM’s AI Gamechanger Award 2021
The Information Technology, Electronics and Communication(ITE&C) Department of the Government of
Telangana has won the AI GameChanger Award 2021 for the implementation of the ‘Crowd Monitoring using
AI’ scheme.
The winners of the awards were announced at the Xperience AI Summit 2021 organised by the National
Association of Software and Services Companies(NASSCOM).
• The award is presented by the NASSCOM in collaboration with Microsoft (Innovation partner) and Deloitte
(Knowledge partner).
Key Points:
i.The technology partner of the Crowd Monitoring using AI scheme was “Awiros”.
• It is a startup, selected by the government of Telangana for implementing AI applications across the State.
ii.The tool can be used to detect and track the variation in crowd density in a region over a period of time.
iii.This can also be used to estimate where the crowd may emerge by analysing the trend of the event.
iv.This is used while estimating and managing crowds during the India vs West Indies T20 match at Rajiv Gandhi
International Stadium in 2019 and during the Medaram Jathara festival in 2020.
About NASSCOM’s AI GameChanger Award:
i.AI GameChanger Awards program was a part of the NASSCOM’s ‘AI for All’ mission
ii.The awards recognise the innovative and impactful use-cases that solve an important problem, in-house or
otherwise.
iii.The winners of the awards will be featured in the annual AI Gamechanger compendium.
iv.The First NASSCOM’s AI GameChanger Awards were presented in 2018.
NASSCOM XperienceAI Summit:
i.The NASSCOM XperienceAI Summit is the annual flagship AI event of NASSCOM.
ii.The theme of the NASSCOM XperienceAI Summit 2021 is ‘AI as a Catalyst for a Better Normal’.
About National Association of Software and Services Companies(NASSCOM):
President– Debjani Ghosh
Headquarters– Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Established in 1988
Nagaland Won 7 TRIFED’s Van Dhan Awards 2020-2021

Nagaland has won 7 Van Dhan Awards 2020-2021 for its outstanding performance in various categories. The
state topped in 3 categories, Best Survey State, Best Training State and the most number of Van Dhan Vikas
Clusters(VDVKCs).
The awards were announced by Arjun Munda, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, during the 34th Foundation day of
the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).
• The Van Dhan Awards was instituted by the TRIFED to recognise Van Dhan Self Help Groups
(VDSHG), VDVKCs, tribal artisans, forest produce gatherers and people working for them, for their
achievements and contributions.
• The awards were given under various categories such as the implementation of MSP for Minor Forest
Produce (MFP), Van Dhan Yojana, adoption of digital technology, innovation and creativity, sales generated,
training and number of VDVK clusters established.
• Click here for the complete list of awardees
Key Points:
i.TRIFED has implemented the Van Dhan programme across 27 states and 207 districts with the availability of
MFPs and forest-dwelling tribal populations.
ii.The sale and collection of MFP’s contribute 40-60% of tribal annual learning and the value addition supports in
tripling their income.
Note:
Under this scheme, Nagaland has 206 clusters which comprise self-help groups(SHG) and 61,800 beneficiaries.

Awards of Nagaland:
Van Dhan Yojana
Awards Implementation agency Position
Directorate of Under Developed Areas
(DUDA), Nagaland State Co-operative Marketing & Consumers Federation
Best survey State Ltd. (MARCOFED)& Nagaland Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM) 1
Best training DUDA, MARCOFED and NBHM 1
Most number of VDVKCs
established DUDA, MARCOFED and NBHM 1
DUDA, MARCOFED and NBHM
Best Sales Generated (Rs 1,15,86,000) 3
Innovation & Creativity DUDA, MARCOFED and NBHM 3
Awards for Innovative & Creative Product Ideas:(Nagaland)
Product State RO Supplier name
Gooseberry wine Nagaland North-East Toka Multipurpose Society Ltd.
Mushroom cultivation Nagaland North-East NBHM
About Van Dhan Yojana:
i.The Van Dhan Yojana is an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs(MoTA) and TRIFED launched on 14th April
2018.
ii.This aims to improve the income of the tribal community through the value addition of tribal products.
iii.MoTA will be the central level nodal department and the TRIFED will be the National Level nodal agency.
iv.The Van Dhan Vikas Kendras established under this scheme provides skill upgradation and capacity building
training and value addition facility.
i.TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India), Ministry of Tribal Affairs is set to
partner with NITI Aayog for implementation of Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK) initiative under Van Dhan Yojna in
39 Tribal Aspirational districts identified by NITI Aayog.
ii.The Union Minister for Tribal Affairs launched the Tribal Livelihoods Initiative ‘Sankalp Se Siddhi-Mission Van
Dhan’. Along with the initiative, the Union Minister also launched 7 new Tribes India Outlets, Tribes India Coffee
table book, Van Dhan website, software application, and new TRIFED Head Office in New Delhi.
About Nagaland:
Governor– Ravindra Narayan Ravi
National Park– Ntangki National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary; Puliebadze Wildlife Sanctuary; Rangapahar Wildlife Sanctuary
West Bengal Government gets 4 SKOCH awards for various schemes

The West Bengal Government has been honoured with 4 SKOCH Awards for various schemes under Ease of
Doing Business Initiatives. The awards are given by Skoch Foundation to recognize top performing government
organisations.
• Platinum Award – to ‘Silpasathi’ – the online single window portal
• Gold Award – Scheme for Auto Renewal of Enlistment through online system for urban Areas
• Silver Award – Scheme for Online issuance of Trade licences in rural areas and the E-Nathikaran : the online
system for registration, preparation and submission of deeds.
Indiaspora Released First of its Kind 2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy Leaders List
Indiaspora, a US-based diaspora body has released the “2021 Indiaspora Philanthropy leaders list”, a first of
its kind list that recognises Indian and diaspora leaders across the globe, who have made contributions to
significant philanthropic activities.

• The list, prepared with the guidance of nine jurors, draws data from various sources like studies, earlier
verified lists, and publicly shared documents.
• The list features 100 business tycoons and industrialists which includes Gautam Adani, Nita Ambani and
Kumar Mangalam Birla from India, Monte Ahuja, Ajay Banga and Manoj Bhargava from the United States,
Soham Ajmera, Bob Dhillon and Aditya Jha from Canada and Mohamed Amersi, ManojBadale and Kuljinder
Bahia from the United Kingdom.
69 Employees Received Prime Minister’s Shram Awards 2018

Prime Minister’s Shram Awards (PMSA) for the year 2018 were announced on 12th August 2021. A total of 39
awards were presented to 69 workers of Departmental & Public Sector Undertakings of the Central & State
Governments and Private Sector Units.
PMSA 2018:
i.Out of the total awardees (69), 49 workers are from the public sector while 20 workers are from the private
sector. The awardees also include 8 women workers.
ii.This year awards were given out in 3 categories,
• Shram Bhushan Awards (a Sanad & Rs 1 Lakh each) – 4 Awards
• Shram Vir/Shram Veerangana Awards (a Sanad & Rs 60,000 each) – 12 Awards
• Shram Shree/Shram Devi Awards (a Sanad & Rs 40,000 each) – 17 awards
iii.The Shram Ratna Award for the year 2018 was not announced. Shram Ratna is India’s highest award given by
the Labour Ministry.
Click here for the details of all the awardees
About PMSA:
i.The awards were instituted by the Government of India in the year 1985.
ii.The awards cell of the Ministry of Labour and employment operates the PMSA.
iii.It recognises the performance, innovative ability and outstanding contribution in production and exhibition of
exceptional courage and presence of mind.
About Ministry of Labour & Employment:
Union Minister– Bhupender Yadav (Rajya Sabha Rajasthan)
Minister of State– Rameswar Teli (Constituency- Dibrugarh, Assam)
Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal Conferred National IP Awards 2020
Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry(MoCI) conferred the National Intellectual
Property(IP) Awards 2020 to the winners during the award ceremony held on 17th August 2021.
Click here for the list of winners and special citations
• Each award carries a cash prize of Rs 1 Lakh, trophy and citation.
About the National IP Awards:
i.The National IP Awards, the annual awards, are conferred by the Office of Controller General of Patents, Designs
and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of
Commerce and Industry,
ii.The award recognises the top achievers(individuals, institutions, organisations, enterprises, police units and
other legal entities) for IP creation, commercialization and enforcement, which has contributed to strengthening
the IP Ecosystem in India.
Reduction of filing fee:
Union Minister Piyush Goyal announced the 80% reduction in the total filing fee for Intellectual Property Rights
(IPRs) (from Rs 4,24,500 to Rs. 84,900) to all recognized educational institutions irrespective of whether such
institute is in India or outside India.
India Recorded 572% Growth in the Grant of Patents:
i.Piyush Goyal highlighted that by granting 28,391 patents in 2020-21, India has recorded a 572% growth in the
grant of patents in the last 7 years, compared to the 4227 grants in 2013-2014.
ii.He also stated that the reduction in time of patent examination from 72 months in December 2016 to 12-24

months in December 2020.
iii.The trademark registration has increased in India, there have been 14.2 lakh trademark registrations between
2016 and 2020, as compared to 11 lakh during the previous 75 years from 1940-2015.
Note:
India’s rank in the Global Innovation Index (GII) has improved to 48th in 2020 which was at 81 in 2015-2016.
The ministry aims to get India among the top 25 nations in the Global Innovation index.
About Ministry of Commerce & Industry(MoCI):
Union Minister– Piyush Goyal (Rajya Sabha- Maharashtra)
Minister of State– Som Parkash(Constituency- Hoshiarpur, Punjab) & Anupriya Patel (Constituency- Mirzapur,
Uttar Pradesh)
Bloomberg Billionaires Index: D-Mart owner Radhakishan Damani among World’s 100 richest
People; Elon Musk topped
Radhakishan Damani, who owns the retail chain D-Mart under Avenue Supermarts has made it to the top 100
richest people in the world. He is now ranked 97 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index with a net worth of 19.3
billion USD (around Rs 1.4 lakh crore).Elon Musk topped the list, followed by Jeff Bezos, Bernard Arnault.
• A total of 6 Indians are featured among the top 100, with Mukesh Ambani(12), Gautam Adani(23), Azim
Premji(36), Shiv Nadar(52) and Lakshmi Mittal(71).
• Radhakishan Damani has made a major investment in India Cement over the past 2years with a stake of
12.7% worth Rs 674 crore.
Mahatma Gandhi: 1st Indian to posthumously conferred with Congressional Gold Medal
Mahatma Gandhi, the first Indian to posthumously receive the Congressional Gold Medal for his immense
contribution to promote peace and non-violence. The congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award in
the United States.
About the Award:
• The US Congress (legislature) has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national
appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.
• The first recipients of the medal were participants of the American Revolution (1775-83), the War of
1812 and the Mexican War (1846-48).
• The scope was broadened to include actors, authors, entertainers, musicians, explorers, athletes,
humanitarians and foreign recipients among pioneers in some other fields.
• It has been awarded to the 1980 US summer Olympics team, Robert F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela,Mother
Terasa and George Washington among many others.
• Most recently, the medal was awarded to the US Capitol Police and those who protected the US Capitol on
6th January 2021, the day of the siege.
12 Indian companies in the top-500 list of Hurun Global 500 Most Valuable Companies 2021
Hurun Global 500 List 2021 released by Hurun Research Institute.It is a list of the 500 most valuable non-state-
controlled companies in the world ranked according to their value, defined as market capitalization for listed
companies and valuations for non-listed companies.Reliance Industries Ltd topped the list of Indian companies
with a global rank 57.
• As per the Hurun Global 500 Most Valuable Companies list 2021, Apple is the world’s most valuable
company (USD 2,443 billion) and followed by Microsoft (USD 2114 billion) and Amazon (USD 1802 billion)
got the 2nd and 3rd place in the list respectively.
• 12 Indian companies has listed in the Hurun Global 500 Most Valuable Companies 2021.
• On the basis of number of companies featured in the list, India got 9th rank while with 243 companies the US
is in the top and China(47), Japan(30) and UK(24).

Highlights
i.The ranking of companies likeTata Consultancy Services(TCS), HDFC Bank, HDFC and Bharti Airtel declined
compared to the previous year.
ii..Reliance Industries led by Mukesh Ambani has witnessed increase of 11% to $188 billion but ranking slipped
by three places to 57
iii.TCS secured 74th position in the rankings with a valuation of $164 billion while HDFC Bank was on 19
positions down at 124th rank with the valuation of $113 billion
iv.The valuation of Kotak Mahindra Bank declined 8% to $46.6 billion and secured 380th rank this time whereas
the ICICI Bank improved 48place to 268th.
v.Three new companies named Wipro(ranked 457th, Asian Paints(477th rank) and HCL Technologies(498th
rank) entered this year.
Top -4 Companies in the world
1. Apple- Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
2. Microsoft- Satya Nadella,CEO
3. Amazon – Andy Jassy, CEO
4. Alphabet- Sundar Pichai, CEO
Two third of the Indian Companies features in the list are mostly financial services, and software services.
The List of Top-10 Companies in the World–
Ranking Company Name Value (in $bn)
1st Apple (USA) 2443
2nd Microsoft (USA) 2114
3rd Amazon (USA) 1802
4th Alphabet (USA) 1733
5th Facebook (USA) 967
6th Tencent (China) 697
7th Berkshire Hathaway (USA) 635
8th Tesla (USA) 621
9th Alibaba (China) 586
10th TSMC (China) 567
Sahitya Akademi Announced Sahitya Akademi Awards 2020 for Odia and Malayalam
The Sahitya Akademi has announced the winners of the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2020 for Odia and
Malayalam. Yashodhara Mishra and Omcherry NN Pillai have been declared as the winners of the 2020 Sahitya
Akademi Awards for Odia and Malayalam respectively.
• Yashodhara Mishra has been awarded for her book
titled “Samudrakula Ghara”.
• Omcherry NN Pillai has been awarded for his
memoir titled “Akasmikam: Omcheriyute
Ormmakkurippukal”.
About Yashodhara Mishra:
i.Yashodhara Mishra, an Author, poet and academician,
has more than 15 collections of short stories, novels,
poems and translated works to her credit.
ii.She is the first woman to be the editor of “Indian
Literature”, a literary journal published by Sahitya Akademi.
About Omcherry NN Pillai
i.Professor Omcherry NN Pillai, a renowned novelist and playwright, has contributed to Malayalam literature and

the modern Malayalam Theatre movement.
ii.He has served as the head of the Malayalam news division of All India Radio(AIR) and the director of the Indian
Institute of Mass Communication.
iii.He has also served as the communication consultant to the World Bank, UNESCO and the British council.
Sahitya Akademi Awards 2020:
i.The Sahitya Akademi Awards 2020 was announced in March 2021 and the awards were presented for literary
works in 20 Indian Languages except for Odia, Rajasthani, Malayalam and Nepali.
ii.The awards consist of an engraved copper plaque and a cash award of Rs 1 Lakh.
iii.The awards for Rajasthani and Nepali are yet to be announced.
Note:
Sahitya Akademi presents awards to the literary works in 24 languages including English.
UK India COVID-19 Study Awarded Guinness World Record

Guinness World Records’ title is awarded for ‘Most authors on a single peer-reviewed academic paper’, a study
about COVID-19 conducted at Indian hospitals among others around the world by the United Kingdom(UK)
experts along with University of Birmingham and Edinburgh.
Aim of the study- To improve the understanding of the deadly COVID-19 and its impact on human life.
The University of Birmingham and Edinburgh awarded for the record for ‘Most authors on a single peer-reviewed
academic paper’.
Highlights
• The award was given for the largest scientific collaboration in the world, involving more than 140,000
patients in 116 countries.
• Around 15025 scientists of the world contributed in research work of COVID-19 impact on patients
• Aneel Bhangu, Indian origin surgeon from the University of Birmingham worked as a co-lead author in the
project.
• The research was funded by the National Institute of Health Research(NIHR) of the UK’s government.
• In India, the collaborative study on COVID-19 was conducted in 56 hospitals- which is among the largest
along with Italy and Germany.
Key Findings
i.The COVIDSurg Collaborative, was launched in March 2020. It was aimed to provide data to support changes in
surgical resection group and service delivery.
ii.The findings were published in ‘British Journal of Surgery’ by COVIDSurg Collaborative international team of
researchers , which is also Europe’s leading surgical journal, after studying data from 1,667 hospitals in the
countries including the UK, India, Brazil, Australia, the UAE, China, and the USA.
12th Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Awards 2021 Announced

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne(IFFM) announced the winners of the 12th Edition of IFFM Awards
(2021) over a virtual platform. The 12th edition of IFFM lined up the films (feature and short) from across India,
representing the theme of diversity through cinema.
• The IFFM, founded in 2012, is an annual festival held in Melbourne, Australia.
• IFFM is funded by the State Government of Victoria, Australia.
• Surya Sivakumar (Best performance male), Vidya Balan (Best Performance Female), Anurag Basu(Best
Director) are among the winners of the IFFM 2021 Awards.Soorarai Pottru also won the Best Feature Film.
Click here for the list IFFM 2021 Winners
MoE Released the List of 44 Teachers for National Awards to Teachers, 2021
In August 2021, the Union Ministry of Education (MoE), Department of School Education and Literacy, published
a list of 44 selected teachers from India for the National Awards to Teachers, 2021, the highest teachers award
in India.

• On September 5, 2021, the President of India Ram Nath Kovind will award the National Award to Teachers
2021, to those shortlisted 44 teachers. List of awardees
About the Awardees:
i.Hariswami Das from West Bengal:
Hariswami Das, the headmaster of Sovanagar High School in Malda, West Bengal, has been selected for the
National Awards to Teachers, 2021 from West Bengal for his digital educational model which was created in
2020 under COVID-19.
• Initiative of Hariswami Das: He started an initiative of QR code for the students of class 6 to12. The
scanning of QR codes gives access to books of all the subjects that the students cannot buy and videos
uploaded by the school teachers.
• The names of the books are available in the code and the code is given in a card to make it easier for the
students to use.
• Through his model, he took digital learning to the doorstep of the students during pandemic.
ii.Among the selected teachers for 2021, 9 awardees were women teachers.
iii.From CBSE Schools: Among Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools, two teachers viz, Suruchi
Gandhi and Achala Verma from Delhi’s Bal Bharati Public School Dwarka and Rajasthan’s Birla Balika Vidyapeeth,
Jhunjhunu also took place in the list of awardees.
iv.Pramod Kumar Shukla, a teacher from Eklavya model residential school, Karpawand, Bastar, Chhattisgarh is
also listed among the 44 recipients of the award.
About National Awards to Teachers, 2021:
i.Purpose: To celebrate the unique contribution of the finest teachers in India and to honor those teachers who
have improved the quality of school education and the lives of their students.
ii.The registration process of the award was held from June 1 to 10, 2021. Teachers were allowed to self-
nominate themselves for the award and the final recipients were chosen by a jury under MoE.
iii.National Award to Teachers was instituted in 1958 and the guidelines were revised in 2018 and rationalised
the number of awards to 45.
iv.Eligibility: All regular teachers were eligible and no minimum years of service were required.
On July 16, 2021, Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Tribal Affairs Minister, Arjun Munda, jointly
launched a training program for school teachers named ‘School Innovation Ambassador Training Program’
(SIATP).
About Ministry of Education (MoE):
Union Minister – Dharmendra Pradhan (Constituency – Madhya Pradesh)
Ministry of State – Annpurna Devi (Constituency – Kodarma, Jharkhand), Subhas Sarkar (Constituency –
Bankura, West Bengal), Rajkumar Ranjan Singh (Constituency – Inner Manipur,Manipur)
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

‘Guido Bellido’ becomes the new Prime Minister of Peru
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo named Guido Bellido as the
New Prime Minister of Peru. He will hold power from 2021-26.
i.Bellido belongs to the Free Peru party and previously worked in
the statistics agency of the Peru government.
ii.On 28th July, Pedro Castillo Terrones took charge as
the 63rd President of Peru
iii.The Peru parliament is known as Congress.
Fact – Peru is the World’s No. 2 Copper producer (Chile is
leading Copper producer).

About Peru
Capital – Lima
Currency – Sol
Govt Appointed Deepak Das as 25th CGA

On August 1, 2021, the Government of India has appointed Deepak Das, the 1986-batch Indian Civil Accounts
Service (ICAS) officer as the 25th Controller General of Accounts (CGA) under the Ministry of Finance,
Department of Expenditure.
• He replaced Soma Roy Burman, (the 7th women CAS) who held the position from December 2019.
• Prior to his appointment as CGA, he was the principal chief controller of accounts in the Central Board of
Direct Taxes.
About Deepak Das:
i.During his career as ICAS, he held different positions in
Ministries such as Department for Promotion of Industry and
Internal Trade & Heavy Industries, Environment & Forest,
Commerce & Textile, Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Science &
Technology, Road Transport, Highways, Shipping, Home Affairs,
and Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs.
ii.He also served as the Director of the Institute of Government
Accounts and Finance (INGAF), the training academy of the
ICAS.
About Controller General of Accounts (CGA):
CGA is the Principal Accounting Adviser to the Government of India, they will set up and manage a better
Management Accounting System. They will prepare the accounts of the Union and State Government, and also
control the exchequer and internal audits.
Key Points:
i.CGA is not a constitutional body and not an independent body (as it works under the Department of
Expenditure).
ii.The duties and responsibilities of the CGA will be provided under the ‘Allocation of Business Rules 1961’.
iii.Article 150: The President forms the accounts of the Union and the States on the advice of the CGA.
India Assumed the UNSC Presidency for August 2021

On August 01, 2021, India, the non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), took over
the presidency of the UNSC from France for the month of August 2021.
• During its presidency, India will be hosting events related to maritime security, peacekeeping, and counter
terrorism.
India, the Non-Permanent Member:
i.India’s 8th term as a non-permanent member of the UNSC under the Asia-Pacific category for 2 years (2021-
2022) started on January 1, 2021. Click here to know more
ii.The current presidency for August 2021 was India’s 1st presidency as a non-permanent member during its 8th
term.
iv.India’s Policy perspective: India plans to focus on issues related to the international community. On August 9,
2021, India will organise a virtual Open Debate for heads of state and government titled ‘Maintenance of
international peace and security: Enhancing maritime security — A case for international cooperation’.
Note – Through rotation India will also serve the presidency again in 2022.
About UNSC Presidency:
i.The presidency of the UNSC is held by each of its members in turn for 1 month, following the English
alphabetical order of the Member States’ names.
ii.As per the turn, India became the president for the month of August 2021 after France.

iii.UNSC: The 15-member body of the UNSC consists of 5 permanent veto-wielding members and 10 non-
permanent members. The 10 non-permanent seats will be allocated based on the regional groups.
• Permanent Members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
About United Nations Security Council (UNSC):
UNSC is the only U.N. body that can make legally binding decisions like imposing sanctions and authorizing the
use of force.
Headquarters – New York, United States
Ambassador of India to UN – TS Tirumurti
Indian Cricketer MS Dhoni becomes 1st Brand Ambassador of HomeLane

HomeLane, Home Interiors Company has signed a 3-year strategic partnership with Indian cricketer Mahendra
Singh Dhoni(MS Dhoni) as the equity partner and brand ambassador.
MS Dhoni became the first brand ambassador of HomeLane.
HomeLane is the online interior design and furniture company
owned byHomevista Decor and Furnishings Pvt Ltd.
i.As a part of the strategic partnership, MS Dhoni will own equity
shares in HomeLane.
ii.This partnership will enable HomeLane to enhance its reach
and connect with the customers.
iii.MS Dhoni will work with HomeLane on a new campaign
which will be released during the new Indian Premier League (IPL) Season.
Additional info:
i.HomeLane is set to expand to 25 new Tier II and Tier III cities in the next 2 years and has designated Rs 100
crore in marketing to support the expansion.
ii.At present HomeLane is operating across 16 cities which includes, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai,
NCR, Kolkata, Pune, Coimbatore, Vizag and Mysore.
About HomeLane:
CEO- Srikanth B Iyer
Co-Founder & COO– Tanuj Choudhry
Established in 2014
Headquarters– Bengaluru.
Myanmar’s Military Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing Declared Himself as PM
Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the Chief of Myanmar’s Military has declared himself as the Prime
Minister(PM) of Myanmar. The state administration council of Myanmar has been reformed as the “Caretaker
government of Myanmar” headed by Min Aung Hlaing as the PM.
• He will lead Myanmar as PM under the extended state
of Emergency until the election which will be held by
2023.
Special Envoy for Myanmar:
i.The efforts of the Association of the Southeast Asian
Nations(ASEAN) to negotiate between the military
government and its opponents are stalled following the
agreement to appoint a special envoy for Myanmar.
ii.VirasakdiFutrakul, Former Deputy Foreign Minister of
Thailand was selected as the envoy.
About Min Aung Hlaing:
i.5-star general Min Aung Hlaing has served as the Chairman of the State Administration Council of Myanmar

which makes him the de facto leader of Myanmar.
ii.He is also a member of the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC).
In February 2021, He has taken power in Myanmar after removing the government headed by State Counsellor
Aung San Suu Kyi.
Note:
i.The State of emergency was declared on 1st February 2021, when the military moved against the elected
government.
ii.According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), a human rights watchdog, as of now,
more than 940 people were killed and 6994 people were arrested in the protest against Military Government.
About Myanmar:
Prime Minister– Min Aung Hlaing
Capital– Naypyitaw
Currency– Myanmar kyat
Mini Ipe Appointed as the Managing Director of LIC

The government of India has appointed Mini Ipe as the new Managing Director of the Life Insurance
Corporation(LIC) of India. She has been serving as the Executive Director, Legal Department, LIC of India.
• She has taken charge as the MD of the LIC of India succeeding Vipin Anand, who has retired in July 2021.
About Mini Ipe:
i.Mini Ipe was the first woman zonal manager of LIC, she
headed the Hyderabad zone.
ii.She has also served as the Executive Director,
International Operations, and the Director & CEO of LICHFL
Financial Services Ltd.
Additional info:
At present, including Mini Ipe, LIC has 4 Managing Directors.
Other MD’s of LIC of India are Mukesh Kumar Gupta; Raj
Kumar; Siddhartha Mohanty
About LIC of India:
Chairman– M R Kumar
RBI Approves Reappointment of Prakash Chandra as Non-Executive Chairman of RBL Bank

The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has approved the reappointment of Prakash Chandra as the non-executive(part-
time) Chairman of the RBL Bank for a period of 3 years with effect from 3rd August 2021.
• The reappointment and the revision of his remuneration
have been approved by the Board of Directors following
the recommendation of the Nomination and
Remuneration Committee of the board.
• Previously in June 2020, the RBI had reappointed him as
the non-executive part-time chairman of the RBL till 23rd
July 2021.
About Prakash Chandra:
i.Prakash Chandra, a retired Indian Revenue Service(IRS)
officer of the 1973 Batch, is currently enrolled as an advocate and a member of the High court and Supreme Court
Bar Association.
ii.He has served as an advisor to the Union Public Service Commission(UPSC) and India’s Department of
Personnel Government.
ii.He has held various positions in different ministries which include, Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes
(CBDT), Delhi; Director of Department of Supply, Ministry of Commerce; Director of Border Roads Development

Board, Ministry of Defence and Director General of Income Tax (International Taxation), Delhi.
About RBL Bank:
RBL bank, formerly known as Ratnakar Bank, was established in 1943.
Non-Executive Part-Time Chairman– Prakash Chandra
MD & CEO– Vishwavir Ahuja
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
Tagline– Apno Ka Bank
Dhriti Banerjee Appointed Director of ZSI, 1st Women Director in 100 years
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal for appointment of Dhriti Banerjee (51) as
the Director of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), She will be the 1st Woman Director of ZSI in 100 years.
Dhriti Banerjee will succeed Dr. Kailash Chandra.
• Born in 1970 at Kolkata, West Bengal. She has had an
illustrious career as a scientist, conducting research in
taxonomy, zoogeography, morphology and molecular
systematics.
• Since 2012, Dhriti Banerjee has been serving as the
coordinator of ZSI’s Digital Sequence Information Project.
i.In 2016, On the occasion of ZSI’s centenary celebrations,
Banerjee co-authored the document titled ‘The Glorious 100
women’s Scientific Contribution in ZSI’. It highlights the contributions made by women scientists on studies
related to different animal groups.
ii.Although formed in 1916, ZSI started hiring women scientists only from 1949. Mira Mansukhani was the 1st
women scientist of ZSI.
iii.Thomas Nelson Annandale was the 1st Director-General of ZSI.
Background
• History of ZSI starts from the days of Asiatic Society of Bengal which was founded by Sir William Jones on
January 15, 1784. Asiatic Society of Bengal was the mother institution to Indian Museum (1875), Zoological
Survey of India (ZSI) and Geological Survey of India (GSI).
• Asiatic Society of Bengal started to collect zoological and geological specimens in 1796.
About Zoological Survey of India (ZSI)
Founded in July 1916, It comes under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
Director (Present) – Dr. Kailash Chandra
Headquarters – Kolkata
Eurosport India Signed Actor John Abraham as India Ambassador for MotoGP
Eurosport India, an Indian sports channel of Discovery Asia-Pacific has appointed Bollywood Actor John
Abraham as India ambassador for its flagship motorsport property MotoGP.
Yamaha’s R15 is the co-presenting sponsor for the MotoGP broadcast in India.
• As the ambassador, John Abraham will promote the
MotoGP to the audience across India through
the “MotoGP, Race Lagate Hai” campaign.
• The campaign will be promoted across various
platforms including radio, outdoor and digital.
• The campaign aims to expand the reach of motorsports
across India and build interest around the thrill and
competitiveness of the sport.
About MotoGP:
i.The Grand Prix Motorcycle racing is popularly known as MotoGP.
ii.MotoGP is the motorcycle road racing event organised on road circuits and it is sanctioned by the Fédération

Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM)
Additional info:
i.The motorsport properties of Eurosport India includes MotoGP, FIA Formula 2 Championship, W Series, Nascar,
Indycar Series and Bennetts British Superbike racing.
ii.Eurosport and the over-the- top(OTT) video streaming platform Discovery+ have the broadcasting rights of all
the three premier classes, such as Moto 2, Moto 3 and Moto GP for their Indian audience.
About Eurosport India:
Eurosport is a part of the Discovery, Inc.,
Head– Vijay Rajput
Launched in 2017
Rekha Sharma gets 3-year extension as Chairperson of NCW

The government of India has nominated Rekha Sharma as the Chairperson of the National Commission for
Women(NCW) for another term of 3 years with effect from 7th August 2021 or till the age of 65 or until further
orders.
She has been serving as the chairperson of NCW since 7th
August 2018.
About Rekha Sharma:
i.Rekha Sharma has been associated with the NCW since
2015 and she held the additional charges as the Chairperson
from 29th September 2017 to 7th August 2018.
ii.She advocates gender sensitization of police personnel
who are the first point of contact for the victims.
iii.She played a major role in establishing the special task
force “Happy to help” during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist the elderly people who are struck alone during the
lockdown.
About National Commission for Women(NCW):
Chairperson– Rekha Sharma
Established in January 1992
Anthony Heredia Appointed as CEO of BOI AXA Investment Managers

Anthony Heredia has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BOI AXA Investment Managers
Private Limited (BAIM). He will succeed Sandeep Dasgupta.
• BOI AXA Investment Managers Private Ltd is a joint venture
between Bank of India (52.93%) and AXA Investment
Managers (47.07%), backed by AXA group, one of the World’s
Leading asset managers having Asset Under Management
(AUM) of EUR 896 billion.
i.He has previously worked with Morgan Stanley Investment
Management, HSBC Asset Management India and Birla Sun Life Asset
Management.
ii.Heredia has more than 25 years of experience mostly in the investment management business within financial
services.
About Bank of India (BOI)
Established in 1906
Headquarters – Mumbai
MD & CEO – Atanu Kumar Das
Tagline – Relationship beyond Banking

About BOI AXA Investment Managers Private Limited (BAIM)
CEO – Anthony Herdia
Tunisian President Kais Saied Dismissed Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi

Kais Saied, President of Tunisia, has dismissed Prime Minister(PM) Hichem Mechichi and suspended the
parliament, following the protest against the ruling party, the Ennahda Movement. He cited Article 80 of the
constitution for his actions.
He also suspended the parliamentary immunity of the lawmakers.
• Under Tunisia’s 2014 constitution, the executive power is shared by the president, prime minister and the
parliament.
• He has appointed acting ministers of Economy, Finance and Investment Support; and Communication
Technologies and is yet to appoint the Prime Minister.
About Tunisia:
Capital– Tunis
Currency– Tunisian Dinar
ACC Approves Extension of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Guaba’s Tenure

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension of Tenure of Cabinet
Secretary Rajiv Guaba by 1 year. He will continue till August 30,2022.
• Rajiv Guaba was appointed to the post of Cabinet Secretary
in 2019. He is a Jharkhand care IAS officer of 1982 batch.
• Previously, he has also served as Secretary in various
Ministries like Home Affairs & Urban Affairs and Housing.
• He is known for his immense contribution in the Jammu and
Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019.
Cabinet Secretary (CS)
Cabinet secretary is the senior most cadre of the Indian
Administrative Service (IAS). It is ranked 11th in the order of precedence. A Cabinet Secretary works under direct
charge of the Prime Minister.
Role
• CS is responsible for the smooth functioning of administration of the Government of India (Transaction of
Business) Rules, 1961 and Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961.
• Informing the President, Vice-president and Minister about the major activities of the department.
• The maximum term length of a CS is 4 years.
1st Cabinet Secretary: N R Pillai (1950-1953)
1st Women Cabinet Secretary: S S Grewal (1980-81)
RK Vishnoi Assumed Charge as CMD of THDCIL

RK Vishnoi assumed the charge as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of THDC India
Limited(THDCIL), with immediate effect. He succeeds Vijay Goel who held the additional changes of CMD since
May 2021.
• THDCIL is a joint venture between NTPC and Uttar Pradesh
government.
• RK Vishnoi has been serving as the Director(Technical),
THDCIL since September 2019.
About RK Vishnoi:
i.RK Vishnoi has been working in THDCIL since 1989 and has
served in various capacities. He became a general manager in 2013
and was later elevated as the Executive Director in 2016.

ii.He has contributed as a member of the World Bank Expert Group to discuss various issues and constitute
guidelines in respect of contracts during various interactions with the World Bank.
iii.He represents India in the International Commission on Large Dams for the Technical Committee on Seismic
Safety of Dams.
About THDC India Limited(THDCIL):
CMD– RK Vishnoi
Headquarters– Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
THDCIL was registered as a Public Limited Company in July 1988.
RBI Ropes in Olympian Neeraj Chopra for Cyber Frauds Awareness Campaign
Reserve Bank of India(RBI) roped in Olympic gold medalist, Athlete (Javelin) Neeraj Chopra for its new public
awareness campaign against digital banking frauds.
• As a part of the campaign, Neeraj Chopra urges people not
to disclose details such as one-time password(OTP), Card
Verification Value(CVV) number and ATM PIN in front of
others.
• The campaign also states that the users should periodically
change their online banking passwords and PIN numbers,
and block their ATM, Credit, Debit or Prepaid cards if lost.
About Neeraj Chopra:
i.Neeraj Chopra, an Indian javelin thrower from Panipat, Haryana, won the gold medal at the Men’s Javelin throw
at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
ii.He became the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal for Independent India.
iii.He won the gold medal at both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games held in 2018.
iv.He was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2018.
Cashify appointed Actor Rajkumar Rao as its 1st brand ambassador:
Cashify, formerly ReGlobe, the trademark of Manak Waste Management Private Limited, has appointed
Bollywood actor Rajkumar Rao as its first brand ambassador.
Cashify is a re-commerce marketplace, which offers a platform to resell old or used electronic gadgets.
• Rajkumar Rao has signed a multi-year contract with Cashify.
• He will promote their products over the digital media platform through campaigns and other promotional
activities exclusively for the smartphone buyback category.
Note:
Cashify has raised 15 million USD from Olympus Capital and has acquired UniShop to diversify its Omnichannel
customer service.
About Reserve Bank of India:
Governor- Shaktikanta Das
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
The Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935, under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
BD Mishra & Ganga Prasad Given Additional Charge As Governor of Mizoram & Manipur
Brigadier (Dr.) B. D. Mishra (Retd), governor of Arunachal Pradesh has been given additional charges as the
Governor of Mizoram.
• In addition to his duties, Mishra will discharge the function of the Governor of Mizoram, Dr Hari Babu
Kambhampati, during his absence.
Sikkim Governor Ganga Prasad given additional charge of Manipur:
Ganga Prasad, Governor of Sikkim has also been given additional changes as the Governor of Manipur.
• In addition to his duties, Ganga Prasad will discharge the function of the Governor of Manipur, Dr Najma A
Heptulla, during her absence.

These appointments are with effect from the dates they assume charge in their respective offices at Mizoram and
Manipur.
About Brigadier (Dr.) B. D. Mishra:
i.B. D. Mishra is a former Commander of the Counter Hijack Force
of the National Security Guard (NSG).
ii.He was appointed as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh in
2017.
iii.He is the President of the North Eastern Regional Institute of
Science and Technology (NERIST) Society, a Deemed University
under the Ministry of Human Resource Development
About Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati:
i.Hari Babu Kambhampati has served as a member of the 16th Lok Sabha from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
ii.He was appointed as the Governor of Mizoram in 2021.
About Ganga Prasad:
i.Ganga Prasad, the former governor of Meghalaya, has served as a member of the Bihar legislative council and has
been the leader of the Bihar Legislative council during the NDA rule in Bihar.
ii.He was appointed as the Governor of Sikkim in 2018.
About Dr Najma A Heptulla:
i.Dr Najma A Heptulla has served as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra for almost 6 terms. She was
also elected as the Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha for 4 times.
ii.She was appointed as the Governor of Manipur in 2016.
President Ram Nath Kovind appointed new Governors for 8 States (Karnataka, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Tripura and Haryana).
• Article 155 of the Indian Constitution states that the Governor of a State shall be appointed by the President
by warrant under his hand and seal.
• As per Article 159, The Chief Justice of the concerned State High Court administers the oath of office to the
Governor.
About Mizoram:
Chief Minister- Pu Zoramthanga
National Park- Murlen National Park; Phawngpui National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary- Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary; Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary
About Manipur:
Chief Minister– Nongthombam Biren Singh
National Park- Keibul-Lamjao National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary- Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary; Khongjaingamba Ching Wildlife Sanctuary
JK Tires Appoints India’s 1st F1 Racer Padma Shri Narain Karthikeyan as Brand Ambassador
JK Tyre & Industries Limited has appointed India’s first Formula One (F1) racer, Padma Shri Kumar Ram
Narain Karthikeyan as its brand ambassador. As the brand ambassador of JK Tyres, he will be the face of the
brand and highlight the company’s efforts to promote innovation and excellence in the industry.
About Narain Karthikeyan:
i.Narain Karthikeyan hails from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
ii.He was the first Indian racing driver to participate in F1 racing,
he made his debut as an F1 racer in 2005 for the Jordan team.
iii.He has competed in more than 48 races and has won multiple
races in A1 Grand Prix (A1GP), British F3, World Series by Nissan,
AutoGP, Formula Asia, British Formula Ford & Opel series.

Honours:
The government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour, in 2010 for
Sports.
Bvlgari Appoints Priyanka Chopra Jonas as Global Brand Ambassador:
Italian luxury brand Bvlgari has appointed Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas as its Global Ambassador. As the
brand ambassador, she will be promoting the brand across the globe with a focus on themes of women
empowerment, diversity and inclusion.
About JK Tyre & Industries Limited:
Chairman & Managing Director– Dr Raghupati Singhania
Managing Director– Anshuman Singhania
Head Office– New Delhi
KM Birla Steps Down as Non-Executive Chairman & Director of Vodafone Idea ;Replaced By
Himanshu Kapania
Kumar Mangalam Birla(KM Birla) has stepped down as the Non-Executive Chairman and Non-Executive Director
from the board of Vodafone Idea with effect from 4th August 2021.
• The board of Vodafone Idea has elected telecom veteran Himanshu Kapania as a non-Executive Chairman.
He is currently serving as the non-Executive Director.
• He was nominated by the Aditya Birla Group which has around 27% stake in Vodafone Idea.
Gajendra Singh & Anjani Kumar Tiwari Appointed as a members of PNGRB

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed Gajendra Singh, Former Director of GAIL
(India) Ltd, and Anjani Kumar Tiwari, Director(Finance) of GAIL (India) Limited as the members of the
Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), a regulator of downstream activities in the petroleum and
natural gas sector.
• The appointed members of the PNGRB will serve a period
of 5 years from the date of assumption of charge or till
the age of 65.
• Gajendra Singh took charge as a member of PNGRB on
9th August 2021.
• Tiwari will join the board after completing his term as
director in GAIL, his term ends in November 2021.
About Gajendra Singh:
i.Gajendra Singh has served in various leadership and
strategic positions at GAIL.
ii.He has also served as the General Manager (Gas Sourcing and Gas Marketing), Executive Director (Operations &
Maintenance) at GAIL.
About Anjani Kumar Tiwari:
i.Anjani Kumar Tiwari, a Cost Accountant(CA), is serving as the director of GAIL since December 2018.
ii.He has also served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited
(BCPL).
About Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB):
Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is a statutory body constituted under The Petroleum and
Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006.
The PNGRB consists of a chairman and 4 members including one member(Legal).
Royal Enfield CEO Vinod Dasari Resigns; B Govindarajan take over as Executive Director
Vinod K. Dasari, Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Royal Enfield has resigned from his post with effect from 13th
August 2021. He will also step down from the post of Whole Time Director of Eicher Motors Limited.

Royal Enfield is a subsidiary of Eicher Motors Ltd, an Indian multinational automotive company.
About Vinod K Dasari:
i.Vinod K Dasari has been serving as the CEO of Royal Enfield since April 2019.
Prior to his appointment as CEO of Royal Enfield.
ii.He has served as the CEO and Managing Director of Ashok
Leyland since 2011. He joined Ashok Leyland as CEO in
2005.
B Govindarajan Appointed as Executive Director of
Royal Enfield
B Govindarajan, the Chief Operating Officer(COO) of Royal
Enfield has been appointed as the Executive Director of
Royal Enfield for a period of 5 years with effect from 18th
August 2021.
• He was also inducted as a whole-time Additional Director on the board of Eicher Motors Limited
About B Govindarajan:
i.BGovindarajan is currently serving as the COO of Royal Enfield. He joined Royal Enfield as Senior Vice President
in June 2011.
ii.He has also served at various senior positions in Commercial vehicles, Railway component business and the
Renewable energy sector.
About Eicher Motors Ltd:
Eicher Motors Limited is the flagship company of the Eicher Group in India
Managing Director– Siddhartha Lal
Incorporated in 1982
Hakainde Hichilema Elected as the New President of Zambia

Hakainde Hichilema was declared as the President-elect of Zambia after defeating the Incumbent President
Edgar Lungi in the 2021 Presidential Elections.
He is the 7th elected president of Zambia since
independence in 1964.
• Hichilema belongs to the United Party for National
Development (UPND), which is the largest opposition
party of Zambia.
• It was Hichilema’s 6th attempt at winning the
presidency of Zambia.
About Zambia
It is a country in the African continent
President Elect – Hakainde Hichilema
Capital – Lusaka
Currency – Zambian kwacha
Muhyiddin Yassin PM of Malaysia Announced his Resignation

Muhyiddin Yassin(Full name- Tan Sri Dato’ Haji Mahiaddin bin Md. Yasin), 8th Prime Minister(PM) of Malaysia
submitted his resignation to Al-Sultan Abdullah, Yang di-Pertuan Agong (The Supreme Head of Malaysia) in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after losing majority support to govern. He became the shortest ruling leader (18
Months) in the History of Malaysia.
• Yang di-Pertuan Agong has appointed Muhyiddin as Caretaker PM until the appointment of the New PM.
Background:
i.The Constitution of Malaysia states that the Prime Minister shall tender the resignation of the Cabinet if he loses
the confidence of the majority of the members of the house of Representatives.

ii.Yang di-Pertuan Agong can appoint the new leader based
on the majority and confidence commanded by him in the
Parliament.
About Muhyiddin Yassin:
i.Muhyiddin Yassin took charge as the Prime Minister of
Malaysia in March 2020.
Previously he has served as the Deputy PM under former PM
Najib Razak from 2009 to 2015.
ii.He co-founded the Malaysian United Indigenous Party
(Malay: Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia), abbreviated PPBM and served as its President.
Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia:
i.Malaysia has a unique system of monarchy, the role of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong is rotated every 5 years among
the 9 Malay Sultans.
ii.Al-Sultan Abdullah, the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong is from Pahang. He took the throne in 2019.
About Malaysia:
Capital– Kuala Lumpur
Currency– Malaysian Ringgit
Amway India Appointed Olympian Mirabai Chanu as Brand Ambassador for Nutrilite
Amway India Enterprises Pvt. Ltd. (Amway India) has appointed Olympian Saikhom Mirabai
Chanu (weightlifting) as the Brand Ambassador for Amway’s Nutrilite range of products.
As the brand ambassador, she will lead the company’s campaigns on its product range like Nutrilite Daily, Omega
and All Plant Protein among others across various platforms.
• Nutrilite, a vitamins and dietary supplements brand, is known for its plant-based approach to dietary
supplements.
About Saikhom Mirabai Chanu:
i.Saikhom Mirabai Chanu, 26 years old weightlifter hails from Imphal, Manipur.
ii.She won the silver medal in the Weightlifting event (-49kg category) at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games.
iii.She has been placed 2nd on the absolute ranking list issued by the International Weightlifting Federation.
iv.She was honoured with the Khel Ratna Award in 2018.
About Amway India Enterprises Pvt. Ltd.(Amway India):
CEO– Anshu Budhraja
Headquarters– Gurgaon, Haryana
Neuberg Diagnostics & Kauvery Hospitals Appointed MS Dhoni as their Brand Ambassador
India’s fourth largest demonstrative lab chain, Neuberg Diagnostics has appointed Indian Cricketer, Former
Indian Team Captain & Captain of IPL Team, Chennai Super Kings, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MS Dhoni) as its
brand ambassador.
Key Points:
• He was appointed as Brand Ambassador for 2 years.
• The agreement will bring health awareness and spread its
importance throughout the world.
Additional Info:
Kauvery Group of Hospitals has also signed an agreement with
Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the brand ambassador in Chennai, Tamil
Nadu.
About Neuberg Diagnostics-
Chairman and Managing Director: GSK Velu
Headquarter: Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Kauvery Group of Hospitals
Managing Director: Dr.Manivannan Selvaraj
Afghan first Vice President Amrullah Saleh declares himself as caretaker President
Afghanistan’s 1st Vice President (VP) Amrullah Saleh declared himself as ‘the caretaker President of
Afghanistan’ after President Ashraf Ghani fled the Taliban captured country. Currently, Afghanistan is under the
control of Taliban, capturing Kabul after the U.S led forces left the country.
• According to the Constitution of Afghanistan, ’In absence,
escape, resignation or death of the President, the 1st VP will
be the caretaker President’ of the country.
• Saleh formerly served as the country’s fifth 1st VP of
Afghanistan from 2020 and served as the Minister of Interior
Affairs of Afghanistan in 2018 and 2019.
Amrullah Saleh
• He was born in 1972 in Panjshir, Afghanistan
• He was the head of Afghanistan’s Intelligence Agency, National Directorate of Security (NDS) from 2004 to
2010.
The Taliban : History
i.The word ‘Taliban meaning Students’ in the Pashto language, emerged in 1994 around the city of Kandahar,
Afghanistan.
ii.It was one of the factions which were fighting a civil war to rule the country following the withdrawal of the
Soviet Union in 1989 and the subsequent collapse of the government in 1992.
iii.Taliban (1996-2001): Within two years, the Taliban had gained control over most of the country
and proclaimed an Islamic Emirate in 1996 .
iv.Following the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US by Al-Qaeda, US backed forces in the north captured Kabul
by ousting Taliban completely.Taliban’s founder and original leader was Mullah Mohammad Omar who died in
2013.
v.Taliban have taken control of Afghanistan nearly 20 years after the US-led military alliance left the country.
About Afghanistan
Former President – Ashraf Ghani
Capital – Kabul
Currency – Afghani
Shanti Lal Jain Appointed as the MD and CEO of Indian Bank

The Appointment Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Shanti Lal Jain as the Managing
Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the Indian Bank for a period of 3 years from the date of
assumption of office or 1st September 2021.
• He will replace Padmaja Chunduru whose term as MD &
CEO of Indian bank will end on 31st August 2021.
• He is currently serving as the Executive Director of the Bank
of Baroda(BoB).
About the appointment:
i.The appointment can be extended up to 2 years or till the age of
superannuation or until further orders.
ii.The Bank Board Bureau(BBB) has recommended Shanti Lal
Jain for the role of MD & CEO of Indian Bank and the recommendation was accepted by the Department of
Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.
About Shanti Lal Jain:
i.Shanti Lal Jain, a chartered accountant, has worked with Allahabad Bank as Chief Financial Officer, Chief Risk
Officer and General Manager.

ii.Prior to joining Allahabad bank, he worked in various industries.
About Indian Bank:
MD & CEO– Padmaja Chunduru (Till Shanti Lal Jain Appointment)
Established in 1907
Tagline– Your Own Bank
CVC re-appointed TM Bhasin as Chairman of Advisory Board for Banking and Financial Frauds
The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) re-appointed Dr. Tejendra Mohan Bhasin aka TM Bhasin as the
chairman of the Advisory Board for Banking and Financial Frauds (ABBFF) w.e.f. August 21, 2021 for a further
period of two years.
• The reappointment followed the term completion of ABBFF on August 20, 2021 which was constituted in
2019 to examine bank frauds of over Rs 50 crore and recommend relevant action.
About ABBFF:
The CVC, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) constituted the ABBFF comprising of four
members for an initial term of two years. Then, ABBFF, after
due process of consultation with CVC, CBI (Central Bureau of
Investigation), RBI, and Department of Financial Services,
framed the standard operating procedure (SOP) for general
managers and above accountable in the fraud cases of Rs 50
crore and more, referred to it by the public sector banks (PSBs).
• Now, in the new term of ABBFF, its scope has been
expanded to comprehensively examine the staff
accountability for all levels of the officials or whole-time
directors (WTD) in PSBs, in the fraud cases of Rs 50 crore and above.
• ABBFF is headquartered in New Delhi.
Members of ABBFF:
• Madhusudan Prasad, former secretary of Ministry of Urban Development*
• Devendra Kumar Pathak, former director-general of BSF (Border Security Force)
• David Rasquinha, former managing director of EXIM Bank (Export-Import Bank of India).
*The government has merged the urban development and housing and urban poverty alleviation ministries in
2017 which are now collectively known as the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
About TM Bhasin:
i.He served as vigilance commissioner in the CVC for four years from June 2015 to June 2019.
ii.Prior to this, he was Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Chennai-based Indian Bank for more than five
years.
About Central Vigilance Commission (CVC):
Establishment– 1964 (Statutory Status was given in 1998)
Central Vigilance Commissioner– Suresh N Patel
Nitin Chugh MD & CEO of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Steps Down
Nitin Chugh, Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank has submitted his
resignation. He will step down from his post on 30th September
2021.
• With this resignation, He will also cease to be the Director
of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank with effect from 30th
September 2021.

• His tenure as the director of Ujjivan bank is co-terminus with his tenure as Managing Director and CEO of the
bank.
About Nitin Chugh:
i.Nitin Chugh has been serving as the MD and CEO of the Ujjivan Small Finance Bank since December 2019.
ii.Previously he has served as the group head for digital banking of HDFC Bank.
iii.He has also worked for Standard Chartered Bank, Xerox, HCL Technologies.
About Ujjivan Small Finance Bank:
MD &CEO– Nitin Chugh
Tagline– Build a Better Life
Ismail Sabri Yaakob Appointed as Prime Minister of Malaysia

The Supreme Head(King) of Malaysia has appointed former Deputy Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob as the
Prime Minister(PM) of Malaysia. He replaced the caretaker Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who resigned after
losing his parliamentary majority.
He is the 3rd Prime Minister of Malaysia since the 2018
elections.
• He is a member of the United Malays National
Organisation (UMNO) party.
• Ismail Sabri Yaakob is supported by 114 members out of
222 members.
About Ismail Sabri Yaakob:
i.Ismail Sabri Yaakob served as the 13th Deputy Prime Minister
of Malaysia from July 2021 to August 2021 and he is the
shortest-serving Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia.
ii.He has been serving as a member of the parliament since 2004.
iii.He has also served as the cabinet minister and held various portfolios like Minister of Rural and Regional
Development, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism and
Youth and Sports between 2008 and 2018.
About Malaysia:
Capital– Kuala Lumpur
Currency– Malaysian Ringgit
La Ganesan, Appointed as 17th Governor of Manipur

President Ramnath Kovind has appointed senior BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader from Tamil Nadu, La.
Ganesan as 17th Governor of Manipur.He Succeeded Najma Heptulla, who retired earlier this month.
• Earlier, the Governor of Sikkim, Ganga Prasad served as a Governor-in-charge of Manipur.
Constitutional Articles
Article 153-There shall be a Governor for each state”
Provided that nothing in this article shall prevent the
appointment of the same person as Governor for two or
more States.
Article 155- The Governor of a State shall be appointed by
the President by warrant under his hand and seal.
Article 156- TERM OF OFFICE OF GOVERNOR
(1) The Governor shall hold office during the pleasure of the
President.
(2) The Governor may, by writing under his hand addressed to the President, resign his office.
About Manipur
Chief Minister: Nongthombam Biren Singh

Wildlife Sanctuary : Yangoupokpi-Lokchao Wildlife Sanctuary,
Khongjaingamba Ching Wildlife Sanctuary
Festivals:Yaoshang ,Kut-Festival Of Kuki-Chin-Mizo ,Gang-Ngai-Festival Of Kabui Nagas
Kamlesh Kumar Pant Appointed as Chairman of NPPA

Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has appointed Kamlesh Kumar Pant, a 1993-batch IAS officer of
Himachal Pradesh cadre, as the new chairman of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) with
immediate effect. He replaces the current chairman Shubhra Singh, who has been repatriated to Rajasthan.
• Kamlesh Kumar Pant has served in various capacities in the Government of Himachal Pradesh including
Principal Secretary (Revenue), Financial Commissioner (Appeals) and head of the Himachal Pradesh State
Pollution Control Board.
About NPPA:
NPPA under the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers is an independent
regulator for the pricing of drugs.
Headquartered– New Delhi
Established on 29th August 1997.
Alia Bhatt Appointed as Brand ambassador of Samsung India

Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt has been appointed as the brand ambassador of Samsung India to endorse Galaxy Z,
a series of foldable smartphones, in India. Samsung India is set to launch its Galaxy Z Fold3 5G and Galaxy Z Flip3
5G smartphones in India from 10th September 2021.
• As the brand ambassador of Samsung India, Alia Bhatt will
drive the adoption of the Galaxy Z series among young Gen Z
and millennial consumers.
Sunpure appoints Sonu Sood as brand ambassador:
Sunpure, an edible cooking oil brand based in Karnataka has
appointed Actor Sonu Sood as its brand ambassador. Sunpure is
sold by MK Agrotech Pvt. Ltd
Sunpure has launched a
campaign #EkRishtaShudhtaKa, featuring Sonu Sood released in Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada.
As a part of the association with Sunpure, Sonu Sood will also lead various brand campaigns.
About Samsung:
Samsung is a South Korean company headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea.
Chairman– Jae-Wan Bahk
Vice-Chairman and CEO– Ki-Nam Kim
RBI Approves Reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as MD& CEO of ICICI Bank

The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as the Managing
Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of ICICI Bank with effect from 15th October 2021 to 3rd October
2023.
He was appointed as the MD & CEO of ICICI Bank in 2018 following
the resignation of Chanda Kochhar on 4th October 2018.
Background:
i.In August 2019, the ICICI bank’s Shareholder meeting approved
the appointment of Sandeep Bakshi as the MD & CEO for a period of
5 years with effect from 15th October 2018 to 3rd October 2023.
ii.The RBI approved his appointment for a period of 3 years against
the 5-year term sought by the ICICI bank.
About Sandeep Bakhshi:
i.Sandeep Bakhshi joined the ICICI group in 1986 and has served in various capacities at ICICI Limited, ICICI

Lombard General Insurance, ICICI Bank and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance.
ii.He has served as the MD and CEO of ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company between 2010 and 2018.
iii.He has also served as the Deputy Managing Director of ICICI Bank and MD & CEO of ICICI Lombard General
Insurance.
About ICICI Bank:
MD & CEO– Sandeep Bakhshi
Tagline– Hum Hai Na, Khayal Apka
Indian Idol 2021 Winner Pawandeep Rajan Appointed as Uttarakhand’s Brand Ambassador for
Art, Tourism, Culture
Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister(CM) of Uttarakhand, has announced that Pawandeep Rajan, winner of the
Indian Idol Season 12(2021), a music reality show, has been appointed as the brand ambassador
of Uttarakhand’s art, tourism and culture.
• 23 years old Pawandeep Rajan hails from Champawat, Uttarakhand.
ACC Approved to Extend the Tenure of 3 MD & CEOs and 10 EDs of PSB
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Department of Financial
Services(DFS) to extend the tenure of 3 Managing Directors(MD) and Chief Executive officers(CEO), and 10
Executive Directors(EDs) of Public Sector Banks(PSB) including the Punjab National Bank(PNB).
Background:
i.The DFS suggested to extended the terms of the MDs and EDs of the Public Sector banks to ensure the stability
and continuity of the banks amid COVID-19 pandemic
ii.The proposal for the extension was sent to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) after consultation
with the Banks Board Bureau(BBB).
Details of approved tenure extensions:
MD & CEO:
• The term of SS Mallikarjuna Rao, the MD and CEO of PNB have been extended until 31st January 2022, the
date of his superannuation.
• The term of Atul Kumar Goel, MD and CEO of UCO Bank has been extended for a period of 2 years.
• The term of A S Rajeev, MD and CEO of Bank of Maharashtra has been extended for a period of 2 years.
Note:
According to the government guidelines, the MD & CEO of a public sector undertaking is given a maximum tenure
of 5 years.
Executive Directors:
The following Executive Directors received a extension for a period of 2 years beyond the expiry date of their
notified term:
• Ajay K Khurana ED of Bank of Baroda
• A Manimekhalai ED of Canara Bank
• P R Rajagopal ED of Bank of India
The terms of the following EDs have been extended till the date of their superannuation:
• Sanjay Kumar and Vijay Dube, EDs of Punjab National Bank.
• Gopal Singh Gusain and Manas Ranjan Biswal EDs of Union Bank of India.
• Vikramaditya Singh Khichi ED of Bank of Baroda.
• Shenoy Vishwanath Vittal ED of Indian Bank.
• Alok Srivastava ED of the Central Bank of India.

Economic Advisor Lalit Kumar Chandel appointed on the board of Bank of Maharashtra
The government of India has appointed Lalit Kumar Chandel, Economic advisor of the Department of Financial
Service, as Government of India nominee director on the board of Bank of Maharashtra with effect from 18th
August 2021.
• He replaced Hrisheekesh Arvind Modak who has been on the board since May 2021.
On April 26, 2021, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through its circular – “Corporate Governance in Banks –
Appointment of Directors and Constitution of Committees of the Board”, has fixed 15 years as the tenure for the
Managing Director and Chief executive officers (MD & CEOs) or whole-time directors(WTDs) to hold their post in
a bank.
About Punjab National Bank(PNB):
MD & CEO– S.S. Mallikarjuna Rao
Headquarters– New Delhi, India
Tagline-The name you can bank upon
Founded– 19th May 1894
Commenced Operations– 12th April 1895
About UCO Bank:
UCO Bank formerly known as the United Commercial Bank Limited.
MD & CEO– Atul Kumar Goel
Nationalized in 1969
Headquarters– Kolkata, West Bengal
About Bank of Maharashtra:
MD & CEO– A S Rajeev
Headquarters– Pune, Maharashtra
Incorporated on 16th September 1935
RBI Promoted 3 Grade F officers as Executive Directors for 2021-22

The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has promoted 3 Grade F officers – Ajay Kumar, A.K. Choudhary and Deepak
Kumar – as the Executive directors for the year 2021-2022.
• Ajay Kumar has been serving as the regional director of RBI regional Office, New Delhi
• A.K. Choudhary has been serving as the Chief General Manager in charge of the Department of Supervision,
RBI Mumbai.
• Deepak Kumar has been serving as the chief General Manager in charge of the Department of information
Technology(IT), RBI Mumbai.
Note:
At present RBI has 12 executive directors and 30 chief General Managers, under the 4 deputy governors.
About Reserve Bank of India(RBI):
Deputy Governor– Mahesh Kumar Jain; Michael Debabrata Patra; M. Rajeshwar Rao; and T. Rabi Sankar
Established– 1st April 1935
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Took Charge as Chairperson of Stop TB Partnership Board
Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare has taken charge as the Chairperson of the
Board of Stop TB partnership. He will hold the responsibility of the chairman of the board with immediate effect
until 2024.
He took over the responsibility from Dr Harsh Vardhan, former Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare,
Government of India.

• The Stop TB Partnership is a United Nations(UN) hosted partnership program that aims to fight against
tuberculosis collectively.
Responsibilities as Chairman:
As the chairperson of the board of stop TB partnership,
Mansukh Mandaviya will lead the efforts of the Stop TB
partnership secretariat, partners and the TB community
towards reaching the UN TB targets by 2022, a milestone of
the efforts to end TB by 2030.
Note:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set an aim to eradicate
tuberculosis (TB) in India by 2025.
Additional info:
i.The Stop TB partnership board has appointed Austin Arinze Obiefuna, Founder and Executive Director of Afro
Global Alliance, as the Vice-Chair of the board.
ii.He will take over as the Vice-Chair on 1st January 2022 for a period of 3 years.
iii.He has represented the Developing Country NGOs, the biggest constituency on the board.
About Stop TB Partnership:
Stop TB Partnership has been administered by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) since 2015.
Earlier, it was hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Executive Director– Dr. Lucica Ditiu
Secretariat– Geneva, Switzerland
Founded in 2001
TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit Gets Additional Charge of Punjab, Chandigarh

Ram Nath Kovind, President of India, has appointed Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Tamil Nadu(TN) to discharge
the functions of the Governor of Punjab in addition to his duties. He was also appointed as the Administrator of
the Union Territory(UT) of Chandigarh.
• The appointment will come into effect from the date
Banwarilal Purohit assumes charge of the office and he will
continue his additional charges until regular arrangements are
made.
• Banwarilal Purohit will replace V P Singh Badnore, who has
been serving as the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of
Chandigarh.
Note:
The appointment of Banwarilal Purohit as Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh(additional
charge) comes ahead of the Punjab Assembly Elections which is scheduled to be held in 2022.
About Punjab Legislative Assembly:
i.The Punjab Legislative Assembly came into being under the constitution upon the first elections in 1952.
ii.At present, the Punjab Legislative Assembly consists of 117 Members.
Administration of Chandigarh:
i.Chandigarh, a city-state and UT does not have its legislative assembly, the governor of Punjab is concurrently the
Administrator of Chandigarh.
ii.The UT host the legislative assembly of both Punjab and Haryana.
iii.At present, the city is represented in the Indian Parliament by Kirron Kher of Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP).
Note:
• The ‘Palace of Assembly’ at the Complexe du Capitole, is the legislative assembly building in Chandigarh.
• It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016 under the Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an
Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement.

Amit Banerjee Appointed as New CMD of BEML
Amit Banerjee is appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director(CMD) of BEML (Bharat Earth Movers
Limited).He succeeded Deepak Kumar Hota(D.K.Hota), who retired on January 2021.After the retirement of
D.K.Hota , M V Rajasekhar was given additional charge as CMD.
About Amit Banerjee:
• Amit Banerjee graduated from IIT Banaras Hindu
University(BHU) as a mechanical engineer.
• He joined BEML in 1984 as an Assistant Engineer and has 37
years experience in R&D and manufacturing functions .
• Before joining as a CMD in BEML he was as a Director(Rail &
Metro) BEML
• He has also worked for indegeneous development of Metro
cars for Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata,Bangalore and Mumbai, Stainless-Steel EMU & Intermediate Metro Cars,
Catenary Maintenance Vehicle and PMS Bridge for Indian Army
About BEML (Bharat Earth Movers Limited)
Chairman and Managing Director– Amit Banerjee
Headquarters- Bengaluru, Karnataka
Nakul Chopra Appointed as CEO of BARC India

Nakul Chopra was appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Broadcast Audience Research Council
India (BARC) by replacing Sunil Lulla.
• BARC India is the world’s largest television measurement science industry body. It was registered with the
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) as a self-regulated, not-for-profit Joint Industry Body (JIB).
Tennis Player Leander Paes Joins Sporjo as Strategic Advisor & Ambassador
The Indian Tennis player and 18-time Grand Slam winner Leander
Paes has joined India’s fastest growing sports edtech startup, Sporjo
as its Strategic Advisor and Ambassador.
About Sporjo:
• Company was launched on May 27 2020 by G Srinivvasan. It
mainly focuses on education, training the youth and also
providing employment.
• The sports market is estimated around INR 100 billion, but
sports in India only contributed 0.1% to the GDP as compared to the global average of 5%
About Leander Adrian Paes
Born– June 17, 1973 ,Kolkata, West Bengal.
Awards- Olympic Bronze Medal 1996, Arjuna Award for Lawn Tennis 1990, Padma Bhushan 2014, Padma Shri
2001
ACQUISITION & MERGERS

OMERS Acquired 19.4% Stake in Azure Power Global for $219 million from IFC
Canadian pension fund Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (OMERS) acquired a 19.4
percent stake in Azure Power Global for $219 million from International Finance Corporation (IFC), the
private sector arm of the World Bank Group and IFC GIF Investment Company.
• Azure Power was India’s 1st renewable energy company to get listed on the US stock market (New York
Stock Exchange).
• It is OMERS 2nd direct infrastructure investment in India after the 2019 investment of $121 million for a
22.4 percent stake in the IndInfravit Trust toll road platform.

• In May 2021, India has granted income tax exemption to OMERS Administration Corporation for
infrastructure investments in India.
• Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and
Brookfield Asset Management were some of the other Canadian investors in India.
Key points:
i.India has set a target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, which includes 100 GW from
solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from bio-power and 5 GW from small hydro-power.
ii.The Central Electricity Authority estimated India’s power requirement in 2030 by 817GW with more than half
from clean energy and 280GW from solar energy.
Note – PTT Public Company Limited (PTT Group) announced its acquisition of a 41.6 percent stake in Avaada
Energy Pvt. Ltd for around $454 million.
About Azure Power Global
CEO – Ranjit Gupta
About International Finance Corporation (IFC):
It is one of the 5 organizations of the World Bank (WB).
Headquarters – Washington DC, United States (US)
MD – Makhtar Diop
CCI Approves Acquisition of Equity Stake in PNBHFL by Carlyle Group

Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of equity shares in PNB Housing Finance
Limited (PNBHFL) by the Pluto Investments an entity of Carlyle Group and Salisbury Investments Private
Limited, under the Green channel facility.
The transaction approved under Green Channel is deemed to be approved under regulation 5A of the CCI.
• The CCI’s approval of the proposed investment of Rs 4000 crore, makes Carlyle group the majority
shareholder of PNBHFL.
• Pluto Investments, an entity set up in Luxembourg, is owned by Carlyle Asia Partners V and Salisbury
Investments Pvt. Ltd, the family investment vehicle of Aditya Puri, will acquire a stake in the PNBHFL.
Key Points:
In May 2021, the board of PNBHFL approved the placement of 82 million preferential equity shares and 20.5
million share warrants with Pluto Investments and Salisbury Investments.
General Atlantic Singapore Fund FII Pte Ltd and Alpha Investments V Pte Ltd are the other proposed investors of
the deal.
Green Channel:
i.Green channel, an automatic approval system, is an amendment in The Competition Act, 2002, effective from
15th August 2019, to improve merger regulations.
ii.In Green channel, a combination is deemed to have been approved by the regulator upon the filing of the notice
for the combination by the parties concerned.
Carlyle Group to Exit SBI Life by Selling 1.9% stake
CA Emerald Investments, an affiliate of Carlyle Asia Partners, is exiting the SBI Life Insurance Company (SBI
Life) by selling the remaining 1.9% Stake worth Rs 2,160 crore through the stock exchange platform.
The sale price has been fixed at Rs 1130 to Rs 1136.85 apiece.
Background:
i.In March 2019, CA Emerald Investments acquired a 9% stake in SBI Life from BNP Paribas Cardif SA for around
652 million USD.
ii.In November 2019, CA Emerald Investments divested its 3% stake in SBI Life for about Rs2,800 crore and in
May 2021 diverted its 4% stake for over Rs 3,900 crore through an open market transaction.
About Competition Commission of India (CCI):
CCI was established in March 2009 under the Competition Act, 2002.
Chairperson- Ashok Kumar Gupta

About Carlyle Group:
Chief Executive Officer– Kewsong Lee
Headquarters– Washington, D.C., United States
SBI, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, and 3 other Banks buy stakes in IBBIC
6 Banks namely State Bank of India (SBI), Axis Bank, Indian Bank, Yes Bank, IDBI Bank, and ICICI Bank have
brought Equity Stakes in Financial Technology Platform IBBIC (Indian Banks’ Blockchain Infrastructure Co).
• The 6 Banks have picked up 5.55 percent stake each, representing 50,000 shares in IBBIC, for cash at INR 5
lakh each.
IBBIC platform offers Distributed Ledger technology (DLT) solutions (also known as Blockchain Technology) to
the Indian Financial services sector. The equity ownership of IBBIC is aimed at providing DLT solutions for the
financial services sector.
CCI Approves Acquisition of Bikaji Foods International by Lighthouse Funds

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of Bikaji Foods International
Limited by the Lighthouse India Fund III Limited (Fund III) and Lighthouse India III Employee
Trust (Lighthouse Employee Trust) under section 31(1) of the Competition Act 2002.
Bikaji is involved in the manufacture and sale of Indian ethnic snacks and sweets.
About the Acquisition:
i.The CCI has approved the acquisition of 2.727% of equity shareholding of Bikaji foods by Fund III and
Lighthouse Employee Trust.
ii.The proposed combination is the acquisition of shares under Section 5(a) of the Competition Act 2002.
iii.At present Lighthouse Funds has a 7.472% equity shareholding in Bikaji Foods.
Additional info:
i.The Lighthouse Funds is a United States-based company that acts as a sponsor and controls the private equity
funds that invest in Indian consumer companies.
ii.At present, the Lighthouse Funds has raised 3 private equity funds based in Mauritius.
iii.Fund III is one of these funds based in Mauritius and Lighthouse Employee Trust is a trust in India.
About Bikaji Foods International Limited:
Managing Director– Shivratan Agarwal
Head Office– Bikaner, Rajasthan
About Competition Commission of India (CCI):
Chairperson– Ashok Kumar Gupta
Established on 14th October 2003.
Government to sell 25% stake NSC through IPO

The Government of India is set to sell around a 25% stake in National Seeds Corporation Limited (NSC) through
an initial public offering (IPO). National Seeds Corporation (NSC) is a Public sector undertaking (PSU) under the
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare(MoA&FW).
• The Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), Under the Minister of Finance, has
invited bids from merchant bankers and legal advisors to work on this IPO and the subsequent stock
exchange listing of NSC.
Disinvestment target:
i.In February 2021, The Budget proposals for 2021-22 had set a disinvestment target of Rs 1.75 lakh crore for
2021-22 (April-March).
ii.The government has raised Rs 8,368 crore by selling stakes in Axis Bank, NMDC Ltd and Housing and Urban
Development Corp (HUDCO).
About National Seeds Corporation (NSC):
NSC is under the administrative control of the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare,

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
It is wholly owned by the Government of India.
Chairman & Managing Director– Vinod Kumar Gaur
Established in March 1963
CCI Approved the Acquisition of 9.3% stake in Grofers India & HoT by Zomato
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of a 9.3% stake in each of Grofers India
Private Limited(Grofers India) and Hands-on Trades Private Limited (HoT) by Zomato Limited (Zomato).
• Grofers International Pte. Limited (Grofers International) is the investment holding company of Grofers India
and HoT.
• Zomato has invested around 100 million USD( around Rs 745 crore) to acquire a minority stake in Grofers to
have more exposure to the online grocery segment.
Other Acquisitions:
i.CCI has also approved the acquisition of shareholding and certain rights in ANI Technologies Private Limited
(ANI) by Plum Wood Investment Limited (Plum Wood), MacRitchie Investments Pte. Limited(MacRitchie) and
Fort Canning Investments Pte. Limited(Fort Canning).
MacRitchie, a subsidiary of Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited(Temasek), is an investment holding company.
• ANI is involved in the operating internet and mobile technology platform that provides taxi and auto-
rickshaw service under the brand name Ola.
ii.The proposed combinations also envisages the acquisition of voting rights by Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal in
ANI.
iii.Temasek, Warburg Pincus and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal have invested around 500 million USD (Around Rs 3733
crore) ahead of the proposed Initial Public Offering (IPO).
About Zomato Limited (Zomato):
Founder & CEO– Deepinder Goyal
Incorporated in January 2010
About Grofers India Private Limited(Grofers India):
CEO & Co-Founder– Albinder Dhindsa
Established in May 2015
ARTL to Acquire 49% Stake in MBCPNL

Adani Road Transport Ltd (ARTL), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited(AEL) is set to
acquire a 49% stake in Maharashtra Border Check Post Network Limited(MBCPNL), a subsidiary of Sadbhav
Infrastructure Project Limited (SIPL), with an option to acquire additional stakes subject to regulatory approval.
About the Acquisition:
The acquisition at an enterprise value of Rs 1680 crore is 7 times its current EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest,
Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization).
Additional info:
i.MBCPNL has 24 integrated check-posts with exclusive service fee collection rights from commercial vehicles for
all key traffic routes in and out of Maharashtra.
ii.MBCPNL connecting Maharashtra with 6 states, covers around 20% of the commercial road traffic of India.
About Adani Enterprises Limited(AEL):
Chairman- Gautam Adani
Managing Director– Rajesh Adani
Headquarters– Ahmedabad, Gujarat

About Maharashtra Border Check Post Network Limited(MBCPNL):
Founder Chairman and Managing Director– Vishnubhai M. Patel
CMD– Shashin V Patel
HDFC Bank divests 2.21% stake in CDSL for Rs 222.71 crore

HDFC Bank has divested 2.21% stakes in Central Depository Services(India) Limited(CDSL) for Rs 222.71 crore
over a period from 22nd June 2021 to 24th August 2021.
HDFC Bank has sold around 2311000 equity shares of the face value of Rs 10 each.
• CDSL is India’s leading and only listed depository, which provides depository service to market participants.
• Operating services of CDSL: Depository, data entry and record keeping of KYC documents of capital market
investors, and repository.
Background:
i.HDFC Bank sold 2036000 shares of CDSL around 1.95% stakes at an average price of Rs 937.46 per piece on
22nd June 2021.
ii.The bank sold 213481 shares at Rs 1168.94 apiece on 23rd August 2021 and has sold 61519 shares for Rs
1119.31 apiece on 24th August 2021.
Eldeco Group & HDFC Capital Set Up Rs 150cr Fund to Build Housing Projects:
i.Eldeco Group has partnered with HDFC Capital Advisors Limited, a subsidiary of HDFC Limited, to set up a Rs
150 crore platform to build housing projects.
ii.Eldeco Infrastructure and Properties Limited, a part of Eldeco Group has partnered with HDFC Capital
Affordable Real Estate Fund 1 (H-CARE 1), a fund managed by HDFC Capital to form a platform to develop low rise
and plotted development projects.
iii.The developments will be undertaken by Eldeco Greens Infrastructure Private Limited, a special purpose
vehicle.
About Central Depository Services(India) Limited(CDSL):
Chairperson– Balkrishna V. Chaubal
MD & CEO– Nehal Vora
Headquarters– Mumbai. Maharashtra
About HDFC Bank:
MD & CEO– Sashidhar Jagdishan
Tagline– We understand your world
Established in 1994
Chatbot– Eva
1.59% Shares of Canara Bank Picked Up by Rakesh Jhunjhunwala

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala has picked up 1.59% or 2,88,50,000 equity shares via the qualified institutions
placement (QIP) in Canara Bank, which is around INR 407 Crore. With this Jhunjhunwala has become one of the
top investors in the bank.
Key Points:
i.The face value of each share is Rs. 10.
ii.Seven investors have been allotted more than 5% equity in the issue. They include LIC (15.9%), BNP Paribas
(12.5%), Societe Generale (7.9%), Indian Bank (6.3%) and ICICI Prudential (6.3%).
About Jhunjhunwala:
i.Jhunjhunwala also owns shares of 3 banks named as- Federal Bank, Karur Vysya Bank along with Canara Bank.
ii.He is also known as the ‘ Warren Buffett of India‘.
About Canara Bank
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – L.V. Prabhakar
Headquarters- Bengaluru, Karnataka

Tagline– Together We Can
Founded in – July 1906
Syndicate Bank was amalgamated into Canara Bank on April 2020
IDBI Bank Divests its Entire 19.18% Stake in ARCIL

The board of Directors of IDBI Bank has approved to divest its entire stake – 19.18% in Asset Reconstruction
Company (India) Ltd (ARCIL). The board approved the proposal to sell its entire holdings of 6,23,23,800 fully
paid-up equity shares constituting 19.18% of the total equity share capital of ARCIL.
• In June 2021, the IDBI bank has invited bids for the takeover of its stake in ARCIL.
• ARCIL is sponsored by banks and financial institutions like Avenue India Resurgence Pte. Ltd., State Bank of
India (SBI), IDBI Bank Limited (IDBI), ICICI Bank Limited (ICICI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB).
About ARCIL:
CEO & MD– Pallav Mohapatra
About IDBI Bank:
MD & CEO- Rakesh Sharma
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Ordnance factory Tiruchirappalli launched high-tech carbine ‘TriCa’
The Ordnance factory Tiruchirappalli (OFT) in Tamil Nadu launched a new high-tech and low sound weapon
called TriCa (Trichy Carbine), a mini version of the Trichy Assault Rifle (TAR). It was unveiled by General
Manager of OFT Sanjay Dwivedi, IOFS (Indian Ordnance Factories Service) during a function.
• It was developed by the in-house research and development unit of the Ordnance Factory.
Features of TriCa:
Size: 7.62 X 39 mm portable weapon launched on the carbine platform
Weight: 3.17 kg (including the magazine) and
Range: 150 to 175 metre
Key Points:
i.TriCa is lighter as compared to the assault rifles with a range more effective than a typical sub-machine gun.
ii.It is a compact weapon to be packed in the jacket of security personnel.
iii.It is designed for the infantry combat vehicle, helicopter crew, security personnel for operations, and also for
paratroopers, police and security personnel guarding highly secure facilities such as airports, and for use by the
Special Operation Forces.
iv.TriCa has a special muzzle booster which helps in hiding the flash and mitigating the sound when fired.
v.It can use ammunition, magazines as well as the interchangeable parts of general assault rifles (TAR and AK-47-
Avtomat Kalashnikova 1947).
About Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli (OFT):
It is under the aegis of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India.
ESA launches ‘Eutelsat Quantum’ – World’s 1st Commercial Re-Programmable Satellite into Space
European Space Agency (ESA) launched ‘Eutelsat Quantum’ – the world’s 1st commercial reprogrammable
satellite into space aboard Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. It is a fully flexible software-defined satellite.
i.The satellite has been developed under an European Space Agency partnership project with satellite
operator Eutelsat, Airbus & Surrey Satellite Technology.

ii.An reprogrammable satellite allows the user to repurpose it even after being launched into orbit. It can
be reprogrammed in real-time to suit the changing purposes of the user.
iii.The Quantum satellite is capable of responding to changing demands for data transmission and secure
communication during its lifespan of 15 years and will cover the areas from West Africa to Asia.
Key Points
i.Weighing 3.5 tons, Quantum satellite has 8 communications beams.
• Each of these 8 beams can be reprogrammed to change its area of coverage and also the power of the
telecommunications signal it emits.
ii.Depending on the situation, it can be used to provide mobile coverage for moving objects such as aircraft or
oceangoing vessels, or to provide coverage after a natural disaster or for one-off events.
iii.Amidst growing concerns about digital security, the satellite is capable of pinpointing the origin of signals
emitted with or without malicious intent and taking action to remedy the interference.
On November 21, 2020, ‘Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich’ – A Satellite developed by NASA & ESA to monitor rising
global sea levels was successfully launched into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
About European Space Agency (ESA)
Director General – Josef Aschbacher
US approves sale of Harpoon Joint Common Test Sets to India

The United States has approved the sale of one Harpoon Joint Common Test Set (JCTS) and related equipment
for an estimated cost of USD 82 million (~ INR 609 Crores) to India.
• The deal also includes Harpoon Intermediate Level
maintenance station; spare and repair parts, support and
test equipment.
• Boeing Company will be the Principal Contractor of the
deal.
• The Foreign Military Sale is expected to improve India’s
capability to meet current and future threats.
Key Points
i.Harpoon is an anti-ship missile system developed and
manufactured by Boeing Defence, Space & Security.
ii.In April, 2020, US had approved the sale of Harpoon Block II air-launched anti-ship missiles & MK 54
lightweight torpedoes priced a total of USD 155 million to India.
iii.In October, 2020, US has approved India’s request to buy USD 90 million worth of equipment, spare parts and
logistical support for its fleet of C-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft. The sale will be executed by Defence major
Lockheed-Martin.
May 1, 2021, The United States State Department has approved the proposed sale of 6 Poseidon-8I (P-8I) Patrol
Aircraft and other equipment to India. The deal is estimated to cost USD 2.42 Billion (~ INR 18, 000 Crore).
About Boeing
President & CEO – David L. Calhoun
Headquarters – Chicago, USA
ISRO-NASA Joint Satellite Project NISAR Proposed to be Launched Early 2023

Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh stated about the proposed launch of ‘NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture
Radar’ (NISAR) in early 2023.
• NISAR is a joint Earth-observation satellite mission between ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) and
US space agency NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) for global observations over all land
masses including the Polar cryosphere and the Indian Ocean region.

SATNAV Policy 2021 drafted for Effective Development of India’s satellite Navigation Sector
As a part of Department of Space’s (DoS) space reforms, the draft Indian Satellite Navigation Policy – 2021
(SATNAV Policy 2021) was uploaded on DoS website seeking public consultation till August 29, 2021.
• The key objective of this policy is to achieve self-
reliance in satellite-based navigation and augmentation
services while assuring availability & quality, enhancing
usage, and promoting research & development.
• Under this, DoS will also push global usage of Indian
Navigation systems viz. NavIC (Navigation with Indian
Constellation) on the lines of Atmanirbhar Bharat
initiative.
Key Points:
i.This policy will enable participants from pan-India to build new apps and technologies.
ii.Private participation will also be encouraged on the lines of PM Modi’s vision.
iii.DoS will continue to work with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for frequency allocation
for broadcasting navigation and augmentation signals.
• Aside from ITU, India will also engage other entities like the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
(UNCOPUOS), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Maritime Organisation (IMO),
etc.
iv.ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) will provide technical support for academic institutions in Global
Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) research and applications, and organize regular interactions among users,
and industry to synergize R&D (Research and Development) activities.
Need for this Policy:
There is an increased demand for space-based navigation and timing applications, therefore, it is necessary to
provide these secured services specially catering to Indian community. Mostly, the navigation signals are offered
free-to-air, therefore, this draft policy ensures the continuous availability of free-to-air navigation signals for
civilian uses and secured navigation signals for strategic uses.
• For aviation safety, it ensures continuous availability of the Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS).
• It also ensures continuity of NavIC and GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) services.
Point to be noted:
i.NavIC is a part of some key international standards such as RINEX (Receiver Independent Exchange Format),
NMEA (National Marine Electronics Association), RTCM (Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services
(RTCM) and 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project) and national standards such as AIS (Automotive Industry
Standard)-140.
• NavIC has also been accorded recognition by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
ii.GAGAN system has been recognised by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and certified by the
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Static Points:
i.Space Based Navigation Systems (SBAS)– It provides Position, Velocity, and Time (PVT) services for
communication & information. crores of users across the nation are dependent on PVT (Position, Velocity, and
Time) based applications for almost every task that happens virtually in their lives.
ii.Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)– It is a space-based navigation system that provides positioning,
navigation, and precise-time (PNT) services on a global or regional basis. Currently, there are four GNSS:
• Global Positioning System (GPS): It is a satellite-based radio navigation system owned by the USA (United
States of America) and operated by the United States Force.
• GLONASS: It is a Russian space-based GNSS that provides an alternative to GPS and is the second
navigational system with global coverage, freely available to all. It is an acronym for Globalnaya
Navigazionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema, or Global Navigation Satellite System.
• Galileo: It is also a global GNSS created by European Space Agency (ESA).
• BeiDou: The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System is owned and operated by China.
In addition to this, there are two regional navigation satellite systems

• NavIC: It is an independent regional navigation satellite system developed by India. It provides accurate,
precise, and real-time positioning and services. The satellite covers India and a region extending 1,500 km
around.
• QZSS: The Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, also known as Michibiki, is a regional GNSS owned by Japan and
operated by QZS System Service.
i.DoS has placed the ‘Draft National Space Transportation Policy 2020 – Norms, Guidelines & Procedures (NGP)’
for implementation in public domain for comments & suggestions. It covers all aspects of rocket launching,
launchpads, reentry of a space object and others.
ii.ISRO is all launching its Geo Imaging Satellite-1 (GISAT-1), weighing about 2,268-kg, onboard Geosynchronous
Satellite Launch Vehicle-F10 (GSLV-F10) rocket on August 12, 2021 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC),
Sriharikota in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh.
About Department of Space (DoS):
Secretary– Kailasavadivoo Sivan
Headquarter– Bengaluru, Karnataka
ISRO’s GSLV F-10 rocket fails to put EOS-03 Satellite into Orbit
Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Largest Launch Vehicle Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle
(GSLV) F-10 rocket failed to put Earth Observation Satellite (EOS-03) satellite (also known as GISAT-1) into
the Geo-synchronous orbit. It was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC), Sriharikota in Andhra
Pradesh.
• The mission failed due to a technical anomaly in
the cryogenic upper stage ignition.
• The mission is the 1st flight of GSLV with Ogive
Payload fairing which can accommodate larger
payloads.
• It is the 8th Flight of Indigenous Cryogenic Engine,
14th Flight of GSLV, 79th Launch vehicle mission
from SDSC, Sriharikota.
Earth Observation Satellite (EOS)
i.EOS-03 is ISRO’s most advanced Earth observation
satellite. Its main objectives are
• To provide near real time imaging of large area regions of interest at frequent intervals.
• Quick monitoring of natural disasters, episodic events and any short term events & obtaining spectral
signatures for agriculture, forestry, water bodies.
• Imaging the country 4-5 times a day, and to monitor water bodies, crops, vegetation condition, and forest
cover changes.
ii.EOS-02 is scheduled for launch in September-October 2021.
• It will be launched in ISRO’s new rocket – SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle).
• India has developed 4 rockets – SLV (Satellite Launch Vehicle), ASLV (Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle),
and different versions of PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) & GSLV (only two are currently operational).
Cryogenic Upper Stage ignition
GSLV F-10 had an indigenously developed cryogenic engine which is used to propel the heavy rockets to the
atmosphere with great efficiency.
• Cryogenic Stage consists of engines that burn liquid Hydrogen and liquid Oxygen to generate thrust for the
rocket.
ISRO to launch Bhutan’s INS-2B satellite into space by December 2021
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) targets to launch Bhutan’s INS-2B satellite into space by December,
2021. It will be a joint collaboration between India and Bhutan
• The satellite will be used to map Bhutan’s natural resources and for disaster management.

• 4 Engineers from Bhutan are being Trained by ISRO at ISRO’s UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru for
developing the satellite.
Recent related News
On February 28 2021, ISRO launched Brazil’s Amazonia-1 through India’s Polar Satellite LaunchVehicle (PSLV)-
C51. This marked ISRO’s 1st space mission in 2021.
About Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Chairman– Dr. K Sivan
Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter Detects Presence of Water Molecules on Moon

The Imaging Infrared Spectrometer (IIRS) instrument on the Chandrayaan-2 lunar orbiter has detected the
presence of both Hydroxyl ions (OH) and Water Molecules (H2O) on the surface of the moon.
• The findings will be crucial for future planetary exploration for resource utilisation and have been published
in the journal ‘Current Science’.
• It is authored by Former ISRO Chairman AS Kiran Kumar.
• ISRO’s Chandrayaan-2 mission was launched in 2019.
Dr Jitendra Singh launched India’s 1st & World’s largest Cattle Genomic Chip ‘IndiGau’
On August 13, 2021, Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (MoS-Independent Charge) Science & Technology;
Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences released ‘IndiGau’, India’s first and world’s largest Cattle
Genomic Chip for the conservation of pure varieties of indigenous cattle breeds like, Gir, Kankrej, Sahiwal, Ongole
etc.
• The chip was developed by the scientists of National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NAIB),
Hyderabad (Telangana). It is an autonomous institution under the aegis of the Department of Biotechnology
(DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST).
• The Minister also launched two booklets on the occasion.
Key Points:
i.This chip is a purely indigenous product which has been developed on the lines of AtmaNirbhar Bharat.
ii.It has 11,496 markers (SNPs- Single nucleotide polymorphisms) which are more than 777K Illumina chips of
the United States (US) & United Kingdom (UK) breeds.
iii.DBT will implement this technology with the help of other agencies like NDDB (National Dairy Development
Board), DAHDF (Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying, and Fisheries), ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural
Research) etc.
iv.It should be noted that NIAB inked a collaborative agreement with NDDB to use this chip in generating
phenotypic and genotypic correlations.
v.NIAB has also entered into a MoU with private industry to make India capable of designing and making its own
SNP chips which can be further strengthened for bigger chips.
Other Participants:
Dr. Renu Swarup, Secretary,DBT, Senior scientists of NIAB and senior officials of DBT.
MoST will launch a first-of-its-kind Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the Northeast i.e. ‘Centre for Bio-Resources and
Sustainable Development’ at Kimin in Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh (AR).
About Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST):
Dr Jitendra Singh Constituency– Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir
Departments– Department of Science & Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), and Department
of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR)
Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India– Dr. Krishnaswamy VijayRaghavan

HAL’s 1st ever Civil Aircraft, Hindustan-228 carries Ground Run and LSTT
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) 1st Civilian Aircraft Hindustan-228(VT-KNR) has carried out Ground
Run and Low Speed Taxi Trials (LSTT) successfully at its facility in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. This is the 1st fixed
wing Made in India civil Aircraft.
i.The Ground run and LSTT was carried for DIrectorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) certification which will
help HAL to get an International certification for the aircraft.
ii.According to HAL, the Hindustan-228 (VT-KNR) aircraft
complies with the latest Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR
23) certification requirements.
iii.This indigenous Commercial Aircraft will help in the Ude
Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme- Regional airport
development and Regional Connectivity Scheme of
Government of India.
iv.It can be utilised by Civil operators and State Governments
for intra and interstate connectivity with seamless support
towards training, maintenance and logistics.
Hindustan-228
• The Aircraft is a 19- seater Multirole Utility Aircraft.
• It can be used in various roles such as VIP Transport, Para jumping, Cloud seeding, Aerial surveillance,
Photography, Passenger transport, Air ambulance, and In flight Inspection role.
About Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) scheme
• It was launched on 2016 and comes under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• A regional connectivity scheme to develop the regional Aviation Market.
• The scheme is operational for a period of 10 years.
Recent Related News
In June, 2021, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar inducted the first 3 of 16 Indigenous Advanced Light Helicopters
(ALHs) MK III into Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to assist in coastal surveillance, rescue operations and Others.It
indigenously designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
About Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL):
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)– R Madhavan
Virendra Kumar Social Justice Minister Launched TAPAS, To Offer Social Defence Courses
Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, launched an online
portal TAPAS (Training for Augmenting Productivity and Services) to offer access to lectures, study materials and
others, supplementing the physical classroom without compromising teaching quality.
• It was developed by the National Institute of Social Defence(NISD), Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment.
• TAPAS prospectus and an informative video on Online Learning Management System was also released.
Objective of TAPAS:
To offer training and enhance the knowledge and skills for the capacity building of the participants
Training for Augmenting Productivity and Services (TAPAS):
i.The courses offered in TAPAS can be assessed by anyone at free of cost.
ii.This will enable the ministry to reach out to the people working in the area of social defence.
iii.The platform offers various courses in the field of social defence for the capacity building of stakeholders.
iv.The platform also offers 5 free courses on Drug (Substance) Abuse Prevention, Geriatric/Elderly Care, Care and
Management of Dementia, Transgender Issues and Social Defence Issues.
Features:
i.TAPAS, a standard MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platform has course material like filmed lectures and e-
study material.

ii.Discussion forums to support and encourage interactions among students and course coordinators are also
available in TAPAS.
About Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment:
Union Minister– Dr Virendra Kumar (Constituency- Tikamgarh Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State– A. Narayanaswamy (Constituency- Chitradurga, Karnataka); Ramdas Athawale (Constituency-
Rajya sabha- Maharashtra) & Pratima Bhoumik (Constituency- Tripura West, Tripura)
DRDO’s DLJ & HEMRL developed Advanced Chaff Technology for IAF jets
On the lines of ‘AatmaNirbhar Bharat’, The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Defence
Laboratory, Jodhpur (DLJ), Rajasthan and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune
(Maharashtra) have developed an advanced Chaff material and chaff cartridge-118/I for Indian Air Force (IAF).
• This technology will safeguard IAF fighter jets against hostile radar threats.
• IAF will induct this technology after successful user trials.
What is the advanced chaff technology?
It is an electronic Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) to protect defence assets, like naval vessels and
aircraft by providing passive jamming against Infra-Red, radio frequency and radar threats to ensure survivability
of aircraft.
• A very less quantity of chaff material is deployed in the air which will mislead or deflect the enemy’s missiles.
• Chaff is composed of many small aluminium or zinc coated fibres. It will be stored on-board the aircraft as
cartridges.
Point to be noted:
Few months back, DLJ developed a similar technology in three variants for naval ships to protect them from
missile attacks. The three variants are:
1. Short Range Chaff Rocket (SRCR)
2. Medium Range Chaff Rocket (MRCR)
• Long Range Chaff Rocket (LRCR)
The Indian Navy conducted trials of all three variants in the Arabian Sea with successful results.
Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a lab of Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) has developed an Indigenous High Strength Metastable Beta Titanium Alloy. It will be useful in
manufacturing intricate components for aerospace applications.
About Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO):
It is an amalgamation of the then Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the
Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO).
Chairman– Dr G Satheesh Reddy
OneWeb launches 34 Satellites into LEO

OneWeb, Satellite Communications Operator Co-owned by Bharti Airtel & United Kingdom (UK)
Government has launched another batch of 34 Satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) on August 22, 2021.
• The launch was carried out by Arianespace, European Satellite launch Company with the Soyuz, Russian
Rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
• It was the 5th launch of OneWeb satellites in 2021, thereby making a total of 288 Satellites in the Orbit.
Key Points
i.OneWeb is aiming to launch a total of 648 satellites to provide high-speed internet connectivity to
customers around the world (SpaceX’s Starlink internet constellation is expected to have around
12,000satellites).
ii.OneWeb resumed satellite launches in December, 2020 after emerging from bankruptcy protection with USD 1
billion in equity investment from a consortium of the British government and India’s Bharti Enterprises.

• It has also received investment from Japan’s Softbank and Eutelsat Communications. It is now fully funded
and has secured USD 2.4 Billion in total from investments.
iii.One Web will start full satellite broadband service in India by May 2022.
About OneWeb
Established in 2020
CEO – Neil Masterson
Executive Chairman – Sunil Bharti Mittal
IIT Madras Developed India’s 1st Indigenous Motorised Wheelchair Vehicle, NeoBolt
IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Madras has developed India’s 1st indigenous motorised wheelchair
vehicle, NeoBolt, which could be used even on uneven terrains (land).
• NeoBolt was developed by a team led by Sujatha
Srinivasan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT
Madras.
• A start-up called ‘NeoMotion’ has commercialised the
NeoBolt.
• Objective: To overcome issues of the ‘one-size-fits-all’
wheelchairs which causes restricted mobility, damages
health, and lowers self-confidence.
Features of NeoBolt:
i.The maximum speed of NeoBolt is about 25 kmph and it travels up to 25 km per charge. It is powered by a
lithium-ion battery.
ii.The team has already commercially launched similar kind of mortorised wheelchair ‘Neofly’. The Neofly is
converted into NeoBolt with added safety and comfort features.
iii.Convenient and low cost: NeoBolt will be convenient, safe for wheelchair users, it will also be a ‘low-cost
mode’ of outdoor mobility (compared with cars, auto rickshaws or modified scooters).
• Currently, the NeoFly and NeoBolt are being used by over 600 users across 28 States in India.
• NeoFly personalised wheelchair is available at Rs 39,900 and NeoBolt motorised add-on is available at Rs
55,000.
iv.It has suspensions to absorb the shocks and it will enable the user to navigate all kinds of terrain.
Note – Around 3 lakh wheelchairs are sold annually in India, of which 2.5 lakh are imported. The innovation will
overcome this high rate of import.
About Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras):
Director – Bhaskar Ramamurthi
Location – Chennai, Tamil Nadu
GoI & BRICS partnered to setup SARS-CoV-2 NGS-BRICS consortium to study COVID-19 on TB
patients
Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India (GoI) and BRICS (Brazil,
Russia, India, China, and South Africa) have collaborated to implement SARS-CoV-2 NGS-BRICS consortium and
multi centric programme to study the impact of severe COVID-19 conditions on Tuberculosis (TB) patients.It will
also Setup Network of Genomic Surveillance.
• SARS-CoV-2 NGS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2-Next-generation sequencing
(NGS).
About SARS-CoV-2 NGS-BRICS consortium:
It is an interdisciplinary collaboration to advance COVID-19 health-relevant knowledge in order to improve
health outcomes. It will accelerate the translation of genomic data which will help in clinical and public health
research and interventions from clinical and surveillance samples.
• This research will be done with high-end genomic technologies, epidemiologic and bioinformatics tools.

Consortium Team:
Indian team consists members from National Institute of Biomedical Genomics-NIBMG (Professor Arindam
Maitra, Professor Saumitra Das, Dr Nidhan K Biswas), Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics-CDFD
(Dr Ashwin Dalal) and Indian Institute of Science-IISc (Dr Mohit K Jolly).
Members from Other Countries:
• National Laboratory for Scientific Computation – LNCC/MCTI (Dr Ana Tereza Ribeiro de Vasconcelos) from
Brazil
• Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Professor Georgii Bazykin) from Russia,
• Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Professor Mingkun Li) from China
• University of KwaZulu-Natal (Professor Tulio de Oliveira) from South Africa will participate in this
consortium
About Multi Centric Programme:
It is an interdisciplinary team of researchers from India, Brazil and South Africa who will investigate the impact of
severe COVID-19 on transient peripheral immunosuppression and lung hyperinflammation conditions in TB
patients for epidemiology and comorbidity.
Programme Team:
Indian team consists from National Institute of Research in Tuberculosis-NIRT (Dr. Subash Babu, Dr.
Anuradha Rajamanickam, Dr. Banurekha Velayutham and Dr. Dina Nair) from India,
• Lapclin-Tb/ Inifiocruz (Dr. Valeria Cavalcanti Rolla), IMU, LIB, MONSTER/ IGMFIOCRUZ (Dr. Bruno de
Bezerril Andrade), LAPCLIN-TB/ INIFIOCRUZ (Dr. Adriano Gomes da Silva) and LBB/ INI-FIOCRUZ (Dr.
Maria Cristina Lourenço) from Brazil
• University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa (Dr. Bavesh Kana, Dr. Bhavna Gordhan, Dr. Neil
Martinson and Dr. Ziyaad Waja) from South Africa.
MeitY launches QSim from New Delhi to aid Quantum Computing Research in India
On August 27, 2021, Minister of State (MoS) Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Ministry of Electronics & Information
Technology (MeitY) launched ‘QSim – Quantum Computer Simulator Toolkit’ during a hybrid event from New
Delhi to aid and enable cost effective research in Quantum Computing. It will be utilized by students and
researchers.
• It is a product of project ‘Design and Development of Quantum Computer Toolkit (Simulator,
Workbench) and Capacity Building’ which is executed collaboratively by IISc (Indian Institute of Science)
Bengaluru (Karnataka), IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) Roorkee (Uttarakhand) and C-DAC (Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing) with the support of MeitY.
• This project is among the first initiatives to address the challenge of advancing the Quantum Computing
research frontiers in India.
Models of QSim:
It is available in 2 models:
i.PARAM SHAVAK QSim: Standalone system with Quantum Simulator in a box
ii.PARAM QSim Cloud: Available on cloud using HPC (High-performance computing) infrastructure PARAM
SIDDHI AI (developed and deployed under NSM program)
About QSim:
i.Quantum Simulators are devices that allow scientists to study quantum effects, which are otherwise difficult to
study in a lab.
• It allows researchers and students to write and debug Quantum Code which are important for developing
Quantum Algorithms.
• It will serve as an important educational and research tool to acquire programming and designing skills of
real Quantum Hardware.
ii.As Quantum systems are highly sensitive to disturbances from the environment, QSim allows exploration of
Quantum Algorithms under idealized conditions.
• It helps simulate Quantum circuits with and without noise to test various algorithms that work with
imperfect quantum components.

iii.Other Features: Intuitive UI (User Interface); Pre-loaded Quantum algorithms and Examples, Integrated with
HPC; Simulate noisy Quantum logic circuits.
What is Quantum Computing?
It is the study of how to use phenomena in quantum physics to create new ways of computing. In a normal
computer there is a bit, which can be 0 or 1. On the other hand, in quantum computing there are qubits which can
be either of those, or a superposition of both 0 and 1, thereby enhancing the ability of computers.
Other Efforts by Indian Government to enhance Quantum Computing Research:
i.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed an outlay of Rs 8000 crore over a period of five years in 2020
Union Budget for the National Mission on Quantum Technologies and Applications.
ii.MeitY had also announced a collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) earlier, to develop a Quantum
Computing Applications Lab in India.
Other Participants:
MeitY Secretary Ajay Prakash Sawhney, and senior officers from Meity.
• Virtual Participants: Krishnaswamy Vijay Raghavan, Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India,
Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, Director, IISc Bangalore, Prof. Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Roorkee, Ms.
Debjani Ghosh, President, NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Service Companies), among
others.
MeitY signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MapmyIndia, thereby enabling map services in
‘UMANG App’. UMANG stands for Unified Mobile Application for New-Age Governance.
About Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY)
Union Minister– Ashwini Vaishnaw (Constituency– Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS) – Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Constituency- Karnataka)
Rajnath Singh Commissioned ICG Offshore Patrol Vessel- ’Vigraha’

Union Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh has commissioned the Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) 7th Offshore Patrol
Vessel (OPV), ‘Vigraha’ at the Chennai Port. The OPV will be placed at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
• This is the 1st time that a private sector shipyard
(L&T) has designed & constructed an OPV ship.
• Vigraha is the last in the 7 OPVs contracted to Larsen &
Toubro (L&T) by the Defence Ministry in 2015.
Key points:
i.It has a life span of more than 25 years.
ii.OPVs are large range surface ships, which are capable of
operations in the maritime zones of the country & island
territories.
iii.The roles of the OPV include coastal & offshore patrol, policing maritime zones of the country, surveillance,
anti-piracy operations & anti-smuggling operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Specifications:
• It is 98 meters long, 15 m wide & has 3.6m draught. It has a displacement of 2140 tonnes & a range of 5000
Nautical miles.
• It is equipped with twin-engine helicopters & 4 high-speed boats for boarding operation, search & rescue ,
Pollution control etc..
• The vessel is equipped with a 40/60 Bofors gun & fitted with two 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote Control Gun
with fire control system.
• It is fitted with advanced technology radars, navigation and communication equipment, sensors and
machinery capable of operating in tropical sea conditions
Vessels Built by Larsen & Toubro
L&T has previously designed & built 6 ICGS
ICGS ‘Vikram’, ICGS ‘Vijaya’, ICGS ‘Veera’, ICGS ‘Varaha’, ICGS ‘Varad’, ICGS ‘Vajra’

Recent Related News
In June 2020, Union Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh stated that India’s 1st Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)
will be commissioned into Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command as ‘INS Vikrant’ by mid-2022. It is being built at
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
About Indian Coast Guard (ICG)
Director General of ICG – Krishnaswamy Natarajan
DEFENCE
EXERCISE
36th Edition of CORPAT held between Indian and Indonesian Navies
The 36th Edition of Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) was held between the Navies of India and Indonesia from July
30-31, 2021 in the Indian Ocean region (IOR).
i.Indian Naval ship (INS) Saryu, an indigenously built Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) along with Indonesian Naval
ship KRI Bung Tomo took part in the coordinated patrol.
ii.It aims to enhance the maritime cooperation between the
two navies and forge strong bonds of friendship across the
Indo Pacific region.
iii. The patrol was held in “A non-contact, at sea
only” format in view of the pandemic.
iv.Under SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region)
mission, Indian Navy has been actively partnering with
countries in the littoral states of Indian ocean to enhance
maritime security in the region.
• SAGAR was launched in 2015, It is India’s strategic vision for IOR.
About CORPAT
• Coordinated Patrol has been conducted twice a year since 2002 by India and Indonesia along the
International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
• It ensures safety and security for commercial shipping, international trade and conduct of legitimate
activities in the Indian Ocean region.
About Indian Navy
Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) – Admiral Karambir Singh
Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy) – New Delhi
About Indonesia
President – Joko Widodo
capital – Jakarta
currency – Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
DefExpo-2022 to be held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat

DefExpo-2022 (12th Edition), the land and naval systems show of the Ministry of Defence has been scheduled to
be held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat from March 11-13, 2022. It is a biennial event and is organised by the Ministry
of Defence.
• The last edition of Defence Expo 2020 was held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
• The Ministry of Defence organises military exhibitions each year in the form of Defence Expo and the Aero
India.

TT Exercise held between India’s Tri-Service Forces for the 1st Time
For the 1st time, a Table-Top (TT) war-gaming exercise was held between India’s 3 Armed Services (Indian
Army, Indian Air Force, Indian Navy). It was held to fine-tune the model of Integrated tri-service theatre
commands.
• During the exercise, Scenarios like facing a two-front war from China and Pakistan were war-gamed.
• It also included a frank and freewheeling exchange to evolve best practices on theatrisation.
Creation of Integrated Theatre Commands
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to announce the creation of 4 new Integrated theatre commands from the
Red Fort on August 15, 2021.
• The 4 New Commands will be West, East, Integrated Maritime Theatre Command (IMTC) and Integrated Air
Defence Command (IADC).
• The new commands will be raised and operationalized over a two-year period and will be ready by August
2023.
• At present the Indian Armed Forces has 17 commands (7 commands each of the Army & Air Force, while
the Navy has 3 commands).
• There is only 1 Joint Tri-Service Theatre Command of the Indian Armed Force – Andaman and Nicobar
Command (ANC), based at Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands of India.
About Indian Army
Chief of Defence Staff – General Bipin Rawat
Commander-in-Chief of Indian Armed Forces – President of India (Ram Nath Kovind)
Naval Exercise “Zayed Talwar 2021” held between India and UAE
Indian Navy and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy undertook Bilateral Naval Exercise Zayed Talwar 2021 off
the coast of Abu Dhabi.
• The Indian Navy deployed INS Kochi and 2 Integral Sea
King MK 42B helicopters, whereas the UAE participated
in the exercise with Al-Dhafra, a Baynunah class
guided missile corvette and one AS-565B Panther
helicopter.
• The ships undertook tactical manoeuvres, over the
horizon targeting, search and rescue operations and
electronic warfare drills to enhance interoperability
and synergy between the two navies.
India’s Growing Military ties with UAE
i.Exercise Desert Eagle – Bilateral Air Combat exercise held between Indian Airforce and the air force of UAE.
ii.On March 4, 2021, Multinational Air exercise Exercise Desert flag VI was held at Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE. It
was hosted by the UAE Airforce.
• IAF participated in the multilateral exercise, it was the 1st time that IAF participated in an Multilateral
exercise in the Gulf Region.
Recent Related News
February 26, 2021, Indian Naval Ship ‘Pralaya’ participated in NAVDEX 21 (Naval Defence Exhibition) & IDEX 21
(International Defence Exhibition) held at Abu Dhabi, UAE (United Arab Emirates) from February 20-25, 2021.
About Indian Navy
Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence – New Delhi.
About United Arab Emirates
President – Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Capital – Abu Dhabi
Currency – UAE dirham

“AL-MOHED AL-HINDI-2021” – 1st ever Naval Exercise between India & Saudi Arabia
The Maiden Naval Exercise “AL-MOHED AL-HINDI-2021” between Indian Navy and the Royal Saudi Naval
Forces commenced on August 9, 2021. INS Kochi, the flagship Destroyer of the Indian Western Naval Fleet,
arrived at the Port-al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia representing India.
• The exercise was originally scheduled to be held in
2020, but was postponed due to COVID-19.
• A number of shore and sea based drills is scheduled to
take place between the two Navies.
• In December 2020, the 1st ever visit of Indian Army
Chief General M M Naravane to Saudi Arabia took place.
The armies of the two nations have planned to hold
the 1st ever joint military exercise in the later part of
2021.
• INS Kochi is the 2nd Ship of the Kolkata class Stealth Guided Missile Destroyer, built indigenously by
Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai.
INS Shivalik and Kadmatt reaches Brunei to enhance Bilateral Ties
Indian Navy deployed INS Shivalik and INS Kadmatt to Muara, Brunei to participate in various bilateral
professional interactions with the Royal Brunei Navy (RBN).
• It will enhance interoperability, gain from best practices and develop common understanding of procedures
for Maritime Security Operations.
• The bilateral exercise would conclude with a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Royal Brunei Navy at sea
on 12 Aug 21.
• On completion of bilateral exercise with Royal Brunei Navy, the 2 ships will head to Guam (a U.S. island
territory in Micronesia) to participate in exercise MALABAR-21 with the Japanese Maritime Self Defence
Force (JMSDF), Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the United States Navy (USN).
About Indian Navy
Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence – New Delhi
About Saudi Arabia
Capital – Riyadh
Currency – Saudi Riyal
India and UK Navies conduct ‘Exercise Konkan 2021’ in Portsmouth, UK

‘Exercise Konkan- 2021’, a bilateral Naval Exercise held between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of
Britain in Portsmouth, United Kingdom (UK).
• Indian Naval Ship (INS Tabar), a Talwar class stealth
frigate of Indian Navy and HMS Westminster of the
Royal Navy undertook the exercise in non contact
form due to Covid-19 pandemic.
• It aims to enhance interoperability, synergy and
cooperation between both the Navies.
• The harbour phase of the Exercise includes
professional interactions, sharing of best practices and
harbour drills followed by sea based drills like anti-
submarine procedures and others.
• It also included cross deck helicopter operations, wherein choppers carried landing procedures.
Military Exercises with UK
i.Exercise Konkan:It is held annually since 2004 between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Britain. The
2019 Edition was held on the English Channel, UK.
ii.Exercise Indradhanush: bilateral air exercise held between Indian AirForce and Royal Air Force, UK.

iii.Exercise Ajeya Warrior: Military exercise held between India and UK
INS Tabar
i.It is the 3rd ship of the Talwar class frigate of the Indian Navy. It is on a 4 month deployment (June to
September 2021) across Africa and Europe
ii.During the deployment, INS Tabar will make several port visits, PASSEX and bilateral Exercises like Exercise
Varuna with the French Navy and Exercise Indira with the Russian Navy.
Recent Related News
In July 2021, Indian Navy (IN) participated in a Bilateral Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with United Kingdom’s (UK)
Royal Navy in Bay of Bengal. The Maritime Exercise aimed at sharpening the ability of two navies to operate
together in the maritime domain.
About United Kingdom
Prime Minister – Boris Johnson
Capital – London
Currency- Pound Sterling
‘Exercise INDRA-2021’, Joint Military Exercise between India and Russia in Volgograd, Russia
The 12th Edition of Exercise INDRA-2021, a bilateral Military Exercise held between Indian Army and the
military forces of Russian Federation in Volgograd, Russia (from 1st to 13th August,2021).
• It will further strengthen mutual confidence and interoperability between the Indian and Russian Armies
and enable sharing of best practices between the contingents of both the countries.
• INDRA is a joint biennial military exercise started in 2003 between India and Russia.
Indian Navy Participates in the US Navy led Multilateral Naval Exercise ‘SEACAT 2021’ in
Singapore
The Indian Navy participated in the United States (US) Navy led Exercise South East Asia Cooperation and
Training (SEACAT) 2021, an annual Multilateral Naval Exercise held in Singapore virtually. This is the 20th
Edition of the Exercise.
Objective: It aims to foster enhanced cooperation between Southeast Asian countries by incorporating tactics,
standardized training, and procedures to combat contingencies or illegal activities in the maritime domain.
• Navies of 21 countries participated in the exercise. They include Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada,
France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, East Timor, United Kingdom, United States, and Vietnam,
• Several International Organisations and Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) also participated in this
year’s drills. They include the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), EU Critical Maritime Route
Wider Indian Ocean (CRIMARIO), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
• It involved upto to 400 personnel and 10 ships, including the U.S. Navy’s littoral combat Ship Tulsa.
• During the exercise, all existing maritime domain awareness (MDA) tools, including Singapore’s Information
Fusion Centre, will be used by the participating nations to share information, as well as for crisis
communication and coordination
About South East Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT)
SEACAT began in 2002 as South East Asia Cooperation Against Terrorism. In 2020, the Exercise was conducted
as part of a virtual symposium due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent Related News
In July 2021, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Talwar visited Mombasa, Kenya to participate in Exercise Cutlass Express
2021 (CE21).The Annual Maritime Exercise held along the East Coast of Africa.The Exercise is sponsored by the
U.S. Africa Command and conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa.
About Indian Navy

About Singapore
Prime Minister – Lee Hsien Loong
Capital – Singapore
Currency – Singapore Dollar(SGD)
Indian Navy and Royal Bahrain Navy undertakes Maritime Partnership Exercise at Manama,
Bahrain
Indian Navy and Royal Bahrain Naval Force (RBNF) participated in a bilateral Maritime Partnership Exercise at
Manama, Bahrain in the Persian Gulf region.
• Indian Naval Ship, INS Kochi, led by Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar participated in the exercise.
• Prior to the exercise, a coordination and operational planning conference was held between the Indian Navy
and Royal Bahrain Navy.
About Indian naval Ship (INS) Kochi
i.It is the 2nd ship of Kolkata class stealth guided missile destroyers.
ii.The ship is constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai
Recent Related News
In March, 2021, the Indian Navy & RBNF undertook Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Persian Gulf under
Operation Sankalp. From India’s side ‘INS Talwar Warship took place in the exercise, while the RBNF was
represented by the Corvette ‘Al Muharraq’.
About Bahrain:
Crown Prince & Prime Minister – Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa
Capital – Manama
Currency – Bahraini Dinar (BHD)
About Indian Navy:
Commander-in-Chief of Armed forces– President Ram Nath Kovind
Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) – Admiral Karambir Singh
India & Vietnam Undertook Bilateral Maritime Exercise in South China Sea
On August 18, 2021 India and Vietnam had conducted a Bilateral maritime exercise in the South China Sea as
a part of maritime cooperation between the two countries.
Participants- India was represented by INS Ranvijay and INS Kora & Vietnam was represented by Vietnam’s
People’s Navy (VPN) frigate VPNS Ly Thai To(HQ-012)
Objective –This maritime exercise aims to build trustworthiness and enhance cooperation in the region of South
China Sea.
Highlights
• It also aims to strengthen India- Vietnam defence relation.
• The India- Vietnam maritime exercise would enhance the
interoperability between the countries. India is offering to
Vietnam many defence equipment and providing assistance in
training its army.
About INS Ranvijay and INS Kora-
INS Ranvijay– it’s a Rajput- class destroyer helicopter of the Indian
Navy.
It is equipped with Surface to Surface Missile,Anti Air Missiles and guns, Heavyweight Torpedoes, Anti Submarine
Rockets and capable of carrying Anti Submarine Heli-copter (Kamov 28).
INS Kora: lead ship of Kora Class of Corvette in Indian Navy
Designed: Project 25A of Indian Navy.
Equipped: 3M-24 Anti ship Missiles.

About South China Sea–
Bordering states & territories (clockwise from north): the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China
(Taiwan), the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam
2nd ‘Zair-Al-Bahr’ Maritime Exercise 2021 conducted between India and Qatar
On August 9-14, 2021, the 2nd edition of Bilateral Maritime Exercise Zair-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea) 2021 between
the Indian Navy and Qatar Emiri Naval Force (QENF) was conducted in the Persian Gulf. It consisted of a three
day harbour phase followed by a two day sea phase.
Participation in Sea Phase:
i.Indian Navy Guided Missile Stealth Frigate INS (Indian Naval
Ship) Trikand arrived at Qatar’s capital city, Doha for
participation in the sea phase. It was commanded by Captain
Harish Bahuguna.
ii.From QENF, two Anti-Ship Missile equipped Barzan Class
Fast Attack Craft and Damsah class Fast Attack Craft along
with AW-139 helicopter and Rafale Fighter Aircraft
participated.
Key Points:
i.The activities during the harbour phase included cross deck visits, professional interactions between the
specialists and official visits.
ii.The sea phase consisted of tactical maritime exercises involving Surface Action, Anti-Piracy exercises, Air
Defence, Maritime surveillance, Boarding operations and SAR (Search and Rescue) exercises.
About Zair-Al-Bahr Exercise:
Initiated in 2019, it focuses on the fight against terrorism, maritime piracy, and maritime security. It also aims to
consolidate interoperability and strengthen the maritime exchanges and friendship between the navies of both
nations.
• Interoperability is a military ability to routinely act together coherently and effectively to achieve tactical
operational and strategic objectives.
About INS Trikand:
It is one of the frontline frigates of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors. It is a
part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet based at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• It is under the Operational Command of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval
Command, Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar.
In July 2021, INS Tabar participated in a 2-day maritime exercise with the French Navy on the Bay of Biscay. They
conducted a wide range of exercises, including anti-submarine and air defence drills. From the French Navy, 4
Rafale Fighter Aircrafts & NH 90 – a twin-engine helicopter participated in the exercise.
About Indian Navy:
Chief of Naval Staff (CNS)– Admiral Karambir Singh (24th)
Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence (Navy)- New Delhi
India & Philippines conducts ‘Maritime Partnership Exercise’ in the West Philippine Sea
The Indian Navy conducts a ‘Maritime Partnership Exercise’ with the Philippines Navy in the West Philippine
Sea at the South China Sea region on 23rd August 2021.
• Objective: It aims to further strengthen bilateral collaboration in the maritime domain to ensure a stable,
peaceful & prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
Maritime Partnership Exercise
• The Indian Navy was represented by Indian Naval Ship (INS) Ranvijay and INS Kora, with the Philippine
Navy’s BRP Antonio Luna, Frigate FF151.

• It included several Operational manoeuvres with the consolidation of Interoperability between both the
Navies.
• The Exercise was conducted in a contactless manner by
adhering to the health & safety protocols of the COVID-19
pandemic.
• The Indian naval ships are currently deployed to
the Western Pacific to strengthen maritime security
collaboration with partner nations.
About INS Ranvijay & INS Kora
i.INS Ranvijay – It is the Rajput class Guided Missile Destroyer
• It is equipped with Surface to surface missiles, Anti air missiles & guns, Heavyweight Torpedoes and capable
of carrying anti-submarine Helicopter (Kamov 28)
ii.INS Kora – It is the lead ship of Kora class Corvette in the Indian Navy
• It is equipped with 3M-24 anti-ship missiles.
Recent Related News
In August 2021, India & Vietnam had conducted a Bilateral Maritime Exercise in the South China Sea to
strengthen maritime cooperation between both the countries.
About Philippines
President – Rodrigo Duterte
Capital – Manila
Currency – Philippines Peso
About Indian Navy
Counter Terrorism Exercise ‘Gandiv’ Conducted by NSG in India

The 3rd Edition of the annual Counter Terrorism Exercise named ‘Gandiv’ is being conducted by the National
Security Guard (NSG) across National Capital Region (NCR), Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh & Gujarat. The
Exercise will be held from August 22nd-28th, 2021.
• Objective: It aims to validate the planning parameters of the NSG in the event of a terrorist attack, hijack of
an Aircraft or hostage situation.
Key points:
i.Gandiv is the name of Arjuna’s bow in Mahabharata.
ii.The exercise will strengthen the counter-terror skills of the State administration, Police, Anti-terrorist squads &
create awareness among the public.
iii.It will be witnessed by officials from the ministries of external affairs, home affairs, Central Armed Police
Forces (CAPFs), State agencies and Foreign delegates.
About National Security Guard (NSG)
Founded in September 1986. It is an Elite Counter-terrorism unit functioning under the Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA).
Headquarters – New Delhi. It has 5 regional hubs in Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai & Gandhinagar.
Director General – M A Ganapathy
25th Edition of ‘Exercise Malabar’ held between the Navies of India, USA, Japan & Australia In
Western Pacific Ocean
The 25th Edition of Naval Exercise Malabar is conducted between the India Navy, the United States (US) Navy,
Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) & the Royal Australian Navy (RAF) in the Western Pacific Ocean.
The exercise is hosted by the US Navy from 26th-29th August, 2021.
• It aims to support free, open & inclusive Indo-Pacific and remain committed to a rules based international
order

• The Sea phase of the exercise includes complex drills including anti-surface, anti-air and anti-submarine
warfare drills, and other manoeuvres and tactical exercises.
• The Indian Navy’s participation includes Indian Naval Ship (INS) Shivalik and INS Kadmatt and P8I patrol
aircraft.
• The US Navy is represented by USS Barry, USNS Rappahannock, USNS Big Horn and P8A patrol aircraft. The
JMSDF is represented by JS Kaga, Murasame & Shiranui, a submarine and P1 patrol aircraft. The RAF is being
represented by HMAS Warramunga.
Exercise Malabar
i.The Malabar Started is an annual bilateral exercise started in 1992 between the Indian Navy & the US Navy.
ii.Then it became a trilateral exercise, After Japan joined as the permanent member of the exercise in 2015.
iii.In the 2020 edition, Australia participated in the exercise malabar.
Recent Related News
In July 2021, The 12th Edition of Biennial bilateral maritime Exercise ‘INDRA Navy-21’ was held between the
Indian Navy & Russian Federation Navy in the Baltic Sea.
About Indian Navy
Navies of India and Germany carried out Joint Maritime Exercise in Gulf of Aden
On August 26, 2021, a joint maritime exercise was held between the Navies of India and Germany in the Gulf of
Aden near Yemen.
• The Indian Navy was represented by
frigate ‘Trikand’ while frigate ‘Bayern’ participated
from the German Navy.
• This exercise was held as Bayern is placed in the
Indian Ocean leg as a part of Indo-Pacific Deployment
2021.
Focus of Exercise:
To enhance interoperability, facilitates exchange of best
practices in maritime domain.
Key Points:
i.The exercise included cross deck helo (helicopter) landings and visit board search and seizure operations.
ii.It should be noted that INS (Indian Naval Ship) Trikand is deployed in the Gulf of Aden region for anti-piracy
patrol.
TESTING
INS Vikrant – India’s 1st Indigenous Aircraft Carrier begins Sea Trial
India’s 1st Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1) INS Vikrant has been launched for sea trials off the coast of Kochi,
Kerala. A sea trial is the last phase of testing.
i.INS Vikrant has been designed by the Directorate of Naval
Design (DND), Indian Navy and is built by Cochin Shipyard
Limited (CSL).
ii.The total cost of the project is around INR 23,000 crore. Over
76% of the material and equipment on board is indigenous
iii.It has been named as INS Vikrant in remembrance of India’s
1st Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant, which played a major role in
the 1971 war against Pakistan. It was decommissioned in 1997.
iv.After its induction, INS Vikrant will be the second aircraft
carrier after INS Vikramaditya, the Navy’s only aircraft carrier at present which entered service in 2013.
v.An Aircraft Carrier is one of the most important marine assets, it will enhance the Navy’s capability to travel far

from the shores and to carry out many operations.
About Indian Navy
Integrated Headquarters of Ministry of Defence – New Delhi.
DRDO Successfully Testfires Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired the Indigenous Technology
Cruise Missile (ITCM) with a new Made-in-India Turbofan Engine ‘Manik’ from the Integrated Test Range (ITR)
in Odisha.
• The missile flew for around 150 km with an
indigenous cruise engine.
• The missile has been designed and developed by
DRDO. It is an Advanced version of Nirbhay
Missile – a Subsonic Cruise Missile.
• This is the 1st successful test firing with the
indigenous booster engine ‘Manik’, after the previous
unsuccessful attempt in October, 2020.
Key Points
i.The Manik engine has been designed and developed by
DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment in Bengaluru. It will replace the foreign engine being used in the
missile system.
• The development of ‘Manik’ will pave the way for development of different versions of the engine and long
range cruise missiles.
ii.Nirbhay is the 1st Subsonic cruise missile, designed and developed by DRDO.
• It can travel at a speed of around 0.9 Mach for a range of upto 800-1000 kms.
• The cruise missile will supplement BrahMos (A joint venture between India & Russia). It is the Indian
Version of the American Tomahawk Missile.
Recent Related News
On July 2021, DRDO successfully tested the New Generation (NG) Surface-to-Air missile ‘AKASH-NG’ Missile for
the Indian Air Force (IAF) & Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) for the Indian Army.
About Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO)
Chairman – Dr G Satheesh Reddy
Pakistan test-fires Nuclear capable Ballistic Missile ‘Ghaznavi’

Pakistan successfully test-fired the Nuclear capable Surface to Surface Ballistic Missile Ghaznavi (Hatf-III). It
has a range of upto 290 Km.
• It is designed and developed by National Development Complex (NDC)
• The missile is equipped with a proper terminal guidance system and will enhance the operational readiness
of Army Strategic Forces Command (ASFC) and revalidating technical parameters of the Weapon system.
Key Points
i.The missile inducted into Pakistan Army in 2012, It is named
after 11th Century Muslim Turkic Conqueror ‘Mahmud of
Ghazni’.
ii.The missile has been tested in both Day & Night modes
iii.Other Medium Range Ballistic Missiles of Pakistan are
Ghauri & Shaheen.
Recent Related News
On March 26, 2021, Pakistan conducted a successful flight test
of ‘Shaheen 1-A’ (Hatf IV) a Nuclear capable Surface-to-Surface ballistic missile. It has a range of 900 Kilometres.

About Pakistan
Prime Minister – Imran Khan
Currency – Pakistani Rupee
Capital – Islamabad
Pakistan Successfully Testfires ‘Fatah-1’-Guided Multi Launch Rocket System

Pakistan has successfully test-fired Fatah-1, an Indigenously developed Guided Multi Launch Rocket System
(MLRS) which has the capability of precision target engagement deep into the enemy territories
• It is capable of carrying conventional warheads & has a range of 140 km.
• The Guided MLRS is capable of hitting targets without
leaving behind the unexploded ordnance.
• Fatah-1 is a variant of the guided MLRS family which
has an extended range of upto 150 km.
• This launch marked the 2nd flight of Fatah-1, after its
first launch in January 2021.
Pakistan’s Other Missiles
i.Ghaznavi-Nuclear capable Surface-to-surface ballistic
missile of range upto 290km.
ii.Babur-Short range surface-to-surface cruise missile of range 450 km.
iii.Shaheen-Ⅲ – Nuclear capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile which can target upto 2750 km.
About Pakistan
PrimeMinister – Imran Khan
Capital – Islamabad
Currency – Pakistani Rupee
ISRO successfully tests Propulsion System of Gaganyaan Service Module

On August 28, 2021, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the first hot test of the
System Demonstration Model (SDM) of the Gaganyaan Service Module Propulsion System for duration of 450
seconds at the new test facility of ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu. The system met
with all the objectives.
Key Points:
i.The Service Module (SM) is part of the Gaganyaan Orbital
module.
ii.This SM Propulsion System consists of a unified
bipropellant system consisting of five 440 N (Newtons)
thrust engines and sixteen100 N Reaction Control system
(RCS) thrusters with MON-3 and MMH as Oxidizer and Fuel
respectively.
iii.The SDM consists of five 440 N engines and eight 100 N
thrusters.
iv.In July 2021, ISRO conducted the final hot test of its L110 liquid engine to be used in the GSLV MK III
(Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III) launch vehicle that will carry the Gaganyaan mission to space.
DEALS & MOU’S

India finalizes deal with Russia to buy AK-103 Rifles under Emergency Procurement
On August 20, 2021, India finalized a deal with Russia for the procurement of a sizeable number of AK-103 series
of assault rifles for the Indian Army under the provisions of emergency financial powers granted to the three
services to make urgent purchases.

• This deal is on the lines of the mega infantry modernisation programme by the Indian Army for the
replacement of its ageing and obsolete weapons with a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines
and assault rifles.
• No specification on the number of rifles or the cost of procurement has been provided.
Background:
In October 2017, the Indian Army began the process to acquire around 7 lakh rifles, 44,000 light machine guns
(LMGs) and nearly 44,600 carbines to further enhance the combat capability of the Army.
Points to be noted:
i.In September 2020, Ministry of Defence and Russian representatives inked a major deal for manufacturing ~ 6
lakh AK-47 203 rifles in India under ‘Make-in-India’ programme. These will be manufactured by the Indo-Russia
Rifles Pvt. Ltd, a joint venture between the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), the Kalashnikov Concern
(manufacturer of the AK rifles) and Rosoboronexport, the Russian state agency for military exports.
ii.The AK-47 203 is the latest and most advanced version of the AK-47 rifle, which will replace the Indian Small
Arms System (INSAS) 5.56×45 mm assault rifle that are currently in use with the Army, Navy and the Air Force.
About Russia:
It is the largest country in the world by area. Its Lake Baikal is the deepest and oldest lake in the world, and the
largest freshwater lake by volume.
Capital– Moscow
Currency– Russian Ruble
President– Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
OTHER DEFENCE NEWS

Navy Vice Admiral S N Ghormade laid keels of the 1st ASW Shallow Water Craft
Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral Satish Namdeo Ghormade virtually laid keels of the 1st Warship of Anti-
Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) and 3rd Warship of Survey Vessel Large (SVL) Project for
Indian Navy.
• 8 ships are being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd at Larsen & Toubro (L&T)
Shipyard in Kattupalli port, Tamil Nadu under Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
• The vessels will be deployed by the Navy for search and rescue missions in coastal areas.
Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC)
i.The vessels are to be delivered between 2022 and 2026. They will be replacing the Russian-built Abhay-class
corvettes that were commissioned into the Navy between 1989 and 1991
ii.The ASW Shallow Water Craft will be equipped with modern underwater sensors and weapons. They are
capable of full scale coastal survey, deep- water hydrographic survey and determination of Navigational routes.
About Indian Navy
Integrated headquarters of Ministry of Defence – New Delhi
About Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE)
Founded in 1884.
Chairman & MD – Vipin Kumar Saxena.
Headquarters – Kolkata, West Bengal.
INS Khanjar becomes the 1st Indian Navy Ship to call at Heritage Port of Gopalpur, Odisha
INS Khanjar became the 1st Indian Navy Ship to call at the Heritage Coastal Port of Gopalpur, Odisha. The visit
was aimed at enhancing ties & spreading awareness among the local population on coastal security & maritime
operations.
• It was organized as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav (75th Anniversary of Indian Independence) & Swarnim
Vijay Varsh celebrations (50th Anniversary of the 1971 War).

Lockheed Martin gets USD 328 mn Indian Contract to Support C-130J Aircraft Fleet
Lockheed Martin, US based Company has received USD 328 Million worth Contract from the Indian Government
to provide comprehensive support for the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet of 12C-130J-30 Super Hercules
Aircraft for a period of 5 years.
• Through this contract, Lockheed Martin will provide Logistics & Engineering support elements necessary to
the IAF’s Fleet.
• It is used to support various missions like humanitarian aid, Airlift, Natural disaster support and search &
rescue operations.
About C-130J Super Hercules Aircraft
i.Lockheed Martin is the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of these planes.
ii.It is a 4 Engine Turboprop military transport Aircraft.
iii.Government of India has purchased 6 C-130J Super hercules Airlifter in 2008 and India received additional C-
130Js in 2017 & 2019.
Recent Related News
On 3rd June 2021, The Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a Rs 323.47 crore worth contract with Mahindra
Telephonics Integrated Systems Limited for procurement of 11 Airport Surveillance Radars for the use of the
Indian Navy & Indian Coast Guard.
About Indian Air force (IAF)
Chief of the Air Staff – Marshal R K S Bhadauria
About Lockheed Martin
CEO – Jim Taiclet
Headquarters – Maryland , United States of America
Indian Army Receives 1st Batch of MMHG from EEL

Indian Army received the delivery of 1st batch of Multi-Mode Hand Grenade (MMHG) manufactured by Nagpur
based private company Economic Explosives Limited (EEL)
• MMHG has been designed by Chandigarh based Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratories (TBRL) of the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) & is manufactured by EEL, Nagpur.
• In October 2020, Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with EEL for supply of 10 lakh MMHG to
Indian Army at cost of around INR 409 crore
Multi-Mode Hand Grenade (MMHG)
i.With distinctive design, the grenades can be used in both Offensive and Defensive mode.
ii.It has highly accurate delay time, very high reliability in usages & safe for carriage.
iii.Notably, these grenades will replace the hand grenade design of World War-Ⅱ
iv.Multi-purpose grenades figured on the Government of India’s (GoI) list of 101 types of Weapons & ammunition
to be banned from Imports progressively over the next 5 years.GoI published the list in August 2020.
Recent Related News
On 31st May 2021, the Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh approved the ‘Second Positive Indigenisation List’
comprising 108 items. 2nd Positive Indigenisation List is proposed by Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of
Defence (MoD).
About Economic Explosives Limited (EEL)
EEL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Solar Industries
Chairman & Executive Director – Satyanarayan Nandlal Nuwal
Headquarters – Nagpur, Maharashtra
About Indian Army
Chief of the Army Staff – General Manoj Mukund Naravane

SPORTS
F1: Esteban Ocon wins Hungarian Grand Prix 2021
Alpine Renault’s Esteban Ocon (France) won the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix 2021 held at
Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary. It is Esteban Ocon’s maiden F1 victory.
• Mercedes’ driver Lewis Hamilton (United Kingdom) finished
2nd, while Scuderia Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) finished
3rd.
• Aston Martin Mercedes’ driver Sebastian Vettel (Germany)
who finished 2nd in the race was disqualified after the post
race inspection which revealed insufficient fuel load.
• With the 2nd place finish, Lewis Hamilton regained the lead
in the F1 2021 Drivers Championship.
• The F1 Championships are organised by Federation
Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA).
About Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA)
President – Jean Todt
Sri Lanka Cricketer Isuru Udana retires from International Cricket

Sri Lankan All-Rounder Isuru Udana (33) announced his retirement from International cricket. However, Udana
will continue playing domestic cricket and will be available for franchise tournaments.
• Isuru Udana is a left arm bowler. He made his debut in the 2009 T20 World cup held in England.
• He has played in 21 One Day Internationals (ODIs), 35 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) picking up 45
wickets.
About ICC (International Cricket Council)
Chairman – Greg Barclay
Headquarters – Dubai
Part-I: Overview of Ongoing Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

The 32nd Edition of Olympic Games is taking place in Tokyo, Japan from 23rd July, 2021 – 8th August, 2021.
• The Specific Motto of the Tokyo Olympics is ‘United by Emotion’.
• Japanese Emperor Naruhito officially declared the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics open, while Japanese
Women’s Tennis Players lit up the Olympic Cauldron.
• The Opening ceremony took place at the newly-built
National Stadium, Tokyo.
India’s Performance
India has won 2 medals – 1 Silver, 1 Bronze till August 3, 2021.
Medals
MirabaiChanu wins Silver Medal in Weightlifting
MirabaiSaikomChanu (Manipur) won the Silver Medal in 49kg
Weightlifting category with a total lift of 202 Kg. She became 1st
Indian Weightlifter to win Silver in Olympics.
• The Gold Medal was won by China’s HouZhihui (combined lift of 210 kgs) and the Bronze medal was claimed
by Indonesia’s Windy CantikaAisah.
• Mirabai Chanu’s silver medal is only the 2nd Weightlifting medal for India since Karnam Malleswari’s
Bronze (69 kg category) at the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics.

P.V. Sindhu wins Bronze Medal in Badminton
P.V. Sindhu (Telangana) won the Bronze Medal in Women’s Badminton after defeating China’s He Bingjiao in the
Bronze Medal match. She became the 1st Indian Woman and 2nd Indian overall to win 2 Olympic Medals.
• P.V. Sindhu was defeated in the semi-final match by Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying.
• P.V. Sindhu had clinched Silver Medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
• Wrestler Sushil Kumar is the 1st and only other Indian to win 2 Olympic medals (Bronze at 2008 Beijing
Olympics & Silver at 2012 London Olympics).
• Saina Nehwal was the 1st Indian to win a badminton medal at the Olympics when she finished with a Bronze
in Beijing in 2008
Fact -P.V. Sindhu is only the 4th Women’s singles player to win a medal at successive Olympics after Susi Susanti
(Indonesia), Bang Soo-Hyun (South Korea) and Zhang Ning (China).
Other Significant Achievement of Indians
i.Tennis – SumitNagal (Haryana) defeated Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan) in his opening round match. With this, he
became the 1st Indian since 1996 (3rd overall) to win a singles match at the Olympics.
• The other 2 Indians are Zeeshan Ali (Seoul 1988 Olympics) & Leander Paes (Bronze Medal at 1996 Atlanta
Olympics).
ii.Hockey – VandanaKatariya (Uttarakhand) became the 1st Indian woman to score a hat-trick at Olympics, she
scored three goals during the match against South Africa.
iii.Discus Throw – Kamalpreet Kaur (Punjab) finished 6th in the Women’s Discus Throw event.
iv.Fencing – CA Bhavani Devi (Tamil Nadu) who became the 1st ever fencer to represent Indian at Olympics also
became the 1st Indian Fencing Player to win an Olympic Match.
• She defeated Tunisia’s Nadia Azizi in the 1st round, but was defeated in the 2nd round by France’s Manon
Brunet.
World Records
i.South Africa’s TatjanaSchoenmaker set the 1st Individual Swimming World Record at Tokyo Olympics, when she
clocked 2 minutes, 18.95 second in the Women’s 200-meter breaststroke.
• CaelebDressel (US) set a new record in 100m butterfly (swimming) to win the Gold Medal.
• Kathleen Ledecky (US) won the Gold Medal in the 800m freestyle (olympic).
ii.Norway’s Karsten Warholm clocked 45.94 seconds to break the world record and win Gold in Men’s 400m
hurdles.
iii.Men’s 100M Sprint – Marcell Jacobs (Italy) clocked 9.8 seconds to win Gold in the Men’s 100 m event. Fred
Kerley (US) took silver, while Canada’s Andre de Grasse took bronze.
• Jacobs is the 1st Italian in history to win the 100m event. He also became the 1st European man to win Gold
in the Men’s 100 meters since Linford Christie of Great Britain in 1992.
iv.Papua New Guinea’s Loa Dika Toua became the 1st Weightlifter to participate in 5 Olympics. She has been
participating in the Weightlifting event ever since it was introduced in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
v.Bermuda’s Flora Duffy won the Gold medal in the Triathlon event. With this, Bermuda became the smallest
country to win Olympic Gold.
vi.Australian Swimmer Emma Mckeon became the 1st Female Swimmer & 2nd woman in any sport to win 7
medals (4 Gold, 3 Bronze) at one Olympics.
• The 1st woman to win 7 medals at one olympics is Soviet gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya, who claimed 2
golds and 5 silvers at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics Games.
vii.South Korean Archer ‘An San’ became the 1st woman since 1904 to win 3 Golds in Archery at the same
olympics. She won Gold in Mixed Teams, Women’s teams and Individual events.
• She became the 1st South Korean to win more than 2 medals in a single Summer Games.
One Liners
• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has recommended a Cash award of INR 75 Lakh for each gold medal
winner; INR 40 Lakh for Silver medal; INR 25 Lakh to Bronze medal winners.
• IOA has roped in Adani Group as sponsor for the Indian Contingent at the ongoing Tokyo Games.
• IOA has appointed IPS Officer B K Sinha as Dual role of Security as well as Press Attache of India’s contingent.
• Guinea & North Korea pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics.

• Indian Golfer Diksha Dagar qualified for the Olympics at the last moment. She will be India’s top woman
golfer, Aditi Ashok at the olympics.
About International Olympic Committee (IOC)
President – Thomas Bach
Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland
Nepal Cricketer Paras Khadka retires from International cricket

Former Nepal Cricket Team Captain Paras Khadka(34) announced his retirement from International cricket. He
is the 1st Nepalese batsman to score a century in both ODI and T20 formats.
i.He has played 10 One Day internationals (ODIs) and 33 Twenty 20 International (T20Is) scoring 1114 runs and
17 wickets.
ii.Khadka represented Nepal in three Under-19 World Cups in 2004, 2006 and 2008 and led his country in
2014 ICC (International Cricket Council) Men’s T20 world cup.
iii.He served as the Captain of Nepal from 2009 to 2019, making him the longest-serving captain in Associate
Cricket at the time of resignation from the role.
About International Cricket Council (ICC)
Chairman – Greg Barclay
Headquarters – Dubai
Chairman of ICC’s Cricket Committee – Anil Kumble
Pakistan’s Rizwan breaks World Record for most runs scored in T20I in a year
Pakistan’s Wicketkeeper-Batsman Mohammad Rizwan has set a new World Record for most runs scored in a
calendar year in Twenty20 (T20) International cricket. He has scored 752 runs in 2021 (14 innings of 15
matches).
• He has surpassed Ireland’s Paul Stirling, who aggregated 748 runs in 20 innings of 20 matches at an average
of 41.55 in 2019.
Chess: Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda wins FIDE World Cup 2021

Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland) defeated Sergey Karjakin (Russia) to win the 9th Edition of FIDE (International
Chess Federation) World Cup 2021. FIDE World Cup 2021 was held at Sochi, Russia from July 12 – August 6th,
2021.
i.Grand Master (GM) Magnus Carlsen (Norway) finished 3rd in
the World Cup defeatingGM Vladimir Fedoseev (Russia).
ii.The top 2 finishers of the tournament (Jan-Krzysztof Duda &
Sergey Karjakin), aside from World Champion Magnus Carlsen
have qualified for the 2022 Candidates Tournament.
iii.The winner Jan-Krzysztof Duda will take home USD 88,000
while Sergey Karjakin won USD 64,000. The Chess World Cup
2021 was a 206-player Single-elimination chess tournament.
iv.The Indian challenge at the FIDE World Cup 2021 ended
as Vidit Santosh Gujrathi lost to Jan-Kryzstof Duda in the second game of the Men’s quarterfinals.
Inaugural Edition of Women’s Only Chess World Cup 2021
Alongside FIDE World Cup 2021, The Inaugural edition of a women’s only version of the Women’s World Cup
2021 took place in Sochi, Russia from 12th July – 3rd August, 2021.
• Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia) defeated Aleksandra Goryachkina (Russia) to win the Inaugural edition of
the Women’s World Cup.
• The winner & runner-up along with World Champion Ju Wenjun (China) have qualified for the Women’s
Candidates Tournament 2022.

July 22, 2021, India’s Viswanathan Anand defeated Russia’s Vladimir Kramnik to win the ‘No-Castling (NC) World
Masters’ event of the Sparkassen Trophy held at Dortmund, Germany.
About FIDE (International Chess Federation)
President – Arkady Dvorkovich
Part-II: Overview of Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics

The 32nd Edition of Olympic Games took place in Tokyo, Japan from 23rd July, 2021 – 8th August, 2021.
• India finished with 7 Medals (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 4
Bronze) and has been ranked at 48th Position. This was
India’s highest ever medals tally in an
Olympics(Previous one was 6 medals 2016 Rio
Olympics)
• The US topped the Medals tally with 113 Medals (39 G,
41 S, 33 B) followed by China & Japan.
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
48 India 1 2 4 7
1 US 39 41 33 113
2 China 38 32 18 88
3 Japan 27 14 17 58
India’s Medal Winners
Neeraj Chopra wins Gold in Javelin Throw

Neeraj Chopra (Haryana) won the Gold medal in Javelin throw event. It is India’s 1st medal in a Track & Field
Event. With this win, he ends India’s 100-year wait for a track and field medal in the Olympics.
• Neeraj threw the Javelin to a distance of 87.58m to win the Gold Medal, Jakub Vadlejch (Czech Republic) won
the Silver Medal, while Vitezslav Vesely (Czech Republic) took the Bronze Medal.
• Overall, it is only India’s 2nd Individual Gold Medal in an Olympics. India’s 1st Individual Gold Medal was
won by Abhinav Bindra in 10m Air Rifle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
• Norman Pritchard is India’s first-ever medallist at the Olympic Games. Pritchard had won India two silver
medals in Men’s 200m and Men’s 200m hurdles at the 1900 Paris Olympics.

Indian Men’s Hockey Team Wins Bronze
The Indian Men’s Hockey Team led by Manpreet Singh clinched the Bronze Medal by defeating Germany in the
Bronze Medal Match. This is India’s 1st Medal from Hockey in 41 years (last medal from Hockey was at 1980
Moscow Games).Graham Reid is the coach of the Indian Hockey Team.
• It is India’s 3rd Bronze & 12th Medal (8 G, 1 S, 3 B) in Hockey overall.
• India won the 1st Medal (Gold) in Olympic hockey in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. It was also India’s 1st
Gold medal ever at the Olympics.
• Incidentally, India won their 7th Gold Medal in Hockey during the 1964 Olympics Games held at Tokyo.
Lovlina Borgohain wins Bronze Medal in Boxing
Lovlina Borgohain (Assam) clinched the Bronze Medal in the Women’s WelterWeight (64-69kg) Boxing Category.
She was defeated by Busenaz Surmeneli (Turkey) in the semi-finals.
• Lovlina is only the 2nd Indian Woman Boxer and 3rd Boxer overall, after Vijender Singh (Bronze in 2008) &
Mary Kom (Bronze in 2012) to win a Medal in the Olympics.
Wrestling
i.Ravi Kumar Dahiya (Haryana) bagged the Silver Medal in 57 Kg Freestyle Wrestling after being defeated by
Zavur Uguev (ROC – Russian Olympic Committee).
• He became the 2nd Indian wrestler after Sushil Kumar to win an Olympic silver. He is also the 4th Indian
male wrestler and 5th overall to win a Medal at Olympics.
• Wrestler Sushil Kumar is the 1st Indian to win 2 Olympic medals (Bronze at 2008 Beijing Olympics & Silver
at 2012 London Olympics). He didn’t participate in this Tokyo Olympics 2020.
ii.Bajrang Punia (Haryana) clinched the Bronze medal in the Men’s Freestyle 65 Kg category Wrestling after
defeating Daulet Niyazbekov (Kazakhstan). ROC’s Gadzhimurad Rashidov also won the Bronze Medal.
• Takuto Otoguro of Japan won the Gold in event, while Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan) won the Silver Medal.
iii.Other Significant Firsts in Wrestling
• KD Jadhav won India’s first-ever wrestling medal, a bronze medal in the men’s freestyle bantamweight
event at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
• Sakshi Malik became the 1st Indian female wrestler to win an Olympic medal when she won bronze at Rio
2016.
Other Significant Achievements by Indians
• Aditi Ashok (Karnataka) finished 4th in the Olympic Games’ golf competition.
• Indian Women’s Hockey Team led by Rani Rampal reached the Semi-finals for the 1st time in History.
However, it was defeated by Argentina in the Semi-finals & by Great Britain in the Bronze Medal match.
• Avinash Sable (Maharashtra) failed to qualify for the finals of the Men’s 3000m Steeplechase event. However,
in the process of qualification, he set a new national mark in Steeplechase with a timing of 8:18.12s.
• Indian Men’s 4X400m relay team (Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Tom Noah Nirmal, Rajiv Arokia and Amoj Jacob)
created an Asian Record by timing 3:00:25 secs, but they failed to qualify for the final round. The earlier
Asian record was held by Qatar.
World Records (WR)
i.Triple Jump – Yulimar Rojas (Venezuela) won the Gold medal in Women’s Triple Jump after setting a World
Record of 15.67m.
ii.Swimming (4x100m mixed medley relay) – Great Britain’s Team of Kathleen Dawson, Adam Peaty, James
Guy and Anna Hopkin won the Gold medal in the Inaugural Olympic 4X100m Mixed Medley relay. The Team set a
new WR by finishing in 3 min 37.58 sec.
iii.Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica) became the 1st woman to win a ‘Double-Double’ in Olympic track and
Field.
• She clinched Gold Medal in both Women’s 100m as well as 200m event, she had won the Gold Medal in the
two events at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Medals by Other Countries
i.Badminton – Viktor Axelsen (Denmark) won the Gold Medal in the Men’s Singles event of Badminton. China’s
Chen Yufei won the Gold medal in the Women’s Singles event.

ii.Artistic Gymnastics – Vanessa Ferrari (Italy) who won the Silver Medal in Floor Exercise of Artistic
Gymnastics, became the 1st Italian to win an individual Olympic medal in Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, and the
first medallist for the Italian women’s team since the 1928 Summer Olympics.
iii.Tennis
• Men’s Event – i) Gold – Alexander Zverev (Germany), ii) Silver – Karen Khachanov (ROC), iii) Bronze –
Pablo Carreño Busta (Spain).
• Women’s Event – i) Gold – Belinda Bencic (Switzerland), ii) Silver – Markéta Vondroušová (Czech
Republic), iii) Bronze – Elina Svitolina (Ukraine).
iv.Football
• Men’s Football – Brazil won the Gold Medal defeating Spain (Silver) in the Final. This is Brazil’s 2nd
consecutive gold medal in men’s football. It became the fifth team in history to win consecutive men’s titles
at the Olympics. Argentina was the last to accomplish the feat in 2004 and 2008. Mexico won the Bronze
Medal.
• Women’s Football – Canada clinched their 1st-ever gold medal in women’s Olympic football after defeating
Sweden in the finals. The US took the Bronze Medal.
Youngest & Oldest Medal Winners
i.Momiji Nishiya (Japan) at 13 years old became the Youngest Gold Medallist in the history of Olympics. She won
the Women’s Street Skateboarding event of the 2020 Olympics.
ii.At 37 years, Lyu Xiaojun (China) became the oldest man to win an Olympic Gold Medal in Weightlifting. He
clinched the Gold Medal in Men’s 81 Kg Category Weightlifting.
Winners of Inaugural Olympic Sport Events
The Tokyo Olympics witnessed the introduction of several new games – Karate, Skateboarding, Sport Climbing,
Surfing, and 4x400m mixed relay.
i.Surfing – Italo Ferreira (Brazil) clinched the Gold Medal in the Men’s Surfing, while Carissa Moore (USA)
clinched the Gold Medal in the Women’s Surfing. They became the 1st ever Surfing Olympic Champions.
ii.Skateboarding – Yuto Horigome (Japan) clinched the Gold Medal in the 1st ever Skateboarding competition
held at the Olympics.
iii.Sports Climbing – Alberto Ginés López (Spain) clinched the Gold Medal in Men’s Sports Climbing event,
while Janja Garnbret (Slovenia) won the Gold Medal in the Women’s Sports Climbing event.
iv.Karate
Men’s events
Category Gold Medal Winner
Kata Ryo Kiyuna (Japan)
67 kg Steven Da Costa (France)
75 kg Luigi Busà (Italy)
#ERROR! Sajjad Ganjzadeh (Iran)
Women’s events
Category Gold Medal Winner
Kata Sandra Sánchez (Spain)
55 kg Ivet Goranova (Bulgaria)
61 kg Jovana Preković (Serbia)
#ERROR! Feryal Abdelaziz (Egypt)
Overall Medals Tally of India
Name Sport Event Medal
Neeraj Chopra Athletics Men’s javelin throw Gold
Saikhom Mirabai Chanu Weightlifting Women’s 49 kg Silver

Ravi Kumar Dahiya Wrestling Men’s freestyle 57 kg Silver

P. V. Sindhu Badminton Women’s singles Bronze
Women’s WelterWeight (64-
Lovlina Borgohain Boxing 69kg Bronze
India men’s national field hockey team (Captain -
Manpreet Singh) Field hockey Men’s tournament Bronze
Bajrang Punia Wrestling Men’s freestyle 65 kg Bronze
About International Olympic Committee (IOC)
President – Thomas Bach
Part-I: Overview of Ongoing Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics
Football: USMNT won CONCACAF Gold Cup 2021

The United States(US) men’s national team(USMNT) won the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup defeating Mexico 1-0
during the finals held at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada, US.
The 2021 championship marks the 7th Gold Cup Title of the US. The 2021 CONCACAF Gold cup was the 16th
edition of the biennial international men’s football championship of the North, Central American, and Caribbean
regions organized by CONCACAF.
Cricket: England’s James Anderson overtakes Anil Kumble as 3rd Highest wicket-taker in Test
England Fast Bowler James Anderson overtook India’s Anil Kumble tally of 619 wickets to become the 3rd
Highest Wicket-Taker in Test Cricket.
• Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800) & Australia’s Shane Warne (708) are leading wicket takers in Test
Cricket.
Kolkata to host 130th Edition of Durand Cup in September 2021

The 130th Edition of Durand Cup, an annual Domestic Football League in India, will be held in Kolkata, West
Bengal (from September 5th to October 3rd of 2021). The 2020 season was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic.
• The month-long tournament will feature 16 teams
playing against each other, including 4 defense teams.
• In 2019, Gokulam Kerala FC who won the cup in 2019
are the defending Champions.
About Durand Cup
i.It was started in 1888 at Dagshai, Himachal Pradesh.
ii.Durand cup is the World’s 3 Oldest & Asia’s Oldest Football
tournament. It is hosted by Durand Football Tournament
Society (DFTS), which is led by India’s Armed Service Chiefs
.
iii.The tournament is named after its Founder, Sir Mortimer Durand, who served as the then Foreign Secretary
of British India from 1884 to 1894.
iv.Kolkata based clubs East Bengal and ATK Mohun Bagan have won Durand Cup 16 times each.
v.The winning team is presented with cash prize of INR 40 lakh and 3 trophies
• The Durand cup (the original tournament trophy which became rolling since 1965)
• The President’s cup (1st presented by Dr. Rajendra Prasad-1st President of India)
• The Shimla Trophy (1st presented by people of Shimla in 1903)
About All India Football Federation
President – Praful Patel

Cricket: ICC’s Latest Test Players Rankings
According to the latest Test Players Rankings released by International Cricket Council (ICC), Indian Bowler
JaspritBumrah has been ranked in the 9th Position in the bowler’s rankings, while Indian Captain ViratKohli
slipped to 5th Position in the rankings for Batsmen.
• ShikharDhawan became the 4th fastest Batsman to reach 6000 runs in One Day Internationals. He is the
10th Indian Batsman to achieve the feat.
Maharashtra’s Harshit Raja becomes India’s 69th Chess GrandMaster

20 year old Harshit Raja from Pune, Maharashtra became the 69th Chess GrandMaster of India after drawing
his game against Dennis Wagner at the Biel Masters Open
• He won Silver in Under-13 National Chess Championship
in 2014 held at Jamshedpur and Gold in School Games
Federation of India (SGFI) Nationals held in Tamil Nadu in
2014.
• In April 2021, 18-years old Arjun Kalyan from Tamilnadu
(TN) became India’s 68th Chess GrandMaster(GM).
Grandmaster Title
i.GM is a title awarded by FIDE(International chess
federation).It is the highest title a chess player can obtain apart
from World Champion.
ii.In order to qualify for the title of GM,a player must achieve 3 GrandMaster norms in events covering a minimum
of 27 games and an ELO(Electric Light Orchestra) rating of at least 2500 at any point in their career.
iii.Vishwanathan Anand is India’s 1st GM, he achieved it in 1988.
• Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi is India’s 1st Woman Grandmaster, while Gukesh D is India’s Youngest GM.
About International Chess Federation(FIDE):
President – Arkady Dvorkovich
Headquarters – Lausanne,Switzerland.
Former Indian Cricketer Unmukt Chand retires from Indian Cricket

Former Indian Cricketer Unmukt Chand (28) announced his retirement from Indian Cricket. He was the captain
of the Indian Under-19 team which won the World Cup in 2012 held at Australia.
• A right handed Batsman who has played 77 Twenty 20
Internationals(T20s) with 1565 runs, 120 List A matches
scoring 4505 runs and 67 First Class Cricket matches scoring
3379 runs.
• Chand is set to play in USA’s Major League Cricket (MLC), he has
signed a 3 year deal with MLC.
• Chand has written his memories of the Under19 Cricket World
Cup into a book titled, ‘The Sky is the Limit’(2013).
Neeraj Chopra ranked 2nd in World Athletics Men’s Javelin Throw Ranking 2021
Indian Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra was ranked 2nd (up from 16)
in the recently released World Athletics Men’s Javelin Throw
Ranking 2021. Neeraj was also ranked 129th in the Men’s Overall
Athletics Ranking.
• Neeraj Chopra won Gold Medal in Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
• Germany’s Johannes Vetter (World No. 1) continued to be
Number 1 in the Men’s Javelin Throw Ranking.
• The World rankings for Athletics are issued by the Sports
governing body ‘World Athletics’.

Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj Chopra was born in Panipat, Haryana. His Gold Medal is India’s 1st Medal in a Track & Field event.
• He threw the Javelin to a distance of 87.58m to win the Gold Medal.
• Overall, it is only India’s 2nd individual Gold Medal in an Olympics. India’s 1st individual Gold Medal was
won by Abhinav Bindra in 10m Air Rifle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
About World Athletics
Founded in 1912
President – Sebastian Coe
Headquarters – Monaco
India’s Raunak Sadhwani wins Spilimbergo Open Chess Tournament 2021

Indian Chess Grandmaster (GM) Raunak Sadhwani won the 19th Spilimbergo 2021 Open Master by drawing the
final round against GM Adam Gozak (Hungary). The tournament was held in Spilimbergo, Italy from 11th August
to 15th August 2021
• Raunak Sadhwani is the 65th GM of India. He was born in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
• Sadhwani remained Undefeated in the tournament with 5 wins and 4 draws.
• Indian Woman GM R. Vaishali finished in 14th place with 6 points. She was the best among the Women
Competitors.
• In July 2021, the 15 year old GM Raunak Sadhwani won the 40th St Veiter Jacques Lemans Open 2021.
About All India Chess Federation:
President – Sanjay Kapoor
Founded – 1951
Overview of the World Archery Youth Championships 2021 held in Wroclaw, Poland
The 16th Edition of World Archery Youth Championships 2021 held in Wroclaw, Poland (from 09th to 15th
August 2021).
• India(1st) topped the Medals tally with 15 Medals (8-Gold, 2-Silver, 5-Bronze), followed by France (2nd)
and Mexico (3rd).
• It was organised by World Archery Federation, the governing body of the sport of Archery.
• Junior events were held for those aged under 20 years and Cadet events for those aged below 18.
• It included Recurve and Compound archery games for both Junior and Cadet groups.
Medals Tally
Rank Countries
1 India
2 France
3 Mexico
Indian Individual Event Winners
Winners Category Medal
S.No
1 Komalika Bari Women’s Junior Recurve Gold
2 Sakshi Chaudhary Women’s Junior Compound Silver
3 Priya Gurjar Women’s Cadet Compound Silver
4 Rishabh Yadav Men’s Junior Compound Bronze

5 Bishal Changmai Men’s Cadet Recurve Bronze
6 Manjiri Manoj Alone Women’s Cadet Recurve Bronze
7 Parneet Kaur Women’s Cadet Compound Bronze
Team Events winners of India:

S.NO
Dhiraj Bommadevara
Aditya Choudhary
1 Parth Sushant Salunkhe Men’s Junior Recurve Gold
Amit Kumar
Bishal Changmai
2 Vickey Ruhal Men’s Cadet Recurve Gold
Sahil Chaudhary
Mihir Nitiny Apar
3 Kushal Dalal Men’s Cadet Compound Gold
Parneet Kaur
Priya Gurjar
4 Ridhu Varshini Senthilkumar Women’s Cadet Compound Gold
Avani
Tamnna
5 Manjiri Manoj Alone Women’s Cadet Recurve Bronze
Mixed Team winners-India:

S.NO
Komalika Bari
1 Parth Sushant Salunkhe Junior Recurve Gold
Tamnna
2 Bishal Changmai Cadet Recurve Gold
Priya Gurjar
3 Kushal Dalal Cadet Compound Gold
Highlights
• After targeting Gold in the Junior Recurve in Poland, Komalika Bari became the2nd Indian after Deepika
Kumari to win both the Cadet and Junior Recurve Women World Champions’ titles.
• Komalika Bari beat Elia Canales of Spain, 7-3, to secure the under-21 world title in Wroclaw, just two years
after winning the under-18 crown in Madrid.
About Archery Association of India
President – Arjun Munda

About World Archery Federation
Founded in 1931
President – Ugur Erdener
Indian GM S L finishes second in RTU Open Chess Tournament 2021

Germany’s Alexander Donchenko won the Riga Technical University (RTU) open Chess Tournament 2021 while
Indian Grand Master(GM) S.L.Narayanan came second in the tournament. The tournament was held
in Riga (Latvia) from August 7, 2021 to August 15, 2021. It was the 10th RTU tournament.
• Karthikeyan Murali ended up with 7 points but on the
basis of better tie- break scores Narayan tool second
position.GM Arjun Kalyan was placed eighth.
• Among the others, Pranav Anand secured 11th
and Pragganandhaa Rameshbabu got 13th rank.
Riga Technical University (RTU) open Chess Tournament
Organizer-Riga Technical University and Latvian Chess
Federation
Federation-Latvia ( LAT )
Overview of Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games

The Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games will be held from 24th August – 5th September, 2021.
• The official Mascot is ‘Someity’.
• For the 1st time, Badminton & Taekwondo will be Introduced by replacing Sailing and 7-a-side football.
India sends largest ever contingent for Paralympics
India will field their largest contingent ever in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics
• A total of 54 Athletes will compete in 9 Sporting events. Only 19 Indian Athletes competed in the 2016 Rio
Paralympics.
• The 9 events are Archery, Athletics, Badminton, Para Canoeing, Powerlifting, Shooting, Swimming, Table
Tennis and Taekwondo.
• High Jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu (Won Gold at the 2016 Rio Paralympics) will be the flag-bearer of
India in the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Paralympics.
• Javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia (won Gold at Rio Paralympics) and high jump ace Mariyappan
Thangavelu are the two Paralympic champions in the current Indian contingent.
• Prachi Yadav is set to become India’s 1st paracanoe at the Tokyo Para Games
• Avani Lekhera will be the 1st Indian woman para shooter to compete at the Paralympics.
• Harvinder Singh and Vivek Chikara are the 1st Men Archers from the country to qualify for the Games.
• Click here to know about the 54 Athletes
Anurag Thakur launched Theme Song ‘Kar De Kamaal Tu’ for Paralympics
Union Sports Minister, Anurag Thakur and Minister of State for Home Affairs Nisith Pramanik has launched the
Theme Song, ‘Kar De Kamaal Tu’ for India’s Paralympic Contingent at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympics
Games.
• The song is composed & sung by Sanjeev Singh, Divyang Cricket Player.
Recent Related News
The 32nd Edition of Olympics Games took place in Tokyo, Japan from 23rd July 2021 to August 8th 2021. India
finished with 7 Medals (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze) and has been ranked at 48th position.
Note:The paralympic Games, featuring Athletes with an impairment, takes place shortly after every Olympic
Games in the same host city
About International Paralympic Committee
President – Andrew Parsons
Headquarters – Bonn, Germany

AICF & CPAI Joined hands to Administer the Chess Games in India
All India Chess Federation (AICF), India’s Chess Administrative body and the Chess Players Association of
India (CPAI) has announced their Merger plan to administer the chess games in the country at a joint press
conference in Lucknow, Uttar pradesh.
• The merger plans will bring together many Chess factions at both the National & State levels under the
umbrella of AICF.
• The new body will address the concerns of every member & bring them together for the development of
Chess.
About All India Chess Federation (AICF)
i.Founded in 1951 at Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is the Central Administrative body for Chess in India.
ii.AICF is affiliated to the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the World body for Chess
About Chess Players Association of India (CPAI)
Founded in June 2004 at Kolkata, West Bengal
i.It is formed to protest a 10% cut in prize money by AICF on the chess players.
ii.CPAI protects the rights & needs of the chess players by forming as a group.
Manika Batra and G Sathiyan win Mixed Doubles Final in Table Tennis at WTT Contender 2021
The Indian duo of table tennis players Manika Batra and G Sathiyan defeated Hungary’s Dora Madarasz and
Nandor Ecseki with 3-1 in the final match of World Table Tennis (WTT) Contender 2021 which held at
Budapest,capital of Hungary.With this achievement, they became the first table tennis players from India to win a
WTT Contender title.
• The duo played together in the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and defeated the 94th ranked players of
Hungary’s Dora and Nandor .
• The duo will also take part in the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024 and next year’s Asian Games.
• Manika and Sathiyan achieved 400 points and a total amount of $1200 from this victory
WTT Contender-
WTT Contender Series is a part of the revamped International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) scheduled event
which launched in 2021 and features two tiers of events such as WTT Star Contender and WTT Contender.
Odisha Extended Sponsorship to Hockey India by 10 More Years

Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister of Odisha, has announced that the government of Odisha has decided to continue
the sponsorship of Hockey India for 10 more years (the current sponsorship ends in 2023).
In 2018, after Sahara India withdrew its sponsorship, the government of Odisha signed a deal with Hockey India
to sponsor the men’s and women’s hockey teams for a period of 5 years (2023).
India’s GM Arjun Erigaisi wins Ⅱ Terras de Tras-os-Montes Chess Open 2021

Indian Chess GrandMaster (GM) Arjun Erigaisi won Ⅱ Terras de Tras-os-Montes Chess Open 2021 held in
Braganca, Portugal. The tournament was held from August 19th-24th, 2021.
• He remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, by
winning 8 games & 1 draw match.
• Arjun was born in 2003 at Warangal, Telangana. He is
the 54th GM from India.
• Grandmaster (GM) is a title awarded to chess players by
the world chess organization FIDE (World Chess
Fédération Internationale).
Other Indian players Performance
i.Chennai based Indian GM Gukesh finished in 2nd place by
winning 8 games & losing 1 match against GM Erigaisi.
ii.Indian Chess player Moksh Amit Doshi was the next best Indian performer by finishing at the 15th place.

iii.A total of 5 Indians participated in the tournament comprising 146 players.
Founded- 1951
Indian Table Tennis Player G.Sathiyan wins 2021 ITTF Czech International Open
Indian Table Tennis Player Sathiyan Gnanasekaran won the 2021 International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF)
Czech International Open. The tournament was held from 21-25th August, 2021 in Olomouc, Czech Republic.
• Sathiyan beat Yevhen Ryshchepa of Ukraine in the finals in straight sets 11-9, 11-6, 11-6, 14-12. He did not
lose a single set throughout the tournament.
• The victory marks Sathiyan’s the 3rd ITTF challenger title after 4 years in 2017 Spanish Open and 2016
Belgium Open.
• Sathiyan was born in January 1993 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
ITTF Rankings:
Senior Mixed Doubles Pair-Rankings
Rank Name Country
20 Sathiyan Gnanasekaran & Manika Batra India
1 Jun Mizutani & Mina Ito Japan
2 Liu Shiwen & Xu Xin Taipei
• In August 2021, The Indian duo of Table Tennis players Manika Batra & G. Sathiyan wins the Mixed Doubles
Final in World Table Tennis (WTT) contender 2021, held in Budapest, Hungary.
Overview of World Athletics U20 Championships, 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya

The World Athletics Under20 Championships, 2021 held in the city of Nairobi, Kenya. The tournament was held
from 18th-22nd August, 2021.
• India finished at the 21st place by winning 3 Medals (2-Silver
& 1-Bronze).Kenya ranked 1st place by winning 16 Medals (8-
Gold, 1-Silver & 7-Bronze)
Rank Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
21 India 0 2 1 3
1 Kenya 8 1 7 16
2 Finland 4 1 0 5
3 Nigeria 4 0 3 7
Shaili Singh wins Silver in Long jump
i.Shaili Singh (Uttar Pradesh) wins the Silver Medal in Women’s long jump event with 6.59 metres. She missed
the Gold Medal by just 1 Centimeter (cm) to Maja Askag of Sweden.
ii.It is the 1st Long jump Medal for India at the U20 World event, While Anju George’s Bronze Medal is the only
Long Medal at the 2003 Senior World Athletics event.
Amit Kumar won Silver in Men’s 10,000 m Race
i.Amit Kumar (Haryana) wins Silver Medal at the debut International event in the Men’s 10,000 m Race by
finishing with a time of 42 minutes 17:94 seconds.
ii.Haristone Wanyonyi of Kenya won Gold Medal with a time of 42:10.84s and Paul McGrath of Spain took home
bronze in 42:31.11s.
iii.Amit set a new national record at the Junior Federation Cup, 2021 with a time of 40:40.97s.
India’s 4×400 Mixed Relay Team Won Bronze Medal
i.The Indian Mixed Relay team comprising Bharath Sridhar, Priya H Mohan, Summy & Kapil won
the Bronze Medal in the 4×400 event with a time of 3:20:60s.

• It was India’s 1st-ever medal in a relay event at the global level.
ii.Nigeria won Gold with a time of 03:19:70s & Poland won the Silver Medal with 03:19:80s
About World Athletics
President –Sebastian Coe
Headquarters –Monaco
India’s GM Sethuraman wins 26th Ciutat de Barcelona Chess Open, 2021

Indian Grand Master (GM) SP Sethuraman won the 26th Ciutat de Barcelona Chess Open, 2021. The
tournament was held from 18th-26th August, 2021 in Barcelona, Spain.
• Sethuraman & Yuffa Daniil (2nd Spot) of Russia Scored 7.5
points but Sethuraman emerged winner on the basis of
better tie-break score.
• He remained undefeated throughout the tournament by
winning 6 games & drawing 3 matches.
• Sethuraman was born in 1993 at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• Grand Master (GM) is a title awarded to chess players by
the World Chess Organisation, FIDE (World Chess
Federation Internationale)
Other Indian Players performance:
i.Indian GM Karthikeyan Murali finished in 3rd spot by winning 6 games, drawing 2 & losing 2 matches.
ii.GM Arvind Chidambaram finished 5th, followed by Arjun Kalyan & Visakh.N.R at the 9th & 10 places
respectively.
Founded – 1951
Indian Army Organised 400 Km “Jazbaa-E-Tiranga” Relay Marathon at J&K

The Indian army has organised a 400 Km “JAZBAA-E- TIRANGA” Relay Marathon in the Union Territory of
Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) as a part of the Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, celebrating the 75th year of independence.
The relay was flagged off and led by Major General Rajeev Puri, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Ace of Spades
Division.
• More than 300 troops participated in the Relay marathon carrying the Indian Tricolour flag along the line of
control(LoC).
• The soldiers carried the national flag across the Area of Responsibility(AoR) and handed it over to other
units.
Indian Cricketer Stuart Binny Retires from International Cricket

Indian All-rounder & Right handed batsman Stuart Binny has announced his retirement from International
cricket and First-class Cricket at the age of 37.
• Binny has represented India in all 3 formats: He has played
6 Tests, 14 One Day Internationals (ODIs) & 3 Twenty20
Internationals (T20Is).
• Binny holds the record for the best bowling figures in ODI
cricket.
• In First-class Cricket, He made his debut in the Karnataka
state team in 2003-04 season and he has played 95
matches, scoring 4796 runs & picking up 148 wickets.
• He has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB),
Mumbai Indians (MI) & Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL)

• Binny was born in June 1984 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
About International Cricket Council (ICC):
Chairman- Greg Barclay
Acting Chief Executive – Geoff Allardice
Headquarters- Dubai, UAE
Part-1: Overview of Ongoing Tokyo 2020 Summer Paralympic Games

The 16th Edition of Paralympic Games is taking place in Tokyo, Japan from 24th August to 5th September,
2021.It is organised by International Paralympic Committee(IPC).
• A total of 22 sports are scheduled. For the 1st time, Badminton and Taekwondo will be making their
debut at the 2020 Paralympic Games by replacing Sailing & 7-a-side Football.
• The official Mascot is ‘Someity’
• The opening ceremony took place at the Newly-built National Stadium, Tokyo.
• The Paralympic Games symbol of the “Three Agitos” has been installed on a giant floating platform in the
Tokyo Bay area. The 94-tonne steel monument stands 17.5 m tall, is 23.4 m long and 2m wide.
• Tek Chand (Shot put Thrower) was the flag-bearer
of India in the opening ceremony of the Tokyo
paralympics.He has been replaced on behalf of High-
Jumper Thangavelu Mariyappan who was
quarantined following close contact with a COVID-19
positive person on their flight to Tokyo.
India’s Performance
• India has won 7 Medals– 2 Gold, 4 Silver & 1 Bronze
till August 30
Avani Lekhara wins Gold Medal in Shooting
Avani Lekhara (Rajasthan) has won the Gold Medal in the Women’s R2 10 m Air Rifle Standing 1 (SH 1) Shooting
event by scoring 249.6 in the final.
• Zhang Cuiping of China won the Silver medal & Shchetnik Iryna of Ukraine took the Bronze Medal.
• Avani became the 1st Indian Woman to win a Gold Medal at the Paralympics & 4th Indian Gold medal at the
Paralympics.
• The 18-year old has set a Paralympics record by scoring 249.6 and also equalling the World record.
Javelin Throw:
Sumit Antil wins Gold Medal in Javelin Throw, F-64
Sumit Antil (Haryana) has won the Gold Medal in the Men’s Javelin Throw F-64 event by throwing a distance
of 68.55 m in the finals.
• Burian Michal of Australia & Kodithuwakku Dulan (Sri Lanka) have won Silver & Bronze Medals respectively.
• This is India’s 2nd gold in the Tokyo Paralympics and the 1st in athletics.
• The F64 category is for athletes with a leg amputation, who compete with prosthetics in a standing
position.
Devendra Jhajharia & Sundar Singh Gurjar wins SIlver & Bronze respectively in Javelin Throw, F-46
i.Devendra Jhajharia (Rajasthan) has won the Silver Medal in the Men’s Javelin Throw, F-46 category by
throwing a distance of 64.35 m.
• This marks the 3rd Individual Medal in Paralympics for Devendra, after his 2 Gold medals (2004 Athens
Paralympics & 2016 Rio Paralympics)
ii.Sundar Singh Gurjar (Rajasthan) won the Bronze medal by scoring 64.01m & D.Priyantha (Sri Lanka) has
won the Gold medal by throwing 67.79 m in the finals.
iii.The F46 classification is for athletes with arm deficiency, impaired muscle power or impaired passive range of
movement in arms, with athletes competing in a standing position.

Bhavinaben Patel wins Silver Medal in Table Tennis
Bhavinaben Patel (Gujarat) won the Silver Medal in the Women’s Singles Class 4 Table Tennis event by losing
7-11, 5-11, 6-11 in the finals.
• Zhou Ying of China won the Gold & Zhang Miao of China took the bronze medal.
• The 34-year old Patel is the 1st player from India to reach the Paralympics final in a Table tennis event.
Yogesh Kathuniya wins Silver Medal in Discus Throw
Yogesh Kathuniya (Delhi) has won the Silver Medal in Men’s Discus Throw F-56 by scoring 44.38 m in the final.
• Batista dos Santos Claudiney of Brazil won Gold & Diaz al Dana of Cuba won the Bronze medal.
• This was his debut event at the Paralympics games.
Nishad Kumar wins Silver Medal in High Jump
NIshad Kumar (Himachal Pradesh) has won the Silver medal in the Men’s High Jump T-47 category by
jumping 2.06 m in the finals.
• He shared the Silver Medal with Dallas Wise (United States) scoring 2.06m and the Gold medal was won by
Roderick Townsend-Roberts (United States) by jumping 2.15 m in the finals.
Vinod Kumar stripped off from the bronze medal in Discuss Throw
Vinod Kumar lost his bronze medal that he clinched in the men’s F52 discus throw event on 29th August after the
competition panel found that he was ‘ineligible’ under disability classification assessment.
F52 is for athletes with impaired muscle power, restricted range of movement, limb deficiency or leg length
difference, with athletes competing in seated position with cervical cord injury, spinal cord injury, amputation,
and functional disorder.
About International Paralympic Committee(IPC):
President – Andrew Parsons
Headquarters – Bonn, Germany
Formula One: Max Verstappen Wins Belgian Grand Prix, 2021

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen (Netherland) has been declared the winner of the Belgian Grand Prix (GP),
2021. It was the Shortest ever Grand Prix in terms of distance Completed.
• The Belgian Grand Prix was held at the Circuit de
Spa- Francorchamps, Belgium from August 27th-29th,
2021.
• Mercedes driver’s from Britain George Russell Williams &
Lewis Hamilton finished in 2nd & 3rd place respectively.
• The F1 Championships are organised by Federation
Internationale de I’Automobile (FIA)
Highlights of Belgian GP, 2021
i.It is the Shortest F1 Race ever in terms of distance completed,
surpassing the race in Australia, 1991.
• Rain shortened the Belgian GP and Half points were awarded since 75% of the race distance was not
completed.
ii.It was the 6th half-points race in F1 history, following Spain 1975 (accident), Austria 1975 (rain), Monaco
1984 (rain), Australia 1991 (rain) and Malaysia 2009 (rain).
About Federation Internationale de I’Automobile (FIA)
President – Jean Todt

OBITUARY
Bangladesh Folk Singer Fakir Alamgir Passes Away
Bangladesh’s folk singer Fakir Alamgir passed away in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He was born in Faridpur, Bangladesh.
He was awarded Ekushey Padak (Bangladesh’s 2nd highest civilian award) in 1999 by the Government of
Bangladesh. His popular songs include ‘O Sokhina Gesos Kina’, ‘Shantahar’, ‘Nelson Mandela’, ‘Naam Tar Chhilo
John Henry’, ‘Banglar Comrade Bondhu’, etc.
Former England Cricketer Mike Hendrick Passed Away

Former England Cricketer and renowned pace bowler, Mike Hendrick, who has played around 30 tests and 22
One Day Internationals (ODI) representing England has passed away. He hails from Derbyshire, England. He has
played a major role in two of England’s Ashes-series victories.
• He has also played for Derbyshire County Cricket Club from 1969 to 1981, and for Nottinghamshire from
1982 to 1984.
• He was the leading bowler at the 1979 World Cup who took 10 wickets from 5 matches and he has taken 770
wickets in 267 first-class matches and 35 wickets in 22 ODIs.
• He was appointed as the first full-time national coach to Ireland in 1995.
Padma Shri awardee and Renowned Dogri writer Padma Sachdev Passed away
Padma Sachdev (81), the 1st Modern woman poet of Dogri language and Padma Shri awardee passed away at
Mumbai hospital due to health reasons. She had won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1971 for her anthology of
poems – ‘Meri Kavita Mere Geet’.
i.Born in Purmandal, Jammu in 1940, Sachdev played a vital role
in including Dogri language to the Eighth schedule of Indian
constitution.
ii.She has authored many books in Dogri and Hindi.
Achievements
• She received Padma Shri, India’s 4th-highest civilian award,
in 2001 for her contributions to Hindi and Dogri.
• Kabir Samman for poetry for 2007-08 awarded by the
government of Madhya Pradesh,
• Saraswati samman, 2015 for Chitt-Chete her autobiography in Dogri language,
• Dinu Bhai Pant LifeTime Achievement Award, 2017 and others.
Fact
Schedule 8 of Indian Constitution deals with Languages recognized by the Indian Constitution, at present there
are 22 Languages.
Centenarian Sprinter Man Kaur ‘Miracle from Chandigarh’ Passes Away

Centenarian sprinter and World Masters Games Medalist Man Kaur, who is referred as ‘Miracle from
Chandigarh’, has passed away in Patiala, Punjab. She was born on 1st March 1916. Man Kaur hailing from Patiala,
Punjab, started her athletics career at the age of 93.
• She has won gold at various Masters Athletics championships including the 2012 Asian Championship,2013
Canadian championship and 2016 American championship.
• She won 4 gold medals (60m dash race, 200m sprint, short put and Javelin throw) in the 2019 World Master
Athletics Championship held in Torun, Poland.
• She became the world’s fastest Centenarian at 2016 American Masters games held in Vancouver.

Former Indian Footballer and Olympian S.S Narayan passed away
India’s former football goalkeeper & 2 time Olympian Shankar Subramaniam Narayan (86) also known as S.S.
‘Babu’ Narayan passed away due to cardiac arrest in Thane, Maharashtra.
i.He was born in 1934 at Palakkad district of kerala.
ii.Narayan was also part of Indian team that finished 2nd in the 1964 AFC Asian Cup and the 1958 Asian Games.
• He represented India in the Melbourne 1956 Summer Olympics and Rome 1960 Summer
Olympics as Indian football team’s Goalkeeper.
• He also represented Bombay in the 1956 Santosh Trophy (Indian Men’s National Football Championship).
About All India Football Federation (AIFF)
President – Praful Patel
Headquarters – NewDelhi
Former Indian Hockey Player Gopal Bhengra passes away

Former Indian Men’s Hockey Team player Gopal Bhengra (75) passed away in Ranchi, Jharkhand due to
prolonged illness. He was part of the 1978 Men’s Hockey World Cup held in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Gujjar Leader Padma Bhushan Mian Bashir Ahmed Passed Away

Veteran Gujjar Leader Padma Bhushan Mian Bashir Ahmed passed away in Ganderbal, Jammu & Kashmir(JK).
He was born in November 1923 in Jammu & Kashmir.
• Mian Bashir Ahmed is the son of Gujjar leader and saint
Mian Nizam Din Larvi.
• Mian Bashir Ahmed is the father of Former Minister and
National Conference (NC) leader Mian Altaf Ahmad.
About Mian Bashir Ahmed:
i.Mian Bashir Ahmed has served as the minister in the cabinet
under Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah (the head of
the government of J&K was called the Chief Minister from 1965.
ii.Later he started working for Islamic Sufi tradition and helping
the downtrodden people.
iii.In 2008 he was honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his service to the Gujjar Bakarwal Community and
downtrodden groups.
Japan’s Maki Kaji, the Godfather of Sudoku passes away at 69

Maki Kaji (69), widely known as the Godfather of Sudoku for his role in creating one of the World’s most
popular puzzles, passed away due to Bile duct cancer in Tokyo, Japan.
• He was born in October 1951 in Hokkaido, Japan.
• Kaji was the Co-founder of Nikoli Limited, a Japanese based puzzle magazine launched in 1980.
• Kaji’s interest with a game called Number place was later renamed as ‘Sudoku’ – a Japanese word meaning
Single Numbers.
• Sudoku challenges people to fill a grid of 9 x 9 blocks, with 9 boxes in each block so that all columns, both
vertical and horizontal, contain the numbers from 1 to 9 without repetition
Legendary German footballer Gerd Mueller Passed Away

Legendary German Footballer and renowned striker, Gerd Mueller, nicknamed “Bomber der Nation”, has
passed away in Wolfratshausen, Germany. He was born on 3rd November 1945 in Nördlingen, Allied-occupied
Germany.
• He has represented West Germany and scored around 68 goals in 62 International matches and has won the
World Cup in 1974.
• He is the record goalscorer of Bayern Munich, a German professional sports club based in Munich, Bavaria,
Germany.

Dronacharya & Padma Shri Awardee Athlete Coach O. M Nambiar Passed Away
On August 19, 2021 renowned athletics coach Othayothu Madhavan(O M) Nambiar, who was also the coach of
PT Usha, passed away at the age of 89 in Vadakara, Kozhikode District, Kerala due to age-related diseases. He
was suffering from Parkinson’s disease.He was also born in Vadakara, Kozhikode District, Kerala.
• He was one of the first Dronacharya Award
Winners and Padma Shri awardee of the year 2021
• He also served in the Indian Air Force for 15 years then
later retired in 1970 as a sergeant and trained many great
athletes.
• He coached PT Usha, who is the first Indian sportswoman to
enter the Olympics final.She participated in 400m hurdles in
1984 Olympics & she also won 4 gold medals in 1986 Asian
Games.
Former Indian Footballer Chinmoy Chatterjee Passed Away

Former Indian International Footballer (defender) Chinmoy Chatterjee has passed away at his residence in
Khardah, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal. He hails from West Bengal.
He was a part of the Indian football team during the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games.
• He has represented the Mohun Bagan and East Bengal in the Calcutta Football league(CLF).
• He has also represented West Bengal in 4 Santosh Trophy matches and has won 3 of them.
• He has served as the assistant coach of East Bengal, after his retirement.
Former Uttar Pradesh CM Kalyan Singh Passes Away

The former Chief Minister(CM) of Uttar Pradesh(UP), BJP leader
Kalyan Singh passed away at the age of 89 in Lucknow due to age
related diseases. He was born in Atrauli, Uttar Pradesh.
About Kalyan Singh
i.Kalyan Singh served as Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Governor of
Rajasthan(2014-19).
ii.He served as the Chief Minister of UP for 2 terms, i.e.,1991-92 &
1997-99.
iii.He also served as the Member of Parliament for Lok Sabha during 2009–2014.
Former Indian Footballer & Olympian Syed Shahid Hakim Passed Away
Former Indian Footballer Syed Shahid Hakim, a part of the Indian Football team during the 1960 Rome Olympics,
has passed away in Gulbarga, Karnataka. He was born in Hyderabad, British India.He was popularly known as
‘saab’.
• He is the son of legendary football coach Syed Abdul Rahim
About Syed Shahid Hakim:
i.He has served as the coach of several teams including the Mahindra & Mahindra (Now Mahindra United),
Salgaocar and Hindustan FC and Bengal Mumbai FC(2004-2005).
ii.He was a FIFA badge holder international referee who officiated more than 33 international games including
the AFC Asian Cup matches in 1988(Qatar).
iii.He has served as the Chief Project Director at the Sports Authority of India(SAI).
iv.He was honoured with the Dhyan Chand Award for Life Time Achievement in Sports and Games in 2017. He
became the 2nd footballer after Shabbir Ali to win the award.
Olympian Footballer O Chandrasekharan Passed Away in Kochi, Kerala

O. Chandrasekharan, an Olympian & excellent defender in the Indian Football team passed away at the age of 86.
He was born in Irinjalakuda town in Thrissur, Kerala & he died in Kochi, Kerala.

About O.Chandrasekharan:
i.He was a member of the Rome Olympics 1960 Gold medal winning Indian football team.
ii.Under his captaincy, Indian Football team won a Gold medal in the Jakarta Asian Games 1962.
iii.He was a member of the Indian Football Team that won Silver in Malaysia’s 1959 & 1964 Merdeka cup.
iv.He also led the Maharashtra team to the Santosh Trophy title, a prestigious inter-state tournament in India, in
the 1963-64 season.
Agriculture Scientist and Padma Shri Awardee B V Nimbkar Passed Away in Maharashtra
The renowned Agricultural Scientist and Padma Shri award recipient, Bonbehari Vishnu Nimbkar (B V
Nimbkar) passed away at the age of 90 years in Satara district of Maharashtra due to age related diseases. He
was born in 17 July 1931 in Goa.
Gist about B V Nimbkar
• Nimbkar was the founder of Nimbkar Agricultural Research
Institute (NARI) is an NGO and a non-profit research and
development institute in Maharashtra
• He was awarded with Padma Shri Award in 2006 for his
immense contribution in the field of agriculture and animal
husbandry.
• He was the recipient of the prestigious Jamnalal Bajaj
Award. It is given for promoting Gandhian values, community service and social development.
Former England Cricketer & Journalist Ted Dexter Passes Away

Former England Cricket team Captain & Journalist Ted Dexter passed away at 86 due to illness in
Wolverhampton, England.
• A right handed All Rounder, who has played 62 Test matches scoring 4502 runs with an average of 47.89 &
taking 66 wickets.
• Dexter popularly known as Lord Ted was inducted into the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket Hall
of fame as one of the special inductees in June 2021.
• Dexter worked as a Journalist & Broadcaster after his retirement . He also served as Chairman of England
Cricket Selectors.
• He was instrumental in devising the players ranking system that was later adopted by the ICC and is
currently known as the ICC Player Rankings.
US Television Actor & Emmy Awardee Ed Asner Passed Away

The United State(US) Television Lou Grant actor Ed Asner passed away at the age of 91 in Los Angeles,
California, U.S. Edward Asner was born in Kansas city, Missouri(US) on November 15, 1929.
About Ed Asner
• The actor got 7 Emmy awards and his animated movie ‘’Up” was nominated for the Oscar for best picture in
2009. In “Up” he played the role of an old man.
• The actor got Emmy Awards for playing the newsroom boss Lou Grant in The Mary Tyler Moore Show
• He served as the 21st President of the Screen Actors Guild
• He is one of only two actors to win a comedy and drama Emmy for the same role on different shows.
BOOKS & AUTHORS

Captain Ramesh Babu Authored a New Book Titled “My Own Mazagon”
Captain Ramesh Babu, has authored a new book titled “My Own Mazagon: The History of a Little Island in the
Bombay Archipelago”. The book published by Indus Source Books features the history and story of Mazagon, the
island which was merged into a single entity as Bombay.

• The book was jointly released by Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Western
Naval Command, Vice Admiral Narayan Prasad(retired), Chairman and Managing Director of Mazagon
Dock Shipbuilders Limited
• Capt Ramesh Babu, from Kerala, has retired from his engineering career in the Indian Navy and Mazagon
Dock.
• Other books authored by Capt. Babu: “After You Sir: A Collection of School Stories” and “Calicut Heritage
Trails”.
Sanjay Gubbi’s Book on Leopard- ‘Leopard Diaries – the Rosette in India’

Wildlife Biologist, Sanjay Gubbi authored a book about Leopard titled ‘Leopard Diaries – the Rosette in India’,
in which he says about the food habits, ecological context, and conservation of Leopard along with the suggestions
to overcome leopard–human conflict.
• The book also details Sanjay Gubbi’s practical engagement
as a conflict manager, adviser to the State government, and
leopard PR (Public Relations) person.
• The book was published by Westland
About the Author:
i.Sanjay Gubbi is a wildlife biologist, Scientist (Western Ghats),
working on the conservation of large carnivores like tigers and
leopards.
ii.He was awarded Whitley Award (popularly known as the
Green Oscars) (2017) and the Co-Existence Award (2019) among several others, for his work.
Leopard: It is one of the five extant species in the genus Panthera, a member of the cat family, Felidae. As per the
government’s report, Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of leopards, about 26 percent of the total number
estimated in the country.
Avtar Singh Bhasin’s New Book Titled “Nehru, Tibet and China”
Avtar Singh Bhasin, the publisher of original archival documents, has authored a new book titled “Nehru, Tibet
and China”. The book published by Penguin Random House
India features the various details and events that took place from
the Independence of India to the 1962 Indo-China war.
About the book:
i.This book on the Indo-China relationship focuses on Tibet,
boundary issues before the war, occupation of Tibet by China,
and the fleeing of the 14th Dalai Lama from Tibet to India.
ii.The authentic and credible narrative of the book is written
with the aid of official documents and archives.
About the author:
i.Avtar Singh Bhasin has served in the Ministry of External Affairs for around 30 years and retired in 1993 as the
Director of the Historical Division.
ii.He has served in the National Archives of India and the Ministry of Defence.
iii.He has edited and authored various books on South Asian Affairs like India in Sri Lanka: Between Lion & the
Tigers; India – Pakistan Relations 1947-2007: A Documentary Study in Ten Volumes; India’s Foreign Relations-
2007: Documents (Part I & Part II).
iv.His 75 pieces on Partition and Freedom were published in the Asian Age from 1st June 1997 to 14th August
1997, which coincides with the golden jubilee celebration of Indian Independence.
Ramesh Narayan Released a Book “A Different Route to Success: It Could Be Yours”

Founder of Canco Advertising Ramesh Narayan has released his book titled “A Different Route to Success: It
Could Be Yours”. The book published by Notion Press features the professional life of Ramesh Narayan, who has

retired from Canco Advertising at the age of 50.
The book highlights various significant events and phases of his life.
• All the proceeds from the sales of this book will go to the Rotary Club of Bombay.
About Ramesh Narayan:
i.He has served as the Vice President and area director of the
International Advertising Association (IAA) APAC region.
ii.He has served as the President of IAA(India) and the president
of The Advertising Club and Advertising Agencies Association of
India (AAAI).
Honours:
i.He was inducted into the IAA Hall of Fame in 2014.
ii.The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI)
honoured him with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014.
iii.At the inaugural inspire awards held in London, IAA has named him the Global Champion.
Renowned Novelist Kunal Basu’s Authors New Book “In An Ideal World”
Renowned bilingual novelist (English & Bengali), Kunal Basu, from
Kolkata, has authored a new book titled “In An Ideal World”. The
book is set to be released by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random
House India in 2022.
The novel features a story that explores a range of themes such as
family, college politics and fanaticism.
About the book:
The story is based on the mysterious disappearance of a liberal
party member of a college in Manhar and the attempt of the suspect’s parents to uncover the mystery and absolve
their son.
About Kunal Basu:
i.Kunal is the only bilingual (English & Bengali) author after Bankimchandra Chatterjee.
ii.His well-known novels include The Opium Clerk; The Miniaturist; Racists; The Yellow Emperor’s Cure; and
Sarojini’s Mother.
iii.His collection of short story ‘The Japanese Wife’ (2008) was adapted into a film on the same title, directed by
filmmaker Aparna Sen.
‘A Begum and A Rani’ new book authored by Rudrangshu Mukherjee

Renowned historian and author Rudrangshu Mukherjee has authored a new book titled “A Begum and A Rani:
Hazrat Mahal and Lakshmibai in 1857” which explores the lives of ‘Begum Hazrat Mahal of Awadh’ and ‘Rani
Lakshmibai of Jhansi’.
The book is published by Penguin Random House India.
About the book:
i.The book features the different paths of their lives and how
their circumstances plunged them into the rebellion of 1857.
ii.The book narrates the story of these two women in rebellion.
About the author:
i.Rudrangshu Mukherjee, an internationally acclaimed
historian of the revolt of 1858 in India.
ii.He is the chancellor and History professor at Ashoka
University, of which he has served as the founding Vice Chancellor.
ii.He has been the Editor of the Editorial Pages, at The Telegraph, Kolkata from 1993 to 2014.
iii.In 1981, the University of Oxford awarded him a DPhil in Modern History.
Books: He has authored several books including, Nehru & Bose: Parallel Lives; Awadh in Revolt 1857-58: A Study

of Popular Resistance; Spectre of Violence: The Massacres in Kanpur in 1857; The Year of Blood: Essays on 1857;
Dateline 1857: Revolt against the Raj.
“The Biography of a Failed Venture” New Book Authored by Prashant Desai

Founder of D:FY, India’s first Sports brand, Prashant Desai has authored a new book titled “The Biography of a
Failed Venture: Decoding success secrets from the Black box of a Dead Start-up”.
The book published by HarperCollins Publisher India,
features the accounts on why the brand “D:FY failed and how
entrepreneurs can avoid these mistakes and become successful.
About Prashant Desai:
i.Prashant Desai, a Senior Director at Everstone Capital, is
currently serving as the strategy and investor relations at
Burger King India.
ii.He is a Chartered Accountant and an all India 4th ranked Cost
and Works Accountant.
ii.He started the startup KAN D:FY Sports Pvt. Ltd, a made in India technology-based sports brand in 2017.
iii.He has also worked with the Future Group, Rare Enterprises and has been the CEO and MD of Financial
technologies.
‘A Death in Shonagachhi: A Novel’ the Debut Book of Rijula Das

A Death in Shonagachhi, the debut novel a murder mystery authored by Rijula Das features a murder of a
prostitute in Shonagachhi, a red-light district in Calcutta. The book is published by Picador India, an imprint at
Pan Macmillan India.
The World English rights outside India are sold to Amazon
Crossing, for publication in June 2022 with the title “Small
Deaths”.
About Rijula Das:
i.Rijula Das is a short story author from West Bengal based in
Wellington, New Zealand.
ii.She has taught writing at Nanyang Technological University,
Singapore.
iii.She has won the 2019 Michael King Writers Centre
Residency in Auckland and the 2016 Dastaan Award for her short story ‘Notes From A Passing’.
iv.Her translation of Bhattacharya’s novel ‘Kangal Malshat’ is set to be published by Seagull Books in 2022.
Short Fictions:
• Notes From A Passing (2016)
• My Friend Finjo (2019)
• Grave of the Heart Eater (2019)
“Balakot Air Strike: How India Avenged Pulwama” New Book Authored by Manan Bhatt
Manan Bhatt a veteran of the Indian Navy, has authored a new book titled “Balakot Air Strike: How India
Avenged Pulwama”. The book published by Garuda Prakashan provides a detailed account of the Pulwama
terror attack in the Kashmir Valley and the subsequent Balakot Air-Strike.
• The book features every detail from the moments before the Pulwama attack to the Balakot airstrike and the
events that took place in those 12 days.
Pulwama Terror Attack:
i.On 14th February 2019, a Jaish suicide bomber attacked the CRPF vehicle at Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir of
which around 40 personnel were martyred.
ii.The responsibility for the attack was claimed by Pakistan based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Balakot Air-Strike:
12 days after the Pulwama attack, on 26th February 2021, the
Balakot air strike piloted 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets that
violated the Line of Control (LoC) in the Muzaffarabad sector and
attacked the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot,
Pakistan.
About Manan Bhatt:
i.Manan Bhatt from Rajkot, Gujarat, has served onboard Frigates
and Corvettes during his 15 years of service in the Indian Navy.
ii.He has served in Operation Talwar, during the Kargil War and
Operation Parakram.
iii.He also served at the integrated headquarters of Defence and Defence Research and Organisation.
VP Venkaiah Naidu Released a Book Titled ‘Accelerating India: 7 Years of Modi Government’
Vice President (VP) M Venkaiah Naidu released the book titled “Accelerating India: 7 Years of Modi
Government” during the event held at the Upa-Rashtrapati Niwas, New Delhi. He presented the first copy of the
book to Arif Mohammad Khan, Governor of Kerala.
• The book published by OakBridge Publishing Private
Limited is a collection of 25 essays covering the 25 sectors of
Indian governance and the contribution of 28 authors.
• The book is edited by KJ Alphons, retired IAS and a former
union minister and the foreword is written by NSA Ajit Doval.
Note:
The government of India has targeted to provide tapped water
connections to around 20 crore households by 2024.
About the book:
i.The book provides the documentation of the developments over the past 7 years under the leadership of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi.
ii.The book explains various initiatives launched by the Modi government in the past 7 years.
Authors:
The 28 authors of the book include Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Ayog; Mohan Kumar, the former defence secretary;
LC Goyal, former home secretary; Shakti Sinha, former chief secretary Andamans; Vrinda Sarup, former secretary
of education; Ashish Bahuguna, former secretary of agriculture; Preeti Sudan, former secretary, health and family
welfare and Anantha Nageswaran, member economic advisory council to the PM.
“Zohra! A Biography In Four Acts” Biography of Padma Awardee Zohra Segal By Padma Shri Ritu
Menon
Publisher and Writer Padma Shri Ritu Menon has authored a new book titled “Zohra! A Biography In Four Acts”.
The book published by Speaking Tiger Books is a biography of Padma Awardee Zohra Segal, an Indian actress,
dancer, and choreographer.
The book provides a better understanding of Zohra Segal and the
time she lived in
About Zohra Segal:
i.Zohra Mumtazullah Khan (1912 – 2014) from Saharanpur, Uttar
Pradesh, has starred in various Television series and films like
Neecha Nagar (1946) Doctor Who(1963), Jewel in the
Crown(1984)
ii.She was honoured with Padma Shri (1998) and Padma
Vibhushan (2010).
iii.The government of Maharashtra has honoured her with the Kalidas Samman in 2001.

Ritu Menon:
i.Ritu Menon is the co-founder of Kali for Women, a start-up feminist publisher in India and founder of Women
Unlimited, an associate of Kali.
ii.The government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri in 2011 for Literature and education.
Books:
• Borders and Boundaries: Women in India’s Partition (co-authored with Kamal Bhasin).
• Out of Line: A Personal and Political Biography of Nayantara Sahgal.
• From Mathura to Manorama: Resisting Violence against Women in India (co-authored with Kalpana
Kannibiran).
‘How the Earth Got Its Beauty’ New Book Authored by Sudha Murty
Padma Shri Sudha Murty, Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, has authored a new children’s book titled “How
the Earth Got Its Beauty”, a part of the chapter book series for young readers.
• The book is published by Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
• Sudha Murty who hails from Shiggaon, Karnataka, has received a number of awards which includes, R.K.
Narayan Award for Literature and Padma Shri in 2006, and the Attimabbe Award from the government of
Karnataka in 2011.
“The Earthspinner” a new novel authored by Anuradha Roy

Indian novelist Anuradha Roy has authored a new novel titled “The Earthspinner”, a story about the changing
ways of loving and living in the modern world.
The book will be published by Mountain Leopard Press London
and Hachette India which will publish the book in September
2021.
About the book:
i.The book moving between India and England reflects the
encounters of East and West.
ii.It narrates the story about 2 people who struggle to free
themself from the constraints such as community, religion, state
harassment.
About Anuradha Roy:
Anuradha Roy from Ranikhet, Uttarakhand works as a graphic designer at Permanent Black, an independent
press.
Along with her husband RukunAdvani, she founded the Indian publishing house, Permanent Black in 2000.
Her books were translated into more than 15 languages.
Books and honours:
i.Her first book was “An Atlas of Impossible Longing”.
ii.She won the DSC Prize for Fiction 2016 for her book “Sleeping on Jupiter”.
iii.She was honoured with the NilimaraniSahityaSamman for her outstanding contribution to Indian literature
in 2020.
iv.She has won the Economist Crossword Prize 2011 for “The Folded Earth”.
v.Her novel “All the Lives We Never Lived” was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award and
many other awards.
Film Historian RochonaMajumdar Authored New Book “Art Cinema And India’s Forgotten
Futures”
Film historian RochonaMajumdar’s new book titled “Art Cinema And India’s Forgotten Futures: Film And
History in the Postcolony” is set to release in September 2021.
• The book published by Columbia University Press examines the major works of Indian art cinema and
their impacts on the most influential insights of postcolonial thought.

• The book analyses films by various legendary filmmakers such as Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and RitwikGhatak,
as a unique reading of the historical situations of India between 1960 and 1970.
Books by RochonaMajumdar include, “Marriage and Modernity: Family Values in Colonial Bengal” (2009) and
“Writing Postcolonial History” (2010).
The book “Ramrao: The Story of India’s Farm Crisis” authored by Jaideep Hardikar”
Rural Journalist Jaideep Hardikar has authored a new book titled “Ramrao: The Story of India’s Farm
Crisis” which offers insights into the crisis faced by farmers. The book published by HarperCollins India features
the biography of Ramrao Panchleniwar, a cotton farmer from Vidarbha, Maharashtra.
• The book tracks the life of Ramrao, who survived after
consuming pesticides in 2014, over a period of 7 years since he
attempted suicide.
About Jaideep Hardikar:
i.Jaideep Hardikar, a Nagpur-based senior journalist, writer and
researcher.
ii.He is a member of the People’s Archive of Rural India.
iii.He is working as the Central India Correspondent of ‘Telegraph’.
iv.He authored the book titled “A Village Awaits Doomsday” in 2013
v.He has won various awards which includes Sanskriti Award for young journalists in 2003 for reporting on rural
issues
New Book “The Great Hindu Civilisation” Authored by Former MP Pavan K Varma
Former Member of Parliament (MP– Rajya Sabha) Pavan Kumar Varma (Pavan K Varma) has authored a new
book titled “The Great Hindu Civilisation: Achievement, Neglect, Bias and the Way Forward”.
The book published by Westland Books formally and systematically deals with the progress of the Hindu
civilisation and the current crisis.
• The book answers the question about the Hindu civilization
through the history of the Hindu world, in the context of
changing empires, leadership through colonisation and
conquest, leading up to the current difficulties presented by
the proponents of Hindutva.
• The book also discusses the philosophical, cultural, social,
political, scientific and other aspects of Hindu civilisation
and the impacts of Islamic and British invasion on Hindu
civilisation.
About Pavan K Varma:
i.Pavan K Varma, former Indian Foreign Service(IFS) officer of 1976 Batch has served as a Member of Rajya
Sabha MP(Bihar) from 2014 to 2016.
ii.He has served as the Advisor to the Chief Minister(CM) of Bihar, with the rank of Cabinet minister.
iii.He has also served as the High Commissioner of India to Cyprus (2004-2005).
iv.He served as the Director of the Nehru Centre in London (2005 to 2009) and Director General of the Indian
Council for Cultural Relations (I.C.C.R.) (2009-2012).
v.He has also served as the ambassador of India to many countries including Bhutan.
Awards:
• Druk Thuksey(2012), Highest Civilian Award of Bhutan, by His Majesty, The King of Bhutan
• The Citizen of the Year Award (2006) by Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).
Books:
He has authored several books, including Ghalib: The Man, The Times; Mansions at Dusk: The Havelis of Old Delhi;
Krishna: The Playful Divine: A Playful Divine; Chanakya’s New Manifesto: To Resolve the Crisis within India.

New book ‘Lahore: Book 1 of the Partition Trilogy’ Authored by Manreet Sodhi Someshwar
Award-winning author Manreet Sodhi Someshwar has authored a new book titled “Lahore: Book 1 of the
Partition Trilogy”. The book published by HarperCollins Publisher India traces back the turbulent years of
India’s Independence.
• The Lahore: Book 1 of the Partition Trilogy, the first book of
the Trilogy is set in Lahore discussing the effects of the
partition on ordinary people and women.
About the Trilogy:
i.The Partition Trilogy is the result of 20 years of efforts to research
and write the events that are associated with independence.
ii.The series is set in Delhi, Lahore, Hyderabad and Kashmir
covering a vast canvas, where Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel
and Dickie Mountbatten along with the ordinary people from these cities who are affected by partition and
reorganisation of states.
About Manreet Sodhi Someshwar:
i.Manreet Sodhi Someshwar is an Indian author based in New York, United States of America, she hails from
Punjab.
ii.Her works have appeared in The New York Times, the South China Morning Post and various Indian
publications.
iii.She has authored several books including
• The Long Walk Home
• The Radiance of a Thousand Suns.
• Girls and The City
• Mehrunisa Trilogy (The Taj Conspiracy & The Hunt for Kohinoor: Book 2 of the Thriller Series Featuring
Mehrunisa)
“Discordant Notes: The Voice of Dissent in the Last Court of Resort” – Book by Former SC Judge
Rohinton Fali Nariman
The book “Discordant Notes:The Voice of Dissent in the Last Court of Resort” by retired Supreme Court
(SC) Judge Rohinton Fali Nariman was launched. It will be published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI).
• The book will trace, explore and analyse all dissenting
judgments in the history of the Supreme Court of India. It will
emphasize the value of dissent in an ‘Democracy’.
• It will consist of 2 volumes. It discusses the dissenting opinions
given by Justice Fazl Ali, Justice Vivian Bose and Justice Subba
Rao.
Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman
He was appointed the Solicitor General of India in July 2011. Later
on, he became the 5th SC Judge to get elevated directly from The Bar Council without being made a judge in the
High Court. He retired as a Judge of the Supreme Court in August, 2021.
Solicitor General of India (SGI) – An SGI is the second law officer of India and assists the Attorney General
(AGI).
Present Solicitor General – Tushar Mehta
Term of Office – 3 years
Bimal Prasad and Sujata Prasad Authored Book titled “The Dream of Revolution: A Biography of
Jayaprakash Narayan”
A book titled “The Dream of Revolution: A Biography of Jayaprakash Narayan” will be launched on August 23,
2021. The book is written by the historian Bimal Prasad and author Sujata Prasad.

• It contains the biography of the great revolutionary leader and independence activist Bharat Ratna,
Jayaprakash Narayan, also known as JP or Lok Nayak.
• The book will be published by the Penguin Random House
India.
About the Book
The book presents a comprehensive study of JP’s life and ideas
right from the initial development of his thought process.
About Jayaprakash Narayan:
Jayaprakash Narayan posthumously received India’s highest
civilian award, the Bharat Ratna(1999), for “invaluable contribution to the freedom struggle and upliftment of
the poor and downtrodden”
Born :11 October 1902, Bihar.
New Book “Operation Trojan Horse: A Novel Inspired by True Events” Authored by Abhishek
Sharan & D.P. Sinha
“Operation Trojan Horse: A Novel Inspired by True Events” authored by Abhishek Sharan and Divya Prakash
Sinha (D.P. Sinha) is a novel inspired by various true events like the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and India’s fight
against terrorism.
• The book was published by HarperCollins Publishers
India Pvt. Ltd.
• The book features the true stories of the men who risked
their lives and infiltrated the Lashkar-e-Taiba in the
enemy country to protect India.
Operation Trojan Horse:
i.The idea of the Operation Trojan Horse is to plant the Indian
soldiers in Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistan terror-
sponsoring infrastructures and neutralize their terror
operations in India.
ii.It was the first of its kind counter-terror mission of India.
About Authors:
Abhishek Sharan, a Mumbai based independent journalist, is a senior crime journalist who has been reporting
on terror attacks in India for the past 2 decades.D.P. Sinha, a former IPS officer of the 1979 batch, joined the
Intelligence Bureau (IB) in 1987 and served at different ranks.
• He has served as the special director of the operations wing of the IB.
• In 2016, he was deputed to the Central information commission.
New Book “Mission Domination: An Unfinished Quest” authored by Boria Majumdar and Kushan
Sarkar
Sports historian Boria Majumdar and Sports journalist Kushan Sarkar have co-authored a new book titled
“Mission Domination: An Unfinished Quest”.
• The book published by Simon & Schuster Publishers
India Private Limited, which is a chronicle of Indian
Cricket.
• The book features anecdotes from the life events of
several Indian cricketers such as Rohit Sharma,
Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant.
About the Authors:
Dr Boria Majumdar is a sports historian and author with a
doctorate in the social history of Indian cricket from the
University of Oxford.

• He won the Rabindra Puraskar in 2018 for his book “Eleven Gods and a Billion Indians”.
• He is also the co-author of “Playing it My Way”, Sachin Tendulkar’s autobiography.
Kushan Sarkar, PTI Sports Journalist, covers Cricket as sports and the politics associated with it.
• He has also worked with Times of India, The Telegraph and Asian Age
• He has covered various ICC events including several World Cups.
Subhadra Sen Gupta’s Last Book “Let’s Go Time Travelling Again’’ Released
Famous Children’s Book Writer, Subhadra Sen Gupta’s last book titled, “Let’s Go Time Travelling Again: Indians
Through the Ages’’ released posthumously.
Highlights:
• The book was released by Puffin Books, the children’s imprint of
Penguin Books .
• The well known illustrator for children, Tapas Guha provided
illustrations for the book.
About the Subhadra Sen Gupta–
Sen was the winner of Sahitya Akademi’s Bal Sahitya
Puraskar 2015 award.
Famous Books-Mystery of the House of Pigeons ,Twelve O’Clock Ghost Stories, ‘Jodh Bai’ and ‘A Clown for Tenali
Rama
‘The Kapil Sharma Story’,a Biography of Indian Stand-up Comedian Launched by Ajitabha Bose
The renowned writer Ajitabha Bose wrote a book ‘The Kapil Sharma Story’, a biography of the famous Indian
Stand-up comedian and self-made superstar, Kapil Sharma. The book narrates about the journey and struggling
life of Kapil Sharma.
• It was published by Ajitabha Publishers in association with
Rohan Trust.
• The royalties earned from the book will be directly given to
social welfare organizations like NGOs.
The book also contains real life experiences of several celebrities
such as Dharmendra, Archana Puran Singh, Sonu Sood, Kiku Sharda
and many more with Kapil Sharma.
About Kapil Sharma:-
i.He belongs to Amritsar,Punjab and is a well known Indian Television host of the show ‘Comedy nights with
kapil’.
ii.He won many awards including Indian Television Academy Award in 2019 and Indian Telly Award in 2015.
Book Titled ‘Battlefield’ Authored by Vishram Bedekar, Translated by Jerry Pinto

A new book titled “Battlefield”, a novel authored by Vishram Bedekar is the translation of the Marathi original
titled “Ranaangan” by Vishram Bedekar published in 1939.
The book was translated from Marathi into English by author and
translator, Jerry Pinto.
The book is published by Speaking Tiger Publishing Pvt Ltd
About the book:
The book features the love story of Chakradhar Widhwans, a
Marathi man and Herta a German Jewish woman, who are fleeing
from Europe before the Second World War.
• Marathi original Ranaangan was the first and only novel
written by Vishram Bedekar.
About Vishram Bedekar:
i.Vishwanath Chintamani Bedekar, professionally known as Vishram Bedekar was a popular marathi writer,

playwright and filmmaker.
ii.He has authored several plays like Bramhakumari, Naro Va Kunjaro Va, Vaje Paul Apule and Tilak ani Agarkar.
iii.He has directed more than 15 films in Hindi and Marathi.
He won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1985 for his autobiography titled “Ek Zhaad Ani Don Pakshi”.
About Jerry Pinto:
i.Jerry Pinto is a Mumbai based poet, novelist and translator.
ii.He has translated several Marathi works into English which includes, ‘Baluta’ by Daya Pawar; ‘Strike a Blow to
Change the World’ by Eknath Awad; ‘I Want to Destroy Myself’ by Malika Amar Shaikh; ‘I, the Salt Doll’ by
Vandana Mishra; ‘Cobalt Blue’ by Sachin Kundalkar; and ‘Half-Open Windows’ by Ganesh Matkari.
Other Book:
• Murder in Mahim
• Em and the Big Hoom
• Helen: The Life and Times of an H-Bomb – won the National Award for the Best Book on Cinema.
New book Titled ‘An Invitation to Die: A Colonel Acharya Mystery’ Authored by Tanushree
Podder
A new book titled ‘An Invitation to Die: A Colonel Acharya Mystery’ authored by Tanushree Podder was
released in August 2021. The book which is published by HarperCollins Publishers India is the story of a murder
mystery investigation by Colonel Arjun H. Acharya, a retired army officer and an amateur private investigator.
Tanushree Podder, an author and a traveller, has authored several books including, A Closetful of Skeletons,
Before You Breathe: A Colonel Acharya Mystery.
IB Minister Anurag Thakur Presentes 1st Copy of “Reflecting, Recollecting, Reconnecting” to VP

Venkaiah Naidu
Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting(I&B), presented the first copy of the book
titled “Reflecting, Recollecting, Reconnecting” to Vice President(VP) M Venkaiah Naidu.
The book is published by Publications Division (India), a division of the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting(MIB).
About the book:
i.The book is an account of the 4th year of Venkaiah Naidu as the Vice President of India.
ii.The 183-page book reflects the vision and ideas of the VP and captures various aspects of VP during his 4th year
in pictures, vignettes and words in 5 chapters.
iii.VP Venkaiah Naidu has attended around 133 evens across 10 states and 2 Union Territories(UT) and has
delivered 53 lectures, released 23 books and presided over more than 22 inaugural events.
About Venkaiah Naidu:
i.VP Venkaiah Naidu hails from Chavatapalem, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh.
In April 1998 he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka 1st term.
ii.He has served as the Minister of rural development from 2000 to 2002.
iii.He was re-elected to Rajya sabha for the 2nd term in 2004 and for the 3rd term in 2010.
iv.He was elected to the Rajya Sabha for the 4th term from Rajasthan in 2016 and resigned in 2017.
v.He has been serving as the Vice President of India since 2017.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Ranger Day 2021 – 31 July
World Ranger Day is annually observed across the globe on 31st July to commemorate the Rangers who are
injured or killed in the line of their duty. The day also recognises the contribution of rangers across the globe in
protecting the natural and cultural heritage.

The day also marks the foundation of the International Ranger Federation (IRF). IRF was founded on 31st July
1992.
The theme of World Ranger Day 2021 is “Ranger Safety and Wellbeing”.
Background:
i.World Ranger Day is an initiative of the International Ranger Federation (IRF) promoted by its official charity
Thin Green Line Foundation.
ii.The first-ever World Ranger Day was observed on 31st July 2007, the 15th Anniversary of the founding of the
IRF.
Universal Ranger Support Alliance (URSA):
i.The Universal Ranger Support Alliance (URSA), launched in July 2020, aims to improve the wellbeing of Rangers.
iii.URSA action plan is in response to the “Chitwan Declaration”, endorsed by rangers from 70 countries at the
9th World Ranger Congress held in Nepal in 2019.
• URSA is a collaborative initiative of 8 conservation organisations(Fauna & Flora International; Force For
Nature; Global Wildlife Conservation; IRF; Panthera; International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUNC)’s
World Commission on Protected Areas(WCPA), World Wildlife Fund for Nature(WWF), and Zoological
Society of London).
International Ranger Awards:
i.The International Ranger Award created in 2020 was developed in collaboration between IUCN WCPA, IRF,
Global Wildlife Conservation, and Conservation Allies.
The award aims to highlight and honour the extraordinary work of rangers in protected and conserved areas
across the globe.
ii.The 10 winners of the inaugural International Ranger Award 2021 were announced in April 2021.
Note:
Two Indian rangers were among the 10 inaugural winners of the 2021 International Ranger Awards.
• Sathish Sundaram, forest ranger of Tamil Nadu Forest Department in Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.
• Mahindra Giri, the range officer of Uttarakhand Forest Department in Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
About International Ranger Federation (IRF):
President– Chris Galliers
Founded on 31 July 1992 in Peak National Park in the United Kingdom.
World Breastfeeding Week 2021 – August 1 to 7

United Nations(UN)’s World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is annually observed across the globe from 1st to 7th
August to encourage breastfeeding which contributes to the health of babies across the Globe. The annual
observance of the WBW is organised by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action(WABA).
• The WBW also commemorates the signing of the Innocenti Declaration in August 1990 in Florence, Italy.
• The theme of World Breastfeeding Week chosen by WABA is “Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared
Responsibility”.
• This is in line with 2 thematic areas of the WBW Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2030 campaign which
highlights the relation between breastfeeding and survival, health and wellbeing of women, children and
nations.
Innocenti Declaration:
The Innocenti Declaration was signed by government policymakers, World Health Organisation(WHO), United
Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund(UNICEF)and other organisations to protect, promote and
support breastfeeding.
Background:
i.The World Breastfeeding Week is a global campaign of WABA organised in collaboration with the WHO and
UNICEF.
ii.World Breastfeeding Week was first observed in 1992.
World Breastfeeding Week Campaign 2021:
i.The annual WBW campaign is coordinated by the WABA.

ii.WBW has been aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since 2016, which is known as the
WBW-SDGs Campaign.
iii.The World Health Assembly(WHA) resolution in 2018, endorsed WBW as an important breastfeeding
promotion strategy.
Aim:
To create awareness and highlight the action on the themes related to breastfeeding.
Objectives of the 2021 campaign:
• To create awareness about the importance of protecting breastfeeding
• To highlight breastfeeding support as a major public health responsibility
• To engage with individuals and organisations to create greater impacts
• To initiate the actions on protecting breastfeeding to improve public health.
Efforts to promote breastfeeding:
i.The WHO is committed to support the implementation of the “Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal,
infant and young child nutrition”.
ii.The plan includes 6 targets, one of which is to increase the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months
up to at least 50% by 2025.
About World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action(WABA):
Chairperson– Felicity Savage
Executive Director– Amal Omer Salim
Headquarters– Penang, Malaysia
MoMA observed Muslim Women Rights Day on Aug 1, 2021 in New Delhi
The Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA) decided to observe Muslim Women’s Rights Day annually on August 1
across India to celebrate the enactment of the law against triple talaq. In this regard, on August 1, 2021, this day
was observed at the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) office in New Delhi.
• It was attended by Union ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, MoMA; Smriti Zubin Irani, Ministry of Women and
Child Development (MoWCD); and Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(MoF&CC)
• The day also celebrated the 2nd anniversary of the enactment of the law against triple talaq in 2019
i.e. Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019.
• The ministers addressed Muslim women from different states of the country through virtual conference.
Points to be noted:
i.The central government enacted the law on August 1, 2019, that has made the practice of instant triple talaq a
criminal offence. Since then, there has been a decline of about 82% in Triple Talaq cases.
ii.Egypt was the first Muslim nation which abolished this law in 1929. Sudan in 1929, Pakistan in 1956,
Bangladesh in 1972, Iraq in 1959, Syria in 1953, Malaysia in 1969 had abolished the practice of Triple Talaq.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched a nationwide “JaanHaiToJahaanHai” campaign to create awareness about corona
vaccination in rural and remote areas of India.
About Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA):
Union Minister – Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (Constituency- Jharkhand)
Minister of State– John Barla (Constituency- Alipurduars, West Bengal)
International Day of Friendship 2021 – 30 July

The United Nations(UN)’s International Day of Friendship is annually observed across the globe on 30th
July to highlight the role of Friendship between people, countries, cultures and individuals towards peace efforts.
The day is also known as ‘Friendship day’
Friendship day in India:
India celebrated Friendship Day on the first Sunday of the month of August.
India’s Friendship Day 2021 was celebrated on 1st August 2021.

World’s Ambassador of Friendship:
On 5 August 1997, Nane Annan, wife of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, named ‘Winnie the Pooh’, a cartoon
character, as the world’s ambassador of Friendship at the UN.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), adopted the resolution A/65/L.72 in 2011 and proclaimed the
30th July of every year as the International Day of Friendship.
ii.The first UN’s International Day of Friendship was observed on 30th July 2011.
• The International Day of Friendship is an initiative following the proposal of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) defining the Culture of Peace as a set of values that rejects
violence and the efforts to prevent conflicts by addressing the root causes.
• This was later adopted by the UNGA in 1997.
History of Friendship day:
i.Friendship Day was created in 1930 by Joyce Hall, the founder of Hallmark Cards. The day has been intended to
be celebrated on 2nd August.
ii.The day was first proposed on 30th July 1958 by the World Friendship Crusade, an international civil
organisation that campaigns to foster peaceful culture through friendship.
Friendship Ambassadors Foundation:
i.Friendship Ambassadors Foundation(FAF), founded by Harry Morgan and Cappy Devlin to promote
intercultural dialogue among the youths in 1958.
ii.To increase youth engagement and participation in global development FAF created the Youth Assembly in
2004.
iii.The next youth assembly will be organised in 2022.
World Lung Cancer Day 2021 – August 1

World Lung Cancer Day is annually observed across the globe on 1st August to create awareness about lung
cancer, one of the most common forms of cancer across the globe and the preventive measure against lung cancer.
The day also aims to promote overall lung health.
• Pearl or white is the colour of the Lung Cancer Awareness ribbon.
• The month of November is observed as Lung Cancer Awareness Month.
Background:
The World Lung Cancer campaign was first organised by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS)
in collaboration with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and the American College
of Chest Physicians.
Note:
The IASLC is the only global network dedicated to the study and elimination of lung cancer and other lung-related
diseases.
Key Points:
i.According to the World Health Organisation(WHO), lung cancer accounts for more than 2 million deaths per
year.
ii.As of 2020, Lung cancer is the 2nd most common form of cancer across the globe and the leading cause of
cancer deaths.
iii.Lung cancer kills more women than breast cancer and more men than prostate cancer.
Causes of Cancer:
i.Cancer arises from the transformation of normal cells into tumour cells which progress from pre-cancerous
lesion to tumour.
ii.This may be a result of the interaction between genetic factors and 3 categories of external agents – physical,
chemical and biological carcinogens.
Lung Cancer in India:
i.Lung cancer constitutes around 6.9% of all new cancer cases in India and 9.3% of all cancer-related deaths.

ii.Lung cancer in India is attributed to the use of tobacco ad air pollution which are the leading risk factors of
Cancer.
iii.Around 70% of the cancers in India are potentially preventable through modifiable risk factors.
About International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC):
President– Dr. Tetsuya Mitsudomi(Japan)
Founded in 1974
Headquarters– Denver, Colorado
National Bone & Joint Day 2021 – August 4

The National Bone and Joints Day is annually observed across India on 4th August as a reminder to reexamine
and recognise the contribution of orthopaedics to achieve improved bone health.
The annual National Bone and Joints day is organised by the Indian Orthopedic Association(IOA), which consist of
more than 800 active members.
The theme of National bone and Joint Day 2021 is “Save Self and Save one”.
Background:
i.In 2012, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has decided to observe 4th August of every
year as the National Bones and Joints Day focus on the issues related to bones and joints.
ii.The decision was made following the request of the Indian Orthopedic Association(IOA).
iii.The first “National Bone and Joint Day” was celebrated on 4th August 2012.
Why August 4?
The day marks the signing of the IOA charter on 4th August 1971.
Bone and Joint Week August 1 to 7:
Since 2012, IOA has been organising a week-long awareness campaign starting from 1st August to 7th August, to
coincide with the National Bone and Joints Day (August 4).
About Indian Orthopedic Association(IOA):
President– Dr B. Shivashankar
Founded in 1955
Hiroshima Day 2021 – August 6

Hiroshima Day is annually observed across the globe on the 6th August to remember the victims of the world’s
first atomic bombing on Hiroshima, Japan during World War II(WW2).
The day also aims to create awareness about the adverse effects of Nuclear power and nuclear weapons and to
promote world peace.
6th August 2021 marks the observance of the 76th anniversary of Hiroshima Day.
Background:
i.On 25th July 1945, the allied forces, Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union, issued the order to
attack the Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, with atomic bombs.
ii.On 6th August 1945, the United States of America dropped the first nuclear bomb named “Little Boy” on the
City of Hiroshima which killed more than 140,000 people, which is around 39% of its population and later on 9th
August 1945, the 2nd bomb named “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki killing another 40000 people.
iii.The first Hiroshima Day was observed on 6th August 1947.
Facts on the Bombing of Hiroshima:
i.The ‘Little Boy’ contains enriched uranium and has a blast yield of 13 kilotons of (Trinitrotoluene) TNT.
ii.Colonel Paul Tibbets was the pilot of the B-29 Superfortress bomber named “Enola Gay” which dropped the
‘little boy’ over Hiroshima.
iii.The atomic bomb survivors are referred to as ‘Hibakusha’ in Japanese, which translates to “Bomb affected
people”.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial:
i.Hiroshima Peace Memorial, ‘The Genbaku Dome’, was the only structure left standing in the region of the first
atomic bomb explosion on 6th August 1945.
ii.The Genbaku Dome was declared as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization(UNESCO) World Heritage site in 1996 under the name “Hiroshima Peace Memorial”.
7th National Handloom Day – 7th August 2021

The National Handloom Day(NHD) is annually observed across India on 7th August to create awareness about
the handloom works in India and to recognise its contribution to the socio-economic development of India.
The annual celebration of the national Handloom day is organised by the Ministry of Textiles.
Background:
i.In 2015, the Government of India declared the 7th August of every year as National Handloom Day.
ii.The first National Handloom Day was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 7th August 2015 at the
Centenary Hall of Madras University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Why August 7?
August 7 was chosen to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement which took place on 7th August 1905 in Calcutta
Townhall.
Swadeshi Movement:
The Swadeshi Movement launched on 7th August 1905was a part of the independence movement of India which
contributed to the development of indigenous industries which includes the handloom weavers.
Events 2021:
i.The Ministry of Textiles has established 3 handloom craft villages in Kerala, Assam and Jammu &
Kashmir(J&K) in collaboration with the respective state governments.
• The 3 handloom craft villages are located at,
o Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
o Mohpara Village, District Golaghat, Assam.
o Kanihama, Budgam, Srinagar, J&K.
• The craft village aims to provide additional attractions for domestic and international tourists and promote
the handloom and craft products of the region.
ii.The Design Resource Centre(DRC) established in the Weavers Service Centre (WSC) at Kancheepuram, Tamil
Nadu was inaugurated.
iii.The building of the WSCs in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh was also inaugurated.
• The DRCs at all the WSCs are being established through the National Institute of Fashion Technology(NIFT)
to promote design-oriented excellence in the Handloom Sector.
My Handloom My Pride Expo
As a part of the celebration of 7th National Handloom Day, The National Handloom Development Corporation
(NHDC) has organised the national-level expo, “My Handloom My Pride Expo”, at Dilli Haat, New Delhi from 1st
August to 15th August 2021.
Handloom products from across India:
Andhra Pradesh – Kalamkari; Bihar – Bhagalpuri tussar silk; Karnataka – Ilkal silk; Madhya Pradesh – Chanderi;
Odisha – Sambalpuri Ikat; Punjab – Phulkari; Uttar Pradesh – Banarasi sarees; WestBenga – Jamdani sarees; Tamil
Nadu- Salem sarees; Telangana – Pochampally Ikat sarees.
About Ministry of Textiles:
Union Minister– Piyush Goyal(Rajya Sabha – Maharashtra)
Minister of State– Darshana V Jardosh(Constituency- Surat, Gujarat)
Quit India Movement Day 2021 – August 8

The Quit India Movement Day is annually observed across India on 8th August to commemorate the launch of
the Quit India Movement on 8th August 1942. The day remembers the sacrifices of the martyrs of the freedom
struggle and pays homage to the freedom fighters.

The 8th August 2021 marks the 79th anniversary of the Quit India movement.
The day is also known as August Kranti Diwas or India August Movement since the movement was held in
August.
Quit India Movement:
i.The Quit India Movement was launched on 8th August 1942 at the Bombay session of the All India Congress
Committee(AICC), during World War II demanding immediate Independence to India.
ii.The movement was launched following the failure of the Cripps Mission to secure Indian support for the British
war effort.
iii.Mahatma Gandhi attached the clarion call “Do or Die” to the movement during the speech in Gowalia Tank
Maidan, Mumbai.
iv.It was a mass civil disobedience movement and one of the most significant events of India’s freedom struggle.
Events 2021:
i.National Archives of India, under the Ministry of Culture, is organizing an exhibition on the Quit India Movement
as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav being celebrated to mark 75 years of Independence.
ii.G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Culture, inaugurated the exhibition in the presence of Ministers of State for
Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal and Meenakshi Lekhi.
iii.As a part of the Quit India Movement Day 2021, the Films Division of India screened 2 documentaries from the
Series “India’s Struggle for Freedom” on its website.
About National Archives of India:
Director-General– Chandan Sinha
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2021 – August 9

The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is annually observed across
the globe on 9th August to recognise the contributions and achievements of the indigenous people across the
globe, who have a vast diversity of unique cultures, traditions, languages and knowledge systems.
The day aims to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population.
The day is also known as “World Tribal Day”.
The theme of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2021 is “Leaving No One Behind: Indigenous
peoples and the call for a new social contract”.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/49/214 on 23 December 1994 and
proclaimed the 9th August of every year as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
ii.The first International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was observed on 9th August 1995.
Why August 9?
The day marks the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations (WGIP) of the Sub-
Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in 1982 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Events 2021:
The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) will organize a virtual commemoration for
speakers to discuss redesigning a new social contract for indigenous peoples, where their own forms of
governance and ways of life must be respected and based on their free, prior and informed consent.
Efforts of UN to support indigenous people:
i.The UN System-Wide Action Plan on the rights of indigenous peoples was developed by the Inter-Agency
Support Group on Indigenous Issues in 2015.
ii.This aims to ensure a coherent approach to achieve the ends of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples.
iii.In 1990, UNGA declared 1995-2004 as the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People and 2005-
2014 as the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People to strengthen international
cooperation to solve the challenges faced by indigenous people.

iv.The year 2019 was observed as the International Year of Indigenous Languages and 2022 to 2032 will be
celebrated as the Decade of Indigenous Languages.
Facts about indigenous people:
i.According to the United Nations, around 476 million indigenous people living in more than 90 countries
accounting for 6.2% of the global population. They also account for around 15% of the poorest community in the
world.
ii.More than 86% of indigenous people work in the informal economy and more than 47% of them in employment
have no education.
iii.The indigenous people speak more than 7000 languages and represent 5000 different cultures.
Nagasaki Day 2021 – August 9

Nagasaki Day is annually observed across the globe on 9th August to create awareness about the hazards of
nuclear power and to promote world peace. The day also remembers the atomic bomb victims of Nagasaki.
The 9th August 2021 marks the 76th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, a city on the island of
Kyushu in Japan.
Background:
9th August marks the day on which the United States of America(USA) dropped the 2nd Plutonium bomb
codenamed “Fat Man” on Nagasaki, on the island of Kyushu in Japan, the bomb was dropped 3 days after the first
bomb “Little boy” was dropped on Hiroshima.
• The atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the only recorded use of nuclear weapons in armed
conflict.
Nagasaki Bombing:
i.The nuclear bomb ‘Fat Man’ was dropped over Nagasaki by a specially adapted B-29 bomber, called “Bockscar”.
ii.The explosion of the bomb dropped at 11.02 am was equivalent to 22000 tons of TNT. Around 70000 people
were instantly killed by the explosion.
World Biofuel Day 2021 – August 10

World Biofuel Day is annually observed across the globe on 10th August to create awareness about the
importance and significance of non-fossil fuels as a substitute for conventional fossil fuels.
Biofuels are renewable, biodegradable and sustainable sources of energy that can reduce the dependency on fossil
fuels and promote clean energy.
World Biofuel Day in India:
i.World Biofuel Day has been observed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas(MoPNG), Government of
India since 2015.
ii.The day highlights the endeavours of the government in the biofuel sector.
iii.The oil and gas companies under the aegis of MoPNG, celebrate World Biofuel day with the theme “Biofuels for
Sustainability and Rural Income”.
Background:
i.The World Biofuel day honours Sir Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel, inventor of the diesel engine, who successfully
operated the mechanical engine with peanut oil on 9th August 1893.
ii.With that invention, Rudolf was able to predict the possibility of replacing the crude oil with vegetable oil.
What is biofuel?
i.Biofuel is a type of renewable energy source derived from microbial, plant, or animal materials.
ii.It is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel.
iii.The most common types of biofuels are ethanol and biodiesel, which represents the first generation of biofuel
technology.
Efforts of Government of India:
India’s National Policy on Biofuels aims to ensure that the minimum level of biofuels become readily available in
the market to meet the demand at any given time.

The ministry of new and renewable energy has set a target of 20% blending of ethanol in petrol and 5% blending
of biodiesel in diesel to be achieved by 2030.
The government of India plans to launch vehicles running on 20% ethanol blended petrol by 2025.
About Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas(MoPNG):
Union Minister– Hardeep Singh Puri (Rajya Sabha – Uttar Pradesh)
Minister of State– Rameswar Teli (Constituency- Dibrugarh, Assam)
World Lion Day 2021 – August 10

World Lion Day is annually observed across the globe on 10th August to create awareness about the
Lions(Panthera leo), and to educate people about the challenges faced in the conservation and protection of lions.
The idea of World Lion Day was initiated by wildlife filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert, the co-founders
of National Geographic Society’s Big Cats Initiative.
Lions across the globe:
i.At present, the lions are found in Africa, south of the Sahara desert and in Gir National Park in Gujarat, India.
ii.Tanzania has the highest number of Lions with 8176, followed by South Africa with 2,070 lions, Kenya with
1,825, while Zimbabwe has 1,709.
iii.The lions became extinct in 26 African countries.
The recent survey on the lions estimates that the number of lions has declined from 30000 to around 20000.
Status:
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species has listed the Lions
as ‘Vulnerable’ and in West Africa, they are classified as “Critically endangered”.
Lions in India:
Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is the only abode of the Asiatic lion.
As of 2020, The population of the Asiatic lions in Gir forest has increased by 29% from 523 in 2015 to 674 in
2020.
Conservation of Lions in India:
i.The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change(MoEFCC) launched the “Asiatic Lion Conservation
Project” in 2018 to protect the Asiatic lions and their habitat.
This aims to strengthen the efforts for conservation and recovery of Asiatic Lions with state of the art techniques,
disease management and surveillance techniques.
ii.Project lion was created by the Wildlife Institute of India, in association with the Gujarat Forest Department.
The project was created for the conservation of the Asiatic lion found in Gujarat’s Asiatic Lion Landscape(ALL).
AFI to Celebrate August 7th as National Javelin Throw Day

The Athletics Federation of India(AFI) has declared the 7th August of every year, starting from 2022, as the
National Javelin Throw Day. The day will commemorate the feat of Indian athlete(javelin) Neeraj Chopra, who
won the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
He became the first Indian athlete in the country’s independent history to win an athletics medal at the Olympics.
About National Javelin Throw Day:
Objective: to promote javelin throw across India.
i.The first National Javelin Throw Day will be celebrated on 7th August 2022.
ii.The AFI affiliated units will observe the day by organising state-level javelin competitions.
Facts about Neeraj Chopra:
i.Neeraj Chopra (23 years old) won the gold medal in Men’s javelin throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic on 7th
August 2021.
ii.He is the 2nd Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal after Abhinav Bindra (Shooter) who won the gold
at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
He is a Subedar in the Indian Army and enrolled in 4 Rajputana Rifles in 2016.

About Athletics Federation of India(AFI):
President– Adille J Sumariwalla
Secretary-General– Ravinder Chaudhry
Founded– 1946
World Elephant Day 2021 – August 12

World Elephant Day is annually observed across the globe on 12th August to create awareness about the
dangers faced by Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and African elephants (Loxodonta africana) and the threats
to their survival.
The year 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of World Elephant Day.
Background:
i.The World Elephant Day was an initiative jointly created by Patricia Sims, Canadian Wildlife Filmmaker; Michael
Clark, Canazwest Pictures and Sivaporn Dardarnanda, Secretary-General of Elephant Reintroduction Foundation,
Thailand.
ii.The first World Elephant Day was celebrated on 12th August 2012.
Threats faced by Elephants:
• Wildlife crime
• Poaching for the illegal ivory trade
• Loss of habitat and ancient migratory routes
• Human-Elephant conflict
Efforts to protect Elephants:
i.To reduce the poaching of elephants for ivory, The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), banned the international commercial trade in elephant ivory in 1989.
ii.In 2018, China, the largest market of elephant ivory banned the domestic trade of elephants.
iii.The TRAFFIC, the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network, manages the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS),
a global record of ivory seizures, to identify routes and countries of particular importance in illegal trade.
iv.The World Wild Fund for Nature(WWF) works with the government of elephant range countries, and non-
governmental partners to establish new protected areas within elephant ranges and improve management
effectiveness within existing protected areas.
Note:
In Asia, around 70% of the wild elephants live outside protected areas. Less than 20% of the African elephant
habitats are under formal protection.
India holds 60% of ‘endangered’ Asian elephant population.
International Youth Day 2021 – August 12

United Nations(UN)’s International Youth Day(IYD) is annually observed across the globe on 12th August to
create awareness about the cultural and legal issues surrounding youth and to celebrate the potential of youths as
the partners of the global society.
• IYD 2021 was virtually convened by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs(DESA) in
partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO) and the Major Group for
Children and Youth.
The theme of International Youth Day 2021 is “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and
Planetary Health”.
The IYD 2021 theme highlights that the success of the global efforts will not be achieved without the participation
of young people.
Background:
i.The idea of the International Youth Day was proposed by the young people at the first session of the World
Youth Forum of the United Nations System held in Vienna, Austria.

ii.In 1998, The first session of the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth, hosted by the
Government of Portugal in cooperation with the UN in Lisbon, Portugal, adopted a resolution and proclaimed the
12th August of every year as the International Youth Day.
iii.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) endorsed the International Youth Day in its resolution
A/RES/54/120 in December 1999.
iv.The first International Youth Day was observed on 12th August 2000.
Key Points:
i.There are more than 1.2 billion young people aged from 15 to 24 years, which accounts for 16% of the global
population.
ii.It is estimated that by 2030, the number of youths will grow by around 7%, around 1.3 billion.
iii.At present, around 30% of young women and 13% of young men across the globe are not in employment,
education or training(NEET).
iv.‘If I Disappear: Global Report on Protecting Young People in Civic Space’ a research report was published
by the UN’s OSGEY with the financial support of the Government of Norway.
v.The report addresses the gaps in policy and recommends how to create a youth sensitive protection mechanism.
Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur Presented National Youth Awards:
On the occasion of the International Youth Day 2021, the Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh
Thakur announced and felicitated the winners of the National Youth Awards 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.
National youth Awardees:
A total of 14 awards for National Youth Awards 2017-2018, 10 awards in the individual category and 4 awards in
the Organization category and 8 awards for National Youth Awards 2018-19, 7 awards in the individual category
and 1 award in the Organization category were presented.
Click here for the details of national Youth Awadees 2017-2018 & 2019-2020
About National Youth Awards:
i.The award instituted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports(MoYAS) recognises the excellent work of
individuals (aged between 15 to 29 years) and organizations that contribute to different fields of development
and social service.
ii.The award comprises a medal, certificate along with a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh (for individuals) or Rs 3 lakh
(for organisation).
Winners of Challenge S.O.L.V.E.D 2021:
i.Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur felicitated the 10 young entrepreneur team who won the agri-enterprise
challenge S.O.L.V.E.D 2021.
ii.The “S.O.L.V.E.D. (Social Objectives-Led Volunteer Enterprise Development) Challenge” was launched by the
United Nations Volunteers (UNV, India), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and MoYAS, the
Government of India
Click here for the details of S.O.L.V.E.D Challenge awardees
About Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports(MoYAS):
Union Minister– Anurag Singh Thakur (Constituency- Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh)
Minister of State– Nisith Pramanik (Constituency- Coochbehar, West Bengal)
World Organ Donation Day 2021 – August 13

World Organ Donation Day is annually observed across the globe on 13th August to create awareness about
the importance of organ donation and to encourage organ donation among the general public.
Organ donation is a process of surgically removing an organ or tissue from a person(donor) and placing it into
another person(recipient).
Note:
India observes the annual National Organ Donation day on 27th November.
The national organ donation day is organised by the National Organ & Tissue Transplantation
Organisation(NOTTO), under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

History of Transplantation:
i.The world’s first-ever organ transplantation(kidney transplantation) operation was conducted on 23rd
December 1954. The transplant was performed on identical twins Ronald Lee Herrick(donor) and Richard Lee
Herrick(recipient).
ii.Kidney was the first organ to be transplanted.
iii.Dr Joseph Murray, the lead surgeon of the operation won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1990.
iv.He shared the prize with Dr E. Donnall Thomas, who won the award for his work in bone marrow transplants.
Organ donation in India:
i.In India, the Transplantation Of Human Organs And Tissues Act, 1994 defines and regulates the
transplantation and donation of 11 human organs and tissues of an alive donor or deceased person
ii.According to the World Health Organisation, only 0.01% of people in India donate their organs after death.
International Left-Handers Day 2021 – August 13

The International Left-Handers Day is annually observed across the globe on 13th August to celebrate
the sinistralityor left-handedness, the quality of having a more efficient left hand and create awareness about the
advantages and disadvantages of being left-handed.
The day also addresses the needs of left-handed children and the likelihood of left-handers developing
schizophrenia.
The 13th August 2021 marks the 30th annual Left-Handers Day.
Sinister:
The word Sinister is derived from the Latin word which means “on the left side”.
Background:
i.The International Left-Handers Day was first observed in 1976 by Dean R. Campbell, founder of Lefthanders
International, Inc.
ii.On 13th August 1992, the Left-Handers Club launched International Left-Handers Day, as an annual event for
the lefthanders across the globe to celebrate their sinistrality.
iii.The Left-handers Club was formed in 1990 with an aim to enable the member to be in touch with the
developments, to promote the research into left-handedness and development of new left-handed items.
Additional info:
iAround 13% of the population across the globe are lefties.
ii.‘Cerebral Dominance: The Biological Foundations’, a research book, states that lefties are 11 times more likely
to get allergies compared to right-handers.
World Prediabetes Day – 14th August 2021

The World Prediabetes Day will be annually observed across the globe on 14th August starting from 2021. The
day aims to create awareness about Prediabetes and to reduce the increasing rate of diabetes.
• 14th August 2021 marks the first World Prediabetes Day.
• The events of World Prediabetes Day 2021 will be held online.
Why August 14?
World Prediabetes Day(August 14) has been strategically chosen 90 days before World Diabetes day (14
November) since scientifically it takes 90 days to change the lifestyle to reverse Prediabetes and prevent
progression to diabetes.
Prediabetes:
Prediabetes is a health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be
diagnosed as type 2(lifestyle induced) diabetes.
Prediabetes in India:
i.Around 9 crore people in India are living with Prediabetes and without treatment, almost 75% of these will
develop diabetes within the next 5 years.
iiAccording to the study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research in The estimated prevalence of
prediabetes in India is around 14%.

Events:
i.#FightPrediabetes a global event has been organised as a part of the World Prediabetes Day 2021.
ii.The prediabetes campaign will conclude on 14th November 2021, World Diabetes Day.
iii.This first of its kind initiative was organised by Fitterfly Healthtech(a leading Indian digital therapeutic
company in collaboration with Economic Times, Roche Diabetes Care, Lal Path Labs and USV Pharma.
iv.The event focus on 3 fold approach for fighting prediabetes:
• Creating sustained mass awareness about prediabetes
• Catching prediabetes early
• Coming together to solve the problem by diabetes prevention strategies.
PM Modi Declared 14th August as “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day”

Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi declared the 14th August as the “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” to
acknowledge the difficulties faced by the Indians during the partition of India in 1947.
The day aims to remind the people that hatred and violence is never a solution and inspire them to work towards
social harmony and sensitivity.
• 14th August 2021 is the first-ever Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.
• The 14th August is celebrated as Independence day in Pakistan.
1947 Partition of India:
i.In 1947, the British colonial rule divided India into 2 self-governing independent nations, India and Pakistan.
ii.The partition was outlined in the Indian Independence Act 1947 and resulted in the dissolution of the British
Raj.
iii.The partition resulted in the displacement of around 10 to 20 million people along the religious lines.
iv.The partition of India does not cover the secession of Bangladesh From Pakistan in 1971.
Note:
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the mentor of BJP, observed August 14 as Akhand Bharat Divas or Unified
India Day.
Manipur’s Patriot’s Day 2021 – August 13

The government of Manipur annually observes the Patriot’s Day on 13th August to remember the heroes who
sacrificed their lives during the Anglo Manipur War 1891.
The state-level observance of the Patriot’s day led by Ganga Prasad, Governor of Manipur (additional charge) and
Nongthombam Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Manipur at Imphal, Manipur.
Background:
i.On 13th August 1891, Bir Tikendrajit crown prince of Manipur and General Thangal were publicly hanged at
Pheidabung, presently known as Bir Tikendrajit park.
ii.The British exiled Kulachandra, King of Manipur and 21 other freedom fighters to Kalapani (present Day
Andaman and Nicobar Islands).
iii.The day recognises the bravery and patriotism of the heroes who lost their lives while defending their
motherland against British Rule.
Inauguration of Memorial Complex:
i.Ganga Prasad, Governor of Manipur, inaugurated the Memorial Complex at Bir Tikendrajit Park, Imphal,
Manipur.
ii.The memorial is dedicated to the exiled martyrs of the Anglo-Manipur War 1891.
iii.The memorial is engraved with the names of the heroes who were exiled to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
First Rendition of State Song of Manipur:
i.The artists of Roop Raag performed the first rendition of ‘Sana Leibak Manipur’ the state song of Manipur.
ii.On 7th August 2021, the State Cabinet of Manipur decided to adopt the song “Sana Leibak Manipur”, as the State
Song of Manipur.

About Manipur:
Governor– Ganga Prasad (additional charge)
Zoological park– Manipur Zoological Garden
Airport– Imphal International Airport
Celebration of India’s 75th Independence Day – 15th August 2021

India and the Indian’s across the globe celebrated the 75th Independence Day on 15th August 2021.
Independence day marks the day on which India became an independent nation within the British
commonwealth.
The day remembers the sacrifices of the freedom fighters, irrespective of their gender, religion and ethnicity who
fought to get independence.
The theme of the 75th Independence day is “Nation First, Always First”.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the National Flag at the rampart of the Red Fort, New Delhi.
• Every year, on Independence Day the incumbent Prime Minister hoists the national flag at the red fort and
the President hoists the flag on Republic Day.
Background:
i.The Indian Independence Bill came into force on the stroke of midnight on 15th August 1947 and ended 200
years of British rule in India.
ii.The Indian Independence Act 1947, partitioned British India into 2 independent nations, Pakistan and India.
Website & Mobile app for Independence day
i.On 3rd August 2021, The government of India announced a new website for the celebration of the 75th
Independence day: https://indianidc2021.mod.gov.in/.
• The website was launched by Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar to mark Independence Day 2021.
ii.The government has also developed “Indian IDC 2021” the official mobile by the Ministry of Defence,
Government of India was developed for the occasion of the 75th Indian Independence Day.
Honours & Awards Approved by President of India:
i.Ram Nath Kovind, the President of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, has
approved 144 Gallantry awards and other decorations to armed forces, police and paramilitary personnel on the
eve of 75th Independence Day.
• The awards include one Ashok Chakra, one Kirti Chakra, 15 Shaurya Chakras, four Bar to Sena Medals
(Gallantry), 116 Sena Medals (Gallantry), five Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry) and two Vayu Sena Medals
(Gallantry).
ii.He also awarded one Tatrakshak Medal(Gallantry) and 3 Tatrakshak Medal (Meritorious Service) to the Coast
Guard Personnel to recognise their gallantry and service.
iii.He also approved 28 Mentions in Despatches to the army personnel who contributed to various military
operations.
Ashok Chakra:
Assistant Sub Inspector(ASI) Babu Ram of Jammu & Kashmir(J&K) Police was posthumously honoured with the
Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime gallantry honour.
Kirti Chakra:
Altaf Hussain Bhat a Constable in the Jammu and Kashmir Police was posthumously honoured with Kirti Chakra,
the 2nd in order of precedence of peacetime gallantry awards after Ashok Chakra.
Vayu Sena Medals:
Squadron Leader Deepak Mohanan and Wing Commander Uttar Kumar have been honoured with the Vayu Sena
Medal (Gallantry).
Shaurya Chakra:
Shaurya Chakra is the third highest peacetime gallantry award.
• 6 Shaurya Chakra from the Army were awarded for Counter Terror Operations in J&K
• one Shaurya Chakra from the Navy was awarded to CAPTAIN SACHIN REUBEN SEQUEIRA.

• 2 Shaurya Chakra from Air Force were awarded to Group Captain Perminder Antil, Commanding officer of
Su-30 MKI Squadron and Wing Commander Varun Singh, pilot in Light Combat Aircraft(LCA) Squadron from
Air Force.
Click here to know more about 114 Gallantry Awards
Param Vir Chakra awardee Conferred with Honorary Captain rank:
i.Ram Nath Kovind, President of India has honoured Param Vir Chakra awardee Subedar Major Yogendra Singh
Yadav with Honorary Captain rank.
ii.Military Secretary and Colonel the Grenadiers Lt Gen Rajeev Sirohi honoured him by putting on the rank badges.
iii.He was awarded for his gallant act during 1999 Kargil where he volunteered to lead a Ghatak commando
platoon of 18 Grenadiers to capture strategic bunkers on Tiger Hill.
Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav:
i.On 13th August 2021, The government of India unveiled the official logo of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit
Mahotsav’ celebrating the 75 years of independence.
ii.The government of India constituted a national committee under the chairmanship of PM Modi to
commemorate the 75 years of independence which falls on 15th August 2022 in the form of Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav.
iii.The national committee consist of 259 members. The celebration was launched on 12th March 2021, 75 weeks
befor 15th August 20
iv.‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is a national level campaign of the Government of India to celebrate the 75 years of
progressive India and the history of its people, culture and achievements.
World Humanitarian Day 2021 – August 19

The United Nations(UN)’s World Humanitarian Day(WHD) is annually observed across the globe on 19th August
to honour and recognise the efforts of Humanitarians across the globe on protecting and supporting the people in
need.
WHD is a campaign by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and
humanitarian partners.
• 19th August 2021 marks the observance of 12th World Humanitarian Day.
• The WHD 2020 highlights the immediate human cost of the Climate Crisis by pressuring the world leaders to
take climate actions for the vulnerable people across the globe.
The WHD focuses on the theme of bringing together partners across the humanitarian system to advocate for the
survival, well-being, and dignity of people affected by the crises.
Background:
proclaimed the 19th August of every year as World Humanitarian Day.
ii.The First World Humanitarian Day was commemorated on 19th August 2009.
Why August 19?
i.The day is marked in memory of the Canal Hotel bomb attack (19th August 2003) in Baghdad, Iraq, killing 22
people, including Sergio Vieira Mello, Chief Humanitarian in Iraq.
ii.Sergio Vieira Mello was a Brazilian United Nations diplomat who has served as the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights.
#theHumanRace Challenge;
i.#theHumanRace is a global challenge for climate action in solidarity with the people who are in the world’s
most disaster-prone countries.
ii.The day also expects the leaders of the developed countries to deliver that $100 billion annually for climate
mitigation and adaptation in developing countries.
Global Humanitarian Overview 2021:
iThe Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) is the world’s most comprehensive, authoritative and evidence-based
assessment of humanitarian needs.
ii.This aim is to fight hunger, killer diseases, gender-based violence and displacement.

iii.In 2021, Around 235 million people will need the assistance and protection of humanitarians.
iv.The UN and its partner organisation aim to assist 160 million people across 56 countries and to do so they will
require a total of 35 billion USD.
About United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA):
OCHA was established by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 46/182 (1991).
Under-Secretary-General– Martin Griffiths
Headquarters– New York, United States
World Photography Day 2021 – August 19

World Photography Day is annually observed across the globe on 19th August to celebrate the art, craft, science
and history of photography. The day also inspires photographers across the globe to share one of their
photographs to share their world with the world.
World Photography Day is also known as World Photo Day.
Background:
The first-ever World Photograph was observed on 19th August 2010. The day was marked with the first global
online gallery which was hosted with the photographs of more than 270 photographers.
Photography:
i.Photography can be defined as the process of capturing light using a device called a camera and creating an
image.
ii.The term photography was coined by Sir John Frederick William Herschel in 1939.
iii.The word photography is derived from the Greek words photos (“light”) and graphé (“to draw”).
History:
i.The process of photography began in the late 1830s in France.
ii.Joseph Nicéphore Niépce used a portable camera obscura and recorded the first permanent image (that does
not fade quickly) which was known as “View from the Window at Le Gras” using a process called heliography.
iii.Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in collaboration with Louis Daguerre created the daguerreotype, the forerunner of
modern film.
iv.The French Academy of Sciences announced the Daguerreotype process on 9th January 1839.
v.The French government purchased the patent and announced the invention as a gift “free to the world”.
Sadbhavana Diwas 2021 – August 20

Sadbhavana Diwas is annually celebrated across India on the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv
Gandhi. The day aims to promote national integration and communal harmony among the people of all religions
and Languages.
• The Sabhavana Diwas literally means “Harmony Day”.
• The Sadbhavana Diwas 2021 marks the 77th birth anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi. He was born on 20th August
1944.
His birth anniversary is also celebrated as Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas.
About Rajiv Gandhi:
i.Rajiv Gandhi, son of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Feroze Gandhi served as the 6th Prime Minister of
India.
ii.At the age of 40, He took charge as the Prime Minister of India in 1984. He was the youngest Prime Minister of
India.
iii.He was assassinated on 21st May 1991 at Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu.
• The day 21st may have been declared as the Anti-Terrorism Day.
Awards:
The government of India honoured him (posthumously) with India’s highest civilian award “Bharat Ratna” in
1991.

Reforms and revolutions:
i.He was known as the Father of Information Technology and Telecom Revolution of India” and “the Architect of
Digital India”.
ii.Under his rule, The Centre for Development of Telematics(C-DOT) was established in 1984.
iii.The C-DOT develops state of the art telecommunication technology and fulfils the needs of the Indian
telecommunication network.
iv.He played a major role in establishing the Public Call Office(PCO), which connected the rural areas to the world.
v.He announced the National Policy on Education (NPE) in 1986 to modernise and expand higher education
programmes across India.
Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award:
i.The All India Congress Committee (AICC) of the Indian National Congress(INC) instituted the Rajiv Gandhi
Sadbhavana Award in 1992, the year after his assassination.
ii.The award recognises the contribution towards the promotion of communal harmony, national integration and
Peace.
iii.The award consists of a citation and a cash award of Rs 10 lakh.
World Mosquito Day 2021 – August 20

World Mosquito Day is observed annually across the globe on 20th August to commemorate the discovery of
British doctor Sir Ronald Ross in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria between humans.
• The day also aims to create awareness about the cause and prevention of Malaria.
• The annual celebration of World Mosquito Day has been organised by the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine since the 1930s.
Background:
Sir Ronald Ross in his discovery declared the 20th August of every year as the World Mosquitoes.
About Sir Ronald Ross’s discovery:
i.He discovered that the Anopheles mosquitoes (female mosquitoes) are responsible for the transmission of
malaria parasites to humans.
ii.Since the discovery was made, the 20th August has been observed as World Mosquito Day.
World Malaria Day:
i.World Malaria Day is observed annually on 25th April to create awareness about Malaria and educate about the
prevention methods.
ii.The theme of 2021 World malaria day was “Reaching the zero malaria target”.
Mosquitoes:
i.The mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of Malaria, Zika, Dengue, West Nile Virus, Chikungunya,
Yellow fever, filariasis and other diseases.
ii.Since mosquitoes are responsible for various dangerous illnesses and diseases, they are considered as one of
the World’s deadliest creatures.
Malaria:
i.Malaria, a vector-borne disease, is caused by Plasmodium parasites. There are around 5 parasite species that
cause malaria in humans and 2 among these 5, Plasmodium falciparum and falciparum vivax pose the greatest
threat to humans.
ii.The World Health Organisation(WHO) states that, as of 2019, there were around 229 million cases of malaria
across the globe.
iii.Children under the age of 5 are most vulnerable to malaria.
World Senior Citizens’ Day 2021 – August 21

World Senior Citizen’s Day is annually observed across the globe on 21st August to recognise and acknowledge
the contribution of the elders to society and their inclusiveness in society. The day aims to create awareness
about the issues and challenges faced by the elderly.

Background:
i.The World Senior Citizens’ Day was officially founded by the former President of the United States of America
Ronald Regan.
ii.He took the initiative to honour the senior citizens in 1998 and signed the proclamation 5847 and marked the
21st August of every year as World Senior Citizens’ Day.
UN’s International Day of Older Persons:
The United Nations(UN) International Day of Older Persons is annually observed on 1st October.
Efforts of Indian Government to support Senior Citizens:
Integrated Programme for Older Persons:
i.The Integrated Programme for Older Persons, a central sector scheme, by the Ministry Of Social Justice and
Empowerment.
ii.The scheme aims to improve the quality of life of older people.
Pension Grievance Registration And Monitoring System (PENGRAMS):
i.The PENGRAMS, an online computerised system, by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
ii.It was developed with an aim to address and monitor the grievances besides providing a fast access to the
pensioners.
iii.It offers facilities such as Register the Grievance, Send Reminder/Clarification, Check Status of Registered
Grievance.
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Scheme:
i.The Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (PMVVY) is a Pension Scheme exclusively for Senior citizens aged 60
years and above.
ii.The availability of the scheme has been extended up to 31st March 2023 for a period of 3 years beyond 21st
March 2020.
Some of the other initiatives by the government of India to support the senior citizens includes,
• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS)
• National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE)
• Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
• Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund
• National Council for Older Persons (NCOP)
International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism 2021 August 21
United Nations(UN)’s International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism is
annually observed across the globe on 21st August to honour and support the victims and survivors of terrorism.
The day also aims to promote and protect the human rights and fundamental freedom of the victims of terrorism.
• 21st August 2021 marks the 4th commemoration of the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute
to the Victims of Terrorism.
The theme of the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism 2021
is “Connections”.
Background:
i.The Human Rights Council resolution A/HRC/RES/17/8 proposed to proclaim the 19th August of every year as
International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism.
ii.United Nations General Assembly(UNGA), adopted the resolution A/RES/72/165 on 19th December 2017 and
proclaimed the 21st August of every year as International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of
Terrorism.
iii.The first International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism was observed on 21st
August 2018.
Events:
i.The events are organised by the UN Office of Counter Terrorism in collaboration with the Group of Friends of
Victims of Terrorism.

ii.A short film titled “Surviving Terrorism: The Power of Connections” featuring testimonies of the victims and
survivors of terrorism across the globe will be launched.
Efforts of UN:
UN Report on international cooperation to assist the victims of Terrorism:
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres published a report titled “‘Progress of the UN system to
support the Member States in assisting victims of terrorism” which was mandated by the 2019 General Assembly
resolution on ‘enhancement of international cooperation to assist victims of terrorism.
Victims of Terrorism Support Portal:
Victims of Terrorism Support Portal is a support portal of the UN dedicated to highlighting the importance of
individuals across the globe who has been attacked, injured, traumatized or lost their lives during terrorist
attacks
About United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT):
Under-Secretary-General– Vladimir Voronkov
Established on 15 June 2017
Headquarters- New York, United States
International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
2021 – August 22
The United Nations(UN)’s International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or
Belief is annually observed across the globe on 22nd August to commemorate the victims of the violence based
on religion or belief. The day also recognises the importance of supporting the victims and members of their
families and providing assistance following applicable law.
• 22nd August 2021 marked the observance of 3rd International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of
Violence Based on Religion or Belief
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) has adopted the resolution A/RES/73/296 on 28 May 2019 and
proclaimed the 22nd August of every year as the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of
Violence Based on Religion or Belief.
ii.The first-ever International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
was observed on 22nd August 2019.
Other related observances:
i.The World Interfaith Harmony Week(WIHW), is annually observed across the globe in the first week of
February to promote cultural peace and non-violence.
ii.The International Day of Human Fraternity is also observed across the globe on 4th February. The first
International Day of Human Fraternity was observed in 2021.
Acts of Violence based on religion or belief:
i.According to the UN, the act of intolerance and violence based on religion or belief against a person belonging to
religious communities or minorities across the globe is increasing.
ii.To promote and protect the human rights of the people belonging to religious minorities and their right to
exercise their religion or belief are the primary responsibilities of the member states of the UN.
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition 2021 – August 23
The United Nations (UN)’s International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is annually
observed across the globe on 23rd August to remember the tragedy of the slave trade across the globe during
colonial rule.
• The day also aims to educate the people about the events associated with the slave trade and its
consequences.
History:
i.During the 22nd to 23rd August 1791, the uprising in Santo Domingo (at present Haiti and the Dominican
Republic) played a major role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.

ii.The Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) between the Haitian slaves, colonists, British and French colonizers and
others, resulted in the independence of the Haitian independence from France and became the first country
founded by former slaves.
Background:
i.International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition was first observed in various
countries like Haiti on 23 August 1998, and Goree in Senegal on 23 August 1999.
ii.The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Executive Board adopted
Resolution 29 C/40 at its 29th session and proclaimed the 23rd August of every year as the International Day for
the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.
iii.In 1998, the circular of the Director-General of UNESCO to the minister of culture of member states invited to
organise the events to mark 23rd August of every year.
UNESCO’s Slave Route project:
i.The “Slave Route Project: Resistance, Liberty, Heritage” is a UNESCO initiative that was officially launched in
1994 in Ouidah, Benin.
ii.It is a flagship project of UNESCO and its International Scientific Committee.
About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):
Director-General– Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters– Paris, France
World Sanskrit Day 2021 – August 22

World Sanskrit Day, also known as Vishva-Samskrita-dinam and Sanskrit Diwas, is annually observed
on ‘Sawan Poornima’ to create awareness, promote and revive Sanskrit, one of the ancient Indian languages.
World Sanskrit day 2021 falls on 22nd August 2021.
Background:
i.In 1969, The government of India declared to celebrate World Sanskrit day on Sawan Poornima, which also
marks the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
ii.The Ministry of Education has issued instructions to celebrate Sanskrit Day at the Central and State levels.
iii.World Sanskrit day was first observed in 1969.
World Sanskrit Week 2021 – 19th to 25th August:
i.World Sanskrit week is annually observed across the globe to promote and celebrate one of the ancient Indian
languages ‘Sanskrit’. The week on which Sanskrit day falls is celebrated as Sanskrit week.
ii.The Sanskrit Week 2021 is celebrated from 19th August to 25th August 2021.
About Sanskrit:
i.Sanskrit language, one of the Indo-European(Indo-Aryan) Group of languages, has been designated as a classical
language which is recognised for its scientific composition and high demand across the globe.
ii.The term Sanskrit is derived from ‘Sam’ – ‘Samyak’ which indicates ‘entirely’ and ‘Krit’ which indicates ‘done.’
iii.Sanskrit is also known as Dev Vani, God’s Language, which traces back to the 2nd millennium BCE.
iv.Sanskrit was declared as the 2nd official language of Uttarakhand.
World Entrepreneurs’ Day 2021 – August 21

World Entrepreneurs’ Day(WED) is annually observed across the globe on 21st August to create awareness
about entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership among the stakeholders.
The day also recognises and celebrates the efforts of individuals who start a business venture.
• The Alliance of International Business Associations (AIBA) leads the observance and invites people across
the globe to promote World Entrepreneurs Day.
• The day highlights philanthropic, social and ethical business practices through conferences, awards and
other initiatives.

Initiatives of Government of India to support Entrepreneurship:
Start-Up India Scheme:
i.Startup India is a flagship initiative of the Government of India which aims to create a strong ecosystem to
support and nurture innovation and startups in India.
ii.The scheme was launched in April 2016 aims to provide bank loans between Rs.10 lakh and Rs. 1 Crore to at
least one Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) borrower and at least one-woman borrower per bank
branch.
Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY):
i.Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) is a scheme established by the government of India through Micro Units
Development & Refinance Agency (MUDRA) Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Small Industries
Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
ii.PMMY was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2015 to provide loans up to Rs 10 lakh to non-
corporate, non-farm small/micro-enterprises.
iii.MUDRA has created 3 products under PMMY.
• Shishu : covering loans up to Rs 50,000.
• Kishor : covering loans above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs 5 lakh.
• Tarun : covering loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh.
Akshay Urja Diwas 2021 or National Renewable Energy Day – August 20

Akshay Urja Diwas also known as National Renewable Energy Day, is annually observed across India on 20th
August to create awareness about the benefits of natural energies such as Biogas, Solar Energy, Wind Energy and
Hydroelectric Power. The day also marks the birth anniversary of Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Objective:
To create mass awareness and popularization of the need, benefits and the use of renewable energy devices and
systems in all aspects of life.
Background:
i.The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE), Government of India has declared the 20th August of
every year, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, as the ‘National Renewable Energy Day’.
ii.The government of India introduced the “Rajiv Gandhi Akshay Urja Diwas” Programme which is celebrated
across India since 2004.
iii.The first-ever Akshay Urja Diwas was celebrated on 20th August 2004.
Commemorative stamp:
In 2004, on the first-ever Akshay Urja Diwas, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh issued a
Commemorative Stamp “Rajiv Gandhi Renewable Energy Day”.
India in Renewable energy:
According to the 57th Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) by Ernst & Young Global Ltd (EY),
India is the third-largest producer of renewable energy with 136 GW of total energy generated from renewable
resources.
• The United States topped the list followed by China in the 2nd position.
About Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE):
Union Minister– Raj Kumar Singh (Constituency- Arrah, Bihar)
Minister of State– Bhagwanth Khuba (Constituency- Bidar, Karnataka)
World Water Week 2021 – 23 to 27 August

World Water Week(WWWeek) is annually celebrated across the globe in the month of August to address the
major water issues across the globe. The WWWeek 2021 is being held as an online event from 23rd to 27th
August.
WWWeek has been an annual event organised by Stockholm International Water Institute(SIWI) since 1991.
The theme of 2021 World water Week is “Building Resilience Faster”.
• The WWWeek 2021 marks the observance of the 23rd World Water Week.

• The World Water Week 2020 was observed as World Water Week at Home from 24th August to 28th August
2020.
• The World Water Week 2019 was observed from 26th to 31st August 2019.
Background:
i.The World Water Week in Stockholm, Sweden was started as the Stockholm Water Symposium in 1991.
ii.In 2001, the Stockholm Water Symposium was officially renamed as the World Water Week in Stockholm.
Stockholm Water Prize 2021:
i.Sandra Postel, founding director of the Global Water Policy Project, has been named Stockholm Water Prize
Laureate 2021 for her work towards changing the people’s view on water.
ii.Stockholm Water Prize is awarded by SIWI in cooperation with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and
presented by the Swedish King H.M King Carl XVI Gustaf, the Patron of the Prize.
iii.The prize consists of a specially designed sculpture and 1 million Swedish Krona(SEK).
Other Awards:
The Patron of Stockholm Junior Water Prize H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden announced the winner of
the Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2021, Diploma of Excellence and people’s Choice Award.
Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2021:
Eshani Jha (United States of America) won the Stockholm Junior Water Prize 2021 for her project addressing the
issues of water contamination with a cost-effective solution.
Diploma of Excellence Winners:
Future Kongchu and Thanawit Namjaidee(Thailand) won the Diploma of Excellence for their research to
provide a solution to provide moisture retention at the critical point of a plant’s development.
People’s Choice Award:
Gabriel Fernandes Mello Ferreira (Brazil) won the 2021 Stockholm Junior Water Prize – People’s Choice Award
for the development of microplastic retention mechanisms in water treatment plants.
Rajiv Ranjan Mishra DG, NMCG participated in WWWeek session:
Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has participated as a key
panellist in the session on ‘Making Cities Water Positive Through City Water Balance Plan’ during the 1st day of
Stockholm’s World Water Week 2021(23rd August).
The session was jointly convened by the Safe Water Network, The United States Agency for International
Development(USAID) and World Resources Institute(WRI) India.
‘Making Cities Water Positive through City Water Balance Plan e-Toolkit’ which comprises 7 modules and 29
tools to assist the decision-makers in developing and implementing solutions for making Cities Water Positive
was launched during the session.
Women’s Equality Day 2021 – August 26

Women’s Equality Day is annually celebrated across the United States of America(USA) on 26th August to mark
the achievements and advancements made by women across various fields.
The day celebrates and recognises the efforts of women to achieve an equal standing in society.
• The day also marks the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution in 1920 which
granted all American women the right to vote.
Background:
i.United States Congress Representative Bella Abzug introduced the bill to commemorate the 26th August of
every year as Women’s Equality Day in 1971.
ii.In 1973, the United States Congress and Richard Nixon, the 37th President of the United States formally
recognised the 26th August of every year as Women’s Equality Day and issued the first Official proclamation of
the day.
History:
i.The 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution in 1920 was a result of the long non-violence campaign
by the American women to win their right to vote.
ii.The 19th Amendment of the US Constitution prohibits the United States and its states from denying the right to
vote on account of sex.

Global Gender Gap Report 2021:
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2021, the gender gap score in 2021 is at
67.7%.
• Iceland tops the list as the most gender-equal country in the world followed by Finland & Norway.
• India has been ranked 140th among the 156 countries.
On Women’s Equality Day, NTPC recruits all Female Engineers batch:
On the occasion of Women’s Equality Day, the NTPC Ltd, India’s largest energy conglomerate, has recruited its
first all-women Engineering Executive Trainees(EETs) batch to reaffirm its commitment to diversity and
inclusion.
National Remote Sensing Day 2021 – 12th August

The National Remote Sensing Day is annually observed across India on 12th August to mark the birth
anniversary of Dr Vikram Sarabhai, who is known as the Father of the Indian Space Program. The day also aims
to create awareness of the Indian Remote Sensing program and its applications for the Environment and Society.
The 12th August 2021 marked the 102nd birth anniversary of Dr Vikram Sarabhai.
About Vikram Sarabhai:
i.Vikram Sarabhai was born on 12th August 1919 in Ahmedabad, Bombay Presidency, British India.
ii.He initiated India’s space research and contributed to the development of nuclear power in India.
iiiHe is known for the establishment of the ISRO and is also credited for putting Aryabhata, the first Indian
satellite into orbit in 1975.
iv.He was honoured with India’s highest honours Padma Bhushan in 1966 and Padma Vibhushan(posthumously)
in 1972.
Events:
i.On National Remote Sensing Day 2021, the Indian Space Research Organisation launched India’s “eye in the
sky” GISAT-1 Earth observation satellite (EOS).
ii.The Center for Environmental Sciences & Engineering, School of Natural Sciences, celebrated an online event on
National Remote Sensing Day 2021.
Remote Sensing:
Remote sensing is the process of detecting and monitoring the physical characteristics of an area by measuring its
reflected and emitted radiation at a distance, typically from satellites or aircraft.
National Sports Day 2021 – August 29

National Sports Day is annually observed across India on 29th August to commemorate the birth anniversary of
Olympian and Indian Hockey legend, Major Dhyan Chand, who is popularly known as the “Hockey
Wizard” and “the Magician”.
He was born on 29th August 1905 in Allahabad, British India, present-day Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
The National Sports day aims to create awareness about the importance of sports and reminds the need for
sporting activities in life.
Background:
i.The Government of India has decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand as the National
Sports Day starting from 2012.
ii.The first National Sports Day in India was observed on 29th August 2012.
Significance:
i.The government of India uses the National Sports Day to launch various schemes related to sports such as the
Khelo India movement, which was announced by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi in 2018.
ii.The national sports and Adventure awards will be presented on National Sports Day
The national sports awards are:
1. Dronacharya Awards
2. Dhyan Chand Awards
3. Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar Awards

4. Arjuna Awards
5. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award
6. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (Maka) Trophy
Note:
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour of India, has been renamed as Major Dhyan
Chand Khel Ratna Award in honour of the hockey Wizard Dhyan Chand.
Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur Launched Fit India Mobile App:
On the occasion of the National Sports Day 2021, Union Minister Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh
Thakur launched the Fit India Mobile app, India’s most comprehensive fitness app, at the Major Dhyan Chand
National Stadium, Delhi.
• The mobile app launched as a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav also celebrates the 2nd anniversary of the
Fit India Movement.
• Fit India Movement was launched by PM Modi on 29th August 2019, National Sports day 2019.
About Fit India Mobile App:
i.Fit India Mobile app is a free application available for both android and iOS users. The app is available in both
English and Hindi.
ii.The features of the application include fitness score, animated videos, activity trackers and ‘my plan’ which
supports the specific needs of the individuals.
Additional info:
During the 1st anniversary of the Fit India movement, PM Modi launched “The Age-Appropriate Fitness Protocols”
for 3 age groups (5to 18 years, 18to 65 years and 65+ years) which was developed by an expert committee and
endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports:
Union Minister– Anurag Singh Thakur (Constituency- Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh)
Minister of State– Nisith Pramanik(Constituency- Coochbehar, West Bengal)
International Day Against Nuclear Tests 2021 – August 29

The United Nations(UN)’s International Day against Nuclear Tests is annually observed across the globe
on 29th August to create awareness about the hazards of testing nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosions
and the need to end nuclear tests and achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world.
29th August 2021 marks the observance of the 12th International Day against Nuclear Tests.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/64/35 on 2 December 2009 and
proclaimed the 29th August of every year as the International Day against Nuclear Tests.
ii.The resolution was initiated by the Republic of Kazakhstan along with several sponsors and cosponsors.
iii.The first-ever International Day against Nuclear Tests was observed on 29th August 2010.
Why 29th August?
The 29th August was chosen to commemorate the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site on 29 August
1991.
First-Ever Nuclear Test:
i.The Army of the United States of America (USA) conducted the first detonation of a nuclear device on 16 July
1945.
ii.‘Trinity’ was the code name of the first-ever nuclear bomb which was denoted in New Mexico, USA as a part of
the Manhattan Project.
Note:
Since 1945, more than 2000 nuclear weapons testing has taken place.
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons:
The UNGA has also proclaimed the 26th September of every year as the International Day for the Total
Elimination of Nuclear Weapons to further the objective of the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT):
i.Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) adopted by the UNGA on 10th September 1996, is an
international instrument to end all forms of nuclear testing.
ii.185 countries have signed the CTBT and 170 have ratified it.
iii.For the treaty to enter into force, it must be ratified by the countries with nuclear capabilities.
International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2021 – August 30

The United Nations(UN)’s International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances is annually observed
across the globe on 30th August to create awareness about enforced or involuntary disappearance in various
regions across the globe.
The day highlights that enforced disappearance is a crime and it should not be used as a way to deal with conflicts.
Background:
proclaimed the 30th August of every year as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.
ii.The first-ever International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances was observed on 30th August 2011.
iii.The resolution also adopted the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced
Disappearance.
Enforced Disappearances:
i.The enforced disappearances are used as a strategy to spread terror within society.
ii.The enforced disappearances refer to arrest, detention or abduction of persons by agents of the State, or those
acting with State authorization or support, whose whereabouts are unknown.
iii.According to the UN, around Hundreds of thousands of people has disappeared across 85 countries during
conflicts or period of repression.
Efforts against enforced disappearances:
i.The Rome Statute of the International Criminal court and the International Convention of the Protection of All
Persons from Enforced Disappearance defines the enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity, and it is
not subjected to a statute of limitations and gives the families of the victims the right to demand the truth about
the disappearance.
ii.The UN Human Rights Office launched an initiative in 2017 to double the number of ratifications of the
International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance by 2022.
National Small Industry Day 2021 – August 30

National Small Industry Day is annually observed across India on 30th August to celebrate and recognise the
contribution of small-scale industry to the development of India. The day aims to promote the value of small
businesses in society and to encourage the small industries across India.
Background:
i.A comprehensive policy package for the Small Scale Industry(SSI) sector was announced on 30th August 2000
which provided a substantial measure of support to small businesses in India.
ii.The erstwhile Ministry of Small-Scale Industries (now Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises(MSME))
has decided to designate the 30th August of every year as the National Small Industry Day.
Role of Small Industries in India:
i.In India, the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) plays a major role in the value chain, offering
diversified products and delivering intermediate goods for large scale industries.
ii.India has more than 6.3 crore MSMEs which has the ability to access international markets and work as
ancillaries for larger international firms.
iii.In Exports, the MSME sector contributes around 45% in sub-sectors like textiles, leather, pharmaceuticals,
automotive, gems & Jewellery.
Major reforms in MSME Sector:
Udyam Registration: it is an online procedure for filing of registration that enables the MSMEs to obtain
registration without documentation and fees.

Champions Portal: It is an online platform to support MSMEs in difficult times. It is an ICT based technology
system aimed to make smaller units big by solving their issues throughout the business lifecycle.
Establishment of Enterprise Development Centers (EDCs): EDCs have been conceptualised to provide MSME
related information in one place.
The ministry has established more than 102 EDCs across India.
About Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises(MSME):
In 2007 Ministry of Agro and Rural Industries and Ministry of Small Scale Industries(SSI) were merged into a
single Ministry, namely, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME).
Union Minister– Narayan Tatu Rane(Rajya Sabha- Maharashtra)
Minister of State– Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma(Constituency- Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh)
APPS & WEB PORTAL

Google launches new bug bounty platform for bug hunters
Google has launched a new bug bounty platform called bughunters.google.com during the 10th anniversary
celebration of its Vulnerability Rewards Programme(VRP),which allows Bug hunters to submit issues with a
single intake form.
• Recently, Google-parent Alphabet announced the launch of a new robotics company, Intrinsic. It will focus
on building software for industrial robots.
IITR develops India’s 1st Earthquake Early Warning Mobile App for Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand Government launched India’s 1st Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) Mobile App ‘Uttarakhand
Bhookamp Alert’ for alerting its people about the onset of earthquakes. The app has been developed by IIT-
Roorkee (IITR).
• The project was sponsored by Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority. It was initially launched as
a pilot project by the Ministry of Earth Sciences for the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand.
• The region of Uttarakhand is seismically active and prone to earthquakes.
Salient Features of the App
i.It is a real-time earthquake information system, it can detect the onset of the earthquake and issue warnings
before the significant tremors.
ii.It will spread information regarding the occurrence of an earthquake, expected time or arrival and intensity at
the tremor location to prevent any loss of life.
iii.EEW can record the location of people who are struck during the earthquake, and send that to the Disaster
Response Force.
Technical Specificalities
The physical basis for the EEW will be the speed of the seismic waves.
• As part of the project, sensors were installed in the high terrains of the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of
Uttarakhand.
February 12, 2021, Uttarakhand State Council for Science & Technology (UCOST) & National Council of Science
Museums (NCSM) haved signed an MoU for the establishment of INR 173 Crore Science City in Jhanjra area of
Dehradun.
About IIT Roorkee (IITR)
Director – Professor Ajit K. Chaturvedi
About Uttarakhand
Chief Minister – Pushkar Singh Dhami
National Park (NP) – Corbett, Gangotri, Govind
Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) – Askot Musk Deer, Binsar, Govind Pashu Vihar

CBIC launched Compliance Information Portal to provide information for ~12,000 customs tariff
items
On August 4, 2021, the Central Board for Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) launched an Indian Customs
Compliance Information Portal (CIP)-https://cip.icegate.gov.in/CIP for providing free access to information on all
customs procedures and regulatory compliance for nearly 12,000 customs tariff items.
• In this regard, any interested person with up-to-date information on the legal and procedural requirements
of Customs and Partner Government Agencies (FSSAI-Food Safety and Standards Authority of India; AQIS;
PQIS-Plant Protection, Quarantine, and Storage; Drug Controller etc.) for carrying out imports and exports
can get relevant information.
Key Points:
i.It will improve the ease of doing cross border trade.
ii.CIP is also equipped with a pan India map showing all the Customs seaports, airports, land customs stations etc
along with addresses of the regulatory agencies and their websites.
How to use CIP?
i.Enter either the Customs Tariff Heading (CTH) or the description of the goods.
ii.This will provide information to step-by-step procedures, regulatory compliance requirements like License,
Certificates, etc., for imports as well as exports.
About Central Board for Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC):
Former Name– Central Board of Excise & Customs
Parent Ministry– Ministry of Finance
Chairman– M. Ajit Kumar
Govt of Kerala Launched ‘COVID-19 Death Information Portal’

The Government of Kerala launched the ‘COVID-19 Death Information Portal’, designed and developed
by eHealth Kerala, to ensure transparency and maintain a proper record of the number of deaths due to COVID-
19. The government institutions and the general public have access to this portal.
The portal provides details such as the name, age, gender and district of the person who died due to COVID-19
• The authenticity of the death declaration document issued by the district medical office will be verified by
the government agencies.
• At present, the portal has the data of COVID-19 deaths up to 22nd July 2021 and the deaths announced after
22nd July will be updated.
Virendra Kumar Launched ‘PM-DAKSH’ Portal and Mobile App

Virendra Kumar, the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment has launched a ‘PM-DAKSH’ Portal and
‘PM-DAKSH’ Mobile App under the scheme PM-DAKSH (Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann
Hitgrahi) Yojana to ease the access of skill development schemes by the target groups.
• The portal and app were developed by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E), in
collaboration with National e-Governance Division (NeGD).
• PM-DAKSH Yojana is the National Action Plan launched by the MoSJ&E in 2020-21 for skilling the target
group.
Features of ‘PM-DAKSH’ Portal:
i.Availability: The portal will have all information related to skill development for the target groups and provide
direct access for them to register under the portal with the training institute and program of their own interest.
ii.It facilitates documents uploading and registering the attendance of the trainees through the face and eye
scanning. It also enables the monitoring facility through photo and video clips.
PM-DAKSH Yojana:
i.Target groups: It includes – SCs (Scheduled Castes), OBCs (Backward Classes), EBCs (Economically Backward
Class), DNTs (Denotified Tribes), and Safai Karamcharis (Sanitation Workers).
• Sections of the target group – Artisans, Women, and Youth

ii.The target groups will be provided with skill development training programmes on upskilling or reskilling,
short-term training, long-term training, and entrepreneurship development programmes.
iii.Features of the scheme:
• Under the scheme, training will be provided by the govt at free of cost for the trainees under the age group
of 18-45 years.
• A stipend of Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 per month per trainee will be provided for trainees (in case of having 80
percent and above attendance).
• Wage compensation of Rs 3000 per trainee will also be provided (Rs 2500 – as per PM-DAKSH and Rs 500
– as per Common Cost Norms for trainees.
• After the completion of training, the trained candidates will be provided certification and placement.
iv.Target: MoSJ&E aims to provide skill development to 2.7 lakh persons over the next 5 years, with around 0.5
lakh youth in the 1st year i.e. 2021-22.
Key points:
i.The 3 apex Corporations under MoSJ&E viz, National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation
(NSFDC), National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC), and National Safai
Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) were providing loans to the target groups for self-
employment after training.
ii.In the last 5 years (before 2021), the 3 apex Corporations have provided skill development training to 2,73,152
persons of target groups and they aim to train ~50,000 persons in 2021-22.
On June 4, 2021, MoSJ&E Minister, Thaawarch and Gehlot virtually launched Seniorcare Aging Growth Engine
(SAGE) initiative & portal to help old aged people.
About Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJ&E):
Union Minister – Virendra Kumar (Constituency – Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh)
Minister of State – Ramdas Athawale (Constituency – Maharashtra), Pratima Bhoumik (West Tripura, Tripura),
A.Narayanaswamy (Chitradurga, Karnataka)
Gujarat Govt Launched eNagar Mobile app & Portal

Vijay Rupani, Chief Minister(CM) of Gujarat launched ‘eNagar’ mobile application and portal which covers 10
modules offering 52 services. The eNagar project aims to have efficient, transparent and scalable online citizen-
centric services and a back-office operation support system.
• The Urban Development and Urban Housing Department has appointed Gujarat Development Mission as
the nodal agency of the eNagar Project.
About e-Nagar:
i.The 10 modules offered in the portal are, Property Tax; Professional Tax; Water & Drainage; Complaint Module /
Grievance redressal; Building Permission; Fire & Emergency Services; Registration of Marriage; Land & Estate
Management; License module; and Hall Booking
ii.The project covers a total of 170 locations which includes 162 municipalities and 8 Municipal Corporations.
Objectives of eNagar:
i.To unite all the Urban Local Bodies(ULBs) on a common platform concerning e-governance and m-governance.
ii.To ensure that all Government services are accessible to the general public in their locality through common
service delivery outlets.
iii.To standardise e-Governance solutions across various ULBs on interoperable technology platforms with
compatibility for forward and backward integration.
About Gujarat:
Governor– Acharya Devvrat
National Park– Gir National Park; Blackbuck National Park; Marine National Park
Wildlife Sanctuary– Purna Wildlife Sanctuary; Barda Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

SIDBI Launched ‘Digital Prayaas’ App to Offer Loans to Entrepreneurs; SIDBI Tie-up with
BigBasket
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has launched the programme ‘Digital Prayaas’ an App
based end to end digital lending tool platform to sanction loans to entrepreneurs from low income
group(especially the people at the bottom of the pyramid) by the end of the day.
• The process of – onboarding borrowers’ e-KYC (Know-Your-Customer) and sanctioning loan through credit
score and analytics will get executed on an end-to-end basis digitally.
• The post sanction documentation such as e-signing and e-stamping of the documents will also be done
digitally through the App.
• SIDBI-BigBasket Initiative: SIDBI also partnered with a major aggregator BigBasket to on board its
delivery partners across the country and provide loans to the youths of the urban areas at an affordable
interest rate for the purchase of environment friendly e-vehicles (e-Bikes and e-Vans).
Note – Debasish Panda, IAS and Secretary, Department of Financial Services has launched the above two
initiatives of SIDBI.
Headquarters – Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Chairman & Managing Director – Sivasubramanian Ramann
CJI NV Ramana Launches Mobile App of NALSA, Vision & Mission Statement
Chief Justice of India (CJI) NV Ramana launched the Mobile App of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) to
provide Free Legal aid to the poor and needy people, and to seek victim compensation.
• CJI also launched a Vision & Mission statement that contains the vision of NALSA.
Features of the Legal Services App
i.The Mobile App of NALSA has features for seeking legal assistance, legal advice, and other grievances.
ii.Using the app, Beneficiaries can apply for mediation, track the application and apply for Alternate Dispute
Resolution (ADR) mechanism.
iii.As per Article 39 (A) of the Indian Constitution (under Directive Principles), the government should strive to
promote justice and provide free legal aid to the poor.
CJI NV Ramana’s Vision Statement
The Vision & Mission statement launched by CJI contains the vision of NALSA,
• To promote an inclusive legal system and to ensure fair and meaningful justice to the marginalised and
disadvantaged sections of the society.
• To provide effective legal representation, legal literacy & awareness to bridge the gap between the legally
available benefits and the entitled beneficiaries.
• To bridge the gap of Accessibility to Justice between the highly privileged and the most vulnerable.
NALSA
It was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to provide free Legal Services to the weaker
sections of the society and to organize Lok Adalats for amicable settlement of disputes.
On July 19, 2021, CJI NV Ramana initiated a secure electronic transmission mechanism namely FASTER (Fast and
Secure Transmission of Electronic Records) to fast forward the process of bail.
About National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)
Established in November 1995 under the Legal Services Authorities Act of 1987
The patron-in -Chief – CJI NV Ramana
Executive Chairman – Justice U.U. Lalit

JK LG Manoj Sinha launched ‘PROOF’ app to monitor Timely Completion of Projects
On August 13, 2021, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha launched PROOF
‘Photographic Record of On-site Facility’ app which is designed and developed by National Informatics Centre
(NIC), J&K.
• The app will monitor the progress of all works allocated to different DDO’s (Drawing and Disbursing Officer)
of different departments in order to bring more transparency in the governance system.
Key Points:
i.It will give you pictorial view of the work as the app will help in uploading geo-tagged photographs i.e. latitude
and longitude and user comments on work progress
ii.It will prefer bills in the concerned treasuries against the budget allotted through the BEAMS (Budget
Estimation, Allocation & Monitoring System) application.
About Jammu & Kashmir (J&K):
National Parks– Dachigam National Park, and Kishtwar National Park
Airports– Srinagar International Airport (Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport), Udhampur Air Force Station,
and Jammu airport(Also known as Satwari Airport)
Museums– Amar Palace Museum, Dogra Art Museum.
KVGB Partnered with Karnataka Govt Launched FRUITS Portal

The Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB) made a partnership with the Karnataka government (govt) and
launched the ‘Farmer Registration and Unified Beneficiary Information System’ (FRUITS) portal to store
the farmers’ land details.
• The portal is the first-of-its-kind initiative in India by the Karnataka government to gather the land details
of the farmers.
• Now the FRUITS portal was launched by KVGB as a pilot project. The Karnataka govt plans to launch it in
other financial institutions too.
• The portal was inaugurated by Niraj Kumar Verma, Chief General Manager of NABARD (National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development).
Features of the Portal:
i.Under the portal, all the farmers of the state will be registered and given a FRUITS ID (FID) number comprising
Aadhaar, land record, and mobile number.
ii.The FID numbers will be used by the financial and lending institutions to know the details of the land of the
farmers while lending.
iii.The portal will act as an organised farmers’ database and it will overcome the difficulties faced by farmers
while availing benefits.
About Karnataka Vikas Grameena Bank (KVGB):
Headquarters – Dharwad, Karnataka
Chairman – P Gopi Krishna
About Karnataka:
Chief Minister – Basavaraj Bommai
Wildlife Sanctuary – Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuaries, Chincholi Wildlife Sanctuary, Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary.
Tiger Reserve – BRT/Biligiri Ranganatha Swamy Temple Tiger Reserve, Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Bhadra Tiger
Reserve.
DST launches 3 Online Applications- SOI’s GeoSpatial Data Dissemination Portal, SOI’s Sarthi Web
GIS Application and NATMO’s Manchitran
Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India has launched
3 Online Applications which will provide geospatial data collected by the government freely and easily available
to citizens and Organisations in India for the 1st time. The 3 Online application are
i.Survey of India (SOI) GeoSpatial Data Dissemination Portal

ii.SOI’s Sarathi Web Geographical Information System (GIS) Application
iii.Manchitran, the enterprise Geoportal of National Atlas & Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO)
GeoSpatial Data Dissemination Portal
i.It is developed by SOI. The portal contains digital products like Digital Geographical Map, Political Map, Digital
Geographical Road Map, Digital Geographical Physical Map of India and Open Series Map Scale
ii.The portal will provide easy access and make the Geospatial data available to government and private users.
SOI’s Sarathi Web GIS Application
i.It will bring GIS into the hands of people by saving time and resources in Data validation which will facilitate
scheme SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improved technology in Village Areas)
ii.It will be easily accessible to the user with lesser utilization of resources
iii.It reduces the need to create custom applications and provides a platform for integrating GIS with other
business systems.
iv.In accordance with New Geospatial Policy 2021, it enables cross-organisational collaboration
Manchitran
i.It is developed by NATMO. The portal will provide extended services and serve the requirements of Students,
Researchers, Industry, Policy makers etc…
ii.The geoportal contains data that NATMO has acquired for the past 65 years
iii.Users can see, download and give feedback about the Maps, Atlas and different Geospatial data layers
About SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improved technology in Village Areas):
• It was launched in 2020.
• It aims provide integrated property validation solution for rural India.
• It is a collaborative effort of Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Panchayati Raj departments, State Revenue
Departments and Survey of India.
Recent Related News
In February, 2021, Department of Space (DoS) & CE Info Systems Pvt Ltd (owned by MapmyIndia) entered into a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). According to the agreement, Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
& MapmyIndia will partner to build an Indigenous, mapping portal and geospatial services which will be an
alternative to GoogleMaps & GoogleEarth services.
About Survey of India (SOI)
Surveyor General of India – Naveen Tomar
Headquarters – Dehradun, Uttarakhand
About National Atlas & Thematic Mapping Organisation (NATMO)
Director – Dr.Tapati Banerjee
Headquarters – Kolkata, West Bengal
Govt. Launched New Geospatial Planning Portal ‘Yuktdhara’ for MGNREGA Assets
August 23, 2021 the Government of India had launched a new geo-spatial planning portal ‘’Yuktdhara’’ under
Bhuvan. It would enable MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) assets
planning by using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) data. The portal Yuktdhara was
launched by Giriraj Singh, Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.
Objective– Yuktdhara platform will serve as a repository of assets and facilitate the Gram Panchayat level
planning of MGNREGA activities across India.
Highlights
• The name ‘’Yukta’’ derived from the hindi word Yojanam means planning and ‘’Dhara’’ means
• It served as a repository of geotags which were then created by several national rural development
programmes such as Integrated Watershed Management Programme,Per drop More Crop Programmes,
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, MGNREGA etc with field photographs.
• The portal will combine various themes based layers, multi-temporal high resolution earth observation data
along with analysis tools.

• Jitendra Singh , a Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology;
Ministry of Earth Sciences;Ministry of State in Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space had
participated in the launching event.
Joint Mission– It is an initiative of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) along with the Ministry of Rural
Development . By providing the support in rural areas for decentralized decision making using these G2G
services.
Yuktdhara- Geospatial Planning portal for Geo-MGNREGA
i.At present integration under Yuktdhara, as a part of Bhuvan, which integrates multi-temporal IRS satellites
data, location of works, watershed management etc.
ii.It is meant for facilitating Grampanchayat level planning of the activities of MGNREGA across the country.
iii.The prepared plans will get the evaluation of desired authorities under state departments for excellent
verification and resource allocation.
About Geospatial Information
Geospatial information is geography and mapping. It is basically place-based and locational based information.
Geospatial planning is the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System
(GPS) that accurately store, collect, display and retrieve vast amounts of information in a spatial context.
About Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
Minister : Giriraj Singh (Begusarai, Bihar)
Minister of State(MoS): Kapil Moreshwar Patil (Bhilwandi, Maharashtra)
Bhupender Yadav launches e-Shram Portal for Registration of Unorganised Workers in India
Union Minister for Labour & Employment, Bhupender Yadav has launched e-Shram Portal for registration of
Unorganised workers across the country. The portal is the 1st of its Kind initiative for the Unorganised
workers in India.
• The portal aims to register about 38 crore Unorganised workers such as Construction labourers, Migrant
workforce, Street vendors, Domestic workers & others.
Key points:
i.It aims to build a comprehensive National Database of Unorganised Workers (NDUW) in the country.
ii.e-SHRAM portal is totally free and workers need not to pay for his or her registration at Common Service
Centres(CSCs) or anywhere.
iii.After registration, the workers will be issued an e-Shram card containing a 12-digit unique number.Workers
will be registered only if they have an Aadhar card.
iv.The card will be helpful in delivering various social security schemes of the Central government and State
governments.
v.Insurance Coverage:.If a worker is registered on the eSHRAM portal and meets with an accident, he will be
eligible for INR 2 Lakh on death or permanent disability and INR 1 lakh on partial disability.
Recent Related News
In July, 2021, The Supreme Court ordered the Labour Ministry to complete the work of the National Database for
Unorganised Workers (NDUW) portal to register and identify migrant workers and unorganised labourers to
ensure their rights, welfare and food security.
About MInistry of Labour & Employment
Union Minister – Bhupender Yadav (Rajya Sabha, Rajasthan)
Ministry of State (MoS) – Rameswar Teli (Dibrugarh, Assam)
LIC launched Ananda Mobile App for Agents and Intermediaries

On August 24, 2021 Life Insurance Corporation(LIC) of India Chairman, Shri. M R Kumar launched Ananda
(Atma Nirbhar Agents New Business Digital Application) mobile app via video conferencing event in
Hyderabad, Telangana.

Purpose of the App- It works as a tool for the on-boarding process to get the life insurance policy via paperless
format.
Highlights –
• It is built on a paperless KYC( Know Your Customer) process using Aadhaar based e-authentication.
• It provides easy access to the agents and intermediaries to reach out to the prospective customers.
• The event was marked by an e-training video for the agents and process to operate the application.
• The app version was developed because of high level usage of the ANANDA module.
Features of the app
• It will be used for the registration of New LIC policies.
• With the help of the app only non-medical will be passed.
• The limit of maximum premium is Rs 1 lakh
• App was launched for LIC agents and intermediaries only.
About Life Insurance Corporation ( LIC)
Established- 1956
Chairperson– M R Kumar
Managing Director– Siddhartha Mohanty, Mukesh Kumar Gupta, Raj Kumar, Ipe Mini.
Minister of Animal Husbandry Parshottam Rupala Launched e-Gopala’s Web Version, IMAP Web
Portal
In August 2021, the Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala launched
the National Dairy Development Board’s (NDDB) e-GOPALA application’s web version and IMAP web portal.
• Objective: To provide real-time information to dairy farmers on animal health, nutrition, and breed
development for better productivity of milch (milk producing) animals and in turn to increase the farmers’
income.
Features of e-GOPALA:
i.The web-based e-GOPALA platform would help the farmers to buy and sell disease-free germplasm in all forms
(semen, embryos, etc).
ii.It will send alerts on the due date for vaccination, pregnancy diagnosis, calving etc. and it also provides
information about various government schemes.
iii.The app tells the farmers about the availability of quality breeding services (artificial insemination, veterinary
first aid, vaccination, treatment etc.).
iv.It will also guide farmers for animal nutrition and treatment of animals using appropriate ayurvedic
ethnoveterinary medicine.
Note – The e-GOPALA app was launched in September 2020 as a breed improvement marketplace for the direct
use of farmers.
IMAP Portal:
i.The IMAP web Portal includes the geographical presentation of different projects and facilitates real-time
checking of coverage and progress of various projects and government schemes.
ii.The various projects include INAPH (Information Network for Animal Productivity and Health), NAIP (National
Agricultural Innovation Project), NADCP (National Animal Disease Control Programme).
The minister also appreciated Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL)’s role (a subsidiary of NDDB) in Covaxin
manufacturing process.
About National Dairy Development Board (NDDB):
Headquarters – Anand, Gujarat
Chairman – Meenesh C shah

ENVIRONMENT
Researchers discover New Frog Species ‘Minervarya Pentali’ in Western Ghats
A team of researchers from Delhi University have discovered a new frog species named Minervarya Pentali in
Western Ghats. The new frog species has been named after Professor Deepak Pental – renowned Plant
Geneticist and the former Vice chancellor of the Delhi University
i.It belongs to the Family ‘Dicroglossidae’ and Genus
‘Minervarya’ (Common name- Minnervaryan frogs).
ii.They are endemic to southern Western Ghats and are
found especially in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
iii.The new species has been identified based on its unique
external morphology, DNA and calling pattern.
iv.The findings have been published in the International
Journal ‘Asian Herpetological Research’. Dr. Sonali Garg is the
lead author of the study.
• This study and the authors were funded by University of Delhi; Department of Science and Technology,
Government of India; Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India; Critical Ecosystem
Partnership Fund, USA and Global Wildlife Conservation, USA
About Western Ghats
• Western Ghats is a UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) world
Heritage site & is one of the eight hotspots of biological diversity in the world,
• It is spread across 6 states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu).
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav Released Elephant & Tiger Population Estimation
Protocol
Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, released the Elephant & Tiger
Population Estimation Protocol on the occasion of the World Elephant Day 2021 (12th August), which was
celebrated at Indira ParyavaranBhawan, New Delhi.
• This protocol is to be adopted in the All India elephant
and tiger population estimation exercise in 2022.
• For the first time, The Ministry of Environment, Forest
and Climate Change (MoEFCC) is converging Elephant
and Tiger population estimation exercise.
Release of 4th Edition of Trumpet:
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, along with
Minister of State of MoEFCCAshwini Kumar Choubey released
the 4th edition of the quarterly newsletter “Trumpet”.
• It is published by Project Elephant Division, under the MoEFCC and Elephant Cell, Wildlife Institute of
India(WII), An Autonomous Institution of the MoEFCC.
• The 4th edition of Trumpet highlights the need for a landscape approach for synchronised elephant
population enumeration.
Key Points:
i.Union Minister Bhupender Yadav highlighted the importance of the involvement of local and indigenous people
in the conservation of the elephants and the bottom-up approach will support the minimization of Human-
Elephant conflict.
ii.TheMoEFCC also partnered with the WII, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), World Wide Fund for
Nature(WWF)-India and Wildlife Trust of India(WTI) has organised the week-long programme of
“AzaadikaAmritMahotsav” as a precursor for World Elephant Day 2021.

Asian Elephants:
i.Most of the elephant range countries except India have lost their elephant population due to loss of habitats and
poaching for illegal trade of tusks.
ii.At present the Asian elephants are listed as “Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of
Nature(IUCN) Red List of threatened species.
iii.It is estimated that there are around 50000 to 60000 Asian elephants and around 60 % of the population are in
India.
iv.At the Conference of Parties of CMS 13 held at Gandhi Nagar, Gujarat in February 2020, the Indian elephants
have been listed in Appendix I of the Convention of the Migratory species.
Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change(MoEF&CC) announced that 14
Tiger reserves across India have received the accreditation of the global Conservation Assured Tiger Standards
(CA|TS) during the virtual event organised on the occasion of the International Tiger Day 2021, (29th July).
• He also released the report ‘Status of Leopards, Co-predators and Megaherbivores-2018’ and the special
edition of ‘STRIPES’ quarterly newsletter of the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA).
About Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC):
Union Minister– Bhupender Yadav (Rajya Sabha- Rajasthan)
Minister of State– Ashwini Kumar Choubey(Constituency- Buxar, Bihar)
Three New Wild Balsams Identified in Kerala

Three new wild balsam species belonging to genus Impatiens were identified in the Western Ghats region of
southern Kerala (Sankhili forest) and the Idukki district of Kerala.
• The 3 identified plants were named as Impatiens
achudanandanii, Impatiens shailajae, and
Impatiens danii.
• The plants were identified by S. Arya and V.S. Anil
Kumar of the Department of Botany, University
College, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.V. Suresh, G.
Govind, Vishnu Walsan K. were also part of the
discovery.
Species Naming:
i.Out of 3 identified species, 2 were named after V.S.
Achuthanandan, the former Chief Minister of Kerala and K.K. Shailaja, the former health minister of Kerala, as
an honour to their contributions in environmental protection and containing COVID-19 spread in Kerala.
ii.The 3rd species was named after Dr Mathew Dan, Principal Scientist at Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic
Garden and Research Institute in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala for his contributions to systematics and
conservation of angiosperms in the Western Ghats.
iii.The plants of genus Impatiens are popularly known in Malayalam as ‘Kaashi Thumba’ or ‘Sheema Thumba’.
Features: Impatiens achudanandanii is a glabrous herb with whitish-creamy flowers and the Impatiens danii is a
10-20 cm tall plant with a white flower.
Amolops adicola: New Species of Cascade Frog Discovered from Arunachal Pradesh
Indian and American Biologists from Delhi University, Wildlife Institute of India and North Carolina Museum of
Natural Science (USA) have discovered a new species of Cascade Frog from Adi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh.
The species is named Amolops adicola(Adi Cascade Frog) after the Adi Hills, the home of Adi tribes, an
indigenous people from the Himalayan region of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The details of the discovery are published as “Phylogenetic position of the poorly known montane cascade
frog Amolops monticola (Ranidae) and description of a new closely related species from Northeast India” in
the Journal of Natural History.

About Amolops adicola:
i.Amolops adicola belonging to the genus Amolops, is a
brown colour frog of size ranging from 4 cm to 7 cm.
ii.The new species was identified based on its external
morphology, DNA and distinct calling pattern.
iii.The genus amops is one of the largest groups of ranid
frogs (family ranidae), which has around 73 known species
located across the Northeast and North India, Nepal, Bhutan,
China and Malay peninsula.
Note:
The study resolved the taxonomic confusion around the identification of another cascade frog species.
Brachystelma tumakurens new plant found in Tumakura, Karnataka
i.Brachystelma tumakurens, a new species of tuberous flowering plant discovered in Tumakura district of
Karnataka has been named after the district.
ii.Brachystelma tumakurens, from a tuber, belongs to the apocynaceae family, a family of flowering plants.
iii.The findings were published in the RHEEDEA Journal of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy.
Note:
Brachystelma R.Br. is the second largest genus in the tribe Ceropegieae with over 116 species distributed in the
old-world tropics.
Acetabularia jalakanyakae: New algae species discovered on the Island of Andaman & Nicobar
A team of marine biologists from the Central University of Punjab(CUP) has discovered a new marine algae
species with an umbrella-like cap on the Islands of the Andaman and Nicobar. The new species has been
named ‘Acetabularia jalakanyakae’, after the Sanskrit word ‘Jalakanyaka’ which means ‘Goddess of Oceans’ or
‘mermaid’.
• The new species has been named as inspiration from
Hans Christian Anderson’s fictional character, The Little
Mermaid Fairy Tale.
• The paper on the discovery will be published in the
Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences, published by
CSIR.
Discovery:
i.The new species was discovered by Dr Felix Bast, who led
the study, in May 2019.
ii.Using the combined approach, including Scanning Electron Microscopy based morphological assessments
combined with DNA sequence-based phylogenetic analyses the authors described the new species.
About Acetabularia jalakanyakae:
i.The whole plant is made up of a single gigantic cell with only one nucleus.
ii.Rhizoid, a structure formed towards the end of the plant cell contains its nucleus.
iii.The species is found attached to rock underneath the shallow tropical ocean.
Note:
The last time a new algae species was found on the island was in 1984.
Cephalanthera erecta var. oblanceolata: rare orchid species discovered in Uttarakhand:
Uttarakhand Forests Department has discovered a rare species of orchid named paper Cephalanthera erecta
var. oblanceolata (Orchidaceae). This species has been found for the 1st time in India in the Chamoli district of
Uttarakhand.
The research paper on the new species has been published in Nelumbo, the six-monthly journal of the Botanical
Survey of India (BSI).
The species was found in the humus-rich soil of Quercus Rhododendron Boreal forest.

A team of researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Mount Carmel College(MCC) – Bengaluru, and
National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar discovered Euphlyctis Kerala, a new
species of genus Euphlyctis
(skittering frog) from the surroundings of the Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary, Kothamangalam, Kerala.
• The research findings of the Euphlyctis Kerala are published in the International journal Zootaxa, published
from New Zealand.
MoEFCC Declares Assam’s Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary as eco-sensitive Zone

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary as
an eco-sensitive zone which is situated near Guwahati, Assam.
• The notification specified the eco-sensitive zone of total
area of 148.97 sq Km (varying from 294 m to 16.32 km)
Deepor Beel Wildlife Sanctuary
i.It is the only Ramsar site in Assam, One of the largest
freshwater lakes & an Important Bird Area.
ii.The wetland of Deepor Beel constitutes a unique habitat for
aquatic flora & avian fauna consisting 150 bird species, 12
species of reptiles, 50 species of fish & 6 species of
Amphibians & others.
About eco-sensitive zones (ESZ)
i.ESZ are areas notified by MoEFCC around Protected areas, National parks & Wildlife sanctuaries.
ii.They act as a transition zone from areas of high protection to areas involving lesser protection.
iii.Activities prohibited in the ESZ are hydroelectric projects, brick kilns, commercial use of firewood & discharge
of untreated effluents in water bodies
iv.No new commercial hotels & resorts shall be permitted within 1 km of the boundary of the protected area or
up to the extent of ESZ except for small temporary structures.
About Assam
Governor – Jagdish Mukhi
Chief Minister – Himanta Biswa Sarma
Tiger Reserves – Manas, Nameri, Kaziranga, Orang.
Land degradation, the most pressing environmental problem of India: Findings Released by ISRO
In accordance with the findings in ‘Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas of India’ released by Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO), land degradation is the most pressing environmental problem of India.
• Almost 30% of India’s geographical area is already
affected as all Indian states have recorded an
increase in degraded land in the past 15 years
mainly in northeastern states.
• These findings are premised upon the data from
2018-19.
Key Figures:
i.Currently, 97.85 million hectares (mha) of land, an area
2.5 times the size of India’s largest state Uttar Pradesh,
has already been degraded. Of this, 3.32 mha, an area 22
times the size of Delhi has been added in the 15 years between 2003-05 and 2018-19.
ii.Rajasthan, the most degraded state, along with Uttar Pradesh and Telangana, have seen a reduction in their
degraded land in the last 15 years.

• Rajasthan, which accounts for almost 22 per cent of the degraded land in the country, reclaimed almost
388,000 ha, an area roughly 2.6 times the size of Delhi. Uttar Pradesh (285,665 ha) and Telangana (19,974
ha) together reclaimed degraded land twice the size of Delhi during the period.
iii.Among the most degraded states Rajasthan is followed by Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Key Reasons behind Degradation:
Water erosion is the most common reason (80%) for degradation of non irrigated farmland, followed by wind
erosion (17%), salinity / alkalinity in land (2%) and water logging (1%).
In order to become land degradation neutral by 2030, as announced by the Prime Minister in September 2019 at
the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), India needs to face extreme challenges.
GA Questions Asked in Exams
• GA Questions asked in RRB PO Mains Exam 2021 – Jan 30

• GA Questions asked in SBI PO Mains 2021 – Jan 29
• SBI Clerk Mains 2020
• IBPS RRB Officer Scale II GBO Exam 2020
• RBI Assistant Mains 2020
• GA Questions Asked in IBPS Clerk Mains Exam 2020 – 90% Questions Covered by AC
• GA Questions asked in SBI PO 2019 Main Exam
• GA Questions asked in SBI Clerk Main Exam 2019
• GA Questions asked in IBPS PO Main Exam 2019
• GA Questions asked in RBI Grade B Prelims Exam 2019
• GA Questions asked in IBPS RRB Clerk Mains Exam 2019
• GA Questions asked in IBPS RRB PO Mains Exam 2019
All The Best for Your Exams!!!

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Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western

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