National Affairs
Gwalior-Chambal Expressway to be named after Atal Bihari Vajpayee
The Gwalior Chambal Expressway will be named Shri Atal Bihari Bajpayee Chambal Progressway, said the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Bhopal while paying tribute to the former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Bajpayee on his second death anniversary.
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the first BJP member to become the Prime Minister of India. He served as the prime minister in 1996, from 1998 to 1999 and a term of five years from 1999 to 2004.
About Madhya Pradesh:
Chief Minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Governor: Anandiben Patel.
The United Kingdom launches 3-million pound innovation challenge fund in India
The UK government has launched a 3-million pound innovation challenge fund in India to support scientists in academia and industry to tackle the most acute global challenges like Covid-19 and the threat to the environment.
- In this regard, tech innovators with connections to the AI-Data cluster in Karnataka and the future mobility cluster in Maharashtra will submit research and development proposals.
About United Kingdom:
Prime Minister– Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson
Capital– London
International Affairs
UAE, Israel establish direct phone service after a deal
The Israeli and UAE Foreign Ministers have inaugurated direct phone services between the two countries after an agreement to normalize relations.
- Announced by the U.S President, the Israel-UAE deal is only the third such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country. It raises the prospect of similar deals with other pro-Western Gulf states.
- Under the deal, Israel pledged to suspend its planned annexation of West Bank territories
State Affairs
Nagaland Government Rolls-Out Centralized e-commerce platform “YellowChain”
On the occasion of Independence Day, the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio has launched “Yellow Chain”- a centralized e-commerce platform, to promote local business and entrepreneurship in the State.
- Yellow Chain will act as an integrated platform for the people of the state, where any Seller/Service Provider/Individual/Group can register themselves and upload their products, trades, skills, services etc. to enable the citizens/buyers to have access to their Service or Product.
About Nagaland:
Chief Minister: Neiphiu Rio
Governor of Nagaland: R. N. Ravi.
Chhattisgarh CM announces scheme for school students
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced to launch a special scheme named ‘Padhai Tuhar Para’ under which school students will be able to learn in their respective localities in view of the suspension of classes due to the coronavirus outbreak.
- This scheme is to enable school students to learn from their respective localities as the classes are being suspended due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.
About Chhattisgarh:
Capital– Raipur
Governor– Anusuiya Uikey
Appointments
Rakesh Asthana appointed DG of Border Security Force
Rakesh Asthana has been appointed as the Director-General of Border Security Force, BSF. Mr Asthana is presently working as the Director-General of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, BCAS. He will continue to hold the additional charge of DG, Narcotics Control Bureau.
- The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) order also stated that 1986 batch IPS officer – V S K Kaumudi, who is currently the director-general of BPRD (Bureau of police research and development) has been appointed as special secretary (internal security) or SS(IS) in the ministry of home affairs.
- Another 1986 batch IPS officer – Jawed Akhtar has been appointed as DG Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard.
About BSF:
Headquarters: New Delhi
Founded: 1 December 1965
AAIB forms five-member inquiry panel, report expected in five months
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) has formed a five-member panel to inquire into the circumstances of a plane crash in Kerala’s Kozhikode airport last week in which 18 people were killed.
- Captain S S Chahar, a former DGCA-designated examiner for pilots of B737NG aircraft, will be the investigator-in-charge to inquire into the circumstances of the August 7 accident.
- He will be assisted by four other investigators – operations expert Ved Prakash, senior aircraft maintenance engineer-B737 Mukul Bhardwaj, aviation medicine expert Y S Dahiya and AAIB deputy director Jasbir Singh Larhga.
Kaushik Khona appointed as CEO of GoAir
Kaushik Khona has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of GoAir Airline. He will replace Vinay Dube. GoAir is an Indian low-cost airline based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is owned by the Indian business conglomerate Wadia Group.
- Khona brings with himself more than 32 years of corporate experience and all at the CXO level. He was with the Wadia Group for almost 4 years from 2008 to 2011. He was the CEO of GoAir for two years, from April 2009. Khona was also Vice President, corporate finance and strategist for the Wadia Group.
About GoAir:
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Founder: Jehangir Wadia.
Established: 2005.
Business & Economy
MCX to launch India’s first bullion index, Bulldex
Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) will launch India’s first bullion index named Bulldex
- The Bulldex will have a market lot size of 50 and gold and silver will be underlying. It will be a cash-settled futures contract.
- Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd is an independent commodity exchange based in India.
Google Partners with CWC of India for Flood Forecasting Initiatives
Google in association with the Central Water Commission(CWC) of India launched the flood forecasting initiatives across India for the past several months.
- Central Water Commission is the first governmental partner of Google to measure water levels on an hourly basis using around 1000 stream gauges across India.
About Central Water Commission(CWC):
Chairman– Rajendra Kumar Jain
Headquarters– Sewa Bhawan, New Delhi
Sports Affairs
Indian Olympic Association launches “Ek India Team India” digital campaign
Indian Olympic Association has rolled out “Ek India Team India” digital campaign as a part of IOA’s adoption of new identity marking 100 years of Indian participation at the Olympic Games
- The campaign captures India’s journey in the Olympic Games along with the adoption of its new identity, which celebrates the country’s uniqueness, sporting legacy, values of unity, friendship, and merit in sport.
- IOA will also promote the new logo on its website and social media channels with this.
Sports Minister launches Fit India Youth Clubs
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju has rolled out an initiative named Fit India Youth Club.
- It is a part of Fit India Movement and will harness the power of youth to create awareness about fitness significance
- 75 lakh volunteers of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, National Service Scheme, Scouts and Guides, NCC and other organizations will register as Fit India Youth Clubs
- The clubs will then organize and encourage schools and local bodies to organize one community fitness program.
Obituaries
Filmmaker Nishikant Kamat passes away
Director-actor Nishikant Kamat passed away. He made his directorial debut in 2005 with Marathi movie Dombivali Fast, which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi.
- Nishikant had directed some popular Bollywood movies like Force, Drishyam and Madaari. He made his silver screen debut in 2004 with the Hindi movie Hava Aney Dey.
Renowned classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj passes away
Indian classical vocalist, Pandit Jasraj passed away. He was born in Haryana in 1930, his musical career spanned eight decades. He received several national and international awards in his career.
- Pandit Jasraj was a recipient of India’s fourth-highest civilian award, Padma Shri in 1975; Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1987 and Padma Bhushan in 1999.
18th August 2020 Current Affairs Pdf