Current Affairs August 03rd 2023| Current Affairs News

Dear Readers, Daily Current Affairs News Updates about the National and International events were listed here. Read Current Affairs Today here and stay updated with current news. Candidates those who are preparing for IBPS/SBI/PO/Clerk exam and all other competitive exams can use this and try the Current Affairs Quiz to test your knowledge level.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

Paytm launches 2 new innovative devices – Paytm Pocket Soundbox and Paytm Music Sound Box to help India’s small shops   

• One97 Communications Limited (OCL), the parent company of Paytm, India’s prominent payments and financial services company, launched two payment devices – Paytm Pocket Soundbox and Paytm Music Sound Box to provide enhanced payment experiences for merchants while being non-promotional.

About Paytm Pocket Soundbox :

• The Paytm Pocket Soundbox is a first-of-its-kind Made in India portable device, as small as a debit card, that conveniently fits in the pocket of merchants on the move.
• With 4G connectivity, this device empowers merchants with instant audio payment alerts, making transactions more efficient.
• It offers a 5-day battery life and a built-in torch for seamless usage even in low-light conditions.
• It caters to various mobile merchants, such as cab and auto drivers, electricians, delivery agents, parking fee collectors, and cart vendors.

About Paytm Music Soundbox :

• Paytm introduces the Paytm Music Soundbox, a unique device enabling merchants to manage payment transactions while enjoying music from their mobile phones via Bluetooth.
• It is equipped with a robust 4W speaker, 4G connectivity, and an impressive 10-day battery life.
• Its unique voice overlay function ensures that merchants can receive payment notifications even when music is playing in the background.

About Paytm :

• Founded : August 2010
• Headquarters : Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
• Founder & CEO : Vijay Shekhar Sharma

Banks’ non-food credit grows 16.3% in June 2023 – RBI data

• Bank credit registered a robust growth of 16.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) in June 2023 as compared with 15% a year ago on the back of strong demand for credit from sectors such as services, retail and agriculture, and allied activities.

Key Highlights :

• As per RBI’s data on sectoral deployment of credit, credit growth to the services sector accelerated to 26.7% (y-o-y) in June 2023 from 12.8% a year ago, primarily due to the improved credit offtake to ‘non-banking financial companies (NBFCs)’ and ‘trade’.
• Personal loans registered a growth of 20.9% (y-o-y) in June 2023 vis-à-vis 18.1% a year ago, mainly supported by ‘housing’ and ‘vehicle’ loans.
• Credit to agriculture and allied activities improved to 7% (y-o-y) in June 2023 from 12.9% in June 2022.
• Credit to the industry sector decelerated to 8.1% (y-o-y) in June 2023 as compared with 9.5% in June 2022.
• Size-wise, credit to large industries rose by 6.4% (3.2% a year ago).
• Growth in credit to medium industries as well as micro and small industries grew declined to 13.2% (47.8%) and 13% (29.2%), respectively.
• Data on sectoral deployment of bank credit for the month of June 2023 has been collected from 40 select scheduled commercial banks (SCBs), accounting for about 93% of the total non-food credit deployed by all SCBs.

About RBI :

• Established : 1 April 1935
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy Governors : Swaminathan Janakiraman, Michael Patra, M. Rajeshwar Rao, T Rabi Sankar

SBI raises ₹10,000 crore via 15-year infrastructure bonds at coupon rate of 7.54%

• India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has raised ₹10,000 crore after issuing 15-year infrastructure bonds at the coupon rate of 7.54%.
• The proceeds will be directed towards bolstering long-term resources for funding critical infrastructure projects and supporting the affordable housing segment.
• This is the first issuance of a long-term bond of this tenor by any bank in the current financial year.
• The bank offered bonds at an interest rate slightly better than the interest rate given by standard government bonds.
• In January 2023, SBI raised another set of infrastructure bonds worth 9,718 crores at a spread of 17 bps over the standard government bond rates.
• The primary purpose of infrastructure bonds is to raise long-term capital to finance large-scale infrastructure projects that require substantial investment.

Recent News :

• In July 2023, State Bank of India (SBI), raised Rs 3,101 crore capital via additional tier I bonds (AT1) or perpetual bonds at a coupon of 8.1%.

About SBI :

• Established : 1 July 1955
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Chairman : Dinesh Kumar Khara
• CFO : Kameshwar Rao Kodavanti

India’s Per capita women deposits increased by ₹4,618 in last 5 years to ₹42,503

• According to the State Bank of India’s (SBI) Economic Research Department (ERD), per capita women deposits increased by ₹4,618 in the last 5 years from ₹37,885 in FY19 to ₹42,503 in FY23.

Key Highlights :

• As per ERD’s “Ecowrap” report,which is based on RBI data, the maximum increase of ₹9,758 has been registered in the urban areas, where per capita women deposits moved up from ₹51,980 to ₹61,738.
• Per capita women deposits continue to be highest in metropolitan areas at ₹83,434 in FY23, up ₹886 vis-a-vis ₹84,320 in FY19.
• Per capita women deposits in semi-urban and rural areas stood at ₹29,563 (₹25,942 in FY19) and ₹18,563 (₹15,976), respectively.
• According to RBI’s latest report ‘Deposits with Scheduled Commercial Banks – March 2023 (BSR 2)’ the overall deposits of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) increased by 10.2%, incremental deposits of ₹17.6 lakh crore.
• Share of women borrowers in household credit to individuals rose further to 22.9% of outstanding credit in FY23 from 18.3% in FY15.
• Further, the share of women borrowers in household credit to individuals increased to 24.9% of incremental credit in FY23 from 8.9% in FY15.
• The ERD assessed that Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) continue to be the major contributors in increased women deposits share.

Bank group-wise distribution :

• Women deposits account for 50% share in incremental deposits in RRBs during FY19 and FY23.
• Among all bank groups, the share of Women Deposits to total Deposits was the highest in the case of RRBs at 34% (up from 27% in FY19).
• The share of Women deposits to total deposits in the case of private sector banks and small finance banks rose to 18% (from 13% in FY19) and 27% (20% in FY19 ), respectively.
• The share of Women deposits to total deposits in the case of public sector banks was at 23 % (21%).

Age-wise distribution :

• Age-wise distribution of total deposits given by RBI shows that customers in the age-group of 40-60 years account for 37% (or ₹34.7 lakh crore) of the deposits by individuals (excluding Hindu Undivided Family/HUF) of ₹94.7 lakh crore
• Meanwhile, total deposits by senior citizens (age 60 and above) amounted to ₹36.2 lakh crore which represents 38% of the individuals’ deposits and 19.6% of the overall deposits during the year.
• Within this, women account for 39% (or ₹37 lakh crore) of the individual deposits.

State-wise distribution :

• 9 states – Goa, Karnataka, Haryana, Kerala, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Maharashtra saw more than ₹10,000 increase in per capita women deposits in the 5 year period.
• Per capita women deposits in the case of Goa was up by ₹26,229 to ₹1,05,191; followed by Karnataka (up ₹14,849 to ₹55,537); Haryana (up ₹14,542 to ₹72,649); Kerala (up ₹11,945 to ₹43,543); Uttarakhand (up ₹11,492 to ₹57,027); Gujarat (up ₹11,409 to ₹59,751); Himachal Pradesh (up ₹11,274 to ₹66,123); Punjab (up ₹11,252 to ₹62,099), and Maharashtra (up ₹10,205 to ₹61,404).

Jana Small Finance Bank Refiles draft red herring prospectus with SEBI for initial public offering Worth Rs 575 Crores

• Jana Small Finance Bank Ltd (Jana SFB) has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with the capital market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an Initial Public Offering (IPO).
• The bank has resubmitted papers 2 years after pulling its previous plan due to the pandemic, and in 2022 it could remain private according to local market regulations.

Key Highlights :

• According to the draft herring prospectus, the offer consists of a fresh issue of up to ₹575 crores and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of up to 4,051,516 equity shares by Investor shareholders including Client Rosehill, CVCIGP II Employee Rosehill, Global Impact Funds, Growth Partnership II Ajay Tandon CoInvestment Trust, Growth Partnership II Siva Shankar CoInvestment Trust and Hero Enterprise Partner Ventures.
• According to Fitch Report, Jana Small Finance Bank Limited is the 4th largest small finance Bank in terms of AUM and the 4th largest small finance bank in terms of deposit size as at March 31, 2023.
• The lender will allocate 50% of shares to the qualified institutional bidders, while non-institutional investors will get 15% of allocations.
• Remaining 35% of shares shall be allocated towards the retail investors.
• Axis Capital, ICICI Securities and SBI Capital Markets are the book-running lead managers to the issue, while KFin Technologies has been appointed as the registrar.
• The lender commenced operations as a small finance bank in March 2018.
• In April 2021, Jana filed for an IPO but had to delay its fundraising plan due to the pandemic.
• The Reserve Bank of (RBI) India mandates that all small finance banks have to be listed within 5 years of starting operations.

About Jana Small Finance Bank :

• Founded : 2018
• Headquarters : Bangalore, Karnataka, India
• CEO : Ajay Kanwal

India’s food delivery giant Swiggy Launches Co-branded Credit Card With HDFC Bank

• Foodtech giant Swiggy has launched a co-branded credit card in partnership with HDFC Bank to lure customers and get an upper hand over its rival Zomato.
• The credit card, which will be hosted on Mastercard’s payment network, would be rolled out in a phased manner over the next 7-10 days.
• With this move, Swiggy has joined the likes of Flipkart, Myntra and Paytm in terms of providing co-branded credit cards.
• Swiggy’s competitor Zomato also used to offer co–branded credit cards with RBL Bank.
• However, Zomato and RBL Bank decided to discontinue their partnership earlier, in 2023.

About co-branded credit card :

• Swiggy’s co-branded credit card will offer users 10% cashback across services such as food delivery, grocery delivery, and dining out.
• In addition, users will be able to avail 5% cashback on other ecommerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra.
• This is not the first time that HDFC Bank has partnered with another platform to offer a co-branded credit card, it already offers co-branded credit cards with companies like Tata Neu, IRCTC, Indigo and more.

About HDFC Bank :

• Founded : 1st July 2023 (via the merger between HDFC-HDFC bank)
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Sashidhar Jagdishan
• Tagline : We Understand Your World

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

India Post to sell National Flag through its 1.6 lakh post offices to celebrate Har Ghar Tiranga

• Government of India under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) introduced the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign.
• The campaign was an immense success in 2022 when 23 crore households hoisted the Tiranga at their homes physically and six crore people uploaded selfies on HGT Website.
• The Department of Posts (DoP) took this campaign to the last mile and ensured the availability of the national flag in the remotest corner of the country.
• To continue this zeal and patriotism, the Government is organising the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign between 13–15 August 2023.
• It has been decided to leverage the vast physical network of 1.6 lakh post offices in the country and to ensure the sale of flags under the campaign through all the post offices in the country.
• The sale of flags in the post offices will start soon and citizens can walk into their nearby post office to purchase the flag.
• Citizens will also be able to purchase the national flag through the ePostOffice facility (www.epostoffice.gov.in) of the department.
• The Post Office will also organise several awareness activities (Jan Bhagidari events) to connect citizens to this program of national importance. Citizens may participate in these activities and become a part of this great initiative of New India.
• Citizens can take selfies with the national flag hoisted at their homes and offices and can upload them on social media with the hashtag (#IndiaPost4Tiranga, #HarGharTiranga, #HarDilTiranga)

About India Post :

• Established: 1 October 1854
• Headquarters: New Delhi, Delhi, India
• India Post is a government-operated postal system in India, part of the Department of Post under the Ministry of Communications.

Recent news

• India Post has agreed with Canada Post to introduce International Tracked Packet Service (ITPS) between the two countries to facilitate e-commerce exports.
• India Post already provides ITPS service with 38 partner countries and Canada will be the 39^th country.

The ‘Meri Mati Mera Desh’ campaign will be launched to honour our martyred braveheart men and women

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, in his address to the people of the country during the popular programme ‘Mann ki Baat’ has always accorded prominence to the beautiful cultural fabric of the country and how diversity also acts as a unifying force.
• In his latest address of Mann ki Baat, the Prime Minister said that amid the ongoing reverberations of Amrit Mahotsav and the 15th of August around the corner, another great campaign is on the verge of being launched in the country.
• The ‘Meri Maati Mera Desh’ campaign will be launched to honour our martyred braveheart men and women.
• He also informed, “Under this, many programs will be organized across the country in memory of our immortal martyrs.
• In memory of these luminaries, special inscriptions will also be installed in lakhs of village panchayats of the country.
• Under this campaign, ‘Amrit Kalash Yatra’ will also be organised across the country.”
• Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme aims to enhance interaction & promote mutual understanding between people of different states/UTs through the concept of state/UT pairing.

Recent News

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the 23rd Summit of the SCO Council of Heads of State.
• The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has provided loans of over Rs. 127 crore to FPOs so far, which is in addition to Rs. 6,900 crores.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the New Integrated Terminal Building of Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair via video conferencing.

Dr Jitendra Singh launches India’s first Indigenously developed, Affordable, lightweight, Ultrafast, High Field (1.5 Tesla), Next Generation Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner in New Delhi

• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh launched India’s first Indigenously developed, Affordable, lightweight, Ultrafast, High Field (1.5 Tesla), Next Generation Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner in New Delhi.
• Dr Jitendra Singh said that it is indeed a milestone achievement for the National Biopharma Mission (NBM), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) as we unveil the first indigenously developed state-of-the-art MRI Scanner under Public-Private Partnership mode.
• Dr Jitendra Singh informed that Under the National Biopharma Mission, Voxelgrids Innovations Pvt Ltd has developed a compact, lightweight, next-generation MRI Scanner to solve the unmet need of the country.
• The Minister underlined that out of Rs 17 Crore spent for developing the world-class MRI, Rs 12 Crore was provided by DBT through BIRAC.

Recent News

• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said the successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 will boost Space StartUps and Space entrepreneurs.
• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh will chair the G-20 Research Ministers’ Meeting (RMM) on 5th July 2023.
• India has taken forward the Research and Innovation Initiative (RIIG) during its Presidency in 2023 under the theme “Research and Innovation for Equitable Society”.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Bhutan announces successful elimination of rubella

• The World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region announced that Bhutan and Timor-Leste have successfully eliminated rubella, a highly contagious viral infection that can cause severe illness and irreversible birth defects in newborns when contracted during pregnancy.
• The achievement was made possible through widespread vaccination efforts in these countries.
• Bhutan and Timor-Leste had eliminated measles in 2017 and 2018 respectively, and now join Maldives and Sri Lanka to achieve elimination of measles and rubella by 2023.
• Bhutan first had the rubella outbreak around 2003 and the vaccine rollout took place in 2006.
• According to the WHO, UNICEF estimates that the coverage with the first dose of a measles-rubella-containing vaccine in the South-East Asia Region has improved from 86% in 2021 to 92% in 2022 (a 6%increase), while coverage of the second dose of the vaccine has jumped from 78% in 2021 to 85% in 2022 (a 7 percent point increase).

About Bhutan :

• Prime Minister : Lotay Tshering
• Capital : Thimphu
• Currency : Bhutanese ngultrum

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

In Tamil Nadu, a 4,000 MW renewable energy power project is being built.

• The union minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power has informed that under Green Energy Corridor Phase-II, a project has been approved for setting up of 624 km of transmission lines and 2200 MVA capacity substations by FY 2025-26, for evacuation of renewable energy power of approx. 4000 MW capacity in the state of Tamil Nadu.
• The project has been approved by the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, at an estimated cost of Rs. 719.76 crore with a central government grant of Rs. 237.52 crore at 33% of the project cost.
• The project is in the process of implementation by the state agency Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Limited (TANTRANSCO).
• Under Green Energy Corridor Phase-I, TANTRANSCO reported the completion of the sanctioned project for setting up of 1068 ckm transmission lines and 1910 MVA capacity substations on October 31, 2022, for which the Ministry has already released a grant of Rs. 524.30 crore to TANTRANSCO.
• This information has been given by the union minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power Shri R. K. Singh, in a written reply to a question, in Rajya Sabha today, August 1, 2023.

Recent News

• Tamil Nadu’s electronics exports nearly tripled in one year to $5.37 billion in FY23 from $1.86 billion in the previous year.
• The Tamil Nadu (TN) government has appointed senior bureaucrat Shiv Das Meena as the next Chief Secretary of TN.
• The president of the Tamil Nadu Basketball Association (TNBA), Aadhav Arjuna was elected as president of the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) in the election held at the Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.

About Tamilnadu

• Chief minister: M. K. Stalin
• Capital: Chennai
• Governor: R. N. Ravi
• NP: Guindy National Park, Mudumalai National Park, Mukurthi National Park, Indira Gandhi National Park (Annamalai), and Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.

India to host World Coffee Conference for the first time, event to be held in Bengaluru

• India will be hosting a World Coffee Conference for the first time, with its fifth edition promoted by the International Coffee Organisation to be held in Bengaluru from September 25 to September 28.
• ICO is the primary intergovernmental organisation dedicated to promoting the coffee trade and fostering cooperation among coffee-producing and consuming nations.
• At a preview ceremony of WCC 2023 where its logo was unveiled, Coffee Board of India CEO and Secretary K G Jagadeesha announced that tennis player Rohan Bopanna would be the brand ambassador of the event.
• ICO is organising the event in collaboration with the Coffee Board of India.
• By promoting the coffees of India on a global stage, the event will create new opportunities and markets for these farmers”.
• ‘Sustainability through Circular Economy and Regenerative Agriculture’ is the central theme for the event, featuring conferences, exhibitions, skill-building workshops, CEOs & global leaders forum and a growers conclave, among programmes.
• Producers, curers, roasters, exporters, policymakers and researchers from 80-plus countries are expected to take part in WCC 2023.
• Previous editions of the WCC were held in England (2001), Brazil (2005), Guatemala (2010) and Ethiopia (2016).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

July Coal Production Goes up by 14.11% to 68.75 Million Tonne

• The Ministry of Coal has achieved a substantial surge in overall coal production during the month of July 23, reaching 68.75 Million tonnes (MT), surpassing 60.25 MT of the month of July 22, representing an increase of 14.11%.
• The production of Coal India Limited (CIL) has increased to 53.63 MT in the month of July 23 as compared to 47.29 MT on July 22 with a growth of 13.41%.
• The cumulative coal production (up to July 23) has seen a quantum jump of 292.12 MT (Provisional) in FY 23-24 as compared to 265.94 MT during the same period in FY 22-23 with a growth of 9.84%.
• This highlights the efficiency of the coal supply chain in ensuring the smooth distribution of coal across the country.
• Ministry of Coal is committed to ensuring consistent coal production and dispatch during monsoon season and has implemented a range of strategies to safeguard mining operations and enhance operational efficiency.
• The Coal sector has seen an unprecedented upswing as coal production, dispatch, and stock position reached remarkable heights.
• The relentless dedication of Coal PSUs has been instrumental in driving extraordinary growth.
• The Ministry of Coal remains committed to collaborated efforts, technological advancement and sustainable practices to ensure a reliable and resilient energy sector.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Shivendra Nath Appointed as Chairman & Managing Director of Engineering Projects India Ltd 

• Shivendra Nath, a distinguished 1994-batch IAS officer, has been chosen by the esteemed Public Enterprises Selection Board (PSEB) panel to assume the pivotal role of Chairman & Managing Director at Engineering Projects India Ltd (EPIL), a significant Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises.

Roles & Responsibilities :

• In his new role, Nath will be the Chief Executive of the company working under the board and directors.
• He will be responsible for the smooth functioning of the company in order to achieve the organisational objectives.
• Currently, he holds the position of Senior General Manager at Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), which is also a PSU under the Department of Telecommunications.

About PSEB :

• PSEB is vested with the crucial task of identifying and appointing key personnel, including Chairman, Managing Director, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, and Functional Director, in Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs), as well as positions at other designated levels as specified by the Government.
• The board also provides advisory services to the Government regarding matters related to appointments, confirmation, extension of tenure, and termination of services for personnel at the aforementioned levels.

About Engineers India Limited (EIL) :

• Founded : 1965
• Headquarters : New Delhi
• EIL is an Indian public sector engineering consultancy and technology licensing company.

Aim :

• To provide indigenous technology solutions across hydrocarbon projects

CURRENT AFFAIRS : DEFENCE NEWS

Indian Army applies common uniform for Brigadier, above rank officers

• The Indian Army implemented a common uniform for Brigadier and above rank officers irrespective of the parent cadre and appointment.
• The decision was taken after detailed deliberations during a recently concluded Army Commanders Conference and extensive consultations with all stakeholders.

Aim :

• To promote and strengthen the common identity and approach in service matters amongst senior leadership, beyond the boundaries of regimentation.

Key Highlights :

• The headgear, shoulder rank badges, gorget patches, belts and shoes of senior officers of flag rank (Brigadier and above) will now be standardised and common.
• The flag-rank officers will now not wear any lanyards.
• There is no change to the uniform worn by Colonels and below-rank officers.

About Indian Army :

• Chief of Defence Staff : General Anil Chauhan
• Chief of the Army Staff : General Manoj Pande

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Maruti Suzuki to acquire Suzuki Motor Gujarat from Japanese parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation

• Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest automaker, has announced a significant strategic move to acquire Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG) from its Japanese parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC).
• The board of Maruti Suzuki approved this acquisition on July 31, 2023 & set to be completed before March 31, 2024.
• Currently, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) owns a 100% stake in Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG) which supplies its entire production to Maruti Suzuki.
• The transfer of this entire stake to Maruti Suzuki India is considered a related party transaction and will be carried out in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations.
• Suzuki Motor in 2014 decided to set up a separate manufacturing facility in Gujarat as its wholly owned subsidiary & produced 750,000 units annually.
• Maruti Suzuki plans to drive in 6 EVs in the local market by 2030.
• Separately, the board also approved the appointment of Yukihiro Yamashita as a director and designated as joint managing director with effect August 1 for three years.

About Maruti Suzuki :

• Established : 24 February 1981
• Headquarters : New Delhi, Delhi, India
• Chairman : RC Bhargava
• MD & CEO : Hisashi Takeuchi

CURRENT AFFAIRS : SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA launches streaming service NASA+

• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has introduced an on-demand streaming platform, name NASA+.
• NASA’s new platform will provide live coverage of space events, original content and documentaries, which will be available exclusively on the platform where content will be ad-free and without any charge.
• Moreover, NASA is also revamping its science websites.
• For now, it is a beta website that can be accessed through the preview of the beta website.
• NASA has invited the public to explore the website and also submit feedback at beta.nasa.gov.
• Based on these feedbacks, NASA will continue to update and improve the beta site on a rolling-basis.

Recent News :

• In July 2023, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released a new image of a small star-forming region captured by James Webb Space Telescope to celebrate the completion of the telescope’s first year of science.

About NASA :

• Established : July 29, 1958
• Headquarters : Washington, D.C, United States of America
• Administrator : Bill Nelson

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AD HONOURS

Ministry of Steel invites applications from Individuals from Industry Research & Academia for National Metallurgist Awards-2023

• The Ministry of Steel, Government of India confers National Metallurgist Awards 2023 to recognise outstanding contributions in the metallurgical field, covering Operations, Research & Development, Waste Management and Energy Conservation.
• Applications for Metallurgist Awards (NMA) – 2023 are invited from Individuals from Industry Research & Academia.

The objective of the National Metallurgist Awards Scheme

• NMA scheme recognizes the outstanding contributions of metallurgists working in the Iron & Steel sector covering the fields of manufacturing, research, design, education, waste management, and energy conservation and their specific contribution to achieving the objectives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

The Awards will be given in the following Four categories: –

• Lifetime Achievement Award
• National Metallurgist Award
• Young Metallurgist Award
• Environment
• Metal Science
• Award for R&D in the Iron & Steel Sector
• Guidelines regarding eligibility criteria and other terms and conditions related to National Metallurgist Awards are also available in the website link above.
• This scheme is only for Indian nationals who have made contributions to the field of metallurgy in India through their work in industry, R&D or academia.
• Eligibility of candidate will be considered from 01/01/2023.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

AIIMS Partners with IREDA for Solarization of AIIMS New Delhi:

• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (AIIMS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate the technical assessment of the AIIMS New Delhi campus for converting it into one which is powered by solar energy.
• Towards this, IREDA will undertake a techno-commercial assessment of the AIIMS campus.
• The evaluation as provided in the MoU includes creating financial models, conducting pre-feasibility studies, preparing a detailed project report (DPR), assisting in the analysis of technical and commercial aspects related to project development, finalizing commercial and contracting arrangements, and defining performance indicators.
• By engaging in this partnership and implementing solar power projects, AIIMS aims to significantly reduce its electricity expenditure while concurrently minimizing its carbon footprint with the help of IREDA.
• The MoU was signed at AIIMS, New Delhi, by Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), IREDA, Shri Pradip Kumar Das and AIIMS Director Dr. M Srinivas, in the presence of senior officials of both organisations.

About IREDA

• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited is formed in 1987 as a Mini Ratna Government of India Enterprise under the Government of India and administratively controlled by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• Founded: 1987
• Headquarters: New Delhi

About AIIMS

• All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, also known as AIIMS Delhi, is a public medical research university and hospital in New Delhi, India. The institute is governed by the AIIMS Act, of 1956 and operates autonomously under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

NHPC and ALIMCO sign an MoU for providing aids and assistive devices to Divyangjans

• NHPC Limited and Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, under which NHPC will provide CSR support for the distribution of aids and assistive devices to around 1,000 Divyangjans (Persons with Disabilities) in the vicinity of NHPC Projects located in North and North Eastern states.
• The MoU was signed at NHPC Corporate Office, Faridabad, under the CSR initiative of NHPC.
• The MoU was signed by Group Deputy General Manager (HR), CSR & SD, NHPC and General Manager – Marketing, ALIMCO in the presence of Shri Uttam Lal, Director (Personnel), NHPC; Executive Director (CSR & SD), NHPC, and other senior officers from NHPC CSR&SD Division and ALIMCO.

About NHPC:

• NHPC Limited is an Indian public sector hydropower company that was incorporated in 1975 to plan, promote and organise an integrated and efficient development of hydroelectric power. Recently it has expanded to include other sources of energy like solar, geothermal, tidal, and wind.
• Founded: 7 November 1975
• Headquarters: Faridabad, India

About ALIMCO:

• Headquarters: Kanpur
• Founded: 1972

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Norwegian woman, Nepali Sherpa become the ‘fastest’ to climb the world’s 14 tallest peaks

• In an enthralling turn of events, a Norwegian woman named Kristin Harila, 37 and her guide, Nepal’s Tenjen (Lama) Sherpa, 35, have bagged the record as the fastest climbers to ascend all 14 highest peaks in the world.
• The duo climbed their last peak, Mount K2 in Pakistan, completing their record in just three months and one day.
• As per a report in The Guardian, the previous record was held by Nirmal “Nims” Purja, who achieved the milestone in three months and five days.
• Tashi Lakpa Sherpa from Seven Summit Treks (SST), a Nepal-based organising company, said that the duo’s achievement of ascending all peaks above 8,000 metres or 26,246 feet, places them at first in the shortest time they climbed it with eight other guides.
• Additionally, one of the sherpas, Nima Rinjin Sherpa, 17, also became the youngest to climb K2.
• They have become the fastest to climb all 14 peaks. Climbing all 14 highest peaks in a few months is a challenging feat, which is normally done by many climbers in years

Daily CA One-Liner: 3^rd August

• One97 Communications Limited (OCL), the parent company of Paytm, India’s prominent payments and financial services company, launched two payment devices – Paytm Pocket Soundbox and Paytm Music Sound Box to provide enhanced payment experiences for merchants while being non-promotional.
• Bank credit registered a robust growth of 3% year-on-year (y-o-y) in June 2023 as compared with 15% a year ago on the back of strong demand for credit from sectors such as services, retail and agriculture, and allied activities.
• India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has raised ₹10,000 crore after issuing 15-year infrastructure bonds at the coupon rate of 7.54%.
• According to the State Bank of India’s (SBI) Economic Research Department (ERD), per capita women deposits increased by ₹4,618 in the last 5 years from ₹37,885 in FY19 to ₹42,503 in FY23.
• Jana Small Finance Bank Ltd (Jana SFB) has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with capital market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an Initial Public Offering (IPO).
• Government of India under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) introduced the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, in his address to the people of the country during the popular programme ‘Mann ki Baat’ has always accorded prominence to the beautiful cultural fabric of the country and how diversity also acts as a unifying force.
• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh launched India’s first Indigenously developed, Affordable, lightweight, Ultrafast, High Field (1.5 Tesla), Next Generation Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner in New Delhi.
• The union minister for New & Renewable Energy and Power has informed that under Green Energy Corridor Phase-II, a project has been approved for setting up of 624 km of transmission lines and 2200 MVA capacity substations by FY 2025-26, for evacuation of renewable energy power of approx. 4000 MW capacity in the state of Tamil Nadu.
• India will be hosting a World Coffee Conference for the first time, with its fifth edition promoted by the International Coffee Organisation to be held in Bengaluru from September 25 to September 28.
• The Ministry of Coal has achieved a substantial surge in overall coal production during the month of July 23, reaching 68.75 Million tonnes (MT), surpassing 60.25 MT of the month of July 22, representing an increase of 14.11%.
• The Ministry of Steel, Government of India confers National Metallurgist Awards to recognise outstanding contributions in the metallurgical field, covering Operations, Research & Development, Waste Management and Energy Conservation.
• Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (AIIMS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate the technical assessment of the AIIMS New Delhi campus for converting it into one which is powered by solar energy.
• NHPC Limited and Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, under which NHPC will provide CSR support for the distribution of aids and assistive devices to around 1,000 Divyangjans (Persons with Disabilities) in the vicinity of NHPC Projects located in North and North Eastern states.
• In an enthralling turn of events, a Norwegian woman named Kristin Harila, 37 and her guide, Nepal’s Tenjen (Lama) Sherpa, 35, have bagged the record as the fastest climbers to ascend all 14 highest peaks in the world.
• Foodtech giant Swiggy has launched a co-branded credit card in partnership with HDFC Bank to lure customers and get an upper hand over its rival Zomato.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region announced that Bhutan and Timor-Leste have successfully eliminated rubella, a highly contagious viral infection that can cause severe illness and irreversible birth defects in newborns when contracted during pregnancy.
• Shivendra Nath, a distinguished 1994-batch IAS officer, has been chosen by the esteemed Public Enterprises Selection Board (PSEB) panel to assume the pivotal role of Chairman & Managing Director at Engineering Projects India Ltd (EPIL), a significant Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises.
• The Indian Army implemented a common uniform for Brigadier and above rank officers irrespective of the parent cadre and appointment.
• Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest automaker, has announced a significant strategic move to acquire Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG) from its Japanese parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC).
• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has introduced an on-demand streaming platform, name NASA+.