28th August, 2024

1. Key Takeaways from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s Visit to the US
2. India to Place Repeat Order for 73,000 SiG 716 Rifles from the US
3. India-US Agreements Finalized
4. REC Limited to Finance ₹45,000 Crore for JNPA Infrastructure Projects
5. SBI Research: India’s Q1 FY25 GDP Growth Expected at 7.1%, Matching RBI Forecast
6. Jana Small Finance Bank Wins 4 Awards at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave 2024
7. Nari Hira, Noted Film Producer and Magna Publishing Owner, Passes Away
8. Himachal Pradesh Launches ‘Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana’ with ₹53.21 Crore Allocation
9. India Develops Indigenous RT-PCR Testing Kit for Mpox
10. Indian Air Force’s Sarang Team to Perform at Egypt International Airshow 2023
11. Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to Develop ‘Shri Krishna Gaman Path’
12. Five-Year-Old Teghbir Singh Climbs Mount Kilimanjaro
13. Amazon Introduces Rufus: AI-Powered Shopping Assistant
14. NHRC India Announces Winners of OHRPC 2024
15. Jay Shah Elected as New ICC Chairman
16. Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman Inaugurates GST Bhawan in Udaipur
17. 24th International Mother Teresa Awards Held in Dubai
18. Olympic Cyclist Daniela Chirinos Dies at 51
19. Spices Board Launches SPICED Scheme to Enhance Spice Exports and Productivity
20. India and Indonesia Pledge to Strengthen Anti-Terror Cooperation

National News

1. India-Indonesia Hold 6th Joint Working Group Meeting on Counter-Terrorism
   • What
     • The 6th meeting of the India-Indonesia Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism was held in Jakarta.
     • The Indian delegation was led by Shri K.D. Dewal, Joint Secretary (Counter-Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Indonesian delegation was headed by Mr. Andhika Chrisnayudhanto, Deputy for International Cooperation at the National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT).
   • Why
     • The meeting aimed to discuss global counter-terrorism challenges and ongoing cooperation between India and Indonesia in this area.
   • Tell me more
     • They discussed cooperation in regional and global forums like the UN, ARF, and ASEAN to combat global terrorism.
     • Counter-terrorism cooperation is an important element of the India-Indonesia partnership.
     • The two countries agreed to hold the 7th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism in New Delhi at a mutually convenient date.
       Source: MEA
2. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Concludes Successful US Visit
   • What
     • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has concluded his official visit to the United States from August 23 to 26, 2024.
   • Why
     • The visit aimed to further deepen and broaden the India-U.S. Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, particularly in the defence sector.
   • Tell me more
     • During his visit, Singh interacted with the Indian diaspora and described them as a ‘living bridge’ between India and the U.S., fostering close relations and goodwill.
     • He acknowledged the Indian community’s efforts in establishing an exhibit of Mahatma Gandhi and placing ‘Gandhi Way’ street signals near the National Civil Rights Museum.
     • Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, where both leaders expressed satisfaction over the completion of the Security of Supplies Arrangement (SOSA), which promotes defence industrial cooperation between India and the United States.
       • The SOSA is a key agreement that the United States has signed with 18 other nations, including several non-NATO allies.
       • India is the 18th SOSA partner of the US. Under the pact, the US and India will provide reciprocal priority support to each other for goods and services that promote national defence.
       • It is aimed at ensuring that each country can maintain the necessary supply chain resilience in times of need.
     • American weapons manufacturer Sig Sauer announced that India’s Ministry of Defence has placed an order for 73,000 SIG716 rifles, adding to the previous order of 72,400 rifles in 2019.
       Source: ET LM MoC

State News

1. Himachal Pradesh Launches Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana
   • What
     • The Himachal Pradesh government has launched the ‘Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana’ with an annual allocation of ₹53.21 crore.
   • Why
     • The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to widows, destitute women, divorced women, and disabled parents to support the education and well-being of their children.
   • Tell me more
     • Under the scheme, eligible women and disabled parents will receive a monthly grant of ₹1,000 for children under 18 years to cover educational, health, and nutritional expenses.
     • Children admitted to undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, or vocational courses will receive financial aid for tuition and hostel costs.
     • The scheme targets vulnerable groups, helping to prevent issues like child abuse, trafficking, and teenage marriages.
     • All eligible women and individuals with a family income not exceeding ₹1 lakh per annum can apply for the scheme.
       Source: BS
2. Rajasthan and MP to Develop ‘Shri Krishna Gaman Path’
   • What
     • Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma announced the development of a new religious circuit called ‘Shri Krishna Gaman Path’.
   • Why
     • The circuit will connect Krishna’s birthplace Mathura in Uttar Pradesh with Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, tracing the footsteps of Lord Krishna.
   • Tell me more
     • The Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh governments will jointly develop the circuit, identifying the places where Krishna left his footprints while travelling from Mathura to Ujjain.
     • The Chief Minister visited the Sandipani Ashram in Ujjain, where Krishna received his teachings, and offered prayers at the Mahakaleshwar temple.

Source: ET

3. Union Finance Minister Inaugurates GST Bhawan in Udaipur
   • What
     • Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, inaugurated the GST Bhawan, an official complex of CGST, Udaipur Commissionerate.
   • Why
     • The inauguration aims to enhance infrastructure for GST Zones and improve facilities for taxpayers and staff.
   • Tell me more
     • The GST Bhawan is located in Udaipur, Rajasthan, and serves as a hub for commodities like zinc, lead, silver, cement, fertilizer, and tyres.
     • The complex is designed to be modern and energy-efficient, complying with the Government of India’s green building norms.

Source: PIB

Banking and Economy

1. Amazon Launches AI Shopping Assistant Rufus in India
   • What
     • Amazon has introduced Rufus, a GenAI-powered shopping assistant, in beta version for customers in India.
   • Why
     • The AI assistant aims to enhance the shopping experience by helping customers discover products, answering shopping-related questions, and providing personalized recommendations.
   • Tell me more
     • Amazon has developed an internal language model specifically designed for shopping, trained on product catalogue data and customer-generated content from reviews and community Q&As.
     • Rufus is available in 13 Indian languages, including Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil, and customers can shop in eight different languages, including English.
     • The app’s performance has been fine-tuned to work efficiently with varying internet speeds and phone setups, ensuring fast and accessible service for all users.

Source: TOI

GDP Forecasts

1. SBI’s Ecowrap Report: Indian Economy Expected to Grow at 7.0-7.1% in Q1 of FY25
   • What
     • The Indian economy is projected to grow at 7.0-7.1% in the April-June quarter of 2024-25, according to a report by SBI Research.
   • Tell me more
     • India’s GDP grew by 8.2% during the financial year 2023-24, making it the fastest-growing major economy.
     • The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised India’s growth projections for 2024 from 6.8% to 7%.
     • The Economic Survey projected India’s real GDP growth at 6.5-7% for 2024-25.
     • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected GDP growth for 2024-25 at 7.2%, with specific quarterly growth rates of 7.1% for Q1, 7.2% for Q2, 7.3% for Q3, and 7.2% for Q4.

Source: ET

Defence News

1. Indian Air Force to Showcase Sarang Helicopters in Egypt
   • What
     • The Indian Air Force (IAF) is sending a team of five Sarang helicopters to participate in the first edition of the Egypt International Airshow from September 3 to 5.
   • Tell me more
     • The Sarang helicopters are being transported by C-17 aircraft to Al-Alamein International Airport for the airshow.
     • The Sarang helicopters are Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH Mk-I) manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
     • The IAF recently concluded the first phase of the ‘Tarang Shakti’ air exercise, involving air forces from Germany, France, Spain, and the UK.
     • The second phase of the ‘Tarang Shakti’ exercise is scheduled to take place from August 29 to September 14 at Air Force Station Jodhpur.
       Source: ANI

Science and Technology

1. India Develops RT-PCR Kit to Combat Mpox
   • What
     • India has developed a home-grown RT-PCR testing kit to detect Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox), which has been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
   • Why
     • The development of this testing kit aims to enhance India’s capacity to diagnose and manage the recent public health emergency related to Mpox.
   • Tell me more
     • The IMDX Monkeypox Detection RT-PCR Assay by Siemens Healthineers received manufacturing approval and will be produced in Vadodara, with a capacity of 1 million reactions per year.
     • The test targets two regions of the viral genome, allowing detection of both clade I and clade II variants of the virus.
     • Results from the test will be available in just 40 minutes, significantly faster than traditional methods, which can take 1-2 hours.

Source: BS

Agriculture and Rural Development

1. Spices Board Launches Transformative Scheme ‘SPICED’
   • What
     • Spices Board has launched a new scheme called ‘Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development (SPICED)’.
   • Why
     • The scheme aims to significantly enhance the export of spices and value-added spice products, improve the productivity of cardamoms, and upgrade the post-harvest quality of spices across India for export.
   • Tell me more
     • The SPICED scheme will be implemented during the remaining period of the 15th Finance Commission cycle, till FY 2025-26, with a total approved outlay of Rs 422.30 crore.
     • It will facilitate value addition, drive innovation and sustainability in the spice sector by introducing new sub-components/programs like the Mission Value Addition, Mission Clean and Safe Spices, promotion of GI spices, and support for entrepreneurship through Spice Incubation Centres.

Source: UNI

Awards

1. Jana Small Finance Bank Wins Four Awards at ICC Event
   • What
     • Jana Small Finance Bank received four awards at the 2nd Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards in Delhi.
   • Tell me more
     • The bank was honored with the titles of Best Small Finance Bank, Best Performance on Profitability (Runners-up), Best Performance on Asset Quality, and Best Performance on Risk Management.

2. Five-Year-Old Teghbir Singh Summits Mount Kilimanjaro
   • What
     • Teghbir Singh, a five-year-old boy from Ropar, Punjab, has become the youngest Asian to summit Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 5,895 meters.
   • Tell me more
     • Teghbir began his journey on August 18 and reached Uhuru Peak, the highest point of the mountain, on August 23.
     • His father, Sukhinderdeep Singh, mentioned that Teghbir prepared for nearly a year under the guidance of his coach, Bikramjit Singh Ghuman.
       Source: TOI

3. NHRC Announces Results of Online Photography Competition
   • What
     • The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has announced the results of its online human rights photography competition for 2024.
   • Why
     • The competition aimed to capture visual impressions of human rights situations and raise awareness about various human rights issues.
   • Tell me more
     • The competition ran from June 7 to July 7, 2024, inviting entries on 10 themes related to socio-economic, cultural, and political rights.
     • The jury did not award first and second prizes but selected one photograph for the third prize of ₹5,000 and five consolation prizes of ₹2,000 each.
     • Earlier, in February 2024, NHRC announced the winners of its ninth annual short film competition, highlighting various human rights issues.

Source: NHRC 1 NHRC 2

Memorandum of Understanding

1. REC Limited to Finance ₹45,000 Crore for JNPA Projects
   • What
     • REC Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) to finance up to ₹45,000 crore for various infrastructure projects, including the development of Vadhavan Port.
   • Why
     • The MoU aims to establish a framework for cooperation between JNPA and REC, allowing JNPA to implement projects while REC provides the necessary funding.
   • Tell me more
     • REC is a Maharatna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Power, focused on financing infrastructure projects across India.
     • JNPA is a premier container-handling port, responsible for about 50% of the total containerized cargo volume in major Indian ports.
     • The Vadhavan Port project is part of India’s largest port development plan, valued at ₹76,220 crore.
       Source: ET

Appointments

1. Jay Shah Elected as New ICC Chairperson
   • What
     • Jay Shah has been elected unopposed as the next chairperson of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
   • Why
     • Shah aims to enhance the global profile and popularity of cricket, particularly with the inclusion of cricket in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
   • Tell me more
     • Shah will officially take over the new role on December 1, 2024, becoming the youngest chairperson in the ICC’s history at 36 years old.
     • He has served as the honorary secretary for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) since October 2019 and the chairperson for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) since January 2021.
     • Shah highlighted the need to balance multiple formats, embrace advanced technologies, and introduce marquee events to new markets.

Source: OC

Miscellaneous

1. Nari Hira, Founder of Stardust Magazine, Passes Away
   • Nari Hira, the founder and editor of Stardust Magazine, passed away on August 23 at the age of 86.
   • He founded Magna Publishing and launched several popular magazines, including Stardust, Savvy, Showtime, Society, and Health.
   • Hira earned the title ‘King of Indian Magazines’ for his contributions to the publishing industry.
     Source: ET

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