Amazon inaugurates its world's biggest campus building in Hyderabad

NATIONAL NEWS

Amazon inaugurates its world's biggest campus building in Hyderabad

• Amazon India inaugurated the largest company-owned campus, worldwide, in Hyderabad, the only one outside the US. The e-commerce firm will house more than 15,000 employees out of the over 62,000 members of the India team.
• The move is part of Amazon’s expansion plans in India, where retail markets are still to a large extent driven by traditional neighbourhood stores.
• Amazon’s new campus building, located in Hyderabad’s financial district near Hi-Tech city, is also a step towards countering Walmart Inc., which had acquired India’s largest e-commerce firm Flipkart last year.

SMVDU, NISE sign MoU to achieve national solar mission

• A university based in Jammu and the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work jointly to achieve the objective of national solar mission through training programmes.
• The MoU, which will be valid till five years, was signed by Prof Mukkapandhoy and Prof V K Bhat of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), and Deputy General Director of NISE Dr Chandan Banerjee, said SMVDU PRO Rajan Badyal.

Punjab launches Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojna

• In a tribute to late former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 75th birth anniversary, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh launched his government’s flagship universal health insurance scheme ‘Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana’, benefitting nearly 46 lakh families.
• E-cards were handed over to the first 11 beneficiaries from Mohali district to kick off the scheme, which would entitle beneficiaries to avail annual cashless treatment up to Rs five lakh per family per year, including pre-existing diseases, was aimed at ensuring the best possible treatment to the beneficiaries free of cost.

FACTS

CEO of Amazon- Jeff Bezos,

Headquarters-Seattle, United States.

Digit Insurance, KVB tie-up for bancassurance

• Digit Insurance has entered into a bancassurance tie-up with Karur Vysya Bank. Commenting on the pact, Kamesh Goyal, Chairman, Digit Insurance.
• The tie-up will help us reach out to the SMEs and cover business interruption and loss with a fixed benefit beyond the regular coverage available in the market.
• According to KVB’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer PR Seshadri, this will be the first insurance collaboration for the bank specifically aimed at the SME segment.

Government to launch an e-commerce portal to help SMEs

• The government is planning to launch an e-commerce project called 'Bharatcraft' for micro small and medium enterprises (MSME), on the lines of global online shopping platform such as Alibaba.

• The proposed platform could generate a turnover of Rs 10 trillion over the next few years.

Union Bank of India launched its Go Green Campaign: A Step Towards Sustainability

• Union Bank of India marked its centenary year celebrations by Going Green and launching series of green initiatives to reduce the carbon foot prints and create a positive impact on the environment.
• A Go Green campaign was inaugurated on the 73rd Independence Day celebration which included a Green Pledge, floating of an e-Magazine and plantation of trees through all 63 regions across the country.
• The event was launched through “ECOTHON” a green march led by Shri Rajkiran Rai G. MD & CEO, Union Bank along with his team from the Corporate Office at Nariman Point to Marine Drive. 

APPOINTMENT

Ajay Kumar Bhalla is new home secretary

• Ajay Kumar Bhalla, currently serving as an officer on special duty in the home ministry, was appointed as the new Union home secretary.
• The Appointments Committee of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved Bhalla's appointment as the new home secretary. He replaces Rajiv Gauba, who was appointed as the new cabinet secretary.

HDFC Bank elevates Srinivasan Vaidyanathan to CFO level

• Private lender HDFC Bank appointed Srinivasan Vaidyanathan as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as the bank seeks to strengthen compliance with regulatory norms.
• The bank's board of directors cleared his appointment with immediate effect. He was earlier Group Finance Head.

SPACE

Russia launches humanoid robot Fedor into space

• A Russian humanoid robot is on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) after blasting off on a 10-day mission to support the astronauts on board.
• Known as Fedor, which stands for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research, the Skybot F-850 became the first humanoid robot to be sent to space by Russia after it was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

RELATED TO PERSON

Akshay Kumar ranks 4th on Forbes World's Highest Paid Actors 2019 list

• Akshay Kumar is not only the highest-paid Bollywood star, he is the fourth highest-paid actor in the world. Forbes has just released its list of Highest-Paid Actors 2019, and the superstar ranks fourth, after Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey Jr.
• The magazine reports that Akshay earned a staggering $65 million (around Rs 466 crore) between June 1, 2018, and June 1, 2019.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Photography Day 2019

• World Photography Day is celebrated so that people around the world can communicate their feelings and express themselves through the art of photography.
• The whole idea behind the day is to hold discussions about photography and encourage those who want to pursue photography as a hobby or career.
• At the same time, on this day the pioneers who inspired others to take up this skill are remembered for their contribution.