NATIONAL NEWS

Jharkhand Launches Mukhyamantri Maiyaan Samman Yojana

The Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand has launched the Mukhyamantri Maiyaan Samman Yojana to provide financial assistance to eligible women in the state.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will officially launch the scheme on 16 August 2024.

The Mukhyamantri Maiyaan Samman Yojana was earlier called Jharkhand Behan Beti Swavalamban Protsahan Yojana.

The Mukhyamantri Maiyaan Samman Yojana aims to empower the women of the state by making them financially strong.

It also aims to improve the level of education, health and nutrition of women by providing them with financial assistance.

The Mukhyamantri Maiyaan Samman Yojana is a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme in which eligible women beneficiaries receive Rs 1000 per month from the state government directly in their bank accounts.

Women in the age group of 21-50 years are eligible for the scheme.

The beneficiary's annual income shall be less than Rs 8 lakhs.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Shubhanshu Shukla of IAF Selected as Primary Gaganyatri for ISS Mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced the names of the two Indian gaganyatri (astronauts) for the forthcoming joint India -United States of America (USA) mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

According to the ISRO, the National Mission Assignment Board has selected Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla as the prime gaganyatri and Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair as the backup gaganyatri.

ISRO conceived the Gaganyaan Mission in 2007, which involved sending Indians to space for a three-day mission and successfully bringing them back.

The project was launched in 2018 with a budget of Rs 10,000 crore.

Four Indian Air Force pilots were selected for the mission, and they underwent training in Russia.

ISRO conceived the Gaganyaan Mission in 2007, which involved sending Indians to space for a three-day mission and successfully bringing them back.

The project was launched in 2018 with a budget of Rs 10,000 crore.

Four Indian Air Force pilots were selected for the mission, and they underwent training in Russia.

 

BANKING

RBL Bank Introduces Rupay Credit Cards

RBL Bank has announced integration of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) services on RuPay Credit Cards it sells.

The offering combines multiple payment capabilities into a single card.

Users can make seamless and secure payments through UPI.

It facilitates hassle-free travel with the NCMC feature.

The card combines multiple payment capabilities into one, offering flexibility for daily expenses and travel.

The RuPay network ensures extensive usability across various platforms and services throughout India.

RBL Bank is the first private sector bank to offer this integrated payment solution, potentially setting a precedent for other banks.

Asian Development Bank to Provide $200 Million Loan to India

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a $200 million (approximately ₹1,700 crore) loan for solid waste management and sanitation improvements in 100 cities across 8 states in India.

The initiative is part of the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 - Comprehensive Municipal Waste Management in Indian Cities Program.

Aim is to enhance sanitation and solid waste management infrastructure, including waste segregation, collection, and disposal.

The facilities will include climate- and disaster-resilient features, gender equality, and social inclusion-responsive elements.

The programme will build the capacity of urban local bodies for waste management and sanitation.

It also encourages peer-to-peer learning and proactive engagement with the private sector.

SWIFT and Axis Bank Launch AI-Driven Pilot

Belgium-headquartered Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT), the global specialist in financial transactions, is launching an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven pilot in partnership with Axis Bank to help combat payments fraud occurring in cross-border payments.

Along with global banks, including BNY Mellon, Deutsche Bank, DNB, HSBC, Intesa Sanpaolo and Standard Bank, the duo will test the use of secure data collaboration and federated learning technologies.

The pilot is expected to leverage a secure infrastructure that will enable financial institutions to exchange relevant information with strong privacy-preserving controls.

The pilot will use AI algorithms to analyse historical transaction data and detect anomalies indicative of fraud.

SWIFT is also working towards contributing to the cross-border interoperability of potential central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).

 

DEFENCE

INS Tabar Conducts Maritime Partnership Exercise with Russian Navy

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tabar, commanded by Captain MR Harish with a crew of 280 officers and sailors, conducted a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Russian Navy Ship Soobrazitelny on 30 July 2024.

The INS Tabar was leaving the St. Petersburg port in Russia after participating in the 328th Russian Navy Day Parade celebrations.

It was the second time that INS Tabar was participating in the Russian Navy Day Parade.

It participated in the 325th Russian Navy Day Parade held in 2021.

INS Tabar of the Indian Navy is a Talwar Class multi-role stealth frigate. It was constructed at St. Petersburg's Baltic Shipyard in Russia and was commissioned in the Indian Navy in 2004.

INS Tabar is part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet, which is based in Mumbai and under Western Naval Command.

New Delhi host 14th Indo-Vietnamese Defence Policy Dialogue

India hosted the 14th India-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue in New Delhi on 1 August 2024.

The meeting was part of the wider military-to-military dialogue between the two countries to strengthen the bilateral defence relationship.

The 14th India-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue was co-chaired by the Indian Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of National Defence, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed the range of bilateral defence cooperation issues.

The Vietnamese proposed five focus areas for cooperation - delegation exchanges and dialogue, staff talks, Service-to-Service cooperation, education and training, and Defence Industry cooperation.

Both sides signed a Letter of Intent to strengthen cooperation in the field of training, including the exchange of instructors and experts.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

First Female Director General of Medical Services (Army)

Lieutenant General Sadhna Saxena Nair, assumed the office of Director General Medical Services (Army), becoming the first woman to be appointed to this prestigious position.

Prior to this, she was the first woman to hold the post of DG Hospital Services (Armed Forces) on promotion to the rank of Air Marshal.

Lt Gen Nair graduated from the Armed Forces Medical College, Pune with a distinguished academic record and was commissioned into the Army Medical Corps in December 1985.

She holds a Postgraduate degree in Family Medicine, Diplomas in Maternal and Child Health and Health Care Management, and has undergone a two-year training programme in Medical Informatics at AIIMS, New Delhi.

She was trained in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Warfare with the Israeli Defence Forces and in Military Medical Ethics with the Swiss Armed Forces in Spiez.

She is also the first woman Principal Medical Officer of Western Air Command, and Training Command, Indian Air Force (IAF).

She was nominated as an expert member of Dr Kasturirangan Committee for drafting part of the medical education component of the National Education Policy.

 

SPORTS

Indian Shooter Swapnil Kusale Wins Bronze in Men’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions

Indian shooter Swapnil Kusale achieved a remarkable milestone by winning the bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions final at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

This victory marks India's first-ever Olympic medal in this event and the third overall in rifle shooting, following Abhinav Bindra's gold in men’s 10m air rifle at Beijing 2008 and Gagan Narang's bronze in the same event at London 2012.

India won total three medals, all in shooting events.

Manu Bhaker: Bronze in women’s 10m air pistol individual event.

Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh: Bronze in 10m air pistol mixed team.

Swapnil Kusale: Bronze in men’s 50m rifle 3 positions.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

Indian Organ Donation Day

The 14th Indian Organ Donation Day is being observed across the country on 3 August 2024.

The Indian Organ Donation Day is observed to increase awareness about organ donation amongst the people. It also commemorates the contributions made to society by deceased donors and their families.

The Indian Organ Donation Day also aims to clear myths and misconceptions regarding organ donation and motivate and encourage people to donate their organs and tissues after death.

The Indian Organ Donation Day has been observed since 2010 in the country.

In 2022, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation decided to observe the Indian Organ Donation Day on 3 August every year.

This day has been chosen because on 3 August 1994 the first successful deceased donor heart transplant was conducted in India. A brain stem dead person's heart was donated by a family member, which saved the life of another person.