NATIONAL NEWS

‘One District One Product’ Wall at SARAS Ajeevika Store

• One District One Product (ODOP) program, an initiative under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, launched its collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development in New Delhi.
• The ODOP Wall at SARAS Aajeevika Store stands as a symbol of the harmonious partnership between these two vital ministries.
• SARAS Aajeevika is an initiative by Deendayal Antyodaya (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.
• SARAS Aajeevika is a strong supporter of women’s empowerment, with a special focus on uplifting women artisans and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
• By creating a special marketplace for their well-crafted products, SARAS Aajeevika boosts the skills and talents of these women, helping them become independent entrepreneurs.
• In a significant collaboration, the ODOP program has joined hands with the Ministry of Rural Development to implement innovative features such as product tagging and story cards.
• These additions aim to guide consumers and enthusiasts towards emporiums, thereby boosting sales and magnifying the visibility of India’s exceptional products.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan Launches DBT in NAPS

• Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS).
• An amount of Rs. 15 crores were disbursed to one lakh apprentices by the Minister marking the launch of DBT in NAPS.
• A total of 25 lakh youth have been engaged as apprentices since the inception of National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme in 2016, till 31 July 2023.
• .Around 2.6 lakh Apprentices have completed training in FY 23-24.
• The Government of India’s proactive efforts to promote quality training across sectors, led to the number of active establishments subsequently increase from 6,755 in 2018-19 to 40,655 in 2023-24.
• The launch of DBT in National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme is a big step towards fulfilling our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of making skilling an apprenticeship aspirational as well as encouraging earning while learning as envisioned in NEP.
• He congratulated all the 1 lakh apprentices who have received stipend through DBT.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Dubai Launches Indian Independence Day Celebrations

• The spirit of India’s independence has ignited in Dubai as the city embarks on a series of vibrant events to celebrate the nation’s freedom.
• This year, Dubai has taken the lead in kick-starting the Indian Independence Day festivities, uniting its diverse population and the thriving Indian expatriate community in a grand celebration.
• The Consulate General of India has partnered with the iconic Burjuman Mall to spearhead these festivities.
• The mall’s central location and significance in the city’s cultural landscape make it a fitting venue to host a series of engaging events that showcase India’s rich heritage.
• Colourful performances, showcasing the diverse tapestry of Indian culture, have been a highlight, enchanting both residents and visitors.
• With an impressive figure of 3.554 million Indians currently contributing to its workforce, the United Arab Emirates stands proudly as the leading employer of Indian expatriates.

Bilateral Trade Between India and Angola

• The bilateral trade between India and Angola has grown from 2.14 billion dollars in 2020-21 to 4.22 billion dollars during 2022-23.
• India is also the third largest trading partner of Angola sharing about 10 percent of Angola’s external trade.
• During the first India-Angloa Inaugural Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Luanda two sides carried out a comprehensive review of the existing bilateral relations.
• They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
• Detailed talks were held on available opportunities for enhanced cooperation in the fields of rough diamonds trade, agriculture, food processing and defence cooperation.
• It also includes India’s offer of a Line of Credit of 100 million dollars to Angola for defence procurement.

BANKING

RBI Proposes to Raise UPI-Lite Payments Limit

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced to increase the transaction payment limit from Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 for UPI Lite in offline mode to promote digital transactions.
• However, the overall limit of small-value digital transactions is kept unchanged at 2,000 rupees.
• Earlier, a limit of Rs 200 per transaction and an overall limit of Rs 2,000 per payment instrument had been prescribed by the RBI for small value digital payments in offline mode, including for National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) and UPI Lite.
• Additionally, RBI also proposed to enable “Conversational Payments” on UPI by using Artificial Intelligence-powered systems.
• It is an innovative payment mode that will enable users to engage in a conversation with an AI-powered system to launch and complete transactions.

India’s First Eco-Friendly Debit Cardz

• India’s only profitable multi-segment fintech operating at scale with a banking license, Airtel Payments Bank, becomes the 1st Indian Bank to launch eco-friendly debit cards for its new and existing customers with a savings bank account.
• The launch comes in alignment with the Bank’s commitment to sustainability and promoting eco-friendly practices within the financial sector.
• The debit cards will come in recycle-Poly Vinyl Chloride (r-PVC) material, a certified eco-friendly material.
• Airtel Payments Bank is coming up with 2 cards under Classic variant – Personalised Classic Card and Insta Classic Card.
• Every batch of 50,000 cards produced, will lead to a substantial reduction of 350 kgs of carbon emissions compared to the conventional PVC cards commonly used in the market.

Kotak Life Tie Up with ESAF Small Finance Bank

• Kotak Mahindra Life Insurance Company (Kotak Life) stated that its corporate agency ties–up with ESAF Small Finance Bank (ESAF Bank).
• It is to offer life insurance to customers.
• The tie-up plans to benefit 68 lakh customers of ESAF Bank that will offer a wide range of tailor-made life insurance products and solutions provided by Kotak Life.
• It includes protection, savings, investment and retirement through ESAF Bank’s 700 banking outlets spread across 21 States and 2 Union Territories (UTs).

SPORTS

Asian Champions Trophy 2023

• The Indian hockey team defeated Malaysia 4-3 to win for the fourth time at the Asian Champions Trophy 2023 final, at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai.
• With four Asian Champions Trophy titles, India is the most successful team in the history of the tournament.
• Pakistan, with three titles, is at the second spot now.
• Earlier, India’s Gurjant equalised the score, which resulted in 3-3 in thriller against Malaysia.
• For India, Jugraj Singh scored in the first quarter to give India an early lead, but Malaysia’s Kamal Abu Arzai equalised to make it 1-1.
• Following this, India’s Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty stroke to make it 2-3 in the third quarter, after which Gurjant came up with the equaliser.

AWARDS & PRIZES

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Hails the Team of NAFIS of NCRB

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the team of National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) of NCRB for winning the Gold Award under the Excellence in Government Process Reengineering for Digital Transformation Category-1 of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) makes its mark as the shining example of efficient governance as it wins DAPRG’s gold award in Category-1.
• The award for its excellence in delivering e-governance is a recognition of the dedication the entire NAFIS team has put into creating a fool-proof fingerprint identification system, in pursuit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of a secure India.
• Ministry of Home Affairs communiqué said that NAFIS has created a central database of fingerprints of criminals, which can be accessed by users from all States, Union Territories, and Central Agencies.
• This has resulted in a qualitative improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal detection and investigation process.

69th Edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race

• Veeyapuram Chundan (Snake Boat), rowed by the Pallathuruthy Boat Club lifted the 69th edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race held on Punnamada Lake in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.
• This is the fourth straight win for the Club, which lifted the trophy in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
• The race was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid 19 pandemic.
• More than 70 boats participated in the boat race, named after the first Prime Minister of the country.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The First Space-Based Indian Observatory to Study the Sun

• The first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun – Aditya-L1, is getting ready for its launch in September.
• ISRO said that the satellite, developed at U R Rao Satellite Centre Bengaluru, has arrived at its spaceport in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
• The spacecraft is expected to be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point – L1 of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million kilometres from the Earth.
• A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any eclipses.
• This will provide a greater advantage in observing solar activities and their effect on space weather in real-time.
• The spacecraft will carry seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere and the outermost layers of the Sun’s corona using electromagnetic and particle field detectors.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Lefthanders Day

• International Lefthanders Day 2023 is the 31st annual lefthanders day celebrated on the 13 August every year worldwide.
• The theme for International Lefthanders Day 2023 is ‘Left Handers in Sports.’
• In the year 1990, the Left-Handers Club was established to promote research in lefthand usage and the evolution of new left-handed items.
• This club also keeps members from all over the world in touch with new developments.
• The Left-Handers Club launched International Lefthanders Day as an annual event on the 13th of August, 1992.
• That day, lefthanders around the world can celebrate their uniqueness and create awareness in the public about the strength and weakness of being left-handed.

World Organ Donation Day

• Every year World Organ Donation Day is celebrated on the 13 August.
• It is to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and encourage people to donate their organs after death.
• World Organ Donation Day 2023 theme is ‘Step up to volunteer; need more organ donors to fill the lacunae’.
• World Organ Donation Day was first observed in 2005.
• The first organ donation was performed in 1954, when Ronald Lee Herrick donated his kidney to his twin brother.
• The surgery was a success and the brother lived for 8 years with the donated kidney.
• Dr Joseph Murray was the doctor who carried out this successful kidney transplantation.
• The doctor was honoured with Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for bringing advances in organ transplantation in the year 1990.

Independence Day in India

• Every year, Independence Day in India is observed on the 15 August.
• The theme of the 77th Independence Day 2023 of India is ‘Nation First, Always First’ as a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
• On this Independence Day in India 2023-day people across India commemorate the country’s independence from 190 years of British colonial rule.
• Independence Day marks the day when India got freedom from British rule after a tough battle for independence.
• During World War I, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the leader of the Indian Independence Movement.