NATIONAL NEWS

1st Airport in Northeast India to Launch 'Digi Yatra' Facility

• Guwahati's popular Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LBBI) has become the first airport in Northeast India to launch a 'Digi Yatra' facility.

• The innovative service aims to enhance the air travel experience in the region by streamlining airport processes.

• The 'Digi Yatra' initiative is a collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation with the goal of modernizing and improving air travel.

• It aims to revolutionize passenger navigation through airports, making it more intuitive and convenient.

• The 'Digi Yatra' service has been implemented in three main areas of the airport: entry points, check-in counters, and boarding zones.

• The core of the 'Digi Yatra initiative is the use of facial recognition technology for seamless airport travel.

South East Asia's Largest Desalination Plant at Perur, Chennai

• Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated the Rs 4,276.44 crore desalination plant at Perur, Chennai.

• Funding is provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

• The project covers 85.51 acres of land, which is targeted to be completed by 2026.

• Advanced Methods like Dissolved Air Flotation and Dual Media Filtration are used.

• High-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipelines extend up to 1,150 meters into the sea.

G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) Begins in Varanasi

• The 4th G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) meeting begins in Varanasi and will end with the Culture Ministers' meeting on 26 August 2023.

• Representatives of G20 member states will attend the event, inviting countries and international organizations.

• Building on the successes of the previous meetings in Khajuraho, Bhubaneshwar, and Hampi, the Varanasi CWG meeting from August 23 to August 25, 2023 aims to generate actionable outcomes by keeping culture at the core of policymaking.

• CWG launched the campaign 'Culture unites all' under India's G20 presidency, symbolizing India's commitment to peaceful coexistence among diverse cultures. A unique postage stamp to commemorate this campaign will be unveiled on August 26, 2023.

National Health Authority Launched the First ABDM Microsite

• The National Health Authority (NHA) announced 100 microsite projects for accelerated adoption of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) across the country.
• Mizoram becomes the first state in India to operationalize an ABDM Microsite in its capital city Aizawl.
• Under this, all healthcare facilities including the private clinics, small hospitals and labs in the region shall be made ABDM-enabled and offer patients digital health services.
• The ABDM Microsites are defined geographical regions where focused outreach efforts would be made to onboard small and medium-scale private healthcare providers.
• These Microsites would be majorly implemented by State Mission Directors of ABDM while the financial resources and overall guidance would be provided by NHA.
• Patients will be able to link the health records generated at these facilities with their Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHAs) and will be able to view and share these records using any ABDM-enabled Personal Health Record (PHR).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

L&T Secures Orders Worth ₹2,500 Crores for Urea Plant

• Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured an order worth ₹2,500 crore for the fabrication and supply of pipe rack modules for a 2.3-MMTPA urea plant for Perdaman Chemicals and Fertilizers Pty in Australia.

• The contract was awarded to L&T Energy Hydrocarbon by Saipem and Clough JV (SCJV) and the plant will be constructed in the Burrup Peninsula, about 20 km north of Karratha, Western Australia.

• It will be the largest urea plant in Australia and one of the largest in the world.

• Seventy per cent of the plant will be fabricated in India at L&T’s Kattupalli modular fabrication facility.

• About 1,160 mt of equipment will be delivered in 25 months and 50,000 mt of modules in 32 months.

BANKING

Total Banking Transactions at GIFT IFSC Reach USD 508 Billion

• Total banking transactions at GIFT International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) reached USD 508 billion till July 2023.

• GIFT IFSC Executive Director Dipesh Shah stated that till July 2023, the total banking asset size at GIFT IFSC stood at USD 41.20 billion, and cumulative derivative transactions booked by banks were worth USD 632 billion.

• There were a total of over 545 IFSCA registered entities at GIFT IFSC till July 2023, including 25 aircraft and shipping entities, and monthly turnover on the IFSC international stock exchange in July 2023 was USD 60.33 billion.

• As per IFSCA annual report 2022-23, as on March 31, 2023, a total of 20 IFSC Banking Units were operational at GIFT IFSC.

• Two more IBUs, which received licences before March 31, 2023, are expected to commence operations during FY 2023‐24.

Cashfree Payments Introduced ‘Vendor Payments’

• Cashfree Payments, India’s leading provider of payments and API banking solutions, introduced ‘Vendor Payments,’ a comprehensive platform that enables businesses to optimize and manage their purchase-to-pay cycle, increasing efficiency and lowering processing time.

• ‘Vendor Payments’ streamlines not only vendor payments, but also other account payables such as utility bill payments, other business expenses, and tax payments.

• ‘Vendor Payments’ allows users to easily input invoices received from suppliers and other account payables, either manually or by importing them from accounting software.

• Bulk invoice uploads are also supported, allowing businesses to process several invoices at the same time for increased efficiency.

• Similarly, businesses will be able to add beneficiary information for payments and conveniently submit invoice information.

• Businesses can start single or batch reimbursements for unpaid invoices once the invoice details have been updated.

• It also accepts a variety of payment methods, including Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), Interbank Funds Transfer (IFT), and Unified Payments Interface (UPI), for maximum flexibility.

SPORTS

Singapore Math Olympiad

• Raja Anirudh Sriram, a Class IV student from Tirupati, won a silver medal in the prestigious Singapore Maths Olympiad.

• Among the 23 Indian participants in the Singapore International Math Olympiad Challenge (SIMOC), Raja Anirudh was the only representative from Andhra Pradesh.

• The SIMOC program hosted over 2000 students from 32 countries, providing a global platform for young math talents.

• He achieved recognition at international forums such as the International Mathematics Olympiad and ABACUS Mental Mathematics competitions.

Sports Minister Inaugurates 33 Khelo India Centres

• The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated 33 Khelo India Centres in the State of Rajasthan at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
• The Union Minister announced that a National Center of Excellence with a dedicated Sports Science Centre will be set up in Rajasthan along with an additional 18 Khelo India centres, thus taking the total number of Khelo India centres in the State to 51.
• It was also announced that Competitions will be organised between the Khelo India Centers while the Coaching the Coaches programme will also be extended to the Khelo India Center.
• Coaches as well as the KIC coaches will be trained by getting them attached to our national and international coaches.

DEFENCE

The Indian Coast Guard and The Philippine Coast Guard

• In a significant step towards bolstering the bilateral cooperation between India and the Philippines, the Indian Coast Guard has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on enhanced maritime cooperation.

• The MoU inked seeks to enhance the professional linkage between the two Coast Guards in the domain of Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), Maritime Search and Rescue (M-SAR) and Marine Pollution Response (MPR).

• The implementation of this MoU will enhance bilateral maritime cooperation between the two nations to ensure safe, secure and clean seas in the region.

• The first-ever bilateral meeting between both maritime agencies signifies the dedication to strengthening the professional bonds by sharing best practices, conducting joint exercises and enhancing training collaborations.

• Earlier, the delegation visited Goa on 21 August, where they witnessed the operational capabilities of the Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

• During the visit, the delegation was also provided with a customer demonstration flight on the Indian Coast Guard Advance Light Helicopter MK-III.
• The delegates also visited Indian Coast Guard Ship Sujeet built by Goa Shipyard Limited.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Water Week

• World Water Week, a global event organized annually by the Stockholm International Water Institute since 1991, will take place at the Waterfront Congress Center from 20 August to 24 August.

• This non-profit event serves as a platform to address the global water crisis and various related challenges.

• It aims to develop solutions to the international water crisis (along with many other problems).

• Water, an important natural resource, plays an important role in our daily activities like drinking and cleaning.

• Therefore its conservation is very important.

• The theme for World Water Week 2023 is ‘Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World’.

• The theme encourages a re-evaluation of water management practices and emphasizes the need for new ideas, innovations, and effective governance systems in the face of increasing water scarcity, and instability around the world.

MISCELLANEOUS

National Icon of the Election Commission of India

• Bharat Ratna Awardee, Legendary Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been declared the National Icon of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to create awareness among voters and encourage their participation in the electoral process.
• Addressing an event in Akawani Bhawan in New Delhi, Mr Tendulkar said this is a new inning for him after retiring from cricket.
• He said every vote is important in the development of the nation.
• He encouraged the voters especially the young citizen to cast their votes.
• During the event, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Sachin Tendulkar for three years in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
• Through this partnership, ECI aims to address the challenges of urban and youth apathy toward voting.
• The Election Commission has continuously associated itself with renowned Indians from various fields and designates them as its national icons to motivate voters.
• Last year, the Commission recognized famous actor Pankaj Tripathi as the National Icon.
• Earlier, during the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, Cricketer MS Dhoni, Actor Aamir Khan, and Boxing Champion Mary Kom were the ECI national icons.