Current Affairs Update 29 August 2018
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Important Cabinet Approvals on August 29, 2018
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with various countries in different fields on August 29, 2018.
NMCG Approves Projects worth 149.83 Crore for Cleaning the River And Its Banks
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has approved projects worth nearly Rs 150 crores (149.83 crores) for cleaning rivers and its banks under the Namami Gange programme in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal during its 5th Executive Committee meeting held in New Delhi.
- The state wise details of the projects are as follows:
- Uttarakhand: Rs 60 crores for Interception and Diversion (I&D) projects at Rispana & Bindal Rivers in Dehradun.
- Uttar Pradesh: Rs.27.41 crore for development of Ghats in Mirzapur.
- Bihar: Rs.30.92 crore for development of STP along with Interception and Diversion (I&D) of sewer lines in Sonepur and additional Rs.22.92 Crore for river front development project in Sonepur.
- West Bengal: Rs. 8.58 crores for upgradation/renovation of Ghats and Crematoria at Katwa, Kalna, Agradwip and Dainhat
Centre constitutes new scientific advisory body PM-STIAC, headed by K VijayRaghavan to guide PM
- The central government constituted a new 21-member advisory panel on science, technology and innovation named PM-STIAC under the chairmanship of Principal Scientific Advisor, K Vijay Raghavan. It will also co-ordinate the implementation of programmes through various bodies.
- The council will advise the PM on science, technology, as well as innovation, but also coordinate the implementation of the PMs vision.
- The panel, called the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) will replace the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Prime Minister and to the Cabinet.
Union HRD Minister launches the 3rd edition of World’s Biggest Open Innovation Model – ‘Smart India Hackathon- 2019’
- The third edition of World’s Biggest Open Innovation Model – Smart India Hackathon 2019 was launched by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Shri Prakash Javadekar in New Delhi.
- SIH-2019 is a nationwide initiative to provide students a platform to solve some of pressing problems we face in our daily lives, and thus inculcate a culture of product innovation and a mindset of problem solving.
Cabinet approves O-SMART scheme of Ministry of Earth Sciences
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for the umbrella scheme “Ocean Services, Technology, Observations, Resources Modelling and Science (O-SMART)”, for implementation during the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
- The overall cost of the project is Rs.1623 crore.
- The scheme encompasses a total of 16 sub-projects addressing ocean development activities such as Services, Technology, Resources, Observations and Science.
- The implementation of O-SMART will help in addressing issues relating to Sustainable Development Goal-14, which aims to conserve use of oceans, marine resources. This will also provide necessary scientific and technological background required for implementation of various aspects of Blue Economy.
99.3% demonetised notes returned to banks: RBI
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its annual report for the year 2017-18 stated that 99.3 per cent of the demonetized Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes have returned to the banking system.
- According to the report, the total value of Specified Bank Notes (SBNs) in circulation as on November 08, 2016, post verification and reconciliation, was Rs 15,417.93 lakh crore, out of which currency worth Rs 15,310.73 lakh crore was returned.
- The Amount Of Banned Currency Notes That Did Not Return To The System Post Demonetisation Stands At Rs 10,700 Crore
All post offices to be linked to India Post Payments Bank system by Dec 31, 2018
- All the 1.55 lakh post offices in the country would be linked to the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) system by December 31, 2018.
- The India Post Payments Bank is scheduled to be launched nation-wide on September 1.
- The Union cabinet has approved for revision of the project outlay for setting up of the payments bank from Rs 800 crore to Rs 1,435 crore.
First SAARC Agri Cooperative Business Forum Begins in Kathmandu
- The First South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Agri Cooperative Business Forum began in Kathmandu on August 28.
- The theme of the Forum is the ‘Organizing and Strengthening Family Farmers’ Cooperatives to attain the Sustainable-Development-Goals-1 and 2 in South Asia’.
- The three days event is being co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Asian Farmers’ Association with the support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
NSE Indices includes JSW Steel in Nifty50; excludes Lupin
- Stock exchange services provider NSE Indices included JSW Steel in its benchmark Nifty50 index after the exclusion of pharma firm Lupin.
- JSW Steel will replace pharma firm Lupin in the benchmark Nifty, with effect from September 28, 2018.
- The NIFTY 50 index is National Stock Exchange of India’s benchmark broad based stock market index. It represents the weighted average of 50 Indian company stocks in 12 sectors.
- Similarly BSE SENSEX or simply the SENSEX represents the weighted average of 30 Indian Company.
National Sports Day: August 29
- The National Sports Day is celebrated annually in India on 29 August to mark the birth anniversary of Indian hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
- Major Dhyan Chand Singh won gold medals in Olympics for India in the years 1928, 1932 and 1936. He scored over 400 goals in his career, from 1926 to 1948.
- Every year on this day, Arjuna and Khel Ratna awards are conferred by the President of India to celebrate the achievements of exceptional athletes in the country.