Current Affairs Update 8 August 2018
Current Affairs is an important part for many exams. Be prepared for this section with ByScoop which brings all the important Current Affairs in one place. 8 August 2018.
National Green Tribunal Forms Committee On Ganga Cleaning
- The National Green Tribunal has constituted a committee, to be headed by a former Allahabad High Court judge, for monitoring the rejuvenation project of Ganga from Haridwar to Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.
- The green panel has asked CJ of Allahabad HC to nominate a former judge who will head the committee.
- The cleaning work of river Ganga has been divided into different segments by the NGT, which include Gomukh to Haridwar (Phase-I), Haridwar to Unnao (segment B of Phase-I), Unnao to border of Uttar Pradesh, border of Uttar Pradesh to border of Jharkhand and border of Jharkhand to Bay of Bengal.
Suresh Prabhu launches Mobile App Niryat Mitra
- Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Aviation Suresh Prabhu launched a mobile App named Niryat Mitra in New Delhi to promote export interests in the country.
- The app has been developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO). It is available both on Android and on IOS platforms.
- It provides wide range of information required to undertake international trade right from the policy provisions for export and import, applicable GST rate, available export incentives, tariff, preferential tariff, market access requirements – SPS and TBT measures.
Revised MoA signed for Funding of Central Share of Irrigation Projects under PMKSY
- A revised Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) has been signed amongst Government of India (through MoWR, RD & GR), NABARD and National Water Development Agency (NWDA) for funding of central share of 99 prioritized irrigation projects under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) through Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF).
- The MoA will enable the Ministry to release Central Assistance to prioritized projects under PMKSY as per the requirements from time to time.
3rd India-Nepal Coordination Meeting Starts In New Delhi
- The 3rd India-Nepal Coordination meeting was held in New Delhi.
- A seven-member delegation from Nepal, headed by Inspector General of Nepal Armed Police Force Shailendra Khanal took part in the three-day meeting.
- The meeting deliberated several important matters like security scenario along the border, coordination meetings at field level, sharing of information about crimes and criminals, training of armed police personnel and mutual visits by officers of two countries.
RBI to transfer Rs 50,000 crore surplus to Government of India
- The Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India, at its meeting held on August 8, 2018, approved the transfer of surplus amounting to Rs 500 billion for the year ended June 30, 2018 to the Government of India.
- The Reserve Bank’s income comprises of earnings from foreign and domestic sources, with the major portion being contributed by interest receipts, complemented by relatively small amounts of income from discount, exchange, commission, etc.
- The RBI Act stipulates that after making provisions for contingencies and corpus funds as defined therein, the balance profit of the apex bank is to be transferred to the central government.
SBI launches MOPAD, a unified payment terminal
- State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a Multi Option Payment Acceptance Device (MOPAD) for digital convenience of customers and merchants. The device MOPAD would help merchants eliminate the multiple choices that they keep to facilitate transactions from cards to QR code based payments.
- MOPAD allows the customer to make payments through “Cards, Bharat QR, UPI and SBI Buddy (e-wallet)” on a single PoS (Point of Sale) terminal.
Reliance Money partners with PayU for instant loan through LazyPay
- PayU India announced entering into a strategic partnership with Reliance Money, to offer instant app based personal loans, via LazyPay. LazyPay is a facility provided by PayU
- The loan amount will start from Rs. 100 and will extend up to Rs. 1,00,000 with a duration varying from 15 days to 24 months.
Piramal Finance Ltd. rated India’s Great Mid-size workplaces – 2018
- Great Place to Work Institute has recognised the 50 Great Mid- Size Workplaces as ‘India’s Great Mid- Size Workplaces- 2018’ from organisations having an employee strength between 100-500.
- Piramal Finance Ltd. has topped the rating.
- Every year, more than 10,000 organisations from over 58 countries partner with Great Place to Work Institute for assessment, benchmarking and planning actions to strengthen their workplace culture.
Pratibha Agrawal awarded the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize 2017
- The Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize 2017 for Hindi was conferred on veteran scholar-translator Pratibha Agrawal.
- The Sahitya Akademi awarded her for her Hindi translation of author Sombhu Mitra’s “Abhinay Natak Manch” in the “Rangmunch” genre. The original title is in Bengali.
S Gopakumar Joins United India Insurance as Director & GM
- Public sector non-life insurance firm United India Insurance Company has appointed S Gopakumar as its Director and General Manager with immediate effect.
- Prior to taking up the new role, Gopakumar was serving GIC Housing Finance Ltd as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
Ivan Duque sworn in as new Colombian president
- Colombia’s conservative Ivan Duque Marquez took oath as the country’s 60th President, succeeding Juan Manuel Santos, who had been in power since 2010.
- Duque defeated Petro, in a presidential run-off in June with 54 percent votes. He was sworn in during an open-air session at Bolivar Square in the historic center of Bogota.
S Gurumurthy, Satish Marathe appointed to RBI board as govt nominee
- The Centre has appointed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS)-affiliate Swadeshi Jagaran Manch co-convenor Swaminathan Gurumurthy and businessman Satish Kashinath Marathe to the Central Board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
- Both are appointed under the Section 8 (1) (c) of the RBI Act, 1934. Under this Directors from various fields and two government Official are nominated by the Central Govt.
- They have been appointed as a part-time, non-official director for the period of four-year. With the two new appointments, the total number of government-appointed directors on the RBI board has reached 10.