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Current Affairs 16 August 2021
Daily Current Affairs 16 August 2021: This post contains the latest current affairs for 16 August 2021 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. You can also attempt our Current Affairs Quiz after reading our daily current affairs.
National
PM Narendra Modi unfurls Tricolour at Red Fort as India celebrates 75th Independence Day
- Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi unfurled the Tricolour at the historic Red Fort in New Delhi, to mark the 75th Independence Day of India on August 15, 2021.
- While PM Modi hoisted the National Flag, flower petals were showered at the venue by two Mi 17 1V helicopters of the Indian Air Force in Amrit Formation. This is the first time ever during the celebrations that flower showering ceremony was held.
- The 75th year of Independence is being celebrated as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. The celebrations will continue till August 15, 2023.
Government announces ‘Prime Minister Gatishakti Scheme’ for holistic infrastructure growth and employment
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a Rs 100 lakh crore Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti scheme, while addressing the nation on the 75th Independence Day from Red Fort on August 15, 2021.
- The Pradhan Mantri Gatishakti scheme aims to adopt holistic and integrated approach in infrastructure growth and create employment opportunities for the youth of the country. The scheme will also
- Government will soon announce the Master Plan for the scheme, to help boost productivity of industries, and boost economic growth of the country, besides creating job opportunities for hundreds of thousands of youths.
PM Modi sets India’s target to become ‘energy independent’ by 2047
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the target of becoming ‘energy independent’ country by the year 2047, the year when India will celebrate 100th year of Independence.
- For this, PM has announced a ‘Mission Circular Economy’ that will replace petroleum with other forms of energy to make India achieve self-reliance in energy production by 2047.
- Mission Circular Economy would include a mix of electric mobility, gas-based economy, doping ethanol in petrol and making the country a hub for hydrogen production.
- Modi government has decided to set up the National Hydrogen Mission to make India a new global hub and the exporter of green hydrogen.
75 Vande Bharat Express trains will connect every corner of country in 75 weeks of ‘Amrit Mahotsav’
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on the occasion of 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2021 and announced that 75 ‘Vande Bharat’ trains would connect different parts of the country in 75 weeks of the celebration of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav
- The 75 Vande Bharat trains will connect every corner of the country, in 75 weeks of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, which is being celebrated from March 12, 2021, upto August 15, 2023.
- Presently two Vande Bharat Express trains are operating in the country by the Indian Railways.
- The first Vande Bharat Express operates between Varanasi and New Delhi and the other Vande Bharat Express operates between Katra and New Delhi.
Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar flags off ‘Operation Blue Freedom’ to create a World Record at Siachen Glacier
- The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar flagged off a pioneering world record expedition named ‘Operation Blue Freedom’ from Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi on the occasion of 75th Independence Day on August 15, 2021.
- The Operation Blue Freedom expedition comprise of a team of people with disabilities from across the country to reach Siachen Glacier, to create a new World Record, for the largest team of people with disabilities reaching the world’s highest battlefield.
- The team of people with disabilities were trained by ‘Team CLAW’, a team of Armed Forces veterans.
- The expedition was undertaken till Kumar Post (Siachen Glacier).
- The event was organised by Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, a premier autonomous research body mandated to research and provide policy feed to empower marginalised communities and to bring in Socio Economic transformation in the society.
Chhattisgarh gets 4 new districts to take total administrative districts to 32
- Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has announced the creation of four new districts and 18 new tehsils in the state.
- The four new districts are: Mohla Manpur, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, Shakti, Manendragarh.
- With the creation of four new districts, the total number of administrative districts in the state have reached 32.
- Apart from this, a garden will be developed exclusively for women in every district headquarter and the municipal corporation of the state, which will be known as the ”Minimata Udyan”.
- The park has been named after ‘Minimata’, the first woman MP from Chhattisgarh elected in 1952, who devoted her life toward empowerment of women and betterment of society.
International
Afghanistan Prez Ashraf Ghani steps down, as Taliban forces takes power
- Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani will shortly tender his resignation on August 15, 2021, as the government has surrendered to the Taliban forces, which entered Kabul and sought the unconditional surrender of the central government.
- Following this, a new interim government has been announced, which is likely to be headed by Ali Ahamd Jalali, a US-based academic.
Business
HCL Foundation launches ‘My e-Haat’ portal to empower artisans
- HCL Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of HCL Technologies has launched an online portal, ‘My e-Haat’, to empower artisans and strengthen the value chain of the handicraft sector in the country.
- The platform will enable artisans and primary producers to conduct their business, by listing and showcasing their products directly to customers, thereby minimising the informal intermediaries and the long supply chains.
- Currently, more than 30 partners from eight states with over 600 products are listed on the portal.
Obituary
Former India defender Chinmoy Chatterjee passes away at 68
- Eminent India-international footballer Chinmoy Chatterjee, who played for the three Maidan heavyweights in his prime in the 1970-80s, has passed away. He was 68.
- He was a member of the Indian team at the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games where they finished fourth in the quarterfinal league.
- Chatterjee played for Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting, during his domestic career.
- He also represented Bengal in the Santosh Trophy four times, and became champions in three of them.
German Football Legend Gerd Müller passes away at 75
- Gerd Muller, former West Germany forward and the Bayern Munich football legend, has passed away. He was 75.
- At international level he represented West Germany, scoring 68 goals in 62 appearances, and at club level, he played for Bayern Munich, with which he scored a record 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games.
- He was nicknamed “Bomber der Nation” (“the nation’s Bomber”) or simply “Der Bomber”, for his scoring-prowess.
