Roadmap for Banking of the Future
Current Affairs 24 August 2021
Daily Current Affairs 24 August 2021: This post contains the latest current affairs for 24 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
Union Minister Jitendra Singh launches new portal under Bhuvan “Yuktdhara” to facilitate planning of new MGNREGA assets using Remote Sensing and GIS based information
- The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology, Shri Jitendra Singh launched a new Geospatial Planning Portal under Bhuvan named “Yuktdhara” on August 23, 2021, to enable planning of new MGNREGA assets using Remote Sensing and GIS based information.
- Yuktdhara will serve as a repository of assets (Geotags) created under various national rural development programmes such as MGNREGA, Integrated Watershed Management Programme, Per Drop More Crop and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana etc., along with field photographs.
- The Yuktdhara portal would ensure quality of plan, enable a long term monitoring of the assets created over the years for relevance, facilitate identification of new works for resource allocation.
- The portal has been jointly developed by ISRO and Ministry of Rural Development.
- Shri Jitendra Singh also holds the portfolio of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Union Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office; Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space.
MyGov and UN Women partners to launch Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Challenge 2021 on Women’s Safety and Empowerment
- MyGov under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and UN Women have joined hands to launch the Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Innovation Challenge 2021.
- The aim of this challenge is encourage technology solutions developed by Women Entrepreneurs related to Women’s Safety and Empowerment.
- The initiative will promote ‘Nari Sashaktikaran’, and empower women to help them achieve their full potential.
- The Amrit Mahotsav Shri Shakti Challenge 2021 is being implemented under the Multi-Partner Trust Fund (COVID-19) Programme.
- For details visit MyGov website: https://innovateindia.mygov.in/amrit-mahotsav-shri-shakti-challenge-2021/
India’s first smog tower inaugurated in Connaught Place, Delhi
- India’s first smog tower has been set up in Connaught Place, Delhi. It will purify 1,000 cubic metres of air per second within a radius of around 1 km. Smog towers are large towers built with the aim of purifying the air.
- The smog tower was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal. The tower has been set up as a pilot project and if the pilot test is successful, more such smog towers will be set up in Delhi.
- The tower has been built by Tata Projects Limited (TPL), with technical assistance from IIT Bombay and in collaboration with IIT Delhi.
IIT Madras develops ‘NeoBolt’- India’s first indigenous motorised wheelchair vehicle
- IIT Madras has developed India’s first indigenous motorized wheelchair vehicle named ‘NeoBolt’, which can be used not only on roads but even on uneven terrains.
- It has a maximum speed of 25 kmph. It is powered by a Lithium-Ion Battery and can travel up to 25 km per charge.
J&K Government activates online grievance redressal portal for Kashmiri migrants
- The government of Jammu and Kashmir, has launched an online grievance redressal portal to address the grievances of the Kashmiri migrants, becoming the first UT to put in place such portal for migrants.
- The portal can be accessed at JK government’s official website: ‘Relief & Rehabilitation (M)’ (www.jkmigrantrelief.nic.in).
- The subject-matter of the grievances may range from issues and concerns related to the land and properties of the migrants of J&K, including correction of encroachments, trespassing and alienation by way of fraud or distress, etc.
- All district magistrates will be responsible to dispose off the property-related grievances in a fixed time frame under the Public Services Guarantee Act, 2011.
- Jammu & Kashmir is the first Union Territory to have district-level grievance offices with the central grievance portal to ensure prompt action.
Banking
Finance Minister launches the National Monetisation Pipeline worth Rs 6 lakh crore
- Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, today launched the asset monetisation pipeline of Central ministries and public sector entities: ‘National Monetisation Pipeline’.
- The National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) lists out assets and asset classes, under various infrastructure ministries, which will be monetised over a period of time. Which means assets will be monetised. Asset Monetisation, means a limited period license/ lease of an asset, owned by the government or public authority, to a private sector entity for an upfront or periodic consideration.
- Developed by?: The pipeline has been developed by NITI Aayog, in consultation with infrastructure line ministries, based on the mandate for ‘Asset Monetisation’ under Union Budget 2021-22.
- Total Value: NMP estimates aggregate monetisation potential of Rs 6.0 lakh crores through core assets of the Central Government, over a four-year period, from FY 2022 to FY 2025.
- Top Sector: The top 5 sectors capture about 83% of the aggregate pipeline value. These top 5 sectors include- Roads (27%) followed by Railways (25%), Power (15%), oil & gas pipelines (8%) and Telecom (6%).
Finance minister launches ‘Ubharte Sitaare Fund’ for export-oriented MSMEs
- Finance Minister of India, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, launched the ‘Ubharte Sitaare Fund (USF)’ of corpus Rs 250 crore for export-oriented small and mid-sized companies. The launch was done in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on August 21, 2021.
- The fund will be managed by India Exim Bank and SIDBI. The fund has been launched under the Ubharte Sitaare Programme (USP) announced in the Budget speech of 2021-22.
- Objective: The objective of the USF is to identify and invest in small and mid-size ventures in manufacturing and service industries with good export potential that could be future champions of export and handhold them through the growth phase.
- Size of the fund: The corpus of the Fund is Rs. 250 crore with a greenshoe option of Rs. 250 crore. The contribution of SIDBI and India Exim Bank is Rs 40 crore each.
- How would the fund help export companies?: The Fund would be invested in export-oriented units (by way of equity, and equity-like products), both in the manufacturing and services sectors, across India and facilitate companies in the export market to attain greater heights.
HDFC Bank, Paytm tie up to build comprehensive solutions across payment gateway
- HDFC Bank and Paytm have partnered to build comprehensive solutions across payment gateway, point of sale machines and credit products. This includes Paytm Postpaid which is a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) solution, Eazy EMI and Flexi Pay.
- The partnership will focus on two broad PoS offerings. First: HDFC Bank will drive merchant partnerships across India, to whom Paytm will offer its existing range of Android POS devices. Here, HDFC Bank will be the payment partner, while Paytm will be the distribution and software partner.
- Second: HDFC Bank and Paytm will jointly launch a co-branded PoS product in the retail segment, which Paytm will have the option to offer it to its own customer base.
- The partnership will also deliver enhanced SmartHub solutions to the market. HDFC Bank SmartHub solutions is an integrated platform offering merchants a one-stop solution shop for all their business needs payments.
Loans from Banks
India, ADB sign $500 million loan to expand Metro Rail Network in Bengaluru
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India and have signed a $500 million loan to expand the metro rail network in Bengaluru with the construction of two new metro lines totaling 56 km in length.
- The project will construct two new metro lines, mostly elevated, along Outer Ring Road and National Highway 44 between Central Silk Board and Kempegowda International Airport with 30 stations.
Appointment
Senior Tamil Nadu BJP Leader La Ganesan appointed as Manipur Governor
- Senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, La. Ganesan, has been appointed as the new Governor of Manipur with effect from August 23, 2021.
- The post was lying vacant after the retirement of Najma Heptulla on August 10, 2021.
- Since then Sikkim Governor Ganga Prasad was holding the additional charge of the position.
Nakul Chopra appointed as Chief Executive Officer of BARC India
- Nakul Chopra has been appointed as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of television monitoring agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc), India.
- His appointment will be effective from August 25, 2021.
- Nakul Chopra will replace Sunil Lulla, who has resigned to pursue his ambition as an entrepreneur.
Days
World Water Week 2021: 23-27 August
- The World Water Week is an annual event organized by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) since 1991 to address the global water issues and related concerns of international development.
- The World Water Week 2021 has been organised from 23-27 August, in entirely digital format.
- The theme for World Water Week 2021 is ‘Building Resilience Faster’.
