Current Affairs - August 5, 2020 Current Affairs

Minister of Technical Education of Uttar Pradesh, Kamala Rani Varun had passed away at the age of 62 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh due to the infection of COVID-19. She was born on 3 May, 1958 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. She had been admitted in the hospital on July 18,2020 after testing positive on COVID-19 virus at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Kamal Rani served as the Member of Legislative Assembly, Uttar Pradesh from 11 March 2017 to 2nd August 2020. (Constituency: Ghatampur) (Preceding: Indrajeet Kori).

Sembcorp Energy India Limited, owned by Singapore-based energy and infrastructure group Sembcorp Industries, became the first independent power producer to fully commission the first three wind auctions held by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) after it completed its projects that have a combined capacity of 800 MW. This takes Sembcorp's total capacity across the country to 1,730 MW.

Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy launched a one-month long virtual cybercrime awareness programme 'E-Raksha Bandhan'in Amaravati. The Aim of the Programme is to create awareness among women, youth and children on Cyber Crimes across the state. It is organized by the Andhra Pradesh Police, CID, FM Radio, Cyber Crime Prevention Against Women and Children (CCPWC), Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF) and other organisations.

Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare announced the completion of Pan-India Genome Sequencing of SARS-CoV-2.He reviewed the COVID-19 activities of Department of Biotechnology(DBT), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) and DBT-Autonomous Institutions (AIs) in the meeting with DBT. He also launched the establishment of Five COVID-19 Bio Repositories by the DBT at Faridabad, Bhubaneshwar,New Delhi, Pune and Bangalore.

Former Samajwadi party leader and Rajya Sabha MP (Member of Parliament) Amar Singh, had passed away at the age 64, in Singapore due to Kidney ailments.He was born on January 27, 1956 at Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. He had gone through kidney transplant in the year 2011. From 5th July 2016 to 1st August 2020,he was re-elected as the member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha. (Constituency: Uttar Pradesh) (preceded by Ambeth Rajan)

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) announced the establishment of an expert committee headed by Pradip Shah,Chairman of Indasia Fund Advisors Pvt Ltd. to suggest ways to develop the international retail businesses in International Financial Services Centres (IFSC).

The Central Government has given the go ahead for Indian Premier League to be rescheduled in the United Arab Emirates from September 19 to November 10, 2020 (13th edition of IPL). The Board of Control for Cricket in India has got "verbal clearance" from the Government and will receive the official letter in a day or two.

BOB Financial Solutions Limited partnered with Innoviti Payment Solutions Pvt. Ltd to launch New Credit Card Equated Monthly Installments(EMI) offering on Point of Sale(POS) terminals. The association of Bank of Baroda(BOB) Credit Card with Innoviti Payment Solutions will enable BOB credit card holders to access EMIs that can be repaid conveniently through their credit cards.

Dr. Rajesh Kumar, IAS has been appointed as the next Chief Secretary of the state of Manipur by Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah The current Chief Secretary J.Suresh Babu who retired on 31st July, 2020.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar released a book titled, "Siyasat Mein Sadasyata" authored by Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary.The book is a compilation of the author's views, three dozen articles on different important issues and his life journey. The book was published by Bihar Assembly Secretariat. The book is compiled and edited by senior journalist Arvind Sharma and its preface has been written by another senior journalist Vinod Bandhu.

Union Human Resource Development(HRD)Minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' inaugurated the Grand Finale virtually in New Delhi. The Grand Finale was conducted online from 1st to 3rd August, 2020 over a specially-built advanced platform.Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Grand Finale of 4th edition of Smart India Hackathon-SIH (Software) 2020,largest ever online Hackathon in the world

Former Guyanese housing minister Mohamed Irfaan Ali (40 years old) became the President of the country after he was declared as the winner of the disputed March 2, 2020 general election following a recount. He is a member of the opposition People's Progressive Party (PPP).

A book titled, "Vishesh: Code to Win" written by the sportswoman-turned-author Nirupama Yadav is expected to be put out for the public view on August 29, 2020, the National Sports day. The book is the biography of India's Youngest Basketball Captain, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi and will be published by the Bluerose publishers.

The Rajasthan government amended the Rajasthan Judicial Service Rules 2010 through the cabinet of Rajasthan on the initiative of Ashok Gehlot, chief Minister of Rajasthan to provide 5% reservation in the state judicial service for the More Backward Classes(MBC) instead of 1%. With the passage of this bill the five castes - Gurjar, Gadiya, Luhar, Banjara, Rebari, and Raika which were classified as Other Backward Classes(OBC) came under the MBC classification.

As part of forthcoming Independence Day Celebrations, Atmanirbhar Bharat is being promoted in a big way. An online quiz competition on 'Atmanirbhar Bharat - Swatantra Bharat' is being conducted by Ministry of Defence in coordination with MyGov from today to 10th August in order to create patriotic feeling among youth and masses. Also, MyGov platform, aimed at empowering people to connect with the government, marked "six years" on Sunday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that it has emerged as a noteworthy forum that "celebrates participative governance".

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has received a mass fever screening system to enhance the screening process of passengers. There are two more scanners in the Airport. The thermal scanner has been provided by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in coordination with Asian Development Bank funded by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), which is holding surplus stocks of cotton just ahead of the next harvest season, is trying to boost exports of the fibre crop. A memorandum of understanding is being worked out to export 1.5-2 million bales (of 170 kilograms each) of cotton to Bangladesh while the state-run CCI will also set up its own warehouse in Vietnam to boost cotton exports.

Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) has withdrawn from the Women's World Team Squash Championship 2020, due to lack of preparation,time and match-readiness of athletes, which is scheduled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from December 15 to 20,2020.