Current Affairs - August 15, 2020 Current Affairs

On 12th August 2020, On the occasion of International Youth Day and Janmastami, Captain Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab launched the "Punjab Smart Connection Scheme" worth Rs. 92 crores to provide free smartphones to the students of class 12 and he also handed over the smartphones to 6 students.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Nitin Gadkari has unveiled a microwave device named 'Atulya' that can disinfect any premises in just 30 seconds, disintegrating COVID-19 virus in Nagpur,Maharashtra and is developed by the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune.

On 12th August 2020, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh launched "YSR Cheyutha" a scheme to ensure the sustainable livelihood of women by providing a financial assistance of Rs.18750 per year for 4 years.

On August 12, 2020, the Odisha cabinet headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik approved four mega drinking water projects in its Koraput, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Gajapati and Cuttack districts worth Rs 800.27 crore.

On 13th August 2020, Government of Goa signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Siemens Limited and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) India to provide world class German dual vocational education and training in Goa's Industrial Training Institutes(ITIs).

World Organ Donation Day is observed annually on August 13 to motivate people to donate organs after death and to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of India launched the 6th World and 1st ever Indian Organ Donation Day and Organ Donation Congress in 2010 in New Delhi.

On August 13, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a platform for "Transparent Taxation - Honoring the Honest" via video conferencing that provides faceless assessment and appeal and taxpayers' charter, as a part of direct tax reforms.

The Geographical Indications Registry headquartered in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) granted Geographical Indications(GI) to Goa's Harmal Chillies which are grown only in Harmal village and adjacent areas of Pernem taluka(specifically in the coastal village of Arambol), Moira bananas, an unique banana grown in Moira village of Bardez taluka & Bicholim Taluka and Khaje, the traditional state sweet.

On August 11, 2020, the first consignment of 40 mm Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) was handed over to Border Security Force (BSF) which is designed and manufactured indigenously by the Ammunition Factory Khadki (AFK) in Pune, Maharashtra on the lines of the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India).

The Government of Telangana has launched Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Agricultural Innovation Programme (AI4AI) in collaboration with Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) & World Economic Forum (WEF) - India. Telangana Industries and IT Minister KT Rama Rao launched the AI4AI program virtually on 12th August, 2020.

As part of Israel-India cooperation to fight the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, Israel has shared Artificial Intelligence (AI) based technology and high-end equipment with All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Delhi, India. Ambassador of Israel to India Dr Ron Malka handed over the 'state-of-the-art artificial intelligence-based technologies and high-end equipment' to Director of AIIMS Dr Randeep Guleria in the presence of Sanjay Bhattacharya, Secretary, (Consular and Diaspora) Ministry of External Affairs at an event held on August 12, 2020.

On the occasion of International Youth Day 2020, the West Bengal government launched the 'Karma Sathi Prakalpa' scheme under which 1 lakh unemployed youth will be provided soft loans and subsidies so as to make them self-reliant. This scheme empowers the youth.

Under the Unified Champion School(UCS) worldwide programme, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has committed USD 25 million to expand UCS(an initiative undertaken by the Special Olympics) to 6 countries namely, India, Argentina, Egypt, Pakistan, Romania and Rwanda with an aim to empower intellectually disabled children. The 4 year project will create 120 UCS across 12 states in India, which will play a pivotal role to make Indian education system more inclusive.

On 12th August, 2020, the State Cabinet of Odisha approved the various amendments to the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 which will enhance the penalty for violators of the COVID-19 regulations.In Accordance with the Ordinance, non-compliance of regulations will attract Imprisonment for a term, which may be extended to two years or with fine which can be extended upto Rupees One Lakh or with both.

Israel Defence Minister Benny Gantz, announced that Israel has successfully tested their advanced missile defence system, Arrow-2, a ballistic missile interceptor, which serves as the top tier integrated Israeli shield built to withstand various missile salvoes, was built with the support of the United States of America.

Patriots' day is observed annually on August 13 in Manipur. The Patriots' Day 2020 was observed to commemorate the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri war during which many Manipuris sacrificed their lives to safeguard the independence of the State.

First-of-its's-kind Katra (Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir)-Delhi Express Road corridor works have begun and it is expected to be completed by 2023. It was announced by Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (M-DoNER), Dr. Jitendra Singh. The express Corridor is expected to reduce the travel time between Katra and Delhi to around six and half hours, the total outlay of the project is Rs. 35, 000 crores.

On August 12, 2020, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mandated the urban co-operative banks (UCBs) with assets of Rs 2,000 crore or above as on March 31, 2020 to implement system-based asset classification from 30 June 2021.

Federal Bank has partnered with Fiserv, Inc. to enable the digitization of it's end-to-end card issuance and processing cycle to support the launch of the Federal Bank credit card, their 1st Independent Credit Card.

As a part of India's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, India extended an assistance of 1 million USD to the government of Antigua and Barbuda to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic and to improve their health infrastructure and capacity.