NATIONAL NEWS

PMAY-U 2.0 scheme

•  The Union Cabinet has approved Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 scheme aimed at constructing 1 crore houses for urban poor and middle-class families in a five years period.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

Clean Plant Programme (CPP)

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the Clean Plant Programme (CPP) proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to revolutionize the horticulture sector and providing access to virus-free, high-quality planting material, leading to increased crop yields and improved income opportunities in the country.
•  This programme will be implemented by the National Horticulture Board in association with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

ICAR

Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana

• Indian Government approved amendments in “Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana” for providing financial support to Advanced Biofuel Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.
•  This modified scheme has been extended for five more years till 2028-29.

Ayush Standardisation Department

• According to the Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ministry, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) will create a new department dedicated to standardising Ayush practices.
• The department will cover Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homeopathy.

BIS

MoU Between AIIA & Amity University

• All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi signed an MoU with Amity University, Noida for collaboration on education, research and technology.

‘Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Asoni’ Scheme

• The Assam government launched ‘Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Asoni (MMNMA)’Scheme to provide monetary benefits to girl students every month in order to put an end to child marriages.

Assam

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Indian consulate in Auckland

• President Draupadi Murmu announced that India will soon open a consulate in Auckland, New Zealand, to facilitate the reception of the Indian diaspora community in Auckland.
•  Currently, India has an honorary consul in Auckland, while the Indian High Commission in New Zealand is in Wellington.

New Zealand

ECONOMY & BANKING

Sugar Conclave and National Efficiency Award 2022-23

•  ‘Sugar Conclave and National Efficiency Award 2022-23’ was organized by the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF) Limited in New Delhi.
• NFCSF is an apex body comprising all 260 cooperative sugar factories and nine state sugar federations across the country.

Government e-Marketplace

• Government e-Marketplace (GeM) commemorated its 08th Foundation Day.
•  GeM was launched on 9th August 2016 and it is a Section 8 company setup under the administrative control of the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, for procurement of goods and services by Central Ministries, State Departments, PSEs and Autonomous Bodies.

AI-powered data centre

• Aurum Equity Partners has announced setting up a 100 MW state-of-the-art AI-powered data centre in Telangana, with a total investment of $400 million.

Telangana

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Lion Day

• World Lion Day is observed on 10th of August every year across the globe to raise awareness about the conservation and protection of lions.
•  It was first established in 2013 by Big Cat Rescue and the theme for 2024 is ‘Protecting The King of The Jungle’.

About Lion

 Indian Cost Accounts Service (ICoAS) Day

• Indian Cost Accounts Service (ICoAS) celebrates Foundation Day on 9th August with the theme of ‘ICoAS @ Viksit Bharat’.
• On this occasion an e-Book titled ‘Indian Cost Accounts Service: An Overview,’ was released which details the significant functions and achievements of ICoAS officers.

ENVIRONMENT + SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

MDR-TB Drug BPaL

• India will begin to introduce a BPaL (bedaquiline, pretomanid and linezolid) regimen for all multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) patients in August 2024. 

TB

UN first treaty on cybercrime

• After three years of negotiations and a final two-week session in New York, members approved the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime by consensus, and it will now be submitted to the General Assembly for formal adoption.
• The committee was set up, despite US and European opposition, following an initial move in 2017 by Russia.

United Nations

DEFENCE

Panel to Monitor Indo-Bangla Border Situation

• The Union Home Ministry constituted a panel headed by the Additional Director General of Border Security Force (BSF), Eastern Command to monitor the situation along the Bangladesh border.

SPORTS

Aman Sehrawat won Bronze medal

• Aman Sehrawat won the bronze in the men’s freestyle 57 kg event at the Paris 2024 Olympics wrestling tournament and became India’s youngest medal winner at the Summer Games at the age of 21 years and 24 days.
• Aman Sehrawat bettered PV Sindhu’s record of 21 years, one month and 14 days when she bagged the silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Indian medal winners at Paris Olympics 2024

Flag Bearers at Paris Olympics closing ceremony

• The Indian Olympic Association nominated Indian hockey team’s goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and pistol shooter Manu Bhaker as joint flag bearers for the Paris 2024 Olympics Games Closing Ceremony.