National News

Jiyo Parsi Scheme Portal

• Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju launched Haj Application-2025 and the Jiyo Parsi Scheme Portal in New Delhi.

About Jiyo Parsi Scheme

14th Meeting of the India-Australia Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism

• The 14th meeting of the India-Australia Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism was held in New Delhi, to discuss global counter-terrorism challenges and the ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries.

About Australia

FloodWatch India 2.0

• Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Paatil launched the Version 2.0 of the ‘FloodWatch India’ mobile application in New Delhi.
• CWC had launched the first version of the mobile application on 17th August, 2023, to disseminate information related to flood situations in the country and flood forecasts up to 7 days on a real-time basis to the public.

About CWC

1 lakh transponders on marine fishing vessels

• Government will install one lakh transponders on marine fishing vessels to promote business and security to fishermen, it will also issue alerts if any fisherman crosses the maritime border.

What is a Transponder?

TRAI

• The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has mandated that all Access Service Providers immediately stop voice promotional calls from all unregistered senders or telemarketers to curb the increasing number of spam calls.

About TRAI

Science and Tech

LRGB GAURAV

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the maiden test flight of Long Range Glide Bomb (LRGB), GAURAV from Sukhoi-30 MK-I of the Indian Air Force, off the coast of Odisha.
• GAURAV is an air-launched one thousand-kilogram class glide bomb, capable of hitting targets at long distances, designed and developed indigenously by the Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad.

About DRDO

MPATGM

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test-fired the made-in-India 'Man-Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), at the field firing range in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer.
• The Man-Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile system consists of the missile, launcher, Target Acquisition System, and a fire control unit.

MoU between NHA and MUHS

• The National Health Authority (NHA) and Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi.
• As per the MoU, MUHS will offer its Digital Health Foundation Course to NHA and co-develop additional Digital Health programs to support the roll-out of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

About NHA

EED in BIS

• The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has created a new department for standardisation on issues related to environment and ecology named as Environment and Ecology Department (EED).

About BIS

Mpox

• Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared a public health emergency of continental security over an outbreak of mpox that spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries.

About mpox

Economy and Banking

RBI directions to NBFCs

• The Reserve Bank of India has directed non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) to refund 100 per cent of the amount within the first three months if the depositor seeks withdrawal citing an emergency like medical expenses or natural calamity.

What is NBFC?

MoU between Ministry of MSME and SBA of USA

• The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Small Business Administration (SBA) of the Government of the United States of America to promote Cooperation on Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs) in New Delhi.

MSME Classification and Criteria

Composite Criteria: Investment in Plant & Machinery/equipment and Annual Turnover

CITI and ILO

• Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) jointly launched the ‘Promoting Fundamental Principles and Rights at the Workplace’ project to help farmers eliminate the practice of child labour and forced labour in cotton farms.

ILO

Rating by the Capacity Building Commission

• The National Institute for MSME (NI-MSME), Hyderabad has been awarded with an Accreditation Certificate accreditation Certification as “UTKRISHT”, 3-Star Rating by Capacity Building Commission (CBC), in recognition of excellent services in the field of promotion and development of MSMEs. 
• The Jagjeevan Ram Railway Protection Force Academy, Lucknow, has been awarded the prestigious “Excellent” rating by the Capacity Building Commission (CBC) in recognition of its exceptional adherence to the National Standards for Civil Service Training Institutions (NSCSTI).

About CBC

NPCI BHIM Services Ltd

• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced the incorporation of NPCI BHIM Services Ltd (NBSL) (earlier known as Bharat Interface for Money' BHIM) as a wholly owned subsidiary.

About NPCI

Art and Culture

Kashmiri folk dance Rouf

• In Baramulla, Kashmir, 10,000 young women set a world record by performing the largest Kashmiri folk dance Rouf at the Kashur Riwaaj festival.

Add. Info: States and their Dances

 Person in News

Pramod Bhagat

• Para shuttler Pramod Bhagat has been suspended for 18 months by the Badminton World Federation for violating anti-doping rules. He will now not be able to participate in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Badminton Federation of India

Kailash Gahlot

• Delhi Lieutenant Governor has nominated Delhi Home Minister Kailash Gahlot to hoist the national flag at the state-level Independence Day function at the Chhatrasal Stadium as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is in jail following his arrest by the CBI in the liquor policy case.

 Jagdambika Pal

• Jagdambika Pal, senior Lok Sabha member of the BJP, will head the Joint Parliamentary Committee formed to examine the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

 Important Days

World Lizard Day

• World Lizard Day is celebrated every year on 14th August, encouraging us to show appreciation for lizards and to learn more about them