1) India observes 77th anniversary of Quit India movement
•The 77th anniversary of the August Kranti Din or Quit India Movement, which is considered as one of the important milestones in the history of freedom struggle of our country, is being observed.
•On this date in 8 Aug 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave a clarion call to end the British rule and launched the Quit India Movement at the session of the All-India Congress Committee in Mumbai. After the failure of Cripps Mission, Gandhiji gave the call to “Do or Die” in his Quit India speech delivered at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Mumbai. The grateful country is paying homage to the freedom fighters and remembering the supreme sacrifices of the martyrs during the freedom struggle.
2) Rajya Sabha clears Bill for more judges in Supreme Court
•The Rajya Sabha has passed a Bill for more judges in Supreme Court. The bill proposed an increase in the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 30 to 33 judges.
3) Andhra Pradesh govt will launch Navodayam scheme
•The Andhra Pradesh government will launch the Navodayam scheme. The scheme is a complete outreach programme for thousands of ailing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state.
•Navodayam will provide a lifeline to stressed MSMEs by ensuring that all eligible units are permitted for the one-time restructuring of accounts up to March 31, 2020. About 86,000 MSMEs in the state have been identified for restructuring under Navodayam with an outlay of Rs 3,900 crore.
4) Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting launches e-Rozgar Samachar
•Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting has launched e-Rozgar Samachar.Rozgar Samachar is the corresponding version of Employment News (English). It has been launched with a view to make aspirants aware of job opportunities in government sector including public sector enterprises. It will also provide information and guidance about admission and career opportunities in various streams through career-oriented articles by experts. It is expected to meet the emerging challenge of young readers switching to electronic modes of communication.
5) Rajasthan launches new higher education model
•Minister of State for Higher Education Bhanwar Singh Bhati inaugurated the new higher education model, titled Resource Assistance for Colleges with Excellence(RACE) in Rajasthan.
•This model has been launched for distribution of faculties and movable assets among the government colleges at the district level to rationalise the availability of resources. The model will create a pool for sharing of facilities which will benefit the colleges lacking infrastructure.
6) UP Govt extends bilateral agreements with Netherlands till 2024
•The Uttar Pradesh government has extended bilateral agreements with Netherlandstill 2024. The previously inked MoUs sought cooperation and exchange of the knowledge and techniques in the fields of solid waste management, spatial planning, water management including restoration of water bodies and mobility planning.
7) UNIDO and NISE to partner for skill development program
•The National Institute of Solar Energy and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization have signed an agreement to initiate a skill development programme for different levels of beneficiaries in the solar thermal energy sector.
•NISE and UNIDO will engage national and international experts to bring the best practices by developing specialized training material.
8) Kandikuppa Sreekant becomes Power Grid CMD
•State-owned Power Grid Corporation Director (Finance) Kandikuppa Sreekantassumed the charge of the chairman and managing director of Power Grid Corporation of India. The Ministry of Power order, the tenure of Kandikuppa Sreekant will be till December 31, 2023.
9) India’s Naaz Joshi won Miss World Diversity Title
•India’s transsexual woman Naaz Joshi was crowned Miss World Diversity 2019. This event was held in Port Louis, Mauritius. This was her 3rd successive victory in thebeauty pageant Miss World Diversity.
10) NEFT facility to be available 24×7 by December 2019
•The Reserve Bank of India will make available the National Electronic Funds Transfer system on a 24×7 basis from December 2019 as per the Payment System Vision 2021 document.
•Presently, the transfer of funds via NEFT can only be done during banks’ working hours. The facility of electronic transfer of funds is available from 8 am to 7 pm on all working days, except the second and the fourth Saturday of the month.
•The move will revolutionize the retail payments system of the country. It will also reduce the number of cheques while making payments and will also increase efficiency in businesses.
11) Mastercard launches identity check express to secure online transactions
•Mastercard announced the launch of Identity Check Express, a next-generation, mobile-first authentication solution that aims to redefine the e-commerce journey for Indian consumers.
•Mastercard Identity Check Express combines the latest technology, including device intelligence and behavioural biometrics, with the latest EMV 3-D Secure and FIDO authentication standards to deliver an uninterrupted mobile payment experience.
