1) National Infrastructure Pipeline Online Dashboard launched
•The National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) Online Dashboard has been inaugurated by the Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman. The newly launched platform “NIP” will act as one stop solution for all stakeholders seeking for information on infrastructure projects in New India. The platform is being considered a step towards the vision of an Aatma Nirbhar Bharat. It will attract investors for PPP projects and also ensure easy accessibility to updated project information.
•The National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) Online Dashboard will improve project preparation, attract investments (both domestic & foreign) into infrastructure and would be hosted on the India Investment Grid (IIG). IIG is an online platform that provides information about the updated & real-time investment opportunities in the country to the global investor community. NIP will cover both economic as well as social infrastructure projects.
2) Webinar on ‘AtmaNirbhar Madhya Pradesh: Health and Education’
•A webinar with title ‘AtmaNirbhar Madhya Pradesh: Health and Education’ was inaugurated by Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in New Delhi. The webinar was held to discuss the topics namely education and health with subject experts from across the nation for Madhya Pradesh as part of the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ programme.
•While addressing the webinar, the Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ highlighted the various initiatives taken by the Ministry of Education during COVID- 19 pandemic. He also applauded the state Government of Madhya Pradesh for swiftly responding to the COVID-19 crisis by introducing a series of interventions across all sectors.
3) GoI launched National Portal “SURAKHSYA” on Human Elephant conflict
•Union Environment Minister, Prakash Javadekar has launched National Portal on Human-Elephant conflict called “SURAKHSYA”. The portal aims to collect real-time information and will also manage conflicts on a real-time basis. The portal will help to set data collection protocols, data visualization tools and data transmission pipelines.
•The National Portal was launched during the celebration of international annual event World Elephant Day. The World Elephant Day is celebrated every year on August 12 to create elephant conservation and share knowledge for better protection of wild captive elephants. The portal will help to set data collection protocols, data visualization tools and data transmission pipelines.
4) Mahinda Rajapaksa takes oath as Sri Lankan PM for 4th time
•Sri Lanka’s former President, Mahinda Rajapaksa took oath as the country’s Prime Minister for the fourth time, after his party secured a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections on 5 August 2020. Mahinda Rajapaksa was administered the oath of office for the ninth Parliament by his younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at a historic Buddhist temple, Rajamaha Viharaya in Kelaniya, a north Colombo suburb.
•The 74-year-old Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) leader has been appointed as the PM of Sri Lanka. Prior to this, Mahinda Rajapaksa was first elected prime minister in 2004 and again appointed for brief periods in 2018 and 2019. He has also served as the island nation’s president from 2005 to 2015.
5) Walter Roger Martos Ruiz becomes new PM of Peru
•The former defence minister and retired army general, Walter Roger Martos Ruiz becomes new Prime Minister of the country. His appointment was confirmed by President of Peru, Martin Vizcarra. Ruiz will succeed Pedro Álvaro Cateriano Bellido. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Government Palace in Lima.
6) Mohamed Ould Bilal becomes new Prime Minister of Mauritania
•Mohamed Ould Bilal has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Mauritania. The appointment was made by the Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani. Mohamed Ould Bilal is a veteran public administrator and has served as the head of the country’s national water agency, a presidential aide and a cabinet minister.
•Appointment of Mohamed Ould Bilal as the Prime Minister of Mauritania was made following the resignation of his predecessor Ismail Ould Cheikh Sidiya and his entire government.
7) Russia becomes 1st country to register COVID-19 Vaccine
•Russian President, Vladimir Putin has announced that a COVID-19 vaccine developed in the country has been registered for use. Russian Ministry of Health has given regulatory approval for what it claims is the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine, developed by Moscow’s Gamaleya Institute. Russia is the first country to register a coronavirus vaccine.
•The vaccine has proven efficient during tests, offering enduring immunity from the coronavirus. Many scientists within the country and abroad are sceptical, however, questioning the choice to register the vaccine before Phase 3 trials that normally last for months and involve thousands of individuals.
8) Belarusan President Alexander Lukashenko wins sixth term
•President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko has won his sixth consecutive term with 80.23 per cent of the vote at the country’s presidential election. A former English teacher Svetlana Tikhanouskaya, who emerged as Lukashenko’s main rival at the elections gets 9.9 per cent of the vote.
9) GoI bans import of 101 Defence items to boost Atma Nirbhar Bharat
•The Ministry of Defence has announced a list of over 100 items that would be banned for import beyond the time indicated against them. The government has prepared a list 101 items on which there would be an embargo on import to give a push to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan” (Self Reliant India Movement). It is estimated that contracts worth almost Rs 4 Lakh crore will be placed upon the domestic industry within the next six to seven years.
10) A.P. governent signs MoU with US Based IT Firm “Boston Group”
•The Boston Group has signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to set up an IT company in Visakhapatnam. The new IT company stated to be installed in the state according to the MoU is expected to create 250+ jobs in the IT sector.
•The employees of this centre would be deployed in the R&D on Learning platforms and leverage advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Cyber Security and Human Resources.
