PM launches weeklong ‘Gandagi Mukt Bharat’ campaign

1.World Tribal Day: 09 August

Every year United Nations and other world organizations celebrate World Tribal Day or International Day of the World Indigenous People on 09 August.The day promotes and protects the rights of the world indigenous population.The day marked the first meeting of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations in Geneva, 1982.

2.Mauritius declares emergency over oil spill from grounded ship

The prime minister of Mauritius has declared a state of environmental emergency and appealed to France for urgent assistance.The French Island of Reunion is the closest to Mauritius. The Island of Reunion is a major military base of France in the Indian Ocean.The oil spill was caused by Japanese owned ship that was stranded off the coast days ago.The cracks that appeared on the ship hull caused the oil spill and has put around 1 to 3 million residents in the island nation to danger.

3.Mahinda Rajapaksa takes oath as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for fourth time

In Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa took oath as the Prime Minister for the fourth time.He was administered the oath by his younger brother and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at a ceremony held at Kelaniya Mahaviharaya near Colombo.Mahinda Rajapaksa has served as country’s President from 2006 to 2015 and his party has got landslide victory at general elections.Mr. Rajapaksa is credited with ending the decades long LTTE war in 2009 during his Presidency.He had lost the 2015 Presidential elections and has made a strong political comeback.

4.India says it would like Sri Lanka to send first flight to newly upgraded Kushinagar airport

India has said it would like Sri Lanka to send the first international flight to the newly upgraded Kushinagar airport in Uttar Pradesh.Indian Government has decided to declare the Kushinagar airport an international airport in June.This is particularly significant to Sri Lanka’s Buddhist pilgrims since the airport is located near a number of sites sacred to Buddhists.Kushinagar is regarded as a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage centre and is dotted with several other Buddhist sites in the surrounding areas such as Sravasti (238 km), Kapilvastu (190 km) and Lumbini (195 km).

5.PM launches weeklong ‘Gandagi Mukt Bharat’ campaign

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched “Gandagi Mukt Bharat”, a week-long campaign for ‘swachhata’ in the run-up to Independence Day.During this week, each day till August 15 will have special ‘swachhata’ initiatives in urban and rural India to re-enforce the ‘jan andolan’ for ‘swachhata’.He also inaugurated the ‘Rashtriya Swachhata Kendra’ -an interactive experience centre on the Swachh Bharat Mission, at the Gandhi Smriti at Rajghat.

6.PM Modi to release sixth instalment of PM-KISAN scheme to 8.5 crore farmers, to launch Rs 1 Lakh crore financing facility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the financing facility of one lakh crore rupees under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.He also released the sixth instalment of funds of 17 thousand crore rupees to 8.5 crore farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna (PM-KISAN) scheme.The financing facility under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund will catalyze the creation of post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets like cold storage, collection centres and processing units.These assets will enable farmers to get greater value for their produce, as they will be able to store and sell at higher prices, reduce wastage, and increase processing and value addition.One lakh crore rupees will be sanctioned under the financing facility in partnership with multiple lending institutions.

7.NTPC achieves over 100 billion units of cumulative generation in current financial year

National Thermal Power Corporation, NTPC, Group has achieved over 100 billion units of cumulative generation in the current financial year.2600 Mega Watt NTPC Korba in Chattisgarh has emerged as the top performing thermal power plant in the country with 97.42 percent plant load factor, PLF, between April to July this year.NTPC Limited is an Indian Public Sector Undertaking, engaged in the business of generation of electricity and allied activities.

8.Hardayal Prasad becomes new MD & CEO of PNB Housing Finance

PNB Housing Finance has announced the appointment of the former SBI Card head, Hardayal Prasad as its new managing director and chief executive officer.Prasad will take over from Neeraj Vyas the current interim managing director and chief executive officer of the company, will step down from the position on August 10.Prasad is experienced in banking, international operations at SBI and SBI Cards and Payment Services (SBI Card).He resigned from the post of MD and CEO of SBI Card pursuant to voluntary retirement from SBI, the promoter of SBI Card on 15th July 2020 which came to effect on 31st July 2020.

9.Hockey team captain Manpreet Singh, players tested COVID-19 positive

Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh, defenders Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh and drag flicker Varun Kumar have tested positive for Covid 19.All players camping in SAI Bengaluru campus are in self quarantine as their test results are awaited.The players had returned to the national hockey camp in Bengaluru following a month-long break.The hockey camp is being held in the National Centre of Excellence in SAI, Bengaluru.10 athletes who had travelled along with the other members have also undergone RT-PCR test.

10.Senior Congress leader Nandi Yellaiah passes away

Senior Congress leader and former Vice President of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Nandi Yellaiah passed away.Nandi Yellaiah died while taking treatment at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad.He had tested positive for Coronavirus 10 days ago.Yellaiah was a six-time member of Lok Sabha and served as the MP of Nagarkurnool constituency till 2019.He was elected as the Lok Sabha MP from Siddipet five times before he won as the MP from Nagarkurnool in 2014. He was also a member of Rajya Sabha twice.