SBI becomes 1st Indian bank to link up with China’s National Advance Payment System

1. Model village built with Indian assistance inaugurated in Sri Lanka

The Gandhi Nagar model village built in Sri Lanka with Indian assistance was inaugurated and the completed houses handed over to the beneficiaries.It is the second of the 100 model villages being built with Indian assistance and is named after Mahatma Gandhi, in his 150th birth anniversary.Government of India has partnered with the Sri Lankan government to build 100 model villages with a total of 2,400 houses all across Sri Lanka under Indian grant assistance of 120 crore rupees.

2. “Aadi Perukku” festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, the “Aadi Perukku” festival was celebrated.People performed puja’s on the banks of larger water bodies including sea coasts, lakes and rivers.The festival is to show reverence by the public to rivers, as the traditional season of sowing of seeds for the next crops.At the Hogenakkal Waterfalls in Dharmapuri, tourists and pilgrims participated in the “Aadi Perukku” festival.Aadi is the name of the current Tamil month, and Perukku is the term for the flooding of waters.

3. Gujarat CM launches ‘Vhali Dikri Yojna’

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has launched the ‘Vhali Dikri Yojna’ from Rajkot.The scheme for the welfare of the girl child has been launched to mark the 63rd birthday of Chief Minister.It is a statewide cash incentive scheme for every girl child born in Gujarat, with a view to raising the female birthrate at par with male to achieve gender equality.The State Government will pay Rs. 4,000 to every girl child at the time of admission to Standard 4th, Rs. 6,000 at the time of taking admission to Standard IX, Rs. 1 lakh at the time of taking admission for higher education at the age of 18 and another Rs. 1 lakh at the time of marriage.

4. Maharashtra to get world’s first ultra-fast Hyperloop project

Maharashtra has granted infrastructure project status for a $10 billion plan to establish the world’s first ultra-fast hyperloop project.The projects aim to link Mumbai with the neighbouring city of Pune.Hyperloops use magnets to levitate pods inside an airless tube, creating conditions in which the pods can shuttle people and freight at speeds of up to 1,200 km per hour.The status could help fast-track land acquisition for the project over a 117.5 km stretch that will shuttle people between the cities in about 35 minutes.

5. SBI becomes 1st Indian bank to link up with China’s National Advance Payment System

The State Bank of India’s Shanghai branch is now connected to China’s National Advance Payment System (CNAPS), becoming the first Indian Bank to operationalise it.The CNAPS, launched in 2008 by People’s Bank of China (PBOC) provides real-time settlement services for all payments cleared in mainland China, as well as in all clearing banks in offshore yuan centres, such as Hong Kong.The CIPS already has participants from multiple countries across the globe.

6. Siddhartha Mohanty takes over as MD, CEO of LIC HFL

Siddhartha Mohanty has assumed charge as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the LIC Housing Finance (LIC HFL).Prior to taking over as MD and CEO of LIC HFL, Mohanty was the company’s COO.Before joining LIC HFL, he was Executive Director – Legal with LIC of India.

7. President Kovind honoured with National Order of Merit, highest award of Republic of Guinea

President Ram Nath Kovind has been awarded the National Order of Merit by the President of Guinea.He has been awarded for his exceptional contribution to the advancement of overall relations and development of mutual cooperation between India and Guinea.This is the highest award of the Republic of Guinea.Three MoUs were signed between the two countries, Cooperation in the Field of Traditional System of Medicine, e- Vidhyabharati – e-Aarogya Bharati Network Project and Renewal Energy.President also announced a new Line of Credit of US$ 170 million for Water Supply Project of Conakry city.

8. Adarsh Singh wins double gold in shooting meet

Adarsh Singh outclassed his rivals in the Sardar Sajjan Singh Sethi Memorial Masters competition, winning the gold medal in both the men and junior 25 metres rapid fire pistol event in New Delhi.The 17-year-old Adarsh shot 584 to top the qualification rounds, his score way above the second-ranked shooter in both the competitions.Punjab’s Anhad Jawanda bagged the bronze with a score of 22 in the six-man final.In the junior event, Adarsh found it comparatively easier, overcoming Vijayveer Sidhu of Chandigarh 30-27 to claim a double on the concluding day of the tournament.

9. Lionel Messi banned for three months for ‘corruption’ comments

World’s best footballer Lionel Messi will not play again for Argentina this year after being handed a suspension and fine for his criticism of South American Football Confederation.The Barcelona superstar accused the South American governing body of being “corrupt” during the Copa America.Messi will be given a three-month ban from international duty which will see him miss Argentina’s friendlies with Chile and Mexico in September and Germany in October.The 32-year-old superstar was shown a red card in the third-place play-off against Chile at the start of July.Argentina won the game, but Messi fumed and did not appear on the pitch for the medal ceremony.