Daily Current Affairs 15th August, 2021

Daily Current Affairs 15 August 2021 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

National Health Authority teams up with IIT Delhi to strengthen India’s response to COVID-19 crisis
Recognising the role of innovations to strengthen India’s response to COVID-19 crisis and preparedness for emerging healthcare needs, the National Health Authority has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi.

•  Through this partnership, the National Health Authority (NHA) will be a technical collaborator on the US Agency for International Development (USAID)-supported SAMRIDH Healthcare Blended Financing Facility.
• IIT Delhi serves as the hosting entity for SAMRIDH. This initiative is implemented by a Technical Support Unit managed by IPE Global.

BANKING & FINANCE

Exim Bank to provide $100 million loan to Mauritius for procuring defence items
The Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has entered into an agreement for USD 100 million line of credit to Mauritius for procurement of defence items from India, the RBI said in a release.

• Under the agreement, India will export eligible goods and services to Mauritius. Line of credit or soft loans are charged at nominal rate of interest.
• Out of the total credit by Exim Bank under the agreement, goods, works and services of the value of at least 75 per cent of the contract price shall be supplied by the seller from India, and the remaining 25 per cent of goods and services may be procured by the seller for the purpose of the eligible contract from outside India.

AU Small Finance Bank unveils new brand campaign, ‘BADLAAV Humse Hai’
AU Small Finance Bank has unveiled a mega Brand Campaign, aptly titled ‘BADLAAV Humse Hai’.

• This is the first integrated marketing communication campaign from AU Bank since its inception – a creative endeavor that will showcase the bank’s passion for innovation.
• As  a part of this campaign, AU will release a series of ad films on products and practices such as monthly interest, anywhere banking, Video banking, UPI QR and new age Credit Cards to bring alive the proposition of BADLAAV through tangible offerings.

RBI cancels license of Raigad based Karnala Nagari Sahakari Bank
The Reserve Bank has canceled the license of Raigad based Karnala Nagari Sahakari Bank Limited in Maharashtra. RBI said the bank has been directed to cease all its operations from 13th August.

• As informed by the Reserve Bank of India, the license of Karnala Nagari Sahakari Bank was canceled due to insufficient capital and earning prospects and its continuance would have adversely affected depositors.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

IATA extend partnership with UNCTAD to facilitate global trade
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) have extended their collaboration to facilitate international trade, particularly e-commerce.

• The extended partnership will enrich their history of working together. This includes the successful integration of air cargo messaging standards (Cargo-XML) into UNCTAD’s automated customs management system ASYCUDAWorld.
• For the 100 counties choosing to deploy the latest version of ASYCUDAWorld, this enables more efficient processing of air cargo shipments.

SPORTS

World Archery Youth Championships: India win three gold medals in Compound Events
In Archery, India won gold medals in the compound cadet women’s and men’s and mixed team events in the ongoing World Youth Championships in Wroclaw.

• The women defeated Turkey 228-216 in the final to win a gold medal while the cadet men’s team followed getting the better of USA in the final.
• India’s cadet men’s team of Kushal Dalal, Sahil Chaudhary and Nitin Apar upset the top seeds USA, beating them 233-231 in a thrilling final.

AWARDS

Women Sub-Inspector Rita Debnath of Tripura Police awarded ‘Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation’
Women Sub-Inspector Rita Debnath of Tripura Police has been awarded the ‘Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation’ for the year 2021.

• The list of awardees were announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The ‘Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation’ for the year 2021 has been awarded to 152 police personnel all over the country including 28 women police officers across the country are to receive the award.
• The medal recipients include 15 from CBI, 5 from NCB, 5 from NIA, 11 each from Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra Police, 10 from Utter Pradesh, 9 from Kerala and Rajasthan Police, 8 from Tamil Nadu Police, 7 from Bihar, 6 each from Gujarat, Karnataka and Delhi Police and the remaining from other States/UTs.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 

IIT, Bombay develops novel method using infra-red technology to predict patients more likely to be severely ill from COVID
IIT, Bombay has developed a novel method using infra-red technology to detect which patients are more at risk of becoming severely ill from COVID-19.

• The head of the Proteomics Facility at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Professor Sanjeeva Srivastava, has confirmed that there is a correlation between a person’s blood chemical signature and becoming severely unwell with COVID-19.
• The pilot study conducted in collaboration with Mumbai’s Kasturba Hospital, Australia’s QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and Agilent Technologies was found to be 85 percent accurate.
• The study was primarily funded by India’s Science and Engineering Research Board, the Government of India.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Independence Day
75th Independence Day of India is celebrated on August 15 every year to commemorate India’s freedom from the British rule in 1947.

• The Independence Day also marks the anniversary of undivided India’s partition into India and Pakistan.

On this occasion, PM Modi made six big announcements that will benefit the country in different ways.

• Indian Railways: Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintained his focus on northeastern states. He announced that all capitals of northeastern states will be connected using railways soon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the roll out of 75 Vande Bharat trains to connect every corner of the country in 75 weeks of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.Vaishnaw had directed the people in charge to advance the rollout plan of the Vande Bharat trains and link at least 40 cities by August 2022.
• Nutrition Goal: The government will fortify the rice which it gives to the poor under its different schemes and will give nutritious rice to the poor. Whether it is rice available at ration shop, rice available in mid-day meal, rice available through every scheme will be fortified by the year 2024.
• E-commerce platform for SHGs: In a move that will go a long way in ensuring a better lifestyle for rural women, Prime Minister Modi announced the creation of an e-commerce platform especially for selling products prepared by women associated with Self Help Groups.
• National Master Plan: Presenting his vision of new-age infrastructure, PM Modi reiterated that infra projects cannot be made in silos. He announced the launch of PM Gatishakti in the coming days. “Along with modern infrastructure, India also needs to adopt a holistic approach in infrastructure construction.
• National Hydrogen Mission: PM Modi announced the setting up of the National Hydrogen Mission with the aim of becoming the new global hub of Green Hydrogen, and also its largest exporter.
• Sainik School: In a move that will ensure that girls get equal representation as boys, the Prime Minister announced that from now onwards, girl students can also take admission in Sainik Schools.
• PM Modi also called upon Central and state ministries/departments to launch a campaign to review the rules and procedures that have stood before the people of the country as a hindrance, as a burden.

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