Daily Current Affairs 17th August, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 17 August 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Govt issues guidelines for Rs 1 trillion partial guarantee scheme for NBFCs

The Centre has issued guidelines on operationalising Rs 1 trillion partial guarantee scheme under which public-sector banks can purchase high-rated pooled assets of financially sound non-banking finance companies (NBFCs).

• NBFCs, including housing finance companies (HFCs), came under stress following series of defaults by the group companies of IL&FS in September last year.

Inter-State Council reconstituted with PM Modi as chairman

The Inter-State Council, which is mandated to investigate and advise on disputes between states, has been reconstituted with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its chairman and six Union ministers and all chief ministers as members.

India’s first space museum inaugurated in Hyderabad

With interest in space among public zooming up courtesy the successful flight of the Chandrayaan-2 mission to the moon, India’s first Space Science Museum opened in Hyderabad.

• Located on the erstwhile Naubat Pahad in the centre of the city, it’s a collaborative effort between the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the B M Birla Science Centre.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

5th BRICS Minister of Environment Meeting held in Bazil

5th BRICS Minister of Environment Meeting was held in Sao Paulo, Bazil. Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar along with Environment Ministers of other 4 countries attended the meeting.

• Acknowledging the importance of urban environmental management for improving quality of life in cities, the Environment Ministers of BRICS countries, agreed to work together to resolve the multifaceted environmental issues faced by BRICS cities.

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI clarifies on free ATM transactions

The Reserve Bank of India has told banks not to treat failed transactions at ATMs due to technical reasons, non-availability of currency in ATMs, etc or non-cash transactions such as balance enquiries or chequebook requests as part of five free transactions available to customers every month.

• Furthermore, non-cash withdrawal transactions such as balance enquiry, cheque book request, payment of taxes, funds transfer which constitute ‘on-us’ transactions shall also not be part of the of free ATM transactions given to customers, the central bank said.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Government launches new GDP series to align with global method

The government has come out with a linked back-series of India’s growth numbers from 1950-51 to 2003-04, with 2011-12 as the base year, to align gross domestic product numbers from past years with the new internationally accepted methodology and facilitate comparisons.

• It will help compare recent GDP growth over a long series since the new system revised the base year from FY05 to FY12 and changed the methodology and sources of data collection.

ANZ slashes forecast for India’s GDP growth in 2019/20 to 6.2%

The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) slashed its forecast for India’s economic growth to 6.2% in the financial year ending next March from a previous estimate of 6.5%, warning it would be tough for authorities to engineer a turnaround.

SPORTS

India beat England by 36 runs to lift Physical Disability World Series T20

Title favourites India lifted the inaugural T20 Physical Disability World Cricket Series after defeating hosts England by 36 runs in the finals

Deepak Punia becomes India’s first junior World Champion in 18 years

Wrestler Deepak Punia has become India’s first junior World Champion in 18 years. He claimed a gold medal at the Junior Worlds with a win over Russia’s Alik Shebzukhov at Tallinn, Estonia.

India win historic gold in Junior Track Cycling World Championships

The Indian junior men’s team comprising Esow Alben, Ronaldo Singh, James Singh and Rojit Singh created history as they won the gold medal in the Team Sprint event at the Junior Track Cycling World Championships in Frankfurt, Germany.

Ravi Shastri to continue as India’s head coach

Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri has been appointed as the coach of the Indian cricket team for second successive term. Three-member Cricket Advisory Committee- Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy- made the announcement.

• Shastri’s new tenure has been extended till T20 World Cup, to be held in 20121 in Australia.

Bajrang Punia to get Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna

Medal-winning wrestler Bajrang Punia is all set to get the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the country’s highest sporting honour..

APPOINTMENTS

Harshad Pandurang Thakur appointed NIHFW Director

Harshad Pandurang Thakur has been appointed as the Director of National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) in New Delhi.

AWARDS

ISRO Chairman K. Sivan Conferred TN Govt’s Abdul Kalam Award

K. Sivan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), was awarded the Tamil Nadu government’s Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award.

• The award’s citation says that Sivan, a native of Kanyakumari district, is known popularly known as the ‘Rocket Man’.
• The Tamil Nadu government also handed over the Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring Enterprise to P. Ramyalakshmi. She is the assistant director of fisheries (marine) in Cuddalore, and she received the recognition because of her action against the usage of the destructive purse seine nets in the area

OBITUARIES

Neelum Sharma, senior DD News anchor, passes away

Senior journalist Neelum Sharma, a founding anchor with over 20 years of association with DD News, has passed away. Neelum, known for programmes like ‘Badi Charcha’ and ‘Tejasvini’, was conferred with the Nari Shakti Award by President Ram Nath Kovind earlier this year. She was also a widely acclaimed filmmaker with more than 60 documentaries to her credit.

Padma Shri awardee Damodar Ganesh Bapat dies at 84

Noted social worker and Padma Shri awardee Damodar Ganesh Bapat has passed away. He was 84. Bapat was known for his social work in tribal areas in Chhattisgarh.

• He dedicated his life to the treatment and service of leprosy patients at Bhartiya Kushta Nivarak Sangh in Janjgir-Champa district.

BOOKS

New book to tell the J&K story — from 1889 to 2019

A new book will tell the riveting story of the history of Jammu and Kashmir, from the time of its political and geographic consolidation under Maharaja Gulab Singh to the present-day.

• Titled, “Kashmir’s Untold Story: Declassified”, the book penned by filmmaker Iqbal Chand Malhotra and defence analyst Maroof Raza, will hit stands on September 18. The book, which comes after the scrapping of Article 370 and 35A earlier this month, will also shed light on why the special status was “integral to the accession treaty”.

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