Daily Current Affairs 26th August, 2023

AZ Team

Daily Current Affairs 26 August for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

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NATIONAL NEWS

Assam Govt issues notification banning plastic water bottles below 1 litre
In a decisive move towards environmental conservation, the Assam Environment and Forest Department has taken a significant step by announcing the ban on the use and production of plastic water bottles below 1000 ml capacity within the state. This transformative initiative, set to be enforced from October 2 this year, reflects Assam’s commitment to combat plastic pollution and promote sustainable practices.

  • Recognizing the environmental hazards posed by such smaller plastic bottles, the Assam government’s decision aligns with its commitment to safeguard the state’s natural beauty and biodiversity.

MP: Indore secures 1st position, Bhopal 5th in Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan-2023
The Information Technology (IT) hub of Madhya Pradesh, Indore has secured first  position in Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan-2023 conducted by the Central Pollution Control Board.

  • According to a release, in the category of cities with a population of over 10 lakhs in the Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan-2023, Indore has secured the first position, Bhopal ranked fifth, Jabalpur 13th and Gwalior 41st.
  • In the category of cities with a population of 3 lakh to 10 lakh, Sagar got 10th place in the country with 188.02 points. Among cities with less than three lakh population, Dewas has secured 6th position in the country with a score of 180. Last year, Dewas secured the first position with 175.05 marks out of 200. Indore got 187 out of 200, Bhopal 181, Jabalpur 172 and Gwalior 114.
  • In the Survey, two of the first five position have been secured by Madhya Pradesh for cities with a population of more than 10 lakhs. Indore stood first, Agra second, Thane third, Srinagar fourth and Bhopal fifth. 

Mizoram becomes first state to launch ABDM microsite
The National Health Authority (NHA) announced that Aizawl, the capital city of Mizoram, has become the first state in India to operationalize Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission’s (ABDM) microsite project.

  • Last month, NHA announced 100 microsites project for accelerated adoption of digital health mission scheme across the country. 
  • The microsites are defined geographical regions where focused outreach efforts would be made to onboard small and medium scale private healthcare providers.

Finance minister launches HSBC India’s green hydrogen partnerships
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched HSBC India’s strategic partnerships to enable innovation in green hydrogen, partnering with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF), the bank said .

  • These two partnerships, with total grant support of ₹15 crore ($2 million), the bank said, will focus on innovation projects that will help prioritize green hydrogen as a strategic alternative fuel and help build a robust green-hydrogen economy.
  • According to the statement, the partnerships will help boost the government’s National Green Hydrogen Mission. 

Telangana, Unesco join hands to implement UN recommendation on ethics of AI
The Telangana government and UNESCO will be collaborating to implement the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) after a Letter of Intent was signed. 

  • The collaboration focuses on promoting the ethical development and use of AI awareness raising, capacity building, and contributions to UNESCO’s Global Observatory on AI Ethics. 
  • The partnership signifies a shared commitment to an AI-powered future that prioritises societal good and equitable development, it said.

UP cabinet approves 18 ‘Atal Residential’ schools, to cost Rs 1,250 crore
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has given the green light to several important proposals, highlighting the government’s commitment to education and youth empowerment.

  • The cabinet has allocated a significant budget of Rs 1,250 crore for the establishment of 18 ‘Atal Residential Schools’ across all 18 divisions of Uttar Pradesh.
  • Swami Vivekananda Youth Empowerment Scheme: Under this scheme, the government plans to distribute 25 lakh smartphones free of cost to students. 
  • Chief Minister’s Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme: A scheme benefiting 10 lakh individuals, the Chief Minister’s Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme, has been approved. Those participating in the scheme will receive a stipend of Rs 9,000 during their training period. 
  • Leasing of Dairy Plants: In an economic move, the cabinet has approved the leasing out of six dairy plants owned by the Pradesh Cooperative Dairy Federation. These plants, situated in Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Noida, Prayagraj, Azamgarh, and Moradabad, will be leased for a duration of 10 years. 
  • Biodiesel Production and Marketing Regulations: The cabinet has also approved regulations pertaining to biodiesel production and marketing. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi gifts Bidri Surahi, Nagaland Shawl, and Gond Painting to BRICS leaders
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in South Africa for BRICS Summit 2023, has gifted various indigenous gifts to world leaders. Some of the precious gifts include a painting, a shawl and a Surahi to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his wife and first lady Tshepo Motsepe.

  • In a latest development, the leaders of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) decided to admit Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as the new members of the group, sealing a long-drawn process. 

APPOINTMENTS

Infosys signs women’s tennis champ Iga Swiatek as brand ambassador
Infosys announced that it has entered into a multi-year partnership with women’s tennis World No. 1 Iga Świątek, making her its global brand ambassador to promote Digital Innovation and inspire women worldwide. This news comes a day after the IT major signed up Rafael Nadal for the same role.

  • The collaboration with ÅšwiÄ…tek will involve Infosys working closely with her team to build an advanced data analytics and video dashboard. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), the partnership aims to amplify ÅšwiÄ…tek’s training, focusing on her strengths and devising match strategies.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 

Chandrayaan-3: India to celebrate August 23 as ‘National Space Day, says PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that August 23 would be celebrated as National Space Day to mark Chandrayaan-3’s landing on the Moon. 

  • To commemorate the success of Chandrayaan-3 lander, PM Modi announced that the spot of landing of Vikram lander will be known as ‘Shivshakti’. 
  • The Prime Minister announced the name of the spot while addressing scientists at ISRO Telemetry Tracking & Command Network Mission Control Complex in Bengaluru.

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