Daily Current Affairs 9th August, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 9 August 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

India, Bangladesh to set up committee for optimum utilisation of water resources

India and Bangladesh have agreed to set up a Joint Technical committee for optimum utilisation of Ganges water as being received by Bangladesh under the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty 1996.

• The Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna mega-basin is the second largest hydraulic region in the world.

Government sanctions 5,595 e-buses for 64 cities under FAME India’s second phase

The Department of Heavy Industry has sanction 5,595 electric buses for 64 cities under the FAME India scheme’s second phase to give a further push to clean mobility in public transportation.

• These buses will run about 4 billion kilometres during their contract period and are expected to save cumulatively about 1.2 billion litres of fuel over the contract period. This will result in avoidance of 2.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Odisha govt launches Small Savings Incentive Scheme

Odisha government has launched the ‘Odisha Small Savings Incentive Scheme’ for the calendar year 2019 under the notation “AQ” series.

• Under this scheme, any eligible person who deposits a minimum amount of Rs 2,000 in any Small Savings Schemes during the calendar year 2019 in any Post office or bank situated within Odisha can obtain a free web-based coupon from the office of the collectors, sub-collectors and block development officers.
• A state-level lucky draw of the scheme will be held on April 26, 2020, in which the people can win cash award as an incentive for their habit of thrift.

Industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla to build 100 high-tech gaushalas in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath announced that industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla has agreed to build 100 high-tech gaushalas in the state from the group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund in the next 18 months.

Manipur tops in Breastfeeding, Infant & Young Child Feeding Practices

Manipur has topped the raknings in Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in the country. Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan released a report on Breastfeeding in New Delhi. Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Bihar are at the bottom positions in the report card.

India’s first underwater train to be launched in Kolkata soon

India’s first underwater train project in Kolkata is almost complete. The metro will soon be operational soon in Kolkata under the Hubli river.

• The 16-kilometre long Kolkata Metro project will connect Salt Sector 5 with Howrah Maidan.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Iran unveils three new precision-guided missiles

Iran has unveiled three advanced precision-guided smart missiles named “Yasin,” “Balaban” and a new series of the Ghaem missiles.

• With this Iran is now ready to defend itself in the face of US viciousness and conspiracies.

BANKING & FINANCE

At 7.3%, retail loan growth slips to 5-year low in first half of 2019

As per RBI’s monthly sectoral deployment of credit data analysed by ET, the retail personal credit disbursement growth in the first half of 2019 between January and June was 7.3%. The credit growth in the first half 2018 was 7.7% while for the same period in 2017 it was 8.6%.

LIC launches Jeevan Amar protection plan

LIC has launched a new term-insurance plan called Jeevan Amar. It is a non-linked, without profit, pure protection plan, and is available for sale offline. It offers the flexibility to choose from two death benefit options – level sum assured and increasing sum assured.

• The minimum sum assured under the plan is ₹25 lakh with no maximum limit.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

NCAER expects India’s GDP to grow at 6.2% in FY20

India’s GDP growth is likely to be 6.2 per cent during the current fiscal, down from 6.8 per cent in 2018-19, on account of flat growth in agriculture sector, according to economic think-tank NCAER.

UNIDO and National Institute of Solar Energy to partner for skill development program

An agreement has been signed between the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to initiate a skill development programme for different levels of beneficiaries in the solar thermal energy sector.

• NISE and UNIDO will engage national and international experts to bring the best practices by developing specialized training material.

Bill Gates regains second-richest spot while Mukesh Ambani slips to 18th place in world rich list

Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates has regained the world’s second-richest person spot with $106 billion wealth, as per Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

• Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO remained on top.

SPORTS

Indian men’s 20km race walk team wins bronze after seven years through upgrade

Seven years after India missed a podium place at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in 2012 in Russia, the country has been handed a bronze medal upgrade following disqualification of a member of the second-placed Ukrainian team for dope violation.

World Archery suspends AAI for defying guidelines

The World Archery (WA) has suspended the Archery Association of India (AAI) for defying its guidelines by electing two parallel bodies, asking the federation to put its house in order by the end of this month.

South Africa great Hashim Amla announces retirement from international cricket

South Africa batsman Hashim Amla announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket with immediate effect. Amla will continue to play domestic T20 cricket in South Africa.

AWARDS

Pranab Mukherjee, Bhupen Hazarika, Nanaji Deshmukh conferred Bharat Ratna 2019 Award

Former President Pranab Mukherjee, Assamese singer-composer Bhupen Hazarika and social activist Nanaji Deshmukh have been awarded the country’s highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, by President Ram Nath Kovind.

• Bhupen Hazarika and Nanaji Deshmukh have been honoured posthumously.
• Pranab Mukherjee served as India’s 13th President from 2012-2017, but prior to his election to the post, Mukherjee also served as the Union Finance Minister from 2009 to 2012.
• Hazarika was most popular in West Bengal and Bangladesh and was responsible for introducing the culture and folk music of Assam and Northeast India to Hindi cinema.
• Nanaji Deshmukh worked in the fields of education, health, and rural self-reliance.

OBITUARIES

Sri Lanka’s poet-writer, Jean Arasanayagam, passes away

Jean Arasanayagam, one of Sri Lanka’s leading contemporary English literary voices, has passed away after a brief illness.

Singer-songwriter David Berman passes away at 52

Singer-songwriter David Berman (American musician) who formed indie group ‘Silver Jews’ in the 1990s has passed. He was 52.

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