Daily Current Affairs 9th August, 2021

Daily Current Affairs 9 August 2021 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Kerala govt launches ‘COVID-19 death information portal’
Kerala government launched the ‘COVID-19 death information portal’ in the state to maintain a proper record of the number of deaths due to the virus.

• This portal can be used by both the public and government agencies. The public has the option, via this portal, to search the details of the death of their relatives.
• All deaths that the government has officially reported as COVID deaths can be found in this portal. The information can be procured by entering the details such as name, district and date of death in the portal.

Tamil Nadu CM Stalin launches ‘doorstep healthcare’ scheme
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin launched the DMK government’s flagship scheme, ‘Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam’, which is aimed at taking healthcare to the doorsteps of the people.

• The scheme will screen those above 45 years of age and others with infirmities through door-to-door check-ups. ‘Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam’ will also detect non-communicable diseases that may lead to sudden mortalities and impact people’s quality of life.
• Stalin said that women public health workers, women health volunteers (WHV), physiotherapists and nurses will provide healthcare at the doorstep of the people. The scheme is also part of the seven-point vision of the state government which envisions enhanced quality of life for all.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Indian Navy undertakes bilateral exercise ‘Zayed Talwar 2021’ with UAE Navy
Indian Navy undertook bilateral exercise ‘Zayed Talwar 2021’ with UAE Navy off the coast of Abu Dhabi.INS Kochi, with two integral Sea King MK 42B helicopters, deployed in the Persian Gulf, participated in the exercise.

• UAE participated with UAES AL – Dhafra, a Baynunah class guided missile corvette and one AS – 565B Panther helicopter.
• As part of the exercise, the ships undertook tactical manoeuvres, Over the Horizon Targeting, Search and Rescue and Electronic Warfare exercises to enhance interoperability and synergy between the two navies.

BANKING & FINANCE

Central Bank of India enters into strategic co-lending partnership with Dhanvarsha Finvest
Central Bank of India (CBoI) has entered into a strategic co-lending partnership with Dhanvarsha Finvest Ltd (DFL) to offer loans against gold ornaments under priority sector to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) borrowers at competitive rates.

• Under this partnership, DFL will originate and process loans against gold ornaments as per jointly formulated credit parameters and eligibility criteria and CBoI will take into its book 80 per cent of the gold loans under mutually agreed terms, as per the public sector bank’s stock exchange filing.

ADB approves USD 300 million additional loan for rural roads in Maharashtra
Asian Development Bank said it has approved a USD 300 million loan as additional financing for the ongoing Maharashtra Rural Connectivity Improvement Project that is upgrading rural roads and connecting remote areas with markets.

• The ongoing project, approved in August 2019, has been improving and maintaining the condition and safety of 2,100 kilometres (km) of rural roads across Maharashtra.
• The additional financing will improve an additional 1,100 rural roads and 230 bridges for a total length of 2,900 km in 34 districts, the Multilateral funding agency added.

RBI empanels Karnataka Bank as ‘agency bank’ for govt business
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has empanelled Mangaluru-headquartered private lender Karnataka Bank to act as an “agency bank” to facilitate transactions related to government businesses.

• As an empanelled “agency bank”, Karnataka Bank is now authorised to undertake the government businesses such as revenue receipts and payments on behalf of the central and state governments, pension payments of governments, collection of stamp duty charges and other items of work advised by the RBI.

Indian Bank & IIMB’s incubation arm sign up on exclusive credit to startups
Indian Bank entered into an MoU with NSRCEL, the incubation arm of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIMB) for extending exclusive credit to startups.

• Under the MOU, NSRCEL would identify startups and MSMEs based on their credentials and past experience and recommend such them for financial assistance from the bank.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

BDL signs MoU with UP to set up a unit in Defence Corridor
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for setting up a unit in the UP Defence Corridor.

• BDL, the Hyderabad-based state-owned, mini-ratna Category-1 company, will be setting up a manufacturing unit in Jhansi, as a part of its diversification and expansion plan. The defence public sector company manufactures missiles and underwater weapons for the armed forces.
• As per the MoU, BDL will acquire 215 acres of land in Jhansi under a lease agreement for an initial period of 30 years, which will be extendable up to 90 years.

Flipkart, IIM Sambalpur to Partner to Support Small Businesses, Artisans
E-commerce major Flipkart and IIM Sambalpur announced a partnership to support and promote small businesses, artisans and weavers.

• Through this partnership, announced on the National Handloom Day, Indian Institute of Management Sambalpur and Flipkart will leverage their expertise and knowledge to create an operational framework to support the underserved communities by helping them build capacity and enhance market reach.

SPORTS

James Anderson overtakes Anil Kumble to become 3rd highest wicket-taker in longest format
England fast bowler James Anderson added yet another feather to his illustrious cap as he overtook Anil Kumble to become the third highest wicket taker in Test cricket. 

• Anderson took the wicket of the well-set KL Rahul (84) on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test against India to take his overall tally to 620 in his 163rd match.
•  Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan leads the list with 800 Test wickets followed by Australian leg-spin wizard Shane Warne with 708 scalps.

APPOINTMENTS

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba Gets One-year Extension
Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has been given one-year extension by the government, according to a Ministry of Personnel order.

• Gauba, former Union Home Secretary, was in 2019 appointed to the country’s top bureaucratic post for two years.

Eurosport India appoints actor John Abraham as brand ambassador for MotoGP
Eurosport India, the sports channel from broadcast network Discovery, said it has appointed Bollywood actor John Abraham as the brand ambassador for their flagship motorsport property – MotoGP.

• Abraham, who is a self-confessed motorbike enthusiast and a keen follower of MotoGP, will be seen promoting MotoGP to a wider audience base in India through a campaign – “MotoGP, Race Lagate Hai”.
• Prior to the association, the actor has shared the stage with MotoGP legend “The Doctor”-Valentino Rossi and has frequented many MotoGP races.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni becomes the first brand ambassador of HomeLane
Home interiors company, HomeLane has entered into a  three-year strategic partnership with Mahendra Singh Dhoni as an equity partner and brand ambassador.

•  As part of the partnership, Dhoni will own equity in HomeLane.
• As the interiors brand expands into new markets and deepens its presence in its existing 16 cities, its strategic association with MS Dhoni will enable the company to create high decibel visibility and connect with its consumers.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 

Gujarat CM launches eNagar mobile application and portal
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has launched eNagar mobile application and portal.

• The eNagar covers 10 modules with 52 services including property tax, professional tax, water & drainage, Complaints and grievance redressal, building permission, fire and emergency services.
• Gujarat Urban Development Mission has been appointed as a nodal agency for eNagar project. Total 170 locations including 162 municipalities and 8 Municipal Corporations are covered under the eNagar project.

OBITUARIES

Actor Anupam Shyam passes away
Actor Anupam Shyam died in Mumbai at the age of 63 of multiple organ failure.

• The actor was best known for his work on the TV show Mann Kee Awaaz: Pratigya and appearances in films like Slumdog Millionaire and Bandit Queen.
• In his nearly three-decade-long career, Shyam featured in films like Satya, Dil Se, Lagaan, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and received critical acclaim for his role as Thakur Sajjan Singh on Mann Kee Awaaz: Pratigya which aired in 2009 on Star Plus.

Telangana HC Judge Justice P Keshava Rao passes away
Telangana state High Court Judge Justice P Keshava Rao passed away this morning. He was 61.

•  Justice Keshava Rao took charge as high court judge in September 2017.

Noted Kerala sculptor, cartoonist P.S. Banarji passes away
Cartoonist, sculptor and folk singer P.S. Banarji passed away at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. He was 41.

• A recipient of the Lalithakala Akademi Fellowship, Banarji was noted for his Ayyankali and Buddha sculptures at Venganur and Koduman.
• Known for his rendition of a string of folk songs, including the popular ‘Tharaka Pennale’, he was working as a graphic designer in an IT firm in the capital.

BOOKS & AUTHORS 

‘The Biography of a Failed Venture: Decoding success secrets from the Black box of a Dead Start-up’ book by Prashant Desai
Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag highlighted the need to talk about mistakes — be it in cricket, business or life — at the announcement of a new book called ‘The Biography of a Failed Venture’, written by Prashant Desai, a senior director at Everstone Group and head of strategy and investor relations at Burger King India.

• Published by HarperCollins India, ‘The Biography of a Failed Venture’ provides a brutally honest account of why D:FY, an Indian sports brand that the author founded, failed and how entrepreneurs can avoid these pitfalls to make their business ventures successful.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
August 9 is observed as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

• It is a day that is aimed at raising awareness about the indigenous populations around the globe; educating people about indigenous people’s rights. Indigenous people make up around 6.2% of the world’s population.
• UN has decided on the theme of ‘Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract’ for this year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

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