Daily Current Affairs August 15 2023 | Latest News

 

CURRENT AFFAIRS : BANKING & FINANCE

RBI Monetary Policy Highlights: Keeps Repo rate unchanged at 6.5%; Retail inflation for FY24 pegged at 5.4%

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5% for the 3rd time in a row.

RBI’s Policy Rates :

Category	Rate
Repo Rate	6.5%
Reverse Repo Rate	3.35
Standing Deposit Facility	6.25%
Marginal standing facility	6.75%
GDP growth projection	6.5%
C  Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation	5.4%
Bank Rate	6.75%
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR)	4.50%
Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR)	18%

Key Highlights :

• Real GDP growth for 2023-24 is projected at 6.5% with Q1:2023-24 at 8.0%; Q2 at 6.5%; Q3 at 6.0%; and Q4 at 5.7% & Q1FY25 at 6.6%.
• The government has mandated the RBI to ensure CPI inflation at 4% with a margin of 2% on either side.
• To absorb surplus liquidity generated by various factors, including return of ₹2000 notes to the banking system, RBI has asked banks to maintain an incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (ICRR) of 10% on the increase in their deposits between May 19 and July 28, 2023.
• RBI will come out with a framework that will allow borrowers to switch from floating interest rates to fixed interest rates & this move will provide relief to home, auto, and other loan borrowers.
• RBI has maintained that it would focus on withdrawal of accommodative policy stance.

About MPC :

• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is a committee constituted by the Central Government and led by the Governor of RBI.
• The MPC was formed with the mission of fixing the benchmark policy interest rate (repo rate) to restrain inflation within the particular target level.

Members of MPC :

1. Governor of the Reserve Bank of India – Chairperson, ex officio – Shaktikanta Das
2. Deputy Governor of the Bank in charge of monetary policy – Michael Debrata Patra
3. Executive Director of the Bank in charge of monetary policy – Rajiv Ranjan
4. Ashima Goyal is a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic advisory council.
5. Shashanka Bhide is a senior advisor at the National Council for Applied Economic Research, a New Delhi-based think-tank.
6. Jayanth Varma is a finance and accounting professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

• The next meeting of the RBI MPC will be held October 4-6, 2023.

About RBI :

• Established : 1 April 1935
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• Governor : Shaktikanta Das
• Deputy governors : Mahesh Kumar Jain,M. Rajeshwar Rao, Michael Patra and T. Rabi Shankar

NPCI launches UPI Chalega 3.0 campaign to promote safe and easy digital payments

• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched the 3rd edition of the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) Safety Awareness Campaign, “UPI Chalega” with an aim to promote UPI’s brand awareness, amplify understanding of its features, and encourage wider adoption among new users.
• It also educates users about various features such as UPI LITE, which enables swift low-value transactions; UPI AUTOPAY, which allows secure and convenient recurring payments using any UPI application; and UPI Interoperability, which facilitates seamless money transfers between all UPI-enabled applications.

Key Highlights :

• The campaign was launched in 2020 under the Financial Literacy Advisory Committee (FLAC) guidance.
• UPI Chalega Campaign 1.0 and 2.0 played a crucial role in expanding UPI’s outreach, educating users about its safety, and enhancing its ease of use for various transactions, making it the preferred payment choice.

About NPCI :

• Founded : 2008
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Dilip Asbe
• The NPCI is an umbrella organization for operating retail payments and settlement systems in India.
• It is an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, for creating a robust Payment & Settlement Infrastructure in India.

IIITD-IC signs MoU with YES BANK to step up Indian Startups

• IIITD Innovation and Incubation Centre (IIITD-IC), a section 8 company promoted by the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIITD), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yes bank with an aim aim to enable enterprise banking, personal banking and beyond banking solutions required by the Startups.

About the Partnership :

• Through this partnership, YES BANK will offer best-in-class banking facilities to Startups that are in a developmental phase at IIITD-IC under the Bank’s YES HeadStartup programme, a dedicated programme for Startups that aims to cater to this segment with a dynamic and agile bouquet of offerings.
• These include a salary account proposition for Startups with only 5 employees, a fungible limit for credit cards for business and personal use, as well as an API Sandbox facility.
• YES BANK is also one of the first banks in the country to adopt the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS), which will help these budding entities to scale up and go ahead in their journey of ideas to IPOs.

About Yes Bank :

• Established : 2004
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
• MD & CEO : Prashant Kumar
• Tagline : Experience our expertise

Helios Capital gets SEBI’s approval to launch mutual fund business

• Samir Arora-promoted Helios Capital Management has received final approval from capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch a mutual fund (MF)
• Once launched, Helios Mutual Fund will become the 46th entity to enter this most buzzing industry with an asset under management of ₹46-lakh crore.

History :

• In February 2021, Helios Capital Management PTE Ltd, which is the business of portfolio management services, applied for a mutual fund licence with the SEBI.
• In September 2022, Helios Capital received SEBI’s in-principle approval to float the mutual fund business.

Key Highlights :

• In addition to that, Zerodha Broking Ltd and Old Bridge Capital Management Pvt Ltd are the two entities awaiting SEBI’s final nod for a mutual fund licence.
• Another 3 entities – Unifi Capital, Alpha Alternatives Fund Advisors and Wizemarkets Analytics are waiting for SEBI approval to enter the MF space.

Recent News :    

• In June,2023 Bajaj Finserv Mutual Fund became the 43rd asset management company.

Indian Banks’ Association Forms Sectoral Committee  in GIFT City

• The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has constituted a sectoral committee for member banks operating within the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• IBA has constituted the Sectoral Committee to address the unique regulatory landscape and challenges faced by banks operating within GIFT City.
• GIFT City currently accommodates 26 banks.

About the Committee :

• The committee will act as a bridge between the banking industry and regulators, ensuring that concerns and perspectives are effectively communicated and addressed.
• Earlier, banks individually took up issues faced by them with the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA).
• The establishment of the Sectoral Committee is a pivotal step towards streamlining concerns common to all banks within GIFT City.

About IBA :

• Established : September 1946
• Headquarters : Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Chief Executive Officer : Sunil Mehta

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

The meeting of the General Council of the National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) was held in Delhi

• Shri Saurabh Garg, Secretary, D/o SJ&E, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India and the President of GC, NISD chaired the meeting of the General Council of National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) in the presence of other senior officials.
• The main purpose of the meeting was to review the structure, functions and status of programs of NISD.
• As a precursor to the discussion, the Director, NISD made a brief presentation on NISD and also showcased the Divisions of NISD and their activities through a short video film.
• The meeting also covered the agenda items of Annual Report- 2020-2021, 2021-2022, Balance Sheet 2022-23, Status of Training Programs during the Financial Year 2022-23, NISD Course Calendar for 2023-24, MoU with Delhi Police Academy, Reviving Research Division with manpower, Research activities planned by NISD during 2023-24, Commissioning of Broadcast Studio at NISD, Proposed Structure of NISD, Reviving the Publication of National Journal of Social Defence etc.
• After the detailed discussion, NISD has been advised to strengthen the staff positions which would support increasing the Research and Training activities, and more collaboration with State and Central Institutions to broad base the activities across the country.
• Further, the performance of NISD during F.Y. 2022-23 was reviewed satisfactorily.
• At last, the Secretary of DoSJE told that NISD needs to grow towards the Centre of Excellence in the field of Social Defence.

WHO and the Ministry of Ayush to host the first-ever Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

• A first-of-its-kind global summit on Traditional Medicine, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) and co-hosted by the Ministry of Ayush, is set to take place on August 17-18, 2023, at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The summit will take into account the vast experience and expertise of the country and this highly anticipated event will serve as a platform for experts and practitioners to delve into the latest scientific advancements and evidence-based knowledge in the sector, with the ultimate goal of ensuring health and well-being for all.
• The esteemed Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, will inaugurate the event in the presence of Minister of Health Shri Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal.
• G20 health Ministers, Regional Directors of WHO and eminent invitees from countries across WHO’s six regions are expected to grace the event along with scientists, practitioners of traditional medicine, health workers and members of civil society organisations.
• The ministry will also be organising yoga and meditation sessions at the Convention Centre.
• There also will be yoga and meditation sessions at hotel venues, as well as short Yoga breaks at Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre between sessions.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Dubai Launches Indian Independence Day Celebrations With Vibrant Kickoff

• The spirit of India’s independence has ignited in Dubai as the city embarks on a series of vibrant events to celebrate the nation’s freedom.
• This year, Dubai has taken the lead in kick-starting the Indian Independence Day festivities, uniting its diverse population and the thriving Indian expatriate community in a grand celebration.
• The Consulate General of India has partnered with the iconic Burjuman Mall to spearhead these festivities.
• The mall’s central location and significance in the city’s cultural landscape make it a fitting venue to host a series of engaging events that showcase India’s rich heritage.
• From traditional dances that capture the essence of various Indian states to the melodies of India’s music traditions, the celebrations have been captivating audiences every evening since August 12th. Colourful performances, showcasing the diverse tapestry of Indian culture, have been a highlight, enchanting both residents and visitors.
• With an impressive figure of 3.554 million Indians currently contributing to its workforce, the United Arab Emirates stands proudly as the leading employer of Indian expatriates. In a heartwarming display of unity and cultural appreciation, Indian associations across the UAE are orchestrating a range of events to commemorate India’s journey towards freedom.

UAE Leads in Employing Indians Abroad, Reveals MOS V Muraleedharan

• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has secured the top spot as the leading employer of Indian expatriates, with an impressive figure of 3.554 million Indians currently working within its borders, V Muraleedharan, the Minister of State for External Affairs, disclosed this in the Lok Sabha.
• The Minister also revealed that in the previous year, the UAE hosted 3.419 million Indians, indicating a steady upward trajectory in overseas employment. This surge has further solidified the UAE’s status as a global hub for Indian expatriates, mirroring a trend observed across other Gulf nations as well.
• Within the Gulf region, the UAE’s prominence is complemented by four other nations – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman – in descending order of Indian workforce numbers. These five nations combined employ 7.932 million Indians, according to MOS’ statements.
• Recognizing the importance of supporting Indian expatriates, the Indian government has established Overseas Indian Help Centres in strategic locations such as Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah, and Kuala Lumpur.
• These centres aim to offer comprehensive guidance and counselling to Indian workers on various matters, ensuring that they seamlessly integrate into their host countries.
• Minister Muraleedharan also noted that Indian diplomatic Missions in Gulf countries have established dedicated Labour Wings, further emphasizing the Indian government’s commitment to safeguarding the rights and welfare of its expatriate citizens.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

Arunachal government allots 12 ‘stalled’ hydropower projects to three Central PSUs

• Arunachal Pradesh Government has allotted the 12 ‘stalled’ hydropower projects to three Central Public Sector Undertakings by signing a Memorandum of Agreements (MoA) with them.
• The MoAs were inked in the presence of Union Power Minister RK Singh, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and State’s Deputy Chief Minister cum Minister in-charge Chowna Mein of Power & Hydropower.
• The total operational capacity of these 12 projects, withdrawn from the private players, will be to the tune of 11,523 MW.
• The three CPSUs are National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited, Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVN) and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO).
• Of the 12 hydroelectric projects, NEEPCO has been allotted five projects, SJVN five and the hydropower giant NHPC Ltd will take up two projects.
• These projects were initially allotted to independent power developers about 15 years ago but remain stalled due to various reasons.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

Reliance Jio completes work related to connecting Maldives with High-Speed Optic Fibre cable

• Indian telecommunications major, Reliance Jio has completed the work related to connecting Maldives with a High-Speed Optic Fibre cable.
• A ceremony was held in Hulhumale in Maldives to land the Ocean Connect Maldives-India Asia Express (OCM-IAX) Submarine Cable System.
• The 22.5 million dollar project has been executed in a little over one year since the signing of the agreement in February 2022 with Ocean Connectivity Maldives.
• The IAX cable system originates in Mumbai and connects Singapore, with branches and landings in India, Malaysia, and Thailand.
• The cable system is expected to be ready for service by the end of this year.
• The high capacity and high-speed optic fibre system will provide capacity at more than 200 Tera byte per second with speeds of 100Gb/s, over a distance of 16,000 kilometres.
• The IAX together with the India Europe Express cable system will be one of the most important developments in telecommunications infrastructure in this decade, linking India, Europe to Southeast Asia, and the Maldives.

All India Wholesale Price Index for July 2023 stands at (-) 1.36% over July 2022

• The annual rate of inflation based on all India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) numbers is (-) 1.36% (Provisional) for the month of July 2023 (over July 2022) against (-) 4.12% recorded in June 2023.
• The decline in the rate of inflation in July 2023 is primarily contributed by a fall in prices of mineral oils, basic metals, chemical & chemical products, textiles and food products
• WPI Food Index (Weight 24.38%): The Food Index consisting of ‘Food Articles’ from the Primary Articles group and ‘Food Product’ from the Manufactured Products group have increased from 175.2 in June 2023 to 187.7 in July 2023. The annual rate of inflation based on the WPI Food Index increased from (-)1.24% in June 2023 to 7.75% in July 2023.
• Response Rate: The WPI for July 2023 has been compiled at a weighted response rate of 85.2 per cent, while the final figure for May 2023 is based on the weighted response rate of 94.4 per cent.
• Final Index for the month of May 2023 (Base Year: 2011-12=100): For the month of May 2023 the final Wholesale Price Index and inflation rate for ‘All Commodities’ (Base: 2011-12=100) stood at 149.4 and (-)3.61% respectively.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOUR

Pallathuruthy Boat Club lifts the 69th edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race

• Veeyapuram Chundan (Snake Boat), rowed by the Pallathuruthy Boat Club lifted the 69th edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race held on Punnamada Lake in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.
• This is the fourth straight win for the Club, which lifted the trophy in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
• The race was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid 19 pandemic.
• More than 70 boats participated in the boat race, named after the first Prime Minister of the country.

954 Police personnel were awarded Police Medals on the occasion of Independence Day, 2023

• A total of 954 Police personnel have been awarded Police Medals on the occasion of Independence Day, 2023.
• President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) has been awarded to 01 CRPF personnel, Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) has been awarded to 229, President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (PPM) awarded to 82 and Police Medal for Meritorious Service has (PM) has been awarded to 642.
• Among the majority of the 230 Gallantry Awards, 125 personnel from Left Wing Extremism affected areas, 71 personnel from Jammu & Kashmir region and 11 personnel from North East region are being awarded for their gallant action.
• Among the personnel receiving Gallantry Awards, 28 are from CRPF, 33 are from Maharashtra, 55 are from J&K Police, 24 are from Chhattisgarh, 22 are from Telangana and 18 are from Andhra Pradesh the remaining from the other States/UTs and CAPFs.
• President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) and Police Medal for Gallantry (PMG) is awarded on the ground of Conspicuous Gallantry in saving life and property, or in preventing crime or arresting criminals.
• President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (PPM) is awarded for a special distinguished record in Police Service and Police Medal for Meritorious Service (PM) is awarded for valuable service characterized by resource and devotion to duty.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

NHA and IRDAI jointly organized a workshop for Insurance Companies and TPAs for helping them complete integration with ABDM and National Health Claims Exchange

• The National Health Authority (NHA) and IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) jointly organized an exclusive three-day Accelerator Workshop to help insurance companies complete their ABDM integration and to facilitate the adoption of Health Claims Exchange (HCX) specifications and e-Claim standards for insurance companies and Third-Party Administrators (TPAs).
• The workshop was organized from 10th to 12th August 2023 in New Delhi and saw participation from over 150 professionals representing 29 insurance companies and 16 TPAs.
• The IRDAI issued a circular in June 2023 advising all insurance companies to start capturing the ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) number of all of the persons seeking insurance coverage and also to obtain their consent for sharing medical records with insurers/TPAs through АВНА.
• The ABHA number would help identify the insured in a digital environment and facilitate seamless healthcare and insurance service delivery.
• Further, the IRDAI also issued a circular advising the insurers and providers to get on-boarded to the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX).
• The NHCX will serve as a gateway for exchanging claims-related information among stakeholders present in the healthcare and health insurance ecosystem including insurers, TPAs, claimants, beneficiaries, healthcare providers etc.
• The integration with NHCX will enable seamless interoperability of health claims processing. More information on the NHCX is available here: https://sbxhcx.abdm.gov.in/

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

ISRO successfully conducted a fresh orbit reduction manoeuvre of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft

• The Indian Space Research Organisation – ISRO successfully conducted a fresh orbit reduction manoeuvre of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, bringing it closer to the Moon’s surface.
• Chandrayaan-3 was launched on the 14th of last month, and it entered into the lunar orbit on the 5th of August.
• Since it entered into the lunar orbit, the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has been engaged in a series of orbit manoeuvres.
• After more moon-bound manoeuvres till August 17, the landing module, comprising the lander and rover, will break away from the propulsion module.
• After this, de-orbiting manoeuvres will be carried out on the lander before the final descent on the moon.
• ISRO has scheduled to attempt a soft landing on the moon’s surface on August 23.
• With this smooth landing on the Moon’s surface, India will become the fourth country in the world to achieve this feat, following the US, Russia, and China.

The first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun – Aditya-L1, is ready for launch In September 2023

• The first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun – Aditya-L1, is getting ready for its launch next month.
• ISRO said that the satellite, developed at U R Rao Satellite Centre Bengaluru, has arrived at its spaceport in Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
• The spacecraft is expected to be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point – L1 of the Sun-Earth system, which is about 1.5 million kilometres from the Earth.
• A satellite placed in the halo orbit around the L1 point has the major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any eclipses.
• This will provide a greater advantage in observing solar activities and their effect on space weather in real-time.
• The spacecraft will carry seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere and the outermost layers of the Sun’s corona using electromagnetic and particle field detectors.
• Using its special vantage point, four payloads will directly view the Sun and the other three payloads would carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields around it, thus providing important scientific studies of the propagator effect of solar dynamics in the interplanetary medium.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports funds 34 Indian Shooters for the ISSF Shooting World Championships 2023 in Baku

• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) is funding the participation of the Indian contingent for the upcoming ISSF World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan where a total of 34 Indian shooters, including 17 men and 17 women would be participating.
• The financial assistance towards participation will cover the funding of 57 member shooting team which includes 34 Shooters, 15 Coaches, and 8 members of Support Staff including the HPD.
• The team’s boarding/Lodging costs, airfare, visa costs and Out of Pocket Allowance (OPA) among other expenditures will be covered under MYAS Annual Callender for Training & Competition (ACTC) Scheme. Out of 34 shooters competing at the event, 24 are Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Athletes and 7 are Khelo India Athletes.
• The event will kick off on August 14th, 2023 and conclude on September 1st 2023. The prestigious event is important for India going into the Paris Olympic year as it has a total of 48 Olympic Quotas to offer across 15 events.
• In the 2022 edition of the ISSF Shooting World Championships, India won 34 medals including 12 Gold, Nine Silver and 13 Bronze medals and finished second on the overall medals tally behind China.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

Independence Day in India 2023: August 15

• Every year, Independence Day in India is observed on the 15th of August, 2023.
• The theme of the 77th Independence Day 2023 of India is “Nation First, Always First” as a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
• On this Independence Day in India 2023 day people across India commemorate the country’s independence from 190 years of British colonial rule.
• Independence Day marks the day when India got freedom from British rule after a tough battle for independence.
• During World War I, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was the leader of the Indian Independence Movement.
• On August 14, 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India conveyed an iconic speech “Tryst with Destiny”.
• After this speech at midnight, India officially declared free from British rule and turned into an independent nation on August 15, 1947.
• On 15th August 1947, the National Flag was raised by Jawaharlal Nehru at the Red Fort which is located in Delhi.

Daily CA One-Liner: August 15

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5% for the 3rd time in a row.
• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched the 3rd edition of the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) Safety Awareness Campaign, “UPI Chalega” with an aim to promote UPI’s brand awareness, amplify understanding of its features, and encourage wider adoption among new users.
• IIITD Innovation and Incubation Centre (IIITD-IC), a section 8 company promoted by the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIITD), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yes bank with an aim aim to enable enterprise banking, personal banking and beyond banking solutions required by the Startups.
• Samir Arora-promoted Helios Capital Management has received final approval from capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch a mutual fund (MF)
• The Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has constituted a sectoral committee for member banks operating within the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Shri Saurabh Garg, Secretary, D/o SJ&E, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India and the President of GC, NISD chaired the meeting of the General Council of National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) in the presence of other senior officials.
• A first-of-its-kind global summit on Traditional Medicine, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) and co-hosted by the Ministry of Ayush, is set to take place on August 17-18, 2023, at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The spirit of India’s independence has ignited in Dubai as the city embarks on a series of vibrant events to celebrate the nation’s freedom.
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has secured the top spot as the leading employer of Indian expatriates, with an impressive figure of 3.554 million Indians currently working within its borders, V Muraleedharan, the Minister of State for External Affairs, disclosed this in the Lok Sabha.
• Arunachal Pradesh Government has allotted 12 ‘stalled’ hydropower projects to three Central Public Sector Undertakings by signing a Memorandum of Agreements (MoA) with them.
• Indian telecommunications major, Reliance Jio has completed the work related to connecting Maldives with a High-Speed Optic Fibre cable.
• The annual rate of inflation based on all India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) numbers is (-) 1.36% (Provisional) for the month of July 2023 (over July 2022) against (-) 4.12% recorded in June 2023.
• Veeyapuram Chundan (Snake Boat), rowed by the Pallathuruthy Boat Club lifted the 69th edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race held on Punnamada Lake in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.
• A total of 954 Police personnel have been awarded Police Medals on the occasion of Independence Day, 2023.
• The National Health Authority (NHA) and IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) jointly organized an exclusive three-day Accelerator Workshop to help insurance companies complete their ABDM integration and to facilitate the adoption of Health Claims Exchange (HCX) specifications and e-Claim standards for insurance companies and Third-Party Administrators.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation – ISRO successfully conducted a fresh orbit reduction manoeuvre of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, bringing it closer to the Moon’s surface.
• The first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun – Aditya-L1, is getting ready for its launch next month.
• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) is funding the participation of the Indian contingent for the upcoming ISSF World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan where a total of 34 Indian shooters, including 17 men and 17 women would be participating.
• Every year Independence Day in India is observed on the 15th of August.