Current Affairs Daily Digest – August 12 2020
1. DAC approved procurement proposals worth Rs.8,722.38 crore
Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved procurement proposals worth Rs.8,722.38 crore to strengthen the Armed Forces by relying on indigenous capability to take forward the initiative on ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
The approval was announced in a meeting held under the Chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for capital acquisitions of various equipment and platforms required by the Indian Armed Forces.
2. Indian Armed Forces revive “Project Cheetah”
The Indian Armed Forces have decided to revive “Project Cheetah” amidst tensions with China. The project was pending for a long time and the tri-services have now decided to revive the project under Rs 3,500 crores.
The proposal of reviving “Project Cheetah” has been sent to a newly formed high-level defence ministry committee under Ajay Kumar. Ajay Kumar is the defence secretary. He is in charge of all capital procurements of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force.
3. August 12: World Elephant Day
Every year, World Elephant Day is celebrated on August 12. It is an international event that is dedicated to preserve and protect world elephants. The idea of World Elephant Day was conceived by Canadian film makers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark in Thailand.
4. Chhattisgarh to launch “Indira Van Mitan Yojana”
The Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced about the launch of “Indira Van Mitan Yojana” on the eve of International Day of World Indigenous People. It is an initiative to support forest dwellers of Chhattisgarh and achieve self-reliance.
5. Gujarat launches Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay Yojana
The Gujarat Government launched a new scheme called the Mukhya Mantri Kisan Sahay Yojana. The scheme will replace Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in the state for the current year alone.The scheme is being replaced as the insurance firms have sought high premium from the government this time. If approved, the state government will have to pay Rs 4,500 crores.
6. Mumbai becomes 1st city in India to have female icons on traffic signals
Mumbai’s Dadar has become the first city in India to have women symbols on traffic signals and signage. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has installed traffic signals that display female icons sporting triangular frock, a shift from the default representation of men.
7. PM to launch platform for “Transparent Taxation-Honoring the Honest”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will roll out the platform for “Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest”. The new platform will carry forward the journey of direct tax reforms and will also reward the honest taxpayers. Several major tax reforms in direct taxes have been carried out by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
8. Paytm launched India’s 1st pocket android POS device
Paytm has launched India’s 1st Pocket Android POS (Point of Sale) Device named ‘Paytm All-in-One Portable Android Smart POS’ for contactless ordering and payments in India. This is the first such Android-based device to be introduced in India and is much more powerful than the portable Linux based POS devices presently available in the country.
It is an effort to digitise and empower a large number of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The company aims to issue over 2 lakh devices within the next few months which will generate over 20 million transactions per month.
9. Harsh Kumar Bhanwala becomes new executive chairman of Capital India Finance
Former NABARD Chief, Harsh Kumar Bhanwala has been appointed as executive chairman of the Capital India Finance Limited. Prior to this, Bhanwala was chairman of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for over six years. He was appointed as the chairman NABARD in December 2013 and demitted the office on May 26, 2020.
10. Israel shares AI-based Technology, equipment with AIIMS for COVID-19 treatment
Israel government has provided state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence-based technologies as well as high-end equipment to AIIMS to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The help of technology is a part of India-Israel cooperation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
11. Tamil Film Lyricist PK Muthusami passes away
PK Muthusami, a noted Tamil Film lyricist passed away at his residence on August 11, 2020. He resided in R Pudupatti Village in Namakkal, near Trichy. A yesteryear film lyricist who was known for his many unique compositions was to complete his 100th birthday this year.
12. US Elections 2020: Joe Biden names Kamala Harris as vice-presidential running mate
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden chose California Senator Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2020 US Elections on August 11, 2020. This makes Harris the first black and Asian American woman to compete on a major party’s presidential ticket in the United States.
13. International Youth Day 2020
International Youth Day was designated by the United Nations (UN) in the year 1999, in an attempt to raise awareness regarding the cultural and legal issue concerning youth. The first IYD was observed on 12 August 2000 and has been observed annually ever since.
Theme – Youth Engagement for global action.
