Current Affairs 28 August 2024

Overview of PM Modi’s Visit to Maharashtra and Rajasthan on 25th August 2024

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Maharashtra and Rajasthan on 25th August 2024. During his visit, he addressed the Lakhpati Didi Sammelan in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, where he awarded certificates to 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis. These women have achieved significant financial milestones during the third term of the Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. Additionally, PM Modi launched a Community Investment Fund worth Rs 25,000 crore to benefit 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh Self-Help Groups (SHGs). In Rajasthan, he attended the concluding ceremony of the Platinum Jubilee of the Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur as the Chief Guest.

MHA Announces Creation of 5 New Districts in Ladakh

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced the creation of five new districts in the Union Territory of Ladakh: Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang. This increases the total number of districts in Ladakh to seven. The MHA has also directed the Ladakh administration to form a committee to evaluate the headquarters, boundaries, and structure of the new districts, with a report due in three months. This move aims to improve governance and bring government services closer to the people in this remote region.

Highlights of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s Visit to the US

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Washington D.C., USA, from 23rd to 26th August 2024, at the invitation of US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. During the visit, India and the USA signed two significant agreements. One was a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for the deployment of Liaison Officers, and the other was the Security of Supplies Arrangement (SOSA), making India the 18th SOSA partner of the USA.

Mumbai Ranks 2nd, New Delhi 3rd in PGCI Q2 2024; Manila Tops the List

According to the “Prime Global Cities Index (PGCI) Q2 2024” by Knight Frank, Mumbai and New Delhi have secured the 2nd and 3rd positions respectively among 44 cities globally in the annual price rise of prime residential properties. Mumbai saw a 13% year-on-year price rise, while New Delhi saw a 10.6% increase. Manila, the capital of the Philippines, topped the list with a 26% annual increase.

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das Unveils ULI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced the ‘Unified Lending Interface (ULI)’ technology platform across India. Announced by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das during a conference in Bengaluru, the ULI aims to simplify credit appraisals, especially for small and rural borrowers, by enabling seamless digital information flow between service providers and lenders.

REC Limited to Finance Rs 45,000 Crore for JNPA Infrastructure Projects

REC Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) to fund up to Rs 45,000 crore for various upcoming projects, including the development of Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra. The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

SBI Research Report: India’s GDP Growth Likely to Grow at 7.1% in Q1 FY25

According to a report by the State Bank of India’s Economic Research Department, India’s GDP is expected to grow by 7.0% to 7.1% in the first quarter of the financial year 2024-25. The report also projects that Gross Value Added (GVA) will be in the range of 6.7% to 6.8%.

GAIL & Petron Signed MoU to Explore Setting Up a Bio-Ethylene Plant in India

GAIL (India) Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Petron Scientech Inc (PSI) to explore the establishment of a 500 Kilo Tons per Annum (KTA) bio-ethylene plant in India. The plant will be based on bio-ethanol and will be a 50:50 joint venture between the two companies.

Jana Small Finance Bank Honoured with 4 Awards at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2024

Jana Small Finance Bank was honoured with four awards at the ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2024. The awards include Best Small Finance Bank (India), Best Performance on Profitability (Runners-up), Best Performance on Asset Quality, and Best Performance on Risk Management.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh Presented EPCH’s 24th Handicrafts Export Awards

Union Minister Giriraj Singh presented the 24th Handicrafts Export Awards to Indian handicraft exporters. The awards recognized exceptional performance in 2019-20 and 2020-21, with a total of 123 awards conferred to 62 winners of 2019-20 and 61 winners of 2020-21.

SAP Labs India MD Sindhu Gangadharan Named as Chairperson of NASSCOM

Sindhu Gangadharan, the Managing Director of SAP Labs India, has been named the Chairperson of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM). She succeeds Rajesh Nambiar, who was appointed as the Chairperson in September 2023.

Former Lebanese PM Salim Ahmad al-Huss Passed Away

Former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim Ahmad al-Huss passed away at the age of 94. He served as PM for four terms from 1976 to 1990 and was known for his expertise, ethics, and knowledge.

Nari Hira, Renowned Film Producer & Owner of Magna Publishing Passed Away

Nari Hira, the renowned film producer and owner of Magna Publishing, passed away at the age of 86. He was known for his pioneering work in publishing popular magazines such as Stardust and Society.

Former WHO Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan Releases Autobiography of Activist Kalpana Sankar

Soumya Swaminathan released the autobiography of activist Dr. Kalpana Sankar titled ‘The Scientist Entrepreneur: Empowering Millions of Women’. The book chronicles Dr. Sankar’s journey from a nuclear scientist to a pioneering entrepreneur.

HP Launches ‘Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana’ With Allocation of Rs. 53.21 Crores

The Himachal Pradesh government has launched the ‘Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana’ with an annual allocation of Rs. 53.21 crores. The scheme aims to provide financial assistance to widows, destitute women, divorced women, and disabled parents to support the education and well-being of their children.