DAILY GK UPDATES 151 TO 212 (FINAL)--USEFUL FOR BANK PO/CLERKS EXAMS/INTERIVEWS

151. Former Australian Cricketer Arthur Morris passes away 
i. Former Australian Cricketer Arthur Morris passed away. He was aged 93.
ii. He was an opener and is regarded as one of Australia’s greatest left-handed batsmen.
Morris is best known as member of Don Bradman’s 1948 ‘Invincibles’ team which made an undefeated tour of England.
iii. He had retired from international cricket at the age of 33.
iv. Morris was the first Australian batsman to score centuries in both innings of his first-class debut at the age of 18 years. He was born in Sydney on 19 January 1922.

151. Bandhan Financial Services started operations as Scheduled Commercial Bank

i. Bandhan Financial Services, a Micro Financial Institution (MFI), on 23 August 2015 started operations as a Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB). Henceforth it will be called as Bandhan Bank. The banking services were inaugurated by the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Kolkata.

ii. With this, Bandhan became the first micro finance company in the country to start operations as a full-fledged commercial bank. It is also the first commercial bank from Eastern India to get RBI clearance since independence.

iii. Bandhan along with IDFC (Infrastructure Development Finance Company) were granted banking licenses in 2014 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The move was aimed at deepening financial services reach in the country by utilizing the services of the existing players in the market.

iv. Bandhan started as a Non Banking Finance Company in 2001 and focused on the lower strata of the especially unorganized sector workers. On the inaugural day, the bank started operations with 501 branches in 24 states across the country with 1.43 crore accounts. Chandra Sekhar Ghosh, the Managing Director and Founder of the Bank.

152. DJB commissioned 1st ever Hydro-power plant at Chilla

i. Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on 23 August 2015 commissioned the first ever Hydro-power plant in the city. The power plant set up at Chilla area of east Delhi will be run through the Hydraulic Turbine propelled by treated effluents coming out of a Sewerage Treatment Plant.

ii. An official release said that the treated effluents will fall through the height of 4.8m and create pressure and velocity that will propel rotation of the turbine thereby generating power. It is a Pilot Project which has been set up free of cost and will produce 20000 KWH of electricity per year.

iii. The release also termed the technology as pollution free, as no fossil fuel is being used in the generation of the power.

153. UNFCCC, MSSRF to work for conservation of coastal resources of Andhra Pradesh

i. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Chennai-based MS Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in third week of August 2015 agreed to work together for the conservation of coastal resources in Andhra Pradesh.

ii. The UNFCCC has sanctioned 3.8 crore rupees for the potential adaptation strategy of MSSRF in Krishna district through an adaptation fund.

iii. The objective of the adaptation initiative is to overcome the consequences of sea level rise and seawater inundation following cyclones.

• Restoration of the Sorlagondi mangrove forest covers in Krishna district. 
• A roadmap to improve the mangrove forest cover in 200 acres and fish cultivation in around 50 acres of mangrove forest has been prepared, and it will be executed by the end August 2015. 
• The abandoned land will be brought under fish cultivation, while landless families will be involved in cage cultivation in three villages-Sorlagondi and Nali in Nagayalanka mandal and Basavanipalem in Koduru mandal.
• Cage cultivation would be encouraged in brackish water by setting up as many as 10 cages in the three villages adopted by Swaminathan Research Foundation. 

iv. The UNFCCC will release the adaptation fund through the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

154. Syrian woman Journalist Zaina Erhaim wins 2015 Peter Mackler Award

i. A Syria-based woman journalist Zaina Erhaim has won the prestigious 2015 Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism.

ii. She was bestowed with this award for her efforts to train citizen reporters in her war-ravaged country. She has trained about 100 citizen reporters (third of them are women) from inside Syria over the last two years. She also has helped in establishing new, independent newspapers and magazines in the war-torn country.

iii. Presently, Erhaim lives and works in Aleppo, Syria and will be presented with this award at a ceremony to be held at the National Press Club in Washington in late October 2015. It should be noted that since 2011, the media rights group has listed Syria as the deadliest country for journalists.

iv. The award has been named in the memory of late Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist Peter Mackler. It was instituted in 2008 to honour the memory of Mackler, who had died of a heart attack in the same year at the age of 58.

155. India has forex reserves to stabilise currency volatility: RBI

i. As the rupee hit a new low and the stock market took a tumble, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Raghuram Rajan said on Monday that India has sufficient foreign exchange reserves to prevent volatility in the currency market.

ii. India has foreign exchange reserves of around $380 billion and these would be used if needed to subdue the volatility in the currency market, he said on the sidelines of a banking conference here.

iii. Speaking at the conference, Rajan referred to his earlier comments that the central bank was not a cheerleader for the economy and said it was not for the RBI to lift sentiments unduly to deliver booster shots to the stock markets.

iv. According to Rajan, companies in some sectors were in real distress and some could survive with government help while others were unviable, for which too much help to unviable firms could also cause distress to spread to healthy firms.

156. Amol Palekar appointed chairman of India’s Oscar jury
i. Veteran actor-director Amol Palekar has been appointed as chairman of India’s Oscar jury, which will select the country’s official entry in the best foreign film category of the 88th Academy Awards.
ii. The “Gol Maal” star, 70, whose film “Paheli” was India’s official entry for the Academy Awards in 2005, will be heading the 17-member jury.
iii. An elated Palekar said the process of selecting the film to represent India at Oscars 2016 is yet to begin. “I am happy that I have been appointed as the chairman of India’s Oscar jury. We haven’t decided on any criteria for selecting a film for Oscars.
iv. Last year, “Liar’s Dice”, a road drama starring Geetanjali Thapa and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles, was selected as India’s official entry to the best foreign film category after beating “Shahid”, “Queen”, “Mardaani”, Marathi films “Yellow” and “Fandry” and Bengali films “Jatishwar” and “Apur Panchali”.

157. Serena Williams won Cincinnati Masters Women’s Singles title for second time and Roger Federer won Cincinnati Masters Men’s Singles tennis title for record seventh time

i. World number one ranking Serena Williams on 23 August 2015 won the Cincinnati Masters Women’s Singles title by defeating the third seeded Simona Halep of Romania.

ii. Roger Federer of Switzerland on 23 August 2015 won the Cincinnati Masters Men’s Singles title by defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia. The final match was held at Cincinnati in Ohio State of the USA.

iii. In the Women’s category, the title is considered only next to the four Grand slam titles.

iv. He won in all his appearances in the finals held in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015 out of which he defeated Djokovic in 2009 and 2012. For Djokovic, it is the fifth appearance in the finals and so far he did not win a single title.

v. With Serena Williams and Roger Federer of Switzerland winning, it was the first time both the men and women champions have successfully defended their titles since Bobby Riggs and Virginia Hollinger in 1937 and 1938.

158. Usain Bolt wins world 100m title at World Athletics Championships

i. Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt has won world 100 metre title in the World Athletics Championships held in Beijing, China. With this victory he retained his 100 metre title which was won earlier in 2009.

ii. In the blue riband event, Bolt ran a season’s best of 9.79 seconds winning gold medal. While Justin Gatlin of United States finished at the second spot in 9.80sec, taking silver medal.

iii. Usain Bolt is regarded as the fastest person in the world. He is the first athlete to hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records. He is Olympic gold medallist and has won medal in 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic games in 100 metres.

iv. He is also the first to achieve a “double double” by winning 100 m and 200 m titles at consecutive Olympics (2008 and 2012).

159. Pro Kabaddi League 2015: U Mumba crowned champions after thrilling win over Bengaluru Bulls in final

i. U Mumba overcame a fighting Bengaluru Bulls 36-30 in a thrilling summit clash to lift the second Star Sports Pro Kabaddi crown at a packed NSCI Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. Starting the game as slight favourites, the Mumbai outfit had to stretch every sinew to get the better of their rivals from Bengaluru who fought tooth and nail but fell short at the end.

ii. U Mumba came up with some magical play when the occasion demanded, especially in the closing stages of both sessions, to run out victors and take home the top prize of Rs one crore. The Bulls got Rs 50 lakh.

iii. In the final match, U Mumba were held in check by the Bulls’ determined defence for the first 15 minutes of the opening half before they took control in both attack and tackling to take a 16-8 lead.

iv. In attack, Titans were led by Rahul Chaudhari (10 raid points, including nine touch points) and K Prashant Rai with six points that included five touch points while all-rounder Deepak Hudda secured five points in offence and defense combined.

 

160. NITI Aayog decided to set up expert group to draft Model Land Leasing Law

i. NITI Aayog on 24 August 2015 decided to set up an experts committee to prepare a model land leasing law, which can be adopted by states as per their local needs.

ii. The decision on the matter was taken at a meeting of Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries of Revenue and Land, which was chaired by Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog Arvind Panagariya.

iii. The representatives of the states generally agreed that land leasing, updating of land records and land titling would be win-win steps for all affected parties and expressed keen interest in making progress on them in the months to come.

iv. It was agreed that the NITI Aayog Vice-Chairperson will appoint a committee of experts to prepare a model land leasing law that the states can adopt to suit their local needs.

v. The NITI Aayog in consultation with the Department of Land Resources will assist the interested states in moving forward with updating and digitising land records in accordance with the best practices. Land related issues such as land leasing, updating and digitisation of land records and land titling are important state issues in need of a fresh look and possible actions by the states.

161. Govt, Apollo Hospitals partner to launch new health service

i. The Government on Tuesday launched a health service called SEHAT (Social Endeavour for Health And Telemedicine) along with Apollo Hospitals, which will connect 60,000 Common Service Centres (CSCs) across the country to a common network.

ii. This will provide healthcare access to millions of citizens irrespective of geographical location or connectivity through the CSCs. The Minister for Communications and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad, who inaugurated the service, said quality and affordable healthcare is one of the emerging needs of citizens in rural areas.

iii. CSC SPV and Apollo have come together to address this issue and design a workable solution. CSC has been delivering tele-consultation services with support from Apollo and Medanta in some areas and now with this initiative the tele-consultation services are being extended to 60,000 CSCs across the country.

iv. CSCs will also provide diagnostic services and promote sale of generic drugs through collaboration with the Ministry of Health – by setting up of the ‘Jan Aasudhi Stores.

v. Through our Prime Minister’s ‘Digital India’ initiative more Indians shall get access to e-services and we are delighted to be a partner with the GoI in this path-breaking endeavour to link SEHAT to 60,000 CSCs.

162. Union Government released Postal stamp on Ashoka

i. Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 24 August 2015 released a commemorative postal stamp on emperor Ashoka. The postal stamp of 5 rupees will be available for sale in the post offices.

ii. Prasad announced to release the postal stamp during a Bharatiya Janata Party function to celebrate the birth anniversary of Ashoka.

iii. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned over a realm that stretched from the Hindu Kush Mountains in the west to Bengal in the East and covered the entire Indian subcontinent except parts of present-day Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

iv. The empire's capital was Pataliputra (in Magadha, present-day Bihar), with provincial capitals at Taxila and Ujjain.

163. Justice M L Tahaliyani sworn in as Lokayukta of Maharashtra

i. Justice Madanlal Laxmandas Tahaliyani has sworn-in as the new Lokayukta of Maharashtra. He was administered the oath of office by the Governor Vidyasagar Rao at the oath taking ceremony held in Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.

ii. Justice Tahaliyani will succeed Justice PB Gaikwad whose term as Lokayukta had ended on July  2014. He is a retired judge of the Bombay High Court.

iii. Justice Tahaliyani was born on 23 December, 1953 at Sardar Shahar in Rajasthan. He was often called a ‘green judge’ due to his passion for nature. He had started his legal practising career Gondia and Chandrapur in Maharashtra after obtaining law degree from Nagpur in 1977.

iv. He was appointed as Assistant Public Prosecutor at Gadchiroli in 1979 and had worked in that capacity at Gadchiroli, Desaiganj, Sironcha and Warora. He also has served as Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Mumbai in 1997. He was elevated as High Court Judge in 2011.

164. Tata Trusts ink MoU with Andhra Pradesh Government to develop 264 Smart Villages

i. Tata Trusts has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh Government to develop 264 villages. Under this initiative, all 264 villages in the Vijayawada constituency will be developed in order to transform them into smart villages.

ii. The project has been jointly undertaken by local Lok Sabha MP Kesineni Srinivas and the Tata Trust as part of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Tata Group. It should be noted that this is the first of its kind of project undertaken by Tata Trust in the country to develop all villages of a single Parliamentary constituency.

iii. As part of this initiative, the trusts will work in the areas of education, drinking water, health and nutrition, self-employment for the youth, bamboo cultivation, fisheries etc. by developing each village. Around 2.5 lakh households in all villages of this constituency will benefit from this ambitious project.

iv. The identified activities which will be under taken in this initiative are based on comprehensive household survey in all villages which was conducted by Tata Trust.

165. RBI okays re-appointment of Rana Kapoor as YES Bank MD, CEO

i. YES Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor has got approval from the Reserve Bank of India for his re-appointment as MD and CEO of the bank for 3 years.

ii. This will be with effect from September 1, 2015.

iii. With reference to above, pursuant to the approval of the board of directors and the approval of shareholders at the 11th AGM held on June 6 2015, YES BANK has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India for re-appointment of Mr Rana Kapoor as MD & CEO for a period of three (3) years.

166. Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser retained Women’s 100 meters gold at World Championships in Athletics

i. Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser on 24 August 2015 retained Women’s 100 meters gold at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics by finishing the race in 10.76 seconds.

ii. The silver medal was won by Dafne Schippers (10.81) of Netherlands and the Bronze went to Tori Bowie (the USA) who completed the race in 10.86 seconds.

iii. The biannual event was held at the Bird’s Nest Stadium in the Chinese capital Beijing where she won the gold in the same category in 2008 Olympics. Her only other Olympic gold was during the 2012 London Olympics.

iv. Fraser-Pryce continued the Jamaican sprint dominance at the event as Usain Bolt won the title in the 100m event on 23 August 2015.

167. PM inaugurates birth centenary celebrations of Rani Gaidinliu

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24 August 2015 inaugurated birth centenary celebrations of freedom fighter Rani Gaidinliu. On this occasion he launched commemorative coin of 100 rupees and circulation coin of 5 rupees of Rani Gaidinliu to mark her birth centenary celebrations.

ii. Rani Gaidinliu was a Naga political and spiritual leader who had led a revolt against British colonial rule in India.

iii. Her political struggle in present North east India was based on Gandhian principles of Satyagraha, non-violence, self-reliance. She also had played an important role in India’s wider freedom movement by spreading the message of Gandhi ji in Manipur region.

iv. She had participated in the freedom struggle at a very young age of 13 after she came under the influence Heraka religious movement.

v. Union Government has instituted one of five Stree Shakti Puruskar in honour her in 2000. In 2010, state owned Hindustan shipyard Ltd. had launched an in-shore patrol vessel for the Indian coast guard named as Rani Gaidinliu.

168. Rajasthan Government approved Arogya Rajasthan campaign

i. Rajasthan State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on 25 August 2015 approved the launch of Arogya Rajasthan campaign. The campaign will be held from December 2015 to March 2016.

ii. The three-month campaign will help in collection and compilation of health data of the rural population in the state. During the campaign, the rural residents would be issued health cards based on spot diagnoses. The cards would be used for further treatment and follow-up of patients.

iii. The cabinet also approved a drive to collect health information of citizens to build an online datatbase, which will be held between 15 September and 31 October 2015. The campaign Health camps will be organised at gram panchayat level and every citizen will be issued a Health Card.

169. India, Australia ink MoU on Cooperation in the Fields of Education, Training and Research

i. India and Australia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of education, research and training. The MoU was signed by Union Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD) Smriti Irani and her counterpart Christopher Pyne MP, Minister for Education and Training of Australia.

ii. It was signed after the 3rd meeting of the Australia-India Education Council (AIEC) which was held in New Delhi. The MoU seeks to intensify existing partnerships between both countries in higher education & research, including professional and technical education, vocational education, schools and training. It also seeks to open up new and innovative areas of cooperation.

iii. It is a bi-national body established in 2011. It was established as per commitment given by the Education Ministers of India and Australia to guide the strategic direction of the education, research and training partnership between the two countries.

iv. The AIEC is co-chaired by Education Ministers on both sides and consists of academia, industry and government. It meets in conjunction with the annual Australia-India Ministerial Dialogue on Education Cooperation.

170. UK to fund Kolkata's climate action programme

i. The United Kingdom will fund a capacity building programme for making Kolkata a low carbon city.

ii. Ahead of implementation of the UK-Kolkata Municipal Corporation joint programme, the UK Minister of State for International Development, Desmond Swayne, was present on Sunday at an workshop for sensitising the Councillors of the city's 16 boroughs.

iii. The UK Minister said the programme would cover over 20 multi-sectoral projects, including rooftop solar plant, a mobility plan, a master plan for energy-efficient street lighting, a disaster management plan and a green city business and investment plan.

iv. With the launch of the roadmap later this year, Kolkata will be one of the first mega cities in India to have a comprehensive strategy to address climate change through a sustainable urban development model

171. MCX, Gift ink pact for trading platform

i. Multi Commodity Exchange has signed a memorandum of understanding with Gift Special Economic Zone, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City, for setting up an electronic platform to facilitate trading in different asset classes for international investors.

ii. The MCX agreement is in line with similar commitment provided by BSE, NSE and Ncdex. MCX will set up a facility for clearing and settlement of securities, commodities, interest rates, currencies, other classes of assets and derivatives to international investors at the one-of-a-kind financial centre being developed at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

iii. Parveen Kumar Singhal, Joint Managing Director, MCX, said given the consistent leadership position and strong technological backbone, the exchange’s international platform will not only fulfil the Centre’s vision to develop an international financial service facility but also create tangible benefits by way of economic linkages.

iv. Earlier, MCX had tied up with US-based CME (Chicago Mercantile Exchange) Group to study opportunities in the SEZ.

172. India to implement Sendai framework for Disaster Reduction 2015-2030

i. Union Government has announced it plans to implement the Sendai framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 in letter and spirit. It was announced by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Kiren Rijiju after inaugurating a workshop on Enhancing Private Sector Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction in New Delhi.

ii. It was adopted during the third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan in March 2015. Its adaptation involves adopting integrated and inclusive institutional measures in order to work towards preventing vulnerability to disaster.

iii. It also seeks to increase preparedness for response and recovery and strengthen resilience in case of disaster. It opts for considering the experience gained through international and the regional strategies/institutions and plans for disaster risk reduction.

173. War museums at Jaisalmer, Laungewala stations inaugurated

i. War museums, built recently at the military stations of Jaisalmer and Yuddhsthal at Laungewala to showcase the traditional bravery of the Indian Army, were inaugurated on Monday by Lt Gen Ashok Singh, general officer, commanding-in-chief, Southern Command.

ii. A large number of service officers and civil dignitaries graced the functions, held at the two military stations.

iii. The Jaisalmer War Museum is located 10 km from Jaisalmer on the Jodhpur highway. The museum has two large information display halls, an audio visual room, a well stocked souvenir shop and a cafeteria.

iv. The war museum at Loungewala has been set up at the site where Pakistan faced a humiliating defeat in 1971. The memorial has a state of the art audio-visual theatre for screening the movie on the Battle of Laungewala.

174. Government announces Dronacharya, Dhyan Chand, Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar awards 2015

i. Union Government has announced names of recipients of Dronacharya Awards, Dhyan Chand Awards and Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar for year the 2015.

Dronacharya Award 2015

• Naval Singh- Athletics Para-sports coach
• Anoop Singh– Wrestling coach
• Harbans Singh- Athletics coach
• Swatantar Raj Singh- Boxing coach
• Nihar Ameen- Swimming coach. 

Dhyan Chand Award 2015

• Romeo James– Hockey
• Shiv Prakash Mishra- Tennis
• P.P Nair– Volleyball. 

Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2015

• Directorate General of Military Training (DGMT) – for identifying and nurturing of young talent in sports
• Coal India Limited (CIL) – for encouraging sports through Corporate Social Responsibility
• Haryana State Police- For employing sportspersons and sports welfare measures
• Sports Coaching Foundation (SCF)- For development of sports.

ii. The awardees will receive the awards from the President Pranab Mukherjee at a special function at Rashtrapati Bhawan to be held on 29 August 2015.

175. ISRO successfully launches GSLV-D6 carrying GSAT-6 satellite

i. The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-D6) has successfully blasted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in Sriharikota, near Chennai.

ii. This is the third time the indigenously developed Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) is being carried onboard during a GSLV flight.

iii. It may be noted the second mission of GSLV during the last five years after two such rockets failed in 2010. One of the GSLV rockets flew with Indian cryogenic engine and the other one with a Russian engine.

iv. GSAT-6 will join the group of India's other operational geostationary satellites and it will provide communication through five spot beams in S-band and a national beam in C-band for strategic users.

v. The S-Band Unfurlable Antenna of six metre diameter is one of the advanced features of GSAT-6 satellite.

vi. This is the largest satellite antenna realised by ISRO and it is utilised for five spot beams over the Indian main land

vii. Spot beams exploit the frequency reuse scheme to increase frequency spectrum utilisation efficiency.

176. Novak Djokovic new UNICEF goodwill ambassador

i. Reigning world tennis champion Novak Djokovic became a new goodwill ambassador for the UN Fund for Children, joining a roster of athletes and celebrities to hold the post.

ii. The 28-year-old Serbian, who grew up during the Balkans war, has already worked to help vulnerable children through his role as UNICEF Serbia ambassador.

iii. Djokovic, who was born in Belgrade in 1987 shortly before the Balkans war broke out, spent much of his childhood in Serbia.

iv. Djokovic, who was born in Belgrade in 1987 shortly before the Balkans war broke out, spent much of his childhood in Serbia. He has said on past occasions that tennis was a “blessing.”

177. Airtel acquires Augere to strengthen 4G footprint

i. Bharti Airtel on Wednesday said it has agreed to acquire Augere Wireless Broadband India (Augere) in a deal that will allow it to take its 4G operations to nine circles.

ii. Augere holds 20 MHz of broadband wireless access (BWA) spectrum in the telecom circles of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

iii.  The company did not disclose the deal size but sources said it could be in the range of Rs. 130-150 crore. Augere had won the spectrum in 2010 for Rs. 122 crore. The acquisition would enhance the company’s strength in 4G, which it had launched recently.

iv. The government had sold 4G spectrum in the 2300 MHz band which at that time looked lucrative due to a lower reserve price compared to the 3G spectrum.

178. Union Cabinet cleared 4 months extension for 7th Pay Commission

i. Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26 August 2015 gave 4 months extension (up to 31 December 2015) to the 7th Central Pay Commission. Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur is the Chairman of the Commission.

ii. The extension was approved after the commission sought extension of 4 months due to volume of work and intensive stake-holders’ consultations. The Commission constituted by the Central Government in February 2014 was mandated to submit its recommendations by 27 August 2015.

iii. The Sixth Pay Commission headed by Justice BN Srikrishna was implemented with effect from 1 January 2006, the fifth from 1 January 1996 and the fourth from 1 January 1986.

iv. In another decision it also approved amendments in the Central List of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in respect of Gujarat and Uttarakhand. It has been done as per the advices received from the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).

179. Govt releases smart cities list: 13 cities from UP, 12 from Tamil Nadu, 3 from Bihar included

i. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government on Thursday unveiled the list of 98 cities that will be part of its ambitious Smart Cities project. Union Minister of Urban Development Venkaiah Naidu released the list of 98 cities, including 13 cities from Uttar Pradesh and 12 from Tamil Nadu.

ii. Other cities include 10 from Maharashtra, 7 from Madhya Pradesh ,3 each from Bihar & Andhra Pradesh.

iii. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the criteria and guidelines for 100 Smart Cities to be selected through city challenge competition in June 25.

iv. Barring Jammu and Kashmir, all states have finalised the names of proposed Smart Cities through competition.

v. Central government proposes to give financial support to Mission to the extent of Rs 48,000 crores over 5 years.

180. Kazakhstan To Host First Nuclear Fuel Bank

i. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Kazakhstan have signed an agreement to create the world's first internationally-controlled bank of low-enriched uranium in the ex-Soviet nation to ensure fuel supplies for power stations and prevent nuclear proliferation.

ii. The agreement on establishing the bank was signed by Yukiya Amano, director general of the UN nuclear watchdog, and Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov on August 27 in the Kazakh capital, Astana.

iii. The storage facility, set to become fully operational in 2017, is intended to provide IAEA member states with a steady and predictable supply of fuel even if other routes are disrupted.

iv. Backers also argue it will dissuade countries from building enrichment facilities that might be misused to purify uranium to weapons-grade levels - an issue that bedeviled relations between Iran and the West for more than a decade.

181. Dilip Vengsarkar elected president of cricket statisticians body

i. Former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar has been elected unopposed as the president of the Association of Indian Statisticians and scorers of India at its AGM.

ii. Vengsarkar is also the vice president of the Mumbai Cricket Association.

iii. Elected members: President - Dilip Vengsarkar; Vice-presidents - Dara Pochkhanawalla and Ganesh Iyer; Secretary - Theo Braganza (Mumbai); Joint secretary - Deepak Joshi (Mumbai); Treasurer - Ajit Datar (Mumbai); Managing committee members - Prakash Dahatonde, Harish Thakkar (both Mumbai), Kanti Sutar, Tushar Trivedi (both from Gujarat Dilip Singh Upring (from Vidarbha); Co-opted members - Hari Makhija and Ajay Kavitkar (both from Maharashtra)

182. Vikas Gowda enters discus final at World Athletics Championships

i. Two-time Asian Championships gold medallist Vikas Gowda expectedly reached the discus throw final with a best attempt of 63.86 metres in the qualifiers at the World Athletics Championships on Thursday.

ii. Taking part in Group A of the qualifiers, Gowda threw 63.84m in his second attempt, 0.02m short of the first, while his third opportunity was disqualified.

iii. Seven discus throwers qualified for the final from Group A while five from Group B out of a total of 31 participants.

iv. Gowda's personal best throw of 66.28m is also the Indian national record which he achieved in 2012 at Norman, United States.

v. Gowda was the only Indian in action on Thursday at the world meet.

183. Greece's caretaker government sworn in with first female prime minister

i. Greece’s new caretaker government was sworn in on Friday as the country prepares early elections next month, the third time Greeks will go to the polls this year.

ii. Vassiliki Thanou, a top judge and the country’s first female prime minister, will lead the country until the election, which is expected to take place on 20 September.

iii. Her predecessor, Alexis Tsipras, stepped down last week following a rebellion by members of his leftwing Syriza party who objected to the conditions of Greece’s third international bailout.

iv. The first major opinion poll since the election was called, published in the left-leaning Efimerida ton Syntakton newspaper on Friday, found little support for his move.

184. NDMC decides to rename Aurangzeb road as APJ Abdul Kalam road

i. Aurangzeb road one of the most important addresses in Lutyen's Delhi will be renamed as Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam road.

ii. According to East Delhi MP Maheish Girri, who belongs to the BJP, the New Delhi Municipal Council or NDMC has decided to change the name from Aurangzeb road to Abdul Kalam road.

iii. Aurangzeb road begins at the Taj Mansingh hotel near India Gate and joins Safdarjang Road near the official residence of the Prime Minister.

iv. One of the finest heritage hotels in Delhi, The Claridges is also located on the same road.Maheish Girri had led the campaign demanding name change.

185. Union Government gives nod to 6 new SEZ proposals

i. Union Government has approved six new proposals 6 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) proposals including four from Information Technology and IT enabled Service (ITeS) sector. This decision was taken by the Board of Approval (BoA) for SEZ (under the aegis of Union Commerce Ministry) chaired by Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia.

ii. The approved SEZ proposals are 

• HCL IT City Lucknow- set up IT/ITeS zones in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
• Loma IT Park Developer- set up IT/ITeS zones in Mumbai, Maharashtra. 
• North Mumbai International Commodity Township- It is proposed free trade warehousing zone in Thane, Maharashtra.

iii. It should be noted that SEZs account for about 25 per cent of the India’s total exports. In 2013-14, exports from these zones had rose to 4.94 lakh crore rupees from 22,840 crore rupees in 2005-06.

186. Scientist Dr Modadugu Vijay Gupta to receive inaugural Sunhak Peace Prize

i. Noted Indian agricultural scientist Dr Modadugu Vijay Gupta has been chosen for the inaugural Sunhak Peace Prize. He will receive the first Sunhak Peace Prize in South Korean Capital city of Seoul along with President of Kiribati Islands Anote Tong.

ii. Dr. M. V. Gupta has been selected for this award for his pioneering work in the blue revolution. He has invested his entire life to developing sustainable aquaculture as an alternative solution to the future food crisis. Anote Tong has been chosen for this award for creating global awareness on the severity of climate change issue and sought for action by the international community for its solution.

iii. Anote Tong has been chosen for this award for creating global awareness on the severity of climate change issue and sought for action by the international community for its solution.

iv. Dr. M. V. Gupta hails from Bapatla district of Andhra Pradesh and was born on 17 August 1939. He is recipient of the World Food Prize in 2005 for development and dissemination of low-cost techniques for freshwater fish farming by using tilapia species for the rural poor.

187. Union Government launches E-Payment Module to deposit compensatory levies into CAMPA Funds

i. Union Government has launched an e-payment module to make the payment of compensatory levies into the Compensatory Afforestation Management Planning Authority (CAMPA) Funds.

ii. It was launched by Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar in New Delhi in order to make these payments for diversion of forest land quicker and more transparent. The e-payment module has a designated account for the payment purpose, depending on the States in which the forest land is proposed to be diverted.

iii. Initially, the payments will be allowed through two modes viz. online challan mode through RTGS and NEFT and offline challan mode. The deposit of compensatory levies through the e-portal will be optional till August 31, 2015 and will be accepted only through the e-module from 1 September 2015.

iv. With the launch of the e-payment portal, henceforth no payments will be accepted other than through the portal or unless specifically ordered guidelines issued by Ad-hoc CAMPA.

188. Introducing Fortune's Change the World list: Companies that are doing well by doing good

i. The economic system that won the great ideological battle of the 20th century is facing a renewed challenge in the 21st. You can hear it in the passionate rhetoric of Pope Francis in Bolivia and see it in the crowds cheering socialist Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire.

ii. To take on the world’s toughest challenges in a sustainable way, companies are turning to something familiar: the profit motive. Here, the true and best meaning of return on investment.

iii. Fortune’s new Change the World list is our contribution to this trend. It is meant to shine a spotlight on companies that have made significant progress in addressing major social problems as a part of their core business strategy.

iv. The list includes some of the most thoughtful leaders we know in the corporate and nonprofit realms, as well as a number of scholars who bring both perspective and insight to the public discourse on business.

189. Barcelona's Lionel Messi wins UEFA Best Player in Europe award 

i. Lionel Messi added another individual trophy to his collection Thursday, being voted UEFA's Best Player in Europe for last season. 

ii. The Barcelona star beat Luis Suarez, his teammate at the Champions League winner, and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo in a Europe-wide poll of journalists. 

iii. Messi, the four-time FIFA world player of the year, got the UEFA honor after a season-long duel with Ronaldo for the Champions League scoring record. Both resume this season on 77 goals. 

iv. Suarez, who scored the decisive second goal in the 3-1 final win over Juventus in June, reached the shortlist despite starting his season in late-October. The Uruguay forward served a FIFA ban for biting at the 2014 World Cup. 

v. Launched in 2011, the UEFA award previously went to Messi, Andres Iniesta, Franck Ribery and Ronaldo. Celia Sasic, the German star forward of Women's Champions League winner Frankfurt, received the women's award from UEFA President Michel Platini.

190. Usain Bolt beats Justin Gatlin in World Championships 200m final

i. Usain Bolt won the rematch and 200m gold as he ran a wonderful bend to once again leave rival Justin Gatlin chasing silver and fresh air.

ii. On a sweaty, sticky night in the Bird's Nest, Bolt was out of the blocks quicker and opened up an unassailable lead over the first 100m before coming away down the straight and jabbing his thumbs at his chest as he crossed the line.

iii. His 19.55 seconds was the fastest in the world this year, his speed and peerless championship class too good for American Gatlin, whose 19.74 was well outside his season's best.

iv. For much of this season Bolt, 29, has been a struggling shadow of the man who has dominated both sprinting and his sport for the past seven years.Coming into these championships he had raced only one 200m all summer, and that a lacklustre 20.13 in May.

191. NTPC sets a record in single-day power generation

i. India's largest power generator National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited has achieved a record of highest single-day electricity generation of over 733 million units.

ii. The record generation of electricity on August 27, 2015 was achieved from NTPC's 18 coal-based power plants, and 8 solar and hydro power stations and 7 gas-based units. On the record day, the Declared Cumulative Capability (DCC) of the stations was 91.10 per cent and Plant Load Factor (PLF) was of 86.34 per cent.

biii. NTPC limited is a Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU), operational under the aegis of Union Ministry of Power.

iv. During financial year 2014-15, NTPC had contributed 25 per cent of total electricity generated in the country and accounted for 16 per cent share of country's total installed capacity of 45,548 MW (including 6,196 MW through its joint ventures).

192. India losses solar case against US at WTO

i. India has lost solar case against United States at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

ii. Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of WTO has ruled that, India's requirement of only domestic solar equipment's for its ambitious Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) is inconsistent with the international trade norms.

iii. In 2014, US had dragged India in DSB of WTO against its JNNSM which favoured only to use locally manufactured solar equipment. US in its appeal had alleged that, the state sponsored programme of India has discriminated importation of solar equipment manufactured in US.

iv. US companies manufacturing solar equipment are looking JNNSM which has set an ambitious target of generating 20,000 Mega Watts (MW) solar power by 2022 as a big business potential.

193. India women's hockey team books 2016 Rio Olympics berth

i. Indian women's hockey team will return to the Olympics after a long gap of 36 years as it has qualified on Saturday for next year's Rio Games, courtesy England making it to the final of the ongoing EuroHockey Championships in London.

ii. England's semifinal victory over Spain, coming after the Netherlands' win over Germany in the other semifinal in the European Championships freed one quota place as both the finalists have already qualified for the Olympic Games.

iii. India took the quota place on the basis of its fifth-place finish in the women's Hockey World League Semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium last month. International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed that Indian women's team has qualified for the Rio Games.

iv. Indian women's team now join nine other teams, who have already qualified for 2016 Rio Games - Korea as Asian Games champions, Argentina as Pan Am Games champions and Great Britain, China, Germany, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and the USA through the Hockey World League Semi-Finals.

194. Gillette India appoints Al Rajwani as managing director

i. FMCG firm Gillette India on Saturday said it has appointed Al Rajwani as its managing director for a period of five years, effective on Saturday.

ii. "Al Rajwani has been appointed as managing director of the company for a period of five years with effect from August 29, 2015," Gillette India said in a BSE filing.

iii. Besides, Narendra P Sarda has also been appointed as an independent director of the company, it added.

195. PM Narendra Modi pays tribute to Dhyan Chand on National Sports Day

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand on his 110th birth anniversary and extended best wishes to all sports enthusiasts across the country on the occasion of the National Sports Day.

ii. A few sportspersons and coaches will be honoured with the National Sports Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Saturday. National Sports Day is celebrated on August 29.

iii. Dhyan Chand, born on August 29, 1905 was an Indian field hockey player, who is widely considered the greatest hockey player of all time. The legendary hockey player won gold medals for India at the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics.

iv. Known as "The Wizard" for his superb ball control, Dhyan Chand played his final international match in 1948. He scored over 400 goals during his international career.

196. Tennis player Sania Mirza gets Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award

i. Tennis star Sania Mirza, who won the Wimbledon women's doubles title recently, was on Saturday conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

ii. Mirza became the second tennis player to receive the country's highest sporting honour after Leander Paes.

iii. Currently ranked the World No. 1 tennis doubles player in the women's category, Mirza on Friday expressed her happiness at receiving the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and dedicated it to her family and to India.

iv. The World No. 1 also extended her gratitude to the Indian government and the sports ministry for nominating her for the award. Mirza received a medal, certificate and cash prize of Rs. 7.5 lakh. She had flown in just to receive the award ahead of the US Open starting in New York on Monday.

197. National Sports Awards for 2014-15 presented

i. Top sportspersons from various disciplines and eminent coaches were honoured by President Pranab Mukherjee at the 2014 National Sports Adventure Awards function at the Durbar Hall, Rashtrapati Bhawan.

ii. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: Sania Mirza– In recognition of her outstanding achievements in game of Tennis. Presently she is ranked no 1 women’s player in Women’s Double category.

iii. Arjuna award: Sandeep Kumar- Archery, M R Poovamma- Athletics (4X400 metres relay), Kidambi Srikanth- Badminton, Mandeep Jangra- Boxing, Rohit Sharma- Cricket, Dipa Karmakar- Gymnastics, Sreejesh P R- Hockey, Manjeet Chhillar- Kabaddi, Abhilasha Mhatre- Kabaddi, Swaran Singh- Rowing, Anup Kumar Yama- Roller Skating, Jitu Rai-  Shooting, Sathish Kumar- Weightlifting, Bajrang- Wrestling, Babita Kumari- Wrestling, Y Sanathoi Devi- Wushu, Sharath M Gayakwad- Para-Swimming.

iv. Dronacharya award: Naval Singh- Athletics (Javelin throw) Para-sports coach, Anoop Singh- Wrestling coach, Harbans Singh- Athletics coach, Swatantar Raj Singh- Boxing coach, Nihar Ameen- Swimming coach.

v. Dhyan Chand award: Romeo James- Hockey, Shiv Prakash Mishra- Tennis, P Nair- Volleyball.

198. 51,000 ‘sisters’ get insurance as Rakhi gift in PM’s constituency

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (an accidental insurance scheme) to 51,000 'sisters' of his Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan on Saturday.

ii. To kickstart the initiative, Union minister of state for power and coal Piyush Goyal handed over the certificates to 14 of these women and girls from poor families on behalf of the PM at a function at Bhagwandas Vidyalaya in Meerapur Bisahi village here.

iii. he said “Without insuring every family, development of the nation is not possible,” Goyal said at the function. "An accident cover of Rs 2 lakh will be provided at a premium of Rs 12 per year only."

iv. Extending Raksha Bandhan greetings on behalf of the PM, he added that the scheme would be provided free of cost as the BJP workers of the Kashi region would pay the premium.

199. 21st edition of Delhi Book Fair begins

i. The 21st edition of the Delhi Book Fair has been launched at the Pragati Maidan in New Delhi.

ii. The book fair has been organised by the Federation of Indian Publishers in association with India Trade Promotion Organisation.  It will be held till 6th September 2015.

iii. The theme of the book fair is Skill development. This edition of fair will largely focus on inculcating the idea of skill-based professions and career interests of the youth.

iv. Books solely focusing on skill development i.e. hard and soft skills will be available at the fair for all age groups. A section of the book fair theme is also devoted to former president Dr. A.P.J.Kalam’s books.

200. OP Jaisha sets new marathon national record at World Athletics Championships, ensures 2016 Rio Olympic spot

i. Indians gave a good account of themselves in the women's marathon at the World Athletics Championships as O.P. Jaisha registered a time of two hours, 34 minutes and 43 seconds to set a new national record.

ii. O.P. Jaisha and Sudha Singh finished 18th and 19th respectively in the women's marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing.

iii. Jaisha registered a time of two hours, 34 minutes and 43 seconds to set a new national record and claim the 18th place on the final day of the biennial extravaganza.

iv. Sudha, who clocked 2:35:35, also did better than the previous national mark of 2:37:29 set by Jaisha at the Mumbai marathon earlier this year.

v. The result means that both Jaisha and Sudha are well within the qualifying standard for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

201. 2015 World Athletics Championships: Bolt, Jamaica triumph in 4x100m final.

i. Usain Bolt surged to a third gold medal in under a week at the 2015 World Athletics Championships Saturday, anchoring Jamaica to victory in the men's 4x100 meter relay final.

ii. The winning Jamaican time of 37.36 seconds was the best of any nation this year and another exposition of the country's supremacy in short distance events.

iii. China was confirmed to have taken silver as a result of the USA slip-up in a time of 38.01 seconds, to the delight of the Beijing crowd, while bronze was awarded to Canada which finished in 38.13.

iv. The win marks the fourth straight occasion Jamaica has taken 4x100m gold at the World Championships.

v. And as for Bolt himself? He has now won a record 11 gold medals at athletics' premier event -- including two last Sunday and Thursday in the dramatic 100m and 200m final's respectively.

202. SEBI to review surveillance systems; fast-track enforcements

i. To further tighten its noose on manipulators and black money launderers in the stock markets, regulator SEBI will undertake a comprehensive review of its surveillance systems including with help from independent experts and also fast-track its enforcement actions.

ii. The regulator is also pitching for a greater coordination among various watchdogs and enforcement agencies to bring to book the rogue elements that misuse the stock market platform, a senior official said.

iii. SEBI would soon discuss with the government the details regarding the existing safeguards against this menace, as also the proposed new measures, after which same would be communicated to the SIT, he added.

iv. In one typical modus operandi, certain entities seeking Long Term Capital Gain (LTCG) were misusing the stock exchange mechanism, while the second one involves Offshore Derivative Instrument (ODI) holders trading on the basis of Unpublished Price Sensitive Information.

v. While SEBI’s existing surveillance systems are already generating over 100 alerts a day to facilitate detection of market manipulation, it has been felt there is a constant need to enhance capabilities of surveillance both in terms of systems and skill sets so as to address challenges emerging out of extremely dynamic Indian securities market.

203.  Pakistan bans Islamic State militant group.

i. Pakistan has banned the Islamic State (IS) militant group which has undertaken vast stretches of Iraq and Syria in its control.

ii. This decision was taken Pakistan Government on the recommendation of the Foreign Office, which regularly updates it about international militant groups banned by the United Nations (UN).

iii. Union Government already has banned brutal terror group Islamic State under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and following the provisions of section two of the United Nations (Security Council) Act, 1947.

iv. India took this decision in December 2014 after UN has banned it under its sanctions regime of the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism (Implementation of Security Council Resolutions) Order, 2007.

204. India to remain fastest growing major economy for second straight quarter 

i. For investors worried about the health of emerging economies, India's gross domestic product data for April-June should supply some cheer on Monday - the country is expected to remain the fastest growing major economy for a second straight quarter.

ii. The median estimate from a Reuters poll of economists put GDP annual growth at 7.4 percent in the quarter, just below 7.5 percent in January-March. 

iii. India's fiscal deficit was 3.85 trillion rupees ($57.93 billion) during April-July, or 69.3 percent of the full-year target, government data showed on Monday.

iv. The deficit was 61.2 percent during the same period a year ago. Net tax receipts were at 1.54 trillion rupees in the first four months of the current fiscal year that ends in March 2016.

v. with an economy only one-fifth the size of China's, India is in no position to support the global economy as its northern neighbour has. Blessed with a huge domestic market and a large cheap workforce, Asia's third-largest economy has an opportunity to get more investment. 

205. HDFC Bank throws gauntlet, cuts base rate by 0.35%

i. HDFC Bank, the country's second-largest private-sector lender, slashed its base rate the minimum rate at which it lends by 0.35 percent to 9.35 percent, effective tomorrow.

ii. The move comes after the Reserve Bank of India cut its benchmark repo rate thrice this year (by a total 0.75 percent), and urged banks to follow through with cuts on their lending rates.

iii. The move by the retail customer-focused HDFC Bank's will put pressure on other large lenders such as ICICI, SBI and Axis to follow through with rate cuts of their own.

iv. At 9.35 percent, HDFC Bank's base rate is the lowest among banks. Peers SBI and ICICI Bank are at 9.7 percent but may move soon.

206. ‘Housing For All’: Centre identifies 305 cities, towns

i.  The housing ministry has identified 305 cities and towns across nine states to start building houses for the poor in urban areas. The government has set the target to provide houses to two crore families belonging to the economically weaker section (EWS) in urban areas by 2022.

ii. The states that are likely to gain are Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, J&K, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana. Moreover, six other states — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Uttarakhand — have agreed to implement six key reforms relating to clearances and approval for housing projects to accelerate their construction. 

iii. The Housing for All (Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojna) was launched on June 25. "Getting states to agree to the condition and signing of agreements with the Centre are also encouraging indications. Fifteen states have signed the agreement," a housing ministry spokesperson said.

iv. The mandatory reforms that form part of the MoAs including the doing away with the requirement of separate non-agricultural permission in case land falls in the residential zone earmarked in any city master plan and amending plans earmarking land for affordable housing. Another major reform is to do away with approvals below certain built up area or plot size for EWS and low income groups.

207. PM Modi released digitally restored recordings of epic ‘Ramcharitmanas’

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 August 2015 released digital recordings of epic Ramcharitmanas, as a set of digital CDs produced by All India Radio (AIR).

ii. Digital recordings of the epic is a part of AIR’s attempt to go digital in a big way so that the public broadcaster can reach audiences globally. 

iii. The recordings of Goswami Tulsidas work, sung by leading singers of Bhopal gharana, have been done by the AIR over several years and are regularly broadcast especially in the Hindi heartland.

iv. The Ramcharitmanas was composed and recorded for the first time in 1980 at Akashvani Bhopal.

208. Indian Bank launches IndPay mobile app service

i. State-owned financial services lender Indian Bank has launched IndPay mobile app service to enables its customers to operate bank accounts anytime from anywhere.

ii. It was formally unveiled by the Indian Bank MD and CEO M K Jain and it aims at helping bank’s customers to access their bank accounts from any corner of the country.

iii. It can be operated through smartphones compatible with Android, iOS and Windows mobile operating systems. It will help customers to do transactions like enquiries, transferring funds to any account and getting mini statements.

209. Union Government launches SAHAJ scheme for online release of new LPG connections

i. Union Government has launched SAHAJ scheme for online release of new LPG connections for the consumers as parts of its consumer friendly initiative. It was launched by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan at a function held in New Delhi.

ii. Under the scheme, people can apply online for new LPG connection and they need not visit to the LPG distributors for it. SAHAJ facility will enable the customers to post online request for a new connection by filing Know Your Customer (KYC) form by uploading bank account details and photographs.

iii. After submitting the details, customer will receive the registration number to know the new connection status. Later, customer can opt for offline or online mode of payment for the new connection.

iv. Once payment is done, electronic subscription voucher will be mailed to the new customer. Later distributor will do physical delivery of the Gas cylinder, regulator with hose pipe. Initially, the scheme has been launched in twelve cities across the country. In near future, this scheme will be extended to other parts of the country.

v. Twelve cities are Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chennai, Chandigarh, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Patna, Mumbai and Pune.

210. SC stays Rajasthan HC verdict declaring Santhara illegal

i. The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the order passed by Rajasthan High Court declaring Santhara as illegal. The High Court, in a judgment on August 10, 2015, declared the practice, which involves voluntary fast-unto-death, illegal and an offence punishable under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

ii. The Bench was hearing a batch of petitions filed by various religious bodies of Jain community members against the High Court order on Santhara. The pleas had sought a stay on the High Court judgment, claiming it was passed without appreciating the basic philosophy and tenets of Jain religion.

iii. Santhara is a Jain custom of embracing voluntary death – it involves practitioners taking an oath to stop eating until they die of starvation. According to Jains, this is a way to purge oneself of bad 'karma' and attain ‘moksha’.

211. Mountaineer Jot Singh awarded Tenzing Norgay National Adventure award

i. Mountaineer Jot Singh of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been honoured with the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2014-15. He was bestowed with the award by President Pranab Mukherjee during the national sports awards presentation ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on the eve of National Sports Day observed on 29 August.

ii. With this, Inspector Jot Singh became 11th ITBP official to receive this honour. He is one of the best mountaineers of ITBP and has been undertaking expeditions. He also has scaled the Mount Everest.

iii. ITBP is India’s mountain-trained armed force and also known as special force for mountaineering skills. Since 1962, it has been deployed primarily to guard high altitude Indo-China border.

iv. Ms. Arunima Sinha (Mountaineering), Wg. Cdr. Paramveer Singh (Aqua Sport), Lt. Col Satyendra Verma (Sky diving) and Col. Satish Chander Sharma (Mountaineering).

v. Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award is named after Indian and Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay. It is an annual award given by Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

212. India’s Anil wins gold medal in Cadet Wrestling World Championships

i. Indian wrestler Anil has clinched gold medal in Cadet Wrestling World Championships in the 50 kg freestyle competitions. In the final match played at Sarajevo, Bosnia he defeated Erfan Aeini of Iran by 10-6 score.

ii. Earlier, Anil had defeated Tumentsogt Bold of Mongolia in the semi-final bout and Ertugrul Kahveci of Turkey in quarter-final bout.

iii. It was second medal for India in this championship. Earlier female grappler Ankus had won silver medal in the 38 kg women freestyle competitions. This is second time Anil has won gold medal at international level by defeating Erfan Aeini.

iv. Earlier in 2014, he had won gold medal in the 50 kg freestyle category at the 2014 Asian Championship by defeating Efan Aeini.