Current Affairs Daily Digest – August 21 2019
1. Punjab govt. launches ‘Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana’ health insurance scheme
State government of Punjab launched a mega health insurance scheme title ‘Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana’ (MGSSBY) for poor by clubbing Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) plan with its own. The PMJAY was unveiled in September 2018 by the Centre and kept on hold so far by Punjab government.
2. DRDO transfers design of Mobile Metallic Ramp (MMR) to Indian Army
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) transferred the design of Mobile Metallic Ramp (MMR) to Indian Army. The designs of were handed over by Chairman of DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy to Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Devraj Anbu at an event held at DRDO Bhawan in New Delhi.
3. High-Level Meeting held between Indian and Sri Lankan Coast Guards
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) held a High-Level Meeting (HLM) with Sri Lanka Coast Guard at Coast Guard Headquarters in New Delhi to discuss issues of mutual safety and security.
The Indian side was led by K Natarajan, Director General, Coast Guard while Sri Lankan delegation was headed by Rear Admiral Samantha Wimalathunge. A four member delegation of Sri Lanka Coast Guard is on an official visit to India from 19–23 August 2019.
4. Former Madhya Pradesh CM Babulal Gaur passed away
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Babulal Gaur passed away on 21 August. He was 89 years old. He died due to various old-age ailments followed by cardiac arrest.
The veteran BJP leader served as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister from 2004-2005. He represented his traditional Govindpura Vidhan Sabha seat 10 times.
5. Nepal to hold SAARC Foreign Ministers informal meeting
Nepal plans to hold SAARC Foreign Ministers informal meeting on the sidelines of the 74th UN General Assembly (UNGA) session in September 2019. The aim is to prove the country’s role in creating an environment for the commencement of the regional summit.
6. Discovery, WWF tie up to preserve Sundarbans
To help save the world’s only mangrove tiger habitat, Discovery India and WWF India have partnered with the Forest Directorate, the government of West Bengal and local communities in the Sundarbans.
7. Wipro joins hand with IISc for research in emerging tech, 5G
WiproNSE -0.36 % has partnered with Indian Institute of Science (IISc), to carry out advanced applied research in autonomous systems, robotics and fifth generation (5G) telecom.
The company said that the two organizations have jointly set up Wipro IISc Research and Innovation Network (WIRIN), a hybrid industry academia collaboration unit, aimed at driving idea discovery, research and innovation in technology and product design.
8. DBS Bank to enter India’s credit card market next year
Southeast Asia’s biggest bank DBS Group Holdings is preparing to enter the local credit card market in India in 2020, a senior company executive said. The Singapore-based lender’s move highlights its efforts to tap growth outside its home market to offset weakness in the local economy.
9. IIT Delhi Startup’s Multisensory Kit Wins National Disability Award
Ms Ankita Gulati, founder of TouchVision, an IIT Delhi incubated startup working on the design and development of inclusive learning resources for visually impaired people has won the NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Award 2019, which is given away every year to those who have been doing exemplary work towards the cause of accessibility and thus ensuring a life of equality and dignity for people with disabilities.
10. Indian para swimming team crosses Catalina Channel in USA
Indian para swimming team comprising Gwalior’s para swimmer Satendra Singh and two girls created history. Indian para swimming team has become the first from Asia who have crossed Catalina Channel in USA. Last year, Indian para team had crossed the English Channel.
11. IIT Hyderabad researchers develop sensor device to detect heart diseases
Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad are collaborating with research institutions across the world to develop a device to detect heart diseases with high speed, sensitivity and reliability.
Their ground-breaking work has recently been published in the reputed peer-reviewed Journal of Materials Chemistry B.
12. India, Zambia sign six MoUs to enhance cooperation in fields of geology, defence, arts and culture
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Zambian President Edgar Chagwa Lungu held delegation-level talks and reviewed the bilateral relations between the two nations. In a joint press conference with Zambian President in New Delhi, PM Modi said that both the countries will increase their participation in the fields of tourism, health care, mining, agriculture and food processing.
13. Chandrayaan-2 inches closer to Moon, successfully enters Moon’s orbit
Chandrayaan-2 was successfully inserted into a Lunar orbit. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) made a successful maneuver of spacecraft into the lunar orbit.
According to the ISRO, a series of orbit maneuvers will be performed on Chandrayaan-2 spacecraft to enable it to enter its final orbit passing over the lunar poles at a distance of about 100 km from the Moon’s surface.
