Current Affairs 4^TH August 2018

1. Reliance Jio, SBI ink pact to integrate the bank’s digital banking platform with MyJio app

On August 3, 2018, State Bank of India (SBI) has inked a pact with Reliance Jio Infocomm to integrate its digital banking solution Yono with MyJio application.

• SBI said Yono would now be preloaded on Reliance Jio handsets
• SBI customers would benefit from Jio Prime with exclusive deals from Reliance Retail, Jio and partner brands
• MyJio app will now offer financial services of SBI and Jio Payments Bank

Existing Jio customers will get the benefits either by downloading Yono on their handsets or at the time of replacement cycle, SBI’s deputy managing director Mrutyunjay Mahapatra told ET.

About 1.5 crore of 42 crore SBI customers are using Yono now while the banking behemoth expects the number to multiply with the partnership with Jio.

2. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: Government achieves 5 crore Free LPG Connections Goal…
   
   Lokasabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today handed over 5 croreth LPG connection under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) in the Parliament House. The Government launched Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on 1st May, 2016 and it is implemented by Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas through its Oil Marketing Companies i.e., IOC, BPCL and HPCL through their network of distributors across the country.

In a record time of 28 months for its launch, PMUY achieved the initial target of providing 5 crores LPG connection to BPL households. In the current year, considering the huge success of the Scheme, target was revised to 8 crores with budgetary allocation of Rs 12,800 crore.

States of  Uttar Pradesh(87 lakh),  West Bengal(67 lakh),  Bihar(61 lakh), Madhya Pradesh(45 lakh),  Rajasthan(37 lakh) and Odisha (30 lakh) have accounted for nearly 65% of the connections provided. 47% of the beneficiaries are from the weaker sections of the society i.e., SC/STs.

3.PV Sindhu vs Akane Yamaguchi Semi-final:PV Sindhu enters into semi-finals of World Badminton C’ships at Nanjing, China

India’s PV Sindhu displayed a superlative performance in the BWF World Championships 2018 quarter-finals to beat Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara in straight games to enter the semi-finals of the tournament. The Indian star will meet another Japanese, Akane Yamaguchi, in last four. In the head-to-head record, PV Sindhu enjoys a comfortable 6-4 lead against Akane Yamaguchi and would like to better her record further in a bid to enter her second straight tournament final. If Sindhu reaches the final, she will either face Olympic Champion Carolina Marin or He Bingjiao of China. Earlier this year, World No. 2 Yamaguchi beat World No.3 Sindhu 19-21, 21-19, 21-18 in the All England Open.

4.Lok Sabha passes National Sports University Bill, 2018…

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a Bill establishing a National Sports University in Manipur as part of a vision to enhance country’s standing in sports. The National Sports University Bill, 2018, which sought to replace an Ordinance promulgated on May 31, was passed by a voice vote.

The Bill seeks to set up a specialised university in Manipur, which would be the first of its kind, to promote sports education in the areas of sports sciences, sports technology, sports management and sports coaching.

5.MRPL is set up the floating solar power plants

The floating solar power plants being set up by the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd on the three water storage reservoirs on its premises, will be a reality next year, M. Sushilchandra, Group General Manager (corporate strategy), has said.

They would not only generate around 6 MW of energy but also minimise water evaporation from the reservoirs.

Speaking at a function organised to distribute LED bulbs to 10 villages as part of the company’s enterprise social commitment here on Friday, Mr. Sushilchandra said around 6MW of solar power is already being tapped from the rooftop panels.

M.S. Sudarshan, Chief General Manager (Health, Safety and Environment) said 31,867 LED bulbs would be distributed to about 8,000 families, anganwadis, schools, community halls and shops in Bala, Kalavar, Permude, Kuthethoor, Jokatte, Thokur, Soorinje, Delanthabettu, Chelyar and Madya villages, at a cost of around ₹43 lakh.

6.Telangana, Tech Mahindra ink MoU for India’s first Blockchain District

The government of Telangana on Friday signed MoUs with Tech Mahindra, Nucleus Vision and Eleven01 Foundation to launch India’s first Blockchain District, which will provide a complete ecosystem for the growth of blockchain technology.The agreements were signed at the inaugural ceremony of international blockchain congress here in the presence of Telangana Information Technology Minister K.T. Rama Rao and Tech Mahindra CEO and MD C.P. Gurnani. The launch of the Blockchain District is a moment in history, a global talent hub which can unlock the value of blockchain technology in democratising data and solving big-scale world problems. It is also a huge step in reskilling and right skilling the workforce of the future. Blockchain experts will be our crowning jewels as together we work towards making India the blockchain capital of the world,” said Gurnani.

7.Vijay Thakur Singh appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs

Ms. Vijay Thakur Singh is currently India’s envoy to Ireland and will take over as Secretary (EAST) from October 1 after superannuation of Preeti Saran on September 30. She is a 1985 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service.

8. Vijay Mallya tops the List of India’s 28 Fugitive Economic Offenders

Vijay Mallya (promoter of defunct Kingfisher Airlines) allegedly defrauded banks of about Rs 7,500 crore, according to the list the Finance Ministry submitted in the Lok Sabha. Mehul Choksi, promoter of Gitanjali Jewels (₹7,080 crore) and his nephew Nirav Modi (₹6,498 crore) took the second and third spots.

The list also includes Sterling Biotech promoters Chetan Sandesara, Nitin Sandesara and Diptiben Sandesara, who allegedly defrauded banks of ₹5,383 crore.

9. Japan overtakes China as World’s 2nd biggest stock market

As a result of China’s trade war with the US and its campaign to cut debt, the value of China’s stock market fell to $6.09 trillion, losing its position as the World’s second biggest stock market to Japan ($6.17 trillion). The U.S. has the world’s largest stock market at just over $31 trillion. China’s stock market overtook Japan’s in 2014 and soared to an all-time high of over $10 trillion in 2015.

The Shanghai Composite Index has lost more than 16 percent in 2018 to be among the world’s worst performers, while the yuan has fallen 5.3 percent against the dollar.

10.Smriti Mandhana becomes the second Indian cricketer to smash a hundred in women’s T20 cricket

Smriti Mandhana continued her dream run smashing her way to a 60-ball-hundred as she powered Western Storm to an easy seven-wicket win over Lancashire Thunder in a Kia Women’s T20 Super League match.

• Smriti hit 102 off 61 balls as Western Storm chased a target of 154 set by Lancashire Thunder in 18.4 overs
• She is now the top run-scorer in the Kia Super League with 282 runs
• Her scores in the tournament so far read 48, 37, 52*, 43* and 102

It was a pretty comprehensive win for Storm and they will surely be pleased with the string of good performances by Mandhana. With the astonishing innings, the left-handed opener became the first player to score a century in this season of the tournament. Mandhana started her innings in a steady way after hitting her half-century in 34 balls. She started smashing Thunder bowler all around the ground.