National
'Yuktdhara' GIS-based planning Portal
⇒ Recently, a new Geospatial Planning portal under Bhuvan “Yuktdhara” has been released to facilitate planning of new MGNREGA assets using Remote Sensing and GIS based information.
The Union Minister of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Shri Giriraj Singh launched the Yuktdhara GIS-based planning Portal.
Speaking at the launch of “Yuktdhara”, the minister said that the name given is very apt as word ‘Yukt’ is derived from Yojanam, the planning and ‘Dhara’ indicates the flow.
Benefit:
This platform will serve as a repository of assets (Geotags) created under various national rural development programmes i.e. MGNREGA, Integrated Watershed Management Programme, Per Drop More Crop and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana etc., along with field photographs.
About Bhuvan:
Bhuvan, is the national Geo-portal developed and hosted by ISRO comprising of Geo Spatial Data, Services and Tools for Analysis.
Secretary in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
⇒ Recently, Shri Apurva Chandra, a 1988 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, has assumed the charge of Secretary in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.
AmritMahotsav App Innovation Challenge 2021
⇒ Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), launched AmritMahotsav App Innovation Challenge 2021 for Indian entrepreneurs and start-ups on 23 August 2021.
This is in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of building a new, AatmaNirbhar Bharat by the year 2022. It is also to celebrate the 75th year of Independence of India as the AzadikaAmritMahotsav.
The Innovation Challenge launched is in continuation of the AatmaNirbhar App Innovation Challenge organised in 2020.
AmritMahotsav App Innovation Challenge 2021 has been launched in 16 categories:
Culture & Heritage, Health, Education, Social Media, Emerge Tech, Skills,News, Games, Entertainment, Office, Fitness & Nutrition, Agriculture, Business & Retail, Fintech, Navigation and Others.
Some of the Key Evaluation parameters will include Easy User Interface, Robustness, Security features, Scalability & Interoperability, etc.
International
Maritime Partnership Exercise between the Indian Navy and the Philippine Navy
⇒ Two ships of the Indian Navy, INS Ranvijay (Guided Missile Destroyer, D55) and INS Kora (Guided Missile Corvette, P61), on deployment to the Western Pacific, carried out a Maritime Partnership Exercise with the Philippine Navy.
The Maritime Partnership Exercise between the Indian Navy and the Philippine Navy was conducted on 23 August 2021 in the West Philippine Sea.
From the Indian side, INS Ranvijay and INS Kora while from the Philippine Navy BRP Antonio Luna (Frigate, FF 151) participated.
The joint evolutions conducted during the exercise included several operational manoeuvers and the participating ships of both navies were satisfied with the consolidation of interoperability achieved through this operational interaction at sea.
The Indian naval ships are currently deployed to the Western Pacific with an aim to strengthen maritime security collaboration with partner nations.
Loan Agreement between India and ADB
⇒ Recently, the Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $500 million loan to expand the metro rail network in Bengaluru with construction of two new metro lines totalling 56 km in length.
About ADB:
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members, out of which 49 are from the region.
Sports
2021 World Athletics U20 Championships
⇒ The 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships was held from 18 to 22 August 2021 at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, Kenya. It is also known as the World Junior Championships.
India won three medals including two silver, one bronze in the Championships.
Indian Medal Winners:
Men’s 10000m Race Walk: (Track)
Mr. Amit Khatri won Silver in 10000m Race Walk.
Women’s Long Jump: (Field)
Ms. Shaili Singh won Silver in Long Jump. Shaili Singh recorded her personal best of 6.59m in the final of the women’s long jump and won the silver medal.
Mixed 4x400m Relays: (Track)
Mr. Barath Sridhar, Ms. Priya Mohan, Ms. Summy, Mr. Kapil, Mr. Abdul Razak won Bronze in Mixed 4x400m Relays.
Important day
World Sanskrit Day
⇒ World Sanskrit Day (also known as Sanskrit Diwas) is celebrated every year on Sawan Poornima in the Hindu calendar. This day also marks the festival of Raksha Bandhan. World Sanskrit Day was observed on 22nd August for the year 2021.
Significance:
In India, World Sanskrit Day is celebrated in order to promote the resurgence and preservation of this language.
History:
In 1969, the Government of India decided to celebrate Sanskrit Diwas on the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan with the aim of illuminating the next generation about the ancient Indian language.