National
Paytm Payments Bank Ltd becomes 1st bank to issue one crore FASTags
⇒Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) has announced on 28 July 2021 that it became the ‘first bank’ in India to achieve the milestone of issuing one crore FASTags.
In the last 6 months alone, PPBL has equipped over 40 lakh commercial & private vehicles with FASTags. Paytm Payments Bank (PPBL) now has close to 28 per cent share as FASTag issuer bank.
According to National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), over 3.47 crore FASTags were issued by all banks together till the end of June 2021.
According to PPBL, 280 out of the total 851 toll plazas across the national and state highways are now using its payment gateway to collect toll charges digitally.
About FASTag:
FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India. It essentially aims at a free movement of vehicles at toll plazas, where vehicles are not required to stop and pay tolls.
NFL and RCF signed MOUs with IFFCO, for ‘Transfer of Technology’ of Nano Urea Liquid fertiliser
⇒ National Fertilisers Limited and Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers Ltd signed Memorandum of Understanding with Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited for ‘transfer of technology’ of a revolutionary and game changer fertiliser Nano Urea Liquid on 27 July 2021.
Under these agreements, IFFCO will transfer the technology of Liquid Nano Urea to NFL and RCF. In the near future, NFL and RCF will establish new Nano Urea production plants to increase the supply of Nano Urea to farmers of the country.
India has become the first country globally to start commercial production of Nano Urea. Nano Urea being an eco-friendly product will protect the health of the soil.
First Thagaisal Thamizhar Award
⇒ Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu MK Stalin on 14 August 2021 presented the first Thagaisal Thamizhar Award to freedom fighter and veteran Communist leader N. Sankaraiah.
The Tamil Nadu government has instituted the ‘Thagaisal Thamizhar’ (distinguished Tamil) Award to honour an eminent personality.
To honour social activists and those working towards the welfare of Tamils, the State government decided to accord the Thagaisal Thamizhar Award on every Independence Day from this year. The award comprises a citation and a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh.
New Chief Minister of Karnataka
⇒ Lingayat leader Basavaraj Somappa Bommai took oath as the new Chief Minister of Karnataka on 28 July 2021.
In the ceremony at the Glass House of the Karnataka Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot administered the oath of office and secrecy.
International
32nd International Biology Olympiad
⇒ In the 32nd International Biology Olympiad (IBO), all four students from India won medals, which include three Silver medals and one Bronze medal. It was held from 18th to 23rd July, 2021.
Due to the pandemic the Olympiad, hosted by Portugal, was held as an online event this year, named “IBO Challenge II”. 304 students from 76 countries participated virtually in the competition.
Achievements of the Individual Contestants of the Team India:
Silver Medals:
- Anshul Siwach
- Dhiren Bharadwaj
- Naman Singh
Bronze Medal:
- Swaraj Nandi
About:
- Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), a national centre of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), is the nodal centre in the country for Olympiads in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy and Astrophysics and Junior Science.
- The centre is responsible for the selection and training of the teams representing India at the International Olympiads.
- The Olympiad programme is supported by the Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Space, and the Ministry of Education of the Government of India.
Intrinsic, new robotics software and artificial intelligence project
⇒ Recently, Alphabet’s secretive research unit said that it will launch Intrinsic, its new robotics software and artificial intelligence project, under the Google parent’s segment that houses futuristic businesses such as Verily and Waymo. ‘Intrinsic’ develops software tools designed to make industrial robots.