Home » Current Affairs Date: 26 August 2020

Current Affairs Date: 26 August 2020

Govt Announcement:
  • Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare has decided to integrate the electronic Pension Payment Order (e-PPO) generated through PFMS application of CGA (Controller General of Accounts), with Digi Locker. This is to enhance Ease of Living of Central Government Civil Pensioners. This facility has been created with “Bhavishya” software. This single window platform software provides the facility from starting of Pension process till last process. This system will create a permanent record of their respective PPO in their Digi Locker. This will eleminate delays in reaching the PPO to new Pensioners & provide facility to take printout of latest copy of their PPO.
  • The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment postponed the program regarding the launch of “KIRAN” TOLL-FREE Mental Health Rehabilitation Helpline (1800-599-0019) number on 27-08-2020 & said fresh date of launch will be communicated.
  • NITI Aayog in partnership with the Institute of Competitiveness released the Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2020 on 26 Aug 2020. Overall, most of the Coastal States are the best performers.

Top three ranker are:

  1. Gujarat
  2. Maharashtra 
  3. Tamil Nadu
  • The Ministry of Culture has announced 7 new circles of Archaeological Survey of India. These new circles have been created in Jabalpur – Madhya Pradesh, Trichy – Tamil Nadu, Jhansi & Meerut – Uttar Pradesh, Raiganj – West Bengal and Rajkot – Gujarat. Hampi Mini Circle, Karnataka has been converted into a full fledged circle.
  • National e-Governance Division (NeGD), MeitY and Common Service Center (CSC) e Governance Services India Limited has signed an MOU on 26 Aug 2020. This will facilitate the delivery of UMANG services at Common Service Centers, in an assisted mode. The Common Service Center operators Village Level Entrepreneurs will enable citizens to avail e-Governance services of 140 Departments through the UMANG App.
  • A webinar on “Faceless Assessment Scheme and Virtual Court Hearings” was conducted by KPMG India. During the webinar Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Mumbai Shri Patanjali Jha informed that a National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC) and a network of Regional e-Assessment Centres will be set up to implement the Faceless Assessment Scheme of the Income Tax Department.
  • RAAGOTSAV…Celebration of MonsoonPart II (Vocal Music & maestros), an online festival of rare Films Division documentaries on Indian classical music has started streaming on FD Website & You tube from 26 Aug 2020 and online festival will continue till 28 Aug 2020. This festival having aims at introducing the younger generation of music lovers to the treasure trove of great traditions of music in India.

  • On 26 Aug 2020, a webnier was organised by Regional Outreach Bureau (Maharashtra, Goa & Jharkhand) together with Press Information Bureau (Goa & Ranchi), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. Webinar was on “Weaving Cultural Threads: Goa and Jharkhand“. Webinar was focused on the diverse cultural heritage of these states.

  • National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has developed a “Vendor Performance Evaluation System“, this to establish a transparent and comprehensive “Performance Rating” System for its Consultants, Contractors and Concessionaires.

  • On 27 Aug 2020, NITI Aayog will launch the India Component of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) – Transport Initiative for Asia (TIA). NDC-TIA India Component to focus on establishing a multi-stakeholder dialogue platform for decarbonizing transport in India, Vietnam and China.

  • A Three-day Conference on “S&T Research- Policy-Practice Interface for Climate Risk Management”  organized by National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India, in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH. This Conference held on 26 Aug 2020 in New Delhi.

Business & Technology:
  • Former Indian Oil Corp (IOC) chairman Sanjiv Singh has joined as the Group President in Reliance Industries Ltd firm’s oil-to-chemicals business.
  • Facebook Inc planning to launch new service in United Kingdom, Germany, France, India and Brazil & said company would prioritize “trustworthy” news in its feed by identifying high-quality outlets.
  • On 26 August 2020, Uber launched an “on demand 24×7 Auto Rentals service” in India. The service is available in Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune.
  • Google Cloud will be the technology partner of TVS Automobile Solutions to building a super platform. This platform aimed to bringing fragmented stakeholders of automotive into a single digital ecosystem.
Sports:
  • Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said on 25 August 2020 that India is planning to host BRICS Games in 2021. BRICS Games 2021 may be organized together with Khelo India Games 2021 at same time & same venues. BRICS nations are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. India will get chairmanship of the five-nation independent international group in 2021.
Death:
  • Comrade D Lakshmanan, former state Secretariat member of CPIM Tamilnadu died on 24 August 2020. He was 84.
Others:
  • Pratheeksha” fully equipped marine ambulance built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd will be commissioned at Vizhinjam on 27 Aug 2020. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate via video conference. Pratheeksha is marine ambulane for fisheries department for rescue operation at sea.
  • On 24 Aug 2020, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) suspended its “It’s Finger Lickin’ Good” tagline after 64 years & said this is “the most inappropriate slogan for 2020″ amid the coronavirus pandemic. Company also said slogan will be back when just right time come back.
  •  Oriental Research Institute (ORI), Mysuru inaugurated a fumigation chamber to disinfect and help preserve ancient palm-leaf manuscripts on 25 Aug 2020.