Daily Current Affairs and GK | 29 August 2024

Topic: Defence

1. India’s 2nd nuclear missile submarine INS Arighat has been commissioned by Rajnath Singh.

• Indian Navy commissioned its second nuclear submarine, INS Arighat or S-3, at Visakhapatnam on 29th August.
• INS Arighat is an upgraded version of India's first SSBN (Ship, submarine, Ballistic, Nuclear) INS Arihant.
• INS Arighat is the second boat of the Arihant class indigenous nuclear submarines.
• The commissioning of Arighat is a significant advancement in India's naval capabilities, especially in strategic nuclear deterrence.
• INS Arighat will embark on a long-range patrol of the Indo-Pacific armed with 750-km range nuclear ballistic missiles K-15.
• INS Arighat can achieve a maximum speed of 12–15 knots (22–28 km/h) on the surface and up to 24 knots (44 km/h) when submerged.
• It is part of a four-SSBN project, with two other are also under construction.
• INS Arighat has been under construction and testing since its launch in 2017 at Visakhapatnam's Ship Building Centre (SBC).

Topic: Sports

2. Karthik Venkataraman won the 61st National Chess Championship.

• Karthik, Ganguly, and Neelash Saha finished at nine points from 11 rounds at the 61st National Chess Championship.
• The tie was broken using the Buchholz System after they finished in that order.
• The 61st National Chess Championship was organized at RPS International School, Gurgaon, by the Haryana Chess Association.
• Karthik received a trophy and a cash prize of six lakh rupees (approximately USD 7,150).
• 341 players from all across India have participated in this tournament.
• The prize fund for this tournament was thirty lakh rupees (approximately USD 35,000).
• All India Chess Federation was the chief guest and awarded the prizes to winners.

Topic: Important Days

3. National Sports Day: 29 August

• National Sports Day is celebrated annually on 29th August.
• National Sports Day commemorates the birth anniversary of hockey player Major Dhyan Chand.
• This day emphasizes the importance of sports and physical activities.
• This day also honors Major Dhyan Chand’s legacy in Indian hockey.
• Major Dhyan Chand had won gold medals in the Olympics in 1928, 1932 and 1936.
• The theme of National Sports Day 2019 was “Fit India, Young India”.
• On National Sports Day 2019, the government had launched Fit India Movement.

Topic: State News/Himachal Pradesh

4. In Himachal Pradesh, the minimum age of marriage for women has been increased from 18 to 21 years.

• On 27 August 2024, Himachal Pradesh State Assembly passed a Bill for increasing the minimum age.
• According to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Himachal Pradesh is the first State to take such an initiative.
• The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2024 was passed by voice vote.
• The Bill amends the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
• It also amends other related Acts in their application to the Himachal Pradesh.
• The Bill raises minimum age in order to provide for gender equality and opportunities of obtaining higher education.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

5. Jana Small Finance Bank won four awards at 2nd ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave.

• It won the awards of Best Small Finance Bank, India, Best Performance on Profitability (Runners-up), Best Performance on Asset Quality, and Best Performance on Risk Management.
• Gopal Tripathi, Head - Treasury and Capital Markets, attended the awards ceremony.
• In 2024, the bank was awarded with Regional Winners: Asia by IBS Intelligence.
• Jana Small Finance Bank is the 4th largest Small Finance Bank in India. It is a scheduled commercial bank. It was launched in March 2018.
• J&K Bank has won “Best Performance on Profitability” award in the category of Private Sector Bank (Mid-Size) at the 2nd ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2024.
• Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) organised 2nd ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave on 22nd and 23rd August 2024 in New Delhi.
• The theme of the conclave was Leading in the Digital Paradigm.
• The conclave involved participation from thought leaders, regulators, and banking professionals from the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) region.
• 1st ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave was held in Goa in May 2023.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

6. Twelve new Greenfield industrial smart cities have been approved by the Union Cabinet as part of the National Industrial Corridor Development Program.

• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said after the Cabinet meeting that a total of 28,602 crore rupees are projected to be invested in these industrial areas.
• Planned strategically along six important corridors, the projects are spread over ten states. 
• These include Orvakal and Kopparthy in Andhra Pradesh, Palakkad in Kerala, Jodhpur-Pali in Rajasthan, Zaheerabad in Telangana, Dighi in Maharashtra, Khurpia in Uttarakhand, Gaya in Bihar, Rajpura-Patiala in Punjab, Zaheerabad in Telangana, and Agra and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.
• A plan to hold e-auctions for 730 Private FM stations in 234 new cities has also received approval from the Union Cabinet.
• The goal of the initiative is to increase employment opportunities and local content in the native tongue.
• According to Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw, the decision will allow FM radio to reach tier 2 and tier 3 cities. The focus of the project will be on local talent.
• For this auction, the reserve price is expected to exceed 784 crore rupees.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

7. Three projects of Ministry of Railways have been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

• The total estimated cost of projects is approximately ₹6,456 crore.
• The three projects cover seven districts in four states (Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh).
• The three projects will increase the network of Indian Railways by about 300 kilometers.
• With these projects, 14 new stations will be built and enhanced enhanced connectivity would be provided to two Aspirational Districts (Nuapada and East Singhbhum).
• New Line projects will connect about 1,300 villages and about 11 lakh population.
• Multi-tracking project will increase connectivity to about 1,300 villages and to a population of 19 lakh.
• ₹2,170 crore has been approved for Jamshedpur - Purulia - Asansol (Chandil - Anara - Damodar) third line. It is 121 km long.
• ₹1,360 crore has been approved for 37 km long Sardega - Bhalumuda new double line.
• ₹2,926 crore has been approved for the 138 km long Bargarh Road - Nawapara Road New Line.
• The projects are consequence of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity.

Topic: National News

8. Union Cabinet approved ₹4,136 crore to northeast states for hydropower expansion.

• The Union Cabinet approved equity support of ₹4,136 crore to North Eastern states for developing hydropower projects, totalling 15,000 MW capacity for the next eight years.
• Union Cabinet also approved a proposal for central financial assistance to the northeastern states for up to 24% equity stake in hydropower projects to be developed through a joint venture with the Centre.
• This scheme has an outlay of ₹4,136 crore to be implemented from 2024-25 to 2031-32.
• This scheme will be funded through 10% gross budgetary support (GBS) for the northeastern region from the total outlay of the Ministry of Power.
• The equity portion of the state government of NER would be capped at 24 per cent of the total project equity with a maximum of ₹750 crore per project.
• The equity ratio of the CPSU and state government in the JV will be maintained at the time of disbursing of the grant.
• The development of hydroelectric projects would help in achieving India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) of establishing 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

Topic: National News

9. Union Cabinet approved the expansion of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.

• The expansion of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) has been approved by the Union Cabinet.
• The main aim of this step is to boost agricultural infrastructure across India and to make it more attractive, impactful, and inclusive.
• The scheme, worth ₹1 lakh crore, would be redesigned to include financial support for Farmers’ Producers Organisations (FPOs).
• Rs 47,575 crore has been sanctioned for 74,508 projects under AIF till date.
• These sanctioned projects have mobilised an investment of ₹ 78,596 crore in the agriculture sector.
• The infrastructure projects sanctioned under AIF have helped in generating more than 8.19 lakh rural employment opportunities in the agriculture sector.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

10. Scientists founded microplastics in human brains and called for worldwide action.

• The widespread use of plastic has caused serious environmental pollution, and microplastics are now entering vital human organs, including the brain.
• Growing evidence shows that these tiny plastic particles—less than 5 millimeters in size—are accumulating in the air, water, food, and even human tissues.
• A recent study by researchers discovered that brain samples collected in early 2024 had an average of 0.5% plastic by weight.
• The work will soon be peer-reviewed and published by the National Institutes of Health.
• A worldwide microplastics expert reiterated these concerns and said the situation demands the declaration of a global emergency.
• Microplastics are now found in the lungs, placenta, and other vital organs, so urgent global action to reduce plastic pollution is needed more than ever.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

11. For the first time in the world, trials of the lung cancer vaccine launched in seven countries.

• Doctors have begun testing the world's first mRNA lung cancer vaccine on patients.
• Experts have praised its "unprecedented" potential to save thousands of lives.
• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world, with approximately 1.8 million deaths occurring from the disease each year.
• Survival rates are particularly poor in people with advanced forms of the disease, where the tumor has spread.
• Now experts are testing a new jab that instructs the body to seek out and kill cancer cells — and then prevent them from coming back.
• The vaccine, known as BNT116 and developed by BioNTech, is designed to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of the disease.
• Phase 1 clinical trials, the first human studies of BNT116, have begun at 34 research sites in seven countries: the UK, the US, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain, and Turkey.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

12. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana completed 10 years.

• The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) was launched on 28thAugust 2014 by Narendra Modi.
• PMJDY is the largest financial inclusion initiative in the world.
• It provides support to the marginalised and economically backward sections through its financial inclusion interventions.
• The total number of PMJDY accounts reached 53.13 crore as of 14th August 2024.
• 55.6% (29.56 crore) of Jan-Dhan account holders are women.
• 66.6% (35.37 crore) of Jan Dhan accounts have been opened in rural and semi-urban areas.
• Total deposit balances under PMJDY Accounts stand at Rs. 2,31,236 crore.
• The average deposit per account is Rs 4,352 as of 14th August 2024.
• 36.14 crore RuPay cards have been issued to PMJDY account holders.
• This scheme has revolutionised financial inclusion in India.

Topic: MoUs /Agreements

13. ICAR-CIFE and VAMNICOM signed MoU to enhance Cooperative management in Fisheries.

• The Central Institute of Fisheries Education (ICAR-CIFE) and the Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster collaboration in the field of cooperative management within the fisheries sector.
• The main aim of the MoU is to enhance synergies between ICAR-CIFE and VAMNICOM.
• Under this partnership, the institutions will collaborate on research, training, and development initiatives.
• VAMNICOM (Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management) is a National Institute under the Ministry of Cooperation.
• ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE) is a leading Fisheries University has nurtured many illustrious scholars and leaders over the years.