1. World Humanitarian Day: 19 August

World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is held every year on August 19.

The day pays tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world.

Thousands of men and women all around the world put their lives in danger working in Humanitarian causes and do it selflessly, not for ulterior selfish motives.

This year WHD comes as the world continues to fight the Covid-19 pandemic. On 19 August 2003, a bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq took place in which 22 people were killed brutally and among these ones was the chief humanitarian in Iraq.

In 2009, the UN General Assembly announced this day as World Humanitarian Day in remembrance of the bomb attack.

2. SC refuses to direct transfer of money from PM CARES Fund to NDRF

The Supreme Court refused to direct the transfer of money collected under the PM CARES Fund set up for COVID-19 relief to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

The Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan, R Subshash Reddy, and MR Shah also held that contributions to the PM CARES were Fund of a charitable trust.

The Court said that there was no statutory prohibition on contributions made to the NDRF.

The Bench further clarified that funds collected under the PM CARES Fund are entirely different from the NDRF.

On the petitioner’s prayer to set up a National Plan for COVID-19, the Apex Court held that plan prepared by the Centre is sufficient to cater to the pandemic.

3. IIT-Madras is country’s top innovative educational institute for 2nd straight year

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras has retained its number-one position in the list of top innovative educational institutes in India for the second consecutive year.

The premier institute has been ranked number-one in the ‘Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements’ ,released by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu.

The ranking was launched last year by the Innovation Cell of the Ministry of Education.

674 Institutions of National Importance, Central Universities and centrally funded technical institutions participated in the rankings this year, as compared to 496 last year.

4. SBI waives off SMS charges for all savings accounts

State Bank of India, SBI has waived off SMS charges in addition to its penalty waiver on non-maintenance of minimum balance for all its Savings Accounts. SBI has over 44 crore savings accounts.

The public sector bank informed that the waiver of such charges is applicable for all kinds of savings accounts including those with cheque or Internet Banking facilities.

Earlier, SBI customers had to maintain an average monthly balance of 3000, 2000 and 1000 rupees in metro, semi Urban and rural areas respectively.

The bank used to levy a penalty of 5 to 15 rupees plus taxes on non-maintenance of average monthly balance.

The Bank had announced in the month of March this year that the minimum balance charges will be waived off for all its Savings Account customers.

5. National Recruitment Agency Gets Cabinet Nod to Conduct Common Eligibility Test for Govt Jobs

The Union Cabinet gave its nod to setting up of a National Recruitment Agency (NRA), which is aimed at filling up posts in central government organisations and public sector undertakings.

Recruitment will be done on the basis of computer-based common eligibility test conducted for non-gazetted vacancies.

“The #National Recruitment Agency will prove to be a boon for crores of youngsters.

Through the Common Eligibility Test, it will eliminate multiple tests and save precious time as well as resources.

This will also be a big boost to transparency,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet.

The NRA will hold a test for preliminary selection to various government vacancies. The score of the CET will be valid for three years and during these years a candidate can “apply for job in different sectors depending upon his aptitude and preference.”

The CET will take place for three levels – graduate, higher secondary (12th) and matriculate (10th).

The test will replace the Tier 1 exams held by Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) and Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) for non-technical posts.

However, final selection will be made through separate specialized Tier 2 or Tier 3 exams.

These exams will be conducted by the respective recruitment agencies.
On the basis of the CET, candidates will be shortlisted for Group B and C posts in the central government.

There will be no restriction on the number of attempts if a candidate is eligible as per the upper age limit.

Candidates belonging to reserved categories will be given relaxation in upper age limit.

6. Satya Pal Malik appointed as Meghalaya Governor

Satya Pal Malik was transferred as Governor of the northeastern state of Meghalaya, replacing Tathagata Roy who completed his five-year tenure.

Malik has been shifted to Meghalaya, and Governor of Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been asked to discharge the functions of Goa governor in addition to his own duties.

There is no fixed tenure for governors, but conventionally it is considered for a period of five years.

Roy was appointed governor of Meghalaya in August 2018 and continued till date, barring absence between December 2019 to January 2020 when he was on leave.

Malik was the last governor of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir before it was divided into two union territories ‘Ladakh and JK’ on October 31 last year.

The announcement in this regard was made on August 5 last year when the Centre abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

7. Uttar Pradesh’s Manduadih railway station to be renamed as Banaras

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) approved the renaming of Manduadih Railway Station in Uttar Pradesh (UP) as ‘Banaras’.

In 2019, Former Union Minister Manoj Sinha had written to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath requesting the change in name of the Manduadih Railway Station.

Manduadih is a place in Varanasi situated about four kilometres from Varanasi Cantonment Station.

8. President Gives Nod For Changing Name Of HRD Ministry To Ministry Of Education

President Ram Nath Kovind notified Union Cabinet’s decision to rename Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) as Ministry of Education.

A gazette notification published said the President had given his nod to changing the name.

On July 29, the Union Cabinet approved a new education policy and took some major decisions including the renaming of the Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) as the Ministry of Education.

In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (3) of article 77 of the Constitution, President Ram Nath Kovind amended the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 by Government of India (Allocation of Business) Three Hundred and Fifty Sixth Amendment Rules, 2020, thereby, changing the name of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) as Ministry of Education.

This renaming of ministry was among the key recommendations of the draft new National Education Policy (NEP), which was also cleared by the Union Cabinet in July 2020.

9. Cricketer Rohit Sharma Appointed Oakley’s Brand Ambassador in India

Indian Limited-overs Team Vice-Captain Rohit Sharma has been appointed as Brand Ambassador of Sports eyewear brand, Oakley for a period of two years in India
With this partnership, Rohit Sharma will sport Oakley Sports eyewear on and off the pitch.

He has joined the likes of Vira Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and model Milind Soman who have endorsed the brand in the past
Ben Goss, Oakley global brand director announced the appointment of Rohit Sharma as Brand Ambassador through a press statement.

10. Fino Payments Bank launches Aadhaar Authentication based Digital Savings account “Jan Bachat Khata”

Fino Payments Bank has launched Jan Bachat Khata (JBK), which is an Aadhaar Authentication based digital savings account that brings neo-banking experience to consumers.

Under the JBK, customers can transact at a Fino branch or merchant point with fingerprint and OTP combination, while at non-Fino points they need Aadhaar authentication.

Earlier, Fino Payments Bank had introduced Shubh and Bhavishya, subscription-based savings accounts targeted at specific customer segments.