Daily Current Affairs August 19&20

Dear Champions, as you all know that a lot of competitive exams have been notified consequently. Candidates have to prepare themselves according to the level of competition and expectation of the Recruitment board. Regarding that one of the most important topic is Daily Current Affairs August 19&20. Current Affairs in the form of contemporary events of national & international play a crucial role in almost every competitive exams like Banking, Insurance, SSC, UPSC, TNPSC, Railway etc.

Current affairs are the most dynamic yet scoring among all sections and need to be prepared from the right source. Here, we cafunsta team, providing  Daily GK Updates, Current Affairs Questions, and Monthly  current affairs pdf.

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August 19&20| Daily Current Affairs 2023

Important Days – Daily Current Affairs August 19&20

1. What is observed as SadbhavanaDiwas on August 20th in India?
A) Independence Day
B) Republic Day
C) Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday
D) Rajiv Gandhi’s Birth Anniversary
E) International Yoga Day
Answer: D) Rajiv Gandhi’s Birth Anniversary

• Rajiv Gandhi was born on 20 August 1944. Every year, we celebrate India’s sixth Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s birth anniversary as SadbhavanaDiwas or Harmony Day.
• The aim is to encourage peace, national integration and communal harmony among all religions
• Rajiv Gandhi was the youngest prime minister of India
• He became prime minister after Indira Gandhi was assassinated in 1984
• In his memory, the Congress Party started the SadbhavanaDiwas and instituted the Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award in 1992. The award recognises people who have dedicated their lives to promoting social harmony.
• The first SadbhavanaDiwas was observed in 1992, a year after Rajiv Gandhi died in a suicide bomb attack in Tamil Nadu’s Sriperumbudur.
• “Sadbhavana” in English means goodwill. Also known as Harmony Day

World Photography Day

• Every year on August 19, the world celebrates World Photography Day, commemorating the process of capturing moments and emotions.
• The day traces back to its origin in 1837 when Frenchmen Louis Dagueere and Joseph Nicephore Niepce created the Daguerreotype, the earliest photography technique.
• World Photography Day originated on 19 August 1839, when the French Academy of Sciences made the announcement of the daguerreotype process to the public
  According to the World Photography Day website, the theme this year is “LANDSCAPES.”

World Humanitarian Day

• World Humanitarian Day is observed every year on 19 August in a bid to save and protect lives around the world.
• In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution designating 19 August as World Humanitarian Day to honour the memory of those who lost their lives in the Baghdad bombings.
• The 19 August 2003 attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killed two humanitarian workers, including the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.
• The theme for World Humanitarian Day 2023 is ‘No matter what’.
• The first official observance in 2009.

World Mosquito Day 2023

• World Mosquito Day (WMD) is observed every year on 20 August.
• The day is recognised to create awareness among people about the mosquito-borne diseases, and their effect on the human health.
• The history of World Mosquito Day dates back to 20 August 1897, when Ronald Ross – British Doctor made a revolutionary discovery about the Malaria transmission.
• Sir Ronald Ross discovered that a parasite found in the stomach of female Anopheles mosquito is responsible for transmitting the malaria among humans.

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Sports – Daily Current Affairs August 19&20

2. Which team secured its inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup championship by triumphing over England with a score of 1-0?
A) Brazil
B) Spain
C) France
D) United States
E) Germany
Answer: B) Spain

FIFA Women’s World Cup championship

• Edition: 9th
• The tournament, which took place from 20 July to 20 August 2023, was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand

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Obituary – Daily Current Affairs Augus19&20

3. John Warnock, who recently passed away, was a co-founder of w0hich prominent company?
A) Microsoft
B) Apple
C) Adobe
D) Google
E) Facebook
Answer: C) Adobe

• Adobe’s co-founder John Warnock died
• Dr. Warnock co-founded Adobe in 1982 with Dr. Charles Geschke after meeting as colleagues at Xerox.
• Their first product was Adobe PostScript, groundbreaking technology that sparked the desktop publishing revolution.
• Dr. Warnock retired as CEO in 2000 and he was chairman of the board, a position he shared with Dr.Geschke, until 2017.
• Dr. Warnock was awarded the prestigious National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Barack Obama; the Computer Entrepreneur Award from the IEEE Computer Society; the American Electronics Association Medal of Achievement; and the Marconi Prize for contributions to information science and communications.

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4. Who, known for his role in ‘This Is Us’ and having won 2 Emmys, has passed away?
A) Sterling K. Brown
B) Milo Ventimiglia
C) Justin Hartley
D) Mandy Moore
E) Ron Cephas Jones
Answer: E) Ron Cephas Jones

• Emmy-winning actor Ron Cephas Jones, best known for playing William Hill in the popular American family drama series This Is Us, has died
• Jones was nominated for an Emmy Award four times for his role as William Hill on the series “This Is Us,” winning the award in 2018 and 2020.
• The actor is also known for his roles in “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” “Luke Cage,” and “Mr. Robot” series.
• Jones’ daughter Jasmine also bagged her first Emmy in the same year, making the father-daughter duo the first-ever pair to be Emmy winners that year
• He was nominated for a Tony Award and won a 2022 Drama Desk Award for the Broadway role as a truck-stop cook in playwright Lynn Nottage’s “Clyde’s.”

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Banking and Finance – Daily Current Affairs August 19&20

5. What penalty did the Competition Commission of India (CCI) impose on Axis Bank for its acquisition of a stake in CSC e-Governance?
A) ₹10 lakh
B) ₹25 lakh
C) ₹40 lakh
D) ₹50 lakh
E) ₹75 lakh
Answer: C) ₹40 lakh

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of ₹40 lakh on Axis Bank for failing to notify the regulator about its acquisition of a stake in CSC e-Governance.
• in an order that the transaction under consideration comprised acquisition of a 9.91 per cent stake in CSC e-Governance by Axis Bank and was completed in November 2020.
• Axis Bank is required to pay the penalty within 60 days from the date of order
  CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd is a special-purpose vehicle set up by the electronics and information technology ministry to oversee the implementation of the common services centre scheme.

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6. Which bank has recently introduced banking services through WhatsApp?
A) State Bank of India
B) HDFC Bank
C) Karnataka VikasGrameena Bank
D) ICICI Bank
E) Axis Bank
Answer: C) Karnataka VikasGrameena Bank

• Karnataka VikasGrameena Bank (KVGB) launched WhatsApp banking services
• The WhatsApp banking channel would enable customers to seamlessly connect with the bank on the social media platform, and effortlessly avail of a host of banking services.
• They would be able to get to know the balance in their account, history of the last five transactions, and information about bank deposits / loan products, the rate of interest and digital products.
• customers should first save the official KVGB WhatsApp number (9278700859) to activate the banking facility and initiate a conversation (on WhatsApp) by sending a ‘hi’ to the number.
• The customer must check the ‘green tick’ along with KVGB’s profile name on WhatsApp to ensure that it is a genuine banking service.
• WhatsApp banking would be available 24X7, including on holidays, on both Android and iOS-based mobile phones

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7. Which bank has launched the ‘One Pune’ card in collaboration with MAHA-Metro?
A) State Bank of India
B) ICICI Bank
C) HDFC Bank
D) Axis Bank
E) Punjab National Bank
Answer: C) HDFC Bank

• HDFC Bank, India’s leading private sector bank, introduced the ‘One Pune’, a contactless pre-paid card in collaboration with Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MAHA-Metro) for Pune Metro Rail Project.
• The One Pune card will enable seamless digital payments through retail shopping and transactions as part of the One Nation One Card programme by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• The Bank will offer commuters a smooth, digital ticketing experience that can be accessible through several digital touchpoints like a smartphone app, a dedicated customer portal, and WhatsApp in accordance with the e-governance ambitions.
• The ‘One Pune’ card will simplify travel for Pune residents by removing the requirement to stand in queue to buy tickets at metro stations.
• The ‘One Pune’ pre-paid card was unveiled by Shri ChandrakantPatil, Pune’s Guardian Minister, Shri DevendraFadnavis, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, and Shri AjitPawar, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister.
• They were joined by Shri Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways. Managing Director of MAHA-Metro, Shri Shravan Hardikar, also attended the launch event.

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Appointments – Daily Current Affairs August 19&20

8. Whose appointment as the Managing Director and CEO of South Indian Bank has been approved by the Reserve Bank of India?
A) Ramesh Gupta
B) Sanjay Patel
C) P. R. Seshadri
D) MeenaIyer
E) Rajesh Sharma
Answer: C) P. R. Seshadri

• The Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of P. R. Seshadri as the Managing Director and CEO of the Thrissur based South Indian Bank.
• The appointment will be for a period of three years with effect from October 1.
• Prior to this, Seshadri had served as managing director and CEO of The KarurVysya Bank (KVB), managing Director and Regional Sales and Distribution Head, Citibank (Asia Pacific), managing director and regional head of Lending, Businesses, Citibank among others.
• He is currently mentoring businesses both at an operating level as well as at the Board level at various companies.

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9. Which cricketer has been appointed as the brand ambassador for BPCL (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited)?
A) Sachin Tendulkar
B) ViratKohli
C) Rahul Dravid
D) MS Dhoni
E) Rohit Sharma
Answer: C) Rahul Dravid

• State-run oil marketing company Bharat Petroleum announced cricketing legend and current Head Coach of the Indian cricket team Rahul Dravid as its new brand ambassador.
• Dravid will endorse BPCL’s Pure for Sure initiative and range of MAK lubricants.
• Rahul Dravid’s remarkable sportsmanship, role model status, integrity, dependability and trustworthiness perfectly reflect the values it stands for and make him the perfect fit for brand BPCL.

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Awards – Daily Current Affairs August 19&20

10. Who was honored with the inaugural ‘UdyogRatna’ award, established by the Maharashtra government, for their contributions as a renowned industrialist?
A) MukeshAmbani
B) Ratan Tata
C) Azim Premji
D) Lakshmi Mittal
E) Adi Godrej
Answer: B) Ratan Tata

• Renowned industrialist Ratan Tata was bestowed with the first ever ‘UdyogRatna’ award established by the Maharashtra government
• The award was presented to the 85-year-old Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons at his residence in Colaba, south Mumbai, by Chief Minister EknathShinde, along with Deputy Chief Ministers DevendraFadnavis and AjitPawar.
• This recognition comprised a shawl, a citation, and a memento from the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).
• Every year, the G20 Presidency designates a B20 Chair, typically an influential business leader from the host country of the G20 summit.
• This Chair is supported by a B20 Sherpa and the B20 secretariat.
• For the B20 India, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran holds the position of Chair
  Established in 2010, the B20 stands out as one of the most prominent engagement groups within the G20 framework, featuring participation from companies and business organisations

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National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs August 19&20

11. Which ministry introduced standards for green hydrogen production in the country?
A) Ministry of Environment and Forests
B) Ministry of Science and Technology
C) Ministry of Power
D) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
E) Ministry of Industry and Commerce
Answer: D) Ministry of New and Renewable Energy

• The ministry of new and renewable energy has rolled out standards for green hydrogen production in the country
• The ministry defined green hydrogen as hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources, either via electrolysis or biomass conversion. The definition also encompasses green energy preserved in energy storage systems
• The government has stipulated that carbon emissions should not exceed two kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent for every kilogram of hydrogen produced.
• the non-biogenic greenhouse gas emissions arising from water treatment, electrolysis, gas purification and drying and compression of hydrogen shall not be greater than 2 kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilogram of hydrogen (kg CO2 eq/kg Hydrogen), taken as an average over last 12-month period
• The Bureau of Energy Efficiency will be the nodal authority for accreditation of agencies for monitoring, verification and certification for green hydrogen production projects.
• Earlier this year, the Union cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission with an aim to produce 5 million tonne green hydrogen annually and make India a global green hydrogen hub.
• The government has also come up with incentive schemes to support the manufacturing of electrolyzers and production of green hydrogen.
• A notification in June said that of the ₹17,490 crore allocated for the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme, ₹13,050 crore would go for incentivizing production of green hydrogen, while another ₹4,440 crore would go for electrolyzer production.

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12. Which project was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan, worth Rs 2,400 crore, as part of the second phase of the ‘MalinyaMukthamNavakeralam’ campaign?
A) Kerala Clean Environment Initiative
B) Kerala Sustainable Development Project
C) Kerala Waste-to-Energy Campaign
D) Kerala Solid Waste Management Project
E) Kerala Green Revolution Program
Answer: D) Kerala Solid Waste Management Project

• Kerala Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan inaugurated the Rs 2,400-crore Kerala Solid Waste Management Project (KSWMP) as part of the second phase of ‘MalinyaMukthamNavakeralam’ (garbage free) campaign
• The ambitious project is being carried out by KSWMP in association with the World Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
• The current financial year will see the state’s 87 municipalities and six corporations launching sub-projects worth Rs 300 crores, which is one-fourth of the total grant they are to get to strengthen infrastructure for solid-waste management
• The first phase of KSWMP drew encouraging response, with the percentage of doorstep garbage collection rising from 48 to 78

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13. Which government department launched a portal aimed at ensuring quick responses to threats and offenses related to trees, forests, and wildlife in Delhi?
A) Delhi Environmental Protection Agency
B) Delhi Wildlife Conservation Division
C) Delhi Green Resources Authority
D) Delhi Forest Department
E) Delhi Biodiversity Conservation Unit
Answer: D) Delhi Forest Department

• The Delhi Forest Department launched a portal to facilitate rapid response to threats and offences concerning trees, forests, and wildlife.
• Environment Minister Gopal Rai launched the portal — accessible at https://ghl.eforest.delhi.gov.in — saying it serves as a centralised platform for swift action on complaints received through the Green Helpline (1800-11-8600) and will ensure timely intervention in critical situations.
• One of the key features of the portal is that it will have on record all complaints registered on the helpline.
• Additionally, it provides a comprehensive view of the actions taken by the Department of Forest and Wildlife in response to these complaints
• This transparency ensures that stakeholders can easily track the status of actions taken, promoting accountability and effective collaboration

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14. The central government has introduced a Rs 5,000 crore scheme named RLI for which sectors?
A) Renewable Energy and Logistics
B) Rural Livelihood and Irrigation
C) Retail and Luxury Industries
D) Pharma and Med-Tech
E) Research and Learning Initiatives
Answer: D) Pharma and Med-Tech

• The Centre has rolled out a Rs 5,000 croreresearch-linked-incentive (RLI) scheme for pharmaceuticals and med-tech sector to strengthen the research infra in the country and promote more industry-academia linkages for research and development (R&D).
• The scheme has two components; the first being strengthening the research infrastructure by setting up Centres of Excellence at National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPERs).
• The Centres of Excellence will strengthen the research infrastructure in pharma and med-tech sectors by providing advanced facilities to conduct research and will help in nurturing talent pool by promoting industry academia linkage, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers said in a gazette notification dated August 16.
• This has an outlay of Rs 700 crore over a period of five years.
• The second component deals with promotion of research in the pharma and med-tech sector in six priority areas.
• The first product area is for new chemical or biological or phytopharmaceuticals (natural) entities.
• This apart the product areas include complex generics, precision medicine (targeted innovative therapeutics), medical devices, orphan drugs (drugs for rare diseases), and drug development for antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
• Prioritisation will be done within and among the categories based on future potential, opportunities and national importance
• The total outlay of the scheme would be Rs 5,000 crore over a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
• The funding disbursed for the projects would be recovered through benefit sharing either through royalty or equity.
• The government can charge a 10 per cent royalty on net sale of the product or technology till the patent is effective, or it can take equity.

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15. What is the aim of the BhagwanBirsa Munda Jodaraste Scheme introduced by the Maharashtra government?
A) Providing healthcare to tribal communities
B) Promoting traditional arts and crafts among tribals
C) Enhancing education facilities in tribal villages
D) Linking all tribal villages in the state with main roads
E) Developing irrigation systems for tribal agriculture
Answer: D) Linking all tribal villages in the state with main roads

• The state cabinet decided to implement the BhagwanBirsa Munda Jodaraste Scheme in Maharashtra to connect all tribal villages in 17 districts of the state with main roads
• The project is estimated to cost Rs 5,000 crore and nearly 6,838 km of roads will be constructed as part of the scheme.
• In the Budget Session, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister DevendraFadnavis had announced the implementation of the scheme to connect all the tribal padas by perennial roads.
• The Tribal Development Department will have a separate committee for these roads and the Public Works Department will build them.
• Accordingly, under the scheme, a programme will be undertaken to connect all roads in the tribal sub-plan areas to primary health centres/ashramshalas with main roads.
• A total length of 6838 km of roads will be constructed
• The Public Works Department will build these roads.

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16. Which new variety of “Lotus” flower, with the name ‘Namoh 108’ due to its 108 petals, was unveiled by Dr.Jitendra Singh, developed by CSIR-NBRI (National Botanical Research Institute) in Lucknow?
A) Prabha Kamala
B) Shanti Pushpa
C) Rajnigandha
D) Namoh 108
E) Kamalika
Answer: D) Namoh 108

• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh unveiled the new variety “Lotus” flower developed by Lucknow Institute CSIR-NBRI (National Botanical Research Institute) that has 108 petals.
• The lotus named ‘NBRI Namoh 108’ is developed by the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), a premier plant-based, multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art National R&D center based in Lucknow.
• The Namoh 108 lotus variety flowers from March to December and is rich in nutrients.
• This is the first lotus variety whose genome is completely sequenced for its characteristics.
• this project is being undertaken in Mission mode like the other priority schemes, – the National Honey and Bee Mission (NHBM), National Bamboo Mission (NBM), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Gokul Mission, Blue Revolution, Mission Shakti – an integrated women empowerment programme and the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) etc.
• The Minister also released the new variety of Aloe vera named ‘NBRI-Nihar’, a clonal selection having approximately 2.5 times high gel yield in comparison to Aloe vera.
• As per the field observations, ‘NBRI-Nihar’ is found least affected against bacterial and fungal diseases.
• Two herbal products namely ‘Herbal Cold Drops’ for curing common cough and cold & Herbal Anti Dandruff Hair Oil, made by Marc Laboratories, were also launched by the Minister.
• Dr Jitendra Singh also launched a Database of 500 Raw Drug Repositories of the Institute developed as per Indian Pharmacopoeia Standards and released a book on roses in CSIR-NBRI Garden, comprising the details of elite varieties conserved at the Botanic Garden.
• On the occasion, an MoU was signed between CSIR-NBRI & M/s Nucleome Informatics, Hyderabad for collaborative research on Cotton.
• The CSIR-NBRI digital Herbarium, a National Repository of flora specimens of India, was also launched to easily disseminate information among the public and a book on ‘Plant Resources of Uttar Pradesh and a Check List’ and ‘e-flora of Uttar Pradesh’ were also released. The e-flora and book provide a list and information of more than 5,000 plants of Uttar Pradesh.
• The S&T Minister also released the NBRI-Goutout, a supplement for gout/gouty arthritis, and a nutri-bar for army personnel deployed in high-altitudes.

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