Daily Current Affairs August 17

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August 17 | Daily Current Affairs 2026

Obituary – Daily Current Affairs August 17

1. Which film earned Bengali filmmaker Raja Sen the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film?
A) Desh
B) Laboratory
C) Debipaksha
D) Damu
E) Maya Mridanga
Answer: D) Damu.

Event and Location:

• Event: National Award-winning Bengali filmmaker Raja Sen passed away at the age of 71 after suffering from multiple health complications.
• Location: Raja Sen died in Kolkata, West Bengal, where he had been undergoing treatment at SSKM Hospital.
• Date: Raja Sen passed away on August 16, 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: Raja Sen’s career spanned feature films, television serials, and documentaries, with his debut feature film Damu becoming his most celebrated work.
• Objectives: His filmmaking focused on children, literature, human relationships, and Bengali cultural themes while contributing across cinema, television, and documentary formats.

Important Terms Explained:

• Damu: It was Raja Sen’s first feature film and won the National Film Award for Best Children’s Film in 1996.
• National Film Award: It is one of India’s major film honours recognising excellence in different categories of Indian cinema, including feature films, non-feature films, and performances.
• Rabindra Sangeet: It refers to the songs written and composed by Rabindranath Tagore and forms an important part of Bengali music and cultural heritage.
• Documentary Film: It is a non-fiction form of filmmaking that presents real people, events, subjects, or cultural themes through factual visual storytelling.

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Business and Economy – Daily Current Affairs August 17

2. Which two companies plan to collaborate on developing and manufacturing an aero-engine for India’s AMCA stealth fighter programme?
A) Reliance Industries and Safran
B) HAL and Rolls-Royce
C) Reliance Industries and Rolls-Royce
D) GTRE and General Electric
E) Tata Advanced Systems and Safran
Answer: C) Reliance Industries and Rolls-Royce.

Event and Location:

• Event: Reliance Industries plans to partner with Rolls-Royce to develop and manufacture aero-engines for India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
• Location: The proposed aerospace gas turbine complex and aero-engine manufacturing ecosystem will be established in India.
• Date: The proposed collaboration was reported on August 17, 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The proposed partnership will explore the establishment of a dedicated aerospace gas turbine complex in India for the joint development and manufacturing of advanced fighter aircraft engines.
• Objectives: The initiative aims to create an indigenous aero-engine ecosystem, reduce India’s dependence on foreign-made defence equipment, and strengthen domestic aerospace manufacturing capabilities.

Important Terms Explained:

• Aerospace Gas Turbine Complex: It refers to a specialised facility for developing and manufacturing gas turbine engines used in aerospace applications, including advanced military aircraft.
• Stealth Fighter: It is a combat aircraft designed using technologies that reduce its detectability by radar and other surveillance systems.
• Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE): It is an Indian state research entity involved in the development of gas turbine engines and is pursuing a separate engine collaboration with French company Safran for future AMCA variants.
• Tejas Fighter Aircraft: It is India’s 4.5-generation fighter aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, whose production has faced delays related to the supply of General Electric engines.

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Appointments – Daily Current Affairs August 17

3. Who chairs the 12-member high-powered committee constituted to review the Teesta Barrage Project?
A) Chairman of NITI Aayog
B) Chairman of Central Water Commission
C) Union Water Resources Secretary
D) Chief Secretary of West Bengal
E) Chairman of Central Electricity Authority
Answer: B) Chairman of Central Water Commission.

Event and Location:

• Event: India constituted a 12-member high-powered committee to assess the restoration, management, infrastructure, water availability, and climate resilience of the Teesta Barrage Project.
• Location: The review focuses on the Teesta River basin and Teesta Barrage Project in West Bengal, with the river also flowing through Sikkim and Bangladesh.
• Date: The committee was constituted on July 10, 2026, while the Joint Detailed Technical Study commenced on August 6, 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The committee will examine existing and future water requirements, siltation, river-channel capacity, barrage infrastructure, upstream storage, water-release mechanisms, drainage capacity, and the effects of climate change.
• Objectives: The review aims to prepare measures for restoring and strengthening the Teesta Barrage Project, improving river-basin management, enhancing climate resilience, and addressing future water-resource requirements.

Important Terms Explained:

• Teesta Barrage Project (TBP): It is a water-resource infrastructure project in West Bengal associated with managing Teesta River water for purposes such as irrigation and broader river management.
• Central Water Commission (CWC): It is India’s central technical organisation dealing with water-resource planning, development, and management, and its Chairman heads the newly constituted committee.
• Joint Detailed Technical Study: It is the technical assessment initiated on August 6, 2026, to develop a comprehensive management plan for the wider Teesta River basin.
• Climate Resilience: It refers to the ability of infrastructure and natural systems to prepare for, withstand, and adapt to climate-related changes such as altered rainfall, water availability, and extreme weather.
• Siltation: It is the accumulation of sediment in rivers, reservoirs, or channels, which can reduce water-carrying and storage capacity.

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International Affairs – Daily Current Affairs August 17

4. Which two countries agreed on a shipping route map for safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in August 2026?
A) Iran and Qatar
B) Iran and Oman
C) Oman and UAE
D) Iran and Saudi Arabia
E) Oman and Bahrain
Answer: B) Iran and Oman.

Event and Location:

• Event: Iran and Oman agreed on a shipping route map to facilitate safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
• Location: The agreement concerns the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
• Date: The agreement was reported by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on August 15, 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The agreement establishes coordinated navigational routes for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz following technical negotiations between Iran and Oman.
• Objectives: The arrangement aims to ensure safer passage of vessels through the strategic waterway while preserving the sovereignty of Iran and Oman and facilitating international trade and energy transportation.

Important Terms Explained:

• Strait of Hormuz: It is a strategically important maritime passage connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and is a major route for global energy transportation and international trade.
• Memorandum of Understanding: It is a formal arrangement expressing an understanding between parties and, in this case, refers to the June 18, 2026 memorandum linked to the development of a new navigational system in the Strait of Hormuz.
• Navigational System: It refers to the framework of designated maritime routes and related arrangements intended to facilitate the safe and orderly movement of vessels through a waterway.
• Naval Blockade: It refers to the use of naval forces to restrict or prevent maritime movement into or out of a specified area.

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5. Which technology will India and Nepal use to map cross-border land occupation along their shared boundary?
A) Satellite radar
B) Unmanned aerial vehicles
C) Sonar mapping
D) Ground-penetrating radar
E) LiDAR satellites
Answer: B) Unmanned aerial vehicles.

Event and Location:

• Event: India and Nepal agreed on a three-year target to map cross-border land occupation using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
• Location: The mapping will cover relevant areas along the approximately 1,880-km India-Nepal border.
• Date: The decision was finalised at the 13th meeting of the Survey Officers’ Committee, which concluded in Lucknow on August 14, 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The two countries agreed on an annual plan and budget to capture aerial images of cross-border occupied or cultivated areas and jointly analyse them through bilateral survey mechanisms.
• Objectives: The exercise aims to generate credible technical information on cross-border land occupation, improve boundary management, and support the resolution of technical issues arising from changes in river courses and land use.

Important Terms Explained:

• Survey Officers’ Committee (SOC): It is a bilateral technical mechanism involved in coordinating survey-related work and boundary mapping between India and Nepal.
• Boundary Working Group (BWG): It is a bilateral mechanism responsible for technical boundary-related tasks, including maintenance, repair, and reconstruction of boundary pillars.
• Joint Field Survey Teams: These are field-level bilateral teams that carry out survey and boundary-related technical work on the ground.
• Cross-Border Land Occupation: It refers to situations where residents of one country cultivate or occupy land that technically lies on the other side of the demarcated international boundary.

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Schemes – Daily Current Affairs August 17

6. What is the annual health cover provided per eligible family under Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY in West Bengal?
A) ₹2 lakh
B) ₹3 lakh
C) ₹4 lakh
D) ₹5 lakh
E) ₹10 lakh
Answer: D) ₹5 lakh.

Event and Location:

• Event: West Bengal implemented the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, providing eligible families with annual cashless and paperless health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh.
• Location: The scheme has been implemented in West Bengal, with portability allowing eligible beneficiaries to receive treatment at empanelled hospitals across India.
• Date: Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY became operational in West Bengal on August 16, 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The scheme provides eligible beneficiaries with ₹5 lakh per family per year on a family-floater basis for eligible secondary and tertiary hospitalisation at empanelled government and private hospitals.
• Objectives: The implementation aims to reduce the financial burden of hospitalisation, expand access to cashless healthcare, provide nationwide treatment portability, and extend health protection to eligible families and specified beneficiary groups.

Important Terms Explained:

• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY): It is a Government of India health assurance scheme providing eligible families with annual family-floater coverage of up to ₹5 lakh for specified hospitalisation and medical procedures.
• Family Floater Health Cover: It is a health coverage arrangement in which the insured amount is shared among eligible members of a family rather than being separately allocated to each individual.
• Cashless Treatment: It allows eligible beneficiaries to receive covered treatment at empanelled hospitals without making advance payment for approved healthcare services.
• Portability: It enables eligible PM-JAY beneficiaries to receive covered treatment at empanelled hospitals outside their home state and across India.
• Ayushman Vay Vandana Card: It is the card provided under the relevant scheme provisions to eligible citizens aged 70 years and above, giving them health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh annually.
• e-KYC: It is the electronic Know Your Customer verification process used to authenticate beneficiary identity through methods such as Aadhaar OTP, biometrics, or facial authentication.

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7. What is the maximum ceiling for undisclosed and never-taxed foreign income or assets eligible under the FAST-DS Scheme?
A) ₹25 lakh
B) ₹50 lakh
C) ₹1 crore
D) ₹2 crore
E) ₹5 crore
Answer: C) ₹1 crore.

Event and Location:

• Event: The Income Tax Department introduced the Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme (FAST-DS) as a one-time voluntary facility for eligible taxpayers to disclose certain previously undisclosed foreign assets and income.
• Location: The scheme applies to eligible taxpayers in India with qualifying undisclosed foreign income or assets.
• Date: FAST-DS is available from August 16, 2026, to December 31, 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The scheme permits eligible taxpayers to electronically disclose specified foreign assets or income within prescribed ceilings, pay the applicable tax, penalty, or fee, and regularise qualifying past reporting omissions.
• Objectives: FAST-DS aims to provide a one-time compliance opportunity for eligible taxpayers to correct past non-disclosure of foreign assets and income amid increasing international exchange of financial information.

Important Terms Explained:

• FAST-DS: The Foreign Assets of Small Taxpayers – Disclosure Scheme is a one-time voluntary disclosure facility covering specified foreign assets or income that were not properly reported earlier, subject to prescribed eligibility conditions and monetary ceilings.
• Fair Market Value (FMV): It generally refers to the value of an asset based on its acquisition cost or the price it could reasonably fetch in the open market, subject to applicable valuation rules.
• Black Money Act, 2015: The Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015 deals with taxation and penalties relating to undisclosed foreign income and assets.
• Common Reporting Standard (CRS): It is an international framework under which participating jurisdictions automatically exchange specified financial account information for tax compliance purposes.
• Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA): It is a US law that facilitates reporting of specified foreign financial accounts and contributes to cross-border exchange of financial information.
• Annual Information Statement (AIS): It is a statement available on the income-tax e-filing portal containing various financial information reported in relation to a taxpayer.

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National Affairs – Daily Current Affairs August 17

8. What age group will be covered under the nationwide sports talent hunt announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi?
A) 5–10 years
B) 6–14 years
C) 5–15 years
D) 8–16 years
E) 10–18 years
Answer: C) 5–15 years.

Event and Location:

• Event: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide sports talent hunt for children aged 5–15 years to identify and nurture potential athletes for India’s long-term sporting ambitions.
• Location: The talent hunt will cover villages, towns, cities, and schools across India.
• Date: The initiative was announced during the 80th Independence Day address from the Red Fort on August 15, 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The Government will conduct a nationwide talent identification programme for children aged 5–15 years, including those from rural and remote areas, to discover sporting ability at an early age.
• Objectives: The initiative aims to broaden India’s pool of young athletes, provide long-term training and scientific coaching, improve participation across Olympic disciplines, and support India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

Important Terms Explained:

• KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Identification): It is a talent identification initiative under the Khelo India programme that uses technology, scientific assessment, and talent assessment centres to identify promising young sportspersons.
• Khelo India Programme: It is a Government of India initiative aimed at strengthening the sports ecosystem by promoting grassroots participation, talent identification, training, and competitive opportunities.
• Grassroots Sports Development: It refers to identifying, training, and supporting athletes from an early stage at the school, community, village, and local levels to build a strong long-term sporting base.
• Long-Term Athlete Development: It is a structured approach in which young athletes progressively develop physical fitness, technical skills, psychological resilience, and competitive experience over several years.

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9. How many States and Union Territories were asked by the Supreme Court to consider declaring cancer a notifiable disease?
A) 15
B) 17
C) 18
D) 19
E) 21
Answer: D) 19 States and Union Territories.

Event and Location:

• Event: The Supreme Court asked 19 States and Union Territories to consider declaring cancer a notifiable disease to strengthen cancer surveillance, reporting, and patient care.
• Location: The direction applies to the 19 States and Union Territories of India that had not yet declared cancer a notifiable disease.
• Date: The Supreme Court direction was reported on August 17, 2026.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed the 19 concerned States and Union Territories to consider notifying cancer and to submit compliance affidavits detailing the action taken.
• Objectives: The direction aims to improve systematic cancer reporting, strengthen surveillance and early detection, support screening, create more consistent disease data, and enable better planning of healthcare resources.

Important Terms Explained:

• Notifiable Disease: It is a disease whose suspected, probable, or confirmed cases, as applicable under relevant rules, are required to be reported by healthcare professionals or institutions to designated public health authorities.
• Compliance Affidavit: It is a sworn statement submitted before a court explaining the actions taken by a government or authority to comply with judicial directions.
• Cancer Screening: It refers to the use of medical tests or examinations to detect certain cancers or precancerous conditions at an early stage, including before symptoms become evident.
• Public Interest Litigation (PIL): It is a legal proceeding initiated to seek judicial intervention on an issue affecting the public or a broader section of society rather than only a private individual interest.

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10. How many blackbucks were released into Gujarat’s Banni Grasslands on August 15, 2026?
A) 10
B) 15
C) 20
D) 25
E) 30
Answer: C) 20 blackbucks.

Event and Location:

• Event: The Gujarat Forest Department and Vantara released 20 blackbucks into the Banni Grasslands as part of a wildlife restoration initiative.
• Location: The release took place in the Banni Grasslands of Kutch, Gujarat.
• Date: The blackbucks were released on August 15, 2026, coinciding with India’s 80th Independence Day.

Mandates and Objectives:

• Mandates: The initiative involved relocating 20 blackbucks, comprising 5 males and 15 females, from Vantara in Jamnagar after obtaining permission from the Chief Wildlife Warden of Gujarat and the Central Zoo Authority.
• Objectives: The initiative aims to restore native wildlife, strengthen the population of indigenous herbivores, revive ecological interactions, and support the long-term conservation of the Banni grassland ecosystem.

Important Terms Explained:

• Blackbuck: It is a native Indian antelope and herbivore whose presence contributes to grassland food chains and ecological balance.
• Wildlife Reintroduction: It is the process of releasing a native species into an area where its population has declined or disappeared, with the objective of restoring ecological functions.
• Greens Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC): It is the institution that provided technical support for the relocation and release of the blackbucks into the Banni Grasslands.
• Grassland Ecosystem: It is an ecosystem dominated by grasses and associated vegetation that supports herbivores, predators, birds, insects, and other forms of biodiversity.

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Over All Review

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