Current Affairs (August – 2020)

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This post contains important current affairs of 21 August 2020. It includes all Major National, International, Business and Sports related current affairs of 21 August 2020. We have collected the latest current affairs and compiled them date wise. These current affairs are important for all competitive exams like bank, ssc, ibps, sbi exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these current affairs we would recommend to you to try 21 August 2020 Current affairs test.

Poultry Research Institute to be set up in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu
Tamilnadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisami has announced that a Poultry Research Institute will be set up in Namakkal. Speaking to press persons after chairing a Covid 19 and Development Schemes review meeting, he said that the institute is being planned on the lines of the High Security Animal Research Institute Bhopal and Poultry Management Institute Pune.

Arjun Munda virtually launches ‘TRIFOOD’ Project in Raigad, Jagdalpur
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda virtually launched the tertiary processing centres under the ‘TRIFOOD’ project at Raigad in Maharashtra and Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh. The TRIFOOD Project aims at enhancing the income of tribals through better utilization and value addition to the Minor Forest Produces (MFPs) collected by the tribal forest gatherers. ‘TRIFOOD’ project is being implemented by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED).

Chhattisgarh declared as cleanest state of country
Chhattisgarh has been declared as the cleanest state of the country as per the Cleanliness Survey 2020 organized by Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. Chhattisgarh has bagged 14 national awards in various categories. The state had taken many initiatives to achieve this success. In Chhattisgarh, 100% door to door garbage collection was ensured. All 166 municipal bodies are ensuring collection of waste from every household and 100% disposal of the same in SLRM center. Various innovative initiatives were taken by all urban bodies and citizens for cleanliness. Garbage collection vehicles and all Swachhta Didis, Safai Mitra were monitored online.

Direct shipping service between India & Maldives to be flagged off next month
A direct shipping service between India and Maldives would be flagged off next month. The service, agreed upon during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Maldives last year shall be connecting Cochin and Tuticorin with Maldives capital Male.

KVIC issues legal notices to Khadi Essentials and Khadi Global
Khadi and Village Industries Commission, KVIC has issued legal notices to Khadi Essentials and Khadi Global. It has said that these two firms are unauthorizedly and fraudulently using the brand name ‘Khadi’. KVIC in a statement has said today that the two firms are engaged in selling a range of cosmetic and beauty products through various e-commerce platforms using the brand name “Khadi” and thus misleading consumers.

Dr Harsh Vardhan launches interactive first-of-its-kind video game ‘Corona Fighters’ to spread awareness
Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched an interactive first-of-its-kind game on COVID-19, the Corona Fighters. The Minister yesterday also launched two new videos urging adherence to key COVID Appropriate Behaviours.

Kempegowda Intl Airport in Bengaluru creates virtual Information Desk facility at four locations
The Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has created a virtual Information Desk facility at four locations within the terminal for contactless passenger processing. The virtual desk enables passengers to have real time conversation with Airport staff located remotely, over touch free video. The service is available round the clock extending assistance about flight details, food and beverages and transport arrangements. The terminal personnel are trained to address queries in Hindi, Kannada and English. The airport had in May rolled out a contactless journey from parking to boarding at the airport providing biometric based self boarding, self bag drop, contactless check-in, retail and touch free hand sanitisers.

India, Israel sign cultural agreement to further boost people-to-people ties
India and Israel signed a cultural agreement that outlines a three-year programme of cooperation to further strengthen their strategic bilateral relations today. It aims to promote greater people-to-people exchanges. The agreement was signed by Israel’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and India’s Ambassador to Israel, Sanjeev Singla, at the foreign ministry in Jerusalem.

NEC to build India-Singapore subsea cable link with OLL
Japan-based NEC Corp. and Singapore-based Orient Link Pte. Ltd (OLL) announced that they have signed an agreement to build the MIST Cable System (Myanmar/Malaysia India Singapore Transit). MIST will directly connect Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and India (Mumbai and Chennai) and deliver a design capacity of more than 216 terabits per second (tbps). Construction of the nearly 8,100-km optical submarine cable is targeted to be completed by the third quarter of FY2022.

SBI partners with AddaCorner to boost real estate deals in Bengaluru
State Bank of India (SBI) unveiled an online home carnival in partnership with real-time group negotiation e-platform AddaCorner. The carnival will invite prospective home-buyers to virtually come together as a group and directly negotiate with empaneled real estate sellers on real-time basis.

Ministry of Skill Development, Ministry of Shipping ink MoU for skill development in port & maritime sector
A Memorandum of Understanding, MoU was signed between Ministry of Skill Development and Ministry of Shipping today for skill development in port and maritime sector. The MoU is aimed at skilling, re-skilling and up-skilling manpower for the growing maritime industry and development of coastal community.

Web Werks launches 4th data centre, expands into Pune
National data center provider Web Werks announced its fourth data center in India. The Center will be opened in Hinjewadi-Pune and will be company’s second there. The recently constructed first phase of the center establishes Web Werks’ position as one of the top- data center providers in the city of Pune.

Religare Health Insurance Co renamed Care Health Insurance
Religare Enterprises has changed the name of its health insurance subsidiary to Care Health Insurance. Name of Religare Health Insurance Company Ltd has been changed to Care Health Insurance Ltd with effect from August 19, 2020.

Sokin enters India with Razorpay partnership
Sokin, the new generation fintech payment firm, has signalled its intention to become a market leader in India, as it inks a significant deal with Razorpay, the leading full stack financial solutions company to enter the Indian market. Sokin will work with the RazorpayX, to provide its clients with a fully operational business banking service including current accounts which can be seamlessly integrated with Sokin’s simple app, or online-based platform, which allows multiple international transfers with no hidden costs, all for a fixed monthly fee.

IBM to offer free training in new IT technologies, partners with NSDC
IBM announced its collaboration with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to offer a free digital education platform focused on emerging technologies and professional development skills. As a part of the collaboration, IBM will curate online courses from Open P-Tech platform and offer it to users via NSDC’s eSkill India portal to empower Indian youth on various skills to succeed in future careers.

Abhijit Paul’s ‘Am I’ wins first prize in Online Patriotic Short Film Contest
A Short film titled ‘Am I?’ directed by Abhijit Paul won the first prize and a cash award of one lakh rupees in the Online Patriotic Short Film Contest organized by the Ministry Of Information and Broadcasting along with National Film Develoment Corporation, NFDC. ‘Ab India Banega Bharat’ directed by Debojo Sanjiv got the second prize and a cash award of 50 thousand rupees and ’10 Rupees’ directed by Yuvraj Gokul got the third prize and a cash award of 25 thousand rupees. Eight short films have got Special Mention Certificates.

Indian classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj cremated in Mumbai with state honours
Indian classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj was cremated in Mumbai today with state honours in the presence of his family members and close friends. Pandit Jasraj’s son, Shaarang Dev Pandit, performed the last rites, which were followed by a 21-gun salute at Vile Parle’s Pawan Hans Crematorium.

BJP MLA Janmejai Singh passes away
Bharatiya Janata Party sitting MLA Janmejai Singh from Deoria Sadar seat died of heart attack in Lucknow last night. He was 75. The MLA was admitted to Lohia Hospital after he developed health complications. He was initially taken to the Civil Hospital from his residence but was later referred to Lohia Hospital by the doctors. Earlier, his Coronavirus test report came negative.