Beepedia Monthly Current Affairs (Beepedia) August 2023

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
INDEX
RBI, Banking and Economy ___________________________________________ 2
SEBI and Financial Awareness _________________________________________56
NABARD and Agriculture ___________________________________________ 63
National __________________________________________________________ 67
International _____________________________________________________ 85
States____________________________________________________________ 93
Reports and Indexes _______________________________________________ 105
Science and Technology ___________________________________________ 113
Defence __________________________________________________________ 124
Events ___________________________________________________________ 130
Awards & Rewards ___________________________________________________141
Appointments _____________________________________________________ 149
Important Days ___________________________________________________ 153
Obituaries_________________________________________________________ 154
Books ___________________________________________________________ 156
Sports ___________________________________________________________ 159

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Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
RBI, Banking and Economy

Monetary Policy Statement, 2023-24 Resolution of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)
 Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das-headed Monetary Policy Committee has decided
not to raise the repo rate, keeping it at 6.5%.
 The RBI MPC maintained the withdrawal of accommodation stance.
 CPI inflation is projected at 5.4 per cent for 2023-24, with Q2 at 6.2 per cent, Q3 at 5.7 per cent and
Q4 at 5.2 per cent, with risks evenly balanced. CPI inflation for Q1:2024-25 is projected at 5.2 per cent
 The real GDP growth for 2023-24 is projected at 6.5 per cent with Q1 at 8.0 per cent; Q2 at 6.5 per
cent; Q3 at 6.0 per cent; and Q4 at 5.7 per cent, with risks broadly balanced. Real GDP growth for
Q1:2024-25 is projected at 6.6 per cent.
Learn Along:
RBI Headquarters: Mumbai Governor: Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors: Swaminathan Janakiraman,
MD Patra, M Rajeshwar Rao and T. Rabi Sankar
The MPC is a statutory committee that fixes the key policy interest rates and monetary policy stance of the country
as well as the inflation target. The MPC comprises three external members and three members from the RBI. The
RBI Governor heads the MPC.
Repo Rate & Reverse Repo Rate-The interest rate that the RBI charges when commercial banks borrow money
from it is called the repo rate. The interest rate that the RBI pays commercial banks when they park their excess
cash with the central bank is called the reverse repo rate.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Marginal standing facility (MSF) is a window for banks to borrow from the Reserve Bank of India in an emergency
situation when inter-bank liquidity dries up completely. Under MSF, banks can borrow funds from the RBI by pledging
government securities. RBI charges higher interest rate over and above the repo rate.
The Standing Deposit Facility allows the RBI to absorb excess cash from the economy by sucking liquidity from
commercial banks without giving government securities in return to the lenders. Under the SDF, the banks can place
deposits with the RBI on an overnight basis. The RBI, however, retains the flexibility to absorb liquidity for longer
tenors under the SDF with appropriate pricing, as and when the need arises. All liquidity adjustment facility (LAF)
participants will be eligible to participate in the SDF scheme.
Gross domestic product or GDP is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services
produced in a specific time period.
RBI fines 4 PSUs for late reporting of overseas investments
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed late submission fees (LSF) of ₹2,000 crore on ONGC
Videsh Ltd (OVL), Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, GAIL (India) Ltd, and Oil India Ltd for delayed reporting of
their overseas investments.
 State Bank of India (SBI) is the authorized dealer (AD) bank for these public sector undertakings’
(PSUs’) foreign transactions. It is the work of the AD bank to report and reconcile their overseas direct
investments (ODIs) within the decided timelines.
Learn Along:
ONGC Videsh Ltd Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Arun Kumar Singh
GAIL Headquarters: New Delhi CMD: Sandeep Kumar Gupta
Oil India Headquarters: Noida CMD: Ranjit Rath
RBI imposes monetary penalty on 4 co-operative banks
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed monetary penalties on four co-operative banks for
deficiencies in regulatory compliance. These banks are Shri Vinayak Sahakari Bank, Shreeji Bhatia
Cooperative Bank, Mizoram Urban Cooperative Development Bank and Vita Urban Co-operative
Bank.
 The Reserve Bank imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.50 lakh on Vita Urban Co-operative Bank Ltd.,
Vita, Maharashtra (the bank) for contravention of provisions of certain banking norms and directions
issued by the apex bank on ‘Maintenance of Deposit Accounts’.
 The Mizoram Urban Cooperative Development Bank Limited, Aizawl (the bank) was also penalised
of ₹20,000 on for non-compliance with specific directions issued by the apex bank under
Supervisory Action Framework (SAF) and certain provisions of ‘RBI’s KYC directions.
 The apex bank further imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.00 lakh on Shreeji Bhatia Cooperative
Bank Ltd., Mumbai (the bank) for non-compliance with specific directions issued by RBI under the
Supervisory Action Framework (SAF) and RBI’s KYC directions.
 The Reserve Bank also imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.50 lakh on Shri Vinayak Sahakari Bank
Ltd, Ahmedabad (Gujarat) for contravention of direction issued by RBI on ‘Placement of Deposits
with Other Banks by Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs)’.
Learn Along :

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
KYC means to ‘know your customer’ which is an effective way for an institution to confirm and thereby verify the
authenticity of a customer. For this, the customer is required to submit all KYC documentation before investing in various
instruments. All financial institutions are mandated by the RBI to do the KYC process for all customers before giving
them the right to carry out any financial transactions. Whether the customer uses KYC online verification or opts for
offline KYC, this is a simple one-time process.
RBI selects McKinsey, Accenture to use AI to improve regulatory supervision
 The Reserve Bank has selected global consultancy firms McKinsey and Company India LLP and
Accenture Solutions Pvt Ltd India to develop systems using artificial intelligence and machine
learning for its supervisory functions.
 The RBI is looking to extensively use advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning
to analyze its huge database and improve regulatory supervision over banks and NBFCs. For this
purpose, the central bank plans to hire external experts.
 Based on the scrutiny/evaluation set out in the Expression of Interest (EOI) document, the central
bank had shortlisted seven applicants to participate in the request for proposal process (RFP) for the
selection of consultant(s).
 The seven firms were Accenture Solutions Private Limited; Boston Consulting Group (India) Pvt Ltd;
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP; Ernst and Young LLP; KPMG Assurance and Consulting Services
LLP; McKinsey and Company; and Pricewaterhouse Coopers Pvt Ltd.
Learn Along:
Accenture Headquarters: Dublin, Ireland CEO: Julie Sweet
RBI to commence public tech platform pilot for credit
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will commence the pilot for a Public Tech Platform for Frictionless
Credit.
 During the pilot, the platform will focus on products such as Kisan Credit Card loans up to Rs 1.6
lakh per borrower, Dairy Loans, loans to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) without
collateral, Personal loans and Home loans through participating banks.
 The platform is expected to enable linkage with services such as Aadhaar e-KYC, Aadhaar e-signing,
account aggregation by Account Aggregators (AAs), land records from onboarded State Governments
(Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra).
 The platform will enable linkage with Satellite data, Permanent Account Number (PAN) Validation,
Transliteration, Aadhaar e-signing, account aggregation by Account Aggregators (AAs), milk
pouring data from select dairy co-operatives, house/property search data, and so on.
 The Platform is being developed by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the RBI.
 For digital credit delivery, the data required for credit appraisal are available with different entities
like Central and State governments, account aggregators, banks, credit information companies,
digital identity authorities, and so on. However, they are in separate systems, creating a hindrance in
frictionless.
Learn Along:
The Reserve Bank Innovation Hub is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) set-up to promote
and facilitate an environment that accelerates innovation across the financial sector.
The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme was introduced in the year 1998 with the objectives of providing adequate
and timely credit to the farmers for their agricultural operation. The Government of India provides interest subvention

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
of 2% and Prompt Repayment Incentive of 3% to the farmers, thus making the credit available at a very subsidized
rate of 4% per annum.
Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) are entities that are involved in production, manufacturing and
processing of goods and commodities. The concept of MSME was first introduced by the government of India
through the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006.
Micro Investment less than Rs. 1 crore or Turnover less than Rs. 5 crore
Small Investment less than Rs. 10 crore or Turnover up to Rs. 50 crore
Medium Investment less than Rs. 50 crore or Turnover up to Rs. 250 crore
RBI raises small value payment transaction limit in offline mode to Rs 500
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has raised the upper limit of an offline payment transaction to Rs
500 from the existing Rs 200 to promote the use of UPI-Lite wallet in areas where internet connectivity
is weak or unavailable.
 The total limit for offline transactions on a payment instrument, however, remains Rs 2,000.
 It also said that offline payments should only be made face-to-face. Moreover, these transactions may
be offered without Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA).
RBI authorises Bandhan Bank for disbursing civil pension on behalf of CPAO
 Bandhan Bank has been appointed by Reserve Bank of India as an authorised pension
disbursement bank on behalf of the Central Pension Accounting Office (CPAO) for the civil
pensioners.
 The authorisation entitles the bank to disburse pensions to the central government employees in civil
ministries/departments (other than railways, posts, and defence), National Capital Territory of Delhi,
Union Territory Administrations without legislatures, retired judges of the high courts and the Supreme
Court and All India Service Officers.
 This scheme also covers payment of pensions to former Members of Parliament and the payment
of pension and other amenities to former Presidents/Vice Presidents of India.
Learn Along:
Bandhan Bank Headquarters: Kolkata CEO: Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
Axis Bank launches two products with RBI Innovation Hub to extend lending
 Axis Bank has launched two lending products powered by the Public Tech Platform for Frictionless
Credit (PTPFC), introduced by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH).
 Axis Bank will offer Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and unsecured micro, small and medium enterprises
(MSME) loans to customers powered by the platform.
Learn Along:
Axis Bank Registered Office: Ahmedabad MD &CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
Corporate Office: Mumbai
The Reserve Bank Innovation Hub is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) set up to promote
and facilitate an environment that accelerates innovation across the financial sector.
RBI launches 'UDGAM', centralized web portal for unclaimed deposits

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a centralized web portal UDGAM (Unclaimed Deposits
– Gateway to Access inforMation), to make it easier for the public to search for their unclaimed deposits
across multiple banks in one place.
 The web portal will help users identify and approach their banks for either claiming unclaimed
deposits or making their deposit accounts operative at their banks.
 Reserve Bank Information Technology Pvt Ltd (ReBIT), Indian Financial Technology & Allied
Services (IFTAS), and participating banks have jointly worked to set up the portal. Currently, users
will be able to access the details of their unclaimed deposits in respect of seven banks available on
the portal.
 These banks include the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Central Bank of India,
Dhanlaxmi Bank Ltd, South Indian Bank Ltd, DBS Bank India Ltd, and Citibank N A.
 The search facility for remaining banks on the portal would be made available in a phased manner by
October 15, 2023.
Learn Along:
Reserve Bank Information Technology Pvt Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: Sachin Chaturvedi
RBI boosts transparency in EMI reset, loan borrowers can switch to fixed-rate regime
 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) would bring in greater transparency in the resetting of the interest rate
on equated monthly installments (EMI) for floating-interest loans.
 A floating interest rate is a rate that varies or changes along with the changing market conditions
as opposed to a fixed interest rate which remains the same for the entire tenure of the loan.
 The new framework will allow borrowers to switch to fixed interest rates from floating interest rates.
This would provide relief to borrowers of home, auto, and other loans reeling under the impact of high
interest rates.
 The framework will require Regulated Entities to (i) clearly communicate with borrowers for
resetting the tenor and/or EMI; (ii) provide options for switching to fixed-rate loans or foreclosure
of loans; (iii) disclose various charges incidental to the exercise of the options; and (iv) ensure
proper communication of key information to borrowers.
 At present, loan seekers can switch from floating and fixed interest rates and vice versa but have to pay
a nominal conversion fee. The fee varies between 0.50 percent to 2 percent of the total home loan
amount.
RBI allows IDF-NBFCs to raise money via external commercial borrowings
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted non-banking finance companies operating as
Infrastructure Debt Fund (IDF-NBFCs) to raise money through external commercial borrowings
(ECBs).
 These borrowings will be subject to a minimum tenor of five years, and IDF-NBFCs are prohibited
from sourcing the ECB loans from the foreign branches of Indian banks, as stated by the RBI in
communication to the companies.
 The aim was to enable IDF-NBFCs to play a more substantial role in financing the infrastructure sector
and to bring the relevant regulations into harmony.
 The revised framework includes the withdrawal of the requirement for a sponsor for the IDFs, and it
makes the tripartite agreement optional for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects. Previously, IDF-

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
NBFCs were mandated to enter into a tripartite agreement with both the dealer and the project authority
for investments in PPP infrastructure projects that involved a project authority.
 IDF-NBFCs are non-deposit-taking entities. They are allowed to refinance post-commencement
operations date (COD) infrastructure projects that have completed at least one year of satisfactory
commercial operations.
 Additionally, they can finance toll-operate transfer (TOT) projects as the direct lender, according to
the RBI. Currently, there are three active IDF-NBFCs: NIIF Infrastructure Finance Ltd, India Infradebt
Ltd, and Kotak Infrastructure Debt Fund, with combined assets under management (AUM) of about
Rs 36,000 crore.
Learn Along:
A non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) is a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 and engaged
in the business of loans and advances, acquisition of shares/stocks/bonds/debentures/securities issued by Government
or other marketable securities of a like nature, leasing, hire-purchase, insurance business, chit business
RBI prohibits lenders from compounding penal interest on loan defaults
 To ensure fair lending, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has prohibited lenders from compounding
penal interest arising from loan defaults with future repayments.
 Also, the penalty imposed by regulated entities (REs) on customers for default and breaching loan
conditions are to be treated as penal charges are debarred from imposing such charges as penal
interest, which is added to the rate of interest.
 These instructions will come into effect from January 1, 2024.
 These instructions will, however, not apply to credit cards, external commercial borrowing, trade
credits and structured obligations covered under product-specific directions.
 The penal charges for loans sanctioned to individual borrowers, for purposes other than business will
not be higher than the penal charges applicable to non-individual borrowers for similar non-
compliance with material terms and conditions.
Learn Along:
External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) refer to commercial loans [in the form of bank loans, buyers' credit,
suppliers' credit, securitised instruments (e.g. floating rate notes and fixed rate bonds)] availed from non-resident lenders
with minimum average maturity of 3 years.
RBI bought $4.50 billion in the spot foreign exchange market in June
 According to the Reserve Bank of India’s monthly bulletin, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) purchased
a net total of $4.50 billion in the spot foreign exchange market in June. The RBI bought $7.79 billion,
while it sold $3.28 billion of foreign currency in June.
 The RBI’s net outstanding forward purchase by the end of June stood at $19.47 billion, slightly higher
than the previous month's figure of $19.27 billion.
Learn Along:
Forex reserves are foreign currency assets held by the central banks of countries.
These assets include foreign marketable securities, monetary gold, special drawing rights (SDRs) and reserve
position in the IMF. The main purpose of holding foreign exchange reserves is to make international payments and
hedge against exchange rate risks.
Services, retail demand keeps credit offtake robust in June: RBI data

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 According to the data provided by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the pace of credit offtake continued
to be robust in June 2023, with sectors gaining a year-on year (YoY) growth of between 8.1 per cent
and 26.7 per cent.
 The services sector clocked a pace of 26.7 per cent in June against 12.8 per cent a year ago. The
outstanding credit was Rs 38.85 trillion at the end of June 2023.
 The retail loans segment retained its uptrend and grew 20.9 per cent in June 2023 vis-a-vis 18.1 per
cent in June 2022. It was primarily driven by housing (15.1 per cent) and vehicle loans (22.9 per cent).
 The credit card portfolio grew by 36 per cent. Total retail credit stood at Rs 42.6 trillion.
Banks’ non-food credit grows 16% in June: RBI data
 According to the sectoral credit deployment data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI),
banks’ non-food credit grew 16.3% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 143.63 trillion as of June-end, higher than
15.6% growth registered during May.
 Credit to agriculture and allied sectors rose 20% YoY to Rs 17.96 trillion while credit to industries
rose 8.1% YoY to Rs 34.24 trillion. Credit to services sector rose 27% YoY to Rs 38.85 trillion.
 Among the services sector, credit to non-banking finance companies grew 35% YoY to Rs 14.24
trillion while personal loans grew 21% YoY to Rs 42.60 trillion.
Learn Along:
Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) is a company registered under the Companies Act, 1956 and engaged in
the business of loans and advances, acquisition of shares/stocks/bonds/debentures/securities issued by Government
or other marketable securities of a like nature, leasing, hire-purchase, insurance business, chit business.
Bank credit growth to MSMEs decelerates in Q1: RBI data
 According to Reserve Bank data, the credit to medium industries in June grew by 13.2 per cent (47.8
percent last year) and micro and small industries by 13 per cent (29.2 per cent a year ago).
 In absolute terms, the gross bank credit outstanding to medium industries at June-end was Rs
2,63,440 crore compared to Rs 2,32,776 crore in June last year.
 In the case of micro and small industries, the credit outstanding in June was Rs 6,25,625 crore against
Rs 5,53,675 crore in the corresponding month of 2022.
Credit card spend hits new high in July at Rs 1.44 trillion: RBI data
 According to latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India, Indians spent a record Rs 1.44 trillion
in July via credit cards, breaking the previous record of Rs 1.4 trillion in May.
 The banking industry added about 1.19 million credit cards in July, taking the outstanding credit card
base to 89.87 million compared to 88.68 million in the previous month.
 HDFC Bank remained at the top spot with 18.54 million cards, followed by SBI Card at 17.55 million,
ICICI Bank at 14.98 million, and Axis Bank at 12.74 million.
 The data showed that e-commerce payments cornered 65.71 per cent of the total credit card spend in
July, with PoS (point-of-sale) transactions accounting for 34.28 per cent.
Learn Along:
HDFC Bank Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Shashidhar Jagdishan
SBI Card Headquarters: Gurugram CEO: Rama Mohan Rao Amara

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
ICICI Bank Registered Office: Vadodara CEO: Sandeep Bakshi

Axis Bank Registered Office: Ahmedabad MD &CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry

Net FDI into India declines sharply to $5 billion in Q1 – RBI Data
 According to the Reserve Bank of India’s monthly bulletin, the net foreign direct investments (FDI)
to India declined sharply to $4.99 billion in the April-June quarter (Q1FY4) from $13.92 billion in the
same period a year ago.
 Manufacturing, financial services, business services, computer services, electricity, and other
energy sectors accounted for more than two-thirds of the fresh equity flows during this period.
 Singapore, followed by the Netherlands, Japan, the US, and Mauritius were major source countries
for FDI during the same period.
Learn Along:
A foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment made by a firm or individual in one country into business interests
located in another country. Generally, FDI takes place when an investor establishes foreign business operations or
acquires foreign business assets in a foreign company
India's FDI outflow rises 73% to $1.85 billion in July over June: RBI data
 According to the Reserve Bank of India data, outward foreign direct investment (FDI) rose
sequentially to $1.85 billion in July over $1.07 billion in June, an increase of 73 percent.
 Outbound FDI, expressed as financial commitment, has three components —equity, loans, and
guarantees. The commitments (under outward FDI) stood at $1.29 billion in May.
 The equity commitment declined to $442 million in July from $488 million in June. It was lower than
the $629 million in July 2022.
 The debt commitment rose to $605 million in July from $255 million in June. The guarantees for
overseas units grew to $806 million in July from $329 million in June.
FDI equity inflows dip 34 per cent to USD 10.94 billion in April-June 2023
 According to the data provided by the government, foreign direct investment (FDI) into India
declined 34 percent to USD 10.94 billion during April-June 2023-24, dragged by lower inflows in
computer hardware and software, telecom, auto and pharma.
 FDI inflows stood at USD 16.58 billion during April-June 2022-23.
 Total FDI, which includes equity inflows, reinvested earnings and other capital, contracted 21.4 per
cent to USD 17.56 billion during the period under review as against USD 22.34 billion in April-June 2022.
 During the quarter, FDI equity inflows decreased from major countries including Singapore,
Mauritius, the US, UK, and the UAE.
 However, inflows increased from the Netherlands, Japan and Germany. Sector-wise, inflows
contracted in computer software and hardware, trading, telecommunication, automobile, pharma and
chemicals.
 State-wise, though Maharashtra received the highest inflow of USD 4.46 billion during the period, it
was down as compared to USD 5.24 billion in April-June 2022.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Similarly, overseas inflows in Karnataka plunged to USD 1.46 billion in April-June 2023 as against
USD 2.8 billion in the same period last year. Other states/UTs where FDI dipped in the quarter include
Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana. On the other hand, FDI in Telangana, Jharkhand,
and West Bengal reported growth during the quarter.
India's services trade surplus drops to three-quarter low in first quarter- RBI
 According to the data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s services trade surplus fell
to $36.4 billion in the April-June quarter of 2023-24, the lowest in three quarters, as services export
growth slowed down amid the economic downturn in developed economies.
 India’s services exports grew by 6.6 per cent to $80.8 billion, while services imports contracted 1.4
per cent to $44.4 billion during the same period.
Indian real GDP grew 7.8% in April-June quarter; lower than RBI's estimates
 According to the data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation
(MoSPI), Indian gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 7.8 per cent in the quarter ending June 2023.
 In the April-June quarter last year, the GDP growth rate was 13.1 per cent. In its recent bi-monthly
monetary policy announcement, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had pegged the GDP growth rate for
the June quarter at 8 per cent.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation Union Minister: Rao Inderjit Singh
Gross domestic product or GDP is a monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services
produced in a specific time period.
Outward remittances under RBI's LRS rise 50% to $9.1 billion in Q1-RBI Data
 According to the latest RBI data, outward remittances under the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s)
liberalised remittance scheme (LRS) surged by 50.64 percent to $9.1 billion in the April-June quarter
(first quarter, or Q1) of 2023–24 (FY24), driven by healthy growth across segments.
 Major drivers include equity and debt investments, deposits, and the international travel segment,
among others.
 Among these sections, spending among Indians on overseas education saw a marginal decline of
nearly 6 percent to $694.41 million from $738.42 million in the same period last year.
Learn Along:
The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS scheme) of the RBI was introduced in 2004, under which, all resident
individuals, including minors, are allowed to freely remit up to $250,000 per financial year for any permissible current
or capital account transaction or a combination of both . The scheme was introduced on February 4, 2004, with a limit
of $25,000.
Banks park Rs 17,203 crore with RBI; liquidity pressure seen easing further
 According to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, banks parked Rs 17,203 crore with the apex bank.
Banking system liquidity has been gradually improving due to higher government spending.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
RBI approves 34 applications of Russian banks to open rupee accounts
 The Reserve Bank of India has approved 34 applications of different Russian banks for opening
rupee accounts with Indian banks to facilitate two-way trade in view of sanctions.
 The accounts have been opened by Russian banks in 14 Indian commercial banks.
RBI approves amalgamation of Navanirman Co-op Urban Bank with Rajadhani Co-op Urban Bank
 The Reserve Bank of India has sanctioned the Scheme of Amalgamation of The Navanirman Co-
operative Urban Bank Ltd with Rajadhani Co-op. Urban Bank Ltd.
RBI approves merger of Akola Merchant Co-operative Bank with Jalgaon Peoples Co-operative Bank
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the amalgamation of Akola Merchant Co-operative
Bank Ltd, located in Akola, Maharashtra, with The Jalgaon Peoples Co-operative Bank Ltd, situated
in Jalgaon, Maharashtra.
 This merger has been sanctioned by the RBI, exercising its powers as per Sub-Section (4) of Section
44A in conjunction with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
 This move is expected to contribute to the strengthened banking landscape in the region and
enhance the services offered to customers of both institutions.
IRDAI allows insurers to treat HDFC investment as one under the infra sector
 The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) notified that bonds and
debentures held by insurers in HDFC Ltd will maintain their status as investments in the "Housing
and Infrastructure" category until the maturity of the respective bonds.
 In addition, the Irdai has provided an exemption allowing insurers not to comply with the single
investee equity exposure norms for individual segregated funds at the Scheme Identification Number
(SIN) level pertaining to HDFC Bank Ltd shares post-merger. This exemption will be in effect until June
30, 2024.
Learn Along:
IRDAI Headquarters: Hyderabad Chairperson: Debasish Panda

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Housing Development Finance Corporation Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Keki M. Mistry
Exim Bank launches factoring subsidiary in GIFT city
 Export financier Exim Bank Launched its subsidiary- India Exim Finserve IFSC Private Limited - at the
Gujarat International Financial Tec-City (GIFT City).
 Exim Finserve will provide a combination of three services to exporters: receivables financing,
coverage of the risk of non-payment and management of accounts receivable. This would lead to
improved cash flow and reduced payment risk for exporters, enabling them to explore new markets.
 The factoring services by the first finance company in GIFT City in the area of export factoring would
be particularly beneficial for MSME exporters as it is primarily based on the quality of accounts
receivable, rather than collateral.
Learn Along:
Exim Bank Headquarters: Mumbai MD: Harsha Bangari
Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT City) is a business district currently being constructed in the state
of Gujarat. GIFT City is India’s first operational smart city with the development of world-class infrastructure and
sustainable master planning, which will make GIFT at par or above par with renowned International centres.
SBI receives approval to set up SBI Funds Management subsidiary in IFSC Gift City
 The State Bank of India has got in-principle approval to set up a wholly owned subsidiary by SBI
Funds Management Ltd at IFSC Gift City Gandhinagar.
Learn Along:
SBI Mutual Fund Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: Shamsher Singh
HDFC's life insurance, mutual fund arms to start operations from Gift City
 HDFC Life – the insurance arm of HDFC Bank has announced that the overseas branch of its
international subsidiary HDFC International Life and Re, will now offer US Dollar denominated life
and health insurance solutions for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) from GIFT City – IFSC, under the
brand name HDFC Life International.
 HDFC Life International will cater to NRIs and the global Indian diaspora, and the products Savings,
Health, and Retirement.
 The first product –US Dollar Global Education Plan, is now open for enrollment and is designed to
help parents build a US Dollar denominated corpus to meet future expenses for their child’s
overseas education. This product aims to eliminate any future mismatch between the currency of
investment and the currency of expenses.
 The asset management arm, HDFC AMC also announced the set-up of its wholly owned subsidiary
HDFC AMC International (IFSC) Limited at IFSC.
Learn Along:
HDFC Life Insurance Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Vibha Padalkar
Indian Bank extends on-line locker pact execution through NeSL’s DDE Platform
 Indian Bank became the first public sector bank to extend facility of execution of on-line locker
agreement through Digital Document Execution (DDE) Platform of National E-Governance Services

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Limited (NeSL). On-line locker agreement, which is available round the clock will enhance customer
convenience and will reduce the turn-around time of the agreement execution.
 DDE is a fully automated contract execution platform with paperless e-stamp and electronic signature
(e-Sign) facility. The facility of e-Sign includes Aadhar based (OTP/Biometric) and dongle-based digital
signature.
 The platform offers individual and multiple signatories to execute document in sequence, which will
facilitate joint account holders also to execute on-locker agreement at their ease. Customers can track
transaction status and download the Electronic Evidence (65B) certificate in real-time.
 The end to end digital process eliminates the need for physical stamp papers and signatures, making
it faster and more efficient.
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Indian Bank Headquarters: Chennai CEO: Shanti Lal Jain
Indian Banks' Association forms sectoral committee
 The Indian Banks' Association (IBA) has constituted a sectoral committee for member banks
operating within the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
 IBA has constituted the Sectoral Committee to address the unique regulatory landscape and
challenges faced by banks operating within GIFT City.
 The committee will act as a bridge between the banking industry and regulators, ensuring that
concerns and perspectives are effectively communicated and addressed.
 GIFT City currently accommodates 26 banks. Earlier, banks individually took up issues faced by them
with the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA).
Learn Along:
Indian Banks’ Association Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: AK Goel
IFSCA was established on April 27, 2020 with head office in Gandhinagar with an objective to develop the financial
products and services in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City International Financial Services Centre (GIFT IFSC).
IFSCA Headquarters: Gandhinagar, Gujarat Chairperson– K.Rajaraman
GST collection rises 11% to Rs 1.65 trn in July on sustained economic momentum
 Goods and services tax (GST) revenue rose 11 per cent year-on-year in July to Rs 1.65 trillion.
 Of total collection, central GST accounts for 29,773 crore, state GST Rs 37,623 crore, and integrated
GST Rs 85,930 crore, including Rs 41,239 crore collected on import of goods.
 The cess collection for the month under review stood at Rs 11,779 crore, including the Rs 840 crore
mop-up on import of goods.
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GST, or Goods and Services Tax, is an indirect tax imposed on the supply of goods and services. It is a multi-stage,
destination-oriented tax imposed on every value addition, replacing multiple indirect taxes, including VAT, excise
duty, service taxes, etc.
No automated IGST refunds on pan masala, tobacco from October 1,2023
 To curb tax frauds, automated refund of Integrated GST (IGST) on the export of pan masala,
tobacco and similar other items will be restricted from October 1, 2023.

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August 2023
 The items on which automated IGST refund restriction has been imposed include pan masala,
unmanufactured tobacco, hookah, gutkha, smoking mixtures for pipes and cigarettes and other
items, including mentha oil. Such items attract 28% IGST, plus a cess.
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Integrated goods and services tax (IGST) would mean the tax levied under IGST Act on the supply of any goods and
/ or services in the course of inter-state trade or commerce. Integrated GST shall also apply to import of goods and
services into India.
Bank of Maharashtra tops PSU lenders chart in loan, deposit growth in Q1
 Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has emerged as the top performer among public sector lenders in loan
and deposit growth in percentage terms during the first quarter of the current financial year.
 With a growth rate of 24.98 per cent the gross domestic advances of the bank rose to Rs 1,75,676
crore at the end of June 2023.
 It was followed by UCO Bank with 20.70 percent growth, while Bank of Baroda with 16.80 per cent
and Indian Overseas Bank with 16.21 per cent growth were at third and fourth spot respectively.
 State Bank of India stood at fifth spot with 15.08 per cent rise in domestic advances growth.
 In terms of Retail-Agriculture-MSME (RAM) loans, BoM has the highest growth of 25.44 per cent
followed by Punjab & Sind Bank with 19.64 per cent and Punjab National Bank at 19.41 per cent on
Y-o-Y basis.
 Bank of Baroda was at the second place with a 15.50 per cent growth in deposits (Rs 10,50,306 crore),
while Punjab National Bank recorded a 13.66 per cent increase at Rs 12,67,002 crore
 BoM retained top position in terms of garnering low-cost Current Account and Savings Account
(CASA) deposits with 50.97 per cent followed by Central Bank of India at 49.56 per cent.
Learn Along:
Bank of Maharashtra Headquarters: Pune CEO: A. S. Rajeev
Indian Overseas Bank Headquarters: Chennai CEO: Ajay Kumar Srivastava
UCO Bank Headquarters: Kolkata CEO: Soma Sankara Prasad
PNB Headquarters: New Delhi MD & CEO: Atul Kumar Goel
Bank of Baroda Headquarters: Vadodara MD & CEO: Debadatta Chand
Central Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: M. V. Rao
IREDA reports All-Time High Quarterly PAT of Rs. 295 Crores; Net NPAs down to 1.61%
 Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA), has achieved a remarkable milestone
with an all-time high Quarterly Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 295 crores and Profit Before Tax (PBT)
of Rs. 440 crores in the 1st Quarter of the fiscal year 2023-24.
 This achievement marks a notable growth of 30% and 29% respectively, compared to the
corresponding period of the previous financial year 2022-23. IREDA has also demonstrated a significant
reduction in Net Non-Performing Assets (NPAs), bringing them down to 1.61% in Q1, FY 2023-24 from
2.92% in Q1, FY 2022-23, representing a remarkable 45% reduction (in percentage terms) on a year-
on-year basis.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
IREDA Headquarters: New Delhi CMD: Pradip Kumar Das
Profit After Tax refers to the amount that remains after a company has paid off all of its operating and non-operating
expenses, other liabilities and taxes. This profit is what is distributed by the entity to its shareholders as dividends or is
kept as retained earnings in reserves.
A non-performing asset (NPA) is a loan or advance for which the principal or interest payment remained overdue
for a period of 90 days. Banks are required to classify NPAs further into Substandard, Doubtful and Loss assets.
IREDA signs MoU with Government, Revenue Target for 2023-24 set at ₹ 4,350 crores
 Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), has signed a performance-based

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government
of India.
 As per the MoU, the Government of India has set a Revenue from Operations target for IREDA, of ₹
4,350 crores for the financial year 2023-24 and ₹ 5,220 crores for 2024-25. Notably, the company had
achieved a Revenue from Operations figure of ₹ 3,482 crores in the preceding fiscal year, against a
target of ₹ 3,361 crores.
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Operating revenue refers to the revenue generated by a company from its primary activities. The exact activity that
generates the operating revenue varies with the type of business. Consider the example of a retailer; the operating
revenue for a retailer comes by selling merchandise.
Government e-Marketplace registers highest ever GMV of more than ₹ 2 lakh crore in FY 2022-23
 In Financial Year 2022-23, Government e-marketplace (GeM) registered its highest ever Gross
Merchandise Value of ₹ 2,01,113 crore.
 GeM has achieved a cumulative GMV of more than 4.5 lakh crore till July 2023 (since inception).
Learn Along:
The Government e-Market (GeM) portal is designed to facilitate online purchases of goods and services by
ministries/departments and entities belonging to the central and state governments to better ensure transparency in
public procurement system.
Gross Merchandise Value (GMV), also referred to as gross merchandise volume, is the total amount of sales a company makes over a specified period of time, typically
measured quarterly or yearly. GMV is calculated before accrued expenses are deducted. Accrued expenses include costs associated with advertising/marketing, delivery
costs, discounts, and returns.
Procurement by CPSEs via GeM grew by 74% to Rs 42,510 crore in Apr-July 2023
 The procurement of goods and services by central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) through
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) grew 74 per cent to Rs 42,510 crore during the first four months of
2023-24.
 Such procurement increased from Rs 7,027 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 45,928 crore in 2021-22. It further
went up to about Rs 1.06 trillion during 2022-23.
 National Thermal Power Corporation, Steel Authority of India, Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat
Heavy Electricals, and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation are some of the CPSEs that are leading the
procurement drive.
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Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) are those companies in which the direct holding of the Central
Government or other CPSEs is 51% or more.
Public procurement from GeM portal crossed Rs 1 lakh crore this fiscal
 Procurement of goods and services from the government portal GeM has crossed Rs 1 lakh crore
so far this fiscal on account of an increase in buying activities by different ministries and departments.
 The contribution of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), central ministries, and state
governments has been 54 percent, 26 percent, and 20 percent.
India to get $25 million grant for strengthening animal health system
 India will receive $25 million from the G20 Pandemic Fund to strengthen the country's animal
health system.
 The fund, established under Indonesia's G20 Presidency, is aimed at low-to-middle-income
countries, financing efforts such as surveillance, research, and improved access to vaccines,
among other measures.
 According to the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the G20 Pandemic Fund has
endorsed India's $25-million proposal for bolstering animal health security in the country for
pandemic preparedness and response.
 The primary interventions to be undertaken under the proposal include: enhancing and integrating
disease surveillance and early warning systems; upgrading and expanding the laboratory network;
improving interoperable data systems; and building capacity for data analytics for risk analysis
and risk communication.
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About G20
● The G20 or Group of Twenty is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union.
● It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate
change mitigation, and sustainable development.
● Founded: 26 September 1999
TCS to revamp Government e-Marketplace, enhance efficiency, transparency
 The government has appointed Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) as a strategic partner to revamp
the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). The objective is to transform GeM into a state-of-the-art public
procurement platform and enhance transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity.
 The partnership with TCS aims to overcome these challenges and meet the evolving requirements of
both buyers and sellers.
 TCS will undertake the design and development of a modern solution that leverages new technologies
while maintaining the current platform.
 The new GeM platform will embrace e-commerce and e-marketplace principles, featuring a multi-
tenant, multi-rule, multilingual, open-source, and open-API-based architecture. The aim is to make the
platform scalable and designed to accommodate the anticipated six-fold growth in GMV over the
next six years.
Learn Along :
TCS Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: K Krithivasan
ICRA estimates GDP growth at 8.5 per cent in first quarter; maintains FY24 forecast at 6 per cent

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 According to the estimates provided by ICRA Ratings, India’s economic growth will accelerate to
8.5 per cent in the April-June period of the current fiscal from the 6.1 per cent growth rate witnessed
in the preceding January-March quarter.
 Furthermore,it has maintained its 6 per cent real GDP growth estimate for FY24.
Learn Along:
ICRA Limited (formerly Investment Information and Credit Rating Agency of India Limited) was set up in 1991 by
leading financial/investment institutions, commercial banks and financial services companies as an independent and
professional investment Information and Credit Rating Agency.
ICRA Headquarters: Gurugram CEO & MD : Ramnath Krishnan
State Bank of India raises Rs 10,000 crore via infra bonds at 7.54%
 State Bank of India has raised Rs 10,000 crore through 15-year infrastructure bonds, priced at a finer
rate of 7.54 per cent.
 The bond offer has two components - a base issue size of Rs 5,000 crore and a greenshoe option
also of Rs 5,000 crore.
Learn Along:
SBI Headquarters: Mumbai Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara
Infrastructure bonds are borrowings to be invested in government funded infrastructure projects within a country.
They are issued by governments or government authorised Infrastructure companies or Non- Banking Financial
Companies.
The greenshoe option refers to a clause used in an underwriting agreement during an IPO wherein this provision
provides a right to the underwriter to sell more shares to the investors than an issuer planned if demand is higher than
expected for the security issued.
ReNew Gets ₹2,700-cr Project Loan from SBI
 ReNew has secured a project loan of ₹2,700 crore from the State Bank of India for its 403 MW Peak
Power Project.
 The loan has a tenor of 20 years and the interest rate charged is in the range of 8.75% to 9.25%. Under
the partnership for this project, ReNew will invest around ₹313 crore ($38 million) for its 51% stake in
the project.
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ReNew Headquarters: Gurugram CEO: Sumant Sinha
LIC Mutual Fund completes the takeover of IDBI Mutual Fund schemes
 LIC Mutual Fund (MF) has completed the takeover of schemes of IDBI MF. Out of 20 schemes of IDBI
MF, 10 have been merged with similar schemes of LIC MF and the remaining 10 have been taken
over by LIC MF.
 At the end of June, the AUM of LIC MF and IDBI MF stood at Rs. 18,400 crore and Rs. 3,650 crore.
Learn Along:
LIC Mutual Fund Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: T. S. Ramakrishnan
IDBI MF Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: Rakesh Sharma

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Paytm founder set to acquire 10.3 per cent stake in the company from Antfin
 Paytm founder and Chief Executive Officer Vijay Shekhar Sharma is set to acquire a 10.3 per cent
stake in the fintech firm from Antfin (Netherlands) Holding BV in a no-cash transaction that will make
him the largest shareholder in the company.
 The 10.3 per cent stake in Paytm that Sharma will acquire has been valued at $628 million based on
the closing price.
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Paytm Headquarters: Noida CEO: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
Mastercard launches CVC-less payments for tokenised credit, debit cards
 Payment network Mastercard has launched CVC (Credit verification code)-less online transactions
for its debit and credit cardholders who have tokenised their cards on merchant platforms.
 CVC is the three-digit number printed on the back of debit and credit cards. According to the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI)’s guidelines, merchants will collect CVC only once while tokenising the card.
 From the second transaction onwards, cardholders will be required to select their tokenised card
from the checkout page, confirm the one-time password and complete the transaction without
entering the CVC.
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Mastercard Headquarters: New York, United States CEO: Michael Miebach
Adani sells shares in Adani Power to GQG Partners, others for $1 bn
 GQG Partners has invested $1.1 billion (Rs9,000 crore) in Adani Power by buying an 8.1 per cent
stake from the Adani family via multiple block deals.
 With this investment, GQG Partners has bought Rs.34,000 crore ($4.2 billion) worth of shares in Adani
group companies since March this year.
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Adani Group Headquarters: Ahmedabad Founder: Gautam Adani
GQG Partners Inc Headquarters: Florida, United States CEO: Tim Carver
HDFC MF decreases 2.12% stake in Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
 HDFC Mutual Fund (MF) has decreased 2.12 per cent stake in Garden Reach Shipbuilders and
Engineers (GRSE).
 The mutual fund company held a 7.4 per cent stake in GRSE and this has come as of now. down to
5.28 per cent.
Learn Along:
HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: Navneet Munot
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Headquarters:Kolkata CMD: PR Hari
ADIA-backed IIFL Home Finance raises nearly $100 million from IFC

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) backed IIFL Home Finance has raised about $100 million
from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for affordable housing and green finance in India.
 It has also earmarked a fund raise of Rs 13,000 to 14,000 crore in FY24, out of which Rs 2,500 crore
will be through securitisation.
Learn Along:
Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Headquarters: Abu Dhabi CEO: Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
IIFL Home Finance Headquarters: Gurugram CEO: Monu Ratra
International Finance Corporation Headquarters: Washington, D.C MD: Makhtar Diop
Power Finance Corporation gets 1.85 bn Japanese yen loan from JBIC finance
 Power Finance Corporation has secured a loan of 1.85 billion Japanese yen (about Rs 105 crore)
from JBIC financing.The funds will be used to finance a 11.5 MW waste-to-energy project of KPC Gas
Power Corporation in Karnataka.
 This loan agreement was signed under the long-term facility of JPY 30 billion provided by JBIC to
PFC. The waste-to-energy project will result in the effective utilisation of 600 tonne per day of
segregated municipal solid waste for energy generation.
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Power Finance Corp Headquarters: New Delhi CMD: Parminder Chopra
Japan Bank for International Cooperation Headquarters: Tokyo President & CEO: Tadashi Maeda
PFC Raises ₹6,598 cr Through Bond Issue
 Power Finance Corporation raised ₹6,598 crore through the issuance of bonds.
 The state-owned power financier raised ₹3,500 crore through 10-year bonds at a coupon of 7.60% and
₹2,500 crore via three-year bonds at 7.64%.
CCI approves merger of TCCL and TCFSL into Tata Capital Limited (TCL)
 The Competition Commission of India (CCI) CCI approves the merger of Tata Cleantech Capital
Limited (TCCL) and Tata Capital Financial Services Limited (TCFSL) into Tata Capital Limited (TCL).
Learn Along :
The Competition Commission of India acts as the competition regulator in India. The Commission was established
in 2003 under the Competition Act 2002, although it became fully functional only by 2009. It aims at establishing a
competitive environment in the Indian economy through proactive engagement with all the stakeholders, the
government, and international jurisdiction.
CCI Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Ravneet Kaur
Tata Capital Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Rajiv Sabharwal
CCI slaps Rs 55 lakh penalty on ADIA, TPG Group for false declarations
 The Competition Commission of India has levied fines totalling Rs 55 lakh on Abu Dhabi
Investment Authority (ADIA) and TPG Group for making false declarations before the regulator

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
while availing the green channel facility in a deal related to the acquisition of a stake in UPL Sustainable
Agri Solutions Ltd (UPL SAS).
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Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Headquarters:Abu Dhabi CEO: Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
TPG Headquarters: San Francisco, United States CEO: Jon Winkelried
CCI Imposes ₹1 cr Penalty on Airtel
 The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has imposed a penalty of ₹1 crore on Bharti Airtel for
failure to comply with the provisions of Section 6(2) of the Competition Act, 2002.
 The penalty is with respect to acquisition of stake by the company in Bharti Telemedia from Warbug
Pincus affiliate entity Lion Meadow Investment Limited.
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Bharti Airtel Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Sunil Bharti Mittal
Axis Bank was penalized with Rs 40 lakh fine from CCI for failure to notify stake acquisition in CSC
e-Governance
 The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has slapped a fine of Rs 40 lakh on Axis Bank for failing
to notify the regulator about its acquisition of a stake in CSC e-Governance.
 The transaction under consideration comprised the acquisition of a 9.91 percent stake in CSC e-
Governance by Axis Bank and got completed in November 2020.
Axis Bank to infuse Rs 1,612 cr in Max Life via preferential allotment
 Axis Bank will infuse Rs 1,612 crore in Max Life Insurance through preferential allotment, which will
result in the private sector lender’s direct stake in the life insurer increasing to 16.22 per cent and the
collective stake of Axis Entities increasing to 19.02 per cent.
 This infusion will help Max Life support its future growth ambitions, augment its capital position, and
improve solvency margins.
 Currently, Axis Entities holds a 12.99 per cent stake in Max Life and Max Financial Services holds
87 per cent. After the transaction, Max Financial’s stake in the life insurance company will come down
to 80.98 per cent.
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Max Life Insurance Headquarters: New Delhi CEO: Prashant Tripathy
Profit of PSU banks more than doubles to Rs 34,774 cr in the April-June quarter
 Public sector banks (PSBs) registered more than double profits of Rs 34,774 crore for the first
quarter ended June 2023.
 During the April-June period of the previous fiscal, all 12 state-owned banks had recorded a total
profit of Rs 15,306 crore.
 Pune-based Bank of Maharashtra posted the highest Net Interest Margin (NIM) of 3.86 per cent,
followed by Central Bank at 3.62 percent and Indian Bank at 3.61 per cent during the quarter.
 The highest percentage growth was recorded by Punjab National Bank, which earned a profit of Rs
1,255 crore against Rs 308 crore in the same quarter of the previous year, a growth of 307 per cent.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 It was followed by the State Bank of India (SBI), which recorded a 178 per cent bottom line growth at
Rs 16,884 crore and the Bank of India with a 176 per cent surge, earned Rs 1,551 crore profit.
Learn Along:
Net interest margin ( NIM) is a metric comparing the net interest income created by a financial firm. It is arrived from
credit products, such as loans and mortgages, with the outgoing interest it charges to savings account holders and
deposit certificates (CDs).Expressed as a percentage, the NIM is an indicator of profitability that telegraphs the
probability of an investment firm or bank thriving over the long haul. This metric helps prospective investors determine
whether to invest in a given financial services company or not.
India's core sector output expands to 5-month high at 8.2% in June
 According to the data released by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, output of eight key
infrastructure sectors — known as the core sector — expanded to a five-month high of 8.2 per cent
in June. This is due to a high base effect and positive growth in seven of the eight sectors.
 While growth in the output of fertiliser (3.4 per cent) and cement (9.4 per cent) slowed than the previous
month, that of coal (9.8 per cent), refinery products (4.6 per cent), steel (21.9 per cent), and electricity
(3.3 per cent) accelerated in June.
 Though the contraction continued for the 13th consecutive month in the output of crude oil (-0.6 per
cent), natural gas saw positive growth (3. 6 per cent) for the first time in three months.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Commerce & Industry Union Minister: Piyush Goyal
The eight sectors -- coal, steel, cement, fertilisers, electricity, natural gas, refinery products, and crude oil -- comprise
two-fifths of India's total industrial production.
Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers – June, 2023
 The All-India CPI-IW for June, 2023 increased by 1.7 points and stood at 136.4. Year-on-year inflation
for the month stood at 5.57 per cent compared to 4.42 per cent for the previous month and 6.16 per
cent during the corresponding month a year before.
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Retail Inflation-The CPI monitors retail prices at a certain level for a particular commodity; price movement of goods
and services at rural, urban and all-India levels. The change in the price index over a period of time is referred to as
CPI-based inflation, or retail inflation.
All-India Consumer Price Index Numbers for Agricultural and Rural Labourers – July, 2023
 The All-India Consumer Price Index Number for Agricultural Labourers and Rural Labourers for
the month of July, 2023 increased by 19 points each to stand at 1215 and 1226 points respectively.
 Point to point rate of inflation based on the CPI-AL and CPI-RL stood at 7.43% and 7.26% in July, 2023
compared to 6.31% and 6.16% respectively in June, 2023 and 6.60% & 6.82% respectively during the
corresponding month of the previous year.
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CPI-AL (Consumer Price Index-Agricultural Labourers) and CPI-RL (Consumer Price Index-Rural Labourers) is
released by Labour Bureau.
IIP growth in June slows to a three-month low of 3.7%, shows NSO data

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 According to the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), growth in the index of
industrial production (IIP) cooled to a three-month low of 3.7 percent in June from 5.2 per cent in
May, on the back of a high base effect and a slowdown in manufacturing output.
 Growth in manufacturing output decelerated to 3.1 per cent, whereas that in electricity and mining
accelerated to 4.2 per cent and 7.6 per cent.
Learn Along :
The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is an index for India which details out the growth of various sectors in an
economy such as mineral mining, electricity and manufacturing.
Fresh corporate NPS subscribers decline 26% during Jan-June: NSO data
 The data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) showed that the number of new
subscribers adopting the National Pension System (NPS) among corporate employees declined by
26.1 percent between January - June 2023 as compared to the same period in the previous year.
 Cumulatively 77,140 new subscribers adopted the NPS under the corporate component this year as
compared to 104,447 last year.
 Corporate subscribers are majorly voluntary subscribers and are mainly the employees of both the
central and state public sector undertakings along with the employees from the private sector.
 Meanwhile, the number of new NPS subscribers under the central government component increased
by 25 percent to 82,608 from 66,045 in the period under consideration.
 Similarly, the number of new subscribers under the state government component increased by 7.1 per
cent to 234,584 between January - June 2023 from 218,698 in the corresponding period last year.
CPI-based inflation surges to 7.44% in July on 11.51% retail food inflation
 According to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI),
India's consumer price index (CPI)-based inflation rose sharply to 7.44 percent in July.
 The rise in inflation is primarily due to food inflation, which came in at 11.51 percent. The rural inflation
in July stood at 7.63 percent. The urban inflation for the same month stands at 7.2 percent.
July WPI-based inflation comes at -1.36% as food prices increase
 India's wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation in July came in at (-)1.36 per cent, significantly
high than (-)4.12 percent reported in June on account of the rising price of food.
 The inflation in primary articles was considerably higher at 7.57 per cent as compared to July last
year. In the fuel and power category, the WPI-based inflation was -12.79 per cent year-on-year (YoY).
 In the manufactured products category, the YoY change in wholesale inflation was (-) 2.51 per cent
Learn Along:
Wholesale Price Index- WPI is released by the Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It reflects
changes in the average prices of goods at the wholesale level — that is, commodities sold in bulk and traded between
businesses or entities rather than goods bought by consumers. The purpose of WPI is to inspect movement in prices
of goods that reflect supply and demand in industry, construction and manufacturing. The index basket of WPI
categorises commodities under three groups — primary articles, fuel and power & manufactured products. The base
year for WPI is considered to be 2011-12.
India manufacturing PMI softens in July to three-month low: S&P Global

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 According to the survey conducted by S&P Global, the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the
sector fell slightly to a three-month low of 57.7 in July from 57.8 in June.
 The rate of expansion in output and new orders was only marginally softer than in June, as firms
expanded their employment and purchasing activity accordingly with cost inflationary pressures
remained relatively silent.
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S&P Global Headquarters: New York,US CEO: Douglas L. Peterson
PMI or a Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) is an indicator of business activity -- both in the manufacturing and
services sectors. It is a survey-based measures that asks the respondents about changes in their perception of some
key business variables from the month before.
Indian economy may grow by average 6.7% till FY31 - S&P Global
 S&P Global has projected an average annual growth of 6.7 per cent from the fiscal year 2023-24
(FY24) to FY31, with capital accumulation as the main driver of this growth.
 S&P predicted that India’s gross domestic product (GDP) would nearly double to $6.7 trillion by FY31
from $3.4 trillion in FY23. This increase would correspond to a per capita GDP of around $4,500.
Services PMI at over 13-year high in July, supported by strong demand
 The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) survey's headline figure, conducted by credit rating agency
S&P Global, saw a marked increase to 62.3 in July, up from 58.5 in June.
 India's leading services sector experienced substantial improvement in demand conditions in July,
leading to notable increases in new business and output in over 13 years.
Fiscal deficit touches 25.3 per cent of full-year target at end-June: CGA data
 The Centre’s fiscal deficit at the end of the first quarter touched 25.3 per cent of the full-year target.
In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit was Rs 4,51,370 crore as of end-June,2023.
 The deficit stood at 21.2 per cent of the Budget Estimates (BE) in the corresponding period of the
financial year 2022-23.
 Of the total expenditure, Rs 7.72 lakh crore was on the revenue account and Rs 2.78 lakh crore was
towards the capital account. Of the total revenue expenditure, Rs 2,43,705 crore was on interest
payments and Rs 87,035 crore on major subsidies.
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A fiscal deficit is a shortfall in a government's income compared with its spending . A fiscal deficit is calculated as
a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), or simply as total money spent in excess of income. In either case,
the income figure includes only taxes and other revenues and excludes money borrowed to make up the shortfall .
Capital expenditure is the money spent by the government on the development of machinery, equipment, building,
health facilities, education, etc. It also includes the expenditure incurred on acquiring fixed assets like land and
investment by the government that gives profits or dividend in future.
Revenue Expenditure is that part of government expenditure that does not result in the creation of assets. Payment
of salaries, wages, pensions, subsidies and interest fall in this category as revenue expenditure examples. Also,
revenue expenses are incurred by the government for its operational needs.
Direct tax collections rise 16% to Rs 6.53 trillion in August 2023

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August 2023
 Gross direct tax collection grew 15.73 percent to Rs 6.53 lakh crore in August 2023.
 Net direct tax collection after adjusting refunds stands at Rs 5.84 lakh crore, which is 17.33 percent
higher than the net collections for the corresponding period of last year.
 The collection is 32.03 per cent of the total budget estimates of direct taxes for current fiscal 2023-
24.
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Direct tax is a type of tax where the incidence and impact of taxation fall on the same entity.In the case of direct tax,
the burden can’t be shifted by the taxpayer to someone else. These are largely taxes on income or wealth. Income tax,
corporation tax, property tax, inheritance tax and gift tax are examples of direct tax.
India's services exports see 12% growth at $27.17 billion in July
 According to the data provided by the Department of Commerce & Industry, the value of goods
exported from India fell to a nine-month low at $32.25 billion in July, witnessing a 15.9 percent
contraction as external demand continued to remain sluggish due to factors including a slowdown and
high inflation in developed economies.
 Imports also contracted by 17 percent to $52.92 billion in July. The trade deficit narrowed to $20.67
billion in July from $25.45 billion a year ago but widened from $18.76 billion in June.
 On the brighter side, services exports witnessed 12 per cent growth at $27.17 billion in July. Services
imports grew at a relatively slower pace, at 5.6 per cent, reaching $14.85 billion, resulting in a surplus
of $12.32 billion.
Govt hikes windfall tax on petroleum crude to Rs 4,250 per tonne from Aug 1,2023
 The Indian government has hiked windfall tax on petroleum crude to 4,250 Indian rupees ($51.68)
per tonne from 1,600 Indian rupees with effect from Aug. 1.
 The windfall tax on petrol and aviation turbine fuel has been left unchanged.
Learn Along:
A windfall tax is a higher tax rate on profits that result from a sudden windfall gain to a particular company or industry,
often as the result of a geo-political disturbance, war or natural disaster that creates unusual spikes in demand and/or
interruptions to supply.
Govt mobilises Rs 5.77 trn by issuing dated securities till Jul 31: Ministry of Finance
 The government has mobilised a gross amount of Rs 5.77 lakh crore by issuing dated securities in
the current financial year up to July 31, 2023.
 It has raised a net amount of Rs 4.18 lakh crore through the instrument in the same period.
 The central government has planned to raise net debt resources of Rs 17.99 lakh crore from various
sources in 2023-24, mainly to finance its fiscal deficit.
 The government plans a gross market borrowing of Rs 15.4 lakh crore from dated securities in FY24.
Centre extends deadline for track and trace system for pharma exports
 The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has extended the deadline for implementing the
Track and Trace system for pharmaceutical and drug exports until 1 February 2024. The extension
applies to both Small Scale Industries (SSI) and non-SSI manufactured drugs.

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August 2023
 The Track and Trace system, which involves maintaining a Parent-Child relationship at packaging
levels and uploading data onto the Central Portal, is a critical measure for increasing transparency in
the pharmaceutical supply chain.
 It allows for tracking the movement of drug consignments through various stages of packaging and
distribution.
Learn Along:
Directorate General of Foreign Trade Headquarters: New Delhi Director General: Santosh Kumar Sarangi
Govt recognizes 98,119 entities as startups as on April 30,2023
 Since the launch of the Startup India initiative in 2016, DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry
and Internal Trade) has recognized 98,119 entities as startups as on 30th April,2023.
 These startups are eligible for availing incentives, including tax benefits under the Startup India scheme.
Learn Along:
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) comes under the Ministry of Commerce
and Industry. This department is in the charge of the promotion of internal trade (including retail trade), the welfare of
traders and their employees, matters relating to facilitating Ease of Doing Business, and matters relating to start-ups.
Cabinet approves Rs 1.39 lakh cr for connecting 6.4 lakh villages with broadband
 The Union Cabinet has approved a last-mile broadband connectivity plan for 6.4 lakh villages across
the country under the BharatNet project with an outlay of Rs 1.39 lakh crore.
 Around 1.94 lakh villages have been connected under the BharatNet project, and the balance is likely
to be connected in two and a half years.
 The last-mile connectivity will be provided by Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), an arm of
state-owned BSNL, in partnership with village-level entrepreneur (VLE).
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Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited Headquarters: New Delhi CMD: Pravin Kumar Purwar
Five states raise Rs 5,250 crore through an auction of govt paper
 Five states have raised Rs 5,250 crore through an auction for state government securities. The
scheduled auction amount of state development loans (SDLs) stood at Rs 5,250 crore against the
notified amount of Rs 11,000 crore.
 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data showed that Telangana raised the highest amount of Rs 2,000
crore through two bonds.
 The state raised this amount through two papers — Rs 1,000 crore via a nine-year paper with a cut-off
yield of 7.47 percent and Rs 1,000 crore via an 18-year paper with a cut-off yield of 7.43 per cent.
9 states raise Rs 13,500 crore via auction of bonds, Punjab tops list
 Nine states has raised Rs 13,500 crore through the auction for state government securities.Punjab
has raised the highest amount of Rs 4,000 crore through three bonds.
 The state raised this sum through three papers – Rs 1,500 crore through a 12-year paper with a cut-off
yield of 7.52 per cent, Rs 1,500 crore through a 13-year paper with a cut-off yield of 7.51 per cent,
and Rs 1,000 crore through a 14-year paper with a cut-off yield of 7.49 per cent.

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August 2023
Banks write off Rs 14.56 trn NPAs in last nine financial years: Centre
 Banks have written off bad loans worth Rs 14.56 lakh crore in the last nine financial years starting
2014-15.Out of the total Rs 14,56,226 crore, written-off loans of large industries and services stood at
Rs 7,40,968 crore.
 Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) have recovered an aggregate amount of Rs 2,04,668 crore
in written-off loans, including corporate loans, since April 2014 and up to March 2023.
 Loans written-off during the financial year, net of recovery in written-off loans during the financial year
(net write-off) in public sector banks (PSBs) was Rs 1.18 lakh crore in the financial year (FY) 2017-18,
which has declined to 0.91 lakh crore in FY 2021-22 and to Rs 0.84 lakh crore (RBI provisional data)
in FY 2022-23.
 Net write-off loans by private sector banks stood at Rs 73,803 crore (RBI provisional data) in FY 2022-
23.
 Net write-off as a percentage of opening gross loans and advances in private sector banks was 1.25
per cent and 1.57 percent in FY 2017-18 and FY 2022-23 respectively, and it was 2 percent and 1.12
per cent for PSBs during the same period.
Centre sets capital expenditure target of Rs 6 trillion for the first half
 The Centre has set a target to undertake budgetary capital expenditure of Rs 6 trillion or 60% of the
Budget Estimate for FY24 in the first half of the current financial year, as it seeks to minimize the
adverse effect of the global demand fall on the economy.
 The Centre’s capex in the April-June quarter came in at Rs 2.78 trillion or 27.8% of the FY24 target
compared with 23.4% of the corresponding target in the year-ago period.
 The Centre has raised the capex target by 36% on-year to Rs 10 trillion (including Rs 1.3 trillion capex
loans to states) for FY24 from Rs 7.36 trillion (including Rs 81,200 crore to states) actual spending in
FY23, to continue the public investment-led economic recovery.
 Among ministries, budgetary capex spending by railways is the highest, followed by roads. In April-
June 2023, the railways have already invested Rs 78,670 crore or 33% of the annual budgetary support
of Rs 2.4 trillion.
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Capital expenditure is the money spent by the government on the development of machinery, equipment, building,
health facilities, education, etc. It also includes the expenditure incurred on acquiring fixed assets like land and
investment by the government that gives profits or dividend in future .
UPI transaction value up 4% in July; inches closer to 10 billion in volume- NPCI
 According to the data provided by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), transactions
under the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) touched a new high of Rs 15.34 trillion in the month of
July, up 4 per cent from Rs 14.75 trillion in June 2023.
 In terms of volume too, transactions saw a 7 per cent increase from 9.34 billion in June to 9.96 billion
in July.
Learn Along:
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is an instant real-time payment system developed by National Payments
Corporation of India facilitating inter-bank transactions. The interface is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India
and works by instantly transferring funds between two bank accounts on a mobile platform.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is an umbrella organization for all retail payments in India. It
was set up with the guidance and support of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Indian Banks Association
(IBA).
NPCI Headquarters:Mumbai MD & CEO: Dilip Asbe
PMJDY account to touch 500-million mark; about 55% beneficiaries are women
 As the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is set to complete nine years in August, the total
number of beneficiaries is set to cross the 500-million mark.
 In July, the number of total account holders under the PMJDY has reached 495.6 million, with a total
outstanding of over Rs 2 trillion. Of this, 275.6 crore are women, from both rural and urban areas.
 Of the 495.6 million beneficiaries, 244 million are with public sector banks, while 79.2 million
accounts are with regional rural banks.
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Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY),launched in 2014 ,is National Mission for Financial Inclusion to ensure
access to financial services, namely, a basic savings & deposit accounts, remittance, credit, insurance, pension in an
affordable manner. Under the scheme, a basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) account can be opened in any bank branch
or Business Correspondent (Bank Mitra) outlet, by persons not having any other account.
The number of Jan Dhan accounts crosses the 500 million mark- Govt data
 The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), launched in 2014, reached the significant milestone
of 500 million accounts. Among these, 56 percent of the accounts belong to women, and 67 percent
have been opened in rural or semi-urban areas.
 The total deposits in these accounts amount to more than Rs 2.03 trillion. The average balance in
PMJDY accounts stands at Rs 4,076, and over 55 million PMJDY accounts are receiving Direct Benefit
Transfer (DBT) benefits.
More than 50 crore bank accounts opened under Pm Jan Dhan Yojana
 Jan Dhan Yojana-led interventions and digital transformation have revolutionised financial inclusion
in the country, as more than 50 crore people have been brought into the formal banking system with
cumulative deposits surpassing Rs 2 lakh crore.
 55.5 percent bank accounts have been opened by women, and 67 percent have been opened in
rural/semi-urban areas.
 Under the scheme, the number of bank accounts grew 3.4-fold from 14.72 crore in March 2015, to
50.09 crore as in August , 2023.
 Total deposits too have swelled from Rs 15,670 crore as of March 2015, to over Rs 2.03 lakh crore
as of August 2023.
 The average deposits in Jan Dhan accounts have increased 3.8 times from Rs 1,065 as of March
2015, to Rs 4,063 in August 2023.
PepsiCo India joins ONDC Network to expand retail reach
 PepsiCo India has joined Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) network. The partnership will
enable the company to increase the discoverability of its product portfolio and help in extending
customer outreach.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Learn Along:
PepsiCo India Headquarters: Gurugram CEO: Ahmed El Sheikh
Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is a freely accessible government-backed platform that aims to
democratize e-commerce by moving it from a platform-centric model to an open network for buying and selling of goods
and services.
NHAI, GAIL join forces to simplify infrastructure expansion process
 GAIL India and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) have signed a MoU to simplify their
infrastructure expansion works, as the country-wide networks of highways and gas pipelines often
end up getting in each other’s way amid complex permission and transactional procedures.
Learn Along:
GAIL Headquarters: New Delhi CMD: Sandeep Kumar Gupta
National Highways Authority of India Headquarters: New Delhi Chairperson: Santosh Kumar Yadav
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways to launch Bharat New Car Assessment Programme
 The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways will launch the Bharat New Car Assessment
Programme (Bharat NCAP) to improve road safety through raising the safety standards of motor
vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes in India.
 The programme aims to provide a tool to the car customers to make a comparative assessment of
crash safety of motor vehicles available in the market. Under this, car manufacturers can voluntarily
offer their cars tested as per Automotive Industry Standard 197.
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Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Union Minister: Nitin Gadkari
₹9,664 cr Disbursed under ABRY since October 2020
 The government has disbursed ₹9,663.82 crore till July 2023 under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar
Yojana (ABRY) since the launch of the scheme in October 2020.
 As many as 6.04 million employees have benefited through 0.15 million establishments in the country.
The government had allocated ₹2,272.82 crore to the scheme in 2023-24.
Learn Along:
Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rojgar Yojana (ABRY)- ABRY was announced as a part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 package
to boost the economy, increase the employment generation in post-Covid recovery phase and to incentivize creation
of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during COVID-19
pandemic. This scheme being implemented through the Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), reduces the
financial burden of the employers of various sectors/industries and encourages them to hire more workers.
Over 5.25 crore subscribers enrolled in Atal Pension Yojana
 Over 5.25 crore subscribers have enrolled in Atal Pension Yojana (APY), the government's flagship
social security programme launched eight years ago.
 In new enrolments, there has been a growth of 20 per cent in 2022-23 over 2021-22.
Learn Along:
Atal Pension Yojana-The government has launched Atal Pension Yojana (APY), a pension scheme mainly aimed to
create social security for all Indians. It is especially for the poor, the underprivileged, and the unorganised sector, such

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
as maids, delivery boys, gardeners, etc. The APY scheme replaced the previous Swavalamban Yojana, which was not
much accepted.The goal of the scheme is to ensure that no Indian citizen has to worry about any illness, accidents or
diseases in old age, giving a sense of security. There is an option of getting a fixed pension of Rs 1000, Rs 2000, Rs
3000, Rs 4000, or Rs 5000 on attaining an age of 60. The pension will be determined based on the individual’s age and
the contribution amount.
EPFO invested Rs 13,017 crore in ETFs during April-July this fiscal: Govt
 EPFO has invested Rs 13,017 crore in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the April-July period of the
current fiscal year.
 Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) invested Rs 53,081 crore in ETFs in 2022-23, Rs
43,568 crore in 2021-22 and Rs 32,071 crore in 2020-21.
 The EPFO invests in equity markets through ETFs, replicating BSE Sensex and Nifty 50 indices.
From time to time, EPFO has also invested in ETFs constructed specifically for a disinvesting
shareholding of the Government of India in body corporates.
 The total corpus of various funds managed by the EPFO as of March 31, 2022, was Rs 18.30 lakh
crore, consisting of 91.30 per cent investment in debt investments (including Public Account of India)
and 8.7 per cent in ETFs.
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EPFO is a statutory body established by the Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952
and is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Labour and Employment
EPFO Headquarters: New Delhi Central PF Commissioner: Neelam Rao
An exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a collection of investments such as equities or bonds. ETFs will let you invest in a
large number of securities at once, and they often have cheaper fees than other types of funds. ETFs are also more
easily traded.
EPFO drives nearly 52% of equity ETF inflows in 2022-23- Govt data
 According to the data provided by the government, the retirement fund body, the Employees’ Provident
Fund Organisation (EPFO), constitutes the majority of flows into equity exchange-traded funds
(ETFs).
 EPFO invested Rs 53,081 crore into ETFs in 2022–23 (FY23), accounting for more than 50 per cent
of the total gross inflows into equity ETFs in the previous financial year (FY23).
 The EPFO primarily invests in ETFs replicating the National Stock Exchange Nifty50, S&P BSE
Sensex, CPSE, and Bharat 22 Indices.
 The EPFO initiated its equity investment through ETFs in 2015-16 with a 5 per cent exposure. The
equity investment limit was raised to 10 percent in 2016–17 and further to 15 per cent in 2017–18.
 As of March 31, 2022, the EPFO had allocated 8.7 per cent of the Rs 18.3 trillion to ETFs and 91.3
per cent to fixed-income instruments.
Fresh formal job creation touches 9-month high in June- EPFO data
 According to the latest payroll data released by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation
(EPFO), the creation of fresh formal jobs increased for the third consecutive month in June,
reaching a nine-month high.
 EPFO has added 17.89 lakh net members in the month of June, 2023.

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August 2023
 The number of new monthly subscribers under the employees' provident fund (EPF) saw a rise of
close to 10 per cent to 10.14 million in June, up from 927,703 in May.
 Out of the 10.14 million new subscribers, the proportion of young subscribers (aged 18-28) increased
to 67.8 per cent (687,823) in June, from 66.5 per cent (616,783) in May.
 Similarly, the share of women obtaining employment in new jobs increased to 27.7 per cent
(281,078) in June, up from 24.9 per cent (231,187) in the previous month.
Union cabinet approves rail expansion projects worth Rs 32,000 crore
 As part of the Centre’s infrastructure push, the Union Cabinet has approved seven proposals by the
Ministry of Railways to expand the rail network in various parts of the country, at an estimated cost
of Rs 32,512 crore.
 The projects covering 35 districts in nine states — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal — will increase the existing
network of railways by 2,339 km. This will provide employment of 70.6 million man-days to the people
of the states.
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Ministry of Railways Union Minister: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Cabinet approves Rs 14,903 cr for AI, cybersecurity, digital skilling
 The Union Cabinet has approved the expansion of the Digital India Programme, with a Rs 14,903
crore booster to scale up digital skilling, cybersecurity, e-governance services, and the
development of artificial intelligence (AI).
 Around 265,000 citizens will be trained in information security under the Information Security &
Education Awareness Phase (ISEA) Programme.
 The government plans to build three Centres of Excellence (CoE) for the development of AI research
and innovation ecosystem in the country. These centres will focus on health, agriculture, and
sustainable cities.
Govt planning to sell 11.36% shares in Indian Railway Finance Corp via OFS
 The government is planning to sell a part of its holding in the state-owned Indian Railway Finance
Corp (IRFC) through an offer for sale (OFS) in the current fiscal.
 The government currently holds an 86.36 per cent stake in the financing arm of the Indian Railways.
 To make the central public sector enterprise compliant to SEBI’s minimum public shareholding (MPS)
norm, the government has to dilute 11.36 per cent stake in IRFC.
Learn Along:
Indian Railway Finance Corporation Headquarters: New Delhi CMD: Shelly Verma
Axis MF Launches Pvt Credit Fund, Eyes Rs 1,250-cr Corpus
 Axis Asset Management, the mutual fund arm of private sector lender Axis Bank, has launched a
private credit alternative investment fund (AIF) and is aiming to raise as much as Rs 1,250 crore
from investors.
 The private credit fund is part of Axis Mutual Fund’s alternative assets business, which comprises late-
stage private equity and real estate AIFs on the private markets side, and portfolio management

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
services and long-only equity AIFs on the public markets side. Axis manages assets worth about `5,000
crore under these asset classes.
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Axis Mutual Fund Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Chandresh Nigam
MSCI Global Standard Index review: PFC, REC among 8 entrants; ACC excluded
 The MSCI Global Standard index shared a list of stocks that shall be included and excluded effective
September 1, 2023.
 Around eight stocks will be made an entry to the index, which includes Power Finance Corporation
(PFC), REC, HDFC Asset Management Company (AMC), IDFC First Bank, Astral, Cummins India,
Supreme Industries, and Ashok Leyland.
 Cement manufacturer ACC, however, will be excluded from the index, resulting in an outflow of $92
million.
Learn Along:
The MSCI World Index captures large and mid-cap representation across 23 Developed Markets (DM) countries. With
1,512 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country.
Rajasthan govt begins Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana; free phones to women
 Rajasthan government launched the Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana. Under the scheme, at least
13 million women will receive smartphones with free data for internet and voice calls. The first phase,
however, will begin with distributing smartphones to four million women.
 Who is eligible for the scheme?
o To be eligible to receive a free smartphone, the applicant must be a resident of Rajasthan.
o The family's annual income of the applicant's family must not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh.
o No family member of the applicant should be engaged in government employment
o The applicant should be associated with a Chiranjeevi Yojana.
 Applicants who can apply for this include:
o Students from 9th class and above
o Widowed women/single women pension
o Female head of the family who completed 100 days of employment in MNREGA
o Female head of the household who has completed 50 days of employment under the Urban
Employment Guarantee Scheme.
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About Rajasthan
Capital: Jaipur Governor: Kalraj Mishra Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
Uttar Pradesh government Rs 6,000 crore set aside for land acquisition
 In a move to boost planned industrialisation and urbanisation, the Uttar Pradesh government has
earmarked nearly Rs 6,000 crore for land acquisition across the state.
 The amount would be spent on purchasing land parcels from farmers and landowners in the arid
Bundelkhand region. New townships in seven towns—Gorakhpur, Bareilly, Bulandshahar, Agra,
Aligarh, Jhansi and Chitrakoot—will also be acquired.
 While the major chunk of Rs 5,000 crore would be spent on Bundelkhand land by the proposed
Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority (BIDA), the remaining portion of Rs 1,000 crore
would be incurred on new townships.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
About Uttar Pradesh

Capital: Lucknow Governor: Anandiben Patel Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath
Skill ministry launches DBT in NAPS to strengthen apprenticeship ecosystem
 To enhance the participation of both industries and young individuals in apprenticeship training
across the nation, Ministry of Education, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, launched the
direct benefit transfer (DBT) in the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS). An amount
of approximately Rs 15 crore was disbursed to one lakh apprentices.
 With the implementation of NAPS, the Government of India reimburses 25 per cent of the prescribed
stipend, subject to a maximum of Rs 1,500 per month per apprentice, which all employers undertake
by engaging apprentices.
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Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Union Minister : Dharmendra Pradhan
NHAI Launches App for Plaint Redressal, FASTags
 The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched 'Rajmargyatra,' a citizen-centric
unified mobile application.
 The app offers travelers with information on national highways while also ushering a complaint
redressal system. Users can get real-time weather conditions, timely broadcast notifications and
access to details about nearby toll plazas, petrol pumps, hospitals, hotels, and other essential services.
It also comes with an inbuilt complaint redressal and escalation mechanism.
 Users can report highway-related issues, by attaching geo-tagged videos or photos for better clarity.
Learn Along:
NHAI Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Santosh Kumar Yadav
Govt launches Vivad se Vishwas-2 scheme to settle contractual disputes
 The government has launched the Vivad se Vishwas-2 scheme for settling contractual disputes
involving the government and government undertakings.
 The scheme aims to resolve the government's contractual disputes with private parties, clear the
litigation backlog, and improve the ease of doing business.
 The deadline for submitting claims under the scheme is 31 October 2023. The scheme will apply to all
domestic contractual disputes where one of the parties is either the Government of India or an
organisation operating under its control.
 The central government is aiming to resolve approximately 500 cases, involving an estimated Rs 1
trillion, under this new voluntary settlement scheme.
 The one-time settlement scheme will cover cases where the court order was passed by 30 April 2023,
and the arbitral order was given by 30 January 2023.
 Under the scheme, for court orders passed on or before 30 April 2023, the settlement amount offered
to the contractor will be up to 85 percent of the net amount awarded or upheld by the court.
 For arbitral orders passed on or before 1 January 2023, the settlement amount offered is up to 65
per cent of the net amount awarded.
Launch of Invoice Incentive Scheme “Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar” from 1st September 2023- Ministry of
Finance

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The Government of India, in association with State Governments, is launching an ‘Invoice incentive
Scheme’ by the name ‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar’ to encourage the culture of customers asking for
invoices/bills for all purchases.
 The objective of the scheme is to bring a cultural and behavioral change in the general public to ‘Ask
for a Bill’ as their right and entitlement.
 This scheme will initially be launched as a pilot in the States of Assam, Gujarat & Haryana and UTs
of Puducherry, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
 All B2C invoices issued by GST-registered suppliers (registered in the States of Assam, Gujarat &
Haryana and UTs of Puducherry, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu) to consumers will be eligible
for the scheme.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Finance Union Minister: Nirmala Sitharaman
GST, or Goods and Services Tax, is an indirect tax imposed on the supply of goods and services. It is a multi-stage,
destination-oriented tax imposed on every value addition, replacing multiple indirect taxes, including VAT, excise
duty, service taxes, etc.
Nasscom launches Talent Connect portal to bridge job scout-seeker gap
 With an aim to connect future-ready digital talent with the industry, the National Association of
Software Services Companies (Nasscom) has launched the Talent Connect portal. This portal will
bridge the gap between recruiters and digitally skilled and certified candidates.
 The platform, for the first time, is also making an attempt to bridge the gap of skill-based talent to
employers, rather than the current practice of academic focused talent base.
 The portal focuses on two segments of skilling—core IT skills and emerging tech skills. Core IT
skills cater to work profiles such as customer care executives, help desk roles, data entry etc. The
emerging tech skills focus on the latest full stack tech capabilities, programming skills like Java,
Python etc, data scientists and cyber security expertise.
Learn Along:
NASSCOM Headquarters: Noida, & New Delhi Chairperson: Krishnan Ramanujam
The first ABDM microsite under the NHA '100 microsites project' launched in Mizoram
 The National Health Authority (NHA) announced 100 microsite projects to accelerate the adoption of
the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) nationwide.
 In India, Mizoram became the first state to operationalize an ABDM microsite. The efforts by the
Mizoram team have resulted in Aizawl becoming the first ABDM microsite in India.
 Under this, all healthcare facilities, including the private clinics and labs, will be made ABDM-
enabled and will offer digital health services.
 The ABDM microsites are geographical regions where efforts are made to onboard small and medium-
scale private healthcare providers. State mission directors of the ABDM implement these microsites.
 All the patients can link their health records generated at these facilities with their Ayushman Bharat
health accounts (ABHAs).
Learn Along:
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)-The Prime Minister launched the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission
(ABDM) via video conferencing on 27th September 2021. Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission will connect the digital health
solutions of hospitals across the country with each other. The Mission will not only make the processes of hospitals

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
simplified but also will increase ease of living. The Digital Ecosystem will also enable a host of other facilities like Digital
Consultation, Consent of patients in letting medical practitioners access their records, etc. With the implementation of
this scheme, old medical records cannot get lost as every record will be stored digitally.
Madhya Pradesh state to reserve 20% plots for SC/ST entrepreneurs
 The Government of Madhya Pradesh has approved the proposal to reserve 20 percent of plots in
industrial areas of the state for scheduled caste/scheduled tribe (SC/ST) entrepreneurs.
 The Cabinet has also approved 50 percent exemption in premium and development fee to these
entrepreneurs.
 A maximum assistance of Rs 18 lakh will be provided on the funding/investment received by SC/ST
entrepreneurs and a maximum of Rs 72 lakh will be given in four phases.
 In start-ups promoted by SC/ST entrepreneurs, their participation should be 51 percent.
Learn Along:
About Madhya Pradesh
Capital: Bhopal Chief minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan Governor: Mangubhai Patel
CBDT issues detailed guidelines on the taxation of traditional policies
 The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has released detailed guidelines concerning the
alterations in the taxation of life insurance policies under clause (10D) of Section 10 of the Income-
Tax Act, 1961.
 According to Section 10(10D), any amount received from a life insurance policy, including bonuses,
is exempt from taxation. However, if the premium paid surpasses the prescribed limits, no exemption
will be provided, except in the event of the death of the policyholder.
 The Finance Act of 2023 amended Clause (10D) of Section 10 of the Income-Tax Act, 1961. Beginning
from the assessment year 2024-25, any sum received under a life insurance policy (excluding unit-linked
insurance policies) issued on or after April 1, 2023, will no longer be exempt under this clause if the
premium payable for any of the previous years during the term of the policy exceeds Rs 5 lakh.
 Additionally, if the premium is payable for more than one life insurance policy (other than a unit-linked
insurance policy), issued on or after April 1, 2023, the exemption under this clause will only be
applicable to those policies where the total premium does not go beyond Rs 5 lakh for any of the
previous years during the term of any of those policies.
 Importantly, these new provisions will not apply to the sum insured received upon the death of a
person.
Learn Along:
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Nitin Gupta
CBDT launches revamped National Website of the Income Tax Department
 In order to enhance taxpayer experience and keep pace with new technology, the Income Tax
Department has revamped its National website www.incometaxindia.gov.in with a user-friendly
interface, value-added features, and new modules.
 This website serves as a comprehensive repository of tax and other related information. It provides
access to Direct Tax laws, several other Allied Acts, Rules, Income Tax Circulars and Notifications,
all cross-referenced and hyperlinked.

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August 2023
 The site also offers a 'Taxpayer Services Module' featuring various tax tools to assist taxpayers in
filing their income tax returns. The revamped website has been aesthetically redesigned with a mobile-
responsive layout.
 The website also has a ‘Mega Menu’ for content, with new features, and functionalities. For the
convenience of the visitors to the website, all these new additions are explained through a guided virtual
tour and new button indicators.
 The new functionalities, allow users to compare different Acts, Sections, Rules, and Tax treaties.
All relevant content on the site is now tagged with Income Tax sections for easy navigation. Further,
dynamic due date alerts functionality provides reverse countdowns, tooltips, and links to relevant
portals to help taxpayers to comply easily.
IDFC First Bank gets rights for international matches in India for 3 years
 IDFC First Bank has secured the title rights to the home international series of the Board of Control
of Cricket in India (BCCI) for a duration of three years.The bank acquired these rights at a cost of Rs
4.2 crore per international match. In other words, the BCCI will get Rs 4.2 crore per international fixture.
Learn Along:
IDFC First Bank Headquarters: Mumbai MD &CEO: V. Vaidyanathan
Board of Control for Cricket in India Headquarters: Mumbai President: Roger Binny
Govt launches 'FloodWatch' app for real-time flood updates, forecasts
 Amid a rise in flood-related incidents in the country, including loss of life and property, the
government has launched an app to disseminate real-time information on the flood situation in
affected areas.
 The 'FloodWatch' app, will collect data from 338 stations to send real-time flood updates across 23
states and Union Territories.
 The app aims to use mobile phones to spread flood-related information and even provides forecasts
for up to 7 days.
 The app uses advanced technologies such as satellite data analysis, mathematical modeling, and
real-time monitoring to deliver accurate and timely flood forecasts.
 The app's user-friendly interface will make it easy for anyone to stay informed and minimise risk
during flood events.
Centre announces up to Rs 50 lakh grant for technical textiles startups
 The government will provide a grant-in-aid of up to Rs 50 lakh for startups and individuals
to promote innovation in the niche technical textiles segment.
 The Startup Guidelines for Technical Textiles - Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship
across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT) providing grant-in-aid of up to Rs
50 lakh for up to a period of 18 months has been approved.
 With a strong emphasis on developing the Startup Ecosystem in Technical Textiles, the
guidelines focus on supporting individuals and companies to translate prototypes to
technologies & products, including commercialization.
 The textile ministry will additionally provide 10 percent of the total grant-in-aid to incubators.

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August 2023
 To strengthen authenticity and commitment towards the project, a minimum investment of

10 per cent of the funding from the incubatee in two equal instalments is mandated.
 The startup guidelines (GREAT) are aimed at providing the much-needed impetus for the
development of the technical textiles startup ecosystem in India, especially in niche sub-
segments such as bio-degradable and sustainable textiles, high-performance and speciality
fibres, and smart textiles, among others.
Cabinet approves Rs 5k cr PRIP scheme to boost research and innovation
 The Union Cabinet has given the green light to the National Policy on Research and Development
and Innovation in the Pharma-MedTech Sector. This decision is accompanied by the approval of the
Scheme for Promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP), with a
substantial allocation of Rs 5,000 crore for a five-year period spanning from FY24 to FY28.
 The PRIP scheme, with an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore, focuses on two components: the establishment
of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) within existing institutions to strengthen research infrastructure,
and promotion of research in priority areas.
 These priority areas encompass a range of fields such as new chemical and biological entities,
precision medicines, medical devices, and antimicrobial resistance solutions.
 The scheme is set to stimulate collaboration between pharmaceutical companies, research
institutions, and start-ups. It will extend support to established pharmaceutical companies and start-
ups alike.
Recent Developments & MoUs -
Organization Name News Learn Along

SIDBI Accelerator Fund at IIM Ahmedabad’s CIIE-Small SIDBI
Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), has
Headquarters: Lucknow
partnered with the Indian Institute of Management,
Ahmedabad’s (IIM-A) startup incubator CIIE. Through this Chairperson: Sivasubramanian
tie-up, SIDBI will set up a SIDBI Accelerator Fund at the Ramann
incubator with an initial corpus of Rs 20 crore.The
partnership is part of SIDBI’s new initiative India of Tomorrow
under which it collaborates with different incubators in the
country to promote deep technologies and science-led
innovation by enabling seed funding to startups in
exchange for equity.
Persistent Generative AI solutions-Persistent Systems launched the Persistent Systems

& Generative AI solutions in partnership with Google Cloud.
Headquarters: Pune
Google Cloud The suite of Google Cloud powered Generative AI solutions
will equip clients throughout their AI journeys, from AI CEO: Sandeep Kalra
explorers to Generative AI disruptors, to understand how to
Google

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

identify and implement these advanced technologies to Headquarters: California, United
their businesses at scale. States
CEO: Sundar Pichai
Directorate General of Offer skilling programs on emerging technologies-The Directorate General of

Training (DGT) Directorate General of Training (DGT), under the aegis of Training
& the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Headquarters: New Delhi
Amazon Web Services (MSDE),is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS)
India to upskill students in cloud computing, data Director General: Trishaljit Sethi
India
annotation, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine
Amazon Web Services
learning (ML),to boost their capabilities and employability. As
part of this collaboration, AWS India will provide individuals Headquarters: Washington,
with self-paced online learning programs in emerging United States
technologies at no cost. CEO: Adam Selipsky
Telecom Regulatory Establish mechanism of technical and institutional Telecom Regulatory

Authority of India cooperation in telecommunications-Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
(TRAI) Authority of India (TRAI) and Centre for Development of
Headquarters: New Delhi
& Telematics (C-DoT) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding” (MOU).The MoU aims at establishing a Chairperson: Ram Sewak
Centre for
mechanism of technical and institutional cooperation in Sharma
Development of
the field of telecommunications with the purpose of
Telematics (C-DoT)
contributing to its development.
CRED RuPay credit card-based UPI payments-Fintech firm CRED

CRED introduced RuPay credit card-based Unified
Headquarters: Bengaluru
Payments Interface (UPI) payments for its members, in
collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of CEO: Kunal Shah
India (NPCI). The launch of credit-on-UPI will empower
CRED's members to utilise their RuPay credit cards for
making payments via UPI. Accordingly, users can pay
businesses or merchants by scanning any UPI QR code,
using their RuPay credit card linked to their UPI.
Brookfield Explore renewable opportunities in Australia-Brookfield Brookfield Corporation

& Asset Management has entered into an MoU with Reliance
Headquarters: Toronto, Canada
Reliance Industries Industries (RIL) to investigate the possibility of
(RIL) manufacturing renewable energy and decarbonisation CEO: Bruce Flatt
equipment in Australia. The MoU aims to both accelerate
Reliance Industries Ltd
and de-risk Australia’s energy transition by enabling it to
locally produce clean energy equipment such as PV Headquarters: Mumbai
modules, long duration battery storage and components for
wind energy. CEO: Mukesh Ambani
NLC India Ltd Set up 2,400 MW thermal plant in Odisha- NLC India Ltd NLC India Limited
is planning to set up a 2,400 MW coal-based plant in
Headquarters: Chennai
Odisha.The plant will be set up at an investment of Rs

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

19,422 crore at Talabira in Odisha. It is expected that work CMD: Prasanna Kumar
on the project will commence by the end of this year and will
be completed by 2028-29.
Karnataka govt Letter of Intent for two marquee projects- The Karnataka Hon Hai Precision Industry
& government has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Co., Ltd.
Foxconn Foxconn, a major iPhone assembler for tech giant Apple, to
Headquarters: Taipei, Taiwan
undertake two marquee projects in the state with an
estimated investment worth Rs 5,000 crore. The projects CEO: Terry Gou
would create employment opportunities for 13,000 people in
the state.
Mahindra & Mahindra Invest Rs 1,200 crore in M&M’s four-wheeler passenger Mahindra & Mahindra
(M&M) electric vehicle-Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) announced
Headquarters: Mumbai
& that Singapore-based investment firm Temasek Holdings
Temasek Holdings will invest Rs 1,200 crore in M&M’s four-wheeler passenger CEO: Anish Shah
electric vehicle (EV) subsidiary, Mahindra Electric Temasek Holdings
Automobile (MEAL), at a valuation of up to Rs 80,580 (Private) Limited
crore ($9.8 billion).
Headquarters: Singapore
CEO: Dilhan Pillay

Sandrasegara
Indian Railways MoU for 5G testbed in Hyderabad-The Ministry of Indian Railways

& Railways and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras
IIT-Madras (IIT Madras) signed an MoU to establish the India 5G testbed
at the Indian Railway Institute of Signal Engineering and Union Minister: Ashwini
Telecommunications (IRISET) in Secunderabad. The MoU Vaishnaw
between IRISET and IIT-Madras aims to accelerate the
indigenisation efforts of Indian Railways in the field of
communications and create a testing facility for Indian
Railways. The Indian Railways aims to leverage the potential
of 5G technology to enhance its operational efficiency,
passenger experience and overall safety.
Axis Bank Free Rupay Credit Cards Digitally-Kiwi, a fintech that Axis Bank
& enables credit on UPI, partnered with Axis Bank to bolster
Registered Office: Ahmedabad
Kiwi 'Credit on UPI' accessibility on Rupay credit cards.The
partnership enables Kiwi users to seamlessly access the Corporate Office: Mumbai
RuPay lifetime free virtual Axis Bank KWIK credit card
through the app.With this feature, users can make merchant MD &CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry
payments within the Kiwi app using their credit cards via UPI,
offering a virtual payment experience and eliminating the
need for physical cards. The end-to-end digital payment
solution aims at enhancing the payment experience for
customers.
International Battery Battery manufacturing plant in Karnataka for Rs 8,000 International Battery
Company (IBC) crore-International Battery Company (IBC) has signed an Company
investment pact worth Rs 8,000 crore ($971.89 million) with

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August 2023

& the Karnataka government to build a battery Headquarters: United States
Karnataka government manufacturing facility.
CEO : Patrick Leibrich
McLeod Russel Sale of gardens-McLeod Russel India, has reached an McLeod Russel
& understanding with electrode paste maker Carbon
Headquarters: Kolkata
Carbon Resources Resources, owned by the Jalans, for sale of tea estates. The
size of the deal pegged at Rs 700 crore. CMD: Aditya Khaitan
Uttar Pradesh Develop 1,000 ecotourism villages-The Uttar Pradesh

government government will partner with private sector investors to
develop 1,000 ecotourism villages across the state. This
will also help create local job opportunities. The state will
provide a subsidy of 25 percent for the construction of guest
houses. The subsidy will be higher (30 percent) if the guest
houses in the ecotourism villages are set up by women
entrepreneurs or those belonging to the scheduled caste
(SC) category.
Petroleum and Natural Roadmap for hydrogen blending in natural gas- Petroleum and Natural Gas
Gas Regulatory Board Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) Regulatory Board
(PNGRB) has collaborated with World Bank to prepare a roadmap for Headquarters: New Delhi
& hydrogen blending in natural gas and transmission
World Bank through gas pipelines. The (PNGRBWorld Bank) study Chairperson: Anil Kumar Jain
comprises mapping demand and supply of hydrogen,
World Bank
technical assessment of existing pipeline network for its
compatibility, commercial assessment of pipeline. Headquarters:Washington, D.C.,
US
President: Ajay Banga
ONGC First contract under New Marketing Freedom Regime- Oil Oil and Natural Gas
& and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has signed Corporation
BPCL a term contract with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Headquarters: New Delhi
Limited (BPCL) for the sale of crude oil from the Mumbai
region. This agreement marks the first- ever term contract Chairman & CEO: Arun Kumar
Singh
under the Marketing Freedom regime. This contract follows
the Government of India's decision to grant marketing and BPCL
pricing freedom for domestic crude oil.
Chairman & MD: G.

Krishnakumar
Star Health Insurance Offering 'tailored health insurance' to more customers- Star Health and Allied
& Star Health and Allied Insurance will have a strategic Insurance
Standard Chartered alliance with Standard Chartered Bank to offer products
Bank

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

through the lender’s branches in India. The partnership will Headquarters: Chennai
help expand insurance penetration in India and contribute
MD & CEO: Anand Roy
to Star Health’s efforts to make quality health insurance
accessible to everyone. Standard Chartered
Headquarters: London
CEO: Bill Winters
Tata Power ₹13kcr Hydro Storage Projects-Tata Power and the Tata Power
& Maharashtra government have signed an MoU to develop
Maharashtra two large pumped hydro storage projects with a combined
government capacity of 2,800 MW in the state.The projects, with an CEO: Praveer Sinha
estimated investment of about ₹13,000 crore, will be
situated at Shirawta, Pune (1,800 MW) and Bhivpuri, Raigad
(1,000 MW) districts.
Bajaj Finance Offer motor insurance policies-Bajaj Finance has Bajaj Finance
& partnered with ICICI Lombard General Insurance along
Headquarters: Pune
ICICI Lombard General with other partners to provide car and two-wheeler
Insurance insurance plans on the platform Bajaj Finance Insurance Chairman: Sanjiv Bajaj
Mall. These policies can be bought instantly on the platform
ICICI Lombard
through an all-digital and seamless customer experience
journey. Headquarters: Mumbai
CEO: Bhargav Dasgupta
Larsen & Toubro $4 bn investment in green hydrogen-Larsen & Toubro Larsen & Toubro
(L&T) (L&T) will aim to invest $3-4 billion in green hydrogen
projects, along with its joint venture (JV) partners. These
investments are planned over three to five years. CEO: S N Subrahmanyan
Protean eGov Credit to MSMEs, last mile borrowers through ONDC- PayNearby
Technologies Protean eGov Technologies (formerly NSDL eGovernance
& infrastructure) partnered with the financial services provider
PayNearby for easy credit access to MSMEs and last-mile through the MD & CEO: Anand Kumar Bajaj
government’s e-commerce network Open Network for Protean eGov
Digital Commerce (ONDC). Protean and PayNearby will Technologies
enable a credit marketplace on the ONDC network for easy
discovery of loan products and their pricing for Headquarters: Mumbai
borrowers. MD & CEO: Suresh Sethi
Retailers Association New Retail policy, support MSMEs-Retailers Association

of India of India (RAI) signed an MoU with FaMeTN (Erstwhile
& MSME Trade and Investment Promotion Bureau), the
Tamil Nadu govt trade and export promotion body under the Government of
Tamil Nadu to help in forming a Retail Policy in the state -

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

and support the retailers and MSMEs. It helps in facilitating
discussions between FaMeTN and the member retailers to
help them understand their needs regarding capital, skill
development, branding, compliance and marketing. RAI will
also help in communicating the initiatives of the state
government to the retailers.
Flipkart Support local MSMEs, artisans under Samarth Flipkart

& programme-Flipkart has partnered with the Government of
Gujarat govt Gujarat through an MoU with the Commissioner of Cottage
& Rural Industries, Government of Gujarat, under its CEO: Kalyan Krishnamurthy
Flipkart Samarth program. The tie-up aims at digitizing local
businesses that focuses on the development of the crafts
in every district and to revive the languishing crafts in the
state.
IIM Bangalore Ease fundraising for women entrepreneurs-IIM Goldman Sachs

& Bangalore’s incubator NSRCEL and Goldman Sachs’
Headquarters: New York, United
Goldman Sachs online business education programme for women 10,000 States
Women has launched Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women
Finance for Growth. The new initiative will help women CEO: David M. Solomon
entrepreneurs with an enhanced understanding of business
finance and provide mentoring and networking
opportunities to accelerate their fundraising journey.
Bandhan Bank Tourism department's payment solutions-Bandhan Bank Bandhan Bank

& has partnered with the Odisha government to ramp up the
Headquarters: Kolkata
Odisha Govt state tourism department's payment solutions. While the
machines seek to provide easy payment solutions to tourists, CEO: Chandra Shekhar Ghosh
they will also improve collections and prevent revenue
losses for the eastern state due to lack of cash carried by
tourists to Odisha that is famous for seashores and temples.
Apraava Energy Gets Rs 9,120 cr from REC, PFC-Energy solutions Apraava Energy
provider Apraava Energy has signed MoUs with state-
Registered Office: New Delhi
owned REC and Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to
secure financing of Rs 9,120 crore for funding its wind, MD: Rajiv Ranjan Mishra
transmission, and advanced metering projects in the
country.
Verizon Business Managed network services-Verizon Business, has Verizon Business

& announced that HCLTech will be its primary Managed
Headquarters: Virginia, United
HCLTech Network Services (MNS) collaborator in all networking States
deployments for global enterprise customers. The
partnership may improve the Managed Network Services CEO: Sowmyanarayan Sampath
(MNS) portfolio, providing a highly digitized experience
HCLTech
with data-driven service models, enhanced efficiency and
lifecycle management. It will also create a frictionless Headquarters: Noida
interface, end-to-end partner ecosystem, and joint CEO: C Vijayakumar
innovation on an integrated platform.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

Godrej Consumer Set up Rs 515 cr manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu- Godrej Consumer
Products Ltd (GCPL) Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) has signed an Products
agreement with the Tamil Nadu government to set up a fast- Headquarters: Mumbai
moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturing unit in
Thiruporur, Chengalpet district, for Rs 515 crore. CEO: Sudhir Sitapati
Indian School of Knowledge partnership- The Indian School of Business Indian School of Business
Business (ISB’s) Bharti Institute of Public Policy signed an MoU with
Headquarters: Hyderabad
& the Goa government to commence a knowledge
Goa Government partnership with a focus on evidence-based policy Chairperson: Harish Manwani
formulation and its impact in the State. According to the
MoU, Bharti Institute will facilitate furthering the State
government’s objectives to improve the social and
economic prosperity indicators through evidence-based
public policy interventions, capacity-building workshops, and
citizen-centric governance-based initiatives as a
knowledge partner.
Kotak Mahindra Life To offer Life Insurance to customers- Kotak Mahindra Kotak Life Insurance
Insurance Company Life Insurance Company Ltd has tied-up with ESAF Small
Ltd Finance Bank (ESAF Bank). The tie-up plans to benefit 68
& lakh customers of ESAF Bank that will offer a wide range of President: Sunil Sharma
ESAF Small Finance tailor-made life insurance products and solutions provided
ESAF Small Finance Bank
Bank (ESAF Bank) by Kotak Life, including protection, savings, investment and
retirement through ESAF Bank’s 700 banking outlets Headquarters: Thrissur
spread across 21 States and 2 Union Territories.
MD & CEO: Kadambelil Paul
Thomas
IIIT Delhi Aims to scale up Indian startups- Indraprastha Institute Yes Bank
& of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT-Delhi) Innovation
Registered & Corporate Office:
YES Bank and Incubation Centre (IIITD-IC), a section eight company Mumbai
promoted by the IIITD, has signed an MoU with YES BANK.
CEO: Prashant Kumar
The partnership aims to enable IIITD-IC to strengthen its
mentoring initiatives for startups, gain access to experts
across the industry, as well as identify newer investment
and funding opportunities that can benefit startups.
Infosys 5-year deal with Liberty Global estimated at $1.64 bn- Infosys
& Infosys and Liberty Global, a London-based telecom firm,
Liberty Global signed a €1.5 billion (about $1.64 billion) deal for five years
to evolve and scale up the telco's digital entertainment CEO: Salil Parekh
and connectivity platforms. The collaboration allows Liberty
Liberty Global
Global to realise run-rate savings of over €100 million (about
$109 million) per annum, inclusive of other savings and Headquarters: London
technology investments. CEO: Mike Fries

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

Indian Railway MoU for QR code-based DMRC tickets-The Indian IRCTC
Catering and Tourism Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)
Corporation (IRCTC) signed an MoU with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
& (DMRC) for providing QR code-based DMRC tickets through Chairman & MD: Seema Kumar
Delhi Metro Rail the IRCTC platform. The initiative would benefit passengers
Corporation (DMRC) of both the IRCTC and the DMRC by streamlining the travel
experience and reducing the time spent in station queues.
Lexmark To transform digital core-Tata Consultancy Services has Lexmark

& been selected to transform IoT solutions provider
Headquarters: Kentucky, United
Tata Consultancy Lexmark’s enterprise applications, cloud journey and
States
Services innovation program. TCS is moving Lexmark’s workloads to
a public cloud and designing a cloud operating model CEO: Allen Waugerman
using automation and infrastructure-as-code. TCS will also
TCS
design a command centre to monitor business processes
across applications, data, infrastructure and network. Headquarters: Mumbai
CEO: K Krithivasan
Wipro Launches GenAI Centre of Excellence-Wipro has Wipro

& inaugurated a new center of excellence (CoE) focused on
IIT Delhi generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), in collaboration
with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. This CEO: Thierry Delaporte
partnership aligns with Wipro's pledge to invest $1 billion in
propelling AI-led innovation, forming part of the Wipro
ai360 ecosystem. The Wipro CoE on GenAI will bolster
foundational and applied research, cultivate talent, and
advance the field's state-of-the-art.
Indian Bank Opens specialized startup cells in 10 cities-Indian Bank Indian Bank
has set up 10 startup cells across different centers in the
country to serve its specialized banking requirements. The
startup cells have been set up in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, CEO: Shanti Lal Jain
Coimbatore, Chennai, New Delhi, Gurgaon, Guwahati,
Hyderabad, Kanpur and Mumbai. It includes offering
payment gateways, corporate credit cards and credit
facilities apart from the existing products of the bank.
Carborundum Jointly build cutting-edge drones-Carborundum Carborundum Universal

Universal Limited Universal Limited (CUMI), has entered into a technology Limited
(CUMI) partnership with private sector drone maker, ideaForge Headquarters: Chennai
& Technology. Together, they will develop nanomaterial-
reinforced products that make drones – or unmanned Chairman: M M Murugappan
ideaForge Technology
aerial vehicles (UAVs) – lighter, stronger and more durable.
Shiprocket Provide drone delivery services for their merchants- Shiprocket

& Shiprocket has partnered with Skye Air, the Indian SaaS-
Headquarters: Gurugram
Skye Air based drone delivery provider to provide e-commerce

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

deliveries by the use of drones for the customers of CEO: Saahil Goel
Shiprocket. The partnership plans to enable faster order
Skye Air
fulfilment considering the traffic in urban areas. Skye Air
will provide its autonomous drone logistics solutions and Headquarters: Gurugram
contribute by minimizing the partner’s operational
CEO: Ankit Kumar
process and enhancing the shipping experience in both
B2B and B2C operations.
All India Council for Faculty Development Programme on AI, Data Science- All India Council for
Technical Education The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has Technical Education
(AICTE) partnered with Jio Institute for a Faculty Development Headquarters: New Delhi
& Programme on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data
Science. This is being initiated under AICTE’s ATAL (AICTE Chairman: T. G. Sitharam
Jio Institute
Training and Learning) program which upskills and reskills
faculty members from AICTE-approved institutions. The
collaborative initiative aims to empower academic leaders
and senior Faculty members with a deep understanding of
AI and Data Science while also emphasizing on the ethical
considerations of utilizing AI tools for immersive
learning.
Zomato Provide battery-swapping access to delivery partners- Zomato

& Zomato has partnered with Battery Smart to provide
Headquarters: Gurugram
Battery Smart battery-swapping access to its delivery partners on the
latter’s network.Under the partnership, Zomato’s delivery CEO: Deepinder Goyal
partners can get access to Battery Smart’s existing network
of over 800 swap stations across more than 30 cities.
NHPC Construct railway siding for 2880 MW Dibang NHPC

& Multipurpose Project- NHPC Limited signed an MoU with
Headquarters: Faridabad
RITES RITES, for the construction of sidings in Pasighat,
Arunachal Pradesh for NHPC’s 2,880 MW Dibang multi- CMD: Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi
use project. RITES, as a project management consultant, will
Rail India Technical and
provide comprehensive and efficient solutions for the
Economic Service
development of railway infrastructure for NHPC Dibang
and other upcoming projects in Arunachal Pradesh. Headquarters: Gurugram
CMD: Rahul Mithal
Ministry of Technical support on fast-tracking progress on the United Nations

Development of North SDGs-Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Development Programme
Eastern Region (MDoNER) and UNDP entered into an MoU wherein UNDP Headquarters: New York, United
& would provide MDoNER with technical support on fast- States
UNDP tracking progress on the SDGs; monitoring, evaluation,
Administrator: Achim Steiner
and capacity building; support Aspirational districts and
blocks; support in the deployment of emerging
technologies in governance and in scaling up good
practices.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

State Bank of India ₹22 crore to IIT-Bombay to strengthen its data analytics, SBI
(SBI) AI capabilities-The State Bank of India (SBI), through its
CSR arm SBI Foundation, has pledged a grant of ₹22.5
crore to establish a Banking Data and Analytics Hub at the Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B). The focus Khara
of the Hub will be to address the unique challenges faced by
the Indian banking and financial services sector. The
collaboration aims to leverage SBI's extensive experience in
banking and IIT Bombay's research expertise.
Qatar Investment Invest Rs 8,278 cr in Reliance Retail-Qatar Investment Qatar Investment Authority
Authority (QIA) Authority (QIA) will invest Rs 8,278 crore ($1 billion) in
Headquarters: Doha, Qatar
Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd (RRVL), the retail arm of
Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, for a 0.99 percent CEO: Mansoor Bin Ebrahim Al-
Mahmoud
stake on a fully diluted basis. The investment, through a
wholly owned subsidiary of QIA, will be made at a valuation
of Rs 8.28 trillion ($100 billion)
GAIL Invest Rs 30,000 cr in next 3 years- GAIL (India) Ltd plans GAIL
to invest Rs 30,000 crore in the next three years as it
expands its petrochemical capacity and scouts for LNG
supplies globally. CMD: Sandeep Kumar Gupta
Protean eGov To drive digital public infrastructure-Protean eGov Google

Technologies Technologies (Protean), has joined hands with Google
Headquarters: California, United
(Protean) Cloud to propel the deployment of digital public infrastructure States
& (DPI) and the adoption of generative AI (genAI) and cloud
technology. In this partnership, Protean and Google Cloud CEO: Sundar Pichai
Google Cloud
are establishing a center of excellence to tap into the Protean eGov
potential of Google's newly launched open commerce Technologies
solution for Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
By combining this with Protean's ONDC Buyer and Seller Headquarters: Mumbai
platforms, the partnership aims to supercharge the
MD & CEO: Suresh Sethi
uptake of ONDC among participants.
HDFC Bank Launch co-branded hotel credit card- HDFC Bank has
& partnered with Marriott Bonvoy to introduce India's first co-
Marriott Bonvoy branded hotel credit card, the 'Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank
Credit Card'. Diners Club, part of the Discover Global -
Network, will serve as the network partner for the card.
The Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank credit card combines the
strengths of both brands, offering consumers an
extraordinary array of travel benefits. These include Silver
Elite Status with Marriott Bonvoy, which comes with
advantages such as priority late checkout, exclusive
member rates, Marriott Bonvoy bonus points, and more.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

Indian Oil 360-degree energy company, to invest Rs 4 trn- Indian Oil IOCL
Corporation will invest over Rs 4 lakh crore in this decade
to expand oil refining and petrochemical business as well
as in energy transition projects as part of a plan to become Chairman & MD: Shrikant
a '360-degree energy company. IndianOil will invest Rs 1 Madhav Vaidya
lakh crore in expanding capacity to refine and turn crude oil
into fuel and a staggering Rs 2.4 lakh crore in projects that
will help it achieve net-zero carbon emissions from its
operations. Another Rs 60,000 crore is planned to be
invested in setting up a giant petrochemical complex at
Paradip in Odisha.
Telangana Make AI systems ethical-The Government of Telangana UNESCO

& and UNESCO have joined forces to implement the
Headquarters: Paris, France
UNESCO UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. The
collaboration focuses on promoting the ethical Director-General: Audrey
development and use of AI awareness raising, capacity Azoulay
building, and contributions to UNESCO’s Global
Observatory on AI Ethics. The partnership signifies a shared
commitment to an AI-powered future that prioritizes
societal good and equitable development.
CSM Tech Build autonomously driven electric race car by 2025- CSM Tech
& CSM Tech, with an active business footprint in Africa,
Headquarters: Bhubaneswar
IIT Madras Dubai, the US, and Canada, has teamed up with IIT Madras
to help build the world's fastest, autonomously driven electric CEO: Priyadarsi Nanu Pany
race car by 2025.
Larsen & Toubro Form JV for Green Hydrogen Business-Larsen & Toubro Larsen & Toubro
(L&T), Indian Oil (L&T), refining and marketing major Indian Oil
Corporation(IOC) and renewable energy player ReNew
Corporation (IOC)
have formed an equal joint venture to set up their green CEO: S N Subrahmanyan
& hydrogen business.The joint venture company is called
ReNew Power ReNew
GH4India Private Limited where the companies will hold
33.33% each. The joint venture is formed for the purpose of Headquarters: Gurugram
development of green hydrogen and its derivatives
CEO: Sumant Sinha
(including green ammonia, methanol, etc) production
assets and associated renewable assets through any model
of ownership and operatorship.
IIT-Bombay Green hydrogen research- IIT-Bombay has partnered with HSBC

& HSBC to advance green hydrogen production. The Headquarters: London, United
HSBC collaboration aims to improve the efficiency, cost- Kingdom
effectiveness, and scalability of green hydrogen,
positioning it as a strategic alternative fuel. India aims to Chairperson: Mark Tucker
develop a green hydrogen production capacity of 5 million
metric tonnes per year by 2030.
Airtel Payments Bank, Support 1 lakh women-owned businesses- Airtel Airtel Payments Bank
Frontier Markets Payments Bank, Mastercard Center and Frontier Markets

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

& have launched She Leads Bharat:Udyam, an initiative to Headquarters: New Delhi
Mastercard elevate 100,000 women-owned small businesses. This
CEO: Anubrata Biswas
initiative will enable 100,000 women-owned small
businesses in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to learn and Mastercard
earn via Frontier Markets’ proprietary, flexible Meri-Saheli
Headquarters: New York, United
platform. 10,000 of these women small business owners will States
be further enabled to grow their business by becoming
Airtel Payments Bank Business Correspondents (BCs). CEO: Michael Miebach
Antler ONDC-focused platform- Antler has collaborated with FIDE Antler

& (Foundation for Interoperability in Digital Economy) and
Headquarters: Singapore
FIDE ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) to roll out an
ONDC-focused venture platform.The Antler ONDC platform CEO: Magnus Grimeland
brings together capital, content and community to help FIDE
entrepreneurs build businesses on the open protocol.
Headquarters: Lausanne,
Switzerland
President: Arkady Dvorkovich
BPCL To spend $18.16 bn in oil, green energy over 5 years- BPCL

Bharat Petroleum Corp plans to invest $18.16 billion over
five years to grow its oil business and expand its
renewable energy portfolio as it aims for a 2040 net zero Chairman & MD: G.
goal.The company aims to own 1 gigawatt (GW) of renewable Krishnakumar
energy capacity by 2025 and 10 GW by 2040.
UPS India's first tech centre in Chennai-UPS, a global shipping United Parcel Service
and logistics firm, inaugurated its first technology centre in
Headquarters: Georgia, United
Chennai. The new centre is focused on innovations that
States
aim to make business dealings easier for UPS customers.
UPS’ technology centres are committed to providing career President: Nando Cesarone
opportunities, particularly for women and individuals from
rural areas.
HCLTech Signs professional services deal-HCLTech signed a HCLTech

& professional services agreement with Cloud Software
Headquarters: Noida
Cloud Software Group Group, to help implement, upgrade, modernise and
provide services for its TIBCO products for enterprise CEO: C Vijayakumar
customers across the globe.A business unit of Cloud
Software Group, TIBCO Software provides real-time data for TIBCO Software
making faster, smarter decisions. Its data intelligence Headquarters: California, United
platform connects any application or data source and States
unifies data for greater access, trust and control.
CEO: Dan Streetman
Advertising Standards Foster responsible advertising & self-regulation- The Advertising Standards
Council of India (Asci) Advertising Standards Council of India (Asci) has Council of India
introduced the Asci Academy as a step towards Headquarters: Mumbai
responsible advertising. This initiative will enhance the
advertising industry's ability to create ethical and

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

progressive ad campaigns. Unlike traditional interventions Chairman:NS Rajan
that take place post-ad publication, this platform promotes
self-regulation right from the inception of
advertisements. The academy aims to train industry
managers, conduct research on emerging consumer
concerns, and educate consumers through structured
programs and events.
DBS Bank India Complete the first eBL transaction between India and DBS Bank India
& Singapore-DBS, in partnership with commodities trader
Maptrasco Maptrasco, announced the completion of the first “live”
transaction of electronic Bills of Lading (eBL) for CEO: Surojit Shome
shipments between Singapore and India. With this first
shipment, businesses across Singapore and India can
participate in the TradeTrust network via their respective
choice of TradeTrust-enabled platforms to enable the
digital trade finance of live shipments of goods between
the two countries.
YES Bank Next-gen corporate credit card-Yes Bank has launched co- Yes Bank
& branded Corporate Credit Card in collaboration with spend
Registered & Corporate Office:
Zaggle management platform Zaggle, to empower businesses to
Mumbai
reimagine their payment processes, streamline
reconciliation, and efficiently manage company CEO: Prashant Kumar
expenditures. The new card 'YES BANK Zaggle Corporate
Credit Card', provides businesses direct control over
company expenditures. This includes the ability to set
individual spending limits, apply merchant category
restrictions, and implement diverse controls.
Life Insurance Sell LIC products under bancassurance tie-up-Life LIC

Corporation of India Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Saraswat
(LIC) Cooperative Bank have entered into a partnership under
& which the bank will sell the insurance major’s products. Chairman: Siddhartha Mohanty
Saraswat Cooperative
Bank
Oil and Natural Gas Invest up to Rs 2 trillion by 2038-Oil and Natural Gas Corp Oil and Natural Gas
Corp (ONGC) (ONGC) would invest up to Rs 2 trillion by 2038 in two Corporation
phases (Scope I and Scope II) to achieve emission Headquarters: New Delhi
targets.These investments will involve components of green
ammonia, hydrogen, solar, and other measures. Scope I Chairman & CEO: Arun Kumar
Singh
refers to emissions from direct company-owned and
controlled resources. Scope II pertains to purchase of
fossil fuel based electricity, cooling or heating solutions
deployed by a company in its processes.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Recent Acquistions , Mergers & Launches

Walmart Buys out $1.4 billion Tiger Global stake-Walmart has paid Walmart
$1.4 billion to buy out hedge fund Tiger Global’s
Headquarters: Arkansas, U.S.
investment in e-commerce firm Flipkart. The transaction will
value the e-commerce firm at $35 billion. CEO: Carl Douglas McMillon
Prosus Sell part of PayU to Rapyd for $610 mn-Prosus-backed Prosus

PayU is selling part of its financial technology business to
Headquarters:Netherlands
Israel’s Rapyd for $610 million. The deal will allow Rapyd,
a fintech-as-a-service provider, to acquire PayU’s Global CEO: Bob van Dijk
Payments Organisation (GPO). The PayU deal will enable
Rapyd to scale its presence in Central and Eastern Europe
and Latin America, while also gaining access to relevant
underlying licences and payment processing infrastructure.
Karnataka Bank Fintech partnership programme in Bengaluru- Karnataka Karnataka Bank

Bank hosted the first edition of ‘KBL - FinOne’, a fintech
Headquarters: Mangaluru
partnership event, in Bengaluru with the objective of
forging collaborations to develop innovative business CEO: Mahabaleshwara M. S
models, providing seamless banking experience and
offering a complete product suite.
Ambuja Cement Buy Sanghi Cement for Rs 6,000 cr- Ambuja Cement, an Ambuja Cements
Adani group company, is acquiring Sanghi Cement at an
enterprise valuation of Rs 6,000 crore. The Adani group will
invest Rs 4,500 crore in acquiring the promoters’ stake and CEO: Ajay Kapur
take over the company’s debt of around Rs 1,500 crore.
Carlyle Acquire 5.9% in SpiceJet- SpiceJet has sought shareholder The Carlyle Group
approval to issue fresh equity shares worth 5.91% stake to
Headquarters: Washington,
Carlyle Aviation Partners, aircraft financing unit of Carlyle D.C., United States
Group, by converting dues of over $28 million, or around
₹230 crore, into equity. CEO: Harvey Schwartz
IndiaFirst Life Launches new G.O.L.D. plan-IndiaFirst Life Insurance IndiaFirst Life Insurance
Insurance Company has launched a non-linked and non-participating Company
product Guarantee of Life Dreams (G.O.L.D.) Plan, that Headquarters: Mumbai
offers policyholders regular long-term income. The premium
paying terms range between 6, 8, and 10 years for policy CEO: R. M. Vishakha
terms of 30 years and 40 years. The starting premium is as
low as ₹4,176 per month and offers the choice to pay
annually or in instalments.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

IndusInd Bank Launch co-branded credit card-IndusInd Bank and Tiger Indulsnd Bank
& Fintech launched a co-branded credit card powered by
Tiger Fintech Visa. With this launch, customers will get access to best-in- Registered Office:Pune
class credit card to meet their lifestyle needs. The credit
card comes with benefits including ‘Magnificent Rewards CEO: Sumant Kathpalia
Program’ where customers earn up-to 6X accelerated UP Fintech Holding

rewards. This co-branded credit card offers access to
Headquarters: Beijing, China
complimentary benefits like 24x7 concierge facility,
domestic and international lounge access at the airports, CEO: Tianhua Wu
games/lessons of golf, assured movie tickets and many
other entertainment benefits.
Qatar Investment Buys 2.7% stake in Adani Green-Qatar Investment Qatar Investment Authority
Authority Authority, acquired a 2.7 per cent stake in Adani Green
Headquarters: Doha, Qatar
Energy (AGEL) for Rs 3,920 crore via block deals.
CEO: Mansoor Bin Ebrahim Al-
Mahmoud
Airtel Payments Bank Launches r-PVC-based eco-friendly debit card-Airtel Airtel Payments Bank
Payments Bank launched an eco-friendly debit card for its
customers with savings bank accounts, underlining the
company's 'commitment to sustainability and promoting CEO: Anubrata Biswas
eco-friendly practices within the financial sector.The
company will manufacture these debit cards from r-PVC
(recycled polyvinyl chloride) material, which it claims to be
eco-friendly. Moreover, the payments bank stated that every
batch of 50,000 cards produced would reduce carbon
emissions by 350 kilograms, compared to conventional PVC
cards in the market.
Carlyle Acquire minority stake in Quest Global at $2 bn The Carlyle Group

valuation-Carlyle will acquire a significant minority stake in
Headquarters: Washington,
Singapore-headquartered product engineering services
D.C., United States
company Quest Global as part of a definitive partnership
agreement, which will lead to the exit of existing investors CEO: Harvey Schwartz
Bain Capital and Advent International. Carlyle Asia
Partners would invest about $500 million to acquire a 28
percent stake in Quest Global at a valuation of nearly $2
billion.
Svatantra MFI Chaitanya India Fin for Rs 1,479 cr- Svatantra Microfin will Svatantra MFI
acquire Sachin Bansal-controlled Chaitanya India Fin
Credit Private Ltd in a deal valued at Rs 1,479 crore. This
transaction, one of the largest in the sector, is expected to Chairperson: Ananya Birla
catapult Svatantra to become the second-largest player
among non-banking financial company-microfinance
institutions (NBFC-MFIs) in the country with combined assets
under management (AUM) of Rs 12,409 crore.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

Ericsson 5G Centre of excellence in Delhi-Ericsson and Telecom Ericsson
& Sector Skill Council (TSSC) launched a Centre of
Headquarters: Stockholm,
Telecom Sector Skill Excellence at Delhi Skill & Entrepreneurship University Sweden
Council (TSSC) (DSEU) to train students on 5G and emerging technologies.
Around 300 students will receive training in the first year of CEO: Börje Ekholm
the programme. The modules being offered to students
include training to become a 5G network engineer,
technical training for handheld devices, training for IoT
Devices/Systems, and line assembly of telecom products.
AU Small Finance Provide 24x7 video banking service-AU Small Finance AU Small Finance Bank
Bank Bank has launched its groundbreaking customer service
Headquarters: Jaipur
24x7 via Video Banking. This service provides a virtual
platform where customers can communicate with a video MD & CEO: Sanjay Agarwal
banker in real time via video calls, like video
conferencing. AU SFB’s customers could avail in the
convenience of services such as real-time account support,
demographic updates, hassle-free financial
transactions, effortless loans and Credit Card inquiries,
efficient issue resolution related to all banking relationships,
and beyond.
Ashok Leyland Acquires OHM to house E-MaaS business-Ashok Ashok Leyland

Leyland has got approval for the complete acquisition of
Ohm Global Mobility Private (OHM) from OHM International
Mobility for a nominal consideration of Rs 100,000. Ashok MD & CEO: Shenu Agarwal
Leyland will invest up to Rs 300 crore as equity in OHM
for operationalizing the company. E-MaaS (electric mobility
as a service) contracts will be transferred to OHM subject
to approvals.
JSW Investments Divests 1.27 per cent stake in JSW Energy-JSW JSW Energy
Investments divested a 1.27 per cent stake in JSW Energy
Headquarters:Maharashtra
for Rs 717 crore through open market transactions.
CEO: Prashant Jain
Flipkart Spoyl- Flipkart has launched an in-app fashion platform for Flipkart
Gen Z. Spoyl has more than 40,000 fashion products,
including western wear, accessories and footwear, in a
diverse collection of designs. CEO: Kalyan Krishnamurthy
Yes Bank Launches Mobile Application ‘iris’- Yes Bank has

launched ‘iris by YES BANK’, a mobile banking application
that hosts services like opening a savings account,
applying for a credit card or loan, booking recurring or fixed -
deposits, and investment and insurance options. It also
features biometric authentication, sim-binding as well as 2-
factor verification that enhances security.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

Canara Bank Canara Jeevan Dhara- Canara Bank has introduced Canara Bank
Canara Jeevan Dhara, a special savings bank account for
pensioners, and prospective pensioners. All the employees
who retired on a voluntary basis or normal retirements are Executive Director: K
also eligible. Interest rate on Jeevan Dhara savings account Satyanarayana Raju
will be same as regular savings account which ranges from
2.90% to 4% depending on the balance in the account.
IndusInd Bank Multi-branded credit card- IndusInd Bank has launched a IndusInd Bank
first-of-its-kind multi-branded credit card -- 'IndusInd Bank
Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card' -- for all customers, in Registered Office:Pune
partnership with British Airways Executive Club and Qatar
Airways Privilege Club. This credit card aims to offer best-in- CEO: Sumant Kathpalia
class rewards to customers, across travel, wellness, and
lifestyle segments.
Titan Additional 27.1% stake in CaratLane- Titan Company Titan Company

Limited will buy an additional 27.1 percent stake in
CaratLane, for a total consideration of Rs 4,621 crore.
Upon completion of the deal, Titan will hold 98.28 percent of MD: C K Venkataraman
equity in CaratLane.
LIC Acquires 6.66% stake in Jio Financial Services-Life LIC

Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has ended up with a Headquarters: Mumbai
6.66 percent stake in Jio Financial Services (JFS). The
insurer’s stake in JFS is valued at Rs 10,030 crore, while Chairman: Siddhartha Mohanty
that in RIL stands at around Rs 1.1 trillion.
LIC New Jeevan Shanti-LIC’s New Jeevan Shanti is an annuity

plan that can be purchased by paying a lump sum amount.
It is a non-linked, non-participating, single premium,
deferred annuity plan. The plan provides guaranteed annuity -
rates at the inception of the policy. This scheme provides an
option for purchasing deferred and immediate annuities.
Also, this plan provides for annuity payments of a stated
amount throughout the lifetime of the annuitant.
LIC Offloads over 2% shares in Bajaj Auto-Life Insurance

Corporation of India (LIC) has offloaded a little over two
percent in Bajaj Auto Ltd through an open market sale.
The LIC’s shareholding in Bajaj Auto Ltd. has decreased -
from 5.2 percent to 3.173 percent of the paid-up capital of
the company.
Axis Bank Give travel benefits to credit card holders-Axis Bank and Cleartrip
& Flipkart-owned Cleartrip, are going to introduce a unique
Cleartrip proposition to provide travel benefits to all existing and
new Axis Bank credit card holders through Cleartrip.Under CEO: Ayyappan Rajagopal
this collaboration, customers will receive a range of privileges

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

for domestic flight bookings, including a discount on seat
bookings up to Rs 1,200, complimentary meals up to Rs
500, an exemption from convenience fees, and the option
to cancel.
Deloitte Generative AI incubator for global, Indian businesses- Deloitte

Deloitte has launched its Global Generative AI Market
Headquarters: London, England
Incubator aimed at promoting innovation in generative AI
and serving businesses in India and across the globe. The AI CEO: Joseph B. Ucuzoglu
incubator will leverage the in-depth sector knowledge and
AI/ML expertise of the company’s professionals, including
data scientists and engineers who work through a multi-
disciplinary model built on design thinking to ensure speed,
faster time to market, and immediate value generation in
critical projects.
Canara Bank UPI Interoperable Digital Rupee mobile app-Canara Bank Canara Bank
announced the launch of its UPI Interoperable Digital
Rupee mobile application that allows users to pay with
digital currency by scanning any merchant's UPI QR code. Executive Director: K
With the introduction of this feature, customers will be able Satyanarayana Raju
to scan merchant UPI QR codes using the app and make
the payment through digital currency.
SBI Life Insurance First Indian private life insurer to launch a 24X7 inbound SBI Life Insurance
contact centre-SBI Life Insurance has launched its
dedicated 24X7 inbound contact centre to address before
and after purchase queries related to comprehensive MD & CEO: Mahesh Kumar
insurance solutions provided by the company. The toll-free Sharma
number is 18002679090. SBI Life, thus, becomes the first
private life insurance company in the country to have such
an extensive customer care support, which aligns with the
company’s commitment in enriching customer experience
and addressing their insurance needs/queries at their
convenience.
Tata Communications Launches cloud-based roaming lab for 5G trials- Tata Tata Communications
Communications has launched its cloud-based 5G
roaming laboratory, which will enable mobile network
operators to trial 5G standalone network use cases before CEO: Amur Swaminathan
introducing the service to their subscribers. It will harness Lakshminarayanan
"the potential of 5G to help reimagine mobility
experiences for mobile network operators.The cloud-based
5G roaming lab trials the international mobile roaming
experience by closely monitoring traffic movement and
network usage.
Max Life Insurance Max Life NIFTY Smallcap Quality Index Fund-Max Life Max Life Insurance
Insurance Company Ltd. (Max Life) has launched the
‘NIFTY Smallcap Quality Index Fund’ in the ULIP

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

segment. The Fund provides an excellent opportunity to CEO: Prashant Tripathy
participate in the India growth story by investing in quality
companies in diverse sectors with a high growth potential.
Gupshup Launches domain-specific ACE LLM for customer

interactions- Gupshup, a conversational engagement
platform, unveiled ACE LLM a collection of domain-specific
Large Language Models (LLMs) tailored for various
functions like marketing, commerce, support, Human
Resources & IT, and industries including banking, retail,
utilities, and more.ACE LLM is constructed upon foundation
models like Meta’s Llama 2, OpenAI GPT-3.5 Turbo, Mosaic
MPT, Flan T-5, and others, and has been adapted to cater
to specific industries and functions. The model is also
fortified with enterprise-grade safety controls and
guardrails.
Muthoot Fincorp Ltd An all-in-one app for financial services- Muthoot Fincorp Muthoot Fincorp Limited
Ltd launched a digital platform offering various financial
Headquarters:
services to its customers through a single application.
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Named 'Muthoot FinCorp ONE', the All-In-One financial
platform provides an extensive range of services. These CEO: Shaji Varghese
services include MSME and gold loans, along with
investments in products such as Digital Gold and NCDs.
The platform also facilitates utility and loan payments for
various purposes. Its Forex services encompass multi-
currency cards, cash transactions, and 24x7
international transfers.
IHH Healthcare Acquire remaining stake in Ravindranath GE-IHH IHH Healthcare

Healthcare (IHH), through its wholly-owned subsidiary
Headquarters: Malaysia
Gleneagles Development, is going to acquire the entire
remaining stake held by Ravindranath Kancherla and his CEO: Kelvin Loh
affiliates in Ravindranath GE Medical Associates. The total
purchase consideration for this transaction is
approximately Rs 740 crore.
Financial Software & New payments technology platform 'Blaze-Financial Financial Software &
Systems (FSS) Software & Systems (FSS), has launched its new payments Systems
technology platform, 'Blaze'. This platform is specially Headquarters: Chennai
designed to cater to the needs of banks and financial
institutions.Its payments gateway, powered by Blaze, can CMD: Nagaraj Mylandla
process over 5,000 transactions per second (TPS).
Additionally, the payments technology platform allows banks
to achieve higher TPS, aligning with the increased
adoption of digital commerce within the country.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

Ant Group Sells 3.6% stake in Paytm for Rs 2,037 crore-Ant Group Ant Group
has sold a 3.6 percent stake in Paytm for Rs 2,037 crore
Headquarters: Hangzhou
through open market transactions.
CEO: Eric Jing
Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund (MF), Nippon India MF, ICICI
Prudential Life Insurance, Citigroup Global Markets
Mauritius, Goldman Sachs (Singapore) Pte, Bay Pond
Partners LP, Royal Bank of Scotland, Societe Generale, Abu
Dhabi Investment Authority, and International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development, among others, were the
buyers of the shares of Paytm.
Reliance Capital Sells 45% Stake in Home Fin Arm for Rs54 Cr-Reliance Reliance Capital
Capital sold a 45% stake in listed subsidiary Reliance
Home Finance for ₹54 crore in the open market, a move
that will improve recovery for lenders. CEO: Jai Anmol Ambani
Tiger Global Sell 1.8% stake in Zomato for Rs 1,412 cr-Tiger Global and Tiger Global
& DST Global has sold a 1.8 per cent stake in online food
Headquarters: New York
DST Global ordering platform Zomato for Rs 1,412 crore through open
market transactions. Axis Mutual Fund, SBI Life Insurance Founder: Chase Coleman III
Company, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company,
DST Global
Founders Collective Fund, Morgan Stanley Asia Singapore
and Societe Generale, among others were the buyers of the Headquarters: Cayman Islands
shares of Zomato.
Founder: Yuri Milner
Axis Bank Infinity Savings Account-Axis Bank, launched its 'Infinity

Savings Account' that is offering special features for its
customers, including no domestic transaction charges in
exchange for monthly fees. The move aims to appeal to those -
who frequently adopt subscription-based models. This
innovative savings account provides Axis Bank customers
with exclusive privileges such as a waived average monthly
balance (AMB) requirement, complimentary debit cards,
and a waiver of all domestic charges against a small
monthly recurring fee of Rs 150 or an annual fee of Rs
1,650.
State Bank of India Aadhaar-based enrolment for social security schemes-

State Bank of India (SBI) has introduced a facility to allow -
customers to enrol in social security schemes by just
furnishing an Aadhaar card.It has unveiled an innovative
Customer Service Points (CSP) functionality that enables
hassle-free enrolment for social security schemes through
Aadhaar. Customers visiting CSPs will need only their
Aadhaar cards to enrol in schemes such as Pradhan
Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, the Pradhan Mantri
Suraksha Bima Yojana, and the Atal Pension Yojana.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

SoftBank Sells 1.17% in Zomato for ₹947 Crore- SoftBank sold 10 SoftBank Group
crore shares in Zomato through an open market
Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
transaction to raise ₹947 crore. Buyers include Morgan
Stanley Asia, Aditya Birla MF, Axis MF, BNP Paribas, CEO: Masayoshi Son
Citigroup Global, Goldman Sachs, and Kotak MF, among
others.
PhonePe Launches stock broking platform- PhonePe has launched PhonePe

a stock broking platform Share. Market that went live with
Headquarters: Maharashtra
stocks and exchange trading funds, as it expanded its
range of financial services. CEO: Sameer Nigam
SEBI and FINANCIAL AWARENESS
SEBI asks MIIs to develop common Online Dispute Resolution Portal
 SEBI has asked market infrastructure institutions (MIIs) to set up and operate a common Online
Dispute Resolution Portal (ODR Portal).
 The portal will harness online conciliation and online arbitration for resolution of disputes arising in
the Indian securities markets.
 The MIIs-- stock exchanges, depositories and clearing corporations-- will have to make joint efforts to
develop and operationalize the ODR Platform.
 The ODR Portal will have the necessary features and facilities to enrol the investor and the market
participant, and to file the complaint and to upload any documents or papers pertaining thereto. It will also
have a facility to provide status updates on the complaint which would be obtained from the ODR
Institution.
Learn Along:
SEBI Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: Madhabi Puri Buch
A Market Infrastructure Institution is a financial entity that provides essential infrastructure for running the daily
operations in the Stock Market / Capital Markets. The MIIs help to efficiently trade the financial securities, which in turn
helps in the economic growth of the country.
Stricter disclosure norms for FPIs will come into effect from Nov 1: SEBI
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) announced that stricter disclosure norms for
foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) will come into effect from November 1.
 Under these regulations, overseas funds that hold more than 50 per cent of their equity investments
in a single Indian corporate group, or have more than Rs 25,000 crore of equity assets under
management (AUM) in the Indian market, will have to provide detailed information about their beneficial
owners.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 With this change, SEBI aims to obtain detailed information about all entities holding ownership, economic
interest, or exercising control in the FPI, on a full look-through basis, up to the level of all natural persons.
However, government-linked investors registered as FPIs, public retail funds, and certain
exchange-traded funds have been exempted from the regulations.
 Furthermore, pooled investments registered with the government or with a regulated authority in their
home country will also be exempted if their holding in Indian corporate is below 25 per cent of their
global AUM on a scheme level.
Learn Along:
Foreign portfolio investment (FPI/OPI) refers to investing in the financial assets of a foreign country, such as stocks
or bonds available on an exchange
SEBI notifies new ‘fit and proper’ criteria for exchanges, clearing corps
 SEBI has revised its framework regarding ‘fit and proper’ criteria for stock exchanges and other market
infrastructure institutions, whereby any direction passed against such institutions will not affect their
operations. The new rules are aimed at separating the role of an individual from such institutions.
 Fit and proper person criteria will apply to the applicant, stock exchange, clearing corporation,
depository, their shareholders, directors and key management personnel at all times.
 Further, such Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) will have to ensure that all its shareholders,
directors and key management personnel are fit and proper persons at all times.
 If any director or key management personnel of a MII is not deemed to be fit and proper, such entities
will have to replace such a person within 30 days from the date of such disqualification, failing which
the fit and proper person criteria may be invoked against the MII.
SEBI notifies stricter delisting rules for non-convertible debt securities
 With an aim to protect investors’ interest, SEBI has notified a new framework prohibiting listed
entities, with more than 200 non-QIB (qualified institutional buyer) holders of non-convertible debt
securities, from delisting voluntarily.
 Under the new rule, the listed entity will have to obtain permission from all holders of non-convertible
debt securities within 15 working days of receiving the notification of delisting.
 The present rule allows entities to delist by giving a prior intimation to the stock exchange about the
meeting of the board of directors, where the proposal for a voluntary delisting is considered.
 Unlike equity, wherein approval by a threshold majority is sufficient for approval of delisting, in the
new framework, approval of 100 per cent of the debt security holders has been mandated for delisting
of debt securities.
 Within five working days from the date of obtaining approval from all the holders of non-convertible
debt securities, the listed entity will have to make the final application for delisting to the exchange.
Learn Along:
Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) is a method by which listed companies raise capital by issuing equities, or
other equity convertible securities to qualified institutional buyers. It is a common method of private placement where
the company does not dilute its management stake and also does not need to repeat elaborate paperwork like it did
during its IPO.
SEBI, and APMI jointly set standards for performance audit of PMS players

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Association of Portfolio Managers in
India (APMI) will jointly set standards for performance audit of portfolio management services (PMS)
players.
 After SEBI’s recent tightening of norms, PMS players are required to conduct a performance audit
annually and submit a report within 60 days after the end of a financial year. This performance audit
needs to consider all clients' portfolios managed by the PMS.
 However, the performance of advisory clients can be excluded only if it is not published in any
marketing material or website. The standard specified by APMI will be effective from October 1,2023
SEBI allows OFS for units of private listed InvITs via stock exchange mechanism
 SEBI has allowed Offer For Sale (OFS) for units of private listed Infrastructure Investment Trusts
(InvlTs) through a stock exchange mechanism. InvITs were introduced in India to provide investors
with an opportunity to gain exposure to infrastructure projects with diversification of risks through
pooling arrangements.
 Privately placed InvITs can invest in under-construction assets as well as completed and revenue-
generating assets and public InvITs can invest majorly in completed and revenue-generating assets.
 The OFS for the sale of units of REITs and InvITs by sponsor or sponsor group entities, and other unit
holders are permitted in units of listed REITs.
 In the case of OFS for listed InvITs, the trading lot will be the same as the trading lot prescribed for
such InvITs in the secondary market under SEBI's Infrastructure Investment Trusts rules.
 Since there is no participation of retail investors in private listed InvITs, the provisions related to
retail investors will not be applicable in case of OFS for such InvITs and the OFS shall remain open
only for one day (i.e T day).
Learn Along:
An InvIT is like a mutual fund, which enables direct investment of small amounts of money from individual/institutional
investors in infrastructure projects to earn a portion of the income as return
REITs (Real Estate Investment Trust) are similar to mutual funds. While mutual funds provide for an opportunity
to invest in equity stocks, REITs allow one to invest in income-generating real estate assets.
They are collective investment vehicles that operate and manage property portfolios and give returns to investors
SEBI’s new rule gives board representation rights to REITs' unitholders
 To boost corporate governance norms, SEBI has notified rules introducing special rights to
unitholders of REITs who can now nominate representatives on the boards.
 Also, the regulator has introduced the concept of a self-sponsored real estate investment trust (REIT).
 Further, the principles of the stewardship code would apply to members, nominated by the
unitholders, on the board of directors of investment managers of REIT.
 Unitholders holding not less than 10 per cent of the total outstanding units of the REIT, either individually
or collectively, shall be entitled to nominate one director on the board of directors of the manager.
 The sponsor of InvIT/ REIT would be required to hold a certain minimum unitholding on a reducing
scale for the entire life of the InvIT/ REIT & will collectively hold at least 15 per cent of the total units
of the REIT, for three years from the date of listing of units in the initial offer.
 Any holding by the sponsor exceeding 15 per cent will be held for at least one year from the date of
listing of units issued in the initial offer.
New ASCI guidelines require finfluencers to be registered with SEBI

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has revised its influencer advertising guidelines
making it compulsory for influencers in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector,
often referred to as 'finfluencers', to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI) in order to provide investment-related advice.
 The new guidelines require medical practitioners, health and fitness, and finance experts, who
possess certifications from recognised institutions, to disclose their certified expert status or
practitioner credentials. This requirement applies when they share information, endorse products or
services, or make any claims related to health.
 As per the new guidelines, influencers endorsing health and nutrition products making claims must
possess relevant qualifications such as medical degrees or certifications in areas like nursing,
nutrition, dietetics, physiotherapy, or psychology, depending on the nature of the advice provided.
These qualifications must be prominently disclosed.
 A financial influencer, or 'finfluencer', is a person who gives information and advice to investors on
financial topics — usually on stock market trading, personal investments like mutual funds and insurance
—primarily on various social media platforms.
Learn Along:
Advertising Standards Council of India Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: N S Rajan
SEBI lists 120 companies as ‘untraceable’
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has classified 120 cases (companies) as
untraceable out of 692 cases in the ‘difficult to recover’ category with dues to the tune of Rs 73,287
crore as of March 2023.
 Further, there were 341 companies in the ‘defunct company’ category as of March 2023 as against
238 in the previous year.
 Overall, the regulator has dues worth Rs 1.02 lakh crore that needs to be recovered from entities,
including those that failed to pay the fine imposed on them, or were unable to pay fees due to it and
did not comply with its direction to refund investors’ money.
Mamaearth's parent Honasa Consumer gets SEBI’s nod to float IPOs
 Honasa Consumer Ltd, which owns FMCG brands Mamaearth and The Derma Co, and healthcare
tech firm Indegene Ltd have received SEBI’s clearance to raise funds through Initial Public Offerings
(IPOs).
 Honasa Consumer's proposed IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares worth up to Rs 400 crore
and an Offer For Sale (OFS) of up to 4,68,19,635 shares by promoters and existing shareholders.
Learn Along:
Honasa Consumer Ltd Headquarters: Gurugram CEO: Varun Alagh
Zerodha AMC gets mutual fund licence from SEBI
 Zerodha Asset Management Company (AMC) has received final approval from the market regulator
SEBI to commence a mutual fund (MF) business.
 The new entrant to the Rs 46-trillion MF industry will only offer passive funds. Navi MF is the only
passive-focused AMC at present, though it has active funds by way of acquisition of existing funds of
Essel MF.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Learn Along:
Zerodha Asset Management Company Headquarters: Bengaluru CEO: Vishal Jain
Helios Capital gets SEBI’s nod to launch mutual fund business
 Helios Capital has received capital markets regulator SEBI’s approval to launch a mutual fund
business.
 Helios Capital Management PTE Ltd, which is the business of portfolio management services, applied
for a mutual fund licence with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in February 2021.
Learn Along:
Helios Capital Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Samir Arora
SEBI reduces time limit for AIFs, VCs to invest overseas to 4 months
 SEBI has reduced the validity period of approval given to alternative investment funds (AIFs) and
venture capital funds (VCFs) for making overseas investments to four months from six months at
present.
 If these funds fail to make investments within this time limit, then Sebi can allocate their unutilized
limits to other applicant AIFs and VCs.
Learn Along :
Alternative Investment Fund or AIF means any fund established or incorporated in India which is a privately
pooled investment vehicle that collects funds from sophisticated investors, whether Indian or foreign, for
investing it in accordance with a defined investment policy for the benefit of its investors.
Venture capital (VC) is a form of private equity. The main difference is that while private equity investors prefer stable
companies, VC investors usually come in during the startup phase. Venture capital is usually given to small companies
with incredible growth potential. This type of investment is not easily obtained and tends to be riskier, but VC investors
get involved because of the potential for very high returns.
SEBI reduces timeline for listing shares to T+3 from T+6 from December 1,2023
 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reduced the timeline for listing of securities
after the closure of public issue from six working days to three days.
 According to the new norm, with T as the issue-closing date, the securities will now have to be listed
on T+3 day versus the current T+6 day.
 This will be an option for public issues opening after September 1 and will be a mandatory requirement
for issues opening after December 1.
 The application submission by investors, bid modification, validation of bid details with depositories,
reconciliation of UPI mandate transactions, UPI mandate acceptance, and issue closure would be
done on T day.
 However, third-party checks on UPI applications, non-UPI applications, submission of final
certificates, finalisation of rejections, and completion and approval of basis by the stock exchange should
be done by T+1 day.
 It was also stated that the issuance of fund transfer instructions in separate files for debit and unblock will
need to be initiated and completed on T+1 day.
Domestic companies raised Rs 9.8 lakh cr from mkts in FY23: SEBI

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 According to the information provided by SEBI, domestic companies raised Rs 9.8 lakh crore from
capital markets in the fiscal 2022-23, which was 4.6 percent higher than the amount raised in the fiscal
2022.
 Of the total resources mobilized, equity and debt segments accounted for Rs 9.2 lakh crore of capital
formation.
 The commitment raised by AIFs logged a growth of 30 per cent to Rs 8.34 lakh crore from Rs 6.41
lakh crore at the end of 2021-22. The amount of funds raised and investment made increased by 16.5
per cent and 19 percent respectively in the last fiscal.
 During the year, 203 new AIFs were registered, taking the number of registered AIFs to 1,088 at the
end of 2022-23.
PFRDA integrates NPS statement with CAS
 PFRDA in coordination with SEBI has enabled the NPS subscribers to view their pension fund corpus
along with their demat securities and MF holdings under a single consolidated account statement
(CAS).
 This functionality that will benefit over 1.35 crore NPS subscribers, is expected to provide a simplified
and secured way to stay informed on NPS investments through CAS.
 Currently, CAS, which is provided by National Securities Depository Ltd and Central Depository
Services Ltd, offers a consolidated view of personal investments in the securities market with updated
mark-to-market values.
 The facility to include NPS SoT in CAS will be available to NPS subscribers on a consent basis.
Learn Along:
National Securities Depository Limited Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Padmaja Chunduru
Central Depository Services Ltd Headquarters: Mumbai Chairperson: Balkrishna V. Chaubal
Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is the regulatory body under the jurisdiction of
Ministry of Finance, Government of India for overall supervision and regulation of pensions in India.
PFRDA Headquarters: New Delhi Chairman: Deepak Mohanty
National Pension System (NPS) is a voluntary, defined contribution retirement savings scheme designed to enable
the subscribers to make optimum decisions regarding their future through systematic savings during their working life.
NPS seeks to inculcate the habit of saving for retirement amongst the citizens. It is an attempt towards finding a
sustainable solution to the problem of providing adequate retirement income to every citizen of India
NSE announces five additions, deletions each to Nifty Next 50 Index
 The index provider arm of the National Stock Exchange has announced five additions and deletions
each to the Nifty Next 50 Index.
 The five stocks added to the index are Shriram Finance, Trent, TVS Motor Company, Punjab
National Bank, and Zydus Lifesciences.
 The five stocks deleted from the index were- Page Industries,HDFC AMC, ACC,Indus Tower & Nykaa.
Learn Along:
NSE Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: Ashish Kumar Chauhan
NSE, BSE impose Rs 5.36 lakh fine each on Power Grid Corporation

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 BSE and National Stock Exchange have imposed a fine of Rs 5.36 lakh each on state-owned Power
Grid Corporation for not having the required number of independent directors including one woman
on their board in the June quarter.
Learn Along:
BSE Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: Sundararaman Ramamurthy
Power Grid Corporation of India Headquarters: Gurugram CMD: K. Sreekant
Stock exchanges slap fines on IOC, ONGC, GAIL for failure to meet listing regulations
 Stock exchanges have slapped fines on state-owned oil and gas firms including IOC, ONGC and
GAIL for their failure to meet listing requirements of having a requisite number of independent directors
and women directors. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) was slapped a Rs 3.36 lakh fine, while
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was asked to pay Rs 5.36 lakh fine.
 GAIL was slapped Rs 2.71 lakh fine, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) Rs 3.59 lakh,
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) Rs 3.6 lakh, Oil India Ltd Rs 5.37 lakh and a fine of Rs
5.37 lakh was imposed on Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL).
Learn Along:
HPCL Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman & MD: Pushp Kumar Joshi
BPCL Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman & MD: G. Krishnakumar
Oil India Headquarters: Noida CMD: Ranjit Rath
Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited Headquarters: Mangaluru Chairman: Arun Kumar Singh
IRDAI lowers minimum capital need for foreign reinsurers to Rs 50 crore
 The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has chosen to lower the
minimum capital requirement for Foreign Reinsurance Business (FRBs) to Rs 50 crore from Rs 100
crore.
 Alongside lowering the capital requirement, IRDAI has also restructured the order of preference to four
categories from the existing six levels. According to the new system, Category 1 will encompass Indian
Reinsurers, including the sole company GIC Re; Category 2 will comprise International Financial
Services Centre Insurance Offices IIOs (which invest 100 per cent of retained premiums emanating
from insurers in India in the DTA) and FRBs.
 Category 3 will consist of ‘Other IIOs’, and Category 4 will include other Indian Insurers (only in respect
of per-risk facultative placements in the insurance segment for which the Insurer is registered to transact
business) and cross-border reinsurers (CBRs)
 The regulatory framework for IIOs is assured to align with International Financial Services Centres
Authority (IFSCA) regulations to eliminate dual compliance.
Exemption from angel tax and forex limits at GIFT: Regulatory panel of IFSCA
 An expert committee constituted by the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA),
the GIFT City regulator, has suggested tax and regulatory measures to encourage new fintechs and
startups to set up shop in the IFSC.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Among the key measures, the expert panel led by G Padmanabhan, former executive director, of
Reserve Bank of India, suggested rationalising corporate laws, allowing fintechs to raise capital
through safe instruments such as special purpose acquisition companies and variable capital
companies and listing on offshore exchanges.
 Further, the panel suggested exempting funds’ investments in securities listed at GIFT exchanges
from overseas investment limits prescribed by the central bank.
 At present, GIFT IFSC is considered a foreign entity and hence there are restrictions on Indian
alternative investment funds (AIFs) and mutual funds (MFs) under the Foreign Exchange
Management Act (FEMA). And they are capped at $7 billion for MFs and $1.5 billion for AIFs.
 The committee even suggested creating a “participation exemption” mechanism in order to exempt
from capital gains tax the transferring of shares held by the holding/parent company to GIFT IFSC.
 Other than these, the panel is of the view that angel tax provisions should not apply to holding firms
in GIFT because it will encourage direct greenfield investment in GIFT City.
 The panel wants stakeholders to provide clarity on the residential status of foreign subsidiaries of
holding firms. It also wants the government to permit the carry forward of losses or provide an
enhanced tax holiday period. At present, GIFT firms get a 10-year tax holiday.
FPIs mandated to route 10% market trade in corporate bonds through RFQ
 Starting from October, all foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) will be required to conduct at least 10
per cent of their total secondary market trades in corporate bonds through the request for quote
(RFQ) platform.
 The move is aimed at increasing the liquidity on the RFQ platform and enhancing the transparency
and disclosures pertaining to investments in corporate bonds, which in turn will encourage investment
by FPIs in the corporate bond segment.
Learn Along:
A request for quote (RFQ), sometimes also known as an invitation for bid (IFB), is a document that asks suppliers to
provide price quotes for the chance to fulfill a task or project. Some companies send RFQs as standalone requests, or
as part of the request for proposal (RFP) process.
EPFO to appoint an actuary to get consultancy for insurance, pension scheme
 The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is in the process of appointing an actuary
firm for the purpose of providing consultancy services to it on matters related to insurance and staff
pension cum gratuity.
 The statutory body under the Ministry of Labour & Employment had issued a request for proposal
(RFP) to appoint an actuary or an actuarial firm to carry out the annual valuation of the Employees
Deposit Linked Insurance (EDLI) scheme fund, valuation and projection exercise of the Employee
Pension Fund (EPF) staff pension cum gratuity scheme, leave encashment and any other scheme for
EPFO employees that may be applicable or introduced during the tenure.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
NABARD sanctions Rs 1,974 crore to Rajasthan govt
 NABARD has sanctioned Rs 1,974.07 crore to the Rajasthan government under the Rural
Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for 2023-24.
 Rs 930.44 crore has been sanctioned for three rural drinking water supply projects in Ajmer, Jalore,
and Kota districts.
 Further, Rs 926.48 crore was sanctioned for the construction of 676 rural roads in the desert and
tribal areas of the state.
Learn Along:
NABARD Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: Shaji K V
Rural Infrastructure Development Fund- In 1995-96, the Government of India set up RIDF for financing ongoing rural
infrastructure projects. The funds released under RIDF are maintained by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural
Development (NABARD) The main objective of the fund is to provide loans to State Governments and State-owned
corporations to enable them to complete ongoing rural infrastructure projects. These funds are provided on a year-to-
year basis by the Government of India.
Agriculture exports decline 14% to $ 6.23 billion in Q1
 According to the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics,shipments of

agricultural items and processed foods, which had remained resilient last fiscal even amid a slowdown
in the country’s overall merchandise exports, by 14.7% on year to $ 6.23 billion in the first quarter of
the current fiscal.
 Cereals exports in April-June (2023-24) dropped sharply by 25% to $ 3.07 billion on year because of
the ban on wheat exports imposed in May last year.
 In the first quarter of FY23, wheat exports were valued at $ 1.07 billion. While Basmati rice exports grew
by 12.17% in first quarter of FY24 to $ 1.2 billion, non-basmati rice shipment declined marginally by
2.7% to $ 1.53 billion.
 The exports of products under the APEDA basket grew by 9% to $26.3 billion in 2022-23 as compared
to FY22.
Learn Along:
Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence Headquarters: Kolkata Director General: Subash Chandra Malik
& Statistics
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is an apex body under the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, responsible for the export promotion of agricultural
products.
DPIIT and Ministry of Rural Development jointly launch ‘One District One Product’ Wall at SARAS
Ajeevika Store
 One District One Product (ODOP) program, an initiative under the Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, launched its collaboration with
the Ministry of Rural Development.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 This strategic collaboration was unveiled with the inauguration of the ODOP Wall at SARAS Aajeevika
Store. The ODOP Wall at SARAS Aajeevika Store stands as a symbol of the harmonious partnership
between these two vital ministries.
 SARAS Aajeevika is an initiative by Deendayal Antyodaya (DAY-NRLM), Ministry of Rural
Development, Government of India. SARAS Aajeevika is a strong supporter of women's
empowerment, with a special focus on uplifting women artisans and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
 By creating a special marketplace for their well-crafted products, SARAS Aajeevika boosts the skills
and talents of these women, helping them become independent entrepreneurs.
 The ODOP program has joined hands with the Ministry of Rural Development to implement
innovative features such as product tagging and story cards. These additions aim to guide consumers
and enthusiasts towards emporiums, thereby boosting sales and magnifying the visibility of India's
exceptional products.
Learn Along:
Ministry of Rural Development Union Minister: Giriraj Singh
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) was launched by the Ministry of
Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India in June 2011.Aided in part through investment support by the World
Bank, the Mission aims at creating efficient and effective institutional platforms of the rural poor, enabling them to
increase household income through sustainable livelihoods enhancements and improved access to financial services.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) comes under the Ministry of Commerce
and Industry. This department is in the charge of the promotion of internal trade (including retail trade), the welfare of
traders and their employees, matters relating to facilitating Ease of Doing Business, and matters relating to start-ups.
The ‘One District, One Product’ (ODOP) was launched by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, to help
districts reach their full potential, foster economic and socio-cultural growth, and create employment
opportunities, especially, in rural areas. It aims to do this by identifying, promoting and branding a product from
one district. The One District One Product scheme aims to turn every district in India, into an export hub through
promotion of the product in which the district specialises. The initiative plans to accomplish this by scaling
manufacturing, supporting local businesses, finding potential foreign customers and so on, thus helping to
achieve the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision.
Telangana Govt opens Centre of Excellence to support farmers, preserve farm produce
 In a bid to promote food and health security, support farmers, and boost exports, Telangana govt
opened the Telangana Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain.
 It will have state-of-the-art equipment and will serve as a one-stop solution to address all challenges
around the cold chain ecosystem in the country. It will develop and demonstrate cooling
technologies and solutions that meet the state's needs and could be scaled up with global reach
 The facility will have a solutions development lab and demonstration centre along with a model pack-
house and community cooling hubs.
Learn Along:
About Telengana
Capital: Hyderabad Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao
India's first Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX) launched in Hyderabad

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The government of Telangana, in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and the Indian
Institute of Science (IISc) launched India's first Agricultural Data Exchange (ADeX) in Hyderabad.
 Developed as a digital public infrastructure (DPI) for the agriculture sector, ADeX is an open-source,
open-standard, and inter-operable public good.
 The software platform facilitates a secure, standards-based exchange of data between agricultural
data users (agri application developers) and agricultural data providers (government agencies,
private companies, NGOs, universities, etc.).
 The Telangana government also launched the Agriculture Data Management Framework (ADMF) - a
framework for facilitating consent-based responsible data sharing.
 ADMF is applicable to all government departments dealing with agricultural activities, as well as,
all agriculture information users and providers. The framework provides a grievance redressal
mechanism.
Learn Along:
World Economic Forum Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland Chairperson: Børge Brende
West Bengal, Punjab, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Bihar, and Rajasthan wherein some
of the districts are yet to achieve the target of 75 Amrit Sarovars per district
 States have made efforts to achieve the District level target of 75 Amrit Sarovar in each of the districts
of the State with an exception in the case of West Bengal, Punjab, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu,
Haryana, Bihar, and Rajasthan wherein some of the districts are yet to achieve the target of 75 Amrit
Sarovars per district.
 So far, out of 1,12,277 identified Amrit Sarovars, the work has been started for 81,425 Amrit Sarovars
and a total of 66,278 Amrit Sarovars have been constructed/ rejuvenated.
Learn Along:
Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched by the Prime Minister on 24th April 2022 with the objective of providing
sustainable water sources wherein every district is expected to construct/ rejuvenate a minimum of 75 Amrit Sarovar.
The National target of 50,000 Amrit Sarovars has been achieved by following due guidelines of the Mission.This Mission
is being implemented with a whole of Government Approach in which 8 Central Ministries/Department namely Dept. of
Rural Development, Department of land resources, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Department of Water
resources, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate changes, Ministry of Railway,
Ministry of Road, Transport & Highways are participating. Also Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Application
and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) has been engaged as Technical partner for the Mission.
Rajasthan govt approves Rs 700 crore for irrigation infrastructure upgrade
 The Rajasthan government has approved around Rs 700 crore for strengthening the canal system and
other related works in a bid to upgrade irrigation infrastructure in the state.
 The work will include a raw water trunk main line, a main pipeline, raw water reservoir, water
treatment plant, clear water reservoir, pump and machinery, and electrification.
Learn Along:
About Rajasthan
Capital: Jaipur Governor: Kalraj Mishra Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot
2.43 million farmers get Rs 21,912 crore input subsidy in Chhattisgarh

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The fresh input subsidy installment of Rs 1,810 crore to 2.43 million farmers has taken the total
disbursement amount under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana launched by the Chhattisgarh
government to Rs 21,912 crore.
 The scheme enables farmers to obtain input subsidies to ensure they receive Rs 2,500 for every
quintal of paddy procured by the state.
 Launched in 2020, the Godhan Nyay Yojana aims to promote organic farming, generate new
employment opportunities in both rural and urban areas, promote cow rearing and cow protection,
and provide financial benefits to cattle producers.
 Under the scheme, the Gauthans (livestock sheds) have emerged as a centre of livelihood for
villagers. The state set up rural industrial parks in the Gauthans to expedite the projects.
Learn Along:
About Chhattisgarh
Capital: Raipur Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel
India allots rice export quotas to Bhutan, Singapore, and Mauritius
 India has to allocate export quotas of non-basmati white rice to Bhutan, Mauritius and Singapore.
 Exports of 79,000 metric tons of non-basmati white rice would be allowed to Bhutan, while export
quotas of 50,000 tons and 14,000 tons, respectively, would be allocated for Singapore and Mauritius.
NATIONAL
Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023
 Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023 passed in Lok Sabha.

 The Bill proposes to decriminalize 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts administered by 19
Ministries/Departments.
 Different approaches for decriminalization: removal of imprisonment/fine, introduction of penalty, and
compounding of offenses.
 Measures proposed for effective implementation: pragmatic revision of fines, establishment of
Adjudicating Officers and Appellate Authorities, periodic increase in penalties.
 Benefits of the Amendment Bill: rationalizing criminal provisions, ensuring citizens and businesses
operate without fear of imprisonment for minor defaults, balancing punishment severity with offense
seriousness, reducing pressure on the justice system, and helping citizens live without fear of
imprisonment for minor violations.
Project Tiger merged with Project Elephant
 Project Tiger and Project Elephant have been merged under a new division called 'Project Tiger and
Elephant Division.'
 The merger aims to rationalize funding and avoid overlap in areas where both projects operate.
 The decision was announced in April 2023, but details on how finances will be split remain unclear.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Wildlife experts are concerned that the merger may impact the conservation of both signature
animals, especially tigers.
 The amalgamated budget for 2023-24 is Rs 331 crore, a reduction from the previous year's combined
budget of Rs 335 crore.
Learn Along:
About Project Tiger
 The Govt. of India had launched “Project Tiger” on 1st April 1973 to promote conservation of the tiger.
 Project Tiger has been the largest species conservation initiative of its kind in the world.
 While the field implementation of the project, protection and management in the designated reserves is done by
the project States, who also provide the matching grant to recurring items of expenditure, deploy field staff/officers,
and give their salaries, the Project Tiger Directorate of the Ministry of Environment and Forests was mandated with
the task of providing technical guidance and funding support.
About Project Elephant

 Project Elephant was launched in 1992 by the Government of India Ministry of Environment and Forests to provide
financial and technical support to wildlife management efforts by states for their free-ranging populations of wild
Asian Elephants.
 The project aims to ensure the long-term survival of the population of elephants in their natural habitats by
protecting them, their habitats and migration corridors.
India Post to sell National Flag through its 1.60 lakh post offices to celebrate Har Ghar Tiranga
 India Post to sell National Flag through its 1.60 lakh post offices for Har Ghar Tiranga campaign.
 The Campaign is to celebrate from 13th to 15th August.
 Citizens can also buy the flag through ePostOffice facility.
 The aim is to instill patriotism in people's hearts.
Learn Along:
About India Post
Founded: 1 October 1854 Headquarters: New Delhi
Government introduces a new category of Ayush visa for foreign nationals seeking treatment under
Indian systems of medicine
 Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India creates a new "Ayush (AY) visa" category for foreign
nationals seeking treatment under Ayush/Indian systems of medicine.
 Ayush Visa introduced for therapeutic care, wellness, and Yoga.
 Its aim is to boost Medical Value Travel in India and promote Indian traditional medicine globally.
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Ayush Visa category at Global Ayush Investment and
Innovation Summit in April 2022.
 It is part of the Heal in India initiative to promote India as a medical value travel destination.
 Ayush-based healthcare & Wellness economy estimated to grow to $70 billion by 2025.
 Ministry of Ayush working on various fronts to promote Ayush treatment nationally and globally.
 Recently Government signed MoU with India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC), Ministry
of Tourism, for promoting Medical Value Travel in Ayurveda and traditional systems of medicine.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Shri S. Jaishankar jointly launch Study in India (SII) Portal
 Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Ministers launched Study in India
(SII) Portal in New Delhi.
 The portal provides comprehensive information about Indian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)
and academic programs, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral level courses.
 It also includes courses in Indian Knowledge System like Yoga, Ayurveda, and classical arts.
 The new portal allows students to apply in multiple institutes/courses of their choice and simplifies
the student registration and visa application process.
 Study in India aims to make India a preferred education destination and blur academic boundaries.
 The program partners with premier educational institutes meeting specific criteria to enroll
international students.
 The initiative seeks to increase the number of international students in India, promote India as a
preferred study destination, and provide affordable and quality education on par with global standards.
Learn Along:
About Union Education Ministry Minister responsible :Dharmendra Pradhan,Cabinet Minister
About Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

Officeholder: Dharmendra Pradhan (Union Minister)
Indian Railways, IIT-Madras ink MoU for 5G testbed in Hyderabad
 Ministry of Railways and IIT Madras signed an MoU to establish the India 5G testbed at IRISET in
Secunderabad.
 The testbed will focus on testing and developing 5G use cases for Indian Railways.
 It aims to accelerate the indigenisation efforts of Indian Railways in communications and create a
testing facility.
 Indian Railways aims to enhance operational efficiency, passenger experience, and safety using 5G
technology.
 The testbed has been jointly developed by IIT-Kanpur, SAMEER, IIT-Bombay, CEWiT, and IIT-
Madras, funded by the Department of Telecommunications.
Government launches Vivad se Vishwas-2 scheme to settle contractual disputes
 Vivad se Vishwas-2 scheme launched for settling contractual disputes involving the government and
government undertakings.
 It is aimed at resolving disputes, clearing backlog of litigation, and improving ease of doing
business.
 The scheme applies to domestic contractual disputes involving the Government of India or its
organizations.
 Government aims to resolve around 500 cases involving Rs 1 trillion under this voluntary settlement
scheme.
 Settlement amounts offered will be up to 85% for court orders and up to 65% for arbitral orders
based on specified dates.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Learn Along:
About Vivad se Vishwas- I
 The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, has launched the scheme, “Vivad se Vishwas I – Relief to
MSMEs” for providing relief to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for COVID-19 period.
 The scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2023-24 by Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.
Health Ministry prohibits sale of Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac
 Union health ministry prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of pain killers ketoprofen and
aceclofenac for animal use.
 These drugs are likely to involve risk to animals; safer alternatives available.
 DTAB recommended banning these drugs for animal treatment to conserve vultures.
 Diclofenac was previously banned for veterinary use due to vulture threat.
 Aceclofenac metabolizes into diclofenac and poses similar risk to vultures.
MASI Portal for Monitoring CHILD CARE HOMES
 NCPCR developed 'MASI' app for real-time monitoring of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and their inspection
mechanism.
 The App is linked to monitoring Portal for automatic report generation.
 'MASI' enables unified inspections by various authorities under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
 Mission Vatsalya Scheme supports setting up of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) in each district.
Learn Along:
About NCPCR
 The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights is an Indian statutory body established by an Act of
Parliament, the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.
 The Commission works under the aegis of Ministry of Women and Child Development, GoI.
 Founded: 2007 Headquarters: New Delhi, India Chairman: Priyank Kanoongo
Ministry of Home Affairs, launches “Scheme for Expansion and Modernization of Fire Services in the
States” with a total outlay of Rs.5,000 Crore
 The Ministry of Home Affairs launched the "Scheme for Expansion and Modernization of Fire
Services in the States" with a total outlay of Rs. 5,000 crore.
 Rs. 500 crore is kept for incentivizing states based on legal and infrastructure-based reforms.
 The objective is to strengthen fire services in states and make India disaster-resilient.
 States seeking funds under the scheme must contribute 25% (10% for NEH states) of the total project
cost from their budgetary resources.
 The scheme is funded from the Preparedness and Capacity Building Funding Window of the
National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
 The scheme is based on the recommendation of the Fifteenth Finance Commission.
Government to issue ‘Skill India Passport’ for tech students

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 India launching Skill India Passport, transformative document for skilled youth seeking global
employment.
 The Passport showcases specialized training through certification.
 It addresses limited tech courses availability in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
 Ministry of Skill Development forming agreements with countries like Australia, Canada, Germany.
 Skill hubs nationwide provide vocational training, adapt to industry demands.
 Skill India Passport empowers skilled youth, bridges tech-education gaps, enables global success.
Prime Minister launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in 13 railway stations in Karnataka
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS) for railway station
rejuvenation.
 The work started on 13 railway stations in Karnataka, part of 508 stations nationwide.
 Investment: ₹303 crore for 13 stations in Karnataka, ₹25,000 crore for 508 stations overall.
 ABSS aims to transform and enhance 1,309 stations, improving passenger experience.
 The Redeveloped stations will have modern amenities: roof plaza, shopping, food court, etc.
 Multi-modal connectivity integration to boost socio-economic activities.
Learn Along:
About Karnataka
Capital: Bangalore Chief minister: Siddaramaiah Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot
IIT - Hyderabad and Kathmandu University agreed to offer JDP at Ph.D. level in all areas of research
 IIT-Hyderabad and Kathmandu University to offer Joint Doctoral Programme (JDP) at Ph.D. level.
 The collaboration is to strengthen academic and research ties.
 Students from India and Nepal to work on science, technology, design, medical innovations.
 Students can spend up to a year in each institution with scholarships.
 IIT-H to host KU BTech students for research exposure, short internships.
 The Focus areas include Medical Technology, Yoga, Heritage Science.
Cabinet approves ₹1.39 lakh crore for BharatNet project
 Cabinet approves ₹1.39 lakh crore outlay for BharatNet project.

 It aims to provide last-mile connectivity to 6.4 lakh villages in India.
 Around 1.94 lakh villages already connected; rest to be connected in 2.5 years.
 BharatNet is a major rural telecom project covering all gram panchayats.
 It is being Implemented in phases by Bharat Broadband Network (BBNL).
 BBNL partners with village level entrepreneurs (VLEs) for connectivity.
Learn Along:
About BharatNet Project
 BharatNet, one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world, implemented in a phased manner to all Gram
Panchayats (approximately 2.5 lakh) in the country for providing non-discriminatory access to broadband
connectivity to all the telecom service providers.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Objective is to enable access providers like mobile operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Cable TV
operators, content providers to launch various services such as applications like e-health, e-education and e-
governance in rural and remote India.
 The project was approved by Union Cabinet on 25.10.2011.
Extension of Digital Health Incentives Scheme (DHIS)
 National Health Authority (NHA) extends Digital Health Incentives Scheme (DHIS) till 31st
December 2023 under Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
 DHIS provides incentives to hospitals, diagnostic labs, and digital health solution providers for
adopting digitization under ABDM.
 It was Launched on 1st January 2023, DHIS promotes digital health technologies and practices.
 Extension to benefit more stakeholders due to positive impact and response.
 Under the DHIS Financial incentives of up to Rs. 4 crore shall be given for eligible health facilities
and digital solution companies based on digital health records created and linked to ABHA numbers.
 Top performing entities include AIIMS, government and private hospitals, diagnostic labs, and
digital solution companies.
Learn Along:
About Digital Health Incentives Scheme
 The National Health Authority (NHA) is implementing Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to create digital
health eco system for the country.
 ABDM intends to support different healthcare facilities like clinics, diagnostic centers, hospitals, and
laboratories in adopting the ABDM ecosystem to make available the benefits of digital health for all the citizens of
India.
 NHA has launched DHIS for digitization of patient's health records. DHIS is effective from 1st January 2023.
CBI Academy joins Interpol Global Academy Network
 CBI Academy joins Interpol Global Academy Network in virtual event.

 The Event was organized by CBI Academy and Interpol Global Complex for Innovation.
 Letter of Acceptance signed by Mohit Gupta (CBI Academy) and Glenn Martindale (Interpol).
 CBI Academy is 10th member of Interpol Global Academy Network.
 Since 2005, it has imparted training to over 50,000 police officers, including around 1,432 foreign
nationals from SAARC nations, Africa, South East Asia, Central Asia and West-Asia.
 It has trained over 50,000 police officers since 2005, including 1,432 foreign nationals.
Learn Along:
About CBI
Founded: 1 April 1963 Headquarters: New Delhi Director : Praveen Sood
About Interpol
Founded: 7 September 1923 Headquarters: Lyon, France President: Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi
NITIE set to become IIM Mumbai
 Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill 2023 passed in both houses.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) to become Indian Institute of Management,

Mumbai (IIM Mumbai).
 NITIE Mumbai becomes the 21st IIM in India.
 Institute aims to double student enrollment, enhance infrastructure, and research.
 Current NITIE students (around 1200) to receive IIM Mumbai certification upon graduation.
 The Focus is on self-sustainability, introducing new programs, research projects, and industry
collaborations.
Paradip Port Authority (PPA) becomes fastest Major Port to handle 50 MMT Cargo in current fiscal
 Paradip Port achieves record cargo throughput: 50.16 MMT on August 8, 2023.
 Growth: 6.5% increase from previous fiscal's corresponding period.
 Accomplished in 129 days this fiscal compared to 140 days last year.
 It Handled record 942 vessels, up from 812 in the same period last fiscal.
CJI Announces Launch Of 'Suswagatam' Portal For E-Passes To Enter SC
 Supreme Court launches 'SuSwagatam' portal for online registration and e-passes.
 It is aimed at advocates, visitors, interns, and others entering the apex court.
 The Portal offers e-passes for attending court hearings, meeting advocates, etc.
 'SuSwagatam' tested as a successful pilot project since July 25, 2023.
Arunachal Rang Mahotsav
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi delighted with 'Arunachal Rang Mahotsav', a 4-day theatre festival
showcasing Arunachal Pradesh's history.
 The festival held in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Guwahati, featuring plays about unsung heroes and
history.
 The festival celebrates Arunachal Pradesh’s diverse cultural heritage and is in line with the
principles of national unity.
 These plays aimed to shed light on the often-overlooked heroes who contributed significantly to
India’s freedom struggle against British colonial rule.
Learn Along:
About Arunachal Pradesh
Capital: Itanagar Governor: Kaiwalya Trivikram Parnaik Chief minister: Pema Khandu
New Amravati station becomes Central Railway’s third ‘Pink Station’
 Central Railway's New Amravati station becomes 1st Pink Station in Bhusaval Division and 3rd on
Central Railway.
 It is entirely managed by Women staff.
 Station has 12 women employees: 4 Deputy Station Superintendents, 4 Pointswomen, 3 Railway
Protection Personnel, and 1 Station Ticket Booking Agent.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Daily footfall: approx. 380 passengers, with 10 trains passing through.

 Central Railway prioritizes women empowerment; previously set up Matunga station (Mumbai
division) and Ajni station (Nagpur division) as all women-managed stations.
Learn Along:
About Pink Station
 Pink stations are small and the newest addition to the railways.
 These stations are run by an all-women staff and manage not a heavy train schedule.
 This initiative is a good way to empower women as it creates a safe space for women workers and passengers.
Also, it is a source of generating employment for women.
India’s ‘First’ Post Office is bang on LoC
 India's first Post Office on Kishanganga river, near LoC in Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir has
been inagurtaed.
 Initially known as last Post Office, now called "First Post Office of India" in terms of distance from
LoC.
 It is functional since 1947, serves even during conflicts (1965, 1971) and cross-border tensions.
 It is Contributing to local tourism growth, gaining popularity as a tourist attraction.
Prime Minister announced ‘Vishwakarma Yojana’ to benefit individuals skilled in traditional

craftsmanship
 PM Narendra Modi announced 'Vishwakarma Yojana' on Independence Day.

 The scheme is to benefit skilled individuals in traditional crafts, especially from OBC community.
 It aims to empower weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, barbers, etc.
 Initial allocation: ₹13-15 thousand crore.
 The focus is on poverty alleviation efforts; 13.5 crore people moved out of poverty.
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras To Be Established Across The Country
 Railways Ministry to establish Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras at stations.

 Goal: Provide affordable quality medicines, benefit passengers and visitors.
 The Ministry has identified the list of fifty stations for the pilot project.
 It aims to create employment, open opportunities for entrepreneurs.
PM announced new housing scheme for urban poor
 PM Narendra Modi announcedd new scheme for urban poor to build own homes.
 The scheme benefits those in rented houses, slums, chawls, and unauthorised colonies.
 It offers relief in interest rates and loans from banks.
 It aims to help middle-class families realize dream of home ownership.
 PMAY-U (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban) already in place since 2015.
 PMAY-U focuses on beneficiary-led construction, affordable housing, and slum redevelopment.
 Around 1.18 crore houses sanctioned, 76.25 lakh completed under PMAY-U.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Centre and WHO to launch Global Initiative on Digital Health
 India and WHO launch Global Initiative on Digital Health at G-20 summit in Gandhinagar.
 It aims for data convergence, health platform interfaces, and global digital health investments.
 The focus is on interim medical countermeasures for future health emergencies, led by India and
WHO.
 Global digital platform includes investment tracker, ask tracker, and existing platform library.
 Digital health solutions to enhance universal health convergence and service delivery.
Learn Along:
About WHO
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Founded: 7 April 1948 Director-General: Tedros Adhanom
Union Cabinet approves expansion of the Digital India programme with an outlay of ₹ 14,903 crore
 Union Cabinet approves Digital India expansion with ₹14,903 crore outlay.
 Digital India launched on 1st July, 2015 for digital service delivery.
This would enable the following:
 6.25 lakh IT professionals will be re-skilled and up-skilled under the FutureSkills Prime Programme;
 2.65 lakh persons will be trained in information security under the Information Security & Education
Awareness Phase (ISEA) Programme;
 540 additional services will be available under the Unified Mobile Application for New-age
Governance (UMANG) app/ platform. At present over 1,700 services are already available on UMANG;
 9 more supercomputers will be added under National Super Computer Mission. This is in addition to
18 supercomputers already deployed
 Bhashini, the AI-enabled multi-language translation tool (currently available in 10 languages) will be
rolled out in all 22 schedule 8 languages;
 Modernisation of the National Knowledge Network (NKN) which connects 1,787 educational
institutions;
 Digital document verification facility under DigiLocker will now be available to MSMEs and other
organisations;
 1,200 startups will be supported in Tier 2/3 cities;
 3 Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence on health, agriculture and sustainable cities will be
set up;
 Cyber-awareness courses for 12 crores college students;
 New initiatives in the area of cyber security including development of tools and integration of more
than 200 sites with National Cyber Coordination Centre
 It will give a boost to the digital economy of India, drive digital access to services and support India’s
IT and electronics ecosystem.
Cabinet approves Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Sports between India and

Australia
 Union Cabinet approved MoU between India's Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Australia's
Department of Health and Aged Care.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 It is a bilateral sports exchange with Australia to expand knowledge in:

 Sport sciences, technologies, and infrastructure.
 Athlete and coach training.
 Sports governance and integrity.
 Grassroots participation and diversity in sport.
 Major sporting events.
 It aims to enhance performance of Indian sportspersons in international tournaments.
Learn Along:
About Australia
Capital: Canberra Currency: Australian dollar Prime Minister: Anthony Albanese
Cabinet approved signing of MoU between India and Suriname in the field of Medical Products
Regulation
 Cabinet informed about MoU between CDSCO (India) and Ministry of Health (Suriname) on Medical
Product Regulation.
 It aims to foster dialogue on medical product laws and regulations.
 It establishes framework for cooperation between CDSCO and Ministry of Health, Suriname.
Cooperation areas include:
 Understanding regulatory frameworks, requirements, and processes.
 Exchange of information on GLP, GCP, GMP, and GPvP.
 Recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia.
 Sharing safety information, including adverse events.
 Participation in conferences, capacity building, coordination.
 It aims to boost exports of medical products, supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat.
 Convergence in regulations can increase medicine exports, create pharma sector jobs.
 The MoU enhances understanding of pharmaceuticals, biological products, medical devices, and
cosmetics regulations.
Learn Along:
About Suriname
Capital: Paramaribo Currency: Surinamese dollar (SRD)
Union Cabinet approves new Central Sector Scheme ‘PM Vishwakarma’
 Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approves "PM Vishwakarma" scheme.

 Budget: Rs. 13,000 crore over 5 years (FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28).
 It aims to strengthen Guru-Shishya tradition, traditional skills of artisans.
Benefits under the scheme:
 PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card.
 Credit Support up to Rs. 1 lakh (First Tranche) and Rs. 2 lakh (Second Tranche) at 5% interest rate.
 Skill Upgradation, Toolkit Incentive, Digital Transactions Incentive, Marketing Support.
 Supports rural and urban artisans across India.
Flood forecast app launched by Water Commission

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Central Water Commission launched 'Floodwatch' app for flood forecasts.

 It predicts floods a day in advance and offers seven-day advisory.
 It shows risk with colored circles on India map.
 Green: normal, yellow: above normal, orange: severe, red: extreme.
 Clicking on circle displays water levels, danger level, and warning.
Learn Along:
About Central Water Commission
 Central Water Commission is a premier Technical Organization of India in the field of Water Resources and is
presently functioning as an attached office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River
Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.
 The Commission is entrusted with the general responsibilities of initiating, coordinating and furthering in
consultation of the State Governments concerned, schemes for control, conservation and utilization of water
resources throughout the country, for purpose of Flood Control, Irrigation, Navigation, Drinking Water Supply and
Water Power Development.
 Chairman: Sh. Kushvinder Vohra
India Signs MoU with Trinidad and Tobago on sharing INDIA STACK
 India and Trinidad and Tobago signed an MoU for sharing INDIA STACK APIs.
 The Collaboration focuses on digital transformation through capacity building, training, best practices
exchange, and more.
 The MoU aims to boost startups, developers, and innovation around India Stack.
 The MoU signed in presence of officials from Ministry of Electronics and IT and Ministry of External
Affairs.
 India has signed similar MoUs with Armenia, Sierra Leone, Suriname, Antigua & Barbuda, and Papua
New Guinea.
 UPI from India Stack accepted in countries like France, UAE, Singapore, and Sri Lanka.
Learn Along:
About Trinidad and Tobago
Capital: Port of Spain Currency: Trinidad and Tobago dollar
Cabinet approved Mutual Recognition Arrangement of Authorised Economic Operators between

India and Australia
 Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi approves signing and ratification of Mutual Recognition
Arrangement (MRA) between CBIC (India) and Department of Home Affairs (Australia).
 MRA aims to benefit trusted exporters of both countries in Customs clearance of goods.
Learn Along:
About Australia
Capital: Canberra Currency: Australian dollar
PM Narendra Modi Hails India's First 3D-Printed Post Office In Bengaluru
 PM Narendra Modi hails India's first 3D printed post office in Cambridge Layout, Bangalore.
 Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the 3D-printed post office building.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 It has been built by Larsen & Toubro Limited, with technical guidance from IIT Madras.
 It is constructed using 3D-concrete printing technology, completed in 45 days.
Learn Along:
About Larsen & Toubro Limited
Founded: 7 February 1946 Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra Chairman:Anil Manibhai Naik
About Karnataka
President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill and
Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill
 President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Central Goods and Services Tax
(Amendment) Bill, 2023, and Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
 The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is to amend the Central Goods and
Services Tax Act 2017 while, the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is to
amend the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act 2017.
 The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 defines the expressions online
gaming, online money gaming, and virtual digital assets.
 According to the provisions of the Bill, online gaming means the offering of a game on the internet
or an electronic network and includes money gaming.
 The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 amends the Integrated Goods and
Services Tax Act 2017 to exclude online money gaming from the definition of online information
and data access or retrieval services.
G20 Pandemic Fund approves 25 million dollar for strengthening Animal Health System of India
 The G20 Pandemic Fund has approved a 25 million dollar proposal of the Department of Animal
Husbandry and Dairying for strengthening the Animal Health System of India.
 Established under Indonesia’s G20 Presidency, the Pandemic Fund finances critical investments
to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and
global levels, focusing on low- and middle-income countries.
 The Pandemic Fund will not only bring additional, dedicated resources for pandemic prevention,
preparedness, and response but also incentivise increased investments, enhance coordination
among partners, and serve as a platform for advocacy.
 The impact of the project would be to reduce the risk of a pathogen emerging from animals to be
transmitted into the human population.
 The devastating human, economic, and social cost of COVID-19 has highlighted the urgent need
for coordinated action to build stronger One-health systems and mobilize additional resources for
pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
Learn Along:
About G20
 The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union.
 It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate
change mitigation and sustainable development.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Founded: 26 September 1999
Centre approved advance of Rs 200 cr to flood-hit Himachal Pradesh
 The Central Government has granted 200 crore rupees as an advance from the National Disaster Response
Fund (NDRF) to the Himachal Pradesh Government.
 This aid aims to support relief measures during the current monsoon season.
 The central government has already released two installments of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF)
totaling 360.80 crore rupees last month and 189.27 crore rupees this month from the NDRF of past dues.
Learn Along:
About NDRF
 The National Disaster Response Force is an Indian specialized force constituted "for the purpose of special
response to a threatening disaster situation or disaster" under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
 The "Apex Body for Disaster Management" in India is the National Disaster Management Authority.
 Founded: 2006 Director General: Atul Karwal
About Himachal Pradesh
Capitals: Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter) Chief minister: Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
Governor: Shiv Pratap Shukla
Shri Nitin Gadkari to launch the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP)
 Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari will launch the much-awaited
Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) on 22nd August 2023.
 This programme is a significant step forward in the Government’s commitment to improve road
safety through raising the safety standards of motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes in India.
 The programme aims to provide a tool to the car customers to make a comparative assessment of
crash safety of motor vehicles available in the market.
 Under this programme, car manufacturers can voluntarily offer their cars tested as per Automotive
Industry Standard (AIS) 197.
 Based on the performance of the car in the tests, car will be awarded star ratings for Adult Occupants
(AOP) and Child Occupant (COP).
 Potential car customers can refer to these star ratings to compare the safety standards of different
vehicles and accordingly make their purchase-decision.
Shiv Shakti Point
 In August 2023, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the landing site of
Chandrayaan-3, India's third lunar mission, would be named "Shiv Shakti Point."
 The name "Shiv Shakti Point" refers to the Hindu god Shiva, who is often associated with power
and strength.
 Shiv Shakti Point: The landing site of Chandrayaan-3 is located in the Mare Serenitatis region of the
Moon. It is named after Shiv Shakti, a Hindu deity representing the power of Shiva and Shakti.
 Jawahar Point: The landing site of Chandrayaan-1 is located in the Shackleton Crater region of the
Moon. It is named after Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India.
 The naming controversy is also a reminder of the importance of science and technology in India.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Deendayal Port, DP World sign agreement for construction of mega-container terminal
 Deendayal Port Authority and DP World have signed a concession agreement in the presence of
Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in New Delhi.
 The project involves the construction of a mega-container terminal at Tuna-Tekra near the existing
Deendayal Port, at a cost of over 4,243 crores rupees through a Public Private Partnership.
 Once completed the terminal will have an annual capacity of 2.19 million twenty-foot equivalent
units (TEUs) and will include a 1,100 metre berth capable of handling next-generation vessels carrying
more than 18,000 TEUs.
 This concession agreement is a part of Mr Sonowal's target of identifying investment
opportunities of more than 10 lakh crore rupees in Indian Maritime Sector ahead of the Global
Maritime Summit 2023.
MoU signed between Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and UNDP
 On 22nd August, 2023, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and UNDP entered
into an MoU wherein UNDP would provide MDoNER with technical support on fast-tracking progress
on the SDGs; monitoring, evaluation and capacity building; support Aspirational districts and
blocks; support in the deployment of emerging technologies in governance and in scaling up good
practices.
 The main focus is development of Social and Infrastructure connectivity in NER and UNDP will help
the Ministry in achieving this goal.
 The Ministry of DoNER has taken remarkable strides across critical sectors such as infrastructure,
connectivity, health, education, climate change and economic growth to transform the lives of the people
in the region.
 NER District SDG Index helped in forming the flagship PM-DevINE scheme, which provides
infrastructure and social development funding to boost livelihood opportunities in the region, especially
for women and youth.
Learn Along:
About UNDP
 The United Nations Development Programme is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries
eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human development.
 The UNDP emphasizes developing local capacity towards long-term self-sufficiency and prosperity.
 Founded: 22 November 1965 Headquarters: New York, United States
NTPC begins hydrogen bus trail runs in Leh
 Integrated energy company NTPC has begun trials of an intra-city hydrogen bus operation in Leh on
a trial basis.
 This is India’s first-ever deployment of hydrogen fuel cell buses on public roads.
 The first hydrogen bus reached Leh on August 17, 2023 as part of a three-month-long process of field
trials, roadworthiness tests and other statutory procedures.
 Towards achieving a carbon-neutral Ladakh, NTPC is setting up a hydrogen fuelling station, solar
plant and providing five fuel cell buses for operation on intracity routes of Leh.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The first-of-its-kind Green Hydrogen Mobility Project at 11,562 feet is co-located with a dedicated
solar plant of 1.7 MW for providing renewable power.
 A unique feature of this project is that the fuel cell buses are designed for operation in sub-zero
temperatures in rarefied atmosphere, typical of high-altitude locations.
 NTPC, which aims to achieve 60 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2032 and be a major player in
green hydrogen technology and energy storage, is driving a number of decarbonisation initiatives like
hydrogen blending, carbon capture, EV buses and smart NTPC townships.
Learn Along:
About NTPC
Founded: 7 November 1975 Headquarters: New Delhi, India Chairman & MD: Gurdeep Singh
Launch of Invoice Incentive Scheme “Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar” from 1st September, 2023
 The Government of India, in association with State Governments, is launching an ‘Invoice incentive
Scheme’ by the name ‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar’ to encourage the culture of customers asking for
invoices/bills for all purchases.
 The objective of the scheme is to bring a cultural and behavioural change in the general public to
‘Ask for a Bill’ as their right and entitlement.
 The details of the Scheme are as under:
 The Scheme will be launched on 1st September, 2023.
 This scheme will initially be launched as a pilot in the States of Assam, Gujarat & Haryana and UTs
of Puducherry, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.
 All B2C invoices issued by GST registered suppliers (registered in the States of Assam, Gujarat &
Haryana and UTs of Puducherry, Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu) to consumers will be eligible
for the scheme. Minimum value for invoices to be considered for a lucky draw has been kept at Rs.
200.
 Invoices can be uploaded on Mobile Application ‘Mera Bill Mera Adhikaar’ available on IOS and
Android as well as on web portal ‘web.merabill.gst.gov.in’
 All residents of India will be eligible to participate in this Scheme irrespective of their State/UT.
Maximum 25 invoices can be uploaded by an individual on App/web portal in a month to be
considered for lucky draw.
 For each uploaded invoice an Acknowledgement Reference Number (ARN) will be generated which
will be used for the draw of prizes.
 Winning invoices will be picked by a method of random draw at regular intervals (monthly/quarterly).
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signs MoU with Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) for export
of Petroleum Cargo via NW 2 & IBPR
 Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal attended the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Inland Waterways Authority of
India (IWAI) and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) to use National Waterways-2 (Brahmaputra) and
Indo Bangladesh Protocol Route (IBPR) for export of petroleum products to Bangladesh and other south
east Asian countries in Guwahati, Assam.
 The MoU is aimed at powering PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to boost India’s Act East Policy.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 NRL will export around 10,000 MT of Petroleum & Petrochemical products per month from IWAI
Jogighopa Multi Modal terminal.
 NRL to set up POL Oil Terminal at Jogighopa Logistics Park with rail connectivity.
 This MoU is aimed at fulfilling the ‘Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for Northeast’ by enabling inland
waterways transportation via NW2 and IBPR, unveiling a new chapter of EXIM trade for the Northeast
region.
 Under this MoU, the IWAI to provide its terminal for cargo movement, providing technical support,
land to lay down petroleum pipeline, bunkering facilities to be operated at various places en-route
IBPR, provide assistance through its vessels, technical assistance in making available vessels like Tugs,
Work Boards, Survey vessels and other vessels as and when required.
Learn Along:
About Inland Waterways Authority of India
 Inland Waterways Authority of India is the statutory authority in charge of the waterways in India.
 It was constituted under IWAI Act-1985 by the Parliament of India. Its headquarters is located in Noida, Uttar
Pradesh.
 Founded: 27 October 1986 Headquarters: Noida Agency executive: Jayant Singh
National Curriculum Framework
 Recently, the final National Curriculum Framework (NCF) was released by the National Council of
Educational Research and Training (NCERT), leading to significant reforms in the education system,
led by the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
 The NCF introduces changes in language learning, subject structure, evaluation strategies, and
environmental education, reshaping the educational landscape for Grades 3 to 12 under CBSE.
Key Highlights of the National Curriculum Framework (NCF)
Language Learning:
 Students in Classes 9 and 10 learn three languages, with at least two being native Indian languages.
 In Classes 11 and 12, students will study two languages, including one of Indian origin.
 The aim is to achieve a "literary level" of linguistic capacity in at least one Indian language.
Board Exams and Evaluation:

 Students are allowed to take Board exams on at least two occasions in a school year.
 Only the best score among attempts will be retained.
Alignment with NEP 2020:

 The NCF follows the guidelines of NEP 2020. Provides the framework for formulating new textbooks from
Grades 3 to 12 under CBSE.
 Textbooks for Classes 3-12 aligned with 21st-century requirements.
 The focus is on ensuring rootedness in the current context while being forward-looking.
Changes in Mandatory and Optional Subjects:

 Earlier, students in Classes 9 to 12 studied five mandatory subjects with an option to add one more.

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August 2023
 Now, the number of mandatory subjects for Classes 9 and 10 is seven, and for Classes 11 and 12 is six.
Optional Subjects:
 First group includes art education, physical education, and vocational education.
 The second group includes Social Science, Humanities, and interdisciplinary areas.
 The third group includes Science, Mathematics, and computational thinking.
Flexibility and Choice for Students:

 Redesigned "Secondary Stage" to provide more flexibility and choice.
 No strict separation between academic and vocational subjects, or between Science, Social Science, Art,
and Physical Education.
 Students can choose varied subject combinations for their School Leaving Certificates.
Environmental Education:
 Emphasis on environmental awareness and sustainability.
 Environmental Education integrated across all schooling stages.
 Separate area of study dedicated to environmental education in the Secondary Stage.
Content Distribution for Social Science Curriculum (Classes 6-8):

 20% content from local level.
 30% content from regional level.
 30% content from national level.
 20% content from global level.
Learn Along:
About National Curriculum Framework
 NCF is one of the key components of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, that enables and energizes this
transformation, informed by the aims, principles, and approach of NEP 2020.
 The NCF has undergone four revisions in the past - in 1975, 1988, 2000, and 2005. The proposed revision, if
implemented, would be the fifth iteration of the framework.
Four Sections of NCF:
 NCF for School Education (NCF-SE)
 NCF for Early Childhood Care and Education (Foundational Stage)
 NCF for Teacher Education
 NCF for Adult Education
It aims to help in positively transforming the school education system of India as envisioned in NEP 2020, through
corresponding positive changes in the curriculum including pedagogy.
PM Modi becomes first Foreign Head of Govt to be awarded 'The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour'
by Greek govt
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become the first Foreign Head of the Government to be awarded
'The Grand Cross of the Order of Honour' by the Greek government.
 This recognition was given during Prime Minister Modi's official visit to Greece.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The citation accompanying the award recognises the Prime Minister's contribution to India's
economic progress and prosperity as well as to the promotion of friendship, of bilateral relations with
Greece.
Learn Along:
About Greece
Capital: Athens Currency: Euro Prime minister: Kyriakos Mitsotakis
India, Asian Development Bank to set up climate change and health hub in Delhi
 Having bagged the first WHO Centre for Global Traditional Medicine, to be set up in Gujarat, India is
now all set to open a climate change and health hub in the national capital in partnership with the
Asian Development Bank (ADB).
 The World Health Organisation (WHO) outpost in Jamnagar will aim to provide leadership on global
health matters pertaining to traditional medicine; ensure the quality, safety, efficacy,
accessibility, and rational use of traditional medicine; develop norms, standards, and guidelines
in relevant technical areas; and develop tools and methodologies for data collection and analytics.
 The new hub for climate change and health will facilitate knowledge sharing, promote partnerships
and innovations, and also help countries beyond the G-20, especially developing countries.
Learn Along:
About Asian Development Bank
Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines Founded: 19 December 1966 President: Masatsugu Asakawa
India and New Zealand sign MoU to boost cooperation in Civil Aviation
 The Government of India and the Government of New Zealand have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to boost cooperation in civil aviation.
 This will cover the scheduling of new routes, code share services, traffic rights and capacity
entitlement.
 An Air Services Agreement was signed between New Zealand and India at Auckland on 1 May 2016.
 The Government of New Zealand and the Government of India have reviewed the existing
arrangements relating to air service between the two countries.
 The MoU signed is expected to further boost the bilateral ties in civil aviation between the two
countries.
 According to the MoU, the designated airline(s) of New Zealand may operate any number of services
with any type of aircraft, with third and fourth freedom traffic rights to/from six points in India, namely
New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.
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About New Zealand
Capital: Wellington Currency: New Zealand dollar
NITI Aayog and UNDP sign Memorandum of Understanding on fast tracking SDGs
 Reiterating a mutual commitment towards fast-tracking progress towards the Sustainable

Development Goals, NITI Aayog and UNDP India have signed, a Memorandum of Understanding

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
(MoU) to formalise a framework of cooperation on a range of areas, including SDG localisation, data-
driven monitoring, Aspirational Districts and Blocks, among others.
 The MoU was signed for a period of five years.

 NITI Aayog is the nodal Institution for coordinating the adoption and monitoring of SDGs at the
national and sub-national levels.
 UNDP plays the integrator role in coordinating efforts to fast-track progress on the SDGs within the UN
system.
Learn Along:
About UNDP
Headquarters: New York, United States Founded: 22 November 1965
About NITI Ayog

Formed: 1 January 2015 Headquarters: New Delhi Chairperson: Narendra Modi
MoU signed between Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and National Safai Karamcharis
Finance & Development Corporation
 A momentous collaboration has been cemented as the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
and the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC) inked a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25.
 This strategic partnership aims to enhance the socio-economic upliftment of Safai Karamcharis,
Manual Scavengers, Waste Pickers and their dependants.
 NSKFDC is continuously working for empowerment of these most vulnerable and deprived
sections of society through its various loan based and non-loan-based schemes like Short Term Skill
Development Training Programmes.
 It focuses on complete mechanization of Sewer and Septic Tank cleaning operation by providing
soft loans at low rates of interest to Sanitation Workers, Urban Local Bodies.
 Capital subsidy ranging from 50 to 32 percent is provided to sanitation workers taking up
mechanized cleaning works under Swachhta Udyami Yojana (SUY).
 NSKFDC also provides loans upto Rs.1.00 lacs under its Mahila Samridhi Yojana and Micro Credit
Finance Scheme.The overall rate of interest is 4% and 5%, respectively.
 The other loan schemes are General Term Loan and Green Business Schemes under which loans upto
Rs.15.00 lacs and upto Rs.30.00 lacs respectively are provided with rate of interest at 6% and 1% rebate
for women beneficiaries.
Learn Along:
About Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment Union Minister: Dr. Virendra Kumar
INTERNATIONAL
Russia is set to launch Islamic banking
 Russia is set to launch its first-ever Islamic banking pilot program on September 1st, marking a
significant shift in its financial landscape.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 With an estimated Muslim population of up to 25 million, this strategic initiative is aimed at tapping
into a growing market and strengthening economic ties with countries that operate under Sharia
finance principles.
 The Islamic banking pilot program has received the official endorsement of Russian President Vladimir
Putin, solidified by the signing of a new law on August 4.
 The two-year pilot program will be concentrated in four Muslim-majority regions: Tatarstan,
Bashkortostan, Chechnya, and Dagestan.
 Unlike conventional finance systems that rely on interest-bearing transactions and debt-based structures,
Islamic banking operates under Sharia law, which mandates ethical financial conduct and
prohibits usury.
Learn Along:
About Russia
Capital: Moscow Currency: Russian Ruble President: Vladimir Putin
Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa wins second term: electoral commission
 Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa secured a second term as president at an election, winning

over 52% of the vote, the country’s electoral commission said late on Saturday.
 Emmerson Mnangagwa took over from longtime leader Robert Mugabe after a 2017 army coup.
Learn Along:
About Zimbabwe
Capital: Harare Currency: Zimbabwean dollar; U.S. dollar
Iran unveils latest ‘Mohajer-10’ attack drone with enhanced range
 Iran unveiled its latest domestically built drone named “Mohajer-10” with enhanced capabilities like
flying at a higher altitude, for a longer duration and the ability to carry a greater payload.
 The new drone was launched during a ceremony in Tehran attended by the Iranian president, on
the country’s military industry day.
 The “Mohajer-10” is said to be an upgraded version of the “Mohajer-6,” which the officials in the
United States have accused Iran of selling to Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine.
Learn Along:
About Iran
Capital: Tehran Currency: Iranian rial President: Ebrahim Raisi
BRICS Welcomes New Members: Inclusion of Argentina, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and
Egypt
 Members of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) on August 24 declared
expansion of the grouping by welcoming six new countries into the fold at the end of the 15th
BRICS summit at Johannesburg.
 Current Chair of BRICS South African President Cyril Ramaphosa presented the Johannesburg
Declaration, the outcome document of the summit, and made an indirect reference to the Ukraine conflict
saying the grouping’s members had sought “peaceful resolution” of disputes.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 They have agreed to welcome Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia and the United Arab
Emirates into BRICS.
 The decision to expand BRICS was taken 13 years after the organisation was last expanded with
the addition of South Africa in 2010.
 Originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, BRICS was envisioned as a global-level outfit of
major economies that are playing an increasingly important role in the post-Cold War world order.
Learn Along:
About BRICS
 BRICS is a grouping of the world economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa formed by the
2010 addition of South Africa to the predecessor BRIC.
 Founded: 16 June 2009 Founders: Russia, China, India, Brazil
India, Asean to conclude review of existing free-trade agreement by 2025
 India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have agreed to conclude the review
of the existing free-trade agreement (FTA) in goods by 2025.
 The FTA between India and the 10-nation bloc came into effect 13 years ago. Indian businesses
have long been pushing for its review.
 The statement comes in the backdrop of the 20th Asean-India Economic Ministers’ meeting held
on 21st Aug 2023 in Semarang, Indonesia.
 The main agenda of this year’s meeting was the timely review of the Asean-India Trade in Goods
Agreement (AITIGA), which was signed in 2009.
 The ministers agreed to follow a quarterly schedule of negotiations and conclude the review in
2025 adding that the review was expected to enhance and diversify trade while addressing the
“current asymmetry of bilateral trade”.
Learn Along:
 In 2022-23, India’s exports to Asean increased to $44 billion from $42.32 billion in 2021-22. Imports, however,
grew faster -- jumped to $87.57 billion in 2022-23 against $68 billion a year ago.
 The trade deficit widened to $43.57 billion in the last financial year, from $25.76 billion in 2021-22. It was just
$5 billion in 2010-11.
About ASEAN
 Headquarters: Jakarta, Indonesia Founded: 8 August 1967
 Asean members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, and Vietnam.
In Bangladesh, Indian High Commissioner laid foundation stone of Knowledge Park at Chattogram
 Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Pranay Verma and Bangladesh Minister of State for
Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak jointly laid the foundation stone
of the Knowledge Park at Chattogram.
 The IT park is being built with Government of India’s financing support.
 The Government of India is providing a concessional Line of Credit worth nearly US$ 250 million to
establish 12 such IT parks in 12 different districts of Bangladesh.
 It would propel economic and technological partnership between the two countries to newer
heights.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The IT Parks will nurture a technologically skilled workforce that is crucial for the rapid growth and
development of our economies in the 21st century.
 Each Park is expected to generate direct employment for 3,000 people and train over 1,000 people
every year.
Learn Along:
About Bangldesh
Capital: Dhaka Currency: Taka Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina
Indian Mission at Bahrain Launched New Mobile App to Ease Consular Access
 The Embassy of India in Bahrain hosted an open house session on August 25, under the guidance
of Ambassador Designate Vinod Kurian Jacob.
 The event marked the introduction of the novel mobile application, EoIBh-Connect, designed to
facilitate online appointment booking for a spectrum of consular and visa services, accessible
through both the Indian Embassy at Manama, Bahrain.
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About Bahrain
Capital: Manama Currency: Bahraini dinar
France to ban children from wearing Abaya dress in state-run schools
 France will ban children from wearing the Abaya - the loose-fitting, full-length robe worn by some of
the Muslim women - in state-run schools.
 France has a strict ban on religious signs in state schools and government buildings, arguing that
they violate secular laws.
 Wearing a headscarf has been banned since 2004 in state-run schools.
 In 2010, France banned the wearing of full-face veils in public which provoked anger in France's five
million-strong Muslim community.
 France has enforced a strict ban on religious signs at schools since the 19th Century, including Christian
symbols such as large crosses, in an effort to curb any Catholic influence from public education.
Learn Along:
About France
Capital: Paris Prime minister: Élisabeth Borne Currency: Euro
Documentary film "Bay of Blood" directed by India's Krishnendu Bose, premiered in Dhaka
 A documentary film "Bay of Blood" on genocide in Bangladesh during 1971 War of Liberation
premiered at Liberation War Museam in Dhaka.
 The Liberation War Museum organised the Bangladesh premier of the documentary, on the
occasion of the 48th death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
 The documentary is written and directed by eminent Indian Filmmaker Krishnendu Bose.
Learn Along:
About Bangladesh
Capital: Dhaka Currency: Taka
Russia's first lunar mission in 47 years smashes into the moon in failure

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Russia’s Luna-25 has crashed on the Moon’s surface disappointingly end to its first mission to the
lunar surface 47 years after the last landing by the former Soviet Union.
 This leaves India’s Chandrayaan-3 on course to become the first spacecraft to land near the lunar
south pole.
 Luna-25 was modern Russia’s first Moon mission.
 The erstwhile Soviet Union’s last lunar mission was way back in 1976, with a successful landing by
Luna-24.
 In fact, that was the last spacecraft to land on the Moon, until China’s Chang’e-3 reached there 37
years later in 2013.
 Chang’e-4 and Chang’e-5 are the only other spacecraft to have landed on the Moon since then –
Chang’e 4 touched down in January 2019 and Chang’e-5, a sample return mission, in December
2020.
Learn Along:
About Russia
Capital: Moscow Currency: Ruble President: Vladimir Putin
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina rolls out Universal Pension Scheme
 Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina launched Universal Pension Scheme.

 It aims to cover citizens aged above 18 under pension coverage.
 Four initial packages introduced: Pragati, Surokkha, Samata, Prabashi.
 Pragati for private job holders, Surokkha for self-employed, Samata for low-income, Prabashi for
expatriates.
 Remaining two packages to be launched later.
 Citizens above 18 can participate, pay installments till age 60 for pension.
 Individuals above 50 can join, pay installments for 10 consecutive years.
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About Bangladesh
ADB Approves USD 40.5 Million Loan to Enhance Childhood Development and Maternal Mental
Health in Meghalaya
 ADB approves USD 40.5-million loan for integrated ECD and maternal mental health program in
Meghalaya.
 The State government contributes USD 15.27 million to project.
 The project strengthens home-based and centre-based childcare through Anganwadi centers.
 It aims to improve nurturing care, maternal mental health, and involve fathers in caregiving.
 It enhances nutrient adequacy with eggs for pregnant, lactating women, and children aged 0-5.6
years.
Learn Along:
About Asian Development Bank

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines Founded: 19 December 1966 President: Masatsugu Asakawa
Anwarul Haq Kakar Sworn In As Pakistan’s Caretaker Prime Minister
 Anwarul Haq Kakar sworn in as Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan ahead of general election.
 He has Nominated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Opposition leader Raja Riaz.
 Anwarul Haq Kakar, a first-time Senator from Balochistan, resigns from Senate and Balochistan
Awami Party to ensure impartiality.
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AboutPakistan
Capital:Islamabad Currency:Pakistanirupee
'Bharat Utsav' Commences in Dubai to Showcase Indian Culture, Commemorate Indian Independence
 'Bharat Utsav' – three-day event in Dubai celebrating Indian art and heritage.
 It showcases diverse cultural richness of India.
 It features artwork from all Indian states, classical music performances, cultural exhibitions, instrumental
music, and dances.
 It was endorsed by Consulate General of India, signifies cultural significance.
 It aims to highlight Indian culture, provide platform for artistic expressions.
Learn Along:
About UAE
Capital : Abu Dhabi Currency: UAE dirham
Russia launches first moon lander in 47 years for water exploration
 Russia launches Luna-25 spacecraft for moon landing after 47 years.

 It aims to make a soft landing on the lunar south pole, seeking water ice.
 Luna-25 launched from Vostochny cosmodrome on Soyuz 2.1v rocket.
 Expected moon landing on Aug 21 or 23, to operate for about a year.
 Luna-25 has scientific equipment, aims to take rock samples for testing.
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About Russia
Currency: Russian Ruble Capital: Moscow
Iraq bans media from using term ‘homosexuality’
 Iraq's media regulator orders no use of 'homosexuality', instead use 'sexual deviance'.
 'Gender' term also banned, applies to media and social media companies.
 Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC) issued the directive.
 The Decision needs final approval, potential penalty includes a fine.
Learn Along:
About Iraq
Capital: Baghdad Currency: Iraqi dinar

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
France to offer 5-year Schengen visa for Indian alumni, aims to welcome 30,000 students from India
 France offers a 5-year short-stay Schengen visa for Indian students who have studied for at least one
semester in France and hold a Master’s degree or above.
 Eligibility requires studying in France, achieving a Master’s level or higher, and compliance with
Schengen visa requirements.
 France plans to welcome 30,000 Indian students by 2030.
 The French Embassy and Institute announce the 'Choose France Tour 2023' in different parts of India in
October to promote this opportunity.
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About France
Capital: Paris Currency: Euro President: Emmanuel Macron
Ethiopia declares a state of emergency in Amhara
 Recently State of emergency declared in Ethiopia's Amhara region due to escalating violence.
 Ethnic militia (Fano) clashes with army over security forces integration.
 Previous state of emergency declared in Tigray conflict (November 2021).
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About Ethiopia
Capital: Addis Ababa Currency: Birr (ETB) Prime Minister: Abiy Ahmed
Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni appoints Hun Manet- as the new Prime Minister
 King Norodom Sihamoni appoints Hun Manet as new Prime Minister of Cambodia.
 Cambodian People's Party led by Hun Sen wins 2023 elections.
 Hun Sen stepping down after assuming office in 1998.
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About Combodia
Capital: Phnom Penh Currency: Riel
Cambridge University launches Indian indentured labour history fellowship
 University of Cambridge establishes first-ever visiting fellowship in indentured labour studies.

 Guyanese-American Prof. Gaiutra Bahadur appointed as inaugural fellow.
 Program collaboratively set up by Selwyn College and Ameena Gafoor Institute.
 It aims to address historical omission of indentureship in academic syllabi.
 The Initiative aligns with UK's decolonization efforts and expanding historical perspectives.
India provides financial assistance of Rs 45 crore to support Sri Lanka's digital identity project
 India provides 45 crore rupees to support Sri Lanka's digital identity project.
 Funds received under Indian grant assistance framework.
 High Commissioner of India hands over cheque to Sri Lankan officials.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Digital identity project aims to enhance administrative infrastructure and service delivery.
 India's financial aid highlights commitment to Sri Lanka's digital transformation.
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About Sri Lanka
Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte President: Ranil Wickremesinghe
Prime Minister: Dinesh Gunawardena
MoUs for Four Projects in Education Sector and Water Supply & Sanitation Sector to be implemented
under GoI Grant Assistance in Nepal
 The Embassy of India in Kathmandu and the Government of Nepal signed MoUs for four High
Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs).
 Three projects are in the education sector, and one is in Water Supply and Sanitation.
 The projects will be implemented in different provinces of Nepal, including Sudurpaschim and Koshi.
 The total estimated cost of the projects is 170 million Nepalese rupees.
 India has undertaken 546 HICDPs in Nepal since 2003, with a total cost of around 1220 crore
Nepalese rupees, covering various sectors like health, education, drinking water, connectivity, and
sanitation.
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About Nepal
Capital: Kathmandu Currency: Nepalese rupee Prime Minister: Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Indian-American Shohini Sinha named special agent in charge of FBI in Salt Lake City
 Indian-American Shohini Sinha appointed as special agent in charge of FBI's Salt Lake City field
office in Utah.
 Shohini Sinha known for her work on counter-terrorism investigations.
 She previously served as executive special assistant to the FBI Director in Washington DC.
 She joined FBI as special agent in 2001, promoted to supervisory special agent in 2009.
Learn Along:
About FBI
Founded: 26 July 1908 Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
UNESCO says Venice should be added to heritage danger list
 UNESCO recommends adding Venice to the list of world heritage sites in danger.
 The City faces threats from overwhelming tourism, over development, and rising sea levels due to
climate change.
 UNESCO aims to encourage better preservation of the site for the future.
Learn Along:
About UNESCO
 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United
Nations aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts,
sciences and culture.
 Founded: 16 November 1945 Headquarters: Paris, France Director-General: Audrey Azoulay

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
About Italy
 Capital: Rome Currency: Euro Prime Minister: Giorgia Meloni
STATES
GI tags given to crafts from Rajasthan, mangoes grown in Goa
 Seven Indian products receive Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

 Four products from Rajasthan: Udaipur Koftgari metal craft, Bikaner Kashidakari craft, Jodhpur Bandhej
craft, Bikaner Usta Kala craft.
 Goa Mankurad mango and Goan Bebinca also get the GI tag.
 Jalesar Dhatu Shilp from Uttar Pradesh receives the GI tag.
Learn Along:
About GI Tag
 A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess
qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
 In order to function as a GI, a sign must identify a product as originating in a given place.
Indian-American policy expert Nisha Biswal becomes Deputy Chief Executive Officer of US finance
agency
 Nisha Biswal confirmed as Deputy CEO of United States International Development Finance
Corporation.
 She has over 30 years of experience in US foreign policy and international development programs.
 President Joe Biden nominated her for the position in March.
 Currently, she is Senior Vice President for International Strategy and Global Initiatives at US
Chamber of Commerce.
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About USA
Capital: Washington, D.C. President: Joe Biden Currency: US Doller
Think 20 conference under G20 India Presidency begins in Mysuru, Karnataka
 Think 20 conference under G20 India Presidency started in Mysuru.

 The Focus is on India's G20 Presidency priorities, including sustainable development, trade,
women-led development, digital transformation, green transition, SDGs, and multilateralism.
 The Summit will launch official Statements of seven Task Forces, Policy Briefs, and Ideas Box of
Think20.
 Over 131 co-chairs collaborated to provide recommendations for G20 leadership.
 Observer Research Foundation (ORF) hosting the Think20 Summit as the Think20 Secretariat.
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About Karnataka
Capital: Bangalore Chief minister: Siddaramaiah Trending Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Launches ‘Amrit Brikshya Andolan’ App to Enrich
Assam’s Beauty

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launches "Amrit Brikshya Andolan" portal.
 Aim: Enrich Assam's beauty and combat climate change.
 On September 17, 1 crore commercially viable saplings to be planted in 3 hours by various groups.
 Saplings include sandalwood, teak, and sal, among others.
 Goal: Increase biodiversity and promote economic development.
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About Assam
Capital: Dispur Chief minister: Himanta Biswa Sarma Governor: Gulab Chand Kataria
Non-lapsable Central Pool of Resources Scheme
 A total of 1635 projects worth Rs. 16234.88 crore were sanctioned under Non Lapsable Central Pool
of Resources (NLCPR)-State Scheme; of which, 1307 projects worth Rs. 11,128.00 crore have already
been completed.
 As on 31.07.2023, a total of 328 projects worth Rs. 5105.79 crore are under various stages of
implementation against which the central share of total committed liability is Rs. 925.39 crore.
What is This Scheme?
 The North Eastern Region (NER) comprises eight states: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur,
Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura.
 Development concerns in these states are addressed through their Five Year and Annual Plans and
funding from Union Ministries and Central Agencies.
 The North-Eastern Council (NEC) funds inter-State projects in the region with a separate budget.
 All NER states are Special Category States receiving 90% Grant and 10% Loan for their development
plans, and they can use up to 20% of Central Assistance for Non-plan expenditure.
 The Non-lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) aims to speed up infrastructure development in
the region by providing budgetary financing for new projects.
 Projects in physical infrastructure sectors like Irrigation, Power, Roads, Education, Health, Water
Supply, and Sanitation are prioritized for funding under NLCPR.
 The NLCPR Committee, headed by the Secretary of Ministry of Development of North Eastern
Region, administers the funds.
Foxconn signs MoU with Tamil Nadu govt worth Rs 16,000 crore for new mobile components
manufacturing facility
 Tamil Nadu signed an agreement with Foxconn to build a mobile component manufacturing facility
in Kancheepuram district.
 The proposed cost of the facility is 16,000 crore rupees, and it is expected to employ 6000 people.
 Foxconn is also in talks with Tamil Nadu for future investments, including establishing an EV plant in India
this year.
 The company is yet to decide on the location for expanding semiconductor and chip
manufacturing capacity in India.
 This marks the first major investment by Hon Hai Technology Group after parting ways with Vedanta
on a chip-making joint venture.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Tamil Nadu aims to become a leading electronics manufacturing hub in Asia with this investment
and future ones in the pipeline.
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About Tamil Nadu
Capital: Chennai Chief minister: M. K. Stalin Governor: R. N. Ravi
Rajasthan Cabinet approves formation of 19 new districts, 3 divisions in state
 Rajasthan Cabinet approved the formation of 19 new districts and 3 new divisions in the state.
 This will bring the total number of districts to 50 and divisional headquarters to 10.
 New districts will be notified soon and officially launched by respective ministers on August 7.
 The formation of new districts aims to improve governance and provide relief to people who travel
long distances to reach district headquarters.
 The high-level committee's tenure has been extended for 6 months to allow people to send their
suggestions.
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About Rajasthan
Capital: Jaipur Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot Governor: Kalraj Mishra
Gruha Jyothi Scheme: Karnataka govt launches free power scheme in Kalaburagi
 Karnataka government launched Gruha Jyothi free power scheme in Kalaburagi, Karnataka.
 About 2.14 crore households to benefit from the scheme.
 The Scheme started on July 1, providing free electricity up to 200 units per household.
 The Government also announced Various schemes including Griha Laxmi, Yuva Nidhi, and Anna
Bhagya.
 Gruha Laxmi scheme to launch on August 24, offering Rs 2,000 allowance to woman heads of
households.
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About Karnataka
Bihar to constitute ‘Rhino Task Force’ for reintroduction of rhino conservation scheme in Valmiki
Tiger Reserve
 Bihar government forming 'Rhino Task Force' for rhino reintroduction in Valmiki Tiger Reserve
(VTR).
 Currently, only one rhino in VTR and 14 in Patna Zoo.
 Rhino scheme to increase VTR rhino population; Rhino Task Force recommendations key.
 Plan: Expand rhino areas by 5% in 2 years, provide space for breeding.
 India has 75% of world's one-horned rhinos, mostly in Kaziranga National Park, Assam.
 Rhino relocation aims to create more breeding space, identified areas are Ganauli and Madanpur.
 VTR: 909.86 sq km in West Champaran; tiger population increased 75% from 31 to 54 (2018-2022).
 Bihar considering 'Kaimur wildlife sanctuary' as another tiger reserve.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
About Bihar
Capital: Patna Chief minister: Nitish Kumar Governor: Rajendra Arlekar
‘UN Women’ Partners with Kerala Tourism
 UN Women partners with Kerala Tourism for Women-Friendly Tourism initiative.

 It aims to involve women in tourism and hospitality sectors.
 'Trainer of Trainers' program held to educate women trainers.
 85 women trainers trained to further educate women in tourism.
 Training covers tourism aspects and successful entrepreneurship.
 It aims to create 10,000 enterprises, generate 30,000 jobs, involve 1.5 lakh women.
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About Kerala
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram Chief minister: Pinarayi Vijayan Governor: Arif Mohammed Khan
ISB inks MoU with Goa to start knowledge partnership
 Indian School of Business (ISB) signs MoU with Goa State government for knowledge partnership.
 The MoU Focuses on evidence-based policy formulation and impact.
 ISB's Bharti Institute of Public Policy to support State government's objectives.
 It aims to improve social, economic prosperity indicators.
 It Involves capacity-building workshops and citizen-centric governance initiatives.
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About Goa
Capital : Panaji Governor: P. S. Sreedharan Pillai Chief minister: Pramod Sawant
About ISB
 The Indian School of Business is a private business school established in India in 2001.
 It has two parallel campuses in India, in Hyderabad and Mohali.
 It offers certificates in various post-graduate management programs.
 Chairperson: Harish Manwani
Chhattisgarh CM transfers Rs 15 cr online to beneficiaries as part of Godhan Nyay Yojana

 Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel transfers over Rs 15 crore online as part of Godhan Nyay Yojna
(GNY).
 GNY scheme benefits cattle-rearers, women SHGs, and gauthan committees.
 Rs 5.60 crore to cattle rearers for cow dung sales, Rs 9.69 crore to gauthan committees and women
SHGs.
 GNY launched in July 2020, procures cow dung at Rs 2 per kg for vermicompost.
 Total of Rs 541.66 crore has been given to beneficiaries under GNY.
 Cow urine procurement at Rs 4 per kg started in July 2022.
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About Chhattisgarh
Capital: Raipur Governor: Biswabhusan Harichandan Chief minister: Bhupesh Baghel
Srinagar Tops In Implementing JJM Among Har Ghar Jal Certified Districts In India

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Srinagar district is recognized as the top-performing district under Jal Jeevan Survekshan (JJS-
2023) among 114 Har Ghar Jal certified villages in implementing Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) from Oct 1,
2022, to June 30, 2023.
 Srinagar excelled in Har Ghar Jal Certification, Water Quality Testing, Training of women, and O&M
Staff.
 Pani Samitis formed for community involvement, decision making in Water Supply Schemes.
 Jal Jeevan Mission aims to provide rural households with adequate, quality water.
Learn Along
About Jal Jeevan Mission:
 Jal Jeevan Mission, a central government initiative under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to ensure access of
piped water for every household in India.
 The mission’s goal is to provide to all households in rural India safe and adequate water through individual
household tap connections by 2024.
 The Har Ghar Nal Se Jal programme was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget
2019-20 speech.
 This programme forms a crucial part of the Jal Jeevan Mission. The programme aims to implement source
sustainability measures as mandatory elements, such as recharge and reuse through grey water management,
water conservation, and rain water harvesting.
Haryana’s Nuh secures 2nd position in Niti Aayog’s Delta ranking under Aspirational Districts
Programme
 Aspirational Districts Programme got success in Nuh, Haryana and Moved the state from 30th to 2nd
position in Niti Aayog’s Delta ranking.
 It aims to uplift socio-economically challenged districts.
 Nuh ranked first in agriculture and water resources.
 Second in health and nutrition, score up from 64.9 to 71.3.
 NITI Aayog listed 112 Aspirational districts in India.
 The Program focuses on 87 fixed parameters for development.
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About Haryana
Capital: Chandigarh Chief minister: Manohar Lal Khattar Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
Gujarat CM launches mobile app that will help forest dept track movement of lions
 Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launches 'Sinh Suchna' mobile app on World Lion Day.
 The app enables public to report lion movement to state forest department.
 It aims to prevent human-animal conflicts and track lions in real time.
 Lion safari park planned near Una town to relieve Gir National Park load.
 Gujarat's lion population reaches 674 due to conservation efforts.
 Central government's 'Project Lion' allocates Rs 2,900 crore for Asiatic lion conservation.
 Project includes breeding and isolation centers, CCTV cameras, radio collars, and drones.
 Gir forest remains sole habitat for Asiatic lions worldwide.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
About Gujarat
Capital: Gandhinagar Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel Governor: Acharya Devvrat
Ahmedabad to build own crematorium for stray cows
 A Crematorium is planned near Gyaspur Sewage radiation plant in Ahmedabad for clean disposal of
dead cows.
 It is Spread across 4,000 sq. m.
 It aims to address dead cow disposal issue, replacing landfill in Pirana.
 It is equipped with efficient CNG furnace, capable of handling 15 carcasses daily.
 Views from various departments sought on project feasibility.
 The Project cost is estimated at Rs 6 crore, a crane to lift animals into incinerator.
Kerala Assembly Approves Resolution to Rename State as ‘Keralam’
 Kerala Assembly passes resolution to rename state as "Keralam" in Constitution and records.
 The Resolution cites historical and linguistic basis for change from "Kerala" to "Keralam."
 Keralam's origin possibly linked to "Cheram" or "Cheralam" meaning "region" or "land."
Learn Along:
About Kerala
Andhra Pradesh CM Reddy distributes free education kits to 43 lakh students
 Andhra Pradesh CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy distributes free education kits to 43 lakh students in
Palnadu district.
 'Jagananna Vidya Kanuka' scheme provides kits worth Rs 1,043 crore to government and aided
school students.
 Each kit includes bilingual textbooks, notebooks, uniforms, shoes, socks, dictionary, and more.
 Chief Minister emphasizes commitment to ensuring students have essential items for academic year.
 The State allocated significant funds over years: Rs 3,367 crore for the scheme.
 CM announced lift irrigation project, R&R package, high-level bridge, and inaugurates polytechnic
college.
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About Andhra Pradesh
Capital: Amaravati Chief minister: YS Jagan Mohan Reddy Governor: S. Abdul Nazeer
Inauguration of 'Indira Gandhi Smartphone Yojana'
 Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot launches 'Indira Gandhi Smartphone Scheme' in Jaipur.

 It aims to empower women, revolutionize IT sector, provide mobiles to all women.
 'Seekho Digital, Sikhaao Digital' Digital Sakhi Handbook was also released.
 Phase 1: 40 lakh women and girl students receive smartphones with Rs 6800 DBT.
 Second phase to cover 80 lakh women.
 The Focus is on women's access to welfare schemes, knowledge sharing, social service.
Learn Along:

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
About Rajasthan
Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot Governor: Kalraj Mishra Capital: Jaipur
Rajasthan’s Annapurna free food packet scheme to benefit 1.10 cr. People
 Annapurna Food Packet Scheme launched by Rajasthan Congress government.

 Aim: Benefit 1.10 crore people, including poor families from COVID survey and NFSA beneficiaries.
 It was inaugurated by CM Ashok Gehlot on Independence Day.
 Free food packets would be supplied for poor families assisted with ₹5,500 during pandemic, and
NFSA families.
 Contents per packet: 1 kg each gram pulses, sugar, iodised salt; 1 litre soybean oil; 100g chilli powder,
coriander powder; 50g turmeric.
 Aim: No hunger in Rajasthan.
UP Govt inks MoU for 5,000 special accommodations
 UP government partners with private firm for 5,000 accommodations at Maha Kumbh 2025 in
Prayagraj.
 The accommodations include homestays, bed and breakfast, paying guest units across major
towns.
 The Directorate of Tourism signs MoU with Luzern Ventures Private Limited (OGA).
 MoU spans five years to enhance tourism landscape.
 Collaboration aims to establish and manage diverse accommodation options.
 The Focus is on 5,000 accommodations in Prayagraj and nearby areas for Maha Kumbh Fair 2025.
Learn along:
About Uttar Pradesh
Capital: Lucknow Chief minister: Yogi Adityanath Governor: Anandiben Patel
M.P. Chief Minister announces housing scheme for the poor
 Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan announces new housing scheme for poor.
 Goal: Ensure homes for all, even those not covered by existing schemes.
 Target: Double per capita income by 2030, from ₹1.40L to ₹2.80L.
 44L houses built under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana; 22L more under Awas Plus.
Learn Along:
Capital: Bhopal Chief minister: Shivraj Singh Chouhan Governor: Mangubhai C. Patel
India gets first-ever night street racing circuit in Chennai
 Tamil Nadu government and RRPL launched a new 3.5km street circuit in Chennai.
 Tamil Nadu government Partnered with Racing Promotions Private Limited (RRPL), also promoter
of Indian Racing League and F4 Indian Championship.
 Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin inaugurated the circuit located around Island Grounds.
 It is India's first street circuit; to host night races.

Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Events: F4 Indian Championship, Indian Racing League on Dec 9-10.

 SDAT invests Rs 42 crore for hosting.
Learn Along:
About Tamil Nadu
President Droupadi Murmu launches Addiction Free Bengal Campaign in Kolkata to fight drug
menace
 President Droupadi Murmu launches 'My Bengal, Addiction Free Bengal' Campaign in Kolkata.
 The campaign is part of 'Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' by Brahma Kumaris.
 The President emphasizes concern over drug abuse's impact on youth and society.
Learn Along:
About West Bengal
Capital: Kolkata Governor: C. V. Ananda Bose Chief minister: Mamata Banerjee
Union Power Minister to dedicate NTPC’s 660 MW Super Thermal Power Project in Barh, Bihar
 Union Minister R. K. Singh to dedicate 660 MW unit of NTPC's Barh Super Thermal Power Project on
August 18, 2023.
 The Minister to lay foundation stone for POWERGRID's 400/132 kV Lakhisarai Sub-station extension
to enhance power availability in Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Munger, Jamui districts.
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About Bihar
Capital: Patna Governor: Rajendra Arlekar Chief minister: Nitish Kumar
India’s first village atlas’ is of Mayem in Goa
 Goa CM Pramod Sawant released biodiversity atlas of Mayem village in North Goa.
 The Atlas presents socio-cultural history dating back to 12th century.
 The Chief Minister terms it "India's first village atlas."
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About GOA
Capital: Panaji Chief minister: Pramod Sawant Governor: P. S. Sreedharan Pillai
NLC India Limited enters into Long Term Power Usage Agreement for 300 MW Solar Project with
Rajasthan
 NLC India Limited signed Long Term Power Usage Agreement with Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam
Limited.
 The power usage agreement signed for 300 MW Solar project, to generate 750 Million Units annually
under CPSU Scheme at Rajasthan.
 NLCIL has 1,421 MW Renewable Energy Capacity, plans to establish 6,031 MW by 2030.
 It Secured 510 MW Solar Project capacity in CPSU Scheme Phase-II Tranche-III.
Learn Along:
About NLC India Ltd
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Founded: 1956 Headquarters: Chennai, India
About Rajasthan
32nd Manipuri Language Day observed
 In Manipur, the 32nd Manipur Language Day was observed on 20th August 2023 by different
organisations marking the inclusion of Manipuri language in the Eighth Schedule of the
Constitution of India on 20th August 1992.
 The Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan conveyed wishes to
the people of Manipur and saluted those persons who had taken responsibilities and worked hard to
include the Manipuri Language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
 The Ministry of Education has directed the Indira Gandhi National Open University to start teaching
different courses in Manipuri Language.
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About Manipur
Capital: Imphal Chief minister: N. Biren Singh Governor: Anusuiya Uikey
State govt to launch a special campaign aimed at improving health of malnourished children through
Women & Child Development Department: Haryana Chief secy Sanjeev Kaushal
 Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal on 18th August 2023 announced that the state government
will launch a special campaign aimed at improving the health of malnourished children through the
Women and Child Development Department.
 After presiding over the 5th meeting of the State Convergence Committee under POSHAN Abhiyaan
Sanjeev Kaushal announced that this initiative will focus on addressing factors such as underweight
and stunted growth that impact the lives of children from birth to 6 years of age.
 The goal is to overcome these factors by 2026 and promote the overall health of children and women.
 The government will introduce a spirulina-based product under the Integrated Child Development
Scheme (ICDS) for children facing severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and moderate acute malnutrition on a
pilot basis in Mewat for a duration of 6 months.
 The state government will introduce a pictorial card game called "Poshan ki Potli" through the
Women and Child Department to raise awareness about the nutritional value and benefits of different food
items.
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About Haryana
Capital: Chandigarh Chief minister: Manohar Lal Khattar Governor: Bandaru Dattatreya
MP Govt Announces 35% Reservation For Women In Jobs As Part Of Ladli Behna Scheme
 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan increased the financial assistance granted to
women under the Ladli Behna Scheme from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,250 per month on 27 August.
 Apart from this, the MP CM also declared 35 per cent reservation for them in government posts and
cooking gas cylinders will be distributed to women at ₹450 in August to honor 'Sawan'.
 In the holy month of Sawan, women will receive cooking gas at 450.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 According to government data, a total of 3,628.85 crore has been distributed as financial aid to eligible
women under the Ladli Behna Yojana, which began on 10 June this year.
 Women between the ages of 23 and 60 who are not income tax-payers and have an annual family
income of less than 2.5 lakh receive Rs 1,000 a month under the scheme.
Learn Along:
About Ladli Behna Yojana

 Madhya Pradesh government has launched a new scheme called Ladli Behna Yojana in March 2023.
 Laadli Bahna Yojana is a government scheme to empower the lives of girls and women especially in Madhya
Pradesh.
 The Chief Minister plans to help poor girls and women in the state become financially independent through
the “Laadli Bahna Yojana”.
 The government has announced to spend up to 60 thousand crore rupees in this scheme in the next 5
years.
Keralites across the globe celebrating "Thiruonam", the most auspicious day of Onam
 Keralalites across the globe is celebrating "Thiruonam", the 10th and the most auspicious day of
Onam, the biggest cultural festival of the State.
 Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala, symbolises prosperity, secularism,and harmony.
 Irrespective of religion, Keralites celebrate the festival welcoming the visit of the righteous and
mythical king Mahabali,in the memory of good old days.
 Onam is associated with onasadya,pookkalam, onakodi,ujyallattam , pulikalli, vallamkalli and
family together.
Learn Along:
About Kerala
Capital: Thiruvananthapuram Chief minister: Vijayan Pinarayi Governor: Arif Mohammed Khan
Maharashtra Govt signs MoU with Germany's professional association football league to help
young players
 The Maharashtra Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Germany's
professional association football league, 'Bundesliga', to build a football team for players under the
age of 14.
 The Bundesliga is Germany’s premier professional football league.
 The league is famous for its rich history and exciting football experience.
 It is one of the leading football leagues in Europe and the best football players and teams belong to
the league.
 Founded in 1963, the Bundesliga league sees 18 clubs compete for the prestigious title each season.
Learn Along:
About Mahrashtra
Capital: Mumbai Chief minister: Eknath Shinde Governor: Ramesh Bais
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
India’s first AI school launched in Kerala
 AI school has been started in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, making this the first of its kind in the
country.
 The Santhigiri Vidyabhavan, located in the state’s capital city, was inaugurated by former president
Ram Nath Kovind.
 The school is a result of a collaboration between iLearning Engines (ILE) USA and Vedhik eSchool
and aims to provide students with a technologically-driven educational experience.
 The AI school utilises artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technological systems to enhance the
learning outcomes for students.
 It involves the integration of AI technologies, such as machine learning, natural language processing,
and data analysis, into various aspects of education, including curriculum design, personalized learning,
assessment, and student support.
Learn Along:
About Kerala
Ashok Gehlot launched Mission-2030 to make Rajasthan leading State
 Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on 22nd August launched the “Rajasthan Mission-2030” to
bring Rajasthan to the front row of developed States in the next seven years.
 The opinions and views would be sought from subject experts, academicians, students, traders,
office workers and labourers till September 15 to prepare the document by the end of the month while
unveiling the mission at a programme at B.M. Birla Auditorium.
 Ashok Gehlot launched a dedicated web portal through which the people could share their
suggestions.
Learn Along:
About Rajsathan
Sports Minister Shri Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurates 33 Khelo India Centres across Rajasthan
 The Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated 33 Khelo India
Centres in the State of Rajasthan at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
 The Union Minister announced that a National Center of Excellence with a dedicated Sports Science
Centre will be set up in Rajasthan along with additional 18 Khelo India centres, thus taking the total
number of Khelo India centres in the State to 51.
 Competitions will be organised between the Khelo India Centers while Coaching the Coaches
programme will also be extended to the Khelo India Center.
 Coaches as well & the KIC coaches will be trained by getting them attached with our national &
international coaches.
Learn Along:
About Rajashtan
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Telangana, Unesco join hands to implement UN recommendation on ethics of AI
 The Telangana government and UNESCO will be collaborating to implement the UNESCO
Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (AI) after a Letter of Intent was.
 The collaboration focuses on promoting the ethical development and use of AI awareness raising,
capacity building, and contributions to UNESCO's Global Observatory on AI Ethics, a release said.
 The partnership signifies a shared commitment to an AI-powered future that prioritises societal good
and equitable development, it said.
 A significant collaboration between the Information Technology, Electronics and Communications (ITE&C)
Department of the Government of Telangana and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO), is set to shape the landscape of the ethical development of and use of
Artificial Intelligence (AI.
Learn Along:
About Telangana
Capital: Hyderabad Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan
About UNESCO
Founded: 16 November 1945 Headquarters: Paris, France Director-General: Audrey Azoulay
Centre approves Rajasthan’s fifth tiger reserve in Dholpur-Karauli
 The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has approved the Dholpur-Karauli Tiger Reserve
in Rajasthan.
 This is India’s 54th tiger reserve and Rajasthan’s fifth tiger reserve after Ranthambore, Sariska,
Mukundra Hills and Ramgarh Vishdhari.
 Tiger Reserves are notified by State Governments as per provisions of Section 38V of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972 on advice of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.
 The number of tigers in India has increased from 2,967 in 2018 to 3,682 in 2022, an annual rise of
6%.
 Madhya Pradesh has the maximum number of tigers in the country (785), followed by Karnataka
(563), Uttarakhand (560), and Maharashtra (444).
 The number of tigers in Rajasthan has increased from 32 in 2006 to 88 in 2022.
Learn Along:
About Rajasthan
About NTCA
 The National Tiger Conservation Authority was established in December 2005, following a recommendation of
the Tiger Task Force, The Prime Minister of India established it to reorganise the management of Project Tiger and
India's many Tiger Reserves in India.
Karnataka govt. launched Gruha Lakshmi scheme
 The Congress government in Karnataka launched the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ scheme, offering a monthly
assistance of Rs 2,000 to about 1.1 crore women who are heads of their households.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 “Gruha Lakshmi” scheme, rolled out amid fanfare, is one of the five pre-poll ‘guarantees’ of the
Congress, which ousted the BJP from power in the May Assembly elections.
 The government has already implemented three of the five ‘guarantees’ (pre-poll promises) – ‘Shakti’,
‘Gruha Jyothi’ and ‘Annabhagya’ -- and ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ is the fourth one.
 The government has earmarked Rs 17,500 crore for the ‘Gruha Lakshmi’ programme in the current
financial year.
 The fifth guarantee ‘Yuva Nidhi’ (Youth Fund) promises to give Rs 3000 and Rs 1,500 a month to the
unemployed graduates and diploma holders, respectively, who failed to get a job even after six months of
clearing the exam in the 2022-23 academic year.
 The scheme will be launched in December.
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About Karnataka
REPORTS AND INDEXES

State of India’s Birds report
 The State of India’s Birds 2023 report, which was released recently, has listed out the avian species
of highest conservation priority for the State.
 Broad-tailed grassbird, Garganey, and Banasura and Ashambu Laughingthrushes, which have
a highly restricted distribution, are among 20 bird species of Kerala that are facing high risk of
survival.
 The earlier assessment carried out in 2020 had listed 15 species of conservation priority.
 The report is brought out by the State of India’s Birds Partnership, a group of 13 government and
non-government organisations.
 This year, the report assessed the “status of 942 bird species largely using data uploaded by
birdwatchers to the online platform eBird.”
 Nilgiri Flycatcher (Eumyias albicaudatus), a resident species, which is endemic to the Western
Ghats, is a species whose abundance has rapidly declined during the past eight years. The species is
found distributed in a limited area in the State, according to the report.
 Six avian species, found in the forests and plantation habitats of the State, were found facing
the maximum threat.
India's fuel subsidies fourth largest in the world - IMF data
 According to the data provided by the International Monetary Fund, India provided the fourth largest
fuel subsidies among countries in absolute terms in 2022 preceded by China, the United States
and Russia.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Globally, fossil fuel subsidies were $7 trillion in 2022 or 7.1 per cent of GDP.According to the IMF
data, China had the highest fuel subsidies ($2.2 trillion) in 2022, followed by the United States ($757
billion), Russia ($421 billion), India ($346 billion), and the European Union ($310 billion).
 Out of India’s $346 billion (or 10.6 per cent of GDP) fuel subsidies, $32 billion is explicit subsidies
while $314 billion is implicit subsidies. However, India’s per capita fuel subsidies was much lower at
$245 compared to Saudi Arabia ($6996), South Korea ($3120), Russia ($2982), Japan ($2498), US
($2243) and China ($1568).
Learn Along:
IMF Headquarters: Washington, United States MD: Kristalina Georgieva
India's per capita income to rise 7.5-times by FY47: SBI Research
 According to a study conducted by SBI Research, India’s per capita income is set to increase 7.5
times to Rs 14.9 lakh ($12,400) per annum by FY47 from Rs 2 lakh ($2,500) in FY23.
 The SBI study claims that the weighted mean income of tax filers will increase to Rs 49.9 lakh in
FY47, from Rs 13 lakh in FY22, owing to the transition to an upper-income group economy from a
lower-income group and tax buoyancy.
 The number of tax filers is expected to increase to 482 million by FY47, increasing the share of the
taxable workforce to 85.3% from 22.4% in FY23.
 The number of people set to file zero tax returns would also decline by another 25% by FY47, with
most shifting to the next income group.
Learn Along:
SBI Headquarters: Mumbai Chairperson: Dinesh Kumar Khara
Fintech loan disbursement rose 21% YoY in FY23: FACE-Equifax report
 According to the FACE-Equifax Fintech Lending Trends Report, the number of loans disbursed
rose 49 per cent Y-o-Y to 71 million in FY23, compared to 47.7 million.
 Consolidating growth in digital lending, fintech players disbursed loans worth Rs 92,267 crore in
the year ended March 2023, showing a 21 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) increase over FY22.
 Digital loans continue to drive financial inclusion, with customers from Tier-III cities having the
largest share of digital loans, contributing to 40 per cent of the disbursement value. This is followed
by Tier-II cities at 35 per cent and Tier-I cities at 25 per cent.
 Personal loans dominated digital lending products, with their share accounting for 83 per cent in
disbursement volume in FY23.
 The market share of consumer loans by number of loans was 16 per cent, compared to 15 per cent
in FY22. The market share of short-tenure loans, those with less than a six-month tenor, increased
to 88 per cent of the total disburseme.nt value in FY23 from 65 per cent in FY22.
 The asset quality of digital loans improved, with the 90-day-plus delinquency rate declining to 4.04
per cent for FY23.
Ministry of Jal Shakti Released the 6th Census Report On Minor Irrigation (MI) Schemes
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation released the report on the 6th census on minor irrigation schemes.
 As per the report, 23.14 million minor irrigation (MI) schemes have been reported in the country,
out of which 21.93 million (94.8%) are Ground Water (GW) and 1.21 million (5.2%) are Surface Water
(SW) schemes.
 Uttar Pradesh possesses the largest number of MI schemes in the country followed by
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
 Leading States in GW schemes are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
and Telangana.
 In SW schemes Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha and Jharkhand have the highest
share.
 GW schemes comprise dugwells, shallow tube wells, medium tube wells and deep tube wells.
 The SW schemes comprise surface flow and surface lift schemes.
 There has been increase of about 1.42 million in MI schemes during 6th MI census as compared
to 5th Census.
 At the national level, both GW and SW schemes have increased by 6.9% and 1.2%, respectively.
 The census was conducted under the centrally sponsored scheme “Irrigation Census”.
 This report will be useful for planners, policy makers, researcher scholars, agricultural and
ground water scientists, administrators & all concerned with development of irrigation and
agricultural economy of the country.
G20 Governments Provide $1.4 Trillion in Fossil Fuel Support Despite Climate Goals
 The G20 poured record levels of public money into fossil fuels last year despite having promised to
reduce some of it.
 According to the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) thinktank, The amount
of public money flowing into coal, oil and gas in 20 of the world’s biggest economies reached a
record $1.4tn(£1.1tn) in 2022, , even though world leaders agreed to phase out “inefficient” fossil
fuel subsidies at the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow two years ago.
 The report comes ahead of a meeting of G20 countries in Delhi next month that could set the tone
for the next big climate conference, which takes place in the United Arab Emirates in November.
Learn Along:
About G20
 Founded: 26 September 1999 Chairman (Incumbent): Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
Maharashtra becomes second-highest State that possesses largest number of minor irrigation
schemes after UP
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 As per the 6th census report on minor irrigation schemes, Maharashtra is the second-highest
State that possesses the largest number of minor irrigation (MI) schemes in the country after Uttar
Pradesh.
 The Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga
Rejuvenation released the report.
 The report stated that 23.14 million minor irrigation (MI) schemes have been reported in the
country, out of which 21.93 million (94.8 per cent ) are Ground Water (GW) and 1.21 million (5.2 percent)
are Surface Water (SW) schemes.
 There has been an increase of about 1.42 million in MI schemes during the 6th MI census as
compared to the 5th Census.
 GW schemes comprise dugwells, and shallow, medium, and deep tube wells. The SW schemes include
surface flow and surface lift schemes.
 Maharashtra is the leading State in dug-wells, surface flow, and surface lift schemes, followed by
Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Leading States in GW schemes are Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
West Bengal, Punjab, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Bihar and Rajasthan wherein some of
the districts are yet to achieve the target of 75 Amrit Sarovars per district
 States have taken efforts to achieve the District level target of 75 Amrit Sarovar in each of the
districts of the State with a exception in case of West Bengal, Punjab, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil
Nadu, Haryana, Bihar and Rajasthan wherein some of the districts are yet to achieve the target of 75
Amrit Sarovars per district.
 So far, out of 1,12,277 number of identified Amrit Sarovars, the work has been started for 81,425
number of Amrit Sarovars and a total of 66,278 number of Amrit Sarovars have been constructed/
rejuvenated.
Learn Along:
 Mission Amrit Sarovar has been launched by the Prime Minister on 24th April 2022 with an objective to
provide sustainable water sources wherein every district is expected to construct/ rejuvenate a minimum of 75
Amrit Sarovar.
 The National target of 50,000 Amrit Sarovars has been achieved by following due guidelines of the Mission.
 This Mission is being implemented with a whole of Government Approach in which 8 Central
Ministries/Department namely Dept.
Indian Himalayan Region
 The Himalayan region, renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and cultural heritage, faces a pressing
need to address sanitation issues that have long been overshadowed by concerns over illegal
construction and surging tourist influx.
 A recent analysis conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), highlighted the dire
state of sanitation systems in Himalayan states.
Major Highlights of the Analysis
 Water Supply and Wastewater Generation: According to Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin guidelines,
each hill town receives approximately 150 liters per capita of water supply.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Alarmingly, 65-70% of this water supply is converted into wastewater.

 Grey Water Management Challenges: In Uttarakhand, merely 31.7% of households are connected to
sewerage systems, leaving the majority reliant on on-site sanitation facilities.
 Both households and small hotels frequently resort to using soak pits to manage grey water, generated
from bathrooms and kitchens.
 The presence of unlined open drains in some towns leads to the unregulated flow of grey water,
exacerbating its infiltration into the ground.
 Implications for Soil and Landslides: The Himalayan region's soil makeup, including clayey, loamy, and
metamorphosed schist, phyllite, and gneiss rocks, is inherently delicate.
Learn Along:
 The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is spread across 13 Indian States/Union Territories (namely Jammu and
Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland,
Sikkim, Tripura, Assam and West Bengal), stretching across 2500 km.
 Nearly 50 million people reside in this region, which is characterized by a diverse demographic, and versatile
economic, environmental, social and political systems.
Performance Audit of National Social Assistance Programme - Union Government (Civil), Ministry of
Rural Development (Performance Audit)
 This Report contains significant results of the Performance Audit of National Social Assistance
Programme covering the period from 2017-18 to 2020-21.
 During 2017-21, Government of India allocated ₹ 34,432 crore for NSAP.
 Further, States and UTs also allocated ₹ 1,09,573 crore, as additional assistance for pension and for
coverage of additional beneficiaries.
 NSAP reached out to 2.83 crore beneficiaries annually, on an average, during 2017-21. In addition,
1.82 crore beneficiaries were covered by States/UTs, on an average, during the said period.
Learn Along:
 NSAP aims to provide basic financial support to old age, widow and severely disabled persons from BPL
list as well as to BPL families in case of death of primary breadwinner.
 The Ministry of Rural Development, being the administering Ministry, releases the funds sub-scheme-wise
to all States/UTs based on annual allocations.
 NSAP is being implemented in both rural as well as urban areas in all States and UTs.
Number of elephants in Karnataka goes up by 346 from last census, touching 6,395
 Minister for Forests Eshwar Khandre releases report ahead of World Elephant Day to raise
awareness about endangered species.
 Elephant population in Karnataka increases by 346, reaching 6,395 in 2023.
 Synchronised census conducted in collaboration with neighboring states.
 Average elephant density in Karnataka: 0.34 per sq km.
 Bandipur Tiger Reserve has highest density: 0.96 per sq km with 1,116 elephants.
 Nagarahole Tiger Reserve: 831 elephants, density 0.93.
 BRT Tiger Reserve: 619 elephants, density 0.69.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary: 706 elephants, density 0.60.

 Census involved 3,400+ personnel from 32 forest divisions.
Elephant numbers on the rise
Year Elephants
2010 5740
2012 6072
2017 6049
2023 6395
India ranks 6th in South Asia for internet resilience
 India ranks sixth in South Asia with a 43% score in the Internet Resilience Index (IRI).
 India's security is above average due to highest global IPv6 adoption.
 Bhutan (58%), Bangladesh (51%), Maldives (50%), Sri Lanka (47%), Nepal (43%) outrank India in IRI.
 India's market readiness for self-regulation and affordability is relatively poor.
 IRI pillars: Infrastructure (31%), Performance (40%), Security (66%), Market Readiness (35%).
 India's mobile coverage surpasses fixed network coverage.
 Mobile performance (29%) is much lower than fixed network performance (55%).
Learn Along
About IRI
 The Internet Resilience Index (IRI) is a composite indicator that measures a country’s performance against
the key pillars of a robust Internet ecosystem.
India succeeds in reducing emissions rate by 33% over 14 years
 According to Third National Communication (TNC) report:

 India's greenhouse emissions rate dropped by 33% in 14 years due to increased renewable energy
generation and forest cover.
 This progress aligns with India's commitment to UNFCCC, aiming for a 45% reduction in
emissions intensity by 2030 from 2005 levels.
 Emissions intensity fell 33% from 2005 to 2019; annual reduction rate increased to 3% from 2016-
2019.
 Renewable energy push led to fastest reduction, decoupling economic growth from emissions.
 Forest cover expanded to 24.56% (80.73 million hectares) by 2019, aiding emission reduction.
 Non-fossil fuel-based power increased to 25.3% of total generation, thermal power down to 73%.
World rice price index jumps to near 12-year high in July: FAO
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) All Rice Price Index rose 2.8% in July from a month
ago to its highest level in nearly 12 years as prices in key exporting countries jumped on strong
demand and India's move to curb the exports.
 The index which tracks prices in key exporting countries, averaged 129.7 points in July against 126.2
points for the previous month.
 India, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Pakistan are among leading exporters of rice. China,
Philippines, Benin, Senegal, Nigeria and Malaysia are key importers of the staple.
Learn Along:
Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy Secretary General: Qu Dongyu
WTO ranks India 18th in merchandise exports
 The World Trade Organization (WTO) released its 2023 edition of the World Trade Statistical
Review (WTSR), its annual flagship publication featuring key data on global trade in merchandise
and commercial services.
 It presents recent trends in international trade at a time of geopolitical and macroeconomic
strains and technological challenges affecting the global economy and supply chains.
 Trade in goods and services amounted to $31 trillion in 2022, a 13 per cent rise year-on-year (Y-o-
Y). While trade in goods exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2021, trade in services caught up in 2022.
 China remained the top merchandise exporter in 2022 but its share in world exports declined to 14
per cent (from 15 percent in 2021). The United States (8 per cent of world trade) and Germany (7 per
cent) were ranked in second and third positions.
 The share of manufactured goods in world merchandise exports fell to 63 per cent in 2022 (versus
68 per cent in 2018) mainly due to high energy prices limiting demand.
 The WTSR ranks India 18th in the list of merchandise exporters with exports of $453 billion and 1.8
per cent of global merchandise trade share. India is ranked 7th in the list of services exporters with
exports of $309 billion and 4.4 per cent of global services trade share.
 India was 9th largest goods importer with imports of $723 billion and 3.4 per cent share of global
merchandise imports. India is ranked 9th in the list of services importers with imports of $249 billion
and 3.8 per cent share of global services imports.
Learn Along:
World Trade Organization Headquarters: Geneva Director General: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Karnataka Leads with Most Billionaire MLAs; Uttar Pradesh Lags Behind: ADR Analysis
 Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) conducted a comprehensive analysis on financial

dynamics of elected representatives in Indian states.
 Karnataka has the highest count of billionaire MLAs, highlighting wealth distribution among MLAs.
 Karnataka's political landscape includes accomplished individuals from diverse sectors engaged
in legislative matters.
 Uttar Pradesh lags behind in the number of billionaire MLAs despite its political significance.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 ADR analysis raises questions about the role of wealth in political representation and
governance.
 It Prompts discussions on transparency, accountability, and equitable representation in India's
democracy.
 It Urges citizens, policymakers, and experts to delve deeper into implications on the democratic
fabric of the nation.
State Total MLAs
Karnataka 223
Andhra Pradesh 174
Maharashtra 284
Uttar Pradesh 403
Tripura 59
West Bengal 293
Kerala 135
India's overall unemployment rate falls to 7.95% in July due to farm demand
 According to data released by Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, India’s overall unemployment
rate fell in July as rural areas saw increased demand for agriculture labor with the onset of monsoon
rains.
 The total joblessness rate fell to 7.95% in July, from 8.45% in June. Rural unemployment rate fell to
7.89%, from 8.73% in June, while urban unemployment rate ticked up, to 8.06% from 7.87% in the same
period.
Learn Along:
The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy is an independent private limited entity that serves both as an economic
think-tank as well as a business information company. CMIE research group has built databases on the Indian
economy and private companies.
IMD Recently Launched the Heat Index on Experimental Basis
 India Meteorological Department (IMD) introduces Heat Index on an experimental basis.

 The Heat Index combines air temperature and humidity to gauge real-feel temperature.
 It provides a more accurate representation of how hot weather affects the human body.
 Heatwaves, intensified by climate change, pose serious health threats.
 Heat Index aims to enhance public awareness and enable timely precautions.
 Data from various locations will be analyzed during the experimental phase.
 The Goal is to issue accurate heatwave alerts and advisories.
 Heat Index will aid policymakers in formulating effective heat action plans.
Categorization of Heat Levels:
 The Heat Index categorizes the apparent temperature into different levels using color codes:
 Green: Experimental heat Index less than 35°C.
 Yellow: Experimental heat Index in the range 36-45°C.
 Orange: Experimental heat Index in the range 46-55°C.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Red: Experimental heat Index greater than 55°C.

Learn Along:
About India Meteorological Department
 India Meteorological Department was established in 1875.
 It is the National Meteorological Service of the country and the principal government agency in all matters
relating to meteorology and allied subjects.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

MP govt, UNFPA launch chatbot for adolescents on sexual health issues
 Madhya Pradesh government and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launch AI-enabled
chatbot 'Just Ask/Khulke Poochho.'
 It aims to provide accurate information on social issues and sexual and reproductive health and
rights (SRHR) for adolescents and young adults.
 It helps users with questions related to growing up, reproductive health, gender identity, etc.
Learn Along:
About UNFPA
 The United Nations Population Fund, formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN agency
aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide.
Founded: 1969 Headquarters: New York, United States
Bharat Dynamics Limited hands over first Radio Frequency Seeker of Akash to DRDO
 Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) handed over the first Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker of Akash - Next
Generation Weapon System to DRDO.
 Seeker is a critical subsystem used in Surface-to-Air Missiles and Air-to-Air Missiles for target
tracking in the terminal phase.
 RF Seeker designed by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat and produced by BDL at its Seeker Facility
Centre in Hyderabad.
 Dr Samir V Kamat, Chairman DRDO, receives the 1st RF Seeker in a special ceremony at BDL's
Kanchanbagh Unit.
Learn Along:
About Bharat Dynamics Limited
Founded: 1970 Headquarters: Hyderabad, India Chairman & MD: Commodore Siddharth Mishra
Endangered Himalayan vulture, bred in captivity for the first time in India
 Researchers recorded the first captive breeding of Himalayan vulture (Gyps himalayensis) in India
at Assam State Zoo, Guwahati.
 Himalayan vulture is categorized as 'near threatened' on the IUCN Red List and is a common winter
migrant to Indian plains and a resident of the high Himalayas.
 The conservation breeding of Himalayan vulture in Guwahati Zoo is the second instance in the
world, after France, where the species has been bred in captivity.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Several Vulture Conservation Breeding Centres (VCBCs) are established in different states to conserve
white-rumped vulture, slender-billed vulture, and Indian vulture, all of which are categorized as 'Critically
Endangered' due to rapid population declines.
Learn Along:
About IUCN
 Created in 1948, IUCN is now the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network, harnessing the
knowledge, resources and reach of our more than 1,400 Member organisations and 15,000 experts.
 This diversity and expertise makes IUCN the global authority on the status of the natural world and the
measures needed to safeguard it.
 The IUCN Red List, compiled by the IUCN, is considered the world’s most comprehensive information source
about the extinction risk status of plants, animals and fungus species.
 It gives information about population size, range, habitat, ecology, use and/or trade, threats, and
conservation actions that will help inform necessary conservation decisions.
Rajmarg Yatra app
 Rajmarg Yatra app launched by NHAI on August 5, 2023.

 It provides comprehensive info on India's national highways:
 Real-time traffic updates
 Weather forecasts
 Nearby facilities (petrol pumps, restaurants, hotels)
 Complaint redressal services
 FASTag integration for toll payments
Learn Along:
About NHAI
Formation: 1995 Headquarters: Delhi Chairperson: Santosh Kumar Yadav
Iraq eliminates trachoma as a public health problem
 Iraq has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.

 Iraq is fifth country in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to achieve this.
 Iraq established its national trachoma programme in 2012 to coordinate the final domestic push
against the disease. Thousands of healthcare staff contributed to the trachoma elimination.
 Globally, Iraq joins 17 other countries that have been validated by WHO for having eliminated trachoma
as a public health problem. These are Benin, Cambodia, China, Gambia, Ghana, Islamic Republic of
Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman,
Saudi Arabia, Togo and Vanuatu.
 Iraq also 50th country to eliminate at least one neglected tropical disease.
 Trachoma caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, spreads through contact.
 SAFE strategy used to eliminate trachoma: Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, Environmental
improvement.
Learn Along:
About IRAQ
Capital: Baghdad Currency: Iraqi dinar
Oldest species of swimming jellyfish discovered in 505m-year-old fossils
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Oldest swimming jellyfish species found in 505m-year-old Burgess Shale fossils.

 It was named Burgessomedusa phasmiformis, resembles large jellyfish with saucer-shaped body.
 The Well-preserved fossils found in Canada's Burgess Shale.
 The Species had bell-shaped body, short tentacles for capturing prey.
 Jellyfish are part of medusozoans, a subgroup of cnidaria, oldest animal group.
ISRO Transfers IMS-1 Satellite Bus Technology to a Private Industry
 ISRO transfers IMS-1 Satellite Bus Technology to M/S Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (ADTL).
 Technology transfer facilitated by NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm.
 IMS-1 developed by URSC/ISRO, versatile small satellite platform for low-cost space access.
 IMS-1 bus used for Earth imaging, ocean studies, remote sensing, space science missions.
 IMS-1 technology transfer aims to enhance private industry participation in space sector.
 NSIL promotes Indian industries in high-tech space activities, products, and services.
Learn Along:
About ISRO
Founded: 15 August 1969 Headquarters: Bengaluru Chairperson: S. Somanath
Russia to launch first moon lander since 1976 in race with Indian spacecraft
 Russia to launch lunar landing spacecraft after 47 years, racing India to moon's south pole.
 Launch from Vostochny cosmodrome, aims to extract water and resources from lunar south pole.
 Roscosmos' Luna-25 to reach moon in 5 days, spend 5-7 days in lunar orbit, potentially beating India's
Chandrayaan-3.
 Luna-25 (1.8 tons) to test for frozen water, carry out experiments for a year.
Learn Along:
About Russia
Capital: Moscow Currency: Ruble
NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) partners with Tata Play to commission GSAT-24
 NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) partners with Tata Play for GSAT-24 satellite.
 Aim: Enhance satellite broadcasting and entertainment nationwide.
 GSAT-24 boosts Tata Play's bandwidth, improving picture and sound quality.
 Collaboration enables 50% more channels, expanding from 600 to 900 channels.
 Tata Play becomes top DTH platform with premier satellite bandwidth.
Learn Along:
About NewSpace India Limited
 NewSpace India Limited is a Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India and commercial arm of
the Indian Space Research Organisation.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 NSIL is responsible for producing, assembling and integrating the launch vehicle with the help of industry
consortium.
 Founded: 6 March 2019 Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Indian GPS NavIC to be linked to Aadhaar enrolment devices
 NavIC, India's version of GPS, to integrate with Aadhaar enrolment devices.

 Department of Space (DoS) confirms integration, supports field trials.
 Technical expertise provided for procurement specification finalization.
 Currently, Aadhaar enrolment kits use GPS for collecting and verifying personal details.
 This Move enhances accuracy and efficiency of Aadhaar enrolment process.
Learn Along:
About NavIC
 The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, with an operational name of NavIC, is an autonomous
regional satellite navigation system that provides accurate real-time positioning and timing services.
 It covers India and a region extending 1,500 km around it, with plans for further extension.
GRSE launches autonomous underwater vehicle
 India's GRSE launched autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) named Neerakshi.

 Neerakshi equipped for mine-detection (MCM), search-and-rescue (SAR), and anti-submarine warfare
(ASW) training.
 Specifications: 2.15m length, 45kg weight, 3kt speed, 300m operating depth, over 4 hours endurance.
 It is developed in collaboration with Aerospace Engineers Private Limited.
 Neerakshi can be scaled up as per 'Integrated Unmanned Roadmap'.
 GRSE also developing unmanned surface vessel (USV) and shipborne unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV) in partnership with Indian startups.
Learn Along:
About GRSE
Founded: 1884 Headquarters: India Chairman & MD : Cmde PR Hari,IN (Retd.)
First space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun - Aditya-L1
 The first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun - Aditya-L1, is getting ready for its launch
in September 2023.
 The satellite, developed at U R Rao Satellite Centre Bengaluru, has arrived at its spaceport in
Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.
 The spacecraft is expected to be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point - L1 of the Sun-
Earth system, which is about 1.5 million kilometres from the Earth. A satellite placed in the halo orbit
around the L1 point has a major advantage of continuously viewing the Sun without any eclipses.
 This will provide a greater advantage of observing the solar activities and its effect on space weather
in real-time.
Learn Along:
About ISRO
Headquarters: Bengaluru Founded: 15 August 1969 Chairperson: S. Somanath
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
GI tag granted to ‘Rajouri Chikri Woodcraft’ of Jammu and Kashmir
 Rajouri Chikri woodcraft of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been granted the
Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
 Along with this, GI tag has also been given to Mushqbudji variety of rice of Anantnag district of the
state.
 GI Tag is the short form of Geographical Indications in India.
 GI tags are given to both natural or man-made products.
Learn Along:
About Jammu and Kashmir
Union territory: 31 October 2019 Capital: Srinagar (Summer); Jammu (Winter)
About GI Tag
 Geographical Indications of Goods are defined as that aspect of industrial property which refer to the
geographical indication referring to a country or to a place situated therein as being the country or place of
origin of that product.
 Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to
the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality, region or country. Under Articles 1 (2) and 10 of the Paris
Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, geographical indications are covered as an element of IPRs.
 They are also covered under Articles 22 to 24 of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
(TRIPS) Agreement, which was part of the Agreements concluding the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations.
CSIR-NBRI launches lotus flower with 108 petals
 CSIR-NBRI launched improved Lotus variety 'Namoh 108' with 108 petals in Lucknow.
 It was dedicated to the nation a day before Independence Day.
 New aloe vera variety 'NBRI Nihar' and other products were released.
 'Namoh 108' named after religious significance and petal count.
Learn Along
About CSIR-NBRI
 The Botanic Garden of CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow (popularly known as NBRI Botanic
Garden) is a historical garden established in 1789 AD.
 It was a royal garden gifted by Saadat Ali Khan, the then Nawab of Oudh, to his queen, and named it as Sikandar
Bagh after her name.
 In subsequent years, the garden was renamed "Government Horticultural Garden" and "National Botanic
Garden".
 It is in the Lucknow city, the capital of Uttar Pradesh.
 Spread over an area of 65 acres, the garden houses more than 6000 important plant species/varieties collected
from different parts of India and abroad.
Dr Jitendra Singh unveils new variety "Lotus" flower developed by Lucknow Institute CSIR-NBRI
(National Botanical Research Institute): Named ‘Namoh 108’, the new Lotus has 108 petals
 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.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 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.
 Dr Jitendra Singh also released apparel made from lotus fibre and perfume ‘Frotus’, extracted from
lotus flowers and developed by the NBRI under the Lotus Research Programme in collaboration with
FFDC, Kannauj.
Learn Along:
About NBRI
 It is amongst one of the constituent research institutes of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR), New Delhi.
India announces definition of Green Hydrogen
 In a significant move for the progress of the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the government has
notified the Green Hydrogen Standard for India.
 The standard issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India
outlines the emission thresholds that must be met in order for hydrogen produced to be classified
as ‘Green’, i.e., from renewable sources.
 The scope of the definition encompasses both electrolysis-based and biomass-based hydrogen
production methods.
 The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has decided to define Green Hydrogen as having a well-
to-gate emission (i.e., including water treatment, electrolysis, gas purification, drying and compression of
hydrogen) of not more than 2 kg CO2 equivalent / kg H2.
 The notification also specifies that the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power shall be
the Nodal Authority for accreditation of agencies for the monitoring, verification and certification for
Green Hydrogen production projects.
India’s First Drone Common Testing Centre To Be Established In Tamil Nadu
 India's first Unmanned Aerial Systems (Drone) Testing Centre under DTIS to be in Tamil Nadu.
 Area: 2.3 acres at SIPCOT Industrial Park, Vallam Vadagal.
 A consortium led by Keltron chosen to establish facility for ₹45 crore.
 Tamil Nadu aims to boost aerospace and defence self-reliance.
Learn Along:
About Tamil Nadu
New Genetic Insights from Ötzi
 Latest research on Ötzi, the Neolithic Iceman, provides unexpected genetic insights.
 High-coverage genome created, revealing revised characteristics.
 Ötzi had dark skin, eyes, receding hairline, genetic predisposition for baldness.
 Genetic ties with modern Sardinians challenged; major genetic makeup traced to early Anatolian
farmers.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Anatolia's influence on Neolithic migration to Europe has been highlighted.

 Alpine region acted as genetic barrier limiting interactions with northern/western populations.
 Ötzi lived around 5,300 years ago, discovered in Tyrolean Alps.
AgniKul Cosmos Showcases Its Agnibaan Rocket At India's First Private Launch Pad
 Chennai-based aerospace firm AgniKul Cosmos preparing Agnibaan rocket for orbital launch from
India's first private launch pad.
 Agnibaan SOrTeD (Suborbital Tech Demonstrator) undergoes integration checks at ISRO's Satish
Dhawan Space Center.
 Agnibaan rocket powered by Agnilet engine, 3D printed, runs on cryogenic fuel (liquid oxygen),
generates 6 kN thrust at sea level.
 Agnikul becomes second Indian private company to launch rocket after Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-
S.
 Agnibaan is customisable launch vehicle, one or two stages, carries payloads up to 100 kg to 700 km
altitude.
 It has been designed for launch from over 10 different launch ports.
Agnibaan SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator (SOrTeD)
 Recently, AgniKul Cosmos, a space tech start-up based in Chennai, set to launch their
groundbreaking Agnibaan SubOrbital Technological Demonstrator (SOrTeD), the world's first 3D-
printed rocket into space.
 AgniKul Cosmos' journey is supported by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Indian
National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).
 The Agnibaan SOrTeD is a customisable launch vehicle that could be launched in one or two
stages. It is powered by AgniKul’s patented Agnilet engine.
 Agnilet, is a 3D-printed, 6 kilonewton (kN) semi-cryogenic engine that uses liquid oxygen and kerosene
as propellants.
 Unlike traditional sounding rockets that launch from guide rails, Agnibaan SOrTeD will take off vertically
and follow a predetermined trajectory, executing precisely orchestrated maneuvers during its flight.
 It is capable of carrying payloads up to 100 kg to an altitude of 700 km in five different configurations.
 Agnibaan SOrTeD will be the first step towards launching the world’s first 3D-printed rocket into
space.
Learn Along:
What is 3D Printing?
 3D printing is also known as additive manufacturing which uses materials such as plastics and metals to
convert products envisaged on computer-aided design to real three-dimensional items.
 It is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out/hollowing out a piece of metal or plastic
with, for instance, a milling machine.
 3D printing traditionally has been used for prototyping and has a lot of scope in making artificial limbs, stents,
dental crowns, parts of automobiles and consumer goods, among others.
Aditya-L1 Mission to be Launched in 2nd September
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 ISRO announced the launch the PSLV-C57 for the Aditya L1 mission on September 2.
 This is the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun from ISRO, which will be scheduled
for launch on September 2, 2023 from Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota.
 The mission Aditya-L1 from ISRO will travel for a total distance of 1.4 million kilometers from Earth,
which is four times as far as the moon.
 First, the spacecraft will be placed in a low earth orbit, and then it will be made more elliptical to
launch towards the Lagrange point (L1) using onboard propulsion.
 Named after Italian-French mathematician Josephy-Louis Lagrange, Lagrange points are positions
in space with enhanced regions of attraction and repulsion, produced by gravitational forces of the Sun
and the Earth, which can be used for the propulsion of the spacecraft.
 These will help ISRO to collect data on how Corona’s temperature can reach over a million degrees
while the sun itself has a peak temperature of over 6000 degrees Centigrade.
Learn Along:
About ISRO
Founded: 15 August 1969 Headquarters: Bengaluru Chairperson: S. Somanath
Meta’s new AI model can translate & transcribe nearly 100 languages
 Meta has created an AI model, SeamlessM4T, which can translate and transcribe up to 100 languages
across text and speech.
 SeamlessM4T is the first all-in-one multilingual multimodal AI translation and transcription model.
 With its latest model, Meta aims to take interconnectedness to another level, offering users access to
more multilingual content.
 The SeamlessM4T has speech recognition for nearly 100 languages and speech-to-text translation
for nearly 100 input and output languages.
 According to Meta, SeamlessM4T is based on the findings from all the above projects that allow it to
offer multilingual and multimodal translation experience from a single model.
Learn Along:
About Meta
Founded: February 2004 Headquarters: California, U.S. Chairman and CEO: Mark Zuckerberg
Rare Black Eagle Spotted in Himachal Pradesh’s Chail Wildlife Sanctuary
 In an exciting development for wildlife enthusiasts and researchers, a rare Black Eagle has been sighted
in the Chail Wildlife Sanctuary located in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district.
 This marks the first-ever sighting of this majestic bird within the sanctuary’s boundaries, covering
an area of approximately 16 square kilometers.
 Distinguished by its striking appearance and unique yellow beak, the Black Eagle has chosen the
sanctuary’s tree canopy as its preferred habitat.
 The sanctuary, already home to a variety of species such as the pine pheasant, kakad, leopard, ghoral,
and sambar, now adds the Black Eagle to its list of unique inhabitants.
 The discovery was made possible by forest guard Sanjeev Sharma, who managed to capture a
photograph of the Black Eagle using his camera.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Notably, this sighting challenges existing knowledge about eagle habitats in the Himalayan region,
where higher altitudes have traditionally been associated with eagle species.
India is set to achieve $150 billion Bio-Economy by 2025, which stood at over $100 billion in 2022
 Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public
Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh announced India is set to achieve
$150 billion Bio-Economy by 2025, which stood at over $100 billion in 2022.
 The Minister was speaking, while overseeing the signing up of the ‘Implementation Arrangement’ between
the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the United States-National Science Foundation (US-NSF)
today in New Delhi. This was a follow-up of the discussion meeting held between Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale.
Secretary, DBT and Dr Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director, NSF in June, 2023 to discuss opportunities
for developing ‘Strategic Partnership’ between DBT and US-NSF.
 India’s ever-growing Bio-Economy graph is going to contribute significantly to India’s Overall
Economy.
 India has a 3-5% market share in the global biotechnology industry and it ranks 12th in the world in
biotech and 3rd in Asia-pacific.
 India has the 3rd largest Startups ecosystem globally; and the largest vaccine manufacturer.
 The ‘Implementation Arrangement’ will lay the foundation for collaboration between the two
countries on accelerating innovations in the area of ‘Biotechnology Innovation and
Biomanufacturing’.
 This will advance knowledge, technologies, and innovation through supportive collaborative research
to empower biotechnology industries and promote bioeconomy of both the countries.
Learn Along:
About Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
 The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology,Government of India creates and
nurtures strong foundation in biotechnology innovation, research and development across segments such
as bio-pharma, bio-services, agri-biotech, industrial biotech, and bioinformatics.
 The U.S. National Science Foundation (US-NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports science and
engineering in the United States.
 It was established to promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and
secure national defence, through administering grants.
CSIR- NIScPR publishes special issue of the Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics on
Biological Electron Microscopy and Nanobiotechnology
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 As part of the Govt. of India initiative “Azadi

ka Amrit Mahatosav”, and the G20, the
Indian Journal of Biochemistry and
Biophysics (IJBB), CSIR-National
Institute of Science Communication and
Policy Research (NIScPR), New Delhi, has
brought out a special issue in association
with the Department of Anatomy, All India
Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi on
the theme, “Biological Electron
Microscopy and Nanobiotechnology” in
the Indian context.
 As a leading publicly funded Science
publishing institute in India, CSIR-NIScPR
publishes 16 journals in various STI
disciplines, and all of them are indexed
by reputed national/international
agencies like Science Citation Index (Web
of Science), Scopus, NAAS and UGC CARE.
 IJBB, a monthly premier peer-reviewed
research journal in the subject area of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, with the JIF score of
1.4, ranks first amongst the CSIR-NIScPR journals published across the disciplines.
US FDA Approves Pfizer’s Maternal RSV Vaccine To Protect Infants
 Already with an approval in hand for older adults, Pfizer’s Abrysvo has become the first vaccine for
pregnant women to protect their newborns against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
 The FDA has signed off on Abrysvo for women who have been pregnant for 32 to 36 weeks.
 The shot affords protection to babies for the first six months of their lives.
Learn along:
About Pfizer
Founded: 1849 Headquarters: New York City, U.S
Chandrayaan 3
 Chandrayaan 3 has made history by becoming the first mission to soft-land on the lunar south pole,
a region that has never been explored before.
 The mission aimed to demonstrate safe and soft lunar landing, rover mobility, and in-situ scientific
experiments.
 India now joins the United States, Russia, and China as one of the few countries to successfully land
on the Moon.
 Chandrayaan-3 is expected to operate for at least one lunar day (14 Earth days) on the lunar surface.
 The Pragyan rover will move around the landing site within a radius of 500 meters, conducting
experiments and sending data and images to the lander.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The Vikram lander will relay the data and images to the orbiter, which will then transmit them to Earth.
 Lander and Rover modules are collectively equipped with advanced scientific payloads.
Learn Along:
About ISRO
Founded: 15 August 1969 Headquarters: Bangaluru Chairman: S. Somnath
ISRO's Future Expeditions

 Chandrayaan-4: Navigating the Path of Lunar Evolution
 LUPEX: Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission, a collaborative effort between ISRO and JAXA(Japan), is poised
to explore the Moon's polar regions.
 Aditya-L1: Aditya L1 will be the first space based Indian mission to study the Sun.
 XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite): It is India’s first dedicated polarimetry mission to study various dynamics of
bright astronomical X-ray sources in extreme conditions.
 NISAR: NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) is a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) observatory being jointly developed by NASA and
ISRO.
 Shukrayaan 1: It is a planned mission to send an orbiter to Venus, the second planet from the Sun. It is expected to
study Venus’s geological and volcanic activity, emissions on the ground, wind speed, cloud cover, and other
planetary characteristics.
Bacterial Strain to Reduce Methane Emissions
 According to a new study a strain of bacteria could potentially remove methane from major emission
sites such as landfills, paddy fields, and oil and gas wells,.
 Harnessing this bacteria on a large scale can keep 240 million tonnes of methane from reaching the
atmosphere by 2050, the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences showed.
 The bacterial strain Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C consumes methane, which is over 85
times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2) on a 20-year timescale.
 It is responsible for nearly 30 per cent of the total global warming.
 Researchers from the University of Washington explained that the global average temperature rise can
be reduced 0.21-0.22 degree Celsius by removing 0.3-1 petagrams of methane by 2050.
 Methane-eating bacteria (methanotrophs) can be an attractive option. But they grow best when the
methane concentration is around 5,000-10,000 parts per million (ppm).
 However, methane levels in key emission sites are around 500 ppm. So the researchers screened a
range of existing methanotrophs to identify those that consume such low methane (500 ppm) at
significantly higher rates.
 They found that Methylotuvimicrobium buryatense 5GB1C performed the best at 500 ppm. Further
tests also showed that this strain grew well even at 200 ppm.
48 African countries expand landmark Kampala Declaration on Climate Change, Human Mobility
 Forty-eight African countries have articulated their commitment to address climate change and
human mobility challenges in Africa as well as leveraging its opportunities for sustainable development,
through the Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change
(KDMECC).
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 This was agreed during the Conference of States on the continental expansion of the KDMECC
held in Nairobi, Kenya.
 Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to the impacts of climate change.
 The increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events resulting from climate change have
direct consequences on migration.
Learn Along:
About Kampala Declaration
 The Kampala Ministerial Declaration on Migration, Environment and Climate Change gives us the
unprecedented opportunity to support Member State priorities in addressing the challenges whilst also
leveraging migration for sustainable development.”
 Originally signed and agreed upon by 15 African states in Kampala, Uganda in July 2022, KDMECC addresses
the nexus of human mobility and climate change in the whole of Africa.
 The Declaration is the first Member State –led, comprehensive and action-oriented framework to address
climate-induced mobility in practical and effective ways.
 The KDMECC-AFRICA is expected to be signed by Member States during the Africa Climate Summit in
Nairobi on 4 September 2023.
Nitin Gadkari launches world's first ethanol-run Toyota Innova
 Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, on August 29 launched world's first version
of ethanol-run Toyota Innova in a boost to enhance clean energy use in the country.
 This is world's 1st prototype of BS-6 (Stage II) ‘electrified flex fuel vehicle’ developed by Toyota
Kirloskar Motor.
 The launch is in line with the government's policy drive to decrease India's dependency on
imported petroleum and shift away from fossil fuels.
DEFENCE
DAC approves proposals worth Rs 7,800 crore to enhance operational capabilities of the Armed
Forces
 A Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting, held under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Shri
Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals worth
approximately Rs 7,800 crore on August 24, 2023.
 To enhance the efficiency of the Indian Air Force, the DAC has granted AoN for procurement and
installation of Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite on Mi-17 V5 Helicopters under Buy (Indian-IDDM)
category which will enhance better survivability of Helicopters.
 The EW Suite will be procured from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
 The DAC has also accorded AoN for procurement of Ground-Based Autonomous System for
mechanised infantry and armoured regiments which will enable various operations like unmanned
surveillance, logistic delivery of ammunition, fuel & spares and casualty evacuation in the battle field.
 The AoN for procurement of Ruggedised Laptops and Tablets for the Indian Army under Project
Shakti has also been accorded. All these procurements will be sourced from Indigenous vendors only.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 To enhance the operational capability of the MH-60R Helicopters of the Indian Navy, the DAC has
accorded AoN for procurement of weapons for the same.
LCA Tejas Successfully Test-Fires Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-To-Air Missile
 The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Limited Series Production-7 (LSP-7) successfully test fired
the ASTRA indigenous Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile off the coast of Goa on August
23.
 The ASTRA is a state-of-the-art BVR air-to-air missile to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring
supersonic aerial targets designed and developed by Defence Research and Development
Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and other laboratories of the DRDO.
Indian Coast Guard signs MoU with Philippines Coast Guard on enhanced maritime cooperation;
holds the first bilateral meet
 In a significant step towards bolstering the bilateral cooperation between India and Philippines,
Indian Coast Guard has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Philippine Coast
Guard (PCG) on enhanced maritime cooperation.
 The MoU inked seeks to enhance the professional linkage between the two Coast Guards in the
domain of Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), Maritime Search & Rescue (M-SAR) and Marine
Pollution Response (MPR).
 The implementation of this MoU will enhance bilateral maritime cooperation between the two
nations for ensuring safe, secure and clean seas in the region.
 The first ever bilateral meeting between both the maritime agencies signifies the dedication in
strengthening the professional bonds by sharing best practices, conducting joint exercises and
enhancing training collaborations.
IIT-Delhi developed world’s lightest bulletproof jacket
 Researchers at IIT-Delhi have developed a new type of bulletproof jackets which is the lightest in
the world.
 According to the researchers, this jacket which weighs about 8.2kgs can stop up to 8 bullets from an
AK-series rifle and are also about 2kgs lighter than those that the Indian Army currently uses.
 Another version of the jacket weighs 9.5 kgs and can stop as many as six bullets fired from certain
sniper rifles. The bulletproof jackets that are being used by Indian soldiers currently weigh about 10.5 kgs.
 The jackets have been developed in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) and it took them 15 years to finally make them what they are today.
5TH EDITION OF AUSINDEX-23 AT SYDNEY
 5th edition of biennial AUSINDEX maritime exercise between Indian Navy and Royal Australian
Navy (RAN) was conducted from 22-25 August 23 at Sydney, Australia.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata participated in the exercise along with HMAS Choules and HMAS
Brisbane from RAN.
 Besides ships and their integral helicopters, the exercise also witnessed participation of fighter
aircraft and maritime patrol aircraft.
 Conducted over 4 days, AUSINDEX included a series of complex exercises in all three domains of
maritime operations.
PARTICIPATION OF INDIAN AIR FORCE IN EXERCISE BRIGHT STAR-23 AT CAIRO AIR BASE,
EGYPT
 An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent departed for participating in Exercise BRIGHT STAR-23 a biennial
multilateral tri-service exercise scheduled to be held at Cairo (West) Air Base, Egypt from 27
August to 16 September 2023.
 This is for the first time that IAF is participating in Ex BRIGHT STAR-23 which will also see
participation of contingents from the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Greece and Qatar.
 The Indian Air Force contingent will consist of five MiG-29, two IL-78, two C-130 and two C-17 aircraft.
 The objective of the exercise is to practice planning and execution of joint operations. Besides
leading to the formation of bonding across borders, such interactions also provide a means to further
strategic relations between participating nations.
Ministry of Defence Inks Contract for Indigenous Fleet Support Ships
 Ministry of Defence, on August 25, 2023, signed a contract with Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL),
Visakhapatnam for acquisition of five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) for the Indian Navy at an overall cost
of approx. Rs 19,000 crore.
 It would be a major boost towards achieving the goal of self-reliance in defence manufacturing as
these ships will be indigenously designed and constructed by HSL, Visakhapatnam.
 The Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the acquisition of these ships during its
meeting on August 16, 2023.
 The FSS will be employed for replenishing ships at sea with fuel, water, ammunition and stores,
enabling the Indian Naval Fleet to operate for prolonged periods without returning to harbour.
 The Fleet Support Ships of 44,000 Tons will be the first-of-its kind to be built in India by an Indian
Shipyard.
 This project will generate employment of nearly 168.8 lakh mandays over a period of eight years.
India & Bangladesh hold the fifth Annual Defence Dialogue in Dhaka
 India and Bangladesh held the fifth Annual Defence Dialogue on 28 August 2023 in Dhaka.
 Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane, who is on a two day visit to Bangladesh on 27-28 August
2023, co-chaired the meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Lt Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman, Principal
Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division.
 The Annual Defence Dialogue between India and Bangladesh is the highest institutionalized
interactive mechanism between both the countries.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 In the dialogue, both the countries highlighted its significance in chartering the future course of
the relations between the two Armed Forces.
 During the meeting, the ongoing defence cooperation activities between the two countries were
reviewed and both sides expressed satisfaction at the increasing defence cooperation
engagements.
Learn Along:
About Bangladesh
Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare signed an MoU with private sector to generate employment for
Veterans
 A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Directorate General Resettlement

(DGR) under Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence and M/s Genpact India
Private Limited on 31 August, 2023 in New Delhi.
 The MoU between DGR and Corporates endeavors to bring the corporate companies and Ex-
Servicemen on a common platform to generate employment opportunities for the esteemed Ex-
Servicemen of the Defence Services.
 Genpact, a global leader in professional services, would provide meaningful career opportunities
for Veterans.
 This partnership would bring in more visibility of our Ex-servicemen to the industry and
corporates and help in achieving the objectives of providing skilled manpower and giving a
dignified second career to our Ex-servicemen.
President Murmu launches warship Vindhyagiri
 President Droupadi Murmu launched Vindhyagiri, last of Project 17A frigates by Indian Navy.
 It has been built by GRSE in Kolkata and enhances maritime capabilities.
 It supports Atmanirbhar Bharat goal through indigenous shipbuilding.
 Project 17A reflects commitment to self-reliance and technological advancement.
Learn Along:
About Project 17A
 Project 17 Alpha frigates (P-17A) were launched by the Indian Navy in 2019 to construct a series of stealth
guided-missile frigates.
 These are currently being constructed by two companies - Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) and Garden Reach
Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
 These guided-missile frigates have been constructed with a specific stealth design, which has radar-absorbent
coatings and is low-observable which can make its approach undetectable for the enemies.
 The new technology also reduces the infrared signals of the ship.
 The first stealth ship launched under Project 17A was the Nilgiri, which was launched in 2019.
 Udaygiri, the second ship, was launched in May 2022, and will likely be commissioned in 2024.
INS Kulish participates in celebration of 77th Independence Day in Singapore
 INS Kulish, guided missile Corvette, visiting Singapore for a multilateral exercise.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Ship's officers and crew celebrate 77th Independence Day at Indian High Commission in Singapore.
 Naval Jazz band performs patriotic tunes for over 1,000 Indian community members.
Learn Along:
About Singapore
Capital: Singapore City Currency: Singapore dollar
LAUNCH OF SECOND MCA BARGE, YARD 76 (LSAM 8) AT M/S SECON ENGINEERING PROJECTS
PVT LTD, VISAKHAPATNAM
 Second Missile Cum Ammunition (MCA) Barge, Yard 76 (LSAM 8) was launched by Cmde G Ravi,
Warship Production Superintendent (Visakhapatnam) on 18 Aug 23 at Guttenadeevi, East Godavari,
Andhra Pradesh (launch site of M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd).
 Contract for construction of 08 x MCA Barge was concluded with M/s SECON Engineering Projects
Pvt Ltd, Visakhapatnam, a MSME, in consonance with “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives of the
Government of India.
 This Barge is being built with a service life of 30 years.
 The availability of MCA Barges will provide impetus to Operational commitments of IN by facilitating
Transportation, Embarkation and Disembarkation of articles / ammunition to IN Ships both alongside
jetties and at outer harbours.
Higher than Umling La, world’s highest motorable road coming up in eastern Ladakh, courtesy BRO
 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has started the construction of 64-km long Likaru-Mig La-
Fukche road close to Hanle in Eastern Ladakh’s Demchok sector.
 It will be the world’s highest motorable road at a height of 19,400 ft in Mig La.
 Currently, Umling La in Ladakh at a height of 19,024 ft holds the record of being the highest
motorable road in the world.
 It is a 52-km road that connects Chishumle to Demchok, which is right on the Line of Actual Control
(LAC), and a friction point between India and China.
Learn Along:
About BRO
Founded: 7 May 1960 Headquarters: New Delhi Founder: Jawaharlal Nehru
Director General: Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chaudhary
Indian Navy holds bilateral naval drill 'Zayed Talwar' with UAE
 Indian Navy ships INS Visakhapatnam and INS Trikand conducted bilateral naval exercise 'Zayed
Talwar' with UAE Navy.
 The Ships arrived in Dubai on August 8, 2023, for the exercise.
 The Focus is on addressing piracy, smuggling, human trafficking, enhancing maritime security,
and joint HADR operations.
 'Zayed Talwar' aims to enhance interoperability, cross-training, and professional bonds.
Learn Along:
About UAE
Capital: Abu Dhabi Currency: UAE dirham
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
MALABAR-2023 AT SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
 Indian Navy's INS Sahyadri and INS Kolkata to participate in Exercise MALABAR 2023 off Sydney
from 11-21Aug 2023 and Joined by US Navy (USN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF), and
Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
 MALABAR series began in 1992 as India-US bilateral exercise, now includes four major Indo-Pacific
navies.
 27th edition is being hosted by Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
 It is Conducted in two phases: Harbour Phase (cross-deck visits, exchanges, planning) and Sea Phase
(anti-surface, anti-air, anti-submarine exercises).
 It Enhances interoperability, shares maritime security practices.
 INS Sahyadri (Project-17 class) and INS Kolkata (Project-15A class) are indigenously designed ships.
Learn Along:
About Australia
Capital: Canberra Currency: Australian dollar
Defence Ministry to switch to locally built OS in computers amid threats
 Defence Ministry replacing Microsoft OS with new OS 'Maya' based on open-source Ubuntu due to
increasing cyber and malware attacks on defense and critical infrastructure.
 Maya has familiar interface and functionality like Windows, easing transition.
 'Chakravyuh' end point detection and protection system also being installed.
 Maya currently being installed in Defence Ministry systems, with plans for adoption by the three
Services.
 Navy has approved, Army and Air Force evaluating Maya.
 It has been developed by government agencies in six months to prevent malware and cyberattacks.
The Indian Army Secures Patent for AI-Driven Accident Prevention System
 Indian Army's R&D division patents AI-driven accident prevention system.

 Created by Colonel Kuldeep Yadav to address driver fatigue and enhance road safety.
 AI system alerts drowsy drivers, aiming to prevent accidents and save lives.
 It has been tested successfully in buses and trucks, extends beyond military applications.
 It aims to reduce road accidents, especially in mountainous regions.
 Indian Army also secured exclusive IPR for novel camouflage pattern uniform design in Nov 2022.
Learn Along:
About The Indian Army Chief of the Army Staff (COAS): General Manoj Pande
Indian Army implements common uniform for Brigadier, above rank officers
 Indian Army introduces common uniform for Brigadier and above rank officers.
 The decision is taken after Army Commanders Conference and consultations.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Headgear, shoulder rank badges, gorget patches, belts, and shoes standardized.
 Flag-rank officers won't wear lanyards.
 It Promotes common identity, approach among senior leadership.
 It applies to officers who have commanded units/battalions at headquarters.
 There is no change for Colonels and below-rank officers.
Air forces of China, UAE to conduct first joint training in August
 Chinese and UAE air forces to conduct joint training in China's Xinjiang in August.
 Training named FALCON Shield-2023 to deepen military cooperation and enhance mutual
understanding.
 Previous joint military exercises between China and other countries held in Xinjiang.
 UAE has signed agreements to buy training jets and combat drones from China.
Learn Along:
About China
Capital: Beijing Currency: Renminbi
Indian Navy abandons colonial practice of carrying batons with immediate effect
 Indian Navy ends colonial practice of carrying

batons.
 Ceremonial baton to be placed in unit head's office,
handed over during change of command.
 The Indian Navy considers baton tradition a
colonial legacy, discontinues it for all personn
EVENTS
G20 EMPOWER summit inaugurated at Gandhinagar, Gujarat
 G20 EMPOWER Summit held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on 1st August 2023.

 India's G20 Presidency focuses on women-led development on a life-course approach.
 Total participation of over 300 participants from G20 and guest countries and international organizations.
 TechEquity, a digital inclusion platform, launched to empower women in education and career
progression, aiming to reach 1 million users internationally.
 G20 EMPOWER Best Practices Playbook scaled up, adding 149 best practices from 19 G20
countries.
Learn Along:
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
About G20
About Gujarat
 Capital: Gandhinagar Governor: Acharya Devvrat Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel
India to host World Coffee Conference in Bengaluru from Sept 25
 India is hosting World Coffee Conference for the first time.

 The fifth edition of the conference organized by the International Coffee Organisation (ICO) in
collaboration with the Coffee Board of India.
 Event dates: September 25 to September 28, held in Bengaluru.
 Tennis player Rohan Bopanna appointed as the brand ambassador.
 Theme: 'Sustainability through Circular Economy and Regenerative Agriculture.'
 Previous editions were held in England (2001), Brazil (2005), Guatemala (2010), and Ethiopia (2016).
Learn Along:
About World Coffee Conference
 Every four to five years, the International Coffee Organization holds a high-level World Coffee Conference to
enable discussion around critical topics for the global coffee sector.
 The first four Conferences took place in the United Kingdom (2001), Brazil (2005), Guatemala (2010), and Ethiopia
(2016).
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated International Literature Festival & Festival of Folk & Tribal
Performing Arts in Madhya Pradesh
 President Draupadi Murmu inaugurated "Utkarsh" and "Unmesh" festivals in Bhopal on August 3.
 "Utkarsh" is India's national festival of folk and tribal expressions.
 "Unmesh" is Asia's largest international literature festival.
 It is being organized by Culture Department MP, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Sahitya Akademi from
3rd to 5th August.
 "Utkarsh Utsav" to feature 800 artists from 36 states and UTs showcasing folk and tribal performing
arts, including folk dances.
 "Unmesh" to have multilingual poetry recitation, Tribal poet's conference, discussions on literature.
Learn Along:
AIIMS Partners with IREDA to Solarize Delhi Campus
 AIIMS New Delhi and IREDA signed an MoU for solarization of AIIMS campus on August 1, 2023.
 IREDA will conduct techno-commercial assessment and prepare a detailed project report for
solarization.
 The collaboration aims to reduce electricity expenses and carbon footprint at AIIMS.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 A 9 Kilowatt Rooftop Solar plant was inaugurated to mark the partnership.

 The initiative intends to promote clean energy and create a sustainable future.
 It sets an example for other institutions to adopt renewable energy solutions.
Learn Along:
About IREDA
 Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited is formed in 1987 as a Mini Ratna Government of India
Enterprise under Government of India and administratively controlled by the Ministry of New and Renewable
Energy.
Festival of Libraries 2023
 Ministry of Culture organizing "Festival of Libraries 2023" on 5th-6th August in New Delhi.
 It aims to promote modernization and digitization of libraries in India.
 Tripartite MoU was signed between Khuda Baksh Oriental Public Library, Rampur Raza Library, and
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Arabic Persian Research Institute for collaborative events.
 It focuses on fostering reading culture, community libraries, and excellence in library sector.
World Breastfeeding Week 2023
 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) organized by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)
from Aug 1-7 annually.
 WABA aims to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding globally.
 WBW 2023 objectives:
 Raise awareness about working parents' perspective on breastfeeding and parenting.
 Highlight paid leave and workplace support for breastfeeding.
 Foster collaboration for breastfeeding support at work.
 Drive action for better working conditions and breastfeeding support.
Theme 2023: "Let's make breastfeeding at work, work”.
Learn Along:
About World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action
 The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action is a network of people working on a global scale to eliminate
obstacles to breastfeeding and to act on the Innocenti Declaration.
 Founder: Anwar Fazal Founded: 14 February 1991
President unveils Bharathi’s portrait at Raj Bhavan in T.N., renames Durbar Hall
 President Droupadi Murmu unveiled a portrait of Subramania Bharathi at Raj Bhavan.

 The Durbar Hall was renamed as 'Bharathiar Mandapam' after the late poet.
 The Durbar Hall is the venue for public functions hosted by Raj Bhavan.
Learn Along:
About Subramania Bharthi
 C. Subramaniya Bharathiyar was a poet, freedom fighter and social reformer from Tamil Nadu.
 He was known as Mahakavi Bharathiyar and the laudatory epithet Mahakavi means a great poet.
 Subramaniya Bharathiyar was born on 11th December 1882, in a village called Ettayapuram in Tirunelveli District
in Tamil Nadu and his childhood name was Subbiah.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Launch of Indian Web Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC)
 Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) launched Indian Web Browser
Development Challenge (IWBDC) on August 9, 2023, at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi.
 It is Spearheaded by MeitY, CCA, and C-DAC Bangalore.
 IWBDC is an Open Challenge Competition inspiring technology enthusiasts to create an indigenous
web browser with its own trust store, CCA India root certificate, advanced functionalities, and
enhanced security.
 The Browser aims for accessibility, user-friendliness, and digital signature capabilities.
 More than 200 participants from government, industry, start-ups, and academia participated online
and offline.
 The program concluded with a call for innovative minds to contribute to the Indian Web Browser.
Learn Along:
About Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
Officeholders: Ashwini Vaishnaw (Minister), Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Minister of State)
'Ek Shaam Jawanon ke Naam'- a musical journey organized by Akashvani at Attari Border
 Event: "Ek Shaam Jawanon ke Naam" - A musical journey organized by Akashvani at Attari Border in
Punjab.
 Purpose: Part of celebrations for India's G20 Presidency.
 Theme: "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" - One Earth, One Family, One Future.
 Organizer: Akashvani - India's public broadcaster and world's largest broadcaster.
India hands over ₹45 crore to Sri Lanka to fund its digital identity project
 India provides ₹45 crore advance for Sri Lanka's digital identity project.
 The Project aims to gather biographic and biometric data for centralized identification cards.
 Benefits include improved government services, poverty reduction, financial inclusion.
 The Project initiated through MoU in March 2022; Indian government oversees software development.
Learn Along:
About Sri Lanka
Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
Gujarat to host 69th edition of Filmfare Awards in 2024
 Gujarat to host 69th edition of Filmfare Awards in 2024.

 The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat signs MoU with Worldwide Media (WWM).
 It aims to promote Gujarat as a film destination.
 First time Filmfare Awards will be held in Gujarat.
 It aims to attract filmmakers and boost tourism.
Learn Along:
About Gujarat
Capital : Gandhinagar Governor: Acharya Devvrat Chief minister: Bhupendrabhai Patel
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
India to launch BRICS startup forum to facilitate collaborations among entrepreneurs
 During the seventh BRICS Industry Ministers’ meeting hosted virtually with South Africa, Commerce
Minister Piyush Goyal announced at that India is launching BRICS startup forum for collaboration and
best practices.
 The joint declaration adopted; focus on digitalization, innovation, investment.
 BRICS members emphasized upskilling, reskilling programs.
Learn Along:
About BRICS
 BRICS is a grouping of the world economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa formed by the 2010
addition of South Africa to the predecessor BRIC.
 Founded: 16 June 2009
WHO and the Ministry of Ayush to host the first-ever Global Summit on Traditional Medicine
 WHO & Ministry of Ayush host global summit on Traditional Medicine, August 17-18, 2023,
Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
 It aims to gather experts, practitioners for scientific advancements in traditional medicine.
 WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to inaugurate.
 Focus areas: research, policy, innovation, biodiversity, equity in traditional healthcare.
Learn Along:
About WHO GCTM
 In 2022, WHO, with the support of the Government of India, established the Global Centre for Traditional
Medicine.
 Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone of WHO-GCTM last year in the presence
of the Director-General, WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
 The centre is a collaborative project of the Ministry of Ayush of India and the World Health Organization
(WHO) and is the first and only global outpost for traditional medicine across the globe.
 The WHO GCTM will provide leadership on all global health matters related to traditional medicine as well as
extend support to member countries in shaping various policies related to traditional medicine research, practices
and public health.
About WHO
'A-HELP' Programme and Infertility Camp for Livestock under Inclusive Development at Narmada,
Gujarat launched by Shri Parshottam Rupala
 Union Minister Parshottam Rupala unveils 'A-HELP' and Infertility Camp under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
 The 'A-HELP' programme aims to empower women by engaging them as trained agents who
contribute significantly to disease control, artificial insemination under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission
(RGM), animal tagging, and livestock insurance.
Learn Along:
About Rashtriya Gokul Mission
 Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) has been launched in December 2014 with an outlay of Rs 2025 crore for
development and conservation of indigenous breeds through selective breeding in the breeding tract and genetic
upgradation of nondescript bovine population.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The scheme comprises of two components namely National Programme for Bovine Breeding (NPBB) and National
Mission on Bovine Productivity (NMBP).
About Gujarat
PM Modi remembered Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Bahadur on his 115th birth anniversary
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Bahadur on his 115th
birth anniversary.
 Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya Bahadur's vision and leadership continue to inspire generations.
 He was a stalwart who worked tirelessly for the socio-economic progress of Tripura.
 The Last King of Tripura Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur is popularly known as the Architect
of Tripura due to his contribution to educational institutions.
Learn Along:
About Tripura
Capital: Agartala Chief minister: Manik Saha Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya
G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting to begin in Jaipur from August 24, 2023
 G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting (TIMM) on August 24-25, 2023, in Jaipur.
 It will be preceded by the 4th Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG) meeting on August 21-
22.
 The focus is on consensus building on global trade and investment issues and action-oriented
proposals.
 Prioritized issues discussed: Trade for Growth, Global Value Chains, MSME integration, Logistics for
Trade, WTO Reforms.
Learn Along:
About Rajasthan
About G20
Shri Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma inaugurated National SC-ST Hub Mega Conclave at Gumla, Jharkhand
 Ministry of MSME organized NSSH Conclave in Gumla, Jharkhand on Aug 18, 2023.
 Around 650 SC-ST aspiring and existing entrepreneurs participated.
 There was a emphasis on MSME's role in Indian economy, employment, and industrialization.
 A special technical session with CPSEs, Banks & Lending institutions was also held providing an interactive
platform for aspiring and existing SC-ST entrepreneurs.
Learn Along:
About Jharkhand
Capital: Ranchi Chief minister: Hemant Soren Governor: C. P. Radhakrishnan
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
MeitY Secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma launches the ‘Graphene-Aurora Program’
 MeitY Secretary Alkesh Kumar Sharma launched 'Graphene-Aurora program' at Maker Village Kochi,
Kerala.
 It will be Implemented by Digital University Kerala with joint funding from MeitY, Govt. of India, Govt. of
Kerala, and Industry partners.
 Budget: Rs 94.85 Crore, Carborundum Pvt Limited as main industry partner.
 It aims to bridge R&D and commercialization gap for graphene technologies.
 'India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (I-GEIC)' to be set up.
 The focus is on nurturing emerging Graphene tech, supporting SMEs/startups.
 Goal: Help India lead in the world's new material market.
First-ever WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat
 Ministry of Ayush and WHO are organizing 2-day Traditional Medicine Global Summit on Aug 17-
18, 2023, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
 The summit explores traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine's role in health
challenges and sustainable development.
 Ayush visa will facilitate global access to Indian traditional medicine systems and will usher in a
new era of comprehensive healthcare.
Learn Along:
About Gujarat
Learn Along:
About WHO
MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar to inaugurate G20-Digital Innovation Alliance (DIA) Summit in Bengaluru
 Rajeev Chandrasekhar to inaugurate G20-Digital Innovation Alliance Summit in Bengaluru.
 Global experts and digital leaders are attending from G20 countries.
 There will be Discussions on 'Digital Public Infrastructure', 'Security in Digital Economy', 'Digital
Skilling', etc.
 A G20-DIA initiative was launched under MeitY Startup Hub during India's G20 Presidency.
 It recognizes startups from G20 countries and invited guest countries in sectors like Ed-tech, Health-
tech, etc.
Learn Along:
About Karnataka
Capital: Bangalore Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot Chief minister: Siddaramaiah
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address G20 Health Ministers’ meeting in Gandhinagar
 G20 Health Ministers' meeting inaugurated as part of India's G20 presidency in Gandhinagar,Gujarat.
 PM Narendra Modi addressed inaugural session virtually.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Participation from 19 G20 member countries, 10 invited states, and 22 International Organizations.
 Three priority areas: health emergencies, anti-microbial resistance, pharmaceutical sector, and Digital
Health innovations.
Learn Along:
About Gujarat
About G20
Government to set up Bureau of Port Security soon: Shri Sarbananda Sonowal
 The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), & AYUSH, Shri Sarbananda
Sonowal unveiled a vision for India's maritime sector, outlining key initiatives that promise a
transformative impact tt the 19th Maritime States Development Council meeting in Kevadia, Gujarat.
 The Government will soon put together the Bureau of Port Security towards upgrading security across
all the ports in the country
 The two-day 19th Maritime State Development Council meeting at Kevadia, Gujarat, organised by
the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to enhance better coordination between major and
notified ports, State Maritime Boards, State Governments and Union Territories (UTs) concluded.
 MSDC is an apex advisory body constituted in May 1997 to develop the Maritime Sector. It aims to
ensure the integrated development of Major and other notified ports.
19th MSDC meeting
 Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to preside over 19th Maritime State Development Council
(MSDC) meeting on August 18-19 in Kevadia, Gujarat.
 The focus is on urban passenger waterways, port connectivity, coastal state success stories, state
maritime board challenges.
 MSDC established in 1997, advises on comprehensive maritime sector development.
 Coordination meeting for Global Maritime India Summit 2023 (GMIS 2023) and Maritime Excellence
Achievers also held.
 GMIS 2023 aims to unveil opportunities, address challenges, catalyze investments in India's
maritime domain.
Festivals and Fairs Exhibition under Mela Moments Begins at Amrit Udhyan, Rashtrpati Bhawan
 Festivals and Fairs Exhibition under Mela Moments was inaugurated at the Amrit Udhyan,
Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi by Shri Rakesh Gupta (Addl. Secretary to the Hon'ble President of India)
and Prof. V Nagdas, (Chairman, Lalit Kala Akademi).
 Around 60 Photographs of all the awardees and 22 best pictures clicked by the jury members have
been put on display. The awarded photographs were selected by the panel of the jury comprising of
distinguished photographers across the spectrum.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The Jury has selected 60 photographs from approximately 11000 entries summited by the common
people across the country under Mela Moments Photography Contest under four categories- Mela
Vibes, Chatori Gully, Mela Portraits and Mela Stalls.
 The Mela Moments Photography Contest was organized by the Ministry of Culture under Azadi Ka
Amrit Mahotsav.
Nataraja Statue Headed to G20 Summit Venue in Delhi
 A 28-feet Nataraja statue, believed to be the world’s tallest such idol, meant to be placed in front of
the venue of the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled to be held in September 2023 in New Delhi, was
sent by road on, August 25, 2023 from Swamimalai, a small town in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur district,
known for its bronze sculptures.
 The statue, weighing 19 tonnes, and made of eight metals: gold, silver, lead, copper, tin, mercury,
iron and zinc (Ashtadhatu), is on its way to the Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, where the Summit
is scheduled to be held on September 9 and 10.
 Srikanta Stapathi of Swamimalai along with his brothers Radhakrishna Stapathi and Swaminatha
Stapathi, made the statue. The three are the sons of the renowned sculptor Devasenapathy Stapathi.
 The statue is 22 feet in height, and the pedestal is six feet, making the entire structure 28 feet tall.
Learn Along:
About G20
 Founded: 26 September 1999 Chairman (Incumbent): Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India
India hand over B20 presidency to Brazil to host G20 in 2024
 India has handed over the B20 presidency to Brazil to host G20 in 2024.
 India's B20 Presidency under the its G20 Presidency worked under the theme of Vasaudeva
Katumbakam (One Earth, One Family, One Future).
 It is being attended by over one thousand 500 global business delegates and experts across 55
countries.
 During this period we worked on nine important themes which included empowerment of women
and youth, transition towards an Artificial Intelligence world, building a global resilient supply
chain and financing for the global economic recovery.
Learn Along:
About Brazil
Capital: Brasília Currency: Real President: Lula da Silva
Sri Lanka hosts its very first Karnataka cultural festival
 Sri Lanka hosted its very first Karnataka cultural festival on 25th Aug 2023.
 It was organized by the International Cultural Council of India in collaboration with Swami
Vivekananda Cultural Centre and M.E Global Peace Foundation.
 The event showcased a mesmerizing lineup of performances by over 30 artists from Karnataka
including dances, folk songs, multi-lingual poems, ballet, and captivating puppet shows.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The programme featured the essence of Karnataka's heritage, with the spotlight on talented artists
like Madhuri Bondre and her troupe.
 The event celebrated cultural diversity and marked a significant moment in the shared cultural
heritage of India and Sri Lanka.
Learn Along:
About Sri Lanka
Capitals: Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Currency: Sri Lankan rupee
4th G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) Meeting begAn in Varanasi
 The 4th G20 Culture Working Group (CWG) Meeting began in Varanasi.
 It will culminate in the Culture Ministers’ Meeting (CMM) on 26th August 2023.
 Building upon the success of the previous three CWG meetings in Khajuraho, Bhubaneswar, and Hampi,
as well as the four Global Thematic Webinars, the 4th CWG meeting in Varanasi aims to arrive at
actionable outcomes while positioning culture at the heart of policy-making.
 A report titled "G20 Culture: Shaping the Global Narrative for Inclusive Growth” will be launched in
Varanasi as a part of the Culture Ministers’ Meeting.
 The CWG will also release a special stamp to commemorate the Culture Unites All’ campaign to
highlight India’s unwavering belief in multilateralism.
Learn Along:
About G20
 Formation: 26 September 1999
PM Modi to attend 15th BRICS Summit in South Africa
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for South Africa to participate in the 15th BRICS summit.
 It is a grouping of the world economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
 The BRICS summit will be held from August 22-24.
 It will be the first in-person BRICS Summit after three consecutive years of virtual meetings owing
to the Covid-19 pandemic.
 This will be PM Modi's third visit to South Africa and the trip marks the 30th anniversary of the
diplomatic relationship between India and South Africa.
 PM Modi will also participate in a special event "BRICS – Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue"
being organized after the BRICS Summit, which will include other nations invited by South Africa, the
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced in a press release.
Learn Along:
About South Africa Capitals: Cape Town, Pretoria, Bloemfontein
India's first G20 presidency
 This G20 summit is the 18th G20 meeting which is going to be held at Bharat Mandapam
International Exhibition-Convention Centre (IECC), Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from September 9-
10, 2023.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 This is the first Indian presidency summit chaired by Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi
with the guidance of Amitabh Kant, Indian emissary to G20 and CEO of NITI Aayog.
 The summit will be conducted in the presence of 20 participant leaders, 10 invited guests, and 11
International organization leaders with the motto of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (ONE EARTH, ONE
FAMILY, ONE FUTURE).
 The summit is preceded by the 2022 G20 Bali Summit and will be followed by the 2024 Rio de
Janeiro Summit.
World Water Week 2023
 World Water Week 2023 is focused on innovation at a time of unprecedented challenges.

 The theme, Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World, invites a rethink of how
water is managed, and urges consideration of the ideas, innovations, and governance systems that are
needed in an increasingly unstable and water scarce world.
 Organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), World Water Week 2023 will draw
on the latest scientific knowledge and experiences from around the world to explore how water can be a
powerful tool for addressing the water crisis, global warming, biodiversity loss, and poverty.
 The World Bank Group will convene and participate in multiple sessions on a wide range of topics,
including digitalization for water utilities, tools for managing flood and drought risks, water services for
refugees, and smart water management in rice cultivation.
 It was observed from 20-24 August 2023.
Learn Along:
About Stockholm International Water Institute
Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden Founded: 1991
Executive Director: Karin Gardes, Acting Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer
India, Greece agree to double bilateral trade by 2030 and elevate partnership to strategic level
 India and Greece have agreed to double the bilateral trade by 2030.
 India and Greece have decided to take their partnership to a strategic level and also decided to
strengthen their strategic partnership by enhancing cooperation in various areas including defence
and security, infrastructure, agriculture, education and skill development.
 In areas of defence and security, India and Greece have agreed on strengthening defence industrial
cooperation apart from military ties.
 Both sides also held discussions over mutual cooperation in the area of terrorism and cyber
security and also decided that there should also be an National Secuirty Advsior- NSA-level
dialogue platform.
 This is the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Greece in the last 40 years.
 Prime Minister Modi was also conferred with the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour by Greek
President Katerina Sakellaropoulou in Athens.
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the Tomb of unknown soldiers in Athens.
 The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens, in front
of the Old Royal Palace. It is a cenotaph dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during various wars.
Learn Along:
About Greece
Capital: Athens Currency: Euro Prime minister: Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
India will host 1st edition of ‘Global IndiaAI 2023 ’ in October
 Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will be organizing the Global IndiaAI 2023,
scheduled for October this year.
 There will be participation from leading AI players, researchers, startups, and investors in India
and worldwide.
 The conference is poised to cover a wide spectrum of topics, including Next Generation Learning and
Foundational AI models, AI’s applications in healthcare, governance, and next-gen electric
vehicles, future AI research trends, AI computing systems, investment opportunities, and
nurturing AI talent.
 The Global IndiaAI 2023 conference is tentatively planned for October 14/15 and it will bring
together the best and brightest in AI from India and around the world.
 This summit is expected to evolve and become a must attend event on the annual calendar of the
Global AI industry, startups, practitioners, researchers and students.
 The conference will also serve as a showcase for the vibrant IndiaAI ecosystem that comprises key
initiatives such as DI Bhashini, India Datasets Program, IndiaAI Futuredesign program for startups, and
IndiaAI FutureSkills program dedicated to nurturing world-class AI talent.
AWARDS AND REWARDS

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hails the team of NAFIS of NCRB for winning Gold Award
 National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) team wins Gold Award for Excellence
in Government Process Reengineering.
 It was awarded by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
 NAFIS: National Automated Fingerprint Identification System.
 The System creates central database of fingerprints of criminals.
 It is accessible to all States, Union Territories, and Central Agencies.
Learn Along:
About NAFIS
 The National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) is an Australian fingerprint and palm print
database and matching system to assist law enforcement agencies across Australia and the Department of
Immigration and Border Protection to establish the identity of persons and to help solve crimes and for other
purposes.
 NAFIS was established in 1986, and an upgraded system commenced operations in April 2001 and provides
technological improvements in fingerprint matching. It has shown to be really reliable in fingerprint matching.
Ratan Tata conferred with Maharashtra govt.’s ‘Udyog Ratna’ award
 Eminent industrialist Ratan Tata was conferred with the first ever ‘Udyog Ratna’ award instituted by
the Maharashtra government.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The award was presented to the 85-year-old chairman emeritus of Tata Sons by Chief Minister
Eknath Shinde and Deputy Cheif Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar at the industrialist’s
home in Colaba in south Mumbai.
 The honour comprised a shawl, a citation and a memento from the Maharashtra Industrial
Development Corporation (MIDC).
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About Udyog Ratna
 Bhartiya Udyog Ratna Award of the Global Scholars Foundation is India’s most prestigious honor that
celebrates the achievements of businesses and entrepreneurs.
 This award aims at acknowledging success, recognizing contributions, appreciating efforts and celebrating
growth of the contributors, as the business industry plays the role of a major contributor to the economic
development of our nation.
5 young Indians among 2023 International Young Eco-Hero award winners
 Five youths from India have been named among 17 teen environmental activists from across the
globe to receive the 2023 International Young Eco-Hero Award who have taken initiatives to tackle
the world's most pressing environmental challenges.
 The young eco-warriors who were recognised for their efforts by the US-based non-profit
organisation, "Action For Nature", are Eiha Dixit from Meerut, Manya Harsha from Bengaluru,
Nirvaan Somany and Mannat Kaur from New Delhi and Karnav Rastogi from Mumbai.
 The International Young Eco-Hero Awards programme recognises and encourages children and teens
from ages 8 to 16 who have taken action towards solving the most critical environmental issues.
Indian-American economist Raj Chetty awarded top Harvard University prize
 An Indian-American economist Raj Chetty has been awarded the coveted George Ledlie Prize for
“wielding big data to break myths about who achieves the American Dream and the obstacles faced
by others.”
 Raj Chetty, Professor of Economics at Harvard University, is also director of Opportunity Insights,
a group of economists based at Harvard who study inequality.
 The award is bestowed “no more frequently than every two years on a member of the Harvard
community who has made the most valuable contribution to science, or in any way for the benefit of
mankind,” the university said on August 9 in a press release.
Jio Haptik Named Tech Startup of the Year in Artificial Intelligence at 13th Annual Entrepreneur India
Awards
 Jio Haptik has been honored with the Tech Startup of the Year (Artificial Intelligence) award at the
prestigious 13th Annual Entrepreneur India Awards.
 Swapan Rajdev, Haptik’s co-founder & CTO, received the award as the ceremony organized by
Entrepreneur India, in media partnership with Entrepreneur magazine and Entrepreneur.com, was held
at the Hotel JW Marriott, Aerocity, New Delhi.
 Jio Haptik emerged as the winner of the Tech Startup of the Year in AI from 1000 other entries for the
same award, highlighting the company’s distinctive contribution to the technology landscape.
 Learn Along:
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 About Entrepreneur 2023 Awards

 Entrepreneur 2023 Awards is an initiative from Entrepreneur Media to recognize the leading Entrepreneurs
who have not only excelled in their field but also helped the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Asia-Pacific.
 The Awards represent Entrepreneurial enthusiasm to excel and proliferate in a highly competitive start-up
ecosystem.
Subhash Runwal received the Lifetime Achievement Award RICS
 Subhash Runwal, Chairman of Runwal Group, received Lifetime Achievement Award at RICS South
Asia Awards.
 RICS is a global industry body representing professionals in built and natural environment.
 The Awards honor industry achievements, professionalism, and ethics.
 Subhash Runwal known as Business Tycoon, chairman of Runwal Group.
 Runwal Group builds varied real estate projects, from low to high budget.
 RICS aims to showcase and recognize industry-leading achievements and professionalism.
Ratan Tata to get Maharashtra govt’s first ‘Udyog Ratna’ award
 Maharashtra government to honor Ratan Tata with the first Udyog Ratna Award.
 Udyog Ratna Award to recognize contributions to business, industry, and more in Maharashtra.
 Ratan Tata is the inaugural recipient of this prestigious award.
 Awards also planned for young entrepreneur, woman entrepreneur, and Marathi entrepreneur.
 He has previously been honored with the Padma Vibhushan and Padma Bhushan civilian awards.
Learn along
About Maharashtra
Capital: Mumbai Chief minister: Eknath Shinde Governor: Ramesh Bais
Chetna Maroo’s debut novel ‘Western Lane’ long-listed for 2023 Booker Prize
 Chetna Maroo's debut novel 'Western Lane' long-listed for the 2023 Booker Prize.
 Long-list contains 13 books selected from 163 books published between October 2022 and
September 2023.
 Final shortlist of 6 books to be announced on September 21.
 Booker Prize winner to be revealed on November 26 in London.
 'Western Lane' set within British-Gujarati community, praised for using squash as a metaphor for
human emotions.
 Chetna Maroo previously received the 2022 Plimpton Prize for Fiction.
Learn Along:
 The Booker Prize is open to works of long-form fiction in English by writers from any nationality, published in
the UK or Ireland.
 Winner receives £50,000 and a trophy named 'Iris' in honor of Iris Murdoch, the 1978 Booker Prize-winning
author.
PM Modi donates Lokmanya Tilak National Award money to Namami Gange Project
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi awarded the Lokmanya Tilak National Award in Pune.
 He donated the prize money to the Namami Gange project.
 Namami Gange is an Integrated Conservation Mission for the rejuvenation of River Ganga.
 PM Narendra Modi also inaugurated the new Metro rail line extension and development projects in
Pune.
Learn Along:
About Namami Gange Project
 ‘Namami Gange Programme’, is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved as ‘Flagship Programme’ by
the Union Government in June 2014 with budget outlay of Rs.20,000 Crore to accomplish the twin objectives of
effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga.
SVAMITVA Scheme of Ministry of Panchayati Raj wins the National Award for e-Governance 2023
(Gold) for Application of Emerging Technologies for Providing Citizen Centric Services
 SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme
of Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been conferred with the prestigious National Award for e-
Governance 2023 (Gold) for Application of Emerging Technologies for Providing Citizen Centric Services
at the 26th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) organized by the Department of
Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India on 25th August 2023
in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
 The representatives of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Survey of India and NIC-GIS received the
National e-Governance Gold Award conferred to SVAMITVA Scheme in the category of Application
of Emerging Technologies for Providing Citizen Centric Services from Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State
(Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office;
Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State in the
Department of Atomic Energy; and Minister of State in the Department of Space on 25th August, 2023
during the two-day National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG).
 The two-day National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) was organised on the theme ‘Viksit
Bharat, Empowering Citizens’ jointly by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
Grievances (DARPG), Government of India and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
(MeitY), Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh on 25th
August, 2023 at Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Learn Along:
About SVAMITVA Scheme
 SVAMITVA Scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj provides ownership to property owners in village-
inhabited area by using latest drone and GIS technology.
 The Property Cards facilitate monetization of rural residential assets for bank loan and other financial benefits
and help in the settlement of land-related disputes through the preparation of 5cm accuracy maps.
 The Scheme is implemented with the collaborative efforts of Survey of India being the technology
implementation partner, State Revenue and Panchayati Raj Departments, and NIC–GIS.
India secure Second Rank at 16th IOAA in Chorzów, Poland
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 With Four Gold and One Silver Medals, India has secured Second Rank at the 16th International
Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in Chorzów, Poland held from the 10 to the 20 of
August 2023.
 The United Kingdom clinched the lead with five Golds.
 A total of 236 students from 50 nations participated at the Olympiad, collectively earning 27 gold, 41
silver, and 50 bronze medals across all categories.
 Rajdeep Mishra from Kota, Rajasthan, Koduru Tejeswar from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, Md. Sahil Akhtar
from Kolkata, West Bengal, Akarsh Raj Sahay from Nagpur, Maharashtra were awarded Gold medals
while Sainavaneet Mukund from Bangalore, Karnataka was awarded a silver medal.
 The team was led by Prof. Surhud More from IUCAA, Pune, and Pritesh Ranadive from HBCSE-TIFR,
Mumbai.
Learn Along:
About Poland
Capital: Warsaw Currency: Złoty
69th National Film Awards
 The winners of the 69th National Film Awards were announced at the National Media Center in New
Delhi.
 The ceremony honoured the best Indian films produced across languages in the calendar year 2021.
 Feature and non-feature films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) between January
1, 2021, and December 31, 2021, were eligible for contention.
 Here is the Important Category’s list of winners at the 69th National Film Awards:
Category Winner(s)
Best Feature Film Rocketry
Best Director Nikhil Mahajan, Godavari
Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome

Entertainment RRR
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Category Winner(s)
Nargis Dutt Award for Best Film on National

Integration The Kashmir Files
Best Actor Allu Arjun, Pushpa
Alia Bhatt, Gangubai Kathiawadi and Kriti Sanon,

Best Actress Mimi
Best Supporting Actor Pankaj Tripathi, Mimi
Best Supporting Actress Pallavi Joshi, The Kashmir Files
Best Child Artist Bhavin Rabari, Chhello Show
Best Screenplay (Original) Shahi Kabir, Nayattu
Utkarshini Vashishtha & Prakash Kapadia, Gangubai

Best Dialogue Writer Kathiawadi
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Category Winner(s)
Best Music Director (Songs) Devi Sri Prasad, Pushpa
Best Music Direction (Background Music) MM Keeravaani, RRR
Best Male Playback Singer Kaala Bhairava, RRR
Best Female Playback Singer Shreya Ghoshal, Iravin Nizhal
Best Lyrics Chandrabose, Konda Polam’s Dham Dham Dham
Best Hindi Film Sardar Udham
Best Meiteilon Film Eikhoigi Yum
Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a

Director Meppadiyan, Vishnu Mohan
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Category Winner(s)
Best Film on Social Issues Anunaad – The Resonance
Best Film on Environment

Conservation/Preservation Aavasavyuham
Best Non-feature Film Ek Tha Gaon
Best Short Fiction Film Dal Bhat
Music by Laxmikant Pyarelal: The Incredibly

Best Book on Cinema Melodious Journey by Rajiv Vijayakar
Best Film Critic Purushothama Charyulu
Best Film Critic (Special Mention) Subramanya Bandoor
Learn Along:
 The award ceremonies have been delayed by two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 The 68th National Film Awards, held in 2022, honoured the best Indian films released in the calendar year 2020.
 The Tamil film Soorarai Pottru won the top prize, Best Feature Film, while late filmmaker Sachy won the Best
Director honour for Ayyappanum Koshiyum.
 Ajay Devgn and Suriya shared the Best Actor award, while Aparna Balamurali won the Best Actress award.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The 67th National Film Awards celebrated the best Indian films of 2019, but were held in the year 2021. Marakkar:
Lion of the Arabian Sea won the top honour that year.
 Established in 1954, the National Film Awards are overseen by the Directorate of Film Festivals.
India Smart Cities Awards Contest (ISAC) 2022- Winners Announced
 Smart Cities Mission launched on 25 June 2015, is aimed at providing core infrastructure, clean and
sustainable environment and a decent quality of life to their citizens through the application of ‘smart
solutions’.
 It is a transformational mission aimed to bring about a paradigm shift in the practice of urban
development in the country.
 Of the total proposed projects under SCM, 6,041(76%) projects worth ₹1,10,635 crore have been
completed and the remaining 1,894 projects worth ₹60,095 crore will be completed by 30 June 2024.
 Most notable milestone achieved in the Mission has been, the Integrated Command and Control
Centers (ICCC) which is operational in all 100 Smart Cities.
 The India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) is organized under the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry
of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India.
 This is one of the important activities initiated under the Mission, where pioneering city strategies,
projects and ideas are recognized to award the exemplary performance, enable peer-peer learning and
disseminate best practices.
 The ISAC recognizes and reward the cities, projects and innovative ideas that are promoting
sustainable development across the 100 smart cities, as well as stimulating inclusive, equitable, safe,
healthy and collaborative cities, thus enhancing quality of life for all.
 In the past, the ISAC has witnessed three editions in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
 The fourth edition of the ISAC was launched in April 2022 during the ‘Smart Cities-Smart Urbanization’
event in Surat.
 The Hon’ble President of India will felicitate the winners of ISAC 2022 awards on 27th September
2023 at Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Rajasthan’s Priyan Sain Clinches Miss Earth India 2023 Crown, Embarks on a Green Mission
 Rajasthan takes center stage as Priyan Sain from the state claims the coveted title of Miss Earth India
2023, a remarkable achievement that embodies both beauty and environmental consciousness.
 The pageant, which stands out for its emphasis on eco-friendly initiatives, recognizes Priyan Sain’s
dedication to promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices.
 The Miss Earth pageant uniquely focuses on environmental advocacy, making it distinct from other
beauty contests.
 Hailing from Rajasthan, a state known for its rich cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes,
Priyan Sain’s journey to the Miss Earth India crown is an inspiration.
APPOINTMENTS
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Organization/Country/ News Learn Along

States...
National Assessment and Former director-in-charge of the National Institute of Technology - Founded:
Accreditation Council Tiruchi G. Kannabiran has been appointed as the new director
1994
of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council
(NAAC). Headquarters:
Bangalore,
Karnataka, India
Director
S. C. Sharma
Engineering Projects Shivendra Nath is set to be next Chairman & Managing ---
(India) Ltd Director (CMD) of Engineering Projects (India) Ltd. a PSU under
the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises.
He has been recommended for the post by the Public

Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) panel on 27 July 2023.
India Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba gets a one-year extension, ---

making him the longest-serving Cabinet Secretary in the
country.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the

extension beyond August 30, 2023.
The extension was granted in relaxation of AIS (Death-cum-

Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958, and Rule 56 (d) of the
Fundamental Rules.
Microsoft Tech giant Microsoft announced the appointment of Puneet Founded:

Chandok as Corporate Vice President of Microsoft India and
South Asia. Effective September 1, 2023, Chandok will assume 4 April 1975
the operational responsibilities from Anant Maheshwari. Headquarters:
Washington,
United States
Chairman:
Satya Nadella
Central Board of Indirect The government appointed Sanjay Kumar Agarwal as chairman Founded:
Taxes of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
1 January 1964
The CBIC board has a chairman who is assisted by six
members who look into tax policy, customs, IT & taxpayer Chairperson:
services, GST, compliance management and vigilance. Vivek Johri
Life Insurance R. Doraiswamy has been appointed as the managing director Chairperson:
Corporation of LIC India. He is currently executive director at the central Siddhartha
office. Mr. Doraiswamy has been appointed as managing Mohanty
director in place of Mini Ipe with effect from the date of
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
assumption of charge of office on or after September 1, 2023, and Founded:

up to the date of his superannuation August 31, 2026, or until
further orders, whichever is earlier, LIC said. 1 September
1956
Headquarters:
Mumbai
World Athletics Executive AFI president Adille Sumariwalla became a member of the Formation
Board World Athletics Executive Board after he was elected one of
18 July 1912
the four vice-presidents, the highest post occupied by an Indian in
the track and field governing body. Headquarter
He will serve a four-year term. Sebastian Coe was elected Monaco

president for a third and final term.
Power Finance Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has appointed Parminder Founded
Corporation Chopra as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD); she
July 1986
becomes the first woman to lead India’s largest NBFC. Parminder
Chopra assumed the top job at the power sector lender with effect Headquarters
from August 14, 2023. New Delhi, India
Bharat Petroleum Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) has announced Founded
Corporation Ltd. cricketer Rahul Dravid as its new brand ambassador. Rahul 1976
Dravid will endorse BPCL’s Pure for Sure initiative and range
of MAK lubricants. Headquarters
Mumbai,
Maharashtra,
Chairman & MD
G Krishnakumar
South Indian Bank The Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of P R Headquarter
Seshadri as the Managing Director and chief executive officer of
Thrissur
the Kerala-based South Indian Bank.
Founded
The appointment will be for a period of three years with effect
from October 1. 25 January 1929
Prior to this, Seshadri had served as managing director and

CEO of The Karur Vysya Bank (KVB), managing Director and
CEO
Regional Sales and Distribution Head, Citibank (Asia Pacific),
managing director and regional head of Lending, Murali
Businesses, Citibank among others. Ramakrishnan
Power Finance Power Finance Corporation named Parminder Chopra as Founded:

Corporation Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) with effect from
August 14. Parminder Chopra has become the first woman to July 1986
lead the country’s largest non-bank financial companies Headquarters:
(NBFC). New Delhi
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Parminder Chopra was previously holding the additional

charge of CMD with effect from June as was also Director
(Finance).
Thailand Srettha Thavisin, formerly the chief of a prominent real estate Capital: Bangkok
development firm in Thailand, has become the country’s prime
minister amidst a political deadlock following recent elections.
Cambodia Following a controversial election, Cambodia’s parliament has Capital: Phnom

appointed Hun Manet, the eldest son of outgoing Prime Minister Penh
Hun Sen, as the new prime minister, solidifying a dynastic
transfer of power in the nation.
Election Commission Former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar will become a ---
“national icon” of the Election Commission (EC) and spread
awareness of the need for greater voter participation in the
electoral process. The poll body will sign a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) with Sachin Tendulkar in New Delhi. It will
be a three-year agreement as part of which the cricketing legend
will spread voter awareness.
Unique Identification Neelkanth Mishra, chief economist at Axis Bank, has been Headquarter
Authority of India appointed as part-time chairperson of the Unique
New Delhi
Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) while Nilesh Shah, the
managing director of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Founded:
Company Ltd, has been appointed as a part-time member of
28 January 2009
the Aadhaar agency.
National Green Tribunal Justice Prakash Shrivastava has been appointed as Founded:
Chairperson of National Green Tribunal (NGT). After the former
Chairperson Justice A.K Goel retired. 18 October 2010
Infosys Infosys announces a three-year partnership with global tennis icon Founded:
Rafael Nadal, appointing him as the brand ambassador and the
face of Infosys’ Digital Innovation.This partnership not only 2 July 1981
marks a milestone for Nadal but also signifies Infosys’ HeadquartersBe
dedication to transforming the tennis landscape through ngaluru
cutting-edge technologies.
Indian Oil Corporation Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), one of India’s largest and Founded
Limited most esteemed public sector enterprises, has recently made a
30 June 1959
significant strategic move by appointing celebrity chef Sanjeev
Kapoor as its brand ambassador. This partnership aims to bridge Headquarters
the gap between the corporate world and the culinary arts,
New Delhi
offering a unique blend of expertise and innovation.
Ministry of Railways The government appointed Jaya Verma Sinha as the first woman ---
Chairperson of the Railway Board, the top decision-making
body for the Ministry of Railways.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Jaya Verma Sinha is the first ever woman to head the Board
in its 118-year-old history. The Railway Board came into effect
in 1905.
N.V. Ramana Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana has been ---
appointed as member of the International Mediator Panel of
Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC). The former
CJI is in Singapore to take part in the “Singapore Convention
Week”, the annual convention organised by Singapore’s Ministry
of Law, the United Nations Commission on International Trade
Law (UNCITRAL) and over 20 partner organisations.
IMPORTANT DAYS
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
OBITUARIES
Name of Person Field Points to Remember
Vakkom Politician Former Kerala Minister and Assembly Speaker Vakkom
Purushothaman Purushothaman, 96, passed away in Thiruvananthapuram.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

A senior Congress leader, he served as Governor of Mizoram,
Meghalaya, and Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands.
Nitin Chandrakant Art director Bollywood art director Nitin Chandrakant Desai passed away,
Desai aged 57.He Committed suicide in his studio near Mumbai.
He was awarded 4 times by National Film awards for Best Art

Direction for movies: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Lagaan,
Devdas, and Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam.
He also won 2 Filmfare, 2 Screen, and 4 IIFA awards.
He Served as art director for Kaun Banega Crorepati.
N.D. Mahanor Litterateur Noted litterateur and Padma Shri awardee N.D. Mahanor, known
as Maharashtra’s ‘nature poet’, passed away on August 3,
aged 80. A versatile literary figure, Namdeo Dhondo Mahanor,
known as ‘Na Dho’, was a novelist, songwriter and lyricist. He
has served as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative
Council.
Namdeo Mahanor Poet and Lyricist Well-known Marathi poet and lyricist Namdeo Mahanor passed
away in Pune. He was 81.
He was also a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

In addition to writing books on various subjects including farming,
he has also written lyrics for eleven Marathi movies.
Mahanor was honoured with numerous awards including Padma

Shri in 1991 and Sahitya Akademi Puraskar for his book
Paanzad in 2000.
Gaddar Folk Singer Revolutionary balladeer and renowned folk singer Gaddar
passed away in Hyderabad on August 6 while undergoing
treatment for heart related ailment.
N Vittal Civil Servant With the passing of N Vittal, 85, former Telecom Secretary and
Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC), The Padma Bhushan
awardee and IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre, 1960 batch, passed
away in Chennai.
Bikash Sinha Physicist Eminent nuclear physicist Bikash Sinha, a former director of the
Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP) and the Variable Energy
Cyclotron Centre (VECC), died.
Mohd. Habib Sports Mohd. Habib, the football playmaker par excellence, Died. He was
74.
Habib represented India in many international tournaments

between 1965 and 1976. He was considered by many experts as
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023

one of the best players the country has ever produced, and was
also a bronze medallist in the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok.
V.S. Arunachalam Scientist V.S. Arunachalam, a former Defence Research and

Development Organisation (DRDO) Director-General, died in
the U.S.. He was 87.
He was given the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award (1980),

Padma Bhushan (1985), and Padma Vibhushan (1990) for his
contribution to engineering science and technology.
Deven Dutta Litterateur and Consumer rights activist and former vice-principal of Cotton
Columnist University, Deven Dutta passed away at the age of 81. He was
also a renowned litterateur and columnist.
Jayanta Mahapatra Poet Jayanta Mahapatra, one of India’s best known English poets,
passed away in Cuttack. He was 95.
Dev Kohli Lyrics Veteran lyricist Dev Kohli who penned over a hundred songs for
Bollywood films like Rajkumar - Hema Malini starrer ‘Lal Patthar’
(1971), Baazigar, Hum Aapke Hain Koun, and Maine Pyaar Kiya
passed away . He was 80.
Terry Funk WWE Terry Funk, the pioneer of the World Wrestling Entertainment and
the WWE Hall of Famer, has passed away at the age of 79. Funk
had an intriguing and remarkable career over five decades (1965
to 2017).
Dr. Calyampudi Statistician Dr. Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, the world-renowned

Radhakrishna Rao statistician who pioneered several fundamental statistical
concepts, passed away at the age of 102 (22th August 2023).
C.R. Rao was born on September 10, 1920, in Bellary district,

Karnataka in a Telugu family.
He pioneered several fundamental statistical concepts such as

the Cramer–Rao inequality and Rao–Blackwellization.
Dr. Rao was awarded India’s highest honours the Padma

Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan in 1969 and 2001,
respectively.
Bray Wyatt WWE young WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt, originally called known as
Windham Rotunda reportedly died due to heart attack recently.
Milind Safai Actor Veteran Marathi actor Milind Safai passed away after a long
battle with cancer. He was 53.
BOOKS
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Book Title Author/s About the book
Kargil: Ek Yatri Ki Shri Rishi Raj Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt released books and
illustrations on the supreme sacrifice of the brave-hearts at the
Zubani
Constitution Club, Delhi, on July 23, 2023.
The book and illustrations – “Kargil: Ek Yatri Ki Jubani” –

authored by renowned writer Shri Rishi Raj, and published by
Prabhat Prakashan, impeccably portrays the lives of the heroes
of the Kargil War on the canvas of patriotism so that that they
could be a fountainhead of inspiration for children who could
learn the values of the paramount sacrifice made by the Indian
Army for the nation.
India’s Secret War: Ushinor Majumdar ---
BSF and Nine

Months to The Birth
of Bangladesh
WAITING TO BE Tahir Hamut Izgil; The Uyghur poet Tahir Hamut Izgil’s new memoir, Waiting to
ARRESTED AT Translator Joshua L Be Arrested at Night, is an outlier among books about human
NIGHT: A Uyghur Freeman rights.
Poet’s Memoir of
China’s Genocide
A Suitable Boy Vikram Seth The 30th-anniversary edition of Vikram Seth's landmark novel
A Suitable Boy is a timely reminder of India's nascent
democratic aspirations.
First published in 1993, A Suitable Boy is one of the longest

novels written in English. In most editions, it runs to more than
1,300 pages.
Indian Ideas of Dennis Dalton Indian Ideas of Freedom is an illuminating study of the lens
Freedom through which freedom was perceived by thinkers such as
Swami Vivekananda, Aurobindo Ghose, Mahatma Gandhi,
Rabindranath Tagore, B.R. Ambedkar, M.N. Roy and Jayaprakash
Narayan. It examines how, for this 'group of seven', the
pursuit of freedom was both individual and political; how their
ideas and arguments, drawing heavily on indigenous cultural
resources, were far from imitative and thus distinct. In that, it
explores their contribution to an intellectual tradition that braced
an extraordinary nationalist movement.
ON WARS Michael Mann It is an ambitious book, plumbing the roots of war from the
early Roman Republic to Vladimir Putin’s Russia, with
intermediary chapters on ancient and imperial China, Mongol
conquests, feudal Japan, the carnage of European Christendom,
clashes in pre-Columbian and Latin America, the two world wars,
colonial incursions, communist conflicts and the wars of the
Middle East.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Subcontinental Rajesh Basrur Subcontinental Drift explains why India's foreign policy is often
Drift: Domestic characterized by hesitations, delays, and diversions that may
hamper its rise.
Politics and India’s
Foreign Policy
Strange Burdens: Sugata Srinivasaraju This book is not a biography of Rahul Gandhi. Nor is it an
The Politics and uncritical hagiography designed to serve a political agenda. It is
Predicaments of an interpretation of the politics of Rahul Gandhi. And it
Rahul Gandhi navigates extremely hazardous territory with literary erudition,
kindness and humanity.
Subcontinental Rajesh Basrur ---

Drift: Domestic
Politics and India’s
Foreign Policy
The Indians Rajesh Kochhar In 'The Indians', Rajesh Kochhar explores the history of
Ghaggar, the lifeline of the Harappans.
Non Cooperation in David Hardiman A RENOWNED HISTORIAN EXPLORES IN DETAIL THE FIRST
India: Nonviolent NCM MOVEMENT, FROM ITS LAUNCH IN 1920 TO ITS END
WITH GANDHI’S ARREST TWO YEARS LATER.
Strategy and
Protest, 1920–22
Empire Building: Rosie Llewellyn-Jones 'Empire Building' is a new account of the East India Company's
impact on India, focussing on how it changed the sub-continent's
The Construction of
built environment in the context of defence, urbanisation, and
British India, 1690–
infrastructural development. Rosie Llewellyn-Jones examines
1860 these initiatives through a lens of 'political building' (using Indian
contractors and labourers).
Northeast India : A Samrat Choudhury This book journeys into the history of one of the world's newest
and most fascinating regions: Northeast India.
Political History
Pitchside: My Life Amrit Mathur A book titled ‘Pitchside: My Life in Indian Cricket’ by long-term
cricket administrator Amrit Mathur. In the book, Mr. Mathur brings
in Indian Cricket’
alive insightful first-person accounts of some of Indian
Cricket’s most memorable moments. Anecdotes, events, and
matches are described from the perspective of an insider
who has seen the game and the players up close for over three
decades.
How Prime Neerja Chowdhury The book gives us thumbnail biographies of six of India’s
Ministers Decide prime ministers, describing their motivations for making
crucial, history-altering decisions. But it is equally an
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
exploration of how, over the past 50 years, benign

Hinduism lost out to its angrier version.
Sikhs and Modi (A --- BJP President J P Nadda released the Outlook Group's Coffee
Table Book 'Sikhs and Modi (A Journey of Nine Years) at a
Journey of Nine
function in New Delhi.
Years)
Let’s Move Forward --- Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship
Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, launched a novel comic
book titled "Let’s Move Forward."
This comic book is a collaborative effort between the National

Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and
UNESCO New Delhi.
It signifies a significant stride towards augmenting the goals

of the School Health and Wellness Programme (SHWP).
SPORTS
Stuart Broad announces retirement after the Ashes
 Stuart Broad announces retirement from cricket after the 5th Ashes Test.
 This series will be his last in international cricket.
 Stuart Broad made his Test debut in December 2007 and won 167 caps.
 Recently surpassed 600-wicket milestone, ranked fifth on the all-time list of wicket-takers.
 He Played in 121 one-day internationals and 56 international T20 games.
Diego Godin retired from professional football
 Diego Godin, former Uruguay defender, retired from professional football at 37.
 He had a 20-year career in football.
 He played in four World Cups.
 He notably played for Atlético Madrid from 2010 to 2019.
World University Games 2023 in Chengdu, China
 India's total medal count: 26 (11 gold, 5 silver, 10 bronze), currently second in the tournament.
 Japan stands Second with 17 Medals.
 China leads with 21 medals.
Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
1 China 90 37 33 160
2 Japan 20 28 35 83
3 Republic of Korea 17 15 20 52
4 Poland 15 13 12 40
5 Italy 13 15 18 46
6 Turkey 11 12 12 35
7 India 11 5 10 26
8 Chinese Taipei 9 16 17 42
9 Iran 5 6 12 23
10 Lithuania 5 4 1 10
Moeen Ali announces Test retirement after Ashes 2023
 England all-rounder Moeen Ali announces retirement from Test cricket after the Oval Test match.
 Initially retired in 2021 but returned due to discussions with Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
 He Played a crucial role in the Ashes 2023 series as lead spinner and No. 3 batter.
GM Gukesh, 17, wins in Baku, to go past Viswanathan Anand as India’s top-ranked chess player
 Gukesh D, a protege of Viswanathan Anand, will become the top-ranked Indian chess player in the
monthly FIDE rating list, replacing Anand after 36 years.
 Gukesh defeated Mistradin Iskandarov in the FIDE World Cup,moving to world number 9 in the
classic open category.
 He is the third Indian to enter the top 10 in the world after Anand and Pentala Harikrishna.
 He became the youngest player to cross the 2750 ratings mark and beat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen
on the board.
 Vishwanathan Anand dropped to tenth place with a live rating of 2754.0.
Learn Along:
About FIDE
 The International Chess Federation or World Chess Federation, commonly referred to by its French acronym
FIDE, is an international organization based in Switzerland that connects the various national chess federations
and acts as the governing body of international chess competition.
 Founded: 20 July 1924 Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland President: Arkady Dvorkovich
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurates 132nd Durand Cup in Kokrajhar, Assam
 The 132nd edition of Durand Cup began in Kokrajhar, Assam on August 5, 2023.
 The tournament is organized by the Armed Forces and supported by the Government of Assam.
 The tournament will witness 24 teams, including two foreign teams from Nepal and Bangladesh,
competing at different venues.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Learn Along:
About Durand Cup
 Started in 1888, the Durand Cup is the oldest football competition in India and Asia.
 It's also the third-oldest in the world.
SAI launched short movie series ‘Halla Bol’ on journey of Asian Games bound athletes
 SAI's 'Cheer4India' campaign launches 'Halla Bol' movie series.

 It aims to motivate Asian Games-bound athletes for Hangzhou Asian Games.
 12 short movies to be shown, highlighting athletes' journeys.
 Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur promotes the series.
 Similar movie series, 'Olympics ki Aasha,' launched before Tokyo Olympics.
Learn Along:
About SAI
 The Sports Authority of India is the Apex National Sports Body of India, established in 1984 by the Ministry of
Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India for the development of sports in India.
Legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to retire from professional football aged 45
 Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon, legendary Italian goalkeeper, announced retirement.

 He spent 2022-23 with Parma Calcio FC, faced injuries and promotion failure.
 Achievements: 10 Serie A titles, Ligue 1 title, 2006 World Cup victory with Italy.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy creates Guinness record for fastest smash
 Satwiksairaj Rankireddy sets Guinness world record for fastest badminton hit: 565 km/h.
 Previous record by Malaysian Tan Boon Heong: 493 km/h (2013).
 He Partnered with Chirag Shetty, won Indonesia Open Super 1000 tournament.
 Satwik's hit faster than Formula 1 car (372.6 km/h).
 Tan Pearly (Malaysia) holds female category record: 438 km/h.
Kuldeep Yadav becomes fastest Indian to 50 wickets in T20Is
 Spinner Kuldeep Yadav became the fastest Indian to pick 50 wickets in T20 Internationals by
number of matches played during the third T20I against West Indies.
 Among ICC Full-Member nations, Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis holds the record for picking 50
wickets in 26 T20Is.
Asian Champions Trophy 2023 hockey
 Indian men's hockey team wins Asian Champions Trophy 2023 final, defeating Malaysia 4-3.
 India now most successful team in the tournament, surpassing Pakistan's three titles.
 India rose to third in FIH rankings following their Asian Champions Trophy triumph.
 India jumped one place to third and went past England behind top-ranked Netherlands and
Belgium.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 This was the second time India rose to No 3 in FIH rankings.
India's Mohit Kumar becomes Under 20 World Champion in Men's 61 kg Freestyle category
 Indian wrestler Mohit Kumar won Under 20 World Championship in men’s 61 Kg Freestyle.
 He defeated Russia's Eldar Akhmadudinov in the final.
 He is fourth Indian male to win U20 World Championship in Freestyle Wrestling.
 Previous winners: Palwinder Cheema (2001), Ramesh Kumar (2001), Deepak Punia (2019).
 Other Indian medalists: Jaideep (74kg bronze), Sagar Jaglan (79kg silver), Deepak Chahal (97kg
bronze).
 Indian men's freestyle team secures five medals in the championship.
Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga retires from Test cricket at 26
 Sri Lankan all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga retires from Test cricket on August 15.
 Hasaranga played 4 Tests, took 4 wickets.
 Notable performances: 48 ODIs - 67 wickets, 832 runs, 58 T20Is - 91 wickets, 533 runs.
Priya Malik wins Gold medal at 2023 U20 World Wrestling Championships in Jordan
 Indian wrestler Priya Malik won Gold at 2023 U20 World Wrestling Championships in Jordan.
 Second Indian woman wrestler to win U20 world championship.
 She defeated Laura Celine Kuehn of Germany in women's 76kg freestyle final.
 She also won U17 titles in 2021 and 2022.
U20 World Wrestling Championships: Priya Malik wins gold medal in Jordan
 Indian wrestler Priya Malik secured a gold medal at the ongoing U20 World Wrestling
Championships being held in Jordan, becoming the second Indian woman ever to clinch a gold in
the competition.
 Priya won the gold in the 76 kg category, defeating Germany's Laura Kuehn 5-0 in the gold medal
bout. Previously, Antim Panghal had won a gold in the previous edition.
 The achievement of this Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) athlete has now given India two
golds at the ongoing championships, which has only happened for the second time ever.
 The last time India did so was back in 2001.
 Also, Khelo India athlete Arju made India proud in the 68 kg category by defeating Turkey's Elif
Kurt in the bronze medal bout.
India's Anahat Singh clinches gold in Asian Junior Squash
 India's Anahat Singh clinched the gold medal in the U-17 category of the Asian Junior Squash
Individual Championships, held here from August 16-20.
 The 15-year-old Anahat defeated Hong Kong's Ena Kwong 3-1 in the final to win the gold medal.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Mohit Kumar becomes U-20 World Champion in Men’s 61 kg Freestyle category
 Indian wrestlers finished their campaign at the World Under-20 Wrestling Championships 2023
with with 14 medals - four gold, three silver and seven bronze.
 The event was held in Amman, Jordan, from August 14 to 20.
 A total of 30 Indian wrestlers - one in each medal event - competed in the 46th edition of the junior
wrestling championships.
IBSA World Games: Indian women's visually challenged cricket team wins gold
 The visually challenged Indian women's cricket team, on August 26, scripted history winning a
gold medal beating Australia by nine wickets at the IBSA World Games.
 Cricket for visually challenged made its debut in International Blind Sports Federation World
Games this year.
 This was the first final in the World Games and India won the ultimate showdown beating Australia
by nine wickets in a rain-affected final.
World Athletics Championships 2023: Neeraj Chopra becomes world champion in men’s javelin
throw
 India’s golden boy Neeraj Chopra recorded a best effort of 88.17m in his second attempt to become
the world champion in men’s javelin throw at World Athletics Championships 2023.
 The Olympic champion becomes the first Indian to win a gold medal and is also the only Indian
athlete to win two medals at the World Athletics Championships.
 He has also only the third athlete after WR holder Jan Zelezny and Andreas Thorkildsen to become
both Olympic and World Champion in men’s javelin.
Tirupati boy bagged silver at Singapore Math Olympiad
 Raja Anirudh Sriram, a fourth-standard student of Tirupati, has bagged a silver medal at the
Singapore International Math Olympiad Challenge (SIMOC) held recently.
 The eight-year-old Raja Anirudh Sriram was the lone participant from Andhra Pradesh among the 23
Indians who attended the event.
 At the age of four, he got a place in the India Book of Records for identifying 100 cars in 160
seconds.
 At six, he became the youngest Indian to get the ‘Microsoft Office Specialist Certificate’. At the age
of seven and eight years, he won bronze medals for consecutive years in the first level of the Singapore
and Asian Schools Math Olympiad (SASMO).
Chess World Cup 2023
 Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa wins over World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana in the tie-
breaker round of the World Cup 2023, chess tournament at Baku, Azerbaijan.
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 The World Cup 2023 is organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the governing body
of chess in the world.
 It's constituted as a non-governmental institution.
 FIDE currently has its headquarters in Lausanne (Switzerland), but it was initially founded in 1924
in Paris under the motto “Gens Una Sumus” (Latin for “We are one Family”).
 Praggnanandhaa, the youngest Indian grandmaster and the youngest international master is
among the most promising talents in the world of chess.
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
 The United States are the most successful nation at the Women’s World Cup with four titles, while
Germany have won the tournament twice. Japan, Norway and Spain now have a title each.
 The most prestigious international football competition has wrapped up in Australia and New
Zealand with Spain winning their first ever world title.
 The United States claimed gold by defeating Norway 2-1 in the final.
 USA and Germany are the only nations to have won multiple World Cup titles. Japan and Norway
have each lifted the trophy once with Spain as the most recent addition to the select club.
 From 20 July to 20 August, the world’s best female footballers competed for glory in the ninth edition of
the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
 The 2023 event marked the first time that Oceania hosted the tournament.
 The inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup took place in 1991 with China as the host nation.
Learn Along:
About FIFA
Founded: 21 May 1904 Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland President: Gianni Infantino
Wrestling Federation of India membership suspended on world stage
 United World Wrestling (UWW), the international governing body of the sport, suspended the
membership of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) with immediate effect on August 24, for
failing to conduct its elections on time.
 The elections for WFI’s next governing body were supposed to take place in June 2023.
 However, it didn’t happen owing to a series of protests by Indian wrestlers against former WFI
chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexual harassment by several
women wrestlers.
 UWW’s decision to suspend WFI would mean that Indian wrestlers will not be able to compete in the
upcoming World Wrestling Championships under the Indian flag, and instead will have to participate
as ‘neutral athletes’. The championships are scheduled to be held in the third week of September. The
suspension also means that Indian wrestlers would have to compete at the Olympics under a neutral
flag.
Learn Along:
About UWW
Headquarters: Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland Founded: 1912 President: Nenad Lalović
FIDE World Cup finals | Carlsen claims the crown
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
 Magnus Carlsen defeated Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa in a tiebreak to become Chess World Cup
champion in Baku, in Azerbaijan on 24th Aug 2023.
 After the two had drawn the opening two games of the final, Carlsen won the first of two tiebreak
games before drawing the second frame to clinch his first World Cup title.
 The Norwegian grandmaster has now won every major individual classical chess tournament.
 The result saw Carlsen win $110,000 and Praggnanandhaa earn $80,000 (approx. ₹66,10,724).
 Later, Fabiano Caruana finished third after beating Nijat Abasov 3-1 by claiming the first two rapid
games.
 For the first time, four Indians made it to the quarterfinals, with the fourth Indian Vidit Gujrathi
accounting for the last Russian Ian Nepomniachtchi, seeded four.
 Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa took out World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura and World No. 3 Caruana as
he played way over his ranking.
Khelo India Women’s League To Be Known As Asmita Women’s League
 Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur has announced that the Khelo
India Women’s League will officially be known as Asmita Women's League.
 ASMITA refers to Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women Through Action.
 The Asmita Portal serves as a comprehensive resource, offering valuable insights into upcoming
leagues among other features.
 It will enable any school, college, government, or private organization to host the 'Asmita Women's
League' and be part of Khelo India's march towards sporting excellence.
32nd edition of Durand Cup commenced from the Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi
 The Trophy tour of the 132nd edition of Durand Cup commenced from the Manekshaw Centre in
New Delhi.
 The tour was flagged off by the Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and Air Chief Marshal
VR Chaudhari.
 Over the next one month, the Trophy Tour will traverse the length and breadth of the country with
appearances at some major cities like Shimla, Udhampur, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru,
Bhubaneshwar, Kokrajhar, Guwahati and Shillong before reaching Kolkata for the mega event.
 The tournament will be held at Kolkata from 3rd August to 3rd September 2023.
 In this edition, 24 teams will participate in the tournament.
FIFA lifts ban on Sri Lanka Football Federation
 World governing body FIFA has lifted its suspension of the Sri Lanka Football Federation.
 On January 21, the global apex body banned the Lankan FA for violations of FIFA rules in
administration.
Learn Along:
About FIFA
Founded: 21 May 1904 Headquarters: Zürich, Switzerland President: Gianni Infantino
Monthly BeePedia
August 2023
Sources of the News:
The Hindu,The Indian Express,Business Standard, The Financial Express ,PIB, etc.

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SEBI and Financial Awareness _________________________________________56

NABARD and Agriculture ___________________________________________ 63

Reports and Indexes _______________________________________________ 105

Science and Technology ___________________________________________ 113

Defence __________________________________________________________ 124

Events ___________________________________________________________ 130

Awards & Rewards ___________________________________________________141

Appointments _____________________________________________________ 149

Important Days ___________________________________________________ 153

Books ___________________________________________________________ 156

Sports ___________________________________________________________ 159

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RBI prohibits lenders from compounding penal interest on loan defaults

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Banks’ non-food credit grows 16% in June: RBI data

Bank credit growth to MSMEs decelerates in Q1: RBI data

SBI Card Headquarters: Gurugram CEO: Rama Mohan Rao Amara

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ICICI Bank Registered Office: Vadodara CEO: Sandeep Bakshi

Axis Bank Registered Office: Ahmedabad MD &CEO: Amitabh Chaudhry

Net FDI into India declines sharply to $5 billion in Q1 – RBI Data

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RBI approves 34 applications of Russian banks to open rupee accounts

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Housing Development Finance Corporation Headquarters: Mumbai CEO: Keki M. Mistry

Exim Bank launches factoring subsidiary in GIFT city

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Indian Banks' Association forms sectoral committee

No automated IGST refunds on pan masala, tobacco from October 1,2023

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Bank of Maharashtra tops PSU lenders chart in loan, deposit growth in Q1

Indian Overseas Bank Headquarters: Chennai CEO: Ajay Kumar Srivastava

UCO Bank Headquarters: Kolkata CEO: Soma Sankara Prasad

PNB Headquarters: New Delhi MD & CEO: Atul Kumar Goel

Bank of Baroda Headquarters: Vadodara MD & CEO: Debadatta Chand

Central Bank of India Headquarters: Mumbai MD & CEO: M. V. Rao

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IREDA Headquarters: New Delhi CMD: Pradip Kumar Das

 Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), has signed a performance-based

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TCS to revamp Government e-Marketplace, enhance efficiency, transparency

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ReNew Gets ₹2,700-cr Project Loan from SBI

IDBI MF Headquarters: Mumbai Chairman: Rakesh Sharma

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Mastercard launches CVC-less payments for tokenised credit, debit cards

Adani sells shares in Adani Power to GQG Partners, others for $1 bn

HDFC MF decreases 2.12% stake in Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers