Highlights of 77th Independence Day of India on August 15, 2023 The Central Government has organized the 77th Independence Day at Red Fort, New Delhi, Delhi which was addressed by the Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi.
2023 Independence Day signified the theme Nation First, Always First under the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations, which began in 2021.

• The year 2023 marked the 76th anniversary of Indian Independence, as the first anniversary was marked a year from the actual year that is 1948. Hence, India celebrated its 77th Independence Day and 76th Independence Day anniversary in 2023.

i.During the event, the PM announced ‘Vishwakarma Yojana’ to benefit individuals skilled in traditional craftsmanship/artisan works.These include Weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, barbers, and such families.
ii.The President of India Droupadi Murmu has approved one President’s Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) and five Tatrakshak Medals (TM) to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel for their act of conspicuous gallantry, exceptional devotion to duty and distinguished /meritorious service on the occasion of Independence Day 2023.
About Delhi:
New Delhi is the National Capital of India.
Lieutenant Governor– Vinai Kumar Saxena
Chief Minister– Arvind Kejriwal

 

Home Minister Amit Shah’s 2 day visit to Gujarat; Inaugurates projects worth Rs 1052 cr Amit Shah, Union Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), during his 2 days visit to Gujarat on 12th and 13th of August 2023, inaugurated various development works worth Rs.1052 crore been dedicated and inaugurated in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Gujarat.

• The development works were jointly done by the Government of India (GoI) and the Government of Gujarat.

On 12th August 2023, Union Minister Amit Shah, laid the foundation stone of Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO)’s Nano DAP (Di-ammonium Phosphate) (Liquid), Plant in Gandhidham, Gujarat.
On 13th August 2023, Union Minister Amit Shah on his 2-day visit to Gujarat, laid the foundation stone of the Regional Hub of National Security Guard (NSG) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
About Gujarat:
Chief Minister– Bhupendrabhai Patel
Governor– Acharya Devvrat
Airport– Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and Dholera International Airport

 

President Droupadi Murmu Gives Assent to Four Bills,August2023On 12th August 2023, the President of India Droupadi Murmu gave assent to four bills including the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2023, the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill 2023, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2023, and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill 2023.

• As per the Indian constitution, a bill transforms into an act upon receiving the President’s assent and is then formally announced in the official gazette.Consequently, the aforementioned bills have now been enacted as acts.

i.The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill 2023 will contribute to the development of a national and state-level database of registered births and deaths, which will eventually ensure the efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social benefits, as well as digital registration.
ii.The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023 replaces the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, which was promulgated on 19th May 2023
iii.The primary purpose of the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023 is to regulate the processing of digital personal data and respect individuals’ right to protect their data while recognizing the necessity of processing and using such data for lawful purposes.
About the National Capital Territory(NCT) of Delhi:
Chief Minister – Arvind Kejriwal
Governor – Vinai Kumar Saxena
Wildlife Sanctuary – Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary
Festivals – Bhai Dooj Festival, Chhat Festival

 

PFRDA integrates NPS Statement of Transaction (SoT) with  CASPension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority(PFRDA) in coordination with the Securities and Exchange Board of India(SEBI) has integrated the National Pension System (NPS) Statement of Transaction (SoT) with the Consolidated Account Statement (CAS).

• Now, PFRDA has enabled Central Record Keeping Agencies (CRAs) to integrate with depositories, registered with SEBI to provide NPS Subscribers with the option to include NPS transactions in CAS.
•  The facility to include NPS SoT in CAS will be available to NPS subscribers on consent basis.

About CAS: 
i.The CAS provided by National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) and Central Depository Services Ltd (CDSL) offers a consolidated view of the personal investments in the securities market with updated mark-to-market values.
ii.It encompasses holdings of Demat accounts and mutual fund holdings of the investors.
Note: CAS is issued to investors in accordance with Regulation 36(4) of SEBI
(Mutual Funds) Regulations, 1996.
Present scenario:
At present, the NPS SoT is shared annually, either in physical form or via email, and is also accessible for online viewing through CRA login.
Consolidated Account Statement (CAS) Advantages:
i.Simplified Record-Keeping: CAS summarizes the statements for different investments into one comprehensive statement, reducing paperwork and offering a consolidated view of all investments in one place.
ii.Enhanced Security: CAS ensures the safety of information related to contributions/investments. Monthly updates help Subscribers spot unauthorized transactions.
iii.Timely Information: CAS provides monthly updates on transactions and holdings, enabling Subscribers to track performance, stay informed, and make informed choices.
About Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority(PFRDA):
Chairperson – Deepak Mohanty
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established in – 2003

 

Zerodha AMC Launched After Receiving Approval From SEBIZerodha Broking Limited(Zerodha) has received final approval from Securities and Exchange Board of India(SEBI) to launch an Asset Management Company (AMC) – Zerodha Asset Management Private Limited called as “Zerodha Fund House”.

• Zerodha Fund House is the joint venture (JV) of Zerodha with Smallcase Technologies Private Limited(smallcase), a fintech platform.
• Vishal Jain has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Zerodha Fund House. Previously, He headed the Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) division of Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd.

Background:
i.Zerodha applied for the AMC licence in February 2020 and received an in-principle approval in September 2021.
ii.Prior to the final approval (in April 2023), Zerodha announced its decision to form a JV with smallcase to start the AMC
Zerodha’s motivation to start Mutual Funds:
i.Despite substantial growth in the past three years, the count of unique equity investors remains around 60-80 million.
ii.The need for the market to have simple products(like mutual funds) to facilitate the swift entry of the next 10 million investors.
SEBI Sets New Exit Option Timeline for MF Unitholders for AMC Control Change
SEBI new timeline for the exit option window period given to the mutual fund unitholders in the event of a change in the control of an AMC.

• Under the new guidelines, the change in control of the AMC will require the unitholders of the MF to be granted the choice of exiting at the prevailing Net Asset Value (NAV), devoid of any exit load, within a span of 15 calendar days from the date of communication(earlier it was 30 days).

Key Points:
i.This move aims to enhance investor protection and streamline the process of such transitions within the mutual fund landscape.
ii.With improved communication technology, has enabled faster dissemination of information to unitholders, SEBI received a request  from the mutual fund industry to reconsider the exit option timeline.
In case of merger:
If the change of control is because of consolidation or merger of schemes, unitholders will have the opportunity to exit at the prevailing NAV without incurring any exit load, but the window for this choice will extend to a minimum of 30 calendar days from the date of communication.
Requirements for change in control:
i.Trustees and SEBI’s prior approval.
ii.A written communication about the proposed change to each unitholder.
iii.Advertisement in the newspaper concerning the proposed alterations.

 

Air India unveils new logo ‘The Vista’ at rebranding event
On 10th August 2023, Air India, Tata Group-owned airline unveiled its new logo, branding, and plane livery at the rebranding event held in New Delhi, Delhi. The new logo called ‘The Vista’ was inspired by the peak of the gold window frame that signifies the limitless possibilities, progressiveness, and Air India’s  bold, confident outlook for the future.

• The Vista replaces old logo “Wheel of Konark”, a red swan adorned with the distinctive orange Konark Chakra.
• Air India’s new aircraft livery and design features a palette of deep red, aubergine, and gold highlights and a chakra-inspired pattern.
• The rebranding of Air India gained momentum following its acquisition by the Tata Group. Tata Sons, via its fully owned subsidiary, Talace Private Limited (“Talace”), acquired a 100% stake in Air India on 27th January 2022.
• Air India underwent a 15-month transformation, and through advancements in technology, fleet, maintenance, ground handling, and operations, Air India succeeded in elevating itself to world-class standards in safety, customer service, and overall passenger experience.

Note:

• Livery refers to the collection of symbols, insignia, colours, and distinctive identifiers that are associated with an airline’s brand.
• In December 2022, the Tata Group took a step towards the rebranding of Air India by enlisting the services of Futurebrands, a brand and design consultancy based in London, the United Kingdom (UK).

 

Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation, 2023On 12th August 2023, the “Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation, 2023” has been awarded to 140 Police Personnel, in recognition of their outstanding service in the investigation.

• Among the 140 personnel, 15 are from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), 12 are from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and 2 are from Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), and so on.
• This medal was constituted in 2018, with the objective to promote high professional standards of investigation of crime and recognize such Excellence in Investigation.

About Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Investigation:
i.It is an annual medal, instituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (Government of India) to the members of Central Investigating Agencies and State/UT Police Investigating Agencies for excellence in investigation.
ii.The objective of the medal is to, promote high professional standards of investigation of crime in the state police and Central investigating agencies in India, and to recognise such excellence in an investigation by investigating officers of police organisations.
iii.It has been announced on the 12th of August every year.
Key Highlights:
i.The officers chosen for the coveted medal are the Superintendent of Police (SP), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Deputy Superintendent of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Inspector, Sub-Inspector, and so on.
ii.Among them, 10 are from Uttar Pradesh, 09 each from Kerala & Rajasthan, 08 from Tamil Nadu, 07 from Madhya Pradesh and 06 are from Gujarat, and the remaining are from other States/Union Territories (UTs)/Organizations…Click here for awardees list…
iii.These also include 22 Women Police Officers.

NAFIS of NCRB gets DARPG’s Gold Award for Excellence in Category-1
The National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) team of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) won the Gold Award under the Excellence in Government Process Reengineering for Digital Transformation Category-1 of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public grievances and Pensions. The award recognised the dedication of the NAFIS team in creating a fool-proof fingerprint identification system.

• MoHA provided NAFIS devices to all Districts, Police Commissionerates, Central and State Fingerprint Bureaus, and Central agencies like the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
• According to the MoHA, NAFIS, which was developed by the NCRB, is a centralised database of criminal fingerprints, that would help in the quick and easy disposal of cases and the database is a collaborative effort, granting access to authorized personnel from all States, Union Territories, and Central Agencies.

Note:

• Union Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the NAFIS on August 17, 2022, at the 2-day National Securities Strategies (NSS) Conference held in Delhi.
• In April 2022, Madhya Pradesh became the first state in India to identify a deceased person through NAFIS.

 

Anwarul Ul Haq Kakar Appointed as Caretaker Prime Minister of PakistanOn 14th August 2023, Anwarul Ul Haq Kakar(52 year-old) became the 8th Caretaker Prime Minister(PM) of Pakistan following the dissolvement of Former PM Shehbaz Sharif government.

• He was administered oath of the office by President Arif Alvi in a ceremony held at the Aiwan-i-Sadr (the President House) in Islamabad, Pakistan.
• He will lead the Pakistan government until the formation of the next elected government.

About Anwarul Haq Kakar:
i.Kakar was Born in 1971 from an ethnic Pushtun community in the Muslim Bagh, Qila Saifullah district of Balochistan, Pakistan.
ii.He was elected  as a senator for the first time  in 2018 from the Balochistan province.
iii.Upon his election as PM, he resigned his current post of senator and from a member of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP).
Background:
i.Imran Khan of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) formed the government after the last general election for the pakistan parliament was held in 2018.

• In April 2022, Imran Khan was removed from PM after he lost a no-confidence motion in parliament.

ii.Following Imran Khan removal,Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif of  Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) became the 23rd PM.

• Shehbaz Sharif dissolved the  parliament on 8th August before the end of the present tenure of the parliament on 12th August 2023.
• 

iii.According to the Pakistan Constitution, the general election for the parliament will  be conducted within 90 days after the dissolvement of the parliament.
About Pakistan:
Caretaker Prime Minister(PM) –  Anwarul Ul Haq Kakar
Capital  –  Islamabad
Currency – Pakistani Rupee (PKR)

 

R Doraiswamy Executive Director of LIC appointed as MD of LIC
The Government of India(GoI) have appointed R Doraiswamy as Managing Director (MD) of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the office on or after September 1, 2023, and upto the date of his superannuation (August 31, 2026) or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

• R Doraiswamy is currently the Executive Director (Information Technology (IT)/Software Development (SD)), at the LIC central office in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• He will replace Mini Ipe, one of the current MDs of LIC, who is set to retire at the end of August 2023.
• The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB), in June 2023, recommended the name of Doraiswamy as MD of LIC.
• Currently, LIC has 4 MDs namely, Mini Ipe, M Jagannath, Tablesh Pandey, and Sat Pal Bhanoo.

Note: FSIB has been constituted effective from July 01, 2022, by Central Government for the purpose of recommending persons for appointment as whole-time directors and non-executive chairpersons on the Boards of financial services institutions. It is headed by Bhanu Pratap Sharma, former Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

 

ISRO Conducts Drogue Parachute Deployment Tests for Gaganyaan MissionVikram Sarabhai Space Centre(VSSC) in collaboration with Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) successfully conducted a series of Drogue Parachute Deployment Tests to qualify the drogue parachutes, affirming their preparedness for integration into the Test Vehicle Demonstration (TV-D1) under the Gaganyaan mission

• The tests were held at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory of DRDO, Chandigarh.
• VSSC (Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala ) is a major space research centre of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO); ADRDE(Agra, Uttar Pradesh) is a pioneer Research & Development lab of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Drogue Parachute:
The Gaganyaan mission entails the safe transportation of astronauts to space and back. At the heart of this endeavour lies the deployment of drogue parachutes, pivotal in stabilizing the crew module and curbing its re-entry velocity to a secure level.

• Distinguished by their conical ribbon-style configuration with diameter of 5.8 metres, these drogue parachutes find their place within pyro-based devices called mortars.
• Ingeniously engineered, these devices are designed to precisely expel the parachutes into the atmosphere upon receiving the command.

Deployment Tests:
Throughout the series of three comprehensive tests at the RTRS facility, a diverse set of real-world scenarios was replicated to assess the performance and reliability of the drogue parachutes.

• First test – simulation replicated the max reefed load, introducing reefing in a mortar-deployed parachute within India.
• Second test –  imitated maximum disreefed load challenges.
• Third test – mirrored Crew Module’s mission conditions, including max angle of attack, underlining thorough assessment.

Working mechanism: 
i.Through a single-stage reefing mechanism, these parachutes adeptly minimize canopy size while adeptly counteracting the shock of opening, ensuring a smooth and controlled descent.
ii.The intricate parachute sequence in the Gaganyaan module has ten parachutes.

• It starts with two Apex cover separation parachutes, followed by stabilizing with two drogue parachutes. After the drogue parachutes are released, the mission enters the extraction phase.
• Three Pilot chutes then extract three main parachutes, crucial for reducing the Crew Module’s speed for a safe landing.

Additional Info:
In March 2023, RTRS tests for the Pilot and Apex cover separation parachutes were carried out, further underscoring the advancement of the Gaganyaan mission’s parachute system development.

 

Padma Bhushan Awardee Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, Founder of Sulabh International, Passed AwayOn 15th August 2023, Padma Bhushan Awardee, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, a renowned Social activist and the Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, passed away at the age of 80 in New Delhi, Delhi. He was born on 2nd April 1943, in Rampur Baghel village in the Vaishali district of Bihar.

• He is a pioneer of Public toilets in India who is known as the “Toilet Man of India”.
• He dedicated his life to eradicating manual scavenging and advancing sanitation and promoting human rights, environmental sanitation, non-conventional sources of energy, and waste management through education.

Note: Sulabh International is a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), in General Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN).
About Bindeshwar Pathak:
i.In 1968, he joined the Bhangi-Mukti (scavengers’ liberation) Cell of the Bihar Gandhi Centenary Celebrations Committee, which was mainly involved in spreading the ideas of Mahatma Gandhi in Patna, Bihar.
ii.He established the Sulabh Svachchh Shauchalaya Sansthaan (the clean toilet institute), a non-profit organisation in 1970, combining technical innovation with humanitarian principles.
iii.In 1980, the non-profit organisation became Sulabh International, which has carried out extensive work on the conversion of dry latrines into modern toilets in over 17,00 towns and has helped build over 160,835 toilets.
Note: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), recognises Sulabh technologies in its Human Development Report twice (2003 & 2006).
Awards/Honours:
i.In 1991, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his distinguished social service.
ii.In 2003, he was honoured with the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour 2003 Award and also received the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global 500 Scroll of Honour Award.
iii.In 2009, he won the Stockholm Water Prize, conferred by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
iv.In 2016, he received the World Health Organisation (WHO) Public Health Champion Award.
Books:
His notable works include: The Making of Legend: Narendra Damodar Das Modi (2017); New Princesses of Alwar Shame To Pride (2009); Road to Freedom (2000) and so on.

 

Mohammed Habib, Indian Football Legend Passed AwayMohammed Habib, the legendary Indian football player and Former Indian captain, passed away at the age of 74 in Hyderabad, Telangana. He was born in Hyderabad in undivided Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana) on July 17, 1949.

• He was affectionately referred to as the ‘Bade Miya’ of Kolkata football, and he played international football till 1975.
• Dedicated to football, he refused all the job offers that came his way and became India’s 1st “True Professional Footballer”.

About Mohammed Habib:
i.He has represented India in around 35 International matches from his debut in 1967 till his retirement in 1975.
ii.Mohammed Habib made his debut for India against Thailand in the Merdeka Cup held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1967.
iii.He was a part of the bronze-medal winning team at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand. He was also a part of the team that jointly won the 1971 Pesta Sukan Cup with South Vietnam(the Republic of Vietnam) in Singapore.
Club Career:
i.For 18 seasons between the 1960s and 1970s, He played for Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting.
ii.In the 1969 Santosh Trophy final held in Bangalore (Karnataka), he scored 5 goals in Bengal’s 6-1 win over Services, which is still a record.
iii.In 1977, he played an exhibition match for Mohun Bagan against Brazil legend Pele’s New York Cosmos Club.
iv.After his retirement from club football in 1982, he decided to become a coach and joined the coach at Tata Football Academy (TFA) in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand and he coached Mohun Bagan and Mohammedan Sporting, too.
v.He also served as a chief coach of the Indian Football Association academy in Haldia, West Bengal.
Achievements:
i.He had the rare distinction of scoring the winning goals in 3 Durand Cup finals in the span of 7 seasons for East Bengal.
ii.He was one of the few players to win the Triple Crown (winning the Indian Football Association (IFA) Shield, Durand Cup, and Rovers Cup in the same season) for both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan in 1972 and 1977, respectively.
iii.He won the Santosh Trophy on 5 occasions, 1965 (with Andhra Pradesh), 1969, 1971, 1972, and 1975 (with Bengal).
Awards/Honours:
i.He was conferred with the Arjuna Award 1980-81 for football.
ii.He was also conferred with the East Bengal Bharat Gaurav Award in 2016.
iii.In 2018, the West Bengal Government instituted him the title Banga Bibhushan in the field Footballer.

Partition Horrors Remembrance Day 2023 – August 14Partition Horrors Remembrance Day or ‘Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas‘ is annually observed across India on 14th August to remember of the struggles and sacrifices during the partition of India into India and Pakistan in 1947.
The day also remembers the lives lost during the partition and those who were forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes.

• 14th August 2023 marks the 3rd observance of Partition Horrors Remembrance Day.

Background:
On 14th August 2021, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced that 14th August of every year will be observed as “Partition Horrors Remembrance Day” to inspire us to eliminate  discrimination, animosity and ill-will and to promote strengthen unity, social harmony and human sensibilities.
The first ever Partition Horrors Remembrance Day was observed on 14th August 2021.
About Pakistan:
Capital– Islamabad
Currency– Pakistani Rupee
Prime Minister– Shehbaz Sharif

 

Gramin Mitra: Goa govt launches Door-Step Delivery of Digital Scheme for Rural Goa Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister(CM) of Goa, launched Gramin Mitra, the flagship scheme of the Government of Goa to provide doorstep delivery of government services across the state and promote digital empowerment in rural areas at an event held at the Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan in Goa.

TODAY’S DAILY NEWS DIGEST (DND)