IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 31, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 31, 2016

• Yogeshwar Dutt’s bronze medal turns to silver
• Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt's London 2012 bronze might be upgraded to silver.
• The upgrade has been triggered by a positive dope test of late Russian wrestler Besik Kudukhov, the original silver winner in the 60-kg freestyle event. 
• Following the upgrade, India now has eight Olympic silver medals.
• India and US Sign Logistic Exchange Pact Boosting Defence Ties
• India and the US have signed an important agreement that will make the two nations logistical allies and enable both the militaries to use each other's assets and bases for repair and replenishment of supplies.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 30, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 30, 2016

• Aug 29 is Sports Day to mark Dhyan Chand's b'day
• National Sports Day in India is celebrated on August 29 to mark hockey legend Dhyan Chand's birthday. 
• Dhyan Chand, considered as the greatest player in hockey, played a key role in India's three consecutive Olympic triumphs in 1928, 1932 and 1936. 
• Notably, the government gives away awards such as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dronacharya Awards on this day.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 29, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 29, 2016

• Mountain Echoes Literary Festival, 2016 
• The 7th edition of the Mountain Echoes Literary Festival 2016 Kicked off in the capital city of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan Thimbu on 26 August 2016.
• The festival was inaugurated by Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, (Royal Patron) which aims to provide a platform for the greatest literary minds to engage in a cultural dialogue.
• ISRO tests Scramjet Rocket engine
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) today successfully test-fired its Scramjet Rocket Engine.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 27,28,2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 27,28,2016

• Nagaland becomes eighth State to pass GST bill
• The Nagaland State Assembly has passed the Goods and Service Tax (GST) Constitution Amendment Bill, 8th State to ratify the tax reform. 
• GST is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, excise duty etc. 
• New ED at Corporation Bank
• The Central government has appointed Gopal Murli Bhagat as Executive Director of Corporation Bank for a period of three years.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 26,2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 26, 2016

• Madhya Pradesh, Delhi Assembly passes GST Bill
• Delhi Assembly has ratified the Goods and Service Tax Constitution Amendment Bill. It is the third non-BJP-ruled state and overall the 8th to clear the proposed tax regime. 
• GST is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, excise duty etc.
• Sakshi Malik will be brand ambassador of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign
• Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar has announced that Sakshi Malik, India’s bronze medalist at the Rio Olympics, will be the brand ambassador of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign in the state.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 25, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 25, 2016

Union Cabinet clears Surrogacy Bill

i. The Union Cabinet Today cleared the draft Surrogacy Bill 2016, aimed at regulating commissioning of surrogacy in the country in a proper manner.

ii. The bill aims to safeguard rights of surrogate mothers and make parentage of such children legal.

iii. It will now be introduced in the Parliament.

Maharashtra to have own law for internal security

i. The newly drafted Maharashtra Protection of Internal Security Act (MPISA) has proposed setting up of Special Security Zones (SSZ) where movement of arms, explosives and inflow of unaccounted funds will be prohibited .

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 23,24, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 23,24, 2016

National Sports Awards – 2016

i. Rio Olympics 2016 medalists PV Sindhu (badminton) and Sakshi Malik (wrestling) have been chosen for Khel Ratna award for 2016. 

ii. The highest sporting award of India will also be given to Dipa Karmakar and Jitu Rai.

iii. Dipa Karmakar's coach Bisweshwar Nandi will be awarded Dronacharya Award for 2016.

Jagdish Mukhi sworn in as Lt Guv of Andaman and Nicobar

i. Senior BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi on Monday assumed office as the 12th Lieutenant Governor of the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 21, 22, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 21,22, 2016

Manjula Chellur sworn-in as Chief Justice of Bombay HC

i. Justice Manjula Chellur on Monday took oath as the Chief Justice of the Bombay HC.

ii. Chelluar, who was the Chief Justice of Calcutta HC, was transferred following the retirement of DH Waghela on August 10. 

iii. Chellur is 2nd woman to hold the post, after Sujata Manohar in 1994.

IOA chief Ramachandran awarded the Olympic Order

i. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President, N. Ramachandran was awarded the Olympic Order for his outstanding services to the Olympic movement. 

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 20, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 20, 2016

• Court of Arbitration for Sport suspends wrestler Narsingh Yadav for four year
•  The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), situated in Lausanne, Switzerland, on 18 August 2016 banned wrestler Narsingh Yadav for four years following an appeal by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
•  The CAS also ruled to disqualify all the competitive results obtained by Narsingh from 25 June 2016. The CAS panel further stated that there was no evidence to accept his claim that his food/drink was spiked.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 19, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 19, 2016

Govt slaps Rs 2,500 crore penalty on Reliance Industries

i. Govt has slapped an penalty of USD 380 million on Reliance Industries and its partners for producing less than targeted natural gas from KG-D6 fields.

ii. The total penalty for missing the target in 5 fiscal years beginning April 1, 2010, now stands at USD 2.76 billion.

Federal Bank starts distributing MMTC gold coins

i. Federal Bank has become the first private sector bank to start distributing gold coins made by government-controlled Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTCI).

ii. The Indian gold coins are of 24 karat purity, 999 fineness and has the National Emblem of Ashok Chakra engraved on one side and the face of Mahatma Gandhi as in currency notes on the other.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 17 AND 18, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 17 AND 18, 2016

Four states to get new Governors

i. Banwarilal Purohit has replaced Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya as the Governor of Assam.

ii. V.P. Singh Badnore has been appointed as Governor of Punjab.

iii. Jagdish Mukhi has been appointed as Governor of Andaman and Nicobar

iv. Former Union Minister Najma Heptulla has been appointed Governor of Manipur. 

Gujarat govt to implement 7th Pay Commission recommendations from 1st Jan

i. Gujarat government has approved the implementation of the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission, raising salaries of over 8.5 lakh state employees and pensioners,  from 1st Jan.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 15 AND 16, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 15 AND 16, 2016

Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa announces hike in pension to freedom fighters

i. Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa has announced Rs 1,000 increase in the freedom fighters pension from Rs 11,000. 

ii. The announcement came during her address after unfurling national flag at Fort St. George on the occasion of Independence Day.

Odia becomes Official Language in Odisha from today

i. Odia language will be used as the official language in all government offices in Odisha from today onwards.

ii. According to the amendment of the Orissa Official Language Act 1954, all government letters, files will be carried in Odia language.

IMPORATANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 13 AND 14, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 13, 14,2016

• SC lifts ban on registration of High-end Diesel cars and SUVs in Delhi and NCR
• The Supreme Court of India has lifted the ban on registration of high-end diesel cars and SUVs having engine capacity of 2000 cc and above in Delhi and NCR.
•  Ruling in this regard was given by SC bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur on record the affidavits filed by some car makers and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. The petitioners had offered to deposit one per cent of the price of the vehicles as Environment Protection Charge (EPC) before the registration of such vehicles.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 12,2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 12, 2016

• Lok Sabha passes the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016
• The Lok Sabha passed the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016. It creates the way for employers in the textile sector to avail of the income tax benefit on additional employment provided the employee. This applies for the employee who has worked for 150 days and not 240 days as mandated earlier.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 11, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 11, 2016

• On Aug 10, 2016 International Biodiesel day was observed.
• During the 1850s two scientists named as E. Duffy and J. Patrick had designed the first diesel engine. 
• After that another renowned scientist named as Rudolf Diesel built a prime model of diesel engine with a 10 feet iron cylinder and flywheel at its base.
• This model was powered for the first time on 10th August 1893 in Augsburg, Germany. Thereafter this day is celebrated as International biodiesel day. 

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 10 , 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 10, 2016

• On Aug 9, 2016 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was observed.
• This day is observed every year to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population.
• 2016 Theme : Indigenous Peoples' Right to Education
• Bhutan is the world's first carbon negative country, meaning that the country's forests absorb more carbon dioxide each year than it produces. 
• Around 72% of its land is under forest cover due to Bhutan's strong environment protection policies. 
• Important Note : Bhutan is also the world's only country to use gross national happiness to measure its growth.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 9, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 9, 2016

• On Aug 8, 2016 International Cat Day was observed.
• Misery Index 2016
• South American nation Venezuela, with a score of 188.2%, has been ranked 'most miserable' in the world by the Misery Index (computed by adding inflation to the unemployment rate), out of 74 economies surveyed by Bloomberg. 
• Most  Miserable Countries in the List
• Venezuela
• Bisnia
• South Africa 
• Least Miserable Countries in the List
• Thailand
• Singapore
• Japan

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 8, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 8, 2016

• On Aug 7, 2016 (first Sunday of August) International Friendship Day was observed.
• On Aug 7, 2016 (7th August) 2nd National Handloom Day was observed.
• 7th August was notified by the Government of India as National Handloom Day vide Gazette Notification dated 29th  July, 2015.
• The main objective of this day is to generate awareness about the importance of handloom industry and its contribution to the socioeconomic development of the country.
• Important Note : The date August 7 has been chosen due to its special significance in India’s freedom struggle; it was on this day in 1905 that the Swadeshi Movement was formally launched, at a massive meeting in the Calcutta Town hall. 
• The movement involved revival of domestic products and production processes. 
• Union Textiles Minister : Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani
• Prime Minister Modi On Aug 7, 2016 officially launched the first phase of 'Mission Bhagiratha' in Telangana's Medak district to provide piped drinking water to​ every household in Telangana. 
• The mission, expected to cost around ₹42,000 crore, aims to create a water grid for supplying drinking water. 
• Note : PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for a 1,600 MW super thermal power plant.
• The Kerala Congress (M) On Aug 7, 2016 left the United Democratic Front (UDF)after being a part of it for more than three decades. 
• The Kerala Congress (M) will now work as a separate independent opposition block in the Assembly.
• All houses in Tiring, Jharkhand, will have nameplates bearing the names of unmarried girls and their mothers residing there, to address the village's skewed sex ratio and female literacy rate. 
• Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar On Aug 7, 2016 inaugurated the transit campus of Indian Institute of Technology in Jammu. 
• The Telangana government On Aug 7, 2016 signed an MoU with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for setting up a Telangana Water Resources Information System (TWRIS) on ISRO’s geo-portal Bhuvan (similar to Google Earth). 
• The system aims at capturing and marking every field-level irrigation structure, including dams/barrages, canals and field channels, on the satellite visualisation tool.
• 'Father of the Green Revolution' MS Swaminathan was placed in the 'Time 20' list of the most influential Asian people of the 20th century. 
• Born on August 7, 1925, Swaminathan led the development of high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice to avert a famine in India. 
• Note : The only other Indians in the list were Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.
• BJP leader Vijay Rupani (60) On Aug 7, 2016 took oath as Gujarat Chief Minister at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. 
• He was declared the CM by the BJP after former CM Anandiben Patel resigned from the post citing age factor. 
• Important Note : Besides Rupani, Nitin Patel was also sworn in asDeputy CM of Gujarat.
• Actor Ajay Devgn has been named the ambassador for KFC India's initiative 'Hope'. 
• The initiative is looking to provide 20 million meals to underprivileged children by 2020 through its partnerships with World Food Program (WFP) and India Food Banking Network (IFBN). 
• To support this campaign, customers can choose to add ₹5 to their bill for every meal at KFC.
• The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions has accepted the7th Pay Commission's recommendation of increasing the minimum monthly pension for retired central government employees by 157.14%, from ₹3,500 to ₹9,000. 
• Further, such employees will be entitled to a maximum pension of ₹1.25 lakh, a Ministry order said. 
• India currently has about 58 lakh central government pensioners.
• The Central Bureau of Investigation has been made the Nodal authority for banks to report high-value frauds worth over ₹50 crore in public sector banks.
•  A Joint Director-level officer has been authorised to receive complaints, who can recommend an investigation by any CBI wing. 
• The CBI had probed 171 bank fraud cases involving funds of over ₹20,000 crore in 2015.
• Vietnam has the second fastest GDP growth rate per capita in the worldsince the 1990s, behind only China. 
• Reports suggest this may be due to Vietnam simplifying its trade rules, with trade accounting for 150% of its GDP. 
• Note : Vietnam's government has barred officials from forcing foreigners to buy inputs domestically and promotes competition among its 63 provinces.
• London-based risk analysis firm Verisk Maplecroft has ranked India the fourth riskiest in a​ list of 198 countries losing out on business opportunities due to civil unrest. 
• War-torn countries​ Syria, Yemen and Libya took the first three spotson the list. 
• Note : Countries like Bangladesh (6th) and Nigeria (10th) were found to be safer for conducting businesses than India.
• NASA has announced five research projects that may help make planes more efficient and green. 
• The projects are aimed at shrinking fuel use, reducing aviation’s impact on the environment and quieting noise around airports. 
• One of these studies will be based on Lithium-Air "breathing batteries” which expel oxygen as the battery is being charged.
• Bengali poet, popularly called 'Gurudev', Rabindranath Tagore's  (7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) Death Anniversary On Aug 7, 2016.
• The writer, most famous for composing India's national anthem, passed away 75 years ago on August 7, 1941.
• He was the first Indian to win a Nobel Prize, when he received the award for Literature in 1913.  
• The national anthems of both India and Bangladesh have been taken from his works. 
• Indian national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana' was taken from a hymn titled 'Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata'.
• Bangladesh's national anthem 'Amar Sonar Bangla' is derived from a song of the same name. 
• Veteran Tamil director and script writer Vietnam Veedu Sundaram (73) has passed away.
• 'Vietnam Veedu' became part of his name after he wrote the script for the film 'Vietnam Veedu', starring actor Sivaji Ganesan in the 1970s. 
• Sundaram is also known for directing films including 'Gauravam', 'Gnana Paravai' and 'Payanam'.
• The Olympic flame made its first appearance in the modern Games atAmsterdam in 1928, where it was lit atop a tower overlooking the Olympic Stadium. 
• The first time a torch was used to transport the flame was in 1936 Berlin Olympics, when the originating flame was lit in Olympia, Greece, a tradition that continues till date.
• The International Paralympic Committee has confirmed a blanket ban on Russia in the Paralympics Games. 
• India’s women archers defeated the Colombian archery team in the Round of 16, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Rio Olympics’ women archery recurve team event. 
• The Indian trio of Deepika Kumari, Bombayla Devi and Laxmirani Majhi, defeated the Colombians 5-3 in a 4-set match. 
• The team will now face Russia in the quarters On Aug 7, 2016's night.
• Australia's Emma McKeon, Brittany Elmslie, Bronte Campbell and Cate Campbell set a world record in the 4x100 metres freestyle relay with a time of 3:30.65 minutes.  
• Note : Australian squad's Cate Campbell currently holds the 100 metres freestyle world record with 52.06 seconds.
• Hungary's 'Iron Lady' Katinka Hosszu broke the world record in thewomen's 400 metres individual medley (IM) to claim her first Olympic medal at her fourth Olympic Games. 
• Vietnam clinched their first ever Olympic gold medal when Vinh Xuan Hoang won the men's 10m air pistol event On Aug 7, 2016. 
• The nation, which has a population of around 89.71 million, had won a total of two silver medals and three bronze medals in eight previous editions of the Olympics it had participated in.
• Great Britain’s 21-year-old swimmer Adam Peaty set a new world record in the men’s 100 metres breaststroke heats at the Rio Olympics. 
• Peaty broke his own record of 57.92 seconds by clocking a timing of 57.55 seconds. 
• Important Note : This is the Rio Olympic’s first new world record in swimming, and the second new world record overall.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 7, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 7, 2016

• 71st anniversary of Hiroshima atomic bombing is being observed On Aug 6, 2016.
• More than 140,000 people were killed by the first of two uranium bombs, nicknamed Little Boy and Fat Man dropped on Japan at the end of the second world war.
• Note : An American B-29 bomber named Enola Gaydropped Little Boy, on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.
• Japan surrendered days later on 15th August 1945 bringing the war to a close.

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 6, 2016

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF AUG 6, 2016

• 41st 'Twins Days Festival', the largest gathering of twins in the world, began On Aug 5, 2016 in United States' Ohio. 
• The 3-day festival regularly attracts about 2,000 pairs of twins, and is also open to triplets and quadruplets. 
• The United States declared Pakistan based Jamaat-ur-Ahrar (JuA) as a ‘terror group’ by adding it to its list of global terrorists. 
• This declaration triggers sanctions against the terrorist faction that has staged multiple attacks on civilians, religious minorities and soldiers.