Current Affairs on 04/08/2020

   National Programme 'Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan 2020-21' launched:

• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched 'Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan, 2020-21'.
• It is a national programme which has been launched to popularize science among school students of Class 6th to 11th.
• The programme has been designed to identify the talent in the field of science and to promote the scientfic acumen among the students.
• Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan (VVM) is an initiative of Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) and Vigyan Prasar. The programme has been conceptualised to identify the bright minds with a scientific aptitude among the student community.
• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched 'Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan, 2020-21'.
• It is a national programme which has been launched to popularize science among school students of Class 6th to 11th.
• The programme has been designed to identify the talent in the field of science and to promote the scientfic acumen among the students.
• Vidyarthi Vigyan Manthan (VVM) is an initiative of Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) and Vigyan Prasar. The programme has been conceptualised to identify the bright minds with a scientific aptitude among the student community.

Mohamed Irfaan Ali named as President of Guyana:

• Former Guyanese housing minister, Mohamed Irfaan Ali has been named as the  President of the country.
• He is a member of the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP). He succeeds David Arthur(A.) Granger.
• David A. Granger is a member of A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (ANPU-AFC).
• The PPP won 33 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly with 233,336 votes, while the APNU-AFC earned 31 seats with 217,920 votes.

Andhra Pradesh government launches ‘E-Raksha Bandhan’:

• Andhra Pradesh government has launched an innovative virtual cybercrime awareness programme named as ‘E-Raksha Bandhan’.
• The programme aims to create awareness among the public on Cyber crimes across the State.
• The month long online awareness programme would be organised by the Crime Investigation Department (CID), FM Radio, Cyber Crime Prevention Against Women and Children (CCPWC), Cyber Peace Foundation and other organisations.

Bharat Air Fibre Services” inaugurated in Maharashtra:

• “Bharat Air Fibre Services” has been inaugurated by the Union Minister of State for HRD, Electronics, Communication, and IT, Govt Of India, Shri Sanjay Dhotre.
• The services were inaugurated at Akola in Maharashtra. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has introduced the Bharat Air Fibre services as part of digital India initiative by the Government of India.

Nitin Gadkari approves “Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission”:

• Unique employment generation program “Khadi Agarbatti Aatmanirbhar Mission” has been approved by the Union Minister for MSME, Shri Nitin Gadkari.
• The programme has been proposed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to make India Aatmanirbhar in Agarbatti production.
• KVIC will offer 25% subsidy on the cost of the machines and will recover the remaining 75% of the cost from the artisans in the form of easy monthly installments.

World Cup winner Benedikt Howedes retires from soccer:

• World Cup winner German footballer, Benedikt Howedes has retired from football. He was part of the 2014 world-cup winning Germany team.
• He was one of the 3 players who had played every minute for the team in the tournament.

India withdraws from women’s world team Squash championship:

• India has withdrawn from the women's world team Squash championship scheduled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 15th to 20th December, due to lack of preparation, time and match-readiness of its players.
• Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) has decided to withdraw from the championship.

A book titled “Siyasat Mein Sadasyata” authored by Vijay Kumar Choudhary:

• Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar has released a book titled “Siyasat Mein Sadasyata” authored by Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary.
• The book is a compilation of the author’s views, three dozen articles on different important issues and his life journey. The book was published by Bihar Assembly Secretariat.

SEBI to set up virtual museum of securities market:

• Indian Market regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is planning to set up a virtual museum of the securities market to highlight achievements and milestones in the Indian capital market.
• Sebi has invited Expression of Interest (EoI) from agencies to develop the virtual museum.
• The museum is intended to be a visual online organised collection of history of evolution, achievements and milestones in the Indian securities market over the decades in terms of market infrastructure, regulation and enforcement, among others.
• The achievements will be told through photos, videos, articles, media clippings, an interactive display like quiz, paintings, drawings, diagrams, graphs, newspaper articles, transcripts of interviews and numerical databases, among others.

MSME Minister launches Khadi’s Gift Box of Silk Mask:

• Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), Shri Nitin Gadkari has launched the Khadi’s Gift Box of Silk Mask.
• The Gift Box has been developed by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC). The KVIC developed gift box comprises of four handcrafted silk masks in different colors and prints.
• These triple-layered silk masks are skin-friendly, washable, reusable as well as bio-degradable.
• The Khadi’s Gift Box has been launch to tap the foreign market and a large Indian population looking for reasonably priced gift items.

RAJESH KUMAR APPOINTED AS MANIPUR CHEIF SECERATERY:

• Dr. Rajesh Kumar, IAS has been appointed as the next Chief Secretary of the state of Manipur by Manipur Governor Najma Heptullah The current Chief Secretary J.Suresh Babu who retired on 31st July, 2020.
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• Rajesh Kumar is a 1988 batch IAS officer of Manipur Cadre.
• Prior to this, he was serving as Additional Chief Secretary (finance) of Manipur.
• He was ranked 10th among the Manipur cadre officers of 1998 batch.

Vishesh: Code to Win”:Biography of India’s youngest Basketball captain, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi authored by Nirupama Yadav to be released  :

• A book titled, “Vishesh: Code to Win” written by the sportswoman-turned-author Nirupama Yadav is expected to be put out for the public view on August 29, 2020, the National Sports day. The book is the biography of India’s Youngest Basketball Captain, Vishesh Bhriguvanshi and will be published by the Bluerose publishers.  

• BOB Financial Solutions Limited partnered with Innoviti Payment Solutions Pvt. Ltd to launch the New Credit Card Equated Monthly Installments(EMI) offering on Point of Sale(POS) terminals. 
• The association of Bank of Baroda(BOB) Credit Card with Innoviti Payment Solutions will enable BOB credit card holders to access EMIs that can be repaid conveniently through their credit cards.