11 August daily Current affairs Digests / GK / GA : ISRO on 10 August has fully commissioned and started commercial production at the first indigenous Titanium Sponge Plant at Chavara in Kerala.
- The initiative was taken by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre to establish Titanium Sponge Plant (TSP) a dedicated 500 MT per annum plant at M/s Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML), Chavara in Kollam district, Kerala.
“Saral Rural Housing Loan” Scheme launched by ICICI Bank for weaker sections.
- The scheme is new home loan proposition of the bank with special interest rate to cater people from rural areas including women borrowers as well as from weaker sections.
- Housing loan will be provided at the ICICI Bank Base Rate (known as I-Base) which is currently at 9.70%. An eligible customer can avail of loan to purchase, construction or renovation of a home in the rural areas.
Kerala government announced State film awards 2014 in various categories.
List of Winners :
- Best actor award: Nivin Pauly (Bangalore Days and 1983) and Sudev Nair (My Life Partner).
- Best actress: Nasriya Naseem for her performance in the films ‘Om Shanthi Hosana’ and ‘Bangalore Days’.
- Best Director: Sanalkumar Sasidharan for his film OraalPokkam.
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Search engine giant Google Inc has announced formation of a new holding company or parent company called Alphabet Inc to encompass its search engine unit and all other subsidiaries.
- This move aims to help the company to keep tremendous focus on the extraordinary opportunities and products.
- Now Google will be replaced by Alphabet Inc as the publicly-traded entity and all its shares will automatically converted into the of shares of new parent entity with same rights. Under the new structural arrangement all subsidiaries of Google will be brought under the control of Alphabet Inc which will come into effect later 2015.
Kochi becomes first Indian city to be a member of Beijing headquartered, World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) Council.
- Kerala Tourism Department received the invitation by WTCF which was formally accepted the state Tourism Department on 10 August 2015.
- The membership acceptance document was handed over to Chinese Ambassador to India Le Yucheng by the Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany in the presence of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at the function held in Kochi.
DISHA, a new mobile app launched by Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 10 August 2015 to promote digital literacy in Bihar.
- The app aims to help people learn about computers and Internet through self learning modules.
- The app also aims to offer digital literacy to tribal and Dalit women in the state. The app can be downloaded for free from the Google Play Store.
Social security pact between India and Canada comes into force which was approved by Union Cabinet in 2013.
- According to the pact the employees posted by Indian entities in Canada are not required to contribute towards Canada’s social security schemes for period of 60 months and similarly the Canadian employees posted in India would enjoy the same benefit.
- The employees on both the countries will be able to enjoy this benefit only when they produce a certificate of coverage that specifies that they are contributing towards social security schemes such as PF and pension in their home country.
Nai Manzil , a new Central Sector Scheme launched by Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptulla on 8 August 2015.
- The scheme will address educational and livelihood needs of minority communities in general and muslims in particular as it lags behind other minority communities in terms of educational attainments.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award to be conferred on Sania Mirza.
- With this Sania Mirza became only the second tennis player to be recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, while star cricketer Rohit Sharma and ace shooter Jitu Rai were among the 17 sportspersons picked for this year’s Arjuna awards.
- Sania is only the second tennis player after Leander Paes to be named for the top award. Paes had been bestowed the honour way back in 1996 after his bronze medal in the Atlanta Olympics.
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Gurbaj Singh, senior India hockey player suspended for 9 months for indulging in groupism and creating disharmony within the team.
- Gurbaj will be unable to play for India till 9 May 2016. It may shatter the midfielder’s dream of playing in 2016 Rio Olympics.
- The decision to suspend Gurbaj was taken after a meeting of Hockey India’s disciplinary committee headed by Harbinder Singh with the midfielder and former India coach Jude Felix.
- The coach levelled the charges against Gurbaj in his report after July 2015 Hockey World League Semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium.
Asian Youth Chess Chamionship : India tops with 5 Gold, 5 Silver and 7 Bronze.
- India impressed with a rich haul of 17 medals to be declared overall winners in the Asian Youth Chess Championship that concluded here today.
- Bagging 5 Gold, 5 Silver and 7 Bronze out of the available 36 medals, Indian juniors made their presence felt in the event organised by Korea Chess Federation.
- Iran took four gold, two silver and one bronze for a tally of seven medals. Vietnam won four medals, one gold, two silver and one bronze, while strong contender China could win just two medals in one gold and one silver.
