24 August 2015 Daily current affairs digest / Gk /GA: Bandhan Financial Services became the first micro finance company to start functioning as Scheduled Commercial Bank.
- Bandhan Financial Services is a Micro Financial Institution (MFI).
- On 23 August 2015, It started operations as a Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB) and will be called as Bandhan Bank.
- Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitely inaugurated the banking services in Kolkata.
- It became the first commercial bank from Eastern India to get RBI clearance since independence.
RBI Governor said India has sufficient forex to stabilise the currency volatility in the currency market.
- India has foreign exchange reserves of around $380 billion and these would be used if needed to subdue the volatility in the currency market, he said on the sidelines of a banking conference here.
- Speaking at the conference, Rajan referred to his earlier comments that the central bank was not a cheerleader for the economy and said it was not for the RBI to lift sentiments unduly to deliver booster shots to the stock markets.
- According to Rajan, companies in some sectors were in real distress and some could survive with government help while others were unviable, for which too much help to unviable firms could also cause distress to spread to healthy firms.
Peter Mackler Award 2015 conferred on Syrian woman journalist Zaina Erhaim.
- She won this award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism and for her efforts to train citizen reporters in her war-ravaged country.
- She has trained about 100 citizen reporters (third of them are women) from inside Syria over the last two years.
- She also has helped in establishing new, independent newspapers and magazines in the war-torn country.
- Presently, Erhaim lives and works in Aleppo, Syria and will be presented with this award at a ceremony to be held at the National Press Club in Washington in late October 2015.
About Peter Mackler Award :
- The award has been named in the memory of late Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist Peter Mackler.
- The award was instituted in 2008 to honour the memory of Mackler, who died after a heart attack in the same year at age of 58.
Renowned actor-director Amol Palekar appointed as chairman of India’s Oscar jury.
- The jury will select the country’s official entry in the best foreign film category of the 88th Academy Awards.
- The “Gol Maal” star, 70, whose film “Paheli” was India’s official entry for the Academy Awards in 2005, will be heading the 17-member jury.
- Last year, “Liar’s Dice”, a road drama starring Geetanjali Thapa and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles, was selected as India’s official entry to the best foreign film category after beating “Shahid”, “Queen”, “Mardaani”, Marathi films “Yellow” and “Fandry” and Bengali films “Jatishwar” and “Apur Panchali”.
First ever hydro power plan commissioned in Delhi Jal Board(DJB) on 23rd August 2015.
- The power plant was set up at Chilla area of east Delhi.
- It will be run through the Hydraulic Turbine propelled by treated effluents coming out of a Sewerage Treatment Plant.
UNFCC, MSSRF signed an agreement to work together for conservation of coastal resources of Andhra Pradesh.
UNFCCC sanctioned 3.8 crore rupees for the potential adaptation strategy of MSSRF in Krishna district through an adaptation fund.
Objective :
- To overcome the consequences of sea level rise and seawater inundation following cyclones.
- Restoration of the Sorlagondi mangrove forest covers in Krishna district.
- A roadmap to improve the mangrove forest cover in 200 acres and fish cultivation in around 50 acres of mangrove forest has been prepared, and it will be executed by the end August 2015.
- The abandoned land will be brought under fish cultivation, while landless families will be involved in cage cultivation in three villages-Sorlagondi and Nali in Nagayalanka mandal and Basavanipalem in Koduru mandal.
- Cage cultivation would be encouraged in brackish water by setting up as many as 10 cages in the three villages adopted by Swaminathan Research Foundation.
- The UNFCCC will release the adaptation fund through the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Cincinnati Masters Women’s Singles title :
- Serena Williams won Cincinnati Master Women’s singles title for second time.
- World number one ranked Serena Wiliams won the title by defeating the 3rd seeded Simona Haleap of Romania.
In Cincinnati Masters Men’s single title :
- Roger Federer wins the men’s singles tennis tile for record seventh time.
With Serena Williams and Roger Federer of Switzerland winning, it was the first time both the men and women champions have successfully defended their titles since Bobby Riggs and Virginia Hollinger in 1937 and 1938.
Start Sports Pro Kabaddi League : U Mumba crowned 2015 champions after a thrilling win over Bengaluru Bull 36-30
- Starting the game as slight favourites, the Mumbai outfit had to stretch every sinew to get the better of their rivals from Bengaluru who fought tooth and nail but fell short at the end.
- U Mumba came up with some magical play when the occasion demanded, especially in the closing stages of both sessions, to run out victors and take home the top prize of Rs one crore.
- The Bulls got Rs 50 lakh.
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Usian Bolt wins the 100m title at World Athletics Championships held in Beijing, China.
- With this victory he retained his 100 metre title which was won earlier in 2009.
- In the blue riband event, Bolt ran a season’s best of 9.79 seconds winning gold medal.
- Justin Gatlin of United States finished at the second spot in 9.80sec, taking silver medal.
About Usain Bolt :
- Usain Bolt is regarded as the fastest person in the world and he is the first athlete to hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records.
- He is Olympic gold medallist and has won medal in 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic games in 100 metres.
- He is also the first to achieve a “double double” by winning 100 m and 200 m titles at consecutive Olympics (2008 and 2012).
