August 2015 Final Exampundit

Current Affairs Magazine
August, 2015
Table of Contents
News Related to RBI/Banking and Industry.........
News Related to India......................
10
Appointments - India and World...........................
22
Awards and Honors....................................
23
Days in News.......................................
24
Books and Authors....................................
25
World News.....................................
26
List and Reports................................................
27
Sports News..............................................
27
Obituaries...................................................
30
The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.

- Aristotle
Monthly Current Affairs PDF - August, 2015
RBI/Banking/Insurance/Industry
State Bank of India (SBI) and ICICI Bank have been given the status of domestic systemically important
banks (D-SIBs) by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 31st August, 2015. RBI had announced the framework
for dealing with D-SIBs in July 2014 and the framework requires RBI to disclose the names of banks
designated as domestic systemically important every year in August starting from August 2015.
Based on the bucket in which a D-SIB is placed, an additional common equity requirement has to be
applied to it, as per the framework. The framework also requires that D-SIBs may be placed in four buckets
depending upon their Systemic Importance Scores (SISs).
The D-SIB framework specifies a two-step process of identification of D-SIBs. In the first step, the sample
of banks to be assessed for systemic importance has to be decided. The selection of banks in the sample
for computation of SIS is based on analysis of their size as a percentage of annual GDP.
Indian Bank has launched IndPay, a mobile application service that enables its customers to operate bank
account from anywhere, anytime. IndPay can be operated through smartphones compatible with
Android, Windows and iOS mobile operating systems. Customers can do transactions like enquiries,
getting mini statements and transferring funds to any account, the Chennai-based bank said in a
statement.
Reflecting a muted performance, the GDP growth slowed to 7 per cent in the April-June quarter, from
7.5 per cent in the previous quarter, amid deceleration in farm, services and manufacturing sectors. A
slower GDP growth, along with slower pace of industrial production expansion, however bolsters the case
for a rate cut by the Reserve Bank. The Gross Value Added (GVA), a new concept introduced by CSO to
measure the economic activity, also slipped during the first quarter to 7.1 per cent, from 7.4 per cent a
year ago.
Aurobindo Pharma Ltd. has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to
manufacture and market Raloxifene Hydrochloride tablets USP 60mg.
The Reserve Bank of Indias (RBIs) High Powered Committee on Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) headed
by RBI Deputy Governor R Gandhi in its report has recommended conversion of UCBs with business size
of 20000 crore rupees or more into regular banks. This will allow them to grow and proliferate further for
financial inclusion. RBI on 20 August 2015 placed the panels report on its website and invited suggestions
and comments from public on this report by 18 September 2015.
Entry Point Norms: The new Entry Point Norms (EPNs) may be as under:
To operate as a Multi-State Urban Co-operative Bank- 100 crore rupees
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To operate beyond two districts and as a State level UCB - 50 crore rupees
To operate as District level UCB (upto 2 districts) - 25 crore rupees In case of conversion of cooperative credit societies in unbanked areas and in the north-east, suitable relaxation may be
made by the Reserve Bank.
Depositors as voting members: The depositors ought to have a say on the Boards of UCBs. For this, a
majority of the board seats may be reserved for depositors by making suitable provisions in the bye-laws.
Telecom operator Bharti Airtel has tied up with taxi-hailing app Uber for its wallet services. Now, Uber
riders can pay for their trips with Airtels mobile wallet service Airtel Money. Uber already has a similar
tie-up with Paytm Wallet. Additionally, in Mumbai, riders can get free access to highspeed Internet inside
Uber, powered by Airtel 4G. This service will soon be rolled out for Uber riders pan-India.
The Union Government on 20 August 2015 issued norms for selection of Managing Directors (MDs) and
Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in Mid and Small Public Sector Banks (PSBs). The guidelines were issued
after the approval by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) for selection of MDs & CEOs in Public
Sector Banks (PSBs) other than five large Public Sector Banks. The top post in the PSBs would be filled
from the existing pool of executive directors (EDs) or deputy managing directors (DMDs) in state-owned
banks with a remaining service period of 2 years. Henceforth the private sector executives would not be
the part of the selection process of top management.
Bandhan Financial Services, a Micro Financial Institution (MFI), on 23 August 2015 started operations as
a Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB). Henceforth it will be called as Bandhan Bank.
With this, Bandhan became the first micro finance company in the country to start operations as a fullfledged commercial bank. It is also the first commercial bank from Eastern India to get RBI clearance since
independence. Bandhan along with IDFC (Infrastructure Development Finance Company) were granted
banking licenses in 2014 by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The move was aimed at deepening financial
services reach in the country by utilizing the services of the existing players in the market.
PayU India on 25 August 2015 tied-up with online bus ticketing platform redBus to offer cash-back
discounts to customers who use its wallet PayU Money to buy tickets. Today, around 50 percent of
bookings on redBus are through the PayU Wallet. This tie-up is expected to increase the wallet customers
from the current 5 million users to 20 million by 2015 end. However, payments on redBus can also be
made with credit and debit cards, net banking and cash on delivery.
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26 August 2015 gave 4 months extension (up
to 31 December 2015) to the 7th Central Pay Commission. Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur is the Chairman
of the Commission.
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Bharti Airtel has agreed to acquire Augere Wireless Broadband India, as the nation's top telecom carrier
looks to consolidate its 4G footprint ahead of the launch of similar high-speed broadband services by rivals
such as Vodafone India, Idea Cellular and Reliance Jio Infocomm.
The Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar on 27 August 2015
launched an e-payment module to accept compensatory amount for diversion of forest land in the
country. This e-payment module will cut delays and bring transparency in the system which is meant for
collecting fund from user agencies which diver forest land for non-forest purpose.
Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Groups Reliance Communications Ltd. (RCoM) was on 27 August 2015 entered
into an agreement with the USA based Jasper Technologies, Inc. to offer Internet of Things (IoT) services
in India.
The government today approved six new proposals, including four from IT and ITeS sector, for setting up
of Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The decision was taken by the Board of Approval (BoA) for SEZ, chaired
by Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia, a Commerce Ministry official said. The proposals which got the
approval include those of HCL IT City Lucknow, Loma IT Park Developer and North Mumbai International
Commodity Township.
State-owned NTPC Ltd, India's largest power generator, has achieved a record highest single-day
electricity generation of 733.12 million units. The record generation of 733.12 million units from NTPC's
18 coal-based power plants, 7 gas-based units and 8 solar and hydro power stations, was achieved on
August 27, the company said in a statement.
The Reserve Bank granted in-principle approval to 11 entities, including Reliance Industries, Aditya
Birla Nuvo, Vodafone and Airtel, to set up payments banks and proposed such licences on tap in future.
The other entities which have been given in-principle approval are Department of Posts, Cholamandalam
Distribution Services, Tech Mahindra, National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL), Fino PayTech, Sun
Pharmas Dilip Shantilal Shanghvi and PayTMs Vijay Shekhar Sharma.
Going forward, RBI said the central bank would use the learning from this licensing round to appropriately
revise the guidelines and move to give licences more regularly, virtually on tap.
Payment banks allow mobile firms, supermarket chains, and others to cater to individuals and small
businesses.
The Payments Bank will be set up as a differentiated bank and shall confine its activities to acceptance of
demand deposits, remittance services, Internet banking and other specified services.
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Payments Banks will initially be restricted to holding a maximum balance of Rs. 1 lakh per individual
customer.
They will be allowed to issue ATM/debit cards as also other prepaid payment instruments, but not the
credit cards.
These banks can also distribute non-risk sharing simple financial products like mutual funds and insurance
products.
They will not be allowed to undertake lending services and non resident Indians will not be allowed to
open accounts.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) suspended licences of seven non-banking finance companies, including
Religare Finance, which the company said is a dormant entity and would not affect its business. The seven
companies include Religare Finance, Eden Trade & Commerce, Artisans Micro Finance, Nott Investments,
RCS Parivar Finance, Swetasree Finance, Dewra Stocks & Securities. Religare Enterprises, the holding
company of the group, said its lending operations continues under Religare Finvest.
ICICI Bank on 18 August 2015 launched Smart Vault, a first-of-its-kind locker facility by a bank in India with
latest robotic technology. The facility was launched by Chanda Kochhar, MD & CEO of ICICI Bank at the
Defence Colony branch of Delhi.
Countrys largest lender State Bank of India launched a mobile wallet app, SBI Buddy, in collaboration with
Accenture and Mastercard. The service will be available to existing as well as non-SBI customers.
Stepping up its fight against black money generation, the government approved signing and ratification
of an agreement between India and Seychelles for exchange of information on taxes. The agreement will
stimulate information exchange between India and Seychelles for tax purposes, which will help curb tax
evasion and avoidance.
Reserve Bank of India on 13 August 2015 notified the Union Budget-2015-16 Interest Subvention Scheme
(ISS) and asked all banks to provide interest concession of 2 percent on short term crop loans of up to 3
lakh rupees. The central bank in its notification said that interest subvention of 2 percent per annum will
be made available to public and private sector banks provided they lend short term credit at the ground
level at 7 percent per annum to farmers. The bank said that additional interest subvention of 3 percent
will be available to farmers for repaying the loan promptly from the date of disbursement of the crop
loan. This implies that farmers paying promptly would get short term crop loans at 4 percent during the
year 2015-16.
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Hindustan Unilever, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Sun Pharma Industries are the three Indian
companies that have been named among the world's 100 most innovative companies by Forbes in a list
that has been topped by Tesla Motors .
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) has allowed banks to tie up with a
maximum of nine insurers from three segments life, nonlife and standalone health insurers as part
of the new bancassurance guidelines. While such a tie-up will not be mandatory on the banks and it has
been left to them to take a call on the number of tie-ups, Irda is likely notify the new guidelines on the
bancassurance norm shortly.
Axis Bank will upgrade close to about one-fourth, or 50,000, of its point of sale (PoS) machines so that
they can accept debit and credit card payments from contactless cards. The bank launched contactless
multi-currency forex cards in partnership with Visa -the payments gateway company. Axis Bank would be
the first bank to issue multi-currency contactless cards or 'tap and pay' cards which can be loaded in 15
currencies such as Swiss Franc and Hong Kong dollar besides the three main currencies -US dollar, Euro
and British Pound.
Union Governments ambitious Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Laabh (PAHAL) scheme was on 13 August 2015
acknowledged as the worlds largest cash transfer program (households) by the Guinness Book of World
Records.
To boost economic ties, the UAE agreed to increase investments in India to USD 75 billion (about Rs 5 lakh
crore) including through a dedicated infrastructure fund, while the two nations will raise their bilateral
trade to nearly USD 100 billion in five years.
India and Bangladesh on 13 August 2015 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to tackle the
menace of fake Indian currency notes (FICN) smuggling. The MoU was signed during a maiden meeting of
the Joint Task Force on Fake Currency Notes (JTFFC) in Dhaka.
Birla Corp to acquire Lafarge Indias cement units for Rs. 5,000 crore.
IndiGo has signed an agreement to purchase 250 Airbus 320 New Engine Option (NEO) aircraft. The
aircraft have a book value of $26.5 billion although it is not uncommon for both Airbus and Boeing to
provide discounts from the listed price provided the order size is large.
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Mumbai based Real estate listing portal Housing.com on 16 August 2015 acquired Bengaluru-based
customer relationship management software company HomeBuy360 in all cash deal of 2 million US
dollars.
Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. has acquired Sri Lanka-based destination management company Luxe Asia
through its wholly-owned subsidiary Thomas Cook Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd. for an unspecified amount.
India's second largest private sector lender, HDFC Bank and online marketplace Snapdeal jointly launched
co-branded e-commerce credit card. The card is aimed at getting Snapdeal's customers, 70 per cent of
whom are from smaller cities and towns, to make online payments instead of availing the cash on delivery
option. A customer can apply for the card from Snapdeal's website, mobile site or mobile application. The
applicant's credit eligibility will be checked instantly.
HDFC Bank Ltd. on July 30, 2015 launched 'Dhanchayat' an educational film to raise awareness on the
dangers of borrowing money from unorganised sources. This film has been launched under the aegis of
Swachch Banking, the Bank's CSR initiative for rural India. As part of Swachch Banking, which aims to raise
awareness about clean and convenient banking, HDFC Bankbranded Dhanchayat video vans will travel
across East, West, South, North and Central India, covering thousands of villages across the country.
Bharti Airtel is all set to acquire digital financial service provider YTS Solutions and appoint its co-founder
and managing director Manish Khera as CEO of Airtel M Commerce Services Limited (AMSL), its flagship
semi-closed wallet under the brand name Airtel Money.
Hotel aggregator OYO Rooms has raised $100-million funding, led by the SoftBank Group, along with
participation from existing investors - Greenoaks Capital, Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed India.
eCommerce firm Snapdeal on 4 August 2015 launched its new service named Snapdeal Instant to enable
delivery of packages to customers as early as within an hour of placing the order. Snapdeal Instant is aimed
at further improving customer experience on the eCommerce platform by enabling faster deliveries and
maintaining product quality at the same time.
Tata Sons, the promoter of major operating companies of the Tata group, will acquire 2.18 per cent stake
in Titan Company at an estimated price of over Rs. 680 crore taking its total holding to 19.59 per cent.
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Indias largest private sector lender ICICI Bank hit the US dollar debt market with a benchmark issue, under
which it plans to raise up to USD 500 million, market sources said. The five-year bond sale is a part of the
banks USD 7.5 billion global medium-term note programme and will be carried out from its Dubai IFC
branch. The bonds will be listed on the Singapore Exchange, the sources added.
NTPC has signed an agreement with Jharkhand government and state utility Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam
Limited (JBVNL) to form a joint venture company that will help optimise utilisation of assets, improve
performance and expand capacity of Patratu Thermal Power Station in Ramgarh district. In a statement
on July 31, state-run NTPC said it will hold 74 per cent share in the JV while JBVNL will have the rest 26
per cent.
Cab aggregator Ola is shutting operations of its subsidiary TaxiForSure (TFS) in around 22 smaller cities.
The company will migrate all TFS users in cities including Kochi, Trivandrum, Coimbatore, Tiruchi, Madurai
among others.
Capital markets regulator SEBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 35 lakh on Monarch Research & Brokerage
failing to check fictitious trade in Sky Industries Ltds stock. The Securities and Exchange Board of India
(SEBI) found that Monarch allowed its clients to execute fictitious trades through it.
Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on 3 August 2015 signed two unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements
(APAs) with two Multi-National Companies (MNCs). The aim of the APAs is to user in an era of certainty
in taxation. This includes for the first time an APA with Rollback provision which means extending the
tax certainty for nine financial years as against five years in APAs without Rollback.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and
Industry (FICCI) on 5 August 2015 signed the Phase II of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for
cooperation for establishing a National Coordination Centre for Sustaining Competitive and Responsible
Enterprises (SCORE) Training Services in India.
The water treatment engineering company Polutech Limited of Murugappa Group on 4 August 2015
signed an agreement with Japan-based Organo Corp to form a Joint venture (JV) of an industrial water
treatment requirement company.
The Union Cabinet on 5 August 2015 approved release of wages directly to the accounts of the workers
engaged under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The
decision in this regard was taken by the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi.
As per the scheme, the wage component of MGNREGA will be released following the State Employment
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Guarantee Fund window directly to the worker's accounts. The transfer will be based on a fund transfer
order to be generated by states' implementing agencies in accordance with procedures prescribed by
Rural Development Ministry.
Healthcare platform Practo announced that it has raised $90 million (Rs. 574 crore) in Series C funding.
This round was led by Tencent, with participation from investors including Sofina, Sequoia India, Google
Capital, Altimeter Capital, Matrix Partners, Sequoia Capital Global Equities and Yuri Milner.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 6 August 2015 notified Section 23 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 Relaxations in Branch Authorisation Policy. The notification allows banks to shift, merge or close
branches, in urban areas, at their own discretion. The decision will provide more operational freedom to
banks. The central bank said that customers of the branch should be informed well in time before actual
shifting, merger or closure of the office.
Private insurer SBI Life Insurance on 6 August 2015 launched Smart Humsafar, a unique plan which offers
multiple benefits of savings and insurance cover for husband and wife under a single policy. The plan
complements the couple's efforts to achieve prosperity along with protection to fulfill their dream of
leading a better life.
Smart Humsafar Plan Highlights:
A Joint life insurance cum savings plan wherein you can take insurance cover for yourself and your
spouse under a single policy.
Guaranteed (Conditions apply#) minimum bonus for first 3 years @ 2.50 percent of the Basic Sum
Assured.
Provides financial protection in the event of death of either or both the lives assured.
Pays a maturity amount on survival of one or both the lives assured at the end of the policy term.
Benefits also include premium waiver in case of death of any one of the lives assured for in force
policies.
Additional rider benefit at an affordable cost
Tax benefits as per prevailing norms under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Leading e-commerce player Snapdeal on 6 August 2015 tied-up with retailer Shoppers Stop Ltd to launch
a digital marketplace through a flagship Shoppers Stop store on Snapdeal. The partnership will leverage
Shoppers Stops product range, brands and Snapdeals reach.
Govt to impose 10% import duty on wheat till March 2016.
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Travel major Thomas Cook has acquired Kuoni Travel (India) Private Limited (Kuoni India') and Kuoni
Travel (China) Limited ('Kuoni Hong Kong') for Rs. 535 crore.
Foxconn signs pact with Maharashtra Govt to invest $5 bn over next five years.
Coal India Ltd. (CIL), the largest producer of the fuel in the country, will invest over Rs.62,500 crore in the
next five years with an aim to ramp up annual production to 908 million tonnes by 2019-2020, the
government has said.
The Revenue Department has amended income tax rules to provide for reporting of information with
regards to financial assets and accounts, a month after India signed a tax information sharing agreement
with the US. On July 9, India and the US signed tax agreement under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance
Act (FATCA) that will enable automatic exchange of financial information between the two nations about
tax evaders from September 30. The rules define various terms such as financial asset, financial account,
excluded accounts, participating and non-participating financial institutions, among others.
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi Inc has tied up with Foxconn to start assembling phones in India,
seeking to cut costs and grab a bigger slice of the world's third-largest smartphone market. The
announcement comes on the heels of a separate announcement by Foxconn to invest $5 billion in an
electronics manufacturing facility.
Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) would raise Rs 6,000 crore through tax-free bonds in the
current fiscal.
ToneTag, a Bengaluru firm that has developed technology that enables contactless payments through
mobile phones raised $1 million (Rs 6.4 crore) in Series A from Reliance Capital's Venture fund arm.
ICICI Bank has launched its Saral-Rural Housing Loan at base rate of 9.7 per cent for borrowers from the
rural areas. Applicants from rural areas, including women borrowers, can now avail of home loans at the
ICICI Bank Base Rate (I-Base), which is currently at 9.70 per cent. An eligible borrower can take up to Rs.
15 lakh.
Search engine giant Google Inc on 10 August 2015 launched a new parent company called Alphabet Inc
that separates its highly profitable search and advertising business. The new parent company was formed
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as part of Googles new organisational structure which will help the company to keep tremendous focus
on the extraordinary opportunities and products.
Social networking major Facebook has given benefits of around $21 million to Indian developers as part
of its FbStart initiative. This is part of the $50 million worth of benefits the company, which has more than
70 per cent of its developers outside the U.S., is distributing in the Asia-Pacific region.
Union Government and World Bank on 11 August 2015 signed 308.40 million US dollar credit agreement
in support of the second phase of the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Program (NCRMPII). The
agreement was also signed by the state Governments of Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra,
and West Bengal.
South Korean steel-maker POSCO and Shree Uttam Steel and Power Ltd. have agreed to set up a three
million tonne per year integrated steel plant in western Maharashtra State.
India
The Union Government on 27 August 2015 declared the names of 98 cities for its ambitious smart cities
project. The aspirant cities were selected by the States and Union Territories on the parametres set by
theCentre.
Name of the selected cities were announced by Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu in
New Delhi.
The selected cities include 12 cities from Uttar Pradesh, 12 from Tamil Nadu, 10 from Maharashtra, 7 from
Madhya Pradesh, 3 each from Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. All other states have also got one or two cities
for the purpose, except Jammu and Kashmir. Nearly 13 crore population across 98 cities, which constitute
35 percent of urban population, will be covered under the mission.
Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)-D6 was successfully launched on 27 August 2015. It was
launched from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota
in Andhra Pradesh. GSLV-D6 inducted 2117 kg GSAT-6, an advanced communication satellite into a
Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellite is intended to provide S-band communication services
in the country.
Kolkata Port was on 21 August 2015 adjudged as the Major Port of the Year amongst 12 major ports in
the country for the year 2014-15. It was honoured in recognition of its impressive growth rate in volumes,
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optimizing capacity utilization, growth in output per berth and customer satisfaction. It has been declared
in the Gateway Award 2015 programme held at Mumbai.
Aurangzeb Road to be renamed Abdul Kalam Road in Delhi
Manipur Government on 27 August 2015 handed over 336.93 acres of land at Yaithibi Khunou in Thoubal
district to Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for construction of National Sports University.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26 August 2015 gave its nod for
amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Bill, 2015. The amendments are based on the Law
Commissions recommendations of 246th reports and suggestions received from stakeholders.
The Niti Aayog has launched an improved version of its interactive data tool on the country's energy
security scenario to help policy makers and stakeholders make informed choices for better energy
planning for the future. The Indian Energy Security Scenarios (IESS) 2047 (Version 2.0) calculator, housed
within the Niti Aayog, will suggest measures to shift the energy pattern in a way to ensure advancement
of the country's energy security considerations.
The hotlines or secure lines of communication between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President
Barack Obama and their national security advisers have recently become operational, though it has not
been put to use during its short lifespan so far. With this India becomes only the fourth country- after
Russia, Great Britain and China - with which the US has a hotline. For India this is the first hotline at the
level of head of state.
Search engine giant Google has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the government of
Haryana to promote digital literacy in the state. Google will undertake a digital literacy drive covering
internet safety in government schools, and also conduct a similar exercise for government officials.
Puducherry Chief Minister (CM) N Rangasamy on 21 August 2015 launched the much awaited Free Laptop
Scheme. The scheme envisages to provide free laptops to all students who have passed Plus Two from
Government Higher Secondary Schools in the last two academic years that is 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Dr. Najma Heptulla, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Launched Online Application Management
System (OAMS) for Nai Roshni. Speaking on the occasion she said the system brings the scheme in to
public domain and will facilitate transparency and quick delivery.
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India's largest dairy cooperative Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) aka Amul is all
set to launch India's first branded lactose-free milk in a month.
Union Government on 30 August 2015 launched a scheme named SAHAJ for online release of new LPG
connections for the consumers. The scheme launched by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister
Dharmendra Pradhan can be availed through the portal mylpg.in.
At present, the scheme will be available in 13 cities of the country, namely Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru,
Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna and Pune. It
will be launched pan-India within the next few days. SAHAJ facility will enable the prospective customers
to post online request for a new connection by filing Know Your Customer (KYC) form, uploading
photographs and bank account details. After submission, the customer will receive the registration
number to know the connection status.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 31 August 2015 released digital recordings of epic Ramcharitmanas, as
a set of digital CDs produced by All India Radio (AIR).
India and Australia on 24 August 2015 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in
the fields of education, training and research. The MoU was signed by Smriti Irani, Union Minister of
Human Resource Development and Christopher Pyne MP, Minister for Education and Training, Australia.
Union Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 24 August 2015 released a commemorative postal stamp
on emperor Ashoka. The postal stamp of 5 rupees will be available for sale in the post offices.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on Tuesday released the religious census data of
2011. According to the data, while Hindus constitute 79.8 per cent of the population, Muslims constitute
14.2 per cent. The proportion of Hindu population to total population of 121.09 crore in 2011 has declined
by 0.7 percentage point (PP); the proportion of Sikh population has declined by 0.2 PP and the Buddhist
population has declined by 0.1 PP during the decade 2001-2011. The proportion of Muslim population to
total population has increased by 0.8 PP. There has been no significant change in the proportion of
Christians and Jains. While decadal growth rates are declining among all religious communities, the
decline has been faster among Muslims than among Hindus, as has been the case for the past three
decades. Fertility rates are also reducing faster among Muslims than among Hindus, along expected
demographic lines.
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Australias BRIDGE Programme was in news in August 2015. The programme that is run by Australian
Schools in collaboration with Indian Schools came in news on 24 August 2015 after Australia agreed to
include Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs).
The Second Forum for India-Pacific Island Cooperation Summit was held on 21 August 2015 in Jaipur,
Rajasthan. Besides the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the summit was attended by heads of states and
governments and key officials of the 14 pacific island nations of the group.
The Union government on 25 August 2015 launched a telemedicine initiative 'Sehat' in collaboration with
Apollo Hospitals to provide healthcare facilities in rural areas. The initiative was launched by Union
Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at a function in New Delhi. Under the initiative people
will be able to consult doctors through video link and also order generic drugs. It will also help in providing
quality and affordable healthcare is one of the emerging needs for citizens in rural areas.
India and Egypt on 24 August 2015 signed two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) to enhance
bilateral cooperation.
MoU on Cooperation in the field of Tourism
MoU on scientific and technical Cooperation
Rajasthan State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation (RSFCSC) and Kishore Biyani-led Future Consumer
Enterprise Ltd (FCEL) on 20 August 2015 inked an agreement to launch the Annapurna Bhandar Yojna,
which is a Public Private Distribution Scheme, the first-of-its kind in India.
Social entrepreneur and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh will guide
Maharashtra on microfinance and how to revive dying Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in
the State.
India will implement the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction in letter and spirit. The 'Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030' was adopted during the third UN World Conference
on disaster risk reduction held in Sendai, Japan on March 14-18, 2015 where India was represented by
Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
'Jaisalmer War Museum established in the Military Station of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan was inaugurated on 24
August 2015. The museum was inaugurated by Lieutenant General Ashok Singh, General Officer
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Commanding in Chief of Southern Command to mark the Golden Jubilee Commemoration Year of 1965
Indo Pak War.
Himachal Pradesh Government on 20 August 2015 launched the Rajiv Gandhi Illuminating Scheme for Hill
Town Advancement (RISHTA) project, an efficient smart LED based street lighting project. With this,
Himachal Pradesh became the first state in North India to do so.
The Union Government on 15 August 2015 launched a web portal named Vidya Lakshmi
(www.vidyalakshmi.co.in) for the benefit of students seeking Educational Loans. It is the first portal of its
kind that provides single window for students to access information and make application for educational
loans provided by banks as well as for government scholarships. The Portal was developed by NSDL eGovernance Infrastructure Limited (NSDL e-Gov) under the guidance of Department of Financial Services
under Union Ministry of Finance, Department of Higher Education under Union Ministry of Human
Resource Development and Indian Banks Association (IBA).
Delhi Jal Board (DJB) on 23 August 2015 commissioned the first ever Hydro-power plant in the city. The
power plant set up at Chilla area of east Delhi will be run through the Hydraulic Turbine propelled by
treated effluents coming out of a Sewerage Treatment Plant.
Tata Trusts has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh Government to
develop 264 villages in Vijayawada constituency and transform them into smart villages. In a major boost
to the State Governments flagship Smart Village-Smart Ward programme, the Tata Trusts has agreed to
work in the areas of bamboo cultivation, fisheries, health and nutrition and village development.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Chennai-based MS
Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) in third week of August 2015 agreed to work together for the
conservation of coastal resources in Andhra Pradesh.
The Indian Railways on 12 August 2015 signed four Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) with Union
Ministry of Power and Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy for Cooperation in areas of electricity
transmission, energy conservation and promotion of renewable Energy in a time bound manner.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) meet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12
August 2015 approved the 300-crore rupees package to save standing kharif agriculture and horticulture
crops from weak monsoon.
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The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 August 2015 gave its ex-post-facto
approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation to establish the Pace Setter Fund
(PSF). The PSF seeks to support the Promoting Energy Access through Clean Energy (PEACE) track of the
US-India Partnership to Advance Clean Energy (PACE) between India and United States of America.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 August 2015 gave its approval for
the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the India and Nepal for the construction
of a petroleum products pipeline from Raxaul (India) to Amlekhgunj (Nepal).
The Ministry for New and Renewable Energy has sanctioned a 1,500-MW ultra mega solar power park for
development in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. This will become the third park of over 1,000 MW to
be taken up by the state. Two other parks of 1,000 MW each are being executed by NTPC at Anantapur
and Kurnool districts, respectively.
India and Slovak Republic on 13 August 2015 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical
cooperation in railway sector. The MoU was signed in New Delhi by Ganga Ram Agarwal, Secretary of
Railway Board of India and Zigmund Bertok, Ambassador of Slovak Republic to India.
Taj Mahal becomes 'first historical monument' to debut on Twitter
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 August 2015 launched a new campaign Start-up India, Stand up
India to promote bank financing for start-ups and offer incentives to boost entrepreneurship and job
creation. The campaign was launched during the celebrations of 69th Independence Day at Red Fort,
Delhi. The initiative is aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship among the youth of India. As per the
initiative, each of the 1.25 lakh bank branches should encourage at least one Dalit or tribal entrepreneur
and at least one woman entrepreneur.
Odisha government on 13 August 2015 approved a 1500 crore rupees State Capital Region Improvement
of Power System (SCRIPS) scheme. The scheme will be implemented in five years that is from 2015-16 to
2019-20.
Cochin International Airport becomes world's first to operate on solar power. Kerala Chief Minister
Oommen Chandy inaugurated the 12 MWp solar power plant, comprising 46,150 solar panels laid across
45 acres near the cargo complex, at a function at the airport.
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Tata Trusts to develop 264 villages in Vijayawada LS constituency.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on 17 August 2015 launched a flagship programme Grama
Jyothi across the state. The scheme is aimed at comprehensive development of rural areas allowing
planning and execution of works by villages themselves.
Kerala government on 17 August 2015 signed a MoU with Adani Group led Adani Vizhinjam Port Private
Ltd for developing 7525 crore rupees Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport near
Kovalam beach.
The Second Round of India-Paraguay Foreign Office Consultations (IPFOC) was held on 17 August 2015 in
New Delhi. The meet aimed to strengthen the cooperation between the two countries.
Google-run video sharing portal YouTube on 19 August 2015 tied-up with Whistling Woods International
(WWI) to set up YouTube Space in Mumbai, a collaboration and production facility for YouTube video
creators. However, the firms did not disclose any financial details.
Prasar Bharti and Digital Television Russia on 20 August 2015 signed a memorandum of understanding for
cooperation which will set the stage for a new media era in both the countries. This purposeful and
meaningful MoU was inked in New Delhi.
The Union Government on 19 August 2015 issued the final notification demarcating the Eco Sensitive Zone
(ESZ) around Okhla bird sanctuary.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Lt Governor of Maryland Boyd K. Rutherford, on 18
August 2015 have agreed to explore the possibilities of cooperation in the fields of bio-technology, life
sciences and agriculture, cyber security and engineering.
162 enclaves of India and Bangladesh were integrated with the main land with the execution of Land
Border Agreement, 1974 between the two countries at midnight on 31 July 2015. According to the
agreement, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves situated at Indian soil in Coochbehar District of West Bengal
amalgamated with India, while 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladeshi territory integrated with that country
when the clock struck 12 at night.
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With an aim of ending insurgency in Nagaland, government signed an accord with key outfit NSCN(IM)
which Prime Minister Narendra Modi described as a historic step to usher in peace in the state. The pact
was signed in the presence of the Prime Minister, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security
Adviser Ajit Doval by the outfits leader T Muivah and governments interlocutor R N Ravi at the PMs
residence here. The signing of the pact is the culmination of over 80 rounds of negotiations that spanned
16 years with first breakthrough in 1997 when ceasefire agreement was sealed.
Registrar General & Census Commissioner of India on 31 July 2015 released the Census 2011 data on
Highest Education Level Attained.
The data relates to population of 7 years and above by age and sex for total, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and
Scheduled Tribes (STs) up to district levels.
Main Highlights
Primary occupies the top position in terms of percentage share to total literates in 2011 for both
total and SCs. The respective shares are 24.1percent for total and 27.7 percent for SCs.
The percentage share of literates at the higher educational levels, i.e. Middle, Higher Secondary
and above have gone up at national level for total, SCs and STs during census 2011 as compared
to census 2001.
In case of Matric/Secondary, there is negligible decline for total while for SCs & STs, there is
improvement.
The percentage share of Graduate and above population of 15 years and above has shown
improvement from 5.7 percent to 8.2 percent for total, 2.2 percent to 4.1 percent for SCs and 1.5
percent to 2.6 percent for STs during 2001-11.
The percentage share of Graduate degree other than technical degree to total Graduate and
above has declined by 7.2 percent for total, 7.7 percent for SCs and 7.5 percent for STs during the
decade 2001-2011.
The share of Post Graduate Degree other than technical degree has shown improvement of 2.9
percent for total, 2.4 percent for SCs and 2.4 percent for STs during 2001-11.
Technical Degrees or diplomas equal to degree or post graduate degree has shown improvement
of 4.4 percent for total, 5.3 percent for SCs and 5.1 percent for STs during 2001-11.
With an aim to help lactating mothers who are travelling, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa
inaugurated, through video conferencing, 352 rooms in bus terminals across the state where women can
feed their newborns. Timing the launch to sync with World Breast Feeding Week (August 1-7), she also
inaugurated Mothers Milk Banks in seven government hospitals, including Tiruchirappalli and Madurai.
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Aadi Perukku festival was celebrated in Tamil Nadu with traditional gaiety on 3 August 2015. On this day,
thousands of people including newlywed couples performed pooja in Cauvery River in Erode Tiruchirapalli
and Salem.
The state government of Tamil Nadu on 31 July 2015 instituted a youth award in the name of former
President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. In a statement issued in Chennai, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said that the
annual Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Award consisting 8 gram gold, 5 laks rupees in cash and a citation.
Indo-UK bilateral Air Exercise Indradhanush between Indian Air Force (IAF) and British Royal Air Forces
(RAF) concluded on 30 July 2015. The EX-Indradhanush started in Britain on 21 July 2015.
Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh on 4 August 2015 launched SAMANVAY, a
compilation of all schemes of both Union and State governments for Gram Panchayats. SAMANVAY was
launched with an aim to help MPs in utilising relevant schemes in the planning and implementation of
Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY). It will also act as a database for mapped and compiled information
on various gram panchayat activities through schemes undertaken by the Centre and State Governments.
More than 1800 state schemes from across all states have been documented in SAMANVAY.
India's biggest multi-application solar telescope (MAST) was inaugurated at the Udaipur Solar
Observatory by Prof UR Rao, the chairman of the governing council of the Physical Research Laboratory,
Ahmedabad. Authorised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, MAST has been funded by the
Department of Space. So far Rs 26 crore has been spent on the project. The Physical Research Laboratory
of Ahmedabad will take care of the project.
Maharashtra government on 4 August 2015 increased the retirement age for group 'A' category medical
officers from 58 to 60 years. The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet in
Mumbai and will be implemented with retrospective effect from 31 May 2015.
Uttar Pradesh Government on 4 August 2015 announced that two films namely Masaan and Jaanisaar
will be free from the entertainment tax in the state. They were made tax free as they were entirely shot
in Uttar Pradesh.
A bill to reduce the workload of the Delhi High Court by enhancing the pecuniary jurisdiction of civil suits
from the existing Rs 20 lakh to Rs 2 crore was passed by Parliament today. Once implemented, the
measure would allow transferring of civil suits, valued up to Rs 2 crore, to the nine district courts in Delhi
from the high court.
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The Uttar Pradesh (UP) Cabinet on 4 August 2015 approved UP Technical University (Amendment) Bill,
2015. UP Technical University will now be known as APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University.
India will host the heads of 14 island nations at the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC)
in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
The Integrated Underwater Harbour Defence and Surveillance System (IUHDSS), a state-of-the-art
automated system capable of detecting, identifying, tracking and generating warning for surface and
underwater threats commissioned in Kochi. With this, Kochi got Indias first harbour defence system.
India and Mozambique on 5 August 2015 signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) to deepen
cooperation in New and Renewable Energy Sector. The agreement was signed during the official visit of
Filipe Nyusi, President of Mozambique to India.
Bharti Airtel on 6 August 2015 launched pan-India 4G high-speed data services. The service was launched
in 296 towns across India and it will be available to customers through 4G-enabled mobile phones,
internet dongles and Wi-Fi routers.
Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar on 4 August 2015 launched scheme named Thari Pension
Thare Pass in Chandigarh. Khattar launched the scheme by pressing a button that allowed transfer of
social security pensions of July 2015 amounting to about 119 crore rupees directly into the bank accounts
of eligible beneficiaries under the scheme.
BHEL commissions 500 MW thermal unit at Vindhyachal Super Thermal Power Station in Maharashtra.
A global satellite for earth observation and disaster risk reduction GlobalSat for DRR proposed under
the UN framework is to be dedicated to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as a tribute to the vision of the celebrated
rocket scientist and former Indian president who died July 27.
Government has decided that Aadhaar enrolment of Non-Resident Indians, Persons of Indian Origin and
Overseas Citizen of India should be eventually allowed to help them authenticate their identity digitally.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 7 August 2015 inaugurated first National Handloom Day at the
Centenary Hall of Madras University in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, where he also unveiled 'India Handloom'
brand.
India and Myanmar on 6 August 2015 inked an agreement to set up Centre of Excellence in Software
Development and Training (CESDT) in Myanmar. The project to be set up with the financial support
through ASEAN-India Cooperation fund will be implemented by C-DAC.
Tendong Lho Rum Faat (Prayer of the Tendong Mountain), an ancient and natural festival of the ethnic
Lepcha tribe of Sikkim was celebrated with traditional devotion and fanfare on 9 August 2015. It is an
annual festival celebrated in the month of July-August.
Mysuru city in Karnataka topped the Swachh Bharat Rankings that were released by the Ministry of Urban
Development.
The second position was bagged by Thiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu, followed by Navi Mumbai, Kochi
(Kerala), Hassan, Mandya and Bengaluru from Karnataka, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), Halisahar (West
Bengal) and Gangtok (Sikkim). Damoh in Madhya Pradesh (MP) ranked the lowest, preceded by Bhind in
M.P., Palwal and Bhiwani, both in Haryana, Chittaurgarh (Rajasthan), Bulandshahar (UP), Neemuch (MP),
Rewari (Haryana), Hindaun (Rajasthan) and Sambalpur in Odisha.
Union Government on 10 August 2015 launched the School Nursery Yojana, an initiative to bring
students closer to nature. The Yojana seeks to engage class VI to IX in raising of saplings in nurseries
created in schools. The Yojana was launched by Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar in New
Delhi. The underlying theme of the Yojana is to plant a tree for sustainable future and to make the nation
clean and green. The Yojana in its first phase would cover 1000 schools and would be extended to 5000
schools in 2016 and 10000 schools the following year.
The indigenous Titanium Sponge Plant at Chavara in Kerala has been fully commissioned and has started
commercial production required for space applications, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
Kochi on 10 August 2015 became the first Indian city to be a member of Beijing headquartered World
Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF) Council and join its league of leading tourism cities across the world.
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The Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptulla on 8 August 2015 launched a new Central Sector
Scheme Nai Manzil in Patna. 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.
It will provide them trade basis skill training in 4 courses including Manufacturing, Engineering, Services
and Soft skills. The scheme is intended to cover people in between 17 to 35 age group from all minority
communities as well as Madrasa students.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on 10 August 2015 launched new train services in the Northeast after the
completion of North Lakhimpur-Murkongselek and Balipara- Bhalukpong sections into broad-gauge. He
launched the service through video-conferencing from New Delhi.
Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on 10 August 2015 launched a new mobile app named Disha to
promote digital literacy in Bihar. The app aims to help people learn about computers and Internet through
self learning modules.
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has been accredited by the Green
Climate Fund as an implementing entity for undertaking climate change related projects in India. The
Green Climate Fund (GCF) was set up under the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2010 to help developing countries finance clean energy, other mitigation
efforts and adaptation to climate change.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has tied up with the Union Urban Development Ministry
for mapping over 500 towns and cities, to make a base plan for better planning and management.
Uttar Pradesh Government on 11 August 2015 approved the amended guidelines for Begum Akhtar
Award.
PM Visit to UAE
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited United Arab Emirates
He is the first Prime Minister of India to visit UAE after 34 years. The last Indian Prime Minister to
visit the UAE was Indira Gandhi in 1981.
His Highness the Crown Prince decided to allot land for construction of a temple in Abu Dhabi.
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He also visited the historic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, which is the third largest
mosque in the world and can accommodate around 40000 people at a time.
It is named after the founder and first President of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al
Nahyan.
The other two mosquess which are larger than the Zayed Grand Mosque ate the ones in Mecca
and Madina in Saudi Arabia.
He visited Masdar City, a zero carbon city, where he met with investors.
He addressed Indian Diaspora of the country at the Dubai Cricket Stadium.
Indian Diaspora forms 30 per cent of the UAEs population.
He also interacted with Indian workers at the ICAD Residential Labour Camping, Abu Dhabi, which
houses thousands of migrant labourers from the Indian subcontinent.
Besides this, the Prime Minister announced that the Indian mission in UAE has set up an e-migrant
portal to help Indian migrant workers and an online platform 'MADAD' to assist them.
Appointments
India
Rajiv Mehrishi appointed as Union Home secretary

Outgoing Home Secretary L.C. Goyal Appointed as CMD of India Trade Promotion Organisation
(ITPO)
R P Watal designated as new Finance Secretary
Snapdeal appoints former Adobe executive Rajiv Mangla as CTO
Gillette India appoints Al Rajwani as Managing Director
Balachandran M has been re-appointed the Non-Executive Chairman of National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI)
Noted academician Amitabh Mattoo appointed as Advisor to J&K CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed
Justice ML Tahaliyani sworn-in as Lokayukta of Maharashtra
Ananth Padmanabhan appointed as CEO of HarperCollins India
Girish Sahni assumed charge as Director General of CSIR
Amol Palekar appointed chairman of Indias Oscar jury
O.P. Rawat Appointed New Election Comissioner.
Coca-cola India signs Sourav Ganguly for 3-years as social ambassador
Jayant Patel appointed as acting Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court
Sudhakar Shetty elected as President of Gymnastics Federation of India
Union Government on 14 August 2015 appointed private sector professionals, namely PS
Jayakumar and Rakesh Sharma, as Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Canara Bank, respectively.
Ajit Kumar Seth appointed as Chairman of Public Enterprises Selection Board
Kishor Piraji Kharat takes charge as MD & CEO of IDBI Bank
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Karnal Singh assigned additional charge of Director of Enforcement Directorate

Air India appoints Ashwani Lohani as Chairman, MD
Dr Kandakatla Manohar was on 27 August 2015 appointed as the Director of Nizams Institute of
Medical Sciences (NIMS) of Hyderabad.
Senior IAS officer Rajan S Katoch was given yet another extension as the Chief of the Enforcement
Directorate (ED).
Bharti Airtel appoints Nilanjan Roy as Global CFO
Iqbal Ahmed Ansari appointed as Acting Chief Justice of Patna High Court
Roland S Folger appointed as CEO and MD of Mercedes-Benz India
Amitava Ghosh appointed as Vice President-engineering of Snapdeal
Ved Prakash Mahawar takes charge as Director (Onshore) at ONGC
ONGC Videsh names Sudhir Sharma as Director (Exploration)
Senior BJP leader Ram Nath Kovind and Acharya Dev Vrat were appointed as Governors of pollbound Bihar and Himachal Pradesh respectively.
Accenture appointed Rekha Menon as Chairperson of India's operation
Amitabh Bachchan signs up as Maharashtras Tiger Ambassador
L&T Infotech appoints Sanjay Jalona as MD, CEO
World
Tennis Player Novak Djokovic appointed as Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF

Vassiliki Thanou appointed as Greece First Female Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremesinghe sworn in as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
Indian-American Atul Keshap Sworn in As US Envoy to Sri Lanka
Anupam Kher Named Advocate for UN's 'HeForShe' Campaign
Australian government appoints Adam Gilchrist ambassador to India - for education
Olympic champion Sebastian Coe elected as President of IAAF
India-born Sundar Pichai named new CEO of restructured Google
Indian-American Atul Keshap sworn in as Ambassador to Sri Lanka
Awards
India
Sania Mirza conferred with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna

Indo-Tibetan Border Police official and mountaineer Jot Singh has been honoured with the
Tenzing Norgay national adventure award by President Pranab Mukherjee.
Urdu Author Shamim Hanfi Chosen for Jnangarima Manad Alankaran Award
Mustansir Barma won 2015 Gujar Mal Modi award for innovative science and technology
Babasaheb Purandare conferred with 'Maharashtra Bhushan
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Hindi litterateur Kashinath Singh chosen for Bharat Bharti literary award 2014
The Chartered Institute of Management Accounts, (CIMA) has conferred on Rakesh Kumar,
Director, Finance, NLC the prestigious award the Most Influential CFOs (Chief Financial Officers)
of India.
Ajeet Kumar Saroj, Varanasi jail inmate awarded with IGNOU gold medal.
President Pranab Mukherjee presented Saraswati Sammaan to Dr. M Veerappa Moily
Global
The Waterman of India Rajendra Singh on 26 August 2015 was conferred with the 2015 Stockholm
Water Prize.
Three Indians were named as Fellows of American Society for Metals (ASM) in the fourth week of
August 2015. These three Indians along with three other Indian-origin persons featured among
the list of 29 fellows who were named as Fellows of ASM for 2015.
While, the Indian Fellows were Pradeep Goyal, Vivekanand Kain, and Gankidi Madhusudhan
Reddy, the Indian-origin achievers were Pranesh Aswath, Suveen Mathaudhu and
Muthukumarasamy Sadayappan.
Noted Indian agriculture scientist Dr Modadugu Vijay Gupta, who has done pioneering work in
aquaculture in India, Bangladesh and several Southeast Asian countries, was today awarded the
first Sunhak Peace Prize which he shared with the President of Kiribati Islands.
Barcelona's Lionel Messi wins UEFA Best Player in Europe award
Syrian woman Journalist Zaina Erhaim awarded with Peter Mackler Award 2015
Debut Novelist Zia Haider Rahman won the James Tait Black Award 2015
Mathematician Doctor Amalendu Krishna on 3 August 2015 won the Ramanujan Prize for year
2015.
The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) won the Esri Special Achievement in GIS Award
2015 for exemplary work in Dairy Geographical Information System.
Indian-Origin Rugby Coach Rahul Das Named Personality of the Year in NZ.
Zhanna Nemtsova, the daughter of slain Russian politician Boris Nemtsov, was on 5 August 2015
awarded with Poland's Solidarity Prize 2015.
Indian-Origin Scribe Adrienne Batra Awarded 'Best Journalist' in Canada.
Raghavendra Gadagkar awarded with Germany's Cross of Order of the Merit
Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar on 7 August 2015 received the Pacific Area Travel Writers
Association (PATWA) - Safari India South Asia Travel Award 2015. Parulekar is the first tourism
minister of Goa to receive this prestigious award.
Days
World Photography Day observed on 19th August

World Humanitarian Day observed on 19th August
National Sports Day celebrated on 29th August to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of Hockey
Legend Major Dhyan Chand
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International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples was observed on 9 August

The World Bio-Fuel Day was observed across the world on 10 August
Books
The Kumbh Mela: Mapping the Ephemeral Megacity authored by Tarun Khanna released by
Akhilesh yadav
Book titled Mrs Funnybones authored by Twinkle Khanna released
Making India Awesome authored by Chetan Bhagat released
World News
China and Pakistan on 12 August 2015 signed 20 agreements worth 1.6 billion US dollars to implement
the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. These agreements were signed during
the CPEC Forum that was held at Karamay city in Xinjiang province of China bordering.
2015 US - India Cyber Dialogue was held on 11 and 12 August 2015 at the US Department of State in
Washington, DC. The dialogue was held with an aim to increase global cyber security and promote the
digital economy.
Bangladesh on 20 August 2015 became the first country to receive funds from the United Nations (UN)
for its fast growing solar home systems. The UN Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC)
issued 395286 carbon credits worth 3.56 million US Dollar to two Bangladeshi organisations.
Pakistan and Russia on 19 August 2015 signed a landmark defence agreement that includes the sale of
four Mi-35 Hind E attack helicopters to Pakistan. The agreement was signed by top defence officials from
Pakistan and Russia in Rawalpindi.
NASA on 5 August 2015 signed a contract worth 490 million US dollars with Russia's space agency
Roscosmos for carrying the US astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The contract was signed
amid a lack of Congressional funding.
Ukraine had removed its restriction on entry and foreign travel for HIV-positive people as part of growing
efforts to improve relations with Europe after decades of Moscow rule.
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The 48th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Foreign Ministers meet was held in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia between 4 August and 6 August 2015. The meet was chaired by Anifah Aman, Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia. The meet was held under the theme "Our People, Our Community, Our
Vision", to create an ASEAN Community which is truly people-oriented, people-centred comprising all
areas of cooperation.
List and Reports:

Forbes released the World's Highest-Paid Actors 2015 list
Top ten in the list are
Robert Downey Jr. stood at top position in the list with earnings of 80 Million US dollars
Jackie Chan stood at second position with earnings of 50 Million US dollars
Vin Diesel stood at third position with earnings of 47 Million US dollars
Bradley Cooper stood at fourth position with earnings of 41.5 Million US dollars
Adam Sandler with stood at fifth position with earnings of 41 Million US dollars
Tom Cruise stood at sixth position with earnings of 40 Million US dollars
Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan stood at seventh position with earnings of 33.5 Million US
dollar
Akshay Kumar stood at ninth position with earnings of 32.5 Million US dollars
Mark Wahlberg stood at tenth position with earnings of 32 Million US dollars
Wipro Chairman Azim Premji and HCL founder Shiv Nadar are the only two Indian tycoons in the top 20
richest people in the world of technology, according to an inaugural list by Forbes, topped by Microsoft
co-founder Bill Gates. Premji is ranked 13th on Forbes first ever list of 100 Richest People in Tech,
followed by Nadar on the 14th spot.
Sports News
Indian Women Hockey Team Qualifies for Olympics After 36 Years
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Air India's Hockey team on 27 August 2015 won the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hockey title. In the finals played
at the MHA-Mahindra Stadium in Mumbai, Air India defeated defending champions Army XI 3-1 via the
penalty shoot-out after the two teams were deadlocked goalless in regular play.
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt on 27 August 2015 won the 200 meter title at the 2015 World Championships
in Athletics held at Beijing in China.
Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia on 30 August 2015 won the women's marathon title at the 2015 World Athletics
Championships at the Beijing National Stadium, China. She is the first Ethiopian female to win the event
at the world championships.
Indian wrestler Anil on 29 August 2015 won gold medal in the 50 kg freestyle category in the Cadet
Wrestling World Championships at SARAJEVO, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He defeated Erfan
Aeini of Iran 10-6.
South African skipper AB de Villiers on 26 August 2015 became the fastest batsman to reach 8000 One
Day International (ODI) runs. He achieved the fete during the third ODI against New Zealand in Durban
which South Africa won by 62 runs to claim the series, 2-1.
Chhattisgarh capital Raipur will host the 2015 FIH Hockey World League (HWL) Final that is scheduled to
be held between 27 November and 6 December 2015. It is the second edition of the World League Final.
For the first time in the history of weightlifting, an individual international tournament will be organised
in India when it hosts the Commonwealth Youth, Junior and Senior Weightlifting Championships in Pune,
Maharashtra from October 11-15.
Former Sri Lankan cricket captain and batsman Kumar Sangakkara on 24 August 2015 retired from
International Cricket. In ICC World Cup 2015, Kumar Sangakkara created a record by becoming first
batsman to score hundreds in three consecutive World Cup matches. On 29 January 2015, Sangakkara
became Sri Lanka's highest ever ODI run scorer by surpassing the previous record of 13430 runs held by
cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya.
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt on 23 August 2015 won the 100 meter title at the 2015 World Championships
in Athletics held at Beijing in China.
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Roger Federer of Switzerland on 23 August 2015 won the Cincinnati Masters Mens Singles title by
defeating Novak Djokovic of Serbia. The final match was held at Cincinnati in Ohio State of the USA.
Aditi Ashok of Bengaluru on 22 August 2015 became the first Indian to win the Ladies British Amateur
stroke play golf championship at the Moortown Golf Club at Leeds, United Kingdom.
England cricket team on 23 August 2015 won 2015 Ashes Test series, 3-2 against Australia at England. In
the fifth and final match of the series, Australia defeated England by an innings and 46 runs at Ovals.
World number one ranking Serena Williams on 23 August 2015 won the Cincinnati Masters Womens
Singles title by defeating the third seeded Simona Halep of Romania.
U Mumba defeated Bengaluru Bulls to win Pro Kabaddi League 2015
Indias Ajinkya Rahane became the first fielder in Test history to take eight catches, achieving the feat in
the ongoing first cricket match against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Indian Men's Hockey Team on 13 August 2015 won three match series of their European Tour 2-1 after
registering second win in the third and final match of the series. Indian team defeated Spain 4-2 at Teresa
in Spain.
Indias ace shuttler Saina Nehwal on 16 August 2015 became the first Indian to win silver in the World
Badminton Championship. She lost the women's singles summit clash to Spain's Carolina Marin 16-21, 1921 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
India's Abhishek Verma on 15 August 2015 won the gold medal in the compound men's individual section
in the Archery World Cup Stage 3 competition at Wroclaw, Poland.
Briton Andy Murray on 16 August 2015 won the Rogers Cup Masters tournament in Montreal, Canada. In
the title clash, Murray defeated world number one Novak Djokovic 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. It was Murray's 11th
Masters Title.
9/1/2015
28
Aditi Chauhan, Indias international football goalkeeper, on 16 August 2015 became the countrys first
woman to play English league football. She made her debut for the womens team of the West Ham United
in the opening game of the season against Coventry City.
Australias Chris Rogers confirms Test retirement after Ashes.

Bangladesh Under-16 team on 18 August 2015 won their first-ever South Asian Football Federation
(SAFF) under- 16 title. In the title clash at the Sylhet District Stadium of Bangladesh, the hosts defeated
defending champions India 4-2 in penalties.
Ultimate Frisbee recognized by International Olympic Committee.
S Africa's Van der Burgh Breaks 50m Breaststroke Swimming World Record.
Ace Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar on 3 August 2015 clinched the women's vault bronze medal at the 6th
Senior ART Gymnastics Asian Championships at Hiroshima, Japan.
Indian women Deepika Kumari, Laxmirani Majhi and Rimil Buriuly bag silver at World Archery
Championships.
South Sudan becomes Olympic movement's 206th member.
14-year-old Lucknow boy Prabhroop Sekhon won 2 Gold at Special Olympics World Games.
MCA lifted 3-year old Wankhede Stadium entry ban on Shah Rukh Khan.
Indian champion Joshna Chinappa won the womens squash title in the 15000 US Dollar Victorian Open
WSA Event in Melbourne, Australia on 2 August 2015. In the final clash, Chinappa defeated second seed
Line Hansen of Denmark 11-5, 11-4, 11-9.
The August edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings was released on 6 August 2015. The rankings
show change in top three places with Argentina remaining at No 1 position. Argentina is followed by
Belgium at No 2 (moved up 1) and the World Cup winner Germany at No 3 position (moved down 1).
9/1/2015
29
The main highlight of the August edition of the FIFA rankings is that Chile for the first time entered top
ten (ranked 10th) while the Netherlands moved out of top ten (ranked 12th, down 7). India with 161
points retained its 156th position in FIFA World rankings.
Australia captain Michael Clarke will retire from international cricket at the end of the current Ashes
series.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) formed an ad-hoc committee for cricket administration in
the states of Bihar and Uttarakhand. The committee will be headed by Niranjan Shah.
Senior India hockey player Gurbaj Singh was on 10 August 2015 suspended for 9 months for indulging in
groupism and creating disharmony within the team.
Obituaries
Renowned neurologist and author Oliver Wolf Sacks died on 30 August 2015 in New York, the USA. He
was 82. Compared to his career as a practitioner of neurology and an academician he was better known
as the author of best-selling books on the grey matter like Migraine, Awakenings, The Minds eye, etc. He
was awarded the Lewis Thomas Prize for Writing about Science in 2001.
Filmmaker Wes Craven, the creator of classic horror franchises Nightmare on Elm Street and Scream,
has died. He was 76. Craven died on Sunday at his home in LA after battling with brain cancer, his family
announced, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Craven wrote and directed the first Nightmare on Elm
Street film, helmed the first four Scream movies and guided Meryl Steep to an Oscar nomination in Music
of the Heart. The Last House of the Left was Craven's first feature film, which he wrote, directed and
edited in 1972. He followed it up with another film, The Hills Have Eyes (1977), which he wrote and
helmed.
The founder of Hero Cycle Om Prakash Munjal passed away on 13 August 2015 following a brief illness at
the DMC Hero Heart Centre, Ludhiana. He was 87.
Noted Malayalam Film Actor Paravoor Bharathan Dies at 86.
First Lady Suvra Mukherjee passes away.
9/1/2015
30
Former Gujarat Finance Minister Sanat Mehta passes away
Eminent Sanskrit Scholar and Indologist NR Varhadpande passed away on 21 August 2015 in Nagpur
following age related issues. Varhadpande was famously known for his book titled Aryan Invasion: A Myth
that exposes fallacy of Aryan invasion and is considered as one of the most profound works in changing
the course of ancient Indian history.
Former Australian opener Arthur Morris, a member of Don Bradman's 1948 'Invincibles' team, has died
aged 93. The death of Morris, who had been the country's oldest living former Test player, meant "a
cherished link with our past" had been lost, said the governing body's chairman Wally Edwards.
The last surviving Dambusters pilot, Les Munro, died on 4 August 2015 in New Zealand following heart
problems.
Jerome Kohlberg Jr., a founder of investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co and a pioneer of the
leveraged buyout, died
Freedom Fighter, Author & Poet Kinhanna Rai Dies at 101
World War-II hero Colonel Harwant Singh passed away
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August 2015 Final Exampundit

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