Govt increased scholarship amount under "Pragati and Saksham" Scheme for J&K Students 

• Govt announced an increase in scholarships amount for the students of J&K under the 'Pragati and' Saksham Scholarship Schemes. The amount has been raised from Rs 5,000 Per annum to Rs 50,000 Per annum from the Current Academic Year (2020-21). 

• Pragati & Saksham will provide scholarship to students studying within J&K. 

• 'Pragati & Saksham' Schemes 

• Under Pragati Scheme, all girls of J&K belonging to families having an annual income of less than Rs 8 Lakh, and who are pursuing education in AICTE approved institutions for session 2020-21 will be eligible for the scholarship. 

• Under Saksham Scheme, all specially abled students with 40 percent disability pursuing technical education at Degree or Diploma level belonging to families with an annual income of less than Rs 8 Lakh are eligible for the scholarship. 

• The application for availing the scholarships will be invited for registration once in a year through National e-Scholarship Portal (NSP) of Government of India.

PM virtually inaugurated 900 crore worth petroleum project in Bihar

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 3 key projects of the petroleum sector worth more than Rs 900 crore in Bihar through video conference 

• The projects include the Durgapur-Banka section (about 200 km) of the Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur Pipeline Augmentation Project and 2 LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) Bottling Plants. 

• Of the 2 LPG bottling plants one plant of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is launched in Banka and another plant of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) in Champaran (East), Harsidhi. 

• The projects have been commissioned by IOCL and HPCL 

• These projects are a part of the Mission Purvodaya which anticipate to expand the Barauni Refinery with Rs 14,000 crore and the work has already commenced. 

• The special package given for Bihar had 10 big projects related to petroleum and gas worth Rs 21 thousand crore.

JK LG Manoj Sinha laid e-foundation stone of Arun Jaitley Memorial Sports Complex,Hiranagar 

• Lt Governor of J&K, Manoj Sinha and Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) laid the e-foundation stone of the Arun Jaitley Memorial Sports Complex in Hiranagar, Kathua 

• This first of its kind multipurpose sports complex in the Northern Region is a tribute to the former union minister of finance Arun Jaitley. 

• About the Sports Complex 

• The development of this complex is estimated to cost around Rs 58.23 crore which has been accomplished by the Prime Minister's Development Package (PMDP). 

• The northern region is provided with Rs 200 crores under the PMDP for the development of this sports complex. 

• This complex will provide the required infrastructure to promote sports culture in J&K 

Gol formed 16-member Committee to Study Ancient Indian Culture → Prahlad Singh Patel 

• Prahlad Singh Mulayam Singh Patel Minister of State (1/C - Independent Charge) of Culture and Tourism has informed that Government has formed a 16 member expert committee to conduct a study on the origin and evolution of Indian culture dating back to about 12,000 years ago and its interface with other cultures of the world. 

• The committee will include K N Dikshit, Chairman, Indian Archaeological Society, New Delhi and former Joint Director General, Archaeological Survey of India, among others, and its interface with other cultures of the world. 

ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting held virtually 

• Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -India Ministerial Meeting was held virtually which was co-chaired by Union Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs along with Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. 

• It was attended by Foreign Ministers of the ten ASEAN Member States. During the meet ASEAN-India Plan of Action 20212025 was adopted. 

• About Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 

• 2020 Chairmanship - Vietnam 

• Chairman - Nguyen Xuan Phuc 

• Secretariat - Jakarta, Indonesia 

• Membership - 10 Member States → Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam & 1 Observer - Papua New Guinea 

Book Titled 'End of an Era, India Exits Tibet' written by Claude Arpi will be released 

• The book titled 'End of an Era, India Exits Tibet authored by Claude Arpi to be released soon. 

• The book portrays India Tibet relation during 1947–1962. The core of the book is about India losing all its influence in Tibet, helping China press aggressive claims along the border with India.
• It is based on Nehru Memorial Library papers, declassified Indian and Chinese documents and personal interviews. 

• This book is the 4th part of the series. 

About Claude Arpi 

• Claude Arpi is French-born author, journalist, historian and Tibetologist born in 1949 in France lives in Auroville, Puducherry, India. 

India & Afghanistan become Members of UN Commission on Status of Women 

• India & Afghanistan were elected as Members of the United Nations Commission on Status of Women, a body of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The Commission on the Status of Women is a UN organ promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women. 

• India will be a member of the UN's Commission on Status of Women for four years from 2021-2025

India and Afghanistan became members of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

• United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW or UNCSW)
• It is one of the main organs of the United Nations within the United Nations and is a functional commission of the ECosoc.
• It is a United Nations organization that promotes gender equality and women's empowerment.
• About the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW or UNCSW):
• Executive Director - Phumzile Mlambo-Nguka (South Africa)
• Headquarters - New York, USA
• President of UNCSW - Maihar Margarian (Armenia)

77th Venice Film Festival 2020: Chaitanya Tamhane's Marathi Film "The Disciple" bags Best Screenplay award

• Venice Film Festival 2020, the 77th Venice International Film Festival organized by La Biennale di Venezia
• Marathi film - The Disciple, directed by Chaitanya Tamhane and starring Aditya Modak, Arun Dravid, Sumitra Bhave and Kiran Yadnyopavit won the Best Screenplay Award at the festival.
• Chaitanya Tamhane is the first Indian to contest in the main category of a European film festival since Mira Nair for Monsoon Wedding in Venice 2001.
• Chinese-American filmmaker Chloe Zhao bagging the top prize of the coveted Golden Lion for her drama Nomadland.

RBI has mandated SCBs to fully automate NPA Recognition Process by June 30, 2021

• RBI issued circular advising banks to switch to automatic identification of non performing assets(NPAs), using appropriate IT systems, from manual identification for regulatory reporting and bank's own management information system (MIS) requirements. However, over this period of time, the processes for NPA identification, income recognition, provisioning and generation of related returns in many banks are not yet fully automated.
• On this, RBI issued a notification mandating banks to complete the automation of bad-loan recognition and provisioning processes by June 30, 2021. In the case of non-compliance, suitable supervisory action would be initiated against the concerned bank.
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ICICI Lombard + Yes Bank => Bank assurance partnership for selling insurance products

• ICICI (Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India) Lombard Insurance Company Ltd has entered into a bancassurance tie-up with Yes Bank to sell its insurance products. Through this agreement, ICICI Lombard aims to offer innovative insurance solutions to Yes Bank's Customers 

• About ICICI Lombard Insurance Company Ltd 

• MD & CEO - Bhargav Dasgupta 

• HQ - Mumbai 

• About YES Bank 

• CEO & MD - Prashant Kumar 

• HQ - Mumbai 

Lewis Hamilton wins Tuscan Grand Prix, Albon secures first career podium 

• Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton (Britain) won the Tuscan Grand Prix 2020, held at the Mugello Circuit, Italy. 

• Mercedes' Valtteri Botta (Finland) finished second, while Red Bull's Alexander Albon Ansusinha (Thailand) finished third in the Tuscan Grand Prix 2020. 

• This is the First Podium Finish of Alexander Albon's Formula 1 Career. 

• This is the First Ever Formula One Grand Prix at the Mugello Circuit, Italy. 

• About Italy 

• Capital - Rome 

• President - Sergio Mattarella 

• Currency - Euro 

National Engineers Day 2020> September 15 

• National Engineers Day is annually celebrated across India on 15th September to pay tribute to India's legendary dam builder and eminent engineer, Bharat Ratna Sir MV Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, who was born on 15th September 1861 in Muddenahalli, Karnataka. 

• The Engineer's day was first observed in 1967 and 15th September 2020 marks the 53rd National Engineers Day. 

• Events 2020 

• Engineer's Day is celebrated by all the centers of Institution of Engineers India (IEI). 

• The central theme for the events of Engineers day 2020 is "Engineers for a Self-Reliant India". 

• Telangana Celebrates Engineers Day on 11th July to mark the Birth Anniversary of Mir Ahmed Ali, Nawab Ali Nawaz Jung Bahadur the Chief Engineer during the Nizam rule in Hyderabad

 International Day of Democracy> September 15, 2020 

• The International Day of Democracy is observed around the world annually on 15th of September, since 2007. The day is observed around the world to promote and uphold democratic principles, to respect human rights, inclusiveness, accountability, and transparency.