DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: JULY 31, 2018

NATIONAL

Chhattisgarh CM, Kangana Ranaut launch smartphone distribution scheme:

• Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, along with National Award-winning actress Kangana Ranaut, launched a smartphone distribution scheme, ‘Mobile Tihar’, under the Sanchar Kranti Yojna (SKY).
• The scheme is for distribution of smartphone to women and students, covering over 50 Lakh beneficiaries.

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Governor of Chhattisgarh – Balramji Dass Tandon

Chief Minister – Raman Singh

Capital – Raipur

Rajasthan signs MoU for first cow sanctuary in state:

• The Rajasthan government on signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a private trust in this regard, during Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje’s visit to Bikaner.
• Rajasthan will soon have its first ‘cow sanctuary’, a shelter for 10,000 bovines spread over an area of more than 220 hectares in Bikaner district.

Invest India and UAE Ministry sign MoU for technological cooperation:

• Invest India and the UAE Minister for Artificial Intelligence (AI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for India – UAE Artificial Intelligence Bridge today in New Delhi.
• This partnership will generate an estimated USD 20 billion in economic benefits during the next decade for both countries
• The MoU was signed in the presence of Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu and H.E. Ahmad Sultan Al Falahi, Minister Plenipotentiary – Commercial Attache, UAE Embassy at the India leg of GovHack series of World Government Summit.

INTERNATIONAL

First Nepal-India Think Tank Summit begins in Kathmandu:

• The first Nepal-India Think Tank Summit started in Kathmandu on to foster greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing among the think tanks of the two countries.
• The main objective of the summit is to strengthen bilateral relations between India and Nepal through multi-faceted collaboration among think-tanks in both the countries.
• Former Prime Minister of Nepal and Co-chairman of ruling Communist Party of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda is scheduled to inaugurate the summit.
• The summit is being jointly organized by the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs and Nehru Memorial Museum Library.

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Nepal.

Prime Minister – Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli

Currency – Nepalese Rupee

President of Nepal and commander in chief of Nepalese Army – Bidhya Devi Bhandari

BANKING & BUSINESS

ONGC presented with INFRA Icon Award:

• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has been bestowed with INFRA Icon Award in the ‘Global Energy’ category at the mid-day ‘INFRA Icons’.
• ONGC has received the top corporate level award in recognition of its valuable contribution in upgrading the country as a whole.
• With the theme being; ‘Smart cities envisages to take infrastructure development to a next level’, the event was attended by dignitaries and industry veterans from key infrastructure sectors.

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ONGC Chairman & Managing Director- Shashi Shanker.

AWARDS & HONOURS

3rd BRICS Film Festival Concluded Durban, South Africa:

• The 3rd BRICS Film Festival took place in Durban, South Africa, along with the International Durban Film Festival (DIFF).
• The last day of the festival (27th July) was celebrated as India Country Day, followed by Awards and Closing Ceremony.

 Awards won by Indian films

• Best Film: Newton by Amit Masurkar,
• Best Actress: Bhanita Das, Village Rockstars,
• Special Jury Award: Village Rockstars by Rima Das.

Reliance again over takes TCS as India’s most valued firm:

• Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) surpassed India’s biggest software services firm Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) to become the country’s most valued firm in terms of market capitalization—a first since April.
• Data from the BSE showed RIL has a market cap of ₹ 7.46 trillion, after its shares rose 2.4% on the BSE to record high of ₹ 1177.80. TCS, at ₹ 1930 per share, was valued at ₹ 7.39 trillion.

Mohun Bagan Ratna for former India defender Pradip Chowdhury:

• Pradip Choudhury, who formed the central defensive pair with Subroto Bhattacharya when Mohun Bagan took on Pele’s Cosmos team in 1977, was conferred the Mohun Bagan Ratna 2018 at the annual day of the 129-year-old club
• Shilton Paul was given the Best Footballer for the Year award and Sudip Chatterjee was handed the Best Cricketer of the Year honour.
• Sourav Das was the Best Youth Footballer. Rahim Ali received a special award for his performance for Indian team in the FIFA under-17 World Cup

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Satti quits as CEO of Paytm bank:

• Paytm Payments Bank CEO Renu Satti has resigned from the role and will now head Paytm’s new retail initiative.Renu Satti will be leading the charge as COO of this new (retail) initiative.
• Paytm will look for a replacement for Ms. Satti, who had taken over the CEO role last year.In the past, Ms. Satti had built businesses ground up that include marketplace, movie ticketing and recently, Paytm Payments Bank.

Surendra Rosha named HSBC India CEO:

• The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) announced the appointment of Surendra Rosha as Chief Executive Officer for HSBC India, subject to regulatory approvals.
• Rosha succeeds Jayant Rikhye, who is taking a leave of absence for medical reasons.

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Headquarter of HSBC is in London UK.

OBITUARY

Eminent Bengali author Ramapada Chowdhury passes away:

• Sahitya Academy awardee Bengali writer Ramapada Chowdhury, who authored famous novels like Kharij, Bari Badle Jay and Abhimanyu, passed away at a city hospital.He was 95.
• Mrinal Sen’s Hindi film ‘Ek din achanak’ (1989) was also based on Chowdhury’s story ‘Beej’.

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