To enhance the skills and capability building of their personnel, the Indian Army and Indian Air Force signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, Vadodara in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Minister of Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi.
The MoU will enable the two Services to acquire higher expertise in logistics. It will ensure the development of in-house expertise on various facets of logistics operations and contribute effectively towards the national development plans - PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan 2021 and National Logistics Policy 2022.
Raksha Mantri described the collaboration as a monumental partnership towards further strengthening the logistics backbone of the Armed Forces in sync with the vision of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence. He emphasized that logistics is no longer just a support function of the Armed Forces, but is emerging as an important factor in military operations and national security.
SBI Foundation has launched the 3rd edition of its flagship Asha Scholarship Program, through which 10,000 meritorious students from underprivileged backgrounds nationwide will receive financial support.
As part of the program, students from Class 6 to the postgraduate level can avail of scholarships ranging from Rs15,000 to 20,00,000 in a year.
SBI Foundation stated that the Asha Scholarship Program offers specialized categories for school students, undergraduates, postgraduates, and those enrolled in IITs and IIMs. Additionally, students from the SC and ST categories intending to move outside the country for higher studies can avail the benefits of the ‘Study Abroad’ scheme.
The Asha Scholarship Program was founded in 2022, and since then, it has provided timely financial support to the tune of ₹3.91 crore to 3, 198 students.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah released the documentary film Mumbai Samachar- 200 Not Out, which chronicles the remarkable 200-year journey of Asia’s oldest newspaper.
Entering its 203rd year of publication, Mumbai Samachar has become an integral part of Mumbai’s identity.
Mumbai Samachar- 200 Not Out delves into the newspaper’s pivotal role in the freedom movement, its unwavering commitment to unbiased reporting, and the secrets behind its enduring success. The documentary was released simultaneously in 40 countries, offering a historical perspective not only for Mumbai Samachar but also for the entire newspaper industry.
Hormusji N Cama, the managing director of the Mumbai Samachar, was present at the event. The trailer for Mumbai Samachar- 200 Not Out was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the newspaper’s bicentenary event in June 2022.
Vinay Goyal has assumed office as the State Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM). He takes over from K. Jeevan Babu, who has moved to the Kerala Water Authority as managing director.
A native of Haryana, Dr. Goyal, belongs to the 2016 IAS batch. He has formerly held the posts of CEO, of Thiruvananthapuram Smart City;
Managing Director of Kerala Rapid Transit Corporation Ltd. (KRTCL); Director of Backward Classes Development department; Secretary, Kerala State Housing Board among others.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) appointed former Election Commissioner Arun Goel as India’s Ambassador to Croatia, six months after he abruptly resigned from the Election Commission. While serving as the secretary of the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries, Goel took voluntary retirement from the IAS on November 18, 2022.
The next day he was appointed as an Election Commissioner. His appointment was challenged in the Supreme Court, which dismissed the plea in August 2023.
Senior bureaucrat Tuhin Kanta Pandey was on designated as the new finance secretary, according to an official order.
Pandey, a 1987-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Odisha cadre, is currently the secretary of the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (Dipam).
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved designating Pandey as the finance secretary,
The vacancy was created following the appointment of T V Somanathan as the Cabinet secretary last month.
As per the convention, the senior-most secretary in the Union finance ministry is designated as the finance secretary.
Algerian authorities declared President Abdelmadjid Tebboune the overwhelming winner of election, but a rival candidate alleged irregularities in the count, and fewer than half of registered voters cast ballots. Official preliminary results gave Tebboune 95% of the vote, enough to avoid a second-round run-off, with Abdelaali Hassani Cherif getting 3% and
Youcef Aouchiche 2%. Turnout was 48%. Tebboune, backed by the military, was facing only nominal opposition from Hassani Cherif, a moderate Islamist, and Aouchiche, a moderate secularist.
Moeen Ali, who last played for England in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, has retired from the international game. Moeen believed that the time was right for him after understanding that he was no longer in consideration for the side's future assignments.
Moeen made his international debut in 2014 against West Indies.
He scored 6678 international runs and picked 366 wickets. He won the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup with the senior men's side. he developed his bowling well enough to become their leading bowler in the Tests. He finished with 204 Test scalps, making him the third-best England spinner in the format, sitting behind Derek Underwood (297) and Graeme Swann (255).
Veteran sports administrator Randhir Singh was unanimously elected president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in its 44th General Assembly held here.
Singh, who is the first Indian to become full-time president of the continental body, will hold the top job for four years. He was OCA’s secretary-general from 1991 to 2015 –
the post has been abolished – and then was its life vice-president until 2021.
A trap shooter who represented India at five Olympics from 1968 to 1984, he won gold in the event at the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games. He has served as OCA acting president since 2021, filling in after Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah was handed a 15-year ban from sports administration,
by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over an ethics breach. He was the Indian Olympic Association secretary-general (1987-2012) and IOC member (2001-14).
The Rajasthan Cabinet approved 33 percent reservation to women in the police force and five percent additional allowance to pensioners.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, also approved a proposal to allot land for a 3,150 MW solar power project.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr Prem Chand Bairwa said an amendment to the Rajasthan Police Subordinate Services Rules, 1989, was approved in the cabinet meeting, paving the way for the one-third quota for women in police.
Dr Bairwa said the cabinet has also taken measures in connection with beneficiaries of pensions for retiring state government employees.
For this, approval has been given to amend Rules 67 and 87 of the Rajasthan Civil Services Pension Rules, 1996 under the pension rules of the central government. He also said that consequent to the CM's announcement of giving a 5 percent additional allowance to pensioners of 70 to 75 years of age during a discussion on the Rajasthan Appropriation and
Finance Bill in the Assembly, approval was given to replace Rule 54B of Rajasthan Civil Services Pension Rules, 1996.
The 20th edition of India-USA Joint Military Exercise YUDH ABHYAS-2024 commenced, at Foreign Training Node in Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan. The exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 9th to 22nd September 2024. Exercise YUDH ABHYAS has been held annually since 2004, alternating between India and the USA.
The Indian Army contingent comprising 600 personnel is being represented by a battalion of the RAJPUT Regiment along with personnel from other arms and services. The US contingent comprising of similar strength will be represented by the troops of 1-24 Battalion of the Alaska based 11th Airborne Division of the US Army.
Aim of the Joint Exercise is to enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake counter terrorism operations in a sub conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The exercise will focus on operations in the semi-desert environment.
Sh. Rajesh Verma, an officer of the 1987 batch of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Odisha Cadre, has taken charge as the new full-time Chairperson of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM). Sh. Verma has been appointed for three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders,
whichever is earlier. He has an experience of over three and half decades and expertise in public administration and governance.
He also served as the Secretary to the President of India, Smt. Draupadi Murmu before his superannuation on August 31, 2024.
Sh. Rajesh Verma succeeds Dr. M.M. Kutty, who has completed his tenure as the full-time Chairperson of CAQM.
India’s para-athlete Sharad Kumar added another feather to his cap by securing the silver medal in Men’s High Jump T63 at the Paris Paralympics 2024.
His performance was a source of immense pride for the nation, further solidifying his status as one of India’s premier para-athletes.
A quadrennial extravaganza, the Paris Paralympics 2024 will conclude. For India, this edition will be remembered as a historic milestone, as the nation achieved its best-ever medal tally. The Indian contingent secured an impressive 29 medals, including seven gold, nine silver, and 13 bronze. India has climbed to the 16th spot in the medal tally.
The final ceremony will take place at France’s national stadium, the Stade de France. The ceremony will feature a vibrant mix of performances, including jazz music, thematic dances, and speeches by dignitaries. Gold medal-winning archer Harvinder Singh and sprinter Preethi Pal will be the country’s flag bearers during the closing ceremony.
After the flag-bearing athlete parade, Paris will officially pass the baton to Los Angeles, the host of the next Paralympic Summer Games in 2028.
China maintains a healthy lead at the top with 215 medals, including 93 golds. Great Britain is second in the standings while the USA is third with 47 and 35 gold medals, respectively.
Union Health Secretary, Shri Apurva Chandra released "Health Dynamics of India (Infrastructure and Human Resources) 2022-23", an annual publication formerly known as “Rural Health Statistics”, here. The document has been published since 1992.
Highlighting the document as a source of reliable and authentic information on various aspects of the National Health Mission (NHM), Shri Apurva Chandra stated that “The annual publication is a valuable document furnishing much-needed information on manpower and infrastructure within NHM, helpful in policy-making, improving processes and problem-solving”.
Union Health Secretary also pointed out the “need to integrate the Health Management Information System (HMIS) Portal with Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) and other portals of the Ministry to reduce the burden of work of health functionaries and to ensure that the data are uploaded timely and analysed carefully.”
Since 1992, the publication has provided detailed annual data on health infrastructure and human resources, with updates as of March 31 each year. This data is crucial for stakeholders in the health sector, as it supports effective planning, monitoring, and management of health infrastructure across the country.
