DAILY GK 18 AUG 2020

 DAILY GK 18 AUG 2020

1. PM NARENDRA MODI ANNOUNCED LAUNCH OF NEW PROJECTS

·        PM Narendra Modi announced the launch of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) under which every Indian will get a health ID that will store the individual’s medical records.

·        It will be implemented through National Health Authority (NHA), which is also responsible for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).

·        The finance ministry has approved a budget of Rs 470 crore for the proposal, but the final NHA proposal may not seek more than Rs 400 crore.

·        On the lines of “Project Tiger” and “Project Elephant”, PM Modi announced the “Project Dolphin” As per official figures, there are around 3,700 Gangetic River Dolphins in India.

·        He also  announced “Project Lion” for the conservation of endangered Asiatic Lion..

·        As a 7500 MW (megawatt) solar park is being built in Ladakh for electricity and infrastructure development in the region, the Ladakh, Leh and Kargil region will be developed and declared to be a carbon neutral region.

2. ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE CHAMBAL PROGRESSWAY

·        CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, announced that the Gwalior Chambal Expressway will be named as Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Chambal Progressway. 

·        Chouhan also stated that a grand statue of Vajpayee will be set up in Bhopal.

·        The Gwalior Chambal Expressway is a 6 lane expressway connecting Madhya Pradesh with Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, through the ravines of Chambal region.

·        In honour of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, 25th December is celebrated as Good Governance Day.

3. UK LAUNCHED £3 MILLION INNOVATION CHALLENGE FUND FOR INDIA

·        United Kingdom (UK) launched a £3 million “Innovation Challenge Fund 2020” in India to support scientists in academia and industry to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

·        In this regard, tech innovators with connections to the AI-Data cluster in Karnataka and the future mobility cluster in Maharashtra will submit research and development proposals for tackling COVID-19 or which promote a greener planet till August 31, 2020. 

·        These grants are part of a wider initiative under the tech partnership known as ‘Tech Clusters’.

4. UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN INDIA POSTAL STAMPS

·        India Post has issued 5 Commemorative Postage Stamps namely: Historic City of Ahmedabad- Sarkhej Roza, Churches and Convents of Goa- Church of  Bom Jesus, Group of Monuments at Pattadakal, Khajuraho Group of Monuments Javeri Temple and Qutb Minar its Monuments, Delhi.

·        It also issued 1 miniature sheet consisting of all the above stamps on UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India-III.

5. PNB LAUNCHED ‘DIGITAL APNAYEN’,

·        S S Mallikarjuna Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Punjab National Bank(PNB) launched a campaign, ‘DIGITAL APNAYEN’ to encourage customers to use digital banking channels and participate in the noble cause of donating to PM CARES Fund for COVID-19. 

·        The bank under the campaign will contribute Rs 5 towards the PM CARES Fund on behalf of each customer who conduct the 1st financial transaction.

6. AAIB FORMS 5 MEMBER PANEL TO INVESTIGATE THE KOZHIKODE PLANE CRASH

·        The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau(AAIB) formed a 5-member panel headed Captain S S Chahar to investigate the circumstances of the Air India Express Dubai-Calicut flight IX 1344Crash at the Kozhikode airport, Kerala on 7th August 2020.

·        Air India Express flight departed from Dubai with over 190 people aboard, which skidded at a table top runway during landing.

7. FORMER INDIAN CRICKETER CHETAN CHAUHAN PASSED AWAY

·        Former Indian cricketer and Uttar Pradesh (UP) Cabinet Minister  Chetan Chauhan passed away due to COVID-19.

·        He belongs to Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP). He was honoured with the Arjuna award in 1981.

·        He is the 2nd UP cabinet minister to die of COVID-19 related illness after Kamla Rani who died in August 2020.