Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of Aug 08th to 14th Aug 2024. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2024 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

Weekly Current Affairs August 08th to 14th PDF Download

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• International Day of World’s Indigenous People Day is observed annually on August 9
• Nagasaki Day is observed on August 9 every year.

• World Lion Day is an international annual event observed on the 10th of August.
• Every year World Biofuel Day is observed on the 10th of August
• World Elephant Day is an international annual event on August 12, Conceived in 2011 by Canadian filmmakers Patrica Sims and Michael Clark of Canazwest Pictures and Sivaporn Dardarananda, Secretary General of Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand.
• International Youth Day is observed annually all over the world on August 12.

• Every year World Organ Donation Day is celebrated on the 13th of August to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation and encourage people to donate their organs after death
• International Lefthanders Day 2024 is celebrated on the 13th of August every year worldwide.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

• The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the top drug regulator in India, has developed standard operating procedures and guidelines to ensure the traceability of pharmaceutical products throughout the supply chain, in response to the growing issue of counterfeit and spurious medicines
• BEML, a leading Indian manufacturer of rail coaches and spare parts, aims to enter the international market with its high-speed Vande Bharat trains and Metro trains, according to Shantanu Roy, BEML's Chairman.
• Delhi's Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena announced that the Mughal-era Barapullah bridge in Nizamuddin has been handed over to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for restoration
• India is on a trajectory to meet its ambitious defence export target of ₹50,000 crore within the next five years, according to officials from the Ministry of Defence.
• Global youth unemployment rate dropped to 13% in 2023, the lowest in 15 years.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi released 109 new high-yielding, climate-resilient, and biofortified crop varieties at the India Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.

• Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, has directed an accelerated implementation of the Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme, as announced in the Union Budget 2024-25

• India aims to produce 80 million tonnes (mt) of coking coal in FY25, marking a 20% increase from the previous year's 66.55 mt.

• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, announced the introduction of the Diamond Imprest Licence during an interactive session at the 40th edition of the India International Jewellery Show (IIJS) 2024
• Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw introduced the Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha.
• The Home Ministry has issued a clarification regarding Schedule-IA of the Citizenship Amendment Rules, which specifies the documents applicants can use to prove their citizenship status from Bangladesh, Pakistan, or Afghanistan
• The Union Cabinet has approved the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U)-2, which aims to construct 1 crore houses for urban poor and middle-class families over the next five years
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved eight railway projects with a total estimated cost of Rs 24,657 crore.
• The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has announced an extension of services provided by The Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) to include voluntary closures of Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs).
• IIT Madras has marked a significant milestone by receiving its largest-ever donation of ₹228 Crore from Dr. Krishna Chivukula

• The Lok Sabha passed the Finance Bill, 2024, which gives effect to the Central Government's financial proposals for the fiscal year 2024-2025, marking the completion of the budgetary exercise.
• The average time for resolving insolvency cases at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) increased to 716 days.
• The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has launched the "Million Designers, Billion Dreams" initiative.
• Indian Railways is set to commence the rollout of Kavach 4.0, the latest version of its indigenous automated train protection system, starting in October.

• The Indian government is considering launching a new mission to promote Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technologies.
• Agtech start-up Svastha Ecoharvest is preparing to export India's first Sona Masoori brown rice consignment to Europe
• The Centre may convert trillions of rupees given to states into grants, rather than loans. Grants do not need to be repaid
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved significant modifications to the Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, extending its timeline for implementation by five years, until 2028-29
• On its 8th Foundation Day, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) celebrated remarkable milestones and growth in public procurement
• Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) is a financial assistance scheme designed to provide support to pregnant and lactating mothers, implemented under Section 4 of the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013
• The Model Solar Village component of the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana aims to promote solar energy adoption at the village level, enhance energy self-reliance and showcase successful solar integration
• The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is set to complete a decade on August 15, 2024

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The Dutch Caribbean Island of Curacao has officially become the newest associate member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
• Robert Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the UN, has been appointed as the new President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
• Germany officially joined the UNC, becoming the 18th member state.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

• Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched the ‘Upasthiti Portal’.
• Nagaland became the first state in India to implement disaster management insurance
• India's first round-the-clock, 24/7 grain ATM, named Annapurti, was inaugurated at Mancheswar in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
• The Chhattisgarh government announced that it would establish a new tiger reserve and named it Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve.

• With an aim to promote the indigenous sport of Kabaddi on a global level, the first-ever Global Pravasi Women's Kabaddi League is slated to take place in September 2024 in Haryana.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

• The Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, proposed reducing the long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax on property from 20% to 12.5% while removing the indexation benefit.

• Banks have written off loans totalling ₹9.90 trillion over the past five financial years.

• India’s import of electronic goods exceeded $20 billion for the fifth consecutive quarter.
• The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has introduced a 12% penalty for delayed claim settlements, directly benefiting farmers.
• The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has announced a significant achievement: its unique registered investor base has crossed the 10 crore mark
• Walmart-owned Flipkart has launched its quick-commerce service, Flipkart Minutes, in select areas of Bengaluru.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND ECONOMY

• Listed small finance banks (SFBs) posted a decline in net profit by 0.6% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to Rs 1,300 crore during the first quarter of FY25 as provisions and contingencies more than doubled Y-o-Y to Rs 1,277 crore.
• Capital Small Finance Bank Limited (CSFB), and Edelweiss Life Insurance have entered into a bancassurance tie-up.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Public-sector banks’ non-performing assets (NPA) associated with the Mudra loan category have declined to 3.4% in 2023-24.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted ‘Fit & Proper’ certificates to three potential suitors for IDBI Bank, paving the way for their possible acquisition of the bank.
• GooglePay, Walmart-backed PhonePe and AmazonPay are among five payment firms seeking to join the Indian central bank's digital currency (CBDC) pilot by offering transactions via the e-rupee.
• The finance ministry has asked state-owned general insurance companies to focus on profitable businesses and not to chase top-line but aim for improving profitability.
• Ageas Federal Life Insurance is joining forces with PhonePe to offer Instant Term insurance to their wide-ranging customers.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched India’s first website for passive funds at the National Stock Exchange (NSE), along with unveiling a comprehensive report on the Indian Capital Markets.
• The Government of India (GoI) and the World Bank have signed an agreement for the Green National Highway Corridors Project (GNHCP).
• HDFC Securities, a leading stock broking company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of HDFC Bank, has announced a strategic tie-up with Vested Finance, a popular US-based investment platform, for democratising global investing for Indians and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced the third bi-monthly Monetary Policy for FY25, on August 8, 2024.
• International Finance Corporation (IFC),Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG) announced an investment of USD 275 million (about Rs 2,280 crore) into renewable energy solutions platform Fourth Partner Energy Ltd (FPEL).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) for short-term loans for agriculture and allied activities available through Kisan Credit Card (KCC) for the financial year 2024-25.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has raised the upper limit for tax payments through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh per transaction.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to increase the frequency of reporting of credit information by lenders, including Banks and Non Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), to Credit Information Companies (CICs) from monthly intervals to fortnightly basis or shorter intervals.
• India's foreign exchange reserves reached an all-time high of $675 billion as of August 2, 2024, indicating strong external sector performance.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed continuous clearing of cheques under the Cheque Truncation System (CTS) with 'on-realisation-settlement', replacing the current two-working-day clearing cycle.
• The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has issued guidelines for the Committee of Creditors (CoC) to facilitate timely resolution and maximise the value of the corporate debtor’s assets.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed to create a public repository of digital lending apps (DLAs) in a bid to address the problems arising from mushrooming unauthorised players in the segment.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released draft guidelines for streamlining the onboarding and monitoring of Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) operators to counter frauds perpetuated through the ecosystem.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released Master Directions on ‘Cyber Resilience and Digital Payment Security Controls’ for non-bank payment system operators (PSOs).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed alternate methods of additional factor authentication (AFA) for digital payments including password, PIN, software token and biometrics like fingerprints.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed to lay down principles for management of model risks in credit for banks and other regulated entities with a view to ensuring prudence and robustness.
• The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed clearing cheques in just a few hours, broadening efforts to improve customer service at banks.
• Bank lockers provide a secure way to store valuable items, but there are specific guidelines on what can and cannot be kept inside them.
• Public sector banks' compensation for frauds and electronic frauds increased over three-fold to Rs 140 crore in FY 2023-24, compared to Rs 42.70 crore in the previous fiscal year.
• DBS Bank India has announced the launch of ‘DBS Golden Circle’, a comprehensive priority banking program meticulously designed to cater to the unique needs of senior citizens.
• Bank of Baroda (BoB), Canara Bank, and UCO Bank have increased their Marginal Cost of Funds Based Lending Rate (MCLR) by 5 basis points across selected tenors following the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) monetary policy statement.
• Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) plans to make fresh investments of approximately ₹1.30 trillion in equities during FY25.
• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the international arm of National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), is pleased to announce a landmark achievement of surpassing 100,000 cross-border Unified Payments Interface (UPI) Person-to-Merchant (P2M) transactions in Nepal.
• The government has instructed state-run banks to assist regional rural banks (RRBs) in upgrading their technology and onboarding them to the National Payment Corporation of India's (NPCI) BASE platform, which facilitates the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) program.
• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is seeing significant growth in the use of its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) credit feature, with monthly transactions now reaching approximately Rs 10,000 crore.
• Karnataka Bank has started accepting GST payments through UPI mode.

• RBI has issued a directive for Housing Finance Companies (HFCs), which aims to tighten the norms for them. This directive includes new regulations regarding liquid assets, which will be applicable from January 1, 2025.
• The Reserve Bank stated non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) will pay 100 per cent of deposit amount within the first three months of accepting the fund, if the depositor seeks an withdrawal citing an emergency.
• Retail inflation in July 2024 eased to 3.54%, a sharp decline after rising in the previous month.
• L&T Finance Ltd. received a certificate of registration as a non-banking financial company (Investment and Credit Company, NBFC-ICC) from the Reserve Bank of India.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the formation of a 10-member committee to benchmark its statistics against global standards.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

• Vivek Verma, Managing Director of Spray Engineering Devices Limited (SED), Mohali, Punjab, was awarded the first prize in the Industries Category for his innovation, "Low Temperature Evaporation Technology

• In a landmark initiative to recognize and celebrate outstanding contributions to science, technology, and innovation, the Indian government has introduced the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskars.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• The government appointed Challa Sreenivasulu Setty as Chairman of the country's biggest lender State Bank of India (SBI) for 3 years starting from August 28, 2024.
• Swiggy Instamart, the quick commerce arm of IPO-bound food and grocery delivery firm Swiggy, has appointed Sairam Krishnamurthy as the firm’s senior vice president and chief operating officer (COO).
• Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed as the head of Bangladesh's interim government by President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
• DBS Group announced that Tan Su Shan, its head of institutional banking, will succeed Piyush Gupta as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) when he retires in March 2025.
• Nandakumar Velayudhan Pillai took charge as Director (Refinery) of Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL).
• Surgeon Vice Admiral Anupam Kapur has assumed the role of Director General Hospital Services (Armed Forces) at the office of the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has approved Praveena Rai’s appointment as the Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), India’s largest commodity exchange.
• The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet appointed senior bureaucrat T V Somanathan as the cabinet secretary of India.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) of India and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the commercial arm of ISRO, signed an agreement to assist in launching the Nepal-built Munal satellite
• State-run GAIL has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam (RRVUNL) to explore the transfer of RRVUNL’s gas-based power plants into a proposed joint venture company (JVC).
• A significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, and Amity University, Noida

CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING AND REPORTS

• Microsoft has emerged as India's most attractive employer brand, securing the top position in the Randstad Employer Brand Research (REBR) 2024.

• The study published in the journal Cancer presents alarming projections for cancer among men, indicating a substantial rise in both cases and deaths by 2050.
• IIT Madras has been ranked as India's number one educational institution for the sixth consecutive year by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) announced by the Ministry of Education
• The Ambani family business, led by Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani — the richest man in Asia, has topped 'The 2024 Barclays Private Clients Hurun India Most Valuable Family Businesses List', as per a Business Standard report

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITION AND MERGERS

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposed acquisition of 100% of the share capital of ATC Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited (ATC India) by Data Infrastructure Trust (DIT) and certain inter-connected transactions.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the restructuring of Re Sustainability Limited (ReSL), including its subsidiaries and joint ventures.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of 100% equity stake, management and control in 12 special purpose vehicles of PNC Infratech Limited and PNC Infra Holdings (PNC SPVs/Targets) by Highway Infrastructure Trust (Acquirer Trust).
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition by 360 ONE Private Equity Fund in Vastu Housing Finance Corporation Limited (VHFCL).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

• Indian Naval Ship (INS) Shivalik of the Eastern Fleet emerged victorious in the Naval Gunfire Support Competition at the Rim of the Pacific Exercise- 2024 (RIMPAC-2024), held in Hawaii and won the coveted RODEO trophy.
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent has returned to India following a successful engagement in Exercise Udara Shakti 2024, a joint air exercise conducted in collaboration with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF).

• The Indian Army has conducted a strategic military exercise, 'Parvat Prahaar', in Ladakh, focusing on high-altitude warfare and operations.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• MiltiadisTentoglou of Greece achieved a historic feat at the Paris 2024 Olympics by becoming the first man since Carl Lewis in 1996 to retain the Olympic long jump title.
• Vinesh Phogat, a 29-year-old Indian wrestler, has announced her retirement after being disqualified from the Olympics
• India will host the ISSF World Cup Final (WCF) at the Karni Singh Ranges in October 2024, bringing together the world's top shooters.

• Neeraj Chopra achieved his season-best throw of 89.45 meters on his second attempt at the Paris 2024 Olympics held at the Stade de France
• India clinched the bronze medal in men's field hockey at the Paris 2024 Olympics, marking their second consecutive Olympic bronze.
• Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat showcased his potential by clinching the men's 57kg freestyle bronze medal at the Paris Olympics
• Bulgaria’s Karlos Nasar electrified the Paris Expo with a world-record-breaking performance to claim the men's 89kg Olympic weightlifting title at the Paris Games.
• Hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and pistol shooter Manu Bhaker have been named as the joint flag-bearers for the Indian contingent at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
• Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone solidified her dominance in the 400-meter hurdles by breaking her world record with a time of 50.37 seconds, successfully defending her Olympic title.

• The Paris Olympics 2024 marks the 33rd edition of the Summer Olympic Games and the third time Paris will host, previously hosted in 1900 and 1924.
• Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), announced he will not seek an extension after his second term ends in 2025
• The Javelin Throw gold medallist in the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024, Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, is set to be honoured with Hilal-e-Imtiaz by the country's government

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

• Chinese-American physicist Tsung-Dao Lee, who in 1957 became the second-youngest scientist to receive a Nobel Prize, Passed away at the age of 97 in San Francisco, California, the United States of America (USA).
• Former West Bengal Chief Minister and veteran Communist leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee passed away at the age of 80 in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• Veteran Congress leader and former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh passed away at the age of 93 in Gurugram, near Delhi.