Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of August 15th to 21st August 2023. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2023 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• Every year Independence Day in India is observed on the 15th of August.
• World Photography Day is celebrated on August 19 every year.
• Sadbhavana Diwas is celebrated on 20 August every year.
• World Mosquito Day is observed annually on 20 August.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL NEWS

• Samir Arora-promoted Helios Capital Management has received final approval from capital markets regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch a mutual fund (MF)
• The Indian Banks' Association (IBA) has constituted a sectoral committee for member banks operating within the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• Shri Saurabh Garg, Secretary, D/o SJ&E, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India and the President of GC, NISD chaired the meeting of the General Council of National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) in the presence of other senior officials.
• A first-of-its-kind global summit on Traditional Medicine, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) and co-hosted by the Ministry of Ayush, is set to take place on August 17-18, 2023, at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) Secretary Shri Alkesh Kumar Sharma launched the ‘Graphene-Aurora program’ at a function in Maker Village Kochi, Kerala.
• Union Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala has unveiled the 'A-HELP' (Accredited Agent for Health and Extension of Livestock Production) programme along with an Infertility Camp, in the State of Gujarat.
• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah hoisted the Tiranga atop his residence in New Delhi, under the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign and shared his selfie with the Tiranga.
• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech at Red Fort said that the government has plans to increase the number of 'Jan Aushadhi Kendras' from 10,000 to 25,000.
• The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved "PM-eBus Sewa" for augmenting city bus operations. Priority has been given to cities with no organised bus service.
• The G20 Film Festival will begin in New Delhi, on August 16.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, welcomed the Director General of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who arrived in India to attend the WHO-global Summit.
• The Government has approved PM Vishwakarma's scheme to support traditional artisans and craftspeople of rural and urban India with a financial outlay of 13 thousand crore rupees.
• The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) released the Centralized Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) 12th monthly report for States for July 2023.
• NHAI has set up a Design Division that will formulate policy and guidelines for planning, designing, construction and maintenance of bridges, structures, tunnels and RE walls on National Highways across the country.
• The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved a bus scheme “PM-eBus Sewa” for augmenting city bus operation by 10,000 e-buses on the PPP model.
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved the expansion of the Digital India programme.
• The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the signing and ratification of the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Department of Revenue, Government of India and the Department of Home Affairs incorporating the Australian Border Force, Australian Government.
• The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Sports between the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports of the Republic of India and the Department of Health and Aged Care of the Government of Australia.
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of the Republic of India and Ministry of Health, Government of the Republic of Suriname on cooperation in the field of Medical Product Regulation.
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of the Republic of India and Ministry of Health, Government of the Republic of Suriname for Recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) in Suriname.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi approved Seven projects of the Ministry of Railways with an estimated cost of around Rs.32,500 Crore, with 100% funding from Central Government.
• India and Trinidad and Tobago have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sharing INDIA STACK — a collection of open APIs and digital public goods that aim to facilitate identity, data, and payment services on a large scale.
• Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, and Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman launched Kuwi and Desia books at Bhubaneswar.
• The Chairman, of Central Water Commission (CWC), Shri Kushvinder Vohra launched the mobile application, "FloodWatch” to use mobile phones to disseminate information related to the flood situation and forecasts up to 7 days on a real-time basis to the public.
• The Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri R. K. Singh will dedicate to the nation a 660 MW unit of NTPC’s Barh Super Thermal Power Project in Barh, Bihar.
• Ministry of Tourism in association with the different State Governments / UTs is organizing the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav & Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat Food Festival in the capital.
• The G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in Jaipur is a significant event focusing on global trade and investment discussions among representatives from G20 nations and beyond.
• The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), in partnership with the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), successfully conducted a significant webinar under the theme 'Investor Protection Framework in India: Challenges and Road Ahead'.
• The Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, organized the National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) Conclave in Gumla, Jharkhand.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The spirit of India's independence has ignited in Dubai as the city embarks on a series of vibrant events to celebrate the nation's freedom.
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has secured the top spot as the leading employer of Indian expatriates, with an impressive figure of 3.554 million Indians currently working within its borders, V Muraleedharan, the Minister of State for External Affairs, disclosed this in the Lok Sabha.
• The 77th Independence Day of India was celebrated by the High Commission of India in Bangladesh on 15th August 2023.
• The 19th round of the India- China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side on the 13th and 14th of August.
• UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak participated in the recitation of the Indian epic 'Ramayan'.
• US Approval: The United States has approved the transfer of F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine.
• Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister, held meetings with Bangladesh, South Korea, France, and Turkey during the G20 Digital Economy Working Group.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE NEWS

• Arunachal Pradesh Government has allotted 12 'stalled' hydropower projects to three Central Public Sector Undertakings by signing a Memorandum of Agreements (MoA) with them.
• The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal attended the roadshow organised by Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMPK) for the ensuing Global Maritime India Summit, 2023 (GMIS) in Kolkata.
• Telangana government has announced a farm loan waiver of up to 99 thousand 999.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched a mobile app and WhatsApp helpline for the Chief Minister's Medical Assistance Fund.
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Singh Thakur jointly inaugurated the Youth 20 Summit -2023 at Rudraksha International Cooperation and Convention Centre at Varanasi.
• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has called India's first 3D printed Post Office at Cambridge Layout, Bengaluru, a testament to our nation's innovation and progress.
• NLC India Limited, a Navratna Central Public Sector Undertaking under the administrative control of the Ministry of Coal has entered into Long Term Power Usage Agreement with Rajasthan Urja Vikas Nigam Limited for the supply of 300 MW Solar Power under the CPSU Scheme at Rajasthan.
• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, planted the 4 Croreth tree under the All-India Tree Plantation Campaign of the Ministry of Home Affairs at the CRPF Group Center in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal to chair the 19th meeting of the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) scheduled on 18th and 19th August at Kevadia in Gujarat.
• The Union Minister for Roads Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the quadranglement of the Nandura to Chikhli section of 45 km length on National Highway 53 worth Rs.800 crore at Malkapur in Buldhana district, Maharashtra.
• Union Power Minister Shri R. K. Singh inaugurated a 660 MW Unit of the Barh Super Thermal Power Project in Bihar.
• States have made efforts to achieve the District level target of 75 Amrit Sarovar in each of the districts of the State with an exception in the case of West Bengal, Punjab, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Bihar and Rajasthan wherein some of the districts are yet to achieve the target of 75 Amrit Sarovars per district.
• The Maharashtra Government's inaugural 'Udyog Ratna' award was presented to veteran entrepreneur Padma Vibhushan R atan Tata by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS NEWS

• Indian telecommunications major, Reliance Jio has completed the work related to connecting Maldives with a High-Speed Optic Fibre cable.
• The annual rate of inflation based on all India Wholesale Price Index (WPI) numbers is (-) 1.36% (Provisional) for the month of July 2023 (over July 2022) against (-) 4.12% recorded in June 2023.
• India’s overall exports (Merchandise and Services combined) in July 2023* are estimated to be USD 59.43 Billion, exhibiting a negative growth of (-) 5.06 per cent over July 2022

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND ECONOMY

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.5% for the 3rd time in a row.
• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched the 3rd edition of the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) Safety Awareness Campaign, “UPI Chalega” with an aim to promote UPI’s brand awareness, amplify understanding of its features, and encourage wider adoption among new users.
• IIITD Innovation and Incubation Centre (IIITD-IC), a section 8 company promoted by the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIITD), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yes bank with an aim aim to enable enterprise banking, personal banking and beyond banking solutions required by the Startups.

• Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has emerged as the top performer among public sector lenders in loan and deposit growth of 25% in percentage terms during the first quarter of the current financial year.
• Finance Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the Mahila Samman Savings Certificate (MSSC), a small savings scheme for women and girls in August 2023 & currently 5 Banks offering the Mahila Samman Savings Certificate including Bank of Baroda (BoB), Union Bank of India, Canara Bank and Bank of India (BoI), Punjab National Bank (PNB).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has selected global consultancy firms McKinsey and Company India LLP and Accenture Solutions Private Limited India to develop systems using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for its supervisory functions.
• India's largest public sector lender, the State Bank of India (SBI), remained the front runner in the Debit cards market, holding a whopping 28% share in June 2023, revealed latest data by 1 Lattice (Previously PGA Labs).
• India’s leading private lender Bandhan Bank has announced its strategic partnership with the Odisha Government to enhance payment solutions for Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) Limited.
• In a step towards enhancing India's financial landscape, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced the launch of the Pilot Project for Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit by Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the RBI.
• Credit card default rose to Rs 4,072 crore or 1.94% at the end of March 2023.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed monetary penalties on 4 cooperative banks - Mangal Co-operative Bank, The Mahabaleshwar Urban Co-operative Bank, The Islampur Urban Co-operative Bank and The Tapindu Urban Co-operative Bank for violating rules.
• A new technology developed by Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), an arm of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is now all set to be deployed to increase last mile connectivity of banking services in remote areas.
• The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) unveiled a pioneering initiative called CarbonLite Metro Travel to educate passengers about their significant contribution towards reducing carbon emissions by choosing metro trains.
• The Government of India (GoI) has appointed R Doraiswamy as managing director (MD) of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) with effect from the date of assumption of office on or after 1 September 2023 and continuing until his superannuation on 31 August 2026, or until further instructions, whichever is earlier.

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 40.5 million loan for integrated early childhood development (ECD) and maternal mental health in Meghalaya.
• Canara Bank has introduced a specialised savings bank account named "Canara Jeevan Dhara" aimed at catering to the unique financial needs of pensioners and prospective pensioners, including those who have retired on a voluntary basis or through normal retirement.
• The State Bank of India (SBI) plans to open 300 new branches across India in the current financial year & it currently operates 22,405 branches across the country & it has 235 foreign branches and offices.

• The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) have collaborated to provide National Pension System (NPS) subscribers with an enhanced and consolidated view of their personal investments in the securities market, including updated mark-to-market values under a single consolidated account statement (CAS).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched a centralised web portal to help citizens search for their unclaimed deposits, known as UDGAM (Unclaimed Deposits – Gateway to access information).
• Axis Bank, one of the largest private sector banks in India has launched 2 lending products Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and unsecured Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) loans powered by the Public Tech Platform for Frictionless Credit (PTPFC), introduced by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS

• Veeyapuram Chundan (Snake Boat), rowed by the Pallathuruthy Boat Club lifted the 69th edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race held on Punnamada Lake in Kerala's Alappuzha district.
• A total of 954 Police personnel have been awarded Police Medals on the occasion of Independence Day, 2023.
• President Smt Droupadi Murmu has approved one President's Tatrakshak Medal (PTM) and five Tatrakshak Medals (TM) to the Indian Coast Guard personnel for their act of conspicuous gallantry, exceptional devotion to duty and distinguished/meritorious service on the occasion of Independence Day 2023.
• President Smt Droupadi Murmu has approved 76 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel on Independence Day 2023.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• The Government of India (GoI) has appointed R Doraiswamy as managing director (MD) of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) with effect from the date of assumption of office on or after 1 September 2023 and continuing until his superannuation on 31 August 2026, or until further instructions, whichever is earlier.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has appointed two new full-time directors.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUS AND AGREEMENT

• The National Health Authority (NHA) and IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India) jointly organized an exclusive three-day Accelerator Workshop to help insurance companies complete their ABDM integration and to facilitate the adoption of Health Claims Exchange (HCX) specifications and e-Claim standards for insurance companies and Third-Party Administrators.
• Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are among 14 States and Union Territories which are yet to sign a crucial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Education Ministry, which mandates the implementation of the National Education Policy to avail funds worth almost ₹13,000 crore for the next three years, under the Centre’s flagship scheme for State-run higher education.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

• The Indian Navy will launch Vindhyagiri, named after a mountain range in Karnataka, on August 17,2023 at the hands of President Droupadi Murmu, at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata, West Bengal (WB).
• President Droupadi Murmu launched India’s newest warship ‘INS Vindhyagiri’ at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd’s (GRSE) facility on the banks of Hooghly River at Kidderpore in Kolkata.

• Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has commenced the construction of the world's highest motorable road, the Likaru-Migla-Fukche road close to Hanle in Eastern Ladakh.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• The Indian Space Research Organisation - ISRO successfully conducted a fresh orbit reduction manoeuvre of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, bringing it closer to the Moon’s surface.
• The first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun - Aditya-L1, is getting ready for its launch next month.
• The Chandrayaan 3 mission by ISRO has assumed a near-circular orbit.
• The final and fifth Lunar bound orbit manoeuvre for the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft was performed successfully.
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO-A) spacecraft made its first Earth flyby nearly 17 years after its launch.
• The Technology Development Board (TDB), operating under the Department of Science & Technology (DST), is thrilled to announce its strategic partnership with M/s Chemlife Innovations Pvt. Ltd., headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) is funding the participation of the Indian contingent for the upcoming ISSF World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan where a total of 34 Indian shooters, including 17 men and 17 women would be participating.
• The Indian men's hockey team has jumped to the third spot in FIH Men's Hockey World Rankings following their Asian Champions Trophy title win in Chennai.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is organizing Youth 20 Summit-2023 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
• Former England pacer Steven Finn has announced retirement from all forms of Cricket following a chronic knee injury.
• The Indian national shooting squad begins its campaign in the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Championships starting in Baku,
• Indian wrestler Mohit Kumar has become the Under 20 World Championship in men’s 61 Kg Freestyle category at Amman City in Jordan.
• In the ICC Men's T20I Player Rankings released, star batter Suryakumar Yadav has retained the top spot while Shubman Gill has risen by 43 spots to reach the 25th rank.
• In cricket, England all-rounder Ben Stokes reversed his decision to retire from One Day Internationals ahead of the ICC ODI World Cup scheduled for October in India.
• Indian grappler Priya Malik won a Gold medal at the 2023 U20 World Wrestling Championships in Jordan.
• India won gold medals in both men's and women's team compound events at Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Paris.
• The International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled the mascots for the upcoming ODI World Cup at an event in Gurugram.
• Indian shooters Esha Singh and Shiva Narwal clinched the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the ISSF World Championship held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
• Indian wrestler Priya Malik has emerged victorious in the U20 World Wrestling Championships held in Jordan, attaining a significant milestone in her wrestling journey.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES

• Eminent writer, scholar and academician Kandlakunta Alaha Singaracharyulu passed away due to age-related ailments at his residence in Hyderabad.
• Founder of 'Sulabh International' Bindeshwar Pathak passed away at AIIMS, Delhi due to cardiac arrest.
• Renowned nuclear physicist Bikash Sinha passed away at the age of 78 in Kolkata.
• An eminent Indian scientist and Padma Shri awardee Manchanahalli Rangaswamy Satyanarayana Rao, popularly known as MRS Rao passed away in Bengaluru, Karnataka.