Correct Answer :   President Murmu

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President Droupadi Murmu on Monday (28th August 2023) released a ₹100 commemorative coin on legendary actor and former chief minister of unified Andhra Pradesh late N T Rama Rao on his centenary year at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre.

While NTR’s sons-in-law N. Chandrababu Naidu and Daggubati Venkateswara Rao, BJP national president J.P. Nadda, MPs K. Raghu Ramakrishna Raju, C.M. Ramesh and Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar and other invitees were seated in the front rows, NTR’s sons Ramakrishna, Balakrishna and Mohan Krishna and daughters Lokeswari, Purandeswari and Bhuvaneswari got to share the dais with the President as she released the commemorative coin brought out by the India Government Mint located in Hyderabad.

In a message on Twitter earlier in the day, Mr. Naidu said the event was a matter of immense pride for Telugu people around the world, who stood united in commemoration of the legendary actor, and said NTR had also made his mark in politics as a Chief Minister. “People remember NTR’s remarkable legacy by setting aside all differences and political affiliations,” Mr. Naidu said.

Nandamuri Ramakrishna said in a press release that the entire family of NTR was grateful to the President for honouring the great actor, who also left a lasting impression on the State’s political landscape by founding the TDP four decades ago. He said he was proud to be a descendant of NTR, whose contribution to Telugu cinema was phenomenal..

Source : The Hindu

Correct Answer :   29th August

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The National Sports Day in India is celebrated on 29 August every year. It is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend "Major Dhyan Chand Singh".

The day also serves as a reminder for all of us to recall the contributions, determination and extraordinary achievements of the athletes and their influence in shaping societies. The first National Sports Day was celebrated on August 29, 2012 and hence this year marks the 12th anniversary of Rashtriya Khel Divas.

National Sports Day 2023 Theme :  The theme for this year's National Sports Day celebration is "Sports are an enabler to an inclusive and fit society".

National Sports Day History :

* The roots of India’s National Sports Day can be traced back to the birth of Major Dhyan Chand Singh, one of its most revered sporting legends of India, who went on to become one of the most popular names in the game of hockey. He ruled the world of hockey with his delightful stick work and understanding of the game that earned him the moniker of 'Hockey Wizard' and 'The Magician'.

* Born on 29 August 1905 in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, he started off his career with the British Indian Army. His career spanned from 1926 to 1948 and ended as one of the greatest hockey players of all time after having represented India 185 matches and scored over 400 goals during this period. His skills mesmerized the world, guiding India to three consecutive Olympic Hockey gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936.

* In recognition of his unparalleled contributions to the realm of sports, the Indian Government declared his birthday as National Sports Day in 2012, with the aim to inspire generations to come. This decision was also focused on promoting sports and physical fitness among the people in the country.

National Sports Day 2023 Significance :

* National Sports Day encourages people of all ages to embrace physical fitness. It emphasises the importance of regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle. It also warns against of implications of sedentary lifestyle and related diseases.

* This day also serves as a catalyst for the development of a robust sports culture in the country. It encourages to participate in various sports and games for holistic personal growth. Sports have the unique power to bring people together regardless of their background, language, or beliefs. National Sports Day showcases this unity.

Correct Answer :   27th August 2023

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Eminent littérateur and poet Jayanta Mahapatra passed away on Sunday (27th August 2023) late evening at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. He was 95.

* Mahapatra was admitted to the said hospital on August 4 due to old-age related complications. He was shifted to the ICU after his condition deteriorated.

* Mahapatra was the first Indian poet to win a Sahitya Akademi award for English poetry. He was also conferred with the Padma Shri award in 2009. However, he returned it in 2015 to protest against “rising intolerance in India”.

* The author of ‘Indian Summer’ and ‘Hunger’, considered as classics in modern Indian English literature, Mahapatra penned 27 books of poems, of which seven are in Odia language and the rest in English.

* Born on October 22, 1928, in Cuttack, Mahapatra started his career as a lecturer in physics and served in many government colleges across Odisha.

* Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief on the passing away of Mahapatra, describing him “a legendary author and poet who was prolific in both English and Odia literature”. “He had successfully elevated the reach of Odia literature to a wider circle. His intellect and knowledge was a guiding spirit for many youngsters to write in English literature,” said the CM..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   31,000

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday (25th Aug 2023) launched the expanded formed of the state government's breakfast scheme for government schools.

Stalin launched the expansion at a school at Tirukkuvalai in Nagapattinam district. He served food to students to mark the launch.

Video from the launch showed Stalin sitting on the floor and eating the meal with the children.

VIDEO | Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin enjoys a meal with school children in Nagapattinam district as he launched the Chief Minister’s breakfast scheme.

The scheme was initially launched to provide breakfast to over 1 lakh students in classes 1 to 5 across 1,545 government schools,… pic.twitter.com/Ac7KBSI4uF

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 25, 2023

The scheme was initially launched last year for 1,545 government primary schools, but has now been expanded to 31,000 schools across the state.

Here we explain what's Tamil Nadu's CM Breakfast Scheme and how it has performed so far.

What is Tamil Nadu's CM Breakfast Scheme?

* Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin had launched the CM Breakfast Scheme on September 15, 2022. It provides free breakfast to children primary government schools.

* Initially, the scheme covered around 1.14 lakh students in 1,545 government primary schools.

* Now, the scheme has been expanded to cover 15.75 children in state's all 31,008 government primary schools in both urban and rural areas.

* The government order to expand the scheme was issued on June 7 and it was formally launched on Friday, reported PTI.

* Launching the breakfast scheme in Madurai, Stalin, quoting the late Periyar E V Ramasamy, C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi had said nothing -be it poverty or caste- should be an obstacle to access education, reported PTI.

* The menu of the breakfast provided to students is made such as that children get a unique set of food items every day. The proposed menu on Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Departments' website states that children get uppama type breakfast on Monday, kitchadi type on Tuesday, Pongal type on Wednesday, uppama type on Thursday, and sweet type on Friday. Besides these items, the children would also be provided with millet-based meals at least twice a week.

* "The quantity of raw material will be 50 grams per child per day. Locally available millet-based Breakfast also be utilised for at least two days a week. This will ensure approximately 293.40 calories of energy, 9.85 garms of protein, 5.91 grams of fat, 1.64 grams of iron, and 20.41 grams of calcium for each child," says the departmental website.

CM Breakfast Scheme has led to increased attendance: Govt study

* The CM Breakfast Scheme in Tamil Nadu has sought to address the dual issues of nutrition deficiency in children and low attendance in schools.

* A government study has found that around 90 per cent of schools covered so far have recorded an increase in attendance after implementation of the scheme.

* "The study conducted by the State Planning Commission found that 1,319 out of 1,543 schools where children are provided with breakfast since September 15, 2022 have shown an increase in attendance in the months of January and February when compared to June-July last year," reported Deccan Heralad.

* The scheme also complements the mid-day meal scheme. While the mid-may meal provides lunches, the CM Breakfast Scheme provides morning meals.

Correct Answer :   Maharashtra

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The Maharashtra Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Germany's professional association football league, 'Bundesliga', to build a football team for players under the age of 14.

Aim : To help young footballers to develop their skills and potentially compete at a high level.

The agreement was signed by Ranjit Singh Deol, Principal Secretary, Department of School Education and Sports, and Mrs Julia Farr, representative of the Bundesliga, on behalf of the Government of Maharashtra..

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Madhya Pradesh

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Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections draw nearer, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced big benefits for women voters.

Citing the holy month of 'sawan', Chouhan increased the financial assistance provided to women under the Ladli Behna government scheme from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,250 per month.

He also announced 35% reservation for women in government jobs and the provision of petrol cylinders for Rs 450.

In Madhya Pradesh, women make up 7.07 lakh of the 13.39 lakh new voters and whose increase in electoral list numbers is at 2.79 per cent compared to 2.30 percent for men.

The MP assembly elections are anticipated to be held at the end of the year.

"Women will get cooking gas at Rs 450 in the holy month of Sawan. Later, a permanent system will be evolved in this regard. I have also transferred Rs 250 into the accounts of 1.25 crore women so that they can celebrate Rakhi (on Tuesday) well. The rest of the Rs 1,000 (under Ladli Behna Yojana) will be credited in September," he said.

Correct Answer :   Dr. Sonali Ghosh

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Sonali Ghosh, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) official, is scheduled to become the first woman to serve as field director of Assam’s Kaziranga National Park.

* The Assam government has already confirmed Sonali Ghosh’s nomination as the next field director of the famed Kaziranga National Park.

* The officer’s current post is Chief Conservator of Forests for Research, Education, and Work Plan.

* She is set to take over as director on 1st September 2023, after Jatindra Sarma, who is set to retire on 31 August 2023.

* Ghosh will be the first woman to head the park’s operations, despite the fact that women have been serving at the park for nearly a century.

* It should be noted that Kaziranga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the biggest population of larger one-horned rhinos.

Correct Answer :   IDFC First Bank

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IDFC FIRST Bank has bagged the title rights for home international series of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), announced the Indian cricket board on 25 August 2023, adding the private lender would pay a sum of ₹4.2 crore per international game.

The BCCI said that the contract will commence for a three-year-long period starting from the three-match ODI series that India will host against Australia.

"The collaboration will kick off with the 3-match ODI series against Australia, scheduled to begin next month. This tournament will mark the beginning of an era where IDFC First and BCCI come together to create unparalleled experiences for cricket enthusiasts", said BCCI in a press release.

Earlier, the BCCI had issued an Invitation to Tender Title Sponsor Rights For BCCI Events (ITT), for which IDFC First Bank Limited was the successful bidder concerning the ITT process..


Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Amit Shah

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Union Home and Co-operation Minister Amit Shah chaired the 26th Meeting of the Western Zonal Council at Gandhinagar, Gujarat (28th August 2023).

* The Minister also inaugurated an e-Resource web portal of the Inter-State Council Secretariat (28th August 2023).
 
* During the meeting, the Home Minister asked the Zonal Council member States to work sensitively on three issues of national importance - POSHAN Abhiyaan, reducing the dropout rate of school children and taking benefits of Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan ArogyaYojana to every poor.
 
* The Minister said after the passage of the three new Bills - Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill - recently introduced by the Modi government in the Parliament, no case can continue for more than two years.

* The Home Minister asked all the States to work towards creating the necessary basic infrastructure and capacity for the implementation of these laws.
 

* Saying that Member States of the Western Zonal Council share long coastlines where there are highly sensitive institutions and industries, Mr Shah underpinned the need for sustained efforts towards ensuring tight security. The wide range of issues pertaining to as well as national interest was discussed in the meeting.
 
* Akashvani correspondent reports that critical Issues related to Transfer of land, water supply, Mines, Coverage of villages by Bank Branches and Postal Banking facilities, Implementation of the Scheme of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) for expeditious disposal of rape and POCSO Act cases, Utilisation of Bharat Net infrastructure by States for providing broadband connectivity to households in villages, Adoption of Telecom RoW Rules by States for facilitating roll out of 5G, Implementation of Motor Vehicles Rules, 2022, Strengthening of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) were among the critical issues discussed today.

* The meeting was attended by the Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Administrator of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and other distinguished Ministers, and senior officers from the States and Central Ministries and Departments..


Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   Ministry of Jal Shakti

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The Ministry of Jal Shakti released the report on the sixth census on minor irrigation schemes on Saturday (26th Aug 2023).

* 23.14 million minor irrigation (MI) schemes have been reported in the country, out of which 21.93 million are Ground Water (GW) and 1.21 million are Surface Water (SW) schemes.

* For the first time, the information about gender of the owner of MI scheme was also collected in case of individual ownership. Out of all the individually owned schemes, 18.1 per cent are owned by women.

* Uttar Pradesh possesses the largest number of MI schemes in the country followed by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

* The same ranking of states follows for the GW schemes. Maharashtra leads in SW schemes followed by Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha and Jharkhand.

* The report also revealed that there has been an increase of about 1.42 million in MI schemes as compared to the previous census..

Source : AIR