RBI To Pay Rs50,000 crore Dividend To Government for FY18

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will transfer Rs50,000 crore of its surplus money to the government, the highest since 2015-16, in a partial relief for the latter struggling to replenish public sector banks. 
The transfer gives the government more elbow room to infuse capital into the banks it owns. In October 2017, the government had said it would infuse Rs2.11 trillion into public sector banks through a mix of recapitalization bonds (Rs1.35 trillion), direct infusion from budgetary allocations (Rs18,000 crore) and market borrowing (Rs58,000 crore). 

Source- The Livemint

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 

  • Urjit Patel- 24th Governor of RBI, Headquarters- Mumbai, Established on- 1st April 1935, in Kolkata.

Important Cabinet Approvals: 9th August 2018

Important Cabinet Approvals- 1st August 2018
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the following set of approvals. The important Cabinet Approvals are given as follows-

The Cabinet has approved- 
1. Approved the extension of the term of the Commission to examine the issue of Sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes in the Central List till November 2018. 
2. MoU between India and Indonesia on Health cooperation. 
3. creation of two posts equivalent to Joint Secretary level in the Interpreters’ cadre of the Ministry of External Affairs. 
4. MoU between “Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI)” and “Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada). 
5. MoU between India and Korea on Trade Remedy Cooperation. 
6. Joint issue of postage stamp between India and South Africa. 
7. MoU between India and Indonesia on Scientific and Technological Cooperation.
8. raising of four additional battalions of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to strengthen the India’s disaster response set up at an estimated cost of Rs 637 crore. 
Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB)

Project ‘SWAYAM’ Launched By HRD Ministry

The Ministry of HRD has embarked on a major and new initiative Project called ‘Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds’ (SWAYAM), which will provide one integrated platform and portal for online courses. This covers all higher education subjects and skill sector courses. 
The objective is to ensure that every student in the country has access to the best quality higher education at the affordable cost.
Source- Press Information Bureau

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • Prakash Javadekar is the present HRD Minister of India. 

International Day of The World’s Indigenous Peoples: 9 August

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed across the world on August 9 with an aim to strengthen international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous peoples in areas such as human rights, the environment, education, health and social development. 
The theme of 2018 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was ‘Indigenous peoples’ migration and movement’. 
Source- The United Nations

MoU Signed Between TRIFED And National Medicinal Plant Board

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd. (TRIFED) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs & National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH have signed an MoU together.

The MoU aims to promote Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) forest produced for livelihood development of tribal people by promoting primary level value addition to MAPs produce from forest area at the grassroots level.

Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB)

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 

  • Jual Oram is the Cabinet Minister of Tribal Affairs. 

Harivansh Narayan Singh Elected Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha

NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh was elected the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman with 125 votes. The Opposition candidate BK Hariprasad managed to get 105 votes. 
Mr Singh is an MP from the Janata Dal (United) and a Parliamentarian from Bihar and a former journalist. 
Source- The Times of India

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • Venkaiah Naidu is the Chairperson of Rajya Sabha. 

Khangchendzonga Becomes 11th Biosphere Reserve To be Included in WNBR

The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve (in Sikkim) has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve from India that has been included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). The decision to include Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in WNBR was taken at the 30th Session of International Coordinating Council (ICC) of Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO held at Palembang, Indonesia. 
India has 18 Biosphere Reserves and with the inclusion of Khangchendzonga, the number of internationally designated WNBR has become 11, with 7 Biosphere Reserves being domestic Biosphere Reserves.
Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB)

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • The core zone – Khangchendzonga National Park was designated a World Heritage Site in 2016 under the ‘mixed’ category. 
  • Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim is one of the highest ecosystems in the world, reaching elevations of 1, 220 metres above sea-level.

Commerce & Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu Launches Mobile App ‘Niryat Mitra’

Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Aviation Suresh Prabhu launched ‘Niryat Mitra’ – mobile App in New Delhi. The app developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) is available both on Android and on IOS platforms. 
It provides wide range of information required to undertake international trade right from the policy provisions for export and import, applicable GST rate, available export incentives, tariff, preferential tariff, market access requirements – SPS and TBT measures. The most interesting part is that all the information is available at tariff line.
Source- Press Information Bureau (PIB)

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • Ganesh Kumar Gupta is the present President of Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO). 
  • FIEO headquarters in New Delhi.
  • FIEO was set up in 1965. 

Indian-American Avi Goel Wins International Geography Bee World Championship

Indian-American high school student Avi Goel has won the world championship at the International Geography Bee’s junior varsity division which was held in Berlin, Germany. 14-year old Avi is a tenth grader at Silver Creek High School in Evergreen, San Jose, California. 
He won a gold medal in seven out of the 10 medal events, and a silver medal in two of the events, topping the overall medals table. He also bagged the top spot in all the three events counting towards the world championship title: the International Geography Exam, the International Geography Showdown, and the International Geography Bee. 

Source- AIR World Service

Ivan Duque Sworn In As Colombia’s Next President

Ivan Duque was sworn in as the newly elected President of Colombia. He pledged to unite the country and improve economic growth. 
He pledged changes to tackle corruption and invigorate the economy and vowed to change the peace deal with the FARC rebel group. 
Source- DD News

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Indian Bank PO Exam 2018- 
  • Colombian Capital: Bogota, Currency: Colombian peso.