Single Simplified Pension Application Form Launched

• The government introduced a streamlined pension application form and integrated Bhavishya with e-HRMS to ease the process for pensioners on August 30, 2024.
•  Minister of State for the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, Jitendra Singh, launched these initiatives via video conferencing from New Delhi.
• Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasized the government's commitment to improving ease of living, stating that the new simplified form and digital integration will make pension processing more straightforward.
• Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training, Vivek Joshi, noted that merging 9 pension forms into a single one represents a major advancement in human resource management.
• Secretary Pensions, V. Srinivas, added that the integration will allow real-time tracking of pension applications, with status updates sent via SMS and email.

Hurun India’s Rich List 2024

• The Hurun India Rich List 2024 has highlighted a major shift in wealth distribution across Asia, with Mumbai now recognized as the "billionaire capital of Asia," as of August 30, 2024.
• This development marks a significant moment for both India and Asia, as Mumbai surpasses Beijing in the number of billionaires, making it the top billionaire hub in Asia.
•  Globally, Mumbai ranks third in billionaire population, following New York with 119 billionaires and London with 97.
• Mumbai’s rise to prominence is attributed to its robust financial sector, thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, skyrocketing real estate values, and increased foreign investment.
• This status might attract more international capital and lead to a focus on policies for sustained growth, though it could also highlight issues of economic disparity.

Restriction Removed on Queer Community to open Joint Bank Account

• The Finance Ministry on August 30, 2024 clarified that there are no restrictions for members of the Queer community to open joint bank accounts or designate a partner as a nominee.
•  This advisory from the Department of Financial Services follows the Supreme Court's order on October 17, 2023, in the case of Supriya Chakraborty versus the Union of India.
• The advisory specifies that a nominee, including those in a queer relationship, can receive the account balance if the account holder passes away.

Google DeepMind’s AI Project ‘Morni’ Launched

• Google DeepMind’s India unit is spearheading an ambitious AI initiative named "Morni," aimed at developing AI technologies that can handle 125 Indian languages and dialects as of August 30, 2024.
• This project is crucial due to India's linguistic diversity, where making AI accessible across all languages ensures broad benefits.
• While India officially recognizes 22 languages, Morni seeks to include over 100, addressing the needs of many languages not officially recognized but widely spoken.
• For instance, 60 of these languages are used by over a billion people combined.
• A major challenge highlighted by Manish Gupta, Director of Google DeepMind, is the lack of digital data for these languages, with 73 out of 125 having no available data, making AI development difficult.
• Even Hindi constitutes only 0.1% of the text on the internet.

9 Key Projects Approved for Ganga’s Pollution Control (Environment)

• The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) on August 30, 2024 approved 9 projects totaling ₹265 crore during its 56th Executive Committee meeting in New Delhi.
• These projects focus on enhancing the Ganga River's ecosystem by reducing pollution and conserving its cleanliness.
• Key approvals include a Faecal Sludge Management project in Dalmau, Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh, aimed at cutting river pollution, and a sewerage project in Gulaothi town, Bulandshahr district, Uttar Pradesh, with an estimated cost of Rs. 51 crore.
•  Additionally, for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, an Arth Ganga Centre and railway station branding in Prayagraj were approved at Rs.2 crore.
•  An Integrated Management Plan for Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary in Jharkhand was also approved for ₹26 crore over 5 years.

NAMAN Project of Indian Army Launched (Defence)

• The Indian Army launched the initial phase of Project NAMAN, aimed at providing dedicated support and services to Defence pensioners, veterans, and their families on August 30, 2024.
• General Dwivedi highlighted the project’s significance in offering the necessary care and support to veterans and their families.
• The first phase has established 14 Common Services Centres in strategic locations across India, including cities like New Delhi, Jalandhar, Leh, and others.
• Over the next 2 to 3 years, the project plans to expand and set up around 200 centers nationwide.

SAFF U-20 Championship 2024

• Bangladesh claimed its first SAFF U-20 Championship title, marking a historic achievement in the nation’s football history on August 30, 2024.
• The tournament, featuring young South Asian footballers, concluded with a dramatic final where Bangladesh defeated the host team, Nepal.
•  Despite the advantage of playing at home and the enthusiastic support from fans, Nepal was unable to overcome Bangladesh's determined performance.
• Nepal’s journey to the final was notable and highlighted the rising strength of their youth football.
• The championship began on August 18, 2024, and spanned nearly two weeks, allowing teams ample time to display their skills and compete for the prestigious title.

Aarti

• Aarti secured a bronze medal in the Women’s 10000m race walk at the World U20 Athletics Championships in Lima, Peru on August 30, 2024.
•  She set a new National U20 record with a time of 44 minutes 39.39 seconds, finishing third in this challenging event.
• This was Aarti’s impressive performance on the penultimate day of the championships.
• The 17-year-old improved her previous national record of 47 minutes 21.04 seconds, which she set in March at the National Federation Cup U20 Championships in Lucknow.
•  The gold medal was won by Zhuoma Baima of China, and Meiling Chen took the silver medal.

Mona Agarwal

• Mona Agarwal made history at the Paralympics by winning a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event on August 30, 2024.
• This achievement was particularly noteworthy as she was competing for gold until the final round, where a minor error prevented her from securing the top position.
• Mona Agarwal made her international debut at the World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, in July 2023, and went on to win gold at the Para World Cup in Changwon, Korea, in April 2024.
• For the Paris Paralympics, she secured her spot by winning gold at the WSPS Para Shooting World Cup in New Delhi in March 2024.

Bill Regulating Muslim Marriages and Divorce in Assam

• Assam's Assembly on August 29, 2024 passed the Assam Repealing Bill, 2024, which abolishes The Assam Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935.
•  Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted that the bill aims to eliminate child marriages and the Kazi system, shifting the registration of Muslim marriages and divorces to a government-controlled system.
• The state cabinet had previously approved the bill to repeal the 1935 Act, which had allowed certain underage marriages.
• Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jogen Mohan introduced the bill in the Assembly, alongside the Assam Repealing Ordinance 2024, to formally end the provisions of the outdated registration act and rules.

First Commercial Flight Operation at Noida

• The Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, is set to begin commercial flights by April next year, as announced on August 30, 2024.
•  The airport plans to submit its aerodrome license application and complete flight procedure tests by year-end.
• The initial phase of the airport will include a single runway and terminal, capable of handling 12 million passengers annually.
• Once all four development phases are complete, the airport's capacity will increase to 70 million passengers per year.
• The NIA will link the greater Delhi area and Western Uttar Pradesh to other Indian cities and international destinations.
• Additionally, the airport has signed agreements with global airlines to enhance network planning and operational efficiency.