Fourth edition of Internet of Things India Congress 2019 held in Bengaluru

NATIONAL NEWS

Amazon India launches employment programme for ex-servicemen and their spouses

• Amazon India announced the launch of a Military Veterans Employment programme that it will create hundreds of opportunities for military veterans and their spouses across Amazon India's Fulfillment Centres, Sort Centres and Delivery Centres in the country.
• Amazon India is partnering with the Office of the Director General of Resettlement (DGR) and the Army Welfare Placement Organisation (AWPO) to create continued work opportunities for military families across the country.

Fourth edition of Internet of Things India Congress 2019 held in Bengaluru

• The 4th edition of India’s largest confluence of digital technology, the Internet of Things (IoT) India Congress 2019 held in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• It was inaugurated by Shri Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India (GoI).
• The IoT India Congress 2019 will include tracks on segments such as healthcare, manufacturing, telecom, smart cities, energy, retail, cybersecurity, skills and development, IoT Standards, legal and regulatory, and agriculture.
• The theme of Edition is ‘Mainstreaming the Internet of Things’.

FACTS

Chief Minister of Karnataka-Yeddyurappa

Governor of Karnataka-Vajubhai Vala

Capital-Bangalore

Microsoft and ISB partner to advance AI skilling in India

• The Indian School of Business (ISB) and Microsoft India announced a new partnership to take forward their shared vision for an AI-empowered India at an event in Hyderabad.
• Through the creation of the AI Digital Lab, the two organizations will collaborate in research which will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to study issues that are relevant for business and public policy.
• In addition, the partnership will also jointly introduce a new executive program titled “Leading Business Transformation in the Age of AI" in October 2019 which will equip business leaders with tools and strategies to transform their respective organizations to AI-driven organizations.

HRD Ministry launches National Digital Library of India

• Human Resource Development Ministry under its National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology, NMEICT has launched the National Digital Library of India project to develop a framework of virtual repository of learning resources with a single-window search facility.
• As of now, there are more than 3 crore digital resources available through the National Digital Library.
• The contents cover almost all major domains of education and all major levels of learners. More than 50 lakh students have registered themselves in the National Digital Library with about 20 lakh active users.

Social Justice Department, NACO sign MoU to enhance outreach on HIV/AIDS prevention, empower victims

• The Department of Social Justice signed an MoU with National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) to enhance outreach on AIDS prevention, address the risk of HIV transmission among all substance users and to empower the discriminated and vulnerable groups such as victims of HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and female sex workers.
• The agreement was signed by Additional Secretary, Department of Social Justice Upma Srivastava and Special Secretary and Director General (NACO & RNTCP) Sanjeev Kumar in the presence of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

2019 Indo Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference to be held in Thailand.

• The 2019 Indo Pacific Chiefs of Defence (CHOD) Conference will be held in Thailand’s capital city Bangkok. In this conference, India will be represented by Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of the Air Staff- Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa.
• It will see participation of Chiefs of Defence of more than 33 countries.
• It will provide perspectives on common challenges faced by attending nation and elicit open discussions on the same.
• Theme for conference: “Collaboration in a free and Open Indo – Pacific”.

BANKING

Indian Bank, Tata AIG General Insurance tie up

• Indian Bank has joined hands with Tata AIG General Insurance to offer the latter’s diverse range of general insurance policies benefiting the bank’s customers by way of protection, wealth creation and savings.
• Tata AIG General Insurance will work with the bank for sales training, product support and ensuring smooth operational processes.

FACTS

MD and CEO, Indian Bank-Padmaja Chunduru

Headquarters-Chennai

Tagline-Your Own Bank

RBI to transfer record surplus Rs 1.76 lakh crore to government

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved a payout of Rs. 1.76 lakh crore to the government from its surplus and reserves, after an expert committee chaired by former Governor Bimal Jalan made its recommendations to the central bank.
• The record transfer, including a surplus of Rs. 1.23 lakh crore for 2018-19, will boost the government's finances at a time it strives to tackle a nearly five-year low economic growth with lakhs of estimated job cuts across sectors, and defend its ambitious target of containing fiscal deficit at 3.3 per cent of the GDP.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Intel launches first artificial intelligence chip Springhill

• Intel Corp launched its latest processor, its first using artificial intelligence (AI), designed for large computing centres.
• The chip, developed at its development facility in Haifa, Israel, is known as Nervana NNP-I or Springhill and is based on a 10 nanometre Ice Lake processor that will allow it to cope with high workloads using minimal amounts of energy.

OBITUARY

India's first woman DGP Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya passes away

• The first woman Director General of Police (DGP), Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, passed away following an illness in Mumbai.
• Bhattachary, a 1973 batch IPS officer, made history when she was appointed the DGP of Uttarakhand in the year 2004. She retired as the DGP on October 31, 2007.
• After retirement, she took a plunge into politics by contesting the 2014 Lok Sabha election on an Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) ticket from Haridwar constituency. However, she could not make it to the lower house of Parliament.