Rupa takes over as TNCA president

NATIONAL NEWS

J&K becomes first state to issue highest number of golden cards under Ayushman Bharat scheme

• Jammu and Kashmir have become the first state in the country to issue highest number of golden cards under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
• Over 11 lakh golden cards have been generated within first 90 days of the launch of the scheme with 60% families having at least one golden card which is highest in the country.
• This was stated by Chief Executive Officer, State Health Agency, Bhupinder Kumar at a function in Jammu, organized to mark the first anniversary of the launch of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana in the State.

FACTS

Governor of Jammu & Kashmir- Satya Pal Malik

Assam Govt launches housing loan subsidy scheme

• The Assam Government has launched a housing loan subsidy scheme to provide financial assistance on purchase or construction of the first house for a family.
• Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the scheme - Aponar Apon Ghar in Guwahati.
• That subsidy up to 2 lakh 50 thousand rupees will be provided for loan amounts from five lakh to 40 lakh rupees.
• This scheme is meant for the loan sanctioned in this financial year.
• That this initiative would provide impetus to the economy and led to the expansion of real estate in the state.

Government Launches Mobile App for Farmers to Hire Tractor, Farm Machinery

• Farmers across the country can now hire tractor and other farm machinery through a multi-lingual mobile app called 'CHC-Farm Machinery' which was launched by Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.
• Tomar also launched another mobile app 'Krishi Kisan' to help farmers take benefit of field demonstration of new farm technologies, seed hubs and weather advisories.

South Asian climate forum meet begins in city

• The 15th session of the South Asian Seasonal Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF-15), which will prepare a climate forecast outlook for rainfall and temperature for the October-December northeast monsoon season over south Asia.
• The outlook would be jointly prepared by the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) of SASCOF member countries — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — as well as several regional and global experts.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Facebook hits a six, bags digital content rights for ICC matches in South Asia

• In a first, the International Cricket Council (ICC) that has inked an agreement with Facebook, under which the social media platform will get exclusive digital content rights for select cricket matches in the Indian subcontinent as well as match recaps for rest of the world for the next four years.
• Facebook will carry a range of digital content across four years including match recaps, in-play key moments and other match and feature content, giving hundreds of millions of cricket fans in the region the opportunity to deepen their engagement with the sport with more content available than ever before.

BANKING

Airtel Payments Bank Partners with HDFC ERGO, Launches Innovative Mosquito Disease Protection Policy

• Airtel Payments Bank, India's first Payments Bank, and HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, India's leading private sector general insurance company, under the corporate agency tie-up launched an innovative Mosquito Diseases Protection Policy (MDPP) as a part of their objective to drive insurance adoption in the country through affordable and easily accessible products.
• Mosquito Disease Protection Policy offers cover against seven common mosquito-borne diseases - Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya, Japanese Encephalitis, Kala-azar, Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) and Zika virus.
• The product, which is a part of the 'Wallet Insurance Portfolio' of HDFC ERGO, will be offered to the remittance customers of Airtel Payments Bank at a nominal cost of Rs 99 per annum.

FACTS

MD & CEO of Airtel Payments Bank- Anubrata Biswas

Airtel Payments Bank- New Delhi

Hyundai, Bank of Baroda tie up for vehicle finance

• Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) has signed an agreement with Bank of Baroda to be the preferred financier for its dealers and consumers.
• Under the agreement, the bank will provide detailed financing structure for both dealers and consumers, further enhancing its presence across network of Hyundai Motor India Ltd.

APPOINTMENT

Visa appoints PV Sindhu as brand ambassador for two years

• Payment technology company Visa announced that it has signed up world badminton champion Pusarla Venkata Sindhu (PV Sindhu) as its brand ambassador for two years.
• Besides promoting the brand through advertising campaigns, Sindhu has also become an athlete member of Team Visa for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

IMF elects Bulgaria’s Kristalina Georgieva as new chief

• Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva secured the top job at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), continuing the tradition of a European holding the role while also becoming the first leader from an emerging market.
• The former World Bank chief executive starts her five-year term as managing director October 1, according to a statement released after the funds executive board voted.
• She succeeds Christine Lagarde, a former French finance minister who led the fund from 2011 and is the incoming European Central Bank president.

Rupa takes over as TNCA president

• Rupa Gurunath became the first woman president of a BCCI State Association.
• The 45-year-old Rupa, whole-time director, India Cements, was elected unopposed as the president of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and will be in office for a term of three years.
• The 87th AGM of the TNCA was a swift, smooth affair and concluded in just an hour. All the candidates of the group supporting N. Srinivasan, the former ICC, BCCI and TNCA chief, were elected unopposed.

FACTS

Chief Minister of Rajasthan-Ashok Gehlot

Governor of Rajasthan- Kalraj Mishra.

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat to be new Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee

• Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat will take over as the new Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, succeeding Indian Air Force (IAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, who retires from service by end of this month.
• The Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) comprises chiefs of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and the senior most member is appointed its chairperson.
• The Chairman of COSC is tasked with ensuring synergy among the three services and evolve common strategy to deal with external security challenges facing the country.

RESIGN

Greg Chappell retires as Australia selector and talent manager

• Australia is on the hunt for a new national selector after Greg Chappell announced his retirement from the game.
• The former Australian skipper, who played 87 Tests and 74 one-day internationals, had been Cricket Australia’s national talent manager for the past nine years as well as a selector.
• Former Test wicketkeeper Graham Manou will take over an expanded role of national talent and pathway manager, with a replacement selector to be named at a later date.

AWARD

PT Usha honoured with IAAF Veteran Pin

• The world athletics governing the body, International Association of Athletic Federations, IAAF, today honoured the Indian track and field legend PT Usha with a Veteran Pin in recognition of her contribution to the growth of the sport.
• IAAF chief Sebastian Coe presented her the Veteran Pin during the 52nd IAAF Congress at Doha.
• Usha was one of three persons from Asia to receive the honour.

Meet 17-year-old Payal Jangid, the First Indian to Win Changemaker Award for Fighting Child Marriage

• A 17-year-old Payal Jangid from Rajasthan became the first Indian to receive the Changemaker Award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Payal, who is from Hinsla village, about 100 kms from Jaipur,India has been conferred with the award for her continuous dedication towards the abolition of child marriage in her village, which is a child-friendly village (Bal Mitra Gram), as well as in neighbouring villages.

OBITUARY

Jacques Chirac: Former French president dies aged 86

• Jacques Chirac, the former French president who championed the European Union, but whose later years were blighted by corruption scandals, has died aged 86.
• Chirac served two terms as president and twice as PM, and took France into the single European currency.

The Simpsons' producer J. Michael Mendel passes away at 54

• Animation producer J. Michael Mendel, known for his work on 'The Simpsons' and 'Rick and Morty', has died.
• The four-time Emmy award-winner was 54.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Maritime Day 2019

• The United Nations observes 26 September every year as the World Maritime Day.
• ​​The World Maritime Day theme for the year is "Empowering Women in the Maritime Community".
• This provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality, in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, and to highlight the important - yet under-utilized - contribution of women within the maritime sector.
• Empowering women fuels thriving economies across the world, spurs growth and development, and benefits everyone working in the global maritime community in the drive towards safe, secure, clean and sustainable shipping.

FACTS

Secretary General of the United Nations-New York

Headquarters of the United Nations-Antonio Guterres.

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons 26 September

• The General Assembly commemorates 26 September as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. This Day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority.
• It provides an opportunity to educate the public - and their leaders - about the real benefits of eliminating such weapons, and the social and economic costs of perpetuating them. Commemorating this Day at the United Nations is especially important, given its universal membership and its long experience in grappling with nuclear disarmament issues.
• It is the right place to address one of humanity’s greatest challenges; achieving the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.