1 Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren today launched the “Chief Minister Maiya Samman Yojana” a day before Raksha Bandhan
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched the “ Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana ” a day before Rakshabandhan . Mr. Soren launched this scheme in the state’s Pakur district and sent the first installment of one thousand rupees each to 57 thousand one hundred twenty women beneficiaries directly in their bank accounts. Under the scheme, women between 21 and 50 years of age will get financial assistance of one thousand rupees per month i.e. 12 thousand rupees annually. . Mr. Soren said that from September, the beneficiaries will receive this amount on the 15th of every month. The ‘Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana’ aims to benefit 48 lakh women of the state.
2 Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh releases commemorative coin to mark the birth centenary of Kalaignar M Karunanidhi in Chennai
Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh released a commemorative coin on the occasion of the birth centenary of five-time former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar M Karunanidhi in Chennai on August 18, 2024. In his address, the Defence Minister described him as one of the most respected leaders of the country, a giant of Indian politics, an able administrator, a champion of social justice and a cultural giant.
3 Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn appointed Patongtarn Shinawatra as the country’s new Prime Minister
Thailand ‘s King Maha Vajiralongkorn has appointed Patongtarn Shinawatra as the country’s new Prime Minister . Secretary-General of the House of Representatives Arafat Sukanon announced the appointment of Shinawatra as Prime Minister in a program. She got majority in the Parliament on the 16th of this month. After the confirmation of the King of Thailand, 37-year-old Patongtarn Shinawatra has become the country’s youngest and second female Prime Minister . She has become the Prime Minister in place of Sretha Thavisin. Sretha Thavisin was removed from the post by the Constitutional Court on the 14th of this month in a case related to the appointment of a person with criminal background to the post of Cabinet Minister. Ms. Patongtarn is the fourth member of the Shinawatra family to become Prime Minister.
4 FSSAI launches project to address microplastic contamination in Indian food
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on August 18, 2024 in New Delhi launched an innovative project to address the growing concern over microplastic contamination in food . Recognizing microplastic pollution as an emerging threat that requires urgent attention – “ Micro- and nano-plastics as emerging food contaminants: Establishment of validated methods and understanding of prevalence in various food matrices ” – was launched in March this year to develop and validate analytical methods for detection of micro and nano-plastics in various food products as well as assess their prevalence and level of exposure in India. The primary objectives of the project include developing standard protocols for micro/nano-plastic analysis, performing intra- and inter-laboratory comparisons and generating critical data on the level of microplastic exposure among consumers.
5 APEDA exports first consignment of fig juice to Poland
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the export of India’s first ready-to-drink fig juice made from GI-tagged Purandar figs to Poland . The consignment of fig juice was flagged off by Shri Abhishek Dev, Chairman, APEDA in the presence of all stakeholders and sailed through the Port of Hamburg, Germany on 1st August, 2024. This event is a significant milestone in promoting India’s specialty agricultural products on the global platform. Since the first export of fresh GI-tagged Purandar figs to Hamburg in the year 2022, APEDA has worked in full collaboration with small farmers.
6 India’s performance in the 17th International Earth Science Olympiad
The Indian student team has won several prestigious medals in the 17th edition of the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) held in Beijing, China from August 08-16, 2024. The four-member Indian team comprising students from Gujarat, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan has won three gold and bronze and two silver medals in three competition categories (Theory and Practical, Earth System Project and International Team Filed Investigation) .