1) International Literacy Day: 8 September
•International Literacy Day is observed globally on 8th September every year. The day spread awareness about the importance of literacy for individuals, communities, and societies and the need for intensified efforts towards more literate societies.
2) Andhra Govt & LEAF signs agreement for food processing
•Government of Andhra Pradesh and Lawrencedale Agro Processing India (LEAF) has signed an agreement to expand the scope of food processing in the State. The State tops in the production of mango, lime, tomato, eggs, banana, chillies, and shrimp and second in production of groundnut, maize and paddy in the country.
•LEAF has inked an agreement with the Andhra Pradesh Food Processing Society at Tadepalli, Guntur, under the purview of the Andhra Pradesh government’s Department of Industries and Commerce to boost the income of marginal farmers with special focus on food processing. This initiative of Integrated Food Park Scheme is one more aspect towards ensuring higher income for farmers.
3) GoI launches mental health rehabilitation helpline “KIRAN”
•Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry have launched a toll-free mental health rehabilitation helpline “KIRAN”. The helpline was launched in view of the growing incidence of Mental Illness, particularly in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. The helpline – 1800-500-0019 will provide relief and support to persons with mental illness.
4) Australia appoints cricket icon Matthew Hayden as trade envoy to India
•Government of Australia has appointed former cricketer, Matthew Hayden and Indian-origin politician Lisa Singh as trade envoys for advancing business ties with India. The council plays an important role in advancing Australia’s foreign and economic policy interests with India. Three new appointments to the board of the Australia-India Council were announced recently, Ashok Jacob has been reappointed as chair, and will be joined by three new board members.”
5) DRDO successfully test scramjet technology for hypersonic missiles
•Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully flight-tested a Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV), which is an unmanned scramjet vehicle with the ability to travel at six times the speed of sound. The test was conducted from Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Launch Complex at Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha. Now, India has joined the elite club of the United States, Russia and China to develop and successfully test Hypersonic Technology.
6) Saudi Arabia chairs G20 Education Ministers Meeting
•The Education Ministers Meeting will take place as part of the Sherpa Track for the G20 Leaders Summit 2020, which is to be hosted by Saudi Arabia at the end of 2020. The Saudi Arabian Presidency has selected the following theme for the G20’s 2020 activities: Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century For All. The meet was chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Education Minister Dr Hamad Al-Asheikh where India was represented by Union Minister of Education, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, in the virtual mode.
7) Venkaiah Naidu released ‘The State of Young Child in India’ report
•Vice President of India, Venkaiah Naidu has released “The State of Young Child in India” report. The report was prepared by a policy advocacy organization, Mobile Creches. The report measured Health and Nutrition in the country.
•According to the report, there 159 million children aged below 6 years in India out of the 21 per cent are undernourished, 36 per cent are underweight and 38 per cent do not receive full immunization. According to the analysis on expense towards child nutrition, healthcare, education and other protection services, India has spent Rs 1,723 per child in 2018-2019, which is insufficient to reach the entire eligible population.
8) WhatsApp, CPF partner to drive cyber safety awareness
•Facebook-owned WhatsApp has partnered with Cyber Peace Foundation (CPF) to create awareness on cyber safety among students. The partners aim to reach about 15,000 students in five Indian states, including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra by the end of this year, under the first phase of a pan-India programme.
•CPF will train teachers, parents, and students using a co-created curriculum to arm them with tips and tricks to increase online safety for children in consultation with UNICEF and state police authorities. At the end of these training sessions, the participants will create a ‘Cyber Peace Club’ to ensure that this knowledge is further institutionalised, and manage a repository of guidance that other students can refer to for boosting online child safety
