1. Arun Jaitley launched digital version of Mahatma Gandhi's collected work
i. Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley on 8 September 2015 launched the e-version of the 100 volumes of the Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG) in New Delhi.
ii. The works of Mahatma Gandhi compiled by a team of Scholars includes historic speeches of Gandhi. The collection provides varied, numerous and logical profiles of Gandhi’s life and thought, action and engagements.
iii. The CWMG was published by Publications Division. Electronic Master Copy of CWMG (Volumes 1 to 100) is in the form of a searchable PDF beta version.
iv. Authentic documentation of Mahatma Gandhi's available writings was carried out under the CWMG project. The project commenced on September 1956 and concluded on 2 October 1994, with the publication of the 100th volume.
2. DRDO names new Director General, first woman in the role
i. In a first, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will have a woman scientist heading an important cluster with the high rank of a Director General.
ii. J Manjula, has been appointed the new Director General (DG - Electronics & Communications Systems or ECS) today. She will be one of the seven DG's, who are heading different clusters within the DRDO, which has nearly 50 national laboratories and Institutes under its network.
iii. A recognised expert in electronic warfare systems for Air Force, Manjula is an Outstanding Scientist and Director of Bengaluru-based DARE, Defence Avionics Research Establishment.
iv. She brings vast experience in EW systems, following a long stint with the Hyderabad-based, DLRL (Defence Electronics Research Laboratory), which is a pioneer in EW systems and cutting edge communications.
v. The over 55-year old DRDO in heirarchy has a Director General, S Christopher (appointed a few months ago) and 7 DGs heading various clusters. The clusters are fallout of the implementation of the P Rama Rao Committee on restructuring the Organisation. It came into effect in 2013.
3. 6th Indo-Maldives Joint Military Exercise begins in Thiruvananthapuram
i. The sixth Indo-Maldives joint Training Exercise has commenced at Pangode Military Station in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.
ii. Aim of the Joint Exercise is to acquaint forces of both countries with each other’s operating procedure and increase understanding and interoperability between Armies of both countries.
iii. In this edition of joint exercise, total of 45 soldiers each from Indian Army (BIHAR Regiment) and the Maldivian National Defence Force will take part.
iv. The exercise will cover varied military training activities in order to enhance interoperability between the two defence forces. It will conclude with tactical exercises.
v. August 2015 and it will conclude on 13 September 2015 with the closing ceremony involving cultural events by various military display teams along with aerial acrobatics display by Sarang Team of Indian Air force.
4. Himachal Pradesh organised organic fair and food festival to boost organic farming
i. To promote organic farming in the state, the Himachal Pradesh Government on 8 September 2015 organised a three-day organic fair and food festival in the state. The organic fair and food festival was organised in Shimla, the capital city of Himachal Pradesh.
ii. The fair was organised by the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture (ICCOA), Bengaluru. It was inaugurated by State Agriculture Minister Sujan Singh Pathania.
iii. The fair was organised with an aim to popularise organic farming in the state where 90 percent of the population is residing in rural areas and 79 percent families are dependent on agriculture. At present the organic farming is being done on nearly 16 thousand hectare land in the state.
iv. Farmers from all over the state have put their different products in the exhibition, a part of this fare in capital Shimla. The farmers are demanding proper marketing facilities for their organic produces in the state.
5. Sahara India's para-banking license scrapped by RBI
i. In a fresh setback to the beleaguered Sahara India Pariwar, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the license of its holding company Sahara India Financial Corporation Limited (SIFCL), officials said on Tuesday.
ii. The action has been taken by the department of non-banking supervision of the RBI, in Kanpur. The move comes in wake of several irregularities and ignoring financial rules and regulations by Sahara, an official further informed.
iii. The notice cancelling its license to conduction financial business has been sent to the Kapurthala head quarter of the Sahara India.
iv. The RBI had in 2008 barred the company from taking any deposits from the people under its chit fund operations. Many depositors had since then complained to the RBI that they were not being paid back their money by Sahara, following which a probe was ordered by the bank.
v. A report of the investigations was sent to the RBI HQ in Mumbai last month after which the penal action of cancelling the license of SIFCL was taken.
6. Agriculture expert Ramesh Chand appointed to Niti Aayog
i. Agriculture expert Ramesh Chand has been appointed as new member of the Niti Aayog. Chand is the third member to join the government's think tank which has replaced the erstwhile planning commission.
ii. The Aayog, which is headed by eminent economist Arvind Panagariya, has two other members—economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO chief V K Saraswat.
iii. Chand's appointment came at a time the Modi government is keen to revive the agriculture sector and reaffirm its commitment to farmers.
iv. The BJP government has already formed a task force to suggest ways to boost agriculture sector in a follow up to first meeting of the Niti Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
v. The task force, under the aegis of Aayog, is mandated to recommend ways to reinvigorate agriculture, strategies for reforms and identify successful experiments from which all states can learn.
7. Weightlifter Deepak Lather wins gold in fifth Youth Commonwealth Games
i. Indian weightlifters continued to make their presence felt on Day 2 of the fifth Youth Commonwealth Games after Deepak Lather won a gold in the 62 kg category here today.
ii. This was India's second gold in weightlifting after Jamjang Deru stood atop the podium in the 56 kg category on the opening day of the event.
iii. The 51-year-old Deepak finished with a total of 258 kg with 120 kg in snatch -- new CYG record -- and 138 kg in clean and jerk.
iv. India are being represented by 25 athletes in eight disciplines out of the nine being competed in the CYG.
8. Apurvi Chandela bags silver at ISSF World Cup Final
i. Young Indian shooter Apurvi Chandela impressed again as she clinched the silver medal in women’s 10m air rifle event of the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Cup Finals on Saturday.
ii. The 22-year-old Jaipur girl finished second on the podium after she tallied 206.9, just 0.6 behind Ahmadi Elaheh of Iran, who won the gold medal with a tally of 207.5.
iii. In the finals, Chandela started on a rousing note as she fired two shots of 10.8 to lead after Series 1 of first competition stage. A total of 30.6 in the second series saw her a drop a place.
iv. London Olympic bronze medallist Gagan Narang and Gurpreet Singh had earlier reached the finals of their respective events in the tournament, but missed out on medals.