Daily updates 15 16 August 2019

National News

1. PM announces appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff
i. In his Independence Day address to the nation, Prime Minister has announced the appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff. The Chief of Defence Staff will be above the three Service Chiefs. 
ii. The CDS is meant to be a single-point military advisor to the government who will coordinate long-term planning, procurements, training and logistics of the three services. The CDS will also act as the military advisor to the Prime Minister on nuclear issues.
iii. This is one the country's biggest higher level military reform to bring in jointness and tri-service integration. 
iv. In the absence of a CDS, presently the senior most of the three Chiefs functions as the Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC). Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa is the present chairman of COSC.

2. PM to be the chairman of the Inter-State Council
i. The Inter-State Council has been reconstituted with Prime Minister as its chairman and 6 Union ministers and all chief ministers as its members. Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the standing committee of the Inter-State Council.
ii. The Union ministers who will be members of the reconstituted council are Amit Shah (Home), Nirmala Sitharaman (Finance), Rajnath Singh (Defence), Narendra Singh Tomar (Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj).

Banking News

3. RBI clarifies rules on ‘free ATM transactions’
i. The Reserve Bank of India has clarified rules on ‘free ATM transactions’ provided by banks to its customers. Banks provide certain number of free transactions at ATMs to their customers and beyond that impose charges.
ii. According to the Reserve Bank of India, the following transactions should not be counted as valid ATM transactions for the customer as the ‘free ATM transactions’:

• Transactions failed at ATMs due to technical reasons like hardware and software issues.
• Transactions failed due to non-availability of currency in ATMs.
• Use of ATMs for non-cash withdrawal transactions such as balance enquiry, cheque book request, payment of taxes, funds transfer.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

• Governor of RBI: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

Appointments

4. Harshad Pandurang Thakur appointed as NIHFW's director
i. Harshad Pandurang Thakur has been appointed as the director of National Institute of Health and Family Welfare. The proposal of appointment was approved by the appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister.
ii. The NIHFW is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It acts as an apex technical institute as well as a think tank for the promotion of health and family welfare programmes in the country.

Awards

5. ISRO Chairman K. Sivan honoured with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award
i. Tamil Nadu government has awarded K. Sivan with its Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award. K. Sivan is currently serving as the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC Mains:

• Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai; CM: Edappadi K. Palaniswami; Governor: Banwarilal Purohit.

Sports

6. Liverpool beats Chelsea to win UEFA Super Cup
i. Liverpool defeated Chelsea in the finals to win UEFA Super Cup held in Istanbul. The match ended in draw with score 2-2 following the extra time. 
ii. Later in the penalties, Liverpool beats Chelsea by 5-4. This was the fourth time Liverpool have won this competition.

7. Deepak Punia wins Junior World Championship title
i. Deepak Punia won the gold medal at the Junior World Championships held in Talinn, Estonia. He defeated Russia's Alik Shebzukov to win the 86 kg junior freestyle title. With the victory, he has become the 1st Indian in 18 years to win a Junior World Championship title.
ii. Another Indian wrestler Vicky Chahar also won the bronze medal in the 92 kg category after beating Mongolia's Batmagnai Enkhtuvshin.

Obituaries

8. Veteran actor Vidya Sinha passes away
i. Veteran Bollywood actress Vidya Sinha passed away. She was renowned for her role in Basu Chatterjee's film "Rajnigandha". 
ii. She was a major figure in Bollywood in the 1970s-1980s. Her list of notable films includes Mera Jeevana, Chhoti Si Baat, Safed Jhooth and many others.

9. Former India cricketer V.B. Chandrasekhar passes away
i. Former India and Tamil Nadu cricketer V.B. Chandrasekhar passed away. He represented India in 7 ODIs. 
ii. V.B. Chandrasekhar was also a National selector from 2004 to 2006. He was a part of the last Tamil Nadu team which won the Ranji Trophy in 1988