CURRENT AFFAIRS 26 August, 2024
- UNIFIED PENSION SCHEME (UPS) VS OLD PENSION SCHEME (OPS): –
- The Indian government’s recent approval of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) has generated significant interest, particularly among government employees.
- Both the UPS and OPS offer a pension based on 50% of the salary. However, the UPS calculates this based on the average of the last 12 months’ basic pay, while the OPS used the last drawn salary. The UPS’s introduction of a minimum ₹10,000 monthly pension provides a safety net not explicitly defined in the OPS.
- The most significant departure from the OPS is the UPS’s requirement for employee contributions. While this may be seen as a disadvantage by some employees, it helps ensure the long-term sustainability of the pension system and aligns with modern pension schemes globally.
- INDIA WELCOMES FIRST CIVILIAN SPACE TOURIST GOPICHAND THOTAKURA –
- Gopichand Thotakura, India’s first civilian space tourist, received a warm welcome in Delhi upon his return on August 26, 2024. Thotakura made history by joining Blue Origin’s New Shepard-25 (NS-25) mission, founded by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, becoming the second Indian citizen to travel to space after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission. His trip lasted about ten minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 105 km.
- Thotakura’s journey marks a significant milestone as the first Indian space tourist. During the NS-25 mission, he and five other crew members enjoyed a brief yet memorable spaceflight. The experience offered Thotakura a unique perspective on Earth, enhancing his appreciation for space and the need to protect our planet.
- MOTHER TERESA’S 114TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY, OBSERVED ON AUGUST 26 –
- August 26, 2024 marks the 114th birth anniversary of Mother Teresa, a divine figure whose legacy of love and compassion continues to inspire the world. Born on 26 August 1910 in Albania, she became one of the most revered figures of the 20th century, recognized globally for her selfless service to humanity.
- Mother Teresa was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize, the Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize, and India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, among many others.
- Mother Teresa was born as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia. From a young age, she was deeply influenced by her Catholic upbringing. At just 12 years old, she felt a divine call to become a missionary. In 1928, she left her home and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish order of nuns with missions in India.
- After training in Dublin, she was sent to Kolkata, India, where she worked as a school teacher from 1931 to 1948. During this time, the sight of extreme poverty moved her to dedicate her life to helping the destitute.
- LADAKH GETS FIVE NEW DISTRICT –
- The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to create five new districts in the union territory of Ladakh, said home minister Amit Shah on August 26.
- Amit Shah said the creation of new districts will take the benefits meant for the people to their doorsteps by bolstering governance in every nook and cranny. He attributed the decision to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to build a developed and prosperous Ladakh.
- These districts are – Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang.
- Until 2019, Ladakh was a part of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. However, the BJP-led Central government that year revoked the special status accorded to the state. The government also divided the state into two union territories – Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
- PM MODI DISTRIBUTES CERTIFICATES TO 11 LAKH NEW ‘LAKHPATI DIDIS’ –
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed certificates to 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis in a function organised at Jalgaon in Maharashtra. The Prime Minister also felicitated Lakhpati Didis and discussed with them about their businesses.
- These Lakhpati didis whose number is more than one crore in the country, are earning more than one lakh rupees per year. 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis, recently became Lakhpati during the third term of the NDA Government.
- Release of revolving fund Community Investment Fund of 2,500 crore
- During the program, Prime Minister released a revolving fund – Community Investment Fund of 2,500 crore rupees, expected to benefit about 48 lakh members of 4.3 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs).
- The Prime Minister also released a bank loan of 5,000 crore rupees, which will benefit 25.8 lakh members of two lakh 35 thousand 400 SHGs.