Daily Current Affairs – 21 August 2026

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Key Highlights:

• Four railway projects will cover eight districts in West Bengal, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
• Kharagpur–Bhadrak (Ranital): 173-km fourth line; about ₹3,352 crore.
• Bhadrak–Haridaspur: 75-km fourth line; nearly ₹1,583 crore.
• Gummidipundi–Gudur: 90-km third and fourth lines across Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; ₹2,229 crore.
• Cuttack–Paradeep (Badabandha): 72-km third and fourth lines; ₹2,286 crore.
• In Bihar, 82.578 km of NH-22 between Muzaffarpur–Sitamarhi–Sonbarsa will be upgraded to four-lane standards.
• The highway project will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) and will strengthen connectivity towards the India–Nepal border.

Key Points:

• The Taxation amendment replaces the Income-tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2026.
• It provides tax exemptions for specified income earned by foreign institutional investors and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) from government securities.
• Exemptions cover eligible interest income and capital gains related to government securities.
• The PSS-related changes modify the legal framework concerning charges associated with specified digital payment modes.

Important Facts:

• Genus: Impatiens
• Family: Balsaminaceae
• Local name for the group in Nepal: Tiuri
• Habitat: Humid slopes and forest margins.
• Altitude: Around 2,800–2,900 metres.
• The species was first encountered in western Myagdi in 2011.
• Its formal description appeared in a peer-reviewed PLOS ONE study.
• Nirmal Purja climbed all 14 eight-thousanders in 2019 in 6 months and 6 days.
• He was also associated with the first winter ascent of K2 in 2021.

Highlights:

• The Department of Social Work at Ethiraj College will serve as the nodal department.
• The partnership aims to improve refugee self-reliance and socio-economic inclusion.
• Special attention includes refugee communities such as Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu.
• UNHCR was established in 1950 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Key Highlights:

• Yashoda AI was originally launched on 22 May 2025 at Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University, Bareilly.
• NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar launched the Jalandhar programme.
• The initiative seeks to provide women with practical AI skills.
• A “She Serves” programme was also inaugurated to encourage young women to explore career opportunities in the Armed Forces.
• NCW is a statutory body established in 1992 and headquartered in New Delhi.

Major Highlights:

• Discussions focused on strengthening India–Nepal defence cooperation.
• General Seth held bilateral discussions with his Nepali counterpart.
• He received a briefing from Nepal Army’s Director General Military Operations.
• He laid a wreath at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel, Kathmandu.
• He received a Guard of Honour at Nepal Army Headquarters.
• Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel conferred on him the honorary rank of General of the Nepali Army.
• The tradition of both countries conferring honorary general ranks on each other’s Army Chiefs dates back to 1950.

Key Facts:

• Operations have initially started in Chandigarh.
• The company plans phased expansion.
• Loan amount: ₹2,000 to ₹15 lakh, subject to applicable conditions.
• Eligible collateral includes specified silver jewellery, ornaments and approved silver coins.
• The initiative operates within the regulatory framework for lending against precious-metal collateral.

Highlights:

• The partnership combines Paramotor’s technology platform with NSDL Payments Bank’s banking infrastructure.
• Applications include consumer spending, digital gifting, rewards and loyalty.
• Platforms involved include SpendPro, Yayyy.shop and RewardOn.
• The prepaid solutions are intended to comply with RBI requirements.
• Paramotor Digital had filed confidential IPO draft papers with SEBI in May 2026.

Important Projections:

• Real GDP growth: 6.8%
• Nominal GDP growth: 10.4%
• WPI inflation: 8.5%
• CPI inflation: 4.9%
• Fiscal deficit target: 4.3% of GDP
• Current Account Deficit: 1.5% of GDP, compared with 0.6% in FY26.

Key Highlights:

• The companies will explore establishing an Aerospace Gas Turbine Complex in India.
• The facility is intended to function as a Centre of Excellence for propulsion technology.
• Rolls-Royce brings advanced propulsion expertise, while RIL contributes industrial and manufacturing capabilities.
• AMCA is India’s planned fifth-generation stealth multi-role fighter aircraft.
• The programme includes technologies such as stealth, supercruise, advanced avionics and AI-assisted systems.
• AMCA is managed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Ministry of Defence’s defence R&D framework.

Key Points:

• Spirit Airlines ceased operations in May 2026 after financial difficulties.
• Google defeated AI-data company Mercor, whose bid was US$7.5 million.
• The assets include enterprise data such as employee emails, Teams messages, spreadsheets, calendars and operational information.
• The data is intended for product development and AI model training.
• According to the source, the dataset will be de-identified and will not include customer information or personally identifiable information.

Important Facts:

• Completed the ACCA qualification at 16.
• Started the course at 15 and completed it in about one year.
• Obtained the CFA Charterholder designation in 2025.
• He is pursuing an MSc in Finance at American University of Sharjah.
• He also works as a Senior Research Analyst at Century Financial in Dubai.

Quick Facts:

• Dr. Sreedhar is an educator, technocrat and enterprise strategist.
• He founded Sreedhar’s CCE (College of Competitive Exams).
• BRICS CCI was established in 2012.
• Its headquarters is in New Delhi.
• The organisation works on business and economic cooperation among BRICS-related stakeholders.

Key Points:

• LIC’s existing stake was 4.11% as of 14 August 2026.
• The approval does not mean LIC must immediately increase its holding to 9.99%.
• Any additional acquisition must comply with RBI, Banking Regulation Act, FEMA and SEBI requirements.
• The decision gives LIC greater flexibility as an institutional investor in the banking sector.

Highlights:

• Proposed acquisition: 75% stake.
• Transaction value: around ₹3,500 crore.
• The acquisition remains subject to other regulatory approvals.
• Prudential will need to comply with applicable requirements concerning its existing Indian insurance interests.
• CCI also approved Tata Steel’s proposal to acquire an additional 23% stake in TM International Logistics Limited (TMILL).
• After the TMILL transaction, Tata Steel and NYK Europe are expected to hold 74% and 26%, respectively.

Key Features:

• Spraying payload: 16 litres.
• Spreading payload: 12 litres.
• Terrain-following capability.
• Fail-safe systems.
• Night-operation capability.
• Applications across agriculture, aquaculture, plantations, mining, energy, infrastructure and defence.
• The launch supports India’s indigenous drone ecosystem and the broader Make in India, Go Global approach.

Important Facts:

• Date of discovery: 20 August 1897
• Location: Secunderabad, Telangana
• Scientist: Sir Ronald Ross
• Vector: Female Anopheles mosquito
• His findings were published in the British Medical Journal in December 1897.
• Ronald Ross received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1902 for his malaria research.