Aug 27, 2024 | Current Affairs for UPSC, State PCS & other Govt. Exams

PM Modi distributed certificates to 11 lakh new Lakhpati Didis in a function organised at Jalgaon in Maharashtra. A Lakhpati Didi is a Self-Help Group member who earns an annual household income of Rupees One Lakh (Rs. 1,00,000) or more. This income is calculated for at least four agricultural seasons and/or business cycles, with an average monthly income exceeding Rupees Ten Thousand (Rs. 10,000), so that it is sustainable.

In August 2024, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un unveiled new "suicide drones" designed to crash into enemy targets with explosives.

The 2nd India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR), aimed at further strengthening trade and economic ties between the two countries, will be held in Singapore on August 26.

The Union Cabinet approved the unified "Vigyan Dhara" scheme under the Department of Science and Technology, merging three existing umbrella schemes, with an outlay of ₹10,579.84 crore for the 15th Finance Commission period (2021-22 to 2025-26).

Gopichand Thotakura, India's first civilian space tourist, returned to Delhi on August 26, 2024, after his trip with Blue Origin's New Shepard-25 mission. Thotakura's spaceflight lasted ten minutes, reaching 105 km above Earth.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan released the first edition of the e-magazine "Sapno Ki Udaan" on a virtual platform on National Space Day to celebrate the first anniversary of Chandrayaan-3 landing on 23 August 2024.

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. These districts are – Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang. Ladakh currently has only two districts – Leh and Kargil.

The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) assures 50 percent of the average basic salary for the last 12 months before retirement as the pension for government employees who complete a minimum of 25 years in service.

It will be proportionate for a shorter service period up to a minimum of 10 years of service. In case of death, the family will get 60 percent of the last-drawn amount by the pensioner.

The scheme also assures a minimum ₹ 10,000 per month after retirement for government employees after minimum 10 years of service.

Employee contributions will remain unaltered at 10 per cent of basic pay plus dearness allowance (DA). The government's contribution will increase from the present 14 per cent to 18.5 per cent.

UPS will have a retrospective effect, i.e., those who joined after January 1, 2004 and retired under the NPS will now be eligible for UPS.

The scheme also includes inflation indexation and a lump-sum payment upon superannuation, reinforcing the government's commitment to employee welfare.