Final Assam NRC list released

  • The final list included the names of 3.11 crore people and excluded around 19 lakh people from the National Register of Citizens list.
  • People who have been excluded from the list can file an appeal with the Foreigners’ Tribunal in the state within 120 days.
  • All major political parties criticised the final list for different reasons. BJP leaders said Supreme Court should allow re-verification of the names on the final list as authorities refused to accept refugee certificates, whereas Congress leaders said many genuine Indians have been excluded from the final list.

Multiple public sector banks to be merged

  • Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on August 31st that 10 public sector banks would be merged into four entities.
  • Punjab National Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank would be merged which to create the second largest lender. Along with that  Canara Bank and Syndicate Bank would be amalgamated. Andhra Bank and Corporation Bank would be merged with Union Bank, while Indian Bank would be merged with Allahabad Bank.
  • Narendra Modi government last year had vowed to clean up the banking sector and reduce the number of public sector banks.
  • Last week the minister had announced a set of measures to prop up the economy, less than two months after presenting the Union Budget.

Moon lander successfully separates from Chandrayaan-2 orbiter

  • ISRO informed on September 1st the separation of the lander – called Vikram – from the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter was successfully completed.
  • The orbiter had entered the lunar orbit on August 20th, 2019.
  • The Chandrayaan-2 aims to be the first lunar probe on the south polar region of the moon.
  • If successful, India would be the fourth country to achieve a soft landing on the moon after the United States, Russia and China.