Current Affairs 15 July 2023

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 15 July 2023, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2023 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Defence Ministry signs MoU with FSSAI to promote millet foods among defence personnelOn 13th July 2023, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote use of millets and healthy eating practices among the Armed Forces and ensure availability of safe & nutritious food in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The MoU was signed by Director General (Supplies and Transport) Lieutenant General Preet Mohindera Singh on behalf of Ministry of Defence (MoD) and CEO, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Shri G Kamala Vardhana Rao in the presence of Minister of Defence (MoD) Rajnath Singh and Minister of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) Dr Mansukh Mandaviya.

Benefits by this MoU:
i.It aims to create awareness about the nutritional benefits of diet diversity and millet-based food products among the Army personnel and also pave the way for the introduction of millet-based menus in mess, canteens and other food outlets under the MoD.
ii.This collaboration will also ensure that food handlers and chefs of mess, canteens of the Armed Forces, and other food outlets receive food safety and hygiene training in accordance with the Food Safety and Standards Act of 2006.
iii.The MoU will also encourage Armed Forces families and the general public to adopt nutritious diets, make healthy food choices, and ensure food safety.
Millets: Millets are known for their nutritional value and can contribute to a well-balanced and diverse diet.
 Book Launched: ‘Healthy Recipes for Defence’
i.The union ministers Rajnath Singh and Mansukh Mandaviya unveiled a book titled ‘Healthy Recipes for Defence’ to promote the consumption of Shree Anna (millets) and its health benefits.

• This book will serve as a valuable resource for different canteens and food outlets under the MoD.

ii.The improvement in varieties of food provided to defence personnel assumes great importance, who work in challenging terrains and varied climatic conditions.

TCS signed contract with GeM to develop enhanced version of Government e-Marketplace portal On 13th July 2023, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest software exporter signed a contract with Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Government procurement portal, for developing, implementing, operating and maintaining the GeM portal in GeM headquarters New Delhi, Delhi.
Background:
i. In the early 2023, the government invited bids for developing an advanced version of the GeM portal.
ii. In June 2023, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Textiles announced that TCS has won the contract to for operating and maintaining the GeM.
iii. TCS and Intellect Design Arena (Gurugram (Haryana)-based) fintech platform were the 2 highest bidders.
iv. In 2017, The task of development and maintenance of the GeM portal was awarded to Intellect Design Arena and Infibeam, a software company.
GeM Portal:
i. It was launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and it is a one-stop-shop platform for government ministries and agencies looking to procure goods and services.
ii. It is a completely paperless, cashless and system driven e-market place that enables procurement of common use goods and services with minimal human interface.
iii. GeM portal was developed by erstwhile Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&D) under the Ministry of Commerce with technical support of National E-Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY).
Additional Info:
GeM sees 10x increase in public procurement during the last 3 years and its cumulative gross merchandise value (GMV) reached USD 48.75 billion (Rs. 4 lakh crore) in April 2023.
About Tata Consultancy Services (TCS):
Established in- 1968
Chairman- N. Chandrasekaran
CEO- K. Krithivasan
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra

Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated 7th Edition of IMC 2023 in DelhiOn 12th July 2023, the Minister of Communications(MoC) Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the Curtain Raiser of 7th edition of India Mobile Congress (IMC  2023) at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi,Delhi . 

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under Ministry of Communications and the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) will jointly host the  seventh edition of Asia’s premier digital technology exhibition with the theme ‘Global Digital Innovation’ which is scheduled to take place from 27th to 29th October at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi,Delhi.

Key Points:
i. Following the successful launch of 5G (5th Generation) Internet in IMC 2022, the emphasis for this year’s event will be on the development of indigenous technology, fostering the growth of the telecom and semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem, and taking a leading role in 6G(6th Generation) technology.
ii. The Concept of ‘Partner Countries’and  ‘Virtual exhibition’ will be introduced in the event.
iii. IMC 2023 plans to introduce Aspire, a startup event aimed at fostering entrepreneurship growth among young innovators and industry delegates. It will include sections like an Investor zone, pitching zone, workshop zone, and networking zone.
iv. IMC-2023 to showcase 5G use cases that are transforming key sectors such as agriculture, education, logistics, and animal husbandry.
Note: Since its establishment in 2017, the India Mobile Congress (IMC) has been pivotal in positioning India as a global leader in digital innovation.
About Ministry of Communications:
Union Minister– Ashwini Vaishnaw( Rajya Sabha Representing Odisha)
Minister of State(MoS)– Devusinh Chauhan
Note : Ashwini Vaishnaw is also the central minister for Ministry of Railways & Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Ministry of Textile & Gujarat govt signed MoU to set up PM MITRA Park in Navasari, GujaratOn 13th July 2023, the Ministry of Textile, Government of India (GoI) signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat Government for setting up Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park in Vansi village, Jalalpore Taluka in Navsari District, Gujarat.

• The PM MITRA Park in Vansi is inspired by the 5F vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Farm to Fibre to Fabric to Fashion to Foreign.
• The MoU was signed in the presence of Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Textile, and Gujarat Chief Minister (CM) Bhupendra Patel at the signing ceremony held at the Convention Hall of Veer Narmad University in Surat, Gujarat.
• This was the 7th PM MITRA Park under the union government announcement to set up seven textile clusters in seven states.

Highlights of MoU:
i.The park will be built through a Special Purpose Vehicle with 51% equity from Gujarat and 49% from the centre.The Gujarat government announced that the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) will build the PM Mitra Park on a 1142 acres land  in Vansi-Borsi, Navsari district, Gujarat.
ii.The central government would fund 30% of the overall investment, or Rs 500 crore, under this Rs 1500 Crore investment.
iii.Benefits:The development of world-class industrial infrastructure at the PM MITRA Park will attract large-scale investment, including Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

• It will aid in increasing investment in the textile sector, creating job opportunities, and establishing India as a textile production and export hub.

About PM MITRA : 
i.On 17th March 2023, the central Government announced the sites for setting up of PM MITRA Parks in the states of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
click here to know more
The establishment of PM MITRA Parks are a unique strategy in which the Centre and State Governments would collaborate to enhance investment, foster innovation, and create job opportunities, ultimately transforming India into a global hub for textile manufacture and exports.
About Gujarat:
Chief Minister– Bhupendra Rajnikant Patel
Governor – Acharya Devvrat
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Barda Wildlife Sanctuary

MoPR launched Action Taken Report Module of AuditOnline
Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) launched the Action Taken Report (ATR) Module of AuditOnline during a virtual event presided over by Kapil Moreshwar Patil, Union Minister of State(MoS), MoPR. The module aims to provide a more structured approach to the audit process, ensuring clarity on the actions taken in response to audit findings.

• In order to achieve the accountability through audits the MoPR introduced the ATR Module aimed towards increasing the online audit process and also promoting digital governance at the grassroots level.
• The ATR Module of AuditOnline will enable Panchayats to become more accountable, efficient, empowered and corruption-free, ensuring a seamless management and utilization of funds at Gram Panchayat level across India.
• During the last two audit periods 2020–21 and 2021–22, states have generated over 200,000 Audit Reports. As on date, 256,795 Panchayats have been registered; 2,103,058 observations have been documented and 211,278 (~ 80%) Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) Audit Reports have been generated for audit period 2021–22.

Note: On April 15, 2020, the MoPR launched the AuditOnline application to enable online audits of Panchayat accounts and strengthen financial management and transparency.

BSE launched new logo on its 149th Foundation Day 
On 10th July 2023, S.S. Mundra, Chairman of BSE Limited (formerly known as the Bombay Stock Exchange), launched BSE’s new logo during the event organised to mark the celebration of its 149th foundation day at BSE International Convention Hall, Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• BSE, established in 1875 as as the Native Share & Stock Broker’s Association, was the first ever stock exchange in Asia.

In 1956, BSE became Inida’s 1st stock exchange to receive permanent recognition under the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act 1956.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

THE Young University Rankings 2023 : Mahatma Gandhi University Secures Top among Indian Universities According to the Times Higher Education(THE) ‘Young University Rankings(YUR)-2023’ , Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kerala has emerged as top among Indian universities under and secured 77 globally.Nanyang Technological University, Singapore tops the list in 2023.

• The only three universities from India in the Top 100 World List are Mahatma Gandhi University, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences.

Indian Universities’ Performance
MGU followed by JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysore, Karnataka and Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, Himachal Pradesh in top three positions among Indian Universities.

• JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Mysore, Karnataka ranked 79 and Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences ranked 91st in the ranking list.

LPU Ranks Ahead of 3 IITs in India
Lovely Professional University (LPU) placed in World’s Rank Band 251-300 in the ranking THE YUR 2023 list among the other universities created since 1973.LPU has surpassed three IITs, namely IIT Guwahati and Bhubaneswar (ranked within the 301-350 band), as well as IIT Mandi (ranked within the 351-400 band).
About Times Higher Education:
First issue- 1971
Headquarters- London, United Kingdom (UK)
>> Read Full News

Microplastics can alter Gut Microbiome, cause Intestinal Inflammation: FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released a report titled ‘The Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Human Health‘. As per it, Microplastics and nanoplastics significantly affect the gut microbiomes of humans, animals, and the environment.

• The report highlights instances where changes in intestinal structure and gastrointestinal functioning have been observed as a result of exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics. However, the effects of exposure to other plastic chemicals on the gut microbiome remain largely unexplored.
• The report’s authors reviewed 146 articles on the subject.

Key Points:
i.Microplastics and nanoplastics have been found to affect soil microorganisms and permeate the entire food chain.
ii.Research shows that exposure to plastic leads to intestinal inflammation and gut dysbiosis, affecting the gut microbiome and microbiota in aquatic species, rodents, and humans.
iii.Microplastics found in water bottles and food items like sugar, honey, sea salt, and tea have been detected in human lung tissue, placenta, stool, blood, and meconium.
iv.Microplastics (0.1 to 5,000 μm) and nanoplastics (0.001 to 0.1 μm) are widespread contaminants of growing concern due to their potential impact on the environment, animals, and human health.
v.Physical abrasion of microplastic and its accumulation in the gut can make an organism feel ful,l resulted in decreased food intake. This can eventually cause weight loss and changes in metabolism.

2023 UNAIDS Global AIDS Update: World can end AIDS by 2030UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations (UN) Programme on Human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV)/Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), report titled “2023 UNAIDS Global AIDS Update – The Path That Ends AIDS” highlights that there is a path to end AIDS by 2030 and it requires strong political leadership, following the science, tackling inequalities and ensuring sustainable funding.
The report contains data and case studies which highlight that ending AIDS is a political and financial choice, and that the countries and leaders who are already following the path are achieving extraordinary results.
Progress:
i.Progress in AIDS response has been strongest in the countries and regions such as in eastern and southern Africa (that have the most financial investments), where new HIV infections have been reduced by 57% since 2010.
ii.Due to investment in ending AIDS among children, 82% of pregnant and breastfeeding women living with HIV globally were accessing antiretroviral treatment in 2022, up from 46% in 2010. New infections among children have fallen by 58 % during the same period, the lowest number since the 1980s.
iii. Funding for HIV found to be declined in 2022 from both international and domestic sources, and has fallen back to the same level as in 2013.

• A total of USD 20.8 billion was available in 2022, and far short of the USD 29.3 billion needed by 2025.

iv. As per the update, in 2022, 1.3 million people became newly infected with HIV and 630,000 died from AIDS-related illnesses.
Estimations from the update:
i. In 2022, an estimated 39 million people around the world were living with HIV and if it left untreated, it can progress to AIDS.
ii. Countries/regions such as eastern Europe and central Asia, Middle East and North Africa encountered a steep increase in new infections.
iii. It is primarily due to a lack of HIV prevention services for marginalised and key populations and the barriers posed by punitive (intended as a punishment) laws and social discrimination.
iv. Several countries have removed harmful laws in 2022 and 2023, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Cook Islands, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore that have decriminalized same-sex sexual relations.
v. Whereas existing laws to protect the rights of vulnerable people have been strengthened in other countries such as Central African Republic, Ghana, India, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Spain.

INS Sunayna participates in CMF Exercise ‘Operation Southern Readiness 2023’ in SeychellesFrom July 10-12, 2023, INS (Indian Naval Ship) Sunayna, a second Saryu-class patrol vessel, participated in two-week long annual training exercise ‘Operation Southern Readiness 2023’, conducted by Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), in Seychelles to strengthen international collaboration at sea & enhances operational readiness.

• The exercise was led by CMF’s new maritime security training staff, CTF-154.
• The training exercise onboard was witnessed by a delegation of CMF from Bahrain headed by Cmde Oliver, Commander of CTF56.

Aim of CMF exercise:
To enhance maritime security, countering piracy to ensure safety and freedom of navigation in the region
Participants:
Navies from the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Italy, Seychelles Defence Forces & Marine Police, and member nations of EUNAVFOR (European Union Naval Force).
Key Points:
i.Professional interactions, subject matter expert exchanges and visits were held during the CMF along with lecture and practical demonstrations on varied aspects of Navigation, VBSS (Basic and Advanced training), Maritime Domain Awareness and mass casualty evacuation drills.
ii.A combined yoga session was organised onboard with participation of personnel from Seychelles Defence Forces and CMF along with the ship’s crew.
About Combined Maritime Forces (CMF):
It is a multi-national naval partnership to promote security, stability and prosperity across  approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters. Its main focus areas are defeating terrorism, preventing piracy, encouraging regional cooperation, and promoting a safe maritime environment. It has 5 Combined Task Forces (CTFx):

1. CTF 150 (Maritime Security Operations outside the Arabian Gulf)
2. CTF 151 (Counter-Piracy)
3. CTF 152 (Maritime Security Operations inside the Arabian Gulf)
4. CTF 153 (Red Sea Maritime Security)
5. CTF 154 (Maritime Security Training)

Member nations:
It has 38 members: Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, UAE, United Kingdom, United States, and Yemen.

BANKING & FINANCE

SEBI mandates Certification for ESG rating providers within 6 months; Tightens Disclosure Norms for Listed Firms
i.The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has mandated that all entities providing ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) rating services to Indian entities to get a certification from it within 6 months w.e.f. July 3, 2023.
ii.A person acting as an ESG rating may continue to do so for a period of six months from the date of this regulation coming into force.
iii.To render their ESG rating services, institutions will have to be incorporated as a company under the Companies Act, 2013, with ESG marked as the main object under their Memorandum of Association (MoA).
iv.SEBI has also tightened the disclosure norms for listed companies with strict timelines and introduced criteria for determining the materiality of events w.e.f. July 15, 2023.
About Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI):
Chairperson -Madhabi Puri Buch
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment – 12 April 1992
>> Read Full News

HDFC Bank becomes first to offer interoperability between CBDC and UPIOn 13 July 2023, HDFC(Housing Development Finance Corporation) Bank, the largest private sector lender in India launched UPI QR code(Unified Payments Interface Quick Response code)interoperable with India’s sovereign digital currency, Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

• With this, HDFC Bank became the first bank in the country to complete the integration process between UPI payment system and Digital currency.
• HDFC Bank will enable Digital Rupee payments in several cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, and Gangtok.

Benefits:
i .This feature will benefit customers as it enables them to transact using the funds available in their CBDC wallet through UPI QR codes.
ii.Previously, HDFC Bank customers had to scan two separate QR codes for their CBDC wallet and UPI payment respectively, causing inconvenience.
iii.The new single UPI QR code allows customers to make CBDC wallet payments with a single scan. Merchants also benefited by displaying only one QR code.
About Central bank digital currency (CBDC):
A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) or national digital currency, is the digital form of a country’s fiat currency. Instead of printing paper currency or minting coins, the central bank issues electronic tokens. This token value is backed by the full faith and credit of the government.

• Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 was amended to launch CBDC.
• Referred to as e₹ (digital Rupee), CBDC can be classified into two broad types viz. general purpose for retail (CBDC-R) and wholesale (CBDC-W).
• RBI has started a pilot on CDBC on the wholesale side on November 1, 2022. Retail testing started on December 1, 2022.

About Unified Payment Interface(UPI):

• Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI is a widely used mobile payment system and most popular digital payment mode in the country that enables seamless and cost-free transfer of funds between bank accounts.
• UPI was launched in 2016 by then Reserve Bank of India(RBI) Governor Raghuram G Rajan.

About HDFC(Housing Development Finance Corporation) Bank
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Sashidhar Jagdishan
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in – 1994
Tagline – We understand your world

RBI cancelled Licence of 2 co-operative banks, Harihareshwar Sahakari Bank and Sri Sharada Mahila Cooperative BankOn 11th July 2023, the Reserve bank of India (RBI) cancelled the banking licence of two cooperative banks, Sri Sharada Mahila Co-operative Bank, Tumkur, Karnataka and Harihareshwar Sahakari Bank, Satara in Maharashtra.

• The licence were cancelled by RBI under Section 22 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 as these cooperative banks do not have adequate capital and earning prospects and have failed to comply with the requirements of the banking regulation act.
• RBI has asked these two lenders to cease banking business from 11 July 2023 in two separate statements.

Deposits in the 2 banks:
i. About 99.96% of the depositors of HarihareshwarSahakari Bank are entitled to receive the full amount of their deposits from Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).

• As on March 8 2023, DICGC has already paid Rs57.24 crore of the total insured deposits to the depositors of the Harihareshwar Sahakari Bank.

ii. About 97.82% of the depositors Sri SharadaMahila Cooperative Bank are entitled to receive full amount of their deposits from DICGC.

• As on 12 June 2023, DICGC has already paid Rs 15.06 crore of the total insured deposits based on the willingness received from the concerned depositors of the Sri Sharada Mahila Cooperative Bank.

RBI Statement:
i. AS pre RBI, on liquidation, every depositor of these 2 banks would be entitled to receive deposit insurance claim amount of his/her deposits of up to a monetary ceiling of Rs 5 lakh from DICGC.
ii. Consequent to the cancellation of their licences, the banks have been prohibited from conducting the business of ‘banking’ which includes, acceptance of deposits and repayment of deposits, among other things.
iii. The continuance of these banks was prejudicial to the interests of its depositors. With their present financial position, these banks would be unable to pay their present depositors in full.
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Established on-  April 1, 1935
Governor- Shaktikanta Das
Deputy Governors- Swaminathan Jankiraman, Michael Debabrata Patra, M Rajeshwar Rao and T Rabi Sankar
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra

PayU, AWS India & Chiratae Ventures partners to launch ‘inFINity’ – a Fintech Accelerator   for Early-Stage Start-UpsOn July 12, 2023, PayU Payments Private Limited(PayU), leading payments solution provider, in collaboration with Amazon Web Services(AWS) India and Chiratae Ventures, a venture capital firm, launched a 45-day fintech accelerator program called ‘inFINity’ for early-stage startups in India.
Key Points:
i.The deadline to apply for the program is August 11, 2023. Selected applicants will be announced on August 17, and the program will begin on August 31 with a three-day in-person boot camp in Bengaluru(Karnataka), followed by four weeks of intensive online training.
ii.Startups applying for the program should either be self-funded or have raised less than $5 million in funding. They should also be seeking Seed to Series A funding and have a minimum viable product (MVP) already developed.
iii.The cohort will receive training and mentorship sessions, including access to PayU experts who will guide them in scaling their business operations and expanding their customer base.
About PayU Payments Private Limited(PayU):
CEO of PayU India– Anirban Mukherjee
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana

Fincare Small Finance Bank launched “The Great Indian FD Fest” campaign
On 10th July 2023, Fincare Small Finance Bank Limited (FSFBL) launched its new multilingual Television Commercial (TVC) campaign “The Great Indian Fixed Deposit (FD) Fest” to raise awareness about the bank’s interest rate offering for all categories of customers and highlight the significance of fixed deposit (FD) as a stable and long-term investment suitable for everyone. The media campaign features FSFBL’s Brand Ambassador Grand Master (GM) Viswanathan Anand.

• Currently the bank is offering the highest interest rate of 9.11% for senior citizens on an investment of as little as Rs 5000 for a tenure of 1000 days and 8.51% for general citizens.
• The Great Indian FD Fest campaign celebrates the spirit of financial empowerment and gives a golden opportunity for every Indian to secure their financial future through FDs.

STATE NEWS

The Goa Government Has Signed 3 MoUs with CGTMSE, Paytm and ICAI

On 13th July 2023, the Goa government signed 3 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE), Paytm and Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

• The MoUs focus on supporting Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises(MSMEs), enable digital payments in Goa government departments and to contribute to effective policy-making.

The Three MoUs:
1.Goa’s MoU with CGTMSE:
i.The MoUs signed with the CGTMSE aims to administer the Goa Credit Guarantee Scheme, also known as the Mukhyamantri Saral Udyog Sahayya Yojana, within Goa.
ii.The scheme is designed by offering credit guarantees which provide easy access to financial assistance to MSMEs in Goa.
About the CGTMSE:
i.The CGTMSE for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) depends on the loan amount, the category of entrepreneurs, and the geographical region.
ii.For micro-enterprises, the extent of guarantee cover is 85% for credit up to 5 lakh, for credit above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 5 crores is 75%.
iii.For women entrepreneurs, Scheduled Castes(SC)-Scheduled Tribes(ST) entrepreneurs, MSEs located in aspirational districts, and Zero Defect and Zero Effect (ZED)-certified MSEs, the guarantee cover is up to 85 % for loans up to Rs 5 crore.
2.Goa’s MoU with Paytm:
i.The MoU with Paytm, a leading digital payments company, was signed to facilitate digital payments across various government departments.
ii.This includes deploying Paytm devices such as electronic data capture (EDC) machines, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and QR (Quick Response) code systems.
3.Goa’s MoU with ICAI:
The MoU with the ICAI was signed to collaborate in capacity building, research, policy-making assistance, consulting, and other activities of Goa government through the experts of ICAI.
About Goa:
Chief Minister (CM)- Pramod Sawant
Governor- P.S. Sreedharan Pillai
Capital- Panaji

J&K Govt created Department of Public Grievances in Union Territory
On 12th July 2023, the government of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) accorded to the creation of “Department of Public Grievances” as a separate Administrative Department in the Union Territory, which will also deal with the redressal of Public Grievances, and Lieutenant Governor’s (LG) Mulaqaat – Live Public Grievance Hearing.

• This is in line with the commitment of the J&K government that foresees promotion of citizen-centric governance with emphasis on grievance redressal innovations through e-Governance.
• The sanction was accorded in pursuance of Entry 15 of the Second Schedule of Transaction of Business of the Government of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir Rules.
• It will also deal with J&K Integrated Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (JK-GRAMS); Monitoring disposal of grievances by Administrative Departments and subordinate offices; Grievance Redressal Quality Monitoring and monitoring of redressal of grievances received on social media.

Note:  LGs Grievance Cell shall be subsumed in the Department of Public Grievances, and Staff provided in the LG’s Grievance Cell by the General Administration Department shall work in the new Department till posting of permanent staff.  Requiremnet of staff shall be met through internal adjustment and there shall be no fresh creation of posts in this regard.

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List of Current Governors in India – February 2023

List of Current Chief Ministers in India – February 2023

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