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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
4th Edition of the Global Bio-India held in New Delhi; BIRAC Signed 9 LoIs
On 12th September 2024, Union Minister for State (Independent Charge,IC) Dr. Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science and Technology(MoS&T) inaugurated the 4th edition of Global Bio-India at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi(Delhi).
- The theme of the Global Bio-India 2024 was ‘Biotech Innovation and Bio-manufacturing’.
- The three day event was organised by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), MoS&T in collaboration with its Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
Note: The first Global Bio-India took place in 2021, and it has been conducted every year since then.
Highlights of the event:
i.During the event, BIRAC signed 9 Letter of Intents(LoIs) with leading international organizations, fostering collaboration in biotechnology.
- Some of these organizations included the United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), DHR Holding India Pvt. Ltd. (Danaher), Mauritius Institute of Biotechnology Ltd (MIBL), La Trobe University, Blockchain for Impact (BFI), US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and IBioM (Indian Biotech MSME and Startup Foundation).
- These partnerships aim to strengthen the global biotech ecosystem and drive forward innovation in the bioeconomy.
ii.The Indian biotech startups have launched 11 unique products in biosciences at the event.
iii.The Indian Bio Economy Report 2024 was also launched at the event along with BIRAC Compendium of Products and Technologies 2024.
- In addition to this, the event also witnessed the launch of GBI Exhibitor Directory coupled with Insights into BIRAC Equity Fund and Amrit Grand Challenge JanCARE Innovations Report.
iv.In addition, the calls for proposals under the Promoting Academic Collaboration and Entrepreneurship (PACE) and Innovation for Industry (i4) programs were launched at the event.
v.The awards were given in recognition of the exceptional contributions to the biotech sector namely, BIRAC Innovators Awards, Best Startup Exhibitor Awards, Best Incubator Exhibitor Awards and BioE3 Competition Awards.
vi.India’s bio economy has grown from $10 billion in 2014 to $130 billion 2024, with projections to reach $300 billion by 2030.
About the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC):
BIRAC is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, set up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India (GoI).
Managing Director (MD) – Jitendra Kumar
Located – New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 2012
Union Minister Piyush Goyal Chaired the 3rd Board of Trade Meeting in Mumbai: Launches Jan Sunwai portal & ERP Portal
On 13th September 2024, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), chaired the 3rd meeting of the reconstituted Board of Trade (BoT) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- He reaffirmed the Government of India (GoI)’s commitment to boost economic growth through robust partnerships with state governments.
i.During the BoT meeting, he launched two new digital initiatives: Jan Sunwai portal and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), new online service portal of Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Limited (ECGC).
ii.A session was organised which featured interactive presentations from the state governments of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu (TN), Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh (MP) and they showcased their achievements in export promotion and Ease of Doing Business (EODB), interventions, and on-going state-level initiatives.
About Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I):
Union Minister- Piyush Goyal (Constituency- Mumbai North, Maharashtra)
Minister of State (MoS)- Jitin Prasada (Constituency- Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, UP)
>> Read Full News
Fabindia Collaborates with MoMSME To Empower India’s Artisanal Heritage Under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme 
Fabindia Limited, India’s leading lifestyle brand has collaborated with the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) to empower India’s Artisanal Heritage under the Pradhan Mantri (PM) Vishwakarma Scheme.
Key Points:
i.The aim of the initiative is to enhance the livelihoods of India’s traditional artisans like Potters, Carpenters, Boat Maker, Weavers, Sculptor, Stone Breaker and other skilled craftsmen, by promoting their products and expanding their market reach.
ii.This collaboration focuses on improving the marketing development activities of artisans registered under the PM Vishwakarma scheme, allowing them to demonstrate their craftsmanship to a wider audience and boost their livelihoods.
Objectives of collaboration:
i.Market Integration: Fabindia will incorporate artisan-made products into its retail network, providing them a platform to demonstrate and sell their goods across markets.
ii.Capacity Building: Fabindia will help artisans improve their craftsmanship by using modern design trends and technology to increase the commercial appeal of their products.
iii.Branding & Promotion: Fabindia, with its extensive marketing channels, will promote these artisans’ products both online and offline, ensuring increased visibility and demand for authentic, handmade Indian crafts.
iv.Sustainability and Preservation of Traditional Crafts: It reflects the brand’s commitment to uphold a deep appreciation for India’s rich cultural heritage and its contribution towards artisans.
PM Vishwakarma scheme:
i.PM Vishwakarma scheme is a Central Sector Scheme, which was launched by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi on 17th September, 2023.
ii.The scheme is implemented by the MoMSME, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance (MoF).
iii.It is designed to empower traditional artisans across India by providing them with financial support, skill development, and marketing assistance.
About Fabindia Limited:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Rajeshwari Srinivasan
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 1960
About the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME):
Union Minister – Jitan Ram Manjhi (Constituency – Gaya, Bihar)
Minister of State (MoS) – Shobha Karandlaje (Constituency – Bangalore North, Karnataka)
BANKING & FINANCE
JBM ECOLIFE Secures Rs 7.2 billion from ADB & AIIB for Electric Bus Expansion in India
Gurugram(Haryana) based JBM ECOLIFE Mobility Private Limited, a subsidiary of JBM Auto Limited, has secured Rs 7.2 billion in funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to enhance electric bus services in India under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model.
- This funding will support the procurement of up to 650 electric buses, along with associated costs for operations, maintenance, depots, and charging infrastructure in Haryana and Odisha.
- ADB led the arrangement of the Rs 7.2 billion debt package, with AIIB contributing Rs 3.6 billion (approximately USD 43.2 million).
Aim:
To promote sustainable transport, improve public health, and reduce emissions by enhancing e-mobility in India.
Key Points:
i.Under this project, there is a gender action plan focuses on creating safer workplaces and boosting women’s participation in nontraditional roles like bus driving.
ii.The funding aligns with the recently announced Prime Minister (PM) E-drive scheme, which aims to subsidize 14,000 electric buses as part of a Rs 10,900 crore green energy initiative.
Note: JBM’s plant in Palwal, Haryana, is the world’s largest dedicated electric bus manufacturing facility outside China, with an annual capacity of 20,000 buses.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President– Masatsugu Asakawa
Headquarters– Manila, Philippines
Members– 68 members
Establishment– 1966
BoB introduces GenAI-Powered Solutions for Enhanced Customer and Employee Experience
Bank of Baroda (BoB) has launched three Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered solutions, aimed at improving customer service and employee efficiency. These include a virtual relationship manager, ‘Aditi; a knowledge management platform for its employees, Gyan Sahay.AI; and a chatbot ADI for digital customer experience.
- These are designed to elevate digital banking experiences for both customers and employees.
About Aditi:
i.BoB has introduced ‘Aditi,’ a generative AI-powered virtual relationship manager to offer enhanced digital customer services.
ii.Aditi provides conversational banking across a range of services through digital avatars.
iii.It is accessible via BoB’s web portal and supports audio, video, and chat-based assistance with 24×7 multilingual support.
iv.The service is being gradually rolled out to existing customers through an enrollment process on the bank’s website.
About GyanSahay.AI :
i.BoB launched ‘GyanSahay.AI,’ a GenAI-enabled knowledge management platform to aid employees with instant and accurate responses.
ii.The platform is trained in the bank’s product policies and processes, allowing employees to handle customer queries more efficiently.
iii.GyanSahay.AI enables employees to work smarter, enhance customer satisfaction, and improve service delivery.
About ADI –Chatbot:
i.BoB also introduced ‘ADI,’ a GenAI-powered chatbot to assist customers in resolving their queries digitally.
ii.ADI enhances the overall digital banking experience, allowing users to get their questions answered quickly and efficiently through the chatbot interface.
About Bank of Baroda (BoB):
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Debadatta Chand
Headquarters– Vadodara, Gujarat
Establishment– 1908
Tagline– India’s International Bank
PhonePe & Liquid Group Partners To Expand UPI Payments in Singapore
Bengaluru(Karnataka) based PhonePe has partnered with the Singapore based Liquid Group, a fintech leader in digital cross-border payment solutions, to enable Indian travellers to make Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments at various merchants in Singapore.
- This would allow travellers to easily scan and pay with their PhonePe app at Liquid Group’s wide merchant base in Singapore.
i.Through this partnership, Liquid Group has enabled its merchants to accept UPI as a payment option, allowing Indian travellers to use their chosen UPI App for transactions.
ii.This collaboration is facilitated through Liquid Group’s partnership with NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL).
iii.The transactions would be processed in Indian Rupees (INR), ensuring transparency and ease of usage.
iv.PhonePe users can receive international remittances via UPI using the PayNow-UPI real-time remittance corridor, which fastens the process of transferring money thereby eliminating the need to share details such as bank account numbers and Indian Financial System Code (IFSC) codes.
v.The Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in Singapore can also link their Non-Resident External (NRE) and Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) bank accounts and make payments for various services for use cases in India.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
BEL Secured Order For Supply of Indigenous Radars Worth Rs 850 Cr From CSL
Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a public sector company has secured an order worth Rs 850 crore from Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) to supply indigenous Multi-Function Radar in the X Band.
- T D Nandakumar, General Manager (GM) (Advanced Defence Systems-Navy – ADSN), BEL, received the order from Sreejith, Director (Operations), CSL.
i.The multi-function radar is designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by BEL.
ii.The radar is designed to detect, acquire, and track airborne targets, providing defence for naval vessels.
iii.BEL also received a Rs 305 crore order to manufacture ship navigational systems, thermal imagers, communication equipment, fire and gun control systems, spares, and service.
iv.With these recent developments, BEL has now accumulated orders totalling
Rs.7,075 Cr in the Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25).
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
TIME’s World’s Best Companies 2024: HCL Tech Tops the List among the Indian Firms
Indian Information technology (IT) firm HCLTech has been recognized as the No. 1 India-headquartered company in World’s Best Companies 2024 list published by the United States of America (USA) based TIME Magazine and German based Statista.
- HCLTech has secured 112th position leading to topping amongst Indian companies.
- The Noida-headquartered firm has also secured a place in the global top 10 list within the Professional Services category.
- US-based tech giant Apple has topped the list globally, followed by Ireland-based tech major Accenture, Microsoft, BMW Group, and Amazon.
The World’s Best Companies 2024 ranking is based on employee-satisfaction surveys, revenue growth, and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) data.
About TIME Magazine:
Chief Executive Officer(CEO)– Jessica Sibley
Headquarters – New York, the United States of America (USA)
Founded – 1923
>> Read Full News
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
Olympic Medal Winner Manu Bhaker Appointed as Brand Ambassador of MoPSW & Golden Bullet
On September 17 2024, Manu Bhaker, a double Olympic medal winner has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador for the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
- The appointment was announced by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, MoPSW at the 4th Harnessing of the Nari Shakti for the Development of the Nation event held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN).
- The event was organised by the Chennai Port Authority (CPA) in collaboration with Kamarajar Port Authority.
About Manu Bhaker:
i.Manu Bhaker became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting when she won the bronze medals in the women’s 10m air pistol event and in the 10m mixed double event in Paris in 2024.
ii.She became the first athlete from India to win two medals in the single edition of the Olympics.
iii.She has also won a Gold medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event at International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup held in Mexico in 2018.
iv.She became the first Indian shooter to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympics in 2018 when she won the gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol event.
Golden Bullet Appointed Manu Bhaker as Brand Ambassador
Bhiwandi(Maharashtra) based Golden Bullet, a tools company, has announced the appointment of Manu Bhaker as their Brand Ambassador.
- IOS Sports and Entertainment, Bhaker’s exclusive marketing agency, facilitated this partnership between Golden Bullet and Manu.
About the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).
Union Minister – Sarbananda Sonowal (Constituency – Dibrugarh, Assam)
Minister of State (MoS) – Shantanu Thakur (Constituency – Bangaon, West Bengal, WB)
About the IOS Sports and Entertainment:
Founder and Managing Director (MD) – Neerav Tomar
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Monjit Sharma
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 2005
ECI Names Para Archers Sheetal Devi &Rakesh Kumar as National Icon for PwD
Indian para-archers Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), have been named the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) National Icons for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) for voter awareness, during an event organised by the ECI at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi, Delhi.
- During the event, Rajiv Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner of India (CEC) along with Election Commissioners (ECs) Gyanesh Kumar and Dr. Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, felicitated Arjuna Awardee and ECI’s national PwD icons are present at the event.
i.Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar secured the bronze medal in Archery’s Mixed Team Compound Open event at the 2024 Paralympics, held in Paris, France. They set a new Paralympic record with a combined score of 1399.
ii.Sheetal Devi was previously announced as an ECI National Icon before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. She became India’s youngest Paralympic medalist at 17.
- She won a silver medal at the World Archery Para Championships 2023 in Plzeň, Czech Republic in 2023, becoming the 1st female armless archer to win a medal at the Para World Championships.
- In 2024, she was honoured with Arjuna Award (2023) for her achievements in Para Archery.
iii.Rakesh Kumar won 3 gold medals in the Compound Men Open Team, Compound Open Mixed Team, and Compound Men Open events at the 2023 Para Asian Archery Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.
- He became India’s first-ever gold medallist in the World Archery Para Championships when he claimed the world title in the Compound mixed team event alongside Sarita in Pilsen, Czech Republic in 2023.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Iran Successfully Launches Chamran-1 Research Satellite into Orbit
Iran has successfully launched ‘Chamran-1’ research satellite and put into a 550 kilometer(km) orbit by the Qaem-100 satellite carrier. The launch was made at the Guard’s launch pad near the city of Shahroud, some 350km(215 miles) east of the capital, Tehran, Iran.
- This is Iran’s second satellite launch in 2024, first under Iran’s President Masoud Pezezhkian.
Key Points:
i.The Chamran-1 satellite, weighing 60 kilograms(kg), designed to test hardware and software systems for orbital maneuver technology.
ii.The satellite’s mission was to evaluate the cold gas propulsion subsystem in space systems and the performance of the navigation and attitude control subsystems.
iii.It is designed and manufactured by Iranian engineers at Iran Electronics Industries (SAIran), a defense ministry subsidiary, in collaboration with the Aerospace Research Institute and several private firms.
iv.The Qaem-100 rocket, built by Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It is a solid-fuel, three-stage vehicle and previously used in January 2024 for another successful satellite launch.
About Iran:
President– Masoud Pezeshkian
Capital– Tehran
Currency– Iranian Rial
SPORTS
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri Won the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2024
On September 15 2024, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, an Australian racing driver won the Formula 1 (F1) Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix (GP) 2024 held from 13 to 15 September 2024 at the Baku City Circuit (BCC) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
- Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, a Monégasque racing driver finished 2nd followed by Mercedes’ George Russell, a British racing driver who finished 3rd.
- This victory marks Piastri’s 2nd career F1 GP win in his second season in F1.
Note: Piastri secured his first-ever F1 title victory at the Hungarian GP 2024 at Hungaroring in Mogyoród (near Budapest), Hungary in July 2024.
Top 5 Racing Drivers of the 2024 Azerbaijan GP:
| Position | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 25 |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 18 |
| 3 | George Russell | Mercedes | 15 |
| 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 13 |
| 5 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 10 |
Key Points:
i.The results of Azerbaijan GP 2024 placed McLaren above Red Bull in the constructors’ standings for the first time since 2014.
- McLaren last won the constructors’ championship in 1998.
ii.Azerbaijan GP 2024 was the 17th Round of the 2024 Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) F1 World Championship.
iii.The 18th Round will be the F1 Singapore Airlines Singapore GP 2024, which is set to take place from 20-22 September 2024 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, in Marina Bay, Singapore.
About the Baku City Circuit (BCC):
i.The first GP in Baku was held in 2016, as the European GP. That was followed by the inaugural Azerbaijan GP in 2017.
ii.Details of the Circuit:
- Number of Laps- 51
- Circuit Length- 6.003 kilometers (km)
- Race Distance- 306.049 km
OBITUARY
Dronacharya Award-Winning TT Coach Jayanta Pushilal Passed Away
Jayanta Kumar Pushilal, a Dronacharya award-winning Table Tennis (TT) coach, passed away at 63 in Kolkata, West Bengal (WB). He was born in December 1961 in Kolkata.
- Known as ‘Botonda,’ he coached for over 40 years, producing over 15 national champions, including Mouma Das, Arup Basak, and Prapti Sen and others.
- He was the former Maldives TT National Team Coach, extending his expertise to the Kerala sports department and TT associations in Kazakhstan.
- He also served as visiting faculty at a training facility in California, the United States of America (USA) from 2009-2013.
- He was honoured with the Dronacharya Award (Lifetime) for 2023, in recognition of his outstanding achievements in Coaching.
IMPORTANT DAYS
World Patient Safety Day 2024 – September 17 
World Health Organisation’s (WHO) World Patient Safety Day (WPSD) is observed annually across the globe on September 17 to raise awareness about patient’s safety and promote actions to enhance safety in healthcare.
- The theme of WPSD 2024 is “Improving diagnosis for patient safety” with the slogan “Get it right, make it safe!” which emphasising the vital role of accurate and timely diagnosis in safeguarding patients and improving healthcare outcomes.
- The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI) hosted the NABH Patient Safety Conference (NPSC 2024) in New Delhi(Delhi) on World Patient Safety Day, September 17, 2024.
About the World Health Organisation (WHO):
Director-General (DG) – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Established – 1948
>> Read Full News
International Equal Pay Day 2024- 18 September
The United Nations (UN’s) International Equal Pay Day is annually observed across the globe on 18 September to raise awareness about the gender pay gap and promote efforts to achieve equal pay for work of equal value..
- 18 September 2024 marks the observance of the 5th International Equal Pay Day.
Background:
i.On 18 December 2019, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/74/142, proclaiming the 18 September of every year as International Equal Pay Day.
ii.The first-ever International Equal Pay Day was observed on 18 September 2020.
About the UN women:
Executive Director (ED)- Sima Sami Bahous
Headquarters– New York, the United States of America (USA)
Established– 2010
>> Read Full News
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