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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Addresses 12th CII Bioenergy Summit in Delhi
On 14th October 2024, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways(MoRTH), addressed the 12th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Bioenergy Summit held in New Delhi, Delhi.
- The summit highlighted India’s efforts towards achieving bioenergy, with a special focus on ethanol blending and sustainable energy innovations.
- The theme of the summit was “Fueling the Future – Securing India’s Green Growth Goals”.
Key Highlights:
i.Nitin Gadkari highlighted that ethanol blending in petrol has increased from 1.53% in 2014 to 15% in 2024, with a target to reach 20% by 2025.
- As part of the government’s strategy to reduce fossil fuel dependency, India is conducting research to explore blending 15% ethanol in diesel.
ii.India’s ethanol ecosystem includes 400 ethanol pumps by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) in 4 states (Karnataka, Tamil Nadu(TN), Uttar Pradesh(UP), and Maharashtra).
iii. Production of bio-Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) from rice straw has been proven beneficial across 475 projects, with over 40 already operational in states like Punjab, Haryana, Western Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka.
- The conversion ratio of rice straw to CNG currently stands at approximately 5:1 in tonnes.
- Furthermore, research on efficient biomass sources and cost-effective transportation of biomass is also being conducted.
iv.He also highlighted upon the contribution of Indian Oil’s Panipat plant, which is currently able to process one-fifth of the agricultural waste (parali) into biomass and can further reduce pollution by stubble burning.
v. Research by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) on bio-bitumen production will also help in reducing India’s dependence on imported bitumen, further contributing to the country’s green growth agenda.
vi.The aim is to reduce India’s annual fossil fuel import worth Rs.22 lakh crore and expand the role of farmers from Anna data (food-giver) to Urjadata (energy-giver), Indhandata (fuel-giver), and ultimately, Hydrogen-Data (Hydrogen-giver) through promotion of biofuel sector.
About Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
President – Sanjiv Puri
Headquarters – New Delhi, India
Founded – 1895
EAM Jaishankar Launches e-Migrate V2.0 Web Portal & Mobile App for Safer Global Mobility
On 14 October 2024, Union Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), launched the e-Migrate V2.0 web portal and mobile app at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi, Delhi.
- This aims to ensure safe and more regulated overseas travel for Indian workers.
- This aligns with Goal 10 of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: “Reduce inequality within and among countries”.
About e-Migrate V2.0:
i.e-Migrate V2.0 is an updated version of the e-Migrate portal, developed by MEA in 2014.
ii.This enhances the earlier version by incorporating additional features for greater transparency, efficiency, and user convenience.
Key Features:
i.The upgraded portal includes a 24/7 multilingual helpline to assist migrants with urgent issues.
ii.The portal integrates with DigiLocker for secure document storage.
iii.The portal focuses on expanding opportunities for overseas employment by providing a one-stop marketplace.
- This marketplace provides verified information about employers and recruitment agencies, enabling Indian workers to make informed decisions about their job opportunities abroad.
iv.With a partnership with the State Bank of India (SBI), the portal allows digital payment services with no transaction fees.
- It also aims to enhance the social security of immigrants by providing insurance coverage.
v.Through a collaboration with Common Service Centres (CSC), immigration services will be made available in rural areas and local languages, making it easier for more individuals to access these services.
About the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA):
Union Minister– Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (Rajya Sabha – Gujarat)
Minister of State– Kirti Vardhan Singh(Constituency- Gonda, Uttar Pradesh); Pabitra Margherita- (Rajya Sabha- Assam)
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Unveils ‘Humsafar Policy’ for Onboarding Service Providers for Wayside Amenities Along the National Highways
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) launched the ‘Humsafar Policy’ in New Delhi(Delhi) to enhance the convenience of travelling on National Highways(NHs) and accelerate the development of the Wayside Amenities in presence of Minister of State Ajay Tamta, MoRTH.
i.The Humsafar Policy will introduce facilities, such as clean toilets, baby care rooms, provisions for wheelchairs, Electric Vehicle(EV) charging stations, parking spaces, and dormitory services at fuel stations along highways.
ii.The Policy is designed to establish a comprehensive framework that guarantees commuters access to standardized, well-maintained, and hygienic facilities by integrating both current and future service providers along NHs and Expressways.
iii.Commuters can quickly access details of nearby service providers through the mobile application “Rajmarg Yatra”, launched by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in August 2023.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
India extends 1st ever Rupee-Denominated LoC, Mauritius gets Rs 487.60cr
The Government of India(GoI) has extended a new Line of Credit (LoC) worth Rs 487.60 crore to the Government of Mauritius for financing of a water pipeline replacement project. This is India’s first ever rupee-denominated LoC for project financing to any country under the Indian Development and Economic Assistance Scheme (IDEAS).
- The formal offer for the project was made by the Union Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), GoI to Maneesh Gobin, Mauritian Attorney General and Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, and accepted by the Government of Mauritius.
- It will be financed by the State Bank of India (SBI) at concessional terms.
Key Points:
i.The project involves replacing nearly 100 kilometre(km) of outdated water pipelines in Mauritius.
ii.It aims to improve water supply infrastructure and ensure reliable access to clean water for residents.
About LoC:
i.The Rupees denominated LoC is a shift from the traditional dollar-denominated loans, enhancing the internationalization of the Indian currency.
ii.It supports bilateral trade by facilitating repayments in rupees, increasing the currency’s value and circulation abroad.
About IDEAS:
IDEAS (formerly India Development Initiative) initiative under the MEA aims to provide concessional loans for infrastructure and social welfare projects across Asia(Excluding Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan) , Africa, Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region, and Latin American region.
- Since 2003-04, the GoI has transitioned to offering LoC through the Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank), replacing the previous Government-to-Government model.
- Prior to this change, the total amount for LOCs was included in the Budget.
About Mauritius:
Prime minister(PM) – Pravind Jugnauth
Capital – Port Louis
Currency – Mauritian Rupee
India Advances in 6G Race, Ranks Among Top 6 in Global Patent Filings
According to various studies, India ranks among the top 6 countries globally in filing patents related to 6G technology, indicating the potential influence of India on the 6G standard-setting process.
- This progress made by India is in alignment with the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s vision to make India a front-line contributor in the design, development and deployment of 6G technology by 2030.
Key Points:
i.According to the official data from MaxVal, a global Intellectual Property (IP) management firm, India has been ranked at 6th spot with 188 6G-related patents, based on the Government of India (GoI)’s data.
- China emerged as the top player in global patent filings with 6,0016G-related patents, followed by the United States of America (USA) (3,909 patents); South Korea (1,417 patents); Japan (584 patents); and the European Union (EU) (214).
- India’s ranking is significant in 6G patents, as it has surpassed major economies like: the United Kingdom (UK) (151 patents), Germany (84 patents), Sweden (74 patents), and France (73 patents).
ii.Another analysis was made by the UK-based U Switch, a price comparison platform for broadband and mobile services, ranked India at 4th position with 265 6G patents in April, 2023.
- China (4,604), the USA (2,229) and South Korea (760) have emerged as the top 3 countries in terms of maximum number of 6G-related patents.
Key Initiatives of GoI in 6G Technology:
i.Currently, the Government of India (GoI) is evaluating 470 proposals on “Accelerated Research on 6G Ecosystem” under “Bharat 6G Vision”. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry of Communication has funded two next-generation testbeds to promote the 6G research.
ii.As per the projections made by the GoI-led panel, India can achieve a share of 10% of all 6G patents along with 1/6th contributions to international standards in the next 3 years.
iii.GoI has launched various initiatives for promoting 6G technology in India like: Bharat 6G Alliance, a comprehensive stakeholder network, Bharat 6G vision and commissioning of test beds.
Note: The World Telecommunications Standardisation Assembly (WTSA 2024) is being held in Delhi from 14th October to 24th October 2024. With this, India became the 1st country in Asia to host the event.
BANKING & FINANCE
India & UAE to Interlink UPI & AANI for Seamless Cross-Border Transactions
The Government of India and the United Arab Emirates(UAE) are working on interlinking India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) with UAE’s instant payments platform AANI to enable seamless cross-border transactions between the two countries.
- This will benefit over 3 million Indians residing in the UAE enabling them to use the power of UPI and AANI.
i.It was discussed during the 12th Meeting of the India-UAE High Level Joint Task Force on Investments (HLJTFI) took place in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
ii.The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry (MoCI), GoI and His Highness Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Managing Director(MD) of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA).
ii.The two government representatives also signed off on collaborating on a card payment service by utilizing the resources of India’s National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), via its international subsidiary NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) with the UAE’s payments entity Al Etihad Payments (AEP), to enable creation of domestic card scheme JAYWAN in the UAE.
- It is based on the RuPay card stack (developed and deployed at great scale by NPCI in India), which is shared with the AEP to enable UAE be sovereign in the area of digital payments.
iii.The UAE has also agreed to invest in setting up food parks across India, with an expected investment of around USD 2 billion over the next two to two-and-a-half years.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Adani Group & Google partnered to boost clean energy in India
Ahmedabad(Gujarat) based Adani Group and the United States of America(USA) based Google have announced a partnership to enhance the sustainability efforts and contribute to the growth of clean energy in India.
- Under this partnership, Adani will supply renewable energy from a new solar-wind hybrid project, part of the world’s largest renewable energy plant located in Khavda, Gujarat.
- The project will begin its commercial operations in 2025.
i.This initiative aligns with the group’s strategy to decarbonize industries while focusing more on merchant and Commercial and Industrial (C&I) segments.
ii.This collaboration will help Google to achieve its “24/7 carbon-free energy goal” by ensuring that cloud services and operations in India are powered by sustainable energy.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
Paramesh Sivamani Takes Over as 26th Director General of ICG
On 16th October 2024, Paramesh Sivamani has took over as the 26th Director General (DG) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
- He has been serving as the DG (additional charge) of ICG since August 2024 after the death of then DG Rakesh Pal.
- Paramesh Sivamani has been serving as the Additional DG of ICG since September 2022.
About Paramesh Sivamani:
i.Paramesh Sivamani has Commanded all major vessels of the ICG, including Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Samar and OPV Vishwast, and also led the Eastern and Western Coast Guard Regions.
ii.He is regarded as a specialist in Navigation & Direction, a critical area for ensuring maritime safety.
iii.He has received the Tatrakshak Medal (2014), President’s Tatrakshak Medal (2019), DG Coast Guard Commendation (2012), and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (East) Commendation (2009).
About Indian Coast Guard (ICG):
It was established by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 on February 1, 1977.
Director General (DG)– Paramesh Sivamani
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Prabowo Subianto Sworn in as 8th President of Indonesia
On 20th October 2024, Former general Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo (73) of Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra Party) was appointed as the 8th President of Indonesia (2024-2029). He succeeded Joko Widodo, who served as the President of Indonesia from 2014 to 2024.
- Gibran Rakabuming, son of Joko Widodo, was appointed as the Vice President of Indonesia.
- Prabowo Subianto served as the Defence Minister of Indonesia from 2019 to 2024.
Key People:
Union Minister of State (MoS) Pabitra Margherita, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India (GoI) and leaders and officials from around 40 countries were present during the swearing-in ceremony held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
2024 Election:
i.2024 General elections in Indonesia to elect the president, vice president, and People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) was held on 14th February 2024.
ii.Prabowo Subianto secured a decisive victory by winning around 59% of the votes in first round of presidential election.
About Prabowo Subianto:
i.Prabowo Subianto is a retired general and has held various military positions, including commander of the Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad).
ii.He was honoured with the Collar of the Order of Zayed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2024, and Distinguished Service Order (Military) by Singapore in 2023.
iii.Among National Honors, he received the Star of the Republic of Indonesia, 1st Class; Star of Mahaputera, 1st Class, and Star of Mahaputera, 2nd Class, among others.
Noel Naval Tata succeeds Ratan Tata as chairman of Sir Ratan Tata Trusts
Noel Naval Tata, half-brother of Ratan Tata, has been selected unanimously by the Board members of Sir Ratan Tata Trusts as the chairman and all trusts covered under it. He will succeed Ratan Tata who passed away at the age of 86 on October 9, 2024.
- Noel Naval Tata is currently the chairman of Trent Limited, Tata International Ltd, Voltas Ltd and Tata Investment Corporation Ltd. He is also the vice chairman of Tata Steel Ltd and Titan Company Ltd.
Note: Tata Trusts has a 66% stake in Tata Sons, while 12.87% is owned by several Tata Group companies, and 18.4% by the Shapoorji Pallonji family.
About Noel Naval Tata:
i.Noel Naval Tata started his career at Tata International and later became Managing Director(MD) of Trent in 1999.
- He has been involved with various companies within the Tata Group for many years.
ii.He served as the Managing Director (MD) of Tata International, significantly increasing revenue from USD 500 million to over USD 3 billion during his tenure.
iii.As Chairman of Trent Limited since 2014, he has expanded its operations, which include popular brands like Westside and Zudio.
iv.He holds positions on several boards including Voltas and Titan Company.
v.He has been on the boards of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust since 2019.
BOBCARD has named cricketer Shreyanka Patil as its brand ambassador
BOBCARD LIMITED, a subsidiary of Bank of Baroda(BoB), has chosen Indian cricketer Shreyanka Patil as its brand ambassador.
i.She will represent the company in upcoming campaigns and initiatives, as BOBCARD aims to promote its vision of “Reimagining Credit for Everyone in India” by providing innovative and accessible credit card solutions.
ii.The company sees its collaboration with Patil as an opportunity to engage a new generation of credit users, fostering responsible financial habits and informed decision-making.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NASA’s Spacecraft Europa Clipper Blasts off to Find out if Jupiter Moon Can Support Life
On 14th October 2024, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched its Europa Clipper spacecraft under the Europa mission to Jupiter and its moon Europa, one of Jupiter’s 95 known moons.
- The spacecraft aboard a Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) Falcon Heavy rocket and was lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Florida, the United States of America (USA).
- This marks NASA’s 1st mission dedicated to studying an ocean world beyond Earth.
- The primary objective of the mission is to determine whether icy shell of Europa and its ocean underneath could support life.
About National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):
Administrator– Bill Nelson
Headquarters– Washington DC, the United States of America (USA)
Established– 1958
>> Read Full News
SPORTS
ISSF World Cup Final 2024 held in New Delhi: India Finished 9th with 4 Medals 
India finished 9th on the medal tally of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Final Rifle / Pistol / Shotgun 2024 with 4 medals (2 Silver and 2 Bronze).
- China topped the medal tally with 8 medals (5 Gold and 3 Bronze) followed by Italy with 5 medals (1 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze) and Germany with 3 Medals (1 Gold and 2 Silver).
- ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun was held from 13th to 18th October 2024 in Dr Karni Singh Range, New Delhi, Delhi.
i.India’s Sonam Maskar secured the silver medal in the women’s 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Cup Final 2024.
ii.Vivaan Kapoor won the silver medal in Men’s Trap (Shotgun) event in the ISSF World Cup Final with 44 points.
iii.Akhil Sheoran won the bronze medal in the 50m Rifle 3 Position Men final at the ISSF World Cup Final 2024.
iv.Anantjeet Singh Naruka won the bronze medal in the men’s skeet event with a total of 43 points.
About International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF):
ISSF is the world governing body of shooting events at the Olympic Games.
President – Luciano Rossi
Founded– 1907
Headquarters– Munich, Germany
>> Read Full News
OBITUARY
Former First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, Passed Away
Former leader of Scottish National Party (SNP) Alex Salmond, who served as the First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014, passed away at the age of 69 in Ohrid, North Macedonia. He was born on 1st December 1954 in Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland.
- He was the first Scottish nationalist first minister of Scotland.
About Alex Salmond:
i.Alex Salmond worked as an assistant economist for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DoA&F) for Scotland from 1978-80.
ii.He also worked as an economist in the Royal Bank of Scotland (1980-87).
iii.For the 1st time, he became the Member of Parliament (MP) of the House of Commons, Lower House of the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament from the constituency of Banff and Buchan in 1987. He served as MP in the house of commons from 1987-2010 and from 2015 to 2017.
iv.He served as the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from 1999 to 2001; 2007 to 2011 and 2011 to 2016.
v.He also served as the leader of SNP from 1999 to 2000; 2007 to 2011 and from 2011 to 2014.
vi.In 2014, he led the referendum which wanted Scotland independence from the UK, and had secured 45% of the total votes in its favour.
IMPORTANT DAYS
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2024 – October 13
The United Nations (UN’s) International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) is annually observed across the globe on 13 October to promote a global culture of risk awareness and disaster reduction.
- IDDRR also encourages the implementation of frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction(SFDRR) 2015-2030 which focuses on reducing disaster risk and enhancing preparedness globally.
- The theme of IDDRR 2024 is “Empowering the next generation for a resilient future”.
Background:
i..In 2009, the UNGA adopted the resolution A/RES/64/200 and officially designated 13 October as the IDDRR.
ii.Since 2010, IDDRR has been annually observed on 13 October
About United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR):
The UNDRR is a member of the UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG).
Head– Kamal Kishore
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Established – 1999
>> Read Full News
International Day of Rural Women 2024 – October 15
The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of Rural Women (IDRW) is annually observed across the globe on 15 October to recognise the contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security, and eliminating rural poverty.
- The theme of International Day of Rural Women 2024 is “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All”.
Background:
i.On 18 December 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/62/136 and declared the 15th of October of every year as the IDRW.
ii.The first-ever IDRW was observed on 15 October 2008.
About the United Nations General Assembly(UNGA):
UNGA is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the UN.
President – Dennis Francis (Trinidad & Tobago)
Headquarters – New York, The United States of America(USA)
Established – 1945
>> Read Full News
World Sight Day 2024 – October 10 
World Sight Day (WSD), also known as World Eye Day or World Vision Day, is observed annually on the second Thursday of October across the globe to focus global attention on blindness and vision impairment. It is coordinated by the London(the United Kingdom, UK) based International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) and the Geneva(Switzerland) based World Health Organization(WHO).
- WSD 2024 falls on October 10th 2024. The theme of the WSD 2024 is “Children, Love Your Eyes”.
- In 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially launched the WSD and WSD was first observed on October 12, 2000.
About International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB):
President – Caroline Casey
Founded – 1975
Headquarters – London, the United Kingdom(UK)
>> Read Full News
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