Current Affairs 3 November 2023

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BANKING & FINANCE

Reliance Retail & SBI Card Collaborates to Launch ‘Reliance SBI Card’SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited(SBI Card), in collaboration with Reliance Retail Limited(RRL), has launched a co-branded credit card called the ‘Reliance SBI Card’ which aims to provide a world-class customer experience.

• The card comes in two variants namely Reliance SBI Card and Reliance SBI Card PRIME.
• Reliance SBI Card, made using recycled plastic, is powered by RuPay contactless technology.

Security:
The unique security key feature of Visa payWave will ensure that only one transaction is processed even if the card is waved multiple time at the reader.
About of Reliance SBI Card:
i.The card comes with an annual fee of Rs.499(for first year) and Renewal fee of Rs.499(for second year)
ii.The card is accepted worldwide and one can make payments at any outlet that accepts Visa or MasterCard. 
Card Benefits:
i.On payment of the joining fee, the card offers a Reliance Retail Voucher worth Rs. 500.
ii.The cardholder will receive 5 Reward Points for every Rs.100 spent through the card.
About Reliance SBI Card PRIME:
i.The card comes with an annual fee of Rs.2999(for the first year) and a Renewal fee of Rs.2999(for the second year).
ii.The card is accepted worldwide and one can make payments at any outlet that accepts Visa cards. 
Card Benefits:
i.The cardholder will receive 10 Reward Points for every Rs.100 spent through the card.
ii.Reliance SBI Card PRIME offers the following lounge benefits as well.

• 8 complimentary Domestic airport lounges visits per calendar year, with a maximum of 2 visits per quarter.
• 4 complimentary International airport lounges visits per calendar year, with a maximum of 2 visits per quarter,(starting from December 15, 2023).

Mahindra Finance Enters Co-Lending Partnership with SBI
Mahindra & Mahindra Financial Services Limited, a leading non-banking financial company (NBFC) in India, has entered into a Co-Lending Model(CLM) partnership with the State Bank of India (SBI) to provide to affordable and personalized financing solutions to empower Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME) sectors across India.

• Mahindra Finance, by leveraging its extensive rural distribution network, will be responsible for customer origination and servicing; while SBI will provide the funding of the loan.
• They offer personalised interest rate for each customer based on their credit profile.

Co-Lending Model(CLM):
i.The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) laid out the co-origination framework in 2018, allowing banks and NBFCs to co-originate loans.

• In 2020, RBI Co-Lending guidelines were further amended and renamed as CLM- Co-Lending Models.

ii.The CLM aims to provide funding for the unserved and underserved sectors of the economy by requiring NBFCs to be the sole point of contact for customers.
About SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited(SBI Card):
SBI Card, formerly known as “SBI Cards and Payment Services Private Limited”, was launched as a joint venture between the State Bank of India(SBI) and GE Capital.
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Abhijit Chakravorty
Headquarters – Gurugram, Haryana
Established in – 1998
About Reliance Retail Limited:
RRL is a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), the holding company of all the retail companies under Reliance Industries Limited(RIL).
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Akhilesh Prasad
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in – 2006

HSBC Became the First Foreign Bank to Introduce e-BGs in IndiaThe Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India (HSBC India), in association with the National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL), has introduced the electronic-Bank Guarantees (e-BGs) services to digitize trade finance.

• With this, HSBC India became the first Foreign Bank in India to offer e-BGs.

What is e-BG?
i.e-BG is a digital equivalent of a traditional paper-based Bank Guarantee.
ii.It is a guarantee issued by a bank to a beneficiary on behalf of an applicant, promising to pay the beneficiary a specific amount of money if the applicant fails to fulfil a certain obligation.
iii.The process is made simple by introducing electronic stamping (E-stamping) and electronic signing (E-signing).
Benefits:
i.e-BG significantly reduces the transaction cycle time or turnaround time(TAT).
ii.e-BGs are more cost-effective than paper-based guarantees, as they eliminate the need for printing, courier, and other associated costs.
iii.e-BGs are more secure than paper-based guarantees, as they use the latest security technologies to protect against fraud and tampering.
iv.e-BGs offer increased transparency, as businesses can track the status of their e-BGs at any time.
Additional Info:
In September 2022, Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Bank, India’s largest private sector bank became India’s 1st bank to issue an e-BG in partnership with NeSL.
About Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India (HSBC India):
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Hitendra Dave
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in 1853
About  National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL):
NeSL is India’s first Information Utility and is registered with the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) under the aegis of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC).
Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Debajyoti Ray Chaudhuri
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established in – 2016

India First Life gets GIFT City IFSC RegistrationIndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Limited (IndiaFirst Life) has become the 1st  life insurance company in India to receive Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT-City)’s International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) Registration.

• The IFSC Unit of IndiaFirst will soon commence operations.

Background:
Following the approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) in August 2023, IndiaFirst received registration from the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA) in September 2023.
Key Points:
i.This registration will enable IndiaFirst to extend its services outside India.
ii.This will also enhance its market presence and capitalize on the customer outreach opportunities at a global level, particularly NRIs (non-resident Indians) banking with its partner banks(Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Union Bank of India(UBI)).
IndiaFirst Life:
India First Life Insurance is a three-way venture firm with BoB(holding 65% stake), UBI (holding 9% stake), and Carmel Point Investments India Private Limited(holding 26% stake).

• Carmel Point Investments India Private Limited, a private limited company incorporated under the laws of India and affiliate of the Warburg Pincus Group.

GIFT-City:
i.GIFT IFSC is India’s first international financial services center.
ii.It was established in April 2015 under the Special Economic Zone Act, 2005 (SEZ Act, 2005).
iii.It is a joint venture(JV) of IL&FS (Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd) and Gujarat government-owned Gujarat Urban Development Co.Ltd.
iv.It is a financial hub that provides world-class infrastructure and services for financial institutions and companies operating in areas such as banking, insurance, capital markets, and asset management.
v.It is regulated by IFSCA.
About IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company Limited (IndiaFirst Life):
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer(CEO)– RM Vishakha
Incorporated in November 2009
Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra.

SEBI Unveils New Format for SID of AMCIntending to streamline the dissemination of relevant information to investors, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has unveiled a new format for the Scheme Information Documents (SIDs) of Asset Management Company(AMC).

• The new norms are suggested by the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) and recommended by the Mutual Fund Advisory Committee(MFAC).
• The new format will come into force from April 1, 2024.

What is SID?
The Scheme Information Document or SID contains detailed information about the scheme’s investment objective, asset allocation pattern, investment approach, risks involved, fund managers, fees, expenses etc.
Changes made in the ‘summary of the scheme’ section:
i.AMC must clearly state the benchmark index for each scheme and explain why they have chosen that index to compare the scheme’s performance. 
ii.If applicable, they must also disclose the second-tier benchmark, which reflects the fund manager’s investment style within the category.
iii.The section will include a web link, which will display the Total Expense Ratio (TER) for the previous six months along with the scheme factsheet.
Website Links:
i.AMC are also required to provide a functional web link to the scheme’s portfolio holdings (top 10 holdings by issuer and fund allocation towards various sectors).
ii.The fund houses should provide a reference list of existing schemes and a functional website link that contains a detailed comparative table.
Other Changes:
i.The new circular requires mutual fund companies to disclose the aggregate investment in the scheme by the scheme’s fund managers.
ii.Additionally, mutual fund companies must explain how the new scheme differs from the existing schemes offered by the fund.
Offer Documents:
Mutual fund offer documents, such as the Key Information Memorandum (KIM), Scheme Information Document (SID), and Statement of Additional Information (SAI), provide essential information about the scheme.

• These documents also provide information including its investment objective and policies, fees and liquidity provisions, fund management team details, all risk factors, and risk mitigation mechanisms.

Old Format usage:
For the following cases old format of SID can be used:

• Draft SIDs to be filed with SEBI on or before March 31, 2024.
• SIDs already filed with SEBI (final observations yet to be issued).
• SIDs for which the final observations have already been received from SEBI (if launched on or before March 31, 2024).

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

IMF Projects Global Growth to Slow to 2.9% in 2024 Amid Economic SlowdownThe ‘World Economic Outlook: Navigating Global Divergences’ report released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in October 2023, projected the global economic growth to slow down from 3.5% in 2022 to 3% in 2023 and 2.9% in 2024.

• This is one of the lowest growth rates in decades and well below the historical average of 3.8% recorded between 2000 & 2019.

Global-View:
i.Advanced economies are expected to experience a decline, a drop from 2.6% economic growth in 2022 to 1.5% in 2023 and 1.4% in 2024.

• This is attributed to policy tightening aimed at curbing inflation.

ii.The emerging markets and developing economies are expected to witness a decrease in growth from 4.1% economic growth in 2022 to 4% in both 2023 and 2024.
Inflation Trends:
According to the report, the global inflation is expected to decrease from 8.7% in 2022 to 6.9% in 2023 and 5.8% in 2024.

• The decline is due to the tighter monetary policy as well as the lower international commodity prices.

ii.Core inflation is expected to go down at a slower pace. The inflation is likely to remain above target in most countries until at least 2025.

• By 2025, inflation is expected to be within only 0.2 % point of target in most economies.

iii.Rising near-term inflation expectations and tight labour markets could lead to core inflation pressures requiring higher-than-expected policy rates.
Other Highlights:
i.The report suggests the importance of focusing on monetary policy actions and frameworks(with effective communication strategies) to anchor inflation expectations.
ii.It highlights the potential impact of disruptions to global trade due to geo-economic fragmentation.
iii.Economic activity still falls short of pre-pandemic levels, particularly in emerging market and developing economies, with disparities widening between regions.

• Persistent effects of the pandemic, the Ukraine conflict, geo-economic fragmentation, cyclical factors related to monetary policy tightening, withdrawal of fiscal support, and extreme weather events are some of the factors that hinders the robust recovery.

About International Monetary Fund (IMF): 
Managing Director – Kristalina Georgieva
Headquarters– Washington D.C, United States of America (USA) 
Establishment– 1944

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

AIFF Wins AFC President’s Recognition Bronze Award for Grassroots FootballThe All India Football Federation (AIFF) has won the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Recognition Bronze Award for grassroots football. AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey received the award at the AFC Annual Awards 2022 in Doha, Qatar.
AFC President’s Recognition Award for Grassroots Football:
i.AFC President Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football ‘Gold’ won by Football Australia.
ii.AFC President Recognition Awards for Grassroots Football ‘Silver’ won by the Guam Football Association
AIFF works for the development of grassroots-level football:
i.AIFF has introduced several grassroots football development plans including the AIFF Blue Cubs programme, Blue Cubs coaching courses, Blue Cubs leagues, Blue Cubs football schools, and AIFF Grassroots Awards.

• AIFF also introduced the AIFF Institutional League for Non-Professional Entities and AIFF Project Diamond for grassroots football.

ii.AIFF participated in the various initiatives of the AFC including the AFC Grassroots Day 2023, AIFF Academy Accreditation, AIFF Golden Baby Leagues, Grassroots Coach Development Courses, Blue Cubs Leader Courses, and Grassroots Coach Educators Courses
About AFC Annual Awards:
i.The 27th edition of the AFC Annual Award presented in 18 award categories including the newly introduced AFC Regional Association of the Year award.

• The prestigious AFC Men’s Player of the Year 2022 was given to Salem Al Dawsari (Saudi Arabia) for his performance in the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup Qatar 2022.
• Australia striker Samantha Kerr was awarded AFC Women’s Player of the Year 2022.

AFC Annual Awards 2022
About Asian Football Confederation (AFC):
This marks AIFF’s second bronze medal in the category, including its recognition in 2014.
President –  Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa
Headquarters – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Established – 1954

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

RBI Appoints Manoranjan Mishra as New Executive Director
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Manoranjan Mishra as its Executive Director (ED) with effect from November 1, 2023. As the ED, Manoranjan Mishra will oversee three Departments namely Enforcement, Risk Monitoring, and External Investments & Operations.

• Prior to his appointment as ED, he was serving as Chief General Manager in the Department of Regulation, RBI.
• He has extensive experience of over 3 decades in the RBI, having worked in the areas of regulation of banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), supervision of banks, and currency management.
• He has served as a member of several Working Groups at the national and international levels contributing to the formulation of regulatory/ supervisory policies.

Tata Power Appoints Deepesh Nanda as President-Renewables and CEO and MD of TPREL
Tata Power, one of India’s largest integrated power companies, appointed Deepesh Nanda as President-Renewables and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Tata Power Renewable Energy Limited (TPREL), a subsidiary of Tata Power, with effect from November 1, 2023.

• He succeeded Ashish Khanna, who moved as President of Generation Business.
• In his new role, Deepesh Nanda will oversee Tata Power’s renewable energy portfolio, comprising solar, wind, hybrid, and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) green energy solutions.
• He will also lead innovation and digital transformation initiatives in the renewable energy sector.
• He has 28 years of extensive experience across companies like General Electric (GE), Flowserve, and Tyco. He served as CEO for South Asia at GE Gas Power, managing operations in multiple countries.
• He was additionally President and CEO of GE’s Aero-derivative Gas Turbine business segment for Asia.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

India set to develop Israel’s Iron Dome like LR-SAM under Project Kusha India’s Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is set to develop a long-range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) system, similar to that of Israel’s Iron Dome defence system.

• This system developed under “Project Kusha” will equip India with a robust air defence system which will detect and neutralise incoming threats.

DRDO is the defence Research and Development (R&D) wing under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Government of India.
About LR-SAM: 
i.The LRSAM will be capable of destroying incoming stealth fighters, aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and precision-guided munitions within a range of up to 350 kilometres (km).
ii.The system is scheduled for deployment by 2028-2029.
Note: This air defense system will be on par with the Russian S-400 Triumf system, inducted into the Indian Air Force(IAF).
Feature: 
i.This system will feature long-range surveillance and fire control radars.
ii.This will also include interceptor missiles which can neutralise targets at 150 km, 250 km and 350 km.
Project Kusha:
i.Project Kusha was approved by the Cabinet Committee for Security in May 2022.
ii.IAF’s Project Kusha is jointly executed by DRDO along with private and public sector industries.
iii.It has received approval for funding amounting to approximately Rs 21,700 crore.
Israel’s Iron Dome: 
i.Israel’s Iron Dome (Kippat Barzel in Hebrew) System is a state-of-the-art rocket defence system designed to protect against incoming short-range weapons. It operates in all weather conditions.
ii.This system includes batteries located across Israel, each with 3 to 4 launchers that can fire 20 interceptor missiles.
iii.Iron Dome was created by Israeli firms Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries. 
Additional info: 
i.The Defense Ministry of Israel claims that Iron Dome has successfully intercepted around 97% of all targets fired by the Palestine Islamic Jihad(PIJ) into Israel in 2022.
ii.During the ongoing 2023 Israel-Hamas conflict, Hamas has fired around 5000 rockets at Israel from Gaza Strip. Iron Dome neutralised many missiles, but several bypassed the system and hit built-up areas.
About Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) : 
Chairman– Dr. Samir V Kamat
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Motto– Balasya mulam vigyanam (Sanskrit) means “The source of strength is Science”

SPORTS

Para Indian Athletes Finishes Fifth with 111 Medals in Hangzhou Asian Para Games 2022The Indian contingent finished 5th position in the medal tally with 111 medals (29 gold, 31 silver, and 51 bronze) in the Hangzhou Asian Para Games 2022 held in Hangzhou, China from 22nd to 28th October 2023.

• The 4th edition of the Asian Para Games (2022) marks India’s record for the highest medal tally so far surpassing the previous record medal tally of 72 medals(15 gold, 24 silver, and 33 bronze) in the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.
• Mascot – The “Divine Bird” named ‘Feifei’ is the mascot.

Medal Tally:

About Asian Paralympic Committee (APC): 
President – Majid Rashed
Headquarters – Dubai, United Arab Emirates(UAE)
Established – 2002
>> Read Full News

22-Feet Long Statue of Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar Unveiled at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium
Maharashtra Chief Minister(CM) Eknath Shinde unveiled the 22-foot statue of Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It serves as a tribute to his illustrious career (1989 – 2013) in his 50 years of life, commemorating his 50th birth anniversary celebrated in April 2023.

• The statue captures the legendary cricketer in the act of playing a stroke and has been placed adjacent to the Sachin Tendulkar Stand. The statue was built by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) at the Wankhede Stadium.
• The statue has been designed by Pramod Kamble, a renowned painter and sculptor from the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
• Jay Shah, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI); Rajeev Shukla along with other dignitaries were present on the occasion.

Note:
Sachin Tendulkar is popularly known as Master Blaster and God of Cricket.
Awards: Arjuna Award (1994 – Cricket); Khel Ratna (1997); Padma Shri (1999) and Padma Vibhushan (2008) for Sports; Bharat Ratna (2014).

• Till date, he is the youngest recipient and the first-ever sportsperson to receive the Bharat Ratna award.

OBITUARY

Padma Shri Leela Omchery, a Musicologist and Writer Passed Away
Padma Shri Leela Omchery, a renowned musician, musicologist, and writer passed away in New Delhi, Delhi at the age of 94. She was born on May 31 1929 at Thiruvattar in the princely state of Travancore, Kanyakumari (now in Tamil Nadu).

• She served as a professor at Kamuakara School of Music, Dance, and Research Studies, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala). She was also a professor and principal of Trikala Gurukulam in New Delhi.
• She was the president of Dakshina Bharati (South Indian Women’s Organisation), and vice-president of Swaralaya, New Delhi.
• She also worked as associate professor and head of the Carnatic Music Section, Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, University of Delhi, from 1964 to 1994.
• She was a bilingual author in English and Malayalam, and her notable works include Studies in Indian Music and Allied Arts (5 Volumes) (1990); The Immortals of Indian Music (1998); and Abhinaya Sangeetham (1996).
• She was awarded the Padma Shri (2009) in the Art Field; and the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi award (1991).

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists 2023- November 2 The United Nations (UN) International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI) is annually observed across the globe on 2nd November to pay tribute to journalists killed in the line of duty, and to raise awareness about the dangers of impunity for crimes committed against journalists.

• The day also highlights the active role of journalism and the media in preventing and combating violence and discrimination in digital environments.

Background:
i.On 18 December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/68/163 and proclaimed the 2 November of every year as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (IDEI).
ii.The first-ever IDEI was observed on 2 November 2014.
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

Karnataka Launches Dr Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana to Provide Rapid Treatment for Cardiac Emergencies
Dinesh Gundu Rao, Health Minister of Karnataka, launched Dr Puneeth Rajkumar Hrudaya Jyoti Yojana to provide treatment to people experiencing sudden heart attacks and cardiac issues.

Karnataka’s Health Department launched the scheme in memory of Late Kannada Actor Puneeth Rajkumar, who died in 2021 at the age of 46 due to cardiac arrest.

• Under this scheme, emergency devices will be installed in public places to cater to those suffering from heart attacks within the crucial response time.
• The program has been implemented in 2 ways. Hub and spoke model and installation of self-powered Automated External Defibrillator (AED) devices in public places.
• To ensure accessibility, the government designates 85 districts and Taluk hospitals as “spoke” centres. Simultaneously, 10 “hub” centres have been established across 16 super-speciality hospitals.
• The government has decided to provide Tenecteplase injections( used to treat myocardial infarctions (heart attacks)) at free of charge in government hospitals.

SC Collegium Recommended Addl Judge Roy Chowdhury as Permanent Judge of Calcutta HC
The Supreme Court (SC) Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, has recommended Additional judge Siddhartha Roy Chowdhury for the appointment as a permanent judge of the Calcutta High Court(HC), West Bengal(WB).

• The SC Collegium also includes Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Sanjiv Khanna of SC of India.

i.Justice Siddhartha Roy Chowdhury was recommneded to the post by Justice T. S. Sivagnanam, CJ of Calcutta HC.
ii.Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister (CM) of WB and C. V. Ananda Bose, Governor of WB has also concurred with the said recommendation.

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