04th November, 2023

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated ‘World Food India 2023‘ event, organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industry at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
2. Election Commission of India (ECI) has designed in-house software for complete candidate and election management through ‘ENCORE’.
3. India has signed Host Country Agreement (HCA) with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for hosting 2024 World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly.
4. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated ‘India Manufacturing Show’ in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
5. Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav has inaugurated 71st Foundation Day of Employees Provident Fund Organization on 1st November at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
6. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has hosted the G20 Standards Dialogue 2023 during India’s G20 Presidency at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
7. Jharkhand cabinet has approved ₹16,000 crore ‘Abua Awas Yojana’ to provide pucca houses to homeless.
8. Kerala has launched multi-language microsites to boost religious tourism.
9. Bhutan becomes 1st country to fully sterilise its entire street dog’s population.
10. Thailand has announced visa-free entry for Indian citizens to boost tourism.
11. ICICI bank has enabled transactions to merchant QR code using digital rupee app.
12. AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) and the travel booking platform ixigo have launched their premium co-branded travel credit card.
13. BPCL and GAIL have signed 63,000 crore worth agreement to supply Propane to GAIL’s Propane Dehydrogenation and Polypropylene (PDH-PP) Plant project in Usar, Maharashtra.
14. Zurich Insurance Company Ltd will acquire 51% stake in Kotak General Insurance for ₹4,051
15. RailTel has set up Centre of Excellence (CoE) to provide training on railway signalling and telecommunications.
16. HCLTech founder Shiv Nadar and his family tops the Hurun India Philanthropy list 2023.
17. Indian Navy has decommissionedIlyushin-38 Sea Dragon long-range maritime patrol aircraft.
18. Indian Army has successfully conducted inaugural firing of 70mm rocket and 20mm turret guns of light combat helicopter (LCH) Prachand.
19. US Air Force has unveiled nuclear capable Minuteman III.
20. United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has announced Champions of Earth Awards 2023.
21. Eminent writer Padmanabhan has been awarded the Kerala Jyothi award instituted by the Kerala government.
22. Mohammad Shami has become the highest wicket-taker for India in One Day International World Cup History.
23. Election Commission of India has signed an MoU with Ministry of Education to bring electoral literacy to classroom across the country.
24. India and UAE have signed an MoU to strengthen ties in education sector.
25. Justice Rajendra Menon has been re-appointed as Chairman of Armed Forces Tribunal.
26. Bank of Baroda has appointed Kadgatoor Sheetal Venkatesmurt as head of Digital Channels and Operations and Digital Lending Business.

National News

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated ‘World Food India 2023‘ event, organized by the Ministry of Food Processing Industry at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
   • Objective–
     • To position India as the food basket of the world and commemorate 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
   • About Event-
     • Partner country- Netherland
     • Focus country- Japan
     • Event is co-chaired by- Union minister of Food Processing Industries and Union Minister of Commerce and Industry
     • Event hosted by the Netherland and Japan for promoting knowledge and best practices
     • MoUs worth ₹33,129 crore were signed during the event
       Source: PIB
2. Election Commission of India (ECI) has designed in-house software for complete candidate and election management through ‘ENCORE’.
   • About ENCORE–
     • ENCORE stands for Enabling Communications on Real-time Environment.
     • The ENCORE counting application is an end-to-end application for returning officers to digitize the votes polled, tabulate the round-wise data and then take out various statutory reports of counting.
     • It provides a seamless facility for Returning Officers to process candidate nomination, affidavit, Voter turnout, counting, results and data management.
   • Another application called ENCORE Scrutiny Application allows Returning Officers to do scrutiny of the nominations filed by the candidates on-line.
   • ECI also has an online portal for filling the nomination and affidavit.
     Source: AIR
3. India has signed Host Country Agreement (HCA) with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for hosting 2024 World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly.
   • About World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly–
     • It is held every four years and defines the next period of study for ITU-T
     • WTSA-24 is planned to take place from 15 to 24 October 2024 in New Delhi, India.

4. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated ‘India Manufacturing Show’ in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
   • About India Manufacturing Show–
     • It is a platform for the exhibitors to showcase their technologies, equipment and Research & Development in different sectors, such as aerospace & defence engineering, automation, robotics & drones to the participants.

   • Objective–
     • To bring together best minds, best technologies and best practices while providing business and knowledge sharing opportunities for its participants.
     • Organised by- Laghu Udhyog Bharti & IMS Foundation 
     • Supported by– Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence
     • Theme– ‘Make in India, Make for the World’
       Source: PIB

5. Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav has inaugurated 71st Foundation Day of Employees Provident Fund Organization on 1st November at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
   • Key events–
     • Exhibition “Amrit Kaal – Behtar Kal” showcasing 71 years of EPFO history has been launched.
     • The exhibition highlighted the organization’s growth, including its chatbot and improved MIS 3.0.
     • A documentary film titled “Achievements of EPFO” was shown, emphasizing the organization’s contributions over the decades.

6. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has hosted the G20 Standards Dialogue 2023 during India’s G20 Presidency at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
   • Theme– Zero Defect Zero Effect
     • Organised by–
       • Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has organised the event in collaboration with Ministry of Commerce & Industry of the Government of India.
         Source: PIB

State News

1. Jharkhand cabinet has approved ₹16,000 crore ‘Abua Awas Yojana’ to provide pucca houses to homeless.
   • About Abua Awas Yojana–
   • Three-room houses will be made given to 8 lakhs needy in the next three years
   • Cost of Each house– Rs 2 lakh
   • Beneficiaries–
     • People who have not been given any benefits of the housing schemes carried out by the state and central government,
     • Households living in kuccha houses,
     • Homeless and destitute people,
     • PVTG households,
     • Legally rescued bonded labours and the households who have lost their house in natural calamities
   • Priority beneficiaries–
     • Households with physically or mentally handicaps members and those headed by the women will be given priority in the allotment of houses under the scheme.
       Source: IE

2. Kerala has launched multi-language microsites to boost religious tourism.
   • Objective–
     • To cater a diverse audience by offering content in multiple languages such as Hindi, English, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu.
       Source: TOI

International News

1. Bhutan becomes 1st country to fully sterilise its entire street dog’s population.
   • Key facts about Bhutan–
     • Prime Minister– Lotay Tshering
       • Currency– Bhutanese Ngultrum
       • Capital– Thimphu
       • National Parks in Bhutan–
       • Jigme Dorji National Park
       • Jigme Singye Wangchuk
       • Royal Manas National Park
       • Phrumshingla National Park
       • Wangchuk Centennial Park
     • Key development projects in Bhutan supported by the Government of India–
       • Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project, Trongsa
       • Punatsangchhu – 1 Hydroelectric Project, Wangdue Phodrang
       • Punatsangchhu – 2 Hydroelectric Project, Wangdue Phodrang
       • Kholongchhu Hydroelectric Project, Trashiyangtse
       • Health Flagship Program
       • Education Flagship Program
       • E-Library Project
       • NKN – Drukren Connect Project
       • Introduction of Rupay Cards
         Source: IDB
2. Thailand has announced visa-free entry for Indian citizens to boost tourism.
   • Visa free entry duration– From 10 November, 2023 and continue till 10 May, 2024
   • Maximum stay duration– 30 days
     Source: AIR

Banking and Economy

1. ICICI bank has enabled transactions to merchant QR code using digital rupee app.
   • Objective–
     • To promote the greater acceptance of digital currency among customers
     • About Digital Rupee (e₹)-
     • E-Rupee is a tokenized digital version of Indian Rupee, issued by RBI as a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

2. AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) and the travel booking platform ixigo have launched their premium co-branded travel credit card.
   • Key features–
     • Offers up to a 10% discount on flight bookings,
     • Instant discounts on hotel bookings, and
     • Zero payment gateway charges for train bookings

3. BPCL and GAIL have signed 63,000 crore worth agreement to supply Propane to GAIL’s Propane Dehydrogenation and Polypropylene (PDH-PP) Plant project in Usar, Maharashtra.
   • Upcoming PDH-PP plant at Usar is India’s 1st PDH plant
   • It will become functional by 2025.
   • Tenure of contract- 15 Years
   • About Polypropylene–
     • It is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications.
   • Demand of Polypropylene in India–
     • The demand is projected to increase from 4.9 million tonne in 2020 to 6.3 million tonne by 2025.
       Source: ET

4. Zurich Insurance Company Ltd will acquire 51% stake in Kotak General Insurance for ₹4,051

5. RailTel has set up Centre of Excellence (CoE) to provide training on railway signalling and telecommunications.
   • The CoE will offer certification and diploma curses in collaboration with IITs and IIMs.
   • Courses of training–
     • Fundamental concept of automatic train protection system ‘KAVACH’
     • Advanced designing of Kavach’s RFID (radio-frequency identification) network
     • Onboard equipment
     • Cyber security
       Source: ET
6. HCLTech founder Shiv Nadar and his family tops the Hurun India Philanthropy list 2023.
   • Published by– EdelGive Foundation & Hurun Report
   • List of leading philanthropists-

Source: livemint, moneycontrol

Defence News

1. Indian Navy has decommissionedIlyushin-38 Sea Dragon long-range maritime patrol aircraft.
   • About Ilyushin-38 Sea Dragon-
     • It is a maritime patrol aircraft and anti-submarine warfare aircraft.
     • Designed by– Soviet Union
     • Commissioned in Indian Navy– October 1, 1977
       Source: Indian Express

2. Indian Army has successfully conducted inaugural firing of 70mm rocket and 20mm turret guns of light combat helicopter (LCH) Prachand.
   • About LCH Prachand–
     • Developed by– Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)
     • Prachand is India’s first indigenous multi-role combat helicopter.
     • It is fitted with Shakti Engine which is co-developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) by and France’s Safran
     • It is designed to meet the needs of the Indian armed forces operating in different terrain such as deserts and mountainous areas.
       Source: Print

3. US Air Force has unveiled nuclear capable Minuteman III.
   • About Minuteman III–
     • The nuclear-capable Minuteman III, made by Boeing Co.
     • The missile has a range of 6,000-plus miles (9,660-plus km) and can travel at a speed of about 15,000 miles per hour (24,000 kph).
       Source: Reuters

Awards

1. United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has announced Champions of Earth Awards 2023.
   • The award honours individuals, groups, and organizations whose actions have a transformative impact on the environment.
   • The 2023 laureates are implementing solutions and policies to eliminate plastic pollution.
   • Winners list for 2023–

2. Eminent writer Padmanabhan has been awarded the Kerala Jyothi award instituted by the Kerala government.
   • He is awarded the highest civilian honour by the government considering his contributions in the field of Malayalam literature.
     Source:  The Hindu

Sports

1. Mohammad Shami has become the highest wicket-taker for India in One Day International World Cup History.
   • He has taken 14 wickets from just three matches to become the highest wicket taker for India.
   • He has taken a total of 45 wicket in ODI World Cup so far.
     Source: TOI

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Election Commission of India has signed an MoU with Ministry of Education to bring electoral literacy to classroom across the country.
   • Key objectives–
     • To extend the ECI’s flagship Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) in schools and colleges.
     • NCERT will introduce and update textbooks to include content on electoral literacy
     • To include electoral literacy into curricular framework, from 6 to 12 in all schools.
     • School and college students will be taught about their future role and duties as voters in election process.
     • To fulfil the aspirational goal of ECI to handover voter ID cards to every student immediately after attaining the age of 18

2. India and UAE have signed an MoU to strengthen ties in education sector.
   • Objectives–
     • To facilitate student and faculty transfer
     • To launch joint research programme
     • To design courses
     • To organise and participate in conferences, lectures, symposia, etc.
     • To organise scientific and educational exhibitions in areas of mutual interest
       Source: ET

Appointments

1. Justice Rajendra Menon has been re-appointed as Chairman of Armed Forces Tribunal.
   • He will serve as the Chairman till he attains the 70 years on June 6, 2027.

2. Bank of Baroda has appointed Kadgatoor Sheetal Venkatesmurt as head of Digital Channels and Operations and Digital Lending Business.

Source: Hindu Business Line

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