19th October, 2023

1. Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister has launched dashboard for Data on Adoption and Forecast of Electric Vehicles in New Delhi.
2. 9th G20 Parliamentary Speaker’s Summit has been hosted by Parliament of India at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.
3. World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) has approved India’s self- declaration of freedom from bird flu in specific poultry compartments in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
4. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has launched NCERT’s web portal ‘Apna Chandrayaan’ for students.
5. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has approved the country’s first ever indigenously developed AC and DC Combined Charging connector standard for light electric vehicles (LEVs), IS17017 (Part 2 / Sec 7): 2023.
6. Ministry of Civil Aviation has amended the Aircraft Rules, 1937 to increase the validity of Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) and Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) from 5 years to 10 years.
7. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has unveiled Mahatma Gandhi’s bust in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
8. Institute of Chartered Accountant of India (ICAI) has received ISAR Honours 2023 by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for its initiative Sustainability Reporting Standards Board (SRSB).
9. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the first leg of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) connecting Delhi and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
10. Kati Bihu festival has been celebrated on October 18, 2023 in Assam to mark the time of relocation of rice sapling.
11. Karnataka Chief Minister has launched a logo to mark the Golden Jubilee of Renaming State.
12. Arunachal Pradesh State Cabinet has approved the formation of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) in the state for three Tiger Reserves.
13. United Nations and Food and Agriculture Organization have released the 1^st ever global estimation of the impact of disaster on agriculture production in report ‘The Impact of Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security’
14. Bharti Group has signed an agreement with its partner AXA to acquire the 49% stake of AXA in Bharti AXA Life Insurance.
15. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved Green Energy Corridor Phase-II Inter-Sate Transmission System for 13-gigawatt renewable energy project in Ladakh.
16. Saudia Arabia has hosted Middle East and North Africa Climate Week (MENACW) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
17. Sberbank of Russia has become the first Russian bank to register with the Indian markets regulator as a Category I foreign portfolio investor (FPI).
18. Indian Oil to Invest ₹1660.15 crore in NTPC Joint Venture for setting up renewable power plant.
19. Central Government has approved 4% hike in dearness allowance for central government
20. Competition Commission of India has approved the merger of IDFC Ltd with IDFC First Bank.
21. Tata Motor has invested 150 Crore to acquire 27% stake in Software as a Service (SaaS) company ‘Freight Tiger’.
22. India has been ranked 45 out of 47 in 15th annual Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2023.
23. Indian Army’s 3/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) team has won gold medal at the Cambrian Patrol Competition 2023 International Military Exercise in Wales, UK.
24. Michael Douglas has been awarded Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
25. October 16- Raising Day of the NSG
26. October 17– International Day for Eradication of Poverty; Theme- Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting dignity in practice for all
27. October 17– World Trauma Day; Theme- Embracing Resilience, Overcoming Trauma’s Impact
28. October 20– International Chefs Day; Theme- Growing Great Chefs
29. 141st session of the Indian Olympic Council has been held at Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai.
30. Union Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has launched the IndiaSkills 2023-24 and felicitated the World Skills 2022 Winners at an event held at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi.
31. Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) has signed an MoU with National Institute of Communication Finance (NICF) to synergise professional capabilities of both Institutions.
32. Department of Land Resources (DOLR) and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) signed an MoU for monitoring of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana – Watershed Development Component (WDC 2.O_.
33. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has been appointed as Permanent Representative of India to UN in Geneva.
34. President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Raghubar Das as Governor of Odisha and Indra Sena Reddy Nallu as Governor of Tripura.
35. Nobel Prize winning American poet Louise Gluck has passed away.
36. BlueKraft Digital Foundation has launched a book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio show ‘Mann ki Baat’.

National News

1. Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister has launched dashboard for Data on Adoption and Forecast of Electric Vehicles in New Delhi.
   • About Dashboard-
   • The dashboard is a free digital platform focussed on near real-time Electric Vehicle adoption and forecasts, associated battery demand, charging density, and market growth trends.
   • Objective- To facilitate greater inclusion across audiences, for the industry, policymakers and end users of electric vehicles.
     • Name of dashboard- EV Ready India Dashboard
     • Website– evreadyindia.org
     • Developed by– OMI Foundation
     • Forecast- 5% Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in electric vehicles between calendar year (CY) 2022 and CY 2030, increasing from annual sales of 6,90,550 electric two-wheelers (E2Ws) in 2022 to 1,39,36,691 E2Ws in 2030.
       Source: PIB

2. 9th G20 Parliamentary Speaker’s Summit has been hosted by Parliament of India at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.
   • About 9th G20-
     • Theme- Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future
     • The 9th P20 Summit will be hosted by Parliament of India in cooperation with International Parliamentary Union.
     • The Summit will host four high-level sessions on-
       • Accelerating SDGs;
       • Sustainable Energy Transition;
       • Women led Development; and
       • Transformation in Peoples’ Lives through Public Digital Platforms.

3. World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) has approved India’s self- declaration of freedom from bird flu in specific poultry compartments in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
   • Important Points-
     • Bird flu is also known as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
     • The approval provides new opportunities for Indian poultry in global market.
     • The recognition by WOAH signifies India’s commitment to International Biosecurity standards.
     • India is currently the 3rd largest producer of eggs and 5th largest producer of poultry meat in the world.

4. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has launched NCERT’s web portal ‘Apna Chandrayaan’ for students.
   • He also released 10 special modules on Chandrayaan-3 for school students.
   • About Portal-
     • The web portal offers various activities such as quizzes, puzzles, colouring books, online interactive quizzes, jigsaw puzzles, and graphic novels related to Chandrayaan 3 for different stages of schooling, along with digital certificates and rewards for top performers.
   • Objective-
     • The portal aims to develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and interdisciplinary learning, aligning with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and promoting India as a Vishwa Guru (global leader).

5. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has approved the country’s first ever indigenously developed AC and DC Combined Charging connector standard for light electric vehicles (LEVs), IS17017 (Part 2 / Sec 7): 2023.
   • About standards-
     • This standard has been developed through a collaborative effort of NITI Aayog, Department of Science and Technology, ARAI, EV makers, and the Bureau of Indian Standards.
     • The national standard for LEV charging connectors addresses the unique requirements of 2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, and microcars, filling a significant gap in the market.
     • It allows for an interoperable network for both fast and slow charging, which reduces the need for customers to carry bulky chargers.
     • The development of the indigenous technology is a significant achievement for making India, a global leader in the EV-automobile sector.
     • The initiative aligns with the ‘Make in India’ policy.

6. Ministry of Civil Aviation has amended the Aircraft Rules, 1937 to increase the validity of Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) and Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) from 5 years to 10 years.
   • Objectives-
     • To improve the ease of doing business in aviation sector.
     • To reduce administrative burden on pilots and aviation authorities like DGCA.
     • To promote a more streamlined and efficient licensing process.
       Source: Economic Times
7. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has unveiled Mahatma Gandhi’s bust in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
   • The event highlights Mahatma Gandhi’s global recognition for his principles of truth and non-violence.
     Source: Economic Times

8. Institute of Chartered Accountant of India (ICAI) has received ISAR Honours 2023 by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for its initiative Sustainability Reporting Standards Board (SRSB).
   • The award is given by UNCTAD’s working group on International Standards for Accounting and Reporting.
   • The ICAI sustainability initiatives received the highest score amongst 70 initiatives received from around the world.
   • UNCTAD has announced the winners of the sixth edition of ISAR Honours during the 8th World Investment Forum in Abu Dhabi.
     Source: Hindu Business Line

   
   
9. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the first leg of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) connecting Delhi and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh.
   • What is RRTS?
     • It is India’s first mass rapid system dedicated to regional connectivity.
     • It is capable of running at speeds up to 180 km/hour.
     • It is developed by the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) under its “Functional Plan on Transport for NCR-2032”.
   • Objective-
     • To ensure balanced and sustainable urban development through better connectivity and access across the National Capital Region (NCR)

Source: Indian Express

State News

1. Kati Bihu festival has been celebrated on October 18, 2023 in Assam to mark the time of relocation of rice sapling.
   • About Kati Bihu–
     • It is also known as Kongali Bihu.
     • It is celebrated by lightning the earthen lamps or candles in the house.

   • There are three Bihu festivals celebrated in Assam which are connected with agriculture.
   • Other two Bihu festivals are–
     • Bhogali or Magh Bihu (observed in January)
     • Rongali or Bohag Bihu (observed in April)

     Source: TOI

2. Karnataka Chief Minister has launched a logo to mark the Golden Jubilee of Renaming State.
   • More Information-
   • The launch of the logo marks the golden jubilee of the renaming of the Mysore State as Karnataka on 1st November,1973
   • Year-long program Karnataka Sambhrama involving youth, women and others will be organised by various departments.
   • Theme- Hesarayitu Karnataka, Usiragali Kannada
     Source: Deccan Herald
3. Arunachal Pradesh State Cabinet has approved the formation of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) in the state for three Tiger Reserves.
   • Three tiger reserves are–
     • Namdapha,
     • Pakke and
     • Kamlang

   • Objectives-
     • Protection of Tigers and their habitats,
     • Protection of wildlife habitats and
     • Prevention of other illegal activities in these tiger reserves
       Source: news on air

International News

1. United Nations and Food and Agriculture Organization have released the 1st ever global estimation of the impact of disaster on agriculture production in report ‘The Impact of Disasters on Agriculture and Food Security’
   • Key Observations-
     • An estimated $3.8 trillion worth of crops and livestock production has been lost due to natural disasters over the last 30 years.
     • Asia is experiencing the largest share of the total economic losses.
     • The loss corresponded to an average of $123 billion per year, or 5% of annual global agricultural gross domestic product (GDP).
     • Losses in cereals were followed by fruits and vegetables and sugar crops, with each witnessing average losses of 40 million tonnes per year.
     • For fruits and vegetables, losses corresponded to the entire production of fruits and vegetables in Japan and Vietnam in 2021.

2. Bharti Group has signed an agreement with its partner AXA to acquire the 49% stake of AXA in Bharti AXA Life Insurance.
   • Bharti Life Ventures, the group’s holding company for Bharti AXA Life Insurance, will become the sole owner of the life insurance post the stake sale.

3. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved Green Energy Corridor Phase-II Inter-Sate Transmission System for 13-gigawatt renewable energy project in Ladakh.
   • Implementing agency– Power Grid Corporation
   • The transmission line will pass through Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and up to Kaithal in Haryana.
   • Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs is chaired by Prime Minister.
     Source: livemint
4. Saudia Arabia has hosted Middle East and North Africa Climate Week (MENACW) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
   • About Middle East and North Africa Climate Week-
     • It is an annual event that brings together leaders from governments, businesses, international organizations and civil society.
     • It is organized into four systems-based tracks, each focusing on specific themes:
       • Energy systems and industry
       • Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport
       • Land, ocean, food and water
       • Societies, health, livelihoods, and economies
   • Objective-
     • To explore ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while adapting to the mounting fallout from the climate crisis.

     Source: UNEP

Banking and Economy

1. Sberbank of Russia has become the first Russian bank to register with the Indian markets regulator as a Category I foreign portfolio investor (FPI).
   • About Category I FPI-
     • FPIs with category I licence have to follow less lenient beneficial ownership disclosures,
     • It can subscribe to overseas derivative instruments which have Indian stocks as underlying and also enjoy certain taxation benefits.
     • It is only granted to government or government related foreign investors or regulated entities such as banks, sovereign wealth funds, investment trusts, pension funds, asset management companies.

2. Indian Oil to Invest ₹1660.15 crore in NTPC Joint Venture for setting up renewable power plant.
   • About Joint Venture–
     • It is a 50:50 joint venture company between Indian Oil and NTPC Green Energy Pvt Ltd
   • Objective-
     • To set up renewable energy projects to meet 24X7 power requirements of refineries of the IOC
       Source: livemint

3. Central Government has approved 4% hike in dearness allowance for central government

4. Competition Commission of India has approved the merger of IDFC Ltd with IDFC First Bank.
   • Approval- Granted under the Green Channel Route, which is a mechanism under which a company can get automatic approval upon filing a form, without having to get formal approval from the commission.
   • Provision- The approval has been granted in accordance with section 6(2) of the Competition Act, 2002 read with regulation 5 and SA of Competition Commission of India (Procedure in regard to the transactions of business relating to combinations) Regulations, 2011.

5. Tata Motor has invested 150 Crore to acquire 27% stake in Software as a Service (SaaS) company ‘Freight Tiger’.
   • The agreement also includes a provision enabling Tata Motors to further invest ₹100 crore over the next two years, at the then prevailing market value.
   • About Freight Commerce Solutions Pvt Ltd (Freight Tiger)-
     • It is a digital platform that provides end-to-end logistics value chain solutions for cargo movement in the country.

Source: livemint

Reports and Indices

1. India has been ranked 45 out of 47 in 15th annual Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2023.
   • Key observations-
   • India had an overall index value of 45.9 in 2023 from 44.5 in 2022
   • The Netherlands had the highest overall index value (85.0)
   • Global Pension Index compares 47 retirement income systems across the globe and covers 64% of the world’s population.
   • The 2023 Global Pension Index includes three new retirement income systems: Botswana, Croatia, and Kazakhstan.

Source: NDTV

Defence News

1. The Indian Army’s 3/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) team has won gold medal at the Cambrian Patrol Competition 2023 International Military Exercise in Wales, UK.
   • About Cambrian Patrol Exercise-
     • Exercise CAMBRIAN PATROL is the British Army’s premier patrolling event.
     • It is also referred as the Olympics of Military Patrolling.
     • Place- Wales, United Kingdom
     • Hosted by- Headquarters 160th (Welsh) Brigade.
       Source: TOI

Awards

1. Hollywood actor and producer Michael Douglas has been awarded Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
   • About IFFI-
     • The International Film Festival of India, founded in 1952, is one of the film festivals in Asia.
     • Place- Goa
     • Date- November 20,2023- November 28,2023
       Source: PIB

Important Days

1. October 16- Raising Day of the NSG
   Source: TOI
2. October 17– International Day for Eradication of Poverty; Theme- Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting dignity in practice for all
   Source: UN
3. October 17– World Trauma Day; Theme- Embracing Resilience, Overcoming Trauma’s Impact
   • As per some newspapers, the theme of this day is not confirmed.
     Source: ETV Bharat

   
   
4. October 20– International Chefs Day; Theme- Growing Great Chefs
   Source: FRP

Sports

1. 141st session of the Indian Olympic Council has been held at Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai.
   • Key Facts-
   • The IOC Session, held at least once every year, is the general meeting of the members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
   • This is only the second time in history that an IOC Session is being held in India.
   • India hosted the 86th session (1st in India) of IOC in New Delhi, back in 1983.
   • Key outcomes-
     • Approval for the proposal ofOrganising Committee of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 to include five new sports in the programme has been accepted by the IOC Session.
     • Five sports include-
       • Baseball/softball,
       • Cricket (T20),
       • Flag football,
       • Lacrosse (sixes) and
       • Squash

2. Union Minister for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan has launched the IndiaSkills 2023-24 and felicitated the World Skills 2022 Winners at an event held at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi.
   • Key Highlights-
     • It is the largest skill competition in the world, held every two years, aiming to assess vocational excellence.
     • Conducted by- WorldSkills International with 86 member countries.
     • WorldSkills 2022 was conducted from September to November 2022 across Europe, North America, and East Asia, with 1,000+ competitors from 58 countries in 61 skills.
     • Host Countries- 15 countries hosted the competition in more than 20 cities.
     • India’s Performance at WSC 2022:
       • India secured 11th position
       • 2 Silver Medals
       • 3 Bronze Medals
       • 13 Medallions for Excellence
       • It is the best ranking for India at the WorldSkills Competition so far.
     • Participant Demographics: 56 competitors, 50 Experts, and 11 Interpreters participated, with 19% being female (11 competitors).
     • New-age Skills: Some competitors participated in new-age skills such as Robot System Integration, Additive Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, Digital Construction, Mobile Application Development, and Renewable Energy.

   
   

Source: PIB

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) has signed an MoU with National Institute of Communication Finance (NICF) to synergise professional capabilities of both Institutions.
   • Objectives-
     • To establish more structured approach to collaboration between two institutions
     • For exchange of knowledge and resources between NICF and IICA for conducting research, training, capacity building, and advocacy.
     • To enhance the competitive edge of officers in dealing with the challenges of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) environment.

2. Department of Land Resources (DOLR) and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) signed an MoU for monitoring of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana – Watershed Development Component (WDC 2.O_.
   • Objective-
     • It aims to restore the ecological balance by harnessing, conserving, and developing degraded natural resources such as soil and water.

   • Under the MoU NRSC will provide-
     • high resolution satellite data for all the WDC 2.0 projects in States/UTs across the country
     • online image comparison and visualization with respect to detailed project reports
     • create customized Bhuvan web page Srishti for WDC 2.0 project
     • customized mobile application Drishti for field data collection and data transfer to Bhuvan
   • The event also included the release of Manuals by NRSC for the mobile application DRISHTI 2.0 and web-portal SRISHTI 2.0 for WDC-PMKSY 2.0.
     Source: PIB

Appointments

1. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi has been appointed as Permanent Representative of India to UN in Geneva.
   • He would succeed Indra Mani Pandey, the current Indian envoy to the UN in Geneva.
     Source: livemint
2. President Droupadi Murmu has appointed Raghubar Das as Governor of Odisha and Indra Sena Reddy Nallu as Governor of Tripura.
   Source: Economic Times

Miscellaeneous

1. Nobel Prize winning American poet Louise Gluck has passed away.
   • She has won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature.
     Source: economic times

2. BlueKraft Digital Foundation has launched a book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s radio show ‘Mann ki Baat’.
   • Title of the book – ‘Igniting Collective Goodness: MKB@100’
   • The book captures the journey of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 100 episodes of Mann Ki Baat, which has been broadcasted on a monthly basis since October, 2014.
     Source: HT

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