20th October, 2023

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India should aim to set up Bhartiya Antriksha Station (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending first Indian to moon by 2040.
2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, the long-term blueprint for Indian maritime blue economy during Global India Maritime Summit 2023.
3. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the 2nd Advance Estimates of the area and production of various horticultural crops for the year 2022-23.
4. International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) under the Ministry of Heavy Industries has announced “THE ADAS SHOW 2023” event.
5. The Union Cabinet has approved to release an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners.
6. Ministry of Home Affairs has granted FCRA license to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra to receive contributions from foreign sources for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
7. Google has announced that it will manufacture Pixel phones in India from 2024.
8. India’s contribution to global economic growth is expected to increase by 2% points in the next 5 years due to the projected faster growth of the Indian economy as per IMF.
9. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched Operation Chakra-II to fight against transnational organised cyber-enabled financial crimes in India.
10. President of India Droupadi Murmu has launched the fourth Krishi Road Map (2023-2038) of Bihar in Patna.
11. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched 511 Pramod Mahajan Grameen Kaushalya Vikas Kendras across 34 rural districts in Maharashtra.
12. The Andhra Pradesh School Education Department has launched a doubt clearance bot (app) for government school students to offer a comprehensive educational experience.
13. Indian Council of Medical Research has delivered medicines using drones across Himachal Pradesh.
14. ‘Heartland Tripura’ project has been launched to enhance the employability and skills of the youth of Tripura.
15. India will spend nearly ₹143 lakh crore on infrastructure between 2024 and 2030 as per CRISIL India Ltd Infrastructure’s Yearbook 2023.
16. President Droupadi Murmu has conferred the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award 2021 to Indian actress Waheeda Rahman.
17. Rural Electrification Corporation Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power has been awarded prestigious Golden Peacock Award in Risk Management by the Institute of Directors (IOD).
18. Mahsa Amini of Iran has been posthumously awarded the European Union’s top Human Rights Prize.
19. Karthikeyan Murali has defeated Magnus Carlsen to win Qatar Masters 2023.
20. Volleyball has been removed from National Games held in Goa.
21. Hyderabad will host its second edition of the Indian e-prix next year, with Formula E returning to India for the 2024 edition of the Indian ePrix.
22. IBM has signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with three entities engaged with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to advance and accelerate innovation in AI, semiconductor, and quantum technology for India.
23. Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Telangana BJP leader Indra Sena Reddy Nallu have been appointed as the Governors of Odisha and Tripura, respectively.

National News

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that India should aim to set up Bhartiya Antriksha Station (Indian Space Station) by 2035 and sending first Indian to moon by 2040.
   • PM chaired a high-level meeting to assess the progress of India’s Gaganyaan Mission and India’s space exploration program.
   • India’s space exploration program include–
     • Chandrayaan Mission,
     • Development of Next Generation Launch Vehicle,
     • Construction of new launch pad,
     • Setting up human-centric Laboratories and
     • Associated technologies

2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, the long-term blueprint for Indian maritime blue economy during Global India Maritime Summit 2023.
   • Key Objectives-
     • enhancing port facilities,
     • promoting sustainable practices,
     • and facilitating international collaboration
   • Vision 2047 initiatives-
     • Next Generation Mega Port,
     • International Container Trans-shipment port,
     • island development,
     • inland waterways, and
     • multi-modal hubs
   • Benefits of Vision 2047 initiatives-
     • reduction in cost of doing business and
     • environmental degradation

3. Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the 2ndAdvance Estimates of the area and production of various horticultural crops for the year 2022-23.
   • Key Observations–
     • Total horticulture production in the year 2022-23 is estimated to be 92 million tonnes, an increase of about 4.74 million tonnes (1.37%) as compared to the year 2021-22 (final).
     • Fruit production is estimated to be 34 million tonnes in the year 2022-23 as compared to 107.51 million tonnes in the year 2021-22.
     • The production of vegetables is estimated to be 91 million tonnes in the year 2022-23 compared to 209.14 million tonnes in the year 2021-22.
     • Production of plantation crops is estimated to increase from 76 million tonnes in 2021-22 to 16.05 million tonnes in 2022-23, which is an increase of about 1.78%.
     • Potato production is expected to be 54 million tonnes, compared to 56.18 million tonnes in the year 2021-22.

4. International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT) under the Ministry of Heavy Industries has announced “THE ADAS SHOW 2023” event.
   • About THE ADAS SHOW 2023
     • The event will take place on the 7 December, 2023 at the ICAT Track in Manesar, Gurugram.
     • It is a significant event in the automotive industry, focusing on Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and their impact on safety, convenience, and the overall driving experience.
   • Objective-
     • To bring together experts, enthusiasts, and industry professionals to showcase and discuss the latest advancements and innovations in ADAS technology.
       Source: PIB
5. The Union Cabinet has approved to release an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners.
   • It represents an increase of 4% over the existing rate of 42% of the Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate against price rise.
   • This increase is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission.
   • The increase is effective from 1 July,2023.
     Source: PIB

6. Ministry of Home Affairs has granted FCRA license to the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra to receive contributions from foreign sources for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.
   • The contributions can be deposited to a designated bank account of the trust in the SBI’s main branch located in Delhi.

7. Google has announced that it will manufacture Pixel phones in India from 2024.
   • Other announcements –
     • to make its AI products available in more Indian languages,
     • and measures to harden protections against financial fraud during its annual Google for India
       Source: The Hindu

8. India’s contribution to global economic growth is expected to increase by 2% points in the next 5 years due to the projected faster growth of the Indian economy as per IMF.
   • Key observations-
     • Currently, India contributes 16% to global growth, while the rest is contributed by China.
     • This 16% contribution is expected to increase to 18% in the next five years.
     • The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow by 4.6% in 2023 and 4.2% in 2024, making it a significant contributor to global growth.
     • India’s growth remains strong, with a projected growth rate of 6.3% for FY2023-24, supported by government capital expenditure and private sector investment, as well as continued consumption growth despite weakening external demand.
       Source: The Hindu

9. Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has launched Operation Chakra-II to fight against transnational organised cyber-enabled financial crimes in India.
   • CBI has partnered with Microsoft, Amazon and other international agencies to combat and breakdown of illegal call centres.
     Source: TOI

State News

1. President of India Droupadi Murmu has launched the fourth Krishi Road Map (2023-2038) of Bihar in Patna.
   Source: PIB
2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched 511 Pramod Mahajan Grameen Kaushalya Vikas Kendras across 34 rural districts in Maharashtra.
   • Objective-
     • To conduct skill development training programs across various sectors to provide employment opportunities to rural youth.

3. The Andhra Pradesh School Education Department has launched a doubt clearance bot (app) for government school students to offer a comprehensive educational experience.
   • Objective-
     • to clarify doubts beyond school hours in the disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, English, and TOEFL preparation.
     • Developed by- ConveGenius
       Source: India Today

4. Indian Council of Medical Research has delivered medicines using drones across Himachal Pradesh.
   • The drone has successfully transported more than 100 units of essential medications over 20 kilometres.
   • It also reduces the time from 120 minutes to 26 minutes.
   • It is the first high-altitude, low-temperature venture of ICMR.
   • Objective–
     • to streamline the distribution of essential medical provisions from regional hospitals in Keylong to more than eight Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the region.
       Source: The Hindu

   
   
5. ‘Heartland Tripura’ project has been launched to enhance the employability and skills of the youth of Tripura.
   • About Heartland Tripura-
   • Launched in partnership between Deloitte India and the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT).
   • Objective-
     • To deliver a specific set of skill development certification courses through NIELIT – Agartala for the state
     • To provide internship opportunities to select professionals, and
     • To provide job opportunity upon successful completion of certification and internship requirements.
       Source: PIB

Banking and Economy

1. India will spend nearly ₹143 lakh crore on infrastructure between 2024 and 2030 as per CRISIL India Ltd Infrastructure’s Yearbook 2023.
   • Key observations-
   • Infrastructure spending-
     • Spending of ₹143 lakh crore on infrastructure between FY 24 and FY 30 is more than double of ₹67 lakh crore spent during the past seven financial years from 2017.
   • Focus on Green Investment-
     • ₹36.6 lakh crore, will be allocated for green investments, showing a significant fivefold increase compared to the expenditure between fiscals 2017 and 2023.
   • GDP Growth-
     • India’s GDP is expected to grow at an average rate of 6.7% through fiscal 2031.
   • CRISIL InfraInvex Index-
     • Index scores across various sectors, including roads and highways, power transmission, renewable energy, and ports.
     • Score across various sectors has improved significantly, reflecting the positive impact of policy interventions and an encouraging investment climate.

Source: The Hindu

Awards

1. President Droupadi Murmu has conferred the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Award 2021 to Indian actress Waheeda Rahman.

2. Rural Electrification Corporation Limited, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Power has been awarded prestigious Golden Peacock Award in Risk Management by the Institute of Directors (IOD).
   • Golden Peacock Awards –
     • the Golden Peacock Awards are internationally recognized as a standard for corporate excellence
     • Established- 1991 by the
     • Organization- Institute of Directors (IOD) in India
       Source: PIB

3. Mahsa Amini of Iran has been posthumously awarded the European Union’s top Human Rights Prize.
   • She has been awarded European Union’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
   • She was protesting against Iran’s mandatory headscarf law.

Source: TOI

Sports

1. Karthikeyan Murali has defeated Magnus Carlsen to win Qatar Masters 2023.
   • He became just the third player from the country to defeat World number one Magnus Carlsen in classical chess.
     Source: sports star

2. Volleyball has been removed from National Games held in Goa.
   Source: The Hindu
3. Hyderabad will host its second edition of the Indian e-prix next year, with Formula E returning to India for the 2024 edition of the Indian ePrix.

Source: sport star

Memorandum of Understanding

1. IBM has signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with three entities engaged with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to advance and accelerate innovation in AI, semiconductor, and quantum technology for India.
   • Comprehensive National Strategy for AI
     • IBM will collaborate with IndiaAI – Digital India Corporation to establish a world-class national AI Innovation Platform (AIIP) for India.
     • Objective- The AIIP will focus on
       • AI skilling,
       • ecosystem development, and
       • integrating advanced foundation models and generative AI capabilities to support India’s scientific, commercial, and human-capital development in AI technology
     • Accelerating Semiconductor Competency
       • IBM will work as a knowledge partner of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) to promote innovation in semiconductor technologies.
       • Objective-
         • To develop advance research in areas such as logic, advanced packaging, heterogeneous integration, and advanced chip design technologies.

     • Advancement of National Quantum Mission
       • IBM and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) will explore opportunities to support India’s National Quantum Mission by developing competency in quantum computing technology.
       • Objective-
         • development of industries and startups,
         • research and development in the field of quantum computing, and
         • the provision of quantum services and infrastructure.
           Source: EET

Appointments

1. Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das and Telangana BJP leader Indra Sena Reddy Nallu have been appointed as the Governors of Odisha and Tripura, respectively.
   Source: The Hindu

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