28th September, 2023

1. Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has launched the National Policy on Research and Development and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector in India (NPRDIP) and Scheme for promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech Sector (PRIP).
2. The Chhattisgarh government has launched the Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas NYAY Yojana for providing houses to over 47,000 economically disadvantaged individuals in rural areas of the state.
3. Mithun, a bovine species indigenous to parts of Northeast India, is gaining recognition as a “food animal” by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), starting from September 1.
4. The 21st Arab Media Forum was held in Dubai under the theme ‘The Future of Arab Media’.
5. Poonawalla Fincorp Limited has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to issue a co-branded credit card in partnership with IndusInd Bank.
6. REC Limited and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have signed an MoU to jointly finance projects in the power sector and infrastructure & logistics sector.
7. Central government has released the final rules for angel tax valuation of shares issued by startups to both resident and non-resident investors.
8. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has issued its first rupee-denominated AAA rated social bonds with a total size of ₹1040.50 crore.
9. 2023 Global Crypto Adoption Index has been released by Chainalysis.
10. According to the 2023 India Ageing Report by the United Nations Population Fund, India (UNFPA), India’s elderly population is projected to exceed the population of children (aged 0 to 15 years) by 2046.
11. September 25 – World Lung Day; Theme – “Access to prevention and treatment for all. Leave no one behind”
12. September 26 – CSIR 82nd Foundation Day
13. September 27 – World Tourism Day; Theme – Tourism and green investment
14. Nepal became the first team to score 300 in a men’s T20 by defeating Mongolia at the Asian Games in China.
15. Leander Paes (former Indian tennis player) emerged as the first Asian man to be nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category.
16. India’s Badminton team defeated Brazil at the Badminton World Junior Championships in the United States.
17. The Ministry of Education, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and Microsoft have signed an MoU to empower students and educators for the future.
18. The Central government has re-appointed M Rajeshwar Rao as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India for a year.
19. Uniqlo, the Japanese fashion brand, has roped in Bollywood star, Katrina Kaif, as its very first brand ambassador in India.
20. Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is in the process of appointing DSP Pension Fund Managers as the 11th fund manager authorized to manage retirement savings under the National Pension System (NPS).

National News

1. Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has launched the National Policy on Research and Development and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector in India (NPRDIP) and Scheme for promotion of Research and Innovation in Pharma MedTech Sector (PRIP).

Source: PIB

State News

1. The Chhattisgarh government has launched the Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas NYAY Yojana for providing houses to over 47,000 economically disadvantaged individuals in rural areas of the state.
   • The Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas NYAY Yojana will offer financial assistance for housing construction, covering 100% of the required amount for eligible beneficiaries.
     Source: IE
2. Mithun, a bovine species indigenous to parts of Northeast India, is gaining recognition as a “food animal” by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), starting from September 1.
   • This recognition has opened doors for commercial utilization of mithun meat, offering economic opportunities for farmers and tribal communities.
   • Mithun, also known as the “Cattle of the Hills”, is the state animal of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
   • On September 1, ICAR launched the M-ANITRA app to register Mithun farmers as “buyers” and “sellers” with the aim to help them do business at competitive prices.
     Source: IE and IT

International News

1. The 21st Arab Media Forum was held in Dubai under the theme ‘The Future of Arab Media’.
   • The UAE Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, in collaboration with the Dubai Media Council, has introduced a guide titled ‘100 Practical Use Cases of Generative AI in Media’.
     Source: Gulf News and DD News

Banking and Economy

1. Poonawalla Fincorp Limited has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to issue a co-branded credit card in partnership with IndusInd Bank.
   • The co-branded credit card, set to launch in the next three months, is designed for customers with a positive credit history.
     Source: HBL
2. REC Limited and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have signed an MoU to jointly finance projects in the power sector and infrastructure & logistics sector.
   • The collaboration aims to co-finance debts amounting to Rs. 55,000 crores over the next three years through a consortium arrangement.

3. Central government has released the final rules for angel tax valuation of shares issued by startups to both resident and non-resident investors.
   • These rules broaden the scope of valuation methods, offering foreign investors five additional methods.
   • Angel tax, which is set at 30.6%, is levied when an unlisted company issue shares above their fair market value.
   • Previously, it was applied only to resident investors, but the budget expanded its scope to include non-resident investors.
   • These rules aim to make startup investment more attractive by easing compliance burdens and clarifying valuation methodologies.
     Source: TOI
4. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has issued its first rupee-denominated AAA rated social bonds with a total size of ₹1040.50 crore.
   • The bonds issued privately to eligible institutional investors will be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
   • The face value of each bond is ₹1 lakh. The base issue size is ₹1,000 crore, with an option to retain oversubscription up to ₹2000 crore.
   • Coupon rate – 7.63%
   • Tenure of the bond – 5 year
     Source: The Hindu

Reports and Indices

1. 2023 Global Crypto Adoption Index has been released by Chainalysis.
   • It includes five sub-indices.
   • Score – scale of 0 to 1
   • Total – 154 countries

• India has been ranked first in grassroots crypto adoption.
• Last year India stood fourth, based on the report.
• India ranked first in four parameters including centralized service value received, retail centralised service value received, DeFi value received and Retail DeFi value received.

Source: Official Report and HBL

2. According to the 2023 India Ageing Report by the United Nations Population Fund, India (UNFPA), India’s elderly population is projected to exceed the population of children (aged 0 to 15 years) by 2046.
   • More than 40% of India’s elderly population falls within the poorest wealth quintile, and around 18.7% of them live without any income, which may impact their quality of life and healthcare utilization.
   • Women tend to have higher life expectancy at the age of 60 and 80 compared to men, with variations across states.
   • The report recommends increasing awareness about schemes for older persons, regulating all Old Age Homes, and facilitating in-situ aging by creating short-term care facilities like creches or day-care facilities.
     Source: The Hindu

Important Days

1. September 25 – World Lung Day; Theme – “Access to prevention and treatment for all. Leave no one behind”
   Source: WLD
2. September 26 – CSIR 82nd Foundation Day
   • Thiruvananthapuram-based CSIR- National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST) has developed an innovative solution for safe and sustainable management of pathogenic biomedical waste by turning it into soil additives.
   • The innovation was showcased at the ongoing 82nd Foundation Day Celebrations of the CSIR at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
   • CSIR announced Dr Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards 2022.

3. September 27 – World Tourism Day; Theme – Tourism and green investment
   • The Ministry of Tourism launched the ‘Travel for LiFE’ campaign alongside the renowned ‘Incredible India’ initiative.
   • The objective of the ‘Travel for LiFE’ campaign is to promote responsible and sustainable tourism. It encourages travelers to explore different destinations while being mindful of the environment and local cultures.
   • Tamil Nadu’s CM M K Stalin introduced a dedicated ‘Tourism Policy 2023,’ marking the first such policy for the state’s tourism department.
   • The policy aims to attract Rs 20,000 crore in investments over five years and focuses on creating a sustainable tourism ecosystem, providing high-quality tourist experiences, and expanding the state’s tourism beyond traditional attractions.
     Source: UN ANI IE

Sports

1. Nepal became the first team to score 300 in a men’s T20 by defeating Mongolia at the Asian Games in China.
   • Nepal is ranked 17th in the ICC rankings, while Mongolia, competing in its first international match, recently became an ICC associate member in 2021.
   • Sift Kaur Samra and Ashi Chouksey secured gold and bronze respectively in the women’s 50m rifle 3-position individual event at the Asian Games 2023.
   • Zhang Qiongyue of China won the silver medal.
   • India’s Naorem Roshibina Devi won silver medal in Wushu in the women’s 60kg Sanda category. She lost to China’s Wu Xiaowei.
     Source: BBC Sportstar and Sportstar
2. Leander Paes (former Indian tennis player) emerged as the first Asian man to be nominated for the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category.
   • He was one of the six nominees announced for the Class of 2024.
   • He will be competing with Cara Black, Ana Ivanovic, Carlos Moya, Daniel Nestor and Flavia Pennetta in the Player Category.
     Source: The Hindu
3. India’s Badminton team defeated Brazil at the Badminton World Junior Championships in the United States.
   • India won top medal in all formats – boy’s singles, girl’s singles, boys’ doubles, girls’ doubles, and mixed doubles.
     Source: ANI

Memorandum of Understanding

1. The Ministry of Education, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and Microsoft have signed an MoU to empower students and educators for the future.
   • Purpose – providing skilling and job readiness in areas such as AI, cloud, data science, data analytics, and security
   • Microsoft will integrate its centralized training and skilling platform, Microsoft Learn, to complement AICTE’s curriculum, offering hands-on experience with Microsoft technologies.
   • Students and educators will have access to the Azure Developer Community in India for industry insights and mentorship, as well as Azure Handbooks for practical projects in various industries.
   • The Future Ready Talent Program of Microsoft will provide skilling opportunities and virtual mentorship on technology projects to enhance competencies.
     Source: Microsoft

Appointments

1. The Central government has re-appointed M Rajeshwar Rao as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India for a year.
   • Current Deputy Governors –
   • Shri Swaminathan J
   • Shri T. Rabi Sankar
   • Shri T. Rabi Sankar
   • Dr. M.D. Patra
     Source: HBL RBI

2. Uniqlo, the Japanese fashion brand, has roped in Bollywood star, Katrina Kaif, as its very first brand ambassador in India.
   • In 2018, tennis star Roger Federer became Uniqlo’s global brand ambassador.
     Source: IT

   
   
3. The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is in the process of appointing DSP Pension Fund Managers as the 11th fund manager authorized to manage retirement savings under the National Pension System (NPS).
   Source: The Hindu

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