25th-27th September, 2023

1. Out of 70 projects approved under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries’ Agro Processing Clusters (APC) scheme, only two are complete and operational.
2. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has launched an AI chatbot named Kisan e-Mitra for the PM-KISAN scheme, a flagship government program.
3. India and the United Nations have launched “India-UN Capacity Building Initiative”, a joint capacity building initiative for the Global South.
4. The fourth Gender Samvaad was co-organized by Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the Institute for What Works to Advance Gender Equality (IWWAGE).
5. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) to address substance abuse issues.
6. India has won the bid to host the 17th edition of the International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement (ICCC) in 2027.
7. The University of Wollongong (UOW) Australia, in collaboration with the NSE Academy launched their new book titled “Introduction to Corporate Finance (sixth edition)” at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in Mumbai.
8. Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a gazetted notification amending the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) rules.
9. A unified registration portal for GOBARdhan has been introduced to streamline the registration of compressed biogas (CBG) and biogas plants in the country.
10. National Education Society for Tribal Students, under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, launched Phase II of the ‘Amazon Future Engineer Programme’ in 54 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), in New Delhi.
11. Pembarthi (Jangoan) and Chandlapur (Siddipet) have been chosen by the Ministry of Tourism as the best tourism villages in Telangana for the year.
12. The Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad K. Sangma, inaugurated the CM Elevate programme in Shillong, aiming to empower and engage the youth through entrepreneurship.
13. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) launched the ‘Swachhata Train’ initiative, under the Swachhata Pakhwada 2023, to raise awareness about waste management in Ahmedabad.
14. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the 108-foot-tall ‘Statue of Oneness’ (named ‘Ekatmata Ki Pratima’) of Adi Shankaracharya at Omkareshwar.
15. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia inaugurated the newly upgraded Tezu airport in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit district.
16. Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has signed an MoU with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for solarizing residential units in Ayodhya and financing bioenergy and renewable projects.
17. Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has launched the Vigilance Complaint Information Management System (VCIMS) portal for addressing and monitoring corruption complaints efficiently.
18. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that Biswanath Ghat has been selected as the Best Tourism Village of India 2023 by the Ministry of Tourism.
19. Kashi Sansad Sanskritik Mahotsav 2023 was organized at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
20. Kerala is all set to get its second Vande Bharat Express train – Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express – and this time it will be orange in color.
21. Madhya Pradesh, which is home to the most number of tigers in the country, has got a new tiger reserve named ‘Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve’, the seventh in the state.
22. The UN General Assembly organized its 78th session in New York.
23. Along the banks of the Kalambo River in Zambia near Africa’s second-highest waterfall, archaeologists have excavated world’s oldest wood structure.
24. The Barak tank is the latest main battle tank developed by Israel and is considered a 5th generation tank.
25. RBI has instructed banks to display information on their websites regarding borrowers whose secured assets have been taken into possession under the SARFAESI Act, 2002.
26. SEBI has amended rules requiring listed entities with outstanding non-convertible debt securities to list subsequent issuances of such securities on stock exchanges.
27. Axis Bank has launched ‘NEO for Business,’ a Transaction Banking platform designed for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
28. Utkarsh Small Finance Bank has launched the Interoperable Cardless Cash Withdrawal (ICCW) service, in line with RBI’s directive to offer this option at ATMs.
29. Tata Motors has delivered the first-of-its-kind Hydrogen Fuel Cell powered (FCEV) buses to the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL).
30. RBI has approved the voluntary amalgamation of two Maharashtra-based co-operative banks, wherein Pune-based Cosmos Co-operative Bank will acquire Mumbai-based Sahebrao Deshmukh Co-operative Bank.
31. RBI has imposed penalties on three state-owned banks and one non-banking financial company (NBFC).
32. The State of the Rhino report has been released by the International Rhino Foundation.
33. According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, Universal Health Service Coverage (UHC) growth has stalled since 2015, and financial protection for health services has deteriorated.
34. Canadian think tank Fraser Institute has released the Economic Freedom of the World (EFW) 2023 Annual Report.
35. The finance ministry of India has forecasted a GDP growth of 6.5% in 2023-24 (FY24).
36. The Indian and US armies are set to begin a two-week war game in Alaska, featuring complex drills as part of the 19th edition of exercise Yudh Abhyas.
37. The Indian Air Force (IAF) initiated the phase-out of its HS-748 Avro transport aircraft by formally inducting the first C-295MW transport aircraft in a ceremony at Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad.
38. Indian Navy’s indigenously built warship INS Sahyadri participated in the maiden trilateral Maritime Partnership Exercise with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Indonesian Navy from 20 – 21 Sep 2023.
39. Navies of India and Singapore have begun a week-long bilateral maritime exercise, SIMBEX, in the southern parts of the South China Sea.
40. ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus Expert Working Group (EWG) on Counter Terrorism Field Training Exercise (FTX) 2023 is scheduled to be conducted from 25th to 30th September 2023 in Russia.
41. The Third Missile Cum Ammunition (MCA) Barge, Yard 77 (LSAM 9), was launched at Guttenadeevi, East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, by Cmde G Ravi, Warship Production Superintendent (Visakhapatnam).
42. Indian Navy has launched a motor car expedition, titled “Khamree Mo Sikkim!” (Hello Sikkim), as part of its multifaceted outreach program to strengthen connections with the northeastern states of India.
43. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is organizing the India Smart Cities Conclave 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
44. Raj Bhasha Kirti Puraskar 2023 have been announced during the Hindi Diwas Samaroh (14 September).
45. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated Waheeda Rehman on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award.
46. 4th Sunday in September (September 24) – World Rivers Day
47. September 25 – World Pharmacist Day; Theme – “Pharmacy Strengthening Health Systems”
48. September 25 – Antyodaya Diwas (to mark the birth anniversary of Indian leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya)
49. September 26 – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
50. September 26 – World Contraception Day; Theme – The Power of Options
51. September 26 – World Environmental Health Day; Theme – Global Environmental Public Health: Standing up to protect everyone’s Health each and every day
52. Formula One leader Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix.
53. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has lauded the Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls Team for winning the first medal at Asian Games 2022 for Bharat, a silver.
54. Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa broke the world record in women’s marathon in a time of 2hr 11min 53sec.
55. Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer Marco Bezzecchi won the inaugural edition of the Indian Grand Prix held at Buddh International Circuit in Noida.
56. Iran-India Joint Chamber of Commerce signed an MoU with Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) to strengthen trade, investment, quality standards, and technology transfer.
57. The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has signed an MoU with the Digital Lenders Association of India (DLAI) to boost the fintech sector in India.
58. An MoU has been signed between the Indian Navy and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore to facilitate technical collaboration and joint research and development in various fields of engineering and defense sector.
59. Nihar Malaviya, an Indian-origin publishing executive, has been named the permanent CEO of Penguin Random House.
60. Senior nuclear scientist Vivek Bhasin assumed charge as the 14th director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
61. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Bhargav Dasgupta as Vice-President (Market Solutions) for a period of 3 years.
62. Tata Sons has appointed Banmali Agarwala as the new chairman of Tata Advanced Systems (TASL).
63. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company has appointed Sanjeev Mantri as the new MD and CEO.
64. Former bureaucrat Amit Khare has been given extension as an advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
65. Bharatanatyam dancer Saroja Vaidyanathan has passed away.
66. IAS officer Sonal Goel launched her book “Nation Calling” at the Constitution Club of India in Delhi.
67. Former Italian president Giorgio Napolitano has passed away.
68. Legendary filmmaker KG George has passed away.

National News

1. Out of 70 projects approved under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries’ Agro Processing Clusters (APC) scheme, only two are complete and operational.
   • The APC scheme aims to create agro-processing clusters with at least 5 food processing units, but most projects have faced delays.
   • The scheme is a modified version of the Mega Food Parks (MFP) scheme, which was discontinued in 2021 due to its inability to achieve desired outcomes.
   • Delays in the APC projects are attributed to processes like land use changes, pollution control board clearances, loan approvals, and COVID-19-related disruptions.
   • The scheme provides grants to beneficiaries to set up agro-processing clusters with a minimum investment of Rs 25 crore.
   • The Ministry of Food Processing Industries allocated Rs 584 crore for the scheme, with Rs 193 crore released as grants-in-aid since 2019-20.
     Source: IE
2. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has launched an AI chatbot named Kisan e-Mitra for the PM-KISAN scheme, a flagship government program.
   • Purpose – to enhance the efficiency and reach of the PM-KISAN scheme and provide farmers with prompt and accurate responses to their queries
   • The chatbot has been developed with the support of EkStep Foundation and Bhashini and will assist farmers with information related to their application status, payment details, ineligibility status, and other scheme-related updates.
   • It is accessible through the PM-KISAN mobile application and offers multilingual support, currently available in English, Hindi, Bengali, Odia, and Tamil, with plans to expand to all 22 official languages of the country.

3. India and the United Nations have launched “India-UN Capacity Building Initiative”, a joint capacity building initiative for the Global South.
   • Objective – to share India’s development experiences, best practices, and expertise with partner countries in the Global South through capacity building and training programs
   • It also leverages India’s Technical and Economic Cooperation platform to share its development experiences worldwide, in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
     Source: ET
4. The fourth Gender Samvaad was co-organized by Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) and the Institute for What Works to Advance Gender Equality (IWWAGE).
   • Purpose – to generate awareness of DAY-NRLM’s gender interventions across India
   • The need for convergence between Naari Adalats under Mission Shakti and Gender Resource Centres under DAY-NRLM was highlighted.
     Source: PIB

5. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) to address substance abuse issues.
   • Since 2020, the ministry has been implementing the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) in all districts of India to create awareness about the harmful effects of substance abuse, with a focus on higher education institutes, university campuses, schools, and the community
   • NMBA uses technology and social media to spread its message and has partnered with religious organizations for wider outreach.
   • An MoU has been signed with the All-World Gayatri Pariwar to achieve the NMBA’s goals, with a focus on creating a drug-sensitized India.
     Source: PIB
6. India has won the bid to host the 17th edition of the International Congress on the Chemistry of Cement (ICCC) in 2027.
   • The bid was presented successfully by the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM) and IIT Delhi during the 16th ICCC in Bangkok.
   • This prestigious event, held every four to six years since 1918, connects academia and the cement industry.
   • The 9th Congress was organized at New Delhi in 1992 by NCCBM and the present 16th ICCC is being held at Bangkok, Thailand from 18-22 September 2023.

7. The University of Wollongong (UOW) Australia, in collaboration with the NSE Academy launched their new book titled “Introduction to Corporate Finance (sixth edition)” at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in Mumbai.
   • The book aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and nuances of corporate finance.
     Source: UOW

8. Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a gazetted notification amending the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) rules.
   • These amendments mandate NGOs with FCRA licenses to submit details of movable and immovable assets created from foreign contributions.
   • These rules will amend Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011.
   • Under the new rules, individuals and entities, including political parties, legislators, election candidates, judges, government servants, journalists, and media houses, who are prohibited from receiving foreign contributions, will not face prosecution if they receive foreign funds from relatives abroad and fail to inform the government within 90 days.
     Source: IE
9. A unified registration portal for GOBARdhan has been introduced to streamline the registration of compressed biogas (CBG) and biogas plants in the country.
   • More than 1,163 biogas plants and 426 CBG plants registered on the portal are eligible for assistance under the Market Development Assistance (MDA) scheme of the Department of Fertilizers.
     Source: BS
10. National Education Society for Tribal Students, under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, launched Phase II of the ‘Amazon Future Engineer Programme’ in 54 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), in New Delhi.
    • The second phase will include an Advanced Block Programming and Artificial Intelligence curriculum.
    • The three-day in-person teachers’ training workshop as well as the EMRS Coders Expo was also organized. The expo is an exhibition of the top 20 Coding Projects.
      Source: NoA

    
    

State News

1. Pembarthi (Jangoan) and Chandlapur (Siddipet) have been chosen by the Ministry of Tourism as the best tourism villages in Telangana for the year.
   • Pembarthi has been in existence from the Kakatiya period and is known for brass and bronze products, which are exported to countries such as the U.S., Germany, Belgium and Japan.
   • Chandlapur village is renowned for the famous Ranganayaka Swamy temple, ‘Gollabama’ saris and other crafts of the region.
     Source: The Hindu
2. The Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad K. Sangma, inaugurated the CM Elevate programme in Shillong, aiming to empower and engage the youth through entrepreneurship.
   • Purpose – to create entrepreneurship opportunities for over 20,000 individuals across various sectors in Meghalaya over the next three years
     Source: ET
3. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) launched the ‘Swachhata Train’ initiative, under the Swachhata Pakhwada 2023, to raise awareness about waste management in Ahmedabad.
   Source: PIB
4. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the 108-foot-tall ‘Statue of Oneness’ (named ‘Ekatmata Ki Pratima’) of Adi Shankaracharya at Omkareshwar.
   • Adi Shankara, who is believed to have lived between 788 and 820 A.D., was born in Kerela’s Kaladi, situated on the bank of the Periyar River.
   • In 2017, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the construction of a 108-foot-tall Adi Shankaracharya statue, a Shankar Museum, and the Acharya Shankar International Institute of Advaita Vedanta.
   • The multi-metal Adi Shankaracharya statue is installed atop Mandhata Parvat hill, facing southwards towards the Narmada River.
   • Larsen and Toubro was awarded an Engineering Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract to construct the Statue of Oneness.
   • Award-winning painter Vasudeo Kamath, a graduate of the J. J. School of Art in Mumbai, created the conceptual sketch and painting of the statue.
   • The statue will be accompanied by Ekatma Dham, which will include the Advaita Lok Museum, built to “showcase the life and philosophy of Acharya Shankar through exhibits reflecting the message of Advaita Vedanta”.
     Source: IE

5. Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia inaugurated the newly upgraded Tezu airport in Arunachal Pradesh’s Lohit district.
   Source: ET
6. Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has signed an MoU with Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for solarizing residential units in Ayodhya and financing bioenergy and renewable projects.
   • SIDBI aims to support the installation of solar rooftop panels in 2500 MSMEs and the electrification of vehicles to achieve the 30% electrification target by 2030 under its EV30@30 mission.

7. Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has launched the Vigilance Complaint Information Management System (VCIMS) portal for addressing and monitoring corruption complaints efficiently.
   • The portal allows common citizens to file vigilance complaints against employees of various Delhi government bodies, deterring frivolous complaints.
     Source: ANI

   
   
8. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that Biswanath Ghat has been selected as the Best Tourism Village of India 2023 by the Ministry of Tourism.
   • Located on the banks of the Brahmaputra River, Biswanath Ghat is also popularly known as ‘Gupta Kashi’ and is named after the ancient Biswanath Mandir.
   • A nearby island is called the island of Umatumuni.
     Source: IE

   
   
9. Kashi Sansad Sanskritik Mahotsav 2023 was organized at the Rudraksh International Cooperation and Convention Centre in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
   • On the occasion, the Prime Minister inaugurated 16 Atal Awasiya Vidyalayas built across Uttar Pradesh at a cost of about Rs 1115 crores.
   • Shri Modi also launched the portal for the registration of Kashi Sansad Khel Pratiyogita.
     Source: Narendramodi

10. Kerala is all set to get its second Vande Bharat Express train – Kasaragod-Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat Express – and this time it will be orange in color.
    • This is one of the nine new Vande Bharat Express trains, which PM Modi has inaugurated recently.
      Source: TOI
11. Madhya Pradesh, which is home to the most number of tigers in the country, has got a new tiger reserve named ‘Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve’, the seventh in the state.
    • Other tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh – Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Satpura, Pench, Panna and Sanjay-Dubri
    • As per the report ‘Status of Tigers: Co-predators & Prey in India-2022’, released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Wildlife Institute of India in July this year, MP (785) has the highest number of tigers in the country, followed by Karnataka (563) and Uttarakhand (560).
      Source: The Hindu

    
    

International News

1. The UN General Assembly organized its 78th session in New York.

2. Along the banks of the Kalambo River in Zambia near Africa’s second-highest waterfall, archaeologists have excavated world’s oldest wood structure.
   Source: The Hindu
3. The Barak tank is the latest main battle tank developed by Israel and is considered a 5th generation tank.
   • The Barak tank represents a significant technological advancement for the Israeli Armoured Corps and is expected to become the main battle tank for Israel’s military.
   • It aims to provide improved capabilities in terms of firepower, protection, and connectivity on the modern battlefield.
     Source: TOI

   
   

Banking and Economy

1. RBI has instructed banks to display information on their websites regarding borrowers whose secured assets have been taken into possession under the SARFAESI Act, 2002.
   • Banks must upload all the details (including branch name, State, borrower’s name, outstanding amount, and more) dating back to 2002, when the SARFAESI Act came into effect, within six months.
   • The SARFAESI Act allows banks and financial institutions to recover dues exceeding ₹1 lakh by proceeding against secured assets without court intervention, and debtors can challenge these actions through the Debts Recovery Tribunal and Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal, if aggrieved.

2. SEBI has amended rules requiring listed entities with outstanding non-convertible debt securities to list subsequent issuances of such securities on stock exchanges.
   • Effective from – January 1, 2024
   • Aim – enhancing transparency in price discovery of non-convertible debt securities and providing better disclosures to investors
   • Exemptions – Certain types of issuances have been exempted from this requirement, including capital gains tax debt securities issued under Section 54EC of the Income Tax Act, NCDs held until maturity, and NCDs issued following orders of courts or regulatory requirements.
   • If an entity with listed debt securities has unlisted NCDs as of December 31, 2023, it will have the option, but not the obligation, to list them.
   • Listed entities proposing to issue securities will need to disclose key terms such as interest rates and maturity periods to stock exchanges.
   • SEBI had previously introduced a framework prohibiting voluntary delisting for listed entities with more than 200 non-qualified institutional buyer holders of non-convertible debt securities.
     Source: ET

3. Axis Bank has launched ‘NEO for Business,’ a Transaction Banking platform designed for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
   • It is a comprehensive digital platform catering to the evolving Transaction Banking needs of MSMEs, providing a range of products and services in one place.
   • The platform offers features like digital self on-boarding, bulk payments, GST-compliant invoicing, payment gateway integration, customer view, transaction tracking, auto reconciliation, recurring collections, cash flow reports, and more.
   • This platform can be accessed through mobile, computer, and tablet.
     Source: LiveMint

4. Utkarsh Small Finance Bank has launched the Interoperable Cardless Cash Withdrawal (ICCW) service, in line with RBI’s directive to offer this option at ATMs.
   • ICCW allows UPI users to withdraw cash from Utkarsh Small Finance Bank ATMs without a physical debit card.
   • Initially, customers can enjoy up to two ICCW transactions per day per account, with a withdrawal limit of Rs. 10,000 per transaction.
     Source: BS

5. Tata Motors has delivered the first-of-its-kind Hydrogen Fuel Cell powered (FCEV) buses to the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL).
   • Tata Motors won a tender from IOCL in June 2021 to provide 15 FCEV buses for evaluation.
     Source: Tata Motors
6. RBI has approved the voluntary amalgamation of two Maharashtra-based co-operative banks, wherein Pune-based Cosmos Co-operative Bank will acquire Mumbai-based Sahebrao Deshmukh Co-operative Bank.
   • The merger will come into effect from September 26, 2023.
   • After this merger, the branches of Sahebrao Deshmukh Co-operative Bank will function as branches of Cosmos Co-operative Bank.
     Source: HBL

7. RBI has imposed penalties on three state-owned banks and one non-banking financial company (NBFC).
   • State Bank of India (SBI): A penalty of Rs 1.3 crore has been imposed on SBI for non-compliance with certain directions issued by the RBI. These directions relate to ‘Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions’ and ‘Guidelines on Management of Intra-Group Transactions and Exposures.’
   • Indian Bank: Indian Bank has been penalized Rs 1.62 crore for contravening certain directions on ‘Loans and Advances – Statutory and Other Restrictions,’ Know Your Customer (KYC) norms, and ‘Reserve Bank of India (Interest Rate on Deposits) Directions, 2016.’
   • Punjab & Sind Bank: A monetary penalty of Rs 1 crore has been imposed on Punjab & Sind Bank for non-compliance with certain provisions of the depositor education and awareness fund scheme.
   • Fedbank Financial Services Limited: The RBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 8.80 lakh on Fedbank Financial Services Limited for non-compliance with certain provisions of the directions on monitoring fraud in NBFCs.
   • RBI has cancelled the licence of Mumbai-based The Kapol Co-operative Bank Limited.
     Source: TOI ET

Reports and Indices

1. The State of the Rhino report has been released by the International Rhino Foundation.
   • As per the report, climate change-induced droughts are threatening rhino populations in Africa and Asia.
   • The rhino population in India, Bhutan, and Nepal is increasing, with approximately 4,014 rhinos.
   • Rhino Species in the world – White rhino, Black rhino, Sumatran rhino, Javan rhino, Greater one-horned rhino
   • White rhino is the largest rhino species in the world

2. According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, Universal Health Service Coverage (UHC) growth has stalled since 2015, and financial protection for health services has deteriorated.
   • As of 2021, over half of the world’s population, or 4.5 billion people, lacked full coverage of essential health services.
   • In 2019, around 2 billion people faced financial hardship due to out-of-pocket (OOP) spending on health, including 344 million people in extreme poverty.
   • South-East Asia and the Western Pacific regions had the highest numbers of people with catastrophic OOP health spending.
   • OOP health spending pushed nearly 1.3 billion people into or further into poverty, including 300 million already in extreme poverty.

   WHO’s Triple Billion targets –

   • WHO’s Triple Billion targets for the period 2019-2023 aims to increase the number of people benefiting from UHC by 1 billion.
   • The initial set for 2018-2023 was subsequently extended to 2025 under the recommendation of Member States.
   • But the world is not on track to achieve this target.
     Source: DTE

3. Canadian think tank Fraser Institute has released the Economic Freedom of the World (EFW) 2023 Annual Report.
   • The report measures the degree to which the policies and institutions of countries are supportive of economic freedom.
   • Parameters – Size of Government, Legal System and Property Rights, Sound Money, Freedom to Trade Internationally, Regulation
   • Total – 165 countries
   • Top country – Singapore
   • India’s rank – 87th
     Source: Fraser

GDP Forecasts

1. The finance ministry of India has forecasted a GDP growth of 6.5% in 2023-24 (FY24).
   Source: BS

Defence News

1. The Indian and US armies are set to begin a two-week war game in Alaska, featuring complex drills as part of the 19th edition of exercise Yudh Abhyas.
   • This exercise is an annual joint effort between the Indian Army and the US Army and is taking place at Fort Wainwright in Alaska.
   • Indian participation – Maratha Light Infantry regiment
   • Theme of the exercise – ‘Employment of an Integrated Battle Group in Mountain/Extreme Climatic Conditions,’ focusing on UN peacekeeping operations
     Source: IE

2. The Indian Air Force (IAF) initiated the phase-out of its HS-748 Avro transport aircraft by formally inducting the first C-295MW transport aircraft in a ceremony at Hindon Air Force Station, Ghaziabad.
   • Hindon Air Force is the biggest and largest air base in Asia.
   • The C-295MW procurement deal, signed in September 2021, includes 56 aircraft, with the first 16 to be assembled in Spain and the remaining 40 manufactured in India in collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
   • The final assembly line is being set up in Vadodara, Gujarat, and production components have already begun in Hyderabad.
   • In addition to the induction ceremony, Bharat Drone Shakti 2023, a two-day drone exhibition and display event, was jointly organised by the IAF and the Drone Federation of India (DFI), featuring over 75 drone start-ups from across the country.
   • Bharat Drone Shakti-2023 exhibition was organized at the Hindan Air Base in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad.
     Source: The Hindu and HT

   
   
3. Indian Navy’s indigenously built warship INS Sahyadri participated in the maiden trilateral Maritime Partnership Exercise with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Indonesian Navy from 20 – 21 Sep 2023.
   • INS Sahyadri, the third ship of the indigenously designed and built Project-17 class multirole stealth frigates was built at Mazagon Dock Ltd, Mumbai and is commanded by Capt. Rajan Kapoor.
     Source: PIB
4. Navies of India and Singapore have begun a week-long bilateral maritime exercise, SIMBEX, in the southern parts of the South China Sea.
   • Indian Navy’s Rajput-class destroyer INS Ranvijay, Kamorta-class corvette INS Kavaratti, and a P-8I maritime patrol aircraft are taking part in the exercise.
   • SIMBEX 2023 comprises a shore phase (21 to 24 September) held at RSS Singapura – Changi Naval Base, and a sea phase (25 to 28 September) in the southern reaches of the South China Sea in international waters.
   • SIMBEX was first held in 1994.
     Source: The Hindu

   
   
5. ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) Plus Expert Working Group (EWG) on Counter Terrorism Field Training Exercise (FTX) 2023 is scheduled to be conducted from 25th to 30th September 2023 in Russia.
   • Indian participation – Indian Army’s Rajputana Rifles Battalion
   • It is a multinational joint military exercise being hosted by Russia as a co-chair of the EWG along with Myanmar.
   • It was preceded by Table-Top Exercise of the ADMM Plus EWG on Counter Terrorism at Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from 2nd to 4th August 2023.
     Source: PIB

   
   
6. The Third Missile Cum Ammunition (MCA) Barge, Yard 77 (LSAM 9), was launched at Guttenadeevi, East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, by Cmde G Ravi, Warship Production Superintendent (Visakhapatnam).
   • The launch site is M/s SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, located in East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh.
     Source: TOI
7. Indian Navy has launched a motor car expedition, titled “Khamree Mo Sikkim!” (Hello Sikkim), as part of its multifaceted outreach program to strengthen connections with the northeastern states of India.
   • The expedition is planned over 22 days and is supported by Maruti Suzuki India Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (as the fuel partner).
   • It covers a distance of 6,500 km, starting from INS Shivaji at Lonavala, Maharashtra, and ending in Sikkim, with stops in several states along the way.
     Source: PIB
     

   
   

Awards

1. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is organizing the India Smart Cities Conclave 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
   • All 100 smart cities in India will participate in the event to showcase their work under the Smart Cities Mission.
   • The India Smart Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022 winners will be felicitated during the event.
   • The ISAC awards recognize cities, projects, and ideas promoting sustainable development and quality of life in smart cities. A total of 66 winners have been selected across different award categories.
     Source: PIB
2. Raj Bhasha Kirti Puraskar 2023 have been announced during the Hindi Diwas Samaroh (14 September).
   • The 3rd All-India Official Language Conference (Akhil Bharatiya Rajbhashsa Sammelan) took place at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi, Pune, Maharashtra, from September 14-15.
   • Presented by – Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs

3. The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated Waheeda Rehman on being conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award.
   Source: PIB

Important Days

1. 4th Sunday in September (September 24) – World Rivers Day
   • 2005-2015– International Decade for Action “Water for Life”
     Source: HT and UN

2. September 25 – World Pharmacist Day; Theme – “Pharmacy Strengthening Health Systems”
   • The history of World Pharmacist Day dates back to its inception at the 2009 International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Congress held in Istanbul, Turkey.

3. September 25 – Antyodaya Diwas (to mark the birth anniversary of Indian leader Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya)
   • He was a co-founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (BJS) and a thinker of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

4. September 26 – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
   Source: UN
5. September 26 – World Contraception Day; Theme – The Power of Options
   Source: Pace Hospital
6. September 26 – World Environmental Health Day; Theme – Global Environmental Public Health: Standing up to protect everyone’s Health each and every day
   Source: HT

Sports

1. Formula One leader Max Verstappen won the Japanese Grand Prix.
   Source: Reuters
2. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has lauded the Lightweight Men’s Double Sculls Team for winning the first medal at Asian Games 2022 for Bharat, a silver.
   • Shooters, Ramita, Mehuli Ghosh, and Ashi Chouksey secured Silver Medal in the 10m Air Rifle Women’s team event at Asian Games 2022.
   • India finished with five medals – two silvers and three bronze – in rowing.
   • Indian women’s cricket team clinched a gold medal at the Asian Games during their inaugural appearance, by defeating Sri Lanka by a margin of 19 runs.
     Source: PIB PIB Sportstar TOI

3. Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa broke the world record in women’s marathon in a time of 2hr 11min 53sec.
   Source: The Guardian
4. Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer Marco Bezzecchi won the inaugural edition of the Indian Grand Prix held at Buddh International Circuit in Noida.
   • Spain’s Jorge Martin finished second and France’s Fabio Quartararo became the third to cross the finish line.
   • Bezzecchi represented the Mooney VR46 Racing team.
   • India Grand Prix 2023 was the 13th out of 20 races in the 2023 FIM MotoGP World Championship (MotoGP).
   • Kadai Yaseen Ahamed was the only Indian rider at the MotoGP Bharat 2023
     Source: LiveMint IT ET

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Iran-India Joint Chamber of Commerce signed an MoU with Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO) to strengthen trade, investment, quality standards, and technology transfer.

2. The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has signed an MoU with the Digital Lenders Association of India (DLAI) to boost the fintech sector in India.
   • Purpose – to develop standard protocols to expedite the adoption of digital lending partnerships, including alliances between banks and Lending Service Providers (LSPs) and co-lending collaborations
   • The collaboration will explore partnerships for various credit schemes, including the “Prayaas” Scheme for informal enterprises, co-lending, GST Sahay, Express loan, green financing, and more.

3. An MoU has been signed between the Indian Navy and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore to facilitate technical collaboration and joint research and development in various fields of engineering and defense sector.
   Source: Indian Navy

Appointments

1. Nihar Malaviya, an Indian-origin publishing executive, has been named the permanent CEO of Penguin Random House.
   Source: The Week
2. Senior nuclear scientist Vivek Bhasin assumed charge as the 14th director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
   • He succeeds Ajit Kumar Mohanty, who was appointed as the Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy and Chairman Atomic Energy Commission earlier this year.

3. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Bhargav Dasgupta as Vice-President (Market Solutions) for a period of 3 years.
   • Established in 1966, ADB is owned by 68 members- 49 from the region.
     Source: ADB

4. Tata Sons has appointed Banmali Agarwala as the new chairman of Tata Advanced Systems (TASL).
   Source: ET
5. ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company has appointed Sanjeev Mantri as the new MD and CEO.
   • He succeeded Bhargav Dasgupta, who has been appointed as Vice President of Asian Development Bank.
     Source: LiveMint

6. Former bureaucrat Amit Khare has been given extension as an advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
   • He was appointed to the post for two years in October 2021.
     Source: The Hindu

Miscellaneous

1. Bharatanatyam dancer Saroja Vaidyanathan has passed away.
   • The classical dancer was conferred the Padma Shri in 2002 and the Padma Bhushan in 2013.
   • She founded the Ganesa Natyalaya, a classical dance school in New Delhi.
     Source: The Hindu

   
   
2. IAS officer Sonal Goel launched her book “Nation Calling” at the Constitution Club of India in Delhi.
   Source: ANI
3. Former Italian president Giorgio Napolitano has passed away.
   Source: Reuters
4. Legendary filmmaker KG George has passed away.
   Source: TOI

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