Current Affairs OCTOBER 2019 (Set 01)

National News

1. Scientists excavate ‘Ancient River’ in Uttar Pradesh

The Jal Shakti Ministry has excavated an old, dried-up river in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) that linked the Ganga and Yamuna rivers. The “ancient buried river” is around 4 km wide, 45 km long, consisted of a 15metre-thick layer buried under soil.

It joins the Yamuna River at Durgapur village, about 26 km south of the current Ganga-Yamuna confluence at Prayagraj. It can be developed as a potential groundwater recharge source

A channel that is no longer part of an active river system and has ceased to be a conduit of water is commonly referred to as a palaeochannel.

Some of the channels lie buried under the cover of younger sediments.

They are parts of misfit rivers and streams representing channels abandoned by migrating rivers as they shift their courses and cut new ones.

Palaeochannels are commonly occurring landforms in alluvial landscapes.

use in the exploration for freshwater resources, artificial recharge and storage of ground water;

they are of importance in the location and assessment of mineral deposits such as uraniferous ores, gold, silver and other placer deposits hosted in them

The erstwhile Ministry of Water Resources had constituted a seven-member committee, headed by Professor K.S. Valdiya of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR).

The Committee submitted the “Report on Palaeo Channel of North West India: Review & Assessment” in 2016.  The banks of one of the misfit rivers, the Ghaggar-Hakra-Saraswati-Drishadvati, is associated with multiplicity of palaeochannels.

Evidence from palaeochannels suggest that the mythological Saraswati River did indeed exist. River Saraswati originated from Adibadri in Himalaya to culminate in the Arabian Sea through the Runn of Kutch. It was approximately 4000 km in length.

 

2. National e Governance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) signed an MoU with The National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal

National eGovernance Division (NeGD), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) & The National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal have signed an MoU to implement an ‘Online Capacity Building Programme on Cyber Law, Crime Investigation and Digital Forensics through NeGD Learning Management System (LMS)’. With advent of digital age and increased use of mobiles and computers, there has been a significant increase in cybercrimes over the past few years which pose a major challenge for the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA). The goal of this programme is to enable Police Officers, State Cyber Cells, Law Enforcement Agencies, Prosecutors and Judicial Officers to acquire the requisite skills to deal with Cyber Forensics cases efficiently & effectively as per the Indian Cyber Law while adopting global best practices, standards and guidelines.  NeGD, under the Digital India Programme in collaboration with NLIU Bhopal has taken this initiative to offer 9 months Online PG Diploma Course in Cyber Law, Crime Investigation & Digital Forensics to 1000 officials through its Learning Management System (LMS).

A Cyber Forensics Lab shall be setup in the premises of National Law University (NLU) Delhi for facilitating this course.  Other law schools/ universities like National Law School of India University (Bangalore), Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law (Patiala), etc. will also be involved in the programme in future. The law schools will provide the necessary faculty members, expertise and content for the virtual classes and development of e-content.  NLIU, BHOPAL will award the PG Diploma Certificate to the candidates who successfully complete the course.    

 

3. Now, an App to register consumer grievances online

The government launched an App that would help consumers register their grievances online as well as give suggestions on consumer-related issues. It also has several consumer-centric features, besides having essential links that could be useful to consumers.

Besides, the knowledgebase available in the App would be useful for consumers to get information about 42 different sectors, including consumer durables, electronic products, e-commerce, banking, insurance, etc. The App is available in both English and Hindi.

 

4. By launching Village Secretariats, Andhra shifts away from e-governance path

The Andhra Pradesh launched its Village Secretariat programme, under which 1.26 lakh new government employees will begin working. This will make government services more accessible, the system, however, is in complete contrast to the earlier trajectory of the state, which had been pushing for e-governance or online services instead under former chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Under the new system, the AP government, led by Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, one Village Secretariat has been set up for every population of 2,000, with each one comprising close to a dozen village officials (from different departments like police, revenue, etc). The idea behind it is to ensure that its services reach people on the ground, and also to strengthen the existing Panchayat Raj system.  The cost of hiring about 1.26 lakh new employees is going to be roughly about ?2,200 crore a year for the AP government. Aside from this, the state has also hired another two lakh Village Volunteers, with each of them being paid ?5,000 per month, with the job of assisting people in availing government services (each volunteer to look after 50 households).

The e-Pragati programme enabled citizens to avail over 745 services from 34 departments and 336 autonomous organizations of the AP government online. Prior to that in 2017, Naidu also started the Real Time Government Service at the state secretariat in Velugapudi at Amaravati. It was launched with the Real Time Governance Society as its functional arm, which directly reported to the then chief minister.

In fact, one of the missions of the RTGS was to also leverage e-governance, technology and electronic communication and adopt an advanced technology of international standards for governance. The idea was to create an evolved ecosystem of technology and skill, and data of all the households in the state along with the government benefits they receive were linked with various government departments.

 

5. Inter State portability for ration cards has been launched 

The government has launched inter-State portability for ration cards for Rajasthan and Haryana. The scheme aims to facilitate the distribution of foodgrains to beneficiaries of the National Food Security scheme. The move by the govt. aims to link both the states initially. It will be implemented in the country later.  Rajasthan was chosen because of the State's online distribution system facility that made the work easier. There are states that are not completely digitalized in the country. The central government is taking efforts to make the system online in all states. The government's inter-State portability for ration cards will allow labourers, who migrate from one State to the other in search of work, in the unorganized sector will mainly benefit from the scheme. The beneficiaries would be able to purchase their quota of wheat from the fair price shops in either of the States on one ration card.  Currently, such labourers are required to make a new ration card to get the benefit of the public distribution system when they change states. Once the scheme is implemented across the nation, one card will be enough to avail the benefits.

The scheme will be introduced in Rajasthan and Haryana will be expanded to cover essential commodities in addition to wheat in the forthcoming period.

 

6. PM Modi releases commemorative Rs 150 coins on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on October 2, released a special Rs 150 coin to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary. The limited-edition commemorative coin was launched during an event in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

In January, PM Modi had released a similar commemorative coin of Rs 350 to celebrate the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. A commemorative Rs 100 coin was released in 2018 to honour former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

 

7. Army's biggest mountain combat exercise 'Him Vijay' begins in Arunachal Pradesh 

Indian Army undergoing its biggest transformation has started its biggest mountain assault exercise. Exercise ‘Him Vijay' has begun. As it is in phases the first important phase will be from 7 -10 October and the other phase will be from 20- 24 October. The exercise is to test mobility, communication and coordination of such huge body of fast-moving troops in difficult terrain. Indian Army is metamorphosing itself to incorporate changes for modern and quick and short war, added the Army officer. Three Battle Groups, each comprising around 4000 soldiers, are participating which will include troop mobilisation, mountain assault and air assault. Elements of special forces will also be part of it.

Air force and Army helicopters will be transferring troops and equipment at the terrain of upto 15,000 ft. The Combat Arms like the Infantry, Armoured, Artillery and Mechanised Infantry will be at one place to train together. Depending on mountain, desert or plains the combat support units of the engineers, signals, ordinance and supply will be integrated. There will be Integrated Infantry Battle Groups, Integrated Armoured Battle Groups and Integrated Artillery Battle Groups. India and China share a boundary (Line of Actual Control- LAC) of 3488 kilometres of which 1126 kilometres lie between Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet. There are differences regarding the perception of Line of Actual Control. Bonhomie between India and China has risen due to improvements into relationship and CBMs on grounds. Exercise ‘Him Vijay' is taking place in Arunachal Pradesh.

 

8. Government launches Prakash portal to improve coal supply to power plants 

The government launched a web portal, Prakash, with a view to improving coordination between the power, coal and railway ministries to ensure coal supplies to power plants. The portal was jointly launched by power minister RK Singh and coal minister Pralhad Joshi. Apart from mapping coal stocks in mines, the portal will also help stakeholders monitor the movement of railway rakes and coal availability at power plants. In line with the government’s predisposition for acronyms, Prakash stands for ‘Power Rail Koyla Availability through Supply Harmony’.

The portal has been launched at a time when coal inventory at power plants are reduced to 20 MT at September-end, sufficient to last for 11 days on an average. According to analysts, total inventory at power plants and coal companies now stand at 40 MT only.  The portal is expected to help coal companies to track stocks and requirement at power stations for effective production planning as coal cannot be stockpiled beyond a certain quantity without the risk of catching fire. Power stations would also take more informed decisions as they would have more clarity on the exact number of rakes in pipeline and their expected time of arrival. However, the portal, unlike the power ministry’s other recently launched websites, is not accessible to general public.

 

9. U’khand starts Urjagiri to prevent power loss 

‘Urjagiri’, a special campaign to prevent line loss and power thefts in Uttarakhand got started on the 150th birth anniversary for father of nation Mahatma Gandhi. Initiating the campaign at his residence, the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said that the efforts for preventing power thefts should be intensified. The distribution losses have been curtailed to 14.32 percent from 29.52 at the time of creation of the state. Rawat said that these losses should now be brought down to 13 percent.

 

10. Odisha govt aims at people-centric governance with Mo Sarkar initiative

In a bid to make governance more people-centric, the Odisha government has launched an initiative in which ministers would dial common citizens to seek feedback on the kind of response they get during recent visits to police stations and district headquarter hospitals (DHH). The 'Mo Sarkar' or 'My Government' programme was launched by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patniak. Mo Sarkar is an initiative under the 5T model of governance to herald a transformation in government offices. The Mo Sarkar programme will apply to at least 620 police stations and 21 district headquarter hospitals and a few more medical colleges. The services under the Mo Sarkar initiative will be extended to more district headquarter hospitals by the end of the month. Under the Mo Sarkar initiative, a citizen will not chase police to register a complain rather, Police officials will follow up with the complainant as to how he was treated at the police station and how his complaint was dealt with. This means that the state government will collect feedback on the behaviour and professionalism of government officers. All of these government officers will then be graded on the basis of feedback received from people. It is worth mentioning that mobile numbers of all citizens visiting police stations and district headquarter hospitals will be registered, following which an SMS will be sent to them within 24 hours. All the names and numbers of people who visited either a police station or hospital will be stored in a portal, which will randomly seek feedback from 10 people every day.

 

11. Telangana becomes fully electrified state. 

Telangana has become one of the fully electrified states in the country after providing electricity to over 5 lakh 15 thousand households under the Soubhagya Yojana introduced by the Centre in October 2017.

During the last two years, the entire state has been covered and the households in remote areas have been provided electricity under the Sahaj Bijili Ghar Yojana (Soubhagya).

 

12. India's oldest chimpanzee Rita dies at Delhi zoo

India's oldest chimpanzee Rita, who had not been keeping well for over two months, died at the Delhi Zoo. The 59-year-old chimpanzee was not eating properly since July 27, and was put on a liquid diet. On average, a chimpanzee has a lifespan of around 50 years. Following the chimpanzee's death, the Delhi zoo has cancelled the inaugural function of Wildlife Week.

Born on December 12, 1960, in Amsterdam Zoo and acquired by the Delhi zoo in 1990, Rita was the oldest chimp in India and probably the "oldest in Asia", according to the Limca Book of Records.

 

13. Book on India-Netherlands relationship presented to Dutch King

The Indian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Venu Rajamony, released his book titled India and the Netherlands, Past, Present and Future at a seminar held at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

The King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, received the first copy in the presence of the Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. Guests included the Dutch Minister for Education, the Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam and the ambassadors of 26 countries. The event was a curtain-raiser for the King and Queen’s upcoming official trip to India in October.

The book has been described as “an encyclopaedia of the cross-cultural legacy between India and the Netherlands” that “highlights the significant place India occupied in the Dutch world view and the relationship between the two nations secured by strong economic ties and vibrant exchanges in the fields of culture, sports, and yoga.”

The Dutch King and Queen are expected to make the royal family’s third official visit to India on October 14, during which time they are expected to visit the ‘Indo-Dutch interactions in the time of Rembrandt’ exhibition at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum in Mumbai, as well as the former Dutch colony of Kochi.

 

14. TN: 2,600-year-old walls discovered at Keeladi

The fifth phase of the ongoing excavation at the archaeological site in Keeladi in Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu has unearthed, over a period of one month, a total of four brick walls dating back to the Sangam age. The State Archeology Department unearthed four walls which are 2,600 years old at the site. The fifth phase of excavation that began in June is likely to close this month. Excavation work in Keeladi village has been conducted on behalf of the Central Archeology Department since 2015. The excavations carried out in the village on the banks of Vaigai river unearthed artefacts which have been found to be dating back to Sangam civilization.

The second phase was conducted in 2016 and phase three in 2017. The government of Tamil Nadu undertook the fourth phase of the excavation in 2018 as various parties insisted on continuing the investigation. So far, 14,500 items were unearthed. Funds have been allocated to construct a trench to protect them.

 

15. Smriti Irani Inaugurates India's Largest 'Charkha' Made of Waste Plastic in Noida

India's largest 'charkha' (spinning wheel) made of used plastic waste was inaugurated here on the eve of Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. The 1,650-kg spinning wheel was inaugurated by Union Minister Smriti Irani. The spinning wheel has been installed in Sector 94 near the Mahamaya flyover.

The 'charkha', which symbolises Gandhi's dream of Swadeshi (self sufficing and self reliance), measures 14ft, 20ft and 8ft and is made of 1,250 kg of used plastic. The gigantic spinning wheel is not only representative of construction and beautification but also represents our commitment towards the plastic-free campaign. The charkha has been recognised as the largest made of used plastic waste in the country by India Book of Records.

 

16. 'Mahatma Lives': UNESCO, DD join hands for TV show on Gandhi's 150th anniversary 

Rarely heard audio clips of Mahatma Gandhi will be featured as part of an hour-long television programme jointly hosted by the UNESCO and Doordarshan to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation. The bilingual programme - 'Mahatma Lives'/'Bapu Zinda Hain' - will be telecast on October 1 at 10 pm and repeated on October 2 at 5 pm across the country on DD News. The clips include his speech from 1947, before the Independence, in which he addresses corporate leaders and exhorts them to give wealth for welfare of the society. Another clip will be about Gandhi talking about music. The programme seeks to celebrate his ideas and teachings and how it has shaped the lives of people in the country and around the world, she said. "Eleven speakers from different walks of life, age and background have been chosen to share with the audience their personal experiences and achievements, and how they have integrated the Mahatma's vision and applied his principles into their work and daily lives. The UNESCO said the programme will help "discover or rediscover the Mahatma's teachings about different themes and contemplate how aspects of Gandhi's legacy remains relevant in today’s times, not just to India but to the world"

 

17. Delhi cabinet approves to bill to set up sports university

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced the “Delhi Sports University” will offer field-specific degrees to interested students. This would be at par with those offered in other courses at graduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels. Earlier, a sportsperson used to be uncertain about his future, just for the fact that if the person is not able to establish a career in sports, she/he will just be called a school pass out. She/he would not get a job because every job requires at least a graduation degree to get through. This sports university will grant you a degree in sports such as cricket, and hockey. It will be a one-of-a kind university in India.

On the allocation of land and the expenses incurred, the chief minister said that they have identified 90 acres in Mundka area of Outer Delhi for the university. The Delhi Sports University Bill also grants the proposed university the right to establish constituent schools and colleges. These “sports schools” will identify and groom budding sporting talents at an early stage.

The objective is to facilitate and promote ‘sports’ studies, research and extension work in emerging areas of sports education with focus on liberal sports activities and science.

 

18. 'Sarbat Da Bhala Express' train flagged off at New Delhi railway station

Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, Union Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan and Harsimrat Kaur Badal flagged off 'Sarbat Da Bhala Express' at New Delhi railway station. The renamed New Delhi-Ludhiana Intercity will ply from Delhi to Lohian Khas via holy city Sultanpur Lodhi. The request to rename the train was made by Union Minister Harsimrat Badal on the occasion of the 550th Parkash Purb celebrations.

 

19. India records highest monsoon rains in 25 years: IMD

India recorded the highest rainfall this monsoon since 1994, the weather department said classifying it 'above normal' as the season officially ended on September 30. Monsoon still remains active in several parts of the country and withdrawal of the southwest monsoon is likely to commence from northwest India around October 10, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said, adding that this is the longest recorded delay in withdrawal of the monsoon. Monsoon normally starts withdrawing beginning September 1 from west Rajasthan. Quantitatively, the 2019 Southwest monsoon season comes to end with above normal seasonal (June to September) rainfall. Quantitatively monsoon seasonal rainfall was 110 per cent of its Long Period Average (LPA). LPA is the average of rainfall between 1961 and 2010, which is 88 cm. The country recorded 'below normal' rainfall in 2018.  Monsoon made an onset over Kerala on June 8, a week after its normal date of arrival. The deficiency in June was 33 per cent. However, the next three months received more rainfall than normal. Of the four-month monsoon season, August recorded 115 per cent rainfall of the LPA, first time since 1996 (119 per cent). Similarly, the rainfall recorded in September (152 per cent of the LPA) was second highest after 1917 (165 per cent of the LPA). July recorded 105 per cent of the rainfall of the LPA. The overall rainfall figures were also contrary to the initial prediction made by the IMD and private forecaster Skymet Weather. The IMD predicted 96 per cent rainfall of the LPA, while Skymet's forecast was 93 per cent, both giving an error margin of 5 per cent.

The IMD said the country recorded 110 per cent rainfall of the LPA this year, similar to the LPA recorded in 1994. After 1931 this is the first time the seasonal rainfall is more than LPA even after the June rainfall deficiency was more than 30 per cent of LPA. After 2010, this is the first time, rainfall during all the last three months (July to September) was above LPA. The highest cumulative rainfall during August-September (130 per cent) has been recorded in 2019 after 1983 (142 per cent). Most states have witnessed flood this year, leading to large scale destruction and loss of lives. In a worrying trend, 18 of the last 19 monsoon seasons have recorded rainfall less than the Long Period Average.

 

20. AIM, NITI Aayog’s Atal Tinkering Labs and UNICEF India launches ‘The Gandhian Challenge’

On the 150th birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, AIM, NITI Aayog’s Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) and UNICEF India, including Generation Unlimited, have launched ‘The Gandhian Challenge’. This innovation challenge provides a platform for every child across India to ideate innovative solutions for a sustainable India of their dreams, using Gandhi’s principles. The winners of The Gandhian Challenge will be awarded in New Delhi by NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission and UNICEF on the occasion of Children’s Day in November. The contest – open for every child in India from 2 October to 20 October – also celebrates 70 years of partnership between Government of India and UNICEF India to enable Every Right for Every Child.

In ATLs, students of class 6th to 12th acquire a problem-solving attitude, develop innovative solutions leveraging technologies like 3D printers, robotics, miniaturised electronics, IOT and programming and DIY kits, with support from teachers and mentors.

AIM is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. AIM’s objective is to develop new programmes and policies for fostering innovation in different sectors of the economy, provide platform and collaboration opportunities for different stakeholders, create awareness and create an umbrella structure to oversee innovation ecosystem of the country.

 

Six major initiatives of AIM:

Atal Tinkering Labs-Creating problem-solving mindset across schools in India.

Atal Incubation Centers-Fostering world class start-ups and adding a new dimension to the incubator model.

Atal New India Challenges-Fostering product innovations and aligning them to the needs of various sectors/ministries.

Mentor India Campaign- A national Mentor network in collaboration with public sector, corporates and institutions, to support all the initiatives of the mission.

Atal Community Innovation Center- To stimulate community centric innovation and ideas in the unserved /underserved regions of the country including Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

ARISE-To stimulate innovation and research in the MSME industry.

 

21. AP: YSR Vahana Mitra scheme to launch on October 4

Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP government launched YSR Vahana Mitra scheme on October 4 wherein a cash incentive of Rs 10,000 will be given to those drivers who own autos and cars.

The transport department has sent the YSR Vahana Mitra applications to all the district collectors and the verification process will be completed by September 30.

Of the 1,75,218 applications received so far, 93,741 applications have been verified. For the remaining applications, verification will be completed by September 30.

 

22. NHSRC redesignated as WHO collaborating centre for medical devices, health technology policy 

The National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC) has been redesignated as a WHO collaborating centre for priority medical devices and health technology policy. The mandate of the division of healthcare technology at NHSRC is to draw up technical specifications for technologies procured under National Health Mission, draft policies for medical device maintenance and management, undertake evaluations of health product innovations and support the ministry on issues related to diagnostics initiative, National Dialysis Program among others. In the past, NHSRC as a collaborating centre has supported WHO in formulating technical specifications for medical devices such as oxygen concentrators and resuscitation devices and continues to support evaluation of innovations for WHO's compendium on innovative devices. This year in collaboration with WHO's country office, NHSRC developed a guidance document for the health ministry's free diagnostics initiative to further strengthen the agenda of universal access to affordable diagnostics. NHSRC also works with WHO on development of technical specification of blood pressure measuring devices, in vitro diagnostics and devices for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Such global collaborations in the area of health technology will ensure that scientific and technological advances, research and development as well as innovative technologies play a substantial supportive role in healthcare and enable us to reach the public health goals and achieve universal health coverage.

 

Economy News

1. PIO cards to continue as valid travel document till March 2020

Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) cards along with valid foreign passport will be considered for exit/entry into India till 31st of March 2020.

Bureau of Immigration (BoI) will now accept PIO cards as valid travel document till 31st of March next year along with valid foreign passport and the Indian Immigration Check Post(s) will continue to consider all PIO cards valid for exit/entry into India till 31st of March next year.

Earlier, all PIO card holders were advised to convert their cards to Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards by 30th of September this year. This extension of time-line is subject to the condition that if in the meantime any deadline is notified by the International Civil Aviation Organization thereby making hand written PIO cards invalid, then PIO cardholders may have to obtain appropriate visa from Indian Missions/Posts. All the valid PIO cardholders as on 9th of January 2015 are requested to apply for conversion of PIO card to OCI card as per guidelines at the earliest.

 

2. Government Notifies Changes In Apprenticeship Rules

The government has notified changes in Apprenticeship Rules (1992) that envisages to increase skilled manpower in the country, and raise monetary compensation of apprentices. The Apprenticeship (Amendment) Rules, 2019 seeks to raise hiring limit of apprentices to 15 percent of total strength of an establishment, and their stipend to up to Rs 9,000 per month. It has also lowered size-limit of an establishment wanting to engage apprentices from six to four. Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Mahendra Nath Pandey said that significant changes have been made in the Apprenticeship Act, whereby minimum stipends have been doubled to between Rs 5,000 and Rs 9,000 per month.

 

3. Rajnath Singh launches DefExpo 2020 website

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the website of the 11th edition of DefEXpo, which will be held in Lucknow in February next year. The event will be hosted from February 5-8. The website, www.defexpo.gov.in, provides online services to exhibitors, besides hosting informative content about the product profile of DPSUs (Defence Public Sector Undertakings) and ordnance factories.

The website enables exhibitors to register and book space online as per their requirements on a first-come-first-serve basis, make online payments, book conference halls and venues for Business-to-Business (B2B) meetings.

 

4. DRDO successfully test-fires land attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile

Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully test fired land attack version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile off the coast of Odisha. In June 2019, the DRDO had test-fired 450-km range BrahMos, which is equipped with an upgraded guidance system and a Russian-designed seeker which give the missile greater accuracy.  The first test of BrahMos extended-range was carried out on March 11, 2017. The extended-range missile can be fired from land as well as sea-based platforms and carries a conventional warhead weighing 200 to 300 kilogrammes. It is to be noted that the 450-km range BrahMos will carry the same amount of fuel as the 290-km version and it will be able to travel a much greater distance due to better fuel efficiency. According to DRDO, this has been achieved by the new computer-controlled injector system that has been programmed to regulate the fuel's flow into the engine's combustor.

BrahMos is a "Fire and Forget" missile which is capable of navigating on its own towards a pre-determined and programmed target. The missile is capable of flying as high as 15 km and as low as 10 metres. The missile has identical configuration for land, sea and sub-sea platforms and uses a Transport Launch Canister (TLC) for transportation, storage and launch.

 

5. New Tri Services Special Ops Division, Meant for Surgical Strikes

The tri-services Special Operations Division carried out its first wargames near the Pakistan border in  Naliya, Gujarat. There are important Air Force and Army bases in and around the Naliya town which is part of the Kutch district. The first exercise was codenamed 'Smelling Field'. The AFSOD (Armed Forces Special Operation Division) prepared itself for carrying out future surgical strike-type actions against terrorists and practiced counter-terrorism operations and other drills on situations that can emerge while tackling terrorism. The AFSOD is led by Maj Gen Ashok Dhingra, who is the first Chief of the Force.

 

6. Pilot Project for ushering in 'Industry 4.0' in the country, is launched for implementation at the Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli

A Pilot Project for ushering in 'Industry 4.0' in the country, is launched for implementation at the Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli. The Ministry of Railways and Department of Science & Technology have joined hands in partnership with IIT Kanpur for taking up a unique project on ‘Industry 4.0’ by launching a Pilot Project for implementation at Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli.

‘Industry 4.0’ commonly referred to as the fourth industrial revolution, is a name given to the current trend of automation, interconnectivity and data exchange in manufacturing technologies to increase productivity. Industry 4.0 is a complex Cyber-Physical Systems which synergizes production with digital technologies, the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data & Analytics, Machine Learning and Cloud Computing.

The project would be undertaken under the aegis of “Technology Mission for Indian Railways” (TMIR). It would be implemented by a consortium of Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Human Resource Development and Ministry of Science & Technology on an investment sharing model for taking up identified railway projects for applied research and use on Indian Railways for advancement and modernization. Industry 4.0 is a complex cyber/physical digital system. Therefore, the architecture to be conceptualized and formulated in MCF initially would be gradually expanded in a phased manner to encompass all complexities that constitute Industry 4.0 in all manufacturing spheres in the country.  Full transition to the digital factory using ‘Industry 4.0’ across entire value chain from design to production will help enhance productivity hugely by providing insight into production process to take the decisions in real time basis, minimizing human errors by effective monitoring to ensure that resources are put to the best utilization measured by, what is called the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).

Such a National Policy for Advanced Manufacturing envisages that manufacturing sector should contribute at least 25% to GDP.  All over the world, countries who have been able to achieve phenomenal growth, could do that with the advent of rapid strides in manufacturing sector. This initiative in Railways may have wider ramifications to spur growth in defence production as well as in private manufacturing sector also.

Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli was established as a State of the Art coach manufacturing unit with the capacity to manufacture 1000 passenger coaches annually and has modern automated machines and robotic fabrication lines. During last one year, MCF has increased its production phenomenally to 1425 LHB coaches in 2018-19 vis-à-vis 710 LHB coaches in 2017-18. This was enabled significantly by the adoption of elements of Industry 4.0. on sophisticated machines. Inspection of MCF by the Prime Minister in December 2018 has been an inspiration to proliferate this initiative. In view of the continuous demand for higher speed coaches with comfort of international level and to meet the demand of a continuously growing economy, there is a need to employ the tools which will improve the productivity to next higher level with greater product flexibility.

Industry 4.0 would be based cyber/physical digital system and would involve various packages, systems, applications and Hardware within Design/Planning, Networking and Production to be added in a modular and incremental manner in MCF.

Various shops under the ambit of Industry 4.0, areas such as Inspection, Machining, Welding, Measurement etc., will also be provided with the initial & Bigdata Analytics, Artificial-Intelligence etc.

 

7. India hands over Rs 2.41 crores school building to Nepal

India has handed over a new school building costing Rs 2.41 crores to the Nepal government that would boost the learning environment of students from the marginalised sections in the Himalayan nation.

Established in 1989, Kuleshwor Awas Secondary School currently has 800 students and is run with community support. Over 50 per cent of the students in the school are girls and most of the students come from the marginalised section of the society.

The new school infrastructure is a three-storey structure comprising 20 class rooms, separate sanitation facilities for boys and girls on each floor, underground water tank and furniture.

India recently provided Rs 233 crore to the Nepal Government for various infrastructure projects, including roads and reconstruction of houses destroyed in the massive earthquake in 2015 which saw the death of over 9,000 people.

The decision was taken during the 5th meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission attended by the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

 

8. In a first, northeast to introduce seaplanes to boost tourism

In an ambitious initiative to boost tourism, the state-run Airport Authority of India (AAI) will introduce water aerodrome or seaplanes in three locations in Assam for the first time. After a countrywide study, it was decided to introduce water aerodrome or seaplanes in three locations in Assam. To boost tourism and connectivity, three river fronts were selected in Assam to introduce the water based ferry for the first time in India. At the end of next year or by early 2021, the water aerodrome or seaplane services would be launched in Brahmaputra river and Umrangso reservoir. The three locations selected for the seaplanes include Guwahati, Umrangso (in Dima Hasao district) and the famous Kaziranga National Park.

Jindal, who had come here last week to inspect the under construction work of the ?500 crore newly designed Agartala airport project, said that not much investment is required to commence the seaplane services in Assam.

The water aerodrome or seaplanes services were planned to be introduced under the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik) scheme, announced by the government earlier.

UDAN is under the regional connectivity scheme that aims at regional airport development with the objective of 'let the common citizens of the country fly' by making air travel affordable and widespread, to boost inclusive national economic development. For the first time in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had used a seaplane in Ahmedabad in December 2017.

 

9. SBI becomes first Indian bank to have office in Australia’s Victoria

State Bank of India opened its Melbourne office, becoming the first Indian bank to have a branch in the Australian state of Victoria. The Melbourne office will assist the growing trade and investment relations between Victoria and India and is the outcome of the state’s 10-year India Strategy — our shared future, according to a press release.

 

10. Paryatan Parv begins to promote tourism

The nationwide Paryatan Parv, 2019 kick-started to promote tourism in the country which will continue till 13th of this month. The aim is to propagate the message of Dekho Apna Desh to encourage people to visit tourist destinations of the country and also spread the message of Tourism for All.

The Parv was jointly inaugurated by Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Tourism Minister Prahalad Singh Patel at Rajpath Lawns in New Delhi. The Delhi leg of the Parv will continue till 6th October. This year's event is dedicated to 150th birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. 

 

11. CBDT launches documentation identification number

The Documentation Identification Number (DIN) system of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has come into existence with the generation of about 17,500 communications with DIN on the very first day. From now onwards, every CBDT communication will have to have a documentation identification number. Any communication from Income Tax Department without a computer-generated DIN, be it a notice, letter, order and summon or any other correspondence, would be treated as invalid and shall be non est in law or deemed to be as if it has never been issued. The DIN system would ensure greater accountability and transparency in tax administration.

CBDT has specified that any communication issued manually under exceptional circumstances would have to be uploaded and regularised on the system portal within 15 days of its issuance.

 

12. BRO to use plastic to build roads along Sino-India border

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has started a pilot project to build roads using plastic waste and environment-friendly technology primarily along the Sino-India border. Six roads in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura have been identified for construction using waste plastic material and work on this pilot project has commenced. Tripura has border with Bangladesh while the other five states share border with China. This (pilot project) will enable environmental friendly disposal of waste plastic which is otherwise a major cause for concern. The BRO constructs roads in many areas that are in ecologically sensitive zones where restrictions have been imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the use of construction materials like local aggregates and sand. To overcome this problem, BRO has adopted innovative modern technology involving use of non-toxic chemicals, polymers, enzymes etc for soil stabilisation to construct road pavements without depending on conventional materials like stone aggregates and sand. Geosynthetic and technical textile materials" are also being used for "slope stabilisation on a large scale and for construction of pavements".

 

13. DGTR launched an online system named ARTIS 

The commerce ministry's arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has launched ARTIS, an online system. Applications for Remedies in Trade for Indian Industry and other Stakeholders (ARTIS) will be used for the filing of anti-dumping applications by the domestic industry. It aims to facilitate a speedy resolution to the injury faced by the Indian domestic industry and to increase the accessibility of directorate to all the stakeholders.  ARTIS is developed for filing applications, responses and other related submissions with respect to various trade remedial. ARTIS will be presently functional for filing of applications by the domestic industry in the original investigation and concluding investigation of anti-dumping cases.

Other modules for various applications like the anti-circumvention, mid-term review, new-shipper review, and for filing of responses by exporters, importers, users within anti-dumping and modules for anti-subsidy, safeguard and quantitative restriction cases are to be launched soon. DGTR functions under the Ministry of Commerce. DGTR is the apex National Authority to administer and investigate all trade remedial measures. The directorate deals with anti-dumping duty, safeguard duty, and countervailing duty.

 

14. Nitin Gadkari launches cow dung soaps, bamboo bottles

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched soaps made of cow dung and bamboo water bottles manufactured by Khadi and Village Industries Commission. Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) must achieve a turnover of over ?10,000 crore in the next two years and generate large-scale employment, especially for those living in rural areas. The bamboo water bottle is priced at ?560 and the soap variant of 125 grams costs ?125 each.

 

15. INS Tarkash arrives at Reunion Island in France 

As part of Indian Navy's overseas deployment to Africa, Europe and Russia, Indian Naval Ship Tarkash arrived at St Denis, Reunion Island, France for a three-day visit. The ship is a potent frontline frigate of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors. The ship is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet and under the Operational Command of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, based at Mumbai.

France and India have traditionally enjoyed warm and friendly bilateral relations, sharing common values of democracy, development and secularism which was upgraded to the level of a 'Strategic Partnership' in 1998. There have been regular high-level exchanges and interactions in numerous fields between both countries. The Navies of both nations recently engaged in major Maritime Exercise 'VARUNA 2019' in the Indian Ocean, involving the participation of carrier task groups from both sides and conduct of full-spectrum Naval operations.

Indian Navy ships are regularly deployed overseas as part of Navy's mission of building 'bridges of friendship' and strengthening international cooperation with friendly countries, the statement added.

 

16. PM Modi Inaugurates Metro Service, ENT Hospital in Mauritius Via Video Conference

Prime Minister Narendra Modi jointly inaugurated a metro express service and a hospital in Mauritius with Mauritian premier Pravind Jugnauth via video conference and described the projects as a symbol of New Delhi's strong commitment towards the development of the island nation. Both the projects will serve the people of Mauritius.

The metro will provide a clean, efficient and time-saving transport service. It will contribute to economic activities as also tourism, the prime minister pointed out.

 

17. NBCC bags Rs 400-cr contract to develop National Sports University in Imphal

State-owned construction firm NBCC has bagged a Rs 400-crore contract to develop National Sports University at Imphal, Manipur. NBCC has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to provide project management consultancy for development of National Sports University at Imphal, Manipur.

The approximate cost of project would be Rs 400 crore.

 

18. MEITY launches Smart-board for effective monitoring of the key programmes

The ministry of electronics and IT (MEITY) launched an Automated Real Time Performance Smart-board for effective monitoring and measurement of the key programmes of the government such as Digital India, Aadhaar, Digital Payments etc. The dashboard was launched by Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister for electronics and IT, communication and law and justice while celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

 

19. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates Delhi-Meerut Expressway Phase-3

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 22.27 kilometre Delhi-Meerut Expressway phase-3. At the inauguration he said that this highway is the country's first 16 lane express-highway and with it, the travel time from Delhi to Meerut will be reduced to just 45 minutes.

The development of this highway will lead to the development of this area. The 22.27-kilometre long Delhi-Meerut Expressway connects Delhi with Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh and is built at a cost of Rs 1,058 crore.

The project involves construction of a major bridge across upper Ganga canal. The project will help in decongesting National Capital Region and bring significant reduction in pollution level, as per a statement by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The 4.68-km long 6-lane elevated corridor at Pilkhuwa has been conferred gold medal for innovation in construction technology.

 

20. Curtain raiser: Indo-Mongolian Joint Exercise Nomadic Elephant 2019

14th edition of Indo – Mongolian joint military training, Exercise Nomadic Elephant-XIV, being conducted over a period of 14 days commenced from 05 Oct 2019 at Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh. The Mongolian Army is being represented by officers and troops of the elite 084 Air Borne Special Task Battalion while Indian Army is being represented by a contingent of a battalion of RAJPUTANA RIFLES. Nomadic Elephant-XIV is aimed at training troops in counter insurgency &counter terrorism operations under United Nations mandate. The Joint Exercise will enhance defence co-operation and military relations between the two nations. It is an ideal platform for the armies of both the nations to share their experiences & best practices and gain mutually during the joint training.

The joint training aims at evolving various tactical drills in counter-terror environment like Convoy Protection Drill, Room Intervention Drills, Ambush/ Counter Ambush Drills, while jointly conducting counter terrorist operations under UN mandate. The joint training will also lay emphasis on conducting operations by a cohesive subunit, comprising of troops from both the armies, in an adverse operational conditions thus enhancing the interoperability between the two armies. The training planned by both the contingents will go a long way in capacity building for conducting joint operations by the two armies.

 

21. The 10th edition of Exercise Ekuverin is to be held in October

Exercise Ekuverin, the 10th edition of the joint Military exercise, is to be held from 7 to 20 October 2019. The 14 days joint exercise will be held between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force. It will be organized at Aundh Military Station in Pune, Maharashtra.

The exercise focuses to enhance interoperability between the two forces. It also aims to carry out counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in a semi-urban environment under the United Nations mandate. The exercise includes the sharing of best practices and acquainting each other with the operating procedures.

The Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Forces exercise is being held since 2009. The Joint Exercise has been held alternatively in India and Maldives. The last exercise was held in 2018 at Northern Area Headquarters, Lh. Maafilaafushi of Maldives.

The relationship between India and Maldives is very close. India maintains ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial ties with the Maldives. Exercise Ekuverin assists to further strengthen the ties between the two nations.

 

22. Indian Oil launches drive to turn plastic waste into bitumen

Country's largest PSU oil refiner and retailer Indian Oil Corporation has taken up various initiatives to support the government's drive to eliminate single use plastic by converting these toxic wastes to productive use. These initiatives were launched to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatama Gandhi and as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The company will use its refinery operations to convert the single use plastic waste into a specialised bitumen that can be used for construction of roads and highways. A pilot project has been done at Faridabad via the creation of a "Single Use Waste Plastic" based bituminous road. The company will commercially supply the specialised bitumen for use in road construction going ahead. Performance of this road will be monitored by IndianOil R & D centre in association with CSIR-CRRI, and also fine-tune the concentration of single use plastic to be added.  The petrochemical major has developed special grade crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB55) which has been designed using waste single use plastic material. As a part of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and in a bid to achieve plastic neutrality, IndianOil has worked out these various options of using waste plastics leading to value creation for different stakeholders in the waste plastic eco-system. Furthermore, the company issued an Expression of Interest (EoI) for procurement of single-use plastic waste which can be economically converted into the specialised bitumen. The national EoI is for assessing the market availability and willingness of various organised aggregators and NGOs to supply different types of waste plastics in commercial quantities on consistent basis.

 

23. India's first private train Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express flagged off

Country's first private train Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express started its maiden journey as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the train from Lucknow. It will be the first train of Indian Railways that will be entirely run by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The regular service of Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express will commence from tomorrow. The new Tejas Express will cover the distance between Delhi and Lucknow in six hours fifteen minutes.

In a first, IRCTC will offer a refund to travellers if the train gets delayed. If the Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express delays for over an hour, passengers will get a compensation of ?100. For delay of two hours and more, the passengers will receive ?250.

 

24. Ministry of Tourism launches Audio Guide facility App "Audio Odigos" for 12 sites of India (including Iconic Sites)

Ministry of Tourism launched the Audio Guide facility Audio Odigos for 12 sites of India(including Iconic Sites). Audio guide odigo offers Government of India verified content, with visuals & voice over support. With Audio Odigos, tourists will now enjoy a more enriching experience and take back historical insights of the Indian culture and heritage. The Audio Odigos app contains an inbuilt map of the site for a smooth navigation during the tour. Listeners will be offered various versions of history like Synopsis, Detailed History and Podcasts. The audio can be chosen in their preferred language & version of the history.

 

International News

1. Hong Kong protesters mark 5th anniversary of Umbrella Movement

Tens of thousands of people descended upon the Hong Kong government headquarters to mark the fifth anniversary of the Umbrella Movement, the first ever homegrown pro-democracy movement in the semi-autonomous Chinese city.  It states in 2014, but failed to win any concession from Beijing on the right to free and fair elections.

 

2. Air Force test-launches intercontinental ballistic missile in California

The U.S. Air Force launched an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The missile lifted off from the base northwest of Los Angeles and sent a test reentry vehicle on a 4,200-mile flight over the Pacific Ocean to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The launch was conducted by a team of airmen from the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.

 

The flight test program demonstrates one part of the operational capability of the ICBM weapon system. The Minuteman III is nearly 50 years old, and continued test launches are essential in ensuring its reliability until the mid-2030s when the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent is fully in place. The Air Force also keeps 400 nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles on alert at bases in North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. Dozens of Air Force B-2 and B-52 bombers are also capable of delivering nuclear warheads.

 

3. On 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Nepal Rastra Bank issues commemorative coins

To celebrate 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev the Nepal Rastra Bank has issued commemorative coins. In special ceremony coins of 2500, 1000 and 100 Nepali rupees were launched in Kathmandu.

 

4. 315 billion-tonne iceberg breaks off Antarctica

The Amery Ice Shelf in Antarctica has just produced its biggest iceberg in more than 50 years. The calved block covers 1,636 sq km in area - a little smaller than Scotland's Isle of Skye - and is called D28. The scale of the berg means it will have to be monitored and tracked because it could in future pose a hazard to shipping. Not since the early 1960s has Amery calved a bigger iceberg. That was a whopping 9,000 sq km in area. Amery is the third largest ice shelf in Antarctica, and is a key drainage channel for the east of the continent.

The shelf is essentially the floating extension of a number of glaciers that flow off the land into the sea. Losing bergs to the ocean is how these ice streams maintain equilibrium, balancing the input of snow upstream.  So, scientists knew this calving event was coming. What's interesting is that much attention in the area had actually been focussed just to the east of the section that's now broken away.

 

5. Ecuador to leave OPEC in 2020 due to fiscal problems - ministry

Ecuador will withdraw from the 14-nation Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from January 1, 2020 because of fiscal problems. It is attempting to increase its production of crude oil in a bid to raise more income and has on multiple occasions not compiled with the output quota fixed by OPEC. The country will continue to support efforts to stabilize the world oil market.  Ecuador rejoined the organization in 2007, after withdrawing in 1992.

 

6. New Organic Compounds Found in Enceladus Ice Grains

New kinds of organic compounds, the ingredients of amino acids, have been detected in the plumes bursting from Saturn's moon Enceladus. The findings are the result of the ongoing deep dive into data from NASA's Cassini mission.  On Earth, similar compounds are part of chemical reactions that produce amino acids, the building blocks of life. Hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor provide the energy that fuels the reactions. Scientists believe Enceladus' hydrothermal vents may operate in the same way, supplying energy that leads to the production of amino acids.

Although the Cassini mission ended in September 2017, the data it provided will be mined for decades. Khawaja's team used data from the spacecraft's Cosmic Dust Analyzer, or CDA, which detected ice grains emitted from Enceladus into Saturn's E ring. The scientists used the CDA's mass spectrometer measurements to determine the composition of organic material in the grains.

The identified organics first dissolved in the ocean of Enceladus, then evaporated from the water surface before condensing and freezing onto ice grains inside the fractures in the moon's crust, scientists found. Blown into space with the rising plume emitted through those fractures, the ice grains were then analyzed by Cassini's CDA.

The new findings complement the team's discovery last year of large, insoluble complex organic molecules believed to float on the surface of Enceladus' ocean. The team went deeper with this recent work to find the ingredients, dissolved in the ocean, that are needed for the hydrothermal processes that would spur amino acid formation.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter. The radar instrument was built by JPL and the Italian Space Agency, working with team members from the U.S. and several European countries.

 

7. China debuts DF-41 missile- most powerful missile on the planet

China unveiled the DF-41 intercontinental-range ballistic missile, touted to be the most powerful missile on the planet in Beijing. DF-41 has a range of up to 9,320 miles (15,000 kilometres), more than any missile on Earth. The missile capable of carrying 10 independently targeted nuclear warheads and could theoretically, hit the United States in 30 minutes. The DF-41 made its debut along with a clutch of new military hardware showcased at the National Day parade, as China observed its 70th anniversary of Communist rule on 1 October 2019. China has the world's largest standing army and the world's third-largest air force. It was followed by a show of discipline and order from marching troops pageant involving more than 100,000 performers at Chang'an Avenue. Helicopters flew national flags across the sky above Beijing. Apart from traditional air drones, China has also displayed its underwater vehicles and new stealthy DR-8 drones thought to be able to fly up to five times the speed of sound.

 

8. Palestine Issues Commemorative Stamp to Honour Mahatma Gandhi on 150th Birth Anniversary 

Palestine has released a commemorative postage stamp on Mahatma Gandhi, honouring his "legacy and values", to mark the 150 birth anniversary of the world leader.

The Indian mission in Ramallah has organised several events over the past one year to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, drawing a huge response from all sections of the Palestinian society, especially the youths.

 

People in News

1. Veteran actor Viju Khote dies at 77

Film and theatre actor Viju Khote passed away at the age of 77 in Mumbai. The actor, who is popular for playing the role of Kalia in Sholay, has appeared in over 300 Hindi and Marathi films and numerous television shows and plays. The actor made his big screen debut with the 1964 film Ya Malak and went on to do some of the most iconic characters in Bollywood. His popular films include Sholay, Andaz Apna Apna, Qurbani, Karz, Nagina and China Gate, among others.

 

2. CJI recommends ex-Delhi HC Chief Justice Rajendra Menon as next chairman of Armed Forces Tribunal

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi recommended former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Rajendra Menon as the next chairman of Armed Forces Tribunal. The present chairman J Virender Singh will retire on October 6.

 

3. Pandit Jasraj becomes the first Indian musician to have minor planet named after him

In a rare honour, a minor planet located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter has been named after doted 89-year-old Indian classical vocalist Pandit Jasraj. The international body with authority in all things astronomy, the International Astronomical Union (IAU), has named the minor planet 'Panditjasraj (300128)' following its discovery more than a decade ago on 11 November 2006.  Minor planets are celestial objects in our solar system that orbit the Sun but aren't planets or comets. These include dwarf planets, asteroids, trojans, centaurs, Kuiper belt objects and the like. The minor planet in question, which technically goes by '2006 VP32' in the astronomy community, was spotted by a NASA-funded project called the Catalina Sky Survey, which tracks and discovers near-earth objects. Panditjasraj was discovered by the Mt Lemmon Survey telescope in Arizona. The number 300128 is derived from Jasraj’s date of birth 28 January 1930.

With the honour, the Padma Vibhushan-winning musician Pandit Jasraj has become the first musician from India to join the starry sky of immortal composers like Beethoven, Mozart and Pavarotti.

 

4. Corps Of Army Air Defence honoured with President’s Colours Award

President Ram Nath Kovind presented the prestigious President’s Colours to the Corps of Army Air Defence at a function in Gopalpur in Ganjam district of Odisha.  The award was given to the Corps on the occasion of 25 years of Army Air Defence College, AADC. It was received by Army AD Centre on behalf of the Corps of Army Air Defence. In his address, President Kovind recalled the glorious legacy of the Indian Armed Forces in protecting the unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation, in general, and the Corps of Army Air Defence, in particular. The President’s Colours is the highest military honour for the armed forces bestowed in recognition of exceptional services rendered to the nation, both during the war and in peace times.

One of the youngest corps of Army, the Army Air Defence Corps bifurcated from the Regiment of Artillery in 1989 and established the Army Air Defence College. The AADC is the training school for the personnel of the Air Defence Corps.

 

5. KS Dhatwalia Appointed As Chief Spokesperson Of Government

Kuldeep Singh Dhatwalia, an Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, was appointed the principal spokesperson of the government. Mr Dhatwalia, a 1984-batch IIS officer, has been posted as the new principal director general of the Press Information Bureau (PIB), the publicity wing of the central government.

The officer, who has succeeded Sitanshu Kar, will function as the principal spokesperson of the government of India. Mr Dhatwalia was serving as the Director General (DG) Training and Research in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, besides holding the charge of the DG of the Indian Institute Mass Communication (IIMC). He will continue to hold the additional charge of the DG, IIMC.

 

6. Kavitha Gopal First Girl To Bag ‘President Of India Prize’ At IIT Madras

In a first, Kavitha Gopal, a student from the Indian Institute Technology, Madras won the President of India Prize. Kavitha is now a graduate with a B. Tech degree in Computer Science and Engineering, is currently working at Google India, Bengaluru, as a software engineer. She created history by becoming the first girl student ever to win the coveted prize.

Kavitha’s score was a CGPA of 9.95. She also receives two other honours — the Bharat Ratna M. Visvesvaraya Memorial Prize and the B. Ravichandran Memorial Prize for the highest CGPA in B. Tech CSE.

This is the first time that the ‘President of India Gold Medal’ has been given to a girl student. Only male students had been winning the prize for years at the institute. Thus ending the long male-dominated legacy of the prestigious honour.

 

7. Sachin Tendulkar gets Most Effective Swachhata Ambassador award at Safaigiri 2019

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar bagged the 'Most Effective Swachhata Ambassador' award at India Today Group's fifth edition of the Safaigiri Awards for utilizing his popularity and fame to ensure India achieves its goal of a Swachh Bharat. Sachin Tendulkar has been promoting cleanliness drives in India for almost 10 years. Sachin Tendulkar was nominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as one of India's swachhata ambassadors’ in 2014. After accepting his nomination, Tendulkar’s first campaign was cleaning up a locality near his home in Mumbai. The former Indian cricketer had launched Mission-24’, aimed at improving the quality of life in Mumbai’s M East ward which known to have ranked the lowest in human development among the city’s 24 wards in the Mumbai Human Development Report 2009.

The project was taken up by two NGOs and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, with an aim to improve basic amenities like hospitals, schools, water and drainage systems.

Tendulkar was honoured with Bharat Ratna in 2014, becoming the youngest recipient of the highest civilian award in the country.

 

8. Mallikarjuna Rao appointed Punjab National Bank’s new MD

S S Mallikarjuna Rao has been appointed the new Managing Director of Punjab National Bank, the country's second largest public sector bank. Rao, who was the Managing Director & CEO of Allahabad Bank, will be at the helm of PNB till September 18, 2021 or until further orders, whichever is earlier. He had been the chief executive of Allahabad Bank since September 2018. Prior to that, Rao was the executive director at Syndicate Bank from September 2016.

Rao is assuming charge at a time when PNB has just emerged out of a ?13,000 crore fraud that shook the bank. He also now has to deal with the proposed merger of Oriental Bank of Commerce and United Bank of India with PNB, which will post the three-way amalgamation from April 1 next year become the second largest public sector bank in India.

 

9. Kapil Dev resigns as BCCI Cricket Advisory Committee chief

World Cup-winning former India captain Kapil Dev is the latest to quit Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Cricket Advisory Committee.

Kapil Dev resigned as the chief of the CAC days after Shanta Rangaswamy stepped down from the 3-member committee. Kapil did not reveal the reason for his resignation but wrote an email to the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), informing them about his decision.  Kapil Dev was appointed the chief of the ad-hoc committee former in July 2019. The CAC was tasked with the role of picking the head coaches of India women's and men's cricket teams. Kapil-led CAC had conducted interviews and re-appointed Ravi Shastri as head coach of Virat Kohli-led senior national team.

Notably, Shanta Rangaswamy stepped down from the post after she along with Kapil Dev and Anshuman Gaekwad was served Conflict of Interest notice by BCCI's ethics officer DK Jain in September 2019.

 

10. Economist Surjit Bhalla appointed executive director for India at IMF

Economist Surjit Bhalla has been named representative of India in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for three years. The post, technically called executive director, fell vacant after Subir Gokarn died in July this year. Bhalla’s appointment comes at a time when India is facing an economic slowdown and the government is struggling hard to revive it. In fact, the IMF itself is likely to come out with a country report for India this year. It is the executive director who replies to the IMF observation in the country report. The IMF recently cut India’s economic growth rate to 7 per cent, from its earlier estimate of 7.3 per cent.

Bhalla, who did his PhD in Economics from Princeton University, attributes the current slowdown to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) hawkish stance in 2018 that led to credit crisis in the system. In a recent interview, he said the credit cost in India is one of the highest in the world.

 

Days & Events

1. Telangana Set for Nine Days of Color, Joy & Culture as Floral Festival ‘Bathukamma’ Begins

‘Bathukamma’ is a floral festival celebrated particularly by the women of Telangana. The festival takes place towards the end of the monsoon season, just before the onset of winter. Since a lot of water inflows during monsoons, there is high cultivation of wild flowers in multiple vibrant colors- which are used to celebrate ‘Bathukamma’. The most widely used flowers are ‘gunuka’ (or ‘gunugu’) and ‘tangedu’. Other flowers like the ‘banti’, ‘chamanti’ and ‘nandi-vardhanam’ are also used.

Traditionally, Bathukamma is all about worshipping the local goddesses of Telangana and revering to their power during the monsoon season.

The festival begins a week before the ‘Saddula Bathukamma’ (the finale of the Bathukamma festival), which falls two days before the Dussehra. Women make small ‘Bathukammas’ during the nine-day period, dance around them every evening and immerse them in a nearby water pond. ‘Bathukammas’ are colorful flowers carefully arranged in circular rows in a brass plate (called ‘taambalam’). After the formation of Telangana in 2014, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) declared ‘Bathukamma’ a state festival.

 

2. Gandhi Film Festival to be organised in Mumbai

Film Division in association with India Tourism will organise a Gandhi Film Festival at JB Hall in Mumbai from 2nd to 6th October. The festival as part of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary will showcase select films focussing on Swachh Bharat and non-violence.

The festival will be inaugurated by noted actor Darshan Jariwala on 2nd October.

Movies to be screened include ‘Gandhi’ by Richard Attenborough, ‘The Making of Mahatma’ by Shyam Benegal and ‘Maine Gandhi to Nahi Maara’ by Jahnu Barua.

India Tourism, on the other hand, will arrange for a guided tour of National Museum of Indian Cinema. Films Division will organise a padyatra

 

3. World Heart Day- 29 September

In May 2012, world leaders committed to reducing global mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25% by 2025.  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is accountable for nearly half of all NCD deaths making it the world’s number one killer. World Heart Day is, therefore, the perfect platform for the CVD community to unite in the fight against CVD and reduce the global disease burden. Created by the World Heart Federation, World Heart Day informs people around the globe that CVD, including heart disease and stroke, is the world’s leading cause of death claiming 17.9 million lives each year, and highlights the actions that individuals can take to prevent and control CVD. It aims to drive action to educate people that by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided.

 

4. International Day of Older Persons-1 October

2019 Theme: "The Journey to Age Equality"

On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons. This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing, which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly. In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Ageing adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages. The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) recognize that development will only be achievable if it is inclusive of all ages. Empowering older persons in all dimensions of development, including promoting their active participation in social, economic and political life, is one way to ensure their inclusiveness and reduce inequalities. The 2019 theme is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 10 (SDG 10) and focuses on pathways of coping with existing — and preventing future — old age inequalities. SDG 10 sets to reduce inequality within — and among — countries, and aims to "ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome," including through measures to eliminate discrimination, and to "empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status."

 

5. International Translation Day-30 September

• Theme -"Translation and Indigenous Languages".

International Translation Day is meant as an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals, which plays an important role in bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to development and strengthening world peace and security. Transposition of a literary or scientific work, including technical work, from one language into another language, professional translation, including translation proper, interpretation and terminology, is indispensable to preserving clarity, a positive climate and productiveness in international public discourse and interpersonal communication. 30 September celebrates the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators.

 

6. Bada Dashain, the biggest festival of Nepal begins

'Bada Dashain' the biggest and longest festival observed by Hindus began in Nepal on September 29.  The first day of the festival started with sowing of barley, wheat, maize, paddy seeds and by offering prayers in the temples.  It is celebrated by keeping earthen pot at sacred spots in houses or in temples.  The shoots sprouted from the seedling are taken out on the 10th day and wore along with 'tika', on final day known as 'Vijaya Dashami'.

 

Sports News

1. India lift SAFF U-18 Championship title, defeat Bangladesh in final

India U-18 defeated Bangladesh by 2-1 in the final of SAFF U-18 Championship 2019 to lift the title. From the beginning,

 

2. Govt sanctions ?7.87 crore as out-of-pocket allowance for Khelo India athletes

The sports ministry has sanctioned ?7.87 crore as out-of-pocket allowance for 2,625 Khelo India athletes undergoing training in 99 Khelo India academies and other centres across the country. These athletes were selected to train in various sporting disciplines under the Khelo India Talent Development Scheme, a grassroot-level talent identification and nurturing endeavour of the government. The sanction is for the period between October and December this year, and will be paid to each athlete as a sum of ?10,000 per month.Of  the total number of 2,625 athletes, 1,312 are undergoing training in Khelo India academies, and apart from the out-of-pocket allowance, the identified sports talent under the Khelo India Talent Development Scheme is given full support in terms of coaching, sports science, injury prevention, diet, lodging and education.

Each athlete in a Khelo India academy is given an annual scholarship of ?5 lakh, of which ?1,20,000 is directly transferred to the athlete's bank account as out-of-pocket allowance. The Khelo India Scheme acts as a feeder to other elite schemes of the government, including the Target Olympic Podium Scheme. Athletes, including weightlifter Jeremy Lalrinnunga, shooter Saurabh Chaudhary and swimmer Srihari Nataraj, are all Khelo India finds, who were later inducted into the core group or developmental group of TOPS.

 

3. Sports Ministry organises Fit India Plog Run in a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi

The Sports Ministry organised the Fit India Plog Run, a dual initiative of creating a clean and fit India, in a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 150th birth anniversary.  Over 28 lakh people participated in the Fit India Plog Run which was organised in over 55,000 locations across the country. The nation-wide event was flagged off by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju at the Indira Gandhi Stadium. More than 1500 ploggers joined in the 2 kilometer run and picked up plastic and other waste from the road, putting them into jute bags and later dumping them in large garbage bins.

Beyond the Capital, the Fit India Plog Run was organised by Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) in 35,312 locations and by National Service Scheme (NSS) in 5819 locations.

Kendriya Vidalaya Sangathan (KVS) organised the Plog Run in 1000 schools and figures shared by KVS on Twitter shows a participation of 5 lakh students, parents and teachers across the country. All top industry bodies, including FICCI, CII, Phd Chambers, Assocham brought in their corporate members to organize the Plog Run at various locations across the country.

Noida Authority also organised the Fit India Plog Run in 100 locations and saw a total number 17000 participants.

The run was attended by eminent sportspersons like weightlifter Mirabai Chanu, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and hepthathlete Swapna Burman in various locations.

 

Awards

1. Real Kashmir FC documentary nominated for BAFTA Awards

A documentary on Srinagar-based football club Real Kashmir FC has earned nominations in the prestigious British Academy Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) or BAFTA Film Awards Scotland. The documentary, aired by BBC Scotland earlier this year on the journey of former Rangers ace David Robertson at the helm with Real Kashmir FC, has been nominated in two categories.  Its director Greg Clark has picked up nod for the ‘Director Factual’ category, while the show will battle it out in the ‘Single Documentary’ category.

Real Kashmir FC was promoted to the top division I-League after it became the champions of I-League second division in the 2017-18 season.

 

2. Saroj Suman Gulati conferred with Global Education Leaders Award 2018

Dr. Saroj Suman Gulati, Director, Blue Bells Group of Schools has been conferred with the coveted Global Education Leaders Award 2018 by His Highness Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, member of the Cabinet and Minister of State for Tolerance, UAE.

 

3. Global honour for India Today

India Today Group Vice-Chairperson Kalli Purie was conferred with the 'India's Most Powerful Women in Media' award at the famed Confluence Excellence awards. Kalli Purie received the award at the British Parliament on September 27.

 

4. Kyrgyz human rights lawyer, Azizbek Ashurov wins UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award

Lawyer Azizbek Ashurov is the winner of the 2019 UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award. His work has supported the efforts of the Kyrgyz Republic in becoming the first country in the world to end statelessness. Azizbek Ashurov, through his organization Ferghana Valley Lawyers Without Borders (FVLWB), has helped well over 10,000 people to gain Kyrgyz nationality after they became stateless following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Among them, some 2,000 children will now have the right to an education and a future with the freedom to travel, marry and work.

UNHCR’s Nansen Refugee Award honours extraordinary service to the forcibly displaced.

The award includes a commemorative medal and a US$150,000 monetary prize generously donated by the governments of Switzerland and Norway. In close consultation with UNHCR, the laureate uses the monetary prize to fund a project that complements their existing work.

The Nansen Refugee Award program is funded in partnership with the Swiss Government, The Norwegian Government, the State Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, the Administrative Council of the City of Geneva and the IKEA Foundation.

 

Rankings

1. Kerala tops NITI Aayog school quality index

Government think tank NITI Aayog has released its school education quality index (SEQI) with Kerala bagging top honours. The report evaluates the performance of large and small states and union territories (UTs) in the country, with an aim to identify and tackle policy problems if any. The evaluation process is based on 30 indicators. These were largely grouped into 'Outcomes' (learning, access, infrastructure and facilities, equity) and 'Governance Processes Aiding Outcomes' (student and teacher attendance, teacher availability, administrative adequacy, training, accountability and transparency).

In the large states category, Kerala (76.63 percent), Rajasthan (72.86 percent), Karnataka (69.57 percent), Andhra Pradesh (67.88 percent), and Gujarat rounded up the top five positions. While Jharkhand, Bihar, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh made the bottom five. Among small states, Manipur (68.76 percent) was the star, followed by Tripura (64.5 percent) and Goa (58.37 percent). Chandigarh (82.9 percent) topped among the UTs, followed by Dadra and Nagar Haveli (58.99 percent) and Delhi (48.96 percent).

 

2. Jodhpur, Jaipur are cleanest rail stations

Tourist destinations Jodhpur and Jaipur, both in Rajasthan, have clinched the top two spots in the railway station cleanliness survey conducted by the Quality Council of India (QCI) for Indian Railways. A majority of the top stations were in Rajasthan, which comes under North Western Railway.

The survey, Swachh Rail, Swachh Bharat, declared Jodhpur the cleanest railway station in the A1 category, followed by Jaipur and Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh). Among the category A stations, Marwar (Rajasthan) was adjudged the best, followed by Phulera (Rajasthan) and Warangal (Telangana).

The third party audit-cum-survey report studied 407 stations, including 75 A1- and 332 A-category stations. About 70% stations scored 700 or more out of 1,000. The stations were ranked on the basis of the survey and audit by the 160-member QCI-trained team. The railway stations were judged on the basis of cleanliness across the premises, including the main entrance, platforms, toilets, waiting rooms and parking facilities. The evaluation comprised direct observation of QCI assessors and passenger feedback. Besides, a 24x7 control room was set up and images were geo-tagged to monitor the progress.