Latest Current Affairs For Friday 17th September, 2021

Current Affairs in One Minute

1-British Emma Raducanu beat Leylah Fernandez of Canada to win Women’s Singles title at US Open Tennis. She has become the first British woman to win the title in 53 years. 

2-India's Ramkumar Ramanathan and N Sriram Balaji lifted the doubles title at the ATP Cassis Challenger event with a three-set win over Mexican pair of Hans Hach Verdugo and Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela. 

3-Noted writer and former secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages Aziz Hajini passed away. He was 64. 

4-A two days’ conference of Tourism and Culture Ministers of North Eastern States was held on 13-14th September in Guwahati. 

5-Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia has launched ‘Medicines from the Sky’, at Vikarabad in Telangana state. 

6-The Uttar Pradesh government will provide one lakh tablets to skilled workers as part of its Skill Development Mission. 

7-Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who is also the chancellor of universities in the state, has appointed Dr Ujwala Shirish Chakradeo as the new vice chancellor (VC) of the SNDT Women's University. 

8-Union Minister Nitin Gadkari launched ''iRASTE'', an Artificial Intelligence-powered project, on a pilot basis in Nagpur in Maharashtra with the aim of reducing accidents by 50 per cent. 

9-In a report, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said that 97 percent of Afghans could plunge into poverty by mid 2022. 

10-Morocco's King Mohammed VI has named Aziz Akhanouch of the liberal National Rally of Independents Party, or RNI, as the country's new prime minister and tasked him with forming a government. 

Govt approves PLI scheme for Auto Industry and Drone Industry

Govt has approved Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Auto Industry and Drone Industry to enhance manufacturing capabilities.

It will incentivize emergence of Advanced Automotive Technologies global supply chain in India.

It will help create additional employment for 7.6 lakh people.

The scheme will also provide incentives worth ₹ 26,058 crore for over 5 years.

PLI Scheme for auto sector will bring fresh investments of over ₹42,500 crore in 5 years.

National Mineral Development wins Rajbhasha Keerthi Puraskar

National Mineral Development under Ministry of Steel has won highest and most prestigious award, Rajbhasha Keerthi Puraskar during Rajbhasha Diwas Samaroh in New Delhi.

Award was received by Shiva Shanmuganathan, Executive Director (Corporate Affairs) on behalf of NMDC.

NMDC has been winning this award for the last 3 years in a row, which goes on to show its dedication towards the implementation of Hindi as the Official Language.

NITI Aayog to launch report on Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India

NITI Aayog is all set to launch a report on ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Capacity in India’.

NITI Aayog had constituted an Advisory Committee on ‘Reforms in Urban Planning Education in India’ in October 2020.

Report comprises a set of recommendations on various aspects of urban planning like interventions for planning healthy cities, optimum utilization of urban land, ramping up human-resource capacities, strengthening urban governance, building local leadership, etc.

UNCTAD projects Indian economy to expand 7.2% in 2021

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has projected India’s economic growth rate as 7.2% for calendar year 2021 in its Trade and Development report

India’s economic growth rate for calendar year 2022 is projected to be 6.7%, while India’s economy shrank by 7% in Calendar Year 2020.

UNCTAD expects global economy to recovery in 2021, growing at 5.3%.

UNCTAD also expects South-Asia region to expand by 5.8% in 2021.

HQs: Geneva, Switzerland

Lasith Malinga announces retirement from all forms of cricket

Sri Lankan fast bowler Lasith Malinga (38 years) has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

Prior to this announcement, he took retirement from Test cricket in 2011 and then from the ODIs in 2019.

He played 30 Tests, 226 ODIs and 84 T20Is for Sri Lanka in which he took a total of 546 wickets (101 in Tests, 338 in ODIs and 107 in T20Is) across all formats.

Malinga holds the record for most hat-tricks in international cricket.

IIT Bombay rolls out language translator ‘Project Udaan’

IIT Bombay has launched ‘Project Udaan’ to break the language barrier in education, which hampers the flow of messages.

It is a donation-based project, which can translate scientific and technical content from English to Hindi and all other Indian languages.

The project uses an AI-based translation software ecosystem, to translate engineering textbooks and learning materials, and all main streams of higher learning, in the desired language

Minister Nitin Gadkari launches AI-powered road safety project ‘iRASTE’

Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari has launched an Artificial Intelligence-powered project, titled as ‘iRASTE’ to help reduce road accidents, understand the factors responsible for these events and come up with solutions to mitigate them.

iRASTE: Intelligent Solutions for Road Safety through Technology and Engineering

The project is launched jointly by Centre, Intel, INAI, IIIT-Hyderabad, CSIR-CRRI, Mahindra & Mahindra and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).

NITI Aayog, RMI, and RMI India launches ‘Shoonya’ Campaign

NITI Aayog, with RMI and RMI India has launched ‘Shoonya Campaign’ to promote zero-pollution delivery vehicles by working with consumers and industry.

Aim: To accelerate adoption of electric vehicles in urban deliveries segment and create consumer awareness about zero-pollution delivery.

As part of campaign, corporate branding and certification programme is being launched to recognize and promote industry’s efforts towards transitioning to EVs for final-mile deliveries

Tata Steel commissions India’s first plant to capture CO2

Tata Steel has commissioned India’s first carbon capture plant that extracts CO₂ directly from the blast furnace gas, at its Jamshedpur Centre.

With this, Tata Steel has become country’s first steel company to adopt such a carbon capture technology.

It can capture 5 tonnes of CO₂ per day (5-tonne per day (TPD)).

The company will reuse the captured CO₂ on site to promote circular carbon economy.

CEO & MD of Tata Steel: T. V. Narendran.

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer: 16 September

International Day for the Preservation for Ozone layer (World Ozone Day) is observed every year on September 16 to spread awareness about the depletion of the Ozone Layer and search for solutions to preserve it.

Theme for 2021 World Ozone Day: Montreal Protocol – keeping us, our food and vaccines cool

UN General Assembly proclaimed this day in 1994 commemorating the date of the signing, in 1987, of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

South Korea successfully test submarine-launched ballistic missile

South Korea has successfully tested indigenously developed submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

South Korea is the first country without nuclear weapons to develop SLCM missile system.

With this, South Korea joins only a handful of countries to have successfully developed SLBM.

Other countries that have tested or developed SLBMs: United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, North Korea and India, which have typically designed them to carry nuclear weapons.

Ramnath Kovind presents National Florence Nightingale Awards 2020

President of India, Ram Nath Kovind has conferred National Florence Nightingale Awards 2020 at a virtual ceremony to 51 health care workers and nurses for their selfless dedication and compassion, especially during COVID-19.

The Award was instituted by Indian Government in 1973 and are named after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

WHO declared 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Mid-wife.

2020 also marked 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.

Indian Military Contingent participates in SCO Exercise ‘Peaceful Mission’

Indian military contingent comprising of an all arms combined force of 200 personnel is participating in Exercise titled as ‘Peaceful Mission 2021’.

It is a Joint Counter Terrorism Exercise between Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.

It is being hosted by Russia in Orenburg Region of South West Russia from September 13 to 25, 2021

2021 is the 6th edition of biennial multilateral Exercise.

Headquarters of SCO: Beijing, China.

India to organize first-ever Global Buddhist Conference in November 2021

India is set to host first-ever Global Buddhist Conference in Nava Nalanda Mahavihara campus, in Nalanda, Bihar on November 19 and 20, 2021

It is being organized by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)

It focuses on making India the center of Buddhism, by promoting Buddhist activities.

Theme: Buddhism in Literature

Conference will be conducted at Dharamsala, Gangtok, Sarnath and Telangana in India and overseas in Cambodia, Japan, South Korea and Thailand.

PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) would confer the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on August 1, 2023.

Reason: This award recognizes PM Modi's supreme leadership under which India has climbed the ladder of progress

It is presented annually on the occasion of Lokmanya Tilak's death anniversary.

Other awardees: Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharad Pawar, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Manmohan Singh. 

J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has been felicitated for the Best Performance in CASA-India (1st Runner up in Small Bank Category) at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2022.

The event was participated by banks from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Myanmar.

The function was organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Goa.

Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group headquartered in Calcutta.

India poised to become world’s 2nd-largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

According to the Investment Bank Goldman Sachs, India is poised to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2075.

As per the report, India would cross Japan, Germany, and the US With a population of 1.4 billion people.

India’s GDP is estimated to expand remarkably, reaching 52.5 trillion dollars surpassing the US GDP projection.

The labour force participation set to make India the second-largest economy in the world by 2075.

L&T and Spain's Navantia sign agreement for submarine project

L&T has signed a teaming agreement with Spanish-based Navantia for the submission of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine program.

P75 (India) Submarine Project is expected to be valued at €4.8 billion.

Navantia would carry out the design of P75(I) submarines based on its S80 class of submarines.

The first S80 class submarine was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its delivery to Spanish Navy. 

India overtakes China as most attractive emerging market for investing

According to a study by Invesco Global Sovereign Asset Management, India has overtaken China to become the most attractive emerging market for investing in sovereign wealth funds this year.

Reason: This is due to its solid demographics, political stability, and proactive regulation. 

Positives for the nation also include the rapidly expanding demography, strong regulatory actions, and a welcoming climate for sovereign investors.

World Population Day 2023: 11 July

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 in order to raise awareness about global population issues, including population control.

2023 theme: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities. 

It was established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989, after the day the world approximately reached a population of five billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

MoHUA conducts SBM-U 2.0 Planning & Implementation Review-cum-Workshop

The Housing Ministry organized a review-cum-workshop to evaluate and accelerate the planning and implementation of the SBM-Urban 2.0.

PM Modi launched the 2.0 versions of SBM-U and AMRUT on October 1, 2021.

SBM-U 2.0: Achieving 100% waste segregation in all households and premises and 100% door-to-door collection of segregated waste from each. 

AMRUT 2.0: To provide complete coverage of water supply to all households and sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities. 

Gujarat CM launches pilot project of ‘Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Yojana’

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched the Antyodaya Shram Suraksha Accident Insurance Scheme from Kheda

All those registered under the e-Shram portal from Nadiad will benefit from the scheme.

It is being implemented through the Indian Postal Department, the IPPB, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Under this scheme, insurance with a premium of Rs. 289 and Rs. 499 per year will be a big support to workers in the event of death or partial disability.

OCA elects Sheikh Talal as the new President

Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

He replaced his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021.

The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who led it until 1990.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees.

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance wins Insurer Innovation Award 2023

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has won the Insurer Innovation Award 2023 for the APAC region at the 8th World Digital Insurance Awards, hosted by TDI - The Digital Insurer.

Recognition: Bajaj Allianz Life's ground-breaking WhatsApp Conversational Platform - empowering customers to digitally services their policies seamlessly. 

The award entries were shortlisted by industry experts and the winner was selected by the community through pre-voting and live event voting.