Latest Current Affairs For Thursday 7th October, 2021

Current Affairs in One Minute

1-Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Jal Jeevan Mission App for improving awareness among stakeholders and for greater transparency and accountability of schemes under the Mission. 

2-The Election Commission of India (ECI) launched the inaugural edition of “The Election Commission of India Annual National Essay Contest on Election & Democracy,” conducted jointly by India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) & Jindal Global Law School (JGLS), O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana. 

3-In the presence of Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya, a practical field trial of Drone Spraying of Nano Liquid Urea was conducted in Bhavnagar, Gujarat. 

4-To give further impetus to the regional aerial connectivity, Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia virtually flagged off the first direct flight on Agra (Uttar Pradesh) – Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) route under the Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) scheme of the Government of India. 

5-The Ministry of Coal has set up a Committee under the Chairmanship of Joint Secretary & Financial Advisor comprising of representatives from NTPC, IOCL, PGCIL and Director (T), ECL as member secretary. 

6-Chacha Chaudhary was declared as the mascot of the Namami Gange Programme and some major projects in Uttar-Pradesh and Bihar. 

7-NITI Aayog, in a joint effort with International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Indian Institute of Population Sciences (IIPS), UNICEF and Institute of Economic Growth (IEG) launched ‘The State Nutrition Profiles” for 19 States and Union Territories. 

8-Vice Admiral Adhir Arora, NM has taken charge as the Chief Hydrographer to the Govt of India from Vice Admiral Vinay Badhwar, AVSM, NM who superannuated. 

9-Air Marshal Amit Dev AVSM VSM ADC assumed the appointment of Air Officer Commanding in Chief (AOC-in-C) of Western Air Command. 

10-Air Marshal Sandeep Singh AVSM VM took over as Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS). 

Heli-borne survey technology for ground water management launched

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has launched state-of-the-art Heli-borne survey technology for ground water management, developed by CSIR-NGRI Hyderabad.

Heli-borne geophysical mapping technique provides a high-resolution 3D image of the sub-surface up to a depth of 500 meters below the ground.

Arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana states has signed MoU with CSIR-NGRI for ‘High Resolution Aquifer Mapping & Management’ project. 

Dust Control & Management Cells set up in NCR

Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) is taking steps to tackle dust pollution emanating from roads across National Capital Region (NCR).

Dust Control & Management Cells is also established.

17 Cells have been set up in the state of U.P., 11 in Delhi, 8 in Rajasthan and 2 in Haryana.

Cell will regularly monitor the compliance of road dust control measures by the authorities concerned and measures undertaken.

Electronic Pension Payment Order gets integrated with Digi Locker

Ministry of Defence has integrated Electronic Pension Payment Order (EPPO) generated by Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA) Pension, Allahabad with Digi Locker to enhance ‘Ease of Living’ of Defence Pensioners. 

It will enable all Defence Pensioners to obtain instantly a copy of the latest copy of the PPO from Digi Locker. 

It will create a permanent record of PPO in Digi Locker and at the same time eliminate delays in reaching the PPO.

MoRTH notifies establishment of National Road Safety Board

Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has notified constitution of National Road Safety Board, along with rules. 

Head Office of the Board will be in National Capital Region and Board may establish offices at other places. 

It shall consist of Chairman and not less than three, but not exceeding 7 Members, to be appointed by Centre. 

It shall be responsible for promoting road safety, innovation and adoption of new technology and for regulating traffic and motor vehicles. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: 1st to 31st October

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) is observed every year from 1st to 31th October. 

This annual international health campaign aims to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.

International symbol of breast cancer awareness: Pink ribbon

Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Breast Health Education for Young Women Facilitator’s Guide is also being designed. 

Magnus Carlsen wins inaugural Meltwater Champions Chess Tour title

Magnus Carlsen has won inaugural Meltwater Champions Chess Tour (MCCT) to claim the non-fungible token (NFT) trophy, and $1,00,000 in the Finals. 

It is a 10-month long online chess tournaments, which was held on chess24.com from November 22, 2020 till October 4, 2021.

MCCT tour comprised of 10 tournaments and are not rated by Fide. 

It was the most viewed online chess event in history of the game.

Magnus Carlsen is now considered as the undisputed best online chess player. 

Commerce Ministry releases Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) Report 2.0

Ministry of Commerce has launched 2nd edition of Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) Report to enhance India’s industrial competitiveness and attract investment.

IPRS 2.0 is an extension of India Industrial Land Bank featuring more than 4,400 industrial parks in a GIS-enabled database to help investors identify their preferred location for investment. 

41 Industrial Parks have been assessed as Leaders in Industrial Park Ratings System Report released by DPIIT.

VP Venkaiah Naidu confers Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award

VP Venkaiah Naidu has conferred Assam Government’s biennial Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Award for National Integration and National Contribution for 2021. 

Three awardees are:

Members of Assam branch of Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust. 

German based Assamese litterateur Dr. Nirod Kumar Barooah. 

Sankardeva Kalakshetra. 

The Award was instituted by Government of Assam in 1993 in the memory of the first Chief Minister of Assam Bharat Ratna Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi.

BC Patnaik sworn in as new Managing Director of LIC

B C Patnaik has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of insurance giant Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).

He succeeded Mukesh Kumar Gupta, who completed his tenure on 30th September 2021.

Prior to this, he served as secretary General at Council for Insurance Ombudsmen(CIO), Mumbai.

He joined LIC as a direct recruit officer in 1986.

LIC comprises of chairman and 4 MD. Other MDs: Raj Kumar, Siddhartha Mohanty and Ipe Mini.

India joins Seychelles Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) programme

India has been chosen as the Partner Administrator for Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) programme. 

TIWB has launched its programme in Seychelles on 4th October 2021.

India will be providing its Tax Expert in support of the initiative.

TIWB: Joint initiative of UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), since its launch in 2015.

This is the 6th TIWB programme in which India has supported by providing Tax Expert. 

First consignment of GI tagged Mihidana exported to Bahrain

First consignment of Geographical Indication (GI) tagged sweet dish Mihidana from Bardhaman, West Bengal has been exported to Kingdom of Bahrain.

It is part of the effort to promote indigenous and GI tagged products of India globally.

It was exported by APEDA registered M/S DM Enterprises, Kolkata.

Mihidana sweet dish got GI tag in 2017.

GI tag is a sign denoting a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin. 

Mansukh Mandaviya releases State of the World’s Children report of UNICEF

Mansukh Mandaviya has released UNICEF’s global flagship publication ‘The State of the World’s Children 2021; On My Mind: promoting, protecting and caring for children’s mental health’. 

It says only 41% of young people in India were willing to seek support for mental health, compared to an average of 83% among 21 countries surveyed. 

The report also found that 14% of 15 to 24 yr-old in India, or 1 in 7, reported often feeling depressed or having little interest in things. 

Syukuro Manabe, Klaus Hasselmann bags Nobel Physics Prize 2021

S.-Japanese scientist Syukuro Manabe, Klaus Hasselmann (Germany) and Giorgio Parisi (Italy) has won 2021 Nobel Physics Prize. 

Manabe and Hasselmann, shares one half of the 10 million kronor ($1.1 million) prize for their research on climate models, while Parisi won the other half for interplay of disorder and fluctuations in physical systems.

This is the first-time climate scientists have been awarded Physics Nobel.

Award is given by Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

India-Japan Bilateral Maritime Exercise JIMEX-21 commenced

Fifth edition of India-Japan Maritime Bilateral Exercise ‘JIMEX-21’ is to be held in Arabian Sea from 6th to 8th October 2021.

Aim: To develop common understanding of operational procedures and enhance inter-operability through conduct of multitude of advanced exercises.

JIMEX series of exercises were introduced in January 2012 with special focus on maritime security cooperation.

It involves weapon firings, cross-deck helicopter operations and complex surface, etc.

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.