Latest Current Affairs For Tuesday 2nd November, 2021

MP Govt Announces Scheme to Provide Free Residential Plots to Families

The MP govt has announced Mukhyamantri Awasiya Bhu-adhikar Yojna to provide free plots to families that don’t have land to build their own homes. 

Aim: ensuring that every family has the right to a dignified life with basic necessities. 

It has been started to provide residential plots to the eligible families on Abadi land in each Gram Panchayat.

Under the scheme, district collectors have been empowered with respect to the availability of Abadi land. 

India’s largest landfill biogas plant launched in Hyderabad

Ramky Enviro has inaugurated one of the world’s 1st  gas-to-compressed biogas plant at the Hyderabad. 

The project is focused on the conversion of landfill gas into compressed biogas as an automotive fuel.

The project offers significant benefits such as carbon sequestration and reduced emissions of GHGs into the environment and contributes to the greening of the automotive industry.

The end product of the plant will be sold to Bhagyanagar Gas Ltd. 

World Vegan Day 2021: 1st November

World Vegan Day is celebrated on November 1 every year by vegans across the world.

The day is celebrated to promotes vegan diet.

Vegan diet bars the consumption of animal-based food products.

The event was started in 1994 by then Chair of The Vegan Society, Louise Wallis, in the United Kingdom.

This year people will celebrate the 77 years of World Vegan Day.

Aadhaar eKYC allowed for Atal Pension Yojana subscription: PFRDA

The PFRDA has added Aadhaar based eKYC to add customers under its flagship pension scheme Atal Pension Yojana (APY).

Aim: to expand its subscriber base and simplify the on-boarding process further.

PFRDA is allowing enrollment of subscribers through physical, net banking and other digital modes, at present.

After an APY account is opened, Atal Pension Yojana-Service Provider (APY-SP) will offer subsequent servicing to the subscribers.

APY was launched  in June 1, 2015.

US returns 250 antiquities worth $15 million to India in stolen art investigation

US authorities returned about 250 antiquities to India in a long-running investigation of a stolen art scheme.

The items, worth an estimated $15 million, were handed over during a ceremony at the Indian Consulate in New York City.

The centrepiece is a bronze Shiva Nataraja valued at $4 million. 

The investigation has focused on tens of thousands of antiquities allegedly smuggled into the United States by dealer Subhash Kapoor. 

Yezdi Nagporewalla appointed as KPMG India CEO

Yezdi Nagporewalla has been appointed as the new CEO of KPMG India.

His term will commence on February 7, 2022, and end on December 31, 2026. 

Nagporewalla was nominated by the KPMG India Board and approved by the India Partners.

He will be replacing Arun M Kumar, the current Chairman and CEO whose five-year term concludes on February 6, 2022.

Microsoft Beats Apple to become World's Most Valuable Company

Microsoft surpassed Apple's market cap to become the world's most valuable public company. 

Microsoft surged 2.2 percent to a market value of $2.49 trillion, surpassing Apple.

For the first time since 2010, Microsoft passed Apple's market cap in 2018 and later in July 2020. 

When market was coming to a close, Microsoft's market cap stood at $2.49 trillion while Apple's market capitalisation stood at $2.46 trillion.

Microsoft CEO: Satya Nadella

Apple CEO: Tim Cook

Chennai-Mysore Shatabdi Express becomes 1st IMS certified Shatabdi

Chennai-Mysore Shatabdi Express becomes the 1st Integrated Management Systems (IMS) certified Shatabdi.

It received the certificate for world-class maintenance of the train, environment-friendly resources.

The train’s maintenance is handled by Basin Bridge Coaching Depot of Indian Railways.

Also, it becomes the 2nd mail/express train on the Indian Railways network Habibganj-Hazrat Nizamuddin-Habibganj Bhopal Express that has received the certification in March 2021.

Union Minister dedicates 'Sardar Patel Leadership Centre' to the Nation

Union Minister Jitendra Singh dedicated "Sardar Patel Leadership Centre" to the nation at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie.

The Centre aims to lay the foundation capacity building for future generations of Civil Servants. 

It will emerge as a Huge Resource Centre to provide continuous study and learning opportunities to Civil Servants from India and Abroad. 

The center was dedicated on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. 

Nationwide Clean India campaign culminates with Fit India Plog Run

Fit India Plog Run, an annual nationwide event organised as part of the Fit India Movement, at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.

More than 500 athletes and coaches took part in the event.

The day also marked the end of the 'Clean India' campaign for this year.

Plogging is a unique activity that combines fitness and cleanliness -- Swaachta and Swasth (health) -- in which participants collect litter while jogging.

India unveils online climate dashboard

India launched an online dashboard - the 'Climate Equity Monitor' to assess equity in climate action, inequalities in emissions besides energy and resource consumption across the world.

The dashboard also tracks the climate policies of several countries from the perspective of developing countries.

The website has been conceptualized and developed by independent researchers from India -- the Climate Change Group at the M.S Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai.

Amit Shah launches Dairy Sahakar scheme in Gujarat

Union minister of Home Affairs and Cooporation, Amit Shah launched the "Dairy Sahakar" scheme at Anand, Gujarat.

With a total investment of Rs 5000 cr, scheme will be implemented by NCDC under Ministry of Cooperation to realize the vision, “from cooperation to prosperity".

Under the scheme financial support will be extended by NCDC to eligible cooperatives for various activities within the overall objectives of Doubling the farmers income and Atmanirbhar Bharat. 

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.