Latest Current Affairs For Friday 7th October, 2022

Tamil Nadu’s Mamallapuram beats Taj Mahal in number of foreign visitors

As per the report, Indian Tourism Statistics 2022, the Mamallapuram (Unesco world heritage site), a Tamil Nadu town has beaten the Taj Mahal in the number of foreign visitors.

As per the report, 1,44,984 foreign visitors came to Mamallapuram in 2021-22.

While the Taj Mahal (Agra) has occupied the second spot with 38,922 foreign visitors.

Top five states for domestic tourist visits in 2021: Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. 

CCI approves merger of ZEEL, BEPL with Culver Max Entertainment

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved amalgamation of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEE) and Bangla Entertainment Private Limited (BEPL) with Culver Max Entertainment Private Limited (CME), with certain modifications.

CME: It is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation (SGC), is part of the SGC group (SGC Group).

BEPL: It is also an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of SGC and a part of the SGC Group.

NABARD sanctions Rs 222 cr for infra in rural schools in Punjab

Nabard has sanctioned Rs 221.99 crore under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) to Punjab government.

Reason: For the construction of 2,328 additional classrooms, 762 labs and 648 playgrounds in rural schools in all 23 districts of Punjab.

Presently, there are 632 projects involving the RIDF assistance of Rs 686 crore under varous stages of implementation by the Department of School Education, Punjab.

India's Rupay debit card to be launched in Oman

National Payments Corporation of India has signed a historic MoU with Central Bank Of Oman to launch the Rupay debit card in Oman.

The MoU was signed during the visit of MoS for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, V. Muraleedharan to Oman.

It enables the acceptance of Indian RuPay cards issued by banks in India at all OmanNet network ATMs, POS & E-commerce sites.

As a reciprocal, acceptance of Oman cards/MPCSS in the networks of NPCI in India.

IFC launches financing platform to respond to global food crisis

The investment arm of World Bank, the International Finance Corp. (IFC) has launched a $6 billion financing facility.

Aim: To strengthen private sector’s ability to respond to the crisis and help support food production.

Concern: The Ukraine  war and an uneven global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic have raised the levels of hunger and malnourishment.

This crises have already worsened by climate change(damaging harvests and reducing yields).

HM Amit Shah announces ST status for Paharis in J&K

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah has announced Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Pahari community in Jammu and Kashmir.

Justice GD Sharma Commission has recommended reservation for Paharis in his report that was submitted to the government.

The reservation will be rolled out after completion of administrative formalities.

The minister has inaugurated and laid foundation stone of various developmental works of Kashmir Division.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2022 awarded for "Click" chemistry

The 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Carolyn Bertozzi (American), Morton Meldal (Danish) and Barry Sharpless (American).

Reason: For their work on snipping molecules together which is known as click chemistry.

Click chemistry: It is about linking together molecules like those in living cells.

Use: To explore cells and track biological processes; can be applied in cancer treatment drugs.

Before this, Barry Sharples has won Nobel in 2001 for chemistry.

66th Dhammachakra Pravartan Day celebrated at DeekshaBhoomi in Nagpur

The 66th Dhammachakra Pravartan Day is being celebrated at DeekshaBhoomi in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

Reason: Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar (Architect of the Indian Constitution) has embraced Buddhism on the day of Viajaydashmi on 14th October 1956 with lakhs of his followers.

From that date, the day is celebrated as DhammaChakra pravartan day.

Millions of followers have reached Deekshabhoomi, to pay their respects to the Central memorial of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar in this day.

Gujarat launched Atmanirbhar Gujarat Schemes 2022 for Industries

The Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel has launched an incentive scheme for industries to attract Rs 12.5 lakh crore of investments to the state in the next 10 years.

He has unveiled the “Aatmanirbhar Gujarat Schemes 2022 for assistance to Industries”.

This scheme will remain in force for MSMEs, Large and Mega industrial units.

The incentive schemes also include EPF and SGST reimbursements.

A similar incentive scheme was launched in 2016. 

PM Modi inaugurates AIIMS in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh

PM Modi has inaugurated AIIMS at Kothipura in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh.

This institution will be built over an area of about 247 acres with the cost of 1471 crore rupees.

Other projects:

Inaugurated 140 crore rupees Government Hydro Engineering College in Bilaspur.

Foundation stones of 350 crore rupees for Medical Devices Park at Nalagarh.

Pinjore-Nalagarh four-lane road project under the Bharat Mala project with a cost of 1692 crore rupees.

World Trade Organization forecasts slowdown in global trade growth

WTO has forecasted a slowdown of global trade growth  for 2023.

Reason: Sharply higher energy and food prices and rising interest rates curb import demand. 

As per the report, the merchandise trade would increase by 3.5% in 2022-23, up from its April estimate of 3%.

However, for 2023, it sees trade growth of just 1%, compared with a previous forecast of 3.5%.

The WTO has provided a band of trade growth expansion of 2% to 4.9% for 2022-23 and of -2.8% to 4.6% for 2023.

India emerges as largest producer of sugar in world

India has emerged as the world’s largest producer and second largest exporter of sugar.

In 2021-22, more than five thousand lakh metric tons of sugarcane was produced in the country.

Out of this, 35 lakh metric ton sugar was used for ethanol production and 359 lakh metric ton of sugar was produced by sugar mills.

The country has registered records highest sugar exports of over 109 lakh metric tons.

These exports earned foreign currency of about 40 thousand crore rupees.

Former German leader, Angela Merkel wins 2022 UN refugee prize

Former German chancellor, Angela Merkel has won the 2022 United Nations refugee agency’s prestigious Nansen Refugee Award.

Reason: For her determination to protect asylum seekers while in office.

In 2015 and 2016, Germany had welcomed the more than 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers of migrant crisis.

Nansen Award:

Established: 1954

This award was created to honour of the first UNHCR, Norwegian Arctic explorer and humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen.

Prize: $150,000

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.