Latest Current Affairs For Sunday 16th October, 2022

Harry Potter Actor Robbie Coltrane Dead at the age of 72

Robbie Coltrane, the veteran comic and actor known for his star turns in the British crime series Cracker and the Harry Potter movie franchise, passed away at the age of 72.

Coltrane was born Anthony Robert McMillan on March 30, 1950, in Glasgow, Scotland, as the son of a doctor and a teacher. After graduating from Glasgow Art School, he continued his studies in art at Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh.

International Day of Rural Women 2022 observed on 15 October

October 15 is celebrated as the International Day of Rural women across the world. The day focuses to promote gender quality and highlight the important role played by women in rural areas.

The International Day of Rural Women is a time to celebrate the important role that rural women play in society. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges faced by rural women and to call for action to address these issues. We hope that this day will help empower rural women and give them the recognition they deserve.

The theme for the International Day of Rural Women (15 October), “Rural Women Cultivating Good Food for All”, highlights the essential role that rural women and girls play in the food systems of the world.

World Student’s Day 2022 celebrates on15 October

October 15 is celebrated as World Students’ Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, a celebrated Aerospace scientist and former President of India. The day is marked to acknowledge his efforts toward students and education. Dr Kalam was born on October 15, 1931.

He served as an inspiration to many students to achieve and do something remarkable. After his tenure as the President came to an end, he became a visiting faculty at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Shillong, IIM-Indore and IIM- Ahmedabad.

PM inaugurates Indian Institute of Information Technology in Una

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Una, Himachal Pradesh.

During the occasion, Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, and Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur were present. PM Modi also inaugurated the fourth Vande Bharat Express Train of India at the event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the need for skill and innovation institutions across the country.

Himachal Pradesh has been valued less on its strength and more based on the number of its parliamentary seats, and long pending demands of educational institutions.

Cabinet approved PM-DevINE scheme for development of Northeast states

Prime Minister’s development initiative for North East region (PM-DevINE), was approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The PM-DevINE is a Rs 6,600 crore scheme to support infrastructure, industries, and other Livelihood projects in northeastern states of India.

The PM-DevINE is a 100 percent Central Government funded plan and will be administered by the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER).

This scheme is going to be implemented during the remaining four years of the 15th Financial Commission from 2022-2023 to 2025-2026.

The PM-DevINE is aimed to be completed by the year 2025-2026 so that there are no committed liabilities beyond this year.

Living Planet Report 2022: Wildlife Populations decline by 69% in 50 years

There has been a 69 per cent decline in the wildlife populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish, across the globe in the last 50 years, according to the latest Living Planet Report by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

The highest decline (94 per cent) was in the Latin America and the Caribbean region, the report released October 13, 2022 showed. Africa recorded a 66 per cent fall in its wildlife populations from 1970-2018 and the Asia Pacific 55 per cent, according to the WWF report.

Global Hunger Index 2022: India ranks 107th out of 121 countries

India ranks 107 out of 121 countries on the Global Hunger Index in which it fares worse than all countries in South Asia barring war-torn Afghanistan.

India’s score of 29.1 places it in the ‘serious’ category. India also ranks below Sri Lanka (64), Nepal (81), Bangladesh (84), and Pakistan (99). Afghanistan (109) is the only country in South Asia that performs worse than India on the index.

China is among the countries collectively ranked between 1 and 17 having a score of less than five. India’s child wasting rate (low weight for height), at 19.3%, is worse than the levels recorded in 2014 (15.1%) and even 2000 (17.15%), and is the highest for any country in the world and drives up the region’s average owing to India’s large population.

The Global Hunger Index is a peer-reviewed annual report, jointly published by Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and country levels.

Times Higher Education Rankings 2023: IISc tops among Indian Universities

Times Higher Education Rankings 2023 has been announced. This year, the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore has secured the top place among Indian universities. Five Indian universities made it into the world’s top 500 varsities. IISc has been placed under the 251-300 bracket.

The complete list of the top 10 Indian Universities is enlisted below. Globally, the University of Oxford continued to retain the top spot for the seventh consecutive year, while the University of Cambridge jumped to joint third from joint fifth last year. The US is the most-represented country overall with 177 institutions in the overall ranking list.

Index of Industrial Production (IIP) Witnessed Contraction of 0.8% in August 2022

India’s industrial production slipped to an 18-month low, contracting by 0.8 per cent in August, mainly due to a decline in output of the manufacturing and mining sectors, according to official data.

The data showed that the previous low in industrial output growth was a contraction of 3.2 per cent in February 2021. Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is an index which details out the growth of various sectors in the economy. The Eight Core Industries comprise more than 40 percent of the weight of items included in IIP. These are Electricity, steel, refinery products, crude oil, coal, cement, natural gas and fertilisers.

RBI and SEBI Issue Standard Operating Procedure for Inter-Operable Regulatory Sandbox (IoRS) 

SEBI came out with a standard operating procedure for inter-operable regulatory sandbox in a bid to facilitate testing of innovative products falling within the regulatory ambit of more than one financial sector regulators.

Financial products or service providers whose business models fall within the remit of more than one financial sector regulator such as Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Sebi, IRDAI (Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India), PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory & Development Authority) and IFSCA (International Financial Services Centres Authority) will be considered for the testing under Inter operable Regulatory Sandbox (IoRS).

MEA: Dr Adarsh Swaika named India’s next ambassador to Kuwait 

Dr Adarsh Swaika, a joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed India’s next Ambassador to Kuwait. Dr Adarsh Swaika (IFS: 2002), is presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

He is expected to take up his assignment shortly. Swaika will succeed Sibi George as the Indian envoy in Kuwait. There has been a significant upswing in ties between India and Kuwait in the last few years.

Avtar Singh, a Director in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as India’s next Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea. Avtar Singh (YOA: 2006), presently Director in the Ministry of External Affairs.

Important For All Exam 2022:

Minister of External Affairs: Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

India Opposes G7’s Just Energy Transition Plan 

The G7 nations’ plan of persuading India to start negotiations on a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), an initiative of the rich nations to accelerate phasing out of coal and reducing emissions has hit a road-block.

JETP makes various funding options available for this purpose in identified developing countries. The Power Ministry has refused to give its consent to the negotiations so far, as it argues that coal cannot be singled out as a polluting fuel, and energy transition talks need to take place on equal terms.

Abdul Latif Rashid elected as President of Iraq 

The Iraqi Parliament chose Kurdish politician, Abdul Latif Rashid to lead the country. Rashid won more than 160 votes against 99 for the incumbent Saleh. Rashid, 78, is a British-educated engineer and was the Iraqi minister of water resources from 2003-2010. Outgoing President Saleh reportedly walked out of the parliament building as the votes were tallied.

Rashid was born in 1944 in the northeastern Sulaymaniyah region of Iraq. He graduated as a civil engineer from the University of Liverpool in 1968. He went on to complete his engineering doctorate in 1976 from the University of Manchester.

Important For All Exam 2022:

Iraq Capital: Baghdad;

Iraq Currency: Dinar;

Iraq President: Abdul Latif Rashid;

Iraq Prime Minister: Mohammed Shia’ Al Sudani.

17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas to be held at Indore in January 2023

The 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention is to be held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh in January 2023.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar launched the website of the 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Convention with Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan.

Dr. Jaishankar highlighted the construction industry of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government for giving the highest priority to the Indian Diaspora.

Government engagement is founded in the 4Cs: Care, Connect, Celebrate, and Contribute.

During the occasion, Secretary in Consular, Passport, visa, and Overseas Indian Affairs Division of the Ministry of External Affairs Ausaf Sayeed was also present on the occasion.

The Pravasi Bhartiya Divas is celebrated every year on the 9th of January to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.

It also commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on 9th January 1951.

PM Modi to Dedicate 75 Digital Banking Units to the Nation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dedicate 75 Digital Banking Units (DBUs) to the nation on 16th October. He will address the occasion via video conferencing. The Finance Minister has announced the setting up of the 75 DBUs in 75 districts of the country to commemorate the 75 years of Independence of India as part of the Union budget speech for 2022-2023.

Digital Banking Units (DBUs) are being set up to increase the reach of Digital Banking.

The DBUs will help Digital Banking to reach every corner of the country and will cover all states and Union Territory.

11 public sector banks, 12 private sector banks, and one small finance bank are participating in the endeavor.

DBUs will be mortal outlets that will provide a variety of digital banking facilities to people such as opening a savings account, balance-check, print passbook, transfer of funds, investment in fixed deposits, loan applications, stop-payment instructions for cheques issued, applying for credit, etc.

DBUs will enable customers to have cost-effective, convenient access and enhanced digital experience of banking products and services all around the year.

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.