Latest Current Affairs For Friday 28th October, 2022

Delhi LG announces SAMRIDDHI scheme for property disputes and tax dues

Delhi LG, Vinai Kumar Saxena has announced a one-time property tax amnesty scheme named Strengthening & Augmentation of Municipal Revenue for Infrastructure Development in Delhi (SAMRIDDHI) 2022-23 scheme.

With this scheme, the NCR people will be able to pay only the principal amount of the current and pending tax of past five years for residential properties.

The people can also get a waiver on all pending dues, including penalty and interest through this scheme.

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage: 27th October

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage is observed on October 27 every year to promote the importance of such preservation.

Theme 2022: Enlisting documentary heritage to promote inclusive, just and peaceful Societies. 

The Recommendation for the Safeguarding and Preservation of Moving Images was adopted in the 21st General Conference of UNESCO held on October 27, 1980, at Belgrade, Serbia.

International Federation of Film Archives HQ: Brussels, Belgium

Elizabeth Jones as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at US Embassy New Delhi

The US administration has named a senior US diplomat, Elizabeth Jones (74) as the next Charge d’Affaires ad interim in New Delhi.

She is the sixth interim US envoy in the last 21 months (since January 2021).

She had worked on NATO’s role in Europe vis-a-vis Russia as the US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia.

Currently, Patricia A Lacina is the Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, who assumed charge on September 9, 2021.

Indian Navy join hands with Drone Federation to promote drone technology

The Technology Development and Acceleration Cell of the Naval Innovation Indigenisation Organisation under the Indian Navy has signed an MoU with Drone Federation of India.

Reason: For promoting indigenous development, manufacturing and testing of a drone, counter-drone, and associated technologies for the Navy.

This collaboration will increase the Navy-industry-academia synergy, and source technology development challenges towards component indigenisation.

IIT Madras won National Intellectual Property Award for 2021 and 2022

The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) has been awarded the national intellectual property award for 2021 and 2022.

This award was instituted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The criteria for evaluation was patent applications, grants and commercialisation.

The award was presented by Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal.

Award: A trophy, citation and Rs. 1 lakh

Assam launched Trees Beyond Forests initiative

The Assam government has launched the “trees outside forests in India (TOFI)” programme in collaboration with US Agency for International Development (USAID).

Aim: To bring farmers, companies, and private institutions together to expand the tree coverage outside of traditional forests in the State.

The new programme will enhance carbon sequestration, support local communities, and strengthen the climate resilience of agriculture.

Harmanpreet Singh named captain for India's FIH Pro League matches

Hockey India has named Harmanpreet Singh as the captain of the 22-member Indian men’s hockey team.

He has been appointed for the upcoming double-header matches against Spain and New Zealand in the season opener of FIH Hockey Pro League 2022-2023 to be held in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

While, Manpreet Singh has been named as his deputy.

All matches will be held at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

Turkish competition board fines $18.6 million on Meta

Competition authority of Turkey has imposed monetary penalty of 346.72 million lira ($18.63 million) on Meta Platforms (Facebook).

Reason: For violating competition law

The firm has obstructed its competitors operating in social network services and online advertising markets as it merged data collected through Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The fine was imposed according to the 2021 annual income of the company.

Indian-origin Navjit Kaur Brar becomes councillor of Canada Brampton

Indian-origin Sikh woman, Navjit Kaur Brar has become the first turban-wearing Sikh woman to be elected as a city councillor of Brampton in Canada.

She is an Indo-Canadian respiratory therapist.

She was elected in the recent municipal council polls after she won the race in Wards 2 and 6.

She is a former Conservative MP candidate for Brampton West.

Elections for municipal government in Canada held every four years on the fourth Monday of October.

CRISIL upgrades Muthoot FinCorp to AA-

CRISIL has upgraded its long-term rating on the bank facilities and debt instruments of Muthoot FinCorp to ‘CRISIL AA-'.

It has also upgraded the ratings of Muthoot Microfin Ltd, Muthoot Capital Services Ltd and Muthoot Housing Finance Company Ltd, to A+.

These upgrades are driven by improvement in the capitalisation profile and expected improvement in the earnings profile of MPG.

Chairman of Muthoot Pappachan Group: Thomas John Muthoot

Two Indian beaches receive Blue Flag certification

Thundi and Kadmat beaches in Lakshadweep have received the Blue Flag certification and were added to the list of the cleanest beaches in the world.

This has taken India's tally of ‘Blue Beaches’ to 12.

Golden Beach of Puri is also Asia's first Blue Flag certified beach.

Blue Flag Certification:

It is awarded by a non-profit organisation known as Foundation for Environmental Education.

It is an eco-label given to the cleanest beaches in the world.

UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee meet to be held in India

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Counter-Terrorism Committee will be hosted in Mumbai and Delhi on 28th and 29th of October.

2022 Theme: Countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes. 

The special meeting in India will also be attended by UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly.

Focus of meet: Internet (including social media), new payment technologies and fundraising methods, and unmanned aerial systems (including drones). 

Shefali Juneja elected as chairperson of Air Transport Committee of ICAO

Shefali Juneja (representative of India at ICAO) has been elected as the chairperson of UN specialized aviation agency’s Air Transport Committee (ATC).

She is a 1992 batch officer of IRS (Income Tax cadre), served as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation before joining the ICAO. 

India has secured this position in ICAO after 28 years when she was unanimously elected to the post. 

ATC is a standing committee of the ICAO created by the Chicago Convention in 1944. 

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.