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 AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 6 October 2022 : Headlines

1. MoU signed between DA&FW and NAFED to promoted Millet based Products
2. Digital India Conference of State IT Ministers Held Along with Launch of 5G
3. ‘SRS – Statistical Report 2020’: Female IMR in India Falls to The Same Level as Male IMR
4. Kerala’s Pullampara Becomes the First Fully Digital Literate Panchayat in India
5. Amit Shah Announces ST Status for Pahari Community in J&K
6. Defence Ministry approves renaming of Faizabad Cantt as Ayodhya Cantt
7. RPF undertook many focused operations during the month of September 2022
8. Highlights of Visit of External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar visit to USA; Attended 77th UNGA
9. IFC Launches Financing Platform to Respond to Global Food Crisis
10. NPCI & Central Bank of Oman Sign MoU to Launch India’s Rupay Debit Card in Oman
11. Adani Enterprises announces the establishment of 2 New Subsidiaries
12. Google to build its 1st cloud region in Greece
13. FIH Confers India’s Mumtaz Khan with FIH Rising Star of the Year 2021-22 Award
14. Former German chancellor Angela Merkel wins UN refugee agency prize
15. India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida bags best convention centre award
16. Former Brigadier BD Mishra takes additional charge as Meghalaya Governor
17. Sanjeev Kishore takes over as Director General Ordnance
18. Fire-Boltt appointed Kiara Advani as New Brand Ambassador
19. CCI approves amalgamation of ZEEL, BEPL with Culver Max Entertainment
20. Scientists of ICAR-NBFGR Discovers New Catfish Species – Pangasius Icaria
21. Iran launched test ”tug” into suborbital space
22. Saudi Arabia to host 2029 Asian Winter Games in New Ski Resort
23. World Teachers’ Day 2022 – October 5

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 NATIONAL AFFAIRS
MoU signed between DA&FW and NAFED to promoted Millet based Products
On October 4, 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Department of
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of
India Limited (NAFED) in New Delhi (Delhi).

• Under this MoU, both entities will raise awareness and promote Millet based products, on the
sidelines of International Year of Millets (IYOM)-2023 celebrations proposed by the Government
of India to the United Nations (UN).
• DA&FW works under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW).
Signatories:
Shubha Thakur, Joint Secretary (Crops) DA&FW; and Rajbir Singh Panwar, Managing Director, NAFED
Key Points:
i.Both entities will build support, organize, promote, market, and forge effective market linkages for millet-
based products to maximize millet-based commodities across India.
ii.They will also collaborate in areas like facilitating advisory support to manufacturers of millet-based
products to develop value-added millet-based commodities; on-boarding of start-ups, inclusive of start-ups
empaneled with Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR); formation of FPOs (Food Processing
Organizations) specifically for developing a range of millet-based products; promote and market millet-based
products through the network of NAFED Bazaar Stores and other institutions linked with NAFED; installation
of Millet based Vending Machines at various locations across Delhi-NCR; and dispensing millet-based products.
Background:
On 5 March 2021, during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), India’s initiative to promote millets
was supported by 72 other countries, and declared 2023 as the International Year of the Millets.
• In 2018, the Indian Central government also notified millets as nutri-cereals and included them
under the POSHAN (Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition) Mission Abhiyan.
About National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED):
Establishment– 1958
Chairman– Dr. Bijender Singh
Headquarter– New Delhi, Delhi

Digital India Conference of State IT Ministers Held Along with Launch of 5G

The “Digital India Conference of State IT Ministers” was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
took place in New Delhi, Delhi from October 1 to 3, 2022, under the chairmanship of Union Minister Ashwini
Vaishnaw, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• The conference featured the national launch of 5G, exhibitions, and the unveiling of various 5G use
cases in education, health, worker safety, smart agriculture, etc.,

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 • Along with this conference, the 6th India Mobile Congress 2022 (IMC 2022) was also convened.
Dignitaries
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State (MoS), MeitY; Devusinh Chauhan, MoS, Ministry of Communications
(MoC); and IT Ministers from 12 States/Union Territories (UTs), including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Telangana, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Puducherry.
GoI Approves Rs. 26,000 Crore to Install 25,000 Mobile Towers
The Government of India (GoI) has allocated an amount of Rs. 26,000 crore for the installation of 25,000
mobile towers in 500 days.
• The financial support for the project will be funded by Universal Services Obligation Fund (USOF),
Department of Telecommunications (DOT), MoC.
• The towers will be installed by the government-owned enterprise Bharat Broadband Network
Limited (BBNL).
Note: The GoI established the USOF in December 2003 by amending the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act,
2003.
Key Points:
i.The list of prospective tower locations will be created in consultation with the States/Chief Secretaries. The
list can be examined further by the States.
ii.The comprehensive revival of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) would be carried out over the course of
the next 18 months using a sum of Rs. 1.64 lakh crore.
iii.The fibre network will be shared on a common platform to assist States/UTs in planning layout-driven
infrastructure projects and digital transformational projects.
• The policy issues will be decided in close consultation with the States.
iv.Support has been provided for the special assistance to States for Capital Expenditure (CapEx) of Rs. 2000
crore.
v.The move will greatly benefit Make-In-India and Design in India initiatives.
GoI Approves Amendments to Private FM Phase-III Guidelines
The GoI has approved amendments to certain provisions in the Policy Guidelines on the Expansion of FM Radio
Broadcasting Services via Private Agencies (Phase-III), also known as the Private FM Phase-III Policy
Guidelines.
• The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Key Points:
i.In this regard, the 3-year window time for restructuring FM radio permissions within the same management
group during the 15-year licence duration has been eliminated.
ii.The GoI has also agreed to the long-standing demand of the radio industry to eliminate the 15% National Cap
on channel holdings.
iii.Furthermore, with the relaxation of financial eligibility standards under FM radio policy, an applicant
company can now engage in bidding for ‘C’ and ‘D’ category cities with a net worth of just Rs. 1 crore, as
opposed to Rs. 1.5 crore previously.

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iv.Together, these three revisions will assist the private FM radio industry in fully utilizing economies of scale
and for further expansion of FM radio and entertainment into Tier-III cities in India.
Recent Related News:
In August 2022, The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy
(Ayush) (MOA), to provide technical support to the Ministry of Ayush for digitalization of Ayush Sector under
the Ayush Grid Project for a period of 3 years.
About Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY):
Union Minister – Ashwini Vaishnaw (Rajya Sabha – Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS) – Rajeev Chandrasekhar

‘SRS – Statistical Report 2020’: Female IMR in India Falls to The Same Level as Male IMR
According to the “Sample Registration System (SRS)-Statistical Report 2020” issued by the Ministry of
Home Affairs’ Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India (ORGI), the Infant Mortality Rate
(IMR) for males and females in India finally equalized in 2020.
IMRs by Sex and Residence, India and Bigger States/UTs, 2020
Total Rural Urban
India and bigger States/UTs Total Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females
India 28 28 28 31 31 32 19 19 18
• IMR for female babies continued to be higher than for male babies in 16 states, but the difference
had narrowed since 2011.
• The IMR is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births.
IMR at the National Level & a Comparison of IMR in Urban and Rural Areas
i.At the National Level, the IMR has decreased by 9 points from 37 in 2015 and by 2 points from 30 in 2019
to 28 in 2020.
• Madhya Pradesh (43) has the highest IMR, while Kerala has the lowest (6).
• Between 2015-20, there was a decline of IMR in both genders.
ii.As a result, Rural IMR has decreased by 10 points from 41 in 2015 to 31 in 2020, whereas Urban IMR has
decreased by 6 points from 25 in 2015 to 19 in 2020.
• The rural IMR was higher than the urban IMR in every state.
• In 2011, the disparity between male and female IMR was higher in urban regions in many states,
including Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, and
Haryana, a trend reversed in 2020.
Performance of Indian States in IMR
i.Except for Uttarakhand, where the two rates were equivalent in 2011, all states had higher IMR for female
babies than males.
ii.According to the SRS Statistical Report 2020, the IMR is equal for both boys and girls in five states and the
National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, but lower for females in 8 states.
iii.In 2020, Chhattisgarh had the largest disparity, with a male IMR of 35 and a female IMR of 41.
• Despite the fact that average IMR in Chhattisgarh declined from 48 to 38, it is one of the few states
where the disparity between male and female IMR rose between 2011 and 2020.
iv.The IMR disparity between males and females also widened in Bihar, Assam, and Karnataka.
v.According to United Nations data for 2020, India was the only country with nearly equal male and female IMR
among countries with IMRs above 20.
Click Here for Official Report.

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Kerala’s Pullampara Becomes the First Fully Digital Literate Panchayat in India
The Pullampara Panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala has become the first fully digital literate
panchayat in India.
• This was achieved through the ‘DigiPullampara’ project, under which around 3,300 residents
between the age group of 14 and 65 were given digital education.
About DigiPullampara project:
i.This was a year-long grass root level project, launched in August 2021 for providing training to the
residents of Pullampara using android mobile phones.
ii.The program was technically supported by the Kerala Technical University (KTU), volunteers from
Kudumbashree groups and students from National Service Scheme (NSS) units of 5 engineering colleges.
• The trainees were taught to use smartphone features such as downloading pictures, use of
Whatsapp, make a voice call or video call, and were introduced to Facebook and YouTube. They
were also trained to check their account balance using internet banking.
Members:
The project was initiated by a five-member core team led by panchayat president P.V. Rajesh and its
members are district women welfare officer Sajina Sathar, MGNREGS district engineer Dinesh Pappen, KAS
trainee Sanob S. and technical education department employee Shamnad.
Keynote:
Kerala was the 1st Indian state to attain 100% literacy and make the internet a basic human right.
In 2019 the Kerala government launched Kerala Fibre Optic Network (KFON), that received Internet Service
Provider (ISP) licence from the Department of Telecommunications in July 2022 for providing free internet
access to each and every household.

Amit Shah Announces ST Status for Pahari Community in J&K

On 4th October 2022 Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Pahari
community in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) at a rally in Rajouri, J&K.
• The community will get ST reservation benefits after the completion of the administrative process.

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 • In January 2020, Prahari community was given 4 percent quota in Other Backward Class (OBC)
category
Key highlights:
i.Background – Justice GD Sharma Commission recommended reservation for Paharis, Gujjars and Bakerwals.
ii.The reservation was provided after Article 370 and Article 35A was repealed in august 2019.
Note – The Gujjars and Bakerwals were granted ST status in 1991.
About Pahari community:
i.The Pahari community is a linguistic group that constitutes Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs and is spread around
10 to 11 percent of the population in J&K.
ii.They are mostly concentrated in the mountainous regions of Poonch-Rajouri, Mirpur; Pir Panjal valley and
also in some parts of Kashmir Valley including Baramulla, Kupwara and Uri.
About Jammu and Kashmir (J&K):
Lieutenant Governor – Manoj Sinha
National parks – Dachigam National Park, Kishtwar National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Baltal-Thajiwas Wildlife Sanctuary, Gulmarg Wildlife Sanctuary

Defence Ministry approves renaming of Faizabad Cantt as Ayodhya Cantt

Union Ministry of Defence Rajnath Singh approved the proposal to change the name of Faizabad Cantonment
(Cantt) to Ayodhya Cantt in Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• In October 2021, the Government of UP following the Centre’s nod announced the renaming of
Faizabad railway junction as Ayodhya Cantt. Chief Minister (CM), Yogi Adityanath approved the
change of name.
• In November 2018, the UP government changed the name of Faizabad district to Ayodhya.
• In October 2018, the Government of UP also changed the name of Allahabad to Prayagraj.
• In June 2018, Mughalsarai railway junction was renamed as Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction.

RPF undertook many focused operations during the month of September 2022
To fulfil the Railway Protection Force’s (RPF) pledge of “Seva Hi Sankalp”, the month-long drive code-
named SAMSAR (SAMAJIK SAROKAR).The drive consists of elements of several major operations like
Operation “SEWA”, Operation “Dignity”, Operation “Nanhe Fariste”, Mission “Jeewan Raksha” and Operation
“Matrishakti” were conducted in September 2022.
• Around 9000 passengers in need of help were assisted during the train journey of RPF in the month
of September 2022.
• RPF officers worked selflessly to provide timely intervention under the code name “Operation
Dignity” and secured 427 adults (223 Men + 204 Women).
• In the month of September 2022, 1119 children were rescued under the code name, “Operation
Nanhe Fariste” RPF officers undertake the noble cause of identifying and rescuing children in need
of care & protection.
• Under mission “Jeevan Raksha” RPF personnel saved 115 (72 Male + 43 Female); under
“Operation Matrishakti”, RPF provided assistance to 32 women passengers.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
Highlights of Visit of External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar visit to USA; Attended 77th UNGA
On September 18-28, 2022, Indian Union Minister Subrahmanyam (S.) Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA) was on a 10-day visit to the United States of America (USA) to strengthen the cooperation on regional
and global issues to further enhance the India-US strategic partnership. The visit details are listed below:

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September 18 – 24, 2022: Visit to New York, Participated in UNGA 77
From September 18-24, 2022, EAM S. Jaishankar was in New York where he held more than 50 meetings, of
which 40 were one-to-one, apart from bilateral, trilateral and group meetings.
UNGA 77 Participation:
He led the India delegation, and represented India for the High Level Week at the 77th Session of the United
Nations General Assembly (UNGA 77) at the UN Headquarters in New York. The theme of 77th UNGA was ‘A
Watershed Moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges‘.
• UNGA 77 session was scheduled for September 13-27, 2022 in the first in-person format since the
outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• EAM addressed at the High Level Session of the 77 UNGA on September 24, 2022.
Key Points:
i.Counter-terrorism, women-led development, peacekeeping, reformed multilateralism, climate action,
equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines were among the key focus areas for India during the high-level UNGA
session.
• Strengthening of engagements with fellow developing countries through the India-UN Development
Partnership Fund and IBSA (India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger
Alleviation) Fund in the spirit of South-South cooperation was also highlighted.
ii.India’s approach to UNGA 77 was five S’s –
Samman (Respect), Samvad (Dialogue), Sahyog (Cooperation), Shanti (Peace) and Samriddhi (Prosperity) as
set out by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi.
iii.EAM addressed the special event ‘India@75: Showcasing India UN Partnership in Action’ that highlighted
India’s development journey and its contributions to South-South Cooperation.
• The event commemorated and showcased Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
UN launches first-ever International Finance Facility for Education
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his special envoy for global education, Gordon Brown, launched a
multi-billion-dollar International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd) during UNGA 77 with an initial funding
of USD 2 billion.
• The projects under IFFEd are expected to be initiated in 2023.
• IFFEd will support education and skills development investments in lower-middle-income
countries.
• The facility is expected to expand to USD 10 billion by 2030.
UNGA Sideline Meetings:
Following are the meetings that were held on the sidelines of UNGA:
QUAD’s 1st Foreign Ministers Meeting:
On the sidelines of UNGA, the foreign ministers of India (S.Jaishankar), United States (Anthony Blinken), Japan
(Yoshimasa Hayashi), and Australia (Penny Wong) held their first meeting during which they reaffirmed their
partnership, especially in the Indo-Pacific.

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Key Points:
i.They also signed a set of guidelines on Quad’s partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster
Response (HADR).
ii.The nations agreed to assist each other in taking action against malicious cyber activities
iii.India will be hosting the Quad foreign ministers meeting in 2023, and the QUAD summit in 2024.
G4 Foreign Ministerial Meeting:
India’s EAM chaired the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the G4 (Group of Four) Countries on UN Security
Council Reform.
• It was attended by Foreign Ministers of Japan (Yoshimasa Hayashi), Brazil (Carlos Alberto Franco
França), Germany (Annalena Baerbock).
Key Points:
i.Indian side highlighted its commitment to reformed multilateralism.
ii.G4 Foreign Ministers agreed for cooperation to launch text-based negotiations in the Intergovernmental
Negotiations (IGN), to cooperate with relevant countries including Africa and the US, and to seek for concrete
progress to realize the reform as early as possible.
L.69 Group Meeting:
On the sidelines of UNGA 77, EAM attended the High Level Meeting of the L.69 Group on ‘Reinvigorating
Multilateralism and Achieving Comprehensive Reform of the UN Security Council’ which was also held in
New York.
• The L.69 Group consists of developing countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Caribbean and
Small Island Developing States, focused on reforms of the UN Security Council.
Key Points:
i.This meeting commemorated the 15th Anniversary of the founding of L.69 group of pro-reform member
states. It was formed in 2007.
ii.During the meeting, the member nations called for urgent and comprehensive reform of the Security Council
to reflect the contemporary global realities.
iii.The L.69 Group is presently chaired by St. Vincent and Grenadines.
10th IBSA Trilateral Ministerial Commission Meeting:
The 10th India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum (IBSA) Trilateral Ministerial Commission (ITMC) meeting
was held in New York which was chaired by EAM S. Jaishankar.
• Carlos Alberto Franco França, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil; and Dr. Joe Phaahla, Minister of
Health of the Republic of South Africa led their respective delegations.
• The IBSA is a trilateral, developmental initiative between India, Brazil and South Africa to promote
South-South cooperation and exchange.
Key Points:
i.The Ministers reviewed the entire gamut of IBSA cooperation, and held discussions on global issues.
• They also adopted a Ministerial Communique at the end of the meeting.
ii.The IBSA Fund is a special feature of IBSA collaboration. Since its inception, it has allocated over US $44
million, supporting 39 South-South cooperation development projects in 35 partner countries.
iii.It should be noted that India is the incumbent IBSA Chair and will be hosting the 6th IBSA Summit on the
sidelines of the G20 Summit in November 2022.
I2U2 Meeting:
The meeting of I2U2 grouping of India, Israel, UAE and the US was also held on the sidelines of UNGA 77.
• It was attended by Under Secretary of State Jose W Fernandez; India’s Ministry of External Affairs
Economic Relations Secretary Dammu Ravi, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General
Alon Ushpiz and United Arab Emirates Minister of State Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh.
Key Points:
i.The participants expressed commitment to deepen their economic partnership and has taken stock of current
projects in agriculture and clean energy.

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ii.The group is aimed to encourage joint investments in 6 mutually identified areas such as water, energy,
transportation, space, health, and food security.
iii.They evaluated the initiatives listed under I2U2, which include: setting up of food parks in India and a hybrid
Renewable Energy/Battery Storage project in Dwarka, Gujarat.
4th India-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 2022
On 23 September 2022, the 4th India-CARICOM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held on the sidelines of
UNGA in New York. It was co- chaired by EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar and The Honourable Eamon Courtenay, Minister
of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration of Belize.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is a grouping of 20 countries: 15 Member States and 5 Associate
Members.
• 15 Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana,
Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat (a British overseas territory in the Leeward Islands), Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
• 5 Associate Members: Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, and Turks
and Caicos.
• The secretariat headquarters of CARICOM is in Georgetown, Guyana.
India-CELAC Meeting 2022
On September 19, 2022, the India-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Quartet
Meeting took place in New York alongside the UNGA, with Argentina serving as pro-tempore president. EAM Dr.
S Jaishankar led the Indian delegation.
Other Meetings:
i.EAM participated in plurilateral meetings of the Quad (Australia, India, Japan, the U.S.), IBSA (India, Brazil, and
South Africa), BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa), Presidency Pro Tempore CELAC
(Community of Latin American and the Caribbean States), India-CARICOM (Caribbean Community).
ii.He also attended meetings in other trilateral formats, such as 1st India-France-Australia; 1st India-France-the
United Arab Emirates; and India-Indonesia-Australia.
• These were focused on the Indo-Pacific issues.
iii.He held a meeting with the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the President of UNGA
77 Csaba Korosi.
EAM’s Bilateral Meeting:
The bilateral meetings he had with are: Sweden foreign minister (FM) Ann Linde, Syria FM Mekdad, Belarus FM
Makei, Armenia FM, Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Russia FM Lavrov, Venezuela FM Carlos Faria, Jordan
FM Hsafadi, Cyprus FM Ioannis Kasoulides, Maldives foreign minister Abdulla Shahid, Australia FM Penny
Wong, Madagascar FM Richard J. Randriamandrato, Morocco FM Bourita, Spain FM José Manuel Albares Bueno,
FMs of Greece, Paraguay, Moldova, Mexico, Japan, German, Bolivia, Norway, Estonia, Dominican Republic,
Nicaragua, Austria, Libya, Türkiye, Trinidad & Tobago, Albania, Malta, Egypt, Indonesia, UAE (United Arab
Emirates), Cuba, Ethiopia, Serbia and the United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.
Visit to Washington D.C.:
On September 25 – 28, 2022, he visited Washington D.C. for bilateral meetings with US interlocutors. There he
held discussions with his counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken; senior members of the US
Administration, US business leaders, a round-table focused on S&T (Science and Technology) and interaction
with the Indian Diaspora.
• He also met Lloyd James Austin III, United States Secretary of Defense at Pentagon in Washington
DC. The discussions were held to further deepen the US and India ties.
About United States (US):
President– Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
Capital– Washington, D.C.
Currency– US Dollar

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IFC Launches Financing Platform to Respond to Global Food Crisis
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank’s private sector investment arm, has launched a new
financing facility worth USD 6 billion to strengthen the private sector’s ability to respond to the global food
crisis and to support food production.

Key highlights:
i.The core part of financing is provided through the new Global Food Security Platform that will facilitate
trade of food commodities, delivery of inputs to farmers, and support efficient food production to those
countries that are under food crisis.
ii.This will also focus on long-term actions to improve the resilience in the food ecosystem and reduce its
climate and ecological footprint.
• The long-term actions include investing in increasing efficient crop production, improving access to
fertilisers, greening fertiliser production and use, reducing crop loss and food waste, improving
supply chain efficiency and mitigating infrastructure bottlenecks.
iii.This will leverage IFC’s sectoral expertise in the field of agribusiness, manufacturing, infrastructure,
technology and trade finance.
iv.IFC also collaborates with other development finance institutions, foundations and banks for collective
action against the challenges faced in food security.
Note – The platform will supplement the World Bank’s commitment of USD 30 billion in response to the food
crisis.
Cause of food crisis:
The main causes of the food crisis were the war in Ukraine and an uneven global recovery from the COVID-19
pandemic. This had raised the levels of hunger and malnourishment which were already worsened due to
climate change.

BANKING & FINANCE

NPCI & Central Bank of Oman Sign MoU to Launch India’s Rupay Debit Card in Oman
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the Central Bank of Oman (CBO) have inked a
significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the Rupay debit card in Oman, paving way in a new
era of financial connectivity.
• The proposal comes after India and Oman agreed to expand the Indian digital payment ecosystem to
the Gulf region.
Background
i.On October 3–4, 2022, Union Minister V. Muraleedharan, Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA), made an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman.
ii.Following his visit in 2020, this was his second trip to Oman, and it was part of a regular exchange of high-
level visits to underline the shared commitment to the expanding ties between India and Oman.

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Significance of the MoU
i.The MoU will set the stage for Indian RuPay cards and the UPI platform in Oman to facilitate seamless digital
remittances, which will benefit Indian workers and professionals.
ii.According to the Indian Embassy in Oman, there are about 624,000 Indians in Oman, of which about 4,83,901
are workers and professionals as of May 2021.
iii.According to the most recent NPCI data, UPI transactions increased by over 3% to Rs. 678 crore in
September 2022 from Rs. 657 crore in August 2022.
iv.In September 2022, UPI recorded a new all-time high in transaction volume, totaling Rs. 11.16 lakh crore.
India –Oman Ties
i.India and Oman have the longest-standing strategic ties in the Gulf region.
ii.Oman supports Indian Naval deployments in the western Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf as a close defence
and strategic partner.
iii.The amount of trade between India and Oman is increasing, with total trade reaching around USD 10 billion
in FY 2021–22.
iv.Additionally, with investments totaling more than USD 7.5 billion, India is one of the largest investors in
Oman.
Other Countries That Accept RuPay & UPI Payments
i.Countries that accept UPI and RuPay Cards include Singapore, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bhutan,
Malaysia, and France.
ii.India and Australia are in advanced talks to swiftly integrate UPI into the Australian New Payment Platform.
iii.The Russian Federation has shown interest in incorporating the UPI and Faster Payments System (FPS)
offered by the Central Bank of Russia into their respective national payment infrastructures.
iv.In September 2021, an agreement to introduce a UPI-based QR code payment system in Singapore, Malaysia,
Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan starting in 2022 was
signed between Liquid Group and NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL).
Other Highlights of MoS’s Visit to Oman
i.MoS V. Muraleedharan paid a visit to the Oman Investment Authority, where he met with Executive President
Abdulsalam Al Murshidi.
ii.He had a meeting with Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, Oman’s Foreign Minister.
iii.He also paid a visit to the Krishna Temple in Muscat, Oman.
iv.He inaugurated a newly built library at the Indian Embassy in Oman.
Note:
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Oman in 2018, and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S.
Jaishankar visited in 2019.
• Recently, Oman’s Foreign Minister, Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi, visited India in March 2022, and Oman’s
Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Investment Promotion, Qais bin Mohammed al-Yousef, visited
India in May 2022.

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Recent Related News:
In August 2022, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NPCI has signed an
MoU with PayXpert, London-based payments solutions provider, to internationalize the acceptance of its
payment solutions, UPI and the RuPay card, in the United Kingdom (UK).
About Sultanate of Oman:
Sultan of Oman – Sultan Haitham bin Tarik
Capital – Muscat
Currency – Oman Rial (OMR)

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

Adani Enterprises announces the establishment of 2 New Subsidiaries
Adani Enterprises Limited, the flagship company of the Adani Group has announced the establishment
of 2 new Subsidiaries. They are Adani Disruptive Ventures Limited (ADVL) (wholly-owned subsidiary) and
Alwar Alluvial Resources Limited (AARL).

Key Highlights:
i. The mission of ADVL is to partner with businesses and entrepreneurs who are looking to create solutions
through disruptive technology and help them increase their ventures.
ii. According to Adani Enterprises’ disclosure, ADVL has an initial authorised and paid-up share capital of Rs 5
lakh each and AARL, another subsidiary of Adani Enterprise has an initial authorised and paid-up share capital
of Rs 10 lakh each.
iii. AARL will take over the manufacturing and processing of minerals, the production of pigments and TiO2
slag (Titanium dioxide slag), and other incidental activities related to these.
About Adani Enterprises Limited:
Chairman- Gautam Adani
Head Office- Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Establishment- 1993

Google to build its 1st cloud region in Greece

Alphabet Inc’s Google will set up its 1st cloud region in Greece. A cloud region usually is based around a cluster
of data centres.
• The investment would enable organisations to better use their data, help improve low latency and
ensure users’ security in the face of cybersecurity threats.
• The deal is estimated to contribute some 2.2 billion euros (USD 2.13 billion) to Greece’s economic
output and create 20,000 jobs by 2030.

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 • It was announced by Adaire Fox-Martin, President of Google Cloud International at an event in
Athens, Greece.
• In 2021, Amazon Inc’s cloud computing division also opened its first office in Greece.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

FIH Confers India’s Mumtaz Khan with FIH Rising Star of the Year 2021-22 Award
The Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH), conferred India’s Mumtaz Khan (Lucknow), with the FIH
Rising Star of the Year 2021-22 award in the women’s category.

• Timothee Clement of France was conferred with Rising Star of the Year 2021-22 award in men’s
category.
About Mumtaz Khan:
i.Mumtaz Khan was the best performer for India in the FIH Junior Women’s World Cup 2022, by scoring 6 out
of 8 goals and finished 3rd place in the list of top scorers in the World Cup 2022.
ii.She was also a part of the Indian team that played in then Hero FIH Hockey5s Lausanne 2022 , where she
scored 5 goals in 4 games.
About Federation Internationale de Hockey(FIH):
President – Narinder Dhruv Batra
Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel wins UN refugee agency prize

Former German chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel won the 2022 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) Nansen Refugee Award for providing asylum to more than 1.2 million refugees and asylum seekers in
2015 and 2016 during the Syrian crisis.

• The year 2022 marked a century (100 years) since Fridtjof Nansen, the first High Commissioner
for Refugees was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922.

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 • It is also 100 years since the creation of the Nansen passport, an identity document for refugees
that enabled its holders to move across borders in search of work.
Highlights:
i. The award along with the prizemoney worth USD 150,000 will be presented in Geneva, Switzerland on 10
October 2022.
ii.It recognizes leadership, courage and compassion in ensuring the protection of hundreds of thousands of
vulnerable people.
iii.The UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award selection committee also honoured four regional winners for 2022-
• The Mbera Fire Brigade from Africa.
• Vicenta Gonzalez from United States of America (USA)
• Meikswe Myanmar from Myanmar (Asia and Pacific)
• Dr. Nagham Hasan from Iraq (Middle East and North Africa)
About UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award:
i.It is the annual award established in 1954, named after the Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat and
humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen.
• He was awarded the 1922 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to repatriate prisoners of war and to
protect millions of refugees of the Romanov, Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian Empires.
ii.The award is given to an individual, group or organization who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to
protect refugees, internally displaced or stateless people.
About United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
11th United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – Filippo Grandi .
Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland
Founded-1950

India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida bags best convention centre award
The India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) was awarded the Best Standalone Convention
Centre award by the Ministry of Tourism (MoT).
• The award was conferred during the National Tourism Awards 2022 ceremony held at Vigyan
Bhawan New Delhi, Delhi.
• The award was presented to Rakesh Kumar, Chairman, and Sudeep Sarcar, Chief Executive Officer
(CEO), India Exposition Mart Ltd by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Ajay Bhatt, minister of
state (MoS) for tourism.
• The Expo Mart is strategically located in Greater Noida and is a prominent Meetings, Incentives,
Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) destination in India.
• Two such prominent events included the Indian Handicrafts and Gifts Fair 2022 and the Auto Expo
2022– The Motor Show. held at the centre

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Former Brigadier BD Mishra takes additional charge as Meghalaya Governor
On October 4, 2022, Former Brigadier of Indian Army B D Mishra took additional charge as the Governor of
Meghalaya’s at a function at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan in Shillong. He will succeed Satya Pal Malik whose
tenure ends on October 3, 2022.
• The oath for the same was administered by Acting Chief Justice of Meghalaya Justice
Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew.
• He has been serving as the Arunachal Pradesh governor since 2017.
Key Points:
i.Hailing from Uttar Pradesh (UP), Brigadier BD Mishra is a war veteran, who served the Indian Army in three

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major wars in 1962 (Sino-Indian War), 1965 and 1971 (Bangladesh Liberation War).
ii.He retired, after an army career of over 33 years 7 months, from the National Security Guard (NSG) on July
31, 1995.

Sanjeev Kishore takes over as Director General Ordnance

Sanjeev Kishore, a 1985 batch officer of the Indian Ordnance Factory Service (IOFS) has taken over as
the Director General Ordnance at the Directorate of Ordnance (Coordination & Services) (DGO [C &S]),
Kolkata, West Bengal under the Department of Defence Production(DDP), Ministry of Defence with effect from
1st October 2022 upon the superannuation of Shri M K Garg.

About Sanjeev Kishore:

i. Sanjeev Kishore was the Additional Director of General Ordnance at the Directorate of Ordnance (C&S),
Kolkata, before taking over charge of DGO (C&S).
ii. He was also the 1st Chief Managing Director (CMD) of Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (AVNL), one of the 7
new Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) formed by the Government of India in 2021.
iii. Before the position of CMD of AVNL, Sanjeev Kishore was posted as the Senior General Manager of Heavy
Vehicles Factory (HVF) Avadi (Chennai), Tamil Nadu and General Manager of Opto Electronics Factory (OLF),
Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
iv. He has served in diverse roles and varied technological environments and has been awarded Santu
Sahaney Memorial Shield and Ayudh Bhushan Award for his meritorious services in enhancing defence
production.

Fire-Boltt appointed Kiara Advani as New Brand Ambassador

Fire-Boltt, India’s No.1 wearable watch brand has appointed Kiara Advani, an Indian actress and model as its
new Brand Ambassador.
• Kiara Advani will be a part of the marketing campaigns of the brand alongside cricketing icon, Virat
Kohli and Indian actor, Vicky Kaushal.
• She will participate in different marketing, ad, and endorsement campaigns for the homegrown
brand, which as per Counterpoint research is at the no.1 spot for the smartwatches segment in India.

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 • Kiara Advani made her debut as an actress with a box-office flop named ‘Fugly’ (2014) and rose to
fame with ‘M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story’ (2016) where she played the role of M. S. Dhoni’s wife.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

CCI approves amalgamation of ZEEL, BEPL with Culver Max Entertainment
On 4 October 2022, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the amalgamation of Zee
Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEE) and Bangla Entertainment Private Limited (BEPL) with Culver Max
Entertainment Private Limited (CME) earlier known as Sony Pictures Network India Pvt Ltd. (SPNI), a part of
Sony Group with modification.

• The proposed combination is in the nature of an acquisition and amalgamation falls under Section
5(a) and 5(c) of the Competition Act, 2002.
Key points:
i.The CCI approved the proposed combination subject to the modifications proposed by the parties, under
Regulation 25(1) of the Competition Commission of India (Procedure in regard to the transaction of business
relating to combinations) Regulations, 2011.
ii.The proposed combination is related to-
• Amalgamation of each of ZEE and BEPL with and into CME
• Preferential allotment of certain shares by CME to Sunbright International Holdings Limited (earlier
known as Essel Holdings Limited), and Sunbright Mauritius Investments Limited.
About the companies:
i.CME is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation (SGC).
• It has several General Entertainment Channels (GEC), film, sports and kids’ entertainment channels
in India.
• SonyLIV is CME’s digital entertainment video service which provides OTT (Over The Top) services in
India and international markets.
ii.BEPL is also an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the SGC Group and engaged in the acquisition of rights
for motion pictures, events and other TV content; generating advertising revenue from the telecast of TV
content.
iii.ZEE is a media and entertainment company. ZEE5 is ZEE’s digital entertainment video service which
provides OTT services in India and international markets.

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 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Scientists of ICAR-NBFGR Discovers New Catfish Species – Pangasius Icaria
Scientists at the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) and Indian Council of Agricultural
Research (ICAR) have discovered a new catfish species of the genus Pangasius, named Pangasius Icaria from
mettur dam, Salem, Tamil Nadu (TN).

• It was discovered by a group of scientists from NBFGR led by Kuldeep K. Lal, director of the Fish
Genetics Resources Centre under ICAR.
About the species:
i.The fish is known among the local people as Aie Keluthi in Tamil and as Eyegirlu in Karnataka.
ii.The new species is different from others in its widely placed, small rounded vomerine (a thin, flat bone
forming the inferior part of the nasal septum), palatine tooth plates, and mandibular barbels (sensory organs).
iii.A total of 22 species of Pangasius are known from the river basins of South East and South Asia.
• Until 2017 there was only one species discovered from South Asia in the Nagarjuna Sagar in River
Krishna which is named as Pangasius Silasi.
• The holotype of this new species is registered at the National Fish Museum and Repository of the
ICAR-NBFGR, Lucknow.
Highlights:
i.The researchers have used extensive morphological analysis, skeleton radiography, and advanced molecular
markers combined with species delimitation computational techniques for this discovery.
• This has been described based on specimens collected through exploration of the river at Mettur
dam in TN and upstream of shivanasamudra falls at Chamarajanagar, Karnataka.
ii.The name of the new species is registered in ZooBank, the online registration system for the International
Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) and published in the international journal PeerJ.

Iran launched test ”tug” into suborbital space

Iran launched a space tug, which is capable of shifting satellites between orbits.The Saman test spacecraft was
built by Iran’s Space Research Center and launched by the Defense Ministry of Iran.
• A space tug is a type of spacecraft used to transfer spaceborne cargo from one orbit to another orbit
with different energy characteristics.
• Iran unveiled the Saman test spacecraft in 2017. A space tug can transfer a satellite from one orbit to
another.
• In June 2022, Iran launched a solid-fuel rocket into space.
• In August 2022, Iranian Khayyam satellite into orbit was launched by Russia. It was named after
Omar Khayyam, a Persian scientist who lived in the 11th and 12th centuries.

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 SPORTS
Saudi Arabia to host 2029 Asian Winter Games in New Ski Resort
On 4th October 2022, the 41st Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) General Assembly has chosen Saudi Arabia to
host the 2029 Asian Winter Game at a planned mountain resort, Trojena under the country’s USD 500
billion Neom futuristic megacity project.
Key Highlights:
i. Trojena, a part of the Neom project will be the 1st West Asian city to host the Asian Winter Games.
ii. Neom is the most ambitious project of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman under the Kingdom’s vision
2030 development plan to reduce reliance on oil and transform the economy, by developing sports.
iii. Trojena is a region described as an area of about 60 square kilometres at altitudes ranging from 1,500 to
2,600 meters.
iv. Saudi Arabia also will host the Asian Games in 2034 in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), while a campaign to host
the 2030 Football (soccer’s) World Cup is expected with an unusual 3-continent bid including Egypt and
Greece.
Note: In the announcement of OCA, it is mentioned that the deserts & mountains of Saudi Arabia will soon be a
playground for Winter sports.
About Saudi Arabia (Monarchy):
Prime Minister- Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Currency- Saudi riyal
Capital- Riyadh

IMPORTANT DAYS
World Teachers’ Day 2022 – October 5
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s World Teachers’ Day (WTD)
is annually observed across the globe on October 5 to celebrate and honour teachers for their contributions to
their students.

The theme of World Teachers’ Day 2022 is “The Transformation of Education begins with Teachers”.
• The UNESCO presented this theme to respect the Teacher’s determined and diligent efforts in the
crucial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Background:
i. The International Labor Organisation (ILO) and UNESCO signed a recommendation concerning the ‘Status of
Teachers’ and adopted it on 5th October 1966 at a special intergovernmental conference convened by
UNESCO in Paris, France.
ii. UNESCO declared 5th October as World Teachers’ Day in 1994 on celebrating the great step made for
teachers in 1966. The 1st World Teachers’ Day was observed on 5th October 1994.

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Note: October 5 also celebrates the adoption of the UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-
Education Teaching Personnel by the UNESCO General Conference in 1997.
Key points:
i. WTD 2022 marks the 25-year anniversary of the 1997 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of
Higher-Education Teaching Personnel, which complements the 1966 UNESCO/ILO Recommendation
concerning the Status of Teachers.
Teachers’ Day in India:
India annually observes Teachers’ Day on September 5 since 1962 to honour the 2nd President of the country
Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birth anniversary falls on the same day.
World Teachers’ Day 2022 – Webinar:
i. On 5th October 2022, to celebrate World Teachers’ Day the webinar by the Southeast Asian Ministers of
Education Organization (SEAMEO) has been conducted with the theme ‘the Transformation of Education
Begins with Teachers’ in Bangkok, Thailand.
• The Webinar is about seeking to amplify the call for concrete and timely actions for the
advancement of teachers and the teaching profession.
Events 2022:
i. The event of the day will be advocated between 5 and 7 October to support teachers everywhere and
recognize their critical role in shaping the future of education.
ii. On 5th October 2022, UNESCO includes the award ceremony of the UNESCO-Hamdan Prize for Teacher
Development on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day.
About the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO):
Director-General- Audrey Azoulay
Headquarters- Paris, France.
Establishment- 1945
About the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO):
Director- Dr Ethel Agnes P Valenzuela
Headquarters- Bangkok, Thailand
Establishment- 1965

*********

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