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 AFFAIRSCLOUD TODAY
Current Affairs 22 October 2022 : Headlines

1. India, France re-elected as President and Co-President of ISA

2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Visit to Gujarat – October 19-20, 2022
3. Highlights of US International DFC CEO Scott Nathan visit to India
4. GoI Approves India’s 1st Cable-cum-Suspension Bridge across Krishna River
5. GIFT City, Fintech Association of Japan sign MoU
6. NBBL Partners with KMBL for Credit Card Bill Payments via Bharat BillPay
7. IDBI Bank Introduces Festive Offers On Fixed Deposits for A Limited Time Period
8. PhonePe Invests USD 200 million to Set up Data Centres in India
9. Shiv Nadar tops EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2022 & reclaimed ‘India’s Most
Generous’ title; Azim Premji at No 2
10. Karnataka Bank wins 3 ‘DX 2022 Awards’ National Digital Transformation award
11. Senior ICAS officer Bharati Das takes charge as new CGA of India
12. Fire-Boltt appoints Vijay Deverakonda as its new brand ambassador
13. CCI Approves for Acquisition of Various Entities & Imposes Rs. 1337.76 crore Monetary Penalty
on Google
14. ISRO set to Launch Chandrayaan-3 in June 2023
15. New species of Pygmy Grasshopper named ‘Dravidacris Annamalaica’ after Dravidian landscape
16. Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Day 2022 – October 21
17. Police Commemoration Day 2022 – October 21

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 NATIONAL AFFAIRS
India, France re-elected as President and Co-President of ISA
India and France have been re-elected as President and Co-President of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
In this regard, India’s Union Minister Raj Kumar Singh, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has
been re-elected as the President of ISA, and France’s Minister of State for Development, Chrysoula
Zacharopoulou has been re-elected as Co-President.

• This decision was taken during the 5th assembly of the ISA on October 17-20, 2022 in New Delhi,
Delhi which saw the participants from 109 countries.
• It was inaugurated by Union Minister Raj Kumar Singh.
ISA to operationalise ‘Solar Facility’
During the assembly, ISA also approved ‘Solar Facility’, a payment guarantee mechanism which will boost
investments into solar through two financial components — Solar Payment Guarantee Fund and Solar
Insurance Fund.
Reason behind this facility:
i.The ISA aims to crowdsource investments from various donors across the world to enable proposed projects
in Africa to purchase payment guarantees or partial insurance premium from these funds.
ii.This will attract private capital in underserved markets in Africa.
iii.It will ensure a payment and insurance mechanism as a first loss guarantee.
SolarX Grand Challenge:
The ISA Assembly also approved the SolarX Grand Challenge. It is planned to focus on innovation and start-ups
that contribute to livelihoods, such as agriculture, health, and small-scale industrial applications.
• This will foster promotion of the solar energy sector, thinning of the gap of the energy crisis, and
promoting a solar start-up ecosystem
New Vice-Presidents of Standing Committee announced:
The New Vice-Presidents of the Standing Committee of the ISA Assembly are as follows:
• Somalia and Mali (Africa region)
• Denmark and Sweden (Europe & others)
• Tuvalu and Bangladesh (Asia Pacific)
• Venezuela and Republic of Dominica (Latin America)
Key Points:
i.ISA is the first international intergovernmental organisation to be headquartered in India.
ii.ISA’s mission is to unlock USD 1 trillion of investments in solar by 2030 while reducing the cost of the
technology and its financing.
iii.ISA promotes the use of solar energy in the Agriculture, Health, Transport and Power Generation sectors.
iv.It has drafted framework agreement for its ambitious ‘One Sun One World One Grid’ (OSOWOG).
v.The ISA Assembly is the apex decision-making body of ISA, in which each Member Country is represented.

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vi.This body makes decisions concerning the implementation of the ISA’s Framework Agreement and
coordinated actions to be taken to achieve its objective.
Recent Related News:
i.The World’s largest floating solar plant is set to be built on Omkareshwar Dam in Narmada River at Khandwa
district of Madhya Pradesh (MP) which will generate 600 Megawatt power by 2022-23. The estimated cost of
the projects is around Rs.3000 crore.
ii.ISA in partnership with the Republic of Cuba signed a tender for setting up a 1150 MW solar project in Cuba.
NTPC is the project management consultant for ISA for setting up the project.
About International Solar Alliance (ISA):
Director General– Ajay Mathur
Headquarters– Gurugram, Haryana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Visit to Gujarat – October 19-20, 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Gujarat on October 19-20, 2022 and dedicated and laid the foundation
stone of projects worth around Rs 15,670 crore.

PM Inaugurates DefExpo22 at Mahatma Mandir Convention & Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar,

Gujarat
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘DefExpo22’ during his visit to Gujarat at the Mahatma Mandir Convention
and Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The theme of the expo is “Path to Pride.”
Key Points:
i.This is the first defence expo to feature a defence exhibition hosted specifically for Indian companies,
including those that are joint venture partners with Indian firms as well as Indian subsidiaries of foreign OEMs.
ii.The expo featured ten state pavilions in addition to an India Pavilion where the PM introduced the HTT-40,
an indigenous trainer aircraft designed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Status of India’s Defence Sector
i.Between 2017 and 2022, India’s defence exports increased eightfold, and now exports defence materials and
equipment to over 75 countries.
ii.In 2021-22, India’s defence exports amounted to USD 1.59 billion (around Rs. 13,000 crore). It has set a
target of USD 5 billion (Rs. 40,000 crore).
iii.India is constructing two defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Noteworthy Events On the Sidelines of DefExpo22
i.The 2nd India-Africa Defence Dialogue took place during the expo with the theme “India-Africa: Adopting a
strategy for synergizing Defence and Security Cooperation.”
ii.During the Expo, the 2nd Indian Ocean Region+ (IOR+) Conclave was conducted, providing a platform for a
comprehensive dialogue to boost defence cooperation among IOR+ nations.
• It intends to achieve peace, growth, stability, and prosperity, in accordance with the Security and
Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) initiative.
iii.The first-ever ‘Investors’ Meet for Defence’ was held during the Expo.

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iv.The expo witnessed Manthan 2022, the defence innovation event of iDEX (Innovations for Defence
Excellence), startups were given the opportunity to present their concepts.
v.During the programme, the Prime Minister also launched “Mission DefSpace,” a programme to develop
innovative space solutions for the Defence Forces through industry and startups.
vi.The PM also laid the foundation for the Deesa airfield in Gujarat, stating that the forward air force base will
contribute to India’s security architecture.
Note: People from Kutch, Gujarat, participated in the construction of the first railway lines in Africa.
PM Launches Mission Schools of Excellence at Trimandir, Adalaj, Gujarat
PM Narendra Modi unveiled the Mission Schools of Excellence, an initiative with a 10,000 crore budget, at
Trimandir in Adalaj, Gujarat.
• He also unveiled projects worth roughly Rs. 4260 crores at Trimandir.
The mission aims to boost Gujarat’s education infrastructure by establishing new classrooms, smart
classrooms, computer labs, and overall upgradation of the infrastructure of schools.
Note:
With a budget of Rs. 27, 000 crore, about 14.5 thousand PM-SHRI schools would be established in the future to
serve as model schools for the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020).
PM Lays Foundation Stone of Various Development Projects Worth Around Rs 3580 Crore in Junagadh,
Gujarat
PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation for a number of development projects worth around Rs 3580 crore in
Junagadh, Gujarat, which include
• The improvement of coastal highways along with the construction of missing links
• In the first phase of this project, a total highway length of over 270 Km will be covered across 13
districts.
• Two water supply projects
• The construction of a godown complex for storage of Agri products at Junagadh
In Porbandar, the Prime Minister laid the foundation for the holistic development of Shri Krishan Rukshamani
Mandir in Madhavpur.
• He also laid the foundation for sewage and water supply projects, as well as maintenance dredging
at Porbandar Fishery Harbour.
The PM laid the foundation for two initiatives, including the development of a fishing port at Madhwad at Gir
Somnath.
Key Points:
i.The new Coastal Highway will pass through numerous districts in Central and South Gujarat, including
Porbandar, Jamnagar, Devbhoomi Dwarka, and Morbi in addition to Junagadh.
ii.The PM referred to the region — Junagadh, Gir Somnath, and Porbandar as the tourism capital of Gujarat.
Note: Kesar Mangoes are grown in Gujarat.
PM Lays Foundation Stone & Dedicates to The Nation Projects Worth Around Rs. 5860 Crores in Rajkot,
Gujarat
PM Narendra Modi, laid the foundation stone and dedicated projects worth around Rs. 5860 crores in Rajkot,
Gujarat, and also launched the India Urban Housing Conclave 2022.
• He dedicated the 1144 houses built as part of the Light House Project (LHP).
Various projects dedicated by the PM include a water supply project, the Morbi-Bulk pipeline project from
Brahmani-2 Dam to Narmada Canal Pumping Station, a regional science centre, flyover bridges, and other road
connectivity projects.
Projects for Which Foundation Stone Was Laid by The PM
• Foundation stone of six laning of the existing four-lane of Rajkot-Gondal-Jetpur section of NH27 in
Gujarat.
• GIDC industrial estates worth around Rs 2950 crore at various locations in Morbi, Rajkot, Botad,
Jamnagar and Kutch.

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 • The AMUL-fed dairy plant at Gadhka
• The construction of an indoor sports complex in Rajkot
• Two water supply projects and other projects in the roads and railways sector
Key Points:
i.Rajkot (Gujarat) is one of the 6 locations in India selected for the Light House Project (LHP).
• Other LHPs are being constructed in Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Ranchi
(Jharkhand), Agartala (Tripura) and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh).
ii.Morbi ceramic tiles are famous across the world, and Morbi alone manufactures more than 13% of the
world’s ceramics.
• Morbi is known as the Town of Export Excellence.
PM Lays Foundation Stone of Multiple Development Initiatives Worth Over Rs. 1970 Crore in Vyara,
Tapi, Gujarat
PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation for several development initiatives worth over Rs. 1970 crore in Vyara,
Tapi, Gujarat.
• The projects include constructing missing links and upgrading the road from Saputara to the Statue
of Unity, as well as water supply projects in the Tapi and Narmada districts worth more than Rs 300
crore.
Note: On November 15, 2022, India will observe Tribal Pride Day in honour of the birth anniversary of Birsa
Munda.
PM Launches Mission LiFE at Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Gujarat
PM Narendra Modi launched ‘Mission LiFE’ at the ‘Statue of Unity’n Ekta Nagar, Kevadia (Gujarat) and had a
bilateral meeting with UN Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterres.
• ‘LiFE’ stands for ‘Lifestyle For Environment’.
The PM will also attend the 10th Heads of Missions Conference, organized by the Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA) in Kevadia from October 20–22, 2022.
Note: The Statue of Unity is the largest statue in the world and honours Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.

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Mission LiFE
i.Mission LiFE intends to change people’s collective perspective to sustainability through a three-pronged plan,
which includes:
• By encouraging people to adopt basic yet efficient eco-friendly practises in their daily lives
(Demand)
• By enabling markets and industries to respond quickly to shifting demand (Supply)
• By influencing industrial and governmental policies to promote sustainable production and
consumption (Policy)
ii.Mission LiFE incorporates the spirit of the P3 concept, i.e., Pro Planet People.
India’s commitment to combat climate change
i.In India, the annual per capita carbon footprint is only about 1.5 tonnes, compared to the global average of
4 tonnes per year.
ii.India ranks 5th in solar energy and 4th in wind energy.
iii.India’s capacity for Renewable Energy has grown by roughly 290 % over the last 7-8 years.
iv.India has met its goal of achieving 40% of its electricity from non-fossil fuel sources 9 years ahead of
deadline.
v.India has also met its goal of blending 10% ethanol into gasoline, 5 months ahead of schedule.
vi.With the National Hydrogen Mission, India has taken steps toward a sustainable energy source and aims to
achieve net-zero carbon emissions.
vii.India has also become the world’s 5th largest economy, and it hopes to achieve its climatic goals through
the global campaign One Sun, One World, One Grid.
viii.By taking the lead in founding the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), India has
shared its concept on environmental protection with the world.
Points to be Noted
• In 2014, PM Modi suggested June 21 be designated as the International Day of Yoga in his address
at the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• The UNGA has proclaimed 2023 to be the International Year of Millets after the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) approved India’s proposal for it in 2018.
• The Conference of the Parties (COP 27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) will convene in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022.
About the United Nations (UN):
Secretary General – António Guterres
Founded – 1945
Headquarters – New York, USA

Highlights of US International DFC CEO Scott Nathan visit to India

The United States (US) International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Chief Executive Officer Scott
Nathan visited India-Mumbai (Maharashtra), and New Delhi (Delhi) from October 17-20, 2022.
• His visit was to highlight private sector-led development projects and discuss opportunities to
accelerate economic growth and development in India, and the greater Indo-Pacific region.
Key Points:
i.In Mumbai, he met with private sector leaders and stakeholders across the banking, microfinance, logistics,
and energy sectors.
ii.In New Delhi, he visited DFC health investment project sites, meet with existing clients, and meet with
government officials to discuss how DFC can help advance inclusive development in India.
iii.In both cities, he highlighted DFC’s role in advancing the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and
Investment, mobilizing private capital to drive values-based, inclusive infrastructure development around the
world.

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USDFC USD 35 million to Creditaccess Grameen to help women entrepreneurs
USDFC announced a USD 35 million loan to Creditaccess Grameen (CAG), which will help 5 lakh women
entrepreneurs gain access to credit. It has a tenor of seven years.
• CreditAccess is the largest Non-Banking Financial Company Micro Finance Institutions (NBFC-MFI)
in India, serving nearly 4 million women.
Key Points:
i.It also signed an agreement for a USD 10 million guarantees of a Rupee loan to Punjab Renewable Energy
Systems Private Limited (PRESPL), a biomass supply chain management company.
• This financing will fund the construction of 7 biomass briquetting plants and finance the working
capital needs of PRESPL.
ii.These agreements are on the lines of the as part of the US’ President Joe Biden administration’s efforts to
deepen the Indo-US ties.
iii.DFC has so far committed USD 3 billion of support to Indian private sector enterprises. India is its largest
beneficiary,
iv.It has also committed USD 30 million for an agritech fund and also given USD 10 million support to a milk
company.
Recent Related News:
i.The President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was on a 4-day visit to India from August 1-4, 2022 on the
invitation of Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi. This is Maldivian President’s third visit to India since
assuming office in November 2018.
ii.A Parliamentary delegation from Mozambique led by Speaker of Assembly of the Republic of Mozambique,
Esperanca Laurinda Francisco Nhiuane Bias is on a three-day visit to India from 27 July to 29 July 2022.
About US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC):
It is the US Government’s development finance institution.
Headquarters– Washington DC, United States
Establishment– 2019

GoI Approves India’s 1st Cable-cum-Suspension Bridge across Krishna River

On 20th October 2022 the Government of India (GoI) approved construction of a cable-cum-suspension
bridge under Bharatmala Pariyojana project across Krishna river, that connects Telangana and Andhra
Pradesh(AP), passing through the Nallamala forest range.
• The bridge across the Krishna river will be the first of its kind in India and the 2nd in the world.
Key highlights:
i.This iconic cable-stayed-cum-suspension bridge across Krishna river has been approved at a total financial
outlay of Rs. 1,082.56 crore with a construction period of 30 months.
ii.The bridge has been described as Pragati Ka Highway and has several unique features like the longest glass
pedestrian walkway across a river, gopuram like pylons, signature lighting and a large navigational span.

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 • Additionally, the bridge also has beautiful surroundings with the Srisailam reservoir surrounded by
Nallamala forests and has an attractive view of Lalitha Someswara Swamy temple on the Telangana
side and Sangameswaram temple on the side of Andhra Pradesh.
About the bridge:
i.It is a 2-storeyed cable bridge with 4-lane carriageway that is constructed for 3 kilometres (kms) across
Krishna river.
ii.It begins from Somasila at Kollapur in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana and Atmakur in Kurnool district of
Andhra Pradesh.
iii.This bridge will reduce the distance between Hyderabad, Telangana and Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh by 80 km.

BANKING & FINANCE

GIFT City, Fintech Association of Japan sign MoU
The Gujarat International Finance Tec City (Gift City) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Fintech Association of Japan (FAJ) to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the fintech domain.
• Under this both entities will conduct programs related to international financial services, promoting
GIFT City as a fintech hub in India, and exposing young innovators in the fintech domain to
opportunities in India and Japan.
Key Points:
i.They will organize bootcamps, hackathons, and incubation and acceleration programmes focused on fintech
areas such as payments, lending, financial planning, insurance technology, regulatory technology, wealth
management and trade processing, among others
ii.There will be entrepreneurial programs focusing on financial inclusion, cyber security, artificial intelligence
(AI), blockchain and human augmentation.
iii.This MoU aims to strengthen and create more value for the entities in GIFT City that will further spread
awareness, knowledge and empowerment in the fintech domain.
About Gujarat International Finance Tec City (Gift City):
Managing Director and Group CEO– Tapan Ray
Location– Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Gujarat

NBBL Partners with KMBL for Credit Card Bill Payments via Bharat BillPay
On 20th October 2022 NPCI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL), the wholly-owned subsidiary of National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI) partnered with Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL) to enable customers to pay
credit card dues on the Bharat BillPay Platform.
• KMBL is the first private sector bank to provide such credit card payment options on Bharat
BillPay ecosystem.
• The cards will be introduced in the Credit Card Biller category.

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Key highlights:
i.Through this partnership, Kotak credit card holders will be able to pay their credit card bills through Bharat
BillPay-enabled channels such as ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and HDFC Bank and get instant payments confirmation.
ii.Bharat BillPay ecosystem will automatically retrieve details of the customers by providing the last 4 digits in
credit card and the registered mobile number.
iii.Bharat BillPay platform is a one-stop destination that offers recurring payment services to customers
across several segments including electricity, telecom, DTH, gas, education fees, water, NETC FASTag recharge,
loan repayments, insurance, cable, subscription fees, mobile prepaid recharges and municipal taxes.
About Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL):
Managing Director (MD) & CEO – Uday Kotak
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment – 2003

IDBI Bank Introduces Festive Offers On Fixed Deposits for A Limited Time Period
IDBI Bank, a private sector lender, has announced the “Amrit Mahotsav FD” scheme with a rate of 6.90% for a
unique bucket of 555 days commencing on October 21, 2022, as part of its festive offer.
• The bank has also increased its interest rate offered on term deposits across a range of maturity
periods, w.e.f October 21, 2022.
• The highest rate for a two-year bucket is now 6.85%, while the interest rate on a one-year deposit
has increased to 6.75%.
“Amrit Mahotsav FD” Scheme
i.The scheme offers a special, limited-time rate of interest of 6.90% for 555 days.
• The Amrit Mahotsav FD Scheme of 500 Days and 1100 Days will be discontinued from October 21,
2022.
ii.The bank offers a 6.90% interest rate to senior citizens and a 6.40% interest rate to the general public under
its “Amrit Mahotsav FD” scheme.
• Senior citizens will only be entitled for a 0.50% standard markup, while retired senior citizen staff
will only be eligible for a 1% standard markup.
Note: The State Bank of India (SBI), HDFC, ICICI, Axis, and Kotak Mahindra, have recently increased their FD
interest rates.
Aditya Birla Health Insurance Launches Policy with Rewards for Healthy Habits
Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Limited (ABHICL) has announced the debut of “Activ Fit”, a comprehensive
health insurance plan that targets customers who lead active lifestyles and seeks to reward them for their
healthy lifestyle habits.
Key Points:
i.The plan will provide a 10% upfront discount for good health, based on an evaluation made using a unique
facial scan.
ii.For the lifetime of the policy, all customers under the age of 35 are eligible for an Early Bird Discount at
renewal, which is 5% from the 4th to the 7th policy year and 10% from the 8th policy year.
iii.A 100% binge refill feature will also be available to customers.
• A customer can use the 100% Binge Refill feature, if his/her insurance coverage is insufficient for
hospitalization.
• This feature allows customers to be covered for any illness/injury up to the sum assured.
Coverage
• The insurance policy also covers modern treatment mental care, HIV/AIDS and STD, day care
treatments, pre-hospitalization and post-hospitalization, and road ambulance coverage.
• Maternity coverage includes standard delivery, C-section delivery, newborn baby expenses,
vaccination expenses, and stem cell preservation.

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About Aditya Birla Health Insurance Co. Limited (ABHICL)
ABHICL, a part of Aditya Birla Capital Ltd. (ABCL), is a joint venture between Aditya Birla Group and MMI
Holdings of South Africa.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Mayank Bathwal
Incorporated in – 2015

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

PhonePe Invests USD 200 million to Set up Data Centres in India
On 20th October 2022 payment services provider PhonePe Private Limited, India (PhonePe) invested USD
200 million (around Rs 1,661 crore) for setting up data centres in India.
Key points:
i.Out of USD 200 million, PhonePe has already invested USD 150 million, on combined capacity of over 14
megawatt (MW) spread across 3 facilities in Bengaluru, Karnataka and the new facility in Navi Mumbai.
ii.These investments on data centres are under a regulatory mandate on data localisation, which prevents any
financial sector entity from storing its data overseas.
Note – Recently PhonePe has moved all its businesses including insurance, wealth broking, and also
subsidiaries of PhonePe Singapore to PhonePe Private Limited, India (PhonePe).
About PhonePe Private Limited, India:
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Sameer Nigam
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Establishment – 2016
Parent organisation – Flipkart

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Shiv Nadar tops EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2022 & reclaimed ‘India’s Most
Generous’ title; Azim Premji at No 2
Shiv Nadar, the founder of HCL Technologies, has topped the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List
2022 released on 20th October 2022 and reclaimed the ‘India’s Most Generous’ title with an annual donation of
Rs 1,161 crore.

• Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro Limited secured the 2nd spot with an annual donation of RS 484
crore.
About EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2022:
i.EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2022, is the 9th annual ranking of the most generous individuals in
India.

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ii.The list was prepared by Hurun India in collaboration with the EdelGive Foundation, an initiative of
Edelweiss.
iii.The donations were calculated by the value of their cash or cash equivalents between
1st April 2021 and 31st March 2022.
Highlights of the list:
i.Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries Limited(RIL) has secured the 3rd spotwith a donation of Rs
411 crore.
ii.Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairperson of the Aditya Birla Group, is at 4th position with an annual donation of
Rs 242 crore and philanthropist couples Susmita and Subroto Bagchi and Radha and NS Parthasarathy shares
the 5th spot with an annual donation of Rs 213 crore.
iii.Asia’s richest man, Gautam Adani, Chairperson of Adani Group has secured the 7th spot with an annual
donation of Rs 190 crore.
Note:
• The 2022 list featured 108 individuals who have donated more than Rs 5 crore.
• Among the top 10 philanthropists on the list, 5( including Shiv Nadar and Azim Premji) saw a
decline in their donations compared to 2021.
Top 5 Philanthropists in 2021-2022
Rank Name Donation (in Rs)
1 Shiv Nadar 1161 Crore
2 Azim Premji 484 Crore
3 Mukesh Ambani 411 Crore
4 Kumar Mangalam Birla 242 Crore
Susmita and Subroto Bagchi
5 Radha and NS Parthasarathy 213 Crore
• The top on the list includes, Gautam Adani on 7th followed by Anil Agarwal, Chairman of Vedanta
Resources Limited at 8th with a donation of Rs 165 crore, Infosys’s Nandan Nilekani at 9th with a
donation of Rs 159 crore and Anil Manibhai Naik(AM Naik) Chairman of Larsen & Toubro (L&T)
Limited at 10th with a donation of Rs 142 crore.
• AM Naik is India’s most generous professional manager.
Youngest Philanthropists:
i.Nikhil Kamath(36 years old), co-founder of Zerodha, is the youngest philanthropist on the list.
ii.Nithin Kamath and Nikhil Kamath, (brother). co-founders of Zerodha has donated Rs 100 crore between
2021-2022, increasing their donation by 300%. They are the 9th largest individual givers in India.
Most Generous Women – 2022:
i.Rohini Nilekani, writer, author and founder of Arghyam Foundation tops the list of most general women with
a donation of Rs 120 crore.
ii.Leena Gandhi Tewari, chairperson of USV Private Limited who donated Rs 21 crore is at 2nd spot followed
by Anu Aga former Chairperson of Thermax Ltd who donated Rs 20 crore at 3rd spot.
Key Points:
i.The combined donations of all individuals on the list have declined to Rs 5,666 crore in 2021-22 from Rs
11,984 crore in 2019-20 and Rs 14,755 crore in 2020-21.
ii.The value has doubled compared to the 2017-2018 list.
iii.The individuals donating more than Rs 100 crore per annum has increased to 15 from just 2 in 2017-18.
iv.According to the list, Education is the most favoured philanthropic causes followed by health care. Other
most favoured causes were environment & sustainability, skill development witnessed.
Shiv Nadar Honoured with USISPF Lifetime Achievement Award 2022

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The United States(US)- India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) has honoured Shiv Nadar, Founder of HCL
Technologies and Shiv Nadar Foundation with USISPF Lifetime Achievement Award 2022. The award
recognises his contribution in the technology industry and his philanthropic initiatives in the education sector.
• He has invested around USD 1.1 billion through the Shiv Nadar Foundation towards philanthropic
activities especially in the field of education.
• USISPF is a bilateral non-profit organisation established in 2017 with an aim to develop the
relationship between India and the US.

Karnataka Bank wins 3 ‘DX 2022 Awards’ National Digital Transformation award
On 18th October 2022, Karnataka Bank Limited (KBL) is awarded the National Digital Transformation
Awards ‘DX 2022 Awards’ by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) for Best Practice in Digital
Transformation under the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) segment.

The awards recognise ‘innovative excellence’ in 3 categories:

• Employee Engagement- KBL HR NxT,
• Operational Excellence- KBL Operations NxT,
• Customer Experience- KBL Customer NxT.
DX Awards:
i. DX (Digital Transformation) Award is the ideal platform for organizations that have made outstanding
contributions in the digital field to showcase their efforts and achievements.
ii. DX Award 2022 is the 4th edition of CII – Tata Communications Centre for Digital Transformation DX (Digital
Transformation) Awards, to highlight the impact and benefits of Digital Transformation.
Key Highlights:
i. In 2017, KBL launched its Transformation Journey ‘KBL Vikaas’, partnering with the Boston Consulting
Group (India) Private Ltd, (BCG) in Mangaluru, Karnataka.
ii. In 2021, KBL launched the ‘KBL NxT’ concept to emerge as the ‘digital bank of the future’.
iii. The bank focuses on digitisation under verticals such as customer experience, operations, human resources,
technology, cyber security, digital marketing, partnerships, etc.
iv. Through the KBL Vikaas program, Digital transformation has started paying a huge share to the bank

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Senior ICAS officer Bharati Das takes charge as new CGA of India
On 18th October 2022, Government of India has appointed Bharati Das, a 1988-batch Indian Civil Accounts
Service (ICAS) officer, as the new Controller General of Accounts (CGA), in the Department of Expenditure,
Ministry of Finance, with effect from 18th October 2022.
• Bharati Das is the 27th Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance.

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About Bharati Das:
i. Bharati Das worked in the Central Ministries such as Civil Aviation, Finance, Health, Ministry of External
Affairs, Home Affairs, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) etc.
ii. She has also served as the CCA at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Director at the Ministry of Civil
Aviation, and Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Port,
Shipping and Waterways.
iii. Bharati Das served as Principal Chief Controller of Accounts (Pr CCA) in the Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and CBDT before taking charge as CGA.
About Ministry of Finance:
Finance Minister- Nirmala Sitharaman (RajyaSabha Karnataka)
Minister of State- Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad (Rajya Sabha Maharashtra) & Pankaj Chaudhary
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi

Fire-Boltt appoints Vijay Deverakonda as its new brand ambassador

Fire-Boltt, India’s No.1 wearable watch brand has appointed Vijay Deverakonda, an Indian Actor and model
as its new Brand Ambassador.

Key Points:
i. Vijay Deverakonda will be a part of the marketing campaign of the brand alongside an Indian actress, Kiara
Advani, cricketing icon, Virat Kohli and Indian actor, Vicky Kaushal.
ii. He will be a part of the marketing, advertisement, and endorsement campaigns of Fire-Boltt.
iii. Fire-Bolt has grabbed the 1st spot again in the Indian smartwatch market with a market share of 28% from
8.9% (last year). It has been ranked number 4 globally.
iv. Fire-Boltt has over 30 smartwatches and announced its expansion plans to newer markets beyond India
which includes the Middle East and Europe.
Pintola appoints Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav as Brand Ambassador
Pintola, owned by Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company Das Foodtech Private Limited, had

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appointed Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav to endorse the company’s exclusive range of nut butter and
rice cakes across platforms.
• Suryakumar Yadav has become the brand ambassador for the 2nd time in a row.
Key Points:
i. The aim of Pintola with this collaboration is to further strengthen its market share and connect with the
young Indian consumer segment at the same time is committed to its vision of being present in 100 million
households in the next 2 years.
ii. Last month (September), the company also onboarded the elite Indian football player, Sunil Chhetri, as its
brand ambassador.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

CCI Approves for Acquisition of Various Entities & Imposes Rs. 1337.76 crore Monetary Penalty
on Google
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the following Acquisition:
• Acquisition of equity securities amounting to up to 10% of the total paid up share capital and voting
rights of the YES Bank Limited by Verventa Holdings Limited.

• Acquisition of up to 10% of the total paid up share capital and voting rights of the YES Bank by CA
Basque Investments.
• Acquisition of certain businesses of Shubhalakshmi Polyesters Limited(SPL) and Shubhlaxmi
Polytex Limited (SPTex) by Reliance Polyester Limited (RPL).
CCI has also imposed a penalty of Rs. 1,337.76 crore on Google for anti-competitive practices in relation to
Android mobile devices.
CCI approved the Acquisition of 10% stake of YES Bank by CA Basque Investments:
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved acquisition of up to 10 percent stake of the total paid
up share capital and voting rights of the YES Bank Limited by CA Basque Investments, by way of subscription
to equity shares and warrants under Section 31(1) of the Competition Act, 2002.
• The CA Basque Investments does not have any business activities in India.
Key highlights:
i.CA Basque Investments, an investment holding entity is a newly formed special purpose vehicle (SPV),
incorporated in the Republic of Mauritius and is fully owned by CA Marans Investments, which is controlled by
the funds managed by the affiliates of The Carlyle Group Inc.
ii.The Carlyle Group Inc., is a global investment firm, which manages funds that invest globally across 3
investment disciplines including global private equity; global credit and global investment solutions.
CCI Approved the acquisition of 10% stake of YES Bank by Verventa Holdings
The CCI has approved acquisition of equity securities amounting up to 10 percent of the total paid up share
capital and voting rights of the YES Bank by Verventa Holdings Limited, an affiliate of Advent International.

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 • Verventa Holdings Limited is an investment holding company and it currently does not have any
operations in India.
CCI Approves Acquisition of certain businesses of SPL & SPTex by RPL:
The CCI approved acquisition of certain businesses of Shubhalakshmi Polyesters Limited (SPL) and Shubhlaxmi
Polytex Limited (SPTex) by Reliance Polyester Limited (RPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance
Industries Limited (RIL) pertaining to the concern on the manufacture of polyester products / yarn.
• RPL has acquired SPL for a cash consideration of Rs 1,522 crore and SPTex for Rs 70 crore,
aggregating to Rs 1,592 crore in total.
• Currently, Reliance Polyester Limited (RPL) is not engaged in any business activity.
Highlights:
i.After the acquisition, RPL will primarily engage in the production and supply of certain petrochemical
products such as polyester staple fibre (PSF), polyethylene terephthalate chips (Chips) and different types of
polyester yarns.
ii.SPL is currently engaged in the production and supply of polyester products including PSF, partially oriented
yarn (POY), drawn textured yarn / polyester textured yarn (DTY or PTY), fully drawn yarn (FDY) and Chips.
• It also exports polyester products to around 35 countries including the United States of America
(USA), Canada, Australia, Ethiopia, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Vietnam and Russia.
iii.SPTex is engaged in the production and supply of DTY in India and it also exports DTY to other countries
including to the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Ethiopia, Peru, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Vietnam
and Russia.
CCI Imposes Monetary Penalty of Rs. 1337.76 crore on Google
The CCI has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs. 1,337.76 crore on Google for its anti-competitive practices in
relation to Android mobile devices ecosystem and violating Section 4 of the Competition Act.
• The CCI has also issued cease and desist orders against Google and directed it to modify its
conduct within a defined timeline.
• CCI has been given 30 days for Google to provide the requisite financial details and supporting
documents.
About Google:
i.Google’s Android is the dominant operating system (OS) for smartphones in India and globally and its only
competition is Apple’s iOS.
ii.Google holds dominant position in 5 markets including, the market for licensable OS for smart mobile
devices, app store for Android smart mobile OS, market for general web search services, market for non-OS
specific mobile web browsers and market for online video hosting platform (OVHP).
iii.The CCI has pointed out Google’s mandatory pre-installation of entire Google Mobile Suite (GMS) under
mobile application and distribution agreement (MADA), with no option to uninstall it as an abuse of dominant
position under Section 4(2)(a)(i) of the Competition Act.
About Mobile Operating System (OS):
i.Smart mobile devices need an OS to run applications (apps) and programs and Android is one such mobile OS
which was acquired by Google in 2005.
ii.Google operates and manages the Android OS and licences its other proprietary applications and original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs) use this OS, including other Google apps in their smart mobile devices.
Agreements by Google:
Google enters into multiple agreements for pre-installing Android apps including Mobile Application
Distribution Agreement (MADA), for prominent search entry points; Anti-fragmentation Agreement (AFA), for
competing search services; Android Compatibility Commitment Agreement (ACC), and Revenue Sharing
Agreement (RSA), to secure exclusivity for its search services to the total exclusion of competitors.

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 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ISRO set to Launch Chandrayaan-3 in June 2023
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has planned to launch the 3rd mission to the moon, Chandrayaan-
3(C-3) in June 2023 onboard Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3). A robust lunar rover, onboard C-3 will play a
major role in the future interplanetary explorations.

Chandrayaan-3:
i.Chandrayaan-3(C-3) is a follow up mission of Chandrayaan-2(July 2019) that aims to land a rover on the lunar
South Pole.
ii.It will carry a modified lander and rover and it will use the orbiter of Chandrayaan-2 mission to communicate
with earth.
iii.The legs which will hold the craft’s body have been more rugged with improved sensors and algorithms to
identify sites where the lander could descend successfully.
Chandrayaan-2:
i.The first attempt of India to land a rover on the moon failed when the Vikram lander onboard Chandrayaan-
2(C-2) mission crashed on the surface of the moon on 6th September 2019.
ii.Pragyan, the rover of C-2, was destroyed along with the Vikram lander.
• India had previously crashed a probe at a region near the Shackleton Crater now called the Jawahar
point, on the moon.
Gaganyaan – India’s Manned Mission into space:
ISRO has also lined up the first test flight of the Abort Mission for Gaganyaan, the first human spaceflight.
• The mission is expected to be launched in December 2024.
• Gaganyaan mission will have 6 test flights: 2 unmanned missions and 4 abort missions, before
sending in the manned mission.
• The abort missions test whether the rocket can carry a module into space and return safely.
Additional info:
On 23rd October 2022, ISRO is expected to launch 36 satellites aboard Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3), ISRO’s
heaviest rocket which was previously known as “Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk
III)”, from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
• These satellites belong to OneWeb, a London(United Kingdom) based communications company.
A second set of satellites of OneWeb will be launched in February 2023.
About Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO):
Chairman– S. Somanath
Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka

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 ENVIRONMENT
New species of Pygmy Grasshopper named ‘Dravidacris Annamalaica’ after Dravidian
landscape
Researchers from Annamalai Nagar in Chidambaram (Cuddalore), Tamil Nadu discovered a new species
‘Dravidacris Annamalaica’ of Pygmy Grasshopper, also known as grouse locust, in Tamil Nadu, which is
named after Dravidian landscape as a tribute to the Dravidian language group.
• Dr Dhaneesh Bhaskar (International Union for Conservation of Nature- Species Survival
Commission (IUCN SSC), Grasshopper Specialist, Trier University Germany), H.
Sankararaman (Vanavarayar Institute of Agriculture, Pollachi) and Niko Kasalo (University of
Zagreb, Croatia) discovered the new grasshopper genus.
• The Specimen was collected 2 years ago (December 2020) by these researchers from Annamalai
Nagar near Chidambaram, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu.
‘Dravidacris Annamalaica’ of Pygmy Grasshopper:
Dravidacris Annamalaica is a separate genus of grasshoppers that was discovered for the 1st time in India.
• It was recently described as new species under a new genus of Dravidacris with long, tall and
distinctly erect heads.
• Dravidacris annamalaica is in the checklist of Indian orthoptera and among the 500-odd
species under 89 genera of the Metrodorinae grasshopper subfamily.
Pygmy Grasshopper:
i. Pygmy Grasshoppers are smaller ones and are unique to specific micro-habitats.
ii. It is about 15 mm long, brown, grey or moss-green, and related to true grasshoppers.
Key Highlights:
i. Dr Dhaneesh Bhaskar is a research consultant with Chennai-based biodiversity research organisation Care
Earth Trust who has been working on grasshopper since 2013.
• Dhaneesh Bhaskar is part of a specialist group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN), involved in the Red List assessment of grasshoppers in the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve in
Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. He is also the Regional Vice-Chair for the group in Asia.
ii. H Sankararaman found a new specimen of the grasshopper in Annamalai Nagar in Chidambaram in
December 2020 while he was working on his doctoral thesis.

IMPORTANT DAYS
Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders Prevention Day 2022 – October 21
Global Iodine Deficiency Disorders(IDD) Prevention Day or World Iodine Deficiency Day is annually observed
across the globe on 21st October to create awareness about the importance of Iodine, an essential
micronutrient which is required for normal thyroid function, growth and development.
Importance of Iodine:
i.Iodine is a mineral which is found mainly in animal protein foods and sea vegetables, and to a lesser extent in
fortified foods like bread, cereals, and milk.
ii.It is an essential micronutrient which is required to make thyroid hormones: thyroxine and triiodothyronine,
which assist with the creation of proteins and enzyme activity.
iii.The thyroid hormones also play a major role in controlling body metabolism.
• The Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) of iodine is 150 micrograms (mcg) per day for most adults.
Iodine deficiency:
i.Idoine is not present in the food, unlike other nutrients. It is present in the soil and ingested through foods
grown in that soil.

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ii.The low content of iodine is caused due to the deficiency of iodine in the soil.
iii.Due to iodine deficiency, the iodine level reduces and the thyroid gland is unable to produce thyroid
hormones.
IDD in India:
The entire population of India is prone to Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) due to a deficiency of iodine in the
Indian soil.
Efforts to control iodine deficiency:
i.In 1962, the Government of India launched a National Goitre Control Programme (NGCP) which focused on
the provision of iodized salt and identifying the endemic areas.
ii.In 1992, the NGCP was renamed as National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDCP) to
focus on a wide spectrum of IDD like mental and physical retardation, deaf mutisim, cretinism, stillbirths,
abortions etc.
iii.NIDDCP aims to bring the prevalence of IDD to below 5% in India and to ensure 100% consumption of
adequately iodated salt 15ppm at the household level.
Iodated salt:
To ensure the use of iodated salt, The GoI banned the sale of non-iodated salt for direct human consumption in
India with effect from May 2006 under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act 1954.

Police Commemoration Day 2022 – October 21

Police Commemoration Day (Police Martyrs Day) is annually observed across India on October 21 to
remember the sacrifices of police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty and pay tribute to them.

Background:
i. In 1960, at the Annual Conference of Inspectors General of Police of States and Union Territories, the National
Police Commemoration Day was declared to be observed on October 21 every year.
ii. The day is observed to remember the incident which took place on 21st October 1959, when 10 policemen
lost their lives fighting against China army at Hot Springs in Aksai Chin, close to Ladakh.

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History of Commemoration Day:
i. In 1959, the patrol party of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) which was led by SI Karan Singh was
ambushed by the Chinese forces at Hot Springs Ladakh and 20 Indian soldiers were attacked.
ii. Out of 20, 10 were killed and 7 were injured and imprisoned by China. The martyred policemen were handed
over to India a month later and their cremation was held with full police honours at the Hot springs in Ladakh.
Police Commemoration Day Parade 2022:
Police Commemoration Day Parade has been held at the National Police Memorial in Chanakyapuri, New Delhi,
Delhi every year since 2012.
National Police Memorial:
i. A National Police Memorial stands as a testimony of the sacrifices made by countless policemen in the
performance of their duty.
ii. “The Wall of Valour” – 30 feet tall granite sculpture stands at the police memorial with the names of over
35000 martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty and reminds them of their bravery and glory.
Honour on Martyr’s Day:
• The arms are reversed (Shok Shastra) and two minutes of silence is observed in honour of the
departed souls.
• The names of police martyrs of states, police and paramilitary forces are read out, to acknowledge
with pride the supreme sacrifices made by them.
• Three volleys of shots are fired as a mark of respect for the martyrs.
About Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
Director General- Dr Sujoy Lal Thaosen, Indian Police Service (IPS)
Establishment- 1939
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi

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