1

THE GRANTH

CATALOGUE SEPEMBER-2023
EDITION

❑Important Days Of - 03
➢ India at Glance 18
September
➢ World at Glance 33

➢ Sports at Glance 41
Decrypt Defence 08
❖ Military exercise THROW LIGHTS ON
❖ Latest achievements
❖ Important INS ❖Awards 46
❖Obituaries 48
❖Appointments 49

The Hindu Cuts 14 ❖Women in news 50

❖Miscellaneous 51

WOMEN 66
RESERVATION
BILLS 2023
India
To Hosts G20
SUMMIT for the
first time in new
Delh 16 SUBSCRIBE TO OUR

N
YOUTUBE
“Nothing will CHANNEL FOR DAILY
work unless CURRENT AFFAIRS

you do.”
A BRIEF TIMELINE
01 SEP- NUTRITION WEEK
• National Nutrition Week
is commemorated every
year from 1st September
to 7th September.

08 SEP- INTERNATIONAL LITERACY

DAY
• UNESCO will celebrate International
Literacy Day (ILD) on 8 September
2023 under the theme 'Promoting
literacy for a world in transition:
Building the foundation for
sustainable and peaceful societies'.

08 SEP- WORLD 09 SEP-WORLD FIRST AID

PHYSIOTHERAPY DAY DAY
World Physiotherapy Day is a
global healthcare event World First Aid Day is
celebrated on the 8th of celebrated on the 9th of
September every year September (Saturday)
Prevention and Management The theme for this year is
of Osteoarthritis” is the theme "First Aid in the Digital World

SEP 2023/ 3
A BRIEF TIMELINE
10 SEP: WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY
• This day is organized by
the International
Association for Suicide
Prevention (IASP)..
• Theme is “Creating hope
through action”
14 SEP- HINDI DIWAS
• Hindi Diwas is celebrated on 14
September as on this day the
Constituent Assembly of India
adopted Hindi written in Devanagri
script:
• "Hindi: Traditional Knowledge to
Artificial Intelligence is the theme.

15 SEP- INTERNATIONAL DAY 16 SEP-WORLD FOZONE

OF DEMOCRACY DAY
UNESCO celebrates In 1994, the UN General
International Day of Assembly declared September
Democracy every year because 16 as the International Day for
there is a demand inherent in the Prevention of the Ozone
the “democratic ideal” Layer.
Theme is: Empowering the Theme: “Montreal Protocol:
next generation fixing the ozone layer and
reducing climate change”

SEP 2023/ 4
A BRIEF TIMELINE
18 SEP- WORLD BAMBOO DAY
• World Bamboo Day,
observed annually on 18
Sep is a global initiative
that sheds light on the
incredible significance of
bamboo.
• 'Bamboo, Our Natural
21 SEP- INTERNATIONAL DAY OF
Heritage for a
PEACE
Sustainable Future'
• The UN General Assembly has
declared this as a day devoted to
strengthening the ideals of peace,
through observing 24 hours of non-
violence and cease-fire
• "Action for peace: Our ambition for
the #GlobalGoals"

22 SEP- WORLD RHINO DAY 24 SEP-WORLD RIVER DAY

World Rhino Day, celebrated ON THE 4th SUNDAY OF EVERY
on every year 22 Sep, offers a SEPTEMBER. World Rivers Day
unique opportunity for is a celebration of the world's
organisations, conservationists waterways.
and wildlife enthusiasts theme is Rights of Rivers.
worldwide to come together
and celebrate the magnificent
rhinoceros.

SEP 2023/ 5
A BRIEF TIMELINE
25 SEP- ANTYODAYA DIWAS
• Antyodaya Diwas is an
annual celebration in India
that commemorates the
birth anniversary of the
revered Indian leader,
Pandit Deendayal
Upadhyaya.
25 SEP- WORLD PHARMACISTS DAY
• World Pharmacists Day is a chance
to thank and recognize
pharmacists and pharmacy
professionals for their vital
contributions to improving global
health.
'Pharmacy Strengthening Health
Systems

26 SEP- WORLD TOURISM DAY 27 SEP-WORLD ENVIRONMENT

DAY
Since 1980, the United Nations Every year to mark a day dedicated
World Tourism Organization to creating awareness about the
has celebrated World Tourism impact of environmental health on
Day human lives.
“Tourism and Green “Global Environmental Public
Investments” Health: Standing up to protect
everyone's Health each and every
day”
SEP 2023/ 6
A BRIEF TIMELINE
29 SEP- WORLD HEART DAY
• Every year on September
29th, people around the
world come together to
observe World Heart Day
• theme for World Heart Day
2023 is "Use Heart, Know
Heart
28 SEP- WORLD MARITIME DAY
• World Maritime Day is celebrated
on the last Thursday of every
September, on September 28

• theme of World Maritime Day

2023 is “MARPOL at 50 – Our
commitment goes on”

SEP 2023/ 7
DID YOU KNOW?
is collaborating with the Drone Federation of
IAF India to co-host ‘Bharat Drone Shakti 2023.’ in
Ghaziabad.

DECRYPT DEFENCE…
INDIAN NAVAL SHIPS
• The launch of Mahendragiri, the seventh and
final stealth frigate of Project 17A. Under the
Project 17A program, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
(MDL) and GRSE are collectively constructing a
total of four and three ships respectively.

• INS Sumedha arrived at Port Alexandria, Egypt on

06 September 2023 to participate in ‘Exercise
BRIGHT STAR- 23’ .

• The Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Samudra

Prahari is presently deployed on an overseas
mission encompassing ASEAN nations. It is an
Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) specially designed
for pollution control. It is the first pollution
control vessel of its kind in Southeast Asia.

• Indian Naval Ships Ranvijay and Kavaratti and

submarine INS Sindhukesari arrived in Singapore
to participate in the 30th edition of the Singapore
India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX).

SEP 2023/8
 EXERCISES BIGGEST MILITARY
EXERCISE: NATO
• Phase II of the Varuna naval • NATO’s Largest Military
exercise between Indian and Exercise Since the Cold
French Navy was conducted in the War: “Steadfast
Arabian Sea . It is the bilateral Defender”
Naval Exercise between India and • It involves 500-700 air
France initiated in 1993. INS missions, 50+ ships, and
Chennai: Indigenous guided missile 41,000 troops.
stealth destroyer. • This ambitious
• INS Teg: Guided missile frigate undertaking is aimed at
simulating various military
• The Indian Army will participate in scenarios, with a primary
the 19th edition of the joint military focus on defense against a
exercise 'Yudh Abhyas 2023' with hypothetical
the United States. This joint exercise adversary
will take place resembling a
from 25 Sep Russian-led
to 8 October coalition kno
in Fort Wainwright, as Occasus.
Alaska, USA.
A total of 350
Indian soldiers
will participate
in this exercise
under the leadership of a Brigadier.

SEP 2023/9
 PROJECTS & OPERATIONS
• Indian Army Contingent consisting of 32 personnel from a Battalion
affiliated to the RAJPUTANA RIFLES departed for ASEAN Defence
Ministers Meeting Plus Expert Working Group on Counter Terrorism
Field Training Exercise 2023 scheduled to be conducted in Russia.

PROJECT UDBHAV
The Indian Army has launched an ambitious initiative called “Project
Udbhav” to proliferate ancient military history and knowledge
repository to all its officers and personnel to fight future conflict.

OPERATION SAJAG
The Indian Coast Guard recently conducted 'Operation Sajag,' a
Coastal Security Drill along the Western Coast. It involved all
stakeholders of the Indian coastal security construct.

PROJECT NAMAN
The Indian Army recently launched 'Project Naman', which will
entail establishing facilitation and grievance redressal centres for
veterans and the kin of personnel who have lost their lives.
The first such centre will be established in Delhi Cantonment.

SWAVLAMBAN 2023
The Indian Navy is ready to organize the second edition of the Naval
Innovation and Indigenisation (NIIO) Seminar, aptly named
'Swavlamban 2023,'

SEP 2023/10
DID YOU KNOW?
is collaborating with the Drone Federation of
IAF India to co-host ‘Bharat Drone Shakti 2023.’ in
Ghaziabad.

DECRYPT DEFENCE…
INDIAN NAVAL SHIPS
• The launch of Mahendragiri, the seventh and
final stealth frigate of Project 17A. Under the
Project 17A program, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
(MDL) and GRSE are collectively constructing a
total of four and three ships respectively.

• INS Sumedha arrived at Port Alexandria, Egypt on

06 September 2023 to participate in ‘Exercise
BRIGHT STAR- 23’ .

• The Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Samudra

Prahari is presently deployed on an overseas
mission encompassing ASEAN nations. It is an
Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) specially designed
for pollution control. It is the first pollution
control vessel of its kind in Southeast Asia.

• Indian Naval Ships Ranvijay and Kavaratti and

submarine INS Sindhukesari arrived in Singapore
to participate in the 30th edition of the Singapore
India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX).

SEP 2023/11
 ACHIEVEMENTS
• A Hyderabad-based robotics firm (Graene Robotics) has unveiled a
state-of-the-art AI-powered anti-drone system named Indrajaal .
Indrajal is designed to defend against all types of drones in an area
of 4,000 square kilometers.

• Recently, the Indian Air Force

received the first C295MW
transport aircraft from Airbus in
Seville, Spain. It is a transport
aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity. It
will replace the legacy Avro aircraft
in the Indian Air Force (IAF)
procured in the 1960s.

• The Indian Army unveiled the Multi-Utility Legged Equipment

(MULE) at the North Tech Symposium 2023 held recently in Jammu.
It is an autonomous load-bearing robot.

• P-7 Heavy Drop Parachute System recently received a bulk order, a

move slated to enhance the armed forces' paradropping
capabilities. It was indigenously designed and developed by the
DRDO.

• The Indian Army is expecting to receive all the 114 Dhanush

artillery guns which it has ordered by 2026, according to defence
sources. It is the first long-range artillery gun to be produced in
India.
SEP 2023/12
 ACHIEVEMENTS
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to extend the
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in certain regions of
Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for an additional six months,
commencing from October 1.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has recently celebrated the arrival of the
first of six state-of-the-art Dornier Do-228 aircraft, exclusively
manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

• Indian Navy’s indigenous warship, INS Sahyadri, stationed in the

Indo-Pacific region, actively participated in the inaugural trilateral
Maritime Partnership. Exercise alongside the Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) and the Indonesian Navy

• Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to place

orders for 156 'Made-in-India'
Prachand attack helicopters from
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(HAL). It is an indigenously
developed Light Combat Helicopter
(LCH).

• The Indian Navy plans to equip the MQ-9B Sea Guardian medium
altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones with sonobuoys.
Sonobuoys are small, expendable devices used in underwater
acoustics and sonar systems to detect and analyze sound in the
ocean, particularly for tracking submarines and other underwater
SEP 2023/13
THE HINDU

14
THE HINDU

15
 1st ever African
G20 Summit G20 India India hands
being Union is now invites 9
over G20
hosted by is the New presidency
India Member of G21 countries to Brazil
G20

18 G20 SUMMIT
th
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which translates to "One Earth, One
Family, One Future," is the theme of India's G20 presidency.
MEMBER OF G20
1. Argentina
2. Australia
• It is the first G20 summit held in India as 3. Brazil
well as in South Asia. 4. Canada
5. China
• The previous, current, and future holders 6. France
of the presidency, known as the troika. In 7. Germany
8. India
2023, the troika consists of Indonesia, 9. Indonesia
Brazil, and India. 10.Italy
11.Japan
• “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” finds its roots 12.Republic of Korea
in the Maha Upanishad, a timeless Indian 13.Mexico
text. 14.Russia
15.Saudi Arabia
• In Sanskrit, “Vasudhaiva” refers to “the 16.South Africa
world” or “Earth,” while “Kutumbakam” 17.Türkiye
18.United Kingdom
means “family.” 19.United States
20.European Union.

These At the G20 Summit venue, there's a gigantic 27-

countries foot- World’s tallest statue of Nataraja.
accounts for Skilled artists from Swamimalai, Tamil Nadu,
85% of
Global GDP

16
MEMBERS WELCOMED IN INDIA

Premier li
Quiang

Minister of
Foreign Affairs
Sergey Lavrov

INVITEE
COUNTRIES ABOUT
AFRICAN UNION
• New Member of G20
• Consisting of 55
member states
located on the
continent of Africa.
• The AU was
announced in the Sirte
Declaration in Sirte,
Libya
• Headquarters: Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia

17
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
KERALA
• The state of Kerala introduces its first AI school situated at
Santhigiri Vidyabhavan in Thiruvananthapuram.
• The establishment of this AI school is the result of a collaboration
between iLearning Engines (ILE) USA and Vedhik eSchool.

• Kerala To Host Inaugural Zayed Charity Marathon in 2024.

Proceeds from the marathon will be directed to innovative cancer
research and treatments

GUJARAT
• The Gujarat government
announced that after Surat,
Ahmedabad has become the
second city in the country to
implement an emission
trading scheme (ETS) for
particulate pollution that will
help regulate industrial
emissions and reduce the
state’s pollution levels.

• The Gujarat govt has banned the planting of ornamental

Conocarpus trees in forest or non-forest areas, citing their
adverse impacts on environment and human health. Earlier,
Telangana too had banned the plant species.Conocarpus is a
genus of two species of flowering plants in the Combretaceae
family.
18
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
TELANGANA
• US-based specialty glass, ceramics and related materials and
technologies provider Corning Inc is making its India debut with
Telangana. The US giant will be setting up a facility to
manufacture gorilla glass for smartphones in Telangana at an
investment of Rs 934 crore.

• Cheriyal scroll painting will be presented to the spouses of the

heads of state from around the world, who will gather for the
upcoming G20 Summit.

NAGALAND
• Nagaland has taken a
pioneering step in the North
Eastern region by launching
the Aadhaar Linked Birth
Registration (ALBR) system.
CHATTISGARH
The Chhattisgarh High Court
recently dismissed a public
interest litigation (PIL) that
aimed to designate the
Bhoramdeo Wildlife
Sanctuary (BWS) as a tiger
reserve.

TRIPURA
• The Tripura government has
initiated efforts to install
pink toilets for women in
urban areas. The number of
self-help groups (SHGs) has
risen from over 4,000 in
2018 to 50,000 in 2022
ASSAM
• The Ministry of Tourism has
declared Biswanath Ghat in
Assam as the Best Tourism
Village of India for the year
2023.
19
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
KARNATAKA
• Recently, researchers discovered rare leucistic (partially white)
sambar deer in the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary. It is extended over
three districts, namely, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Ramanagara
in Karnataka

• Officially known as Kalyana-Karnataka Liberation Day (Vimochana

Diwas), Hyderabad-Karnataka Liberation Day is an important annual
observance celebrated across various districts of Karnataka, India.

• Hoysala Temples now India’s 42nd UNESCO’s World Heritage site.

The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala, the famed Hoysala temples of
Belur, Halebid and Somananthpura in Karnataka have been added to
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

DID YOU KNOW?

Country’s First Underground Power
Transformer In Bengaluru Installed

ODISHA
• The Odisha government has
Pramila Malik Makes History as
the First Woman Speaker of
Odisha Assembly
announced financial
assistance of Rs 10 lakh for
each of the 13 athletes from
the state participating in the
upcoming Asian Games in
Hangzhou, China.
20
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
MADHYA PRADESH
• The 'Sanchi' city of Madhya Pradesh has been established as the
country's first solar city, which was inaugurated by the Chief
Minister of the state.

• In Clean Air Survey Under the 1st category (more than 10 lakh
population) Indore ranked first followed by Agra and Thane.
Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister
Bhupender Yadav recently announced awards under the Swachh
Vayu Sarvekshan 2023 (clean air survey).

• MP cabinet approves Mob Lynching Victim Compensation

Scheme 2023. Under this scheme, families of individuals who fall
victim to mob lynching incidents will receive substantial financial
support.

• Chief Minister is set to unveil a

majestic 108-feet-tall statue of the
revered philosopher Adi
Shankaracharya in Omkareshwar.
This monumental project, named
“Eaktmta Ki Pratima” (Statue of
Oneness), has garnered significant
attention due to its grandeur and
spiritual significance.

21
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
MADHYA PRADESH
• The Madhya Pradesh Government recently announced the
establishment of the "Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve”,
marking the seventh tiger reserve in the state and the 54th in the
country. It is spread across Sagar, Damoh and Narsinghpur
districts of Madhya Pradesh.

• The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is organising the

two-day India Smart Cities Conclave 2023 at Indore, Madhya
Pradesh from Tuesday. President Droupadi Murmu will be
felicitating the winners of the fourth edition of the India Smart
Cities Award Contest (ISAC) 2022 on Tuesday.

• Elephant Mahotsav began in Madhya Pradesh's Bandhavgarh

Tiger Reserve and will continue for seven days. The primary goal
of the festival in 2023 is to educate villagers about elephants and
remove misconceptions about the wild animals.

• Recently, the National Green

Tribunal (NGT) ordered Madhya
Pradesh government to stop the
operation of cruise vessels as well
as other motor-propelled boats in
the Bhoj wetland

22
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
JAMMU & KASHMIR
• The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is set to achieve a remarkable
feat as it embarks on the construction of the world’s highest fighter
airfield at Nyoma in Ladakh.

• Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha,

inaugurated the much-anticipated Bangus Valley Festival in the
picturesque Kupwara district.

• The renaming of Udhampur railway station, the Northern Railway

has notified the change in the name to ‘Martyr Captain Tushar
Mahajan Railway Station’, in honour of the Army brave heart.

• Dr Jitendra Singh flags off SMVD Narayana Healthcare TB Mukt

Express in Udhampur.

UTTARAKHAND
• The Minister of Tourism and
Culture of Uttarakhand, Satpal
Maharaj, inaugurated
the George Everest
Cartography Museum in the
picturesque town
of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, on
the occasion of World Tourism
Day.

23
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
MEGHALAYA
• The Meghalaya government recently adopted AIenabled robotic
technology to keep its tourist hotspot, Umiam Lake, free of
pollutants. Umiam Lake, also known as Barapani Lake, is a lake in
the state of Meghalaya 15 km (9.3 miles) north of Shillong, the
capital of Meghalaya.

TAMIL NADU
• For the very first time, Chennai will be the host city for “Street
20,” an incredibly heartwarming cricket tournament exclusively
dedicated to street children, aiming to captivate the hearts of
both cricket enthusiasts and advocates for children’s rights alike.

• The Tamil Nadu Department of Archaeology is set to take up

restoration of the 1,000-year-old Naganathaswamy Temple at
Manambadi in Thanjavur district. It was built by Rajendra Chola I
(1012-1044 CE). It is referred as Kailasamudaiyar temple in
inscriptions

ARUNACHAL PRADESH
Jyotiraditya Scindia to
inaugurate newly developed
infrastructure of Tezu Airport
in Arunachal Pradesh.. The
government has spent 170
Crore rupees to develop the
Airport infrastructure.
24
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
BIHAR
• In a significant development for wildlife conservation in Bihar, the
state is preparing to establish its second tiger reserve within the
Kaimur district. The upcoming tiger reserve in Kaimur district will
complement the existing Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) located in
the West Champaran district of Bihar

UTTAR PRADESH
• During his visit, he laid the
foundation stone of an
international cricket stadium in
Ganjari, Rajatalab, aimed at
realizing his vision of developing
world-class sports infrastructure

• Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, has achieved a

remarkable feat by attaining 100% Open Defecation Free (ODF)
Plus status across its 95,767 villages.

MAHARASHTRA
• The Maharashtra state government has decided to establish a
mango board in the Konkan region to support large-scale Hapus
cultivation. The board will provide support in areas such as
insurance, production enhancement, pest control, and research.

• Maharashtra government has issued an official notification

regarding the renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad districts
to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Dharashiv, respectively.
25
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
GOA
DID YOU KNOW?
India witnessed a historic event as the country's
first-ever lighthouse festival illuminated the
picturesque state of Goa. Organized by the Union
Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

• Governor of Goa, P.S. Sreedharan Pillai, jointly launched the

Mashaal (torch) for the 37th National Games alongside the
Sports Authority of Goa at Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, Donapaula.

WEST BENGAL
• Recently, DSC A 20’ (Yard 325), the first ship of the Five (05)
Diving Support Craft (DSC) project, was launched at Titagarh,
Kolkata (WB) onto Hooghly River. DSC A 20’ is built by M/s
Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL).

• West Bengal Assembly Resolution On ‘Poila Baisakh’ As State

Foundation Day. The West Bengal assembly made a significant
decision by passing a resolution to officially observe Bengali New
Year’s Day, known as Poila Baisakh, as the state’s foundation day
on April 15th.

JHARKHAND
• Jharkhand Cabinet Approves
Pension And OBC Status For The
Transgender Community.

26
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
OTHERS
• President Droupadi Murmu will
inaugurate a 12-foot statue of
Mahatma Gandhi and a ‘Gandhi
Vatika’ near Rajghat on September

• The current cycle of T+1 means trade-related settlements happen

within a day or 24 hours of the actual transactions. India became
the second country in the world to start the T+1 settlement cycle
in top-listed securities after China.

• Recently, two new spider species, the Palpimanus Godawan and

Palpimanus Maldhok, have been found in the conservation sites
of the Rajasthan Desert National Park and Solapur.

• The Phanigiri artefacts, dating from 200 BCE-400 CE and

discovered in 1942, are on display at the New York Metropolitan
Museum of Art. Phanigiri (meaning hillock of snake hood) is a
small village in the state of Telangana.

• President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the First Global

Symposium on Farmers’ Rights in New Delhi. This symposium,
organized by the Secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant
Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (International Treaty)
of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome

27
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
OTHERS
• Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann made a to the valiant Sikh
warriors who gave their lives in the historic Battle of Saragarhi.
The Battle of Saragarhi, which took place on September 12, 1897,
near Samana Ridge (now in Pakistan), is a remarkable chapter in
military history.

• India's Union Consumer Affairs Ministry has announced that the

country is now the 13th nation authorized to issue International
Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML) certificates.

• Apple has added support for India’s homegrown GPS alternative,

NavIC, to the new iPhone 15 Pro models. NavIC is a regional
navigation satellite system developed by the Indian Space
Research Organisation (ISRO).

• Air India, one of India’s prominent

airlines, has introduced ‘Project
Abhinandan,’ a new initiative
aimed at providing passengers
with a personalized and hassle-
free experience, particularly in
managing baggage issues and
dealing with missed flights.32

• . Senior nuclear scientist Vivek Bhasin recently assumed charge

as the director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). • BARC
is India’s premier nuclear research establishment, having its
headquarters in Trombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra.
28
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
OTHERS
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi
marked a historic moment as he
unveiled Phase 1 of the India
International Convention and
Expo Centre (IICC), aptly named
‘Yashobhoomi.’ Yashobhoomi
stands as a testament to India’s
commitment to world-class event
hosting, boasting an expansive
project area of over 8.9 lakh
square metres and a built-up area
exceeding 1.8 lakh square metres

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the new name for the
former Parliament building as 'Samvidhan Sadan' or 'Constitution
House,' signifying a dedication to safeguarding India's democratic
legacy. • This iconic structure, designed by British architects Sir
Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker and completed in 1927

• Lok Sabha has given its nod to the Constitution (One Hundred
and Twenty-Eighth Amendment) Bill seeking to provide onethird
reservation to reserve one-third of the total number of seats in
Lok Sabha and State legislative assemblies for women. The bill is
called Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. • The Bill was introduced
yesterday on the first day of proceedings of the Lok Sabha in the
new Parliament Building.

29
 NATIONAL AFFAIRS
OTHERS
• The National Medical Commission (NMC) of India has achieved a
remarkable milestone by receiving a prestigious 10-year
Recognition Status from the World Federation for Medical
Education (WFME). • This recognition signifies a significant
achievement for NMC and India’s medical education sector,
highlighting their commitment to maintaining the highest
standards of medical education and accreditation.

• Director General of National Cadet Corps, Lieutenant General

Gurbirpal Singh, today inaugurated the All India Thal Sainik Camp
at the Cariappa Parade ground of Delhi Cantonment.

• Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur
has felicitated players under Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National
Welfare Fund for Sportspersons (PDUNWFS) in New Delhi. Pandit
Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons
(PDUNWFS) was formulated to help sportsperson who plays well
but are from poor and needy family

• Petroleum and Natural Gas

Minister Hardeep Singh Puri
launched the first of its kind
hydrogen fuel cell bus from India
Gate in New Delhi. On this
occasion, he said that the
government is working in mission
mode to bring new generation of
green fuel.
30
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
OTHERS
• ECI Ropes In Chacha Chaudhary & Sabu To Educate And Motivate
Young Voters. A comic book "Chacha Chaudhary aur Chunavi
Dangal" was introduced through a collaborative effort between
ECI and Pran Comics, with the goal of encouraging youth to
engage in democratic participation

• The historic Shore Temple in Mamallapuram has achieved a

significant milestone by becoming India's first Green Energy
Archaeological Site. It is a historic temple complex located in
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), Tamil Nadu. It is dedicated to
Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. It was probably built during the reign
of Narasimhavarman II, also known as Rajasimha (Pallava ruler)
who reigned from 700 to 728 CE

• Northeast’s Mithun gets a ‘food animal’ tag from the Food Safety
and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The Mithun or gayal (Bos
frontalis) is considered a descendant of the Indian Gaur or bison.
Consumed for generations across many regions of the Northeast,
• The Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority of India
(IRDAI) has introduced ‘Bima
Vistaar’. This all-in-one insurance
product, encompassing life,
health, and property coverage, is
poised to revolutionize the
insurance landscape in the
country.
31
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
OTHERS
• The Indian Embassy in Seoul has organized an event to mark the
50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and South
Korea this year. The two countries share a long history together,
dating back to one of the first contacts that both countries
established through Buddhism.

• The docking of the first ship at the Vizhinjam International

Seaport has been deferred recently. It is located at Vizhinjam, a
coastal town in Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala. It is designed
primarily to cater to container transhipment besides multi-
purpose and break bulk cargo.

• India and the United Nations recently launched a joint capacity-

building initiative called the “India-UN Capacity Building
Initiative,” designed to foster growth and development in the
Global South. The initiative is aimed at building the capacity of
countries in the Global South

• JP Morgan Chase & Co has announced it will include Indian

government bonds to its emerging markets bond index from June
2024. India's local bonds will be included in the Government Bond
Index-Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) index of the JP Morgan

• India is set to experience a rapid aging of its population in the

coming decades, with the elderly projected to comprise over 20%
of the total population by the year 2050. This significant
demographic shift is highlighted in the India Ageing Report 2023

32
 LETS TRAVEL

WORLD
• US President Joe Biden has been invited by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi to be the chief guest at next year’s Republic Day
celebrations on January

• Volvo Cars has announced plans to discontinue the manufacturing

of diesel-powered vehicles by early 2024, with the goal of
achieving a complete transition to electric vehicles by 2030.

• Israel unveiled its cutting-edge main battle tank, the Merkava

Mark 5, known as “Barak,” signifying a significant leap in
technological advancement and military capability

• The I2U2 group comprising India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates
(UAE), and the United States has unveiled an ambitious joint space
venture. This collaborative initiative aims to create a
groundbreaking space-based tool with wide-ranging applications
for policymakers, institutions, and entrepreneurs.

• Recently, Mt. Semeru volcano in

Indonesia’s East Java province
erupted. It is an active volcano in
East Java, Indonesia. It is located
in a subduction zone, where the
Indo-Australia plate subducts
under the Eurasia plate

33
 LETS TRAVEL

WORLD
• The Afghani, the currency of conflict-ridden Afghanistan, has taken
the financial world by surprise by emerging as the best-performing
currency of the September quarter in 2023

• The recent India-Canada standoff

regarding allegations of Indian
government involvement in the
killing of a separatist leader in
Canada has brought attention to
the role of the Five Eyes Alliance.
Five Eyes Alliance refers to an
intelligence-sharing partnership
among five countries: the United
States, the United Kingdom,
Australia, Canada, and New
Zealand.

• The G4 countries - India, Brazil, Japan and Germany, have

reiterated that expansion of UN Security Council in both
permanent and non-permanent categories is essential to make the
body more representative, legitimate, effective and efficient at
78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

• Russia is seeking to rejoin the United Nations Human Rights

Council. The headquarters of the Council are at the United Nations
Office at Geneva in Switzerland

34
 LETS TRAVEL

WORLD
• Taiwan, a self-governing island in East Asia, has recently unveiled
its first domestically-made submarine, named the Haikun, in a
move to bolster its defenses against the ever-present threat of a
possible Chinese attack.

• Burkina Faso's security and intelligence services foiled a coup

attempt recently. It is a landlocked country in western Africa. •
Borders: It is bounded by Nigerto the east, Mali to the north and
west, and Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Ivory Coast to the south.

• Iran recently launched Noor-3 imaging satellite into space It is an

imaging satellite developed by Iran. It is a satellite with potential
spying capabilities, boosting Iran’s abilities in space. It has been
put in an orbit 450 kilometers (280 miles) above the Earth's
surface.
• Gabon, an oil-producing country
in Central Africa, has experienced
a coup led by military officers
President Ali Bongo was placed
under house arrest after being
declared the winner of a disputed
election.

• INDIAN ORIGIN Tharman Shanmugaratnam, former Singapore

deputy prime minister, has been elected to the ceremonial post of
president.
35
 LETS TRAVEL

WORLD
• The Nobel Foundation recently withdrew its invitation for
representatives of Russia, Belarus and Iran to attend this year’s
Nobel Prize award ceremonies. The Nobel Foundation is a private
institution established in 1900 based on the will of Alfred Nobel

• Vanuatu’s parliament elected Sato Kilman as the nation’s new

prime minister after a court upheld a vote of no-confidence in his
predecessor, who had sought closer ties with US allies amid China-
US rivalry in the Pacific Islands.

• After a 20-year wait, Germany's largest Hindu Temple will become

functional by Diwali 2023. The Sri-Ganesha Hindu Temple is set to
open in November 2023 in the capital city of Berlin.

• Thomas Cook India Partners With

National Payments Corporation Of
India. National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI) to
introduce a pioneering RuPay
prepaid forex card tailored for
Indian travelers visiting the United
Arab Emirates (UAE).
• Singapore has surpassed Hong Kong to claim the title of the
world’s freest economy, marking the end of Hong Kong’s 53-year
reign at the top. This shift is according to a report released by the
Canadian think tank Fraser Institute.
36
 LETS TRAVEL

WORLD
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit to Jakarta, Indonesia on
06-07 September 2023 at the invitation of H.E. Joko Widodo
(President of the Republic of Indonesia). During his visit, PM Modi
will attend the 20th ASEANIndia Summit and 18th East Asia
Summit being hosted by Indonesia as current Chair of ASEAN.

• Japan has launched “moon sniper” its lunar exploration spacecraft

aboard a homegrown H-IIA rocket, clearing a path to become the
world’s fifth country to land on the moon early next year The
launch comes two weeks after India became the fourth nation to
successfully land a spacecraft on the moon with its Chandrayaan-3
mission to the unexplored lunar south pole. Two earlier lunar
landing attempts by Japan failed in the last year.

• Danielle McGahey, 29, is set to become the first transgender

woman player to play in international cricket

• AUSTRALIA Considering cat Curfews to

protect biodiversity Cats kill two billion
animals in Australia every year. Cats kill
two billion animals in Australia every year.
They are considered an invasive species.
Australian officials want to curb the
negative impact so many cats have on the
environment.

37
 LETS TRAVEL

WORLD
• the United Kingdom has decided to rejoin the European Union’s
Horizon science research programme. This move is seen as a
significant development in bilateral relations between the UK and
the EU, following the resolution of a trade dispute seven months
prior.

• China is set to launch the Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST) in

September. It is the largest time-domain survey facility in the
Northern Hemisphere.

• India Emerges as Bangladesh’s

Leading Export Partner. India has
become Bangladesh’s foremost
export partner, surpassing Japan
and China. The AgartalaAkhaura
rail link project nears completion,
promising to enhance connectivit

• The red fire ant, one of the world's most invasive species, has
been recently found in Europe for the first time, according to a
new study. Red imported fire ants, commonly known as fire ants,
are a species of stinging ants native to South America.

38
 LETS TRAVEL

WORLD
• Ethiopia recently announced that it has filled its Grand Ethiopian
Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Nile River. At 6.45 Gigawatts, the
dam will be the largest hydroelectric power plant in Africa when
completed.

• Mayor Craig Greenberg has declared September 3 as Sanatana

Dharma Day in Louisville, Kentucky in the United States
emphasizing the significance of fostering peace, tolerance, and
understanding within diverse communities.

• The African Union is launching an African credit ratings agency to

counter perceived bias by major agencies. This agency will
independently assess lending risks in African nations.

• Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger

have come together to address
the pressing issue of jihadism in
the Liptako-Gourma region by
signing a mutual defense pact
known as the Alliance of Sahel
States (AES). The heart of this
historic pact is the Liptako-
Gourma Charter, which was
officially signed by the military
leaders of the three Sahel
countries.

39
 LETS TRAVEL

WORLD
• North Korea has made headlines by launching its first operational
tactical nuclear attack submarine," designated Submarine No. 841
and named Hero Kim Kun Ok, an ex-commander of the North
Korean navy.

• UNESCO Plans to Add Volcanoes of Kamchatka to ‘World Heritage

in Danger’ List Kamchatka, a natural site inscribed in the UNESCO
World Heritage List in 1996 as one of the world’s most remarkable
volcanic regions.

• Storm Daniel Devastates Eastern

Libya, Over 5,300 Lives Lost
Eastern Libya is in a state of
emergency after a powerful storm
named Daniel caused terrible
damage. Thousands of people
have been affected, with more
than 5,300 lives lost and many still
missing.

• Bhutan has introduced a self-sovereign national digital ID for all its

citizens, powered by blockchain technology

• Traditional, picturesque villages on Mount Pindos in Epirus, Greece

🇬 known as the Zagorochoria (or villages of Zagori), was recently
inducted onto UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

40
 • India emerged champions in the Men's
Hockey’s Asia Cup, beating arch-rivals
Pakistan 2-0 in a shootout. With the win,
India have booked their place in the FIH
Men's Hockey World Cup 2024

• Divya Deshmukh, a 17-year-old Chess

Woman Grandmaster hailing from Nagpur,
Maharashtra, India clinched victory in the
women’s category of the rapid section at
the Tata Steel Chess India tournament.

• Mohun Bagan Super Giant won the

• GUKESH replaced
Durand Cup 2023 title by defeating East
Viswanathan
Bengal 1-0 at the Salt Lake Stadium in
Anand as the
Kolkata. Mohun Bagan had earlier won the
country’s top
Durand Cup title in the year 2000.
ranked player in
Chess overtaking
• Max Verstappen has won the Italian Grand
Viswanathan
Prix and sets a new record for the most
Anand
consecutive wins in Formula 1 history with
10.

• Rohan Bopanna: 43-year-old Indian becomes oldest player to

reach Grand Slam final in Open era | US Open • Indian doubles
star Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden
started their campaign
41
• The men's Indian team won the bronze medal in the Asian
Table Tennis Championship 2023. In the championship held
in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea, the Indian team lost to Chinese
Taipei in the semi-finals . Asian Table Tennis Championships 2023, `
Paris also held as 2024 Olympic qualifiers

• 19-year-old Coco Gauff becomes first teenager since Serena Williams

in 1999 to win the US Open crown

• Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to win his

fourth US Open and a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title.

• 2023 Tata Steel Chess India tournament held in Kolkata, R

Praggnanandhaa from India achieved an impressive thirdplace finish,
establishing himself as the leading Indian contender.

• India’s Virat Kohli became the fastest batter to reach 13,000 ODI
runs during the Asia Cup Super 4 against Pakistan at the R.
Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Neeraj Chopra became the
first Indian to win a
Diamond League Trophy
last year but could not
defend his title at Hayward
Field.
• The IOA has named Indian Hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh
and Olympic medallist boxer Lovlina Borgohain to be the flag-
bearers at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in Hangzhou
on September 23.
42
• India clinched the championship title by defeating Bangladesh in the
final match of the SAFF U16 Championship Final held at The
Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan.

• Indian badminton player Kiran George has won the men's singles
title in Indonesia Masters 2023. • Kiran George, ranked 50th in
badminton rankings, defeated Ku Takahashi of Japan.

• Maharashtra clinched the title of champions in the 5th National

Wheelchair Rugby Championship 2023 by securing a convincing
victory over Karnataka, concluding with a final score of 31-10.

• The Subroto Cup International Football Tournament, India’s oldest

national inter-school football competition, is set to make history in
its 62nd edition. Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India, has been
added to the list of host cities for this prestigious event. Previously
held in Delhi and Gurugram.

• Germany won the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup title by beating
Serbia 83-77 in Manila. This is their first-ever FIBA Basketball World
Cup victory. The tournament was hosted in five venues in five
separate cities Qatar will host the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

• Simona Hale Receives 4-Year Ban

From Tennis For Doping With her
four-year ban, Simona Hale is
ineligible to compete in
professional tennis until October
2026
43
• The first-ever MotoGP Bharat
Grand Prix is set to take place at
the Buddh International Circuit
in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
The MotoGP, or Grand Prix
Motorcycle Racing, is the
premier motorcycle
championship in the world.

• India secured their eighth Asia Cup title by defeating Sri Lanka by 10
wickets in the final match.

• Indian shooter Elavenil Valarivan has won the gold medal in the
women's 10 meter air rifle event in the ISSF World Cup. The ISSF
World Cup 2023 is being organized in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. -India has
sent a 16-member team for the ISSF World Cup.

• Adidas has launched Team India's jersey for the upcoming ICC World
Cup 2023. It is noteworthy that this time ODI World Cup 2023 is
being organized in India.

• Italian rider Marco

Bezzecchi, representing the
Mooney VR46 Racing
Team, emerged victorious
in the inaugural Indian
Grand Prix for the 2023
MotoGP season

44
• India's young wrestler Antim Panghal won the bronze medal in the
women's 53 kg category in the ongoing World Championship in
Belgrade, Serbia. With this he also achieved the quota for Paris
Olympics 2024. In the final Panghal defeated two-time European
champion Emma Jona Denise Malmgren. This is India's first medal in
this tournament

• The Indian Blind Football

Federation (IBFF) said that the
'IBSA Blind Football
Intercontinental Cup 2023' will be
organized at the United Sports
Center in Kakkanad in Kochi. This
tournament will be held between
26 September and 2 October.
Teams from Costa Rica, Chile,
Poland, Romania, Greece, Egypt,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Republic
of Korea and India will participate
in it.
• Indian female cricket player
Harmanpreet Kaur has been
included in the 2023 Time 100
Next list – The list also featured
Nandita Venkatesan and Vinu
Daniel.

45
 Vijayawada Railway Station was awarded the ‘Green
Railway Station’ certification with the highest rating of
Platinum by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
AWARDS & HONOURS
• Telangana’s Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) Shanta
Thoutam has been presented with the World Innovation
Award at the first BRICS Innovation Forum hosted at
Moscow from August 27 to 29.

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

Governor Shaktikanta Das has
been awarded an ‘A+’ rating in the
prestigious Global Finance Central
Banker Report Cards 2023.

• The Department of Public Enterprise (DPE) conferred

‘Navratna Status‘ upon Rashtriya Chemicals and
Fertilizers (RCF).

• Dr P V Satyanarayana Principal Scientist at the

Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N.G. Ranga
Agricultural University, Ragolu, has been recently
awarded the prestigious Dr MS Swaminathan Award

• Millia Islamia (JMI) Vice Chancellor, Professor Najma

Akhtar, was recently presented ‘Lifetime Achievement
Award-Academia.

• The Booker Prize 2023 judging panel has unveiled the

final list of six novels, carefully curated from the “Booker
46
dozen” longlist of 13 titles.
 • Swati Nayak, a scientist with roots
in Odisha, is set to receive 2023
Norman Borlaug Field Award in
appreciation of her
groundbreaking approach in
AWARDS & HONOURS
involving farmers in demand-
driven rice seed systems

• Waheeda Rehman to Receive Dadasaheb Phalke

Lifetime Achievement Award. Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime
Achievement Award, India’s highest recognition in the
world of cinema.

• Mathematician Ruixiang Zhang, an Assistant Professor

at the University of California, Berkeley, receives the
2023 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize for his pioneering
contributions in number theory.

• Renowned ophthalmologist Brig Sanjay Kumar Mishra of

Indian Army’s Research and Referral Hospital was
conferred with the prestigious ”Dr AM Gokhale Award”
in Pune.

• Recently, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar presented

the one-time Sangeet Natak Akademi Amrit Awards to
84 artists from varied fields of performing arts.

• Rahul Mishra, the visionary Indian designer was

honored with the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des
Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the
French government.
47
 OBITUARIES
N Valarmathi, Actor Michael
an Indian Space Gambon,
Research Dumbledore From
Organisation Harry Potter Films,
(ISRO) scientist, Dies At 82
died after a
cardiac arrest.

Dennis Austin, MS
software Swaminathan,
developer who father of
created India’s ‘Green
PowerPoint, Revolution,’
passes away at passes away at
76 98

• Ashwin Dani played a pivotal role in

the global expansion of Asian
Paints, leading the company to
become one of the foremost paint
manufacturers worldwide dies at
79.

• Longest serving woman Democratic

Senator Dianne Feinstein of
California dies at 90.

48
APPOINTMENTS
• Srinivasan
MS DHONI
Appointed As Brand
Ambassador Of
Swaraj Tractor.
• The Ministry of Information
and Broadcasting has made
significant appointments, • Moon Man Of India’
including the transfer of
Manish Desai, the Central
Bureau of Communications
(CBC) chief, to lead the Press
Information.
• Renowned actor R Madhavan
has been nominated as the
new President of the Film and
Television Institute of India
(FTII), Pune
• Japanese clothing giant Uniqlo
has announced Bollywood
actress Katrina Kaif, marking
her as the brand’s first
ambassador in India.
K. Swamy,
Executive Chairman of R.K.
Swamy Hansa Group, has
been unanimously elected
Chairman of the Audit Bureau
of Circulations (ABC) for the
year 2023-2024.
MYLSWAMY
ANNADURAI
Joins The Board Of
SS Innovations.
• Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman
Harivansh Narayan Singh will
lead a delegation of Parliament
to the 9th BRICS Parliamentary
Forum in Johannesburg from
27-29 September.
• K.N. Shanth Kumar, a seasoned
media professional, has been
elected as the Chairman of the
Press Trust of India’s Board of
Directors for a one-year term
SEP 2023/49
 WOMEN IN NEWS
Geetika Srivastava, a 2005 cadre IFS,
has been appointed as the new
Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad,
Pakistan, and will succeed Dr. M
Suresh Kumar.

Meet the new Miss Earth India 2023,

Priyan Sain clinched the title of Miss
Earth India 2023 during the Miss
Divine Beauty 2023 national final held
in New Delhi.

Praveena Anjana of Udaipur has been

crowned Miss International India
2023, gaining her position to
represent India at the Miss
International pageant in Japan this
October.
JAYA VERMA SINHA 1st woman
chairperson to head the Railway
Board. She is the first ever woman to
head the Board in its 118-year-old
history.

SEP 2023/50
 DID YOU KNOW?
The recently launched graphic
novel, ‘Ajay to Yogi Adityanath,’ has
made history by achieving the
highest number of book launches,
earning it a place in the Asia Book
of Records. This remarkable novel,
penned by renowned author
Shantanu Gupta.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

RADHIKA IYENGAR
Fire on the Ganges: Life
Among the Dead in Banaras,’
released by HarperCollins

APURVA CHANDRA
ebook titled 'People's G20,
which provides a
comprehensive perspective on
India's G20 Presidency.

SEP 2023/51
 India Ranks First Among 154 Nations in Grassroot
Adoption of Crypto.
• Nigeria, ranking second in the index.
• Vietnam, securing the third spot.
• United States, holding the fourth.
• Ukraine, coming in fifth.

RANKS,
REPORTS &
INDEX
• The United Nations has released a report stating that the goal of
achieving gender equality by 2030, as set by the U.N., is unlikely to
be realized due to deeply ingrained biases against women in various
sectors such as health, education, employment, and politics. The
report, titled “The Gender Snapshot 2023,”

• Switzerland has once again claimed the title of the world’s best
country, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report’s annual
Best Countries rankings. India’s ranking improved by one position,
securing the 30th spot with an overall score of 40.8. In the previous
year, in 2022, India held the 31st position out of 85. 14.

• Centre’s Report Says India Has 150 Elephant Corridors. West Bengal
emerges as the frontrunner in this report, with a staggering 26
elephant corridors, accounting for over 17 percent of the total
corridors in India.
SEP 2023/52
RANKS, REPORTS & INDEX
• India has been ranked 52nd out of 121 countries in the Digital
Quality of Life Index Survey 2023. The annual survey by the
Netherlands-based firm has ranked 121 countries on five factors:
internet quality, internet affordability, e-infrastructure, e-
government, and e-security. In Asia, India takes 13th place, with
Singapore the leader in the region.

• India Slips Four Spots To 56th Position In 2023 World Talent

Ranking. In the 2023 World Talent Ranking , India has slipped four
spots to the 56th position compared to its 52nd position in the
2022 ranking.

• India retains 40th rank out of 132 economies in the Global

Innovation Index 2023 rankings. It is published by the World
Intellectual Property Organization

SEP 2023/53
 GOVERNMENT
SCHEMES
• The state government of Karnataka has launched a social welfare
scheme for women - Griha Lakshmi Yojana - in Mysore. Under
this, the female head of a family will get Rs 2,000 per month from
the government.

• The Union Minister of Law and

Justice recently launched Tele-Law
2.0, a revamped version of the
Tele-Law program . This initiative,
operating under the DISHA
Scheme by the Department of
Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice,
aims to provide free legal aid to
the rural and marginalized sections
of society through video
conferencing.

• Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Minister for Education,

introduced the Malaviya Mission – Teacher Training Program at
Kaushal Bhawan in New Delhi as a crucial step in improving the
standard of education in India.

• Recently, the Union Ministry of Textiles released the guidelines of

the GREAT scheme. Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship
across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT) Scheme
focuses on supporting individuals and companies to translate
prototypes to technologies & products, including
commercialisation.

SEP 2023/54
 GOVERNMENT
SCHEMES
• A day-long conference on "Transnational Grid Interconnections for
One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG)" was recently held in
New Delhi. The idea for the OSOWOG initiative was put forth by
the Prime Minister of India, at the First Assembly of the
International Solar Alliance (ISA) in October 2018 . The initiative
aims at connecting energy supply across borders.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

recently announced the issue price
for the upcoming Sovereign Gold
Bond (SGB) Tranche 2. SGBs were
introduced by the Government of
India in 2015 under the Gold
Monetization Scheme

• The Madhya Pradesh Government has changed the name of the

state-run housing scheme, previously known as Mukhyamantri
Antyodaya Awas Yojana, to Mukhyamantri Ladli Bahna Awas
Yojana.

• The Vishwakarma Yojana is set to launch at 70 locations across

India on September 17. This initiative, announced during the
Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, is aimed at benefiting
skilled individuals in traditional craftsmanship.

SEP 2023/55
 GOVERNMENT
SCHEMES
• The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath, has introduced the Nandini Krishak Samriddhi Yojana
under the Nand Baba Mission to enhance cattle breeds and boost
milk production in the state. The scheme aims to improve cow
breeds, particularly Sahiwal, Gir, Tharparkar, and Gangatiri, to
increase milk production and the income of dairy farmers.

• SHREYAS Scheme Empowers Thousands: Over 2300 Crore Rupees

Allocated for Education of SC and OBC Students Since 2014 The
Scheme for Higher Education Youth in Apprenticeship and Skills
(SHREYAS scheme), comprising four central sector sub-schemes,
has been instrumental in empowering thousands of students from
Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) since
its inception in 2014.

• The Law Commission has recommended the government to retain

the existing age of consent under the Protection of Children from
Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The current age of consent in India
is 18 years. The commission noted that reducing the age of
consent might have damaging effects on fighting child marriage
and child trafficking.

• Recently, the union Minister for Education and Skill Development

& Entrepreneurship launched ‘CRIIIO 4 GOOD’. It is a new online
life skills learning module. It consists of series of 8 cricket-based
animation films to promote gender parity, equip girls with life
skills and encourage their participation in sports.

SEP 2023/56
 GOVERNMENT
SCHEMES
• The Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided to extend the Pradhan
Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) to 75 lakh more consumers by
providing them LPG connections over three years from 2023-24 to
2025- 26. It is a scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural
Gas for providing LPG connections to women from Below Poverty
Line (BPL) households.

• Odisha CM Launches ‘Mukhyamantri Sampoorna Pushti Yojana’.

This initiative, along with the complementary “Pada Pushti
Yojana,” is a concerted effort to address the nutritional needs of
mothers, adolescent girls, and children in the state.

• The Weather Information Network

Data Systems (WINDS) manual
was launched in July, 2023 by the
Ministry of Agriculture and
Farmers' Welfare to leverage
advanced weather data analytics
to give stakeholders actionable
insight to make informed weather
decisions on agriculture.

• The Union Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare,

Government of India, took a significant step towards enhancing
the efficiency and reach of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman
Nidhi (PMKISAN) Scheme with the launch of an AI Chatbot.

SEP 2023/57
 India's largest home-built
nuclear plant starts
www.desiretolearn.in operations, says PM
Modi, calls it ‘milestone’
in Kakrapar, Gujarat
World’s tallest
Nataraja statue
installed at G20
summit venue

FIRST in news
• The Union Minister of Textiles, inaugurated the statue of RK
Shanmugam Chetty, who served as the first Finance Minister of
independent India

• KERALA Has introduced India's first ever AI School It was launched

by Santhigiri Vidhyabhavan in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

• India has unveiled the world’s first portable disaster hospital, a

groundbreaking facility that can be airlifted and consists of 72
cubes. India introduces the world's first mobile hospital, the Arogya
Maitri Cube, as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Project
BHISHM" (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita and Maitri).

• India's first UPI ATM has been launched by Hitachi Payment

Services, a subsidiary of Hitachi Limited. It has been launched by
Hitachi Payment Services in association with NPCI.

• Rafflesia, the world’s largest flowers, faces extinction due to habitat

destruction. Learn about the urgent need for conservation in the
heart of Southeast Asia’s rainforests.

SEP 2023/58
APPS AND PORTALS
• On the eve of the G20 leadership summit, the Ministry of
Culture launched a portal of the mega exhibition— ‘Bharat: The
Mother of Democracy’. The portal showcases the content on the
history of democracy in India, showcasing 7,000 years of
democratic ethos starting from the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation
to 2019

• India introduces UPAg, a pioneering Unified Portal for

Agricultural Statistics, aimed at addressing complex governance
issues in the farming sector. The UPAg portal promises to
empower stakeholders by providing them with real-time,
reliable, and standardized information.

• The Finance Minister and Agriculture Minister will inaugurate

the 'Kisan Rin Portal' on September 19. The portal helps farmers
avail of subsidised loans under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC). It
was developed in collaboration with multiple government
departments.

• The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation has

introduced a Unified Registration Portal for GOBARdhan to
streamline the registration of Compressed Bio-Gas and biogas
plants nationwide.
59

SEP 2023/59
 Science & Tech
• The CALIPSO mission that analysed climate, weather, and air
quality ended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) announced recently. CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol LIDAR and
Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) is a mission dedicated to
studying how clouds and aerosols impact the Earth’s climate

• The Psyche mission represents an ambitious venture to explore a

distinct metallic asteroid positioned in orbit between Mars and
Jupiter. The exceptional feature of this asteroid, named Psyche, is
its composition, believed to be the exposed nickel-iron core of an
ancient planet – a fundamental building block of our solar system

60
• IIT Jodhpur researchers have
developed a novel Cold-
plasma Detergent in
Environment (CODE) device
for good indoor air quality.
• The CODE device consumes
less power, deactivates
bacteria, moulds and
viruses, captures dust and
pollen, and also removes
odours
• IIT Kanpur recently developed
a TTPs-based cybercrime
investigation framework. TTPs
stands for Tactics, Techniques,
and Procedures.
• It is the term used by
cybersecurity professionals to
describe the behaviours,
processes, actions, and
strategies used by a threat
actor to develop threats and

Science
engage in cyberattacks.

& Tech
• The 20th edition of the World’s Best
Universities by the Times Higher
Education (THE) rankings has been
unveiled, showcasing the top higher
education institutions globally.
• Oxford University in the United
Kingdom has clinched the coveted first
place for an unprecedented eighth
consecutive year, The Indian Institute of
Science (IISc)
• Bangalore has made history by securing
the top position among Indian
universities
61
 COMMITTEES
• The Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority of India
(IRDAI) has taken a proactive step to
enhance the cyber security posture
of the country’s insurance industry. •
The 10-member committee is
chaired by PS Jagannatham, a
seasoned professional with a deep
understanding of technology and
cyber security.

• India recently played host to the

inaugural United Nations
Commission on International Trade
Law (UNCITRAL) South Asia
conference, held from September 14
to 16. This significant event was
jointly organized by the Ministry of
External Affairs, UNCITRAL, and the
organization’s national coordination
committee for India

• Lokesh Suji elected to IESF

membership committee for three-
year term.

62
CONFERENCE & SUMMITS
• GLOBAL INDIA AI 2023 India to host the conference in October
this year. India will host the first edition of the Global India AI
2023 conference in October this year. It is a good platform for AI
applications in next-generation learning, artificial intelligence
models, electric vehicles and computing systems.

• Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand,

inaugurated the logo and website for the Investor Global Summit
set to take place in Dehradun on December 8-9, 2023.

• Indonesia, as the host of the summit and the 2023 chair of

ASEAN. The 43rd summit of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta.

• The 10th meeting of the Ministers of Law and Justice of SCO

countries was convened . During this meeting, India reaffirmed its
commitment to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) by
extending support to member countries in enhancing their legal
and judicial capabilities.

• Indian Coast Guard participated in

the 19th Heads of Asian Coast Guard
Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) from
05-08 Sep 2023 at Istanbul, Turkey. A
four-member ICG delegation led by
DG Rakesh Pal, Director General
Indian Coast Guard took part in the
annual event of the independent
forum with 23 members of Coast
Guard Agencies
63
CONFERENCE & SUMMITS
• Recently, the 14th edition of the World Spice Congress (WSC)
began at Vashi in Navi Mumbai. It was planned and conceived in
1990 as a forum for discussion and interaction between the
importers and exporters of spices.

• The G77+China Summit, attended by over 100 nations and 30

heads of state, concluded with a focus on empowering the Global
South in international governance.

• The 13th Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC) will be

held in New Delhi from 26th to 27th of this month. 30 army chiefs
from the Indo-Pacific region will participate in this two-day
conference and will discuss security cooperation and collective
strategies in the Indo-Pacific region.

64
CONFERENCE & SUMMITS
• The Climate Ambition Summit, a UN event during the General
Assembly, lacked participation from major emitters China, the US,
and India, who together contribute 42% of global greenhouse gas
emissions.

• The 14th edition of the Global Skills Summit has begun in Delhi.
The theme of the two-day Summit is building skills, empowering
youth, and creating a future. The summit will bring together key
stakeholders including policymakers, TVET Experts and industry
for deliberation and knowledge sharing on current and future
trends.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘International

Lawyers’ Conference 2023‘ at New Delhi’s Vigyan Bhawan. This
conference, organized by the Bar Council of India, has brought
together legal experts from across the globe to deliberate on the
theme ‘Emerging Challenges in Justice Delivery System.’

• Recently, the President of India inaugurated Annual General

Meeting and Biennial Conference of the Asia Pacific Forum on
Human Rights in New Delhi. It was founded in 1996. It has
created a strong and united platform that brings together
National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) from all corners of the
Asia Pacific.

65
WOMEN’S
RESERVATION BILL
2023
• Recently, the Lok Sabha (LS) and
Rajya Sabha (RS), both passed
Women's Reservation Bill 2023
(128th Constitutional Amendment
Bill) or Nari Shakti Vandan
Adhiniyam.

• The bill reserves one-third of the

seats in Lok Sabha, State
legislative assemblies and the
Delhi assembly. This will also
apply to the seats reserved for SCs
(Scheduled Castes) and STs
(Scheduled Tribes) in Lok Sabha
and State Legislatures.

NEED OF THIS BILL

• There are 82 women Member of Parliaments in LS (15.2%) and
31 women in RS(13%).
• While the number has increased significantly since the 1st Lok
Sabha (5%) but is still far lower than in many countries.
• According to recent UN Women data, Rwanda (61%), Cuba
(53%), Nicaragua (52%) are the top three countries in women
representation. Bangladesh (21%) and Pakistan (20%) as well
are ahead of India in case of female representation.CAL
66
WOMEN’S RESERVATION
BILL 2023
BACKGROUND:
• The bill is in discussion since the tenure of Former Prime
Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1996.
• As the then Government lacked a majority, the Bill could not
have been approved.
• Earlier Attempts at Reserving Seats for Women:
• 1996: First Women Reservation Bill was introduced in the
Parliament.
• 1998 – 2003: Government tabled the Bill on 4 occasions but
failed.
• 2009: Government tables the bill amid protests.
• 2010: The Union Cabinet passes the Bill and RS passes it.
• 2014: The Bill was expected to be tabled in LS.

KEY FEATURES
Commencement of Reservation (New article - 334A):
• The reservation will be effective after the census conducted
after the commencement of this Bill has been published. Based
on the census, delimitation will be undertaken to reserve seats
for women.
• The reservation will be provided for a period of 15
years. However, it shall continue till such date as determined by
a law made by Parliament.’

Rotation of Seats:
• Seats reserved for women will be rotated after each
delimitation, as determined by a law made by Parliament.
67
WOMEN’S RESERVATION BILL
2023
Reservation for Women in Lower House:
• The Bill provided for inserting Article 330A to the constitution,
which borrows from the provisions of Article 330, which provides
for reservation of seats to SCs/STs in the Lok Sabha.
• The Bill provided that reserved seats for women may be allotted
by rotation to different constituencies in states or Union
Territories.
• In the seats reserved for SCs/STs, the Bill sought to provide one-
third of the seats to be reserved for women on rotational basis.

Reservation for Women in State Legislative

Assemblies:
• The Bill introduces Article 332A, which mandates the reservation
of seats for women in every state Legislative Assembly.
Additionally, one-third of the seats reserved for SCs and STs must
be allocated for women, and one-third of the total seats filled
through direct elections to the Legislative Assemblies shall also
be reserved for women.

Reservation for Women in NCT of Delhi ( New clause

in 239AA):
• Article 239AA to the constitution grants special status to the
Union Territory of Delhi as national capital with regards to its
administrative and legislative functioning.
• Article 239AA(2)(b) was amended by the bill accordingly to add
that the laws framed by parliament shall apply to the National
Capital territory of Delhi.
68
Lets Join Jeet Ki Zid

69
 DESIRE TO LEARN

DESIRE TO LEARN
Upsc_cds_desire_to_learn

7471173895 www.desiretolearn.in
70