7726 LSTWeeklyManthan11September-17September, 2023 V25092023

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MANTHAN
A General Awareness Weekly
11th September to 17th September, 2023
A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 1

PREFACE
Dear Students,
The ‗Current Affairs‘ section is an integral part of any examination. This edition of Manthan has been developed by our
team to help you cover all the important events of the Week. This comprehensive bulletin will help you prepare the
section in a vivid manner. We hope that our sincere efforts will serve you in a better way to fulfill aspirations.
Happy Reading
Team CL

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
National
Samudrayaan Mission: India‘s First Manned Submersible to Take Dip in Bay of Bengal
 After leaving a mark in space with its successful lunar and solar missions, India is all set to take a dive in the
deep sea. India is working on its ambitious submersible Smaudrayaan. The ocean craft Samudrayaan is
being developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
 The Samudrayaan mission‘s ocean craft Matsya 6000 being developed by the NIOT Chennai will take a dip
in the Bay of Bengal next year. The number 6000 in the name of the ocean craft depicts the ability of the
submersible to go 6000 metres underwater.
 The self-propelled Samudrayaan will take 3 human beings on an ocean exploration mission 6000 metres
under the ocean where the scientists will look for precious minerals and metals like nickel, cobalt and
manganese. The Matsya 6000 oceancraft will be equipped with various underwater instruments such as
Autonomous Coring System (ACS), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and Deep Sea Mining System
(DSM) for the exploration of the deep sea.
 The project is part of the larger Deep Ocean Mission, which supports the centre‘s Blue Economy policy.
This policy aims to utilise ocean resources sustainably for the country‘s economic growth, improved livelihoods,
job creation, and maintain ocean ecosystem health.
The Deep Ocean Mission 2023 was launched by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in 2018. Indian Institute of
Ocean Technology has developed the Samudrayaan 2023 Mission which is capable of going 6 Km deep in the
sea. Moreover, this mission has been allotted the wholesome budget of Rs. 8,000 Crore which will be spent on the
Deep Sea Exploration Mission 2023.
PM Narendra Modi launched Vishwakarma Scheme

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‗PM Vishwakarma Scheme‘ virtually on September 17 from Delhi
on ‗Vishwakarma Day‘ that attended by 70 ministers from 70 different locations across the country. PM
Modi had mentioned the scheme during his Independence Day speech.
 The scheme was cleared by the Union cabinet. Under the scheme, Rs. 13,000 crore will be spent in the coming
five years on skill training and development of traditional artisans, craftsmen coming from communities like
weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers and barbers largely belonging to the OBC community.
 The scheme aims to improve the quality, scale and reach of products and services of artisans and
craftspeople and to integrate them with the domestic and global value chain. Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal
Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala underscored that this marks a historic milestone, as it is the
first time in our nation‘s history that a substantial financial outlay of Rs. 13,000 Crores has been allocated
for the upliftment of artisans and crafts persons across the country, encompassing 18 traditional trades in its
inaugural phase. Credit Support up to Rs. 1 lakh (first trenche) and Rs. 2 lakh (second trenche), with
concession interest rate of 5%, will empower traditional artisans and craftspeople financially.

Narendra Damodardas Modi has been serving as the 14th Prime Minister of India since May 2014. He was
the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 and is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Varanasi. He is a
member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a right-wing Hindu
nationalist paramilitary volunteer organisation. He is the longest-serving prime minister from outside the Indian
National Congress.
Mangoes from Bengal‘s Malda get Geographical Indication tag from Centre
 Three varieties of mangoes from West Bengal‘s Malda have been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI)
tag, an official recognition by the Centre that highlights their unique taste and quality. The ‗Lakshmanbhog,‘
‗Fajli,‘ and ‗Himsagar‘ varieties were given the GI tag.
 The GI tag, granted by the Geographical Indications Registry of India, signifies the origin of a product,
attributing its unique characteristics to the specific region it comes from. It adds value to the product and
safeguards local farmers‘ interests by preventing unauthorised production and branding.
A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific
geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). India, as a member of the World Trade
Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999
has come into force with effect from 15 September 2003. GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO
Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement as: ―Indications which
identify a good as originating in the territory of a member, or a region or a locality in that territory, where a given
quality, reputation or characteristic of the good is essentially attributable to its geographic origin.‖ The GI tag
ensures that none other than those registered as authorised users (or at least those residing inside the
geographic territory) are allowed to use the popular product name. Darjeeling tea became the first GI tagged
product in India, in 2004-2005. The registration of a geographical indication is valid for a period of 10 years. It
can be renewed from time to time for further period of 10 years each.
India hands over G20 presidency to Brazil for 2024

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the G20 presidency to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva on the two-day summit in New Delhi. Brazil officially will take over the mantle of the presidency of the
elite grouping on December 1 this year. PM Modi completed the transition by handing over the gavel of the
presidency to the Brazil President. Earlier Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
handed over saplings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of Session 3 of the G20 Summit.
 While Indonesia held the G20 presidency last year, Brazil will hold the presidency after India. India took
over the G20 presidency on December 1 last year at the G20 Summit at Bali in Indonesia and will continue to
hold it till the end of November. The New Delhi Declaration was adopted by G20 leaders, the first day of the
Summit.
 While handing over the presidency, PM Modi said, ―I want to congratulate Brazil‘ president and my friend
Lula da Silva, and hand over the presidency‘s gavel to him. Furthermore, PM Modi proposed a G20 virtual
summit in November end to review progress on matters decided in this summit. Lula listed out social inclusion,
fight against hunger, energy transition and sustainable development as G20 priorities for the next session.
He also said that Brazil wants a greater representation for emerging countries at World Bank and
International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from
19 countries and the European Union (EU). Founded in 1999 with the aim to discuss policy pertaining to the
promotion of international financial stability, the G20 has expanded its agenda since 2008 and heads of
government or heads of state, as well as finance ministers, foreign ministers and think tanks, have periodically
conferred at summits ever since. It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any single nation.
The G20 members are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India,
Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the
United States, and the European Union. The G20 has no permanent secretariat. The first G20 Summit took
place in 2008 in Washington DC, US.

Shri Sarbananda Sonowal leaves for Russia to represent India at the Eastern Economic Forum,
2023 held in Vladivostok
 The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal left for Russia to
represent India at the Eastern Economic Forum which is being held at the Russian port city of Vladivostok.
The Minister met Alexey Chekunkov, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic; Vitaly
Saveliev, Minister for Transport of Russia among others with an objective to maintain strong ties and foster
strategic, trade and logistical cooperation across various sectors.
 Shri Sonowal addressed the India Russia Business Dialogue at the Eastern Economic Forum where he will be
highlighting the pivotal role of trade, commerce and business in fostering stability and sustainability within
the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia. It is exploring possibilities of the
Northern Sea Route and establishing a Trans-Shipment Hub in the Bay of Bengal.
 The Eastern Maritime Corridor is aimed at reducing cargo transit times between our nations. The journey
from Indian ports to the Russian Far East takes just 24 days, compared to 30 days through the port of
Novorossiysk. This corridor holds immense potential to unlock new opportunities for trade and cooperation for
both India and Russia. About Eastern Economic Forum, 2023: The 8th Eastern Economic Forum 2023 took
place on 10–13 September 2023 in Vladivostok on the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) campus.
 Vladivostok-Chennai Maritime Corridor is a proposed full-fledged sea route of approximately 5,600
nautical miles between Russia‘s eastern port city, Vladivostok, and Chennai on the Eastern Indian seaboard.
This shipping link would enable to transfer of cargo between Chennai and Vladivostok in 24 days in comparison
to over 40 days currently taken to transport goods from India to Far East Russia via Europe. Passing through the
Sea of Japan, South China Sea, and Strait of Malacca, the maritime corridor aims to counterbalance China‘s
growing influence in Southeast Asia by posing grave security and economic challenges to their Maritime Silk
Road. The Eastern Maritime Corridor is aimed at reducing cargo transit times between our nations.
Eastern Economic Forum is an international forum held each year in Vladivostok, Russia. The Eastern
Economic Forum is a key international platform for establishing and strengthening ties within the Russian and
global investment communities, and for comprehensive expert evaluation of the economic potential of the
Russian Far East, the investment opportunities it offers, and business conditions within advanced special economic
zones. The Eastern Economic Forum was established by decree of the President of the Russian Federation
Vladimir Putin in 2015 to support the economic development of Russia‘s Far East and to expand international
cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
India-Saudi Arabia sign MoU in several areas including energy, digitalization, and investment
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral and delegation level talks with Crown Prince and Prime
Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud in New Delhi. The two
leaders reviewed the various facets of bilateral ties and discussed ways to further unlock the potential of the India-
Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership. The Prime Minister said, this corridor will not only connect two countries but
also help in providing economic growth and digital connectivity between Asia, West Asia and Europe.
 The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia said said, there was no disagreement at all during the history of India-
Saudi Arabia relationship but there is cooperation to build the future of the countries and create
opportunities. Co-chairing the first Meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council SPC,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, for India, Saudi Arabia is one of its most important strategic partners.
 The Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabiamet President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati
Bhavan. India and Saudi Arabia enjoy cordial and friendly relations reflecting the centuries-old economic and
socio-cultural ties. India is the second largest trade partner for Saudi Arabia whereas Saudi Arabia is
India‘s fourth largest trading partner. During Financial Year 2022-23 bilateral trade was valued at over 52
billion dollars.
 Saudi direct investments in India amount to over three billion dollars. Energy cooperation forms a central pillar
of the Indo-Saudi bilateral ties. Saudi Arabia is a key partner for India for ensuring energy security. It
remained India‘s third-largest Crude and Petroleum products sourcing destination for Financial Year 2022-23.

Saudi Arabia is a country on the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by the Red Sea to the west;
Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait to the north; the Persian Gulf, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to the east; Oman to
the southeast; and Yemen to the south. Bahrain is an island country off the east coast. Its capital and largest city is
Riyadh. The Saudi riyal is the currency of Saudi Arabia. Mohammed bin Salman is the Crown Prince and
Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is King of Saudi Arabia, reigning since 2015.
Petroleum was discovered in 1938 and followed up by several other finds in the Eastern Province. Saudi Arabia
has since become the world‘s second-largest oil producer (behind the US) and the world‘s largest oil exporter,
controlling the world‘s second-largest oil reserves and the fourth-largest gas reserves.
India-UK holds 12th Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD) in New Delhi
 India and UK reiterated the commitment to deepen their collaboration on Financial Services, building on
each other‘s strengths and supporting mutual aspirations towards financial inclusion and sustainable development.
There was optimism in terms of the activities being done by India to promote financial services and investment in
GIFT IFSC and UK‘s commitment to support the same.
 The focus of the dialogue was also towards enhancement of the knowledge exchange, cooperation and
support between India and UK to further the infrastructure development priorities, robust FinTech
partnership and Sustainable Finance towards long-term growth objectives. Both sides also deliberated on
enhancing mutual cooperation on macroeconomic and multilateral issues. The two countries announced the India-
UK Infrastructure Finance Bridge, a collaborative initiative to leverage expertise and investment in support of
India‘s National Infrastructure Pipeline.
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK)
or Britain is a sovereign country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It
comprises England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The United Kingdom includes the island of Great
Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland, and many smaller islands within the British Isles. The
United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. The capital and largest city is
London, a global city and financial centre with a metropolitan area population of over 14 million. Sterling is the
official currency of the United Kingdom and its associated territories. Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George)
is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir
apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person to accede to the British throne upon
the death of his mother, Elizabeth II, on 8 September 2022. Rishi Sunak is the current Prime Minister.
BRO to construct world‘s highest fighter airfield in Ladakh

 In a groundbreaking development, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has announced plans to construct
the world‘s highest fighter airfield in the Nyoma region of Ladakh. The project is set to commence with the
laying of the foundation stone by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The construction of the world‘s highest
fighter airfield in Nyoma, Ladakh, marks a significant milestone in India‘s infrastructure development,
reflecting the nation‘s determination to fortify its strategic presence along its northern borders.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to
and is now a part of the Indian Armed Forces. The BRO was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India‘s borders
and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and north-east states of the country. BRO develops and
maintains road networks in India‘s border areas and friendly neighboring countries. BRO set a Guinness World
Record in November 2021 for the ―highest altitude road‖ at Umling La. BRO has been instrumental in
constructing some of the great Engineering Marvels like Atal Tunnel, Atal setu, Col Chewang Rinchen Setu to name a
few. In a bid to boost border connectivity, BRO has been entirely brought under the Ministry of Defence in
2015.
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates First Global Symposium on Farmers‘ Rights

 President Droupadi Murmu has said that rich agro-biodiversity of India has been a treasure trove for the
global community at large. Inaugurating the First Global Symposium on Farmers‘ Rights in New Delhi the
President said, India is a mega-diverse country with only 2.4 percent of the world‘s land area but accounts
for 7 to 8 percent of all recorded species of plants and animals.

 The Symposium is being organised by the Secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic
Resources for Food and Agriculture (International Treaty) of the Food and Agriculture Organization,
Rome and hosted by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in collaboration with Protection of
Plant Varieties and Farmers‘ Rights Authority, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Indian Agricultural
Research Institute and National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources.
Punjab: CM Bhagwant Singh Mann lays foundation stone of Saragarhi memorial in Ferozpur
 Warm tributes were paid to the martyrs of the battle of Saragarhi at various places including Ferozepur and
Amritsar in Punjab. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann laid the foundation stone of a Saragarhi
memorial in Ferozpur and to complete it within next six months.
 About 126 years ago, on 12 September 1897, 21 brave soldiers of the 36th Sikh Regiment of the British-
Indian Army gave their martyrdom while fighting against about 10 thousand Afghani tribesmen. The 36th
Sikh Regiment is now known as the 4th Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army.
 ―The battle of Saragarhi presents an example of bravery in which 21 Sikh soldiers under the leadership of
Havaldar Ishar Singh of the Sikh Regiment fought bravely against the Afghani tribesmen in Samana
village of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa presently in Pakistan.
 They fought to the last breath, killing about 600 Afghani tribesmen and foiled their attempt to capture the area.
These 21 Sikhs who died in this war were mostly from the Majha region of Punjab, so memorials of these
martyrs were built in Amritsar and Ferozepur districts. These martyrs were honored with the highest Indian
military bravery award, Indian Order of Merit at that time, equal to the Paramvir Chakra presently.
Punjab is a state in northern India. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the north
and northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, and Rajasthan to the southwest; by the Indian union
territories of Chandigarh to the east and Jammu and Kashmir to the north. It shares an international border
by Punjab, a province of Pakistan to the west. The state capital is Chandigarh, a union territory and also the
capital of the neighbouring state of Haryana. The five tributary rivers of the Indus River from which the
region took its name are the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum rivers (in order from east to west). After
the partition of India in 1947, only 3 of the 5 rivers, the Sutlej, Ravi and Beas rivers flows in Indian Punjab,
while other two rivers became part of Punjab, Pakistan. Banwarilal Purohit is the current Governor of Punjab
and Administrator of Chandigarh. Bhagwant Singh Mann is the current Chief Minister of Punjab.
Patna Municipal Corporation starts Cash for Waste scheme for common people at recently
established Material Recovery Facility
 Working on the theme of waste to wealth, the Patna Municipal Corporation has started a Cash for Waste
scheme for common people at the recently established Material Recovery Facility (MRF). People are being
paid for their dry waste under a prescribed price list for each item.
 The state of the art facility has a capacity of processing 2 tonne of dry garbage and 1.5 tonne of wet waste per day.
It has been named Pink MRF as it is run by women workers. The MRF has been set up by Patna Municipal
Corporation (PMC) with the help of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, German
institution GIZ and other organizations.
―India‘s First Electric Highway‘s Pilot Project In Nagpur‖
 The government is working on developing electric highways as it is economically viable, Union Road Transport
and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said. Electric highways cater to electric traction for vehicles in the same
manner as is done for railways.
 This is based on prevalent technology in a large number of countries like Sweden and Norway. This
involves the provision of power cables, which can be utilised by a vehicle which caters to this type of technology.
The vehicle will utilise the power from this cable for its traction. According to Nitin Gadkari, the size of the
automobile industry currently is Rs.12.50 lakh crore, up from Rs. 4.15 lakh crore in 2014, when he took charge as
the road transport and highways minister. Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com. Noting that the import
of fossil fuel is constantly increasing, he said it is time for the country to find a solution to this crisis.

Uttar Pradesh becomes first state to approve Aspirational City Scheme in 100 most backward
urban bodies
 Taking a cue from the Centre‘s Aspirational District Scheme, Uttar Pradesh government has approved the
Aspirational City Programme in 100 most backward urban bodies (ULBs) with a population of 20,000 to
one lakh. With this UP becomes the first state to come up with a scheme to focus on backward ULBs. The
state Cabinet led by chief minister Yogi Adityanath gave approval to the scheme. This scheme is a testament to
the vision planning and concern of the government and the department is all geared to start the scheme. It aims to
enhance the contribution of smaller towns in achieving the ambitious target of $1 trillion economy‖.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated Statue of Oneness in MP‘s Omkareshwar
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ambitious 108-foot-high ‗Statue of Oneness‘ of Acharya
Shankar in Madhya Pradesh‘s Omkareshwar. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in 2021
had announced a museum and educational institution under Omkareshwar Project Ekatm Dham, highlighting the
contribution of Advaita Vedanta philosophy. The project design was finalised in January 2022.
 The Madhya Pradesh cabinet approved Rs. 2,141 crore for the construction of the Statue of Oneness, a
museum dedicated to Shankaracharya and an International Advaita Vedanta Sansthan at Omkareshwar.
Supreme Court refers pleas challenging validity of sedition law to 5-judge bench
 The Supreme Court said petitions challenging the constitutional validity of sedition law — Section 124A of
the Indian Penal Code — need to be heard by a five-judge Constitution bench and directed that they be
placed before the Chief Justice of India for this. ―The submissions which have been urged on behalf of the
petitioners would merit consideration by a bench of at least five judges of this court.
 We accordingly direct the Registry to place the papers before the Chief Justice so that an appropriate decision can
be taken on the administrative side for the constitution of a bench of strength of at least five judges in the present
case,‖ a three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud which took up the
petitions, directed. The bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, said that a
reference to a larger bench was needed in view of the fact that the provision was upheld in 1962 by a five-judge
bench in the Kedar Nath Singh vs State of Bihar case and it would not be appropriate for a three-judge bench to
sit in judgement over it.
 ―The provisions of Section 124A continue to remain on the statute book. Even on the assumption that the new
law, which is proposed to be brought in by the government before the legislature, would result in a modification
of the existing provisions of section 124A, there is a presumption that a penal statute would have prospective and
not retrospective effect. Consequently, the validity of the prosecution which has been launched or would be
launched so long as section 124A continues to remain on the statute, would have to be assessed on that basis‖.
SC joins National Judicial Data Grid
 Real-time data on the filing and disposal of cases in the Supreme Court will now be available at the
fingertips of the common man, just a click of a mouse away. Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud
announced the onboarding of the Supreme Court on the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) in open court.
 The NJDG portal is a national repository of data relating to cases instituted, pending and disposed of by
the courts. Besides, onboarding on the NJDG would mean for the judiciary increased coordination, informed
decision making, optimum deployment of resources and manpower, single source of data and a huge
potential for high-quality research work.
 The Chief Justice said the information available on the NJDG-SCI (Supreme Court of India) portal would
include the current pendency of civil and criminal cases, filing and disposal of cases in the previous month,
number of cases pending before three-judge, five-judge and even nine-judge Benches.
 So far, 2023 has seen total pendency of 64,854 registered cases and 15,490 unregistered cases (yet to be cleared
by the Registry) in the top court. The Supreme Court page on the NJDG shows that 583 three-judge Bench
matters, 288 five-judge Bench cases, 21 seven-judge Bench and 135 (all of them civil) nine-judge Bench
references are pending.

PM Narendra Modi dedicated ‗YashoBhoomi‘ at Dwarka on 17th September
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated ‗YashoBhoomi‘ at Dwarka to the nation. He also inaugurated the
extension of the Delhi Airport Metro Express line from Dwarka Sector 21 to a new metro station at Dwarka
Sector 25. Mr. Modi‘s vision of having a world-class infrastructure for hosting meetings, conferences, and
exhibitions will be strengthened with the operationalization of Phase 1 of the India International Convention
and Expo Centre called ‗Yashobhomi‘.
 YashoBhoomi will find its place among the world‘s largest MICE facilities with a total project area of over
8.9 lakh square meters and a total built-up area of more than 1.8 lakh square metres. MICE stand for Meetings,
Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions. The Convention Center, built across more than 73 thousand square
meters of area, comprises 15 convention rooms. These include the main Auditorium, the grand Ballroom, and 13
meeting rooms with a total capacity of holding 11 thousand delegates. The Convention Center has the largest
LED media facade in the country. The Main auditorium is the plenary hall for the Convention Center and is
equipped with a seating capacity of around six thousand guests.
Cabinet approves eCourts project phase-III
 The Union Cabinet approved the third phase of eCourts Project as a central sector scheme with a financial
outlay of Rs. 7,210 crore to be implemented over four years. As part of the National eGovernance Plan, the
eCourts Project is under implementation since 2007 for ICT enablement of the Indian Judiciary.
 The Phase II of the project has concluded in 2023. Phase III of the e-Courts Project, beginning 2023, in India is
rooted in the philosophy of ―access and inclusion. The third phase is aimed at ushering in a regime of
maximum ease of justice by moving towards digital, online and paperless courts through digitisation of the entire
court records including legacy records and by bringing in universalisation of e-filing/e-payments through
saturation of all court complexes with e-Sewa Kendras.
 The main objective of the Phase-III is to create a unified technology platform for the judiciary which will
provide a seamless and paperless interface between the courts, the litigants and other stakeholders. Citizens who
do not have access to technology can access the judicial services from eSewa Kendras, thus bridging the digital
divide. Digitisation of court records also enables processes to become more environmental friendly by minimising
paper-based filings and reducing the physical movement of documents.
Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics launched
 The Centre launched the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg), an online platform for
management of agricultural data. The UPAg, developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers‘ Welfare
(DA & FW), was launched by NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand. He described it as an investment and a
―giant step‖ in the realm of agriculture data management.
 The UPAg Portal was being envisaged as a public good wherein users will benefit by reduced search costs
and frictions and access to credible, granular and objective data. He also highlighted the other initiatives
currently being undertaken by the ministry like Krishi Decision Support System, farmer registry, and crop survey.
The platform is designed to generate crop estimates and integrate with other systems generating
agriculture statistics such as price, trade, procurement, stock. The UPAg portal will address various
challenges including lack of standardised data, lack of verified data, dispersed data etc.
Defence Minister approves setting up of 23 new Sainik Schools in partnership mode
 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the setting up of 23 new Sainik Schools in partnership mode.
The new schools, besides their affiliation to respective education boards, will function under the aegis of the
Sainik Schools Society and will follow the Rules and Regulations for new Sainik Schools in partnership mode
prescribed by the Society.
 The government has approved the initiative of setting up of 100 new Sainik schools in partnership with
NGOs, private schools, and State governments in a graded manner class-wise, starting from Class VI onwards.
Under this initiative, a Memorandum of Agreement has been signed by the Sainik Schools Society with 19 new
Sainik Schools located all over the country.
---------------

International
Indian-American group asks California Governor to veto anti-caste discrimination bill

 Scores of Indian-Americans held a peaceful protest rally in the State Capital of Sacramento urging California
Governor Gavin Newsom to veto the anti-caste discrimination bill, recently passed by the State Assembly,
which they asserted is discriminatory and targets the Indians in general and Hindus in particular.
 If signed into law by Governor Newsom, California would become the first State in the United States and
the first jurisdiction outside India to outlaw discrimination based on caste. The legislation revises
California‘s Unruh Civil Rights Act by adding caste as a protected category under ―ancestry‖.
 Displaying posters and banners, the protestors, most of whom had gathered from various parts of the State, urged
the Governor not to sign the bill into law as this would end up in discrimination against the Hindu
community. Much worse is that the bill amounts to racial profiling of the Hindu community, they argued. Hindu
American Foundation has said that it is exploring every option to protect the rights of Hindu Californians and is
planning to file a lawsuit against this.
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America,
is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district. It is the world‘s
third-largest country by both land and total area. The national capital is Washington, D.C., and the most
populous city and financial center is New York City. Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is the 46th and current
President of the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 47th vice president
from 2009 to 2017 under Barack Obama and represented Delaware in the United States Senate from 1973 to
2009. Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris defeated incumbent president Donald Trump and vice
president Mike Pence in the 2020 presidential election. He is the oldest president and the first to have a female
vice president. The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States and several other countries.
UK‘s Rishi Sunak commits record $2 bn climate aid

 UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a commitment of a record $2 billion to the Green Climate
Fund (GCF), marking the largest single funding contribution by the UK to combat climate change on a
global scale, British High Commission in India said ahead of the second day of G20 Summit in New Delhi. The
Green Climate Fund, established by 194 countries following the Copenhagen Accord at COP15, plays a
pivotal role in financing projects and initiatives aimed at addressing climate change.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a fund established in 2010 within the framework of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change as an operating entity of the Financial Mechanism to assist developing
countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change. The GCF is based in Incheon, South
Korea. It is governed by a Board of 24 members and supported by a Secretariat. The objective of the Green Climate
Fund is to ―support projects, programmes, policies and other activities in developing country Parties using
thematic funding windows‖. It is intended that the Green Climate Fund be the centrepiece of efforts to raise Climate
Finance under the UNFCCC.
‗Hero Kim Kun Ok‘, North Korea‘s new nuclear submarine to counter US naval power
 The submarine was named as ‗Hero Kim Kun Ok‘ and is designed to launch tactical nuclear weapons
from underwater. However, there was no specification about the number of missiles it could carry and fire.

 North Korean President Kim Jong Un expressed his satisfaction that the country acquired its own nuclear
attack submarine to counter the advanced naval assets of the US. Other than Hero Kim Kun Ok, North Korea
is also working on nuclear-propelled submarine and is planning to remodel its existing submarines and surface
vessels.
North Korea is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and borders China
and Russia to the north at the Yalu (Amnok) and Tumen rivers, and South Korea to the south at the Korean
Demilitarized Zone. Pyongyang is the capital and largest city. Kim Jong Un has been supreme leader of North
Korea since 2011 and the leader of the Workers‘ Party of Korea (WPK) since 2012.He is the third son of Kim
Jong Il, who was North Korea‘s second supreme leader from 1994 to 2011, and Ko Yong-hui. The Korean
People‘s won, more commonly known as the North Korean won is the official currency of North Korea.
India proposes G-20 satellite for climate observation

 India proposed to launch a G-20 Satellite Mission for Environment and Climate Observation, with an aim
to help the countries of the Global South. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the suggestion at the G-20
Leaders‘ Summit at the Bharat Mandapam international convention centre in the presence of world leaders
including U.S. President Joe Biden, U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and South Africa President Cyril
Ramaphosa among others.
 Mr. Modi said the G-20 satellite mission would be beneficial for all of humanity just as the data obtained
from India‘s successful Chandrayaan moon mission. India is proposing the launch of the ‗G-20 Satellite
Mission for Environment and Climate Observation with the same spirit. ―The climate and weather data
obtained from this will be shared with all the countries, especially the countries of the Global South. India invites
all G-20 countries to join this initiative,‖ Mr. Modi said during a session at the G-20 Leaders‘ Summit.
IAF chief in Spain to take delivery of India‘s first C-295 tactical airlift planes
 India will get its first spanking new C-295 tactical military airlift plane with Indian Air Force chief Air Chief
Marshal VR Chaudhari now in Spain to receive the delivery, under the mega Rs. 21,935 crore Tata-Airbus
projects for 56 such planes inked two years ago.
 The formal induction ceremony of the twin-turboprop C-295 transport aircraft, which can carry up to nine-
tonne of payload or 71 soldiers with a ―short take-off and land‖ capability from semi-prepared surfaces in
hilly terrain, will take place at the Hindon air-base.
 The C-295s, which will be equipped with indigenous electronic warfare systems, also have rear ramp doors
for quick-reaction and para-dropping of troops and cargo. This is the first time a military aircraft will be
manufactured by the private sector in India, breaking the virtual monopoly of defence PSU Hindustan
Aeronautics for decades. After the first 40 C-295s, the Tata-Airbus facility is also likely to manufacture more
such aircraft for the armed forces and civil operators as well as for exports in the future.
Consensus reached by GCC countries to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol
 GCC ministers responsible for climate and environment affairs reached a consensus on the Kigali
Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, during their 25th meeting
in the Sultanate of Oman. The consensus includes a unified position of the GCC and an annex to the
mechanisms for ratifying the Kigali Amendments. The Kigali Amendment will help curb up to 0.4°C of
global warming in this century while continuing to protect the ozone layer.
 Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued a statement expressing its profound appreciation for
the unanimous consensus reached by GCC member states to advance the ratification of the Kigali
Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This declaration was
made during the participation of Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and
Environment, at the GCC Committee meeting.
 The resolutions adopted during the meeting serve as a collective roadmap for GCC countries. These resolutions
include the establishment of specialized committees to oversee the implementation of environmental
guidelines, robust support for the Middle East Green Initiative, collaborative efforts with the General
Secretariat to promote climate change initiatives at COP28, hosting of national-level environmental events,

regular meetings with environmental experts and media representatives, unified positions on plastic pollution and
substances depleting the ozone layer, a unified Gulf stance on Kigali Amendments to the Montreal Protocol, and
unanimous GCC consensus on ratifying the Kigali Amendment.
 Furthermore, there is a commitment to participation in the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and support for Oman‘s conservation efforts
regarding the frankincense tree. The resolutions also include support for the GCC Pavilion at the Horticultural
Expo 2023 Doha, an invitation to the Arab Environmental Forum in Muscat, agreement on a Gulf
Environmental Index, and support for Saudi Arabia‘s hosting of the UN Convention to Combat
Desertification in 2024. These resolutions collectively demonstrate the dedication of GCC nations to
environmental preservation and international cooperation in addressing pressing environmental challenges, laying
the foundation for a sustainable future in the region.
India, Russia agree to train Indian seafarers in polar and arctic waters
 India and Russia agreed to train Indian seafarers in polar and arctic waters in this far eastern Russian port
as the two sides discussed ways to widen maritime cooperation including possibility of usage of new transport
corridors like the Northern Sea Route as well as the Eastern Maritime Corridor.
 Discussions on the maritime cooperation took place between visiting Union Ports, Shipping and Waters Minister
Sarbananda Sonowal and Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic A
O Chekunko. Dring the meeting, both the leaders discussed wide range of items of maritime communication
between India and Russia to widen maritime cooperation including possibility of usage of new transport
corridors like the Northern Sea Route (NSR) as well as the Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC) between
Vladivostok and Chennai.
EU to launch first phase of world-first CO2 border tax
 The European Union starts the initial phase of its plan for the world‘s first carbon border tax next month,
requiring importers to report the CO2 emissions of products sold into Europe, such as steel and cement, or risk
financial penalties.
 The aim of the new regime is to prevent domestic EU industries from being undercut by more-polluting
foreign competitors, while they invest in reducing emissions. Once it is fully in force from 2026, imports into the
EU will pay a CO2 fee equal to what European companies already pay in Europe‘s carbon market.
 Turkey, Ukraine, China and Russia are expected to have the biggest volumes of exports affected by the
CO2 tax - although EU trade with Russia has plunged since the Ukraine conflict. Industries in Europe,
Ukraine and Britain said they expected little initial impact, but warned of potentially significant fallout when the
full CO2 levy launches in 2026.
 From October, the CO2 levy‘s trial phase will require companies importing steel, cement, aluminium,
electricity, fertilisers and hydrogen into the EU to report the emissions involved in producing those goods.
Companies will face penalties of up to 50 euros per tonne of CO2 if they don‘t report. From 2026, there will be a
CO2 fee applied to goods brought into the EU.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam sworn in as Singapore‘s president
 Indian-origin Singapore-born economist Tharman Shanmugaratnam sworn in as the ninth president of the
city-state, days after he was overwhelmingly elected as the head of state. A predominantly Chinese society
overwhelmingly endorsed Mr Shanmugaratnam.
 He has served Singapore all his life in public service. Prior to being president-elect, he served as a senior
minister and Deputy Prime Minister from May 2011 to May 2019. He is also a member of the Board of
Trustees of the World Economic Forum.
 Earlier on September 1, the president-elect won 70.4 percent of the 2.48 million ballots cast by local voters.
On the other hand, his Chinese-origin rivals Ng Kok Song and Tan Kin Lian received 15.72 percent and 13.88
percent respectively. This was the first contested presidential election since 2011. Incumbent President Halimah
Yacob‘s term will end on September 13. The elected president serves a six-year term.

World‘s 1st Bio-Methanol Container Ship ―Laura‖ Unveiled In Denmark
 European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen christened the world‘s first bio-methanol container
ship, Laura, which joined the fleet of Danish shipping giant Maersk. Built in South Korea by Hyundai
Heavy Industries (HHI) and fitted with a dual-fuel engine, Laura is a relatively small model that will be able to
transport 2,136 20-foot (TEU) containers.
 ―Neither we nor the climate can afford complacency or waiting for other solutions to emerge in the late
2020s,‖ he added. In line with tradition for christening vessels, van der Leyen then swung a bottle of champagne
across the ship‘s hull. Green methanol, also known as ―e-methanol‖, is composed of waste carbon dioxide
(CO2) and ―green hydrogen‖, which is created by using renewable energy to split water molecules.
 Over the past two years, Maersk, the world leader in container shipping, has ordered 25 vessels that run on
green methanol. Of them, 19 are under construction and should set sail by 2025. The company estimates this
will enable it to reduce its annual carbon dioxide emissions by around 2.3 million tonnes. Laura alone will help
reduce its CO2 emissions by 100 tonnes a day, compared to the same vessel running on fuel oil, it said.
 On a global scale, maritime transport is more polluting than air transport, according to the Higher Institute of
Maritime Economics (ISEMAR). The sector accounts for 2.89 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions,
according to the latest figures published by the International Maritime Organisation. Maersk, which sold its
oil division to Total Energies in 2017, aims to become carbon neutral by 2040.
Finland becomes world‘s first country to test digital passport screening
 As per the latest development, Finland has become the first country in the world to issue digital passports to
its citizens. If reports are to go by, this move is aimed at making travel faster, secure, and easier. Reportedly, the
country has also begun testing in partnership with Finnair, airport operator Finavia, and Finnish police.
 Reports further reveal that the Finnish Border Guard is also conducting this test, which they are carrying out at the
border control of Helsinki Airport, and that this exercise will continue until February 2024. With this test,
Finland becomes the world‘s first country to test digital travel documents. The Digital Travel Credential
(DTC) represents a digital rendition of a physical passport, designed to be stored on a smartphone.
 It adheres to the guidelines set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which is actively
developing a global framework for digital travel documents. An unprecedented milestone in this realm is
currently underway in Finland, where DTC is undergoing testing for the first time globally. Initially, this testing
phase will be available exclusively to Finnish citizens who plan to travel between Finland and the UK using
Finnair flights.
UNESCO Puts 2 Ukrainian Locations On List Of Historic Sites In Danger
 The U.N.‘s World Heritage Committee placed two major historical sites in Ukraine on its list of such sites
that it considers to be in danger. The iconic Saint Sophia Cathedral in the capital, Kyiv, and the medieval
center of the western city of Lviv, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites central to Ukraine‘s culture and
history. The decision to put those two on the body‘s list of sites ―in danger‖ has no enforcement mechanism, but
could help deter Russian attacks. The decision was taken at the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee,
which is being held in Saudi Arabia. The committee maintains UNESCO‘s World Heritage List and oversees
conservation of the sites.
 The gold-domed Saint Sophia Cathedral, located in the heart of Kyiv, was built in the 11th century and
designed to rival the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. The monument to Byzantine art contains the biggest collection
of mosaics and frescoes from that period, and is surrounded by monastic buildings dating back to the 17th century.
The other site is the historic center of Lviv, near the Polish border. A 5th century castle overlooks streets and
squares built between the 13th and 17th centuries.
UN committee votes to list ruins near Palestine‘s Jericho as World Heritage Site
 A U.N. conference voted to list prehistoric ruins near the ancient West Bank city of Jericho as a World
Heritage Site in Palestine, which controls the territory and does not recognize a Palestinian state. Jericho is
one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on earth, and is in a part of the Israeli-occupied West Bank that
is administered by the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority.

 The listing refers to the Tel es-Sultan archaeological site nearby, which contains prehistoric ruins dating back
to the ninth millenium B.C. and is outside the ancient city itself. The decision was taken at a meeting of the U.N.
World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization, UNESCO.
 Israel quit UNESCO in 2019, accusing it of being biased against it and of diminishing its connection to the
Holy Land. Israel also objected to UNESCO‘s acceptance of Palestine as a member state in 2011. But Israel
remains a party to the World Heritage Convention, and it sent a delegation to the meeting in Riyadh. Israel
captured the West Bank, along with Gaza and east Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war.
 The Palestinians want all three territories for their future state. Israel views the West Bank as the biblical and
cultural heartland of the Jewish people. The modern city of Jericho is a major draw for tourism to the
Palestinian territories, both because of its historical sites and proximity to the Dead Sea. In 2021, the
Palestinian Authority unveiled major renovations to one of the largest mosaics in the Middle East, in a Jericho
palace dating back to the 8th century.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and is a specialised agency of
the United Nations (UN). It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences
and Culture. UNESCO‘s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. Political and economic arrangements of
governments are not enough to secure the lasting and sincere support of the peoples. Peace must be founded
upon dialogue and mutual understanding. Peace must be built upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity.
It is headquartered at the World Heritage Centre in Paris, France. Audrey Azoulay is a French civil servant
and politician who has been serving as the Director-General of the UNESCO since 2017, becoming the second
female leader of the organization.
India, Brazil begin talks to resolve sugar-related trade dispute at WTO

 India and Brazil have started talks to mutually resolve a sugar-related trade dispute at the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) and as part of the solution the South American nation may share ethanol production
technology with New Delhi. Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane and ethanol in the world. It is also a
leader in the technology used for ethanol production.
 Ethanol is used to blend with oil to power vehicles. The use of ethanol, extracted from sugarcane as well as
broken rice and other agri produce, will help the world‘s third-largest oil consumer and importing country cut its
reliance on overseas shipments. India currently is 85% dependent on imports for meeting its oil needs. Also,
it cuts carbon emissions. There is a target of 20% ethanol blended petrol by 2025.
 India would also have to offer something as part of the mutually agreed solution (MAS) to resolve the
dispute at the Geneva-based multi-lateral body. Recently India and the US have ended six trade disputes
and have also agreed to terminate the seventh case. As part of the solution, while New Delhi removed retaliatory
duties on 8 American products like apples and walnuts, the US is providing market access to Indian steel and
aluminium products without levying extra duties.
 In 2019, Brazil, Australia and Guatemala dragged India into the WTO‘s dispute settlement mechanism
alleging that New Delhi‘s sugar subsidies to farmers are inconsistent with global trade rules. A WTO
dispute settlement panel on December 14, 2021, ruled that India‘s support measures for the sugar sector are
inconsistent with the global trade norms.
World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates
international trade between nations. It officially commenced operations on 1 January 1995, pursuant to the
1994 Marrakesh Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which was
established in 1948. The WTO is the world‘s largest international economic organization, with 164 member
states representing over 96% of global trade and global GDP. The WTO is headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the current Director-General of the World Trade Organization. She has
become the first woman and the first African to hold the office.
---------------

ECONOMY AND FINANCE
‗BRICS bank‘ aims to issue first Indian rupee bond by October

 The development bank founded by the so-called BRICS countries is planning to issue its first Indian rupee
bond by October as the lender comes under pressure to raise and lend more in local currencies. The New
Development Bank (NDB) issued its first rand bond in South Africa and could consider local currency issuance
in members Brazil, Russia and United Arab Emirates.
The New Development Bank (NDB), formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, is a multilateral
development bank established by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). According
to the Agreement on the NDB, ―the Bank shall support public or private projects through loans, guarantees,
equity participation and other financial instruments.‖ Moreover, the NDB ―shall cooperate with international
organizations and other financial entities, and provide technical assistance for projects to be supported by the Bank.‖
The initial authorized capital of the bank is $100 billion divided into 1 million shares having a par value of
$100,000 each. The initial subscribed capital of the NDB is $50 billion divided into paid-in shares ($10 billion) and
callable shares ($40 billion). The initial subscribed capital of the bank was equally distributed among the
founding members. The Agreement on the NDB specifies that every member will have one vote no one would
have any veto powers. The bank is headquartered in Shanghai, China. Marcos Troyjo is President of the New
Development Bank (NDB).
HSBC India launches ‗ONDC in a Box‘

 HSBC India announced the launch of ‗ONDC in a Box‘, a one-stop-shop proposition for corporates towards
seamless enablement on ONDC. With this launch, HSBC India becomes the first foreign bank in India to offer
an ONDC-enabled proposition.
 The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is an initiative by the Department for Promotion of
Industry and Internal Trade, and Ministry of Commerce and Industry to build an open, interoperable network
on which buyers and sellers can transact without needing to be present on the same platform. ONDC aims at
fostering an inclusive, competitive, and open network, amplifying its impact across the business spectrum.
―The ‗ONDC in a Box‘ proposition by HSBC India is presented along with its ecosystem partners – Protean eGov
Technologies Ltd (Protean) and Shayr Omnichannel Private Limited (Adya). As part of this proposition, banking
services are offered by HSBC India and the ONDC Modules are offered by Protean and Adya.
The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India (HSBC India) or HSBC Bank India, is
incorporated in Hong Kong SAR with limited liability. It is a foreign bank under the Banking Regulation Act,
1949 and thus is regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The registered office is at Mumbai, India.
Saudi Arabia to consider setting up sovereign wealth fund office in GIFT City to facilitate
investments
 Saudi Arabia will consider setting up an office of its sovereign wealth fund (SWF) in Gujarat International
Finance Tec-City (GIFT) to facilitate investments. GIFT City in Gujarat is a multi-purpose special economic
zone for financial services. Saudi investments in India stood at USD 3.22 billion from April 2000 to June 2023.

Centre launches Skill India Digital app to find jobs, training opportunities
 The Centre formally launched the Skill India Digital app, which brings together listings for upskilling
courses and job listings. The app had been soft launched in April, and was announced by Union Finance
Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Budget session of Parliament in February.
 The app will be linked with DigiLocker and Aadhaar to issue verifiable certificates of course completion and to
generate digitally signed CVs for job applicants and people taking courses. Skill India Digital is linked to the
Udyam portal for registration of micro, small and medium enterprises, the eShram portal, created to build
a National Database of Unorganized Workers, the National Career Service, a five year project launched by the
Government in 2015 for job-seekers, and the ASEEM job directory. The app was developed by the National
Skill Development Corporation.
Recently, the Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched Skill India Digital (SID).
This comprehensive digital platform aspires to provide every Indian with access to quality skill development,
relevant opportunities, and entrepreneurial support. Skill India Digital (SID) is envisioned as the Digital Public
Infrastructure (DPI) for skilling, education, employment, and entrepreneurship in India. It aims to bring together
various skilling initiatives and create a seamless ecosystem for skill development, aligning with the principles of the
G20 framework for building DPIs. Digital public infrastructure refers to blocks or platforms such as digital
identification, payment infrastructure and data exchange solutions that help countries deliver essential services to
their people, empowering citizens and improving lives by enabling digital inclusion.
PM Narendra Modi laid foundation stone of Downstream Petrochemical Complex and Refinery
Expansion Project at BPCL‘s Bina refinery at Sagar in MP
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Downstream Petrochemical Complex and
Refinery Expansion Project at BPCL‘s Bina refinery at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh. Petroleum Ministry said
that in line with the aspirations of New Bharat BPCL has envisioned a modern Petrochemical Complex in its
BINA REFINERY.
 An investment of 49 thousand Crore rupees would bring prosperity and happiness in the entire region of
Bundelkhand. Under this Project, the capacity of Bina Refinery would be enhanced to 11 million metric tonnes
per annum which would produce more than 2200 Kiloton petrochemical products. The entire project would be
completed in five years. The Ethylene Cracker Complex will use captive feedstock like Naphtha, LPG, and
Kerosene from Bina Refinery. Madhya Pradesh Government has been supporting the project by providing fiscal
incentives under SGST refund, Interest-free loan and interest subsidy assistance, Concessional Power, and
Exemption of Stamp Duty.
QCI and Commissionerate of Food Safety in Assam sign MoU to improve food safety ecosystem
 The Quality Council of India (QCI) with the support of government of Assam hosted the Assam Gunvatta
Sankalp in Guwahati to bring quality revolution at the doorstep of citizens of Assam.
 The event also witnessed the exchange of an MoU signed between Quality Council of India (QCI) and
Commissionerate of Food Safety, Assam, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Assam with an intent
of ―Improving the Food Safety ecosystem in the state of Assam through creating Quality Infrastructure
mechanism by intervention such as conformity.
The Quality Council of India (QCI) was set up as a public private partnership model on the model existing in
Netherlands at the time, where although the NAB was not owned by the government, yet it was supported by it
and was exceedingly used as a third party agency to improve quality in departments and industry. QCI thus, came to
be organized as an independent autonomous body that worked towards assuring quality standards across all
spheres of economic and social activities. It is headquartered in New Delhi.
Razorpay acquires digital invoicing startup BillMe

 Fintech platform Razorpay has acquired Mumbai-based digital invoicing and customer engagement
startup BillMe. The partnership aims at empowering businesses with a hybrid model to engage better with end
consumers.

 Founded in 2018 by Kuber Pritmani, Jai Hemrajani and Rupam Jain, BillMe has served over 4,000
businesses and 15,000 retail Points Of Sale (POS). This is the Bengaluru-based fintech‘s eighth acquisition, and
first since its foray into omnichannel payments with the acquisition of end-to-end digital payments company
Ezetap in August 2022.
RBI asks financial institutions to release all movable/ immovable property documents within 30
days of full repayment of loan
 Reserve Bank of India has asked all the financial institutions to release all movable/immovable property
documents within 30 days upon receiving full repayment and closure of personal loan accounts. RBI has said
that, in case of delay financial institutions shall compensate the borrower at the rate of Rs.5 thousand for each
day of delay. These Directions will be applicable from 1st december 2023.
 In case of loss/damage to original movable / immovable property documents, the financial institutions shall assist
the borrower in obtaining duplicate/certified copies. An additional time of 30 days will be available to the
financial institution to complete this procedure and the delayed period penalty will be calculated thereafter
i.e. after a total period of 60 days.
 RBI has observed that the financial institutions follow divergent practices in release of such movable /
immovable property documents. Bank has issued these guidelines to address the issues faced by the borrowers.
The compensation provided under these directions shall be without prejudice to the rights of a borrower to get any
other compensation as per any applicable law.
The Reserve Bank of India was founded on 1 April 1935 to respond to economic troubles after the First World
War. RBI was conceptualised as per the guidelines, working style and outlook presented by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
in his book titled ―The Problem of the Rupee – Its origin and its solution‖ and presented to the Hilton Young
Commission. The bank was set up based on the recommendations of the 1926 Royal Commission on Indian
Currency and Finance, also known as the Hilton–Young Commission. In 1969, the Indira Gandhi-headed
government nationalised 14 major commercial banks. Upon Indira Gandhi‘s return to power in 1980, a further
six banks were nationalised. The first Governor of the RBI was British banker Osborn Smith and C.D.
Deshmukh was the first Indian Governor of RBI. Shaktikanta Das is the current Governor of RBI.
RBI approves reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as ICICI Bank MD for 3 years

 Private sector ICICI Bank said the RBI has approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as Managing
Director and CEO of the private lender for three years. The reappointment of Bakhshi will be effective from
October 4, 2023, till October 3, 2026, ICICI Bank said in a regulatory filing.
Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI) Bank Limited is an Indian multinational bank
and financial services company headquartered in Mumbai with registered office in Vadodara. It offers a wide
range of banking and financial services for corporate and retail customers through a variety of delivery channels and
specialized subsidiaries in the areas of investment banking, life, non-life insurance, venture capital and asset
management. Sandeep Bakhshi is the current MD & CEO, ICICI Bank. ICICI is the second-largest private
bank in India. HDFC is the largest private bank in India in terms of market capitalization.
Former SBI chair Rajnish Kumar is now Mastercard India Chairman

 Mastercard India announced the appointment of Rajnish Kumar, former State Bank of India (SBI)
chairman, as the Chairman of Mastercard India. In this non-executive advisory role, Kumar will guide
Mastercard‘s South Asia executive leadership team in navigating the domestic payments landscape. Kumar, over
the course of nearly four decades, has held a wide range of leadership roles at SBI and its subsidiaries. He
managed critical operations across India and internationally in the UK and Canada. An early adopter of
technology in Indian banking, Kumar spearheaded the development of SBI‘s digital platform, YONO. More
recently, he concluded a three-year term as SBI chairman in October 2020.
LIC sells over 2% stake in Sun Pharma for Rs. 4,699 crore
 LIC has sold 2% of its holding in Sun Pharma for Rs.4,699 crore via open market sale. Following the share
sale, there is a decrease of 2% in holding during the period from July 22, 2022 to September 13, 2023.

 The shares were sold at an average price of Rs.973.80 per share during the period through an open market
sale in an ordinary course of transaction. Sun Pharma is engaged in the business of manufacturing, developing
and marketing a wide range of branded and generic formulations and Active Pharma Ingredients (APls). Shares of
the country‘s largest state-owned insurer, LIC, closed at Rs.660.80 apiece on BSE, up by 0.27%. Sun Pharma
shares ended 0.8% up at Rs.1, 143.60.
India becomes OIML issuing authority
 India can now issue OIML certificates - mandatory certification required for measuring instruments. The
OIML - International Organisation of Legal Metrology - is an international standard-setting body which
develops regulations, standards and related documents for use by legal metrology authorities and industry.
 Established in 1955, headquartered in Paris, harmonises international regulations of measuring
instruments like clinical thermometers, alcohol breath analysers, radar speed measuring instruments, ship tanks
found at ports, and petrol dispensing units. ―It is a single certificate accepted worldwide, ― said Singh adding
that this would help manufacturers of measuring devices in India help get the certificate faster and also earn
foreign exchange for the country as international manufacturers are applying for the certificate in India. India is
the 13th country to become an issuing authority.
US largest source of India‘s foreign direct investment in FY23
 The United States emerged as the leading source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India during the fiscal
year 2023 (FY23), according to a recent census conducted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The data also
revealed that Mauritius, the United Kingdom, and Singapore followed the United States and collectively
contributed 60 per cent of the total FDI inflow into India. In terms of market value, the FDI amounted to Rs.
50 lakh crore in FY23.
 Specifically, the United States brought in Rs. 8.58 lakh crore ($103 billion) in FDI during FY23, up from Rs.
8.05 lakh crore in the previous fiscal year, representing a 17.2 per cent share of the total FDI. Meanwhile, FDI
from Mauritius stood at Rs. 7.43 lakh crore (compared to Rs. 7.79 lakh crore in FY22), accounting for a 14.9 per
cent share, while the United Kingdom contributed Rs. 7.08 lakh crore (compared to Rs. 5.83 lakh crore in FY22).
 This census relied on foreign liabilities and assets (FLA) data, which encompassed cross-border assets and
liabilities of various entities such as companies, limited liability partnerships, alternative investment funds,
and partnership firms engaged in inward and outward direct investment (DI). Out of the 38,689 entities surveyed,
33,850 reported their FDI and ODI on their balance sheets as of the end of March 2023. Notably, over 97 per cent
of these responding DI entities were unlisted as of March 2023 and accounted for a significant portion of the FDI
equity capital in India, according to the RBI report.
 Regarding outward direct investment (ODI) by Indian entities, Singapore, the United States, the United
Kingdom, and the Netherlands were among the top destinations, receiving 60 per cent of the total Rs. 9.1 lakh
crore invested during FY23.
 The total ODI by Indian firms increased by 19.46 per cent to Rs. 9.11 lakh crore ($109 billion) in FY23
compared to Rs. 7.62 lakh crore in the previous year, according to the RBI study. Singapore was the largest
recipient of ODI from Indian firms, receiving Rs. 2.03 lakh crore ($24.48 billion), accounting for around 22.3 per
cent of the total ODI during FY23.
 The United States received Rs. 1.24 lakh crore (13.6 per cent share), and the United Kingdom received Rs.
1.16 lakh crore (12.8 per cent share) from India in terms of ODI during the same fiscal year. The census also
highlighted that the market value of FDI in India increased by 6.9 per cent in rupee terms during FY23, primarily
due to the rise in FDI in unlisted companies.
 In terms of market value, the growth of ODI outpaced that of FDI, resulting in the ratio of inward to
outward direct investment decreasing from 6.1 times to 5.5 times in March 2023 compared to the previous
year and 5.6 times two years prior.
 Sector-wise, the manufacturing sector continued to attract the largest share of FDI equity, both in terms of
market value and face value. Among services, the ―Information and Communication‖ and ―financial and
insurance activities‖ sectors were the major recipients of FDI. Non-financial companies retained the majority of
the FDI equity at face value, with the market value of FDI in unlisted firms surpassing that in listed companies.

‗FDI‘ or ‗Foreign Direct Investment‘ means investment through capital instruments by a person resident
outside India –in an unlisted Indian company or in ten per cent or more of the post-issue paid-up equity capital
on a fully diluted basis of a listed Indian company. In India, foreign investment can be made mainly under two
routes: Automatic Route: Under the Automatic Route, the non-resident investor or the Indian company does not
require any approval from Government of India for the investment. Reserve Bank of India is in charge of
Automatic Route. Government Approval Route: Under the Government Approval Route, prior to investment,
approval from the Government of India is required. A foreign direct investment (FDI) is an investment in the form
of a controlling ownership in a business in one country by an entity based in another country.
Tata Steel, U.K. government agree to invest 1.25 billion pounds in Port Talbot site
 Tata Steel and the U.K. government have announced an agreement to invest in Electric Arc Furnace
steelmaking at the Port Talbot site with a capital cost of £1.25 billion, inclusive of a grant from the U.K.
government of up to £500 million, subject to conditions. The proposed project would ensure continuity of
steelmaking in Port Talbot after the transition, and transform Tata Steel UK into a sustainable, capital-efficient
and profitable business.
 Tata Steel U.K. will soon commence consultation on the proposal and the transition period including
potential deep restructuring for the carbon-intensive, unsustainable iron and steelmaking facilities at Port
Talbot, where many of the existing ‗heavy end‘ assets —such as blast furnaces and coke ovens—are reaching the
end of their operational life, the company added. The proposed project would also involve Tata Steel‘s balance
sheet being restructured with potential elimination of the current cash losses in the U.K. operations and non-cash
impairment of legacy investments.
India‘s first digital fixed-return investment platform Stable Money launched
 India‘s first digital fixed-return investment platform Stable Moneyis now available for downloads. It is an
online marketplace that focuses on providing reliable fixed-income investment opportunities to users. This
fintech platform offers access to fixed deposits (FDs), debt mutual funds, bonds, and other low-risk asset classes.
Stable Money compares FD interest rates from over 200 banks and enables customers to manage and track their
FDs using digital tools.
 Stable Money has recently secured funding from Matrix and Lightspeed. The platform has on-boarded
multiple partner banks and NBFCs, such as Utkarsh Small Finance Bank, Shivalik Small Finance Bank, and
Shriram Finance Limited among others to offer their fixed-income products. During the launch event, alongside
the unveiling of innovative features, various partner banks also participated in panel discussions on topics related
to rising inflation and financial planning.
Indian Bank rolls out IB SAATHI to provide basic banking services
 Indian Bank has unveiled IB SAATHI (Sustainable Access and Aligning Technology for Holistic Inclusion),
a financial inclusion solution, aimed at providing basic banking services to stakeholders through the business
correspondent (BC) channel.
 With this revamped model, the bank aims to provide basic banking services at all centres for a minimum of
four hours per day in fixed outlets. Indian Bank has embarked on a mission to deploy more than 5,000 new BCs
by March 2024. Right now, it has 10,750 BCs and 10 corporate business correspondents (CBCs), which will be
enhanced to 15,000 BCs and 15 CBCs. Currently, Indian Bank offers 36 different services to customers through
its BC channel. In FY25, the bank is poised to introduce additional 60 services.
Indian Bank is an Indian public sector bank, established in 1907 and headquartered in Chennai. Since 1969, the
Government of India has owned the bank. As per the announcement made by the Indian Finance Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman on 30 August 2019, Allahabad Bank merged from 1 April 2020, making Indian Bank now
the seventh largest bank in the country.
---------------

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Inventions/Discoveries
Webb telescope discovers methane, carbon dioxide on potential ocean planet
 Scientists used the James Webb Space Telescope to look into the planet K2-18 b and found the presence of
carbon-bearing molecules like methane and carbon dioxide. The planet is 8.6 times as massive as Earth and
recent studies have suggested that its surface could be covered with water oceans and that it has a hydrogen-rich
atmosphere.
 The planet K2-18 b orbits the cool dwarf star K2-18 in the ―goldilocks zone: where it gets just enough
starlight to have liquid water while not enough to boil it off into vapour. The planet is about 120 light-years away
from us in the constellation Leo. Studies suggest that it is a ―Hycean planet‖ — a hypothetical type of planet
described as a hot, water-covered planet with a hydrogen atmosphere.
 Some scientists believe that Hycean planets are excellent candidates to search for evidence of life. The
abundance of methane and carbon dioxide along with a shortage of ammonia supports the hypothesis that
there could be a water ocean hiding under a hydrogen rich atmosphere on the planet.
 K2-18b does lie in the habitable zone and it does have carbon-bearing molecules but that does not necessarily
mean that it can support life. It has a radius 2.6 times that of Earth and this likely means that it has a large
mantle of high-pressure ice.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope currently conducting infrared astronomy. As the
largest telescope in space, it is equipped with high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments, allowing it to view
objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope. This enables investigations across many fields of
astronomy and cosmology, such as observation of the first stars, the formation of the first galaxies, and detailed
atmospheric characterization of potentially habitable exoplanets. The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) led Webb‘s design and development and partnered with two main agencies: the
European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The telescope is named after James E.
Webb, who was the administrator of NASA from 1961 to 1968 during the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.
The James Webb Space Telescope was launched on 25 December 2021 on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou,
French Guiana, and arrived at the Sun–Earth L2 Lagrange point in January 2022. The first Webb image was
released to the public via a press conference on 11 July 2022.
IIT- Guwahati researchers develop innovative technologies for sustainable utilization of tea waste
 Indian Institute of Technology- Guwahati researchers have developed innovative technologies for
sustainable and efficient utilization of tea waste from the tea industry. In line with the scope of waste to
wealth mission (W2W) of Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), Government of India, this research leverages a key
regional resource to promote a more sustainable and diversified economy in the North Eastern states of India. The
research will also fulfil the purpose of ―Act East Policy‖ ―Advantages Assam‖ and ―Biotechnology‖ policy
of Government of Assam.
 Addressing these waste utilization and management issues becomes paramount as it aligns with sustainable
practices and innovative solutions, ensuring both the industrial growth and ecological preservation. Addressing

these issues, the research team led by Prof. Mihir Kumar Purkait, Department of Chemical Engineering,
IIT Guwahati, has carried out cutting age research on the diversified application of tea factory waste to
various pharmaceutical and foods products as an output of Abdul Kalam Technology Innovation National
Fellowships of Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE). These carbonaceous pharmaceutical
materials form the basis for a broad spectrum of application-based commodities.
Maharashtra to get first dedicated centre for vultures soon
 In a first, a vulture conservation and breeding centre will be set up in Maharashtra‘s Pingori — some 60
kms from Pune — after the state Forest Department and Ela Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) recently for the same.
 The move is also part of an action plan drawn by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEFCC) for vulture conservation in India (2020-2025). The action plan states that though the
Vulture Conservation Breeding Centre‘s (VCBC) primary objective is breeding critically endangered
vultures, it would help in-situ conservation efforts of vultures as well amidst facilities, infrastructure, and
capacities developed over the years.
 The new centre will come up at Ela Habitat — a field station of Ela Foundation — which has Viloo C
Poonawalla Hospital for Wildlife (transit treatment centre) on the same premises. The Vulture Multi-species
Action Plan states, ―Vultures provide critically important ecosystem services by cleaning up carcasses and other
organic waste in the environment; they are nature‘s garbage collectors and this translates into significant
economic benefits.
Rare green comet ‗Nishimura‘ graces our skies after 400 years
 A rare green comet, named the Nishimura, is making its debut in our celestial vicinity after more than four
centuries. Given that it won‘t be in our area again for 400 years, Northern Hemisphere astronomy fans only
have till early next week to witness this celestial visitor.
 This comet, which is about a kilometer in size (about half a mile), will glide by Earth gracefully at a distance
of 78 million miles (125 million kilometers). Early risers should cast their eyes toward the northern horizon about
1 1/2 hours before sunrise to capture a glimpse.
 Specifically, it will be situated less than 10 degrees above the horizon near the Leo constellation. As it
approaches the sun, the comet will become brighter but gradually descend in the sky, making it somewhat
challenging to spot. The comet is visible with the naked eye, however it is fairly dim.
 The Nishimura comet, named after an amateur Japanese astronomer who discovered it in mid-August, has
being methodically tracked by astronomers. It‘s somewhat uncommon for amateurs to discover comets in the
present era, given the comprehensive professional sky surveys conducted by powerful ground-based telescopes.
Scientists find world‘s first mountaintop impact crater in NE China
 Chinese scientists have discovered the world‘s first-known mountaintop impact crater in the country‘s
northeastern region, according to the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research
(HPSTAR) in Beijing.
 The discovery provides a new perspective for exploring the mechanisms of impact crater formation and the
shock-metamorphic effects in unique terrains and landscapes. ―Most asteroids impact Earth‘s surface, creating
bowl-shaped craters or complex craters with center peaks,‖.
 With a diameter of 1,400 meters, the impact crater is located on the top of Baijifeng Mountain in the
Baijifeng National Forest Park in Tonghua, Jilin Province. It is a cirque-shaped depression, with a height
difference of about 400 meters from the highest rim to the lowest rim.
IIT-Delhi Researchers Claim To Have Done India‘s First Soil Erodibility Mapping
 Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi claim to have conducted the country‘s first
national-scale mapping of soil erodibility. Before this, soil erodibility assessments were conducted in specific
regions or catchments but a national-scale assessment of soil erodibility was required. The national-scale mapping
of soil erodibility is aimed at highlighting specific areas where the soil is most prone to erosion.

Brazil unveils world‘s first confirmed dog-fox hybrid ‗Dogxim‘ which barked like a dog and
hunted like a fox
 In a groundbreaking revelation, the world‘s inaugural confirmed dog-fox hybrid, affectionately termed the
‗dogxim,‘ has been unveiled in Brazil, marking a remarkable moment in the annals of zoology. The existence
of this enigmatic creature came to light after it was tragically struck by a vehicle in 2021.
 The injured hybrid was promptly taken to a local veterinary facility, where a perplexing mystery presented
itself to the medical staff. Local scientists hailing from esteemed universities embarked on an investigative
journey, conducting extensive genetic examinations to understand the true nature of this canine.
 Their revelations were nothing short of astonishing. The hybrid, it was determined, was a product of two
worlds – her mother a pampas fox, and her father, a domestic dog. Flávia Ferrari, a dedicated conservationist
who played a pivotal role in the hybrid‘s recovery, offered insights. Ferrari stated, ―She was an amazing animal,
truly a hybrid between a pampas fox and a dog. She was not as docile as a dog, but it also lacked the
aggressiveness expected of a wild canid when handled.
Chandigarh: North India‘s First ‗Aquarium Tunnel‘ opens at Chandigarh Sea World Carnival
 On the lines of Dubai and Singapore, tricity residents can now take a glimpse of aquarium tunnels in
Chandigarh. Around two lakh exotic fish, imported from abroad, are on display at the Sea World Carnival at
Sector 34 exhibition ground. Apart from this, one can enjoy different cuisines prepared by chefs from all over the
country at the food stalls. Around 16 swings have been installed for children and adults. All the swings have also
been fitness tested.
Bengaluru-based KaleidEO becomes first Indian firm to deploy edge computing in space
 Bengaluru-based deep tech player SatSure Analytics‘ India subsidiary KaleidEO has become the first Indian
firm to deploy edge computing in space by successfully generating actionable insights from an image taken by
an orbiting satellite in real-time.
 Edge computing allows for data generated to be analysed at source, be it a factory floor, utility, smart city,
retail store, booking platform, or – as in KaleidEO‘s case – outer space. Usually, raw data is sent to a central
data centre for further processing and analysis. This demonstration helps establish KaleidEO‘s competency to
analyse satellite imagery in space as well as gives a boost to its plans of sending four edge-computing capable
Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites into space in 2025.
iPhone 12 Sale Banned in France Over Radiation Issues
 France‘s radiation watchdog has banned sales of Apple‘s iPhone 12 after tests that it said showed the
smartphone breached European radiation exposure limits. The Agence Nationale des Frequences (ANFR)
said the model‘s Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) — a measure of the rate of radiofrequency energy absorbed
by the body from a piece of equipment — was higher than legally allowed. Jean-Noel Barrot, France‘s junior
minister for the digital economy, told newspaper Le Parisien a software update could fix the problem. If Apple
does not resolve the issue, the ANFR said it would order a recall of the device across France. Apple disputes
the watchdog‘s conclusions, saying the iPhone 12 was certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with
global radiation standards.
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company that specializes in consumer electronics, computer
software and online services. Apple is the largest information technology company by revenue (totaling $274.5
billion in 2020) and, since January 2021, the world‘s most valuable company. As of 2021, Apple is the fourth-
largest PC vendor by unit sales and fourth-largest smartphone manufacturer. It is one of the Big Five
American information technology companies, alongside Amazon, Alphabet (Google), Meta (Facebook), and
Microsoft. Apple was founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne to develop and sell
Wozniak‘s Apple I personal computer. It was incorporated by Jobs and Wozniak as Apple Computer, Inc. It is
headquartered in Silicon Valley, California.
---------------

SPORTS
Sports Personalities in News

Novak Djokovic, no longer chasing history but making his own, wins 24th Grand Slam at US
Open after war of attrition
 Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to win his fourth U.S. Open and a record-
equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, avenging his loss to the Russian in the final two years ago. Djokovic
won to become the oldest men‘s champion in New York in the Open era and match Margaret Court‘s all-time
mark for most Grand Slam victories.
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 1 in singles by the
Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Djokovic has been ranked No. 1 for a record total of 392 weeks in a
record 12 different years, and finished as the year-end No. 1 a record seven times. Djokovic has won an all-time
record 24 Grand Slam men‘s singles titles, including a record ten Australian Open titles. Overall, he has won
96 singles titles, including a record 69 Big Titles (24 majors, a record 39 Masters, and a joint-record six ATP
Finals). Djokovic is the only man in tennis history to be the reigning champion of all four majors at once across
three different surfaces. In singles, he is the only man to achieve a triple Career Grand Slam, and the only player to
complete a career Golden Masters, a feat he has achieved twice.
Cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur among 3 Indians on TIME100 NEXT 2023 list of emerging leaders
 Three Indians, including cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur, were named by TIME magazine as the top 100
emerging leaders shaping the world. The ‗2023 TIME100 Next: the Emerging Leaders Shaping the World‘ list,
released featured three Indians, Kaur, Nandita Venkatesan and Vinu Daniel. It also featured Indian-origin
Nabarun Dasgupta.
 Indian-origin scientist Dasgupta helped launch a programme through a nonprofit that cleared bottlenecks
stopping the opioid-overdose-reversing drug naloxone from getting to the front lines.
 After creating new supply arrangements and buying the treatment in bulk, the organisation distributed over 1.6
million doses across the country in the past year, helping end a life-threatening drug shortage. Indian-origin
scientist Dasgupta helped launch a programme through a nonprofit that cleared bottlenecks stopping the
opioid-overdose-reversing drug naloxone from getting to the front lines.
62nd edition of Subroto Cup International Football Tournament
 The 62nd edition of the Subroto Cup International Football Tournament will be held from 19 th September
this year. A total of 109 teams from 27 States and Union Territories will participate in the tournament. Under -
17 Junior Boys and Girls tournaments will be held in Delhi and Gurugram, While Under-14 Sub Junior Boys
Competition will be held in Bengaluru. The Subroto Cup International Football Tournament is a prestigious inter-
school football tournament that is held annually.
 The Tournament is named after Air Marshal Subroto Mukerjee, who conceived the Idea to promote sports
at the grassroots level. It is an annual event that began in 1960. This is a unique tournament where in, the
champion school teams from all states and foreign countries participate in this tournament.

US Open Tennis, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden lose men‘s doubles final against Rajeev
Ram and Joe Salisbury in New York
 In US Open Tennis, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden lost the final match of men‘s doubles against
Rajeev Ram-Joe Salisbury in New York. Indo-Australian pair Bopanna-Ebden made a dominating start in the
summit clash by winning the first set but failed to cash in on the golden opportunity and lost to the British-
American pair Ram-Salisbury 6-2, 3-6, 4-6.
 In Women‘s Doubles, New Zealand-Canadian pair Erin Routliffe and Gabriela Dabrowski defeated China‘s
Wang Xinyu and Taiwan‘s Hsieh Su-wei 6-1, 7-6 in first semi-final. German-Russian pair Laura Siegemund-
Vera Zvonareva defeated American-Brazilian duo Jennifer Brady-Luisa Stefaniin 6-4, 6-1 in second semifinals.
Manisha Kalyan goal is first by Indian in UEFA Women‘s Champions League
 Manisha Kalyan has become the first Indian to ever score in the UEFA Women‘s Champions League. The
goal, scored in the 72nd minute for Cypriot League Champions Apollon Ladies FC, effectively killed off the game.
It ensured that the side would advance to the next round of the Qualifying stage of the tournament. After winning
the AIFF Women‘s Player of the Year award in the 2021-22 season, Manisha signed a multiple-year deal with
Cypriot League champions Apollon Ladies FC. She made her debut for the club in a UEFA Women‘s Champions
League Qualifier against Riga FS.
Neeraj Chopra finishes second in Diamond League Final
 Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra failed to defend his Diamond League
champion‘s title as he finished second with a modest performance of 83.80 m. Jakub Vadlejch of Czech
Republic became the Diamond League champion for the third time with a best throw of 84.24 m which
came in his sixth and final attempt. He was leading the six-man field from the beginning following his first round
effort of 84.01 m.
 He had become only the third javelin thrower in history to hold both the Olympic and World
Championships crowns after winning the worlds title in Budapest with a throw of 88.17 m. Just a few days
after winning the World Championships title, he competed in the Zurich DL leg on August 31 when he finished
second behind Vadlejch.
Neeraj Chopra is an Indian track and field athlete, who is the reigning Olympic champion, World champion
and the Diamond League champion in the javelin throw. He is the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold
medal in his event and the first such Asian to win gold at the World Championship. A Junior Commissioned
Officer Subedar (JCO) in the Indian Army, Chopra is the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal for India at
the Olympics. He is also the first track and field athlete from India to win at the World Under-20
Championships, where in 2016 he achieved a world U20 record throw of 86.48 m, becoming the first Indian
athlete to set a world record. He is one of only two Indians to have won an individual Olympic gold medal (the
other being Abhinav Bindra), the youngest-ever Indian Olympic gold medalist in an individual event and the
only individual to have won gold on his Olympic debut. His silver medal at the 2022 World Championships made
him the second Indian to win a medal at a World Athletics Championships. He subsequently won the first gold for
India at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
---------------

MISCELLANEOUS
Tamil Nadu govt launches Rs. 1,000 monthly aid scheme for women
 The Tamil Nadu Government launched Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam wherein One Crore Women
will be benefited as they will be paid 1000 rupees - per month. Chief Minister M.K.Stalin said that the role of a
woman is always undermined and their rights are ignored.
 Women‘s rights to economic empowerment is important for the development of the society. The scheme was
launched at Kanchipuram, the birth place of late Chief Minister and DMK founder C.N.Annadurai. The State will
spend .12 thousand Crores rupees annually for the scheme which aspires to improve the financial security of
women heads of households and aims to reduce poverty.
Uttar Pradesh‘s Yogi Adityanath govt plans to develop another Noida in Jhansi
 In a significant development, Uttar Pradesh is poised to welcome its second industrial city, following in the
footsteps of Noida, as the Yogi Adityanath‘s state cabinet recently approved the establishment of the
Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority.
 This new industrial city is slated to be constructed in the Jhansi district, marking a momentous milestone 47
years after the inception of Noida. This strategic move holds the potential to bolster the burgeoning defence
corridor, with Jhansi serving as a pivotal node within this ambitious plan.
 Finance minister Suresh Khanna emphasized that this decision will usher in a new era of growth for
Bundelkhand, opening the doors to an array of employment opportunities thanks to extensive infrastructural
enhancements. The government initially intends to build an industrial city on 14,000 hectares of land.
 This industrial city is envisaged along the Jhansi-Gwalior corridor, which will also connect to key cities
around the country via the National Highway. Furthermore, it will be well connected to other cities in the state
via the Bundelkhand Expressway, which will run from National Highway 27 via the Jalaun district.
Telangana: India‘s biggest tribal festival awaits national status
 India‘s biggest biennial tribal festival – Sammakka Saralamma Jatara to be held at tiny tribal hamlet of
Medaram in Tadwai block of Telangana‘s Mulug district get the ―national festival‖ status, if the Central
government approves the long-pending proposal of the state government. The ―jatara‖ (fair), which is often
referred to as the Kumbh Mela of the South, witnesses the largest congregation of over 10 million tribals from
across the country.
 The footfall at the three-day festival held from February 16 to 18 in 2022 was around 13 million, according to
official records of the state tribal welfare department. Ever since Telangana became a separate state in June
2014, the state government has been requesting the Centre to give Sammakka Saralamma Jatara a national
festival status, keeping in view the uniqueness of the festival and the congregation of millions of tribals from all
parts of the country.
Assam CM Himanta Sarma launches campaign to plant 1 crore saplings in Assam
 Seeking to set a new world record by planting one crore saplings in the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa
Sarma said the Assam government will target planting 8 crore seedlings next year and another 10 crore
saplings in 2025.
 He said the ‗Amrit Brikshya Andolan‘ will increase green cover as well as boost the local economy as
commercial trees will mostly be planted during the exercises. He said next year the state government will attempt
to plant three crore saplings in non-forest areas and another five crore in forest areas, while in 2025, the attempt
will be for 5 crore seedlings each in non-forest and forest areas.
----------------

PERSONS IN NEWS
PM Modi remains most popular global leader with 76% rating
 The US-based consultancy firm‘s ‗Global Leader Approval Rating Tracker‘ claimed that 76 per cent of
people approve of PM Narendra Modi‘s leadership, while 18 per cent disapprove of it and six per cent did not
give any opinion. Modi, who is being lauded for the successfully hosting G20 Summit in New Delhi earlier this
month, is followed by Switzerland President Alain Berset with 64 per cent approval rating and Mexico‘s
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador with 61 per cent approval rating.
 In earlier ratings as well, Modi had topped the ranking. US President Joe Biden has a 40 per cent approval,
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has 37 per cent, his UK counterpart Rishi Sunak‘s rating stood
at 27 per cent, and France President Emmanuel Macron at just 24 per cent.
 Prime Minister Narendra Modi retained his position at the top of an approval ratings list of global leaders, with 76
per cent, according to a survey by Morning Consult. Prime Minister Narendra Modi retained his position at the
top of an approval ratings list of global leaders, with 76 per cent, according to a survey by Morning Consult.
 Morning Consult said the latest approval ratings are based on data collected from September 6 to 12. It said
the ratings are based on a seven-day moving average of adult residents in each country, with varying sample sizes.
In the United States, the average sample size is around 45,000. In the other countries, the sample size ranges from
roughly 500-5,000.
 At the G20 Leader‘s Summit, the New Delhi Declaration was adopted unanimously with full consensus.
A major standout of the declaration was bringing all global powers on the same page and forging consensus on an
issue as divisive as the Russia-Ukraine war. At the conclusion of the summit, Modi handed over the gavel to
Brazilian President Lula da Silva and also proposed to hold a virtual G20 session in November to review
the suggestions and proposals made at the premier forum for international economic cooperation.
Najma Akhtar honored with lifetime achievement award in academia
 Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) Vice Chancellor, Professor Najma Akhtar, was recently presented ‗Lifetime
Achievement Award-Academia. The award was presented to her by Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar (Padma
Vibhushan) at the Grand Conference and award function titled ―Making India Employable‖ was organised by
TeamLease EdTech. Akhtar was selected for the award by a jury panel comprising of educationists and industry
experts. She has been awarded for her ―great efforts to connect education to employment‖.
----------------

AWARDS
The country‘s top annual science prize Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards
 Country‘s top annual science prize, Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Awards were announced after a gap of two
years. This year 12 scientists will get the awards in seven categories. Dr.N. Kalaiselvi, Director General of
CSIR announced the awards for the year 2022 in the presence of Union Minister for Science and technology
Dr Jitendra Singh. Named after Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar, the first director of CSIR, these awards are given
every in seven scientific disciplines - physics, biology, engineering, mathematics, medicine, chemistry, and earth
sciences.
 The Bhatnagar Prizes have traditionally been announced every year on September 26, the foundation day of
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the organisation that gives away these awards. Last year,
the awards were withheld even though the selection process had been completed and the list of winners
finalised. Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh had then said the government wanted to rationalise the
awards given by all the science-related ministries.
 SSB Prizes, each of the value of Rs. 5,00,000 (Rupees five lakh only), are awarded annually for notable and
outstanding research applied or fundamental, in the following disciplines: (i) Biological Sciences, (ii) Chemical
Sciences, (iii) Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, (iv) Engineering Sciences, (v) Mathematical
Sciences, (vi) Medical Sciences and (vii) Physical Sciences. Two each were selected for five of the seven
categories — physical sciences, biological sciences, chemical sciences, mathematics and engineering sciences —
while one each was picked in the fields of earth and planetary sciences, and medical sciences.
Nobel Prize 2023 winners to receive increased financial reward
 The Nobel Foundation said that it will raise the award amount for this year‘s Nobel Prizes by 1 million
kronor (USD 90,000) to 11 million kronor (USD 986,270 which is approximately Rs. 8,19,49,519) as the
Swedish currency has plummeted recently.
 Sweden has been struggling with high inflation: it was 7.5 per cent in August, down from 9.3 per cent in
July, far from the 2 per cent target set by the Riksbank, Sweden‘s central bank. When the first Nobel Prizes were
awarded in 1901, the prize amount was 150,782 kronor per category. This year‘s Nobel Prize winners will be
announced in early October.
 The laureates are then invited to receive their awards at prize ceremonies on December 10, the anniversary
of award founder Alfred Nobel‘s death in 1896. The prestigious peace prize is handed out in Oslo, according to
Nobel‘s wishes, while the other award ceremonies are held in Stockholm. Sweden is not part of the eurozone.
Twenty years ago, Swedes held a referendum on whether to join the European currency and voted against it.
2 Indian-origin authors shortlisted for British Academy Book Prize
 Two authors of Indian heritage, UK-based Nandini Das and US-based Kris Manjapra, are among six
worldwide writers on the shortlist unveiled in London for the 2023 British Academy Book Prize for Global
Cultural Understanding, a leading international non-fiction prize worth GBP 25,000.
 India-born Nandini Das is in the running for ‗Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of
Empire‘ and Caribbean-born Manjapra of mixed African and Indian parentage has been shortlisted for ‗Black
Ghost of Empire: The Long Death of Slavery and the Failure of Emancipation‘.
---------------

IMPORTANT DAYS
International Day for South-South Cooperation, 12 September
 United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, on September 12 of every year, is celebrated by several
countries around the world. The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation is observed annually on
September 12 to highlight the importance of cooperation among people and countries in the global South.
 The theme for this year is ―Solidarity, Equity and Partnership: Unlocking South-South Cooperation to
Achieve the SDGs‖.
International Day of Democracy 15 September
 The International Day of Democracy, celebrated on September 15 th each year, is a global observance that
underscores the importance of democracy as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of good governance
and peace. The theme for the International Day of Democracy in 2023 is ―Empowering the next
generation.‖
Engineer‘s Day in India
 Engineers‘ Day is observed every year on September 15 across India to celebrate the birth anniversary of
M Visvesvaraya and recognise the contributions made by him in the field of science and technology. Popularly
known as M Visvesvaraya, his complete name is Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya. Engineer‘s Day is also
celebrated in Sri Lanka and Tanzania on September 15.
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 16 September
 International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is celebrated on September 16 designed by the
United Nations General Assembly. On 16th September 2009, the Vienna Convention and the Montreal
Protocol became the first treaties in the history of the United Nations to achieve universal ratification.
 This year Ozone Day is held under the theme ‗Montreal Protocol: fixing the ozone layer and reducing
climate change‘. We celebrate the achievements of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone
Layer. This year‘s theme highlights and reiterates the positive impact of the Montreal Protocol on ozone layer
recovery and reducing climate change.
 Especially emphasizing the Kigali Amendment, which through the phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs) and improved efficiency in the cooling sector, will provide additional climate mitigation benefits. The
Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer reached agreement at their 28th
Meeting of the Parties on 15 October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda to phase-down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
----------------

QUESTIONS
1. On which occasion did Prime Minister Narendra Modi announce the ‗PM Vishwakarma Scheme‘?
(a) Republic Day (b) Independence Day (c) Gandhi Jayanti (d) Makar Sankranti
2. Which varieties of mangoes from West Bengal‘s Malda have been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag?
(a) Alphonso, Chaunsa, and Dasheri (b) Kesar, Langra, and Ratnagiri
(c) Lakshmanbhog, Fajli, and Himsagar (d) Tommy Atkins, Kent, and Keitt
3. Who among the following recently took over the G20 presidency from Prime Minister Narendra Modi?
(a) Indonesian President Joko Widodo (b) Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
(c) US President Joe Biden (d) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
4. Which of the following countries recently announced a commitment of a record $2 billion to the Green Climate
Fund (GCF), marking the largest single funding contribution to combat climate change on a global scale?
(a) France (b) Germany (c) UK (d) Australia
5. In which country did the New Development Bank (NDB) issue its first rand bond?
(a) Angola (b) South Africa (c) Nigeria (d) Zimbabwe
6. Which of the following are the ecosystem partners involved in the ‗ONDC in a Box‘ proposition by HSBC India?
(a) Amazon and Flipkart
(b) Protean eGov Technologies Ltd and Shayr Omnichannel Private Limited
(c) Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
(d) Ministry of Commerce and Industry
7. In a first, a vulture conservation and breeding centre will be set up in Maharashtra‘s _________.
(a) Hingoli (b) Nagpur (c) Pingori (d) Ahmednagar
8. What is the colour of a rare Nishimura comet which is making its debut in our celestial vicinity after more than four
centuries?
(a) Green (b) Blue (c) Orange (d) Yellow
9. Who did Novak Djokovic defeat to win his fourth U.S. Open and equal Margaret Court‘s all-time record for most
Grand Slam victories?
(a) Rafael Nadal (b) Roger Federer (c) Daniil Medvedev (d) Andy Murray
10. The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation is observed annually on _________.
(a) September 4 (b) September 7 (c) September 9 (d) September 12
11. Who among the following is to represent India at the Eastern Economic Forum which is being held at the Russian
port city of Vladivostok?
(a) Amit Shah (b) Nitin Gadkari (c) Sarbananda Sonowal (d) Narendra Modi
12. India along with which other country recently announced the Infrastructure Finance Bridge, a collaborative
initiative to leverage expertise and investment in support of India‘s National Infrastructure Pipeline?
(a) UK (b) USA (c) Germany (d) France
13. What is the name of the ocean craft being developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT),
Chennai?
(a) Sindhu Nayak (b) Samudra Ratna (c) Samudragati (d) Samudrayaan
14. Name North Korea‘s new nuclear submarine to counter US naval power?
(a) ‗Hero Kim Jong Un‘ (b) ‗Legend Kim‘ (c) ‗Hero Kim Kun Go‘ (d) ‗Hero Kim Kun Ok‘

15. Recently, Scientists have discovered the world‘s first-known mountaintop impact crater in _________.
(a) Saudi Arabia (b) Japan (c) Indonesia (d) China
16. Which of the following countries will get its first spanking new C-295 tactical military airlift plane from Spain?
(a) India (b) Australia (c) Canada (d) Bangladesh
17. What is the purpose of setting up an office of Saudi Arabia‘s sovereign wealth fund (SWF) in Gujarat International
Finance Tec-City (GIFT)?
(a) To promote cultural exchange between Saudi Arabia and India.
(b) To facilitate investments in GIFT City for financial services.
(c) To establish a diplomatic mission in Gujarat.
(d) To encourage tourism in the region.
18. What is the significance of Saudi Arabia for India in terms of energy cooperation?
(a) Saudi Arabia is India‘s largest crude oil supplier.
(b) Saudi Arabia is India‘s primary source of natural gas.
(c) Saudi Arabia provides India with nuclear energy technology.
(d) Saudi Arabia is India‘s top renewable energy partner.
19. Recently, Researchers at the _________ claim to have conducted the country‘s first national-scale mapping of soil
erodibility.
(a) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras
(b) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi
(c) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati
(d) Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi
20. Who has become the first Indian to score in the UEFA Women‘s Champions League?
(a) Manisha Kalyan (b) Rani Rampaul (c) Geeta Kumari (d) Meenal Saha
21. Recently, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has announced plans to construct the world‘s highest fighter
airfield in the _________.
(a) Tawang region of Arunachal Pradesh (b) Mana region of Uttarakhand
(c) Nyoma region of Ladakh (d) Anantnag region of Jammu & Kashmir
22. Recently, Indian President inaugurated the First Global Symposium on Farmers‘ Rights in _________.
(a) Kolkata (b) Indore (c) New Delhi (d) Bengaluru
23. Recently, Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann laid the foundation stone of Saragarhi memorial in _________.
(a) Ferozpur (b) Faridkot (c) Barnala (d) Kapurthala
24. Recently, which of the following municipal corporations has started Cash for Waste scheme for common people at
the recently established Material Recovery Facility (MRF)?
(a) Agra Municipal Corporation (b) Patna Municipal Corporation
(c) Darjeeling Municipal Corporation (d) Guwahati Municipal Corporation
25. The Kigali Amendment will help curb up to _________ of global warming in this century while continuing to
protect the ozone layer.
(a) 0.1°C (b) 0.2°C
(c) 0.4°C (d) 0.6°C
26. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Downstream Petrochemical Complex and
Refinery Expansion Project at BPCL‘s at _________.
(a) Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh (b) Udaipur in Rajasthan
(c) Sagar in Madhya Pradesh (d) Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh

27. Recently, The _________ with the support of government of Assam hosted the Assam Gunvatta Sankalp in
Guwahati to bring quality revolution at the doorstep of citizens of Assam.
(a) NITI Aayog (b) Ministry of Finance (c) NABARD (d) Quality Council of India
28. What is the main goal of Razorpay‘s acquisition of BillMe?
(a) To expand its presence in Mumbai
(b) To enhance customer engagement for businesses
(c) To provide end-to-end digital payment solutions
(d) To enter the retail Point of Sale (POS) market
29. Recently, North India‘s First ‗Aquarium Tunnel‘ opens at _________.
(a) New Delhi (b) Shimla (c) Dehradun (d) Chandigarh
30. Which book by Nandini Das has been shortlisted for the 2023 British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural
Understanding?
(a) ‗Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire‘
(b) ‗Black Ghost of Empire: The Long Death of Slavery and the Failure of Emancipation‘
(c) ‗A Caribbean Journey: Tracing Roots and Culture‘
(d) ‗The Global Impact of Indian Literature‘
31. Electric highways cater to electric traction for vehicles in the same manner as is done for railways. This is based on
prevalent technology in a large number of countries like _________.
(a) Denmark and Switzerland (b) Hungary and Romania
(c) Bulgaria and United Kingdom (d) Sweden and Norway
32. Which of the following state governments has recently approved the Aspirational City Programme in 100 most
backward urban bodies (ULBs) with a population of 20,000 to one lakh?
(a) Uttar Pradesh (b) Madhya Pradesh (c) Rajasthan (d) Maharashtra
33. The country‘s top annual science prize, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards have celebrated and nurtured the best
science talent under _________.
(a) 30 (b) 35 (c) 40 (d) 45
34. Uttar Pradesh is poised to welcome its second industrial city, following in the footsteps of Noida, as the state
cabinet recently approved the establishment of the _________ Industrial Development Authority.
(a) Purvanchal (b) Awadh (c) Bundelkhand (d) Rohilkhand
35. Which of the following transport corridors was recently discussed as a potential option for maritime cooperation
between India and Russia?
(a) Suez Canal Route (b) Northern Sea Route (c) Panama Canal Route (d) Mediterranean Sea Route
36. Who among the following recently started the initial phase of its plan for the world‘s first carbon border tax next
month?
(a) African Union (b) Canada (c) European Union (d) USA
37. Recently, Reserve Bank of India has asked all the financial institutions to release all movable/immovable property
documents within _________ upon receiving full repayment and closure of personal loan accounts.
(a) 15 days (b) 30 days (c) 45 days (d) 60 days
38. The RBI has recently approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as Managing Director and CEO of ______.
(a) ICICI Bank (b) IDFC First Bank (c) Axis Bank (d) HDFC Bank
39. Engineers‘ Day is observed every year on _________ across India to celebrate the birth anniversary of M
Visvesvaraya.

40. What is the significance of ―Sammakka Saralamma Jatara‖ in India?
(a) It is the largest tribal festival in India.
(b) It is a religious festival celebrated by Hindus.
(c) It is an international cultural event in Telangana.
(d) It is a harvest festival observed by tribal communities.
41. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ambitious 108-foot-high _________ of Acharya Shankar in Madhya
Pradesh‘s Omkareshwar.
(a) ‗Statue of Uniqueness‘ (b) ‗Statue of Togetherness‘
(c) ‗Statue of Oneness‘ (d) ‗Statue of Greatness‘
42. Who among the following recently announced the onboarding of the Supreme Court on the National Judicial Data
Grid (NJDG) in open court?
(a) President Droupadi Murmu (b) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
(c) Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud (d) Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal
43. Indian-origin Singapore-born economist Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be sworn in as the _________ president of
the city-state.
(a) Second (b) Fifth (c) Ninth (d) Eleventh
44. Recently, Mastercard India announced the appointment of Rajnish Kumar, former _________ chairman, as the
Chairman of Mastercard India.
(a) NABARD (b) SIDBI (c) State Bank of India (d) RBI
45. Recently, who has sold 2% of its holding in Sun Pharma for Rs. 4,699 crore via open market sale?
(a) NITI Aayog (b) NABARD (c) State Bank of India (d) LIC
46. Recently, India became _________ country to issue OIML certificates - mandatory certification required for
measuring instruments.
(a) 6th (b) 8th (c) 10th (d) 13th
47. Which of the following IIT‘s researchers have developed innovative technologies for sustainable and efficient
utilization of tea waste from the tea industry?
(a) Indian Institute of Technology- Guwahati (b) Indian Institute of Technology- Madras
(c) Indian Institute of Technology- Bombay (d) Indian Institute of Technology- Delhi
48. In a groundbreaking revelation, the world‘s inaugural confirmed dog-fox hybrid, affectionately termed the
‗dogxim,‘ has been unveiled in _________, marking a remarkable moment in the annals of zoology.
(a) Mexico (b) Argentina (c) Brazil (d) Chile
49. Who among the following Indians was named in TIME magazine‘s ‗2023 TIME100 Next: the Emerging Leaders
Shaping the World‘ list?
(a) Harmanpreet Kaur (b) Sachin Tendulkar (c) Narendra Modi (d) Priyanka Chopra
50. International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is celebrated on _________ designed by the United
Nations General Assembly.
51. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated _________ at Dwarka to the nation.
(a) ‗SwarnaBhoomi‘ (b) ‗YashoBhoomi‘
(c) ‗GauravBhoomi‘ (d) ‗SwahBhoomi‘
52. Which of the following countries has become the first country in the world to issue digital passports to its citizens?
(a) Finland (b) Norway (c) Sweden (d) Ireland

53. According to the Reserve Bank of India‘s census on foreign direct investment (FDI) in India during FY23, which of
the following countries emerged as the leading source of FDI?
(a) United Kingdom (b) Singapore (c) United States (d) Mauritius
54. Recently, The Union Cabinet approved the third phase of _________ Project as a central sector scheme with a
financial outlay of Rs. 7,210 crore to be implemented over four years.
(a) eCourts (b) family Courts
(c) One Court (d) India Courts
55. Recently, Tata Steel and the _________ government have announced an agreement to invest in Electric Arc
Furnace steelmaking at the Port Talbot site with a capital cost of £1.25 billion.
(a) US (b) German
(c) U.K. (d) French
56. The first Indian firm to deploy edge computing in space by successfully generating actionable insights from an
image taken by an orbiting satellite in real-time is _________.
(a) SemantiCS (b) KaleidEO
(c) Great One (d) Kleodea GS
57. According to the ‗Global Leader Approval Rating Tracker‘ by Morning Consult, who among the following has the
highest approval rating among global leaders?
(a) Rishi Sunak (b) Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
(c) Narendra Modi (d) Joe Biden
58. Recently, U.N.‘s World Heritage Committee placed _________ major historical sites in Ukraine on its list of such
sites that it considers to be in danger.
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 4 (d) 6
59. Recently, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen christened the world‘s first bio-methanol container
ship, _________, which joined the fleet of Danish shipping giant Maersk.
(a) Thomas (b) Saina (c) Laura (d) Friend
60. In 2007 the United Nations General Assembly resolved to observe _________ as the International Day of
Democracy.
(a) 9 September (b) 12 September (c) 15 September (d) 18 September
61. Who among the following recently launched the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg)?
(a) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
(b) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
(c) NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand
(d) Minister of Agriculture and Farmers‘ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar
62. Which of the following state governments recently launched Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam wherein One Crore
Women will be benefited as they will be paid 1000 rupees - per month?
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Kerala (c) Karnataka (d) Andhra Pradesh
63. Why did Israel quit UNESCO in 2019?

(a) Israel disagreed with UNESCO‘s decision to list Jericho as a World Heritage Site.
(b) Israel accused UNESCO of being biased against it and diminishing its connection to the Holy Land.
(c) Israel disagreed with UNESCO‘s acceptance of Palestine as a member state.
(d) Israel wanted to discontinue its participation in the World Heritage Convention.
64. Which of the following countries is the largest producer of sugarcane and ethanol in the world?
(a) Argentina (b) Brazil (c) India (d) China

65. Where is the prestigious peace prize, one of the Nobel Prizes, traditionally handed out?
(a) Stockholm, Sweden (b) Oslo, Norway
(c) Copenhagen, Denmark (d) Helsinki, Finland
66. India‘s first digital fixed-return investment platform _________ is now available for downloads. It is an online
marketplace that focuses on providing reliable fixed-income investment opportunities to users.
(a) First Money (b) Class Money (c) New Money (d) Stable Money
67. What is the main purpose of the Skill India Digital app?
(a) To provide listings of upskilling courses only.
(b) To list job vacancies only.
(c) To bring together listings for upskilling courses and job vacancies.
(d) To issue verifiable certificates of course completion.
68. Which of the following country‘s radiation watchdog has banned sales of Apple‘s iPhone 12 that showed the
smartphone breached European radiation exposure limits?
(a) Germany (b) Belgium (c) France (d) USA
69. Recently, Neeraj Chopra failed to defend his Diamond League champion‘s title as he finished _________ with a
modest performance of 83.80m.
(a) Second (b) Third (c) Fifth (d) Sixth
70. Which of the following states will target planting 8 crore seedlings next year and another 10 crore saplings in 2025?
(a) Nagaland (b) Assam (c) Manipur (d) Mizoram

ANSWER KEY AND EXPLANATION
1. b Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the ‗PM Vishwakarma Scheme‘ during his Independence Day speech.
2. c Lakshmanbhog, Fajli, and Himsagar, these are the three varieties of mangoes from West Bengal‘s Malda that have
been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
3. b Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the G20 presidency to the Brazilian President during the two-day
summit in New Delhi.
4. c UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a commitment of a record $2 billion to the Green Climate Fund
(GCF), marking the largest single funding contribution by the UK to combat climate change on a global scale.
5. b The NDB issued its first rand bond in South Africa. This bond issuance demonstrates the NDB‘s willingness to
issue bonds in local currencies in its member countries.
6. b The ecosystem partners involved in the ‗ONDC in a Box‘ proposition by HSBC India are Protean eGov
Technologies Ltd (Protean) and Shayr Omnichannel Private Limited (Adya). These partners contribute to the
ONDC modules and front-end applications within the proposition.
7. c In a first, a vulture conservation and breeding centre will be set up in Maharashtra‘s Pingori — some 60 kms from
Pune — after the state Forest Department and Ela Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU)
recently for the same.
8. a A rare green comet, named the Nishimura, is making its debut in our celestial vicinity after more than four
centuries.
9. c Novak Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets to win his fourth U.S. Open and equal Margaret Court‘s
all-time record for most Grand Slam victories.
10. d The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation is observed annually on September 12 to highlight the
importance of cooperation among people and countries in the global South.
11. c The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal left for Russia to
represent India at the Eastern Economic Forum which is being held at the Russian port city of Vladivostok.
12. a The two countries announced the India-UK Infrastructure Finance Bridge, a collaborative initiative to leverage
expertise and investment in support of India‘s National Infrastructure Pipeline.
13. d The ocean craft Samudrayaan is being developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai.
14. d The submarine was named as ‗Hero Kim Kun Ok‘ and is designed to launch tactical nuclear weapons from
underwater.
15. d Chinese scientists have discovered the world‘s first-known mountaintop impact crater in the country‘s northeastern
region, according to the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research (HPSTAR) in
Beijing.
16. a India will get its first spanking new C-295 tactical military airlift plane with Indian Air Force chief Air Chief
Marshal VR Chaudhari now in Spain to receive the delivery, under the mega Rs. 21,935 crore Tata-Airbus project
for 56 such planes inked two years ago.
17. c Saudi Arabia is considering setting up an office of its sovereign wealth fund (SWF) in GIFT City to facilitate
investments, particularly in the field of financial services.

18. a Saudi Arabia is a key partner for India in ensuring energy security and remains India‘s third-largest Crude and
Petroleum products sourcing destination for Financial Year 2022-23.
19. b Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi claim to have conducted the country‘s first national-
scale mapping of soil erodibility.
20. a Manisha Kalyan has become the first Indian to ever score in the UEFA Women‘s Champions League.
21. c In a groundbreaking development, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has announced plans to construct the
world‘s highest fighter airfield in the Nyoma region of Ladakh.
22. c Inaugurating the First Global Symposium on Farmers‘ Rights in New Delhi the President said, India is a mega-
diverse country with only 2.4 percent of the world‘s land area but accounts for 7 to 8 percent of all recorded species
of plants and animals.
23. a CM Bhagwant Singh Mann lays foundation stone of Saragarhi memorial in Ferozpur.
24. b Working on the theme of waste to wealth, the Patna Municipal Corporation has started Cash for Waste scheme for
common people at the recently established Material Recovery Facility (MRF).
25. c The Kigali Amendment will help curb up to 0.4°C of global warming in this century while continuing to protect the
ozone layer.
26. c Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Downstream Petrochemical Complex and Refinery
Expansion Project at BPCL‘s Bina refinery at Sagar in Madhya Pradesh.
27. d The Quality Council of India (QCI) with the support of government of Assam hosted the Assam Gunvatta Sankalp
in Guwahati to bring quality revolution at the doorstep of citizens of Assam.
28. b The partnership between Razorpay and BillMe aims to empower businesses with a hybrid model to engage better
with end consumers, which is the primary goal of the acquisition.
29. d North India‘s First ‗Aquarium Tunnel‘ opens at Chandigarh Sea World Carnival.
30. a ‗Courting India: England, Mughal India and the Origins of Empire.‘ Nandini Das is in the running for this book for
the 2023 British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding.
31. d Electric highways cater to electric traction for vehicles in the same manner as is done for railways. This is based on
prevalent technology in a large number of countries like Sweden and Norway.
32. a Uttar Pradesh government has approved the Aspirational City Programme in 100 most backward urban bodies
(ULBs) with a population of 20,000 to one lakh.
33. d The country‘s top annual science prize, the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards that have celebrated and nurtured the
best science talent under 45.
34. c Uttar Pradesh is poised to welcome its second industrial city, following in the footsteps of Noida, as the Yogi
Adityanath‘s state cabinet recently approved the establishment of the Bundelkhand Industrial Development
Authority.
35. b The discussion of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) as a potential option for maritime cooperation between India and
Russia.
36. c The European Union starts the initial phase of its plan for the world‘s first carbon border tax next month, requiring
importers to report the CO2 emissions of products sold into Europe, such as steel and cement, or risk financial
penalties.

37. b Reserve Bank of India has asked all the financial institutions to release all movable/immovable property documents
within 30 days upon receiving full repayment and closure of personal loan accounts.
38. a Private sector ICICI Bank said the RBI has approved the reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as Managing Director
and CEO of the private lender for three years.
39. c Engineers‘ Day is observed every year on September 15 across India to celebrate the birth anniversary of M
Visvesvaraya.
40. a It is the largest tribal festival in India.
41. c Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ambitious 108-foot-high ‗Statue of Oneness‘ of Acharya Shankar in
Madhya Pradesh‘s Omkareshwar.
42. c Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud announced the onboarding of the Supreme Court on the National Judicial
Data Grid (NJDG) in open court.
43. c Indian-origin Singapore-born economist Tharman Shanmugaratnam will be sworn in as the ninth president of the
city-state, days after he was overwhelmingly elected as the head of state.
44. c Mastercard India announced the appointment of Rajnish Kumar, former State Bank of India (SBI) chairman, as the
Chairman of Mastercard India.
45. d LIC has sold 2% of its holding in Sun Pharma for Rs. 4,699 crore via open market sale.
46. d India is the 13th country to become an issuing authority. India can now issue OIML certificates - mandatory
certification required for measuring instruments.
47. a Indian Institute of Technology- Guwahati researchers have developed innovative technologies for sustainable and
efficient utilization of tea waste from the tea industry.
48. c In a groundbreaking revelation, the world‘s inaugural confirmed dog-fox hybrid, affectionately termed the
‗dogxim,‘ has been unveiled in Brazil, marking a remarkable moment in the annals of zoology.
49. a Harmanpreet Kaur was one of the three Indians named in TIME magazine‘s list of emerging leaders shaping the
world in 2023.
50. b International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is celebrated on September 16 designed by the United
Nations General Assembly. This designation had been made on December 19, in commemoration of the date, in
1987, on which nations signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
51. b Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated ‗YashoBhoomi‘ at Dwarka to the nation.
52. a Finland has become the first country in the world to issue digital passports to its citizens.
53. c United States was the leading source of FDI in India during the fiscal year 2023 (FY23).
54. a The Union Cabinet approved the third phase of eCourts Project as a central sector scheme with a financial outlay of
Rs. 7,210 crore to be implemented over four years.
55. c Tata Steel and the U.K. government have announced an agreement to invest in Electric Arc Furnace steelmaking at
the Port Talbot site with a capital cost of £1.25 billion.
56. b Bengaluru-based deep tech player SatSure Analytics‘ India subsidiary KaleidEO has become the first Indian firm to
deploy edge computing in space by successfully generating actionable insights from an image taken by an orbiting
satellite in real-time.

57. c Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the highest approval rating with 76 percent.
58. b The U.N.‘s World Heritage Committee placed two major historical sites in Ukraine on its list of such sites that it
considers to be in danger. The iconic Saint Sophia Cathedral in the capital, Kyiv, and the medieval center of the
western city of Lviv, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites central to Ukraine‘s culture and history.
59. c European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen christened the world‘s first bio-methanol container ship, Laura,
which joined the fleet of Danish shipping giant Maersk.
60. c In 2007 the United Nations General Assembly resolved to observe 15 September as the International Day of
Democracy.
61. c The UPAg was launched by NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand.
62. a The Tamil Nadu Government launched Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam wherein One Crore Women will be
benefited as they will be paid 1000 rupees - per month.
63. b Israel quit UNESCO in 2019 because it accused UNESCO of being biased against it and diminishing its connection
to the Holy Land. While options A and C mention Israel‘s disagreements with UNESCO, the primary reason for
quitting was the perception of bias.
64. b Brazil is the largest producer of sugarcane and ethanol in the world. It is also a leader in the technology used for
ethanol production.
65. b The prestigious peace prize is handed out in Oslo, which was in accordance with Alfred Nobel‘s wishes. The other
Nobel Prize ceremonies are held in Stockholm, Sweden.
66. d India‘s first digital fixed-return investment platform Stable Money is now available for downloads. It is an online
marketplace that focuses on providing reliable fixed-income investment opportunities to users.
67. c The Skill India Digital app serves as a platform that combines listings for upskilling courses and job vacancies.
68. c France‘s radiation watchdog has banned sales of Apple‘s iPhone 12 after tests that it said showed the smartphone
breached European radiation exposure limits.
69. a Olympic and world champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra failed to defend his Diamond League champion‘s title
as he finished second with a modest performance of 83.80 m.
70. b Seeking to set a new world record by planting one crore saplings in the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma
said the Assam government will target planting 8 crore seedlings next year and another 10 crore saplings in 2025.

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11th September to 17th September, 2023

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 1

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 2

PM Narendra Modi launched Vishwakarma Scheme

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 3

India hands over G20 presidency to Brazil for 2024

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 4

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 5

BRO to construct world‘s highest fighter airfield in Ladakh

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates First Global Symposium on Farmers‘ Rights

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 6

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 7

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 8

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 9

Indian-American group asks California Governor to veto anti-caste discrimination bill

UK‘s Rishi Sunak commits record $2 bn climate aid

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 10

India proposes G-20 satellite for climate observation

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 11

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 12

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 13

India, Brazil begin talks to resolve sugar-related trade dispute at WTO

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 14

‗BRICS bank‘ aims to issue first Indian rupee bond by October

HSBC India launches ‗ONDC in a Box‘

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 15

Razorpay acquires digital invoicing startup BillMe

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 16

RBI approves reappointment of Sandeep Bakhshi as ICICI Bank MD for 3 years

Former SBI chair Rajnish Kumar is now Mastercard India Chairman

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 17

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 18

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 19

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 20

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 21

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 22

Sports Personalities in News

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 23

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 24

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 25

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 26

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 27

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 28

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 29

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 30

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A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 32

63. Why did Israel quit UNESCO in 2019?

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 33

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 34

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 35

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 36

40. a It is the largest tribal festival in India.

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 37

A General Awareness Weekly, 2023 Page : 38

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