Kapil Kathpal

NPCI allows UPI transactions for Non-Resident

Accounts linked to International Numbers Banking

• The National Payments Corporation of India has allowed UPI transactions

for non-resident bank accounts like Non-Residential External (NRE) and
Non- Resident Ordinary (NRO) linked to international mobile numbers.

• Initially, the transactions from mobile numbers of 10 countries –

Singapore, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, United States of
America, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom will
be enabled

• This means Non-resident Indians) from these countries can transact

through UPI.

• NPCI has mandated all UPI members, including banks and payments
platforms, to comply with the norms by 30th April 2023.

• NPCI allowed UPI transactions to and from NRO/NRE accounts linked to

Indian numbers in October 2018.
 Kapil Kathpal
SBI launched e-Bank Guarantee
facility in association with NeSL Banking

• State Bank of India has launched e-Bank Guarantee (e-BG)

facility in association with National e-Governance Services
Limited.

• NeSL’s Digital Document Execution platform, which provides e-

Stamp and e-Sign functions, will facilitate the e-Bank
Guarantee process.

• Beneficiaries will instantly receive an e-Bank Guarantee on

NeSL’s platform without further verification. Currently, the bank
issues these guarantees with physical stamping and wet
signatures.

• HDFC Bank on September 4th, 2022, became the first bank in

the country to issue an Electronic Bank Guarantee (e-BG) in
partnership with National E-Governance Services Limited
 Kapil Kathpal
Bajaj Allianz Life & Punjab & Sind Bank
signed Bancassurance agreement Banking

• An agreement was signed between Punjab & Sind

Bank & Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company

• This will allow PSB’s new and existing customers to

avail a variety of retail life insurance products from
Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company

Punjab & Sind Bank:

• MD & CEO– Swarup Kumar Saha
• Headquarters– New Delhi
• Tagline– Where service is a way of life
 Kapil Kathpal
RBI Grants In-principle Approval for
Payment Aggregator Licence to EnKash Banking

• Reserve Bank of India has provided in-principle

approval for the Fintech startup EnKash, for
payment aggregator’s licence.
 Kapil Kathpal
Exim Bank Raises USD 1 billion through
10-year Sustainability Bond Issue Banking

• Export-Import Bank of India has raised USD 1 billion via a 10-year

Sustainability Bond issue under its Environmental Social
Governance (ESG) Framework.

• According to the Exim Bank, the net proceeds of Sustainability

Bond will be used towards eligible projects under its ESG
Framework, including renewable energy, clean transportation,
access to essential services and basic infrastructure, affordable
housing, and sustainable water and wastewater management.

• Exim Bank issued it at a coupon rate of CT10 (US 10-year

Treasury Bond) +190 basis points.
 Kapil Kathpal
Covovax Heterologous Booster
Dose Approved for Use in India National

• The Central drug regulatory authority, Drugs Controller

General of India has given the green light for the
market authorization of Serum Institute of India’s
Covid-19 vaccine, Covovax, as a heterologous booster
dose for those who have already received two doses of
Covishield or Covaxin.

• Previously, DCGI had approved Covovax for restricted

use in emergency situations in adults

• In a related development, Bharat Biotech’s nasal Covid

vaccine for adults above 18-year-old has also been
approved by the Government of India and will be used
as a heterologous booster dose.
 Kapil Kathpal
FSSAI regulatory standards for Basmati Rice
National
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has
specified the identity standards for basmati rice.

• As per the standards, basmati rice must possess the

natural fragrance characteristic of basmati rice and be
free from artificial coloring, polishing agents and
artificial fragrances.

• Basmati rice is a premium variety of rice cultivated in

the Himalayan foothills of the Indian sub-continent
 Kapil Kathpal
CBIC - Customs Automated System
National
• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has
announced that it will come out with a list of “identified goods”
that will be subject to stricter scrutiny for their true value.

• The CBIC has notified the Customs (Assistance in Value

Declaration of Identified Imported Goods) Rules, 2023, aimed
at addressing the undervaluation of specified imported goods.

• The rules is effective from February 11, 2023

• As per the rules, two committees will be constituted – a

screening committee for a preliminary examination of “identified
goods” and an evaluation committee for a detailed examination.
Importers of the identified goods will be required to declare the
value of goods using the Unique Quantity Code.
 Kapil Kathpal
Neelakurinji Plant Listed as a Protected
Species under Wildlife Protection Act National

• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has

listed Neelakurinji under Schedule III of the Wildlife (Protection)
Act, 1972, including it on the list of protected plants.

• As per the new order, those who uproot or destroy the Neelakurinji
plant will invite a fine of ₹25,000 and three years’ imprisonment.

• Neelakurinji is an endemic plant found in a small stretch in the

Western Ghats, from the Mangaladevi hills to the Nilgiris hills.

• The most popular Neelakurinji is Strobilanthes kunthiana which

blooms once in 12 years.
 Kapil Kathpal
India Abolishes Discretionary Haj Quota for Pilgrims
National
• The Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Smriti Irani, recently announced that
the Indian government has done away with the discretionary Haj quota for
pilgrims

• The Haj pilgrimage is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia

• Saudi Arabia allots country-wise quotas which determine the total number of
pilgrims who can make a journey from a particular country.

• The Government discretionary quota is further divided as 200 seats are with
the Haj Committee itself and 300 are with people holding important offices at
the Centre. These include, 100 with the President, 75 with the Prime Minister,
75 with the Vice President, 50 with the Minister of Minority Affairs.

• This quota has now been abolished with these seats being added back to the
general pool.

• India signed the Haj 2023 bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia. According to
the agreement, a total of 1,75,025 Indian Haj pilgrims will be able to perform
Haj
 Kapil Kathpal
RITES Signs MoU with IIT-Kanpur
MOU

• Rail India Technical and Economic Service

(RITES) Limited signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with IIT-Kanpur for exploring
opportunities in the areas of sustainability and
carbon-related works including carbon
neutrality, particularly in sectors such as steel
and power.
 Kapil Kathpal
OTPC & APDCL signed MoU to Develop
Battery Energy Storage in Assam MOU

• ONGC Tripura Power Company Limited and

Assam Power Distribution Company Limited
signed a Memorandum of Understanding to
develop a battery energy storage system
project in Assam at an investment of Rs 2000
crore.

• The 250 megawatts system will be developed

in a phased manner
 Kapil Kathpal
MP Tourism Board Signed MoUs with
Chapters of Eight Countries of GOPIO MOU

• Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board signed a

Memorandum of Understanding with chapters
of 8 countries of the Global Organization of
People of Indian Origin at the 17th Pravasi
Bhartiya Divas convention.
 Kapil Kathpal
Sony Sports signs Hyundai Ioniq 5,
Samsonite as sponsors for Australian Open MOU

• Sony Sports Network will air the

Australian Open.

• It has roped in sponsors like Hyundai

Ioniq 5 and Samsonite as co-presenting
sponsors and Panasonic as an associate
sponsor for the upcoming open.
 Kapil Kathpal
Cognizant Appoints Ravi Kumar S
as Chief Executive Officer Appointment

• IT giant Cognizant has announced Ravi Kumar

as its new Chief Executive Officer replacing the
outgoing Brian Humphries

• Kumar served as the company’s president for

the last six years.
 Kapil Kathpal
Santhi Kumari Appointed as First
Woman Chief Secretary of Telangana Appointment

• Senior IAS Officer A Santhi Kumari has been

appointed as the new Chief Secretary of
Telangana.

• Santhi Kumari is the first woman Chief

Secretary of Telangana.

• Recently, Gujarat’s first woman Chief Secretary Dr.

Manjula Subramaniam passed away
 Kapil Kathpal
Brazil Appoints Sonia Guajajara as First
Minister of Ministry of Indigenous People International

• Brazil’s President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da

Silva announced Sônia Guajajara as the first
minister of the new Ministry of Indigenous
People

• Sônia Guajajara is widely known as the leader

of the main group of Brazil’s indigenous tribes
and is a member of the Amazon Guajajara.

• She was also featured in Time Magazine’s

annual list of the world’s 100 most influential
people.
 Kapil Kathpal
UAE Names Oil Chief to head COP28 Climate Talks
International
• The United Arab Emirates nominated Sultan al-
Jaber who serves as CEO of the Abu Dhabi
National Oil Co to preside over the upcoming
United Nations climate negotiations in Dubai.

• The COP28 conference will be held

from November 30 to December 12.
 Kapil Kathpal
Book titled “Braving A Viral Storm”
Books

• Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Health

and Family Welfare, launched the book
titled “Braving A Viral Storm: India’s
Covid-19 Vaccine Story”

• The book is co-authored by Aashish

Chandorkar and Suraj Sudhir
 Kapil Kathpal

British linguist Ronald E Asher passes away Obituary

• A british linguist and educator specialised in

Dravidian languages, Ronald E. Asher has
passed away.

• A fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society, London,

Asher won a gold medal from Kerala Sahitya
Akademi, Trichur and was honoured by the
Royal Society, Edinburgh in 1991.

• He was also a recipient of a medal from

College de France, Paris in 1970.